Evaluation of Color Stability and Translucency of Different Composite Resins Exposed to Alcohol.

BACKGROUND: As there is evidence showing the effects of alcohol on the surface properties of composite resins, it is of great importance to understand the effects of commonly consumed beverages on the discoloration of composite restorations in people who consume alcohol. AIM: The aim of this study was to investigate the changes in the color and translucency of composite resins immersed in different beverages after exposure to alcohol. METHODS: Disk-shaped samples from each composite resin (Filtek Z250 (Z250), Clearfil Majesty Esthetic (CME), and Esthelite Bulk Fill Flow (EBF), were prepared (n = 60) and randomly divided into two groups (exposed or unexposed to alcohol). The samples were immersed in distilled water, black tea, and coffee. The color parameter (∆E00) and translucency parameter (∆TP) were calculated after 24 h, 1 week, and 3 weeks. Four-way ANOVA and Tukey's post-hoc analysis were used for the statistical analysis (α = 0.05). RESULTS: Alcohol significantly increased the discoloration of Z250 and EBF in black tea. The discoloration of CME was not affected by alcohol exposure. Z250 and EBF showed clinically unacceptable discoloration (ΔE00 > 2.25) after immersion in black tea and coffee, whereas CME showed clinically unacceptable discoloration after immersion in black tea. Black tea caused the greatest color change in all composite materials regardless of alcohol exposure. EBF showed the lowest ΔTP values (∆TP = -1.82) at 3 weeks of immersion in black tea. CONCLUSIONS: The effect of alcohol on discoloration depended on the composite type used. The translucency of bulk-fill flowable composite decreased with alcohol exposure.

Characteristics, toxicology and major organ pathology of deaths due to acute alcohol toxicity in Australia, 2011-2022.

INTRODUCTION: Acute alcohol toxicity is a significant component of alcohol-related mortality. The study aimed to: (i) determine the circumstances of death and characteristics of fatal alcohol toxicity cases, 2011-2022; (ii) determine their toxicological profile and major autopsy findings; and (iii) determine trends in population mortality rates. METHODS: Retrospective study of acute alcohol toxicity deaths in Australia, 2011-2022, retrieved from the National Coronial Information System. RESULTS: A total of 891 cases were identified, with a mean age of 49.2 years, 71.0% being male. Alcohol use problems were noted in 71.3%. In 57.5% death was attributed solely to acute alcohol toxicity, and combined acute alcohol toxicity/disease in 42.5%. There was evidence of sudden collapse in 24.9% of cases. The mean BAC was 0.331 g/100 mL (range 0.107-0.936), and spirits were the most commonly reported beverages (35.8%). Cases of combined toxicity/disease had significantly lower BACs than those attributed solely to alcohol toxicity (0.296 vs. 0.358 g/100 mL). Cardiomegaly was diagnosed in 32.5%, and severe coronary artery disease in 22.1%. Aspiration of vomitus was noted in 18.0%, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in 19.6%. Severe liver steatosis was present in 33.4% and 13.6% had cirrhosis. There was an average annual percentage increase in deaths of 7.90. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: The 'typical' case was a long-standing, heavy spirits drinker. BACs showed enormous variation and no arbitrary concentration may be deemed lethal. Clinically significant disease was associated with death at a lower BAC and people with such disease may be at increased risk of alcohol poisoning.

Negative consequences associated with daily alcohol use as a nonlinear function of number of drinks in a daily diary study.

