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  1. Zhao Z, Gao Y, Sui W, Zhang Z, Feng L, Wang Z, et al.
    BMJ Open, 2024 Aug 17;14(8):e081485.
    PMID: 39153776 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-081485
    OBJECTIVES: To seek a triple combination of biomarkers for early diagnosis of chronic kidney disease-mineral and bone metabolic disorder and to explore the diagnostic efficacy of β2-microglobulin, parathyroid hormone and blood urea nitrogen in chronic kidney disease-mineral and bone metabolic disorder.

    PARTICIPANTS: We collected medical records of 864 patients with chronic kidney disease (without direct contact with patients) and divided them into two groups based on the renal bone disease manifestations of all patients.

    PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: There were 148 and 716 subjects in the Chronic kidney disease-mineral and bone metabolic disorder and the control groups, respectively. The aggregated data included basic information and various clinical laboratory indicators, such as blood lipid profile, antibody and electrolyte levels, along with renal function-related indicators.

    RESULTS: It was observed that most renal osteopathy occurs in the later stages of chronic kidney disease. In the comparison of two clinical laboratory indicators, 16 factors were selected for curve analysis and compared. We discovered that factors with high diagnostic values were β2-microglobulin, parathyroid hormone and blood urea nitrogen.

    CONCLUSIONS: The triple combination of β2-microglobulin+parathyroid hormone+blood urea nitrogen indicators can play the crucial role of a sensitive indicator for the early diagnosis of chronic kidney disease-mineral and bone metabolic disorder and in preventing or delaying the progress of chronic kidney disease-mineral and bone metabolic disorder.

    Matched MeSH terms: Blood Urea Nitrogen*; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic/blood
  2. Tan AF, Sakam SSB, Piera K, Rajahram GS, William T, Barber BE, et al.
    PLoS Negl Trop Dis, 2024 Aug;18(8):e0012424.
    PMID: 39150978 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0012424
    The risk of severe malaria from the zoonotic parasite Plasmodium knowlesi approximates that from P. falciparum. In severe falciparum malaria, neutrophil activation contributes to inflammatory pathogenesis, including acute lung injury (ALI). The role of neutrophil activation in the pathogenesis of severe knowlesi malaria has not been examined. We evaluated 213 patients with P. knowlesi mono-infection (138 non-severe, 75 severe) and 49 Plasmodium-negative controls from Malaysia. Markers of neutrophil activation (soluble neutrophil elastase [NE], citrullinated histone [CitH3] and circulating neutrophil extracellular traps [NETs]) were quantified in peripheral blood by microscopy and immunoassays. Findings were correlated with malaria severity, ALI clinical criteria, biomarkers of parasite biomass, haemolysis, and endothelial activation. Neutrophil activation increased with disease severity, with median levels higher in severe than non-severe malaria and controls for NE (380[IQR:210-930]ng/mL, 236[139-448]ng/mL, 218[134-307]ng/mL, respectively) and CitH3 (8.72[IQR:3.0-23.1]ng/mL, 4.29[1.46-9.49]ng/mL, 1.53[0.6-2.59]ng/mL, respectively)[all p<0.01]. NETs were higher in severe malaria compared to controls (126/μL[IQR:49-323] vs 51[20-75]/μL, p<0.001). In non-severe malaria, neutrophil activation fell significantly upon discharge from hospital (p<0.03). In severe disease, NETs, NE, and CitH3 were correlated with parasitaemia, cell-free haemoglobin and angiopoietin-2 (all Pearson's r>0.24, p<0.05). Plasma NE and angiopoietin-2 were higher in knowlesi patients with ALI than those without (p<0.008); neutrophilia was associated with an increased risk of ALI (aOR 3.27, p<0.01). In conclusion, neutrophil activation is increased in ALI and in proportion to disease severity in knowlesi malaria, is associated with endothelial activation, and may contribute to disease pathogenesis. Trials of adjunctive therapies to regulate neutrophil activation are warranted in severe knowlesi malaria.
    Matched MeSH terms: Histones/blood; Biomarkers/blood; Leukocyte Elastase/blood
  3. AbuBakar N, Behnke JM, Sahimin N, Kang X, Mohd Shahar SN, Lim YAL, et al.
    PLoS One, 2025;20(1):e0317349.
    PMID: 39820186 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0317349
    Dengue remains the most rapidly advancing vector-borne disease in the world, and while the disease burden is predominantly in low-to-middle-income countries, the association with poverty remains in question. Consequently, a study was undertaken to evaluate the prevalence of anti-dengue antibodies among individuals residing in the People's Housing Program (PPR), a government-sponsored low-cost housing initiative targeting low-income earners. This type of public housing often faces challenges, including substandard housing facilities. Therefore this study took into consideration several social determinants of health, including the economic, environmental, and social conditions that contribute towards dengue transmission. The research was conducted over a period of 18 months across 14 PPRs in Klang Valley, Malaysia. Overall seroprevalence of anti-dengue immunoglobulin G (IgG) was 78.2% (CL: 72.5-83.1) among the 436 residents who participated in the study, while seroprevalence of anti-dengue IgM was 0.9% (CL: 0.2-3.2). Log-linear statistical models with the presence/absence of anti-dengue IgG and individual factors showed significant associations of anti-dengue IgG with age, income, location, and waste bin conditions, but ethnicity was just at the wrong side of the cut-off for significance. However, a multifactorial model, in which all relevant factors were taken into account, showed that location and ethnicity were the key risk factors. For anti-dengue IgM, the only significant association was with the presence of stagnant water bodies around the compounds. Findings from this study highlight an acute need for improvements in the environmental and societal health of those residing in PPRs in locations that are particularly at risk, and continuous community empowerment to ensure that the preventive measures taken to eradicate dengue are locally sustainable.
    Matched MeSH terms: Antibodies, Viral/blood; Immunoglobulin G/blood; Immunoglobulin M/blood
  4. Hong J, Crawford K, Cavanagh E, Clifton V, da Silva Costa F, Perkins AV, et al.
    Placenta, 2025 Feb;160:51-59.
    PMID: 39765048 DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2024.12.025
    INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to evaluate differences in circulating maternal placental biomarkers and fetoplacental Dopplers in women with diabetes mellitus in pregnancy (DIP) with prenatally identified small fetuses (defined as <20th centile for gestational age) compared to women with small fetuses without DIP.

