Articles tagged with Poisons
Groundwater contamination with naturally occurring arsenic poses a significant health risk in Bangladesh and West Bengal. The researcher aims to understand why arsenic levels are high in groundwater and how they will change over time and space.
Researchers suggest scopolamine could prevent many deaths from nerve agent attacks by reversing physostigmine toxicity in the brain and central nervous system. Studies show improved survival rates with scopolamine compared to atropine, a standard treatment for nerve agent poisoning.
Researchers have developed a way to synthesize ciguatoxin, the toxin responsible for seafood poisoning, which will enable scientists to better understand its effects on humans and prepare toxin-fighting antibodies. The breakthrough could lead to more efficient methods for detecting infected fish before they reach the market.
Researchers at Ohio State University have discovered a natural parasite that can control leaf-eating slugs, which destroy crops every spring and fall. The parasite, known as Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita, is effective in killing American slugs just as well as the most popular slug poison, metaldehyde.
A study reformulates a common anti-depressive medication of the nineteenth century, revealing that it would have delivered a daily dose of mercury exceeding current safety standards. Mercury poisoning may have explained Lincoln's neurological symptoms, including insomnia and rage attacks, but also contributed to his famous composure.
Toxic algal blooms in Monterey Bay have been linked to domoic acid accumulation in anchovies, sardines, and krill, posing a threat to endangered whale species. Monitoring programs are in place to ensure seafood safety, but more research is needed to understand the toxin's effects on wildlife.
Researchers found that bacteria thrived in around a third of common pesticides, with Shigella, E. coli, and Salmonella growing best on chlorothalonil. The risk of food poisoning could increase one-thousandfold if contaminated water is used on crops.
In a two-year study, researchers at Northwestern University are using phytoremediation to reduce lead poisoning in Chicago's West Town community. They have planted different types of grasses and vegetation in 40 homes to test their effectiveness in removing lead from the soil.
A study warns that captive California condor releases will fail unless changes are made to reduce human contact and lead poisoning. Repeated instances of tameness issues and lead poisoning have resulted in bird deaths, highlighting the need for alternative methods.
A study by Oregon State University researchers found that 46% of adult white-tailed ptarmigan in a 10,000-square kilometer area of south-central Colorado have cadmium accumulations in their kidneys above the toxic threshold. Cadmium toxicity causes kidney and liver dysfunction, brittle bones, and affects reproduction and survival.
A new treatment for carbon monoxide poisoning has been developed, which can be applied by paramedics to speed up the elimination of the poison from victims' bodies. The treatment involves adding a specific mixture of oxygen and carbon dioxide to an oxygen mask, increasing the rate of carbon monoxide elimination up to three times.
A new observational study published in JAMA found a significant correlation between low vitamin C levels and high blood lead levels among Americans. The study analyzed data from over 19,500 Americans and revealed that about half of one percent have elevated levels of lead in their blood.
This issue of Public Health Reports features articles on occupational pesticide poisoning, an outbreak of Echovirus 30 infections among child care center staff and parents, and the prevalence of asthma among American Indian and Alaska Native children. The journal also includes viewpoints on Medicaid managed care and public health data,...
Expert Bruce P. Lanphear argues that federal standards ignore existing scientific evidence and fail to protect inner-city children from lead poisoning. He proposes a primary prevention approach, focusing on eliminating residential lead hazards before exposure, to mitigate the harmful effects of low-level lead exposure.
According to a recent study, 80% of poisoning deaths in the US are caused by drugs, with opioids and cocaine being the leading causes. The death rate from poisoning increased by 25% between 1990 and 1995, with the peak age group being 35-44 years.
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have discovered a novel biochemical mechanism for carbon monoxide poisoning that may lead to new clinical approaches. The study reveals that CO binds to heme proteins, usurping nitric oxide and leading to tissue-damaging oxidants and free radicals.