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Effect of Sugar-Free Jelly on Glycemic Metabolism and Its Potential Health Benefits in Non-Diabetic Adults.
Han, H, Kim, Y, Gim, M, Shin, H, Jang, H, Yoon, WJ, Lee, GH, Park, YK
Foods (Basel, Switzerland). 2024;(6)
Abstract
Excessive sugar consumption provides energy but has little nutritional value, contributing to the prevalence of obesity. Hence, "sugar-free" products using artificial or natural sweeteners, including sugar alcohols, have become popular. Accordingly, safety concerns and curiosity have arisen. Therefore, this study used a double-blind, crossover design to compare the effects of commercial sugar-free and sugar jellies (control) on the glycemic response in 16 adults without diabetes. Blood samples were collected to measure blood glucose, insulin, glucagon, ghrelin, C-peptide, glycated hemoglobin, and glycated albumin levels, and an oral glucose tolerance test was performed. Questionnaires on satiety and intestinal health were also administered. Sugar-free jellies resulted in significantly lower glucose and insulin levels and a reduced area under the curve while showing higher glucagon levels than the controls. Moreover, the sugar-free jelly initially resulted in the greater secretion of ghrelin; however, after 2 h, the control jelly resulted in higher ghrelin. No significant differences were observed in gut quotient, C-peptide, glycated hemoglobin, and glycated albumin levels. In conclusion, substituting sugar jelly with sugar-free jelly may induce lower blood glucose and insulin levels and higher glucagon levels, indicating a better ability to control glucose metabolism. Appetite was not stimulated by sugar-free jelly consumption.
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Understanding Macroalgae: A Comprehensive Exploration of Nutraceutical, Pharmaceutical, and Omics Dimensions.
Adarshan, S, Sree, VSS, Muthuramalingam, P, Nambiar, KS, Sevanan, M, Satish, L, Venkidasamy, B, Jeelani, PG, Shin, H
Plants (Basel, Switzerland). 2023;(1)
Abstract
Driven by a surge in global interest in natural products, macroalgae or seaweed, has emerged as a prime source for nutraceuticals and pharmaceutical applications. Characterized by remarkable genetic diversity and a crucial role in marine ecosystems, these organisms offer not only substantial nutritional value in proteins, fibers, vitamins, and minerals, but also a diverse array of bioactive molecules with promising pharmaceutical properties. Furthermore, macroalgae produce approximately 80% of the oxygen in the atmosphere, highlighting their ecological significance. The unique combination of nutritional and bioactive attributes positions macroalgae as an ideal resource for food and medicine in various regions worldwide. This comprehensive review consolidates the latest advancements in the field, elucidating the potential applications of macroalgae in developing nutraceuticals and therapeutics. The review emphasizes the pivotal role of omics approaches in deepening our understanding of macroalgae's physiological and molecular characteristics. By highlighting the importance of omics, this review also advocates for continued exploration and utilization of these extraordinary marine organisms in diverse domains, including drug discovery, functional foods, and other industrial applications. The multifaceted potential of macroalgae warrants further research and development to unlock their full benefits and contribute to advancing global health and sustainable industries.
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Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic interaction of DWP16001, a sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitor, with phentermine in healthy subjects.
Yoon, S, Park, MS, Jin, BH, Shin, H, Na, J, Huh, W, Kim, CO
Expert opinion on drug metabolism & toxicology. 2023;(7):479-485
Abstract
BACKGROUND DWP16001, a sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitor, has shown promise for improving blood glucose control and facilitating weight loss. Co-administration with phentermine could enhance these effects. So, we aimed to evaluate the pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) interactions of DWP16001 and phentermine. METHODS We conducted a randomized, open-label, 3-treatment, 6-sequence, 3-period crossover study involving 24 healthy adults. Participants received either DWP16001 (2 mg), phentermine (37.5 mg), or a combination of both once daily for 7 days. Blood samples, urine samples, and body weights were collected to evaluate the PK and PD. RESULTS The PK of the combination was found to be similar to that of the monotherapy. The geometric mean ratio (GMR) of Cmax,ss, and AUCtau,ss were 0.98 and 1.00, respectively, for DWP16001, and 1.01 and 0.94, respectively, for phentermine. Co-administration did not significantly affect the 24-hour urinary glucose excretion compared to DWP16001 monotherapy, and the GMR was 0.90. Participants tended to experience greater weight loss in the combination therapy group, and all demonstrated good tolerance. CONCLUSIONS Our findings indicate that there were no significant interactions during co-administration. These results suggest that the combination of DWP16001 and phentermine may be safe and effective for the treatment of obesity and diabetes. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NCT05321732.
