Phytochemicals Screening and Anti-proliferative Activities of Anacardium occidentale Shoot Extract in Breast Cancer Cells

@#Introduction: Anacardium occidentale or cashew are popular traditional food and have raised research interest for complementary cancer treatment. Cancer has become leading cause of death and treatment involved severe side effects. In present study, we aim to study the anti-proliferative effects of cashew shoots in breast cancer (MDAMB-231), colorectal cancer (HT-29) and liver cancer (HepG2) cell lines. Methods: Cell lines were treated with 70% ethanolic cashew extract for cytotoxicity test with MTT assay. AO/PI dual fluorescent assay and RNase/PI staining were used to determine apoptosis induction effects. Phytochemicals screening was carried out by using gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GCMS) and liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LCMS). Results: The cytotoxicity assay of cashew shoot extract demonstrated IC50 of 81.1 ± 0.11 μg/ml for MDA-MB-231, 307.5 ± 2.31 μg/ml for HT-29 and 272.6 ± 1.91 μg/ml for HepG2 cell lines. The apoptotic bodies include chromatin condensation, cell blebbing and nuclear fragmentation and apoptosis induction were shown by AO/PI staining. There was significant increase of cell count in sub-G0 phase in MDA-MB-231 cell lines treated with cashew shoot extract. It was demonstrated that cashew shoot extract contained 38 compounds from GCMS such as sitosterol, tannin, pyrogallol, phenol and 20 compounds from LCMS such as citric acid, gallic acid, myricetin and hinokiflavone that may give rise to its anti-cancer effect. Conclusion: Cashew shoot extract demonstrated potential anti-cancer properties thus further study is required to investigate its mechanism as anti-cancer agent.

Quantification of Selected Bioactive Compounds in Instant Coffee and Their Effect on Gastric Release using HGT-1 Cells

@#Introduction: This study was carried out to quantify the selected bioactive compounds (i.e., chlorogenic acids, caffeine, and N-methylpyridinium) in instant coffee and to analyze its correlation with the gastric release effect of the HGT-1 cell line. Methods: Selected bioactive compounds in regular (REG), low sugar (LS), low fat (LF), white coffee (WC), white coffee low acid (WCA), decaffeinated (DC), and instant black coffee (BC) were quantified using HPLCDAD (high-performance liquid chromatography diode array detection) system and flow cytometry analysis for its gastric release effect when treated with HGT-1 cell. Results: The HPLC data showed the content of caffeine (60,212 ± 212 µg/ml) and chlorogenic acid (35,779 ± 3027 µg/ml) were significantly high in BC while the lowest caffeine value was found in DC coffee. Chlorogenic acid in other instant coffee samples showed insignificant content distinctions. As for N-methylpyridinium (NMP), the highest content was found in BC (565 µg/ml) and the lowest value was detected in WC (52 µg/ml) coffee. Gastric release activity by HGT-1 cells was significantly higher in DC and REG coffee treatment. Pearson correlation showed no significant correlation between the quantitative data and gastric release activity by HGT-1 cells. Conclusion: The selected bioactive compounds contained in instant coffees were unable to stimulate gastric release.

High early pregnancy serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D level, within a sub-optimal range, is associated with gestational diabetes mellitus: a prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES@#Low early pregnancy serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25[OH]D) levels can increase gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) risk, although inconsistent findings related to that association have been reported. This study examined the association of serum vitamin D with GDM and the possible influencers on this association. @*SUBJECTS/METHODS@#This study included 259 pregnant women within the Seremban Cohort Study (SECOST). Blood samples at < 14 weeks of gestation were drawn to determine serum 25(OH)D levels. GDM diagnosis was made at 24 to 32 weeks of gestation using a standard procedure. Association between serum vitamin D and GDM was tested using binary logistic regression. @*RESULTS@#Nearly all women (90%) had mild (68.3%) or severe (32.2%) vitamin D deficiency (VDD). Non-GDM women with mild VDD had a significantly higher mean vitamin D intake than GDM women with mild VDD (t = 2.04, p < 0.05). Women with higher early pregnancy serum vitamin D levels had a greater risk of GDM. However, this significant association was only identified among those with a family history of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and in women with a body mass index indicating overweight or obese status. @*CONCLUSIONS@#The high prevalence of VDD in this sample of pregnant women underscores the need for effective preventive public health strategies. Further investigation of this unexpected association between serum vitamin D level and GDM risk in predominantly VDD pregnant women and the potential effects of adiposity and family history of T2DM on that association is warranted.

