Effects of metals and persistent organic pollutants on the fitness and health of juveniles of the endangered european sturgeon Acipenser sturio Exposed to W1ater and sediments of the garonne and dordogne rivers.

The last remaining population of European sturgeon (Acipenser sturio) lives in the Gironde-Garonne-Dordogne (France) catchment (GGD). Captive young individuals are released into the GGD hydrosystem each year, as part of a restocking programme. This study aims to assess the health status of juveniles A. sturio to current conditions in the GGD hydrosystem, to evaluate their capacity to survive and grow in a moderately anthropized ecosystems. 3-month-old farmed sturgeons were exposed for one month in experimental conditions that mimic the environmental conditions in the Garonne and Dordogne rivers, followed by five months of depuration. After one month of exposure, fish exposed to Dordogne and Garonne waters bioaccumulated higher levels of metals and persistent organic pollutants, displayed a reduced hepato-somatic index, and had depleted levels of lipids and glycogen content in their liver, when compared with the Reference group. However, metabolic and swimming performance, as well as the costs of swimming were not impaired. After the 5 months depuration, a significant decrease of K was observed for all exposure conditions. HSI also decreased with time. The overall health status and adaptive capacity of juvenile A. sturio appeared to be maintained over the experimental 6 months' period. Juveniles of A. sturio seem to have the adaptive capacity to survive and grow in the GGD hydrosystem, after being released as part of a restocking programme.

RAD sequencing reveals within-generation polygenic selection in response to anthropogenic organic and metal contamination in North Atlantic Eels.

Measuring the effects of selection on the genome imposed by human-altered environment is currently a major goal in ecological genomics. Given the polygenic basis of most phenotypic traits, quantitative genetic theory predicts that selection is expected to cause subtle allelic changes among covarying loci rather than pronounced changes at few loci of large effects. The goal of this study was to test for the occurrence of polygenic selection in both North Atlantic eels (European Eel, Anguilla anguilla and American Eel, A. rostrata), using a method that searches for covariation among loci that would discriminate eels from 'control' vs. 'polluted' environments and be associated with specific contaminants acting as putative selective agents. RAD-seq libraries resulted in 23 659 and 14 755 filtered loci for the European and American Eels, respectively. A total of 142 and 141 covarying markers discriminating European and American Eels from 'control' vs. 'polluted' sampling localities were obtained using the Random Forest algorithm. Distance-based redundancy analyses (db-RDAs) were used to assess the relationships between these covarying markers and concentration of 34 contaminants measured for each individual eel. PCB153, 4'4'DDE and selenium were associated with covarying markers for both species, thus pointing to these contaminants as major selective agents in contaminated sites. Gene enrichment analyses suggested that sterol regulation plays an important role in the differential survival of eels in 'polluted' environment. This study illustrates the power of combining methods for detecting signals of polygenic selection and for associating variation of markers with putative selective agents in studies aiming at documenting the dynamics of selection at the genomic level and particularly so in human-altered environments.

Relationship between invasion success and colony breeding structure in a subterranean termite.

Factors promoting the establishment and colonization success of introduced populations in new environments constitute an important issue in biological invasions. In this context, the respective role of pre-adaptation and evolutionary changes during the invasion process is a key question that requires particular attention. This study compared the colony breeding structure (i.e. number and relatedness among reproductives within colonies) in native and introduced populations of the subterranean pest termite, Reticulitermes flavipes. We generated and analysed a data set of both microsatellite and mtDNA loci on termite samples collected in three introduced populations, one in France and two in Chile, and in the putative source population of French and Chilean infestations that has recently been identified in New Orleans, LA. We also provided a synthesis combining our results with those of previous studies to obtain a global picture of the variation in breeding structure in this species. Whereas most native US populations are mainly composed of colonies headed by monogamous pairs of primary reproductives, all introduced populations exhibit a particular colony breeding structure that is characterized by hundreds of inbreeding reproductives (neotenics) and by a propensity of colonies to fuse, a pattern shared uniquely with the population of New Orleans. These characteristics are comparable to those of many invasive ants and are discussed to play an important role during the invasion process. Our finding that the New Orleans population exhibits the same breeding structure as its related introduced populations suggests that this native population is pre-adapted to invade new ranges.

