The Satellite DNA PcH-Sat, Isolated and Characterized in the Limpet (Mollusca, Gastropoda), Suggests the Origin from a Nin-SINE Transposable Element.

Satellite DNA (sat-DNA) was previously described as junk and selfish DNA in the cellular economy, without a clear functional role. However, during the last two decades, evidence has been accumulated about the roles of sat-DNA in different cellular functions and its probable involvement in tumorigenesis and adaptation to environmental changes. In molluscs, studies on sat-DNAs have been performed mainly on bivalve species, especially those of economic interest.

Benzodiazepine Interference with Fertility and Embryo Development: A Preliminary Survey in the Sea Urchin .

Psychotropic drugs and benzodiazepines are nowadays among the primary substances of abuse. This results in a large and constant release into aquatic environments where they have potentially harmful effects on non-target organisms and, eventually, human health. In the last decades, evidence has been collected on the possible interference of benzodiazepines with reproductive processes, but data are few and incomplete.

Polystyrene Microplastics Exacerbate Infection Ability In Vitro and In Vivo.

Plastic pollution is an important environmental problem, and microplastics have been shown to have harmful effects on human and animal health, affecting immune and metabolic physiological functions. Further, microplastics can interfere with commensal microorganisms and exert deleterious effects on exposure to pathogens. Here, we compared the effects of 1 µm diameter polystyrene microplastic (PSMPs) on infection in both in vitro and in vivo models by using HT29 cells and larvae, respectively.

Benzodiazepine Delorazepam Induces Locomotory Hyperactivity and Alterations in Pedal Mucus Texture in the Freshwater Gastropod .

Benzodiazepines, psychotropic drugs, are ubiquitous in the aquatic environment due to over-consumption and inefficient removal by sewage treatment plants. Bioaccumulation with consequent behavioral and physiological effects has been reported in many aquatic species. However, the responses are species-specific and still poorly understood.

Adverse Effect of Metallic Gold and Silver Nanoparticles on Embryogenesis.

Exposure to metal nanoparticles is potentially harmful, particularly when occurring during embryogenesis. In this study, we tested the effects of commercial AuNPs and AgNPs, widely used in many fields for their features, on the early development of , an anuran amphibian key model species in toxicity testing. Through the Frog Embryo Teratogenesis Assay- test (FETAX), we ascertained that both nanoparticles did not influence the survival rate but induced morphological anomalies like modifications of head and branchial arch cartilages, depigmentation of the dorsal area, damage to the intestinal brush border, and heart rate alteration.

Structural and functional damage to the retina and skeletal muscle in Xenopus laevis embryos exposed to the commonly used psychotropic benzodiazepine delorazepam.

Benzodiazepines, psychotropic drugs, are among the most frequently found pharmaceuticals in aquatic matrices. An increasing number of studies are reporting their harmful effects on adults' behaviour and physiology, while little information is available regarding developing organisms exposed since early stages. Improper activation of GABA receptors during embryonic development is likely to induce relevant consequences on the morphogenesis and, at later stages, on behaviour.

Water contamination by delorazepam induces epigenetic defects in the embryos of the clawed frog Xenopus laevis.

Delorazepam, a derivative of diazepam, is a psychotropic drug belonging to the benzodiazepine class. Used as a nervous-system inhibitor, it treats anxiety, insomnia, and epilepsy, but is also associated with misuse and abuse. Nowadays benzodiazepines are considered emerging pollutants: conventional wastewater treatment plants indeed are unable to eliminate these compounds.

(Daudin, 1802) as a Model Organism for Bioscience: A Historic Review and Perspective.

In vitro systems have been mainly promoted by authorities to sustain research by following the 3Rs principle, but continuously increasing amounts of evidence point out that in vivo experimentation is also of extreme relevance. , an anuran amphibian, is a significant model organism in the study of evolutionary developmental biology, toxicology, ethology, neurobiology, endocrinology, immunology and tumor biology; thanks to the recent development of genome editing, it has also acquired a relevant position in the field of genetics. For these reasons, appears to be a powerful and alternative model to the zebrafish for environmental and biomedical studies.

Behavioral alterations and gills damage in Mytilus galloprovincialis exposed to an environmental concentration of delorazepam.

Psychoactive compounds, and benzodiazepines (BZPs) in particular, represent an important class of emerging pollutants due to their large (ab)use and high resistance to degradation. Nowadays it is known that sewage treatment does not completely eliminate these substances and, therefore, BZPs and their metabolites reach concern levels in most aquatic environments all over Europe, ranging from µg/L to ng/L. In this study, we investigated the effects of delorazepam on Mytilus galloprovincialis, a model organism in toxicity testing and a key species in coastal marine ecosystems.

Temperature Incubation Influences Gonadal Gene Expression during Leopard Gecko Development.

During development, sexual differentiation results in physiological, anatomical and metabolic differences that implicate not only the gonads but also other body structures. Sex in Leopard geckos is determined by egg incubation temperature. Based on the premise that the developmental decision of gender does not depend on a single gene, we performed an analysis on to gain insights into the genes that may be involved in gonads' sexual differentiation during the thermosensitive period.

Environmental concentrations of a delorazepam-based drug impact on embryonic development of non-target Xenopus laevis.

Benzodiazepines, psychotropics drugs used for treating sleep disorders, anxiety and epilepsy, represent a major class of emerging water pollutants. As occurs for other pharmaceutical residues, they are not efficiently degraded during sewage treatment and persist in effluent waters. Bioaccumulation is already reported in fish and small crustaceans, but the impact and consequences on other "non-target" aquatic species are still unclear and nowadays of great interest.

Competitiveness during Dual-Species Biofilm Formation of and and a Novel Treatment Strategy.

