Serum Iron Levels, Dietary Iron Intake, and Supplement Use in Relation to Metabolic Syndrome in Adolescents: A Cross-Sectional Study.

The objective of this study was to investigate the potential associations between serum iron levels, dietary iron intake, and iron supplementation, and the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in adolescents A cross-sectional analysis was conducted, utilizing data from adolescents participating in the 2003-2018 cycle of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Odds ratios (ORs) and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) pertaining to serum iron, dietary iron, and iron supplementation were derived through multivariate logistic regression models. Additionally, a restricted cubic spline (RCS) regression model was applied to explore the nonlinear relationship between dietary iron and serum iron concerning MetS. The study encompassed 4858 American adolescents aged 12 to 19, among whom 413 (8.5%) manifested MetS. The study cohort exhibited an average age of 15.52 years, comprising 2551 males (52.51%) and 2307 females (47.49%). Relative to individuals in the lowest serum iron quartile, those in the highest quartile for serum iron (OR = 0.33, 95% CI 0.21-0.50), the highest quartile for dietary iron (OR = 0.53, 95% CI 0.32-0.89), and those utilizing iron supplements (OR = 0.61, 95% CI 0.37-0.99) evinced a diminished prevalence of MetS, even post adjustment for potential confounding variables. A non-linear relationship was discerned between serum iron and MetS, exhibiting a statistically significant negative correlation when serum iron concentrations exceeded the inflection point (serum iron = 8.66 µmol/L, P for nonlinear < 0.001). This investigation reveals that higher levels of serum iron, increased dietary iron intake, and the use of iron supplements are linked to a lower prevalence of MetS in US adolescents. These findings suggest that dietary modifications could play a role in promoting the health of adolescents.

Association of blood metals with serum sex hormones in adults: A cross-sectional study.

Heavy metals such as lead, mercury, and cadmium have been identified to have negative impacts on human health. Although the individual effects of these metals have been extensively researched, the present study aims to explore their combined effects and their association with serum sex hormones among adults. Data for this study were obtained from the general adult population of the 2013-2016 National Health and Nutrition Survey (NHANES) and included five metal (mercury, cadmium, manganese, lead, and selenium) exposures and three sex hormones (total testosterone [TT], estradiol [E2], and sex hormone-binding globulin [SHBG]) levels. The free androgen index (FAI) and TT/E2 ratio were also calculated. The relationships between blood metals and serum sex hormones were analysed using linear regression and restricted cubic spline regression. The effect of blood metal mixtures on sex hormone levels was examined using the quantile g-computation (qgcomp) model. There were 3,499 participants in this study, including 1,940 males and 1,559 females. In males, positive relationships between blood cadmium and serum SHBG (ß=0.049 [0.006, 0.093]), lead and SHBG (ß=0.040 [0.002, 0.079]), manganese and FAI (ß=0.080 [0.016, 0.144]), and selenium and FAI (ß=0.278 [0.054, 0.502]) were observed. In contrast, manganese and SHBG (ß=-0.137 [-0.237, -0.037]), selenium and SHBG (ß=-0.281 [-0.533, -0.028]), and manganese and TT/E2 ratio (ß=-0.094 [-0.158, -0.029]) were negative associations. In females, blood cadmium and serum TT (ß=0.082 [0.023, 0.141]), manganese and E2 (ß=0.282 [0.072, 0.493]), cadmium and SHBG (ß=0.146 [0.089, 0.203]), lead and SHBG (ß=0.163 [0.095, 0.231]), and lead and TT/E2 ratio (ß=0.174 [0.056, 0.292]) were positive relationships, while lead and E2 (ß=-0.168 [-0.315, -0.021]) and FAI (ß=-0.157 [-0.228, -0.086]) were negative associations. This correlation was stronger among elderly women (>50 years old). The qgcomp analysis revealed that the positive effect of mixed metals on SHBG was mainly driven by cadmium, while the negative effect of mixed metals on FAI was mainly driven by lead. Our findings indicate that exposure to heavy metals may disrupt hormonal homeostasis in adults, particularly in older women.

Management of Long-Term Sores and Ulcers of Breast Cancer Survivors With Chinese Herbal Medicines: A Case Report.