    METHODS: This was a prospective cohort study of women with DIP with small infants compared to a non-diabetic cohort with similarly small fetuses. Multivariable logistic regression was used to evaluate the effect of DIP on placental biomarkers, fetoplacental Dopplers, and adverse perinatal outcomes.

    RESULTS: There were 447 pregnancies in this study - 117 (26.2 %) had DIP and 330 (73.8 %) did not have diabetes. Of the DIP cohort, 57 (48.7 %) had early-onset and 27 (23.1 %) had late-onset FGR. Higher rates of low PlGF levels<100 ng/L (42.1 % vs. 25.7 %,p = 0.002), high sFlt-1/PlGF ratio (39.6 % vs. 25.4 %,p = 0.006), low MCA PI 

    Matched MeSH terms: Fetal Growth Retardation/blood; Diabetes, Gestational/blood; Placenta Growth Factor/blood
  5. Teh XR, Looareesuwan P, Pattanaprateep O, Pattanateepapon A, Attia J, Thakkinstian A
    BMC Med Inform Decis Mak, 2025 Mar 17;25(1):134.
    PMID: 40098113 DOI: 10.1186/s12911-025-02964-2
    BACKGROUND: Identification of prognostic factors for diabetes complications are crucial. Glucose variability (GV) and its association with diabetes have been studied extensively but the inclusion of measures of glucose variability (GVs) in prognostic models is largely lacking. This study aims to assess which GVs (i.e., coefficient of variation (CV), standard deviation (SD), and time-varying) are better in predicting diabetic complications, including cardiovascular disease (CVD), diabetic retinopathy (DR), and chronic kidney disease (CKD). The model performance between traditional statistical models (adjusting for covariates) and machine learning (ML) models were compared.

    METHODS: A retrospective cohort of type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients between 2010 and 2019 in Ramathibodi Hospital was created. Complete case analyses were used. Three GVs using HbA1c and fasting plasma glucose (FPG) were considered including CV, SD, and time-varying. Cox proportional hazard regression, ML random survival forest (RSF) and left-truncated, right-censored (LTRC) survival forest were compared in two different data formats (baseline and longitudinal datasets). Adjusted hazard ratios with 95% confidence intervals were used to report the association between three GVs and diabetes complications. Model performance was evaluated using C-statistics along with feature importance in ML models.

    RESULTS: A total of 40,662 T2D patients, mostly female (61.7%), with mean age of 57.2 years were included. After adjusting for covariates, HbA1c-CV, HbA1c-SD, FPG-CV and FPG-SD were all associated with CVD, DR and CKD, whereas time-varying HbA1c and FPG were associated with DR and CKD only. The CPH and RSF for DR (C-indices: 0.748-0.758 and 0.774-0.787) and CKD models (C-indices: 0.734-0.750 and 0.724-0.740) had modestly better performance than CVD models (C-indices: 0.703-0.730 and 0.698-0.727). Based on RSF feature importance, FPG GV measures ranked higher than HbA1c GV, and both GVs were the most important for DR prediction. Both traditional and ML models had similar performance.

    CONCLUSIONS: We found that GVs based on HbA1c and FPG had comparable performance. Thus, FPG GV may be used as a potential monitoring parameter when HbA1c is unavailable or less accessible.

    Matched MeSH terms: Blood Glucose*; Diabetes Complications/blood
  6. Yeo JJP, Yeo LS, Tan SSN, Delailah DDRA, Lee SWH, Hu ATH, et al.
    Hypertens Res, 2024 Feb;47(2):352-357.
    PMID: 37673957 DOI: 10.1038/s41440-023-01418-4
    Resistant hypertension is a well-recognised clinical challenge. However, the definition and epidemiology of true resistant hypertension (RH) are less understood, especially in Asia. This cross-sectional study examined the prevalence of RH referred from primary care clinics based on various guidelines. RH was defined as blood pressure (BP) being above the threshold using ambulatory blood pressure monitoring despite adequate lifestyle measures and optimal treatment with ≥3 medications at maximally tolerated doses. Between one in four (n = 94, 24.0% using Malaysian guidelines) and up to two-thirds (n = 249, 63.7% using 2018 American guidelines) of adults referred for uncontrolled hypertension met the criteria of true RH. Of those with RH, a further one-quarter (n = 26, 26.6%) were deemed to have refractory hypertension (elevated BP despite treatment with at least 5 antihypertensive medications). Adults with RH were generally younger, more likely to be male, had a higher BMI and were more likely to have gout, CKD, and angina compared to those with controlled hypertension. The prevalence of RH amongst Asian adults with poor hypertension control is high. A concerted effort is needed to reduce the high burden of RH, especially among this population.
    Matched MeSH terms: Blood Pressure/physiology; Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory*
  7. Draman N, Che Abdullah CNA, Mohamad N, Mat Yudin Z, Ahmad WMAW, Mohd Rosli RR, et al.
    Curr Diabetes Rev, 2026;22(10):e15733998451787.
    PMID: 41935358 DOI: 10.2174/0115733998451787260317083008
    INTRODUCTION: Distal symmetric polyneuropathy (DSPN) is a debilitating diabetic complication that impairs Quality of Life (QoL). This study evaluated the effects of Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA) plus B vitamins on QoL and metabolic parameters in diabetic patients with symptomatic DSPN.

    METHODS: In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 80 patients were allocated to receive either oral ALA plus B vitamins, i.e., Bionerv® (n =40) (intervention group) or placebo (n = 40) for 12 weeks. QoL, Body Mass Index (BMI), and Blood Pressure (BP) were assessed at baseline, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks. QoL was measured using the Revised Diabetes Quality of Life Questionnaire (Rv-DQoL), where higher scores indicate poorer QoL. Metabolic parameters (glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c), fasting blood sugar (FBS), fasting lipid profile (FLP) were assessed at baseline and 12 weeks.

    RESULTS: In the intervention group, the mean Rv-DQoL score decreased significantly in withingroup analysis from 29.50 ± 5.25 at baseline to 24.37 ± 3.43 at week 12 [F(2,156)=55.16; p-value <0.001]. However, between-group differences were not significant (p-value =0.151). Blood pressure also declined significantly within the intervention group (p-value <0.05), but no significant differences were observed between the placebo and intervention groups (p-value >0.05). Metabolic parameters (HbA1c, FBS, FLP, BMI) showed no significant changes between intervention and control groups (p-value >0.05).

    DISCUSSION: Twelve-week treatment with ALA plus B vitamins resulted in improvements in QoL and BP among DSPN patients. However, these changes did not reach statistical significance compared with placebo, and no alterations in metabolic parameters were observed. The short duration and small sample size may have limited the detectability of effects.

    CONCLUSION: Twelve weeks of treatment with ALA and B vitamins resulted in an improvement in QoL and BP among DSPN patients. However, these changes did not reach statistical significance compared with placebo, and no alterations in metabolic parameters were observed.

    Matched MeSH terms: Blood Glucose/metabolism; Blood Pressure/drug effects
  8. Wendel K, Akkök ÇA, Kutzsche S
    BMJ Case Rep, 2017 Jul 05;2017.
    PMID: 28679510 DOI: 10.1136/bcr-2016-218269
    Neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopaenia (NAIT) generally results from platelet opsonisation by maternal antibodies against fetal platelet antigens inherited from the infant's father. Newborn monochorionic twins presented with petechial haemorrhages at 10 hours of life, along with severe thrombocytopaenia. Despite the initial treatment with platelet transfusions and intravenous immunoglobulin, they both had persistent thrombocytopaenia during their first 45 days of life. Class I human leucocyte antigen (HLA) antibodies with broad specificity against several HLA-B antigens were detected in the maternal serum. Weak antibodies against HLA-B57 and HLA-B58 in sera from both twins supported NAIT as the most likely diagnosis. Platelet transfusion requirements of the twins lasted for 7 weeks. Transfusion of HLA-matched platelet concentrates was more efficacious to manage thrombocytopaenia compared with platelet concentrates from random donors. Platelet genotyping and determination of HLA antibody specificity are needed to select compatible platelet units to expedite safe recovery from thrombocytopaenia in NAIT.
    Matched MeSH terms: Antibodies/blood*; Blood Platelets/metabolism*; HLA-B Antigens/blood*; Antigens, Human Platelet/blood*; Thrombocytopenia, Neonatal Alloimmune/blood
  9. Loh SY, Giribabu N, Salleh N
    Steroids, 2017 Dec;128:128-135.
    PMID: 28954214 DOI: 10.1016/j.steroids.2017.09.008
    We hypothesized that testosterone-induced increase in blood pressure involve changes in aldosterone levels and expression of epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) in the kidneys.

    METHODS: Ovariectomized female normotensive Wistar Kyoto (WKY) and Spontaneous hypertensive (SHR) rats were given six weeks treatment with testosterone via subcutaneous silastic implant. The rats were anesthetized and mean arterial pressure (MAP) was measured via direct cannulation of the carotid artery. Animals were sacrificed and kidneys were removed and subjected for α, β and γ-ENaC protein and mRNA expression analyses by Western blotting and Real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), respectively. Distributions of α, β and γ-ENaC proteins in kidneys were observed by immunofluorescence. Plasma testosterone, aldosterone, electrolytes, osmolality, urea and creatinine levels were determined by biochemical assays. Analysis were also performed in non-testosterone treated orchidectomized and sham-operated male WKY and SHR rats.

    RESULTS: Treatment of ovariectomized female WKY and SHR rats with testosterone causes increased in MAP but decreased in plasma aldosterone, sodium (Na+), osmolality and expression and distribution of α, β and γ-ENaC subunits in the kidneys. Orchidectomy decreased the MAP but increased plasma aldosterone, Na+, osmolality and α, β and γ-ENaC expression and distribution in the kidneys of male WKY and SHR rats.

    CONCLUSIONS: Decreased in plasma aldosterone, Na+ and ENaC levels in kidneys under testosterone influence indicated that testosterone-induced increased in MAP were not due to increased plasma aldosterone and ENaC levels in kidneys, and thus the testosterone effect on MAP likely involve other mechanisms.

    Matched MeSH terms: Aldosterone/blood; Blood Pressure/drug effects; Electrolytes/blood; Hypertension/blood; Sodium/blood
  10. Kruger MC, Chan YM, Lau LT, Lau CC, Chin YS, Kuhn-Sherlock B, et al.
    Eur J Nutr, 2018 Dec;57(8):2785-2794.
    PMID: 28975432 DOI: 10.1007/s00394-017-1544-6
    PURPOSE: In Malaysia, hip fracture incidence is higher in Chinese women than other ethnic groups. This study compared the effects of a high-calcium vitamin D fortified milk with added FOS-inulin versus regular milk over 1 year on aspects of bone health in Chinese postmenopausal women in Malaysia.

    METHODS: One-hundred and twenty-one women (mean age 59 (± 4) years) were randomized into two groups: control (n = 60; regular milk, 428 mg calcium per day) or intervention (n = 61; fortified milk at 1200 mg calcium, 96 mg magnesium, 2.4 mg zinc, 15 μg vitamin D and 4 g FOS-inulin per day). At baseline, weeks 12, 24, 36 and 52, parathyroid hormone (PTH), C-Telopeptide of Type I Collagen (CTx-1), Procollagen I Intact N-Terminal propeptide (PINP) and vitamin D levels were assessed. Bone density (BMD) was measured at baseline and week 52 using a GE Lunar iDXA.

