Indicators on Researchers' Career and Mobility in Europe: a "Modelling" Approach

This paper presents the "modelling" approach followed by IPTS to construct new and original indicators on researchers' career and mobility. Indeed three main problems have been identified in the existing statistics on researchers: lack of data at the EU level on different issues, lack of comparable and harmonized data between EU countries and long delay in obtaining statistics when they exist. To deal with these problems, the strategy consists in filling the gaps in the EU and national data, building proxies when robust data are not available, carrying out new ad-hoc surveys and estimating and extrapolating the results at the EU level when necessary and feasible. The general methodology of this approach is first presented. Then, three examples are developed to illustrate the interests and benefits of this approach in terms of results, but also the difficulties and problems that may exist. The three examples are the following: i) Nocasting/forecasting the number of researchers. ii) The international mobility of researchers and engineers in the EU25; iii) The career and mobility of doctoral candidates and postdoctorates in life sciences in Europe (and a comparison with the US).JRC.J.3-Knowledge for Growt

Progesterone differentially affects the transcriptomic profiles of cow endometrial cell types

Background The endometrium is a heterogeneous tissue composed of luminal epithelial (LE), glandular epithelial (GE), and stromal cells (ST), experiencing progesterone regulated dynamic changes during the estrous cycle. In the cow, this regulation at the transcriptomic level was only evaluated in the whole tissue. This study describes specific gene expression in the three types of cells isolated from endometrial biopsies following laser capture microdissection and the transcriptome changes induced by progesterone in GE and ST cells. Results Endometrial LE, GE, and ST cells show specific transcriptomic profiles. Most of the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in response to progesterone are cell type-specific (96%). Genes involved in cell cycle and nuclear division are under-expressed in the presence of progesterone in GE, highlighting the anti-proliferative action of progesterone in epithelial cells. Elevated progesterone concentrations are also associated with the under-expression of estrogen receptor 1 (ESR1) in GE and oxytocin receptor (OXTR) in GE and ST cells. In ST cells, transcription factors such as SOX17 and FOXA2, known to regulate uterine epithelial-stromal cross-talk conveying to endometrial receptivity, are over-expressed under progesterone influence. Conclusions The results from this study show that progesterone regulates endometrial function in a cell type-specific way, which is independent of the expression of its main receptor PGR. These novel insights into uterine physiology present the cell compartment as the physiological unit rather than the whole tissue

Seagulls and Beaches as Reservoirs for Multidrug-Resistant Escherichia coli

A variety of extended-spectrum β-lactamase–producing Escherichia coli isolates, with a high rate of cefotaximase-15 resistance, were identified in seagull feces from Porto, Portugal, beaches. Beaches may therefore present a risk to public health because of the potential pathogen-spreading capacity of migratory birds

Subclinical endometritis differentially affects the transcriptomic profiles of endometrial glandular, luminal, and stromal cells of postpartum dairy cows

In postpartum dairy cows, subclinical endometritis flammation, which has profound detrimental effects on subsequent reproductive performance. To date, transcriptomic studies related to this condition were either based on biopsy-derived whole-endometrium tissue or endometrial swab or cytobrush samples, thus masking effects of disease on cell type-specific gene expression. This study tested the hypothesis that different endometrial health statuses are associated with distinct transcription profiles of endometrial stromal, glandular, and luminal epithelial cells. At 44 d postpartum (DPP), endometrial biopsies were taken from dairy or affected by persistent SCE, according to endometrial cytology taken at 21 and 44 DPP. Stromal, glandular, and luminal epithelial cells were isolated from the whole-tissue biopsy by laser capture microdissection, and the cell-specific transcription profiles were determined by RNA sequencing. Differential gene expression demonstrated that global transcriptomic profiles and corresponding lists of differentially expressed genes beamong cell types. Results also showed that although healthy and recovered cows presented similar endoprior presence of immune cells still affected the transcriptome of endometrial cells at this stage, delaying complete functional recovery. Recovery or persistence of inflammation was associated with gene expression patterns involved not only in immune function but also in tissue remodeling, cell adhesion, and uterine recep-tivity in a cell type-specific manner. Identifying these signatures may contribute to the development of novel diagnostic tools and therapeutic strategies. In addition, these results may help to define preventive measures or ways to stimulate recovery from endometrial inflamma-tion, thus helping to restore the fertility of postpartum dairy cows

