The Research Status and Enlightenment of Foreign Foodborne Disease Prevention and Control

Foodborne disease is a worldwide il ness and over 1 bil ion people get diseased every year. In China, thousands of foodborne diseases occur every year. It is proved that prevention is the most crucial for control ing foodborne disease. In the research, food safety monitoring system, laws and early warning system in the US and EU were introduced to explore the successful experience and monitoring or control mode suitable for China.

Unresolved conundrum of the role of physical activity in inflammatory bowel disease:What next?

There is considerable controversy on the role of physical activity in irritable bowel disease(IBD)since published reports are conflicting.It is well known that there is known relapse with specific treatment in IBD.This,in addition to onset of extraintestinal symptoms creates a need to think of alternate approaches.In this context,the current article describes the need of a multi-institutional study with standard protocol of physical activity for documenting its effect on both the primary disease and the extra alimentary manifestations.This paper also points out the possibility of using adjuvant complementary medicine such as yoga,whose effects have been documented in other diseases like irritable bowel syndrome.A third approach could be to focus on the intestinal dysbiosis in IBD and concentrate on research on restoring the microbial flora to normal,to see whether the extraintestinal symptoms are alleviated.

Microglial response to aging and neuroinflammation in the development of neurodegenerative diseases

Cellular senescence and chronic inflammation in response to aging are considered to be indicators of brain aging;they have a great impact on the aging process and are the main risk factors for neurodegeneration.Reviewing the microglial response to aging and neuroinflammation in neurodegenerative diseases will help understand the importance of microglia in neurodegenerative diseases.This review describes the origin and function of microglia and focuses on the role of different states of the microglial response to aging and chronic inflammation on the occurrence and development of neurodegenerative diseases,including Alzheimer's disease,Huntington's chorea,and Parkinson's disease.This review also describes the potential benefits of treating neurodegenerative diseases by modulating changes in microglial states.Therefore,inducing a shift from the neurotoxic to neuroprotective microglial state in neurodegenerative diseases induced by aging and chronic inflammation holds promise for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases in the future.

The role of exosomes in adult neurogenesis:implications for neurodegenerative diseases

Exosomes are cup-shaped extracellular vesicles with a lipid bilayer that is approximately 30 to 200 nm in thickness.Exosomes are widely distributed in a range of body fluids,including urine,blood,milk,and saliva.Exosomes exert biological function by transporting factors between different cells and by regulating biological pathways in recipient cells.As an important form of intercellular communication,exosomes are increasingly being investigated due to their ability to transfer bioactive molecules such as lipids,proteins,mRNAs,and microRNAs between cells,and because they can regulate physiological and pathological processes in the central nervous system.Adult neurogenesis is a multistage process by which new neurons are generated and migrate to be integrated into existing neuronal circuits.In the adult brain,neurogenesis is mainly localized in two specialized niches:the subventricular zone adjacent to the lateral ventricles and the subgranular zone of the dentate gyrus.An increasing body of evidence indicates that adult neurogenesis is tightly controlled by environmental conditions with the niches.In recent studies,exosomes released from different sources of cells were shown to play an active role in regulating neurogenesis both in vitro and in vivo,thereby participating in the progression of neurodegenerative disorders in patients and in various disease models.Here,we provide a state-of-the-art synopsis of existing research that aimed to identify the diverse components of exosome cargoes and elucidate the therapeutic potential of exosomal contents in the regulation of neurogenesis in several neurodegenerative diseases.We emphasize that exosomal cargoes could serve as a potential biomarker to monitor functional neurogenesis in adults.In addition,exosomes can also be considered as a novel therapeutic approach to treat various neurodegenerative disorders by improving endogenous neurogenesis to mitigate neuronal loss in the central nervous system.

Elafibranor:A promising treatment for alcoholic liver disease,metabolic-associated fatty liver disease,and cholestatic liver disease

Liver diseases pose a significant threat to human health.Although effective therapeutic agents exist for some liver diseases,there remains a critical need for advancements in research to address the gaps in treatment options and improve patient outcomes.This article reviews the assessment of Elafibranor's effects on liver fibrosis and intestinal barrier function in a mouse model of alcoholic liver disease(ALD),as reported by Koizumi et al in the World Journal of Gastroenterology.We summarize the impact and mechanisms of Elafibranor on ALD,metabolic-associated fatty liver disease,and cholestatic liver disease based on current research.We also explore its potential as a dual agonist of PPARα/δ,which is undergoing Phase III clinical trials for metabolic-associated steatohepatitis.Our goal is to stimulate further investigation into Elafibranor's use for preventing and treating these liver diseases and to provide insights for its clinical application.

