Eplucher l'Oignon : Pour une filière oignon nigérienne compétitive et inclusive

Perceptual learning is associated with experience-based changes in stimulus salience. Here, we use a novel procedure to show that learning a new association between a self-label and a neutral stimulus produces fast alterations in social salience measured by interference when targets associated with other people have to be selected in the presence of self-associated distractors. Participants associated neutral shapes with either themselves or a friend, over a short run of training trials. Subsequently, the shapes had to be identified in hierarchical (global-local) forms. The data show that giving a shape greater personal significance by associating it with the self had effects on visual selection equivalent to altering perceptual salience. Similar to previously observed effects linked to when perceptually salient distractors are ignored, effects of a self-associated distractor also increased activation in the left intraparietal cortex sulcus. The results show that self-associations to sensory stimuli rapidly modulate neural responses in a manner similar to changes in perceptual saliency. The self-association procedure provides a new way to understand how personal significance affects behavior

Outer membrane protein changes during bacteroid development are independent of nitrogen fixation and differ between indeterminate and determinate nodulating host plants of Rhizobium leguminosarum

The outer membrane of bacteroids contains largely decreased levels of protein antigen groups II and III in comparison with that of free-living rhizobia (R. A. de Maagd, R. de Rijk, I. H. M. Mulders, and B. J, J. Lugtenberg, J.Bacteriol, 171:1136-1142, 1989). Since we intend to study the molecular basis of the development of bacterium to bacteroid, we wanted to know whether these outer membrane protein differences are conserved in various plant-Rhizobium combinations, For this purpose we developed a faster assay in which cell lysates instead of isolated cell envelopes were used to analyze these outer membrane changes, With this method the previously described low levels of antigen groups II and III in isolated bacteroid cell envelopes were confirmed, Moreover the described decrease in antigen groups II and III was also found in bacteroids of Rhizobium leguminosarum by. viciae with a mutated nifA or nifK gene as well as in the non-fixing pea mutant FN1 inoculated with the wild-type strain 248, This indicates that the decrease in the antigen levels is not restricted to effective nodules, The results also showed that the decrease in antigen group II not only occurs in bacteroids from pea, but also in bacteroids from vetch, broadbean, white clover, and common bean, Antigen group III, however, remained present in bacteroids from common bean, It is concluded that the changes in antigen group II are not restricted to a specific cross-inoculation group but represent a general phenomenon in the rhizobial bacteroid differentiation process, Of the tested plants, the decrease in antigen group III was not found in bacteroids from common bean and appeared to be restricted to bacteroids from indeterminate nodules. Therefore one should expect that at least two molecular mechanisms are responsible for these outer membrane protein changes and that elucidation of these mechanisms will contribute to our understanding of bacteroid development

Down-regulation of expression of the Rhizobium leguminosarum outer membrane protein gene ropA occurs abruptly in interzone II-III of pea nodules and can be uncoupled from nif gene activation.

Microbial Biotechnolog

Survey of Third-Party Parenting Options Associated With Fertility Preservation Available to Patients With Cancer Around the Globe

Contains fulltext : 196278.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)PURPOSE: In the accompanying article, "Analysis of Fertility Preservation Options Available to Patients With Cancer Around the Globe," we showed that specific fertility preservation services may not be offered at various sites around the world because of cultural and legal barriers. We assessed global and regional experiences as well as the legal status of third-party reproduction and adoption to serve as a comprehensive international data set and resource for groups that wish to begin oncofertility interventions. METHODS: We provide data on the legalities of third-party assisted reproductive technologies and other family-building options in the 28 oncofertility-practicing countries surveyed. RESULTS: We found regional and country differences that will be important in the development of tailored resources for physicians and for patient brochures that are sensitive to these local restrictions and cultural norms. CONCLUSION: Because many patients first consult Web-based materials, the formal assessment of the availability of these options provides members of the global oncofertility community with data to which they might otherwise not have ready access to better serve their patients

Modelling runoff and erosion, and their mitigation, in burned Portuguese forest using the revised Morgan-Morgan-Finney model

The revised Morgan-Morgan-Finney (MMF) model was used as a modelling approach, which has performed reasonably well to estimate soil losses for burned areas in humid Mediterranean forests in Portugal, and NW Spain. Simple model enhancement approaches are applied to recently burned pine and eucalypt forested areas in north-central Portugal and to subsequent post-wildfire rehabilitation treatments. Model enhancement is validated by applying it to another similar burned area to evaluate model calibration robustness and wider applicability. Model modifications involved: (1) focusing on intra-annual changes in parameters to incorporate seasonal differences in runoff and erosion; and (2) inclusion of soil water repellency in runoff predictions. The main results were that following wildfire and mulching in the plantations: (1) the revised model was able to predict first-year post-fire plot-scale runoff and erosion rates (NS(Runoff)=0.54 and NS(Erosion)=0.55) for both forest types, and (2) first year predictions were improved both by the seasonal changes in the model parameters (NS(Runoff)=0.70 and NS(Erosion)=0.83); and by considering the effect of soil water repellency on the runoff (NS(Runoff)=0.81 and NS(Erosion)=0.89), (3) the individual seasonal predictions were considered accurate (NS(Runoff)=0.53 and NS(Erosion)=0.71), and the inclusion of the soil water repellency in the model also improved the model at this base (NS(Runoff)=0.72 and NS(Erosion)=0.74). The revised MMF model proved capable of providing a simple set of criteria for management decisions about runoff and erosion mitigation measures in burned areas. The erosion predictions at the validation sites attested both to the robustness of the model and of the calibration parameters, suggesting a potential wider application