Guidelines for conducting epidemiological studies of blast injury.

Blast injuries are often caused by more than one mechanism, do not occur in isolation, and typically elicit a secondary multi-system response. Research efforts often do not separate blast injuries caused by blast waves from those caused by blunt force trauma and other mechanisms. 15 experts from nine different NATO nations developed in the HFM Research Task Group (RTG; HFM-234 (RTG)) 'Environmental Toxicology of Blast Exposures: Injury Metrics, Modelling, Methods and Standards' Guidelines for Conducting Epidemiological Studies of Blast Injury. This paper describes these guidelines, which are intended to provide blast injury researchers and clinicians with a basic set of recommendations for blast injury epidemiological study design and data collection that need to be considered and described when conducting prospective longitudinal studies of blast injury.

Guidelines for using animal models in blast injury research.

Blast injury is a very complex phenomenon and frequently results in multiple injuries. One method to investigate the consequences of blast injuries is with the use of living systems (animal models). The use of animals allows the examination and evaluation of injury mechanisms in a more controlled manner, allowing variables such as primary or secondary blast injury for example, to be isolated and manipulated as required. To ensure a degree of standardisation across the blast research community a set of guidelines which helps researchers navigate challenges of modelling blast injuries in animals is required. This paper describes the guidelines for Using Animal Models in Blast Injury Research developed by the NATO Health Factors and Medicine (HFM) Research Task Group 234.

Modified α,α'-trehalose and d-glucose: green monomers for the synthesis of vinyl copolymers.

Allyl saccharide/vinyl copolymers were synthesized using renewable feedstocks (α,α'-trehalose and d-glucose) to obtain 'green monomers'. Properly designed synthetic procedures were used to obtain copolymers with high purity and without protection/deprotection steps in agreement with the principles of green chemistry and industrial sustainability. The use of saccharide derivatives as monomers allowed products to be obtained that showed high affinity and compatibility for the cellulosic substrates, like paper or wood, and that were suitable for applications like adhesion or consolidation in the field of cultural heritage. All reaction products were characterized by FT-IR and NMR spectroscopies and SEC analyses, while thermal properties were evaluated by DSC analyses.

Aflatoxin B1 contamination in maize in Europe increases due to climate change.

Climate change has been reported as a driver for emerging food and feed safety issues worldwide and its expected impact on the presence of mycotoxins in food and feed is of great concern. Aflatoxins have the highest acute and chronic toxicity of all mycotoxins; hence, the maximal concentration in agricultural food and feed products and their commodities is regulated worldwide. The possible change in patterns of aflatoxin occurrence in crops due to climate change is a matter of concern that may require anticipatory actions. The aim of this study was to predict aflatoxin contamination in maize and wheat crops, within the next 100 years, under a +2 °C and +5 °C climate change scenario, applying a modelling approach. Europe was virtually covered by a net, 50 × 50 km grids, identifying 2254 meshes with a central point each. Climate data were generated for each point, linked to predictive models and predictions were run consequently. Aflatoxin B1 is predicted to become a food safety issue in maize in Europe, especially in the +2 °C scenario, the most probable scenario of climate change expected for the next years. These results represent a supporting tool to reinforce aflatoxin management and to prevent human and animal exposure.

Alexithymia and body weight in obese patients.

The authors evaluated severely obese patients to determine whether being far different in body shape from the accepted standard may cause obese people to develop alexithymic personality traits. They evaluated the food- and weight-related attitudes in obesity surgery patients and in long-term follow-up of those who had previously had biliopancreatic diversion (BPD) for obesity. One quarter of the obese patients had alexithymic characteristics without any modification following stable weight loss, a rate of alexithymia similar to that observed in the nonclinical population. Furthermore, the frequency of alexithymia and the patients' scores on the Toronto Alexithymia Scale were similar in obese and post-BPD individuals. The authors concluded that being obese by itself does not influence the presence of alexithymic personality traits. However, they suggest that the improvement in food-related and weight-related attitudes following stable weight loss may be different in alexithymic and in nonalexithymic obese patients.