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International Journal of Molecular... Apr 2024Adipose tissue is a multifunctional organ that regulates many physiological processes such as energy homeostasis, nutrition, the regulation of insulin sensitivity, body... (Review)
Review
Adipose tissue is a multifunctional organ that regulates many physiological processes such as energy homeostasis, nutrition, the regulation of insulin sensitivity, body temperature, and immune response. In this review, we highlight the relevance of the different mediators that control adipose tissue activity through a systematic review of the main players present in white and brown adipose tissues. Among them, inflammatory mediators secreted by the adipose tissue, such as classical adipokines and more recent ones, elements of the immune system infiltrated into the adipose tissue (certain cell types and interleukins), as well as the role of intestinal microbiota and derived metabolites, have been reviewed. Furthermore, anti-obesity mediators that promote the activation of beige adipose tissue, e.g., myokines, thyroid hormones, amino acids, and both long and micro RNAs, are exhaustively examined. Finally, we also analyze therapeutic strategies based on those mediators that have been described to date. In conclusion, novel regulators of obesity, such as microRNAs or microbiota, are being characterized and are promising tools to treat obesity in the future.
Topics: Humans; Animals; Obesity; Adipose Tissue; Adipokines; MicroRNAs; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Adipose Tissue, Brown; Adipose Tissue, White; Inflammation Mediators; Energy Metabolism
PubMed: 38731880
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25094659 -
Critical Reviews in Toxicology Jun 2024Over the past several decades, there have been many epidemiology studies on talc and cancer published in the scientific literature, and several reviews and meta-analyses... (Review)
Review
Over the past several decades, there have been many epidemiology studies on talc and cancer published in the scientific literature, and several reviews and meta-analyses of talc and respiratory, female reproductive, and stomach cancers, specifically. To help provide a resource for the evaluation of talc as a potential human carcinogen, we applied a consistent set of examination methods and criteria for all epidemiology studies that examined the association between talc exposure (by various routes) and cancers (of various types). We identified 30 cohort, 35 case-control, and 12 pooled studies that evaluated occupational, medicinal, and personal-care product talc exposure and cancers of the respiratory system, the female reproductive tract, the gastrointestinal tract, the urinary system, the lymphohematopoietic system, the prostate, male genital organs, and the central nervous system, as well as skin, eye, bone, connective tissue, peritoneal, and breast cancers. We tabulated study characteristics, quality, and results in a systematic manner, and evaluated all cancer types for which studies of at least three unique populations were available in a narrative review. We focused on study quality aspects most likely to impact the interpretation of results. We found that only one study, of medicinal talc use, evaluated direct exposure measurements for any individuals, though some used semi-quantitative exposure metrics, and few studies adequately assessed potential confounders. The only consistent associations were with ovarian cancer in case-control studies and these associations were likely impacted by recall and potentially other biases. This systematic review indicates that epidemiology studies do not support a causal association between occupational, medicinal, or personal talc exposure and any cancer in humans.
PubMed: 38868996
DOI: 10.1080/10408444.2024.2351081 -
Gels (Basel, Switzerland) Jan 2024Organs-on-a-chip (OoCs) are microfluidic devices constituted by PDMS or hydrogel in which different layers of cells are separated by a semipermeable membrane. This... (Review)
Review
Organs-on-a-chip (OoCs) are microfluidic devices constituted by PDMS or hydrogel in which different layers of cells are separated by a semipermeable membrane. This technology can set many parameters, like fluid shear stress, chemical concentration gradient, tissue-organ interface, and cell interaction. The use of these devices in medical research permits the investigation of cell patterning, tissue-material interface, and organ-organ interaction, mimicking the complex structures and microenvironment of human and animal bodies. This technology allows us to reconstitute in vitro complex conditions that recapitulate in vivo environments. One of the main advantages of these systems is that they represent a very realistic model that, in many cases, can replace animal experimentation, eliminating costs and related ethical issues. Organ-on-a-chip can also contain bacteria or cancer cells. This technology could be beneficial in dentistry for testing novel antibacterial substances and biomaterials, performing studies on inflammatory disease, or planning preclinical studies. A significant number of publications and reviews have been published on this topic. Still, to our knowledge, they mainly focus on the materials used for fabrication and the different patterns of the chip applied to the experimentations. This review presents the most recent applications of organ-on-a-chip models in dentistry, starting from the reconstituted dental tissues to their clinical applications and future perspectives.
