Net Beneficial Effect Research Articles

Non-native earthworms increase the abundance and diet quality of a common woodland salamander in its northern range.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10530-023-03168-3.

Risk-benefit assessment of five underutilized fish species in Norway

Risks and benefits of increasing the consumption of five underutilized demersal fish species in Norway by applying the Benefit-Risk Analysis for Foods (BRAFO)-tiered approach were assessed. A reference scenario with zero intake was opposed to two different alternative scenarios of 250 (AS1) and 450 g (AS2) per week. Health-benefit vs. health-risk calculations were computed. Moreover, tolerable weekly intake and recommended weekly intake were considered for the general public and women of childbearing age. In addition, the molar ratio of Selenium and Mercury (Se:Hg) and the Health Benefit Value of Selenium (HBVSe) were calculated and considered. Results suggest that a consumption of 250 g, when combined with a weekly portion of fatty fish, is the optimal intake scenario for adequate polyunsaturated fatty acids. Flounder and megrim feature the significantly highest eicosapentaenoic+doxosahexaenoic acid values with 678 and 606 mg in AS1. A surplus of selenium was detected in all five species, with flounder and lemon sole showing significantly highest Se:Hg (21; 22). Moreover, no detrimental effects were found due to an increased contaminant intake among those eating fish. Consequently, results revealed a net beneficial health effect by increasing the consumption of the five underutilized fish species. Thus, their consumption can be recommended.

The Role of Female Reproductive Hormones in the Association between Migraine and Breast Cancer: An Unanswered Question.

Accumulating epidemiological studies have investigated a possible interconnection between migraine (Mi) and breast cancer (BC) because of the strong link between these diseases and female reproductive hormones. This review aims to consolidate findings from epidemiological studies and explore biologically plausible hypothetical mechanisms related to hormonal pathways. Current evidence suggests a protective role of Mi in BC development, particularly in case-control studies but not in cohort ones. The inconsistency among studies may be due to several reasons, including diagnostic criteria for Mi and the age gap between the development of these two diseases. Furthermore, recent research has challenged the concept of a net beneficial effect of Mi on BC, suggesting a more complex relationship between the two conditions. Many polymorphisms/mutations in hormone-related pathways are involved in at least one of the two conditions. The most promising evidence has emerged for a specific alteration in the estrogen receptor 1 gene (rs2228480). However, the possible specific mutation or polymorphism involved in this association has not yet been identified. Further studies with robust methodologies are needed to validate the protective role of Mi in BC and fully elucidate the precise nature of this causal relationship.

Impact of working from home on European office rents and vacancy rates

The massive shift to working from home during the Covid-19 pandemic triggered discussions about its potential impact on the future demand for office space and the risk it poses to the performance of office markets. Against this background, the goal of this paper is to investigate the link between working from home and the evolution of key indicators of office occupier markets across Europe over the past three decades. Based on the data from Eurostat and CBRE, the paper uses panel regression to investigate the temporal as well as cross-sectional relationships between the share of the workforce working from home and office rents and vacancy rates in major cities. The results are interesting in several ways. Firstly, changes in the share of employees working from home did not appear to have any significant impact on the evolution of rents or vacancy rates over time. However, occasional homeworking was significant in explaining cross-sectional differences in office market indicators. Moreover, contrary to the initial expectations, higher share of employees occasionally working from home appeared to be associated with stronger performance of the respective office market. As explanation, the paper proposes a hypothesis that this was due to working from home being only one aspect of broader changes in the office work environment and related socio-economic trends that had a net beneficial effect on office occupier markets. Although the results refer to historical developments and may not be fully applicable to the current context of the pandemic, they highlight the need to consider working from home in a broader perspective of office occupier trends and ways of working.

