Are Endogenous BMPs Necessary for Bone Healing during Distraction Osteogenesis?

Previous reports suggest the application of exogenous BMPs can accelerate bone formation during distraction osteogenesis (DO). However, there are drawbacks associated with the use of exogenous BMPs. A possible alternative to the use of exogenous BMPs is to upregulate the expression of endogenous BMPs. Since DO results in spontaneously generated de novo bone formation in a uniform radiographic, histological, and biomechanical temporal sequence, a genetically engineered model lacking endogenous BMP2 should have measurable deficits in bone formation at different time points. We performed DO on BMP2(fl/+) and BMP2(fl/+ cre) mice using a miniature Ilizarov fixator. Distracted samples were collected at various time points and analyzed using real time-quantitative PCR, lCT, radiology, immunohistochemistry, histology, and biomechanical testing. Immunohistochemical studies of 34-day heterozygous samples showed reduced expression of BMP2, BMP7, BMPR1a, ACTR1, and ACTR2b. lCT analysis of 51-day heterozygous samples revealed a decrease in trabecular number and increase in trabecular separation. Biomechanical testing of 51-day heterozygous samples revealed decreased stiffness and increased ultimate displacement. Radiological analysis showed the heterozygotes contained a decreased bone fill score at 17, 34, and 51 days. These data suggest endogenous BMPs are important for bone healing and manipulating endogenous BMPs may help accelerate bone consolidation during DO.

The Odor of Colors: Can Wine Experts and Novices Distinguish the Odors of White, Red, and Rosé Wines?

Recently, several papers have investigated color-induced olfactory biases in wine tasting. In particular, Morrot et al. (Brain and Language, 79, 309–320, 2001) reported that visual information mostly drove wine description and that odor information was relatively unimportant in wine tasting. The present paper aims to study the relationship between the color of wine and its odor through a different approach. We hypothesize that people have stable mental representations of the aroma of the three wine color categories (red, white, and rosé) and that visual information is not a necessary clue to correctly categorize wines by color. In order to explore this issue, we adopted two complementary approaches. In the first one, we presented 18 wines (six reds, six whites, and six rosés) in dark glasses to our participants who were asked to smell the wines and categorize them into three categories: “red wine,” “white wine,” or “rosé wine.” Because we expected categorization performance to be affected by participants’ expertise, we used two groups of participants corresponding to wine experts and wine novices. The second approach was designed in order to verify whether the most salient perceptual differences among samples were correlated with the output of the ternary sorting task. Using the same 18 wines, we asked a third panel composed of trained assessors to perform a wine description, a free sorting task based on wines’ odor similarity, and finally, the same ternary sorting task carried out by experts and novices. We found that experts and novices were able to correctly identify red and white wines but not rosé wines. Contrary to our expectations, experts and novices performed at the same level. Trained panelists also categorized accurately white wines and red wines but not rosé wines. From a more perceptual point of view, the free sorting task yielded virtually the same result. Finally, in terms of wine description, again, a clear segmentation was obtained between white and red wines. White wines were described by yellow or orange odorant sources, while the red wines were described by dark odorant sources. In the light of our results, cognitive mechanisms potentially involved in the organization of sensory knowledge and wine categorization are also discussed.

Contribution of a Dense Population of the Brittle Star Acrocnida brachiata (Montagu) to the Biogeochemical Fluxes of CO2 in a Temperate Coastal Ecosystem

International audienceThe production of organic matter and calcium carbonate by a dense population of the brittle star Acrocnida brachiata (Echinodermata) was calculated using demographic structure, population density, and relations between the size (disk diameter) and the ash-free dry weight (AFDW) or the calcimass. During a 2-year survey in the Bay of Seine (Eastern English Channel, France), organic production varied from 29 to 50 g(AFDW) m(-2) year(-1) and CaCO3 production from 69 to 104 g(CaCO3) m(-2) year(-1). Respiration was estimated between 1.7 and 2.0 mol(CO2) m(-2) year(-1). Using the molar ratio (psi) of CO2 released: CaCO3 precipitated, this biogenic precipitation of calcium carbonate would result in an additional release between 0.5 and 0.7 mol(CO2) m(-2) year(-1) that represented 23% and 26% of total CO2 fluxes (sum of calcification and respiration). The results of the present study suggest that calcification in temperate shallow environments should be considered as a significant source of CO2 to seawater and thus a potential source of CO2 to the atmosphere, emphasizing the important role of the biomineralization (estimated here) and dissolution (endoskeletons of dead individuals) in the carbon budget of temperate coastal ecosystems

Wege zur Beurteilung der Umweltverträglichkeit biozider Wirkstoffe

Biozide sind biologisch aktive Substanzen und können somit eine potenzielle Gefährdung für Umwelt und Mensch darstellen. Daraus resultiert die Notwendigkeit eines Risikomanagements. Für alle Produktebereiche wird das Vorgehen in der europäischen Biozidprodukte-Richtlinie (BPRL, 98/8/EG) und in der schweizerischen Biozidprodukteverordnung (VBP) geregelt. In diesen Regelwerken sind die Biozidprodukte in vier Hauptgruppen eingeteilt: (1) Desinfektionsmittel, (2) Schutzmittel, (3) Schädlingsbekämpfung und (4) sonstige Biozidprodukte. Innerhalb dieser Hauptgruppen werden insgesamt 23 Produktarten unterschieden. Die als Biozide eingesetzten, mehreren hundert Wirkstoffe wurden innerhalb der EU identifiziert, notifiziert und in einer Liste zusammengestellt. Die Registrierung und Zulassung der Biozidprodukte wird über die Beurteilung der darin enthaltenen Wirkstoffe erfolgen, für die von den Herstellerfirmen Grundlagendaten zur Verfügung gestellt werden müssen. Die Bereitstellung der Grundlagendaten und die Beurteilung durch die Behörde ist sowohl zeitlich als auch finanziell limi tiert. Für die Prüfung und Bewertung der Wirkstoffe sollten daher die richtigen Prioritäten festgelegt werden. Bei zahlreichen der eingesetzten Biozidprodukte ist eine relevante Emission in das aquatische System zu erwarten. Dies ist insbesondere der Fall für Biozide, die direkt in wässriger Umgebung eingesetzt werden, wie z. B. Desinfektionsmittel für Schwimmbäder, Konservierungsstoffe für Detergenzien (Waschund Reinigungsmittel, Körperpflegemittel), Biozide für Kühlwassersysteme oder AntifoulingProdukte. Emissionen in das aquatische System treten indirekt aber auch bei vielen anderen Anwendungen auf, wie z. B. bei den Bioziden für die menschliche Hygiene, Schutzmitteln für Materialien, Desinfektionsmitteln für Oberflächen im privaten und öffentlichen Bereich etc. Biozide kommen aufgrund der beschriebenen Anwendungen und Emissionen als Mikroverunreinigungen in Abwasser und Gewässern vor. Die Europäische Biozidprodukte-Richtlinie und die Schweizer Biozidprodukteverordnung 10.1007/s12302-008-0038-9

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