Datation par les séries de l'Uranium des occupations moustériennes de la grotte de Teixoneres (Moia, Province de Barcelone, Espagne)

Une première chronologie des occupations moustériennes de la grotte des Teixoneres (province de Barcelone, Espagne) a été établie grâce à la datation uranium-thorium de deux planchers stalagmitiques encadrant les niveaux moustériens. Des âges compris entre 13 et 17 ka, après correction du 230Th détritique, ont été déterminés sur le plancher supérieur, indiquant que le dépôt de ces spéléothèmes pourrait alors correspondre à l'oscillation climatique Bølling-Allerød. Le plancher inférieur a pour sa part été attribué au stade isotopique 5.3.A first chronology of the Mousterian levels of the Teixoneres cave (province of Barcelona, Spain) was established using U-series dating method on two stalagmitic flowstones located respectively above and under the mousterian levels.  For the upper one, ages range from 13 to 17 ka, after correction of the detritic 230Th, indicating that the deposit of these speleothems could then correspond to the Bølling-Allerød oscillation.  The lower flowstone was deposited during the oxygen isotopic stage 5.3

A Low Percent Ethanol Method for Immobilizing Planarians

Planarians have recently become a popular model system for the study of adult stem cells, regeneration and polarity. The system is attractive for both undergraduate and graduate research labs, since planarian colonies are low cost and easy to maintain. Also in situ hybridization, immunofluorescence and RNA-interference (RNAi) gene knockdown techniques have been developed for planarian studies. However, imaging of live worms (particularly at high magnifications) is difficult because animals are strongly photophobic; they quickly move away from light sources and out of frame. The current methods available to inhibit movement in planarians include RNAi injection and exposure to cold temperatures. The former is labor and time intensive, while the latter precludes the use of many fluorescent reporter dyes. Here, we report a simple, inexpensive and reversible method to immobilize planarians for live imaging. Our data show that a short 1 hour treatment with 3% ethanol (EtOH) is sufficient to inhibit both the fine and gross movements of Schmidtea mediterranea planarians, of the typical size used (4–6 mm), with full recovery of movement within 3–4 hours. Importantly, EtOH treatment did not interfere with regeneration, even after repeated exposure, nor lyse epithelial cells (as assayed by H&E staining). We demonstrate that a short exposure to a low concentration of EtOH is a quick and effective method of immobilizing planarians, one that is easily adaptable to planarians of all sizes and will increase the accessibility of live imaging assays to planarian researchers

SMG-1 and mTORC1 Act Antagonistically to Regulate Response to Injury and Growth in Planarians

Planarian flatworms are able to both regenerate their whole bodies and continuously adapt their size to nutrient status. Tight control of stem cell proliferation and differentiation during these processes is the key feature of planarian biology. Here we show that the planarian homolog of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase-related kinase (PIKK) family member SMG-1 and mTOR complex 1 components are required for this tight control. Loss of smg-1 results in a hyper-responsiveness to injury and growth and the formation of regenerative blastemas that remain undifferentiated and that lead to lethal ectopic outgrowths. Invasive stem cell hyper-proliferation, hyperplasia, hypertrophy, and differentiation defects are hallmarks of this uncontrolled growth. These data imply a previously unappreciated and novel physiological function for this PIKK family member. In contrast we found that planarian members of the mTOR complex 1, tor and raptor, are required for the initial response to injury and blastema formation. Double smg-1 RNAi experiments with tor or raptor show that abnormal growth requires mTOR signalling. We also found that the macrolide rapamycin, a natural compound inhibitor of mTORC1, is able to increase the survival rate of smg-1 RNAi animals by decreasing cell proliferation. Our findings support a model where Smg-1 acts as a novel regulator of both the response to injury and growth control mechanisms. Our data suggest the possibility that this may be by suppressing mTOR signalling. Characterisation of both the planarian mTORC1 signalling components and another PIKK family member as key regulators of regeneration and growth will influence future work on regeneration, growth control, and the development of anti-cancer therapies that target mTOR signalling

An Outer Arm Dynein Conformational Switch Is Required for Metachronal Synchrony of Motile Cilia in Planaria

