Délégation Languedoc Roussillon

BACKGROUND: The Government of Senegal has initiated the "Projet de lutte contre les glossines dans les Niayes" to remove the trypanosomosis problem from this area in a sustainable way. Due to past failures to sustainably eradicate Glossina palpalis gambiensis from the Niayes area, controversies remain as to the best strategy implement, i.e. "eradication" versus "suppression." To inform this debate, we used population genetics to measure genetic differentiation between G. palpalis gambiensis from the Niayes and those from the southern tsetse belt (Missira). METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Three different markers (microsatellite DNA, mitochondrial CO1 DNA, and geometric morphometrics of the wings) were used on 153 individuals and revealed that the G. p. gambiensis populations of the Niayes were genetically isolated from the nearest proximate known population of Missira. The genetic differentiation measured between these two areas (theta = 0.12 using microsatellites) was equivalent to a between-taxa differentiation. We also demonstrated that within the Niayes, the population from Dakar - Hann was isolated from the others and had probably experienced a bottleneck. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: The information presented in this paper leads to the recommendation that an eradication strategy for the Niayes populations is advisable. This kind of study may be repeated in other habitats and for other tsetse species to (i) help decision on appropriate tsetse control strategies and (ii) find other possible discontinuities in tsetse distribution.

Leishmaniases remain a major public health problem today (350 million people at risk, 12 million infected, and 2 million new infections per year). Despite the considerable progress in cellular and molecular biology and in evolutionary genetics since 1990, the debate on the population structure and reproductive mode of Leishmania is far from being settled and therefore deserves further investigation. Two major hypotheses coexist: clonality versus sexuality. However, because of the lack of clear evidence (experimental or biological confirmation) of sexuality in Leishmania parasites, until today it has been suggested and even accepted that Leishmania species were mainly clonal with infrequent genetic recombination (see [1] for review). Two recent publications, one on Leishmania major (an in vitro experimental study) and one on Leishmania braziliensis (a population genetics analysis), once again have challenged the hypothesis of clonal reproduction. Indeed, the first study experimentally evidenced genetic recombination and proposed that Leishmania parasites are capable of having a sexual cycle consistent with meiotic processes inside the insect vector. The second investigation, based on population genetics studies, showed strong homozygosities, an observation that is incompatible with a predominantly clonal mode of reproduction at an ecological time scale (approximately 20-500 generations). These studies highlight the need to advance the knowledge of Leishmania biology. In this paper, we first review the reasons stimulating the continued debate and then detail the next essential steps to be taken to clarify the Leishmania reproduction model. Finally, we widen the discussion to other Trypanosomatidae and show that the progress in Leishmania biology can improve our knowledge of the evolutionary genetics of American and African trypanosomes.

BACKGROUND: African animal trypanosomosis is a major obstacle to the development of more efficient and sustainable livestock production systems in West Africa. Riverine tsetse species such as Glossina palpalis gambiensis Vanderplank and Glossina tachinoides Westwood are the major vectors. A wide variety of control tactics is available to manage these vectors, but their removal will in most cases only be sustainable if the control effort is targeting an entire tsetse population within a circumscribed area. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In the present study, genetic variation at microsatellite DNA loci was used to examine the population structure of G. p. gambiensis and G. tachinoides inhabiting four adjacent river basins in Burkina Faso, i.e. the Mouhoun, the Comoé, the Niger and the Sissili River Basins. Isolation by distance was significant for both species across river basins, and dispersal of G. tachinoides was ∼3 times higher than that of G. p. gambiensis. Thus, the data presented indicate that no strong barriers to gene flow exists between riverine tsetse populations in adjacent river basins, especially so for G. tachinoides. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Therefore, potential re-invasion of flies from adjacent river basins will have to be prevented by establishing buffer zones between the Mouhoun and the other river basin(s), in the framework of the PATTEC (Pan African Tsetse and Trypanosomosis Eradication Campaign) eradication project that is presently targeting the northern part of the Mouhoun River Basin. We argue that these genetic analyses should always be part of the baseline data collection before any tsetse control project is initiated.

