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Journal of Medical Internet Research Aug 2023The prevalence of misinformation poses a substantial threat to individuals' daily lives, necessitating the deployment of effective remedial approaches. One promising... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
The prevalence of misinformation poses a substantial threat to individuals' daily lives, necessitating the deployment of effective remedial approaches. One promising strategy is psychological inoculation, which pre-emptively immunizes individuals against misinformation attacks. However, uncertainties remain regarding the extent to which psychological inoculation effectively enhances the capacity to differentiate between misinformation and real information.
OBJECTIVE
To reduce the potential risk of misinformation about digital health, this study aims to examine the effectiveness of psychological inoculation in countering misinformation with a focus on several factors, including misinformation credibility assessment, real information credibility assessment, credibility discernment, misinformation sharing intention, real information sharing intention, and sharing discernment.
METHODS
Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines, we conducted a meta-analysis by searching 4 databases (Web of Science, APA PsycINFO, Proquest, and PubMed) for empirical studies based on inoculation theory and outcome measure-related misinformation published in the English language. Moderator analyses were used to examine the differences in intervention strategy, intervention type, theme, measurement time, team, and intervention design.
RESULTS
Based on 42 independent studies with 42,530 subjects, we found that psychological inoculation effectively reduces misinformation credibility assessment (d=-0.36, 95% CI -0.50 to -0.23; P<.001) and improves real information credibility assessment (d=0.20, 95% CI 0.06-0.33; P=.005) and real information sharing intention (d=0.09, 95% CI 0.03-0.16; P=.003). However, psychological inoculation does not significantly influence misinformation sharing intention (d=-0.35, 95% CI -0.79 to 0.09; P=.12). Additionally, we find that psychological inoculation effectively enhances credibility discernment (d=0.20, 95% CI 0.13-0.28; P<.001) and sharing discernment (d=0.18, 95% CI 0.12-0.24; P<.001). Regarding health misinformation, psychological inoculation effectively decreases misinformation credibility assessment and misinformation sharing intention. The results of the moderator analyses showed that content-based, passive inoculation was more effective in increasing credibility and sharing intention. The theme of climate change demonstrates a stronger effect on real information credibility. Comparing intervention types showed that pre-post interventions are more effective for misinformation credibility assessment, while post-only interventions are better for credibility discernment.
CONCLUSIONS
This study indicated that psychological inoculation enhanced individuals' ability to discern real information from misinformation and share real information. Incorporating psychological inoculation to cultivate an informed public is crucial for societal resilience against misinformation threats in an age of information proliferation. As a scalable and cost-effective intervention strategy, institutions can apply psychological inoculation to mitigate potential misinformation crises.
Topics: Humans; Intention; Communication; Information Dissemination; Language; Outcome Assessment, Health Care
PubMed: 37560816
DOI: 10.2196/49255 -
Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) Feb 2024IgA nephropathy (IgAN) represents the most prevalent form of primary glomerulonephritis, and, on a global scale, it ranks among the leading culprits behind end-stage...
IgA nephropathy (IgAN) represents the most prevalent form of primary glomerulonephritis, and, on a global scale, it ranks among the leading culprits behind end-stage kidney disease (ESKD). Presently, the primary strategy for managing IgAN revolves around optimizing blood pressure and mitigating proteinuria. This is achieved through the utilization of renin-angiotensin system (RAS) inhibitors, namely, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEi) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs). As outlined by the KDIGO guidelines, individuals who continue to show a persistent high risk of progressive ESKD, even with comprehensive supportive care, are candidates for glucocorticoid therapy. Despite these therapies, some patients have a disease refractory to treatment, defined as individuals that present a 24 h urinary protein persistently >1 g after at least two rounds of regular steroids (methylprednisolone or prednisone) and/or immunosuppressant therapy (e.g., mycophenolate mofetil), or who do not tolerate regular steroids and/or immunosuppressant therapy. The aim of this Systematic Review is to revise the current literature, using the biomedical database PubMed, to investigate possible therapeutic strategies, including SGLT2 inhibitors, endothelin receptor blockers, targeted-release budesonide, B cell proliferation and differentiation inhibitors, fecal microbiota transplantation, as well as blockade of complement components.