Graft-Vs-Leukemia Effect in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: Mild Acute Graft-Vs-Host Disease Protects Against Relapse and Improves Survival after Allogeneic Transplantation: A CIBMTR Analysis

Introduction: Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) associated with allogeneic donor hematopoietic cell transplantation (alloHCT) provides protection against leukemia relapse, but more severe GVHD may be detrimental and increase mortality.Methods: We examined the net effect of GVHD on overall survival (OS) of 5215 patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) treated with alloHCT in 232 centers between the years 2000 and 2014 and reported to the CIBMTR. We examined three cohorts: a) adults in complete remission (CR1 and 2; n=2593) treated with myeloablative (MAC) or reduced intensity conditioning (RIC), b) pediatric ALL aged 1-18 in CR1/CR2 (n=1619) treated by MAC and c) patients of all ages with advanced ALL (active disease or CR≥3; n=1003) who received MAC. Transplant outcomes were compared by GVHD presence and severity: no GVHD (reference group), grade I-II acute GVHD (aGVHD), grade III-IV aGVHD, plus each with or without chronic GVHD (cGVHD).Results: Patients had B-cell (80%) or T-cell ALL (15%); 26% were Ph+. MAC was used in most patients (93%), followed by HLA-identical sibling (28%), adult HLA-matched unrelated donor (31%) or umbilical cord blood (24%) grafts. 28% received in vivo T cell depletion. Cumulative incidence of relapse and 5-year overall survival (OS) in the three cohorts are shown in table. In multivariate analysis adjusted for age, white blood cell count, donor source, KPS, GVHD prophylaxis and conditioning, aGVHD (both grade I-II and III-IV) and cGVHD yield protection from relapse as compared to no GVHD (HR 0.49-0.69) in both adult and pediatric CR cohorts (Table). Patients with advanced ALL with cGVHD or with grade III-IV aGVHD also had a lower, but still excessive risk of relapse. However, in all 3 cohorts, increased transplant-related-mortality (TRM) accompanied grade III-IV aGVHD (HR 3.91, 3.69, 2.69) and abrogated the protection from relapse resulting in inferior OS (Table). Importantly, adults in CR1/2 with grade I-II aGVHD without cGVHD had a significantly better OS compared to no GVHD (HR 0.83). A similar net survival benefit of grade I-II aGVHD occurred in children in CR1/CR2 (HR 0.76). CGVHD alone or in combination with grade I-II aGVHD augmented protection from relapse (HR varied 0.51-0.67), but had a neutral effect on OS in the two CR cohorts. Patients with advanced ALL had improved OS if they developed cGVHD with or without grade I-II aGVHD.Conclusions: Our data confirm the potent GVL effect of alloHCT in ALL in CR and demonstrate that the net beneficial effect of aGVHD on OS in ALL is confined to patients who experience grade I-II aGVHD and no cGVHD. This favorable net effect extends from pediatric to adult patients who are in remission. Those with advanced disease experience modest survival benefit from cGVHD. Nevertheless, the benefit of relapse protection is abrogated by increased mortality in patients with grade III-IV aGVHD and is weaker in those without any GVHD. Immunity-modulating interventions post-HCT and more effective GVHD therapies may better harness the potential graft-versus leukemia effect in ALL. [Display omitted] DisclosuresFlowers:Pharmacyclics: Consultancy. De Lima:Pfizer: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Celgene Corporation: Research Funding. Bachanova:Seattle-Genetics: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Oxis: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Juno: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Zymogen: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees.

Efficacy of testosterone replacement therapy for treating metabolic disturbances in late-onset hypogonadism: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Late onset hypogonadism (LOH) is an age-dependent reduction of testosterone associated with alterations of metabolic profile, including glucose control, insulin sensitivity, and lipid profile. The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy of testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) for treating metabolic disturbances through a meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials (RCTs). A systematic review of literature published from 1964 to November, 2019 was performed using the PubMed/Medline, Embase, and Cochrane databases. Among the 1562 articles screened, 17 articles were selected for qualitative analysis and 16 articles (n = 1373) were included for data synthesis following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis (PRISMA). Criteria for final inclusion were RCTs. Sixteen studies were finally included (TRT group, n = 709; placebo group, n = 664). Among the metabolic markers, HbA1C [Mean difference (MD) = - 0.172, 95% CI - 0.329, - 0.015], HOMA IR (MD = - 0.514, 95% CI - 0.863, - 0.165), serum insulin (MD = - 12.622, 95% CI - 19.660, - 5.585), and leptin (MD = - 2.381, 95% CI - 2.952, - 1.810) showed significant improvement after TRT versus placebo. Among the lipid profiles, total cholesterol showed significant improvement (MD = - 0.433, 95% CI - 0.761, - 0.105) after TRT. However, HDL showed a decrease (MD = - 0.069, 95% CI - 0.121, - 0.018) after TRT. Among anthropometric markers, waist circumference showed significant improvement (MD = - 0.1640, 95% CI - 2.857, - 0.423). This study demonstrated greater improvement in metabolic profiles for patients given TRT versus placebo. Further well-designed trials are needed to verify our findings and further elucidate effects of TRT on lipid profiles. This systematic review demonstrates that TRT can exert a net beneficial effect on metabolic profiles.

A systematic comparison of the global comparative risk assessments for alcohol.

To compare systematically the alcohol-attributable mortality and burden of disease estimates for 2016 from a recent study by Shield and colleagues and the Global Burden of Disease study 2017 (GBD). This study compared estimates of alcohol-attributable mortality and disability adjusted life years (DALYs) lost for 2016 with regards to absolute and relative differences, by region and by cause of disease or injury. Relative differences between the two studies are reported herein as percentage (%) differences. A difference of 10% or more was considered meaningful. The studies estimated similar global levels of overall alcohol-attributable mortality for 2016 (Shield and colleagues estimated 5.1% more alcohol-attributable mortality than the GBD study) but not alcohol-attributable DALYs lost (18.3% difference). There were marked differences by region and cause of disease or injury. Compared with the results from Shield and colleagues, the GBD study estimated a lower alcohol-attributable burden in Eastern Europe by 252 770 alcohol-attributable deaths (45.2% difference) and 6.1 million alcohol-attributable DALYs lost (32.9% difference) and in Western sub-Saharan Africa by 124 200 alcohol-attributable deaths (55.7% difference) and 7.0 million alcohol-attributable DALYs lost (63.4% difference), and estimated a higher alcohol-attributable burden in East Asia by 227 100 alcohol-attributable deaths (48.0% difference) and 2.2 million DALYs lost (11.0% difference). With regard to the cause of disease or injury, Shield and colleagues attributed an overall detrimental effect to alcohol on ischaemic heart disease mortality, whereas the GBD study attributed a net beneficial effect. The GBD study, as compared with Shield and colleagues' study, estimated a lower alcohol-attributable mortality because of liver cirrhosis and injuries by 262 500 (44.6% difference) and 398 800 (46.2% difference), respectively. Differences in estimates of the alcohol-attributable burden of disease in two recent studies indicate the need to improve the accuracy of underlying data and risk relations to obtain more consistent estimates and to formulate, advocate for, and implement alcohol policies more effectively.

Trade-off between urban heat island mitigation and air quality in urban valleys

The number of studies on urban cooling strategies has been continuously growing. A common premise is that urban heat island (UHI) mitigation has a net beneficial effect on urban environmental quality and sustainability. Here we evaluate how UHI mitigation affects air quality in an idealized urban valley by means of large-eddy simulations. A passive tracer represents air pollution transport in three UHI mitigation scenarios and under two initial stability conditions. Contrary to the common premise, our results demonstrate that UHI mitigation can worsen air quality in urban valleys, via the alteration of the mechanisms of air pollution transport. Our results also show the theoretical possibility of finding moderate UHI mitigation strategies in which UHI is reduced while limiting the impacts on air quality. A fundamental implication is that this strategies should be explored through case-specific realistic simulations for guiding decision-making in real systems. Large and often expensive urban transformations should not be accomplished under the generalized assumption that UHI mitigation improves environmental quality. Building a more general understanding of the potential impacts of UHI mitigation, as well as of the mechanisms behind, is a continuing challenge with important implications for urban management and planning.

