Molecular evidence of Pleistocene bidirectional faunal exchange between Europe and the Near East: the case of the bicoloured shrew (Crocidura leucodon, Soricidae).

We sequenced 1077 bp of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene and 511 bp of the nuclear Apolipoprotein B gene in bicoloured shrew (Crocidura leucodon, Soricidae) populations ranging from France to Georgia. The aims of the study were to identify the main genetic clades within this species and the influence of Pleistocene climatic variations on the respective clades. The mitochondrial analyses revealed a European clade distributed from France eastwards to north-western Turkey and a Near East clade distributed from Georgia to Romania; the two clades separated during the Middle Pleistocene. We clearly identified a population expansion after a bottleneck for the European clade based on mitochondrial and nuclear sequencing data; this expansion was not observed for the eastern clade. We hypothesize that the western population was confined to a small Italo-Balkanic refugium, whereas the eastern population subsisted in several refugia along the southern coast of the Black Sea.

Lack of seasonal variation in cardiovascular mortality in a country near the equator

Introduction: Mortality from cardiovascular disease (CVD) varies according to seasons in countries that are located far away from the equator, likely linked to concomitant seasonal variation in underlying CVD risk factors. We assessed temporal variation in CVD mortality in the Seychelles, a small island state situated near the equator and where the climate is virtually constant throughout the year. Seychelles is one of the few countries located near the equator where all deaths are registered. Methods: We recoded all deaths along broad causes, including CVD (n=5643), stroke (2112) and myocardial infarction (MI, 804). Stroke and MI were considered as the cause of death if the diagnosis appeared in any of the four fields for underlying causes of death in the death certificates. In view of the small size of the population, we pooled all deaths (n=13'163) between 1989 and 2010. Results: Mortality for all CVD, stroke and MI did not systematically vary according to month or season (chi square >0.05). A lack of variation was also observed within sex and age categories. Conclusion: The lack of seasonal variation in CVD mortality in a country located near the equator is consistent with the hypothesis that seasonal variation in CVD decreases along decreasing a country's latitude.

Advances in Near-surface Seismology and Ground-penetrating Radar

Advances in Near-surface Seismology and Ground-penetrating Radar (SEG Geophysical Developments Series No. 15) is a collection of original papers by renowned and respected authors from around the world. Technologies used in the application of near-surface seismology and ground-penetrating radar have seen significant advances in the last several years. Both methods have benefited from new processing tools, increased computer speeds, and an expanded variety of applications. This book, divided into four sections ? ?Reviews,? ?Methodology,? ?Integrative Approaches,? and ?Case Studies? ? captures the most significant cutting-edge issues in active areas of research, unveiling truly pertinent studies that address fundamental applied problems. This collection of manuscripts grew from a core group of papers presented at a postconvention workshop, ?Advances in Near-surface Seismology and Ground-penetrating Radar,? held during the 2009 SEG Annual Meeting in Houston, Texas. This is the first cooperative publication effort between the near-surface communities of SEG, AGU, and EEGS. It will appeal to a large and diverse audience that includes researchers and practitioners inside and outside the near-surface geophysics community.

Climate and vegetation history of western Portugal inferred from Albian near-shore deposits (Gale Formation, Lusitanian Basin)

The late Early Cretaceous greenhouse climate has been studied intensively based on proxy data derived essentially from open marine archives. In contrast, information on continental climatic conditions and on the accompanying response of vegetation is relatively scarce, most notably owing to the stratigraphic uncertainties associated with many Lower Cretaceous terrestrial deposits. Here, we present a palynological record from Albian near-shore deposits of the Lusitanian Basin of W Portugal, which have been independently dated using Sr-isotope signals derived from low-Mg oyster shell calcite. Sr-87/Sr-86 values fluctuate between 0.707373 +/- 0.00002 and 0.707456 +/- 0.00003; absolute values and the overall stratigraphic trend match well with the global open marine seawater signature during Albian times. Based on the new Sr-isotope data, existing biostratigraphic assignments of the succession are corroborated and partly revised. Spore-pollen data provide information on the vegetation community structure and are flanked by sedimentological and clay mineralogical data used to infer the overall climatic conditions prevailing on the adjacent continent. Variations in the distribution of climate-sensitive pollen and spores indicate distinct changes in moisture availability across the studied succession with a pronounced increase in hygrophilous spores in late Early Albian times. Comparison with time-equivalent palynofloras from the Algarve Basin of southern Portugal shows pronounced differences in the xerophyte/hygrophyte ratio, interpreted to reflect the effect of a broad arid climate belt covering southern and southeastern Iberia during Early Albian times.

