Interaction between real and virtual humans during walking: perceptual evaluation of a simple device

International audienceValidating that a real user can correctly perceive the motion of a virtual human is first required to enable realistic interactions between real and virtual humans during navigation tasks through virtual reality equipment. In this paper we focus on collision avoidance tasks. Previous works stated that real humans are able to accurately estimate others' motion and to avoid collisions with anticipation. Our main contribution is to propose a perceptual evaluation of a simple virtual reality system. The goal is to assess whether real humans are also able to accurately estimate a virtual human motion before collision avoidance. Results show that, even through a simple system, users are able to correctly evaluate the situation of an interaction on the qualitative point of view. Especially, in comparison with real interactions, users accurately decide whether they should give way to the virtual human or not. However, on the quantitative point of view, it is not easy for users to determine whether they will collide with virtual humans or not. On one hand, deciding to give way or not is a two-choice problem. On the other hand, detecting future collision requires to determine whether some visual variables belong some interval or not. We discuss this problem in terms of bearing angle

Hormone Therapy and the Risk of Breast Cancer in BRCA1 Mutation Carriers

Background: Hormone therapy (HT) is commonly given to women to alleviate the climacteric symptoms associated with menopause. There is concern that this treatment may increase the risk of breast cancer. The potential association of HT and breast cancer risk is of particular interest to women who carry a mutation in BRCA1 because they face a high lifetime risk of breast cancer and because many of these women take HT after undergoing prophylactic surgical oophorectomy at a young age. Methods: We conducted a matched case-control study of 472 postmenopausal women with a BRCA1 mutation to examine whether or not the use of HT is associated with subsequent risk of breast cancer. Breast cancer case patients and control subjects were matched with respect to age, age at menopause, and type of menopause (surgical or natural). Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated with conditional logistic regression. Statistical tests were two-sided. Results: In this group of BRCA1 mutation carriers, the adjusted OR for breast cancer associated with ever use of HT compared with never use was 0.58 (95% CI = 0.35 to 0.96; P =. 03). In analyses by type of HT, an inverse association with breast cancer risk was observed with use of estrogen only (OR = 0.51, 95% CI = 0.27 to 0.98; P =. 04); the association with use of estrogen plus progesterone was not statistically significant (OR = 0.66, 95% CI = 0.34 to 1.27; P =. 21). Conclusion: Among postmenopausal women with a BRCA1 mutation, HT use was not associated with increased risk of breast cancer; indeed, in this population, it was associated with a decreased risk

A systematic analysis of oncogenic gene fusions in primary colon cancer

Genomic rearrangements that give rise to oncogenic gene fusions can offer actionable targets for cancer therapy. Here we present a systematic analysis of oncogenic gene fusions among a clinically well-characterized, prospectively collected set of 278 primary colon cancers spanning diverse tumor stages and clinical outcomes. Gene fusions and somatic genetic variations were identified in fresh frozen clinical specimens by Illumina RNA-sequencing, the STAR fusion gene detection pipeline, and GATK RNA-seq variant calling. We considered gene fusions to be pathogenically relevant when recurrent, producing divergent gene expression (outlier analysis), or as functionally important (e.g., kinase fusions). Overall, 2.5% of all specimens were defined as harboring a relevant gene fusion (kinase fusions 1.8%). Novel configurations of BRAF, NTRK3, and RET gene fusions resulting from chromosomal translocations were identified. An R-spondin fusion was found in only one tumor (0.35%), much less than an earlier reported frequency of 10% in colorectal cancers. We also found a novel fusion involving USP9X-ERAS formed by chromothripsis and leading to high expression of ERAS, a constitutively active RAS protein normally expressed only in embryonic stem cells. This USP9X–ERAS fusion appeared highly oncogenic on the basis of its ability to activate AKT signaling. Oncogenic fusions were identified only in lymph node–negative tumors that lacked BRAF or KRAS mutations. In summary, we identified several novel oncogenic gene fusions in colorectal cancer that may drive malignant development and offer new targets for personalized therapy

Large-Scale Screening of a Targeted Enterococcus faecalis Mutant Library Identifies Envelope Fitness Factors