INTRODUCTION: Drinking intensity among young adults is associated with greater negative alcohol-related consequences, but often studied using categorical drinking thresholds. This study examined how alcohol-related consequences varied as a continuous function of number of drinks consumed, without imposing thresholds, to identify drink ranges for which risk is greatest. METHODS: Analyses included daily surveys from the Young Adult Daily Life study (2019-22) in which individuals reported drinking 1 or more alcoholic drinks (n=5219 days; 832 individuals). Time-varying effect models estimated total number of negative alcohol-related consequences and five individual consequences (hangover, drank more than planned, nausea/vomiting, did something embarrassing, blacked out) as a function of the number of drinks consumed among young adult males and females. RESULTS: Often, increases in the number and prevalence of negative consequences were a nonlinear function of the number of drinks consumed. Females reported few negative consequences on 1-to-3-drink occasions but steep increases in consequences on 4-to-9-drink occasions. Among females, the prevalence of blacking out increased six-fold from 4-drink (3.4%; 95% CI=2.6,4.7) to 9-drink occasions (20.6%; 95% CI=16.1,26.1). Among males, the prevalence of some consequences, while not linear, increased across the full drink range. Blacking out among males increased from 9.6% (95% CI=6.2,14.7) on 10-drink occasions to 23.9% (95% CI=15.0,35.8) on 15-drink occasions. CONCLUSIONS: Substantial heterogeneity is missed when typical drinking categories are used. In particular, variability in consequences across levels of the traditional binge drinking category suggests that important differences in risk may be missed when assessed as a uniform category.

The potential adverse effects of minors' exposure to alcohol-related stimuli via licenced venues: A narrative review.

ISSUES: Young people are particularly impressionable when it comes to forming expectations and attitudes around alcohol consumption. Any stimuli that normalise and foster positive expectations around alcohol use may increase the risk of underage alcohol consumption. Alcohol venues that market themselves as being appropriate 'family friendly' establishments for children risk exposing minors to environments that are saturated with alcohol-related stimuli. However, research examining how exposure to licenced venues affects underage people is very limited. The aim of this narrative review was to identify and synthesise relevant evidence to better understand how attending these venues might affect minors. APPROACH: A narrative review of research published between January 2016 and November 2022 was conducted to investigate the potential effects on underage people of exposure to licenced venues and stimuli encountered in/around these venues. Examined stimuli included alcohol advertising, people consuming alcohol and alcohol outlets. KEY FINDINGS: The reviewed literature indicates that the risk of alcohol-related harm among minors is likely to increase with greater exposure to alcohol venues due to the associated exposure to alcohol advertising, exposure to others consuming alcohol and higher outlet density. In combination, these factors are likely to normalise alcohol consumption for minors and create positive alcohol expectancies. IMPLICATIONS AND CONCLUSION: Venues serving alcohol should be discouraged from targeting families and parents should be warned about the risks associated with taking minors to venues where alcohol is sold and consumed.

How effective are health messages/warnings in improving knowledge and awareness of alcohol-related harm? The Slovenian case on using a mobile app.

BACKGROUND: Consumers generally lack access to information on alcoholic beverages, in spite of it being readily available for food and non-alcoholic beverages. Given the rights of consumers, and as with other products harmful to the population, there have been increasing calls for health warnings to be placed on alcoholic beverages, similar to those implemented on tobacco products. The aim of our research was to assess whether knowledge and awareness of the risks and harms associated with alcohol can be improved with a mobile app. METHODS: Intervention was conducted using VKJ mobile app, which enables users to scan the barcode of an alcoholic beverage and receive feedback on its labelled alcohol content and estimated energy value. At each search, eleven different health messages/warnings about the risks and harms of alcohol are also displayed randomly, rotating on the screen. A survey was conducted before and after the intervention, to assess the knowledge and awareness of the risks and harms associated with drinking alcohol. RESULTS: Significant differences were found for eight of the twelve tested statements. The improvement was seen to a greater extent in the group of high-risk drinkers. The results also showed that the vast majority of participants (78%) who were exposed to the health messages supported mandatory labelling of alcoholic beverages with information on ingredient listing and energy value, and 72% would like to have health warnings on alcohol products. CONCLUSIONS: The use of a mobile app can be an option to improve knowledge and raise awareness of the risks and harms related to alcohol.

Estilos de crianza parental y consumo de tabaco y alcohol en adolescentes y jóvenes escolarizados / Parenting styles and use of tobacco and alcohol in adolescents and young persons enrolled in school

Objetivo: describir la asociación de los estilos de crianza parental con el consumo de tabaco y alcohol en adolescentes y jóvenes del norte del estado de Nuevo León, México.Método: estudio descriptivo transversal. Población formada por estudiantes de 15 a 23 años de preparatoria y universitarios (N= 1.562) seleccionados por muestreo estratificado. Se midieron variables demográficas y de consumo de sustancias, así como el estilo de crianza percibido en padre y madre mediante la Escala de Steinberg (democrático, indulgente, autoritario, negligente). Se realizó estadística descriptiva y modelos de regresión lineal.Resultados: participaron 448 estudiantes. El 49,6% había consumido tabaco y el 76,6% alcohol alguna vez. Se encontraron diferencias estadísticamente significativas en el consumo de alcohol en función del estilo de crianza maternal, más frecuente en caso de estilo negligente (87%). A nivel multivariante, el estilo de crianza negligente del padre (β= 0,15) y mayor edad (β= 0,30) se asociaron a mayor cantidad de cigarros fumados en un día normal (R2= 0,08; p < 0,001). El estilo de crianza democrático de la madre (β= -0,16) y ser hombre (β= -0,25) explicaron una menor cantidad de copas consumidas en un día típico (R2= 0,08; p < 0,001).Conclusiones: la mitad de las personas participantes había consumido alguna vez tabaco y tres cuartas partes alcohol. Percibir al padre con estilo de crianza negligente aumentó la cantidad de tabaco consumido en un día típico. El estilo de crianza democrático de la madre se asoció a menor cantidad de alcohol consumido en un día típico.(AU)

Objective: to describe the association between parental styles and use of tobacco and alcohol in adolescents and young persons from the northern Nuevo León state, Mexico.Method: a descriptive cross-sectional study. The population was formed by 15-to-23-year-old high school and university students (N= 1.562) selected through stratified sampling. Demographic variables and use of substances were measured, as well as the parenting style perceived in their father and mother through the Steinberg Scale (democratic, indulgent, authoritative, neglectful). Descriptive statistics and linear regression models were conducted.Results: in total, 448 students participated in the study; 49.6% of them had smoked and 76.6% had used alcohol at some point. Statistically significant differences were found in the use of alcohol according to the parenting style by their mother, more frequent in the case of neglectful style (87%). At multivariate level, the neglectful parenting style by the father (β= 0.15) and older age (β= 0.30) were associated with a higher number of cigars smoked in a typical day (R2= 0.08; p < 0.001). The democratic parenting style by the mother (β= -0.16) and being male (β= -0.25) explained a lower number of drinks taken during a typical day (R2= 0.08; p < 0.001).Conclusions: half of the participants had smoked at some time, and three fourths of them had drank alcohol. Perceiving a neglectful parenting style in the father increased the amount of tobacco used in a typical day. The democratic parenting style of the mother was associated with a lower volume of alcohol taken in a typical day.(AU)

Association between alcoholic beverage intake and hyperuricemia in Chinese adults: Findings from the China Health and Nutrition Survey.

While prior research has shown that consuming alcohol may raise the risk of hyperuricemia, little is known about how individual types of alcohol are linked to levels of uric acid in China. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the independent impact of beer, wine, and liquor on serum uric acid (SUA) levels in the serum of Chinese adults. This study analyzed data from the 2009 China Health and Nutrition Survey and included 7083 participants (3418 men and 3665 women, ≥18 years of age). Multivariable logistic regression was used to analyze the potential association between alcohol intake and hyperuricemia risk, while linear regression analysis and general linear model were performed to examine the impact of alcohol consumption on SUA levels. This study revealed that men who drank alcohol daily had a greater odds ratio (1.68, 95% confidence interval: 1.01, 2.81) of hyperuricemia than those who drank alcohol no more than once a month. SUA levels of men significantly increased by 0.001 mg/dL for per additional gram of liquor consumed weekly. But men who drank ≤ 90.6 g of liquor per week had lower SUA levels compared with those in nondrinkers. SUA levels were inversely associated with wine intake in women (P = .03, P for trend = .02). Overall, consumption of beer, wine, and liquor differentially affected SUA levels in adult Chinese men and women.

'A recipe for cultural disaster!'- a case study of Woolworths Group's proposal to build an alcohol megastore in Darwin, Northern Territory.

