The DICEMAN description schemes for still images and video sequences

To address the problem of visual content description, two Description Schemes (DSs) developed within the context of a European ACTS project known as DICEMAN, are presented. The DSs, designed based on an analogy with well-known tools for document description, describe both the structure and semantics of still images and video sequences. The overall structure of both DSs including the various sub-DSs and descriptors (Ds) of which they are composed is described. In each case, the hierarchical sub-DS for describing structure can be constructed using automatic (or semi-automatic) image/video analysis tools. The hierarchical sub-DSs for describing the semantics, however, are constructed by a user. The integration of the two DSs into a video indexing application currently under development in DICEMAN is also briefly described.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Optimisation de dispositifs FDSOI pour la gestion de la consommation et de la vitesse (application aux mémoires et fonctions logiques)

Avec la percée des téléphones portables et des tablettes numériques intégrant des fonctions avancées de traitement de l'information, une croissance exponentielle du marché des systèmes sur puce (SoC pour System On Chip en anglais) est attendue jusqu'en 2016. Ces systèmes, conçus dans les dernières technologies nanométriques, nécessitent des vitesses de fonctionnement très élevées pour offrir des performances incroyables, tout en consommant remarquablement peu. Cependant, concevoir de tels systèmes à l'échelle nanométrique présente de nombreux enjeux en raison de l'accentuation d'effets parasites avec la miniaturisation des transistors MOS sur silicium massif, rendant les circuits plus sensibles aux phénomènes de fluctuations des procédés de fabrication et moins efficaces énergétiquement. La technologie planaire complètement désertée (FD pour Fully depleted en anglais) SOI, offrant un meilleur contrôle du canal du transistor et une faible variabilité de sa tension de seuil grâce à un film de silicium mince et non dopé, apparaît comme une solution technologique très bien adaptée pour répondre aux besoins de ces dispositifs nomades alliant hautes performances et basse consommation. Cependant pour que cette technologie soit viable, il est impératif qu'elle réponde aux besoins des plateformes de conception basse consommation. Un des défis majeurs de l'état de l'art de la technologie planaire FDSOI est de fournir les différentes tensions de seuils (VT) requises pour la gestion de la consommation et de la vitesse. Le travail de recherche de thèse présenté dans ce mémoire a contribué à la mise en place d'une plateforme de conception multi-VT en technologie planaire FDSOI sur oxyde enterré mince (UTB pour Ultra Thin Buried oxide en anglais) pour les nœuds technologiques sub-32 nm. Pour cela, les éléments clefs des plateformes de conception basse consommation en technologie planaire sur silicium massif ont été identifiés. A la suite de cette analyse, différentes architectures de transistors MOS multi-VT FDSOI ont été développées. L'analyse au niveau des circuits numériques et mémoires élémentaires a permis de mettre en avant deux solutions fiables, efficaces et de faible complexité technologique. Les performances des solutions apportées ont été évaluées sur un chemin critique extrait du cœur de processeur ARM Cortex A9 et sur une cellule SRAM 6T haute densité (0,120 m ). Egalement, une cellule SRAM à quatre transistors est proposée, démontrant la flexibilité au niveau conception des solutions proposées. Ce travail de recherche a donné lieu à de nombreuses publications, communications et brevets. Aujourd'hui, la majorité des résultats obtenus ont été transférés chez STMicroelectronics, où l'étude de leur industrialisation est en cours.Driven by the strong growth of smartphone and tablet devices, an exponential growth for the mobile SoC market is forecasted up to 2016. These systems, designed in the latest nanometre technology, require very high speeds to deliver tremendous performances, while consuming remarkably little. However, designing such systems at the nanometre scale introduces many challenges due to the emphasis of parasitic phenomenon effects driven by the scaling of bulk MOSFETs, making circuits more sensitive to the manufacturing process fluctuations and less energy efficient. Undoped thin-film planar fully depleted silicon-on-insulator (FDSOI) devices are being investigated as an alternative to bulk devices in 28nm node and beyond, thanks to its excellent short-channel electrostatic control, low leakage currents and immunity to random dopant fluctuation. This compelling technology appears to meet the needs of nomadic devices, combining high performance and low power consumption. However, to be useful, it is essential that this technology is compatible with low operating power design platforms. A major challenge for this technology is to provide various device threshold voltages (VT), trading off power consumption and speed. The research work presented in this thesis has contributed to the development of a multi-VT design platform in FDSOI planar technology on thin buried oxide (UTB) for the 28nm and below technology nodes. In this framework, the key elements of the low power design platform in bulk planar technology have been studied. Based on this analysis, different architectures of FDSOI multi-VT MOSFETs have been developed. The analysis on the layout of elementary circuits, such as standard cells and SRAM cells, has put forward two reliable, efficient and low technological complexity multi- strategies. Finally, the performances of these solutions have been evaluated on a critical path extracted from the ARM Cortex A9 processor and a high-density 6T SRAM cell (0.120 m ). Also, an SRAM cell with four transistors has been proposed, highlighting the design flexibility brought by these solutions. This thesis has resulted in many publications, communications and patents. Today, the majority of the results obtained have been transferred to STMicroelectronics, where the industrialization is in progress.SAVOIE-SCD - Bib.électronique (730659901) / SudocGRENOBLE1/INP-Bib.électronique (384210012) / SudocGRENOBLE2/3-Bib.électronique (384219901) / SudocSudocFranceF

