The euro crisis: Where do we stand?

International audienc

The oxidative debt of fasting : evidence for short to medium-term costs of advanced fasting in adult king penguins

This research was funded by the French Polar Institute (IPEV–Research Program 119) and the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS-INEE). We are especially grateful to Dominic L. Cram and one anonymous reviewer for helpful comments on the paper. Field logistic support was provided by Terres Australes et Antarctiques Françaises. QS was funded by a doctoral fellowship from the Ministère Français de l’Education Supérieur et de la Recherche.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Sterol composition of caper (Capparis spinosa) seeds

Caper is a perennial shrub of the Mediterranean Basin. The most important economical species is Capparis spinosa. Sterols of C. spinosa seed oil isolated from seven Tunisian stands were identified andquantified. C. spinosa contained  high levels of phytosterols (2240.4 mg/kg of total extracted lipids), of which -sitosterol, with 1390 mg/kg, was the most abundant (57.53%). Campesterol and stigmasterol accounted for 382 and 265 mg/kg, respectively (17.05 and 11.85% of the total sterols, respectively). C. spinosa seed oil also contained a high level of 5-avenasterol (6%). We detect also brassicasterol (3.39 mg/kg). Cholesterol and campestanol are detected in much lower levels. These results bring attention to the richness of C.spinosa seed oil with sterols which are the most important class of the minor components

USING GIS AND PHOTOGRAMMETRY FOR ASSESSING SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC POTENTIAL ON FLAT ROOFS IN URBAN AREA CASE OF THE CITY OF BEN GUERIR / MOROCCO

Renewable energy sources are at the forefront of political discussions around the world because of the scarcity of fossil fuels and climate change caused by the accumulation of greenhouse gases. By 2030, Morocco will cover 52% of these energy needs through renewable energies, in order to preserve the environment (COP 22). This paper aims to estimate the potential of photovoltaic solar energy from flat roofs in the city of Ben Guerir, Morocco using remote sensing and GIS data. To achieve this goal, vector orthophoto resulting from the photogrammetric restitution acquired in 2015 were used to generate a 3D model (DSM). The annual solar irradiation is calculated by the analyser of the solar tool. Each roof is calculated based on algorithms for the most common solar panel technologies (mono-si and poly-si). The applicability of this methodology has been demonstrated in the urban area of Benguerir, Morocco, and can be widespread in any other region of the world. The results obtained for a total roofing surface of 135 Ha, i.e. more than 345 Gwh of electricity annually generate. For an average roof of 60 m2 that could supply 5 to 6 households; A planned investment between 118,218 and 167,296 DH, and an annual maintenance charge of 2%. This study may be an initial assessment of solar potential in the city, which can be used to support the management decision regarding investment in the urban solar system

Experimental stress during molt suggests the evolution of condition-dependent and condition-independent ornaments in the king penguin

Acknowledgments We thank Emilie Lefol for her help in the field, and two anonymous reviewers for their comments on the manuscript. This research was funded by the French Polar Institute (IPEV– Research Program 119) and the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS- INEE). Field logistic support was provided by Terres Australes et Antarctiques Françaises. Q.S. was funded by a doctoral fellowship from the Ministère Français de l’Education Supérieur et de la Recherche.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Vaginal microbiota and cytokine levels predict preterm delivery in Asian women

Preterm birth (PTB) is the most common cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality worldwide. Approximately half of PTBs is linked with microbial etiologies, including pathologic changes to the vaginal microbiota, which vary according to ethnicity. Globally more than 50% of PTBs occur in Asia, but studies of the vaginal microbiome and its association with pregnancy outcomes in Asian women are lacking. This study aimed to longitudinally analyzed the vaginal microbiome and cytokine environment of 18 Karen and Burman pregnant women who delivered preterm and 36 matched controls delivering at full term. Using 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing we identified a predictive vaginal microbiota signature for PTB that was detectable as early as the first trimester of pregnancy, characterized by higher levels of Prevotella buccalis, and lower levels of Lactobacillus crispatus and Finegoldia, accompanied by decreased levels of cytokines including IFNgamma, IL-4, and TNFalpha. Differences in the vaginal microbial diversity and local vaginal immune environment were associated with greater risk of preterm birth. Our findings highlight new opportunities to predict PTB in Asian women in low-resource settings who are at highest risk of adverse outcomes from unexpected PTB, as well as in Burman/Karen ethnic minority groups in high-resource regions