Leishmania species of the subgenus Leishmania and especially L. donovani are responsible for a large proportion of visceral leishmaniasis cases. The debate on the mode of reproduction and population structure of Leishmania parasites remains opened. It has been suggested that Leishmania parasites could alternate different modes of reproduction, more particularly clonality and frequent recombinations either between related individuals (endogamy) or between unrelated individuals (outcrossing) within strongly isolated subpopulations. To determine whether this assumption is generalized to other species, a population genetics analysis within Leishmania donovani complex strains was conducted within a single village. The results suggest that a mixed-mating reproduction system exists, an important heterogeneity of subsamples and the coexistence of several genetic entities in Sudanese L. donovani. Indeed, results showed significant genetic differentiation between the three taxa (L. donovani, L. infantum and L. archibaldi) and between the human or canine strains of such taxa, suggesting that there may be different imbricated transmission cycles involving either dogs or humans. Results also are in agreement with an almost strict specificity of L. donovani stricto sensu to human hosts. This empirical study demonstrates the complexity of population structure in the genus Leishmania and the need to pursue such kind of analyses at the smallest possible spatio-temporal and ecological scales.

Genetic variation of microsatellite loci is a widely used method for the analysis of population genetic structure of microorganisms. We have investigated genetic variation at 15 microsatellite loci of T. evansi isolated from camels in Sudan and Kenya to evaluate the genetic information partitioned within and between individuals and between sites. We detected a strong signal of isolation by distance across the area sampled. The results also indicate that either, and as expected, T. evansi is purely clonal and structured in small units at very local scales and that there are numerous allelic dropouts in the data, or that this species often sexually recombines without the need of the "normal" definitive host, the tsetse fly or as the recurrent immigration from sexually recombined T. brucei brucei. Though the first hypothesis is the most likely, discriminating between these two incompatible hypotheses will require further studies at much localized scales.

We used 12 microsatellite markers developed for Leishmania braziliensis to genotype 28 strains of the main species of the Leishmania guyanensis complex (i.e. L. guyanensis and L. panamensis) collected in Ecuador and Peru. The important heterozygote deficits observed in these populations are similar with the previous data obtained in L. braziliensis and raise again the debate on the reproductive mode of these protozoan parasites. The data showed genetic polymorphism and geographical differentiation giving information on population structure of the L. guyanensis complex. Regarding the two species, this study enhances again the debate on the taxonomic status of the different isolates belonging to L. guyanensis s.l. since the results showed substantial heterogeneity within this species complex. In conclusion, this study increases the number of available microsatellite loci for L. guyanensis species complex and raises fundamental biological questions. It confirms that microsatellite markers constitute good tools for population genetic studies on parasites of this complex.

Abstract Various series of 4,6‐disubstituted‐2‐thiopyridine derivatives were synthesized and evaluated as potential ecto‐5’‐nucleotidase (CD73) inhibitors. Altogether, about ninety compounds were prepared using a general synthetic pathway involving one or two steps (eventually one‐pot) procedures. Variation of the nature of the substituents in positions 4 and 6 (methyl, trifluoromethyl or phenyl) of the thiopurine ring, as well as on the thiol function, was examined and led to marked differences both in term of reactivity and ability to interfere with the putative target protein. Using a functional assay on immune cells, few compounds belonging to series 4 were shown to be able to antagonize the inhibition of the T‐cell proliferation at both 100 μM and 10 μM (completely for 4 ab and partially for 4 ai ), that is as potent as AOPCP which entirely reversed the inhibitory impact of exogenous ATP on T cell proliferation until 62.5 μM. In addition, we have shown that both compounds ( 4 ab and 4 ai ) were also capable of moderately inhibiting the hA 2A receptor with Ki in the μmolar range in HEK‐293 cells. Thus, with the aim to reduce the molecular size and the lipophilicity of our initial scaffold, we finally observed by serendipity a modification of the potential target of our compounds.

The aim of this data collection was to investigate the temperature evolution of all four possible optical transitions originating from zero-mode Landau Levels in 8nm HgTe quantum wells embedded in HgCdTe barriers. Measurements were performed by using a Fourier Transform spectrometer coupled to a superconducting coil, at temperatures ranging from 2K to 60K, under magnetic field up to 10T. This dataset contains 4 zipped folders and a readme.txt file.Each folder contains the raw files of 43 spectra collected at magnetic fields ranging from 0 to 10T , with a 0.25T step at a given temperature.