Inadequate vitamin D intake among pregnant women in Malaysia based on revised recommended nutrient intakes value and potential dietary strategies to tackle the inadequacy

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES@#Recently, the recommended nutrient intakes (RNI) for vitamin D for Malaysian aged 1–70 yrs has been revised from 5 µg/day to 15 µg/day. This study is aimed to assess the adequacy of vitamin D intake based on revised RNI and to recommend several dietary strategies to increase total vitamin D intake. @*SUBJECTS/METHODS@#Vitamin D intake from both food and supplement of 217 pregnant women was assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire. Hypothetical effect of expanded supplementation and food fortifications strategies were modelled using the consumption data. @*RESULTS@#The results revealed that more than half (67.7%) of pregnant women had inadequate vitamin D intake (RNI < 15 µg/day). The modelling results demonstrated the potential of universal provision of 10 µg/day of multivitamins supplements in increasing vitamin D intake.Moreover, mandatory fortification of both milk and malted drink at single level of 5 µg/serving would lead to increase in vitamin D intake of Malaysians, particularly pregnant women. @*CONCLUSIONS@#The outcome of this study can be used as a reference for public health professionals to re-evaluate the existing Malaysian food fortification policies and supplementation recommendation for vitamin D for pregnant women.

Inadequate vitamin D intake among pregnant women in Malaysia based on revised recommended nutrient intakes value and potential dietary strategies to tackle the inadequacy

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES@#Recently, the recommended nutrient intakes (RNI) for vitamin D for Malaysian aged 1–70 yrs has been revised from 5 µg/day to 15 µg/day. This study is aimed to assess the adequacy of vitamin D intake based on revised RNI and to recommend several dietary strategies to increase total vitamin D intake. @*SUBJECTS/METHODS@#Vitamin D intake from both food and supplement of 217 pregnant women was assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire. Hypothetical effect of expanded supplementation and food fortifications strategies were modelled using the consumption data. @*RESULTS@#The results revealed that more than half (67.7%) of pregnant women had inadequate vitamin D intake (RNI < 15 µg/day). The modelling results demonstrated the potential of universal provision of 10 µg/day of multivitamins supplements in increasing vitamin D intake.Moreover, mandatory fortification of both milk and malted drink at single level of 5 µg/serving would lead to increase in vitamin D intake of Malaysians, particularly pregnant women. @*CONCLUSIONS@#The outcome of this study can be used as a reference for public health professionals to re-evaluate the existing Malaysian food fortification policies and supplementation recommendation for vitamin D for pregnant women.

Role of Non-pharmaceutical Interventions (NPIs) During COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Literature Review

@#Non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) as a means of prevention during the COVID-19 pandemic have gained increasing attention. NPIs are important to reduce infectious diseases and flatten the curve of infection. However, data or literature on the effectiveness of NPIs is scarce. In this review, we aim to investigate the effectiveness of NPIs in the community based on previous literature. A literature search was conducted on seven databases (OVID, EBSCOHOST, WOS, SCOPUS, TRIP, JSTOR, and PUBMED) using the PICO method which yielded 208 articles from 12th March to 1st April 2020. A PRISMA flow diagram and extraction tables were used to analyze the final 14 eligible articles spanning nine countries. There were nine articles on human surveillance, two on patient and contact management, two on community restrictions, and one article discussing the combination of NPIs (quarantine, closure of facilities, and transit site surveillance). With the use of NPIs, there was a significant reduction of infection episodes among the target population. There has been an increasing demand for scientific evidence on NPIs during the COVID-19 pandemic, and present policy recommendations rely heavily on expert judgement. Randomized trials are required to obtain better evidence for these interventions. However, this review will help experts create feasible and widely acceptable policies and protocols for mitigation plans in the absence of definitive evidence.