Nation-wide monitoring campaign of 49 biocides and surfactants in surface waters and wastewaters.

Despite their intensive use and their impact on ecosystems, biocides and surfactants are still poorly regulated and poorly monitored at large scale. In the frame of the revision of the national regulatory surveillance plan of surface waters, France planned in 2018 a monitoring campaign at national scale focused on these two types of substances of very emerging concern. Forty-nine contaminants (32 biocides and 17 surfactants) were investigated in surface water and sediment samples from 91 sampling sites, and in effluent and sludge samples of 7 wastewater treatment plants (WWTP), in mainland France and overseas regions. Between 33 and 52 % of the target contaminants were quantified at least once in water and sediment. High frequencies of quantification were observed for the surfactants (up to 91 % in water samples and up to 57 % in sediment samples for LAS C10-C13) and for the biocides (up to 64 % for fipronil in water samples and up to 90 % for methyl nonyl ketone in sediment samples). The median concentrations of surfactants were up to 2 µg/L in mainland surface water samples and up to 528 µg/kg in sediment samples, and for biocides, the median concentrations were up to 0.18 µg/L in mainland surface water samples and up to 104 µg/kg in sediment samples. PNEC exceedances in water and sediment were determined for both types of substances. The analysis of effluent and sludge suggested significant but not total removal of these substances in the WWTP. Temporal and spatial variations of the concentrations of both types of substances in surface water samples were also observed, suggesting both punctual and diffuse contamination sources of the surface water investigated.

Physiological effects of PFAS exposure in seabird chicks: A multi-species study of thyroid hormone triiodothyronine, body condition and telomere length in South Western France.

There is growing evidence that poly and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exposure leads to the disruption of thyroid hormones including thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3), and may affect telomeres, repetitive nucleotide sequences which protect chromosome ends. Many seabird species are long-lived top predators thus exhibit high contaminant levels, and PFAS-disrupting effects on their physiology have been documented especially in relation to the endocrine system in adults. On the contrary, studies on the developmental period (i.e., chicks), during which exposure to environmental contaminants may have a greater impact on physiological traits, remain scarce to this date. We carried out a multi-species study with the aim to assess whether and to which extent chicks of four gull species (herring gull, great and lesser black-backed gull, yellow-legged gull) in South Western France are contaminated by PFAS, and to bring further evidence about their potential physiological consequences. Linear PFOS showed concentrations of concern as it was generally >10 times higher than the other PFAS, and exceeded a threshold toxicity level (calculated from previous studies in birds) in almost all sampled chicks. Nonetheless, in herring gull male chicks, total T3 levels were significantly and negatively associated with perfluorodecanoate (PFDA) and perfluorododecanoate (PFDoDA) and positively associated with perfluorotetradecanoate (PFTeDA) in female chicks. Total T3 levels were also positively associated with PFDoDA in great black backed gull male chicks and with perfluorotridecanoate (PFTrDA) in lesser black backed gull chicks. In lesser and great black-backed gulls, both females and males showed significant negative associations between several PFAS and their body condition, and a positive association between telomere length and L-PFOS in the yellow-legged gull was also found. These results corroborate previous findings and need to be further explored as they suggest that PFAS may interfere with the physiological status of chicks during the developmental period, potentially inducing long-lasting consequences.

Occurrence of priority and emerging organic compounds in fishes from the Rhone River (France).

