From a toxicological point of view, the cod is a marine species and exposure to complex chemical mixtures that may exert androgenic and/or anti-androgenic effects represents an environmental issue of reasonable concern in the marine environment. Therefore, the findings in the present study represent a novel basis that can be used to determine the effects of xenoandrogens on oocyte development and fecundity in this important marine species.”
“Stress facilitates development of addictive behaviors in part by stress-induced increase in the strength of glutamatergic synapses at

dopamine (DA) neurons within the ventral tegmental area (VIA). Here, we further demonstrate that this stress-induced synaptic adaptation is glucocorticoid-dependent and is progressively developed. Activation Bafilomycin A1 of glucocorticoid receptors (GRs) either by in vivo injection of dexamethasone (Dex) or incubation of the VIA slice with Dex potentiate the synaptic strength of glutamatergic synapses at VTA DA neurons, whereas preventing the activation of GRs by Ru486 abolishes this effect. These results suggest that the VTA GRs play a critical role in stress-induced cellular adaptations.

(c) 2009 Elsevier selleck Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“Biological effects techniques have been used with the aim to further integrate biological effects measurements with chemical analysis and apply these methods to provide an assessment of mussel health status. Live native mussels were collected from selected coastal and estuarine

sites around the British Isles, including the rivers Test, Thames, Tees, and Clyde, and Lunderston Bay. A suite of biological effects techniques was undertaken on these mussels, including whole organism responses (scope for growth), tissue responses (histopathology), and subcellular Selleckchem LGX818 responses (lysosomal stability, multi-xenobiotic resistance [MXR], and Comet assay). In addition, whole mussel homogenates were used to measure organic (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons [PAH], polychlorinated biphenyls [PCB]) and metal concentrations. Overall the mussels collected from the Thames were in relatively poor health, based on histopathological markers, significantly higher DNA damage, and elevated expression of MXR detoxifying proteins. In contrast, the mussels collected from the River Test were in the best health, based on histopathological markers, respiration rate (SFG), and low frequency of DNA damage. In conclusion, the biological effects techniques were able to distinguish between relatively contaminated and clean environments, with the Thames mussels in worst health. Mussel tissue chemistry data were not able to explain the variations in biological response.