Lattice symmetry breaking perturbations for spiral waves

Spiral waves in two-dimensional excitable media have been observed experimentally and studied extensively. It is now well-known that the symmetry properties of the medium of propagation drives many of the dynamics and bifurcations which are experimentally observed for these waves. Also, symmetry-breaking induced by boundaries, inhomogeneities and anisotropy have all been shown to lead to different dynamical regimes as to that which is predicted for mathematical models which assume infinite homogeneous and isotropic planar geometry. Recent mathematical analyses incorporating the concept of forced symmetry-breaking from the Euclidean group of all planar translations and rotations have given model-independent descriptions of the effects of media imperfections on spiral wave dynamics. In this paper, we continue this program by considering rotating waves in dynamical systems which are small perturbations of a Euclidean-equivariant dynamical system, but for which the perturbation preserves only the symmetry of a regular square lattice

Effect of acute ankle experimental pain on lower limb motor control assessed by the modified star excursion balance test

IntroductionFollowing most musculoskeletal injuries, motor control is often altered. Acute pain has been identified as a potential contributing factor. However, there is little evidence of this interaction for acute pain following ankle sprains. As pain is generally present following this type of injury, it would be important to study the impact of acute pain on ankle motor control. To do so, a valid and reliable motor control test frequently used in clinical settings should be used. Therefore, the objective of this study was therefore to assess the effect of acute ankle pain on the modified Star Excursion Balance Test reach distance.MethodsUsing a cross-sectional design, 48 healthy participants completed the modified Star Excursion Balance Test twice (mSEBT1 and mSEBT2). Following the first assessment, they were randomly assigned to one of three experimental groups: Control (no stimulation), Painless (non-nociceptive stimulation) and Painful (nociceptive stimulation). Electrodes were placed on the right lateral malleolus to deliver an electrical stimulation during the second assessment for the Painful and Painless groups. A generalized estimating equations model was used to compare the reach distance between the groups/conditions and assessments.ResultsPost-hoc test results: anterior (7.06 ± 1.54%; p < 0.0001) and posteromedial (6.53 ± 1.66%; p < 0.001) directions showed a significant reach distance reduction when compared to baseline values only for the Painful group. Regarding the anterior direction, this reduction was larger than the minimal detectable change (5.87%).ConclusionThe presence of acute pain during the modified Star Excursion Balance Test can affect performance and thus might interfere with the participant's lower limb motor control. As none of the participants had actual musculoskeletal injury, this suggests that pain and not only musculoskeletal impairments could contribute to the acute alteration in motor control

Pattern formation on curved surfaces

Patterns emerge in various growing biological organisms, like conifer embryos, often from an homogeneous preceding state. The embryo tip, initially hemispherical shaped gradually flattens as cotyledons arranged in a roughly regular pattern emerge. A common way to model these patterns is through reaction-diffusion systems of partial differential equations. This thesis relays results obtained studying such systems and provides various new results about pattern formation on curved surfaces via diffusion driven bifurcations. We first describe situations where, for certain critical values of domain or differential equation parameters, the unpatterned solution is unstable to two different linear normal modes. We use centre manifold and normal form reductions to analyze the existence and stability of pure and mixed modes of nonlinear patterned solutions of the reaction-diffusion system, for parameters near two cases of critical values. In one case, the system reduces to a well known example of mode interaction. In the other case, the mode interaction is new, due to very small quadratic terms in the normal form. We then perform a reduction of a nonautonomous Brusselator reaction-diffusion system of partial differential equations on a spherical cap with time dependent curvature using an asymptotic series expansion on the centre manifold reduction. Parameter values are chosen such that the change in curvature would cross critical values which would change the stability of the patternless solution in the constant domain case. The non-isotropic nature of the domain evolution insert a small patterned component to the previously patternless state, which we call the `quasi-patternless solution'. The evolving domain functions and quasi-patternless solutions are derived as well as a method to obtain this nonautonomous normal form. The obtained reduction solutions are then compared to numerical solutions. Finally we provide an adaptation of the closet point method to evolving domains. We perform several convergence analysis experiments of the heat equation on test surfaces and obtain quadratic convergence. Then, a few reaction diffusion simulations are shown on evolving surfaces, some featuring non-isotropic evolution. The previously shown application of the Brusselator system on an evolving spherical cap are compared to a centre manifold reduction and also show quadratic convergence.Science, Faculty ofMathematics, Department ofGraduat

Ces experts qui venaient du froid : Comment des Canadiens deviennent experts en développement de l'Afrique subsaharienne

