Risico beoordeling en risico management van dioxines en PCB's in voeding

In this report a brief overview is given concerning PCBs and dioxins in food. Background levels and the way PCBs and dioxins enter the environment are described. In the risk assessment part of the report an evaluation of toxicity is given, the way standards for dioxins and PCBs have been determined, which analysis methods are used as well as which levels of PCBs and dioxins have been measured in various food items. Finally, in the risk management part of this report it is tried to make clear what measures have been taken to reduce the risks related to exposure to dioxin and PCB.In dit rapport wordt in het kort een overzicht gegeven van de stand van zaken op het gebied van PCBs en dioxines in voedsel. Achtergrondblootstelling en de manier waarop deze achtergrondblootstelling ontstaat wordt besproken. In de risicobeoordeling wordt een overzicht gegeven van de toxicologische effecten, de wijze waarop een norm voor PCBs en dioxines is afgeleid, welke meetmethoden gebruikt worden en welke concentraties van PCBs en dioxines in verschillende voedingsmiddelen voorkomen. In het risico management deel wordt inzicht gegeven in de maatregelen die genomen zijn om de risico's ten gevolge van blootstelling aan PCBs en dioxines te verminderen

Risico beoordeling en risico management van dioxines en PCB's in voeding

In dit rapport wordt in het kort een overzicht gegeven van de stand van zaken op het gebied van PCBs en dioxines in voedsel. Achtergrondblootstelling en de manier waarop deze achtergrondblootstelling ontstaat wordt besproken. In de risicobeoordeling wordt een overzicht gegeven van de toxicologische effecten, de wijze waarop een norm voor PCBs en dioxines is afgeleid, welke meetmethoden gebruikt worden en welke concentraties van PCBs en dioxines in verschillende voedingsmiddelen voorkomen. In het risico management deel wordt inzicht gegeven in de maatregelen die genomen zijn om de risico's ten gevolge van blootstelling aan PCBs en dioxines te verminderen.In this report a brief overview is given concerning PCBs and dioxins in food. Background levels and the way PCBs and dioxins enter the environment are described. In the risk assessment part of the report an evaluation of toxicity is given, the way standards for dioxins and PCBs have been determined, which analysis methods are used as well as which levels of PCBs and dioxins have been measured in various food items. Finally, in the risk management part of this report it is tried to make clear what measures have been taken to reduce the risks related to exposure to dioxin and PCB.LNV/MK

A COMPARISON OF BRONCHODILATOR THERAPY WITH OR WITHOUT INHALED CORTICOSTEROID-THERAPY FOR OBSTRUCTIVE AIRWAYS DISEASE

Background. The morbidity from obstructive airways disease (asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) is considerable, and the mortality rate is rising in several countries. It has been hypothesized that long-term improvement in prognosis might result from vigorous bronchodilator or antiinflammatory therapy. Methods. In a multicenter trial we compared three inhalation regimens in which a beta2-agonist (terbutaline, 2000 mug daily) was combined with a corticosteroid (beclomethasone, 800 mug daily), an anticholinergic bronchodilator (ipratropium bromide, 160 mug daily), or placebo. Patients with airways hyperresponsiveness and obstruction who were 18 to 60 years old were followed for 2 1/2 years. Results. Of the 274 patients enrolled, 56 percent had allergies. The mean forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) was 64 percent of the predicted value. The mean PC20 (the concentration of inhaled histamine causing a 20 percent decrease in FEV1, a measure of hyperresponsiveness) was 0.26 mg per milliliter. Withdrawal from the study, due mainly to pulmonary symptoms, was less frequent in the corticosteroid group (12 of 91 patients) than in the anticholinergic-drug group (45 of 92 patients) or the placebo group (44 of 91 patients; P Conclusions. The addition of an inhaled corticosteroid - but not an inhaled anticholinergic agent - to maintenance treatment with a beta2-agonist (terbutaline) substantially reduced morbidity, hyperresponsiveness, and airways obstruction in patients with a spectrum of obstructive airways disease

Systemic eosinophil response induced by respiratory syncytial virus

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a common cause of lower respiratory tract disease (LRTD) in infants. Eosinophils have been suggested to play a role in the disease pathogenesis of LRTD. Inflammation can induce functional and morphological alterations of peripheral blood granulocytes. In patients with RSV LRTD, we aimed to investigate the eosinophil activation status by analysing surface markers. In vitro stimulation of eosinophils with cytokines leads to up-regulation of CD11b and priming markers recognized by the recently developed priming markers A17 and A27, whereas interleukin (IL)-5Rα is being down-regulated. In 51 patients and 10 controls we examined the expression of these surface markers on eosinophils in moderate to severe RSV-induced LRTD patients at the time of admission and 6 weeks later during the convalescence phase. RSV-patients were characterized by a higher eosinophil CD11b expression compared to controls. Although basal A17 and A27 expression was not increased, we observed a significantly higher expression of these priming epitopes on N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (fMLP)-stimulated cells of RSV patients compared with cells of controls, indicative of prior in vivo priming. Furthermore, IL-5Rα expression was down-regulated on peripheral blood eosinophils of these patients. Follow-up blood samples showed normalization of all markers but CD11b, which was persistently increased. Utilizing cellular markers, we observed that peripheral blood eosinophils from infants with RSV LRTD are in a more activated state compared to eosinophils of controls, which normalizes only partially during convalescence