phenylalanine and aspartic acid from low dose aspartame in rabbits interfere
with blood coagulation, Pretorius E and Humphries P, U. of Pretoria, Ultrastruct
Pathol 2007 March: Murray 2007.07.14
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNMmessage/1452

" The authors conclude by suggesting that aspartame usage
may interfere with the coagulation process
and might cause delayed fibrin breakup after clot formation.

They suggest this,
as the fibrin networks from aspartame-exposed rabbits
are more complex and dense,
due to the netlike appearance of the minor, thin fibers.

Aspartame usage should possibly be limited
by people on anti-clotting medicine
or those with prone to clot formation. "

Ultrastruct Pathol. 2007 Mar-Apr; 31(2): 77-83.
Ultrastructural changes to rabbit fibrin and platelets due to aspartame.
Pretorius E,
Humphries P.
Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine,
University of Pretoria, South Africa.
[ Humphries P also at
Department of Anatomy, University of Limpopo.
Medunsa Campus, Garankuwa. South Africa ]

email: E. Pretorius resia.pretorius@...

*Correspondence to E. Pretorius,
BMW Building, PO Box 2034,
Faculty of Health Sciences,
University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0001, South Africa

The coagulation process, including thrombin, fibrin,
as well as platelets,
plays an important role in hemostasis,
contributing to the general well-being of humans.

Fibrin formation and platelet activation are delicate processes
that are under the control of many small physiological events.

Any one of these many processes
may be influenced or changed by external factors,
including pharmaceutical or nutritional products, e.g.,
the sweetener aspartame (L-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine methyl ester).

It is known that phenylalanine is present at position P(9)
and aspartate at position P(10)
of the alpha-chain of human fibrinogen,
and plays an important role in the conversion of fibrinogen to fibrin
by the catalyst alpha-thrombin.

The authors investigate the effect of aspartame
on platelet and fibrin ultrastructure,
by using the rabbit animal model
and the scanning electron microscope.

Animals were exposed to 34 mg/kg of aspartame
26x during a 2-month period.

Aspartame-exposed fibrin networks appeared denser,
with a thick matted fine fiber network
covering thick major fibers.

Also, the platelet aggregates appeared more granular
than the globular control platelet aggregates.

The authors conclude by suggesting that aspartame usage
may interfere with the coagulation process
and might cause delayed fibrin breakup after clot formation.

They suggest this,
as the fibrin networks from aspartame-exposed rabbits
are more complex and dense,
due to the netlike appearance of the minor, thin fibers.

Aspartame usage should possibly be limited
by people on anti-clotting medicine
or those with prone to clot formation.
PMID: 17613990


Microsc Res Tech. 2007 Jun 18; [Epub ahead of print]
Comparative Ultrastructural Analyses of Mouse, Rabbit, and Human
Platelets and Fibrin Networks.
Pretorius E,
Humphries P,
Ekpo OE,
Smit E,
van der Merwe CF.
Department of Anatomy, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences,
University of Pretoria, South Africa.

Funded by:
National Research Foundation of South Africa (NRF);
Grant Number: FA2004033100004

Platelets and fibrin play an important role
in the coagulation process,
where they are involved in the maintenance of hemostasis.

Fibrin dysfunction is associated
with the development of vascular complications,
while proneness to the formation of tight and rigid fibrin networks
is independently associated with thrombotic disease.

Here we investigate the ultrastructure
of human, rabbit, and mouse
platelets and fibrin networks,
using the scanning electron microscope.

Human and rabbit fibrin and platelets,
with regards to morphology
as well as size of major and minor fibers
compare well with each other.

However, mouse fibers are much thinner
and form a flimsy branching network.

Platelet aggregate morphology of all three species
compare well with each other.

We conclude that rabbit platelet and fibrin networks
could be used successfully
when studying the effect of pharmaceutical products
in preclinical trials,
when looking at the effects of these products
on morphology and ultrastructure.
Microsc. Res. Tech., 2007. (c) 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
PMID: 17576129


2:
Pretorius E, Ekpo OE, Smit E.
Comparative ultrastructural analyses
of platelets and fibrin networks
using the murine model of asthma.
Exp Toxicol Pathol. 2007 Jun 26; [Epub ahead of print]
PMID: 17600694

3:
Pretorius E, Humphries P, Ekpo OE, Smit E, van der Merwe CF.
Comparative Ultrastructural Analyses of Mouse, Rabbit, and Human
Platelets and Fibrin Networks.
Microsc Res Tech. 2007 Jun 18; [Epub ahead of print]
PMID: 17576129

4:
Bornman MS, Pretorius E, Marx J, Smit E, van der Merwe CF.
Ultrastructural effects of DDT, DDD, and DDE
on neural cells of the chicken embryo model.
Environ Toxicol. 2007 Jun; 22(3): 328-36.
PMID: 17497638 [PubMed - in process]

5:
Pretorius E, Briedenhann S, Marx J, Smit E, Van Der Merwe C, Pieters M, Franz C.
Ultrastructural comparison of the morphology
of three different platelet and fibrin fiber preparations.
Anat Rec (Hoboken). 2007 Feb; 290(2): 188-98.
PMID: 17441211

www.alwayson.co.za/resia/ Resia Pretorius

Current Position:
Associate Professor in the Department of Anatomy,
University of Pretoria, South Africa.

Research Focus Areas:
* Cell Biology
* The Link Between Neuroanatomy and Learning Difficulties
* Geometric Morphometrics

Email: resia.pretorius@...
Tel: +27 12 319 2533
Fax: +27 12 319 2240

Research Focus Areas

Cell Biology

This focus area consists of three sub-focus areas,
namely Reproductive Cell Biology,
Contact Dermatitis
and Histological techniques
that are all connected with each other by the central theme, cell culture.

The Reproductive Cell Biology area focuses on male infertility
(e.g. decondensation ability of spermatozoa)
and external factors influencing cervical cell growth and viability.

Contact Dermatitis research focuses on the effects of external factors such as
latex, other allergy promoting molecules as well as the water quality of South
Africa on cells in culture.
Researchers and students active in the Reproductive Cell Biology
and the Contact Dermatitis research utilize the same source of cells,
linking their research to form a collective unit.

The Histological Techniques research
concentrates on the development and utilization
of the Electron Microscope,
the Reflex Microscope and Digital Equipment to study cells in culture.

Dr Pretorius as well as students that are active in
Reproductive Cell Biology and the Contact Dermatitis sub-focal areas
utilizes the knowledge, expertise gained,
as well as the equipment used from the Histological Techniques sub-focal area.

The three sub-focal areas of the Cell Culture Biology focal area
therefore form an inter-dependent unit,
not only for the provision of cells in culture, but also expertise.

Links are established between the private sector
and the research team,
by providing postgraduate students
to assist companies in their research.

One of the locally relevant research questions
namely the provision of a cheap and reliable test method
of South African water quality, is also addressed.
Although the system is being developed in South Africa,
it has sparked international interest,
and the focus area as well as our Private Sector counterpart,
Highveld Biological are in the process of verifying the method
in Germany to be published as a method by the AOAC.
This system is being developed not only to be used by industry,
but also to assist Local Government to make informed choices
regarding the water quality of all South Africans.

Allergic reactions and their physiological
as well as biochemical pathways
are still not completely understood.
The research team has conducted research
on the effect of different allergens such as
latex found in gloves and condoms
as well as dental products.
Cells utilized in these studies
included spermatozoa and cervical cells.

The Link Between Neuroanatomy and Learning Difficulties

During 2003 I obtained a postgraduate diploma
in Special Needs Education.
My interest in neuro-anatomy was established
and research together with Prof Drienie Naudé,
researcher in the Department of Educational Psychology, followed.
Many publications have already appeared due to this collaboration.

Geometric Morphometrics

A large part of my PhD theses was based on geometric morphometrics.
Geometric morphometrics, a new and developing field,
is a statistical method employed to determine shape differences,
based on Kendall's definition of shape space,
which is non-linear and non-Euclidean
(traditional statistics cannot be applied to it).
Although the subject is not part of my lecturing duties,
I am actively involved in research in this field
and recently involved a PhD student as well.

Qualifications and achievements

PhD (Sciences) in 1999: University of Pretoria, South Africa
Postgraduate diploma in Special Needs Education in 2003:
University of Pretoria, South Africa.

Regional editor: Early Child Development and Care (England) since January 2003.
Reviewer for various ISI listed Journals since 2001.
2003: Invitation to participate in Editor collection (NOVA publishers, New York)
- April 2003. Title: Progress in Asthma Research (NOVA Science Publishers, New
York).

[ photos of husband and two sons ]
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////


"Of course, everyone chooses, as a natural priority,
to actively find, quickly share, and positively act upon
the facts about healthy and safe food, drink, and
environment."

Rich Murray, MA Room For All rmforall@...
505-501-2298 1943 Otowi Road, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87505

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/messages
group with 77 members, 1,452 posts in a public, searchable archive
http://RMForAll.blogspot.com


http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNMmessage/1451
Artificial sweeteners (aspartame, sucralose) and coloring agents will
be banned from use in newly-born and baby foods, the European
Parliament decided: Latvia ban in schools 2006: Murray 2007.07.12

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNMmessage/1443
Safe Food Campaign wants ban on aspartame in schools in New Zealand:
Murray 2007.06.21

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1442
Wellington, NZ lady, 25, free by 24 hours of severe muscle cramps (5
months) after quitting 4-8 packs daily aspartame chewing gum (past few
years): Murray 2007.06.20

