Qualité des sols viticoles en Languedoc Roussillon : effets des pratiques

Le sol, composante du Terroir doit être considéré comme une ressource non renouvelable essentielle au fonctionnement des agro‐écosystèmes. Or, les sols viticoles sont particulièrement vulnérables aux dégradations. L’objectif central de ma thèse est donc d’évaluer comment les pratiques viticoles affectent la qualité des sols dans le Languedoc‐Roussillon. Pour ce faire, j’ai d’abord évalué la qualité des sols sur 164 parcelles présentant une grande variabilité de pratiques culturales et réparties sur 9 zones pédologiques très diversifiées. Puis, j’ai évalué la vitesse de changement de la qualité des sols par l’analyse de 23 parcelles d’une zone homogène converties progressivement en viticulture biologique depuis un maximum de 17 ans. Plusieurs indicateurs physiques (densité apparente, porosité totale, stabilité structurale et humidité à la capacité au champ), chimiques (teneur en carbone et azote, C/N, disponibilité des éléments P, K, et Cu, capacité d’échange cationique) et biologiques (biomasse microbienne, respirométrie, nématodes, vers de terre) ont été mesurés afin de fournir une vision holistique de la qualité des sols. Mes résultats montrent une diversité de qualité des sols viticoles au regard des perturbations subies par les différentes pratiques. J’ai également démontré que la majorité des indicateurs étudiés sont sensibles aux pratiques viticoles indépendamment des types de sol étudiés. Concernant la dynamique de changement, la qualité des sols viticoles se stabilise après 7‐11 de pratiques biologiques. Toutefois, malgré une augmentation significative des activités biologiques du sol (micro‐organismes et nématodes libres), la conversion depuis 17 ans n’a pas mis en évidence une amélioration nette de la qualité du sol. En conclusion, nous avons confirmé la vulnérabilité des sols viticoles languedociens aux pratiques en cours. Mes travaux mettent en lumière l’importance du transfert des connaissances acquises lors de ce travail pour améliorer la perception de la qualité des sols par les viticulteurs et les professionnels de la filière viticole

Imaging and manipulating pituitary function in the awake mouse

International audienceExtensive efforts have been made to explore how the activities of multiple brain cells combine to alter physiology through imaging and cell-specific manipulation in different animal models. However, the temporal regulation of peripheral organs by the neuroendocrine factors released by the brain is poorly understood. We have established a suite of adaptable methodologies to interrogate in vivo the relationship of hypothalamic regulation with the secretory output of the pituitary gland, which has complex functional networks of multiple cell types intermingled with the vasculature. These allow imaging and optogenetic manipulation of cell activities in the pituitary gland in awake mouse models, in which both neuronal regulatory activity and hormonal output are preserved. These methodologies are now readily applicable for longitudinal studies of short-lived events (e.g., calcium signals controlling hormone exocytosis) and slowly evolving processes such as tissue remodeling in health and disease over a period of days to weeks

Evidence for indigenous nitrogen in sedimentary and aeolian deposits from the Curiosity rover investigations at Gale crater, Mars

The Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) investigation on the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) Curiosity rover has detected oxidized nitrogen-bearing compounds during pyrolysis of scooped aeolian sediments and drilled sedimentary deposits within Gale crater. Total N concentrations ranged from 20 to 250 nmol N per sample. After subtraction of known N sources in SAM, our results support the equivalent of 110–300 ppm of nitrate in the Rocknest (RN) aeolian samples, and 70–260 and 330–1,100 ppm nitrate in John Klein (JK) and Cumberland (CB) mudstone deposits, respectively. Discovery of indigenous martian nitrogen in Mars surface materials has important implications for habitability and, specifically, for the potential evolution of a nitrogen cycle at some point in martian history. The detection of nitrate in both wind-drifted fines (RN) and in mudstone (JK, CB) is likely a result of N2 fixation to nitrate generated by thermal shock from impact or volcanic plume lightning on ancient Mars. Fixed nitrogen could have facilitated the development of a primitive nitrogen cycle on the surface of ancient Mars, potentially providing a biochemically accessible source of nitrogen

Detection of Organics at Mars: How Wet Chemistry Onboard SAM Helps

For the first time in the history of space exploration, a mission of interest to astrobiology could be able to analyze refractory organic compounds in the soil of Mars. Wet chemistry experiment allow organic components to be altered in such a way that improves there detection either by releasing the compounds from sample matricies or by changing the chemical structure to be amenable to analytical conditions. The latter is particular important when polar compounds are present. Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM), on the Curiosity rover of the Mars Science Laboratory mission, has onboard two wet chemistry experiments: derivatization and thermochemolysis. Here we report on the nature of the MTBSTFA derivatization experiment on SAM, the detection of MTBSTFA in initial SAM results, and the implications of this detection

Thyroid-stimulating hormone pulses finely tune thyroid hormone release and TSH receptor transduction

Detection of circulating thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) is a first-line test of thyroid dysfunction, a major health problem (affecting about 5% of the population) that, if untreated, can lead to a significant deterioration of quality of life and adverse effects on multiple organ systems. Human TSH levels display both pulsatile and (non-pulsatile) basal TSH secretion patterns; however, the importance of these in regulating thyroid function and their decoding by the thyroid is unknown. Here, we developed a novel ultra-sensitive ELISA that allows precise detection of TSH secretion patterns with minute resolution in mouse models of health and disease. We characterised the patterns of ultradian TSH pulses in healthy, freely-behaving mice over the day-night cycle. Challenge of the thyroid axis with primary hypothyroidism due to iodine deficiency, a major cause of thyroid dysfunction worldwide, results in alterations of TSH pulsatility. Induction in mouse models of sequential TSH pulses that mimic ultradian TSH profiles in periods of minutes were more efficient than sustained rises in basal TSH levels at increasing both thyroid follicle cAMP levels, as monitored with a genetically-encoded cAMP sensor, and circulating thyroid hormone (TH). Hence this mouse TSH assay provides a powerful tool to decipher how ultradian TSH pulses encode thyroid outcomes, and to uncover hidden parameters in the TSH-TH set-point in health and disease.</p

Assessing the impact of exposome on the course of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and cystc fibrosis:The REMEDIA European Project Approach

International audienceBecause of the direct interaction of lungs with the environment, respiratory diseases are among the leading causes of environment-related deaths in the world. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and cystic fibrosis (CF) are two highly debilitating diseases that are of particular interest in the context of environmental studies; they both are characterized by a similar progressive loss of lung function with small bronchi alterations, and a high phenotypic variability of unknown origin, which prevents a good therapeutic efficacy. In the last years, there has been an evolution in the apprehension of the study of diseases going from a restricted &quot;one exposure, one disease&quot; approach to a broader concept with other associating factors, the exposome. The overall objective of the REMEDIA project is to extend the understanding of the contribution of the exposome to COPD and CF diseases. To achieve our aim, we will (1) exploit data from existing cohorts and population registries to create a unified global database gathering phenotype and exposome information; (2) develop a flexible individual sensor device combining environmental and biomarker toolkits; (3) use a versatile atmospheric simulation chamber to simulate the health effects of complex exposomes; (4) use machine learning supervised analyses and causal inference models to identify relevant risk factors; and (5) develop econometric and cost-effectiveness models to assess the costs, performance, and cost-effectiveness of a selection of prevention strategies. The results will be used to develop guidelines to better predict disease risks and constitute the elements of the REMEDIA toolbox. The multidisciplinary approach carried out by the REMEDIA European project should represent a major breakthrough in reducing the morbidity and mortality associated with COPD and CF diseases

The Sample Analysis at Mars Investigation and Instrument Suite

The Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) investigation of the Mars Science Laboratory(MSL) addresses the chemical and isotopic composition of the atmosphere and volatilesextracted from solid samples. The SAM investigation is designed to contribute substantiallyto the mission goal of quantitatively assessing the habitability of Mars as an essentialstep in the search for past or present life on Mars. SAM is a 40 kg instrument suite locatedin the interior of MSLs Curiosity rover. The SAM instruments are a quadrupole massspectrometer, a tunable laser spectrometer, and a 6-column gas chromatograph all coupledthrough solid and gas processing systems to provide complementary information on thesame samples. The SAM suite is able to measure a suite of light isotopes and to analyzevolatiles directly from the atmosphere or thermally released from solid samples. In additionto measurements of simple inorganic compounds and noble gases SAM will conducta sensitive search for organic compounds with either thermal or chemical extraction fromsieved samples delivered by the sample processing system on the Curiosity rovers roboticarm

Abiotic Input of Fixed Nitrogen by Bolide Impacts to Gale Crater During the Hesperian : Insights From the Mars Science Laboratory

We acknowledge the NASA Mars Science Laboratory Program, Centre National d'Études Spatiales, the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (PAPIIT IN109416, IN111619, and PAPIME PE103216), and the Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología de México (CONACyT 220626) for their support. We thank Fred Calef for constructing Figure 4 and appreciate the interest and support received from John P. Grotzinger and Joy A. Crisp throughout the Curiosity mission. The authors are grateful to the SAM and MSL teams for successful operation of the SAM instrument and the Curiosity rover. The data used in this paper are listed in the supporting information, figures, and references. SAM Data contained in this paper are publicly available through the NASA Planetary Data System at http://pds‐geosciences.wustl.edu/missions/msl/sam.htm. We would like to express gratitude to Pierre‐Yves Meslin from the Research Institute in Astrophysics and Planetology at Toulouse, France, and five anonymous reviewers whose comments/suggestions on earlier drafts helped improve and clarify this manuscript. The authors declare no conflicts of interests.Peer reviewedPublisher PD