Perforation colique néonatale focale spontanée en dehors de la grande prématurité : rare et potentiellement insidieuse [Focal spontaneous colic perforation in term or near-term neonates: rare and potentially insidious].

Two cases of neonatal focal spontaneous colic perforations are reported. The 1st infant, born at 36 3/7 weeks gestational age, presented on day 3 with crying, abdominal distension, and liquid stools. Clinical examination showed a slightly irritable hypothermic (35.7 °C) infant with a distended abdomen and few bowel sounds. Blood tests were normal apart from an elevated C-reactive protein level (59 mg/l). The abdomen x-ray was erroneously considered normal. The infant's condition remained stable for nearly 3 days. After reviewing the initial x-ray, pneumoperitoneum was suspected and confirmed by a cross-table lateral abdominal x-ray. The infant was started on antibiotics and operated. Macroscopically, the entire gut was normal apart from a focal sigmoid perforation, which was stitched. A transmural colic biopsy revealed focal vascular dilation but was negative for necrotising enterocolitis or Hirschsprung disease. The infant recovered quickly. She is now a healthy, normal 3-year-old. The 2nd infant, born at 38 5/7 weeks gestational age, presented between day 1 and 2 with clinical signs of infection associated with slowly progressive ileus. The chest and abdomen x-ray was mistakenly considered normal. Frank septicemia developed. After reviewing the initial x-ray, pneumoperitoneum was suspected and confirmed by a cross-table lateral abdominal x-ray. The infant was operated. Macroscopically, the small intestine was normal, the ascending and transverse colons were dilated, and the descending and sigmoid colons were narrow. Three cecal perforations were discovered and stitched. An ileostomy and multiple colic biopsies were also performed. The postoperative course was complicated by persistent septic ileus due to descending and sigmoid colon leaks, which led to colic resections with end-to-end anastomosis. Rectal aspiration biopsies were also performed. At 1 month of age, the infant was discharged from the hospital. The ileostomy was closed in two steps at 2 and 5 months of age. A normal sweat test excluded cystic fibrosis. All colic and rectal biopsies revealed nonspecific inflammatory signs and excluded necrotizing enterocolitis and Hirschsprung disease. Nonspecific irregular thinning of muscularis mucosae and muscularis propria were observed in the two resected colic segments. The boy is now a healthy 7-year-old. The incidence of neonatal focal spontaneous colic perforations at term or close to term is unknown but probably very rare. Our department is the neonatal referral center for approximately 14,000 annual births. In the last 10 years (2000-2009), out of 5115 neonatal admissions in our unit, only ten cases have presented a neonatal spontaneous intestinal perforation, seven of ten in very-low-birth-weight infants and three of ten in term or near-term neonates (one with Hirschsprung disease and the two cases reported herein). In the same period, 108 infants suffered from necrotizing enterocolitis, seven of 108 were term infants and 6 out of 7 had a congenital heart disease. The medical literature is poor on the subject of focal spontaneous colic perforations at term; no risk factor is described. The most specific clinical sign seems to be the abdominal distension. The presence of pneumoperitoneum on an abdominal x-ray is the most sensitive paraclinical sign. In case of an intestinal perforation, surgery must be performed quickly. The vital prognosis seems to be good. The objective of this study was to draw pediatricians' attention to focal spontaneous colic perforations in term or close to term newborns. In the cases reported, the diagnostic delays could have been prevented if the entity - with its radiological manifestation - had been well known.

Common variants near MC4R are associated with fat mass, weight and risk of obesity.

