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Progress and hotspot of diet or exercise therapy in the treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
Shi, X, Xiong, Y, Song, H, Rong, F, Tang, N, Zhu, L, Li, S, Wang, J, Zhang, L, You, S, et al
Frontiers in nutrition. 2024;:1326092
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The primary treatment for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is modifying lifestyle through dietary or exercise interventions. In recent decades, it has received increasing attention. However, the lack of bibliometric analysis has posed a challenge for researchers seeking to understand the overall trends in this field. METHODS As of February 3rd, 2024, 876 articles on treating NAFLD through diet or exercise therapy from 2013 to 2023 had been retrieved. Two software tools, VOSviewer and CiteSpace, were utilized to analyze the growth of publications, countries, institutions, authors, journals, citations, and keywords. Additionally, the keywords with strong citation burstiness were identified to determine the changes and future trends of research hotspots in this field. RESULTS China had the highest number of articles, followed by the United States and South Korea. Yonsei University and Nutrients were the institutions and journals with the most significant contributions. Professor Younossi Zobair M, from the United States, is the most prolific author in this field. Through analyzing the keywords, three research hotspots were identified: research on the pathogenesis of NAFLD, research on the treatment modalities of NAFLD, and research on the risk factors and diagnosis methods of NAFLD. In recent years, the research emphasis in this field has changed, suggesting that future research will focus on two frontier keywords: "oxidative stress" and "aerobic capacity." CONCLUSION In the past eleven years, the attention in this field was still rising, and the authors, journals, countries and so on had formed a considerable cooperative relationship. There were also many highly influential and productive researchers in this field. It is speculated that new research will continue around "aerobic exercise" and "oxidative stress" in the future.
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The relationship between Listeria infections and host immune responses: Listeriolysin O as a potential target.
Cong, Z, Xiong, Y, Lyu, L, Fu, B, Guo, D, Sha, Z, Yang, B, Wu, H
Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie. 2024;:116129
Abstract
Listeria monocytogenes (Lm), a foodborne bacterium, can infect people and has a high fatality rate in immunocompromised individuals. Listeriolysin O (LLO), the primary virulence factor of Lm, is critical in regulating the pathogenicity of Lm. This review concludes that LLO may either directly or indirectly activate a number of host cell viral pathophysiology processes, such as apoptosis, pyroptosis, autophagy, necrosis and necroptosis. We describe the invasion of host cells by Lm and the subsequent removal of Lm by CD8 T cells and CD4 T cells upon receipt of the LLO epitopes from major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I) and major histocompatibility complex class II (MHC-II). The development of several LLO-based vaccines that make use of the pore-forming capabilities of LLO and the immune response of the host cells is then described. Finally, we conclude by outlining the several natural substances that have been shown to alter the three-dimensional conformation of LLO by binding to particular amino acid residues of LLO, which reduces LLO pathogenicity and may be a possible pharmacological treatment for Lm.
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Association between screen time and physical activity on mental health among preschoolers: a cross-sectional study from Southwest China.
Liang, Y, Jin, Q, Miao, J, Ni, X, Qian, X, Xiong, Y, Liu, Z, Xue, H
BMC public health. 2024;(1):261
Abstract
BACKGROUND Screen time and physical activity behaviors undergo development during early childhood and impact mental health. However, there is limited knowledge regarding the associations between physical activity, screen time, and mental health problems (MHP) in preschoolers. This study examines these associations using a large sample size and brief measures. METHODS A multistage cluster stratified sampling method was used to conduct an observational cross-sectional study of 19,015 Chinese preschoolers in 2020. Information on physical activity, and screen time was collected by a self-administered questionnaire; MHP was assessed by the parent-reported Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Logistic regression models were used to obtain the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) of preschoolers' MHP associated with screen time, total physical activities, moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA), and outdoor physical activities. RESULTS A total of 19,015 participants from the 19,548 recruited population were included in the analyses (missing rate: 2.73%), 52.60% were boys. 64.01%, 57.96%, 35.98%, and 82.64% of preschoolers were reported to meet total physical activities, MVPA, and outdoor activities with screen time recommendations level. The results of multivariable-adjusted ORs (95% CIs) of preschoolers' MHP for comparisons of different levels of screen time (< 2 h/day, 2-4 h/day,≥4 h/day) show that screen time positively associated with MHP after adjusting for confounders (P < 0.05), but the association was not significant among girls with screen time ≥ 4 h/day. In addition, increased engagement in physical activity was reversely linked to MHP (P < 0.05). A stronger association between MHP and MVPA was observed in boys, however, this association was weakened when the total time spent engaging in MVPA exceeded two hours per day (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION Less physical activity and more screen time positively relate to MHP, but the relationship differs by type of physical activity, total time, and gender. These findings provide novel insights and evidence supporting for guidelines on physical activity, screen time, and improvement of mental health for preschoolers.
