Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Coronographie à masque de phase : applications aux télescopes et interféromètres au sol et dans l'espace

Je presente dans mon travail de these une etude complete du coronographe a quatre quadrants propose par D. Rouan (2000). Ce nouveau coronographe offre des performances de rejection theoriques extremement importantes (>10^6). Ces performances ouvrent des possibilites de detection d'exo-planetes autour des etoiles proches. Les premiers resultats en laboratoire, ont donne des taux d'attenuation de l'etoile centrale superieurs a 90000\footnote(: le resumee de la these indique 44000, mais une calibration fine de la densite employee nous donne 90000. ) sur le pic central. J'ai donc naturellement etudie toutes les utilisations possibles de ce coronographe au sol comme dans l'espace. En premier lieu, il peut etre utilise sur les telescopes au sol avec une optique adaptative a haut Strehl. Des simulations numeriques seront presentees dans le cadre du projet ``Planet Finder'' de l'ESO pour la detection des naines brunes et des planetes geantes chaudes autour des etoiles les plus proches. Ensuite, je me suis interesse a l'utilisation du 4Q sur l'instrument MIRI (Mid InfraRed Imager) du JWST, puis sur un interferometre spatial (pour ``Terrestrial Planet Finder'') de la NASA. Neanmoins, un des problemes majeurs du masque a 4 quadrants reste le chromatisme du dephasage de pi pour une utilisation en large bande dans le cadre de TPF. Je presenterai donc des solutions permettant d'achromatiser le coronographe.
Viscoelastic Properties and the Actin Cytoskeletal Structure of Triple Negative Breast Cancer Cells

An improved understanding of the evolution of cell structure and viscoelasticity with cancer malignancy could enable the development of a new generation of biomarkers and methods for cancer diagnosis. Hence, in this study, we present the viscoelastic properties (moduli and viscosities) and the actin cytoskeletal structures of triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells with different metastatic potential. These include: MCF-10A normal breast cells (studied as a control); MDA-MB-468 cells (less metastatic TNBC cells), and MDA-MB-231 cells (highly metastatic TNBC cells). A combination of shear assay and digital imaging correlation (DIC) techniques is used to measure the local viscoelastic properties of live breast cells subjected to constant shear stress. The local moduli and viscosities of the nuclei and cytoplasm are characterized using a generalized Maxwell model, which is used to determine the time-dependent creep responses of cells. The nuclei are shown to be stiffer and more viscous than the cytoplasms of the normal breast cells and TNBC cells. The MCF-10A normal breast cells are found to be twice as stiff as the less metastatic MDA-MB-468 breast cancer cells and over ten times stiffer than the highly metastatic MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. Similar trends are also observed in the viscosities of the nuclei and the cytoplasms. The measured differences in cell viscoelastic properties are also associated with significant changes in the cell cytoskeletal structure, which is studied using confocal fluorescence microscopy. This reveals significant differences in the levels of actin expression and organization in TNBC cells as they become highly metastatic. Our results suggest that the shear assay measurements of cell viscoelastic properties may be used as effective biomarkers for TNBC diagnosis and screening.
The use of natural abundance of nitrogen isotopes in plant physiology and ecology

