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Exploratory behaviour includes all the actions that an animal performs to obtain information about a new object, environment or individual through using its different senses of perception. Here, we studied the development of the exploratory behaviour of a bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) calf aged from 39 to 169 days, by investigating its acoustic productions in relation to an immerged object handled by a familiar human without isolation from its original social group. The study was conducted between July 2015 and January 2016 at Parc Asterix dolphinarium (Plailly, France). Simultaneous audio and video recordings were collected using a waterproof 360° audio-video system named BaBeL which allows localization of the dolphin that is producing sounds. During 32 recordings sessions, for a total duration of 6 hours 55 minutes of audio-video recordings, 46 click trains were attached to individual dolphins: 18 times to the calf, 11 times to its mother and 17 times to another dolphin in the pool. When comparing the calf’s acoustical production to its mother’s, no significant differences were found in their click rate, mean click duration, or mean interclick interval (ICI). However, linear regression showed that calf’s click rate increased with age and mean ICI decreased with age, probably due to an increase in its arousal. This non-intrusive methodology allows the description and analysis of acoustic signal parameters and acoustic exploratory behaviour of a dolphin calf within its social group.

Bottlenose dolphins are highly social cetaceans that strongly rely on acoustic communication and signaling. The diversity of sounds emitted by the species has been structurally classified in whistles, clicks and burst-pulsed sounds, with some whistles called « signature whistles » that are used as cohesion calls. During this thesis, we developed an easily deployable system that identifies the animal producing sound and allows simultaneous underwater behavioral observations. We tested this methodology with bottlenose dolphins infreedom and in captivity. The present doctoral thesis aims to better understand the communication of bottlenose dolphins within their social group. First, I developed two studies to describe how the signature and non-signature whistle rate of captive dolphins varies in relation to behavior and interaction with humans. Secondly, I present the design and implementation of an innovative methodology (BaBeL system) that allows the localization of vocalizing dolphins in a three-dimensional environment, and which can be used in captivity and with free-range dolphins. Finally, I present two applications of this location methodology to address research questions regarding the exploratory behavior of a young dolphin and the use of vocalizations for coordinated movements in bottlenose dolphins.; Les grands dauphins sont des cétacés sociaux qui se servent principalement du canal acoustique pour communiquer sur de longues distances ou dans des habitats dont la visibilité est limitée. Il y a un manque général d’information concernant l’utilisation de cettecommunication acoustique au sein de son groupe social. Cependant, la production vocale des grands dauphins comprend des sifflements, des clics et des sons pulsés en rafale, avec certains sifflements appelés « signatures sifflées » qui pourraient être utilisés pour s’adresser les uns aux autres. Au cours de cette thèse, nous avons développé un système facilement déployable qui identifie l'animal produisant le son et permet des observations comportementales sous-marines simultanées. Nous avons testé cette méthodologie avec des grands dauphins en liberté et en captivité. La présente thèse de doctorat vise à mieux comprendre la communication des grands dauphins au sein de leur groupe social. D'abord, j'ai développé deux études visant à décrire comment l'activité vocale des dauphins captifs varie en relation avec le comportement et l'interaction avec les humains. Deuxièmement, je présente la conception et la mise en oeuvre d'une méthodologie innovante (système BaBeL) qui permet la localisation du dauphin vocalisant dans un environnement tridimensionnel, et qui peut être utilisé en captivité et avec des dauphins en liberté. Enfin, je présente deux applications de cette méthodologie de localisation pour aborder des questions de recherche concernant le comportement exploratoire d'une jeune dauphin et l'utilisation de vocalisations pour des mouvements coordonnés chez les grands dauphins.