During an infection, a single or multispecies biofilm can develop. Infections caused by non-dermatophyte molds, such as spp. and yeasts, such as spp.

Comparative Toxicological Evaluation of Tattoo Inks on Two Model Organisms.

Tattooing is a technique that introduces colored substances under the skin in order to color it permanently. Decomposition products of tattoo pigments produce numerous damages for the skin and other organs. We studied the effects of a commercial red ink tattoo, PR170, on embryos and nauplii using concentrations of 10, 20, and 40 mg/L.

Impact of copper in Xenopus laevis liver: Histological damages and atp7b downregulation.

Copper is an essential micronutrient but its excess in the dietary can be toxic. Both copper deficiency and abundance can occur in natural conditions and can lead to pathological dysfunctions. Many of the toxic effects of copper, such as increased lipid peroxidation in cell membranes and DNA damage, are due to its role in the generation of oxygen free radicals.

Biofilms: Novel Strategies Based on Antimicrobial Peptides.

The problem of drug resistance is very worrying and ever increasing. Resistance is due not only to the reckless use of antibiotics but also to the fact that pathogens are able to adapt to different conditions and develop self-defense mechanisms such as living in biofilms; altogether these issues make the search for alternative drugs a real challenge. Antimicrobial peptides appear as promising alternatives but they have disadvantages that do not make them easily applicable in the medical field; thus many researches look for solutions to overcome the disadvantages and ensure that the advantages can be exploited.

Early Effects of a Low Fat, Fructose-Rich Diet on Liver Metabolism, Insulin Signaling, and Oxidative Stress in Young and Adult Rats.

The increase in the use of refined food, which is rich in fructose, is of particular concern in children and adolescents, since the total caloric intake and the prevalence of metabolic syndrome are increasing continuously in these populations. Nevertheless, the effects of high fructose diet have been mostly investigated in adults, by focusing on the effect of a long-term fructose intake. Notably, some reports evidenced that even short-term fructose intake exerts detrimental effects on metabolism.

Xenopus laevis oocyte as a model for the study of the cytoskeleton.

At the beginning of diplotene, the oocyte of Xenopus laevis is a cell of about 10-20 microns destined to increase 10,000-fold its size when the oocyte becomes filled with yolk platelets and has accumulated a great number of pigment granules in a half of its periphery. Its internal architecture is gradually accomplished during growth because of several factors, especially because of cytoskeletal changes. In the fully-grown oocyte, the cytoskeleton appears to sustain the eccentrically located germinal vesicle through arms radiating from the cortex to the germinal vesicle, a unique organization not to be found in other Amphibians.

Specific Effects of Chronic Dietary Exposure to Chlorpyrifos on Brain Gene Expression-A Mouse Study.

chlorpyrifos (CPF) is an organophosphate insecticide used to control pests on a variety of food and feed crops. In mammals, maternal exposure to CPF has been reported to induce cerebral cortex thinning, alteration of long-term brain cognitive function, and Parkinson-like symptoms, but the mechanisms of these processes are not fully understood. In this study, we aimed to gain a deeper understanding of the alterations induced in the brains of mice chronically exposed to CPF by dietary intake.

Toxicity Effects of Functionalized Quantum Dots, Gold and Polystyrene Nanoparticles on Target Aquatic Biological Models: A Review.

Nano-based products are widespread in several sectors, including textiles, medical-products, cosmetics, paints and plastics. Nanosafety and safe-by-design are driving nanoparticle (NP) production and applications through NP functionalization (@NPs). Indeed, @NPs frequently present biological effects that differ from the parent material.

Raman-microscopy investigation of vitrification-induced structural damages in mature bovine oocytes.

Although oocyte cryopreservation has great potentials in the field of reproductive technologies, it still is an open challenge in the majority of domestic animals and little is known on the biochemical transformation induced by this process in the different cellular compartments. Raman micro-spectroscopy allows the non-invasive evaluation of the molecular composition of cells, based on the inelastic scattering of laser photons by vibrating molecules. The aim of this work was to assess the biochemical modifications of both the zona pellucida and cytoplasm of vitrified/warmed in vitro matured bovine oocytes at different post-warming times.

and as in vivo models to probe toxicity and uptake of quantum dots functionalized with gH625.

The use of quantum dots (QDs) for nanomedicine is hampered by their potential toxicologic effects and difficulties with delivery into the cell interior. We accomplished an in vivo study exploiting and to evaluate both toxicity and uptake of QDs coated with the membranotropic peptide gH625 derived from the glycoprotein H of herpes simplex virus and widely used for drug delivery studies. We evaluated and compared the effects of QDs and gH625-QDs on the survival, uptake, induction of several responsive pathways and genotoxicity in , and we found that QDs coating plays a key role.

Survival fraction and phenotype alterations of Xenopus laevis embryos at 3 Gy, 150 kV X-ray irradiation.

To determine the radiosensitivity of Xenopus laevis embryos, aquatic organism model, for toxicity studies utilizing X-rays at acute high dose levels, by analysing its survival fraction and phenotype alterations under one-exposure integral dose. We used the standard Frog Embryo Teratogenesis Assay Xenopus test during the early stages of X. laevis development.

Chlorpyrifos exposure affects fgf8, sox9, and bmp4 expression required for cranial neural crest morphogenesis and chondrogenesis in Xenopus laevis embryos.

Chlorpyrifos (CPF) is an organophosphate insecticide used primarily to control foliage and soil-borne insect pests on a variety of food and feed crops. In mammals, maternal exposure to CPF has been reported to induce dose-related abnormalities such as slower brain growth and cerebral cortex thinning. In lower vertebrates, for example, fish and amphibians, teratogenic activity of this compound is correlated with several anatomical alterations.