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A Recent Update on the Impact of Nano-Selenium on Plant Growth, Metabolism, and Stress Tolerance.
Samynathan, R, Venkidasamy, B, Ramya, K, Muthuramalingam, P, Shin, H, Kumari, PS, Thangavel, S, Sivanesan, I
Plants (Basel, Switzerland). 2023;(4)
Abstract
Selenium (Se) is a microelement that plays an important nutrient role by influencing various physiological and biochemical traits in plants. It has been shown to stimulate plant metabolism, enhancing secondary metabolites and lowering abiotic and biotic stress in plants. Globally, the enormous applications of nanotechnology in the food and agricultural sectors have vastly expanded. Nanoselenium is more active than bulk materials, and various routes of synthesis of Se nanoparticles (Se-NPs) have been reported in which green synthesis using plants is more attractive due to a reduction in ecological issues and an increase in biological activities. The Se-NP-based biofortification is more significant because it increases plant stress tolerance and positively impacts their metabolism. Se-NPs can enhance plant resistance to various oxidative stresses, promote growth, enhance soil nutrient status, enhance plant antioxidant levels, and participate in the transpiration process. Additionally, they use a readily available, biodegradable reducing agent and are ecologically friendly. This review concentrates on notable information on the different modes of Se-NPs' synthesis and characterization, their applications in plant growth, yield, and stress tolerance, and their influence on the metabolic process.
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Unlocking Prognostic Genes and Multi-Targeted Therapeutic Bioactives from Herbal Medicines to Combat Cancer-Associated Cachexia: A Transcriptomics and Network Pharmacology Approach.
Muthamil, S, Muthuramalingam, P, Kim, HY, Jang, HJ, Lyu, JH, Shin, UC, Go, Y, Park, SH, Lee, HG, Shin, H, et al
International journal of molecular sciences. 2023;(1)
Abstract
Cachexia is a devastating fat tissue and muscle wasting syndrome associated with every major chronic illness, including cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, kidney disease, AIDS, and heart failure. Despite two decades of intense research, cachexia remains under-recognized by oncologists. While numerous drug candidates have been proposed for cachexia treatment, none have achieved clinical success. Only a few drugs are approved by the FDA for cachexia therapy, but a very low success rate is observed among patients. Currently, the identification of drugs from herbal medicines is a frontier research area for many diseases. In this milieu, network pharmacology, transcriptomics, cheminformatics, and molecular docking approaches were used to identify potential bioactive compounds from herbal medicines for the treatment of cancer-related cachexia. The network pharmacology approach is used to select the 32 unique genes from 238 genes involved in cachexia-related pathways, which are targeted by 34 phytocompounds identified from 12 different herbal medicines used for the treatment of muscle wasting in many countries. Gene expression profiling and functional enrichment analysis are applied to decipher the role of unique genes in cancer-associated cachexia pathways. In addition, the pharmacological properties and molecular interactions of the phytocompounds were analyzed to find the target compounds for cachexia therapy. Altogether, combined omics and network pharmacology approaches were used in the current study to untangle the complex prognostic genes involved in cachexia and phytocompounds with anti-cachectic efficacy. However, further functional and experimental validations are required to confirm the efficacy of these phytocompounds as commercial drug candidates for cancer-associated cachexia.
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Hospitalization and Healthcare Resource Utilization of Omidubicel-Onlv versus Umbilical Cord Blood Transplantation for Hematologic Malignancies: Secondary Analysis from a Pivotal Phase 3 Clinical Trial.
