Food-derived bioactive peptides (FBPs), particularly those with ten or fewer amino acid residues and a molecular weight below 1300 Da, have gained increasing attention for their safe, diverse structures and specific biological activities. The development of FBP-based functional foods and potential medications depends on understanding their structure‒activity relationships (SARs), stability, and bioavailability properties. In this review, we provide an in-depth overview of the roles of FBPs in treating various diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, liver diseases, and inflammatory bowel diseases, based on the literature from July 2017 to Mar. 2023. Subsequently, attention is directed toward elucidating the associations between the bioactivities and structural characteristics (e.g., molecular weight and the presence of specific amino acids within sequences and compositions) of FBPs. We also discuss in silico approaches for FBP screening and their limitations. Finally, we summarize recent advancements in formulation techniques to improve the bioavailability of FBPs in the food industry, thereby contributing to healthcare applications.
Humans ; Peptides/therapeutic use* ; Structure-Activity Relationship ; Functional Food ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/drug therapy* ; Biological Availability ; Alzheimer Disease/drug therapy* ; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases/drug therapy* ; Hypertension/drug therapy* ; Liver Diseases/drug therapy* ; Bioactive Peptides, Dietary

Objective:To explore the research hotspots and emerging trends in the field of breast cancer-associated lymphedema, as reflected in the domestic and international literatures.Methods:The bibliometric method was used to retrieve literatures related to breast cancer-associated lymphedema from the Wanfang Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, China Science and Technology Journal Database, and the core collection of Web of Science, covering the time range from January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2023. CiteSpace 6.3.R3 software was employed for analysis, which involved statistical assessment of the publication volume, authors, countries, and institutions, as well as the identification of highly cited papers. A co-occurrence analysis of keywords was performed, followed by burst analysis and cluster analysis based on the results.Results:A total of 4 419 Chinese-language articles were retrieved from the three Chinese databases, of which 2 888 were included after duplicate removal. The Web of Science Core Collection yielded 2 142 English-language articles. Among the domestic authors, the top three with the highest publication counts were Zhang Lijuan (25 papers), Jia Jie (22 papers), and Zhong Qiaoling (21 papers). In the English-language literatures, the top three authors with the highest number of publications were Singhal D (32 papers), Devoogdt N (27 papers), and Boyages J (27 papers). A total of 76 countries worldwide had conducted research on breast cancer-associated lymphedema, with the United States contributing the most publications (748 papers), followed by China (227 papers). In total, 642 institutions worldwide had publications on this topic, with 385 domestic institutions. The leading domestic institution was Jiangxi Provincial Cancer Hospital (31 papers), while the top foreign institution was Harvard University (118 papers). The Top 10 most cited papers focused on key research areas in breast cancer-associated lymphedema. A total of 359 Chinese keywords and 513 English keywords were included for co-occurrence analysis. The five most frequent Chinese keywords were quality of life, nursing, complications, upper limb function, and risk factors. In the English literatures, the top five most frequent keywords were quality of life, women, survivors, risk factors, and surgery. Cluster analysis of the keywords revealed 16 clusters in the Chinese literatures, with the largest cluster "functional exercise", while 17 clusters were identified in the English literatures, with the largest cluster "lymph node transfer". The five most consistent clusters in Chinese literatures were lymphatic drainage, rehabilitation, functional impairment, evidence-based nursing, and circumferential lymphatics. In recent years, emerging topics in Chinese literatures included lymphatic drainage, breast reconstruction, and pathophysiology. In English literatures, the consistent top clusters were transplantation, node biopsy, morbidity, identification, and randomized trials, with recent emerging topics including obesity, adipose tissue, healing approaches, lymphatic microsurgical preventive healing approach, and anastomosis.Conclusion:The research on breast cancer-related lymphedema both domestically and internationally shows similarities and differences in direction and focus. Common research hotspots across both domestic and international studies include lymphatic drainage, functional exercise, health behaviors, and lymph node transfer. Recent emerging topics in Chinese literatures include lymphatic drainage, breast reconstruction, and pathophysiology. In contrast, English literatures focus more on the areas such as obesity, adipose tissue, healing methods, and lymphatic anastomosis.

