Practice-level quality improvement initiatives using rapidly advancing technology offers a multidimensional approach to reduce cardiovascular disease burden. For the „QUality improvement in primary care to prevent hospitalisations and improve Effectiveness and efficiency of care for people Living with heart disease” (QUEL) cluster randomised controlled trial, a 12-month quality improvement intervention was designed for primary care practices to use data and implement progressive changes using „Plan, Do, Study, Act” cycles within their practices with training in a series of interactive workshops. This protocol aims to describe the systematic methods to conduct a process evaluation of the data-driven intervention within the QUEL study.

A mixed-method approach will be used to conduct the evaluation. Quantitative data collected throughout the intervention period, via surveys and intervention materials, will be used to (1) identify the key elements of the intervention and how, for whom and in what context it was effective; (2) determine if the intervention is delivered as intended; and (3) describe practice engagement, commitment and capacity associated with various intervention components. Qualitative data, collected via semi-structured interviews and open-ended questions, will be used to gather in-depth understanding of the (1) satisfaction, utility, barriers and enablers; (2) acceptability, uptake and feasibility, and (3) effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the implementation of the intervention.

Findings from the evaluation will provide new knowledge on the implementation of a complex, multi-component intervention at practice-level using their own electronic patient data to enhance secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease.

Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR) number ACTRN12619001790134.

Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR) number ACTRN12619001790134.Fear of hypoglycemia (FOH) is anxiety or extreme worry about having a low blood glucose and its consequences. FOH is common in individuals with type 1 diabetes (T1D) of all ages, as well as their caregivers, and can lead to inappropriate T1D self-management and suboptimal health outcomes. Despite its prevalence and serious health consequences, there has been very little attention focused on developing interventions to reduce FOH and its associated maladaptive T1D management behaviors. The primary aim of the present study, Bring BG Down!, was to implement a pilot intervention targeting FOH in mothers of adolescents with T1D. Exploratory aims included determining if the intervention had an impact on the adolescent’s FOH, glycemia, as well as other generalized anxiety symptoms or symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder in both the mother and adolescent. Caregiver participants and their adolescents with T1D were randomized to either the Bring BG Down! group or the Control group. Individuals in the Bring BG Down! group participated in intervention sessions for 6 months via telehealth and they completed questionnaires, whereas those in the Control group only completed questionnaires. Follow-up occurred at 7-months and 10-months. The purpose of this paper is to describe the Bring BG Down! study design and rationale, and participant characteristics at the start of the study.

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States paralleled with several cardiometabolic risk factors that are on the rise such as obesity, hypertension, and diabetes. Many of these cardiometabolic risk factors are preventable by lifestyle changes in physical activity and dietary patterns. Qigong and Tai Chi Easy (QTC) exercises are considered meditative movement practices that have been shown to reduce cardiometabolic risk factors such as psychosocial stress, poor sleep quality and weight gain and is particularly suitable for older adults. Heart rate variability (HRV) is a common factor known to be related to reduction of these risks and may be enhanced using HRV biofeedback to specifically optimize effects of QTC.

The protocol presented describes a two-group parallel randomized controlled trial testing effects of QTC vs QTC plus HRV biofeedback „priming” on HRV parameters (primary), and cardiometabolic risk factors and sequelae (secondary) (e.g., waist circumference/percent body fat, sleep quality, stress, anxiety/depression, emotional regulation, eating behaviors, and cognitive performance). We will enroll 50 adults aged 55-85years old to participate in an 8-week intervention. Self-reported body measurements, psychosocial and behavioral questionnaires, and cognitive performance assessments will be conducted before and after the intervention.

Findings from this study are expected to assess effects of QTC and elucidate the potential role of HRV in QTC relative to cardiometabolic risk factors and sequelae. Implications for how HRV may play a central role and be optimized in a meditative movement practice are discussed.

Findings from this study are expected to assess effects of QTC and elucidate the potential role of HRV in QTC relative to cardiometabolic risk factors and sequelae. Implications for how HRV may play a central role and be optimized in a meditative movement practice are discussed.

The genus Glycyrrhiza is a small perennial herb that has been traditionally used to treat many diseases across the world. Licorice (Gancao in Chinese) is the dried root and rhizome of G. glabra, G. uralensis or G. inflata. Licorice plays an important role in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), and is the most frequently used in Chinese herbal formulas. Isoliquiritigenin (ISL) is a flavonoid extracted from licorice, and has been evaluated for its various biological activities, including anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor and anti-oxidant activities. Excessive and persistent inflammation in the Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection is not conducive to the elimination of Mtb, but contributes to serious pulmonary dysfunction.

