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Pharmacological Research Jan 2024Zinc is a crucial trace element in the human body, playing a role in various physiological processes such as oxidative stress, neurotransmission, protein synthesis, and...
Zinc is a crucial trace element in the human body, playing a role in various physiological processes such as oxidative stress, neurotransmission, protein synthesis, and DNA repair. The zinc transporters (ZnTs) family members are responsible for exporting intracellular zinc, while Zrt- and Irt-like proteins (ZIPs) are involved in importing extracellular zinc. These processes are essential for maintaining cellular zinc homeostasis. Imbalances in zinc metabolism have been linked to the development of neurodegenerative diseases. Disruptions in zinc levels can impact the survival and activity of neurons, thereby contributing to the progression of neurodegenerative diseases through mechanisms like cell apoptosis regulation, protein phase separation, ferroptosis, oxidative stress, and neuroinflammation. Therefore, conducting a systematic review of the regulatory network of zinc and investigating the relationship between zinc dysmetabolism and neurodegenerative diseases can enhance our understanding of the pathogenesis of these diseases. Additionally, it may offer new insights and approaches for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.
Topics: Humans; Cation Transport Proteins; Disease Progression; Homeostasis; Neurodegenerative Diseases; Zinc
PubMed: 38123108
DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2023.107039 -
PeerJ 2022Bovine mastitis is the commonest episode of infection in the dairy industry, which often occurs after damage of epithelial cells lining the teat duct. It is ranked as... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Bovine mastitis is the commonest episode of infection in the dairy industry, which often occurs after damage of epithelial cells lining the teat duct. It is ranked as the second most important cause of milk production loss directly and a devastating disease with a higher incidence leading to the culling of dairy cows. Thus, this systematic review and meta-analysis is aimed to quantitatively estimate the current status of mastitis in general and bacterial mastitis particular in Ethiopia.
METHODS
A literature search was carried from major databases and indexing services including PubMed, Google Scholar, Science Direct. Also, local institution repositories were searched to retrieve unpublished MSc and PhD theses. All studies were included addressing the prevalence of mastitis and bacterial isolates conducted in Ethiopia. Microsoft Excel was used to extract data and was imported to R Studio for the analyses. The random-effects model at a 95% confidence level was used for pooled estimates of outcomes. The degree of heterogeneity was computed by Higgins's I statistics. Publication bias was checked by using the funnel plots of standard error augmented by Begg's and Egger's tests.
RESULTS
A total of 46 studies with 15,780 cows were included in this study. All studies have collected 18,478 suspected samples for bacterial isolation. While pooled prevalence estimate of mastitis was 47.6%, the bacterial isolates pooled prevalence was 33.1%. The bacterial mastitis was 6.5% in cows infected by clinical patients and was 28.3% subclinical patients. The common isolates were , species, , , , Coagulase Negative and species. A univariate meta-regression analysis evidenced that the type of mastitis and management system was a possible source of heterogeneity (-value = 0.001).
CONCLUSION
The pooled prevalence of bacterial mastitis in Ethiopian dairy cattle was high. The analysis showed bacterial pathogens like , , species and Coagulase Negative are majorly accounted for bovine mastitis in Ethiopia. Therefore, the highly prevalent and commonly isolated pathogens cause contagious mastitis which require immediate attention by dairy producers to put under control by devising robust mastitis prevention and control interventions.
Topics: Female; Animals; Cattle; Humans; Mastitis, Bovine; Ethiopia; Coagulase; Milk; Staphylococcal Infections; Bacteria; Staphylococcus; Staphylococcus aureus; Streptococcal Infections
PubMed: 35547189
DOI: 10.7717/peerj.13253 -
International Journal of Health Policy... 2023This review was conducted to identify the impact of economic sanctions on household food and nutrition security and policies to cope with them in countries exposed to...
BACKGROUND
This review was conducted to identify the impact of economic sanctions on household food and nutrition security and policies to cope with them in countries exposed to sanctions.
