How botox binds to neurons

Botulinum neurotoxin A, better known as botox, is a highly dangerous toxin that causes paralysis in man that may prove fatal. In cosmetic applications the paralysing action of small doses is used in a specific manner for ...

Study says Natives most affected by Amazon mercury

A study of mercury contamination from rampant informal gold mining in Peru's Amazon says indigenous people who get their protein mostly from fish are the most affected, particularly their children.

Lipid vesicles to replace mouse experiments

Researchers from ETH Zurich have filed a patent application for a method to test the biological activity of one of the strongest toxins known, the botulinum neurotoxin. If the procedure is adopted by the pharmaceutical industry, ...

Counting the cost of mercury pollution

Cleaning up mercury pollution and reducing prenatal exposure to the neurotoxin methylmercury (MeHg) could save the European Union €10,000 million per year, finds a new study published in BioMed Central's open access journal ...

Cone snail venom controls pain

Components of the venom from marine cone snails can block the transmission of signals between nerve cells in minute quantities. This makes them potentially suitable for use as a novel analgesic. Researchers from the universities ...

Aquatic ecologist studies silent killer of bald eagles

(PhysOrg.com) -- Something is killing American bald eagles, and Susan Wilde is determined to find out what. An assistant professor in the University of Georgia Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, Wilde has a ...

Molding the business end of neurotoxins

For snakes, spiders, and other venomous creatures, the "business end," or active part, of a toxin is the area on the surface of a protein that is most likely to undergo rapid evolution in response to environmental constraints, ...

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