Histological evidence of hypothyroidism in mice chronically exposed to conventional farming.

Worldwide, disorders of the thyroid gland are a growing concern; such can be caused by exposure to contaminants, including agrochemicals used in conventional agriculture, which act as endocrine disruptors. The purpose of this study is to evaluate whether or not exposure to an environment with conventional agriculture leads to thyroid disruption. Mus musculus were used as bioindicator species, captured in two sites: a farm where conventional agriculture is practiced, and a place without agriculture.

Using cattle hair to assess exposure to essential trace elements in volcanic soils.

Background: In areas where cattle graze outdoors, the environmental availability of trace elements is of utmost importance for an adequate intake. Cattle hair trace elements can be used as exposure biomarkers to assess animal intake and help ensure good nutrition and animal welfare. The aim of this study was to evaluate the environmental exposure to trace elements in cattle grazing outdoors in a volcanic region (São Miguel Island, Azores) and assess the corresponding bioaccumulation factors.

Iodine Intake and Related Cognitive Function Impairments in Elementary Schoolchildren.

Iodine deficiency, the most common cause of preventable mental impairment worldwide, has been linked to poorer intellectual function in several studies. However, to our knowledge, no studies have been performed in moderate iodine-deficient schoolchildren using the complete form of Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-III; Portuguese version). The main purpose of this study was to ascertain whether moderate iodine deficiency would affect the cognitive function of schoolchildren (7-11 years old; 3rd and 4th grades).

Deficiency of essential elements in volcanic soils: potential harmful health effects on grazing cattle.

Several essential nutrients such as Fe, Co, Cu, I, Se, and Zn are vital to grazing cattle as they play a significant role in intracellular enzyme systems, with antioxidant and repair functions of DNA lesions. Feeds may supply most essential nutrients in adequate amounts. However, essential nutrient deficiencies are common and are mainly related to the geochemical characteristics of the soils, inherited from parent rocks.

Pulmonary oxidative stress and apoptosis in mice chronically exposed to hydrothermal volcanic emissions.

Recent studies have shown that exposure to hydrothermal emissions has a negative impact on the respiratory system. Still, volcanogenic air pollution studies are still outnumbered when compared to anthropogenic studies which can result in an unknown risk to the human populations living near volcanically active areas. This study was carried out in São Miguel Island, with noneruptive volcanically active environments, such as the Furnas volcano caldera.

Elemental profile of native lichens displaying the impact by agricultural and artificial land uses in the Atlantic island of São Miguel (Azores).

Smaller oceanic islands, often hosting endangered native habitats, are particularly vulnerable to the impact of human activities. Using lichens as bioindicators, this study aimed to test if agricultural (AGR) and artificial (ART) land uses are noticeably more impacted than forest (FOR) land use on an oceanic island (São Miguel, Azores). Livestock and farming practices in AGR areas involve the intensive application of synthetical agrochemicals as well as organic fertilizers and manure.

Bioaccumulation and potential ecotoxicological effects of trace metals along a management intensity gradient in volcanic pasturelands.

The particularities of volcanic soils raise the need to better understand the link between soil agricultural management intensity and trace metal bioaccumulation. The Azores are a region characterized by volcanic soils, which were changed in different degrees according to the intensity of the agricultural practices. The main objective of this study was to assess the potential ecotoxicological effects of the trace metals present in volcanic pastureland soils along a gradient of management intensity (i.

Occurrence of ESBL-producing Escherichia coli in soils subjected to livestock grazing in Azores archipelago: an environment-health pollution issue?

Antibiotics are successful drugs used in human and animal therapy; however, they must be considered as environmental pollutants. This study aims to isolate and characterize the extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) producing Escherichia coli soil from Azores Archipelago subjected to livestock agricultural practices. Twenty-four soil samples were collected from three different pasture systems with different number of cattle heads, and from a control site.

Spatially modelling the risk areas of chronic exposure to hydrothermal volcanic emissions using lichens.

Human populations living in volcanically active areas are chronically exposed to volcanogenic air pollution, potentially contributing to long-term adverse health effects. However, mapping chronic exposure is difficult due to low spatial resolution of monitoring data on air pollutants and the need for time integration. To overcome these problems, lichens were tested as ecological indicators of hydrothermal volcanic air pollution, considering their bioaccumulation capacity over time, by transplanting them from a reference area to several sites (n = 39) in a volcanic area.

