Effects of aging in postural strategies during a seated auto-stabilization task

Impaired sensory, motor and central processing systems combining with biomechanical changes are risk of fall factors in the elderly population. The aim of this study was to assess the auto-adaptation and the regulation of the dynamic control of equilibrium in age-related adaptive strategies, by using a seated position on a seesaw. 15 young adults and 12 healthy middle-aged adults were asked to actively maintain a sitting posture as stable as possible during 12.8 s, on a 1-degree of freedom seesaw (auto-stabilization paradigm), with and without vision. The seesaw was placed in order to allow roll or pitch oscillations. We determine length and surfaces CoP shifts, mean positions and variability, a Postural Performance Index (PI) and a Strategy Organization Ratio (SOR). Our results shows that adopted strategies are plane-dependant during auto-stabilization (parallel and perpendicular axes control is impacted) and age-dependant. PI_x during roll seated auto-stabilization tasks appears as the most relevant parameter of aged-related instability. The visual effect, during pitch auto-stabilization, characterizes the postural sensory-motor human behavior. The quantitative and qualitative postural assessment, thanks to seated auto-stabilization task, need to be promoted for long-term health care and probably for the rehabilitation of various disorders.     

Characterization of Free Radical Defense System in High Glucose Cultured HeLa-tat Cells: Consequences for Glucose-induced Cytotoxicity

HeLa cell line stably transfected with the tat gene from human immunodeficiency virus type 1 has a decreased antioxidant potential. In this work, we used this model to investigate the effect of a high glucose level (20 mM) on the glucose induced cytotoxicity and on the antioxidant system. In comparison to cell culture under control medium, HeLa-wild cell cultured under 20 mM glucose did not exhibit necrosis or apoptosis, contrary to HeLa-tat cell presenting a significant increase in necrotic or apoptotic state. Moreover after 48 h culture under high glucose level the HeLa-tat proliferation rate was not higher than the one of HeLa-wild cells. In HeLa-wild cell high glucose level resulted in an induction of glutathione reductase activity in opposition to HeLa-tat cells where no change was observed. High glucose level resulted in 20% increase in GSSG/GSH ratio in HeLa-wild cells and 38% increase in HeLa-tat cells. Moreover, high glucose level resulted in a dramatic cytosolic thiol decrease and an important lipid peroxidation in HeLa-tat cells. No significant change of these two parameters was observed in HeLa-wild cells. In both cell lines, high glucose resulted in an increase of total SOD activity, as a consequence of the increase in Cu,Zn-SOD activity. High glucose did not result in an increase of Mn-SOD activity in both cell lines. As a consequence of tat tranfection Mn-SOD activity was 50% lower in HeLa-tat cells in comparison to HeLa-wild cells. This work emphasizes the importance of the antioxidant system in the glucose induced cytotoxicity.     

Telomere protection and TRF2 expression are enhanced by the canonical Wnt signalling pathway

The DNA‐binding protein TRF2 is essential for telomere protection and chromosome stability in mammals. We show here that TRF2 expression is activated by the Wnt/β‐catenin signalling pathway in human cancer and normal cells as well as in mouse intestinal tissues. Furthermore, β‐catenin binds to TRF2 gene regulatory regions that are functional in a luciferase transactivating assay. Reduced β‐catenin expression in cancer cells triggers a marked increase in telomere dysfunction, which can be reversed by TRF2 overexpression. We conclude that the Wnt/β‐catenin signalling pathway maintains a level of TRF2 critical for telomere protection. This is expected to have an important role during development, adult stem cell function and oncogenesis.     

Genetic Structure of Wild Bonobo Populations: Diversity of Mitochondrial DNA and Geographical Distribution

Bonobos (Pan paniscus) inhabit regions south of the Congo River including all areas between its southerly tributaries. To investigate the genetic diversity and evolutionary relationship among bonobo populations, we sequenced mitochondrial DNA from 376 fecal samples collected in seven study populations located within the eastern and western limits of the species’ range. In 136 effective samples from different individuals (range: 7–37 per population), we distinguished 54 haplotypes in six clades (A1, A2, B1, B2, C, D), which included a newly identified clade (D). MtDNA haplotypes were regionally clustered; 83 percent of haplotypes were locality-specific. The distribution of haplotypes across populations and the genetic diversity within populations thus showed highly geographical patterns. Using population distance measures, seven populations were categorized in three clusters: the east, central, and west cohorts. Although further elucidation of historical changes in the geological setting is required, the geographical patterns of genetic diversity seem to be shaped by paleoenvironmental changes during the Pleistocene. The present day riverine barriers appeared to have a weak effect on gene flow among populations, except for the Lomami River, which separates the TL2 population from the others. The central cohort preserves a high genetic diversity, and two unique clades of haplotypes were found in the Wamba/Iyondji populations in the central cohort and in the TL2 population in the eastern cohort respectively. This knowledge may contribute to the planning of bonobo conservation.     

Home range of newborn blacktip reef sharks (Carcharhinus melanopterus), as estimated using mark-recapture and acoustic telemetry

Coral Reefs - Sharks play important functional roles in coral reef ecosystems. Studying reef shark populations’ spatial ecology also contributes important data for effective conservation...     

Ectomycorrhizal fungal diversity in Quercus ilex Mediterranean woodlands: variation among sites and over soil depth profiles in hyphal exploration types, species richness and community composition

Understanding the factors underlying the distribution of biodiversity is a challenging issue in ecology. Here, we examined the distribution patterns of ectomycorrhizal fungal diversity across the soil profile in three Quercus ilex forests. Contact exploration type strongly dominated at all sites, but was most prevalent in the upper, organic-rich soil layers. At each site, three quarters of the ectomycorrhizal tips and 59 % of taxa were restricted to the ten first centimeters of the soil profile. The relative abundance of the dominant family Russulaceae increased with increasing soil depth. Species composition varied significantly among sites, with most species being rare. Species that occurred in only one of the three sites accounted for 78.9 % of all species, and 57.3 % of species were represented by a single ECM root tip. Our results suggest that (i) rare species at both local and regional scales contribute to the highly diverse fungal assemblages in Mediterranean forests and (ii) multi-sites studies including the whole soil profile are needed to provide comprehensive overviews of the taxonomic and functional diversities of ectomycorrhizal communities.