Variétés linguistiques et intelligibilité : enjeux sociolinguistiques pour la synthèse de parole

Cet article discute de l’opportunité de développer des systèmes de synthèse de parole qui utilisent une variété linguistique plus familière. Les résultats de trois expériences présentées ici, en particulier la troisième qui repose sur une tâche plus élaborée de décision lexicale, font ressortir que les stimuli produits en français québécois sont plus facilement reconnus par des locuteurs québécois que ceux produits dans une variété européenne. Cela suggère que la variété linguistique utilisée peut agir à la façon d’un filtre qui facilite ou, au contraire, gêne la perception et le traitement des mots.This paper is related to the opportunity of using a vernacular variety in speech synthesis instead of a more formal one. The results of three experiments, especially those of the more elaborated one based on a lexical decision task, point out that stimuli spoken in a Quebec French variety are more easily processed by Quebec French speaking subjects than those spoken in an European variety. These results suggest that the linguistic variety acts as a filter that may facilitate or, on the contrary, impede and slow down the processing of words

Les objets actuels de la recherche en éducation

Cet article a pour thème « les objets actuels de la recherche en éducation ». Fruit de la collaboration de plusieurs spécialistes du domaine, il donne à voir l'étendue de l'espace qu'occupent les chercheurs en éducation, l'exigence posée par les méthodes à l'endroit de leur objet et l'ampleur des défis qui les attendent. Recherche pédagogique, recherche sur les pratiques, recherche en didactique, recherche sur les fondements et recherche disciplinaire, entre autres champs de recherche en éducation, coexistent et trouvent leur légitimité. Ces recherches contribuent autant à définir l'objet des sciences de l'éducation qu'à enrichir la réflexion sur les pratiques.This article which develops the theme of current topics of research in education is the result of a collaborative project among several experts in this area, and presents a description of the vast field in which educational researchers work, the methodological requirements related to the various research areas, and the important challenges which researchers confront. Research in the disciplines, in didactics, in pedagogy, in foundations and in practices, among other fields of research in education, co-exist and find a legitimate place in this arena. This article contributes both to defining the object of educational research and to enriching the debate and thinking about research practices.Este articulo tiene por tema "los sujetos actuales de la investigacion en education". Fruto de la colaboracion de varios especialistas del sector, el trabajo présenta un amplio panorama del espacio que ocupan los investigadores en education, las exigencias que imponen los métodos especificos al objeto de estudio y la amplitud de los desafios que los acechan. Investigacion disciplinaria, investigacion didatica, investigacion pedagogica, investigaciôn sobre los fundamentos e investigacion sobre la prâcticas, entre otros campos de investigacion, coexisten y se ligitiman mutuamente. Estas investigaciones contribuyen tan to para définir el objeto de las ciencias de la educacion como para enriquecer la reflexion sobre su prâctica.Dieser Artikel beschâftigt sich mit den "gegenwârtigen Gegenstânden der Bildungsforschung" und stellt von Spezialisten in diesem Bereich gemeinsam erarbeitete Ergebnisse vor. Dièse vermitteln einen Eindruck von den weitgefâcherten Forschungsaufgaben auf dem Bildungssektor, von den methodologischen Erfordernissen im Hinblick auf die Gegenstânde sowie von den Herausforderungen, die die Forscher erwarten. Disziplingebundene Forschung, didaktische Forschung, pâdagogische Forschung, Grundlagenund Praxisforschung, um nur einige Bereiche zu nennen, koexistieren und erweisen ihre Legitimitât. Dièse Forschungen tragen dazu bei, den Gegenstand der Erziehungswissenschaft nàher zu bestimmen sowie die Reflexion iiber die Erziehungspraxis zu bereichern

A preliminary study of mercury exposure and blood pressure in the Brazilian Amazon

BACKGROUND: Fish is considered protective for coronary heart disease (CHD), but mercury (Hg) intake from fish may counterbalance beneficial effects. Although neurotoxic effects of methylmercury (MeHg) are well established, cardiovascular effects are still debated. The objective of the present study was to evaluate blood pressure in relation to Hg exposure and fish consumption among a non-indigenous fish-eating population in the Brazilian Amazon. METHODS: The study was conducted among 251 persons from six communities along the Tapajós River, a major tributary of the Amazon. Data was obtained for socio-demographic information, fish consumption, height and weight to determine body mass index (BMI), systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and Hg concentration in hair samples. RESULTS: Results showed that overall, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, were relatively low (mean: 113.9 mmHg ± 14.6 and 73.7 mmHg ± 11.0). Blood pressure was significantly associated with hair total Hg (H-Hg), age, BMI and gender. No association was observed between fish consumption and blood pressure, although there were significant inter-community differences. Logistic regression analyses showed that the Odds Ratio (OR) for elevated systolic blood pressure (≥ 130 mmHg) with H-Hg ≥ 10 μg/g was 2.91 [1.26–7.28], taking into account age, BMI, smoking, gender and community. CONCLUSION: The findings of this preliminary study add further support for Hg cardiovascular toxicity

