The role of procedural memory in grammar and numeracy skills

The objective of this study was to examine the contribution of procedural memory to grammar and numeracy skills, which both involve the manipulation of abstract patterns. Seventy-six typically developing children between 5 and 7 years of age were assessed on grammar with a past tense production task and a sentence comprehension task, on numeracy with a counting task and a calculation task, and on procedural memory with a serial reaction time task. Moderate correlations were found between the measures of grammar and numeracy. Moreover, 4 hierarchical linear regressions indicated that procedural memory was associated with calculation but not with counting or grammar skills when age and working memory were taken into account. These novel findings suggest that procedural memory may have a role to play in the development of some numeracy skills. Several possible explanations for the absence of contribution to grammar are considered

Large-Eddy Simulations with remeshed Vortex methods: An assessment and calibration of subgrid-scale models

This study assesses various subgrid-scale models within the framework of Large Eddy Simulation (LES) using a remeshed Vortex method (RVM). RVM is a semi-Lagrangian method discretizing the vorticity-velocity Navier–Stokes equations that has proven to be a stable and less dissipative alternative to more classical Eulerian methods. The subgrid-scale models are first tested on the well-known Taylor–Green Vortex case at Re=5000. Notably, the Variational Multiscale (VMS) variant of the Smagorinsky model and the Spectral Vanishing Viscosity (SVV) approaches emerge as the best-suited to the RVM, as they add diffusion to only the smallest resolved vorticity scales. Then, a stochastic uncertainty quantification analysis is conducted for both selected models, and the model coefficients are calibrated against direct numerical simulation. These coefficients are then applied to additional cases (different regimes, grid resolutions and test cases), showing the robustness of the calibration within the RVM-LES framework

Social deprivation and stroke severity on admission : a French cohort study in Burgundy and the West Indies - Guyana region

IF 3.988International audienceBACKGROUND AND PURPOSE:Although there is growing and convincing evidence that socially deprived patients are at higher risk of stroke and worse outcomes, it remains controversial whether or not they suffer more severe stroke. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of social deprivation on initial clinical severity in patients with stroke.METHODS:A total of 1536 consecutive patients with an acute first-ever stroke (both ischaemic stroke and intracerebral hemorrhage) were prospectively enrolled from six French study centers. Stroke severity on admission was measured by the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score. Social deprivation was assessed at the individual level by the Evaluation de la Précarité et des Inégalités de santé dans les Centres d'Examen de Santé (EPICES) score, a validated multidimensional questionnaire, and several additional single socioeconomic indicators. Polytomous logistic regression analyses were performed to evaluate the association between social deprivation and stroke severity.RESULTS:In univariate analysis, the EPICES score (P = 0.039) and level of education (P = 0.018) were the only two socioeconomic variables associated with stroke severity. Multivariate analysis of the association between EPICES and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale scores showed that more deprived patients presented a significantly higher risk of both mild and moderate/severe stroke (odds ratio for mild versus minor stroke, 1.39; 95% confidence interval, 1.06-1.84; odds ratio for moderate/severe versus minor stroke, 1.44; 95% confidence interval, 1.09-1.92). A non-significant trend towards a higher risk of both mild and moderate/severe stroke in less educated patients was observed.CONCLUSIONS:Social deprivation was associated with a more severe clinical presentation in patients with stroke. These findings may contribute to the worse outcome after stroke in deprived patients, and underline the need for strategies to reduce social inequalities for stroke.© 2017 EAN