Autumn olive (Elaeagnus umbellata Thunb.) berry reduces fasting and postprandial glucose levels in mice.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Fasting and postprandial hyperglycemia should be controlled to avoid complications of diabetes mellitus. This study investigated the effects of autumn olive (Elaeagnus umbellata Thunb.) berry (AOB) on fasting and postprandial hyperglycemia in mice. MATERIALS/METHODS: In vitro α-glucosidase inhibitory effect of AOB was determined. Maltose solution (2 g/kg) with and without AOB extract at 500 mg/kg or acarbose at 50 mg/kg was orally administered to normal mice after overnight fasting and glucose levels were measured. To study the effects of chronic consumption of AOB, db/db mice received the basal diet or a diet containing AOB extract at 0.4% or 0.8%, or acarbose at 0.04% for 7 weeks. Blood glycated hemoglobin and serum glucose and insulin levels were measured. Expression of adiponectin protein in epididymal white adipose tissue was determined by Western blotting. RESULTS: In vitro inhibitory effect of AOB extract on α-glucosidase was 92% as strong as that of acarbose. The AOB extract (500 mg/kg) or acarbose (50 mg/kg) significantly suppressed the postprandial rise of blood glucose after maltose challenge and the area under the glycemic response curve in normal mice. The AOB extract at 0.4% or 0.8% of diet or acarbose at 0.04% of diet significantly lowered levels of serum glucose and blood glycated hemoglobin and homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance values in db/db mice. The expression of adiponectin protein in adipose tissue was significantly elevated by the consumption of AOB at 0.8% of diet. CONCLUSIONS: Autumn olive (E. umbellata Thunb.) berry may reduce postprandial hyperglycemia by inhibiting α-glucosidase in normal mice. Chronic consumption of AOB may alleviate fasting hyperglycemia in db/db mice partly by inhibiting α-glucosidase and upregulating adiponectin expression.

Hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects of samnamul (shoot of Aruncus dioicus var. kamtschaticus Hara) in mice fed a high-fat/high-sucrose diet.

The hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects of samnamul were investigated. The α-glucosidase inhibitory activity of samnamul in vivo was determined in normal mice. Oral administration of samnamul extract (500 mg/kg) or acarbose (50 mg/kg) significantly reduced the postprandial glucose response. The effects of chronic consumption of samnamul on fasting hyperglycemia and dyslipidemia were determined in C57BL/6 J mice with diabetes mellitus induced by a high-fat/high-sucrose (HFHS) diet. Consumption of samnamul extract at 0.5% of the diet for 12 weeks decreased serum glucose, triglyceride, and cholesterol levels, the homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance index, and activities of maltase and sucrase in the small intestine. These results suggest that samnamul had hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects in an animal model of type 2 diabetes and that the hypoglycemic effect occurred partly via the inhibition of α-glucosidase activity.

The impact of the parent-physician relationship on parental vaccine safety perceptions.

In times of declining immunization rates among children in many countries and an increasing threat of potentially vaccine-preventable diseases, there is a strong need for new strategies to improve trust in vaccinations and acceptance of recommendations, especially in parents of infants and children. A survey to evaluate vaccination acceptance has been conducted in Vienna, Austria, based on a US CDC survey, applying a cross-sectional approach with districts and public as well as private kindergartens and preschools as selection base. The survey aimed to investigate the impact of parent satisfaction with, and overall trust in the physician on vaccine acceptance, as well as the impact of quality and completeness of safety information delivered during the vaccination consultation. Overall 1101 parents, predominantly (84.2%) mothers, participated in the survey. The majority (82.7%) of participants had a generally positive view concerning childhood vaccination. However, 25.1% refused at least one of the recommended vaccinations. In multivariate analysis, confidence in vaccinations was significantly influenced by education (lower confidence at higher levels of education), gender (higher confidence in females), and positively associated with trust in physician, smooth vaccination procedure, and information about vaccine risks. Similar results were obtained for compliance with recommended vaccinations with information about vaccine benefits being the most important predictor. This large survey indicates an important role of the physician in communicating balanced information about benefits and risks associated with childhood vaccinations. A trustworthy parent-physician relationship is crucial for vaccination decisions of parents.

Syndecan-1 expression is associated with tumor size and EGFR expression in colorectal carcinoma: a clinicopathological study of 230 cases.