A Component Based Software Reliability Model

This paper presents a component based software reliability model. The proposed model provides software system reliability estimates from the reliability of software components and the usage ratio of each component. Issues relating to the techniques for estimating the model parameters are discussed and the assumptions of the model are investigated. A component impact analysis method which could help in focusing testing efforts is also presented. 1 Introduction The aim of software reliability engineering is to model the failure behaviour of software systems to estimate and project reliability. Software reliability estimates serve many purposes. For instance, software reliability estimates can allow a contractor and a buyer to contractually agree to some tangible measure of reliability performance that a software system is expected to achieve. Also, software reliability estimates can allow software users to be selective about the software they purchase by considering the advertised soft..

Réactivité cérébrovasculaire à l'hypoxémie (applications à un modèle de tumeur intracérébrale chez le rat)

GRENOBLE1-BU Sciences (384212103) / SudocSudocFranceF

Role of the Streptococcus suis serotype 2 capsular polysaccharide in the interactions with dendritic cells is strain-dependent but remains critical for virulence.

Streptococcus suis serotype 2 is an important porcine bacterial pathogen and zoonotic agent responsible for sudden death, septic shock, and meningitis. However, serotype 2 strains are heterogeneous, composed of a multitude of sequence types (STs) whose distribution greatly varies worldwide. Of the virulence factors presently described for S. suis, the capsular polysaccharide (CPS) is a critical factor implicated in a multitude of functions, including in impairment of phagocytosis and innate immune cell activation by masking underlying bacterial components. However, these roles have been described using Eurasian ST1 and ST7 strains, which greatly differ from North American ST25 strains. Consequently, the capacity of the CPS to mask surface antigens and putative virulence factors in non-Eurasian strains remains unknown. Herein, the role of the S. suis serotype 2 CPS of a prototype intermediate virulent North American ST25 strain, in comparison with that of a virulent European ST1 strain, with regards to interactions with dendritic cells, as well as virulence during the systemic phase of infection, was evaluated. Results demonstrated that the CPS remains critical for virulence and development of clinical disease regardless of strain background, due to its requirement for survival in blood. However, its role in the interactions with dendritic cells is strain-dependent. Consequently, certain key characteristics associated with the CPS are not necessarily applicable to all S. suis serotype 2 strains. This indicates that though certain factors may be important for S. suis serotype 2 virulence, strain background could be as determining, reiterating the need in using strains from varying backgrounds in order to better characterize the S. suis pathogenesis

Strain-dependent role of capsular polysaccharide in interference of <i>S</i>. <i>suis</i> serotype 2-induced cytokine production by dendritic cells (DCs).

<p>Cytokine production by DCs following infection with wild-type and non-encapsulated mutant strains after 16 h of incubation, as measured by ELISA, with the exception of IFN-β, after 6 h of incubation, by RT-qPCR. Production of TNF (A), IL-6 (B), IL-12p70 (C), CXCL1 (D), and IFN-β (E). Data represent the mean ± SEM from four independent experiments. C- denotes the negative control (cells in medium alone). *** (<i>p</i> < 0.001) indicates a significant difference between P1/7 and P1/<i>7</i>Δ<i>cpsF</i> or P1/<i>7</i>Δ<i>neuC</i>.</p

Strain-dependent role of the capsular polysaccharide in <i>S</i>. <i>suis</i> serotype 2 resistance to phagocytosis by dendritic cells (DCs).

<p>Internalization kinetics (0.5 to 4 h) of wild-type and non-encapsulated mutant strains by DCs. Data represent the mean ± SEM from four independent experiments. * (<i>p</i> < 0.05) and ** (<i>p</i> < 0.01) indicate a significant difference between P1/7 and P1/<i>7</i>Δ<i>cpsF</i> or P1/<i>7</i>Δ<i>neuC</i>.</p

Absence of capsular polysaccharide is associated with increased surface hydrophobicity of <i>S</i>. <i>suis</i> serotype 2.

<p>Hydrophobicity of wild-type and mutant strains was determined using <i>n</i>-hexadecane. Data represent the mean ± SEM from three independent experiments. *** (<i>p</i> < 0.001) indicates a significant difference between wild-type strains (P1/7 or 89–1591) and their non-encapsulated mutants (Δ<i>cpsF</i> and Δ<i>neuC</i>).</p

List of oligonucleotide primers used in this study.

<p>List of oligonucleotide primers used in this study.</p