The potential developmental neurotoxicity of calcium cyclamate in CD rats.

The developmental neurotoxicity of calcium cyclamate was evaluated in Sprague Dawley [Crl:CD(SD)] rats, administered in drinking water, in comparison to a concurrent control group (water) and a positive control group given propylthiouracil (PTU). Calcium cyclamate was administered to F0 females for 4 weeks prior to pairing, throughout mating, gestation and lactation and to F1 offspring from weaning to 12 weeks of age, PTU was administered by gavage to F0 females from Day 6 of gestation up to Day 20 of lactation. Target calcium cyclamate doses were 0, 250, 500 and 1,000 mg/kg bw/day, while the PTU dose was 0.

Analysis of lesion localisation at colonoscopy: outcomes from a multi-centre U.K. study.

Background: Colonoscopy is currently the gold standard for detection of colorectal lesions, but may be limited in anatomically localising lesions. This audit aimed to determine the accuracy of colonoscopy lesion localisation, any subsequent changes in surgical management and any potentially influencing factors.

Methods: Patients undergoing colonoscopy prior to elective curative surgery for colorectal lesion/s were included from 8 registered U.

Biological fate of low-calorie sweeteners.

With continued efforts to find solutions to rising rates of obesity and diabetes, there is increased interest in the potential health benefits of the use of low- and no-calorie sweeteners (LNCSs). Concerns about safety often deter the use of LNCSs as a tool in helping control caloric intake, even though the safety of LNCS use has been affirmed by regulatory agencies worldwide. In many cases, an understanding of the biological fate of the different LNSCs can help health professionals to address safety concerns.

Chemical-specific adjustment factors (inter-species toxicokinetics) to establish the ADI for steviol glycosides.

The acceptable daily intake (ADI) of commercially available steviol glycosides is currently 0-4 mg/kg body weight (bw)/day, based on application of a 100-fold uncertainty factor to a no-observed-adverse-effect-level value from a chronic rat study. Within the 100-fold uncertainty factor is a 10-fold uncertainty factor to account for inter-species differences in toxicokinetics (4-fold) and toxicodynamics (2.5-fold).

Early experience of a virtual journal club.

Background: Traditional journal club models based on didactic presentation sessions followed by group discussion have many limitations. To overcome some of these shortcomings, a virtual journal club (VJC) using social media and e-mail was developed. The aim of this study was to report the initial experience of this novel multimodal e-learning platform to facilitate journal club discussion and promote the development of critical appraisal skills.

Salmonellosis as a differential diagnosis.

With a low incidence of Salmonella infection, salmonellosis is an uncommon problem in Scotland. It occurs in both immune-compromised and immune-competent patients. We present two cases of salmonellosis in immune-competent patients who had had a history of gastroenteritis.

A proposal for an upper limit of leucine safe intake in healthy adults.

Based on recent research, an upper limit of safe intake (ULSI) for leucine is proposed for healthy adults: 0.53 g/(kg·d). Because leucine has been used as a dietary supplement for many years in people practicing exercise and sport, further study with long-term exposure to leucine in this specific subpopulation should be performed to eventually adjust the ULSI.

Sweet-taste receptors, low-energy sweeteners, glucose absorption and insulin release.

The present review explores the interactions between sweeteners and enteroendocrine cells, and consequences for glucose absorption and insulin release. A combination of in vitro, in situ, molecular biology and clinical studies has formed the basis of our knowledge about the taste receptor proteins in the glucose-sensing enteroendocrine cells and the secretion of incretins by these cells. Low-energy (intense) sweeteners have been used as tools to define the role of intestinal sweet-taste receptors in glucose absorption.

Using urinary solubility data to estimate the level of safety concern of low levels of melamine (MEL) and cyanuric acid (CYA) present simultaneously in infant formulas.

