Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effet de l'expertise et de l'attention sur l'encodage neuronal des sons de parole

Les travaux de cette these ont investigue les effets de plasticite induits au niveau sous-cortical : a long terme, par l'etude des effets de l'expertise (linguistique et musicale) et a court terme par l'etude des effets attentionnels. Notre hypothese etait que l'expertise linguistique renforce l'encodage automatique des sons natifs au niveau des indices linguistiques les plus importants. Les reponses complexes du tronc cerebral se sont averees plus robustes pour les sons natifs avec un renforcement specifique de l'encodage des frequences formantiques qui jouent un role important dans la discrimination des phonemes, ce qui confirme l'hypothese de depart. Nous avons montre que les differences d'expertise linguistique sont compensees par la pratique musicale grâce a un renforcement de l'encodage neuronal des indices linguistiques importants (formants). La comparaison des reponses neuronales recueillies en condition d'ecoute passive et active (tapping) a revele une representation de la frequence fondamentale plus robuste lors de l'ecoute active des sons, confirmant l'influence des processus top-down sur l'encodage sous-cortical des sons de parole. En entrainant l'attention au rythme d'un stimulus sur deux via une tâche de tapping, nous avons observe une modulation significative de la representation du son en fonction de la phase du tapping, revelant ainsi les effets d’une dynamique oscillatoire (attentionnelle) au niveau de la voie auditive sous-corticale. En conclusion, ce travail de these a permis de reveler la nature dynamique de la perception auditive, en montrant une modulation de l'encodage des sons au niveau sous-cortical a plusieurs echelles.
Reporting Quality Assessment of Randomized Controlled Trials Published in Hepatitis Monthly

Dear Editor, It is important that randomized clinical trials (RCTs), as the most valuable research method for assessing the efficacy of treatments, are reported with the highest possible level of quality (1). To evaluate the quality of published RCTs reported in Hepatitis monthly, we examined whether there was a change in the quality of reporting over time. Of the 610 articles published from 2010 to 2014, 583 non-trial or non-human trials were screened, and 27 trials were identified. Within these 27 trials, ten reports were without a control group and failed to meet our eligibility criteria. Therefore, 17 RCTs were identified. We completed a comprehensive quality assessment of each report using the short form of the CONSORT 2010 checklist (www.consort-statement.org) and a five-point quality assessment instrument called the Jadad scale (2). According to the Jadad score, the items including randomized, method of randomization, blinding, method of blinding, and dropouts/withdrawal of the Jadad scale were reported in 82.4%, 70.6%, 47%, 47%, and 94.1% of RCTs, respectively. According to this scale, the quality score of reporting was 3, 2.67, 3, 3.25, and 5 in the years 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014, respectively, showing a decrease in 2011 with an increase in quality of reporting thereafter. However, according to the CONSORT checklist, only two studies earned full points. The quality reporting score was 5, 5, 5.75, 6, and 5.67, in the years 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014, respectively. The 12 RCTs submitted from Iran demonstrated higher quality than the others (Table 1). Table 1. Randomized Controlled Trials Published in Hepatitis Monthly, According to the Year of Publication In conclusion, in this assessment, we observed moderate quality scores in the reports of this journal. Training courses for reviewers, editorial use of standard reporting tools such as the CONSORT 2010 Statement, and consultation with methodologists can improve the quality of published RCTs.
Changes in blood-borne infection risk among injection drug users.

BACKGROUND Population-level hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection incidence is a surrogate for community drug-related risk. METHODS We characterized trends in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and HCV infection incidence and HCV infection prevalence among injection drug users (IDUs) recruited over 4 periods: 1988-1989, 1994-1995, 1998, and 2005-2008. We calculated HIV and HCV infection incidence within the first year of follow-up among IDUs whose test results were negative for these viruses at baseline (n = 2061 and n = 373, respectively). We used Poisson regression to compare trends across groups. RESULTS HIV infection incidence declined significantly from 5.5 cases/100 person-years (py) in the 1988-1989 group to 2.0 cases/100 py in the 1994-1995 group to 0 cases/100 py in the 1998 and 2005-2008 groups. Concurrently, HCV infection incidence declined but remained robust (22.0 cases/100 py in the 1988-1989 cohort to 17.2 cases/100 py in the 1994-1995 cohort, 17.9 cases/100 py in the 1998 cohort, and 7.8 cases/100 py in the 2005-2008 cohort; P = .07). Likewise, HCV infection prevalence declined, but chiefly in younger IDUs. For persons aged <39 years, relative to the 1988-1989 cohort, all groups exhibited significant declines (adjusted prevalence ratio [PR] for the 2005-08 cohort, .73; 95% confidence interval [CI], .65-.81). However, for persons aged ≥ 39 years, only the 2005-2008 cohort exhibited declining prevalence compared with the 1988-1989 cohort (adjusted PR, .87; 95% CI, .77-.99). CONCLUSIONS Although efforts to reduce blood-borne infection incidence have had impact, this work will need to be intensified for the most transmissible viruses, such as HCV.
CAVA: Exploring Memory Locality for Big Data Analytics in Virtualized Clusters

