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Leishmaniasis is a neglected tropical disease caused by Leishmania and is transmitted by sand fly bites. The main clinical forms are visceral leishmaniasis and cutaneous leishmaniasis. In Morocco, leishmaniasis is a public health problem, especially in the eastern region. This study aimed to provide an overview of the current epidemiological situation of leishmaniasis in this region and to assess its public health implications. A retrospective epidemiological study was conducted in the eastern region, covering six years from 2016 to 2021. The data were extracted, completed and cleaned from the leishmaniasis case registry of the Directorate of Epidemiology and Control of Leishmaniasis of the Ministry of Health and then synthesized. The epidemiological results showed that in the eastern region, the majority of cases involved cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania major (89.45%). These cases are distributed throughout the year, with peaks in autumn (October and November) and winter (January and February). Males are more susceptible than females, with a prevalence of 57% compared to 43%, mainly in the young population (70% of cases are under 40 years of age) and in rural areas (86%). Lesions are mainly found on exposed parts of the body, mainly on the upper limbs (46.51%). Clinically, lesions were most frequently found on the upper limbs (46.51%), followed by the lower limbs (21.39%), the face (15.8%), both the lower and upper limbs (12.09%), the face with the upper limbs (3.2%) and the whole body (0.39%). The results highlight the need to strengthen prophylactic measures, particularly the importance of seasonal surveillance and interventions during the seasonal peaks observed in autumn and winter, given the challenges in rural areas, and the importance of protective measures such as clothing or repellents, including the provision of valuable medical treatment for exposed parts of the body.

Foodborne outbreaks (FBOs) are common and sometimes severe, posing a public health emergency, especially in closed communities (cafeterias, hostels, schools), requiring prompt investigation and mandatory reporting. This retrospective cohort study involving 80 students was conducted in February 2017 following an FBO episode at IFMEREE in Oujda. A clinical and epidemiological definition of cases was developed. A questionnaire was designed to collect information on the implicated foods. Descriptive, univariate, and multivariate analyses were performed to study the food-related factors associated with this epidemic. In total, 57 respondents, aged 17 to 29 years, with an average of 20 years and a mode of 18 years, participated. The male sex predominated, with a sex ratio (M/F) of 2.16. There were 30 cases, resulting in an attack rate of 52.6%, with a female predominance (72.2% female vs. 43.4% male), and no deaths were reported. Among the foods served during lunch, buttermilk (LBEN) was the only food significantly associated with FBO, with a relative risk (RR) of 2.45, a confidence interval (CI95%: [1.61-3.74], p 0.0012), and an adjusted odds ratio (OR) of 17.05 (CI95%: [2.0-145.1], p 0.0096). Following our investigation of the FBO, a new hygiene control and monitoring system involving a new subcontracting company was implemented. This system aims to ensure compliance with the cold chain and update the medical records of kitchen and service staff. It also ensures improved traceability of foods, especially implicated dairy products (LBEN), from production to consumption, encompassing the entire distribution chain, including the requirement for a control meal.

The banks of dayas (temporary pools) is a very interesting environment, characterised by species with extremely strict ecological requirements. Contrary to riparian communities of running water, which are present throughout the year, riparian populations of temporary stagnant environments only occur during the short period of impoundment. The colonisation of these environments depends on various parameters such as rainfall, temperature, and the size and depth of the water bodies. The impoundment of dayas of Sidi Bouhria is done after autumn and spring rains, if they are sufficiently abundant, and they dry up, in all cases, during the summer. This study aims to provide an overall synthesis about the colonisation of banks of dayas by riparian beetles. The samples were taken during the complete impoundment of each daya, from its appearance, after a rainfall, to its drying up. The fauna was collected every two days during one hour of sampling. The colonisation of the banks of the temporary environments studied takes place in three phases. The first phase is dominated by species of terrestrial origin from the vicinity of the dayas, the second phase is dominated by riparian and hygrophilous species that originate from the banks of more or less distant aquatic environments, and the third phase, which occurs with the drying of the environment, marks the return of terrestrial species.

