Menopause negatively impacts women's health. Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate whether an olive leaf extract (OLE) improves postmenopausal symptoms, body composition, handgrip strength and blood lipid profile in postmenopausal women. In a randomized, double-blinded parallel study design, 60 healthy postmenopausal women aged 47-70 years received either OLE (250 mg/day) or placebo supplementation for 12 weeks.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA well-functioning immune system requires balanced immune responses. studies have shown that plant stanols contribute to restoring the T-helper (Th)1/Th2 ratio when it is imbalanced. However, effects of plant stanols on healthy immune responses are unknown.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe new coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), can trigger a hyperinflammatory state characterized by elevated cytokine levels known as hypercytokinemia or cytokine storm, observed most often in severe patients. Though COVID-19 is known to be a primarily respiratory disease, neurological complications affecting both the central and peripheral nervous systems have also been reported. This review discusses potential routes of SARS-CoV-2 neuroinvasion and pathogenesis, summarizes reported neurological sequelae of COVID-19, and examines how aberrant cytokine levels may precipitate these complications.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFReprogramming the tumor microenvironment to increase immune-mediated responses is currently of intense interest. Patients with immune-infiltrated "hot" tumors demonstrate higher treatment response rates and improved survival. However, only the minority of tumors are hot, and a limited proportion of patients benefit from immunotherapies.
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