The effects of low-calorie sweeteners on energy intake and body weight: a systematic review and meta-analyses of sustained intervention studies.

Previous meta-analyses of intervention studies have come to different conclusions about effects of consumption of low-calorie sweeteners (LCS) on body weight. The present review included 60 articles reporting 88 parallel-groups and cross-over studies ≥1 week in duration that reported either body weight (BW), BMI and/or energy intake (EI) outcomes. Studies were analysed according to whether they compared (1) LCS with sugar, (2) LCS with water or nothing, or (3) LCS capsules with placebo capsules. Results showed an effect in favour of LCS vs sugar for BW (29 parallel-groups studies, 2267 participants: BW change, -1.06 kg, 95% CI -1.50 to -0.62, I2 = 51%), BMI and EI. Effect on BW change increased with 'dose' of sugar replaced by LCS, whereas there were no differences in study outcome as a function of duration of the intervention or participant blinding. Overall, results showed no difference in effects of LCS vs water/nothing for BW (11 parallel-groups studies, 1068 participants: BW change, 0.10 kg, 95% CI -0.87 to 1.07, I2 = 82%), BMI and EI; and inconsistent effects for LCS consumed in capsules (BW change: -0.28 kg, 95% CI -0.80 to 0.25, I2 = 0%; BMI change: 0.20 kg/m2, 95% CI 0.04 to 0.36, I2 = 0%). Occurrence of adverse events was not affected by the consumption of LCS. The studies available did not permit robust analysis of effects by LCS type. In summary, outcomes were not clearly affected when the treatments differed in sweetness, nor when LCS were consumed in capsules without tasting; however, when treatments differed in energy value (LCS vs sugar), there were consistent effects in favour of LCS. The evidence from human intervention studies supports the use of LCS in weight management, constrained primarily by the amount of added sugar that LCS can displace in the diet

Germination Requirements of Androsace Villosa L. (Primulaceae)

We investigated the germination requirements of Androsace villosa L. (Hairy Androsace), which spreads on limestone or granite screes or ledges of rocky or turfy slopes and hilltops of the alpine zone. With seeds collect-ed from Uludag Mt. (Bursa, Turkey, 2200–2300 m a.s.l.), germination was studied in fresh seeds, seeds sub-jected to short-time moist chilling (15 d, +4°C), to GA3 (100, 150 and 250 ppm), and to chilling plus GA3. The hormone and moist chilling treatments were carried out in continuous darkness (20°C) and under a 12 h pho-toperiod at 20/10°C. Seeds maintained in darkness gave higher germination percentages than seeds maintained under a photoperiod. Germination rates rose to 90–97 % with 100–250 ppm GA3 and short-time moist chilling in continuous darkness (20°C). Seeds germinated rapidly under a combination of GA3 and short-time moist chilling in continuous darkness, generally giving the lowest mean germination times (4.4–5.0 d) among the treat-ments