Topics: Humans; Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; Glomerulonephritis, IGA; Angiotensin Receptor Antagonists; Nephrologists; Antihypertensive Agents; Kidney Failure, Chronic; Steroids; Immunosuppressive Agents
PubMed: 38399561
DOI: 10.3390/medicina60020274 -
Cancers Oct 2023Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an indispensable, routine technique that provides morphological and functional imaging sequences. MRI can potentially capture tumor... (Review)
Review
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an indispensable, routine technique that provides morphological and functional imaging sequences. MRI can potentially capture tumor biology and allow for longitudinal evaluation of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluates the ability of MRI to predict tumor biology in primary HNSCC. Studies were screened, selected, and assessed for quality using appropriate tools according to the PRISMA criteria. Fifty-eight articles were analyzed, examining the relationship between (functional) MRI parameters and biological features and genetics. Most studies focused on HPV status associations, revealing that HPV-positive tumors consistently exhibited lower (SMD: 0.82; < 0.001) and (SMD: 0.56; < 0.001) values. On average, lower values are associated with high Ki-67 levels, linking this diffusion restriction to high cellularity. Several perfusion parameters of the vascular compartment were significantly associated with HIF-1α. Analysis of other biological factors (VEGF, EGFR, tumor cell count, p53, and MVD) yielded inconclusive results. Larger datasets with homogenous acquisition are required to develop and test radiomic-based prediction models capable of capturing different aspects of the underlying tumor biology. Overall, our study shows that rapid and non-invasive characterization of tumor biology via MRI is feasible and could enhance clinical outcome predictions and personalized patient management for HNSCC.
PubMed: 37894447
DOI: 10.3390/cancers15205077 -
International Journal of Molecular... Jul 2023Cholesteatoma is a temporal bone disease characterized by dysfunctions of keratinocytes. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are evolutionary conserved noncoding RNAs that regulate mRNA... (Review)
Review
Cholesteatoma is a temporal bone disease characterized by dysfunctions of keratinocytes. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are evolutionary conserved noncoding RNAs that regulate mRNA expression. They can be packaged into exosomes and transported to target cells that can be used in the future therapy of cholesteatoma. This study aimed to collect knowledge on the role of miRNAs and exosomal miRNAs in cholesteatoma and was conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines for systematic reviews. Four databases were screened: Pubmed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library. The last search was run on the 6th of June 2023. We included full-text original studies written in English, which examined miRNAs in cholesteatoma. The risk of bias was assessed using the Office of Health Assessment and Translation (OHAT) Risk of Bias Rating Tool, modified for the needs of this review. We identified 118 records and included 18 articles. Analyses revealed the downregulation of exosomal miR-17 as well as miR-10a-5p, miR-125b, miR-142-5p, miR34a, miR-203a, and miR-152-5p and the overexpression of exosomal miR-106b-5p as well as miR-1297, miR-26a-5p, miR-199a, miR-508-3p, miR-21-3p, miR-584-5p, and miR-16-1-3p in cholesteatoma. The role of differentially expressed miRNAs in cholesteatoma, including cell proliferation, apoptosis, the cell cycle, differentiation, bone resorption, and the remodeling process, was confirmed, making them a potential therapeutic target in this disease.
Topics: Humans; MicroRNAs; Cholesteatoma; RNA, Untranslated; Down-Regulation; Keratinocytes; Exosomes
PubMed: 37569652
DOI: 10.3390/ijms241512277 -
Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and... Jun 2024Proliferating cancer cells shift their metabolism towards glycolysis, even in the presence of oxygen, to especially generate glycolytic intermediates as substrates for...
BACKGROUND
Proliferating cancer cells shift their metabolism towards glycolysis, even in the presence of oxygen, to especially generate glycolytic intermediates as substrates for anabolic reactions. We hypothesize that a similar metabolic remodelling occurs during skeletal muscle hypertrophy.
