Publications by authors named "Seneca Fitch"

Formaldehyde is recognized as carcinogenic for the portal of entry sites, though conclusions are mixed regarding lymphohematopoietic (LHP) cancers. This systematic review assesses the likelihood of a causal relationship between formaldehyde and LHP cancers by integrating components recommended by NASEM. Four experimental rodent bioassays and 16 observational studies in humans were included following the implementation of the a priori protocol.

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In 2005, the World Health Organization (WHO) re-evaluated Toxic Equivalency factors (TEFs) developed for dioxin-like compounds believed to act through the Ah receptor based on an updated database of relative estimated potency (REP)(REP database). This re-evalution identified the need to develop a consistent approach for dose-response modeling. Further, the WHO Panel discussed the significant heterogeneity of experimental datasets and dataset quality underlying the REPs in the database.

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The National Toxicology Program (NTP) reported that chronic dietary exposure to 4-methylimidazole (4-MeI) increased the incidence of lung adenomas/carcinomas beyond the normally high spontaneous rate in B6C3F1 mice. To examine plausible modes of action (MoAs) for mouse lung tumors (MLTs) upon exposure to high levels of 4-MeI, and their relevance in assessing human risk, a systematic approach was used to identify and evaluate mechanistic data (in vitro and in vivo) in the primary and secondary literature, along with high-throughput screening assay data. Study quality, relevance, and activity of mechanistic data identified across the evidence-base were organized according to key characteristics of carcinogens (KCCs) to identify potential key events in known or novel MLT MoAs.

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Background: It is well-recognized that consumers face many challenges in understanding and applying nutritional guidance for low-calorie sweeteners (LCS). Thus, this research aims to (1) assess how benchmarks for safe levels of consumption of LCS are utilized by researchers, and (2) understand how varying use of such benchmarks may contribute to challenges in understanding and applying nutritional guidance for LCS consumption.

Methods: A systematic mapping exercise was employed to characterize when and how acceptable daily intake (ADI) values are used as health-based benchmarks in nutrition research studies that consider the safety of LCS.

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Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) causes one in three market withdrawals due to adverse drug reactions, causing preventable human suffering and massive financial loss. We applied evidence-based methods to investigate the role of preclinical studies in predicting human DILI using two anti-diabetic drugs from the same class, but with different toxicological profiles: troglitazone (withdrawn from US market due to DILI) and rosiglitazone (remains on US market). Evidence Stream 1: A systematic literature review of in vivo studies on rosiglitazone or troglitazone was conducted (PROSPERO registration CRD42018112353).

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Formaldehyde is a reactive aldehyde naturally present in all plant and animal tissues and a critical component of the one-carbon metabolism pathway. It is also a high production volume chemical used in the manufacture of numerous products. Formaldehyde is also one of the most well-studied chemicals with respect to environmental fate, biology, and toxicology-including carcinogenic potential, and mode of action (MOA).

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Regulatory agencies have derived noncancer toxicity values for 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin based on reduced sperm counts relying on single studies from a large body of evidence. Techniques such as meta-regression allow for greater use of the available data while simultaneously providing important information regarding the uncertainty associated with the underlying evidence base when conducting risk assessments. The objective herein was to apply systematic review methods and meta-regression to characterize the dose-response relationship of gestational exposure and epididymal sperm count.

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Ammonium 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoro-2-(heptafluoropropoxy)-propanoate, also known as GenX, is a processing aid used in the manufacture of fluoropolymers. GenX is one of several chemistries developed as an alternative to long-chain poly-fluoroalkyl substances, which tend to have long clearance half-lives and are environmentally persistent. Unlike poly-fluoroalkyl substances, GenX has more rapid clearance, but has been detected in US and international water sources.

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Hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] is known to cause lung cancer in workers of certain industries, but an association with stomach cancer is uncertain and widely debated. Systematic review and meta-analyses were conducted to assess the risk of stomach cancer mortality/morbidity in humans and experimental animals exposed to Cr(VI). In accordance with the protocol (PROSPERO #CRD4201605162), searches in PubMed and Embase, and reviews of secondary literature bibliographies, were used to identify eligible studies.

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Recently, the key characteristics of carcinogens (KCC) have been proposed as an organizational approach for the evaluation of mechanistic data related to carcinogenicity. Our objective was to develop a framework to systematically and quantitatively integrate KCC data using elements that are important to risk assessment. Methods for developing the framework included: defining objectives, identifying and accommodating key considerations for components, input, and output of the framework, and operational development via iterative testing by a multidisciplinary team.

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