PubMed: 38391432
DOI: 10.3390/gels10020102 -
Cureus Dec 2023The human gastrointestinal tract (GIT) has a rich and pre-programmed microbiome. This microbiome is essential for physiological functions such as digestion, immunity,... (Review)
Review
The human gastrointestinal tract (GIT) has a rich and pre-programmed microbiome. This microbiome is essential for physiological functions such as digestion, immunity, metabolism, and structural integrity, and of prime concern to us in conducting this study is the nervous system communication. This two-way communication between the GIT and central nervous system (CNS) is known as the gut-brain axis (GBA) and has implications for neurocritical disease. A change in any factor relating to this microbiome is known as gut dysbiosis; this can lead to aberrant communication through the GBA and in turn, can contribute to disease states. The primary objective of this study is to determine the cause-specific dysbiotic organisms in neuro-critically ill patients and their effects. We performed this study by searching published literature as per Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Studies that defined gastrointestinal dysbiosis in neuro-critically ill patients were retrieved using Boolean search from 2000 to 2023 via PubMed and Google Scholar and narrowed the results down to five prospective case-control studies. We performed their quality assessment. The results concluded that in neurocritical illnesses such as encephalitis, brain tumors, intracerebral hemorrhage, and ischemic stroke, fluctuations in specific microbiota correlated with disease severity and prognosis. Moreover, the inhabiting population of dysbiotic organisms in neuro-critically ill patients were different in different diseases and there were no similarities in the composition of gut microbiota in these diseases. Taking stroke patients as an example; increased Enterobacteriaceae and lower Lachnospiraceae microbiome levels were found in patients with a higher stroke dysbiosis index (SDI). Those patients who developed stroke-associated pneumonia (SAP) displayed higher levels of Enterococcus species. In conclusion, dysbiosis has a major effect on neuro-critically ill patients' disease states and dysbiotic organisms can be used as a biomarker for disease. Further prospective studies on this topic are warranted for potential neurological and prognostic correlations.
PubMed: 38259358
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.50923 -
Journal of Clinical Medicine Nov 2023Shoulder pain is a disabling musculoskeletal disorder worldwide. Thus, it is important to identify interventions able to improve pain and disability. (Review)
Review
Effect of Mobilization with Movement on Pain, Disability, and Range of Motion in Patients with Shoulder Pain and Movement Impairment: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
BACKGROUND
Shoulder pain is a disabling musculoskeletal disorder worldwide. Thus, it is important to identify interventions able to improve pain and disability.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effects of mobilization with movement (MWM) on pain, disability, and range of motion in patients with shoulder pain and movement impairment.
METHODS
A systematic search of different databases was performed. The systematic review protocol has been registered in PROSPERO (CRD42023404128). A random-effects model for meta-analysis was used to determine the mean difference (MD), standardized mean differences (SMD), and 95% confidence interval for the outcome of interest.
RESULTS
Twenty-six studies were included. Of these, eighteen were included in the meta-analysis. MWM improved pain during movement with a moderate effect SMD of (-0.6; 95% confidence interval, -1.1 to -0.1, I = 0%; N = 66;) and shoulder abduction MD of (12.7°; 1.3 to 24.0; I = 73%; N = 90) compared to sham MWM in the short term (0-6 weeks). Combined MWM and conventional rehabilitation improved pain at rest, with a MD of (-1.2; -2.2 to -0.2; I = 61%; N = 100), and disability SMD of (-1.3; confidence interval -2.2 to -0.4; I = 87%; N = 185) compared to conventional rehabilitation alone in the short term. Combined MWM and conventional rehabilitation also resulted in improvement in shoulder abduction and external rotation. Compared to Maitland, MWM resulted in improvement in the shoulder abduction MD (20.4°; confidence interval 4.3 to 36.5; I = 89%; N = 130) in the short term. There is no information regarding long-term effects.
CONCLUSION
Evidence suggests that MWM may reduce shoulder pain and restore shoulder range of motion and function. Our findings are promising, but the evidence is not strong enough to recommend it pragmatically.
