EFSA NDA Panel (EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies), 2013 . Scientific Opinion on Rooster Combs Extract

Following a request from the European Commission, the EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA) was asked to carry out the additional assessment for ‘Rooster Combs Extract’ (RCE) as a food ingredient in the context of Regulation (EC) No 258/97, taking into account the comments and objections of a scientific nature raised by Member States. Rooster combs extract results from a production process involving enzymatic hydrolysis of rooster combs and subsequent filtration, concentration and precipitation steps. The principle constituents of RCE are the glycosaminoglycans hyaluronic acid, chondroitin sulphate A and dermatan sulphate. The applicant intends to add RCE to a number of dairy products with a recommended maximum intake of 80 mg RCE per portion and per day. The target population is the general population, with the exception of pregnant women, children and people with adverse reactions to sodium hyaluronate and/or avian protein. In the high intake scenario for “consumers only”, the highest daily intake would occur in adults in Belgium (0.788 g). The highest intake scenario for “all subjects” was estimated for adolescents in Denmark (0.427 g/day). The Panel notes that no adverse effects were observed at the highest tested dose of 600 mg/kg bw per day in a 90-day oral toxicity study in rats. Considering the nature, the natural occurrence and previous consumption of RCE constituents, the Panel is of the opinion that the margin between the intended as well as the estimated maximum possible intake of RCE in relation to the highest dose administered to rats without adverse effects in a subchronic oral toxicity study is sufficient. The Panel concludes that the novel food ingredient, Rooster Comb Extract, is safe under the proposed uses and use levels

Identification of a New HIV-1 BC Intersubtype Circulating Recombinant Form (CRF108_BC) in Spain.

The extraordinary genetic variability of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) group M has led to the identification of 10 subtypes, 102 circulating recombinant forms (CRFs) and numerous unique recombinant forms. Among CRFs, 11 derived from subtypes B and C have been identified in China, Brazil, and Italy. Here we identify a new HIV-1 CRF_BC in Northern Spain. Originally, a phylogenetic cluster of 15 viruses of subtype C in protease-reverse transcriptase was identified in an HIV-1 molecular surveillance study in Spain, most of them from individuals from the Basque Country and heterosexually transmitted. Analyses of near full-length genome sequences from six viruses from three cities revealed that they were BC recombinant with coincident mosaic structures different from known CRFs. This allowed the definition of a new HIV-1 CRF designated CRF108_BC, whose genome is predominantly of subtype C, with four short subtype B fragments. Phylogenetic analyses with database sequences supported a Brazilian ancestry of the parental subtype C strain. Coalescent Bayesian analyses estimated the most recent common ancestor of CRF108_BC in the city of Vitoria, Basque Country, around 2000. CRF108_BC is the first CRF_BC identified in Spain and the second in Europe, after CRF60_BC, both phylogenetically related to Brazilian subtype C strains.This work was funded through Acción Estratégica en Salud Intramural (AESI), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, projects “Estudios sobre vigilancia epidemiológica molecular del VIH- 1 en España,” PI16CIII/00033, and “Epidemiología molecular del VIH-1 en España y su utilidad para investigaciones biológicas y en vacunas”, PI19CIII/00042; Red de Investigación en SIDA (RIS), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Subdirección General de Evaluación y Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER), Plan Nacional I + D + I, project RD16ISCIII/0002/0004; and scientific agreement with Osakidetza-Servicio Vasco de Salud, Government of Basque Country, MVI 1001/16. JC was supported by the Social European Fund through the Youth Employment Operational Program and the Youth Employment Initiative and by the Comunidad de Madrid.S

