Intestinal morpho-physiology and innate immune status of European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) in response to diets including a blend of two marine microalgae, Tisochrysis lutea and Tetraselmis suecica

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of replacing graded levels of dietary fish meal by a blend of two marine microalgae Tisochrysis lutea and Tetraselmis suecica on intestinal morpho-physiology and innate immune response in European sea bass. Two complete diets were formulated to be iso-nitrogenous and isolipidic and prepared by including a blend of the two microalgae, to replace approximately 15 and 45% fish meal protein of the control diet. A fourth diet, where the microalgae mix was substituted by soybean meal, was also prepared. Each diet was offered until visual satiety over 105 days to triplicated groups of European sea bass (204 \ub1 12.7 g), kept in a recirculating marine water system. The humoral and cellular innate immune parameters of E. sea bass were affected by the dietary treatment. Fish fed the microalgae-containing or the soybean rich diets, showed a significantly greater villi height, while the thickness of intestinal epithelium was significantly reduced in fish fed the soybean meal-rich diet. The activity of the brush border membrane enzymes, maltase, sucrase-isomaltase, \u3b3-glutamil transferase and alkaline phosphatase was not affected by dietary treatment but changed in different intestinal tracts. The genes sucrase-isomaltase, peptide transporter 1, sodium/potassium-transporting ATPase and aminopeptidase N were overexpressed in the pyloric and proximal region of the intestine of fish fed the microalgae-including diets. In conclusion, a blend of dried marine microalgae Tisochrysis lutea and Tetraselmis suecica as alternative ingredients to dietary fish meal did not hamper gut digestive-absorptive functions of E. sea bass. Moreover, it resulted in enhanced non-specific immune response, suggesting an effective role as an immunostimulant ingredien

Evaluation du risque Brettanomyces dans le vignoble libanais et étude cinétique de la bioconversion de l'acide p-coumarique en 4-éthylphénol

Les altérations sensorielles des vins dues à la présence des levures du genre Brettanomyces se caractérisent par une augmentation de la teneur en phénols volatils tel que le 4-éthylphénol. Le premier objectif de ce travail était de faire un état des lieux sur le risque éthylphénol au Liban en s'intéressant à la présence d'un précurseur (acide p-coumarique), du microorganisme responsable (Brettanomyces) et du produit final (4-éthylphénol) dans les vins élaborés dans ce pays. Une forte hétérogénéité de concentrations en acide p-coumarique a été observée avec des valeurs variant de 0 à 31,4 mg.L-1. Des niveaux importants de 4-éthylphénols de l'ordre de 1,367 mg.L-1 ont été détectés sur certains vins. Un dépistage du contaminant microbien a permis de confirmer pour la première fois la présence de Brettanomyces au Liban, les proportions restant toutefois assez faibles (3 % des échantillons testés). Une étude génétique a caractérisé les souches retenues qui se sont montrées diverses au sein de l'espèce. Le travail a porté ensuite sur l'analyse cinétique des étapes réactionnelles constituant le processus enzymatique de la bioconversion des substrats acide p-coumarique et 4-vinlphénol en 4-éthylphénol pour 5 souches de Brettanomyces bruxellensis d'origines libanaises et françaises. La variabilité entre les souches s'est exprimée aux niveaux génétique et cinétique. Des profils hétérogènes de bioréaction ont été mis en évidence en fonction de la nature des souches. L'analyse du bilan-matière a révélé l'existence probable de phénomènes d'adsorption sur les parois des Brettanomyces qui sont souche-dépendants. La dernière partie a été consacrée à l'évaluation du lien entre quantité de biomasse et production de 4-éthylphénol ainsi qu'à l'influence de quelques paramètres environnementaux (pH, source d'ammonium et milieu de culture) sur la cinétique réactionnelle.Wine sensory alterations due to the presence of Brettanomyces yeasts are characterized by an increased content of volatile phenols such as 4-ethylphenol. The first aim of this work was to make an inventory of the "ethylphenol" risks in Lebanon by focusing on the presence of one precursor (p-coumaric acid), the microorganism provoking these risks (Brettanomyces) and the final product (4-ethylphenol) in wines produced in this country. High heterogeneity of p-coumaric acid concentration was observed with values ranging from 0 to 31,4 mg.L-1. Significant levels of 4-ethylphenols of about 1,367 mg L-1 have been detected in some wines. Screening of microbial contaminants confirmed the presence of Brettanomyces for the first time in Lebanon, with proportions remaining relatively low (3 % of samples tested). A genetic study has characterized the selected strains which are shown to be various within the species. The second objective of this study was the kinetic analysis of the reaction steps constituting the bioconversion enzymatic process of both substrates p-coumaric acid and 4-vinlphenol into 4-ethylphenol for 5 strains of Brettanomyces bruxellensis of different origins (Lebanon and France). Variability between strains was expressed at both levels, genetic and kinetic. Heterogeneous bioreaction profiles were identified according to strain's nature. The mass balance analysis revealed the possible existence of adsorption phenomena on the cell walls of Brettanomyces which are strain-dependent. The last part was devoted to the evaluation of the relationship between biomass concentration and production of 4-ethylphenol as well as the influence of some environmental parameters (pH, ammonium source and culture medium) on the reaction's kinetic.TOULOUSE-INP (315552154) / SudocSudocFranceF

Anaphora Resolution in Near-Native Speakers of Italian

This study presents data from an experiment on the interpretation of intrasentential anaphora in Italian by native Italian speakers and by English speakers who have learned Italian as adults and have reached a near-native level of proficiency in this language. The two groups of speakers were presented with complex sentences consist-ing of a main clause and a subordinate clause, in which the subor-dinate clause had either an overt pronoun or a null subject pronoun. In half of the sentences the main clause preceded the subordinate clause (forward anaphora) and in the other half the subordinate clause preceded the main clause (backward anaphora). Participants performed in a picture verification task in which they had to indi-cate the picture(s) that corresponded to the meaning of the subor-dinate clause, thus identifying the possible antecedents of the null or overt subject pronouns. The patterns of responses of the two groups were very similar with respect to the null subject pronouns in both the forward and backward anaphora conditions. Compared to native monolingual speakers, however, the near-natives had a significantly higher preference for the subject of the matrix clause as a possible antecedent of overt subject pronouns, particularly in the backward anaphora condition. The results indicate that near-native speakers have acquired the syntactic constraints on pronom-inal subjects in Italian, but may have residual indeterminacy in the interface processing strategies they employ in interpreting pronom-inal forms

Ultimate attainment of anaphora resolution in L2 Chinese

The current study tests the Interface Hypothesis through forward and backward anaphora in complex sentences with temporal subordinate clauses in highly proficient English-speaking learners’ second-language (L2) Chinese. Forward anaphora is involved when the overt pronoun ta ‘he/she’ or a null element appears in the subject position of the main clause, whereas backward anaphora is involved when it is in the subject position of the temporal clause, because the main clause always follows the temporal clause in Chinese. Specifically, the article tests the syntactic and discourse constraints in the interpretation and representation of ta and the null element in complex sentences. Ta is constrained by the syntactic cyclic-c-command condition. Thus it is possible for ta to refer to the other sentential subject in forward anaphora, but not in backward anaphora in Chinese. Unlike English, Chinese allows a null element in subject positions of finite subordinate and main clauses. It is proposed in the article that the null element in these positions is a Øtopic, a syntax–discourse interface category. Results from an acceptability judgement task and a picture judgment task indicate that Øtopic at the external interface has been acquired, whereas the cyclic-c-command condition within narrow syntax is fossilized in L2 Chinese

Early and Late Response and Glucocorticoid-Sparing Effect of Belimumab in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus with Joint and Skin Manifestations: Results from the Belimumab in Real Life Setting Study—Joint and Skin (BeRLiSS-JS)

Aim. To assess the efficacy of belimumab in joint and skin manifestations in a nationwide cohort of patients with SLE. Methods. All patients with skin and joint involvement enrolled in the BeRLiSS cohort were considered. Belimumab (intravenous, 10 mg/kg) effectiveness in joint and skin manifestations was assessed by DAS28 and CLASI, respectively. Attainment and predictors of DAS28 remission (<2.6) and LDA (≥2.6, ≤3.2), CLASI = 0, 1, and improvement in DAS28 and CLASI indices ≥20%, ≥50%, and ≥70% were evaluated at 6, 12, 24, and 36 months. Results. DAS28 < 2.6 was achieved by 46%, 57%, and 71% of patients at 6, 12, and 24 months, respectively. CLASI = 0 was achieved by 36%, 48%, and 62% of patients at 6, 12, and 24 months, respectively. Belimumab showed a glucocorticoid-sparing effect, being glucocorticoid-free at 8.5%, 15.4%, 25.6%, and 31.6% of patients at 6, 12, 24, and 36 months, respectively. Patients achieving DAS-LDA and CLASI-50 at 6 months had a higher probability of remission at 12 months compared with those who did not (p = 0.034 and p = 0.028, respectively). Conclusions. Belimumab led to clinical improvement in a significant proportion of patients with joint or skin involvement in a real-life setting and was associated with a glucocorticoid-sparing effect. A significant proportion of patients with a partial response at 6 months achieved remission later on during follow-up

Dual alpha2C/5HT1A receptor agonist allyphenyline induces gastroprotection and inhibits fundic and colonic contractility

Allyphenyline, a novel α2-adrenoceptor (AR) ligand, has been shown to selectively activate α2C-adrenoceptors (AR) and 5HT1A receptors, but also to behave as a neutral antagonist of α2A-ARs. We exploited this unique pharmacological profile to analyze the role of α2C-ARs and 5HT1A receptors in the regulation of gastric mucosal integrity and gastrointestinal motility