Riparian communities are made up of species that colonise the wet banks of different aquatic environments (ocean, river, torrent, water body, dayas) whatever their size and as long as they are being impounded. These are species that are highly dependent on their biotope, with very strict ecological and ethological requirements, and are vulnerable to any change or disturbance of the environment. Thus, depending on the type of contaminant, pollution can have different effects on this fauna: a lethal, repulsive, or attractive effect. The aim is to study the effect of pollution on the riparian community. We compare between the beetles fauna of banks of two hill dam reservoirs, one polluted and the other unpolluted. The study highlighted the attractive effect of pollution by domestic waste, particularly plastic bags, and other solid debris. Indeed, the latter, having the same physical characteristics (weight, size, thickness, etc.) as stones, leaves, and other microhabitats found in nature, have had the effect of attracting riparian species through the shelter, humidity, and shade they offer.

During the last decades, HbA1c became a standard assay in the control of risks for diabetic complications. Epidemiological studies and clinical trials have explored and determined the relationship between HbA1c and mean blood glucose. However, for patients and health care providers, a clear understanding of this relationship is necessary for setting appropriate day-to-day blood glucose testing goals aiming to achieve specific HbA1c targets while avoiding hypoglycaemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale: Airway smooth muscle (SM) of patients with asthma exhibits a greater velocity of shortening (Vmax) than that of normal subjects, and this is thought to contribute to airway hyperresponsiveness. A greater Vmax can result from increased myosin activation. This has been reported in sensitized human airway SM and in models of asthma. A faster Vmax can also result from the expression of specific contractile proteins that promote faster cross-bridge cycling. This possibility has never been addressed in asthma.Objectives: We tested the hypothesis that the expression of genes coding for SM contractile proteins is altered in asthmatic airways and contributes to their increased Vmax.Methods: We quantified the expression of several genes that code for SM contractile proteins in mild allergic asthmatic and control human airway endobronchial biopsies. The function of these contractile proteins was tested using the in vitro motility assay.Measurements and Main Results: We observed an increased expression of the fast myosin heavy chain isoform, transgelin, and myosin light chain kinase in patients with asthma. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated the expression of these genes at the protein level. To address the functional significance of this overexpression, we purified tracheal myosin from the hyperresponsive Fisher rats, which also overexpress the fast myosin heavy chain isoform as compared with the normoresponsive Lewis rats, and found a faster rate of actin filament propulsion. Conversely, transgelin did not alter the rate of actin filament propulsion.Conclusions: Selective overexpression of airway smooth muscle genes in asthmatic airways leads to increased Vmax, thus contributing to the airway hyperresponsiveness observed in asthma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to study the riparian community of coastal dayas at the mouth of the Moulouya River in the northeast of Morocco. We carried out a monthly sampling of riparian fauna on two dayas (EMDI & EMDII) on the Mediterranean coast. Banks of these dayas are an ecotone where terrestrial, riparian, and aquatic species mix. Riparian species dominate the population in richness and abundance: most species are either sporadic (EMDI) or accidental (EMDII). The dominant species are halophilous. Interesting species have been collected from these dayas: Gonocephalum yelamosi, new species for Morocco, Blaps nitens, Dyschirius tensicollis, and Dyschirius africanus, which dayas is a new distribution in the region. Species with the same ecological niches that can compete with each other seem to share the occupation of this environment. The same phenomenon seems to occur for species of the genus Pogonus and Pogonistes, which have populations that reach their maximum expansion at different periods.

