Regular consumption of vitamin D-fortified yogurt drink (Doogh) improved endothelial biomarkers in subjects with type 2 diabetes: a randomized double-blind clinical trial

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Endothelial dysfunction has been proposed as the underlying cause of diabetic angiopathy that eventually leads to cardiovascular disease, the major cause of death in diabetes. We recently demonstrated the ameliorating effect of regular vitamin D intake on the glycemic status of patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). In this study, the effects of improvement of vitamin D status on glycemic status, lipid profile and endothelial biomarkers in T2D subjects were investigated.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Subjects with T2D were randomly allocated to one of the two groups to receive either plain yogurt drink (PYD; containing 170 mg calcium and no vitamin D/250 mL, n₁= 50) or vitamin D3-fortified yogurt drink (FYD; containing 170 mg calcium and 500 IU/250 mL, n₂= 50) twice a day for 12 weeks. Anthropometric measures, glycemic status, lipid profile, body fat mass (FM) and endothelial biomarkers including serum endothelin-1, E-selectin and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 were evaluated at the beginning and after the 12-week intervention period.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The intervention resulted in a significant improvement in fasting glucose, the Quantitative Insulin Check Index (QUICKI), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), triacylglycerols, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), endothelin-1, E-selectin and MMP-9 in FYD compared to PYD (<it>P </it>< 0.05, for all). Interestingly, difference in changes of endothelin-1, E-selectin and MMP-9 concentrations in FYD compared to PYD (-0.35 ± 0.63 versus -0.03 ± 0.55, <it>P </it>= 0.028; -3.8 ± 7.3 versus 0.95 ± 8.3, <it>P </it>= 0.003 and -2.3 ± 3.7 versus 0.44 ± 7.1 ng/mL, respectively, <it>P </it>< 0.05 for all), even after controlling for changes of QUICKI, FM and waist circumference, remained significant for endothelin-1 and MMP-9 (<it>P </it>= 0.009 and <it>P </it>= 0.005, respectively) but disappeared for E-selectin (<it>P </it>= 0.092). On the contrary, after controlling for serum 25(OH)D, the differences disappeared for endothelin-1(<it>P </it>= 0.066) and MMP-9 (<it>P </it>= 0.277) but still remained significant for E-selectin (<it>P </it>= 0.011).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Ameliorated vitamin D status was accompanied by improved glycemic status, lipid profile and endothelial biomarkers in T2D subjects. Our findings suggest both direct and indirect ameliorating effects of vitamin D on the endothelial biomarkers.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>ClinicalTrials.gov: <a href="http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01236846">NCT01236846</a></p

Development of Effective Cancer Vaccine Using Targeting System of Antigen Protein to APCs.

PURPOSE: To develop a novel cancer vaccine using the targeting system of antigen protein to antigen-presenting cells (APCs) for efficient and safe cancer therapy. METHODS: The novel delivery system was constructed with antigen protein, benzalkonium chloride (BK), and γ-polyglutamic acid (γ-PGA), using ovalbumin (OVA) as a model antigen protein and evaluating its immune induction effects and utilities for cancer vaccine. RESULTS: BK and γ-PGA enabled encapsulation of OVA and formed stable anionic particles at nanoscale, OVA/BK/γ-PGA complex. Complex was taken up by dendritic cell line DC2.4 cells efficiently. We subcutaneously administered the complex to mice and examined induction of IgGs. The complex induced not only Th2-type immunoglobulins but also Th1-type immunoglobulins. OVA/BK/γ-PGA complex inhibited tumor growth of E.G7 cells expressing OVA regularly; administered OVA/BK/γ-PGA complex completely rejected tumor cells. CONCLUSION: The novel vaccine could be platform technology for a cancer vaccine