Running big data analytics frameworks in the cloud is becoming increasingly important, but their resource managers in the current form are not designed to consider virtualized environments. In this work, we investigate various levels of data locality in a virtualized environment, ranging from rack locality to memory locality. Exploiting extra fine-grained levels of data locality in a virtualized environment, our memory locality-aware scheduling algorithm effectively increases the cache hit ratio and thereby reduces network traffic and disk I/O. However, a high cache hit ratio does not necessarily imply a shorter job execution time in MapReduce applications. To resolve this issue, we develop the Cache-Affinity and Virtualization-Aware (CAVA) resource manager, which measures the cache affinity of MapReduce applications at runtime and efficiently manages distributed in-memory caches of a limited size by assigning high priority to applications that have high cache affinity. The proposed memory locality-aware scheduling algorithm is also integrated into the CAVA resource manager. Our extensive experimental study shows that CAVA exhibits overall good performance over various workloads composed of multiple big data analytics applications by considering the fine-grained data locality levels in virtualized clusters and by efficiently using scarce memory resources.
Energy management strategy for medium-voltage Isolated microgrid

The paper presents a microgrid energy management strategy (MEMS) for a Medium-Voltage Isolated microgrid, which is China's 10kv island microgrid demonstration project to accommodate the increasing power needs of customers and solve problems of island power supply. When the SOC is restored in security zone, the energy storage system (ESS) would increase the sensitivity and adjust the maximum charging or discharging power to avoid repetitive fluctuations. According to the system's control algorithm, when the microgrid load rate is normal, or above the upper limit, or below the lower limit, the MEMS system can start or stop some micro sources, charge or discharge battery, to maintain the stability of the system's voltage and frequency and to confirm the microgrid stable and effective. The effectiveness of the proposed strategy is verified by experimental results.
Quality Measurement of Software By Using Coupling Metrics

Software Modularization includes the concept of procedural, object based and objects oriented languages. The metrics presented and evaluated in this paper are both ‘pure’ object–oriented metrics (Metrics for pure object oriented programming) and metrics proposed for object–oriented programming (Object-based programming). Concept of software modularization is divided in three components i) Use of API ii) Use of Non API iii) Use of shared variables.
Delta 5 desaturase activity in rat kidney microsomes.

Rat kidney microsomal fraction is able to catalyze the enzymatic desaturation of eicosatrienoic acid (20:3n-6) to arachidonic acid (20:4n-6) by the delta 5 desaturase pathway, in the presence of reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH), adenosinetriphosphate (ATP) and coenzyme A (CoA). The substrate of the reaction [1-14C]eicosa-8,11,14-trienoic acid (20:3n-6), was separated from the product [1-14C]eicosa-5,8,11,14-tetraenoic acid (20:4n-6) by reverse phase high-pressure liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). These fatty acids were individually collected by monitoring the eluent at 205 nm and their radioactivity was measured by liquid scintillation counting. The delta 5 desaturase activity in kidney microsomes increased linearly with the substrate concentration up to 20 microM. Enzymatic activity was sensitive to pH with the maximum at 7.0 and was proportional with incubation time up to 10 min. The apparent Km and Vmax of delta 5 desaturase were 56 microM and 60 pmoles.min-1.mg-1 microsomal protein, respectively. Neither the cytosolic renal fraction nor the cytosolic liver fraction enhanced the delta 5 desaturase activity. Contrary to a report but in accordance to others, the present results suggest that rat kidneys can synthesize arachidonic acid at least to satisfy partially their needs for eicosanoid production.
Structural scaling of light interception efficiency in Picea engelmannii and Abies lasiocarpa.