METHODS
The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines 2020 were used to identify, select, appraise, and synthesize studies. Electronic databases in addition to Persian ones have been systematically searched for all related documents published until March 2022. Exclusion criteria were: lack of data related to food insecurity in countries subject to sanction and very low quality of the article. The quality of included studies was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Critical Appraisal checklists. The results were presented as qualitative and quantitative syntheses.
RESULTS
Of 1428 identified studies, 36 publications remained in the review, which belong to Iran (n=8), Cuba (n=8), Russia (n=7), Iraq (n=7), and Haiti (n=6), respectively. Declining gross domestic product (GDP), devaluation of the national currency, and the quality of food, increase in inflation, unemployment, and consumer prices, infant and under 5 years mortality, energy, and protein deficiency, and the poverty rate were reported as sanction consequences. The most important strategies to improve food security were the humanitarian assistance provided by the international community (Haiti), equity and priority for vulnerable groups mainly by expanding the healthcare system (Cuba), adopting a food ration system in the oil-for-food program, and fixing the price of food baskets (Iraq), import substitution and self-sufficiency (Russia), support domestic production, direct and indirect support and compensation packages for vulnerable households (the approach of resistance economy in Iran).
CONCLUSION
Due to the heterogeneity of studies, meta-analysis was not possible. Since inadequate physical and economic food access caused by sanctions affects especially disadvantaged and vulnerable groups, planning to improve food security and providing support packages for these groups seems necessary.
Topics: Infant; Humans; Gross Domestic Product; Policy; Academies and Institutes; Checklist; Cuba
PubMed: 38618825
DOI: 10.34172/ijhpm.2023.7362 -
BMC Geriatrics Aug 2022Healthy aging relies on mitochondrial functioning because this organelle provides energy and diminishes oxidative stress. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in...
INTRODUCTION
Healthy aging relies on mitochondrial functioning because this organelle provides energy and diminishes oxidative stress. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in TOMM40, a critical gene that produces the outer membrane protein TOM40 of mitochondria, have been associated with mitochondrial dysfunction and neurodegenerative processes. Yet it is not clear whether or how the mitochondria may impact human longevity. We conducted this review to ascertain which SNPs have been associated with markers of healthy aging.
METHODS
Using the PRISMA methodology, we conducted a systematic review on PubMed and Embase databases to identify associations between TOMM40 SNPs and measures of longevity and healthy aging.
RESULTS
Twenty-four articles were selected. The TOMM40 SNPs rs2075650 and rs10524523 were the two most commonly identified and studied SNPs associated with longevity. The outcomes associated with the TOMM40 SNPs were changes in BMI, brain integrity, cognitive functions, altered inflammatory network, vulnerability to vascular risk factors, and longevity.
DISCUSSIONS
Our systematic review identified multiple TOMM40 SNPs potentially associated with healthy aging. Additional research can help to understand mechanisms in aging, including resilience, prevention of disease, and adaptation to the environment.
Topics: Aging; Healthy Aging; Humans; Longevity; Membrane Transport Proteins; Mitochondrial Precursor Protein Import Complex Proteins; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
PubMed: 35964003
DOI: 10.1186/s12877-022-03337-4 -
International Journal of Molecular... Mar 2023Energy production by cancer is driven by accelerated glycolysis, independently of oxygen levels, which results in increased lactate production. Lactate is shuttled to... (Review)
Review
Energy production by cancer is driven by accelerated glycolysis, independently of oxygen levels, which results in increased lactate production. Lactate is shuttled to and from cancer cells via monocarboxylate transporters (MCTs). MCT1 works both as an importer and an extruder of lactate, being widely studied in recent years and generally associated with a cancer aggressiveness phenotype. The aim of this systematic review was to assess the prognostic value of MCT1 immunoexpression in different malignancies. Study collection was performed by searching nine different databases (PubMed, EMBASE, ScienceDirect, Scopus, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, OVID, TRIP and PsycINFO), using the keywords "cancer", "Monocarboxylate transporter 1", "SLC16A1" and "prognosis". Results showed that MCT1 is an indicator of poor prognosis and decreased survival for cancer patients in sixteen types of malignancies; associations between the transporter's overexpression and larger tumour sizes, higher disease stage/grade and metastasis occurrence were also frequently observed. Yet, MCT1 overexpression correlated with better outcomes in colorectal cancer, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma and non-small cell lung cancer patients. These results support the applicability of MCT1 as a biomarker of prognosis, although larger cohorts would be necessary to validate the overall role of MCT1 as an outcome predictor.