The main objective of this study was to collect new data on the occurrence, levels of priority and emerging organic compounds in freshwater fish sampled in the Rhone River. The 34 studied contaminants included alkylphenols, bisphenol A, polybromodiphenylethers (PBDE), perfluorinated compounds, hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCD), hexachlorobenzene and hexachlorobutadiene (HCBD). About 50 fish samples (individual specimens or pooled fish) were collected from three sites located upstream and downstream of the Lyon metropolitan area in the Rhone River (France). Four species were caught at each site, namely: the barbel (Barbus barbus), the common bream (Abramis brama), the white bream (Blicca bjoerkna) and the chub (Squalius cephalus). Some contaminants were quantified in all the 32 fish samples analysed: 4-nonylphenol, α-HBCD, the six PBDE congeners (28, 47, 99, 100, 153, 154), perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorodecanoic acid. Twenty three of the 32 samples had a concentration of PFOS above the Environmental Quality Standards (EQS) (up to six times higher than the EQS), and all the 32 samples had concentrations of PBDE above the EQS (up to 4,000 times higher, with the sum of six PBDE varying from 4.5 to 182 ng/g dry weight). Clearly, the interest to consider PFOS and HBCD as new priority substances is confirmed. In contrast, the pertinence of a priority status for HCBD, which was never quantified in our study, might have to be reconsidered in the future.

High levels of fluoroalkyl substances and potential disruption of thyroid hormones in three gull species from South Western France.

Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) raised increasing concerns over the past years due to their persistence and global distribution. Understanding their occurrence in the environment and their disruptive effect on the physiology of humans and wildlife remains a major challenge in ecotoxicological studies. Here, we investigate the occurrence of several carboxylic and sulfonic PFAS in 105 individuals of three seabird species (27 great black-backed gull Larus marinus; 44 lesser black-backed gull Larus fuscus graellsii; and 34 European herring gull Larus argentatus) from South western France. We further estimated the relationship between plasma concentrations of PFAS and i) the body condition of the birds and ii) plasma concentrations of thyroid hormone triiodothyronine (TT3). We found that great and lesser black-backed gulls from South Western France are exposed to PFAS levels comparable to highly contaminated species from other geographical areas, although major emission sources (i.e. related to industrial activities) are absent in the region. We additionally found that PFAS are negatively associated with the body condition of the birds in two of the studied species, and that these results are sex-dependent. Finally, we found positive associations between exposure to PFAS and TT3 in the great black-backed gull, suggesting a potential disrupting mechanism of PFAS exposure. Although only three years of data have been collected, we investigated PFAS trend over the study period, and found that great black-backed gulls document an increasing trend of plasma PFAS concentration from 2016 to 2018. Because PFAS might have detrimental effects on birds, French seabird populations should be monitored since an increase of PFAS exposure may impact on population viability both in the short- and long-term.

Combined spatial and retrospective analysis of fluoroalkyl chemicals in fluvial sediments reveal changes in levels and patterns over the last 40 years.

Bed sediments and a dated sediment core were collected upstream and downstream from the city of Lyon (France) to assess the spatial and temporal trends of contamination by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in this section of the Rhône River. Upstream from Lyon, concentrations of total PFASs (ΣPFASs) in sediments are low (between 0.19 and 2.6 ng g-1 dry weight - dw), being characterized by a high proportion of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS). Downstream from Lyon, and also from a fluoropolymer manufacturing plant, ΣPFASs concentrations reach 48.7 ng g-1 dw. A gradual decrease of concentrations is reported at the coring site further downstream (38 km). Based on a dated sediment core, the temporal evolution of PFASs is reconstructed from 1984 to 2013. Prior to 1987, ΣPFASs concentrations were low (≤2 ng g-1 dw), increasing to a maximum of 51 ng g-1 dw in the 1990s and then decreasing from 2002 to the present day (∼10 ng g-1 dw). In terms of the PFAS pattern, the proportion of perfluoroalkyl sulfonic acids (PFSAs) has remained stable since the 1980s (∼10%), whereas large variations are reported for carboxylic acids (PFCAs). Long chain- (C > 8) PFCAs characterized by an even number of perfluorinated carbons represent about 74% of the total PFAS load until 2005. However, from 2005 to 2013, the relative contribution of long chain- (C > 8) PFCAs with an odd number of perfluorinated carbons reaches 80%. Such changes in the PFAS pattern likely highlight a major shift in the industrial production process. This spatial and retrospective study provides valuable insights into the long-term contamination patterns of PFAS chemicals in river basins impacted by both urban and industrial activities.

Demographic, endocrine and behavioral responses to mirex in the South polar skua.

