Globally, an aging population is increasing, and aging is a natural physiological process and a major risk factor for all age-related diseases. It seriously threatens personal health and imposes a great economic burden. Therefore, there is a growing scientific interest in strategies for well-aging with prevention and treatment of age-related diseases. The seed, root, stem or leaves of Cassia tora Linn. are useful for anti-bacteria, anti-hyperlipidemia and anti-obesity due to its pharmacological activities such as anti-inflammation and anti-oxidant both in vitro and in vivo. Nevertheless, no clinical trials have been attempted so far, therefore here we would like to understand the current preclinical activities for aging-related disease models including cataract, metabolic dysfunction and neurodegeneration, then discuss their preparation for clinical trials and perspectives.

Salmonella is a leading cause of foodborne outbreaks in Taiwan. On 27 April 2018, a salmonellosis outbreak among customers of a restaurant was reported to the Taiwan CDC. We investigated the outbreak to identify infection sources and prevent further transmission. We interviewed ill customers and their dining companions. We conducted a case-control study to identify foods associated with the illness. Case-patients were those who had diarrhoea within 72 h after eating at the restaurant during 16–27 April 2018. Specimens, food samples and environmental samples were collected and tested for enteric pathogens. Salmonella isolates were analysed with pulse-field gel electrophoresis and whole-genome sequencing. We inspected the restaurant sanitation and reviewed kitchen surveillance camera recordings. We identified 47 case-patients, including one decedent. Compared with 44 controls, case-patients were more likely to have had a French toast sandwich (OR: 102.4; 95% CI: 18.7–952.3). Salmonella Enteritidis isolates from 16 case-patients shared an indistinguishable genotype. Camera recordings revealed eggshell contamination, long holding time at room temperature and use of leftovers during implicated food preparation. Recommendations for restaurant egg-containing food preparation are to use pasteurised egg products and ensure a high enough cooking temperature and long enough cooking time to prevent Salmonella contamination.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of 8-week green tea extract (GTE) supplementation on promoting postexercise muscle glycogen resynthesis and systemic energy substrate utilisation in young college students. A total of eight healthy male participants (age: 22·0 (se 1·0) years, BMI: 24·2 (se 0·7) kg/m2, VO2max: 43·2 (se 2·4) ml/kg per min) participated in this study. GTE (500 mg/d for 8 weeks) was compared with placebo in participants in a double-blind/placebo-controlled and crossover study design with an 8-week washout period. Thereafter, all participants performed a 60-min cycling exercise (75 % VO2max) and consumed a carbohydrate-enriched meal immediately after exercise. Vastus lateralis muscle samples were collected immediately (0 h) and 3 h after exercise, and blood and gaseous samples were collected during the 3-h postexercise recovery period. An 8-week oral GTE supplementation had no effects on further promoting muscle glycogen resynthesis in exercised human skeletal muscle, but the exercise-induced muscle GLUT type 4 (GLUT4) protein content was greater in the GTE supplementation trial (P<0·05). We observed that, during the postexercise recovery period, GTE supplementation elicited an increase in energy reliance on fat oxidation compared with the placebo trial (P<0·05), although there were no differences in blood glucose and insulin responses between the two trials. In summary, 8-week oral GTE supplementation increases postexercise systemic fat oxidation and exercise-induced muscle GLUT4 protein content in response to an acute bout of endurance exercise. However, GTE supplementation has no further benefit on promoting muscle glycogen resynthesis during the postexercise period.

The role that BMI plays in the association between dietary quality and CVD risk is not known. We aimed to better understand this relationship using statistical methods which correct for sex-specific underreporting of dietary intake. Overall, dietary quality was assessed using the Healthy Eating Index (HEI) on data from 9797 non-pregnant adults (aged >20 years) who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2005 to 2010. CVD risk factors included blood pressure, fasting glucose and insulin, homeostatic models of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), HDL- and LDL-cholesterol (HDL-C and LDL-C), TAG and C-reactive protein (CRP). We controlled for demographic and lifestyle covariates, and we used the population ratio approach (which adjusts for the underreporting of intake) to compare mean HEI scores between the top and bottom quartiles of covariate-adjusted CVD risk factors. In women, the total HEI score was not associated with any CVD risk factors (all Q>0·11). In men, the total HEI score was associated with covariate-adjusted residuals for fasting insulin (Q< 0·001), HOMA-IR (Q< 0·001), HDL-C (Q= 0·01), TAG (Q= 0·03) and CRP (Q< 0·001). When we additionally adjusted for BMI, the association with total HEI score was not significant (all P>0·10). In the present analyses, dietary quality was associated with five CVD risk factors in a sex-specific manner. Moreover, the association of BMI with CVD risk attenuated the relationship between CVD risk and diet, which suggests that BMI is an important factor in heart disease prevention.

Static-gap, single-spark tests were used to investigate the arc erosion behavior of newly developed silicon carbide and alumina particle reinforced silver matrix composites (SiCp/Ag, Al2O3p/Ag). Craters and hills exist on the surfaces of eroded silver matrix composites, and their depths and sizes decrease as the particle content increases and the particle size decreases. Obvious melting, flow, severe splash of molten silver, and the segregation of particles are present on the surfaces of eroded composites containing low volume percents of large particles. Easier silver flow results in smooth surfaces and reduces the total surface areas of the eroded composites containing large particles. The flow and splash of silver decreased with increasing particle content and decreasing particle size, exhibiting a better erosion resistance to single-spark tests. The static-gap, single-spark erosion behavior of silver matrix composites is dominated by the flow and splash of molten composites. A high viscosity of the liquids provides the composites a good arc erosion resistance.

An electroless plating and hot-pressing process was developed to fabricate silver matrix composites reinforced with uniformly distributed graphite and Saffil short fibers (Graphitesf and Saffilsf). The hardness of the composites increases as the content of short fibers increase. Static-gap, single-spark erosion and repeated-collision, multiple-arc erosion tests were used to investigate the arc erosion behavior of the composites. The composites exhibited better arc erosion resistance when the contents of short fibers were increased in a static-gap, single-spark erosion test. However, the weight loss of the composites after 10,000 times repeated-collision, multiple-arc erosion operation shows that the composites with low volume percents of short fibers have a good arc erosion resistance. The Saffilsf/Ag composites show a better arc erosion resistance than Graphitesf/Ag because of the greater strengthening effect of the finer Saffil short fibers. The erosion behavior of the composites is dominated by the viscosity of composites in single-spark tests, while it depends on the competition of viscosity and thermal properties in multiple-arc tests.