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Nutrients May 2024(1) Background: The effect of garlic on glucose and lipid metabolism in humans remains controversial. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of garlic on... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
(1) Background: The effect of garlic on glucose and lipid metabolism in humans remains controversial. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of garlic on blood lipid levels and glucose levels in humans through a systematic review and meta-analysis. (2) Methods: We extensively searched four databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and the Cochrane Library, up to February 2024. To assess the collective impact of garlic and its supplements on fasting blood glucose (FBG), glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and triglycerides (TG), an analysis was conducted using a random effects model. Subgroup analyses were performed when < 50%. (3) Result: We found that the garlic intervention was effective in controlling FBG (mean difference = -7.01; 95% CI: -8.53, -5.49, < 0.001), HbA1c (mean deviation = -0.66; 95% CI: -0.76, -0.55, < 0.001, = 62.9%), TC (mean difference = -14.17; 95% CI: -19.31, -9.03, < 0.001), and LDL-C (mean difference = -8.20; 95% CI: -15.58, -0.81, = 0.03); moreover, it also increased the level of HDL-C in humans (mean difference = 2.06; 95% CI: 1.54, 2.59; < 0.001). Nonetheless, the intervention involving garlic did not yield a substantial impact on triglyceride (TG) levels. (4) Conclusion: The intervention of garlic is beneficial to control blood glucose and blood lipids in humans.
Topics: Garlic; Humans; Blood Glucose; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Lipids; Glycated Hemoglobin; Dietary Supplements; Triglycerides; Female; Male; Cholesterol, HDL; Middle Aged; Adult
PubMed: 38892625
DOI: 10.3390/nu16111692 -
Nutrients May 2024Gut microbiome-modulating agents (MMAs), including probiotics, prebiotics, postbiotics, and synbiotics, are shown to ameliorate type 1 diabetes (T1D) by restoring the... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
Gut microbiome-modulating agents (MMAs), including probiotics, prebiotics, postbiotics, and synbiotics, are shown to ameliorate type 1 diabetes (T1D) by restoring the microbiome from dysbiosis. The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to assess the impact of MMAs on hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and biomarkers associated with (T1D). A comprehensive search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library, National Knowledge Infrastructure, WeiPu, and WanFang Data up to 30 November 2023. Ten randomized controlled trials ( = 630) were included, with study quality evaluated using the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool. Random-effect models with standardized mean differences (SMDs) were utilized. MMA supplementation was associated with improvements in HbA1c (SMD = -0.52, 95% CI [-0.83, -0.20]), daily insulin usage (SMD = -0.41, 95% confidence interval (CI) [-0.76, -0.07]), and fasting C-peptide (SMD = 0.99, 95% CI [0.17, 1.81]) but had no effects on FBG, CRP, TNF-α, IL-10, LDL, HDL, and the Shannon index. Subgroup analysis of HbA1c indicated that a long-term intervention (>3 months) might exert a more substantial effect. These findings suggest an association between MMAs and glycemic control in T1D. Further large-scale clinical trials are necessary to confirm these findings with investigations on inflammation and gut microbiota composition while adjusting confounding factors such as diet, physical activity, and the dose and form of MMA intervention.
Topics: Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1; Humans; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Glycated Hemoglobin; Probiotics; Prebiotics; Biomarkers; Synbiotics; Dietary Supplements; Female; Dysbiosis; Adult; Male
PubMed: 38892608
DOI: 10.3390/nu16111675 -
Nutrients May 2024Liver cancer ranks third globally among causes of cancer-related deaths, posing a significant public health challenge. However, current treatments are inadequate,... (Review)
Review
Liver cancer ranks third globally among causes of cancer-related deaths, posing a significant public health challenge. However, current treatments are inadequate, prompting a growing demand for novel, safe, and effective therapies. Natural products (NPs) have emerged as promising candidates in drug development due to their diverse biological activities, low toxicity, and minimal side effects. This paper begins by reviewing existing treatment methods and drugs for liver cancer. It then summarizes the therapeutic effects of NPs sourced from various origins on liver cancer. Finally, we analyze the potential mechanisms of NPs in treating liver cancer, including inhibition of angiogenesis, migration, and invasion; regulation of the cell cycle; induction of apoptosis, autophagy, pyroptosis, and ferroptosis; influence on tumor metabolism; immune regulation; regulation of intestinal function; and regulation of key signaling pathways. This systematic review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of NPs research in liver cancer treatment, offering a foundation for further development and application in pharmaceuticals and functional foods.
