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Frontiers in Bioengineering and... 2024To study the ability of theaflavin-3,3'-digallate (TF3)/ethanol solution to crosslink demineralized dentin collagen, resist collagenase digestion, and explore the...
OBJECTIVES
To study the ability of theaflavin-3,3'-digallate (TF3)/ethanol solution to crosslink demineralized dentin collagen, resist collagenase digestion, and explore the potential mechanism.
METHODS
Fully demineralized dentin blocks were prepared using human third molars that were caries-free. Then, these blocks were randomly allocated into 14 separate groups (n = 6), namely, control, ethanol, 5% glutaraldehyde (GA), 12.5, 25, 50, and 100 mg/ml TF3/ethanol solution groups. Each group was further divided into two subgroups based on crosslinking time: 30 and 60 s. The efficacy and mechanism of TF3's interaction with dentin type I collagen were predicted through molecular docking. The cross-linking, anti-enzymatic degradation, and biomechanical properties were studied by weight loss, hydroxyproline release, scanning/transmission electron microscopy (SEM/TEM), zymography, surface hardness, thermogravimetric analysis, and swelling ratio. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and Raman spectroscopy were utilized to explore its mechanisms. Statistical analysis was performed using one and two-way analysis of variance and Tukey's test.
RESULTS
TF3/ethanol solution could effectively crosslink demineralized dentin collagen and improve its resistance to collagenase digestion and biomechanical properties ( < 0.05), showing concentration and time dependence. The effect of 25 and 50 mg/ml TF3/ethanol solution was similar to that of 5% GA, whereas the 100 mg/mL TF3/ethanol solution exhibited better performance ( < 0.05). TF3 and dentin type I collagen are mainly cross-linked by hydrogen bonds, and there may be covalent and hydrophobic interactions.
CONCLUSION
TF3 has the capability to efficiently cross-link demineralized dentin collagen, enhancing its resistance to collagenase enzymatic hydrolysis and biomechanical properties within clinically acceptable timeframes (30 s/60 s). Additionally, it exhibits promise in enhancing the longevity of dentin adhesion.
PubMed: 38812911
DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2024.1401032 -
Health Science Reports Jun 2024With existing undernutrition in the developing world, the prevalence of obesity is increasing rapidly. Some studies reported an association of intestinal parasitic...
BACKGROUND AND AIMS
With existing undernutrition in the developing world, the prevalence of obesity is increasing rapidly. Some studies reported an association of intestinal parasitic infection (IPIs) with undernutrition while few recent studies reported an inverse association of IPIs with overweight and obesity. This study evaluated the comparative risk and associated factors of IPIs among under (body mass index [BMI] < 18.5), normal (BMI: 18.5-24.9) and overweight (BMI > 24.9) school-aged adolescents.
METHODS
A total of 105 fecal samples were collected, with 35 samples from each group. The collected samples were tested for the presence of intestinal parasites via concentration method, and the parasites were identified morphologically.
RESULTS
Overall prevalence of IPIs was 5.71% with 3 protozoa viz (2.86%), (1.90%) and (0.95%). Univariate and multivariable regression analysis indicated none of the nutritional, socioeconomic status, demographic, lifestyle and behavioral characteristics were significantly associated with the prevalence of overall IPIs. Yet, significant numbers of male reported undernutrition and elevated risk of IPIs in this study population.
CONCLUSION
Despite low prevalence of IPIs in this study, risk of IPIs is attributable to individual differences in behavior like "not using soap for hand washing". Relatively elevated malnutrition with risky hygiene behaviors, male adolescents appeared as risky cluster of school age population.
PubMed: 38812713
DOI: 10.1002/hsr2.2146 -
Central-European Journal of Immunology 2024The flow cytometry method could support physicians' decisions in the diagnosis and treatment monitoring of immunodeficient patients. Most clinical recommendations are...
The flow cytometry method could support physicians' decisions in the diagnosis and treatment monitoring of immunodeficient patients. Most clinical recommendations are focused on the search for alterations in T- and B-lymphocyte subsets, less commonly natural killer (NK) cells and granulocytes. While reference values for clinically meaningful lymphocyte subsets have been published ubiquitously among numerous countries, we have not found significant data for a population of adult Polish habitats; thus we determined reference values for T, B, and NK subsets according to sex and age. The female group showed a higher percentage of lymphocytes (CD45), T helper lymphocytes with a higher absolute count, as well as CD4/CD8 ratio, marginal zone-like B cells, class-switched B cells, and CD21 B cells than the male group. The male group was found to have elevated percentages of naïve B lymphocytes, transitional B cells, and plasmablasts. A weak positive correlation with age was found among double positive T lymphocytes, natural killer T cells (NKT) lymphocytes, and CD21 B cells. A negative correlation with age for double negative T lymphocytes, marginal zone-like B cells, and plasmablasts was noted. The results indicated the importance of creating distinct reference ranges regarding sex and age concerning immunophenotype.
PubMed: 38812608
DOI: 10.5114/ceji.2024.136371 -
Scientific Reports May 2024Age-related decline in mobility and cognition are associated with cellular senescence and NAD + depletion in dogs and people. A combination of a novel...
Age-related decline in mobility and cognition are associated with cellular senescence and NAD + depletion in dogs and people. A combination of a novel NAD + precursor and senolytic, LY-D6/2, was examined in this randomized controlled trial. Seventy dogs with mild to moderate cognitive impairment were enrolled and allocated into placebo, low or full dose groups. Primary outcomes were change in cognitive impairment measured with the owner-reported Canine Cognitive Dysfunction Rating (CCDR) scale and change in activity measured with physical activity monitors. Fifty-nine dogs completed evaluations at the 3-month primary endpoint, and 51 reached the 6-month secondary endpoint. There was a significant difference in CCDR score across treatment groups from baseline to the primary endpoint (p = 0.02) with the largest decrease in the full dose group. No difference was detected between groups using in house cognitive testing. There were no significant differences between groups in changes in measured activity. The proportion of dogs that improved in frailty and owner-reported activity levels and happiness was higher in the full dose group than other groups, however this difference was not significant. Adverse events occurred equally across groups. All groups showed improvement in cognition, frailty, and activity suggesting placebo effect and benefits of trial participation. We conclude that LY-D6/2 improves owner-assessed cognitive function over a 3-month period and may have broader, but more subtle effects on frailty, activity and happiness as reported by owners.
Topics: Animals; Dogs; Male; Cognition; Female; Cognitive Dysfunction; NAD; Dog Diseases; Humans
PubMed: 38811634
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-63031-w -
Endocrine Journal May 2024Insulin is a hormone that positively regulates anabolism and cell growth, whereas diabetes mellitus is a disease characterized by hyperglycemia associated with impaired...
Insulin is a hormone that positively regulates anabolism and cell growth, whereas diabetes mellitus is a disease characterized by hyperglycemia associated with impaired insulin action. My colleagues and I have elucidated multifaceted insulin action in various tissues mainly by means of model mice. In the liver, insulin regulates endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response during feeding, whereas ER stress 'response failure' contributes to the development of steatohepatitis comorbid with diabetes. Not only the liver but also the proximal tubules of the kidney are important in the regulation of gluconeogenesis, and we revealed that insulin suppresses gluconeogenesis in accordance with absorbed glucose in the latter tissue. In skeletal muscle, another important insulin-targeted tissue, impaired insulin/IGF-1 signaling leads not only to sarcopenia, an aging-related disease of skeletal muscle, but also to osteopenia and shorter longevity. Aging is regulated by adipokines as well, and it should be considered that aging could be accelerated by 'imbalanced adipokines' in patients with a genetic background of progeria. Moreover, we reported the effects of intensive multifactorial intervention on diabetic vascular complications and mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes in a large-scale clinical trial, the J-DOIT3, and the results of subsequent sub-analyses of renal events and fracture events. Various approaches of research enable us of endocrinologists to elucidate the physiology of hormone signaling, the mechanisms underlying the development of endocrine diseases, and the appropriate treatment measures. These approaches also raise fundamental questions, but addressing them in an appropriate manner will surely contribute to the further development of endocrinology.
PubMed: 38811207
DOI: 10.1507/endocrj.EJ24-0003 -
Journal of Sport and Health Science May 2024A quality diet and an active lifestyle are both important cornerstones of cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention. However, despite their interlinked effects on...
BACKGROUND
A quality diet and an active lifestyle are both important cornerstones of cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention. However, despite their interlinked effects on metabolic health, the 2 behaviors are rarely considered jointly, particularly within the context of CVD prevention. We examined the independent, interactive, and joint associations of diet and physical activity with CVD hospitalization, CVD mortality, and all-cause mortality.
