1 3509 115 IDENTIFYING MECHANISMS OF ENDOMETRIOSIS-ASSOCIATED REDUCED FECUNDITY IN A RAT MODEL: NOVEL INSIGHTS TOWARD UNDERSTANDING HUMAN INFERTILITY. THE EXISTENCE OF ENDOMETRIOSIS HAS BEEN KNOWN SINCE AT LEAST THE NINETEENTH CENTURY, YET THE LACK OF UNDERSTANDING OF CAUSES OF INFERTILITY AND THEREFORE INADEQUATE TREATMENT APPROACHES IN ENDOMETRIOSIS CREATES A SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGE IN REPRODUCTIVE MEDICINE. WOMEN WORLDWIDE SUFFER NOT ONLY PAIN AND INFERTILITY BUT ALSO ECONOMICAL, SOCIETAL, AND PHYSIOLOGICAL BURDENS. STUDIES OF REPRODUCTIVE EVENTS IN WOMEN ARE DIFFICULT TO CONDUCT DUE TO A HOST OF CONFOUNDING PERSONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS AND ETHICALLY LIMITED DUE TO THE VERY NATURE OF WORKING WITH REPRODUCTIVE TISSUES AND CELLS, ESPECIALLY EMBRYOS. ANIMAL MODELS ARE A VIABLE ADJUNCT TO STUDY MECHANISMS CAUSING HUMAN REPRODUCTIVE ANOMALIES AND INFERTILITY IN ENDOMETRIOSIS. THIS CHAPTER DISCUSSES REPRODUCTIVE ANOMALIES CAUSING INFERTILITY IN ENDOMETRIOSIS AND WELL-ESTABLISHED ANIMAL MODELS WHICH HELP DECIPHER THE PROBLEMS AND LEAD TO HERETOFORE UNKNOWN NONSURGICAL, NONHORMONAL METHODS TO MANAGE ENDOMETRIOSIS IN WOMEN. IN ADDITION, STUDIES OF EFFECTS OF DEVELOPMENTAL EXPOSURE TO ENDOMETRIOSIS ARE REVEALING FOR THE FIRST TIME, IN BOTH FEMALE AND MALE OFFSPRING, TRANSGENERATIONAL SUBFERTILITY IN A RAT MODEL PROVIDING INSIGHTS INTO THE FAMILIAL NATURE OF ENDOMETRIOSIS AND POSSIBLE EPIGENETIC INVOLVEMENT. 2020 2 5002 21 PERIODONTITIS AND PERIODONTOPATHIC BACTERIA AS RISK FACTORS FOR RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS: A REVIEW OF THE LAST 10 YEARS. RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS (RA) IS CHARACTERIZED BY CHRONIC INFLAMMATORY DESTRUCTION OF JOINT TISSUE AND IS CAUSED BY AN ABNORMAL AUTOIMMUNE RESPONSE TRIGGERED BY INTERACTIONS BETWEEN GENETICS, ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS, AND EPIGENETIC AND POSTTRANSLATIONAL MODIFICATIONS. RA HAS BEEN SUGGESTED TO BE INTERRELATED WITH PERIODONTITIS, A SERIOUS FORM OR STAGE OF CHRONIC INFLAMMATORY PERIODONTAL DISEASE ASSOCIATED WITH PERIODONTOPATHIC BACTERIAL INFECTIONS, GENETIC PREDISPOSITION, ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS, AND EPIGENETIC INFLUENCES. OVER THE LAST DECADE, A NUMBER OF ANIMAL AND CLINICAL STUDIES HAVE BEEN CONDUCTED TO ASSESS WHETHER OR NOT PERIODONTITIS AND ASSOCIATED PERIODONTOPATHIC BACTERIA CONSTITUTE RISK FACTORS FOR RA. THE PRESENT REVIEW INTRODUCES RECENT ACCUMULATING EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT THE ASSOCIATIONS OF PERIODONTITIS AND PERIODONTOPATHIC BACTERIA WITH THE RISK OF RA OR THE OUTCOME OF RA PHARMACOLOGICAL TREATMENT WITH DISEASE-MODIFYING ANTIRHEUMATIC DRUGS. IN ADDITION, THE RESULTS FROM INTERVENTION STUDIES HAVE SUGGESTED AN IMPROVEMENT IN RA CLINICAL PARAMETERS AFTER NONSURGICAL PERIODONTAL TREATMENT. FURTHERMORE, THE POTENTIAL CAUSAL MECHANISMS UNDERLYING THE LINK BETWEEN PERIODONTITIS AND PERIODONTOPATHIC BACTERIA AND RA ARE SUMMARIZED. 