IRANIAN DIABETICS MAY NOT BE VITAMIN D DEFICIENT MORE THAN HEALTHY SUBJECTS

&quot;nThere are some reports of decreased serum levels of 25(OH)D in the subjects with impaired glucose tolerance and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). To assess vitamin D status of the Iranian diabetics, a pilot study was conducted on 90 subjects with either type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) (n= 30), T2DM (n= 30), or apparently healthy subjects (n= 30) during fall and winter of 2005. Serum samples were analyzed for 25-hydroxycholecalciferol using three different methods: high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), competitive protein-binding assay (CPBA) and radioimmunoassay (RIA). In this study serum levels of 25(OH)D were categorized as follows: sufficient &amp;ge; 37 nmol/L; 25 nmol/L &amp;le; mild deficiency &amp;lt; 37 nmol/L; 12.5 nmol/L &amp;le; moderate deficiency &amp;lt; 25 nmol/L; severe deficiency &amp;lt; 12.5 nmol/L. Results showed that the occurrence of vitamin D insufficiency was almost the same in patients with T1DM and healthy controls. Mean serum level of 25(OH)D in patients with T2DM was significantly higher than in T1DM, as judged by HPLC (58.2 &amp;plusmn; 8.5 vs. 35 &amp;plusmn; 5 nmol/L, Mann Whitney U-Wilcoxon, P= 0.024). Moreover, both CPBA and RIA showed some over-estimation of serum 25(OH)D, compared to HPLC. Our findings suggest that, at least in the cold seasons, vitamin D status of the healthy subjects may not be higher than that of T1DM patients

"DETECTION OF BACTERIAL, METHICILLIN RESISTANCE, AND β-LACTAMASE GENES FOUND IN WOUND SWABS BY MULTIPLEX POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION"

Coagulase-positive and coagulase negative, methicillin-resistant staphylococci are major causes of serious nosocomial infections and it is very important to have a reliable test to detect these bacteria. A multiplex polymerase chain reaction (mPCR) was used on 100 clinical samples for simultaneous amplification of the universal bacterial, mec-A encoding the penicillin binding protein 2a, which is associated with staphylococcal methicillin resistance and TEM-1 encoding the &amp;#946;-lactamase, which accounts for the majority of all cases of the plasmid &amp;#946;-lactamase resistance worldwide. Out of 100 wound swabs tested, 99% with universal primers, 26% with TEM-1 primers and 6% with mec-A primers were positive. Dot blot Digoxigenin hybridization on the 30 samples was carried out to confirm identified bacteria with specific bacterial probes. Out of 100 wound swabs, 38% were positive with Staphylococcus aureus probe, 23% were positive with enteric bacteria probe, 7% were positive with Streptococcus agalactia probe and 1% were positive with Haemophilus influenza probe. The mPCR method used in this study, was designed to be incorporated into the workflow of the clinical microbiology laboratory and allows for the identification of intrinsic resistance in a timely and reliable manner

SIMPLE AND RAPID GAS-CHROMATOGRAPHIC METHOD FOR QUANTITATION OF TOTAL AND FREE VALPROIC ACID IN HUMAN SERUM

Valproic acid (VPA) is one of the mostly used antiepileptic drugs that may have some side effects so, it is highly recommended to evaluate its serum concentrations. The aim of this study was to develop a simple, fast and economic method using gas-chromatography equipped with flame ionization detector (GC/FID) and VPA analysis. To do this, 200 µl of serum was mixed with an aliquot of caproic acid (200 µL, methanolic solution) as internal standard and extracted by stepwise addition of hydrochloric acid and chloroform with slight agitation between each step. After centrifugation, 1.0 µl of the bottom layer was injected into a wide-bore nonpolar capillary column. Injectable samples for analysis of unbonded VPA were prepared by ultra filtration followed by solid phase extraction (SPE). Caproic acid and VPA were eluted after 1.5 min and 3.0 min, respectively (total GC run time about 3.2 minutes). This GC/FID method was linear over a range of 2.5-6400 µg/ml with the mean recovery of 92%. The intra- and inter-assay precision in the range of 25-100 µg/ml was 1.50-, 2.95, and 2.35- 3.22%, respectively. The simplicity of sample preparation with no derivatization, short run-time and high sensitivity sufficient to detect low concentrations of the drug makes this method suitable for research as well as routine use