We characterized the texture, composition, and seismic properties of the lithospheric mantle atop the Hawaiian plume by petrostructural analysis of 48 spinel-peridotite xenoliths from four localities in three Hawaiian islands. Coarse-porphyroclastic peridotites with variable degrees of recrystallization, recorded by growth of strain-free neoblasts onto the deformed microstructure, predominate. Full evolution of this process produced equigranular microstructures. Some peridotites have coarse-granular microstructures. Coarse-granular and coarse-porphyroclastic peridotites have strong orthorhombic or axial-[100] olivine crystal-preferred orientations (CPO). Recrystallization produced moderate dispersion and, locally, changed the olivine CPO towards axial-[010]. Enrichment in pyroxenes relative to model melting trends and pyroxenes with interstitial shapes and CPO uncorrelated with the olivine CPO suggest refertilization by reactive melt percolation. The unusual spatial distribution of the recrystallized fraction, Ti-enrichment, and REE-fractionation in recrystallized, equigranular, and coarse-granular peridotites support that these microstructures are produced by static recrystallization triggered by melt percolation. However, there is no simple relation between microstructure and chemical or modal composition. This, together with marked variations in mineral chemistry among samples, implies multiple spatially heterogeneous melt-rock reaction events. We interpret the coarse-porphyroclastic microstructures and CPO as representative of the original oceanic lithosphere fabric. Annealing changed the microstructure to coarse-granular, but did not modify significantly the olivine CPO. Recrystallization produced moderate dispersion of the CPO. “Normal” oceanic lithosphere seismic anisotropy patterns are therefore preserved. Yet Fe-enrichment, refertilization, and limited heating of the base of the lithosphere may reduce seismic velocities by up to 2%, partially explaining negative velocity anomalies imaged at lithospheric depths beneath Hawaii.

Across the globe, ecological communities are confronted with multiple global environmental change drivers, and they are responding in complex ways ranging from behavioural, physiological, and morphological changes within populations to changes in community composition and food web structure with consequences for ecosystem functioning. A better understanding of global change-induced alterations of multitrophic biodiversity and the ecosystem-level responses in terrestrial ecosystems requires holistic and integrative experimental approaches to manipulate and study complex communities and processes above and below the ground. We argue that mesocosm experiments fill a critical gap in this context, especially when based on ecological theory and coupled with microcosm experiments, field experiments, and observational studies of macroecological patterns. We describe the design and specifications of a novel terrestrial mesocosm facility, the iDiv Ecotron. It was developed to allow the setup and maintenance of complex communities and the manipulation of several abiotic factors in a near-natural way, while simultaneously measuring multiple ecosystem functions. To demonstrate the capabilities of the facility, we provide a case study. This study shows that changes in aboveground multitrophic interactions caused by decreased predator densities can have cascading effects on the composition of belowground communities. The iDiv Ecotrons technical features, which allow for the assembly of an endless spectrum of ecosystem components, create the opportunity for collaboration among researchers with an equally broad spectrum of expertise. In the last part, we outline some of such components that will be implemented in future ecological experiments to be realized in the iDiv Ecotron. Key words: food webs, biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, mesocosms, biotic interactions, lysimeters, climate chambers

Phenological shifts caused by climate change are increasingly documented in wild populations. These events may be inferred by examining changes in population abundance and age structure throughout the breeding season, often using citizen science. However, several gaps still limit optimal use of such data. First, the link between the proportion of juveniles sampled over time and the underlying distribution of breeding times and reproductive success remains unclear. Second, such observations necessarily concern individuals that survived to fledge, thus potentially reflecting selection on reproductive timing. Third, the effect of sampling design on estimating breeding parameters needs careful assessment. In this study, we address these three concerns, taking the example of bird monitoring. We first propose an analytical model relating the proportion of juveniles in counts (e.g., mist-net captures) to fledging date distribution and mean reproductive success. We then show how the estimated fledging parameters relate to the underlying laying date distribution, accounting for a possible influence of selection, and use simulations to assess how sampling design affects the inference of fledging and breeding parameters. Our analytical results show that mean fledging time lags behind the inflection point in juvenile proportions, especially when laying date variance and reproductive success are high. Selection for earlier breeding advances the inferred mean laying date, but this bias can be corrected if independent information on selection strength is available. Our simulations show that our approach is able to recover the true mean and variance of fledging dates under unlimited sampling effort. A more realistic multi-site approach reveals that accurate estimates can be reached with only a few sampling sessions per site, although increasing the number of capture sessions and capture sites improves precision. Our results hold promise to improve the accuracy of phenological estimates from population monitoring, and the interpretation of climate-driven changes in wild populations.

