Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common form of liver disease all over the world due to the obesity pandemic; currently, therapeutic options for NAFLD are scarce, except for diet recommendations and physical activity. NAFLD is characterized by excessive accumulation of fat deposits (>5%) in the liver with subsequent inflammation and fibrosis. Studies in the literature show that insulin resistance (IR) may be considered as the key mechanism in the onset and progression of NAFLD. Recently, using natural products as an alternative approach in the treatment of NAFLD has drawn growing attention among physicians. In this review, the authors present the most recent randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and lines of evidence from animal models about the efficacy of nutraceutics in alleviating NAFLD. Among the most studied substances in the literature, the following molecules were chosen because of their presence in the literature of both clinical and preclinical studies: spirulina, oleuropein, garlic, berberine, resveratrol, curcumin, ginseng, glycyrrhizin, coffee, cocoa powder, epigallocatechin-3-gallate, and bromelain.
The aim of our study is to evaluate the correlation between the psychological status of patients recovered from SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2) infection (long-COVID patients) and their inflammatory status. Three months after hospital discharge, ninety-three patients were recruited and categorized into two distinct populations: control and long-COVID (COrona VIrus Disease) group. Patients belonging to the control group presented with an entering diagnosis of cardiovascular, metabolic, or respiratory disease and a negative history of SARS-CoV-2 infection, whereas the long-COVID population presented with a severe SARS-CoV-2 infection treated in the sub-intensive Care Unit. Psychological evaluation was performed through the administration of the Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL90) and LDH (Lactate dehydrogenase), ferritin, CRPhs (C-high sensitivity Reactive Protein), NLR (Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio), PLR (Platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio), and SII (systemic immune-inflammation index) were investigated. We highlighted that beyond the first three months after contagion, patients recovered from SARS-CoV-2 infection are characterized by the persistence of a systemic inflammatory state and are at high risk for developing somatization, depression, anxiety, and sleep disturbances. Interestingly, ferritin value was strongly correlated with sleep disorders (p < 0.05). Our study emphasizes how COVID-19 strategies for risk stratification, prognosis, and therapy management of patients should be implemented with a psychological follow-up.
Sarcopenia, a condition characterised by the progressive decline in skeletal muscle mass and function, presents significant challenges in geriatric healthcare. Despite advances in its management, complex etiopathogenesis and the heterogeneity of diagnostic criteria underlie the limited precision of existing assessment methods. Therefore, efforts are needed to improve the knowledge and pave the way for more effective management and a more precise diagnosis. To this purpose, emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) can facilitate the identification of novel and accurate biomarkers by modelling complex data resulting from high-throughput technologies, fostering the setting up of a more precise approach. Based on such considerations, this review explores AI’s transformative potential, illustrating studies that integrate AI, especially machine learning and deep learning, with heterogeneous data such as clinical, anthropometric and molecular data. Overall, the present review will highlight the relevance of large-scale, standardised studies to validate biomarker signatures using AI-driven approaches.
1 December 2021 in Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology
Anisakis is a fish-borne parasitic zoonosis. It is associated with the consumption of raw or undercooked seafood infected with nematodes of the genius Anisakis. Clinical symptoms vary and depend on the infected organ and the Anisakis species ingested. Epigastric pain was the most common symptom in almost all cases, and nausea and vomiting were accompanied in some cases. There are also extragastric involvement and the ectopic one, which includes cases involving the pleural cavity, larynx, lungs, subcutaneous tissue, parametrium, uterus, ovaries, spleen, liver, pancreas and lymph nodes. Nematodes produce a chemotactic substance which attracts eosinophils and other host white blood cells to the area of the lesion. The infiltrating host cells form a granuloma in the tissues surrounding the penetrated worm. A complete surgical removal of the lesion is the only known method to reduce the pain and eliminate the cause.