DRC 2 : Dynamically Reconfigurable Computing Circuit based on Memory Architecture

International audienceThis paper presents a novel energy-efficient and Dynamically Reconfigurable Computing Circuit (DRC²) concept based on memory architecture for data-intensive (imaging, …) and secure (cryptography, …) applications. The proposed computing circuit is based on a 10-Transistor (10T) 3-Port SRAM bitcell array driven by a peripheral circuitry enabling all basic operations that can be traditionally performed by an ALU. As a result, logic and arithmetic operations can be entirely executed within the memory unit leading to a significant reduction in power consumption related to the data transfer between memories and computing units. Moreover, the proposed computing circuit can perform extremely-parallel operations enabling the processing of large volume of data. A test case based on image processing application and using the saturating increment function is analytically modeled to compare conventional and DRC²-based approaches. It is demonstrated that DRC²-based approach provides a reduction of clock cycle number of up to 2x. Finally, potential applications and must-be-considered changes at different design levels are discussed

RRAM Crossbar Arrays for Storage Class Memory Applications : Throughput and Density Considerations

As more and more high density memories are required to satisfy the Internet of Things ecosystem, academics and industrials are looking for an intermediate solution to fill the gap between DRAM and Flash NAND in the memory hierarchy. The emergence of Resistive Switching Technologies (RRAM) proposes a potential solution to this demand for fast, low cost, high density and non-volatile memory. However, nowadays transistor-less RRAM-based architectures, such as Crosspoint, suffers of several issues such as sneakpath, IRdrop and periphery overhead. In this work, we propose to explore the positioning of RRAM crosspoint memories regarding DRAM and NAND in terms of density and write throughput. We present several design guidelines then show that for the optimal RRAM crosspoint architecture (2-layers with common bitline), massively multiple bank write is the solution to optimize density and write throughput to around 20-100Gbit/cm2 and 200-500MB/s respectively for 32 to 64 parallel access

058 The ongoing MESAMI translational research program

PurposeDespite the improvement of pharmacological and surgical therapies, the mortality related to ischemic heart failure remains high. During the last years, bone marrow-mesenchymal stem cell (BM-MSC) therapy has been proposed as a novel approach for the prevention and therapy of heart failure. Intramyocardial injection allows concentration of grafted cells within the injured zone. However, a major problem of with intraparenchymal route of administration is the early death of most of grafted cells. The goal of the MESAMI program is to evaluate the effect of intramyocardial administration of BM-MSC preconditioned or not with the pineal hormone melatonin in ischemic cardiomyopathy.Methods and ResultsOur preclinical investigations have designed a preconditioning strategy of BM-MSCs with the melatonin that significantly increases survival and efficacy of grafted cells in animal models of myocardial ischemia. Melatonin treatment significantly ameliorates the beneficial effects of BM-MSC on the recovery of cardiac function. In the mean time, we started a phase I clinical trial in patients with severe ischemic cardiomyopathy and no option of revascularization, using the NOGA XP system to guide injections into the myocardium. Based on our basic research results, we are developing a multicenter phase II trial on the effects of intramyocardial administration of melatonin-preconditioned BM-MSC in patients with chronic ischemic cardiomyopathy.ConclusionThe ongoing MESAMI program is representative of a translational research program in France

First investigation on microcrystalline pathologies of kidney allografts through cellular scale physicochemical techniques

AbstractTubulo-interstitial microcalcifications in renal transplant are described with a wide difference of incidence (4–78%) according to time and goal of biopsies. Currently, staining procedures are used to deduce the composition of crystals and speculate about their aetiologies. Here we test the contribution of infrared microspectroscopy (IR-MS) in understanding kidney transplant crystal deposits. First, microcalcifications observed in 118 allograft biopsies are studied by IR-MS. The Fourier transform infrared signal shows that a major proportion (92%) of calcium phosphate crystals is in the pure or mixed form. Next, we compare 50 patients with calcifications to 100 without calcifications and show persistent hyperparathyroidism and tubular cell vacuolization as circumstances of crystal deposition. Finally, the graduation level of calcification by IR-MS appears to be correlated with the graft outcome. Graft survival seems to be worse in case of high microcalcification detection by IR-MS. These preliminary data suggest IR-MS as a great tool for clinicians to diagnose, characterize, and quantify microcalcifications in kidney allografts

