Efficacy of low-level laser for treatment of cancer oral mucositis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Review effectiveness of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) in the curative treatment of oral mucositis (OM) in patients receiving cancer therapy. A systematic review with meta-analysis was performed using Medline, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases according to PRISMA guidelines, to identify randomized controlled trials (RCT) on OM in patients during and/or after cancer therapy and in which the therapeutic approach was LLLT, with wavelengths between 632 and 970 nm. We considered grade of OM as a dichotomous variable (such as an improvement or not in severe OM on the seventh day of therapy), with the analysis of subgroups of adult patients or children and adolescents and as a continuous variable with determination of the time for the complete resolution and the subgroup analysis occurred with the strata of the samples by treatment only with chemotherapy or chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

The adherence of packaged food products in Hyderabad, India with nutritional labelling guidelines.

Background: India is experiencing a nutrition transition with the consumption of processed foods rapidly increasing. Nutrition labels are essential if consumers are to understand the healthiness of these products. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India have recently introduced regulation defining national nutrition labelling requirements and Codex Alimentarius recommends a global standard.

Impact of the UK voluntary sodium reduction targets on the sodium content of processed foods from 2006 to 2011: analysis of household consumer panel data.

Objective: In 2006 the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) introduced voluntary sodium reduction targets for more than 80 categories of processed food. Our aim was to determine the impact of these targets on the sodium content of processed foods in the UK between 2006 and 2011.

Method: Household consumer panel data (n>18,000 households) were used to calculate crude and sales-weighted mean sodium content for 47,337 products in 2006 and 49,714 products in 2011.

The Australian Food and Health Dialogue - the implications of the sodium recommendation for pasta sauces.

Objective: To assess the change in Na content of Australian pasta sauces between 2008 and 2011. A secondary objective was to project the mean Na content of these same products in 2014 using the Australian Food and Health Dialogue Na commitment and compare projections with the 2012 UK Na target for pasta sauce.

Design: Na data were collected from the product labels of pasta sauce products.

The variability of reported salt levels in fast foods across six countries: opportunities for salt reduction.

Background: Several fast food companies have made commitments to reduce the levels of salt in the foods they serve, but technical issues are often cited as a barrier to achieving substantial reductions. Our objective was to examine the reported salt levels for products offered by leading multinational fast food chains.

Methods: Data on salt content for products served by six fast food chains operating in Australia, Canada, France, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States were collected by survey in April 2010.

Salt reduction initiatives around the world.

Objective: To provide an overview of national salt reduction initiatives around the world, describe core characteristics and develop a framework for future strategy development.

Methods: National strategies were identified from existing reviews and from searches of the literature and relevant websites. Standardized information was extracted about governance and strategy development, baseline assessments and monitoring and implementation.

Sodium content of processed foods in the United Kingdom: analysis of 44,000 foods purchased by 21,000 households.

Background: In the United Kingdom, sodium reduction targets have been set for a large number of processed food categories. Assessment and monitoring are essential to evaluate progress.

Objectives: Our aim was to determine whether household consumer panel food-purchasing data could be used to assess the sodium content of processed foods.

Consumer awareness and self-reported behaviours related to salt consumption in Australia.

Australians are eating far more salt than is good for health. In May 2007, the Australian Division of World Action on Salt and Health (AWASH) launched a campaign to reduce population salt intake. A consumer survey was commissioned to quantify baseline aspects of awareness and behaviour related to salt and health amongst Australians.

A systematic survey of the sodium contents of processed foods.

Background: Processed foods are major contributors to population dietary salt intake. Parts of the Australian food industry have started to decrease salt in a number of products. A definitive baseline assessment of current sodium concentrations in foods is key to targeting reformulation strategies and monitoring progress.

Chlortetracycline and demeclocycline inhibit calpains and protect mouse neurons against glutamate toxicity and cerebral ischemia.

Minocycline is a potent neuroprotective tetracycline in animal models of cerebral ischemia. We examined the protective properties of chlortetracycline (CTC) and demeclocycline (DMC) and showed that these two tetracyclines were also potent neuroprotective against glutamate-induced neuronal death in vitro and cerebral ischemia in vivo. However, CTC and DMC appeared to confer neuroprotection through a unique mechanism compared with minocycline.

A two-hour window for hypothermic modulation of early events that impact delayed opening of the rat blood-brain barrier after ischemia.

Opening of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and consequent edema are known to intensify 24-72 h after ischemic stroke, and research on potential ameliorative therapies in animal models may lead to improved clinical treatments to prevent brain swelling and the secondary damage it causes. In this study, post-ischemic hypothermia treatment, which is an established neuroprotective strategy, was examined for its ability to prevent delayed BBB opening in a rat model of global ischemia. Anesthetized, normothermic SD rats (340-380 g) underwent 20 min of two-vessel (carotid) occlusion plus hypotension (2VO ischemia, between 0900-1100 h).

Translation-state analysis of gene expression in mouse brain after focal ischemia.

Confounding any genome-scale analysis of gene expression after cerebral ischemia is massive suppression of protein synthesis. This inefficient translation questions the utility of examining profiles of total transcripts. Our approach to such postischemic gene profiling in the mouse by microarray analysis was to concentrate on those mRNAs bound to polyribosomes.

Differential passage of [14C]sucrose and [3H]inulin across rat blood-brain barrier after cerebral ischemia.

The biophysical nature of blood-brain barrier (BBB) opening after ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke or traumatic brain injury is unresolved. Ultrastructural (electron micrograph) investigations of experimental BBB injury commonly indicate the abnormal presence of vesicles or tubular structures in cerebrovascular endothelial cells, suggesting the likelihood of convective, fluid-phase transport of blood substances into brain. We measured transfer constants (K(i)s) for the simultaneous passage of two intravenously delivered tracers ([14C]sucrose, mol wt=342; [3H]inulin approximately 5,000) across the intact BBB in the rat, and 24 h after global cerebral ischemia (16-20 min duration) or 24, 48 or 72 h after focal ischemia (2 h duration).