Modulation of Rolandic Beta-Band Oscillations during Motor Simulation of Joint Actions

Successful joint actions require precise temporal and spatial coordination between individuals who aim to achieve a common goal. A growing number of behavioral data suggest that to efficiently couple and coordinate a joint task, the actors have to represent both own and the partner’s actions. However it is unclear how the motor system is specifically recruited for joint actions. To find out how the goal and the presence of the partner’s hand can impact the motor activity during joint action, we assessed the functional state of 16 participants’ motor cortex during observation and associated motor imagery of joint actions, individual actions, and non-goal-directed actions performed with either 1 or 2 hands. As an indicator of the functional state of the motor cortex, we used the reactivity of the rolandic magnetoencephalographic (MEG) beta rhythm following median-nerve stimulation. Motor imagery combined with action observation was associated with activation of the observer’s motor cortex, mainly in the hemisphere contralateral to the viewed (and at the same time imagined) hand actions. The motor-cortex involvement was enhanced when the goal of the actions was visible but also, in the ipsilateral hemisphere, when the partner’s hand was visible in the display. During joint action, the partner’s action, in addition to the participant’s own action, thus seems to be represented in the motor cortex so that it can be triggered by the mere presence of an acting hand in the peripersonal space.Peer reviewe

A severe case of Plasmodium falciparum malaria imported by a French traveler from Cameroon to French Guiana despite regular intake of Artemisia annua herbal tea

The use of herbal tea with Artemisia annua by travelers and traditional communities in Africa has increased in recent years as a supposed form of malaria prophylaxis, although its use is not recommended due to lack of efficacy. The risk of severe malaria complications that can lead to death is real regarding said behavior, and awareness needs to be raised. We report a case of severe Plasmodium falciparum malaria imported in the Amazon rainforest by a traveler returning from Cameroon who treated himself with Artemisia annua herbal tea

Developing a benchmark model for renovated, nearly zero-energy, terraced dwellings

Brussels is one of the European cities with the most significant number of Passive House buildings on the continent. In the Brussels-Capital Region, the nearly zero-energy building obligations implemented is implemented since 2010. The Brussels-Capital Region has set up ambitious energy standards for new constructions. These standards target ’nearly zero’ or ’very low energy consumption and are inspired by the ’passive house standard,’ where high-energy performance is first achieved. Ten years after boasting this groundbreaking policy, many renovated, terraced houses are renovated to comply with the nearly zero-energy building requirements. Therefore, this study aims to develop an energy performance data set and one building performance simulation benchmark model for nearly zero-energy dwellings in Brussels. The study reports an inventory and field survey conducted on a terraced house renovated after the year 2010. An analysis of energy consumption (electricity and natural gas) and a walkthrough survey were conducted. A building performance simulation model is created in EnergyPlus to benchmark the average energy consumption and building characteristics. The estimate’s validity has been further checked against the public statistics and verified through model calibration and utility bill comparison. The benchmark has an average energy use intensity of 29 kWh/m2/year and represents terraced single-family houses after renovation. The paper provides a timely opportunity to evaluate the actual performance of nearly zero-energy terraced houses. The findings on energy needs and use intensity are useful in temperate and continental climates.OCCuPANt, on the Impacts Of Climate Change on the indoor environmental and energy PerformAnce of buildiNgs in Belgium during summe

Heterogeneity in the processing of ClC-5 mutants related to Dent disease

International audienceMutations in the electrogenic Cl-/H+ exchanger ClC-5 gene CLCN5 are frequently associated with Dent disease, an X-linked recessive disorder affecting the proximal tubules. Here, we investigate the consequences in X. laevis oocytes and in HEK293 cells of 9 previously reported, pathogenic, missense mutations of ClC-5, most of them which are located in regions forming the subunit interface. Two mutants trafficked normally to the cell surface and to early endosomes, and displayed complex glycosylation at the cell surface like wild-type ClC 5, but exhibited reduced currents. Three mutants displayed improper N-glycosylation, and were non-functional due to being retained and degraded at the endoplasmic reticulum. Functional characterization of four mutants allowed us to identify a novel mechanism leading to ClC-5 dysfunction in Dent disease. We report that these mutant proteins were delayed in their processing and that the stability of their complex glycosylated form was reduced, causing lower cell surface expression. The early endosome distribution of these mutants was normal. Half of these mutants displayed reduced currents, whereas the other half showed abolished currents. Our study revealed distinct cellular mechanisms accounting for ClC-5 loss-of-function in Dent disease

Specificities of exosome versus small ectosome secretion revealed by live intracellular tracking of CD63 and CD9.

Despite their roles in intercellular communications, the different populations of extracellular vesicles (EVs) and their secretion mechanisms are not fully characterized: how and to what extent EVs form as intraluminal vesicles of endocytic compartments (exosomes), or at the plasma membrane (PM) (ectosomes) remains unclear. Here we follow intracellular trafficking of the EV markers CD9 and CD63 from the endoplasmic reticulum to their residency compartment, respectively PM and late endosomes. We observe transient co-localization at both places, before they finally segregate. CD9 and a mutant CD63 stabilized at the PM are more abundantly released in EVs than CD63. Thus, in HeLa cells, ectosomes are more prominent than exosomes. By comparative proteomic analysis and differential response to neutralization of endosomal pH, we identify a few surface proteins likely specific of either exosomes (LAMP1) or ectosomes (BSG, SLC3A2). Our work sets the path for molecular and functional discrimination of exosomes and small ectosomes in any cell type

Response of the human gut and saliva microbiome to urbanization in Cameroon.

