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Home/ KSC Biology 490 Summer 2010/ Contents contributed and discussions participated by Anna McLean

Contents contributed and discussions participated by Anna McLean

Anna McLean

Would you like lemon, or BPA with your water? - 0 views

  • The only problem was that vinyl products generally contain significant amounts of Bisphenol-A (BPA), a plastic additive, exposure to which causes disruption of endocrine hormones
  • BPA in plastic baby bottles
  • What makes BPA such a problem? It affects everyone, but developing fetuses and small children are particularly vulnerable.
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  • It alters the levels of endocrine hormones, which has effects ranging from learning disabilities to diseases and altered sexual development.
  • BPA is currently banned in Chicago, the State of Minnesota and Suffolk County, NY.
Anna McLean

NRDC: Endocrine Disruptors - 0 views

shared by Anna McLean on 11 Jun 10 - Cached
  • 5. Should humans be concerned for their health based on evidence that fish, birds and alligators have been affected? Yes. All vertebrates (fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals, including humans) are fundamentally similar during early embryonic development. Scientists can therefore use the evidence acquired on other species to make predictions about endocrine disrupting effects on humans.
  • 6. Is there direct evidence that humans are susceptible to endocrine disruption?
  • 8. These days don't chemicals have to be safe to be allowed on the market? No.
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    Frequently asked-type questions
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    Obviously, this site is for the general public. But, it could be a useful link for your webpages if you want some basic background information to persuade people that this IS relevant to them and their families.
Anna McLean

A list of endocrine-disrupting compounds - 0 views

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    A useful list of compounds that includes the hormone system affected and mechanism. This would be a useful tool because each compound section has a references section where you may find other useful sources for your projects.
Anna McLean

Low dose effects of vinclozolin - 0 views

  • a few parts per million levels of vinclozolin contamination profoundly alter sexual development in male rats, producing significant feminization of the male reproductive tract, hypospadias, low sperm counts and other deformations.
  • When vinclozolin enters the body it is degraded into two metabolites. These metabolites then act as anti-androgens
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    Section of Our Stolen Future about vinclozolin. After searching around the web about this fungicide, it was interesting to see that most sources indicate that this chemical is not harmful. But, as we learned in class, recent research indicates otherwise.
Anna McLean

Gender Benders & Endocrine Disruptors around You - 0 views

  • Some Health Consequences of DES
  • Timeline of Synthetic Endocrine Disruptors (POPs)
  • Mechanisms of Endocrine Disruption
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    General ED site. Touches on consequences of DES use in offspring of the using mother. Includes a useful timeline of POP use
Anna McLean

Our Stolen Future: New science on the impacts of endocrine disruptors on brain and beha... - 0 views

  • The sex steroids (testosterone, estrogen, etc.) contribute to, among other things, sexual differentiate of brain centers, and thereby, to the development of sexual identity and sexual behaviors
  • A rapidly increasing body of scientific research is revealing mechanisms of action, demonstrating impacts of disrupted development, and exploring links between intelligence, behavior and contamination experienced in the womb. What is emerging from this research is that brain and behavior are likely to be the most sensitive endpoints vulnerable to endocrine disruption. Many synthesized compounds in commercial use today, moreover, can derail neurological development.
  • April 2003. Exposure in the womb to extremely low levels of bisphenol A alters sexual differentiation of the brain and behavior in rats. More...
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  • September 2002. Dutch scientists report that boys exposed prenatally to higher levels of PCBs and dioxin are more likely to show demasculinized play behaviors. Girls and boys exposed to modestly elevated dioxin levels demonstrate more feminized play behaviors. The scientists suggest that that these alterations in play result from endocrine disruption of the development of sex-specific behaviors. More...
  • disturbed sexual differentiation of reproductive behavior, potentiating the expression of feminine sexual behavior and reducing masculine behavior."
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    This document is the web site for the book titled Our Stolen Future. There are numerous sections with "more..." links to full pages on the summarized topic. This is a great tool for my project.
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    Highlighted text indicates areas applicable to my topic.
Anna McLean

ScienceDirect - Brain, Behavior, and Immunity : The potential influence of maternal st... - 0 views

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    Brandon, This may also be of interest to you.
Anna McLean

ScienceDirect - Developmental Brain Research : Early vs. late maternal deprivation dif... - 1 views

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    Brandon, Order this from ILL. This is not the one I told you about it class, I am still searching to relocate that one. This may be of interest, though.
Anna McLean

Reproductive Toxins and Alligator Abnormalities at Lake Apopka, Florida - 0 views

  • it has been shown that many of the environmental chemicals found in alligator plasma or eggs bind the alligator estrogen and/or progesterone receptors in vitro
  • Guillette et al. ( 1 ) suggested that the reproductive failure at Lake Apopka could have been related to general agricultural pollution and to a spill from a nearby pesticide manufacturing facility. From 1957 to 1981, the facility (Tower Chemical Co.) manufactured and stored both chlorinated and organophosphate insecticides as well as a copper-salt-based fungicide at a site 1.5 miles from Lake Apopka. Wastewater from the manufacturing process was discharged into an unlined pond, and chemicals were burned or buried on site. During a heavy rain in 1980, the percolation pond overflowed and acidic wastewater discharged into a marsh that drains into Lake Apopka. DDT and other chemicals contaminated the lake during this extensive spill.
  • ecause of the endocrine-disruptive potential of DDT's degradation products DDE and DDD, they have been the prime suspects in the reproductive abnormalities of the alligators
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  • The route of exposure for the alligators living in this environment might have occurred through both oral and dermal exposure
  • he testicular abnormalities in alligators from Lake Apopka are similar to those in pesticide workers exposed to DBCP in that the seminiferous tubules are the affected target tissues.
    • Anna McLean
       
      Similar abnormalities act as evidence for the negative effects of DBCP. Evidence such as this help to support the cause, and disable individuals from referring to the alligators' issues as coincidence. Or that they have nothing to do with chemical spills, pesticides, and other pollutants.
  • given the levels found in the remaining pond, it is almost certain that DBCP entered Lake Apopka during the 1980 spill.
  • The findings discussed above indicate a complex exposure scenario in which the etiology of the reproductive failure cannot be reconstructed with certainty due to the historic nature of the event
    • Anna McLean
       
      Emphasizes the difficultly scientists have in proving the causes of the observed problems in many species, such as the Lake Apopka alligators.
Anna McLean

Human Health: Fish consumption -- Critical contaminants - 1 views

  • DDT and DDE are probable human carcinogens and endocrine disrupters.
  • Mercury is not known to be a carcinogen, but it is toxic to the fetuses of humans and animals.
  • ercury in Lake Huron fish has caused fish consumption advisories and has been detected in Lake Huron water, sediment and wildlife.
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    Although the use of DDT was banned a long time ago, it is still negatively affecting wild life. This page adds more detail to what we saw in the film, "The Estrogen Effect: Assault on the Male."
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    Under the metals section, there is a short description of heavy metals. These metals are known to damage organisms, and as shown in some of our mini-presentations, can act as EEDs. For example, erythropoietin's functions are inhibited by lead as an EED.
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