Veterans Affairs Military Toxic Exposure Research Conference: Veteran-centric Approach and Community of Practice.

The U.S. Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act expands benefits and services to U.

The alarmin, interleukin-33, increases vascular tone via extracellular signal regulated kinase-mediated Ca sensitization and endothelial nitric oxide synthase inhibition.

Alarmins are classified by their release from damaged or ruptured cells. Many alarmins have been found to increase vascular tone and oppose endothelium-dependent dilatation (EDD). Interleukin (IL)-33 plays a prominent role in lung injury and can be released during vascular injury and in chronic studies found to be cardioprotective.

Neuroinflammation and Brain Health Risks in Veterans Exposed to Burn Pit Toxins.

Military burn pits, used for waste disposal in combat zones, involve the open-air burning of waste materials, including plastics, metals, chemicals, and medical waste. The pits release a complex mixture of occupational toxic substances, including particulate matter (PM), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), heavy metals, dioxins, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Air pollution significantly impacts brain health through mechanisms involving neuroinflammation.

Maternal nano-titanium dioxide inhalation exposure alters placental cyclooxygenase and oxidant balance in a sexually dimorphic manner.

The placenta plays a critical role in nutrient-waste exchange between the maternal and fetal circulation, and thus impacts fetal growth and development. We have previously shown that nano-titanium dioxide (nano-TiO) inhalation exposure during gestation decreased fetal female pup and placenta mass [1], which persists in the following generation [2]. In utero exposed females, once mated, their offspring's placentas had increased capacity for HO production.

Distinct profiles of oxylipid mediators in liver, lung, and placenta after maternal nano-TiO nanoparticle inhalation exposure.

Nano-titanium dioxide (nano-TiO) is a widely used nanomaterial found in several industrial and consumer products, including surface coatings, paints, sunscreens and cosmetics, among others. Studies have linked gestational exposure to nano-TiO with negative maternal and fetal health outcomes. For example, maternal pulmonary exposure to nano-TiO during gestation has been associated not only with maternal, but also fetal microvascular dysfunction in a rat model.

Lung-gut axis of microbiome alterations following co-exposure to ultrafine carbon black and ozone.

Background: Microbial dysbiosis is a potential mediator of air pollution-induced adverse outcomes. However, a systemic comparison of the lung and gut microbiome alterations and lung-gut axis following air pollution exposure is scant. In this study, we exposed male C57BL/6J mice to inhaled air, CB (10 mg/m), O (2 ppm) or CB + O mixture for 3 h/day for either one day or four consecutive days and were euthanized 24 h post last exposure.

Maternal nano-titanium dioxide inhalation alters fetoplacental outcomes in a sexually dimorphic manner.

The placenta plays a critical role in nutrient-waste exchange between the maternal and fetal circulations, thus functioning as an interface that profoundly impacts fetal growth and development. The placenta has long been considered an asexual organ, but, due to its embryonic origin it shares the same sex as the fetus. Exposures to toxicant such as diesel exhaust, have been shown to result in sexually dimorphic outcomes like decreased placental mass in exposed females.

Short-term exposure of female BALB/cJ mice to e-cigarette aerosol promotes neutrophil recruitment and enhances neutrophil-platelet aggregation in pulmonary microvasculature.

Despite the perception that e-cigarettes are safer than conventional cigarettes, numerous findings demonstrated that e-cigarette aerosol (EC) exposure induced compromised immune functionality, vascular changes even after acute exposure, and lung injury. Notably, altered neutrophil functionality and platelet hemodynamics have been observed post-EC exposure. It was hypothesized that EC exposure initiates an inflammatory response resulting in altered neutrophil behavior and increased neutrophil-platelet interaction in the pulmonary microvasculature.

Multi-instrument assessment of fine and ultrafine titanium dioxide aerosols.

The measurement of fine (diameter: 100 nanometers-2.5 micrometers) and ultrafine (UF: < 100 nanometers) titanium dioxide (TiO) particles is instrument dependent. Differences in measurements exist between toxicological and field investigations for the same exposure metric such as mass, number, or surface area because of variations in instruments used, operating parameters, or particle-size measurement ranges.

Aerosol physicochemical determinants of carbon black and ozone inhalation co-exposure induced pulmonary toxicity.

Air pollution accounts for more than 7 million premature deaths worldwide. Using ultrafine carbon black (CB) and ozone (O3) as a model for an environmental co-exposure scenario, the dose response relationships in acute pulmonary injury and inflammation were determined by generating, characterizing, and comparing stable concentrations of CB aerosols (2.5, 5.

Nanomaterial Inhalation During Pregnancy Alters Systemic Vascular Function in a Cyclooxygenase-Dependent Manner.

Pregnancy requires rapid adaptations in the uterine microcirculation to support fetal development. Nanomaterial inhalation is associated with cardiovascular dysfunction, which may impair gestation. We have shown that maternal nano-titanium dioxide (nano-TiO2) inhalation impairs microvascular endothelial function in response to arachidonic acid and thromboxane (TXA2) mimetics.

Nano-titanium dioxide inhalation exposure during gestation drives redox dysregulation and vascular dysfunction across generations.

Background: Pregnancy is associated with many rapid biological adaptations that support healthy development of the growing fetus. One of which is critical to fetal health and development is the coordination between maternal liver derived substrates and vascular delivery. This crucial adaptation can be potentially derailed by inhalation of toxicants.

Maternal Nanomaterial Inhalation Exposure: Critical Gestational Period in the Uterine Microcirculation is Angiotensin II Dependent.

