Lipocalin-2 (LCN2), a secreted glycoprotein belonging to the lipocalin superfamily was reported to participate in various biological processes including cell migration, cell survival, inflammatory responses, and insulin sensitivity. LCN2 is expressed in the multiple tissues such as kidney, liver, uterus, and bone marrow. The receptors for LCN2 were additionally found in microglia, astrocytes, epithelial cells, and neurons, but the role of LCN2 in the central nervous system (CNS) has not been fully understood yet. Recently, in vitro, in vivo, and clinical studies reported the association between LCN2 and the risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Here, we reviewed the significant evidences showing that LCN2 contributes to the onset and progression of AD. It may suggest that the manipulation of LCN2 in the CNS would be a crucial target for regulation of the pathogenesis and risk of AD.
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Stroke patients often experience a walking dysfunction caused by decreased mobility, weakened muscular strength, abnormal posture control, and cognitive dysfunction. Anxiety/depression is the most important and prevalent neuropsychiatric complication of stroke survivors. Brain injury and the presence of malnutrition after stroke contribute to metabolic status and clinical outcome of patients. We examined the level of nutrition intake in stroke patients according to their degree of anxiety/depression. The data were obtained from 2013 to 2015 through the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). Study subjects were categorized to either a group having no problem of anxiety/depression (n = 274) or a group having a problem of anxiety or depression (n = 104). The EuroQoL-5 Dimensions Health Questionnaire (EQ-5D) index score was derived from the first description of an individual health status based on the EQ-5D classification system, including mobility, self-care, usual daily activities, pain/discomfort, and anxiety/depression. The mean age was 67.4 years in the normal group and 68.0 years in the anxiety or depression group. In the anxiety or depression group, 39.4% were men vs. 53.3% in the normal group. The total energy intake (p = 0.013), riboflavin (p = 0.041), and niacin (p = 0.038) was significantly higher in stroke patients with no anxiety/depression than those in stroke patients with having an anxiety/depression. The group having no problem of anxiety/depression had significantly higher EQ-5D index compared to the group having a problem of anxiety/depression group (p < 0.001) had. The results suggest the association between nutrition intake, usual activities and pain/discomfort status in the stroke patients with having an anxiety/depression.
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Studies have reported different changes in the fatty acid composition of red blood cell (RBC) total lipids in patients with various types of cancer. It has been indicated that n-3/n-6 ratio plays a key role in the general consequence of skin photocarcinogenesis. However, to our knowledge there was no study examining the unsaturated fatty acid profile in basal cell carcinoma (BCC) patients. So, we explore the fatty acid composition of RBCs in newly diagnosed BCC patients in a hospital-based case-control study. This study has been conducted on new case BCC patients in Razi Hospital, Tehran, Iran. Fatty acid concentration in erythrocyte membranes defined as relative values after extraction, purification and preparation, by gas chromatography.Analysis revealed that heptadecenoic acid (p = 0.010) and oleic acid (p < 0.001) was significantly higher in BCC patients in comparison with control group. Among polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), linoleic acid (LA), and arachidonic acid (AA) were significantly higher in BCC patients (p < 0.001). It has been indicated that n-3 was significantly lower (p = 0.040) and n-6 was significantly higher (p = 0.002) in BCC patients. In addition, total PUFA (p < 0.001) and n-6 PUFAs/n-3 PUFAs (p = 0.002) were significantly higher in BCC patients compared to the control group. Here we indicated that new case BCC patient had significantly higher n-6 PUFA and lower n-3 along with other differences in unsaturated fatty acid in comparison with healthy subjects. Our study provides evidence that lipids are important in BCC development.
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Diets with high fiber content improve most metabolic syndrome (MetS) profile in non-diabetic individuals, but there is scarce information about the role of fiber intake in patients with the MetS and diabetes. The
objective
of this study is to determine whether soluble fiber supplementation improve MetS profile for 8 weeks of intervention in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes (T2D) adult patients. After one week of dietary stabilization phase, 36 newly diagnosed T2D patients were stratified to different strata according to sex, age, fasting blood sugar (FBS), and waist circumference (WC). Then they were randomly allocated into 2 groups. The psyllium group (n = 18) received 10.5 g of psyllium daily for 8 weeks. The control group (n = 18) maintained their regular diet for 8 weeks. Soluble fiber supplementation showed significant reduction in the majority of MetS profile; FBS (43.55 mg/dL, p < 0.001), triglyceride (37.89 mg/dL, p < 0.001), total cholesterol (20.32 mg/dL, p < 0.001), systolic blood pressure (7.50 mmHg, p < 0.001), diastolic blood pressure (2.78 mmHg, p = 0.013), and WC (2.54 cm, p < 0.001) in the intervention group compared with the control group after 8 weeks of intervention. The high-density lipoprotein cholesterol was reduced in both groups, but this reduction was insignificant. The improvement in the MetS profile was enhanced by combining psyllium to the normal diet. Consumption of foods containing moderate amounts of these fibers may improve MetS profile in newly diagnosed T2D patients. This study was registered in Current Controlled Trials (PHRC/HC/28/15).