Sunlight interception efficiency was compared at the leaf, shoot, branch and crown levels for Picea engelmannii (Parry) and Abies lasiocarpa ((Hook.) Nutt. ), dominant tree species of the central Rocky Mountains, USA. The ratio of silhouette to total leaf area (STAR) was used to quantify the efficiency of direct-beam sunlight interception at each structural scale. Total mean reductions in STAR from the leaf to the crown level were 0.39 to 0.06 in P. engelmannii and 0.46 to 0.02 in A. lasiocarpa. These reductions in STAR occurred for both species as structural scale increased due to a more upright leaf inclination, increased leaf twisting and curvature, or greater mutual shading among plant structures. A steeper leaf inclination between the leaf and shoot level accounted for 26 +/- 19% (95% C.I.) of the total leaf-to-crown STAR reduction; mutual shading among leaves on shoots caused a 14 +/- 7% reduction, whereas leaf curvature and twisting accounted for 22 +/- 3% for a total reduction of 62 +/- 8%. The STAR varied slightly from the shoot to the branch level (+/- 7%) except for a 26% reduction in shade shoots of A. lasiocarpa as a result of increased mutual shading among leaves at lateral nodes. Another substantial reduction in STAR occurred from the branch to the crown level (35 +/- 3% of total) as a result of shading of one branch layer by another within the crown. Thus, light interception efficiency decreased as structural scale increased in both species, especially from the leaf to the shoot level and from the branch to the crown level.
Imperfect vaccination: some epidemiological and evolutionary consequences

An aim of some vaccination programmes is to reduce the prevalence of an infectious disease and ultimately to eradicate it. We show that eradication success depends on the type of vaccine as well as on the vaccination coverage. Vaccines that reduce the parasite within–host growth rate select for higher parasite virulence and this evolution may both increase the prevalence of the disease and prevent disease eradication. By contrast, vaccines that reduce the probability of infection select against virulence and may lead more easily to eradication. In some cases, epidemiological feedback on parasite evolution yields an evolutionary bistable situation where, for intermediate vaccination coverage, parasites can evolve towards either high or low virulence, depending on the initial conditions. These results have practical implications for the design and use of imperfect vaccines in public– and animal–health programmes.
Composite service selection model based on two-dimensional variable weight

With the development of computer technology and cloud computing, service trade has been widely used and more and more composite services with enhanced features and functionality are provided. The composite services are selected based on service selection model. At present studies on the selection model of composite services only consider the quality of service, but ignore the user's selection intention. So how to select a composite service to better satisfy the user's need has become a new challenge. A new composite service selection model is proposed in this paper, based on two-dimensional variable weight method. This model considers not only the quality of service features, but also service execution information and user's intention. In this way the composite service which can better meet user's demand can be selected.
Tottering Mouse Motor Dysfunction Is Abolished on the Purkinje Cell Degeneration (pcd) Mutant Background

Tottering (tg) mice inherit a recessive mutation of the calcium channel alpha 1A subunit gene, which encodes the pore-forming protein of P/Q-type voltage-sensitive calcium channels and is predominantly expressed in cerebellar granule and Purkinje neurons. The phenotypic consequences of the tottering mutation include ataxia, polyspike discharges, and an intermittent motor dysfunction best described as paroxysmal dystonia. These dystonic episodes induce c-fos mRNA expression in the cerebellar circuitry, including cerebellar granule and Purkinje neurons, deep cerebellar nuclei, and the postsynaptic targets of the deep nuclei. Cellular abnormalities associated with the mutation include hyperarborization of brainstem nucleus locus ceruleus axons and abnormal expression of L-type calcium channels in cerebellar Purkinje cells. Here, the role of these two distinct neural pathways in the expression of tottering mouse intermittent dystonia was assessed. Lesion of locus ceruleus axons with the neurotoxin N-(2-chloroethyl)-N-ethyl-2-bromobenzyl-amine (DSP-4) did not affect the frequency of tottering mouse dystonic episodes. In contrast, removal of cerebellar Purkinje cells with the Purkinje cell degeneration (pcd) mutation by generation of tg/tg; pcd/pcd double mutant mice completely eliminated tottering mouse dystonia. Further, the c-fos expression pattern of tg/tg; pcd/pcd double mutants following restraint was indistinguishable from that of wild-type mice, suggesting that the pcd lesion eliminated an essential link in this abnormal neural network. These data suggest that the cerebellar cortex, where the mutant gene is abundantly expressed, contributes to the expression of tottering mouse dystonic episodes.
Designing for anticipation, confidence, and inspiration

In this paper we introduce two tools and describe a process to design for distinct positive emotions. The tools offer detailed knowledge of three emotions: anticipation, confidence, and inspiration. Eighteen product and interaction designers participated in a design workshop in which they applied the proposed tools and process. Participants evaluated the tools and process with a questionnaire and in a group discussion. They reported that the tools helped them to structure their process when designing for positive emotions: the tools and process had an impact on the way in which they generated ideas, their understanding of the emotions, the way in which they reasoned their design decisions, and how they saw the user.
Eesnäärmehaiguste omavahelised seosed ja ühised riskitegurid

Viimase kummekonna aasta jooksul on jarjest rohkem tekkinud hupoteese ja ilmunud uuringuid selle kohta, et eesnaarme mahu suurenemise ja kasvaja arengu uheks oluliseks pohjustavaks teguriks voib olla pikaajaline poletikuline protsess eesnaarmes. On teada, et pikaajalise, eelnevalt ravimata eesnaarmepoletikuga meestel on vorreldes tervete meestega 7,7-kordne risk naarme huperplaasiaga seotud tusistuste valjakujunemiseks, 3,3 korda suurenenud risk eesnaarme huperplaasia tekkeks ja 1,7 korda suurem risk hilisema kasvajalise protsessi kujunemiseks eesnaarmes. Uuringute alusel esineb selge seos eesnaarme mahu kasvukiiruse, kasvaja agressiivsuse ja PSA taseme vahel ning ligi 80%-l eesnaarmekasvaja leiuga meestest tuvastatakse histoloogilisel uuringul kaasuvana elundi huperplastilisi voi poletikulisi muutusi. Eesti Arst 2010; 89(12):818−824
The Patient Acceptable Symptomatic State for the Modified Harris Hip Score and Hip Outcome Score Among Patients Undergoing Surgical Treatment for Femoroacetabular Impingement

Background: There is minimal information available on the threshold at which patients consider themselves to be well for patient-reported outcome measures used in patients treated with hip arthroscopy for femoroacetabular impingement (FAI). Purpose: To determine the patient acceptable symptomatic state (PASS) for the modified Harris Hip Score (mHHS) and the Hip Outcome Score (HOS) in patients with FAI treated with arthroscopic hip surgery. Study Design: Cohort study (diagnosis); Level of evidence, 2. Methods: A consecutive series of patients at a single institution with FAI who were treated with arthroscopic labral surgery, acetabular rim trimming, and femoral osteochondroplasty were eligible. The mHHS (score range, 0-100) and the HOS (score range, 0-100) were administered at baseline and at 12 months postoperatively. An external anchor question at 1 year postoperatively was utilized to determine PASS values: “Taking into account all the activities you have during your daily life, your level of pain, and also your functional impairment, do you consider that your current state is satisfactory? ” Results: There were 130 patients (mean ± SD age, 35.6 ± 11.7 years), and 42.3% were male. Based on a receiver operator curve analysis, the PASS values—at which patients considered their status to be satisfactory—at 1 year after surgery were 74 (mHHS), 87 (HOS–activities of daily living subscale), and 75 (HOS–sports subscale). The PASS threshold was not affected by baseline scores across different instruments. However, patients with higher baseline scores were more likely to achieve the PASS (odds ratios: 3.36 [mHHS], 3.83 [HOS–activities of daily living], 3.38 [HOS-sports]). Age and sex were not significantly related to the odds of achieving the PASS for the mHHS or the HOS. Conclusion: This is the first study to determine the PASS for 2 commonly used hip joint patient-reported outcome measures in patients undergoing surgery for FAI. The study findings can allow researchers to determine if interventions related to FAI are meaningful to patients at the individual level across various domains and will also be useful for responder analyses in future randomized trials related to hip arthroscopy and the treatment of FAI.
Persuasive interactive systems in public and collective spaces: what role for tangible interfaces ?

