Evaluation of young smokers and non-smokers with Electrogustometry and Contact Endoscopy

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Smoking is the cause of inducing changes in taste functionality under conditions of chronic exposure. The objective of this study was to evaluate taste sensitivity in young smokers and non-smokers and identify any differences in the shape, density and vascularisation of the fungiform papillae (fPap) of their tongue.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Sixty-two male subjects who served in the Greek military forces were randomly chosen for this study. Thirty-four were non-smokers and 28 smokers. Smokers were chosen on the basis of their habit to hold the cigarette at the centre of their lips. Taste thresholds were measured with Electrogustometry (EGM). The morphology and density of the fungiform papillae (fPap) at the tip of the tongue were examined with Contact Endoscopy (CE).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>There was found statistically important difference (<it>p </it>< 0.05) between the taste thresholds of the two groups although not all smokers presented with elevated taste thresholds: Six of them (21%) had taste thresholds similar to those of non-smokers. Differences concerning the shape and the vessels of the fungiform papillae between the groups were also detected. Fewer and flatter fPap were found in 22 smokers (79%).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The majority of smokers shown elevated taste thresholds in comparison to non-smokers. Smoking is an important factor which can lead to decreased taste sensitivity. The combination of methods, such as EGM and CE, can provide useful information about the vascularisation of taste buds and their functional ability.</p

Sensitivity to Experiencing Alcohol Hangovers: Reconsideration of the 0.11% Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) Threshold for Having a Hangover

The 2010 Alcohol Hangover Research Group consensus paper defined a cutoff blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.11% as a toxicological threshold indicating that sufficient alcohol had been consumed to develop a hangover. The cutoff was based on previous research and applied mostly in studies comprising student samples. Previously, we showed that sensitivity to hangovers depends on (estimated) BAC during acute intoxication, with a greater percentage of drinkers reporting hangovers at higher BAC levels. However, a substantial number of participants also reported hangovers at comparatively lower BAC levels. This calls the suitability of the 0.11% threshold into question. Recent research has shown that subjective intoxication, i.e., the level of severity of reported drunkenness, and not BAC, is the most important determinant of hangover severity. Non-student samples often have a much lower alcohol intake compared to student samples, and overall BACs often remain below 0.11%. Despite these lower BACs, many non-student participants report having a hangover, especially when their subjective intoxication levels are high. This may be the case when alcohol consumption on the drinking occasion that results in a hangover significantly exceeds their “normal” drinking level, irrespective of whether they meet the 0.11% threshold in any of these conditions. Whereas consumers may have relative tolerance to the adverse effects at their “regular” drinking level, considerably higher alcohol intake—irrespective of the absolute amount—may consequentially result in a next-day hangover. Taken together, these findings suggest that the 0.11% threshold value as a criterion for having a hangover should be abandoned

Altersbedingte elektrogustometrische Schwellenwerte sowie Gestalt und Gefäßversorgung der Papillae fungiformis

Einleitung: Auch für das Schmeckvermögen zeigt sich analog zu den übrigen Sinnessystemen ein altersabhängiger Funktionsverlust. Materialien und Methoden: Die Studie wurde an gesunden Nichtrauchern im Alter von 10 bis 70 Jahren durchgeführt(n=156, 74 m/82 w). Die Probanden wurden in 8 Altergruppen unterteilt (10-14, 15-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69 und >=69 Jahre). Es erfolgte eine elektrogustometrische Schwellenbestimmung sowie die Erfassung der Morphologie und Dichte der fungiformen Papillen (fPap) an der Zungenspitze mittels Kontaktendoskopie (KE).Ergebnisse: Die Schwellenwerte erhöhten sich ab einem Alter von 60 Jahren signifikant. Im Geschlechtervergleich konnten lediglich für weibliche Probanden zwischen 10-15 (p=0,043) und 20-29 Jahren (p=0,048) niedrigere Schwellenwerte bestimmt werden. In der der Chorda tympani zugeordneten Region lagen die Schwellenwerte bei den Probanden über 60 Jahren signifikant höher. Am Weichgaumen zeigten sich die Schwellwerte bei Männern mit 20-29 Jahren und über 60 Jahren erhöht gegenüber den jungeren (<19 Jahre) und Männern mit 30-59 Jahren. Bei Frauen über als 50 J. zeigten sich deutlich höhere Schwellenwerte als bei jüngeren Frauen.Dichteveränderungen anhand der KE konnten nur bei Männern über 50 bzw. und bei Frauen über 60 Jahren beobachtet werden. Die Gestalt und Gefäßverteilung der FP verschlechterte sich bei Leuten erhöhten Alters verschlechtern. Schlussfolgerung: Die vorliegende Arbeit stellt erstmals Alters-bedingte Veränderungen der elektrogustometrischen Schwellenwerte in einer europäischen (griechischen) Bevölkerung dar.Die kombinierte Verwendung von Elektrogustometrie und KE kann wertvolle Daten zur Untersuchung der Geschmacksfunktion liefern