Spread of antibiotic resistance among bacteria responsible for nosocomial and community-acquired infections urges for novel therapeutic or prophylactic targets and for innovative pathogen-specific antibacterial compounds. Major challenges are posed by opportunistic pathogens belonging to the low GC% Gram-positive bacteria. Among those, Enterococcus faecalis is a leading cause of hospital-acquired infections associated with life-threatening issues and increased hospital costs. To better understand the molecular properties of enterococci that may be required for virulence, and that may explain the emergence of these bacteria in nosocomial infections, we performed the first large-scale functional analysis of E. faecalis V583, the first vancomycin-resistant isolate from a human bloodstream infection. E. faecalis V583 is within the high-risk clonal complex 2 group, which comprises mostly isolates derived from hospital infections worldwide. We conducted broad-range screenings of candidate genes likely involved in host adaptation (e.g., colonization and/or virulence). For this purpose, a library was constructed of targeted insertion mutations in 177 genes encoding putative surface or stress-response factors. Individual mutants were subsequently tested for their i) resistance to oxidative stress, ii) antibiotic resistance, iii) resistance to opsonophagocytosis, iv) adherence to the human colon carcinoma Caco-2 epithelial cells and v) virulence in a surrogate insect model. Our results identified a number of factors that are involved in the interaction between enterococci and their host environments. Their predicted functions highlight the importance of cell envelope glycopolymers in E. faecalis host adaptation. This study provides a valuable genetic database for understanding the steps leading E. faecalis to opportunistic virulence

Coulomb dissociation of O-16 into He-4 and C-12

We measured the Coulomb dissociation of O-16 into He-4 and C-12 within the FAIR Phase-0 program at GSI Helmholtzzentrum fur Schwerionenforschung Darmstadt, Germany. From this we will extract the photon dissociation cross section O-16(alpha,gamma)C-12, which is the time reversed reaction to C-12(alpha,gamma)O-16. With this indirect method, we aim to improve on the accuracy of the experimental data at lower energies than measured so far. The expected low cross section for the Coulomb dissociation reaction and close magnetic rigidity of beam and fragments demand a high precision measurement. Hence, new detector systems were built and radical changes to the (RB)-B-3 setup were necessary to cope with the high-intensity O-16 beam. All tracking detectors were designed to let the unreacted O-16 ions pass, while detecting the C-12 and He-4

With flowers to La Atkins

Photobook, Flowers, Gardens, Vegetables, Plants, World Photobook Day, International Photobook Day, 2021Anna Atkins nos regaló un fotolibro de algas, maravillosamente azules, que son como flores del mundo subacuático. Este año, para celebrar el Día Internacional del Fotolibro 2021, os proponemos hacer un fotolibro colectivo que será como un ramo de flores para Anna. Se trata de hacer fotos a flores, hierbas, plantas, hierbajos, suculentas, cactus... Las fotos nos van a permitir poner en el ramo lo que más nos guste sin preocuparnos de los problemas que nos daría una pieza floral fresca. Podéis sacar la foto a una flor o planta viva, vuestra o de un jardín público o del campo Podéis fotografiar algo de un herbario o una flor prensada que guardabais dentro de un libro Podéis fotografiar una foto de una flor Podéis sacarle una foto a una flor de plástico Podéis fotografiar un dibujo o una pintura (con motivos florales o vegetales, claro) Podéis fotografiar una planta carnívora (en ayunas o haciendo la digestión) Podéis fotografiar flores del mal o del "buenri" Siempre que sea vegetal y/o floral entrará en este libro ramo para Anna. ¡Queremos tanto a Anna! Vamos a mandarle flores como para una boda, como para un fiestón, como para una diva de la ópera que no conoce las alergias y le cabe de todo en el camerino, como para la primavera que está comenzando en el Cono Sur. Organizan: Biblioteca de la Facultad de Bellas Artes de la UCM Photobook Club MadridFac. de Bellas Artesunpu

Coulomb dissociation of 16O into 4He and 12C

We measured the Coulomb dissociation of 16O into 4He and 12C at the R3B setup in a first campaign within FAIR Phase 0 at GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung, Darmstadt. The goal was to improve the accuracy of the experimental data for the 12C(a,?)16O fusion reaction and to reach lower center-ofmass energies than measured so far. The experiment required beam intensities of 109 16O ions per second at an energy of 500 MeV/nucleon. The rare case of Coulomb breakup into 12C and 4He posed another challenge: The magnetic rigidities of the particles are so close because of the same mass-To-charge-number ratio A/Z = 2 for 16O, 12C and 4He. Hence, radical changes of the R3B setup were necessary. All detectors had slits to allow the passage of the unreacted 16O ions, while 4He and 12C would hit the detectors' active areas depending on the scattering angle and their relative energies. We developed and built detectors based on organic scintillators to track and identify the reaction products with sufficient precision

The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance

INTRODUCTION Investment in Africa over the past year with regard to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing has led to a massive increase in the number of sequences, which, to date, exceeds 100,000 sequences generated to track the pandemic on the continent. These sequences have profoundly affected how public health officials in Africa have navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. RATIONALE We demonstrate how the first 100,000 SARS-CoV-2 sequences from Africa have helped monitor the epidemic on the continent, how genomic surveillance expanded over the course of the pandemic, and how we adapted our sequencing methods to deal with an evolving virus. Finally, we also examine how viral lineages have spread across the continent in a phylogeographic framework to gain insights into the underlying temporal and spatial transmission dynamics for several variants of concern (VOCs). RESULTS Our results indicate that the number of countries in Africa that can sequence the virus within their own borders is growing and that this is coupled with a shorter turnaround time from the time of sampling to sequence submission. Ongoing evolution necessitated the continual updating of primer sets, and, as a result, eight primer sets were designed in tandem with viral evolution and used to ensure effective sequencing of the virus. The pandemic unfolded through multiple waves of infection that were each driven by distinct genetic lineages, with B.1-like ancestral strains associated with the first pandemic wave of infections in 2020. Successive waves on the continent were fueled by different VOCs, with Alpha and Beta cocirculating in distinct spatial patterns during the second wave and Delta and Omicron affecting the whole continent during the third and fourth waves, respectively. Phylogeographic reconstruction points toward distinct differences in viral importation and exportation patterns associated with the Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron variants and subvariants, when considering both Africa versus the rest of the world and viral dissemination within the continent. Our epidemiological and phylogenetic inferences therefore underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic on the continent and highlight key insights and challenges, for instance, recognizing the limitations of low testing proportions. We also highlight the early warning capacity that genomic surveillance in Africa has had for the rest of the world with the detection of new lineages and variants, the most recent being the characterization of various Omicron subvariants. CONCLUSION Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve. This is important not only to help combat SARS-CoV-2 on the continent but also because it can be used as a platform to help address the many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats in Africa. In particular, capacity building for local sequencing within countries or within the continent should be prioritized because this is generally associated with shorter turnaround times, providing the most benefit to local public health authorities tasked with pandemic response and mitigation and allowing for the fastest reaction to localized outbreaks. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century

Dynamique de la végétation et des flux inter-systèmes d'un polder reconnecté à la mer

Cette étude a pour but de déterminer s'il est possible de restaurer un marais salé et ses fonctions dans un polder après reconnection à la mer. Elle se focalise sur la structure de la végétation et sur les échanges inter-systèmes, comme indicateurs du succès de la restauration. L'inondation restreinte du polder n'a pas permis le maintien d'une végétation halophile étendue. Elle se développe uniquement dans les zones inondées, où elle présente une dynamique de zones pionnières de marais salé. Sa production est similaire à celle d'un marais salé peu productif et les flux de matières observés entre le polder et la baie sont de nature comparable à ceux d'un marais salé jeune. La faible ouverture ne permet pas toutefois des échanges inter-systèmes de même ampleur que ceux observés dans les marais salés. Des modifications de gestion sont proposées pour augmenter les chances de succès de la restauration d'un marais salé sur le site d'étude.RENNES1-BU Sciences Philo (352382102) / SudocRENNES-Géosciences (352382209) / SudocSudocFranceF