Kaihong Zeng

Background: Respiratory, gastrointestinal, and allergic diseases can significantly affect children’s physical and mental health and quality of life.Purpose: This study aimed to assess the safety of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BLa80, its preventive effects on morbidities related to respiratory, gastrointestinal, and allergic diseases, and its impact on the gut microbiome of children during the study period.Methods: Healthy children aged 0–3 years were randomly assigned to an intervention group (IG; n=180) or control group (CG; n=180). Participants received probiotics or placebo for 3 months, followed by a 3-month follow-up period. Children in the IG received one oral probiotic sachet daily for 90 consecutive days starting on the first day of the intervention. Each sachet contained maltodextrin and the BLa80 strain at 5×109 colony-forming units (CFUs). Children in the CG received placebo sachets containing maltodextrin only. The primary outcome measure was eczema morbidity during the 6-month study period. Secondary outcomes included acute upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) and acute tracheitis/bronchitis. Fecal gut microbiota profiles were assessed by 16S rRNA sequencing. Fecal immune biomarkers including calprotectin, human beta-defensin-2 (HBD-2), cathelicidin (LL-37), and secretory immunoglobulin A were also determined. This study was registered with the China Clinical Trial Center (ChiCTR2300074956).Results: Per-protocol analyses were conducted of 156 and 164 subjects in the IG and CG, respectively. The morbidity rate of eczema during the 6-month period was significantly lower in the IG versus CG (intention-to-treat analysis: 26.1% [47 of 180] vs. 66.7% [120 of 180], P<0.01; per-protocol analysis: 30.1% [47 of 156] vs. 73.2% [120 of 164], P<0.01). Probiotic supplementation was also associated with a lower risk of URTIs (IG vs. CG: 40.3% vs. 20.7%; risk ratio [RR], 0.752; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.653–0.866) and acute tracheitis/bronchitis (18.8% vs. 9.5%; RR, 0.897; 95% CI, 0.825–0.977). Bla80 intervention increased the relative abundance of Bifidobacterium bifidum, Bifidobacterium kashiwanohense PV20-2, Bifidobacterium longum, and Enterococcus dispar ATCC (American Type Culture Collection) 51266 while decreasing the abundance of Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron. Postintervention, the IG had significantly lower concentrations of LL-37 (3,509.31±587.89 pg/g vs. 3,720.82±614.90 pg/g, P=0.006) and HBD-2 (202.36±56.35 pg/g vs. 222.65±56.23 pg/g, P=0.005) than the CG. No serious adverse events were reported in either group.Conclusion: The daily administration of BLa80 at 5×109 CFU for 3 months in children aged 0–3 years reduced therisk of eczema, URTIs, and acute tracheitis/bronchitis and beneficially altered the gut microbiome composition, fecal immune biomarkers, and functional gene composition without any adverse effects.