Population consequences of chronic exposure to multiple pollutants at low environmental doses remain speculative, because of the lack of appropriate long-term monitoring surveys. This study integrates proximate and ultimate aspects of persistent organic pollutants (POP) burden in free-living vertebrates, by coupling hormonal and behavioral endpoints, life-history traits, and population dynamics. Blood samples (N=70) were collected in South polar skuas during two breeding periods, in 2003 and 2005, and individuals were annually monitored until 2011. Multi-state mark recapture models were used to test the effects of POP levels on demographic traits. Survival rate and long-term breeding probability were not related to individual POP levels, whereas long-term breeding success significantly decreased with increasing blood levels of mirex, an organochlorine insecticide. At the proximate level, corticosterone (stress hormone) and prolactin (parental care hormone) levels were not linked to individual POP burden. Nest defense in 2005 was significantly less intensive in chick-rearing skuas bearing higher mirex levels, suggesting reproductive behavioral impairment. Matrix population models were then built to project the rate of population decline according to increasing mirex burden. Although mirex levels were 2.8 times higher in 2003 than in 2005, the population-level effect of mirex was only detected in 2005, the year of higher corticosterone levels. The combination of endocrine traits with demographic analysis thereby enables to provide new support of synergistic interactions between pollutants and stress levels on long-term breeding outputs and population dynamics.

Profiles of environmental and endogenous estrogens in the zebra mussel Dreissena polymorpha.

Contamination of freshwater environments by estrogenic compounds has led to concern over potential impacts on invertebrate species. The uptake of the environmental estrogen 17beta-estradiol (E2) by the freshwater bivalve Dreissena polymorpha and the nature of estrogenic substances in tissues of D. polymorpha mussels collected from four freshwater sites were investigated. Exposure of mussels to [(14)C]-E2 (7.5 ngl(-1), 13 days) revealed that the estrogen bioconcentrated 840+/-58 (males) and 580+/-77 (females) fold (mean+/-95% confidence limits) and was metabolised in tissues to a persistent lipophilic ester. Estrogenic activity, measured using a recombinant human estrogen receptor transcription screen (YES), was detected in tissue extracts of all mussels sampled from freshwater sites. At two reference sites the estrogenic activities of mussel tissues were <1ng E2 equivalents g(-1) wet weight tissue (ng EEQ g(-1) ww) which increased to 7.4-45.7ng EEQg(-1) ww for both free and esterified estrogens extracted from hydrolysed tissue extracts. In mussels collected from two contaminated river sites, estrogenic activity was 0.2-6.7ng EEQ g(-1) ww (free estrogens) and 25.6-316.2ng EEQ g(-1) ww for total estrogens. Fractionation of the tissue extracts revealed that E2 (as the ester) was the predominant estrogen detected in both sexes of D. polymorpha, however, the xenoestrogen nonylphenol (NP) was also detected in mussels sampled from contaminated rivers. The detection of endogenous esterified E2 and the potential for accumulation of exogenous E2 and NP in D. polymorpha tissues suggests that this bivalve could be susceptible to exposure to estrogenic contaminants in the aquatic environment.

Laboratory exposure to 17beta-estradiol fails to induce vitellogenin and estrogen receptor gene expression in the marine invertebrate Mytilus edulis.

To investigate the effect of estrogenic compounds on the marine mussel Mytilus edulis, an assay was developed to measure the expression of two vertebrate estrogen responsive genes-estrogen receptor (ER) and vitellogenin (VTG) genes. Expression was measured in M. edulis gonads following a 10-day exposure to 200 ng/l 17beta-estradiol (estradiol). The concentrations of esterified estradiol in mussel tissue increased 15-fold in a time-dependent manner-confirming uptake of the compound by the mussels, however there was no significant increase of free estradiol in mussel tissues during the exposure period. The ER and VTG mRNA levels in the gonads of both sexes were measured at days 1-3, 5, and 10 in control and exposed mussels. However, no significant change in the expression of either the ER or VTG genes was recorded at any of the sampled time points. The results suggest that either a regulatory mechanism exists in a mussel that is able to maintain constant levels of free estradiol by converting the excess estradiol into esterified products which may have reduced affinity for the estrogen receptor, or alternatively, that the ER and VTG genes are unresponsive to estrogens in these organisms. The significance of these findings in terms of the utility of ER and VTG as biomarkers of endocrine disruption in bivalve species is discussed.

