GE-15- week 6-7

Question 1

Toxicology:

Answer 1

The scientific discipline that studies the adverse effects of chemical substances on living organisms and their environments.

Question 2

Allergens

Answer 2

Antigens that trigger an exaggerated immune response, leading to allergic reactions.

Question 3

Neurotoxins

Answer 3

Substances that harm nerve tissue, affecting both developing and mature nervous systems.

Question 4

Mutagens

Answer 4

Agents, either physical or chemical, that cause alterations in an organism’s DNA.

Question 5

Teratogens:

Answer 5

Agents that disrupt embryonic or fetal development, potentially leading to congenital disabilities or pregnancy termination.

Question 6

Carcinogens

Answer 6

Substances or agents that promote the development of cancer by damaging DNA or disrupting cellular processes.

Question 7

Persistent Organic Pollutants (P.O.P.s)

Answer 7

Organic compounds resistant to environmental degradation, with potential adverse effects on ecological and human health

Question 8

Acute Effects

Answer 8

Severe physiological reactions resulting from acute exposure to toxic substances.

Question 9

What is the role of the immune system in the body?

Answer 9

The immune system targets and fights threats or invaders that could potentially harm the body, including allergens.

Question 10

What are neurotoxins, and how do they affect nerve tissue?

Answer 10

Neurotoxins are toxins that are destructive to nerve tissue. They can adversely affect the function of both developing and mature nervous tissue.

Question 11

What are mutagens, and how do they affect an organism’s DNA?

Answer 11

Mutagens are physical or chemical agents that cause an increase in DNA modifications by altering the organism’s DNA.

Question 12

What are teratogens, and what can they cause during pregnancy?

Answer 12

Teratogens are agents that can disrupt embryonic or fetal development, potentially causing congenital disabilities or even terminating the pregnancy. These agents can include radiation, maternal infections, chemicals, or drugs.

Question 13

Define carcinogens and their role in cancer development.

Answer 13

Carcinogens are substances or agents that promote cancer development (carcinogenesis) by causing genome damage or disrupting cells’ metabolic processes.

Question 14

What are Persistent Organic Pollutants (P.O.P.s), and why are they concerning?

Answer 14

Persistent Organic Pollutants (P.O.P.s) are organic compounds resistant to environmental degradation. They can bioaccumulate and have potentially detrimental effects on ecological and human health.

Question 15

Define acute effects of toxic substances.

Answer 15

Acute effects refer to the physiological reactions in the human or animal body that cause severe symptoms, rapidly developing through acute exposure to toxic substances. If the cause is not removed, it may lead to chronic health effects.

Question 16

What are chronic effects in the context of exposure to hazardous substances?

Answer 16

Chronic effects refer to adverse effects on animals or the human body with symptoms that develop slowly due to prolonged and continuous exposure to low concentrations of a hazardous substance.

Question 17

Explain risk assessment.

Answer 17

Risk assessment is the combined effort of identifying and analyzing potential events that can negatively affect individuals, assets, and the environment. It involves making judgments on the tolerability of risk analysis and examining influencing factors.

Question 18

What is risk management?

Answer 18

Risk management is the evaluation, prioritization, and identification of risks, followed by the coordinated and economical application of resources to control, monitor, and minimize the probability or impact of unfortunate events or to maximize the realization of opportunities.

Question 19

What are pesticides, and what is their primary use?

Answer 19

Pesticides are chemical compounds used to eliminate pests, such as insects, rodents, fungi, and weeds. They are also used in public health to kill disease vectors, like mosquitoes, and pests that damage crops.

Question 20

What are herbicides, and how do they differ from other pesticides?

Answer 20

Herbicides are pesticides used specifically to kill unwanted plants or weeds. Some herbicides are selective and target weeds without harming desired crops

Question 21

Define insecticides and their purpose.

Answer 21

Insecticides are substances formulated to eliminate or mitigate insects, including ovicides used against insects and larvicides to kill insect larvae.

Question 22

Explain fungicides and their importance in agriculture.

Answer 22

Fungicides are chemical compounds or biological organisms used to kill parasitic fungi or their spores. They are crucial in agriculture to prevent severe crop damage, decreased yield, and lower profit.

Question 23

What is environmental health, and what factors does it consider?

Answer 23

Environmental health focuses on disease-causing external factors, including elements of the natural, social, cultural, and technological worlds in which we live. It considers how these factors impact human well-being.

Question 24

What is the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) program?