Topics: Humans; Biological Products; Liver Neoplasms; Apoptosis; Signal Transduction; Antineoplastic Agents; Animals; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; Autophagy
PubMed: 38892575
DOI: 10.3390/nu16111642 -
International Journal of Molecular... Jun 2024Renal ischemia-reperfusion is a common cause of acute kidney injury leading to significant morbidity and mortality. There are no effective treatments available in... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
Renal ischemia-reperfusion is a common cause of acute kidney injury leading to significant morbidity and mortality. There are no effective treatments available in clinical practice. This meta-analysis aims to assess the effect of IL-10 immunotherapy on renal ischemia-reperfusion injury. Medline, Embase, Cochrane-library, Google Scholar and clinicaltrials.gov were searched up to 31 March 2023. Preclinical and clinical interventional studies investigating IL-10 immunotherapy for renal ischemia-reperfusion were eligible for inclusion. The primary endpoint was renal function (serum creatinine) following ischemia-reperfusion. The secondary endpoints included mitochondrial integrity, cellular proliferation, regulated cell death (TUNEL assay), expression of inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β), M1/M2 macrophage polarization, tissue integrity (tubular injury score), long-term kidney fibrosis (fibrotic area %) and adverse events (pulmonary toxicity, cardiotoxicity hepatotoxicity). The search returned 861 records. From these, 16 full texts were screened and subsequently, seven animal studies, corresponding to a population of 268 mice/rats, were included. Compared to the control treatment, IL-10 immunotherapy reduced serum creatinine more effectively within 24 h of administration (95% CI: -9.177, -5.601, I = 22.42%). IL-10 immunotherapy promoted mitochondrial integrity and cellular proliferation and reduced regulated cell death (95% CI: -11.000, -4.184, I = 74.94%). It decreased the expression of TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β, led to M2 polarization of the local macrophages, reduced tubular injury score (95% CI: -8.917, -5.755, I = 22.71%), and long-term kidney fibrosis (95% CI: -6.963, -3.438, I = 0%). No adverse outcomes were captured. In Conclusion, IL-10 immunotherapy safely improves outcomes in animal models of renal ischemia-reperfusion; the translational potential of IL-10 immunotherapy needs to be further investigated in clinical trials.
Topics: Reperfusion Injury; Animals; Interleukin-10; Humans; Immunotherapy; Kidney; Acute Kidney Injury; Mice
PubMed: 38892418
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25116231 -
International Journal of Molecular... May 2024Porocarcinoma (PC) is a rare adnexal tumor, mainly found in the elderly. The tumor arises from the acrosyringium of eccrine sweat glands. The risk of lymph node and... (Review)
Review
Porocarcinoma (PC) is a rare adnexal tumor, mainly found in the elderly. The tumor arises from the acrosyringium of eccrine sweat glands. The risk of lymph node and distant metastasis is high. Differential diagnosis with squamous cell carcinoma is difficult, although NUT expression and YAP1 fusion products can be very useful for diagnosis. Currently, wide local excision is the main surgical treatment, although Mohs micrographic surgery is promising. To date, there is no consensus regarding the role of sentinel lymph node biopsy and consequential lymph node dissection. No guidelines exist for radiotherapy, which is mostly performed based on tumor characteristics and excision margins. Only a few studies report systemic treatment for advanced PC, although therapy with pembrolizumab and EGFR inhibitors show promise. In this review, we discuss epidemiology, clinical features, histopathological features, immunohistochemistry and fusion products, surgical management and survival outcomes according to stage, surgical management, radiotherapy and systemic therapy.