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The migraine headache is a disease related to the neurovascular system, which affects 10%–20% of people, worldwide. Recent evidences suggested a relation between thiamine status and migraine headaches. The current study was undertaken to assess dietary intake of the thiamine in migraine patients and to evaluate its association with the frequency of migraine attacks. In a case-control design, the current study was performed on 50 migraine patients and 50 healthy people, 20–60 years old in Isfahan, Iran, in 2017. Information about dietary intake was collected by Food frequency questionnaire and analyzed using the Nutritionist version 4 (N4) software (Tinuviel Software). Information about the history of disease was collected by demographic questionnaire. Analysis of covariance and independent t-test were used for data analysis and p value less than 0.05 was considered significant. Mean age, weight, height, and body mass index of participants were 35.1 ± 9.8 years, 65.3 ± 10.4 kg, 162.5 ± 8.4 cm, and 24.7 ± 4.0 kg/m2, respectively. Dietary intake of thiamine among the migraine patients was lower than that in the healthy participants (p < 0.001). Migraine patients with the high frequency attacks had significantly lower intake of thiamine compared with moderate frequency attacks group (p = 0.010), however, it was not significant after adjusting for energy intake (p = 0.410, p = 0.240). Dietary intake of thiamine in migraine patients was not significantly different in comparing with healthy subjects. In addition, no significant correlation between thiamine intake and the frequency of migraine attacks was observed.
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Certain types of foods are common trigger for bowel symptoms such as abdominal discomfort or pain in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). But indiscriminate food exclusions from their diet can lead extensive nutritional deficiencies. The aim of this study was to investigate nutritional status, food restriction and nutrient intake status in IBD patients. A total 104 patients (food exclusion group: n = 49; food non-exclusion group: n = 55) participated in the survey. The contents were examined by 3 categories: 1) anthropometric and nutritional status; 2) diet beliefs and food restriction; and 3) nutrient intake. The malnutrition rate was significantly higher in the food exclusion group (p = 0.007) compared to food non-exclusion group. Fifty-nine percent of patients in the food exclusion group held dietary beliefs and reported modifying their intake according to their dietary belief. The most common restricted food was milk, dairy products (32.7%), raw fish (24.5%), deep-spicy foods (22.4%), and ramen (18.4%). The mean daily intake of calcium (p = 0.002), vitamin A (p < 0.001), and zinc (p = 0.001) were significantly lower in the food exclusion group. Considering malnutrition in IBD patients, nutrition education by trained dietitians is necessary for the patients to acquire disease-related knowledge and overall balanced nutrition as part of strategies in treating and preventing nutrition deficiencies.
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Chronic inflammation is a major etiology of cancer. Accumulating epidemiological and experimental evidences suggest that intake of high protein diet (HPD) is associated with colitis-associated colon cancer, however, most of the studies were confined in colon. Systemic influence of HPD on inflammation indices in different tissues of an organism has never been studied. We therefore investigated the effect of HPD on mouse skin and colonic inflammation using the well characterized inflammation induction protocol in both tissues (12-
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We reported the cases in order to evaluate the effects of individualized nutrition interventions for enhancing self-management abilities of prediabetic subjects. We conducted four nutrition interventions for weight control in two subjects with high-risk of type 2 diabetes. The first subject was a 53-year-old housewife, and the second subject was a 46-year-old male office worker. The subjects visited the medical center 4 times during the study period, and the lifestyle interventions were advised by a clinical team comprised physicians, clinical dietitians, and nurses. In particular, nutrition intervention to achieve weight loss focused on enhancing motivation and problem-solving skills to improve self-management ability. As a result, both subjects achieved weight loss by the time of their last visits. These two case studies, which differed in terms of sex, occupation, and dietary habits showed the importance of individualized nutrition intervention and forming an intimate relationship based on trust centered on prediabetic subjects. In conclusion, systematic collaboration within the clinical team is necessary, and social infrastructure should be prepared to fully realize the benefits of a systematic intervention program.
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