Association between triglyceride-glucose index and colorectal polyps: A retrospective cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Colorectal polyps (CPs) are frequently occurring abnormal growths in the colorectum, and are a primary precursor of colorectal cancer (CRC). The triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index is a novel marker that assesses metabolic health and insulin resistance, and has been linked to gastrointestinal cancers. AIM: To investigate the potential association between the TyG index and CPs, as the relation between them has not been documented. METHODS: A total of 2537 persons undergoing a routine health physical examination and colonoscopy at The First People's Hospital of Kunshan, Jiangsu Province, China, between January 2020 and December 2022 were included in this retrospective cross-sectional study. After excluding individuals who did not meet the eligibility criteria, descriptive statistics were used to compare characteristics between patients with and without CPs. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine the associations between the TyG index and the prevalence of CPs. The TyG index was calculated using the following formula: Ln [triglyceride (mg/dL) × glucose (mg/dL)/2]. The presence and types of CPs was determined based on data from colonoscopy reports and pathology reports. RESULTS: A nonlinear relation between the TyG index and the prevalence of CPs was identified, and exhibited a curvilinear pattern with a cut-off point of 2.31. A significant association was observed before the turning point, with an odds ratio (95% confidence interval) of 1.70 (1.40, 2.06), P < 0.0001. However, the association between the TyG index and CPs was not significant after the cut-off point, with an odds ratio (95% confidence interval) of 0.57 (0.27, 1.23), P = 0.1521. CONCLUSION: Our study revealed a curvilinear association between the TyG index and CPs in Chinese individuals, suggesting its potential utility in developing colonoscopy screening strategies for preventing CRC.

Corrigendum: Organization, phylogenetic marker exploitation, and gene evolution in the plastome of Thalictrum (Ranunculaceae).

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.897843.].

Cinnamtannin D1 ameliorates DSS-induced colitis by preventing Th17/Treg imbalance through activation of the AMPK/mTOR pathway.

BACKGROUND: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic idiopathic gastrointestinal disease, including ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD), which is typically characterized by chronicity and relapse. Cinnamtannin D1 (CTD1), extracted from Cinnamomum tamala, has been found to exert good immunosuppressive activity. However, the role of CTD1 in IBD is unclear. METHODS: The colitis mice model was established by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) treatment. Protein levels (p-STAT3/STAT3, ROR-γt, p-STAT5/STAT5, FOXP3, p-AMPK/AMPK, and p-mTOR/mTOR) were examined using Western blotting analysis. Changes in histopathology were detected through hematoxylin and eosin staining. The proportion of T helper 17 (Th17) cells and regulatory T (Treg) cells was measured by flow cytometry analysis. RESULTS: CTD1 improved body weight and colon length, and alleviated inflammation and histological damage in DSS-induced colitis mice model. DSS treatment also demonstrated a negative effect on Th17-Treg cells balance whereas CTD1 restored the balance of Th17- Treg cells in DSS-induced colitis mice model. Regulatory factors (such as STAT3, ROR-γt, STAT5, and FOXP3) that closely related to the balance of Th17-Treg cells were regulated by CTD1. In addition, AMPK phosphorylation was increased and mTOR phosphorylation was inhibited by CTD1 in DSS-induced colitis mice model. CONCLUSION: These findings established that CTD1 improved DSS-induced colitis by suppressing Th17-Treg cells balance by activating the AMPK/mTOR pathway. This study provided a new strategy for developing novel treatments for patients with IBD.

Organization, Phylogenetic Marker Exploitation, and Gene Evolution in the Plastome of Thalictrum (Ranunculaceae).

