Effect of concomitant food intake on absorption kinetics of fenoldopam (SK&F 82526) in healthy volunteers

Summary Eight healthy volunteers participated in an open crossover study to assess the effect of a standardised meal on the systemic availability of a single oral dose of fenoldopam mesylate 100 mg. Subjects were studied on four separate occasions, twice fasting and twice fed in randomised, balanced order. Plasma and urine samples were obtained before and at regular intervals up to 25 h post dose. Measurement of fenoldopam (SK&F 82526) and its 8-sulphate metabolite (SK&F 87782) were by means of HPLC-EC analysis. Area under the plasma concentration time curve (AUC) and maximum detected plasma concentration (C_max) for fenoldopam and SK&F 87782 were significantly reduced whereas time to maximum concentration was significantly increased with food. Using AUC's for fenoldopam and SK&F 87782, mean relative bioavailabilities were 35% and 81% respectively under fed compared with fasting conditions. Twenty-four hour excretion of fenoldopam was significantly reduced with food, but excretion of SK&F 87782 was apparently unchanged. Mean relative bioavailabilities calculated from these data were 83% and 86% respectively. Relatively large inter-subject variability in AUC and C_max were seen, but intra-subject variability was not marked. Mild symptoms associated with vasodilation were reported on all study days.     

Influence of individually estimated portion size on the assessment of nutritional risk in colorectal cancer in Portugal

We evaluated the influence of individually estimated portion sizes on the estimate of nutrient related risk of colorectal cancer, using data from a Portuguese hospital based case-control study on diet and colorectal cancer. A total of 100 patients with colorectal adenocarcinoma (aged 15-92 years) and 211 controls (aged 36-89 years) were included. Two data sets were created for nutrient analysis, the first one allowed estimates of food intake using data on portion size as collected with visual aids during the interview. The second estimate substituted respondents' estimate with a standard portion size, as used in the semi-quantitative (SQ) food frequency approach. The two analytic approaches yielded similar energy and nutrient intakes in cases and controls. The percent range of concordance is acceptable, in the same quartile varying from 44 to 82% (mean: 56%) and very good in the same or adjacent (+/-1) quartile (mean: 91%, range: 85-97%). The two estimates lead to a similar pattern of multivariate odd's ratio, however the SQ estimates resulted in more significant findings. We conclude that little extra information is gained by including individual portion size information when assessing diet-related risk of colorectal cancer.     

转基因食品的快速PCR鉴定

用十六烷基-二甲基-乙基-溴化铵(CTAB)法快速高效地从样品中提取了可供分析的基因组DNA,经PCR扩增,鉴定了含有35S启动子和NOS终止子的转基因样品.该方法的灵敏度可达0.1%,并且具有很好的稳定性.     

扩散－电极法测定食品中氟

样品中氟在扩散盒中与硫酸作用生成氟化氢，经扩散吸附在扩散盒的碱膜上。碱膜用缓冲液溶解后，氟化物含量由氟离子选择电极测定。用本法对菜花、菠菜、大米、鱼片干四种样品以及玉米氟样品的氟进行了精密度和准确度试验。相对标准偏差在５％以内，回收率为９０％～１０３％，最小检测量为０．２４μｇ。该法可直接测定含氟量在０．５～１００ｍｇ／ｋｇ（干重）的食品。     

乙二胺四乙酸铁钠强化酱油改善贫血效果观察

本研究比较了NaFeEDTA强化酱油、硫酸亚铁 (FeSO4)强化酱油对IDA改善效果。将 30 0名IDA学生分为对照组、NaFeEDTA强化酱油组Fe 5mg (人·日 )、FeSO4强化酱油组Fe5mg (人·日 ) ,比较新型铁强化剂 (NaFeEDTA)与传统铁剂 (FeSO4)对缺铁性贫血的改善作用。结果表明 ,对照组各项检验指标干预前后没有显著差异。其它各试验组呈现出较为一致的变化 ,表现为血红蛋白、血清铁、血清铁蛋白含量的显著性增加和原卟啉、总铁结合力、转铁蛋白的显著性下降。试验结果提示 ,乙二胺四乙酸铁钠与传统铁剂 (硫酸盐铁 )强化酱油均有改善学生贫血的作用 ,并且NaFeEDTA组的贫血改善率和Hb恢复水平优于FeSO4组。     

新疆哈萨克族常用食品对离体动物细胞染色体的损伤作用

本文报道以叙利亚地鼠胚胎(SHE)细胞和Wistar大鼠胚胎(WRE)细胞为靶细胞,运用体外姊妹染色单体交换试验、染色体畸变分析试验和微核试验检测哈萨克族(哈族)常用食品——烟熏肉和酸奶疙瘩对染色体的损伤作用。结果显示,烟熏肉和霉变酸奶疙瘩提取物均可明显增加SHE细胞姊妹染色单体交换频率和微核率,霉变酸奶疙瘩提取物亦可以使WRE细胞微核率显著升高(P<0.05);烟熏肉提取物还可明显诱导SHE细胞染色体畸变(P<0.05)。提示烟熏肉、霉变酸奶疙瘩中含有诱发动物细胞DNA损伤的致突变物质。     

