Bulk zinc oxide (ZnO-BPs) and its nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) are frequently used in various products for humans. Helisoma duryi embryos can serve as effective model organisms for studying the toxicity of NPs. This study aimed to compare the teratogenic potency of ZnO-BPs and ZnO NPs in the embryonic stages of H. duryi to evaluate the utility of this snail as a bioindicator for ZnO-NPs in the aquatic environment. The mechanisms of teratogenesis were evaluated by determination of the LC50, studying the effect of sub-lethal concentrations of both ZnO forms on the embryos, and studying their enzyme activity, oxidative stress, and biochemical analysis. The SDS-PAGE electrophoresis was undertaken to assess the effect of ZnO-BPs and ZnO NPs on protein synthesis. The results revealed that the veliger stage of H. duryi is the specific stage for bulk and nano ZnO. ZnO-NPs proved to be more toxic to snails\' embryos than ZnO-BPs. Exposure to ZnO influences specific types of defects in development, which in the case of BPs are far less drastic than those caused by NPs. Thus, the toxicity of ZnO-NPs in embryonic development is due to their unique physicochemical properties. The observed malformations include mainly hydropic malformation, exogastrulation, monophthalmia, shell misshapen, and cell lyses. Almost all tested oxidative biomarkers significantly changed, revealing that ZnONPs display more oxidative stress than ZnO-BPs. Also, the low concentration of ZnO induces many disturbances in the organic substances of veliger larvae, such as a decrease in the total protein and total lipid levels and an increase in the glycogen level. The results indicated that ZnO-BPs increase the number of protein bands. Conversely, ZnO-NPs concealed one band from treated egg masses, which was found in the control group. Embryos of snail are an appropriate model to control freshwater snails. This study demonstrates that H. duryi embryos can serve as effective model organisms to study the toxicity of ZnO-NPs.

Previous studies examining antidepressants and congenital-malformations were primarily conducted in western countries, and many were constrained by important methodological limitations. This population-based study identified 465,069 women (including 1,705 redeemed ≥1 prescription of antidepressants during first-trimester) aged 15-50 years who delivered their first and singleton child between 2003 and 2018 in a predominantly-Chinese population in Hong Kong, using territory-wide medical-record database of public-healthcare services, and employed propensity-score fine-stratification-weighted logistic-regression analyses to evaluate risk of any major and organ/system-specific congenital-malformations following first-trimester exposure to antidepressants. Major malformation overall was not associated with any antidepressant (weighted-odds-ratio wOR, 0.88 [95 %CI, 0.44-1.76]), specific drug-class, or individual antidepressants. Exposure to any antidepressant was associated with increased risk of cardiac (wOR, 1.82 [95 %CI, 1.07-3.12]) and respiratory anomalies (wOR,4.11 [95 %CI, 1.61-10.45]). Exposure to selective-serotonin-reuptake-inhibitors (SSRI) and multiple-AD-classes were associated with respiratory and cardiac anomalies, respectively. However, these identified associations were not consistently affirmed across sensitivity analyses, precluding firm conclusion. Observed associations of specific cardiac defects with serotonin-norepinephrine-reuptake-inhibitors (SNRI), tricyclic-antidepressants (TCA) and multiple-AD-classes were noted with wide confidence-intervals, suggesting imprecise estimation. Overall, our findings suggest that first-trimester antidepressant exposure was not robustly associated with increased risk of congenital-malformations. Further research clarifying comparative safety of individual antidepressants on specific malformations is warranted.

UNASSIGNED: Approximately 1-2% of pregnant women undergo non-obstetric surgery under anaesthesia during their pregnancy. This review specifically targets anaesthesia management for pregnant women undergoing non-obstetric surgery in resource-limited settings.
UNASSIGNED: Following the delineation of primary questions, scope, and inclusion criteria, a comprehensive search strategy utilizing advanced techniques was implemented across electronic sources, databases, and websites to identify relevant articles. A rigorous screening process was applied during the literature evaluation. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 statement guided the conduct of this review, ensuring adherence to standardized reporting practices.
UNASSIGNED: A total of 240 articles were initially identified from databases and websites. After screening titles and abstracts, 85 papers were excluded, and an additional 43 were removed due to duplication. Subsequently, 68 items were subjected to eligibility screening. Finally, 30 papers that specifically addressed anaesthetic considerations for pregnant women undergoing non-obstetric operations were reviewed.
UNASSIGNED: Thorough preoperative evaluation is essential for all patients, with particular attention to modifications in anaesthetic management to accommodate physiological changes during pregnancy. Urgent and emergent surgeries should proceed promptly during pregnancy to optimize outcomes for both the mother and foetus. Maintaining uteroplacental perfusion generally involves avoiding maternal hypoxaemia, hypotension, hyper- and hypocapnia, temperature extremes, and stress. When deemed safe, regional anaesthesia may offer favourable outcomes for both the mother and foetus.

Following two requests from the European Commission, the EFSA Panel on Nutrition, Novel Foods and Food Allergens (NDA) was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on the revision of the tolerable upper intake level (UL) for preformed vitamin A and β-carotene. Systematic reviews of the literature were conducted for priority adverse health effects of excess vitamin A intake, namely teratogenicity, hepatotoxicity and endpoints related to bone health. Available data did not allow to address whether β-carotene could potentiate preformed vitamin A toxicity. Teratogenicity was selected as the critical effect on which to base the UL for preformed vitamin A. The Panel proposes to retain the UL for preformed vitamin A of 3000 μg RE/day for adults. This UL applies to men and women, including women of child-bearing age, pregnant and lactating women and post-menopausal women. This value was scaled down to other population groups using allometric scaling (body weight0.75), leading to ULs between 600 μg RE/day (infants 4-11 months) and 2600 μg RE/day (adolescents 15-17 years). Based on available intake data, European populations are unlikely to exceed the UL for preformed vitamin A if consumption of liver, offal and products thereof is limited to once per month or less. Women who are planning to become pregnant or who are pregnant are advised not to consume liver products. Lung cancer risk was selected as the critical effect of excess supplemental β-carotene. The available data were not sufficient and suitable to characterise a dose-response relationship and identify a reference point; therefore, no UL could be established. There is no indication that β-carotene intake from the background diet is associated with adverse health effects. Smokers should avoid consuming food supplements containing β-carotene. The use of supplemental β-carotene by the general population should be limited to the purpose of meeting vitamin A requirements.

Plant growth regulators (PGRs) are increasingly used to promote sustainable agriculture, but their unregulated use raises concerns about potential environmental risks. Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), a commonly used PGR, has been the subject of research on its developmental toxicity in the in-vivo zebrafish model. IAA exposure to zebrafish embryos caused oxidative stress, lipid peroxidation, and cellular apoptosis. The study also revealed that critical antioxidant genes including sod, cat, and bcl2 were downregulated, while pro-apoptotic genes such as bax and p53 were upregulated. IAA exposure also hampered normal cardiogenesis by downregulating myl7, amhc, and vmhc genes and potentially influencing zebrafish neurobehavior. The accumulation of IAA was confirmed by HPLC analysis of IAA-exposed zebrafish tissues. These findings underscore the need for further study on the potential ecological consequences of IAA use and the need for sustainable agricultural practices.

In recent years, the presence of pharmaceuticals in the aquatic environment has gained a significant attention. Carbamazepine, a commonly prescribed antiepileptic drug, has been consistently found in aquatic environments at concentrations ranging from nanograms to micrograms, raising concerns about its potential negative impacts on aquatic organisms. The study examined the acute and chronic neurotoxic effects of environmentally relevant and sublethal concentrations of carbamazepine in the mosquitofish Gambusia affinis. After a 96-hour exposure period, the median lethal concentration (LC50) of carbamazepine for G. affinis was determined as 24 mg L - 1. For the current study, sublethal concentrations i.e., one-tenth (2.4 mg L - 1) and one-fifth (4.8 mg L - 1) of the LC50 value were chosen for assessing the neurotoxic effects along with the environmentally relevant concentration (13 ng L - 1). The research findings indicated that carbamazepine had a disruptive impact on the typical growth and behavior of the fish. During the acute exposure phase, physical deformities were observed in the fish, resulting in neonatal and postneonatal fatalities. Furthermore, the neurotoxic effects of carbamazepine were clearly demonstrated through alterations in various neurological parameters, including acetylcholinesterase, dopamine, gamma-aminobutyric acid, serotonin, monoamine oxidase, 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid, adrenaline, and nor-adrenaline. These findings raise concerns about the survival of fish populations in their natural environment.

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There is much debate about continuing antipsychotic medication in patients who need it when they become pregnant because benefits must be weighed against potential teratogenic and malformation effects related to antipsychotics themselves. To address this, we conducted a systematic review on the PubMed, PsycINFO and CINHAL databases and the ClinicalTrials.gov register using the following strategy: (toxicity OR teratogenicity OR malformation* OR \"birth defect*\" OR \"congenital abnormality\" OR \"congenital abnormalities\" OR \"brain changes\" OR \"behavioral abnormalities\" OR \"behavioral abnormalities\") AND antipsychotic* AND (pregnancy OR pregnant OR lactation OR delivery OR prenatal OR perinatal OR post-natal OR puerperium) on September 27, 2023. We found 38 studies to be eligible. The oldest was published in 1976, while most articles were recent. Most studies concluded that the antipsychotics, especially the second-generation antipsychotics, were devoid of teratogenic potential, while few studies were inconclusive and recommended replication. Most authoritative articles were from the Boston area, where large databases were implemented to study the malformation potential of psychiatric drugs. Other reliable databases are from Northern European registers. Overall conclusions are that antipsychotics are no more related to malformations than the disorders themselves; most studies recommend that there are no reasons to discontinue antipsychotic medications in pregnancy.

Aspartame, a widely used artificial sweetener, is present in many food products and beverages worldwide. It has been linked to potential neurotoxicity and developmental defects. However, its teratogenic effect on embryonic development and the underlying potential mechanisms need to be elucidated. We investigated the concentration- and time-dependent effects of aspartame on zebrafish development and teratogenicity. We focused on the role of sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) and Forkhead-box transcription factor (FOXO), two proteins that play key roles in neurodevelopment. It was found that aspartame exposure reduced the formation of larvae and the development of cartilage in zebrafish. It also delayed post-fertilization development by altering the head length and locomotor behavior of zebrafish. RNA-sequencing-based DEG analysis showed that SIRT1 and FOXO3a are involved in neurodevelopment. In silico and in vitro analyses showed that aspartame could target and reduce the expression of SIRT1 and FOXO3a proteins in neuron cells. Additionally, aspartame triggered the reduction of autophagy flux by inhibiting the nuclear translocation of SIRT1 in neuronal cells. The findings suggest that aspartame can cause developmental defects and teratogenicity in zebrafish embryos and reduce autophagy by impairing the SIRT1/FOXO3a axis in neuron cells.

UNASSIGNED: Treacher Collins syndrome (TCS) is a rare congenital disorder of craniofacial development characterized by numerous developmental anomalies that are restricted to the head and neck. Most TCS cases are inherited in an autosomal dominant manner. The diagnosis of TCS relies on clinical and radiographic findings. The four genes involved in TCS are TCOF1, POLR1D, POLR1C, and POLR1B.
UNASSIGNED: In this report, we present the case of a 7-year-old Moroccan boy who exhibited distinctive dysmorphic features, including coloboma and zygomatic bone hypoplasia. Upon genetic analysis, a mutation in the TCOF1 gene was identified, conclusively confirming the presence of Treacher Collins Syndrome. It is worthy that the correct etiological diagnosis was significantly delayed due to the initial misperception that the observed malformation syndrome was a result of drug teratogenicity.
UNASSIGNED: This case highlights the importance of seeking pharmacovigilance advice if any adverse event occurs following medication use. Furthermore, requesting a genetic consultation to establish a confirmed etiological diagnosis for any malformation syndrome can significantly reduce the protracted social and psychological suffering that patients and their families may endure.