Perianal Crohn’s disease:Still more questions than answers

In this editorial we comment on the article by Pacheco et al published in a recent issue of the World Journal of Gastroenterology.We focus specifically on the burden of illness associated with perianal fistulizing Crohn’s disease(PFCD)and the diagnostic and therapeutic challenges in the management of this condition.Evol-ving evidence has shifted the diagnostic framework for PFCD from anatomical classification systems,to one that is more nuanced and patient-focused to drive ongoing decision making.This editorial aims to reflect on these aspects to help clinicians face the challenge of PFCD in day-to-day clinical practice.

Epidemiological Characteristics and Spatio-temporal Patterns of Foodborne Diseases in Jinan, Northern China

Foodborne diseases(FBDs) represent a substantial, yet largely preventable, health burden and result in considerable morbidity and mortality in both developed and developing countries[1]. The FBDs Burden Epidemiology Reference Group(FERG)found that the global burden of FBDs is comparable to those of major infectious diseases, such as human immunodeficiency virus infection/acquired immune deficiency syndrome, malaria, and tuberculosis[2].

Perianal disease in inflammatory bowel disease:Broadening treatment and surveillance strategies for anal cancer

The perianal disease affects up to one-third of individuals with Crohn's disease(CD),causing disabling symptoms and significant impairment in quality of life,particularly for those with perianal fistulising CD(PFCD).The collaborative effort between gastroenterologists and surgeons is essential for addressing PFCD to achieve fistula closure and promote luminal healing.Limited fistula healing rates with conventional therapies have prompted the emergence of new biological agents,endoscopic procedures and surgical techniques that show promising results.Among these,mesenchymal stem cells injection is a particularly hopeful therapy.In addition to the burden of fistulas,individuals with perianal CD may face an increased risk of developing anal cancer.This underscores the importance of surveillance programmes and timely interventions to prevent late diagnoses and poor outcomes.Currently,there is no established formal anal screening programme.In this review,we provide an overview of the current state of the art in managing PFCD,including novel medical,endoscopic and surgical approaches.The discussion also focuses on the relevance of establishing an anal cancer screening programme in CD,intending to propose a risk-based surveillance algorithm.The validation of this surveillance programme would be a significant step forward in improving patient care and outcomes.

Antisense therapy:a potential breakthrough in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases

Neurodegenerative diseases are a group of disorders characterized by the progressive degeneration of neurons in the central or peripheral nervous system.Currently,there is no cure for neurodegenerative diseases and this means a heavy burden for patients and the health system worldwide.Therefore,it is necessary to find new therapeutic approaches,and antisense therapies offer this possibility,having the great advantage of not modifying cellular genome and potentially being safer.Many preclinical and clinical studies aim to test the safety and effectiveness of antisense therapies in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.The objective of this review is to summarize the recent advances in the development of these new technologies to treat the most common neurodegenerative diseases,with a focus on those antisense therapies that have already received the approval of the U.S.Food and Drug Administration.

NADPH oxidase 4(NOX4)as a biomarker and therapeutic target in neurodegenerative diseases

Diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases are defined by inflammation and the damage neurons undergo due to oxidative stress. A primary reactive oxygen species contributor in the central nervous system, NADPH oxidase 4, is viewed as a potential therapeutic touchstone and indicative marker for these ailments. This in-depth review brings to light distinct features of NADPH oxidase 4, responsible for generating superoxide and hydrogen peroxide, emphasizing its pivotal role in activating glial cells, inciting inflammation, and disturbing neuronal functions. Significantly, malfunctioning astrocytes, forming the majority in the central nervous system, play a part in advancing neurodegenerative diseases, due to their reactive oxygen species and inflammatory factor secretion. Our study reveals that aiming at NADPH oxidase 4 within astrocytes could be a viable treatment pathway to reduce oxidative damage and halt neurodegenerative processes. Adjusting NADPH oxidase 4 activity might influence the neuroinflammatory cytokine levels, including myeloperoxidase and osteopontin, offering better prospects for conditions like Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. This review sheds light on the role of NADPH oxidase 4 in neural degeneration, emphasizing its drug target potential, and paving the path for novel treatment approaches to combat these severe conditions.

Alanine aminotransferase predicts incident steatotic liver disease of metabolic etiology: Long life to the old biomarker!