Nowadays, animal manure composting constitutes a sustainable alternative for farmers to enhance the level of nutrients within soils and achieve a good productivity. However, pollutants may be present in manures. This study focuses on the detection of environmental microplastics (EMPs) into composts, as well as on the assessment of their potential toxicity on the earthworm Eisenia andrei. To these aims, animals were exposed to two types of compost, namely bovine (cow) and ovine (sheep) manure, besides to their mixture, for 7 and 14 days. The presence and characterization of EMPs was evaluated in all the tested composts, as well as in tissues of the exposed earthworms. The impact of the tested composts was assessed by a multi-biomarker approach including cytotoxic (lysosomal membrane stability, LMS), genotoxic (micronuclei frequency, MNi), biochemical (activity of catalase, CAT, and glutathione-S-transferase, GST; content of malondialdehyde, MDA), and neurotoxic (activity of acetylcholinesterase, AChE) responses in earthworms. Results indicated the presence of high levels of EMPs in all the tested composts, especially in the sheep manure (2273.14 ± 200.89 items/kg) in comparison to the cow manure (1628.82 ± 175.23 items/kg), with the size <1.22 μm as the most abundant EMPs. A time-dependent decrease in LMS and AChE was noted in exposed earthworms, as well as a concomitant increase in DNA damages (MNi) after 7 and 14 days of exposure. Also, a severe oxidative stress was recorded in animals treated with the different types of compost through an increase in CAT and GST activities, and LPO levels, especially after 14 days of exposure. Therefore, it is necessary to carefully consider these findings for agricultural good practices in terms of plastic mitigation in compost usage, in order to prevent any risk for environment health., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Heavy metal pollution is causing harmful consequences on soil fertility, and earthworms are frequently employed as test organisms to evaluate the ecotoxicity of polluted soils. In this study, Eisenia andrei was exposed for 7 and 14 days to polymetallic contaminated soils collected from an industrial zone in the south-eastern Tunisia. Earthworm growth, heavy metal accumulation, genotoxicity, cytotoxicity, biochemical and transcriptional responses were determined. Results revealed a higher accumulation of heavy metals in earthworms after 14 than 7 days of soil exposure, a reduction in lysosomal membrane stability (LMS), besides an increase in micronuclei frequency (MN). Moreover, earthworm oxidative status was affected in terms of increases in malondialdehyde (MDA) and metallothionein (MTs) content, and enhancement of catalase (CAT) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) activities. An inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity was also observed in treated earthworms, whereas transcriptional data demonstrated an up-regulation of cat, gst, mt, p21 and topoisomerase genes. Overall, these findings support the use of earthworms as suitable bioindicator species for pollution monitoring and assessment, advance our understanding of the interaction between heavy metals and earthworms, and provide valuable information about the harmful impact of biota exposure to naturally contaminated soils., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Due to anthropogenic activities, various pollutants can be found in agricultural soil, such as cadmium (Cd) and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D). They are highly toxic and can have a negative impact on soil fertility. For remediation strategies, biochar has acquired considerable attention due to its benefits for agriculture. However, we should recognize the ecological risk posed by biochar use. In addition, little is known about its non-desirable effects on soil organisms such as earthworms, especially in the case of soil remediation. In this study, earthworms (Eisenia andrei) were exposed to soil contaminated with Cd (0.7 mg/kg), (2,4-D) (7 mg/kg), and a mixture of the two in the presence and absence of biochar (2%). A 7- and 14-day incubation experiment was carried out for this purpose. Cd and 2,4-D uptakes in earthworms' tissues, oxidative stress, cytotoxic response, DNA damage, histopathological changes, and gene expression level were assessed. Results suggested that biochar increased the bioavailability of Cd and 2,4-D and the frequency of micronuclei (MNi) and decreased the lysosomal membrane stability (LMS) in earthworms. Also, histopathological examination detected numerous alterations in animals exposed to the contaminants without any amelioration when biochar was added. The biochemical response of earthworms in terms of oxidative stress demonstrates that in the presence of biochar, animals tend to alleviate the toxicity of Cd and 2,4-D. This was also supported by transcriptomic analyses where expression gene levels related to oxidative stress were upregulated in earthworms exposed to Cd and 2,4-D + biochar. The present investigation brought new insights concerning the use of biochar in agriculture., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury is an inevitable complication of liver transplantation and partial hepatectomy. Although the hazards of environmental microplastics (EMPs) have been well explored, data underlying their impact on IR-induced hepatotoxicity and how to alleviate these damages remain largely undefined. In this study, the involvement of melatonin (MT) in modulating EMPs toxicity in the