Assembles international authorities to address contemporary research in metal neurotoxicity. Essential and non-essential metals play an important role in neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative diseases. Recent developments in understanding the role of metals in the etiology of these disorders have led to rapid growth in clarifying the pathology of some of the most devastating diseases we face and in identifying potential new therapies. Few books or periodicals have been wholly dedicated to the topic of metals, and this collection is intended to serve as a resource for all researchers interested in metals and their role in health and disease.

In recent years, the need to develop acceptable alternatives to conventional animal testing for neurotoxicity and developmental neurotoxicity has been increasingly recognized, and much effort is being directed toward the development of alternative models, utilizing mostly mammalian cells in culture but also non-mammalian model systems. "In Vitro Neurotoxicology: Methods and Protocols" presents a series of cellular, biochemical, and molecular methodological protocols in the area of in vitro neurotoxicology, with an emphasis on mammalian cell culture systems. Opening with a section on methodologies for preparing several cellular systems of variable complexity, amenable for in vitro neurotoxicological studies, the thorough volume continues with coverage of methods to measure cellular death and major mechanisms, methods for assessing mechanisms of nervous system cell toxicity related to impairment of cell signaling, while a final section illustrates additional methods for assessing important nervous system processes such as cell proliferation, neuritogenesis, and synaptogenesis. Written in the highly successful "Methods in Molecular Biology " series format, chapters include introductions to their respective subjects, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls.

Comprehensive and cutting-edge, "In Vitro Neurotoxicology: Methods and Protocols" serves researchers with an interest in assessing or characterizing the potential neurotoxicity of environmental contaminants, drugs, or other chemicals."

This volume presents a collection of selected papers by the prominent Brazilian mathematician Djairo G. de Figueiredo, who has made significant contributions in the area of Differential Equations and Analysis. His work has been highly influential as a challenge and inspiration to young mathematicians as well as in development of the general area of analysis in his home country of Brazil.

In addition to a large body of research covering a variety of areas including geometry of Banach spaces, monotone operators, nonlinear elliptic problems and variational methods applied to differential equations, de Figueiredo is known for his many monographs and books. Among others, this book offers a sample of the work of Djairo, as he is commonly addressed, advancing the study of superlinear elliptic problems (both scalar and system cases), including questions on critical Sobolev exponents and maximum principles for non-cooperative elliptic systems in Hamiltonian form.

Role of Inflammation in Environmental Neurotoxicity, Volume Three, in this comprehensive serial, addresses contemporary advances in neurotoxicology by providing authoritative review articles on key issues in the field. Edited by leading subject experts, topics of note in this new release include Neuroinflammation (Introduction), Organophosphates, Lead, Manganese, Drugs of abuse, Peripheral vs central inflammation, Air pollution, Developmental neurotoxicity, Ethanol, and the Blood brain barrier, amongst other topics.

Innovation and Technology - Strategies and Policies contains a selection of outstanding contributions by world experts on how a culture of innovation is able to produce a response to fast global changes affecting society. The book describes major evolutionary directions and foreseen trends in: environment versus industry; technology breakthroughs; energy planning; education and research; intangible investment requirements; new health technologies; and economics and management of innovative actions at strategic, organisational and technological levels. The actual percolation of the innovative process throughout the multiple facets of society is presented in relation to the main challenges facing us in the 21st Century. The book is addressed to all those concerned with innovation in dynamic terms as a creative response to the ongoing changes in society integrating sciences, technologies, humanities, life-long education and training, and other disciplines.