Assessment of carbon footprint of nano-packaging considering potential food waste reduction due to shelf life extension

Approximately 30 to 50% of food produced is wasted in industrialized countries, which has caused severe impacts both economically and environmentally. Recently, nano-packaging has been proved to be a promising technology to significantly prolong the shelf life of many food products, and thus a potential solution for source reduction of food waste. However, the production of nanomaterials requires extra input of resources and generates additional emissions and wastes. This study conducted a life cycle assessment to evaluate the net carbon footprint of nano-packaging from a systems perspective, considering its entire life cycle and ultimate application for food preservation. Based on the defined functional unit (i.e., 1 kg of food product and the required amount of nano-packaging materials), the global warming potential (GWP) associated with the nano-packaging system was highly affected by the concentration of incorporated nanomaterials and the type of packaged food. Furthermore, the packaging-food ratio played an important role in the relative contributions of nanomaterial, polymer, and food to the GWP of a nano-packaging system. A consumer behavior study was also performed to more accurately correlate food shelf life extension with food waste reduction. The results indicated that even with less than 3 days of shelf life extension, there is a potential to gain a net beneficial effect of the use of nano-packaging on carbon footprint mitigation. This study developed a novel conceptual framework enabling a comparative assessment of direct life cycle impacts of nano-packaging in parallel to indirect benefits related to its use stage. The results are expected provide food manufacturers with the groundwork to make more informed decisions on nano-packaging applications.

TCT-822 Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO) closure compared to medical therapy for prevention of stroke recurrence in cryptogenic stroke population: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background Closure of a Patent Foramen Ovale(PFO), may play a role in reducing the risk of recurrent strokes in the cryptogenic stroke population. With recent new evidence published, we aimed to conduct a review of currently available randomised controlled trials(RCT) in order to evaluate the utility of percutaneous device closure of PFO compared to medical therapy in prevention of recurrent strokes. Our aim was to compare the incidence of recurrent stroke between the 2 approaches and also to compare the incidence of transient ischaemic attacks(TIA) and major bleeding between the 2 approaches. Methods A comprehensive search of major databases was performed. We included comparative RCTs, where outcomes of percutaneous PFO closure with medical therapy were available in patients with cryptogenic stroke and a PFO. Results Six studies were included with total of 3560 patients. Incidence of recurrent stroke was significantly less in the PFO closure group compared to medical therapy (2.86% vs. 5.09%, OR 0.49, 95% CI 0.35 – 0.70, p < 0.0001). Incidence of TIA was not significantly different in both PFO closure group compared to medical therapy (2.75% vs. 3.83%, OR 0.79, 95% CI 0.54 – 1.15, p = 0.22). Major bleeding was shown to not be significantly different in PFO closure group compared to medical therapy (1.64% vs. 1.76%, OR 0.90, 95% CI 0.54 – 1.49, p = 0.68) either. Sub group analysis of patients with ASA, comparing PFO closure group to medical therapy showed significant benefit in terms of stroke prevention in the PFO closure group (3.02% vs. 7.99%, OR 0.39, 95% CI 0.21 – 0.72, p = 0.002). Sub group analysis of large intra-atrial shunt similarly showed significant benefit in terms of stroke prevention in the PFO closure group (1.43% vs. 5.40%, OR 0.26, 95% CI 0.13 – 0.51, p < 0.0001). Download : Download high-res image (119KB)Download : Download full-size image Conclusion When combining all trials published so far, our analysis demonstrates a net beneficial effect of PFO closure overall. Our study also highlights the need of a dedicated RCT to explore PFO closure compared to oral anticoagulation to reduce the likelihood of bias in the future.

Anticoagulation in heart failure without atrial fibrillation: gaps and dilemmas in current clinical practice.