Maternal inhalation exposure to engineered nanomaterials (ENM) has been associated with microvascular dysfunction and adverse cardiovascular responses. Pregnancy requires coordinated vascular adaptation and growth that are imperative for survival. Key events in pregnancy hallmark distinct periods of gestation such as implantation, spiral artery remodeling, placentation, and trophoblast invasion.

E-Cigarette Use: Device Market, Study Design, and Emerging Evidence of Biological Consequences.

Electronic cigarettes are frequently viewed as a safer alternative to conventional cigarettes; however, evidence to support this perspective has not materialized. Indeed, the current literature reports that electronic cigarette use is associated with both acute lung injury and subclinical dysfunction to the lung and vasculature that may result in pathology following chronic use. E-cigarettes can alter vascular dynamics, polarize innate immune populations towards a proinflammatory state, compromise barrier function in the pulmonary endothelium and epithelium, and promote pre-oncogenic phenomena.

Oxidant-induced epithelial alarmin pathway mediates lung inflammation and functional decline following ultrafine carbon and ozone inhalation co-exposure.

Environmental inhalation exposures are inherently mixed (gases and particles), yet regulations are still based on single toxicant exposures. While the impacts of individual components of environmental pollution have received substantial attention, the impact of inhalation co-exposures is poorly understood. Here, we mechanistically investigated pulmonary inflammation and lung function decline after inhalation co-exposure and individual exposures to ozone (O) and ultrafine carbon black (CB).

Enhanced antioxidant capacity prevents epitranscriptomic and cardiac alterations in adult offspring gestationally-exposed to ENM.

Maternal engineered nanomaterial (ENM) exposure during gestation has been associated with negative long-term effects on cardiovascular health in progeny. Here, we evaluate an epitranscriptomic mechanism that contributes to these chronic ramifications and whether overexpression of mitochondrial phospholipid hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidase (mPHGPx) can preserve cardiovascular function and bioenergetics in offspring following gestational nano-titanium dioxide (TiO) inhalation exposure. Wild-type (WT) and mPHGPx (Tg) dams were exposed to nano-TiO aerosols with a mass concentration of 12.

Composable Microfluidic Plates (cPlate): A Simple and Scalable Fluid Manipulation System for Multiplexed Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA).

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) is the gold standard method for protein biomarkers. However, scaling up ELISA for multiplexed biomarker analysis is not a trivial task due to the lengthy procedures for fluid manipulation and high reagent/sample consumption. Herein, we present a highly scalable multiplexed ELISA that achieves a similar level of performance to commercial single-target ELISA kits as well as shorter assay time, less consumption, and simpler procedures.

Inhalation of welding fumes reduced sperm counts and high fat diet reduced testosterone levels; differential effects in Sprague Dawley and Brown Norway rats.

Background: Previous studies have shown that inhalation of welding fumes may induce pulmonary and systemic inflammation and organ accumulation of metal, to which spermatogenesis and endocrine function may be sensitive. Also obesity may induce low-grade systemic inflammation. This study aimed to investigate the effects on sperm production of inhaled metal nanoparticles from stainless steel welding, and the potential exacerbation by intake of a high fat diet.

Particle and organic vapor emissions from children's 3-D pen and 3-D printer toys.

Fused filament fabrication "3-dimensional (3-D)" printing has expanded beyond the workplace to 3-D printers and pens for use by children as toys to create objects. Emissions from two brands of toy 3-D pens and one brand of toy 3-D printer were characterized in a 0.6 m chamber (particle number, size, elemental composition; concentrations of individual and total volatile organic compounds (TVOC)).

ROS promote epigenetic remodeling and cardiac dysfunction in offspring following maternal engineered nanomaterial (ENM) exposure.

Background: Nano-titanium dioxide (nano-TiO) is amongst the most widely utilized engineered nanomaterials (ENMs). However, little is known regarding the consequences maternal ENM inhalation exposure has on growing progeny during gestation. ENM inhalation exposure has been reported to decrease mitochondrial bioenergetics and cardiac function, though the mechanisms responsible are poorly understood.

Maternal Engineered Nanomaterial Inhalation During Gestation Disrupts Vascular Kisspeptin Reactivity.

Maternal engineered nanomaterial (ENM) inhalation is associated with uterine vascular impairments and endocrine disruption that may lead to altered gestational outcomes. We have shown that nano-titanium dioxide (nano-TiO2) inhalation impairs endothelium-dependent uterine arteriolar dilation in pregnant rats. However, the mechanism underlying this dysfunction is unknown.

Maternal titanium dioxide nanomaterial inhalation exposure compromises placental hemodynamics.

The fetal consequences of gestational engineered nanomaterial (ENM) exposure are unclear. The placenta is a barrier protecting the fetus and allowing transfer of substances from the maternal circulation. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of maternal pulmonary titanium dioxide nanoparticle (nano-TiO) exposure on the placenta and umbilical vascular reactivity.

miRNA-378a as a key regulator of cardiovascular health following engineered nanomaterial inhalation exposure.

Nano-titanium dioxide (nano-TiO), though one of the most utilized and produced engineered nanomaterials (ENMs), diminishes cardiovascular function through dysregulation of metabolism and mitochondrial bioenergetics following inhalation exposure. The molecular mechanisms governing this cardiac dysfunction remain largely unknown. The purpose of this study was to elucidate molecular mediators that connect nano-TiO exposure with impaired cardiac function.