Urban populations from highly industrialized countries are characterized by a lower gut bacterial diversity as well as by changes in composition compared to rural populations from less industrialized countries. To unveil the mechanisms and factors leading to this diversity loss, it is necessary to identify the factors associated with urbanization-induced shifts at a smaller geographical scale, especially in less industrialized countries. To do so, we investigated potential associations between a variety of dietary, medical, parasitological and socio-cultural factors and the gut and saliva microbiomes of 147 individuals from three populations along an urbanization gradient in Cameroon. We found that the presence of Entamoeba sp., a commensal gut protozoan, followed by stool consistency, were major determinants of the gut microbiome diversity and composition. Interestingly, urban individuals have retained most of their gut eukaryotic and bacterial diversity despite significant changes in diet compared to the rural areas, suggesting that the loss of bacterial microbiome diversity observed in industrialized areas is likely associated with medication. Finally, we observed a weak positive correlation between the gut and the saliva microbiome diversity and composition, even though the saliva microbiome is mainly shaped by habitat-related factors

Belgium

In the context of the European carbon neutrality targets, building benchmarks are a key issue for the renovation of existing buildings. Although there are various benchmark methods for energy efficiency characterization, their application to the residential sector is still limited. This paper developed two building simulation models for post-world war II houses in Belgium based on data from post-occupancy measurements and field survey campaigns. The study reports the energy characteristics and occupancy profiled of detached single-family houses. An analysis of energy consumption (electricity and natural gas) and a walkthrough survey were conducted between 2016 and 2019. The benchmark model’s validity has been further checked against public statistics and verified through model calibration and monthly energy bill comparison. Two reference models representing 633.702 post-WWII single-family houses in Belgium were created and validated. The first archetype has an average energy use intensity of 166 kWh/m2 /year and represents detached single-family houses built between 1945 and 1969. The second archetype has an average energy use intensity of 155 kWh/m2 /year and represents detached single-family houses built between 1970 and 1990. The paper provides a timely opportunity to evaluate the real performance of post-world war II most common archetypes concerning design assumptions and how building professionals can turn the energy performance gap challenge to their advantage. The findings on energy needs and intensity are useful for creating future renovation scenarios for similar archetypes in Western European countries.OCCuPANt, on the Impacts Of Climate Change on the indoor environmental and energy PerformAnce of buildiNgs in Belgium during summe

Loss of hepatic DEPTOR alters the metabolic transition to fasting

Objective The mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a serine/threonine kinase that functions into distinct protein complexes (mTORC1 and mTORC2) that regulates growth and metabolism. DEP-domain containing mTOR-interacting protein (DEPTOR) is part of these complexes and is known to reduce their activity. Whether DEPTOR loss affects metabolism and organismal growth in vivo has never been tested. Methods We have generated a conditional transgenic mouse allowing the tissue-specific deletion of DEPTOR. This model was crossed with CMV-cre mice or Albumin-cre mice to generate either whole-body or liver-specific DEPTOR knockout (KO) mice. Results Whole-body DEPTOR KO mice are viable, fertile, normal in size, and do not display any gross physical and metabolic abnormalities. To circumvent possible compensatory mechanisms linked to the early and systemic loss of DEPTOR, we have deleted DEPTOR specifically in the liver, a tissue in which DEPTOR protein is expressed and affected in response to mTOR activation. Liver-specific DEPTOR null mice showed a reduction in circulating glucose upon fasting versus control mice. This effect was not associated with change in hepatic gluconeogenesis potential but was linked to a sustained reduction in circulating glucose during insulin tolerance tests. In addition to the reduction in glycemia, liver-specific DEPTOR KO mice had reduced hepatic glycogen content when fasted. We showed that loss of DEPTOR cell-autonomously increased oxidative metabolism in hepatocytes, an effect associated with increased cytochrome c expression but independent of changes in mitochondrial content or in the expression of genes controlling oxidative metabolism. We found that liver-specific DEPTOR KO mice showed sustained mTORC1 activation upon fasting, and that acute treatment with rapamycin was sufficient to normalize glycemia in these mice. Conclusion We propose a model in which hepatic DEPTOR accelerates the inhibition of mTORC1 during the transition to fasting to adjust metabolism to the nutritional status. Keywords: DEPTOR; mTOR; Liver; Glucose; Fastin

L’auteur au temps du numérique

Que signifie aujourd’hui l’acte d’écrire et de publier un livre ? Quelle influence ont la numérisation des contenus, le développement d’Internet et les nouvelles pratiques de lecture sur le travail des auteurs ? Pour répondre à ces questions, ont été interrogés une variété d’auteurs dans toute leur diversité de producteurs d’ouvrages : des auteurs de bande dessinée aux concepteurs de livres pratiques, en passant par ceux qui écrivent des fictions ou des romans policiers. Il ne s’agit pas d’opposer deux univers, l’un attaché à la seule écriture papier et l’autre investi dans une dynamique dématérialisée du tout numérique, mais de comprendre comment les deux se complètent et se composent, comment le numérique ouvre de nouvelles façons d’écrire et offre de nouvelles possibilités d’édition et de publication, comment il permet d’intervenir sur le colloque singulier entre l’auteur et le lecteur, sur les échanges entre les producteurs et le public, sur la relation entre l’auteur et l’éditeur. Mais aussi comment le livre-papier garde pour les auteurs une place décisive et peut-être indétrônable. Cette étude a été menée dans le cadre des recherches de la Haute Autorité pour la diffusion des œuvres et la protection des droits sur Internet qui a pour mission d’étudier l’univers des industries culturelles et médiatiques et de produire en toute indépendance débats et réflexions sur les questions liées à la diffusion numérique et à la propriété intellectuelle. Elle a été dirigée par Cécile Méadel, professeure à Mines ParisTech, et Nathalie Sonnac, professeure à l’Université Panthéon Assas, respectivement expertes des Labs Hadopi Usages en Ligne et Économie Numérique de la Création