Recovery of the Alpine lynx Lynx lynx metapopulation

We use the case of the Eurasian lynx Lynx lynx in the Alps to discuss how to implement existing directives and recommendations, as well as how to integrate biological concepts, into practical conservation and wildlife management. Since 1995 the occurrence of lynx in the Alpine countries has been monitored and reported by the Status and Conservation of the Alpine Lynx Population expert group. Both the area of occupancy and the estimated number of individuals increased from 1995-1999 to 2000-2004. The estimated number of lynx is 120-150 across the Alps and the area of occupancy 27,800 km2, in six distinct sub-areas. In the highly fragmented Alpine habitat lynx populations expand slowly, even in situations of high local density and when suitable habitat is available. Thus, almost 40 years after the first reintroduction, < 20% of the Alps have been recolonized by lynx. In addition to biological and ecological factors, the persistent disagreements about the return of the lynx between conservationists and other land-users, including livestock breeders and hunters, and the political fragmentation of the Alps (with different regional priorities and large carnivore policies), has prevented the creation of a consensus regarding pan-Alpine conservation goals for the lynx and the implementation of conservation measures such as translocations and reintroductions. We discuss possible approaches in the light of new guidelines for population level management plans for large carnivores recently developed on behalf of the European Commissio

Nonreceding hare lines: genetic continuity since the Late Pleistocene in European mountain hares (Lepus timidus)

Throughout time, climate changes have caused substantial rearrangements of habitats which have alternately promoted and disfavoured different types of taxa. At first glance, the mountain hare (Lepus timidus) shows the typical hallmarks of a cold-adapted species that has retreated to refugia since the onset of the current Holocene interglacial. In contrary to expectations, however, the species has a high contemporary genetic diversity with no clear differentiation between geographically isolated populations. In order to clarify the phylogeographic history of European mountain hares, we here analysed ancient DNA from the glacial populations that inhabited the previous midlatitude European tundra region. Our results reveal that the Ice Age hares had similar levels of genetic variation and lack of geographic structure as observed today, and the ancient samples were intermingled with modern individuals throughout the reconstructed evolutionary tree. This suggest a temporal genetic continuity in Europe, where the mountain hares were able to keep pace with the rapid changes at the last glacial/interglacial transition, and successfully track their shifting habitat to northern and alpine regions. Further, the temporal demographic analyses showed that the species’ population size in Europe appear to have been tightly linked with palaeoclimatic fluctuations, with increases and declines occurring during periods of global cooling and warming, respectively. Taken together, our results suggest that neither habitat shifts nor demographic fluctuations have had any substantial impact on the genetic diversity of European mountain hares. This remarkable resilience, which contrasts to a majority of previously investigated cold-adapted species, is likely due to its generalist nature which makes it less vulnerable to environmental changes

Contribution to the study and optimization of a non-transferred arc plasma torch

Le contexte de cette thèse est la production du vecteur énergétique hydrogène par thermolyse de la vapeur d’eau consistant en la dissociation de la molécule H2O en oxygène (O) et hydrogène (H). Le dispositif employé est une torche à plasma d’arc non transféré développée au LAEPT. Après l’exposition de la théorie sur la physique des plasmas et la spectrométrie d’émission atomique nécessaire à l’exploitation des mesures, cette thèse présente l’évolution de la torche à plasma ainsi que son environnement nécessitée par la présence de gaz instables et explosifs. Les mesures des différentes grandeurs électriques, hydrauliques et spéctrométriques ont permis la détermination des caractéristiques physique et chimique d’un plasma formé d’un mélange de vapeur d’eau – d’argon. La détermination de grandeurs telles que la température du jet plasma, la conductivité électrique, l’enthalpie massique et la densité électronique, est basée sur la comparaison entre expérimentation et théorie.The context of this thesis is the production of hydrogen as an energy vector by steam thermolysis consisting in the dissociation of H2O molecule into oxygen (O) and hydrogen (H). The process used is a plasma torch device developed by the LAEPT. After presenting the theory of plasma physics and atomic emission spectroscopy which will help to make the most of the measured realized, this thesis will show the evolution of the plasma torch device and the experimental environment required to work with explosive and unstable gases. Some measurements like electrical, hydraulic and spectroscopy magnitudes made it possible to determine the chemical and physical characteristics of a water vapor – argon plasma. A comparison between experiments and theoretical knowledge will enable to determine the temperature of a flow of plasma, electrical conductivity, enthalpy and the electronic density

