Obesity and cancer

Rising Prevalence of Obesity and Primary Hyperaldosteronism: Co-incidence or Connected Circumstances Leading to Hypertension? A Narrative Review

While obesity and its associated complications, mainly diabetes and hypertension, have been the largest public health problems of modern world, the emerging data suggests an increasing prevalence of primary hyperaldosteronism (PA) as one of the most common undiagnosed causes of hypertension. We believe that rising prevalence of PA in the era of high rates of obesity is likely not a chance finding but is deeply intersected with the rising rates of obesity. Higher serum aldosterone concentrations and urinary aldosterone excretion have been observed in patients with increased body mass index or larger waist circumference. The in vitro and pre-clinical studies suggest that adipocytes not only synthesize and secrete aldosterone but also release factors which stimulate production of aldosterone from adrenal glands. Aldosterone excess causing ligand-dependent activation of the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) has increasingly been recognized as one of the important mechanisms of obesity-related hypertension. The aldosterone excess in these cases can be labelled as acquired hyperaldosteronism to differentiate it from the non-obesity related classical cases of PA. Because of serious consequences, recognizing aldosterone excess in obesity is important, as it gives a more compelling reason for weight loss and guidance to choosing pharmacotherapy wisely. Dietary sodium restriction and mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists play important roles in the management of PA associated with obesity.

Identification of weight loss interventions for translation among endometrial cancer survivors: A RE-AIM analysis

Interventions for obesity-related cancers that combine nutrition and physical activity for weight loss exist; however, their application to survivors of endometrial cancer is unknown. Furthermore, little is known about pre-implementation perceptions of existing programs from a variety of interested persons (physicians, researchers) who may be part of the implementation team. Adapting an existing intervention rather than developing a new intervention may speed the translational lag time as long as intervention characteristics and fit within the delivery system are considered during the planning phase. To describe the process of determining the core elements of obesity-related interventions for cancer survivors and determine which one might be best delivered by an urban healthcare system that predominantly serves individuals who live in rural areas of Virginia and West Virginia. A pragmatic review of the literature was conducted via PubMed and Google Scholar with broad search terms of cancer survivor AND weight loss AND health intervention. Identified interventions were scored related to the Practical, Robust Implementation and Sustainability Model-which is an extension of RE-AIM framework to guide the understanding of who, what, where, when, and how the intervention was conducted. Intervention characteristics are reported. In addition, ratings from three independent reviewers on the validated 5-point Likert scale of an intervention's acceptability, appropriateness, and feasibility in the intended delivery system were collected and summarized. Twelve interventions were identified with an average sample size of 241(±195) and a range of 48-683 participants. Target populations included survivors of colorectal, breast, and endometrial cancers as well as general cancer survivors and included both men and women or only women. Most participants (74%) identified as white/Caucasian and average age ranged from 47.1 to 65.9 years. Program duration ranged from 4 weeks to 18 months, with an average duration of 32 weeks. Intervention dosage ranged from three times a week to once a month. Intervention acceptability, appropriateness, and feasibility had average and standard deviation ratings of 3.52(±0.46), 3.41(±0.45), and 3.21(±0.46), respectively, out of 5. The four interventions with the highest combined acceptable, appropriate, and feasible scores are being considered for potential use as an obesity-related intervention for survivors of endometrial cancer. Future work is needed to determine relevant adaptations and efficacy among survivors of endometrial cancer with obesity. Our approach may be beneficial for other interventionists aiming to speed intervention development and implementation.

Prioritising patients for publicly funded bariatric surgery in Queensland, Australia

OBJECTIVES

This study reports the development and pilot application of the Bariatric Surgery Assessment and Prioritisation Tool (BAPT) for use in a public health system. The BAPT was designed as a patient prioritisation instrument to assess patients with excessive weight and type 2 diabetes suitable for bariatric surgery. We assessed whether the instrument successfully identified those who gained the greatest benefits including weight loss, diabetes remission, reduction in comorbidities, and health-related quality of life (HR-QoL).

METHODS

The BAPT instrument was applied to score 292 patients referred for bariatric surgery in Queensland between 2017 and 2020 based on their, body mass index, diabetes status, surgical risk (e.g. pulmonary embolism) and comorbidities (e.g. non-alcoholic steatohepatitis). These data were collected at referral and at 12-months post-surgery for 130 patients and stratified by BAPT scores. Outcomes included clinical and HR-QoL.

RESULTS

Patients' BAPT scores ranged from 12 to 78 (possible range 2-98). Those with higher scores tended to be younger (p < 0.001), have higher BMI (p < 0.001) or require insulin to manage diabetes (p < 0.01). All patients lost similar percentages of body weight (20-25%, p = 0.73) but higher-scoring patients were more likely to discontinue oral diabetes medications (p < 0.001) and the improvement in glycated haemoglobin was four times greater in patients scoring 70-79 points compared to those scoring 20-29 (p < 0.05). Those who scored ≥ 50 on the BAPT were substantially more likely to obtain diabetes remission (57% vs 31%). BAPT scores of 40 and above tended to have greater improvement in HR-QoL.

CONCLUSIONS

The BAPT prioritised younger patients with higher BMIs who realised greater improvements in their diabetes after bariatric surgery. Higher-scoring BAPT patients should be prioritised for bariatric surgery as they have a greater likelihood of attaining diabetes remission.

The Role of Inositols in Endocrine and Neuroendocrine Tumors

Inositols have demonstrated a role in cancer prevention and treatment in many kinds of neoplasms. Their molecular mechanisms vary from the regulation of survival and proliferative pathways to the modulation of immunity and oxidative stress. The dysregulation of many pathways and mechanisms regulated by inositols has been demonstrated in endocrine and neuroendocrine tumors but the role of inositol supplementation in this context has not been clarified. The aim of this review is to summarize the molecular basis of the possible role of inositols in endocrine and neuroendocrine tumors, proposing it as an adjuvant therapy.

Association between dietary glycine intake and the prevalence of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, overweight or obesity in rural northern China: a cross-sectional study

Objective

The objective of this research is to investigate the relationship between dietary glycine consumption and the prevalence of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and overweight or obesity in economically disadvantaged areas of northern China using a cross-sectional study design.

Methods

A cross-sectional study involving 774 participants utilized a web-based dietary questionnaire (IDQC) and underwent physical measurements. Data analysis was conducted using IBM SPSS Statistics software (Version 21). Participants were stratified into four groups based on quartiles of their dietary glycine intake: Q1 (<1.32), Q2 (1.32-1.82), Q3 (1.82-2.26), and Q4 (>2.26). Continuous variables were reported as mean ± standard deviation and compared using ANOVA or the Kruskal-Wallis test, while categorical variables were presented as frequencies (%) and compared using the chi-square test. Finally, multivariable logistic regression with p-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results

Significant differences in dietary glycine intake were observed between the highest quartile group (Q4) and the lowest quartile group (Q1), with corresponding dominance ratios of 0.590 (95% CI, 0.360-0.966), 0.547 (95% CI, 0.327-0.913), and 0.547 (95% CI, 0.353-0.850) for the risk of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and overweight/obesity, respectively. Furthermore, no significant correlation was found between dietary glycine intake and hypertension or hyperlipidemia within each sex and age subgroup.

Conclusion

There exists a potential correlation between increased dietary glycine intake and reduced prevalence of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and overweight/obesity. However, additional research is necessary to validate this finding through larger-scale studies conducted at a population level.

