The use of quantitative mineralogy linked to palynological studies in palaeoenvironmental reconstruction : the case study of the "Lagoa Campestre" lake, Salitre, Minas Gerais, Brazil

La comparaison des contenus minéraux déterminés par spectroscopie IRTF et polliniques de sédiments lacustres de la région de Salitre (Brésil) montre que les variations des teneurs en phases minérales répercutent des changements régionaux ou locaux de l'environnement. Une évolution inverse entre couvert forestier et charge détritique des sédiments est observée pendant la phase lacustre pleistocène. La méthode utilisée permet la détection d'un hiatus sédimentaire marqué par un changement brutal du contenu minéral, ainsi que l'évaluation du caractère abrupt de certains changements du couvert végétal qui, en l'absence de datation, pourraient être confondus avec un hiatus sédimentaire. (Résumé d'auteur

Joint contrast optimization and object segmentation in active polarimetric images

International audienceWe present a method for automatic target detection based on the iterative interplay between an active polarimetric imager with adaptive capabilities and a snake-based image segmentation algorithm. It successfully addresses the difficult situations where the target and the background differ only by their polarimetric properties. This method illustrates the benefits of integrating digital processing algorithms at the heart of the image acquisition process rather than using them only for postprocessing

Active polarimetric imaging with adaptive contrast optimization (Orale)

International audienceWe propose a method for semi-automatic target detection and contrast optimization making joint use of an adaptive polarimetric imager and a statistical image segmentation algorithm. It can be used to detect targets that differ from the background by their polarimetric properties. This method illustrates the benefits of integrating digital processing algorithms in the image acquisition process, rather than using them only for post-processing

Growth-rate-dependent and nutrient-specific gene expression resource allocation in fission yeast

Cellular resources are limited and their relative allocation to gene expression programmes determines physiological states and global properties such as the growth rate. Here, we determined the importance of the growth rate in explaining relative changes in protein and mRNA levels in the simple eukaryote Schizosaccharomyces pombe grown on non-limiting nitrogen sources. Although expression of half of fission yeast genes was significantly correlated with the growth rate, this came alongside wide-spread nutrient-specific regulation. Proteome and transcriptome often showed coordinated regulation but with notable exceptions, such as metabolic enzymes. Genes positively correlated with growth rate participated in every level of protein production apart from RNA polymerase II-dependent transcription. Negatively correlated genes belonged mainly to the environmental stress response programme. Critically, metabolic enzymes, which represent ∼55-70% of the proteome by mass, showed mostly condition-specific regulation. In summary, we provide a rich account of resource allocation to gene expression in a simple eukaryote, advancing our basic understanding of the interplay between growth-rate-dependent and nutrient-specific gene expression

Model prediction and validation of an order mechanism controlling the spatio-temporal phenotype of early hepatocellular carcinoma

The aggressiveness of a tumor may be reflected by its micro-architecture. To gain a deeper understanding of the mechanisms controlling spatial organization of tumors at early stages after tumor initiation, we used an agent-based spatio-temporal model previously established to simulate features of liver regeneration. Here, this model was further developed to simulate scenarios in early tumor development, when individual initiated hepatocytes gain increased proliferation capacity. The model simulations were performed in realistic liver microarchitectures obtained from 3D reconstruction of confocal laser scanning micrographs. Interestingly, the here established model predicted that initially initiated hepatocytes arrange in elongated patterns. Only when the tumor progresses to cell numbers of approximately 4,000, it adopts spherical structures. This model prediction was validated by the analysis of initiated cells in a rat liver tumor initiation study using single doses of 250 mg/kg of the genotoxic carcinogen Nnitrosomorpholine (NNM). Indeed, small clusters of GST-P positive cells induced by NNM were elongated, almost columnar, while larger GDT-P positive foci of approximately the size of liver lobuli, adopted spherical shapes. Simulation of numerous possible mechanisms demonstrated that only hepatocyte-sinusoidal-alignment (HSA), a previously discovered order mechanism involved in coordination of liver tissue architecture, could explain the experimentally observed initial deviation from sphericalshape. The present study demonstrates that the architecture of small hepatocellular tumor cell clusters early after initiation is still controlled by physiological control mechanisms. However, this coordinating influence is lost when the tumor grows to approximately 4,000 cells, leading to further growth in spherical shape. Our findings stress the potential importance of organ micro-architecture in understanding tumor phenotypes

