Mode of Action, Metabolism and Toxicology


Book Description

Pesticide Chemistry: Human Welfare and the Environment, Volume 3: Mode of Action, Metabolism and Toxicology covers the proceeding of the Fifth International Congress of Pesticide Chemistry. This book is organized into three parts that tackle relevant issues regarding the use of pesticide. The opening part tackles topics relevant to the biochemistry of pests and mode of action of pesticides, such as influence of chlorinated and parathyroid insecticide on cellular calcium regulatory mechanisms; behavioral and lethal actions of amidines on invertebrates; and insect chitin synthetase as biochemical probe for insecticidal compounds. The second part encompasses metabolism and degradation of pesticides and xenobiotics and includes topics on propesticides; selective toxicity conferred by activation; and comparative biochemistry of animal, plant, and microorganism oxidases. The last part covers the toxicology of pesticides and xenobiotics, including the role of biochemical studies in modern toxicological assessment of pesticides; neurophysiological and behavioral assessment of pesticide toxicity; and genetic toxicology applied to the assessment of mutagenic, carcinogenic, and teratogenic action of pesticides and related compounds. This book will be of great interest to chemists, biologists, botanists, and entomologists or professionals whose line of work involves the use of pesticides and who are concerned with pesticide side-effects to the users and the environment.




Applications of Toxicogenomic Technologies to Predictive Toxicology and Risk Assessment


Book Description

The new field of toxicogenomics presents a potentially powerful set of tools to better understand the health effects of exposures to toxicants in the environment. At the request of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, the National Research Council assembled a committee to identify the benefits of toxicogenomics, the challenges to achieving them, and potential approaches to overcoming such challenges. The report concludes that realizing the potential of toxicogenomics to improve public health decisions will require a concerted effort to generate data, make use of existing data, and study data in new waysâ€"an effort requiring funding, interagency coordination, and data management strategies.







Intentional Human Dosing Studies for EPA Regulatory Purposes


Book Description

The EPA commissioned The National Academies to provide advice on the vexing question of whether and, if so, under what circumstances EPA should accept and consider intentional human dosing studies conducted by companies or other sources outside the agency (so-called third parties) to gather evidence relating to the risks of a chemical or the conditions under which exposure to it could be judged safe. This report recommends that such studies be conducted and used for regulatory purposes only if all of several strict conditions are met, including the following: The study is necessary and scientifically valid, meaning that it addresses an important regulatory question that can't be answered with animal studies or nondosing human studies; The societal benefits of the study outweigh any anticipated risks to participants. At no time, even when benefits beyond improved regulation exist, can a human dosing study be justified that is anticipated to cause lasting harm to study participants; and All recognized ethical standards and procedures for protecting the interests of study participants are observed. In addition, EPA should establish a Human Studies Review Board (HSRB) to evaluate all human dosing studiesâ€"both at the beginning and upon completion of the experimentsâ€"if they are carried out with the intent of affecting the agency's policy-making.




Mechanisms of Drug Toxicity


Book Description

Mechanisms of Drug Toxicity, Volume 4 presents the proceedings of the 3rd International Pharmacological Meeting held in Sao Paulo, Brazil in 1966. The book discusses the drug-induced pathobiotic effects; the mechanisms of adverse reactions; and enzyme induction in the mechanism of chronic toxicity. The text also describes the influence of inducing substances on the growth of liver and microsomal electron transport systems; the quantitative aspects of chronic toxicity; and the facts and fallacies in predicting drug effects in human.




Chemical Pesticides Mode of Action and Toxicology


Book Description

Environmental-friendliness, issues of public health, and the pros and cons of genetically-modified crops all receive regular coverage in the world's media. This, in turn, has led to increased questioning and investigation of chemical pesticides. Stenersen's concise and timely introduction to chemical pesticides describes these compounds according to their mode of action at the cellular and biochemical level. Chemical Pesticides provides answers to questions such as why pesticides are toxic to the target organism and why pesticides are toxic to some organisms and not others. It describes how various poisons interfere with biochemical processes in organisms. The book also explores how resistance to pesticides develops, how resistance can be used to illustrate the theory of evolution, and how it can be used to produce herbicide-resistant crop plants. Legal matters and potential environmental problems are also discussed. By providing an integrated, yet simple description of modern chemical pesticides, the author provides a relevant text for professionals and students in biological disciplines such as biochemistry, medicine, agriculture, and veterinary science.




Scientific Frontiers in Developmental Toxicology and Risk Assessment


Book Description

Scientific Frontiers in Developmental Toxicology and Risk Assessment reviews advances made during the last 10-15 years in fields such as developmental biology, molecular biology, and genetics. It describes a novel approach for how these advances might be used in combination with existing methodologies to further the understanding of mechanisms of developmental toxicity, to improve the assessment of chemicals for their ability to cause developmental toxicity, and to improve risk assessment for developmental defects. For example, based on the recent advances, even the smallest, simplest laboratory animals such as the fruit fly, roundworm, and zebrafish might be able to serve as developmental toxicological models for human biological systems. Use of such organisms might allow for rapid and inexpensive testing of large numbers of chemicals for their potential to cause developmental toxicity; presently, there are little or no developmental toxicity data available for the majority of natural and manufactured chemicals in use. This new approach to developmental toxicology and risk assessment will require simultaneous research on several fronts by experts from multiple scientific disciplines, including developmental toxicologists, developmental biologists, geneticists, epidemiologists, and biostatisticians.




The Toxicology and Biochemistry of Insecticides


Book Description

The first book in two decades to address this multi-faceted field, The Toxicology and Biochemistry of Insecticides provides the most up-to-date information on insecticide classification, formulation, mode of action, resistance, metabolism, environmental fate, and regulatory legislation. The book draws on the author's groundbreaking research




Caffeine for the Sustainment of Mental Task Performance


Book Description

This report from the Committee on Military Nutrition Research reviews the history of caffeine usage, the metabolism of caffeine, and its physiological effects. The effects of caffeine on physical performance, cognitive function and alertness, and alleviation of sleep deprivation impairments are discussed in light of recent scientific literature. The impact of caffeine consumption on various aspects of health, including cardiovascular disease, reproduction, bone mineral density, and fluid homeostasis are reviewed. The behavioral effects of caffeine are also discussed, including the effect of caffeine on reaction to stress, withdrawal effects, and detrimental effects of high intakes. The amounts of caffeine found to enhance vigilance and reaction time consistently are reviewed and recommendations are made with respect to amounts of caffeine appropriate for maintaining alertness of military personnel during field operations. Recommendations are also provided on the need for appropriate labeling of caffeine-containing supplements, and education of military personnel on the use of these supplements. A brief review of some alternatives to caffeine is also provided.




Oral Drug Absorption


Book Description

Oral Drug Absorption, Second Edition thoroughly examines the special equipment and methods used to test whether drugs are released adequately when administered orally. The contributors discuss methods for accurately establishing and validating in vitro/in vivo correlations for both MR and IR formulations, as well as alternative approaches for MR an