Principles of Periodontology

Periodontal diseases are among the most common diseases affecting humans. Dental biofilm is a contributor to the etiology of most periodontal diseases. It is also widely accepted that immunological and inflammatory responses to biofilm components are manifested by signs and symptoms of periodontal disease. The outcome of such interaction is modulated by risk factors (modifiers), either inherent (genetic) or acquired (environmental), significantly affecting the initiation and progression of different periodontal disease phenotypes. While definitive genetic determinants responsible for either susceptibility or resistance to periodontal disease have yet to be identified, many factors affecting the pathogenesis have been described, including smoking, diabetes, obesity, medications, and nutrition. Currently, periodontal diseases are classified based upon clinical disease traits using radiographs and clinical examination. Advances in genomics, molecular biology, and personalized medicine may result in new guidelines for unambiguous disease definition and diagnosis in the future. Recent studies have implied relationships between periodontal diseases and systemic conditions. Answering critical questions regarding host‐parasite interactions in periodontal diseases may provide new insight in the pathogenesis of other biomedical disorders. Therapeutic efforts have focused on the microbial nature of the infection, as active treatment centers on biofilm disruption by non‐surgical mechanical debridement with antimicrobial and sometimes anti‐inflammatory adjuncts. The surgical treatment aims at gaining access to periodontal lesions and correcting unfavorable gingival/osseous contours to achieve a periodontal architecture that will provide for more effective oral hygiene and periodontal maintenance. In addition, advances in tissue engineering have provided innovative means to regenerate/repair periodontal defects, based upon principles of guided tissue regeneration and utilization of growth factors/biologic mediators. To maintain periodontal stability, these treatments need to be supplemented with long‐term maintenance (supportive periodontal therapy) programs

Glycemic control of type 2 diabetes and severe periodontal disease in the US adult population

Objective: We investigated the association between glycemic control of type 2 diabetes mellitus (type 2 DM) and severe periodontal disease in the US adult population ages 45 years and older. Methods: Data on 4343 persons ages 45–90 years from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Study III were analyzed using weighted multivariable logistic regression. Severe periodontal disease was defined as 2 + sites with 6 + mm loss of attachment and at least one site with probing pocket depth of 5 + mm. Individuals with fasting plasma glucose > 126 mg/dL were classified as having diabetes; those with poorly controlled diabetes (PCDM) had glycosylated hemoglobin > 9% and those with better-controlled diabetes (BCDM) had glycosylated hemoglobin ≤ 9%. Additional variables evaluated in multivariable modeling included age, ethnicity, education, gender, smoking status, and other factors derived from the interview, medical and dental examination, and laboratory assays. Results: Individuals with PCDM had a significantly higher prevalence of severe periodontitis than those without diabetes (odds ratio = 2.90; 95% CI: 1.40, 6.03), after controlling for age, education, smoking status, and calculus. For the BCDM subjects, there was a tendency for a higher prevalence of severe periodontitis (odds ratio = 1.56; 95% CI: 0.90, 2.68). Conclusion: These results provide population-based evidence to support an association between poorly controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus and severe periodontitis.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/71997/1/j.1600-0528.2002.300304.x.pd

Optimal clinical management of children receiving dietary therapies for epilepsy : Updated recommendations of the International Ketogenic Diet Study Group

Ketogenic dietary therapies (KDTs) are established, effective nonpharmacologic treatments for intractable childhood epilepsy. For many years KDTs were implemented differently throughout the world due to lack of consistent protocols. In 2009, an expert consensus guideline for the management of children on KDT was published, focusing on topics of patient selection, pre-KDT counseling and evaluation, diet choice and attributes, implementation, supplementation, follow-up, side events, and KDT discontinuation. It has been helpful in outlining a state-of-the-art protocol, standardizing KDT for multicenter clinical trials, and identifying areas of controversy and uncertainty for future research. Now one decade later, the organizers and authors of this guideline present a revised version with additional authors, in order to include recent research, especially regarding other dietary treatments, clarifying indications for use, side effects during initiation and ongoing use, value of supplements, and methods of KDT discontinuation. In addition, authors completed a survey of their institution's practices, which was compared to responses from the original consensus survey, to show trends in management over the last 10 years

The prevalence of pathologic tooth migration with respect to the severity of periodontitis

AIM: Pathologic tooth migration (PTM) has been defined as tooth displacement that occurs when the balance among the factors that maintain physiologic tooth position is disturbed by periodontal disease. The aim of this cross-sectional epidemiological study was to determine the prevalence of pathologic tooth migration among patients with periodontitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Recorded documents of 370 patients (72.4% females, 27.6% males) within the age range of 17 to 70 years (mean 37.77 ± 11.46) were studied. Statistical analysis was carried out using t-test and Chi-square test. RESULTS: Pathologic migration prevalence was 11.4% (35/314 patients), however, there was no pathologic migration in patients with mild chronic periodontitis. The Chi-square test showed that there was no statistically significant difference between males and females. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study confirm that pathologic tooth migration is relatively common among periodontal patients and its prevalence is increased by the severity of periodontal disease