Objective To investigate the application value of ultrasound guidance combined with X-ray fluoroscopy for percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage(PTBD).Methods A total of 157 patients with obstructive jaundice who underwent PTBD were selected and then divided into a control group(75 cases)and an observation group(82 cases)according to different guidance methods.The control group underwent puncture and catheterization of the biliary system under the guidance of traditional X-ray fluoroscopy.Meanwhile,the observation group underwent the puncture to the biliary system under ultrasound guidance and the catheterization under X-ray fluoroscopy.The success rates of puncture,operation and initial needle puncture,puncture times,operation time,X-ray fluoroscopy time,radiation dose and complication rate were compared between the two groups.Results Puncture and catheterization were successful in both groups,and the success rates of puncture and operation were all 100％.In the observation group,the success rate of initial needle puncture was 90.24％(74/82),which was higher than 74.67％(56/75)in the control group;the mean puncture times was 1.14,which was less than 1.77 in the control group;the mean operation time was 30.02 min,which was less than 40.09 min in the control group;the mean X-ray fluoroscopy time was 4.03 min,which was less than 6.61 min in the control group;the mean radiation dose was 49.08 mGy,which was less than 82.29 mGy in the control group,and all the differences above between the two groups were statistically significant(P＜0.05).In the observation group,there were 2 cases with biliary hemorrhage,3 cases with biliary infection,and 5 cases with biliary fistula(including 2 cases of secondary biliary peritonitis);while the control group had 10 cases with biliary hemorrhage,15 cases with biliary infection,13 cases with biliary fistula and 9 cases with biliary peritonitis,and the differences between the two groups were statistically significant(P＜0.05).Conclusion Ultrasound guidance combined with X-ray fluoroscopy for PTBD is safe and effective,with significantly short operation time,low radiation dose and fewer complications,which has a certain popularity value in different level hospitals.

Objective To investigate the application value of ultrasound guidance combined with X-ray fluoroscopy for percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage(PTBD).Methods A total of 157 patients with obstructive jaundice who underwent PTBD were selected and then divided into a control group(75 cases)and an observation group(82 cases)according to different guidance methods.The control group underwent puncture and catheterization of the biliary system under the guidance of traditional X-ray fluoroscopy.Meanwhile,the observation group underwent the puncture to the biliary system under ultrasound guidance and the catheterization under X-ray fluoroscopy.The success rates of puncture,operation and initial needle puncture,puncture times,operation time,X-ray fluoroscopy time,radiation dose and complication rate were compared between the two groups.Results Puncture and catheterization were successful in both groups,and the success rates of puncture and operation were all 100％.In the observation group,the success rate of initial needle puncture was 90.24％(74/82),which was higher than 74.67％(56/75)in the control group;the mean puncture times was 1.14,which was less than 1.77 in the control group;the mean operation time was 30.02 min,which was less than 40.09 min in the control group;the mean X-ray fluoroscopy time was 4.03 min,which was less than 6.61 min in the control group;the mean radiation dose was 49.08 mGy,which was less than 82.29 mGy in the control group,and all the differences above between the two groups were statistically significant(P＜0.05).In the observation group,there were 2 cases with biliary hemorrhage,3 cases with biliary infection,and 5 cases with biliary fistula(including 2 cases of secondary biliary peritonitis);while the control group had 10 cases with biliary hemorrhage,15 cases with biliary infection,13 cases with biliary fistula and 9 cases with biliary peritonitis,and the differences between the two groups were statistically significant(P＜0.05).Conclusion Ultrasound guidance combined with X-ray fluoroscopy for PTBD is safe and effective,with significantly short operation time,low radiation dose and fewer complications,which has a certain popularity value in different level hospitals.

Objective:To explore the research hotspots and emerging trends in the field of breast cancer-associated lymphedema, as reflected in the domestic and international literatures.Methods:The bibliometric method was used to retrieve literatures related to breast cancer-associated lymphedema from the Wanfang Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, China Science and Technology Journal Database, and the core collection of Web of Science, covering the time range from January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2023. CiteSpace 6.3.R3 software was employed for analysis, which involved statistical assessment of the publication volume, authors, countries, and institutions, as well as the identification of highly cited papers. A co-occurrence analysis of keywords was performed, followed by burst analysis and cluster analysis based on the results.Results:A total of 4 419 Chinese-language articles were retrieved from the three Chinese databases, of which 2 888 were included after duplicate removal. The Web of Science Core Collection yielded 2 142 English-language articles. Among the domestic authors, the top three with the highest publication counts were Zhang Lijuan (25 papers), Jia Jie (22 papers), and Zhong Qiaoling (21 papers). In the English-language literatures, the top three authors with the highest number of publications were Singhal D (32 papers), Devoogdt N (27 papers), and Boyages J (27 papers). A total of 76 countries worldwide had conducted research on breast cancer-associated lymphedema, with the United States contributing the most publications (748 papers), followed by China (227 papers). In total, 642 institutions worldwide had publications on this topic, with 385 domestic institutions. The leading domestic institution was Jiangxi Provincial Cancer Hospital (31 papers), while the top foreign institution was Harvard University (118 papers). The Top 10 most cited papers focused on key research areas in breast cancer-associated lymphedema. A total of 359 Chinese keywords and 513 English keywords were included for co-occurrence analysis. The five most frequent Chinese keywords were quality of life, nursing, complications, upper limb function, and risk factors. In the English literatures, the top five most frequent keywords were quality of life, women, survivors, risk factors, and surgery. Cluster analysis of the keywords revealed 16 clusters in the Chinese literatures, with the largest cluster "functional exercise", while 17 clusters were identified in the English literatures, with the largest cluster "lymph node transfer". The five most consistent clusters in Chinese literatures were lymphatic drainage, rehabilitation, functional impairment, evidence-based nursing, and circumferential lymphatics. In recent years, emerging topics in Chinese literatures included lymphatic drainage, breast reconstruction, and pathophysiology. In English literatures, the consistent top clusters were transplantation, node biopsy, morbidity, identification, and randomized trials, with recent emerging topics including obesity, adipose tissue, healing approaches, lymphatic microsurgical preventive healing approach, and anastomosis.Conclusion:The research on breast cancer-related lymphedema both domestically and internationally shows similarities and differences in direction and focus. Common research hotspots across both domestic and international studies include lymphatic drainage, functional exercise, health behaviors, and lymph node transfer. Recent emerging topics in Chinese literatures include lymphatic drainage, breast reconstruction, and pathophysiology. In contrast, English literatures focus more on the areas such as obesity, adipose tissue, healing methods, and lymphatic anastomosis.

OBJECTIVE To screen out the pharmacodynamic substances of Cistanches Herba aqueous extracts, explore the basis of the pharmacodynamic substances and their mechanism of action in the treatment of diabetic nephropathy(DN), based on the spectral relationship between the mass spectral peak areas of different elution sites of Cistanches Herba aqueous extracts and their anti-DN effects. METHODS UPLC-Orbitrap-MS/MS technique was used to characterise the chromatographic peaks; MTT method was used to detect the effects of different elution sites of Cistanches Herba aqueous extract on the proliferation of high glucose and high fat HK-2 cells; grey correlation analysis and partial least squares method were used to analyse the spectral relationship between mass spectrometry peak area and anti-DN activity. MTT method was used to determine the anti-DN activities of the individual components of Cistanches Herba aqueous extract; biochemical kit and ELISA were used to determine the levels of oxidative indicators(SOD, GSH-P) and inflammatory factors(IL-1β, TNF-α, TGF-β); Western blotting was used to detect the expression of apoptosis-related proteins. RESULTS UPLC-Orbitrap-MS/MS technique speculated and identified 72 common compounds; In Cistanches Herba aqueous extracts, water, 20% ethanol, and 40% ethanol-eluted sites differentially increased the proliferation rate of HK-2 cells in a high-sugar, high-fat environment; Partial least squares and grey correlation analyses showed that the constituents of the aqueous extracts of Cistanches Herba with greater anti-DN contributions were 8-epideoxymatricinic acid, geniposidic acid, pinoresinol, betaine and syringin, et al. MTT assay reveals that 8-epi-deoxystrychnic acid and geniposidic acid had significant proliferative effects on HK-2 cells in a high glucose and high fat environment; Biochemical kit and ELISA showed that 8-epideoxystrychnic acid and geniposidic acid were able to up-regulate the activity of SOD and GSH-Px, and at the same time they had an inhibitory effect on the expression of inflammatory factors IL-1β, TNF-α and TGF-β. Western blotting results showed that 8-epideoxystrychnic acid and geniposidic acid were able to down-regulate and up-regulate the markers of dermal mesenchymal transition: α-SMA, Collagen Ⅰ and E-cadherin, and they could exert anti-DN effects by inhibiting the PI3K-Akt pathway. CONCLUSION The two compounds, 8-epideoxystrychnic acid and geniposidic acid, which are screened by the spectroeffective relationship of anti-DN among the many chemical constituents contained in Cistanches Herba, can affect oxidative stress, inflammation and epithelial-mesenchymal transformation of renal tubular cells by inhibiting the PI3K-Akt signalling pathway, and improve renal pathology, degree of fibrosis and renal function, which will be useful for the in-depth study of aqueous extracts of Cistanches Herba in the treatment of DN.