Topics: Humans; Eccrine Porocarcinoma; Immunohistochemistry; Sweat Gland Neoplasms; Biomarkers, Tumor; YAP-Signaling Proteins
PubMed: 38891945
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25115760 -
International Journal of Molecular... May 2024Suicide is a major public health priority, and its molecular mechanisms appear to be related to glial abnormalities and specific transcriptional changes. This study... (Review)
Review
Suicide is a major public health priority, and its molecular mechanisms appear to be related to glial abnormalities and specific transcriptional changes. This study aimed to identify and synthesize evidence of the relationship between glial dysfunction and suicidal behavior to understand the neurobiology of suicide. As of 26 January 2024, 46 articles that met the inclusion criteria were identified by searching PubMed and ISI Web of Science. Most postmortem studies, including 30 brain regions, have determined no density or number of total Nissl-glial cell changes in suicidal patients with major psychiatric disorders. There were 17 astrocytic, 14 microglial, and 9 oligodendroglial studies using specific markers of each glial cell and further on their specific gene expression. Those studies suggest that astrocytic and oligodendroglial cells lost but activated microglia in suicides with affective disorder, bipolar disorders, major depression disorders, or schizophrenia in comparison with non-suicided patients and non-psychiatric controls. Although the data from previous studies remain complex and cannot fully explain the effects of glial cell dysfunction related to suicidal behaviors, they provide risk directions potentially leading to suicide prevention.
Topics: Humans; Neuroglia; Suicide; Brain; Biomarkers; Autopsy; Suicidal Ideation; Bipolar Disorder
PubMed: 38891940
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25115750 -
International Journal of Molecular... May 2024The associations of plasma metabolites with adverse cardiovascular (CV) outcomes are still underexplored and may be useful in CV risk stratification. We performed a... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
The associations of plasma metabolites with adverse cardiovascular (CV) outcomes are still underexplored and may be useful in CV risk stratification. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to establish correlations between blood metabolites and adverse CV outcomes in patients with heart failure (HF). Four cohorts were included, involving 83 metabolites and 37 metabolite ratios, measured in 1158 HF patients. Hazard ratios (HR) of 42 metabolites and 3 metabolite ratios, present in at least two studies, were combined through meta-analysis. Higher levels of histidine (HR 0.74, 95% CI [0.64; 0.86]) and tryptophan (HR 0.82 [0.71; 0.96]) seemed protective, whereas higher levels of symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) (HR 1.58 [1.30; 1.93]), N-methyl-1-histidine (HR 1.56 [1.27; 1.90]), SDMA/arginine (HR 1.38 [1.14; 1.68]), putrescine (HR 1.31 [1.06; 1.61]), methionine sulfoxide (HR 1.26 [1.03; 1.52]), and 5-hydroxylysine (HR 1.25 [1.05; 1.48]) were associated with a higher risk of CV events. Our findings corroborate important associations between metabolic imbalances and a higher risk of CV events in HF patients. However, the lack of standardization and data reporting hampered the comparison of a higher number of studies. In a future clinical scenario, metabolomics will greatly benefit from harmonizing sample handling, data analysis, reporting, and sharing.
Topics: Humans; Heart Failure; Metabolomics; Biomarkers; Cardiovascular Diseases; Metabolome; Heart Disease Risk Factors
PubMed: 38891881
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25115693 -
Cells Jun 2024Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) are a heterogeneous group of musculoskeletal and neuromuscular conditions involving the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), masticatory... (Review)
Review
Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) are a heterogeneous group of musculoskeletal and neuromuscular conditions involving the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), masticatory muscles, and associated structures. Mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (MSCs) have emerged as a promising therapy for TMJ repair. This systematic review aims to consolidate findings from the preclinical animal studies evaluating MSC-based therapies, including MSCs, their secretome, and extracellular vesicles (EVs), for the treatment of TMJ cartilage/osteochondral defects and osteoarthritis (OA). Following the PRISMA guidelines, PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Cochrane Library databases were searched for relevant studies. A total of 23 studies involving 125 , 149 , 470 , and 74 were identified. Compliance with the ARRIVE guidelines was evaluated for quality assessment, while the SYRCLE risk of bias tool was used to assess the risk of bias for the studies. Generally, MSC-based therapies demonstrated efficacy in TMJ repair across animal models of TMJ defects and OA. In most studies, animals treated with MSCs, their derived secretome, or EVs displayed improved morphological, histological, molecular, and behavioral pain outcomes, coupled with positive effects on cellular proliferation, migration, and matrix synthesis, as well as immunomodulation. However, unclear risk in bias and incomplete reporting highlight the need for standardized outcome measurements and reporting in future investigations.
Topics: Animals; Temporomandibular Joint; Mesenchymal Stem Cells; Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation; Temporomandibular Joint Disorders; Humans; Osteoarthritis; Extracellular Vesicles; Disease Models, Animal
PubMed: 38891122
DOI: 10.3390/cells13110990 -
BMC Women's Health Jun 2024The sex steroid hormones fluctuate during the menstrual cycle, which affects the strength and postural stability of females and leads to injuries and risk of falls.... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
The sex steroid hormones fluctuate during the menstrual cycle, which affects the strength and postural stability of females and leads to injuries and risk of falls. These hormones may be modulated by exercise to impact the overall health of females.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the effects of exercise on sex steroid hormones in eumenorrheic females.
METHODS
This review was performed following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses(PRISMA) guidelines in Lahore, Pakistan. The full-length articles were searched using these databases/search engines (PubMed, Web of Science and Google Scholar, Sci-Hub). Randomized controlled trials along with single group experimental studies were also included. All types of exercises were compared with no exercise in the control group. The Cochrane Risk of Bias assessment tool assessed and screened the articles. The data were then analyzed. The primary outcomes were the levels of estrogen, progesterone and testosterone.
RESULTS
Eleven studies were included (5 randomized controlled trials and 6 quasi-experimental studies). The effects of exercise on free estradiol concentration and serum progesterone level were not significant [p = 0.37 (SMD = 0.33, 95% CI = 0.14 to 0.74, I = 0%) and p = 0.84 (S.D= -0.65, C.I= -6.92 to 5.62, I = 94%)] respectively, whereas, the effects on testosterone levels were significant [p value < 0.00001 (M.D = 0.89, 95% C.I= -2.16 to 3.95, I = 94%)].
CONCLUSION
A blinded randomized controlled trial should be conducted in which a structured approach should be followed by women along with warm-ups, cool down and rest intervals.
TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER
The systematic review was registered prospectively on PROSPERO with registration number CRD42023473767.
Topics: Humans; Female; Progesterone; Exercise; Testosterone; Estrogens; Gonadal Steroid Hormones; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Estradiol
PubMed: 38890710
DOI: 10.1186/s12905-024-03203-y -
Immunity, Inflammation and Disease Jun 2024The identification of novel, easily measurable disease biomarkers might enhance the diagnosis and management of patients with rheumatic diseases (RDs). We conducted a... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
INTRODUCTION
The identification of novel, easily measurable disease biomarkers might enhance the diagnosis and management of patients with rheumatic diseases (RDs). We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of ischemia-modified albumin (IMA), a marker of oxidative stress, acidosis, and ischemia, in RD patients and healthy controls.
METHODS
We searched PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus from inception to January 15, 2024. The risk of bias and the certainty of evidence were assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist and GRADE, respectively.
RESULTS
In 20 studies investigating a total of 1188 RD patients (mean age 45 years, 64% females) and 981 healthy controls (mean age 44 years, 66% females), RD patients had significantly higher IMA concentrations when compared to controls (standard mean difference, SMD = 0.50, 95% CI: 0.18-0.83, p = .003; I = 92.4%, p < .001; low certainty of evidence). In subgroup analysis, the pooled SMD was significantly different in studies investigating ankylosing spondylitis (p < .001), Behçet's disease (p < .001), and rheumatoid arthritis (p = .033), but not familial Mediterranean fever (p = .48). Further associations were observed between the pooled SMD and the broad classification of autoimmune and/or autoinflammatory diseases, the study country, and the method used to measure IMA.
CONCLUSION
Our study suggests that IMA is a promising biomarker of oxidative stress, acidosis, and ischemia, as it can effectively discriminate between patients with different types of RDs and healthy controls. Our results warrant confirmation in longitudinal studies of patients with different types of RDs and different ethnicities (PROSPERO registration number: CRD42024509126).
Topics: Humans; Rheumatic Diseases; Biomarkers; Serum Albumin, Human; Oxidative Stress; Female; Ischemia; Male; Middle Aged
PubMed: 38888377
DOI: 10.1002/iid3.1324