BACKGROUND: The health and wellbeing impacts of commercial activity on Indigenous populations is an emerging field of research. The alcohol industry is a key driver of health and social harms within Australia. In 2016 Woolworths, the largest food and beverage retailer in Australia, proposed to build a Dan Murphy's alcohol megastore in Darwin, near three 'dry' Aboriginal communities. This study examines the tactics used by Woolworths to advance the Dan Murphy's proposal and understand how civil society action can overcome powerful commercial interests to protect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and wellbeing. METHODS: Data from 11 interviews with Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal informants were combined with data extracted from media articles and government, non-government and industry documents. Thematic analysis was informed by an adapted corporate health impact assessment framework. RESULTS: Woolworths employed several strategies including lobbying, political pressure, litigation, and divisive public rhetoric, while ignoring the evidence suggesting the store would increase alcohol-related harm. The advocacy campaign against the proposal highlighted the importance of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal groups working together to counter commercial interests and the need to champion Aboriginal leadership. Advocacy strategies included elevating the voices of community Elders in the media and corporate activism via Woolworths' investors. CONCLUSIONS: The strategies used by the coalition of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal groups may be useful in future advocacy campaigns to safeguard Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and wellbeing from commercial interests.

Designing Cancer Warning Labels for Alcoholic Beverages: Examining the Impact of Visual Elements.

Alcohol is a known carcinogen. However, public awareness of cancer risk associated with alcohol use is low. A promising approach to raising awareness is to include cancer warning labels on alcohol-containing products, but there is limited knowledge of the design and effect of such warnings. The present study investigated the impact of visual elements on the effectiveness of cancer warning labels. In a randomized online experiment, alcohol consumers (N = 1,190) were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: exposure to (a) text-only warning labels, (b) pictorial warning labels showing graphic health effects (e.g., diseased organs), and (c) pictorial warning labels showing lived experience (e.g., cancer patients in a medical setting). The results showed that whereas the three warning types did not differ significantly in behavioral intentions, pictorial warnings featuring health effects led to greater disgust and anger than text-only warnings and pictorial warnings featuring lived experience. Moreover, anger predicted lower intentions to reduce alcohol use and was a significant mediator of the effects of warning type on behavioral intentions. The findings highlight the role of emotions in responses to health warning labels with different visual elements and suggest that text-only warnings and pictorial warnings with lived experience may be useful in preventing boomerang effects.

Alcohol Consumption and Risk of Total Hip Replacement Due to Hip Osteoarthritis in Women.

OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken to examine the relationship between alcohol consumption and hip osteoarthritis in women. Alcohol has been associated with both adverse and beneficial health effects generally; however, the relationship between alcohol consumption and hip osteoarthritis has been minimally studied. METHODS: Among women in the Nurses' Health Study cohort in the US, alcohol consumption was assessed every 4 years, starting in 1980. Intake was computed as cumulative averages and simple updates with latency periods of 0-4 through 20-24 years. We followed 83,383 women without diagnosed osteoarthritis in 1988 to June 2012. We identified 1,796 cases of total hip replacement due to hip osteoarthritis defined by self-report of osteoarthritis with hip replacement. RESULTS: Alcohol consumption was positively associated with hip osteoarthritis risk. Compared with nondrinkers, multivariable hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were HR 1.04 (95% CI 0.90, 1.19) for drinkers of >0 to <5 grams/day, HR 1.12 (95% CI 0.94, 1.33) for 5 to <10 grams/day, HR 1.31 (95% CI 1.10, 1.56) for 10 to <20 grams/day, and HR 1.34 (95% CI 1.09, 1.64) for ≥20 grams/day (P for trend < 0.0001). This association held in latency analyses of up to 16-20 years, and for alcohol consumption between 35-40 years of age. Independent of other alcoholic beverages, the multivariable HRs (per 10 grams of alcohol) were similar for individual types of alcohol intake (wine, liquor, and beer; P = 0.57 for heterogeneity among alcohol types). CONCLUSION: Higher alcohol consumption was associated with greater incidence of total hip replacement due to hip osteoarthritis in a dose-dependent manner in women.