    RESULTS: Body mass index, lumbar spine and femoral neck BMD did not differ between groups at baseline. Over 52 weeks, mean plasma 25 (OH) D3 levels increased to 74.8 nmol/L (intervention group) or remained at 63.1 nmol/L (control group) (p 

    Matched MeSH terms: Calcium, Dietary/blood; Parathyroid Hormone/blood; Peptides/blood; Procollagen/blood; Vitamin D/blood; Collagen Type I/blood
  11. Ariffin H, Azanan MS, Abd Ghafar SS, Oh L, Lau KH, Thirunavakarasu T, et al.
    Cancer, 2017 Nov 01;123(21):4207-4214.
    PMID: 28654149 DOI: 10.1002/cncr.30857
    BACKGROUND: Large epidemiologic studies have reported the premature onset of age-related conditions, such as ischemic heart disease and diabetes mellitus, in childhood cancer survivors, decades earlier than in their peers. The authors investigated whether young adult survivors of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) have a biologic phenotype of cellular ageing and chronic inflammation.

    METHODS: Plasma inflammatory cytokines were measured using a cytometric bead array in 87 asymptomatic young adult survivors of childhood ALL (median age, 25 years; age range, 18-35 years) who attended annual follow-up clinic and compared with healthy, age-matched and sex-matched controls. Leukocyte telomere length (LTL) was measured using Southern blot analysis.

    RESULTS: Survivors had significant elevation of plasma interleukin-2 (IL-2), IL-10, IL-17a, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels (all P 0.8 mg/dL) was related to increased odds of having metabolic syndrome (odds ratio, 7.256; 95% confidence interval, 1.501-35.074). Survivors also had significantly shorter LTL compared with controls (median, 9866 vs 10,392 base pairs; P = .021). Compared with published data, LTL in survivors was similar to that in healthy individuals aged 20 years older. Survivors who received cranial irradiation had shorter LTL compared with those who had not (P = .013).

    CONCLUSIONS: Asymptomatic young adult survivors of childhood ALL demonstrate a biologic profile of chronic inflammation and telomere attrition, consistent with an early onset of cellular processes that drive accelerated aging. These processes may explain the premature development of age-related chronic conditions in childhood cancer survivors. Understanding their molecular basis may facilitate targeted interventions to disrupt the accelerated aging process and its long-term impact on overall health. Cancer 2017;123:4207-4214. © 2017 American Cancer Society.

    Matched MeSH terms: Inflammation/blood*; Interleukin-2/blood; Interleukins/blood*; Biomarkers/blood; Interleukin-10/blood; Interleukin-17/blood
  12. Chua CS, Huang SY, Cheng CW, Bai CH, Hsu CY, Chiu HW, et al.
    Medicine (Baltimore), 2017 Dec;96(49):e9094.
    PMID: 29245334 DOI: 10.1097/MD.0000000000009094
    Abdominal pain is one of the key symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Studies have indicated an increase in the incidence of IBS in Asia. However, yet the pathophysiology of this disease remains unknown. Women are more likely to develop the condition than men, especially the constipation-predominant type. Essential fatty acid (EFA) malnutrition is one of several theories discussing the mechanism of IBS.The authors hypothesized that significant EFA deficiency may cause abdominal pain in patients with IBS. However, because patterns in the oral intake of EFAs differ between cultures, the authors narrowed this study to examine the nutritional status of Asian female patients with IBSThe authors investigated Asian female patients with IBS and compared them with a group of healthy controls. Thirty patients with IBS and 39 healthy individuals were included in this study. The participants' age, height, weight, and waist size were recorded. The 24-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale was documented. Both erythrocyte and plasma fatty acid content were analyzed through gas-liquid chromatography.The authors found that patients with IBS exhibited significantly higher scores for depression, higher proportions of plasma saturated fatty acids and monounsaturated fatty acids, and lower proportions of docosahexaenoic acid and total omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in plasma are associated with IBS in Asian female patients. Further study is indicated to confirm the causality of this association.
    Matched MeSH terms: Fatty Acids/blood*; Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated/blood; Fatty Acids, Unsaturated/blood; Fatty Acids, Omega-3/blood; Abdominal Pain/blood; Irritable Bowel Syndrome/blood*
  13. Goon JA, Nor Azman NHE, Abdul Ghani SM, Hamid Z, Wan Ngah WZ
    Clin Nutr ESPEN, 2017 10;21:1-12.
    PMID: 30014863 DOI: 10.1016/j.clnesp.2017.07.004
    Vitamin E is a fat-soluble compound and powerful antioxidant that have been shown to protect the cell membranes against damage caused by free radicals. Human vitamin E supplementation studies are usually limited to α-tocopherol but currently tocotrienols are also available. This study aims to compare the effects of tocotrienol rich fraction (TRF) with α-tocopherol (α-TF) supplementation on oxidative stress in healthy male and female older adults aged 50-55 years old. A total of 71 subjects both male and female aged between 50 and 55 years were divided into groups receiving placebo (n = 23), α-TF (n = 24) and TRF (n = 24) for six months. Blood was taken at baseline (month 0), 3 months and 6 months osf supplementation for determination of plasma malondialdehyde (MDA), protein carbonyl, total DNA damage, vitamin D concentration and vitamin E isomers. α-TF supplementation reduced plasma MDA and protein carbonyl in female subjects after 3 and 6 months. TRF supplementation reduced MDA levels in both males and females as early as 3 months while DNA damage was reduced in females only at 6 months. Supplementation with α-TF and TRF increased plasma vitamin D concentration in both males and females after 6 months, but vitamin D concentration in male subjects were significantly higher compared to female subjects in TRF group. Vitamin E isomer determination showed α-TF, α-tocotrienol and γ-tocotrienol were increased in both male and female subjects. In conclusion, TRF supplementation effects were different from α-TF in reducing oxidative stress markers and vitamin D levels with a more pronounced effect in female subjects.
    Matched MeSH terms: Chromans/blood; Malondialdehyde/blood; Vitamin D/blood; Vitamin E/blood; alpha-Tocopherol/blood; Tocotrienols/blood
  14. George A, Udani JK, Yusof A
    Pharm Biol, 2019 Dec;57(1):145-153.
    PMID: 30922154 DOI: 10.1080/13880209.2019.1585460
    CONTEXT: Phyllanthus amarus Schumach. and Thonn. (Euphorbiaceae) is traditionally known to improve general liver health. However, its effect on hangover is unknown.

    OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated PHYLLPRO™, a standardized ethanol extract of P. amarus leaves for protection against oxidative stress and recovery from hangover symptoms.

    MATERIAL AND METHODS: Ten days daily oral supplementation of 750 mg/day followed by intoxication was evaluated in a randomized placebo-controlled (containing only excipient), crossover study in 15 subjects (21-50 years old), for oxidative stress, liver damage, alleviating hangover symptoms (Hangover Severity Score: HSS) and mood improvement (Profile-of-Mood-Scores: POMS).

    RESULTS: PHYLLPRO™ was able to remove blood alcohol in the active group while the placebo group still had 0.05% at 12 h post-intoxication (p  0.05) from baseline to hour 22 was reported in the placebo group using POMS. Significant anti-inflammatory group effect favouring the active group, by the upregulation of cytokines IL-8 (p = 0.0014) and IL-10 (p = 0.0492) and immunomodulatory effects via IL-12p70 (p = 0.0304) were observed. The incidence of adverse events was similar between groups indicating the safety of PHYLLPRO™.

    DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Preliminary findings of PHYLLPRO™ in managing hangover, inflammation and liver functions following intoxication, is demonstrated. Future studies on PHYLLPRO™ in protecting against oxidative stress and hangover in larger populations is warranted.

    Matched MeSH terms: Alcohol Drinking/blood; Ethanol/blood; Alcoholic Intoxication/blood; Headache/blood; Biomarkers/blood; Cytokines/blood
  15. Meena AA, Murugesan A, Sopnajothi S, Yong YK, Ganesh PS, Vimali IJ, et al.
    Viral Immunol, 2019 09 18;33(1):54-60.
    PMID: 31532346 DOI: 10.1089/vim.2019.0100
    Dengue virus (DENV) infection has become an increasingly common concern in tropical and subtropical regions. It has protean manifestations ranging from febrile phase to severe life-threatening illness. In this study, we estimated Th1 and Th2 cytokines and correlated the levels with dengue severity along with certain hematological and biochemical parameters. We also studied the seroprevalence of dengue between October and December 2017 at the Government Theni Medical College, India. Individuals with dengue fever (DF) were positive for either IgM or IgG, or both. The biochemical and hematological parameters along with plasma tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), granulocyte monocyte-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), interleukin (IL)-13, IL-12p70, IL-10, IL-5, IL-4, and IL-2 cytokines were estimated. The prevalence of DF was 42.9% during the study period. IL-2, TNF-α, IL-4, and IL-10 levels were significantly elevated (p blood platelets. Together, the study suggests that TNF-α could play a key role in the pathogenesis of dengue, and despite the decrease in platelet levels, it remains to be seen whether any other inflammatory cells regulate the levels of TNF-α in DENV infection.
    Matched MeSH terms: Antibodies, Viral/blood; Blood Platelets/cytology*; Dengue/blood*; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/blood*; Cytokines/blood
  16. Tan LP, Tan GW, Sivanesan VM, Goh SL, Ng XJ, Lim CS, et al.
    Int J Cancer, 2020 04 15;146(8):2336-2347.
    PMID: 31469434 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.32656
    Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is originated from the epithelial cells of nasopharynx, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-associated and has the highest incidence and mortality rates in Southeast Asia. Late presentation is a common issue and early detection could be the key to reduce the disease burden. Sensitivity of plasma EBV DNA, an established NPC biomarker, for Stage I NPC is controversial. Most newly reported NPC biomarkers have neither been externally validated nor compared to the established ones. This causes difficulty in planning for cost-effective early detection strategies. Our study systematically evaluated six established and four new biomarkers in NPC cases, population controls and hospital controls. We showed that BamHI-W 76 bp remains the most sensitive plasma biomarker, with 96.7% (29/30), 96.7% (58/60) and 97.4% (226/232) sensitivity to detect Stage I, early stage and all NPC, respectively. Its specificity was 94.2% (113/120) against population controls and 90.4% (113/125) against hospital controls. Diagnostic accuracy of BamHI-W 121 bp and ebv-miR-BART7-3p were validated. Hsa-miR-29a-3p and hsa-miR-103a-3p were not, possibly due to lower number of advanced stage NPC cases included in this subset. Decision tree modeling suggested that combination of BamHI-W 76 bp and VCA IgA or EA IgG may increase the specificity or sensitivity to detect NPC. EBNA1 99 bp could identify NPC patients with poor prognosis in early and advanced stage NPC. Our findings provided evidence for improvement in NPC screening strategies, covering considerations of opportunistic screening, combining biomarkers to increase sensitivity or specificity and testing biomarkers from single sampled specimen to avoid logistic problems of resampling.
    Matched MeSH terms: Antibodies, Viral/blood*; DNA, Viral/blood*; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms/blood*; Biomarkers, Tumor/blood; Epstein-Barr Virus Infections/blood; MicroRNAs/blood
  17. Zhang ZY, Yang WY, Dominiczak AF, Wang JG, Wu Y, Almustafa B, et al.
    Hypertension, 2019 11;74(5):1064-1067.
    PMID: 31422692 DOI: 10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.119.13206
    Matched MeSH terms: Blood Chemical Analysis; Blood Glucose/analysis; Blood Pressure Determination/methods; Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory/methods*
  18. Sundström-Poromaa I, Thu WPP, Kramer MS, Logan S, Cauley JA, Yong EL
    Maturitas, 2020 Jul;137:50-56.
    PMID: 32498937 DOI: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2020.04.003
    OBJECTIVES: To understand the extent to which risk factors for insulin resistance are mediated by body mass index (BMI), visceral adipose tissue (VAT), physical activity and performance, and the inflammatory markers interleukin (IL)-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)- α, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP).

    STUDY DESIGN: A wide range of socio-demographic characteristics of Chinese, Malay and Indian women attending routine gynecologic care in Singapore were prospectively collected. Physical performance was objectively measured by hand grip strength and the Short Physical Performance Battery. Percent VAT was determined by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Fasting serum concentrations of glucose, insulin, IL-6, TNF- α, and hs-CRP were measured.

    MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: was insulin resistance, expressed as the homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR).

    RESULTS: 1159 women were analyzed, mean age 56.3 (range 45-69) years, comprising women of Chinese (84.0%), Indian (10.2%), and Malay (5.7%) ethnic origins. The adjusted mean differences for obesity (0.66, 95% CI 0.32-1.00), VAT area in the highest vs lowest tertile (1.03, 95% CI 0.73-1.34), low physical performance (0.63, 95% CI 0.05-1.24), and highest vs lowest tertile of TNF- α (0.35, 95% CI 0.13-0.57) were independently associated with HOMA-IR. Women of Malay and Indian ethnicity had higher crude HOMA-IR than Chinese women. However, after adjustment for obesity, VAT, physical performance, and TNF- α, no differences in mean HOMA-IR remained, when comparing Chinese women with those of Malay ethnicity (0.27, 95% CI -0.12 to 0.66) and with those of Indian ethnicity (0.30, 95% CI -0.01 to 0.66).