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Causal Association of Iron Status With Functional Outcome After Ischemic Stroke.
He, Q, Wang, W, Xu, D, Xiong, Y, You, C, Tao, C, Ma, L
Stroke. 2024;(2):423-431
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Iron status has been associated with functional outcomes after ischemic stroke (IS). Nonetheless, this association may be affected by confounders. We perform Mendelian randomization to clarify the causal association between iron status and functional outcome after IS. METHODS We obtained summary-level statistics related to iron status biomarkers from a meta-analysis of a gene-wide association study conducted by the Genetics of Iron Status Consortium, which included 11 discovery cohorts and 8 replication cohorts. We also took genetic variants related to 4 biomarkers of iron status from combining gene-wide association study results of Iceland, the United Kingdom, and Denmark to perform a replicate Mendelian randomization analysis. This data set included 4 iron status biomarkers, namely, ferritin, total iron binding capacity, iron, and transferrin saturation (TSAT). The confounders in these data sets have been adjusted to mitigate the collider bias. We acquired summary statistics data sets for functional outcomes following IS from the gene-wide association study meta-analysis conducted by the Genetics of Ischemic Stroke Functional Outcome Consortium. The genetic estimates for functional outcomes at 90 days after IS were evaluated by the modified Rankin Scale score, including 3741 cases with good functional outcomes (modified Rankin Scale score, 0-2) and 2280 subjects with poor functional outcomes poststroke (modified Rankin Scale score, 3-6). Inverse variance weighting was used as the primary method, complemented by sensitivity analyses for pleiotropy and increasing robustness. RESULTS Reported with odds ratios (ORs) of stroke outcome with per SD unit increase in genetically determined iron status biomarker, TSAT and iron were associated with poor functional outcome after IS (TSAT: OR, 1.36 [95% CI, 1.23-1.50]; P=2.27×10-9; iron: OR, 1.44 [95% CI, 1.13-1.85]; P=0.0033). In replicate Mendelian randomization analysis, the detrimental effects of iron on poor functional outcome after IS remained stable (OR, 1.60 [95% CI, 1.24-2.08]; P=0.0003). In the meta-analysis, iron and TSAT were associated with poor functional outcomes after IS (TSAT: ORmeta, 1.35 [95% CI, 1.23-1.48]; iron: ORmeta, 1.51 [95% CI, 1.27-1.81]). Through sensitivity analyses and reverse Mendelian randomization analyses, we confirmed the robustness of the results. CONCLUSIONS Our study provides evidence suggesting a potential causal relationship between iron status and poor functional outcomes after IS. Future studies are required to illuminate the underlying mechanism.
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Copper incorporated biomaterial-based technologies for multifunctional wound repair.
Zhang, Z, Xue, H, Xiong, Y, Geng, Y, Panayi, AC, Knoedler, S, Dai, G, Shahbazi, MA, Mi, B, Liu, G
Theranostics. 2024;(2):547-570
Abstract
The treatment of wounds is a worldwide challenge, and wound infection can affect the effectiveness of wound treatment and further increase the disease burden. Copper is an essential trace element that has been shown to have broad-spectrum antibacterial effects and to be involved in the inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling stages of wound healing. Compared to treatments such as bioactive factors and skin grafts, copper has the advantage of being low-cost and easily available, and has received a lot of attention in wound healing. Recently, biomaterials made by incorporating copper into bioactive glasses, polymeric scaffolds and hydrogels have been used to promote wound healing by the release of copper ions. In addition, copper-incorporated biomaterials with catalytic, photothermal, and photosensitive properties can also accelerate wound healing through antibacterial and wound microenvironment regulation. This review summarizes the antibacterial mechanisms of copper- incorporated biomaterials and their roles in wound healing, and discusses the current challenges. A comprehensive understanding of the role of copper in wounds will help to facilitate new preclinical and clinical studies, thus leading to the development of novel therapeutic tools.
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Strictosamide ameliorates LPS-induced acute lung injury by targeting ERK2 and mediating NF-κB signaling pathway.