METHODS
CVD-free Australian participants aged 45-74 years (n = 85,545) reported physical activity, diet, and sociodemographic and lifestyle characteristics at baseline (2006-2009) and follow-up (2012-2015), and data were linked to hospitalization and death registries (03/31/2019 for CVD hospitalization and all-cause mortality and 12/08/2017 for CVD mortality). Diet quality was categorized as low, medium, and high based on meeting dietary recommendations. Physical activity was operationalized as (a) total moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) as per guidelines, and (b) the composition of MVPA as the ratio of vigorous-intensity physical activity (VPA) to total MVPA. We used a left-truncated cause-specific Cox proportional hazards model using time-varying covariates.
RESULTS
During a median of 10.7 years of follow-up, 6581 participants were admitted to the hospital for CVD and 6586 died from all causes (879 from CVD during 9.3 years). A high-quality diet was associated with a 17% lower risk of all-cause mortality than a low-quality diet, and the highest MVPA category (compared with the lowest) was associated with a 44% and 48% lower risk of CVD and all-cause mortality, respectively. Multiplicative interactions between diet and physical activity were non-significant. For all outcomes, the lowest risk combinations involved a high-quality diet and the highest MVPA categories. Accounting for total MVPA, some VPA was associated with further risk reduction of CVD hospitalization and all-cause mortality.
CONCLUSION
For CVD prevention and longevity, one should adhere to both a healthy diet and an active lifestyle and incorporate some VPA when possible.
PubMed: 38810689
DOI: 10.1016/j.jshs.2024.05.011 -
The Journal of Nutrition, Health & Aging May 2024Epidemiological evidence of how midlife intake of fruits and vegetables affects the likelihood of depressive symptoms in late life remains limited and controversial. We...
OBJECTIVES
Epidemiological evidence of how midlife intake of fruits and vegetables affects the likelihood of depressive symptoms in late life remains limited and controversial. We examined this association in an Asian cohort.
DESIGN
Prospective population-based cohort study.
SETTING
Chinese living in Singapore.
PARTICIPANTS
A total of 13,738 adults from the Singapore Chinese Health Study.
MEASUREMENTS
The consumption of 14 fruits and 25 vegetables were assessed using a validated 165-item food-frequency questionnaire at baseline (1993-1998), when participants were aged 45-74 years (mean age 52.4 years). Depressive symptoms were evaluated using the Geriatric Depression Scale during the third follow-up interviews (2014-2016), when participants were aged 61-96 years (mean age 72.5 years), and depression was defined by ≥5 out of 15 scores. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).
RESULTS
After a mean follow-up of 19.6 years, depressive symptoms were identified among 3,180 participants. Consumption of fruits was inversely associated with the odds of depressive symptoms in a dose-response manner: comparing extreme quartiles, the OR (95% CI) of depressive symptoms was 0.71 (0.63-0.81; P-trend <0.01). Intake of several types of fruits, especially orange, tangerine, banana, papaya and watermelon, was associated with reduced odds, and this inverse association was similar across subgroups of fruits categorized by glycemic index. Conversely, intake of vegetables was not associated with the odds of depressive symptoms.
CONCLUSIONS
Our findings support population-based recommendation of having sufficient fruit intake early in life to reduce the likelihood of depressive symptoms in late life.
PubMed: 38810515
DOI: 10.1016/j.jnha.2024.100275 -
The Journal of Nutrition, Health & Aging May 2024Sarcopenia and intrinsic capacity (IC) declines pose significant challenges to healthy aging, particularly in the rapidly growing octogenarian population. This study...
BACKGROUND
Sarcopenia and intrinsic capacity (IC) declines pose significant challenges to healthy aging, particularly in the rapidly growing octogenarian population. This study aimed to elucidate the relationship between sarcopenia and declines in IC across multiple cohorts of community-dwelling older adults.
METHODS
Data from four Taiwanese cohorts were analyzed. Sarcopenia was diagnosed based on the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia (AWGS) 2019 criteria (algorithm 1: categorized as either having possible sarcopenia or not (robust); algorithm 2: categorized as robust, possible sarcopenia or sarcopenia). IC was operationalized using the World Health Organization's Integrated Care for Older People (ICOPE) framework (step 1 and step 2), encompassing six domains: locomotion, vitality, vision, hearing, cognition, and psychological well-being. Multivariable logistic regression models were adopted to assess the association between sarcopenia and IC decline.