Food allergy and non-allergic food hypersensitivity in children and adolescents

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have shown a 10-fold discrepancy of self-reported food-induced symptoms and physician-diagnosed food hypersensitivity. Little information is available on the prevalence of food hypersensitivity in unselected paediatric populations. No data were available for German children. OBJECTIVE: To study the perception of food-induced symptoms in the paediatric population, to investigate the allergens accused, to objectify patients' reports, and to identify subgroups at risk of having food-induced allergy (FA) or non-allergic food hypersensitivity (NAFH) reactions. METHODS: This paper presents the data of the paediatric group (0-17 years) of a representative, randomly sampled, cross-sectional population-based survey studying 13 300 inhabitants of the German capital city Berlin regarding food-related symptoms. Instruments included mailed questionnaires, structured telephone interviews, physical examination, skin-prick tests, specific serum IgE and standardized, controlled and blinded oral food challenges. RESULTS: Two thousand three hundred and fifty-four individuals were contacted by mailed questionnaire, 739 (31.4%) responses could be fully evaluated. Four hundred and fifty-five (61.5%) participants reported symptoms related to food ingestion, 284 (38.4%) affirmed reproducible symptoms in the standardized telephone interview. One hundred and eighty-four (24.8%) individuals were fully examined. Reproducible symptoms to food were found in 31 (4.2%) children and adolescents: 26 (3.5%) showed symptoms of FA and five (0.7%) of NAFH. The oral allergy syndrome was most often observed. Foods most commonly identified by oral challenges were apple, hazelnut, soy, kiwi, carrot and wheat. CONCLUSION: The perception of food-related symptoms is common among children and adolescents from the general population. Self-reports could be confirmed in around one out of 10 individuals, still resulting in 4.2% of proven clinical symptoms. However, most reactions were mild and mainly because of pollen-associated FA, while NAFH reactions were less common. Severe IgE-mediated FA was observed in individuals with pre-existing atopic disease, who should be fully investigated for clinically relevant FA.     

Evaluation of allergenicity of genetically modified soybean protein extract in a murine model of oral allergen-specific sensitization

Background With the development of genetically modified crop plants there has been a growing interest in the approaches available to assess the potential allergenicity of novel gene products. For additional assessment of the potential allergenicity of expressed proteins, informative data can be generated using animal models. Soybean is one of the major source of protein in human and animal nutrition, and has also been well characterized as a major allergenic source. Advances in biotechnology have resulted in an increasing number of genetically engineered foods, and among these soybean is one of the most widespread. Objective To develop and characterize a murine model of IgE‐mediated soybean sensitization induced by intragastric immunization, in the presence of Cholera Toxin, with wild‐type soybean extract (wt‐SE) or with genetically modified soybean extract (gm‐SE). Methods Balb/c mice born in our animal facilities, from females fed on soy‐free food, were fed with the same soy‐free food and used in all the experiments. Mice were sensitized by gavages with soybean extracts, and allergen‐specific IgE and IgG responses were studied by direct ELISA and ELISA inhibition. Antigen‐specific cell proliferation and cytokine production were evaluated in spleen cell cultures. Results Sensitization with both soybean extracts induced high levels of antigen‐specific IgE and IgG1 and low levels of specific IgG2a. Both wt‐SE and gm‐SE were able to inhibit the binding of specific IgE from mice immunized with gm‐SE to the same antigen used for the ELISA coating. A comparable proliferative response was obtained with the homologous as well as with the heterologous extracts. Conclusion In sensitized mice, we observed a predominantly T‐helper type 2 (Th2)‐type immune response, with increased soybean‐specific IgE and IgG1 antibodies and a concomitant increase of IL‐4 and IL‐5 production. Results obtained by specific IgE ELISA inhibition and by antigen‐specific T cell proliferation demonstrated that wt‐SE and gm‐SE shared B and T epitopes. The present murine model of soybean sensitization established by the oral route should provide valuable information about risk assessment for food allergy from new proteins of genetically modified foods.     

Food-induced contact urticaria syndrome (CUS) in atopic dermatitis: reproducibility of repeated and duplicate testing with a skin provocation test, the skin application food test (SAFT)

IgE-mediated contact urticaria syndrome (CUS) is one of the manifestations of allergy in childhood atopic dermatitis (AD). Allergens such as foods and animal products penetrate the skin easily. They can then cause urticarial reactions in sensitized individuals. A provocation test system for foods, called the skin application food test (SAFT), has been developed. Over more than 5 years, a group of 175 patients with AD was built-up and investigated in a prospective follow-up study with SAFT. SAFT was more frequently positive in AD children aged 6–2 years than in older children. In several children of this population (Group 1), we repeated SAFT within a period of 1 year. In another unrelated group of children (Group 2–1), we compared the results of 'original' SAFT and SAFT using square chambers (Van der Bend) or Silver patches. In the 3rd group (Group 2–2) we compared'original' SAFT with SAFT using big Finn Chambers. The agreement between the tests was high: in Group 1, we observed 88 to 93% concordant scores, and in Group 2, the scores were 96% to 100%. Statistically, the K coefficient ranged from 0.71–0.87 in Group 1, and from 0.83–1.00 in Group 2. SAFT is therefore highly reproducible. Agreement was at least 88% between the scores (the lowest K value observed was at least 0.71).