PubMed: 38068468
DOI: 10.3390/jcm12237416 -
Cells Sep 2023Vitamin D is one significant prohormone substance in human organ systems. It is a steroidal hormone produced in the skin upon exposure to UVB rays. This paper presents a... (Review)
Review
Vitamin D is one significant prohormone substance in human organ systems. It is a steroidal hormone produced in the skin upon exposure to UVB rays. This paper presents a systematic review of the utilization of topical vitamin D, specifically cholecalciferol, calcipotriol, and tacalcitol, in the treatment of vitiligo. It considers the role of vitamin D in stimulating the synthesis of melanin and melanogenesis, which can help with the process of repigmentation. The inclusion of calcipotriol or tacalcitol in Narrowband Ultraviolet Phototherapy (NB-UVB) has shown the potential to enhance therapeutic outcomes for vitiligo. However, their effectiveness in combination with Psoralens Long Wave Ultraviolet Radiation (PUVA) and Monochromatic Excimer Light (MEL) treatment for vitiligo is limited. In contrast, combining topical corticosteroids with vitamin D analogues has demonstrated superior efficacy in treating vitiligo compared to using vitamin D analogues alone, while also providing the added benefit of reducing corticosteroid-related adverse effects. In addition, treating stable vitiligo with topical cholecalciferol and microneedling has shown success. Future studies are needed to ascertain an efficient method of administering vitamin D topically as an anti-vitiligo agent.
Topics: Humans; Vitamin D; Vitiligo; Ultraviolet Rays; Ultraviolet Therapy; Vitamins
PubMed: 37830601
DOI: 10.3390/cells12192387 -
Cureus Jul 2023Novel cancer therapies have revolutionized the management of various cancers. An immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) is one of these antitumor medications. ICIs, which are... (Review)
Review
Novel cancer therapies have revolutionized the management of various cancers. An immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) is one of these antitumor medications. ICIs, which are immune therapies, enhance the immune system's capacity to fight cancer cells. Based on the receptors that they inhibit, such as PD-1, PD-L1, and CTLA-4, ICIs are subdivided. Although this class of drugs is extremely beneficial for cancer patients, their adverse effects can be fatal. Multiple organs, such as the cardiovascular system, may be impacted by immune-related adverse effects (irAEs). These cardiotoxic irAEs can occur at a rate of up to 1% and can be fatal. Myocarditis is the most prevalent of all cardiotoxicities. The purpose of this systematic review is to assess the seriousness of myocarditis, the most prevalent cardiotoxicity of ICIs, and the importance of screening. We chose studies based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 criteria. Therefore, from 2018 to 2023, we gathered articles from databases such as PubMed, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar. Of the 665 studies identified based on various screening methods and quality assessment tools, 13 were selected for inclusion in the study. This study shows that although the risk of myocarditis in ICI therapy is low and the majority of cases are asymptomatic or mild, some cases can be deadly and disastrous, and physicians should be aware that if myocarditis is suspected based on clinical symptoms, troponin, electrocardiogram, and echocardiogram, treatment should be initiated accordingly.
PubMed: 37602125
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.42071 -
Medicine Nov 2023During pregnancy and postpartum, changes in biomechanics can cause dysfunctions in the myofascial system, such as rectus abdominis diastasis, various types of pain, and... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
During pregnancy and postpartum, changes in biomechanics can cause dysfunctions in the myofascial system, such as rectus abdominis diastasis, various types of pain, and pelvic floor dysfunction. These common postpartum problems seriously threaten women's health. Myofascial therapy, as an effective means of improving biomechanics, has no unified understanding of its therapeutic effects on postpartum functional disorders. This study aims to systematically evaluate the rehabilitative effects of myofascial therapy on postpartum rectus abdominis diastasis, low back and leg pain, and pelvic floor dysfunction through a meta-analysis of published randomized controlled trials.
METHODS
A systematic literature search of databases in Chinese and English was performed through May 2023. The treatment methods were randomized controlled studies using myofascial therapy in the treatment of rectus abdominis separation, lumbo-leg pain, and pelvic floor dysfunction. The main outcome indicators were abdominal circumference, rectus abdominis separation distance, visual analogue pain score, pelvic floor muscle potential, ability to live daily activities, number of events, and treatment effectiveness.
RESULTS
There were 22 studies, including 2235 patients. The result showed that compared with control group, myofascial therapy demonstrated to reduce abdominal circumference and rectus abdominis separation index, improve lumbar function significantly, and decrease urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse. In the myofascial therapy group, pelvic floor muscle strength was significantly enhanced, anterior/posterior resting potential of pelvic floor muscle was significantly decreased, and pelvic floor muscle potential was enhanced. Compared with the control group, the number of patients with various types of pain and pain scores were significantly reduced after myofascial therapy. When myofascial therapy lasted <4 weeks, pain relief was greater. In the myofascial therapy group, the ability to perform daily activities was significantly improved. An analysis of the effectiveness of the treatment showed that after myofascial therapy, the patient's symptoms improved significantly. There also saw low heterogeneity among all outcomes.
CONCLUSION
The results suggested that myofascial therapy could effectively reduce rectus abdominis separation, relieve pelvic floor muscle dysfunction, enhance lumbar function, relieve pain, and improve the ability of daily living activities. All the data demonstrated that myofascial therapy had a good therapeutic effect on postpartum dysfunction.
Topics: Pregnancy; Female; Humans; Rectus Abdominis; Leg; Postpartum Period; Abdominal Muscles; Puerperal Disorders; Pelvic Pain; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
PubMed: 37932976
DOI: 10.1097/MD.0000000000035761 -
Dementia & Neuropsychologia 2024The disability of cells to react to insulin, causing glucose intolerance and hyperglycemia, is referred to as insulin resistance. This clinical condition, which has been... (Review)
Review
UNLABELLED
The disability of cells to react to insulin, causing glucose intolerance and hyperglycemia, is referred to as insulin resistance. This clinical condition, which has been well-researched in organs such as adipose tissue, muscle, and liver, has been linked to neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's disease (AD) when it occurs in the brain.
OBJECTIVE
The authors aimed to gather data from the current literature on brain insulin resistance (BIR) and its likely repercussions on neurodegenerative disorders, more specifically AD, through a systematic review.
METHODS
A comprehensive search was conducted in multiple medical databases, including the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, EMBASE, Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (Medline), and PubMed, employing the descriptors: "insulin resistance", "brain insulin resistance", "Alzheimer's disease", "neurodegeneration", and "cognition". The authors focused their search on English-language studies published between 2000 and 2023 that investigated the influence of BIR on neurodegenerative disorders or offered insights into BIR's underlying mechanisms. Seventeen studies that met the inclusion criteria were selected.
RESULTS
The results indicate that BIR is a phenomenon observed in a variety of neurodegenerative disorders, including AD. Studies suggest that impaired glucose utilization and uptake, reduced adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production, and synaptic plasticity changes caused by BIR are linked to cognitive problems. However, conflicting results were observed regarding the association between AD and BIR, with some studies suggesting no association.
CONCLUSION
Based on the evaluated studies, it can be concluded that the association between AD and BIR remains inconclusive, and additional research is needed to elucidate this relationship.
PubMed: 38425702
DOI: 10.1590/1980-5764-DN-2023-0032 -
Nutrients Aug 2023Depressive disorders have a major impact on occupational health and are costly to the economy and the healthcare system. Probiotics are live, non-pathogenic... (Review)
Review
Depressive disorders have a major impact on occupational health and are costly to the economy and the healthcare system. Probiotics are live, non-pathogenic micro-organisms that, when ingested in adequate amounts, can colonize the intestinal tract and confer health benefits on the patient. In recent years, numerous studies have described the potential usefulness of certain probiotic strains in the treatment and prevention of depressive disorders, with differing results. In order to evaluate the possible efficacy and safety of these microorganisms in preventing or ameliorating these disorders, we systematically searched the bibliographic databases MEDLINE (via Pubmed), EMBASE, the Cochrane library, Scopus and Web of science, using the descriptors "Occupational health", "Probiotics", "Depressive Disorder" and "Depression" and filters "Humans" and "Clinical Trials". After applying our inclusion and exclusion criteria, 18 studies were accepted for review and critical analysis. Our analysis suggests that a combination of different probiotic strains, most of them from the genus sp. and sp., could be a good mixture as an adjuvant in the treatment of depressive disorders for the working population.
Topics: Humans; Adjuvants, Immunologic; Bifidobacterium; Lactobacillus; MEDLINE; Probiotics
PubMed: 37630741
DOI: 10.3390/nu15163551