Majhail, NS, Miller, B, Dean, R, Manghani, R, Shin, H, Sivaraman, S, Maziarz, RT
Transplantation and cellular therapy. 2023;(12):749.e1-749.e5
Abstract
A phase 3 trial (ClincialTrials.gov identifier NCT02730299) of omidubicel-onlv, a nicotinamide-modified allogeneic hematopoietic progenitor cell therapy manufactured from a single umbilical cord blood (UCB) unit, showed faster hematopoietic recovery, reduced rate of infections, and shorter hospital stay compared with patients randomized to standard UCB. This prospective secondary analysis of the phase 3 trial characterized resource utilization in the first 100 days post-transplantation with omidubicel-onlv compared with UCB. This analysis examined resource utilization, including hospital length of stay, hospital care setting, visits by provider type, rate of transfusions, and readmissions, among the 108 treated patients (omidubicel-onlv, n = 52; UCB, n = 56) from day 0 to day 100 post-transplantation. Demographics were generally balanced between the 2 arms, except a higher proportion of females (52% versus 37%) and older median age (40 years versus 36 years) were noted in the omidubicel-onlv arm. Compared with patients receiving UCB transplantation, patients receiving omidubicel-onlv had a shorter average total hospital length of stay (mean, 41.2 days versus 50.8 days; P = .027) in the first 100 days post-transplantation and more days alive and out of the hospital (mean, 55.8 days versus 43.7 days; P = .023). Fewer patients died in the omidubicel-onlv arm compared with the UCB arm (12% vs 16%) before day 100 post-transplantation. During primary hospitalization (ie, time from transplantation to discharge), fewer patients receiving omidubicel-onlv required intensive care unit (ICU) admission (10% versus 23%) and spent fewer days in the ICU (mean, .4 day versus 4.7 days; P = .028) and transplant unit (mean, 25.3 days versus 32.9 days; P = .022) compared with those receiving UCB. Patients receiving omidubicel-onlv required fewer outpatient consultant and nonconsultant visits and fewer platelet or other transfusions within 100 days from transplantation. Our findings suggest that faster hematopoietic recovery in omidubicel-onlv patients is associated with significantly shorter hospital stay and reduced healthcare resource use compared with UCB.
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Hypoglycemic agents and glycemic variability in individuals with type 2 diabetes: A systematic review and network meta-analysis.
Oh, S, Purja, S, Shin, H, Kim, M, Kim, E
Diabetes & vascular disease research. 2022;(3):14791641221106866
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Abstract
While hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) is commonly used to monitor therapy response in type 2 diabetes (T2D), GV is emerging as an essential additional metric for optimizing glycemic control. Our goal was to learn more about the impact of hypoglycemic agents on HbA1c levels and GV in patients with T2D. A systematic review and network meta-analysis (NMA) of randomized controlled trials were performed to assess the effects of glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs), sodium-glucose cotransporter (SGLT)-2 inhibitors, dipeptidyl peptidase (DPP)-4 inhibitors, sulfonylurea and thiazolidinediones on Mean Amplitude of Glycemic Excursions (MAGE) and HbA1c. Searches were performed using PubMed and EMBASE. A random-effect model was used in the NMA, and the surface under the cumulative ranking was used to rank comparisons. All studies were checked for quality according to their design and also for heterogeneity before inclusion in this NMA. The highest reduction in MAGE was achieved by GLP-1 RAs (SUCRA 0.83), followed by DPP-4 inhibitors (SUCRA 0.72), and thiazolidinediones (SUCRA 0.69). In terms of HbA1c reduction, GLP-1 RAs were the most effective (SUCRA 0.81), followed by DPP-4 inhibitors (SUCRA 0.72) and sulfonylurea (SUCRA 0.65). Our findings indicated that GLP-1 RAs have relatively high efficacy in terms of HbA1c and MAGE reduction when compared with other hypoglycemic agents and can thus have clinical application. Future studies with a larger sample size and appropriate subgroup analyses are warranted to completely understand the glycemic effects of these agents in various patients with T2D. The protocol for this systematic review was registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (CRD42021256363).
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Cardiometabolic Indices after Weight Loss with Calcium or Dairy Foods: Secondary Analyses from a Randomized Trial with Overweight/Obese Postmenopausal Women.