Overview of grapevine trunk diseases in France in the 2000s

The National Grapevine Trunk Disease Survey was conducted in France from 2003 to 2008 to monitor grapevine trunk diseases (GTDs), eutypa dieback and esca/black dead arm (BDA). Data collected from seven regions, 329 vineyards and 12 cultivars were analysed. There were great variations amongst regions in the incidence of GTDs. For esca/BDA, two groups were distinguished: vineyards in Jura and Charentes had greater incidence (93–95%) than those of Bordeaux, Alsace and Bourgogne (54–82%). Incidence increased in Charentes over the 6-year survey, with the highest values being recorded during the last 2 years. For eutypa dieback, all vineyards of Charentes were affected, with 17 to 25% of vines expressing symptoms; for the other regions, 52 to 80% of vineyards were affected, with incidences below 3%. Cultivars Savagnin and Trousseau in Jura were especially affected by esca/BDA. Instead, Ugni Blanc in Charentes was most affected by eutypa dieback. One cultivar could be significantly more affected in one region than in another. The global health status of the vineyards was also investigated. (i) For four regions, 82% (Jura) to 87% (Alsace) of the grapevines were healthy, but this percentage decreased steadily (67%) in Charentes. (ii) Plants infected by GTDs were 32 and 18% in Jura and Charentes respectively, and only 2.9% in the Bourgogne region. (iii) The unproductive plants, i.e. dead, missing, replanted or restored, represented a significant part of the losses (6.6% in Charentes to 9.9% in Jura). The extension of GTDs is discussed with regard to the abiotic and biotic factors that may favour the diseases

Estudo de alto-falantes a partir de materiais magnéticos macios sinterizados

This work has the purpose of studying loudspeakers in which the cores usually constructed from cast iron or rolled metal are replaced with parts of alloy obtained from the Powder Metallurgy process. The study comprises the obtaining of hysteresis curves of pure iron and some sintered alloys such as FeP, FeNi and FeSi and simulation by the finite element considering a conventional topology of a commercial loudspeaker. The simulations include the evaluation of flow in the air gap and a theoretical study of the powers developed compared to loudspeakers with conventional cores.Keywords: powder metallurgy, simulation by the finite element, loudspeakers.Este trabalho tem por objetivo o estudo de alto-falantes nos quais os núcleos, usualmente construídos a partir de ferro fundido ou aço laminado, são substituídos por peças de ligas obtidas a partir dos processos da Metalurgia do Pó. O estudo compreende a obtenção de curvas de histerese de Fe puro e de diversas ligas sinterizadas, tais como, FeP, FeSi e FeNi e posterior simulação através de elementos finitos, considerando uma topologia convencional de um alto-falante comercial. As simulações compreendem a avaliação de fluxo no entreferro e um estudo teórico sobre as potências desenvolvidas comparativamente a alto-falantes com núcleos convencionais.Palavras-chave: metalurgia do pó, simulação por elementos finitos, alto-falantes

Overview of grapevine trunk diseases in France in the 2000s

The National Grapevine Trunk Disease Survey was conducted in France from 2003 to 2008 to monitor grapevine trunk diseases (GTDs), eutypa dieback and esca/black dead arm (BDA). Data collected from seven regions, 329 vineyards and 12 cultivars were analysed. There were great variations amongst regions in the incidence of GTDs. For esca/BDA, two groups were distinguished: vineyards in Jura and Charentes had greater incidence (93–95%) than those of Bordeaux, Alsace and Bourgogne (54–82%). Incidence increased in Charentes over the 6-year survey, with the highest values being recorded during the last 2 years. For eutypa dieback, all vineyards of Charentes were affected, with 17 to 25% of vines expressing symptoms; for the other regions, 52 to 80% of vineyards were affected, with incidences below 3%. Cultivars Savagnin and Trousseau in Jura were especially affected by esca/BDA. Instead, Ugni Blanc in Charentes was most affected by eutypa dieback. One cultivar could be significantly more affected in one region than in another. The global health status of the vineyards was also investigated. (i) For four regions, 82% (Jura) to 87% (Alsace) of the grapevines were healthy, but this percentage decreased steadily (67%) in Charentes. (ii) Plants infected by GTDs were 32 and 18% in Jura and Charentes respectively, and only 2.9% in the Bourgogne region. (iii) The unproductive plants, i.e. dead, missing, replanted or restored, represented a significant part of the losses (6.6% in Charentes to 9.9% in Jura). The extension of GTDs is discussed with regard to the abiotic and biotic factors that may favour the diseases