Answer 24

The Global Burden of Disease (GBD) program assesses mortality and disability from major diseases, injuries, and risk factors worldwide. It considers various factors, including health, social, political, environmental, and economic factors, to determine the cost of disease and disability on individuals and society.

Question 25

How has the global burden of disease changed over time?

Answer 25

Smallpox was eradicated in 1977, and many diseases like polio, typhoid fever, cholera, and yellow fever are now rare. However, chronic diseases now account for a significant portion of global deaths and disease burden.

Question 26

What are emergent diseases, and why are they a concern in today’s world?

Answer 26

Emergent diseases are newly discovered or previously absent diseases that can spread rapidly due to international travel. Epidemiologists warn that the next deadly epidemic is only a plane ride away.

Question 27

What factors contribute to the emergence of diseases?

Answer 27

Factors contributing to disease emergence include microbial adaption, changing human susceptibility, climate and weather changes, human demographics, trade, economic development, breakdown of public health, poverty, social inequality, war, famine, and bioterrorism.

Question 28

How do emergent diseases relate to non-human animal species?

Answer 28

Many emergent diseases originated from non-human animal species, such as HIV from chimpanzees and SARS from the Masked Palm Civet native to China.

Question 29

What is ecological epidemiology?

Answer 29

Ecological epidemiology is a field of study that examines the interactions between hosts (including humans and wildlife) and their pathogens and parasites within a broader ecological context. It focuses on understanding how infectious diseases spread and persist in populations and communities of organisms.

Question 30

What are some examples of diseases studied in ecological epidemiology?

Answer 30

Examples include Ebola hemorrhagic fever, chronic wasting disease (CWD), and tropical diseases like malaria, cholera, yellow fever, and dengue fever. These diseases are studied in the context of their ecological interactions and transmission dynamics.

Question 31

How does ecological epidemiology contribute to the study of Ebola hemorrhagic fever?

Answer 31

Ecological epidemiologists study how the Ebola virus is transmitted between gorillas and humans, the impact of environmental factors on its spread, and strategies for disease control in both human and wildlife populations.

Question 32

What is chronic wasting disease (CWD), and how is it studied within ecological epidemiology?

Answer 32

CWD is a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy affecting deer and other cervids. Ecological epidemiologists investigate its transmission dynamics within deer populations, environmental factors contributing to its persistence, and strategies for disease management.

Question 33

How does ecological epidemiology contribute to the understanding of tropical diseases?

Answer 33

Ecological epidemiologists study the ecological factors influencing the distribution of mosquito vectors, changing environmental conditions, and shifting disease patterns for tropical diseases like malaria, cholera, yellow fever, and dengue fever.

Question 34

What are some key concerns related to drug and antibiotic resistance studied in ecological epidemiology?

Answer 34

Ecological epidemiologists investigate the factors leading to drug resistance in diseases like malaria and antibiotic resistance in bacteria. This includes the misuse of drugs in human medicine and agriculture.

Question 35

What is ecotoxicology, and what does it study?

Answer 35

Ecotoxicology is the study of toxins and their effects on living organisms. It examines how toxins disrupt metabolic functions and harm organisms, even in extremely dilute concentrations. It draws from various disciplines to understand these effects.

Question 36

Provide examples of different types of toxins studied in ecotoxicology.

Answer 36

Types of toxins include allergens, immune system depressants, endocrine disruptors, neurotoxins, mutagens, teratogens, and carcinogens. Each type of toxin can have specific effects on organisms and ecosystems.

Question 37

What is bioaccumulation, and why is it important in ecotoxicology?

Answer 37

Bioaccumulation is the process by which toxins accumulate in organisms over time. It’s important because it can lead to high concentrations of toxins in top predators, posing risks to their health and impacting ecosystems.

Question 38

How do neurotoxins affect living organisms, and what are some examples?

Answer 38

Neurotoxins are substances that target and damage nerve cells (neurons), leading to disruptions in the nervous system. Examples of neurotoxins include heavy metals like lead and mercury, organophosphates, carbamates, anesthetics, and chlorinated hydrocarbons.

Question 39

What is the significance of synergistic effects in toxicology?

Answer 39

Synergistic effects occur when the combined impact of two or more substances is greater than the sum of their individual effects. In toxicology, this means that the combined exposure to multiple toxins can result in more severe health consequences than exposure to each toxin individually.

Question 40

How does solubility affect the movement of toxins in the environment and within the body?

Answer 40

Solubility plays a critical role in the transport of toxins. Water-soluble toxins can easily move through the environment and into cells since they dissolve in water, which bathes all cells. Oil-soluble toxins require carriers but can quickly penetrate cell membranes, leading to storage and persistence within tissues.

