[Ovarian activity of Drosophila melanogaster Meigen (Diptera), during a chronic intoxication with four fungicides: anatomical and cytological study]. / [Ovarian activity of Drosophila melanogaster Meigen (Diptera), during a chronic intoxication with four fungicides: anatomical and cytological study]

Two types of reactions were observed on the alteration of Drosophila vitellogenesis by the four fungicides used in this study. Dithane M45 resulted in stimulation associated with egg retention. However, the other three fungicides (Benlate, Bouillie bordelaise and Euparène) resulted in inhibition to a varying degree. Although the inhibition was comparatively limited due to Benlate it induced an egg retention. The inhibition was very high due to Bouillie bordelaise and Euparène. With Bouillie bordelaise an egg retention occured together with the reduction of vitellogenesis and caused an increase in the rate of the follicle resorption. The latter depended on the duration of treatment. With Euparène, no egg retention was observed and the toxicity was only noticed on vitellogenesis.

[The effect of commercial preparations of benlate, dithane M-45, copper sulfate and dichlofluanid on the fertility of Drosophila melanogaster meigen]. / Effets de preparations commerciales de benomyl, mancozebe, sulfate de cuivre et dichlofluanide sur la fecondite de Drosophila melanogaster meigen.

Four day old Drosophila pairs were maintained on nutritive media surface treated with fungicide doses according to the standard level recommended by the manufacturers. The flies were treated for 1 to 6 weeks and the eggs laid in 3 hours were counted each week during and after treatment. The capacity of treated flies egg laying was determined on treated media and then on untreated one. For the benomyl preparation (Benlate) and the mancozebe preparation (Dithane M45), there was an overall reduction of the egg mass on treated media but not on untreated media. There appears to be an essential repulsive effect which perturbs egg laying and causes a retention of eggs. However, after 3 to 4 weeks the quantity of egg mass also diminished on untreated media. Once the treatment was terminated the capacity to lay eggs partially returned. The copper sulfate preparation (Bouillie bordelaise) also exhibited a repulsive effect as exhibited by a retention of a certain number of eggs, but there was a more direct and fast effect on fecundity. Effect was more brutal with the dichlofluanide preparation (Euparène), and rapidly irreversible: the egg masses were very reduced after only one week of treatment on both treated and untreated media, and after termination of treatment there was an incomplete and temporary recuperation of the capacity to lay eggs. The results presented here are in agreement with those obtained previously concerning longevity. At the doses recommended for agricultural treatments, Benlate and Dithane M45 showed low toxicity for Drosophila adults in comparison with Bouillie bordelaise and Euparène which revealed a high toxicity in agreement with the fecundity and longevity data.

[Facial hemiatrophy, homolateral cervical linear scleroderma and thyroid disease]. / Hémiatrophie faciale, sclérodermie en bande cervicale homolatérale et thyréopathie.

A case of facial hemiatrophy and homolateral cervical band of scleroderma, complicated by hypothyroidism is reported. This case raises two problems: one is the problem of distinction between Romberg's disease and facial hemiatrophy due to a genuine localized scleroderma; the other concerns the relationship between localized scleroderma and dysthyroidism. The generalized scleroderma-dysthyroidism association has now been recognized, but the coexistence of thyroid disease and localized scleroderma has not yet been reported. Several pathogenetic hypotheses on this association are discussed.

Secondary ion mass spectrometry analysis of the copper distribution in Drosophila melanogaster chronically intoxicated with Bordeaux mixture.

The fungicides used intensively in agriculture may affect non-target organisms. The concentrations of copper sulfate-based fungicide, Bordeaux mixture, normally used in agriculture, can significantly reduce both the life span and breeding rate of Drosophila melanogaster. The present study examines the distribution of copper in organ sections of fruit flies intoxicated with Bordeaux mixture, by secondary ion mass spectrometry. The organs of most control flies contained no copper. In contrast, copper accumulated in the cytoplasm of all the mesenteron and Malpighian tubule epithelial cells of the treated flies. There were also copper deposits in the fat body and the epithelia of the seminal receptacle and accessory glands of some flies, but there was little or no copper in the ovaries. The mesenteron and Malpighian tubules are generally responsible for detoxification by accumulation of ingested metal salts in insects. The high concentration of Bordeaux mixture used saturated these organs and resulted in excess copper being deposited in other sites, such as the fat body and the reproductive system.

[Toxicity of commercial fungicides in relation to the larvae of Drosophila melanogaster Meigen (Diptera, Drosophilidae) and effect on the sex ratio]. / Toxicité de fongicides commerciaux vis-a-vis des larves de Drosophilamelanogaster Meigen (Diptera, Drosophilidae) et incidence sur la sex ratio.

Bouillie bordelaise, Benlate, Euparène and Dithane M45 had no effects on Drosophila eggs. However, a post-hatching mortality was observed and, in all cases, a "dose effect" was established. There was a quick effect with Bouillie bordelaise, a slow and continued one with Benlate and Euparène, and the effect was delayed until the pupal stage with Dithane. Bouillie bordelaise, Benlate and Euparène slowed down the larval development and the emergence period was longer, according to the doses. Bouillie bordelaise was always the most toxic fungicide and Dithane the least one. The sex-ratio was not disturbed with Bouillie bordelaise. With Benlate and Euparène, the females were more sensitive than the males, while Dithane was more toxic towards males. Considering a same fungicide, a difference was exhibited according to the chosen criterion: Benlate caused an effect on larval mortality which was more important than its effect on the developing-time. Moreover, both carbamates, Benlate and Dithane, acted differently whatever their toxicity level.

Studies on the toxicity of some carbamate fungicides in Drosophila melanogaster Meig. (Insecta, Diptera).

This paper reports the effects of three commercial powders mixed into the diet, Dithane M-45 (mancozeb 80%), Pomarsol (thiram 80%) and Peltar (maneb 50% and methyltiophanate 25%) on survivorship of adults Drosophila and on the progeny. With wild-type adults (Oregon), fungicides were added to the diet at the rate recommended on the label. The mean lifespan was reduced by 42.5% (Pomarsol), 50% (Dithane M-45), and 83% (Peltar). For larvae of two strains (Oregon and triploid) intoxicated with Dithane M-45 and Peltar, a linear relationship was demonstrated between the doses and the percentage of the progeny reduction. The calculated doses inducing a 50% reduced progeny (PR50) are in the range of 400 to 700 ppm. With Pomarsol in the range of 500 to 1500 ppm and for the both strains, the progeny was decreased by about 60%. A very reduced size and a leg paralysis was observed with each toxic powder for Oregon and triploid flies. It appears that a triploid stock of chromosomes does not significantly modify the reaction of the flies.

[Effects of lindane, an organochlorine insecticide, on the thyroid gland of larvae of Xenopus laevis Daudin in premetamorphosis]. / Effets du lindane, insecticide organochloré, sur la thyroïde des larves de Xenopus laevis Daudin en prémétamorphose.

The effects of 0.5 ppm of lindane were studied on the morphogenesis and the initial functioning of the thyroid gland. Some disturbances were observed: the formation of the first follicles were delayed and ultrastructural changes were noted: increase in the number of mitochondria, reduction of the endoplasmic reticulum. This demonstrates a noxious effect of lindane at the beginning of the functional maturation of the thyroid gland.