Dislocations à gauches et antépositions : des variantes en distribution complémentaire ?

National audienceIn this paper, I try to show that, contrary to what one might think, left dislocation (LD : John, I like him) and fronting (also called topicalisation: John, I like) are not in complementary distribution. First of all, the notion of topicalisation, which is used to describe both structures, cannot be considered to be a common ground, since it doesn't apply to all cases of LD or fronting. Second, if we look at the discourse statuses of the left dislocated and fronted elements, we cannot say that they are complementary: LDs are not all Discourse-new, and fronted elements are not all Discourse-old. Third, if we consider the syntactic environments in which the two structures appear, they are not complementary either: even though some contexts belong exclusively to either one or the other structure, other contexts are common to both LD and fronting.Nous examinons les dislocations à gauche (DG: John, I like him) et les antépositions (John, I like) d'un point de vue discursif et syntaxique pour conclure que, contrairement à ce que pensent certains auteurs, elles ne sont pas en distribution complémentaire. Tout d'abord, la notion de topicalisation, qui pourrait être le point commun entre les deux types de structure, ne s'applique en fait pas à tous les cas de DG ou d'antéposition. Ensuite, nous ne pouvons pas opposer les DG et les antépositions d'un point de vue discursif: même si les DG sont généralement "Discourse-new" et les antépositions "Discourse-old", ce n'est pas systématique. Enfin, les deux structures ne peuvent pas non plus être considérées comme étant en distribution complémentaire d'un point de vue syntaxique car même si certains contextes appartiennent uniquement à l'un ou l'autre structure, d'autres sont également communs

Dislocations à droite et extrapositions nominales : syntaxe et réalisation(s)

National audienceThe purpose of this paper is to study two types of detached NPs from a syntactic, semantic, pragmatic and prosodic perspective: right dislocations (It's getting worse the gap between the rich and poor), and extraposed NPs (It's incredible the number of butterflies here). We show that the criteria used to distinguish between the two structures are not always reliable and that the two types of NPs are not as distinct as might be thought. An attempt to clarify the two concepts leads to the conclusion that the nature of a right-detached NP is largely responsible for its intonational realisation.Notre but est d'étudier d'un point de vue syntactico-sémantique, pragmatique et prosodique deux types de SN détachés à droite : les dislocations à droite (It's getting worse the gap between the rich and poor : Ça s'aggrave, le fossé entre les riches et les pauvres) et les extrapositions nominales (It's incredible the number of butterflies here : C'est incroyable, la quantité de papillons que l'on trouve par ici). Nous démontrons que les critères avancés pour distinguer ces deux structures ne sont pas toujours fiables et que les frontières ne sont pas si nettes que l'on pourrait le croire. Une tentative de clarification conceptuelle aboutit à la conclusion que la nature d'un SN détaché à droite détermine pour bonne part sa réalisation intonative

Les dislocations: textes et contextes

National audienceIn this paper we analyse the contexts in which left and right dislocations appear. Our corpus is based on written as well as oral discourse, with texts ranging from the year 1884 to 2005. After trying to define both types of dislocation, and seeing how far the definitions can be extended, we notice that the dislocated NP is most of the time definite (90% of our examples). This phenomenon may be explained by the notions of anaphora, deixis and thematisation. Dislocations appear both in oral and written texts. In written texts, they can be found not only in dialogue and free indirect speech, but also in narration, which may be more surprising. There seems to be a slight evolution towards a greater use of dislocations (especially left dislocations), but this is not self-evident. We also consider the question of the functions of right dislocations in discourse, exemplifying such functions as referent-clarification, emphasis, contrast or comment.Nous analysons, à partir d'un corpus d'anglais oral et écrit allant de 1884 à 2005, les contextes dans lesquels les dislocations à gauche et à droite apparaissent. Après avoir examiné jusqu'à quel point la définition des dislocations peut être étendue, nous constatons que le GN disloqué est dans 90% des cas défini, ce qui peut s'expliquer en termes d'anaphore, de deixis et de thématisation. Les dislocations ne sont pas qu'un phénomène d'oral spontané. Elles apparaissent également en discours écrit (discours indirect, mais aussi narration). Il semblerait que les dislocations soient plus employées et mieux acceptées de nos jours, même si leur emploi est en fait surtout une question d'idiostyle. Nous abordons enfin le problème des fonctions discursives des dislocations à droite (clarification du référent, emphase, contraste, commentaire)

