The feasibility and acceptability of a rewards system based on food purchasing behaviour in secondary school cashless canteens: the Eat4Treats (E4T) cluster feasibility, non-randomised, controlled intervention study.

Background: Using rewards may be an effective method to positively influence children's eating behaviour but evidence to date is limited, particularly in older children. The cashless canteen systems in schools provides a unique opportunity to implement a food-based reward scheme but intervention development work and feasibility testing is needed. The overall aim of the E4T feasibility study was to examine the feasibility and acceptability of implementing a rewards scheme based on the food purchasing behaviour of pupils in cashless canteens in secondary schools.

Changes and differences in school food standards (2010-2021) and free school meal provision during COVID-19 across the UK: Potential implications for children's diets.

This paper explores changes to school food standards from 2010, free school meal provision during the COVID-19 pandemic across the UK and potential implications for children's diets. To obtain information on UK school food policies and free school meal provision methods we reviewed several sources including news articles, policy documents and journal articles. School food is an important part of the UK's health agenda and commitment to improving children's diets.

The effect of animal versus plant protein on muscle mass, muscle strength, physical performance and sarcopenia in adults: protocol for a systematic review.

Background: The evidence base for the role of dietary protein in maintaining good muscle health in older age is strong; however, the importance of protein source remains unclear. Plant proteins are generally of lower quality, with a less favourable amino acid profile and reduced bioavailability; therefore, it is possible that their therapeutic effects may be less than that of higher quality animal proteins. This review aims to evaluate the effectiveness of plant and animal protein interventions on muscle health outcomes.

Opportunities for intervention and innovation in school food within UK schools.

We have recently been funded by the UK Prevention Research Partnership (UKPRP) to develop a UK school food network. The overarching aim is to build a community working towards a more health-promoting food and nutrition system in UK schools (primary and secondary). Here we describe the current status of school food research, including a review of the literature supporting the health-promoting schools approach and outline the opportunities for intervention and innovation establishment of the network present.

Changing medical students' attitudes to and knowledge of deafness: a mixed methods study.

Background And Aim: Communication with healthcare professionals is challenging for those with hearing loss. This study aimed to determine the impact dedicated deaf awareness training could have on medical student's attitudes to and knowledge of deafness, and to explore ways of incorporating deaf awareness training into the core undergraduate medical curriculum.

Methods: A validated questionnaire was used to measure attitudes to and knowledge of deafness in those taking an optional deaf awareness and basic sign language module for second year medical students compared to students who took another module.

A comparison of RNA extraction and sequencing protocols for detection of small RNAs in plasma.

Background: Circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) are attractive non-invasive biomarkers for a variety of conditions due to their stability and altered pathophysiological expression levels. Reliable detection of global expression profiles is required to maximise miRNA biomarker discovery. Although developments in small RNA-Seq technology have improved detection of plasma-based miRNAs, the low RNA content and sequencing bias introduced during library preparation remain challenging.

The effectiveness of peer-supported interventions for encouraging dietary behaviour change in adults: a systematic review.

Objective: There is an urgent need to find effective methods of supporting individuals to make dietary behaviour changes. Peer-supported interventions (PSI) have been suggested as a cost-effective strategy to support chronic disease self-management. However, the effect of PSI on dietary behaviour is unclear.

Weight loss after pregnancy: challenges and opportunities.

It is important to pay attention to weight management before and between pregnancies, as women have an increased risk of weight gain during the reproductive years. Having a baby is a life-changing event for women and the challenge of weight management amidst this period of major physiological, psychological and social change should not be underestimated. However, the postpartum period offers an opportune time for lifestyle interventions, as women may have heightened awareness of their own and their wider families' health.

Plasma Complement factor H in Alzheimer's Disease.

Biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease (AD) should meet several criteria, including simplicity of testing. Inappropriate activation of the complement cascade has been implicated in the pathogenesis of AD. Complement factor H (CFH) is a regulator of the cascade, but studies on plasma CFH levels in AD have provided mixed results.

A comparison of cardiac computerized tomography and exercise stress electrocardiogram test for the investigation of stable chest pain: the clinical results of the CAPP randomized prospective trial.

Aims: To determine the symptomatic and prognostic differences resulting from a novel diagnostic pathway based on cardiac computerized tomography (CT) compared with the traditional exercise stress electrocardiography test (EST) in stable chest pain patients.

Methods And Results: A prospective randomized controlled trial compared selected patient outcomes in EST and cardiac CT coronary angiography groups. Five hundred patients with troponin-negative stable chest pain and without known coronary artery disease were recruited.

The prevalence of age-related macular degeneration in Alzheimer's disease.

Background: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) share several features, including the presence of extracellular abnormal deposits associated with neuronal degeneration, drusen, and plaques, respectively. Investigation of any association of AMD and specifically AD is worthwhile but has rarely been done.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of AMD in subjects with AD in comparison with an age-matched cognitively normal cohort.

Culture and characterization of microglia from the adult murine retina.

Purpose: To develop a protocol for isolating and culturing murine adult retinal microglia and to characterize the phenotype and function of the cultured cells.

Method: Retinal single-cell suspensions were prepared from adult MF1 mice. Culture conditions including culture medium, growth factors, seeding cell density, and purification of microglia from the mixed cultures were optimised.

Molecular diagnosis for heterogeneous genetic diseases with targeted high-throughput DNA sequencing applied to retinitis pigmentosa.

Background: The genetic heterogeneity of many Mendelian disorders, such as retinitis pigmentosa which results from mutations in over 40 genes, is a major obstacle to obtaining a molecular diagnosis in clinical practice. Targeted high-throughput DNA sequencing offers a potential solution and was used to develop a molecular diagnostic screen for patients with retinitis pigmentosa.

Methods: A custom sequence capture array was designed to target the coding regions of all known retinitis pigmentosa genes and used to enrich these sequences from DNA samples of five patients.

Activation of peripheral blood CD14+ monocytes occurs in diabetes.

Blood levels of inflammatory markers associated with endothelial dysfunction and atherosclerosis are increased in diabetic patients; the highest levels occur in poorly controlled diabetes. We investigated the activation state of peripheral blood monocytes in diabetes with respect to scavenger receptor (CD36) expression and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, intracellular adhesion molecule-1, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors mRNA expression. CD14(+) monocytes were isolated from peripheral blood of type 1 and type 2 diabetic patients with good (HbA(1c) <7.