Effects of simvastatin and rosuvastatin on RAS protein,matrix metalloproteinases and NF‐κB in lung cancer and in normal pulmonary tissues

Objectives

In this study, we have evaluated effects of 24‐hour treatments with simvastatin or rosuvastatin on RAS protein, NF‐κB and MMP expression in LC tissues obtained from 12 patients undergoing thoracic surgery.

Materials and methods

Normal and lung tumour tissues obtained from each sample were exposed to simvastatin (2.5–30 μm ) or rosuvastatin (1.25–30 μm ) and western blot analysis was then performed.

Results

We documented increased expression of proteins, MMP‐2, MMP‐9 and NF‐κB‐p65 in LC tissues, with respect to normal tissues (P < 0.01). In the malignant tissues, simvastatin and rosuvastatin significantly (P < 0.01) and dose‐dependently reduced RAS protein, MMP‐2/9 and NF‐κB‐p65 expression.

Conclusions

In conclusion, our results suggest that simvastatin and rosuvastatin could play a role in LC treatment by modulation of RAS protein, MMP‐2/9 and NF‐κB‐p65.

     

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Platelet gel supernatant as a potential tool to repopulate acellular heart valves

Objective

The aim of this study was to repopulate decellularized heart valve matrices with ovine mesenchymal stem cells (oMSCs) by the use of platelet gel (PG) supernatant, a storage vehicle for growth factors.

Methods

oMSCs were exposed to different concentrations of PG‐released supernatant and cell proliferation was evaluated using the MTS assay. oMSC motility and invasiveness were assayed using a Boyden chamber. A quantitative sandwich enzyme immunoassay was used to examine amounts of bFGF and TGF‐β1 in the PG supernatant. Repopulation of acellular heart valve matrices was stimulated by seeding matrices with oMSCs supplemented with the PG supernatant.

Results

The most significant increase in proliferation induced by PG supernatant appeared at 1 × 10⁵ plts/ml concentration. Higher concentrations evoked reduction of the stimulatory process. oMSC motility was most significantly stimulated at 1 × 10⁶ plts/ml. Stimulating invasiveness of oMSCs needed the much higher concentration of 2 × 10⁶ plts/ml. Immunoassays revealed that sheep PG supernatant contains 184.8 pg/ml bFGF and 60.5 ng/ml TGF‐β1. Moreover, repopulation of acellular heart valve matrices was significantly enhanced by PG supernatant addition and resulted in upregulation of the myofibroblast marker alpha‐smooth muscle actin.

Conclusions

Growth factors released from platelets had the potential to induce cell repopulation in a heart valve tissue engineering procedure, through stimulation of mesenchymal stem‐cell migration and invasion.     

Effects of Self‐Conditioning Techniques (Self‐Hypnosis) in Promoting Weight Loss in Patients with Severe Obesity: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Objective

The usefulness of the rapid‐induction techniques of hypnosis as an adjunctive weight‐loss treatment has not been defined. This randomized controlled trial evaluated whether self‐conditioning techniques (self‐hypnosis) added to lifestyle interventions contributed to weight loss (primary outcome), changes in metabolic and inflammatory variables, and quality of life (QoL) improvement (secondary outcomes) in severe obesity.

Methods

Individuals (with BMI = 35‐50 kg/m²) without organic or psychiatric comorbidity were randomly assigned to the intervention (n = 60) or control arm (n = 60). All received exercise and behavioral recommendations and individualized diets. The intervention consisted of three hypnosis sessions, during which self‐hypnosis was taught to increase self‐control before eating. Diet, exercise, satiety, QoL, anthropometric measurements, and blood variables were collected and measured at enrollment and at 1 year (trial end).

Results

A similar weight loss was observed in the intervention (?6.5 kg) and control (?5.6 kg) arms (β = ?0.45; 95% CI: ?3.78 to 2.88; P = 0.79). However, habitual hypnosis users lost more weight (?9.6 kg; β = ?10.2; 95% CI: ?14.2 to ?6.18; P < 0.001) and greatly reduced their caloric intake (?682.5 kcal; β = ?643.6; 95% CI: ?1064.0 to ?223.2; P = 0.005) in linear regression models. At trial end, the intervention arm showed lower C‐reactive protein values (β = ?2.55; 95% CI: ?3.80 to ?1.31; P < 0.001), higher satiety (β = 19.2; 95% CI: 7.71‐30.6; P = 0.001), and better QoL (β = 0.09; 95% CI: 0.02‐0.16; P = 0.01).

Conclusions

Self‐hypnosis was not associated with differences in weight change but was associated with improved satiety, QoL, and inflammation. Indeed, habitual hypnosis users showed a greater weight loss.

     

Managing sun bears in a changing tropical landscape

Aim

Across the tropics, large‐bodied mammal species are threatened by rapid and widespread forest habitat conversion by either commercial logging or agricultural expansion. How such species use these habitats is an important area of research for guiding their future management. The tropical forest‐dwelling sun bear, Helarctos malayanus, is the least known of the eight bear species. Consequently, the IUCN/SSC Bear Specialist Group ranks research on this species as a top priority. This study aims to investigate landscape variables that influence sun bear habitat use in forests under varying levels of degradation and protection.

Location

A 20,998 km² Sumatra forest landscape covering Kerinci Seblat National Park (KSNP), Batang Hari Protection Forest (BHPF) and neighbouring logging and agricultural concessions.

Methods

An occupancy‐based sampling technique using detection/non‐detection data with 10 landscape covariates was applied in six study areas that operated a total of 125 camera traps. The potential differences between habitat use (ψ) of sun bears were first modelled with broad‐scale covariates of study area, land‐use types and forest type. Sun bear habitat use was then investigated with the finer‐scale landscape features associated within these areas.