This study aimed to examine the anti-inflammatory effects of ISL in the Mtb infection.

In vitro models of Mtb-infected macrophages were established. Murine macrophage Raw 264.7cells and primary peritoneal macrophages were used in this study. Cell viability was determined by the cell commatory mechanism of ISL, it was found that ISL exerted its anti-inflammatory effects by inhibiting the activation of Notch1/NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways.

ISL reduced Mtb-induced inflammation through the Notch1/NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways. ISL might be used as a potential adjuvant drug to treat tuberculosis by adjusting host immune responses.

ISL reduced Mtb-induced inflammation through the Notch1/NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways. ISL might be used as a potential adjuvant drug to treat tuberculosis by adjusting host immune responses.

Gynura procumbens (Lour.) Merr. (GP) is a herbaceous plant that grows in Malaysia and other parts of Southeast Asia. The herb is consumed as a remedy for various inflammatory-associated diseases, such as cancer, rheumatism, hypertension, diabetes mellitus and hyperlipidemia. Scientific studies demonstrate that GP extract possesses cardioprotective and anti-inflammatory effects. Cardiovascular disease is mainly caused by atherosclerosis, and inflammation plays a major role in all phases of atherosclerosis. The early inflammatory events in atherogenesis are the activation of endothelial cells and the recruitment of monocytes.

This study aimed to evaluate the inhibitory effect of 80% ethanol extract of GP leaves (GPE) on the adherence of monocytes to the activated human endothelial cells and its underlying mechanism.

Qualitative and quantitative analyses of the extract were carried out by using a validated HPLC and UHPLC-MS/MS methods. The MTT test was used to select the range of concentration of extract fal interaction, by suppressing the NF-κB signaling pathway. The results of this study support the traditional use of GPE to counteract inflammation-associated diseases and suggest that GP can be a potential source for bioactive compounds for the development of anti-inflammatory agents to prevent atherosclerosis.

In conclusion, GPE may inhibit monocyte adherence to the activated endothelial cells and expression of ICAM-1, VCAM-1 and MCP-1, which are important proteins for monocyte-endothelial interaction, by suppressing the NF-κB signaling pathway. The results of this study support the traditional use of GPE to counteract inflammation-associated diseases and suggest that GP can be a potential source for bioactive compounds for the development of anti-inflammatory agents to prevent atherosclerosis.

Eight indigenous medicinal plants which are used traditionally for the treatment of tuberculosis (TB), malaria, and associated symptoms, were selected for this study.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the antiplasmodial and antimycobacterial activities of the organic and aqueous crude extracts of different plant parts, by comparing the activities of subfractions (lead-like enhanced [LLE] extracts and methanol fractions) prepared from the bioactive crude extracts.

Crude aqueous and organic extracts were prepared for 25 different plant parts obtained from eight plant species. In vitro antiplasmodial activity was evaluated using the parasite lactate dehydrogenase assay against chloroquine-sensitive Plasmodium falciparum NF54 and in vitro antimycobacterial activity determined against the Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv-GFP strain in a standard broth microdilution assay. The bioactive crude extracts were subjected to solid phase extraction with Strata-X 33μm reversed phase cartridges and eluted with 703hytochemical analysis for the unequivocal characterization of a potential antiplasmodial lead compound. Results from this study lend support to the effectiveness of extract enrichment in combination with NMR fingerprinting for antiplasmodial lead identification.

This is the first report on the phytochemical profiling of S. marlothii and, based on the antiplasmodial activity recorded, it merits an in-depth phytochemical analysis for the unequivocal characterization of a potential antiplasmodial lead compound. Results from this study lend support to the effectiveness of extract enrichment in combination with NMR fingerprinting for antiplasmodial lead identification.

The incidence of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease is a serious threat to human health. Leeches are used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat cardiovascular diseases. HE-D is an active peptide extracted and isolated from leeches, which can inhibit the migration of RAW264.7 macrophages.

This study shows the effects of HE-D on macrophages in atherosclerosis and the mechanism of inhibition on the migration of macrophages based on transcriptome sequencing (RNA-Seq).

The transwell method was used to detect the activity of HE-D in inhibiting the migration of macrophages. Macrophages were divided into control group, lipopolysaccharide group, and HE-D group. Samples were collected and RNA-Seq performed. The DEseq2 method detected significantly differentially expressed genes (DEGs), GO and KEGG Pathway databases were used to analyze the functions and pathway enrichment of DEGs. Finally, qRT-PCR and Western blotting were used to verify the genes screened by RNA-Seq analyses.

Cell experiments showed that HE-D can inhibit the migration of RAW264.