Ilich, JZ, Liu, PY, Shin, H, Kim, Y, Chi, Y
Nutrients. 2022;(5)
Abstract
The role of dairy foods and calcium/vitamin D supplements in cardiometabolic diseases is unknown. The objective of this secondary analysis is to investigate cardiometabolic risk factors changes after a 6-month weight-loss intervention in overweight/obese postmenopausal women divided in three groups: Ca+vitamin D supplements (S); low-fat dairy foods (D; 4−5 servings/day); or control/placebo pills (C), as complements to hypocaloric diets. The original study focused on bone/body composition. This analysis included blood pressure (BP), and serum triglycerides, lipids (including apoproteins Apo1 and ApoB), adipokines, and C-reactive protein in n = 97 participants who finished with complete data points. Systolic BP decreased 5.1%, 4.8%, and 1.8% in S, D, and C groups, respectively (p < 0.05 for S and D vs. baseline and vs. C at 6 months). Reduction in triglycerides and ratio of total cholesterol (TC)/high-density lipoproteins cholesterol (HDL-C) was the highest in S, while the reduction in TC and LDL-C was the highest in D group (all p < 0.05). Leptin and ApoB significantly decreased and adiponectin and ApoA1 increased in all groups. In conclusion, although the C group’s participants experienced an improvement in some of the cardiometabolic indices with weight loss, those in the S and D groups showed significantly better results in most of the outcomes, indicating the beneficial effects of low-fat dairy foods and/or Ca+vitamin D intake as complements to a hypocaloric diet.
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Biomineralization of bone tissue: calcium phosphate-based inorganics in collagen fibrillar organic matrices.
Hong, MH, Lee, JH, Jung, HS, Shin, H, Shin, H
Biomaterials research. 2022;(1):42
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bone regeneration research is currently ongoing in the scientific community. Materials approved for clinical use, and applied to patients, have been developed and produced. However, rather than directly affecting bone regeneration, these materials support bone induction, which regenerates bone. Therefore, the research community is still researching bone tissue regeneration. In the papers published so far, it is hard to find an improvement in the theory of bone regeneration. This review discusses the relationship between the existing theories on hard tissue growth and regeneration and the biomaterials developed so far for this purpose and future research directions. MAINBODY Highly complex nucleation and crystallization in hard tissue involves the coordinated action of ions and/or molecules that can produce different organic and inorganic composite biomaterials. In addition, the healing of bone defects is also affected by the dynamic conditions of ions and nutrients in the bone regeneration process. Inorganics in the human body, especially calcium- and/or phosphorus-based materials, play an important role in hard tissues. Inorganic crystal growth is important for treating or remodeling the bone matrix. Biomaterials used in bone tissue regeneration require expertise in various fields of the scientific community. Chemical knowledge is indispensable for interpreting the relationship between biological factors and their formation. In addition, sources of energy for the nucleation and crystallization processes of such chemical bonds and minerals that make up the bone tissue must be considered. However, the exact mechanism for this process has not yet been elucidated. Therefore, a convergence of broader scientific fields such as chemistry, materials, and biology is urgently needed to induce a distinct bone tissue regeneration mechanism. CONCLUSION This review provides an overview of calcium- and/or phosphorus-based inorganic properties and processes combined with organics that can be regarded as matrices of these minerals, namely collagen molecules and collagen fibrils. Furthermore, we discuss how this strategy can be applied to future bone tissue regenerative medicine in combination with other academic perspectives.
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Large-scale association analyses identify host factors influencing human gut microbiome composition.
Kurilshikov, A, Medina-Gomez, C, Bacigalupe, R, Radjabzadeh, D, Wang, J, Demirkan, A, Le Roy, CI, Raygoza Garay, JA, Finnicum, CT, Liu, X, et al
Nature genetics. 2021;(2):156-165
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Abstract
To study the effect of host genetics on gut microbiome composition, the MiBioGen consortium curated and analyzed genome-wide genotypes and 16S fecal microbiome data from 18,340 individuals (24 cohorts). Microbial composition showed high variability across cohorts: only 9 of 410 genera were detected in more than 95% of samples. A genome-wide association study of host genetic variation regarding microbial taxa identified 31 loci affecting the microbiome at a genome-wide significant (P < 5 × 10-8) threshold. One locus, the lactase (LCT) gene locus, reached study-wide significance (genome-wide association study signal: P = 1.28 × 10-20), and it showed an age-dependent association with Bifidobacterium abundance. Other associations were suggestive (1.95 × 10-10 < P < 5 × 10-8) but enriched for taxa showing high heritability and for genes expressed in the intestine and brain. A phenome-wide association study and Mendelian randomization identified enrichment of microbiome trait loci in the metabolic, nutrition and environment domains and suggested the microbiome might have causal effects in ulcerative colitis and rheumatoid arthritis.