Système expert d’aide à l’intervenant social

L'article présente la problématique d'intervention dans le domaine des services sociaux comme un champ d'application privilégié pour les systèmes experts. L'article décrit l'expérience de développement réalisée dans deux centres de services sociaux ayant résulté en un prototype de système expert qui assiste l'intervenant dans les tâches intellectuelles d'interprétation et de prise de décisions. Le système développé à ce jour, limité aux étapes d'évaluation et d'orientation, possède plus de 2 000 règles dans la base de connaissances. Ce contenu révèle que pour chaque phrase explicite du texte de loi très court et dense, il y a lieu de préciser plus de cent règles, ce qui soulève le problème intriguant de la marge laissée à l'interprétation dans la pratique actuelle. La sensibilité du domaine abordé à l'égard des problèmes de protection de la jeunesse, et la culture dissonante par rapport aux buts visés par le système, sont à la base d'un débat de fond impliquant des considérations techniques aussi bien qu'éthiques dans un milieu où la tradition clinique se fait par une approche « face à face » plutôt qu'informatique. Au niveau de la recherche, ce projet s'inscrit dans un programme visant à identifier les facteurs de succès et d'échec de l'implantation de systèmes experts en tenant compte des aspects technologiques et culturels

On the binding of N-acetylglucosamine and chitobiose to hen lysozyme in the solid state at high temperature

Copyright © 1979 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.This paper deals with the crystallization of lysozyme at 40°C and 50°C in the presence of GlcNAc or chitobiose

Similarities Between Proton and Neutron Induced Dark Current Distribution in CMOS Image Sensors

Several CMOS image sensors were exposed to neutron or proton beams (displacement damage dose range from 4 TeV/g to 1825 TeV/g) and their radiation-induced dark current distributions are compared. It appears that for a given displacement damage dose, the hot pixel tail distributions are very similar, if normalized properly. This behavior is observed on all the tested CIS designs (4 designs, 2 technologies) and all the tested particles (protons from 50 MeV to 500 MeV and neutrons from 14 MeV to 22 MeV). Thanks to this result, all the dark current distribution presented in this paper can be fitted by a simple model with a unique set of two factors (not varying from one experimental condition to another). The proposed normalization method of the dark current histogram can be used to compare any dark current distribution to the distributions observed in this work. This paper suggests that this model could be applied to other devices and/or irradiation conditions

Influence of displacement damage dose on dark current distributions of irradiated CMOS image sensors

Dark current increase distributions due to displacement damages are modeled using displacement damage dose concept. Several CMOS image sensors have been exposed to neutrons or protons and we have characterized their degradation in terms of dark current increase. We have been able to extract a set of two factors from the experimental dark current increase distributions. These factors are used to predict and build dark current increase distribution and leads to a better understanding of displacement damage effects on CMOS image sensors

À propos de l’article de Alain-Marie Bassy, un point de vue québécois

Alain-Marie Bassy présente une analyse systémique susceptible de répondre aux interrogations de leaders éducatifs sur la lenteur que connaît l’adoption de l’innovation, reflet de nombre de résistances au changement non-perçu comme nécessaire ou, plutôt, de l’absence de conditions favorables, s’agisse-t-il des outils numériques ou des pratiques pédagogiques et organisationnelles qu’ils servent ou entraînent, dans les systèmes éducatifs francophones et autres. Nous retenons les cinq pistes de réflexion suivantes soumises par Bassy car elles trouvent écho au Québec : a) le modèle industriel (technologies, coûts de production) en évolution rapide ; b) le modèle de gouvernance : prééminence de l’État, centralisation et prescription ; c) le modèle social de l'École : de Jules Ferry au numérique, la mise en cause des dogmes ; d) le modèle pédagogique : les missions et le service de l'enseignant, immuables? e) le modèle éditorial et commercial : de l'imprimé au numérique, continuité ou rupture ? Notre réaction est ancrée dans les travaux que nous menons en tant que membres du Centre de recherche et d’intervention sur la réussite scolaire (CRIRES, crires.ulaval.ca) dont l’activité vise l’innovation sous l’éclairage, entre autres, du modèle d’Engeström (Engeström, 1987) ; (Engeström, 2010), en tant que membres du CEFRIO (cefrio.qc.ca), centre facilitant la recherche et l’innovation dans les organisations à l’aide des TIC, ou du CTREQ (ctreq.qc.ca), centre qui a pour mission de promouvoir l'innovation et le transfert de connaissances en vue d’accroître la réussite éducative du Québec