BACKGROUND: Syndecan-1 (SDC1) is reported to modulate several key processes of tumorigenesis and has variable expression in many cancers. To date, the cause of altered expression has not been elucidated. In this study, we compared SDC1 expression with various clinicopathological parameters and molecular markers to evaluate its clinical significance in colorectal carcinoma. METHODS: We screened for SDC1 expression using immunohistochemistry in 230 surgical specimens of primary colorectal carcinoma from patients consecutively treated between 2008 and 2011 at Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea. The relationship between SDC1 expression and various clinicopathological parameters and molecular markers was analyzed. RESULTS: The tumors were principally located in the left colon (71.3%) and rectum (33.5%). There were 216 (93.9%) adenocarcinomas, 10 (4.3%) mucinous adenocarcinomas, and 4 other tumors. Most of the carcinomas were pT3 (68.3%) and pT4 (22.2%). There was regional lymph node metastasis in 140 patients. SDC1 expression was identified in the cancer cells of 212 (96.8%) colon cancer cases. Of the SDC1-positive cases, 131 showed predominantly membranous immunopositivity, and 81 showed a predominantly cytoplasmic staining pattern. Mixed membranous and cytoplasmic staining was observed in 154 cases. In 93 cases, stromal SDC1 reactivity was noted. Epithelial SDC1 immunopositivity was significantly associated with tumor size (p=0.016) and epidermal growth factor receptor expression (p=0.006). However, it was not significantly correlated with lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis, lymphatic or vascular invasion, or KRAS mutation. In addition, stromal SDC1 immunopositivity was significantly associated with the male sex (p=0.018). CONCLUSIONS: The expression profile of SDC1 may be of clinical value in colorectal cancer and may help in identifying aggressive forms of colorectal carcinoma. Further studies are needed in order to better understand the role of SDC1 in the progression and invasiveness of colorectal carcinoma.

Prognostic significance of TMEM16A, PPFIA1, and FADD expression in invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast.

BACKGROUND: 11q13 region is a frequently amplified locus in human malignancies. Among the genes located in this region, FADD is one of the alleged driving genes. Because amplification is not generally confined to a single gene and amplified genes may not show increased expression, we need to evaluate clinical significance of changes occurring in 11q13 region to understand their roles in carcinogenesis. Therefore, we screened expressions of FADD and closely located genes (PPFIA1 and TMEM16A) and evaluated the expressions to find clinical significance in invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast. METHODS: Ninety-eight cases of invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast were collected. Using archival tissues resected from the cases, we built a tissue microarray and used it in immunohistochemistry. We evaluated the association of FADD, PPFIA1, and TMEM16A expression scores with clinicopathological parameters, including disease-free survival. RESULTS: FADD expression was associated with T stage (P=0.046). The combined score of FADD, PPFIA1, and TMEM16A gene expressions was associated with perineural invasion (P=0.022). Although individual gene expressions of TMEM16A, FADD, and PPFIA1 failed to show significant association with disease-free survival, combined gene expression scores did show association with disease-free survival (P=0.034). CONCLUSIONS: FADD, TMEM16A, and PPFIA1 gene expressions as a whole were associated with disease-free survival in breast cancer.

Prognostic significance of RSPO1, WNT1, P16, WT1, and SDC1 expressions in invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast.

BACKGROUND: To better understand the mechanisms of the SDC1 expression in invasive ductal carcinoma, we studied the correlations between SDC1 expression and related gene expressions (RSPO1, WNT1, WT1, and P16). METHODS: Using 100 cases of invasive ductal carcinoma tissue, we screened expressions of RSPO1, WNT1, WT1, P16, and SDC1 using immunohistochemistry. We analyzed the association between the immunoreactivities and clinicopathological parameters. RESULTS: WT1 expression was associated with tumor grade. RSPO1 expression was associated with progesterone receptor expression. Expressions of RSPO1, WT1, and P16 were significantly associated with disease-free survival. RSPO1 and P16 showed statistically significant hazard ratios. SDC1 ectodomain expression was significantly associated only with P16 expression. Immunoreactivity of SDC1 cytoplasmic domain was associated with WT1 and WNT1. However, WNT1 expression failed to show a significant association with disease-free survival. CONCLUSIONS: RSPO1 and P16 immunoreactivity was found to be an independent prognostic indicator in invasive ductal cancer. Cytoplasmic expression of SDC1 is positively correlated with tumor-prone proteins (WT1 and WNT1) and membranous expression of SDC1 is positively correlated with the tumor suppressor (P16).