A brief review on models for birds exposed to chemicals.

"A Who's Who of pesticides is therefore of concern to us all. If we are going to live so intimately with these chemicals eating and drinking them, taking them into the very marrow of our bones - we had better know something about their nature and their power."-Rachel Carson, Silent Spring.

Wildlife ecotoxicology of plant protection products: knowns and unknowns about the impacts of currently used pesticides on terrestrial vertebrate biodiversity.

Agricultural practices are a major cause of the current loss of biodiversity. Among postwar agricultural intensification practices, the use of plant protection products (PPPs) might be one of the prominent drivers of the loss of wildlife diversity in agroecosystems. A collective scientific assessment was performed upon the request of the French Ministries responsible for the Environment, for Agriculture and for Research to review the impacts of PPPs on biodiversity and ecosystem services based on the scientific literature.

Influence of oxidative homeostasis on bacterial density and cost of infection in Drosophila-Wolbachia symbioses.

The evolution of symbioses along the continuum between parasitism and mutualism can be influenced by the oxidative homeostasis, that is the balance between reactive oxygen species (ROS) and antioxidant molecules. Indeed, ROS can contribute to the host immune defence to regulate symbiont populations, but are also toxic. This interplay between ROS and symbiosis is notably exemplified by recent results in arthropod-Wolbachia interactions.

VIGILANCE POISON: Illegal poisoning and lead intoxication are the main factors affecting avian scavenger survival in the Pyrenees (France).

A specific surveillance program has been set up to monitor avian scavenger populations in the French Pyrenean Mountains, hosting a high proportion of the French populations. The two main purposes of the study were to identify all causes of death and to investigate poisoning cases. All 170 birds found dead during the 7-year program were submitted to full necropsy, X-Ray, parasitological investigations and consistent analytical toxicology screenings (Cholinesterase inhibitors, anticoagulant rodenticides, organochlorine insecticides, Pb, Cd).

The Nile monitor (Varanus niloticus; Squamata: Varanidae) as a sentinel species for lead and cadmium contamination in sub-Saharan wetlands.

Wetland pollution is a matter of concern in sub-Saharan Africa. Though regularly exploited, the Nile monitor (Varanus niloticus), a large amphibious lizard, is not threatened. This work aims at assessing the value of this varanid as a sentinel species in surveys of environmental contamination by metals.

Dithiapyrannylidenes as efficient hole collection interfacial layers in organic solar cells.

One inherent limitation to the efficiency of photovoltaic solar cells based on polymer/fullerene bulk heterojunctions (BHJs) is the accumulation of positive charges at the anodic interface. The unsymmetrical charge collection of holes and electrons dramatically decreases the short-circuit current. Interfacial layers (IFLs) such as poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(4-styrenesulfonate) have no effect on the unbalanced electron/hole transport across the BHJ.

Laminin promotes coagulation and thrombus formation in a factor XII-dependent manner.

Background: Laminin is the most abundant non-collagenous protein in the basement membrane. Recent studies have shown that laminin supports platelet adhesion, activation and aggregation under flow conditions, highlighting a possible role for laminin in hemostasis.

Objective: To investigate the ability of laminin to promote coagulation and support thrombus formation under shear.

Consequences of the Y139F Vkorc1 mutation on resistance to AVKs: in-vivo investigation in a 7th generation of congenic Y139F strain of rats.

Objectives: In humans, warfarin is used as an anticoagulant to reduce the risk of thromboembolic clinical events. Warfarin derivatives are also used as rodenticides in pest control. The gene encoding the protein targeted by anticoagulants is the Vitamin K-2,3-epoxide reductase subunit 1 (VKORC1).

Animal poisoning in Europe. Part 2: Companion animals.

This is the second in a series of three review articles on animal poisoning in Europe and focuses on cases in pet animals and horses in five European countries (Belgium, France, Greece, Italy and Spain) reported over the last decade. In the participating countries, dogs were the most commonly poisoned species, particularly younger animals. The majority of cases in companion animals resulted from exposure to insecticides, although rodenticides (especially anticoagulants and strychnine) posed a significant risk.

Protein C supports platelet binding and activation under flow: role of glycoprotein Ib and apolipoprotein E receptor 2.

Background: Activated protein C (APC) regulates thrombin generation and inhibits apoptosis. Endothelial protein C receptor (EPCR)-bound protein C is activated by thrombomodulin-bound thrombin. APC inactivates coagulation factors (F)Va/VIIIa and generates cytoprotective signaling downstream of protease-activated receptor-1 (PAR-1).

Acute poisoning of Red Kites (Milvus milvus) in France: data from the Sagir network.

Red Kites (Milvus milvus) are avian scavengers limited to Europe, and they currently are listed as an endangered species worldwide. Accidental poisoning is often listed as one of the threats to Red Kites throughout their range of distribution. The purpose of this article is to investigate the suspected poisoning cases reported to the French Wildlife Disease Surveillance System.

Assessment of ruminal degradation, oral bioavailability, and toxic effects of anticoagulant rodenticides in sheep.

Objective: To assess the rate and extent of ruminal degradation of warfarin, chlorophacinone, and bromadiolone in vitro and determine the oral availability and clinical and hemostatic effects of each anticoagulant rodenticide in adult sheep.

Animals: 3 Texel sheep.

Procedure: Samples of ruminal fluid were incubated with each of the anticoagulants to assess the kinetics of ruminal degradation over 24 hours.

Concentrations of PCBs, organochlorine pesticides and heavy metals (lead, cadmium, and copper) in fish from the Drôme river: potential effects on otters (Lutra lutra).

In this study samples of ten species of fish were analyzed for concentrations of organochlorine pesticides, PCBs and heavy metals (Pb, Cd, and Cu). Fish were captured using electric fishing on ten sites along the Drôme river (Rhône-Alpes region). Quantitative determination of the organochlorine and PCBs compounds was performed by gas chromatography-electron-capture detection (GC-ECD).

Evaluation of metallothionein as a biomarker of single and combined Cd/Cu exposure in Dreissena polymorpha.

The effects of metal mixture (Cd+Cu) versus single-metal exposure on total MT response and bioaccumulation were investigated in the freshwater bivalve Dreissena polymorpha. A two-month exposure period, including two levels of contamination, was chosen for each of the two metals: 5, 10 microg/L for Cu, and 2, 20 microg/L for Cd, with mixtures of, respectively, 5 microg/L Cu+2 microg/L Cd, 5 microg/L Cu+20 microg/L Cd, 10 microg/L Cu+2 microg/L Cd, and 10 microg/L Cu+20 microg/L Cd. Total MT contents were assessed by an Ag-saturation method, and metals contents were determined by atomic absorption spectrometry.

Zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) as indicators of freshwater contamination with lindane.

Zebra mussels are common freshwater mollusks in many European lakes and rivers. Their abundance, wide distribution, and filtering activity make them good candidates to evaluate the contamination of freshwaters with environmental contaminants. The purpose of this work was to determine the kinetics of lindane in zebra mussels and compare laboratory results with in situ measurements.

[Epidemiology and clinical course of HCV infection in children and adolescents with chronic renal failure].

The aim of the study was to evaluate epidemiology and clinical course of HCV infection in children and adolescents with end-stage renal disease. The study involved 70 patients, aged 1-25 years, 31 M, 39 F: group of 40 dialysed (27 HD, 13 CAPD) and 30 patients suffering from different chronic renal disease as a control group. Anti-HCV antibodies were assayed by EIA 3rd gene (Abbott Diagnostic) and were sought by LIATEK HCV 3rd gene.

The application of whole-cell protein electrophoresis for the classification and identification of basidiomycetous yeast species.

The relationships among 65 basidiomycetous yeast strains were determined by one-dimensional electrophoresis of SDS-solubilized whole-cell proteins. Protein profiles were compared by the Pearson product moment correlation coefficient (r). The strains investigated represented species from the genera Cystofilobasidium, Filobasidium, Filobasidiella, Kondoa, Leucosporidium, Mrakia and Rhodosporidium.