Background: The treatment of long-term sores and ulcers of breast cancer metastatic recurrence is a serious challenge with successful cases rarely being documented. Herein we reported a successful case using the internal vitality supporting method of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM). Case Summary: A 59-year-old female Chinese patient, 10 years after breast cancer surgery, developed metastatic lesions in the lung. Thereafter she received radiofrequency ablation and adjuvant treatments for 1 year with severe sequelae, a right unhealed sore and ulcer. She became frustrated and depressive. And subsequently sought exclusive treatment under the guidance of a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) physician. The patient's condition was categorized as a Qi (or vitality) deficiency-related sore and ulcer. In the next six months, the patient still follows a traditional Chinese medicine therapeutic regimen based on the internal vitality supporting method of Chinese herbs. Conclusion: The sore and ulcer from the surgical wound were healed. Up to now, the tumor markers have remained stable. TCM personalized survivorship treatment and psychosocial support can help patients improve their quality of life after acute treatment and in the long-term for cancer survivors.

The Efficacy of Vitamin D Supplementation for Migraine: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Studies.

INTRODUCTION: The efficacy of vitamin D for migraine remains controversial. We conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to explore the influence of vitamin D versus placebo on treatment in migraine patients. METHODS: We search PubMed, EMbase, Web of Science, EBSCO, and Cochrane library databases through April 2020 for randomized controlled trials assessing the effect of vitamin D versus placebo on treatment efficacy in migraine patients. This meta-analysis is performed using the random-effect model. RESULTS: Five randomized controlled trials are included in the meta-analysis. Overall, compared with control group in migraine patients, vitamin D treatment is associated with substantially reduced number of headache days (standard mean difference [SMD], -0.53; 95% confidence interval [CI], -0.83 to -0.23; P = 0.0006), frequency of headache attacks (SMD, -1.09; 95% CI, -1.86 to -0.32; P = 0.006), headache severity (SMD, -0.55; 95% CI, -0.91 to -0.19; P = 0.0003), and Migraine Disability Assessment score (SMD, -0.76; 95% CI, -1.11 to -0.40; P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Vitamin D treatment is effective to alleviate migraine.

Potential Mechanisms for Traditional Chinese Medicine in Treating Airway Mucus Hypersecretion Associated With Coronavirus Disease 2019.

BACKGROUND: The rapid development of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has become a great threat to global health. Its mortality is associated with inflammation-related airway mucus hypersecretion and dysfunction of expectoration, and the subsequent mucus blockage of the bronchioles at critical stage is attributed to hypoxemia, complications, and even death. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has rich experience in expectorant, including treatment of COVID-19 patients with airway mucus dysfunction, yet little is known about the mechanisms. This study is aiming to explore the potential biological basis of TCM herbal expectorant for treating COVID-19. OBJECTIVE: To get core herbs with high used frequency applications in the actions of expectoration by using association rule algorithm and to investigate the multitarget mechanisms of core herbs in expectorant formulae for COVID-19 therapies. METHODS: Forty prescriptions for expectorant were retrieved from TCM Formulae. The ingredient compounds and targets of core herbs were collected from the TCMSP database, Gene-Cards, and NCBI. The protein interaction network (PPI) was constructed by SRING, and the network analysis was done by Cytoscape software. Bioconductor was applied for functional enrichment analysis of targets. RESULTS: The core herbs of expectorant could regulate core pathways (MAP kinase activity, cytokine receptor binding, G-protein-coupled receptor binding, etc.) via interactions of ingredients (glycyrol, citromitin, etc.) on mucin family to eliminate phlegm. CONCLUSION: TCM herbal expectorant could regulate MAPK and cytokine-related pathways, thereby modulating Mucin-family to affect mucus generation and clearance and eventually retarding the deterioration of COVID-19 disease.

The Effect of Daily Fluid Management and Beverages Consumption on the Risk of Bladder Cancer: A Meta-analysis of Observational Study.

Epidemiological studies have evaluated the risk of bladder cancer (BCa) in relation to total fluid intake, as well as specific type of beverages consumption, with controversial results. The aim of this study was to further explore the potential relationship by conducting a meta-analysis. Fifty-four articles involving more than 43,000 BCa patients were included in this meta-analysis. A positive, though not statistically significant, association was found between total fluid intake and risk of BCa comparing the highest with lowest intake (SRRE: 1.16, 95%CI: 1.00-1.36). By conducting dose-response meta-analysis, we found that each 500 ml/day increase in total fluid intake was associated with 3.3% increased risk of BCa (RR: 1.03, 95%CI: 1.00-1.07). Pronounced increase in risk of BCa was detected when total fluid intake was more than 3000 ml/day. Meta-analyses of specific type of beverages showed increasing intake of coffee (RR: 1.03, 95%CI: 1.02-1.05) were risk factors for BCa. On the contrary, increasing intake of milk appeared to be a potential protective factor for BCa (RR: 0.90, 95%CI: 0.83-0.98). The risk of BCa was not significantly related to intake of water (RR: 1.01, 95%CI: 0.98-1.03), alcohol (RR: 1.01, 95%CI: 0.97-1.05), tea (RR: 1.01, 95%CI: 0.97-1.05) and soft drinks (RR: 1.04, 95%CI: 0.96-1.11).

