Publications by authors named "Barbara H Neal"

Article Synopsis
  • * Research indicated that toxaphene activated certain genes related to the constitutive androstane receptor (CAR) in the liver, specifically causing significant changes at higher doses, while minimal activation of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) was observed.
  • * Experiments with CAR knockout mice confirmed that the induction of CAR target genes was crucial in the process, suggesting that toxaphene's liver tumor promotion occurs through a nongenotoxic mechanism associated with cell proliferation and preneoplastic lesion expansion.
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Weight of evidence (WoE) approaches are recommended for interpreting various toxicological data, but few systematic and transparent procedures exist. A hypothesis-based WoE framework was recently published focusing on the U.S.

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Life-stage-dependent toxicity and dose-dependent toxicokinetics (TK) were evaluated in Sprague Dawley rats following dietary exposure to 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D). 2,4-D renal clearance is impacted by dose-dependent saturation of the renal organic anion transporter; thus, this study focused on identifying inflection points of onset of dietary nonlinear TK to inform dose selection decisions for toxicity studies. Male and female rats were fed 2,4-D-fortified diets at doses to 1600 ppm for 4-weeks premating, <2 weeks during mating, and to test day (TD) 71 to parental (P1) males and to P1 females through gestation/lactation to TD 96.

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Article Synopsis
  • A study on 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) in CD rats examined its potential toxicity across various areas, including systemic, reproductive, and developmental effects, using different dosage levels in the diet.
  • The results indicated kidney damage, particularly in high-dose males and females, as the primary toxic effect, with some minor endocrine changes, but no significant reproductive or neurodevelopmental toxicity was observed.
  • The established "No Observed Adverse Effect Level" for systemic toxicity was set at 300 ppm, which is significantly higher than what has been reported in human exposure studies.
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  • Risk assessments of acrylonitrile (AN) mainly concern its potential cancer risk and acute toxicity, with studies highlighting reproductive issues in workers, such as infertility and birth defects in China.
  • An evaluation of existing studies found that while AN shows some toxicity, the evidence does not establish a direct cause-and-effect relationship suitable for risk assessment.
  • Key findings indicate that NOAELs for AN are 10 mg/kg/day for oral exposure and 12 ppm for inhalation, with confidence in the inhalation studies suggesting that AN is unlikely to harm development or reproduction without significant maternal toxicity.
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Article Synopsis
  • Technical toxaphene (TT), last used around 1982, has now mostly degraded into what is called weathered toxaphene, which consists of various chlorinated congeners primarily through dechlorination processes.
  • The U.S. EPA assesses the risks of toxaphene based on toxicology studies conducted on the original technical version, without considering its environmental degradation.
  • In contrast, the European Union models risks associated with weathered toxaphene by studying its effects through different degradation methods and using various animal models, suggesting a need for updated U.S. assessments.
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