The Azorean edible abalone Haliotis tuberculata, an alternative heavy metal-free marine resource?

Abalones are considered a delicacy and exploited for food worldwide. In many places, overfishing has led to the decimation of wild stocks and many are now reared in aquaculture systems. In the Azores, there is no tradition of eating abalones and Haliotis tuberculata stocks are still virtually untouched.

Prevalence of fasciolosis in slaughtered dairy cattle from São Miguel Island, Azores, Portugal.

Fasciolosis, caused by the trematode Fasciola hepatica, is considered one of the most important parasitosis in dairy cattle due to significant economic losses. The main objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence of fasciolosis in dairy cattle slaughtered at São Miguel Island (SMI) slaughterhouse and to ascertain areas (parishes and dairy herds), within the island, with highest risk for fasciolosis. The association among cattle age and weight with the occurrence of fasciolosis was also determined.

Mus musculus bone fluoride concentration as a useful biomarker for risk assessment of skeletal fluorosis in volcanic areas.

Fluoride is often found in elevated concentrations in volcanic areas due to the release of magmatic fluorine as hydrogen fluorine through volcanic degassing. The exposure to high levels of fluoride can affect the processes of bone formation and resorption causing skeletal fluorosis, a pathology that can easily be mistaken for other skeletal diseases. In this study, we aimed to determine if fluoride concentration in the femoral bone of wild populations of the house mouse (Mus musculus) is a good biomarker of exposure to active volcanic environments naturally enriched in fluoride, allowing their use in biomonitoring programs.

The complete mitochondrial DNA sequence of the pantropical earthworm (Rhinodrilidae, Clitellata): Mitogenome characterization and phylogenetic positioning.

(Müller, 1857) plays an important role in tropical soil ecosystems and has been widely used as an animal model for a large variety of ecological studies in particular due to its common presence and generally high abundance in human-disturbed tropical soils. In this study we describe the complete mitochondrial genome of the peregrine earthworm . This is the first record of a mitochondrial genome within the Rhinodrilidae family.

Mid-Atlantic elasmobranchs: Suitable metal scouts?

Heavy metals are a hazard to marine fauna and human health. In this study we assess stable isotopes and metal content in Prionace glauca and Isurus oxyrinchus and analyse these results within and among other species and across regions and geographical areas. Also, we evaluate their suitability, together with Raja clavata and Galeorhinus galeus, as Mid-Atlantic bioindicators.

Bioaccumulation of metals and PCBs in Raja clavata.

The goal of this study was to assess stable isotopes profiles, metals concentration and PCBs in Raja clavata muscle and liver, according to sex and size, and to elucidate its suitability as a Mid-Atlantic biomonitor. The results reflected bioaccumulation and suggested biomagnification processes for As and Hg in muscle tissue. Cd, Cu and Zn were detected in high amounts in liver, Cr, Mn and Rb were relatively stable and low, Pb was not detected and Sr was present in muscle at high levels, decreasing with length.

Sensitivity of two biomarkers for biomonitoring exposure to fluoride in children and women: A study in a volcanic area.

The natural enrichment of water with fluoride is related to natural sources such as volcanic activity, with it being documented that fluorosis, an endemic and widespread disease in volcanic areas, is associated to the ingestion of high levels of fluoride through water. Thus, in this study, we aimed to define the fluoride concentration in drinking waters of volcanic origin and compare the sensitivity of urine and nail clippings as biomarkers for fluoride exposure in adults and children. Samples of drinking water from four villages in São Miguel Island (Azores) were used and the fluoride concentration was determined, as well the fluoride content in urine and toenails clippings from 66 children and 63 adults from these villages.

Testicular damage and farming environments - An integrative ecotoxicological link.

The exposure to agrochemicals during farming activities affects the function of the reproductive system, as revealed by the increasing worldwide evidence of male infertility amongst farmers. The main objective of this study was to untangle the link between agricultural practices and male reproductive impairment due to chronic exposure to xenobiotics (such as agrochemicals) in conventional and organic farming environments. For this purpose, male wild mice (Mus musculus) populations from sites representing two distinct farming practices (conventional and organic farming systems) were used as bioindicators for observable effects of testicular damage, namely on a set of histological and cellular parameters: (i) relative volumetric density of different spermatogenic cells and interstitial space; (ii) damage in the seminiferous tubules and (iii) apoptotic cells in the germinal epithelium.

