A single nucleotide mutation in the dual-oxidase 2 (DUOX2) gene causes some of the panda's unique metabolic phenotypes

The giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) is an iconic bear native to China, famous for eating almost exclusively bamboo. This unusual dietary behavior for a carnivore is enabled by several key adaptations including low physical activity, reduced organ sizes and hypothyroidism leading to lowered energy expenditure. These adaptive phenotypes have been hypothesized to arise from a panda-unique single-nucleotide mutation in the dual-oxidase 2 (DUOX2) gene, involved in thyroid hormone synthesis. To test this hypothesis, we created genome-edited mice carrying the same point mutation as the panda and investigated its effect on metabolic phenotype. Homozygous mice were 27% smaller than heterozygous and wild-type ones, had 13% lower body mass-adjusted food intake, 55% decreased physical activity, lower mass of kidneys (11%) and brain (5%), lower serum thyroxine (T4: 36%), decreased absolute (12%) and mass-adjusted (5%) daily energy expenditure, and altered gut microbiota. Supplementation with T4 reversed the effects of the mutation. This work uses a state-of-the-art genome editing approach to demonstrate the link between a single-nucleotide mutation in a key endocrine-related gene and profound adaptive changes in the metabolic phenotype, with great importance in ecology and evolution.     

THE FINANCIAL PARTICIPATION OF ENTERPRISES IN THE FUNCTIONING OF FRENCH HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS

The article discusses and tries to reconcile two phenomena; that, on one hand, in France, higher education is seriously underfunded, and that, on the other hand, public and private sector enterprises are experiencing shortages in the availability of highly qualified senior staff. At the same time, the need to obtain funding for higher education from sources other than the public authorities is recognized. Ways in which business may contribute to the funding of higher education are discussed, stress being laid on the use of the so‐called apprenticeship tax collected from enterprises and used to support higher education in given areas of training. The functioning and the receipts of this tax are analysed from a neo‐liberal perspective in terms of regional economic development, the types of institutions and programmes which receive subsidies from it, and amount per student. One obvious conclusion is that enterprises are loathe to contribute to the financing of initial education. On the other hand, since they are increasingly willing to finance specific and specialized training, universities, as distinct from other types of higher educations institutions in France, but having the necessary facilities and teaching staff, have been able to seize opportunities offered them to create special further training courses of use to enterprises. Hence, universities receive the largest share of the receipts of the apprenticeship tax.     

L'ingénieur formateur

Il faut que l'ingénieur apprenne à s'expliquer — qu'il apprenne à former et à informer parce que la société le lui demandera de plus en plus. Il est, quelquefois malgré lui, le représentant de l'esprit scientifique, de la science appliquée. Son type d'insertion sociale lui vaut d'être ce représentant proche de ceux qui travaillent, qui consomment, qui, par grandes masses, sont sensibles aux valeurs sociales, politiques, religieuses, à l'idéologie. Proximité plus grande que celle de l'enseignant, du clerc, du politique, du militaire. L'ingénieur est mêlé au quotidien plus que les autres. En outre, il façonne directement le monde des objets qui nous entourent et dont on le déclare responsable: un poste de télévision, une cuisinière électrique, une automobile, un pont, une fusée Ariane, un Telstar, etc… L'ingénieur tisse concrètement notre environnement. Si cela ne fonctionne pas bien, on lui demande des comptes et si cela fonctionne trop bien et éloigne la “Nature”… on lui demande encore des comptes.     

Do handball throws always exhibit a proximal-to-distal segmental sequence?

Previous studies on overarm throwing have described a proximal-to-distal segmental sequence. The proximal segments reached their maximal linear velocities before the distal ones. In handball, no study has demonstrated this sequence from the upper torso to the wrist, although a recent study did present a different organization. The aim of this study was to analyse the throwing arm segmental organization during handball throwing. We found that the maximal linear velocity of the shoulder occurred after the maximal linear velocity of the elbow. Moreover, the maximal angular velocity of the upper torso occurred later than that of the elbow. Hence, contrary to other disciplines, the rotation of the upper torso was not suddenly stopped just after the forward arm motion was initiated. These results may apply to handball in general or be specific to the population of handball players studied. It may be advisable in future studies to include international players.     

科克苏-穹库什太古生代构造-岩浆作用及其对西南天山造山时代的约束

天山造山带是古生代多期碰撞增生作用的产物,其确切的造山时代是当前争议较多的热点问题.分布在西南天山的科克苏-穹库什太剖面经历了复杂的构造变形,最明显的两期变形事件分别为朝北的推覆作用和NE-SW韧性走滑作用.本剖面可分为伊犁岩浆岛弧、伊犁结晶基底、高压变质杂岩三个岩石-构造单元.野外可见黑云母花岗闪长岩侵入到绿片岩相变质岩中,岩脉切穿绿片岩中面理构造.通过锆石U-Pb LA-ICPMS测年,科克苏剖面钾长花岗岩的年龄为341±6Ma和338±8Ma,穹库什太黑云母花岗闪长岩的年龄为313±4Ma.其中,花岗闪长岩发生了黑云母定向排列,通过对黑云母进行^40 Ar/^39 Ar测年,获得坪年龄为263.4士0.6Ma,表明该花岗闪长岩受过后期热事件的干扰.地球化学分析表明,黑云母花岗闪长岩属于钙碱性系列,Nb和Ta含量低而Rb,Ba和TH含量很高,与俯冲作用有关的岛弧岩浆岩地球化学组成非常相似.结合前人对该地区高压变质岩、花岗岩和火山岩的研究成果,本文提出,西南天山俯冲-碰撞造山作用发生在晚石炭世之前,研究区后碰撞区域走滑作用标志着西南天山碰撞造山作用在二叠纪之前全部结束.     

Formation d'ingénieurs et ouverture internationale: une nouvelle exigence pour les écoles d'ingénieurs

La coopération internationale entre établissements d'enseignement supérieur et plus précisément entre établissements formant des ingénieurs relève encore bien souvent du paradoxe: on en parle comme d'une nécessité évidente, mais la désire-t-on vraiment et la pratique-t-on en sachant bien ce que l'on fait?     

Mastery learning and students' attributions at the college level

This study was designed to determine whether the more favorable learning conditions provided by mastery learning procedures result in higher levels of achievement and more internal attributions on the part of college students. One hundred twenty-two undergraduate students enrolled in a general education course at a large state university participated in the study. Results showed that although students in mastery-taught sections did attain significantly higher levels of achievement no differences in attribution change were identified. Possible reasons for the lack of attribution change are discussed.An earlier version of this paper was presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association Montreal, Canada, 1983.