Diet-induced differences in estimated plasma glucose concentrations in healthy, non-diabetic adults are detected by continuous glucose monitoring-a randomized crossover trial.

Continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) have been developed for diabetic patients for estimating and controlling plasma glucose changes throughout the day. However, elevated postprandial glucose concentrations may also be detrimental for non-diabetic subjects by increasing the risk of developing vascular complications and type 2 diabetes. Therefore, CGMs may also be valuable in clinical research and we hypothesized that diet-induced differences in estimated plasma glucose concentrations in healthy, non-diabetic adults could be detected by the Abbott FreeStyle Libre Pro CGM.

The effect of 8 plant extracts and combinations on post-prandial blood glucose and insulin responses in healthy adults: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Lower post-prandial glucose (PPG) and insulin (PPI) responses to foods are associated with reduced diabetes risk and progression. Several plant extracts have been proposed to reduce PPG or PPI by inhibiting enzymes or transporters involved in carbohydrate digestion and uptake. This study evaluates a range of such extracts, consumed with a carbohydrate load, for their effects on PPG, PPI and indicators of (gastrointestinal) tolerance.

Brain activity and connectivity changes in response to nutritive natural sugars, non-nutritive natural sugar replacements and artificial sweeteners.

Introduction: The brain plays an important regulatory role in directing energy homeostasis and eating behavior. The increased ingestion of sugars and sweeteners over the last decades makes investigating the effects of these substances on the regulatory function of the brain of particular interest. We investigated whole brain functional response to the ingestion of nutrient shakes sweetened with either the nutritive natural sugars glucose and fructose, the low- nutritive natural sugar replacement allulose or the non-nutritive artificial sweetener sucralose.

The acute effect of black tea consumption on resistance artery endothelial function in healthy subjects. A randomized controlled trial.

Background & Aims: Black tea is a main source of flavonoids in the Western diet and has been associated with reduced risk for cardiovascular disease, possibly through lowering blood pressure. These effects may be mediated through improving endothelial function of resistance arteries. The aim of this study was therefore to examine the acute impact of black tea on forearm resistance artery endothelial function in healthy, normotensive middle-aged subjects.

Adaptation, perceptual learning, and plasticity of brain functions.

The capacity for functional restitution after brain damage is quite different in the sensory and motor systems. This series of presentations highlights the potential for adaptation, plasticity, and perceptual learning from an interdisciplinary perspective. The chances for restitution in the primary visual cortex are limited.

Black Tea Increases Circulating Endothelial Progenitor Cells and Improves Flow Mediated Dilatation Counteracting Deleterious Effects from a Fat Load in Hypertensive Patients: A Randomized Controlled Study.

(1) Background: Endothelial dysfunction predicts cardiovascular events. Circulating angiogenic cells (CACs) maintain and repair the endothelium regulating its function. Tea flavonoids reduce cardiovascular risk.

Impact of flavonoid-rich black tea and beetroot juice on postprandial peripheral vascular resistance and glucose homeostasis in obese, insulin-resistant men: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Insulin-stimulated muscle blood flow facilitates plasma glucose disposal after a meal, a mechanism that is impaired in obese, insulin-resistant volunteers. Nitrate- or flavonoid-rich products, through their proposed effects on nitric oxide, may improve postprandial blood flow and, subsequently, glucose disposal. To investigate whether a single dose of nitrate-rich beetroot juice or flavonoid-rich black tea lowers postprandial muscle vascular resistance in obese volunteers and alters postprandial glucose or insulin concentrations.

Plant-rich mixed meals based on Palaeolithic diet principles have a dramatic impact on incretin, peptide YY and satiety response, but show little effect on glucose and insulin homeostasis: an acute-effects randomised study.

There is evidence for health benefits from 'Palaeolithic' diets; however, there are a few data on the acute effects of rationally designed Palaeolithic-type meals. In the present study, we used Palaeolithic diet principles to construct meals comprising readily available ingredients: fish and a variety of plants, selected to be rich in fibre and phyto-nutrients. We investigated the acute effects of two Palaeolithic-type meals (PAL 1 and PAL 2) and a reference meal based on WHO guidelines (REF), on blood glucose control, gut hormone responses and appetite regulation.

Black tea lowers blood pressure and wave reflections in fasted and postprandial conditions in hypertensive patients: a randomised study.

Hypertension and arterial stiffening are independent predictors of cardiovascular mortality. Flavonoids may exert some vascular protection. We investigated the effects of black tea on blood pressure (BP) and wave reflections before and after fat load in hypertensives.

Effects of black tea on body composition and metabolic outcomes related to cardiovascular disease risk: a randomized controlled trial.

Unlabelled: There is increasing evidence that tea and its non-caffeine components (primarily flavonoids) contribute to cardiovascular health. Randomized controlled trials have shown that tea can improve cardiovascular disease risk factors. We have previously reported a non-caffeine associated beneficial effect of regular black tea consumption on blood pressure and its variation.

Acute effects of green tea extract intake on exogenous and endogenous metabolites in human plasma.

