The toxicity of the class of chemicals known as the organophosphates (OP) is most commonly attributed to the inhibition of the enzyme acetylcholinesterase. However, there is significant evidence that this mechanism may not account for all of the deleterious neurologic and neurobehavioral symptoms of OP exposure, especially those associated with levels that produce no overt signs of acute toxici...

Exposure to pesticides is very common world-wide, and is broadly known the acute toxic effects to humans of pesticides following a high dose exposure; however, knowledge about chronic low-dose adverse effects to specific pesticides is more limited. Reproductive functions can be affected, with birth defects, impaired fecund ability, infertility and altered growth. This paper will focus on the de...

Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) is an important enzyme in cholinergic synapses. Most arthropods have two genes (ace1 and ace2), but only one encodes the predominant synaptic AChE, the main target for organophosphates. Resistance towards organophosphates is widespread in the marine arthropod Lepeophtheirus salmonis. To understand this trait, it is essential to characterize the gene(s) coding for ACh...

BACKGROUND/AIMS Organophosphate poisoning has a high mortality rate. Recently, differences among organophosphorus insecticides in human self-poisoning were reported. This study investigated the prognostic risk factors and the mortality of different organophosphates following acute organophosphate poisoning. METHODS This retrospective study included 68 patients with acute organophosphate poiso...

The involvement of organophosphate insecticides in cognitive disorders is supported by epidemiologic and biological evidence, but the effects of long-term exposure remain debated. We studied the association between organophosphate exposure and cognitive performance in vine workers from the PHYTONER study cohort in the Bordeaux area of France. Results from interviews of 614 subjects conducted at...

BACKGROUND Oxidative stress and excitotoxicity underlie the developmental neurotoxicity of numerous chemicals. OBJECTIVES We compared the effects of organophosphates (chlorpyrifos and diazinon), an organo-chlorine (dieldrin), and a metal [divalent nickel (Ni2+)] to determine how these mechanisms contribute to similar or dissimilar neurotoxic outcomes. METHODS We used PC12 cells as a model o...

Contamination of aircraft cabin air can result from leakage engine oils and hydraulic fluids into bleed air. This may cause adverse health effects in crews passengers. To realistically mimic inhalation exposure to bleed-air contaminants, a mini contaminants simulator (Mini-BACS) was constructed connected an air-liquid interface (ALI) aerosol system (AES). unique “Mini-BACS + AES” setup provides...

objective: organophosphorus hydrolase (oph) is a homodimeric enzyme that can hydrolyze phosphoester bonds and reduce the toxicity of organophosphorus compounds. this makes oph a suitable element for the biodegradation of these compounds. methods: we successfully cloned the oph gene from pseudomonas diminuta, after optimization for pichia pastoris, into a yeast expression vector (ppiczαb). afte...

Organophosphates (OPs) have successful properties that means they have been widely used as flame retardants and pesticides. However, their neurotoxic properties have also been long acknowledged and used in more sinister applications such as nerve gases (1). Hundreds of thousands victims have been affected by organophosphates over the last 150 years. This has occurred since its early uses in the...