Micro-CT imaging of tomato seeds: Predictive potential of 3D morphometry on germination

The relationship between seed physical characteristics and seed quality is widely investigated by using X-ray based imaging techniques. Recently the use of X-ray micro-tomography (micro-CT) is increasingly used for more accurate characterisation of the internal seed morphology. In this work a germination test was carried out along with the morphometric characterisation of tomato seed internal structure by means of X-ray micro-CT and 3D image analysis. The aim was to accurately evaluate the predictive potential of internal seed 3D morphology for germination outcomes. The visual assessment allowed the relationship between specific internal seed abnormalities and the different germination outcomes to be demonstrated experimentally. Univariate analysis of morphometric seed traits allowed 3D free space % and Sauter diameter, among the most discriminant parameters, to be identified as the most effective for the prediction of germination outcomes. Discriminant Analysis (DA) of 3D morphometric dataset correctly classified 96.3% of normal seedlings, 83.3% of ungerminated seeds and 63.6% of abnormal seedlings, providing a high overall prediction potential of 91.9%. The above analyses have also been performed referring to the germination at 5 days after sowing. As a side effect of the applied technique, an increase of abnormal seedlings was observed at increasing X-ray exposure level. Overall, X-ray micro-CT coupled with DA of internal morphometric traits has proved to be an effective tool to investigate the relationship between tomato seed 3D morphology and seed physiology, although attention has to be paid to possible consequences of X-ray exposure

Oxysterols in the pathogenesis of major chronic diseases.

Pathological accumulation of 27-carbon intermediates or end-products of cholesterol metabolism, named oxysterols, may contribute to the onset and especially to the development of major chronic diseases in which inflammation, but also oxidative damage and to a certain extent cell death, are hallmarks and primary mechanisms of progression. Indeed, certain oxysterols exercise strong pro-oxidant and pro-inflammatory effects at concentrations detectable in the lesions typical of atherosclerosis, neurodegenerative diseases, inflammatory bowel diseases, age-related macular degeneration, and other pathological conditions characterized by altered cholesterol uptake and/or metabolism

Inflammatory bowel disease: mechanisms, redox considerations, and therapeutic targets.

Oxidative stress is thought to play a key role in the development of intestinal damage in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), because of its primary involvement in intestinal cells' aberrant immune and inflammatory responses to dietary antigens and to the commensal bacteria. During the active disease phase, activated leukocytes generate not only a wide spectrum of pro-inflammatory cytokines, but also excess oxidative reactions, which markedly alter the redox equilibrium within the gut mucosa, and maintain inflammation by inducing redox-sensitive signaling pathways and transcription factors. Moreover, several inflammatory molecules generate further oxidation products, leading to a self-sustaining and auto-amplifying vicious circle, which eventually impairs the gut barrier. The current treatment of IBD consists of long-term conventional anti-inflammatory therapy and often leads to drug refractoriness or intolerance, limiting patients' quality of life. Immune modulators or anti-tumor necrosis factor α antibodies have recently been used, but all carry the risk of significant side effects and a poor treatment response. Recent developments in molecular medicine point to the possibility of treating the oxidative stress associated with IBD, by designing a proper supplementation of specific lipids to induce local production of anti-inflammatory derivatives, as well as by developing biological therapies that target selective molecules (i.e., nuclear factor-κB, NADPH oxidase, prohibitins, or inflammasomes) involved in redox signaling. The clinical significance of oxidative stress in IBD is now becoming clear, and may soon lead to important new therapeutic options to lessen intestinal damage in this disease. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 19, 1711–1747

Variaciones estacionales en el crecimiento de larvas de anchoíta (Engraulis anchoita) en la zona costera argentina

