The skin allergy risk assessment-integrated chemical environment (SARA-ICE) defined approach to derive points of departure for skin sensitization.

Mechanistically based non-animal methods for assessing skin sensitization hazard have been developed, but are not considered sufficient, individually, to conclusively define the skin sensitization potential or potency of a chemical. This resulted in the development of defined approaches (DAs), as documented in OECD TG 497, for combining information sources in a prescriptive manner to provide a determination of risk or potency. However, there are currently no DAs within OECD TG 497 that can derive a point of departure (POD) for risk assessment.

Current Treatment Paradigm and Approach to Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common forms of primary liver cancer worldwide. Herein, we present a review article that provides a broad overview of the current landscape of HCC, including the etiology, potential risk factors, and molecular pathways that can serve as potential therapeutic targets. The risk factors tend to vary depending on the geographic distribution; hepatitis B-induced cirrhosis and HCC occur more frequently in Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa, whereas metabolic disorders are the culprits in Western Europe and the Americas.

Tropical forest clearance impacts biodiversity and function, whereas logging changes structure.

The impacts of degradation and deforestation on tropical forests are poorly understood, particularly at landscape scales. We present an extensive ecosystem analysis of the impacts of logging and conversion of tropical forest to oil palm from a large-scale study in Borneo, synthesizing responses from 82 variables categorized into four ecological levels spanning a broad suite of ecosystem properties: (i) structure and environment, (ii) species traits, (iii) biodiversity, and (iv) ecosystem functions. Responses were highly heterogeneous and often complex and nonlinear.

Advancing Systemic Toxicity Risk Assessment: Evaluation of a NAM-based Toolbox Approach.

For many years, a method that allowed systemic toxicity safety assessments to be conducted without generating new animal test data, seemed out of reach. However, several different research groups and regulatory authorities are beginning to use a variety of in silico, in chemico and in vitro techniques to inform safety decisions. To manage this transition to animal-free safety assessments responsibly, it is important to ensure that the level of protection offered by a safety assessment based on new approach methodologies (NAMs), is at least as high as that provided by a safety assessment based on traditional animal studies.