Study of the hydrogen escape rate at Mars during Martian years 28 and 29 from comparisons between SPICAM/Mars Express observations and GCM-LMD simulations

EPSC-DPS Joint Meeting 2019, held 15-20 September 2019 in Geneva, Switzerland, id. EPSC-DPS2019-499-2.- © Author(s) 2019. CC Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.esWe simulate the 3D Martian hydrogen corona during the Martian years 28 and 29 at different solar longitudes using a set of models of atomic hydrogen density from the surface to the exosphere. These simulations are compared to Mars Express / SPICAM observations and show a strong underestimate of the brightness by our models near southern summer that could be due to an underestimate of the amount of water vapor delivered to the upper atmosphere at this season

An extrasolar planetary system with three Neptune-mass planets

Over the past two years, the search for low-mass extrasolar planets has led to the detection of seven so-called 'hot Neptunes' or 'super-Earths' around Sun-like stars. These planets have masses 5-20 times larger than the Earth and are mainly found on close-in orbits with periods of 2-15 days. Here we report a system of three Neptune-mass planets with periods of 8.67, 31.6 and 197 days, orbiting the nearby star HD 69830. This star was already known to show an infrared excess possibly caused by an asteroid belt within 1 AU (the Sun-Earth distance). Simulations show that the system is in a dynamically stable configuration. Theoretical calculations favour a mainly rocky composition for both inner planets, while the outer planet probably has a significant gaseous envelope surrounding its rocky/icy core; the outer planet orbits within the habitable zone of this star.Comment: 17 pages, 3 figures, preprint of the paper published in Nature on May 18, 200

Genetic Structure of Plasmodium falciparum and Elimination of Malaria, Comoros Archipelago

Elimination interventions should be implemented simultaneously throughout the entire archipelago

Four Martian years of nightside upper thermospheric mass densities derived from electron reflectometry: Method extension and comparison with GCM simulations

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/95498/1/jgre2766.pd

Broad Antiviral Activity of Carbohydrate-Binding Agents against the Four Serotypes of Dengue Virus in Monocyte-Derived Dendritic Cells

BACKGROUND: Dendritic cells (DC), present in the skin, are the first target cells of dengue virus (DENV). Dendritic cell-specific intercellular adhesion molecule 3-grabbing non-integrin (DC-SIGN) is present on DC and recognizes N-glycosylation sites on the E-glycoprotein of DENV. Thus, the DC-SIGN/E-glycoprotein interaction can be considered as an important target for inhibitors of viral replication. We evaluated various carbohydrate-binding agents (CBAs) against all four described serotypes of DENV replication in Raji/DC-SIGN(+) cells and in monocyte-derived DC (MDDC). METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: A dose-dependent anti-DENV activity of the CBAs Hippeastrum hybrid (HHA), Galanthus nivalis (GNA) and Urtica dioica (UDA), but not actinohivin (AH) was observed against all four DENV serotypes as analyzed by flow cytometry making use of anti-DENV antibodies. Remarkably, the potency of the CBAs against DENV in MDDC cultures was significantly higher (up to 100-fold) than in Raji/DC-SIGN(+) cells. Pradimicin-S (PRM-S), a small-size non-peptidic CBA, exerted antiviral activity in MDDC but not in Raji/DC-SIGN(+) cells. The CBAs act at an early step of DENV infection as they bind to the viral envelope of DENV and subsequently prevent virus attachment. Only weak antiviral activity of the CBAs was detected when administered after the virus attachment step. The CBAs were also able to completely prevent the cellular activation and differentiation process of MDDC induced upon DENV infection. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The CBAs exerted broad spectrum antiviral activity against the four DENV serotypes, laboratory-adapted viruses and low passage clinical isolates, evaluated in Raji/DC-SIGN(+) cells and in primary MDDC