Shift workers face an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), type-2 diabetes and obesity. Eating during the night is a likely contributing factor, as it coincides with the time at which postprandial metabolism is least efficient. In this pilot randomised crossover trial, we examine the effects of a short overnight fast on CVD risk markers (primarily postprandial triglyceride and glucose response) of night shift workers.

Night shift workers with abdominal obesity underwent 4-week intervention and control periods, separated by≥2 weeks washout. In the intervention period, an overnight fast (0100h-0600h) was implemented, by redistributing 24-h energy intake. Usual dietary habits were followed in the control period. Outcomes between intervention and control were compared using mixed effects linear regression models. Nineteen adults completed the trial [13 females, mean (±SD) age 41±10 years, BMI 30.7±5.7kg/m

]. Postprandial triglyceride and glucose response post intervention were not different to post control. The overnight fast was well-tolerated by participants with an adherence rate of 95%, assessed by weekly 24-h dietary recalls. Exploratory analysis indicates lower mean body weight post intervention compared to post control (mean difference -0.9kg, 95% CI -1.3 to -0.4).

Night shift workers who habitually ate during their night shifts were able to rearrange their meal times to maintain a small overnight fast, which may have promoted small weight changes. This warrants further investigation into the role of meal timing in mitigating the metabolic consequences of night shift work.

Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (http//anzctr.org.au/) registered on the 30th May 2017 (ACTRN12617000791336).

Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (http//anzctr.org.au/) registered on the 30th May 2017 (ACTRN12617000791336).

Alopecia areata (AA) is an autoimmune disease resulting in non-scarring hair loss. Animal models are useful means to identify candidates for therapeutic agents. The C3H/HeJ mouse AA model induced via transferring cultured lymphoid cells isolated from AA-affected mice is widely used for AA research. However, this conventional method requires the continuous breeding of AA mice.

We aimed to establish a new method to generate AA model using the transfer of cryopreserved cells, which allows the rapid induction of a large number of AA mice when needed.

We cryopreserved lymph node cells soon after isolation from AA-affected mice and injected thawed-cultured cells into recipient mice. H&E staining, immunohistochemical staining, quantitative real-time PCR and ELISA were conducted to identify pathological characteristics. Flow cytometry was performed to reveal the profile of transferred cells.

More than 90 % of recipient mice developed AA-like hair loss and showed inflammatory cell infiltration around anagen hair follicles, markedly increased mRNA expressions of interferon-γ, CXCL11, and granzyme B, and elevated interferon-α protein levels in the skin compared with naïve mice. Higher percentages of effector memory T cells and dendritic cells in transferred cells resulted in a higher incidence of AA.

This is the first report to establish a method for generating AA mice using cryopreserved lymphocytes. These AA mice have similar pathological characteristics to AA mice generated with the conventional method and AA patients. This convenient and reproducible method is expected to be valuable for AA study.

This is the first report to establish a method for generating AA mice using cryopreserved lymphocytes. These AA mice have similar pathological characteristics to AA mice generated with the conventional method and AA patients. This convenient and reproducible method is expected to be valuable for AA study.

The objective of this study was to assess the impact of surgical resection and free flap reconstruction of soft palate cancer on speech, swallowing and quality of life, and to identify the factors influencing functional outcomes and quality of life.

Patients treated with surgical resection of squamous cell carcinoma and free-flap reconstruction of the soft palate were reviewed at least 12 months after surgery. Speech was assessed using the Hirose intelligibility scoring system, nasalance scoring, GRBAS scoring and the Voice Handicap Index 30 (VHI30) questionnaire. Swallowing was assessed by fiberoptic endoscopy and the Deglutition Handicap Index (DHI). Quality of life was assessed using EORTC QLQ-C30 and QLQ-H&N35 questionnaires.

29 patients were included. Speech outcomes were satisfactory, demonstrating normal or slightly below normal speech intelligibility in 75.9% of the patients, moderate or no rhinolalia in 72.4% of the patients and mean overall VHI30 scores indicative of slight or no handicap in 86.2% of the patients. Swallowing outcomes were satisfactory, with mean overall DHI scores indicative of slight or no handicap in 82.8% of the patients. Patient quality of life was preserved as demonstrated by mean quality of life and functioning scales scores all superior to 80%.

The sequelae arising from surgical resection and free-flap reconstruction of soft palate cancer are tolerable, involving slight handicap in terms of speech and swallowing and relatively little impact on quality of life.

The sequelae arising from surgical resection and free-flap reconstruction of soft palate cancer are tolerable, involving slight handicap in terms of speech and swallowing and relatively little impact on quality of life.

Piperine is a great lead compound, as a phytopharmaceutical with reported neuroprotective effects in neurodegenerative diseases. HJ105, a piperine derivative with high affinity to Keap1 receptor, attracts increasing attention in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) treatment.