Effect of Intermittent vs. Continuous Energy Restriction on Visceral Fat: Protocol for The Healthy Diet and Lifestyle Study 2 (HDLS2)

Obesity in the United States and Western countries represents a major health challenge associated with an increased risk of metabolic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes, and certain cancers. Our past work revealed a more pronounced obesity-cancer link in certain ethnic groups, motivating us to develop a tailored dietary intervention called the Healthy Diet and Lifestyle 2 (HDLS2). The study protocol is described herein for this randomized six-month trial examining the effects of intermittent energy restriction (5:2 Diet) plus the Mediterranean dietary pattern (IER + MED) on visceral adipose tissue (VAT), liver fat, and metabolic biomarkers, compared to a standard MED with daily energy restriction (DER + MED), in a diverse participant group. Using MRI and DXA scans for body composition analysis, as well as metabolic profiling, this research aims to contribute to nutritional guidelines and strategies for visceral obesity reduction. The potential benefits of IER + MED, particularly regarding VAT reduction and metabolic health improvement, could be pivotal in mitigating the obesity epidemic and its metabolic sequelae. The ongoing study will provide essential insights into the efficacy of these energy restriction approaches across varied racial/ethnic backgrounds, addressing an urgent need in nutrition and metabolic health research. Registered Trial, National Institutes of Health, ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05132686).

County-level socio-environmental factors and obesity prevalence in the United States

AIMS

To investigate high-risk sociodemographic and environmental determinants of health (SEDH) potentially associated with adult obesity in counties in the United States using machine-learning techniques.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We performed a cross-sectional analysis of county-level adult obesity prevalence (body mass index ≥30 kg/m2) in the United States using data from the Diabetes Surveillance System 2017. We harvested 49 county-level SEDH factors that were used in a classification and regression trees (CART) model to identify county-level clusters. The CART model was validated using a 'hold-out' set of counties and variable importance was evaluated using Random Forest.

RESULTS

Overall, we analysed 2752 counties in the United States, identifying a national median (interquartile range) obesity prevalence of 34.1% (30.2%, 37.7%). The CART method identified 11 clusters with a 60.8% relative increase in prevalence across the spectrum. Additionally, seven key SEDH variables were identified by CART to guide the categorization of clusters, including Physically Inactive (%), Diabetes (%), Severe Housing Problems (%), Food Insecurity (%), Uninsured (%), Population over 65 years (%) and Non-Hispanic Black (%).

CONCLUSION

There is significant county-level geographical variation in obesity prevalence in the United States, which can in part be explained by complex SEDH factors. The use of machine-learning techniques to analyse these factors can provide valuable insights into the importance of these upstream determinants of obesity and, therefore, aid in the development of geo-specific strategic interventions and optimize resource allocation to help battle the obesity pandemic.

Eating time variation from weekdays to weekends and its association with dietary intake and BMI in different chronotypes: findings from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2017-2018

Evidence suggests that differences in meal timing between weekends and weekdays can disrupt the body's circadian rhythm, leading to a higher BMI. We aimed to investigate the associations between mealtime variation from weekdays to weekends (eating midpoint jetlag), dietary intake and anthropometric parameters, based on individuals' chronotype. The study utilised data from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2017-2018. Food consumption was estimated by weighted average of participants' food intake on weekdays and weekends. Eating midpoint jetlag, defined as the difference between the midpoint of the first and last mealtimes on weekends and weekdays, was calculated. Chronotype was assessed by participants' mid-sleep time on weekends, adjusted for sleep debt. Linear regression analysis was conducted to investigate the associations between variables. The sample was categorised into chronotype tertiles. Among individuals in the third chronotype tertile, there was a positive association between eating midpoint jetlag and BMI (β = 1·2; 95 % CI (1·13, 1·27)). Individuals in the first tertile showed a positive association between eating midpoint jetlag and energy (β = 96·9; 95 % CI (92·9, 101·7)), carbohydrate (β = 11·96; 95 % CI (11·2, 12·6)), fat (β = 3·69; 95 % CI (3·4, 3·8)), cholesterol (β = 32·75; 95 % CI (30·9, 34·6)) and sugar (β = 8·84; 95 % CI (8·3, 9·3)) intake on weekends. Among individuals with an evening tendency, delaying meals on weekends appears to be linked to a higher BMI. Conversely, among individuals with a morning tendency, eating meals later on weekends is associated with higher energetic intake on weekends.

[How could physical activity decrease the risk of breast cancer development and recurrence?]

OBJECTIVES

Breast cancer is the most frequent and deadly cancer among women. In France, 50% of adults are currently overweight, mostly as a result of a sedentary lifestyle. Numerous studies have highlighted overweight, obesity and lack of physical activity as risk factors for the occurrence and prognosis of cancers, particularly breast cancer. The aim of this study was to understand the extent to which physical activity can improve this prognosis, and what the pathophysiology is.

METHODS

The Senology Commission of the Collège national des gynécologues et obstétriciens français (CNGOF) based its responses on an analysis of the international literature using a Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) methodology conducted on the PubMed database between 1994 and 2023.

RESULTS

A total of 70 articles were selected, demonstrating the role of regular physical activity in reducing the risk of breast cancer occurrence and recurrence. This role in controlling carcinogenesis is mediated by metabolic factors such as leptin, adiponectin and insulin, sex hormones and inflammation. The signaling pathways deregulated by these molecules are known carcinogenic pathways which could be used as therapeutic targets adapted to this population, without replacing the essential hygienic-dietary recommendations.

CONCLUSION

Physical activity has a protective effect on breast cancer risk and prognosis. We must therefore continue to raise awareness in the general population and promote physical activity as a means of primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention.

Association between consumption of sweeteners and endometrial cancer risk: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies

The purpose of this study is to further investigate the relationship between sweetener exposure and the risk of endometrial cancer (EC). Up until December 2022, a literature search in an electronic database was carried out utilizing PubMed, Web of Science, Ovid, and Scopus. The odds ratio (OR) and 95 % confidence interval (CI) were used to evaluate the results. Sweeteners were divided into nutritional sweeteners (generally refers to sugar, such as sucrose and glucose) and non-nutritional sweeteners (generally refers to artificial sweeteners, such saccharin and aspartame). Ten cohort studies and two case-control studies were eventually included. The study found that in 12 studies, compared with the non-exposed group, the incidence rate of EC in the sweetener exposed group was higher (OR = 1·15, 95 % CI = [1·07, 1·24]). Subgroup analysis showed that in 11 studies, the incidence rate of EC in the nutritional sweetener exposed group was higher than that in the non-exposed group (OR = 1·25, 95 % CI = [1·14, 1·38]). In 4 studies, there was no difference in the incidence rate of EC between individuals exposed to non-nutritional sweeteners and those who were not exposed to non-nutritional sweeteners (OR = 0·90, 95 % CI = [0·81, 1·01]). This study reported that the consumption of nutritional sweeteners may increase the risk of EC, whereas there was no significant relationship between the exposure of non-nutritional sweeteners and the incidence of EC. Based on the results of this study, it is recommended to reduce the intake of nutritional sweeteners, but it is uncertain whether use of on-nutritional sweeteners instead of nutritional sweetener.

Thirty-two-year trends of cancer incidence by sex and cancer site in the Veneto Region from 1987 to 2019

Background

This observational study considers the sex-specific incidence of the most incident cancers as recorded in the population-based Veneto Regional Cancer Registry over a period of more than 30 years (1987-2019).

Methods

The Veneto Regional Cancer Registry collected data for the time interval 1987-2019. Significant changes in incidence trends calculated on age-standardized incidence rates (Annual Percent Change-APC) were identified by join point regression analysis.

Results

Overall, the incidence trend for all cancers decreased in males and remained stable in females. In nine cancer sites, the incidence trends showed consistent differences by sex (oral cavity, esophagus, colon rectum and anus, liver, larynx, lung, cutaneous malignant melanoma, bladder, and thyroid gland). Other malignancies did not show significant sex-related differences (stomach, pancreas, biliary tract, kidney/urinary tract, central nervous system, multiple myeloma, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and leukemia).

Conclusion

In the period 1987-2019, this study revealed sex-related differences in cancer incidence trends. Over time, cancer incidence remained higher in males, with a decreasing epidemiological impact, plausibly resulting from prevention campaigns against environmental cancer risk factors, as tobacco and alcohol. Conversely, a significant decrease was not observed in the incidence trend in females. These findings contribute essential insights for profiling the epidemiological map of cancer in a large Italian population, allowing comparison with other European cancer epidemiology studies and providing updated data supporting sex-related primary and secondary cancer prevention strategies.

Mechanisms and treatment of obesity-related hypertension-Part 1: Mechanisms

The prevalence of obesity has tripled over the past five decades. Obesity, especially visceral obesity, is closely related to hypertension, increasing the risk of primary (essential) hypertension by 65%-75%. Hypertension is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death worldwide, and its prevalence is rapidly increasing following the pandemic rise in obesity. Although the causal relationship between obesity and high blood pressure (BP) is well established, the detailed mechanisms for such association are still under research. For more than 30 years sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and kidney sodium reabsorption activation, secondary to insulin resistance and compensatory hyperinsulinemia, have been considered as primary mediators of elevated BP in obesity. However, experimental and clinical data show that severe insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia can occur in the absence of elevated BP, challenging the causal relationship between insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia as the key factor linking obesity to hypertension. The purpose of Part 1 of this review is to summarize the available data on recently emerging mechanisms believed to contribute to obesity-related hypertension through increased sodium reabsorption and volume expansion, such as: physical compression of the kidney by perirenal/intrarenal fat and overactivation of the systemic/renal SNS and the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system. The role of hyperleptinemia, impaired chemoreceptor and baroreceptor reflexes, and increased perivascular fat is also discussed. Specifically targeting these mechanisms may pave the way for a new therapeutic intervention in the treatment of obesity-related hypertension in the context of 'precision medicine' principles, which will be discussed in Part 2.

Single-Cell Hemoprotein Diet Changes Adipose Tissue Distributions and Re-Shapes Gut Microbiota in High-Fat Diet-Induced Obese Mice

We have previously observed that feeding with single-cell hemoprotein (heme-SCP) in dogs (1 g/day for 6 days) and broiler chickens (1 ppm for 32 days) increased the proportion of lactic acid bacteria in the gut while reducing their body weights by approximately 1~2%. To define the roles of heme-SCP in modulating body weight and gut microbiota, obese C57BL/6N mice were administered varied heme-SCP concentrations (0, 0.05, and 0.5% heme-SCP in high fat diet) for 28 days. The heme-SCP diet seemed to restrain weight gain till day 14, but the mice gained weight again later, showing no significant differences in weight. However, the heme-SCP-fed mice had stiffer and oilier bodies compared with those of the control mice, which had flabby bodies and dull coats. When mice were dissected at day 10, the obese mice fed with heme-SCP exhibited a reduction in subcutaneous fat with an increase in muscle mass. The effect of heme-SCP on the obesity-associated dyslipidemia tended to be corroborated by the blood parameters (triglyceride, total cholesterol, and C-reactive protein) at day 10, though the correlation was not clear at day 28. Notably, the heme-SCP diet altered gut microbiota, leading to the proliferation of known anti-obesity biomarkers such as Akkermansia, Alistipes, Oscillibacter, Ruminococcus, Roseburia, and Faecalibacterium. This study suggests the potential of heme-SCP as an anti-obesity supplement, which modulates serum biochemistry and gut microbiota in high-fat diet-induced obese mice.

Systemic Immune Modulation Induced by Ephedrine in Obese-Diabetes (db/db) Mice

Immune-modulatory effects in obese-diabetes (db/db) mice were observed to understand the possible mechanism(s) of ephedrine-induced unfavorable responses. The ephedrine doses were selected based on the FDA report (NTP Tech Rep Ser NO 307; CAS# 134-72-5), which showed the non-toxic dose for B6C3F1 mice. In db/db mice, higher doses (6 and 12 mg/mouse) of ephedrine significantly harmed the liver and lung morphology, including fatty liver with multiple blood vessel engorgement, alveolar wall thickening, and inflammatory response in the lung. The immune micro-environment of db/db mice was an inflammatory state with suppressed adaptive cellular immunity. After the administration of ephedrine, significant deterioration of NK activity was observed with lowered gene transcription of klrk1 encoding NKG2D, and of ccl8, a NK cell targeting chemokine. Suppressed cellular immunity in db/db mice was lowered ever further by single ephedrine treatment, as was evidenced by mitogen-induced T or B cell proliferations. These observations demonstrate that at the non-toxic doses in normal B6C3F1 mice, ephedrine clearly suppressed systemic immunity of db/db mice. The data suggest that the immune micro-environment of obese individuals is fragile and susceptible to ephedrine-related pathologic response, and this may be a prelude to the induction of obesity-related secondary immunological disorders.

Beyond Body Size: Adiponectin as a Key Player in Obesity-Driven Cancers

Obesity, a complex and multifactorial disease influenced by genetic, environmental, and psychological factors, has reached epidemic proportions globally, posing a significant health challenge. In addition to its established association with cardiovascular disease and type II diabetes, obesity has been implicated as a risk factor for various cancers. However, the precise biological mechanisms linking obesity and cancer remain largely understood. Adipose tissue, an active endocrine organ, produces numerous hormones and bioactive molecules known as adipokines, which play a crucial role in metabolism, immune responses, and systemic inflammation. Notably, adiponectin (APN), the principal adipocyte secretory protein, exhibits reduced expression levels in obesity. In this scoping review, we explore and discuss the role of APN in influencing cancer in common malignancies, including lung, breast, colorectal, prostate, gastric, and endometrial cancers. Our review aims to emphasize the critical significance of investigating this field, as it holds great potential for the development of innovative treatment strategies that specifically target obesity-related malignancies. Furthermore, the implementation of more rigorous and comprehensive prevention and treatment policies for obesity is imperative in order to effectively mitigate the risk of associated diseases, such as cancer.

Effect of Obesity on the Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of Anticancer Agents

An objective of the Precision Medicine Initiative, launched in 2015 by the US Food and Drug Administration and National Institutes of Health, is to optimize and individualize dosing of drugs, especially anticancer agents, with high pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic variability. The American Society of Clinical Oncology recently reported that 40% of obese patients receive insufficient chemotherapy doses and exposures, which may lead to reduced efficacy, and recommended pharmacokinetic studies to guide appropriate dosing in these patients. These issues will only increase in importance as the incidence of obesity in the population increases. This publication reviews the effects of obesity on (1) tumor biology, development of cancer, and antitumor response; (2) pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of small-molecule anticancer drugs; and (3) pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of complex anticancer drugs, such as carrier-mediated agents and biologics. These topics are not only important from a scientific research perspective but also from a drug development and regulator perspective. Thus, it is important to evaluate the effects of obesity on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of anticancer agents in all categories of body habitus and especially in patients who are obese and morbidly obese. As the effects of obesity on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of anticancer agents may be highly variable across drug types, the optimal dosing metric and algorithm for difference classes of drugs may be widely different. Thus, studies are needed to evaluate current and novel metrics and methods for measuring body habitus as related to optimizing the dose and reducing pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic variability of anticancer agents in patients who are obese and morbidly obese.

Only the fit survive recessions: Estimating labor market penalties for the obese over the business cycle

The obesity epidemic is a growing concern in the United States. Aside from the detrimental health effects of obesity, previous work has also documented a negative relationship between obesity and various labor market outcomes. Given that the American adult obesity rate is roughly 40%, obesity affects a large portion of the US labor market. In this study, I analyze the impact of obesity on income and employment over business cycle fluctuations. I find that during economic downturns, obese workers experience larger declines in income and employment relative to their healthy weight peers. These effects exist for both genders and are concentrated amongst younger adults.

Cholesterol reprograms glucose and lipid metabolism to promote proliferation in colon cancer cells

Hypercholesterolemia is often correlated with obesity which is considered a risk factor for various cancers. With the growing population of hypercholesterolemic individuals, there is a need to understand the role of increased circulatory cholesterol or dietary cholesterol intake towards cancer etiology and pathology. Recently, abnormality in the blood cholesterol level of colon cancer patients has been reported. In the present study, we demonstrate that alteration in cholesterol levels (through a high-cholesterol or high-fat diet) increases the incidence of chemical carcinogen-induced colon polyp occurrence and tumor progression in mice. At the cellular level, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLc) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLc) promote colon cancer cell proliferation by tuning the cellular glucose and lipid metabolism. Mechanistically, supplementation of LDLc or HDLc promotes cellular glucose uptake, and utilization, thereby, causing an increase in lactate production by colon cancer cells. Moreover, LDLc or HDLc upregulates aerobic glycolysis, causing an increase in total ATP production through glycolysis, and a decrease in ATP generation by OXPHOS. Interestingly, the shift in the metabolic status towards a more glycolytic phenotype upon the availability of cholesterol supports rapid cell proliferation. Additionally, an alteration in the expression of the molecules involved in cholesterol uptake along with the increase in lipid and cholesterol accumulation was observed in cells supplemented with LDLc or HDLc. These results indicate that colon cancer cells directly utilize the cholesterol associated with LDLc or HDLc. Moreover, targeting glucose metabolism through LDH inhibitor (oxamate) drastically abrogates the cellular proliferation induced by LDLc or HDLc. Collectively, we illustrate the vital role of cholesterol in regulating the cellular glucose and lipid metabolism of cancer cells and its direct effect on the colon tumorigenesis.

Ethnic disparities in the immune microenvironment of triple negative breast cancer and its role in therapeutic outcomes

In 2020, newly diagnosed breast cancer (BC) cases surpassed that of lung cancer among women, making it the most common female cancer globally. In spite of recent increases in incidence rates, mortality due to BC has declined since 1989. These declines have been attributed to advancements in treatment modalities as well as increased mammography surveillance. Despite these advances, African American (AA) women are 40% more likely to die from BC than Caucasian women. Multifactorial etiology has been implicated in the disparity of BC mortality rates among AA women. As an example, AA women have a disproportionate incidence of triple negative breast cancer (TNBC), which has a poor prognosis and marginal treatment options. Increasingly, the tumor microenvironment (TME) has gained relevance as it relates to primary tumor progression, metastasis and treatment possibilities. The treatment outcomes or pathological complete response (pCR) in TNBC among AA women are affected by differences in TME. The TME of AA women exhibit several variances in acellular and cellular components associated with pro-tumorigenic effects. For example, increased levels of the adipocyte-related hormone, resistin, the pro-inflammatory cytokine, IL-6, and the CC chemokine, CCL2, within the TME of AA women gives rise to an increased density of M2 macrophages, also known as tumor-associated macrophages. Elevated levels of vascular endothelial growth factor in the TME of AA women increase the vascular density or vascularity, which facilitate aggressive tumor growth and metastasis. Furthermore, a pro-tumorigenic TME is supported by increased levels of the CXC chemokine, CXCL12 that results in the recruitment of regulatory T lymphocytes (Tregs ). Due to these and other differences in the TME of AA women, precision oncology can target specific aspects of the TME that may contribute to a poorer prognosis. In addition to the discrepancies in the TME, AA women face socio-economic barriers that limit their ability to access state-of-the-art, novel therapies against metastatic TNBC. In this review, we will provide a brief overview of the tumor immune microenvironment, immune-based treatment options for TNBC and their potential to decrease health disparities due to ethnicity.

Emerging Role of GLP-1 Agonists in Obesity: A Comprehensive Review of Randomised Controlled Trials

Obesity is a chronic disease with high prevalence and associated comorbidities, making it a growing global concern. These comorbidities include type 2 diabetes, hypertension, ventilatory dysfunction, arthrosis, venous and lymphatic circulation diseases, depression, and others, which have a negative impact on health and increase morbidity and mortality. GLP-1 agonists, used to treat type 2 diabetes, have been shown to be effective in promoting weight loss in preclinical and clinical studies. This review summarizes numerous studies conducted on the main drugs in the GLP-1 agonists class, outlining the maximum achievable weight loss. Our aim is to emphasize the active role and main outcomes of GLP-1 agonists in promoting weight loss, as well as in improving hyperglycemia, insulin sensitivity, blood pressure, cardio-metabolic, and renal protection. We highlight the pleiotropic effects of these medications, along with their indications, contraindications, and precautions for both diabetic and non-diabetic patients, based on long-term follow-up studies.

Novel Anti-obesity Therapies and their Different Effects and Safety Profiles: A Critical Overview

Obesity has become an epidemic and a worldwide problem and its treatment is ever-evolving. Apart from diet and exercise, medication and surgery are other options. After disappointing side effects of various obesity drugs, new treatments showed promising results. This review discusses the following anti-obesity drugs: liraglutide, semaglutide, tirzepatide, orlistat, as well as the phentermine/topiramate and bupropion/naltrexone combinations. These drugs have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for weight reduction except for tirzepatide which is still under evaluation. Efficacy and tolerable safety profiles of some of these drugs contribute to the management of obesity and reduce the complications associated with this chronic disease.

Natural products targeting inflammation-related metabolic disorders: A comprehensive review

Currently, the incidence of metabolic disorders is increasing, setting a challenge to global health. With major advancement in the diagnostic tools and clinical procedures, much has been known in the etiology of metabolic disorders and their corresponding pathophysiologies. In addition, the use of in vitro and in vivo experimental models prior to clinical studies has promoted numerous biomedical breakthroughs, including in the discovery and development of drug candidates to treat metabolic disorders. Indeed, chemicals isolated from natural products have been extensively studied as prospective drug candidates to manage diabetes, obesity, heart-related diseases, and cancer, partly due to their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Continuous efforts have been made in parallel to improve their bioactivity and bioavailability using selected drug delivery approaches. Here, we provide insights on recent progress in the role of inflammatory-mediated responses on the initiation of metabolic disorders, with particular reference to diabetes mellitus, obesity, heart-related diseases, and cancer. In addition, we discussed the prospective role of natural products in the management of diabetes, obesity, heart-related diseases, and cancers and provide lists of potential biological targets for high throughput screening in drug discovery and development. Lastly, we discussed findings observed in the preclinical and clinical studies prior to identifying suitable approaches on the phytochemical drug delivery systems that are potential to be used in the treatment of metabolic disorders.

