Month: September 2022

PROCESSED FOOD. "Food proteins exposed to alkali treatment processes or to lengthy heat treatment contain considerable concentrations of amino acids derived from racemisation," ie: the conversion of healthy L-amino acids to generally useless or harmful D-amino acids. https://lnkd.in/eNSAN8h View in LinkedIn

FRAGMENT IN NATURE this weekend is all about the complex and important family of glutamate receptors. There are three structurally-related molecules that act on these L-glutamate receptors, and all are associated with pathology and toxicity. The central linking molecule dramatically came to light in 1987 following a public health catastrophe in Prince Edward Island, Canada. View in LinkedIn

RED TIDE. August 5, 2015: news flash. "A vast bloom of toxic algae off the west coast is denser, more widespread, and deeper than scientist feared even weeks ago..." https://lnkd.in/eFVnC_b View in LinkedIn

RED TIDE. August 5, 2015: news flash. "This coastal ribbon of microscopic algae, up to 40 miles wide and 650 feet deep in places, is flourishing amid unusually warm Pacific Ocean temperatures." Once quite rare, this is an increasingly common report. https://lnkd.in/eFVnC_b View in LinkedIn

RED TIDE INDEX CASE. The 1987 case of shellfish poisoning in Prince Edward Island, Canada was where this story started. Of the 250 reports, 107 met the clinical definition, 19 people were hospitalized, 12 were in intensive care, with 3 deaths. https://lnkd.in/ezgTzXm View in LinkedIn

RED TIDE INDEX CASE. CNS neuronal necrosis was found on post-mortem. Attributed to domoic acid in cultivated mussel beds, confirmed by sampling, and attributed to red algae poisoning (red tide). https://lnkd.in/ezgTzXm View in LinkedIn

RED TIDE toxicity is surprisingly attributable to a tiny diatom, rather than dinoflagellates or cyanobacteria. This diatom is called Nitzcheria pungens, or now pseudonitzcheria multiseries. This is the largest diatom genus with 900 species. https://lnkd.in/ecddBh2 View in LinkedIn

RED TIDE. Normally, diatoms are known for their enormous positive impact on global oxygen supply, silica and carbon cycling. https://lnkd.in/ecddBh2 View in LinkedIn

D-AMINO ACIDS IN SHELLFISH. "In communities in which marine shellfish represent an important source of food, account should be taken of D-amino acids consumed in large quantities, not only with respect to nutrition, but also from the toxicological aspect...quantities of D-amino acids occurring in marine shellfish can exceed 1%." https://lnkd.in/eNSAN8h View in LinkedIn

DOMOIC ACID is a (-) levorotatory excitatory amino acid neurotoxin that is an glutamate brain receptor (AMPA/KA and NMDA) agonist, which contains within it the structure of glutamic acid, and is a structural analog of proline and a neurotoxin called kainic acid (also an analog of the excitatory amino acid L-glutamate). All these molecules, domoic acid, kainic acid and glutamate, act on diverse glutamate receptors. View in LinkedIn