Osteoporosis is a generalized disease of bone that leads to a loss of bone density and bone mass, destruction of bone microstructure, increased brittleness and therefore fracture. At present, the main treatment of Western medicine is drug therapy such as bisphosphonates, calcitriol, vitamin D, etc. However, long-term use of these drugs may bring some adverse reactions. Chinese herbal medicine Cistanche deserticola could regulate bone metabolism by promoting osteoblast activity and inhibiting osteoclast activity with low toxicity and adverse reactions. Therefore, Cistanche deserticola has attracted increasing attention for its efficacy in the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis in recent years. Here we present a literature review of the molecular pathways involved in osteoporosis and the effects of Cistanche deserticola on bone metabolism. Our objective is to clarify the mechanism of Cistanche deserticola in the treatment of osteoporosis.

Objective:To explore the differences of renal dynamic imaging parameters between operation group and non-operation group in infants with severe hydronephrosis, so as to accumulate theoretical basis for diuretic renal scintigraphy to help the treatment decision making.Methods:A total of 107 infants (age: 3(2, 6) months; 90 males and 17 females) with severe hydronephrosis, who underwent diuretic renal scintigraphy between March 2018 and October 2021 in Shanxi Children′s Hospital were retrospectively reviewed. All patients were diagnosed with ureteropelvic junction obstruction and divided into operation group ( n=87) and no-operation group ( n=20). The differences of differential renal function (DRF), peak time, half-time and drainage curve between the two groups were compared with the independent-sample t test or χ2 test, and the correlation between the renal function of the affected side and the anteroposterior pelvic diameter (APD) was analyzed with Pearson correlation analysis. Results:The operation group included 17 patients with DRF<40%, 60 patients with DRF between 40%-55%, and 10 patients with DRF>55%(supernormal renal function). The 40%-55% was considered as normal DBF, and the rest were abnormal. Infants with abnormal renal function in the operation group ( n=27) were more than those in the non-operation group ( n=3), but there was no statistical difference ( χ2=2.07, P=0.150). The proportion of obstruction curve in the operation group (85.1%, 74/87) was significantly higher than that in the non-operation group (55.0%, 11/20; χ2=7.24, P=0.007). Compared with the non-operation group, the peak time of affected kidney in the operation group was significantly longer ((22.77±7.52) vs (15.26±10.29) min; t=3.78, P<0.001), as well as the peak time of contralateral kidney ((11.25±8.47) vs (6.65±5.75) min; t=2.30, P=0.023). There was a negative correlation between the DRF of the affected side and the APD ( r=-0.48, P<0.001). Conclusions:The DBF is mostly in the normal range in infants with severe hydronephrosis, and supernormal renal function is common. The previous operation indication (DRF<40%) is not suitable for the infants, and it needs to be analyzed combined with the type of curve and the APD determined by color Doppler ultrasound. The prolongation of contralateral renal peak time may be an important parameter for the surgical evaluation of severe hydronephrosis in infants.

