Many wild mushroom species are known to immune heavy metals. However, the mechanism by which this occurs remains largely unsolved. Melatonin (MT) has been proven to play an important defensive role against various abiotic stresses in plants and animals. This study reports on the presence of MT in edible fungi and its role in the response to cadmium (Cd)-induced stress. We found that melatonin was widely distributed in all experimental species and could also relieve Cd-induced damage in the Volvariella volvacea. Comparative metabolic and proteome analyses reveal that tryptophan/proline/tyrosine metabolism, the citrate cycle, nitrogen and glutathione metabolism, and oxidation-reduction processes were enriched after Cd and/or MT addition, indicating an antioxidant mechanism was aroused. Finally, different MT and cadmium treatments were studied for their effects on the expression and activity of oxidation-related enzymes (superoxide dismutase, catalase, peroxidase, etc), which further verified the ameliorative influence of MT on Cd-induced oxidative stress.Background Maternal prenatal stress associates with infant developmental outcomes, but the mechanisms underlying this association are not fully understood. Alterations in the composition and function of infant intestinal microbiota may mediate some of the observed health effects, a viewpoint that is supported by animal studies along with a small human study showing that exposure to prenatal stress modifies the offspring's intestinal microbiota. In the current study, we aim to investigate the associations between maternal prenatal psychological distress (PPD) and hair cortisol concentration (HCC) with infant fecal microbiota composition in a large prospective human cohort. Methods The study population was drawn from FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study. Maternal PPD was measured with standardized questionnaires (EPDS, SCL, PRAQ-R2, Daily Hassles) three times during pregnancy (n = 398). A measure addressing the chronicity of PPD was composed separately for each questionnaire. HCC was measured from a five cm segment at gestational week 24 (n = 115), thus covering the early and mid-pregnancy. Infant fecal samples were collected at the age of 2.5 months and analyzed with 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. Results Maternal chronic PPD (all symptom measures) showed positive associations (FDR less then 0.01) with bacterial genera from phylum Proteobacteria, with potential pathogens, in infants. Further, chronic PPD (SCL, PRAQ-R2, and Daily Hassles negative scale) associated negatively with Akkermansia. HCC associated negatively with Lactobacillus. Neither maternal chronic PPD nor HCC associated with infant fecal microbiota diversity.  https://www.selleckchem.com/products/mavoglurant.html  Conclusion Chronic maternal PPD symptoms and elevated HCC associate with alterations in infant intestinal microbiota composition. In keeping with the earlier literature, maternal PPD symptoms were associated with increases in genera fromProteobacteria phylum. Further research is needed to understand how these microbiota changes are linked with later child health outcomes.Elasmobranchs are particularly prone to accumulating contaminants due to their life history patterns and relatively high trophic position. However, several compounds, especially contaminants of emerging concern, have still not been well studied in this group. Here, we aimed to determine the occurrence and concentrations of several inorganic and organic contaminants in different tissues of the Brazilian guitarfish Pseudobatos horkelii. This species is a critically endangered species, endemic from the Southwest Atlantic which uses southern Brazilian waters as a nursery habitat. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), emerging pesticides, pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) and trace metals were determined in five biological tissues in order to assess the accumulation and organotropism of these compounds. Except for chlorothalonil and triclosan, all compounds were detected in, at least, one tissue, mostly in liver samples. All compounds differed among tissues, with liver presenting the higher concentrations of several contaminants, followed by muscle and gills. PAHs and PPCPs were the most detected analytes and presented the highest concentrations among tissues. Diclofenac levels were determined, for the first time in elasmobranchs, and were relatively high, when compared to other fishes. Finally, relatively high concentrations of PAHs, dichlofluanid and octocrylene in muscle might be suggestive of chronic exposure, presenting also human health implications. Regarding trace metals, contrary to most elasmobranch studies, Hg levels were low in all tissues, whereas Cd and Pb here higher in liver, and gills and blood samples, respectively. Our results indicate that P. horkelii is exposed to several organic and inorganic which might affect this species in a long-term scale. Concerning the determination of emerging contaminants, it is likely that other elasmobranchs are also exposed to these compounds and special attention should be given to this issue in order to predict future effects on this group.River sediments contain environmental fingerprints that provide useful ecological information. However, the geochemistry of River Atuwara sediments has received less attention over the years. One hundred and twenty-six sediments from 21 locations were collected over a two-season period from River Atuwara, and a detailed investigation of the land use and land cover (LULC) change between 1990 and 2019, analysis of selected toxic and potentially toxic metal(oid)s (TPTM) (Cu, As, Cd, Pb, Ni, Cr, Zn, Fe, Co and Al) using ICP-OES, pollution index assessment, potential source identification (using center log-transformation approach), potential ecological, and human health risk assessment were conducted. The results of the LULC change revealed that the built-up area increased by 95.58 km2, at an average rate of 3.186 km2/year over the past 30 years. The mean concentration of metal(oid)s increased in the order of Cd Fe for both seasons and the carcinogenic risk for children via ingestion route presented a value higher than the safe limits for As, Cd, Cr, and Ni during both seasons.