Here we use the motile ventral cilia of the planarian S. mediterranea to examine the role of outer arm dynein in the generation and maintenance of metachronal synchrony. We demonstrate that a single dynein light chain plays a mechanosensory role necessary to entrain and maintain the metachronal synchrony of motile cilia

El abrigo del Filador y el proceso de Neolitización en el valle del Montsant (Tarragona, Cataluña, España)

Dans cette étude on rend compte des fouilles à l’abri du Filador (Catalogne, Espagne) et des recherches entreprises dans toute la vallée du Montsant, où se trouve cet abri.Aux données d’ordre géographique, géologique et écologique s’ajoutent les résultats des fouilles des niveaux 2 et 3 qui représentent le début du processus de la néolithisation de cette zone de Catalogne à partir de l’étude de l’industrie lithique, de la poterie et de la faune.In this paper we give the news about our excavations at he abri of Filador (Catalonia, Spain), and about our researches in the Montsant valley, where the site is placed.To the geographical, geological and ecological date we and the results of the level 2 and 3 excavations that represent the beginning of the neolithisation process in this area of Catalonia, from the studi of lithic industry, pottery and animal bones

Evolution of Functional Exercise Capacity in Lung Transplant Patients I With and Without Bronchiolitis Obliterans Syndrome: A Longitudinal Case-Control Study

INTRODUCTION: Bronchiolitis Obliterans Syndrome (BOS) is a debilitating disease with limited treatment options that threatens both the quality of life and long-term survival of lung transplant (LTx) recipients. This retrospective longitudinal case-control study was performed to compare the long-term functional evolution of LTx recipients with and without BOS. METHODS: Twenty-four LTx recipients with BOS (BOS=Cases) and 24 without BOS (NON-BOS=Controls) were selected and individually matched according to age, gender, diagnosis and LTx characteristics. Measurements of 6-minute walking distance (6MWD), symptoms of dyspnea (BORG CR-10 scale), and comprehensive pulmonary function testing were performed before LTx and at annual follow-up assessments after LTx. RESULTS: Peak FEV1 after LTx was similar in both groups [FEV1 (% predicted) 101±25 vs. 101±31, p=0.96] and BOS diagnosis in cases was established 3.6±2.5 years after LTx. At the final follow-up assessment (6.5±3.2 years after LTx) FEV1 (% predicted) was 86±34 in NON-BOS vs. 44±17 in BOS (p<0.001). Evolution of 6MWD was different between groups (group by time interaction: p=0.002). Borg dyspnea scores were also significantly different between groups at the final evaluation (NON-BOS 3.3±1.7 vs. BOS 5.0±2.2; p=0.024). CONCLUSIONS: We observed gradual reductions in functional exercise capacity and increasing symptoms of dyspnea in patients who developed BOS after LTx. As such, prospective studies seem warranted to explore whether rehabilitative interventions might be useful to improve symptoms and slow down deterioration of exercise capacity in these patients from the onset of BOS.status: publishe

Telephone Management Program for Patients Discharged From an Emergency Department After a Suicide Attempt: A 5-Year Follow-Up Study in a Spanish Population

Aim: In a previous controlled study, the authors reported on the significant beneficial effects of a telephone intervention program for prevention of suicide attempts by patients for up to 1 year. This study reports the 5-year follow-up data. Outcomes were number of recurrences and time to recurrence. Method: The intervention was carried out on patients discharged from the emergency room (ER) following attempted suicide (Sabadell). It consisted of a systematic, 1-year telephone follow-up program: after 1 week, and thereafter at 1-, 3-, 6-, 9-, and 12-month intervals to assess the risk of suicide and encourage adherence to treatment. The population in the control group (Terrassa) received treatment as usual after discharge, without additional telephone contact. Results: The effect of reattempt prevention observed in the first year was not maintained over the long term. Conclusion: A telephone management program for patients discharged from an ER after attempted suicide could be considered a useful strategy in delaying further suicide attempts and reducing the rate of reattempts in the first year. However, results showed that the beneficial effects were not maintained at the 5-year follow-up