Data from observational and post-hoc analyses suggest that heart failure (HF) itself may be associated with higher risk of thromboembolic events compared to populations without HF. Although oral anticoagulants (OACs) might be a therapeutic option in individual cases, anticoagulation therapy in HF patients in sinus rhythm is not generally recommended, as the implementation of OACs in clinical practice in this HF population is not supported by large randomized clinical trials to date. Indeed, the available data suggest that the risk of major bleeding overshadows the potential anti-thromboembolic benefit of OACs in HF patients in sinus rhythm with no net beneficial effect on mortality rates. In this review we explore the current available evidence for the clinical outcomes of anticoagulation therapy in patients with HF in sinus rhythm, highlighting the current gaps in knowledge, which may guide the design of future randomized clinical trials focusing on the efficacy and safety of anticoagulant therapy in this HF population.

Evolution on the bright side of life: microorganisms and the evolution of mutualism.

Mutualistic interactions, where two interacting species have a net beneficial effect on each other's fitness, play a crucial role in the survival and evolution of many species. Despite substantial empirical and theoretical work in past decades, the impact of these interactions on natural selection is not fully understood. In addition, mutualisms between microorganisms have been largely ignored, even though they are ecologically important and can be used as tools to bridge the gap between theory and empirical work. Here, I describe two problems with our current understanding of natural selection in mutualism and highlight the properties of microbial mutualisms that could help solve them. One problem is that bias and methodological problems have limited our understanding of the variety of mechanisms by which species may adapt to mutualism. Another problem is that it is rare for experiments testing coevolution in mutualism to address whether each species has adapted to evolutionary changes in its partner. These problems can be addressed with genome resequencing and time-shift experiments, techniques that are easier to perform in microorganisms. In addition, microbial mutualisms may inspire novel insights and hypotheses about natural selection in mutualism.

TSG-6- a double-edged sword for osteoarthritis

TSG-6- a double-edged sword for osteoarthritis

Role of ATP as a Key Signaling Molecule Mediating Radiation-Induced Biological Effects.

Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) serves as a signaling molecule for adaptive responses to a variety of cytotoxic agents and plays an important role in mediating the radiation stress-induced responses that serve to mitigate or repair the injurious effects of γ radiation on the body. Indeed, low doses of radiation may have a net beneficial effect by activating a variety of protective mechanisms, including antitumor immune responses. On the other hand, ATP signaling may be involved in the radiation resistance of cancer cells. Here, focusing on our previous work, we review the evidence that low-dose γ irradiation (0.25-0.5 Gy) induces release of extracellular ATP, and that the released ATP mediates multiple radiation-induced responses, including increased intracellular antioxidant synthesis, cell-mediated immune responses, induction of DNA damage repair systems, and differentiation of regulatory T cells.

Impact of obesity on bone metabolism

High weight is a protective factor against osteoporosis and risk of fracture. In obesity, however, where overweight is associated to excess fat, this relationship does not appear to be so clear, excess weight has sometimes been associated to decreased bone mass. Obesity interferes with bone metabolism through mechanical, hormonal, and inflammatory factors. These factors are closely related to weight, body composition, and dietary patterns of these patients. The net beneficial or harmful effect on bone mass or risk of fracture of the different components of this condition is not well known. We need to recognize patients at a greater risk of bone disease related to obesity to start an adequate intervention.

Influencia de la obesidad sobre el metabolismo óseo

High weight is a protective factor against osteoporosis and risk of fracture. In obesity, however, where overweight is associated to excess fat, this relationship does not appear to be so clear, excess weight has sometimes been associated to decreased bone mass. Obesity interferes with bone metabolism through mechanical, hormonal, and inflammatory factors. These factors are closely related to weight, body composition, and dietary patterns of these patients. The net beneficial or harmful effect on bone mass or risk of fracture of the different components of this condition is not well known. We need to recognize patients at a greater risk of bone disease related to obesity to start an adequate intervention.

Editorial: Advances in Combination Tumor Immunotherapy.

Editorial: Advances in Combination Tumor Immunotherapy.

Current Indications for Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators in Non-Ischemic Cardiomyopathies and Channelopathies.