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1441
Lifetime exposure to low doses of aspartame beginning during prenatal
life increases cancer effects in rats, Morando Soffritti et al,
European Ramazzini Foundation, USA EPA Environmental Health
Perspectives 2007.06.13 free full text 24 pages: Murray 2007.06.16

www.ehponline.org/members/2007/10271/10271.pdf free full text 24
pages

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNMmessage/1437
stevia to be approved and cyclamates limited by Food Standards
Australia New Zealand: JMC Geuns critiques of two recent stevia
studies by Nunes: Murray 2007.05.29

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1427
more from The Independent, UK, Martin Hickman, re ASDA
(unit of Wal-Mart Stores) and Marks & Spencer ban of aspartame,
MSG, artificial chemical additives and dyes to prevent ADHD in kids:
Murray 2007.05.16
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/health_medical/article2548747.ece

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1426
ASDA (unit of Wal-Mart Stores WMT.N) and Marks & Spencer
will join Tesco and also Sainsbury to ban and limit aspartame,
MSG, artificial flavors dyes preservatives additives, trans fats,
salt "nasties" to protect kids from ADHD: leading UK media:
Murray 2007.05.15

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1271
combining aspartame and quinoline yellow, or MSG and
brilliant blue, harms nerve cells, eminent C. Vyvyan
Howard et al, 2005 education.guardian.co.uk,
Felicity Lawrence: Murray 2005.12.21

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1277
50% UK baby food is now organic -- aspartame or MSG
with food dyes harm nerve cells, CV Howard 3 year study
funded by Lizzy Vann, CEO, Organix Brands,
Children's Food Advisory Service: Murray 2006.01.13

formaldehyde as a potent unexamined cofactor in cancer research --
sources include methanol, dark wines and liquors, aspartame, wood and
tobacco smoke: IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks
to Humans implicate formaldehyde in #88 and alcohol drinks in #96:
some related abstracts: Murray 2007.05.15
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1417

aspartame (methanol, formaldehyde) toxicity research summary:
Rich Murray 2007.06.16
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1404

One liter aspartame diet soda, about 3 12-oz cans,
gives 61.5 mg methanol,
so if 30% is turned into formaldehyde, the formaldehyde
dose of 18.5 mg is 37 times the recent EPA limit of
0.5 mg per liter daily drinking water for a 10-kg child:
www.epa.gov/teach/chem_summ/Formaldehyde_summary.pdf
2007.01.05 [ does not discuss formaldehyde from methanol
or aspartame ]
http://www.epa.gov/teach/teachsurvey.html comments
teach@...

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1340
aspartame groups and books: updated research review of
2004.07.16: Murray 2006.05.11

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1395
Aspartame Controversy, in Wikipedia democratic
encyclopedia, 72 references (including AspartameNM # 864
and 1173 by Murray), brief fair summary of much more
research: Murray 2007.01.01

Dark wines and liquors, as well as aspartame, provide
similar levels of methanol, above 120 mg daily, for
long-term heavy users, 2 L daily, about 6 cans.

Within hours, methanol is inevitably largely turned into
formaldehyde, and thence largely into formic acid -- the
major causes of the dreaded symptoms of "next morning"
hangover.

Fully 11% of aspartame is methanol -- 1,120 mg aspartame
in 2 L diet soda, almost six 12-oz cans, gives 123 mg
methanol (wood alcohol). If 30% of the methanol is turned
into formaldehyde, the amount of formaldehyde, 37 mg,
is 18.5 times the USA EPA limit for daily formaldehyde in
drinking water, 2.0 mg in 2 L average daily drinking water.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1286
methanol products (formaldehyde and formic acid) are main
cause of alcohol hangover symptoms [same as from similar
amounts of methanol, the 11% part of aspartame]:
YS Woo et al, 2005 Dec: Murray 2006.01.20

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1143
methanol (formaldehyde, formic acid) disposition:
Bouchard M et al, full plain text, 2001: substantial
sources are degradation of fruit pectins, liquors,
aspartame, smoke: Murray 2005.04.02

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNMmessage/1447
second study by expert Greek team of neurotoxicity in infant rats by
aspartame (or its parts, methanol, phenylalanine, aspartic acid), KH
Schulpis et al, Toxicology 2007.05.18: Murray 2007.07.04

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNMmessage/1444
expert Greek group finds aspartame (or its parts, methanol,
phenylalanine, aspartic acid) harm infant rat brain enzyme activity,
KH Schulpis et al, Pharmacol. Res. 2007.05.13: Murray 2007.06.23

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNMmessage/1448
Sweet Misery -- A Poisoned World, free full 90 minute video on
aspartame toxicity, Cori Brackett, Sound and Fury Productions Inc.,
video.google.com: Murray 2007.07.04

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNMmessage/1450
Is aspartame really safer in reducing the risk of hypoglycemia during
exercise in patients with type 2 diabetes? Ferland A, Brassard P,
Poirier P, Universite Laval, Quebec, Diabetes Care 2007 July: Murray
2007.07.06
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