Biological toxins are an important part of our world, a reality with which we need to cope, so in parallel with understanding their mechanisms of action and thereby improving our fundamental knowledge, there are successful efforts to utilize them as therapeutics against some debilitating human and animal diseases. In view of the complexity of different types of biotoxins and the broad range of toxin structure, physiology, utility, and countermeasures including regulatory issues, it was thus aimed to compile a book on biotoxins and bioweapons. This reference work in the Toxinology handbook series gathers together knowledge from around the globe about naturally inspired and manufactured biological weapons. The authors describe how they work; how authorities may detect their presence, prevent their use, and diagnose their impacts; and the means by which medical and paramedical professionals may treat victims. Also described are how they have been used to further our knowledge and what insights they have given us into evolutionary and physiological processes. Finally, it is also discussed how these toxins can be used as therapeutics and what the implications of such therapeutics are to their use as biothreat agents. This volume provides a reference accessible to scientists, educators, and medical experts alike with an interest in biotoxins, focusing on the major toxins used as bioweapons. Regulatory agencies will also benefit from the information provided in this book. Some in the intended audience may need to understand how they elicit their effects and how we can defend ourselves against them. Others may be interested in the sometimes colorful histories that surround this subset of biotoxins that can be and, in some cases, have been used as weapons.

Sugar chains (glycans) are often attached to proteins and lipids and have multiple roles in the organization and function of all organisms. "Essentials of Glycobiology" describes their biogenesis and function and offers a useful gateway to the understanding of glycans.

Where do you begin to look for a recent, authoritative article on the diagnosis or management of a particular malignancy? The few general oncology textbooks are generally out of date. Single papers in specialized journals are informative but seldom comprehensive; these are more often preliminary reports on a very limited number of patients. Certain general journals frequently publish good indepth reviews of cancer topics, and published symposium lectures are often the best overviews available. Un fortunately, these reviews and supplements appear sporadically, and the reader can never be sure when a topic of special interest will be covered. Cancer Treatment and Research is a series of authoritative volumes which aim to meet this need. It is an attempt to establish a critical mass of oncology literature covering virtually all oncology topics, revised frequently to keep the coverage up-to-date, easily available on a single library shelf or by a single personal subscription. We have approached the problem in the following fashion. First, by dividing the oncology literature into specific subdivisions such as lung cancer, genitourinary cancer, pediatric oncology, etc. Second, by asking eminent authorities in each of these areas to edit a volume on the specific topic on an annual or biannual basis. Each topic and tumor type is covered in a volume appearing frequently and predictably, discussing current diagnosis, staging, markers, all forms of treatment modalities, basic biology, and more.

Examines the ways in which parliamentary committees can enhance democratic governance.

The plant toxin ricin is one of the most potent and lethal substances known. Due to its wide availability and the ease of production, ricin has been exploited as an agent of bioterrorism and biological warfare and is classified as a level B threat. Tons of ricin are produced annually worldwide as a by-product of castor oil, leading to exposure. Currently, there is no proven safe treatment for ricin intoxication. Ricin consists of an active A subunit (RTA) covalently linked to a cell binding B subunit (RTB). RTA depurinates a universally conserved adenine in the sarcin–ricin loop (SRL) of the large rRNA and inhibits protein synthesis. RTA-antibody complexes have been explored as immunotoxins against cancer cells. The articles published in this book address the history of ricin research, how ricin enters cells and traffics to the ribosome, how it inactivates ribosomes, how it induces inflammatory signaling pathways and programmed cell death, the design of therapies against ricin intoxication, and innovative assays for ricin detection.

Poisoning is a far more serious health problem in the U.S. than has generally been recognized. It is estimated that more than 4 million poisoning episodes occur annually, with approximately 300,000 cases leading to hospitalization. The field of poison prevention provides some of the most celebrated examples of successful public health interventions, yet surprisingly the current poison control "system" is little more than a loose network of poison control centers, poorly integrated into the larger spheres of public health. To increase their effectiveness, efforts to reduce poisoning need to be linked to a national agenda for public health promotion and injury prevention. Forging a Poison Prevention and Control System recommends a future poison control system with a strong public health infrastructure, a national system of regional poison control centers, federal funding to support core poison control activities, and a national poison information system to track major poisoning epidemics and possible acts of bioterrorism. This framework provides a complete "system" that could offer the best poison prevention and patient care services to meet the needs of the nation in the 21st century.

Focusing on phytochemicals and their potential for drug discovery, this book offers a comprehensive resource on poisonous plants and their applications in chemistry and in pharmacology. Provides a comprehensive resource on phytotoxins, covering historical perspectives, modern applications, and their potential in drug discovery Covers the mechanisms, benefits, risks and management protocols of phytotoxins in a scientific laboratory and the usefulness in drug discovery Presents chapters in a carefully designed, clear order, making it an ideal resource for the academic researcher or the industry professional at any stage in their career

Biological safety and biosecurity protocols are essential to the reputation and responsibility of every scientific institution, whether research, academic, or production. Every risk—no matter how small—must be considered, assessed, and properly mitigated. If the science isn't safe, it isn't good. Now in its fifth edition, Biological safety: Principles and Practices remains the most comprehensive biosafety reference. Led by editors Karen Byers and Dawn Wooley, a team of expert contributors have outlined the technical nuts and bolts of biosafety and biosecurity within these pages. This book presents the guiding principles of laboratory safety, including: the identification, assessment, and control of the broad variety of risks encountered in the lab; the production facility; and, the classroom. Specifically, Biological Safety covers protection and control elements—from biosafety level cabinets and personal protection systems to strategies and decontamination methods administrative concerns in biorisk management, including regulations, guidelines, and compliance various aspects of risk assessment covering bacterial pathogens, viral agents, mycotic agents, protozoa and helminths, gene transfer vectors, zooonotic agents, allergens, toxins, and molecular agents as well as decontamination, aerobiology, occupational medicine, and training A resource for biosafety professionals, instructors, and those who work with pathogenic agents in any capacity, Biological safety is also a critical reference for laboratory managers, and those responsible for managing biohazards in a range of settings, including basic and agricultural research, clinical laboratories, the vivarium, field study, insectories, and greenhouses.

Agatha Christie's detailed plotting is what makes her books so compelling. Christie used poison to kill her characters more often than any other murder method, with the poison itself being a central part of the novel, and her choice of deadly substances was far from random; the chemical and physiological characteristics of each poison provide vital clues to discovery of the murderer. With gunshots or stabbings the cause of death is obvious, but not so with poisons. How is it that some compounds prove so deadly, and in such tiny amounts?Christie demonstrated her extensive chemical knowledge (much of it gleaned from her working in a chemists during both world wars) in many of her novels, but this is rarely appreciated by the reader. A is for Arsenic celebrates the use of science in Christie's work. Written by Christie fan and research chemist Kathryn Harkup, each chapter takes a different novel and investigates the poison (or poisons) the murderer used. A is for Arsenic looks at why certain chemicals kill, how they interact with the body, and the feasibility of obtaining, administering and detecting these poisons, both at the time the novel was written and today. This book is published as part of the 125th anniversary celebration of Christie's birth.Fourteen novels. Fourteen poisons. Just because its fiction doesn't mean its all made-up ...