Search

This review synthesizes the available evidence pertinent to the effect of platelet-rich fibrin on the rate of orthodontic tooth movement during comprehensive orthodontic treatment. This review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis guidelines. Nine electronic databases were searched until January 2024 without restrictions, followed by a hand search of the reference lists. Controlled randomized split-mouth human studies assessing the effect of platelet-rich fibrin on the rate of orthodontic tooth movement were included. All relevant data from the included studies were extracted and pooled for qualitative and quantitative analysis. Risk-of-Bias was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool. The certainty of the evidence was graded using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation tool. From 515 studies, eleven randomized clinical trials were included for qualitative analysis and nine for quantitative analysis. The certainty of the evidence for these studies was low to moderate. The overall risk of bias for most studies was of some concern. The pooled estimate of the data from ten studies has a mean revealed difference of 1.31 (0.13–2.48) at a 95 % confidence interval with significant heterogeneity. This systematic review suggest that platelet-rich fibrin enhances the orthodontic tooth movement rate, but the evidence quality was moderate. Further, based on the currently available evidence, the effectiveness of platelet-rich fibrin on the acceleration of orthodontic tooth movement could not be fully established. PROSPERO: (CRD42021261836). [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effects of weight loss on postprandial vascular function have not been studied so far. We therefore examined (i) effects of diet-induced weight loss on postprandial changes in various vascular function markers after consumption of a mixed meal and (ii) differences between normal-weight and abdominally obese men of comparable age at baseline and after weight loss. Fifty-four apparently healthy abdominally obese (waist circumference: 102–110 cm) and 25 normal-weight men (waist circumference: <94 cm) participated. The abdominally obese men were randomly allocated to a diet-induced weight-loss program or a no-weight loss control group. Men assigned to the weight-loss program followed a calorie-restricted diet for six weeks targeting a waist circumference of less than 102 cm, followed by a weight-maintenance period for two weeks. The control group maintained their habitual diet and physical activity levels. Measurements were performed before and two hours after consumption of the test meal consisting of two muffins (containing 56.6 g fat) and 300 mL low-fat milk. The mean weight loss was 10.3 kg in the weight-loss compared with the control group. The postprandial change in flow-mediated vasodilation of the brachial artery (FMD) was significantly higher at baseline in normal-weight as compared with the postprandial change in abdominally obese men (1.89 ± 2.52 versus 0.48 ± 2.50 percentage points; P = 0.027). However, no differences in postprandial changes were observed in the abdominally obese men after weight loss compared with the control treatment. Also, weight reduction did not affect postprandial changes in carotid-to-femoral pulse wave velocity, retinal microvascular caliber properties, or plasma markers of microvascular endothelial function. Even though postprandial increases in triacylglycerol (P = 0.028), insulin (P = 0.029) and C-peptide concentrations (P < 0.001) were reduced in the abdominally obese men following weight loss, postprandial changes in FMD at the end of the weight-loss treatment were still more unfavorable as compared with those observed in normal-weight individuals. In this trial with abdominally obese men, we did not find effects of diet-induced weight loss on postprandial changes in vascular endothelial function, arterial stiffness and markers of microvascular function. This trial was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov under study number NCT01675401. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Edible flowers have been used for their therapeutic properties for ancient times. Many sources indicate, that edible flowers have many beneficial activities like anti-anxiety, anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, diuretic, anthelmintic, immunomodulatory and anti-microbial. People use it also in culinary applications, because they improve the aesthetic value, taste, flavour and appearance of dishes. This study expands knowledge on the content and composition of low molecular phytochemicals of edible flowers and the pro-healthy activities of their extracts or preparations. It is focused on showing flowers which are the best sources of individual compounds and on recent findings with the use of flower extracts or preparations in various cell-lines, animal and human models. Performed comparison of composition includes simple phenolic acids, flavonols, flavanols, flavons, anthocyanidins, carotenoids and tocols. Species with the highest content of selected compounds are highlighted. Unique components of some flowers such as crocin, nimbolide, oleanic and ursolic acids, and acteoside are also mentioned. The potential activity of edible flowers for human health was analysed based on in vitro models with the use of various cell-lines and in vivo models with animal (mostly mice and rat) and human trials. The majority of the reviewed studies confirm the pro-healthy activity of edible flowers or their extracts. Image 1 • Edible flowers are valuable and rich source of many phytochemicals. • Flowers unique compounds are nimbolide, crocin, acteoside, oleanic and ursolic acids. • Flower extracts show a wide array of health promoting properties in vivo. • Crocin have efficiency in treatment people with depression. • Further attention towards in vivo properties of edible flowers is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a strong consensus globally that a COVID-19 vaccine is likely the most effective approach to sustainably controlling the COVID-19 pandemic. An unprecedented research effort and global coordination has resulted in a rapid development of vaccine candidates and initiation of trials. Here, we review vaccine types, and progress with 10 vaccine candidates against SARS-CoV-2 - the virus that causes COVID-19 - currently undergoing early phase human trials. We also consider the many challenges of developing and deploying a new vaccine on a global scale, and recommend caution with respect to our expectations of the timeline that may be ahead. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Only a limited number of studies have examined the vascular and postprandial effects of α-linolenic acid (ALA, C18:3n-3). Therefore, we performed a well-controlled trial focusing specifically on the effects of ALA on vascular function and metabolic risk markers during the fasting and postprandial phase in untreated (pre-)hypertensive individuals. In a double-blind randomized, placebo-controlled parallel study, 59 overweight and obese adults (40 men and 19 women, aged 60 ± 8 years) with a high-normal blood pressure or mild (stage I) hypertension consumed daily either 10 g of refined cold-pressed flaxseed oil, providing 4.7 g ALA (n = 29), or 10 g of high-oleic sunflower (control) oil (n = 30) for 12 weeks. As compared with the high-oleic oil control, intake of flaxseed oil did not change brachial artery flow-mediated vasodilation, carotid-to-femoral pulse wave velocity, retinal microvascular calibers and plasma markers of microvascular endothelial function during the fasting and postprandial phase. Fasting plasma concentrations of free fatty acid (FFA) and TNF-α decreased by 58 μmol/L (P = 0.02) and 0.14 pg/mL (P = 0.03), respectively. No differences were found in other fasting markers of lipid and glucose metabolism, and low-grade systemic inflammation. In addition, dietary ALA did not affect postprandial changes in glucose, insulin, triacylglycerol, FFA and plasma inflammatory markers after meal intake. A high intake of ALA, about 3–5 times the recommended daily intake, for 12 weeks decreased fasting FFA and TNF-α plasma concentrations. No effects were found on other metabolic risk markers and vascular function during the fasting and postprandial phase in untreated high-normal and stage I hypertensive individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To compare the effects of thermoelectric cooling and ventilation clothing (TCVC) and traditional hybrid cooling clothing (PCM-Fans cooling, HCC) on human thermal physiology, cooling power, and cognitive abilities in high-temperature environments, both human thermo-physiological and thermal manikin tests were carried out. The physiological parameters (heart rate, ear temperature, skin temperature), subjective questionnaires (overall thermal sensation, thermal comfort, wet sensation), and cognitive ability evaluation of 12 subjects were collected. The thermal manikin was used to quantify the cooling efficiency and the building energy reduction of TCVC. As a result, it was found that the mean skin temperature of TCVC and HCC was reduced by 1.6 °C and 1.1 °C compared to no cooling (CON), and the sweat evaporation rate was 57.98% and 54.6%, respectively. Compared with HCC, TCVC is consistently rated with the lowest thermal sensation, lowest wet sensation, and highest thermal comfort. Moreover, TCVC demonstrates superior performance in continuous cooling effect and humidity regulation performance, making it suitable for long-term cooling requirements(≥2h) compared with HCC. In addition, TCVC provided a cooling power of 80.88W/kg, which was 1.8 times higher than HCC (45.38W/kg), indicating that TCVC had a superior cooling efficiency. We found that using TCVC can increase the HVAC temperature set point by 5 °C and save about 20∼55% of building energy. This study supports the use of cooling technology and guides users to select appropriate cooling garments for different scenarios. • TCVC offers stable and enduring cooling, while HCC is more aggressive within short time. • TCVC enhances humidity regulation, achieving a 58% sweat evaporation rate. • TCVC provides 80.9W/kg cooling power, which is 1.8 times that of HCC (45.4W/kg). • Applying TCVC raises the HVAC temperature set point by 5 °C, promising substantial energy savings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adaptive (or thermoregulatory model controlled) manikins are useful in quantifying thermal exchanges of the human-clothing-environment system and in simulating human thermophysiological behaviours. Current existing adaptive manikins didn’t take account into the body movement/posture during simulations and this may greatly affect the precision of simulation results. Hence, in this study, the impact of body movement on human physiological responses was investigated using a ‘Newton’ type adaptive thermal manikin and human subjects in a warm environment (i.e., T a  = 30.0 ± 0.5 °C, RH = 60 ± 5%, v a  = 0.17 ± 0.05 m/s). Results demonstrated that the body movement significantly affected the thermal exchange between the clothed manikin and its surrounding environment. Significantly greater mean skin and core temperatures were noted on the standing manikin than those on the walking manikin. In contrast, simulation results obtained from the walking manikin were much closer to human trial data than those obtained from the standing adaptive manikin. Particularly, no significant difference was found in the mean core temperature between the walking adaptive manikin and human subjects. Therefore, the standing adaptive manikin significantly overestimated thermal stress for the two studied conditions. It was thus suggested the body movement should be considered when mimicking human activities on adaptive manikins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent experimental and clinical studies suggest that consumption of blueberry products has potential health benefits in ameliorating the development of obesity and its related comorbidities, including type 2 diabetes (T2D) and chronic inflammation. Blueberry fruits are enriched with numerous bioactive components such as vitamins, phenolic acid and anthocyanins which could contribute to these protective effects. Possible mechanisms by which blueberries exert their beneficial properties include counteracting oxidative stress, regulating glucose