Obesity Measured via Body Mass Index May Be Associated with Increased Incidence but Not Worse Outcomes of Immune-Mediated Diarrhea and Colitis

Obesity defined by high body mass index (BMI) has traditionally been associated with gastrointestinal inflammatory processes but has recently been correlated with better survival in patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI). We sought to investigate the association between BMI and immune-mediated diarrhea and colitis (IMDC) outcomes and whether BMI reflects body fat content on abdominal imaging. This retrospective, single-center study included cancer patients with ICI exposure who developed IMDC and had BMI and abdominal computed tomography (CT) obtained within 30 days before initiating ICI from April 2011 to December 2019. BMI was categorized as <25, ≥25 but <30, and ≥30. Visceral fat area (VFA), subcutaneous fat area (SFA), total fat area (TFA: VFA+SFA), and visceral to subcutaneous fat (V/S) ratio were obtained from CT at the umbilical level. Our sample comprised 202 patients; 127 patients (62.9%) received CTLA-4 monotherapy or a combination, and 75 (37.1%) received PD-1/PD-L1 monotherapy. Higher BMIs ≥ 30 were associated with a higher incidence of IMDC than BMIs ≤ 25 (11.4% vs. 7.9%, respectively; p = 0.029). Higher grades of colitis (grade 3-4) correlated with lower BMI (p = 0.03). BMI level was not associated with other IMDC characteristics or did not influence overall survival (p = 0.83). BMI is strongly correlated with VFA, SFA, and TFA (p < 0.0001). Higher BMI at ICI initiation was linked to a higher incidence of IMDC but did not appear to affect outcomes. BMI strongly correlated with body fat parameters measured by abdominal imaging, suggesting its reliability as an obesity index.

The Protective Effect of Bariatric Surgery on the Development of Colorectal Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

Obesity is a known risk factor for developing colorectal cancer (CRC) and is associated with the formation of precancerous colonic adenomas. Bariatric surgery (BRS) is considered to reduce the cancer risk in morbidly obese patients. However, the currently available literature yields contradicting results regarding the impact of bariatric surgery on the incidence of CRC.

METHODS

A systematic literature search of the Medline, Embase, CENTRAL, CINAHL, Web of Science, and clinicaltrials.gov databases was undertaken following the PRISMA guidelines. A random effects model was selected.

RESULTS

Twelve retrospective cohort studies, incorporating a total of 6,279,722 patients, were eligible for inclusion in the final quantitative analysis. Eight studies originated from North America, while four reported on European patients. Patients in the Bariatric Surgery group exhibited a significantly reduced risk for developing colorectal cancer (RR 0.56, 95% CI 0.4-0.8, p < 0.001), while sleeve gastrectomy was found to be significantly associated with a smaller incidence of CRC (RR 0.55, 95% CI 0.36-0.83, p < 0.001), and gastric bypass and banding did not.

CONCLUSIONS

A significant protective effect of BRS against the development of CRC is implied. In the present analysis, the incidence rate of colorectal cancer was approximately halved amongst the obese individuals that were operated on.

The Adipokine Visfatin Modulates Cancer Stem Cell Properties in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Obesity is a cancer progression risk factor; excessive adipocytes increase adipokine secretion. Visfatin, a novel adipokine highly expressed in cancer patients, is related to breast cancer risk. The modulation of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) metabolism and the induction of a tumorigenic environment plays a vital role in cancer progression. Among cancer cell types, cancer stem-like cells (CSCs) with self-renewal and chemotherapy-resistance abilities could modulate tumor progression and cancer recurrence ability. In this study, we focused on visfatin's modulation effect on stemness-related properties using the high-malignancy breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 in in vitro and in vivo studies. Visfatin treatment significantly increased both the sphere number and sphere diameter and increased the protein expression of NANOG homeobox (NANOG), sex-determining region Y-box 2 (SOX2), and octamer-binding transcription factor 4 (OCT4), as well as SIRT1 protein levels. The serum angiogenesis marker VEGF and extracellular nicotinamide phosphoribosyl transferase (NAMPT, visfatin) were induced after visfatin treatment, increasing the stemness and angiogenesis environment, which were significantly reduced by the visfatin inhibitor FK866. Our results demonstrate that the visfatin-activated SIRT-SOX2 axis promotes triple-negative breast cancer stemness and enriches the tumorigenic microenvironment.

Innovative CODAS Algorithm for q-Rung Orthopair Fuzzy Information and Cancer Risk Assessment

Due to insufficient healthcare facilities for the fight against cancer, a large percentage of individuals die. Utilizing computational tools inside the health and medical system helps to minimize fatalities. Timely cancer detection enhances the likelihood of effective therapy. Cancer risk assessment is important for legal and regulatory reasons, for cancer prevention, and to avoid the risks. The approach for assessing cancer risk based on the q-rung orthopair fuzzy set (q-ROFS) is described. The technique is predicated on a multifactor evaluation of the likelihood of a cancerous. q-ROFS is a robust approach for modeling uncertainties in multicriteria decision making (MCDM). The combinative distance-based assessment (CODAS) technique integrates two separate approaches, namely the “simple additive weighting” (SAW) method and the “weighted product method (WPM)”. In this study, the CODAS approach is extended to the q-rung orthopair fuzzy framework with application to cancer risk assessment. Additionally, the symmetry of the optimal decision in cancer risk assessment is carried out by a comparison analysis of the suggested model with some existing models.

Establishment of triple-negative breast cancer cells based on BMI: A novel model in the correlation between obesity and breast cancer

Introduction

Obesity has been associated with an increased risk of biologically aggressive variants in breast cancer. Women with obesity often have tumors diagnosed at later stages of the disease, associated with a poorer prognosis and a different response to treatment. Human cell lines have been derived from specific subtypes of breast cancer and have served to define the cell physiology of corresponding breast cancer subtypes. However, there are no current cell lines for breast cancer specifically derived from patients with different BMIs. The availability of those breast cancer cell lines should allow to describe and unravel functional alterations linked to these comorbidities.

Methods

Cell cultures were established from tumor explants. Once generated, the triple negative subtype in a patient with obesity and a patient with a normal BMI were chosen for comparison. For cellular characterization, the following assays were conducted: proliferation assays, chemo - sensitivity assays for doxorubicin and paclitaxel, wound healing motility assays, matrix invasion assays, breast cancer cell growth to estradiol by chronic exposure to leptin, induction of endothelial permeability and tumorigenic potential in athymic mice with normo - versus hypercaloric diets with an evaluation of the epithelium - mesenchymal transformation proteins.

Results

Two different cell lines, were established from patients with breast cancer: DSG-BC1, with a BMI of 21.9 kg/m2 and DSG-BC2, with a BMI of 31.5 kg/m2. In vitro, these two cell lines show differential growth rates, motility, chemosensitivity, vascular permeability, response to leptin with an activation of the JAK2/STAT3/AKT signaling pathway. In vivo, they displayed distinct tumorigenic potential. In particular, DSG-BC2, presented higher tumorigenicity when implanted in mice fed with a hypercaloric diet.

Discussion

To our knowledge, these primary cultures are the first in vitro representation of both breast cancer and obesity. DSG - BC2 presented a more aggressive in vivo and in vitro phenotype. These results support the hypothesis that breast cancer generated in an obese metabolic state may represent a contrasting variant within the same disease. This new model will allow both further comprehension, functional studies and the analysis of altered molecular mechanisms under the comorbidity of obesity and breast cancer.

