Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are used as flame retardants in plastics (concentration, 5--30%) and in textile coatings. Commercial products consist predominantly of penta-, octa-, and decabromodiphenyl ether mixtures, and global PBDE production is about 40,000 tons per year. PBDEs are bioaccumulated and biomagnified in the environment, and comparatively high levels are often found in aquatic biotopes from different parts of the world. During the mid-1970--1980s there was a substantial increase in the PBDE levels with time in both sediments and aquatic biota, whereas the latest Swedish data (pike and guillemot egg) may indicate that levels are at steady state or are decreasing. However, exponentially increasing PBDE levels have been observed in mother's milk during 1972--1997. Based on levels in food from 1999, the dietary intake of PBDE in Sweden has been estimated to be 0.05 microg per day. Characteristic end points of animal toxicity are hepatotoxicity, embryotoxicity, and thyroid effects as well as maternal toxicity during gestation. Recently, behavioral effects have been observed in mice on administration of PBDEs during a critical period after birth. Based on the critical effects reported in available studies, we consider the lowest-observed-adverse-effect level (LOAEL) value of the PBDE group to be 1 mg/kg/day (primarily based on effects of pentaBDEs). In conclusion, with the scientific knowledge of today and based on Nordic intake data, the possible consumer health risk from PBDEs appears limited, as a factor of over 10(6) separates the estimated present mean dietary intake from the suggested LOAEL value. However, the presence of many and important data gaps, including those in carcinogenicity, reproduction, and developmental toxicity, as well as additional routes of exposure, make this conclusion only preliminary. Moreover, the time trend of PBDEs in human breast milk is alarming for the future.

Deoxynivalenol (DON) is a mycotoxin primarily produced by Fusarium fungi, occurring predominantly in cereal grains. Following the request of the European Commission, the CONTAM Panel assessed the risk to animal and human health related to DON, 3-acetyl-DON (3-Ac-DON), 15-acetyl-DON (15-Ac-DON) and DON-3-glucoside in food and feed. A total of 27,537, 13,892, 7,270 and 2,266 analytical data for DON, 3-Ac-DON, 15-Ac-DON and DON-3-glucoside, respectively, in food, feed and unprocessed grains collected from 2007 to 2014 were used. For human exposure, grains and grain-based products were main sources, whereas in farm and companion animals, cereal grains, cereal by-products and forage maize contributed most. DON is rapidly absorbed, distributed, and excreted. Since 3-Ac-DON and 15-Ac-DON are largely deacetylated and DON-3-glucoside cleaved in the intestines the same toxic effects as DON can be expected. The TDI of 1 lg/kg bw per day, that was established for DON based on reduced body weight gain in mice, was therefore used as a group-TDI for the sum of DON, 3-Ac-DON, 15-Ac-DON and DON-3-glucoside. In order to assess acute human health risk, epidemiological data from mycotoxicoses were assessed and a group-ARfD of 8 lg/kg bw per eating occasion was calculated. Estimates of acute dietary exposures were below this dose and did not raise a health concern in humans. The estimated mean chronic dietary exposure was above the group-TDI in infants, toddlers and other children, and at high exposure also in adolescents and adults, indicating a potential health concern. Based on estimated mean dietary concentrations in ruminants, poultry, rabbits, dogs and cats, most farmed fish species and horses, adverse effects are not expected. At the high dietary concentrations, there is a potential risk for chronic adverse effects in pigs and fish and for acute adverse effects in cats and farmed mink.This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs License, which permits use and distribution in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited and no modifications or adaptations are made.The EFSA Journal is a publication of the European Food Safety Authority, an agency of the European Union. Deoxynivalenol and its acetylated and modified forms in food and feed www.efsa.europa.eu/efsajournal 2 EFSA Journal 2017;15(9):4718 Deoxynivalenol and its acetylated and modified forms in food and feed www.efsa.europa.eu/efsajournal 3 EFSA Journal 2017;15(9):4718 Deoxynivalenol and its acetylated and modified forms in food and feed www.efsa.europa.eu/efsajournal 4 EFSA Journal 2017;15(9):471870% of ingested DON is excreted via urine, of which about 80% was in conjugated forms, mainly as DON-15-glucuronide that was about threefold more efficiently formed than DON-3-glucuronide. After a single oral exposure to DON, feed refusal appeared very quickly in mice. Previous risk assessments of DON conducted by the Scientific Committee on Food (SCF) in 1999 and by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives...

Deoxynivalenol (DON) is one of the most commonly occurring trichothecenes, produced mainly by Fusarium graminearum. The project aimed to provide data on levels of total DON and de-epoxy deoxynivalenol (DOM-1) in human urine samples collected from different population groups (children, adolescents, adults, elderly, vegetarians, pregnant women) in Italy, Norway and the United Kingdom (UK) as analysed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Morning urine samples were collected over two consecutive days from 635 volunteers and associated food consumption was recorded on the same days. Levels of DON did not significantly differ between day 1 and day 2 urine samples. DON was detected in 99 %, 93 % and 76 % of the urine samples from Norway, UK and Italy, respectively. The median total DON concentrations were similar between population groups in Italy and Norway, but were approximately 3-fold higher in the sampled UK population. In Norway and the UK, levels of DON were roughly 2.5-fold higher in children compared with adults. For DOM-1, 12 % of Norwegian and 1.5 % of Italian urine samples were positive, but DOM-1 was not detected in any sample from the UK. This difference may be explained by differences across analytical sites in the limit of quantification (LoQ). Associations between food consumption and urinary DON levels were assessed by ordered logistic regression models. In Italy, intakes of pasta and pasta-like products were significantly associated with higher levels of total DON after correction for creatinine on both days. In Norway, intakes of breakfast cereals and snacks (day 1) and bread and bread-like foods (day 1 and 2) were significantly associated with a higher level of total DON adjusted for creatinine. In the UK, biscuit intakes on day 1 were significantly associated with a higher level of the toxin. © Istituto Superiore di Sanità -ISS -Italy, 2015

These findings do not suggest that hyperinsulinaemia per se contributes to maintenance of the obese state, and insulin secretion inhibition seems not a promising drug target.

Moniliformin (MON) is a mycotoxin with low molecular weight primarily produced by Fusarium fungi and occurring predominantly in cereal grains. Following a request of the European Commission, the CONTAM Panel assessed the risk of MON to human and animal health related to its presence in food and feed. The limited information available on toxicity and on toxicokinetics in experimental and farm animals indicated haematotoxicity and cardiotoxicity as major adverse health effects of MON. MON causes chromosome aberrations in vitro but no in vivo genotoxicity data and no carcinogenicity data were identified. Due to the limitations in the available toxicity data, human acute or chronic health-based guidance values (HBGV) could not be established. The margin of exposure (MOE) between the no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) of 6.0 mg/kg body weight (bw) for cardiotoxicity from a subacute study in rats and the acute upper bound (UB) dietary exposure estimates ranged between 4,000 and 73,000. The MOE between the lowest benchmark dose lower confidence limit (for a 5% response -BMDL 05 ) of 0.20 mg MON/kg bw per day for haematological hazards from a 28-day study in pigs and the chronic dietary human exposure estimates ranged between 370 and 5,000,000 for chronic dietary exposures. These MOEs indicate a low risk for human health but were associated with high uncertainty. The toxicity data available for poultry, pigs, and mink indicated a low or even negligible risk for these animals from exposure to MON in feed at the estimated exposure levels under current feeding practices. Assuming similar or lower sensitivity as for pigs, the CONTAM Panel considered a low or even negligible risk for the other animal species for which no toxicity data suitable for hazard characterisation were identified. Additional toxicity studies are needed and depending on their outcome, the collection of more occurrence data on MON in food and feed is recommended to enable a comprehensive human risk assessment.

Background: Optimal timing of aortic valve replacement remains difficult in patients with asymptomatic, severe aortic stenosis (AS). More accurate diagnostic methods are warranted for the detection of subtle ventricular impairment. We aimed to evaluate diastolic function in asymptomatic patients with severe AS. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, patients with asymptomatic, severe AS were evaluated with right heart catheterization at rest and during moderate exercise. The patients also underwent cardiopulmonary exercise testing to objectify functional capacity and confirm the absence of symptoms. Results: Between February 2019 and May 2021, we included 50 patients aged 70±12 years. The patients had severe AS with peak velocity 4.4±0.4 m/s, mean gradient 46±9 mm Hg, and an indexed valve area of 0.47±0.08 cm 2 at rest. All patients were asymptomatic and had normal left ventricular ejection fraction. Five patients had postcapillary pulmonary hypertension at rest. During exercise, 44 patients (88%) had an increase in the mean pulmonary artery pressure per increase in cardiac output of >3 mm Hg/L per minute, of whom 93% had a concomitant increase in the pulmonary artery wedge pressure per increase in cardiac output >2 mm Hg/L per minute, suggesting exercise-induced pulmonary hypertension due to left heart disease. Female gender and increasing age were associated with a higher increase in the pulmonary artery wedge pressure per increase in cardiac output ratio. The catheterization was well tolerated, and there were no adverse events. Conclusions: A large proportion of asymptomatic patients with severe, degenerative AS have exercise-induced postcapillary pulmonary hypertension.

No abstract

In May 2000 Norsk Hydro reported, by means of an OTC paper, that Troll Pilot would be ready for start-up in June of that year. The Pilot was indeed started at that time. However, failures in the electrical connector system developed in the subsea installation shortly after start-up. This triggered the Repair and Upgrade Project which involved several interventions on the Troll Pilot subsea station during the summer of 2001. These repair activities, which focused on subject electrical interfaces and corresponding marine operations, were presented by an OTC paper in 2002. Following the repair operations, Troll-Pilot was started in August of that year and it has now been in continuous operation, reporting 100% availability, since August 2001. This paper will focus on presenting experience in operating the separator station and relate this to the defined operational and design strategies. Issues to be covered as a spin-off from subsea separation are implications on flow assurance and variance in the well fluid entering the separator system. The paper will also cover risk of installing a subsea separator system and relating this to the regularity experience of the station, giving feedback on main components used on the station. The Troll Pilot Separator Station is installed on the Troll Field at 340 m WD approx 3,5 km from the Troll-C Production platform. This province of the Troll field will be developed with more than 50 subsea wells. Troll-Pilot is installed in a production loop system with two production templates giving a total capacity of 8 well-slots. At the moment 6 wells has been completed and hence available for the separator station. Troll Field Location(Available in full paper) Component/Process strategies established during design stage Main objectives for the Troll Pilot development were:To improve the water treatment capacity of the Troll C platform and its environment and thus maximise ThroughputTo demonstrate commercial viability of subsea separation and boosting with a view to other applications, i.e. to be a competitor to separator stations installed on a platform. During early design stages of the Troll Pilot Subsea Separator Station, strategies for operating the various components being based on new technology and utilizing existing technology, were developed. The following main components/processes are considered to be the ones which have contributed to the results and good experience gained so far: Separator with process requirements The purpose of the process is to isolate the water phase for re-injection into a well completed in the water zone of the reservoir thus directing reduced quantities of water to the topsides facility at Troll C. The gas and oil streams are recombined at the common outlet from the separator and directed to the flow-line. The objective of achieving a feasible, practical and efficient process plant was the first and dominant thought when the Troll Pilot concept was formed. Both time and budget constraints ruled out development of new separation principles. Thus basically a simple gravity separator, utilizing the same principles as applied in separators on platforms and land-based oil production facilities, was selected. However, the following simplifications was included: