Both receptors bind agonist, but with different patterns of agonist recognition – particularly in the nature of the interactions between aromatic residues and the agonist quaternary amine functional

group. By comparing alpha 4 beta 2 and Torpedo receptors, we begin to delineate their structural similarities and differences. (C) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.”
“The calcium-sensing receptor (CaR) elicits oscillatory Ca-i(2+) mobilization associated with dynamic, inhibitory protein kinase C-mediated phosphorylation of CaRT888. While modest CaR stimulation elicits Ca-i(2+) PF-6463922 ic50 oscillations, greater stimulation either increases oscillation frequency or elicits sustained responses by an unknown mechanism. Here, moderate CaR stimulation (2.5 mM Ca-o(2+), 10 min) increased CaRT888 phosphorylation (160 kDa mature receptor) 5-fold in CaR stably transfected HEK-293 cells, whereas 3-5 mM Ca-o(2+) treatments were without

apparent effect. Treatment Tariquidar with 2 mM Ca-o(2+) caused sustained CaRT888 phosphorylation (>= 20 min) and oscillatory Ca-i(2+) mobilization. However, 5 mM Ca-o(2+) increased CaRT888 phosphorylation only briefly while eliciting sustained Ca-i(2+) mobilization, suggesting that greater CaR activation induces rapid CaRT888 dephosphorylation, thus permitting sustained Ca-i(2+) responses. Indeed, 5 mM Ca-o(2+) stimulated protein phosphatase 2A activity and induced CaRT888 dephosphorylation following acute phorbol ester pretreatment, the latter effect being mimicked by CaR-positive allosteric modulators (NPS-R467 and L-Phe). Finally, the phosphatase inhibitor calyculin-A reversed CaR-induced inhibition of parathyroid hormone secretion from bovine parathyroid slices and normal human parathyroid cells, demonstrating the physiological importance of phosphorylation

status on parathyroid function. Therefore, high Ca-o(2+)-stimulated protein kinase C acts in concert with high Ca-o(2+)- induced phosphatase activity to generate and maintain CaR-induced Ca-i(2+) oscillations via the dynamic phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of CaRT888.”
“Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating VE-821 polypeptide (PACAP) is a peptidergic neurotransmitter that is highly expressed in the nervous system. We have previously reported that a central injection of PACAP leads to changes in the autonomic nervous system tones including sympathetic excitation and parasympathetic inhibition. An anatomical study revealed that melanocortin and PACAP are colocalized in some hypothalamic nuclei. Here, we investigated the possible role of the melanocortin system in autonomic control by PACAP using SHU9119, an antagonist of the melanocortin receptors (MC3-R/MC4-R).

On Bernageau views, mean D1/D2 ratio was 4.2% (range, 0-23%) in patients without recurrence, versus 5.1% (range, 0-19)

in those with recurrence (P = 0.003).\n\nDiscussion: Beyond the above thresholds, bone defect as such contraindicates isolated arthroscopic stabilization. AS1842856 in vivo The D/R and Gerber ratios are simple and reproducible quantitative measurements can be taken in routine practice, enabling preoperative planning of complementary bone surgery as needed.\n\nLevel of evidence: Level IV; retrospective cohort study. (C) 2012 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.”
“The concept of ecological stoichiometry has been useful for understanding nutrient dynamics in aquatic food webs; however, the majority of studies have focused on autotrophic systems, leaving detritus-based food webs largely understudied. In addition, most detritus-based studies have explored enrichment in high-gradient, low-nutrient systems, despite the fact that many of the streams most likely to face enrichment

(those surrounded by agriculture) are low-gradient and contain inherently higher dissolved nutrient concentrations due to differences in soil type, geomorphology, and atmospheric deposition. Constraints this website on consumer growth due to consumer-resource imbalances have been documented in these low-nutrient streams, but the extent to which consumer growth may be limited in higher-nutrient, detritus-based streams is unknown. We investigated the impact of dissolved nutrients (N and P) on mayfly growth, using artificial streams simulating a high-nutrient detritus-based system. Mayflies were reared and sampled under two total nutrient concentrations, one meant to mimic a more natural undisturbed (ambient) watershed and one to mimic a disturbed (enriched) watershed. Under each of these conditions two N:P ratios (low and high) were tested. The low N:P treatments produced higher mayfly growth under both ambient and enriched Bafilomycin A1 supplier conditions, showing that nutrient limitation can occur even in high-nutrient streams.”
“Autosomal-dominant polycystic kidney disease