Population-weighted exposure to green spaces tied to lower COVID-19 mortality rates: A nationwide dose-response study in the USA

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a huge loss of human life globally. However, few studies investigated the link between exposure to green space and risk of COVID-19 mortality rate, while also distinguishing the effects of various types of green space, considering the spatial distribution of human population and green space, and identifying the optimal buffer distances of nearby green space. It is critical and pressing to fill these significant knowledge gaps to protect and promote billions of people's health and life across the world. This study adopted a negative binomial generalized linear mixed-effects model to examine the association between the ratios of various types of green space, population-weighted exposure to those various types of green space, and COVID-19 mortality rates across 3025 counties in the USA, adjusted for sociodemographic, pre-existing chronic disease, policy and regulation, behavioral, and environmental factors. The findings show that greater exposure to forest was associated with lower COVID-19 mortality rates, while developed open space had mixed associations with COVID-19 mortality rates. Forest outside park had the largest effect size across all buffer distances, followed by forest inside park. The optimal exposure buffer distance was 1 km for forest outside park, with per one-unit of increase in exposure associated with a 9.9 % decrease in COVID-19 mortality rates (95 % confidence interval (CI): 6.9 %-12.8 %). The optimal exposure buffer distance of forest inside park was 400 m, with per one-unit of increase in exposure associated with a 4.7 % decrease in mortality rates (95 % CI: 2.4 %-6.9 %). The results suggest that greater exposure to green spaces, especially to nearby forests, may mitigate the risk of COVID-19 mortality. Although findings of an ecological study cannot be directly used to guide medical interventions, this study may pave a critical new way for future research and practice across multiple disciplines.

The impact of obesity and adipokines on breast and gynecologic malignancies

The link between obesity and multiple disease comorbidities is well established. In 2003, Calle and colleagues presented the relationship between obesity and several cancer types, including breast, ovarian, and endometrial malignancies. Nearly, 20% of cancer-related deaths in females can be accounted for by obesity. Identifying obesity as a risk factor for cancer led to a focus on the role of fat-secreted cytokines, known as adipokines, on carcinogenesis and tumor progression. Early studies indicated that the adipokine leptin increases cell proliferation, invasion, and inhibition of apoptosis in multiple cancer types. As a greater appreciation of the obesity-cancer link has amassed, we now know that additional adipokines can impact tumorigenesis. A deeper understanding of the adipokine-activated signaling in cancer may identify new treatment strategies irrespective of obesity. Moreover, adipokines may serve as disease biomarkers, harnessing the potential of obesity-associated factors to serve as indicators of treatment response and disease prognosis. As studies investigating obesity and women's cancers continue to expand, it has become evident that breast, ovarian, and uterine cancers are distinctly impacted by adipokines. While complex, these distinct interactions may provide insight into cancer progression in these organs and new opportunities for targeted therapies. This review aims to organize and present the literature from the last 5 years investigating the mechanisms and implications of adipokine signaling in breast, endometrial, and ovarian cancers with a special focus on leptin and adiponectin.

A systematic review of obesity as a barrier to accessing cancer screening services

Introduction

Obesity is a known risk factor for the development of cancers, and a significant proportion of the population may be at risk of developing cancer owing to their weight status. There is acknowledged societal stigma towards people living with obesity, which can influence health behaviors and deter help seeking, such as cancer screening. Healthcare professionals' attitudes and views toward people living with obesity may adversely affect the patient-professional interface and treatment.

Methods

A systematic review was carried out which aimed to explore the impact of living with obesity on the uptake of three main cancer-screening services: breast, cervical, and colorectal.

Results

Ten studies were included in the review. Three main areas were identified from both a patient and healthcare professional perspective: barriers and challenges to screening, gender issues, and disparities in the population living with obesity.

Conclusion

Further research is needed to improve uptake of cancer screening services, and for education on weight bias, which is often unconscious, to be considered for healthcare professionals working in cancer screening services. This may help to increase the incidence of early differential diagnosis of potential cancers and improve health outcomes for people living with obesity.

Childhood Obesity: A Potential Key Factor in the Development of Glioblastoma Multiforme

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a malignant primary tumor type of the central nervous system (CNS). This type of brain tumor is rare and is responsible for 12-15% of all brain tumors. The typical survival rate of GBM is only 12 to 14 months. GBM has a poor and unsatisfactory prognosis despite advances in research and therapeutic interventions via neurosurgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. The molecular heterogeneity, aggressive nature, and occurrence of drug-resistant cancer stem cells in GB restricts the therapeutic efficacy. Interestingly, the CNS tumors in children are the second most usual and persistent type of solid tumor. Since numerous research studies has shown the association between obesity and cancer, childhood obesity is one of the potential reasons behind the development of CNS tumors, including GBM. Obesity in children has almost reached epidemic rates in both developed and developing countries, harming children's physical and mental health. Obese children are more likely to face obesity as adults and develop non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease as compared to adults with normal weight. However, the actual origin and cause of obesity are difficult to be pointed out, as it is assumed to be a disorder with numerous causes such as environmental factors, lifestyle, and cultural background. In this narrative review article, we discuss the various molecular and genetic drivers of obesity that can be targeted as potential contributing factors to fight the development of GBM in children.

A concise review of the bioactivity and pharmacological properties of the genus Codium (Bryopsidales, Chlorophyta)

The genus Codium is one of the most important genera of marine green macroalgae. Its distribution is widespread worldwide and it has a high degree of diversity in species and characteristics. This genus plays an important ecological role in marine ecosystems as it is a primary producer. However, some species in the genus Codium are invasive species and may disturb the functioning of the ecosystem. Economically, Codium has promising potential as a source of diverse nutritional and pharmacological compounds. Codium is edible, has a high nutrient value, and is rich in bioactive compounds. Hence, some species of Codium have been consumed as food and used as herbal medicines in some Asian countries. In recent decades, studies of the bioactivity and pharmacological properties of the genus Codium have attracted the attention of scientists. This review aims to identify gaps in studies analyzing Codium that have been conducted in the past three decades by assessing published research articles on its bioactivity and pharmacological properties. Compounds obtained from Codium have demonstrated significant biological activities, such as immunostimulatory, anticoagulant, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, antitumor, anti-angiogenic, osteoprotective, and anti-obesity activities. This review provides information that can be used as a future guideline for sustainably utilizing the genus Codium.

Association between oral cavity cancer and metabolic syndrome

PURPOSE

Few studies have been conducted on the association between oral cavity cancer and metabolic diseases. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between oral cavity cancer and metabolic diseases.

METHODS

This cohort study used the database of the Korean National Health Insurance Service, which contains medical data of 97% of the Korean population. Oral cavity cancer occurred in a total of 2718 patients. Metabolic syndrome was defined according to IDF criteria. The Cox proportional hazard regression model was used.

RESULTS

The HR for oral cavity cancer in patients with metabolic syndrome was 1.113(95% CI 1.006-1.232), which was significantly higher than that in normal patients, especially in males (p = 0.0386). When the number of metabolic syndrome factors was ≥ 3, the HR of oral cavity cancer was 1.191(95% CI 1.026-1.383), which was significantly higher than that of 0 metabolic syndrome factors, especially in males (p = 0.0218). When the number of metabolic syndrome factors was ≥ 3, the HR for oral cavity cancer was 1.439(95% CI 1.066-1.942), which was significantly higher than that of 0 metabolic syndrome factors, especially in males aged < 50 years (p = 0.0173).

CONCLUSION

Metabolic syndrome increases the risk of oral cavity cancer only in males. In addition, the incidence of oral cavity cancer increased as the number of factors constituting metabolic syndrome increased, only in young males aged < 50 years. Thus, metabolic syndrome is an important risk factor for oral cavity cancer, particularly in young males.