liver undergoing ischemia-reperfusion injury was investigated. Male Wistar rats were exposed to MPs for 7 days and then subjected to 1 h of partial warm ischemia (70 %) followed by 24 h of reperfusion. We analyzed some parameters as the oxidative stress, the stability of cytoskeleton as well as inflammation, and autophagy. Our data suggested that EMPs elicited liver injury in ischemic animals. Data revealed several histological alterations caused by EMP and IRI, including cellular disorientation, cell necrosis, and microvacuolar steatosis, as well as inflammatory cell infiltration. EMPs increased blood transaminase (AST and ALT) and oxidative stress levels in the ischemic liver. In addition, RT-qPCR, immunofluorescence, and western blot analyses highlighted an increased expression of α-tubulin, IL-18, NFkB, and LC3. However, the ability of MT to reduce MPs and IRI toxicity was consistent with a significant decrease in the evaluated markers. The combined data not only document that melatonin is an effective agent to protect against hepatic IRI but also reduces cellular dysfunction caused by EMPs., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Coastal areas are worldwide subject to large inputs of anthropogenic wastes that are discharged directly into inshore waters, where they will be weathered into small microplastics (MPs) of up to a size <20 μm. This study provides information about the presence of small environmental MPs (≤3 μm) in the liver of adult benthopelagic fish Serranus scriba (Linnaeus 1758), caught from three coastal regions in Tunisia distinguished by different patterns of human activity. Polymer composition in fish liver was identified using Raman microspectroscopy. Results revealed differences in the abundance, size distribution and presence of plastic additives over the investigated sites. Polyethylene-vinyl acetate (PEVA: 34% particles/g of tissue), high density polyethylene (HDPE: 24.4%) and the two smaller size classes, i.e. 3-1.2 μm and 1.2-0.45 μm, were the most abundant MPs types and size distribution found, respectively, in Bizerte channel (BC) site (Bizerte city, Tunisia). Moreover, at hepatic level data showed a significant site-dependent cytotoxicity expressed by changes in malondialdehyde (MDA) content, presence of reactive oxygen species (ROS) expressed by altered level of catalase (CAT) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) activities and in the content of metallothioneins (MTs), as well as genotoxicity by changes in the amount of micronucleus (MN), and neurotoxicity by altered activity of acetylcholinesterase (AChE). A innovative metabolomics analysis was also performed to further investigate the distinct patterns of key metabolite changes in the liver of Serranus scriba. A total of 36 metabolites were significantly affected, mainly involved in energy, amino acid and osmolyte metabolism. These findings emphasised for the first time a close relationship between the source, abundance and size ranges of environmental MPs ≤ 3 μm and their hepatotoxicity in wild organisms., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The hazard of microplastic (MP) pollution in marine environments is a current concern. However, the effects of environmental microplastics combined with other pollutants are still poorly investigated. Herein, impact of ecologically relevant concentrations of environmental MP alone (50 µg/L) or combined with B[a]P (1 µg/L) was assessed in mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis after a short-term exposure (1 and 3 days) to environmental MP collected from a north-Mediterranean beach. Raman Microspectroscopy (RMS) revealed bioaccumulation in mussel hemolymph of MP, characterized by polyethylene (PE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene vinyl acetate (PEVA) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE), with abundance of MP sized 1.22-0.45 µm. An increase of B[a]P was detected in mussels after 3-day exposure, particularly when mixed with MP. Both contaminants induced cytotoxic and genotoxic effects on hemocytes as determined by lysosomal membrane stability (LMS), micronuclei frequency (FMN), and DNA fragmentation rate by terminal dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL). About apoptosis/DNA repair processes, P53 and DNA-ligase increased at 1-day exposure in all conditions, whereas after 3 days increase of bax, Cas-3 and P53 and decrease of Bcl-2 and DNA-ligase were revealed, suggesting a shift towards a cell apoptotic event in exposed mussels. Overall, this study provides new insights on the risk of MP for the marine ecosystem, their ability to accumulate xenobiotics and transfer them to marine biota, with potential adverse repercussion on their health status., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Although the hazards of microplastics (MPs) have been quite well explored, the aberrant metabolism and the involvement of the autophagy pathway as an adverse response to environmental MPs in benthic organisms are still unclear. The present work aims to assess the impact of different environmental MPs collected from the south coast of the Mediterranean Sea, composed by polyethylene (PE), polyethylene vinyl acetate (PEVA), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene (PP) and polyamide (PA) on the metabolome and proteome of the marine polychaete Hediste diversicolor. As a result, all the microplastic types were detected with Raman microspectroscopy in polychaetes tissues, causing cytoskeleton damage and induced autophagy pathway manifested