Exercise for frailty research frontiers: a bibliometric analysis and systematic review.

Background: Exercise intervention is a method of improving and preventing frailty in old age through physical exercise and physical activity. It has a positive impact on many chronic diseases and health risk factors, in particular cardiovascular disease, metabolic disease, osteoporosis, mental health problems and cancer prevention, and exercise therapies can also fight inflammation, increase muscle strength and flexibility, improve immune function, and enhance overall health. This study was aimed to analyze research hotspots and frontiers in exercise therapies for frailty through bibliometric methods. Methods: In this study, data of publications from 1st January 2003 to 31st August 2023 were gathered from the Web of Science Core Collection and analyzed the hotspots and frontiers of frailty research in terms of remarkable countries/regions, institutions, cited references, authors, cited journals, burst keywords, and high-frequency keywords using CiteSpace 6.2.R3 software. The PRISMA reporting guidelines were used for this study. Results: A collection of 7,093 publications was obtained, showing an increasing trend each year. BMC Geriatrics led in publications, while Journals of Gerontology Series A-Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences dominated in citations. The United States led in centrality and publications, with the University of Pittsburgh as the most productive institution. Leocadio R had the highest publication ranking, while Fried Lp ranked first among cited authors. Keywords in the domain of exercise therapies for frailty are "frailty," "older adult," "physical activity," "exercise," and "mortality," with "sarcopenia" exhibiting the greatest centrality. The keywords formed 19 clusters, namely "#0 older persons," "#1 mortality," "#2 muscle strength," "#3 bone mineral density," "#4 muscle mass," "#5 older adults," "#6 older people," "#7 women's health," "#8 frail elderly," "#9 heart failure," "#10 geriatric assessment," "#11 comprehensive geriatric assessment," "#12 outcm," "#13 alzheimers disease," "#14 quality of life," "#15 health care," "#16 oxidative stress," "#17 physical activity," and "#18 protein." Conclusion: This study presents the latest developments and trends in research on frailty exercise intervention treatments over the past 20 years using CiteSpace visualization software. Through systematic analyses, partners, research hotspots and cutting-edge directions were revealed, providing a guiding basis for future research.

Bilateral upper limb robot-assisted rehabilitation improves upper limb motor function in stroke patients: a study based on quantitative EEG.

BACKGROUND: Upper limb dysfunction after stroke seriously affects quality of life. Bilateral training has proven helpful in recovery of upper limb motor function in these patients. However, studies evaluating the effectiveness of bilateral upper limb robot-assisted training on improving motor function and quality of life in stroke patients are lacking. Quantitative electroencephalography (EEG) is non-invasive, simple, and monitors cerebral cortical activity, which can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions. In this study, EEG was used to evaluate the effect of end-drive bilateral upper extremity robot-assisted training on upper extremity functional recovery in stroke patients. METHODS: 24 stroke patients with hemiplegia were randomly divided into a conventional training (CT, n = 12) group or a bilateral upper limb robot-assisted training (BRT, n = 12) group. All patients received 60 min of routine rehabilitation treatment including rolling, transferring, sitting, standing, walking, etc., per day, 6 days a week, for three consecutive weeks. The BRT group added 30 min of bilateral upper limb robot-assisted training per day, while the CT group added 30 min of upper limb training (routine occupational therapy) per day, 6 days a week, for 3  weeks. The primary outcome index to evaluate upper limb motor function was the Fugl-Meyer functional score upper limb component (FMA-UE), with the secondary outcome of activities of daily living (ADL), assessed by the modified Barthel index (MBI) score. Quantitative EEG was used to evaluate functional brain connectivity as well as alpha and beta power current source densities of the brain. RESULTS: Significant (p < 0.05) within-group differences were found in FMA-UE and MBI scores for both groups after treatment. A between-group comparison indicated the MBI score of the BRT group was significantly different from that of the CT group, whereas the FMA-UE score was not significantly different from that of the CT group after treatment. The differences of FMA-UE and MBI scores before and after treatment in the BRT group were significantly different as compared to the CT group. In addition, beta rhythm power spectrum energy was higher in the BRT group than in the CT group after treatment. Functional connectivity in the BRT group, under alpha and beta rhythms, was significantly increased in both the bilateral frontal and limbic lobes as compared to the CT group. CONCLUSIONS: BRT outperformed CT in improving ADL in stroke patients within three months, and BRT facilitates the recovery of upper limb function by enhancing functional connectivity of the bilateral cerebral hemispheres.

Causal associations between hand grip strength and pulmonary function: a two-sample Mendelian randomization study.