Melamine (MEL) and cyanuric acid (CYA) may occur simultaneously in milk products. There is no health based guidance value for the mixture of MEL+CYA. Limited toxicological data indicate that MEL+CYA toxicity occurs at levels lower than the toxic doses of the single compounds.

Application of the Margin of Exposure (MOE) approach to substances in food that are genotoxic and carcinogenic.

This paper presents the work of an expert group established by the International Life Sciences Institute - European branch (ILSI Europe) to follow up the recommendations of an international conference on "Risk Assessment of Compounds that are both Genotoxic and Carcinogenic: New Approaches". Twelve genotoxic and carcinogenic chemicals that can be present in food were selected for calculation of a Margin of Exposure (MOE) between a point of departure on the dose-response for oral carcinogenicity in animal studies and estimates of human dietary exposure. The MOE can be used to support prioritisation of risk management action and, if the MOE is very large, on communication of a low level of human health concern.

Application of the margin of exposure (MoE) approach to substances in food that are genotoxic and carcinogenic - example: 1-methylcyclopropene and its impurities (1-chloro-2-methylpropene and 3-chloro-2-methylpropene).

The chlorinated impurities of 1-methylcyclopropene possess weak mutagenicity and are carcinogenic in rodent bioassays. Dose-response modelling of the data for 1-chloro-2-methylpropene gave a BMDL10 for nasal carcinomas in male rats of 11 mg/kg-bw/day (after correction for the 5 days/week dosage schedule). No human exposure data are available and theoretical estimates had to be used to calculate the MoE.

Application of the margin of exposure (MOE) approach to substances in food that are genotoxic and carcinogenic. Example: leucomalachite green.

Leucomalachite green (LMG) is mutagenic and produces DNA-adducts in vivo, and is carcinogenic in rodent bioassays. Dose-response modelling of the data for hepatocellular adenomas and carcinomas in female mice gave a BMDL10 of 20 mg/kg-bw/day. Limited data are available on the concentrations present in fish for human consumption.

The importance of tumor stage and relative survival analysis for the association between sex and survival after resection of colorectal cancer.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine whether the previously noted poorer survival of men after resection of colorectal cancer varied among clinicopathological tumor stages.

Summary Background Data: The question of whether sex is independently associated with prognosis after resection of colorectal cancer has been examined in numerous studies over the past 2 decades, but with conflicting results.

Methods: Data on 3,301 patients were drawn from a comprehensive, prospective hospital registry of all resections for colorectal cancer performed between January 1971 and December 2005.

The 7th workshop on the assessment of adequate intake of dietary amino acids: summary of general discussion.

Extensive discussion sessions were held at the end of each of the 2 d of the workshop. Through the course of the workshop, it became clear that there were different opinions on how to use uncertainty factors to obtain upper levels of intake from no observed adverse effect levels of a particular nutrient and that the selection of an appropriate uncertainty factor would be rather arbitrary. Much of the discussion centered around the potential for using metabolic limits, expressed as the level of intake at which the major pathway of metabolism may approach saturation and at which the amino acid is metabolized by alternative pathways, as a measurable early or surrogate marker for amino acid excess and possible toxicity.

Minimising the population risk of micronutrient deficiency and over-consumption: a new approach using selenium as an example.

Background: At the present time the recommended daily intake or allowance (RDA) and the safe upper level (UL) of intake of micronutrients are given as single values. The recommended daily intake is considered to cover the requirements of 97.5% of the population while the safe upper level is a value for the whole population.

A nonsurgical means of fecal diversion: the Zassi Bowel Management System.

Purpose: Patients with perineal burns and immobile hospitalized patients with severe excoriation from incontinence caused by excessive diarrhea pose difficult management problems, frequently requiring stoma formation. The Zassi Bowel Management System (Zassi Medical Evolutions, Fernandina Beach, Florida) multichannel intrarectal catheter was evaluated for its safety and its ability to divert feces away from perineal skin to allow wound and skin healing.

Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted on inpatients from the Burns and Geriatric Units.