Examining the international bushmeat traffic in Belgium: A threat to conservation and public health.

peer reviewedThe carriage of bushmeat into the European Union is an infringement of EU Animal Health and Wildlife Trade legislation and poses a threat to biodiversity and public health. To explore the nature and scale of the international bushmeat trade, seized leaking luggage and passengers arriving at Brussels Zaventem airport from sub-Saharan Africa between 2017 and 2018 were searched for "meat" (bushmeat and livestock) by border control authorities. Visual identification, radiography and genetic analysis were applied to derive information from seized specimens, including at least ten CITES-listed species. We estimate that an average of 3.9 t of bushmeat is smuggled monthly through Brussels. The average consignment of meat seized per passenger was 2.8 kg and 4 kg of bushmeat or domestic livestock meat, respectively. The international trafficking of bushmeat is evidently active, yet penalties are rarely enforced; hence we provide suggestions to simplify law enforcement procedures

The impact of human activities and lifestyles on the interlinked microbiota and health of humans and of ecosystems

Plants, animals and humans, are colonized by microorganisms (microbiota) and transiently exposed to countless others. The microbiota affects the development and function of essentially all organ systems, and contributes to adaptation and evolution, while protecting against pathogenic microorganisms and toxins. Genetics and lifestyle factors, including diet, antibiotics and other drugs, and exposure to the natural environment, affect the composition of the microbiota, which influences host health through modulation of interrelated physiological systems. These include immune system development and regulation, metabolic and endocrine pathways, brain function and epigenetic modification of the genome. Importantly, parental microbiotas have transgenerational impacts on the health of progeny. Humans, animals and plants share similar relationships with microbes. Research paradigms from humans and other mammals, amphibians, insects, planktonic crustaceans and plants demonstrate the influence of environmental microbial ecosystems on the microbiota and health of organisms, and indicate links between environmental and internal microbial diversity and good health. Therefore, overlapping compositions, and interconnected roles of microbes in human, animal and plant health should be considered within the broader context of terrestrial and aquatic microbial ecosystems that are challenged by the human lifestyle and by agricultural and industrial activities. Here, we propose research priorities and organizational, educational and administrative measures that will help to identify safe microbe-associated health-promoting modalities and practices. In the spirit of an expanding version of "One health" that includes environmental health and its relation to human cultures and habits (EcoHealth), we urge that the lifestyle-microbiota-human health nexus be taken into account in societal decision making. (C) 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.Peer reviewe

Contribution à l'étude de la signification biologique des variations de taux en nucléotides cycliques, principalement en cGMP, induites par les oestrogènes dans l'utérus de rat

Doctorat en Sciencesinfo:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublishe

Oestrogen-induced increase in uterine cGMP content: A true hormonal action?

SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Oestrogen-induced changes in uterine cGMP: Effects in vitro of oestradiol-17 β

SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Oestrogen-induced increase in uterine cGMP content in vitro: Effects of inhibitors of protein and RNA synthesis

We have shown previously that oestradiol elevates the cGMP content of isolated uterine horns incubated for 2 h with the hormone. Cycloheximide (30 μg/ml) or actinomycin D (100 μg/ml), at concentrations which markedly inhibit protein and RNA synthesis, blocked the oestrogen-induced increase in cGMP. These agents do not inhibit the rise in uterine cGMP content provoked by sodium nitroprusside, thus arguing against a direct toxic effect on the enzyme guanylate cyclase. α-Amanitin, even at very high concentrations (80 μg/ml), interfered much less efficiently with total RNA and protein synthesis and also failed to prevent the oestrogen-induced increase in cGMP content. Taken together, these observations indicate that oestrogen action on uterine cGMP concentration in vitro depends on the RNA and/or a protein biosynthetic event that takes place in the uterus. This therefore confirms and extends analogous observations made previously under conditions in vivo.SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Oestrogen related changes in uterine and vaginal cAMP and cGMP

SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Changes in cGMP and cAMP content in the estrogen-stimulated rat uterus: Temporal relationship with other parameters of hormonal stimulation

SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

In vitro stimulation by estrogen of guanosine 3',5'-monophosphate accumulation in incubated rat uterus

SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe