Cancer chemoprevention by natural compounds

There is growing interest in the use of natural compounds for the treatment and prevention of a wide variety of diseases, including cancer. Several herb-derived components are currently evaluated in preclinical studies as potential cancer chemopreventive agents. We have recently found that several herbal plants in the Ryukyu Islands, or any other natural compound, have a potential chemopreventive effect on biomarkers of colon carcinogenesis and a growth inhibitory effect on human cancer cells. These studies together with related in vivo and in vitro investigations are summarized and discussed in this review

Effects of acute exercise on expressions of functional receptors on CD56dim and CD56bright natural killer cells

PURPOSE: Mobilization and cytotoxicity of natural killer (NK) cells are regulated by cell surface receptors such as adhesion molecules and activating/inhibitory receptors. In this study, we examined the effects of acute exercise on the expression of these cell surface molecules and receptors. METHODS: Six healthy male college students (22.8 ± 0.8 years olds) exercised on the cycle ergometer for 30 min at intensities corresponding to the individual onset of blood lactate accumulation level (70-85%VO2max). Venous blood samples were collected at rest (PRE); just before the end of exercise (END) and 30 (POST 30), 60 (POST 60), 120 (POST 120) and 180 (POST 180) min post exercise. The densities of cell surface molecules and receptors on CD56dim and CD56bright NK cells were determined by flow cytometry. One-way ANOVA and MANOVA were used for statistical analyses. RESULTS: At PRE, expressions of CD16, CD56, CD44, CD62L, CD314, CD335, CD159a and CX3CR1 differed between CD56dim and CD56bright NK cells. Expressions of adhesion molecules CD62L and CX3CR1 changed significantly in both subsets during and after exercise. The expressions of CD62L tended to decrease at END, and then they increased significantly at POST 30. These changes were mainly due to the proportional changes in CD62Lnegative cells. The opposite patterns of changes were seen in the expressions of CX3CR1. Additionally, the expressions of CX3CR1 decreased at POST 120 and 180 only in CD56dim NK cells. The changes in the expressions of CD44 were similar to those seen in the expressions of CD62L. Although changes in the expression of adhesion molecules were statistically significant, they were relatively unclear in histogram analyses. With regard to the expressions of NK cell activating/inhibitory receptors, most changes were observed in CD56dim NK cells. The expressions of CD16 decreased at END and returned at POST 30. The expressions of CD212 dropped from END to POST 30. In contrast, the expressions of CD335 increased from END to POST 30. Exceptionally, changes in the expressions of CD226 were found in both subsets. The expressions decreased at POST180. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that acute exercise influences the expressions of cell surface molecules and receptors. Changes were mainly observed at END and POST 30 in CD56dim NK cell. However, the delayed changes were also seen in some receptors. The changes in several receptors were related to cell mobilization. In contrast, the changes in other receptors were not directly related to mobilization and cytotoxicity

Real-time imaging and analysis of differences in cadmium dynamics in rice cultivars (Oryza sativa) using positron-emitting107Cd tracer

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Rice is a major source of dietary intake of cadmium (Cd) for populations that consume rice as a staple food. Understanding how Cd is transported into grains through the whole plant body is necessary for reducing rice Cd concentrations to the lowest levels possible, to reduce the associated health risks. In this study, we have visualized and quantitatively analysed the real-time Cd dynamics from roots to grains in typical rice cultivars that differed in grain Cd concentrations. We used positron-emitting¹⁰⁷Cd tracer and an innovative imaging technique, the positron-emitting tracer imaging system (PETIS). In particular, a new method for direct and real-time visualization of the Cd uptake by the roots in the culture was first realized in this work.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Imaging and quantitative analyses revealed the different patterns in time-varying curves of Cd amounts in the roots of rice cultivars tested. Three low-Cd accumulating cultivars (<it>japonica </it>type) showed rapid saturation curves, whereas three high-Cd accumulating cultivars (<it>indica </it>type) were characterized by curves with a peak within 30 min after¹⁰⁷Cd supplementation, and a subsequent steep decrease resulting in maintenance of lower Cd concentrations in their roots. This difference in Cd dynamics may be attributable to OsHMA3 transporter protein, which was recently shown to be involved in Cd storage in root vacuoles and not functional in the high-Cd accumulating cultivars. Moreover, the PETIS analyses revealed that the high-Cd accumulating cultivars were characterized by rapid and abundant Cd transfer to the shoots from the roots, a faster transport velocity of Cd to the panicles, and Cd accumulation at high levels in their panicles, passing through the nodal portions of the stems where the highest Cd intensities were observed.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This is the first successful visualization and quantification of the differences in whole-body Cd transport from the roots to the grains of intact plants within rice cultivars that differ in grain Cd concentrations, by using PETIS, a real-time imaging method.</p