BACKGROUND: Several observational studies have reported an association between hand grip strength (HGS) and pulmonary function (PF). However, causality is unclear. To investigate whether HGS and PF are causally associated, we performed Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses. METHODS: We identified 110 independent single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for right-hand grip strength (RHGS) and 103 independent SNPs for left-hand grip strength (LHGS) at the genome-wide significant threshold (P < 5 × 10-8) from MRC-IEU Consortium and evaluated these related to PF. MR estimates were calculated using the inverse-variance weighted (IVW) method and multiple sensitivity analyses were further performed. RESULTS: Genetical liability to HGS was positively causally associated with forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), but not with FEV1/FVC. In addition, there was positive causal association between RHGS and FVC (OR=1.519; 95% CI, 1.418-1.627; P=8.96E-33), and FEV1 (OR=1.486; 95% CI, 1.390-1.589; P=3.19E-31); and positive causal association between LHGS and FVC (OR=1.464; 95% CI, 1.385-1.548; P=2.83E-41) and FEV1 (OR=1.419; 95% CI, 1.340-1.502; P=3.19E-33). Nevertheless, no associations were observed between RHGS and FEV1/FVC (OR=0.998; 95% CI, 0.902-1.103; P=9.62E-01) and between LHGS and FEV1/FVC (OR=0.966; 95% CI, 0.861-1.083; P=5.52E-01). Similar results were shown in several sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSION: Our study provides support at the genetic level that HGS is positively causally associated with FVC and FEV1, but not with FEV1/FVC. Interventions for HGS in PF impairment deserve further exploration as potential indicators of PF assessment.

Direct or Indirect Action Mechanisms of Naringin in Maintaining Bone Homeostasis.

Disruption of bone homeostasis is the pathological basis of bone diseases. Multiple cells work together to maintain homeostasis and bone health. As a natural flavonoid compound, Naringin (NG) can positively affect the maintenance of bone homeostasis by acting on different types of cells. In this review, we discuss the direct and indirect osteoprotective effects of NG as well as the underlying mechanisms, and we provide a critical perspective on its clinical translation.

Effects of exercise therapy for pregnancy-related low back pain and pelvic pain: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Pregnancy-related low back pain (PLPB) and pelvic pain (PP) are common in pregnancy. In spite of its high prevalence rate, treatment of the disorder is a challenging topic. Women commonly utilize complementary exercise therapies such as yoga, motor control exercises, breathing exercises, core stability exercise, pelvic stability exercise, and so on to manage their symptoms. However, it is currently unknown whether exercise produces more beneficial effects than other treatment in patients with PLPB and PP. The aim of this study is to explore the therapeutic effect of exercise for pregnancy-related low back pain and PP. METHODS: This review will only include randomized controlled trials. Published articles from July 1999 to July 2019 will be identified using electronic searches. Search strategy will be performed in 3 English databases, 1 Chinese database, and the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform. Two reviewers will screen, select studies, extract data, and assess quality independently. The methodological quality including the risk of bias of the included studies will be evaluated using a modified assessment form, which is based on Cochrane assessment tool and Physiotherapy Evidence Database scale. Review Manager Software (Revman5.3) will be used for heterogeneity assessment, generating funnel-plots, data synthesis, subgroup analysis, and sensitivity analysis. We will use GRADE system to evaluate the quality of our evidence. RESULTS: We will provide some more practical and targeted results investigating the effect of exercise therapy (ET) for PLPB and PP in the current meta-analysis. Meanwhile, we will ascertain study progress of ET for PLPB and PP and find out defects or inadequacies of previous studies, so that future researchers could get beneficial guidance for more rigorous study. CONCLUSION: The stronger evidence about PLPB and PPs rehabilitative effect and safety will be provided for clinicians and policymakers. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD 42017075099.

Design, synthesis and insecticidal activity of novel analogues of flubendiamide containing alkoxyhexafluoroisopropyl groups.

Flubendiamide has received considerable attention in the agriculture field due to its novel mode of action and excellent insecticidal activity. However, the high cost and toxicity to aquatic invertebrates associated with flubendiamide limit its agronomic utility. On the basis of the structure of the lead compound, flubendiamide, we designed and synthesized a series of novel analogues of flubendiamide bearing a alkoxyhexafluoroisopropyl moiety using 2-methyl-4-(2-alkoxyhexafluoroisopropyl) anilines as the key intermediates. Their insecticidal activities against the oriental armyworm (Mythimna separata Walker) were evaluated. The results indicated that most of the target compounds exhibited high insecticidal activities. Specifically, compound 8h showed the best insecticidal activity against the armyworm and its insecticidal activity reached 70% at 0.156 mg L-1. The LC50 value of compound 8h (0.0512 mg L-1) is nearly the same as the corresponding commercial product flubendiamide (0.0412 mg L-1). Furthermore, the acute toxicity test showed that the 48 h LC50 values of compound 8h and flubendiamide against Daphnia magna Straus were 0.0066 and 0.0021 mg L-1, respectively. The toxicity of compound 8h is obviously lower than flubendiamide.

