Producción Científica

Background: Researchers gradually focus on the relationship between phage and cancer. Objective: To summarize the research hotspots and trends in the field of bacteriophage and cancer. Methods: The downloaded articles were searched from the Web of Science Core Collection database from January 2008 to June 2023. Bibliometric analysis was carried out through CiteSpace, including the analysis of cooperative networks (country/region, institution, and author), co-citations of references, and key words.Visual analysis of three topics, including gut phage, phage and bacteria, and phage and tumor, was conducted. Results: Overall, the United States and China have the most phage-related research. In terms of gut phage, the future research directions are “gut microbiome”, “database” and “microbiota”. The bursting citations explored the phage-dominated viral genome to discover its diversity and individual specificity and investigated associations among bacteriome, metabolome, and virome. In terms of phage and bacteria, “lipopolysaccharide” and “microbiota” are future research directions. Future research hotspots should mainly concentrate on the further exploration and application of phage properties. As for phages and tumors, the future research directions should be “colorectal cancer”, “protein” and “phage therapy”. Future directions are likely to focus on the research on phages in cancer mechanisms, cancer diagnosis, and cancer treatment combined with genetic engineering techniques. Conclusion: Phage therapy would become a hot spot and research direction of tumor and phage research, and the relationship between phage and tumor, especially colorectal cancer (CRC), is expected to be further explored.

Background: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), previously known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), is a prevalent hepatic condition linked to metabolic alterations. It gradually causes liver damage and potentially progresses to cirrhosis. Despite its significance, research, especially in the pediatric population, is limited, leading to contradictory findings in diagnosis and treatment. This meta-analysis aims to synthesize existing literature on therapeutic interventions for MASLD in children and adolescents. Methods: A comprehensive search of randomized controlled clinical trials yielded 634 entries from PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science up to 2023. Interventions included medications, behavioral modifications, dietary changes, probiotics, supplements, surgical procedures, or combinations. The analysis focused on studies with treatment duration of at least 3 months, employing a random-effects REML meta-analysis model. Treatment effects on anthropometric measurements and biochemical components were examined and adjusted for heterogeneity factors analysis. A bibliometric analysis for insights into research contributors was performed. Results: The systematic review incorporated 31 clinical trials, with 24 meeting criteria for meta-analysis. These comprised 3 medication studies, 20 with supplements, 4 focusing on lifestyle, and 4 centered on diets. Significant overall treatment effects were observed for ALT, AST, BMI, and HOMA-IR mainly by supplements and lifestyle. Meta-regression identified age, BMI changes, and treatment duration as factors modifying ALT concentrations. Bibliometric analysis involving 31 linked studies highlighted contributions from 13 countries, with the USA, Spain, and Chile being the most influential. Conclusions: We conclude that supplementation and lifestyle changes can effectively impact ALT and AST levels, which can help address liver issues in obese children. However, the evaluation of risk bias, the high heterogeneity, and the bibliometric analysis emphasize the need for more high-quality studies and broader inclusion of diverse child populations to provide better therapeutic recommendations. Trial registration: PROSPERO, CRD42023393952. Registered on January 25, 2023.

The goal of this study is to identify the plants used to treat sexual dysfunction in Haut-Katanga (DRC). Since most couples in sexual distress believe that resolving sexual dysfunction (SD) is the key to happiness, an ethnobotanical survey using a questionnaire guide was conducted among 36 traditional practitioners in four sites in Haut-Katanga province, including Lubumbashi, the provincial capital. The survey identified 52 species of aphrodisiac plants that are used to treat SD. Of these, 51 have been scientifically identified; they belong to 45 different genera and are contained in 28 families, with the Fabaceae having the highest representation (15.7%). These species are employed singly or in combination to prepare eighty recipes; the most common plant organ was the root bark (63%) in these recipes. Aqueous decoction (44%) and oral administration (75.3%) are the most commonly used routes of drug preparation and administration. Nearly 80 additional indications for the same plant species were discovered to be employed, such as sexually transmitted infections (7.17%), diabetes (3.69%), and hemorrhoids (4.07%). For every species, the Informant Consensus Factor (ICF) was determined. The plants with higher values (ICF≥0.17) included Bersama abyssinica Fres, Garcinia huillensis Welw, Cassia petersiana Bolle, Chenopodium album L, Clerodendrum capitatum (Willd) Schumach, Dialiopsis africana Radlk., Albizia adianthifolia (Schum.) W. Wight, and Crossopteryx febrifuga Mull.

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a progressive disease that affects more than 800 million people worldwide, representing more than 10% of the global population. It is more common in older people, women, and racial minorities, as well as in people with diabetes mellitus and high blood pressure. CKD has become one of the top causes of mortality worldwide, and is one of the few non-communicable diseases that have seen an increase in related deaths over the last few decades. The high number of affected people and the serious negative consequences of chronic disease should lead to increased efforts to improve prevention and treatment efforts. Around the world, there are an estimated 1,800-1,600 extra deaths per 10000 patients who are on dialysis. Aim: The aim of the study is to determine the psychological distress and self-esteem among dialysis patients. Research Methodology: A quantitative cross-sectional investigate plan was utilized to conduct a research study among 30 dialysis patients. Convenient sampling techniques were utilized to collect data from standardized tool using questionnaire techniques. Result: Study showed that 36.7% of the samples were doing well, 23.3% had mild psychological distress, 23.3% of the samples had moderate psychological distress and severe distress is seen in 16.7% of the samples. 73.3% of them had normal self-esteem, 20% of the study population had low self-esteem and 6.7% had above average self-esteem. Significant relationship is seen between social and family support with self-esteem (p=0.033). Conclusion: About half of the samples were having psychological distress which is of mild and moderate, severe psychological distress were seen in 16.7% of the samples, ordinal self-esteem were seen in 73% of the samples, 27% of samples had mild and average self- esteem.

Purpose: This study aims to analyze and compare selected physical fitness, physiological, and psychological variables among boys from government, government- aided, and private schools in the Chennai district. The purpose is to understand how different school environments impact these variables and to provide insights that can inform policy and practice in physical education and health promotion. Methodology: A sample of 300 boys aged 12-15 years was selected through stratified random sampling, with 100 boys from each school type (government, government-aided, and private schools). Physical fitness was measured using the Fitness Gram test battery, physiological variables such as BMI, resting heart rate, and blood pressure were assessed using standard clinical procedures, and psychological variables were evaluated using the Rosenberg Self- Esteem Scale and the Perceived Stress Scale. Data were analyzed using ANOVA to compare the means across the three school types, with post-hoc tests conducted to identify specific group differences. Conclusion: The study found significant differences in physical fitness, physiological health, and psychological well-being among boys from different types of schools. Boys from private schools exhibited better physical fitness and lower stress levels compared to their peers in government and government-aided schools. These findings highlight the influence of socio-economic factors and access to resources on students’ health and suggest the need for targeted interventions in government and government- aided schools to improve physical and psychological well- being among students.