Persuasive interactive systems, designed past years, have notably aimed energy management. Using tangible interfaces seems an opportunity to interface these systems on social spaces. We examine their design properties in view of the Transtheoretical model of behavior change, make two hypotheses on their superiority for two persuasion steps and propose an experimental way to measure it.
An immunocytochemical demonstration of calcineurin in human nerve cell tumors. A comparison with neuron‐specific enolase and glial fibrillary acidic protein

Human central and peripheral nerve cell tumors were examined in detail using antibodies to calcineurin, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and neuron‐specific enolase (NSE). Forty‐eight formalin‐fixed and paraffin‐embedded specimens of human neuronal tumors, including 27 medulloblastomas, were examined. Calcineurin‐positive cells were found in all peripheral nerve cell tumors and the two gangliogliomas, whereas 20 of the 27 medulloblastomas and one of the two cerebral neuroblastomas did not contain calcineurin‐positive cells. Differentiation of cells along the neuronal lines was positively correlated with calcineurin immunoreactivity. NSE‐positive cells were found in all of the tumors with the exception of the one cerebral neuroblastoma. NSE immunoreactivity was not invariably consistent with calcineurin immunoreactivity and non‐neuronal cells were often positive. Calcineurin‐positive cells were all devoid of GFAP, but NSE‐positive cells expressed GFAP in some tumors. GFAP‐immunoreactive cells were found only in central nerve cell tumors, and not in peripheral tumors. In addition, GFAP‐positive cells in some tumors such as retinoblastoma and medulloblastoma morphologically revealed not only neoplastic but also reactive astrocytic features.
Inhibition of mutated, activated BRAF in metastatic melanoma.

BACKGROUND The identification of somatic mutations in the gene encoding the serine-threonine protein kinase B-RAF (BRAF) in the majority of melanomas offers an opportunity to test oncogene-targeted therapy for this disease. METHODS We conducted a multicenter, phase 1, dose-escalation trial of PLX4032 (also known as RG7204), an orally available inhibitor of mutated BRAF, followed by an extension phase involving the maximum dose that could be administered without adverse effects (the recommended phase 2 dose). Patients received PLX4032 twice daily until they had disease progression. Pharmacokinetic analysis and tumor-response assessments were conducted in all patients. In selected patients, tumor biopsy was performed before and during treatment to validate BRAF inhibition. RESULTS A total of 55 patients (49 of whom had melanoma) were enrolled in the dose-escalation phase, and 32 additional patients with metastatic melanoma who had BRAF with the V600E mutation were enrolled in the extension phase. The recommended phase 2 dose was 960 mg twice daily, with increases in the dose limited by grade 2 or 3 rash, fatigue, and arthralgia. In the dose-escalation cohort, among the 16 patients with melanoma whose tumors carried the V600E BRAF mutation and who were receiving 240 mg or more of PLX4032 twice daily, 10 had a partial response and 1 had a complete response. Among the 32 patients in the extension cohort, 24 had a partial response and 2 had a complete response. The estimated median progression-free survival among all patients was more than 7 months. CONCLUSIONS Treatment of metastatic melanoma with PLX4032 in patients with tumors that carry the V600E BRAF mutation resulted in complete or partial tumor regression in the majority of patients. (Funded by Plexxikon and Roche Pharmaceuticals.)
Endocrine Gland Abnormalities in Thalassemia Major: Λ Brief Review

Thalassemia major (beta-thalassemia) affects a significant segment of the population in certain areas of the world. Alterations in migration patterns have changed the geographic distribution of this disease and made it a worldwide health problem. Over the course of the past 2-3 decades hypertransfusion therapy has significantly increased the life expectancy, and improved the quality of life of these patients. At the same time there has been an increase in the frequency of complications of this therapy caused by iron overload. Endocrine gland abnormalities contributed little to the morbidity or mortality of beta-thalassemia in the past. As a result of hypertransfusion therapy and increased longevity, however, endocrinopathies have become more common and contribute significantly to morbidity in these patients. In this article we briefly review the current understanding of endocrine gland abnormalities, primarily caused by iron overload, in patients with thalassemia major.