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Food Science & Nutrition Feb 2024The increase in cheese production, sale, and consumption due to the settled lives of societies has led to an increase in cheese-related diseases. It has become essential...
The increase in cheese production, sale, and consumption due to the settled lives of societies has led to an increase in cheese-related diseases. It has become essential to better understand cheese-borne diseases and to develop control measures. In this study, cheese-related diseases and precautions taken in the Ottoman Empire from the 19th to the 20th centuries were investigated in Ottoman archival sources. Of these documents, cheese spoilage was detected in 12 and cheese-related disease in 9. Cheeses that caused diseases or disorders in the relevant period were called spoiled cheese. One document states that a person died of a cheese-borne illness. Cheese poisoning occurs mainly from unsalted, fresh cheeses. It has been determined that tin-free copper pots were used in cheese production and sales and covered with herbs such as hemlock during maturation. In the relevant period, microbiological and chemical analyses of cheeses in terms of health were carried out in food control laboratories. Since the mercury chloride solution is used to disinfect animal udders, it has been stated that it contaminates the milk used in cheese production. Authorities have requested a boric acid solution (5% boric acid in hot water) instead of this solution for udder disinfection. In the Ottoman Empire, it was requested to take necessary sanitation and hygiene measures to prevent spoilage and cheese-related diseases in the production areas or sales places of cheese. Clean and tinned containers should be used in cheese production, storage, and sale, and poisonous herbs should not be used during cheese ripening. It was also essential to analyze them in laboratories at internal and external customs. Knowing the precautions taken in the past to prevent the deterioration of food or the occurrence of diseases has led to modern food safety practices being applied today.
PubMed: 38370051
DOI: 10.1002/fsn3.3849 -
Archives of Toxicology Apr 2024Methylmercury (MeHg) is a well-known environmental neurotoxicant that causes severe brain disorders such as Minamata disease. Although some patients with Minamata...
Methylmercury (MeHg) is a well-known environmental neurotoxicant that causes severe brain disorders such as Minamata disease. Although some patients with Minamata disease develop olfactory dysfunction, the underlying pathomechanism is largely unknown. We examined the effects of MeHg on the olfactory system using a model of MeHg poisoning in which mice were administered 30 ppm MeHg in drinking water for 8 weeks. Mice exposed to MeHg displayed significant mercury accumulation in the olfactory pathway, including the nasal mucosa, olfactory bulb, and olfactory cortex. The olfactory epithelium was partially atrophied, and olfactory sensory neurons were diminished. The olfactory bulb exhibited an increase in apoptotic cells, hypertrophic astrocytes, and amoeboid microglia, mainly in the granular cell layer. Neuronal cell death was observed in the olfactory cortex, particularly in the ventral tenia tecta. Neuronal cell death was also remarkable in higher-order areas such as the orbitofrontal cortex. Correlation analysis showed that neuronal loss in the olfactory cortex was strongly correlated with the plasma mercury concentration. Our results indicate that MeHg is an olfactory toxicant that damages the central regions involved in odor perception. The model described herein is useful for analyzing the mechanisms and treatments of olfactory dysfunction in MeHg-intoxicated patients.
Topics: Humans; Mice; Animals; Methylmercury Compounds; Mercury; Mercury Poisoning, Nervous System; Microglia; Olfaction Disorders
PubMed: 38367039
DOI: 10.1007/s00204-024-03682-w -
BMC Oral Health May 2024The use of artificial intelligence in the field of health sciences is becoming widespread. It is known that patients benefit from artificial intelligence applications on...
Evaluating the accuracy of Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer version 4 (ChatGPT-4) responses to United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) frequently asked questions about dental amalgam.
BACKGROUND
The use of artificial intelligence in the field of health sciences is becoming widespread. It is known that patients benefit from artificial intelligence applications on various health issues, especially after the pandemic period. One of the most important issues in this regard is the accuracy of the information provided by artificial intelligence applications.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to the frequently asked questions about dental amalgam, as determined by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which is one of these information resources, to Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer version 4 (ChatGPT-4) and to compare the content of the answers given by the application with the answers of the FDA.
METHODS
The questions were directed to ChatGPT-4 on May 8th and May 16th, 2023, and the responses were recorded and compared at the word and meaning levels using ChatGPT. The answers from the FDA webpage were also recorded. The responses were compared for content similarity in "Main Idea", "Quality Analysis", "Common Ideas", and "Inconsistent Ideas" between ChatGPT-4's responses and FDA's responses.
RESULTS
ChatGPT-4 provided similar responses at one-week intervals. In comparison with FDA guidance, it provided answers with similar information content to frequently asked questions. However, although there were some similarities in the general aspects of the recommendation regarding amalgam removal in the question, the two texts are not the same, and they offered different perspectives on the replacement of fillings.
CONCLUSIONS
The findings of this study indicate that ChatGPT-4, an artificial intelligence based application, encompasses current and accurate information regarding dental amalgam and its removal, providing it to individuals seeking access to such information. Nevertheless, we believe that numerous studies are required to assess the validity and reliability of ChatGPT-4 across diverse subjects.
Topics: Dental Amalgam; United States; United States Food and Drug Administration; Humans; Artificial Intelligence; Surveys and Questionnaires
PubMed: 38789962
DOI: 10.1186/s12903-024-04358-8 -
Frontiers in Veterinary Science 2024Mercury (Hg) contamination poses a global threat to the environment, given its elevated ecotoxicity. Herein, we employed the lepidopteran model insect, silkworm (), to...
Mercury (Hg) contamination poses a global threat to the environment, given its elevated ecotoxicity. Herein, we employed the lepidopteran model insect, silkworm (), to systematically investigate the toxic effects of Hg-stress across its growth and development, histomorphology, antioxidant enzyme activities, and transcriptome responses. High doses of Hg exposure induced evident poisoning symptoms, markedly impeding the growth of silkworm larvae and escalating mortality in a dose-dependent manner. Under Hg exposure, the histomorphology of both the midgut and fat body exhibited impairments. Carboxylesterase (CarE) activity was increased in both midgut and fat body tissues responding to Hg treatment. Conversely, glutathione S-transferase (GST) levels increased in the fat body but decreased in the midgut. The transcriptomic analysis revealed that the response induced by Hg stress involved multiple metabolism processes. Significantly differently expressed genes (DEGs) exhibited strong associations with oxidative phosphorylation, nutrient metabolisms, insect hormone biosynthesis, lysosome, ribosome biogenesis in eukaryotes, and ribosome pathways in the midgut or the fat body. The findings implied that exposure to Hg might induce the oxidative stress response, attempting to compensate for impaired metabolism. Concurrently, disruptions in nutrient metabolism and insect hormone activity might hinder growth and development, leading to immune dysfunction in silkworms. These insights significantly advance our theoretical understanding of the potential mechanisms underlying Hg toxicity in invertebrate organisms.
PubMed: 38919158
DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1405541 -
Toxics Mar 2024Widespread contamination of the Amazon basin with mercury has been reported to occur since at least the mid-80s due to heavy gold mining activity. Although initial...
Widespread contamination of the Amazon basin with mercury has been reported to occur since at least the mid-80s due to heavy gold mining activity. Although initial studies have indicated that this may lead to deleterious neurological consequences to the indigenous populations living in the region, further research is needed to better characterize the neurological burden of such long-term exposure. With this aim, a cross-sectional exploratory study has been conducted with the Yanomami indigenous population residing in a northern Amazon region. All participants underwent a structured interview; detailed neurological examination, including assessment for cognitive, motor, coordination, and sensory functions; and laboratorial testing for serum hemoglobin, blood glucose, and methylmercury levels in hair samples. This study enrolled 154 individuals of 30.9 ± 16.8 years of age, of which 56.1% were female. Mean methylmercury levels in hair were 3.9 ± 1.7 µg/g. Methylmercury levels in hair > 6.0 µg/g were found in 10.3%. Among participants with hair methylmercury levels ≥ 6.0 μg/g, the prevalences of peripheral neuropathy and reduced cognitive performance were, respectively, 78.8% (95%CI 15-177%, = 0.010) and 95.9% (95%CI 16-230.8%, = 0.012) higher than those of individuals with lower levels. These results suggest that chronic mercury exposure may lead to significant and potentially irreversible neurotoxicity to Yanomami population living in the northern Amazon basin.
PubMed: 38535945
DOI: 10.3390/toxics12030212