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This study aimed to identify independent prognostic factors for gastric cancer (GC) patients after curative resection using quantitative computed tomography (QCT) combined with prognostic nutritional index (PNI), and to develop a nomogram prediction model for individualized prognosis. This study retrospectively analyzed 119 patients with GC who underwent curative resection from January 2016 to March 2018. The patients' preoperative clinical pathological data were recorded, and all patients underwent QCT scans before and after curative resection to obtain QCT parameters: bone mineral density (BMD), skeletal muscle area (SMA), visceral fat area (VFA), subcutaneous fat area (SFA) and CT fat fraction (CTFF), then relative rate of change in each parameter (ΔBMD, ΔSMA, ΔVFA, ΔSFA, ΔCTFF) was calculated after time normalization. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards was used to establish a nomogram model that based on independent prognostic factors. The concordance index (C-index), area under the time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and clinical decision curve were used to evaluate the predictive performance and clinical benefit of the nomogram model． This study found that ΔCTFF, ΔVFA, ΔBMD and PNI are independent prognostic factors for overall survival (OS) (hazard ratio: 1.034, 0.895, 0.976, 2.951, respectively, all p < 0.05). The established nomogram model could predict the area under the ROC curve of OS at 1, 3 and 5 years as 0.816, 0.815 and 0.881, respectively. The C-index was 0.743 (95% CI, 0.684–0.801), and the decision curve analysis showed that this model has good clinical net benefit. The nomogram model based on body composition and PNI is reliable in predicting the individualized survival of underwent curative resection for GC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to create and verify a nomogram for preoperative prediction of Ki-67 expression in breast malignancy to assist in the development of personalized treatment strategies. This retrospective study received approval from the institutional review board and included a cohort of 197 patients with breast malignancy who were admitted to our hospital. Ki-67 expression was divided into two groups based on a 14% threshold: low and high. A radiomics signature was built utilizing 1702 radiomics features based on an intra- and peritumoral (10 mm) regions of interest. Using multivariate logistic regression, radiomics signature, and ultrasound (US) characteristics, the nomogram was developed. To evaluate the model's calibration, clinical application, and predictive ability, decision curve analysis (DCA), the calibration curve, and the receiver operating characteristic curve were used, respectively. The final nomogram included three independent predictors: tumor size (P =.037), radiomics signature (P <.001), and US-reported lymph node status (P =.018). The nomogram exhibited satisfactory performance in the training cohort, demonstrating a specificity of 0.944, a sensitivity of 0.745, and an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.905. The validation cohort recorded a specificity of 0.909, a sensitivity of 0.727, and an AUC of 0.882. The DCA showed the nomogram's clinical utility, and the calibration curve revealed a high consistency among the expected and detected values. The nomogram used in this investigation can accurately predict Ki-67 expression in people with malignant breast tumors, helping to develop personalized treatment approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neurodegenerative diseases are debilitating conditions that diminish the quality of life and pose significant financial and social burdens. Therefore, strategies to relieve and control these diseases are urgently required, which will improve the quality of patients' lives. Dysbacteriosis of gut microbiota has been shown to be a key component of neurodegenerative disease etiology. The homeostasis of gut microbiota and the balance of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the gut can be altered by bioactive peptides derived from food sources. Therefore, biopeptides that improve neurodegenerative diseases by regulating gut microbiota have received considerable attention. The impact of gut microbiota on the brain through the gut-brain axis has been summarized. Additionally, the dual role of ROS in regulating the homeostasis of gut and gut microbiota and the function of bioactive peptides in ameliorating neurodegenerative diseases via the microbiota-gut-brain axis are discussed. Potential strategies for the production and modification of peptides to improve their bioactivity are also highlighted. Increasing evidence supports that the gut microbiota modulates neurodegenerative diseases. Bioactive peptides that modulate the gut microbiota can be used as novel and strategic molecules to control and reduce neurodegenerative diseases. The bioactivity of the peptides can be dramatically influenced by different production and modification strategies. Strategies for further development of functional foods to ameliorate neurodegenerative diseases by regulating the gut microbiota are available. Future work should focus on the bioavailability and interactions of bioactive peptides and their impact on neurodegenerative diseases. • Crosstalk exists between brain and gut microbiota via the gut-brain axis. • ROS has a dual role in the regulation of gut and gut microbiota. • Peptides modulate the ROS balance in the gut and the composition of gut microbiota. • Peptides influence the brain via the microbiota-gut-brain axis. • Strategies in the production and modification of peptides affect their bioactivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxidative stress (OS) is created by an imbalance between reactive oxygen species and antioxidant levels. OS promotes inflammation and is associated with many diseases, such as neurodegenerative disorders, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Nrf2 and NF- κ B are critical in the cellular defence against OS and the regulators of inflammatory responses, respectively. Recent studies revealed that the Nrf2 signalling