METHODS
We used mass spectrometry in hypertrophying C2C12 myotubes in vitro and plantaris mouse muscle in vivo and assessed metabolomic changes and the incorporation of the [U-C]glucose tracer. We performed enzyme inhibition of the key serine synthesis pathway enzyme phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase (Phgdh) for further mechanistic analysis and conducted a systematic review to align any changes in metabolomics during muscle growth with published findings. Finally, the UK Biobank was used to link the findings to population level.
RESULTS
The metabolomics analysis in myotubes revealed insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1)-induced altered metabolite concentrations in anabolic pathways such as pentose phosphate (ribose-5-phosphate/ribulose-5-phosphate: +40%; P = 0.01) and serine synthesis pathway (serine: -36.8%; P = 0.009). Like the hypertrophy stimulation with IGF-1 in myotubes in vitro, the concentration of the dipeptide l-carnosine was decreased by 26.6% (P = 0.001) during skeletal muscle growth in vivo. However, phosphorylated sugar (glucose-6-phosphate, fructose-6-phosphate or glucose-1-phosphate) decreased by 32.2% (P = 0.004) in the overloaded muscle in vivo while increasing in the IGF-1-stimulated myotubes in vitro. The systematic review revealed that 10 metabolites linked to muscle hypertrophy were directly associated with glycolysis and its interconnected anabolic pathways. We demonstrated that labelled carbon from [U-C]glucose is increasingly incorporated by ~13% (P = 0.001) into the non-essential amino acids in hypertrophying myotubes, which is accompanied by an increased depletion of media serine (P = 0.006). The inhibition of Phgdh suppressed muscle protein synthesis in growing myotubes by 58.1% (P < 0.001), highlighting the importance of the serine synthesis pathway for maintaining muscle size. Utilizing data from the UK Biobank (n = 450 243), we then discerned genetic variations linked to the serine synthesis pathway (PHGDH and PSPH) and to its downstream enzyme (SHMT1), revealing their association with appendicular lean mass in humans (P < 5.0e-8).
CONCLUSIONS
Understanding the mechanisms that regulate skeletal muscle mass will help in developing effective treatments for muscle weakness. Our results provide evidence for the metabolic rewiring of glycolytic intermediates into anabolic pathways during muscle growth, such as in serine synthesis.
Topics: Glucose; Muscle, Skeletal; Animals; Mice; Humans; Hypertrophy; Muscle Fibers, Skeletal; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; Metabolomics
PubMed: 38742477
DOI: 10.1002/jcsm.13468 -
The Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry Oct 2023Knowledge of the effectiveness of hydroxyapatite coatings on the surface of titanium dental implants is lacking because of difficulties in standardizing their thickness,... (Review)
Review
STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
Knowledge of the effectiveness of hydroxyapatite coatings on the surface of titanium dental implants is lacking because of difficulties in standardizing their thickness, roughness, and effect on osseointegration. The selection of articles describing this coating in osseointegration will be of great relevance to implant dentistry.
PURPOSE
This systematic review aimed to answer the question, "How effective is hydroxyapatite on titanium surfaces for osseointegration?"
MATERIAL AND METHODS
The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) 2020 guidelines were followed, and the protocol was registered on the international prospective register of systematic reviews (PROSPERO) database (CRD42023422601). The PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Embase databases were searched, and articles were selected manually in 2 steps by 2 blinded investigators according to the previously selected eligibility criteria. The risk of bias was assessed using the systematic review center for laboratory animal experimentation (SYRCLE) tool.
RESULTS
Initially, 671 results were found. After analysis of eligibility criteria and full reading, 15 articles were included in the present review. Of these, 12 reported favorable osseointegration results for hydroxyapatite-coated surfaces, and 3 found no significant long-term difference between the coated and uncoated groups.
CONCLUSIONS
Hydroxyapatite surface treatment is effective in the osseointegration of titanium dental implants because it favors the absorption of proteins, adhesion, and proliferation of bone cells when obtained by methods that ensure proper adhesion. (J Prosthet Dent xxxx;xxx:xxx-xxx).
PubMed: 37845113
DOI: 10.1016/j.prosdent.2023.09.019 -
Przeglad Menopauzalny = Menopause Review Dec 2023The aim of this systematic review is to investigate the impact of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) family peptides and their corresponding receptors on human... (Review)
Review
The expression and possible role of corticotropin-releasing hormone family peptides and their corresponding receptors in gynaecological malignancies and premalignant conditions: a systematic review.
