Pierre-and-Marie-Curie University

About: Pierre-and-Marie-Curie University is a education organization based out in Paris, France. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Raman spectroscopy. The organization has 34448 authors who have published 56139 publications receiving 2392398 citations.

Experimental determination of nitrogen kinetic isotope fractionation: Some principles; illustration for the denitrification and nitrification processes

Abstract: A few principles relative to the presentation and use of nitrogen stable isotopic data are briefly reviewed. Some classical relationships between the isotope composition of a substrate undergoing a single-step unidirectional reaction, are introduced.

Absorption by dissolved organic matter of the sea (yellow substance) in the UV and visible domains1

Abstract: Spectral values of absorption of light by dissolved organic matter were measured in samples originating from diverse parts of the ocean, quite different with respect to pigment and particle content. The use of llO-cm cells and then of lo-cm cells, with a highly sensitive spectrophotometer, allowed measurement throughout the UV-visible range (200-700 nm) even for the low concentrations of yellow substance encountered in the open sea. The concentration appears influenced predominantly by natural and industrial land discharges. In oceanic waters, it remains low and seems to be related to the biological activity averaged over a long period rather than to the local and temporary phytoplankton content. However, even at such low concentrations, yellow substance in the open sea may have an effect on absorption and hence on ocean color similar to that of low or moderate algal biomass. The spectral dependence law of absorption appears to vary within a restricted range, and an average law can be considered representative of rapid measurements at one selected wavelength.

Dietary intervention impact on gut microbial gene richness

Abstract: Complex gene-environment interactions are considered important in the development of obesity. The composition of the gut microbiota can determine the efficacy of energy harvest from food and changes in dietary composition have been associated with changes in the composition of gut microbial populations. The capacity to explore microbiota composition was markedly improved by the development of metagenomic approaches, which have already allowed production of the first human gut microbial gene catalogue and stratifying individuals by their gut genomic profile into different enterotypes, but the analyses were carried out mainly in non-intervention settings. To investigate the temporal relationships between food intake, gut microbiota and metabolic and inflammatory phenotypes, we conducted diet-induced weight-loss and weight-stabilization interventions in a study sample of 38 obese and 11 overweight individuals. Here we report that individuals with reduced microbial gene richness (40%) present more pronounced dys-metabolism and low-grade inflammation, as observed concomitantly in the accompanying paper. Dietary intervention improves low gene richness and clinical phenotypes, but seems to be less efficient for inflammation variables in individuals with lower gene richness. Low gene richness may therefore have predictive potential for the efficacy of intervention.

Diffusion dynamics of glycine receptors revealed by single-quantum dot tracking.

Abstract: Semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) are nanometer-sized fluorescent probes suitable for advanced biological imaging. We used QDs to track individual glycine receptors (GlyRs) and analyze their lateral dynamics in the neuronal membrane of living cells for periods ranging from milliseconds to minutes. We characterized multiple diffusion domains in relation to the synaptic, perisynaptic, or extrasynaptic GlyR localization. The entry of GlyRs into the synapse by diffusion was observed and further confirmed by electron microscopy imaging of QD-tagged receptors.

The priming effect of organic matter: a question of microbial competition

Abstract: It is generally accepted that the low quality of soil carbon limits the amount of energy available for soil microorganisms, and in turn the rate of soil carbon mineralization. The priming effect, i.e. the increase in soil organic matter (SOM) decomposition rate after fresh organic matter input to soil, is often supposed to result from a global increase in microbial activity due to the higher availability of energy released from the decomposition of fresh organic matter. Work to date, however, suggests that supply of available energy induces no effect on SOM mineralization. The mechanisms of the priming effect are much more complex than commonly believed. The objective of this review was to build a conceptual model of the priming effect based on the contradictory results available in the literature adopting the concept of nutritional competition. After fresh organic matter input to soils, many specialized microorganisms grow quickly and only decompose the fresh organic matter. We postulated that the priming effect results from the competition for energy and nutrient acquisition between the microorganisms specialized in the decomposition of fresh organic matter and those feeding on polymerised SOM.