The Cry toxins are a family of crystal-forming proteins produced by the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis. Their mode of action is thought to be to create pores that disrupt the gut epithelial membranes of juvenile insects. These pores allow pathogen entry into the hemocoel, thereby killing the insect. Genes encoding a spectrum of Cry toxins, including Cry mutants, Cry chimaeras and other Cry derivatives, are used commercially to enhance insect resistance in genetically modified (GM) crops. In most countries of the world, such GM crops are regulated and must be assessed for human and environmental safety. However, such risk assessments often do not test the GM crop or its tissues directly. Instead, assessments rely primarily on historical information from naturally occurring Cry proteins and on data collected on Cry proteins (called 'surrogates') purified from laboratory strains of bacteria engineered to express Cry protein. However, neither surrogates nor naturally occurring Cry proteins are identical to the proteins to which humans or other nontarget organisms are exposed by the production and consumption of GM plants. To-date there has been no systematic survey of these differences. This review fills this knowledge gap with respect to the most commonly grown GM Cry-containing crops approved for international use. Having described the specific differences between natural, surrogate and GM Cry proteins this review assesses these differences for their potential to undermine the reliability of risk assessments. Lastly, we make specific recommendations for improving risk assessments.
While it was previously known that elevated CRP levels are associated with worse outcomes in patients thrombolysed for AIS, the current work demonstrates that changes in CRP levels after thrombolysis also relate to neurological change, and thus may have scope for use as prognostic markers.
Background
Lip Filler enhancement has fast become one of the most popular minimally invasive cosmetic procedures. Motivations for ‘over-treatment’ with lip fillers are poorly understood.
Objectives
To explore women’s motivations for and experiences of procedures that achieve an aesthetic of distorted lip anatomy.
Methods
Twenty-four women who had undergone lip filler procedures resulting in strikingly distorted lip anatomy, determined using The Harris Classification of Filler Spread, took part in semi-structured interviews about their motivations, experiences and perceptions related to lip-fillers. A qualitative thematic analysis was carried out.
Results
Four major themes are discussed: (1) the normalization of lip-fillers, (2) perceptual drift which is mediated by exposure to repetitive images of larger lips on social media, (3) perceived financial and social benefits of larger lips, and (4) the relationship between mental health and seeking repeated lip filler procedures.
Conclusions
Motivations for seeking lip fillers vary, however most women described social media impacting perceived aesthetic norms. We describe a process of perceptual drift where mental schema encoding expectations of ‘natural’ facial anatomy can adapt through repeated exposure to enhanced images. Our results can inform aesthetic practitioners and policy makers seeking to understand and support those seeking minimally-invasive cosmetic procedures.
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