Tort Suits Against Federal Contractors: An Overview of the Legal Issues

Science.gov (United States)

2011-04-07

Although tort law “exists on a spectrum of culpability,”16 most plaintiffs seeking recovery bring their tort suits based on a theory of negligence ...in contract terms and performance. Other contractors have asserted that state tort law claims against them are preempted under the Federal Tort ...based its decision on the “discretionary function” exception to the FTCA, some lower courts have found that state tort law claims may also be

Review of Medical Malpractice Issues in Malaysia under Tort Litigation System

Science.gov (United States)

Hambali, Siti Naaishah; Khodapanahandeh, Solmaz

2014-01-01

Medical malpractice cases are a matter of much concern in many countries including Malaysia where several cases caught the attention of the public and authorities. Although comprehensive annual statistics on medical negligence claims are not available in Malaysia since such data are not collected systematically in this country there are indications of an upward trend. Medical malpractice cases have been publicized by the media, academic researchers and in government annual reports prompting government policy makers, oversight agencies and the medical profession itself to take appropriate action. The increasing dissatisfaction with the current tort litigation system requires exploring alternatives and new approaches for handling medical malpractice cases. This study aims to examine the difficulties inherent in the tort system in Malaysia for solving medical malpractice claims and evaluates the structure of this system from the perspective of effectiveness, fairness, compensation, accessibility, and accountability. PMID:24999124

A review of medical malpractice issues in Malaysia under tort litigation system.

Science.gov (United States)

Hambali, Siti Naaishah; Khodapanahandeh, Solmaz

2014-04-07

Medical malpractice cases are a matter of much concern in many countries including Malaysia where several cases caught the attention of the public and authorities. Although comprehensive annual statistics on medical negligence claims are not available in Malaysia since such data are not collected systematically in this country there are indications of an upward trend. Medical malpractice cases have been publicized by the media, academic researchers and in government annual reports prompting government policy makers, oversight agencies and the medical profession itself to take appropriate action. The increasing dissatisfaction with the current tort litigation system requires exploring alternatives and new approaches for handling medical malpractice cases. This study aims to examine the difficulties inherent in the tort system in Malaysia for solving medical malpractice claims and evaluates the structure of this system from the perspective of effectiveness, fairness, compensation, accessibility, and accountability.

The time-dependent 3D discrete ordinates code TORT-TD with thermal-hydraulic feedback by ATHLET models

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seubert, A.; Velkov, K.; Langenbuch, S.

2008-01-01

This paper describes the time-dependent 3D discrete ordinates transport code TORT-TD. Thermal-hydraulic feedback is considered by coupling TORT-TD with the thermal-hydraulics system code ATHLET. The coupled code TORT-TD/ATHLET allows 3D pin-by-pin analyses of transients in few energy groups and anisotropic scattering by solving the time-dependent transport equation using the unconditionally stable implicit method. The nuclear cross sections are interpolated between pre-calculated table values of fuel temperature, moderator density and boron concentration. For verification of the implementation, selected test cases have been calculated by TORT-TD/ATHLET. They include a control rod ejection transient in a small PWR fuel assembly arrangement and a local boron concentration change in a single PWR fuel assembly. In the latter, special attention has been paid to study the influence of the thermal-hydraulic feedback modelling in ATHLET. The results obtained for a control rod ejection accident in a PWR quarter core demonstrate the applicability of TORT-TD/ATHLET. (authors)

Time-dependent anisotropic external sources in transient 3-D transport code TORT-TD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seubert, A.; Pautz, A.; Becker, M.; Dagan, R.

2009-01-01

This paper describes the implementation of a time-dependent distributed external source in TORT-TD by explicitly considering the external source in the ''fixed-source'' term of the implicitly time-discretised 3-D discrete ordinates transport equation. Anisotropy of the external source is represented by a spherical harmonics series expansion similar to the angular fluxes. The YALINA-Thermal subcritical assembly serves as a test case. The configuration with 280 fuel rods has been analysed with TORT-TD using cross sections in 18 energy groups and P1 scattering order generated by the KAPROS code system. Good agreement is achieved concerning the multiplication factor. The response of the system to an artificial time-dependent source consisting of two square-wave pulses demonstrates the time-dependent external source capability of TORT-TD. The result is physically plausible as judged from validation calculations. (orig.)

Compensating Victims of Personal Injury in Tort: The Nigerian Experience So Far

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Oluwakemi ADEKILE

2013-08-01

Full Text Available This paper is a critical evaluation of the compensation system for personal injury tort in Nigeria. The present compensation system under the law of tort leaves many victims of personal injury uncompensated in Nigeria. This stems from many factors, including the fact that traditional tort theory of no liability without fault has continued to be the principal basis for liability. This is in spite of the heavy criticisms of the tort regime as an ineffective mode of compensation. Through an analytical assessment of selected core heads of claims in tort, the paper reveals the inadequacy in the foundations of tort law and its regulation of claims for personal injury in Nigeria. Implications: It finds that fault as the primary foundation of tort law in Nigeria creates a large volume of uncompensated plaintiffs, who, without an efficient alternative social security to fall upon, have to personally bear their losses. In the light of this, the paper uses examples from other jurisdictions to recommend that tort law in Nigeria is in need of more legislative intervention. Value: The paper recommends that the provision of a sustainable compensation system for personal injury is imperative for social justice in Nigeria.

A Lawyer's Primer on Feminist Theory and Tort.

Science.gov (United States)

Bender, Leslie

1988-01-01

An overview of major components of feminist theory is given and their use in critiquing tort law is illustrated, focusing in particular on a standard-of-care analysis. It is proposed that the same method can be used to examine many other aspects of negligence and tort law. (Author/MSE)

Compensating Victims of Personal Injury in Tort: The Nigerian Experience So Far

OpenAIRE

Oluwakemi ADEKILE

2013-01-01

This paper is a critical evaluation of the compensation system for personal injury tort in Nigeria. The present compensation system under the law of tort leaves many victims of personal injury uncompensated in Nigeria. This stems from many factors, including the fact that traditional tort theory of no liability without fault has continued to be the principal basis for liability. This is in spite of the heavy criticisms of the tort regime as an ineffective mode of compensation. Through an anal...

Tort law and medical malpractice insurance premiums.

Science.gov (United States)

Kilgore, Meredith L; Morrisey, Michael A; Nelson, Leonard J

2006-01-01

This paper estimated the effects of tort law and insurer investment returns on physician malpractice insurance premiums. Data were collected on tort law from 1991 through 2004, and multivariate regression models, including fixed effects for state and year, were used to estimate the effect of changes in tort law on medical malpractice premiums. The premium consequences of national policy changes were simulated. The analysis found that the introduction of a new damage cap lowered malpractice premiums for internal medicine, general surgery, and obstetrics/gynecology by 17.3%, 20.7%, and 25.5%, respectively. Lowering damage caps by dollar 100,000 reduced premiums by 4%. Statutes of repose also resulted in lower premiums. No other tort law changes had the effect of lowering premiums. Simulation results indicate that a national cap of dollar 250,000 on awards for noneconomic damages in all states would imply premium savings of dollar 16.9 billion. Extending a dollar 250,000 cap to all states that do not currently have them would save dollar 1.4 billion annually, or about 8% of the total. A negative effect on malpractice premiums was found for the Dow Jones industrial average, but not for bond prices; effects of the Nasdaq index were not significant for internal medicine, but were marginally significant for surgery and obstetrics premiums.

DORT and TORT workshop -- Outline for presentation for performance issues for large problems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barnett, A.

1998-04-01

This paper addresses the problem of running large TORT programs. The problem being a limited amount of time per job and limited amount of memory and disk space. The solution that the author outlines here is to break up the TORT run in time and space. For the time problem run multiple, sequential, dependent jobs. For the space problem use TORT internal memory conservation features. TORT is a three-dimensional discrete ordinates neutron/photon transport code

Crime on Campus: Institutional Tort Liability for the Criminal Acts of Third Parties.

Science.gov (United States)

Raddatz, Anita

To aid colleges and universities in protecting students and other potential victims of crime, a general analysis of the pertinent case law concerning institutional tort liability for campus crime is provided. The analysis of case law explains that lawsuits are usually based on the theory of negligence. Negligence consists of four elements: duty;…

A Summary of Three Areas of School Law: Students' Rights, Torts, and Teachers' Rights.

Science.gov (United States)

Curry, Michael J.

1981-01-01

The intent of this article is to provide working administrators with a synopsis of court cases and legal principles relating to student rights (search and seizure, due process in discipline cases, freedom of expression, exclusion from school); torts (assault, negligence); and teachers' rights (academic freedom, freedom of speech, employee rights).…

Time-dependent anisotropic distributed source capability in transient 3-d transport code tort-TD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seubert, A.; Pautz, A.; Becker, M.; Dagan, R.

2009-01-01

The transient 3-D discrete ordinates transport code TORT-TD has been extended to account for time-dependent anisotropic distributed external sources. The extension aims at the simulation of the pulsed neutron source in the YALINA-Thermal subcritical assembly. Since feedback effects are not relevant in this zero-power configuration, this offers a unique opportunity to validate the time-dependent neutron kinetics of TORT-TD with experimental data. The extensions made in TORT-TD to incorporate a time-dependent anisotropic external source are described. The steady state of the YALINA-Thermal assembly and its response to an artificial square-wave source pulse sequence have been analysed with TORT-TD using pin-wise homogenised cross sections in 18 prompt energy groups with P 1 scattering order and 8 delayed neutron groups. The results demonstrate the applicability of TORT-TD to subcritical problems with a time-dependent external source. (authors)

Perspectives on a Torts Course.

Science.gov (United States)

Bernstein, Anita

1993-01-01

One law professor has added interest to a torts course by asking students to select one of five perspectives (economics, corrective justice, feminism, libertarianism, and practicality) on the course content and study it throughout the course. On the final examination, each student must answer one essay question from that viewpoint. (MSE)

The Anatomy of a Constitutional Tort.

Science.gov (United States)

Horner, Jeffrey J.

1988-01-01

Given state law barriers to recovery for the negligence of public officials, redress is often sought in federal courts. Discusses the concept of "constitutional tort" and analyzes the various components and the elements that must be satisfied before recovery is allowed. (MLF)

Resolving Malpractice Claims after Tort Reform: Experience in a Self-Insured Texas Public Academic Health System.

Science.gov (United States)

Sage, William M; Harding, Molly Colvard; Thomas, Eric J

2016-12-01

To describe the litigation experience in a state with strict tort reform of a large public university health system that has committed to transparency with patients and families in resolving medical errors. Secondary data collected from The University of Texas System, which self-insures approximately 6,000 physicians at six health campuses across the state. We obtained internal case management data for all medical malpractice claims closed during 1 year before and 6 recent years following the enactment of state tort reform legislation. We retrospectively reviewed information about malpractice claimants, malpractice claims, and the process and outcome of dispute resolution. We accessed an internal case management database, supplemented by both electronic and paper records compiled by the university's Office of General Counsel. Closed claims dropped from 244 in 2001-2002 to an annual mean of 96 in 2009-2015, closures following lawsuits from 136 in 2001-2002 to an annual mean of 28 in 2009-2015, and paid claims from 60 in 2001 to an annual mean of 20 in 2009-2015. Patterns of resolution suggest efforts by the university to provide some compensation to injured patients in cases that were no longer economically viable for plaintiffs' lawyers to litigate. The percentage of payments relating to cases in which lawsuits had been filed decreased from 82 percent in 2001-2002 to 47 percent in 2009-2012 and again to 29 percent in 2012-2015, although most paid claimants were represented by attorneys. Unrepresented patients received payment in 13 cases closed in 2009-2012 (22 percent of payments; mean amount $60,566) and in 24 cases closed in 2012-2015 (41 percent of payments; mean amount $109,410). Even after tort reform, however, claims that resulted in payment remained slow to resolve, which was worsened for claimants subject to Medicare secondary payer rules. Strict confidentiality became a more common condition of settlement, although restrictions were subsequently relaxed

Multitasking TORT Under UNICOS: Parallel Performance Models and Measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Azmy, Y.Y.; Barnett, D.A.

1999-01-01

The existing parallel algorithms in the TORT discrete ordinates were updated to function in a UNI-COS environment. A performance model for the parallel overhead was derived for the existing algorithms. The largest contributors to the parallel overhead were identified and a new algorithm was developed. A parallel overhead model was also derived for the new algorithm. The results of the comparison of parallel performance models were compared to applications of the code to two TORT standard test problems and a large production problem. The parallel performance models agree well with the measured parallel overhead

Multitasking TORT under UNICOS: Parallel performance models and measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barnett, A.; Azmy, Y.Y.

1999-01-01

The existing parallel algorithms in the TORT discrete ordinates code were updated to function in a UNICOS environment. A performance model for the parallel overhead was derived for the existing algorithms. The largest contributors to the parallel overhead were identified and a new algorithm was developed. A parallel overhead model was also derived for the new algorithm. The results of the comparison of parallel performance models were compared to applications of the code to two TORT standard test problems and a large production problem. The parallel performance models agree well with the measured parallel overhead

Roadway related tort liability and risk management.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-06-01

This workbook provide government employees background information related to tort liability and risk management. Past experience with lawsuits against government entities are summarized. The reasons for the lawsuits and results are analyzed. The obje...

A Note on the Equivalence between Contractual and Tort Liability

OpenAIRE

Germán Coloma; Sergio Pernice

2000-01-01

The aim of this paper is to conciliate some conclusions of the economic theories of breach of contract and tort law. The main result is that the two efficient alternatives that tort law identifies (negligence rule and strict liability with a defense of contributory negligence) are mirrored by two efficient ways of defining contract damages. The first consists of forcing the debtor to pay expectation damages but limiting the level of the creditor’s reliance (rule of damage mitigation). The sec...

“Jones-ing” for a Solution: Commercial Street Surveillance and Privacy Torts in Canada

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stuart Hargreaves

2014-07-01

Full Text Available While street surveillance technologies such as Google Street View are deployed with no discriminatory intent, there is selective scrutiny applied to the published imagery by the anonymous crowd. Disproportionately directed at women and members of ethnic minority groups, this scrutiny means the social risks of street surveillance are not equal. This paper considers the possibility of invasion of privacy actions in tort brought against the commercial service provider as a possible solution. Analysis suggests that Canadian law has evolved in a way such that it is exceedingly difficult to make a claim for “privacy” in tort when the plaintiff is located in public space. This evolution exists in order to ensure that innocuous behavior not be rendered actionable. Furthermore, conceptual reasons exist to suggest that actions in tort are unlikely to be the best solution to the problems posed by commercial street surveillance. While any individual case of embarrassment or nuisance matters, broader “macro-harms” that impact entire communities reflect perhaps the most serious problem associated with the selective scrutiny of street surveillance imagery. Yet, it seems difficult to justify attaching liability for those harms to the commercial providers. While limits need to be placed on the operation of these street surveillance programmes, it is unlikely that invasion of privacy actions are the most effective way to achieve that goal.

The TORT three-dimensional discrete ordinates neutron/photon transport code (TORT version 3)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rhoades, W.A.; Simpson, D.B.

1997-10-01

TORT calculates the flux or fluence of neutrons and/or photons throughout three-dimensional systems due to particles incident upon the system`s external boundaries, due to fixed internal sources, or due to sources generated by interaction with the system materials. The transport process is represented by the Boltzman transport equation. The method of discrete ordinates is used to treat the directional variable, and a multigroup formulation treats the energy dependence. Anisotropic scattering is treated using a Legendre expansion. Various methods are used to treat spatial dependence, including nodal and characteristic procedures that have been especially adapted to resist numerical distortion. A method of body overlay assists in material zone specification, or the specification can be generated by an external code supplied by the user. Several special features are designed to concentrate machine resources where they are most needed. The directional quadrature and Legendre expansion can vary with energy group. A discontinuous mesh capability has been shown to reduce the size of large problems by a factor of roughly three in some cases. The emphasis in this code is a robust, adaptable application of time-tested methods, together with a few well-tested extensions.

The need for tort reform as part of health care reform.

Science.gov (United States)

Thornton, Tiffany; Saha, Subrata

2008-01-01

There is no doubt about the need for tort reform. The current state of the legal system imposes great costs on the U.S. health care system and society in general-an astounding $865 billion each year. Physicians are forced to practice defensive medicine to protect themselves from litigation. Caps on non-economic damages have helped reduce malpractice insurance rates and encouraged young physicians to pursue specialties such as obstetrics. Collective insurance pools and national insurance programs for physicians and hospitals are some options that other countries employ to reduce malpractice rates. Regulation of expert testimony by medical societies would curb false or biased testimony. Other recommendations to improve the tort system include establishing expert health courts similar to those that currently exist for tax and patent law, using mediation, creating patient compensation funds, making acknowledgment of errors inadmissible in court, providing certificates of merit or pretrial screening panels to confirm the validity of lawsuits, and developing treatment contracts. Clearly some action must be taken to amend our current wasteful tort system.

Tort versus no-fault: compensation and injury prevention.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Connell, J

1987-02-01

The tort system, as a means of compensating the victims of injury, no longer fulfills the purpose for which it was intended. The attempt to achieve a fair and rational method of compensation, especially in the areas of medical malpractice and products liability, has been displaced by a form of litigation lottery which permits attorney's fees to divert great amounts of money from victims in needs. A reform of this system is much in need and long overdue. Following a discussion of these and other problems with the tort system, this paper will present a method for ensuring the prompt settlement of most personal injury claims through payment of the victim's net economic losses. The parallels to no-fault auto insurance and workers' compensation are examined and attention is given to the likely impact of this proposal on the conduct of potential injurers and victims.

The coupled code system TORT-TD/ATTICA3D for 3-D transient analysis of pebble-bed HTGR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seubert, A.; Sureda, A.; Lapins, J.; Buck, M.; Laurien, E.; Bader, J.; EnBW Kernkraft GmbH, Philippsburg

2012-01-01

This paper describes the time-dependent 3-D discrete-ordinates based coupled code system TORT-TD/ATTICA3D and its application to HTGR of pebble bed type. TORT-TD/ATTICA3D is represented by a single executable and adapts the so-called internal coupling approach. Three-dimensional distributions of temperatures from ATTICA3D and power density from TORT-TD are efficiently exchanged by direct memory access of array elements via interface routines. Applications of TORT-TD/ATTICA3D to three transients based on the PBMR-400 benchmark (total and partial control rod withdrawal and cold helium ingress) and the full power steady state of the HTR-10 are presented. For the partial control rod withdrawal, 3-D effects of local neutron flux redistributions are clearly identified. The results are very promising and demonstrate that the coupled code system TORT-TD/ATTICA3D may represent a key component in a future comprehensive 3-D code system for HTGR of pebble bed type. (orig.)

DORT and TORT workshop -- Outline for presentation for splicing with TORSED and TORSET

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barnett, A.

1998-04-01

This paper addresses the problem of solving a problem which is larger than can be accommodated by the computer system at your disposal. This can result from two constrains: (1) The available memory of the machine is too small to contain the problem. (2) Individual files may be too large to store on-line. It also addresses the problem of what to do when you want to alter only a subset of a solution space of a larger problem and don't want to rerun the entire problem. These problems can be solved by splicing with TORSED AND TORSET. If the basic shape of your problem is cylindrical and azimuthally uniform, with only a small region of three-dimensionality, then the best splicing method is the TORSED -- DORT to TORT splice. However, if there is no part of the problem which is azimuthally constant, then one might want to consider a TORT to TORT splice. Both methods are discussed here

Parallel performance of TORT on the CRAY J90: Model and measurement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barnett, A.; Azmy, Y.Y.

1997-10-01

A limitation on the parallel performance of TORT on the CRAY J90 is the amount of extra work introduced by the multitasking algorithm itself. The extra work beyond that of the serial version of the code, called overhead, arises from the synchronization of the parallel tasks and the accumulation of results by the master task. The goal of recent updates to TORT was to reduce the time consumed by these activities. To help understand which components of the multitasking algorithm contribute significantly to the overhead, a parallel performance model was constructed and compared to measurements of actual timings of the code

TORT/MCNP coupling method for the calculation of neutron flux around a core of BWR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kurosawa, M.

2005-01-01

For the analysis of BWR neutronics performance, accurate data are required for neutron flux distribution over the In-Reactor Pressure Vessel equipments taking into account the detailed geometrical arrangement. The TORT code can calculate neutron flux around a core of BWR in a three-dimensional geometry model, but has difficulties in fine geometrical modelling and lacks huge computer resource. On the other hand, the MCNP code enables the calculation of the neutron flux with a detailed geometry model, but requires very long sampling time to give enough number of particles. Therefore, a TORT/MCNP coupling method has been developed to eliminate the two problems mentioned above in each code. In this method, the TORT code calculates angular flux distribution on the core surface and the MCNP code calculates neutron spectrum at the points of interest using the flux distribution. The coupling method will be used as the DOT-DOMINO-MORSE code system. This TORT/MCNP coupling method was applied to calculate the neutron flux at points where induced radioactivity data were measured for 54 Mn and 60 Co and the radioactivity calculations based on the neutron flux obtained from the above method were compared with the measured data. (authors)

TORT/MCNP coupling method for the calculation of neutron flux around a core of BWR.

Science.gov (United States)

Kurosawa, Masahiko

2005-01-01

For the analysis of BWR neutronics performance, accurate data are required for neutron flux distribution over the In-Reactor Pressure Vessel equipments taking into account the detailed geometrical arrangement. The TORT code can calculate neutron flux around a core of BWR in a three-dimensional geometry model, but has difficulties in fine geometrical modelling and lacks huge computer resource. On the other hand, the MCNP code enables the calculation of the neutron flux with a detailed geometry model, but requires very long sampling time to give enough number of particles. Therefore, a TORT/MCNP coupling method has been developed to eliminate the two problems mentioned above in each code. In this method, the TORT code calculates angular flux distribution on the core surface and the MCNP code calculates neutron spectrum at the points of interest using the flux distribution. The coupling method will be used as the DOT-DOMINO-MORSE code system. This TORT/MCNP coupling method was applied to calculate the neutron flux at points where induced radioactivity data were measured for 54Mn and 60Co and the radioactivity calculations based on the neutron flux obtained from the above method were compared with the measured data.

Establishing breach of the duty of care in the tort of negligence.

Science.gov (United States)

Tingle, John

This article, the third in a series on clinical negligence, looks at the law surrounding breach of the duty of care in negligence. It shows some of the principles that judges and lawyers use in order to decide whether a person has broken his/her duty of care in the tort of negligence. It will be seen that the principles are contained in decided court cases, some of which are quite old but are still relevant today. The focus of this article is on the rule that courts, in deciding the issue of a breach of duty of care, would judge the defendant's conduct by the standard of what the hypothetical, 'reasonable person' would have done in the circumstances of the case.

Inherent risk and organisational design in European tort law

NARCIS (Netherlands)

W.H. van Boom (Willem)

2009-01-01

textabstractThis paper is devoted to a complex set of issues relating to the functions of tort law in distinguishing acceptable and unacceptable risks. Often, such risks are brought about by deliberate organisational design choice. On many occasions, legislators and courts are called upon to assess

Visualization and verification of the input data in transport calculations with TORT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Portulyan, A.; Belousov, S.

2011-01-01

A software package, called VTSTO and applied for visualization of three-dimensional objects, is developed. The purpose of the package is to verify the input data describing the model of an object in TORT code calculation. TORT calculates the neutron and gamma flux in three-dimensional system through the method of discrete ordinates and is used as an essential tool when calculating the radiation load of the reactor construction. The software requires data of the reactor component,, which is then processed and used for the generation of the graphic image. The object is presented in two planes. The user has the opportunity to choose and change the pair sections determined by those planes, which is crucial when obtaining the view of the composition and structure of the reactor elements. Consequently the generated visualization allows the preparation of an evaluation of the model and if necessary the input data for TORT can be corrected. In this way tie software reduces significantly the possibility of committing an error while modeling complex objects of the reactor system In addition the process of modeling becomes easier and faster. (full text)

Toxic torts: science, law, and the possibility of justice

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Cranor, Carl F

2006-01-01

..., lower deterrence for wrongful conduct and harmful products, and decrease the possibility of justice for citizens injured by toxic substances. Even if courts review evidence well, greater judicial scrutiny increases litigation costs and attorney screening of clients and decreases citizens' access to the law. This book introduces these issues, reveals ...

TORT application in reactor pressure vessel neutron flux calculations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Belousov, S.I.; Ilieva, K.D.; Antonov, S.Y.

1994-01-01

The neutron flux values onto reactor pressure vessel for WWER-1000 and WWER-440 reactors, at the places important for metal embrittlement surveillance have been calculated by 3 dimensional code TORT and synthesis method. The comparison of the results received by both methods confirms their good consistency. (authors). 13 refs., 4 tabs

Torts Liability for Strike Action and Third Party Rights.

Science.gov (United States)

Raday, Frances

1979-01-01

Studies the nature of the torts liability incurred in strikes and the extent of existing immunities bestowed on strikers and their organizers, and explores the principles that should govern liability and immunity. Available from Israel Law Review Association, c/o Faculty of Law, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Mount Scopus, P.O.B. 24100, Jerusalem…

Mass torts e responsabilità per danno ambientale: una analisi economica

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Parisi, F.; Dari-Mattiacci, G.

2009-01-01

Nel presente studio verranno esaminate alcune delle problematiche giuridiche e delle categorie economiche introdotte dalla nuova normativa europea in tema di danno ambientale. Le nostre argomentazioni tenderanno a dimostrare che le ipotesi di danno ambientale caratterizzabili come mass torts non

Facing the challenge of nuclear mass tort processing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pelzer, Norbert

2017-01-01

A great majority of states do not issue any specific legislation on nuclear mass tort litigations. They apparently build on general traditional practice as most probably already tried and tested in other areas. Some states defer the decision on the way to deal with mass tort claims to the time of the nuclear incident. They insert into their nuclear liability laws respective 'reminders' that contain an invitation or a demand to the legislator to take appropriate steps if and when necessary. Finally, there are a number of states that enacted elaborate regimes on how to react to, and organise, compensation of mass damages after a catastrophic nuclear incident. Among those states are in particular major nuclear states like Canada, India, Japan and the US. They developed compensation schemes where claims for compensation of nuclear damage shall be dealt with by fora that are not regular courts. In some of those states, the fora are exclusively competent without a right to appeal their decisions, while in other states the fora act in parallel or in complement to courts. So the international scenario appears to be somewhat confusing. Of course, sovereign states are free to organise claims processing, including nuclear mass claims processing, as they deem fit. The discretion of states is, however, limited by obligations under public international law. With regard to the victims of nuclear incidents, states are particularly bound by obligations under the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other relevant instruments they may be a party to. National nuclear mass claim processing has in particular to comply with the obligation to guarantee 'a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal'. With regard to possible international obligations vis-a-vis other states, it has to be taken into account that major nuclear incidents, as a rule, have transboundary detrimental effects. There is always a potential impact on territories

Basic Substantive Law for Paralegals: Contracts, Torts, and Due Process.

Science.gov (United States)

Marcin, Raymond B.

Part of the paralegal, or legal assistant, training materials prepared by the National Paralegal Institution under a Federal grant, the text comprises an overview of the basic legal concepts usually found in introductory law courses concerning contracts, torts, and the due process area of constitutional law. Part 1, Contracts, covers: definition,…

Civil Liability of Teachers for Injuries to Students, and Other Torts.

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, R. A.

1986-01-01

Addresses issues involving the tort liability of Australian teachers. Explores broad interpretations of negligence, such as giving students incorrect information or negligent advice resulting in some physical or economic damage to the student. Exhorts teachers to provide their charges with the best advice possible for their individual development.…

Georgi söögituba Väike-Maarjas / Kai Tort, Ilmar Aasumets

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Tort, Kai

2006-01-01

7 ill.; Georg Lurichi järgi nime saanud söögituba asub arhitekt Alar Kotli vanaisale kuulunud hoones; söögitoa kujunduse tegi Kai Tort, mööbli valmistasid kohalikud puusepad, plekist lambid - Ilmar Aasumets, omanik Avo Part

COGEDIF - automatic TORT and DORT input generation from MORSE combinatorial geometry models

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Castelli, R.A.; Barnett, D.A.

1992-01-01

COGEDIF is an interactive utility which was developed to automate the preparation of two and three dimensional geometrical inputs for the ORNL-TORT and DORT discrete ordinates programs from complex three dimensional models described using the MORSE combinatorial geometry input description. The program creates either continuous or disjoint mesh input based upon the intersections of user defined meshing planes and the MORSE body definitions. The composition overlay of the combinatorial geometry is used to create the composition mapping of the discretized geometry based upon the composition found at the centroid of each of the mesh cells. This program simplifies the process of using discrete orthogonal mesh cells to represent non-orthogonal geometries in large models which require mesh sizes of the order of a million cells or more. The program was specifically written to take advantage of the new TORT disjoint mesh option which was developed at ORNL

TORT-TD/ATTICA3D: a coupled neutron transport and thermal hydraulics code system for 3-D transient analysis of gas cooled high temperature reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lapins, J.; Seubert, A.; Buck, M.; Bader, J.; Laurien, E.

2011-01-01

Comprehensive safety studies of high temperature gas cooled reactors (HTR) require full three dimensional coupled treatments of both neutron kinetics and thermal-hydraulics. In a common effort, GRS and IKE developed the coupled code system TORT-TD/ATTICA3D for pebble bed type HTR that connects the 3-D transient discrete-ordinates transport code TORT-TD with the 3-D porous medium thermal-hydraulics code ATTICA3D. In this paper, the physical models and calculation capabilities of TORT-TD and ATTICA3D are presented, focusing on model improvements in ATTICA3D and extensions made in TORT-TD related to HTR application. For first applications, the OECD/NEA/NSC PBMR-400 benchmark has been chosen. Results obtained with TORT-TD/ATTICA3D will be shown for transient exercises, e.g. control rod withdrawal and a control rod ejection. Results are compared to other benchmark participants' solutions with special focus on fuel temperature modelling features of ATTICA3D. The provided “grey-curtain” nuclear cross section libraries have been used. First results on 3-D effects during a control rod withdrawal transient will be presented. (author)

Accuracy, gender and race in tort trials : a (behavioral) law and economics perspective

NARCIS (Netherlands)

G. Dominioni (Goran)

2018-01-01

textabstractThis thesis contributes to various streams of literature in the behavioral law and economics of tort law and judicial decisionmaking. Each chapter addresses a selected topic in this area from either a theoretical or an empirical perspective. The overarching theme of the thesis is the

Regulatory limits in radiation injury cases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Charnoff, G.

1980-01-01

Recent developments in the application of the principles of tort, and the impact of governmental regulations on tort law in the U.S.A. are summarised in relation to the following 1979 events raising the issue of liability for radiation injuries: Three Mile Island accident, the Karen Silkwood trial, nuclear weapons testing exposure cases, the use of uranium tailings in residential construction, and radon gas collected in old copper mines. (U.K.)

Pin cell discontinuity factors in the transient 3-D discrete ordinates code TORT-TD - 237

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seubert, A.

2010-01-01

This paper describes the application of generalized equivalence theory to the time-dependent 3-D discrete ordinates neutron transport code TORT-TD. The introduction of pin cell discontinuity factors into the discrete ordinates transport equation is described by assuming a linear dependence of the homogenized neutron angular flux within a pin cell which may be discontinuous at the interfaces to adjacent cells. The homogenized flux discontinuity at cell interfaces is expressed by pin cell discontinuity factors which in turn are determined from fuel assembly lattice calculations using HELIOS. Application of TORT-TD to the all rods in state of the PWR MOX/UO 2 Core Transient Benchmark with pin cell homogenized nuclear cross sections demonstrate the potential of pin cell discontinuity factors to reduce pin cell homogenization errors. (authors)

Albendazole Induced Recurrent Acute Toxic Hepatitis: A Case Report.

Science.gov (United States)

Bilgic, Yilmaz; Yilmaz, Cengiz; Cagin, Yasir Furkan; Atayan, Yahya; Karadag, Nese; Harputluoglu, Murat Muhsin Muhip

2017-01-01

Drug induced acute toxic hepatitis can be idiosyncratic. Albendazole, a widely used broad spectrum antiparasitic drug is generally accepted as a safe drug. It may cause asymptomatic transient liver enzyme abnormalities but acute toxic hepatitis is very rare. Case Report : Herein, we present the case of 47 year old woman with recurrent acute toxic hepatitis after a single intake of albendazole in 2010 and 2014. The patient was presented with symptoms and findings of anorexia, vomiting and jaundice. For diagnosis, other acute hepatitis etiologies were excluded. Roussel Uclaf Causality Assessment Method (RUCAM) score was calculated and found to be 10, which meant highly probable drug hepatotoxicity. Within 2 months, all pathological findings came to normal. There are a few reported cases of albendazole induced toxic hepatitis, but at adults, there is no known recurrent acute toxic hepatitis due to albendazole at this certainty according to RUCAM score. Physicians should be aware of this rare and potentially fatal adverse effect of albendazole. © Acta Gastro-Enterologica Belgica.

Dextromethorphan, chlorphenamine and serotonin toxicity: case report and systematic literature review

Science.gov (United States)

Monte, Andrew A; Chuang, Ryan; Bodmer, Michael

2010-01-01

The aim of this review was to describe a patient with serotonin toxicity after an overdose of dextromethorphan and chlorphenamine and to perform a systematic literature review exploring whether dextromethorphan and chlorphenamine may be equally contributory in the development of serotonin toxicity in overdose. A Medline literature review was undertaken to identify cases of serotonin toxicity due to dextromethorphan and/or chlorphenamine. Case reports were included if they included information on the ingested dose or plasma concentrations of dextromethorphan and/or chlorphenamine, information about co-ingestions and detailed clinical information to evaluate for serotonin toxicity. Cases were reviewed by two toxicologists and serotonin toxicity, defined by the Hunter criteria, was diagnosed when appropriate. The literature was then reviewed to evaluate whether chlorphenamine may be a serotonergic agent. One hundred and fifty-five articles of dextromethorphan or chlorphenamine poisoning were identified. There were 23 case reports of dextromethorphan, of which 18 were excluded for lack of serotonin toxicity. No cases were identified in which serotonin toxicity could be solely attributed to chlorphenamine. This left six cases of dextrometorphane and/or chlorphenamine overdose, including our own, in which serotonin toxicity could be diagnosed based on the presented clinical information. In three of the six eligible cases dextromethorphan and chlorphenamine were the only overdosed drugs. There is substantial evidence from the literature that chlorphenamine is a similarly potent serotonin re-uptake inhibitor when compared with dextrometorphan. Chlorphenamine is a serotonergic medication and combinations of chlorphenamine and dextromethorphan may be dangerous in overdose due to an increased risk of serotonin toxicity. PMID:21175434

Sports Law: Tort Liability of the College and University Athletic Department Administrator.

Science.gov (United States)

Nolte, M. Chester

A tort is an actionable wrong, other than breach of contract, that the courts will recognize and intervene to equalize. There are three questions the court will ask: Did someone owe someone else a duty? Was there a breach of duty owed? Was the breach the proximate cause of the plaintiff's injury? The grounds for injury actions may be classified as…

Corporate human rights accountability : the objections of western governments to the Alien Tort Statute / Uta Kohl

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Kohl, Uta

2014-01-01

Kohtuasjast Kiobel v Royal Dutch Petroleum Co; USA õigusaktist Alien Tort Statute, mis lubab USA kohtutesse esitada inimõiguste rikkumisega seotud hagisid ka USA kodakondsust mitteomavatel inimestel. Vt ka artiklit lk. 699-719

Scientific evidence and the toxic tort. A socio-legal study of the issues, expert evidence and judgement in Reay and Hope v. British Nuclear Fuels plc

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harrison, R.J.

1999-01-01

Providing a socio-legal analysis of the issues, expert evidence and judgment in Reay and Hope v BNFL plc., the thesis offers an insight into the complexity of the toxic tort. Starting with an overview of the history of Sellafield, the thesis reflects on the scientific and epidemiological concerns surrounding the link between childhood cancer and nuclear installations. Drawing on scientific knowledge and epistemological considerations, the thesis moves on to the difficulties of verifying causation in science and the problems of establishing causation in law. Outlining the role of the expert witness and scientific expert evidence, the thesis proceeds with a case analysis, before broaching the thorny issue of judicial decision making and in particular, the difference between the 'discovery' and 'justification' process. Moving on to the Judgment in Reay and Hope, attention is given to the potential application of probability theory to the judicial decision making process. Lasting just short of one hundred days and including the testimony of numerous scientific experts, Reay and Hope marked new ground in a number of ways; it was the first personal injury claim to test the concept of genetic damage from radiation; the only time that a Queen's Bench Division Judge had been allocated a full-time judicial assistant, and one of the first trials to endorse a satellite video link for examination of international expert witnesses. As far as judicial management is concerned, the case was a forerunner in having Counsels' Opening Statements in writing in advance of the trial, as well as having written daily submissions of key issues from plaintiffs and defendants upon conclusion of oral evidence. The circumstances that led to the trial relate to events in excess of thirty to forty years ago when the fathers of Dorothy Reay and Vivien Hope were employed by the Defendants and their predecessors (the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority) as fitters for the Sellafield Plant

Scientific evidence and the toxic tort. A socio-legal study of the issues, expert evidence and judgement in Reay and Hope v. British Nuclear Fuels plc

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Harrison, R.J

1999-07-01

Providing a socio-legal analysis of the issues, expert evidence and judgment in Reay and Hope v BNFL plc., the thesis offers an insight into the complexity of the toxic tort. Starting with an overview of the history of Sellafield, the thesis reflects on the scientific and epidemiological concerns surrounding the link between childhood cancer and nuclear installations. Drawing on scientific knowledge and epistemological considerations, the thesis moves on to the difficulties of verifying causation in science and the problems of establishing causation in law. Outlining the role of the expert witness and scientific expert evidence, the thesis proceeds with a case analysis, before broaching the thorny issue of judicial decision making and in particular, the difference between the 'discovery' and 'justification' process. Moving on to the Judgment in Reay and Hope, attention is given to the potential application of probability theory to the judicial decision making process. Lasting just short of one hundred days and including the testimony of numerous scientific experts, Reay and Hope marked new ground in a number of ways; it was the first personal injury claim to test the concept of genetic damage from radiation; the only time that a Queen's Bench Division Judge had been allocated a full-time judicial assistant, and one of the first trials to endorse a satellite video link for examination of international expert witnesses. As far as judicial management is concerned, the case was a forerunner in having Counsels' Opening Statements in writing in advance of the trial, as well as having written daily submissions of key issues from plaintiffs and defendants upon conclusion of oral evidence. The circumstances that led to the trial relate to events in excess of thirty to forty years ago when the fathers of Dorothy Reay and Vivien Hope were employed by the Defendants and their predecessors (the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority) as fitters for

The three-dimensional, discrete ordinates neutral particle transport code TORT: An overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Azmy, Y.Y.

1996-01-01

The centerpiece of the Discrete Ordinates Oak Ridge System (DOORS), the three-dimensional neutral particle transport code TORT is reviewed. Its most prominent features pertaining to large applications, such as adjustable problem parameters, memory management, and coarse mesh methods, are described. Advanced, state-of-the-art capabilities including acceleration and multiprocessing are summarized here. Future enhancement of existing graphics and visualization tools is briefly presented

[Toxic hepatitis by consumption Herbalife products a case report].

Science.gov (United States)

Chao, Sara; Anders, Margarita; Turbay, Maximiliano; Olaiz, Emiliano; Mc Cormack, Lucas; Mastai, Ricardo

2008-12-01

Toxic hepatitis by consumption Herbalife products is an affection poorly documented and with a great impact in the population due to their massive consumption. We present the case of a 63-years-old woman with probable diagnosis of toxic hepatitis secondary to the consumption of nutritional supplements Herbalife. The nutritional supplements based on natural ingredients are of massive consumption worldwide. Because they are recognized like innocuous and of non-controlled comercialization, they lack suitable controls. Although there are reported cases of hepatotoxicity and other side effects induced by these products, there is still not strong evidence to generate a positive reaction of the control organisms. We report a case of acute toxic hepatitis potencially due to the consumption of Herbalife.

Phillips v Eyre and its application to multi-state torts in Nigeria: A ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

What determines the jurisdiction of a court is different from what informs which law is applicable to a matter. In multi-state tort actions, it is a general principle of traditional English common law that a forum court applies the forum law to such actions provided 'double liability' of the defendant is proved. This is what is known as ...

Adjoint acceleration of Monte Carlo simulations using TORT/MCNP coupling approach: A case study on the shielding improvement for the cyclotron room of the Buddhist Tzu Chi General Hospital

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sheu, R. J.; Sheu, R. D.; Jiang, S. H.; Kao, C. H.

2005-01-01

Full-scale Monte Carlo simulations of the cyclotron room of the Buddhist Tzu Chi General Hospital were carried out to improve the original inadequate maze design. Variance reduction techniques are indispensable in this study to facilitate the simulations for testing a variety of configurations of shielding modification. The TORT/MCNP manual coupling approach based on the Consistent Adjoint Driven Importance Sampling (CADIS) methodology has been used throughout this study. The CADIS utilises the source and transport biasing in a consistent manner. With this method, the computational efficiency was increased significantly by more than two orders of magnitude and the statistical convergence was also improved compared to the unbiased Monte Carlo run. This paper describes the shielding problem encountered, the procedure for coupling the TORT and MCNP codes to accelerate the calculations and the calculation results for the original and improved shielding designs. In order to verify the calculation results and seek additional accelerations, sensitivity studies on the space-dependent and energy-dependent parameters were also conducted. (authors)

Dose-dependent transitions in mechanisms of toxicity: case studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Slikker, William; Andersen, Melvin E.; Bogdanffy, Matthew S.; Bus, James S.; Cohen, Steven D.; Conolly, Rory B.; David, Raymond M.; Doerrer, Nancy G.; Dorman, David C.; Gaylor, David W.; Hattis, Dale; Rogers, John M.; Setzer, R. Woodrow; Swenberg, James A.; Wallace, Kendall

2004-01-01

Experience with dose response and mechanisms of toxicity has shown that multiple mechanisms may exist for a single agent along the continuum of the full dose-response curve. It is highly likely that critical, limiting steps in any given mechanistic pathway may become overwhelmed with increasing exposures, signaling the emergence of new modalities of toxic tissue injury at these higher doses. Therefore, dose-dependent transitions in principal mechanisms of toxicity may occur, and could have significant impact on the interpretation of reference data sets for risk assessment. To illustrate the existence of dose-dependent transitions in mechanisms of toxicity, a group of academic, government, and industry scientists, formed under the leadership of the ILSI Health and Environmental Sciences Institute (HESI), developed a series of case studies. These case studies included acetaminophen, butadiene, ethylene glycol, formaldehyde, manganese, methylene chloride, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR), progesterone/hydroxyflutamide, propylene oxide, vinyl acetate, vinyl chloride, vinylidene chloride, and zinc. The case studies formed the basis for technical discourse at two scientific workshops in 2003

Proof of causation through expert opinion evidence in low-level radiation cases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heideck, R.E.

1985-01-01

Tort law requires that the injured person prove that the injury was caused by a particular exposure to radiation for which the defendant is responsible. Heideck shows how expert evidence helps the court or jury resolve this question. The author analyzes a recent effort to bridge the gap between the legal requirement of proof of causation in individual cases and the conclusions that derive from group statistics. Some scientists argue that this approach is more technically sound than traditional tort law because it attempts to develop a probability of causation in individual cases

Acute Lidocaine Toxicity: a Case Series

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mitra Rahimi

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Parenteral form of lidocaine is the best-known source of lidocaine poisoning. This study aimed to evaluate the characteristics of acute lidocaine toxicity.Methods: In this retrospective cross-sectional study, demographics, clinical presentation, laboratory findings, and outcome of patients intoxicated with lidocaine (based on  ICD10 codes admitted to Loghman Hakim Hospital, during April 2007 to March 2014 were analyzed.Results: 30 cases with the mean age of 21.83 ± 6.57 year were studied (60% male. All subjects had used either 6.5% lidocaine spray or 2% topical formulations of lidocaine. The mean consumed dose of lidocaine was 465 ± 318.17 milligrams. The most frequent clinical presentations were nausea and vomiting (50%, seizure (33.3%, and loss of consciousness (16.7%. 22 (73.3% cases had normal sinus rhythm, 4 (13.3% bradycardia, 2 (6.7% ventricular tachycardia, and 2 (6.7% had left axis deviation. 11 (36.6% cases were intubated and admitted to intensive care unit (ICU for 6.91 ± 7.16 days. Three patients experienced status epilepticus that led to cardiac arrest, and death (all cases with suicidal intention.Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, most cases of topical lidocaine toxicity were among < 40-year-old patients with a male to female ratio of 1.2, with suicidal attempt in 90%, need for intensive care in 36.6%, and  mortality rate of 10%.

A case of fulminating amebic colitis associated with toxic megacolon

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cho, Kyung Sik; Lee, Joong Suk; Suh, Soo Jhi [Kyung Hee University Hospital. Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

1985-12-15

Amebic colitis was common disease in Korea as well as in the world especially frequent in tropical area such as Africa, India and South America. Clinicopathological forms of this condition were ulcerative rectocolitis (95%), typhloappendicitis (3%), ameboma (1.5%), and fulminating colitis with toxic megacolon (0.5%). The fulminating amebic colitis with toxic megacolon was very rare and dangerous condition which was reported by Wruble on 1966. Toxic megacolon was seen in the cases of ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, typhoid fever, cholera, and acute bacillary dysentery. Radiological findings of fulminating amebic colitis with toxic megacolon were megacolon, multiple polypoid filling defects, thumbprinting, and cobble stone appearance, which were resemble with ulcerative colitis. The cause of toxic megacolon was not well known, but it has been speculated that this results from transmural disease with destruction of muscle and the myenteric plexus with resultant loss of muscle tone. Authors experienced a case of fulminating amebic colitis with toxic megacolon which was resemble with ulcerative colitis by radiologically at Kyung Hee University Hospital and reported it with review of the literatures.

A case of fulminating amebic colitis associated with toxic megacolon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cho, Kyung Sik; Lee, Joong Suk; Suh, Soo Jhi

1985-01-01

Amebic colitis was common disease in Korea as well as in the world especially frequent in tropical area such as Africa, India and South America. Clinicopathological forms of this condition were ulcerative rectocolitis (95%), typhloappendicitis (3%), ameboma (1.5%), and fulminating colitis with toxic megacolon (0.5%). The fulminating amebic colitis with toxic megacolon was very rare and dangerous condition which was reported by Wruble on 1966. Toxic megacolon was seen in the cases of ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, typhoid fever, cholera, and acute bacillary dysentery. Radiological findings of fulminating amebic colitis with toxic megacolon were megacolon, multiple polypoid filling defects, thumbprinting, and cobble stone appearance, which were resemble with ulcerative colitis. The cause of toxic megacolon was not well known, but it has been speculated that this results from transmural disease with destruction of muscle and the myenteric plexus with resultant loss of muscle tone. Authors experienced a case of fulminating amebic colitis with toxic megacolon which was resemble with ulcerative colitis by radiologically at Kyung Hee University Hospital and reported it with review of the literatures.

A case of fulminating amebic colitis associated with toxic megacolon

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cho, Kyung Sik; Lee, Joong Suk; Suh, Soo Jhi [Kyung Hee University Hospital. Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

1985-12-15

Amebic colitis was common disease in Korea as well as in the world especially frequent in tropical area such as Africa, India and South America. Clinicopathological forms of this condition were ulcerative rectocolitis (95%), typhloappendicitis (3%), ameboma (1.5%), and fulminating colitis with toxic megacolon (0.5%). The fulminating amebic colitis with toxic megacolon was very rare and dangerous condition which was reported by Wruble on 1966. Toxic megacolon was seen in the cases of ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, typhoid fever, cholera, and acute bacillary dysentery. Radiological findings of fulminating amebic colitis with toxic megacolon were megacolon, multiple polypoid filling defects, thumbprinting, and cobble stone appearance, which were resemble with ulcerative colitis. The cause of toxic megacolon was not well known, but it has been speculated that this results from transmural disease with destruction of muscle and the myenteric plexus with resultant loss of muscle tone. Authors experienced a case of fulminating amebic colitis with toxic megacolon which was resemble with ulcerative colitis by radiologically at Kyung Hee University Hospital and reported it with review of the literatures.

Some observations on the limitations of present tort law and some thoughts on a comprehensive Nuclear Accident Act

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jose, D.E.

1988-01-01

The author recalls that the existing English and American tort system has been designed to provide answers to person-specific questions, i.e. whether the acts of the defendant have caused the plaintiff's injury. When the defendant's act was exposure to radiation and the plaintiff's injury is cancer, the present scientific knowledge cannot answer that person-specific question. Only a group answer can be given. Either there are or are not excess cancers in the exposed population. But if excess cancers exist science cannot identify which person's cancer is naturally occurring and which was caused by the radiation exposure. The author discusses changing the present American system's form of analysis. Under tort law and replacing it by a comprehensive Nuclear Accident Act providing a system that could ask group questions and provide group relief (NEA) [fr

Toxicity alarm: Case history

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hogan, D.; Retallack, J.

1993-01-01

In late fall 1991, the Novacor petrochemical plant near Joffre, Alberta experienced a toxicity alarm, the first since its startup 14 years ago. Fish exposed to a normal toxicity test were stressed within 2 h and showed 100% mortality after 24 h. A history of the events leading up to, during, and after the toxicity alarm is presented. The major effluent sources were three cooling water systems. Although these sources are well characterized, the event causes were not immediately clear. Initial toxic screening indicated that one was very toxic, another moderately toxic, and the third not toxic at all. All three systems utilized the same chemical treatment program to avoid fouling: stabilized phosphates with minor variants. The most toxic of the cooling systems operated at 10-12 cycles, had three chemicals for biocide control, and had three makeup streams. Toxic and nontoxic system characteristics were compared. An in-depth modified toxicity identification and evaluation program was then performed to identify and evaluate the cause of the toxicity alarm for future prevention. The most probable causes of toxicity were identified by elimination. The combination of high numbers of cycles, hydrocarbons in the makeup water, and bromine added as an antifoulant resulted in formation of aromatic bromamines which are capable of causing the toxic condition experienced. 2 tabs

Amiodarone pulmonary toxicity: Case report

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vasić Nada

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction. Amiodarone, an antiarrhythmic drug, which contains iodine compound, has a tendency to accumulate in some organs including the lungs. This is age, drug dosage and therapy duration dependent. Case Outline. We present a case of a 73-year-old man, a smoker, who was admitted as emergency case due to severe dyspnea, tachypnea with signs of cyanosis and respiratory insufficiency. Chest x-ray revealed bilateral diffuse pulmonary shadows in the middle and upper parts of the lungs, similar to those in tuberculosis. His illness history showed chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, arterial hypertension, and atrial fibrillation which has been treated with amiodarone for six years. Sputum smears were negative for mycobacteria, and by the diagnostic elimination method for specific, non-specific and malignant disease the diagnosis of amiodarone pulmonary toxicity was made. Fiberoptic bronchoscopy and pathohistological findings of bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia confirmed the diagnosis. As the first therapeutic approach, amiodarone therapy was stopped. Then, systemic therapy with methylprednisolone 21 (sodium succinate 40 mg i.v. daily during the first two weeks was initiated and continued with daily dose of methylprednisolone 30 mg orally during the next three months. The patient showed a marked subjective improvement during the first week, which was followed by the improvement of respiratory function and withdrawal of pulmonary changes with complete radiographic and CT resolution after eight months. Conclusion. Amiodarone pulmonary toxicity should be taken into consideration, especially in elderly patients with respiratory symptoms and pulmonary changes, even if only a low dose of amiodarone is administred over a longer time period.

The impact of tort reform on intensity of treatment: evidence from heart patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Avraham, Ronen; Schanzenbach, Max

2015-01-01

This paper analyzes the effect of non-economic damage caps on the treatment intensity of heart attack victims. We focus on whether a patient receives a major intervention in the form of either a coronary artery by-pass or angioplasty. We find strong evidence that treatment intensity declines after a cap on non-economic damages. The probability of receiving a major intervention in the form of either an angioplasty or bypass declines by 1.25-2 percentage points after non-economic damage caps are enacted, and this effect is larger a year or two after reform. However, we also find clear evidence of substitution between major interventions. When doctors have discretion to perform a by-pass and patients have insurance coverage, caps on non-economic damages increase the probability that a by-pass is performed. The effect of non-economic damage caps on costs is not always statistically significant, but in models with state-specific trends, total costs decline by as much as four percent. We conclude that tort reform reduces treatment intensity overall, even though it changes the mix of treatments. Using the Center for Disease Control's Vital Statistics data, we find that tort reform is not associated with an increase in mortality from coronary heart disease; if anything, mortality declines. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A Challenging Case of Acute Mercury Toxicity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ali Nayfeh

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Background. Mercury exists in multiple forms: elemental, organic, and inorganic. Its toxic manifestations depend on the type and magnitude of exposure. The role of colonoscopic decompression in acute mercury toxicity is still unclear. We present a case of acute elemental mercury toxicity secondary to mercury ingestion, which markedly improved with colonoscopic decompression. Clinical Case. A 54-year-old male presented to the ED five days after ingesting five ounces (148 cubic centimeters of elemental mercury. Examination was only significant for a distended abdomen. Labs showed elevated serum and urine mercury levels. An abdominal radiograph showed radiopaque material throughout the colon. Succimer and laxatives were initiated. The patient had recurrent bowel movements, and serial radiographs showed interval decrease of mercury in the descending colon with interval increase in the cecum and ascending colon. Colonoscopic decompression was done successfully. The colon was evacuated, and a repeat radiograph showed decreased hyperdense material in the colon. Three months later, a repeat radiograph showed no hyperdense material in the colon. Conclusion. Ingested elemental mercury can be retained in the colon. Although there are no established guidelines for colonoscopic decompression, our patient showed significant improvement. We believe further studies on this subject are needed to guide management practices.

Case law retrieval by concept search and visualization

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Uijttenbroek, Elisabeth M.; Klein, Michel C.A.; Lodder, Arno R.; Van Harmelen, Frank

2007-01-01

The BEST-project (BATNA Establishment using Semantic web Technology, http://best-project.nl) strives to provide disputing parties with information about their legal position in a liability case. Our assumption is that through intelligent disclosure of Dutch Tort Law cases, laymen can estimate their

“Jones-ing” for a Solution: Commercial Street Surveillance and Privacy Torts in Canada

OpenAIRE

Hargreaves, Stuart

2014-01-01

While street surveillance technologies such as Google Street View are deployed with no discriminatory intent, there is selective scrutiny applied to the published imagery by the anonymous crowd. Disproportionately directed at women and members of ethnic minority groups, this scrutiny means the social risks of street surveillance are not equal. This paper considers the possibility of invasion of privacy actions in tort brought against the commercial service provider as a possible solution. Ana...

Use of Hemadsorption in a Case of Pediatric Toxic Shock Syndrome

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrea Berkes

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Background. Toxic shock syndrome is a potentially fatal toxin-mediated disease. The role of toxins in this clinical entity made us hypothesize that extracorporeal blood purification with CytoSorb® could play a beneficial role in the clinical management of toxic shock syndrome. This case report describes the successful treatment of toxic shock syndrome using a combination of renal replacement therapy and hemadsorption in a pediatric patient. Case Presentation. A 5-year-old girl with Down’s syndrome presented with an inflamed area surrounding an insect bite, signs of systemic inflammation, and multiple organ failure. As previous attempts of immune modulation therapy were unsuccessful, renal replacement therapy was supplemented by the cytokine absorber CytoSorb. Treatment using this combination was associated with a rapid and significant stabilization in the hemodynamic situation and a decrease in inflammatory mediators within hours after the initiation of therapy. The application of CytoSorb therapy was simple and safe. Conclusion. The use of extracorporeal blood purification with CytoSorb proved potentially beneficial by removing toxins and inflammatory mediators in this case and could therefore play a role in the clinical management of toxic shock syndrome. Whether CytoSorb has the potential to even positively influence mortality in patients with toxic shock syndrome still needs to be confirmed.

Endangered Species Case - Washington Toxics Coalition v. EPA

Science.gov (United States)

This Web page provides information on the Washington Toxics Coalition v. EPA case, related to protection of Pacific salmon and steelhead, and links to the biological opinions issued by the NMFS and EPA’s responses.

The Student-Athlete and the National Collegiate Athletic Association: The Need for a Prima Facie Tort Doctrine

Science.gov (United States)

Duckworth, Roy D., III

1975-01-01

In examining whether courts have jurisdiction to hear student-athlete grievances against the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) the author rejects the position that the NCAA's activities are under cover of state law, and instead proposes that the student-athlete's remedy lies in an action against the NCAA for a prima facie tort. (JT)

Multitasking the three-dimensional transport code TORT on CRAY platforms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Azmy, Y.Y.

1996-01-01

The multitasking options in the three-dimensional neutral particle transport code TORT originally implemented for Cray's CTSS operating system are revived and extended to run on Cray Y/MP and C90 computers using the UNICOS operating system. These include two coarse-grained domain decompositions; across octants, and across directions within an octant, termed Octant Parallel (OP), and Direction Parallel (DP), respectively. Parallel performance of the DP is significantly enhanced by increasing the task grain size and reducing load imbalance via dynamic scheduling of the discrete angles among the participating tasks. Substantial Wall Clock speedup factors, approaching 4.5 using 8 tasks, have been measured in a time-sharing environment, and generally depend on the test problem specifications, number of tasks, and machine loading during execution

Padova Charter on personal injury and damage under civil-tort law : Medico-legal guidelines on methods of ascertainment and criteria of evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Ferrara, Santo Davide; Baccino, Eric; Boscolo-Berto, Rafael; Comandè, Giovanni; Domenici, Ranieri; Hernandez-Cueto, Claudio; Gulmen, Mete Korkut; Mendelson, George; Montisci, Massimo; Norelli, Gian Aristide; Pinchi, Vilma; Ranavaya, Mohammed; Shokry, Dina A; Sterzik, Vera; Vermylen, Yvo; Vieira, Duarte Nuno; Viel, Guido; Zoja, Riccardo

2016-01-01

Compensation for personal damage, defined as any pecuniary or non-pecuniary loss causally related to a personal injury under civil-tort law, is strictly based on the local jurisdiction and therefore varies significantly across the world. This manuscript presents the first "International Guidelines on Medico-Legal Methods of Ascertainment and Criteria of Evaluation of Personal Injury and Damage under Civil-Tort Law". This consensus document, which includes a step-by-step illustrated explanation of flow charts articulated in eight sequential steps and a comprehensive description of the ascertainment methodology and the criteria of evaluation, has been developed by an International Working Group composed of juridical and medico-legal experts and adopted as Guidelines by the International Academy of Legal Medicine (IALM).

ASSUMING REGULATORY AUTHORITY FOR TRANSNATIONAL TORTS: AN INTERSTATE AFFAIR? A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE ON THE CANADIAN PRIVATE INTERNATIONAL LAW TORT RULES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roxana Banu

2013-02-01

Full Text Available In Tolofson v. Jensen, the Supreme Court of Canada determined that in most cases the law of the place where the tort occurred has exclusive authority to regulate all legal aspects related to it. In developing this choice of law rule, the Supreme Court relied on an analogy between Private International Law and Public International law. This allows Private International Law to claim a structural, neutral function in the distribution of legislative authority in the international realm and to ignore both private law and public law considerations. To best reveal the way in which the Supreme Court injected these limitations into Private International Law by reference to Public International Law, I show the striking similarity between the Supreme Court’s reasoning and several Private International Law writings at the end of the 19th century in Continental Europe. In the context of the extraterritorial tortious activity of multinational corporations, these limitations make Private International Law oblivious to arguments of Corporate Social Responsibility scholars showing that a multinational corporation may legitimately be regulated by the state of its headquarters, even for extraterritorial conduct. Overall, I argue that an overemphasis on legislative authority as a symbol of state sovereignty transforms Private International Law matters generally, and transnational torts in particular, in inter-state affairs, removed from the interests and pleas of the individuals and communities affected by them.   Dans l’arrêt Tolofson c. Jensen, la Cour suprême du Canada a décidé que, dans la plupart des cas, la loi du lieu où le délit a été commis régit exclusivement tous les aspects juridiques qui s’y rapportent. Pour établir cette règle du choix de la loi applicable, la Cour suprême s’est fondée sur une analogie entre le droit international privé et le droit international public. Cela permet au droit international privé de réclamer une

Pin cell discontinuity factors in the transient 3-D discrete ordinates code TORT-TD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seubert, A.

2010-01-01

Even with the rapid increase of computing power, whole core transient and accident analyses based on the direct solution of the 3-D neutron transport equation with a large number of energy groups and a detailed heterogeneous description of the core still remain computationally challenging. Current industrial methods for reactor core calculations therefore involve a two step approach in which lattice (assembly) depletion transport methods are used to prepare energy collapsed and fuel assembly or pin cell homogenized cross sections for subsequent whole core transport calculations. Spatial homogenization, in principal, requires the knowledge of both the actual boundary condition (local core environment) of the fuel assembly and the exact heterogeneous flux distribution (reference solution) of the whole core problem within that fuel assembly. Since, in particular, the latter is not known a priori, an infinite medium (zero net current) condition is used in the lattice calculations. It is well known that this approximation may lead to undesirable errors in cores in which large flux gradients are present across the fuel assemblies. This is the case in cores that have high heterogeneity and/or strong local absorbers, e.g. PWRs with partial MOX loading and inserted control rod clusters. There are two major approaches to mitigate spatial homogenization errors, superhomogenization (SPH) factors, and discontinuity factors within the scope of equivalence theory (ET) and generalized equivalence theory (GET). Although discontinuity factors are usually applied at the level of fuel assembly node size (assembly discontinuity factors, ADF), the methodology can be extended to pin cell homogenized whole core calculations involving pin cell discontinuity factors (PDF). There are also further developments for both the diffusion and the simplified transport (SP3) equation. In this paper, PDFs are introduced into the time-dependent 3-D discrete ordinates code TORT-TD in order to reduce the

Case series: toxicity from 25B-NBOMe--a cluster of N-bomb cases.

Science.gov (United States)

Gee, Paul; Schep, Leo J; Jensen, Berit P; Moore, Grant; Barrington, Stuart

2016-01-01

Background A new class of hallucinogens called NBOMes has emerged. This class includes analogues 25I-NBOMe, 25C-NBOMe and 25B-NBOMe. Case reports and judicial seizures indicate that 25I-NBOMe and 25C-NBOMe are more prevalently abused. There have been a few confirmed reports of 25B-NBOMe use or toxicity. Report Observational case series. This report describes a series of 10 patients who suffered adverse effects from 25B-NBOMe. Hallucinations and violent agitation predominate along with serotonergic/stimulant signs such as mydriasis, tachycardia, hypertension and hyperthermia. The majority (7/10) required sedation with benzodiazepines. Analytical method 25B-NBOMe concentrations in plasma and urine were quantified in all patients using a validated liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method. Peak plasma levels were measured between 0.7-10.1 ng/ml. Discussion The NBOMes are desired by users because of their hallucinogenic and stimulant effects. They are often sold as LSD or synthetic LSD. Reported cases of 25B- NBOMe toxicity are reviewed and compared to our series. Seizures and one pharmacological death have been described but neither were observed in our series. Based on our experience with cases of mild to moderate toxicity, we suggest that management should be supportive and focused on preventing further (self) harm. High doses of benzodiazepines may be required to control agitation. Patients who develop significant hyperthermia need to be actively managed. Conclusions Effects from 25B-NBOMe in our series were similar to previous individual case reports. The clinical features were also similar to effects from other analogues in the class (25I-NBOMe, 25C-NBOMe). Violent agitation frequently present along with signs of serotonergic stimulation. Hyperthermia, rhabdomyolysis and kidney injury were also observed.

Cutaneous drug toxicity from 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP): Case report and histological description.

Science.gov (United States)

Le, Patricia; Wood, Benjamin; Kumarasinghe, Sujith Prasad

2015-11-01

The use of 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP) has regained popularity as a weight loss aid in the last two decades due to increased marketing to bodybuilders and the increasing availability of this banned substance via the Internet. 2,4-DNP is a drug of narrow therapeutic index and toxicity results in hyperthermia, diaphoresis, tachycardia, tachypnoea and possible cardiac arrest and death. Skin toxicity from 2,4-DNP has not been reported since the 1930s. We report a case of a 21-year-old bodybuilding enthusiast who presented with a toxic exanthem after taking 2,4-DNP, and describe the first skin biopsy findings in a case of 2,4-DNP toxicity. © 2014 The Australasian College of Dermatologists.

GRAVE: An Interactive Geometry Construction and Visualization Software System for the TORT Nuclear Radiation Transport Code

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blakeman, E.D.

2000-01-01

A software system, GRAVE (Geometry Rendering and Visual Editor), has been developed at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) to perform interactive visualization and development of models used as input to the TORT three-dimensional discrete ordinates radiation transport code. Three-dimensional and two-dimensional visualization displays are included. Display capabilities include image rotation, zoom, translation, wire-frame and translucent display, geometry cuts and slices, and display of individual component bodies and material zones. The geometry can be interactively edited and saved in TORT input file format. This system is an advancement over the current, non-interactive, two-dimensional display software. GRAVE is programmed in the Java programming language and can be implemented on a variety of computer platforms. Three- dimensional visualization is enabled through the Visualization Toolkit (VTK), a free-ware C++ software library developed for geometric and data visual display. Future plans include an extension of the system to read inputs using binary zone maps and combinatorial geometry models containing curved surfaces, such as those used for Monte Carlo code inputs. Also GRAVE will be extended to geometry visualization/editing for the DORT two-dimensional transport code and will be integrated into a single GUI-based system for all of the ORNL discrete ordinates transport codes

Psychosis associated with acute recreational drug toxicity: a European case series

OpenAIRE

Vallersnes, Odd Martin; Dines, Alison M.; Wood, David M.; Yates, Christopher; Heyerdahl, Fridtjof; Hovda, Knut Erik; Giraudon, Isabelle; Dargan, Paul I.

2016-01-01

Background Psychosis can be associated with acute recreational drug and novel psychoactive substance (NPS) toxicity. However, there is limited data available on how common this is and which drugs are most frequently implicated. We describe a European case series of psychosis associated with acute recreational drug toxicity, and estimate the frequency of psychosis for different recreational drugs. Methods ...

Psychosis associated with acute recreational drug toxicity: a European case series.

Science.gov (United States)

Vallersnes, Odd Martin; Dines, Alison M; Wood, David M; Yates, Christopher; Heyerdahl, Fridtjof; Hovda, Knut Erik; Giraudon, Isabelle; Dargan, Paul I

2016-08-18

Psychosis can be associated with acute recreational drug and novel psychoactive substance (NPS) toxicity. However, there is limited data available on how common this is and which drugs are most frequently implicated. We describe a European case series of psychosis associated with acute recreational drug toxicity, and estimate the frequency of psychosis for different recreational drugs. The European Drug Emergencies Network (Euro-DEN) collects data on presentations to Emergency Departments (EDs) with acute recreational drug and NPS toxicity at 16 centres in ten countries. Euro-DEN data from October 2013 through September 2014 was retrospectively searched, and cases with psychosis were included. The proportion of cases with psychosis per drug was calculated in the searched Euro-DEN dataset. Psychosis was present in 348 (6.3 %) of 5529 cases. The median (interquartile range) age was 29 (24-38) years, 276 (79.3 %) were male and 114 (32.8 %) were admitted to psychiatric ward. The drugs most commonly reported were cannabis in 90 (25.9 %) cases, amphetamine in 87 (25.0 %) and cocaine in 56 (16.1 %). More than one drug was taken in 189 (54.3 %) cases. Psychosis was frequent in those ED presentations involving tryptamines (4/7; 57.1 %), methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV) (6/22; 27.3 %), methylphenidate (6/26; 23.1 %), lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) (18/86; 20.9 %), psilocybe mushrooms (3/16; 18.8 %), synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists (4/26; 15.4 %) and amphetamine (87/593; 14.7 %), but less common in those involving mephedrone (14/245; 5.7 %), methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) (20/461; 4.3 %) and methedrone (3/92; 3.3 %). Amphetamine was the most frequent drug associated with psychosis when only one agent was reported, with psychosis occurring in 32.4 % of these presentations. The frequency of psychosis in acute recreational drug toxicity varies considerably between drugs, but is a major problem in amphetamine poisoning. In rapidly changing drug markets and

[Tetany secondary to phosphate enema toxicity, case report].

Science.gov (United States)

Núñez Sánchez, María José; Leighton Swaneck, Sofía; Díaz, Franco

2017-06-01

Phosphate enemas are frequently used in the treatment of constipation. Errors in dosage and administration can lead to severe complications. To report a case of severe toxicity of phosphate enemas in a child with no risk factors. 2 years old female, with functional constipation, was brought to emergency department because abdominal pain. She was diagnosed with fecal impaction and received half a bottle of Fleet Adult® (Laboratorio Synthon, Chile) two times, with no clinical resolution, deciding to start proctoclisis in pediatric ward. Soon after admission, she presented painful tetany, but alert and oriented. Patient was transferred to PICU where severe hyperphosphatemia and secondary hypocalcemia were confirmed. Her treatment included electrolyte correction; removal of residual phosphate enema and hyperhydration. Tetany resolved over 2 hours after admission and no other complications. Proctoclisis was performed and patient was discharged three days after admission with pharmacological management of constipation. Phosphate enemas may cause serious complications in children with no risk factors. Errors in dosage, administration and removal of the enema are causes of toxicity in this group. Pediatricians and health personnel must be aware of risks and signs of toxicity of phosphate enema.

Introduction to the Tort of Negligence as It Pertains to the Medical Office. Medical Law and Economics, Lesson Plan No. 3.

Science.gov (United States)

Young, Joan

Designed as part of a 40-hour course in medical law and economics, this lesson plan was developed to enable students to: (1) define and give examples of the tort of negligence in the medical profession; (2) distinguish between and give examples of personal and professional negligence; (3) be able to identify, for a given situation, the three major…

LITHIUM TOXICITY IN ELDERLY-A CASE REPORT AND DISCUSSION

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Mariana D. Arnaoudova

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Background: The therapeutic effect of Lithium as a mono therapy or as an augmenting agent in a variety of medical and psychiatric disorders is under doubt. However, lithium is associated with a number of adverse effects. Method and objective: A review of the literature on lithium use in older adults and a case report presentation. Summary of results: The literature, concerning current uses of Lithium in older patients, especially for patients with neurologic or cognitive impairments is limited due to the lack of well-designed, large clinical trials. Elderly patients are at higher risk to develop neurotoxicity in the course of lithium therapy. We present a case of 66 years old female patient, suffering bipolar disorder, who developed lithium toxicity and was admitted at the gerontopsychiatric department due to a confusional state, tremor and gait abnormality. Lithium toxicity was suspected when sufficient information about previous medical history of lithium therapy has been obtained. Lithium level found to be 1.69mmol/L. The patient has developed intoxication during maintenance therapy with a lithium dosage which had been unchanged for months. Conclusion: Elderly patients require lower doses of Lithium to achieve similar serum concentrations as those in younger adults. Neurotoxicity could be suspected at serum lithium levels which are considered therapeutic in younger adults. When prescribing lithium agents in elderly we should consider age-related changes in pharmacokinetics. The best way to prevent lithium toxicity is to control the serum concentration regularly during therapy.

Toxic Lung Injury in a Patient Addicted to “Legal Highs” – Case Study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kulhawik, Dorota; Walecki, Jerzy

2015-01-01

Toxic lung injury may manifest itself in many different ways, ranging from respiratory tract irritation and pulmonary edema in severe cases to constrictive bronchiolitis, being a more distant consequence. It is most often the result of accidental exposure to harmful substances at work, at home, or a consequence of industrial disaster. This article presents a case of toxic lung injury which occurred after inhalation of legal highs, the so-called “artificial hashish” and at first presented itself radiologically as interstitial pneumonia with pleural effusion and clinically as hypoxemic respiratory insufficiency. After treatment with high doses of steroids, it was histopathologically diagnosed as organizing pneumonia with lipid bodies. Due to the lack of pathognomonic radiological images for toxic lung injury, information on possible etiology of irritants is very important. As novel psychoactive substances appeared in Europe, they should be considered as the cause of toxic lung injury

[Toxic-shock syndrome. Three cases (author's transl)].

Science.gov (United States)

Rapin, M; D'Enfert, J; Cabane, J

1981-06-13

Several cases of toxic shock syndrome (T.S.S) have been recently reported from the U.S.A. Clinical features of this new syndrome include fever, desquamative scarlatiniform rash, hypotension and involvement of central nervous system, liver, kidney and muscles. More than 90% of cases are women with staphylococcic vaginitis using tampons during menstruations. A toxin produced by staphylococcus aureus is thought to be the causative agent, because the germ has been isolated in local (vaginal, pharyngeal, subcutaneous or other sites) but not systemic (blood, cerebrospinal fluid) cultures. The mortality rate is 3-10%, and relapse can occur. We report the first three french cases of T.S.S.: a 17 year old girl with typical tampon-associated vaginitis, a 36 year old woman with a postoperative peritonitis and a 20 year old man with a popliteal abscess. Staphylococcus aureus of type I or IV was identified at the site of infection in all cases, but never in blood cultures. These three patients recovered with antistaphylococcic antibiotics and supportive therapy, but local treatment of infections seems to have been of utmost importance. These cases suggest that T.S.S. can occur with several staphylococcus serotypes and confirm that this syndrome is not always associated with tampons and vaginitis.

Digoxin Toxicity in a 14 Days Old Newborn: A Case Report

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İclal Sucaklı

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Digoxin is one of the most commonly used positive inotropic agent. Digitalis toxicity may occur easily because of digoxin has a narrow therapeutic window. Digitalis toxicity may result during treatment with digoxin or from accidental overdose of digoxin. An elevated serum level of digoxin (>2ng/ml is likely to be associated with toxicity, overdose of digoxin (>5ng/ml may lead to life-threatening arrhythmias. A 14-days old newborn with VSD, which had been prescribed the droplet form of digoxin but given the tablet form by the drugstore, was diagnosed as digitalis toxicity and hospitalized to our clinic. His mother expressed that she had given two tablets mashed with spoon and diluted. Bradycardia and grade 3/6 pansystolic murmur was determined in physical examination. Digoxin level in serum was >5 ng/ml and there was third degree atrioventricular block in ECG findings. The case has been presented to emphasize the importance of better evaluation of digoxin indications and making families of the patients conscious of the usage of digoxin.

Interactions between toxic chemicals and natural environmental factors--a meta-analysis and case studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Laskowski, Ryszard; Bednarska, Agnieszka J; Kramarz, Paulina E; Loureiro, Susana; Scheil, Volker; Kudłek, Joanna; Holmstrup, Martin

2010-08-15

The paper addresses problems arising from effects of natural environmental factors on toxicity of pollutants to organisms. Most studies on interactions between toxicants and natural factors, including those completed in the EU project NoMiracle (Novel Methods for Integrated Risk Assessment of Cumulative Stressors in Europe) described herein, showed that effects of toxic chemicals on organisms can differ vastly depending purely on external conditions. We compiled data from 61 studies on effects of temperature, moisture and dissolved oxygen on toxicity of a range of chemicals representing pesticides, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, plant protection products of bacterial origin and trace metals. In 62.3% cases significant interactions (pnatural factors and chemicals were found, reaching 100% for the effect of dissolved oxygen on toxicity of waterborne chemicals. The meta-analysis of the 61 studies showed that the null hypothesis assuming no interactions between toxic chemicals and natural environmental factors should be rejected at p=2.7 x 10(-82) (truncated product method probability). In a few cases of more complex experimental designs, also second-order interactions were found, indicating that natural factors can modify interactions among chemicals. Such data emphasize the necessity of including information on natural factors and their variation in time and across geographic regions in ecological risk assessment. This can be done only if appropriate ecotoxicological test designs are used, in which test organisms are exposed to toxicants at a range of environmental conditions. We advocate designing such tests for the second-tier ecological risk assessment procedures. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Determination of trace aluminum concentration and homogeneity in biological material TORT-1 by instrumental neutron activation and graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kratochvil, B.; Motkosky, N.; Duke, M.J.M.; Ng, D.

1987-01-01

The biological reference material TORT-1, lobster hepatopancreas, was analyzed for aluminum by instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) and graphite furnace atomic absorption spectroscopy (GFAAS). After correction of the INAA results for interferences from 28 Al produced by 31 P(n,α) 28 Al and 28 (n,p) 28 Al reactions, and use of HNO 3 plus HF for sample dissolution for the GFAAS analyses, the methods gave similar results of 43 ± 3 and 42 ± 2 μg/g respectively for 200 to 300-mg test portions. Analysis of six portions from each of six bottles of TORT-1 showed no statistical difference at the 95% confidence level for the between and within bottle variances. Therefore, The material can be considered homogeneous for aluminum if 200- to 300-mg test portions are taken. The variance was greater and the average lower when 30-mg test portions were analyzed for aluminum by GFAAS. The pattern of the results, together with the need for HF in the dissolution procedure, suggests the presence of aluminum-containing microparticulate mineral matter, perhaps silicate material, in the material

Determination of trace aluminum concentration and homogeneity in biological material TORT-1 by instrumental neutron activation and graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kratochvil, B; Motkosky, N; Duke, M J.M.; Ng, D

1987-05-01

The biological reference material TORT-1, lobster hepatopancreas, was analyzed for aluminum by instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) and graphite furnace atomic absorption spectroscopy (GFAAS). After correction of the INAA results for interferences from /sup 28/Al produced by /sup 31/P(n,..cap alpha..)/sup 28/Al and /sup 28/(n,p)/sup 28/Al reactions, and use of HNO/sub 3/ plus HF for sample dissolution for the GFAAS analyses, the methods gave similar results of 43 +- 3 and 42 +- 2 ..mu..g/g respectively for 200 to 300-mg test portions. Analysis of six portions from each of six bottles of TORT-1 showed no statistical difference at the 95% confidence level for the between and within bottle variances. Therefore, The material can be considered homogeneous for aluminum if 200- to 300-mg test portions are taken. The variance was greater and the average lower when 30-mg test portions were analyzed for aluminum by GFAAS. The pattern of the results, together with the need for HF in the dissolution procedure, suggests the presence of aluminum-containing microparticulate mineral matter, perhaps silicate material, in the material.

Graves Disease Induced by Radioiodine Therapy for Toxic Nodular Goiter: A Case Report

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Yakup Yürekli

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Graves’ disease (GD may be observed as an infrequent adverse effect after radioiodine therapy (RAIT for toxic thyroid adenoma (TA and toxic multi nodular goiter (MNG. We present a case of a 55-year-old male with a toxic nodule who was treated with RAI. After therapy, the patient’s serum free triiodothyronine (fT3 and free thyroxine (fT4 levels gradually increased. Antithyroid peroxidase (TPOAb, antithyroglobulin (TgAb and TSH-receptor antibodies (TRAb were also positive. Thyroid scintigraphy revealed diffuse intense uptake after four months of RAIT. Radiation-induced GD should be considered in patients with aggravated hyperthyroidism 3-4 months after therapy.

Recent improvements in the performance of the muiltitasked TORT on time-shared Cray computers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Azmy, Y.Y.

1996-01-01

Coarse-grained angular domain decomposition of the mesh sweep algorithm has been implemented in ORNL's three dimensional transport code TORT for Cray's macrotasking environment on platforms running the UNICOS operating system. A performance model constructed earlier is reviewed and its main result, namely the identification of the sources of parallelization overhead, is used to motivate the present work. The sources of overhead treated here are: redundant operations in the angular loop across participating tasks; repetitive task creation; lock utilization to prevent overwriting the flux moment arrays accumulated by the participating tasks. Substantial reduction in the parallelization overhead is demonstrated via sample runs with fixed tunning, i.e. zero CPU hold time. Up to 50% improvement in the wall clock speedup over the previous implementation with autotunning is observed in some test problems

The School District's Liability in Cases of Violent Attacks on Students and Employees.

Science.gov (United States)

Maze, Jerry G.

The school's responsibility to provide a safe learning environment for students is examined in this paper. Failure to take preventative measures may result in loss of government tort immunity and charges of negligence liability. A review of case law indicates a trend toward successful litigation by plaintiffs against school districts--a decline in…

Case and Administrative Support Tools

Science.gov (United States)

Case and Administrative Support Tools (CAST) is the secure portion of the Office of General Counsel (OGC) Dashboard business process automation tool used to help reduce office administrative labor costs while increasing employee effectiveness. CAST supports business functions which rely on and store Privacy Act sensitive data (PII). Specific business processes included in CAST (and respective PII) are: -Civil Rights Cast Tracking (name, partial medical history, summary of case, and case correspondance). -Employment Law Case Tracking (name, summary of case). -Federal Tort Claims Act Incident Tracking (name, summary of incidents). -Ethics Program Support Tools and Tracking (name, partial financial history). -Summer Honors Application Tracking (name, home address, telephone number, employment history). -Workforce Flexibility Initiative Support Tools (name, alternative workplace phone number). -Resource and Personnel Management Support Tools (name, partial employment and financial history).

Toxicity of Single and Mixed Contaminants in Seawater Measured with Acute Toxicity Bioassays

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A.R. Fernandez-Alba

2002-01-01

Full Text Available Different types of organic pollutants commonly detected in seawater have been evaluated by acute toxicity bioassays. Vibrio fischeri, Daphnia magna, and Selenastrum capricornotum were selected to test toxic effects of individual compounds and mixtures of these compounds, obtaining EC50 values in the range of 0.001 to 28.9 mg/l. In the case of mixtures, synergistic toxic responses were seen for a clear majority of the cases (>60%. Mixtures containing methyl-tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE exhibit accelerated processes that result in a change in concentration required to produce a toxic effect; for example, in the case of mixtures containing MTBE and Diuron and Dichlofluanid.

Vaccine-induced toxic epidermal necrolysis: A case and systematic review

OpenAIRE

Chahal, Dev; Aleshin, Maria; Turegano, Mamina; Chiu, Melvin; Worswick, Scott

2018-01-01

Background: Erythema multiforme (EM), Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) are cutaneous hypersensitivityreactions that develop in response to specific triggers such as medications and certain infections. Vaccines, which undergo rigorous safety testing prior to use in humans, are a rare cause of SJS/TEN and little is known about the frequency of such events and corresponding pathogenesis. Objective: Herein, we discuss a case of suspected TEN in a 19-yea...

A confirmed case of toxic shock syndrome associated with the use of a menstrual cup.

Science.gov (United States)

Mitchell, Michael A; Bisch, Steve; Arntfield, Shannon; Hosseini-Moghaddam, Seyed M

2015-01-01

Menstrual cups have been reported to be an acceptable substitute for tampons. These flexible cups have also been reported to provide a sustainable solution to menstrual management, with modest cost savings and no significant health risk. The present article documents the first case of toxic shock syndrome associated with the use of a menstrual cup in a woman 37 years of age, using a menstrual cup for the first time. Toxic shock syndrome and the literature on menstrual cups is reviewed and a possible mechanism for the development of toxic shock syndrome in the patient is described.

Heart Toxicity Related to Herbs and Dietary Supplements: Online Table of Case Reports. Part 4 of 5.

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Amy C

2017-10-05

The purpose of this review was to create an online research summary table of heart toxicity case reports related to dietary supplements (DS; includes herbs). Documented PubMed case reports of DS appearing to contribute to heart-related problems were used to create a "Toxic Table" that summarized the research (1966 to April, 2016, and cross-referencing). Keywords included "herb," "dietary supplement," and cardiac terms. Case reports were excluded if they were herb combinations (some exceptions), Chinese herb mixtures, teas of mixed herb contents, mushrooms, poisonous plants, self-harm (e.g. suicide), excess dose (except vitamins/minerals), drugs or illegal drugs, drug-herbal interactions, and confounders of drugs or diseases. The spectrum of heart toxicities included hypertension, hypotension, hypokalemia, bradycardia, tachycardia, arrhythmia, ventricular fibrillation, heart attack, cardiac arrest, heart failure, and death. Heart related problems were associated with approximately seven herbs: Four traditional Chinese medicine herbs - Don quai (Angelica sinensis), Jin bu huan (Lycopodium serratum), Thundergod vine or lei gong teng (Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F), and Ting kung teng (Erycibe henryi prain); one an Ayruvedic herb - Aswagandha, (Withania somnifera); and two North American herbs - blue cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides), and Yohimbe (Pausinystalia johimbe). Aconitum and Ephedra species are no longer sold in the United States. The DS included, but are not limited to five DS - bitter orange, caffeine, certain energy drinks, nitric oxide products, and a calming product. Six additional DS are no longer sold. Licorice was the food related to heart problems. The online "Toxic Table" forewarns clinicians, consumers and the DS industry by listing DS with case reports related to heart toxicity. It may also contribute to Phase IV post marketing surveillance to diminish adverse events that Government officials use to regulate DS.

Acute toxic hepatitis caused by an aloe vera preparation in a young patient: a case report with a literature review.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Jeonghun; Lee, Mi Sun; Nam, Kwan Woo

2014-07-01

Aloe is one of the leading products used in phytomedicine. Several cases of aloe-induced toxic hepatitis have been reported in recent years. However, its toxicology has not yet been systematically described in the literature. A 21-year-old female patient was admitted to our hospital with acute hepatitis after taking an aloe vera preparation for four weeks. Her history, clinical manifestation, laboratory findings, and histological findings all led to the diagnosis of aloe vera-induced toxic hepatitis. We report herein on a case of acute toxic hepatitis induced by aloe vera.

Nonconvulsive status epilepticus and Creutzfeldt–Jakob-like EEG changes in a case of lithium toxicity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

B.K. Madhusudhan

2014-01-01

This case highlights the importance of therapeutic drug-level monitoring of lithium, especially where toxicity is suspected, and the important role electroencephalography plays in diagnosing NCSE and its management.

Linking waterlogging tolerance with Mn²⁺ toxicity: a case study for barley.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, X; Shabala, S; Shabala, L; Rengel, Z; Wu, X; Zhang, G; Zhou, M

2015-01-01

Vast agricultural areas are affected by flooding, causing up to 80% yield reduction and resulting in multibillion dollar losses. Up to now, the focus of plant breeders was predominantly on detrimental effects of anoxia, while other (potentially equally important) traits were essentially neglected; one of these is soil elemental toxicity. Excess water triggers a progressive decrease in soil redox potential, thus increasing the concentration of Mn(2+) that can be toxic to plants if above a specific threshold. This work aimed to quantify the relative contribution of Mn(2+) toxicity to waterlogging stress tolerance, using barley as a case study. Twenty barley (Hordeum vulgare) genotypes contrasting in waterlogging stress tolerance were studied for their ability to cope with toxic (1 mm) amounts of Mn(2+) in the root rhizosphere. Under Mn(2+) toxicity, chlorophyll content of most waterlogging-tolerant genotypes (TX9425, Yerong, CPI-71284-48 and CM72) remained above 60% of the control value, whereas sensitive genotypes (Franklin and Naso Nijo) had 35% less chlorophyll than 35% of controls. Manganese concentration in leaves was not related to visual Mn(2+) toxicity symptoms, suggesting that various Mn(2+) tolerance mechanisms might operate in different tolerant genotypes, i.e. avoidance versus tissue tolerance. The overall significant (r = 0.60) correlation between tolerance to Mn(2+) toxicity and waterlogging in barley suggests that plant breeding for tolerance to waterlogging traits may be advanced by targeting mechanisms conferring tolerance to Mn(2+) toxicity, at least in this species. © 2014 German Botanical Society and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.

Tort choice of law and international fundamental norms: A case ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The two jurisdictions are also known for their constant reference to international law in the resolution of domestic disputes. Moreover, Canada embodies both the common law and the civil law traditions. The aim here is twofold. The first is to evaluate the suitability of their choice of law rules for addressing cases alleging ...

Kidney toxicity related to herbs and dietary supplements: Online table of case reports. Part 3 of 5 series.

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Amy Christine

2017-09-01

No tabular summary of potentially life-threatening, kidney-toxic dietary supplements (DS; includes herbs) based on PubMed case reports is currently available online and continually updated to forewarn United States consumers, clinicians, and companies manufacturing DS. The purpose of this review was to create an online research summary table of kidney toxicity case reports related to DS. Documented PubMed case reports (1966 to May 2016, and cross-referencing) of DS appearing to contribute to kidney toxicity were listed in "DS Toxic Tables." Keywords included "herb" or "dietary supplement" combined with "kidney" to generate an overview list, and possibly "toxicity" to narrow the selection. Case reports were excluded if they involved herb combinations (some exceptions), Chinese herb mixtures, teas of mixed herb contents, mushrooms, poisonous plants, self-harm, excessive doses (except vitamins/minerals), legal or illegal drugs, drug-herbal interactions, and confounders of drugs or diseases. Since commercial DS often include a combination of ingredients, they were treated separately; so were foods. A few foods with kidney-toxic effects were listed in a fourth table. The spectrum of herbal or DS-induced kidney injuries included kidney stones, nephritis, nephrotic syndrome, necrosis, acute kidney injury (AKI; previously known as acute renal failure [ARF]), chronic kidney disease, kidney transplant, and death. Approximately 7 herbs (minus 4 no longer for sale) and 10 dietary supplements (minus 3 excluded due to excessive doses + germanium that is no longer sold) have been related to kidney injury case reports published in PubMed (+crosslisting) in the last 50 + years (1966 to May 2016). The implicated herbs include Chinese yew (Taxus celbica) extract, impila (Callilepis laureola), morning cypress (Cupressus funebris Endl), St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum), thundergod vine (Tripterygium wilfordii hook F), tribulus (Tribulus terrestris) and wormwood (Artemisia

Case Study Approaches for Implementing the 2007 NRC Report “Toxicity Testing in the 21st Century: A Vision and A Strategy”

Science.gov (United States)

Andersen, Melvin E.; Clewell, Harvey J.; Carmichael, Paul L.; Boekelheide, Kim

2013-01-01

The 2007 report “Toxicity Testing in the 21st Century: A Vision and A Strategy” argued for a change in toxicity testing for environmental agents and discussed federal funding mechanisms that could be used to support this transformation within the USA. The new approach would test for in vitro perturbations of toxicity pathways using human cells with high throughput testing platforms. The NRC report proposed a deliberate timeline, spanning about 20 years, to implement a wholesale replacement of current in-life toxicity test approaches focused on apical responses with in vitro assays. One approach to accelerating implementation is to focus on well-studied prototype compounds with known toxicity pathway targets. Through a series of carefully executed case studies with four or five pathway prototypes, the various steps required for implementation of an in vitro toxicity pathway approach to risk assessment could be developed and refined. In this article, we discuss alternative approaches for implementation and also outline advantages of a case study approach and the manner in which the cases studies could be pursued using current methodologies. A case study approach would be complementary to recently proposed efforts to map the human toxome, while representing a significant extension toward more formal risk assessment compared to the profiling and prioritization approaches offered by programs such as the EPA’s ToxCast effort. PMID:21993955

Metabolic and toxic causes of canine seizure disorders: A retrospective study of 96 cases.

Science.gov (United States)

Brauer, Christina; Jambroszyk, Melanie; Tipold, Andrea

2011-02-01

A wide variety of intoxications and abnormal metabolic conditions can lead to reactive seizures in dogs. Patient records of dogs suffering from seizure disorders (n=877) were reviewed, and 96 cases were associated with an underlying metabolic or toxic aetiology. These included intoxications by various agents, hypoglycaemia, electrolyte disorders, hepatic encephalopathy, hypothyroidism, uraemic encephalopathy, hypoxia and hyperglycaemia. The incidence of the underlying diseases was determined. The most common causes of reactive seizures were intoxications (39%, 37 dogs) and hypoglycaemia (32%, 31 dogs). Hypocalcaemia was the most frequent electrolyte disorder causing reactive seizures (5%) and all five of these dogs had ionised calcium concentrations ≤0.69 mmol/L. Eleven per cent of dogs with seizures had metabolic or toxic disorders and this relatively high frequency emphasises the importance of a careful clinical work-up of cases presented with seizures in order to reach a correct diagnosis and select appropriate treatment options. Copyright © 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Physical Education Teachers: How Do I Sue Thee? Oh, Let Me Count the Ways!

Science.gov (United States)

Henderson, Donald H.

1985-01-01

Physical education teachers face increased risks of tort liablity suits because athletic events tend to be dangerous due to physical contact. Areas that are most vulnerable to tort liablity cases of teacher negligence are discussed. (DF)

The underlying toxicological mechanism of chemical mixtures: A case study on mixture toxicity of cyanogenic toxicants and aldehydes to Photobacterium phosphoreum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tian, Dayong; Lin, Zhifen; Zhou, Xianghong; Yin, Daqiang

2013-01-01

Intracellular chemical reaction of chemical mixtures is one of the main reasons that cause synergistic or antagonistic effects. However, it still remains unclear what the influencing factors on the intracellular chemical reaction are, and how they influence on the toxicological mechanism of chemical mixtures. To reveal this underlying toxicological mechanism of chemical mixtures, a case study on mixture toxicity of cyanogenic toxicants and aldehydes to Photobacterium phosphoreum was employed, and both their joint effects and mixture toxicity were observed. Then series of two-step linear regressions were performed to describe the relationships between joint effects, the expected additive toxicities and descriptors of individual chemicals (including concentrations, binding affinity to receptors, octanol/water partition coefficients). Based on the quantitative relationships, the underlying joint toxicological mechanisms were revealed. The result shows that, for mixtures with their joint effects resulting from intracellular chemical reaction, their underlying toxicological mechanism depends on not only their interaction with target proteins, but also their transmembrane actions and their concentrations. In addition, two generic points of toxicological mechanism were proposed including the influencing factors on intracellular chemical reaction and the difference of the toxicological mechanism between single reactive chemicals and their mixtures. This study provided an insight into the understanding of the underlying toxicological mechanism for chemical mixtures with intracellular chemical reaction. - Highlights: • Joint effects of nitriles and aldehydes at non-equitoxic ratios were determined. • A novel descriptor, ligand–receptor interaction energy (E binding ), was employed. • Quantitative relationships for mixtures were developed based on a novel descriptor. • The underlying toxic mechanism was revealed based on quantitative relationships. • Two generic

The underlying toxicological mechanism of chemical mixtures: A case study on mixture toxicity of cyanogenic toxicants and aldehydes to Photobacterium phosphoreum

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tian, Dayong [State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092 (China); Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Anyang Institute of Technology, Anyang 455000 (China); Lin, Zhifen, E-mail: lzhifen@tongji.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092 (China); Zhou, Xianghong [Department of Public Management, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092 (China); Yin, Daqiang [Key Laboratory of Yangtze River Water Environment, Ministry of Education, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092 (China)

2013-10-15

Intracellular chemical reaction of chemical mixtures is one of the main reasons that cause synergistic or antagonistic effects. However, it still remains unclear what the influencing factors on the intracellular chemical reaction are, and how they influence on the toxicological mechanism of chemical mixtures. To reveal this underlying toxicological mechanism of chemical mixtures, a case study on mixture toxicity of cyanogenic toxicants and aldehydes to Photobacterium phosphoreum was employed, and both their joint effects and mixture toxicity were observed. Then series of two-step linear regressions were performed to describe the relationships between joint effects, the expected additive toxicities and descriptors of individual chemicals (including concentrations, binding affinity to receptors, octanol/water partition coefficients). Based on the quantitative relationships, the underlying joint toxicological mechanisms were revealed. The result shows that, for mixtures with their joint effects resulting from intracellular chemical reaction, their underlying toxicological mechanism depends on not only their interaction with target proteins, but also their transmembrane actions and their concentrations. In addition, two generic points of toxicological mechanism were proposed including the influencing factors on intracellular chemical reaction and the difference of the toxicological mechanism between single reactive chemicals and their mixtures. This study provided an insight into the understanding of the underlying toxicological mechanism for chemical mixtures with intracellular chemical reaction. - Highlights: • Joint effects of nitriles and aldehydes at non-equitoxic ratios were determined. • A novel descriptor, ligand–receptor interaction energy (E{sub binding}), was employed. • Quantitative relationships for mixtures were developed based on a novel descriptor. • The underlying toxic mechanism was revealed based on quantitative relationships. • Two

48 CFR 1852.228-72 - Cross-waiver of liability for space shuttle services.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... limited to delict (a term used in civil law countries to denote a class of cases similar to tort) and tort (including negligence of every degree and kind) and contract, against: (i) Any party other than the...

48 CFR 1852.228-78 - Cross-waiver of liability for NASA expendable launch vehicle launches.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... (a term used in civil law countries to denote a class of cases similar to tort) and tort (including negligence of every degree and kind) and contract, against: (i) Any party other than the Government; (ii) A...

48 CFR 1852.228-76 - Cross-waiver of liability for space station activities.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... legal basis for such claims, including but not limited to delict (a term used in civil law countries to denote a class of cases similar to tort) and tort (including negligence of every degree and kind) and...

Liver toxicity related to herbs and dietary supplements: Online table of case reports. Part 2 of 5 series.

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Amy Christine

2017-09-01

No online current list of potentially life-threatening, hepatotoxic herbs and dietary supplements based on PubMed case reports exists in a summarized tabular form. Documented case reports of herbs or dietary supplements (DS; includes herbs) appearing to contribute to liver injury were used to create an online "DS Toxic Table" of potentially hepatotoxic herbs and dietary supplements (PubMed, 1966 to June, 2016, and cross-referencing). The spectrum of DS induced liver injuries (DSILI) included elevated liver enzymes, hepatitis, steatosis, cholestasis, hepatic necrosis, hepatic fibrosis, hepatic cirrhosis, veno-occlusive disease, acute liver failure requiring a liver transplant, and death. Over the past 50 years, approximately 21 herbs (minus germander and usnic acid that are no longer sold) and 12 dietary supplements (minus the nine no longer sold and vitamin A & niacin due to excess intake) posed a possible risk for liver injures in certain individuals. The herbs with the most number of reported publications (but not cases studies) in descending order, were germander, black cohosh, kava extract, and green tea extract. These online DS Toxic Tables will contribute to continued Phase IV post marketing surveillance to detect possible liver toxicity cases and serve to forewarn consumers, clinicians, and corporations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Minimizing malpractice risks by role clarification. The confusing transition from tort to contract.

Science.gov (United States)

Green, J A

1988-08-01

The purposes and applications of informed consent are the subject of confusion and controversy according to a President's Commission report. The Commission suggests shared decision making as the new ideal for physician-patient relationships, but notes that such a changed ideal will not be initiated by court action. The four models of decision making are the traditional model, informed consent, collaboration, and patient choice. Misunderstandings about these and other terms arise when they are implied; therefore, they should be defined expressly. Mutual expectations should be ascertained and common misunderstandings that erode relationships and lead to litigation should be clarified. Without agreements, different models may be selected and expectations about responsibility may differ. Such agreements may be documented by notes in patients' charts, supported by intake procedures that teach patients about defining responsibility, and questionnaires that elicit values, needs, and preferences. The literature on the evolution of contract principles in health care is reviewed, with informed consent viewed as a judicial stepping stone from tort to contract. A framework for defining mutual expectations is presented. Physicians' patterns of allocating responsibility by express and implied agreements should be evaluated and changes made where needed.

Chlorfenapyr-induced toxic leukoencephalopathy with radiologic reversibility: A case report and literature review

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Baek, Byung Hyun; Kim, Seul Kee; Yoon, Woong; Heo, Tae Wook; Lee, Yun Young [Dept. of Radiology, Chonnam National University Hospital, Gwangju (Korea, Republic of); Kang, Heonung Keun [Dept. of Radiology, Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital, Hwasun (Korea, Republic of)

2016-04-15

Chlorfenapyr is a widely used, moderately hazardous pesticide. Previous reports have indicated that chlorfenapyr intoxication can be fatal in humans. We reported the first non-fatal case of chlorfenapyr-induced toxic leukoencephalopathy in a 44-year-old female with resolution of extensive and abnormal signal intensities in white matter tracts throughout the brain, brain stem, and spinal cord on serial magnetic resonance imaging.

Reliable estimation of neutron flux in BWR reactor vessel using the tort code (2) application to neutron and gamma flux estimation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kurosawa, M. [Toshiba Corp., Yokohama (Japan); Tsukiyama, T.; Hayashi, K. [Hitachi Engineering Co. Ltd., Hitachi-shi (Japan)

2001-07-01

A neutron and gamma flux distribution around the core of BWR commercial plant in Japan was calculated, using a three-dimensional transport code, TORT in DOORS32 code system. In the external of the core, the bottom of the model was at an elevation of 150 cm below the bottom of active fuel, the top of the model was at an elevation of the top of the shroud head dome and the radial part of the model was to the outside of the reactor pressure vessel. The top guide beams were modeled explicitly to obtain the neutron and gamma flux distribution both in the beams and outside beams. The each control rod guide tube was also modeled with homogeneous region which included the blade wing and poison tubes so that we could obtain the neutron and gamma flux distribution around the each control rod guide tube. The calculation model mentioned above needed very large memory size which exceeded a few decade giga-bytes. As the using the splicing/coupling method had uncertainly at the splicing/coupling boundary, in this work the calculation was performed without this splicing/coupling method. On the other hand, radioactivity data were measured for a few pieces of the top guide beam, shroud and in-core monitor guide tube in the same plant which was analyzed in the above calculation. So the calculation results were able to be compared with those measured data as benchmarking and at the end of this task, the C/M values at these measured points were obtained and calculation model using TORT was evaluated. (authors)

Toxic shock syndrome due to community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection: Two case reports and a literature review in Japan.

Science.gov (United States)

Sada, Ryuichi; Fukuda, Saori; Ishimaru, Hiroyasu

2017-01-01

Community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus has been spreading worldwide, including in Japan. However, few cases of toxic shock syndrome caused by Community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus have been reported in Japan. We report 2 cases, in middle-aged women, of toxic shock syndrome due to Community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus via a vaginal portal of entry. The first patient had used a tampon and the second patient had vaginitis due to a cleft narrowing associated with vulvar lichen sclerosus. Both patients were admitted to our hospital with septic shock and severe acute kidney injury and subsequently recovered with appropriate antibiotic treatment. In our review of the literature, 8 cases of toxic shock syndrome caused by Community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus were reported in Japan. In these 8 cases, the main portals of entry were the skin and respiratory tract; however, the portal of entry of Community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus from a vaginal lesion has not been reported in Japan previously.

The Use and Influence of Comparative Law in ‘Wrongful Life’ Cases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ivo Giesen

2012-05-01

Full Text Available In analysing 'wrongful life' cases, comparative law is used extensively. This article examines these wrongful life cases, especially in light of the contradicting outcomes in different jurisdictions across the world, with the Dutch Kelly case and the South African decision in Stewart v Botha as its main examples. I will test the hypothesis that it is not so much the outcomes and (more importantly the arguments found elsewhere through the comparative law method that are decisive in highly debated cases like those concerning wrongful life, but that instead it is something else that decides the issue, something I would define as the cultural background of, or the legal policies within a tort law system.

An Experimental Comparison of Two Different Technetium Source Activities Which Can Imitate Thyroid Scintigraphy in Case of Thyroid Toxic Nodule

OpenAIRE

Miftari, Ramë; Fejza, Ferki; Bicaj, Xhavit; Nura, Adem; Topciu, Valdete; Bajrami, Ismet

2014-01-01

Purpose: In cases of thyroid toxic autonomous nodule, anterior projection of Tc-99m pertechnetate image shows a hot nodule that occupies most, or the entire thyroid lobe with near-total or total suppression of the contra lateral lobe. In this case is very difficult to distinguish toxic nodule from lobe agenesis. Our interest was to estimate and determinate the rate of radioactivity when the source with high activity can make total suppression of the second source with low activity in same con...

Toxic shock syndrome due to community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection: Two case reports and a literature review in Japan

OpenAIRE

Sada, Ryuichi; Fukuda, Saori; Ishimaru, Hiroyasu

2017-01-01

Community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus has been spreading worldwide, including in Japan. However, few cases of toxic shock syndrome caused by Community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus have been reported in Japan. We report 2 cases, in middle-aged women, of toxic shock syndrome due to Community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus via a vaginal portal of entry. The first patient had used a tampon and the second patient had vaginitis ...

Development of standardized bioassay protocols for the toxicity assessment of waste, manufactured products, and effluents in Latin America: Venezuela, a Case Study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rodriquez-Grau, J.

1993-01-01

The present status of the toxicity assessment of industrial products in Latin America is well below North America/EC standards. As an example, most of Latin America regulatory laws regarding effluent discharge are still based upon concentration limits of certain major pollutants, and BOD/COD measurements; no reference is made to the necessity of aquatic bioassay toxicity data. Aware of this imperative need, the Venezuelan Petroleum Industry (PDVSA), through its R ampersand D Corporative branch (INTEVEP) gave priority to the development of standardized acute/sublethal toxicity test protocols as sound means of evaluating their products and wastes. Throughout this presentation, the Venezuelan case will be studied, showing strategies undertaken to accelerate protocol development. Results will show the assessment of 14 different protocols encompassing a variety of species of aquatic/terrestrial organisms, and a series of toxicity test endpoints including mortality, reproductive, biological and immunological measurements, most of which are currently in use or being developed. These protocols have already yielded useful results in numerous cases where toxicity assessment was required, including evaluations of effluent, oil dispersants, drilling fluids, toxic wastes, fossil fuels and newly developed products. The Venezuelan case demonstrates that the integration of Industry, Academia and Government, which is an essential part of SETAC's philosophy, is absolutely necessary for the successful advancement of environmental scientific/regulatory issues

A case report on a systemic toxicity following ingestion of 20% chlorhexidine gluconate solution

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Koiahi-e-Kazerani J

2003-07-01

Full Text Available Chlorhexidine is bonded well to the oral mucosa and dental pellicle and is poorly absorbed from the astrointestinal tract, but in high concentration it is absorbed enough to produce liver necrosis. In this case a dentistry student accidentally ingested a shot of 20% chlorhexidine gluconate solution. Treatments included washing the oral cavity with lots of tooth paste, drinking of 5% alginate syrup and ingestion of 5g small pieces of cork .The following adverse effects were experienced: headache, giddiness, mild mist, euphoria, stomachache, diarrhea and complete loss of taste sensation for 8h, which recurred gradually during the last 48 hours. According to the poor absorption, low toxicity and low concentration of conventional mouthwashes, systemic toxicity following drinking of some shots of this solution is rare. Ultimately if may cause gastritis. Other treatments which are helpful in the same cases are: drinking of hard water, kaolin and tragacant syrup, bicarbonates such as baking soda, carbonates such as beverage , citrates such as lemon-juice and chlorides such as brine and so on.

Toxicity identification evaluation methods for identification of toxicants in refinery effluents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barten, K.A.; Mount, D.R.; Hackett, J.R.

1993-01-01

During the last five years, the authors have used Toxicity Identification Evaluation (TIE) methods to characterize and identify the source(s) of toxicity in effluents from dozens of municipal and industrial facilities. In most cases, specific chemicals responsible for toxicity have been identified. Although generally successful, the initial experience was that for several refinery effluents, they were able only to qualitatively characterize the presence of organic toxicants; standard toxicant identification procedures were not able to isolate specific organic chemicals. They believe that organic toxicity in these refinery effluents is caused by multiple organic compounds rather than by just a few; evidence for this includes an inability to isolate toxicity in a small number of fractions using liquid chromatography and the presence of very large numbers of compounds in isolated fractions. There is also evidence that the toxicant(s) may be ionic, in that the toxicity of whole effluent and isolated fractions often show increasing toxicity with decreasing pH. Finally, positive-pressure filtration has also reduced toxicity in some samples. In this presentation the authors summarize their experiences with refinery effluents, focusing on typical patterns they have observed and alternative procedures they have used to better understand the nature of these toxicants

Exposure to sennoside-digoxin interaction and risk of digoxin toxicity: a population-based nested case-control study.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Meng-Ting; Li, I-Hsun; Lee, Wan-Ju; Huang, Tien-Yu; Leu, Hsin-Bang; Chan, Agnes L F

2011-11-01

Digoxin is an important medication for heart failure (HF) patients and sennosides are widely used to treat constipation. Recently, safety concerns have been raised about a possible interaction between sennosides and digoxin, an issue that has not been studied empirically. This study therefore aimed to evaluate whether exposure to sennoside-digoxin interaction is associated with an increased risk of digoxin toxicity. This was a population-based nested case-control study that analysed data obtained from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database between 1 January 2001 and 31 December 2004. All HF patients treated with digoxin for the first time were included as the study cohort. Of these, cases were identified as subjects hospitalized for digoxin toxicity (International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification, ICD-9-CM 972.1), and matched to randomly selected controls. Use of sennosides was compared between the two groups. Odds ratios (ORs) were employed to quantify the risk associated with exposure to sennoside-digoxin interaction by conditional logistic regression. The study cohort comprised 222,527 HF patients, of whom 524 were identified as cases and 2,502 as matched controls. Use of sennosides during the 14 days preceding the index date was found to be associated with a 1.61-fold increased risk of digoxin toxicity [95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.15, 2.25]. Additionally, a greater risk was observed for sennosides prescribed at an average daily dose ≥ 24 mg (adjusted OR = 1.93; 95% CI = 1.27, 2.94). The combined use of sennosides and digoxin was found to be associated with a modest increased risk of digoxin toxicity in HF patients.

Computerized tomography in acute toxic encephalopathy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aoki, Nobuhiko; Kaneshi, Kunio; Mizuguchi, Masashi; Kurihara, Eiji.

1983-01-01

We experienced three cases of acute toxic encephalopathy, including a case of probable Reye syndrome, which had similar and unique CT findings in their acute stage; symmetrical low density area in the thalamus and the dentate nucleus, followed by changes in cerebellar hemispheres and around lateral ventricles. The CT findings, common to probable Reye syndrome and other acute toxic encephalopathy, may suggest the possibility of similar pathogenesis of brain damage in both disorders. The authors propose that present cases are a new subgroup in acute toxic encephalopathy, because of their similar and unique CT features. (author)

Pathological findings in 2 cases of fatal 25I-NBOMe toxicity.

Science.gov (United States)

Walterscheid, Jeffrey P; Phillips, Garrett T; Lopez, Ana E; Gonsoulin, Morna L; Chen, Hsin-Hung; Sanchez, Luis A

2014-03-01

The research compound 25I-NBOMe, also known as CIMBI-5 or INBMeO, was created in academic laboratories as a potent serotonin 2A receptor agonist. Because of its high affinity and ambiguous legal status, recreational drug enthusiasts have used this compound as a powerful alternative to other hallucinogenic drugs such as lysergic acid diethylamide. We report 2 deaths after 25I-NBOMe ingestion by decedents who attended separate "rave" parties. The first case involved a 21-year-old male who admitted taking "acid" to his friend. A sudden violent rage caused him to flail about, and he subsequently became unresponsive. The postmortem examination revealed numerous external injuries that were consistent with physical aggression. The second case involved a 15-year-old female who was socializing outside a rave party, became ill, and rapidly deteriorated as her friend transported her to the hospital. The postmortem assessment was similar to the first case in that external contusions featured prominently. Comprehensive toxicology screens in both cases revealed only evidence of marijuana use. A deeper analysis using time-of-flight mass spectrometry revealed the presence of 25I-NBOMe, which was further confirmed by tandem-mass spectrometry. The behavior and injuries in these cases reveal a consistent pattern preceding fatal 25I-NBOMe toxicity.

Oxaliplatin-Related Ocular Toxicity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marina Mesquida

2010-11-01

Full Text Available We report the case of a 52-year-old woman with advanced colorectal cancer who was treated with oxaliplatin on a FOLFOX schedule. After 3 cycles of chemotherapy, she started to complain of visual loss, altered color vision and neurological symptoms. Due to the suspicion of ocular and neurological toxicity, antineoplastic treatment was stopped. Her visual field showed a concentric bilateral scotoma and the electrooculogram test revealed severe impairment of the retinal pigment epithelium. Visual acuity, color vision and visual field recovered completely 8 months later, although electrooculogram remained abnormal. Ocular toxicity has been reported as an infrequent adverse event of oxaliplatin. Findings in this case indicate toxicity of this chemotherapeutic agent on the retinal pigment epithelium, which has not been reported before. This damage could be permanent, and it thus differs from previously described oxaliplatin-induced ocular toxicities, which are usually transient and reversible. With increasing use of oxaliplatin as first-line treatment in advanced colorectal cancer, we have to be aware of this possible toxicity.

Electronic Cigarette Toxicity.

Science.gov (United States)

Payne, J Drew; Michaels, David; Orellana-Barrios, Menfil; Nugent, Kenneth

2017-04-01

Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are often advertised as a healthier product when compared with traditional cigarettes. Currently, there are limited data to support this and only a threat of federal regulation from the US Food and Drug Administration. Calls to poison control centers about e-cigarette toxicity, especially in children, and case reports of toxic exposures have increased over the past 3 years. This research letter reports the frequency of hazardous exposures to e-cigarettes and characterizes the reported adverse health effects associated with e-cigarette toxicity.

Optic atrophy, necrotizing anterior scleritis and keratitis presenting in association with Streptococcal Toxic Shock Syndrome: a case report

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Papageorgiou Konstantinos I

2008-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Introduction We report a case of optic atrophy, necrotizing anterior scleritis and keratitis presenting in a patient with Streptococcal Toxic Shock Syndrome. Case presentation A 43-year-old woman developed streptococcal toxic shock syndrome secondary to septic arthritis of her right ankle. Streptococcus pyogenes (b-haemolyticus Group A was isolated from blood cultures and joint aspirate. She was referred for ophthalmology review as her right eye became injected and the pupil had become unresponsive to light whilst she was in the Intensive Therapy Unit (ITU. The iris appeared atrophic and was mid-dilated with no direct or consensual response to light. Three zones of sub-epithelial opacification where noted in the cornea. There where extensive posterior synechiae. Indirect ophthalmoscopy showed a pale right disc. The vision was reduced to hand movements (HM. A diagnosis of optic atrophy was made secondary to post-streptococcal uveitis. She subsequently developed a necrotizing anterior scleritis. Conclusion This case illustrates a previously unreported association of optic atrophy, necrotizing anterior scleritis and keratitis in a patient with post-streptococcal uveitis. This patient had developed Streptococcal Toxic Shock Syndrome secondary to septic arthritis. We recommend increased awareness of the potential risks of these patients developing severe ocular involvement.

Introducing Toxics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David C. Bellinger

2013-04-01

Full Text Available With this inaugural issue, Toxics begins its life as a peer-reviewed, open access journal focusing on all aspects of toxic chemicals. We are interested in publishing papers that present a wide range of perspectives on toxicants and naturally occurring toxins, including exposure, biomarkers, kinetics, biological effects, fate and transport, treatment, and remediation. Toxics differs from many other journals in the absence of a page or word limit on contributions, permitting authors to present their work in as much detail as they wish. Toxics will publish original research papers, conventional reviews, meta-analyses, short communications, theoretical papers, case reports, commentaries and policy perspectives, and book reviews (Book reviews will be solicited and should not be submitted without invitation. Toxins and toxicants concern individuals from a wide range of disciplines, and Toxics is interested in receiving papers that represent the full range of approaches applied to their study, including in vitro studies, studies that use experimental animal or non-animal models, studies of humans or other biological populations, and mathematical modeling. We are excited to get underway and look forward to working with authors in the scientific and medical communities and providing them with a novel venue for sharing their work. [...

Le sanzioni amministrative tributarie tra ordinamento comunitario e regimi nazionali

OpenAIRE

Albano, Alessandro

2011-01-01

The research path has developed through a double direction: the analysis of fiscal tort and juridical means of reaction introduced into the system of taxation. The fiscal tort is a case that can be used as a comparison tool among national systems. Indeed, principles that regulate the fiscal tort has shared in the national systems even if the formation of the system has been different. Further, as a natural part of the research, the comparison between national and community systems has been cr...

Retheorizing Actionable Injuries in Civil Lawsuits Involving Targeted Hate Speech:Hate Speech as Degradation and Humiliation

OpenAIRE

Brown, Alexander

2018-01-01

Many legal jurisdictions permit victims of targeted hate speech to sue for damages in civil courts. In the US plaintiffs may sue for damages using the tort of intentional infliction of emotional distress. Indeed, back in 1982, Richard Delgado proposed the introduction of a new tort of racial insult to handle such cases. In South Africa, plaintiffs can use the delict of injuria. Although there have been some successful lawsuits, the tort of intentional infliction of emotional distress has been...

Bosutinib induced pleural effusions: Case report and review of tyrosine kinase inhibitors induced pulmonary toxicity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Natalia I. Moguillansky, MD

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Tyrosine kinase inhibitors are known to cause pulmonary complications. We report a case of bosutinib related bilateral pleural effusions in a patient with chronic myeloid leukemia. Characteristics of the pleural fluid are presented. We also discuss other tyrosine kinase inhibitors induced pulmonary toxicities, including pulmonary hypertension and interstitial lung disease.

Vaccine-induced toxic epidermal necrolysis: A case and systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Chahal, Dev; Aleshin, Maria; Turegano, Mamina; Chiu, Melvin; Worswick, Scott

2018-01-15

Erythema multiforme (EM), Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) are cutaneous hypersensitivityreactions that develop in response to specific triggers such as medications and certain infections. Vaccines, which undergo rigorous safety testing prior to use in humans, are a rare cause of SJS/TEN and little is known about the frequency of such events and corresponding pathogenesis. Herein, we discuss a case of suspected TEN in a 19-year-old woman who received the meningococcal B vaccine (the first report of such an association) and conduct a systematic review of the associated literature. We also discuss management of this patient with a single dose of etanercept. Relevant literature was searched using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) method. A total of 29 articles reporting EM, SJS, or TEN following vaccination were included from >5 countries. Of the 29, 22 articles reported EM, 6/29 reported SJS, and 4/29 reported TEN (3 articlesreported cases of both EM and SJS/TEN). We suggest consideration of vaccines as an etiology for cases of SJS or TEN that begin with an EM-like presentation, and provide further evidence for the use of etanercept as a viable treatment for TEN.

Use of genomic data in risk assessment case study: I. Evaluation of the dibutyl phthalate male reproductive development toxicity data set

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Makris, Susan L., E-mail: makris.susan@epa.gov [U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Center for Environmental Assessment, Office of Research and Development, (Mail code 8623P), 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20460 (United States); Euling, Susan Y. [U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Center for Environmental Assessment, Office of Research and Development, (Mail code 8623P), 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20460 (United States); Gray, L. Earl [U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, Office of Research and Development, (MD-72), Highway 54, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711 (United States); Benson, Robert [U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 8, (Mail code 8P-W), 1595 Wynkoop Street, Denver, CO 80202 (United States); Foster, Paul M.D. [National Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, P.O. Box 12233 (MD K2-12), Research Triangle Park, NC 27709 (United States)

2013-09-15

A case study was conducted, using dibutyl phthalate (DBP), to explore an approach to using toxicogenomic data in risk assessment. The toxicity and toxicogenomic data sets relative to DBP-related male reproductive developmental outcomes were considered conjointly to derive information about mode and mechanism of action. In this manuscript, we describe the case study evaluation of the toxicological database for DBP, focusing on identifying the full spectrum of male reproductive developmental effects. The data were assessed to 1) evaluate low dose and low incidence findings and 2) identify male reproductive toxicity endpoints without well-established modes of action (MOAs). These efforts led to the characterization of data gaps and research needs for the toxicity and toxicogenomic studies in a risk assessment context. Further, the identification of endpoints with unexplained MOAs in the toxicity data set was useful in the subsequent evaluation of the mechanistic information that the toxicogenomic data set evaluation could provide. The extensive analysis of the toxicology data set within the MOA context provided a resource of information for DBP in attempts to hypothesize MOAs (for endpoints without a well-established MOA) and to phenotypically anchor toxicogenomic and other mechanistic data both to toxicity endpoints and to available toxicogenomic data. This case study serves as an example of the steps that can be taken to develop a toxicological data source for a risk assessment, both in general and especially for risk assessments that include toxicogenomic data.

Pediatric Toxic Shock Syndrome

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Jennifer Yee

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Audience: This scenario was developed to educate emergency medicine residents on the diagnosis and management of a pediatric patient with toxic shock syndrome. The case is also appropriate for teaching of medical students and advanced practice providers, as well as a review of the principles of crisis resource management, teamwork, and communication. Introduction: Toxic shock syndrome is a low-frequency, high-acuity scenario requiring timely identification and aggressive management. If patients suffering from this condition are managed incorrectly, they may progress into multi-organ dysfunction and potentially death. Toxic shock syndrome has been associated with Streptococcus and Staphylococcus aureus (Staph. Approximately half of Staph cases are associated with menstruation, which was first described in the 1970s-1980s and was associated with the use of absorbent tampons.1 Group A Streptococcus may cause complications such as necrotizing fasciitis and gangrenous myositis.2 Pediatric patients may present critically ill from toxic shock syndrome. Providers need to perform a thorough history and physical exam to discern the source of infection. Management requires aggressive care with antibiotics and IV fluids. Objectives: By the end of this simulation session, the learner will be able to: 1 Recognize toxic shock syndrome. 2 Review the importance of a thorough physical exam. 3 Discuss management of toxic shock syndrome, including supportive care and the difference in antibiotic choices for streptococcal and staphylococcal toxic shock syndrome. 4 Appropriately disposition a patient suffering from toxic shock syndrome. 5 Communicate effectively with team members and nursing staff during a resuscitation of a critically ill patient. Method: This session was conducted using high-fidelity simulation, followed by a debriefing session and lecture on toxic shock syndrome.

Streptococcal toxic-shock syndrome due to Streptococcus dysgalactiae subspecies equisimilis in breast cancer-related lymphedema: a case report.

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Sumazaki, Makoto; Saito, Fumi; Ogata, Hideaki; Yoshida, Miho; Kubota, Yorichika; Magoshi, Syunsuke; Kaneko, Hironori

2017-07-14

Breast cancer-related lymphedema often causes cellulitis and is one of the most common complications after breast cancer surgery. Streptococci are the major pathogens underlying such cellulitis. Among the streptococci, the importance of the Lancefield groups C and G is underappreciated; most cases involve Streptococcus dysgalactiae subspecies equisimilis. Despite having a relatively weak toxicity compared with group A streptococci, Streptococcus dysgalactiae subspecies equisimilis is associated with a mortality rate that is as high as that of group A streptococci in cases of invasive infection because Streptococcus dysgalactiae subspecies equisimilis mainly affects elderly individuals who already have various comorbidities. An 83-year-old Japanese woman with breast cancer-related lymphedema in her left upper limb was referred to our hospital with high fever and acute pain with erythema in her left arm. She showed septic shock with disseminated intravascular coagulation. Blood culture showed positive results for Streptococcus dysgalactiae subspecies equisimilis, confirming a diagnosis of streptococcal toxic-shock syndrome. She survived after successful intensive care. To the best of our knowledge, this case represents the first report of Streptococcus dysgalactiae subspecies equisimilis-induced streptococcal toxic-shock syndrome in a patient with breast cancer-related lymphedema. Breast cancer-related lymphedema is a common problem, and we must pay attention to invasive streptococcal soft tissue infections, particularly in elderly patients with chronic disease.

Postoperative high-dose pelvic radiotherapy for N+ prostate cancer: Toxicity and matched case comparison with postoperative prostate bed-only radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Van Praet, Charles; Ost, Piet; Lumen, Nicolaas; De Meerleer, Gert; Vandecasteele, Katrien; Villeirs, Geert; Decaestecker, Karel; Fonteyne, Valérie

2013-01-01

Purpose: To report on toxicity of postoperative high-dose whole-pelvis radiotherapy (WPRT) with androgen deprivation therapy for lymph node metastasized (N1) prostate cancer (PC). To perform a matched-case analysis to compare this toxicity profile to postoperative prostate bed-only radiotherapy (PBRT). Materials and methods: Forty-eight N1-PC patients were referred for WPRT and 239 node-negative patients for PBRT. Patients were matched 1:1 according to pre-treatment demographics, symptoms, treatment and tumor characteristics. Mean dose to the prostate bed was 75 Gy (WPRT–PBRT) and 54 Gy to the elective nodes (WPRT) in 36 or 37 fractions. End points are genito-urinary (GU) and gastro-intestinal (GI) toxicity. Results: After WPRT, 35% developed grade 2 (G2) and 4% G3 acute GU toxicity. Acute GI toxicity developed in 42% (G2). Late GU toxicity developed in 36% (G2) and 7% (G3). One patient had G4 incontinence. Recuperation occurred in 59%. Late GI toxicity developed in 25% (G2) with 100% recuperation. Incidence of acute and late GI toxicity was higher following WPRT compared to PBRT (p ⩽ 0.041). GU toxicity was similar. With WPRT mean dose to bladder and rectosigmoid were higher. Conclusions: Postoperative high-dose WPRT comes at the cost of a temporary increase in G2. GI toxicity compared to PBRT because larger volumes of rectosigmoid are irradiated

Medical error reduction and tort reform through private, contractually-based quality medicine societies.

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MacCourt, Duncan; Bernstein, Joseph

2009-01-01

The current medical malpractice system is broken. Many patients injured by malpractice are not compensated, whereas some patients who recover in tort have not suffered medical negligence; furthermore, the system's failures demoralize patients and physicians. But most importantly, the system perpetuates medical error because the adversarial nature of litigation induces a so-called "Culture of Silence" in physicians eager to shield themselves from liability. This silence leads to the pointless repetition of error, as the open discussion and analysis of the root causes of medical mistakes does not take place as fully as it should. In 1993, President Clinton's Task Force on National Health Care Reform considered a solution characterized by Enterprise Medical Liability (EML), Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), some limits on recovery for non-pecuniary damages (Caps), and offsets for collateral source recovery. Yet this list of ingredients did not include a strategy to surmount the difficulties associated with each element. Specifically, EML might be efficient, but none of the enterprises contemplated to assume responsibility, i.e., hospitals and payers, control physician behavior enough so that it would be fair to foist liability on them. Likewise, although ADR might be efficient, it will be resisted by individual litigants who perceive themselves as harmed by it. Finally, while limitations on collateral source recovery and damages might effectively reduce costs, patients and trial lawyers likely would not accept them without recompense. The task force also did not place error reduction at the center of malpractice tort reform -a logical and strategic error, in our view. In response, we propose a new system that employs the ingredients suggested by the task force but also addresses the problems with each. We also explicitly consider steps to rebuff the Culture of Silence and promote error reduction. We assert that patients would be better off with a system where

Towards Global QSAR Model Building for Acute Toxicity: Munro Database Case Study

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Swapnil Chavan

2014-10-01

Full Text Available A series of 436 Munro database chemicals were studied with respect to their corresponding experimental LD50 values to investigate the possibility of establishing a global QSAR model for acute toxicity. Dragon molecular descriptors were used for the QSAR model development and genetic algorithms were used to select descriptors better correlated with toxicity data. Toxic values were discretized in a qualitative class on the basis of the Globally Harmonized Scheme: the 436 chemicals were divided into 3 classes based on their experimental LD50 values: highly toxic, intermediate toxic and low to non-toxic. The k-nearest neighbor (k-NN classification method was calibrated on 25 molecular descriptors and gave a non-error rate (NER equal to 0.66 and 0.57 for internal and external prediction sets, respectively. Even if the classification performances are not optimal, the subsequent analysis of the selected descriptors and their relationship with toxicity levels constitute a step towards the development of a global QSAR model for acute toxicity.

Uncommon toxicity of low-dose methotrexate: case report

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Zohreh Yousefi

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Background: Standard treatment of Gestational Trophoblastic Disease (GTD is chemotherapy. Single-agent chemotherapy regime including Methotrexate (MTX or Actinomycin. Single-agent is widely used in treatment of persistent trophoblastic disease. We reported an uncommon toxicity of low-dose single-agent methotrexate in a patient. Case Presentation: A 20-year-old woman, primary gravid after two months missed period and spotting with diagnosis of incomplete abortion with uterine size equivalent of ten weeks pregnancy (8-10 cm underwent evacuation curettage. In serial follow-up, based on rise of beta-hCG titer and absence of metastatic disease, it was categorized as low-risk persistent trophoblastic disease. She was referred to gynecology oncology center of Ghaem Hospital, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences in May 2014. Because of rise of beta-hCG titer, after complete metastatic work-up and lack of disease in other sites, persistent disease was diagnosed and candidate for chemotherapy (single agent low-dose. The patient received first course of therapy with MTX (50 mg/m², intra muscular. Unfortunately, after two days of treatment she developed uncommon severe toxicity, fever, severe nausea and vomiting, tachycardia, and generalized weakness. Also, we found hematologic abnormality (WBC: -14000-15000 µI, platelet- 540 µI and sever neutropenia, and abnormal rising in liver function test (SGOT, SGPT (three to four times and renal function test (BUN and Creatinine (two times. In addition, she had disseminated erosive lesion in all of body especially in face. Due to the fatal side effects of chemotherapy, she was admitted to intensive care unit (ICU. Fortunately, after two to three weeks, she was improved by conservative management. After few weeks beta-hCG titer was in normal limit. However she had normal serial beta-hCG in one year of follow-up. Conclusion: It is important to emphasis unpredictable side effects of chemotherapy with low

Case law

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

2007-01-01

Concerning the France, the judgement of the European Court of Human Rights on the Right to a fair Trial, in the litigation Collectif Stop Melox and Mox versus France (2007) and the decision of the Council of State Quashing a decree concerning a nuclear installation in Brennilis, for the want of public information and consultation (2007) are reported. For South Africa, the judgment of the Cape High Court in the case of Mc donald and others versus Minister of Minerals and Energy and others (2007) is reported. United Kingdom states the decision of the Wick Sheriff Court Fining UKAEA for plutonium exposure (2007). Concerning Usa the judgment of the US Court of Appeals on environment Analysis of the effects of terrorism (2006) and the vacatur of US Court of Federal Claims Decision regarding Price-Anderson Compensation of Costs in a private Tort Claim (2007) are reported. (N.C.)

Complex mixture-associated hormesis and toxicity: the case of leather tanning industry.

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Pagano, Giovanni; Castello, Giuseppe; Gallo, Marialuisa; Borriello, Ilaria; Guida, Marco

2008-01-01

A series of studies investigated the toxicities of tannery-derived complex mixtures, i.e. vegetable tannin (VT) from Acacia sp. or phenol-based synthetic tannin (ST), and waste-water from tannin-based vs. chromium-based tanneries. Toxicity was evaluated by multiple bioassays including developmental defects and loss of fertilization rate in sea urchin embryos and sperm (Paracentrotus lividus and Sphaerechinus granularis), and algal growth inhibition (Dunaliella tertiolecta and Selenastrum capricornutum). Both VT and ST water extracts resulted in hormetic effects at concentrations ranging 0.1 to 0.3%, and toxicity at levels > or =1%, both in sea urchin embryo and sperm, and in algal growth bioassays. When comparing tannin-based tannery wastewater (TTW) vs. chromium-based tannery effluent (CTE), a hormesis to toxicity trend was observed for TTW both in terms of developmental and fertilization toxicity in sea urchins, and in algal growth inhibition, with hormetic effects at 0.1 to 0.2% TTW, and toxicity at TTW levels > or =1%. Unlike TTW, CTE showed a monotonic toxicity increase from the lowest tested level (0.1%) and CTE toxicity at higher levels was significantly more severe than TTW-induced toxicity. The results support the view that leather production utilizing tannins might be regarded as a more environmentally friendly procedure than chromium-based tanning process.

Corneal Toxicity Following Exposure to Asclepias Tuberosa.

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Mikkelsen, Lauge Hjorth; Hamoudi, Hassan; Gül, Cigdem Altuntas; Heegaard, Steffen

2017-01-01

To present a case of corneal toxicity following exposure to milky plant latex from Asclepias tuberosa. A 70-year-old female presented with blurred vision and pain in her left eye after handling an Ascepias tuberosa . Clinical examination revealed a corneal stromal oedema with small epithelial defects. The corneal endothelium was intact and folds in Descemets membrane were observed. The oedema was treated with chloramphenicol, dexamethasone and scopolamine. The corneal oedema had appeared after corneal exposure to the plant, Asclepias tuberosa , whose latex contains cardenolides that inhibit the Na + / K + -ATPase in the corneal endothelium. The oedema resolved after 96 hours. After nine months the best corrected visual acuity was 20/20. Corneal toxicity has previously been reported for plants of the Asclepias family. This is a rare case describing severe corneal toxicity caused by exposure to latex from Asclepias tuberosa . Handling of plants of the Asclepias family should be kept as a differential diagnosis in cases of acute corneal toxicity.

Neurological manifestation of phenytoin toxicity, resulting from drug ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Phenytoin toxicity masquerading as deterioration of neurological symptoms caused by interaction with chloramphenicol is a very rare but real risk. To the authors' knowledge only one such case occurring in humans has been reported in the English literature. No case of clinical phenytoin toxicity occurring at less than ...

Risks of herbalism: a case report of Mexican poppy (Argemone mexicana L induced liver toxicity

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Carlos Alfredo Meléndez González

2013-08-01

Full Text Available The increasing consumption of alternative medicines has lead to a greater awareness about the deleterious effects and interactions that these products can induce. Consequently, medical literature reports liver toxicity from Aloe, Camellia sinensis (green tea, Rhammus purshianus, Aesculus hippocastanum (buckeye and Valeriana officinalis (valerian, among others. This article reports a female patient who twice consumed Mexican poppy (Argemone mexicana L with a one-year interval between ingestions. Both times she developed diarrhea, jaundice and general malaise with impaired liver function tests. Other causes of liver disease were ruled out. Questionnaires were used to assess the possibility of drug-induced liver damage. Clinical information was collected from the patient’s medical record and the literature on the subject was reviewed. We conclude that, at least in this case, the most likely cause of liver toxicity was Argemone mexicana L consumption.

BOT3P: a mesh generation software package for the transport analysis codes Dort, Tort, Twodant, Threedant and MCNP

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Orsi, R.

2003-01-01

Bot3p consists of a set of standard Fortran 77 language programs that gives the users of the deterministic transport codes Dort and Tort some useful diagnostic tools to prepare and check the geometry of their input data files for both Cartesian and cylindrical geometries including graphical display modules. Bot3p produces at the same time the geometrical and material distribution data for the deterministic transport codes Twodant and Threedant and, only in three-dimensional (3D) Cartesian geometry, for the Monte Carlo Transport Code MCNP. This makes it possible to compare directly for the same geometry the effects stemming from the use of different data libraries and solution approaches on transport analysis results. Through the use of Bot3p, radiation transport problems with complex 3D geometrical structures can be modelled easily, as a relatively small amount of engineer-time is required and refinement is achieved by changing few parameters. This tool is useful for solving very large challenging problems. (author)

Acute toxicity of ingested fluoride.

Science.gov (United States)

Whitford, Gary Milton

2011-01-01

This chapter discusses the characteristics and treatment of acute fluoride toxicity as well as the most common sources of overexposure, the doses that cause acute toxicity, and factors that can influence the clinical outcome. Cases of serious systemic toxicity and fatalities due to acute exposures are now rare, but overexposures causing toxic signs and symptoms are not. The clinical course of systemic toxicity from ingested fluoride begins with gastric signs and symptoms, and can develop with alarming rapidity. Treatment involves minimizing absorption by administering a solution containing calcium, monitoring and managing plasma calcium and potassium concentrations, acid-base status, and supporting vital functions. Approximately 30,000 calls to US poison control centers concerning acute exposures in children are made each year, most of which involve temporary gastrointestinal effects, but others require medical treatment. The most common sources of acute overexposures today are dental products - particularly dentifrices because of their relatively high fluoride concentrations, pleasant flavors, and their presence in non-secure locations in most homes. For example, ingestion of only 1.8 ounces of a standard fluoridated dentifrice (900-1,100 mg/kg) by a 10-kg child delivers enough fluoride to reach the 'probably toxic dose' (5 mg/kg body weight). Factors that may influence the clinical course of an overexposure include the chemical compound (e.g. NaF, MFP, etc.), the age and acid-base status of the individual, and the elapsed time between exposure and the initiation of treatment. While fluoride has well-established beneficial dental effects and cases of serious toxicity are now rare, the potential for toxicity requires that fluoride-containing materials be handled and stored with the respect they deserve. Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel.

An Experimental Comparison of Two Different Technetium Source Activities Which Can Imitate Thyroid Scintigraphy in Case of Thyroid Toxic Nodule

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Miftari, Ramë; Fejza, Ferki; Bicaj, Xhavit; Nura, Adem; Topciu, Valdete; Bajrami, Ismet

2014-01-01

Purpose: In cases of thyroid toxic autonomous nodule, anterior projection of Tc-99m pertechnetate image shows a hot nodule that occupies most, or the entire thyroid lobe with near-total or total suppression of the contra lateral lobe. In this case is very difficult to distinguish toxic nodule from lobe agenesis. Our interest was to estimate and determinate the rate of radioactivity when the source with high activity can make total suppression of the second source with low activity in same conditions with thyroid scintigraphy procedures. Material and methodology: Thyroid scintigraphy was performed with Technetium 99 meta stable pertechnetate. A parallel high resolution low energy collimator was used as an energy setting of 140 KeV photo peak for T-99m. Images are acquired at 200 Kilo Counts in the anterior projection with the collimator positioned as close as the patient’s extended neck (approximately in distance of 18 cm). The scintigraphy of thyroid gland was performed 15 minutes after intravenous administration of 1.5 mCi Tc-99m pertechnetate. Technetium 99 meta stable radioactive sources with different activity were used for two scintigraphies studies, performed in same thyroid scintigraphy acquisition procedures. In the first study, were compared the standard source with high activity A=11.2 mCi with sources with variable activities B=1.33 mCi; 1.03 mCi; 0.7 mCi; 0.36 mCi; and 0.16mCi) in distance of 1.5cm from each other sources, which is approximately same with distance between two thyroid lobes. In the second study were compared the sources with low activity in proportion 70:1(source A = 1.5 mCi and source B=0.021mCi). As clinical studies we preferred two different patents with different thyroid disorders. There were one patient with thyroid toxic nodule in the right lobe, therefore the second patient was with left thyroid nodule agenesis. Results: During our examination, we accurately determined that two radioactive sources in proportion 70:1 will be

A Case Report of Severe Corneal Toxicity following 0.5% Topical Moxifloxacin Use

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A.P. Vignesh

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Moxifloxacin is a widely used topical antibiotic in various bacterial infections of the eye. Its safety and efficacy have been proved by many studies. We report a case of a rare adverse effect following its use. A 10-year-old female who had presented with acute bacterial conjunctivitis in both eyes with no corneal involvement was started on preservative-free 0.5% topical moxifloxacin four times a day. The child developed a severe form of corneal toxicity in both eyes with circumcorneal congestion and corneal edema following its use. The child's visual acuity had dropped from 20/20 to 20/400 in both the eyes. Topical moxifloxacin was discontinued, following which the cornea cleared dramatically and the visual acuity became normal. This case indicates that though rare, topical moxifloxacin can cause severe keratitis and that more studies need to be conducted to evaluate its safety.

Acute toxicity of second generation HIV protease-inhibitors in combination with radiotherapy: a retrospective case series

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

See, Alfred P; Zeng, Jing; Tran, Phuoc T; Lim, Michael

2011-01-01

There is little data on the safety of combining radiation therapy and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) protease inhibitors to treat cancers in HIV-positive patients. We describe acute toxicities observed in a series of HIV-positive patients receiving modern radiation treatments, and compare patients receiving HIV protease inhibitors (PI) with patients not receiving HIV PIs. By reviewing the clinical records beginning January 1, 2009 from the radiation oncology department, we identified 29 HIV-positive patients who received radiation therapy to 34 body sites. Baseline information, treatment regimen, and toxicities were documented by review of medical records: patient age, histology and source of the primary tumor, HIV medication regimen, pre-radiation CD4 count, systemic chemotherapy, radiation therapy dose and fractionation, irradiated body region, toxicities, and duration of follow-up. Patients were grouped according to whether they received concurrent HIV PIs and compared using Pearson's chi-square test. At baseline, the patients in the two groups were similar with the exception of HIV medication regimens, CD4 count and presence of AIDS-defining malignancy. Patients taking concurrent PIs were more likely to be taking other HIV medications (p = 0.001) and have CD4 count >500 (p = 0.006). Patients taking PIs were borderline less likely to have an AIDS-defining malignancy (p = 0.06). After radiation treatment, 100 acute toxicities were observed and were equally common in both groups (64 [median 3 per patient, IQR 1-7] with PIs; 36 [median 3 per patient, IQR 2-3] without PIs). The observed toxicities were also equally severe in the two groups (Grades I, II, III respectively: 30, 30, 4 with PIs; 23, 13, 0 without PIs: p = 0.38). There were two cases that were stopped early, one in each group; these were not attributable to toxicity. In this study of recent radiotherapy in HIV-positive patients taking second generation PIs, no difference in toxicities was

[The acute renal and cerebral toxicity of lithium: a cerebro-renal syndrome? A case report].

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Prencipe, M; Cicchella, A; Del Giudice, A; Di Giorgio, A; Scarlatella, A; Vergura, M; Aucella, F

2013-01-01

This descriptive report describes the case of a 50 year-old woman with bipolar disorder, whose maintenance therapy comprised risperidone, sodium valproato and lithium carbonate without any past occurrence of toxicity. Her past medical history was significant for hypertension, cardiopathy and obesity. She presented with a 1-week history of fever, increasing confusion and slurred speech. At presentation, the patient was somnolent. Laboratory investigations revealed a serum creatinine of 3,6 mg/dl, BUN 45 mg/dl serum lithium 3,0 mEq/L with polyuria defined as more than 3 litres a day. EEG and ECG were abnormal. CT brain scanning and lumbar puncture were negative for brain haemorrage or infection. Lithium toxicity causes impairment of renal concentration and encephalopathy due to lithium recirculation, a mechanism responsible for the so-called cerebro-renal syndrome, where dialysis plays an important role in treatment.The patient was treated with continous veno-venous haemodiafiltration (CVVHDF) over 35 hours with gradual improvement of her general condition and efficacy of renal concentration. Our case highlights a few important points. Lithium nefrotoxicity and neurotoxicity can cause a cerebro-renal syndrome even when serum lithium levels are not particularly raised (2,5-3,5 mEq/L). Haemodialysis is the treatment of choice to reduce the molecular mechanisms of lithium-related changes in urinary concentration and reinstate dopaminergic activity in the brain.

Separations chemistry of toxic metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, P.; Barr, M.; Barrans, R.

1996-01-01

Sequestering and removing toxic metal ions from their surroundings is an increasingly active area of research and is gaining importance in light of current environmental contamination problems both within the DOE complex and externally. One method of separating metal ions is to complex them to a molecule (a ligand or chelator) which exhibits specific binding affinity for a toxic metal, even in the presence of other more benign metals. This approach makes use of the sometimes subtle differences between toxic and non-toxic metals resulting from variations in size, charge and shape. For example, toxic metals such as chromium, arsenic, and technetium exist in the environment as oxyanions, negatively charged species with a characteristic tetrahedral shape. Other toxic metals such as actinides and heavy metals are positively charged spheres with specific affinities for particular donor atoms such as oxygen (for actinides) and nitrogen (for heavy metals). In most cases the toxic metals are found in the presence of much larger quantities of less toxic metals such as sodium, calcium and iron. The selectivity of the chelators is critical to the goal of removing the toxic metals from their less toxic counterparts. The approach was to build a ligand framework that complements the unique characteristics of the toxic metal (size, charge and shape) while minimizing interactions with non-toxic metals. The authors have designed ligands exhibiting specificity for the target metals; they have synthesized, characterized and tested these ligands; and they have shown that they exhibit the proposed selectivity and cooperative binding effects

Improving toxicity assessment of pesticide mixtures: the use of polar passive sampling devices extracts in microalgae toxicity tests

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Sandra KIM TIAM

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Complexity of contaminants exposure needs to be taking in account for an appropriate evaluation of risks related to mixtures of pesticides released in the ecosystems. Toxicity assessment of such mixtures can be made through a variety of toxicity tests reflecting different level of biological complexity. This paper reviews the recent developments of passive sampling techniques for polar compounds, especially Polar Organic Chemical Integrative Samplers (POCIS and Chemcatcher® and the principal assessment techniques using microalgae in laboratory experiments. The progresses permitted by the coupled use of such passive samplers and ecotoxicology testing as well as their limitations are presented. Case studies combining passive sampling devices (PSD extracts and toxicity assessment toward microorganisms at different biological scales from single organisms to communities level are presented. These case studies, respectively aimed i at characterizing the toxic potential of waters using dose-response curves, and ii at performing microcosm experiments with increased environmental realism in the toxicant exposure in term of cocktail composition and concentration. Finally perspectives and limitations of such approaches for future applications in the area of environmental risk assessment are discussed.

Optical coherence tomography findings in methanol toxicity.

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Klein, Kendra A; Warren, Alexis K; Baumal, Caroline R; Hedges, Thomas R

2017-01-01

Methanol toxicity poses a significant public health problem in developing countries, and in Southeast Asia, where the most common source of poisoning is via adulterated liquor in local drinks. Methanol toxicity can have devastating visual consequences and retinal specialists should be aware of the features of this toxic optic neuropathy. The authors report a case of severe systemic methanol toxicity and relatively mild optic neuropathy demonstrating unique retinal changes on optical coherence tomography (OCT). A previously healthy student developed ataxia, difficulty breathing and loss of consciousness hours after drinking homemade alcohol while traveling in Indonesia. She was found to have a serum pH of 6.79 and elevated methanol levels. She was treated with intravenous ethanol, methylprednisolone and sodium bicarbonate. When she awoke she had bilateral central scotomas. At presentation, she had central depression on visual field testing. OCT of the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) was normal but ganglion cell layer analysis (GCL) showed highly selective loss of the nasal fibers in both eyes. Further, OCT of the macula demonstrated inner nuclear layer (INL) microcysts in the corresponding area of selective GCL loss in both eyes. The selective involvement of the papillomacular bundle fibers is common in toxic optic neuropathies and represents damage to the small caliber axons rich in mitochondria. Despite severe systemic toxicity, the relative sparing of the optic nerve in this case enabled characterization of the evolution of methanol toxicity with segmental GCL involvement and preservation of the RNFL, corresponding to the papillomacular bundle. This is the first reported case of INL microcysts in methanol optic neuropathy and supports that they are a non-specific finding, and may represent preferential damage to the papillomacular bundle.

Manganese toxicity with ephedrone abuse manifesting as parkinsonism: a case report

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Iqbal, Mudassir

2012-02-07

Abstract Introduction Neurologic consequences of manganese toxicity have been recognized since 1837. A new form of presumed manganese poisoning has been reported in drug-addicted persons from Eastern Europe and the Baltic states who have intravenously injected self-prepared methcathinone hydrochloride (ephedrone), which is synthesized from pseudoephedrine hydrochloride using potassium permanganate as a potent oxidant. This clinical syndrome is under-recognized in Western Europe and there are no reported cases in the literature from Ireland. Case presentation We report a 30-year-old Eastern European man who presented with a two-year history of gait disturbance. A neurological assessment revealed features of parkinsonism which included hypophonia, hypomimia, mild bradykinesia and rigidity with no resting tremor. He held his arms slightly abducted from his sides when walking, with a reduction in arm swing. Magnetic resonance imaging of his brain showed a high signal on T1 in the globus pallidus and serum manganese levels were raised. He had no response to levodopa. Conclusion Manganism secondary to ephedrone abuse causing parkinsonism has emerged in Western Europe in recent years due to mass immigration and often remains unrecognized. This paper highlights the various features of this rare cause of parkinsonism and aids in its recognition and subsequent diagnosis. Neurologists in Western Europe will increasingly encounter such patients.

Collagenous colitis as a possible cause of toxic megacolon.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Fitzgerald, S C

2009-03-01

Collagenous colitis is a microscopic colitis characterized by normal appearing colonic mucosa on endoscopy. It is regarded as a clinically benign disease which rarely results in serious complications. We report a case of toxic megacolon occurring in a patient with collagenous colitis. This is the first reported case of toxic megacolon occurring in this subset of patients.

Building a developmental toxicity ontology.

Science.gov (United States)

Baker, Nancy; Boobis, Alan; Burgoon, Lyle; Carney, Edward; Currie, Richard; Fritsche, Ellen; Knudsen, Thomas; Laffont, Madeleine; Piersma, Aldert H; Poole, Alan; Schneider, Steffen; Daston, George

2018-04-03

As more information is generated about modes of action for developmental toxicity and more data are generated using high-throughput and high-content technologies, it is becoming necessary to organize that information. This report discussed the need for a systematic representation of knowledge about developmental toxicity (i.e., an ontology) and proposes a method to build one based on knowledge of developmental biology and mode of action/ adverse outcome pathways in developmental toxicity. This report is the result of a consensus working group developing a plan to create an ontology for developmental toxicity that spans multiple levels of biological organization. This report provide a description of some of the challenges in building a developmental toxicity ontology and outlines a proposed methodology to meet those challenges. As the ontology is built on currently available web-based resources, a review of these resources is provided. Case studies on one of the most well-understood morphogens and developmental toxicants, retinoic acid, are presented as examples of how such an ontology might be developed. This report outlines an approach to construct a developmental toxicity ontology. Such an ontology will facilitate computer-based prediction of substances likely to induce human developmental toxicity. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Three-Dimensional (X,Y,Z) Deterministic Analysis of the PCA-Replica Neutron Shielding Benchmark Experiment using the TORT-3.2 Code and Group Cross Section Libraries for LWR Shielding and Pressure Vessel Dosimetry

OpenAIRE

Pescarini Massimo; Orsi Roberto; Frisoni Manuela

2016-01-01

The PCA-Replica 12/13 (H2O/Fe) neutron shielding benchmark experiment was analysed using the ORNL TORT-3.2 3D SN code. PCA-Replica, specifically conceived to test the accuracy of nuclear data and transport codes employed in LWR shielding and radiation damage calculations, reproduces a PWR ex-core radial geometry with alternate layers of water and steel including a PWR pressure vessel simulator. Three broad-group coupled neutron/photon working cross section libraries in FIDO-ANISN format with ...

LCIA selection methods for assessing toxic releases

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Henrik Fred; Birkved, Morten; Hauschild, Michael Zwicky

2002-01-01

the inventory that contribute significantly to the impact categories on ecotoxicity and human toxicity to focus the characterisation work. The reason why the selection methods are more important for the chemical-related impact categories than for other impact categories is the extremely high number......Characterization of toxic emissions in life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) is in many cases severely limited by the lack of characterization factors for the emissions mapped in the inventory. The number of substances assigned characterization factors for (eco)toxicity included in the dominating LCA....... The methods are evaluated against a set of pre-defined criteria (comprising consistency with characterization and data requirement) and applied to case studies and a test set of chemicals. The reported work is part of the EU-project OMNIITOX....

Role of {sup 18}F-FDG PET-CT in monitoring the cyclophosphamide induced pulmonary toxicity in patients with breast cancer - 2 Case Reports

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Taywade, Sameer Kamalakar; Kumar, Rakesh; Bhethanabhotla, Sainath; Bal, Chandrasekhar [A.I.I.M.S, New Delhi (India)

2016-09-15

Drug induced pulmonary toxicity is not uncommon with the use of various chemotherapeutic agents. Cyclophosphamide is a widely used chemotherapeutic drug in the treatment of breast cancer. Although rare, lung toxicity has been reported with cyclophosphamide use. Detection of bleomycin induced pulmonary toxicity and pattern of {sup 18}F-fluorodeoxyglucose ({sup 18}F-FDG) uptake in lungs on fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography-computed tomography ({sup 18}F-FDG PET-CT) has been elicited in literature in relation to lymphoma. However, limited data is available regarding the role of {sup 18}F-FDG PET-CT in monitoring drug induced pulmonary toxicity in breast cancer. We here present two cases of cyclophosphamide induced drug toxicity. Interim {sup 18}F-FDG PET-CT demonstrated diffusely increased tracer uptake in bilateral lung fields in both these patients. Subsequently there was resolution of lung uptake on {sup 18}F-FDG PET-CT scan post completion of chemotherapy. These patients did not develop significant respiratory symptoms during chemotherapy treatment and in follow up.

Automatic generation of 3D fine mesh geometries for the analysis of the venus-3 shielding benchmark experiment with the Tort code

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pescarini, M.; Orsi, R.; Martinelli, T.

2003-01-01

In many practical radiation transport applications today the cost for solving refined, large size and complex multi-dimensional problems is not so much computing but is linked to the cumbersome effort required by an expert to prepare a detailed geometrical model, verify and validate that it is correct and represents, to a specified tolerance, the real design or facility. This situation is, in particular, relevant and frequent in reactor core criticality and shielding calculations, with three-dimensional (3D) general purpose radiation transport codes, requiring a very large number of meshes and high performance computers. The need for developing tools that make easier the task to the physicist or engineer, by reducing the time required, by facilitating through effective graphical display the verification of correctness and, finally, that help the interpretation of the results obtained, has clearly emerged. The paper shows the results of efforts in this field through detailed simulations of a complex shielding benchmark experiment. In the context of the activities proposed by the OECD/NEA Nuclear Science Committee (NSC) Task Force on Computing Radiation Dose and Modelling of Radiation-Induced Degradation of Reactor Components (TFRDD), the ENEA-Bologna Nuclear Data Centre contributed with an analysis of the VENUS-3 low-flux neutron shielding benchmark experiment (SCK/CEN-Mol, Belgium). One of the targets of the work was to test the BOT3P system, originally developed at the Nuclear Data Centre in ENEA-Bologna and actually released to OECD/NEA Data Bank for free distribution. BOT3P, ancillary system of the DORT (2D) and TORT (3D) SN codes, permits a flexible automatic generation of spatial mesh grids in Cartesian or cylindrical geometry, through combinatorial geometry algorithms, following a simplified user-friendly approach. This system demonstrated its validity also in core criticality analyses, as for example the Lewis MOX fuel benchmark, permitting to easily

Reversal of Cardiovascular Toxicity in Severe Organophosphate Poisoning with 20% Intralipid Emulsion Therapy: Case Report and Review of Literature

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shafat Ahmad Mir

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Background: Cardiac toxicity is one of the life-threatening effects of severe organophosphate (OP poisoning. We presented a patient with severe OP poisoning, in cardiovascular shock poorly responsive to conventional treatments, who could be resuscitated successfully with intravenous lipid emulsion (ILE therapy. Case report: A 26-year-old female was admitted to our emergency department who had ingested unquantifiable amount of parathion. On admission, she was tachycardic, tachypneic and hypotensive with pin-point pupils. Neurological examination revealed Glasgow coma scale (GCS of 6. Immediately, she was admitted to intensive care unit, and was intubated and put under mechanical ventilation. Standard treatments including atropine and pralidoxime (according to WHO protocol were given to the patient. However, the patient did not show favorable response to antidotes and supportive treatments and her condition continued to deteriorate. Because of bradycardia and hypotension, she was given noradrenaline vasopressor support. Due to failure of treatments in improvement of the patient's condition, a single 100 mL bolus (1.5 mL/kg of 20% intralipid was administered intravenously and the same dose repeated 2 minutes later. Over 15 minutes, cardiovascular condition of the patient noticeably improved. ILE was continued up to a total dose of 300 mL when extrasystoles disappeared. The patient could be extubated from ventilator with GCS score of 15 on the 5th day of admission. Discussion: OPs are lipid soluble and ILE can move these kinds of compounds away from the site of toxicity and dissolve them in the plasma which will alleviate their toxic effects. Conclusion: This is the first human case report of OP poisoning which showed efficacy of intralipids as antidotal therapy outside the accepted setting of local anesthetic toxicity.

Toxicity of medicinal plants used in traditional medicine in Northern Peru.

Science.gov (United States)

Bussmann, R W; Malca, G; Glenn, A; Sharon, D; Nilsen, B; Parris, B; Dubose, D; Ruiz, D; Saleda, J; Martinez, M; Carillo, L; Walker, K; Kuhlman, A; Townesmith, A

2011-09-01

The plant species reported here are traditionally used in Northern Peru for a wide range of illnesses. Most remedies are prepared as ethanol or aqueous extracts and then ingested. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential toxicity of these extracts. The toxicity of ethanolic and water extracts of 341 plant species was determined using a brine-shrimp assay. Overall 24% of the species in water extract and 76% of the species in alcoholic extract showed elevated toxicity levels to brine-shrimp. Although in most cases multiple extracts of the same species showed very similar toxicity values, in some cases the toxicity of different extracts of the same species varied from non-toxic to highly toxic. Traditional preparation methods take different toxicity levels in aqueous and ethanol extracts into account when choosing the appropriate solvent for the preparation of a remedy. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ethambutol/Linezolid Toxic Optic Neuropathy.

Science.gov (United States)

Libershteyn, Yevgeniya

2016-02-01

To report a rare toxic optic neuropathy after long-term use of two medications: ethambutol and linezolid. A 65-year-old man presented to the Miami Veterans Affairs Medical Center in December 2014 for evaluation of progressive vision decrease in both eyes. The patient presented with best-corrected visual acuities of 20/400 in the right eye and counting fingers at 5 feet in the left eye. Color vision was significantly reduced in both eyes. Visual fields revealed a cecocentral defect in both eyes. His fundus and optic nerve examination was unremarkable. Because vision continued to decline after discontinuation of ethambutol, linezolid was also discontinued, after which vision, color vision, and visual fields improved. Because of these findings, the final diagnosis was toxic optic neuropathy. Final visual outcome was 20/30 in the right eye and 20/40 in the left eye. Drug-associated toxic optic neuropathy is a rare but vision-threatening condition. Diagnosis is made based on an extensive case history and careful clinical examination. The examination findings include varying decrease in vision, normal pupils and extraocular muscles, and unremarkable fundoscopy, with the possibility of swollen optic discs in the acute stage of the optic neuropathy. Other important findings descriptive of toxic optic neuropathy include decreased color vision and cecocentral visual field defects. This case illustrates the importance of knowledge of all medications and/or substances a patient consumes that may cause a toxic reaction and discontinuing them immediately if the visual functions are worsening or not improving.

Stevens-Johnson Syndrome/Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis and Treatment With a Biologic: A Case Report.

Science.gov (United States)

Chong, Ian; Chao, Alice

2017-01-01

One of the most dangerous dermatologic emergencies is Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (SJS)/toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN). Although a rare disease, it can often lead to significant mortality. In this case report, we present a 77-year-old man who developed a sloughing rash that was secondary to a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug. In addition to the recommended supportive care, the patient was treated with etanercept, a new, less commonly used intervention. We provide a brief review of SJS/TEN. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are a rare cause of SJS/TEN, and additionally, the use of biologics is a novel treatment modality for SJS/TEN.

Manganese toxicity with ephedrone abuse manifesting as parkinsonism: a case report

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Iqbal Mudassir

2012-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Introduction Neurologic consequences of manganese toxicity have been recognized since 1837. A new form of presumed manganese poisoning has been reported in drug-addicted persons from Eastern Europe and the Baltic states who have intravenously injected self-prepared methcathinone hydrochloride (ephedrone, which is synthesized from pseudoephedrine hydrochloride using potassium permanganate as a potent oxidant. This clinical syndrome is under-recognized in Western Europe and there are no reported cases in the literature from Ireland. Case presentation We report a 30-year-old Eastern European man who presented with a two-year history of gait disturbance. A neurological assessment revealed features of parkinsonism which included hypophonia, hypomimia, mild bradykinesia and rigidity with no resting tremor. He held his arms slightly abducted from his sides when walking, with a reduction in arm swing. Magnetic resonance imaging of his brain showed a high signal on T1 in the globus pallidus and serum manganese levels were raised. He had no response to levodopa. Conclusion Manganism secondary to ephedrone abuse causing parkinsonism has emerged in Western Europe in recent years due to mass immigration and often remains unrecognized. This paper highlights the various features of this rare cause of parkinsonism and aids in its recognition and subsequent diagnosis. Neurologists in Western Europe will increasingly encounter such patients.

Downbeat nystagmus as a result of lamotrigine toxicity.

Science.gov (United States)

Alkawi, Ammar; Kattah, Jorge C; Wyman, Katie

2005-02-01

Downbeat nystagmus (DBN) has been reported with phenytoin and carbamazepine toxicity. DBN has not been described as a result of lamotrigine toxicity. Clinical records, neuroimaging and video recordings were obtained in two patients diagnosed with intractable epilepsy who developed oscillopsia and incoordination while being treated with lamotrigine. One patient had a videonystagmographic (VNG) study. Lamotrigine's half-life is extended when used with valproic acid; hence, the increased chance of neurotoxicity associated with DBN. In our cases, DBN and truncal ataxia occurred in conjunction with toxic lamotrigine serum levels. Anticonvulsant toxicity should be considered as a cause of DBN. Lamotrigine toxicity may be an unusual cause.

Ocular toxicity by seeds of Annona squamosa (custard apple

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Harsha Nagaraja

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Custard apple seeds have been used in native medicine from time immemorial for the management of head lice and skin exfoliation. We report six consecutive patients who developed toxic keratoconjunctivitis within 6-12 h of ocular exposure to custard apple seeds. The use of topical steroid worsens the toxicity and predisposes to the development of microbial keratitis in such cases. Patients showed a good response to primary treatment with topical fortified antibiotics and lubricants. This case series highlights the need to educate the patients regarding the potential toxic effects of the custard seeds and the treating physicians about possible deleterious effects on using topical steroid.

Corneal Toxicity Following Exposure to Asclepias Tuberosa

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mikkelsen, Lauge Hjorth; Hamoudi, Hassan; Gül, Cigdem Altuntas

2017-01-01

PURPOSE: To present a case of corneal toxicity following exposure to milky plant latex from Asclepias tuberosa. METHODS: A 70-year-old female presented with blurred vision and pain in her left eye after handling an Ascepias tuberosa. Clinical examination revealed a corneal stromal oedema with small...... epithelial defects. The corneal endothelium was intact and folds in Descemets membrane were observed. The oedema was treated with chloramphenicol, dexamethasone and scopolamine. RESULTS: The corneal oedema had appeared after corneal exposure to the plant, Asclepias tuberosa, whose latex contains cardenolides...... that inhibit the Na+/ K+-ATPase in the corneal endothelium. The oedema resolved after 96 hours. After nine months the best corrected visual acuity was 20/20. CONCLUSION: Corneal toxicity has previously been reported for plants of the Asclepias family. This is a rare case describing severe corneal toxicity...

Evaluation of metals, metalloids, and ash mixture toxicity using sediment toxicity testing.

Science.gov (United States)

Stojak, Amber; Bonnevie, Nancy L; Jones, Daniel S

2015-01-01

In December 2008, a release of 4.1 million m(3) of coal ash from the Tennessee Valley Authority Kingston Fossil Plant occurred. Ash washed into the Emory River and migrated downstream into the Clinch and Tennessee Rivers. A Baseline Ecological Risk Assessment evaluated risks to ecological receptors from ash in the river system post-dredging. This article describes the approach used and results from sediment toxicity tests, discussing any causal relationships between ash, metals, and toxicity. Literature is limited in the realm of aquatic coal combustion residue (CCR) exposures and the potential magnitude of effects on benthic invertebrates. Sediment samples along a spectrum of ash content were used in a tiered toxicity testing approach and included a combination of 10 day sediment toxicity acute tests and longer-term, partial life cycle "definitive" tests with 2 species (Hyalella azteca and Chironomus dilutus). Arsenic, and to a lesser extent Se, in the ash was the most likely toxicant causing observed effects in the laboratory toxicity tests. Sites in the Emory River with the greatest statistical and biologically significant effects had As concentrations in sediments twice the probable effects concentration of 33 mg/kg. These sites contained greater than 50% ash. Sites with less than approximately 50% ash in sediments exhibited fewer significant toxic responses relative to the reference sediment in the laboratory. The results discussed here present useful evidence of only limited effects occurring from a worst-case exposure pathway. These results provided a valuable line of evidence for the overall assessment of risks to benthic invertebrates and to other ecological receptors, and were crucial to risk management and development of project remediation goals. © 2014 SETAC.

A case of aminoglycosides induced retinal toxicity treated with megadoses of steroids and an intravitreal dexamethasone implant (Ozurdex(®)).

Science.gov (United States)

Hernández Pardines, F; Tapia-Quijada, H; Hueso-Abancens, J R

2016-06-01

The case is described of a patient who had a sudden loss of vision in her right eye after glaucoma surgery. A diagnosis of retinal toxicity due to tobramycin (an aminoglycoside) was reached, which was characterised by retinal whitening with a red cherry stain, macular oedema, and vasculitis that progressed to papillary and macular atrophy with arteriolar sclerosis. Given the severity of symptoms an early attempt was made with megadoses of steroids and an intravitreal dexamethasone implant (Ozurdex®, Allergan S.A.), without response. Aminoglycoside toxicity is a rare, idiosyncratic, very serious complication for which there is no effective treatment. Copyright © 2016 Sociedad Española de Oftalmología. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Hydroxycut hepatotoxicity: A case series and review of liver toxicity from herbal weight loss supplements

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Lily Dare; Jennifer Hewett; Joseph Kartaik Lim

2008-01-01

Dietary supplements represent an increasingly common source of drug-induced liver injury. Hydroxycut is a popular weight loss supplement which has previously been linked to hepatotoxiciLy, although the individual chemical components underlying liver injury remain poorly understood. We report two cases of acute hepatitis in the seLLing of Hydroxycut exposure and describe possible mechanisms of liver injury. We also comprehensively review and summarize the existing literature on commonly used weight loss supplements,and their individual components which have demonstrated potential for liver toxicity. An increased effort to screen for and educate patients and physicians about supplement-associated hepatotoxicity is warranted.

Do thyroid-stimulating immunoglobulins cause non-toxic and toxic multinodular goitre

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brown, R.S.; Jackson, I.M.D.; Pohl, S.L.; Reichlin, S.

1978-01-01

The prevalence of serum thyroid-stimulating immunoglobulins, (T.S.I.) in a variety of thyroid diseases was determined in 96 patients and 35 normal controls. Significantly elevated levels of T.S.I. were found not only in patients with Graves' disease and Hashimoto's thyroiditis but also in those with non-toxic and multinodular goitre, whereas patients with a single autonomously functioning thyroid nodule, with subacute thyroiditis, and with 'hyperthyroiditis' had levels which did not differ from those in the controls. it is postulated that non-toxic multinodular goitre, like Graves' disease, may result from increased circulating T.S.I. which in some cases may be present in sufficient concentration to cause thyrotoxicosis. (author)

Transient electromyographic findings in serotonergic toxicity due to combination of essitalopram and isoniazid

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Çagdas Erdogan

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Here, we report a case of serotonergic toxicity due to combination of essitalopram and isoniazid, which was rarely reported before. Moreover, we observed transient neurogenic denervation potentials in needle electromyography, which disappeared with the treatment of serotonergic toxicity. As to our best knowledge, this is the first case, reporting transient electromyographic changes probably due to serotonergic toxicity.

Defining Moments in MMWR History: Toxic-Shock Syndrome -- 1980

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, an outbreak of a disease called Toxic Shock Syndrome made healthy women sick. CDC's disease detectives helped unravel the link between Toxic Shock Syndrome and high-absorbency tampons. MMWR was the first scientific publication to break the news of these cases. In this podcast, Dr. Kathy Shands, former chief of CDC's Toxic Shock Syndrome Task Force, recalls her experience working with state epidemiologists to identify the link between toxic shock syndrome and tampon use.

Clostridium Difficile Infection Complicated By Toxic Megacolon In Immunocompetent Patient

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Draganescu Miruna

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Toxic megacolon can be a form of severe clinical course of the infection with Clostridium difficile (ICD, life-threatening, requiring a particular course of treatment. Infection with Clostridium difficile in the Galati Infectious Disease Hospital presents rising number of cases, namely 172 cases in 2014, 271 cases in 2015 and 301 cases in 2016 with clinical evolutions with different severity degrees, including toxic megacolon and death. Among 744 patients with ICD in our clinic, since 1st January 2014 to 31 December 2016. The frequency of toxic megacolon (TM was 0,537%, so: 3 toxic megacolon cases with favorable evolution with treatment with vancomycin and metronidazole and just one case whose evolution was aggravated under this therapy and evolved favorably under treatment with tigecycline. The work presents this last case of ICD occurred in a 69 years old, immunocompetent man with unknown concomitant chronic diseases which undergoes surgery for bilateral inguinal hernia and receives antibiotherapy with cephalosporin IIIrd generation during surgery and after 7 days develops medium degree ICD with score Atlas 3 and receives therapy with oral vancomycin. He presents clinical aggravation during this therapy with the occurrence of colon dilatation, ascites and right pleurisy at ultrasound and therapy associated with metronidazole is decided. Clinical aggravation continues in this combined therapy with defining the clinical, colonoscopy and tomography criteria for TM and is decided surgical monitoring and replacing antibiotherapy with tigecycline. Evolution is favorable with tigecycline without surgical intervention.

["An Italian Court recognizes the occupational origin of a trigeminal neuroma in a mobile telephone user: a case-study of the complex relationships between science and laws"].

Science.gov (United States)

Lagorio, Susanna; Vecchia, P

2011-01-01

Scientific knowledge is essential for the resolution of disputes in law and administrative applications (such as toxic tort litigation and workers' compensation) and provides essential input for public policy decisions. There are no socially agreed-upon rules for the application of this knowledge except in the law. On a practical level, the legal system lacks the ability to assess the validity of scientific knowledge that can be used as evidence and therefore relies heavily on expert opinion. A key issue is how to ensure that professionals in any field provide judges with sound advice, based on relevant and reliable scientific evidence. The search for solutions to this problem seems particularly urgent in Italy, a country where a number of unprecedented verdicts of guilt have been pronounced in trials involving personal injuries from exposure to electromagnetic fields. An Italian Court has recently recognized the occupational origin of a trigeminal neuroma in a mobile telephone user, and ordered the Italian Workers' Compensation Authority (INAIL) to award the applicant compensation for a high degree (80%) of permanent disability. We describe and discuss the salient aspects of this sentence as a case-study in the framework of the use (and misuse) of scientific evidence in toxic-tort litigations. Based on the motivations of the verdict, it appears that the judge relied on seriously flawed expert testimonies. The "experts" who served in this particular trial were clearly inexperienced in forensic epidemiology in general, as well as in the topic at hand. Selective overviews of scientific evidence concerning cancer risks from mobile phone use were provided, along with misleading interpretations of findings from relevant epidemiologic studies (including the dismissal of the Interphone study results on the grounds of purported bias resulting from industry funding). The necessary requirements to proceed to causal inferences at individual level were not taken into account

Methoxsalen-induced macular toxicity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aditya Maitray

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Psoralen compounds such as methoxsalen are photosensitizer agents used in conjunction with ultraviolet A (UVA radiation exposure as photochemotherapy (Psoralens and ultraviolet-A therapy [PUVA therapy] for certain epidermal skin disorders such as psoriasis and vitiligo. Methoxsalen has been shown to be associated with premature cataract formation by forming adducts with lens proteins following oral administration and subsequent UVA exposure. Hence, the use of UV-filtering glasses is recommended during PUVA therapy sessions. Ocular tissues can be exposed to its photosensitizing effect with subsequent UV radiation exposure through sunlight if the patient was to be without protective eye glasses, potentially causing macular toxicity. Till date, there have been no reports in the literature of any posterior segment ocular toxicity arising from methoxsalen use. Here, we describe a case of a bilateral macular toxicity in a middle-aged male treated with methoxsalen for vitiligo.

Cerebral CT appearances of toxic encephalopathy of tetramine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zheng Wenlong; Wu Aiqin; Xu Chongyong; Ying Binyu; Hong Ruizhen

2003-01-01

Objective: To investigate the cerebral CT appearances of toxic encephalopathy of tetramine and improve the recognition on this disease. Methods: Four cases of toxic encephalopathy of tetramine were collected and their cerebral CT appearances were retrospectively analyzed. Results: Cerebral CT appearances in acute phase (within 8 days): (1) cerebral edema in different degree. CT abnormalities consisted of cortical hypodensities and complete loss of gray-white matter differentiation. The CT value were in 11-13 HU, and to be watery density in serious case, (2) subarachnoid hemorrhage. It demonstrated the signs of poisoning hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy in chronic phase. Conclusion: The cerebral CT appearances of toxic encephalopathy of tetramine had some character in acute phase and it can predict the serious degree of intoxication, but there was no characteristic findings in chronic phase

Probable tacrolimus toxicity from tibolone co-administration in a woman: a case report

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Clark Carolyn J

2010-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Introduction Tibolone is a synthetic steroid, used with increasing frequency to treat symptoms of menopause, including patients with solid-organ transplants who are taking concurrent immune suppression. To the best of our knowledge, there are no reported drug interactions between tibolone and tacrolimus, one of the principal immune suppressants used in kidney transplantation. Case presentation We report the case of a 49-year-old Caucasian woman who had received a kidney transplant and who developed acute kidney injury secondary to tacrolimus toxicity 10 days after starting tibolone therapy. No alternative causes were found. Tibolone is known to be a weak competitive inhibitor of CYP3A4, which is involved in tacrolimus metabolism. Conclusions Despite a careful evaluation, no alternative reason was found for the acute kidney injury, and her kidney function returned to the previous baseline within several days of cessation of the medication, and with no other specific treatment. Using the Drug Interaction Probability Scale we conclude that she experienced a probable drug interaction. We believe that transplant clinicians should utilise frequent therapeutic drug monitoring of tacrolimus in patients starting or stopping tibolone therapy.

Unusual complication of toxic megacolon in typhoid colitis.

Science.gov (United States)

Arun Babu, Thirunavukkarasu; Ananthakrishnan, Shanthi; Jayakumar, P; Kullu, Poonam

2014-05-01

Colitis is a rare manifestation of enteric fever in children. Toxic megacolon complicating typhoid colitis is even rarer and requires early recognition and aggressive management due to the high mortality associated with this condition. The authors report a rare case of Toxic megacolon secondary to typhoid colitis in a seven-year-old girl.

Is LSD toxic?

Science.gov (United States)

Nichols, David E; Grob, Charles S

2018-03-01

LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide) was discovered almost 75 years ago, and has been the object of episodic controversy since then. While initially explored as an adjunctive psychiatric treatment, its recreational use by the general public has persisted and on occasion has been associated with adverse outcomes, particularly when the drug is taken under suboptimal conditions. LSD's potential to cause psychological disturbance (bad trips) has been long understood, and has rarely been associated with accidental deaths and suicide. From a physiological perspective, however, LSD is known to be non-toxic and medically safe when taken at standard dosages (50-200μg). The scientific literature, along with recent media reports, have unfortunately implicated "LSD toxicity" in five cases of sudden death. On close examination, however, two of these fatalities were associated with ingestion of massive overdoses, two were evidently in individuals with psychological agitation after taking standard doses of LSD who were then placed in maximal physical restraint positions (hogtied) by police, following which they suffered fatal cardiovascular collapse, and one case of extreme hyperthermia leading to death that was likely caused by a drug substituted for LSD with strong effects on central nervous system temperature regulation (e.g. 25i-NBOMe). Given the renewed interest in the therapeutic potential of LSD and other psychedelic drugs, it is important that an accurate understanding be established of the true causes of such fatalities that had been erroneously attributed to LSD toxicity, including massive overdoses, excessive physical restraints, and psychoactive drugs other than LSD. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Clinical features of severe wasp sting patients with dominantly toxic reaction: analysis of 1091 cases.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cuihong Xie

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Massive wasp stings have been greatly underestimated and have not been systematically studied. The aim of this study was to identify the clinical features and treatment strategies of severe wasp stings. METHODS AND FINDINGS: A multicenter retrospective study was undertaken in 35 hospitals and medical centers including 12 tertiary care hospitals and 23 secondary care hospitals in the Hubei Province, China. The detailed clinical data of 1091 hospitalized wasp sting patients were investigated. Over three-fourths (76.9% of the cases had 10 or more stings and the in-hospital mortality of patients was 5.1%. Forty-eight patients died of organ injury following toxic reactions to the stings, whereas six died from anaphylactic shock. The in-hospital mortality in patients with >10 stings was higher than that of ≤10 stings (5.2% vs. 1.0%, p = 0.02. Acute kidney injury (AKI was seen in 21.0% patients and most patients required blood purification therapy. Rhabdomyolysis was seen in 24.1% patients, hemolysis in 19.2% patients, liver injury in 30.1% patients, and coagulopathy in 22.5% patients. Regression analysis revealed that high creatinine level, shock, oliguria, and anemia were risk factors for death. Blood purification therapy was beneficial for patients with ≥20 stings and delayed hospital admission of patients (≥4 hours after sting. CONCLUSIONS: In China, most patients with multiple wasp stings presented with toxic reactions and multiple organ dysfunction caused by the venom rather than an anaphylactic reaction. AKI is the prominent clinical manifestation of wasp stings with toxic reaction. High creatinine levels, shock, oliguria, and anemia were risk factors for death.

VORICONAZOLE TOXICITY IN MULTIPLE PENGUIN SPECIES.

Science.gov (United States)

Hyatt, Michael W; Georoff, Timothy A; Nollens, Hendrik H; Wells, Rebecca L; Clauss, Tonya M; Ialeggio, Donna M; Harms, Craig A; Wack, Allison N

2015-12-01

Aspergillosis is a common respiratory fungal disease in penguins managed under human care. Triazole antifungal drugs, including itraconazole, are most commonly used for treatment; however, itraconazole treatment failures from drug resistance are becoming more common, requiring newer treatment options. Voriconazole, a newer triazole, is being used more often. Until recently, no voriconazole pharmacokinetic studies had been performed in penguins, leading to empiric dosing based on other avian studies. This has led to increased anecdotal reporting of apparent voriconazole toxicity in penguins. This report describes 18 probable and 6 suspected cases of voriconazole toxicity in six penguin species from nine institutions: 12 African penguins (Spheniscus demersus), 5 Humboldt penguins (Spheniscus humboldti), 3 Magellanic penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus), 2 gentoo penguins (Pygoscelis papua papua), 1 macaroni penguin (Eudyptes chrysolophus), and 1 emperor penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri). Observed clinical signs of toxicity included anorexia, lethargy, weakness, ataxia, paresis, apparent vision changes, seizure-like activity, and generalized seizures. Similar signs of toxicity have also been reported in humans, in whom voriconazole therapeutic plasma concentration for Aspergillus spp. infections is 2-6 μg/ml. Plasma voriconazole concentrations were measured in 18 samples from penguins showing clinical signs suggestive of voriconazole toxicity. The concentrations ranged from 8.12 to 64.17 μg/ml, with penguins having plasma concentrations above 30 μg/ml exhibiting moderate to severe neurologic signs, including ataxia, paresis, and seizures. These concentrations were well above those known to result in central nervous system toxicity, including encephalopathy, in humans. This case series highlights the importance of species-specific dosing of voriconazole in penguins and plasma therapeutic drug monitoring. Further investigation, including pharmacokinetic studies, is

Lower doses venlafaxine-associated toxic hepatitis in a patient with chronic hepatitis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sencan, I.; Sahin, I.; Ozcetin, A.

2003-01-01

Toxic hepatitis is observed with high doses of Venlafaxine. But toxic hepatitis has not been yet reported at lower doses of Venlafaxine such as 37.5 mg per day. In this case report, a case of Venlafaxine associated toxic hepatitis with lower doses in patient with history of chronic hepatitis is presented. We suggest that liver function should be regularly monitored in patients with history of chronic hepatitis receiving Venlafaxine even at lower doses and even when their liver enzymes are normal. (author)

Intracellular bacteria: the origin of dinoflagellate toxicity.

Science.gov (United States)

Silva, E S

1990-01-01

Dinoflagellate blooms of the same species have been registered either as toxic or nontoxic and, in the latter case, toxicity may be of different types. A hypothesis has been formulated according to which the bacteria having in some way taken part in the toxin formation are either inside the dinoflagellate cell or in the nutritive liquid. The presence of intracellular bacteria in those microorganisms has been studied mainly in material from cultures, a few from the sea, and several strains were isolated from different species. Experiments with crossed inoculations have shown that the bacterial strain from Gonyaulax tamarensis caused the cells of some other species to become toxic. From nontoxic clonal cultures of Prorocentrum balticum, Glenodinium foliaceum, and Gyrodinium instriatum, after inoculation of that bacterial strain, cultures were obtained whose cell extracts showed the same kind of toxicity as G. tamarensis. No toxic action could be found in the extracts of the bacterial cells form the assayed strains. The interference of intracellular bacteria in the metabolism of dinoflagellates must be the main cause of their toxicity.

Vaginal toxic shock reaction triggering desquamative inflammatory vaginitis.

Science.gov (United States)

Pereira, Nigel; Edlind, Thomas D; Schlievert, Patrick M; Nyirjesy, Paul

2013-01-01

The study aimed to report 2 cases of desquamative inflammatory vaginitis associated with toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 (TSST-1)-producing Staphylococcus aureus strains. Case report of 2 patients, 1 with an acute and 1 with a chronic presentation, diagnosed with desquamative inflammatory vaginitis on the basis of clinical findings and wet mount microscopy. Pretreatment and posttreatment vaginal bacterial and yeast cultures were obtained. Pretreatment vaginal bacterial cultures from both patients grew TSST-1-producing S. aureus. Subsequent vaginal bacterial culture results after oral antibiotic therapy were negative. Desquamative inflammatory vaginitis may be triggered through TSST-1-mediated vaginal toxic shock reaction.

Transient Serotonin Toxicity Evoked by Combination of Electroconvulsive Therapy and Fluoxetine

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Klysner, René; Bjerg Bendsen, Birgitte; Hansen, Maja Soon

2014-01-01

The serotonin syndrome has been described only in rare instances for electroconvulsive therapy combined with an antidepressant medication. We describe a case of serotonin toxicity induced by electroconvulsive therapy in combination with fluoxetine.......The serotonin syndrome has been described only in rare instances for electroconvulsive therapy combined with an antidepressant medication. We describe a case of serotonin toxicity induced by electroconvulsive therapy in combination with fluoxetine....

Un recuento de los efectos que ha tenido el seguro obligatorio de automóviles en el régimen inglés de responsabilidad extracontractual

OpenAIRE

Vásquez Vega, Daniel; Suramericana

2015-01-01

It is often said that there is an intrinsic relationship that between tort law and insurance, and that the rules of the latter end up affecting those of the former. To see if there is indeed such a relationship, this article analyses the specific case of the effects that mandatory automobile insurance has had on English tort law. It specifically studies the views expressed by several Lord Justices in their judgments when they analyse whether a) the standards of the duty of care should be rais...

A Case of 3,4-Dimethoxyamphetamine (3,4-DMA) and 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) Toxicity with Possible Metabolic Interaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Darracq, Michael A; Thornton, Stephen L; Minns, Alicia B; Gerona, Roy R

2016-01-01

We present a case of "ecstasy" ingestion revealing 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and 3,4-dimethoxyamphetamine (3,4-DMA) and absence of cytochrome P450 (CYP)-2D6 MDMA metabolites. A 19-year-old presented following a seizure. Initial vital signs were normal. Laboratories were normal with the exception of sodium 127 mEq/L and urine drugs of abuse screen positive for amphetamines. Twelve hours later, serum sodium was 114 mEq/L and a second seizure occurred. After receiving hypertonic saline (3%), the patient had improvement in mental status and admitted to taking "ecstasy" at a rave prior to her initial presentation. Liquid chromatography-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-TOF/MS) of serum and urine revealed MDMA, 3,4-DMA, and the CYP-2B6 MDMA metabolites 3,4-methylendioxyamphetamine (MDA) and 4-hydroxy-3-methoxyamphetamine (HMA). The CYP2D6 metabolites of MDMA, 3,4-dihydromethamphetamine (HHMA) and 4-hydroxy-3-methoxymethamphetamine (HMMA), were detected at very low levels. This case highlights the polypharmacy which may exist among users of psychoactive illicit substances and demonstrates that concurrent use of MDMA and 3,4-DMA may predispose patients to severe toxicity. Toxicologists and other healthcare providers should be aware of this potential toxicity.

Pemphigus Vulgaris with Solitary Toxic Thyroid Nodule

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mostafa Alfishawy

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Background. Pemphigus vulgaris is an autoimmune vesiculobullous disease, affecting the skin and mucous membranes. It is reported to be associated with other autoimmune diseases including autoimmune thyroid diseases. However we report herein a case of pemphigus vulgaris associated with autonomous toxic nodule. Case Presentation. A 51-year-old woman was evaluated for blisters and erosions that develop on her trunk, face, and extremities, with a five-year history of progressively enlarging neck mass, and a past medical history of pemphigus vulgaris seven years ago. The condition was associated with palpitation, dyspnea, and heat intolerance. Thyroid function tests and thyroid scan were compatible with the diagnosis of thyrotoxicosis due to autonomous toxic nodule. Exacerbation of pemphigus vulgaris was proved by skin biopsy from the patient which revealed histologic picture of pemphigus vulgaris. Conclusion. Autoimmune thyroid diseases are reported to associate pemphigus vulgaris. To our knowledge, this case is the first in the English literature to report association between pemphigus vulgaris and autonomous toxic nodule and highlights the possibility of occurrence of pemphigus vulgaris with a nonautoimmune thyroid disease raising the question: is it just a coincidence or is there an explanation for the occurrence of both conditions together?

Arguing about climate change. Judging the handling of climate risk to future generations by comparison to the general standards of conduct in the case of risk to contemporaries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Davidson, M.D.

2009-01-01

Intergenerational justice requires that climate risks to future generations be handled with the same reasonable care deemed acceptable by society in the case of risks to contemporaries. Such general standards of conduct are laid down in tort law, for example. Consequently, the validity of arguments for or against more stringent climate policy can be judged by comparison to the general standards of conduct applying in the case of risk to contemporaries. That this consistency test is able to disqualify certain arguments in the climate debate is illustrated by a further investigation of the debate on the social discount rate, used in cost-benefit analysis of climate policy

Pulmonary drug toxicity. FDG-PET findings in patients with lymphoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kazama, Toshiki; Faria, S.C.; Macapinlac, H.A.; Uchida, Yoshitaka; Ito, Hisao

2008-01-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and positron emission tomography (PET) imaging features of pulmonary drug toxicity in patients with lymphoma during or just following chemotherapy. A total of 677 PET scans on 460 patients with lymphoma (351 non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, 92 Hodgkin's disease, and 17 both Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma) were performed for the evaluation of chemotherapy response. In 51 patients, abnormal accumulation on both sides of the chest was reported. A review of medical records, 18 fluorodeoxyglucose ( 18 FDG)-PET scans, and chest computed tomography (CT) was performed, and cases with probable drug toxicity were identified. Inclusion criteria of probable drug toxicity were abnormal but symmetrical FDG accumulation in both lungs seen during or just following the completion of chemotherapy, the abnormal accumulation or corresponding abnormal CT findings resolved on subsequent studies, exclusion of clinical diagnosis of pneumonia, radiation pneumonitis, or lymphoma involvement. In 10 patients (six men and four women, average age 47.3), 2.2% of cases, probable drug toxicity was identified. In all 10 cases, diffuse and subpleural-dominant FDG accumulation was seen on FDG-PET scans, and scattered or diffuse ground-glass opacities were observed on chest CT. Four patients reported symptoms, and six patients did not report any symptoms. Diffuse and peripheral-dominant FDG accumulation in the lung, which may represent pulmonary drug toxicity, was not uncommon in patients with lymphoma who underwent chemotherapy. FDG-PET scan might be able to detect pulmonary drug toxicity in asymptomatic patients. (author)

Dose-dependent transitions in mechanisms of toxicity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Slikker, William; Andersen, Melvin E.; Bogdanffy, Matthew S.; Bus, James S.; Cohen, Steven D.; Conolly, Rory B.; David, Raymond M.; Doerrer, Nancy G.; Dorman, David C.; Gaylor, David W.; Hattis, Dale; Rogers, John M.; Woodrow Setzer, R.; Swenberg, James A.; Wallace, Kendall

2004-01-01

Scientists and decision makers from all sectors agree that risk assessments should be based on the best available science. Several years ago, the Health and Environmental Sciences Institute (HESI), a global branch of the International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI), identified the need for better scientific understanding of dose-dependent transitions in mechanisms of toxicity as one avenue by which the best and latest science can be integrated into the decision making process. In July 2001, the HESI Project Committee on Dose-Dependent Transitions in Mechanisms of Toxicity established a group of academic, government, and industry scientists to engage in active technical discourse on the issue of dose-dependent transitions in mechanisms of toxicity. Over the next 18 months, case studies were examined. These case studies included acetaminophen, butadiene, ethylene glycol, formaldehyde, manganese, methylene chloride, the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor, progesterone/hydroxyflutamide, propylene oxide, vinyl acetate, vinyl chloride, vinylidene chloride, and zinc (Slikker, W., Jr., Andersen, M.E., Bogdanffy, M.S., Bus, J.S., Cohen, S.D., Conolly, R.B., David, R.M., Doerrer, N.G., Dorman, D.C., Gaylor, D.W., Hattis, D., Rogers, J.M., Setzer, R.W., Swenberg, J.A., Wallace, K., 2004. Dose-dependent transitions in mechanisms of toxicity: case studies. Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol. 201(3), 226-294 (this issue)). The HESI Project Committee sponsored two technical workshops in 2003. The first of these workshops took place on February 12-13, 2003, and was co-sponsored by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, the American Chemistry Council, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, the Society of Toxicology, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Additional support was provided by Health Canada. Invited experts from government, academia, and industry provided scientific perspectives and recommendations at the workshop. The purpose of

Near fatal 5-FU gut toxicity post surgery--remarkable effect of high-dose sucralfate.

Science.gov (United States)

Toh, James Wei Tatt; Morris, David; Chen, Zhuoran; Chen, Cindy

2015-06-01

The objective of this review article and case report was to investigate the effectiveness of high-dose sucralfate on severe life-threatening 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) gut toxicity, with reference to, but not limited to dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD) deficiency. A search was conducted on PubMed from 1950 to July 2013 for original studies on 5-FU gut toxicity and sucralfate. Studies were limited to human trials and English language and all articles included in this study were assessed with the application of predetermined selection criteria. Each article was then reviewed independently by two reviewers. A case report from our own centre was included in this review. From 33 results, 6 manuscripts were identified including 4 randomized controlled trial. One trial evaluated the use of sucralfate to alleviate stomatitis in patients with 5-FU-based chemotherapy. The other three trials evaluated the role of sucralfate in radiation toxicity. There was one case report which showed gastroscopy confirmed normalization of severe dysplastic erosive gastroduodenitis attributed to hepatic arterial infusion of 5-FU following a 2-month course of sucralfate and cimetidine and one case series showing clinical and sigmoidoscopically demonstrated improvement in ulcerative colitis in majority of patients receiving sucralfate enemas. There was no current literature specifically focussed on the role of sucralfate in 5-FU gut toxicity. Our case report describes the clinical course and successful treatment with sucralfate of a patient with Pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP) who experienced 5-FU gut toxicity resulting in life-threatening bleeding due to presumed DPD deficiency post intraperitoneal 5-FU administration. This review article showed a lack of literature concerning the use of sucralfate in 5-FU gut toxicity. In our patient's case, sucralfate had a crucial role in the management of near fatal 5-FU gut toxicity, and further evaluation is required.

Linear immunoglobulin A dermatosis mimicking toxic epidermal necrolysis: a case report of etanercept treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Prieto-Barrios, M; Velasco-Tamariz, V; Tous-Romero, F; Burillo-Martinez, S; Zarco-Olivo, C; Rodriguez-Peralto, J L; Ortiz-Romero, P L

2018-03-01

A 65-year-old pluripathological woman attended our hospital with a cutaneous eruption of sudden appearance after vancomycin treatment. She presented targetoid lesions affecting approximately 25-30% of her body surface, large erosions with mucosal lesions and positive Nikolsky sign. Under the initial clinical suspicion of toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN), and considering the recent literature of successful use of etanercept in these cases, she was treated with a single dose of this antitumour necrosis factor (anti-TNF) agent. Subsequently, the exanthema progression stopped and resolution of the lesions happened in a few days. Later on, histopathology revealed a subepidermal blister with dense neutrophilic infiltrate and linear deposits of immunoglobulin A (IgA) on the dermoepidermal junction, allowing us to establish the diagnosis of drug-induced linear IgA dermatosis mimicking TEN. Linear IgA dermatosis can have severe clinical manifestations, even mimicking TEN, and can have high mortality, especially in drug-induced cases. We have not found any other report of linear IgA dermatosis treated with etanercept in the English literature. Anti-TNF medications could represent useful therapeutic alternatives in this dermatosis. © 2017 British Association of Dermatologists.

Toxic ornamental plants in Venezuela

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carlos Varela Romero

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this research was to contribute information on toxic ornamental plants in Venezuela. Information on taxonomy, common names, habit, origin, status, location, propagation and toxicology (part of the plant, effects was compiled from articles, books, catalogs, herbarium collections. A botanical analysis (taxonomy, common names, habit, origin, status, location, propagation and toxicology (part of the plant, effects was performed. The information about plant poisoning cases was requested to SIMET (Pharmacy faculty -UCV. Seventy-eight species were found in 34 families, the most important were: Apocynaceae (10 genera/12 species, Araceae (9/9, Euphorbiaceae (4/10 and Solanaceae (5/6. Genus Euphorbia was the most species rich. Most species were exotic species (79.5% and shrubs (32.1%. The entire plant (35 and latex (19 were the most toxic parts and the most frequent accidental ingestion (61.5%. Twenty cases were reported between 2009-2013, of which 80% were minors, female and urban areas. There is very little information published in Hispanic American countries

Defining Moments in MMWR History: Toxic-Shock Syndrome -- 1980

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

2017-11-03

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, an outbreak of a disease called Toxic Shock Syndrome made healthy women sick. CDC’s disease detectives helped unravel the link between Toxic Shock Syndrome and high-absorbency tampons. MMWR was the first scientific publication to break the news of these cases. In this podcast, Dr. Kathy Shands, former chief of CDC’s Toxic Shock Syndrome Task Force, recalls her experience working with state epidemiologists to identify the link between toxic shock syndrome and tampon use.  Created: 11/3/2017 by MMWR.   Date Released: 11/3/2017.

Toxic metals in WEEE: Characterization and substance flow analysis in waste treatment processes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oguchi, Masahiro, E-mail: oguchi.masahiro@nies.go.jp; Sakanakura, Hirofumi; Terazono, Atsushi

2013-10-01

Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) has received extensive attention as a secondary source of metals. Because WEEE also contains toxic substances such as heavy metals, appropriate management of these substances is important in the recycling and treatment of WEEE. As a basis for discussion toward better management of WEEE, this study characterizes various types of WEEE in terms of toxic metal contents. The fate of various metals contained in WEEE, including toxic metals, was also investigated in actual waste treatment processes. Cathode-ray tube televisions showed the highest concentration and the largest total amount of toxic metals such as Ba, Pb, and Sb, so appropriate recycling and disposal of these televisions would greatly contribute to better management of toxic metals in WEEE. A future challenge is the management of toxic metals in mid-sized items such as audio/visual and ICT equipment because even though the concentrations were not high in these items, the total amount of toxic metals contained in them is not negligible. In the case of Japan, such mid-sized WEEE items as well as small electronic items are subject to municipal solid waste treatment. A case study showed that a landfill was the main destination of toxic metals contained in those items in the current treatment systems. The case study also showed that changes in the flows of toxic metals will occur when treatment processes are modified to emphasize resource recovery. Because the flow changes might lead to an increase in the amount of toxic metals released to the environment, the flows of toxic metals and the materials targeted for resource recovery should be considered simultaneously. - Highlights: ► Appropriate management of toxic metals contained in WEEE is important during recycling and treatment of WEEE. ► CRT TVs contain large amount of toxic metals with high concentration and thus appropriate management is highly important. ► Mid-sized equipment is a future target for

Nail toxicity induced by cancer chemotherapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Gilbar, Peter; Hain, Alice; Peereboom, Veta-Marie

2009-09-01

To provide a comprehensive literature review of chemotherapy-induced nail toxicity, including clinical presentation, implicated drugs and approaches for prevention and management. A search of MEDLINE and EMBASE (1966-2008) databases was conducted using the terms (and variations of the terms) antineoplastic agents, nails, nail toxicity, onycholysis, and paronychia. Bibliographies from selected articles were reviewed for appropriate references. The retrieved literature was reviewed to include all articles relevant to the clinical presentation, diagnosis, incidence, prevention, and treatment of chemotherapy-induced nail toxicity. Nail toxicity is a relatively uncommon adverse effect linked to a number of chemotherapeutic agents. Clinical presentation varies, depending on which nail structure is affected and the severity of the insult. Nail changes may involve all or some nails. Toxicity may be asymptomatic and limited to cosmetic concerns, however, more severe effects, involving pain and discomfort can occur. Taxanes and anthracyclines are the antineoplastic drug groups most commonly implicated. It is suggested that the administration schedule may influence the incidence of nail abnormalities, for example reported cases linked to the weekly administration of paclitaxel.Before instituting chemotherapy, patients should be educated regarding potential nail toxicities and strategies for prevention implemented. Management includes appropriate nail cutting, avoiding potential irritants, topical, or oral antimicrobials, and possibly cessation or dose reduction of the offending agent. Cryotherapy, through the application of frozen gloves or socks, has been beneficial in reducing docetaxel-induced nail toxicity and may be effective for other drugs.

Managing novel reproductive injuries in the law of tort: the curious case of destroyed sperm.

Science.gov (United States)

Priaulx, Nicolette

2010-03-01

In view of developments in reproductive medicine, clinical mishaps in this domain are beginning to give rise to 'injuries' not easily accommodated within the English law of negligence. While 'personal injury' is typically understood as manifesting a deleterious 'physical' dimension, cases involving the negligent destruction of cryopreserved sperm, as recently litigated in Yearworth & Ors v Bristol NNN Trust (2009), and other media reported mishaps in fertility treatment do not straightforwardly possess this quality. Without modification, the traditional tortious conception of 'personal injury' in English law will not be able to address novel claims. Critically, however, nor do alternative modes of redress seem to offer ease of application. Focusing upon the controversial Yearworth case and exploring what is seen as an unpromising framing of loss, the note argues that there is now an urgent need to rethink what counts as 'personal injury'. Arguing for the formal recognition of'reproductive injury' as an independent head of damage in negligence, and illustrating the presence of judicial support for that approach, the comment suggests that in light of the difficult challenges that lie in the wake of Yearworth, such a development may be not only desirable but necessary.

A Case of Severe Hydroxychloroquine-Induced Retinal Toxicity in a Patient with Recent Onset of Renal Impairment: A Review of the Literature on the Use of Hydroxychloroquine in Renal Impairment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rajen Tailor

2012-01-01

Full Text Available We present a case of a 67-year-old female who presented with a twelve-month history of progressive blurred vision in both eyes. The patient was on hydroxychloroquine 200 mg twice a day for eight years for the treatment of scarring alopecia. Two years prior to presenting, the patient was found to have chronic kidney disease stage 3 secondary to hypertension. Examination revealed bilateral reduced visual acuities with attenuated arterioles and pigmentary changes on retinal assessment. Goldmann visual fields showed grossly constricted fields in both eyes. The patient was diagnosed with retinal toxicity secondary to hydroxychloroquine probably potentiated by renal impairment. Risk factors for retinal toxicity secondary to hydroxychloroquine can be broadly divided into dose-related and patient-related factors. Our patient developed severe retinal toxicity despite being on the recommended daily dose (400 mg per day. Although retinal toxicity at this dose has been documented, the development of renal impairment without dose adjustment or close monitoring of visual function is likely to have potentiated retinal toxicity. This case highlights the need to monitor renal function in patients on hydroxychloroquine. Should renal impairment develop, either the drug should be stopped or the dose reduced with close monitoring of visual function by an ophthalmologist.

Pathology and medical malpractice. Academic and trainee empirical review of cases by State of Texas physicians.

Science.gov (United States)

Allen, Timothy Craig; Stafford, Mehary; Liang, Bryan A

2014-04-01

This study examines whether the assumptions that pathologists understand the medical malpractice negligence rule and have a clear single standard of care are reasonable. Two hundred eighty-one Texas academic pathologists and trainees were presented 10 actual pathology malpractice cases from publicly available sources, representing the tort system's signal. Of the respondents, 55.52% were trainees, and 44.48% were pathology faculty. Only in two cases did more than 50% of respondents correctly identify the behavior of pathologists as defined by legal outcomes. In only half of the cases did more than 50% of pathologists concur with the jury verdict. This study provides further evidence that physicians do not understand the legal rule of negligence. Pathologists have a poor understanding of negligence and cannot accurately predict a jury verdict. There is significant divergence from the single standard of care assumption. Alternative methods to provide appropriate compensation and to establish physician accountability should be explored. Additional education about medical negligence is needed.

Unsuspected Clenbuterol Toxicity in a Patient Using Intramuscular Testosterone

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matthew K. Griswold

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Clenbuterol is a beta-agonist that has been abused by fitness-oriented individuals for muscle growth and weight loss. We report a case of a 46-year-old man who presented tachycardic, hypokalemic, and hyperglycemic after injecting testosterone obtained from Brazil. He developed refractory hypotension and was started on an esmolol infusion for suspected beta-agonist toxicity. Laboratory analysis showed a detectable clenbuterol serum concentration. Analysis of an unopened ampule contained boldenone undecylenate, clenbuterol, and vitamin E. This case illustrates a novel exposure that caused beta-agonist toxicity and was treated successfully with rapid-onset beta blocker.

Helical tomotherapy in the treatment of pediatric malignancies: a preliminary report of feasibility and acute toxicity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Beltrán César

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Radiation therapy plays a central role in the management of many childhood malignancies and Helical Tomotherapy (HT provides potential to decrease toxicity by limiting the radiation dose to normal structures. The aim of this article was to report preliminary results of our clinical experience with HT in pediatric malignancies. Methods In this study 66 consecutive patients younger than 14 years old, treated with HT at our center between January 2006 and April 2010, have been included. We performed statistical analyses to assess the relationship between acute toxicity, graded according to the RTOG criteria, and several clinical and treatment characteristics such as a dose and irradiation volume. Results The median age of patients was 5 years. The most common tumor sites were: central nervous system (57%, abdomen (17% and thorax (6%. The most prevalent histological types were: medulloblastoma (16 patients, neuroblastoma (9 patients and rhabdomyosarcoma (7 patients. A total of 52 patients were treated for primary disease and 14 patients were treated for recurrent tumors. The majority of the patients (72% were previously treated with chemotherapy. The median prescribed dose was 51 Gy (range 10-70 Gy. In 81% of cases grade 1 or 2 acute toxicity was observed. There were 11 cases (16,6% of grade 3 hematological toxicity, two cases of grade 3 skin toxicity and one case of grade 3 emesis. Nine patients (13,6% had grade 4 hematological toxicity. There were no cases of grade 4 non-hematological toxicities. On the univariate analysis, total dose and craniospinal irradiation (24 cases were significantly associated with severe toxicity (grade 3 or more, whereas age and chemotherapy were not. On the multivariate analysis, craniospinal irradiation was the only significant independent risk factor for grade 3-4 toxicity. Conclusion HT in pediatric population is feasible and safe treatment modality. It is characterized by an acceptable level of

Helical tomotherapy in the treatment of pediatric malignancies: a preliminary report of feasibility and acute toxicity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mesbah, Latifa; Marsiglia, Hugo; Matute, Raúl; Usychkin, Sergey; Marrone, Immacolata; Puebla, Fernando; Mínguez, Cristina; García, Rafael; García, Graciela; Beltrán, César

2011-01-01

Radiation therapy plays a central role in the management of many childhood malignancies and Helical Tomotherapy (HT) provides potential to decrease toxicity by limiting the radiation dose to normal structures. The aim of this article was to report preliminary results of our clinical experience with HT in pediatric malignancies. In this study 66 consecutive patients younger than 14 years old, treated with HT at our center between January 2006 and April 2010, have been included. We performed statistical analyses to assess the relationship between acute toxicity, graded according to the RTOG criteria, and several clinical and treatment characteristics such as a dose and irradiation volume. The median age of patients was 5 years. The most common tumor sites were: central nervous system (57%), abdomen (17%) and thorax (6%). The most prevalent histological types were: medulloblastoma (16 patients), neuroblastoma (9 patients) and rhabdomyosarcoma (7 patients). A total of 52 patients were treated for primary disease and 14 patients were treated for recurrent tumors. The majority of the patients (72%) were previously treated with chemotherapy. The median prescribed dose was 51 Gy (range 10-70 Gy). In 81% of cases grade 1 or 2 acute toxicity was observed. There were 11 cases (16,6%) of grade 3 hematological toxicity, two cases of grade 3 skin toxicity and one case of grade 3 emesis. Nine patients (13,6%) had grade 4 hematological toxicity. There were no cases of grade 4 non-hematological toxicities. On the univariate analysis, total dose and craniospinal irradiation (24 cases) were significantly associated with severe toxicity (grade 3 or more), whereas age and chemotherapy were not. On the multivariate analysis, craniospinal irradiation was the only significant independent risk factor for grade 3-4 toxicity. HT in pediatric population is feasible and safe treatment modality. It is characterized by an acceptable level of acute toxicity that we have seen in this highly

On the Firing Line: Negligence in Physical Education

Science.gov (United States)

Drowatzky, John N.

1977-01-01

Discusses teachers' vulnerability to tort actions for negligence in physical education classes, and suggests guidelines for proper teacher behavior, based on analysis of court cases in various states. (JG)

Does Glycosylation as a modifier of Original Antigenic Sin explain the case age distribution and unusual toxicity in pandemic novel H1N1 influenza?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nishiura Hiroshi

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background A pandemic novel H1N1 swine-origin influenza virus has emerged. Most recently the World Health Organization has announced that in a country-dependent fashion, up to 15% of cases may require hospitalization, often including respiratory support. It is now clear that healthy children and young adults are disproportionately affected, most unusually among those with severe respiratory disease without underlying conditions. One possible explanation for this case age distribution is the doctrine of Original Antigenic Sin, i.e., novel H1N1 may be antigenically similar to H1N1 viruses that circulated at an earlier time. Persons whose first exposure to influenza viruses was to such similar viruses would be relatively immune. However, this principle is not sufficient to explain the graded susceptibility between ages 20 and 60, the reduced susceptibility in children below age 10, and the unusual toxicity observed. Methods We collected case data from 11 countries, about 60% of all cases reported through mid-July 2009. We compared sequence data for the hemagglutinin of novel H1N1 with sequences of H1N1 viruses from 1918 to the present. We searched for sequence differences that imply loss of antigenicity either directly through amino acid substitution or by the appearance of sites for potential glycosylation proximal to sites known to be antigenic in humans. We also considered T-cell epitopes. Results In our composite, over 75% of confirmed cases of novel H1N1 occurred in persons ≤ 30 years old, with peak incidence in the age range 10-19 years. Less than 3% of cases occurred in persons over 65, with a gradation in incidence between ages 20 and 60 years. The sequence data indicates that novel H1N1 is most similar to H1N1 viruses that circulated before 1943. Novel H1N1 lacks glycosylation sites on the globular head of hemagglutinin (HA1 near antigenic regions, a pattern shared with the 1918 pandemic strain and H1N1 viruses that circulated

Effect of surfactant in mitigating cadmium oxide nanoparticle toxicity: Implications for mitigating cadmium toxicity in environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Balmuri, Sricharani Rao; Selvaraj, Uthra; Kumar, Vadivel Vinod; Anthony, Savarimuthu Philip; Tsatsakis, Aristides Michael; Golokhvast, Kirill Sergeevich; Raman, Thiagarajan

2017-01-01

Cadmium (Cd), classified as human carcinogen, is an extremely toxic heavy metal pollutant, and there is an increasing environmental concern for cadmium exposure through anthropogenic sources including cigarette smoke. Though Cd based nanoparticles such as cadmium oxide (CdO) are being widely used in a variety of clinical and industrial applications, the toxicity of CdO nanoparticles has not been well characterized. Herein we report the toxicity of CdO nanoparticles employing zebrafish as a model. Two different CdO nanoparticles were prepared, calcination of Cd(OH) 2 without any organic molecule (CdO-1) and calcination of Cd-citrate coordination polymer (CdO-2), to evaluate and compare the toxicity of these two different CdO nanoparticles. Results show that zebrafish exposed to CdO-2 nanoparticles expressed reduced toxicity as judged by lower oxidative stress levels, rescue of liver carboxylesterases and reduction in metallothionein activity compared to CdO-1 nanoparticles. Histopathological observations also support our contention that CdO-1 nanoparticles showed higher toxicity relative to CdO-2 nanoparticles. The organic unit of Cd-citrate coordination polymer might have converted into carbon during calcination that might have covered the surface of CdO nanoparticles. This carbon surface coverage can control the release of Cd 2+ ions in CdO-2 compared to non-covered CdO-1 nanoparticles and hence mitigate the toxicity in the case of CdO-2. This was supported by atomic absorption spectrophotometer analyses of Cd 2+ ions release from CdO-1 and CdO-2 nanoparticles. Thus the present study clearly demonstrates the toxicity of CdO nanoparticles in an aquatic animal and also indicates that the toxicity could be substantially reduced by carbon coverage. This could have important implications in terms of anthropogenic release and environmental pollution caused by Cd and human exposure to Cd 2+ from sources such as cigarette smoke. - Highlights: • Toxicity of Cd

Effect of surfactant in mitigating cadmium oxide nanoparticle toxicity: Implications for mitigating cadmium toxicity in environment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Balmuri, Sricharani Rao [Department of Bioengineering, School of Chemical & Biotechnology, SASTRA University, Thanjavur 613401 (India); Selvaraj, Uthra [Department of Biotechnology, School of Chemical & Biotechnology, SASTRA University, Thanjavur 613401 (India); Kumar, Vadivel Vinod [Department of Chemistry, School of Chemical & Biotechnology, SASTRA University, Thanjavur 613401 (India); Anthony, Savarimuthu Philip, E-mail: philip@biotech.sastra.edu [Department of Chemistry, School of Chemical & Biotechnology, SASTRA University, Thanjavur 613401 (India); Tsatsakis, Aristides Michael [Department of Forensic Sciences and Toxicology, Medical School, University of Crete, Heraklion 71003 (Greece); Scientific Educational Center of Nanotechnology, Far Eastern Federal University, Vladivostok 690990 (Russian Federation); Golokhvast, Kirill Sergeevich [Scientific Educational Center of Nanotechnology, Far Eastern Federal University, Vladivostok 690990 (Russian Federation); Raman, Thiagarajan, E-mail: raman@biotech.sastra.edu [Department of Bioengineering, School of Chemical & Biotechnology, SASTRA University, Thanjavur 613401 (India); Centre for Research in Infectious Diseases (CRID), School of Chemical & Biotechnology, SASTRA University, Thanjavur 613401 (India)

2017-01-15

Cadmium (Cd), classified as human carcinogen, is an extremely toxic heavy metal pollutant, and there is an increasing environmental concern for cadmium exposure through anthropogenic sources including cigarette smoke. Though Cd based nanoparticles such as cadmium oxide (CdO) are being widely used in a variety of clinical and industrial applications, the toxicity of CdO nanoparticles has not been well characterized. Herein we report the toxicity of CdO nanoparticles employing zebrafish as a model. Two different CdO nanoparticles were prepared, calcination of Cd(OH){sub 2} without any organic molecule (CdO-1) and calcination of Cd-citrate coordination polymer (CdO-2), to evaluate and compare the toxicity of these two different CdO nanoparticles. Results show that zebrafish exposed to CdO-2 nanoparticles expressed reduced toxicity as judged by lower oxidative stress levels, rescue of liver carboxylesterases and reduction in metallothionein activity compared to CdO-1 nanoparticles. Histopathological observations also support our contention that CdO-1 nanoparticles showed higher toxicity relative to CdO-2 nanoparticles. The organic unit of Cd-citrate coordination polymer might have converted into carbon during calcination that might have covered the surface of CdO nanoparticles. This carbon surface coverage can control the release of Cd{sup 2+} ions in CdO-2 compared to non-covered CdO-1 nanoparticles and hence mitigate the toxicity in the case of CdO-2. This was supported by atomic absorption spectrophotometer analyses of Cd{sup 2+} ions release from CdO-1 and CdO-2 nanoparticles. Thus the present study clearly demonstrates the toxicity of CdO nanoparticles in an aquatic animal and also indicates that the toxicity could be substantially reduced by carbon coverage. This could have important implications in terms of anthropogenic release and environmental pollution caused by Cd and human exposure to Cd{sup 2+} from sources such as cigarette smoke. - Highlights: �

Griseofulvin and/or Terbinafine Induced Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis in an Adult Female Patient - A Case Report.

Science.gov (United States)

Jadeja, Dharamvirsinh; Jaiswal, Chandra S; Panchasra, Ashwin; Tripathi, Chandrabhanu B

2016-01-01

An 18 years old female patient, who was taking treatment for tinea cruris developed Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN) due to therapeutic dose of griseofulvin with concomitant use of terbinafine. Both the drugs were stopped; patient's condition was gradually improved after starting the treatment. As per WHO-UMC causality assessment criteria, association between reaction and drug was possible (for both griseofulvin and terbinafine). Griseofulvin and terbinafine, both are widely used as an oral antifungal agent to treat fungal infections, careful monitoring is required in the initial periods of the treatment to prevent such type of serious adverse drug reaction. We report a case of TEN possibly caused by griseofulvin with concomitant use of terbinafine resulting in diagnostic difficulty.

A fatal case of thallium toxicity: challenges in management.

Science.gov (United States)

Riyaz, R; Pandalai, S L; Schwartz, M; Kazzi, Z N

2013-03-01

Thallium is a highly toxic compound and is occasionally involved in intentional overdoses or criminal poisonings. Accidental poisonings also occur, but are increasingly rare owing to restricted use and availability of thallium. We report a fatal suicidal ingestion of thallium sulfate rodenticide in which multi-dose activated charcoal (MDAC) and Prussian Blue (PB) were both used without changing the outcome. A 36 year old man ingested an unknown amount of thallium sulfate grains from an old rodenticide bottle. He presented to an emergency department (ED) 45 minutes later with abdominal pain and vomiting. On examination he was agitated with a blood pressure of 141/60 mmHg and a heart rate of 146 beats per minute (bpm). He received MDAC during his initial ED management and was started on PB 18 hours post arrival; he was intubated on the following day for airway protection. The patient continued to be tachycardic and hypertensive and subsequently developed renal failure. On hospital day three, the patient developed hypotension that did not respond to fluids. The patient required vasopressors and was transferred to a tertiary care center to undergo continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT). The patient died shortly after his transfer. His last blood thallium concentration was 5369 mcg/L, a spot urine thallium >2000 mcg/L, and a 24- hour urine thallium was >2000 mcg/L. Though extremely rare, thallium intoxication can be lethal despite early administration of MDAC and use of Prussian blue therapy. Rapid initiation of hemodialysis can be considered in cases of severe thallium poisoning, to remove additional thallium, to correct acid-base disturbance, or to improve renal function.

Thyroid cancer in toxic and non-toxic multinodular goiter

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Cerci C

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Background : Many authors have claimed that hyperthyroidism protects against thyroid cancer and believed that the incidence of malignancy is lower in patients with toxic multinodular goiter (TMG than in those with non-toxic multinodular goiter. But in recent studies, it was reported that the incidence of malignancy with TMG is not as low as previously thought. Aim : To compare the thyroid cancer incidence in patients with toxic and non-toxic multinodular goiter. Settings and Design : Histology reports of patients treated surgically with a preoperative diagnosis of toxic and non-toxic multinodular goiter were reviewed to identify the thyroid cancer incidence. Patients having a history of neck irradiation or radioactive iodine therapy were excluded from the study. Materials and Methods : We reviewed 294 patients operated between 2001-2005 from toxic and non-toxic multinodular goiter. One hundred and twenty-four of them were toxic and 170 were non-toxic. Hyperthyroidism was diagnosed by elevated tri-iodothyroinine / thyroxine ratios and low thyroid-stimulating hormone with clinical signs and symptoms. All patients were evaluated with ultrasonography and scintigraphy and fine needle aspiration biopsy. Statistical Analysis Used : Significance of the various parameters was calculated by using ANOVA test. Results : The incidence of malignancy was 9% in the toxic and 10.58% in the non-toxic multinodular goiter group. Any significant difference in the incidence of cancer and tumor size between the two groups could not be detected. Conclusions : The incidence of malignancy in toxic multinodular goiter is not very low as thought earlier and is nearly the same in non-toxic multinodular goiter.

Comparison of the radiological and chemical toxicity of lead

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Beitel, G.A.; Mott, S.

1995-03-01

This report estimates the worst-case radiological dose to an individual from ingested lead containing picocurie levels of radionuclides and then compares the calculated radiological health effects to the chemical toxic effects from that same lead. This comparison provides an estimate of the consequences of inadvertently recycling, in the commercial market, lead containing nominally undetectable concentrations of radionuclides. Quantitative expressions for the radiological and chemical toxicities of lead are based on concentrations of lead in the blood stream. The result shows that the chemical toxicity of lead is a greater health hazard, by orders of magnitude, than any probable companion radiation dose.

Comparison of the radiological and chemical toxicity of lead

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beitel, G.A.; Mott, S.

1995-03-01

This report estimates the worst-case radiological dose to an individual from ingested lead containing picocurie levels of radionuclides and then compares the calculated radiological health effects to the chemical toxic effects from that same lead. This comparison provides an estimate of the consequences of inadvertently recycling, in the commercial market, lead containing nominally undetectable concentrations of radionuclides. Quantitative expressions for the radiological and chemical toxicities of lead are based on concentrations of lead in the blood stream. The result shows that the chemical toxicity of lead is a greater health hazard, by orders of magnitude, than any probable companion radiation dose

A case report of central toxic keratopathy in a patient post TransPRK (followed by corneal collagen cross-linking

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Davey N

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Nicholas Davey, Ioannis M Aslanides, Vasilis Selimis Emmetropia Mediterranean Eye Institute, Heraklion, Crete, Greece Purpose: The purpose of this article is to report a case of central toxic keratopathy in a patient post transepithelial photorefractive keratectomy (TransPRK, followed immediately by corneal collagen cross-linking.Methods: This article describes the case of a 26-year-old male after bilateral aberration-free, TransPRK laser (Schwind Amaris 750S. The procedure was performed for compound myopic astigmatism in November 2015, followed immediately by accelerated corneal collagen cross-linking for early keratoconus.Results: From day 3 post-op, tear film debris underneath both contact lenses with corneal haze and early, progressive central anterior stromal opacity formation only in the left eye were noted. At 2 weeks post-op, the left eye was noted to have a significant hyperopic shift with central corneal thinning in the anterior stroma. A central anterior stromal dense opacity had formed in the left eye with the surrounding superficial stromal haze. As of month 2, the opacity gradually started to improve in size and density. The hyperopic shift peaked at 2 months and continued to improve, largely due to epithelial compensation with a gradual recovery of stromal thickness.Conclusion: The question remains as to what provokes the typical central corneal necrosis/thinning in central toxic keratopathy. We hypothesize that the space between the contact lens and the corneal surface post TransPRK is prone to a “pseudo-interface pathology” that could mimic diffuse lamellar keratitis-like pathology. Suboptimal lid hygiene, resulting in tear film combinations of bacteria, inflammatory cells, matrix metalloproteinases and other proteolytic enzymes, contributes to the degradation of vulnerable, exposed collagen stromal tissue post TransPRK or any surface corneal ablation. Refractive surgeons should maintain a healthy lid margin and tear

Toxic release consequence analysis tool (TORCAT) for inherently safer design plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shariff, Azmi Mohd; Zaini, Dzulkarnain

2010-01-01

Many major accidents due to toxic release in the past have caused many fatalities such as the tragedy of MIC release in Bhopal, India (1984). One of the approaches is to use inherently safer design technique that utilizes inherent safety principle to eliminate or minimize accidents rather than to control the hazard. This technique is best implemented in preliminary design stage where the consequence of toxic release can be evaluated and necessary design improvements can be implemented to eliminate or minimize the accidents to as low as reasonably practicable (ALARP) without resorting to costly protective system. However, currently there is no commercial tool available that has such capability. This paper reports on the preliminary findings on the development of a prototype tool for consequence analysis and design improvement via inherent safety principle by utilizing an integrated process design simulator with toxic release consequence analysis model. The consequence analysis based on the worst-case scenarios during process flowsheeting stage were conducted as case studies. The preliminary finding shows that toxic release consequences analysis tool (TORCAT) has capability to eliminate or minimize the potential toxic release accidents by adopting the inherent safety principle early in preliminary design stage.

Systematic review of the effect of intravenous lipid emulsion therapy for local anesthetic toxicity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Høgberg, Lotte Christine Groth; Bania, Theodore C; Lavergne, Valéry

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND: Following national and regional recommendations, intravenous lipid emulsion (ILE) has become established in clinical practice as a treatment for acute local anesthetic (LA) toxicity, although evidence of efficacy is limited to animal studies and human case reports. A collaborative lipid......-defined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Pre-treatment experiments, pharmacokinetic studies not involving toxicity and studies that did not address antidotal use of ILE were excluded. RESULTS: We included 113 studies and reports. Of these, 76 were human and 38 animal studies. One publication included both a human...... case report and an animal study. Human studies included one randomized controlled crossover trial involving 16 healthy volunteers. The subclinical LA toxicity design did not show a difference in the effects of ILE versus saline. There was one case series and 73 case reports of ILE use in the context...

Acute Toxic Myocarditis and Pulmonary Oedema Developing from Scorpion Sting

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Cem Sahin

2015-03-01

Full Text Available The majority of scorpion stings are generally seen with a set of simple clinical findings, such as pain, oedema, numbness, and tenderness in the area of the sting. However, occasionally events, such as toxic myocarditis, acute heart failure, acute pulmonary oedema, and Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS, which occur in scorpion sting cases are a significant problem which determine mortality and morbidity. The case presented here was a 38-year-old man who developed acute toxic myocarditis, acute heart failure, and acute pulmonary oedema following a scorpion sting on the 3rd finger of his right hand.

The Content of Toxic Metals in Agricultural Produce near a Coal Mine: Case Study KCB in Lazarevac, Serbia

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Ana Koprivica

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The monitoring and analysis of concentrations of toxic metals (lead and cadmium in soils and crops indicate that farmland in Serbia is generally not polluted, and the quality of soils is naturally good. Such soils are therefore suitable for organic farming. All noted instances of contamination by toxic metals are of a local nature only, and the result of fertilizers and pesticides, municipal waste, exhaust gases, nearby production facilities, smelting plants, mines, tailings ponds, etc. Locations of this type need to be monitored regularly, and the status of the soil and crops assessed. The results presented in this paper place special emphasis on lead and cadmium. In this regard, the sampling of 67 plant foodstuffs that are being grown in Baroševac village, located in the immediate vicinity of the Kolubara coal mine, was carried out. Fruit samples represented 14.9% and vegetable samples 85.1% of the total sample. The heavy metal content (lead/cadmium in seven samples was above the limits prescribed by the Regulations. Overall exposure of the adult population of Baroševac, calculated on the basis of all samples (67 in total, was 0.89 µg lead per kg of body weight per week, representing only 3.5% provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI, and 0.46 cadmium per kg of body weight, which amounts to 6.7% PTWI. Both values point to the fact that the risk is low, even in the case of populations with high exposure to these toxic metals. This suggests that sustainable development may be possible in the near future.

A general mechanism for intracellular toxicity of metal-containing nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Sabella, Stefania; Carney, Randy P.; Brunetti, Virgilio; Malvindi, Maria Ada; Al-Juffali, Noura; Vecchio, Giuseppe; Janes, Sam M.; Bakr, Osman M.; Cingolani, Roberto; Stellacci, Francesco; Pompa, Pier Paolo

2014-05-01

The assessment of the risks exerted by nanoparticles is a key challenge for academic, industrial, and regulatory communities worldwide. Experimental evidence points towards significant toxicity for a range of nanoparticles both in vitro and in vivo. Worldwide efforts aim at uncovering the underlying mechanisms for this toxicity. Here, we show that the intracellular ion release elicited by the acidic conditions of the lysosomal cellular compartment - where particles are abundantly internalized - is responsible for the cascading events associated with nanoparticles-induced intracellular toxicity. We call this mechanism a ``lysosome-enhanced Trojan horse effect'' since, in the case of nanoparticles, the protective cellular machinery designed to degrade foreign objects is actually responsible for their toxicity. To test our hypothesis, we compare the toxicity of similar gold particles whose main difference is in the internalization pathways. We show that particles known to pass directly through cell membranes become more toxic when modified so as to be mostly internalized by endocytosis. Furthermore, using experiments with chelating and lysosomotropic agents, we found that the toxicity mechanism for different metal containing NPs (such as metallic, metal oxide, and semiconductor NPs) is mainly associated with the release of the corresponding toxic ions. Finally, we show that particles unable to release toxic ions (such as stably coated NPs, or diamond and silica NPs) are not harmful to intracellular environments.The assessment of the risks exerted by nanoparticles is a key challenge for academic, industrial, and regulatory communities worldwide. Experimental evidence points towards significant toxicity for a range of nanoparticles both in vitro and in vivo. Worldwide efforts aim at uncovering the underlying mechanisms for this toxicity. Here, we show that the intracellular ion release elicited by the acidic conditions of the lysosomal cellular compartment - where

D-T neutron streaming experiment simulating narrow gaps in ITER equatorial port

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ochiai, K.; Sato, S.; Wada, M.; Iida, H.; Takakura, K.; Kutsukake, C.; Tanaka, S.; Abe, Y.; Konno, C.

2008-01-01

Under the ITER/ITA task, we have conducted the neutron streaming experiment simulating narrow and deep gaps at boundaries between ITER vacuum vessel and equatorial port plugs. Micro-fission chambers and some activation foils were used to measure fission rates and reaction rates to evaluate the relative fast and slow neutron fluences along the gap in the experimental assembly. The MCNP4C, TORT and Attila codes were used for the experimental analysis. From comparing our measurements and calculations, the following facts were found: (1) in case of a such narrow and deep gap structure, the calculation with MCNP, TORT and Attila codes and FENDL-2.1 is sufficient to predict fast neutron field inside the gap; (2) by scattering neutrons in the experimental room, experimental error considerably increased at the deeper region than 100 cm; (3) angular quadrature set of upward biased U315 and last collided source calculation on TORT and Attila were very important technique for accurate estimation of neutron transport

Remarks of Joseph Marrone

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marrone, J.

1985-01-01

The author's remarks are directed primarily at proposals that have been made that would substantially tort law with respect to radiation claims in order to ease the ability of claimants to recovery damages from defendants. The change would be based upon what had been assumed to be a ''scientific'' means of measuring the ''probability'' that exposure to ionizing radiation was the case of a cancer in a particular claimant. The remarks are divided into three parts: a summary description of the nuclear insurance pools, including the tort radiation claims filed against the pools; and a brief description of claims against the Federal Government and its contractors; an examination of the elementary principles of tort law, and an outline of the threat that has developed that would transform it into a hybrid social benefits program; and comment on the danger to the integrity of science when it is injected into the legislative process

Hypnosis to alleviate the symptoms of ciguatera toxicity: a case study.

Science.gov (United States)

Laser, Eleanor D; Shenefelt, Philip D

2012-01-01

Ciguatera toxicity is a poisoning from consuming reef fish that had fed on dinoflagellates such as Gambierdiscus toxicus found along coral reefs. The toxin is oil soluble, odorless, colorless, tasteless, heat stable, and is concentrated in larger carnivorous fish such as amberjack, barracuda, eel, grouper, red snapper, sea bass, and Spanish mackerel. Onset of symptoms is usually within 6-12 hours after ingestion. Gastrointestinal symptoms lasting 1-2 days include abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Neurological symptoms may persist for weeks or several months or--rarely--years and include circumoral and extremity paresthesias, temperature sensation reversal, itching, weakness, ataxia, and others. A patient with burning hands and feet who had not found relief using other methods had diagnosis of ciguatera toxicity assisted by hypnotically refreshed memory followed by rapid relief with hypnotic suggestions in 1 session and remained free of symptoms.

Acute methaemoglobinaemia initially treated as organophosphate poisoning leading to atropine toxicity.

Science.gov (United States)

Kakhandki, Srinivas; Yahya, Mohammed; Praveen, Mudalgi

2012-07-01

A case of unknown compound poisoning is presented. It was initially treated as organophosphate poisoning with lack of response. A timely diagnosis of acute methaemoglobinaemia and iatrogenic atropine toxicity was made based on clinical evaluation. Treatment of methaemoglobinaemia using oral methylene blue and of atropine toxicity with supportive measures could save the patient.

Prediction of Acute Mammalian Toxicity Using QSAR Methods: A Case Study of Sulfur Mustard and Its Breakdown Products

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John Wheeler

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Predicting toxicity quantitatively, using Quantitative Structure Activity Relationships (QSAR, has matured over recent years to the point that the predictions can be used to help identify missing comparison values in a substance’s database. In this manuscript we investigate using the lethal dose that kills fifty percent of a test population (the LD₅₀ for determining relative toxicity of a number of substances. In general, the smaller the LD₅₀ value, the more toxic the chemical, and the larger the LD₅₀ value, the lower the toxicity. When systemic toxicity and other specific toxicity data are unavailable for the chemical(s of interest, during emergency responses, LD₅₀ values may be employed to determine the relative toxicity of a series of chemicals. In the present study, a group of chemical warfare agents and their breakdown products have been evaluated using four available rat oral QSAR LD₅₀ models. The QSAR analysis shows that the breakdown products of Sulfur Mustard (HD are predicted to be less toxic than the parent compound as well as other known breakdown products that have known toxicities. The QSAR estimated break down products LD₅₀ values ranged from 299 mg/kg to 5,764 mg/kg. This evaluation allows for the ranking and toxicity estimation of compounds for which little toxicity information existed; thus leading to better risk decision making in the field.

Is the OECD acute worm toxicity test environmentally relevant? The effect of mineral form on calculated lead toxicity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Davies, N.A.Nicola A.; Hodson, M.E.Mark E.; Black, S.Stuart

2003-01-01

The current OECD acute worm toxicity test does not relate well to ambient conditions. - In a series of experiments the toxicity of lead to worms in soil was determined following the draft OECD earthworm reproduction toxicity protocol except that lead was added as solid lead nitrate, carbonate and sulphide rather than as lead nitrate solution as would normally be the case. The compounds were added to the test soil to give lead concentrations of 625-12500 μg Pb g -1 of soil. Calculated toxicities of the lead decreased in the order nitrate>carbonate>sulphide, the same order as the decrease in the solubility of the metal compounds used. The 7-day LC 50 (lethal concentration when 50% of the population is killed) for the nitrate was 5321±275 μg Pb g -1 of soil and this did not change with time. The LC 50 values for carbonate and sulphide could not be determined at the concentration ranges used. The only parameter sensitive enough to distinguish the toxicities of the three compounds was cocoon (egg) production. The EC 50 s for cocoon production (the concentration to produce a 50% reduction in cocoon production) were 993, 8604 and 10246 μg Pb g -1 of soil for lead nitrate, carbonate and sulphide, respectively. Standard toxicity tests need to take into account the form in which the contaminant is present in the soil to be of environmental relevance

Acute and late toxicities of radiotherapy for patients with discoid lupus erythematosus: a retrospective case-control study

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Patel Ajaykumar B

2012-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The purpose of this study was to evaluate acute and late toxicities of radiotherapy for patients with discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE. Methods A retrospective review was performed of patients with DLE who received radiotherapy at our institution between 1980 and 2005. Patients with other connective tissue disorders were excluded. Control patients were matched 2:1 with the DLE treatment courses based on age, cancer diagnosis, year of treatment, radiotherapy dose, and sex. Acute (within 30 days from the completion of radiotherapy and late toxicities were evaluated for each treatment course using the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events Version 3.0. Results Twelve patients with DLE received a total of 15 radiotherapy courses. The median follow-up time was 2.6 years (range, 0.0-15.2 years. Acute toxicity of any organ was observed in 10 (67% treatment courses, of which 2 (13% were Grade 3 or higher. Acute Grade 1 or 2 dermatologic toxicity was observed in 8 courses (53%. Late toxicity of any organ was observed in 7 of 12 (58% evaluable treatment courses, of which 3 (23% were grade 3 or higher. Late grade 1 or 2 dermatologic toxicity was observed in 5 (42% courses. No patient experienced acute or late Grade 3 or higher dermatologic toxicity. The rates of any organ or dermatologic acute and late toxicity were not significantly different between DLE and control treatment courses. Conclusions Our findings do not suggest an increased risk of toxicity to the skin or other organs in patients with DLE receiving radiotherapy.

Acute and late toxicities of radiotherapy for patients with discoid lupus erythematosus: a retrospective case-control study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Patel, Ajaykumar B; Hallemeier, Christopher L; Petersen, Ivy A; Jensen, Ashley W; Osborn, Thomas G; Miller, Robert C

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate acute and late toxicities of radiotherapy for patients with discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE). A retrospective review was performed of patients with DLE who received radiotherapy at our institution between 1980 and 2005. Patients with other connective tissue disorders were excluded. Control patients were matched 2:1 with the DLE treatment courses based on age, cancer diagnosis, year of treatment, radiotherapy dose, and sex. Acute (within 30 days from the completion of radiotherapy) and late toxicities were evaluated for each treatment course using the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events Version 3.0. Twelve patients with DLE received a total of 15 radiotherapy courses. The median follow-up time was 2.6 years (range, 0.0-15.2 years). Acute toxicity of any organ was observed in 10 (67%) treatment courses, of which 2 (13%) were Grade 3 or higher. Acute Grade 1 or 2 dermatologic toxicity was observed in 8 courses (53%). Late toxicity of any organ was observed in 7 of 12 (58%) evaluable treatment courses, of which 3 (23%) were grade 3 or higher. Late grade 1 or 2 dermatologic toxicity was observed in 5 (42%) courses. No patient experienced acute or late Grade 3 or higher dermatologic toxicity. The rates of any organ or dermatologic acute and late toxicity were not significantly different between DLE and control treatment courses. Our findings do not suggest an increased risk of toxicity to the skin or other organs in patients with DLE receiving radiotherapy

Lead toxicity as an etiology for abdominal pain in the emergency department.

Science.gov (United States)

Moriarity, Risa S; Harris, James T; Cox, Robert D

2014-02-01

Abdominal pain is an uncommon presentation of lead toxicity in the emergency department (ED). However, making the diagnosis is important in avoiding unnecessary testing and the long-term sequelae of lead toxicity. To illustrate possible presentations of abdominal pain secondary to lead toxicity and highlight the importance of taking a thorough patient history. We report 2 patients who presented to the ED with abdominal pain and underwent extensive evaluations that did not reveal an etiology. At follow-up visits, their occupational histories revealed possible lead exposures from working for a bullet-recycling company. Tests revealed that each patient had extremely high lead levels and they were both treated for lead toxicity. Their abdominal pain resolved as their lead levels decreased. These cases demonstrate a rare but significant cause of abdominal pain in the ED. Although history-taking in the ED is necessarily brief, these cases underscore the importance of obtaining an occupational history. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Mild toxic anterior segment syndrome mimicking delayed onset toxic anterior segment syndrome after cataract surgery

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Su-Na Lee

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Toxic anterior segment syndrome (TASS is an acute sterile postoperative anterior segment inflammation that may occur after anterior segment surgery. I report herein a case that developed mild TASS in one eye after bilateral uneventful cataract surgery, which was masked during early postoperative period under steroid eye drop and mimicking delayed onset TASS after switching to weaker steroid eye drop.

Toxicity of two imidazolium ionic liquids, [bmim][BF4] and [omim][BF4], to standard aquatic test organisms: Role of acetone in the induced toxicity.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsarpali, Vasiliki; Dailianis, Stefanos

2015-07-01

The main goal of this study was to investigate the toxicity of the imidazolium-based ionic liquids (ILs), [bmim][BF4] (1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate) and [omim][BF4] (1-octyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate), in battery of standard aquatic toxicity test organisms. Specifically, exposure of the algae Scenedesmus rubescens, crustaceans Thamnocephalus platyurus and Artemia franciscana, rotifers Brachionus calyciflorus and Brachionus plicatilis and bivalve Mytilus galloprovincialis to different concentrations of [bmim][BF4], [omim][BF4] and/or a binary mixture of [bmim][BF4]-[omim][BF4] (1:1) with or without acetone (carrier solvent), revealed that solvent can differentially mediate ILs' toxic profile. Acetone's ability to differentially affect ILs' cation's alkyl chain length, as well as the hydrolysis of [BF4(-)] anions was evident. Given that the toxic potency of the tested ILs seemed to be equal or even higher (in some cases) than those of conventional organic solvents, the present study revealed that the characterization of imidazolium-based ILs as "green solvents" should not be generalized, at least in case of their natural occurrence in mixtures with organic solvents, such as acetone. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A CASE SERIES ON FISH BILE TOXICITY

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Dwijen

2015-08-01

Full Text Available A case series of 3 cases of fish bile poisoning are reported. After ingestion of gall bladder of Labeo rohita for alleged vision improvement, generally presented with gastrointestinal symptoms such as cramping pain abdomen, nausea and vomiting within 12 hours after ingestion. Subsequently rena l and hepatic dysfunctions were found in all the three cases. The patient recovered fully with conservative treatment and supportive haemodialysis.

Covering sources of toxic vapors with foam

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aue, W. P.; Guidetti, F.

2009-01-01

In a case of chemical terrorism, first responders might well be confronted with a liquid source of toxic vapor which keeps spreading out its hazardous contents. With foam as an efficient and simple means, such a source could be covered up in seconds and the spread of vapors mitigated drastically. Once covered, the source could then wait for a longer time to be removed carefully and professionally by a decontamination team. In order to find foams useful for covering up toxic vapor sources, a large set of measurements has been performed in order to answer the following questions: - Which foams could be used for this purpose? - How thick should the foam cover be? - For how long would such a foam cover be effective? - Could the practical application of foam cause a spread of the toxic chemical? The toxic vapors sources included GB, GD and HD. Among the foams were 10 fire fighter foams (e.g. AFFF, protein) and the aqueous decontamination foam CASCAD. Small scale experiments showed that CASCAD is best suited for covering a toxic source; a 10 cm layer of it covers and decontaminates GB. The large scale experiments confirmed that any fire fighter foam is a suitable cover for a longer or shorter period.(author)

In silico assessment of the acute toxicity of chemicals: recent advances and new model for multitasking prediction of toxic effect.

Science.gov (United States)

Kleandrova, Valeria V; Luan, Feng; Speck-Planche, Alejandro; Cordeiro, M Natália D S

2015-01-01

The assessment of acute toxicity is one of the most important stages to ensure the safety of chemicals with potential applications in pharmaceutical sciences, biomedical research, or any other industrial branch. A huge and indiscriminate number of toxicity assays have been carried out on laboratory animals. In this sense, computational approaches involving models based on quantitative-structure activity/toxicity relationships (QSAR/QSTR) can help to rationalize time and financial costs. Here, we discuss the most significant advances in the last 6 years focused on the use of QSAR/QSTR models to predict acute toxicity of drugs/chemicals in laboratory animals, employing large and heterogeneous datasets. The advantages and drawbacks of the different QSAR/QSTR models are analyzed. As a contribution to the field, we introduce the first multitasking (mtk) QSTR model for simultaneous prediction of acute toxicity of compounds by considering different routes of administration, diverse breeds of laboratory animals, and the reliability of the experimental conditions. The mtk-QSTR model was based on artificial neural networks (ANN), allowing the classification of compounds as toxic or non-toxic. This model correctly classified more than 94% of the 1646 cases present in the whole dataset, and its applicability was demonstrated by performing predictions of different chemicals such as drugs, dietary supplements, and molecules which could serve as nanocarriers for drug delivery. The predictions given by the mtk-QSTR model are in very good agreement with the experimental results.

Confidence Limits for Hazardous Concentrations Based on Logistically Distributed NOEC Toxicity Data

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Aldenberg T; Slob W

1991-01-01

This paper deals with the calculation of Hazardous Concentrations of toxic substances from small sets of laboratory toxicity data, e.g. NOECs. A procedure due to Van Straalen and Denneman, as adapted from Kooijman (case n=1), in which one seeks a concentration that protects 95% of the biological

Hospital waste management and toxicity evaluation: A case study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsakona, M.; Anagnostopoulou, E.; Gidarakos, E.

2007-01-01

Hospital waste management is an imperative environmental and public safety issue, due to the waste's infectious and hazardous character. This paper examines the existing waste strategy of a typical hospital in Greece with a bed capacity of 400-600. The segregation, collection, packaging, storage, transportation and disposal of waste were monitored and the observed problematic areas documented. The concentrations of BOD, COD and heavy metals were measured in the wastewater the hospital generated. The wastewater's toxicity was also investigated. During the study, omissions and negligence were observed at every stage of the waste management system, particularly with regard to the treatment of infectious waste. Inappropriate collection and transportation procedures for infectious waste, which jeopardized the safety of staff and patients, were recorded. However, inappropriate segregation practices were the dominant problem, which led to increased quantities of generated infectious waste and hence higher costs for their disposal. Infectious waste production was estimated using two different methods: one by weighing the incinerated waste (880 kg day -1 ) and the other by estimating the number of waste bags produced each day (650 kg day -1 ). Furthermore, measurements of the EC 50 parameter in wastewater samples revealed an increased toxicity in all samples. In addition, hazardous organic compounds were detected in wastewater samples using a gas chromatograph/mass spectrograph. Proposals recommending the application of a comprehensive hospital waste management system are presented that will ensure that any potential risks hospital wastes pose to public health and to the environment are minimized

Etanercept therapy for toxic epidermal necrolysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Paradisi, Andrea; Abeni, Damiano; Bergamo, Fabio; Ricci, Francesco; Didona, Dario; Didona, Biagio

2014-08-01

Toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) is a severe and potentially lethal drug reaction for which no standard treatment is available. To describe a case series of patients with TEN treated with a single dose of etanercept. We observed 10 consecutive patients with TEN. For each patient, we recorded the presence of comorbidities and all the drugs recently started (ie, in the last month). In all cases, 50 mg of etanercept was administered in a single subcutaneous injection. The clinical severity of disease was computed using the SCORe of Toxic Epidermal Necrosis (SCORTEN) scale. Using the probabilities of death linked to each level of SCORTEN score, we calculated the expected probability of death in our patients. Healing was defined as complete reepithelialization, and a time to healing curve was then obtained using the Kaplan-Meier method. All patients promptly responded to treatment, reaching complete reepithelialization without complications or side effects. The median time to healing was 8.5 days. This is a small, uncontrolled case series. These preliminary results suggest the possibility that tumor necrosis factor-alfa may be an effective target for control of TEN, a dangerous skin condition for which no effective cure has yet been found. Copyright © 2014 American Academy of Dermatology, Inc. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Abacavir-induced liver toxicity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Diletta Pezzani

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Abacavir-induced liver toxicity is a rare event almost exclusively occurring in HLA B*5701-positive patients. Herein, we report one case of abnormal liver function tests occurring in a young HLA B*5701-negative woman on a stable nevirapine-based regimen with no history of liver problems or alcohol abuse after switching to abacavir from tenofovir. We also investigated the reasons for abacavir discontinuation in a cohort of patients treated with abacavir-lamivudine-nevirapine.

Necrotizing Fasciitis and Toxic Shock Syndrome from Clostridium septicum following a Term Cesarean Delivery

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

B. H. Rimawi

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Necrotizing fasciitis and toxic shock syndrome are life-threatening conditions that can be seen after any surgical procedure. With only 4 previous published case reports in the obstetrics and gynecology literature of these two conditions occurring secondary to Clostridium septicum, we describe a case of necrotizing fasciitis and toxic shock syndrome occurring after a term cesarean delivery caused by this microorganism, requiring aggressive medical and surgical intervention.

Warfarin-induced toxic epidermal necrolysis in combination therapy of Henoch-Schönlein purpura nephritis: a case report.

Science.gov (United States)

Kasahara, Katsuaki; Gotoh, Yoshimitsu; Kuroyanagi, Yoshiyuki; Nagano, China

2017-07-14

Toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) is a rare life-threatening condition almost exclusively attributed to drugs. The main etiologic factors for TEN are sulphonamides, anticonvulsants, and antibiotics; however, there are no published reports of warfarin causing TEN. We present the case of a 3-year-old patient who developed TEN while receiving treatment for Henoch-Schönlein purpura nephritis (HSPN). With multiple-drug therapy comprising prednisolone, mizoribine, dipyridamole, and warfarin, it is difficult to detect which drug is the causative agent. While in most cases, diagnosis of the causative drug is based on clinical history without a lymphocyte transformation test (LTT), we performed the test three times and identified the causative drug as warfarin at the late phase. We continued HSPN treatment without warfarin, and results showed good renal function without life-threatening complications. To our knowledge, this is the first report about TEN caused by warfarin. Repeated LTTs could be useful for identifying TEN-causative drugs even in the late phase.

Case report

African Journals Online (AJOL)

ebutamanya

2015-11-24

Nov 24, 2015 ... High drug level and the absence of toxic effect (or the absence of toxic .... from the first order,"in which the extent of metabolism is directly correlated with the ... hepatocyte, the pancreatic ductuli, the glandular epithelial cells of ... cytochrome P-450 genes in diseases requiring chronic drug use. In our case ...

A case of toxic epidermal necrolysis initially affecting the skin site of radiation therapy for an intra-cranial post-transplantation lymphoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tanoue, Toshihide; Egawa, Kiyofumi; Fukushima, Satoshi; Wakasugi, Syoji; Ono, Tomomichi; Yoshida, Shinsuke; Kouchi, Masato; Nishi, Kazuhiko

2006-01-01

We report a case of post-transplantation lymphoma (intra-cranial EBV-related malignant lymphoma) who developed toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) during concomitant phenobarbital administration and radiotherapy. The erythema exsudativum multiforme-like eruption first appeared on the site of radiation and extended to approximately 35% of the body surface. After stopping radiation therapy and all medications, including immunosuppressant, anticonvulsant, and diuretic drugs, treatment was successfully administered by systemic corticosteroids including semi-pulse therapy (500 mg of methylpredonisolone sodium succinate for 3 days). (author)

Introducing Toxics

OpenAIRE

David C. Bellinger

2013-01-01

With this inaugural issue, Toxics begins its life as a peer-reviewed, open access journal focusing on all aspects of toxic chemicals. We are interested in publishing papers that present a wide range of perspectives on toxicants and naturally occurring toxins, including exposure, biomarkers, kinetics, biological effects, fate and transport, treatment, and remediation. Toxics differs from many other journals in the absence of a page or word limit on contributions, permitting authors to present ...

Toxic shock syndrome

Science.gov (United States)

Staphylococcal toxic shock syndrome; Toxic shock-like syndrome; TSLS ... Toxic shock syndrome is caused by a toxin produced by some types of staphylococcus bacteria. A similar problem, called toxic shock- ...

A general mechanism for intracellular toxicity of metal-containing nanoparticles

KAUST Repository

Sabella, Stefania

2014-04-09

The assessment of the risks exerted by nanoparticles is a key challenge for academic, industrial, and regulatory communities worldwide. Experimental evidence points towards significant toxicity for a range of nanoparticles both in vitro and in vivo. Worldwide efforts aim at uncovering the underlying mechanisms for this toxicity. Here, we show that the intracellular ion release elicited by the acidic conditions of the lysosomal cellular compartment-where particles are abundantly internalized-is responsible for the cascading events associated with nanoparticles-induced intracellular toxicity. We call this mechanism a "lysosome-enhanced Trojan horse effect" since, in the case of nanoparticles, the protective cellular machinery designed to degrade foreign objects is actually responsible for their toxicity. To test our hypothesis, we compare the toxicity of similar gold particles whose main difference is in the internalization pathways. We show that particles known to pass directly through cell membranes become more toxic when modified so as to be mostly internalized by endocytosis. Furthermore, using experiments with chelating and lysosomotropic agents, we found that the toxicity mechanism for different metal containing NPs (such as metallic, metal oxide, and semiconductor NPs) is mainly associated with the release of the corresponding toxic ions. Finally, we show that particles unable to release toxic ions (such as stably coated NPs, or diamond and silica NPs) are not harmful to intracellular environments. The Royal Society of Chemistry 2014.

A general mechanism for intracellular toxicity of metal-containing nanoparticles

KAUST Repository

Sabella, Stefania; Carney, Randy P.; Brunetti, Virgilio; Malvindi, Maria Ada; Al-Juffali, Noura; Vecchio, Giuseppe; Janes, Sam M.; Bakr, Osman; Cingolani, Roberto; Stellacci, Francesco; Pompa, Pier Paolo

2014-01-01

The assessment of the risks exerted by nanoparticles is a key challenge for academic, industrial, and regulatory communities worldwide. Experimental evidence points towards significant toxicity for a range of nanoparticles both in vitro and in vivo. Worldwide efforts aim at uncovering the underlying mechanisms for this toxicity. Here, we show that the intracellular ion release elicited by the acidic conditions of the lysosomal cellular compartment-where particles are abundantly internalized-is responsible for the cascading events associated with nanoparticles-induced intracellular toxicity. We call this mechanism a "lysosome-enhanced Trojan horse effect" since, in the case of nanoparticles, the protective cellular machinery designed to degrade foreign objects is actually responsible for their toxicity. To test our hypothesis, we compare the toxicity of similar gold particles whose main difference is in the internalization pathways. We show that particles known to pass directly through cell membranes become more toxic when modified so as to be mostly internalized by endocytosis. Furthermore, using experiments with chelating and lysosomotropic agents, we found that the toxicity mechanism for different metal containing NPs (such as metallic, metal oxide, and semiconductor NPs) is mainly associated with the release of the corresponding toxic ions. Finally, we show that particles unable to release toxic ions (such as stably coated NPs, or diamond and silica NPs) are not harmful to intracellular environments. The Royal Society of Chemistry 2014.

Toxic keratopathy due to abuse of topical anesthetic drugs.

Science.gov (United States)

Yeniad, Baris; Canturk, Serife; Esin Ozdemir, Fatma; Alparslan, Nilufer; Akarcay, Koray

2010-06-01

To describe 8 cases of toxic keratopathy due to abuse of topical anesthetic drugs. Clinical findings from patients with toxic keratopathy were investigated retrospectively. Two patients had toxic keratopathy bilaterally. Five of 8 patients had an ocular history of a corneal foreign body, 1 had basal membrane dystrophy, 1 had ultraviolet radiation, and 1 had chemical burn. All patients had undergone psychiatric consultation. Four patients had anxiety disorder and 1 had bipolar disease. Clinical signs were improved in all patients with discontinuation of topical anesthetic drug use along with adjunctive psychiatric treatment. Penetrating keratoplasty was performed in 2 patients. Toxic keratopathy due to topical anesthetic abuse is a curable disease. Early diagnosis and prevention of topical anesthetic drug use are the most important steps in the treatment of this condition. As these patients commonly exhibit psychiatric disorders, adjunctive psychiatric treatment may help to break the chemical addiction.

Tortícolis muscular congénita: punto de vista del cirujano plástico

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

F.J. Villegas-Alzate

2014-03-01

Full Text Available La tortícolis muscular congénita es una entidad frecuente, presente al nacimiento como una banda fibrosa o tumor en la región del músculo esternocleidomastoideo, que produce cambios restrictivos reflejados en trastornos progresivos del crecimiento y posición de la cabeza y en la rotación y flexión del cuello. El diagnóstico y tratamiento oportunos con fisioterapia y aparatología pueden evitar su secuencia de asimetría craneofacial y daño ocular, de difícil corrección una vez instaurados. Los casos que no responden al tratamiento médico inicial se benefician de cirugía. Presentamos la experiencia quirúrgica con 16 pacientes entre 9 y 32 años con seguimiento de entre 10 semanas y 15 años. El tratamiento quirúrgico consistió en 3 tenotomías de las inserciones del músculo esternocleidomastoideo a través de abordaje directo por dos incisiones pequeñas. Cuantificamos la mejoría de la posición de la cabeza por mediciones angulares en las fotografías pre y postoperatorias en vistas anterior y posterior, demostrando correcciones de entre el 53 y el 100% con promedio del 83% . En algunos casos medimos la movilidad del cuello con un transportador de ángulos confeccionado en consulta. En todos los casos logramos mejoría sustancial, sin complicaciones y con cicatrices aceptables; la columna lateral del cuello en el sitio del músculo seccionado recuperó su continuidad, sin percepción de corte abrupto, depresión o hundimiento. No observamos correlación entre la mejoría lograda y la severidad de la deformidad, ni tampoco con la edad del paciente en el momento de la cirugía, ya que a pesar de que en algunos casos había finalizado el crecimiento y el estado era avanzado, la mejoría fue buena.

Anaerobic biodegradability and toxicity of complex or toxicant wastewater

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wills Betancur, B.A.

1995-01-01

As a first approximation to wastewater classification in susceptibility terms to treatment by anaerobic biological system, anaerobic biodegradability trials are accomplished to leached of sanitary landfill, to wastewater of coffee grain wet treatment plant and to wastewater of fumaric acid recuperation plant. In the last Plant, anaerobic toxicity trials and lethal toxicity on the Daphnia pulex micro-crustacean are made too. Anaerobic biological trials are made continuing the Wageningen University (Holland) Methodology (1.987). Lethal toxicity biological trials are made following the Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater(18th edition, 1992). In development of this investigation project is found that fumaric acid recuperation plant leached it has a low anaerobic biodegradability, a high anaerobic toxicity and a high lethal toxicity over Daphnia pulex, for such reasons this leached is cataloged as complex and toxic wastewater. The other hand, wastewater of coffee grain wet treatment plant and wastewater of sanitary landfill they are both highly biodegradability and not-toxic, for such reasons these wastewaters are cataloged as susceptible to treatment by anaerobic biological system

Toxicity of Engineered Nanoparticles to Aquatic Invertebrates

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cupi, Denisa; Sørensen, Sara Nørgaard; Skjolding, Lars Michael

2016-01-01

This chapter provides a targeted description of some of the most important processes that influence toxicity and uptake of nanoparticles in aquatic invertebrates. It discusses silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs), on how aspects of dissolution and chemical species obtained from this process can influence...... ecotoxicity of aquatic invertebrates. The chapter focuses on how fullerenes affect the toxicity of other pollutants, but also reflect on the fate and behavior of C60 in the aquatic environment, as well as ecotoxicity to aquatic invertebrates. It presents the case of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs...... on bioaccumulation focusing on the effect of nanoparticle coating, uptake, and depuration in aquatic invertebrates....

Toxicity and outcome of pelvic IMRT for node-positive prostate cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mueller, A.C.; Luetjens, J.; Eckert, F.; Bamberg, M.; Alber, M.; Schilling, D.; Belka, C.; Gaswindt, U.

2012-01-01

Background and purpose: This study reports on the treatment techniques, toxicity, and outcome of pelvic intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) for lymph node-positive prostate cancer (LNPPC, T1-4, c/pN1 cM0). Patients and methods: Pelvic IMRT to 45-50.4 Gy was applied in 39 cases either after previous surgery of involved lymph nodes (n = 18) or with a radiation boost to suspicious nodes (n = 21) with doses of 60-70 Gy, usually combined with androgen deprivation (n = 37). The prostate and seminal vesicles received 70-74 Gy. In cases of previous prostatectomy, prostatic fossa and remnants of seminal vesicles were given 66-70 Gy. Treatment-related acute and late toxicity was graded according to the RTOG criteria. Results: Acute radiation-related toxicity higher than grade 2 occurred in 2 patients (with the need for urinary catheter/subileus related to adhesions after surgery). Late toxicity was mild (grade 1-2) after a median follow-up of 70 months. Over 50% of the patients reported no late morbidity (grade 0). PSA control and cancer-specific survival reached 67% and 97% at over 5 years. Conclusion: Pelvic IMRT after the removal of affected nodes or with a radiation boost to clinically positive nodes led to an acceptable late toxicity (no grade 3/4 events), thus justifying further evaluation of this approach in a larger cohort. (orig.)

Therapeutic values, chemical constituents and toxicity of Taiwanese Dysosma pleiantha--a review.

Science.gov (United States)

Karuppaiya, Palaniyandi; Tsay, Hsin Sheng

2015-07-16

Dysosma pleiantha (Hance) Woodson also called as Bajiaolian belongs to the family Berberidaceae, is widely used in Taiwan as traditional Chinese herbal medicine for more than thousands of years. It is usually recommended by various traditional Chinese medical doctors and herbal pharmacies for general remedies including postpartum recovery, treatment of weakness, neck mass, acne, hepatoma, lumbago, snakebite, tumor growth and dysmenorrhea. In the textbooks of traditional Chinese medicine, there is limited information about the toxicity of Bajiaolian. Podophyllotoxin, a lignan is the main toxic ingredient of Bajiaolian rhizome. Therefore, Bajiaolian is documented as the fifth highest cause of poisoning among the herbal medicine in Taiwan. Since the therapeutic and toxic doses are very close, Bajiaolian poisoning cases are frequently reported in Taiwan. Moreover, Dysosma poisoning cases are difficult to diagnosis because physicians are unfamiliar with this medicine's multiple clinical presentations in different stages of intoxication. Therefore, the objective of this review is to represent the collective information available in literatures regarding D. pleiantha, a cytotoxic lignan containing medicinal plant. Specifically, the literatures have been reviewed for articles pertaining to chemical constituents, properties, therapeutical benefits, toxicity, poisoning symptoms, toxic as well as therapeutic dose and medical management. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Role of Sodium Bicarbonate in the Management of Some Toxic Ingestions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aibek E. Mirrakhimov

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Adverse reactions to commonly prescribed medications and to substances of abuse may result in severe toxicity associated with increased morbidity and mortality. According to the Center for Disease Control, in 2013, at least 2113 human fatalities attributed to poisonings occurred in the United States of America. In this article, we review the data regarding the impact of systemic sodium bicarbonate administration in the management of certain poisonings including sodium channel blocker toxicities, salicylate overdose, and ingestion of some toxic alcohols and in various pharmacological toxicities. Based on the available literature and empiric experience, the administration of sodium bicarbonate appears to be beneficial in the management of a patient with the above-mentioned toxidromes. However, most of the available evidence originates from case reports, case series, and expert consensus recommendations. The potential mechanisms of sodium bicarbonate include high sodium load and the development of metabolic alkalosis with resultant decreased tissue penetration of the toxic substance with subsequent increased urinary excretion. While receiving sodium bicarbonate, patients must be monitored for the development of associated side effects including electrolyte abnormalities, the progression of metabolic alkalosis, volume overload, worsening respiratory status, and/or worsening metabolic acidosis. Patients with oliguric/anuric renal failure and advanced decompensated heart failure should not receive sodium bicarbonate.

The Role of Sodium Bicarbonate in the Management of Some Toxic Ingestions.

Science.gov (United States)

Mirrakhimov, Aibek E; Ayach, Taha; Barbaryan, Aram; Talari, Goutham; Chadha, Romil; Gray, Adam

2017-01-01

Adverse reactions to commonly prescribed medications and to substances of abuse may result in severe toxicity associated with increased morbidity and mortality. According to the Center for Disease Control, in 2013, at least 2113 human fatalities attributed to poisonings occurred in the United States of America. In this article, we review the data regarding the impact of systemic sodium bicarbonate administration in the management of certain poisonings including sodium channel blocker toxicities, salicylate overdose, and ingestion of some toxic alcohols and in various pharmacological toxicities. Based on the available literature and empiric experience, the administration of sodium bicarbonate appears to be beneficial in the management of a patient with the above-mentioned toxidromes. However, most of the available evidence originates from case reports, case series, and expert consensus recommendations. The potential mechanisms of sodium bicarbonate include high sodium load and the development of metabolic alkalosis with resultant decreased tissue penetration of the toxic substance with subsequent increased urinary excretion. While receiving sodium bicarbonate, patients must be monitored for the development of associated side effects including electrolyte abnormalities, the progression of metabolic alkalosis, volume overload, worsening respiratory status, and/or worsening metabolic acidosis. Patients with oliguric/anuric renal failure and advanced decompensated heart failure should not receive sodium bicarbonate.

Acute toxicity and effect of some petroleum hydrocarbon on the metabolic index in Etroplus suratensis

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Ansari, Z.A; Farshchi, P.

lowest for naphthalene, suggesting that this hydrocarbon is most toxic. The oxygen consumption reduced significantly after 6 hours in all the cases. The reduction in oxygen consumption was maximum in naphthalene, reaffirming its high toxic nature...

Clinicopathological Studies on Gentamicin Toxicity in White Leghorn Commercial Layers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Najam Ul Islam, M. Zargham Khan1, M. Kashif Saleemi*1, Ahrar Khan1, Sheraz Ahmed Bhatti1, Muhammad Yousaf2 and Zahoor-ul-Hassan3

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Gentamicin is an effective and economical drug used to control infectious diseases in poultry but is highly toxic and had slow clearance from the body. This study aimed to report three cases of gentamicin toxicity in three White Leghorn (WLH layer flocks in different poultry producing areas of Pakistan. In first case, gentamicin was injected in a 9000 WLH layer flock @ 10 mg/kg body weight (BW for seven times during 9-15 weeks for age. In second case, gentamicin was injected in a flock of 7500 WLH layers @ 25 mg/kg BW for four times during 17-18 weeks of age. In third case, gentamicin was injected in flock of 16000 WLH layers @ 22.22 mg/kg BW three times in 20-21 weeks of age. Flock wise mortality was 8.69, 82.63 and 71.86%, respectively. Birds were dehydrated, emaciated and had prominent keel bone. Clinical signs included dehydration, decreased body weight leading to emaciation, decreased feed intake, increased water intake and watery diarrhea. Necropsy revealed prominent keal bone, shrunken muscles swollen kidneys bulging out from bony sockets. Petechial and echymotic hemorrhages were present on heart and skeletal muscles. Liver was enlarged with hemorrhagic streaks on its surface. Microscopically, hemorrhages and acute tubular necrosis was recorded in kidneys. Liver had hemorrhages, cellular infiltration and vacuolar (fatty degeneration of hepatocytes. From the results, it could be concluded that overdosing and repeated administration of gentamicin was highly toxic to birds.

Background of Caruaru tragedy; a case taxonomic study of toxic cyanobacteria

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Komárek, Jiří; Azevedo, S. M. F. O.; Domingos, P.; Komárková, Jaroslava; Tichý, Martin

2001-01-01

Roč. 140, č. 103 (2001), s. 9-29 ISSN 0342-1120 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAA6005704; GA ČR GA206/98/1536 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z6005908 Keywords : Cyanobacteria * cyanophytes * taxonomy * ecology * plankton * picoplankton * toxicity * tropical regions * Brazil Subject RIV: DA - Hydrology ; Limnology Impact factor: 1.280, year: 1999

Toxicity of a furanocoumarin to armyworms: a case of biosynthetic escape from insect herbivores.

Science.gov (United States)

Berenbaum, M

1978-08-11

When the linear furanocoumarin xanthotoxin, found in many plants of the families Rutaceae and Umbelliferae, was administered to larvae of Spodoptera eridania, a generalist insect herbivore, it displayed toxic properties lacking in its biosynthetic precursor umbelliferone. Reduced toxicity observed in the absence of ultraviolet light is consistent with the known mechanism of photoinactivation of DNA by furanocoumarins through ultraviolet-catalyzed cross-linkage of strands. Thus, the ability of a plant to convert umbelliferone to linear furanocoumarins appears to confer broader protection against insect herbivores.

Management of low and intermediate level radioactive wastes with regard to their chemical toxicity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2002-12-01

A preliminary overview is provided of management options for low and intermediate level radioactive waste (LILW) with regard to its chemical toxicity. In particular, the following issues are identified and described associated with the management and safe disposal of chemically toxic materials in LILW: the origin and characteristics; the regulatory approaches; the pre-disposal management; the disposal; the safety assessment. Also included are: regulatory framework for chemically toxic low level wastes in the USA; pre-disposal processing options for LILW containing chemically toxic components; example treatment technologies for LILW containing chemically toxic components and safety assessment case studies for Germany, Belgium, France and Sweden

Cardiac transplant due to metal toxicity associated with hip arthroplasty

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sheldon Moniz, MBBS (UWA

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Concerns regarding metal-on-metal (MoM bearing couples in total hip arthroplasty are well documented in the literature with cobalt (Co and chromium (Cr toxicity causing a range of both local and systemic adverse reactions. We describe the case of a patient undergoing cardiac transplantation as a direct result of Co and Cr toxicity following a MoM hip replacement. Poor implant positioning led to catastrophic wear generating abundant wear particles leading to Co and Cr toxicity, metallosis, bony destruction, elevated metal ion levels, and adverse biological responses. Systemic symptoms continued for 3 years following cardiac transplantation with resolution only after revision hip arthroplasty. There was no realization in the initial cardiac assessment and subsequent transplant workup that the hip replacement was the likely cause of the cardiac failure, and the hip replacement was not recognized as the cause until years after the heart transplant. This case highlights the need for clinicians to be aware of systemic MoM complications as well as the importance of positioning when using these prostheses.

Passive dosing of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) mixtures to terrestrial springtails: linking mixture toxicity to chemical activities, equilibrium lipid concentrations, and toxic units.

Science.gov (United States)

Schmidt, Stine N; Holmstrup, Martin; Smith, Kilian E C; Mayer, Philipp

2013-07-02

A 7-day mixture toxicity experiment with the terrestrial springtail Folsomia candida was conducted, and the effects were linked to three different mixture exposure parameters. Passive dosing from silicone was applied to tightly control exposure levels and compositions of 12 mixture treatments, containing the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) naphthalene, phenanthrene, and pyrene. Springtail lethality was then linked to sum chemical activities (∑a), sum equilibrium lipid concentrations (∑C(lipid eq.)), and sum toxic units (∑TU). In each case, the effects of all 12 mixture treatments could be fitted to one sigmoidal exposure-response relationship. The effective lethal chemical activity (La50) of 0.027 was well within the expected range for baseline toxicity of 0.01-0.1. Linking the effects to the lipid-based exposure parameter yielded an effective lethal concentration (LC(lipid eq 50)) of 133 mmol kg(-1) lipid in good correspondence with the lethal membrane burden for baseline toxicity (40-160 mmol kg(-1) lipid). Finally, the effective lethal toxic unit (LTU50) of 1.20 was rather close to the expected value of 1. Altogether, passive dosing provided tightly controlled mixture exposure in terms of both level and composition, while ∑a, ∑C(lipid eq.), and ∑TU allowed baseline toxicity to be linked to mixture exposure.

Toxic hepatitis induced by infliximab in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis with no relapse after switching to etanercept

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Carlsen, K M; Riis, L; Madsen, O R

2009-01-01

We present a case of toxic hepatitis related to infliximab treatment in a 38-year-old woman with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The patient had previously been treated with different disease-modifying drugs (DMARDs) alone or in combination but had never revealed signs of liver dysfunction. Due to high...... elevations of the transaminases up to five times the upper normal limit were noted and treatment with infliximab was terminated. Serological tests for viral and autoimmune hepatitis and for ANA and anti-dsDNA were all negative. Specific infliximab antibodies could not be detected. Ultrasound of the liver...... was normal. Liver biopsy showed late signs of acute toxic hepatitis without MTX-related fibrosis. This is one the first cases that convincingly demonstrates that infliximab treatment may cause toxic hepatitis. Moreover, the case suggests a lack of hepatic cross-toxicity between infliximab and etanercept...

Radioiodine therapy in non-toxic multinodular goitre

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miah, S.R.; Rahman, H.

2007-01-01

Full text: The effect of radioiodine in the treatment of non-toxic multinodular goitre has not been adequately evaluated. The aim of the study was to see the effect of radioiodine on thyroid size and function in patients with non-toxic multinodular goitre. We prospectively studied 55 non-toxic multinodular goitre patients treated with radioiodine of which 15 were males and 40 were females with age ranged from 25 years to 60 years (mean ± SD 40.45 ± 10.70 years) for a minimum of 12 months. Patients who were selected were those with local compression symptoms or for cosmetic reasons and the treatment was chosen because of a high operative risk or refusal to be operated on. Thyroid volume and T3, T4, TSH of all patients were determined before treatment and 6 months interval after treatment. Radioiodine was given in the dose ranged from 333 MBq (9 mCi) to 555 MBq (15 mCi) (mean ± SD 11.45 ± 2.04 mCi). The mean thyroid volume was reduced from 44.75 ± 37.44 ml to 28.76 ± 27.25 ml at 12 months (p < 0.001) i.e., reduced by 35.73%. Thyroid volume reduction at 6 months was 21.07%. Hypothyroidism occurred in 9.1% of the patients at 12 months. Side effects were few. Three cases developed radiation thyroiditis and two cases developed hyperthyroidism that was managed conservatively. It has been concluded that radioiodine is effective and well tolerated in the treatment of non-toxic multinodular goitre and may be the treatment of choice in elderly patients, in patients in whom surgery is contraindicated and in patients who are unwilling to undergo surgery. (author)

Environmental contaminants in food. Volume II-part a: working papers. I. Priority setting of toxic substances for guiding monitoring programs. II. Five case studies of environmental food contamination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1980-01-01

This volume contains working papers written for Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) to assist in preparation of the report Environmental Contaminants in Food. The contents include: (1) Priority setting of toxic substances for guiding monitoring programs; and (2) Five case studies of environmental food contamination

Discovering less toxic ionic liquids by using the Microtox® toxicity test.

Science.gov (United States)

Hernández-Fernández, F J; Bayo, J; Pérez de los Ríos, A; Vicente, M A; Bernal, F J; Quesada-Medina, J

2015-06-01

New Microtox® toxicity data of 16 ionic liquids of different cationic and anionic composition were determined. The ionic liquids 1-butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium trifluoromethanesulfonate, [BMPyr(+)][TFO(-)], 1-butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium chloride, [BMPyr(+)][Cl(-)], hydroxypropylmethylimidazolium fluoroacetate, [HOPMIM(+)][FCH2COO(-)], and hydroxypropylmethylimidazolium glycolate [HOPMIM(+)][glycolate(-)] were found to be less toxic than conventional organic solvent such as chloroform or toluene, accoding the Microtox® toxicity assays. The toxicity of pyrrolidinium cation was lower than the imidazolium and pyridinium ones. It was found that the inclusion of an hydroxyl group in the alkyl chain length of the cation also reduce the toxicity of the ionic liquid. To sum up, the Microtox® toxicity assays can be used as screening tool to easily determined the toxicity of a wide range of ionic liquids and the toxicity data obtained could allow the obtention of structure-toxicity relationships to design less toxic ionic liquids. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Fatal toxic leukoencephalopathy associated with consumption of pasta base of cocaine: Report of three cases].

Science.gov (United States)

Cartier R, Luis; González L, Daniela; Harán D, Jorge

2015-11-01

The prevalence of drug-associated toxic encephalopathy is unknown, but it is an uncommon condition. Toxic leukoencephalopathy was described associated with heroin consumption, it has been less commonly described with the use of cocaine and there are no reports of its association with consumption pasta base of cocaine (PBC). We report two females aged 31 years and a male aged 19 years, consumers of PBC who developed a fatal toxic leukoencephalopathy. They initiated their disease with severe and persistent headache, sequential focal neurologic deficits and a progressive impairment of consciousness that culminated with their death. Laboratory parameters such as blood count, cerebrospinal fluid analyses or infectious biological indices were normal. MRI showed multifocal lesions in brain white matter of both hemispheres confirming the leukoencephalopathy. There was no response to the use of methylprednisolone.

Playing It Safe: Part I.

Science.gov (United States)

Penman, Kenneth A.; Niccolai, Frances R.

1985-01-01

The first of a series of articles explains the legal principles of tort liability, waiver of liability, comparative negligence, assumption of risk, and contributory negligence. Summarizes the kinds of cases going to court involving sport facility design and operation. (MLF)

Acute toxicity from baking soda ingestion.

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, S H; Stone, C K

1994-01-01

Sodium bicarbonate is an extremely well-known agent that historically has been used for a variety of medical conditions. Despite the widespread use of oral bicarbonate, little documented toxicity has occurred, and the emergency medicine literature contains no reports of toxicity caused by the ingestion of baking soda. Risks of acute and chronic oral bicarbonate ingestion include metabolic alkalosis, hypernatremia, hypertension, gastric rupture, hyporeninemia, hypokalemia, hypochloremia, intravascular volume depletion, and urinary alkalinization. Abrupt cessation of chronic excessive bicarbonate ingestion may result in hyperkalemia, hypoaldosteronism, volume contraction, and disruption of calcium and phosphorus metabolism. The case of a patient with three hospital admissions in 4 months, all the result of excessive oral intake of bicarbonate for symptomatic relief of dyspepsia is reported. Evaluation and treatment of patients with acute bicarbonate ingestion is discussed.

Macular edema might be a rare presentation of hydroxychloroquine-induced retinal toxicity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chih-Yao Chang

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study is to report a rare case of macular edema as a presentation of hydroxychloroquine-related retinal toxicity. We presented a case of a 46-year-old female patient using hydroxychloroquine for underlying rheumatoid arthritis (RA with blurred vision over the left eye. Uveitis and macular edema were found initially. Systemic survey did not reveal any other etiology. Topical corticosteroid was given under the impression of RA-related uveitis. The uveitis resolved 1 week later, but macular edema persisted in spite of treatment. Under the suspicion of drug-related complication, we try to discontinue hydroxychloroquine. Her symptoms improved gradually after cessation of hydroxychloroquine, and further serial image study confirmed subsiding of the macular edema without any further treatment. Except the well-known signs of the retinal toxicity, macular edema might be a rare presentation of hydroxychloroquine-related retinal toxicity.

Passive dosing of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) mixtures to terrestrial springtails: Linking mixture toxicity to chemical activities, equilibrium lipid concentrations, and toxic units

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schmidt, Stine Nørgaard; Holmstrup, Martin; Smith, Kilian E. C.

2013-01-01

treatments, containing the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) naphthalene, phenanthrene, and pyrene. Springtail lethality was then linked to sum chemical activities (∑a), sum equilibrium lipid concentrations (∑Clipid eq.), and sum toxic units (∑TU). In each case, the effects of all 12 mixture treatments...... could be fitted to one sigmoidal exposure-response relationship. The effective lethal chemical activity (La50) of 0.027 was well within the expected range for baseline toxicity of 0.01-0.1. Linking the effects to the lipid-based exposure parameter yielded an effective lethal concentration (LClipid eq...

Toxicity of fluoride to aquatic species and evaluation of toxicity modifying factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Pearcy, Krysta; Elphick, James; Burnett-Seidel, Charlene

2015-07-01

The present study was performed to investigate the toxicity of fluoride to a variety of freshwater aquatic organisms and to establish whether water quality variables contribute substantively to modifying its toxicity. Water hardness, chloride, and alkalinity were tested as possible toxicity modifying factors for fluoride using acute toxicity tests with Hyalella azteca and Oncorhynchus mykiss. Chloride appeared to be the major toxicity modifying factor for fluoride in these acute toxicity tests. The chronic toxicity of fluoride was evaluated with a variety of species, including 3 fish (Pimephales promelas, O. mykiss, and Salvelinus namaycush), 3 invertebrates (Ceriodaphnia dubia, H. azteca, and Chironomus dilutus), 1 plant (Lemna minor), and 1 alga (Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata). Hyalella azteca was the most sensitive species overall, and O. mykiss was the most sensitive species of fish. The role of chloride as a toxicity modifying factor was inconsistent between species in the chronic toxicity tests. © 2015 SETAC.

Toxicity of palmitoyl glycerol to mice: depression of thyroid function

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Trumbo, P.R.; Meuten, D.J.; King, M.W.; Tove, S.B.

1987-01-01

Mice given propylthiouracil, a thyroid inhibitor, and fed a diet containing a nontoxic level of rac-1(3)-palmitoyl glycerol showed the hypothermia and mortality expected for a toxic dose, but did not show these signs when linoleate or oleate was added to the diet. Loss of radioiodine from the whole animal and thyroid gland was slower when mice were fed the toxic palmitoyl glycerol diet than when fed the same diet containing 4% safflower oil. However, mice fed the two diets did not differ in the extent of the incorporation of radioiodine, and essentially all was bound to protein in each case. Follicular thyroid cells from mice fed the potentially toxic diet that contained unsaturated fat were normal in appearance. Conversely, cells from mice fed the toxic diet were smaller and more densely stained, showing evidence of glycoprotein inside the cell. These findings show that the thyroid gland is affected by the palmitoyl glycerol diet. However, the thyroid is not the only organ affected, because giving either thyroxine or triiodothyronine had no effect on the toxicity of palmitoyl glycerol

Unusual Fundus Autofluorescence Appearance in a Patient with Hydroxychloroquine Retinal Toxicity

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Sleiman Abou-Ltaif

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Purpose: To report an unusual fundus autofluorescence aspect in a patient with suspected hydroxychloroquine retinal toxicity. Method: Case report of an unusual presentation of a patient treated for 9 consecutive years with a therapeutically recommended dose of hydroxychloroquine. Result: We report the case of a 53-year-old Caucasian female treated with 400 mg hydroxychloroquine for rheumatoid arthritis over 9 years, currently on methotrexate and folinic acid, who stopped treatment 3 years ago. The cumulative dose is estimated at 1.314 kg. She recently noticed a reduction of vision in both eyes to 0.34 logMAR, with colour vision problems and major distortion in central vision. Fundus autofluorescence revealed minimal foveal pigmentary changes and more pronounced changes in the retina elsewhere. Foveal changes were confirmed by optical coherence tomography in both eyes. The patient did not report any colour perception difficulties or night vision problems and has no family history of any eye condition. Her visual field tested by an optician was full, with some central changes. Conclusion: Retinal toxicity from hydroxychloroquine can present in a different aspect than the commonly known retinal toxicity, and it happens even after years of cessation of the drug. The role of cumulative dose in toxicity is supported in this paper.

TGFβ1 SNPs and radio-induced toxicity in prostate cancer patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fachal, Laura; Gómez-Caamaño, Antonio; Sánchez-García, Manuel; Carballo, Ana; Peleteiro, Paula; Lobato-Busto, Ramón; Carracedo, Ángel; Vega, Ana

2012-01-01

Background and purpose: We have performed a case-control study in 413 prostate cancer patients to test for association between TGFβ1 and the development of late normal-tissue toxicity among prostate cancer patients treated with three-dimensional conformational radiotherapy (3D-CRT) Materials and methods: Late gastrointestinal and genitourinary toxicities were assessed for at least two years after radiotherapy in 413 patients according to CTCAEvs3 scores. Codominant genotypic tests and haplotypic analyses were undertaken to evaluate the correlation between TGFβ1 SNPs rs1800469, rs1800470 and rs1800472 and radio-induced toxicity. Results: Neither the SNPs nor the haplotypes were found to be associated with the risk of late toxicity. Conclusions: We were able to exclude up to a 2-fold increase in the risk of developing late gastrointestinal and genitourinary radio-induced toxicity due to the TGFβ1 SNPs rs1800469 and rs1800470, as well as the two most frequent TGFβ1 haplotypes.

Acute toxicity and effect of some petroleum hydrocarbon on the metabolic index in @iEtroplus suratensis@@

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Ansari, Z.A; Farshchi, P.

lowest for naphthalene, suggesting that this hydrocarbon is most toxic. The oxygen consumption reduced significantly after 6 hours in all the cases. The reduction in oxygen consumption was maximum in naphthalene, reaffirming its high toxic nature...

Lead Toxicity in the Pediatric Patient with Sickle Cell Disease: Unique Risks and Management.

Science.gov (United States)

Jung, Josephine Misun; Peddinti, Radhika

2018-01-01

Lead toxicity is the result of lead ingestion, one of the most common ingestions in the pediatric population. Nationwide and statewide efforts to recognize and curtail this epidemic have led to declining rates of toxicity. In patients with sickle cell disease (SCD), lead toxicity can be an elusive diagnosis due to overlapping symptom profiles, and inconsistent follow-up with a primary care physician can make the diagnosis even more difficult. In this article, two illustrative cases of lead toxicity in patients with SCD are described. The discussion reviews the current risk factors, screening, and inpatient management of lead toxicity, as well as describing the unique and sometimes confounding presentations of lead toxicity versus sickle cell crisis. [Pediatr Ann. 2018;47(1):e36-e40.]. Copyright 2018, SLACK Incorporated.

ACCELERATED ONSET OF RETINAL TOXICITY FROM HYDROXYCHLOROQUINE USE WITH CONCOMITANT BREAST CANCER THERAPY.

Science.gov (United States)

Sharma, Aman; Maiz, Alejandra M; Tucker, William R; Cukras, Catherine

2018-05-16

To report a case of accelerated retinal toxicity due to hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) use for treatment of Sjögren syndrome in a patient treated with concomitant chemotherapy for breast cancer. Observational case report. A 56-year-old white woman using 400 mg HCQ (7.1 mg/kg real body weight) daily for a total of 2 years and 10 months for treatment of Sjögren syndrome with concomitant use of docetaxel and cyclophosphamide therapy (21-day cycle, 4 cycles) followed by anastrozole for breast cancer, presented with visual complaints and findings of severe HCQ toxicity. Concomitant breast cancer therapy may have a synergistic effect with HCQ leading to accelerated retinal toxicity. As such potential acceleration is poorly understood, patients on HCQ who are treated with concomitant chemotherapy should be considered for more frequent retinal screenings to maximize safety and preservation of vision.

A case report of central toxic keratopathy in a patient post TransPRK (followed by corneal collagen cross-linking).

Science.gov (United States)

Davey, Nicholas; Aslanides, Ioannis M; Selimis, Vasilis

2017-01-01

The purpose of this article is to report a case of central toxic keratopathy in a patient post transepithelial photorefractive keratectomy (TransPRK), followed immediately by corneal collagen cross-linking. This article describes the case of a 26-year-old male after bilateral aberration-free, TransPRK laser (Schwind Amaris 750S). The procedure was performed for compound myopic astigmatism in November 2015, followed immediately by accelerated corneal collagen cross-linking for early keratoconus. From day 3 post-op, tear film debris underneath both contact lenses with corneal haze and early, progressive central anterior stromal opacity formation only in the left eye were noted. At 2 weeks post-op, the left eye was noted to have a significant hyperopic shift with central corneal thinning in the anterior stroma. A central anterior stromal dense opacity had formed in the left eye with the surrounding superficial stromal haze. As of month 2, the opacity gradually started to improve in size and density. The hyperopic shift peaked at 2 months and continued to improve, largely due to epithelial compensation with a gradual recovery of stromal thickness. The question remains as to what provokes the typical central corneal necrosis/thinning in central toxic keratopathy. We hypothesize that the space between the contact lens and the corneal surface post TransPRK is prone to a "pseudo-interface pathology" that could mimic diffuse lamellar keratitis-like pathology. Suboptimal lid hygiene, resulting in tear film combinations of bacteria, inflammatory cells, matrix metalloproteinases and other proteolytic enzymes, contributes to the degradation of vulnerable, exposed collagen stromal tissue post TransPRK or any surface corneal ablation. Refractive surgeons should maintain a healthy lid margin and tear film, especially in contact lens wearers, to prevent potential complications in refractive surgery procedures.

From basic physics to mechanisms of toxicity: the ``liquid drop'' approach applied to develop predictive classification models for toxicity of metal oxide nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Sizochenko, Natalia; Rasulev, Bakhtiyor; Gajewicz, Agnieszka; Kuz'min, Victor; Puzyn, Tomasz; Leszczynski, Jerzy

2014-10-01

Many metal oxide nanoparticles are able to cause persistent stress to live organisms, including humans, when discharged to the environment. To understand the mechanism of metal oxide nanoparticles' toxicity and reduce the number of experiments, the development of predictive toxicity models is important. In this study, performed on a series of nanoparticles, the comparative quantitative-structure activity relationship (nano-QSAR) analyses of their toxicity towards E. coli and HaCaT cells were established. A new approach for representation of nanoparticles' structure is presented. For description of the supramolecular structure of nanoparticles the ``liquid drop'' model was applied. It is expected that a novel, proposed approach could be of general use for predictions related to nanomaterials. In addition, in our study fragmental simplex descriptors and several ligand-metal binding characteristics were calculated. The developed nano-QSAR models were validated and reliably predict the toxicity of all studied metal oxide nanoparticles. Based on the comparative analysis of contributed properties in both models the LDM-based descriptors were revealed to have an almost similar level of contribution to toxicity in both cases, while other parameters (van der Waals interactions, electronegativity and metal-ligand binding characteristics) have unequal contribution levels. In addition, the models developed here suggest different mechanisms of nanotoxicity for these two types of cells.Many metal oxide nanoparticles are able to cause persistent stress to live organisms, including humans, when discharged to the environment. To understand the mechanism of metal oxide nanoparticles' toxicity and reduce the number of experiments, the development of predictive toxicity models is important. In this study, performed on a series of nanoparticles, the comparative quantitative-structure activity relationship (nano-QSAR) analyses of their toxicity towards E. coli and HaCaT cells were

Cd and Zn interactions and toxicity in ectomycorrhizal basidiomycetes in axenic culture

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vinicius H. De Oliveira

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Background Metal contamination in soils affects both above- and belowground communities, including soil microorganisms. Ectomycorrhizal (ECM fungi are an important component in belowground community and tolerant strains have great potential in enhancing plant-based remediation techniques. We assessed cadmium and zinc toxicity in five ECM species in liquid media (Hebeloma subsaponaceum; H. cylindrosporum; H. crustuliniforme; Scleroderma sp.; Austroboletus occidentalis and investigated the potential of Zn to alleviate Cd toxicity. Due to highly divergent results reported in the literature, liquid and solid media were compared experimentally for the first time in terms of differential toxicity thresholds in Cd and Zn interactions. Methods A wide range of Cd and Zn concentrations were applied to ectomycorrhizal fungi in axenic cultures (in mg L−1: 0; 1; 3; 9; 27; 81; 243 for the Cd treatments, and 0; 1; 30; 90; 270; 810; 2,430 for Zn. Combined Zn and Cd treatments were also applied to H. subsaponaceum and Scleroderma sp. Dry weight was recorded after 30 days, and in case of solid medium treatments, radial growth was also measured. Results and Discussion All species were adversely affected by high levels of Cd and Zn, and A. occidentalis was the most sensitive, with considerable biomass decrease at 1 mg L−1 Cd, while Scleroderma sp. and H. subsaponaceum were the most tolerant, which are species commonly found in highly contaminated sites. Cd was generally 10 times more toxic than Zn, which may explain why Zn had little impact in alleviating Cd effects. In some cases, Cd and Zn interactions led to a synergistic toxicity, depending on the concentrations applied and type of media used. Increased tolerance patterns were detected in fungi grown in solid medium and may be the cause of divergent toxicity thresholds found in the literature. Furthermore, solid medium allows measuring radial growth/mycelial density as endpoints which are informative and in

Antimony Toxicity

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Shyam Sundar

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Antimony toxicity occurs either due to occupational exposure or during therapy. Occupational exposure may cause respiratory irritation, pneumoconiosis, antimony spots on the skin and gastrointestinal symptoms. In addition antimony trioxide is possibly carcinogenic to humans. Improvements in working conditions have remarkably decreased the incidence of antimony toxicity in the workplace. As a therapeutic, antimony has been mostly used for the treatment of leishmaniasis and schistosomiasis. The major toxic side-effects of antimonials as a result of therapy are cardiotoxicity (~9% of patients and pancreatitis, which is seen commonly in HIV and visceral leishmaniasis co-infections. Quality control of each batch of drugs produced and regular monitoring for toxicity is required when antimonials are used therapeutically.

An unusual cause of acute scrotum in a child.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Aworanti, O

2014-11-01

Acute non-traumatic scrotal pain in children, commonly due to a torted testicular appendage (hydatid of Morgagni) or torted epididymal appendage is well described. These vestigial embryonal duct remnants are of Müllerian and Wolffian duct origin respectively. Very rarely, the other infrequently encountered Wolffian duct remnants known as the paradidymis or organ of Giraldés and the superior and inferior aberrant ducts known as the organs of Haller can become torted. We describe the presentation, management and diagnosis of a torted embryonal remnant arising from the distal spermatic cord.

Differential toxicity and influence of salinity on acute toxicity of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Differential toxicity and influence of salinity on acute toxicity of copper sulphate and lead nitrate against Oreochromis niloticus. KA Bawa-Allah, F Osuala, J Effiong. Abstract. This study investigated the salinity-tolerance of Oreochromis niloticus and the influence of salinity changes on the acute toxicities of copper sulphate ...

A case of Kombucha tea toxicity.

Science.gov (United States)

SungHee Kole, Alison; Jones, Heather D; Christensen, Russell; Gladstein, Jay

2009-01-01

Kombucha "mushroom'' tea is touted to have medicinal properties. Here, we present a case of hyperthermia, lactic acidosis, and acute renal failure within 15 hours of Kombucha tea ingestion. A 22 year old male, newly diagnosed with HIV, became short of breath and febrile to 103.0F, within twelve hours of Kombucha tea ingestion. He subsequently became combative and confused, requiring sedation and intubation for airway control. Laboratories revealed a lactate of 12.9 mmol/L, and serum creatinine of 2.1 mg/dL. Kombucha tea is black tea fermented in a yeast-bacteria medium. Several case reports exist of serious, and sometimes fatal, hepatic dysfunction and lactic acidosis within close proximity to ingestion. While Kombucha tea is considered a healthy elixir, the limited evidence currently available raises considerable concern that it may pose serious health risks. Consumption of this tea should be discouraged, as it may be associated with life-threatening lactic acidosis.

Classification of baseline toxicants for QSAR predictions to replace fish acute toxicity studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Nendza, Monika; Müller, Martin; Wenzel, Andrea

2017-03-22

Fish acute toxicity studies are required for environmental hazard and risk assessment of chemicals by national and international legislations such as REACH, the regulations of plant protection products and biocidal products, or the GHS (globally harmonised system) for classification and labelling of chemicals. Alternative methods like QSARs (quantitative structure-activity relationships) can replace many ecotoxicity tests. However, complete substitution of in vivo animal tests by in silico methods may not be realistic. For the so-called baseline toxicants, it is possible to predict the fish acute toxicity with sufficient accuracy from log K ow and, hence, valid QSARs can replace in vivo testing. In contrast, excess toxicants and chemicals not reliably classified as baseline toxicants require further in silico, in vitro or in vivo assessments. Thus, the critical task is to discriminate between baseline and excess toxicants. For fish acute toxicity, we derived a scheme based on structural alerts and physicochemical property thresholds to classify chemicals as either baseline toxicants (=predictable by QSARs) or as potential excess toxicants (=not predictable by baseline QSARs). The step-wise approach identifies baseline toxicants (true negatives) in a precautionary way to avoid false negative predictions. Therefore, a certain fraction of false positives can be tolerated, i.e. baseline toxicants without specific effects that may be tested instead of predicted. Application of the classification scheme to a new heterogeneous dataset for diverse fish species results in 40% baseline toxicants, 24% excess toxicants and 36% compounds not classified. Thus, we can conclude that replacing about half of the fish acute toxicity tests by QSAR predictions is realistic to be achieved in the short-term. The long-term goals are classification criteria also for further groups of toxicants and to replace as many in vivo fish acute toxicity tests as possible with valid QSAR

Theophylline toxicity leading to suicidal ideation in a patient with no prior psychiatric illness

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sumit Kapoor

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Suicidal behavior is a common psychiatric emergency and is associated with psychiatric illness and history of prior suicide attempts. Neuropsychiatric manifestations related to theophylline toxicity are well described in literature. We report a case of theophylline toxicity manifesting as suicidal ideation in a patient with no prior psychiatric illness.

Intolerable toxicity of simultaneous 5-fluorouracil-radiotherapy in the treatment of advanced gastrointestinal tumours

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Higi, M.; Arndt, D.; Schmidt, C.; Schmitt, G.

1983-01-01

Simultaneous application of 5-fluorouracil and radiotherapy is generally accepted in the treatment of gastrointestinal tumours. However, in 10 patients with metastatic gastrointestinal tumours we oberseved intolerable toxicity during this combined treatment regimen. Because of gastrointestinal and haematological toxicity the combined modality was interrupted in all patients. Given sequentially, this regimen was tolerated. Our experience indicates that an intolerable high rate of toxicity has to be taken into consideration in case of the simultaneous combination of 5-fluorouracil and radiotherapy. (orig.) [de

Medical negligence: Coverage of the profession, duties, ethics, case law, and enlightened defense - A legal perspective

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M S Pandit

2009-01-01

Full Text Available A patient approaching a doctor expects medical treatment with all the knowledge and skill that the doctor possesses to bring relief to his medical problem. The relationship takes the shape of a contract retaining the essential elements of tort. A doctor owes certain duties to his patient and a breach of any of these duties gives a cause of action for negligence against the doctor. The doctor has a duty to obtain prior informed consent from the patient before carrying out diagnostic tests and therapeutic management. The services of the doctors are covered under the provisions of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 and a patient can seek redressal of grievances from the Consumer Courts. Case laws are an important source of law in adjudicating various issues of negligence arising out of medical treatment.

Evaluation of toxic and interactive toxic effects of three agrochemicals and copper using a battery of microbiotests.

Science.gov (United States)

Kungolos, A; Emmanouil, C; Tsiridis, V; Tsiropoulos, N

2009-08-01

Three commonly used test organisms of different trophic levels (Vibrio fischeri, Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata and Daphnia magna) were exposed to selected agrochemicals (fosthiazate, metalaxyl-M, imidacloprid) and copper, in single doses or in binary mixtures. The toxicity of each single compound varied up to two orders of magnitude, depending on the test species examined. V. fischeri was the most sensitive test organism regarding fosthiazate and metalaxyl-M, indicating an IC(50) value of 0.20 mg/L (0.17-0.25 mg/L) and 0.88 mg/L (0.35-1.57 mg/L), respectively. Imidacloprid was the least toxic compound, indicating an EC(50) value on D. magna of 64.6 mg/L (43.3-122.5 mg/L) and an IC(50) value on V. fischeri of 226 mg/L (159-322 mg/L), while for imidacloprid at a concentration of 1000 mg/L the effect on P. subcapitata was lower than 50%. Copper was the most toxic compound towards all test organisms exhibiting the highest toxic effect on P. subcapitata, with an IC(50) value of 0.05 mg/L (0.003-0.008 mg/L). The toxic effects of the binary mixtures have been compared to the theoretically expected effect, resulting from a simple mathematical model based on the theory of probabilities. The independent action model was used in order to predict the theoretically expected effect. The interactive effects were mostly antagonistic or additive, while in few cases (interactive effects of metalaxyl-M and copper on V. fischeri) a synergistic mode of action was observed for some concentration combinations. Experiments showed that interactive effects of chemicals may vary depending on the test species used as well as on the chemicals and their respective concentrations. Although most of the concentrations of chemicals tested in this study are higher than the ones usually found in natural environment, the evaluation of their interactive toxic effects using a battery of bioassays may comprise a useful tool for the estimation of the environmental hazard of chemicals.

The politics of toxic waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rahm, D.

1998-01-01

Toxic waste, and the public policy that deals with it, is a complex issue. Much of the complexity stems from the science and technology embedded in the topic, but a great deal also results from the intricate interactions between the social organizations and institutions involved. The politics of toxic waste plays out within three key aspects of this complexity. The first of these is the nature of the intergovernmental relations involved. For toxic waste issues, these intergovernmental relations can be between sovereign states or between a nation and an international governing organization, or they may be restricted to a domestic context. If the later is the case, the relationship can be between federal, state, and local governments or between different bureaus, departments, or agencies within the same level of government. A second feature of this complexity can be seen in the consequences of divergent organizational or institutional interests. When conflicting organizational or institutional perspectives, positions, or concerns arise, public policy outcomes are affected.The tug and pull of competing actors move policy in the direction favored by the winner. This may or may not be the most rational alternative. A third aspect of this interorganizational puzzle involves the question of where the locus of authority for decisionmaking resides and to what extent stakeholders, who do not possess direct authority, can influence policy outcomes

Acute toxicity of Headline® fungicide to Blanchard's cricket frogs (Acris blanchardi).

Science.gov (United States)

Cusaac, J Patrick W; Morrison, Shane A; Belden, Jason B; Smith, Loren M; McMurry, Scott T

2016-04-01

Previous laboratory studies have suggested that pyraclostrobin-containing fungicide formulations are toxic to amphibians at environmentally relevant concentrations. However, it is unknown if all pyraclostrobin formulations have similar toxicity and if toxicity occurs in different amphibian species. We investigated the acute toxicity of two formulations, Headline(®) fungicide and Headline AMP(®) fungicide, to Blanchard's cricket frogs (Acris blanchardi) based on a direct overspray scenario. In addition, we examined body residues of fungicide active ingredients in A. blanchardi following direct exposure to Headline AMP fungicide. Headline fungicide and Headline AMP fungicide had similar toxicity to A. blanchardi with calculated median lethal doses of 2.1 and 1.7 µg pyraclostrobin/cm(2), respectively, which are similar to the suggested maximum label rate in North American corn (2.2 and 1.52 µg pyraclostrobin/cm(2), respectively). Tissue concentrations of pyraclostrobin were lower than predicted based on full uptake of a direct dose, and did not drop during the first 24 h after exposure. Headline fungicides at corn application rates are acutely toxic to cricket frogs, but acute toxicity in the field will depend on worst-case exposure.

Glycopyrrolate in toxic exposure to ammonia gas

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bhalla A

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Ammonia (NH 3 is a highly water-soluble, colorless, irritant gas with a unique pungent odor. Liquid ammonia stored under high pressure is still widely used for refrigeration in cold stores used for storing grains. Severe toxicity may occur following accidental exposure. We report an interesting case of accidental exposure to ammonia treated with glycopyrrolate along with other supportive measures.

Student Suicide: Could You Be Held Liable?

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, Kelley R.

2001-01-01

Two legal theories inspire suicide-related lawsuits: tort claims of negligence and constitutional claims based on due process. A well-known case illustrates a middle-schooler's suicide and a district's negligence. Liability factors include duty, foreseeability, special relationship, danger creation, and immunity/contributory negligence. (MLH)

Underestimated impact of novel psychoactive substances: laboratory confirmation of recreational drug toxicity in Oslo, Norway.

Science.gov (United States)

Vallersnes, Odd Martin; Persett, Per Sverre; Øiestad, Elisabeth Leere; Karinen, Ritva; Heyerdahl, Fridtjof; Hovda, Knut Erik

2017-08-01

Recreational drug toxicity is frequent. Availability of new psychoactive substances is steadily increasing. However, data with verified analyses from clinical settings are limited. To evaluate the impact of novel psychoactive substances (NPS) on recreational drug toxicity in Oslo, Norway, we analysed samples from a selection of patients. All the patients presenting with recreational drug toxicity at the Oslo Accident and Emergency Outpatient Clinic (OAEOC) and at the Oslo University Hospital (OUH) were registered from April through September 2014. Oral fluid samples were collected at the OAEOC. Blood samples were collected at the OUH. The samples were screened using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography - tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS). Nine hundred and sixty-four cases were included, 841 (87.2%) at the OAEOC and 123 (12.8%) at the OUH. A total of 55 oral fluid samples (OAEOC) and 103 blood samples (OUH) could be analysed. NPS were not clinically suspected in any of the screened cases. At the outpatient clinic, the most commonly found substances were clonazepam in 42/55 (76.4%) cases, amfetamines in 40/55 (72.7%) and heroin in 39/55 (70.9%). In seven (12.7%) cases NPS were detected: 4-methylamfetamine in three cases, dimethyltryptamine in two, methylone in one, and N,N-dimethyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamfetamine in one. Among the hospital patients, the most commonly found substances were clonazepam in 51/103 (49.5%) cases, amfetamines in 48/103 (46.6%), heroin in 31/103 (30.1%), and diazepam in 30/103 (29.1%). In five (4.9%) cases NPS were detected: JWH-210 in two cases, AM-2201 in two, and 5-EAPB in one. NPS were clinically not suspected, though found in eight percent of cases. Still, the vast majority of patients treated for recreational drug toxicity in Oslo have taken classical drugs. Management of these patients should be based on their clinical condition. However, it is highly important to be alert to atypical presentations possibly resulting from

Serotonin Toxicity Caused by Moclobemide Too Soon After Paroxetine-Selegiline

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ming-Ling Wu

2009-08-01

Full Text Available Serotonin toxicity is an iatrogenic complication of serotonergic drug therapy. It is due to an overstimulation of central and peripheral serotonin receptors that lead to neuromuscular, mental and autonomic changes. Moclobemide is a reversible inhibitor of monoamine oxidase (MAO-A, selegiline is an irreversible selective inhibitor of MAO-B, and paroxetine is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor. Combined use of these agents is known to cause serotonin toxicity. A 53-year-old woman had been treated with paroxetine and selegiline. After moclobemide was prescribed in place of paroxetine without a washout period, she quickly developed confusion, agitation, ataxia, diaphoresis, tremor, mydriasis, ocular clonus, hyper-reflexia, tachycardia, moderately elevated blood pressure and high fever, symptoms that were consistent with serotonin toxicity. Discontinuation of the drugs, hydration and supportive care were followed by remarkable improvement of baseline status within 3 days. This case demonstrates that serotonin toxicity may occur even with small doses of paroxetine, selegi-line and moclobemide in combination. Physicians managing patients with depression must be aware of the potential for serotonin toxicity and should be able to recognize and treat or, ideally, anticipate and avoid this pharmacodynamically-mediated interaction that may occur between prescribed drugs.

Faculty Tort Liability for Libelous Student Publications

Science.gov (United States)

Stevens, George E.

1976-01-01

Examines recent court cases to determine whether a school administrator or faculty advisor may be legally responsible for defamation in a student publication. Concludes that the legal position of faculty members is unclear and recommends application of the U.S. Supreme Court's guidelines in Gertz v. Robert Welch, Inc. (JG)

32 CFR 1280.5 - Procedures. 1

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... occurred. (c) Claims under the Federal Tort Claims Act arising from negligence of DLA military or civilian... occurred. (d) Tort claims in favor of the United States for damage to or loss or destruction of DLA... involved in an accident giving rise to a claim under the Federal Tort Claims Act, the claim will be handled...

32 CFR 842.94 - Assertable claims.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

..., against a tort-feasor when: (a) Damage results from negligence and the claim is for: (1) More than $100... ADMINISTRATIVE CLAIMS Property Damage Tort Claims in Favor of the United States (31 U.S.C. 3701, 3711-3719) § 842.... (The two claims should be consolidated and processed under subpart N). (d) The Tort-feasor or his...

Antidotes for poisoning by alcohols that form toxic metabolites.

Science.gov (United States)

McMartin, Kenneth; Jacobsen, Dag; Hovda, Knut Erik

2016-03-01

The alcohols, methanol, ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol, have many features in common, the most important of which is the fact that the compounds themselves are relatively non-toxic but are metabolized, initially by alcohol dehydrogenase, to various toxic intermediates. These compounds are readily available worldwide in commercial products as well as in homemade alcoholic beverages, both of which lead to most of the poisoning cases, from either unintentional or intentional ingestion. Although relatively infrequent in overall occurrence, poisonings by metabolically-toxic alcohols do unfortunately occur in outbreaks and can result in severe morbidity and mortality. These poisonings have traditionally been treated with ethanol since it competes for the active site of alcohol dehydrogenase and decreases the formation of toxic metabolites. Although ethanol can be effective in these poisonings, there are substantial practical problems with its use and so fomepizole, a potent competitive inhibitor of alcohol dehydrogenase, was developed for a hopefully better treatment for metabolically-toxic alcohol poisonings. Fomepizole has few side effects and is easy to use in practice and it may obviate the need for haemodialysis in some, but not all, patients. Hence, fomepizole has largely replaced ethanol as the toxic alcohol antidote in many countries. Nevertheless, ethanol remains an important alternative because access to fomepizole can be limited, the cost may appear excessive, or the physician may prefer ethanol due to experience. © 2015 The British Pharmacological Society.

Toxicological relationships between proteins obtained from protein target predictions of large toxicity databases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nigsch, Florian; Mitchell, John B.O.

2008-01-01

The combination of models for protein target prediction with large databases containing toxicological information for individual molecules allows the derivation of 'toxiclogical' profiles, i.e., to what extent are molecules of known toxicity predicted to interact with a set of protein targets. To predict protein targets of drug-like and toxic molecules, we built a computational multiclass model using the Winnow algorithm based on a dataset of protein targets derived from the MDL Drug Data Report. A 15-fold Monte Carlo cross-validation using 50% of each class for training, and the remaining 50% for testing, provided an assessment of the accuracy of that model. We retained the 3 top-ranking predictions and found that in 82% of all cases the correct target was predicted within these three predictions. The first prediction was the correct one in almost 70% of cases. A model built on the whole protein target dataset was then used to predict the protein targets for 150 000 molecules from the MDL Toxicity Database. We analysed the frequency of the predictions across the panel of protein targets for experimentally determined toxicity classes of all molecules. This allowed us to identify clusters of proteins related by their toxicological profiles, as well as toxicities that are related. Literature-based evidence is provided for some specific clusters to show the relevance of the relationships identified

Localized palmar-plantar epidermal hyperplasia: a previously undefined dermatologic toxicity to sorafenib.

Science.gov (United States)

Beldner, Matthew; Jacobson, Michael; Burges, Gene E; Dewaay, Deborah; Maize, John C; Chaudhary, Uzair B

2007-10-01

The development of multitargeted tyrosine kinase inhibitors has provided significant advances in the treatment of renal cell carcinoma. This case describes initial therapy for managing renal cell cancer with the administration of sorafenib, a multitargeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor. We report the development of localized palmar-plantar epidermal hyperplasia, a rare but significant cutaneous adverse event from sorafenib therapy. Mild-to-moderate dermatologic toxicity from sorafenib has been well described in the literature. We also review the current knowledge and the proposed hypothesis for the development of cutaneous events related to tyrosine kinase inhibitors. This particular case represents a unique form of dermatologic toxicity to sorafenib that has not previously been described in the literature.

Metabolism and toxicity of neptunium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nenot, J.C.

1983-08-01

The biological behaviour and toxicity of neptunium were studied. Neptunium was administered either intravenously or intramuscularly in rats. In contrast to other transuranium elements the distribution patterns of neptunium in the case of intravenous injection is not dependent on the physico-chemical state. Urinary excretion is high. The distribution after intramuscular injection showed a rather fast migration from the injection site. 237 Neptonium in urine was approximately equal to bone deposit. Neptunium behaviour followed that of alkaline earths rather than that of transplutonium elements

Toxic epidermal necrolysis successfully treated with etanercept.

Science.gov (United States)

Gubinelli, Emanuela; Canzona, Flora; Tonanzi, Tiziano; Raskovic, Desanka; Didona, Biagio

2009-03-01

Toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) is a rare and acute severe adverse reaction to drugs, characterised by massive apoptosis and widespread epidermal and mucosal detachment. Although no gold standard therapy exists, human i.v. immunoglobulins have recently been described as an effective treatment for this disease. We report a case of phenobarbital-induced TEN in a 59-year-old white woman where the epidermal detachment stopped 48 h after beginning the etanercept treatment with complete healing after 20 days. To the best of our knowledge, this is only the second reported case of TEN successfully treated with etanercept.

Grand Rounds: An Outbreak of Toxic Hepatitis among Industrial Waste Disposal Workers

OpenAIRE

Cheong, Hae-Kwan; Kim, Eun A; Choi, Jung-Keun; Choi, Sung-Bong; Suh, Jeong-Ill; Choi, Dae Seob; Kim, Jung Ran

2006-01-01

Context Industrial waste (which is composed of various toxic chemicals), changes to the disposal process, and addition of chemicals should all be monitored and controlled carefully in the industrial waste industry to reduce the health hazard to workers. Case presentation Five workers in an industrial waste plant developed acute toxic hepatitis, one of whom died after 3 months due to fulminant hepatitis. In the plant, we detected several chemicals with hepatotoxic potential, including pyridine...

Proceedings of the 22nd annual aquatic toxicity workshop: October 2-4, 1995, St. Andrews, New Brunswick

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Haya, K.; Niimi, A.J. [eds.

1996-02-01

The proceedings contain copies (in many cases in abstract form only) of the 4 plenary, 87 platform, and 28 poster presentations. The sessions are: working with industry; toxicology and chemistry in watershed management; bioassay: ecological risk assessment; toxicity identification and reduction; fate and effects of PAHs in the aquatic environment; PCBs in waterways: transport and toxicity; mercury in aquatic ecosystems; sediment toxicity; bio-markers of pollution; statistics for estimating potency from non-quantal data; advances in micro-scale aquatic toxicity; aquatic toxicity of water birds; and aquatic pathology and its role in forensic science. One paper is abstracted separately.

Identification of the cause of weak acute toxicity to rainbow trout at a petroleum refinery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arnold, W.R.; Zaleski, R.T.; Biddinger, G.R.

1995-01-01

The refinery in question performs flow through acute toxicity tests on its effluent four times per month using three fish species: fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas), threespine sticklebacks (Gasterosteus oculeatus) and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Several months of monitoring data indicated a transient low level acute toxicity to rainbow trout. In most cases, several days were required for mortality to occur in the flow through tests and numerous attempts to reproduce toxicity in static and static renewal tests were unsuccessful. A decision was made to manipulate the effluent in an attempt to enhance the toxic effect in the static mode so that conventional methods could be used to identify the cause. these tests indicated that toxicity was pH dependent. Additional testing, using EPA's Phase 1 Toxicity Identification Evaluation methods suggested that the cause of toxicity was probably an organic acid. Experiments were subsequently begun to identify the specific cause and source of toxicity. This paper reviews the problems confronted during the various phases of the study and the decisions that were made that eventually led to an understanding of the basis of toxicity

Major ion toxicity in effluents: A review with permitting recommendations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Goodfellow, W.L.; Ausley, L.W.; Burton, D.T.; Denton, D.L.; Dorn, P.B.; Grothe, D.R.; Heber, M.A.; Norberg-King, T.J.; Rodgers, J.H. Jr.

2000-01-01

Effluent toxicity testing methods have been well defined, but for the most part, these methods do not attempt to segregate the effects of active ionic concentrations and ion imbalances upon test and species performances. The role of various total dissolved solids in effluents on regulatory compliance has emerged during the last few years and has caused confusion in technical assessment and in permitting and compliance issues. This paper assesses the issue of ionic strength and ion imbalance, provides a brief summary of applicable data, presents several case studies demonstrating successful tools to address toxicity resulting from salinity and ion imbalance, and provides recommendations for regulatory and compliance options to manage discharges with salinity/ion imbalance issues. Effluent toxicity resulting from inorganic ion imbalance and the ion concentration of the effluent is pervasive in permitted discharge from many industrial process and municipal discharges where process streams are concentrated, adjusted, or modified. This paper discusses procedures that use weight-of-evidence approaches to identify ion imbalance toxicity, including direct measurement, predictive toxicity models for freshwater, exchange resins, mock effluents, and ion imbalance toxicity with tolerant/susceptible test species. Cost-effective waste treatment control options for a facility whose effluent is toxic because of total dissolved solids (TDS) or because of specific ion(s) are scarce at best. Depending on the discharge situation, TDS toxicity may not be viewed with the same level of concern as other, more traditional, toxicants. These discharge situations often do not require the conservative safety factors required by other toxicants. Selection of the alternative regulatory solutions discussed in this paper may be beneficial, especially because they do not require potentially expensive or high-energy-using treatment options that may be ineffective control options. The information

Severe Toxic Skin Reaction Caused by a Common Anemone and Identification of the Culprit Organism.

Science.gov (United States)

Tezcan, Özgür Deniz; Gözer, Özgür

2015-01-01

In a marine envenomation, identification of the culprit organism can be difficult. In this case report, we present our method to identify snakelocks anemone (Anemonia viridis or formerly Anemonia sulcata) as the culprit of a severe toxic skin reaction. A. viridis is one of the most common anemones of the Mediterranean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean. It lives at a depth of up to 10 m. It is a member of the phylum Cnidaria, which includes jellyfish, anemones, hydroids, and corals. They have toxic organelles called cnidocysts that have the capacity to inject venom with microscopic harpoon-like structures. The cnidocysts of A. viridis may cause toxic and allergic reactions, and although its venom is one of the most studied cnidarian venoms, detailed case reports are rare. © 2015 International Society of Travel Medicine.

Chemistry, Courtrooms, and Common Sense. Part I: Negligence and Duty.

Science.gov (United States)

Gass, J. Ric

1990-01-01

Discussed are concepts involved in legal liability for laboratory accidents. The focus of this article is on negligence, duty, and responsibility issues. Highlighted are the basis of a lawsuit, negligent tort, duty and breech of duty, and cause and harm. Thirty-one cases are cited. (CW)

Modern toxic antipersonnel projectiles.

Science.gov (United States)

Gaillard, Yvan; Regenstreif, Philippe; Fanton, Laurent

2014-12-01

In the spring of 1944, Kurt von Gottberg, the SS police chief in Minsk, was shot and injured by 2 Soviet agents. Although he was only slightly injured, he died 6 hours later. The bullets were hollow and contained a crystalline white powder. They were 4-g bullets, semi-jacketed in cupronickel, containing 28 mg of aconitine. They were later known as akonitinnitratgeschosse. The Sipo (the Nazi security police) then ordered a trial with a 9-mm Parabellum cartridge containing Ditran, an anticholinergic drug with hallucinogenic properties causing intense mental confusion. In later years, QNB was used and given the NATO code BZ (3-quinuclidinyl-benzylate). It was proven that Saddam Hussein had this weapon (agent 15) manufactured and used it against the Kurds. Serbian forces used the same type of weapon in the Bosnian conflict, particularly in Srebrenica.The authors go on to list the Cold War toxic weapons developed by the KGB and the Warsaw pact countries for the discreet elimination of dissidents and proindependence leaders who had taken refuge in the West. These weapons include PSZh-13 launchers, the Troika electronic sequential pistol, and the ingenious 4-S110T captive piston system designed by the engineer Stechkin. Disguised as a cigarette case, it could fire a silent charge of potassium cyanide. This rogues gallery also includes the umbrella rigged to inject a pellet of ricin (or another phytalbumin of similar toxicity, such as abrin or crotin) that was used to assassinate the Bulgarian writer and journalist Georgi Markov on September 7, 1978, in London.During the autopsy, the discovery of a bullet burst into 4 or 5 parts has to make at once suspecting the use of a toxic substance. Toxicological analysis has to look for first and foremost aconitine, cyanide, suxamethonium, Ditran, BZ, or one of the toxic phytalbumins. The use of such complex weapons has to make suspect a powerful organization: army, secret service, terrorism. The existence of the Russian UDAR spray

Low Interrater Reliability in Grading of Rectal Bleeding Using National Cancer Institute Common Toxicity Criteria and Radiation Therapy Oncology Group Toxicity Scales: A Survey of Radiation Oncologists

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huynh-Le, Minh-Phuong; Zhang, Zhe; Tran, Phuoc T.; DeWeese, Theodore L.; Song, Daniel Y.

2014-01-01

Purpose: To measure concordance among genitourinary radiation oncologists in using the National Cancer Institute Common Toxicity Criteria (NCI CTC) and Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) grading scales to grade rectal bleeding. Methods and Materials: From June 2013 to January 2014, a Web-based survey was sent to 250 American and Canadian academic radiation oncologists who treat prostate cancer. Participants were provided 4 case vignettes in which patients received radiation therapy and developed rectal bleeding and were asked for management plans and to rate the bleeding according to NCI CTC v.4 and RTOG late toxicity grading (scales provided). In 2 cases, participants were also asked whether they would send the patient for colonoscopy. A multilevel, random intercept modeling approach was used to assess sources of variation (case, respondent) in toxicity grading to calculate the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Agreement on a dichotomous grading scale (low grades 1-2 vs high grades 3-4) was also assessed, using the κ statistic for multiple respondents. Results: Seventy-two radiation oncologists (28%) completed the survey. Forty-seven (65%) reported having either written or been principal investigator on a study using these scales. Agreement between respondents was moderate (ICC 0.52, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.47-0.58) when using NCI CTC and fair using the RTOG scale (ICC 0.28, 95% CI 0.20-0.40). Respondents who chose an invasive management were more likely to select a higher toxicity grade (P<.0001). Using the dichotomous scale, we observed moderate agreement (κ = 0.42, 95% CI 0.40-0.44) with the NCI CTC scale, but only slight agreement with the RTOG scale (κ = 0.19, 95% CI 0.17-0.21). Conclusion: Low interrater reliability was observed among radiation oncologists grading rectal bleeding using 2 common scales. Clearer definitions of late rectal bleeding toxicity should be constructed to reduce this variability and avoid ambiguity in both

A possible early sign of hydroxychloroquine macular toxicity.

Science.gov (United States)

Brandao, Livia M; Palmowski-Wolfe, Anja M

2016-02-01

Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) has a low risk of retinal toxicity which increases dramatically with a cumulative dose of >1000 g. Here we report a case of HCQ macular toxicity presentation in a young patient with a cumulative dose of 438 g. A 15-year-old female started attending annual consultations for retinal toxicity screening in our clinic after 3 years of HCQ treatment for juvenile idiopathic dermatomyositis. She had been diagnosed at age 12 and had been on hydroxychloroquine 200 mg/day, cyclosporin 150 mg/day and vitamin D3 since. Screening consultations included: complete ophthalmologic examination, automated perimetry (AP, M Standard, Octopus 101, Haag-Streit), multifocal electroretinogram (VERIS 6.06™, FMSIII), optical coherence tomography (OCT, fast macular protocol, Cirrus SD-OCT, Carl Zeiss), fundus autofluorescence imaging (Spectralis OCT, Heidelberg Engineering Inc.) and color testing (Farnsworth-Panel-D-15). After 5 years of treatment, AP demonstrated reduced sensibility in only one extra-foveal point in each eye (p < 0.2). Even though other exams showed no alteration and the cumulative dose was only around 353 g, consultations were increased to every 6 months. After 2-year follow-up, that is, 7 years of HCQ, a bilateral paracentral macula thinning was evident on OCT, suggestive of bull's eye maculopathy. However, the retinal pigmented epithelium appeared intact and AP was completely normal in both eyes. Further evaluation with ganglion cell analysis (GCA = ganglion cell + inner plexiform layer, Cirrus SD-OCT, Carl Zeiss) showed a concentric thinning of this layer in the same area. Although daily and cumulative doses were still under the high toxicity risk parameters, HCQ was suspended. At a follow-up 1 year later, visual acuity was 20/16 without any further changes in OCT or on any other exam. This may be the first case report of insidious bull's eye maculopathy exclusively identified using OCT thickness analysis, in a patient in whom both cumulative

Necrotizing fasciitis with toxic shock syndrome in 5 month old baby: A case report

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abbas Al-Ramzi

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Necrotizing fasciitis is considered to be a severe form of soft-tissue infection that is accompanied with rapidly progressive necrosis to the subcutaneous tissue layer and the superficial fascia. It is also characterized by early development of systemic toxicity. The invasive Streptococcus pyogenes is the most often encountered species as a cause of this disease. The delay in diagnosing is common as the differentiation of the evolving necrotizing fasciitis from cellulitis can be very difficult. Treatments include rapid radical debridement and administration of appropriate antibiotics. However, even with proper treatment, the mortality rate is considered to be high. We reported a 5-month-old girls with fatal necrotizing fasciitis associated with toxic shock–like syndrome due to Streptococcal infection.

Toxicity testing in the 21 century: defining new risk assessment approaches based on perturbation of intracellular toxicity pathways.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sudin Bhattacharya

Full Text Available The approaches to quantitatively assessing the health risks of chemical exposure have not changed appreciably in the past 50 to 80 years, the focus remaining on high-dose studies that measure adverse outcomes in homogeneous animal populations. This expensive, low-throughput approach relies on conservative extrapolations to relate animal studies to much lower-dose human exposures and is of questionable relevance to predicting risks to humans at their typical low exposures. It makes little use of a mechanistic understanding of the mode of action by which chemicals perturb biological processes in human cells and tissues. An alternative vision, proposed by the U.S. National Research Council (NRC report Toxicity Testing in the 21(st Century: A Vision and a Strategy, called for moving away from traditional high-dose animal studies to an approach based on perturbation of cellular responses using well-designed in vitro assays. Central to this vision are (a "toxicity pathways" (the innate cellular pathways that may be perturbed by chemicals and (b the determination of chemical concentration ranges where those perturbations are likely to be excessive, thereby leading to adverse health effects if present for a prolonged duration in an intact organism. In this paper we briefly review the original NRC report and responses to that report over the past 3 years, and discuss how the change in testing might be achieved in the U.S. and in the European Union (EU. EU initiatives in developing alternatives to animal testing of cosmetic ingredients have run very much in parallel with the NRC report. Moving from current practice to the NRC vision would require using prototype toxicity pathways to develop case studies showing the new vision in action. In this vein, we also discuss how the proposed strategy for toxicity testing might be applied to the toxicity pathways associated with DNA damage and repair.

Toxic substances alert program

Science.gov (United States)

Junod, T. L.

1978-01-01

A toxicity profile is provided, of 187 toxic substances procured by NASA Lewis Research Center during a 3 1/2 year period, including 27 known or suspected carcinogens. The goal of the program is to assure that the center's health and safety personnel are aware of the procurement and use of toxic substances and to alert and inform the users of these materials as to the toxic characteristics and the control measures needed to ensure their safe use. The program also provides a continuing record of the toxic substances procured, who procured them, what other toxic substances the user has obtained in the past, and where similar materials have been used elsewhere at the center.

Transient Serotonin Toxicity Evoked by Combination of Electroconvulsive Therapy and Fluoxetine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

René Klysner

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The serotonin syndrome has been described only in rare instances for electroconvulsive therapy combined with an antidepressant medication. We describe a case of serotonin toxicity induced by electroconvulsive therapy in combination with fluoxetine.

Mixture toxicity of wood preservative products in the fish embryo toxicity test.

Science.gov (United States)

Coors, Anja; Dobrick, Jan; Möder, Monika; Kehrer, Anja

2012-06-01

Wood preservative products are used globally to protect wood from fungal decay and insects. We investigated the aquatic toxicity of five commercial wood preservative products, the biocidal active substances and some formulation additives contained therein, as well as six generic binary mixtures of the active substances in the fish embryo toxicity test (FET). Median lethal concentrations (LC50) of the single substances, the mixtures, and the products were estimated from concentration-response curves and corrected for concentrations measured in the test medium. The comparison of the experimentally observed mixture toxicity with the toxicity predicted by the concept of concentration addition (CA) showed less than twofold deviation for all binary mixtures of the active substances and for three of the biocidal products. A more than 60-fold underestimation of the toxicity of the fourth product by the CA prediction was detected and could be explained fully by the toxicity of one formulation additive, which had been labeled as a hazardous substance. The reason for the 4.6-fold underestimation of toxicity of the fifth product could not be explained unambiguously. Overall, the FET was found to be a suitable screening tool to verify whether the toxicity of formulated wood preservatives can reliably be predicted by CA. Applied as a quick and simple nonanimal screening test, the FET may support approaches of applying component-based mixture toxicity predictions within the environmental risk assessment of biocidal products, which is required according to European regulations. Copyright © 2012 SETAC.

Transnational Litigation and Commercial Arbitration

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lookofsky, Joseph

Formueret, international law, conflict of law, arbitration, tort, contract, delict, jurisdiction......Formueret, international law, conflict of law, arbitration, tort, contract, delict, jurisdiction...

Predicting molybdenum toxicity to higher plants: Estimation of toxicity threshold values

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McGrath, S.P., E-mail: steve.mcgrath@bbsrc.ac.u [Soil Science Department, Centre for Soils and Ecosystems Function, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, Hertfordshire AL5 2JQ (United Kingdom); Mico, C.; Zhao, F.J.; Stroud, J.L. [Soil Science Department, Centre for Soils and Ecosystems Function, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, Hertfordshire AL5 2JQ (United Kingdom); Zhang, H.; Fozard, S. [Division of Environmental Science, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YQ (United Kingdom)

2010-10-15

Four plant species (oilseed rape, Brassica napus L.; red clover, Trifolium pratense L.; ryegrass, Lolium perenne L.; and tomato, Lycopersicon esculentum L.) were tested on ten soils varying widely in soil properties to assess molybdenum (Mo) toxicity. A larger range (66-fold-609-fold) of added Mo concentrations resulting in 50% inhibition of yield (ED{sub 50}) was found among soils than among plant species (2-fold-38-fold), which illustrated that the soils differed widely in the expression of Mo toxicity. Toxicity thresholds based on soil solution Mo narrowed the variation among soils compared to thresholds based on added Mo concentrations. We conclude that plant bioavailability of Mo in soil depends on Mo solubility, but this alone did not decrease the variability in observed toxicity enough to be used in risk assessment and that other soil properties influencing Mo toxicity to plants need to be considered. - Mo toxicity thresholds varied widely in different soils and therefore soil properties need to be taken into account in order to assess the risk of Mo exposure.

Salicylate Toxicity from Genital Exposure to a Methylsalicylate-Containing Rubefacient

Science.gov (United States)

Thompson, Trevonne M.; Toerne, Theodore; Erickson, Timothy B.

2016-01-01

Methylsalicylate-containing rubefacients have been reported to cause salicylate poisoning after ingestion, topical application to abnormal skin, and inappropriate topical application to normal skin. Many over-the-counter products contain methylsalicylate. Topical salicylates rarely produce systemic toxicity when used appropriately; however, methylsaliclyate can be absorbed through intact skin. Scrotal skin can have up to 40-fold greater absorption compared to other dermal regions. We report a unique case of salicylate poisoning resulting from the use of a methylsalicylate-containing rubefacient to facilitate masturbation in a male teenager. Saliclyate toxicity has not previously been reported from the genital exposure to methylsaliclyate. PMID:26973745

Effects of toxic metals and chemicals on biofilm and biocorrosion.

Science.gov (United States)

Fang, Herbert H P; Xu, Li-Chong; Chan, Kwong-Yu

2002-11-01

Microbes in marine biofilms aggregated into clusters and increased the production of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), by over 100% in some cases, when the seawater media containing toxic metals and chemicals, such as Cd(II), Cu(II), Pb(II), Zn(II), AI(III), Cr(III), glutaraldehyde, and phenol. The formation of microbial cluster and the increased production of EPS, which contained 84-92% proteins and 8-16% polysaccharides, accelerated the corrosion of the mild steel. However, there was no quantitative relationship between the degree of increased corrosion and the toxicity of metals/chemicals towards sulfate-reducing bacteria, or the increased EPS production.

Vitamin-D toxicity and other non-malignant causes of hypercalcemia: a retrospective study at a tertiary care hospital in pakistan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khan, M.N.

2017-01-01

Background: Hypercalcemia is a common clinical problem; primary hyperparathyroidism and malignancy is commonest causes of hypercalcemia. Aetiology of hypercalcemia are changing, causes that were diseases of the past like Vitamin-D toxicity and milk alkali syndrome are observed more often. Vitamin-D deficiency is an important problem and overzealous replacement of Vitamin-D has been observed, suspected to cause toxicity. Method: This was a retrospective review of patients admitted at the Aga Khan University Hospital from January 2008 to December 2013 with hypercalcemia. We reviewed the electronic health records for laboratory and radiological studies, and discharge summaries to establish the cause of hypercalcemia. Patients with solid tumour malignancy were excluded from the analysis. The treatment records and hospital course of patients diagnosed with Vitamin-D toxicity were also reviewed. Results: Primary hyperparathyroidism was the most common cause of hypercalcemia comprising 41 (28.2 %) patients. Vitamin-D toxicity was present in 25 (17.3%) and probable Vitamin-D toxicity 11 (7.6 %) in patients. Vitamin-D toxicity and probable Vitamin-D toxicity together comprised 36 (24.8%) cases. Other causes of hypercalcemia included multiple myeloma 18 (12.4%) patients, tuberculosis 6 (4.1%) patients, chronic kidney disease 6 (4.1%) cases, sarcoidosis 4 (2.7%) and lymphoma 3 (2.0%) patients. In 29(20%) patients a cause of hypercalcemia could not be determined and were labelled as undiagnosed cases. Conclusion: Vitamin-D toxicity was the second commonest cause of hypercalcemia after primary hyperparathyroidism. Knowledge of the prevalent and emerging causes of hypercalcemia is important for prompt diagnosis and treatment. (author)

Silica micro- and nanoparticles reduce the toxicity of surfactant solutions.

Science.gov (United States)

Ríos, Francisco; Fernández-Arteaga, Alejandro; Fernández-Serrano, Mercedes; Jurado, Encarnación; Lechuga, Manuela

2018-04-20

In this work, the toxicity of hydrophilic fumed silica micro- and nanoparticles of various sizes (7 nm, 12 nm, and 50 μm) was evaluated using the luminescent bacteria Vibrio fischeri. In addition, the toxicity of an anionic surfactant solution (ether carboxylic acid), a nonionic surfactant solution (alkyl polyglucoside), and a binary (1:1) mixture of these solutions all containing these silica particles was evaluated. Furthermore, this work discusses the adsorption of surfactants onto particle surfaces and evaluates the effects of silica particles on the surface tension and critical micellar concentration (CMC) of these anionic and nonionic surfactants. It was determined that silica particles can be considered as non-toxic and that silica particles reduce the toxicity of surfactant solutions. Nevertheless, the toxicity reduction depends on the ionic character of the surfactants. Differences can be explained by the different adsorption behavior of surfactants onto the particle surface, which is weaker for nonionic surfactants than for anionic surfactants. Regarding the effects on surface tension, it was found that silica particles increased the surface activity of anionic surfactants and considerably reduced their CMC, whereas in the case of nonionic surfactants, the effects were reversed. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Comparative gene expression in toxic versus non-toxic strains of the marine dinoflagellate Alexandrium minutum

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Glöckner Gernot

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The dinoflagellate Alexandrium minutum typically produces paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP toxins, which are known only from cyanobacteria and dinoflagellates. While a PSP toxin gene cluster has recently been characterized in cyanobacteria, the genetic background of PSP toxin production in dinoflagellates remains elusive. Results We constructed and analysed an expressed sequence tag (EST library of A. minutum, which contained 15,703 read sequences yielding a total of 4,320 unique expressed clusters. Of these clusters, 72% combined the forward-and reverse reads of at least one bacterial clone. This sequence resource was then used to construct an oligonucleotide microarray. We analysed the expression of all clusters in three different strains. While the cyanobacterial PSP toxin genes were not found among the A. minutum sequences, 192 genes were differentially expressed between toxic and non-toxic strains. Conclusions Based on this study and on the lack of identified PSP synthesis genes in the two existent Alexandrium tamarense EST libraries, we propose that the PSP toxin genes in dinoflagellates might be more different from their cyanobacterial counterparts than would be expected in the case of a recent gene transfer. As a starting point to identify possible PSP toxin-associated genes in dinoflagellates without relying on a priori sequence information, the sequences only present in mRNA pools of the toxic strain can be seen as putative candidates involved in toxin synthesis and regulation, or acclimation to intracellular PSP toxins.

Comparative toxicity of chemicals to earthworms

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Callahan, C.A.; Shirazi, M.A. (Environmental Protection Agency, Corvallis, OR (United States)); Neuhauser, E.F. (Niagara Mohawk Power Corp., Syracuse, NY (United States))

1994-02-01

The concentration-response (mortality) relationships of four species of earthworms, Eisenia fetida (Savigny), Allolobophora tuberculata (Eisen), Eudrilus eugeniae (Kinberg), and Perionyx excavatus (Perrier) are summarized for 62 chemicals and two test protocols. A Weibull function is used to summarize these data for each chemical in terms of sensitivity and toxicity, in addition to the LC50. The estimation of the Weibull parameters a and k summarize the entire concentration-response relationship. This technique should be applicable to a variety of testing protocols with different species whenever the goal is summarizing the shape of the concentration-response curves to fully evaluate chemical impact on organisms. In some cases for these data four orders of magnitude separate LC50s of the soil test and the contact test for the same chemical and species. All four species appear to be similar in range of toxicity and tolerance to these chemicals, suggesting that Eisenia fetida and may be representative of these four species and these chemicals.

Some comments on the toxicity of 239Pu

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rowland, R.E.

1978-01-01

There is no simple method of expressing a concept such as toxicity. The toxicity of a material depends upon its form (solid, liquid, or gas), the method of entry into the body (ingestion, inhalation, or abrasion), and the individual it enters (young, old, sick, well, heavy cigarette smoker, or consumer of alcohol). Thus, statements such as ''plutonium is the most toxic material known to man'' are not only incorrect; they are meaningless. By taking the one aspect of plutonium which can be quantitated in a meaningful manner, the induction of malignant bone sarcomas in humans, the incremental risk presented to those who have been exposed to this radioelement has been shown to be quite small. By means of a hypothetical exposure of radium dial workers to plutonium instead of radium, an industry-wide exposure to plutonium would have been less harmful than the actual exposure to radium, in spite of the fact that plutonium appears to be far more toxic than radium. Further, the observation that, after radium was recognized as a toxic material, it no longer was a hazard in the dial industry, clearly demonstrates that hazardous radioactive materials can be handled safely. This has been demonstrated again with plutonium, for even though much larger quantities have been handled by many more individuals, there are no demonstrable cases of malignancies induced by this hazardous material. The absence of clearly demonstrable excesses of lung cancer in the large group of long-term thorium workers is reassuring, for it may imply that low doses to the lung have a very low probability of inducing lung cancers. It is concluded that plutonium, a highly toxic material, can be handled safely, as are many other hazardous materials that play important roles in our daily lives

SILDENAFIL CITRATE INDUCED RETINAL TOXICITY-ELECTRORETINOGRAM, OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY, AND ADAPTIVE OPTICS FINDINGS.

Science.gov (United States)

Yanoga, Fatoumata; Gentile, Ronald C; Chui, Toco Y P; Freund, K Bailey; Fell, Millie; Dolz-Marco, Rosa; Rosen, Richard B

2018-02-27

To report a case of persistent retinal toxicity associated with a high dose of sildenafil citrate intake. Single retrospective case report. A 31-year-old white man with no medical history presented with complaints of bilateral multicolored photopsias and erythropsia (red-tinted vision), shortly after taking sildenafil citrate-purchased through the internet. Patient was found to have cone photoreceptor damage, demonstrated using electroretinogram, optical coherence tomography, and adaptive optics imaging. The patient's symptoms and the photoreceptor structural changes persisted for several months. Sildenafil citrate is a widely used erectile dysfunction medication that is typically associated with transient visual symptoms in normal dosage. At high dosage, sildenafil citrate can lead to persistent retinal toxicity in certain individuals.

Student Injuries at School: Who Is Responsible? You Be the Judge.

Science.gov (United States)

Diamantes, Thomas; Roby, Douglas E.

2000-01-01

Reviews the concepts of negligence and "tort liability." Outlines briefly 10 legal cases that can be useful in explaining what the liability issues are for today's educators with regard to students who are injured while in school. Outlines six steps school officials should take to avoid negligence. (SR)

Legal Issues Affecting Faculty and Administration in Higher Education.

Science.gov (United States)

Peach, Larry E.; Reddick, Thomas L.

Legal aspects of college teaching and administration are discussed. The faculty and college are liable by tort law for students in three ways: intentional acts or interference, strict liability, and negligence. Intentional acts include improperly installed or dangerous equipment, while strict liability cases usually occur where fault is not…

Rapid Onset of Retinal Toxicity From High-Dose Hydroxychloroquine Given for Cancer Therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Leung, Loh-Shan B; Neal, Joel W; Wakelee, Heather A; Sequist, Lecia V; Marmor, Michael F

2015-10-01

To report rapid onset of retinal toxicity in a series of patients followed on high-dose (1000 mg daily) hydroxychloroquine during an oncologic clinical trial studying hydroxychloroquine with erlotinib for non-small cell lung cancer. Retrospective observational case series. Ophthalmic surveillance was performed on patients in a multicenter clinical trial testing high-dose (1000 mg daily) hydroxychloroquine for advanced non-small cell lung cancer. The US Food & Drug Administration-recommended screening protocol included only visual acuity testing, dilated fundus examination, Amsler grid testing, and color vision testing. In patients seen at Stanford, additional sensitive screening procedures were added at the discretion of the retinal physician: high-resolution spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT), fundus autofluorescence (FAF) imaging, Humphrey visual field (HVF) testing, and multifocal electroretinography (mfERG). Out of the 7 patients having exposure of at least 6 months, 2 developed retinal toxicity (at 11 and 17 months of exposure). Damage was identified by OCT imaging, mfERG testing, and, in 1 case, visual field testing. Fundus autofluorescence imaging remained normal. Neither patient had symptomatic visual acuity loss. These cases show that high doses of hydroxychloroquine can initiate the development of retinal toxicity within 1-2 years. Although synergy with erlotinib is theoretically possible, there are no prior reports of erlotinib-associated retinal toxicity despite over a decade of use in oncology. These results also suggest that sensitive retinal screening tests should be added to ongoing and future clinical trials involving high-dose hydroxychloroquine to improve safety monitoring and preservation of vision. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Pharmacokinetic drivers of toxicity for basic molecules: Strategy to lower pKa results in decreased tissue exposure and toxicity for a small molecule Met inhibitor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Diaz, Dolores; Ford, Kevin A.; Hartley, Dylan P.; Harstad, Eric B.; Cain, Gary R.; Achilles-Poon, Kirsten; Nguyen, Trung; Peng, Jing; Zheng, Zhong; Merchant, Mark; Sutherlin, Daniel P.; Gaudino, John J.; Kaus, Robert; Lewin-Koh, Sock C.; Choo, Edna F.; Liederer, Bianca M.; Dambach, Donna M.

2013-01-01

Several toxicities are clearly driven by free drug concentrations in plasma, such as toxicities related to on-target exaggerated pharmacology or off-target pharmacological activity associated with receptors, enzymes or ion channels. However, there are examples in which organ toxicities appear to correlate better with total drug concentrations in the target tissues, rather than with free drug concentrations in plasma. Here we present a case study in which a small molecule Met inhibitor, GEN-203, with significant liver and bone marrow toxicity in preclinical species was modified with the intention of increasing the safety margin. GEN-203 is a lipophilic weak base as demonstrated by its physicochemical and structural properties: high LogD (distribution coefficient) (4.3) and high measured pKa (7.45) due to the basic amine (N-ethyl-3-fluoro-4-aminopiperidine). The physicochemical properties of GEN-203 were hypothesized to drive the high distribution of this compound to tissues as evidenced by a moderately-high volume of distribution (Vd > 3 l/kg) in mouse and subsequent toxicities of the compound. Specifically, the basicity of GEN-203 was decreased through addition of a second fluorine in the 3-position of the aminopiperidine to yield GEN-890 (N-ethyl-3,3-difluoro-4-aminopiperidine), which decreased the volume of distribution of the compound in mouse (Vd = 1.0 l/kg), decreased its tissue drug concentrations and led to decreased toxicity in mice. This strategy suggests that when toxicity is driven by tissue drug concentrations, optimization of the physicochemical parameters that drive tissue distribution can result in decreased drug concentrations in tissues, resulting in lower toxicity and improved safety margins. -- Highlights: ► Lower pKa for a small molecule: reduced tissue drug levels and toxicity. ► New analysis tools to assess electrostatic effects and ionization are presented. ► Chemical and PK drivers of toxicity can be leveraged to improve safety.

Feasibility and Acute Toxicity of Hypofractionated Radiation in Large-breasted Patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dorn, Paige L.; Corbin, Kimberly S.; Al-Hallaq, Hania; Hasan, Yasmin; Chmura, Steven J.

2012-01-01

Purpose: To determine the feasibility of and acute toxicity associated with hypofractionated whole breast radiation (HypoRT) after breast-conserving surgery in patients excluded from or underrepresented in randomized trials comparing HypoRT with conventional fractionation schedules. Methods and Materials: A review was conducted of all patients consecutively treated with HypoRT at University of Chicago. All patients were treated to 42.56 Gy in 2.66 Gy daily fractions in either the prone or supine position. Planning was performed in most cases using wedges and large segments or a “field-in-field” technique. Breast volume was estimated using volumetric measurements of the planning target volume (PTV). Dosimetric parameters of heterogeneity (V105, V107, V110, and maximum dose) were recorded for each treatment plan. Acute toxicity was scored for each treated breast. Results: Between 2006 and 2010, 78 patients were treated to 80 breasts using HypoRT. Most women were overweight or obese (78.7%), with a median body mass index of 29.2 kg/m 2 . Median breast volume was 1,351 mL. Of the 80 treated breasts, the maximum acute skin toxicity was mild erythema or hyperpigmentation in 70.0% (56/80), dry desquamation in 21.25% (17/80), and focal moist desquamation in 8.75% (7/80). Maximum acute toxicity occurred after the completion of radiation in 31.9% of patients. Separation >25 cm was not associated with increased toxicity. Breast volume was the only patient factor significantly associated with moist desquamation on multivariable analysis (p = 0.01). Patients with breast volume >2,500 mL experienced focal moist desquamation in 27.2% of cases compared with 6.34% in patients with breast volume 25 cm and in patients with large breast volume when employing modern planning and positioning techniques. We recommend counseling regarding expected increases in skin toxicity in women with a PTV volume >2,500 mL.

Feasibility and Acute Toxicity of Hypofractionated Radiation in Large-breasted Patients

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dorn, Paige L., E-mail: pdorn@radonc.uchicago.edu [Department of Radiation and Cellular Oncology, University of Chicago Hospitals, Chicago, IL (United States); Corbin, Kimberly S.; Al-Hallaq, Hania; Hasan, Yasmin; Chmura, Steven J. [Department of Radiation and Cellular Oncology, University of Chicago Hospitals, Chicago, IL (United States)

2012-05-01

Purpose: To determine the feasibility of and acute toxicity associated with hypofractionated whole breast radiation (HypoRT) after breast-conserving surgery in patients excluded from or underrepresented in randomized trials comparing HypoRT with conventional fractionation schedules. Methods and Materials: A review was conducted of all patients consecutively treated with HypoRT at University of Chicago. All patients were treated to 42.56 Gy in 2.66 Gy daily fractions in either the prone or supine position. Planning was performed in most cases using wedges and large segments or a 'field-in-field' technique. Breast volume was estimated using volumetric measurements of the planning target volume (PTV). Dosimetric parameters of heterogeneity (V105, V107, V110, and maximum dose) were recorded for each treatment plan. Acute toxicity was scored for each treated breast. Results: Between 2006 and 2010, 78 patients were treated to 80 breasts using HypoRT. Most women were overweight or obese (78.7%), with a median body mass index of 29.2 kg/m{sup 2}. Median breast volume was 1,351 mL. Of the 80 treated breasts, the maximum acute skin toxicity was mild erythema or hyperpigmentation in 70.0% (56/80), dry desquamation in 21.25% (17/80), and focal moist desquamation in 8.75% (7/80). Maximum acute toxicity occurred after the completion of radiation in 31.9% of patients. Separation >25 cm was not associated with increased toxicity. Breast volume was the only patient factor significantly associated with moist desquamation on multivariable analysis (p = 0.01). Patients with breast volume >2,500 mL experienced focal moist desquamation in 27.2% of cases compared with 6.34% in patients with breast volume <2,500 mL (p = 0.03). Conclusions: HypoRT is feasible and safe in patients with separation >25 cm and in patients with large breast volume when employing modern planning and positioning techniques. We recommend counseling regarding expected increases in skin toxicity in women

Toxic Elements

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hajeb, Parvaneh; Shakibazadeh, Shahram; Sloth, Jens Jørgen

2016-01-01

Food is considered the main source of toxic element (arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury) exposure to humans, and they can cause major public health effects. In this chapter, we discuss the most important sources for toxic element in food and the foodstuffs which are significant contributors to h...

Respiratory Toxicity of Lunar Highland Dust

Science.gov (United States)

James, John T.; Lam, Chiu-wing; Wallace, William T.

2009-01-01

Lunar dust exposures occurred during the Apollo missions while the crew was on the lunar surface and especially when microgravity conditions were attained during rendezvous in lunar orbit. Crews reported that the dust was irritating to the eyes and in some cases respiratory symptoms were elicited. NASA s vision for lunar exploration includes stays of 6 months on the lunar surface hence the health effects of periodic exposure to lunar dust need to be assessed. NASA has performed this assessment with a series of in vitro and in vivo tests on authentic lunar dust. Our approach is to "calibrate" the intrinsic toxicity of lunar dust by comparison to a nontoxic dust (TiO2) and a highly toxic dust (quartz) using intratrachael instillation of the dusts in mice. A battery of indices of toxicity is assessed at various time points after the instillations. Cultures of selected cells are exposed to test dusts to assess the adverse effects on the cells. Finally, chemical systems are used to assess the nature of the reactivity of various dusts and to determine the persistence of reactivity under various environmental conditions that are relevant to a space habitat. Similar systems are used to assess the dissolution of the dust. From these studies we will be able to set a defensible inhalation exposure standard for aged dust and predict whether we need a separate standard for reactive dust. Presently-available data suggest that aged lunar highland dust is slightly toxic, that it can adversely affect cultured cells, and that the surface reactivity induced by grinding the dust persists for a few hours after activation.

Are laboratory derived toxicity results informative for field situations? Case study on earthworm populations contaminated with heavy metals

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Klok, T.C.; Thissen, J.

2009-01-01

The relevance of laboratory tests on toxicants for field situations is often disputed given that laboratory tests are conducted under, next to the toxicant stress, optimal conditions which are not expected in field situations. In this paper we confront the results of laboratory tests on growth,

The Future of Foreign Direct Liability? Exploring the International Relevance of the Dutch Shell Nigeria Case

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liesbeth Enneking

2014-01-01

Full Text Available In January 2013, The Hague District Court in the Netherlands rendered a groundbreaking verdict in a civil liability suit against Royal Dutch Shell and its Nigerian subsidiary (SPDC. The lawsuit had been brought before it by four Nigerian farmers and the Dutch NGO Milieudefensie, in response to a number of oil-spill incidents from SPDC-operated pipelines in the Nigerian Niger Delta. Although the majority of the claims were dismissed, the district court in its ruling did grant one claim that related to spills from an abandoned wellhead, ordering SPDC to pay compensation for the resulting loss. This judgment has international relevance, as this Dutch Shell Nigeria case forms part of a worldwide trend towards foreign direct liability cases. Growing numbers of similar lawsuits have been brought before the courts in other Western societies, but judgments on the merits have so far remained scarce. The relevance of the case has further increased with the US Supreme Court’s April 2013 ruling in the case of Kiobel v. Royal Dutch Petroleum Co., which has significantly limited the scope of the Alien Tort Statute. This article explores The Hague District Court’s decision in the Dutch Shell Nigeria case, and places the case within the socio-legal context of the contemporary trend towards foreign direct liability cases, the international debates on corporate accountability and business & human rights, and the Supreme Court's judgment in the Kiobel case.

Safety distance assessment of industrial toxic releases based on frequency and consequence: A case study in Shanghai, China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu, Q.; Zhang, Y.; Wang, X.; Ma, W.C.; Chen, L.M.

2009-01-01

A case study on the safety distance assessment of a chemical industry park in Shanghai, China, is presented in this paper. Toxic releases were taken into consideration. A safety criterion based on frequency and consequence of major hazard accidents was set up for consequence analysis. The exposure limits for the accidents with the frequency of more than 10 -4 , 10 -5 -10 -4 and 10 -6 -10 -5 per year were mortalities of 1% (or SLOT), 50% (SLOD) and 75% (twice of SLOD) respectively. Accidents with the frequency of less than 10 -6 per year were considered incredible and ignored in the consequence analysis. Taking the safety distance of all the hazard installations in a chemical plant into consideration, the results based on the new criterion were almost smaller than those based on LC50 or SLOD. The combination of the consequence and risk based results indicated that the hazard installations in two of the chemical plants may be dangerous to the protection targets and measurements had to be taken to reduce the risk. The case study showed that taking account of the frequency of occurrence in the consequence analysis would give more feasible safety distances for major hazard accidents and the results were more comparable to those calculated by risk assessment.

Near-infrared reflectance bull’s eye maculopathy as an early indication of hydroxychloroquine toxicity

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Wong KL

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Keye L Wong,1 Scott E Pautler,2 David J Browning31Retina Associates of Sarasota, Sarasota, FL, USA; 2Retina Vitreous Associates of Florida, Tampa, FL, USA; 3Charlotte Eye Ear Nose and Throat Associates, Charlotte, NC, USAImportance: In some patients, hydroxychloroquine ocular toxicity may progress even following cessation of therapy. Any leverage the clinician may use to allow earlier detection may avert significant vision loss.Observation: We report three cases suggesting that bull’s eye maculopathy seen on near-infrared reflectance with a confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscope could be an early, objective manifestation of hydroxychloroquine ocular toxicity, and with progression of the disease this near-infrared “bull’s eye” change may disappear.Conclusion and relevance: Alerting clinicians to this observation may allow a larger case series to corroborate the hypothesis that bull’s eye maculopathy detected by near-infrared reflectance may represent an early sign of hydroxychloroquine toxicity.Keywords: confocal, scanning laser ophthalmoscope, multifocal ERG

A toxicity reduction evaluation for an oily waste treatment plant exhibiting episodic effluent toxicity.

Science.gov (United States)

Erten-Unal, M; Gelderloos, A B; Hughes, J S

1998-07-30

A Toxicity Reduction Evaluation (TRE) was conducted on the oily wastewater treatment plant (Plant) at a Naval Fuel Depot. The Plant treats ship and ballast wastes, berm water from fuel storage areas and wastes generated in the fuel reclamation plant utilizing physical/chemical treatment processes. In the first period of the project (Period I), the TRE included chemical characterization of the plant wastewaters, monitoring the final effluent for acute toxicity and a thorough evaluation of each treatment process and Plant operating procedures. Toxicity Identification Evaluation (TIE) procedures were performed as part of the overall TRE to characterize and identify possible sources of toxicity. Several difficulties were encountered because the effluent was saline, test organisms were marine species and toxicity was sporadic and unpredictable. The treatability approach utilizing enhancements, improved housekeeping, and operational changes produced substantial reductions in the acute toxicity of the final effluent. In the second period (Period II), additional acute toxicity testing and chemical characterization were performed through the Plant to assess the long-term effects of major unit process improvements for the removal of toxicity. The TIE procedures were also modified for saline wastewaters to focus on suspected class of toxicants such as surfactants. The TRE was successful in reducing acute toxicity of the final effluent through process improvements and operational modifications. The results indicated that the cause of toxicity was most likely due to combination of pollutants (matrix effect) rather than a single pollutant.

Lead Toxicity: A Probable Cause of Abdominal Pain in Drug Abusers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hossein Froutan

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Background: Lead toxicity is caused by ingestion, inhalation, or contact with particles or vapors containing lead. It can present with nonspecific signs and symptoms such as abdominal pain, constipation, irritability, difficulty concentrating, and anemia. In this study, we have tried to find a relationship between lead poisoning and drug abuse.Methods: In a cross sectional study, drug addicts presenting with abdominal pain referring to GI center ofImam Khomeini hospital in 2008 were observed. Patients having occupational contact with lead were excluded from the study. Required data included age, sex, clinical findings, Para clinic results and blood lead level. Results were analyzed through SPSS-15 software.Results: 42 patients (all male with average age of 46.9 ± 10.1 years were included in the study. Averageblood lead level was 51.17±27.96µg/dl. 22 patients (52.6% had lead toxicity. A significant relation was found between lead toxicity and mode of opium drug use; however relation between lead toxicity and duration of addiction was not significant. Similarly, a meaningful relation was found between lead toxicity and abnormal liver function test, urine tests, ECG, presence of basophilic stippling and hyperuricemia.Conclusion: There seems to be a significant relation between opium drug abuse and lead toxicity. Further studies with more cases and ethnicities are needed.

Methanol toxicity secondary to inhalant abuse in adult men.

Science.gov (United States)

Wallace, Erik A; Green, Adam S

2009-03-01

The purpose of this report is to evaluate the presentation, treatment, and outcomes of adults with methanol toxicity from inhalation of carburetor cleaning fluid fumes. Retrospective chart review of adults with positive serum volatile screen for methanol and history of carburetor cleaning fluid fume inhalation. Sixteen patients were admitted 68 times. Eleven Native American patients accounted for 90% of admissions. Sixty-five cases presented with nausea/vomiting; 27 with intoxication or altered mental status; 21 with specific visual complaints. About 93% had a pH or=10 mOsm/L, and 69% had anion gap >16. Ten had an initial serum methanol level or=50 mg/dL. Six patients had a measurable serum ethanol level. Of the 29 patients with a methanol level of 20-49 mg/dL, 20 received intravenous antidote (ethanol or fomepizole); three received an antidote and hemodialysis. All who presented with a serum methanol level >or=50 mg/dL received intravenous ethanol or fomepizole. All visual symptoms resolved before discharge and all patients survived without sequelae. Discussion. This is the largest reported number of cases of methanol toxicity from the inhalation of carburetor cleaning fluid fumes and demonstrates a problem with recurrent abuse among some older Native American men. Intentional inhalation of methanol fumes may produce toxicity. Clinicians need to question patients, especially older Native American men, regarding the possible inhalation of carburetor cleaning fluid fumes in those who present with an unexplained metabolic anion gap acidosis.

Corneal Toxicity Following Exposure to Asclepias Tuberosa

OpenAIRE

Mikkelsen, Lauge Hjorth; Hamoudi, Hassan; G?l, Cigdem Altuntas; Heegaard, Steffen

2017-01-01

PURPOSE: To present a case of corneal toxicity following exposure to milky plant latex from Asclepias tuberosa.METHODS: A 70-year-old female presented with blurred vision and pain in her left eye after handling an Ascepias tuberosa. Clinical examination revealed a corneal stromal oedema with small epithelial defects. The corneal endothelium was intact and folds in Descemets membrane were observed. The oedema was treated with chloramphenicol, dexamethasone and scopolamine.RESULTS: The corneal ...

Fundamental Characteristics of Incentive Streams Created by Legal Systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dari Mattiacci, G.

2002-01-01

The law shapes people’s behaviour by creating incentives. For example, tort law induces motorists to drive carefully by making them pay compensation for the accidents they may cause. This study analyses the way the law can create incentives in those cases in which the courts or the administrative

Estimation of toxicity using the Toxicity Estimation Software Tool (TEST)

Science.gov (United States)

Tens of thousands of chemicals are currently in commerce, and hundreds more are introduced every year. Since experimental measurements of toxicity are extremely time consuming and expensive, it is imperative that alternative methods to estimate toxicity are developed.

Hyperthyroidism caused by a toxic intrathoracic goiter with a normal-sized cervical thyroid gland

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prakash, R.; Lakshmipathi, N.; Jena, A.; Behari, V.; Chopra, M.K.

1986-01-01

The rare presentation of hyperthyroidism caused by an intrathoracic goiter with a normal-sized cervical thyroid gland is described. The toxic intrathoracic goiter demonstrated avid uptake of [ 131 I] and [99mTc]pertechnetate, with comparatively faint isotopic accumulation seen in the cervical thyroid. A chest roentgenogram and radioisotope scan should be mandatory in cases of hyperthyroidism having no cervical thyroid enlargement to explore the possibility of a toxic intrathoracic goiter

Immunothyropathy with hyperthyroidism following /sup 131/iodine treatment for toxic thyroid nodule

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mueller, H.W.; Schneider, C.; Schroeder, S.

1985-06-01

The rare case of a diffuse immunothyropathy with hyperthyroidism 3 weeks after /sup 131/Iodine treatment for a toxic thyroid nodule is presented. Diagnosis of 'toxic thyroid nodule' has been established by /sup 131/Iodine scintiscan and suppression test. The diagnosis 'immunothyropathy' is based on thyroid-antibody-determinations (TAK, MAK), ultrasound, histology, and clinical course. Corresponding to the knowledge of pathogenesis in immunothyropathies (Graves' disease, Hashimoto's disease) /sup 131/Iodine therapy is considered as inducing factor of the recorded immunothyropathy.

Children's Ability to Recognise Toxic and Non-Toxic Fruits

Science.gov (United States)

Fancovicova, Jana; Prokop, Pavol

2011-01-01

Children's ability to identify common plants is a necessary prerequisite for learning botany. However, recent work has shown that children lack positive attitudes toward plants and are unable to identify them. We examined children's (aged 10-17) ability to discriminate between common toxic and non-toxic plants and their mature fruits presented in…

Development of biotic ligand models for chronic manganese toxicity to fish, invertebrates, and algae.

Science.gov (United States)

Peters, Adam; Lofts, Stephen; Merrington, Graham; Brown, Bruce; Stubblefield, William; Harlow, Keven

2011-11-01

Ecotoxicity tests were performed with fish, invertebrates, and algae to investigate the effect of water quality parameters on Mn toxicity. Models were developed to describe the effects of Mn as a function of water quality. Calcium (Ca) has a protective effect on Mn toxicity for both fish and invertebrates, and magnesium (Mg) also provides a protective effect for invertebrates. Protons have a protective effect on Mn toxicity to algae. The models derived are consistent with models of the toxicity of other metals to aquatic organisms in that divalent cations can act as competitors to Mn toxicity in fish and invertebrates, and protons act as competitors to Mn toxicity in algae. The selected models are able to predict Mn toxicity to the test organisms to within a factor of 2 in most cases. Under low-pH conditions invertebrates are the most sensitive taxa, and under high-pH conditions algae are most sensitive. The point at which algae become more sensitive than invertebrates depends on the Ca concentration and occurs at higher pH when Ca concentrations are low, because of the sensitivity of invertebrates under these conditions. Dissolved organic carbon concentrations have very little effect on the toxicity of Mn to aquatic organisms. Copyright © 2011 SETAC.

Correlation between atopic manifestation and lung toxicity following chest irradiation for breast cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hirota, Saeko; Shimizu, Tadafumi; Kubota, Satoshi

2007-01-01

The purpose of this study was to identify the impact of atopic manifestations on the occurrence of the lung toxicity following chest irradiation for breast cancer. Collection of 1,173 patients who had undergone radiotherapy on their 1,177 chest walls or postsurgical mammary glands at 9 institutions including ours. They received treatment consecutively from December 1980 through October 2005, with which we formed the basis of this analysis. Patients with any of the following medical history were defined as having atopic manifestations (n=111): asthma, allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, contact dermatitis, and allergy to food or drug. Of them, patients who were observed for at least 6 months or who suffered from lung toxicity at any time, were classified as Group A (n=85). On the other hand, patients in our institute who were observed for at least 6 months or who suffered from lung toxicity at any time regardless of atopic manifestations, were classified as Group B (n=113), and patients without any atopic manifestation were classified as Group C (n=92). Grade 3 or higher lung toxicity in National Cancer Institute, Common Toxicity Criteria for Adverse Events (NCI-CTCAE) (v 3.0), occurred in 8.2%, id est (i.e.) 7 cases, of Group A, 2.7% of Group B, and 1.1% of Group C (p=0.0293 Group C against Group A). Three cases were classified as classical pneumonitis, and the other 4 sporadic pneumonitis such as Cryptogenic Organizing Pneumonia and Chronic Eosinophilic Pneumonia. Both of the histologically proven COP and CEP patients showed atopic manifestations in our institute. The detail clinical features are described in the main text. Having atopic manifestations suggests that there may be risk of lung toxicity following chest irradiation for breast cancer. (author)

Toxic substances handbook

Science.gov (United States)

Junod, T. L.

1979-01-01

Handbook, published in conjunction with Toxic Substances Alert Program at NASA Lewis Research Center, profiles 187 toxic chemicals in their relatively pure states and include 27 known or suspected carcinogens.

Toxicity evaluation and prediction of toxic chemicals on activated sludge system.

Science.gov (United States)

Cai, Bijing; Xie, Li; Yang, Dianhai; Arcangeli, Jean-Pierre

2010-05-15

The gaps of data for evaluating toxicity of new or overloaded organic chemicals on activated sludge system resulted in the requirements for methodology of toxicity estimation. In this study, 24 aromatic chemicals typically existed in the industrial wastewater were selected and classified into three groups of benzenes, phenols and anilines. Their toxicity on activated sludge was then investigated. Two indexes of IC(50-M) and IC(50-S) were determined respectively from the respiration rates of activated sludge with different toxicant concentration at mid-term (24h) and short-term (30min) time intervals. Experimental results showed that the group of benzenes was the most toxic, followed by the groups of phenols and anilines. The values of IC(50-M) of the tested chemicals were higher than those of IC(50-S). In addition, quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSARs) models developed from IC(50-M) were more stable and accurate than those of IC(50-S). The multiple linear models based on molecular descriptors and K(ow) presented better reliability than single linear models based on K(ow). Among these molecular descriptors, E(lumo) was the most important impact factor for evaluation of mid-term toxicity. Copyright (c) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Treatment of Acute Tacrolimus Toxicity with Phenytoin in Solid Organ Transplant Recipients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arin S. Jantz

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The pharmacokinetics of tacrolimus are influenced by many factors, including genetic variability, acute infections, liver dysfunction, and interacting medications, which can result in elevated concentrations. The most appropriate management of acute tacrolimus toxicity has not been defined though case reports exist describing the therapeutic use of enzyme inducers to increase tacrolimus metabolism and decrease concentrations. We are reporting on the utilization of phenytoin to assist in decreasing tacrolimus concentrations in a case series of four solid organ transplant recipients with acute, symptomatic tacrolimus toxicity presenting with elevated serum creatinine, potassium, and tacrolimus trough concentrations greater than 30 ng/mL. All four patients had the potential causative agents stopped or temporarily held and were given 300 to 400 mg/day of phenytoin for two to three days. Within three days of beginning phenytoin, all four patients had a decrease in tacrolimus concentration to less than 15 ng/mL, a return to or near baseline creatinine concentration, and lack of phenytoin-related side effects. Therefore, phenytoin appears to be a safe and potentially beneficial treatment option in patients with symptomatic tacrolimus toxicity.

Thrombotic microangiopathy associated with Valproic acid toxicity.

Science.gov (United States)

Hebert, Sean A; Bohan, Timothy P; Erikson, Christian L; Swinford, Rita D

2017-08-03

Thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) is a serious, sometimes life-threatening disorder marked by the presence of endothelial injury and microvascular thrombi. Drug-induced thrombotic microangiopathy (DI-TMA) is one specific TMA syndrome that occurs following drug exposure via drug-dependent antibodies or direct tissue toxicity. Common examples include calcineurin inhibitors Tacrolimus and Cyclosporine and antineoplastics Gemcitabine and Mitomycin. Valproic acid has not been implicated in DI-TMA. We present the first case of a patient meeting clinical criteria for DI-TMA following admission for valproic acid toxicity. An adolescent male with difficult to control epilepsy was admitted for impaired hepatic function while on valproic acid therapy. On the third hospital day, he developed severe metabolic lactic acidosis and multiorgan failure, prompting transfer to the pediatric intensive care unit. Progressive anemia and thrombocytopenia instigated an evaluation for thrombotic microangiopathy, where confirmed by concomitant hemolysis, elevated lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), low haptoglobin, and concurrent oliguric acute kidney injury. Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura was less likely with adequate ADAMTS13. Discontinuing valproic acid reversed the anemia, thrombocytopenia, and normalized the LDH and haptoglobin, supporting a drug-induced cause for the TMA. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of drug-induced TMA from valproic acid toxicity.

Determination of leachate toxicity through acute toxicity using Daphnia pulex and anaerobic toxicity assays

OpenAIRE

Carabalí-Rivera, Y. S; Barba-Ho, L. E; Torres-Lozada, P

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT The municipal solid waste (MSW) of large cities, in particular the ones of developing countries, is mainly disposed in landfills (LFs), whose inadequate management generates the emission of greenhouse gases and the production of leachates with high concentrations of organic and inorganic matter and, occasionally heavy metals. In this study, the toxicity of the leachates from an intermediate-age municipal landfill was evaluated by ecotoxicity and anaerobic toxicity tests. The acute to...

Toxicity risk of non-target organs at risk receiving low-dose radiation: case report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shueng, Pei-Wei; Lin, Shih-Chiang; Chang, Hou-Tai; Chong, Ngot-Swan; Chen, Yu-Jen; Wang, Li-Ying; Hsieh, Yen-Ping; Hsieh, Chen-Hsi

2009-01-01

The spine is the most common site for bone metastases. Radiation therapy is a common treatment for palliation of pain and for prevention or treatment of spinal cord compression. Helical tomotherapy (HT), a new image-guided intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT), delivers highly conformal dose distributions and provides an impressive ability to spare adjacent organs at risk, thus increasing the local control of spinal column metastases and decreasing the potential risk of critical organs under treatment. However, there are a lot of non-target organs at risk (OARs) occupied by low dose with underestimate in this modern rotational IMRT treatment. Herein, we report a case of a pathologic compression fracture of the T9 vertebra in a 55-year-old patient with cholangiocarcinoma. The patient underwent HT at a dose of 30 Gy/10 fractions delivered to T8-T10 for symptom relief. Two weeks after the radiotherapy had been completed, the first course of chemotherapy comprising gemcitabine, fluorouracil, and leucovorin was administered. After two weeks of chemotherapy, however, the patient developed progressive dyspnea. A computed tomography scan of the chest revealed an interstitial pattern with traction bronchiectasis, diffuse ground-glass opacities, and cystic change with fibrosis. Acute radiation pneumonitis was diagnosed. Oncologists should be alert to the potential risk of radiation toxicities caused by low dose off-targets and abscopal effects even with highly conformal radiotherapy

Hemodialysis for near-fatal sodium phosphate toxicity in a child receiving sodium phosphate enemas.

Science.gov (United States)

Becknell, Brian; Smoyer, William E; O'Brien, Nicole F

2014-11-01

This study aimed to demonstrate the importance of considering hemodialysis as a treatment option in the management of sodium phosphate toxicity. This is a case report of a 4-year-old who presented to the emergency department with shock, decreased mental status, seizures, and tetany due to sodium phosphate toxicity from sodium phosphate enemas. Traditional management of hyperphosphatemia with aggressive hydration and diuretics was insufficient to reverse the hemodynamic and neurological abnormalities in this child. This is the first report of the use of hemodialysis in a child without preexisting renal failure for the successful management of near-fatal sodium phosphate toxicity. Hemodialysis can safely be used as an adjunctive therapy in sodium phosphate toxicity to rapidly reduce serum phosphate levels and increase serum calcium levels in children not responding to conventional management.

Budd-Chiari syndrome secondary to toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloid exposure.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Janet S W; Poon, W T; Ma, C K; Chen, M L; Pang, K S; Mak, Tony W L; Chan, H B

2013-12-01

In this report, we describe a case of pyrrolizidine alkaloid-related Budd-Chiari syndrome in Hong Kong. A 10-month-old boy presented with ascites, right pleural effusion, and hepatomegaly after consumption of herbal drinks for 3 months. His clinical (including imaging) features were compatible with Budd-Chiari syndrome. Budd-Chiari syndrome is a rare disease entity in paediatric patients. In our case, extensive workup performed to look for the underlying cause of Budd-Chiari syndrome was unrevealing, except for toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloid exposure in his herbal drinks.

Toxic clinical hypoxic radiation sensitizers plus radiation-induced toxicity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Richmond, R.C.

1984-01-01

The operational definition espoused twelve years ago that clinical hypoxic radiation sensitizers should be nontoxic interferes with the recognition and research of useful radiation sensitizers. Eight years ago the toxic antitumor drug cis-dichlorodiammineplatinum(II) was reported to be a hypoxic radiation sensitizer and the selective antitumor action of this drug was stressed as potentially creating tumor-targeted radiation sensitization. This rationale of oxidative antitumor drugs as toxic and targeted clinical sensitizers is useful, and has led to the study reported here. The antitumor drug cis-(1,1-cyclobutane-dicarboxylato)diammineplatinum(II), or JM-8, is being tested in clinical trials. Cells of S. typhimurium in PBS in the presence of 0.2mM JM-8 are found to be sensitized to irradiation under hypoxic, but not oxic, conditions. JM-8 is nontoxic to bacteria at this concentration, but upon irradiation the JM-8 solution becomes highly toxic. This radiation induced toxicity of JM-8 preferentially develops from hypoxic solution, and thus contributes to the rationale of hypoxic tumor cell destruction

Toxic adenoma of the thyroid gland and Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome

Science.gov (United States)

Naço, M; Çeliku, E; Llukaçaj, A; Shehaj, J; Kameniku, R

2009-01-01

We report the case of a 17-year-old girl with toxic adenoma scheduled for surgery right lobectomy and isthmectomy of thyroid gland. During the examination before surgery, patient was diagnosed for the first time as having with Wolff – Parkinson – White (WPW) syndrome. In the operating room, after the induction of anesthesia, the electrocardiogram showed wide QRS complex tachycardia with a rate of 180 beats/min, which was diagnosed as paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia. The patient was treated immediately with antiarrhythmic drugs: adenosine iv three times (at doses of 6 mg, 12mg, 12mg bolus) and esmolol iv twice (at doses 28.5 mg). This approach resulted in disappearance of the delta wave and tachycardia for the whole surgery period. In this case report we discuss the role of induction of anesthesia and presence of toxic adenoma in a patient with WPW. PMID:19561784

CT and MR manifestations of acute methyl alcohol toxic encephalopathy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mao Xiaofen; Yang Bo; Ye Gengxin; Zhang Cheng

2009-01-01

Objective: To analyze the CT and MR manifestations of methyl alcohol toxic encephalopathy and to improve the diagnosing value of CT and MRI. Methods: 40 patients with methyl alcohol intoxication were collected in this study, in which CT scan was performed on 40 cases and MRI on 4 cases. All CT and MRI radiological data of brain were retrospectively studied. Results: 13 of 40 cases showed abnormal findings on brain CT and MRI. The most common manifestation (6/13, 46%)was hypodensity in frontal parietal white matter and external capsule-putamen on CT, which showed long or short T1 and long T2 on MR. Hemorrhage in right putamen was found only in 1 patient (1/13,7%). CT showed low density inbilateral external capsule in 4 cases (4/13,31%), in which MR showed long or short T1 and long T2. Low density lesions in subcortical white matter of bilateral frontal and parietal lobes, cingulate gyms and insular lobes were found in 2 patients (2/13,15%). The more severe clinic manifestation, the more obvious brain lesion CT and MRI showed. Conclusion: Brain CT and MR manifestations have great diagnostic value of acute methyl alcohol toxic encephalopathy. MRI was more sensitive and better than CT in finding early brain damage caused by methanol intoxication. (authors)

Toxic leucoencephalopathy after 'chasing the dragon'.

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Rajinder; Saini, Monica

2015-06-01

Toxic leucoencephalopathy (TLE) is a rare neurological complication of heroin abuse. 'Chasing the dragon' is an inhalational mode of heroin abuse that originated in Southeast Asia. Intriguingly, no cases of TLE have been reported from this region, although the inhalational mode of heroin abuse is common. We herein report the case of a middle-aged man with a history of polysubstance abuse who presented with progressive neurological symptoms and progressed to an uncommunicative state. While the initial impression was that of iatrogenic parkinsonism, diffuse leucoencephalopathy with sparing of the cerebellum was noted on magnetic resonance imaging. In view of his history of inhalational heroin abuse close to the onset of the neurological symptoms, a diagnosis of TLE was made. No clinical improvement was noted with administration of a dopaminergic agent. This is the first known case of delayed TLE following heroin inhalation from Southeast Asia with the unusual feature of cerebellar sparing.

Compensation for Combat Deaths: Policy Considerations

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-01

through the courts for deaths resulting from other parties’ negligence or criminal behavior; a key difference between the tort system and many other...funding facilities that function outside of the tort system— for example, workers’ compensation programs for workplace fatalities and the Victims...receive $100,000 if the 10-percent risk of a loss of $100,000 actually came to pass. Tort law generally uses an ex post approach to compensation and

Estimate of the prevalence and burden of food poisoning by natural toxic compounds in South Korea.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Myoung Su; Bahk, Gyung Jin

2015-12-01

Many studies have attempted to accurately estimate the overall number of cases of foodborne illness, but there have not been many attempts to estimate the burden of foodborne disease caused by natural toxic compounds. This study estimated the number of cases due to specific natural toxins (seafood toxins, plant toxins, and mycotoxins) during 2008-2012 in South Korea, using data from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA), while accounting for uncertainty in the estimate. The estimated annual occurrences of foodborne illness from natural toxic agents were 1088 (90% credible interval [CrI]: 883-1315), which suggests there are 21 times more cases than are reported, with 45.6% (n=496 [388-614]) and 54.4% (n=592 [423-790]), accounting for inpatient stays and outpatient visits, respectively. Among toxins, mushroom and plant toxins caused the highest illnesses, followed by toxic agents in seafood and mycotoxins. The 55-59year olds had the highest proportion of illnesses and those over the age of 40 accounted for 70.6% of all cases. The cases caused by mushroom poison, poisonous plants, and seafood toxins showed clear seasonal and regional differences. These results will be useful to food safety policymakers for the prevention and control of natural food poisons in South Korea. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Illinois court seeks new course in AIDS phobia cases.

Science.gov (United States)

1997-07-25

The Illinois Court of Appeals ruled that plaintiffs cannot be compensated for negligent infliction of emotional distress unless there is a substantial, medically-verifiable possibility of contracting HIV. The new standard will impact a growing body of case law requiring plaintiffs to show that the fear of AIDS was predicated on actual exposure to the virus. Under the actual exposure rule, a plaintiff who injures himself with a hypodermic needle that had been used on an HIV-positive hospital patient could recover damages; another plaintiff whose needle puncture cannot be traced to HIV contamination could not be compensated. In Doe v. Northwestern University, six plaintiffs who received dental care from a university dental student who tested positive for HIV antibodies sued the university, alleging negligence. Although the plaintiff's fears of HIV infection were reasonable, the court found that they were not severe enough to warrant tort compensation since the plaintiffs had nothing to support their claims. In the case of [name removed] v. [Name removed], a medical clinic office manager, cut herself on a bloodstained scalpel left in a trash can by Dr. [name removed]. Eight months following the incident, [name removed] died of AIDS-related causes. Mrs. [Name removed] would have been entitled to recover damages under the actual exposure test; however, the case would not have prevailed under the Northwestern standard because it was known that Mrs. [Name removed] tested negative twice prior to learning of [name removed]'s AIDS diagnosis. Controversy within the Illinois courts about the actual exposure rule continues.

Mercury Toxicity Following Unauthorized Siddha Medicine Intake - A Mimicker of Acquired Neuromyotonia - Report of 32 Cases.

Science.gov (United States)

Gnanashanmugam, G; Balakrishnan, R; Somasundaram, S P; Parimalam, N; Rajmohan, P; Pranesh, M B

2018-01-01

Mercury is used extensively in the preparation of Siddha medicines, after purification. In this study, we present 32 patients of mercury toxicity following unauthorized Siddha medicine intake who mimicked neuromyotonia clinically. We analyzed the clinical features of these patients, the role of autoimmunity in etiopathology, and compared it with acquired neuromyotonia. This is a retrospective study to analyze inpatients in a tertiary care center, admitted with mercury toxicity following Siddha medicine intake from August 2012 to October 2016. We analyzed the clinical features, laboratory data including mercury, arsenic and lead levels in blood, and serum voltage-gated potassium channels (VGKC)-CASPR2 Ab in selected patients. Thirty-two patients who had high blood mercury levels following Siddha medicine intake were included in the study. All patients (100%) had severe intractable neuropathic pain predominantly involving lower limbs. Twenty-six (81.25%) patients had fasciculations and myokymia. Fifteen patients (46.86%) had autonomic dysfunction (postural hypotension and resting tachycardia). Nine (28.12%) patients had encephalopathic features such as dullness, apathy, drowsiness, or delirium. Anti-VGKC Ab was positive in 12 patients with myokymia. All the patients in the study consumed Siddha medicines obtained from unauthorized dealers. Mercury toxicity following Siddha medicine intake closely mimics acquired neuromyotonia; severe intolerable neuropathic pain is the hallmark feature; Positive VGKC-CASPR2 antibody in some patients must be due to triggered autoimmunity secondary to mercury toxicity due to Siddha medicine intake. The government should establish licensing system to prevent distribution of unauthorized Siddha medicines.

Toxicity of Depleted Uranium Dust Particles: Results of a New Model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zucchetti, M.

2013-01-01

Depleted uranium (DU) is mostly composed of U-238, a naturally radioactive isotope. Concerning chemical toxicity, uranium, being a heavy metal, is known to have toxic effects on specific organs in the body, the kidneys in particular. Its effects are similar to those of other heavy metals, such as lead and cadmium. Scientific evidence resulting both from in vitro and in vivo analyses shows that current models of the mechanisms of toxicity of uranium dust are not fully satisfactory. They should be refined in order to obtain more effective responses and predictions regarding health effects. In particular, radiotoxicity potential of Depleted Uranium dust originated by military use of this material for ammunition must be re-evaluated taking into account the bystander effect, the dose enhancing effect and other minor phenomena. Uranium dust has both chemical and radiological toxicity: the synergistic aspect of the two effects has to be accounted for, in order to arrive to a complete description of the phenomenon. The combination of the two different toxicities (chemical and radiological) of depleted uranium is attempted here for the first time, approaching the long-term effects of Depleted Uranium, and in particular the carcinogenetic effects. A case study (Balkan war, 1999) is discussed. (Author)

Immunotoxicity, genotoxicity and epigenetic toxicity of nanomaterials: New strategies for toxicity testing?

Science.gov (United States)

Dusinska, Maria; Tulinska, Jana; El Yamani, Naouale; Kuricova, Miroslava; Liskova, Aurelia; Rollerova, Eva; Rundén-Pran, Elise; Smolkova, Bozena

2017-11-01

The unique properties of nanomaterials (NMs) are beneficial in numerous industrial and medical applications. However, they could also induce unintended effects. Thus, a proper strategy for toxicity testing is essential in human hazard and risk assessment. Toxicity can be tested in vivo and in vitro; in compliance with the 3Rs, alternative strategies for in vitro testing should be further developed for NMs. Robust, standardized methods are of great importance in nanotoxicology, with comprehensive material characterization and uptake as an integral part of the testing strategy. Oxidative stress has been shown to be an underlying mechanism of possible toxicity of NMs, causing both immunotoxicity and genotoxicity. For testing NMs in vitro, a battery of tests should be performed on cells of human origin, either cell lines or primary cells, in conditions as close as possible to an in vivo situation. Novel toxicity pathways, particularly epigenetic modification, should be assessed along with conventional toxicity testing methods. However, to initiate epigenetic toxicity screens for NM exposure, there is a need to better understand their adverse effects on the epigenome, to identify robust and reproducible causal links between exposure, epigenetic changes and adverse phenotypic endpoints, and to develop improved assays to monitor epigenetic toxicity. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Radionuclide toxicity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Galle, P.

1982-01-01

The aim of this symposium was to review the radionuclide toxicity problems. Five topics were discussed: (1) natural and artificial radionuclides (origin, presence or emission in the environment, human irradiation); (2) environmental behaviour of radionuclides and transfer to man; (3) metabolism and toxicity of radionuclides (radioiodine, strontium, rare gas released from nuclear power plants, ruthenium-activation metals, rare earths, tritium, carbon 14, plutonium, americium, curium and einsteinium, neptunium, californium, uranium) cancerogenous effects of radon 222 and of its danghter products; (4) comparison of the hazards of various types of energy; (5) human epidemiology of radionuclide toxicity (bone cancer induction by radium, lung cancer induction by radon daughter products, liver cancer and leukaemia following the use of Thorotrast, thyroid cancer; other site of cancer induction by radionuclides) [fr

TOXRISK, Toxic Gas Release Accident Analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bennett, D.E.; Chanin, D.I.; Shiver, A.W.

1993-01-01

1 - Description of program or function: TOXRISK is an interactive program developed to aid in the evaluation of nuclear power plant control room habitability in the event of a nearby toxic material release. The program uses a model which is consistent with the approach described in the NRC Regulatory Guide 1.78. Release of the gas is treated as an initial puff followed by a continuous plume. The relative proportions of these as well as the plume release rate are supplied by the user. Transport of the gas is modeled as a Gaussian distribution and occurs through the action of a constant velocity, constant direction wind. Great flexibility is afforded the user in specifying the release description, meteorological conditions, relative geometry of the accident and plant, and the plant ventilation system characteristics. Two types of simulation can be performed: multiple case (parametric) studies and probabilistic analyses. Upon execution, TOXRISK presents a menu, and the user chooses between the Data Base Manager, the Multiple Case program, and the Probabilistic Study Program. The Data Base Manager provides a convenient means of storing, retrieving, and modifying blocks of data required by the analysis programs. The Multiple Case program calculates resultant gas concentrations inside the control room and presents a summary of information that describes the event for each set of conditions given. Optimally, a time history profile of inside and outside concentrations can also be produced. The Probabilistic Study program provides a means for estimating the annual probability of operator incapacitation due to toxic gas accidents on surrounding transportation routes and storage sites. 2 - Method of solution: Dispersion or diffusion of the gas during transport is described by modified Pasquill-Gifford dispersion coefficients

Metabolic acidosis in an infant associated with permethrin toxicity.

Science.gov (United States)

Goksugur, Sevil B; Karatas, Zehra; Goksugur, Nadir; Bekdas, Mervan; Demircioglu, Fatih

2015-01-01

Pyrethroids are broad-spectrum insecticides. Permethrin intoxication due to topical application has not been documented in humans. We report a 20-month-old infant who had used 5% permethrin lotion topically for scabies treatment. Approximately 60 mL (20 mL/day) was used and after the third application he developed agitation, nausea, vomiting, respiratory distress, tachycardia, and metabolic acidosis. His clinical symptoms and metabolic acidosis normalized within 20 hours. His follow-up was unremarkable. Toxicity of permethrin is rare, and although permethrin is a widely and safely used topical agent in the treatment of scabies and lice, inappropriate use may rarely cause toxicity. Moreover, in cases of unexplained metabolic acidosis, topically applied medications should be carefully investigated. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Optic neuritis with residual tunnel vision in perchloroethylene toxicity.

Science.gov (United States)

Onofrj, M; Thomas, A; Paci, C; Rotilio, D

1998-01-01

In a 57-year-old female owner of a dry-cleaning shop, we describe the association of severe bilateral optic neuritis with unexpectedly high concentrations of perchloroethylene/metabolites in the blood and of chloroform in urine. Visual disturbances consisted of complete blindness for 9 days in the left eye, for 11 days in the right eye, with bright phosphenes and pain on eye rotation. Only central (2-3 degrees radius) vision recovered in the following months. Although environmental concentrations of perchloroethylene were within normal limits, we measured five-fold increases in vapors emitted when ironing freshly dry-cleaned fabrics, and suggest that inhalation of perchloroethylene vapors was the cause of this case of ocular nerve toxicity, recapitulating a previous report of major perchloroethylene toxicity.

AN EXAMINATION OF CONTEMPORARY ISSUES RELATING TO ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

In Nigeria, cases of negligence are under-reported; consequently mar- ... and Business Law, College of Law, Afe Babalola University Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti, Nigeria. ...... 55 See Grubb [1988] C LJ 12, Contrast Jones, Textbook on Torts (3rd ed) 113 – 4. .... 'Consent for Anaesthesia' (2004) 30 Journal of Medical Ethics 286–290.

The Legal Risks of Social Responsibility.

Science.gov (United States)

Drechsel, Robert E.

By scrutinizing the extensive and growing literature on media ethics and media codes, as well as the current history of litigation in libel cases, this paper analyzes the risks presented by journalistic social responsibility in the context of expanding tort liability for what might loosely be called journalistic malpractice. Following a review of…

They'll Be Suing You.

Science.gov (United States)

Weeks, Kent M.

1980-01-01

Few claims for negligence or misrepresentation against higher education have been sustained, but several important cases in lower education have provided a framework for future litigation. It is noted that the students ultimately lost, but educators should not be lulled. The development of a new tort such as educational malpractice takes years.…

Annual ryegrass toxicity in Thoroughbred horses in Ceres in the Western Cape Province, South Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J.D. Grewar

2009-05-01

Full Text Available An outbreak of annual ryegrass toxicity occurred on a Thoroughbred stud in Ceres in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. This is the 1st report of annual ryegrass toxicity in horses in South Africa, although the condition has been reported in cattle and sheep populations in the past. Annual ryegrass toxicity is characterised by a variety of neurological signs including tremors, convulsions, recumbency and in many cases death. The description of the outbreak includes the history, clinical presentation and treatment protocol administered during the outbreak. Various epidemiological variables and their influence in the outbreak are also considered.

[Group A streptococcus-induced toxic shock syndrome in pregnancy: a case report of cesarean section].

Science.gov (United States)

Yamada, Kumiko; Fukuda, Taeko; Kimura, Maiko; Hagiya, Keiichi; Danmura, Masato; Nakayama, Shin; Ogura, Tsuyoshi; Tanaka, Makoto

2012-12-01

Group A streptococcus (GAS)-induced toxic shock syndrome (TSS) in pregnancy is rare, but its clinical course is fulminant. The mortality rates of mother and fetus are reported to be 58 and 66%, respectively. We report a case of GAS-TSS after cesarean section. A 38-year-old pregnant woman of 38 weeks gestation was admitted to our hospital because of vomiting, fever of 39 degrees C, and continuous abdominal pain with scanty genital bleeding. She had complained of sore throat several days before. One hour after admission, external fetal monitoring revealed periodic pulse deceleration to 90 x beats min(-1). The emergent cesarean section was performed under general anesthesia. Approximately 8 hours after the cesarean section, she developed coma, shock and respiratory insufficiency requiring intubation. Streptococcus pyogens were isolated from her blood sample and the patient met criteria for GAS-TSS. She was treated with antibiotics (penicillin and clindamycin), antithrombin III, recomodulin, catecholamins, and continuous hemodialysis with filtration of toxins. Although the patient recovered and was discharged on 63rd day, the infant died on postpartum day 4. Early recognition and intensive treatment for GAS is recommended in a late stage pregnancy with an episode of sore throat, vomiting, high fever, strong labor pain, and DIC signs.

Cancer risk assessments and environmental regulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scroggin, D.G.

1990-01-01

Governmental regulation of toxic substances, such as carcinogens and radiation, prompts both legal and scientific controversies. Industry, environmental activist groups, government regulators, and the general public are all concerned with the question of how environmental risk to public health is to be measured and what level of risk warrants government action under the environmental laws. Several recent events shed light on the fundamental scientific and legal problems inherent in such regulation, and these events may affect the direction of future developments. These events include implementation of generic Risk Assessment Guidelines by the US EPA, litigation challenging EPA's regulation of carcinogenic substances, new scientific understanding of the relative risks from human exposure to natural and man-made sources, and the continuing growth of toxic tort litigation in which victims of cancer seek large damages from industrial emitters of pollution

The Severity of Autism Is Associated with Toxic Metal Body Burden and Red Blood Cell Glutathione Levels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Adams, J B; Mitchell, I J [Division of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine, Tempe, AZ 85282 (United States); Baral, M; Bradstreet, J [Department of Pediatric Medicine, Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine, Tempe, AZ 85282 (United States); Geis, E; Ingram, J; Hensley, A; Zappia, I; Gehn, E; Mitchell, K [Autism Research Institute, San Diego, CA 92116-2599 (United States); Newmark, S [Center for Integrative Pediatric Medicine, Tucson, AZ 85711 (United States); Rubin, R A [Department of Mathematics, Whittier College, Whittier, CA 90601-4413 (United States); Bradstreet, J [International Child Development Resource Center, Phoenix, AZ (United States); El-Dahrn, J M [Department of Pediatrics, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112 (United States)

2009-07-01

This study investigated the relationship of children's autism symptoms with their toxic metal body burden and red blood cell (RBC) glutathione levels. In children ages 38 years, the severity of autism was assessed using four tools: ADOS, PDD-BI, ATEC, and SAS. Toxic metal body burden was assessed by measuring urinary excretion of toxic metals, both before and after oral dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA). Multiple positive correlations were found between the severity of autism and the urinary excretion of toxic metals. Variations in the severity of autism measurements could be explained, in part, by regression analyses of urinary excretion of toxic metals before and after DMSA and the level of RBC glutathione (adjusted R2 of 0.220.45, P<.005 in all cases). This study demonstrates a significant positive association between the severity of autism and the relative body burden of toxic metals.

The Severity of Autism Is Associated with Toxic Metal Body Burden and Red Blood Cell Glutathione Levels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adams, J.B.; Mitchell, I.J.; Baral, M.; Bradstreet, J.; Geis, E.; Ingram, J.; Hensley, A.; Zappia, I.; Gehn, E.; Mitchell, K.; Newmark, S.; Rubin, R.A.; Bradstreet, J.; El-Dahrn, J.M.

2009-01-01

This study investigated the relationship of children's autism symptoms with their toxic metal body burden and red blood cell (RBC) glutathione levels. In children ages 38 years, the severity of autism was assessed using four tools: ADOS, PDD-BI, ATEC, and SAS. Toxic metal body burden was assessed by measuring urinary excretion of toxic metals, both before and after oral dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA). Multiple positive correlations were found between the severity of autism and the urinary excretion of toxic metals. Variations in the severity of autism measurements could be explained, in part, by regression analyses of urinary excretion of toxic metals before and after DMSA and the level of RBC glutathione (adjusted R2 of 0.220.45, P<.005 in all cases). This study demonstrates a significant positive association between the severity of autism and the relative body burden of toxic metals.

Evaluation of nano-specific toxicity of zinc oxide, copper oxide, and silver nanoparticles through toxic ratio

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Weicheng; Liu, Xiawei; Bao, Shaopan; Xiao, Bangding; Fang, Tao, E-mail: fangt@ihb.ac.cn [Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Hydrobiology (China)

2016-12-15

For safety and environmental risk assessments of nanomaterials (NMs) and to provide essential toxicity data, nano-specific toxicities, or excess toxicities, of ZnO, CuO, and Ag nanoparticles (NPs) (20, 20, and 30 nm, respectively) to Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae in short-term (6 h) and long-term (48 h) bioassays were quantified based on a toxic ratio. ZnO NPs exhibited no nano-specific toxicities, reflecting similar toxicities as ZnO bulk particles (BPs) (as well as zinc salt). However, CuO and Ag NPs yielded distinctly nano-specific toxicities when compared with their BPs. According to their nano-specific toxicities, the capability of these NPs in eliciting hazardous effects on humans and the environment was as follows: CuO > Ag > ZnO NPs. Moreover, long-term bioassays were more sensitive to nano-specific toxicity than short-term bioassays. Overall, nano-specific toxicity is a meaningful measurement to evaluate the environmental risk of NPs. The log T{sub e}{sup particle} value is a useful parameter for quantifying NP nano-specific toxicity and enabling comparisons of international toxicological data. Furthermore, this value could be used to determine the environmental risk of NPs.

Cyclophosphamide-induced pulmonary toxicity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Siemann, D.W.; Macler, L.; Penney, D.P.

1986-01-01

Unlike radiation effects, pulmonary toxicity following drug treatments may develop soon after exposure. The dose-response relationship between Cyclophosphamide and lung toxicity was investigated using increased breathing frequency assays used successfully for radiation induced injury. The data indicate that release of protein into the alveolus may play a significant role in Cy induced pulmonary toxicity. Although the mechanism responsible for the increased alveolar protein is as yet not identified, the present findings suggest that therapeutic intervention to inhibit protein release may be an approach to protect the lungs from toxic effects. (UK)

TOXICITY BEHAVIORS IN ORGANIZATIONS: STUDY OF RELIABILITY AND VALIDITY OF TOXIC EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCES SCALE

OpenAIRE

Bektas, Meral; Erkal, Pinar

2016-01-01

In toxic organizations which are mostly destructive instead of being constrictive towards its employees, toxicity behaviors emerge as a result of the formal and informal relationships. Toxicity behaviors are often negatively affect motivation, job satisfaction or performance of the employees in workplace. Basic toxicity behaviors in organizations are: extreme jealousy, biting words, emphasis  superiority emphasis, getting angry, offending employees, strict control, heavy job workload, limited...

Single nucleotide polymorphisms and unacceptable late toxicity in breast cancer adjuvant radiotherapy: a case report

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lazzari G

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Grazia Lazzari,1 Maria Iole Natalicchio,2 Angela Terlizzi,3 Francesco Perri,4 Giovanni Silvano1 1Radiation Oncology Unit, San Giuseppe Moscati Hospital, Taranto, 2Molecular Biology Laboratory, Pathological Anatomy Department, Ospedali Riuniti, Foggia, 3Medical Physic Unit, San Giuseppe Moscati Hospital, 4Medical Oncology Unit, Presidio Ospedaliero Centrale - Santissima Annunziata, Taranto, Italy Background: There has recently been a strong interest in the inter-individual variation in normal tissue and tumor response to radiotherapy (RT, because tissue radiosensitivity seems to be under genetic control. Evidence is accumulating on the role of polymorphic genetic variants, such as single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs that could influence normal tissue response after radiation. The most studied SNPs include those in genes involved in DNA repair (single- and double-strand breaks, and base excision and those active in the response to oxidative stress.Case report: We present the case report of a 60-year-old woman with early breast cancer who underwent adjuvant hormone therapy and conventional radiotherapy, and subsequently developed unacceptable cosmetic toxicities of the irradiated breast requiring a genetic test of genes involved in DNA repair mechanisms. The patient was found to be heterozygous for G28152A (T/C and C18067T (A/G mutations in X-ray repair cross-complementing group 1 (XRCC1 and 3 (XRCC3, respectively, homozygous for A313G (G/G mutation in glutathione S transferase Pi 1 (GSTP1, and wild-type for A4541G (A/A in XRCC3 and G135C (G/G in RAD51 recombinase.Conclusion: The role of SNPs should be taken into account when a severe phenomenon appears in normal tissues after radiation treatment, because understanding the molecular basis of individual radiosensitivity may be useful for identifying moderately or extremely radiosensitive patients who may need tailored therapeutic strategies. Keywords: radiosensitivity, SNPs, fibrosis, DNA repair

Transoral robotic thyroidectomy: a preclinical feasibility study using the da Vinci Xi platform.

Science.gov (United States)

Russell, Jonathon O; Noureldine, Salem I; Al Khadem, Mai G; Chaudhary, Hamad A; Day, Andrew T; Kim, Hoon Yub; Tufano, Ralph P; Richmon, Jeremy D

2017-09-01

Transoral thyroid surgery allows the surgeon to conceal incisions within the oral cavity without significantly increasing the amount of required dissection. TORT provides an ideal scarless, midline access to the thyroid gland and bilateral central neck compartments. This approach, however, presents multiple technical challenges. Herein, we present our experience using the latest generation robotic surgical system to accomplish transoral robotic thyroidectomy (TORT). In two human cadavers, the da Vinci Xi surgical system (Intuitive Surgical, Sunnyvale, CA, USA) was used to complete TORT. Total thyroidectomy and bilateral central neck dissection was successfully completed in both cadavers. The da Vinci Xi platform offered several technologic advantages over previous robotic generations including overhead docking, narrower arms, and improved range of motion allowing for improved execution of previously described TORT techniques.

Antimony Toxicity

OpenAIRE

Sundar, Shyam; Chakravarty, Jaya

2010-01-01

Antimony toxicity occurs either due to occupational exposure or during therapy. Occupational exposure may cause respiratory irritation, pneumoconiosis, antimony spots on the skin and gastrointestinal symptoms. In addition antimony trioxide is possibly carcinogenic to humans. Improvements in working conditions have remarkably decreased the incidence of antimony toxicity in the workplace. As a therapeutic, antimony has been mostly used for the treatment of leishmaniasis and schistosomiasis. The...

Long-term evaluation of lethal and sublethal toxicity of industrial effluents using Daphnia magna and Moina macrocopa.

Science.gov (United States)

Yi, Xianliang; Kang, Sung-Wook; Jung, Jinho

2010-06-15

Acute toxicity and feeding rate inhibition of effluent from a wastewater treatment plant and its adjacent stream water on Daphnia magna and Moina macrocopa were comparatively studied. The acute toxicity of the final effluent (FE) fluctuated greatly over the sampling period from January to August 2009. Toxicity identification results of the FE in July 2009 showed that Cu originating from the Fenton's reagent was likely a key toxicant. In addition, the feeding rate of both species was still inhibited by the FEs in which acute toxicity was not observed. These findings indicate that the feeding response would be a useful tool for monitoring sublethal effects of industrial effluents. For the acute toxicity test, M. macrocopa was more sensitive than D. magna, but the opposite result was true in the case of the feeding rate inhibition. These suggest that different species have different sensitivities to toxic chemicals and to the test methods. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Household Food items Toxic to Dogs and Cats

OpenAIRE

Cortinovis, C.; Caloni, F.

2016-01-01

Several foods that are perfectly suitable for human consumption can be toxic to dogs and cats. Food-associated poisoning cases involving the accidental ingestion of chocolate and chocolate-based products, Allium spp. (onion, garlic, leek, and chives), macadamia nuts, Vitis vinifera fruits (grapes, raisins, sultanas, and currants), products sweetened with xylitol, alcoholic beverages, and unbaked bread dough have been reported worldwide in the last decade. The poisoning episodes are generally ...

Bismuth toxicity in patients treated with bismuth iodoform paraffin packs.

Science.gov (United States)

Atwal, A; Cousin, G C S

2016-01-01

Bismuth is a heavy metal used in bismuth iodoform paraffin paste (BIPP) antiseptic dressings and in a number of other medical preparations. It can be absorbed systemically and cause toxicity. We report 2 cases of such neurotoxicity after it was used in operations on the jaws. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Rectal toxicity profile after transperineal interstitial permanent prostate brachytherapy: Use of a comprehensive toxicity scoring system and identification of rectal dosimetric toxicity predictors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shah, Jinesh N.; Ennis, Ronald D.

2006-01-01

Purpose: To better understand rectal toxicity after prostate brachytherapy, we employed the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE version 3.0), a comprehensive system with distinct and separately reported gastrointestinal adverse event items (unlike Radiation Therapy Oncology Group morbidity scoring), to evaluate item-specific postimplant rectal toxicities. Methods and Materials: We analyzed 135 patients treated with brachytherapy ± hormonal therapy, using CTCAE v3.0 to score acute/late rectal toxicities (median follow-up, 41 months). Dosimetric parameters were evaluated for ability to predict toxicities. Results: Use of CTCAE yielded a novel rectal toxicity profile consisting of diarrhea, incontinence, urgency, proctitis, pain, spasms, and hemorrhage event rates. No item had a 25 (percent of rectal volume receiving 25% of prescribed prostate dose) ≤ 25% vs. 60% for %V 25 > 25% (p 1 ≤ 40% vs. 44% for %V 1 > 40% (p = 0.007). Conclusions: A comprehensive understanding of item-specific postimplant rectal toxicities was obtained using CTCAE. Rectal %V 25 > 25% and %V 1 > 40% predicted worse late diarrhea and maximum toxicity, respectively

Medicinal Plants from North and Central America and the Caribbean Considered Toxic for Humans: The Other Side of the Coin

Science.gov (United States)

Ruiz-Padilla, Alan Joel; Campos-Xolalpa, Nimsi; Carranza-Alvarez, Candy; Maldonado-Miranda, Juan Jose

2017-01-01

The consumption of medicinal plants has notably increased over the past two decades. People consider herbal products as safe because of their natural origin, without taking into consideration whether these plants contain a toxic principle. This represents a serious health problem. A bibliographic search was carried out using published scientific material on native plants from Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean, which describe the ethnobotanical and toxicological information of medicinal plants empirically considered to be toxic. A total of 216 medicinal plants belonging to 77 families have been reported as toxic. Of these plants, 76 had been studied, and 140 plants lacked studies regarding their toxicological effects. The toxicity of 16 plants species has been reported in clinical cases, particularly in children. From these plants, deaths have been reported with the consumption of Chenopodium ambrosioides, Argemone mexicana, and Thevetia peruviana. In most of the cases, the principle of the plant responsible for the toxicity is unknown. There is limited information about the toxicity of medicinal plants used in Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean. More toxicological studies are necessary to contribute information about the safe use of the medicinal plants cited in this review. PMID:29234446

Medicinal Plants from North and Central America and the Caribbean Considered Toxic for Humans: The Other Side of the Coin.

Science.gov (United States)

Alonso-Castro, Angel Josabad; Domínguez, Fabiola; Ruiz-Padilla, Alan Joel; Campos-Xolalpa, Nimsi; Zapata-Morales, Juan Ramón; Carranza-Alvarez, Candy; Maldonado-Miranda, Juan Jose

2017-01-01

The consumption of medicinal plants has notably increased over the past two decades. People consider herbal products as safe because of their natural origin, without taking into consideration whether these plants contain a toxic principle. This represents a serious health problem. A bibliographic search was carried out using published scientific material on native plants from Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean, which describe the ethnobotanical and toxicological information of medicinal plants empirically considered to be toxic. A total of 216 medicinal plants belonging to 77 families have been reported as toxic. Of these plants, 76 had been studied, and 140 plants lacked studies regarding their toxicological effects. The toxicity of 16 plants species has been reported in clinical cases, particularly in children. From these plants, deaths have been reported with the consumption of Chenopodium ambrosioides , Argemone mexicana , and Thevetia peruviana . In most of the cases, the principle of the plant responsible for the toxicity is unknown. There is limited information about the toxicity of medicinal plants used in Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean. More toxicological studies are necessary to contribute information about the safe use of the medicinal plants cited in this review.

Medicinal Plants from North and Central America and the Caribbean Considered Toxic for Humans: The Other Side of the Coin

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Angel Josabad Alonso-Castro

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The consumption of medicinal plants has notably increased over the past two decades. People consider herbal products as safe because of their natural origin, without taking into consideration whether these plants contain a toxic principle. This represents a serious health problem. A bibliographic search was carried out using published scientific material on native plants from Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean, which describe the ethnobotanical and toxicological information of medicinal plants empirically considered to be toxic. A total of 216 medicinal plants belonging to 77 families have been reported as toxic. Of these plants, 76 had been studied, and 140 plants lacked studies regarding their toxicological effects. The toxicity of 16 plants species has been reported in clinical cases, particularly in children. From these plants, deaths have been reported with the consumption of Chenopodium ambrosioides, Argemone mexicana, and Thevetia peruviana. In most of the cases, the principle of the plant responsible for the toxicity is unknown. There is limited information about the toxicity of medicinal plants used in Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean. More toxicological studies are necessary to contribute information about the safe use of the medicinal plants cited in this review.

Trichothecenes: structure-toxic activity relationships.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Qinghua; Dohnal, Vlastimil; Kuca, Kamil; Yuan, Zonghui

2013-07-01

Trichothecenes comprise a large family of structurally related toxins mainly produced by fungi belonging to the genus Fusarium. Among trichothecenes, type A and type B are of the most concern due to their broad and highly toxic nature. In order to address structure-activity relationships (SAR) of trichothecenes, relationships between structural features and biological effects of trichothecene mycotoxins in mammalian systems are summarized in this paper. The double bond between C-9-C-10 and the 12,13-epoxide ring are essential structural features for trichothecene toxicity. Removal of these groups results in a complete loss of toxicity. A hydroxyl group at C-3 enhances trichothecene toxicity, while this activity decreases gradually when C-3 is substituted with either hydrogen or an acetoxy group. The presence of a hydroxyl group at C-4 promotes slightly lower toxicity than an acetoxy group at the same position. The toxicity for type B trichothecenes decreases if the substituent at C-4 is changed from acetoxy to hydroxyl or hydrogen at C-4 position. The presence of hydroxyl and hydrogen groups on C-15 decreases the trichothecene toxicity in comparison with an acetoxy group attached to this carbon. Trichothecenes toxicity increases when a macrocyclic ring exists between the C-4 and C-15. At C-8 position, an oxygenated substitution at C-8 is essential for trichothecene toxicity, indicating a decrease in the toxicity if substituent change from isovaleryloxy through hydrogen to the hydroxyl group. The presence of a second epoxy ring at C-7-C-8 reduces the toxicity, whereas epoxidation at C-9-C-10 of some macrocyclic trichothecenes increases the activity. Conjugated trichothecenes could release their toxic precursors after hydrolysis in animals, and present an additional potential risk. The SAR study of trichothecenes should provide some crucial information for a better understanding of trichothecene chemical and biological properties in food contamination.

Persistent toxic substances: sources, fates and effects.

Science.gov (United States)

Wong, Ming H; Armour, Margaret-Ann; Naidu, Ravi; Man, Ming

2012-01-01

Persistent toxic substances (PTS) include the Stockholm persistent organic pollutants, like dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, polychlorinated biphenyls, dioxin/furan, etc., and organometallic compounds, like organomercury, organotin, and organolead, which all share the same characteristics of being persistent, toxic, bioaccumulative, and able to travel long distances through different media. The adverse health effects of some of the emerging chemicals like pentabromodiphenyl ether, bisphenol A, and di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate, which are widely used in daily appliances (e.g., TVs, computers, mobile phones, plastic baby bottles), have become a public health concern due to more evidence now available showing their adverse effects like disturbance of the endocrine system and cancer. This article is an attempt to review the current status of PTS in our environment, citing case studies in China and North America, and whether our existing drinking water treatment and wastewater treatment processes are adequate in removing them from water. Some management issues of these emerging chemicals of concern are also discussed.

Lithium toxicity and myxedema crisis in an elderly patient.

Science.gov (United States)

Mir, Shahnaz Ahmad; Wani, Arshad Iqbal; Masoodi, Shariq Rashid; Bashir, Mir Iftikhar; Ahmad, Nadeem

2013-12-01

While thyroid dysfunction is a frequent complication of lithium treatment, myxedema crisis is a rare occurrence with a handful of cases described. Here, we describe a patient receiving lithium for about a decade for bipolar disorder, who presented with myxedema crisis and lithium toxicity. In this patient, myxedema crisis was likely precipitated by lithium toxicity and community acquired pneumonia. The effects of lithium on thyroid are briefly reviewed. To describe an elderly male who was diagnosed with myxedema crisis and lithium toxicity. A 70-year-old male was admitted in our hospital with history of gradual onset progressive decrease in level of consciousness and altered behavior for last 1 month. Patient also had history of respiratory tract symptoms for 1 week. Patient was a known case of diabetes and bipolar affective disorder for which he had been receiving insulin and lithium for 10 years. One year earlier, patient was admitted in our ward for glycemic control and evaluation of complications and was found to be clinically and biochemically euthyroid; he never returned for follow up until the present admission. On examination patient had incoherent speech, hypothermia, and bradycardia. Thyroid function showed thyroid-stimulating hormone >150 IU/ml, Tetraiodothyronine (T4) Coma Scale of 15/15, normal electrolyte, serum creatinine of 1.8 mg/dl and serum lithium level of 0.5 nmol/L. Lithium-induced hypothyroidism may be life-threatening, thyroid function should be monitored before and during lithium therapy and drug should be discontinued and appropriate therapy instituted if hypothyroidism develops.

Development and application of freshwater sediment-toxicity benchmarks for currently used pesticides

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nowell, Lisa H., E-mail: lhnowell@usgs.gov [U.S. Geological Survey, California Water Science Center, Placer Hall, 6000 J Street, Sacramento, CA 95819 (United States); Norman, Julia E., E-mail: jnorman@usgs.gov [U.S. Geological Survey, Oregon Water Science Center, 2130 SW 5" t" h Avenue, Portland, OR 97201 (United States); Ingersoll, Christopher G., E-mail: cingersoll@usgs.gov [U.S. Geological Survey, Columbia Environmental Research Center, 4200 New Haven Road, Columbia, MO 65021 (United States); Moran, Patrick W., E-mail: pwmoran@usgs.gov [U.S. Geological Survey, Washington Water Science Center, 934 Broadway, Suite 300, Tacoma, WA 98402 (United States)

2016-04-15

of sediment, and uncertainty in TEB values. Additional evaluations of benchmarks in relation to sediment chemistry and toxicity are ongoing. - Highlights: • Sediment-toxicity benchmarks are developed for 129 pesticides in whole sediment. • Benchmarks can be used to predict or interpret pesticide toxicity in whole sediment. • Benchmarks are based on spiked-sediment bioassays or equilibrium partitioning. • Benchmarks correctly predicted amphipod toxicity in 74% of samples in a case study. • Whole-sediment benchmarks may not always represent bioavailable concentrations.

Development and application of freshwater sediment-toxicity benchmarks for currently used pesticides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nowell, Lisa H.; Norman, Julia E.; Ingersoll, Christopher G.; Moran, Patrick W.

2016-01-01

of sediment, and uncertainty in TEB values. Additional evaluations of benchmarks in relation to sediment chemistry and toxicity are ongoing. - Highlights: • Sediment-toxicity benchmarks are developed for 129 pesticides in whole sediment. • Benchmarks can be used to predict or interpret pesticide toxicity in whole sediment. • Benchmarks are based on spiked-sediment bioassays or equilibrium partitioning. • Benchmarks correctly predicted amphipod toxicity in 74% of samples in a case study. • Whole-sediment benchmarks may not always represent bioavailable concentrations.

Assessing the toxic effects of ethylene glycol ethers using Quantitative Structure Toxicity Relationship models

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ruiz, Patricia; Mumtaz, Moiz; Gombar, Vijay

2011-01-01

Experimental determination of toxicity profiles consumes a great deal of time, money, and other resources. Consequently, businesses, societies, and regulators strive for reliable alternatives such as Quantitative Structure Toxicity Relationship (QSTR) models to fill gaps in toxicity profiles of compounds of concern to human health. The use of glycol ethers and their health effects have recently attracted the attention of international organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO). The board members of Concise International Chemical Assessment Documents (CICAD) recently identified inadequate testing as well as gaps in toxicity profiles of ethylene glycol mono-n-alkyl ethers (EGEs). The CICAD board requested the ATSDR Computational Toxicology and Methods Development Laboratory to conduct QSTR assessments of certain specific toxicity endpoints for these chemicals. In order to evaluate the potential health effects of EGEs, CICAD proposed a critical QSTR analysis of the mutagenicity, carcinogenicity, and developmental effects of EGEs and other selected chemicals. We report here results of the application of QSTRs to assess rodent carcinogenicity, mutagenicity, and developmental toxicity of four EGEs: 2-methoxyethanol, 2-ethoxyethanol, 2-propoxyethanol, and 2-butoxyethanol and their metabolites. Neither mutagenicity nor carcinogenicity is indicated for the parent compounds, but these compounds are predicted to be developmental toxicants. The predicted toxicity effects were subjected to reverse QSTR (rQSTR) analysis to identify structural attributes that may be the main drivers of the developmental toxicity potential of these compounds.

Oxygen toxicity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C. A. van der Westhuizen

1990-07-01

Full Text Available Oxygen has been discovered about 200 years ago. Since then the vital physiological involvement of oxygen in various biologi­cal processes, mainly energy production, has been established. However, in the body molecular oxygen can be converted to toxic oxygen metabolites such as superoxide anion, hydrogen peroxide, the hydroxyl radical and singlet oxygen. These toxic metabolites are produced mainly in the mitochondria, plasma membranes and endoplasmic reticulum.

Preclinical safety assessments of nano-sized constructs on cardiovascular system toxicity: A case for telemetry.

Science.gov (United States)

Cheah, Hoay Yan; Kiew, Lik Voon; Lee, Hong Boon; Japundžić-Žigon, Nina; Vicent, Marίa J; Hoe, See Ziau; Chung, Lip Yong

2017-11-01

While nano-sized construct (NSC) use in medicine has grown significantly in recent years, reported unwanted side effects have raised safety concerns. However, the toxicity of NSCs to the cardiovascular system (CVS) and the relative merits of the associated evaluation methods have not been thoroughly studied. This review discusses the toxicological profiles of selected NSCs and provides an overview of the assessment methods, including in silico, in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo models and how they are related to CVS toxicity. We conclude the review by outlining the merits of telemetry coupled with spectral analysis, baroreceptor reflex sensitivity analysis and echocardiography as an appropriate integrated strategy for the assessment of the acute and chronic impact of NSCs on the CVS. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Yellow phosphorus process to convert toxic chemicals to non-toxic products

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, S.G.

1994-07-26

The present invention relates to a process for generating reactive species for destroying toxic chemicals. This process first contacts air or oxygen with aqueous emulsions of molten yellow phosphorus. This contact results in rapid production of abundant reactive species such as O, O[sub 3], PO, PO[sub 2], etc. A gaseous or liquid aqueous solution organic or inorganic chemicals is next contacted by these reactive species to reduce the concentration of toxic chemical and result in a non-toxic product. The final oxidation product of yellow phosphorus is phosphoric acid of a quality which can be recovered for commercial use. A process is developed such that the byproduct, phosphoric acid, is obtained without contamination of toxic species in liquids treated. A gas stream containing ozone without contamination of phosphorus containing species is also obtained in a simple and cost-effective manner. This process is demonstrated to be effective for destroying many types of toxic organic, or inorganic, compounds, including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), aromatic chlorides, amines, alcohols, acids, nitro aromatics, aliphatic chlorides, polynuclear aromatic compounds (PAH), dyes, pesticides, sulfides, hydroxyamines, ureas, dithionates and the like. 20 figs.

Carbon ion therapy for advanced sinonasal malignancies: feasibility and acute toxicity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jensen, Alexandra D; Nikoghosyan, Anna V; Ecker, Swantje; Ellerbrock, Malte; Debus, Jürgen; Münter, Marc W

2011-01-01

To evaluate feasibility and toxicity of carbon ion therapy for treatment of sinonasal malignancies. First site of treatment failure in malignant tumours of the paranasal sinuses and nasal cavity is mostly in-field, local control hence calls for dose escalation which has so far been hampered by accompanying acute and late toxicity. Raster-scanned carbon ion therapy offers the advantage of sharp dose gradients promising increased dose application without increase of side-effects. Twenty-nine patients with various sinonasal malignancies were treated from 11/2009 to 08/2010. Accompanying toxicity was evaluated according to CTCAE v.4.0. Tumor response was assessed according to RECIST. Seventeen patients received treatment as definitive RT, 9 for local relapse, 2 for re-irradiation. All patients had T4 tumours (median CTV1 129.5 cc, CTV2 395.8 cc), mostly originating from the maxillary sinus. Median dose was 73 GyE mostly in mixed beam technique as IMRT plus carbon ion boost. Median follow- up was 5.1 months [range: 2.4 - 10.1 months]. There were 7 cases with grade 3 toxicity (mucositis, dysphagia) but no other higher grade acute reactions; 6 patients developed grade 2 conjunctivits, no case of early visual impairment. Apart from alterations of taste, all symptoms had resolved at 8 weeks post RT. Overall radiological response rate was 50% (CR and PR). Carbon ion therapy is feasible; despite high doses, acute reactions were not increased and generally resolved within 8 weeks post radiotherapy. Treatment response is encouraging though follow-up is too short to estimate control rates or evaluate potential late effects. Controlled trials are warranted

Phylogenetic diversity of bacteria associated with toxic and non-toxic ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Phylogenetic diversity of bacteria associated with toxic and non-toxic strains of Alexandrium minutum. L Palacios, B Reguera, J Franco, I Marín. Abstract. Marine planktonic dinoflagellates are usually associated with bacteria, some of which seem to have a symbiotic relation with the dinoflagellate cells. The role of bacteria in ...

The toxic autoimmune syndrome with pulmonary edema

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parizhskij, Z.M.; Artyunina, G.P.; Trofimova, T.N.

1992-01-01

A case was considered in detail of a patient with pulmonary edema of immunnocomplex nature in aerogenic intoxication by nickel tetracarbonyl. It was shown that acute aerogenic intoxication nickel carbonyl by led to unfolded toxic autoimmune syndrome. In this case autoimmune immunecomplex pulmonary lesion (AIPL) menifested by progressing pulmonary edema with expressed parenchymatous respiratory insufficiency played a leading role. Lesion of endothelium of pulmonary capillaries by immune complexes has the most significant in pathogenesis of pulmonary edema. The fact that edema appears due to AIPL, is confirmed by high efficiency of glucocorticoid therapy. Use of glucorticoids serves as a diagnostic test which provides an effective roentgenologic diagnosis of AIPL and differential diagnosis of any other pathological processes in the lungs

Validating potential toxicity assays to assess petroleum hydrocarbon toxicity in polar soil.

Science.gov (United States)

Harvey, Alexis Nadine; Snape, Ian; Siciliano, Steven Douglas

2012-02-01

Potential microbial activities are commonly used to assess soil toxicity of petroleum hydrocarbons (PHC) and are assumed to be a surrogate for microbial activity within the soil ecosystem. However, this assumption needs to be evaluated for frozen soil, in which microbial activity is limited by liquid water (θ(liquid)). Influence of θ(liquid) on in situ toxicity was evaluated and compared to the toxicity endpoints of potential microbial activities using soil from an aged diesel fuel spill at Casey Station, East Antarctica. To determine in situ toxicity, gross mineralization and nitrification rates were determined by the stable isotope dilution technique. Petroleum hydrocarbon-contaminated soil (0-8,000 mg kg(-1)), packed at bulk densities of 1.4, 1.7, and 2.0 g cm(-3) to manipulate liquid water content, was incubated at -5°C for one, two, and three months. Although θ(liquid) did not have a significant effect on gross mineralization or nitrification, gross nitrification was sensitive to PHC contamination, with toxicity decreasing over time. In contrast, gross mineralization was not sensitive to PHC contamination. Toxic response of gross nitrification was comparable to potential nitrification activity (PNA) with similar EC25 (effective concentration causing a 25% effect in the test population) values determined by both measurement endpoints (400 mg kg(-1) for gross nitrification compared to 200 mg kg(-1) for PNA), indicating that potential microbial activity assays are good surrogates for in situ toxicity of PHC contamination in polar regions. Copyright © 2011 SETAC.

The acute toxicity of the metaldehyde on the climbing perch

Science.gov (United States)

Wahida Mohamad Ismail, Syamimi; Aini Dahalan, Farrah; Zakaria, Ammar; Mad Shakaff, Ali Yeon; Aqlima Ahmad, Siti; Shukor, Mohd Yunus Abd; Khalizan Sabullah, Mohd; Khalil, Khalilah Abdul; Jalil, Mohd Faizal Ab

2018-03-01

In Asia, Climbing perch (Anabas testudineus) is commonly found in paddy fields and irrigation systems. Due to its habitat, Climbing perch is exposed to toxic pesticides used in paddy fields such as metaldehyde which is one of the most widely used molluscicide. This study aims to determine the acute toxicity Lethal Concentration50 (LC50) of metaldehyde and its effect on the behaviour and physical changes of the Climbing perch. The fish mortality responses to six different metaldehyde concentrations ranging from 180 to 330 mg/L were investigated. The 96-h LC50 values were determined and analysed using three different analysis methods which is arithmetic, logarithmic and probit graphic. The LC50 values obtained in this study were 239, 234 and 232 mg/L, respectively. After 96-h of exposure to metaldehyde, the fish showed a series of abnormal behavioural response in all cases: imbalance position, and restlessness of movement. The LC50 values show that metaldehyde is moderately toxic to the Climbing perch indicating that metaldehyde is not destructive to Climbing perch. However, long term exposure of aquatic organisms to the metaldehyde means a continuous health risk for the fish population as they are more vulnerable and it is on high risk for human to consume this toxicated fishes.

Potential Use of Chemoprotectants against the Toxic Effects of Cyanotoxins: A Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Guzmán-Guillén, Remedios; Puerto, María; Gutiérrez-Praena, Daniel; Prieto, Ana I; Pichardo, Silvia; Jos, Ángeles; Campos, Alexandre; Vasconcelos, Vitor; Cameán, Ana M

2017-05-23

Cyanobacterial toxins, particularly microcystins (MCs) and cylindrospermopsin (CYN), are responsible for toxic effects in humans and wildlife. In order to counteract or prevent their toxicity, various strategies have been followed, such as the potential application of chemoprotectants. A review of the main substances evaluated for this aim, as well as the doses and their influence on cyanotoxin-induced toxicity, has been performed. A search of the literature shows that research on MCs is much more abundant than research on CYN. Among chemoprotectants, antioxidant compounds are the most extensively studied, probably because it is well known that oxidative stress is one of the toxic mechanisms common to both toxins. In this group, vitamin E seems to have the strongest protectant effect for both cyanotoxins. Transport inhibitors have also been studied in the case of MCs, as CYN cellular uptake is not yet fully elucidated. Further research is needed because systematic studies are lacking. Moreover, more realistic exposure scenarios, including cyanotoxin mixtures and the concomitant use of chemoprotectants, should be considered.

Clinically mild encephalitis/encephalopathy with a reversible splenial lesion caused by methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia with toxic shock syndrome: a case report.

Science.gov (United States)

Kosami, Koki; Kenzaka, Tsuneaki; Sagara, Yuka; Minami, Kensuke; Matsumura, Masami

2016-04-18

Clinically mild encephalitis/encephalopathy with a reversible splenial lesion (MERS) is a mild encephalopathy caused by various pathological processes, but encephalopathy due to bacteria is rare. We report the case of a 45-year-old Japanese woman who on receiving chemotherapy for advanced breast cancer developed an altered mental status and dysarthria soon after fever from infection of a subcutaneous implantable port. Staphylococcus aureus was detected in her blood cultures. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed an ovoid lesion in the central portion of the splenium of the corpus callosum (SCC). Although hypotension was not observed, we diagnosed probable toxic shock syndrome (TSS) based on fever (temperature: >38.9 °C), altered mental status, erythema, desquamation, thrombocytopenia, liver dysfunction, and creatine phosphokinase elevation. We administered antimicrobial therapy and her neurological symptoms improved gradually. The lesion in the SCC completely disappeared on MRI 7 days after disease onset. We diagnosed this case as MERS caused by S. aureus bacteremia with TSS. This is the first report of such a case, and we suggest that when a TSS patient presents with neurological symptoms, the possibility of MERS should be considered.

A comparison of dose-volume constraints derived using peak and longitudinal definitions of late rectal toxicity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gulliford, Sarah L.; Partridge, Mike; Sydes, Matthew R.; Andreyev, Jervoise; Dearnaley, David P.

2010-01-01

Background and purpose: Accurate reporting of complications following radiotherapy is an important part of the feedback loop to improve radiotherapy techniques. The definition of toxicity is normally regarded as the maximum or peak (P) grade of toxicity reported over the follow-up period. An alternative definition (integrated longitudinal toxicity (ILT)) is proposed which takes into account both the severity and the duration of the complication. Methods and materials: In this work, both definitions of toxicity were used to derive dose-volume constraints for six specific endpoints of late rectal toxicity from a cohort of patients who received prostate radiotherapy in the MRC RT01 trial. The dose-volume constraints were derived using ROC analysis for 30, 40, 50, 60, 65 and 70 Gy. Results: Statistically significant dose-volume constraints were not derived for all dose levels tested for each endpoint and toxicity definition. However, where both definitions produced constraints, there was generally good agreement. Variation in the derived dose-volume constraints was observed to be larger between endpoints than between the two definitions of toxicity. For one endpoint (stool frequency (LENT/SOM)) statistically significant dose-volume constraints were only derived using ILT. Conclusions: The longitudinal definition of toxicity (ILT) produced results consistent with those derived using peak toxicity and in some cases provided additional information which was not seen by analysing peak toxicity alone.

Effect of toxic substance on delayed competitive allelopathic phytoplankton system with varying parameters through stability and bifurcation analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pal, D.; Mahapatra, G.S.

2016-01-01

Highlights: • We study a delayed two species competitive system with imprecise biological parameters. • We consider impreciseness in the form of interval number. • We introduce parametric functional form of interval number to study the model. • We study the effect of toxicant and time delay under impreciseness. • We discuss the chaotic behavior of the model. - Abstract: We have studied the combined effect of toxicant and fluctuation of the biological parameters on the dynamical behaviors of a delayed two-species competitive system with imprecise biological parameters. Due to the global increase of harmful phytoplankton blooms, the study of dynamic interactions between two competing phytoplankton species in the presence of toxic substances is an active field of research now days. The ordinary mathematical formulation of models for two competing phytoplankton species, when one or both the species liberate toxic substances, is unable to capture the oscillatory and highly variable growth of phytoplankton populations. The deterministic model never predicts the sudden localized behavior of certain species. These obstacles of mathematical modeling can be overcomed if we include interval variability of biological parameters in our modeling approach. In this investigation, we construct imprecise models of allelopathic interactions between two competing phytoplankton species as a parametric differential equation model. We incorporate the effect of toxicant on the species in two different cases known as toxic inhibition and toxic stimulatory system. We have discussed the existence of various equilibrium points and stability of the system at these equilibrium points. In case of toxic stimulatory system, the delay model exhibits a stable limit cycle oscillation. Analytical findings are supported through exhaustive numerical simulations.

Antimicrobial Activity and Toxicity of Zhumeria Majdae Essential Oil and its Capsulated Form

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rahil Emami

2015-03-01

Conclusion: It was found that in some cases, encapsulation could lead to better antimicrobial property and less toxicity. Because of high antimicrobial activity, both EO and EFEO of Zhumeria majdae may be used as powerfully antimicrobial agents.

Cardiac Arrest after Local Anaesthetic Toxicity in a Paediatric Patient

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Liana Maria Torres de Araújo Azi

2016-01-01

Full Text Available We report a case of a paediatric patient undergoing urological procedure in which a possible inadvertent intravascular or intraosseous injection of bupivacaine with adrenaline in usual doses caused subsequent cardiac arrest, completely reversed after administration of 20% intravenous lipid emulsion. Early diagnosis of local anaesthetics toxicity and adequate cardiovascular resuscitation manoeuvres contribute to the favourable outcome.

Amphipod and Sea Urchin tests to assess the toxicity of Mediterranean sediments: the case of Portmán Bay

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A. Cesar

2004-04-01

Full Text Available The sediment formed by the tailings of an abandoned mine, which discharged into Portmán Bay, Murcia, SE-Spain, was tested to establish a possible gradient of heavy metals. The results were compared with tolerance limits of what was calculated from control sites. Whole sediment toxicity tests were performed on two amphipod species, Gammarus aequicauda and Microdeutopus gryllotalpa, while sediment-water interface and porewater toxicity tests were performed on three sea urchins species, Arbacia lixula, Paracentrotus lividus and Sphaerechinus granularis. The sensitivity of these marine organisms was evaluated by exposure tests using the reference substances: ammonium chloride (NH4Cl, cadmium chloride (CdCl2, potassium dichromate (K2Cr2O7, sodium dodecyl sulfate (C12H25NaO4S and zinc sulfate (ZnSO4. The concentration of heavy metals decreased along the pollution gradient. Amphipod 10 day acute toxicity tests clearly demonstrated the gradient of toxicity. The sediment-water interface tests conducted with sea urchins also pointed to a pollution gradient and were more sensitive than the tests involving amphipods.

Toxicoderma by gemcitabine: About a case

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Flora López-López

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Skin reactions are often related with drugs, particularly with chemotherapy. Several types of cutaneous involvement have been described from pruritus alone to generalized eruptions not always but generally related with hypersensitivity or inflammatory reactions that usually are independent of primary tumor location. Gemcitabine is a widely used chemotherapy drug that may typically produce a mild skin rash. Herein, we show a case of uncommon and severe direct skin toxicity because of gemcitabine in context of thrombocytopenia. We have also performed a review of the literature showing that this may be the first case of such toxicity.

Pesticide Toxicity Index: a tool for assessing potential toxicity of pesticide mixtures to freshwater aquatic organisms

Science.gov (United States)

Nowell, Lisa H.; Norman, Julia E.; Moran, Patrick W.; Martin, Jeffrey D.; Stone, Wesley W.

2014-01-01

Pesticide mixtures are common in streams with agricultural or urban influence in the watershed. The Pesticide Toxicity Index (PTI) is a screening tool to assess potential aquatic toxicity of complex pesticide mixtures by combining measures of pesticide exposure and acute toxicity in an additive toxic-unit model. The PTI is determined separately for fish, cladocerans, and benthic invertebrates. This study expands the number of pesticides and degradates included in previous editions of the PTI from 124 to 492 pesticides and degradates, and includes two types of PTI for use in different applications, depending on study objectives. The Median-PTI was calculated from median toxicity values for individual pesticides, so is robust to outliers and is appropriate for comparing relative potential toxicity among samples, sites, or pesticides. The Sensitive-PTI uses the 5th percentile of available toxicity values, so is a more sensitive screening-level indicator of potential toxicity. PTI predictions of toxicity in environmental samples were tested using data aggregated from published field studies that measured pesticide concentrations and toxicity to Ceriodaphnia dubia in ambient stream water. C. dubia survival was reduced to ≤ 50% of controls in 44% of samples with Median-PTI values of 0.1–1, and to 0% in 96% of samples with Median-PTI values > 1. The PTI is a relative, but quantitative, indicator of potential toxicity that can be used to evaluate relationships between pesticide exposure and biological condition.

Investigation of the potential influence of production treatment chemicals on produced water toxicity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stine, E.R.; Gala, W.R.; Henry, L.R.

1993-01-01

Production treatment chemicals represent a diverse collection of chemical classes, added at various points from the wellhead to the final flotation cell, to prevent operational upsets and enhance the separation of oil from water. Information in the literature indicates that while many treatment chemicals are thought to partition into oil and not into the produced water, there are cases where a sufficiently water soluble treatment chemical is added at high enough concentrations to suggest that the treatment chemical may add to the aquatic toxicity of the produced water. A study was conducted to evaluate the potential effect of production treatment chemicals on the toxicity of produced waters using the US EPA Seven-day Mysidopsis bahia Survival, Growth and Fecundity Test. Samples of produced water were collected and tested for toxicity from three platforms under normal operating conditions, followed by repeated sampling and testing after a 72-hour period in which treatment chemical usage was discontinued, to the degree possible. Significant reductions in produced water toxicity were observed for two of the three platforms tested following either cessation of treatment chemical usage, or by comparing the toxicity of samples collected upstream and downstream of the point of treatment chemical addition

Lithium toxicity and myxedema crisis in an elderly patient

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Shahnaz Ahmad Mir

2013-01-01

Full Text Available While thyroid dysfunction is a frequent complication of lithium treatment, myxedema crisis is a rare occurrence with a handful of cases described. Here, we describe a patient receiving lithium for about a decade for bipolar disorder, who presented with myxedema crisis and lithium toxicity. In this patient, myxedema crisis was likely precipitated by lithium toxicity and community acquired pneumonia. The effects of lithium on thyroid are briefly reviewed. Objective: To describe an elderly male who was diagnosed with myxedema crisis and lithium toxicity. Case Report: A 70-year-old male was admitted in our hospital with history of gradual onset progressive decrease in level of consciousness and altered behavior for last 1 month. Patient also had history of respiratory tract symptoms for 1 week. Patient was a known case of diabetes and bipolar affective disorder for which he had been receiving insulin and lithium for 10 years. One year earlier, patient was admitted in our ward for glycemic control and evaluation of complications and was found to be clinically and biochemically euthyroid; he never returned for follow up until the present admission. On examination patient had incoherent speech, hypothermia, and bradycardia. Thyroid function showed thyroid-stimulating hormone >150 IU/ml, Tetraiodothyronine (T4 <1 ΅g/dl, anti-thyroid peroxidase titer of 60 IU/ml. The serum lithium level was 2.9 nmol/L (therapeutic level 0.2-1.2 nmol/L. He was managed with levothyroxine, starting with a loading oral dose of 500 ΅g through ryles tube followed by 100 ΅g daily, IV antibiotics and fluids; lithium was stopped after consultation with a psychiatrist. From day 5, patient started showing progressive improvement and by day 10, he had a Glasgow Coma Scale of 15/15, normal electrolyte, serum creatinine of 1.8 mg/dl and serum lithium level of 0.5 nmol/L. Conclusion: Lithium-induced hypothyroidism may be life-threatening, thyroid function should be monitored before

Case report

African Journals Online (AJOL)

abp

26 avr. 2016 ... cases relating idiopathic gastric necrosis in a young patient who presented no heart failure, or particular psychological profiles (bulimia, anorexia) no venous or arterial thrombosis were found during surgical exploration during the pathological study, no toxic or bacteriological founded. Gastric necrosis is ...

[Toxic fungi in Buenos Aires City and surroundings].

Science.gov (United States)

Romano, Gonzalo M; Iannone, Leopoldo; Novas, María V; Carmarán, Cecilia; Romero, Andrea I; López, Silvia E; Lechner, Bernardo E

2013-01-01

In Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales,Universidad de Buenos Aires there is a service called Servicio de Identificación de Hongos Tóxicos, directed by researchers of the Program of Medicinal Plants and Fungi Involved in Biological Degradation (PROPLAME-PRHIDEB, CONICET) that assist hospitals and other health establishments, identifying the different samples of fungi and providing information about their toxicity, so that patients can receive the correct treatment. The objective of the present study was to analyze all the cases received from 1985 to 2012. This analysis permitted the confection of a table identifying the most common toxic species. The information gathered revealed that 47% of the patients were under 18 years of age and had eaten basidiomes; the remaining 53% were adults who insisted that they were able to distinguish edible from toxic mushrooms. Chlorophyllum molybdites turned out to be the main cause of fungal intoxication in Buenos Aires, which is commonly confused with Macrolepiota procera, an edible mushroom. In the second place Amanita phalloides was registered, an agaric known to cause severe symptoms after a long period of latency (6-10 hours), and which can lead to hepatic failure even requiring a transplant to prevent severe internal injuries or even death, is not early and correctly treated.

Coping With Metal Toxicity – Cues From Halophytes

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Ganesh C. Nikalje

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Being the native flora of saline soil, halophytes are well studied for their salt tolerance and adaptation mechanism at the physiological, biochemical, molecular and metabolomic levels. However, these saline habitats are getting contaminated due to various anthropogenic activities like urban waste, agricultural runoff, mining, industrial waste that are rich in toxic metals and metalloids. These toxic metals impose detrimental effects on growth and development of most plant species. Halophytes by virtue of their tolerance to salinity also show high tolerance to heavy metals which is attributed to the enhanced root to shoot metal translocation and bioavailability. Halophytes rapidly uptake toxic ions from the root and transport them toward aerial parts by using different transporters which are involved in metal tolerance and homeostasis. A number of defense related physiological and biochemical strategies are known to be crucial for metal detoxification in halophytes however; there is paucity of information on the molecular regulators. Understanding of the phenomenon of cross-tolerance of salinity with other abiotic stresses in halophytes could very well boost their potential use in phytoremediation. In this article, we present an overview of heavy metal tolerance in case of halophytes, associated mechanisms and cross-tolerance of salinity with other abiotic stresses.

Mechanisms of Phosphine Toxicity

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Nisa S. Nath

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Fumigation with phosphine gas is by far the most widely used treatment for the protection of stored grain against insect pests. The development of high-level resistance in insects now threatens its continued use. As there is no suitable chemical to replace phosphine, it is essential to understand the mechanisms of phosphine toxicity to increase the effectiveness of resistance management. Because phosphine is such a simple molecule (PH3, the chemistry of phosphorus is central to its toxicity. The elements above and below phosphorus in the periodic table are nitrogen (N and arsenic (As, which also produce toxic hydrides, namely, NH3 and AsH3. The three hydrides cause related symptoms and similar changes to cellular and organismal physiology, including disruption of the sympathetic nervous system, suppressed energy metabolism and toxic changes to the redox state of the cell. We propose that these three effects are interdependent contributors to phosphine toxicity.

The professional standard of care in clinical negligence.

Science.gov (United States)

Tingle, John

The general principle of law relating to breach of duty in the tort of negligence has been discussed during this series of articles. This article continues that discussion in relation to healthcare professionals such as nurses and doctors, and how the law affects their case. The issue of the expanded role of the nurse is also discussed.

Toxicity Estimation Software Tool (TEST)

Science.gov (United States)

The Toxicity Estimation Software Tool (TEST) was developed to allow users to easily estimate the toxicity of chemicals using Quantitative Structure Activity Relationships (QSARs) methodologies. QSARs are mathematical models used to predict measures of toxicity from the physical c...

Distributed Structure Searchable Toxicity

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — The Distributed Structure Searchable Toxicity (DSSTox) online resource provides high quality chemical structures and annotations in association with toxicity data....

38 CFR 46.1 - Definitions.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... includes the filing of a complaint or administrative tort claim under the Federal Tort Claims Act, 28 U.S.C... absence. (f) Gross negligence is materially worse than substandard care, and consists of an entire absence...

Toxicity of benzyl alcohol in adult and neonatal mice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McCloskey, S.E.

1987-01-01

Benzyl alcohol (BA) is an aromatic alcohol, which is used as a bacteriostat in a variety of parenteral preparations. In 1982, it was implicated as the agent responsible for precipitating The Gasping Syndrome in premature neonates. The investigate further this toxicity, BA was administered, intraperiotoneally, to adult and neonatal CD-1 male mice. Gross behavioral changes were monitored. Low doses produced minimal toxic effects within an initial 4 hour observation period. At the end of this time, the LD 50 was determined to be 1000 mg/kg for both age groups. Death was due to respiratory arrest in all cases. Rapid absorption and conversion of BA to its primary metabolite, benzaldehyde, was demonstrated by gas chromatographic analysis of plasma from both experimental groups. The conversion of BA to benzaldehyde was confirmed in in vitro by using both horse-liver and mouse liver ADH. The inhibition of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) by pyrazole was similarly demonstrated in both enzyme systems. 14 C-labelled BA was utilized to determine the distribution of BA and its metabolites in the body, and to possibly pinpoint a target organ of toxicity

Mercury toxicity following unauthorized siddha medicine intake – A mimicker of acquired neuromyotonia - Report of 32 cases

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G Gnanashanmugam

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Context: Mercury is used extensively in the preparation of Siddha medicines, after purification. In this study, we present 32 patients of mercury toxicity following unauthorized Siddha medicine intake who mimicked neuromyotonia clinically. We analyzed the clinical features of these patients, the role of autoimmunity in etiopathology, and compared it with acquired neuromyotonia. Subjects and Methods: This is a retrospective study to analyze inpatients in a tertiary care center, admitted with mercury toxicity following Siddha medicine intake from August 2012 to October 2016. We analyzed the clinical features, laboratory data including mercury, arsenic and lead levels in blood, and serum voltage-gated potassium channels (VGKC-CASPR2 Ab in selected patients. Results: Thirty-two patients who had high blood mercury levels following Siddha medicine intake were included in the study. All patients (100% had severe intractable neuropathic pain predominantly involving lower limbs. Twenty-six (81.25% patients had fasciculations and myokymia. Fifteen patients (46.86% had autonomic dysfunction (postural hypotension and resting tachycardia. Nine (28.12% patients had encephalopathic features such as dullness, apathy, drowsiness, or delirium. Anti-VGKC Ab was positive in 12 patients with myokymia. All the patients in the study consumed Siddha medicines obtained from unauthorized dealers. Conclusions: Mercury toxicity following Siddha medicine intake closely mimics acquired neuromyotonia; severe intolerable neuropathic pain is the hallmark feature; Positive VGKC-CASPR2 antibody in some patients must be due to triggered autoimmunity secondary to mercury toxicity due to Siddha medicine intake. The government should establish licensing system to prevent distribution of unauthorized Siddha medicines.

Mercury Toxicity Following Unauthorized Siddha Medicine Intake – A Mimicker of Acquired Neuromyotonia - Report of 32 Cases

Science.gov (United States)

Gnanashanmugam, G.; Balakrishnan, R.; Somasundaram, S. P.; Parimalam, N.; Rajmohan, P.; Pranesh, M. B.

2018-01-01

Context: Mercury is used extensively in the preparation of Siddha medicines, after purification. In this study, we present 32 patients of mercury toxicity following unauthorized Siddha medicine intake who mimicked neuromyotonia clinically. We analyzed the clinical features of these patients, the role of autoimmunity in etiopathology, and compared it with acquired neuromyotonia. Subjects and Methods: This is a retrospective study to analyze inpatients in a tertiary care center, admitted with mercury toxicity following Siddha medicine intake from August 2012 to October 2016. We analyzed the clinical features, laboratory data including mercury, arsenic and lead levels in blood, and serum voltage-gated potassium channels (VGKC)-CASPR2 Ab in selected patients. Results: Thirty-two patients who had high blood mercury levels following Siddha medicine intake were included in the study. All patients (100%) had severe intractable neuropathic pain predominantly involving lower limbs. Twenty-six (81.25%) patients had fasciculations and myokymia. Fifteen patients (46.86%) had autonomic dysfunction (postural hypotension and resting tachycardia). Nine (28.12%) patients had encephalopathic features such as dullness, apathy, drowsiness, or delirium. Anti-VGKC Ab was positive in 12 patients with myokymia. All the patients in the study consumed Siddha medicines obtained from unauthorized dealers. Conclusions: Mercury toxicity following Siddha medicine intake closely mimics acquired neuromyotonia; severe intolerable neuropathic pain is the hallmark feature; Positive VGKC-CASPR2 antibody in some patients must be due to triggered autoimmunity secondary to mercury toxicity due to Siddha medicine intake. The government should establish licensing system to prevent distribution of unauthorized Siddha medicines. PMID:29720798

Hydrogen sulfide toxicity in a thermal spring: a fatal outcome.

Science.gov (United States)

Daldal, Hale; Beder, Bayram; Serin, Simay; Sungurtekin, Hulya

2010-08-01

Hydrogen sulfide (H(2)S) is a toxic gas with the smells of "rotten egg"; its toxic effects are due to the blocking of cellular respiratory enzymes leading to cell anoxia and cell damage. We report two cases with acute H(2)S intoxication caused by inhalation of H(2)S evaporated from the water of a thermal spring. Two victims were found in a hotel room were they could take a thermal bath. A 26-year-old male was found unconscious; he was resuscitated, received supportive treatment and survived. A 25-year-old female was found dead. Autopsy showed diffuse edema and pulmonary congestion. Toxicological blood analysis of the female revealed the following concentrations: 0.68 mg/L sulfide and 0.21 mmol/L thiosulfate. The urine thiosulfate concentration was normal. Forensic investigation established that the thermal water was coming from the hotel's own illegal well. The hotel was closed. This report highlights the danger of H(2)S toxicity not only for reservoir and sewer cleaners, but also for individuals bathing in thermal springs.

Modeling Aquatic Toxicity through Chromatographic Systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Fernández-Pumarega, Alejandro; Amézqueta, Susana; Farré, Sandra; Muñoz-Pascual, Laura; Abraham, Michael H; Fuguet, Elisabet; Rosés, Martí

2017-08-01

Environmental risk assessment requires information about the toxicity of the growing number of chemical products coming from different origins that can contaminate water and become toxicants to aquatic species or other living beings via the trophic chain. Direct toxicity measurements using sensitive aquatic species can be carried out but they may become expensive and ethically questionable. Literature refers to the use of chromatographic measurements that correlate to the toxic effect of a compound over a specific aquatic species as an alternative to get toxicity information. In this work, we have studied the similarity in the response of the toxicity to different species and we have selected eight representative aquatic species (including tadpoles, fish, water fleas, protozoan, and bacteria) with known nonspecific toxicity to chemical substances. Next, we have selected four chromatographic systems offering good perspectives for surrogation of the eight selected aquatic systems, and thus prediction of toxicity from the chromatographic measurement. Then toxicity has been correlated to the chromatographic retention factor. Satisfactory correlation results have been obtained to emulate toxicity in five of the selected aquatic species through some of the chromatographic systems. Other aquatic species with similar characteristics to these five representative ones could also be emulated by using the same chromatographic systems. The final aim of this study is to model chemical products toxicity to aquatic species by means of chromatographic systems to reduce in vivo testing.

Assessment of the toxicity of a substance under Canadian environmental protection act, a case study. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nadon, B.; Germain, A.; Coillie, R. van [Environment Canada, Montreal (Canada)

1995-12-31

The Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) proclaimed in 1988 requires the Canadian Ministers of the Environment and of National Health and Welfare to assess the toxicity of different substances. A Priority Substances List containing 44 substances was developed and their assessments had to determine if they were `toxic`, according to the CEPA definition. This definition states that `a substance is toxic if it is entering or may enter the environment in a quantity or concentration or under conditions (a) having or that may have an immediate or long-term harmful effect on the environment, (b) constituting or that may constitute a danger to the environment on which human life depends; or (c) constituting or that may constitute a danger in Canada to human life of health.` This presentation use the assessment of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) as an example of this procedure. (author)

Assessment of the toxicity of a substance under Canadian environmental protection act, a case study. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nadon, B; Germain, A; Coillie, R van [Environment Canada, Montreal (Canada)

1996-12-31

The Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) proclaimed in 1988 requires the Canadian Ministers of the Environment and of National Health and Welfare to assess the toxicity of different substances. A Priority Substances List containing 44 substances was developed and their assessments had to determine if they were `toxic`, according to the CEPA definition. This definition states that `a substance is toxic if it is entering or may enter the environment in a quantity or concentration or under conditions (a) having or that may have an immediate or long-term harmful effect on the environment, (b) constituting or that may constitute a danger to the environment on which human life depends; or (c) constituting or that may constitute a danger in Canada to human life of health.` This presentation use the assessment of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) as an example of this procedure. (author)

Exploring the Impact of Toxic Attitudes and a Toxic Environment on the Veterinary Healthcare Team.

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, Irene C; Coe, Jason B; Adams, Cindy L; Conlon, Peter D; Sargeant, Jan M

2015-01-01

The objective of this qualitative study was to compare veterinarians' and Registered Veterinary Technicians' (RVT's) perceptions of the veterinary healthcare team with respect to the impact of toxic attitudes and a toxic environment. Focus group interviews using a semi-structured interview guide and follow up probes were held with four veterinarian groups (23 companion animal veterinarians) and four Registered Veterinary Technician groups (26 RVTs). Thematic analysis of the discussions indicated both veterinarian and RVT participants felt team members with manifestations of toxic attitudes negatively impacted veterinary team function. These manifestations included people being disrespectful, being resistant to change, always wanting to be the "go to person," avoiding conflict, and lacking motivation. When conflict was ignored, or when people with toxic attitudes were not addressed, a toxic environment often resulted. A toxic environment sometimes manifested when "broken communication and tension between staff members" occurred as a result of employees lacking confidence, skills, or knowledge not being managed properly. It also occurred when employees did not feel appreciated, when there was difficulty coping with turnover, and when there were conflicting demands. The presence of people manifesting a toxic attitude was a source of frustration for both veterinarian and RVT participants. Prompt and consistent attention to negative behaviors is recommended to reduce the development of a toxic environment.

Toxic hepatitis caused by the excretions of the Phyllomedusa bicolor frog ? a case report

OpenAIRE

Pogorzelska, Joanna; ?api?ski, Tadeusz W.

2017-01-01

The Kamb? ritual consists of various types of skin scarification and subsequent application of Phyllomedusa bicolor secretion to the fresh wounds. In Europe, the ritual of Kamb? is becoming more popular, but its use can lead to serious multiple organ damage, sometimes life-threatening. Our manuscript shows a patient with toxic liver damage probably associated with the Kamb? ritual.

Organophosphorus insecticides: Toxic effects and bioanalytical tests for evaluating toxicity during degradation processes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Čolović Mirjana B.

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Organophosphorus insecticides have been the most applied group of insecticides for the last two decades. Their main toxic effects are related to irreversible inactivation of acetylcholinesterase (AChE. Actually, they covalently bind to serine OH group in the enzyme active site forming phosphorylated enzyme that cannot hydrolyze acetylcholine. Organophosphorus insecticides in the environment undergo the natural degradation pathway including mainly homogeneous and heterogeneous hydrolysis (especially at high pH generating non-inhibiting products. Additionally, thio organophosphates are easily oxidized by naturally present oxidants and UV light, forming more toxic and stable oxons. Thus, oxidative degradation procedures, generally referred as advanced oxidation processes (AOP, have been applied for their efficient removal from contaminated waters. The most applied bioassays to monitor the organophosphate toxicity i.e. the detoxification degree during AOP are Vibrio fischeri and AChE bioassays. Vibrio fischeri toxicity test exploits bioluminescence as the measure of luciferase activity of this marine bacterium, whereas AChE bioassay is based on AChE activity inhibition. Both bioanalytical techniques are rapid (several minutes, simple, sensitive and reproducible. Vibrio fischeri test seems to be a versatile indicator of toxic compounds generated in AOP for organophosphorus insecticides degradation. However, detection of neurotoxic AChE inhibitors, which can be formed in AOP of some organophosphates, requires AChE bioassays. Therefore, AChE toxicity test is more appropriate for monitoring the degradation processes of thio organophosphates, because more toxic oxo organophosphates might be formed and overlooked by Vibrio fischeri bioluminescence inhibition. In addition, during organophosphates removal by AOP, compounds with strong genotoxic potential may be formed, which cannot be detected by standard toxicity tests. For this reason, determination of

[A postpartum woman with toxic shock syndrome: group A streptococcal infection, a much feared postpartum complication.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Abbink, K.; Kortekaas, J.C.; Buise, M.P.; Dokter, J.; Kuppens, S.M.; Hasaart, T.H.M.

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND: The development of toxic shock syndrome (TSS) after an invasive group A streptococcal (GAS) infection in the postpartum period is a much feared complication. The mortality rate of TSS with necrotizing fasciitis is 30 to 50%. CASE DESCRIPTION: We present the case of a woman with atypical

The Effects of Temperature and Hydrostatic Pressure on Metal Toxicity: Insights into Toxicity in the Deep Sea.

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Alastair; Thatje, Sven; Hauton, Chris

2017-09-05

Mineral prospecting in the deep sea is increasing, promoting concern regarding potential ecotoxicological impacts on deep-sea fauna. Technological difficulties in assessing toxicity in deep-sea species has promoted interest in developing shallow-water ecotoxicological proxy species. However, it is unclear how the low temperature and high hydrostatic pressure prevalent in the deep sea affect toxicity, and whether adaptation to deep-sea environmental conditions moderates any effects of these factors. To address these uncertainties we assessed the effects of temperature and hydrostatic pressure on lethal and sublethal (respiration rate, antioxidant enzyme activity) toxicity in acute (96 h) copper and cadmium exposures, using the shallow-water ecophysiological model organism Palaemon varians. Low temperature reduced toxicity in both metals, but reduced cadmium toxicity significantly more. In contrast, elevated hydrostatic pressure increased copper toxicity, but did not affect cadmium toxicity. The synergistic interaction between copper and cadmium was not affected by low temperature, but high hydrostatic pressure significantly enhanced the synergism. Differential environmental effects on toxicity suggest different mechanisms of action for copper and cadmium, and highlight that mechanistic understanding of toxicity is fundamental to predicting environmental effects on toxicity. Although results infer that sensitivity to toxicants differs across biogeographic ranges, shallow-water species may be suitable ecotoxicological proxies for deep-sea species, dependent on adaptation to habitats with similar environmental variability.

The Toxic Exposure Surveillance System (TESS): Risk assessment and real-time toxicovigilance across United States poison centers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Watson, William A.; Litovitz, Toby L.; Belson, Martin G.; Funk Wolkin, Amy B.; Patel, Manish; Schier, Joshua G.; Reid, Nicole E.; Kilbourne, Edwin; Rubin, Carol

2005-01-01

The Toxic Exposure Surveillance System (TESS) is a uniform data set of US poison centers cases. Categories of information include the patient, the caller, the exposure, the substance(s), clinical toxicity, treatment, and medical outcome. The TESS database was initiated in 1985, and provides a baseline of more than 36.2 million cases through 2003. The database has been utilized for a number of safety evaluations. Consideration of the strengths and limitations of TESS data must be incorporated into data interpretation. Real-time toxicovigilance was initiated in 2003 with continuous uploading of new cases from all poison centers to a central database. Real-time toxicovigilance utilizing general and specific approaches is systematically run against TESS, further increasing the potential utility of poison center experiences as a means of early identification of potential public health threats

The Toxic Exposure Surveillance System (TESS): risk assessment and real-time toxicovigilance across United States poison centers.

Science.gov (United States)

Watson, William A; Litovitz, Toby L; Belson, Martin G; Wolkin, Amy B Funk; Patel, Manish; Schier, Joshua G; Reid, Nicole E; Kilbourne, Edwin; Rubin, Carol

2005-09-01

The Toxic Exposure Surveillance System (TESS) is a uniform data set of US poison centers cases. Categories of information include the patient, the caller, the exposure, the substance(s), clinical toxicity, treatment, and medical outcome. The TESS database was initiated in 1985, and provides a baseline of more than 36.2 million cases through 2003. The database has been utilized for a number of safety evaluations. Consideration of the strengths and limitations of TESS data must be incorporated into data interpretation. Real-time toxicovigilance was initiated in 2003 with continuous uploading of new cases from all poison centers to a central database. Real-time toxicovigilance utilizing general and specific approaches is systematically run against TESS, further increasing the potential utility of poison center experiences as a means of early identification of potential public health threats.

Comparison of toxicity of acute overdoses with citalopram and escitalopram.

Science.gov (United States)

Hayes, Bryan D; Klein-Schwartz, Wendy; Clark, Richard F; Muller, Allison A; Miloradovich, Jane E

2010-07-01

Seizures and QTc prolongation are associated with citalopram poisoning; however, overdose experience with escitalopram is more limited. The goals of this study were to compare citalopram's vs. escitalopram's clinical effects in overdose, including the incidence of seizures. A retrospective review was conducted for single-substance acute overdoses with citalopram and escitalopram, managed in hospitals, that were reported to six U.S. poison centers from 2002-2005. There were 374 citalopram and 421 escitalopram overdose cases. Gender and ages were similar between the two, with 68-70% females and a median age of 20 years for citalopram and 18 years for escitalopram. Median dose by history was 310 mg for citalopram and 130 mg for escitalopram. More serious outcomes were associated with citalopram overdoses (p escitalopram were tachycardia, drowsiness, hypertension, and vomiting. Seizures (30 vs. 1, respectively, p escitalopram cases (p = 0.109). There was an association between increasing dose and severity of outcome for citalopram (p escitalopram (p = 0.011). In children escitalopram cases experienced toxicity, such as drowsiness, nausea/vomiting, and tachycardia. There were no seizures in this age group. Escitalopram seems to be less toxic than citalopram after an acute overdose; seizures and tremors were more common with citalopram. Initial management of overdoses should include seizure precautions for citalopram and cardiac monitoring for both drugs. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Scenario of organophosphate pollution and toxicity in India: A review.

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Shardendu; Kaushik, Garima; Villarreal-Chiu, Juan Francisco

2016-05-01

The present study on organophosphate deals with the reports on pollution and toxicity cases throughout India. The use of pesticides was introduced in India during the 1960s which are now being used on a large scale and represents the common feature of Indian agriculture. Use of organophosphates as a pesticide came as an alternative to chlorinated hydrocarbons due to their easy degradability. Although these xenobiotics degrade under natural condition, their residues have been detected in soil, sediments, and water due to their non-regulated usage practice. The over-reliance on pesticides has not only threatened our environment but contaminations of organophosphate residues have been also detected in certain agricultural products like tea, sugars, vegetables, and fruits throughout India. This paper highlights many of the cases where different organophosphates have been detected exceeding their respective MRL values. Some organophosphates detected are so hazardous that even WHO has listed them in class 1a and class 1b hazardous group. Presence of their residues in blood, milk, honey, and tissues of human and animals revealed their excessive use and bioaccumulating capabilities. Their intentional or unintentional uptake is causing thousands of deaths and severity each year. Most of the toxicity cases presented here are due to their uptake during a suicidal attempt. This shows how easily these harmful substances are available in the market.

Paper-based chromatic toxicity bioassay by analysis of bacterial ferricyanide reduction.

Science.gov (United States)

Pujol-Vila, F; Vigués, N; Guerrero-Navarro, A; Jiménez, S; Gómez, D; Fernández, M; Bori, J; Vallès, B; Riva, M C; Muñoz-Berbel, X; Mas, J

2016-03-03

Water quality assessment requires a continuous and strict analysis of samples to guarantee compliance with established standards. Nowadays, the increasing number of pollutants and their synergistic effects lead to the development general toxicity bioassays capable to analyse water pollution as a whole. Current general toxicity methods, e.g. Microtox(®), rely on long operation protocols, the use of complex and expensive instrumentation and sample pre-treatment, which should be transported to the laboratory for analysis. These requirements delay sample analysis and hence, the response to avoid an environmental catastrophe. In an attempt to solve it, a fast (15 min) and low-cost toxicity bioassay based on the chromatic changes associated to bacterial ferricyanide reduction is here presented. E. coli cells (used as model bacteria) were stably trapped on low-cost paper matrices (cellulose-based paper discs, PDs) and remained viable for long times (1 month at -20 °C). Apart from bacterial carrier, paper matrices also acted as a fluidic element, allowing fluid management without the need of external pumps. Bioassay evaluation was performed using copper as model toxic agent. Chromatic changes associated to bacterial ferricyanide reduction were determined by three different transduction methods, i.e. (i) optical reflectometry (as reference method), (ii) image analysis and (iii) visual inspection. In all cases, bioassay results (in terms of half maximal effective concentrations, EC50) were in agreement with already reported data, confirming the good performance of the bioassay. The validation of the bioassay was performed by analysis of real samples from natural sources, which were analysed and compared with a reference method (i.e. Microtox). Obtained results showed agreement for about 70% of toxic samples and 80% of non-toxic samples, which may validate the use of this simple and quick protocol in the determination of general toxicity. The minimum instrumentation

Some considerations concerning the theory of combined toxicity: a case study of subchronic experimental intoxication with cadmium and lead.

Science.gov (United States)

Varaksin, Anatoly N; Katsnelson, Boris A; Panov, Vladimir G; Privalova, Larisa I; Kireyeva, Ekaterina P; Valamina, Irene E; Beresneva, Olga Yu

2014-02-01

Rats were exposed intraperitoneally (3 times a week up to 20 injections) to either Cadmium and Lead salts in doses equivalent to their 0.05 LD50 separately or combined in the same or halved doses. Toxic effects were assessed by more than 40 functional, biochemical and morphometric indices. We analysed the results obtained aiming at determination of the type of combined toxicity using either common sense considerations based on descriptive statistics or two mathematical models based (a) on ANOVA and (b) on Mathematical Theory of Experimental Design, which correspond, respectively, to the widely recognised paradigms of effect additivity and dose additivity. Nevertheless, these approaches have led us unanimously to the following conclusions: (1) The above paradigms are virtually interchangeable and should be regarded as different methods of modelling the combined toxicity rather than as reflecting fundamentally differing processes. (2) Within both models there exist not merely three traditionally used types of combined toxicity (additivity, subadditivity and superadditivity) but at least 10 variants of it depending on exactly which effect is considered and on its level, as well as on the dose levels and their ratio. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dosimetric Predictors of Duodenal Toxicity After Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy for Treatment of the Para-aortic Nodes in Gynecologic Cancer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Verma, Jonathan [Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida (United States); Sulman, Erik P.; Jhingran, Anuja [Department of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas (United States); Tucker, Susan L. [Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas (United States); Rauch, Gaiane M. [Department of Radiology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas (United States); Eifel, Patricia J. [Department of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas (United States); Klopp, Ann H., E-mail: aklopp@mdanderson.org [Department of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas (United States)

2014-02-01

Purpose: To determine the incidence of duodenal toxicity in patients receiving intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) for treatment of para-aortic nodes and to identify dosimetric parameters predictive of late duodenal toxicity. Methods and Materials: We identified 105 eligible patients with gynecologic malignancies who were treated with IMRT for gross metastatic disease in the para-aortic nodes from January 1, 2005, through December 31, 2009. Patients were treated to a nodal clinical target volume to 45 to 50.4 Gy with a boost to 60 to 66 Gy. The duodenum was contoured, and dosimetric data were exported for analysis. Duodenal toxicity was scored according to Radiation Therapy Oncology Group criteria. Univariate Cox proportional hazards analysis and recursive partitioning analysis were used to determine associations between dosimetric variables and time to toxicity and to identify the optimal threshold that separated patients according to risk of toxicity. Results: Nine of the 105 patients experienced grade 2 to grade 5 duodenal toxicity, confirmed by endoscopy in all cases. The 3-year actuarial rate of any duodenal toxicity was 11.7%. A larger volume of the duodenum receiving 55 Gy (V55) was associated with higher rates of duodenal toxicity. The 3-year actuarial rates of duodenal toxicity with V55 above and below 15 cm{sup 3} were 48.6% and 7.4%, respectively (P<.01). In Cox univariate analysis of dosimetric variables, V55 was associated with duodenal toxicity (P=.029). In recursive partitioning analysis, V55 less than 13.94% segregated all patients with duodenal toxicity. Conclusions: Dose-escalated IMRT can safely and effectively treat para-aortic nodal disease in gynecologic malignancies, provided that care is taken to limit the dose to the duodenum to reduce the risk of late duodenal toxicity. Limiting V55 to below 15 cm{sup 3} may reduce the risk of duodenal complications. In cases where the treatment cannot be delivered within these constraints