Draft Genome Sequence of the Principal Etiological Agent of Farmer?s Lung Disease, Saccharopolyspora rectivirgula

Saccharopolyspora rectivirgula is the main cause of farmer's lung disease. The development of recombinant antigens to standardize the serodiagnosis of the disease requires knowledge of the S. rectivirgula genome. We sequenced the genome of an environmental strain, S. rectivirgula DSM 43113. A total of 3,221 proteins were found to be encoded in a short 3.9-Mb genome

HRTEM observations of La2Zr2O7 thin layers on LaAlO3 obtained by chemical methods

11 pagesInternational audienceLa2Zr2O7 (LZO) films have been grown by metalorganic Decomposition (MOD) to be used as buffer layers for coated conductors. LZO can crystallize into two similarstructures: fluorite or pyrochlore. Coated conductor application focuses on pyrochlore structure because it is a good barrier against oxygen diffusion. Classical X-ray diffraction is not able to separate the contribution of these two structures. TEM and HRTEM were used to determine the local distribution of these two phases in epitaxial LZO layers grown on LaAlO3. A characteristic feature of LZO thin films deposited by MOD is the formation of nanovoids in an almost single crystal structure of LZO pyrochlore phase. Forcomparison, LZO layers deposited by Metalorganic Chemical Vapor Deposition (MOCVD) were also studied. In this last case, the film is compact without voids and thestructure corresponds to pyrochlore phase. Thus, the formation of nanovoids is a characteristic feature of MOD grown films

Characterization of Color Production in Xalla´s Palace Complex, Teotihuacan

A multi-analytical approach was used to characterize color remains from Xalla, a Teotihuacan palace complex (project Teotihuacan, Elite and Government. Excavations in Xalla led by Linda R. Manzanilla). Color samples were obtained from polished lithic instruments and pigment ores. Those samples were analyzed combining microscopic and spectroscopic techniques. Our results coincide with previous studies in Teotihuacan, with the chromatic palette displaying a predominance of iron oxides such as hematite, yellow ochre and natural earths, as well as malachite, celadonite and glauconite. We have enlarged the corpus of raw materials with the characterization of jarosite and bone white and mica as aggregate. The identification of raw materials crossed with functional analysis of polished lithic artefacts suggests a production and application process for the pigmenting materials that were divided in four phases, from the crushing of the raw material to the application and finishing of the painted surfaces

IGF-II promotes neuroprotection and neuroplasticity recovery in a long-lasting model of oxidative damage induced by glucocorticoids

Insulin-like growth factor-II (IGF-II) is a naturally occurring hormone that exerts neurotrophic and neuroprotective properties in a wide range of neurodegenerative diseases and ageing. Accumulating evidence suggests that the effects of IGF-II in the brain may be explained by its binding to the specific transmembrane receptor, IGFII/M6P receptor (IGF-IIR). However, relatively little is known regarding the role of IGF-II through IGF-IIR in neuroprotection. Here, using adult cortical neuronal cultures, we investigated whether IGF-II exhibits long-term antioxidant effects and neuroprotection at the synaptic level after oxidative damage induced by high and transient levels of corticosterone (CORT). Furthermore, the involvement of the IGF-IIR was also studied to elucidate its role in the neuroprotective actions of IGF-II. We found that neurons treated with IGF-II after CORT incubation showed reduced oxidative stress damage and recovered antioxidant status (normalized total antioxidant status, lipid hydroperoxides and NAD(P) H:quinone oxidoreductase activity). Similar results were obtained when mitochondria function was analysed (cytochrome c oxidase activity, mitochondrial membrane potential and subcellular mitochondrial distribution). Furthermore, neuronal impairment and degeneration were also assessed (synaptophysin and PSD-95 expression, presynaptic function and FluoroJade B® stain). IGF-II was also able to recover the long-lasting neuronal cell damage. Finally, the effects of IGF-II were not blocked by an IGF-IR antagonist, suggesting the involvement of IGF-IIR. Altogether these results suggest that, in or model, IGF-II through IGF-IIR is able to revert the oxidative damage induced by CORT. In accordance with the neuroprotective role of the IGF-II/IGF-IIR reported in our study, pharmacotherapy approaches targeting this pathway may be useful for the treatment of diseases associated with cognitive deficits (i.e., neurodegenerative disorders, depression, etc.)