Development of a universal double-digest RAD sequencing approach for a group of nonmodel, ecologically and economically important insect and fish taxa.

The generation of genome-scale data is critical for a wide range of questions in basic biology using model organisms, but also in questions of applied biology in nonmodel organisms (agriculture, natural resources, conservation and public health biology). Using a genome-scale approach on a diverse group of nonmodel organisms and with the goal of lowering costs of the method, we modified a multiplexed, high-throughput genomic scan technique utilizing two restriction enzymes. We analysed several pairs of restriction enzymes and completed double-digestion RAD sequencing libraries for nine different species and five genera of insects and fish. We found one particular enzyme pair produced consistently higher number of sequence-able fragments across all nine species. Building libraries off this enzyme pair, we found a range of usable SNPs between 4000 and 37 000 SNPS per species and we found a greater number of usable SNPs using reference genomes than de novo pipelines in STACKS. We also found fewer reads in the Read 2 fragments from the paired-end Illumina Hiseq run. Overall, the results of this study provide empirical evidence of the utility of this method for producing consistent data for diverse nonmodel species and suggest specific considerations for sequencing analysis strategies.

[Intravenous ketoprofen for severe lithium-induced polyuria]. / Traitement par kétoprofène intraveineux d'une polyurie sévère survenue au cours d'une intoxication au lithium.

INTRODUCTION: Although lithium has a narrow therapeutic range, it is widely used in psychiatry because of its antipsychotic and antidepressant properties. During long-term treatment, the onset of nephrogenic diabetes insipidus is common, but few cases of severe hypotonic polyuria, which would be an aggravating factor, have been reported. Appropriate treatment in such cases is an open question. CASE: We report a case of acute lithium poisoning in a 42-year-old man, due to chronic lithium treatment (plasma lithium=2.6 mmol/L). This patient, admitted to our intensive care unit, presented neurological disorders complicated by the early emergence of severe nephrogenic diabetes insipidus. After perfusion of hypotonic solution and intravenous treatment with ketoprofen (100 mg x 3/24 h), the polyuria improved rapidly. COMMENTS: The beneficial action of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs lies in their capacity to inhibit prostaglandin synthesis. Lithium causes excess production of prostaglandins, which decrease the ability of kidneys to reabsorb free water. Some publications report indomethacin to be effective in this case. Because it is available only in oral or rectal forms, however, its effect may be delayed. Our case suggests that intravenous ketoprofen, with its rapid onset of action, is effective in the treatment of severe lithium-induced nephrogenic diabetes insipidus. Rehydration must be strictly monitored because of the risk of renal failure connected with nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs.

Corticosterone, prolactin and egg neglect behavior in relation to mercury and legacy POPs in a long-lived Antarctic bird.

Seabirds often have high loads of contaminants. These contaminants have endocrine disrupting properties but their relationships with some endocrine mechanisms are still poorly investigated in free-living organisms. This is the case for the stress response which shifts energy investment away from reproduction and redirects it towards survival. In birds, this stress response is achieved through a release of corticosterone and is also accompanied by a decrease in circulating prolactin, an anterior pituitary hormone widely involved in regulating parental cares. We measured blood concentrations of some legacy persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and mercury (Hg) and examined their relationships with the corticosterone and prolactin responses of known-age (9-46 years old) incubating snow petrels (Pagodroma nivea) to a standardized capture/handling stress protocol. In this Antarctic seabird, we also investigated whether high contaminant burden correlates with a higher occurrence of egg neglect, a frequently observed behavior in snow petrels. POPs and Hg were unrelated to age. Stress-induced corticosterone concentrations were positively related to POPs in both sexes, and stress-induced prolactin concentrations were negatively related to Hg in males. Egg-neglect behavior was not related to POPs burden, but males with higher Hg concentrations were more likely to neglect their egg. This suggests that in birds, relationships between age and contaminants are complex and that even low to moderate concentrations of POPs and Hg are significantly related to hormonal secretion. In this Antarctic species, exposure to legacy POPs and Hg could make individuals more susceptible to environmental stressors such as ongoing disturbances in Polar Regions.