by immunohistochemical labeling of specific targeted proteins, through Tubulin (Tub), Microtubule-associated protein light chain 3 (LC3), and p62 (also named Sequestosome 1). Metabolomics was conducted to further investigate the metabolic alterations induced by the environmental MPs-mixture in polychaetes. A total of 28 metabolites were differentially expressed between control and MPs-treated polychaetes, which showed elevated levels of amino acids, glucose, ATP/ADP, osmolytes, glutathione, choline and phosphocholine, and reduced concentration of aspartate. These novel findings extend our understanding given the toxicity of environmental microplastics and unravel their underlying mechanisms., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Given the wide use of plastic and pesticides in agriculture, microplastics (MP) and the herbicide 2,4 dichloro-phenoxy-acetic acid (2-4-D) can be present simultaneously in soil. Nevertheless, little is known about their combined toxicity. In this study, Eisenia andrei was exposed to environmental MP (100 µg kg -1 soil) and 2,4-D (7 mg kg -1 soil) for 7 and 14 days. Bioaccumulation, genotoxicity, oxidative stress and gene expression level were assessed. Results revealed that MP increased 2,4-D bioaccumulation in earthworms. Simultaneous exposure to both these pollutants caused a significant reduction in lysosomal membrane stability (LMS) and an increase in micronuclei (MNi) frequency. Biochemical analysis revealed oxidative alterations in earthworms exposed to all treatments; being very pronounced in earthworms exposed to the mixture in terms of increase in glutathione-S-Transferase (GST), catalase (CAT) and malondialdehydes accumulation (MDA). Furthermore, an up-regulation in cat and gst expression level was recorded in worms exposed to single or mixture treatment, except MP in case of gst. Our data highlight the toxicity of the combined exposure to MP and 2,4-D and afford new insights into the potential ecological risks posed by MP in terrestrial ecosystems., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

In the present study, we investigated microplastics (MPs) in agricultural soils with different agronomic practices (organic farming, soil under greenhouses, soil under mulching and soil irrigated with treated wastewater (TWW)). Plastic particles from each site were collected and characterized by FTIR and Raman microspectroscopy. Plastic particles were then ground and added (size rage under 100 μm) at a concentration of 100 μg kg -1 to soils from organic farming containing Eisenia andrei for 7 and 14 days. MPs accumulation in earthworms was quantified and characterized. Oxidative stress was assessed by evaluating the activities of catalase, glutathione-S-transferase, and acetylcholinesterase as well as malondialdehyde accumulation. Our results revealed higher quantity of MPs in soils ranging from 13.21 ± 0.89 to 852.24 ± 124.2 items kg -1 with the dominance of small sizes (0.22-1.22 μm). Polyethylene (PE) and polybutyrate adipate terephtalate (PBAT) were the dominant MPs. Moreover, our results revealed a significant ingestion of MPs in earthworms with values ranging from 1.13 to 35.6, characterized mostly by PE, PBAT and polypropylene (PP). Biochemical data revealed an important alteration in worms exposed to MPs from soils with mulching and irrigated with TWW. Our study provides new insights into the effects of microplastic in earthworms and thus the vulnerability of terrestrial ecosystem to this emergent contaminant., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Plastic wastes accumulation in marine environments is becoming a crucial issue; while the toxicity to biota is quite well explored, a gap of knowledge still exists on the role that plastics play in shaping bacterial community structures in marine conditions and their possible transmission to humans. The present study intended first to profile bacterial community structure in floating plastic particles (FP) biofilms and seawater from four Tunisian coastal areas using high-throughput sequencing (HTS) of 16S rDNA. Subsequently, mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) as filter feeding organisms were exposed to the FP to broaden the knowledge on the potential role played by environmental plastic particles in shaping bacterial community structures and on their possibility to act as vehicles of bacteria through the food web. The mussels' microbiota was microbiologically analyzed through HTS, and the Histidine Rich Glycoprotein (HRG) gene expression level was investigated as the main immune response. Our results clearly showed a great variation in the composition of bacterial communities of FP and seawater from different geographical areas. Moreover, the gills of mussels exposed to sterilized seawater and native FP from each site exhibited a wider bacterial biodiversity. The gene expression level of HRG was found to be significantly higher in animals exposed to native FP when compared to sterilized FP. Our results should be carefully considered in view of the Trojan horse effects of FP toward bacteria and its potential toxicity., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The ubiquitous distribution of microplastics (MPs) in the marine environment raises global concern to understand their impact. Environmental MPs have been shown to exhibit different physicochemical properties during their life cycles. However, the body of knowledge regarding their accumulation and biological effects is still significantly limited compared to manufactured MPs. To