Paving the Way to Eureka-Introducing "Dira" as an Experimental Paradigm to Observe the Process of Creative Problem Solving

“Dira” is a novel experimental paradigm to record combinations of behavioral and metacognitive measures for the creative process. This task allows assessing chronological and chronometric aspects of the creative process directly and without a detour through creative products or proxy phenomena. In a study with 124 participants we show that (a) people spend more time attending to selected vs. rejected potential solutions, (b) there is a clear connection between behavioral patterns and self-reported measures, (c) the reported intensity of Eureka experiences is a function of interaction time with potential solutions, and (d) experiences of emerging solutions can happen immediately after engaging with a problem, before participants explore all potential solutions. The conducted study exemplifies how “Dira” can be used as an instrument to narrow down the moment when solutions emerge. We conclude that the “Dira” experiment is paving the way to study the process, as opposed to the product, of creative problem solving

Validation of the Body Concealment Scale for Scleroderma (BCSS): Replication in the Scleroderma Patient-centered Intervention Network (SPIN) Cohort

© 2016 Elsevier Ltd Body concealment is an important component of appearance distress for individuals with disfiguring conditions, including scleroderma. The objective was to replicate the validation study of the Body Concealment Scale for Scleroderma (BCSS) among 897 scleroderma patients. The factor structure of the BCSS was evaluated using confirmatory factor analysis and the Multiple-Indicator Multiple-Cause model examined differential item functioning of SWAP items for sex and age. Internal consistency reliability was assessed via Cronbach's alpha. Construct validity was assessed by comparing the BCSS with a measure of body image distress and measures of mental health and pain intensity. Results replicated the original validation study, where a bifactor model provided the best fit. The BCSS demonstrated strong internal consistency reliability and construct validity. Findings further support the BCSS as a valid measure of body concealment in scleroderma and provide new evidence that scores can be compared and combined across sexes and ages

New models to study phenotypic heterogeneity of Cryptococcus neoformans

Les champignons sont soumis aux changements de leur l’environnement que ce soit par compétition avec d’autres microorganismes ou des facteurs de stress et développent des stratégies complexes pour assurer leur survie. Notamment, l’hétérogénéité phénotypique déclenchée par l'interaction avec l'hôte est remarquable chez la levure Cryptococcus neoformans (C.n.). L’existence d’un phénotype dormant / quiescent a été caractérisée chez C.n. à partir d’un faisceau d’arguments cliniques, épidémiologiques et expérimentaux. Cette population se situerait au sein d’un granulome pulmonaire. En faisant un parallèle avec la privation en nutriments et l’hypoxie régnant au sein du granulome, il a été mis au point un protocole in vitro faisant intervenir ces deux paramètres. Ce protocole a permis une caractérisation biologique du phénotype dormant, sous la forme de cellules viables mais non cultivables (VBNC). Par différentes approches protéomiques, le rôle de voies de signalisation comme mTOR et du métabolisme des acides gras avec la participation de l’acétyl-coenzyme A ont été déterminées. Avec le précurseur de ce coenzyme, l’acide pantothénique (vitamine B5) par ailleurs facteur de « quorum sensing » secrété chez C.n., il a été possible de rendre à nouveau cultivable une proportion de cette population VBNC. Au cours de l'infection, dans le tissu pulmonaire, une augmentation de la taille des cellules a été observée. Passant de 5-7µm à plus de 10 ?m, ces cellules sont devenues des cellules titans. Cependant, la génération reproductible de ces cellules était seulement possible durant l’infection expérimentale. Nous avons donc développé un protocole in vitro de génération de cellules titans qui a permis l’étude des facteurs influençant leur génération (facteurs d’hôte, de champignon, environnementaux). Une étude génétique comparative a lié le phénotype avec le génotype. Dans un premier temps, l’utilisation de souches provenant de la lignée H99, parmi lesquelles peu de différences génétiques sont été décrites, a montré que la formation de cellules titans dépendait de Lmp1, Sgf29 et des protéines Gpr4 / 5-Rim101. Ensuite, l’étude d’isolats cliniques a démontré le rôle de Pkr1 comme régulateur négatif de la génération de cellules titans. Le développement de ces nouveaux modèles a constitué une approche originale pour étudier en laboratoire l’hétérogénéité phénotypique de C.n. avec en particulier deux phénotypes : les cellules dormantes et les cellules titans. Nos résultats fournissent de nouvelles perspectives sur la biogenèse de ces phénotypes avec l'identification de plusieurs facteurs / voies impliqués. Les conditions identifiées pour la génération de ces phénotypes fournissent des systèmes robustes qui pourraient être précieux pour disséquer les mécanismes moléculaires qui sous-tendent leurs générations.Fungi are subject to changes in their environment whether by competition with other microorganisms or stressors and develop complex strategies to ensure their survival. In particular, the phenotypic heterogeneity triggered by the interaction with the host is remarkable in the yeast Cryptococcus neoformans (C.n.). The existence of a dormant / quiescent phenotype was characterized in C.n. from clinical, epidemiological and experimental arguments. This population would be located within a pulmonary granuloma. In parallel with the nutrient deprivation and hypoxia present in the granuloma, an in vitro protocol involving these two parameters has been developed. It allowed a biological characterization of the dormant phenotype. This population is characterized as viable but non-culturable cells (VBNC). By various proteomic approaches it has been determined signaling pathways such as mTOR and also metabolism of fatty acids where acetyl coenzyme A has a central role. Moreover, with a precursor of acetyl-coenzyme A, pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), which is also a factor of quorum sensing secreted by C.n., we have been able to make a proportion of this VBNC population culturable again. During infection, in the lung tissue, an increase in cell size is observed, these cells increasing from 5 to 7µm to titan cells (> 10 µm). However, reproducible generation of these cells was only possible during experimental infection. We set up an in vitro protocol for the generation of titan cells that allowed the study of the factors influencing their generation (host, fungus, environmental factors). The comparative genetic study made possible the link between phenotype and genotype. The use of strains from the H99 lineage, where few genetic differences have been described, have shown that the formation of titan cells depended on Lmp1, Sgf29 and Gpr4 / 5-Rim101 proteins. Then, the study of clinical isolates showed the role of Pkr1 as a negative regulator of the titan cell phenotype. During this work, the development of new models allowed to implement original approaches to study in the laboratory the phenotypic heterogeneity of C.n. with two phenotypes: dormant cells and titan cells. Our results provide new insights into the biogenesis of these phenotypes with the identification of several factors / pathways involved. The conditions identified for the generation of these phenotypes provide robust systems that could be valuable in dissecting the molecular mechanisms that underlie their generations

