Aspartame—True or False? Narrative Review of Safety Analysis of General Use in Products

Aspartame is a sweetener introduced to replace the commonly used sucrose. It was discovered by James M. Schlatter in 1965. Being 180–200 times sweeter than sucrose, its intake was expected to reduce obesity rates in developing countries and help those struggling with diabetes. It is mainly used as a sweetener for soft drinks, confectionery, and medicines. Despite its widespread use, its safety remains controversial. This narrative review investigates the existing literature on the use of aspartame and its possible effects on the human body to refine current knowledge. Taking to account that aspartame is a widely used artificial sweetener, it seems appropriate to continue research on safety. Studies mentioned in this article have produced very interesting results overall, the current review highlights the social problem of providing visible and detailed information about the presence of aspartame in products. The studies involving the impact of aspartame on obesity, diabetes mellitus, children and fetus, autism, neurodegeneration, phenylketonuria, allergies and skin problems, its cancer properties and its genotoxicity were analyzed. Further research should be conducted to ensure clear information about the impact of aspartame on health.     

Iron homeostasis in arthropathies: From pathogenesis to therapeutic potential

Iron is an essential element for proper functioning of cells within mammalian organ systems; in particular, iron homeostasis is critical for joint health. Excess iron can induce oxidative stress damage, associated with the pathogenesis of iron-storage and ageing-related diseases. Therefore, iron levels in body tissues and cells must be tightly regulated. In the past decades, excess iron content within joints has been found in some patients with joint diseases including hemophilic arthropathy, hemochromatosis arthropathy, and osteoarthritis (OA). Currently, increased evidence has shown that iron accumulation is closely associated with multiple pathological changes of these arthropathies. This review summarizes system-level and intracellular regulation of iron homeostasis, and emphasizes the role of iron in synovial alterations, cartilage degeneration, and subchondral bone of several arthropathies. Of note, we discuss the potential link between iron homeostasis and OA pathogenesis. Finally, we discuss the therapeutic potential of maintaining iron homeostasis in these arthropathies.     

广东省天然矿泉水放射性核素浓度及其所致居民剂量

目的　探讨广东省饮用天然矿泉水源水中天然放射性核素浓度及所致居民剂量。方法　采用射气法、固体荧光光度法、分光光度法、原子吸收分光光度法、闪烁室法分别测定矿泉水中天然放射性核素。结果　矿泉水源水中2 2 6 Ra、天然铀、天然钍、40 K、氡含量的均值分别为 68 6mBq·L-1、2 14 μg·L-1、0 65 μg·L-1、0 199Bq·L-1、2 0 9 8Bq·L-1;饮用天然矿泉水摄入放射性核素所致待积有效剂量为 0 93 2mSv·a-1;其中氡所致剂量为 0 919mSv·a-1,约占总待积剂量的99 %。结论　矿泉水作为日常饮用水的群体所致待积剂量要比正常本底地区公众增加 2～ 3倍的附加剂量 ;已接近长期持续受照剂量限值。     

Occupational exposure to arsenic and risk of nonmelanoma skin cancer in a multinational European study

Occupational studies show a high risk of lung cancer related to arsenic exposure by inhalation; however, only a few studies, and with conflicting results, previously examined a potential link between arsenic exposure at work and skin cancer. The aim of this study is to assess airborne arsenic exposures at the workplace and to quantify associations with nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC). The study sample consists of 618 incident cases of NMSC and 527 hospital‐based controls aged 30–79 years from Hungary, Romania and Slovakia. Exposures were evaluated by local experts using occupational histories. Information on host factors and other exposures was collected and used to adjust the associations of interest using multivariable logistic regression. The lifetime prevalence of exposure to work‐related arsenic is 23.9% for cases and 15.5% for controls. No significant association between arsenic exposure in the workplace and NMSC was detected, although an increased adjusted odd ratio was observed for participants with higher cumulative lifetime workplace exposure to arsenic in dust and fumes compared to referents [odds ratios (OR) = 1.94, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.76–4.95]. There is evidence for modification of the workplace arsenic–NMSC association by work‐related sunlight exposure in women, with a markedly increased adjusted OR in the presence of workplace sunlight exposure (OR = 10.22, 95% CI = 2.48–42.07). Workplace coexposure to arsenic and sunlight may thus pose an increased risk of NMSC.     

Building materials and risk of leukemia

Using information data obtained from 958 patients with leukemia and the same number of healthy controls matched for sex, age and place of residence the relative risk of leukemia was calculated in relation to the character of the material from which the building was built where the patients and controls were living. The information on the type of the building materials was obtained by inquiry. Three types of buildings were isolated: buildings built from wood, bricks and concrete or prefabricated products. In the analysis the number of years during which the patients and controls were living in these buildings was considered. No statistically significant correlation was noted between the risk of leukaemia development and the character of the building material. No increase was noted in this probability in relation to the time of living in a building built from any of these building materials. Additional analysis demonstrated that in Poland no so called "leukemic houses" are found, that is houses where during 5 years three of more cases of leukemia occurred.     

Epidemiological Evidence of Childhood Leukaemia Around Nuclear Power Plants

A few reports of increased numbers of leukaemia cases (clusters) in children living in the vicinity of nuclear power plants (NPP) and other nuclear installations have triggered a heated debate over the possible causes of the disease. In this review the most important cases of childhood leukaemia clusters around NPPs are described and analyzed with special emphasis on the relationship between the environmental exposure to ionizing radiation and the risk of leukaemia. Since, as indicated, a lifetime residency in the proximity of an NPP does not pose any specific health risk to people and the emitted ionizing radiation is too small to cause cancer, a number of hypotheses have been proposed to explain the childhood leukaemia clusters. The most likely explanation for the clusters is ‘population mixing’, i.e., the influx of outside workers to rural regions where nuclear installations are being set up and where local people are not immune to pathogens brought along with the incomers.     

Induction of micronuclei in bone marrow and sperm head abnormalities after combined exposure of mice to low doses of X-rays and acrylamide

People come into contact with chemical and physical agents which are present in the environment and in workplaces. We investigated the effects of combined exposures to low doses of X-rays (0.05-0.25 Gy) and acrylamide (AA; 75 mg/kg bw) in the somatic and germ cells of outbred male mice by using a bone-marrow micronucleus test and a sperm morphology test. Combined treatment of germ cells to 0.25 Gy of X-rays + 75 mg/kg bw of acrylamide enhanced the effect induced by each agent given alone. The results confirmed the sensitivity to damage of spermatozoa and late spermatids, which can be demonstrated by sperm head abnormalities and reduced fertility. The sensitivity of somatic cells to acrylamide alone was similar to that of germ cells. Combined exposure to 0.05 Gy + 75 mg/kg bw of AA induced micronuclei in polychromatic erythrocytes of bone marrow although each dose did not produce a mutagenic effect. Teratogenesis Carcinog. Mutagen. 20:133-140, 2000.     

Pharmacokinetics of amikacin in gamma-irradiated mice.

Concentrations of amikacin in sera, investigated 24 h after irradiation with 9 Gy gamma-rays of mice, were monitored using TDX system (Abbott), based on the fluorescence polarization immunoassay. Pharmacokinetic parameters of disposition (distribution + elimination) of the drug were calculated from the obtained data. In irradiated mice fast and slow phases of amikacin disposition were noted. In contrary, in the non irradiated mice only one-fast phase of the drug disposition was observed. The dependence of the disposition parameters of the antibiotic to the postirradiation tubular dystrophia and vascular changes was discussed.