evaluate the hazardous effects of a mixture of environmental MPs collected along the Tunisian beaches, their accumulation and cellular effects were investigated in Hediste diversicolor. MP sample was composed of polyethylene (PE), polyethylene vinyl acetate (PEVA), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene (PP) and polyamide (PA) analyzed using Raman microspectroscopy (RM). The concentrations of MPs in seaworm tissues increased over time, following the order 1.2-0.45 µm > 3-1.2 µm > 100-3 µm. The ingestion of MPs by H. diversicolor reduced their survival and growth, affected the neuro-transmission and antioxidant pathways. Our data emphasised that the toxic effects of environmental MPs were closely related to the exposure dose and period. The results also demonstrated that the size distribution of MPs in seaworms was mainly correlated with biochemical markers. This study highlights the ecological risk in the ingestion and accumulation of environmental MPs by biota that threatens their functional parameters., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

As the smallest environmental microplastics (EMPs), even at nanoscale, are increasingly present in the environment, their availability and physical and chemical effects on marine organisms are poorly documented. In the present study, we primarily investigated the uptake and accumulation of a mixture of environmental microplastics (EMPs) obtained during an artificial degradation process in early-juvenile sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax). Moreover, we evaluated their hazardous effects using biochemical markers of cytotoxicity. Polymer distribution and composition in gill, gut, and liver were analyzed using polarized light microscopy (PLM) and Raman microspectroscopy (RMS). Our findings revealed the size-dependent ingestion and accumulation of smaller MPs (0.45-3 µm) in fish tissues even after a short-term exposure (3 and 5 days). In addition to MPs, our results showed the presence of plastic additives including plasticizers, flame retardants, curing agents, heat stabilizers, and fiber-reinforced plastic materials in fish tissues, which contributed mostly to the larger-sized range (≥ 1.2 µm). Our data showed that significant oxidative alterations were highly correlated with MPs size range. Our results emphasized that the toxicity of smaller EMPs (≤ 3 µm) was closely related to different factors, including the target tissue, exposure duration, size range of MPs, and their chemical properties., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Mining activity may cause heavy metal accumulation, which threatens human and animal health by their long-term persistence in the environment. This study aims to assess the impact of polymetallic pollution on chicken (Gallus domesticus) from old lead mining sites in northeast of Tunisia: Jebel Ressas (JR). Samples of soil and chickens were collected from five sites being ranked along a gradient of heavy metal contamination. Heavy metal loads were evaluated in soil samples and in chicken liver and kidney. Biochemical evaluation of oxidative stress parameters termed as Catalase (CAT), Glutathione-S-Transferase (GST), and Malondialdehydes (MDA) accumulation was monitored. Metallothionein protein level was assessed as a specific response to heavy metals. DNA alteration was achieved using MNi frequency in the investigated tissues. Finally, the evaluation of gene expression levels of CAT, GST, mt1, mt4, P53, bcl2, caspase3 and DNA-ligase was performed. Our data showed the highest loads of Cd, Cu, Zn and Pb in tissues of animals from site 3, being more pronounced in kidney. Biochemical data suggested a significant increase in antioxidant enzymes activities in all sites respect to control except in site 3 were CAT and GST were inhibited. DNA alteration was observed in all tissues being very pronounced in animals from site 3. Overall, transcriptomic data showed that genes involved in apoptosis were up-regulated in animals exposed to the most contaminated soils. Our data suggest that chicken and selected biomarkers offer a suitable model for biomonitoring assessment of heavy metals transfer through the food web in mining sites. Finally, the obtained results of heavy metals accumulation and related alterations should be carefully considered in view of the controversial relationship between distribution and toxicology of contaminants in exposed organisms., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Microplastics (MPs) are an uncontrolled contaminant affecting marine ecosystems. Studying their undesirable effects has been an attractive field for scientists in recent years. This study is the first to investigate the uptake and distribution of small microplastics (≤3 μm) from several sites in the Southern Mediterranean coasts. This work primarilyaims to provide a qualitative and quantitative analysis of microplastics in sediments as well as in the seaworms (Hediste diversicolor) from eight sites from the Tunisian coasts using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and Raman microspectroscopy. The second aim is to evaluate the potential toxic effects of environmental microplastics using a set of biomarkers such as Catalase, Glutathione-S-Transferase, Malondialdehyde and Acetylcholinesterase. Our findings showed that microplastics (1 mm-1.2 μm) were present in all sediments with its abundance ranging from 129 to 606 items kg -1 . Microplastic accumulation in seaworms (3 μm-0.22 μm) was 0.5-3.7 items g -1 . The predominant polymer was polyethylene. Results also revealed a significant variation among sites in the parameters associated with oxidative stress. Thus, size abundance of microplastics in seaworms was mainly correlated with oxidative stress biomarkers. Our data should be carefully considered in view of the microplastic presence with several types and sizes in Tunisian coastal sites, their potential toxic effects, and their transfer into food web., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

