[Induced abortion and COVID-19 : What changed with the pandemic in 2020].

Objective: The management measures to contain the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in 2020 has upset the organization of society, particularly the organization of the health system. We aimed to analyze the evolution of induced abortions in the Paris region in 2020 and to highlight the impact of the first confinement.

Method: Data from the National Health Insurance plan was analyzed to study abortion during the pandemic period (2020) compared to the previous four years (2016-2019).

The evolution of infant mortality and neighbourhood inequalities in four world cities: 1988-2016.

Objectives: To determine the level of neighbourhood inequalities in infant mortality (IM) rates in the urban core of four world cities and to examine the association between neighbourhood-level income and IM. We compare our findings with those published in 2004 to better understand how these city health systems have evolved.

Methods: We compare IM rates among and within the four cities using data from four periods: 1988-1992; 1993-1997; 2003-2008 and 2012-2016.

The FEMA GRAS assessment of aliphatic and aromatic terpene hydrocarbons used as flavor ingredients.

This publication is the thirteenth in a series of safety evaluations performed by the Expert Panel of the Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association (FEMA). In 1993, the Panel initiated a comprehensive program to re-evaluate the safety of more than 1700 GRAS flavoring substances under conditions of intended use. Since then, the number of flavoring substances has grown to more than 2600 substances.

The FEMA GRAS assessment of alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehydes and related substances used as flavor ingredients.

This publication is the 12th in a series of safety evaluations performed by the Expert Panel of the Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association (FEMA). In 1993, the Panel initiated a comprehensive program to re-evaluate the safety of more than 1700 GRAS flavoring substances under conditions of intended use. Since then, the number of flavoring substances has grown to more than 2200 chemically-defined substances.

Inhalation toxicity studies: OECD guidelines in relation to REACH and scientific developments.

The OECD Health Effects Test Guidelines (TGs) provide guidance concerning the use of methods for the identification and characterization of hazards from chemical substances. These TGs are largely based on tests in routine use for many years and are known to yield information relevant to various types of toxicity. They have proven their value in practice and will remain of paramount importance for decades to come.

Application of the threshold of toxicological concern (TTC) to the safety evaluation of cosmetic ingredients.

The threshold of toxicological concern (TTC) has been used for the safety assessment of packaging migrants and flavouring agents that occur in food. The approach compares the estimated oral intake with a TTC value derived from chronic oral toxicity data for structurally-related compounds. Application of the TTC approach to cosmetic ingredients and impurities requires consideration of whether route-dependent differences in first-pass metabolism could affect the applicability of TTC values derived from oral data to the topical route.

The FEMA GRAS assessment of aromatic substituted secondary alcohols, ketones, and related esters used as flavor ingredients.

This publication is the 11th in a series of safety evaluations performed by the Expert Panel of the Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association (FEMA). In 1993, the Panel initiated a comprehensive program to re-evaluate the safety of more than 1700 GRAS flavoring substances under conditions of intended use. The list of GRAS substances has now grown to more than 2100 substances.

The FEMA GRAS assessment of hydroxy- and alkoxy-substituted benzyl derivatives used as flavor ingredients.

This publication is the ninth in a series of safety evaluations performed by the Expert Panel of the Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association (FEMA). In 1993, the Panel initiated a comprehensive program to re-evaluate the safety of more than 1700 GRAS flavoring substances under conditions of intended use. Elements that are fundamental to the safety evaluation of flavor ingredients include exposure, structural analogy, metabolism, pharmacokinetics and toxicology.

The FEMA GRAS assessment of benzyl derivatives used as flavor ingredients.

This publication is the eighth in a series of safety evaluations performed by the Expert Panel of the Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association (FEMA). In 1993, the panel initiated a comprehensive program to re-evaluate the safety of more than 1700 GRAS flavoring substances under conditions of intended use. Elements that are fundamental to the safety evaluation of flavor ingredients include exposure, structural analogy, metabolism, pharmacokinetics and toxicology.

The FEMA GRAS assessment of phenethyl alcohol, aldehyde, acid, and related acetals and esters used as flavor ingredients.

This publication is the ninth in a series of safety evaluations performed by the Expert Panel of the Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association (FEMA). In 1993, the Panel initiated a comprehensive program to re-evaluate the safety of more than 1700 GRAS flavoring substances under conditions of intended use. Elements that are fundamental to the safety evaluation of flavor ingredients include exposure, structural analogy, metabolism, pharmacokinetics and toxicology.

Criteria for the safety evaluation of flavoring substances. The Expert Panel of the Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association.

The current status of the GRAS evaluation program of flavoring substances operated by the Expert Panel of FEMA is discussed. The Panel maintains a rigorous rotating 10-year program of continuous review of scientific data related to the safety evaluation of flavoring substances. The Panel concluded a comprehensive review of the GRAS (GRASa) status of flavors in 1985 and began a second comprehensive review of the same substances and any recently GRAS materials in 1994.

A procedure for the safety evaluation of natural flavor complexes used as ingredients in food: essential oils.