metabolism, improving lipid profile, and lowering inflammatory cytokine levels in animal models and preliminary human trials. This review focuses on the potential role of blueberries as a functional food in the prevention and treatment of obesity and its comorbidities. Although the current evidence is promising, further randomized controlled studies in the longer term are needed to evaluate the role of blueberries and blueberry extracts to support human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the study was to assess the impact of air ventilation clothing (AVC) on the thermal comfort of workers involved in decreasing and intermittent activities in a hot-humid environment. Performance of the AVC with fan-OFF (CON) and fan-ON (AVC) are compared in a climate chamber that is maintained at 38 °C and 45% RH. It was found that the AVC could significantly (p < 0.05) improve the torso perceptual sensations in both the activity scenarios, but it could not significantly improve perceptual sensations for the whole body. For the majority of time during the trials, the mean torso, core, and mean body temperatures were significantly (p < 0.05) lowered with the use of AVC for both the activity scenarios. The highest drop in maximum local skin temperatures is found in the upper-arm (0.77 °C) and chest (0.61 °C) segments for decreasing and intermittent activity scenarios, respectively. It can be inferred from the present study that AVC is more beneficial for intermittent activity scenarios as compared to decreasing activity scenarios in a hot-humid environment in terms of limiting core and mean body temperatures. Sweat evaporation efficiency increased by 13.7% and 11.9% with the use of AVC for the decreasing and intermittent activity scenarios, respectively. Furthermore, performance of AVC is compared for different recovery period conditions during the intermittent activity scenario. In addition, the outcomes of this study expand the acceptable range of activity scenarios in which AVC can be utilized to minimize heat stress and increase the wearer's thermal comfort. • Performance of ventilation clothing is analyzed in hot-humid climate (38 °C, 45% RH). • Human trial study is done for intermittent and decreasing activity scenarios. • Torso perceptual sensations improved significantly in AVC case (p < 0.05). • AVC significantly reduced heat storage, mean torso and core temperatures (p < 0.05). • AVC improved sweat evaporation rate and efficiency in both activity scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Immunization of animals is one of the key standards for evaluation of vaccine efficacy prior to human clinical trials. However, vaccine organizations should not over-interpret these results as protective efficacy in animals may not be relevant in humans. Screening of vaccine candidates has recently been performed by several in vitro human models. A properly designed in vitro approach opens new venues for vaccine development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Functional Micro-Dispensers (FMDs) based on Micro-Electro-Mechanical-Systems (MEMS) were designed to deliver spatial repellents that reduce the ability of mosquitoes to feed on humans. FMDs were integrated with fabrics as functional materials for protection against mosquito bites. The use of MEMS devices provides an unprecedented control over the release kinetics by means of integration with electronics for selective and timely activation of each device to perform controlled release of pesticides in air. In addition, because MEMS manufacturing techniques evolved from the microelectronic industry, FMDs can be mass produced at very low cost. Trials using FMDs that contained transfluthrin improved protection against mosquito feeding in human subjects above that of permethrin-treated uniform fabric worn on the arm of the volunteer. The overall reduction in feeding was approximately 90% compared to the untreated fabric control, and about 50% reduction compared to the permethrin-treated fabric control. The devices were efficacious over course of 32 days. FMDs have the potential for a simple and cost-effective implementation for mass adoption as wearable devices integrated in fabrics as active functional materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antisense oligonucleotides have been widely used to specifically and selectively downregulate gene expression at the messenger RNA level. Even though oligonucleotides are commonly used in laboratories and clinical trials, they can induce non-specific effects that can lead to misinterpretation of experimentally-derived results. This review summarizes precautions one should take when using oligonucleotides. In addition, the role of one oligonucleotide, G3139, which is targeted to the coding region of bcl-2 messenger RNA, in inhibiting tumor progression in vitro and in clinical trials, is described. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Convincing lipid-lowering effects of the fructooligosaccharide inulin have been demonstrated in animals, yet attempts to reproduce similar effects in humans have generated conflicting results. This may be because of the much lower doses used in humans as a result of the adverse gastrointestinal symptoms exhibited by most subjects consuming daily doses in excess of 30 g. Two studies that fed either oligofructose (20 g/d) or inulin (14 g/d) observed no effect on fasting total, LDL or HDL cholesterol, or serum triglycerides. Two other studies that fed inulin either in a breakfast cereal (9 g/d) or as a powdered addition to beverages and meals (10 g/d) reported similar reductions in fasting triglycerides (-27 and -19%, respectively). In one of these studies, total and LDL cholesterol concentrations were also modestly reduced (5 and 7%, respectively). Because animal studies have identified inhibition of hepatic fatty acid synthesis as the major site of action for the triglyceride-lowering effects of inulin, and because this pathway is relatively inactive in humans unless a high carbohydrate diet is fed, future attempts to demonstrate lipid-lowering effects of inulin should consider the nature of the background diet as a determinant of response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]