Relación entre la cantidad y el tipo de alcohol (destilado versus fermentado) consumido y el riesgo de aparición de deterioro cognitivo compatible con un síndrome demencial en personas mayores de 60 años: revisión sistemática / Relationship between the amount and type of alcohol (distilled versus fermented) consumed and the risk of cognitive impairment compatible with a dementia syndrome in people over 60 years of age: A systematic review

Introducción: el alcohol es la sustancia más consumida en la cultura occidental y su consumo es un factor causal en más de 200 enfermedades y trastornos. El objetivo fue conocer la relación entre la cantidad y el tipo de alcohol (destilado o fermentado) consumido en individuos mayores de 60 años y la aparición del deterioro cognitivo compatible con un síndrome demencial como consecuencia de un consumo excesivo y prolongado.Desarrollo: búsqueda en las bases de datos Medline, PsycInfo y Web of Science. Se acotó la búsqueda a artículos publicados entre los años 2010 y 2021, a partir de la combinación de diversos términos relacionados con la demencia, el consumo y tipo de alcohol y la vejez. Se obtuvieron 157 artículos, se eliminaron aquellos repetidos y los no relacionados con el tema, quedando un total de 9 artículos. Esta revisión sistemática se ha llevado a cabo de acuerdo con los criterios de la declaración PRISMA.Conclusiones: la mayoría de los estudios encontrados (7 de 9) sugirieron una asociación entre el consumo de alcohol y la aparición de la demencia. Respecto al tipo de bebidas, todo y la objetivación de algunos resultados poco concluyentes, en general se sugiere que el consumo de vino (bebida fermentada) se asocia a una disminución del deterioro cognitivo y el consumo de licor (bebida destilada) a un aumento del deterioro cognitivo; no queda claro el papel de la cerveza. Por ello se puede concluir que la asociación entre el consumo de alcohol, y el mayor o menor deterioro cognitivo depende tanto del consumo excesivo y prolongado, como también del tipo de bebidas consumidas (destiladas o fermentadas).(AU)

Introduction: Alcohol is the most consumed substance in Western culture and its consumption is a causal factor in more than 200 diseases and disorders. The objective was to determine the relationship between the amount and type of alcohol (distilled or fermented) consumed, in individuals over 60 years of age, and the appearance of cognitive deterioration compatible with a dementia syndrome as a consequence of excessive and prolonged consumption.Development: Search in Medline, PsycInfo and Web of Science databases. The search was limited to articles published between 2010 and 2021, based on the combination of various terms related to dementia, alcohol consumption and type, and old age. 157 articles were obtained, those repeated and those not related to the topic were eliminated, leaving a total of 9 articles. This systematic review has been carried out in accordance with the criteria of the PRISMA statement.Conclusions: Most of the studies found (7 out of 9) suggested an association between alcohol consumption and the onset of dementia. Regarding the type of beverages, everything and the objectification of some inconclusive results, in general it is suggested that the consumption of wine (fermented beverage) is associated with a decrease of cognitive deterioration and the consumption of liquor (distilled beverage) to a increased cognitive decline; the role of beer is not clear. Therefore, it can be concluded that the association between alcohol consumption and greater or lesser cognitive impairment depends both on excessive and prolonged consumption, as well as on the type of beverages consumed (distilled or fermented).(AU)

Impact of alcohol taxes on violence in Hong Kong: a population-based interrupted time series analysis.

BACKGROUND: Interpersonal violence is a major public health concern with alcohol use a known risk factor. Despite alcohol taxation being an effective policy to reduce consumption; Hong Kong, contrary to most developed economies, embarked on an alcohol tax reduction and elimination policy. METHODS: To assess the impact of the alcohol tax reductions, we analysed population-based hospitalisation data for assault from the Hong Kong Hospital Authority, and violent and sexual crimes recorded by the Hong Kong Police Force (2004-2018). We conducted an interrupted time series using seasonal autoregressive integrated moving average models on monthly rates. Breakpoints in March 2007 and March 2008 were applied separately. RESULTS: The 2007 tax cut was associated with sustained increases in violence-related hospitalisation rates for 35-49 age group (female: 0.19%, p=0.007; male: 0.22%, p<0.001; overall: 0.16%, p=0.007); and an immediate increase of 51.3% (p=0.005) in the rate of sexual crimes reported. Results for the 35-49 age group after the 2008 tax cut were similar with sustained increases in hospitalisation rates (female: 0.21%, p=0.010; male: 0.23%, p<0.001; overall: 0.17%, p<0.001). The 2008 tax cut was also associated with immediate increases in hospitalisation rates in children (female: 33.1%, p=0.011; male: 49.2%, p<0.001, overall: 31.5%, p=0.007). For both tax cuts, results were insignificant in males and females for other age groups (15-34 and 50+ years). CONCLUSIONS: Both alcohol tax reductions in 2007 and 2008 were in some age groups associated with increases in violence-related hospitalisations and reports of sexual assault even in an environment of low crime.

