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International audience; Sirtuin-1 deacetylates proteins and has emerged as a critical regulator of different cellular processes, particularly inflammation. Basal SIRT1 activity was previously found to limit Th9 and enhance Th17 differentiation in mice, but the effect of pharmacological SIRT1 activation on T cell differentiation and antitumor responses remains unclear. Here, we find that SIRT1 pharmacological agonists selectively impede mouse and human Th17 cell differentiation. SIRT1 activation induces STAT3 deacetylation, thus reducing its ability to translocate into the nucleus, bind to Rorc promoter, and induce its transcription. SIRT1 agonists reduce tumor growth in mice by blocking Th17 cell differentiation. In cancer patients, the SIRT1 agonist metformin reduced the frequency of Th17 cells and STAT3 acetylation levels. Altogether, these data underscore that SIRT1 activation impedes Th17 cell differentiation and thereby limits tumor growth and suggest that SIRT1 activators may directly target IL-17A functions.

Several taphonomic factors influence the composition of the palynological record especially in archaeological deposits, where human activities alter the representation of taxa. Spatial analysis by a taphonomic approach to the distribution of pollen and non-pollen palynomorphs (NPP) provides useful information about intra-site spaces and environments in the Early Neolithic lakeside settlement of La Draga (Banyoles, NE Iberia). The spatial correlation of algae, lakeshore and aquatic plants and herbs with an economic value, together with eggs of intestinal parasites and spores of coprophilous fungi, evidence a humid and organic environment beneath a hut, where consumption waste is concentrated. In contrast, high values of arboreal pollen (AP) and spores of fungal indicators of soil erosion show a sub-aerial environment strongly altered by taphonomic processes in outside areas. Finally, the association of the highest values in Cerealia-t and the spatial distribution of grinding stones within Sector D identifies an area of cereal processing, proving the suitability of spatial analysis in archaeopalynology as a powerful tool for reconstructing activity areas within archaeological settlements., This research was undertaken through the following projects: ‘Organización social de las primeras comunidades agrícola-ganaderas a partir del espacio doméstico: Elementos estructurales y áreas de producción y consumo de bienes (HAR2012-38838-C02-01)/Arquitectura en madera y áreas de procesado y consumo de alimentos (HAR2012-38838-C02-02)’, funded by Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad- Subdirección General de Proyectos de Investigación (Spain), ‘The digital reconstruction of the prehistoric past: virtual reality and artificial intelligence for understanding social life in the Neolithic (2015ACUP00191)’, funded by La Caixa and ‘LaDraga en el procés de neolitització del nordest peninsular (2014/100822)’ funded by Generalitat de Catalunya. The research has been carried out in the framework of the research group AGREST (2014 SGR1169). Jordi Revelles is currently a pre-doc FPU fellow of the Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte (Spain). We would like to thank Ferran Antolín for help with macrofossil identifications.

International audience; The genus Echinococcus is composed of eight generally recognized species and one genotypic cluster (Echinococcus canadensis cluster) that may in future be resolved into one to three species. For each species, we review existing information on transmission routes and life cycles in different geographical contexts and - where available - include basic biological information of parasites and hosts (e.g., susceptibility of host species). While some Echinococcus spp. are transmitted in life cycles that involve predominantly domestic animals (e.g., dog - livestock cycles), others are wildlife parasites that do or do not interact with domestic transmission. In many cases, life cycle patterns of the same parasite species differ according to geography. Simple life cycles contrast with transmission patterns that are highly complex, involving multihost systems that may include both domestic and wild mammals. Wildlife transmission may be primary or secondary, i.e., resulting from spillovers from domestic animals. For most of the species and regions, existing information does not yet permit a conclusive description of transmission systems. Such data, however, would be highly relevant, e.g., for anticipation of geographical changes of the presence and frequency of these parasites in a warming world, or for initiating evidence-based control strategies.

International audience; Echinococcus multilocularis (Em), a parasitic tapeworm, is responsible for a significant burden of human disease across continental Asia. Here, we use a time-series of MODIS 16-day 250 m Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) satellite data to quantify the seasonal vegetation dynamics across a study area in Serxu County, Sichuan Province, China, in relation to the presence of the Em intermediate host Ochotona curzoniae (plateau pika) and Ochotona cansus (Gansu pika) (here merged to Ochotona spp.). A series of derived phenological metrics are analysed using the random forests statistical method to determine the relative importance of seasonal vegetation characteristics. Results indicate negative relationships between Ochotona spp. presence and EVI showing a preference for low-biomass habitats. However, EVI values during green-up and senescence periods are also shown to be important, potentially resulting from improved detectability of low-biomass grassland habitats at these times. Improved detection of Ochotona spp. preferred habitats via time-series EVI imagery offers better understanding of the distributions of this Em host, and the potential for monitoring the changes in Ochotona spp. optimal habitat distributions resulting from landscape change. This could aid the identification of villages at increased risk of infection, enabling preventive strategies to be adopted.

