Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and 2,2',4,4'-tetrabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-47) are two persistent environmental contaminants that are toxic to developing nervous systems, particularly via their disruption of thyroid hormone (TH) function. To investigate whether an interaction existed between PFOS and BDE-47 on TH-mediated pathways, adult female Wistar rats were exposed to 3.2 and 32 mg/kg of ...

Indoor dust has been widely used to monitor flame retardants (FRs) in indoor environment, but most studies only focused on floor dust. In the present study, FRs were examined in indoor dust from different locations. Dust from air conditioner (AC) filters, beddings, floor, and windows in bedrooms, and dust from AC filters, printer table surface, computer table surface, floor, and windows in offi...

BACKGROUND There is increasing interest in the potential effects of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) on children's neuropsychological development, but only a few small studies have evaluated such effects. OBJECTIVES Our goal was to examine the association between PBDE concentrations in colostrum and infant neuropsychological development and to assess the influence of other persistent or...

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and naturally-produced organobrominated compounds, such as methoxylated PBDEs (MeO-PBDEs), have been scarcely studied in the Southern Hemisphere. Yet, sources of the latter group of compounds were found in Southern regions, specifically in Australia. The environmental distribution and biomagnification potential of organobrominated compounds were therefore ...

BACKGROUND Brominated flame retardants (BFRs) are endocrine disruptors that bioaccumulate in the placenta, but it remains unclear if they disrupt tissue thyroid hormone (TH) metabolism. Our primary goal was to investigate associations between placental BFRs, TH levels, Type 3 deiodinase (DIO3) activity and TH sulfotransferase (SULT) activities. METHODS Placenta samples collected from 95 women...

Baccharis dracunculifolia D.C. (Asteraceae) is the most important plant source of the Brazilian green propolis. Since propolis is known for its antimicrobial activity, the aim of this work was to evaluate the antimicrobial activities of B. dracunculifolia and some of its isolated compounds. The results showed that the leaves extract of B. dracunculifolia (BdE) presents antifungal and antibacter...

A selection of MeO-BDE and BDE congeners were analyzed in pooled blubber samples of pilot whale (Globicephala melas), ringed seal (Phoca hispida), minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata), fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus), harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena), hooded seal (Cystophora cristata), and Atlantic white-sided dolphin (Lagenorhynchus acutus), covering a time period of more than 20 year...

We evaluated the efficacies of oral prophylactic treatment with amoxicillin (AMX), clindamycin (CLI), and moxifloxacin (MXF) in the prevention of bacteremia following dental extractions (BDE). Two hundred twenty-one adults who required dental extractions under general anesthesia were randomly assigned to a control group, an AMX group, a CLI group, and an MXF group (the individuals in the drug t...

Brominated flame retardants (BFRs), hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDs) and polybrominated diethyl ethers (PBDEs) were detected in three sediment cores and six surface sediments of Tokyo Bay, Japan. HBCDs were detected for the first time in this region with concentrations ranging from 0.056 to 2.3 ng/g dry wt, implying their widespread contamination, even though their concentrations were lower than...

Yersinia pestis, the bacterial agent of plague, secretes several proteins important for pathogenesis or host protection. The F1 protein forms a capsule on the bacterial cell surface and is a well-characterized protective antigen but is not essential for virulence. A type III secretion system that is essential for virulence exports Yop proteins, which function as antiphagocytic or anti-inflammat...