Do Beliefs about Alcohol and Cancer Risk Vary by Alcoholic Beverage Type and Heart Disease Risk Beliefs?

BACKGROUND: Alcohol is a leading risk factor for cancer, yet awareness of the alcohol-cancer link is low. Awareness may be influenced by perceptions of potential health benefits of alcohol consumption or certain alcoholic beverage types. The purpose of this study was to estimate awareness of the alcohol-cancer link by beverage type and to examine the relationship between this awareness and concomitant beliefs about alcohol and heart disease risk. METHODS: We analyzed data from the 2020 Health Information National Trends Survey 5 Cycle 4, a nationally representative survey of U.S. adults. RESULTS: Awareness of the alcohol-cancer link was highest for liquor (31.2%), followed by beer (24.9%) and wine (20.3%). More U.S. adults believed wine (10.3%) decreased cancer risk, compared with beer (2.2%) and liquor (1.7%). Most U.S. adults (>50%) reported not knowing how these beverages affected cancer risk. U.S. adults believing alcoholic beverages increased heart disease risk had higher adjusted predicted probabilities of being aware of the alcohol-cancer link (wine: 58.6%; beer: 52.4%; liquor: 59.4%) compared with those unsure (wine: 6.0%; beer: 8.6%; liquor: 13.2%), or believing alcoholic beverages reduced (wine: 16.2%; beer: 21.6%; liquor: 23.8%) or had no effect on heart disease risk (wine: 10.2%; beer: 12.0%; liquor: 16.9%). CONCLUSIONS: Awareness of the alcohol-cancer link was low, varied by beverage type, and was higher among those recognizing that alcohol use increased heart disease risk. IMPACT: These findings underscore the need to educate U.S. adults about the alcohol-cancer link, including raising awareness that drinking all alcoholic beverage types increases cancer risk. See related commentary by Hay et al., p. 9.

Alcohol Mixed with Energy Drinks (AmED) Use among University Students: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

In the last decades, there has been a huge increase in the consumption of both Energy Drinks (EDs) and alcohol and, concurrently, these two trends generated the additional practice of mixing ED with alcohol, known as Alcohol mixed with Energy Drink (AmED). One of the most important group of AmED consumers is represented by young. Indeed, the study population of the researches in this field are mainly represented by college students and the results evidence a great range of negative consequences for health. The purpose of the systematic review was to explore the prevalence of AmED consumption among undergraduate students, together with motivations to their use, adverse effects and health-related behaviors associated to AmEDs use. The review was conducted according to the PRISMA Statement and PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science were interrogated. 42 articles, published from 2008 to 2021, were included in the review. An overall prevalence rate of 37% was estimated for AmEDs use in undergraduates, with geographical differences. Although a decrease in consumption was observed throughout the studied period, a continuous monitoring on this phenomenon is needed for identifying those risk groups that could develop risky behaviors related to AmEDs consumption and provide them targeted educational interventions.

Alcohol Drinking Patterns and Laboratory Indices of Health: Does Type of Alcohol Preferred Make a Difference?