Poor Prognosis in Acute Myeloid Leukemia Patients with Monosomal Karyotypes.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics and prognostic significance of monosomal karyotypes (MKs) in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data for 498 patients with AML, of whom 233 (46.8%) had an abnormal karyotype, including 42 with MKs (8.4%) and 70 with a complex karyotype (CK) (14.1%). RESULTS: Patients with MKs were older (median age 62.5 vs. 52 years, p=0.003) and had lower median hemoglobin levels (62.5 vs. 77 g/L, p=0.009) and lower white blood cell counts (7.0×109/L vs. 11.7×109/L, p=0.008). Univariate analysis showed that patients with MKs or CKs had shorter overall survival than patients without these karyotypes (median survival time 7.3 vs. 26.3 months for MK, p<0.001, and 14.8 vs. 26.3 months for CK, p<0.001). In multivariable analysis for overall survival, MK and National Comprehensive Cancer Network prognostic group were the only significant factors. CONCLUSION: MK is an independent risk factor for poor prognosis in AML patients.

Differential developmental strategies by Sonic hedgehog in thalamus and hypothalamus.

The traditional concept of diencephalon (thalamus plus hypothalamus) and with it the entire traditional subdivision of the developing neural tube are being challenged by novel insights obtained by mapping the expression of key developmental genes. A model in which the hypothalamus is placed in the most rostral portion of the neural tube, followed caudally by a diencephalon formed by prethalamus, thalamus and pretectum has been proposed. The adult thalamus and hypothalamus are quite unlike each other in connectivity and functions. Here we review work on the role of the secreted morphogen protein Sonic hedgehog (Shh) in the developing diencephalon and hypothalamic region to show how different these two regions are also from this point of view. Shh from the prechordal plate (PCP) induces and patterns the hypothalamus but there is no evidence that this role is fulfilled by a morphogen gradient. Later, the hypothalamic primordium itself expresses Shh and a large part of the hypothalamus belongs to the Shh lineage, including the ventral domains. Neural Shh is necessary to complete the specification (lateral hypothalamus), differentiation and growth of the hypothalamus. Although Gli2A is the major effector of Shh in this region, hypothalamic specification also depends on the suppression of Gli3R by Shh secreted by the PCP as well as the neuroepithelium. The thalamus is patterned by an Shh morphogen gradient originated in the ZLI following similar mechanisms to those in the spinal cord. The thalamus itself does not belong to the Shh lineage. Gli2A is necessary for appropriate growth and specification of the thalamic nuclei, to the exception of the medial and intralaminar groups (limbic-related), whose development depends on Gli3R. Beyond specification and patterning, the scarce data available about cell sorting and aggregation in these two regions shows key differences between them as well. In summary, not only expression patterns but also developmental mechanisms support a separation of the traditional thalamus and hypothalamus into different prosomeric domains.

Treatment with Huperzine A improves cognition in vascular dementia patients.

UNLABELLED: In the present study, we tested the efficacy and safety of Huperzine A in treatment of mild to moderate vascular dementia (VaD). This was a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study with 78 patients with mild to moderate VaD. The participants were randomized to receive either vitamin C (100-mg bid) as placebo (n = 39) or Huperzine A (0.1-mg bid) (n = 39) for 12 consecutive weeks. The mini-mental state examination (MMSE), clinical dementia rating (CDR), and activities of daily living (ADL) scores were used for the assessment of cognition. The assessments were made prior to treatment, and 4, 8, and 12 weeks of the treatment. The adverse effects of the treatment were also recorded. After 12 weeks of treatment, the MMSE, CDR, and ADL scores significantly improved in the Huperzine A group (P < 0.01 for all comparisons), whereas the placebo group did not show any such improvement (P > 0.05 for all comparisons). No serious adverse events were recorded during the treatment. CONCLUSION: Huperzine A can significantly improve the cognitive function in patients with mild to moderate vascular dementia. Further, the medicament is safe.