Identifying a reference list of respiratory sensitizers for the evaluation of novel approaches to study respiratory sensitization.

The induction of immunological responses that trigger bio-physiological symptoms in the respiratory tract following repeated exposure to a substance, is known as respiratory sensitization. The inducing compound is known as a respiratory sensitizer. While respiratory sensitization by high molecular weight (HMW) materials is recognized and extensively studied, much less information is available regarding low molecular weight (LMW) materials as respiratory sensitizers. Variability of symptoms presented in humans from such exposures, limited availability of (and access to) documented reports, and the absence of standardized and validated test models, hinders the identification of true respiratory sensitizers. This review aims to sort suspected LMW respiratory sensitizers based on available compelling, reasonable, inadequate, or questionable evidence in humans from occupational exposures and use this information to compose a reference list of reported chemical respiratory sensitizers for scientific research purposes. A list of 97 reported respiratory sensitizers was generated from six sources, and 52 LMW organic chemicals were identified, reviewed, and assigned to the four evidence categories. Less than 10 chemicals were confirmed with compelling evidence for induction of respiratory sensitization in humans from occupational exposures. Here, we propose the reference list for developing novel research on respiratory sensitization.

The association between polycystic ovary syndrome and environmental pollutants based on animal and human study; a systematic review.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common endocrine disorders. This abnormality is identified with hyperandrogenism, polycystic ovary and ovulation disorder. Environmental factors are one of the etiologies of this disease. In this systematic review, a search was performed with the keywords of polycystic ovary syndrome, PCOS, pesticides, organochlorine, heavy metals, PCBs, PAHs, bisphenol A, BPA, phthalates, mycotoxin, Tributyltin, TBT, environmental contaminants, regardless of publication time. 567 studies were obtained and after assessing 26 articles were finally selected. 61 % of the studies were attributed to bisphenol A. The positive correlation was seen between bisphenol A, tributyltin, air pollutants and organic contaminates with this disease. The association between this syndrome and bisphenol A in adolescents was also confirmed. Zinc has led to a reduction in the incidence of disease in almost all research literature. This issue can be considered in the prevention of the disease.

Preclinical target validation for non-addictive therapeutics development for pain.

INTRODUCTION: The Helping to End Addiction Long-termSM Initiative supports a wide range of programs to develop new or improved prevention and opioid addiction treatment strategies. An essential component of this effort is to accelerate development of non-opioid pain therapeutics. In all fields of medicine, therapeutics development is an arduous process and late-stage translational efforts such as clinical trials to validate targets are particularly complex and costly. While there are plentiful novel targets for pain treatment, successful clinical validation is rare. It is therefore crucial to develop processes whereby therapeutic targets can be reasonably 'de-risked' prior to substantial late-stage validation efforts. Such rigorous validation of novel therapeutic targets in the preclinical space will give potential private sector partners the confidence to pursue clinical validation of promising therapeutic concepts and compounds. AREAS COVERED: In 2020, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) held the Target Validation for Non-Addictive Therapeutics Development for Pain workshop to gather insights from key opinion leaders in academia, industry, and venture-financing. EXPERT OPINION: The result was a roadmap for pain target validation focusing on three modalities: 1) human evidence; 2) assay development in vitro; 3) assay development in vivo.

Evaluation of plant seed DNA and botanical evidence for potential forensic applications.

Seeds, the reproductive organs of plants, are common as trace evidence from crime scenes. Seed evidence could be grouped into several categories based on the types of crimes they are associated with, including child abuse, homicides and drugs. Most commonly, seeds are examined microscopically and identified to the plant species level to show a linkage between persons and places. More recently, forensic researchers have evaluated the potential for extracting and typing DNA from seeds to further individualize the samples. As a model system, tomato seeds were examined microscopically after different cooking treatments and assessed for the potential to DNA type seeds for variety identification. A sufficient quantity and quality of DNA were recovered from uncooked, digested and undigested tomato seeds for amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) analysis; however, any form of cooking destroyed the seed DNA. A simple microscopic analysis was able to distinguish between a cooked tomato seed versus an uncooked seed. This article is intended to provide an overview of case examples and current techniques for the forensic examination of seeds as plant-derived evidence.

Overlap of food addiction and substance use disorders definitions: analysis of animal and human studies.

Food has both homeostatic and hedonic components, which makes it a potent natural reward. Food related reward could therefore promote an escalation of intake and trigger symptoms associated to withdrawal, suggesting a behavioral parallel with substance abuse. Animal and human theoretical models of food reward and addiction have emerged, raising further interrogations on the validity of a bond between Substance Use Disorders, as clinically categorized in the DSM 5, and food reward. These models propose that highly palatable food items, rich in sugar and/or fat, are overly stimulating to the brain's reward pathways. Moreover, studies have also investigated the possibility of causal link between food reward and the contemporary obesity epidemic, with obesity being potentiated and maintained due to this overwhelming food reward. Although natural rewards are a hot topic in the definition and categorization of Substance Use Disorders, proofs of concept and definite evidence are still inconclusive. This review focuses on available results from experimental studies in animal and human models exploring the concept of food addiction, in an effort to determine if it depicts a specific phenotype and if there is truly a neurobiological similarity between food addiction and Substance Use Disorders. It describes results from sugar, fat and sweet-fat bingeing in rodent models, and behavioral and neurobiological assessments in different human populations. Although pieces of behavioral and neurobiological evidence supporting a food addiction phenotype in animals and humans are interesting, it seems premature to conclude on its validity.