Topics: Humans; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung; Lactic Acid; Lung Neoplasms; Monocarboxylic Acid Transporters; Pancreatic Neoplasms; Prognosis; Symporters
PubMed: 36982217
DOI: 10.3390/ijms24065141 -
Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland) Jul 2023Bioactive compounds in berries may scavenge reactive oxygen and nitrogen species by donating electrons to free radicals, thereby protecting DNA, proteins, and lipids... (Review)
Review
Bioactive compounds in berries may scavenge reactive oxygen and nitrogen species by donating electrons to free radicals, thereby protecting DNA, proteins, and lipids from oxidative damage. Evidence shows that berry consumption has beneficial health effects, though it remains unclear whether berries exert a significant impact on oxidative stress in humans. Thus, we performed a systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCT) to examine the effects of non-acute (more than a single dose and ≥7 days) berry consumption on biomarkers of oxidative stress. Searches were conducted in PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Scopus; results were imported into Covidence for screening and data extraction. The literature search identified 622 studies that were screened, and 131 full-text studies assessed for eligibility. Ultimately, 28 RCTs met the eligibility criteria. Common biomarkers of oxidative stress (antioxidants, DNA damage, isoprostanes, malondialdehyde, and oxidized LDL) were systematically reviewed, and results were reported narratively. Of the approximate 56 oxidative stress biomarkers evaluated in the 28 RCTs, 32% of the biomarkers were reported to have statistically significant beneficial results and 68% of the biomarkers were reported as having no statistically significant differences. More well-designed and longer-term berry RCTs are needed to evaluate biomarkers of oxidative stress.
PubMed: 37507981
DOI: 10.3390/antiox12071443 -
Medicine Jul 2023To investigate the potential active ingredients and possible mechanisms of Shujin Tongluo granules (SJTLG) in the treatment of cervical spondylosis (CS) by network... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
To investigate the potential active ingredients and possible mechanisms of Shujin Tongluo granules (SJTLG) in the treatment of cervical spondylosis (CS) by network pharmacology and molecular docking.
METHODS
The active ingredients and potential targets of SJTLG were obtained through databases such as traditional Chinese medicine system (TCMSP) and BATMAN-traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), and the relevant human targets of CS were identified through databases such as OMIM, GeneCards, and DisGeNET. The intersection targets were imported into STRING for protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis. The obtained data were imported into Cytoscape 3.9.0 software for visualization, and module analysis was performed using the MCODE plug-in. The representative targets were screened through the Metascape website for pathway enrichment analysis in Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG). Cytoscape software was used to build networks such as "drug-compound-target" and "drug-compound-target-pathway." Finally, the key targets were selected for molecular docking with the corresponding compounds by Autodock Tools 1.5.7 and visualized by PyMol.
RESULTS
A total of 132 active compounds and 996 targets from SJTLG and 678 targets from CS were screened with 116 intersection targets. The key targets were AKT1, GAPDH, ALB, IL-6, TP53, TNF, VEGFA, IL-1β, EGFR, HSP90AA1, ESR1, and JUN. The results of GO and KEGG enrichment analysis showed that the treatment of CS was mainly related to biological processes such as cellular response to nitrogen compound, cellular response to organonitrogen compound, and positive regulation of locomotion, and the targets were mainly focused on pathways in cancer, Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus infection, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, lipid, and atherosclerosis. Molecular docking results showed that the minimum binding energy between the core targets and the corresponding compound was <-5.0 kcal·mol-1.
CONCLUSION
This study preliminarily elucidates the potential active ingredients and mechanism of anti-inflammatory, analgesic, microcirculation improvement, vasodilation, osteoporosis inhibition and nerve nutrition effects of SJTLG in the treatment of CS and provides a reference for its clinical application.
Topics: Humans; Drugs, Chinese Herbal; Molecular Docking Simulation; Network Pharmacology; Spondylosis
PubMed: 37478234
DOI: 10.1097/MD.0000000000034030 -
Emerging Infectious Diseases Dec 2021Toscana virus (TOSV) is an emerging pathogen in the Mediterranean area and is neuroinvasive in its most severe form. Basic knowledge on TOSV biology is limited. We...
Toscana virus (TOSV) is an emerging pathogen in the Mediterranean area and is neuroinvasive in its most severe form. Basic knowledge on TOSV biology is limited. We conducted a systematic review on travel-related infections to estimate the TOSV incubation period. We estimated the incubation period at 12.1 days.
Topics: Antibodies, Viral; Bunyaviridae Infections; Humans; Infectious Disease Incubation Period; Sandfly fever Naples virus; Travel; Travel-Related Illness; Virus Diseases
PubMed: 34808074
DOI: 10.3201/eid2712.203172 -
JTO Clinical and Research Reports Jun 2024The available approved anticancer drugs for Chinese patients are relatively limited because of China's low participation rate in international clinical trials....
Efficacy and Safety of Anti-Programmed Cell Death Protein 1/Programmed Death-Ligand 1 Antibodies Plus Chemotherapy as First-Line Treatment for NSCLC in the People's Republic of China: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
INTRODUCTION
The available approved anticancer drugs for Chinese patients are relatively limited because of China's low participation rate in international clinical trials. Therefore, a focus on approved anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1)/programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) drugs in China is needed. This study aims to assess the heterogeneity of anti-PD-1/PD-L1 antibodies manufactured in China (domestic PD-1/PD-L1) and overseas (imported PD-1/PD-L1) when combined with chemotherapy as the first-line treatment of NSCLC.
METHODS
A systematic search was performed using PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library of publications up to July 13, 2023. Meta-analysis was applied to compare the efficacy and safety profile between anti-PD-1/PD-L1 antibodies plus chemotherapy (PD-1/PD-L1+Chemo) and chemotherapy alone using STATA software. Pooled hazard ratios for progression-free survival and overall survival, odds ratios for objective response rate, and incidence rate of grade greater than or equal to three treatment-related adverse events with 95% confidence intervals were calculated in the domestic group and imported group by a random-effects model, and the heterogeneity between the two estimates was assessed.
RESULTS
There were 14 eligible clinical studies with a total of 3951 patients involved in this analysis, including eight studies of domestic PD-1/PD-L1+Chemo and six studies of imported PD-1/PD-L1+Chemo. The study revealed that there was no significant difference between domestic and imported PD-1/PD-L1+Chemo in overall survival ( = 0.80), progression-free survival ( = 0.53), and incidence rate of grade greater than or equal to three treatment-related adverse events ( = 0.10). Nevertheless, the objective response rate of imported PD-1/PD-L1+Chemo was significantly higher than that of domestic PD-1/PD-L1+Chemo ( = 0.03).
CONCLUSIONS
Domestic anti-PD-1/PD-L1 antibodies plus chemotherapy were found to have comparable efficacy and safety to those combined with imported anti-PD-1/PD-L1 antibodies based on current evidence.
PubMed: 38846810
DOI: 10.1016/j.jtocrr.2024.100678 -
The Cochrane Database of Systematic... Oct 2019Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality globally. Early intervention for those with high cardiovascular risk is crucial in improving... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality globally. Early intervention for those with high cardiovascular risk is crucial in improving patient outcomes. Traditional prevention strategies for CVD have focused on conventional risk factors, such as overweight, dyslipidaemia, diabetes, and hypertension, which may reflect the potential for cardiovascular insult. Natriuretic peptides (NPs), including B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), are well-established biomarkers for the detection and diagnostic evaluation of heart failure. They are of interest for CVD prevention because they are secreted by the heart as a protective response to cardiovascular stress, strain, and damage. Therefore, measuring NP levels in patients without heart failure may be valuable for risk stratification, to identify those at highest risk of CVD who would benefit most from intensive risk reduction measures.
OBJECTIVES
To assess the effects of natriuretic peptide (NP)-guided treatment for people with cardiovascular risk factors and without heart failure.
SEARCH METHODS
Searches of the following bibliographic databases were conducted up to 9 July 2019: CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, and Web of Science. Three clinical trial registries were also searched in July 2019.
SELECTION CRITERIA
We included randomised controlled trials enrolling adults with one or more cardiovascular risk factors and without heart failure, which compared NP-based screening and subsequent NP-guided treatment versus standard care in all settings (i.e. community, hospital).
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
Two review authors independently screened titles and abstracts and selected studies for inclusion, extracted data, and evaluated risk of bias. Risk ratios (RRs) were calculated for dichotomous data, and mean differences (MDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for continuous data. We contacted trial authors to obtain missing data and to verify crucial study characteristics. Using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach, two review authors independently assessed the quality of the evidence and GRADE profiler (GRADEPRO) was used to import data from Review Manager to create a 'Summary of findings' table.
MAIN RESULTS
We included two randomised controlled trials (three reports) with 1674 participants, with mean age between 64.1 and 67.8 years. Follow-up ranged from 2 years to mean 4.3 years.For primary outcome measures, effect estimates from a single study showed uncertainty for the effect of NP-guided treatment on cardiovascular mortality in patients with cardiovascular risk factors and without heart failure (RR 0.33, 95% CI 0.04 to 3.17; 1 study; 300 participants; low-quality evidence). Pooled analysis demonstrated that in comparison to standard care, NP-guided treatment probably reduces the risk of cardiovascular hospitalisation (RR 0.52, 95% CI 0.40 to 0.68; 2 studies; 1674 participants; moderate-quality evidence). This corresponds to a risk of 163 per 1000 in the control group and 85 (95% CI 65 to 111) per 1000 in the NP-guided treatment group.When secondary outcome measures were evaluated, evidence from a pooled analysis showed uncertainty for the effect of NP-guided treatment on all-cause mortality (RR 0.90, 95% CI 0.60 to 1.35; 2 studies; 1354 participants; low-quality evidence). Pooled analysis indicates that NP-guided treatment probably reduces the risk of all-cause hospitalisation (RR 0.83, 95% CI 0.75 to 0.92; 2 studies; 1354 participants; moderate-quality evidence). This corresponds to a risk of 601 per 1000 in the control group and 499 (95% CI 457 to 553) per 1000 in the NP-guided treatment group. The effect estimate from a single study indicates that NP-guided treatment reduced the risk of ventricular dysfunction (RR 0.61, 95% CI 0.41 to 0.91; 1374 participants; high-quality evidence). The risk in this study's control group was 87 per 1000, compared with 53 (95% CI 36 to 79) per 1000 with NP-guided treatment. Results from the same study show that NP-guided treatment does not affect change in NP level at the end of follow-up, relative to standard care (MD -4.06 pg/mL, 95% CI -15.07 to 6.95; 1 study; 1374 participants; moderate-quality evidence).
AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS
This review shows that NP-guided treatment is likely to reduce ventricular dysfunction and cardiovascular and all-cause hospitalisation for patients who have cardiovascular risk factors and who do not have heart failure. Effects on mortality and natriuretic peptide levels are less certain. Neither of the included studies were powered to evaluate mortality. Available evidence shows uncertainty regarding the effects of NP-guided treatment on both cardiovascular mortality and all-cause mortality; very low event numbers resulted in a high degree of imprecision in these effect estimates. Evidence also shows that NP-guided treatment may not affect NP level at the end of follow-up.As both trials included in our review were pragmatic studies, non-blinding of patients and practices may have biased results towards a finding of equivalence. Further studies with more adequately powered sample sizes and longer duration of follow-up are required to evaluate the effect of NP-guided treatment on mortality. As two trials are ongoing, one of which is a large multi-centre trial, it is hoped that future iterations of this review will benefit from larger sample sizes across a wider geographical area.
PubMed: 31613983
DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD013015.pub2