Bottlenose dolphins are highly social cetaceans that strongly rely on acoustic communication and signaling. The diversity of sounds emitted by the species has been structurally classified in whistles, clicks and burst-pulsed sounds, with some whistles called « signature whistles » that are used as cohesion calls. During this thesis, we developed an easily deployable system that identifies the animal producing sound and allows simultaneous underwater behavioral observations. We tested this methodology with bottlenose dolphins infreedom and in captivity. The present doctoral thesis aims to better understand the communication of bottlenose dolphins within their social group. First, I developed two studies to describe how the signature and non-signature whistle rate of captive dolphins varies in relation to behavior and interaction with humans. Secondly, I present the design and implementation of an innovative methodology (BaBeL system) that allows the localization of vocalizing dolphins in a three-dimensional environment, and which can be used in captivity and with free-range dolphins. Finally, I present two applications of this location methodology to address research questions regarding the exploratory behavior of a young dolphin and the use of vocalizations for coordinated movements in bottlenose dolphins., Les grands dauphins sont des cétacés sociaux qui se servent principalement du canal acoustique pour communiquer sur de longues distances ou dans des habitats dont la visibilité est limitée. Il y a un manque général d’information concernant l’utilisation de cettecommunication acoustique au sein de son groupe social. Cependant, la production vocale des grands dauphins comprend des sifflements, des clics et des sons pulsés en rafale, avec certains sifflements appelés « signatures sifflées » qui pourraient être utilisés pour s’adresser les uns aux autres. Au cours de cette thèse, nous avons développé un système facilement déployable qui identifie l'animal produisant le son et permet des observations comportementales sous-marines simultanées. Nous avons testé cette méthodologie avec des grands dauphins en liberté et en captivité. La présente thèse de doctorat vise à mieux comprendre la communication des grands dauphins au sein de leur groupe social. D'abord, j'ai développé deux études visant à décrire comment l'activité vocale des dauphins captifs varie en relation avec le comportement et l'interaction avec les humains. Deuxièmement, je présente la conception et la mise en oeuvre d'une méthodologie innovante (système BaBeL) qui permet la localisation du dauphin vocalisant dans un environnement tridimensionnel, et qui peut être utilisé en captivité et avec des dauphins en liberté. Enfin, je présente deux applications de cette méthodologie de localisation pour aborder des questions de recherche concernant le comportement exploratoire d'une jeune dauphin et l'utilisation de vocalisations pour des mouvements coordonnés chez les grands dauphins.

Genetic and environmental factors may lead to abnormal growth of the orofacial skeleton, affecting the overall structure of the face. In this study, we investigated the craniofacial abnormalities in a mouse model for Keutel syndrome, a rare genetic disease caused by loss-of-function mutations in the matrix Gla protein (MGP) gene. Keutel syndrome patients show diffuse ectopic calcification of cartilaginous tissues and impaired midface development. Our comparative cephalometric analyses of micro-computed tomography images revealed a severe midface hypoplasia in Mgp-/- mice. In vivo reporter studies demonstrated that the Mgp promoter is highly active at the cranial sutures, cranial base synchondroses, and nasal septum. Interestingly, the cranial sutures of the mutant mice showed normal anatomical features. Although we observed a mild increase in mineralization of the spheno-occipital synchondrosis, it did not reduce the relative length of the cranial base in comparison with total skull length. Contrary to this, we found the nasal septum to be abnormally mineralized and shortened in Mgp-/- mice. Transgenic restoration of Mgp expression in chondrocytes fully corrected the craniofacial anomalies caused by MGP deficiency, suggesting a local role for MGP in the developing nasal septum. Although there was no up-regulation of markers for hypertrophic chondrocytes, a TUNEL assay showed a marked increase in apoptotic chondrocytes in the calcified nasal septum. Transmission electron microscopy confirmed unusual mineral deposits in the septal extracellular matrix of the mutant mice. Of note, the systemic reduction of the inorganic phosphate level was sufficient to prevent abnormal mineralization of the nasal septum in Mgp-/-;Hyp compound mutants. Our work provides evidence that modulation of local and systemic factors regulating extracellular matrix mineralization can be possible therapeutic strategies to prevent ectopic cartilage calcification and some forms of congenital craniofacial anomalies in humans.

International audience; Bottlenose dolphins are highly social cetaceans with an extensive sound production including clicks, burst-pulsed sounds, and whistles. Some whistles, known as signature whistles, are individually specific. These acoustic signatures are commonly described as being emitted in contexts of stress during forced isolation and as group cohesion calls. Interactions between humans and captive dolphins is largely based on positive reinforcement conditioning within several training/feeding sessions per day. Vocal behavior of dolphins during these interactions might vary. To investigate this, we recorded 10 bottlenose dolphins of Parc Asterix dolphinarium (France) before, during and after 10 training sessions for a total duration of 7 hr and 32 min. We detected 3,272 whistles with 2,884 presenting a quality good enough to be categorized. We created a catalog of whistle types by visual categorization verified by five naive judges (Fleiss' Kappa Test). We then applied the SIGID method to identify the signatures whistles present in our recordings. We found 279 whistles belonging to one of the four identified signature whistle types. The remaining 2,605 were classified as non-signature whistles. The non-signature whistles emission rate was higher during and after the training sessions than before. Emission rate of three signature whistles types significantly increased afterwards as compared to before the training sessions. We suggest that dolphins use their signature whistles when they return to their intraspecific social interactions succeeding scheduled and human-organized training sessions. More observations are needed to make conclusions about the function of signature whistles in relation to training sessions. Zoo Biol. 35:495-504, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

National audience; Sensory perception is the process by which an organism detects and interprets information from the external world by means of sensory receptors. Its study is of particular interest in cetaceans due their particular evolutionary history for returning from terrestrial to aquatic life. There is a strong lack of information about sensory abilities in dolphins, which has tried to be filled in the last decades. However, a stronger focus has been put on the study of auditory perception in dolphins rather than on other sensory modalities. In this study, we analyzed the response of six captive free-swimming dolphins to a magnetized device containing a neodymium block, or a demagnetized control device identical in form and density. Dolphins took more time before touching the device when it contained a magnetized neodymium block compared to an identical control demagnetized block (Wilcoxon signed-rank test: p = 0.0313, V = 0). Also, there was some tendency to touch the less often and shorter the magnet with the rostrum. No differences were observed in duration and number of contacts with other parts of the body neither in the time spent near the device. Bottlenose dolphins may be able to perceive a magnetic field. This reception might be made with the anterior part of their body, particularly with their hairless vibrissal crypts in their rostrum. Even though the limit of the magnetic perception remains unknown for the species, this study shows with non-invasive behavioral evidence that bottlenose dolphins do have a magnetic perception.

La investigación se desarrolla en la comunidad Villa Santana de la ciudad de Pereira donde sus niños y niñas se encuentran en situación de vulnerabilidad social, provenientes de diferentes partes de la ciudad y del país causada por el desplazamiento a manos del conflicto armado o por desalojo y reubicación de sectores de invasión. Con el trabajo investigativo se pretende conocer cuáles son las situaciones cotidianas que los niños y niñas del grado 3-2 de la institución educativa Jaime Salazar Robledo perciben como vulneradoras de sus derechos humanos fundamentales, buscando el reconocimiento y la restitución de estos proponiendo actividades didácticas en educación para la ciudadanía que desarrollen mecanismos críticos y reflexivos que les permita defender sus derechos y cambiar aquellas situaciones vulneradoras de estos. Como referente teórico se toma la educación para la ciudadanía y el aprendizaje y la enseñanza de los derechos humanos fundamentales, tomando autores como Touraine (2001), Abad (2010), Magendzo (2000) Pagés y Santisteban (2010), entre otros, que resaltan la importancia de la formación ciudadana para la transformación de la manera como actuamos en sociedad y nos relacionamos unos con otros. La educación acción participativa es el método por el cual se guía el trabajo investigativo involucrando las docentes investigadoras, la docente titular del grado 3-2 y los niños y niñas de dicho grado, realizando con ellos procesos reflexivos a partir de semi-casos que reflejan la vulneración de los DHF, y construyendo en conjunto con todos los participantes un caso principal a partir del derecho humano fundamental percibido como el más vulnerado por los niños y niñas el derecho humano al buen trato. Con el diagnóstico donde es elegido el derecho humano mas vulnerado según los niños y niñas, se realiza la construcción de la propuesta didáctica basada en la educación para la ciudadanía a través del estudio de casos como estrategia pedagógica, objetiva el reconocimiento del derecho, su restitución y principales características. Esta propuesta es transversalizada con áreas del conocimiento como ciencias sociales, lenguaje y competencias ciudadanas las cuales en su conceptualización permite el trabajo con derechos humanos. Las evidencias del proceso fueron recogidas a través de la observación participante, utilizando como instrumento de recolección el diario de campo de las docentes investigadoras y de los niños y niñas, el cual es utilizado para sistematizar la información que posteriormente será analizada desde los tres tipos de codificación. Finalmente el análisis de la información muestra que hay dos tipos de agentes y diferentes dimensiones vulneradores de derechos, agentes como la familia y la escuela y dimensiones como psicológica y física. Pero el mayor logro se dio en el reconocimiento de situaciones protectoras en estos mismos agentes y dimensiones y el reconocimiento de sí mismo como sujetos de derechos defensores de estos.

La presente investigación tuvo como objetivo describir la calidad de vida de los estudiantes de pregrado, administrativos y docentes con situaciones discapacitantes de la Universidad Tecnológica de Pereira, en el primer periodo de 2010.