Prominent contributors address issues regarding the toxicity of aluminum which causes an encephalopathy in renal dialysis patients and is also known to damage animals and plants via acid rain. Examines the chemistry and biology of aluminum compounds focusing on the evidence for and against aluminum's role in Alzheimer's disease.
The subject of aluminium and Alzheimer's disease has been plagued with controversy. This controversy has served to obscure much of the scientific research in this field, and subsequently has obscured the possibility that aluminium is a contributory factor in the aetiology of Alzheimer's disease. This book brings together many of the world's leading scientists researching aluminium and life and contains their critical summaries on the known facts about aluminium toxicity in man and to offer an opinion on the implications of this knowledge on a link between aluminium and Alzheimer's disease. The subject areas of the chapters were chosen to reflect the myriad of ways that aluminium is known to impact upon mammalian physiology and function and range from clinical studies, through animal models of disease to the detailed biochemistry of aluminium toxicity. Chapters are also included on epidemiology and other factors involved in the aetiology of Alzheimer's.This is the first time that this subject has been treated in such a comprehensive manner. The research detailed in each chapter, includes the latest research in the field, it has been critically appraised and this appraisal has been used by each author to present an informed opinion of its relevance to aluminium and Alzheimer's disease. The chapters are much more than reviews; they are a statement of the state of the art and of what the future may hold for research in this field. As a whole they show the high quality of research that has been carried out in our efforts to understand the toxicity of aluminium in man and that we are far away from discounting the possibility that aluminium is a contributory factor in the aetiology of Alzheimer's disease.
Boron has all the best tunes. That may well be the first impression of the Group 13 elements. The chemical literature fosters the impression not only in the primary journals, but also in asteady outflowofbooks focussing more or less closely on boron and its compounds. The same preoccupation with boron is apparent in the coverage received by the Group 13 elements in the comprehensive and regularly updated volume of the Gmelin Handbook. Yet such an imbalance cannot be explained by any inherent lack ofvariety, interest or consequence in the 'heavier elements. Aluminium is the most abundant metal in the earth's crust; in the industrialised world the metal is second only to iron in its usage, and its compounds can justifiably be said to touch our lives daily - to the potential detriment of those and other lives, some would argue. From being chemical curios, gallium and indium have now gained considerably prominence as sources of compound semiconductors like gallium arsenide and indium antimonide. Nor is there any want ofincident in the chemistriesofthe heavier Group 13 elements. In their redox, coordination and structural properties, there is to be found music indeed, notable not always for its harmony but invariably for its richness and variety. Thisbook seeks to redress the balance with a definitive, wide-rangingand up-to-date review of the chemistry of the Group 13 metals aluminium, gallium, indium and thallium.
Aluminium is the most abundant metal ion in the biosphere and we are continuously exposed to it in our everyday life through food, beverages, pharmaceutical products, etc. This book is a current and comprehensive review of the biochemistry, metabolism and toxicity of aluminium undertaken by an international group of authors, many of whom are outstanding authorities in their respective fields. In contrast with previous books on this topic, much of the subject matter is unique, in that it is primarily directed at aluminium nutrition and toxicity in infants and children. This book covers many aspects of aluminium toxicity in infants including for instance the embryo-fetal as well as the neurodevelopmental effects of this element, contamination of pharmaceutical products, and individual sensitivity through vaccines using aluminium as an adjuvant.This book will be especially useful to paediatricians, paediatric nephrologists & neurologists, nutritionists, toxicologists, biochemical toxicologists and postgraduate students.
In biochemistry, a metalloprotein is a generic term for a protein that contains a metal cofactor. The metal may be an isolated ion or may be coordinated with a nonprotein organic compound, such as the porphyrin found in hemoproteins. In some cases, the metal is co-coordinated with a side chain of the protein and an inorganic nonmetallic ion. This kind of protein-metal-nonmetal structure is seen in iron-sulfur clusters Metalloproteins deals with all aspects related to the intracellular and extracellular metal-binding proteins, including their structures, properties and functions. The biological roles of metal cations and metal-binding proteins are endless. They are involved in all crucial cellular activities. Many pathological conditions are related to the problematic metal metabolism. Research in metalloprotein-related topics is therefore rapidly growing, and different aspects of metal-binding proteins progressively enter curricula at Universities and even at the High School level on occasion. However, no key resource providing basic, but comprehensible knowledge on this rapidly expanding field exists. The Encyclopedia of Metalloproteins aims to bridge this gap, and will attempt to cover various aspects of metalloprotein/metalloproteomics and will deal with the different issues related to the intracellular and extracellular metal-binding proteins, including their structures, properties and functions. The goal is to cover exhaustively all catalytically and biologically crucial metal ions and to find at least one interacting protein for other metal ions. The Encyclopedia of Metalloproteins will provide a key resource for advanced undergraduate and graduate students, researchers, instructors, and professors interested in protein science, biochemistry, cell biology, and genetics.
This book explores how metals like cadmium, mercury, lead, aluminium, manganese, and chromium can harm our health, whether through short-term or long-term exposure. It covers symptoms ranging from immediate nausea to long-term issues like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases. Understanding how these metals interact with our bodies is crucial for identifying their harmful effects. The book, divided into 11 chapters, provides straightforward explanations about how these metals affect our health, making it useful for anyone interested in understanding how metals can impact the environment as well as human and animal health.
Trace minerals and metals such as zinc, copper, and magnesium are accepted as a "natural" part of the human system. Interactions of some elements and/or disturbances in trace-metal or mineral homeostasis can, however, be toxic to the central nervous system (CNS). Mineral and Metal Neurotoxicology describes a wide range of basic and clinical issues
Metal ions in the brain are a necessity as well as a poison. The presence of metal ions in the active sites of biological catalysts or metalloproteins and in the biological functioning of nucleic acids is very well documented and they are required for brain activity. On the other hand, metals are very effective in generating oxidative stress. This effect does not only play a role in immunology but also is the root of practically all neurodegenerative disorders by inducing disease via the death of neurons. Managing metal ions in the brain could therefore be an important strategy in the search for therapeutic agents used in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. This new title gives an overview to key topics in the area of metal ions in the brain. It focuses on the role of metal ions in neurological systems by describing their advantageous functions as well as their poisonous features. It is therefore of interest for scientists in biochemistry and biophysics, physiology, toxicology as well as for physicians focused on this topic.