To identify common variants influencing body mass index (BMI), we analyzed genome-wide association data from 16,876 individuals of European descent. After previously reported variants in FTO, the strongest association signal (rs17782313, P = 2.9 x 10(-6)) mapped 188 kb downstream of MC4R (melanocortin-4 receptor), mutations of which are the leading cause of monogenic severe childhood-onset obesity. We confirmed the BMI association in 60,352 adults (per-allele effect = 0.05 Z-score units; P = 2.8 x 10(-15)) and 5,988 children aged 7-11 (0.13 Z-score units; P = 1.5 x 10(-8)). In case-control analyses (n = 10,583), the odds for severe childhood obesity reached 1.30 (P = 8.0 x 10(-11)). Furthermore, we observed overtransmission of the risk allele to obese offspring in 660 families (P (pedigree disequilibrium test average; PDT-avg) = 2.4 x 10(-4)). The SNP location and patterns of phenotypic associations are consistent with effects mediated through altered MC4R function. Our findings establish that common variants near MC4R influence fat mass, weight and obesity risk at the population level and reinforce the need for large-scale data integration to identify variants influencing continuous biomedical traits.

Water-filtered infrared-A radiation (wIRA) is not implicated in cellular degeneration of human skin.

BACKGROUND: Excessive exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation is involved in the complex biologic process of cutaneous aging. Wavelengths in the ultraviolet-A and -B range (UV-A and UV-B) have been shown to be responsible for the induction of proteases, e. g. the collagenase matrix metalloproteinase 1 (MMP-1), which are related to cell aging. As devices emitting longer wavelengths are widely used in therapeutic and cosmetic interventions and as the induction of MMP-1 by water-filtered infrared-A (wIRA) had been discussed, it was of interest to assess effects of wIRA on the cellular and molecular level known to be possibly involved in cutaneous degeneration. OBJECTIVES: Investigation of the biological implications of widely used water-filtered infrared-A (wIRA) radiators for clinical use on human skin fibroblasts assessed by MMP-1 gene expression (MMP-1 messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) expression).Methods: Human skin fibroblasts were irradiated with approximately 88% wIRA (780-1400 nm) and 12% red light (RL, 665-780 nm) with 380 mW/cm(2) wIRA(+RL) (333 mW/cm(2) wIRA) on the one hand and for comparison with UV-A (330-400 nm, mainly UV-A1) and a small amount of blue light (BL, 400-450 nm) with 28 mW/cm(2) UV-A(+BL) on the other hand. Survival curves were established by colony forming ability after single exposures between 15 minutes and 8 hours to wIRA(+RL) (340-10880 J/cm(2) wIRA(+RL), 300-9600 J/cm(2) wIRA) or 15-45 minutes to UV-A(+BL) (25-75 J/cm(2) UV-A(+BL)). Both conventional Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) and quantitative real-time RT-PCR techniques were used to determine the induction of MMP-1 mRNA at two physiologic temperatures for skin fibroblasts (30 degrees C and 37 degrees C) in single exposure regimens (15-60 minutes wIRA(+RL), 340-1360 J/cm(2) wIRA(+RL), 300-1200 J/cm(2) wIRA; 30 minutes UV-A(+BL), 50 J/cm(2) UV-A(+BL)) and in addition at 30 degrees C in a repeated exposure protocol (up to 10 times 15 minutes wIRA(+RL) with 340 J/cm(2) wIRA(+RL), 300 J/cm(2) wIRA at each time). RESULTS: Single exposure of cultured human dermal fibroblasts to UV-A(+BL) radiation yielded a very high increase in MMP-1 mRNA expression (11 +/-1 fold expression for RT-PCR and 76 +/-2 fold expression for real-time RT-PCR both at 30 degrees C, 75 +/-1 fold expression for real-time RT-PCR at 37 degrees C) and a dose-dependent decrease in cell survival. In contrast, wIRA(+RL) did not produce cell death and did not induce a systematic increase in MMP-1 mRNA expression (less than twofold expression, within the laboratory range of fluctuation) detectable with the sensitive methods applied. Additionally, repeated exposure of human skin fibroblasts to wIRA(+RL) did not induce MMP-1 mRNA expression systematically (less than twofold expression by up to 10 consecutive wIRA(+RL) exposures and analysis with real-time RT-PCR). CONCLUSIONS: wIRA(+RL) even at the investigated disproportionally high irradiances does not induce cell death or a systematic increase of MMP-1 mRNA expression, both of which can be easily induced by UV-A radiation. Furthermore, these results support previous findings of in vivo investigations on collagenase induction by UV-A but not wIRA and show that infrared-A with appropriate irradiances does not seem to be involved in MMP-1 mediated photoaging of the skin. As suggested by previously published studies wIRA could even be implicated in a protective manner.