(ADPKD) is caused by mutations in either PKD1 or PKD2 and is characterized by the development of multiple bilateral renal cysts that replace normal kidney tissue. Here, we used Pkd1 mutant mouse models to demonstrate that the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide-dependent (NAP-dependent) protein deacetylase sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) is involved in the pathophysiology of ADPKD. SIRT1 was upregulated through c-MYC in embryonic and postnatal Pkd1-mutant mouse renal epithelial cells and tissues and could be induced by TNF-alpha, which is present in cyst fluid. during cyst development. Double conditional knockouts of Pkd1 and Sirt1 demonstrated delayed renal cyst formation in postnatal mouse kidneys compared with mice with single conditional knockout of Pkd1.

“
“High-throughput

sequencing has allowed for unprecedented detail in gene expression analyses, yet its efficient application to single cells is challenged by the small starting amounts of RNA. We have developed CEL-Seq, a method for overcoming this limitation by barcoding and pooling samples before linearly amplifying mRNA with the use of one round of in vitro transcription. We show that CEL-Seq gives more reproducible, linear, and sensitive results than a PCR-based amplification method. We demonstrate the power of this method by studying early C. elegans embryonic development AG-120 inhibitor at single-cell resolution. Differential distribution of transcripts between sister cells is seen as early as the two-cell stage embryo, and zygotic expression in the somatic cell lineages is enriched for transcription factors. The robust transcriptome quantifications enabled by CEL-Seq will be useful for transcriptomic analyses of complex tissues containing populations of diverse cell types.”
“Cross-linked chitosans synthesized

by the inverse emulsion cross-link method were used to investigate adsorption of three metal ions [Cd(II), Pb(II), and Ag(I)] in an aqueous solution. The chitosan microsphere, was characterized by FTIR and SEM, and adsorption of Cd(II), Pb(II), and Ag(T) ions onto a cross-linked chitosan was examined through analysis buy GSK1838705A of pH, agitation time, temperature, and initial concentration of the metal. The order of adsorption capacity for the three metal SB202190 clinical trial ions was Cd(2+) > Pb(2+) > Ag(+). This method showed that adsorption of the three metal ions in an aqueous solution followed the monolayer coverage of the adsorbents through physical adsorption phenomena and coordination because the amino (-NH(2)) and/or hydroxy (-OH) groups on chitosan chains serve as coordination sites. (C) 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 118: 733-739, 2010″
“To counteract abiotic stress-induced adverse effects on

plants, one approach is the application of exogenous potential osmoprotectants such as proline. This experiment was carried out to evaluate the effects of exogenous application of different concentrations of proline as foliar spray on growth, gas exchange characteristics, chlorophyll fluorescence and mineral ion accumulation of two eggplant cultivars viz., L-888 and Round grown under saline regimes. Fifty-seven days old plants were subjected for 15 days to varying levels of proline [0 (water spray), 10 and 20 mM] under control and saline (150 mM NaCl) conditions. Salt stress reduced growth, net CO2 assimilation rate (A), water use efficiency (A/E), efficiency of photosystem II (Fv/Fm), shoot and root K+ and Ca2+ ions of both eggplant cultivars. Exogenous application of proline counteracted the adverse effects of salt stress on shoot fresh weight of both eggplant cultivars and A/E ratio in cv. Round only.

The L-17 compound to not only decreased the area of initial infarction but also changed the pattern of inflammatory reaction in the affected myocardium fundamentally. Laboratory studies of effects of L-17 compound on the development and course of experimental MI showed that administration decreased blood AST and CPK levels significantly and provided useful the data about the correlation between the activity of these enzymes and the dimensions

of the significantly necrotic area. In this model of experimental MI the use of the L-17 compound induced led to the replacement of the exudative destructive inflammation that is seen under standard conditions Anlotinib solubility dmso with a more cellular productive pattern of inflammation, with associated reduction in initial necrosis area and the, decrease in myocardial ischaemia and reperfusion injury may account for the accelerated repair process.”
“Aim: Serological testing for human cytomegalovirus (CMV) immunoglobulin G (IgG) continues to play a major role in the evaluation www.selleckchem.com/products/AZD1480.html of tissue and organ transplant donors and recipients, screening blood donors and

in estimating the risk of infection in pregnant women. In this study we evaluated the performance and technical characteristics of two semi-automated commercial CMV IgG immunoassays.\n\nMethods: One hundred consecutive sera submitted to a referral serology laboratory for CMV IgG antibody testing were assayed using two automated CMV IgG immunoassays: GF120918 manufacturer the Architect (Abbott Diagnostics) and Elecsys (Roche Diagnostics) immunoassays. Because this patient population has a high rate (similar

to 87%) of seropostivity, we took a further 50 sera that were CMV IgG negative on Architect and tested on the Elecsys assay, in order to assess the specificity of the assays.\n\nResults: The assays showed an excellent qualitative agreement with two (2%) discrepant results in the 100 patients tested initially, with all of the 50 additional sera negative on Architect also negative on the Elecsys. However, there was no correlation between the optical density of results generated by the instruments for the set of samples.\n\nConclusion: Both Elecsys and Architect immunoassays are convenient for detection of CMV IgG antibody, with near identical qualitative results.”
“A dysfunctional immune system is known to be part of the pathophysiology after burn trauma. However, reports that support this have used a variety of methods, with numerous variables, to induce thermal injury. We hypothesized that, all other parameters being equal, an injury infliction by a scald would yield different immunological responses than one inflicted by a flame. Here, we demonstrated that both burn methods produced a full-thickness burn, yet there was more of an increase in subdermal temperature, hematocrit, mortality, and serum IL-6 concentrations associated with the scald burn.

Studies of TSH and FT4 levels over a period of 3 years indicated that the TRIAC effect is dose dependent.\n\nConclusions: TRIAC was effective and safe in ameliorating the effects of hyperthyroidism

and ADHD symptoms in a child with known genetic RTH. Further, it was demonstrated that TRIAC has a short half-life and functions dose dependently.”
“Spinal angiolipomas are benign uncommon neoplasm composed of mature lipocytes admixed with abnormal blood vessels. They account for only 0.04-1.2% of all spinal tumors. We report two cases of lumbar extradural angiolipoma and review previously reported cases. We found 118 cases of spinal epidural angiolipoma (70 females and 48 males; age range 1.5-85 years, mean 44.03) spanning from 1890 to 2006. Prior to diagnosis 40.6% of the patients had weakness of the lower limbs. The interval Z-VAD-FMK concentration between the initial symptoms and tumor diagnosis ranged from 1 day to 17 years (mean 20.2 months). Except

for four cases diagnosed at autopsy, 109 patients underwent surgery and gross-total resection was performed in 79 cases (72.4%). Spinal angiolipomas are tumors containing angiomatous and lipomatous tissue, predominantly located in the mid-thoracic region. All angiolipomas show iso- or hyperintensity on T1-weighted images and hyperintensity on T2-weighted images and most lesions enhance with gadolinium administration. The CFTRinh-172 treatment for spinal extradural angiolipomas is total surgical resection and no adjuvant therapy should be administered.”
“Background: Originally described as osteochondromatous Angiogenesis inhibitor lesions arising from the tarsal bones, osteochondromas arising from the epiphysis or carpal/tarsal bones are less common than those arising from the metaphysis. Histologically, all osteochondromas are indistinguishable regardless

of the location from which they arise. Few case reports and case series exist describing these lesions in the upper limb.\n\nMethods: We review 7 cases of osteochondromas arising from epiphyses and ossicles in the upper limb treated at 3 institutions. Patients were followed for an average of 5.7 years. The average patient age at the presentation was 7.8 years.\n\nResults: We identified 25 lesions: 5 distal radial epiphyseal, 3 distal radial metaphyseal, 4 scaphoid, 4 lunate, 4 trapezial, 2 accessory ossicles adjacent to the trapezium, 2 trapezoid, and 1 metacarpal lesion. Three patients presented with pain, 5 with decreased motion, and 3 with angular deformity. In 1 case, the lesion presented as an incidental finding. Four patients underwent a total of 7 procedures: 2 open biopsies, 2 distal radial epiphyseal lesion excisions, 2 revisions, and 1 excision of all lesions with a scaphoid osteotomy.