Thalictrum is a phylogenetically and economically important genus in the family Ranunculaceae, but is also regarded as one of the most challengingly difficult in plants for resolving the taxonomical and phylogenetical relationships of constituent taxa within this genus. Here, we sequenced the complete plastid genomes of two Thalictrum species using Illumina sequencing technology via de novo assembly. The two Thalictrum plastomes exhibited circular and typical quadripartite structure that was rather conserved in overall structure and the synteny of gene order. By updating the previously reported plastome annotation of other nine Thalictrum species, we found that the expansion or contraction of the inverted repeat region affect the boundary of the single-copy regions in Thalictrum plastome. We identified eight highly variable noncoding regions-infA-rps8, ccsA-ndhD, trnSUGA-psbZ, trnHGUG-psbA, rpl16-rps3, ndhG-ndhI, ndhD-psaC, and ndhJ-ndhK-that can be further used for molecular identification, phylogenetic, and phylogeographic in different species. Selective pressure and codon usage bias of all the plastid coding genes were also analyzed for the 11 species. Phylogenetic relationships showed Thalictrum is monophyly and divided into two major clades based on 11 Thalictrum plastomes. The availability of these plastomes offers valuable genetic information for accurate identification of species and taxonomy, phylogenetic resolution, and evolutionary studies of Thalictrum, and should assist with exploration and utilization of Thalictrum plants.

Frontoparietal paired associative stimulation versus single-site stimulation for generalized anxiety disorder: a pilot rTMS study.

BACKGROUND: At present, the use of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is limited to single-site interventions. We investigated whether dual-site frontoparietal stimulation delivered using cortical-cortical paired associative stimulation (ccPAS) had stronger clinical efficacy than single-site stimulation in patients with GAD. METHODS: We randomized 50 patients with GAD to 1 Hz rTMS (10 sessions) using 1 of the following protocols: single-site stimulation over the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC; 1500 pulses per session); single-site stimulation over the right posterior parietal cortex (PPC; 1500 pulses per session); repetitive dual-site ccPAS (rds-ccPAS) over the right dlPFC and right PPC with 1500 pulses per session (rd-ccPAS-1500); or rds-ccPAS over the right dlPFC and right PPC with 750 pulses per session (rd-ccPAS-750). Both rds-ccPAS treatments used a between-site interval of 100 ms. RESULTS: Clinical scores for anxiety, depression and insomnia were reduced in all 4 groups after treatment. We found greater improvements in anxiety symptoms in the rds-ccPAS-1500 group compared to the rds-ccPAS-750 and single-site groups. We found greater improvements in depression symptoms and insomnia in the rds-PAS-1500 group compared to the single-site groups. The rds-ccPAS-1500 group also showed significant or trend-level improvements in anxiety symptoms and insomnia at 10-day and 1-month followup. More patients responded to treatment with rds-ccPAS-1500 than with single-site stimulation. The between-group differences in response rates persisted to the 3-month follow-up. Treatment using rds-ccPAS with a between-site interval of 100 ms induced a more significant improvement than the between-site interval of 50 ms we evaluated in a previous study. LIMITATIONS: These results need to be replicated in a larger sample using sham control and equal-pulse single-site stimulation. CONCLUSION: Frontoparietal rds-ccPAS may be a better treatment option for GAD.

Pilot study of the Mini Nutritional Assessment on predicting outcomes in older adults with type 2 diabetes.

AIM: To date, few studies have focused on the nutritional status of elderly hospitalized patients with diabetes. Our aims were to explore the prevalence of malnutrition among elderly diabetes patients admitted to the hospital, and to explore the relationships between malnutrition and geriatric syndromes, diabetic complications, and clinical outcomes. METHODS: A prospective, observational study including diabetes patients aged ≥65 years was carried out in a central hospital in Western China. Nutritional status was assessed using the Mini Nutritional Assessment incorporated into a comprehensive geriatric assessment. Follow up was carried out for ≤2.8 years. RESULTS: Of 302 participants, the prevalence of malnutrition, risk of malnutrition, and normal nutrition was 18.5%, 33.1% and 48.3%, respectively. In multivariate analysis, incontinence (odds ratio [OR] 3.17, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.08-9.36), diabetic microvascular complications (OR 2.22, 95% CI 1.06-4.61) and activities of daily living (ADL) dependence (OR 11.6, 95% CI 5.10-26.5) were independently associated with malnutrition. Malnourished patients had longer hospital stays (P = 0.003) and higher mortality rates (P < 0.001) than patients either at risk of malnutrition or with a normal nutritional status. Multivariate analysis also showed that malnutrition was independently associated with an increased risk of death (OR 2.86, 95% CI 1.30-6.28). CONCLUSIONS: The present study showed a high prevalence of malnutrition among elderly diabetes patients hospitalized for geriatric care. Considering the negative impact of malnutrition on hospital stay and mortality, adequate nutritional care should be emphasized for each elderly patient with diabetes, regardless of body mass index. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017; 17: 2485-2492.

Blockade of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway ameliorates delayed gastric emptying in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Gastrointestinal dysfunction is one of the major complications of diabetes. The roles of inflammation in diabetes and its associated complications are increasingly recognized. p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) has been shown to be involved in the production of pro-inflammatory mediators. The aims of this study were to investigate the effects of SB203580, a specific p38 MAPK inhibitor, on delayed gastric emptying in diabetic rats and to elucidate its possible mechanism. METHODS: SB203580 was administered in diabetic rats induced by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin. The gastric emptying rate of rats was measured by using phenol red solution, and blood glucose levels and body weights were observed. p38 MAPK activity and iNOS expression were assessed by Western blot analysis. The expression of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin (IL)-1ß were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: Gastric emptying was delayed significantly in diabetic rats and improved significantly with SB203580; high glucose significantly activated p38 MAPK and increased the expression of iNOS, TNF-α and IL-1ß. The administration of SB203580 led to a significant decrease in the activation of p38 MAPK and the expression of iNOS, TNF-α and IL-1ß. CONCLUSIONS: Inflammation was associated with the development of delayed gastric emptying, and blockade of p38 MAPK pathway with SB203580 ameliorates delayed gastric emptying in diabetic rats, at least in part, by inhibiting the expression of iNOS, TNF-a and IL-1ß. Therefore, p38MAPK may serve as a novel target for the therapy of diabetes-related gastrointestinal dysmotility.

Hereditary angioedema: A rare cause of recurrent abdominal pain.

Hereditary angioedema is a rare autosomal dominant inherited disease which is characterized by an episodic, self-limiting increase in vascular permeability. Symptoms commonly involve in nonpitting, nonpruritic skin swellings. We present a case of hereditary angioedema. The patinets complained of a recurrent abdominal pain without accompanying skin swelling whose diagnosis was delayed nearly 20 years and accepted an unnecessary surgery. According to the decreased serum C1-inhibitor and C4 concentration, the patient was finally diagnosed with hereditary angioedema type I. After treatment with danazole, the patient reported a significant decrease in the frequency of attacks and the severity of pain. HAE is a rare cause of abdominal pain, however it needs to be taken as one of the differential diagnosis of various acute abdomens in order to avoid unnecessary surgeries.

Glial-derived neurotrophic factor reduces inflammation and improves delayed colonic transit in rat models of dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis.

BACKGROUND: Intestinal inflammation is well known to cause gut dysmotility through the effects on the enteric nervous system. Glial-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) has been demonstrated to have anti-inflammatory effects and neuronal protective actions. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the GDNF could improve inflammation-induced gut dysmotility. METHODS: Recombinant adenoviral vectors encoding GDNF (Ad-GDNF) were administered intracolonically in experimental colitis induced by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS). The disease activity index (DAI) and histological score were measured. Colonic transit was measured by using phenol red and assessed with the geometric center. PGP 9.5 immunostaining was used to examine the number and distribution of enteric neurons. The expression of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß), and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity were measured by ELISA assay. The expression of Akt, caspase-3, bcl-2 and PGP 9.5 was analyzed by western blot assay. RESULTS: A significant neuronal cell loss and a significant delay in colonic transit accompanied with the neuronal loss following inflammation were observed. GDNF prevented partially the loss of enteric neurons and ameliorated significantly experimental colitis and delayed colonic transit by, at least in part, down-regulation of TNF-α and IL-1ß expression, decrease of infiltration of leukocytes, and inhibition of neuronal cell apoptosis. CONCLUSIONS: GDNF reduces inflammation and improves delayed colonic transit in DSS-induced colitis. GDNF may be a useful therapeutic agent for the treatment of gut dysmotility in patients with UC.