Metabolic and Blood Pressure Effects of Consuming Two Kiwifruit Daily for 7 Weeks: A Randomised Controlled Trial

Background: Eating two kiwifruit before breakfast by equi-carbohydrate partial exchange of cereal has been associated with lower postprandial glucose and insulin, but it increases the intake of fruit sugar. We assessed the effects of kiwifruit ingestion at breakfast over 7 weeks on metabolic and physiologic factors. Method: Forty-three healthy Asian participants were randomised to ingest 500 mL of carbonated water (control) or 500 mL of carbonated water plus two kiwifruit (intervention), before breakfast. Three-day weighed diet records were taken before and at week 4 during the intervention. Overnight fasting blood samples were taken at baseline and week 7. Forty-two participants completed the study (n = 22 control, n = 20 intervention). Results: The kiwifruit group consumed more fructose, vitamin C, vitamin E, and carbohydrates as a percentage of energy compared with the control group (p < 0.01). There was no evidence of between-group changes in metabolic outcomes at the end of the intervention, with the following mean (95% confidence interval) differences in fasting blood samples: glucose 0.09 (−0.06, 0.24) mmol/L; insulin −1.6 (−3.5, 0.3) μU/mL; uric acid −13 (−30, 4) μmol/L; triglycerides −0.10 (−0.22, 0.03) mmol/L; and total cholesterol −0.05 (−0.24, 0.14) mmol/L. There was a −2.7 (−5.5, 0.0) mmHg difference in systolic blood pressure for the intervention group compared with the control group. Conclusion: Eating two kiwifruit as part of breakfast increased fruit consumption and intake of antioxidant nutrients without a change in fasting insulin. There was a difference in systolic blood pressure and no adverse fructose-associated increases in uric acid, triglycerides, or total cholesterol. This simple intervention may provide health benefits to other demographic groups.     

Dietary Fibre and Organic Acids in Kiwifruit Suppress Glycaemic Response Equally by Delaying Absorption—A Randomised Crossover Human Trial with Parallel Analysis of 13C-Acetate Uptake

Non-sugar components of kiwifruit reduce the amplitude of the glycaemic response to co-consumed cereal starch. We determined the relative contribution of different non-sugar kiwifruit components to this anti-glycaemic effect. Healthy participants (n = 9) ingested equal carbohydrate meals containing 20 g starch as wheat biscuit (WB, 30 g), and the sugar equivalent of two kiwifruit (KFsug, 20.4 g), either intrinsic or added as glucose, fructose and sucrose (2:2:1). The meals were WB+KFsug (control, no non-sugar kiwifruit components), WB + whole kiwifruit pulp (WB+KF), WB + neutralised kiwifruit pulp (WB+KFneut), WB + low-fibre kiwifruit juice (WB+KFjuice) and WB+KFsug + kiwifruit organic acids (WB+KFsug+OA). All meals were spiked with 100 mg sodium [1-¹³C] acetate to measure intestinal absorption. Each participant ingested all meals in random order. Blood glucose and breath ¹³CO₂ were measured at ingestion and at 15 min intervals up to 180 min. Compared with WB+KFsug, whole kiwifruit pulp (WB+KF) almost halved glycaemic response amplitude (p < 0.001), reduced incremental area under the blood glucose response curve (iAUC) at 30 min (peak) by 50% (p < 0.001), and averted late postprandial hypoglycaemia. All other treatments suppressed response amplitude half as much as whole kiwifruit and averted acute hypoglycaemia, with little effect on iAUC. Effects on ¹³CO₂ exhalation paralleled effects on blood glucose (R² = 0.97). Dietary fibre and organic acids contributed equally to the anti-glycaemic effect of kiwifruit by reducing intestinal absorption rate. Kiwifruit flesh effectively attenuates glycaemic response in carbohydrate exchange, as it contains fructose, dietary fibre and organic acids.     

Laparoscopic total radical hysterectomy by the Pune technique: our experience of 248 cases