batch protocol

Icy protocol for automatic cell size count<br><br

3D pose estimation using coupled snakes

An extension to the classical concept of active contour models is proposed. Besides the introduction of a new technique to couple several contours and treat them as one, the coupling of active contours beyond image domains is presented. The coupling is realized by a force, that controls the mutual attraction or repulsion of each active contour, depending on its definition. The coupling across the borders of images acquired by different sources provides a higher integration of information for each extracted image feature implying an appropriate registration of the images

Auto-anticorps sériques donnant une fluorescence nucléaire mouchetée , cytoplasmique diffuse avec renforcement périnucléaire sur les cellules HEp2 au cours du paludisme (valeur diagnostique et caractérisation des cibles antigéniques)

CHATENAY M.-PARIS 11-BU Pharma. (920192101) / SudocSudocFranceF

Hyposplenism revealed by Plasmodium malariae infection.

International audienceBACKGROUND: Hyposplenism, due to splenectomy, inherited red blood cell disorders or acquired conditions such as celiac disease, has an important impact on the severity of malaria, especially in non-immune patients. Conversely, that malaria may reveal functional hyposplenism has not been described previously. METHODS: A 31-year old gardener was diagnosed with an uncomplicated attack of Plasmodium malariae 11 years after leaving the endemic area. In addition to trophozoites and schizonts, thick and thin smears also showed Howell-Jolly bodies, pointing to functional hyposplenism. This was later confirmed by the presence of a calcified spleen in the context of S/beta + sickle-cell syndrome in a patient previously unaware of this condition. CONCLUSION: Malaria may reveal hyposplenism. Although Howell-Jolly bodies are morphologically similar to nuclei of young Plasmodium trophozoite, distinction on smears is based on the absence of cytoplasm and irregular size of Howell-Jolly bodies. In the patient reported here, hyposplenism was revealed by the occurrence of P. malariae infection relatively late in life. Timely diagnosis of hyposplenism resulted in the implementation of appropriate measures to prevent overwhelming infection with capsulated bacteria. This observation highlights the importance of diagnosing hyposplenism in patients with malaria despite the morphological similarities between ring nuclei and Howell-Jolly bodies on thick smears