What You Should Know about Infection

As in Northern Germany there have recently been several deaths caused by Escherichia coli (E.coli) , we decided to revisit the effects of E.coli infection. Since this bacteria is the most numerous facultative and aerobic germ in the human intestine, we would like to warn the population of its pathogenicity. In fact, E.coli can be pathogenic both in humans and in animals and can start an inflammatory process, activating some factors of the cell nucleus such as NFkB, with the consequent production of cytokines. E.coli can appear in several strains and can be very aggressive and can contaminate food, water and the environment, causing severe disease, and in some cases death

Bronchial Hyperresponsiveness in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Pulmonary complications have been described in patients with inflammatory bowel disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate bronchial hyppersponsiveness (BHR) in patients with Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). Fifteen patients (8 men, 7 women, mean age: 42.20 ± 12.20 years) participated in the study. None of the patients had a prior history of respiratory disease or suffered from other systematic disease. Skin prick tests for common allergens (such as pollens, mites, foods and moulds) were administered to all patients of the study. The control group included 15 healthy volunteers (10 men, 5 women, mean age: 40.33 ± 5.06 years). The skin tests showed that 3 of 15 patients with inflammatory bowel disease were sensitive to common allergens (two patients to mix grasses and one to D. Pteronysinnus ). In the control group, one subject was sensitive to D. Pteronysinnus. BHR was estimated after methacholine challenge. The frequency of BHR among the patients with inflammatory bowel disease was 7 of 15 (46.60%), compared with only one in the control group who was positive at the maximum dosage of methacholine (16 mg/dl). Our results indicate that there is an increased frequency of BHR in patients with inflammatory bowel disease

Skin Prick Tests in Patients with Chronic Urticaria

Acute or chronic urticaria is not a common manifestation of systemic disease. However it affects 15% of the population at least once during their lives. The most common causes of urticaria are allergic. In all, we studied 130 patients (mean age 54.8) with chronic urticaria, 88 women and 42 men, in an effort to identify common causes of urticaria, using environmental and food allergens. 90 of our patients (69.2%) did not present with skin sensitivity. The remaining 40 individuals presented with skin sensitivity: 20 (15.3%) to food allergens, 14 (10.7%) to environmental allergens and 6 patients (4.6%) to both allergens (environmental and food). We note that in chronic urticaria it is unusual to find underlying causes

Substance P: An Inflammatory Peptide

Substance P (SP) is involved in neurogenic inflammation and in the pathogenesis of several inflammatory diseases, demonstrating that there is a narrow interrelationship between the nervous system and immunity. Macrophage functions are altered in stress, therefore, since SP is a macrophage activator, its biological effect has been intimately linked to stress. In fact, SP enhances LPS-induced macrophage TNFα production from stressed animals and stimulates the production of IL-8 CXC chemokine response in a mast cell line in vitro . The stress-induced cytokines from macrophage also alter and contribute to inflammation. Understanding the pathophysiology of inflammation and the role of the chemical mediator SP may improve inflammation management