Although excessive alcohol consumption is a highly prevalent public health problem the data on the associations between alcohol consumption and health outcomes in individuals preferring different types of alcoholic beverages has remained unclear. We examined the relationships between the amounts and patterns of drinking with the data on laboratory indices of liver function, lipid status and inflammation in a national population-based health survey (FINRISK). Data on health status, alcohol drinking, types of alcoholic beverages preferred, body weight, smoking, coffee consumption and physical activity were recorded from 22,432 subjects (10,626 men, 11,806 women), age range 25-74 years. The participants were divided to subgroups based on the amounts of regular alcohol intake (abstainers, moderate and heavy drinkers), patterns of drinking (binge or regular) and the type of alcoholic beverage preferred (wine, beer, cider or long drink, hard liquor or mixed). Regular drinking was found to be more typical in wine drinkers whereas the subjects preferring beer or hard liquor were more often binge-type drinkers and cigarette smokers. Alcohol use in all forms was associated with increased frequencies of abnormalities in the markers of liver function, lipid status and inflammation even at rather low levels of consumption. The highest rates of abnormalities occurred, however, in the subgroups of binge-type drinkers preferring beer or hard liquor. These results demonstrate that adverse consequences of alcohol occur even at moderate average drinking levels especially in individuals who engage in binge drinking and in those preferring beer or hard liquor. Further emphasis should be placed on such patterns of drinking in policies aimed at preventing alcohol-induced adverse health outcomes.

Perception of safety and consumption of alcoholic beverages during pregnancy.

This cross-sectional study of antenatal clinic attendees aimed to determine the proportions of pregnant women that consider different alcoholic beverages safe for their babies; and the proportions that took them in the index pregnancy. Five hundred and six women completed the questionnaires. Mean age was 30.07 ± 5.13 years. Mean parity was 1.44 ± 1.32. 478 (94.5%) were married. Three hundred and eighty-three (75.69%) had tertiary education. These proportions did not consider these alcoholic beverages harmful in pregnancy: palm wine 35.77%, stout 17.03%, beer 14.03%, alcoholic wine 13.83%, ogogoro (distilled fermented palm wine) 13.04% and gin/spirits 9.88%. The proportion that consumed different alcoholic beverages during pregnancy were: palm wine 17.20%, beer 5.33%, alcoholic wine 4.35%, stout 4.15%, ogogoro 1.58% and gin/spirits 0.59%. Pregnant women who considered various alcoholic beverages safe in pregnancy were significantly more likely to consume them during pregnancy. Healthcare providers should assess women's perception of the safety of different alcoholic beverages and offer counselling to discourage their consumption during pregnancy.Impact StatementWhat is already known on this subject? Babies exposed to alcohol in pregnancy are at increased risk of developing foetal alcohol spectrum disorders. No safe level of alcohol has been established for pregnancy. The level of alcohol consumption by pregnant women is still high in our practice environment.What do the results of this study add? The perception that a specific alcoholic beverage is safe and not harmful to the foetus, significantly increases the likelihood of the consumption of that alcoholic beverage by a pregnant woman.What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? Healthcare workers will need to enquire about specific alcoholic beverages especially those common within their practice environment. An enquiry should be made on the perception of safety and their consumption during pregnancy. Women who perceive certain alcoholic beverages are more likely to consume them during pregnancy and hence should receive specific counselling on the alcoholic content of these beverages and the risk to their babies to discourage the consumption of that alcoholic beverage during pregnancy.

Effect of intermittent access to alcohol mixed in energy drink during adolescence on alcohol self-administration, anxiety, and memory during adulthood in rats.

BACKGROUND: Mixing alcohol with caffeinated energy drinks is a common practice among young people. Consumption of alcohol mixed in energy drink is associated with increased risk of binge drinking and alcohol dependence. The purpose of this study was to determine whether voluntary intermittent access to alcohol mixed in energy drink in adolescent rats alters adult self-administration of alcohol, anxiety, and memory. METHODS: For 10 weeks in the home-cage, two groups of adolescent female Sprague-Dawley rats had intermittent access to energy drink (ED) or 10% alcohol mixed in energy drink (AmED) with water concurrently available. Other rat groups had daily continuous access to ED or AmED. Anxiety was measured with an open field test and memory was assessed with a novel place recognition test. For self-administration, rats pressed levers for 10% alcohol alone on a fixed ratio (FR1) and on a progressive ratio (PR). RESULTS: Intermittent access to AmED generated greater intake during the initial 30 min of access (AmED 1.70 ± 0.04 g/kg vs. ED 1.01 ± 0.06 g/kg) and during the subsequent 24 h (AmED 7.04 ± 0.25 g/kg vs. ED 5.60 ± 0.29 g/kg). Intermittent AmED caused a significant but small decrease in anxiety while neither ED nor AmED altered memory. During alcohol self-administration, group differences emerged only during PR testing during which intermittent AmED rats responded more than all other groups. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that intermittent access to AmED generates binge-like consumption that supports human findings that AmED generates greater alcohol consumption. Furthermore, experience with AmED may alter the motivational properties of alcohol into adulthood without necessarily causing a major impact on anxiety or memory.