There is limited research on the ingestion of microplastic particles (MPs) by fish from the southern part of the Mediterranean Sea. This study provides the occurrence of small MPs (≤3 μm) in the gastrointestinal tract and muscle of adult benthopelagic fish Serranus scriba (L.1758), caught along Tunisian coasts. MPs were extracted from selected tissues using a potassium hydroxide digestion method (KOH 10%) and then quantified, and their chemical structure was characterized through Raman microspectroscopy. The results highlighted that MPs were present in all samples. The average abundance of MPs per gram of fish tissue identified through successive filters of 3 μm, 1.2 μm, and 0.45 μm differed significantly among the sites. The properties of the MPs extracted indicated that polyethylene-vinyl-acetate (PEVA: 33.45%), high density polyethylene (HD-PE: 17.33%), and fragments were the most abundant plastic types and shape found, respectively. Among those, most MPs were found at a size class of 3-1.2 μm (∼60%), especially in the muscle, suggesting a high transfer of MPs into the human diet. Our field work also aimed to explore the effects observed in the gastrointestinal tract with a battery of biomarkers assessing oxidative stress and neurotoxicity. The preliminary results of this study showed the existence of a link between small MPs, sites, and their associated urban activities and induced oxidative stress. However, more detailed studies are required to evaluate the transfer of MPs into tissues and the potential impacts of this transfer on human health., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Heaves is a naturally occurring equine disease that shares many similarities with human asthma, including reversible antigen-induced bronchoconstriction, airway inflammation, and remodeling. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the trachealis muscle is mechanically representative of the peripheral airway smooth muscle (ASM) in an equine model of asthma. Tracheal and peripheral ASM of heaves-affected horses under exacerbation, or under clinical remission of the disease, and control horses were dissected and freed of epithelium to measure unloaded shortening velocity (Vmax), stress (force/cross-sectional area), methacholine effective concentration at which 50% of the maximum response is obtained, and stiffness. Myofibrillar Mg(2+)-ATPase activity, actomyosin in vitro motility, and contractile protein expression were also measured. Horses with heaves had significantly greater Vmax and Mg(2+)-ATPase activity in peripheral airway but not in tracheal smooth muscle. In addition, a significant correlation was found between Vmax and the time elapsed since the end of the corticosteroid treatment for the peripheral airways in horses with heaves. Maximal stress and stiffness were greater in the peripheral airways of the horses under remission compared with controls and the horses under exacerbation, potentially due to remodeling. Actomyosin in vitro motility was not different between controls and horses with heaves. These data demonstrate that peripheral ASM is mechanically and biochemically altered in heaves, whereas the trachealis behaves as in control horses. It is therefore conceivable that the trachealis muscle may not be representative of the peripheral ASM in human asthma either, but this will require further investigation.

Background: There is evidence that the actin-activated ATP kinetics and the mechanical work produced by muscle myosin molecules are regulated by two surface loops, located near the ATP binding pocket (loop 1), and in a region that interfaces with actin (loop 2). These loops regulate force and velocity of contraction, and have been investigated mostly in single molecules. There is a lack of information of the work produced by myosin molecules ordered in filaments and working cooperatively, which is the actual muscle environment., Methods: We use micro-fabricated cantilevers to measure forces produced by myosin filaments isolated from mollusk muscles, skeletal muscles, and smooth muscles containing variations in the structure of loop 1 (tonic and phasic myosins). We complemented the experiments with in-vitro assays to measure the velocity of actin motility., Results: Smooth muscle myosin filaments produced more force than skeletal and mollusk myosin filaments when normalized per filament overlap. Skeletal muscle myosin propelled actin filaments in a higher sliding velocity than smooth muscle myosin. The values for force and velocity were consistent with previous studies using myosin molecules, and suggest a close correlation with the myosin isoform and structure of surface loop 1., General Significance: The technique using micro-fabricated cantilevers to measure force of filaments allows for the investigation of the relation between myosin structure and contractility, allowing experiments to be conducted with an array of different myosin isoforms. Using the technique we observed that the work produced by myosin molecules is regulated by amino-acid sequences aligned in specific loops.

