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AbstractObjective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the co-administration of carnitine and chromium on mental health, hormonal, inflammatory and genetic parameters in women with PCOS.Methods: This randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted on 54 subjects, aged 18–40 years old. Subjects were randomly allocated to take either 1000 mg/d carnitine plus 200 µg/d chromium as chromium picolinate (n = 26) or placebo (n = 27) for 12 weeks.Results: Carnitine and chromium co-supplementation, compared with the placebo, significantly improved beck depression inventory (β − 0.84; 95% CI, −1.51, −0.17; p = 0.01), general health questionnaire scores (β − 1.13; 95% CI, −2.13, −0.14; p = 0.02) and depression anxiety and stress scale scores (β − 0.96; 95% CI, −0.78, −0.14; p = 0.02). Participants who received carnitine plus chromium supplements had significantly lower total testosterone (β − 0.15 ng/mL; 95% CI, −0.24, −0.06; p = 0.002), hirsutism (β − 0.48; 95% CI, −0.91, −0.06; p = 0.02), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) (β − 1.02 mg/L; 95% CI, −1.79, −0.25; p = 0.01), and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels (β − 0.38 µmol/L; 95% CI, −0.56, −0.20; p < 0.001), and higher total antioxidant capacity (TAC) levels (β 107.18 mmol/L; 95% CI, 44.24, 170.12; p = 0.001) compared with the placebo. Moreover, carnitine and chromium co-supplementation upregulated gene expression of interleukin-6 (IL-6) (p = 0.02) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) (p = 0.02) compared with the placebo.Conclusion: Overall, the co-administration of carnitine and chromium for 12 weeks to women with PCOS had beneficial effects on mental health parameters, serum total testosterone, mF-G scores, hs-CRP, TAC and MDA levels, and gene expression of IL-6 and TNF-α. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper concerns the applicability of the cross-correlation technique for the assessment of shifts of the circadian system (e.g., caused by night work). Melatonin and cortisol profiles of 52 healthy young men were ascertained during two 24 h phase assessment procedures. The first was performed after three consecutive day shifts, and the second was performed one week later on 24 men again after three day shifts and on 28 men after three night shifts, where adaptation to night work was accelerated by bright light. The cross-correlation technique that relies on the processing of all the measured data of a whole profile, as compared to the differences between temporal parameters determined with a conventional method, provided reliable estimates of the phase shifts. Its applicability is restricted to time series with similar profiles assessed at different times and to observation periods of a full diurnal cycle (in the case of substantial shifts) with equally distributed measures, but it is applicable to raw data and available in common statistical packages (e.g., SPSS, SAS, BMDP). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]