2023 3 3820 32 INTRODUCTION TO PRECLINICAL EVIDENCE FROM ANIMAL MODELS OF ENDOMETRIOSIS. ENDOMETRIOSIS, THE PRESENCE AND GROWTH OF UTERINE ENDOMETRIAL GLANDULAR EPITHELIAL AND STROMA CELLS OUTSIDE THE UTERINE CAVITY, CAUSES PAIN AND INFERTILITY IN WOMEN AND GIRLS OF REPRODUCTIVE AGE. AS RANDOMIZED, DOUBLE-BLINDED, CONTROLLED STUDIES OF ENDOMETRIOSIS IN WOMEN ARE IMPRACTICAL AND AT TIMES ETHICALLY PROHIBITIVE, ANIMAL MODELS FOR ENDOMETRIOSIS AROSE AS AN IMPORTANT ADJUNCT TO GAIN MECHANISTIC INSIGHTS INTO THE ETIOLOGY AND PATHOPHYSIOLOGICAL MECHANISMS OF THIS PERPLEXING DISORDER. A MORE THOROUGH UNDERSTANDING OF ENDOMETRIOSIS IN WOMEN MAY HELP DEVELOP NOVEL NONINVASIVE DIAGNOSTICS, CLASSIFICATION SYSTEMS, THERAPEUTIC REGIMES, AND EVEN PREVENTATIVE METHODS FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF ENDOMETRIOSIS. THIS CHAPTER IS INTENDED TO INTRODUCE A BRIEF HISTORICAL BACKGROUND, BIOLOGICAL AND EPIDEMIOLOGICAL ASPECTS, THE MAJOR SYMPTOMS, THE EFFECTS OF ENDOCRINE-DISRUPTING CHEMICALS, AND AN EXAMPLE OF AN EPIGENETIC FACTOR OF ENDOMETRIOSIS IN WOMEN. 2020 4 5231 21 PROBIOTICS AND AMELIORATION OF RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS: SIGNIFICANT ROLES OF LACTOBACILLUS CASEI AND LACTOBACILLUS ACIDOPHILUS. RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS IS A CHRONIC AUTOIMMUNE DISORDER THAT CAN LEAD TO DISABILITY CONDITIONS WITH SWOLLEN JOINTS, PAIN, STIFFNESS, CARTILAGE DEGRADATION, AND OSTEOPOROSIS. GENETIC, EPIGENETIC, SEX-SPECIFIC FACTORS, SMOKING, AIR POLLUTION, FOOD, ORAL HYGIENE, PERIODONTITIS, PREVOTELLA, AND IMBALANCE IN THE GASTROINTESTINAL MICROBIOTA ARE POSSIBLE SOURCES OF THE INITIATION OR PROGRESSION OF RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS, ALTHOUGH THE DETAILED MECHANISMS STILL NEED TO BE ELUCIDATED. PROBIOTICS CONTAINING LACTOBACILLUS SPP. ARE COMMONLY USED AS ALLEVIATING AGENTS OR FOOD SUPPLEMENTS TO MANAGE DIARRHEA, DYSENTERY, DEVELOP IMMUNITY, AND MAINTAIN GENERAL HEALTH. THE MECHANISM OF ACTION OF LACTOBACILLUS SPP. AGAINST RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS IS STILL NOT CLEARLY KNOWN TO DATE. IN THIS NARRATIVE REVIEW, WE RECAPITULATE THE FINDINGS OF RECENT STUDIES TO UNDERSTAND THE OVERALL PATHOGENESIS OF RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS AND THE ROLES OF PROBIOTICS, PARTICULARLY L. CASEI OR L. ACIDOPHILUS, IN THE MANAGEMENT OF RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS IN CLINICAL AND PRECLINICAL STUDIES. 2021 5 608 25 BEYOND HOMEOSTASIS: UNDERSTANDING THE IMPACT OF PSYCHOSOCIAL FACTORS ON APPETITE USING NONHUMAN PRIMATE MODELS. ANIMAL MODELS HAVE PROVEN TO BE EXCEPTIONALLY INFORMATIVE IN DEFINING NEUROPEPTIDE REGULATION OF APPETITE AND ENERGY HOMEOSTASIS (GAO AND HORVATH 2007, BERTHOUD 2012, WILLIAMS AND ELMQUIST 2012). MORE RECENT STUDIES USING A RANGE OF ANIMAL MODELS AND MOLECULAR TOOLS ARE ELUCIDATING HOW EPIGENETIC CHANGES RESULTING FROM SPECIFIC PRENATAL AND POSTNATAL DIETARY ENVIRONMENTS OR EXPERIENCES AFFECT METABOLIC PROCESSES AND APPETITE REGULATION (LEVIN 2008, ZAMBRANO AND NATHANIELSZ 2013, BURDGE AND LILLYCROP 2014). TAKEN TOGETHER, THESE APPROACHES ARE HELPING TO DEFINE POSSIBLE TREATMENT INTERVENTIONS FOR EATING DISORDERS IN PEOPLE (CASPER, SULLIVAN, AND TECOTT 2008, FOLTIN 2012, VAN GESTEL ET AL. 2014, LUTTER, CROGHAN, AND CUI 2016). THE CHOICE OF ANIMAL USED IS BEST DICTATED BY THE QUESTION BEING ADDRESSED. BECAUSE OF SIMILARITIES IN PHYSIOLOGY AND NEUROBIOLOGY, STUDIES OF CAPTIVE NONHUMAN PRIMATES HAVE BEGUN TO CONTRIBUTE SIGNIFICANTLY TO OUR UNDERSTANDING OF APPETITE REGULATION (SEE WILSON ET AL. 2014 FOR A REVIEW). IMPORTANTLY, THE USE OF NONHUMAN PRIMATE MODELS PROVIDES THE UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO EXTEND ANALYSES BEYOND A FOCUS ON THE HOMEOSTATIC REGULATION OF APPETITE. THIS IS PARTICULARLY RELEVANT GIVEN THE WELL-ESTABLISHED NOTION THAT A NUMBER OF PSYCHOSOCIAL FACTORS INFLUENCE FOOD INTAKE IN PEOPLE (BRUCE AND RICCIARDELLI 2015), INCLUDING CHRONIC STRESSOR EXPOSURE (TSENKOVA, BOYLAN, AND RYFF 2013), EVEN IN CHILDREN (NGUYEN-RODRIGUEZ, UNGER, AND SPRUIJT-METZ 2009). WHILE THE IMPORTANCE OF PSYCHOSOCIAL FACTORS CAN BE MODELED IN NONPRIMATE ANIMALS (TAMASHIRO, HEGEMAN, AND SAKAI 2006), SOCIALLY HOUSED NONHUMAN PRIMATES SHARE MANY CHARACTERISTICS IN ADDITION TO PHYSIOLOGY AND NEUROBIOLOGY, WITH HUMANS INCREASING THE TRANSLATIONAL VALUE OF THESE PRE-CLINICAL STUDIES. 2017 6 5154 20 PRAKRITI-BASED MEDICINE: A STEP TOWARDS PERSONALIZED MEDICINE. THE CONCEPT OF PERSONALIZED MEDICINE HAS BEEN AROUND FOR AS LONG AS PEOPLE HAVE BEEN PRACTICING MEDICINE. FROM CHARAKA TO HIPPOCRATES, ALL HAVE PRACTICED THE PERSONALIZED APPROACH FOR TREATING A DISEASE. IN THE 21(ST) CENTURY, PERSONALIZED MEDICINE IS ALL ABOUT DNA. WHEREAS THE SINGLE NUCLEOTIDE POLYMORPHISM (SNP) AND EPIGENETIC FACTORS INFLUENCE DRUG RESPONSE AND FORM THE BASIS OF PERSONALIZED MEDICINE, THE TRIDOSHA THEORY FORMS THE BASIS OF PRAKRITI-BASED MEDICINE. IT IS WELL ESTABLISHED BY NOW THAT WESTERN ALLOPATHIC MEDICINE IS EXCELLENT IN HANDLING ACUTE MEDICAL CRISES, WHEREAS AYURVEDA HAS SUCCESSFULLY DEMONSTRATED AN ABILITY TO MANAGE CHRONIC DISORDERS THAT WESTERN MEDICINE HAS BEEN UNABLE TO CURE. WITH EFFECTIVE INTEGRATION OF 'OMICS' PRAKRITI-BASED MEDICINE CAN PLAY A VITAL ROLE IN THIS CHANGING SCENARIO OF GLOBAL HEALTH WISDOM AS AYURVEDA OFFERS ITS MODALITIES BY WAY OF AHARA (DIET), VIHARA (LIFESTYLE), AND AUSHADHI (MEDICATION), WHICH ARE THE THREE PILLARS OF PRAKRITI-BASED MEDICINE MAKING IT A HOLISTIC SCIENCE. PRAKRITI-BASED MEDICINE AND OTHER TRADITIONAL MEDICINE SYSTEMS HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO OFFER REMEDIES TO THE CHALLENGING HEALTH ISSUES LIKE ADVERSE DRUG REACTIONS, DRUG WITHDRAWALS, AND ECONOMIC DISPARITIES AMONG FEW. AN INTEGRATIVE GLOBAL APPROACH COULD DO WONDERS TO HEALTH SCIENCES BENEFITING A BROAD SPECTRUM OF PATIENTS. 2011 7 3598 16 IMPLICATIONS ON HYPNOTHERAPY: NEUROPLASTICITY, EPIGENETICS AND PAIN. WE PROVIDE A BRIEF REVIEW ABOUT THE SIGNIFICANCE OF HYPNOSIS WITH RESPECT TO APPLICATIONS AND PHYSIOLOGICAL PROCESSES IN HYPNOTHERAPY. OUR REVIEW CONCLUDES THAT HYPNOSIS IS A PROMISING METHOD TO MANAGE ACUTE AND CHRONIC PAIN. IN ADDITION, WE DISCUSS INDICATIONS POINTING TOWARD THE VIEW THAT HYPNOSIS CAN INDUCE CHANGES IN NEUROPLASTICITY POSSIBLY INVOLVING EPIGENETIC MECHANISMS. 2021 8 6744 28 WHO CARES ABOUT OLIGOZOOSPERMIA WHEN WE HAVE ICSI. THE VALUE OF ASSESSING SUBFERTILE MALES WITH OLIGOZOOSPERMIA IS CONTROVERSIAL DUE TO PREVAILING NOTIONS THAT THERAPIES ARE LIMITED AND ICSI MAY PROVIDE THE COUPLE WITH A BABY WITHOUT THE NEED TO EXPLAIN THE NATURE OR CAUSE OF UNDERLYING MALE INFERTILITY. THIS ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS THAT INDISCRIMINATELY OFFERING ICSI TO OLIGOZOOSPERMIC MEN IS NOT FREE OF POTENTIAL ADVERSE EFFECTS AND DOES NOT GRANT SUBFERTILE MEN THE BEST FERTILITY PATHWAY. RECENT DATA SUPPORT ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN OLIGOZOOSPERMIA AND POOR MALE REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH, DNA AND EPIGENETIC DAMAGE IN SPERMATOZOA, AND POSSIBLE ADVERSE HEALTH CONSEQUENCES TO OFFSPRING. MANY CONDITIONS AFFECTING THE TESTICLES ARE CAPABLE OF CAUSING OLIGOZOOSPERMIA (VARICOCELE, GENITAL INFECTIONS, CONGENITAL AND GENETIC DEFECTS TESTICULAR TORSION/TRAUMA, CHRONIC DISEASES, INADEQUATE LIFESTYLE, OCCUPATIONAL/ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE TO TOXICANTS, DRUGS, CANCER AND RELATED TREATMENTS, ACUTE FEBRILE ILLNESS, ENDOCRINE DISORDERS, AND IATROGENIC DAMAGE TO THE GENITOURINARY SYSTEM). IF OLIGOZOOSPERMIA IS DETECTED, THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTIONS CAN IMPROVE SPERM QUANTITY/QUALITY AND THE OVERALL MALE HEALTH, ULTIMATELY RESULTING IN BETTER PREGNANCY OUTCOMES EVEN WHEN ICSI IS USED. FERTILITY CLINICS ARE URGED TO ENGAGE MALE INFERTILITY SPECIALISTS IN DIAGNOSING AND TREATING OLIGOZOOSPERMIA AS A MATTER OF BEST CLINICAL PRACTICE. A WELL-CONDUCTED MALE INFERTILITY EVALUATION REPRESENTS A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO IDENTIFY RELEVANT MEDICAL AND INFERTILITY CONDITIONS, MANY OF WHICH MAY BE TREATED OR ALLEVIATED. THE ANDROLOGICAL ASSESSMENT MAY ALSO HELP GUIDE THE OPTIMAL APPLICATION OF ICSI. THE FINAL GOALS ARE TO POSITIVELY IMPACT THE OVERALL PATIENT HEALTH, THE COUPLE'S PREGNANCY PROSPECTS, AND THE OFFSPRING'S WELL-BEING. 2022 9 1643 15 DOES RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS REPRESENT AN ADAPTIVE, THRIFTY CONDITION? THE PRESENT ARTICLE PRESENTS EPIDEMIOLOGICAL, AND COMPARATIVE EVIDENCE SUPPORTING THE HYPOTHESIS THAT RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS (RA) MAY REPRESENT A THRIFTY ADAPTATION SELECTED TO COMPEL ANIMALS TO MINIMIZE VOLUNTARY ENERGY EXPENDITURE. THE AUTOIMMUNE, PATHOPHYSIOLOGICAL MANIFESTATIONS UNDERLYING RA ARE FRAMED HERE AS CONSTITUTING AN EVOLVED, PROTECTIVE MECHANISM THAT WOULD HAVE INFLUENCED ANIMALS TO AVOID EXERTION AND MAINTAIN A SEDENTARY LIFESTYLE IN ORDER TO MINIMIZE METABOLIC OUTPUT AND ULTIMATELY ESCAPE STARVATION. ARTHRITIC PAIN IS CHARACTERIZED HERE AS A DEFENSIVE, INNATE SIGNAL MUCH LIKE FATIGUE, FEVER, NAUSEA AND REFLEXIVE PAIN, AND LIKE THESE, IS SEEN ON A CONTINUUM VARYING BETWEEN IMPERCEPTIBLE ENCUMBRANCE AND DEBILITATING DISABILITY. THE EPIGENETIC RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ACUTE PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESS AND FLARE-UP OF ARTHRITIC SYMPTOMS IS EXAMINED AND TAKEN TO SUGGEST THAT ARTHRITIS MAY BE A PREDICTIVE, ADAPTIVE RESPONSE TO SEVERE STRESS ALLOWING REDUCTIONS IN METABOLISM TO FOLLOW ADVERSE CONDITIONS OR NUTRITIONAL SCARCITY. THE CLOSE ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS AND THE METABOLIC SYNDROME ARE ALSO EXPLORED ALONG WITH POTENTIAL TIES TO THE "THRIFTY GENOTYPE" AND "THRIFTY PHENOTYPE" PHENOMENA. THIS HYPOTHESIS IS EXAMINED IN THE CONTEXTS OF EVOLUTIONARY MEDICINE, PHENOTYPIC PLASTICITY, THE STRESS RESPONSE AND THE BIOENERGETICS OF THRIFT. A BRIEF AND EXPLORATORY REVIEW OF PERTINENT EVIDENCE SUGGESTS THAT RA, ITS SUBCLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS, AND EVEN OTHER FORMS OF ARTHROPATHY MAY POSSIBLY REPRESENT ADAPTATIONS THAT PROMOTED METABOLIC THRIFT DURING OUR EVOLUTIONARY PAST. 2010 10 1915 31 ENVIRONMENTAL AND OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE OF METALS AND FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH. UNTAINTED ENVIRONMENT PROMOTES HEALTH, BUT THE LAST FEW DECADES EXPERIENCED STEEP UPSURGE IN ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINANTS POSING DETRIMENTAL PHYSIOLOGICAL IMPACT. THE RESPONSIBLE FACTORS MAINLY INCLUDE THE EXPONENTIAL GROWTH OF HUMAN POPULATION, HAVOC RISE IN INDUSTRIALIZATION, POORLY PLANNED URBANIZATION, AND SLAPDASH ENVIRONMENT MANAGEMENT. ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION CAN INCREASE THE LIKELIHOOD OF HUMAN EXPOSURE TO HEAVY METALS, RESULTING IN HEALTH CONSEQUENCES SUCH AS REPRODUCTIVE PROBLEMS. AS A RESULT, RESEARCH INTO METAL-INDUCED CAUSES OF REPRODUCTIVE IMPAIRMENT AT THE GENETIC, EPIGENETIC, AND BIOCHEMICAL LEVELS MUST BE STRENGTHENED FURTHER. THESE METALS IMPACT UPON THE FEMALE REPRODUCTION AT ALL STRATA OF ITS REGULATION AND FUNCTIONS, BE IT DEVELOPMENT, MATURATION, OR ENDOCRINE FUNCTIONS, AND ARE LINKED TO AN INCREASE IN THE CAUSES OF INFERTILITY IN WOMEN. CHRONIC EXPOSURES TO THE HEAVY METALS MAY LEAD TO BREAST CANCER, ENDOMETRIOSIS, ENDOMETRIAL CANCER, MENSTRUAL DISORDERS, AND SPONTANEOUS ABORTIONS, AS WELL AS PRE-TERM DELIVERIES, STILLBIRTHS. FOR EXAMPLE, ENDOMETRIOSIS, ENDOMETRIAL CANCER, AND SPONTANEOUS ABORTIONS ARE ALL CAUSED BY THE METALLOESTROGEN CADMIUM (CD); LEAD (PB) LEVELS OVER A CERTAIN THRESHOLD CAN CAUSE SPONTANEOUS ABORTION AND HAVE A TERATOGENIC IMPACT; TOXIC AMOUNTS OF MERCURY (HG) HAVE AN INFLUENCE ON THE MENSTRUAL CYCLE, WHICH CAN LEAD TO INFERTILITY. IMPACT OF ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE TO HEAVY METALS ON FEMALE FERTILITY IS THEREFORE A WELL-KNOWN FACT. THUS, THE UNDERLYING MECHANISMS MUST BE EXPLAINED AND PERIODICALLY UPDATED, GIVEN THE GROWING EVIDENCE ON THE INFLUENCE OF INCREASING ENVIRONMENTAL HEAVY METAL LOAD ON FEMALE FERTILITY. THE PURPOSE OF THIS REVIEW IS TO GIVE A CONCISE OVERVIEW OF HOW HEAVY METAL AFFECTS FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH. 2022 11 6914 18 [VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY IN PREGNANCY AND ITS IMPACT ON THE FETUS, THE NEWBORN AND IN CHILDHOOD]. OBJECTIVE: VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY (VDD) IN PREGNANT WOMEN AND THEIR CHILDREN IS AN IMPORTANT HEALTH PROBLEM WITH SEVERE CONSEQUENCES FOR THE HEALTH OF BOTH. THUS, THE OBJECTIVES OF THIS REVIEW WERE TO REASSESS THE MAGNITUDE AND CONSEQUENCES OF VDD DURING PREGNANCY, LACTATION AND INFANCY, ASSOCIATED RISK FACTORS, PREVENTION METHODS, AND TO EXPLORE EPIGENETIC MECHANISMS IN EARLY FETAL LIFE CAPABLE OF EXPLAINING MANY OF THE NON-SKELETAL BENEFITS OF VITAMIN D (VID). DATA SOURCE: ORIGINAL AND REVIEW ARTICLES, AND CONSENSUS DOCUMENTS WITH ELEVATED LEVEL OF EVIDENCE FOR VDD-RELATED CLINICAL DECISIONS ON THE HEALTH OF PREGNANT WOMEN AND THEIR CHILDREN, AS WELL AS ARTICLES ON THE INFLUENCE OF VID ON EPIGENETIC MECHANISMS OF FETAL PROGRAMMING OF CHRONIC DISEASES IN ADULTHOOD WERE SELECTED AMONG ARTICLES PUBLISHED ON PUBMED OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS, USING THE SEARCH TERM VITD STATUS, IN COMBINATION WITH PREGNANCY, OFFSPRING HEALTH, CHILD OUTCOMES, AND PROGRAMMING. DATA SYNTHESIS: THE FOLLOWING ITEMS WERE ANALYZED: VID PHYSIOLOGY AND METABOLISM, RISK FACTORS FOR VDD AND IMPLICATIONS IN PREGNANCY, LACTATION AND INFANCY, CONCENTRATION CUTOFF TO DEFINE VDD, THE VARIABILITY OF METHODS FOR VDD DETECTION, RECOMMENDATIONS ON VID REPLACEMENT IN PREGNANT WOMEN, THE NEWBORN AND THE CHILD, AND THE EPIGENETIC INFLUENCE OF VID. CONCLUSIONS: VDD IS A COMMON CONDITION AMONG HIGH-RISK PREGNANT WOMEN AND THEIR CHILDREN. THE ROUTINE MONITORING OF SERUM 25(OH)D3 LEVELS IN ANTENATAL PERIOD IS MANDATORY. EARLY PREVENTIVE MEASURES SHOULD BE TAKEN AT THE SLIGHTEST SUSPICION OF VDD IN PREGNANT WOMEN, TO REDUCE MORBIDITY DURING PREGNANCY AND LACTATION, AS WELL AS ITS SUBSEQUENT IMPACT ON THE FETUS, THE NEWBORN AND THE CHILD. 2015 12 1 10 ON DECEMBER 5, 2017, THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES OF SCIENCES, ENGINEERING, AND MEDICINE HOSTED A PUBLIC WORKSHOP TITLED NUTRIGENOMICS AND THE FUTURE OF NUTRITION IN WASHINGTON, DC, TO REVIEW CURRENT KNOWLEDGE IN THE FIELD OF NUTRIGENOMICS AS IT RELATES TO NUTRITION. WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS EXPLORED THE INFLUENCE OF GENETIC AND EPIGENETIC EXPRESSION ON NUTRITIONAL STATUS AND THE POTENTIAL IMPACT OF PERSONALIZED NUTRITION ON HEALTH MAINTENANCE AND CHRONIC DISEASE PREVENTION. THIS PUBLICATION SUMMARIZES THE PRESENTATIONS AND DISCUSSIONS FROM THE WORKSHOP. 2018 13 4995 26 PERINATAL ENVIRONMENT AND ITS INFLUENCES ON METABOLIC PROGRAMMING OF OFFSPRING. THE INTRAUTERINE ENVIRONMENT SUPPORTS THE DEVELOPMENT AND HEALTH OF OFFSPRING. PERTURBATIONS TO THIS ENVIRONMENT CAN HAVE DETRIMENTAL EFFECTS ON THE FETUS THAT HAVE PERSISTENT PATHOLOGICAL CONSEQUENCES THROUGH ADOLESCENCE AND ADULTHOOD. THE DEVELOPMENTAL ORIGINS OF THE HEALTH AND DISEASE CONCEPT, ALSO KNOWN AS THE "BARKER HYPOTHESIS", HAS BEEN PUT FORTH TO DESCRIBE THE INCREASED INCIDENCE OF CHRONIC DISEASE SUCH AS CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE AND DIABETES IN HUMANS AND ANIMALS EXPOSED TO A LESS THAN IDEAL INTRAUTERINE ENVIRONMENT. MATERNAL INFECTION, POOR OR EXCESS NUTRITION, AND STRESSFUL EVENTS CAN NEGATIVELY INFLUENCE THE DEVELOPMENT OF DIFFERENT CELL TYPES, TISSUES AND ORGAN SYSTEMS ULTIMATELY PREDISPOSING THE ORGANISM TO PATHOLOGICAL CONDITIONS. ALTHOUGH THERE ARE A VARIETY OF CONDITIONS ASSOCIATED TO EXPOSURE TO ALTERED INTRAUTERINE ENVIRONMENTS, THE FOCUS OF THIS REVIEW WILL BE ON THE CONSEQUENCES OF STRESS AND HIGH FAT DIET DURING THE PRE- AND PERINATAL PERIODS AND ASSOCIATED OUTCOMES RELATED TO OBESITY AND OTHER METABOLIC CONDITIONS. WE FURTHER DISCUSS POSSIBLE NEUROENDOCRINE AND EPIGENETIC MECHANISMS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE METABOLIC PROGRAMMING OF OFFSPRING. THE PAPER REPRESENTS AN INVITED REVIEW BY A SYMPOSIUM, AWARD WINNER OR KEYNOTE SPEAKER AT THE SOCIETY FOR THE STUDY OF INGESTIVE BEHAVIOR [SSIB] ANNUAL MEETING IN PORTLAND, JULY 2009. 