This work mainly aimed to study HJ105’s therapeutic effects on Aβ

-associated AD and the underpinning mechanisms.

In the in vivo part, a rat model of AD was established by bilateral intra-hippocampal administration of aggregated Aβ

, followed by a month of intragastric HJ105 or donepezil administration. BMS303141 molecular weight Spatial and learning memories were detected by the Morris water maze assay, passive avoidance learning as well as Y-maze test. The morphology of hippocampal neurons was assessed by hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) staining. In addition, the amounts of the IL-1β and TNF-α were obtained with specific ELISA kits. More importantly, apoptosis-related proteins and factors involved in Nrf2/TXNIP/NLPR3 pathways were detected by Western blot, while the int, partly via suppression of Keap1-Nrf2 complex generation. HJ105 might represent a promising compound for AD treatment.

Overall, HJ105 exerts neuroprotective effects in SH-SY5Y cells induced by Aβ1-42 as well as in experimental rats with AD by decreasing apoptosis, oxidative stress and neuroinflammation, partly via suppression of Keap1-Nrf2 complex generation. HJ105 might represent a promising compound for AD treatment.

When redox balance is lost in the brain, oxidative stress can cause serious damage that leads to neuronal loss, in congruence with neurodegenerative diseases. Aucubin (AU) is an iridoid glycoside and that is one of the active constituents of Eucommia ulmoides, has many pharmacological effects such as anti-inflammation, anti-liver fibrosis, and anti-atherosclerosis.

The present study aimed to evaluate the inhibitory effects of AU on cell oxidative stress against hydrogen peroxide (H

O

)-induced injury in SH-SY5Y cells in vitro.

SH-SY5Y cells were simultaneously treated with AU and H

O

for 24 h. Cell viability was measured by CCK-8. Additionally, mitochondrial membrane depolarization, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, and cell apoptosis were measured by flow cytometry.

The results showed that AU can significantly increase the H

O

-induced cell viability and the mitochondrial membrane potential, decrease the ROS generation, malondialdehyde (MDA), and increase glutathione (GSH) contents and the superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. We also found that H

O

stimulated the production of nitric oxide (NO), which could be reduced by treatment with AU through inhibiting the inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) protein expression. In H

O

-induced SH-SY5Y cells, the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) content and cell apoptosis were significantly reduced by AU treatment through nuclear factor E2-related factor 2/hemo oxygenase-1 (Nrf2/HO-1) activation, inhibiting the expression of p-NF-κB/NF-κB and down-regulating MAPK and Bcl-2/Bax pathways.

These results indicate that AU can reduce inflammation and oxidative stress through the NF-κB, Nrf2/HO-1, and MAPK pathways.

These results indicate that AU can reduce inflammation and oxidative stress through the NF-κB, Nrf2/HO-1, and MAPK pathways.

In the U.S., children regularly consume foods from quick-service restaurants, but little is known about the marketing strategies currently used inside quick-service restaurants. This study aims to validate a child-focused Environmental Assessment Tool for quick-service restaurants, evaluate marketing strategies inside and on the exterior of quick-service restaurants, and examine differences by community race/ethnicity or income.

The inter-rater and test-retest reliability of the Environmental Assessment Tool were assessed across the top 5 national quick-service restaurant chains. Marketing techniques in 165 quick-service restaurants (33 per national chain) in socioeconomically and racially/ethnically diverse communities throughout New England were examined in 2018-2019. Mixed methods ANOVA examined the differences in marketing techniques in 2020.

The inter-rater and test-retest reliability of the Environmental Assessment Tool were high (Cohen’s κ>0.80). Approximately 95% of quick-service restaurants ssment Tool is a valid tool to evaluate marketing inside quick-service restaurants. Results suggest that there is a substantial amount of unhealthy food and beverage marketing inside quick-service restaurants, with differences in the number and types of techniques used in lower-income and minority communities. Policies that limit quick-service restaurant marketing to children should be considered.

Combined retinal detachment and choroidal detachment (RDCD) is a serious type of retinal detachment occurring mainly in high myopes, which poses many pre-, intra- and postoperative difficulties that can affect the visual prognosis.

Personal technique used in 8 patients with RDCD, consisting of intravitreal injection (IVI) of a viscoelastic (VE) device 2 to 3 days prior to vitrectomy.

Reattachment of the choroid in all patients, with return to normal IOP, allowing vitrectomy to be performed under optimal conditions.

RDCD often occurs in high myopia, especially in the case of an associated giant tear, the mechanism of which involves severe hypotony, resulting in a vicious cycle including development of the choroidal detachment (CD), partial retinal reattachment, normalization of the IOP, redetachment of the retina, and once again, hypotony. Preoperative viscoelastic IVI can break this vicious cycle and reattach the choroid, often within 24 to 48hours. This thus facilitates RD surgery without the intra- and postoperative technical difficulty of managing the CD.