Each year, hundreds of Canadian experts offer their opinions, their skills, their knowledge or know- how to implement, monitor and evaluate projects and programs aimed at developing communities in the Sub-Saharan African region. Canada is a northern country located roughly 5000 km from the nearest African shore, therefore it becomes logical to ask how foreigners can become experts in the development of African communities. Using Bourdieu's field theory, we analyze the interviews gathered in this research to show that experts must be able to accumulate, mobilize, trade or transform technological, organizational, social and expertise capitals specific to the western world. Because of that, the field of expertise in international development is in a constant struggle to reaffirm its autonomy next to the dominant fields of the western world notably the political and economical fields. /// Chaque année, des centaines d'experts canadiens offrent leurs avis, leurs compétences, leurs connaissances ou leurs savoirs-faire, afin de mettre en place, de suivre et d'évaluer des projets et des programmes destinés à développer des communautés d'Afrique subsaharienne. Le Canada étant un pays nordique situé au minimum à plus de 5000 kilomètres des côtes africaines, il devient logique de se demander comment des étrangers venus de si loin sont devenus experts du développement des communautés africaines. À partir de la théorie du champ de Bourdieu, l'analyse des entretiens menés dans le cadre de cette recherche nous indique que, pour devenir expert, il faut être en mesure d'accumuler, de mobiliser, d'échanger ou de transformer des capitaux technologiques, organisationnels, sociaux et d'expertises spécifiques à l'occident. En ce sens, le champ de l'expertise en développement international se trouve en lutte constante pour sauvegarder son autonomie vis-à-vis des champs qui dominent la société occidentale, notamment le champ économique et le champ du pouvoir

A simple, clinically applicable motor learning protocol to increase push-off during gait: A proof-of-concept.

ObjectiveTask-specific training is often used in functional rehabilitation for its potential to improve performance at locomotor tasks in neurological populations. As push-off impairment are often seen with these patients, this functional approach shows potential to retrain gait overground to normalize the gait pattern and retrain the ability to improve gait speed. The main objective of this project was to validate, in healthy participants, a simple, low-cost push-off retraining protocol based on task-specific training that could be implemented during overground walking in the clinic.Methods30 healthy participants walked in an 80-meter long corridor before, during, and after the application of an elastic resistance to the right ankle. Elastic tubing attached to the front of a modified ankle-foot orthosis delivered the resistance during push-off. Relative ankle joint angular displacements were recorded bilaterally and continuously during each walking condition.ResultsOn the resisted side, participants presented aftereffects (increased peak plantarflexion angle from 13.4±4.2° to 20.0±6.4°, pConclusionThis study shows the feasibility of modifying push-off kinematics using an elastic resistance applied at the ankle while walking overground. This approach represents an interesting venue for future gait rehabilitation

Discours à propos du rôle de l’expertise dans les processus de prise de décision en développement international

Nous proposons dans cet article une réflexion critique sur l’insertion de l’expertise dans les processus de prise de décision en développement international à partir d’une revue de la littérature. Nous montrons que la plupart des réflexions à propos de l’expertise la placent en relation avec une tendance générale à la technicisation des prises de décisions ainsi qu’en relation avec une hiérarchisation des connaissances. Nous proposons une typologie de classification des différentes positions à l’égard de l’expertise, de son inscription institutionnelle, de sa participation à des processus décisionnels et de son rôle.This article proposes a critical examination of the use of expertise in decision-making processes in the field of international development. Based on a literature review, we show that most writings place expertise in its relationship to a general tendency to emphasize decision-making as a technical issue and to put it in relation with a hierarchy of knowledge. We outline a classificatory typology of the various positions regarding expertise, its institutional inscription, its participation to decision-making, and its role

Systematic review of motor control and somatosensation assessment tests for the ankle

Background/Aim Ankle sprains are frequent musculoskeletal injuries that can lead to sensorimotor deficits provoking long-term instability at the ankle joint. A broad variety of clinical tests currently exist to assess sensorimotor processing, and are commonly clinically referred to as proprioceptive tests. However, there is a discrepancy in the use of the term proprioception when looking at the main outcome of these tests. As identifying specific deficits is important for motor recovery, it is critical for clinicians to select the most appropriate tests.Methods A systematic review of four databases was performed to provide an up-to-date review of the psychometric properties of available tests referred to as proprioceptive tests. Seventy-nine articles on eight ankle proprioceptive tests were included and critically appraised. Data on validity, reliability and responsiveness were extracted from the included articles and synthesised. The tests reviewed were then divided into two categories based on their main outcome: motor control or somatosensation.Results Strong evidence showed that the Star Excursion Balance Test, a motor control test, is capable of differentiating between stable and unstable ankles. Moderate evidence suggests that somatosensation tests, such as Joint Position Sense, are also valid and reliable, but their responsiveness has yet to be evaluated.Conclusions Together, these findings indicate that the Star Excursion Balance Test can be used in the clinic to assess motor control based on its excellent psychometric properties. However, as ankle stability control involves complex sensorimotor interactions, care has to be taken regarding the use of this test as a specific tool for proprioception assessment

Integrated optical microring resonators for absorption spectroscopy

International audienc

Integrated optical microring resonators for absorption spectroscopy

International audienc