2010 14 4665 21 NEW INSIGHTS AND ADVANCES IN PATHOGENESIS AND TREATMENT OF VERY EARLY ONSET INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE. VERY EARLY ONSET INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE (VEO-IBD) IS CHARACTERIZED BY MULTIFACTORIAL CHRONIC RECURRENT INTESTINAL INFLAMMATION. COMPARED WITH ELDERLY PATIENTS, THOSE WITH VEO-IBD HAVE A MORE SERIOUS CONDITION, NOT RESPONSIVE TO CONVENTIONAL TREATMENTS, WITH A POOR PROGNOSIS. RECENT STUDIES FOUND THAT GENETIC AND IMMUNOLOGIC ABNORMALITIES ARE CLOSELY RELATED TO VEO-IBD. INTESTINAL IMMUNE HOMEOSTASIS MONOGENIC DEFECTS (IIHMDS) ARE CHANGED THROUGH VARIOUS MECHANISMS. RECENT STUDIES HAVE ALSO REVEALED THAT ABNORMALITIES IN GENES AND IMMUNE MOLECULAR MECHANISMS ARE CLOSELY RELATED TO VEO-IBD. IIHMDS CHANGE THROUGH VARIOUS MECHANISMS. EPIGENETIC FACTORS CAN MEDIATE THE INTERACTION BETWEEN THE ENVIRONMENT AND GENOME, AND GENETIC FACTORS AND IMMUNE MOLECULES MAY BE INVOLVED IN THE PATHOGENESIS OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND GUT MICROBIOTA. THESE DISCOVERIES WILL PROVIDE NEW DIRECTIONS AND IDEAS FOR THE TREATMENT OF VEO-IBD. 2022 15 1892 26 ENDOMETRIOSIS: EPIDEMIOLOGY, CLASSIFICATION, PATHOGENESIS, TREATMENT AND GENETICS (REVIEW OF LITERATURE). ENDOMETRIOSIS IS A "MYSTERIOUS" DISEASE AND ITS EXACT CAUSE HAS NOT YET BEEN ESTABLISHED. AMONG THE ETIOLOGICAL FACTORS, CONGENITAL, ENVIRONMENTAL, EPIGENETIC, AUTOIMMUNE AND ALLERGIC FACTORS ARE LISTED. IT IS BELIEVED THAT THE PRIMARY MECHANISM OF THE FORMATION OF ENDOMETRIOSIS FOCI IS RETROGRADE MENSTRUATION, I.E., THE PASSAGE OF MENSTRUAL BLOOD THROUGH THE FALLOPIAN TUBES INTO THE PERITONEAL CAVITY AND IMPLANTATION OF EXFOLIATED ENDOMETRIAL CELLS. HOWEVER, SINCE THIS MECHANISM IS ALSO OBSERVED IN HEALTHY WOMEN, OTHER FACTORS MUST ALSO BE INVOLVED IN THE FORMATION OF ENDOMETRIOSIS FOCI. ENDOMETRIOSIS IS IN MANY WOMEN THE CAUSE OF INFERTILITY, CHRONIC PAIN AND THE DETERIORATION OF THE QUALITY OF LIFE. IT ALSO REPRESENTS A SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL BURDEN ON HEALTH SYSTEMS. THE ARTICLE PRESENTS A REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE ON ENDOMETRIOSIS-A DISEASE AFFECTING WOMEN THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. 2021 16 81 14 A NEW TYPE OF DENTAL ANOMALY: MOLAR-INCISOR MALFORMATION (MIM). A MOLAR-INCISOR MALFORMATION (MIM) IS A NEWLY DISCOVERED TYPE OF DENTAL ANOMALY OF THE PERMANENT FIRST MOLARS, DECIDUOUS SECOND MOLARS, AND PERMANENT MAXILLARY CENTRAL INCISORS. MIM ANOMALIES OF THE PERMANENT FIRST MOLARS AND DECIDUOUS SECOND MOLARS MAY INCLUDE NORMAL CROWNS WITH A CONSTRICTED CERVICAL REGION AND THIN, NARROW, AND SHORT ROOTS, WHEREAS THE AFFECTED MAXILLARY CENTRAL INCISORS MAY EXHIBIT A HYPOPLASTIC ENAMEL NOTCH NEAR THE CERVICAL THIRD OF THE CLINICAL CROWN. ALTHOUGH THE ETIOLOGY OF MIM REMAINS TO BE DETERMINED, IT IS THOUGHT TO BE ATTRIBUTABLE TO AN EPIGENETIC FACTOR LINKED TO BRAIN- AND CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM-RELATED SYSTEMIC DISEASES AT AROUND AGE 1 TO 2 YEARS. MIM TEETH ARE ASSOCIATED WITH CLINICAL PROBLEMS SUCH AS IMPACTION, EARLY EXFOLIATION, SPACE LOSS, SPONTANEOUS PAIN, PERIAPICAL ABSCESS, AND POOR INCISOR ESTHETICS. CHILDREN WITH MIM TEETH SHOULD BE OBSERVED CLOSELY WITH RESPECT TO THEIR MEDICAL HISTORY, AND DENTISTS SHOULD FORMULATE A WIDER-RANGING TREATMENT PLAN. 2014 17 2556 17 EPIGENETICS IN RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS. EPIGENETICS IS A STEADILY GROWING RESEARCH AREA. IN MANY HUMAN DISEASES, ESPECIALLY IN CANCERS, BUT ALSO IN AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES, EPIGENETIC ABERRATIONS HAVE BEEN FOUND. RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS IS AN AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE CHARACTERIZED BY CHRONIC INFLAMMATION AND DESTRUCTION OF SYNOVIAL JOINTS. EVEN THOUGH THE ETIOLOGY IS NOT YET FULLY UNDERSTOOD, RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS IS GENERALLY CONSIDERED TO BE CAUSED BY A COMBINATION OF GENETIC PREDISPOSITION, DEREGULATED IMMUNOMODULATION, AND ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCES. TO GAIN A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THIS DISEASE, RESEARCHERS HAVE BECOME INTERESTED IN STUDYING EPIGENETIC CHANGES IN RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS. HERE, WE WANT TO REVIEW THE CURRENT KNOWLEDGE ON EPIGENETICS IN RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS. 2010 18 6825 19 [GENETIC AND EPIGENETIC FACTORS OF POLYCYSTIC OVARY SYNDROME]. THE DEVELOPMENT OF POLYCYSTIC OVARY SYNDROME AND ITS EXACT PATHOPHYSIOLOGICAL MECHANISM IS STILL UNCLEAR, BUT ENVIRONMENTAL AND GENETIC FACTORS LIKELY PLAY A ROLE. EXPOSITION TO TERATOGENIC EFFECTS DURING THE PRENATAL DEVELOPMENT CAN LEAD TO CHRONIC DISEASES IN THE POSTNATAL PERIOD. THIS FINDING CONFIRMS THE COMMON FAMILIAL AGGREGATION AS WELL. A LITERATURE SEARCH WAS CONDUCTED UP TO JANUARY 1, 2016 FOR ARTICLES DEALING WITH THE GENETIC OR EPIGENETIC FACTORS OF POLYCYSTIC OVARY SYNDROME. THIS REVIEW WILL DISCUSS THE CURRENT UNDERSTANDING OF THE GENETIC BASIS AND CLINICAL PRESENTATION OF THIS DISEASE. ORV. HETIL., 2016, 157(32), 1275-1281. 2016 19 4723 15 NONHUMAN PRIMATE MODELS OF POLYCYSTIC OVARY SYNDROME. WITH CLOSE GENOMIC AND PHENOTYPIC SIMILARITY TO HUMANS, NONHUMAN PRIMATE MODELS PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE EPIGENETIC MIMICS OF POLYCYSTIC OVARY SYNDROME (PCOS), SUGGESTING EARLY LIFE TARGETING FOR PREVENTION. FETAL EXPOSURE TO TESTOSTERONE (T), OF ALL NONHUMAN PRIMATE EMULATIONS, PROVIDES THE CLOSEST PCOS-LIKE PHENOTYPES, WITH EARLY-TO-MID GESTATION T-EXPOSED FEMALE RHESUS MONKEYS EXHIBITING ADULT REPRODUCTIVE, ENDOCRINOLOGICAL AND METABOLIC DYSFUNCTIONAL TRAITS THAT ARE CO-PATHOLOGIES OF PCOS. LATE GESTATIONAL T EXPOSURE, WHILE INDUCING ADULT OVARIAN HYPERANDROGENISM AND MENSTRUAL ABNORMALITIES, HAS LESS DYSFUNCTIONAL METABOLIC ACCOMPANIMENT. FETAL EXPOSURES TO DIHYDROTESTOSTERONE (DHT) OR DIETHYLSTILBESTROL (DES) SUGGEST ANDROGENIC AND ESTROGENIC ASPECTS OF FETAL PROGRAMMING. NEONATAL EXPOSURE TO T PRODUCES NO PCOS-LIKE OUTCOME, WHILE CONTINUOUS T TREATMENT OF JUVENILE FEMALES CAUSES PRECOCIOUS WEIGHT GAIN AND EARLY MENARCHE (HIGH T), OR HIGH LH AND WEIGHT GAIN (MODERATE T). ACUTE T EXPOSURE OF ADULT FEMALES GENERATES POLYFOLLICULAR OVARIES, WHILE CHRONIC T EXPOSURE INDUCES SUBTLE MENSTRUAL IRREGULARITIES WITHOUT METABOLIC DYSFUNCTION. 2013 20 4019 28 LOW-DOSE OR LOW-DOSE-RATE IONIZING RADIATION-INDUCED BIOEFFECTS IN ANIMAL MODELS. ANIMAL EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES INDICATE THAT ACUTE OR CHRONIC LOW-DOSE IONIZING RADIATION (LDIR) (