Nitrogen stable isotope (̂ ^N, *̂N) natural abundance has been much less used than carbon isotopes (̂ ^C, ^̂ C) in plant physiology and ecology. Analytical problems, the lower fractional abundance of ^̂ N than of ̂ Ĉ in the biosphere, the greater complexity of the N cycle relative to the C cycle, and smaller expressed discriminations in nature, are contributing factorsThe major N pools, globally, have different isotope signatures: atmospheric N2 is ^^N-depleted relative to organic N (including sedimentary N), a situation resulting from a greater expressed discrimination in the organic N to N2 (via denitrification) reaction than of diazotrophy during accumulation of the reduced N. Essentially ail of the enzymes except nitrogenase which transform N compounds show discrimination against ^^N, although for glutamine synthetase, and the amination of 2oxoglutarate and pyruvate, this is only seen in terms of NH4 rather than the true substrate, NH3. Discrimination is expressed in various N interconversions within piants, leading to substantial differences in h^^H (up to 12%o) among N compounds and macroscopic plant parts. N isotope fractionation during assimilation of exogenous combined N is often much lower than that expected from studies of isolated enzymes due to processes which show very little discrimination, such as limitation by transport through aqueous solution and membranes. Application of ^̂ N/̂ '̂ N discrimination studies to plant ecology have concentrated largely on distinguishing diazotrophy from N supplied from combined N, based on the lower ^̂ N/̂ '̂ N in diazotrophs due to the higher ^̂ N/̂ '*N of combined N sources not being offset by fractionation during uptake. While potentially very useful, a number of pitfalls are discussed in its ecological use in both terrestrial and aquatic systems. N isotope discrimination is also useful in tracking N through food webs, and hence, back to combined N sources for plants. Key-vvords. ammonium assimilation; dentrification; diazotrophy; isotope fractionation; '̂̂ N; ̂ ^N; natural abundance; Correspondence: Dr L. L. Handley, Soil-Plant Dynamics Group, SCRI, Invergowrie, Dundee DD2 5DA, UK. nitrate assimilation; nitrification; nitrogen cycle; trophic levels.
Assessment of Soil Quality in Andosols Using Silvopastoral Systems

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of redesign and management upon soil quality variation using three agro-ecosystems: agro-ecosystem A1 (grasses,Alnus acuminataKunth); agro-ecosystem A2 (grasses, AcaciamelanoxylonR. Br.) and agro-ecosystem A3 (Rangeland). The trees were planted along the contour lines in December 2015. The total area was divided into three agro-ecosystems (AES). These consisted of 7.50, 4.64 and 6.25 ha managed with ten to eleven cows in A1, A2 and A3 respectively. The AES were divided into paddocks by means of electric fences. Composite soil samples were evaluated at the baseline and ten months later. Principles of rational grass management were applied with low input sustainable agriculture. The tree population density was 1000 ha-1, planted in double rows, separated two meters apart. The genetic composition of dairy cows was 80 and 20% of Holstein and crossbreed Holstein x Jersey, respectively.The effect of interaction between AES x year was not found. The effect of the agro-ecosystems upon the soil quality only showed significant differences (p <0.05) in pH (5.64, 5.68, 5.55); SOM (14.65, 16.11, 16.23); P2O5(34.67, 19.50, 33.48) and K2O (.16, .19, .12) meq 100 mL-1to A1, A2 y A3, respectively. On the contrary, the year´s effect showed differences (p <0.05) on chemical variables: NH4(-83.00 ppm); SOM (-1.91%); P2O5(-10.79 ppm); K2O (-.04) meq 100 mL-1and Mg (-.42) meq 100 mL-1, excepted pH (.025) and Ca (1.04) meq 100 mL-1when it was compared 2015vs. 2016. It is suggested to continue evaluating the dynamics of soil chemical variables in the subsequent two years to find out the real potential capacity of soil-plant-animal-management interactions to enhance soil quality ofAndosolsin dairy sector, Carchi province, Ecuador.
Sequential Aggregation of Verifiable Information

We introduce the notion of verifiable information into a model of sequential debate among experts who are motivated by career concerns. We show that self-censorship may hamper the efficiency of information aggregation, as experts withhold evidence contradicting the conventional wisdom. In this case, silence is telling and undermines the prevailing view over time if this view is incorrect. As a result, withholding arguments about the correct state of the world is only a temporary phenomenon, and the probability of the correct state of the world being revealed always converges to one as the group of experts becomes large. For small groups, a simple mechanism the principal can use to improve decisionmaking is to appoint a devil’s advocate.
Pedagogical Considerations and Opportunities for Teaching and Learning on the Web

As new and emerging technologies continue to become more familiar to educators and the education system, the vast opportunities for web-based learning has transformed the ideals of the traditional classroom. Pedagogical Considerations and Opportunities for Teaching and Learning on the Web concentrates on theory, application, and the development of web-based technologies for teaching and learning and its influence on the education system. This book would be of particular interest to academics, professionals, and researchers interested in the best practices of virtual learning environments.
The Intergenerational Transmission of Poverty in Industrialized Countries