Bcl-2/Bax protein ratio predicts 5-fluorouracil sensitivity independently of p53 status

p53 tumour-suppressor gene is involved in cell growth control, arrest and apoptosis. Nevertheless cell cycle arrest and apoptosis induction can be observed in p53-defective cells after exposure to DNA-damaging agents such as 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) suggesting the importance of alternative pathways via p53-independent mechanisms. In order to establish relationship between p53 status, cell cycle arrest, Bcl-2/Bax regulation and 5-FU sensitivity, we examined p53 mRNA and protein expression and p53 protein functionality in wild-type (wt) and mutant (mt) p53 cell lines. p53 mRNA and p53 protein expression were determined before and after exposure to equitoxic 5-FU concentration in six human carcinoma cell lines differing in p53 status and displaying marked differences in 5-FU sensitivity, with IC 50 values ranging from 0.2–22.6 mM. 5-FU induced a rise in p53 mRNA expression in mt p53 cell lines and in human papilloma virus positive wt p53 cell line, whereas significant decrease in p53 mRNA expression was found in wt p53 cell line. Whatever p53 status, 5-FU altered p53 transcriptional and translational regulation leading to up-regulation of p53 protein. In relation with p53 functionality, but independently of p53 mutational status, after exposure to 5-FU equitoxic concentration, all cell lines were able to arrest in G1. No relationship was evidenced between G1 accumulation ability and 5-FU sensitivity. Moreover, after 5-FU exposure, Bax and Bcl-2 proteins regulation was under p53 protein control and a statistically significant relationship (r= 0.880,P= 0.0097) was observed between Bcl-2/Bax ratio and 5-FU sensitivity. In conclusion, whatever p53 status, Bcl-2 or Bax induction and Bcl-2/Bax protein ratio were correlated to 5-FU sensitivity. © 2000 Cancer Research Campaig

Disentangling the effects of environmental conditions on wintering and breeding grounds on age-specific survival rates in a trans-Saharan migratory raptor

International audienceMigratory species are subject to environmental variability occurring on breeding and wintering grounds. Estimating the relative contribution of environmental factors experienced sequentially during breeding and wintering, and their potential interaction, to the variation of survival is crucial to predict population viability of migratory species. Here we investigated this issue for the Montagu's harrier Circus pygargus, a trans‐Saharan migrant. We analysed capture‐recapture data from a 29‐yr long monitoring of wing‐tagged offspring and adults at two study sites in France (Rochefort‐RO & Maine‐et‐Loire‐ML). The study period covers a climatic shift occurring in the Sahel with increasing rainfall following a period of droughts (Sahel greening). We found that harriers’ adult survival in RO (between 1988 and 2005) varied over time and was sensitive to the interaction between the amount of rainfall in the Sahel and the annual mean breeding success, two proxies of prey availability. The occurrence of adverse conditions on breeding and wintering grounds in the same year decreased survival from 0.70‐0.77 to 0.48 ± 0.05. Juvenile survival in RO was slightly more sensitive to conditions in Europe than in the Sahel. Unexpectedly, lower survival rates were found in years with higher mean breeding success, suggesting compensatory density feedbacks may operate. By contrast, adult survival in ML, monitored between 1999 and 2017, was higher compared to RO (0.76 ± 0.03 vs. 0.66 ± 0.02), remained constant and unaffected by any proxy of prey availability. This difference seems consistent with the fact that harriers in ML experienced better and especially less variable environmental conditions during breeding and wintering seasons compared to RO. Overall, we showed that survival of a migratory bird is sensitive to the level of variability in environmental conditions and that adverse conditions on wintering grounds can amplify the negative effects of conditions during the previous breeding season on birds’ survival

Personality disorders and psychosocial problems in a group of participants to therapeutic processes for people with severe social disabilities

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Homeless people have high dropout rates when they participate in therapeutic processes. The causes of this failure are not always known. This study investigates whether dropping-out is mediated by personality disorders or whether psychosocial problems are more important.</p> <p>Method</p> <p>Eighty-nine homeless people in a socio-laboral integration process were assessed. An initial interview was used, and the MCMI II questionnaire was applied to investigate the presence of psychosocial disorders (DSM-IV-TR axis IV). This was designed as an <it>ex post-facto </it>prospective study.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Personality disorders were very frequent among the homeless people examined. Moreover, the high index of psychosocial problems (axis IV) in this population supported the proposal that axis IV disorders are influential in failure to complete therapy.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The outcomes of the study show that the homeless people examined presented with more psychopathological symptoms, in both axis II and axis IV, than the general population. This supports the need to take into account the comorbidity between these two types of disorder among homeless people, in treatment and in the development of specific intervention programs. In conclusion, the need for more psychosocial treatments addressing the individual problems of homeless people is supported.</p

The Big Three Perfectionism Scale: A new measure of perfectionism

This article introduces a new measure of dispositional perfectionism: the Big Three Perfectionism Scale (BTPS). The BTPS assesses three higher-order global factors (rigid perfectionism, self-critical perfectionism, narcissistic perfectionism) via 10 lower-order perfectionism facets (self-oriented perfectionism, self-worth contingencies, concern over mistakes, doubts about actions, self-criticism, socially prescribed perfectionism, other-oriented perfectionism, hypercriticism, grandiosity, entitlement). The present investigation examined the structure of the BTPS using exploratory factor analysis in Study 1 (288 undergraduates), and confirmatory factor analyses in Study 2 (352 community adults) and Study 3 (290 undergraduates). Additionally, in Study 3 the relationships among the BTPS, other measures of perfectionism, and the five-factor model of personality were investigated. Overall, findings provide first evidence for the reliability and validity of the BTPS as a multidimensional measure of perfectionism