Epidote in hydrous mafic magmas : near solidus phase relations in the lower crust

Crystallisation of hydrous mafic magmas at high pressure is a subject of numerous petrologic and experimental studies since the last century and is mainly related to the process of continental crust formation and the possible link between mantle derived melts and low pressure granitoids. Albeit the sequence of crystallization is well constrained by experimental studies, the origin of exposed lower crustal rocks exposed on the earth surface is controversial. Ones line of argument is favouring high pressure crystallization of dry or wet mafic magmas, whereas others invoke partial melting of pre-existing crust. Therefore studies involving field, textural and chemical observations of exposed lower crust such as in Kohistan (Pakistan) or Talkeetna (Alaska) are crucial to understand the continental crust formation processes via arc magmatism. Epidote-bearing gabbros are very sparse and always associated with the deep part of continental crust (>30 km) as in the Kohistan Arc Complex (Pakistan) or in the Chelan Complex (western U.S.). Magmatic epidote is restricted to a small temperature interval above the water-saturated solidus of MORB and represent the last crystallizing liquids in lower crustal regions. However, epidote and melt stability at lower crustal pressures are not clearly established.¦The Chelan complex (western U.S.) at the base of the Cascadian Arc is composed mainly by peraluminous tonalité associated with gabbroic and ultramafic rocks and was traditionally interpreted as a migmatitic terrain. However field, chemical and mineralogical observations rather suggest a magmatic origin and point to a protracted crystallization at intermediate to high pressure ~ 1.0 GPa dominated by amphibole fractionation and followed by isobaric cooling down to 650°C. Crystal fractionation modelling using whole rock composition and field constraints is able to generate peraluminous tonalité. The modelled crystallisation sequence and the volume proportions are in agreement with experimental studies performed at these pressures. The Chelan complex was thus not formed during a partial melting event, but represent the sequence of crystallisation occurring at the base of the crust. Massive fractionation of hornblende is able to generate peraluminous tonalité without significant assimilation of crustal rock.¦Similarly to the Chelan complex, the base of the Kohistan arc is composed of cumulates derived by high pressure crystallization of hydrous magma. In garnet gabbros, epidote occurs as magmatic phase, crystallising from hydrous interstitial melt trapped between grain boundaries at lower crustal pressures (Ρ ~ 1.2 GPa) for temperature of (650-700 °C). Trace and REE signature in epidote indicate that epidote was formed through peritectic reaction involving garnet, clinopyroxene and plagioclase. At the beginning of the crystallisation epidote signature is dominated by REE content in the melt, whereas at the end the signature is dominated by reacting phases. Melt in equilibrium with epidote inferred from the partition coefficients available is similar to intrusive tonalité up the section indicating that hydrous melt was extracted from the garnet gabbros. In some gabbros epidote shows single homogeneous compositions, while in others coexisting epidote have different compositions indicating the presence of solvi along the Al-Fe3+ join. The overgowths are only observed in presence of paragonite in the assemblage, suggesting high water content. At high water content, the hydrous solidus is shift to lower temperature and probably intersects the solvi observed along the Al-Fe3+ join. Therefore, several compositions of epidote is stable at high water content.¦-¦La composition chimique de la croûte continentale est considérée comme similaire à celle du magmatisme calco-alcalin de marge continentale active (enrichissement en éléments mobiles dans les fluides, anomalies négatives en Nb, Ta et éléments à haut potentiel électronique, etc...). Cependant la nature andésitique de la croûte continentale (Si02 > 60 wt%), résultant des nombreuses intrusions de granitoïdes dans la croûte supérieure, est sujette à polémique et le lien entre les magmas dérivés du manteau et les roches évoluées de faible profondeur n'est pas clairement établi (fusion partielle de croûte basaltique, cristallisation fractionnée à haute pression, etc...).¦Les affleurements de croûte profonde sont rares mais précieux, car ils permettent d'observer les phénomènes se passant à grande profondeur. Le complexe de Chelan (Washington Cascades) en est un exemple. Formé à environ 30 km de profondeur, il est composé de roches gabbroïques et ultramafiques, ainsi que de tonalités, qui furent souvent interprétés comme le produit de la fusion partielle de la croûte. Cependant, les relations de terrain, la chimie des éléments majeurs et des éléments traces sont cohérentes avec l'évolution d'un complexe magmatique mafique dans la croûte profonde ou moyenne ( 1.0 GPa), dominée par le fractionnement de l'amphibole. Après son emplacement, le complexe a subi un refroidissement isobare jusqu'à des températures de l'ordre de 650 °C, déduit de la composition chimique des minéraux. Un bilan de masse contraint pax les observations de terrain permet de calculer la séquence et les volumes de fractionnement. Les faciès évolués légèrement hyperalumineux observés sur le terrain peuvent être générés par la cristallisation de 3 % de websterite à olivine, 12 % d'hornblendite à pyroxène 33 % d'hornblendite, 19 % de gabbros, 15 % de diorite et 2 % de tonalité. Nous montrons ainsi qu'une série de fractionnement contrôlée par l'amphibole permet de générer des tonalités sans assimilation de matériel crustal et l'exemple de Chelan illustre la viabilité de ce processus dans la formation de croûte continentale.¦Les réactions proches du solidus saturé en H20 dans les systèmes basaltiques à des pressions élevées restent énigmatiques. Diverses expériences tendent à montrer que l'épidote est stable dans ces conditions, mais rarement observée (décrite ?) comme phase primaire dans les systèmes naturels. Les épidotes trouvées dans les gabbros de Jijal (nord-Pakistan) montrent des textures de type .magmatique telles qu'observées dans les roches évoluées. Le contenu en terres rares de ces épidotes est très variable allant de signatures enrichies en terres rares légères impliquant la présence de liquide interstitiel à des signatures complètement déprimées en ces mêmes éléments, évoquant une cristallisation en coexistence avec du grenat. Ces diverses signatures reflètent un chemin de cristallisation en présence de liquide interstitiel et enregistrent des réactions péritectiques impliquant grenat, clinopyroxene et plagioclase à des pressions de ~ 1.2 GPa pour des températures de 650-700 °C. Cependant dans quelques échantillons deux ou trois compositions d'épidotes coexistent démontrant la présence de lacunes d'immiscibilité le long de la solution solide épidote-clinozoïsite. La forte teneur en H20 du liquide magmatique est certainement à l'origine de la coexistence de deux compositions distinctes.