A scientifically based guide has been developed to evaluate the safety of naturally occurring mixtures, particularly essential oils, for their intended use as flavor ingredients. The approach relies on the complete chemical characterization of the essential oil and the variability of the composition of the oil in the product intended for commerce. Being products of common plant biochemical pathways, the chemically identified constituents are organized according to a limited number of well-established chemical groups called congeneric groups.

Exposure to combinations of substances: a system for assessing health risks.

Combined exposures may be categorised as specified combinations or mixtures of substances, depending on composition and exposure scenario. The major characteristic of a specified combination is known composition and that of a mixture simultaneous exposure. A framework was developed as a guide for safety evaluation of combined exposures.

Toxicology of chemical mixtures: a challenging quest along empirical sciences.

This paper describes the "quest" of our institute trying to assess the toxicology of chemical mixtures. In this overview, we will discuss some critical developments in hazard identification and risk assessment of chemical mixtures during these past 15 years. We will stand still at empirical and mechanistic modeling.

Safety evaluation of chemical mixtures and combinations of chemical and non-chemical stressors.

Recent developments in hazard identification and risk assessment of chemical mixtures are reviewed. Empirical, descriptive approaches to study and characterize the toxicity of mixtures have dominated during the past two decades, but an increasing number of mechanistic approaches have made their entry into mixture toxicology. A series of empirical studies with simple chemical mixtures in rats is described in some detail because of the important lessons from this work.

Safety evaluation of natural flavour complexes.

Natural flavour complexes (NFCs) are chemical mixtures obtained by applying physical separation methods to botanical sources. Many NFCs are derived from foods. In the present paper, a 12-step procedure for the safety evaluation of NFCs, 'the naturals paradigm', is discussed.

The FEMA GRAS assessment of cinnamyl derivatives used as flavor ingredients.

This publication is the seventh in a series of safety evaluations performed by the Expert Panel of the Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association (FEMA). In 1993, the Panel initiated a comprehensive program to re-evaluate the safety of more than 1700 GRAS flavoring substances under conditions of intended use. Elements that are fundamental to the safety evaluation of flavor ingredients include exposure, structural analogy, metabolism, pharmacokinetics and toxicology.

Toxicity to nasal-associated lymphoid tissue.

The mucosal membranes form a weak mechanical barrier, but they are provided with an extensive specific and non-specific defence system. Antigenic stimulation of the mucosal immune system of the oronasal passages induces specific, local immune responses, and activates immune components of mucosae elsewhere as well as the systemic immune system. Nasal lymphocytes are disseminated diffusely in the mucosa or are organised in structures at the entrance of the nasopharynx (nasal-associated lymphoid tissues, NALT).

International issues on human health effects of exposure to chemical mixtures.

In this article, we highlight new developments and recent studies concerning adverse human health effects related to chemical mixtures. One group of activities comprises the development of a new computer program for analyzing mixture studies and a mathematical model as a basis for combination rules that predict the toxicity of mixtures. Other new activities in the area of experimental studies are the application of gene expression technologies in mixture research, and pattern recognition as a tool in safety evaluation of complex mixtures.

Safety assessment of allylalkoxybenzene derivatives used as flavouring substances - methyl eugenol and estragole.

This publication is the seventh in a series of safety evaluations performed by the Expert Panel of the Flavor and Extract Manufacturers' Association (FEMA). In 1993, the Panel initiated a comprehensive program to re-evaluate the safety of more than 1700 GRAS flavouring substances under conditions of intended use. In this review, scientific data relevant to the safety evaluation of the allylalkoxybenzene derivatives methyl eugenol and estragole is critically evaluated by the FEMA Expert Panel.

Toxicological evaluation of chemical mixtures.

This paper addresses major developments in the safety evaluation of chemical mixtures during the past 15 years, reviews today's state of the art of mixture toxicology, and discusses challenges ahead. Well-thought-out tailor-made mechanistic and empirical designs for studying the toxicity of mixtures have gradually substituted trial-and-error approaches, improving the insight into the testability of joint action and interaction of constituents of mixtures. The acquired knowledge has successfully been used to evaluate the safety of combined exposures and complex mixtures such as, for example, the atmosphere at hazardous waste sites, drinking water disinfection by-products, natural flavouring complexes, and the combined intake of food additives.

Statistically designed experiments in a tiered approach to screen mixtures of Fusarium mycotoxins for possible interactions.

This paper presents a test strategy to detect interactive effects between several mycotoxins using a DNA synthesis inhibition assay in L929 cells. The joint action of the Fusarium mycotoxins T-2 toxin (T2), deoxynivalenol (DON), nivalenol (NIV), zearalenone (ZEA) and fumonisin (FB1) was studied in a tiered approach. In the first stage, the mycotoxins were tested either jointly in a five-compound mixture, or individually.

The FEMA GRAS assessment of pyrazine derivatives used as flavor ingredients. Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association.

This is the fifth in a series of safety evaluations performed by the Expert Panel of the Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association (FEMA). In 1993, the Panel initiated a comprehensive program to re-evaluate the safety of more than 1700 GRAS flavoring substances under conditions of intended use. Elements that are fundamental to the safety evaluation of flavor ingredients include exposure, structural analogy, metabolism, pharmacokinetics and toxicology.