Multi-Year Monitoring of the Toxicological Risk of Heavy Metals Related to Fish Consumption by the Population of the Kendari Region (Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia).

This study measured the concentrations of Hg, As, Ni, Cd, and Pb in six fish species commonly consumed in Kendari. Samples were bought within local markets from 2012 to 2017 at the end of the dry season. Results showed that mercury concentrations fluctuated between years and within species, except in the , which showed no significant differences (Kruskall-Wallis, -value > 0.

Biomonitoring of Mimachlamys varia transplanted to areas impacted by human activities (La Rochelle Marina, France).

The development of human activities on French Atlantic coastlines (La Rochelle) lead to chronic pollution of the environment by organic (pesticides, hydrocarbons, agrochemicals) and inorganic (heavy metals) contaminants. These past years, several regulations have been implemented to preserve coastal environments. The purpose of this study was to perform biomonitoring of bivalve species using an outdoor caging technique.

Seasonal survey of contaminants (Cd and Hg) and micronutrients (Cu and Zn) in edible tissues of cephalopods from Tunisia: assessment of risk and nutritional benefits.

Concentrations of cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), mercury (Hg), and zinc (Zn) were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry in the muscle tissues (arms and mantle) of 3 commercial cephalopods (Loligo vulgaris, Octopus vulgaris, and Sepia officinalis) caught in 3 different Tunisian coastal regions. The highest concentrations found correspond to the essential elements Cu and Zn. Octopuses and cuttlefish showed the highest levels of those elements whereas squid presented with significantly higher values of Hg in both muscular tissues.

Interspecific and geographical variations of trace metal concentrations in cephalopods from Tunisian waters.

The concentrations of six metals (Ag, Cd, Cu, Hg, Pb, and Zn) were investigated and compared in three tissues (arms, digestive gland, and mantle) of three cephalopod species from the Tunisian waters: the common octopus (Octopus vulgaris), the common cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis), and the European squid (Loligo vulgaris). Whatever the species or the sites, the digestive gland displayed the highest concentrations of Ag, Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn, highlighting its major role in their bioaccumulation and detoxification. This is also true for Hg but only for the digestive gland of O.

Design and synthesis of fluorescent SGLT2 inhibitors.

The design and synthesis of the first fluorophore-conjugated SGLT2 inhibitors is described. The mode of linking the fluorophore to the SGLT2 pharmacophore was found to be crucial in achieving optimum potency. Superior potency to phlorizin was provided by examples containing TAMRA, BODIPY, Cy3B and NBD fluorophores.

New fossil ants in French Cretaceous amber (Hymenoptera: Formicidae).

Recent studies on the ant phylogeny are mainly based on the molecular analyses of extant subfamilies and do not include the extinct, only Cretaceous subfamily Sphecomyrminae. However, the latter is of major importance for ant relationships, as it is considered the most basal subfamily. Therefore, each new discovery of a Mesozoic ant is of high interest for improving our understanding of their early history and basal relationships.

Induction of apoptosis in estrogen receptor-negative breast cancer cells by natural and synthetic cyclopentenones: role of the IkappaB kinase/nuclear factor-kappaB pathway.

Nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB), a transcription factor with a critical role in promoting inflammation and cell survival, is constitutively activated in estrogen-receptor (ER)-negative breast cancer and is considered a potential therapeutic target for this type of neoplasia. We have previously demonstrated that cyclopentenone prostaglandins are potent inhibitors of NF-kappaB activation by inflammatory cytokines, mitogens, and viral infection, via direct binding and modification of the beta subunit of the IkappaB kinase complex (IKK). Herein, we describe the NF-kappaB-dependent anticancer activity of natural and synthetic cyclopentenone IKK inhibitors.

Application of trichloroacetic acid (TCA) to extraction of soft body for the determination of tissue Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn in the prosobranch Hydrobia ulvae (Pennant).

The application of trichloroacetic acid (TCA) as a shell extractant for preparation of soft body parts with reference to tissue metal concentrations (Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn) in shellfish has been evaluated on the example of the mud snail Hydrobia ulvae, a small marine prosobranch densely present in rocky and soft-bottom habitats of the eastern Atlantic. A solution of 0.1 M TCA was tested on individuals treated according to two different protocols: (1) thawed after freezing ("non-dried") and (2) thawed and air-dried to a constant weight ("dried").