Biogeography and taxonomy of Apodemus sylvaticus (the woodmouse) in the Tyrrhenian region: Enzymatic variations and mitochondrial DNA restriction pattern analysis

in Heredity (1996), 76(Part 3), 267-277

In the western Mediterranean area, the taxonomic status of the various forms of Apodemus sylvaticus is quite unclear. Moreover, though anthropogenic, the origins of the island populations remain unknown ... [more ▼]

In the western Mediterranean area, the taxonomic status of the various forms of Apodemus sylvaticus is quite unclear. Moreover, though anthropogenic, the origins of the island populations remain unknown in geographical terms. In order to examine the level of genetic relatedness of insular and continental woodmice, 258 animals were caught in 24 localities distributed in Belgium, France, mainland Italy, Sardinia, Corsica and Elba. Electrophoresis of 33 allozymes and mtDNA restriction fragments were performed and a UPGMA dendrogram built from the indices of genetic divergence. The dendrogram based on restriction patterns shows two main groups: 'Tyrrhenian', comprising all the Italian and Corsican animals and 'North-western', corresponding to all the other mice trapped from the Pyrenees to Belgium. Since all the Tyrrhenian mice are similar and well isolated from their relatives living on the western edge of the Alpine chain, they must share a common origin. The insular populations are consequently derived from peninsular Italian ones. From a taxonomic point of view and taking the priority rules into account, we have to invalidate A. s. clanceyi Harrison, 1948 and to consider the Tyrrhenian woodmice as belonging to A. s. milleri de Beaux, 1926, whereas the North-western ones must be referred to as the nominal subspecies. As far as the Elban woodmouse is concerned, at the moment we prefer to keep its present subspecific status because we only studied one animal. [less ▲]

Biogeography of terrestrial cyanobacteria from Antarctic ice-free areas

in Annals of Glaciology (2010), 51(56), 171-177

Cyanobacteria inhabit the Antarctic continent and have even been observed in the most southerly ice-free areas of Antarctica (86–878 S). The highest molecular diversity of cyanobacterial communities was ... [more ▼]

Cyanobacteria inhabit the Antarctic continent and have even been observed in the most southerly ice-free areas of Antarctica (86–878 S). The highest molecular diversity of cyanobacterial communities was found in the areas located between 708 S and 808 S. Further south and further north from this zone, the diversity abruptly decreased. Seventy-nine per cent (33 of 42 operational taxonomic units) of Antarctic terrestrial cyanobacteria have a cosmopolitan distribution. Analysis of the sampling efforts shows that only three regions (southern Victoria Land, the Sør Rondane Mountains and Alexander Island) have been particularly well studied, while other areas did not receive enough attention. Although cyanobacteria possess a capacity for long-range transport, regional populations in Antarctic ice-free areas seem to exist. The cyanobacterial communities of the three most intensively studied regions, separated from each other by a distance of 3000–3400 km, had a low degree of similarity with each other. Further development of microbial biogeography demands a standardized approach. For this purpose, as a minimal standard, we suggest using the sequence of cyanobacterial 16S rRNA gene between Escherichia coli positions 405–780. [less ▲]

Biogeography of the two major arbovirus mosquito vectors, Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus (Diptera, Culicidae), in Madagascar.

in Parasites & Vectors (2012), 5(55), 1-10

Background: In the past ten years, the Indian Ocean region has been the theatre of severe epidemics of chikungunya and dengue. These outbreaks coincided with a high increase in populations of Aedes ... [more ▼]