Metal Concentrations in Two Commercial Tuna Species from an Active Volcanic Region in the Mid-Atlantic Ocean.

Concentrations of cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), and lead [Pb (µg g(-1) wet weight)] were determined in liver and muscle samples of 15 bigeye (Thunnus obesus) and 15 skipjack tunas (Katsuwonus pelamis) caught over an active volcanic region in the Mid-Atlantic Ocean (Azores, Portugal) and evaluated regarding consumption safety. None of the muscle samples (edible part) exceeded the European Union (EU) maximum limits (MLs) for Hg and Pb. Cd concentrations in muscle were much greater than EU MLs with 53 and 26 % of the bigeye tuna and skipjack tuna, respectively, in exceedance of the limits.

Crabs tell the difference--Relating trace metal content with land use and landscape attributes.

Heavy metal concentration in a given locality depends upon its natural characteristics and level of anthropogenic pressure. Volcanic sites have a different heavy metal footprint from agriculture soils and both differ from urban centres. Different animal species absorb heavy metals differently according to their feeding behaviour and physiology.

Iodine environmental availability and human intake in oceanic islands: Azores as a case-study.

Iodine deficiency is the most common cause of preventable mental impairment. Although several studies have established an association between ocean proximity and iodine environmental availability, recent studies revealed an inadequate iodine intake in the Azorean islands. In this study, we aim to understand the underlying causes of iodine environmental availability in oceanic islands and its association with iodine intake in schoolchildren, using the Azores as case-study.

Volcanogenic pollution and testicular damage in wild mice.

Many evidences have surfaced the adverse effects of environmental pollutants on male reproduction. Volcanogenic pollution is understudied, although it is a well-known source of hazardous contaminants. This study aims to assess the effects of chronic exposure to volcanogenic pollution on wild mice testes by studying: (i) diameter of seminiferous tubules; (ii) relative volumetric density of different spermatogenic cells and interstitial space; (iii) damage in the seminiferous tubules and (iv) apoptotic level in the germinal epithelium.

Chronic exposure to volcanogenic air pollution as cause of lung injury.

Few studies were made regarding the pulmonary effects of exposure to volcanogenic air pollution, representing an unrecognized health risk for humans inhabiting non-eruptive volcanically active areas (10% of world human population). We tested the hypothesis whether chronic exposure to air pollution of volcanogenic origin causes lung injury, using wild mice (Mus musculus) as model. Lung injury was determined using histological morphometric parameters, inflammatory status (InfS) and the amount of black silver deposits (BSD).

Assessment of molluscicidal activity of essential oils from five Azorean plants against Radix peregra (Müller, 1774).

The molluscicidal activity of essential oils from two endemic (Juniperus brevifolia; Laurus azorica) and three introduced (Hedychium gardnerianum; Pittosporum undulatum; Psidium cattleianum) Azorean plants against the snail Radix peregra was studied under laboratory conditions. Essential oils from leaves of H. gardnerianum, L.

Morphometry of the epidermis of an invasive megascoelecid earthworm (Amynthas gracilis, Kinberg 1867) inhabiting actively volcanic soils in the Azores archipelago.

For the first time, the structure, dimensions, and composition of the epidermis of an invasive earthworm species that has successfully colonized hostile conditions in actively volcanic soil on São Miguel (Azores) have been measured. Metal concentrations in actively volcanic (Furnas) and volcanically inactive (Fajã) soils were similar; however, Furnas soil was characterised by elevated temperature (10°C differential), relative hypoxia, extremely high CO(2) tension, and accompanying acidity. The epidermis of earthworm's resident at Fajã was approximately twice the thickness of the epidermis of conspecifics resident in Furnas soil.

Association of bovine papillomavirus type 2 (BPV-2) and urinary bladder tumours in cattle from the Azores archipelago.

Urinary bladder tumours in cattle are caused by chronic ingestion of bracken fern and BPV-1/2 infection. The objective of the present study was to assess if BPV-2 was present in urinary bladder lesions from cattle with chronic enzootic haematuria (CEH) from the Azores archipelago (Portugal), in order to gain further information regarding the epidemiologic distribution of this virus. Samples were analysed using PCR specific primers for BPV-2 DNA and an immunohistochemistry for BPV E5 oncoprotein detection.