Inhibition of carbohydrate hydrolyzing enzymes associated with type 2 diabetes and antioxidative properties of some edible seeds in vitro

This study sought to evaluate the antioxidant properties and effects of some edible wild seeds [Afzelia africana Sm. (AFZ), Cyperus esculentus L. (CYP), Eleusine coracana Gaertn. (ELE), Irvingia gabonensis (Aubry-Lecomte ex O’Rorke) Baill. (IRV), Monodora myristica Dunal. (MON) and Parinari curatellifolia Planch. ex Benth. (PAR)] on α-amylase and α-glucosidase activities. The phenolic content and antioxidant activities of aqueous extracts of the seeds as typified by 1,1-diphenyl-2 picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and hydroxyl (OH) radicals scavenging abilities and inhibition of Fe²⁺-induced malondialdehyde (MDA) production in rat’s pancreas in vitro were also assessed. ELE had significantly (p < 0.05) higher total phenol content than the other seeds; however, AFZ had the highest flavonoid content. The extracts scavenged DPPH· and OH· in a dose-dependent manner with aqueous extracts of PAR having the highest DPPH· scavenging ability, while extracts from IRV had the highest OH· scavenging ability and inhibition of Fe²⁺-induced MDA production in rat’s pancreas. Furthermore, all the extracts inhibited α-amylase and α-glucosidase activities in a dose-dependent manner. The α-amylase inhibitory effect of MON (IC₅₀ = 0.48 mg/mL) was comparable to that of acarbose (IC₅₀ = 0.40 mg/mL), while the α-glucosidase inhibitory effect of AFZ (IC₅₀ = 0.45 mg/mL) was comparable to that of acarbose (IC₅₀ = 0.39 mg/mL). The results suggest the potential use of the seeds in the dietary management of blood glucose levels associated with type 2 diabetes.

     

Pharmacy in transition: A work sampling study of community pharmacists using smartphone technology

Introduction

The nature of community pharmacy is changing, shifting from the preparation and distribution of medicines to the provision of cognitive pharmaceutical services (CPS); however, often the provision of traditional services leaves little time for innovative services. This study investigated the time community pharmacists spend on the tasks and activities of daily practice and to what extent they are able to implement CPS-related services in daily practice.

Meta-Analysis of Saturated Fatty Acid Intake and Breast Cancer Risk

The associations between saturated fatty acid (SFA) consumption and risk of breast cancer (BC) remains inconclusive. Therefore, we conducted this meta-analysis to determine the quantitative relations between dietary SFA intake and incidence of BC.Literatures published up to April 2015 were systematically screened through Pubmed and Web of Science. Relevant publication quality was evaluated by conducting the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. We used fixed effects models or random effect models to calculate the summary relative risks (RRs) and odds ratios (ORs), and conducted sensitivity analyses and evaluated the publication bias.We identified a total of 52 studies (24 cohort studies and 28 case–control studies), with over 50,000 females diagnosed with BC. The associations between dietary SFA intake and risk of BC were 1.18 for case–control studies (high vs low intake, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.03–1.34) and 1.04 for cohort studies (95% CI = 0.97–1.11). When restricted analyses to population-based studies, positive associations were observed for both cohort (RR [95% CI] = 1.11 [1.01–1.21]) and case–control studies (OR [95% CI] = 1.26 [1.03–1.53]). Additionally, for case–control studies, significant positive associations between higher SFA intake and BC risk were observed for Asian (OR [95% CI] = 1.17 [1.02–1.34]) and Caucasian (OR [95% CI] = 1.19 [1.00–1.41]), as well as for postmenopausal women (OR = 1.33, 95% CI: 1.02–1.73). In contrast, higher dietary SFA intake was not associated with risk of BC among premenopausal women, in cohort studies or hospital-based studies.A positive association between higher dietary SFA intake and postmenopausal BC risk was observed in case–control but not in cohort studies. More studies are warranted to confirm these findings.     

Knowledge of the Brain Death Concept in Dominican Immigration Residents in Spain and Florida

The Latin American population has a double way of immigration, one toward the United States by proximity and another toward Spain by sociocultural affinity. This population increase is affecting organ donation and transplantation in receiving countries.

Response to chemoradiotherapy and lymph node involvement in locally advanced rectal cancer

AIM: To establish the association between lymph node involvement and the response to neoadjuvant therapy in locally advanced rectal cancer.METHODS: Data of 130 patients with mid and low locally advanced rectal adenocarcinoma treated with neoadjuvant chemoradiation followed by radical surgery over a 5-year period were reviewed. Tumor staging was done by endorectal ultrasound and/or magnetic resonance imaging. Tumor response to neoadjuvant therapy was determined by T-downstaging and tumor regression grading (TRG). Pathologic complete response (pCR) is defined as the absence of tumor cells in the surgical specimen (ypT0N0). The varying degrees TRG were classified according to Mandard’s scoring system. The evaluation of the response is based on the comparison between previous clinico-radiological staging and the results of pathological evaluation. χ² and Spearman’s correlation tests were used for the comparison of variables.RESULTS: Pathologic complete response (pCR, ypT0N0, TRG1) was observed in 19 cases (14.6%), and other 18 (13.8%) had only very few residual malignant cells in the rectal wall (TRG2). T-downstaging was found in 63 (48.5%). Mean lymph node retrieval was 9.4 (range 0-38). In 37 cases (28.5%) more than 12 nodes were identified in the surgical specimen. Preoperative lymph node involvement was seen in 77 patients (59.2%), 71 N1 and 6 N2. Postoperative lymph node involvement was observed in 41 patients (31.5%), 29 N1 and 12 N2, while the remaining 89 were N0 (68.5%). In relation to ypT stage, we found nodal involvement of 9.4% in ypT0-1, 22.2% in ypT2 and 43.7% in ypT3-4. Of the 37 patients considered “responders” to neoadjuvant therapy (TRG1 and 2), there were only 4 N+ (10.8%) and the remainder N0 (89.2%). In the “non responders” group (TRG 3, 4 and 5), 37 cases were N+ (39.8%) and 56 (60.2%) were N0 (P < 0.001).CONCLUSION: Response to neoadjuvant chemoradiation in rectal cancer is associated with lymph node involvement.