(C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“We

BAY 63-2521 mouse develop miniature high-voltage sources from polymer solar cells (PSCs) with charge-transporting molybdenum oxide (MoOx) integrated in a serial architecture through sacrificial layer (SL)-assisted patterning. The MoOx layer, being patterned by the lift-off process of the SL of a hydrophobic fluorinated-polymer, as a hole transporting layer plays a critical role on the reduction of the dark current and the increase of a high open circuit voltage of an integrated PSC array. The underlying mechanism lies primarily on the elimination of the lateral charge pathways in the MoOx layer in the presence of the electrode interconnection. Two miniature voltage sources consisting of 20 PSCs and 50 PSCs are demonstrated in the operation of a liquid crystal display and an organic field-effect transistor, respectively. Our SL-assisted integration approach will be directly applicable for implementing the self-power sources made of the PSCs into a wide range of the electronic and optoelectronic devices. (C) 2014 The Japan Society of Applied Physics”
“The coexistence of cerebral aneurysm and pituitary adenoma has been described previously. Most of such cases harbor functional tumors and anterior circulation aneurysms, with very rare cases of posterior circulation aneurysms. In this report, we present a

case of subarachnoidal hemorrhage due to rupture of an undetected basilar apex aneurysm during microscopic transsphenoidal surgery Barasertib mouse for a nonfunctional pituitary adenoma. Subarachnoidal hemorrhage following transsphenoidal surgery is a rare event. The concurrence of posterior circulation aneurysm and nonfunctional adenoma is uncommon too. Neuroimaging of cerebrovascular circulation before surgical treatment of pituitary adenoma, although controversial, would be helpful to evaluate vascular involvement and rule out any potential concurrent cerebrovascular diseases. Open or endovascular treatment of unruptured intracranial aneurysms carries relatively

low morbidity and may be considered prior to other elective intracranial procedures like transsphenoidal surgery.”
“Background: SNX-5422 Concomitant use of antiretroviral (ARV) and hormonal contraceptives may change the metabolism of each and the resulting safety profiles. We evaluated the safety and tolerability of depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) among women on ARV.\n\nStudy Design: HIV-infected women on selected ARV regimens or no ARV were administered DMPA 150 mg intramuscularly and evaluated for 12 weeks for adverse events, changes in CD4+ count and HIV RNA levels, and ovulation.\n\nResults: Seventy evaluable subjects were included, 16 on nucleoside only or no ARV, 21 on nelfinavir-containing regimens, 17 on efavirenz-containing regimens and 16 on nevirapine-containing regimens. Nine Grade 3 or 4 adverse events occurred in seven subjects; none were judged related to DMPA.

05) and I and IV (p 0.04) and URMC-099 mw groups II and III (p 0.01) and II and IV (p 0.01). The concentration of cGMP in 24 h urine collection was in group I – 40 24 pmol/L; in group II – 54 41 pmol/L; in group III – 38 32 pmol/L; and in group IV – 42 36 pmol/L. There were no significant

differences between the groups. Plasma ET-1 concentration was 3.86 0.52 pg/mL in group I, in group II – 4.05 0.71 pg/mL, in group III – 4.22 0.79 pg/mL and in group IV – 4.38 0.75 pg/mL. Statistically significant differences were between group I and III (p 0.05), I and IV (p 0.03), and between group II and IV (p 0.04). Endothelial dysfunction was not found in hypertensive patients without a family history of cardiovascular diseases and without other risk factors of atherosclerosis. Deterioration of endothelial function was observed in patients with hypertension with risk factors of atherosclerosis. It was most pronounced in those with CAD.”
“It is well accepted that atherosclerosis occurs in a site-specific manner especially at branch points where disturbed blood flow (d-flow) predisposes to the development of plaques. Investigations both in vivo and in vitro have shown that d-flow is pro-atherogenic by promoting oxidative and inflammatory states in HKI-272 chemical structure the artery wall. In contrast, steady laminar blood flow (s-flow) is atheroprotective by inhibition of oxidative stress and inflammation in the vessel wall. The mechanism

for inflammation in endothelial cells (ECs) exposed to d-flow has been well studied and includes redox-dependent

activation of apoptosis find more signal-regulating kinase 1 (ASK1) and Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) that ultimately lead to the expression of adhesive molecules. In contrast, s-flow leads to the activation of the mitogen extracellular-signal-regulated kinase kinase 5/extracellular signal-regulated kinase-5 (MEK5/ERK5) pathway that prevents pro-inflammatory signaling. Important transcriptional events that reflect the pro-oxidant and pro-inflammatory condition of ECs in d-flow include the activation of activator protein 1 (AP-1) and nuclear factor kappaB (NF kappa B), whereas in s-flow, activation of Kruppel-like factor 2 (KLF2) and nuclear factor erythroid 2-like 2 (Nrf2) are dominant. Recent studies have shown that protein kinase c zeta (PKC zeta) is highly activated under d-flow conditions and may represent a molecular switch for EC signaling and gene expression. The targeted modulation of proteins activated in a site-specific manner holds the promise for a new approach to limit atherosclerosis. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 15, 1405-1414.”
“Mouse induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells are known to have the ability to differentiate into various cell lineages including neurons in vitro. We have reported that chick dorsal root ganglion (DRG)-conditioned medium (CM) promoted the differentiation of mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells into motor neurons.

Intradermal injection of BTX-A reduced NPS scores for all items except cold sensation (P = 0.05). It reduced DN4 scores for electric shocks, burning, pins and needles and brushing (P smaller than 0.05). According to VAS scale 30% and 0% of patients in intervention and placebo groups have no pain after intervention (P = 0.01). Conclusion: LY2835219 Intradermal injection of BTX-A is a well-tolerated agent that has a significant effect on DPN pain.”
“Upstream

open reading frames (uORFs) are prevalent cis-regulatory sequence elements in the transcript leader sequences (TLSs) of eukaryotic mRNAs. The majority of uORFs is considered to repress downstream translation by the consumption of functional pre-initiation complexes or by inhibiting unrestrained progression of the ribosome. Under distinct conditions, specific uORF properties or sequential arrangements of uORFs can oppositely confer enhanced translation of the main coding sequence, designating uORFs as versatile modifiers of gene expression. Ribosome profiling and proteomic studies demonstrated widespread translational activity at AUG- and non-AUG-initiated uORFs in eukaryotic transcriptomes from yeast to human

and several reports linked defective uORF-mediated translational control to the development of human diseases. This review summarizes the PD-1/PD-L1 Inhibitor 3 supplier structural features affecting uORF-mediated translational control in eukaryotes and describes the highly divergent mechanisms of uORF regulation that result in repression or induction of downstream protein translation. WIREs RNA 2014, 5:765-768. doi: 10.1002/wrna.1245 Bafilomycin A1 order For further resources related to this article, please visit the . Conflict of interest:

The author has declared no conflicts of interest for this article.”
“Virus-like particles constitute potentially relevant vaccine candidates. Nevertheless, their behavior in vitro and assembly process needs to be understood in order to improve their yield and quality. In this study we aimed at addressing these issues and for that purpose triple- and double-layered rotavirus-like particles (TLP 2/6/7 and DLP 2/6, respectively) size and zeta potential were measured using dynamic light scattering at different physicochemical conditions, namely pH, ionic strength,. and temperature. Both TLP and DLP were stable within a PH range of 3-7 and at 5-25 degrees C. Aggregation occurred at 35-45 degrees C and their disassembly became evident at 65 degrees C. The isoelectric points of TLP and DLP were 3.0 and 3.8, respectively. In vitro kinetics of TLP disassembly was monitored. Ionic strength, temperature, and the chelating agent employed determined disassembly kinetics. Glycerol (10%) stabilized TLP by preventing its disassembly. Disassembled TLP was able to reassemble by dialysis at high calcium conditions.

The conclusions drawn by this article contain special cases discussed before.”
“Background: The pathophysiology of transient global amnesia (TGA) is not fully understood. This study was conducted to identify the cardiovascular risk factors of TGA compared to those of transient ischemic attack (TIA) and normal controls, using a large number of subjects. In addition to the comparison of risk factors, an association

between the observed cardiovascular risk factors in the current study and a pathophysiological mechanism recently investigated was speculated upon. Materials and Methods: We performed a retrospective case-control study that compared 293 TGA patients to 632 TIA patients and 293 age-and sex-matched normal controls. Demographic details and cardiovascular risk factors were carefully recorded. Results: TGA patients had a significantly higher selleck kinase inhibitor prevalence of ischemic heart disease and hyperlipidemia; however, they had a lower prevalence of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, ischemic stroke and atrial fibrillation when

compared to TIA patients. When compared to age-and sex-matched normal controls, TGA patients also had a significantly higher prevalence of hyper-lipidemia, previous ischemic selleck screening library stroke and ischemic heart dis-ease. Conclusion: The cardiovascular risk factors identified in TGA patients in this study were different from those of previously reported studies. This disproportionate prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors may constitute possible evidence that TGA and TIA differ in their pathophysiological mechanism. In addition, some cardiovascular risk factors, such as hyperlipidemia and ischemic heart disease, should be regarded as possible risk factors of TGA. (C) 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel”
“Background: Thyroid peroxidase Apoptosis Compound Library order (TPO) is a dimeric membrane-bound enzyme of thyroid follicular cells, responsible for thyroid hormone biosynthesis. TPO

is also a common target antigen in autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD). With two active sites, TPO is an unusual enzyme, and thus there is much interest in understanding its structure and role in AITD. Homology modeling has shown TPO to be composed of different structural modules, as well as a propeptide sequence. During the course of studies to obtain homogeneous preparations of recombinant TPO for structural studies, we investigated the role of the large propeptide sequence in TPO. Methods: An engineered recombinant human TPO preparation expressed in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells lacking the propeptide (TPOpro; amino acid residues 21-108) was characterized and its properties compared to wild-type TPO.

“
“The fluorescence quenching of 9-Aminoacridine (9-AA) by various dyes

were probed in aqueous medium using steady state and time resolved fluorescence spectroscopic techniques. From these techniques, we had rationalized the interaction of 9-AA with various dyes via ground state complex formation. The binding constant (K) and number of binding sites (n) were calculated from the relevant fluorescence quenching data. The fluorescence emission of 9-Aminoacridine was quenched by the dyes through static quenching followed by the mechanism of energy transfer. The static quenching mechanism was confirmed by lifetime measurements. The thermodynamic parameters such as free energy change (Delta G), enthalpy change (Delta H) and entropy change (Delta S), were calculated by thermodynamic equations. The results showed that Van der Waals interaction Adavosertib inhibitor or hydrogen bond formation played a major role in the binding of 9-AA with these dyes. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.”
“Four cases of sagittal synostosis combined with ossified cephalhematoma prompted the authors to present the data and to discuss the implications. Large cephalhematoma of the vertex at birth with subsequent ossification occurred in all with final sizes of 6.5-10 by 4.0-5.5 by 0.8-1.8 cm. At surgery with 2-6 months, the mean skull index was 64.75, sagittal suture

completely closed, and a disfiguring bony mass present in all.\n\nIn three of the original learn more cohort of 106 buy Fedratinib sagittal synostoses, ossified cephalhematoma was removed in one piece together with the suture. In contrast to pathogenesis of common parietal cephalhematomas, cephalhematoma in sagittal synostosis is rather induced by periosteal detachment of the midline by strong shearing forces because molding is hindered in the lateral direction. Frequent and fast complete ossification is possibly directed by the same local factors (e.g., Noggin) which

lead to premature fusion of cranial sutures. Some treatment principles of ossified cephalhematoma in sagittal synostosis may be applied to surgery of common types.”
“The objectives of this study were: (1) to examine the distribution and bioaccumulation of microcystins in the main components of the food web (phytoplankton, zooplankton, crayfish, shrimp, mussel, snail, fish, frog) of Lake Pamvotis (NW Greece), (2) to investigate the possibility of microcystin biomagnification and (3) to evaluate the potential threat of the contaminated aquatic organisms to human health. Significant microcystin concentrations were detected in all the aquatic organisms during two different periods, with the higher concentrations observed in phytoplankton and the lower in fish species and frogs. This is the first study reporting microcystin accumulation in the body of the freshwater shrimp Atyaephyra desmsaresti, in the brain of the fish species common carp (Cyprinus carpio) and in the skin of the frog Rana epirotica.