Contribution à l'étude et à l'optimisation d'une torche à plasma à arc non transféré

The context of this thesis is the production of hydrogen as an energy vector by steam thermolysis consisting in the dissociation of H2O molecule into oxygen (O) and hydrogen (H). The process used is a plasma torch device developed by the LAEPT. After presenting the theory of plasma physics and atomic emission spectroscopy which will help to make the most of the measured realized, this thesis will show the evolution of the plasma torch device and the experimental environment required to work with explosive and unstable gases. Some measurements like electrical, hydraulic and spectroscopy magnitudes made it possible to determine the chemical and physical characteristics of a water vapor – argon plasma. A comparison between experiments and theoretical knowledge will enable to determine the temperature of a flow of plasma, electrical conductivity, enthalpy and the electronic density.Le contexte de cette thèse est la production du vecteur énergétique hydrogène par thermolyse de la vapeur d’eau consistant en la dissociation de la molécule H2O en oxygène (O) et hydrogène (H). Le dispositif employé est une torche à plasma d’arc non transféré développée au LAEPT. Après l’exposition de la théorie sur la physique des plasmas et la spectrométrie d’émission atomique nécessaire à l’exploitation des mesures, cette thèse présente l’évolution de la torche à plasma ainsi que son environnement nécessitée par la présence de gaz instables et explosifs. Les mesures des différentes grandeurs électriques, hydrauliques et spéctrométriques ont permis la détermination des caractéristiques physique et chimique d’un plasma formé d’un mélange de vapeur d’eau – d’argon. La détermination de grandeurs telles que la température du jet plasma, la conductivité électrique, l’enthalpie massique et la densité électronique, est basée sur la comparaison entre expérimentation et théorie

L'abbaye cistercienne de Lescaledieu (Hautes-Pyrénées)

Marboutin Jean-R. L'abbaye cistercienne de Lescaledieu (Hautes-Pyrénées). In: Bulletin Monumental, tome 92, n°1, année 1933. pp. 59-78

Etude des interactions protéine-métal par spectroscopie infrarouge dans le domaine des basses fréquences

L'analyse de complexes d'une hémoprotéine (MP8) par spectroscopie infrarouge (IR-TF) de différence couplée à l'électrochimie a permis d'identifier dans l'IR moyen (1800-1000 cm-1) des bandes IR sensibles à l'état redox du fer, spécifiques de l'hème, du peptide et des deux ligands axiaux imidazole et histidine. L'adaptation de l'appareillage optique a permis d'obtenir pour la première fois des spectres IR-TF de différence pour des métalloprotéines en solution dans le domaine de l'IR lointain (1000-50 cm 1), où sont détecte es les vibrations métal-ligands. L'étude dans l'IR lointain de la superoxyde dismutase et des complexes de la MP8 a permis d'attribuer les premiers modes de vibrations métal-ligands IR pour une métalloprotéine redox. Les fréquences IR de ces modes sont directement corrélées à la force des liaisons et offrent un outil expérimental fin pour l'analyse des propriétés des sites métalliques qui contrôlent la réactivité de nombreuses métalloprotéines.Structural changes accompanying the change in the redox state of the iron in various complexes of MP8, a model for hemoproteins, were studied by FT-IR difference spectroscopy coupled to electrochemistry in the mid-IR (1800-1000 cm-1). We identified IR redox heme markers, sensitive to the electronic or coordination state of the iron. The specific IR bands of the two axial ligands imidazole and histidine allowed us to provide the first direct determination of their pKa. We also modified the IR set-up to record spectra with redox metalloproteins in the far IR domain (1000-50 cm-1), wherein metal-ligand vibrations are expected to contribute. For the first time, we identified metal-ligand vibration in hemoproteins and in superoxide dismutase. The IR bands frequencies are highly dependent on the bond strength and offer a useful experimental tool to study the properties of metallic active sites that control the reactivity of various metalloproteins.AIX-MARSEILLE2-BU Sci.Luminy (130552106) / SudocSudocFranceF

