This study investigated the potential synergistic interactions between Pb and Cd, and assessed the contribution of transporter gene expression to the synergism. Mice were administered varying doses of Pb (15, 30 and 108 mg kg −1 ) or Cd (1, 2 and 3 mg kg −1 ), or a combination of both in the feed. Liver, kidney and bone samples were analyzed for Cd, Pb, Cu, Mn, Zn and Fe concentrations. For treatments exhibiting synergistic ef...

Effective species conservation requires accurate identification of target taxa; however, the large intraspecific variation and strong phenotypic plasticity of shell morphology in freshwater mussels (Bivalvia: Unionidae) exacerbate taxonomic uncertainties, thereby complicating species delineation. Based on extensive geographic sampling, we conducted an integrative taxonomic revision and phylogenetic reconstruction of the freshw...