Owl melanin-based plumage redness is more frequent near than away from the equator: implications on the effect of climate change on biodiversity

Climate change acts as a major new selective agent on many organisms, particularly at high latitudes where climate change is more pronounced than at lower latitudes. Studies are required to predict which species are at a high risk of extinction and whether certain phenotypes may be more affected by climate change than others. The identification of susceptible phenotypes is important for evaluating the potential negative effect of climate change on biodiversity at the inter- and intraspecific levels. Melanin-based coloration is an interesting and easily accessible candidate trait because, within certain species, reddish pheomelanin-based coloration is associated with adaptations to warm climates. However, it is unclear whether the same holds among species. We tested one prediction of this hypothesis in four owl genera (wood, scops, screech, and pygmy owls), namely that darker reddish species are more prevalent near the equator than polewards. Our comparative analysis is consistent with this prediction for the northern hemisphere, suggesting that pale reddish species may be adapted to cold climates and dark reddish species to warmer climates. Thus, climate change may have a larger negative impact on pale pheomelanic owls and favour dark pheomelanic species.

Evolution of superficial lake water temperature profile under diurnal radiative forcing

In lentic water bodies, such as lakes, the water temperature near the surface typically increases during the day, and decreases during the night as a consequence of the diurnal radiative forcing (solar and infrared radiation). These temperature variations penetrate vertically into the water, transported mainly by heat conduction enhanced by eddy diffusion, which may vary due to atmospheric conditions, surface wave breaking, and internal dynamics of the water body. These two processes can be described in terms of an effective thermal diffusivity, which can be experimentally estimated. However, the transparency of the water (depending on turbidity) also allows solar radiation to penetrate below the surface into the water body, where it is locally absorbed (either by the water or by the deployed sensors). This process makes the estimation of effective thermal diffusivity from experimental water temperature profiles more difficult. In this study, we analyze water temperature profiles in a lake with the aim of showing that assessment of the role played by radiative forcing is necessary to estimate the effective thermal diffusivity. To this end we investigate diurnal water temperature fluctuations with depth. We try to quantify the effect of locally absorbed radiation and assess the impact of atmospheric conditions (wind speed, net radiation) on the estimation of the thermal diffusivity. The whole analysis is based on the results of fiber optic distributed temperature sensing, which allows unprecedented high spatial resolution measurements (∼4 mm) of the temperature profile in the water and near the water surface.

An infrared spectral signature of human lymphocyte subpopulations from peripheral blood.

Metastatic melanomas are frequently refractory to most adjuvant therapies such as chemotherapies and radiotherapies. Recently, immunotherapies have shown good results in the treatment of some metastatic melanomas. Immune cell infiltration in the tumor has been associated with successful immunotherapy. More generally, tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in the primary tumor and in metastases of melanoma patients have been demonstrated to correlate positively with favorable clinical outcomes. Altogether, these findings suggest the importance of being able to identify, quantify and characterize immune infiltration at the tumor site for a better diagnostic and treatment choice. In this paper, we used Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) imaging to identify and quantify different subpopulations of T cells: the cytotoxic T cells (CD8+), the helper T cells (CD4+) and the regulatory T cells (T reg). As a proof of concept, we investigated pure populations isolated from human peripheral blood from 6 healthy donors. These subpopulations were isolated from blood samples by magnetic labeling and purities were assessed by Fluorescence Activated Cell Sorting (FACS). The results presented here show that Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) imaging followed by supervised Partial Least Square Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA) allows an accurate identification of CD4+ T cells and CD8+ T cells (>86%). We then developed a PLS regression allowing the quantification of T reg in a different mix of immune cells (e.g. Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells (PBMCs)). Altogether, these results demonstrate the sensitivity of infrared imaging to detect the low biological variability observed in T cell subpopulations.

Fire management, climate change and their interacting effects on birds in complex Mediterranean landscapes: dynamic distribution modelling of an early-successional species - the near-threatened Dartford Warbler (Sylvia undata)

The current challenge in a context of major environmental changes is to anticipate the responses of species to future landscape and climate scenarios. In the Mediterranean basin, climate change is one the most powerful driving forces of fire dynamics, with fire frequency and impact having markedly increased in recent years. Species distribution modelling plays a fundamental role in this challenge, but better integration of available ecological knowledge is needed to adequately guide conservation efforts. Here, we quantified changes in habitat suitability of an early-succession bird in Catalonia, the Dartford Warbler (Sylvia undata) ― globally evaluated as Near Threatened in the IUCN Red List. We assessed potential changes in species distributions between 2000 and 2050 under different fire management and climate change scenarios and described landscape dynamics using a spatially-explicit fire-succession model that simulates fire impacts in the landscape and post-fire regeneration (MEDFIRE model). Dartford Warbler occurrence data were acquired at two different spatial scales from: 1) the Atlas of European Breeding Birds (EBCC) and 2) Catalan Breeding Bird Atlas (CBBA). Habitat suitability was modelled using five widely-used modelling techniques in an ensemble forecasting framework. Our results indicated considerable habitat suitability losses (ranging between 47% and 57% in baseline scenarios), which were modulated to a large extent by fire regime changes derived from fire management policies and climate changes. Such result highlighted the need for taking the spatial interaction between climate changes, fire-mediated landscape dynamics and fire management policies into account for coherently anticipating habitat suitability changes of early succession bird species. We conclude that fire management programs need to be integrated into conservation plans to effectively preserve sparsely forested and early succession habitats and their associated species in the face of global environmental change.