Wikipedia of a few days ago focused in upon Amanita phalloides a rather poisonous fungus. Which brought me back to the post on ticks and bugs - and the discussion of toxins.
Prof Alan Harvey is Editor-in-Chief of the journal Toxicon. A few weeks ago Alan was in the Elsevier offices in New York. In this video he talks briefly about toxins that have been transformed into drugs!
Monday, September 17, 2007
Friday, September 14, 2007
Travels
For the past three weeks or so I have been roaming around Europe. After time in Amsterdam and too much time in Schiphol airport I went to Bratislava for the European Teratology Society meeting.
After Bratislava I moved onto Basel in Switzerland via a couple of stops in Germany to visit editors. I was in Basel for the European Environmental Mutagen Society meeting.
Both meetings contained sessions that focused upon the growing interest in epigenetics in their fields. Positioned slightly differently but interesting from the outside observer to see these two fields crossing over slightly.
For more on epigentics there is a good intro via Science (though old), a European network and an article in EHP in March 06.
After Bratislava I moved onto Basel in Switzerland via a couple of stops in Germany to visit editors. I was in Basel for the European Environmental Mutagen Society meeting.
Both meetings contained sessions that focused upon the growing interest in epigenetics in their fields. Positioned slightly differently but interesting from the outside observer to see these two fields crossing over slightly.
For more on epigentics there is a good intro via Science (though old), a European network and an article in EHP in March 06.
Sunday, September 2, 2007
Travels Woes
I'm currently stuck at Schiphol airport - my flight delay by 5 hours. So some time to write. I was in Ermelo this week for an Elsevier meeting, one afternoon / early evening we went for a walk in the forest. We left with the warning ringing in our ears about ticks and Lyme Disease also a nice post in Wikipedia.
Safe to say that I did not find any ticks, and we did have a good time. But I thought I would use the potential tick attack to present a few posts of the field of Toxinology. There is an International Society on Toxinology and I would be disingenious if I did not admit that Elsevier publishes their official journal Toxicon.
More to follow . . .
Safe to say that I did not find any ticks, and we did have a good time. But I thought I would use the potential tick attack to present a few posts of the field of Toxinology. There is an International Society on Toxinology and I would be disingenious if I did not admit that Elsevier publishes their official journal Toxicon.
More to follow . . .
Friday, August 31, 2007
Arsenic in water for 140 million people
140 million people in 70 countries are at risk from high levels of arsenic in their drinking water. Reuters reported from a Royal Geographical Society (RGS)meeting in London.
According to a BBC website small does of Arsenic may be beneficial - thinning the blood and sending some cancers into remission. However, larger doses will cause death fairly quickly. Repeated exposure is more likely to result in cancer of the skin, lungs, bladder and kidney. A more detailed analysis may be found here and here from the WHO.
According to a BBC website small does of Arsenic may be beneficial - thinning the blood and sending some cancers into remission. However, larger doses will cause death fairly quickly. Repeated exposure is more likely to result in cancer of the skin, lungs, bladder and kidney. A more detailed analysis may be found here and here from the WHO.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
In Europe
I am traveling in Europe for the next 17 days, so posts will be a litle sporadic. Landed yesterday in Amsterdam, hence the bike!
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Sunscreen
Summer is nearly over and so the FDA announces new proposals on sunscreens. I am sure they must have read my recent posting . . .
The new regulations (if agreed to) will require labeling for both UVA & UVB. The Wall Street Journal has a really nice blog that mentions the new proposals and describes UVA, UVB & UVC.
A quick search of the literature brings up many hits including this from the Aug 11th issue of the Lancet - Photoprotection, Aug 11;370(9586):528-37.
We are advised to wear protective clothing (hats, shirts etc) in addition to sunscreen, and not to view sunscreen as a means to enabling us to stay longer in the sun. In addition sunscreen should be applied liberally and often!
A note of caution though, sunscreen may well aid the body in protection against UVB but it has not been "clearly proven to further protect against skin cancer".
On a personal note, be very careful to apply the sunscreen everywhere. Last weekend we went to the beach in Long Island - and I have a sunburn in two places where (somehow) I managed to miss with the regular doses of sunscreen.
The new regulations (if agreed to) will require labeling for both UVA & UVB. The Wall Street Journal has a really nice blog that mentions the new proposals and describes UVA, UVB & UVC.
A quick search of the literature brings up many hits including this from the Aug 11th issue of the Lancet - Photoprotection, Aug 11;370(9586):528-37.
We are advised to wear protective clothing (hats, shirts etc) in addition to sunscreen, and not to view sunscreen as a means to enabling us to stay longer in the sun. In addition sunscreen should be applied liberally and often!
A note of caution though, sunscreen may well aid the body in protection against UVB but it has not been "clearly proven to further protect against skin cancer".
On a personal note, be very careful to apply the sunscreen everywhere. Last weekend we went to the beach in Long Island - and I have a sunburn in two places where (somehow) I managed to miss with the regular doses of sunscreen.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Toxic Employees
I came across this post on a blog and thought it fitted in perfectly with the toxicology world!!
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