Search results for "mollusk"
showing 10 items of 22 documents
Determining seasonality of mussel collection from an early historic Inuit site, Labrador, Canada: Comparing thin-sections with high-resolution stable…
2018
International audience; Stable oxygen isotope (delta O-18) analysis of mussels (Mytilus sp.) from a 16th to mid-18th century Inuit site in southern Labrador, Canada, indicates multiple seasons of shellfish collection, and by proxy, multiple seasons of site occupation. High-resolution delta O-18 sampling of shell permits a precise season of mussel collection since the temperature and freshwater signal of the local water is retained in the shell. Live-collected specimens of Mytilus sp. obtained from Labrador, were analyzed for stable oxygen isotopes and for growth patterns. These data were used to interpret results from the archaeological shells. Growth pattern analysis was conducted to test …
Qanat, gebbie and water sources: the last refuge for the malacologican freshwater fauna in Palermo (Sicily, Italy)
2017
The surroundings of Palermo were characterized, over the centuries, by the presence of many natural environments of great ecological and faunal importance. These environments were placed in a context characterized by minimal and sustainable urban development and large agriculture areas, dedicated to the development of tree crops such as citrus and orchards. These crops were supported by an imposing irrigation system that, using natural resources such as watercourses, wells and springs, collected and distributed water in soils through tanks, gebbie, qanat, irrigation channels (saje), etc. Fresh water mollusks, like many other animal and vegetable organisms, spread from the natural freshwater…
Characterization of the 3D information of Calyptogena shells
2003
We propose in this paper an application of multiresolution analysis techniques to extract information contained in the growth increments of a bivalve mollusk called: Calyptogena . The first stage consists in extracting a range image of the mollusk’s shell using a 3-D scanner. Applying a multiresolution analysis enables us to localize precisely those growth increments by preserving relevant details. Moreover, interesting spatial and frequency properties of the multiresolution analysis underline information contained on the shell. Intra-individual variation and inter-individual variations are compared to assume some conclusions as for the ontogenetic evolution of the animal such as periodicit…
Bivalve mollusks shells valorisation and recycling: market potentiality and novel building products
2023
Construction is a fundamental driver of the world economy, recognized as a sector that generates a great contribution to the social and economic development. At the same time, it shows an enormous environmental impact through an unstoppable consumption of non-renewable resources, a high energy consumption, and an associated atmospheric emission of pollutant. Consequently, the research and development of novel and green production processes and sustainable building materials is of paramount importance. The sustainability of materials and production processes could be improved by enhancing and reusing wastes from various industrial sectors. In this paper, the fishery sector will be analysed, …
Mollusk antimicrobial peptides A review from activity-based evidences to computer-assisted sequences
2011
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) represent the most universal immune effectors. Molluscs constitute the second largest animal phylum, after Arthropods, in term of number of species. Only a negligible number has been investigated regarding AMPs. The choice of the species to be studied relied on their economical importance and availability. First studies on molluscan AMPs dated from 1996 and were based on biological activities of biochemical-purified fractions. Such approach released all the original structures we know, with biological activity sometimes different from one isoform to another. Then, molecular biology techniques were applied to molluscan AMPs starting in 1999. Complete screening o…
Differential blockade by nifedipine and ω-conotoxin GVIA of α1- and β1-adrenoceptor-controlled calcium channels on motor nerve terminals of the rat
1990
Electrically evoked release of [3H]acetylcholine ([3H]ACh) from the rat phrenic nerve and its facilitation by stimulation of presynaptic alpha 1- and beta 1-adrenoceptors were investigated in the absence and presence of nifedipine and omega-conotoxin GVIA. Both calcium channel antagonists did not modify electrically evoked [3H]ACh release, but selectively blocked the effect triggered by both facilitatory adrenergic receptors. The increase in [3H]ACh release mediated via beta 1-adrenoceptor activation was abolished by low concentrations (1 nM) of omega-conotoxin GVIA, whereas nifedipine (100 nM) abolished the facilitatory effect mediated via alpha 1-adrenoceptor stimulation. Therefore, the b…
A new haemocyanin in cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis) eggs: sequence analysis and relevance during ontogeny
2014
Abstract Background Haemocyanin is the respiratory protein of most of the Mollusca. In cephalopods and gastropods at least two distinct isoforms are differentially expressed. However, their physiological purpose is unknown. For the common cuttlefish Sepia officinalis, three isoforms are known so far, whereas for only two of them the complete mRNA sequences are available. In this study, we sequenced the complete mRNA of the third haemocyanin isoform and measured the relative expression of all three isoforms during embryogenesis to reveal a potential ontogenetic relevance. Results The cDNA of isoform 3 clearly correlates to the known Sepia officinalis haemocyanin subunits consisting of eight …
Recycling mussel shells as secondary sources in green construction materials: a preliminary assessment
2023
This paper reports the development of novel green bio-composite mortars obtained by reusing mussel shells, a waste from the fish canning industry, as recycled aggregate, used for the first time in total substitution to the traditional sand. It suggests that this is a valid alternative to their usual disposal in landfills because the organic matter is potentially dangerous to humans and the environment. Different waste-based cementitious mixes were tested and compared to a traditional OPC mortar. The manufacturing process was performed at ambient conditions (20 °C, 65% RH) with highly sustainable results and consisted of simple operative steps reproducible in a real building site. The engine…
Variation in Sr uptake in the shell of the freshwater gastropod Bithynia tentaculata from Lake Arreo (northern Spain) and culture experiments
2010
The Sr uptake features in Bithynia tentaculata aragonite shells from monthly collections in Lake Arreo (northern Spain) over a two-year period are compared with those from the same species grown in culture experiments with similar waters under controlled temperature. The shell aragonite of B. tentaculata from Lake Arreo formed in isotopic equilibrium with the lake water. A comparison of the stable oxygen isotope values (δ18O) from the shells and waters allowed the selection of suitable shells for Sr uptake studies. The Sr/Ca molar ratio in B. tentaculata shells (Sr/Cashell) from the lake and from the culture experiments positively correlate with some chemical parameters like conductivity an…
Marine Animal-Derived Compounds and Autophagy Modulation in Breast Cancer Cells
2021
It is known that in breast cancer biology, autophagy mainly plays a cytoprotective and anti-apoptotic role in vitro, being conceivably responsible for cell resistance to drug exposure and a higher metastatic attitude in vivo. Thus, the development of novel autophagy-targeting agents represents a valuable strategy to improve the efficacy of anticancer interventions. It is widely acknowledged that the enormous biodiversity of marine organisms represents a highly promising reserve for the isolation of bioactive primary and secondary metabolites targeting one or several specific molecular pathways and displaying active pharmacological properties against a variety of diseases. The aim of this re…