Alanine aminotransferase(ALT)serum levels increase because of hepatocellular damage.Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease(MAFLD),which identifies steatotic liver disease(SLD)associated with≥2 metabolic abnormalities,has prominent sexual differences.The Metabolic Syndrome defines a cluster comprising abdominal obesity,altered glucose metabolism,dyslipidemia,and hypertension.Male sex,body mass index,glucose,lipids,ferritin,hypertension,and age independently predict ALT levels among blood donors.Over the last few decades,the reference range of ALT levels has been animatedly debated owing to attempts to update sex-specific reference ranges.With this backset,Chen et al have recently published a study which has two main findings.First,>80%of indi-viduals with MAFLD had normal ALT levels.Second,there was a linear increa-sing trend in the association between cumulative excess high-normal ALT levels and the rate of incident MAFLD.This study has biologically credible findings.However,it inaccurately considered sex differences in the MAFLD arena.Therefore,future studies on SLD owing to metabolic dysfunction should adopt locally determined and prospectively validated reference ranges of ALT and carefully consider sex differences in liver enzymes and MAFLD pathobiology.

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease:Navigating terminological evolution,diagnostic frontiers and therapeutic horizon-an editorial exploration

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease(MASLD),once known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD),represents a spectrum of liver disorders characterized by lipid accumulation within hepatocytes.The redefinition of NAFLD in 2023 marked a significant reposition in terminology,emphasizing a broader understanding of liver steatosis and its associated risks.MASLD is now recognized as a major risk factor for liver cirrhosis,hepatocellular carcinoma,and systemic complications such as cardiovascular diseases or systemic inflammation.Diagnostic challenges arise,particularly in identifying MASLD in lean individuals,necessitating updated diagnostic protocols and investing in non-invasive diagnostic tools.Therapeutically,there is an urgent need for effective treatments targeting MASLD,with emerging pharmacological options focusing on,among others,carbohydrate and lipid metabolism.Additionally,understanding the roles of bile acid metabolism,the microbiome,and dietary interventions in MASLD pathogenesis and management holds promise for innovative therapeutic approaches.There is a strong need to emphasize the importance of collaborative efforts in understanding,diagnosing,and managing MASLD to improve physicians’approaches and patient outcomes.

Metabolic-associated fatty liver disease and sarcopenia:A double whammy

The prevalence of metabolic-associated fatty liver disease(MAFLD)has increased substantially in recent years because of the global obesity pandemic.MAFLD,now recognized as the number one cause of chronic liver disease in the world,not only increases liver-related morbidity and mortality among sufferers but also worsens the complications associated with other comorbid conditions such as cardiovascular disease,type 2 diabetes mellitus,obstructive sleep apnoea,lipid disorders and sarcopenia.Understanding the interplay between MAFLD and these comorbidities is important to design optimal therapeutic strategies.Sarcopenia can be either part of the disease process that results in MAFLD(e.g.,obesity or adiposity)or a consequence of MAFLD,especially in the advanced stages such as fibrosis and cirrhosis.Sarcopenia can also worsen MAFLD by reducing exercise capacity and by the production of various muscle-related chemical factors.Therefore,it is crucial to thoroughly understand how we deal with these diseases,especially when they coexist.We explore the pathobiological interlinks between MAFLD and sarcopenia in this comprehensive clinical update review article and propose evidence-based therapeutic strategies to enhance patient care.

Update in lean metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease

BACKGROUND A new nomenclature consensus has emerged for liver diseases that were previously known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)and metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease(MAFLD).They are now defined as metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease(MASLD),which includes cardiometabolic criteria in adults.This condition,extensively studied in obese or overweight patients,constitutes around 30%of the population,with a steady increase worldwide.Lean patients account for approximately 10%-15%of the MASLD population.However,the pathogenesis is complex and is not well understood.AIM To systematically review the literature on the diagnosis,pathogenesis,characteristics,and prognosis in lean MASLD patients and provide an interpretation of these new criteria.METHODS We conducted a comprehensive database search on PubMed and Google Scholar between January 2012 and September 2023,specifically focusing on lean NAFLD,MAFLD,or MASLD patients.We include original articles with patients aged 18 years or older,with a lean body mass index categorized according to the World Health Organization criteria,using a cutoff of 25 kg/m2 for the general population and 23 kg/m2 for the Asian population.RESULTS We include 85 studies in our analysis.Our findings revealed that,for lean NAFLD patients,the prevalence rate varied widely,ranging from 3.8%to 34.1%.The precise pathogenesis mechanism remained elusive,with associations found in genetic variants,epigenetic modifications,and adaptative metabolic response.Common risk factors included metabolic syndrome,hypertension,and type 2 diabetes mellitus,but their prevalence varied based on the comparison group involving lean patients.Regarding non-invasive tools,Fibrosis-4 index outperformed the NAFLD fibrosis score in lean patients.Lifestyle modifications aided in reducing hepatic steatosis and improving cardiometabolic profiles,with some medications showing efficacy to a lesser extent.However,lean NAFLD patients exhibited a worse prognosis compared to the obese or overweight counterpart.CONCLUSION MASLD is a complex disease comprising epigenetic,genetic,and metabolic factors in its pathogenesis.Results vary across populations,gender,and age.Limited data exists on clinical practice guidelines for lean patients.Future studies employing this new nomenclature can contribute to standardizing and generalizing results among lean patients with steatotic liver disease.

Beyond Stitches: Analysis of Disease Burden in a Bangladeshi RMG Factory

Introduction: Bangladesh has experienced remarkable growth in RMG over the past 25 years. With the knitwear industry providing more than 4 million direct jobs, providing better occupational health and safety of workers remains a challenge. Aim of the study: The aim of the study was to analyze the disease burden of a RMG factory, and to highlight occupational health risks. Methods: A cross-sectional study design was employed for this analysis. A 17-month data entry (January 2020 - May 2021) was gathered from the factory in-house clinic. The socio-demographic and clinical diagnosis entries of 8421 entries were analyzed. Result: The population of the factory workers is 5370, where 40% (2148) are female workers and 60% (3222) are male workers. The mean age of respondents is 30 years, with a SD of ±7 years. Among the chief complaints, the most common was vomiting (14%;2262) fever (14%;2247), runny nose (11%;1842), cough (9%;1465), and loose motion (8%;1364). In the diagnosis categories, gastrointestinal diseases were more predominantly diagnosed (35%;2978), followed by viral fever (21%;1772), neurological diseases (16.5%;1389) and musculoskeletal disorders (9%;768). The average cost of medicine for each respondent is BDT 36. The factory covered costs of all medication for 99% (8380) of respondents. Only 0.5% (37) was referred to a tertiary hospital for further evaluation. Conclusion: Garments workers suffer mostly from long-term occupational health hazards. Factory owners and policy makers can contribute in various ways to improving primary healthcare options for workers.

Updated roles of the gut microbiota in exploring shrimp etiology, polymicrobial pathogens, and disease incidence

Litopenaeus vannamei is the most extensively cultured shrimp species globally,recognized for its scale,production,and economic value.However,its aquaculture is plagued by frequent disease outbreaks,resulting in rapid and massive mortality.etiological research often lags behind the emergence of new diseases,leaving the causal agents of some shrimp diseases unidentified and leading to nomenclature based on symptomatic presentations,especially in cases involving co-and polymicrobial pathogens.Comprehensive data on shrimp disease statuses remain limited.In this review,we summarize current knowledge on shrimp diseases and their effects on the gut microbiome.Furthermore,we also propose a workflow integrating primary colonizers,“driver”taxa in gut networks from healthy to diseased states,disease-discriminatory taxa,and virulence genes to identify potential polymicrobial pathogens.We examine both abiotic and biotic factors(e.g.,external and internal sources and specific-disease effects)that influence shrimp gut microbiota,with an emphasis on the“holobiome”concept and common features of gut microbiota response to diverse diseases.After excluding the effects of confounding factors,we provide a diagnosis model for quantitatively predicting shrimp disease incidence using disease common-discriminatory taxa,irrespective of the causal agents.Due to the conservation of functional genes used in designing specific primers,we propose a practical strategy applying qPCR-assayed abundances of disease common-discriminatory functional genes.This review updates the roles of the gut microbiota in exploring shrimp etiology,polymicrobial pathogens,and disease incidence,offering a refined perspective for advancing shrimp aquaculture health management.

Toward understanding the role of genomic repeat elements in neurodegenerative diseases

Neurodegenerative diseases cause great medical and economic burdens for both patients and society;however, the complex molecular mechanisms thereof are not yet well understood. With the development of high-coverage sequencing technology, researchers have started to notice that genomic repeat regions, previously neglected in search of disease culprits, are active contributors to multiple neurodegenerative diseases. In this review, we describe the association between repeat element variants and multiple degenerative diseases through genome-wide association studies and targeted sequencing. We discuss the identification of disease-relevant repeat element variants, further powered by the advancement of long-read sequencing technologies and their related tools, and summarize recent findings in the molecular mechanisms of repeat element variants in brain degeneration, such as those causing transcriptional silencing or RNA-mediated gain of toxic function. Furthermore, we describe how in silico predictions using innovative computational models, such as deep learning language models, could enhance and accelerate our understanding of the functional impact of repeat element variants. Finally, we discuss future directions to advance current findings for a better understanding of neurodegenerative diseases and the clinical applications of genomic repeat elements.