OBJECTIVES: Cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis are major pathological manifestations observed in left ventricular remodeling induced by angiotensin II (AngII). Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) has been reported to ameliorate cardiac dysfunction and myocardial fibrosis in myocardial infarction (MI) through mechano-transduction and its downstream pathways. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether LIPUS could exert a protective effect by ameliorating AngII-induced cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis and if so, to further elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms. METHODS: We used AngII to mimic animal and cell culture models of cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis. LIPUS irradiation was applied in vivo for 20 min every 2 d from one week before mini-pump implantation to four weeks after mini-pump implantation, and in vitro for 20 min on each of two occasions 6 h apart. Cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis levels were then evaluated by echocardiographic, histopathological, and molecular biological methods. RESULTS: Our results showed that LIPUS could ameliorate left ventricular remodeling in vivo and cardiac fibrosis in vitro by reducing AngII-induced release of inflammatory cytokines, but the protective effects on cardiac hypertrophy were limited in vitro. Given that LIPUS increased the expression of caveolin-1 in response to mechanical stimulation, we inhibited caveolin-1 activity with pyrazolopyrimidine 2 (pp2) in vivo and in vitro. LIPUS-induced downregulation of inflammation was reversed and the anti-fibrotic effects of LIPUS were absent. CONCLUSIONS These results indicated that LIPUS could ameliorate AngII-induced cardiac fibrosis by alleviating inflammation via a caveolin-1-dependent pathway, providing new insights for the development of novel therapeutic apparatus in clinical practice.

Objective To investigate the influence mechanism of Cordyceps sinensis (CS) on β-glycerophosphate-induced vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) calcification.Methods The effect of CS on VSMC cell viability was detected by CCK-8.The cellular models of rat VSMC calcification were established by treating with β-glycerophosphate (β-GP,10 mmol/L);then CS (10 mg/L),autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine (3-MA,5 mmol/L),and AMPK inhibitor compound C (CC,10 μmol/L) were added to the cell cultures.There were a total of 5 experiment groups:VSMC cultured in normal medium (Control),VSMC treated with β-GP,VSMC treated with β-GP and CS,VSMC treated with 3-MA,β-GP and CS,and VSMC treated with CC,β-GP and CS.The calcium nodules and calcium content were examined with alizarin red S staining and the O-cresolphthaleincomplexone method,respectively.The autophagosomes within the VSMC were observed using transmission electron microscope (TEM).Immunofluorescence showed the accumulation of microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3) puncta.In addition,levels of osteogenic related proteins,autophagy related proteins,and AMPK/mTOR pathway related proteins were evaluated by Western blotting.Results CS increased the number of autophagosomes and the accumulation of LC3 puncta within VSMC.It also upregulated the protein levels of LC3 Ⅱ/LC3 Ⅰ,beclin1,α-SMA,and p-AMPK;whereas,the protein levels of Runx2 and p-mTOR,as well as calcium nodules and calcium content were reduced (all P ＜ 0.01).When the cells were pretreated with 3-MA before treating with β-GP and CS,the autophagosomes,accumulation of LC3 puncta,and protein levels of LC3 Ⅱ/LC3 Ⅰ,beclinl,and α-SMA were decreased (all P ＜ 0.01);however,the protein level of Runx2,and the calcium nodules and calcium content were increased (all P ＜ 0.01).Nevertheless,when the cells were pretreated with CC before giving β-GP and CS,the autophagosomes,the accumulation of LC3 puncta,and the expression levels of p-AMPK,LC3 Ⅱ/LC3 Ⅰ,beclin1,and α-SMA were significantly down-regulated (all P ＜ 0.01);whereas,the expression levels of Runx2 and p-mTOR,as well as calcium nodules and calcium content were increased (all P ＜ 0.01).Conclusions CS can effectively alleviate β-GP-induced VSMC calcification,which may be due to the activation of autophagy by AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway.