Résultats de quatre années de recherches sur la résistance de variétés d'arachide à l'Aspergillus flavus

Au cours des quatre campagnes 1976-1977 à 1979-1980, sept essais comparant chacun une quarantaine de variétés d'arachide ont été réalisés au Sénégal sur les Stations de Bambey et Darou pour étudier leur comportement vis-à-vis de la contamination par Aspergillus flavus. Le taux de contamination naturelle aux champs est très différent selon les variétés et est en corrélation avec le taux de contamination des graines par inoculation artificielle effectuée au laboratoire du Muséum de Paris, ce qui montre la valeur de ce test utilisé pour la sélection de variétés résistantes. Une variété sénégalaise de valeur agronomique prouvée, la 55-437, a une résistance voisine du témoin de résistance PI 337-409. Deux autres variétés, 73-30 et 73-33, montrent également un comportement favorable sur plusieurs années et peuvent être considérées comme tolérante

eXtended Color Cell Compression -- A Runtime-efficient Compression Scheme for Software Video

Multimedia applications require a compression and decompression scheme for digital video. The standardized and widely used techniques JPEG and MPEG provide very good compression ratios, but are computationally quite complex and demanding. We propose to use an extension to the much simpler Color Cell Compression scheme as an alternative. Our extension includes the use of variable block sizes, the reuse of color index values from previously encoded blocks, and Huffman encoding of the stream of blocks. We present experimental results showing that our scheme provides much better runtime performance than MPEG, at the cost of a slightly inferior compression ratio. It is thus especially suited for software videos in high-speed networks

Use of Class IV, High Intensity Laser Therapy as an Adjunct in Treating a Patient with an Acute Shoulder injury: A Case Report

Background: The use of high intensity laser therapy (HILT) in treating musculoskeletal conditions is used in some physical therapy clinics but is not widespread. The purpose of this case report is to present a case in which class IV, high intensity laser therapy was used successfully to treat a patient with acute shoulder pain. Furthermore, the author aims to present evidence supporting the use of high intensity laser therapy as a supplement to conservative interventions in patients with musculoskeletal injuries. Case Description: A 25-year-old female presented to physical therapy by referral from a work compensation physician with shoulder pain after a fall approximately 2 weeks prior to the initial visit. Intervention: Treatment consisted of education, upper extremity range of motion (ROM) techniques, strengthening, soft tissue mobilization, stretching, and various modalities – primarily class IV, high intensity therapeutic laser.Outcomes: Following the interventions, the patient demonstrated an increase of 20 points on the Focus on Therapeutic Outcomes (FOTO) questionnaire representing improved functional status. The patient also demonstrated improved pain free active ROM, raised her perceived level of improvement score by 60%, and had a notable decrease in pain levels. Discussion: A literature review using PubMed and UpToDate on the efficacy of class IV, high intensity therapeutic laser for treating musculoskeletal injuries was performed. Further research is needed to determine the optimal parameters of high intensity laser in treating musculoskeletal conditions; however, the randomized controlled trials (RCTs) mentioned in this case report show HILT as an effective treatment modality. This case report supports the use of high intensity laser therapy in conjunction with physical therapy intervention to improve ROM, pain levels, and overall functional status

Towards a Framework for Supporting User Satisfaction of Conversational Agents according to the Usability Norm DIN EN ISO 9241-11

The acceptance and use of conversational user interfaces (CUIs) which are for example used in Conversational Agents (CAs) such as Alexa and Siri are crucially dependent on their usability—which is often lacking in practice according to user reviews. Referring to the usability norm DIN EN ISO 9241-11, a usable product, system or service can be used to achieve specified goals with high levels of effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction. However, in the case of conversational agents, the bidirectional interaction experience differs from the use of other input devices. We are proposing a conceptual framework for evaluating the design of CAs with regard to the interaction principles as per DIN EN ISO 9241-110. To increase the level of satisfaction in particular, we focus on the new principle of user engagement in order to ensure trust and welfare and specifically self-determination to ensure the success and positive user experience of CUIs

Pyk2 modulates hippocampal excitatory synapses and contributes to cognitive deficits in a Huntington's disease model.

The structure and function of spines and excitatory synapses are under the dynamic control of multiple signalling networks. Although tyrosine phosphorylation is involved, its regulation and importance are not well understood. Here we study the role of Pyk2, a non-receptor calcium-dependent protein-tyrosine kinase highly expressed in the hippocampus. Hippocampal-related learning and CA1 long-term potentiation are severely impaired in Pyk2-deficient mice and are associated with alterations in NMDA receptors, PSD-95 and dendritic spines. In cultured hippocampal neurons, Pyk2 has autophosphorylation-dependent and -independent roles in determining PSD-95 enrichment and spines density. Pyk2 levels are decreased in the hippocampus of individuals with Huntington and in the R6/1 mouse model of the disease. Normalizing Pyk2 levels in the hippocampus of R6/1 mice rescues memory deficits, spines pathology and PSD-95 localization. Our results reveal a role for Pyk2 in spine structure and synaptic function, and suggest that its deficit contributes to Huntington's disease cognitive impairments

Investigating decision rules with a new experimental design: the EXACT paradigm.

In the decision-making field, it is important to distinguish between the perceptual process (how information is collected) and the decision rule (the strategy governing decision-making). We propose a new paradigm, called EXogenous ACcumulation Task (EXACT) to disentangle these two components. The paradigm consists of showing a horizontal gauge that represents the probability of receiving a reward at time t and increases with time. The participant is asked to press a button when they want to request a reward. Thus, the perceptual mechanism is hard-coded and does not need to be inferred from the data. Based on this paradigm, we compared four decision rules (Bayes Risk, Reward Rate, Reward/Accuracy, and Modified Reward Rate) and found that participants appeared to behave according to the Modified Reward Rate. We propose a new way of analysing the data by using the accuracy of responses, which can only be inferred in classic RT tasks. Our analysis suggests that several experimental findings such as RT distribution and its relationship with experimental conditions, usually deemed to be the result of a rise-to-threshold process, may be simply explained by the effect of the decision rule employed

The Non-receptor Tyrosine Kinase Pyk2 in Brain Function and Neurological and Psychiatric Diseases

Pyk2 is a non-receptor tyrosine kinase highly enriched in forebrain neurons. Pyk2 is closely related to focal adhesion kinase (FAK), which plays an important role in sensing cell contacts with extracellular matrix and other extracellular signals controlling adhesion and survival. Pyk2 shares some of FAK's characteristics including recruitment of Src-family kinases after autophosphorylation, scaffolding by interacting with multiple partners, and activation of downstream signaling pathways. Pyk2, however, has the unique property to respond to increases in intracellular free Ca2+, which triggers its autophosphorylation following stimulation of various receptors including glutamate NMDA receptors. Pyk2 is dephosphorylated by the striatal-enriched phosphatase (STEP) that is highly expressed in the same neuronal populations. Pyk2 localization in neurons is dynamic, and altered following stimulation, with post-synaptic and nuclear enrichment. As a signaling protein Pyk2 is involved in multiple pathways resulting in sometimes opposing functions depending on experimental models. Thus Pyk2 has a dual role on neurites and dendritic spines. With Src family kinases Pyk2 participates in postsynaptic regulations including of NMDA receptors and is necessary for specific types of synaptic plasticity and spatial memory tasks. The diverse functions of Pyk2 are also illustrated by its role in pathology. Pyk2 is activated following epileptic seizures or ischemia-reperfusion and may contribute to the consequences of these insults whereas Pyk2 deficit may contribute to the hippocampal phenotype of Huntington's disease. Pyk2 gene, PTK2B, is associated with the risk for late-onset Alzheimer's disease. Studies of underlying mechanisms indicate a complex contribution with involvement in amyloid toxicity and tauopathy, combined with possible functional deficits in neurons and contribution in microglia. A role of Pyk2 has also been proposed in stress-induced depression and cocaine addiction. Pyk2 is also important for the mobility of astrocytes and glioblastoma cells. The implication of Pyk2 in various pathological conditions supports its potential interest for therapeutic interventions. This is possible through molecules inhibiting its activity or increasing it through inhibition of STEP or other means, depending on a precise evaluation of the balance between positive and negative consequences of Pyk2 actions