Question 41

What factors are related to exposure in toxicology?

Answer 41

Factors related to exposure include the dose (concentration and volume of exposure), route, rate, and site of exposure, duration and frequency of exposure, and the timing of exposure (day, season, year).

Question 42

How does sensitivity to toxins vary among different species?

Answer 42

Sensitivity to toxins can vary significantly between species due to differences in metabolic processes, genetics, and other factors. Some species may be more resistant to specific toxins, while others are highly sensitive, making interspecies comparisons crucial in toxicological studies.

Question 43

What are some factors influencing toxicity in ecological epidemiology and toxicology?

Answer 43

Factors influencing toxicity include the chemical composition and reactivity of the toxic agent, physical characteristics, presence of impurities, stability, storage, and the route of entry, dose, duration, timing of exposure, and the organism’s genetic, physiological, and immunological characteristics.

Question 44

What is the most commonly used method in toxicology testing in controlled conditions?

Answer 44

he most commonly used method in toxicology testing involves exposing a population of laboratory animals to measured doses of specific substances.

Question 45

What are some challenges associated with using laboratory animals in toxicity testing?

Answer 45

Using laboratory animals in toxicity testing can be time-consuming, painful, expensive, and debilitating to the animals involved.

Question 46

How is the toxicity of a chemical often described conveniently?

Answer 46

The toxicity of a chemical is often described by determining the dose at which fifty percent (50%) of the test population is sensitive, known as the LD50 (lethal dose 50).

Question 47

What is the difference between acute and chronic effects of toxins?

Answer 47

Acute effects result from a single exposure to a toxin and lead to immediate health crises. Chronic effects can result from continuous or repeated sublethal exposure, and they may be permanent.

Question 48

What is risk assessment, and what are its components?

Answer 48

Risk assessment is the scientific process of estimating the threat that hazards pose to human health. Its components include hazard identification, risk analysis, and risk evaluation.

Question 49

What does exposure assessment involve in the risk assessment process?

Answer 49

Exposure assessment involves estimating, measuring, characterizing, and modeling the magnitude, frequency, duration, and route of exposure to a potential toxin.

Question 50

How is toxicity assessment used in risk assessment?

Answer 50

Toxicity assessment weighs available evidence to estimate the potential adverse health effects of exposure to pollutants and potentially toxic materials.

Question 51

What is tolerance in the context of exposure to pollutants?

Answer 51

Tolerance refers to the ability of individuals or populations to resist or withstand the stress caused by exposure to pollutants. It can result from behavioral, physiological, or genetic adaptation.

Question 52

What is sustainable agriculture, and what are its potential benefits and negative impacts?

Answer 52

Sustainable agriculture is the science and art of growing plants and raising animals for food or economic gain while preserving ecosystems. Its benefits include habitat preservation and soil and water quality improvement, but it can negatively impact the environment through land transformation and degradation.

Question 53

What are some common types of pesticides used in agriculture, and how are they classified?

Answer 53

Common types of pesticides include organophosphates, chlorinated hydrocarbons, fumigants, inorganic pesticides, natural organic pesticides (botanicals), and microbial agents/biological controls. They are classified based on their chemical structure and components.

Question 54

What are some environmental factors that impact agriculture?

Answer 54

Environmental factors impacting agriculture include global warming, heavy rainfall, floods, acid rain, wind erosion, and landslides.

Question 55

What is sustainable agriculture, and why is it important?

Answer 55

Sustainable agriculture is the practice of farming using ecological principles to produce food while ensuring the ability of future generations to do the same. It aims to balance economic viability with environmental conservation.

Question 56

What are the advantages of sustainable agriculture?

Answer 56

Advantages of sustainable agriculture include contributing to environmental conservation, preventing pollution, reducing costs, preserving biodiversity, respecting the environment, benefiting farmers economically, and preserving social equity.

Question 57

What are the drawbacks of sustainable agriculture?

Answer 57

Drawbacks of sustainable agriculture include limited land use for mass production, increased labor requirements, shorter shelf life for produce, challenges in increasing soil fertility, and lower income due to limited land use.

Question 58

What is the greatest threat to food security?

Answer 58

Poverty is the greatest threat to food security, as it can prevent individuals from obtaining sufficient food on a day-to-day basis.

Question 59

How many calories per day are considered necessary for a healthy and productive life?

Answer 59

A healthy and productive life typically requires a daily intake of 2,200 kcal (kilocalories) per day.