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Tuesday, 13 October 2009 00:00 |
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A roundtable discussion with Andrew Maynard, Chief Science Advisor, Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, D.C. Discussion topics include Dr. Maynard’s experience and current role; ‘nanotechnology’ basics and definitions; manufacturing process and opportunities; regulatory status; potential environmental and health concerns; and more. |
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Tuesday, 13 October 2009 00:00 |
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A new article by PEN senior advisor J. Clarence (Terry) Davies calls for radical change in how the federal government oversees nanotechnology and other technologies to best protect human health and the environment. |
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Tuesday, 13 October 2009 00:00 |
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A new article in The Progressive discusses the potential toxicity of nanoparticles in consumer products. |
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Tuesday, 29 September 2009 00:00 |
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Nanotechnology and synthetic biology continue to develop as two of the most exciting areas of scientific discovery, but research has shown that the public is almost completely unaware of the science and its applications. A groundbreaking poll of 1,001 U.S. adults conducted by Peter D. Hart Research Associates and the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies (PEN) found 90 percent of Americans think that the public should be better informed about the development of cutting-edge technologies. |
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Thursday, 24 September 2009 18:00 |
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The aim of this study was to determine the localization and number of apoptotic cells in lung tissue and bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue (BALT) of newborns, young, and adult rats exposed to formaldehyde (6 ppm) or technical xylene (300 ppm) for 6 weeks (8 h/day). A total of 27 female Sprague-Dawley rats were used. Apoptotic cells were mainly localized around the bronchus and bronchioles and relatively less frequently on the walls of alveoli and interalveolar septa both in control and experimental groups. In the BALT, reactive cells were localized in the area under the epithelium and distributed homogenously within the lymphoid follicles. The numbers of apoptotic cells in the lung tissue including the BALT were significantly higher in young and adult rats exposed to formaldehyde and xyl... |
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Thursday, 24 September 2009 18:00 |
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Piperonyl butoxide was given in the diet to provide levels of 0 (control), 0.02%, 0.06%, and 0.18% from 5 weeks of age of the F0 generation to 12 weeks of age of the F1 generation in mice. Select reproductive and neurobehavioral parameters were then measured. In exploratory behavior in the F0 generation, vertical time of adult females increased significantly in a dose-related manner. In behavioral developmental parameters, cliff avoidance was delayed significantly in the high-dose group in male offspring, and this effect was significantly dose-related. In female offspring, surface righting was significantly delayed in the high-dose group, and this effect was significantly dose-related. In spontaneous behavior in the F1 generation, females showed more activities in some variables in the hig... |
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Thursday, 24 September 2009 18:00 |
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We studied the effects of toxins, which inhibited the motility of boar spermatozoa, on rat liver mitochondria. The toxins studied were originally from bacteria isolated from moisture-damaged buildings where inhabitants exhibited symptoms, or from food causing poisoning. Some strains of Bacillus cereus and Streptomyces griseus produced potassium ionophoric peptides cereulide and valinomycin (Mikkola, et al., European Journal of Biochemistry 1999; 263: 112—117). Of interest is that channels were formed in black-lipid membranes (BLM) with a selectivity of K+ > Na+ at a concentration of 26 nM. Recently, bafilomycin A1—an inhibitor of V-H+ATPases—was found also to be a K+-specific ionophore active at nanomolar concentrations (Teplova, et al., J Bioenerg Biomembr 2007; 39: 3... |
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Thursday, 24 September 2009 18:00 |
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In conclusion, early beginning of prenatal exposure of rats to 24 hours 50 Hz EF at 10 kV/m until puberty without magnetic field (MF) resulted in growth restriction, delayed puberty and reduced IGF-1 levels in female Wistar rats. These effects probably associated with direct toxic effects of EF on target organs. Post-natal exposure to EF at similar doses and duration seems to be less harmful on target organs. Post-natal exposure to EF at similar doses and duration seems to be less harmful. (Source: Toxicology and Industrial Health current issue) |
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Thursday, 24 September 2009 18:00 |
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In the gold ornaments manufacturing cottage industries, the gold metal grain dust waste particles are recovered from mercury (Hg) amalgam. The results on air samples from these industries during the recovery process have shown a high prevalence of Hg vapor (42.7 mg/m3). The blood concentration of Hg is elevated (79.1 µg/L) among workers when their blood samples are tested. The Hg toxicity is reflected in the reduction of glutathione peroxidase enzyme activity in RBC (49.317 mg/L of RBC) when compared with the data from control subjects (68.536 mg/L of RBC). These values are statistically significant. This would suggest that the Hg poisoning in goldsmiths is due to exposure. The results are discussed with relation to preventive measures. (Source: Toxicology and Industrial Health curre... |
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Thursday, 24 September 2009 18:00 |
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2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) has been shown to induce cleft palate, in which the molecular etiology of the defect is poorly characterized. Recently, transforming growth factor-β3 (TGF-β3) has been indicated to play an essential role in the development of palatal shelves. In this developmental toxicity study, we investigated the effects of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) on the expression of TGF-β3 in fetal mice. Pregnant C57BL/6 mice were exposed to corn oil or TCDD (32 µg/kg/day 64 µg/kg/day, per os) at embryonic day 10 (ED10), a drastic inhibition of palatal shelves was induced. By using RT-PCR (reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction) and Western blot, the expressions of TGF-β3 was investigated. We found that the expressio... |
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