Despite the similarities in nutritional composition, Salba-chia appears to have the ability to convert glucose into a slow-release carbohydrate and affect satiety to a greater extent than flax, possibly due to the higher fiber viscosity. Incorporation of either flax or Salba-chia into the diet may be beneficial, although use of Salba-chia may confer additional benefit.

No abstract

Observational studies identified associations between vitamin D insufficiency (serum 25(OH)D < 30ng·ml-1) and risk of upper respiratory infection (URI). Swimmers are highly prone to URIs, which might hinder their performance. The aim of this study was to examine if vitamin D3 supplementation reduces URI burden in vitamin D-insufficient swimmers. Fifty-five competitive adolescent swimmers with vitamin D insufficiency were randomized to receive vitamin D3 (2,000IU·d-1) or placebo for 12 winter weeks. A URI symptom questionnaire was completed weekly. Serum 25(OH)D concentrations were measured by radio-immunoassay before and after supplementation. We used linear regression to examine the relation between the change in 25(OH)D concentrations during the trial, and the duration and severity of URIs. There were no between-group differences in the frequency, severity, or duration of URIs. Exploratory analyses revealed that in the placebo group only, the change in 25(OH)D concentrations during the trial was highly associated with the duration of URIs (r = -0.90,p < .001), and moderately associated with the severity of URIs (r = -0.65,p = .043). The between-group differences for duration were highly significant. Vitamin D3 supplementation in adolescent swimmers with vitamin D insufficiency did not reduce URI burden. However, larger decreases in serum 25(OH)D concentrations were associated with significantly longer and more severe URI episodes.

A quantitative deficiency of normally functioning insulin-producing pancreatic beta cells is a major contributor to all common forms of diabetes. This is the underlying premise for attempts to replace beta cells in people with diabetes by pancreas transplantation, pancreatic islet transplantation, and transplantation of beta cells or pancreatic islets derived from human stem cells. While progress is rapid and impressive in the beta cell replacement field, these approaches are expensive, and for transplant approaches, limited by donor organ availability. For these reasons, beta cell replacement will not likely become available to the hundreds of millions of people around the world with diabetes. Since the large majority of people with diabetes have some residual beta cells in their pancreata, an alternate approach to reversing diabetes would be developing pharmacologic approaches to induce these residual beta cells to regenerate and expand in a way that also permits normal function. Unfortunately, despite the broad availability of multiple classes of diabetes drugs in the current diabetes armamentarium, none has the ability to induce regeneration or expansion of human beta cells. Development of such drugs would be transformative for diabetes care around the world. This picture has begun to change. Over the past half-decade, a novel class of beta cell regenerative small molecules has emerged: the DYRK1A inhibitors. Their emergence has tremendous potential, but many areas of uncertainty and challenge remain. In this review, we summarize the accomplishments in the world of beta cell regenerative drug development and summarize areas in which most experts would agree. We also outline and summarize areas of disagreement or lack of unanimity, of controversy in the field, of obstacles to beta cell regeneration, and of challenges that will need to be overcome in order to establish human beta cell regenerative drug therapeutics as a clinically viable class of diabetes drugs.

Resistance to regeneration of insulin-producing pancreatic β cells is a fundamental challenge for type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Recently, small molecule inhibitors of the kinase DYRK1A have proven effective in inducing adult human β cells to proliferate, but their detailed mechanism of action is incompletely understood. We interrogated our human insulinoma and β cell transcriptomic databases seeking to understand why β cells in insulinomas proliferate, while normal β cells do not. This search reveals the DREAM complex as a central regulator of quiescence in human β cells. The DREAM complex consists of a module of transcriptionally repressive proteins that assemble in response to DYRK1A kinase activity, thereby inducing and maintaining cellular quiescence. In the absence of DYRK1A, DREAM subunits reassemble into the pro-proliferative MMB complex. Here, we demonstrate that small molecule DYRK1A inhibitors induce human β cells to replicate by converting the repressive DREAM complex to its pro-proliferative MMB conformation.

