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Objective: A ginsenoside-rich extract of American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius L.), CereboostTM, was previously shown to improve\ud working memory and mood in healthy young individuals. The present study represented a partial replication investigating whether these\ud effects extended to healthy middle-aged individuals.\ud Methods: Fifty-two healthy volunteers (40–60 years old, mean age 51.63) received 200 mg of P. quinquefolius or a matching placebo\ud according to a double-blind, placebo-controlled, balanced, crossover design. The Cognitive Drug Research battery and the Computerised\ud Mental Performance Assessment System were used to evaluate cognitive performance at baseline then 1, 3 and 6 h following treatment.\ud Blood glucose and mood were co-monitored.\ud Results: Compared with placebo, P. quinquefolius improved cognitive performance on ‘Working Memory’ factor at 3 h. Similar effects were\ud observed in one of the two tasks making up this factor, spatial working memory. There were no significant effects on mood or blood glucose levels.\ud Conclusions: These data confirm that P. quinquefolius can acutely benefit working memory and extend the age range of this effect to\ud middle-aged individuals. These changes are unlikely to be underpinned by modulation of blood glucose in this population.

ARC-Projectcode 2005/229.

Objectives: Evidence for a relationship between chronic kidney diseases or progression of already existing diseases (glomerulonephritides) and occupational solvent exposure has been found in case reports, in case-control studies and also in cross-sectional studies. An analysis of the available literature was performed with respect to markers measured in cross-sectional studies that might be useful for an early detection of solvent-induced effects on the kidney. Methods: The relevant cross-sectional studies were evaluated and the following markers were analyzed with respect to their suitability as biomarker for renal damage: total protein, albumin, transferrin, IgG, beta(2)-microglobulin, retinol-binding protein, N-acetyl-beta-D: -glucosaminidase, alanine aminopeptidase, beta-galactosidase, beta-glucuronidase, leucin aminopeptidase, alkaline phosphatase, lysozyme, Tamm-Horsfall protein and laminin fragments in urine as well as E-selectin, laminin and anti-laminin antibodies and anti-glomerular basement membrane antibodies in serum. Results: An increased albumin excretion was observed more frequently in groups of workers exposed to various solvents (like toluene, styrene, aliphatic/aromatic hydrocarbon mixtures, tetrachloroethene, mixtures of chlorinated hydrocarbons) than in controls. No clear pattern emerged for the other markers. Conclusions: The determination of albumin excretion in the urine appears to be a useful parameter for monitoring solvent-exposed workers.

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At the same time that carcinogenicity of very thin glass fibers after interpleural and intraperitoneal (ip) administration was demonstrated (1,2) researchers found that gypsum fibers and HCI-leached chrysotile fibers were easily soluble in the peritoneal cavity. This led to the conclusion that the chemical composition of fibers was not responsible for the carcinogenesis but that the degree of carcinogenic potency of a fiber depended on the extent to which it retained its fibrous structure. A thin glass fiber with a low biodurability did not induce tumors after ip injection of a high dose, although the ip test had been criticized for being "overly sensitive". The ip model has been the most successful for determining carcinogenicity of inorganic fibers and establishing dose-response relationships; but to determine the possibilities and limitations of this test model, very high doses of nonfibrous silicon carbide and of a slightly durable glass fiber type were injected ip in Wistar rats.