Toxins effects

The latter problems are of particular interest to chemists, who should devise appropriate methods for resolving the complexity of chemicals, properly identifying them and finally determining their exact composition and makeup. The participation of chemists is needed to verify the concept of allelopathy as a concentration-dependent phenomenon. They should help to reconstitute the chemical composition as it was found in the original and isolated plant samples. This systematic approach leads to verification of the concept as well as to proper assessment of the initial observation with crude extracts, and to final application to the field situation. Once the concept is proven, same simulation experiments need to be performed to maximize the allelopathic effect (toxin action). The concentration of the toxic chemicals is varied to where the threshold levels of chemicals prove to be involved in the exhibition of allelopathy under field conditions. 

Genetics (the effect toxins can have on the reproductive system and on future generations by altering genetic codes)... 

Clostridium botulinum neurotoxin, the most effective toxin known to date, with a mice lethal dose of about 50 pg/mL (330 fmol/mL) was the target antigen in IPCR assays developed by Wu et al. [48] and Chao et al. [88]. In these assays, detection limits of 5 fg (33 amol) and 50 fg (330 amol), respectively, were found. 

In humans, these neurotoxins cause irritation of the eyes and occasionally poisoning when consuming different bivalves that eat these algae. The most effective toxin produced by algae Gymno-dinium breve is brevetoxin A (10-250), which occurs together with brevetoxin B (10-251). 

Salvarsan also posed serious challenges to the end user. Because arsenic was the effective toxin in Salvarsan, the consequences were dire if the attending doctor prepared or delivered the drug incorrectly. In the years before the war. 

Zigmond, 1988). The ATP-hydrolysis that accompanies actin polymerization, ATP —> ADP + Pj, and the subsequent release of the cleaved phosphate (Pj) are believed to act as a clock (Pollard et ah, 1992 Allen et ah, 1996), altering in a time-dependent manner the mechanical properties of the filament and its propensity to depolymerize. Molecular dynamics simulations suggested a so-called back door mechanism for the hydrolysis reaction ATP ADP - - Pj in which ATP enters the actin from one side, ADP leaves from the same side, but Pj leaves from the opposite side, the back door (Wriggers and Schulten, 1997b). This hypothesis can explain the effect of the toxin phalloidin which blocks the exit of the putative back door pathway and, thereby, delays Pi release as observed experimentally (Dancker and Hess, 1990). 

Antibiotics (qv) have been fed at subtherapeutic levels to promote mminant animal growth. Possible reasons for the observed growth include decreased activity of microbes having a pathogenic effect on the animal, decreased production of microbial toxins, decreased microbial destmction of essential nutrients, increased vitamin synthesis or synthesis of other growth factors, and increased nutrient absorption because of a thinner intestinal wall... 

Bismuth Subsalicylate. (2-Hydroxybenzoato-0 )-oxobismuth [14882-18-9] (Pepto-Bismol) maybe made by the process described in Reference 10. Bismuth subsaHcylate has been shown to bind toxins produced by several bacterial strains. It may also act as a result of its saHcylate component on prostaglandin formation and have specific intestinal antisecretory activity. It has been found to be effective in the prevention and therapy of... 

Reproductive Toxicity. No data are available that impHcate either hexavalent or trivalent chromium compounds as reproductive toxins, unless exposure is by way of injection. The observed teratogenic effects of sodium dichromate(VI), chromic acid, and chromium (HI) chloride, adininistered by injection, as measured by dose-response relationships are close to the amount that would be lethal to the embryo, a common trait of many compounds (111). Reported teratogenic studies on hamsters (117,118), the mouse (119—121), and rabbits (122) have shown increased incidence of cleft palate, no effect, and testicular degeneration, respectively. Although the exposures for these experiments were provided by injections, in the final study (122) oral, inhalation, and dermal routes were also tried, and no testicular degeneration was found by these paths. 

The ability to identify and quantify cyanobacterial toxins in animal and human clinical material following (suspected) intoxications or illnesses associated with contact with toxic cyanobacteria is an increasing requirement. The recoveries of anatoxin-a from animal stomach material and of microcystins from sheep rumen contents are relatively straightforward. However, the recovery of microcystin from liver and tissue samples cannot be expected to be complete without the application of proteolytic digestion and extraction procedures. This is likely because microcystins bind covalently to a cysteine residue in protein phosphatase. Unless an effective procedure is applied for the extraction of covalently bound microcystins (and nodiilarins), then a negative result in analysis cannot be taken to indicate the absence of toxins in clinical specimens. Furthermore, any positive result may be an underestimate of the true amount of microcystin in the material and would only represent free toxin, not bound to the protein phosphatases. Optimized procedures for the extraction of bound microcystins and nodiilarins from organ and tissue samples are needed. 

Effects of indoor air pollutants on humans are essentially the same as those described in Chapter 7. However, there can be some additional pollutant exposures in the indoor environment that are not common in the ambient setting. From the listing in Table 23-1, radon exposures indoors present a radiation hazard for the development of lung cancer. Environmental tobacco smoke has been found to cause lung cancer and other respiratory diseases. Biological agents such as molds and other toxins may be a more likely exposure hazard indoors than outside. 

F. Reproductive toxins Chemicals which affect the reproductive capabilities including chromosomal damage (mutations) and effects on fetuses (teratogenesis) ... 

Platelet activating factor (PAF) was first identified by its ability (at low levels) to cause platelet aggregation and dilation of blood vessels, but it is now known to be a potent mediator in inflammation, allergic responses, and shock. PAF effects are observed at tissue concentrations as low as 10 M. PAF causes a dramatic inflammation of air passages and induces asthma-like symptoms in laboratory animals. Toxic-shock syndrome occurs when fragments of destroyed bacteria act as toxins and induce the synthesis of PAF. This results in a drop in blood pressure and a reduced... 

Having developed effective synthetic methodology for the construction of seven-membered cyclic ethers, we were confident that the problem of the frans-fused bis(oxepane) system could now be addressed on a solid foundation. It was our hope that the breve-toxin-type bis(oxepane) system could be assembled by a stepwise strategy utilizing both photochemical dithioester and reductive hydroxy ketone cyclization methods. 

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