RESULTS
Among 599 octogenarians (median age 82.2 years, 54.8% male), the prevalence of possible sarcopenia (algorithm 1) was 64.6%. When adopting algorithm 2, the prevalence of possible sarcopenia and sarcopenia was 46,2% and 32.1%, respectively. After adjusting for covariates, participants with possible sarcopenia or sarcopenia (algorithm 2) were more likely to exhibit declines in vitality (ICOPE Step 1: possible sarcopenia aOR 3.65, sarcopenia aOR 4.74; ICOPE Step 2: possible sarcopenia aOR 5.11, sarcopenia aOR 14.77) and cognition (ICOPE Step 1: possible sarcopenia aOR 2.40, sarcopenia aOR 2.12; ICOPE Step 2: possible sarcopenia aOR 2.02, sarcopenia aOR 2.51) compared to robust individuals.
CONCLUSIONS
This study underscores the robust association between sarcopenia and declines in vitality and cognition among octogenarians, highlighting the importance of sarcopenia screening and management in promoting healthy longevity in this vulnerable population.
PubMed: 38810513
DOI: 10.1016/j.jnha.2024.100268 -
Aging May 2024We investigated relations of depressive symptoms, antidepressant use, and epigenetic age acceleration with all-cause mortality risk among postmenopausal women. Data were...
We investigated relations of depressive symptoms, antidepressant use, and epigenetic age acceleration with all-cause mortality risk among postmenopausal women. Data were analyzed from ≤1,900 participants in the Women's Health Initiative study testing four-way decomposition models. After a median 20.4y follow-up, 1,161 deaths occurred. Approximately 11% had elevated depressive symptoms (EDS), 7% were taking antidepressant medication at baseline (ANTIDEP), while 16.5% fell into either category (EDS_ANTIDEP). Baseline ANTIDEP, longitudinal transition into ANTIDEP and accelerated epigenetic aging directly predicted increased mortality risk. GrimAge DNA methylation age acceleration (AgeAccelGrim) partially mediated total effects of baseline ANTIDEP and EDS_ANTIDEP on all-cause mortality risk in socio-demographic factors-adjusted models (Pure Indirect Effect >0, < 0.05; Total Effect >0, < 0.05). Thus, higher AgeAccelGrim partially explained the relationship between antidepressant use and increased all-cause mortality risk, though only prior to controlling for lifestyle and health-related factors. Antidepressant use and epigenetic age acceleration independently predicted increased all-cause mortality risk. Further studies are needed in varying populations.
PubMed: 38809417
DOI: 10.18632/aging.205868 -
Aging Cell May 2024Dysregulation of growth hormone (GH) signaling consistently leads to increased lifespan in laboratory rodents, yet the precise mechanisms driving this extension remain...
Dysregulation of growth hormone (GH) signaling consistently leads to increased lifespan in laboratory rodents, yet the precise mechanisms driving this extension remain unclear. Understanding the molecular underpinnings of the beneficial effects associated with GH deficiency could unveil novel therapeutic targets for promoting healthy aging and longevity. In our pursuit of identifying metabolites implicated in aging, we conducted an unbiased lipidomic analysis of serum samples from growth hormone-releasing hormone knockout (GHRH-KO) female mice and their littermate controls. Employing a targeted lipidomic approach, we specifically investigated ceramide levels in GHRH-KO mice, a well-established model of enhanced longevity. While younger GHRH-KO mice did not exhibit notable differences in serum lipids, older counterparts demonstrated significant reductions in over one-third of the evaluated lipids. In employing the same analysis in liver tissue, GHRH-KO mice showed pronounced downregulation of numerous ceramides and hexosylceramides, which have been shown to elicit many of the tissue defects that accompany aging (e.g., insulin resistance, oxidative stress, and cell death). Additionally, gene expression analysis in the liver tissue of adult GHRH-KO mice identified substantial decreases in several ceramide synthesis genes, indicating that these alterations are, at least in part, attributed to GHRH-KO-induced transcriptional changes. These findings provide the first evidence of disrupted ceramide metabolism in a long-lived mammal. This study sheds light on the intricate connections between GH deficiency, ceramide levels, and the molecular mechanisms influencing lifespan extension.
PubMed: 38808779
DOI: 10.1111/acel.14226