This chapter gives an overview of the physicochemical and sensory properties of aroma and taste compounds from food, their interactions with the food matrix, and their release during food breakdown in the mouth. In order to be perceived by the taste or olfactory receptors, aroma and taste compounds have first to be released in the saliva, which depends on the food matrix composition and structure, and on the masticatory behavior. Aroma compounds have then to be transported from the oral to the nasal cavity. Different mechanistic models have been developed to understand better aroma and taste compounds release in function of both food and individual, however, they are still not able to predict sensory perception, which also depends on other physiological mechanisms at the central and peripheral levels.

Fault-controlled hydrothermal dolomitization of the Late Aptian to earliest Albian Benassal Fm shallow water carbonates resulted in the seismic-scale stratabound dolostone geobodies that characterize the Benicàssim case study (Maestrat Basin, E Spain). Petrological and geochemical data indicate that dolomite cement (DC1) filling intergranular porosity in grain-dominated facies constituted the initial stage of dolomitization. The bulk of the dolostone is formed by a replacive nonplanar-a to planar-s dolomite (RD1) crystal mosaic with very low porosity and characteristic retentive fabric. Neomorphic recrystallization of RD1 to form replacive dolomite RD2 occurred by successive dolomitizing fluid flow. The replacement sequence DC1-RD1-RD2 is characterized by a depletion in the oxygen isotopic composition (mean δ18O(V-PDB) values from -6.92, to -8.55, to -9.86‰), which is interpreted to result from progressively higher temperature fluids. Clear dolomite overgrowths (overdolomitization) precipitated during the last stage of replacement. Strontium isotopic composition suggests that the most likely origin of magnesium was Cretaceous seawater-derived brines that were heated and enriched in radiogenic strontium and iron while circulating through the Paleozoic basement and/or Permo-Triassic red beds. Burial curves and analytical data indicate that the replacement took place at burial depths between 500 and 750m, and by hydrothermal fluids exceeding temperatures of 80°C. Following the partial dolomitization of the host rock, porosity considerably increased in dolostones by burial corrosion related to the circulation of acidic fluids derived from the emplacement of the Mississippi Valley-Type deposits. Overpressured acidic fluids circulated along faults, fractures and open stylolites. Saddle dolomite and ore-stage calcite cement filled most of the newly created vuggy porosity. Subsequent to MVT mineralization, precipitation of calcite cements resulted from the migration of meteoric-derived fluids during uplift and subaerial exposure. This late calcite cement destroyed most of the dolostone porosity and constitutes the main cause for its present day poor reservoir quality., This research was supported by the Sedimentary Geology Research Group of the Generalitat de Catalunya (2014SGR251)

© 2015 Elsevier Ltd. Agricultural lands can provide suitable habitat for birds under some conditions. In particular, waterfowl sometimes rely on ricefields as nocturnal foraging habitat during winter if post-harvest practices make food accessible. To assess whether the winter flooding of ricefields could be a major driver of duck regional abundance in Europe, we relied on a combination of spatial and temporal analyses. In the former, five of the most important western European rice growing regions in Spain, Italy and France were compared in terms of habitat composition over the 2002-2012 period. The relative importance of natural wetlands and ricefields (either dry or flooded) in determining the abundance of wintering ducks was then established. In the second approach, the trends in duck numbers before and after implementation of winter-flooding Agri-Environment Schemes (AES) were compared in two of the study regions. Both approaches highlighted the role of winter ricefield flooding in explaining wintering duck numbers and complementing the natural wetlands; flooding harvested ricefields improves habitat attractiveness by enhancing food resource accessibility. In Europe, the proportion of ricefields flooded during winter varies considerably between countries (0.17-62%), owing to differences in policy initiatives such as Agri-Environment Schemes. Promoting such schemes more widely across the European rice production area could make a big difference in terms of waterfowl habitat quality at the scale of their wintering range.

International audience; Although exposure to indoor microorganisms in early life has already been associated with respiratory illness or allergy protection, only a few studies have performed standardized samplings and specific microbial analysis. Moreover, most do not target the different groups of microorganisms involved in respiratory diseases (fungi, bacteria, dust mites). In our study, ten specific qPCR targets (6 fungal species, 1 family and 2 genera of bacteria, 1 house dust mite) were used to analyze the microorganism composition of electrostatic dust fall collector (EDC) from 3193 dwellings of the Elfe French cohort study. Multivariate analyses allowed us to show that the microbial composition of dwellings, assessed with simultaneous analysis of 10 microorganisms, can be characterized by four entities: three bacteria, house dust mite Dermatophagoïdes pteronyssinus, fungi Alternaria alternata, and five other molds. Some dwellings' intrinsic characteristics (occupational ratio, type of dwelling and presence of pets) clearly influence microorganism distribution, and six different profiles of dwellings, characterized by their composition in microorganisms, have been described across France. The use of these clusters seems promising in the evaluation of allergic risk. Allergic respiratory diseases will develop in the near future in some children of the Elfe cohort and will indicate to what extent our approach can be predictive of respiratory disease.