This paper reviews research about the intergenerational transmission of poverty in industrialized countries. In order to make our survey manageable, we restrict attention to studies that consider the relationship between parental poverty (or 'income') during childhood and later-life outcomes; we do not explicitly consider the impact of other family background variables such as parental education. The general message is that growing up poor has a deleterious impact on later-life chances, and that this impact is not wholly explained by other factors that are themselves correlated with childhood poverty. At the same time, the studies also show that one should be cautious about drawing more specific conclusions. For example, the degree of intergenerational persistence appears to vary depending on the definition of the outcome variable, and different estimation methods provide a range of estimates. In addition, most of re-search about intergenerational links has been undertaken using US data, and it is not clear that any specific conclusions should carry over to another country with very different social norms and institutions including e.g. differences in labour market regulation, and in systems of edu-cation and social security benefits. However we conclude that, broadly speaking, the analyti-cal framework that has been used for high-income countries can also be applied to low-income countries.
Photo Forensics

Photographs have been doctored since photography was invented. Dictators have erased people from photographs and from history. Politicians have manipulated photos for short-term political gain. Altering photographs in the predigital era required time-consuming darkroom work. Today, powerful and low-cost digital technology makes it relatively easy to alter digital images, and the resulting fakes are difficult to detect. The field of photo forensics -- pioneered in Hany Farid's lab at Dartmouth College -- restores some trust to photography. In this book, Farid describes techniques that can be used to authenticate photos. He provides the intuition and background as well as the mathematical and algorithmic details needed to understand, implement, and utilize a variety of photo forensic techniques. Farid traces the entire imaging pipeline. He begins with the physics and geometry of the interaction of light with the physical world, proceeds through the way light passes through a camera lens, the conversion of light to pixel values in the electronic sensor, the packaging of the pixel values into a digital image file, and the pixel-level artifacts introduced by photo-editing software. Modeling the path of light during image creation reveals physical, geometric, and statistical regularities that are disrupted during the creation of a fake. Various forensic techniques exploit these irregularities to detect traces of tampering. A chapter of case studies examines the authenticity of viral video and famously questionable photographs including "Golden Eagle Snatches Kid" and the Lee Harvey Oswald backyard photo.
Handwritten Chinese Character Recognition using Modified Quadratic Discriminant Function with Normalization-cooperated Gradient Feature

This paper presents the result of handwritten Chinese character recognition on binary images using normalization-cooperated gradient feature (NCGF) with modified quadratic discriminant function (MQDF) as the classifier. NCGF is a kind of feature extraction method derived from the gradient direction feature extraction and can be combined with various normalization methods, and experiments show that NCGF has better performance over other normalizationbased feature extraction methods. MQDF is a successful statistical classifier which is often used in Handwritten Character Recognition, and MQDF yields high accuracy rate and outlier rejection rate. We tested our system over a large database, CASIA, which contains binary images of 3755 characters and each class contains 300 samples, and it gives 97.78% accuracy rate for single character recognition.
Nothing's plenty: The significance of null results in physics education research

A central aim of physics education research is to understand the processes of learning and use that understanding to inform instruction. To this end, researchers often conduct studies to measure the effect of classroom interventions on student learning outcomes. Many of these intervention studies have provided an empirical foundation of reformed teaching techniques, such as active engagement. However, many times there is not sufficient evidence to conclude that the intervention had the intended effect, and these null results often end up in the file drawer. In this paper, we argue that null results can contribute significantly to physics education research, even if the results are not statistically significant. First, we review social sciences and biomedical research that has found widespread publication bias against null results, exploring why it occurs and how it can hurt the field. We then present three cases from physics education research to highlight how studies that yield null results can contribute to our understanding of teaching and learning. Finally, we distill from these studies some general principles for learning from null results, proposing that we should evaluate them not on whether they reject the null hypothesis, but according to their potential for generating new understanding.
ynthesis and characterization of starch-poly ( methyl acrylate ) graft opolymers using horseradish peroxidase u Wanga

Horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-mediated graft polymerization in the presence of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and acetylacetone (Acac) has been successfully applied to the synthesis of starch-poly(methyl acrylate) (PMA). The graft copolymer was characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), elemental analysis, nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR and 13C NMR), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). FT-IR, elemental analysis and NMR confirmed that methyl acrylate (MA) was grafted onto starch vailable online 9 October 2015 eywords: tarch orseradish peroxidase ethyl acrylate successfully. DSC results showed the graft reaction had changed the crystalline regions of the gelatinized starch. The effects of pH, MA content, HRP dosage, incubation temperature and time on grafting percentage (GP) and grafting efficiency (GE) were also investigated. The GP and GE under optimal conditions reached 30.21% and 45.13%, respectively. © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. raft polymerization
Applying EvidEncE to thE cArE of A pAtiEnt with cArdiovAsculAr disEAsE: how to dEtEct MislEAding clAiMs in clinicAl rEsEArch rEports

The standard basis for determining treatment effect is the randomized controlled trial (RCT). RCTs must be designed to reduce the effects of bias on outcomes. However, even when studies are well designed, the interpretation and presentation of the results can be biased and misleading. This could adversely affect a treatment decision, leading a clinician to prescribe—and a patient to take—a therapy that otherwise might not have been considered. This article uses the case of a patient with a prior myocardial infarction (MI) to apply an evidencebased approach to deciding whether or not the addition of clopidogrel to aspirin is more effective than aspirin alone for reducing the patient’s risk for future cardiovascular events. In discussing the evidencebased medicine (EBM) approach to this case, we focus on how to detect misleading claims made by authors in clinical research reports.
Associations between farming practices and disease mortality of Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas in a Mediterranean lagoon

We present the first large-scale, high-resolution spatial and temporal pattern of dis- ease mortality caused by Ostreid herpesvirus 1 (OsHV-1) that has affected Pacific oyster Crass- ostrea gigas in France every year since 2008, in relation to local farm use. Mortality was monitored in healthy oyster spat deployed at 106 locations in the Thau Mediterranean lagoon during the epi- zootic that occurred in spring 2011. We conducted a field survey of farming practices in the areas where the sentinel oysters were placed before the epizootic. We found that the risk of disease mortality in sentinel oysters was higher within the bivalve farming area than outside it, suggesting that the infection pressure is much higher in areas with intensive farming activity. The risk of mor- tality was higher in farms rearing spat, a developmental stage particularly susceptible to OsHV-1, than in farms rearing adult oysters, which are generally more resistant. Additionally, the mortality risk in farms rearing adult animals was similar to that in empty farms, which suggests that, during the study period, adult oysters did not vector the disease. Interestingly, the mortality risk for sentinel oysters deployed in mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis farms was lower than for those held in oyster farms or empty farms, suggesting that mussels reduced the infection pressure on susceptible oysters.
Performance of trellis coded modulation with 8PSK through TDRSS

The need to increase data-rate capabilities of the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) has prompted NASA to investigate bandwidth-efficient modulation schemes. Based upon current technology the most promising scheme is Trellis-Coded Modulation (TCM) operating with Octal Phase Shift Keying (8 PSK). In conjunction with NASA, New Mexico State University's Manuel Lujan Jr. Center for Space Telemetering and Telecommunications Systems has constructed a system to test this new candidate TDRSS modulation scheme, TCM 8 PSK. This system was tested through the TDRSS channel to demonstrate that this coding scheme operates as well over the actual channel as it has in lab experiments and simulations. Two interchangeable codecs, implementing separate TCM techniques, were tested. The results of this experiment and subsequent data analysis are presented in this paper. <<ETX>>
Airborne mercury deposition and watershed characteristics in relation to mercury concentrations in water, sediments, plankton, and fish of eighty Northern Minnesota lakes

Mercury concentrations in precipitation, lake water and sediment, zooplankton, and fish were measured and analyzed together with extensive watershed and lake chemistry data for 80 lake watersheds in the study region of northeastern Minnesota including the Superior National Forest, Voyageurs National Park, and Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Atmospheric deposition of mercury, transport, water column lifetimes, and sedimentation in lakes are determined. The factors relating mercury concentrations within the lake watershed components are analyzed and discussed
Influence of Online Hemodiafiltration on Hemoglobin Level, ESA-Dosage and Serum Albumin – A Retrospective, Multicenter Analysis

In renal replacement therapy (RRT) a wide range of uremic toxins have to be removed (Vanholder et al., 2003; Vanholder et al., 2008). It is well known that the combination of diffusive and convective dialysis strategies (online hemodiafiltration, olHDF) improves the removal of uremic toxins, i.e. middle molecules, hydrophobic substances and protein (albumin) bound materials (Krieter et al., 2005; Ahrenholz et al., 2004; Ronco et al., 1999; Kim, 1994; Testa et al., 2006; Meyer et al., 2005; Mandolfo et al., 2006; Kanter et al., 2008). In the presence of ultrapure dialysis fluid which is ultrafiltrated by endotoxin restraint systems (Weber et al., 2000; Canaud et al., 2001; Minetti et al., 1985; Hakim et al., 1984) and biocompatible high flux dialysis membranes the convective diffusive treatment significantly prevents the complement activation (Braun et al., 1995; Savica et al., 2006; Jorres et al, 1999; Horl et al., 1986) in the first minutes of olHDF session and removes proinflammatory substances (cytokines) too (Bellomo et al., 1991; Filiopoulos et al., 2008; Haas et al., 2007; Libetta et al., 2007; Mariano et al., 2005). The intra and interdialytic inflammations are reduced (Ramirez et al., 2007; Ramirez et al., 2007; Carracedo et al., 2006). The suppressed inflammatory process during olHDF leads to an increasing serum albumin concentration via an increased synthesis rate. In spite of a varying albumin removal caused by different dialysis membranes with/without adsorptive character and pore size (Pichaiwong et al., 2006; Yamashita, 2007; Tomo et al., 2008; Winchester et al.,2003; Winchester et al., 2004) the albumin synthesis rate increases by absent inflammation (Giordano et al., 2001). It is shown that in olHDF the ESA dosage needed to reach the hemoglobin goal is reduced (Vaslaki et al., 2006; Bonforte et al., 2002; Eiselt et al., 2000). The efficacy of dialysis measured by single pool Kt/V could be improved (Ahrenholz et al., 1997; Ding et al., 2002). There is evidence of longer survival of patients treated by olHDF versus hemodialysis (HD) independently of dialysis dosage (Canaud et al., 2008; Panicchi et al., 2008). The cycling of hemoglobin levels depends on inflammatory episodes and malnutrition (Del et al., 2005; Brimble et al., 2005). This retrospective, non randomized, multicentre, descriptive clinical evaluation examined the influence of olHDF on hemoglobin concentration (Hb), ESA dosage (ESA), Hb variability (Hbvar), albumin and CRP.
On Data-Selective Learning

Filtros adaptativos sao aplicados em diversos aparelhos eletronicos e de comunicacao, como smartphones, fone de ouvido avancados, DSP chips, antenas inteligentes e sistemas de teleconferencia. Eles tambem tem aplicacao em varias areas como identificacao de sistemas, equalizacao de canal, cancelamento de eco, cancelamento de interferencia, previsao de sinal e mercado de acoes. Desse modo, reduzir o consumo de energia de algoritmos adaptativos tem importância significativa, especialmente em tecnologias verdes e aparelhos que usam bateria. Nesta tese, filtros adaptativos com selecao de dados, em particular filtros adaptativos da familia set-membership (SM), sao apresentados para cumprir essa missao. No presente trabalho objetivamos apresentar novos algoritmos, baseados nos classicos, a fim de aperfeicoar seus desempenhos e, ao mesmo tempo, reduzir o numero de operacoes aritmeticas exigidas. Dessa forma, primeiro analisamos a robustez dos filtros adaptativos SM classicos. Segundo, estendemos o SM aos numeros trinions e quaternions. Terceiro, foram utilizadas tambem duas familias de algoritmos, SM filtering e partial-updating, de uma maneira elegante, visando reduzir energia ao maximo possivel e obter um desempenho competitivo em termos de estabilidade. Quarto, a tese propoe novos filtros adaptativos baseado em algoritmos least-mean-square (LMS) e minimos quadrados recursivos com complexidade computacional baixa para espacos esparsos. Finalmente, derivamos alguns algoritmos feature LMS para explorar a esparsidade escondida nos parâmetros.