Polychlorinated biphenyl exposure and corticosterone levels in seven polar seabird species.

The role of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) on exposure-related endocrine effects has been poorly investigated in wild birds. This is the case for stress hormones including corticosterone (CORT). Some studies have suggested that environmental exposure to PCBs and altered CORT secretion might be associated. Here we investigated the relationships between blood PCB concentrations and circulating CORT levels in seven free-ranging polar seabird species occupying different trophic positions, and hence covering a wide range of PCB exposure. Blood ∑7PCB concentrations (range: 61-115,632 ng/g lw) were positively associated to baseline or stress-induced CORT levels in three species and negatively associated to stress-induced CORT levels in one species. Global analysis suggests that in males, baseline CORT levels generally increase with increasing blood ∑7PCB concentrations, whereas stress-induced CORT levels decrease when reaching high blood ∑7PCB concentrations. This study suggests that the nature of the PCB-CORT relationships may depend on the level of PCB exposure.

[Restlessness in intensive care unit: think to the nicotinic withdrawal syndrome]. / Agitation en réanimation: penser au syndrome de sevrage nicotinique.

We report a case of tobacco-addicted woman who has been hospitalized in intensive care unit. During mechanical ventilation, management of sedation was difficult, when she was awake, we observed restlessness associated with failure of the mechanical ventilation weaning. The improvement of restlessness and mechanical ventilation were obtained when we set a transdermal nicotine patch. This observation suggests that the nicotine withdrawal syndrome is an unrecognized cause of restlessness and that the transdermal nicotine patch should be a diagnosis means which is safe, cheap and easy to use.

[Comparison of different treatments of acute acoustic trauma]. / Comparaison de différents traitements des traumatismes sonores aigüs.

Comparison between different treatments of acute acoustic trauma. The acute acoustic trauma, induced tinnitus, hearing loss and an fickle otalgia, is a Permanent or a Temporary Threshold Shift. In a retrospect study of 184 patients, or 313 cases, the target of this research was to determinate a possible level of blood dilution resulted during normovolemic hemodilution, and an optimal therapeutic group. In fact, just the dilay of a starting treatment between 0 and 3 days permitted to obtain this group on qualitatives and quantitative criteria; efficiency of the treatment is better than the damages are important. We observed an important post normovolemic hemodilution effect on audition recovery and tinnitus evolution. In return, an optimal hematocrite value hadn't been found between 29 and 35%.

Northward expansion of the invasive Linepithema humile (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in the eastern United States is constrained by winter soil temperatures.

The invasive Argentine ant, Linepithema humile (Mayr) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) has been evident in the North Carolina Piedmont, United States for 90 yr but has failed to spread further north. We investigated the mechanisms preventing this expansion. The Argentine ant ceases foraging at temperatures below 5°C and we hypothesized that winter soil temperatures at higher latitudes restricted foraging long enough to cause colony starvation. We tested if the Argentine ant could successfully feed at temperatures below 5°C and found that colonies would starve. We subjected Argentine ant nests to a range of sub- and above-freezing temperatures and measured worker mortality at various time intervals. We found that Argentine ant colonies will collapse after 8.5 d at 5°C. Argentine ants can escape ambient cold temperatures by moving nests into the soil column. We tested how deeply into the soil Argentine ant queens and workers need to move to survive winter in North Carolina. Soil temperatures in the North Carolina Piedmont do not fall below 5°C for longer than nine consecutive days; therefore, Argentine ant colonies need only to retreat a few centimeters into the soil column to escape unsuitable temperatures. Winter soil temperature data from four climate stations situated from latitudes 35°, the current Eastern United States latitudinal limit for Argentine ant population expansion, to 39° were searched for periods where soil temperatures would have led to colony extirpation. North of their current distributions, extended periods of soil temperatures below 5°C regularly occur, preventing Argentine ant colonies from persisting.