Effects of core stability exercise for patients with neck pain: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Neck pain is an important cause of disability. In spite of its high prevalence rate, treatment of the disorder is a challenging topic. Exercise therapy appears to be effective at decreasing pain and improving function for patients with NP in practice guidelines. Core stability exercise is becoming increasingly popular for NP. However, it is currently unknown whether core stability exercise produces more beneficial effects than general exercise in patients with NP. The aim of this study is to explore the therapeutic effect of core stability exercise for neck pain. METHODS: This review will only include randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Published articles from July 2009 to July 2019 will be identified using electronic searches. Search strategy will be performed in 3 English databases, 1 Chinese database, and the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform. Two reviewers will screen, select studies, extract data, and assess quality independently. The methodological quality including the risk of bias of the included studies will be evaluated using a modified assessment form, which is based on Cochrane assessment tool and Physiotherapy Evidence Database scale. Review Manager Software (Revman5.3) will be used for heterogeneity assessment, generating funnel-plots, data synthesis, subgroup analysis, and sensitivity analysis. We will use GRADE system to evaluate the quality of our evidence. RESULTS: We will provide some more practical and targeted results investigating the effect of Core Stability Exercise (CSE) for Neck Pain (NP) in the current meta-analysis. Meanwhile, we will ascertain study progress of Core Stability Exercise for Neck Pain and find out defects or inadequacies of previous studies, so that future researchers could get beneficial guidance for more rigorous study. CONCLUSION: The stronger evidence about Neck Pain's rehabilitative effect and safety will be provided for clinicians and policymakers. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42017055711. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: We do not apply for formal ethical approval from ethics committee because all of the study data in our review will be obtained in an anonymous way. Findings of this study are projected to be disseminated through peer-review publications.

Direct defluorinative amidation-hydrolysis reaction of gem-difluoroalkenes with N,N-dimethylformamide, and primary and secondary amines.

A novel and efficient method for the synthesis of arylacetamides by the reactions of gem-difluoroalkenes with N,N-dialkylformamides, and primary and secondary amines with the assistance of KOtBu and water was developed.

Synthesis of difluoromethylated enynes by the reaction of α-(trifluoromethyl)styrenes with terminal alkynes.

A novel and efficient method for the synthesis of difluoromethylated enynes by the reaction of α-(trifluoromethyl)styrenes with terminal alkynes with the assistance of NaOtBu was described. The mechanism of the reaction might involve the SN2' reaction of α-(trifluoromethyl)styrenes and a subsequent 1,3-H shift. Isomerization (E → Z) of 1-difluoromethyl-1,3-enynes in the presence of ZrCl4 was also developed.

LiHMDS-Promoted Palladium or Iron-Catalyzed ipso-Defluoroborylation of Aryl Fluorides.

A novel and efficient method for the synthesis of arylboronic acid pinacol esters via a palladium- or iron-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction of aryl fluorides with bis(pinacolato)diboron (B2pin2) in the presence of LiHMDS was developed. The Pd-catalyzed defluoroborylation of fluoroarenes is compatible with a variety of functional groups such as primary and secondary amine, ketone, trifluoromethyl, alkoxy, and boryl. Remarkably, no external ligand is required for enhanced conversion efficiency.

HMPA-Promoted Siladifluoromethylation of Di-, and Triarylmethanes with the Ruppert-Prakash Reagent.

A mild and efficientmethod for the synthesis of α-siladifluoromethylated di-, and triarylmethanes via the reaction of di-, and triarylmethanes with Ruppert-Prakash reagents, using LDA and HMPA at room temperature, was developed.

Bismuth(III)-Promoted Trifluoromethylthiolation of Pyrazolin-5-ones with Trifluoromethanesulfenamide.

An efficient and facile method for the synthesis of trifluoromethylthiolated 5-hydroxy-1H-pyrazole derivatives by reaction of pyrazolin-5-ones with trifluoromethanesulfenamide (PhNHSCF3) in the presence of BiCl3 was developed.

Sterically Controlled Cu-Catalyzed or Transition-Metal-Free Cross-Coupling of gem-Difluoroalkenes with Tertiary, Secondary, and Primary Alkyl Grignard Reagents.

A robust copper-catalyzed or transition-metal-free cross-coupling of gem-difluoroalkenes with tertiary, secondary, and primary alkyl Grignard reagents has been developed. Remarkably, the tertiary and secondary alkylation of gem-difluoroalkenes proceeded very smoothly in the presence of 25 mol % of CuCN or under transition-metal-free conditions, affording the tertiary and secondary alkyl-substituted fluoroalkenes in good to excellent yields with excellent Z stereoselectivity.