A recommendation of: Aimé K. Kouassi, Irié C. Zo-Bi, Bruno Hérault, Isaac K. Konan, Marie R. Dago, Baptiste Lasbats, Sylvain Schmitt, Anny E. N'Guessan, Raphaël Aussenac Tree growth in West African cocoa agroforestry systems : high timber yields and superior performance of natural regeneration https://hal.science/hal-04638492

Cartographie des compétences du réseau SIST

Conference organization: 13th International Retroviral Symposium: Assembly, Maturation and Uncoating (RAMM 2025) Organizing committee: Tomáš Ruml, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, symposium chair Saveez Saffarian, University of Utah, USA, symposium chair Michaela Rumlova, Univ of Chemistry and Technology, Prague Eric Freed, NIH/NCI, USA Delphine Muriaux, IRIM/CNRS, France Karin Musier-Forsyth, Ohio State University, USA Mark Williams, Northeastern University, USA

Fluidized solid particles in concentrated solar power have shown the potential to induce higher global efficiencies compared to conventional heat transfer fluids. By maintaining their physicochemical stability at higher temperatures than synthetic oils and molten salts (600–750°C), they reduce storage issues and reach more efficient conversion cycles. Within the framework of the European project Powder2Power, which aims to demonstrate the feasibility of such a CSP central tower plant prototype at MW scale (TRL7), this work focuses on the thermal modeling and control of the tubular solar receiver. Funding information This material is based on work funded by the European program “Horizon Europe” through the project “Powder2Power” and by the Région Occitanie under the SOLARPERFORM project (duration: 01/06/2026 – 30/11/2027) through the funding instrument “EMERGENCE”.

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This work is part of the European project “Powder-to-Power” (P2P) that aims to demonstrate at the MW-scale the operation of an original and cheap particle-driven CSP technology applicable for both power and industrial heat production. A complete installation is currently under implementation including the heat collection loop and the power block. The unit will use the fluidized bed-in-tube solar receiver concept. This project is following the previous NextCSP project (2017-2021) which has permitted achieving a first test campaign highlighting some issues. Consequently, a new configuration will be implemented and tested during a full year experimental campaign. The final objective of the project is the evaluation of the expected techno-economic and sustainability performance of the concept at utility-scale considering a 10-60 MWe power plant. The up-scaling process will be based on validated models and operational data.

This repository contains the analytical dataset associated with the study of Petrogenesis and Tectonic Evolution of Cenozoic Magmatism in the Southernmost Northern Andes: Insights from Zircon Petrochronology. Data include zircon geochronology, isotope geochemistry, trace-element compositions, and whole-rock chemical analyses. These datasets support the interpretation of magmatic evolution, crustal processes, and temporal changes in magma sources across the arc.

contours-moho-iso.kmz gathers the isocontours for the Moho depth deduced from a local isostatic compensation at 30km in the central Greece area (centered in Corinth area). The data are in km. contours-moho-tiberietal2001.kmz gathers the isocontours of the Moho map from Tiberi et al., 2001 ("Moho topography beneath the Corinth Rift area (Greece) from inversion of gravity data. Geophysical Journal International, 2001, 145 (3), pp.797-808. 10.1046/j.1365-246x.2001.01441.x. insu-01356363"). Moho depth is deduced from a gravity inversion, the data are in depth.

The contents of this repository encompass data files and scripts using Generic Mapping Tools used to produce the Normalised Lineament density maps of sites 1 and 2 in the manuscript titled "Mapping of damage zone heterogeneity along strike-slip faults" authored by S. Mayolle, R. Soliva, Y. Caniven, S. Dominguez, C. Wibberley, M. Peyret, G. Ballas, M. Buillard, B. Rabu, J. Champagne and F. Girard.