Isolation of mineralizing Nestin+ Nkx6.1+ vascular muscular cells from the adult human spinal cord

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The adult central nervous system (CNS) contains different populations of immature cells that could possibly be used to repair brain and spinal cord lesions. The diversity and the properties of these cells in the human adult CNS remain to be fully explored. We previously isolated Nestin⁺Sox2⁺neural multipotential cells from the adult human spinal cord using the neurosphere method (i.e. non adherent conditions and defined medium).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Here we report the isolation and long term propagation of another population of Nestin⁺cells from this tissue using adherent culture conditions and serum. QPCR and immunofluorescence indicated that these cells had mesenchymal features as evidenced by the expression of Snai2 and Twist1 and lack of expression of neural markers such as Sox2, Olig2 or GFAP. Indeed, these cells expressed markers typical of smooth muscle vascular cells such as Calponin, Caldesmone and Acta2 (Smooth muscle actin). These cells could not differentiate into chondrocytes, adipocytes, neuronal and glial cells, however they readily mineralized when placed in osteogenic conditions. Further characterization allowed us to identify the Nkx6.1 transcription factor as a marker for these cells. Nkx6.1 was expressed in vivo by CNS vascular muscular cells located in the parenchyma and the meninges.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Smooth muscle cells expressing Nestin and Nkx6.1 is the main cell population derived from culturing human spinal cord cells in adherent conditions with serum. Mineralization of these cells in vitro could represent a valuable model for studying calcifications of CNS vessels which are observed in pathological situations or as part of the normal aging. In addition, long term propagation of these cells will allow the study of their interaction with other CNS cells and their implication in scar formation during spinal cord injury.</p

Complete Genome and Phylogeny of Puumala Hantavirus Isolates Circulating in France

Puumala virus (PUUV) is the agent of nephropathia epidemica (NE), a mild form of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) in Europe. NE incidence presents a high spatial variation throughout France, while the geographical distribution of the wild reservoir of PUUV, the bank vole, is rather continuous. A missing piece of the puzzle is the current distribution and the genetic variation of PUUV in France, which has been overlooked until now and remains poorly understood. During a population survey, from 2008 to 2011, bank voles were trapped in eight different forests of France located in areas known to be endemic for NE or in area from where no NE case has been reported until now. Bank voles were tested for immunoglobulin (Ig)G ELISA serology and two seropositive animals for each of three different areas (Ardennes, Jura and Orleans) were then subjected to laboratory analyses in order to sequence the whole S, M and L segments of PUUV. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that French PUUV isolates globally belong to the central European (CE) lineage although isolates from Ardennes are clearly distinct from those in Jura and Orleans, suggesting a different evolutionary history and origin of PUUV introduction in France. Sequence analyses revealed specific amino acid signatures along the N protein, including in PUUV from the Orleans region from where NE in humans has never been reported. The relevance of these mutations in term of pathophysiology is discussed.Peer reviewe

Peri-personal space encoding in patients with disorders of consciousness and cognitive-motor dissociation

Behavioral assessments of consciousness based on overt command following cannot differentiate patients with disorders of consciousness (DOC) from those who demonstrate a dissociation between intent/awareness and motor capacity: cognitive motor dissociation (CMD). We argue that delineation of peri-personal space (PPS) – the multisensory-motor space immediately surrounding the body – may differentiate these patients due to its central role in mediating human-environment interactions, and putatively in scaffolding a minimal form of selfhood. In Experiment 1, we determined a normative physiological index of PPS by recording electrophysiological (EEG) responses to tactile, auditory, or audio-tactile stimulation at different distances (5 vs. 75 cm) in healthy volunteers (N = 19). Contrasts between paired (AT) and summed (A + T) responses demonstrated multisensory supra-additivity when AT stimuli were presented near, i.e., within the PPS, and highlighted somatosensory-motor sensors as electrodes of interest. In Experiment 2, we recorded EEG in patients behaviorally diagnosed as DOC or putative CMD (N = 17, 30 sessions). The PPS-measure developed in Experiment 1 was analyzed in relation with both standard clinical diagnosis (i.e., Coma Recovery Scale; CRS-R) and a measure of neural complexity associated with consciousness. Results demonstrated a significant correlation between the PPS measure and neural complexity, but not with the CRS-R, highlighting the added value of the physiological recordings. Further, multisensory processing in PPS was preserved in putative CMD but not in DOC patients. Together, the findings suggest that indexing PPS allows differentiating between groups of patients whom both show overt motor impairments (DOC and CMD) but putatively distinct levels of awareness or motor intent