Altered Adipokine Expression in Tumor Microenvironment Promotes Development of Triple Negative Breast Cancer

Obesity is a remarkably important factor for breast carcinogenesis and aggressiveness. The implication of increased BMI in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) development is also well established. A malignancy-promoting role of the adipose tissue has been supposed, where the adipocytes that constitute the majority of stromal cells release pro-inflammatory cytokines and growth factors. Alterations in adipokines and their receptors play significant roles in breast cancer initiation, progression, metastasis, and drug response. Classic adipokines, such as leptin, adiponectin, and resistin, have been extensively studied in breast cancer and connected with breast cancer risk and progression. Notably, new molecules are constantly being discovered and the list is continuously growing. Additionally, substantial progress has been made concerning their differential expression in association with clinical and pathological parameters of tumors and the prognostic and predictive value of their dysregulation in breast cancer carcinogenesis. However, evidence regarding the mechanisms by which adipose tissue is involved in the development of TNBC is lacking. In the present article we comment on current data on the suggested involvement of these mediators in breast cancer development and progression, with particular emphasis on TNBC, to draw attention to the design of novel targeted therapies and biomarkers.

Targeting skeletal muscle mitochondrial health in obesity

Metabolic demands of skeletal muscle are substantial and are characterized normally as highly flexible and with a large dynamic range. Skeletal muscle composition (e.g., fiber type and mitochondrial content) and metabolism (e.g., capacity to switch between fatty acid and glucose substrates) are altered in obesity, with some changes proceeding and some following the development of the disease. Nonetheless, there are marked interindividual differences in skeletal muscle composition and metabolism in obesity, some of which have been associated with obesity risk and weight loss capacity. In this review, we discuss related molecular mechanisms and how current and novel treatment strategies may enhance weight loss capacity, particularly in diet-resistant obesity.

Obesity-related genomic instability and altered xenobiotic metabolism: possible consequences for cancer risk and chemotherapy

The increase in the prevalence of obesity has led to an elevated risk for several associated diseases including cancer. Several studies have investigated the DNA damage in human blood samples and showed a clear trend towards increased DNA damage in obesity. Reduced genomic stability is thus one of the consequences of obesity, which may contribute to the related cancer risk. Whether this is influenced by compromised DNA repair has not been elucidated sufficiently yet. On the other hand, obesity has also been linked to reduced therapy survival and increased adverse effects during chemotherapy, although the available data are controversial. Despite some indications that obesity might alter hepatic metabolism, current literature in humans is insufficient, and results from animal studies are inconclusive. Here we have summarised published data on hepatic drug metabolism to understand the impact of obesity on cancer therapy better. Furthermore, we highlight knowledge gaps in the interrelationship between obesity and drug metabolism from a toxicological perspective.

IL-6: The Link Between Inflammation, Immunity and Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of mortality in females. Over the past decades, intensive efforts have been made to uncover the pathogenesis of breast cancer. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a pleiotropic factor which has a vital role in host defense immunity and acute stress. Moreover, a wide range of studies have identified the physiological and pathological roles of IL-6 in inflammation, immune and cancer. Recently, several IL-6 signaling pathway-targeted monoclonal antibodies have been developed for cancer and immune therapy. Combination of IL-6 inhibitory antibody with other pathways blockage drugs have demonstrated promising outcome in both preclinical and clinical trials. This review focuses on emerging studies on the strong linkages of IL-6/IL-6R mediated regulation of inflammation and immunity in cancer, especially in breast cancer.

Chinese Food Image Database for Eating and Appetite Studies

Modern people live in an environment with ubiquitous food cues, including food advertisements, videos, and smells. Do these food cues change people’s eating behavior? Since diet plays a crucial role in maintaining health, it has been researched for decades. As convenient alternatives for real food, food images are widely used in diet research. To date, researchers from Germany, Spain, and other countries have established food photo databases; however, these food pictures are not completely suitable for Chinese studies because of the ingredients and characteristics of Chinese food. The main goal of this research is to create a library of Chinese food images and to provide as complete a data reference as possible for future studies that use food images as experimental material. After standardized processing, we selected 508 common Chinese food pictures with high familiarity and recognizability and attached detailed classifications concerning taste, macronutrients, calories, and participants’ emotional responses to the pictures. Additionally, with food pictures as material, we conducted research on how people make dietary decisions in order to identify the variables that may affect a person’s food choices. The effects of individual perceived healthiness and palatability, gender, BMI, family income, and levels of emotional and restricted eating were examined using eating decisions based on healthiness and palatability as dependent variables. The results showed that people with low household incomes are more likely to be influenced by food taste in their dietary decision-making process, while individuals with high household incomes are more likely to consider the healthy aspects of food. Moreover, parental BMI affects what children consume, with children who have parents with higher BMIs being more prone to overlook the healthiness value of food.

NCPLP: A Novel Approach for Predicting Microbe-Associated Diseases With Network Consistency Projection and Label Propagation

A growing number of clinical studies have provided substantial evidence of a close relationship between the microbe and the disease. Thus, it is necessary to infer potential microbe-disease associations. But traditional approaches use experiments to validate these associations that often spend a lot of materials and time. Hence, more reliable computational methods are expected to be applied to predict disease-associated microbes. In this article, an innovative mean for predicting microbe-disease associations is proposed, which is based on network consistency projection and label propagation (NCPLP). Given that most existing algorithms use the Gaussian interaction profile (GIP) kernel similarity as the similarity criterion between microbe pairs and disease pairs, in this model, Medical Subject Headings descriptors are considered to calculate disease semantic similarity. In addition, 16S rRNA gene sequences are borrowed for the calculation of microbe functional similarity. In view of the gene-based sequence information, we use two conventional methods (BLAST+ and MEGA7) to assess the similarity between each pair of microbes from different perspectives. Especially, network consistency projection is added to obtain network projection scores from the microbe space and the disease space. Ultimately, label propagation is utilized to reliably predict microbes related to diseases. NCPLP achieves better performance in various evaluation indicators and discovers a greater number of potential associations between microbes and diseases. Also, case studies further confirm the reliable prediction performance of NCPLP. To conclude, our algorithm NCPLP has the ability to discover these underlying microbe-disease associations and can provide help for biological study.

Risk Associations of Glycemic Burden and Obesity With Liver Cancer-A 10-Year Analysis of 15,280 Patients With Type 2 Diabetes

Liver is a major site for glucose metabolism. Patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and obesity have increased risk of liver cancer. We explored the association of glycemic burden (GB) and obesity with liver cancer in T2D in the prospective Hong Kong Diabetes Register (1995-2019). We calculated GB using the area under the curve above hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) of 5.7% and defined obesity as body mass index (BMI) ≥ 25 kg/m2 . We used Cox proportional hazards models to evaluate the association between GB and liver cancer. We included 15,280 patients with at least 10 years of disease duration before liver cancer occurred or censor date, ≥3 years of observation, and ≥5 HbA1c measurements (64% male, age: 58.23 ± 12.47 years, HbA1c: 7.60 ± 1.65%, BMI: 25.58 ± 4.10 kg/m2 ). We excluded 3 years of HbA1c values before liver cancer to avoid reverse causality. Every 1-SD increase in GB was associated with an adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) of liver cancer of 1.22 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01-1.47). The top GB quartile group (range: >2.41) had aHR of 1.78 (1.01-3.13) versus the lowest quartile group (0-1.19). The aHRs for each SD increase in GB were 1.34 (1.05, 1.70) in the obese group and 1.12 (0.81-1.53) in the nonobese group, but no interaction (Pinteraction  = 0.120). When stratified by GB median (1.69 [1.13, 2.43]) and obesity, obese patients with high GB had the highest aHR of 2.51 (1.44-4.37) for liver cancer versus the nonobese group with low GB, but no interaction (Pinteraction  = 0.071). Subgroup analysis of patients with available hepatitis B surface antigen status (n = 9,248) yielded similar results. Conclusion: Our results emphasized the importance of glycemic and weight control for reducing the risk of liver cancer in T2D.

Rapid and Lasting Effects of Activating BDNF-Expressing PVH Neurons on Energy Balance

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and its receptor, tropomyosin receptor kinase B (TrkB), are implicit in causing obesity. Mutations that reduce BDNF and TrkB expression are associated with obesity in humans and mice. Recently, it was reported that Bdnf gene deletion in the neurons of the paraventricular hypothalamus (PVH) caused positive energy balance and severe obesity in the form of hyperphagia, impaired adaptive thermogenesis, and decreased energy expenditure. Thus, we hypothesize that activation of these neurons will have the opposite effect and provide an opportunity for long-lasting obesity treatment. To specifically activate BDNF-expressing PVH (PVH^BDNF) neurons, we injected Cre-dependent adeno-associated virus (AAV) expressing the excitatory DREADD hM3Dq bilaterally into the PVH of Bdnf^2A-Cre/+ knock-in mice and then administered clozapine-N-oxide (CNO). Using this technique, we demonstrated that acute activation of these neurons rapidly decreased normal nocturnal feeding and fasting-induced feeding in male and female mice. At thermoneutral temperatures, acute activation also rapidly increased adaptive thermogenesis, increased core body temperature, increased locomotion, increased energy expenditure, and decreased respiratory exchange ratio (RER) in male and female mice. These observations indicate that acute stimulation of PVH^BDNF neurons promotes negative energy balance and weight loss. However, the rapid decrease in RER after activation of PVH^BDNF neurons was followed by a delayed and prolonged increase in RER that remained elevated for 3 d in female mice. Thus, although acute activation of PVH^BDNF neurons promotes negative energy balance in the short term, long-term effects of activation include sexually dimorphic overcompensatory mechanisms that may promote positive energy balance in female mice.

Efficacy of immunotherapy in obese patients with cancer

Obesity is a condition of excessive fat tissue and high body mass index (BMI ≥30), which is increasing worldwide. Excess body weight is associated with poorer results in cancer treatments; however, recent studies emphasized that elevated BMI was associated with improved outcomes in cases treated by immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapies, which is called the obesity paradox. In this review, we discuss the correlation between obesity and cancer immunotherapy, especially ICIs, the underlying mechanisms, and the outcomes in different types of cancers. In addition, we describe the occurrence of immune-related adverse events (irAE) and the effect of gender in obese patients during immunotherapy using all relevant studies with available full texts.

Seaweed Exhibits Therapeutic Properties against Chronic Diseases: An Overview

Seaweeds or marine macroalgae are known for producing potentially bioactive substances that exhibit a wide range of nutritional, therapeutic, and nutraceutical properties. These compounds can be applied to treat chronic diseases, such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, neurodegenerative diseases, and diabetes mellitus. Several studies have shown that consumption of seaweeds in Asian countries, such as Japan and Korea, has been correlated with a lower incidence of chronic diseases. In this study, we conducted a review of published papers on seaweed consumption and chronic diseases. We used the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) method for this study. We identified and screened research articles published between 2000 and 2021. We used PubMed and ScienceDirect databases and identified 107 articles. This systematic review discusses the potential use of bioactive compounds of seaweed to treat chronic diseases and identifies gaps where further research in this field is needed. In this review, the therapeutic and nutraceutical properties of seaweed for the treatment of chronic diseases such as neurodegenerative diseases, obesity, diabetes, cancer, liver disease, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and arthritis were discussed. We concluded that further study on the identification of bioactive compounds of seaweed, and further study at a clinical level, are needed.

Screening and Identification of Putative Long Non-Coding RNA in Childhood Obesity: Evaluation of Their Transcriptional Levels

Background and Methods: Long non-coding RNAs (LncRNAs) and microRNAs are involved in the pathogenesis of obesity, a multifactorial disease that is characterized by inflammation, cardiometabolic complications, and increased cancer risk among other co-morbidities. The up/down regulation of LncRNAs and microRNAs may play an important role in this condition to identify new diagnostic/prognostic markers. The aim of the study was to identify circulating inflammatory LncRNAs in obese adolescents (n = 54) and to evaluate whether their expression behaved differently compared to normal-weight adolescents (n = 26). To have a more complete insight, the expression of some circulating miRNAs that are linked to obesity (miR-33a, miR-223, miR-142, miR-199a, miR-181a, and miR-4454) were also analyzed. Results: LncRNAs and miRNAs were extracted simultaneously from plasma samples and amplified by Real-Time PCR. Among the 86 LncRNAs that were analyzed with custom pre-designed plates, only four (RP11-347E10.1, RP11-10K16.1, LINC00657, and SNHG12) were amplified in both normal-weight and obese adolescents and only SNHG12 showed significantly lower expression compared to the normal-weight adolescents (p = 0.026). Circulating miRNAs showed a tendency to increase in obese subjects, except for miR-181a expression. LncRNAs and miRNAs correlated with some clinical and metabolic parameters. Conclusions: Our results suggest the importance of these new biomarkers to better understand the molecular mechanisms of childhood obesity and its metabolic disorder.

The Effects of Antioxidants from Natural Products on Obesity, Dyslipidemia, Diabetes and Their Molecular Signaling Mechanism

Obesity is a risk factor that leads to the development of other diseases such as dyslipidemia and diabetes. These three metabolic disorders can occur simultaneously, hence, the treatment requires many drugs. Antioxidant compounds have been reported to have activities against obesity, dyslipidemia and diabetes via several mechanisms. This review aims to discuss the antioxidant compounds that have activity against obesity, dyslipidemia and diabetes together with their molecular signaling mechanism. The literature discussed in this review was obtained from the PUBMED database. Based on the collection of literature obtained, antioxidant compounds having activity against the three disorders (obesity, dyslipidemia and diabetes) were identified. The activity is supported by various molecular signaling pathways that are influenced by these antioxidant compounds, further study of which would be useful in predicting drug targets for a more optimal effect. This review provides insights on utilizing one of these antioxidant compounds as opposed to several drugs. It is hoped that in the future, the number of drugs in treating obesity, dyslipidemia and diabetes altogether can be minimized consequently reducing the risk of side effects.

Commonalities in the Features of Cancer and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS): Evidence for Stress-Induced Phenotype Instability?

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) and Cancer-Related Fatigue (CRF) are syndromes with considerable overlap with respect to symptoms. There have been many studies that have compared the two conditions, and some of this research suggests that the etiologies of the conditions are linked in some cases. In this narrative review, CFS/ME and cancer are introduced, along with their known and putative mechanistic connections to multiple stressors including ionizing radiation. Next, we summarize findings from the literature that suggest the involvement of HPA-axis dysfunction, the serotonergic system, cytokines and inflammation, metabolic insufficiency and mitochondrial dysfunction, and genetic changes in CRF and CFS/ME. We further suspect that the manifestation of fatigue in both diseases and its causes could indicate that CRF and CFS/ME lie on a continuum of potential biological effects which occur in response to stress. The response to this stress likely varies depending on predisposing factors such as genetic background. Finally, future research ideas are suggested with a focus on determining if common biomarkers exist in CFS/ME patients and those afflicted with CRF. Both CFS/ME and CRF are relatively heterogenous syndromes, however, it is our hope that this review assists in future research attempting to elucidate the commonalities between CRF and CFS/ME.