The Importance of Setting Treatment Goals for Cardiovascular Diseases

Background: Guidelines are issued by most major organizations that focus on a specific disease entity. Guidelines should be a significant help to the practicing physician who may not be up-to-date with the recent medical literature. Unfortunately, when conflicting guidelines for a specific disease are published, confusion results. Purpose: This article provides a suggested guideline outcome measure that would benefit the physician and patient. Methods: A review of 19 different guidelines for cardiovascular disease treatment is one example of the lack of specific outcomes that currently exist. The basic problem with most guidelines is that they do not state the expected end result (i.e., the benefit to the patient) if that guideline is followed. When guidelines use cardiovascular disease risk factors to dictate therapy, the end benefit is never stated so that the patient can make an appropriate choice of which (if any) guideline to follow. Results: A good example is guidelines published by the American Heart Association for reducing cardiovascular disease. These guidelines are risk factor based and only indicate that cardiovascular disease would be reduced if followed. No specific percentage in the reduction of the incidence of disease is given. In contrast, when elimination of the disease is the stated goal of the guideline, the end result is clear. To date, this goal has been stated by only one organization devoted to eliminating cardiovascular disease. Conclusion: Guidelines need to be written to provide the physician and the patient with a specific end point that is expected when the guideline is followed. Patient acceptance and compliance will be much improved if the patient knows the risk/benefit of following the guideline’s recommendations.

Establishment of a surveillance program for anal cancer in Crohn's disease

This letter discusses the incidence of anal cancer among Crohn's disease(CD)-related malignancies.Patients with CD have been demonstrated to be at a higher risk of developing small bowel and colorectal cancers than healthy individuals.Although CD-associated anal cancer is relatively rare,patients with CD accom-panied by anal or perianal lesions are at increased risk of anal cancer.Addi-tionally,compared to ulcerative colitis,which is also an inflammatory disease,CD-related anal cancer is often detected at an advanced stage owing to the complexity of CD and is associated with a poor prognosis with frequent local recurrences.Therefore,the detection of early-stage cancer is crucial for improving the prognosis.However,the surveillance methods recommended for CD-related malignancies in the United States and Europe are similar to those for ulcerative colitis.They are not appropriate for detecting CD-related malignancies in the recto-anal region.Therefore,there is an urgent need for surveillance programs aimed at the early detection of malignant anorectal lesions in patients with CD.

Potential role of tanycyte-derived neurogenesis in Alzheimer's disease

Tanycytes, specialized ependymal cells located in the hypothalamus, play a crucial role in the generation of new neurons that contribute to the neural circuits responsible for regulating the systemic energy balance. The precise coordination of the gene networks controlling neurogenesis in naive and mature tanycytes is essential for maintaining homeostasis in adulthood. However, our understanding of the molecular mechanisms and signaling pathways that govern the proliferation and differentiation of tanycytes into neurons remains limited. This article aims to review the recent advancements in research into the mechanisms and functions of tanycyte-derived neurogenesis. Studies employing lineage-tracing techniques have revealed that the neurogenesis specifically originating from tanycytes in the hypothalamus has a compensatory role in neuronal loss and helps maintain energy homeostasis during metabolic diseases. Intriguingly,metabolic disorders are considered early biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease. Furthermore,the neurogenic potential of tanycytes and the state of newborn neurons derived from tanycytes heavily depend on the maintenance of mild microenvironments, which may be disrupted in Alzheimer's disease due to the impaired blood–brain barrier function.However, the specific alterations and regulatory mechanisms governing tanycyte-derived neurogenesis in Alzheimer's disease remain unclear. Accumulating evidence suggests that tanycyte-derived neurogenesis might be impaired in Alzheimer's disease, exacerbating neurodegeneration. Confirming this hypothesis, however, poses a challenge because of the lack of long-term tracing and nucleus-specific analyses of newborn neurons in the hypothalamus of patients with Alzheimer's disease. Further research into the molecular mechanisms underlying tanycyte-derived neurogenesis holds promise for identifying small molecules capable of restoring tanycyte proliferation in neurodegenerative diseases. This line of investigation could provide valuable insights into potential therapeutic strategies for Alzheimer's disease and related conditions.