Geng, Q, Liu, B, Fan, D, Cao, Z, Li, L, Lu, P, Lin, L, Yan, L, Xiong, Y, He, X, et al
Journal of ethnopharmacology. 2024;:117593
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Acute lung injury (ALI) ranks among the deadliest pulmonary diseases, significantly impacting mortality and morbidity. Presently, the primary treatment for ALI involves supportive therapy; however, its efficacy remains unsatisfactory. Strictosamide (STR), an indole alkaloid found in the Chinese herbal medicine Nauclea officinalis (Pierre ex Pit.) Merr. & Chun (Wutan), has been found to exhibit numerous pharmacological properties, particularly anti-inflammatory effects. AIM OF THE STUDY This study aimes to systematically identify and validate the specific binding proteins targeted by STR and elucidate its anti-inflammatory mechanism in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced ALI. MATERIALS AND METHODS Biotin chemical modification, protein microarray analysis and network pharmacology were conducted to screen for potential STR-binding proteins. The binding affinity was assessed through surface plasmon resonance (SPR), cellular thermal shift assay (CETSA) and molecular docking, and the anti-inflammatory mechanism of STR in ALI treatment was assessed through in vivo and in vitro experiments. RESULTS Biotin chemical modification, protein microarray and network pharmacology identified extracellular-signal-regulated kinase 2 (ERK2) as the most important binding proteins among 276 candidate STR-interacting proteins and nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB) pathway was one of the main inflammatory signal transduction pathways. Using SPR, CETSA, and molecular docking, we confirmed STR's affinity for ERK2. In vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrated that STR mitigated inflammation by targeting ERK2 to modulate the NF-κB signaling pathway in LPS-induced ALI. CONCLUSIONS Our findings indicate that STR can inhibit the NF-κB signaling pathway to attenuate LPS-induced inflammation by targeting ERK2 and decreasing phosphorylation of ERK2, which could be a novel strategy for treating ALI.
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Bifidobacterium spp. as functional foods: A review of current status, challenges, and strategies.
He, BL, Xiong, Y, Hu, TG, Zong, MH, Wu, H
Critical reviews in food science and nutrition. 2023;(26):8048-8065
Abstract
Members of Bifidobacterium are among the first microbes to colonize the human intestine naturally, their abundance and diversity in the colon are closely related to host health. Recently, the gut microbiota has been gradually proven to be crucial mediators of various metabolic processes between the external environment and the host. Therefore, the health-promoting benefits of Bifidobacterium spp. and their applications in food have gradually been widely concerned. The main purpose of this review is to comprehensively introduce general features, colonization methods, and safety of Bifidobacterium spp. in the human gut, highlighting its health benefits and industrial applications. On this basis, the existing limitations and scope for future research are also discussed. Bifidobacteria have beneficial effects on the host's digestive system, immune system, and nervous system. However, the first prerequisite for functioning is to have enough live bacteria before consumption and successfully colonize the colon after ingestion. At present, strain breeding, optimization (e.g., selecting acid and bile resistant strains, adaptive evolution, high cell density culture), and external protection technology (e.g., microencapsulation and protectants) are the main strategies to address these challenges in food application.
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Construction and validation of a nomogram model to predict symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage after intravenous thrombolysis in severe white matter lesions.
Shen, Y, Xiong, Y, Cao, Q, Li, Y, Xiang, W, Wang, L, Nie, Q, Tang, B, Yang, Y, Hong, D
Journal of thrombosis and thrombolysis. 2023;(1):111-120
Abstract
Cerebral white matter lesions (WMLs) increase the risk of bleeding after intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) but are also considered to require IVT. Its risk factors and predictive models are still poorly studied. The aim of this study is to develop a clinically applicable model for post-IVT haemorrhage. It offers the possibility to prevent symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) in patients with IVT in severe WMLs. A large single-center observational study conducted a retrospective analysis of IVT in patients with severe WMLs from January 2018 to December 2022. Univariate and multi-factor logistic regression results were used to construct nomogram model, and a series of validations were performed on the model. More than 2,000 patients with IVT were screened for inclusion in this study after cranial magnetic resonance imaging evaluation of 180 patients with severe WMLs, 28 of whom developed sICH. In univariate analysis, history of hypertension (OR 3.505 CI 2.257-4.752, p = 0.049), hyperlipidemia (OR 4.622 CI 3.761- 5.483, p < 0.001), the NIHSS score before IVT (OR 41.250 CI 39.212-43.288, p < 0.001), low-density lipoprotein levels (OR 1.995 CI 1.448-2.543, p = 0.013), cholesterol levels (OR 1.668 CI 1.246-2.090, p = 0.017), platelet count (OR 0.992 CI 0.985-0.999, p = 0.028), systolic blood pressure (OR 1.044 CI 1.022-1.066, p < 0.001), diastolic blood pressure (OR 1.047 CI 1.024-1.070, p < 0.001) were significantly associated with sICH. In a multifactorial analysis, the NIHSS score before IVT (OR 94.743 CI 92.311-97.175, p < 0.001), and diastolic blood pressure (OR 1.051 CI 1.005-1.097, p = 0.033) were considered to be significantly associated with sICH after IVT as risk factors for the occurrence of sICH. The four most significant factors from logistic regression are subsequently fitted to create a predictive model. The accuracy was verified using ROC curves, calibration curves, decision curves, and clinical impact curves, and the model was considered to have high accuracy (AUC 0.932, 95% 0.888-0.976). The NHISS score before IVT and diastolic blood pressure are independent risk factors for sICH after IVT in patients with severe WMLs. The models based on hyperlipidemia, the NIHSS score before IVT, low-density lipoprotein and diastolic blood pressure are highly accurate and can be applied clinically to provide a reliable predictive basis for IVT in patients with severe WMLs.