Tetratricopeptide repeat domain 7A is a nuclear factor that modulates transcription and chromatin structure

A loss-of-function mutation in tetratricopeptide repeat domain 7A (TTC7A) is a recently identified cause of human intestinal and immune disorders. However, clues to related underlying molecular dysfunctions remain elusive. It is now shown based on the study of TTC7A-deficient and wild-type cells that TTC7A is an essential nuclear protein. It binds to chromatin, preferentially at actively transcribed regions. Its depletion results in broad range of epigenomic changes at proximal and distal transcriptional regulatory elements and in altered control of the transcriptional program. Loss of WT_TTC7A induces general decrease in chromatin compaction, unbalanced cellular distribution of histones, higher nucleosome accessibility to nuclease digestion along with genome instability, and reduced cell viability. Our observations characterize for the first time unreported functions for TTC7A in the nucleus that exert a critical role in chromatin organization and gene regulation to safeguard healthy immune and intestinal status.</p

a planned ancillary analysis of the coVAPid cohort

Funding: This study was supported in part by a grant from the French government through the «Programme Investissement d’Avenir» (I-SITE ULNE) managed by the Agence Nationale de la Recherche (coVAPid project). The funders of the study had no role in the study design, data collection, analysis, or interpreta tion, writing of the report, or decision to submit for publication.BACKGROUND: Patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection are at higher risk for ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). No study has evaluated the relationship between VAP and mortality in this population, or compared this relationship between SARS-CoV-2 patients and other populations. The main objective of our study was to determine the relationship between VAP and mortality in SARS-CoV-2 patients. METHODS: Planned ancillary analysis of a multicenter retrospective European cohort. VAP was diagnosed using clinical, radiological and quantitative microbiological criteria. Univariable and multivariable marginal Cox's regression models, with cause-specific hazard for duration of mechanical ventilation and ICU stay, were used to compare outcomes between study groups. Extubation, and ICU discharge alive were considered as events of interest, and mortality as competing event. FINDINGS: Of 1576 included patients, 568 were SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia, 482 influenza pneumonia, and 526 no evidence of viral infection at ICU admission. VAP was associated with significantly higher risk for 28-day mortality in SARS-CoV-2 (adjusted HR 1.70 (95% CI 1.16-2.47), p = 0.006), and influenza groups (1.75 (1.03-3.02), p = 0.045), but not in the no viral infection group (1.07 (0.64-1.78), p = 0.79). VAP was associated with significantly longer duration of mechanical ventilation in the SARS-CoV-2 group, but not in the influenza or no viral infection groups. VAP was associated with significantly longer duration of ICU stay in the 3 study groups. No significant difference was found in heterogeneity of outcomes related to VAP between the 3 groups, suggesting that the impact of VAP on mortality was not different between study groups. INTERPRETATION: VAP was associated with significantly increased 28-day mortality rate in SARS-CoV-2 patients. However, SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia, as compared to influenza pneumonia or no viral infection, did not significantly modify the relationship between VAP and 28-day mortality. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT04359693.publishersversionpublishe

Minimal information for studies of extracellular vesicles (MISEV2023): From basic to advanced approaches

Extracellular vesicles (EVs), through their complex cargo, can reflect the state of their cell of origin and change the functions and phenotypes of other cells. These features indicate strong biomarker and therapeutic potential and have generated broad interest, as evidenced by the steady year-on-year increase in the numbers of scientific publications about EVs. Important advances have been made in EV metrology and in understanding and applying EV biology. However, hurdles remain to realising the potential of EVs in domains ranging from basic biology to clinical applications due to challenges in EV nomenclature, separation from non-vesicular extracellular particles, characterisation and functional studies. To address the challenges and opportunities in this rapidly evolving field, the International Society for Extracellular Vesicles (ISEV) updates its 'Minimal Information for Studies of Extracellular Vesicles', which was first published in 2014 and then in 2018 as MISEV2014 and MISEV2018, respectively. The goal of the current document, MISEV2023, is to provide researchers with an updated snapshot of available approaches and their advantages and limitations for production, separation and characterisation of EVs from multiple sources, including cell culture, body fluids and solid tissues. In addition to presenting the latest state of the art in basic principles of EV research, this document also covers advanced techniques and approaches that are currently expanding the boundaries of the field. MISEV2023 also includes new sections on EV release and uptake and a brief discussion of in vivo approaches to study EVs. Compiling feedback from ISEV expert task forces and more than 1000 researchers, this document conveys the current state of EV research to facilitate robust scientific discoveries and move the field forward even more rapidly