From Big Data to Big Displays: High-Performance Visualization at Blue Brain

Blue Brain has pushed high-performance visualization (HPV) to complement its HPC strategy since its inception in 2007. In 2011, this strategy has been accelerated to develop innovative visualization solutions through increased funding and strategic partnerships with other research institutions. We present the key elements of this HPV ecosystem, which integrates C++ visualization applications with novel collaborative display systems. We motivate how our strategy of transforming visualization engines into services enables a variety of use cases, not only for the integration with high-fidelity displays, but also to build service oriented architectures, to link into web applications and to provide remote services to Python applications.Comment: ISC 2017 Visualization at Scale worksho

A prospective evaluation of ultrasound as a diagnostic tool in acute microcrystalline arthritis.

The performance of ultrasound (US) in the diagnosis of acute gouty (MSU) arthritis and calcium pyrophosphate (CPP) arthritis is not yet well defined. Most studies evaluated US as the basis for diagnosing crystal arthritis in already diagnosed cases of gout and few prospective studies have been performed. One hundred nine consecutive patients who presented an acute arthritis of suspected microcrystalline arthritis were prospectively included. All underwent an US of the symptomatic joints(s) and of knees, ankles and 1(st) metatarsopalangeal (MTP) joints by a rheumatologist "blinded" to the clinical history. 92 also had standard X-rays. Crystal identification was the gold standard. Fifty-one patients had MSU, 28 CPP and 9 had both crystals by microscopic analysis. No crystals were detected in 21. One had septic arthritis. Based on US signs in the symptomatic joint, the sensitivity of US for both gout and CPP was low (60% for both). In gout, the presence of US signs in the symptomatic joint was highly predictive of the diagnosis (PPV = 92%). When US diagnosis was based on an examination of multiple joints, the sensitivity for both gout and CPP rose significantly but the specificity and the PPV decreased. In the absence of US signs in all the joints studied, CPP arthritis was unlikely (NPV = 87%) particularly in patients with no previous crisis (NPV = 94%). X-ray of the symptomatic joints was confirmed to be not useful in diagnosing gout and was equally sensitive or specific as US in CPP arthritis. Arthrocenthesis remains the key investigation for the diagnosis of microcrystalline acute arthritis. Although US can help in the diagnostic process, its diagnostic performance is only moderate. US should not be limited to the symptomatic joint. Examination of multiple joints gives a better diagnostic sensitivity but lower specificity

Rheumatology training experience across Europe : Analysis of core competences

Publisher Copyright: © 2016 The Author(s). Copyright: Copyright 2019 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.Background: The aim of this project was to analyze and compare the educational experience in rheumatology specialty training programs across European countries, with a focus on self-reported ability. Method: An electronic survey was designed to assess the training experience in terms of self-reported ability, existence of formal education, number of patients managed and assessments performed during rheumatology training in 21 core competences including managing specific diseases, generic competences and procedures. The target population consisted of rheumatology trainees and recently certified rheumatologists across Europe. The relationship between the country of training and the self-reported ability or training methods for each competence was analyzed through linear or logistic regression, as appropriate. Results: In total 1079 questionnaires from 41 countries were gathered. Self-reported ability was high for most competences, range 7.5-9.4 (0-10 scale) for clinical competences, 5.8-9.0 for technical procedures and 7.8-8.9 for generic competences. Competences with lower self-reported ability included managing patients with vasculitis, identifying crystals and performing an ultrasound. Between 53 and 91 % of the trainees received formal education and between 7 and 61 % of the trainees reported limited practical experience (managing ≤10 patients) in each competence. Evaluation of each competence was reported by 29-60 % of the respondents. In adjusted multivariable analysis, the country of training was associated with significant differences in self-reported ability for all individual competences. Conclusion: Even though self-reported ability is generally high, there are significant differences amongst European countries, including differences in the learning structure and assessment of competences. This suggests that educational outcomes may also differ. Efforts to promote European harmonization in rheumatology training should be encouraged and supported.publishersversionPeer reviewe

Reconstruction and simulation of neocortical microcircuitry

We present a first-draft digital reconstruction of the microcircuitry of somatosensory cortex of juvenile rat. The reconstruction uses cellular and synaptic organizing principles to algorithmically reconstruct detailed anatomy and physiology from sparse experimental data. An objective anatomical method defines a neocortical volume of 0.29 ± 0.01 mm3 containing ∼31,000 neurons, and patch-clamp studies identify 55 layer-specific morphological and 207 morpho-electrical neuron subtypes. When digitally reconstructed neurons are positioned in the volume and synapse formation is restricted to biological bouton densities and numbers of synapses per connection, their overlapping arbors form ∼8 million connections with ∼37 million synapses. Simulations reproduce an array of in vitro and in vivo experiments without parameter tuning. Additionally, we find a spectrum of network states with a sharp transition from synchronous to asynchronous activity, modulated by physiological mechanisms. The spectrum of network states, dynamically reconfigured around this transition, supports diverse information processing strategies

Polyhandicap et adolescence : analyse de projets éducatifs individualisés

Notre recherche a pour objet l'analyse de projets éducatifs individualisés (PEI) établis pour des adolescents avec un polyhandicap. Dans un premier temps, nous avons présenté différents concepts théoriques concernant le polyhandicap, l'adolescence de ces personnes ainsi que différents aspects du PEI. Ensuite, nous avons analysés les PEI de 10 jeunes avec un polyhandicap, âgés de 14 à 18 ans. Pour chaque adolescent, nous avions le projet actuel (2010) ainsi que le projet plus ancien (2008) pour nous permettre de les comparer. Nous avons analysé la structure générale des 20 PEI pour voir si elle correspondait aux critères théoriques. Nous avons également codé chacun des projets selon l'instrument RGori (Pretti-Frontczak, 2004) pour mesurer la qualité des objectifs. Aussi, nous avons mis en avant les objectifs spécifiques liés à l'adolescence et à l'entrée dans l'âge adulte pour chacun des projets. Enfin, nous avons comparé le projet actuel et ancien pour chacun des participants pour mettre en avant les modifications réalisées

Arthrite 4.0 : le cycle numérique est en marche [Arthritis 4.0 : The digital cycle has begun]

Current digital solutions in rheumatology support patients in terms of information and communication. E-diagnosis and symptom checker potentially reduce the delay of diagnosis. Patient reported outcome is increasingly used to monitor disease activity. In future, motion tracker and other types of sensors e.g. in smartphones might provide further information in order to predict disease flares. Artificial intelligence will likely be used for disease stratification, prediction and treatment choice. Together a « digital cycle » including diagnosis, surveillance and treat-ment decision is going to be established. The role of the rheuma-tologists within this cycle needs to be defined