pathway interacts with the NF- κ B signalling pathway in OS. More importantly, many natural compounds have long been recognized to ameliorate OS and inflammation via the Nrf2 and/or NF- κ B signalling pathway. Thus, we briefly overview the potential crosstalk between Nrf2 and NF- κ B and the upstream regulators of Nrf2 and review the literature on the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of dietary phytochemicals (DPs) that can activate these defence systems. The aim is to provide evidence for the development of DPs into functional food for the regulation of the Nrf2/NF- κ B signalling pathway by upstream regulators of Nrf2. Dietary phytochemicals (DPs) may exert protective effects by intervening in the Nrf2/NF- κ B pathway via activation of the upstream regulators of Nrf2. [Display omitted] • Nrf2 and NF- κ B are key transcription factor for OS and inflammation, respectively. • There is a crosstalk between Nrf2 and NF- κ B. • Upstream factors of Nrf2 are critical targets in Nrf2/NF- κ B signaling pathway. • DPs can affect Nrf2/NF- κ B signaling pathway by the upstream factors of Nrf2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • CMP prevented HFD-induced obesity and associated diseases. • CMP presented beneficial effects on modulating gut microbiota and metabolites. • Gut microbiota and metabolites were involved in the anti-obesity effects of CMP. Improved gut microbes and nutritious metabolites have been considered as the mediators of health benefits from indigestible polysaccharides, but their role in the anti-obesity effect of polysaccharides from Cordyceps militaris (CMP) remains elusive. This study aims to explore the potential mediators of the anti-obesity effects of CMP in high-fat diet (HFD)-fed mice using 16S rRNA sequencing and untargeted metabolomics analysis. The results showed that CMP supplementation in HFD-fed mice reduced body weight, fat accumulation, pro-inflammatory cytokine levels, and impaired glucose tolerance as well as gut barrier. Moreover, the CMP reversed the HFD-induced gut microbiota dysbiosis, as indicated by the elevated population of Alloprevotella , Parabacteroides , Butyricimonas , and Alistipes ; and decreased population of Negativebacillus , in addition to altered levels of metabolites, such as brassicasterol and 4′-O-methylkanzonol W. Notably, CMP prevented obesity in association with the altered gut microbes and metabolites. These findings suggest that CMP may serve as a potential prebiotic agent to modulate specific gut microbes and related metabolites, which play a critical role in its preventing obesity-related diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Mushrooms are promising sources of bioactive peptides. • Endogenous peptides have been proposed as the main active form. • Mushroom-derived ACE inhibitory peptides have been intensively investigated. • Mushroom-derived antioxidant peptides are actively studied but lack of identification. Mushroom bioactive peptides (MBAPs) refer to bioactive peptides extracted directly or indirectly from mushrooms or their mycelia. Owing to the presence of a large quantity of high-quality proteins, many mushrooms are promising sources of bioactive peptides. The beneficial effects, including antihypertensive, antioxidant, and antimicrobial activities, of MBAPs are being increasingly recognized with regards to health promotion and disease prevention. However, this field is relatively undeveloped and relevant reviews are scarce. Hence, the aim of this review was to present the current research status of MBAPs, focusing on their preparation and biological functions. An insight regarding the direction of future research has been also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Florfenicol (FF), a widely used veterinary antibiotic, has been frequently detected in both aquatic environments and human body fluids. As a result, there is a growing concern on its health risks. Previous studies have revealed various toxicities of FF on animals, while there are relatively limited researches on its metabolic toxicity. Herein, by employing zebrafish as an in vivo model, endpoints at multiple levels of biological organization were measured to investigate the metabolic toxicity, especially disturbances on lipid metabolism, of this emerging pollutant. Our results indicated that early-life exposure (from 2 h past fertilization (hpf) to 15 days past fertilization (dpf)) to FF significantly increased body mass index (BMI) values, staining areas of visceral lipids, and triacylglycerol (TAG) and total cholesterol (TC) contents of larvae. Further, by analyzing expression patterns of genes encoding key proteins regulating lipid metabolism, our data suggested that promoted intestinal absorption and hepatic de novo synthesis of lipids, suppressed TAG decomposition, and inhibited FFA oxidation all contributed to TAG accumulation in larvae. Following whole-life exposure (from 2 hpf to 120 dpf), BMI values, TAG and TC contents all increased significantly in males, and significant increases of hepatic TAG levels were also observed in females. Moreover, FF exposure interfered with lipid homeostasis of males and females in a gender-specific pattern. Our study revealed the obesogenic effects of FF at environmentally relevant concentrations (1, 10, and 100 μg/L) and therefore will benefit assessment of its health risks. Additionally, our results showed that FF exposure caused a more pronounced obesogenic effect in zebrafish larvae than adults, as suggested by significant increases of all endpoints at individual, tissular, and molecular levels in larvae. Therefore, our study also advances the application of zebrafish larval model in assessing metabolic toxicity of chemicals, due to the higher susceptibility of larvae than adults. [Display omitted] • Early- and whole-life exposures to FF caused lipid accumulation in zebrafish. • FF induced a more pronounced obesogenic effect in zebrafish larvae than adults. • FF disturbed TAG de novo synthesis, FFA oxidation, and fat decomposition in larvae. • FF disturbed lipid homeostasis of males and females in a gender-specific pattern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]