Alcohol Consumption and Cardiovascular Health.

BACKGROUND: Studies evaluating alcohol consumption and cardiovascular diseases have shown inconsistent results. METHODS: We performed a systematic review of peer-reviewed publications from an extensive query of Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid Embase, Ovid Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Scopus, and Web of Science from database inception to March 2022 for all studies that reported the association between alcohol consumption in terms of quantity (daily or weekly amounts) and type of beverage (wine, beer or spirit) and cardiovascular disease events. RESULTS: The study population included a total of 1,579,435 individuals based on 56 cohorts from several countries. We found that moderate wine consumption defined as 1-4 drinks per week was associated with a reduction in risk for cardiovascular mortality when compared with beer or spirits. However, higher risk for cardiovascular disease mortality was typically seen with heavier daily or weekly alcohol consumption across all types of beverages. CONCLUSIONS: It is possible that the observational studies may overestimate the benefits of alcohol for cardiovascular disease outcomes. Although moderate wine consumption is probably associated with low cardiovascular disease events, there are many confounding factors, in particular, lifestyle, genetic, and socioeconomic associations with wine drinking, which likely explain much of the association with wine and reduced cardiovascular disease events. Further prospective study of alcohol and all-cause mortality, including cancer, is needed.

Excessive tooth wear on human dental enamel: a case report / Desgaste excessivo em esmalte dentário humano: relato de caso

Introduction: although reports on dental erosion have appeared in literature for a long time, there is currently a growing interest among researchers and clinicians about this matter. Potential risk factors for loss of dental hard tissue are changed lifestyle and eating patterns, with increased consumption of acid foods and beverages. Case report: an atypical tooth wear on the buccal surfaces of the mandibular teeth in a 45-year-old woman referred for orthodontic treatment, associated with the frequent consumption of whiskey and lemon, is reported. A comprehensive approach, such as the recognition of dental erosion joined with a careful investigation about eating habits was performed. Ultrastructural examination of replicas of the teeth showed practically structureless enamel and dentin surfaces. Conclusion: the screening for dental erosion in patients seeking orthodontic treatment is advisable to be a usual procedure. Recommendations for treatment and prophylactic measures are made emphasizing the need of multiprofessional attention.

Introdução: embora relatos sobre erosão dentária já apareçam há bastante tempo na literatura, existe atualmente interesse crescente entre pesquisadores e clínicos sobre esse assunto. Fatores que representam riscos potenciais para a perda de tecido duro do dente são as mudanças no estilo de vida e no padrão de alimentação, com o aumento no consumo de alimentos e bebidas ácidas. Relato de caso: lesões atípicas de desgaste dentário na superfície vestibular das unidades inferiores, em uma mulher com 45 de idade, encaminhada para tratamento ortodôntico, associadas ao consumo frequente de uísque e limão, foram relatadas. Uma abordagem abrangente, como o reconhecimento da erosão dentária, em conjunção com a investigação cuidadosa dos hábitos alimentares, foi realizada. O exame por meio da microscopia eletrônica de varredura, realizada em réplicas dos dentes, revelou superfícies de esmalte e dentina praticamente desprovidos de elementos estruturais. Conclusão: sugere-se que uma avaliação direcionada à busca por erosão dentária em pacientes que procuram por tratamento ortodôntico seja um procedimento rotineiro. A atenção multiprofissional, envolvendo o tratamento e o uso de medidas preventivas, é essencial para a adequada atuação junto ao paciente.