1,721,009 research outputs found
State of the art, gaps and future perspectives on common kestrel ecotoxicology
Full text linkAnthropogenic activities have caused a steady decline of common kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) since the 1980 s. Effects, especially sublethal effects of contaminants, need to be investigated to ensure the conservation of this species. Data about countries, biological material, contaminants classes, and methodological approaches were collected from scientific publications to highlight gaps on common kestrel toxicology and ecotoxicology. We found that most studies have been conducted in Europe and in the field, underlining a lack of in vitro studies. The studies investigated mainly contaminant levels, while sublethal effects, evaluation of emerging contaminants and use of non-invasive or low-invasive samples were scarce. This work shows important gaps on toxicological status of the common kestrel, highlighting the importance of developing a non-lethal approach that combines responses at different levels of biological organization, as well as data on chemical contamination and on the environment in which the different populations inhabit
Biochemical and cellular responses of the crab Pachygrapsus Marmoratus to evaluate the environmental contamination of the Livorno harbour (Italy) and of and adjacent MPA
No full textA blood-based multi-biomarker approach reveals different physiological responses of common kestrels to contrasting environments
Full text linkThe increase of urbanization and agricultural activities is causing a dramatic reduction of natural environments. As a consequence, animals need to physiologically adjust to these novel environments, in order to exploit them for foraging and breeding. The aim of this work was to compare the physiological status among nestling common kestrels (Falco tinnunculus) that were raised in nest-boxes located in more natural, rural, or urban areas in a landscape with a mosaic of land uses around Rome in Central Italy. A blood-based multi-biomarker approach was applied to evaluate physiological responses at multiple levels, including antioxidant concentrations, immunological functions, genotoxicity, and neurotoxicity. We found lower concentrations of glutathione and GSH:GSSG ratio values and higher proportions of monocytes in urban birds compared to the other areas. We also found higher DNA damage in rural compared to urban and natural krestels and inhibition of butyrylcholinesterase activity in urban and natural birds compared to rural area. Finally, we found similar values among study areas for respiratory burst, complement system, bactericidal capacity, and plasma non-enzymatic antioxidant capacity. These results suggest that (i) city life does not necessarily cause physiological alterations in kestrels compared to life in other habitats, and (ii) environmental pressures are likely to differ in typology and intensity across habitats requiring specific responses that a multi-biomarker approach can help to detect. Further studies are needed to assess which factors are responsible for the physiological differences among city, rural, and natural birds, and whether these differences are consistent across time and space
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
A multi-trial approach for estimating potential ecotoxicological effects of an industrialized area
No full textMicronucleus test and comet assay for the detection of genotoxicity in blood cells of Gambusa affinis exposed to produced water
No full textEffects of microplastics on head kidney gene expression and enzymatic biomarkers in adult zebrafish
No full textDue to massive production, improper use, and disposal of plastics, microplastics have become global environmental pollutants affecting both freshwater and marine ecosystems. Several studies have documented the uptake of microplastics in wild species and the correlated biological effects, such as epithelial damage, inflammation, metabolic alterations, and neurotoxicity. However, the effects of microplastics are not fully understood yet. In this study, adult zebrafish have been exposed for twenty days to two concentrations of a mix of polystyrene and high-density polyethylene microplastics. The biological effects were investigated through the expression levels of a set of selected genes in head kidney samples and two enzymatic biomarkers, acetylcholinesterase and lactate dehydrogenase, in head and body homogenates respectively. The lowest microplastic concentration up-regulated genes involved in xenobiotics catabolic processes (cyp2p8), and adaptive immunity (tcra). Acetylcholinesterase activity was inhibited by the highest microplastics exposure, while a weaker and no significant inhibition was induced by the lowest concentration. No significant effects on lactate dehydrogenase activity were observed. The results presented in this study support the hypothesis that MPs exposure could induce the activation of an immune response and the xenobiotic metabolism, suggesting also that the cytochrome P450 enzyme cyp2p8 and acetylcholinesterase may be sensitive to MPs contamination
Developing sampling protocols for biomonitoring contaminants in Mediterranean seabird
No full textThe present document is based on a period of close cooperation between Medmaravis and the Conservatoire du Littoral (CdL). In particular, the aim is presenting recommended and relatively simple sampling protocols to be applied in researches aimed at monitoring contaminants in the Mediterranean, using seabirds as bioindicators. The standardization of sampling methods is a crucial starting point in order to maximize the opportunity of comparing results obtained by different studies. This goal required a thorough study of the scientific literature regarding marine pollution and its relations with seabirds. About 300 papers and technical/scientific reports were collected, analyzed and entered in a database, presented at the 2 nd Symposium on the Conservation of Marine and Coastal Birds in the Mediterranean, held by UNEP RAC/SPA and Medmaravis in Hammamet (Tunisia) in February 2015. Then, several sampling protocols have been tested in the Central Mediterranean (Italy and Tunisia) during the breeding season of 2015 (9 sites, 3 seabird species). Sampling procedures suggested in this work, have been directly inspired by literature and previous documented experiences and adapted when necessary to the characteristics of the Mediterranean (target species, breeding phenology, selection of the breeding sites, etc.). Before giving the sampling protocols description, an introduction on the marine pollution and a brief review of the state of the art concerning research on contaminants in seabirds, especially in Mediterranean, is given
Ten years of ecotoxicological monitoring of oil and gas production activities: development and application of an integrated multi-biomarker approach
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