Malformation adénomatoïde kystique pulmonaire (à propos de trois cas et revue de la littérature)

La malformation adénomatoïde kystique pulmonaire est une pathologie rare, qui peut avoir des complications ante et post natales graves. Ellle est actuellement diagnostiquée de plus en plus fréquemment au cours d'une échographie antenatal, permettant ainsi d'envisager une prise en charge avant la survenue des complications. Il n'existe cependant aucun consensus ni recommandation quant à la conduite à tenir face à cette pathologie, que le diagnostic en soit ante ou postnatal. Nous tentons, à travers la présentation de trois cas cliniques et une revue de la littérature, de décrire l'ensemble des formes cliniques que peut revêtir une malformation adénomatoïde kystique pulmonaire, les moyens diagnostics actuels, et des lignes de conduite thérapeutiques. Devant toute suspicion de malformation adénomatoïde kystique pulmonaire, il noussemble ainsi indispensable de faire bénéficier à chaque nouveau-né d'un scanner thoracique, la radiographie pulmonaire demeurant un exament incontournable mais insuffisant, en raison de l'existence de faux négatifs comme de faux positifs. Toute malformation adénomatoïde kystique pulmonaire confirmée à l'imagerie nous paraît à opérer, les cas de disparition totale semblent extrêment rares, et des complications graves pouvant survenir par la suite. La chirurgie est à pratiquer précocémént, dès les premiers mois de la vie. Les techniques anesthésiques actuelles permettent en effet un risque opératoire minime dès le plus jeune âge. Une chirurgie précoce permet en outre de profiter du développement pulmonaire des premiers mois de l'enfant, et d'intervenir avant que ne surviennent des complicationsFORT-DE-FRANCE-CHRU-BU (972332102) / SudocBORDEAUX2-BU Santé (330632101) / SudocPARIS-BIUM (751062103) / SudocSudocFranceF

Assessing individual heterogeneity using model selection criteria: how many mixture components in capture-recapture models?

International audience1. Capture-recapture mixture models are important tools in evolution and ecology to estimate demographic parameters and abundance while accounting for individual heterogeneity. A key step is to select the correct number of mixture components i) to provide unbiased estimates that can be used as reliable proxies of fitness or ingredients in management strategies and ii) classify individuals into biologically meaningful classes. However, there is no consensus method in the statistical literature for selecting the number of components. 2. In ecology, most studies rely on the Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) and the Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC) that has recently gained attention in ecology. The Integrated Completed Likelihood criterion (ICL; IEEE Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence, 2000, 22, 719) was specifically developed to favour well-separated components, but its use has never been investigated in ecology. 3. We compared the performance of AIC, BIC and ICL for selecting the number of components with regard to a) bias and accuracy of survival and detection estimates and b) success in selecting the true number of components using extensive simulations and data on wolf (Canis lupus) that were used for management through survival and abundance estimation. 4. Bias in survival and detection estimates was <0.02 for both AIC and BIC, and more than 0.09 for ICL, while mean square error was <0.05 for all criteria. As expected, bias increased as heterogeneity increased. Success rates of AIC and BIC in selecting the 'true' number of components were better than ICL (68% for AIC, 58% for BIC, and 16% for ICL). As the degree of heterogeneity increased, AIC (and BIC in a lesser extent) overestimated the number of components, while ICL often underestimated this number. For the wolf study, the 2-class model was selected by BIC and ICL, while AIC could not decide between the 2- and 3-class models. 5. We recommend using AIC or BIC when the aim is to estimate parameters. Regarding classification, we suggest taking the classification quality into account by using ICL in conjunction with BIC, pending further work to adapt its penalty term for capture-recapture data

Redox infrared markers of the heme and axial ligands in microperoxidase: bases for the analysis of c-type cytochromes

International audienc