The aim of this systematic review is to investigate the impact of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) family peptides and their corresponding receptors on human physiology and disease onset, with a specific focus on gynaecological malignancies such as breast, endometrial, ovarian, vulvar, and cervical cancer. A comprehensive systematic review of 3 medical databases was conducted by 2 independent reviewers. We reviewed studies that explored the expression and role of CRH peptides in various aspects of cancer biology, in the context of breast, endometrial, ovarian, vulvar, and cervical cancer. Our findings reveal that CRH family peptides and their receptors, CRHR1 and CRHR2, are expressed in diverse gynaecological tissues, including cancer cells. Notably, we observed differential expression patterns among different gynaecological cancer types and stages, indicating potential associations with tumour aggressiveness and patient prognosis. Furthermore, CRH peptides were found to exert significant influences on critical cellular processes, such as cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and immune response, in gynaecological cancers. These findings highlight the multifaceted roles of CRH family peptides in gynaecological malignancies and emphasize the need for further research in this field. Therefore, understanding the mechanisms underlying the involvement of CRH family peptides in tumourigenesis may open new avenues for targeted therapeutic strategies in gynaecological malignancies.
PubMed: 38239406
DOI: 10.5114/pm.2023.133878 -
European Heart Journal. Cardiovascular... Dec 2023Statins are widely acknowledged for their application in patients with hypercholesterolemia to reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. More recently, their... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Statins are widely acknowledged for their application in patients with hypercholesterolemia to reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. More recently, their potential to exert pleiotropic effects, particularly in impeding the proliferation of neoplastic cells, has attracted considerable attention. Prior studies have demonstrated that statins may mitigate cancer progression and micrometastasis. However, the benefits of statins in breast cancer have been inconclusive.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the impact of statin use following a breast cancer diagnosis on breast cancer recurrence and mortality.
METHODS
We performed a systematic literature search using PubMed, Embase, and Scopus for relevant articles from inception until 30th May 2023. Hazard ratios (HR) were pooled using a random-effect model. The primary outcome of interest was the risk of breast cancer recurrence. The secondary outcomes included breast cancer-specific mortality and all-cause mortality.
RESULTS
A total of 15 studies with 156 448 patients were included in the final analysis. The mean age of patients between statin users and non-users was 64.59 and 59.15 years, respectively. Statin use was associated with a reduction in the recurrence of breast cancer [HR 0.76, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.67-0.87] compared with non-statin users. This trend was similar among lipophilic statin users (HR 0.73, 95% CI: 0.63-0.85) but not for hydrophilic statin users (HR 1.17, 95% CI: 0.82-1.68). Furthermore, statin users exhibited a lower risk of breast cancer mortality (HR 0.80, 95% CI: 0.66-0.96) but all-cause mortality (HR 0.82, 95% CI: 0.66-1.02) was comparable among both groups of patients. Conversely, lipophilic statins demonstrated a reduction in both all-cause mortality (HR 0.84, 95% CI: 0.75-0.93) and breast cancer mortality (HR 0.85, 95% CI: 0.74-0.99) compared to non-statin users.
CONCLUSION
Among patients with breast cancer, statin use post-diagnosis decreases the risk of breast cancer recurrence and breast cancer mortality. Furthermore, lipophilic statins exhibit an additional advantage of reduction in all-cause mortality.PROSPERO registration: CRD42022362011.
Topics: Humans; Female; Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; Breast Neoplasms; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; Disease Progression
PubMed: 37562940
DOI: 10.1093/ehjcvp/pvad057 -
Journal of Lasers in Medical Sciences 2023Considering the positive impact of laser treatment on the proliferation of certain cell types, we opted to perform a systematic review aimed at evaluating the effects... (Review)
Review
Considering the positive impact of laser treatment on the proliferation of certain cell types, we opted to perform a systematic review aimed at evaluating the effects of laser therapy and photobiomodulation on the proliferation and differentiation of human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs). We included all research studies examining the impact of laser therapy on hDPSCs, without limitations on publication dates or article languages. The major international databases, including PubMed, ISI Web of Science, and Scopus, were searched from inception to April 2022 by the relevant keywords. In total, 1886 studies were identified in the initial search from the mentioned databases and other sources. Finally, 17 relevant studies were included in the present systematic review after removing duplicates and non-relevant articles. The results indicated the useful effect of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) on the hDPSCs. The findings of this systematic review indicate the useful role of LLLT in cell therapy, proliferation, and differentiation associated with hDPSCs.
PubMed: 38028866
DOI: 10.34172/jlms.2023.47 -
Human Reproduction Open 2023What is the role of iron in the pathophysiology of endometriosis?
STUDY QUESTION
What is the role of iron in the pathophysiology of endometriosis?
SUMMARY ANSWER
Iron excess is demonstrated wherever endometriotic tissues are found and is associated with oxidative stress, an inflammatory micro-environment, and cell damage; the iron-mediated oxidative stress is independently linked to subfertility, symptom severity, and malignant transformation.
WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY
Iron is found in excess in endometriotic tissues, and multiple mechanisms have been studied and posited to explain this. It is clear that iron excess plays a vital role in promoting oxidative stress and cell damage. The evidence base is large, but no comprehensive reviews exist to summarize our understanding and highlight the overarching themes to further our understanding and suggest future directions of study for the field.
STUDY DESIGN SIZE DURATION
This systematic review with a thematic analysis retrieved studies from the PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases and searches were conducted from inception through to August 2022. Human and animal studies published in the English language were included and identified using a combination of exploded MeSH terms ('Iron' and 'Endometriosis') and free-text search terms ('Iron', 'Ferric', 'Ferrous', 'Endometriosis', 'Endometrioma').
PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS SETTING METHODS
This review was reported in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines. All studies reporting original data concerning the role of iron or iron complexes in the pathophysiology of endometriosis were included. Studies that did not report original data or provided a review of the field were excluded. Bias analysis was completed for each included study by using the Newcastle-Ottawa scoring system.
MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE
There were 776 records identified and these were screened down to 53 studies which met the eligibility criteria, including 6 animal and 47 human studies, with 3556 individual participants. Iron excess is demonstrated in various tissues and fluids, including ovarian endometriomas, ovarian follicles, ectopic endometriotic lesions, and peritoneal fluid. Markers of oxidative stress are strongly associated with high iron levels, and aberrant expression of iron-transport proteins has been demonstrated. Abnormal resistance to ferroptosis is likely. Iron-mediated oxidative stress is responsible for a pro-inflammatory micro-environment and is linked to subfertility, symptom severity, and, possibly, malignant transformation.
LIMITATIONS REASONS FOR CAUTION
A minority of the included studies were of objectively low quality with a high risk of bias and may lead to misleading conclusions. Additionally, multiple studies failed to appropriately characterize the included patients by known confounding variables, such as menstrual cycle phase, which may introduce bias to the findings.
WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS
Current literature depicts a central role of aberrant iron mechanics and subsequent oxidative stress in endometriosis. It is likely that iron excess is at least partly responsible for the persistence and proliferation of ectopic endometriotic lesions. As such, iron mechanics represent an attractive target for novel therapeutics, including iron chelators or effectors of the iron-oxidative stress pathway. There are significant gaps in our current understanding, and this review highlights and recommends several topics for further research. These include the role of iron chelation, resistance to ferroptosis, the relationship between iron excess and localized hypoxia, systemic iron pathophysiology in endometriosis, and the role of oxidative stress in malignant transformation.
STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTERESTS
J.W. and S.G.P. are supported by clinical fellowships at Liverpool University Hospital NHS Foundation trust. No additional funding was requested or required for the completion of this work. C.J.H. is supported by a Wellbeing of Women project grant (RG2137). D.K.H. is supported by a Wellbeing of Women project grant (RG2137) and an MRC clinical research training fellowship (MR/V007238/1). The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.
REGISTRATION NUMBER
A protocol was prospectively registered with the PROSPERO database in August 2021 (CRD42021272818).
PubMed: 37638130
DOI: 10.1093/hropen/hoad033