Background: In the past ten years, the Indian Ocean region has been the theatre of severe epidemics of chikungunya and dengue. These outbreaks coincided with a high increase in populations of Aedes albopictus that outcompete its sister taxon Aedes aegypti in most islands sampled. The objective of this work was to update the entomological survey of the two Aedes species in the island of Madagascar which has to face these arboviroses. Methods: The sampling of Aedes mosquitoes was conducted during two years, from October 2007 to October 2009, in fifteen localities from eight regions of contrasting climates. Captured adults were identified immediately whereas immature stages were bred until adult stage for determination. Phylogenetic analysis was performed using two mtDNA genes, COI and ND5 and trees were constructed by the maximum likelihood (ML) method with the gene time reversible (GTR) model. Experimental infections with the chikungunya virus strain 06.21 at a titer of 107.5 pfu/mL were performed to evaluate the vector competence of field-collected mosquitoes. Disseminated infection rates were measured fourteen days after infection by immunofluorescence assay performed on head squashes. Results: The species Aedes aegypti was detected in only six sites in native forests and natural reserves. In contrast, the species Aedes albopictus was found in 13 out of the 15 sites sampled. Breeding sites were mostly found inman-made environments such as discarded containers, used tires, abandoned buckets, coconuts, and bamboo cuts. Linear regression models showed that the abundance of Ae. albopictus was significantly influenced by the sampling region (F = 62.00, p < 2.2 × 10-16) and period (F = 36.22, p = 2.548 × 10-13), that are associated with ecological and climate variations. Phylogenetic analysis of the invasive Ae. albopictus distinguished haplotypes from South Asia and South America from those of Madagascar, but the markers used were not discriminant enough to discern Malagasy populations. The experimental oral infection method showed that six Ae. albopictus populations exhibited high dissemination infection rates for chikungunya virus ranging from 98 to 100%. Conclusion: In Madagascar, Ae. albopictus has extended its geographical distribution whereas, Ae. aegypti has become rare, contrasting with what was previously observed. Changes are predominantly driven by human activities and the rainfall regime that provide suitable breeding sites for the highly anthropophilic mosquito Ae. albopictus. Moreover, these populations were found to be highly susceptible to chikungunya virus. In the light of this study, Ae. albopictus may have been involved in the recent outbreaks of chikungunya and dengue epidemics in Madagascar, and consequently, control measures should be promoted to limit its current expansion. [less ▲]

Biographie

in Jaeger, Friedrich (Ed.) Enzyklopädie der Neuzeit. B. 2: Beobachtung - Elternrecht (2005)

Biographie d’un esprit au corps brisé. Les pierres magiques des ancêtres zápara d’Amazonie : des sujets du passé

in Journal de la Société des Americanistes (2006), 92(1-2), 237-254

ife of a spirit in a broken body. The magic stones of Zapara’s ancestors in Lowland Amazonia : subjects of the past. The use of magic stones in the Amazon has been studied by many ethnographers. However ... [more ▼]

ife of a spirit in a broken body. The magic stones of Zapara’s ancestors in Lowland Amazonia : subjects of the past. The use of magic stones in the Amazon has been studied by many ethnographers. However, the analysis of the intersubjective relations that occur between these stones and their « master » remains succinct. The example of the stones of the Zapara offers an understanding of these relations. The ancestors of the Ecuadorian Zapara (Amazonia) left on the land many stones that, when found by humans, become subjects to be treated as such. Stones of the ancestors with whom they share a history, are passed on from generation to generation, directly or indirectly. This article tells the story of a spirit embodied in a stone whose story has been reconstructed by the Zapara through its description and narrations. Possessed by an ancestor then passed on to his descendants, this « stone subject » then lost its mineral body, which then modified the relation between the stone and its master. [less ▲]

Une biographie de l'évêque Notger au XIIe siècle

in Bulletin de la Commission Royale d'Histoire (1891), XVII, 4(4e série),

Les biographies existentielles : le cas Ben Sadok (1957)

Conference (2013, June 07)

Biohydrogen Production by the Citrobacter and Clostridium Genera : a Metabolic and Biomolecular Perspective

Doctoral thesis (2012)

The research activities described in this Thesis were carried out in the Walloon Centre of Industrial Biology at the University of Liege. Laboratory experiments were performed with Citrobacter freundii ... [more ▼]