The acute effects of green tea extract (GTE) on plasma metabolites in vivo are largely unknown. In this parallel, double-blind study, the transient changes in total and free concentrations of catechins were measured in plasma from healthy males following the consumption of a single GTE dose (559.2 mg total catechins, 120.

Short-term effects of polyphenol-rich black tea on blood pressure in men and women.

There is increasing evidence that black tea polyphenols contribute to vascular health. We have recently shown that regular ingestion of polyphenol-rich black tea over 6 months results in lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure. However, the time course of these effects remains unclear.

Recovery of motor imagery ability in stroke patients.

Objective. To investigate whether motor imagery ability recovers in stroke patients and to see what the relationship is between different types of imagery and motor functioning after stroke. Methods.

Falls prediction in elderly people: a 1-year prospective study.

The aim of the present study was to determine whether force plate variables in single- and dual-task situations are able to predict the risk of multiple falls in a community-dwelling elderly population. Two hundred and seventy elderly persons (225 females, 45 males; age, 73+/-7 years) performed balance assessment with and without vision. Seven force plate variables were assessed to predict the risk of multiple falls; maximum displacement in the anteroposterior and medial-lateral directions (Max-AP, Max-ML), mean displacement in the medial-lateral direction (MML), the root mean square amplitude in anteroposterior and medial-lateral directions (RMS-AP, RMS-ML), the average speed of displacement (V), and the area of the 95th percentile ellipse (AoE).

Black tea consumption dose-dependently improves flow-mediated dilation in healthy males.

Objectives: Flavonoids may protect against cardiovascular disease. Tea is a major source of dietary flavonoids. Studies indicate black tea improves endothelial function but data on arterial haemodynamics, blood pressure (BP) and insulin resistance are equivocal.

Compromising postural balance in the elderly.

Background: Additional tasks that are assumed to disturb standing postural control can be divided in added motor or added cognitive tasks. It is unknown which type of task causes the most disturbances of postural control in elderly.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine whether the dual tasking disturbance of postural control in elderly is caused by vocal articulation or by limited attentional resources.

Effects of motor imagery on hand function during immobilization after flexor tendon repair.

Objective: To determine whether motor imagery during the immobilization period after flexor tendon injury results in a faster recovery of central mechanisms of hand function.

Design: Randomized controlled trial.

Setting: Tertiary referral hospital.

The reliability of postural balance measures in single and dual tasking in elderly fallers and non-fallers.

Background: The purpose of this study was to determine the reliability of a forceplate postural balance protocol in a group of elderly fallers and non-fallers. The measurements were tested in single and dual-task conditions, with and without vision.

Methods: 37 elderly (mean age 73 +/- 6 years) community-dwellers were included in this study.

Rehearsal strategies during motor-sequence learning in old age: execution vs motor imagery.

Motor imagery and action-based rehearsal were compared during motor sequence-learning by young adults (M = 25 yr., SD = 3) and aged adults (M = 63 yr., SD = 7).

Kinematic analysis of hand movements after tendon repair surgery: a new assessment using drawing movements.

Objective: Although several hand outcome tests exist to judge skill level after hand injury, currently none give insight into how tasks are performed by looking at kinematic parameters. In this article, the clinical value of analyzing kinematic parameters related to the drawing of a triangle on a graphics tablet by healthy subjects and patients with hand injury is discussed.

Design: In a first experiment 10 healthy subjects drew the triangles as accurately as possible at various speeds.

Aplasics born without hands mirror the goal of hand actions with their feet.

The premotor and parietal mirror neuron system (MNS) is thought to contribute to the understanding of observed actions by mapping them onto "corresponding" motor programs of the observer [1-24], but how would the MNS respond to the observation of hand actions if the observer never had hands? Would it not show changes of blood-oxygen-level dependent (BOLD) signal, because the observer lacks motor programs that can resonate [12, 25, 26], or would it show significant changes because the observer has motor programs for the foot or mouth with corresponding goals [15, 17, 19, 27, 28]? We scanned two aplasic subjects, born without arms or hands, while they watched hand actions and compared their brain activity with that of 16 control subjects. All subjects additionally executed actions with different effectors (feet, mouth, and, for controls, hands). The BOLD signal of aplasic individuals within the putative MNS was augmented when they watched hand actions, demonstrating the brain's capacity to mirror actions that deviate from the embodiment of the observer by recruiting voxels involved in the execution of actions that achieve corresponding goals by different effectors.

Effects of exercise and nutrition on postural balance and risk of falling in elderly people with decreased bone mineral density: randomized controlled trial pilot study.

Objective: To compare the effect of calcium/vitamin D supplements with a combination of calcium/vitamin D supplements and exercise/protein on risk of falling and postural balance.

Design: Randomized clinical trial.

Setting: University hospital physiotherapy department.

Born to adapt, but not in your dreams.

The brain adapts to changes that take place in the body. Deprivation of input results in size reduction of cortical representations, whereas an increase in input results in an increase of representational space. Amputation forms one of the most dramatic disturbances of the integrity of the body.