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Can dementia risk be reduced by following the American Heart Association's Life's Simple 7? A systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis.
Wu, J, Xiong, Y, Xia, X, Orsini, N, Qiu, C, Kivipelto, M, Rizzuto, D, Wang, R
Ageing research reviews. 2023;83:101788
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Plain language summary
The American Heart Association (AHA) has defined ideal levels of seven modifiable cardiovascular health (CVH) factors, known as Life's Simple 7, that consist of smoking, physical activity, diet, body mass index, fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol, and blood pressure. Maintaining ideal levels of these factors has been recommended as a prevention strategy against not only cardiovascular diseases but also neurodegenerative disorders, e.g., cognitive decline and dementia. However, studies exploring the beneficial effects of the AHA’s CVH metrics on cognitive outcomes, especially among older populations, have been uncertain, and solid evidence is lacking in this field. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to quantify the relationship between the AHA’s CVH metrics and cognitive outcomes. 14 longitudinal studies were included in the meta-analysis. The results showed a considerable effect of a favourable total CVH score on reduced risk of incident dementia in adults aged 70 years or older. When looking at the individual factors, dementia risk can be reduced significantly if older adults achieved the recommended level of physical activity, blood glucose, or total cholesterol. The association with smoking appeared to be borderline, and there was no association between diet, body mass index hazard ratio or blood pressure and dementia risk. The authors concluded that their findings provide evidence that maintaining a favourable level of CVH score, either in mid- or late- life, would substantially reduce the risk of dementia among older adults. Preserving cardiovascular health by quitting smoking, engaging in physical exercise, controlling blood glucose and total cholesterol might be especially effective for forestalling cognitive decline and dementia.
Abstract
This study aimed to quantify the relationships between the American Heart Association (AHA) Cardiovascular Health (CVH) metrics, namely AHA Life's Simple 7, and cognitive outcomes. We searched PubMed and Embase (January 1, 2010-August 24, 2022) and finally included 14 longitudinal studies (311654 participants with 8006 incident dementia cases). Random-effects meta-analysis and one-stage linear mixed-effects models were performed. Increased CVH score seemed to associate with decreased risk of incident dementia in a linear manner, but this relationship varied by the measurement age of CVH metrics. That is, midlife CVH tended to have a linear association with late-life dementia risk, whereas a J-shaped association was observed between the late-life CVH score and dementia. In addition, late-life dementia risk was reduced significantly if individuals maintained an ideal level of AHA's CVH guidelines of physical activity, fasting plasma glucose, total cholesterol, and smoking. However, our meta-analysis did not show a significant association between CVH score and global cognitive decline rate. Following AHA's CVH guidelines and maintaining CVH at an optimal level would substantially reduce the late-life dementia risk. More research is required to explore the link between a favorable CVH score and cognitive trajectories among cognitively asymptomatic older populations.
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Copper homeostasis and copper-induced cell death in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease and therapeutic strategies.
Chen, X, Cai, Q, Liang, R, Zhang, D, Liu, X, Zhang, M, Xiong, Y, Xu, M, Liu, Q, Li, P, et al
Cell death & disease. 2023;14(2):105
Abstract
Copper is a vital mineral, and an optimal amount of copper is required to support normal physiologic processes in various systems, including the cardiovascular system. Over the past few decades, copper-induced cell death, named cuproptosis, has become increasingly recognized as an important process mediating the pathogenesis and progression of cardiovascular disease (CVD), including atherosclerosis, stroke, ischemia-reperfusion injury, and heart failure. Therefore, an in-depth understanding of the regulatory mechanisms of cuproptosis in CVD may be useful for improving CVD management. Here, we review the relationship between copper homeostasis and cuproptosis-related pathways in CVD, as well as therapeutic strategies addressing copper-induced cell death in CVD.