A poor prognosis in human hepatocellular carcinoma is associated with low expression of DPP4

This study aimed to explore the prognostic role of dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4) expression in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). DPP4 expression was measured in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded specimens that were gathered from 327 HCC patients. Immunohistochemistry analyses were utilized to examine DPP4 expression characteristics and prognostic values (overall survival (OS) and time to recurrence) of DDP4 in HCC tissues. In addition, a patient-derived xenograft (PDX) model was used to assess the correlation between DPP4 expression and tumor growth in vivo. DPP4 was expressed in low levels in HCC tissues in contrast to paired peritumoral tissues (38 cases were down-regulated in a total of 59 cases, 64.4%. P=0.0202). DPP4 expression was significantly correlated with TNM stage (P=0.038), tumor number (P=0.035), and vascular invasion (P=0.024), and significantly reduced in patients who were in TNM stages II and III-V, with multiple tumors, and with microvascular invasion compared to patients with TNM stage I, single tumor, and no microvascular invasion. Notably, HCC tissues with low expression of DPP4 had poor OS (P=0.016) compared with HCC tissues with high expression of DPP4, and results from PDX model showed that tumor growth was significantly faster in HCC patients that lowly expressed DPP4 compared to those with highly expressed DPP4. Our findings suggested that low levels of DPP4 could impact the aggressiveness of HCC and contribute to a poor prognosis.

Vitamin D status is associated with high BMI, working status and gravidity among pregnant Malaysian women

@#Introduction: Vitamin D deficiency (VDD) is associated with adverse health outcomes in pregnancy and newborns. This study aims to determine the Vitamin D status among pregnant Malaysian women and its associations with specific maternal & pregnancy characteristics. Methods: This study utilised cross-sectional data from a prospective cohort study of pregnant women in Seremban district in which 259 pregnant women had available vitamin D data. Blood samples were taken <14th week of gestation. Serum 25-hydroxy Vitamin D [25(OH)D] levels were analysed using chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay (CMIA) technology on the ARCHITECT iSystem and categorised using the Institute of Medicine (IOM) 2011 cutoffs. A set of pre-tested interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to obtain information on socio-demographics, obstetrics, and anthropometry. Results: Mean serum 25(OH)D was 32.83±11.37nmol/L. The prevalence of severe and mild VDD was 23.2% (n=60) and 68.3% (n=177), respectively. About 8.5% (n=22) of pregnant women were vitamin D insufficient and none had sufficient serum 25(OH)D (>75nmol/L). Early pregnancy body mass index (AOR=2.95, 95% CI=1.03-8.47), working status (AOR=3.17, 95% CI=1.06–9.50) and gravidity (AOR=0.68, 95% CI=0.48–0.98) were significantly associated with VDD. Conclusion: The present study showed a high prevalence of VDD among pregnant women in Malaysia, especially among those who were overweight or obese, working in indoor environment and primigravida.

Over-expression of KLF4 regulates EMT and migration of bladder cancer cells via Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway / 中国肿瘤生物治疗杂志