Age and growth rates of the anchovy larvae (Engraulis anchoita) in Argentine waters were estimated by analysing daily growth increments in sagittal otoliths under light microscope. The samples were collected during 2000 on the Argentine coastal shelf using a Bongo net. A total of 251 larvae were analysed (size range 3.5 to 12.2 mm standard length). Length-at-age and standard length-otolith radius relationships were best described by linear models. We put forward the hypothesis of differential larval growth in anchovy in relation to seasonality. Mean growth rates at four days before capture were determined by back-calculation and analysed in relation to temperature. The growth rate values obtained from the linear growth models were 0.51 mm day-1 (spring), 0.41 mm day-1 (summer) and 0.42 mm day-1 (autumn). Significant variations were detected between spring and summer and between spring and autumn. These variations do not seem to be associated with a thermal influence.Se determinó la edad y el crecimiento de larvas de anchoíta (Engraulis anchoita) mediante el conteo y medición de los incrementos diarios de los otolitos sagitta. Las larvas fueron capturadas en la Plataforma Costera Argentina durante el año 2000 por medio de una red Bongo. Se analizaron un total de 251 larvas entre 3.5 a 12.2 mm. Las relaciones talla-edad y talla -radio del otolito se representaron mediante modelos lineales para cada estación del año (primavera-verano-otoño). La mayor tasa de crecimiento, calculada como la pendiente de los modelos talla -edad, se registró en primavera (0.51 mm dia-1) la menor en verano (0.41 mm dia-1), mientras que otoño presentó una tasa de crecimiento intermedia (0.42 mm dia-1). Si bien no se encontraron diferencias significativas en las tasas de crecimiento entre verano y otoño, sí las hubo entre primavera y verano y entre primavera y otoño. Se calculó una tasa de crecimiento larvaria 4 días antes de la captura mediante retrocálculo y se la relacionó con la temperatura. Las variaciones en el crecimiento no parecen relacionarse con la influencia térmica

Molecular tools, optimal sampling strategies and biogeographical investigation towards the study of adaptive gene flow in forest trees

My thesis aimed at providing a conceptual and methodological framework for the study of adaptive gene flow in forest trees. The main elements needed to perform an experiment for estimating adaptive gene flow are: an adequate set of molecular markers, a suitable combination of study species × biogeographical zone upon which designing the experiment, and an optimal sampling strategy for identifying relevant areas where it is most likely to detect adaptive gene flow, and for correctly describing gene flow patterns. In my thesis, I investigated these issues endeavoring to make a significant contribution to each of them, focusing on Apennine populations of silver fir (Abies alba Mill.), a European conifer species with high ecological and economical value. I investigated first the effect of sampling strategy on the estimation of pollen dispersal patterns (i.e. pollen immigration rate and parameters of the dispersal kernel) in paternity studies in order to set up optimal sampling strategies. After conducting a thorough review of published paternity studies, I evaluated whether sampling efforts commonly used in published paternity studies are adequate to estimate pollen dispersal parameters, using a simulation approach. I found that low sampling efforts can result in highly biased and imprecise estimates of the parameters characterizing pollen dispersal patterns. Second, in order to have an adequate set of molecular markers for performing biogeographical and gene flow studies on silver fir, I developed a new set of 16 polymorphic microsatellites from transcriptome sequencing. These markers were assembled in 2 8-plexes with high amplification success and clear band pattern. A third multiplex of genomic microsatellites was assembled choosing the best available markers and including 2 newly developed genomic microsatellites. In a parallel project a set of 763 potentially adaptive SNPs was also developed (using transcriptome data and candidate genes linked to metabolism, growth and responses to stress) and tested on samples from my biogeographical experiment. Finally, I focused on the selection of adequate geographical areas to study adaptive gene flow by analyzing the biogeographical structure of silver fir populations along the Apennine range. These populations have high evolutionary and conservation value because they are at the rear-edge of the species distribution and they were shown to include putative glacial refugia, thus representing hotspots of genetic diversity. Furthermore, they grow in a wide variety of environmental conditions, since the Apennines are a 1000 km mountain chain with large environmental heterogeneity. Individuals from 16 populations sampled across the whole Apennine range were genotyped using a set of 17 microsatellites (15 chosen from the ones developed in this thesis work). By using multiple clustering methods, I found clearly separated genetic clusters, probably reflecting the biogeographical history of the species. These results allowed me to identify: i) genetically homogeneous clusters where it is possible to investigate clinal genetic variation along environmental gradients, and ii) geographically circumscribed areas with abrupt genetic discontinuities. These areas of genetic discontinuity maximize the probability of observing adaptive gene flow, if any, and thus they are the ideal candidate sites for performing an experiment focused on the quantification of adaptive gene flow. This experiment can be done by intensifying the sampling grid in order to study the genetic structure at finer scale. Once described the fine-scale component of boundaries among genetic clusters, gene flow between the closest divergent populations can be studied using paternity and parentage analysis, taking advantage of the sampling guidelines and the molecular markers developed in my this thesis