Current indications for implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) in patients with channelopathies and cardiomyopathies of non-ischemic origin are mainly based on non-randomized evidence. In patients with nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy (NIDCM), there is a tendency towards a beneficial effect on total mortality of ICD therapy in patients with significant left ventricular (LV) dysfunction. Although an important reduction in sudden cardiac death (SCD) seems to be clearly demonstrated in these patients, a net beneficial effect on total mortality is unclear mostly in cases with good functional status. Risk stratification has been changing over the last two decades in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Its risk profile has been delineated in parallel with the beneficial effect of ICD in high risk patients. Observational results based on "appropriate" ICD interventions do support its usefulness both in primary and secondary SCD prevention in these patients. Novel risk models quantify the rate of sudden cardiac death in these patients on individual basis. Less clear risk stratification is available for cases of arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) and in other uncommon familiar cardiomyopathies. Main features of risk stratification vary among the different channelopathies (long QT syndrome -LQTS-, Brugada syndrome, etc) with great debate on the management of asymptomatic patients. For most familiar cardiomyopathies, ICD therapy is the only accepted strategy in the prevention of SCD. So far, genetic testing has a limited role in risk evaluation and management of the individual patient. This review aims to summarize these criticisms and to refine the current indications of ICD implantation in patients with cardiomyopathies and major channelopathies.

Meeting the Challenge of Cancer Survivorship in Public Health: Results from the Evaluation of the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program for Cancer Survivors

Self-management has been identified as an important opportunity to improve health outcomes among cancer survivors. However, few evidence-based interventions are available to meet this need. The effectiveness of an adapted version of the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program for cancer survivors called Cancer Thriving and Surviving was evaluated in a randomized trial. Outcomes were assessed at baseline and 6-months post program via written survey among 244 participants in Colorado. Repeated measures analysis was used to analyze pre/post program change. Statistically significant improvement was observed among those in the intervention in the following outcomes: Provider communication (+16.7% change); depression (-19.1%); energy (+13.8%); sleep (-24.9%) and stress-related problems (-19.2%); change over time was also observed in the controls for energy, sleep, and stress-related outcomes though to a lesser degree. Effect sizes of the difference in change over time observed indicate a net beneficial effect for provider communication (0.23); and decreases in depression (-0.18); pain (-0.19); problems related to stress (-0.17); and sleep (-0.20). Study data suggest that the self-management support from adaptation of the CDSMP can reach and appeal to cancer survivors, improves common concerns in this population, and can fill an important gap in meeting the ongoing need for management of post-diagnosis issues in this growing segment of the U.S. population.

Effect of resveratrol and orchidectomy on the vasorelaxing influence of perivascular adipose tissue.

Perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) releases several adipo(cyto)kines. Some are vasoactive substances that elicit a net beneficial anticontractile effect. Resveratrol and testosterone are known to modulate adipo(cyto)kine release from adipose tissue and could therefore influence the anticontractile effect of PVAT. In vitro tension measurements were performed using thoracic aorta segments with and without adipose tissue from sham-operated or orchidectomized male Swiss mice. Concentration-response curves to norepinephrine (NOR) were constructed in the presence and absence of resveratrol (10 μM, 15 min) or the relaxant effect of resveratrol (10-100 μM) was investigated after inducing tone with NOR (5 μM). Aortas with PVAT displayed significantly attenuated contractions to NOR compared with aortas without PVAT. In aortas without PVAT, resveratrol (10 μM) significantly decreased NOR responses and elicited concentration-dependent (10-100 µM) relaxations. However, in aortas with adherent PVAT, resveratrol (10 μM) neither decreased NOR responses, nor did resveratrol (10-100 µM) induce arterial relaxations. The anticontractile effect of PVAT was less pronounced in the presence of resveratrol and unaltered by orchidectomy. Orchidectomy did not influence contractions induced by NOR. Orchidectomy does not modulate the anticontractile capacity of PVAT, while resveratrol decreases the vasorelaxing influence of PVAT. The positive effects associated with resveratrol addition are neutralized by the presence of PVAT. This is thought to result from a dual effect of resveratrol: (1) inhibition of the influence of vasodilatory adipo(cyto)kines and (2) a direct relaxant effect on the vascular smooth muscle. Overall, the beneficial relaxing effect of resveratrol is lost in mice thoracic aorta surrounded by PVAT.