The journey to find genes responsible for determining sensitivity or resistance to specific insecticides led to the paraoxonase (PON1) gene on human chromosome 7. This gene encodes a 355 amino acid protein that is localized on the high density lipoprotein (HDL) particles in plasma. Characterization of this gene revealed that different individuals expressed both different forms of this enzyme with amino acid substitutions at positions 55 and 192 as well as different levels of this protein. Additional studies showed that mutations in the regulatory region of the PON1 gene contributed to the very different levels of plasma PON1 among individuals. It turned out that both the level of the enzyme as well as the amino acid present at position 192 (glutamine or arginine) are important in determining resistance to the active forms of specific organophosphorus insecticides, especially diazinon and chlorpyrifos. The position 192 amino acid also determined whether an individual's plasma hydrolyzed the nerve agents soman and sarin at high or low rates. It is not yet known whether these different rates of hydrolysis observed in biochemical assays reflect differences in sensitivity of individuals to nerve agents. Taken together, all of the experiments carried out to date indicate that engineered recombinant PON1 is an excellent candidate to use for treating cases of poisoning by specific organophosphorus compounds. The available data on the relationship of PON1 levels and position 192 genotype led us to introduce the term PON1 status to describe an individual's PON1 plasma level as well as their position 192 genotype.

The characterization of the genetic variations of the PON1 gene together withexperiments showing that HDL can protect the lipids in low density lipoprotein particles (LDL) from oxidation and that it was PON1 that was responsible for this protection have opened an entirely new area of investigation, the role of PON1 in protecting against vascular disease.

More recent reports have noted that PON1 also metabolizes a number of drugs, activating some and inactivating others.

This book describes the recent advances in understanding the role of PON1 in both cardiovascular disease and toxicology of insecticide exposure as well as some of the recent information indicating an important possible role in the pharmacokinetics of drug metabolism. The final chapter of the book provides an overview of the areas of PON1 research and suggests future directions for research on PON1 as well as the related, linked genes PON2 and PON3.

Neurotoxicity of Drugs of Abuse, Volume Eight provides carefully crafted reviews on the disruptive impact of drugs of abuse on the central nervous system. The neurotoxicity potential of several agents including marijuana, fentanyl, and ketamine are carefully reviewed, and their short-term and chronic effects are categorized. Pharmacokinetic profiles as well as mechanisms of action for these and other drugs of abuse such as alcohol and nicotine are also evaluated. The implications of short and long-term abuse for agents such as PCP are also characterized. The reader will come away with a fuller understanding of the adverse effects of drugs of abuse on the nervous system.

Occupational Neurotoxicology, Volume Seven covers neurotoxicants and exposures to a variety of hazards in the workplace and how they can affect nervous functions in different ways. Metals and organic compounds, both at high level acute exposure and long-term low-level exposure can affect motor functions, cognition, behavior and neurosensory functions. Sections cover Oil leakage in aircraft, aerotoxic syndrome, Organic solvents, WTC neurotoxicities, Environmental intolerance, Pesticides, Carbon monoxide, Mercury Neurotoxicity in Gold Miners, and the Current evolution of neurobehavioral methods.

Marine Neurotoxins, Volume Five provides comprehensive information on marine toxins present in the human food chain and the affecting targets relevant for the functioning of the brain and our nervous system, covering all the information available on their action on the physiology of neurons and glial cells, both "in vivo" or "in vitro." New sections in this release include Guanidinium Toxins: Evolution, Mode of Action and Chemical Ecology, Amnesic: Domoic Acid, Neurotoxic: Ciguatoxin and Brevetoxin, Neurotoxic: Cyclic Imines, Potentially Neurotoxic: Okadaic acid and analogues, Potentially Neurotoxic: Palytoxin, and Methods for assessing the presence of marine neurotoxins.

The volume discusses novel issues associated with the neurotoxicity of select metals

In recent years, the need to develop acceptable alternatives to conventional animal testing for neurotoxicity and developmental neurotoxicity has been increasingly recognized, and much effort is being directed toward the development of alternative models, utilizing mostly mammalian cells in culture but also non-mammalian model systems. In Vitro Neurotoxicology: Methods and Protocols presents a series of cellular, biochemical, and molecular methodological protocols in the area of in vitro neurotoxicology, with an emphasis on mammalian cell culture systems. Opening with a section on methodologies for preparing several cellular systems of variable complexity, amenable for in vitro neurotoxicological studies, the thorough volume continues with coverage of methods to measure cellular death and major mechanisms, methods for assessing mechanisms of nervous system cell toxicity related to impairment of cell signaling, while a final section illustrates additional methods for assessing important nervous system processes such as cell proliferation, neuritogenesis, and synaptogenesis. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology (TM) series format, chapters include introductions to their respective subjects, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Comprehensive and cutting-edge, In Vitro Neurotoxicology: Methods and Protocols serves researchers with an interest in assessing or characterizing the potential neurotoxicity of environmental contaminants, drugs, or other chemicals.

This book contains revised and significantly extended versions of selected papers from three workshops on Uncertainty Reasoning for the Semantic Web (URSW), held at the International Semantic Web Conferences (ISWC) in 2008, 2009, and 2010 or presented at the first international Workshop on Uncertainty in Description Logics (UniDL), held at the Federated Logic Conference (FLoC) in 2010. The 17 papers presented were carefully reviewed and selected from numerous submissions. The papers are organized in topical sections on probabilistic and Dempster-Shafer models, fuzzy and possibilistic models, inductive reasoning and machine learning, and hybrid approaches.

The paraoxonase or PON family of genes resides on human chromosome 7q2t-22 in the order PONt, PON3 and PON2. PONt was one of the early genes identified as an environmentally relevant gene, in that it is important in determining an individual's sensitivity or resistance to exposure from specific organophosphorus (OP) insecticides. Paraoxonase (PONt) is an A esterase (i. e., not inhibited by OP compounds) initially identified for its ability to catalytically hydrolyze paraoxon, the toxic metabolite (oxon form) of the insecticide parathion. Evidence accumulated in the past several years has established that this enzyme, which is present at variable levels in liver and serum of different individuals, is an important determinant of sensitivity to toxicity of specific organophosphorus compounds including chlorpyrifos oxon and diazoxon. Recent experiments have pointed out that it is the catalytic efficiency of PONt together with the levels of PONt that are important in determining the degree of resistance. Surprisingly, even though PONt has a higher catalytic efficiency than PONtQ)92 for paraoxon RJ92 hydrolysis, it does not provide significant in vivo protection against an exposure to paraoxon. Interest in this enzyme has also emerged from the finding that it displays genetic polymorphisms in most populations, with a significant number of the individuals in a given population canying a PONt gene that puts them at risk for a specific OP exposure."

Presenting the latest research in glial cell function gleaned from new techniques in imaging and molecular biology, The Role of Glia in Neurotoxicity, Second Edition covers multiple aspects of glial cells, including morphology, physiology, pharmacology, biochemistry, pathology, and their involvement in the pathophysiology of neurological diseases. The book is structured to examine the interactions between glial cells and neurons during development, adulthood, and senescence, followed by specific examples of directly mediated glial neurotoxicity. The book also covers miscellaneous topics in glial physiology/biochemistry such as signaling and edema. The book includes coverage of advances in our knowledge and understanding of glial physiology and biochemistry. Discover what's new in the Second Edition: Neuronal-glia metabolic interactions Neuronal-glia interactions (glutamate homeostasis) Zinc transporters in glia Energy deprivation/mitochondrial dysfunction - unique astrocyte susceptibilities Astrocytes and MPTP neurotoxicity Astroglia and food toxins Current understanding of the importance of glia has caused a boom in published information. Yet while many of the published textbooks are multifaceted and multidisciplinary, none includes the role of glia in neurotoxicity. Written by leaders in the field of glial research, this text fills this missing gap in the literature. Broader in scope than the first edition, including contributions from internationally known researchers, this is still the only book dedicated to exploring the role of glial cells in mediating neurotoxicology. Features Summarizes the latest research in glial cell function gleaned from new techniques in imaging and molecular biology Contains tables and figures that give you quick and easy access to precise data Includes a contemporary summary of literature that puts information useful for grant submissions at your fingertips

The protection of human health and food and fiber resources against the ravages of pests of many sorts is a continuous struggle by all people in the world. The use of chemical pesticides as an aid in this struggle is now also global. These chemicals are deliberately added to the environment for the purpose of killing or injuring some form of life. Because pesticides are generally less selectively toxic than would be desired, non-target species, including humans, must be protected from injury by these chemicals. This can only be achieved by thorough understanding of the comparative toxicology of these compounds, and by minimizing human (and other desirable species) exposure. The latter can only be achieved by sound regulatory policies that utilize scientific principles and data, properly tempered by both gaps in that data and sociologic and economic considerations. This book contains the proceedings of the NATO Advanced Study Institute on "Toxicology of Pesticides: Experimental, Clinical and Regulatory Perspectives" held in Riva del Garda on October 6-15, 1986. This NATO-ASI has been promoted by the School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of Washington at Seattle, by the Institute of Pharmacological Sciences, University of Milano and by the Giovanni Lorenzini Foundation, and has been sponsored by both the Society of Toxicology (USA) and the Italian Society of Toxicology.

Innovation and Technology - Strategies and Policies contains a selection of outstanding contributions by world experts on how a culture of innovation is able to produce a response to fast global changes affecting society. The book describes major evolutionary directions and foreseen trends in: environment versus industry; technology breakthroughs; energy planning; education and research; intangible investment requirements; new health technologies; and economics and management of innovative actions at strategic, organisational and technological levels. The actual percolation of the innovative process throughout the multiple facets of society is presented in relation to the main challenges facing us in the 21st Century. The book is addressed to all those concerned with innovation in dynamic terms as a creative response to the ongoing changes in society integrating sciences, technologies, humanities, life-long education and training, and other disciplines.

Thisvolumecontainstheproceedingsofthe?rstthreeworkshopsonUncertainty Reasoning for the Semantic Web (URSW), held at the International Semantic Web Conferences (ISWC) in 2005, 2006, and 2007. In addition to revised and stronglyextendedversionsofselectedworkshoppapers, wehaveincludedinvited contributions from leading experts in the ?eld and closely related areas. With this, the present volume represents the ?rst comprehensive compilation of state-of-the-art research approaches to uncertainty reasoning in the context of the Semantic Web, capturing di?erent models of uncertainty and approaches to deductive as well as inductive reasoning with uncertain formal knowledge. TheWorldWide Web communityenvisionse?ortless interactionbetween- mansandcomputers, seamlessinteroperabilityandinformationexchangeamong Webapplications, andrapidandaccurateidenti?cationandinvocationofapp- priate Web services.As workwith semantics and servicesgrowsmoreambitious, there is increasing appreciation of the need for principled approaches to the f- mal representation of and reasoning under uncertainty. The term uncertainty is intended here to encompass a variety of forms of incomplete knowledge, - cluding incompleteness, inconclusiveness, vagueness, ambiguity, and others. The termuncertaintyreasoning ismeanttodenotethefullrangeofmethodsdesigned for representing and reasoning with knowledge when Boolean truth values are unknown, unknowable, or inapplicable. Commonly applied approachesto unc- tainty reasoning include probability theory, Dempster-Shafer theory, fuzzy logic and possibility theory, and numerous other methodologies. A few Web-relevant challenges which are addressed by reasoning under - certainty include: Uncertaintyofavailableinformation: MuchinformationontheWorldWide Web is uncertain. Examples include weather forecasts or gambling odds. Canonical methods for representing and integrating such information are necessaryforcommunicating it ina seamlessfashi

This textbook introduces variational methods and their applications to differential equations to graduate students and researchers interested in differential equations and nonlinear analysis. It serves as a sampling of topics in critical point theory. Coverage includes: minimizations, deformations results, the mountain-pass and saddle-point theorems, critical points under constraints, and issues of compactness. Applications immediately follow each result for easy assimilation by the reader. This straightforward and systematic presentation includes many exercises and examples to motivate the study of variational methods.

Environmental Factors in Neurodegenerative Diseases, Volume One addresses contemporary advances in neurotoxicology, with thematic volumes providing authoritative review articles on key issues in the field. Updates in this new volume include chapters on Air pollution and neurodegenerative diseases, Mercury and Parkinson's disease, Pesticides and PD: current evidence, Aluminum and neurodegeneration, Microglia and neurodegeneration, Dietary factors, Mitochondria in neurodegeneration, and Manganese and neurodegeneration. Edited by leading experts, volumes are designed as in-depth overviews of the latest topic developments that analyze the effect of varied chemical agents on the nervous system. It is an essential resource for researchers and graduate students alike.

Biometals in Neurodegenerative Diseases: Mechanisms and Therapeutics is an authoritative and timely resource bringing together the major findings in the field for ease of access to those working in the field or with an interest in metals and their role in brain function, disease, and as therapeutic targets. Chapters cover metals in Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease, Motor Neuron Disease, Autism and lysosomal storage disorders. This book is written for academic researchers, clinicians and advanced graduate students studying or treating patients in neurodegeneration, neurochemistry, neurology and neurotoxicology. The scientific literature in this field is advancing rapidly, with approximately 300 publications per year adding to our knowledge of how biometals contribute to neurodegenerative diseases. Despite this rapid increase in our understanding of biometals in brain disease, the fields of biomedicine and neuroscience have often overlooked this information. The need to bring the research on biometals in neurodegeneration to the forefront of biomedical research is essential in order to understand neurodegenerative disease processes and develop effective therapeutics.

Alternative Methods in Neurotoxicology, Volume Nine, the latest release in this series, provides an overview of important in vitro and non-vertebrate animal models available to study the neurotoxicity of a range of toxicants of occupational and environmental relevance. Chapters in this new release include Evaluation of mitochondrial function in neurotoxicology using alternative models, Planarians as a model to study neurotoxic agents, Role of Drosophila melanogaster in neurotoxicology studies: Responses to different harmful substances, Neurotoxicology of metals and metallic nanoparticles in Caenorhabditis elegans, Neurotoxicology of environmental toxicants using Caenorhabditis elegans as a model, Nauphoeta cinerea as an emerging model in neurotoxicology, and more. Other chapters cover Human Neural Stem Cells in Developmental Neurotoxicology: Current Scenario and Future Prospects, Use of Drosophila melanogaster for advances in developmental neurotoxicology studies, 3D neurospheres and neurotoxicity of organophosphorus and TCE, Genetic factors in methylmercury-induced neurotoxicity: what we have learned from Caenorhabditis elegans models, and more.

Neurotoxicity of Pesticides, Volume Four, in this comprehensive serial addresses contemporary advances in neurotoxicology of pesticides by providing authoritative review articles on key issues in the field. Edited by leading subject experts, topics of note in this new release include Organophosphates, OPs, Nerve agents, Pyrethroids, Neonicotinoids and Formamidines, among others.

Environmental Factors in Neurodevelopmental and Neurodegenerative Disorders presents a state-of-the-art review of the effects of environmental contaminants on the development and degeneration of the human nervous system, brought together by world-leading experts in the field. Part One describes the adverse effects that the environment can have on neurological development, and how these effects may exhibit. Specific contaminants and their possible consequences of exposure are addressed (lead, methylmercury, alcohol), as well as specific disorders and the environmental factors associated with them, such as the effect of diet on attention deficit and hyperactivity disorders. Part Two tackles neurodegenerative disorders, specifically addressing their potential neurotoxic origins, and discussing the increasing interest in the effects that early exposure may have in later life. Environmental Factors in Neurodevelopmental and Neurodegenerative Disorders is an invaluable reference for those professionals working in the fields of toxicology, environmental health and neuroscience.

Advances in Neurotoxicology, Volume Two, addresses contemporary advances in neurotoxicology, with thematic volumes providing authoritative review articles on key issues in the field. Updates in this new volume include chapters on Air pollution and neurodegenerative diseases, Mercury and Parkinson's disease, Pesticides and PD: current evidence, Aluminum and neurodegeneration, Microglia and neurodegeneration, Dietary factors, Mitochondria in neurodegeneration, and Manganese and neurodegeneration. Edited by leading experts, volumes are designed as in-depth overviews of the latest topic developments that analyze the effect of varied chemical agents on the nervous system. It is an essential resource for researchers and graduate students alike.