    CONCLUSIONS: Insulin resistance was independently associated with obesity, high VAT, low physical performance, and high levels of TNF- α in midlife Singaporean women. These variables entirely explained the significant differences in insulin resistance between women of Chinese, Malay and Indian ethnicity.

    Matched MeSH terms: Blood Glucose/metabolism; Obesity/blood; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/blood*; Biomarkers/blood; Interleukin-6/blood*
  19. Muller I, Taylor PN, Daniel RM, Hales C, Scholz A, Candler T, et al.
    J Clin Endocrinol Metab, 2020 07 01;105(7).
    PMID: 32396189 DOI: 10.1210/clinem/dgaa129
    CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVES: The Controlled Antenatal Thyroid Screening Study I (CATS-I) was a randomized controlled trial investigating the effects of levothyroxine therapy for suboptimal gestational thyroid function (SGTF), comparing outcomes in children of treated (SGTF-T) with untreated (SGTF-U) women during pregnancy. This follow-up study, CATS-II, reports the long-term effects on anthropometric, bone, and cardiometabolic outcomes in mothers and offspring and includes a group with normal gestational thyroid function (NGTF).

    DESIGN & PARTICIPANTS: 332 mothers (197 NGTF, 56 SGTF-U, 79 SGTF-T) aged 41.2±5.3 years (mean±SD) and 326 paired children assessed 9.3±1.0 years after birth for (i) body mass index (BMI); (ii) lean, fat, and bone mass by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry; (iii) blood pressure, augmentation index, and aortic pulse-wave-velocity; and (iv) thyroid function, lipids, insulin, and adiponectin. The difference between group means was compared using linear regression.

    RESULTS: Offspring's measurements were similar between groups. Although maternal BMI was similar between groups at CATS-I, after 9 years (at CATS-II) SGTF-U mothers showed higher BMI (median [interquartile ratio] 28.3 [24.6-32.6] kg/m2) compared with NGTF (25.8 [22.9-30.0] kg/m2; P = 0.029), driven by fat mass increase. At CATS-II SGTF-U mothers also had higher thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) values (2.45 [1.43-3.50] mU/L) than NGTF (1.54 [1.12-2.07] mU/L; P = 0.015), since 64% had never received levothyroxine. At CATS-II, SGTF-T mothers had BMI (25.8 [23.1-29.8] kg/m2, P = 0.672) and TSH (1.68 [0.89-2.96] mU/L; P = 0.474) values similar to NGTF mothers.

    CONCLUSIONS: Levothyroxine supplementation of women with SGTF did not affect long-term offspring anthropometric, bone, and cardiometabolic measurements. However, absence of treatment was associated with sustained long-term increase in BMI and fat mass in women with SGTF.

    Matched MeSH terms: Blood Pressure/physiology*; Insulin/blood; Lipids/blood; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects/blood; Adiponectin/blood
  20. Sundram K, Ismail A, Hayes KC, Jeyamalar R, Pathmanathan R
    J Nutr, 1997 Mar;127(3):514S-520S.
    PMID: 9082038
    Although dietary trans fatty acids can affect plasma lipoproteins negatively in humans, no direct comparison with specific saturated fatty acids has been reported, even though trans fatty acids were designed to replace saturates in foods and food processing. In this study, dietary trans 18:1 [elaidic acid at 5.5% energy (en)] was specifically exchanged for cis 18:1, 16:0 or 12:0 + 14:0 in 27 male and female subjects consuming moderate fat (31% en), low cholesterol (<225 mg/d) whole food diets during 4-wk diet periods in a crossover design. The trans-rich fat significantly elevated total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol relative to the 16:0-rich and 18:1-rich fats and uniquely depressed HDL cholesterol relative to all of the fats tested. Trans fatty acids also elevated lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)] values relative to all dietary treatments. Furthermore, identical effects on lipoproteins were elicited by 16:0 and cis 18:1 in these subjects. The current results suggest that elaidic acid, one of the principal trans isomers produced during industrial hydrogenation of edible oils, adversely affects plasma lipoproteins. Thus, the negative effect of elaidic acid on the lipoprotein profile of humans appears to be unmatched by any other natural fatty acid(s).
    Matched MeSH terms: Apolipoproteins/blood; Cholesterol/blood*; Lipoproteins/blood*; Cholesterol, HDL/blood; Cholesterol, LDL/blood; Lipoprotein(a)/blood
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