Two smooth muscle myosin heavy chain isoforms differ in their amino terminus by the presence [(+)insert] or absence [(-)insert] of a seven-amino acid insert. Animal studies show that the (+)insert isoform is predominantly expressed in rapidly contracting phasic muscle and the (-)insert isoform is mostly found in slowly contracting tonic muscle. The expression of the (+)insert isoform has never been demonstrated in human smooth muscle. We hypothesized that the (+)insert isoform is present in humans and that its expression is commensurate with the organ's functional requirements. We report, for the first time, the sequence of the human (+)insert isoform and quantification of its expression by real-time PCR and Western blot analysis in a panel of human organs. The (+)insert isoform mRNA and protein expression levels are significantly greater in small intestine compared with all organs studied except for trachea and are significantly greater in trachea compared with uterus and aorta. To assess the functional significance of this differential myosin isoform expression between organs, we measured the rate of actin filament movement (nu(max)) when propelled by myosin purified from rat organs, because the rat and human inserts are identical and their remaining sequences show 93% identity. nu(max) exhibits a rank correlation from the most tonic to the most phasic organ. The selective expression of the (+)insert isoform observed among human organs suggests that it is an important determinant of tissue shortening velocity. A differential expression of the (+)insert isoform could also account for altered contractile properties observed in human pathology.

Background: Although allergy to sunflower seed and oil is a relatively rare occurrence, several cases of sunflower seed allergy have been observed, and we have already described one case of anaphylaxis after eating sunflower oil and margarine., Objective: The aim of our study was to determine and characterize the allergens from sunflower oil at the different steps of the refining process: crude pressed oil (step A), acidification and neutralization (step B), pregumming by centrifugation (step C), washing (step D), bleaching (step E), gumming by filtration (step F), and deodorization (step G)., Methods: A sample of oil from each step of the process (steps A to G) was heat extracted with PBS. The protein concentration of each extract was evaluated by using the micro-Bradford assay. Samples were run on SDS-PAGE. The immunoblot was performed with the serum of a patient sensitized to sunflower seed and oil., Results: The extracts obtained after each step reveal a decrease in total protein concentration from 13.6 microg/mL to 0. 22 microg/mL. The result of SDS-PAGE shows 5 bands, from 67 kd to 145 kd, with the most abundant being the 67-kd protein. The amount of this protein decreases after each step of the process. It is, however, still present in trace amounts in the refined oil. The 67-kd protein, which is mainly present in the crude oil and slightly in the refined oil, has been shown to be allergenic., Conclusion: Because of the presence of allergenic proteins, refined sunflower oil may pose a threat to people highly sensitized to sunflower seeds.

Caffeic acid o-quinone (CQ) was prepared by oxidation of caffeic acid with o-chloranil in organic media. The reaction between the purified CQ and cyanidin 3-glucoside (Cy 3-glc, o-diphenolic anthocyanin) was monitored by HPLC, and quantitative analyses were performed to establish the stoichiometry of the reaction. The results indicate that Cy 3-glc is degraded by a coupled oxidation mechanism with integration of CQ into the degradation products. The ratio of degraded Cy 3-glc to CQ incorporated into the condensation products was approximately 2.0. No brown products could be detected, only a slight orange color. Moreover, the addition of purified polyphenol oxidase to the slightly colored media resulted in the disappearance of the caffeic acid formed from the reaction of coupled oxidation (Cy 3-glc/CQ) and the formation of brown polymers. The degradation products were isolated by gel filtration on Sephadex G-25. The UV-vis spectra and chemical analysis (acidic hydrolysis) of the degradation products suggest that they resulted from the condensation of caffeic acid and Cy 3-glc. HPLC analysis showed that the partial purified fraction contained a mixture of complex condensation products.