Results

From 10,935 trap nights, sun bears were recorded at altitudes ranging from 365 to 1791 m. At a broad‐scale, habitat use increased with protection status, being highest in KSNP (0.688 ± 0.092, ± SE) and BHPF (0.621 ± 0.110) compared to production (0.418 ± 0.121) and convertible (0.286 ± 0.122) forests. Within these areas, sun bears showed a preference for forest that was further from public roads and villages and at a lower elevation.

Main conclusions

The habitat suitability model identified several high‐quality habitat patches outside of the priority conservation areas for immediate protection. Consequently, conservation management strategies should emphasize the importance of high conservation value forests and prohibit further conversion of threatened lowland forests.

     

The Holocene history of low altitude Mediterranean Fagus sylvatica forests in southern France

Questions

As the dominant tree in many European forests, Fagus sylvatica functions as an ecosystem engineer, yet its istory remains little understood. Here we ask: (a) are there indications for its presence in southeast France during the last Glacial period; (b) what was the timing of the expansion and decline of F. sylvatica dominated forests; (c) which factors influenced their dynamics and in particular to what extent did past precipitation changes impact upon them; and (d) at which altitudes did these beech forests occur within the region?

Location

Languedoc, the French Mediterranean area.

Method

This article presents a well dated and high‐resolution pollen sequence covering the last 7,800 years from the Palavas Lagoon in the Languedoc together with a review of Fagus charcoal occurrences in the Languedoc and the lower Rhône Valley, and a review of pollen data from a compilation of 69 sites in southeast France.

Results

The Palavas pollen sequence provides a regional summary of F. sylvatica abundance changes near the Mediterranean coast. Around 6,000 years cal BP , an abrupt transition from small beech populations to well‐developed forests is recorded. The maximum development of beech forests occurred between 4,000 and 3,000 years cal BP , while F. sylvatica started to regress after 3,000 years cal BP .

Conclusion

Scattered F. sylvatica populations probably survived throughout southern France during the last Glacial period. F. sylvatica started to spread around 8,000 years cal BP while beech forests never expanded before 6,000 years cal BP . The complex patterns of F. sylvatica expansion in southern France after 6,000 years cal BP suggests that a combination of global (climate change) and local (human impact) factors were responsible for this major change. Recurrent abrupt climate changes, the aridity trend and human deforestation caused beech forests to decline after 3,000 years cal BP .

     

Seroprevalence of Helicobacter pylori in Hispanics living in Puerto Rico: A population‐based study

Background

Helicobacter pylori is an important etiologic factor for peptic ulcers and gastric cancer, one of the top ten leading causes of cancer death in Puerto Rico. However, the prevalence of H. pylori infections in this population was previously unknown. The aim of this study was to examine the seroprevalence of H. pylori and its associated risk factors in Puerto Rico.

Materials and Methods

A cross‐sectional study was designed using an existing population‐based biorepository. Seropositivity was determined using the Premier^? H. pylori immunoassay. Helicobacter pylori seroprevalence was estimated with 95% confidence using marginal standardization following logistic regression. To assess the risk factors associated with H. pylori seropositivity, a multivariable log‐binomial model was fitted to estimate the prevalence ratio (PR) and its 95% confidence interval (95% CI).

Results

A total of 528 population‐based serum samples were analyzed. The mean age of the study population was 41 ± 12 years, of whom 55.3% were females. The overall seroprevalence of H. pylori was 33.0% (95% CI = 28.3%‐38.1%). Increasing age and having <12 years of education were significantly (P < .05) associated with H. pylori seropositivity in the multivariable model; however, residing in counties with low population density reached marginal significance (P = .085).

Conclusions

We report that H. pylori infection is common among Hispanics living in Puerto Rico. The H. pylori seroprevalence observed in Puerto Rico is similar to the seroprevalence reported in the overall population of the United States. The association between H. pylori seroprevalence and the risk factors analyzed offers insight into the epidemiology of gastric cancer in Puerto Rico and warrants further investigation.

     

Hypericum perforatum L. subsp. perforatum induces inhibition of free radicals and enhanced phototoxicity in human melanoma cells under ultraviolet light

Objectives

Our interest continues in discovering phytocomplexes from medicinal plants with phototoxic activity against human melanoma cells; thus the aim of the present study was to assess antioxidant, anti‐inflammatory and phototoxic activity of Hypericum perforatum L. subsp. perforatum, and relate these properties to the plant's chemical composition.

Materials and methods

Components of H. perforatum subsp. perforatum were extracted by hydroalcoholic solution and chemical profiles of preparations (HyTE‐3) performed by HPTLC. Linoleic acid peroxidation and DPPH tests were used to assess antioxidant activity, while MTT assay allowed evaluation of anti‐proliferative activity with respect to A375 human melanoma cells after irradiation with UVA dose, 1.8 J/cm². Inhibition of nitric oxide production of macrophages was also investigated.

Results

HyTE‐3 indicated better antioxidant activity with β‐carotene bleaching test in comparison to DPPH assay (IC₅₀ = 0.89 μg/ml); significant phototoxicity in A375 cells at 78 μg/ml concentration resulted in cell destruction of 50%. HyTE‐3 caused significant dose‐related inhibition of nitric oxide production in murine monocytic macrophage cell line RAW 264.7 with IC₅₀ value of 342 μg/ml.

Conclusions

The H. perforatum subsp. perforatum‐derived product was able to suppress proliferation of human malignant melanoma A375 cells; extract together with UVA irradiation enhanced phototoxicity. This biological activity of antioxidant effects was combined with inhibition of nitric oxide production.