Reproductive issues

What life forms are possible, still based on carbon and still functioning in water, but with a fundamental difference in the method of reproduction Issues to be explored include the following ... 

Government and University Research. Because the fertility industry is so lucrative, many reproductive science and engineering apphcations have emerged from private companies. However, reproductive issues are at heart social issues, and they have national and political significance. Therefore, government institutes are also important players in the field. In the United States, for example, the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, the National Institutes of Health, and the U.S. Agency for International Development are all m or sources of public funding for research within this discipline. 

DOSS, because of its use in foods and pharmaceuticals, was the target of numerous studies concerning toxicity, bioaccumulation, and reproduction as well as gastroenterological issues, so it can be concluded that DOSS is one of the best examined surfactants in the sulfosuccinates. 

From an ecotoxicological point of view, it has often been suspected that sublethal effects, such as those described here, can be more important than lethal ones. Both p,p -DDT and p,p -DDD are persistent neurotoxins, and may very well have caused behavioral effects in the field. This issue was not resolved when DDT was widely used, and remains a matter for speculation. More is known, however, about eggshell thinning caused by p,p -DDE and its effects upon reproduction, which will be discussed in Section 5.2.5.I. 

Dioxins are of concern because they accumulate in the biosphere, where they have highly deleterious effects. Tests have shown that when the concentration of dioxins in the blood of laboratory animals reaches a critical level, reproductive and immune system defects result. Moreover, recent data indicate that the concentration of dioxins in the blood of the average U.S. resident has nearly reached that level. A major reason is that dioxins are not veiy water-soluble, so they accumulate in the body rather than being readily processed and excreted. Consequently, several groups, including the American Public Health Association, have issued calls for phasing out the use of industrial chlorine. 

Problems related to the menstrual cycle are exceedingly common in women of reproductive age. The issues considered in this chapter are the most frequently encountered menstrual-related difficulties and include amenorrhea, menorrhagia,... 

No animal or human data were available for inhalation exposure. There are no data regarding effects in humans after oral exposure. Information is available in animals regarding health effects following acute, intermediate, and chronic oral ingestion of diisopropyl methylphosphonate. The animal data obtained after oral exposure indicate that diisopropyl methylphosphonate is moderately toxic after acute bolus exposure but has a lower order of toxicity after intermediate and chronic exposures in food. No data were found on the toxicity of diisopropyl methylphosphonate after exposure in drinking water. Further, diisopropyl methylphosphonate is rapidly metabolized and excreted and does not accumulate. It does not appear to have reproductive or developmental effects. At the doses tested, it does not appear to be an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, although this issue has not been resolved yet. Limited data are available for dermal exposure in humans and animals. Diisopropyl methylphosphonate does not appear to be a... 

Biocatalyst regeneration can be envisioned to be more than just co-factor regeneration. This may include induction and production of desulfurization enzymes during the desulfurization process or reproduction of new cells. Neither of these issues has been looked... 

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