An ancillary study of participants in a randomized, placebo-controlled trial suggests that ingestion of bovine lactoferrin promotes expression of interferon alpha in the human colon

AbstractStudies using animal models have demonstrated that ingestion of bovine lactoferrin (bLF) is able to induce cytokine expression in the intestine and inhibit carcinogenesis in the colon and other organs of experimental animals. Consequently, a clinical trial was conducted in the National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo, Japan to determine whether ingestion of bLF affected the growth of colorectal polyps in humans. The Tokyo-trial found that ingestion of 3.0 g bLF suppressed the growth of colorectal polyps and increased the level of serum human lactoferrin in participants 63 years old or younger. The present study is a complementary study to the Tokyo-trial to determine if a change in the expression of one or more cytokines could be detected in the colon of the Tokyo-trial participants after ingesting bLF. We found that daily ingestion of 3.0 g bLF promoted the expression of interferon alpha in the colon of the Tokyo-trial participants

Nursing students' understanding of the Fundamental of Care: A cross sectional study in five countries

Aim and objective. To explore the accuracy with which nursing students can identify the fundamentals of care. Background. A challenge facing nursing is ensuring the fundamentals of care are provided with compassion and in a timely manner. How students perceive the importance of the fundamentals of care may be influenced by the content and delivery of their nursing curriculum. As the fundamentals of care play a vital role in ensuring patient safety and quality care, it is important to examine how nursing students identify these care needs. Design. Cross‐sectional descriptive design. Methods. A total of 398 nursing students (pre‐ and postregistration) from universities in Sweden, England, Japan, Canada and Australia participated. The Fundamentals of Care Framework guided this study. A questionnaire containing three care scenarios was developed and validated. Study participants identified the fundamentals of care for each of the scenarios. All responses were rated and analysed using ANOVA. Results. The data illustrate certain fundamentals of care were identified more frequently, including communication and education; comfort and elimination, whilst respecting choice, privacy and dignity were less frequently identified. The ability to identify all the correct care needs was low overall across the pre‐ and postregistration nursing programmes in the five universities. Significant differences in the number of correctly identified care needs between some of the groups were identified. Conclusions. Nursing students are not correctly identifying all a patient's fundamental care needs when presented with different care scenarios. Students more frequently identifying physical care needs and less frequently psychosocial and relational needs. The findings suggest educators may need to emphasise and integrate all three dimensions. Relevance to clinical practice. To promote students' ability to identify the integrated nature of the fundamentals of care, practising clinicians and nurse educators need to role model and incorporate all the fundamental care needs for their patients

Postoperative Electroencephalogram for Follow up of Pediatric Moyamoya Disease

It is well known that the electroencephalographic finding in patients with moyamoya disease demonstrates the characteristic "re-build up" phenomenon a few minutes after hyperventilation. To evaluate the usefulness of an electroencephalogram (EEG) in the postoperative management of children with moyamoya disease, we studied the presence or absence of improvement in the clinical, single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and EEG findings, before and after surgery. Twenty-two patients, who underwent indirect revascularization surgery for moyamoya disease, were included in our study. Clinical improvement was assessed as the disappearance or decrease of a transient ischemic attack or headache. The findings on the EEG and SPECT were considered improved when the re-build up phenomenon was absent and when there was improvement in the cerebrovascular reserve as a result of the acetazolamide challenge test. The statistical correlation analysis for both clinical and EEG improvement were consistent (kappa value=0.409, p<0.05). However, the result from the clinical and SPECT improvement as well as that from EEG and SPECT improvement were not statistically significant. Our results suggest that EEG can be used as a noninvasive and simple follow-up test for moyamoya disease after indirect revascularization surgery if the hyperventilation procedure is effectively performed during EEG recording