Fibrillar aggregates of human islet amyloid polypeptide, hIAPP, a pathological feature seen in some diabetes patients, are a likely causative agent for pancreatic beta-cell toxicity, leading to a transition from a state of insulin resistance to type II diabetes through the loss of insulin producing beta-cells by hIAPP induced toxicity. Because of the probable link between hIAPP and the developm...

The present study investigated changes in suspension stability and ecotoxicity of engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) by addition of Suwannee River natural organic matter and aging of stock and test suspensions prior to testing. Acute toxicity tests of silver (Ag), zinc oxide (ZnO), and titanium dioxide (TiO2 ) ENPs with Daphnia magna were carried out following Organisation for Economic Co-operatio...

Background: There has been increasing awareness throughout the world regarding the remarkable decrease in amphibian population. For such amphibian population decline several causes have been given. Cadmium, a heavy metal is released both from natural sources (leaching of cadmium rich soils) and anthropogenic activities to the aquatic and terrestrial environments. This study evaluated the toxici...

Although natural medicines are generally considered to be safer than synthetic medicines, some reports on toxicity of many herb drugs, for example Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), attract more and more common public attention recently. The reasons for these cardiovascular toxic effects are not always satisfactory. Not all these clinical symptoms can be observed regularly. Cardiovascular toxi...

Senna alata has attracted the attention of many researchers due to its numerous medicinal properties. This study aims to test the acute and sub-acute toxicity of its leaf extracts in Swiss albino mice. Studies were carried out with a fixed dose of 1,000, 2,000, and 3,000 mg/kg body weight through oral administration daily. Signs of toxicity in terms of behavior and mortality were noted after ev...

Fish and other organisms are affected by pesticides which pollute the natural water through agricultural runoff. The aim of this study was to determine the acute toxicity of botanical pesticide, neem gold, and two synthetic pesticides, permethrin and monocrotophos, which are extensively used in agricultural farms. The mortality rate of Cyprinus carpio was monitored under laboratory conditions f...

This study evaluates the cytotoxicity of four carbon-based nanomaterials (CBNs)--single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs), multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs), aqueous phase C60 nanoparticles (aq-nC60), and colloidal graphite--in gram negative and gram positive bacteria. The potential impacts of CBNs on microorganisms in natural and engineered aquatic systems are also evaluated. SWNTs inactivate...

The bioavailability and toxicity of copper (Cu) in Shelter Island Yacht Basin (SIYB), San Diego, CA, USA, was assessed with simultaneous toxicological, chemical, and modeling approaches. Toxicological measurements included laboratory toxicity testing with Mytilus galloprovincialis (Mediterranean mussel) embryos added to both site water (ambient) and site water spiked with multiple Cu concentrat...

In this study, we investigated the insecticidal activities, including contact toxicity, fumigant toxicity, and repellent activity, of Litsea cubeba fruit extracts against Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). The extracts, obtained by liquid-liquid extraction in n-hexane, ethyl acetate, chloroform, and water were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Among the ...