There is growing interest in the potential role of omega-3/fibre-rich seeds in attenuating obesity and other cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).Preliminary data suggests that consumption of white Salvia hispanica L. (Salba ® ) seeds prolongs satiety and may aid weight loss. This randomized, double-blind, parallel study assessed the efficacy and safety of Salvia hispanica in overweight/obese individuals with T2DM on weight, body composition, glycemic control and other CVD risk factors. Fifty-eight participants consumed a hypocaloric diet including Salvia hispanica or an energy-and-fibre-matched control over 24 weeks. Greater reductions in weight, waist circumference and inflammation occurred in the Salvia hispanica group versus control. There were no significant between-group differences in safety parameters, glycemic control or other CVD risk factors.Salvia hispanica seeds may support weight loss in overweight/obese individuals with T2DM. Further research is needed to determine whether these effects are maintained.iii

ObjectiveTo compare the effects of Salba and flax, two nutritionally similar, high fiber grains whose main difference is viscosity, on postprandial glycemia and appetite.MethodsUsing an acute randomized, single‐blind, crossover design, 9 healthy subjects (4M:5F; BMI 22.7±4 kg/m2) received, on 3 different occasions, a 50g glucose drink alone or with either 25g Salba or 31g flax added, which were matched for fiber. Capillary blood was taken and hunger questionnaires completed at fasting, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90 and 120 min post‐consumption. Viscosity was measured using a Brookfield Dial Viscometer.ResultsThe viscosity of Salba was approximately 3 times higher than that of flax. Salba significantly reduced the glucose iAUC compared to control (p=0.049), whereas flax did not. Salba and flax consumption increased 2hr satiety scores compared to control by 83% and 55%, respectively (NS).ConclusionsAddition of Salba, but not flax, to a glucose drink significantly lowers postprandial glycemia. Although Salba increased satiety to a greater extend than flax, this did not reach statistical significance. These preliminary data suggest that the greater effectiveness of Salba may be due to its higher viscosity level. Further research is warranted to assess the effects of Salba on postprandial glycemia and appetite control.Research support: Salba Smart Natural Products, Denver, CO, USA.

Background: Beta thalassemia is characterized by the abnormal synthesis of β hemoglobin chains resulting in hemolytic anemia. Treatment involves frequent blood transfusions, which leads to the deposition of iron in many organs, including endocrine tissue such as the thyroid gland. Iron overload has been associated with various malignancies, most notably liver and hematological. To date, 7 cases of papillary thyroid cancer in patients with beta thalassemia have been reported in the adult literature, but none in pediatrics. Clinical Case: The patient is a 15 year 4 month old female with beta thalassemia requiring chronic red blood cell transfusions since the age of 5 months. She initially presented to us for evaluation of secondary amenorrhea. She underwent a splenectomy at the age of 10 years and received chelating therapy with deferasirox and deferiprone. Her ferritin levels had been stable around 1500ng/mL for the year prior to presentation; however, MRI revealed iron deposition in her pancreas, liver, kidneys, bone marrow and pituitary gland. On exam, her thyroid gland was asymmetric with the right lobe measuring 1cm larger than the left. The gland was firm in consistency with palpable lymph nodes along the right anterior cervical chain. A thyroid ultrasound was completed which revealed an enlarged right lobe containing 3 focal hypoechoic masses with calcific foci. Biopsy obtained via fine needle aspiration was consistent with papillary thyroid carcinoma. She underwent total thyroidectomy and histological examination confirmed the diagnosis. Her postoperative course was uncomplicated and she was started on replacement therapy with levothyroxine. Conclusion: To our knowledge this is the first case of papillary thyroid carcinoma in a pediatric patient with beta thalassemia. The incidence of thyroid cancer in patients with beta thalassemia is currently unknown, however there may be utility in routine surveillance of this patient population.