Recommendations for whole-grain (WG) intake are based on observational studies showing that higher WG consumption is associated with reduced CVD risk. No large-scale, randomised, controlled dietary intervention studies have investigated the effects on CVD risk markers of substituting WG in place of refined grains in the diets of non-WG consumers. A total of 316 participants (aged 18-65 years; BMI . 25 kg/m 2 ) consuming ,30 g WG/d were randomly assigned to three groups: control (no dietary change), intervention 1 (60 g WG/d for 16 weeks) and intervention 2 (60 g WG/d for 8 weeks followed by 120 g WG/d for 8 weeks). Markers of CVD risk, measured at 0 (baseline), 8 and 16 weeks, were: BMI, percentage body fat, waist circumference; fasting plasma lipid profile, glucose and insulin; and indicators of inflammatory, coagulation, and endothelial function. Differences between study groups were compared using a random intercepts model with time and WG intake as factors. Although reported WG intake was significantly increased among intervention groups, and demonstrated good participant compliance, there were no significant differences in any markers of CVD risk between groups. A period of 4 months may be insufficient to change the lifelong disease trajectory associated with CVD. The lack of impact of increasing WG consumption on CVD risk markers implies that public health messages may need to be clarified to consider the source of WG and/or other diet and lifestyle factors linked to the benefits of whole-grain consumption seen in observational studies.

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The lipoprotein lipase activity of epididymal fat-bodies from starved rats was measured during incubations at 37 degrees C in vitro. Protein synthesis independent activation of the enzyme, previously observed during incubations at 25 decrease C, also occurs at 37 degrees C. Protein-synthesis-dependent increases in the activity of the enzyme occur in the presence of insulin and are markedly potentiated by glucocorticoids. The effects on the activity of the enzyme of insulin alone, or in the presence of glucocorticoids, are correlated with its effects on total protein synthesis in the tissue. Adrenaline antagonizes the increase in activity of the enzyme brought about by insulin and abolishes the potentiation of insulin action by glucocorticoids. These changes may be due, at least in part, to its stimulation of inactivation of the enzyme in the tissue. It is suggested that changes in adipose-tissue lipoprotein lipase activity that occur with changes in nutritional status in vivo result from the combined effects of changes in plasma insulin and glucocorticoid concentrations.

Objective To examine the association between gestational age (GA) at the time of treatment initiation for gestational diabetes (GDM) and maternal and perinatal outcomes. Study Design A secondary analysis of a multicenter randomized treatment trial of mild GDM in which women with mild GDM were randomized to treatment versus usual care. The primary outcome of the original trial, as well as this analysis, was a composite perinatal adverse outcome that included neonatal hypoglycemia, hyperbilirubinemia, hyperinsulinemia, and perinatal mortality. Other outcomes examined included the frequency of large for gestational age (LGA), birth weight, neonatal intensive care unit admission (NICU), gestational hypertension / preeclampsia and cesarean delivery. The interaction between GA at treatment initiation (stratified as 24-26 weeks, 27 weeks, 28 weeks, 29 weeks, ≥30 weeks) and treatment group (treated vs. routine care), with the outcomes of interest, was used to determine whether GA at treatment initiation was associated with outcome differences. Results Of 958 women analyzed, those who initiated treatment at an earlier GA did not gain an additional treatment benefit compared to those who initiated treatment at a later GA (p-value for interaction with the primary outcome is 0.44). Similarly, there was no evidence that other outcomes were significantly improved by earlier initiation of GDM treatment (LGA p=0.76; NICU admission p=0.8; cesarean delivery p=0.82). The only outcome that had a significant interaction between GA and treatment was gestational hypertension/preeclampsia (p=0.04), although there was not a clear cut GA trend where this outcome improved with treatment. Conclusion Earlier initiation of treatment of mild GDM was not associated with stronger effect of treatment on perinatal outcomes.

Glucose, and certain sugars that can readily be converted to glucose 6-phosphate, bring about an activation of adipose-tissue lipoprotein lipase when epididymal fat-bodies from starved rats are incubated in the presence of cycloheximide. Other substrates do not support the activation. If the tissue is preincubated in the presence of cycloheximide for longer than 2h, the ability of added glucose to activate the enzyme is lost. On the other hand, the addition of glucose still brings about an increase in lipoprotein lipase activity after preincubation in the absence of cycloheximide for as long as 4h. The magnitude of the increase in enzyme activity brought about by the addition of glucose is increased when protein synthesis is stimulated during the preincubation period by insulin. The results are interpreted in terms of the existence in adipose tissue of a proenzyme pool of lipoprotein lipase that is normally maintained by protein synthesis and that is converted to complete enzyme of higher specific activity by a process that specifically requires glucose.