Estimation of the dietary acrylamide exposure of the Polish population

The objective of our study was to determine acrylamide content in the Polish foods and to assess the average dietary acrylamide exposure of the Polish population. We analysed the acrylamide content in Polish food using GCQ-MS/MS method. The daily dietary acrylamide exposure was computed using a probabilistic approach for the total Polish population (1–96 years) and for the following age groups: 1–6, 7–18 and 19–96, using Monte Carlo simulation technique. To assess the Polish population exposure to acrylamide present in food, food consumption data was taken from the ‘Household Food Consumption and Anthropometric Survey in Poland’. The mean content of acrylamide in tested 225 samples of foodstuffs taken randomly all over Poland, ranged widely from 11 to 3647 μg/kg of product. For the total Polish population (1–96 years) the estimated acrylamide mean exposure is 0.43 μg/kg of body weight per day. The main sources of dietary acrylamide in Polish population were as follow: bread – supplied 45% of total dietary acrylamide intake, French fries and potato crisps – 23%, roasted coffee – 19%.     

Chlorpyrifos induced toxicity in reproductive organs of female Wistar rats

Chlorpyrifos (CPF) is an organophosphate (OP) insecticide extensively used in agricultural and domestic settings. Healthy adult female albino rats were divided into three groups of six rats in each. Two groups were dosed orally with CPF in vegetable oil (0.1 and 2.5 mg/kg/day) and third group was given vegetable oil for 8 weeks. Non-significant changes were observed for body weight and feed intake. A disruption in estrous cyclicity was observed with a prolonged metestrous. Erythrocyte osmotic fragility and lipid peroxidation levels increased significantly. Mammary gland whole mounts revealed a significant (P < 0.05–0.0001) increase in the ductal thickness, number of branches, alveolar and terminal end bud number and terminal end bud diameter. A significant increase in ovarian surface epithelium height, follicular diameter and follicular atresia was observed in treated rats (P < 0.05–0.0001). A similar significant increase in the uterine surface epithelium height, endometrial gland epithelium height and myometrium thickness in higher dose group was recorded (P < 0.05–0.0001). Luminal epithelium height and endometrial gland diameter was increased significantly in both the treated groups (P < 0.05–0.0001). The results indicate that sub-chronic exposure of CPF causes oxidative stress and negative effects on the reproductive organs of female rats, which may be a pointer towards beginning of cancer incidence.     

Sampling Plan for the Brazilian TACO Project

The TACO project (Brazilian Table of Food Composition), sponsored by the Brazilian Ministry of Health and executed by NEPA-UNICAMP (Center for Studies and Research on Foods—State University of Campinas), is generating new data on the most consumed foods in Brazil, based on a national sampling plan and analyses carried out by laboratories with demonstrated laboratory capability in nutrient analysis. Key foods have been chosen according to a national multicentric survey of food consumption, starting with 200 food items. The sampling plan covers nine cities in the five official Brazilian geopolitical regions (North, Northeast, South, Southeast and Centralwest), corresponding to approximately 16.8 million inhabitants out of a total Brazilian population of about 170 million. Samples of principal brands (maximum of five for each food) are collected from supermarkets/hypermarkets where 84–85% of total food purchases are made by the Brazilian population. Two units of each principal brand of each product are taken at each sampling site. The total units for each food from all regions are mixed and packed in cans, and three final composites of 100–200 g for each food are sent for analyses in approved laboratories.     

Organizational and ethical aspects of living donor liver transplantation

The well-known shortage of organs for transplantation can partly be managed with organs (or parts of them) from living donors. This form of organ donation is hampered by two important drawbacks: the harm to the donor and the lack of certainty that the donation is free of coercion. As often happens in medicine, both aspects have no clear solution. Therefore, all guarantees must be built into the processes leading to transplantation, under the control of peers. Also, the transplantation centers as the organ providers (in the large sense, the donor family and eventually an intermediate agency) must undergo this peer review. Eventually, a local ethical committee could perform an initial screening if there is a legal background for its competence in this matter. Alternatives for living donation are to be expected in the future, but this cannot circumvent the actual problems. (Liver Transpl 2003;9:S2-S5.)     

AMP-activated protein kinase signalling pathways are down regulated and skeletal muscle development impaired in fetuses of obese, over-nourished sheep

Maternal obesity and over-nutrition give rise to both obstetric problems and neonatal morbidity. The objective of this study was to evaluate effects of maternal obesity and over-nutrition on signalling of the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) pathway in fetal skeletal muscle in an obese pregnant sheep model. Non-pregnant ewes were assigned to a control group (Con, fed 100% of NRC nutrient recommendations, n = 7) or obesogenic group (OB, fed 150% of National Research Council (NRC) recommendations, n = 7) diet from 60 days before to 75 days after conception (term 150 days) when fetal semitendinosus skeletal muscle (St) was sampled. OB mothers developed severe obesity accompanied by higher maternal and fetal plasma glucose and insulin levels. In fetal St, activity of phosphoinositide-3 kinase (PI3K) associated with insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1) was attenuated ( P < 0.05), in agreement with the increased phophorylation of IRS-1 at serine 1011. Phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) at Thr 172, acetyl-CoA carboxylase at Ser 79, tuberous sclerosis 2 at Thr 1462 and eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E-binding protein 1 at Thr 37/46 were reduced in OB compared to Con fetal St. No difference in energy status (AMP/ATP ratio) was observed. The expression of protein phosphatase 2C was increased in OB compared to Con fetal St. Plasma tumour necrosis factor α (TNFα) was increased in OB fetuses indicating an increased inflammatory state. Expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) was higher in OB St, indicating enhanced adipogenesis. The glutathione: glutathione disulphide ratio was also lower, showing increased oxidative stress in OB fetal St. In summary, we have demonstrated decreased signalling of the AMPK system in skeletal muscle of fetuses of OB mothers, which may play a role in altered muscle development and development of insulin resistance in the offspring.     

Troglitazone Induced Apoptosis via PPARγ Activated POX-induced ROS Formation in HT29 Cells

Objective In order to investigate the potential mechanisms in troglitazone-induced apoptosis in HT29 cells,the effects of PPARγ and POX-induced ROS were explored.Methods [3-(4,5)-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay,Annexin V and PI staining using FACS,plasmid transfection,ROS formation detected by DCFH staining,RNA interference,RT-PCR & RT-QPCR,and Western blotting analyses were employed to investigate the apoptotic effect of troglitazone and the potential role of PPARγ pathway...     

一株产鬼臼毒素内生真菌的分离及其代谢产物抗小鼠S180肉瘤的研究

目的从秦岭濒危药用桃儿七(Sinopodophyllum hexandrum)植株内分离出产鬼臼毒素(podophyllotoxin)的内生真菌,研究其发酵液的抑瘤活性。方法采用组织分离法分离、纯化桃儿七植株根、茎部位的内生真菌,逐一鉴定其代谢产物,筛选出能够产鬼臼毒素的内生真菌。采用动物体内抑瘤实验研究内生真菌发酵液对小鼠S180肉瘤的抑制作用,并对荷瘤小鼠眼眶取血进行白细胞及淋巴细胞计数。结果分离出一株产鬼臼毒素的内生真菌T8,鉴定为Cephalosporium sp.。T8发酵液实验动物组的肿瘤质量低于模型组,大于环磷酰胺组(P<0.05),且其抑制率低于环磷酰胺(P<0.05)。T8发酵液能够促进白细胞和淋巴细胞的增殖。结论 T8发酵液具有一定的抑制肿瘤生长的作用,经减毒处理后可以作为肿瘤治疗的辅助药物。