The Effect of Artificial Sweeteners in Chewing Gum, Helpful or Harmful?

Objective/Aims: This review of literature was designed to analyze the effects of artificial sweeteners in chewing gum in the oral cavity. The intent was to recognize which formulations of artificial sweeteners in chewing gum lead to beneficial outcomes in the oral cavity and which formulations lead to harmful effects. Methods: The review of literature analyzed the conclusions of primary and secondary resources accumulated from PubMed. Multiple scholarly studies were filtered based upon meta-analysis, cross-sectional, and cohort studies. The following key terms were used: artificial sweetener, chewing gum, plaque, saliva, microbes, and oral health. A summative report was created based upon the relevant findings. Articles selected were published after 2014. Results: The studies collected were assessed using a measure of saliva and plaque pH, salivary function, caries occurrence, remineralization, and oral flora. Xylitol made the most beneficial impact on the oral cavity. Research indicates artificial sweeteners have shown an immense advantage over conventional sugar in chewing gum, and its resulting effects on hard tissue. Conclusion: The relationship between artificial sweeteners and oral health supports different advantageous outcomes in the oral cavity. In conclusion, although studies using artificial sweeteners can show benefits to the oral cavity, the dose of artificial sweetener required to yield these results are often not found in chewing gum.https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/denh_student/1012/thumbnail.jp

Zero Krengel Entropy does not kill Poisson Entropy

We prove that the notions of Krengel entropy and Poisson entropy for infinite-measure-preserving transformations do not always coincide: We construct a conservative infinite-measure-preserving transformation with zero Krengel entropy (the induced transformation on a set of measure 1 is the Von Neumann-Kakutani odometer), but whose associated Poisson suspension has positive entropy

Ecohydrological Controls on Grass and Shrub Above-ground Net Primary Productivity in a Seasonally Dry Climate

Seasonally dry, water‐limited regions are often co‐dominated by distinct herbaceous and woody plant communities with contrasting ecohydrological properties. We investigated the shape of the above‐ground net primary productivity (ANPP) response to annual precipitation (Pa) for adjacent grassland and shrubland ecosystems in Southern California, with the goal of understanding the role of these ecohydrological properties on ecosystem function. Our synthesis of observations and modelling demonstrates grassland and shrubland exhibit distinct ANPP‐Pa responses that correspond with characteristics of the long‐term Pa distribution and mean water balance fluxes. For annual grassland, no ANPP occurs below a ‘precipitation compensation point,’ where bare soil evaporation dominates the water balance, and ANPP saturates above the Pawhere deep percolation and runoff contribute to the modelled water balance. For shrubs, ANPP increases at a lower and relatively constant rate across the Pa gradient, while deep percolation and runoff account for a smaller fraction of the modelled water balance. We identify precipitation seasonality, root depth, and water stress sensitivity as the main ecosystem properties controlling these responses. Observed ANPP‐Paresponses correspond to notably different patterns of rain‐use efficiency (RUE). Grass RUE exceeds shrub RUE over a wide range of typical Pa values, whereas grasses and shrubs achieve a similar RUE in particularly dry or wet years. Inter‐annual precipitation variability, and the concomitant effect on ANPP, plays a critical role in maintaining the balance of grass and shrub cover and ecosystem‐scale productivity across this landscape