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To describe our experience and technique of total laparoscopic radical hysterectomy with pelvic lymphadenectomy, which is the largest single- institution study. DESIGN: Retrospective, nonrandomized study (Canadian Task Force classification II-2). SETTING: Private hospital. PATIENTS: Two hundred forty-eight patients with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage IA2 (n = 32) and IB1 (n = 216) of cancer of the cervix. INTERVENTION: Total laparoscopic type III radical hysterectomy with bilateral pelvic lymphadenectomy was done. Simple repetitive steps were used to perform this surgery and develop an easily replicable technique. Harmonic Shears, bipolar coagulation, and vascular clips were used. Resection of the cardinal and uterosacral ligaments was performed with LigaSure (LigaSure Vessel Sealing System; Valleylab, Tyco Healthcare, Boulder, CO) or the Harmonic Shears (Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc., Cincinnati, OH). Pelvic lymph node dissection was done. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Histopathologically, there were 183 (73%) cases of squamous carcinoma, 52 (20%) adenocarcinomas, and 13 (5%) adenosquamous carcinomas. Four patients needing anterior exenteration because of bladder involvement were excluded from data analyses. The operation was performed entirely by laparoscopy in all patients and by the same surgical team. The patients' median age was 61 years. The median operative time was 92 minutes (range 65-120 minutes). The median number of resected pelvic nodes was 18. The median blood loss was 165 mL. The median length of stay was 3 days. All 15 intraoperative complications were tackled laparoscopically. No patients were converted to the open technique. There were no deaths in our series. Seventeen patients had complications within 2 months of surgery. Seven patients had recurrences after a median follow-up of 36 months. CONCLUSION: Our technique of total laparoscopic radical hysterectomy, developed over 248 cases, can be performed safely. It is an easily replicable technique. This procedure reduces the morbidity associated with abdominal radical hysterectomy. All of the complications can also be tackled laparoscopically, which does not further add to the morbidity.     

Prognostic factors associated with survival in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma undergoing transarterial chemoembolisation: an Australian multicenter cohort study

Aim: Transarterial chemoembolisation (TACE) is recommended therapy for intermediate-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the wide variations in outcom...     

Association of genetic polymorphism of glutathione S-transferase M1, T1, P1 and susceptibility to bladder cancer

OBJECTIVE: Glutathione-S-transferases (GSTs) are active in the detoxification of wide variety of endogenous or exogenous carcinogens. We examined the association of the GST gene polymorphism with sporadic bladder cancer patients in Northern India. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study constituted of 106 bladder cancer cases and 370 age-matched controls. The GSTT1 and GSTM1 null genotypes were identified by multiplex PCR and GSTP1313 A/G by Polymerase Chain Reaction/Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism method (PCR/RFLP). RESULTS: We observed non-significant association in null alleles of the GSTM1 (p = 0.611, OR = 1.12, 95% CI = 0.72-1.74 and GSTT1 (p = 0.135, OR = 1.45, 95% CI = 0.89-2.37) with risk of bladder cancer. However, the G/G genotype of the GSTP1 gene polymorphism was highly significant when compared to controls (p=0.000, OR = 7.12, 95% CI = 3.14-16.16). The combined analysis of the three risk genotypes demonstrated further increase in the risk of bladder cancer (p = 0.000, OR = 7.29 95% CI = 2.81-18.93). CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrated that GSTP1313 G/G polymorphism is a strong predisposing risk factor for bladder cancer. Combination of three GST genotypes association exhibiting gene-gene interaction further substantiates the increased risk of bladder cancer.     

Conjunctival Melanoma in Asian Indians: A Study of 42 Patients

Purpose: To describe the clinical features, treatment, and outcomes of conjunctival melanoma in Asian Indians.

Methods: Retrospective study of 42 patients.

Results: The mean age at presentation of conjunctival melanoma was 43 years (median, 45 years; range, 9–78 years). There were 20 (48%) males and 22 (52%) females. Nineteen patients (45%) had a known history of a preexisting pigmented conjunctival lesion. Bulbar conjunctiva (n = 28; 67%) was the most common tumor epicenter, and medial ocular surface quadrant (n = 15; 36%) was more commonly involved. The mean tumor basal diameter was 12 mm (median, 10 mm; range, 4–30 mm), and the mean tumor thickness was 4 mm (median, 2 mm; range, 1–30 mm). Majority of the patients had a pigmented tumor (n = 33; 79%). The tumors arose de novo (n = 17, 41%) or were associated with conjunctival nevus (n = 9; 21%) or primary acquired melanosis (n = 16, 38%). Wide excisional biopsy, adjunctive cryotherapy, and amniotic membrane grafting were performed in 27 (71%) patients, 11 (29%) underwent orbital exenteration, and 4 were lost to follow-up prior to definitive treatment. Over a mean follow-up period of 24 months (median, 9 months; range, <1 to 136 months), four (11%) patients had tumor recurrence, seven (18%) had locoregional lymph node metastasis, and four (11%) developed systemic metastasis and died due to metastatic disease.

Conclusion: Conjunctival melanoma predominantly occurs in middle-aged Asian Indians and is associated with a high rate of systemic metastasis and death.