@# Objective: To investigate the role and mechanism of Krüppel-like factor 4 (KLF4) in regulating epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and migration of bladder cancer cells. Methods: Bladder cancer 5637 and T24 cell lines that stably over-expressing KLF4 (LV-KLF4, experiment group) were constructed, and the negative control group (LV-NC) was also established; the mRNA and protein expressions of KLF4 were verified by qPCR and WB, respectively. Transwell chamber assay was used to detect the migration ability of cells in LV-KLF4 and LV-NC groups. WB was performed to detect the expression levels of EMT-related markers (E-cadherin, N-cadherin, Vimentin) and Wnt signaling pathway-related proteins. Immunofluorescence technique was used to detect the distribution of β-catenin in cells after over-expression of KLF4. Results: The 5637 and T24 cell lines over-expressing KLF4 gene were successfully constructed. Compared with the LV-NC group, the mRNA and protein expressions of KLF4 increased in LV-KLF4 groups (all P<0.01); the expression of E-cadherin increased (P<0.01), while the expressions of N-cadherin, vimentin, and the expression levels of total β -catenin, nuclear β -catenin, MMP 9 and c-Myc decreased (all P<0.01); moreover, the migration ability of cells decreased significantly (P<0.01); the fluorescence expression of β-catenin in cells also decreased significantly in LV-KLF4 group as compared to LV-NC group. Conclusion: Over-expression of KLF4 gene in bladder cancer cells may inhibit EMT process by regulating Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, and further inhibit the migration of bladder cancer 5637 and T24 cells.

Expression of miR-4687-5P and STIM1 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and their regulation mechanism / 临床与实验病理学杂志

Purpose To investigate the expression and the methylation status of miR-4687-5P and STIM1 gene in esophageal squamous cell cancer (ESCC) cell lines and ESCC tissue samples,in order to explore the correlation between miR-4687-5P and STIM1 expression,as well as whether they have a common expression regulation mechanism. Methods The qRTPCR and methylation specific PCR (MSP) methods were applied respectively to examine the expression and methylation of miR-4687-5P and STIM1 genes in ESCC cell lines (TE13, KYSE150,T. Tn) and ESCC samples,and further to analyze their correlation. Results The expression of miR-4687-5P and STIM1 genes in ESCC was significantly decreased,and consistent. The weak expression of miR-4687-5P and STIM1 genes was detected in three ESCC cell lines. After treated with 5-Aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5-Aza-Dc,a demethylation agent) ,the expression levels of these two genes were obviously increased. Meanwhile, the methylation bands were obviously weakened or disappeared. The promoter region of STIM1 gene was hypermethylated in ESCC tissues,and its methylation frequency was correlated with the expression of STIM1 and miR-4687-5P (P < 0. 01) . Conclusion miR-4687-5P and STIM1 genes are down-regulated in esophageal carcinoma,and the expression of miR-4687-5P may be regulated by the promoter of its host gene STIM1,and the hypermethylation may be one of the common mechanisms leading to down-regulatory expression of miR-4687-5P and STIM1 genes in ESCC.

Realization of geometric calibration method of cone-beam Micro-CT / 医疗卫生装备

Objective To execute geometric calibration and calibration phantom design to realize high-quality cone-beam Micro-CT image reconstruction. Methods The geometrical position parameters of cone-beam Micro-CT system were deduced by the data of the designed phantom projected on the detector by means of linear fitting and geometric relation,so as to realize the geometric calibration of the system.The calculation software and the simulation experiment were achieved by VC++programming language.Results The validity and feasibility of the calibration model and method were proved by the experimental simulation. Conclusion The geometric calibration method can accurately calculate the geometrical position parameter errors of the cone-beam Micro-CT system.It can effectively reduce the artifacts in the reconstructed image and further improve the imaging resolution by adjusting the geometric position parameters.[Chinese Medical Equipment Jour-nal,2018,39(5):29-34]

Effect factors of trabeculectomy with intraoperative application of mitomycin C for neovascular glaucoma / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

AIM: To analyze the effect factors of trabeculectomy combined with intraoperative application of mitomycin C in the treatment of neovascular glaucoma. METHODS: Fifty patients (50 eyes) with neovascular glaucoma collected from January 2013 to August 2015 in our hospital were treated by trabeculectomy combined with intraoperative application of mitomycin C. Single factor and multi factor variables analysis were used for effect factors of trabeculectomy combined with intraoperative application of mitomycin C in the treatment of neovascular glaucoma. RESULTS: By results of single factor variable analysis,0. 05 ). By multivariate analysis, 0.05). CONCLUSION: For patients < 50 years old with neovascular glaucoma, should be careful on the selection of surgical treatment. For high- risk patients, we should strengthen the monitoring and give timely intervention, which are helpful to improve the prognosis.