Ion permeation through voltage-gated sodium channels is modulated by various drugs and toxins. The atomistic mechanisms of action of many toxins are poorly understood. A steroidal alkaloid batrachotoxin (BTX) causes persistent channel activation by inhibiting inactivation and shifting the voltage dependence of activation to more negative potentials. Traditionally, BTX is considered to bind at t...

in this research, gasoline vapours including benzene, toluene, xylene (btx) and total volatile organic compounds (tvocs) emitted from vent pipes of underground storage tanks (usts) were measured at six gas stations in tehran. thereafter, gas station no. 29 was selected as a pilot station and equipped with a vapour control system. the vapours were measured during the summer of 2013 and winter of...

Several local anesthetics (LA) have been previously shown to block muscle batrachotoxin (BTX)-activated Na+ channels in planar bilayers. The mean dwell time of different LA drugs, however, varies widely, from less than 10 ms to longer than several seconds. In this study, we have examined the structural determinants that govern the dwell time, the binding affinity, and the stereoselectivity of L...

The profiles of major volatile organic compound (VOC) sources in petrochemical industry of the Yangtze river delta, China, were experimentally determined. Source samples were taken using summa canister near the petrochemical units. The concentrations of 72 VOC species were quantified using canister sampling and a gas chromatography–mass spectrometry system, and VOC source profiles were develope...

Biological molecules conjugating with nanoparticles are valuable for applications including bio-imaging, bio-detection, and bio-sensing. Nanometer-sized diamond particles have excellent electronic and chemical properties for bio-conjugation. In this study, we manipulated the carboxyl group produced on the surface of nanodiamond (carboxylated nanodiamond, cND) for conjugating with alpha-bungarot...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the safety and efficacy of botulinum toxin type A (BTX-A) (BOTOX) over 16 months in the treatment of bilateral primary axillary hyperhidrosis. DESIGN A 16-month study with initial double-blind randomization to 50 U of BTX-A or placebo per axilla. After 4 months, participants could receive up to 3 further treatments with open-label BTX-A over 12 months. SETTING Fourteen...

The bacterial genus Clostridium produces a diverse array of protein toxins, many of which have played an important role in disease and medicine. Although initially known for their ability to do harm, many clostridial toxins have been shown to have therapeutic value for a diverse array of diseases. The articles included in this special issue provide insight into some of that diversity and show t...

Objective We conducted a randomized controlled trial to evaluate whether a combination of repeated botulinum toxin A (BTX-A) and conservative treatment is more effective in decreasing toe-walking than conservative treatment alone at 24 months follow-up. Patients and Methods Children between 2 and 9 years of age were randomized either into the conservative (CO) or botulinum treatment (BTX) group...

Botulinum toxin type A (BTX-A) selectively cleaves synaptosomal-associated protein of 25 kDa (SNAP-25) and results in inhibition of the fusion of synaptic vesicles containing neurotransmitters with the presynaptic membrane to undergo exocytosis and release. The aim of this study was to investigate whether BTX-A inhibited the pyloric smooth muscle contractility induced by acetylcholine (ACh) aft...

OBJECTIVE To review the efficacy and safety of botulinum toxin A (BTX) in the treatment of sialorrhea. DATA SOURCES A PubMed search and reference list review was performed to find clinical trials on BTX in the treatment of sialorrhea. The search was limited to English-language trials involving human subjects. Articles from 1965 to October 2006 were searched, using key words botulinum, botulin...