Background: A plateau hypoxic environment can increase the physiological burden on athletes. Although nutritional interventions have been recognized as a potential strategy to improve plateau acclimatization, evidence in support of specific dietary patterns is still lacking. This study compared the effects of different dietary interventions on cardiopulmonary fitness during plateau exercise through systematic evaluation and network meta-analysis methods. Methods: This study systematically reviewed relevant literature up to June 2025 and included 20 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) conducted at altitudes above 1,500 meters involving healthy participants aged 16 years and above who engaged in physical activities. The primary outcomes included cardiopulmonary indicators [maximal oxygen uptake (VO _2max ), heart rate (HR)], blood biomarkers [peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO ₂ ), hematocrit (HCT)], and subjective perception indicators [rating of perceived exertion (RPE)]. For each outcome, the pooled effects of each intervention compared to others were estimated. Mean difference (MD) or standardized mean difference (SMD) with 95% Credible Intervals (95% CrI) were calculated. The Surface Under the Cumulative Ranking Curve (SUCRA) was used to rank the dietary interventions and quantify their relative effectiveness. In addition, the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach was applied to assess the quality of evidence. Results: A total of 20 randomized controlled trials involving 329 participants were included, evaluating eight dietary interventions. Moderate-quality evidence indicated that carbohydrate supplementation significantly improved the percentage of maximal oxygen uptake (VO _2max ) compared to placebo (SMD = 1.13, 95% CrI: 0.25 to 2.05) and reduced RPE scores (MD = −0.77, 95% CrI: −1.83 to −0.09). Moderate-quality evidence indicated that carbohydrate supplementation combined with glutamine ranked highest in improving SpO ₂ (SUCRA 84.54%) and RPE (SUCRA 69.37%), while iron supplementation showed the highest SUCRA rankings for HR (56.54%) and HCT (66.67%). However, these interventions did not demonstrate statistically significant advantages. Notably, the observed increase in VO _2max exceeded the minimally clinically important difference (MCID) of 1.0 ml/kg/min reported in previous studies, suggesting that the effect of carbohydrate supplementation on VO _2max may have clinical relevance. Conclusions: Differences exist in the effects of different dietary interventions on cardiopulmonary fitness during altitude exercise. The current network meta-analysis indicates that carbohydrate-based strategies show beneficial effects, with carbohydrate plus glutamine supplementation demonstrating greater advantages in SpO ₂ and RPE, while carbohydrate alone is more supported in improving VO _2max. Therefore, carbohydrate-based strategies may serve as effective options to promote altitude acclimatization, whereas iron supplementation may have potential benefits in improving HCT and HR. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD420251069629 , identifier: CRD420251069629.

Morchella is recognized as a valuable source of bioactive peptides due to its high protein content. In this study, bioactive peptides were produced from Morchella importuna protein through an optimized hydrolysis process. The peptides were subsequently purified using DEAE-32 ion exchange chromatography and Sephadex G-25 gel filtration, with the G3 fraction demonstrating the highest antioxidant activity. Peptide sequencing via HPLC-MS/MS identified key bioactive peptides, including RVDWEF, VDWEFT, VDWE, and DWEFT. In mouse fatigue model, administration of medium (500 mg/kg body weight/day) and high (1000 mg/kg body weight/day) doses of G3 significantly enhanced swimming and climbing endurance, alleviated liver and muscle injury, increased energy availability, reduced serum metabolites, and elevated antioxidant enzyme activities. Mechanistic investigations revealed that G3 activated the Nrf2/ARE and AMPK/PGC-1α signaling pathways, leading to a reduction in oxidative stress and inflammation while promoting mitochondrial function. Furthermore, correlation analysis showed that the abundance of G3-derived peptides was significantly associated with key biological indicators—including antioxidant enzymes, metabolic markers, and cytokines—supporting the proposed multi-target effects of the peptides. These findings suggested that Morchella importuna peptide G3 mitigates fatigue and improves exercise performance by attenuating oxidative stress and inflammation and enhancing energy metabolism in mice.

Purpose The aim of this study was to investigate the improved effect of resveratrol (RSV) on early retinal neurodegeneration in diabetic retinopathy (DR) via regulating autophagy/ microRNA-29b (miR-29b)/ specificity protein 1 (SP1)/ apoptosis pathway. Methods Retinal tissues from normal rats and diabetic rats after 12 weeks of intervention, and retinal Müller cells (RMCs) from normal and high glucose (HG) cultures, with or without rapamycin (RAPA), 3-methyladenine (3-MA), and RSV treatments, were used. Retinal neurofunctional changes were measured by electroretinogram. Retinal inner nuclear layer cell autophagy changes were detected by transmission electron microscopy. Cell viabilities were measured by CCK-8. The expressions of autophagy proteins light chain 3 (LC3)-I, LC3-II, Beclin-1, P62 and miR-29b, SP1 were detected by qRT-PCR, western blot, immunocytochemistry and ELISA. Apoptosis was detected by TUNEL and ELISA. Results In vivo, RSV alleviated diabetes-induced weight loss, inhibited fasting plasma glucose elevation, improved retinal neurofunctional changes, and reversed autophagy inhibition in DM rats. In vitro, RSV increased HG-cultured RMCs viabilities. In vivo and in vitro, the dysregulated expressions of LC3-I, LC3-II, Beclin-1, P62 and miR-29b, SP1 induced by diabetes and HG were significantly inhibited by RSV treatments. RAPA pretreatments enhanced the regulating effects of RSV on miR-29b, SP1 expression and RMCs apoptosis; 3-MA pretreatments inhibited the regulating effects of RSV on miR-29b, SP1 expression and RMCs apoptosis in vivo and in vitro. Conclusions Our findings indicated that RSV is a potential therapeutic option for DR and that activating autophagy and further regulating the miR-29b/SP1/apoptosis pathway plays an important role in the anti-DR mechanism of RSV.

Kumquat polyphenols, known for their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, have been less studied for their potential to delay aging and enhance cognitive memory. This research involved extracting and analyzing free and bound phenols from oil-skinned kumquat (Fortunella japonica Swingle) for their antioxidant and anti-aging effects. Whole fruit free phenols (WFP) at low dose (WFP-L, 50 mg per kg per day) and high dose (WFP-H, 200 mg per kg per day) were administered to D-galactose-induced senescence model mice over six weeks, examining their impact on cognitive memory function and intestinal flora. Peel free phenols and seed-bound phenols displayed the strongest activities, with key compounds like quinic acid and p-hydroxybenzoic acid identified. WFP significantly reduced oxidative stress in aging mice, enhanced antioxidant capacity, lowered inflammatory markers and acetylcholinesterase activity in the hippocampus, and increased acetylcholine levels. By modulating the p53/SIRT1/NF-κB signaling pathway, WFP effectively delayed aging and cognitive decline. Furthermore, WFP improved intestinal microbial communities, regulating flora imbalances and enhancing the intestinal barrier by boosting beneficial bacteria and reducing harmful strains like Bacteroides and Escherichia-Shigella. These findings highlight kumquat polyphenols’ therapeutic potential against age-related cognitive impairment.

Background: Nitrate is a dietary intervention commonly used to enhance exercise capacity, including cardiopulmonary fitness, yet its effectiveness has been recently questioned at high altitudes. This meta-analysis systematically evaluates the effects of dietary nitrate supplements on cardiopulmonary fitness at high altitude, as reflected in the biomarker of cardiopulmonary fitness, paving the way for informed dietary strategies. Methods: We conducted a systematic assessment and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials to examine the effects of dietary nitrate supplementation on biomarkers of cardiorespiratory health at high altitude. Studies were included if they involved healthy individuals (≥16 years of age) engaging in endurance activities such as hiking, long-distance running, mountain climbing, or bicycling at high altitude. Outcomes of interest included nitrite levels (NO₂-), maximal oxygen uptake (VO_2max), heart rate (HR), perceived exertion (RPE), and pulse oxygen saturation (SpO₂). Exclusion criteria included duplicate publications, non-human studies, studies with missing data that could not be retrieved, non-randomized clinical trials, and non-original research articles such as conference papers, expert consensus, or reviews. Our search for articles was conducted across PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Embase, without any language restrictions. A random effects model was employed for quantitative data analysis, utilizing Standardized Mean Difference (SMD) and 95% confidence intervals as summary statistics. The methods and results were reported according to the PRISMA2020 statement. Results: A total of 9 studies with a sample size of 161 cases were included in the analysis. The meta-analysis indicated that dietary nitrate supplement significantly elevated NO₂^- concentration (95% CI: 1.38 to 3.12; SMD = 2.25, P < 0.00001; I² = 70%). However, there was no significant effect observed on VO_2max (95% CI: -0.58 to 0.23; SMD = -0.17, P = 0.76; I² = 0%), HR (95% CI: -0.31 to 0.23; SMD = -0.04, P = 0.77; I² = 0%), RPE scores (95% CI: -0.49 to 0.18; SMD = -0.16, P = 0.36; I² = 0%), and SpO₂ percentage (95% CI: -0.36 to 0.20; SMD = -0.08, P = 0.58; I² = 0%). Conclusions: The current meta-analysis indicates that dietary nitrate intake is less correlated with cardiopulmonary fitness at high altitudes, and further research is required to clarify its impact on exercise capacity.