MedWorm.com provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest items from the 'Comptes Rendus Biologies' source. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:32:02 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5596226&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22226158%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Guiraud D Abstract Electrical stimulation is a valuable technical solution to treat severe deficiencies related to nervous system. It is particularly interesting when no medical treatment exists as for cardiac deficiencies, deafness, blindness or complete paralysis. However, activating excitable cells such as neurons or muscle fibers to recover functions remains a difficult scientific and technological challenge. Indeed, both the function to restore and the way to activate selectively the desired target are not fully understood. The article describes how both theoretical studies based on experiments, and technological developments based on electrophysiology knowledge may help in the development of highly effective solutions. Existing systems such as pacemakers and cochlear... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5596226 Sun, 01 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100 5596226 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5596225&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22226159%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Dekar-Madoui A, Besseau L, Magnanou E, Fons R, Ouali S, Bendjelloul M, Falcon J Abstract The Greater White-toothed shrew Crocidura russula is short-lived species and the phase of senescence is greatly elongated in captivity. The loss of rhythmicity of biological functions that accompanies its aging is also well documented. C. russula is thus an excellent model to test the effects of aging on biological clocks. Melatonin is a key hormone in the synchronization of behaviors, metabolisms and physiological regulations with environmental factors. In the present work we want to know if the loss of rhythmicity and the reduced melatonin levels registered by the second year of life in this species could be associated to modified ultrastructural features of the pineal parenchyma, ... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5596225 Sun, 01 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100 5596225 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5596224&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22226160%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Masotti V, De Jong L, Moreau X, Rabier J, Laffont-Schwob I, Thiéry A Abstract The larvicidal activity of ethanolic leaf extracts from two Artemisia species, Artemisia campestris var. glutinosa and A. molinieri, on mosquito Culex pipiens Linnaeus (Diptera, Culicidae) larvae was investigated. Since A. molinieri is a rare and protected species confined to temporary ponds of Southern France, its toxic activity may help to value this species and to finance its conservation. A. molinieri extracts showed a higher larvicidal activity (from 50ppm (K=9.488, DDL=4, P<0.001)) than those from A. campestris var glutinosa (from 500ppm (K=9.488, DDL=4, P<0.01)) after 48h of exposure. Calculated lethal concentrations, after 48h of exposure, (LC(50)) were low, 9091 and 9898ppm ... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5596224 Sun, 01 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100 5596224 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5596223&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22226161%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Del Vecchio S, Mattana E, Acosta AT, Bacchetta G Abstract Seed germination (effects of light, temperature, NaCl and KNO(3)) of the coastal endangered species Crucianella maritima was investigated by testing seeds from three different populations. Data were analyzed by means of Generalized Linear Mixed Model (GLMM). The principal results showed that germination of C. maritima seeds was characterized by photoinhibition, absence of primary dormancy and salt-induced secondary dormancy, with no need for high nutrient availability (KNO(3)). Intraspecific differences in germination pattern emerged, apparently due to a different seed mass. These results show important germination traits of C. maritima which should be taken into account in possible reintroduction attempts aimed a... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5596223 Sun, 01 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100 5596223 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5596222&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22226162%26dopt%3DAbstract In this study, 128 new complete mitochondrial genomes of Cetartiodactyla were sequenced and aligned with those extracted from nucleotide databases. Our alignment includes 14,902 unambiguously aligned nucleotide characters for 210 taxa, representing 183 species, 107 genera, and all cetartiodactyl families. Our mtDNA data produced a statistically robust tree, which is largely consistent with previous classifications. However, a few taxa were found to be para- or polyphyletic, including the family Balaenopteridae, as well as several genera and species. Accordingly, we propose several taxonomic changes in order to render the classification compatible with our molecular phylogeny. In some cases, the results can be interpreted as possible taxonomic misidentification or evidence for mtDNA introgr... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5596222 Sun, 01 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100 5596222 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5596221&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22226163%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Borsa P, Rolland V, Daguin-Thiébaut C Abstract It has been previously established that native smooth-shelled mussels in southern South America possess close evolutionary affinities with Northern-Hemisphere Mytilus edulis L. 1758 (McDonald et al. (1991) [5]). This result has since been challenged by authors claiming that Chilean mussels should be considered a local subspecies of M. galloprovincialis Lmk. 1819. Moreover, morphological, physiological, ecotoxicological and molecular genetic studies on Chilean smooth-shelled mussels still frequently refer to 'M. chilensis' Hupé 1854, even though the previous discovery of alien M. galloprovincialis and considerable heterogeneity in shell morphology among samples collected along the Chilean shores raise concerns that differ... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5596221 Sun, 01 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100 5596221 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5596220&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22226164%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Chiari Y, Claude J Abstract Molecular biology techniques are useful for taxonomic assignment, but they are not always accessible and can be expensive and time consuming to perform. Morphological methods to identify the origin of individuals could be valuable if they can be performed rapidly, accurately, and with minimal resources. In order to correctly assign the origin of individuals from two distinct tortoise lineages, we studied here the accuracy of shape statistics depending on the inclusion of different numbers of shape components. Misleading assignment may occur if an optimal balance between the number of shape variables and the number of sampled individuals is not respected, especially when more variables than specimens are available. Assignment of museum samples of... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5596220 Sun, 01 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100 5596220 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5596219&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22226165%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Bagella S, Caria MC Abstract Vascular flora of Mediterranean temporary pools has been studied with the aims to define its diversity and to individuate the ecological characteristics of the different plant groups associated with this relevant and endangered habitat type. Overall, 246 species were found of which 108 were terrestrial, 57 generalist of aquatic or wet habitats and 81 typical of temporary water and strongly linked to temporary pools. The results suggest that: (i) vascular flora associated with Sardinian Mediterranean temporary pools is rich and diversified; (ii) rare ferns are better represented than previously reported; (iii) plant species are generally heliophilous and acidophilous, specialized temporary pool species mainly differing from the unspecialized one... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5596219 Sun, 01 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100 5596219 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5596218&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22226166%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Chanet B, Guintard C Abstract Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations for anatomical studies on collection specimens are becoming more and more frequent. As the presence of metallic objects within the specimens can disturb the acquisition of images and damage both specimens and materials, a simple protocol using radiographs is here proposed to detect these objects in collection specimens before conducting an MRI examination. PMID: 22226166 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Comptes Rendus Biologies) Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5596218 Sun, 01 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100 5596218 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5596217&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22226167%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Lourenço WR, Pham DS Abstract A second species of scorpion belonging to the family Pseudochactidae and to the genus Vietbocap is described from two specimens collected in the Thien Duong cave, which belongs to the Vom cave system, in the Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park, Quang Binh Province, Vietnam. Like the previously described species of Vietbocap, the new species is also a true troglobitic element, the second known for the family Pseudochactidae. This represents the fourth known record of a pseudochactid, and the second from Vietnam. PMID: 22226167 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Comptes Rendus Biologies) Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5596217 Sun, 01 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100 5596217 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5527125&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22123086%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Ma Z, Wang S, Wang W, Li Z Abstract A stage-structured predator-prey system incorporating a class of functional responses is presented in this article. By analyzing the system and using the standard comparison theorem, the sufficient conditions are derived for permanence of the system and non-permanence of predators. PMID: 22123086 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Comptes Rendus Biologies) Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5527125 Thu, 01 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5527125 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5527124&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22123087%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Ouali-Hassenaoui S, Bendjelloul M, Dekar A, Theodosis D Abstract The desert rodents Psammomys obesus and Gerbillus tarabuli live under extreme conditions and overcome food and water shortage by modes of food and fluid intake specific to each species. Using immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy, we found that the hypothalamic magnocellular nuclei, and in particular, their vasopressinergic component, is highly and similarly developed in Psammomys and Gerbillus. In comparison to other rodents, the hypothalamus in both species contains more magnocellular VP neurons that, together with oxytocin neurons, accumulate in distinct and extensive nuclei. As in dehydrated rodents, many magnocellular neurons contained both neuropeptides. A striking feature of the hypothalamic m... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5527124 Thu, 01 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5527124 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5527123&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22123088%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Zorrig W, Abdelly C, Berthomieu P Abstract Plant Zn/Cd/Pb/Co P(1B)-ATPases (HMAs) play different roles, among which are the control of metal transport from the roots to the shoot and/or from the cytoplasm into the cell vacuole. Transferring the knowledge acquired on HMAs from model species to HMAs from other species requires one to identify orthologues in these other species. Through an extensive screening of the public sequence databases, 96 plant P(1B)-ATPases showing orthology to any of the AtHMA1, AtHMA2, AtHMA3 or AtHMA4 isoforms were identified from 32 plant species belonging to 15 botanical families. The number of paralogues within a species varied greatly from species to species, even within a specific botanical family, suggesting that gene duplication events occur... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5527123 Thu, 01 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5527123 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5527122&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22123089%26dopt%3DAbstract We examined the influence of the invasive species Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle on the understory of the Fontainebleau forest, a peri-urban forest of Paris (France), by comparing invaded versus control plots. We performed floristic inventories in fixed plots around the base of A. altissima vs native trees in different habitat types of the forest. Our findings suggest that the understory vegetation is significantly poorer and more common under A. altissima than under the other tree species and that the floristic composition is significantly different. Furthermore, the number of A. altissima root suckers growing in the plots was significantly negatively correlated with floristic richness. This effect can be attributed to both interspecific competition and allelopathic properties of ... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5527122 Thu, 01 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5527122 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5527121&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22123090%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Dubuisson JY, Hennequin S, Bary S, Ebihara A, Boucheron-Dubuisson E Abstract To infer the anatomical evolution of the Hymenophyllaceae (filmy ferns) and to test previously suggested scenarios of regressive evolution, we performed an exhaustive investigation of stem anatomy in the most variable lineage of the family, the trichomanoids, using a representative sampling of 50 species. The evolution of qualitative and quantitative anatomical characters and possibly related growth-forms was analyzed using a maximum likelihood approach. Potential correlations between selected characters were then statistically tested using a phylogenetic comparative method. Our investigations support the anatomical homogeneity of this family at the generic and sub-generic levels. Reduced and sub-... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5527121 Thu, 01 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5527121 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5527120&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22123091%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Vukov TD, Sotiropoulos K, Kalezić ML, Džukić G Abstract Numerous alpine newt (Ichthyosaura alpestris) populations from the Balkans, representing all the previously established phylogeographic lineages, were studied for variations in various morphological characteristics (body size and shape, skull qualitative traits and number of trunk vertebrae). Here, we present a decoupling of morphological and mtDNA phylogeographic substructuring in the alpine newt on the Balkan Peninsula. In sharp contrast to other European newts (Triturus spp., Lissotriton spp.), the vast majority of morphological variation in the alpine newt is concentrated at the population level indicating an in situ morphological diversification. We found that the rate of morphological change is similar to th... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5527120 Thu, 01 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5527120 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5527119&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22123092%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Dechaume-Moncharmont FX, Cornuau JH, Keddar I, Ihle M, Motreuil S, Cézilly F Abstract Although size-assortative mating in convict cichlids, Amatitliana nigrofasciata, is supposed to result from mutual mating preference for larger individuals, female choice in relation to male size remains ambiguous. We revisited the evidence for directional preference for larger males in female convict cichlids using a classical two-way choice apparatus in which each female could decide to spend time in front of a small male or a large one. We found evidence for female preference for large males, as assessed from association preference during a 4-hour period following encounter. Furthermore, females decided to spawn in front of the initially preferred male more often than expected by chan... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5527119 Thu, 01 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5527119 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5527118&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22123093%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Lecchini D Abstract The present study explored, by experiments in aquaria, the modality of senses used by sepioid larvae (Euprymna scolopes) when searching for their species' settlement habitat (Rangiroa, French Polynesia). Our results showed that E. scolopes larvae made active choices among the four habitats tested (living coral, dead coral, macroalgae and sand), and that their selective choice was influenced by presence or absence of conspecifics on the habitat. Sensory experiments showed that E. scolopes larvae differentiated between conspecifics and heterospecifics (and not between their preferred habitat versus the least preferred habitat) using both visual and olfactory cues. Overall, our results suggest species-specific cues may play a vital role in establishment sp... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5527118 Thu, 01 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100 5527118 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5414584&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22078733%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Boudet AM PMID: 22078733 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Comptes Rendus Biologies) Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5414584 Tue, 01 Nov 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5414584 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5414583&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22078734%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Lettera V, Del Vecchio C, Piscitelli A, Sannia G Abstract The ever-increasing demand of laccases for biodelignification, industrial oxidative processes and environmental bioremediation requires the production of large quantities of enzymes at low cost. The present work was carried out to reduce laccase production costs in liquid fermentations of the white-rot fungus Pleurotus ostreatus through two different approaches. In the first, screening of fungal spent media as natural laccase inducer was performed, eliminating the presence of potentially toxic/recalcitrant and expensive exogenous inducers in the culture broth. In the latter, breeding of different strains of P. ostreatus, screened for their laccase productivity, was performed by cross-hybridisation, avoiding geneti... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5414583 Tue, 01 Nov 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5414583 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5414582&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22078735%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Piscitelli A, Del Vecchio C, Faraco V, Giardina P, Macellaro G, Miele A, Pezzella C, Sannia G Abstract Conversion of lignocellulosic materials to useful, high value products normally requires a pre-treatment step to transform or deconstruct the recalcitrant and heterogeneous lignin fraction. The development of "green tools" for the transformation of lignocellulosic feedstocks is in high demand for a sustainable exploitation of such resources. This multi-faceted challenge is being addressed by an ever-increasing suite of ligninolytic enzymes isolated from various sources. Among these, fungal laccases are known to play an important role in lignin degradation/modification processes. The white-rot fungus Pleurotus ostreatus expresses multiple laccase genes encoding isoenzymes ... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5414582 Tue, 01 Nov 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5414582 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5414581&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22078736%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Ruiz-Dueñas FJ, Fernández E, Martínez MJ, Martínez AT Abstract An exhaustive screening of the Pleurotus ostreatus genome was performed to search for nucleotide sequences of heme peroxidases in this white-rot fungus, which could be useful for different biotechnological applications. After sequence identification and manual curation of the corresponding genes and cDNAs, the deduced amino acid sequences were converted into structural homology models. A comparative study of these sequences and their structural models with those of known fungal peroxidases revealed the complete inventory of heme peroxidases of this fungus. This consists of cytochrome c peroxidase and ligninolytic peroxidases, including manganese peroxidase and versatile peroxidase but not lignin peroxidase,... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5414581 Tue, 01 Nov 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5414581 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5414580&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22078737%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Wei X, Zheng K, Chen M, Liu G, Li J, Lei Y, Qin Y, Qu Y Abstract Penicillium decumbens 114-2 is a fast-growing filamentous fungus which secretes a variety of lignocellulolytic enzymes. Its catabolite-repression-resistant mutant JU-A10 with high secretion capacity of cellulolytic enzymes has been used industrially for biomass hydrolysis. Transcription levels of 6 important lignocellulolytic enzymes genes (cel5A, cel6A, cel7A, cel7B, xyn10A, and xyn11A) from both strains were determined on different carbon sources (glucose, sorbose, lactose, cellobiose, cellulose, and cellulose-wheat bran), by means of a real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. For both strains, the 6 genes are coordinately regulated at transcriptional level. Glucose and cellobiose repressed whereas... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5414580 Tue, 01 Nov 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5414580 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5414579&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22078738%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Sipos B, Szilágyi M, Sebestyén Z, Perazzini R, Dienes D, Jakab E, Crestini C, Réczey K Abstract The efficiency of enzymatic hydrolysis of lignocellulses can be increased by addition of surfactants and polymers, such as poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG). The effect of PEG addition on the cellulase adsorption was tested on various steam pretreated lignocellulose substrates (spruce, willow, hemp, corn stover, wheat straw, sweet sorghum bagasse). A positive effect of PEG addition was observed, as protein adsorption has decreased and free enzyme activities (FP, β-glucosidase) have increased due to the additive. However, the degree of enhancement differed among the substrates, being highest on steam pretreated spruce. Results of lignin analysis (pyrolysis-GC/MS, (31)P NMR) sugges... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5414579 Tue, 01 Nov 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5414579 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5414578&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22078739%26dopt%3DAbstract This study was focused on investigating the role of the initial residue community, i.e. microorganisms and enzymes from the epiphytic and endophytic compartments, in soil decomposition processes. Aerial and underground parts (leaves and roots) of maize (Zea mays L.) plants were γ-irradiated, surface-sterilized with sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl)/ethanol or non-sterilized (controls), while the outer surface morphology of maize leaves and roots was examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Non-sterilized and sterilized maize leaves and roots were incubated in soil to study carbon (C) mineralization kinetics and enzyme dynamics (L-leucine aminopeptidase, CBH-1, xylanase, cellulase and laccase). SEM results showed that initial microbial colonization was more pronounced on non-sterilized le... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5414578 Tue, 01 Nov 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5414578 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5414577&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22078740%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Hambardzumyan A, Molinari M, Dumelie N, Foulon L, Habrant A, Chabbert B, Aguié-Béghin V Abstract Interfacial affinity between lignin model compound (dehydrogenation polymer [DHP]) and cellulose nanocristals (CN) was studied before building a nanocomposite cellulose/lignin in multilayer form by spin-coating method. The adsorption isotherm of DHP was measured by ellipsometry at the liquid/CN film interface and showed that the surface concentration of adsorbed DHP increases with the bulk concentration in solution. The DHP appeared as globular structures on cellulosic film, as observed by AFM. Spreading a dense lignin layer on CN film gave rise to the disappearance of the InfraRed resonance bands related to the DHP aromatics. The film obtained from alternate layers of cellul... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5414577 Tue, 01 Nov 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5414577 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5414576&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22078741%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Le Ngoc Huyen T, Queneudec T'kint M, Remond C, Chabbert B, Dheilly RM Abstract Given the non competition of miscanthus with food and animal feed, this lignocellulosic species has attracted attention as a possible biofuel resource. However, sustainability of ethanol production from lignocelluloses biomass would imply reduction in the consumption of chemicals and/or energetic means, but also valorization of the lignocellulosic by-product remaining from enzymatic saccharification. Introduction of these by-products into a cementitious matrix could be used in manufacturing a lightweight composite. Miscanthus biomass was submitted to chemical pretreatments followed by saccharification using an enzymatic cocktail. Residues from saccharification were then mixed with a cementitious... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5414576 Tue, 01 Nov 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5414576 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5273749&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21943518%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Tirelli T, Favaro L, Gamba M, Pessani D Abstract Freshwater inhabitants in Piedmont (Italy) have been deeply disadvantaged by environmental changes caused by human disturbance. Hence there are engendered species that need human intervention of an entirely different kind - better management through the development of innovative practical tools. The most ecologically important of the river-dwelling invertebrates is a threatened species, the native white-clawed crayfish Austropotamobius pallipes. This is the species that we focused on in our effort to contribute to species conservation. Specifically we contrasted three different techniques of managing data relating to the presence/absence of this species: logistic regression, decision-tree models and artificial neural netwo... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5273749 Sat, 01 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5273749 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5273748&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21943519%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Fernández MV, Maltagliati F, Pannacciulli FG, Roldán MI Abstract This work reports the first genetic data of Aristaeomorpha foliacea, a marine decapod of high commercial value, from six Mediterranean localities and one new fishing ground in the Mozambique Channel. The use of five Inter Simple Sequence Repeat (ISSR) primers provided 150 polymorphic loci. Average estimates of genetic diversity did not significantly differ among sampled localities, with a mean value of heterozygosity H=0.105±0.015. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) allocated>98% of genetic variability to the within-sample component, displaying values higher than those previously reported in ISSR studies on marine invertebrates. Cluster analyses did not detect geographically or genetically distinct... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5273748 Sat, 01 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5273748 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5273747&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21943520%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Galle P, Labejof L Abstract Described here are the findings of an electron and ion microscopic study of renal biopsies of young children, with a particular attention to the intracytoplasmic and intranuclear changes observed in the podocytes of the proteinuric patients. In the cytoplasm, there is a considerable development of the ergastoplasm, associated with a dilatation of the endoplasmic reticulum and with the formation of large vacuoles containing nitrogen and sulfur. These changes are characteristics of cells synthesizing and excreting proteins. In the nuclei of many podocytes, the most striking change is a complete or quasi-complete disappearance of condensed chromatin, suggesting an intense transcription activity of the corresponding cells. The amount of the proteins... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5273747 Sat, 01 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5273747 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5273746&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21943521%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Karsenty G Abstract Usually vertebrate physiology is studied within the confined limits of a given organ, if not cell type. This approach has progressively changed with the emergence of mouse genetics that has rejuvenated the concept of a whole body study of physiology. A vivid example of how mouse genetics has profoundly affected our understanding of physiology is skeleton physiology. A genetic approach to bone physiology revealed that bone via osteocalcin, an osteoblast-secreted molecule, is a true endocrine organ regulating energy metabolism and male reproduction. This ongoing body of work that takes bone out of its traditional roles is connecting it to a growing number of peripheral organs. These novel important hormonal connections between bone, energy metabolism and ... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5273746 Sat, 01 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5273746 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5273745&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21943522%26dopt%3DAbstract CONCLUSION: CB kinetics derived from A. Huxley's equations conferred a characteristic profile in terms of statistical mechanics on each muscle type. All studied muscles differed in terms of statistical entropy, chemical affinity, and entropy production rate. Stimulation mode (tet and tw) modulated CB kinetics and statistical mechanics. All muscle types operated near equilibrium and in a stationary linear regime. PMID: 21943522 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Comptes Rendus Biologies) Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5273745 Sat, 01 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5273745 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5273744&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21943523%26dopt%3DAbstract In this study, we show that treatment with an antibiotic produces a physiological response inducing an increase in both the quantity of cuticular hydrocarbons and in the melanization of the cuticle probably due to a nutritive and immunological deficit. We suggest that this is because it enhances the protection the cuticle provides from desiccation and also from invasions by pathogens and parasites. Nevertheless, the cuticular hydrocarbon profile is not modified by the antibiotic treatment, which indicates that nestmate recognition is not modified. PMID: 21943523 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Comptes Rendus Biologies) Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5273744 Sat, 01 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5273744 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5273743&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21943524%26dopt%3DAbstract This article aims to assess the conservation management (Nature Reserve and Ramsar site) of a protected Tunisian lake, Majen Chitane, by using palaeoecological, historical and modern data, and by comparing it with the unprotected lake Majen Choucha. While located in similar environments, these lakes are today home to very different flora. Baseline conditions reconstructed from literature indicate that both lakes were very similar until the 1950s, and comparable to the current state of Majen Choucha, housing rich oligotrophic plant communities. In the 1960s, at the time that cultivation of the adjacent peatland began, Majen Chitane underwent strong ecological changes as the initial oligotrophic plant, diatom and zooplankton communities were replaced by eutrophication-tolerant ones. Eutrophi... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5273743 Sat, 01 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5273743 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5273742&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21943525%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Bouldjedri M, de Bélair G, Mayache B, Muller SD Abstract Because of their biogeographical and geomorphological context, the northeastern Algeria wetlands present high species and community richness. The vegetation study of the Ramsar site of Beni-Belaid (Kabylia) showed the existence of four main communities, distributed along gradients of hydrology and disturbance. The obtained results reveal worrying threats on short term: overgrazing results in the lake invasion by the sand eroded from the coastal dune; agriculture induces illegal cutting, water pollution and excessive groundwater pumping; finally, hunting and fishing are illegally practiced into the Ramsar site. The awareness of public authorities is needed in order: (1) to completely protect the wetland with the aim ... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5273742 Sat, 01 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5273742 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5273741&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21943526%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Lourenço WR Abstract The scorpion fauna of the Island of Côn Son (Poulo Condore), Vietnam is briefly discussed and a new species, Chaerilus phami sp. n. is described. The new species is morphologically distinct from all the other species of Chaerilus described from the mainland in Vietnam. PMID: 21943526 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Comptes Rendus Biologies) Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5273741 Sat, 01 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5273741 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5139427&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21819935%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Defais M PMID: 21819935 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Comptes Rendus Biologies) Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5139427 Sun, 31 Jul 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5139427 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5139426&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21819936%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Dujon B PMID: 21819936 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Comptes Rendus Biologies) Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5139426 Sun, 31 Jul 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5139426 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5139425&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21819937%26dopt%3DAbstract We report the early phase of yeast comparative genomics conducted by a group of seven French CNRS laboratories: the Génolevures Consortium. This first multispecies comparison of Hemiascomycetes (now called Saccharomycotina) opened the way to yeast evolutionary genomics. This analysis indicates that yeasts are powerful organisms to decipher the different mechanisms acting to reshape the genome of eukaryotes during long evolution periods. This initial DNA approach reveals how biodiversity could be characterized with robust data. PMID: 21819937 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Comptes Rendus Biologies) Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5139425 Sun, 31 Jul 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5139425 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5139424&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21819938%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Martin T, Sherman DJ, Durrens P Abstract The Génolevures online database (URL: http://www.genolevures.org) stores and provides the data and results obtained by the Génolevures Consortium through several campaigns of genome annotation of the yeasts in the Saccharomycotina subphylum (hemiascomycetes). This database is dedicated to large-scale comparison of these genomes, storing not only the different chromosomal elements detected in the sequences, but also the logical relations between them. The database is divided into a public part, accessible to anyone through Internet, and a private part where the Consortium members make genome annotations with our Magus annotation system; this system is used to annotate several related genomes in parallel. The public database is wide... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5139424 Sun, 31 Jul 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5139424 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5139423&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21819939%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Casaregola S, Weiss S, Morel G Abstract DNA sequencing has revolutionized yeast taxonomy. Although initially rDNA sequences proved to be universal and convenient for assigning phylogenetic relationships, it was eventually supplanted by multigene analysis, which provided more discriminating and robust results. This led to a new classification of the major yeast clades, which is still used as a reference today. More recently, the availability of a large number of complete genome sequences has given a new perspective on the molecular taxonomy of yeasts by providing a high number of genes to compare. It also highlighted an unexpected aspect of yeast genome evolution: the existence of interspecific hybrids outside of the industrial Saccharomyces clade. Together with the loss of... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5139423 Sun, 31 Jul 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5139423 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5139422&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21819940%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Knop M Abstract Over the decades, basic research in life sciences has profited greatly from the study of the small unicellular fungal species Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This yeast turned out to be key for the identification and understanding of molecular mechanisms that underlay the basic functions of all eukaryotic cells. These include, but are not limited to, the regulatory mechanisms behind cellular reproduction (cell cycle control), cellular morphogenesis (cell polarity, cytoskeleton and membrane trafficking) and the management of cellular information (chromosome biology, transcription and translation). Rapid access to genomic information of many yeast species, combined with bioinformatics analyses, provide information on the evolutionary history of yeasts and the molec... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5139422 Sun, 31 Jul 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5139422 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5139421&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21819941%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Santos MA, Gomes AC, Santos MC, Carreto LC, Moura GR Abstract Genetic code alterations discovered over the last 40years in bacteria and eukaryotes invalidate the hypothesis that the code is universal and frozen. Mitochondria of various yeast species translate the UGA stop codon as tryptophan (Trp) and leucine (Leu) CUN codons (N=any nucleotide) as threonine (Thr) and fungal CTG clade species reassigned Leu CUG codons to serine and translate them ambiguously in their cytoplasms. This unique sense-to-sense genetic code alteration is mediated by a Ser-tRNA containing a Leu 5'-CAG-3'anticodon (ser-tRNA(CAG)), which is recognized and charged with Ser (∼97%) by the seryl-tRNA synthetase (SerRS) and with Leu (∼3%) by the leucyl-tRNA synthetase (LeuRS). This unusual tRNA appea... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5139421 Sun, 31 Jul 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5139421 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5139420&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21819942%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Liti G, Schacherer J Abstract Genome sequences of multiple individuals are essential to determine the forces shaping sequence variation as well as to understand the relationship between genotype and phenotype. Because of their wide ecological, geographical and genetic diversity, yeast species represent an ideal model system for population genomics. Recently, there has been a renewed interest in characterizing the genetic diversity within yeast species such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Saccharomyces paradoxus. Here, we review recent progress in the exploration of the intraspecific diversity using large collections of yeast isolates. These recent large-scale polymorphism surveys have increased our understanding of the population structures as well as the evolutionary hist... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5139420 Sun, 31 Jul 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5139420 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5139419&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21819943%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Rolland T, Dujon B Abstract Calibration of clocks to date evolutionary changes is of primary importance for comparative genomics. In the absence of fossil records, the dating of changes during yeast genome evolution can only rely on the properties of the genomes themselves, given the uncertainty of extrapolations using clocks from other organisms. In this work, we use the experimentally determined mutational rate of Saccharomyces cerevisiae to calculate the numbers of successive generations corresponding to observed sequence polymorphism between strains or species of other yeasts. We then examine synteny conservation across the entire subphylum of Saccharomycotina yeasts, and compare this second clock based on chromosomal rearrangements with the first one based on sequence... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5139419 Sun, 31 Jul 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5139419 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5139418&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21819944%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Drillon G, Fischer G Abstract We studied synteny conservation between 18 yeast species and 13 vertebrate species in order to provide a comparative analysis of the chromosomal plasticity in these 2 phyla. By computing the regions of conserved synteny between all pairwise combinations of species within each group, we show that in vertebrates, the number of conserved synteny blocks exponentially increases along with the divergence between orthologous protein and that concomitantly; the number of genes per block exponentially decreases. The same trends are found in yeasts but only when the mean protein divergence between orthologs remains below 36%. When the average protein divergence exceeds this threshold, the total number of recognizable synteny blocks gradually decreases d... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5139418 Sun, 31 Jul 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5139418 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5139417&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21819945%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Despons L, Uzunov Z, Louis VL Abstract This short article presents an overview of tandem gene arrays (TGAs) in hemiascomycete yeasts. In silico and in vivo analyses are combined to address structural, functional and evolutionary aspects of these particular chromosomal structures. Genomic instability of TGAs is discussed. We conclude that TGAs are generally dynamic regions of the genome in that they are the seats of chromosomal rearrangement events. In addition, they are often breeding grounds of new genes for a rapid adaptation of cells to demands of the environment. PMID: 21819945 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Comptes Rendus Biologies) Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5139417 Sun, 31 Jul 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5139417 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5139416&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21819946%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Pérez-Ortín JE, Jordán-Pla A, Pelechano V Abstract The steady-state mRNA level is the result of two opposing processes: transcription and degradation; both of which can provide important points to regulate gene expression. In the model organism yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, it is now possible to determine, at the genomic level, the transcription and degradation rates, as well as the mRNA amount, using DNA chip or parallel sequencing technologies. In this way, the contribution of both rates to individual and global gene expressions can be analysed. Here we review the techniques used for the genomic evaluation of the transcription and degradation rates developed for this yeast, and we discuss the integration of the data obtained to fully analyse the expression strategie... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5139416 Sun, 31 Jul 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5139416 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5139415&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21819947%26dopt%3DAbstract This article reviews some of the main advances made in this field, using yeast species, and especially the species sequenced in the frame of the Genolevures program, as a model. PMID: 21819947 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Comptes Rendus Biologies) Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5139415 Sun, 31 Jul 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5139415 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5139414&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21819948%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Neuvéglise C, Marck C, Gaillardin C Abstract Whatever their abundance in genomes, spliceosomal introns are the signature of eukaryotic genes. The sequence of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, achieved fifteen years ago, revealed that this yeast has very few introns, but conserved intron boundaries typical for an intron definition mechanism. With the improvement and the development of new sequencing technologies, yeast genomes have been extensively sequenced during the last decade. We took advantage of this plethora of data to compile and assess the intron content of the protein-coding genes of 13 genomes representative of the evolution of hemiascomycetous yeasts. We first observed that intron paucity is a general rule and that the fastest evolving genomes tend to lose their intr... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5139414 Sun, 31 Jul 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5139414 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5139413&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21819949%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Cruz JA, Westhof E Abstract The importance of ncRNAs in biological processes makes their annotation an essential component of any genome-sequencing project. The identification of ncRNAs in genomes requires specific expertise and tools that are distinct from the traditional protein gene annotation tools. Here, we describe the assembly of two automatic annotation pipelines, integrating publicly available tools, for homology and de novo ncRNA search in genomes. We applied both pipelines to 10 Saccharomycotina genomes and were able to find and annotate 693 ncRNA genes, corresponding to 81% of the ncRNAs expected for those genomes assuming the number of ncRNAs in Saccharomyces cerevisiae (86) as a reference. Several new ncRNAs, not yet known in the Saccharomycotina clade, were... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5139413 Sun, 31 Jul 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5139413 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5139412&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21819950%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Bleykasten-Grosshans C, Neuvéglise C Abstract With the development of new sequencing technologies in the past decade, yeast genomes have been extensively sequenced and their structures investigated. Transposable elements (TEs) are ubiquitous in eukaryotes and constitute a limited part of yeast genomes. However, due to their ability to move in genomes and generate dispersed repeated sequences, they contribute to modeling yeast genomes and thereby induce plasticity. This review assesses the TE contents of yeast genomes investigated so far. Their diversity and abundance at the inter- and intraspecific levels are presented, and their effects on gene expression and genome stability is considered. Recent results concerning TE-host interactions are also analyzed. PMID: 21819... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5139412 Sun, 31 Jul 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5139412 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5139411&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21819951%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Dequin S, Casaregola S Abstract Many different yeast species can take part in spontaneous fermentations, but the species of the genus Saccharomyces, including Saccharomyces cerevisiae in particular, play a leading role in the production of fermented beverages and food. In recent years, the development of whole-genome scanning techniques, such as DNA chip-based analysis and high-throughput sequencing methods, has considerably increased our knowledge of fermentative Saccharomyces genomes, shedding new light on the evolutionary history of domesticated strains and the molecular mechanisms involved in their adaptation to fermentative niches. Genetic exchange frequently occurs between fermentative Saccharomyces and is an important mechanism for generating diversity and for adapt... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5139411 Sun, 31 Jul 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5139411 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5092301&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21784358%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Menasché P Although cell therapy has entered the clinical arena since 2000, its benefits are still controversial. This is partly due to a shift of the whole paradigm from the mere provision of new cells intended to replenish the pool of dead cardiomyocytes to the exploitation of the cell's paracrine effects to activate host-associated cytoprotective signalling pathways, particularly those involved in angiogenesis, prevention of apoptosis and possibly recruitment of endogenous cells capable to mature into functional cardiomyocytes. This review will discuss how these two basic mechanisms (direct donor cell-derived myocardial regeneration versus paracrine signalling) underlie the rational selection of cells in light of the target clinical indication, with a particular focus on c... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5092301 Thu, 30 Jun 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5092301 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5092300&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21784359%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Mazières S The last two decades have seen numerous debates in the field of the initial settlement of America and noteworthy was the disagreement between physical and molecular anthropologists. Recently, it has been pointed out that this discordance could partly originate from the description methods and classification labels used in craniometry, which did not account fairly for the within-sample and within-group variance. From there, a federative model for the initial peopling of America has been designed which could now explain the biological variability found at both the craniofacial and genetic level. This is a major step in the study of the initial settlement of America, which deserved to be highlighted. The present paper recalls the two conflicting models that prevailed ... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5092300 Thu, 30 Jun 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5092300 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5092299&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21784360%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Fleury V, Boryskina OP, Al-Kilani A This Note presents experimental evidence that a hyperbolic tissue flow plays an important role in the establishment of the organization plan of vertebrates. We have followed the development of chicken embryos from the gastrula stage up to the moment when the body plan is recognizable. We have found that establishment of this plan occurs in the presence of a uniform tissue flow which at all stages presents a hyperbolic pattern. The flow is bidirectional in the antero-posterior direction, with a fixed point (stagnation point of the flow) which is a point of zero speed in all directions, in the reference frame of the egg. This stagnation point of the flow is located at the level of the presumptive yolk stalk of the chicken (analogous to the mam... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5092299 Thu, 30 Jun 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5092299 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5092298&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21784361%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Harrath AH, Alwasal SH, Alhazza I, Zghal F, Tekaya S The ovary of the freshwater planarian Schmidtea mediterranea has been studied for the first time using both light and electron microscopy methods. The ultrastructure of the ovary revealed two types of cells: accessory cells and germinal cells at various stages of differentiation, distributed along a maturation axis. Initially, oogonia underwent cytoplasm growth due to the development of organelles, such as endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi complex, and mitochondria, which are all involved in the production of cytoplasmic inclusions or yolk globules. It is shown that the chromatoid body and fibrogranular aggregates may participate in the synthesis of vitelline inclusions. When completely mature, the oocytes have become larger, due... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5092298 Thu, 30 Jun 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5092298 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5092297&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21784362%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Ezzine M, Debouba M, Habib Ghorbel M, Gouia H Interactions between NO(3)(-) and NO(2)(-) were studied at the level of root uptake, ion translocation (NO(3)(-), NO(2)(-), K(+)), ion xylem exudates composition and inorganic cation contents (K(+), Ca(2+), Mg(2+)) using tomato seedling (Solanum lycopersicum Mill cv. Ibiza F1). Nitrite was supplied in the medium as KNO(2) (0, 0.25, 2.5, 5 and 10 mM). Plants cultivated on the same doses of KNO(3) served as control. The experimental system allowed direct measurements of net NO(3)(-) and NO(2)(-) uptake. Our results showed that NO(3)(-) uptake and translocation were stimulated by external supply of K(+), while they were hardly decreased by NO(2)(-) supply. Contents of K(+) and Mg(2+) were negatively affected in all tomato tissues by ... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5092297 Thu, 30 Jun 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5092297 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5092296&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21784363%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Rodrigues TM, Santos DC, Machado SR Pterodon pubescens cavities are constituted by lumen and uniseriated epithelium surrounded by multiseriate parenchyma sheath. We studied the development of secretory cavities, including the role of parenchyma sheath, using light and transmission electron microscopy. A Tunel assay was performed to verify whether programmed cell death (PCD) occurs during the process. The lumen is formed by schizogeny and lysigeny occur in later developmental stages of the secretory cavities. Ultrastructurally, epithelial cells in later developmental stages become dark and with sinuous walls; the protoplast becomes retracted and the cytoplasm shows low organelle definition. Degenerated cells are released toward the lumen. Our results showed that PCD occurs duri... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5092296 Thu, 30 Jun 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5092296 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5092295&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21784364%26dopt%3DAbstract In this study, the COI gene was sequenced from 120 bats collected in the Central African Republic and belonging to either Epomophorus gambianus or Micropteropus pusillus, two species easily diagnosed on the basis of morphological characters, such as body size, skull shape and palatal ridges. Two additional molecular markers were used for comparisons: the complete mitochondrial cytochrome b gene and the intron 7 of the nuclear β-fibrinogen (FGB) gene. Our results reveal an unexpected discordance between mitochondrial and nuclear genes. The nuclear FGB signal agrees with our morphological identifications, as the three alleles detected for E. gambianus are divergent from the fourteen alleles found for M. pusillus. By contrast, this taxonomic distinction is not recovered with the analyses... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5092295 Thu, 30 Jun 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5092295 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5092294&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21784365%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Gottardo M Based on characters of both sexes, a new genus and species of the basal euphasmatodean lineage Aschiphasmatidae is described and figured from the Philippines. Dallaiphasma eximius gen. et sp. n. displays interesting features for the group, including: a cone-shaped vertex, which is notably raised above the pronotum; the tibial area apicalis represented by a depressed membranous posterior lateral region, and a strongly sclerotized central apical region; the euplantulae consisting of smooth-type attachment pads; the pretarsal claws pectination reduced to minute denticulations; and the well-differentiated boundary between the metanotum and the first abdominal tergum. The phylogenetic information content of the new findings is discussed. Furthermore, as a result of this ... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5092294 Thu, 30 Jun 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5092294 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5092293&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21784366%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Mardukhi B, Rejali F, Daei G, Ardakani MR, Malakouti MJ, Miransari M Since most experiments regarding the symbiosis between arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi and their host plants under salinity stress have been performed only under greenhouse conditions, this research work was also conducted under field conditions. The effects of three AM species including Glomus mosseae, G. etunicatum and G. intraradices on the nutrient uptake of different wheat cultivars (including Roshan, Kavir and Tabasi) under field and greenhouse (including Chamran and Line 9) conditions were determined. At field harvest, the concentrations of N, Ca, Mg, Fe, Cu, and Mn, and at greenhouse harvest, plant growth, root colonization and concentrations of different nutrients including N, K, P, Ca, Mg, Mn, C... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5092293 Thu, 30 Jun 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5092293 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5092292&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21784367%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Mbenoun Masse PS, Kenne M, Mony R, Dejean A, Tindo M We investigated in the laboratory the initial behavior of propagules of the invasive ant Wasmannia auropunctata in Cameroon where it has been introduced. Both workers and queens at first feigned death (thanatosis), and then the workers slowly moved around the experimental arena; the queens did the same about 10seconds later. Each queen antennated selected workers that then aggregated together by grasping the hind leg of another ant with their mandibles. When encountering the queen again, the lead worker climbed up the queen's hind leg and onto her back, followed by some other individuals. The remaining workers followed the queen to a location in the experimental arena. When brood was present, the workers transferred it to th... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5092292 Thu, 30 Jun 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5092292 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4948450&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21640941%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Décamps H, Lebreton JD PMID: 21640941 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Comptes Rendus Biologies) Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4948450 Sat, 30 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4948450 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4948449&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21640942%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: May RM Over the past century, documented extinctions in well-studied taxonomic groups have been at rates one hundred-fold to one thousand-fold above the average extinction rates seen over the half billion year sweep of the fossil record. But for most groups, particularly invertebrates, we are very uncertain how many species there are on Earth today, much less rates of extinction. PMID: 21640942 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Comptes Rendus Biologies) Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4948449 Sat, 30 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4948449 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4948448&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21640943%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Escarguel G, Fara E, Brayard A, Legendre S Over the last decades, the critical study of fossil diversity has led to significant advances in the knowledge of global macroevolutionary patterns of biodiversity. The deep-time history of life on Earth results from background originations and extinctions defining a steady-state, nonstationary equilibrium occasionally perturbed by biotic crises and "explosive" diversifications. More recently, a macroecological approach to the large-scale distribution of extant biodiversity offered new, stimulating perspectives on old theoretical questions and current practical problems in conservation biology. However, time and space are practically distinct, but functionally related dimensions of ecological systems. This calls for a spatially-integr... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4948448 Sat, 30 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4948448 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4948447&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21640944%26dopt%3DAbstract This article reviews how and why Vertebrates are affected by the various components of global change. The effect of direct exploitation, while strong, is currently superseded by changes in use of all sorts, while climate change has started having significant effects on some Vertebrate populations. The low maximum growth rate of Vertebrate populations makes them particularly sensitive to global change, while they contribute relatively modestly to major ecosystem services. One may conclude that unless they are considered as sentinels of the biological consequences of global changes, their situation will go on strongly deteriorating, in particular under the influence of interactions of different components of global change such as changes in use and climate change. PMID: 21640944 [PubMed ... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4948447 Sat, 30 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4948447 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4948445&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21640945%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Couvet D, Devictor V, Jiguet F, Julliard R To develop a complete and informative biodiversity observation system, it is necessary to compare the strengths and limits of various monitoring schemes. In this article, we examine the various advantages of extensively monitoring fine-grained spatial variations of biodiversity, where the prominent traits of many species within a community (abundance, phenology, etc.) are regularly recorded at numerous sites over a large territory, usually via human observation networks. Linking these variations with environmental factors sheds lights on the major mechanisms leading to changes in biodiversity, thus increasing our knowledge of macroecology and community ecology. This extensive monitoring allows us to assess diffuse effects, contributin... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4948445 Sat, 30 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4948445 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4948444&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21640946%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Le Maho Y, Saraux C, Durant JM, Viblanc VA, Gauthier-Clerc M, Yoccoz NG, Stenseth NC, Le Bohec C Individual marking is essential to study the life-history traits of animals and to track them in all kinds of ecological, behavioural or physiological studies. Unlike other birds, penguins cannot be banded on their legs due to their leg joint anatomy and a band is instead fixed around a flipper. However, there is now detailed evidence that flipper-banding has a detrimental impact on individuals. It can severely injure flipper tissues, and the drag effect of their flipper bands results in a higher energy expenditure when birds are moving through the water. It also results in lower efficiency in foraging, since they require longer foraging trips, as well as in lower survival and lowe... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4948444 Sat, 30 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4948444 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4948443&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21640947%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Roche B, Guégan JF In this article, we summarize the major scientific developments of the last decade on the transmission of infectious agents in multi-host systems. Almost sixty percent of the pathogens that have emerged in humans during the last 30-40years are of animal origin and about sixty percent of them show an important variety of host species besides humans (3 or more possible host species). In this review, we focus on zoonotic infections with vector-borne transmission and dissect the contrasting effects that a multiplicity of host reservoirs and vectors can have on their disease dynamics. We discuss the effects exerted by host and vector species richness and composition on pathogen prevalence (i.e., reduction, including the dilution effect, or amplification). We emp... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4948443 Sat, 30 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4948443 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4948442&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21640948%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Hättenschwiler S, Fromin N, Barantal S The relationship between biodiversity and biogeochemical processes gained much interest in light of the rapidly decreasing biodiversity worldwide. In this article, we discuss the current status, challenges and prospects of functional concepts to plant litter diversity and microbial decomposer diversity. We also evaluate whether these concepts permit a better understanding of how biodiversity is linked to litter decomposition as a key ecosystem process influencing carbon and nutrient cycles. Based on a literature survey, we show that plant litter and microbial diversity matters for decomposition, but that considering numbers of taxonomic units appears overall as little relevant and less useful than functional diversity. However, despite e... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4948442 Sat, 30 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4948442 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4948441&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21640949%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Maron PA, Mougel C, Ranjard L Since the development of industrialization, urbanization and agriculture, soils have been subjected to numerous variations in environmental conditions, which have resulted in modifications of the taxonomic diversity and functioning of the indigenous microbial communities. As a consequence, the functional significance of these losses/modifications of biodiversity, in terms of the capacity of ecosystems to maintain the functions and services on which humanity depends, is now of pivotal importance. In this context, one of the main challenges in soil microbial ecology is to better understand and predict the processes that drive soil microbial diversity and the link between diversity and ecosystem process. This review describes past, present and ongoin... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4948441 Sat, 30 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4948441 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4948440&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21640950%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Thompson JD, Mathevet R, Delanoë O, Gil-Fourrier C, Bonnin M, Cheylan M Policy for biodiversity conservation must evolve to cope with the increasing human footprint on natural systems. A major issue here is the need for policy for protected areas, which integrates their surrounding landscape and local human populations in the construction of socially grounded measures. To illustrate current conceptual thinking in this direction we present and provide a conceptual basis for a recent initiative in national park policy in France that is based on "ecological solidarity". In the light of other policy ideas and tools that have recently emerged for the co-construction of conservation policy, we argue that this concept provides an imaginative step towards consolidating ecological and... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4948440 Sat, 30 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4948440 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4948439&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21640951%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Décamps H For several years, measures to insure healthy river functions and to protect biodiversity have focused on management at the scale of drainage basins. Indeed, rivers bear witness to the health of their drainage basins, which justifies integrated basin management. However, this vision should not mask two other aspects of the protection of aquatic and riparian biodiversity as well as services provided by rivers. First, although largely depending on the ecological properties of the surrounding terrestrial environment, rivers are ecological systems by themselves, characterized by their linearity: they are organized in connected networks, complex and ever changing, open to the sea. Second, the structure and functions of river networks respond to manipulations of their hyd... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4948439 Sat, 30 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4948439 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4948438&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21640952%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Boeuf G Oceans contain the largest living volume of the "blue" planet, inhabited by approximately 235-250,000 described species, all groups included. They only represent some 13% of the known species on the Earth, but the marine biomasses are really huge. Marine phytoplankton alone represents half the production of organic matter on Earth while marine bacteria represent more than 10%. Life first appeared in the oceans more than 3.8 billion years ago and several determining events took place that changed the course of life, ranging from the development of the cell nucleus to sexual reproduction going through multi-cellular organisms and the capture of organelles. Of the 31 animal phyla currently listed, 12 are exclusively marine phyla and have never left the ocean. An interesti... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4948438 Sat, 30 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4948438 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4948437&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21640953%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Lamarque P, Quétier F, Lavorel S The ecosystem services concept is used in different scientific disciplines and is spreading into policy and business circles to draw attention to the benefits that people receive from biodiversity and ecosystems. However, the concept remains multiform and is used interchangeably with a range of other terms such as ecological, landscape or environmental services. We argue that lexical differences, in fact, result from different understandings of the concept, which could slow its use in nature conservation or sustainable resource use. An application to semi-natural grasslands shows that such differences could lead to very different assessments, of quality, quantity and location of ecosystem services. We argue that a compromise must be found betw... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4948437 Sat, 30 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4948437 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4948436&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21640954%26dopt%3DAbstract We describe the evolution of pearl millet in West Africa, where average rainfall has decreased over the last forty years. Diversity in cultivated varieties has certainly helped this crop to adapt to climate variation. PMID: 21640954 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Comptes Rendus Biologies) Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4948436 Sat, 30 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4948436 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4948435&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21640955%26dopt%3DAbstract This article addresses the effects of a strategy of in situ conservation called dynamic management (DM) on population evolution, adaptation and diversity. Two French DM initiatives are considered, the first one corresponding to an experimental context, the second to an on-farm management. Results from a study over 26 years of experimental DM of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) are first presented, including the evolution of agronomic traits and genetic diversity at neutral and fitness related loci. While this experiment greatly increased scientific knowledge of the effects of natural selection on cultivated populations, it also showed that population conservation cannot rely only on a network of experimental stations. In collaboration with a farmers' network in France, researchers have b... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4948435 Sat, 30 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4948435 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4948434&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21640956%26dopt%3DAbstract This article aims at clarifying the interest and limitations of these works, by revisiting a number of issues, such as the economic qualification of the services that human societies take from biodiversity and ecological systems in general, the specificities of their contribution to human well-being and the consequences of a valuation of biodiversity based on ecosystem services. We conclude with a discussion of the purposes of evaluations: improving public policies or creating new markets? PMID: 21640956 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Comptes Rendus Biologies) Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4948434 Sat, 30 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4948434 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4948433&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21640957%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Barbault R Proclaimed "International Year of Biodiversity", will 2010 hold all its promises? Reminder: initiated by the Convention on Biological Diversity ratified after the global summit in Rio de Janeiro, delegations from more than one hundred countries gathered in Johannesburg in 2002 and committed themselves to slowing the erosion of biodiversity by 2010. The European Union was more ambitious (or reckless?) and even spoke about halting this erosion (European Environment Agency, Progress towards the European 2010 biodiversity target, 2009) [1]! Well, that date has come and the overall appraisal that has been made formally in Nagoya in October this year was not so brilliant (see Leadley et al., 2010) [2]-but the same slogan has been launched for 2020! The aim here is not to ... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4948433 Sat, 30 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4948433 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4798556&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21513894%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Wallace R This work reconsiders recent ideas on the origin of biological homochirality by formally invoking the standard groupoid approach to stereochemistry in a thermodynamic context that generalizes Landau's spontaneous symmetry breaking arguments. On Earth, limited metabolic free energy density may have served as a low temperature-analog to 'freeze' the system in the lowest energy state, i.e., the set of simplest homochiral transitive groupoids representing reproductive chemistries. These engaged in Darwinian competition until a single configuration survived. Subsequent path-dependent evolutionary process locked-in this initial condition. Astrobiological outcomes, in the presence of higher initial metabolic free energy densities, could well be considerably richer, for exam... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4798556 Thu, 31 Mar 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4798556 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4798555&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21513895%26dopt%3DAbstract This article hypothesizes that the origin of the first microbial cell(s) occurred as a series of increasing levels of organization within a prebiotic gel attached to a mineral surface, which made the transition to a biofilm composed of the first cell(s) capable of growth and division. A gel microenvironment attached to a surface for the origin of life, and subsequent living cells offers numerous advantages. These include acting as a water and nutrient trap on a surface, physical protection as well as protection from UV radiation. The prebiotic gel and the living biofilm contained the necessary water, does not impede diffusion of molecules including gases, provides a structured gel microscopic location for biochemical interactions and polymerisation reactions, where the necessary molecules ... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4798555 Thu, 31 Mar 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4798555 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4798554&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21513896%26dopt%3DAbstract This study represents the first data on molecular phylogeny of Odontesthes species that can be of usefulness to biodiversity conservation policies. In the Atherinoidei (Old World silversides), Atherina boyeri was corroborated as a species complex constituted by a marine form, a marine with dark spots form and a brackish form. Concretely, Odontesthes and Atherina may represent geographically replicated models to study genetic adaptation and speciation of marine species to brackish and freshwater habitats. In addition, phylogenetic analyses supported Odontesthes and Atherina as monophyletic taxa and their separation into two differentiated suborders Atherinopsoidei and Atherinoidei, respectively. PMID: 21513896 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Comptes Rendus Biologies) Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4798554 Thu, 31 Mar 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4798554 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4798553&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21513897%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Latif MA, Rafii Yusop M, Motiur Rahman M, Bashar Talukdar MR A total of 78 alleles and 29 loci were detected from nine microsatellite and three minisatellite markers, respectively across 26 blast and ufra disease resistant genotypes. For blast resistant genotypes, the Polymorphic Information Content (PIC) values ranged from 0.280 to 0.726 and RM21 was considered as the best marker. PIC values ranged from 0.5953 to 0.8296 for ufra resistant genotypes and RM23 was the best marker for characterization of ufra resistant genotypes. The genetic similarity analysis using UPGMA clustering generated nine clusters with coefficient of 0.66 for blast resistant genotypes while five genetic clusters with similarity coefficient of 0.42 for ufra resistant genotypes. In order to develop resist... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4798553 Thu, 31 Mar 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4798553 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4798552&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21513898%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Abdullah N, Rafii Yusop M, Ithnin M, Saleh G, Latif MA Studies were conducted to assess the genetic relationships between the parental palms (dura and pisifera) and performance of their progenies based on nine microsatellite markers and 29 quantitative traits. Correlation analyses between genetic distances and hybrids performance were estimated. The coefficients of correlation values of genetic distances with hybrid performance were non-significant, except for mean nut weight and leaf number. However, the correlation coefficient of genetic distances with these characters was low to be used as predicted value. These results indicated that genetic distances based on the microsatellite markers may not be useful for predicting hybrid performance. The genetic distance analysis usin... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4798552 Thu, 31 Mar 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4798552 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4798551&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21513899%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Pessac B, Bara MA, Ford D, Patibandla GK, Trisler D Cell therapy for tissue regeneration requires cells with high self-renewal potential and with the capacity to differentiate into multiple differentiated cell lineages, like embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and adult somatic cells induced to pluripotency (iPSCs) by genetic manipulation. Here we report that normal adult mammalian bone marrow contains cells, with the cell surface antigen CD34, that naturally express genes characteristic of ESCs and required to generate iPSCs. In addition, these CD34+ cells spontaneously express, without genetic manipulation, genes characteristic of the three embryonic germ layers: ectoderm, mesoderm and endoderm. In addition to the neural lineage genes we previously reported in these CD34+ cells, we ... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4798551 Thu, 31 Mar 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4798551 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4798550&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21513900%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Martin JM, Roux O, Groc S, Dejean A To determine if a type of unicoloniality exists in the fire ant Solenopsis saevissima in its native range, we conducted intraspecific aggressiveness tests in French Guiana between workers originating from 15 human-disturbed sites. We identified two "colonial groups" spread over 54km and 12.5km, respectively. Workers from the same group never attacked each other, but inter-group confrontations resulted in a high level of aggressiveness. These large "colonial groups" enhances the threat occasioned by S. saevissima for both agriculture and the environment. PMID: 21513900 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Comptes Rendus Biologies) Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4798550 Thu, 31 Mar 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4798550 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4798549&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21513901%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Verlaque R, Affre L, Diadema K, Suehs CM, Médail F Hybridization processes can lead to evolutionary changes, particularly in co-introduced congeneric plant species, such as Carpobrotus spp. which are recognized as invasive in Mediterranean climate regions. Morphological and karyological comparisons have therefore been made between native Carpobrotus edulis and C. acinaciformis in South Africa and their invasive counterparts in Provence (C. edulis and C. aff. acinaciformis). Morphological data exhibited the most significant differences in invasive C. aff. acinaciformis that forms a new phenotypic variant. Unexpected chromosomal restructuring has been highlighted for both taxa in Provence, with in particular a clear decrease in asymmetry, an increase in the intraspecific v... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4798549 Thu, 31 Mar 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4798549 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4798548&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21513902%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Gottardo M A distinctive new species of the phasmatodean genus Ophicrania Kaup, 1871 (Phasmatidae: Platycraninae) is described and figured from the Philippines. Ophicrania conlei n. sp. (from Mount Madja-as, on Panay island) is characterized by the bicoloured anal region of the male hind wing, divided into an inner whitish patch, and an outer brownish area. The species is also distinguished from its most similar congeners on the basis of integumental coloration, features of the antennae, thoracic nota, wings, legs, and terminalia. The present study also provides an emended diagnosis of Ophicrania, and an updated checklist of the taxa of Platycraninae recorded from the Philippine archipelago. PMID: 21513902 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Comptes Rendus Biologies) Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4798548 Thu, 31 Mar 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4798548 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4798547&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21513903%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Gigante D, Venanzoni R, Zuccarello V Common reed die-back is a widely investigated phenomenon in Central Europe, not frequently recorded in S-European areas and almost unknown in the Mediterranean Basin. Symptoms of reed decline recently observed in the Italian Peninsula provided the starting point for a detailed investigation on a reed population in one of the largest freshwater ecosystems in Central Italy. The analyses were conducted over two vegetative seasons in 19 plots at seven locations. A set of 13 morphologic and phenologic reed traits were screened, monitored and statistically analysed. The data indicated the presence of the reed die-back syndrome in a wet Mediterranean ecosystem and enabled us to highlight a set of usable traits to detect the condition of decline. A... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4798547 Thu, 31 Mar 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4798547 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4798546&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21513904%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Lourenço WR Chaerilus julietteae sp. n. is described from a coastal massif of southern Vietnam. The new species is totally distinct morphologically from Chaerilus petrzelkai Kovařík, also described from the South Vietnam: it shows more affinities with Chaerilus pictus (Pocock, 1890), described from Bangladesh. An attempt to divide the genus Chaerilus into species-groups is also proposed. PMID: 21513904 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Comptes Rendus Biologies) Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4798546 Thu, 31 Mar 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4798546 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4574704&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21377610%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Job D, Pelletier G, Pernollet JC PMID: 21377610 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Comptes Rendus Biologies) Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4574704 Tue, 01 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4574704 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4574703&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21377611%26dopt%3DAbstract This article aims to summarize the present archaeo(zoo)logical knowledge and reflections on the origins of Neolithic animal domestication. It targets the main characteristics of early Neolithic animal domestication set against a backdrop of two complementary scales, namely the global and macro-regional scales (the latter using the example of the Near East). It discusses the conceptual and methodological issues, arguing in favor of an anthropozoological approach taking into account the intentions and the dynamics of human societies and critically analyzes the reductionist neo-Darwinian concepts of co-evolution and human niche construction. It also provides a brief discussion on the birth of ungulate domestication and its roots, as well as appropriate bibliographic references to enlighten th... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4574703 Tue, 01 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4574703 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4574702&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21377612%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Tresset A, Vigne JD The Neolithisation of Europe has seen the transformation of hunting-gathering societies into farming communities. At least partly exogenous in its origins, this process led to major transformations in many aspects of life-styles, such as social structures, land use or diet. It involved the arrival of new human populations and gave way to the importation, intentional or unwanted of many non-European animal and plant species. It also provoked important changes in interactions between humans and natural environments. In many respects, it set the foundations of long-term European peasantry developments and prefigured later agropastoral colonizations. As such, it must be seen as a major turning point in the history of European populations. PMID: 21377612 [Pu... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4574702 Tue, 01 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4574702 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4574701&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21377613%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Galibert F, Quignon P, Hitte C, André C Dog domestication has probably started very early during the Upper paleolithic period (∼35,000 BP), thus well before any other animal or plant domestication. This early process, probably unconscious, is called proto-domestication to distinguish it from the real domestication process that has been dated around 14,000 BC. Genomic DNA analyses have shown recently that domestication started in the Middle East and rapidly expanded into all human populations. Nowadays, the dog population is fragmented in several hundreds of breeds well characterized by their phenotypes that offer a unique spectrum of polymorphism. More recent studies detect genetic signatures that will be useful to highlight breed history as well as the impact of domesticat... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4574701 Tue, 01 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4574701 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4574700&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21377614%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Tixier-Boichard M, Bed'hom B, Rognon X Current knowledge on chicken domestication is reviewed on the basis of archaeological, historical and molecular data. Several domestication centres have been identified in South and South-East Asia. Gallus gallus is the major ancestor species, but Gallus sonneratii has also contributed to the genetic make-up of the domestic chicken. Genetic diversity is now distributed among traditional populations, standardized breeds and highly selected lines. Knowing the genome sequence has accelerated the identification of causal mutations determining major morphological differences between wild Gallus and domestic breeds. Comparative genome resequencing between Gallus and domestic chickens has identified 21 selective sweeps, one involving a non-syn... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4574700 Tue, 01 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4574700 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4574699&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21377615%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Salse J, Feuillet C During the last decade, technological improvements led to the development of large sets of plant genomic resources permitting the emergence of high-resolution comparative genomic studies. Synteny-based identification of seven shared duplications in cereals led to the modeling of a common ancestral genome structure of 33.6 Mb structured in five protochromosomes containing 9138 protogenes and provided new insights into the evolution of cereal genomes from their extinct ancestors. Recent palaeogenomic data indicate that whole genome duplications were a driving force in the evolutionary success of cereals over the last 50 to 70 millions years. Finally, detailed synteny and duplication relationships led to an improved representation of cereal genomes in concentr... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4574699 Tue, 01 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4574699 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4574698&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21377616%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Charmet G Wheat was one of the first crops to be domesticated more than 10,000 years ago in the Middle East. Molecular genetics and archaeological data have allowed the reconstruction of plausible domestication scenarios leading to modern cultivars. For diploid einkorn and tetraploid durum wheat, a single domestication event has likely occurred in the Karacadag Mountains, Turkey. Following a cross between tetraploid durum and diploid T. tauschii, the resultant hexaploid bread wheat was domesticated and disseminated around the Caucasian region. These polyploidisation events facilitated wheat domestication and created genetic bottlenecks, which excluded potentially adaptive alleles. With the urgent need to accelerate genetic progress to confront the challenges of climate change... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4574698 Tue, 01 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4574698 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4574697&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21377617%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Tenaillon MI, Charcosset A Maize was domesticated at least 8700 years ago in the highlands of Mexico. Genome-wide studies have greatly contributed to shed light into the diffusion of maize through the Americas from its center of origin. Also the presence of two European introductions in southern and northern Europe is now established. Such a spread was accompanied by an extreme diversification, and adaptation to the long days and low temperatures of temperate climates has been a key step in maize evolution. Linkage mapping and association mapping have successfully led to the identification of a handful set of the genetic factors that have contributed to maize adaptation, opening the way to new discoveries. Ultimately, these alleles will contribute to sustain breeding efforts t... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4574697 Tue, 01 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4574697 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4574696&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21377618%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Sicard D, Legras JL Yeasts of the Saccharomyces sensu stricto species complex are able to convert sugar into ethanol and CO(2) via fermentation. They have been used for thousands years by mankind for fermenting food and beverages. In the Neolithic times, fermentations were probably initiated by naturally occurring yeasts, and it is unknown when humans started to consciously add selected yeast to make beer, wine or bread. Interestingly, such human activities gave rise to the creation of new species in the Saccharomyces sensu stricto complex by interspecies hybridization or polyploidization. Within the S. cerevisiae species, they have led to the differentiation of genetically distinct groups according to the food process origin. Although the evolutionary history of wine yeast po... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4574696 Tue, 01 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4574696 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4574695&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21377619%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Guillemaud T, Ciosi M, Lombaert E, Estoup A Invasion biology and agriculture are intimately related for several reasons and in particular because many agricultural pest species are recent invaders. In this article we suggest that the reconstruction of invasion routes with population genetics-based methods can address fundamental questions in ecology and practical aspects of the management of biological invasions in agricultural settings. We provide a brief description of the methods used to reconstruct invasion routes and describe their main characteristics. In particular, we focus on a scenario - the bridgehead invasion scenario -, which had been overlooked until recently. We show that this scenario, in which an invasive population is the source of other invasive population... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4574695 Tue, 01 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4574695 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4574686&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21377620%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Taberlet P, Coissac E, Pansu J, Pompanon F Cattle, sheep and goats were domesticated about 10,000 years ago, spread out of the domestication centers in Europe, Asia, and Africa during the next few thousands years, and gave many populations locally adapted. After a very long period of soft selection, the situation changed dramatically 200 years ago with the emergence of the breed concept. The selection pressure strongly increased, and the reproduction among breeds was seriously reduced, leading to the fragmentation of the initial gene pool. More recently, the selection pressure was increased again via the use of artificial insemination, leading to a few industrial breeds with very high performances, but with low effective population sizes. Beside this performance improvement of... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4574686 Tue, 01 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4574686 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4574683&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21377621%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Planchenault D, Mounolou JC For hundreds of years, intuitively or deliberately, farmers and breeders have taken advantage of the slow and constant renewal of genetic diversity in their domesticated plants or animals. Their management efficiently combines selection to maintain existing varieties or breeds and selection to extract new biological items meeting incoming necessities and environmental changes. The traditional practice is now criticized for three main reasons. The fear that it might not follow the accelerated occurrence of new demands and changes is one. The second derives from advances in biology and technology that indeed offer the expected answers provided the existence of residual diversity in present stocks. At last, the management of genetic resources is no lon... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4574683 Tue, 01 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4574683 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4519105&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21333939%26dopt%3DAbstract This study was thus performed on a transgenic mouse model for human amyloid precursor protein (APP), the Tg2576 strain. The possible effects of DU through drinking water (20mg/L) over an 8-month period were analyzed on acetylcholine and cholesterol metabolisms at gene level in the cerebral cortex. The mRNA levels of choline acetyl transferase (ChAT) vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT) and ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABC A1) decreased in control Tg2576 mice in comparison with wild-type mice (respectively -89%, -86% and -44%, p<0.05). Chronic exposure of Tg2576 mice to DU increased mRNA levels of ChAT (+189%, p<0.05), VAChT (+120%, p<0.05) and ABC A1 (+52%, p<0.05) compared to control Tg2576 mice. Overall, these modifications of acetylcholine and cholesterol meta... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4519105 Tue, 01 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4519105 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4519104&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21333940%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Fleury V This note presents a mechanistic explanation of the transition between the morphology of cephalochordates to that of amniotes. By a careful study of the morphogenetic movements which occur during the early stages of development of a typical amniote (a chicken embryo), we are able to show that the formation of a vertebrate body follows a sequence: first, formation of dorsal folds, then head and heart as dorsal and ventral folds, and finally another dorsal fold, which eventually builds up the chorion. This order has a physical origin linked to the velocity field of the tissue flow. These folds form at right angles to the flow direction, and the topology of the chordates flow is hyperbolic. This mechanism explains the differences between the successive bauplans, by the c... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4519104 Tue, 01 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4519104 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4519103&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21333941%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Fausther M, Sévigny J Nucleosides and nucleotides are now considered as extracellular signalling molecules, like neurotransmitters and hormones. Hepatic cells, amongst other cells, ubiquitously express specific transmembrane receptors that transduce the physiological signals induced by extracellular nucleosides and nucleotides, as well as various cell surface enzymes that regulate the levels of these mediators in the extracellular medium. Here, we cover various aspects of the signalling pathways initiated by extracellular nucleosides and nucleotides in the liver, and discuss their overall impact on hepatic physiology. PMID: 21333941 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Comptes Rendus Biologies) Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4519103 Tue, 01 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4519103 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4519102&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21333942%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Lamhamdi M, Bakrim A, Aarab A, Lafont R, Sayah F Lead (Pb) is an environmental pollutant extremely toxic to plants and other living organisms including humans. To assess Pb phytotoxicity, experiments focusing on germination of wheat seeds were germinated in a solution containing Pb (NO(3))(2) (0.05; 0.1; 0.5; 1g/L) during 6 days. Lead accumulation in seedlings was positively correlated with the external concentrations, and negatively correlated with morphological parameters of plant growth. Lead increased lipid peroxidation, enhanced soluble protein concentrations and induced a significant accumulation of proline in roots. Esterase activity was enhanced in the presence of lead, whereas α-amylase activity was significantly inhibited. Antioxidant enzymes activities, such as, a... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4519102 Tue, 01 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4519102 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4519101&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21333943%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Ligaba A, Katsuhara M, Shibasaka M, Djira G In one of the most important crops, barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), gene expression and physiological roles of most major intrinsic proteins (MIPs) remained to be elucidated. Here we studied expression of five tonoplast intrinsic protein isoforms (HvTIP1;2, HvTIP2;1, HvTIP2;2, HvTIP2;3 and HvTIP4;1), a NOD26-like intrinsic protein (HvNIP2;1) and a plasma membrane intrinsic protein (HvPIP2;1) by using the quantitative real-time RT-PCR. Five-day-old seedlings were exposed to abiotic stresses (salt, heavy metals and nutrient deficiency), abscisic acid (ABA) and gibberellic acid (GA) for 24h. Treatment with 100mM NaCl, 0.1mM ABA and 1mM GA differentially regulated gene expression in roots and shoots. Nitrogen and prolonged P-deficiency dow... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4519101 Tue, 01 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4519101 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4519100&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21333944%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Granzotto A, Joubert A, Viau M, Devic C, Maalouf M, Thomas C, Vogin G, Malek K, Colin C, Balosso J, Foray N Individual response to ionizing radiation is an important information required to apply an efficient radiotherapy treatment against tumour and to avoid any adverse effects in normal tissues. In 1981, Fertil and Malaise have demonstrated that the post-irradiation local tumor control determined in vivo is correlated with clonogenic cell survival assessed in vitro. Furthermore, these authors have reminded the relevance of the concept of intrinsic radiosensitivity that is specific to each individual organ (Fertil and Malaise, 1981) [1]. To date, since clonogenicity assays are too time-consuming and do not provide any other molecular information, a plethora of research groups... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4519100 Tue, 01 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4519100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4519099&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21333945%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Moussi A, Abba A, Harrat A, Petit D Through monthly samplings of grasshoppers taken from five sites in oases and two in steppes in the area of Biskra, 45 species could be recorded. Four assemblages of species can be defined, two in the oasian zones, one in the stony steppe and a last one in the sandy steppe. The two oasian assemblages are interpreted in the light of a gradient of salinity and humidity determined by the vegetation. In each type of steppe, there is a spring sub-assemblage and a summer-autumnal one, but such a distinction is not possible in the anthropised sites. The steppe stations are moreover characterized by a larger diversity determined by the Shannon index and a weaker density than in the oases, in spite of a comparable richness. The comparative analysis of... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4519099 Tue, 01 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4519099 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4461032&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21262480%26dopt%3DAbstract This article examines in a broad perspective entropy and some examples of its relationship to evolution, genetic instructions and how we view diseases. Living organisms are programmed by functional genetic instructions (FGI), through cellular communication pathways, to grow and reproduce by maintaining a variety of hemistable, ordered structures (low entropy). Living organisms are far from equilibrium with their surrounding environmental systems, which tends towards increasing disorder (increasing entropy). Organisms free themselves from high entropy (high disorder) to maintain their cellular structures for a period of time sufficient to allow reproduction and the resultant offspring to reach reproductive ages. This time interval varies for different species. Bacteria, for example need no ... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4461032 Sat, 01 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4461032 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4461031&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21262481%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Kowalski A, Pałyga J, Górnicka-Michalska E A variable migration of linker histone H1.b and H1.c spots in two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel patterns of total erythrocyte histone H1 has been detected during population screening in two differently plumaged Guinea fowl strains. Alloforms, H1.b1 and H1.b2 as well as H1.c1 and H1.c2, differing in apparent molecular weights tended to form only phenotypes b1 and b2 or c1 and c2 in a white-feathered strain while all phenotypes (b1, b2 and b1b2 or c1, c2 and c1c2, respectively) were present in a black-feathered population. Accordingly, the white-feathered population significantly deviated from the Hardy-Weinberg principle (chi-square test, d.f=1, p<<0.001) due to a lack of heterozygotes while the black-feathered population conf... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4461031 Sat, 01 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4461031 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4461030&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21262482%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Egea E, Mérigot B, Mahé-Bézac C, Féral JP, Chenuil A Echinocardium cordatum had long been considered as cosmopolitan, but molecular data revealed it is a complex of cryptic species, with two non-hybridizing species (B1 & B2) in the Mediterranean Sea living in syntopy with Echinocardium mediterraneum. Histological analyses of the gonads from a 17-month sampling period revealed a statistically significant time lag between the Maturity Indices of E. cordatum and E. mediterraneum. The main environmental stimulus may be different for the two nominal species, possibly seawater temperature for E. cordatum and chlorophyll a concentration for E. mediterraneum. Within the E. cordatum complex, spawning timing and synchrony are different according to major geographic areas (A... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4461030 Sat, 01 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4461030 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4461029&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21262483%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Dhakshanamoorthy D, Selvaraj R, Chidambaram AL The aim of this study is to examine the effect of different doses (control, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25Kr) of gamma irradiation on seed germination, flowering, fruit and seed traits of Jatropha curcas and to identify DNA polymorphism among the mutants through a Randomly Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) marker analysis. The improved agronomic traits such as flowering, fruits and seeds were recorded in 5Kr dose and seed germination percentage in 10Kr dose treated plants, while corresponding parameters were reduced significantly (P>0.05) in 25Kr dose gamma rays treated plants when compared to that of control. All the twenty-three random primers used except six primers, namely OPAW16, OPAK07, OPAK15, OPS01, OPAK20 and OPAL09 were showed ... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4461029 Sat, 01 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4461029 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4461028&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21262484%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Guillevin R, Menuel C, Vallée JN, Françoise JP, Capelle L, Habas C, De Marco G, Chiras J, Costalat R Therapeutic management of low-grade gliomas (LGG) is a challenge because they have undergone anaplastic transformation with variable delay. Today, only progressive volume growth on successive MRI allows an in vivo monitoring of this evolution. On the other hand, multinuclear spectroscopy and perfusion available during MRI may also provide assessment of metabolic changes underlying morphological modifications. To overcome this drawback, we developed a mathematical model of the metabolism and the hemodynamic of gliomas, based on a physiological model previously published, and including the MR parameters. This allows us to suggest that some specific profiles of metabolic and hem... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4461028 Sat, 01 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4461028 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4461027&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21262485%26dopt%3DAbstract Pomology observations, morphometric analysis, ultrastructural study and allelic profiles of "olivastra Seggianese" endocarps from ancient olive trees (Olea europaea L.). C R Biol. 2011 Jan;334(1):39-49 Authors: Milanesi C, Sorbi A, Paolucci E, Antonucci F, Menesatti P, Costa C, Pallottino F, Vignani R, Cimato A, Ciacci A, Cresti M Preliminary studies of historical sources and remote sensing were used to identify ancient olive trees near archaeological sites and heritage buildings in the Orcia Valley (Siena, Italy). Distinctive characters were assessed by traditional pomological observation. Trees with similar characters were selected on the basis of the features of endocarps, the only structure that survives aerobic deterioration and conserves useful botanical information for c... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4461027 Sat, 01 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4461027 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4461026&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21262486%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Polidori C, Boesi R, Borsato W The size of the preexisting wood cavities used as nests by aculeate Hymenoptera is expected to have consequences on fitness parameters such as offspring number and size. We evaluated the consequences of using small and large (three-times more voluminous) trap-nests by the solitary wasp, Euodynerus (Pareuodynerus) posticus (Herrich-Schaeffer). Following life-history and sex allocation theories, a number of non-mutually exclusive hypotheses were formulated: i.e. small nests either produce smaller or fewer offspring and/or more males, the cheaper sex. Wasps built about 28% more, but shorter brood cells in large nests, although their volume was still much higher in large nests. Adult males had smaller body size in small nests, but female size did not... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4461026 Sat, 01 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4461026 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4461025&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21262487%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Belouahem-Abed D, Belouahem F, Benslama M, de Bélair G, Muller SD The phytoecological study of the alder forests of north-east Algeria shows that these habitats with boreal affinities harbour very high species richness (>400 species) and complex structures, which suggest their ancient origin. They correspond phytosociologically to two syntaxa, the Campanulo alatae-Alnenion glutinosae (riparian alder forests) and the Rusco hypophylli-Alnetum glutinosae (peat-forming alder carrs), respectively. Their degraded state and their regressive dynamics, observed during the 14 years of the study, reveal their precarious situation and their rapid ongoing decline under the influence of human-induced uncontroled disturbances (cutting, burning, draining, dumping…). With regard to the... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4461025 Sat, 01 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4461025 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4461024&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21262488%26dopt%3DAbstract In this study, butterflies are considered as biological indicators of these rapid environmental changes. Our purpose is to better understand changes in biodiversity related to the evolution of available habitats in a mutating landscape. In this study, we investigate butterfly communities of four land-use types (fallow lands, gardens, vineyards, woodlands) within different landscape contexts. Our results reveal that variations in structure and functional composition of these communities are related to different levels of human disturbance at both landscape scale and habitat scale. PMID: 21262488 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Comptes Rendus Biologies) Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4461024 Sat, 01 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4461024 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4272085&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21146131%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Ricard J The set of these two theoretical papers offers an alternative to the hypothesis of a primordial RNA-world. The basic idea of these papers is to consider that the first prebiotic systems could have been networks of catalysed reactions encapsulated by a membrane. In order to test this hypothesis it was attempted to list the main obligatory features of living systems and see whether encapsulated biochemical networks could possibly display these features. The traits of living systems are the following: the ability they have to reproduce; the fact they possess an identity; the fact that biological events should be considered in the context of a history; the fact that living systems are able to evolve by selection of alterations of their structure and self-organization. The... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4272085 Mon, 01 Nov 2010 00:00:00 +0100 4272085 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4272084&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21146132%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Ricard J The present article discusses the possibility that catalysed chemical networks can evolve. Even simple enzyme-catalysed chemical reactions can display this property. The example studied is that of a two-substrate proteinoid, or enzyme, reaction displaying random binding of its substrates A and B. The fundamental property of such a system is to display either emergence or integration depending on the respective values of the probabilities that the enzyme has bound one of its substrate regardless it has bound the other substrate, or, specifically, after it has bound the other substrate. There is emergence of information if p(A)>p(AB) and p(B)>p(BA). Conversely, if p(A)<p(AB) and p(B)<p(BA) the system is integrated. The first condition is likely to occur if t... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4272084 Mon, 01 Nov 2010 00:00:00 +0100 4272084 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4272083&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21146133%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Dilão R, Muraro D We fit the parameters of a differential equations model describing the production of gap-gene proteins Hunchback and Knirps along the antero-posterior axis of the embryo of Drosophila. As initial data for the differential equations model, we take the antero-posterior distribution of the proteins Bicoid, Hunchback and Tailless at the beginning of cleavage cycle 14. We calibrate and validate the model with experimental data using single- and multi-objective evolutionary optimization techniques. In the multi-objective optimization technique, we compute the associated Pareto fronts. We analyze the cross regulation mechanism between the gap-genes protein pair Hunchback-Knirps and we show that the posterior distribution of Hunchback follow the experimental data if... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4272083 Mon, 01 Nov 2010 00:00:00 +0100 4272083 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4272082&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21146134%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Oukouomi Noutchie SC A theoretical approach is used to investigate the quantitative and qualitative effects of the flocculation and break-up of aggregates of phytoplankton. The importance of these processes in the study of fish recruitment is discussed. Furthermore, results indicate that fragmentation and coagulation dynamics do not play a significant role in the overall evolution of the phytoplankton population. PMID: 21146134 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Comptes Rendus Biologies) Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4272082 Mon, 01 Nov 2010 00:00:00 +0100 4272082 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4272081&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21146135%26dopt%3DAbstract This study was conducted to assess the genetic diversity and population structure of 139 Lycium chinense accessions using 18 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. In total, 108 alleles were detected. The number of alleles per marker locus ranged from two to 17, with an average of six. The gene diversity and polymorphism information content value averaged 0.3792 and 0.3296, with ranges of 0.0793 to 0.8023 and 0.0775 to 0.7734, respectively. The average heterozygosity was 0.4394. The model-based structure analysis revealed the presence of three subpopulations, which was consistent with clustering based on genetic distance. An AMOVA analysis showed that the between-population component of genetic variance was less than 15.3%, in contrast to 84.7% for the within-population component. The overa... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4272081 Mon, 01 Nov 2010 00:00:00 +0100 4272081 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4272080&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21146136%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Smiri M, Chaoui A, Rouhier N, Gelhaye E, Jacquot JP, El Ferjani E Pea seeds (Pisum sativum L.) were germinated by soaking in distilled water or 5mM CdCl2 for 5 days. The relationships among Cd treatment, germination rate, embryonic axis growth, NAD(P)H levels and NAD(P)H oxidase activities in mitochondrial and peroxisomal fractions of cotyledons and embryonic axis were investigated. Heavy metal stress provoked a diminution in germination percent and embryonic axis growth, as compared to the control. A drastic disorder in reducing power was imposed after exposure to cadmium. Heavy metal caused a significant increase in the redox ratio of coenzymes. NADPH oxidase is considered to be oxidative stress-related enzymes. The NAD(P)H oxidase activities were strongly stimulated after C... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4272080 Mon, 01 Nov 2010 00:00:00 +0100 4272080 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4272079&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21146137%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Ait Kettout T, Rahmania F These studies are concerned with the isolation and identification of secondary metabolites produced by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. albedinis (F. o. a.), the causal agent of bayoud, the wilt disease of the date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.). Fungal secondary metabolites are chemical compounds identified in a limited number of species. They consist of toxins, antibiotics and antifungal agents. Among the metabolites we could isolate from the pathogen grown in a liquid medium, and then identify by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS), phenylacetic acid has been distinguished. This compound is widely described in the literature as having antimicrobial, antifungal, phytotoxic properties and also endowed with hormonal activity similar to t... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4272079 Mon, 01 Nov 2010 00:00:00 +0100 4272079 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4272078&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21146138%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Duquesnoy I, Champeau GM, Evray G, Ledoigt G, Piquet-Pissaloux A Agronomic plant species may display physiological and biochemical responses to oxidative stress caused by heavy metals and metalloids. Zea mays plants were grown hydroponically for eight days at different concentrations of As (0, 134 and 668μM) and at different pH (4, 7 and 9). Metabolic variations in response to As toxicity were measured using physiological parameters and antioxidant enzymatic activities. A significant decrease in SOD activity was observed in the leaves and roots of Z. mays with the majority of As treatments. As decreased G-POX activity less in leaves than in roots. An increase in the concentration of As increased APX activity in leaves and roots, except As(V) at pH 4 and pH 9 in the leaves an... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4272078 Mon, 01 Nov 2010 00:00:00 +0100 4272078 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4272077&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21146139%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Ortu E, Klotz S, Brugiapaglia E, Caramiello R, Siniscalco C Seventy-seven modern pollen samples from various elevations (350-2680 m a.s.l.) in two different areas of the north-western Alps (the Aosta Valley, Italy and the Taillefer Massif, France) were statistically analyzed to derive correlations between pollen assemblages, elevation and temperature at the sampled points. Numerical classifications were performed on pollen data to judge similarities between the two areas. The results show that a strong relationship exists between altitude and variations in pollen taxa percentages despite some floristic differences between the two areas. As a test, transfer functions from pollen percentages to elevation and temperature were calculated from pollen data. The reconstruction appear... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4272077 Mon, 01 Nov 2010 00:00:00 +0100 4272077 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4272076&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21146140%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Chakri K, Touati L, Alfarhan AH, Al-Rasheid KA, Samraoui B The history of selection of Daphnia magna populations living in North African temporary ponds may differ from populations inhabiting permanent ponds. Laboratory experiments were conducted to examine the effect of fish Gambusia holbrooki and invertebrate Notonecta glauca kairomones on the life history traits of the freshwater Cladocera Daphnia magna Straus. With fish kairomones, Daphnia reproduced early and had a significantly smaller size at first reproduction (SFR) and a smaller size of neonates compared to control. In contrast, daphnids reared in water treated with Notonecta glauca had no effect on the age at first reproduction but females were also smaller and produced smaller neonates. PMID: 21146140 [PubMed - ... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4272076 Mon, 01 Nov 2010 00:00:00 +0100 4272076 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4272075&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21146141%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Kar TK, Chattopadhyay SK Within the framework of a general equilibrium model we study the long-run dynamics of a prey-predator model in the presence of an alternative prey. Our results show that sustainability, i.e. a positive value of the population in the long run, essentially depends on individual harvesting efforts and digesting factors relative to alternative prey. A detailed bifurcation analysis evidences the richness of possible long-run dynamics. Our model clearly shows that the role of an alternative prey must be taken into consideration when studying prey-predator dynamics. PMID: 21146141 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Comptes Rendus Biologies) Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4272075 Mon, 01 Nov 2010 00:00:00 +0100 4272075 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4272074&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21146142%26dopt%3DAbstract This article presents a 241cm long sediment record documenting the vegetation history using pollen and non-pollen palynomorphs recovered from the Fénay marsh in Burgundy (Dijon area - France). The pollen and non-pollen palynomorphs (NPP) record largely reflects intensive human influence (clearing, cultivation and grazing) on the surrounding area from the Late Bronze Age and Hallstatt period. La Tène period is marked by drier conditions and a substantial increase in Alnus. During the Gallo-Roman period, high values of Alnus decrease to the benefit of Quercus. In the Early Middle Ages (5th-10th C), the swamp becomes a temporary pond and Cerealia type and Secale are cultivated in this very open landscape. During the Late Middle Ages (13th-15th C), the temporary pond is transformed into a la... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4272074 Mon, 01 Nov 2010 00:00:00 +0100 4272074 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4272073&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21146143%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Lourenço WR, Duhem B A new species of scorpion, Teuthraustes braziliensis sp. n. (Scorpiones, Chactidae), is described from the State of Amazonas, Brazil. This is the second species of the genus to be collected in the lowlands of South America, and the third record of a scorpion of the genus Teuthraustes to be recorded from Brazilian Amazonia. The total number of species of Teuthraustes is now raised to 21. The patterns of distribution of the genus are commented upon, and its geographical distribution is also enlarged. PMID: 21146143 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Comptes Rendus Biologies) Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4272073 Mon, 01 Nov 2010 00:00:00 +0100 4272073 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4107212&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20965439%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Wallace R The Modern Evolutionary Synthesis formalizes the role of variation, heredity, differential reproduction and mutation in population genetics. Here we explore a mathematical structure, based on the asymptotic limit theorems of communication theory, that instantiates the punctuated dynamic relations of organisms with their embedding environments, including the possibility of the transfer of heritage information between different classes of organism. The approach applies a standard coevolutionary argument to genes, environment, and gene expression reconfigured as interacting information sources. In essence, we provide something of a formal roadmap for the modernization of the Modern Synthesis, making applications to both relatively rapid evolutionary punctuated equilibri... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4107212 Thu, 30 Sep 2010 23:00:00 +0100 4107212 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4107211&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20965440%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Hossein-Zadeh NG Stochastic modeling of dairy cattle populations using multiple ovulation and embryo transfer (MOET) was used to compare 15-year genetic responses with an artificial insemination (AI) program. MOET and AI techniques were simulated in four populations, two with 100 breeding females each and two with 400 breeding females. The selection goal was to maximize genetic progress in milk yield. The reduction in genetic variation due to inbreeding and linkage disequilibrium was accounted for in the simulation process. All four MOET breeding schemes studied achieved larger genetic responses than the realized and theoretical genetic gains from the current AI progeny testing populations. Strict restriction against inbred matings slowed genetic progress significantly in the ... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4107211 Thu, 30 Sep 2010 23:00:00 +0100 4107211 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4107210&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20965441%26dopt%3DAbstract In this study, a cDNA sequence (1631 bp) [NCBI: EU586278] encoding a novel Ta.AGP.S1b transcript was isolated in kernels of Chinese common wheat cultivars. Compared with another Ta.AGP.S1b transcript [NCBI: FJ643609] isolated in kernels of non-Chinese wheat cultivars, EU586278 lacked a long fragment (117 bp) at its 5'terminal, resulting in a shorten transit peptide. The lacked fragments of Ta.AGP.S1b (EU586278) were universally found in surveyed 22 Chinese common wheat cultivars. Partial genomic DNA sequence [NCBI: FJ907395] of Ta.AGP.S.1 gene, which was corresponded to 5'terminal of EU586278 transcript, was also isolated in Chinese common cultivars and sequencing indicated that FJ907395 contained the corresponding lacked fragment of EU586278 transcript, inferring the lacked fragment in E... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4107210 Thu, 30 Sep 2010 23:00:00 +0100 4107210 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4107209&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20965442%26dopt%3DAbstract This article presents the activity of carbohydratases and proteases in the midgut of Cameraria ohridella larvae - an oligophagous pest whose preferred feeding is horse chestnuts leaves. Optimal media pH of the assayed enzymes were similar to those of other Lepidopterans. Relatively high amylase activity, as well as maltase and sucrase activities, indicates that starch and sucrose are the main digested saccharides. Trehalase activity was similar to that described in other Lepidopterans. Activities of glycosidases were significantly lower than those of disaccharidases what suggests that neither cellulose nor glycosides are important for C. ohridella. Trypsin is the main endoprotease of this pest. Like in other leaf-eaters carboxypeptidase activity was higher than that of aminopeptidase. T... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4107209 Thu, 30 Sep 2010 23:00:00 +0100 4107209 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4107208&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20965443%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: El Hamsas El Youbi A, Bousta D, Ouahidi I, Aarab L Tetraena gaetula (Emb. & Maire) Beier & Thulin (Zygophyllum gaetulum Emb. & Maire, Zygophyllaceae) is an endemic plant from the southern Morocco. This plant is widely used in Moroccan traditional medicine as an antispasmodic and antidiabetic. Our work aims to evaluate several pharmacological properties of extracts of T. gaetula such pro- or antiproliferative, immunomodulatory, analgesic and antidepressant effects. Initially, we studied intraperitoneally the acute toxicity of aqueous extract of T. gaetula in mice; the lethal dose 50 is 1.2g/kg of body weight. Our results also showed a stimulating proliferative activity of T. gaetula, particularly at 6μg/μL of the proteic extract on T lymphocytes. However, thi... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4107208 Thu, 30 Sep 2010 23:00:00 +0100 4107208 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4107207&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20965444%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Benslama M, Andrieu-Ponel V, Guiter F, Reille M, de Beaulieu JL, Migliore J, Djamali M The study of two pollen sequences from El-Kala marshes allowed the reconstruction of the regional vegetation history supported by eight radiocarbon dates. Pollen assemblages from Bourdim site were dominated by local input of Alnus and Salix, while regional vegetation was characterized by scattered Quercus suber forests with a well-developed Erica arborea matorral. While the vegetation dynamics recorded at Bourdim is recent (Late Holocene), the majority of the pollen diagram from Garaat El-Ouez is contemporaneous to the Late Pleniglacial and is characterized by open woodlands with Pinus, Poaceae and several heliophilous herbs. The significant values of Cedrus pollen identified in this perio... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4107207 Thu, 30 Sep 2010 23:00:00 +0100 4107207 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4107206&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20965445%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Boisselier-Dubayle MC, Bonillo C, Cruaud C, Couloux A, Richer de Forges B, Vidal N The Glypheidea is a group of lobster-like decapods that appeared in the Triassic and that was thought to be extinct until 1975, when a specimen of the species Neoglyphea inopinata was caught off the Philippines. More recently, in 2005, a specimen of another glypheid species, Laurentaeglyphea neocaledonica, was discovered near New Caledonia. Here, we construct a decapod molecular data set including the two extant glypheid species sequenced from eight nuclear and mitochondrial genes. Our study strongly shows that the two extant genera of glypheids cluster together, and further confirms the status of Glypheidea as a separate infraorder. Moreover the reptantian decapods are divided into two major gr... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4107206 Thu, 30 Sep 2010 23:00:00 +0100 4107206 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3954726&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20816643%26dopt%3DAbstract In this study, three-dimensional structure modeling of ANEPII and site-4 of the insect sodium channel were carried out by homology modeling, and these models were used as the starting point for nanosecond-duration molecular dynamics simulations. Docking studies of ANEPII in the sodium channel homology model were conducted, and likely ANEPII binding loci were investigated. Based on these analyses, the residues Tyr34, Trp36, Gly39, Leu40, Trp53, Asn58, Gly61 and Gly62 were predicted to interact with sodium channel receptor and to act as functional residues. PMID: 20816643 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Comptes Rendus Biologies) Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3954726 Tue, 31 Aug 2010 23:00:00 +0100 3954726 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3954725&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20816644%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Sakouhi F, Absalon C, Flamini G, Cioni PL, Kallel H, Boukhchina S The analysis of the total lipid fraction from the Sayali variety of olive oil was accomplished in the present investigation. Glyceridic, unsaponifiable and flavour fractions of the oil were isolated and identified using several analytical methods. Chromatographic techniques have proven to be suitable for these determinations, especially capillary gas chromatography. Gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry was successfully used to identify sterols, triterpenes alcohols, 4-monomethylsterols, aliphatic alcohols and aroma compounds in our samples. Furthermore, solid phase microextraction was used to isolate volatiles from the total lipid fraction. Results from the quantitative characterization of Sayali oliv... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3954725 Tue, 31 Aug 2010 23:00:00 +0100 3954725 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3954724&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20816645%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Bouchereau JL, Muller F, Gros O Diagnosis: number of fins rays D1: VI; D2: I+9; C: 21-22; A: I+8; P: 17-18; Pv: 10; number of scales on the lateral line Ec: 27-28; number of vertebras V: 26. Evidence of sexual dimorphism is shown by two different shapes of urogenital papilla. The lateral system was observed using scanning electron microscopy after 2% glutaraldehyde fixation in sea water. The oculoscapular, preopercular canals, mucous pores are inventoried and the distribution and number of neuromasts are presented. The coding sequences for 18S ribosomic RNA are identified. PMID: 20816645 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Comptes Rendus Biologies) Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3954724 Tue, 31 Aug 2010 23:00:00 +0100 3954724 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3954723&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20816646%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Muanda FN, Dicko A, Soulimani R The present study was carried out to evaluate the antioxidant activities of the root bark extract of Securidaca longepedunculata. This plant material is commonly used in folk medicine in several parts in the world. The bark extracts of S. longepedunculata were evaluated for their total phenols, flavonoids, anthocyanins, tannins content and total antioxidant capacity. The compounds were identified and quantified both by RP-HPLC and UV spectrophotometer; the antioxidant capacity was assessed by ABTS and DPPH tests and expressed as IC(50). The total phenolic compounds determinate was 9.86mg gallic acid equivalents/g dw, the total flavonoid contents was 5.85mg catechin equivalents/g dw, the total anthocyanin contents was 0.032mg cyanidin-3-glycosyl ... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3954723 Tue, 31 Aug 2010 23:00:00 +0100 3954723 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3954722&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20816647%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Bouahim S, Rhazi L, Amami B, Sahib N, Rhazi M, Waterkeyn A, Zouahri A, Mesleard F, Muller SD, Grillas P The impact of grazing on the vegetation of Moroccan temporary pools has been studied at 2 scales: regional (inter-pools) and local (intra-pools). Half of the 16 forest pools studied is located in a reserve and ungrazed. The other half, located within public forest, is grazed. Vegetation relevés coupled to water-depths measurements were carried out in each pool. The results showed a significant effect of grazing on both scales of analysis. This effect was found in the species composition of the vegetation, which differed between the 2 types of pools, and in the lower species richness and abundance of plant species in the grazed pools. These differences are interpreted as r... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3954722 Tue, 31 Aug 2010 23:00:00 +0100 3954722 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3954721&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20816648%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Abiadh A, Colangelo P, Capanna E, Lamine-Cheniti T, Chetoui M Size and shape changes in the skull of the genus Gerbillus were investigated using geometric morphometrics. Six species from Tunisia were studied (G. gerbillus, G. campestris, G. nanus, G. tarabuli, G. simoni and G. latastei). Statistical analyses of shape variability allowed us to discriminate three morphological groups which are congruent with the three groups suggested by previous morphological and molecular studies. However, our results contrast with previous molecular investigations. In fact, according to results obtained by the use of principal component analysis, canonical variate analysis and UPGMA, we found a higher degree of divergence between the subgenus Dipodillus and the other two subgenera Gerbillus a... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3954721 Tue, 31 Aug 2010 23:00:00 +0100 3954721 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3954720&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20816649%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Blanc A, Ogier N, Roux A, Denizeau S, Mathevon N Communication behaviours are now considered from a signallers-receivers network perspective. This concept seems well suited to the study of interactions between parents and offspring in birds, so far mainly treated as a dyadic signalling system involving the brood or a single chick as a signaller and the parent as a receiver. Family conflicts over resource allocation drive parent-offspring and sib-sib communication. In the Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus, parents respond to the whole-brood begging intensity and siblings often synchronize their begging signalling thus limiting individual effort. By monitoring five nests of two-chick broods during the whole rearing period in the nest, we show how an intra-brood simultaneity of ... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3954720 Tue, 31 Aug 2010 23:00:00 +0100 3954720 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3954719&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20816650%26dopt%3DAbstract This article presents the floristic, structural, and syntaxonomical features of plant assemblages in temporary wetlands and the pattern of the corresponding habitat types; according to the Habitats Directive. Nine pristine temporary wetlands covering a wide range of shapes, elevations and substrates were monitored. The "within temporary wetlands" hydrological gradient was strong enough to drive the vegetation and habitat type patterns. Plant assemblages presented a spatial arrangement in three concentric belts repeatedly present in each site in the same relative position. The presence of the H3120 habitat type was recognized in the central and in the intermediate belt. The outer belt was the more suitable for the presence of the H3170* priority habitat. Therefore, it should represent the m... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3954719 Tue, 31 Aug 2010 23:00:00 +0100 3954719 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3833646&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20688277%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Besnard G, Christin PA Recent advances in genomics open promising opportunities to investigate adaptive trait evolution at the molecular level. However, the accuracy of comparative genomic studies strongly relies on the taxonomic coverage, which can be insufficient when based solely on a few completely sequenced genomes. In particular, when distantly-related genomes are compared, orthology of some genes can be misidentified and long branches of the phylogenetic reconstructions make inappropriate positive selection tests, as recently exemplified with investigations on the evolution of the C(4) photosynthetic pathway in grasses. Complementary studies addressing the diversification of multigene families in a broad taxonomic sample can help circumvent these issues. PMID: 20688... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3833646 Sat, 31 Jul 2010 23:00:00 +0100 3833646 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3833645&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20688278%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Charrière K, Risold PY, Fellmann D Bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) are capable of differentiating into various cell types including brain cells. Several groups have also demonstrated trophic effects of MSC grafts in experimental ischemia models. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms of these effects are not fully understood. We developed an "in vitro graft model" which consisted in a coculture of GFP-expressing BMSCs and hippocampal organotypic slice cultures. Total marrow cells (MCs) or BMSCs after one (BMSC(1P)) or five passages (BMSC(5P)) were transplanted on hippocampal slices. During the 10 days of our experiments, MCs and BMSC(1P) migrated toward the tissue, but their total number remained constant. Conversely, the number of BMSC(5P) decreased over the 10 day... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3833645 Sat, 31 Jul 2010 23:00:00 +0100 3833645 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3833644&cid=s_35422_62_f&fid=35422&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20688279%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Kandsi-Bouhadad F, Hadj-Bekkouche F DHEA, DHEA sulphate and androstenedione are C19 steroïds secreted by the adrenal cortex. These hormones with a weak androgen activity are precursors of estrogens and androgens. In human and other primates these hormones are produced in important quantities, even though, in domestic and laboratory animals, a few secretion is measured. In this survey, the androstenedione is quantified both in plasma and adrenal gland of young, prepubertal and adult rabbits and the castration effects on adrenal cortex histology are noted too. The absolute weight (AW) of the left adrenal gland is slightly higher than the right (p>0.05) for all animals and the gland absolute weight (AW) for the adult rabbit is superior to the young and prepubertal rabitts (... Comptes Rendus Biologies journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3833644 Sat, 31 Jul 2010 23:00:00 +0100 3833644