The research activities described in this Thesis were carried out in the Walloon Centre of Industrial Biology at the University of Liege. Laboratory experiments were performed with Citrobacter freundii CWBI952, a facultative anaerobe of the Enterobacteriaceae family, and Clostridium butyricum CWBI1009, a strict anaerobe of the Clostridium genus, to produce hydrogen by dark fermentation of glucose in flasks and in bench-scale bioreactors maintained at 30°C. The aim of the research activities was not only to optimise the key determinants of H2 production, namely pH, nitrogen and iron concentrations, and the dilution rate, but also to gain a better understanding of the relatively unknown hydrogen production metabolism. This was done by monitoring the H2 production activity and tracking the net carbon and electron equivalent balances. The results for C. freundii CWBI952 (Chapter II) indicated that maximum hydrogen production activity, formate biosynthesis and glucose uptake rates were obtained at pH 5.9. Optimal overall performance (33.2 mLH2/L.h and 0.83 molH2/molglucose) was obtained in a semicontinuous culture with a dilution rate of 0.012 h-1. The best performance for C. butyricum CWBI1009 (Chapter V), i.e. 1.44 LH2/h and a yield of 2.02 molH2/molglucose, was associated with butyrate fermentation and obtained in a 20 L batch bioreactor at the optimal pH value of 5.2. For both of these strains we demonstrated that it should be possible to radically reduce nitrogen feedstock costs by replacing casein peptone with (NH4)2SO4, an ammoniacal substance closely related to the mineral nitrogen content of livestock manure. Additionally for C. butyricum CWBI1009 (Chapter III) we showed that a certain range of nitrogen content (0.56-0.062 gN/L) favours H2 production activity. This was confirmed by an analysis of the gene expression pattern, which suggested that the HydB2 gene was responsible for the H2 yield increase observed at 0.062 gN/L. Our investigations provided a better understanding of the highly diversified H2-production metabolism of C. butyricum CWBI1009 by mapping the distribution pattern for its carbon and electron fluxes (Chapters IV and V). This was done using three complementary approaches to study the metabolome (HPLC RID-UV), transcriptome (RT-qPCR and RNAseq) and the proteome (2D-DIGE). Tests under various different pH conditions showed that the role played by the different hydrogenases and the nitrogenase in H2 production varied substantially depending on the particular environmental conditions. At the end of the Thesis the discussion (Chapter VI) provides a general overview of the results obtained for the optimisation of the dark fermentation process parameters and an analysis of how these investigations have advanced our understanding of the metabolic processes involved. Potential industrial applications are reviewed and suggestions for further research are made. [less ▲]

Bioimpact of EGFR antagonists on the pilosebaceous follicles.

in European Journal of Dermatology (2012), 22(1), 54-7

Cancer patients under targeted chemotherapy to the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) frequently suffer from unusual skin adverse events. In the past, these changes were globally qualified as a rash ... [more ▼]

Cancer patients under targeted chemotherapy to the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) frequently suffer from unusual skin adverse events. In the past, these changes were globally qualified as a rash. Our aim was to assess objectively by non invasive bioinstrumentation some early structural and functional skin changes associated with EGFR inhibitor treatment. A series of 27 cancer patients aged 58-66 years were assessed using two ultraviolet light emitting CCD cameras, Visioscan((R)) and Visiopor((R)). Assessments were performed on the foreheads at inclusion and therefore at weekly intervals for 2 months at most. No topical treatment was applied during the assessment period. The Visioscan((R)) camera revealed specular light reflectance at the site of follicular plugging. The interfollicular stratum corneum showed occasional focal hyperkeratosis. These features increased in severity with the EGFR inhibitor treatment, indicating follicular involvement as an early adverse event of the therapy. The follicular fluorescence revealed by the Visiopor((R)) camera remained unchanged over the treatment period. The present findings suggest an EGFR inhibitor-induced kerosis (follicular hyperkeratosis) possibly responsible for acneiform reactions. [less ▲]

Bioindicator of Genotoxicity: the Allium cepa test

in Srivastava, J.K. (Ed.) Environmental Contamination (2012)