89 research outputs found
The failed liberalisation of Algeria and the international context: a legacy of stable authoritarianism
The paper attempts to challenge the somewhat marginal role of international factors in the study of transitions to democracy. Theoretical and practical difficulties in proving causal mechanisms between international variables and domestic outcomes can be overcome by defining the international dimension in terms of Western dominance of world politics and by identifying Western actions towards democratising countries. The paper focuses on the case of Algeria, where international factors are key in explaining the initial process of democratisation and its following demise. In particular, the paper argues that direct Western policies, the pressures of the international system and external shocks influence the internal distribution of power and resources, which underpins the different strategies of all domestic actors. The paper concludes that analysis based purely on domestic factors cannot explain the process of democratisation and that international variables must be taken into more serious account and much more detailed
The GEYSERS optical testbed: a platform for the integration, validation and demonstration of cloud-based infrastructure services
The recent evolution of cloud services is leading to a new service transformation paradigm to accommodate network infrastructures in a cost-scalable way. In this transformation, the network constitutes the key to efficiently connect users to services and applications. In this paper we describe the deployment, validation and demonstration of the optical integrated testbed for the âGEneralized architecture for dYnamic infrastructure SERviceSâ (GEYSERS) project to accommodate such cloud based Infrastructure Services. The GEYSERS testbed is composed of a set of local physical testbeds allocated in the facilities of the GEYSERS partners. It is built up based on the requirements specification, architecture definition and per-layer development that constitutes the whole GEYSERS ecosystem, and validates the procedures on the GEYSERS prototypes. The testbed includes optical devices (layer 1), switches (layer 2), and IT resources deployed in different local testbeds provided by the project partners and interconnected among them to compose the whole testbed layout. The main goal of the GEYSERS testbed is twofold. On one hand, it aims at providing a validation ground for the architecture, concepts and business models proposed by GEYSERS, sustained by two main paradigms: Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) and the coupled provisioning of optical network and IT resources. On the other hand, it is used as a demonstration platform for testing the software prototypes within the project and to demonstrate to the research and business community the project approach and solutions. In this work, we discuss our experience in the deployment of the testbed and share the results and insights learned from our trials in the process. Additionally, the paper highlights the most relevant experiments carried out in the testbed, aimed at the validation of the overall GEYSERS architecture
Neutrinoless Double -Decay: Status and Future
A brief summary of the status of neutrino masses, mixing and oscillations is
presented. Neutrinoless double -decay is considered. Predictions for the
effective Majorana mass are reviewed. A possible test of the calculations of
nuclear matrix elements of the -decay is proposed.Comment: A report at the International conference ``Non-Accelerator New
Physics'' NANP05 Dubna, Russia, June 20-25, 200
Bioluminescent Imaging of Trypanosoma brucei Shows Preferential Testis Dissemination Which May Hamper Drug Efficacy in Sleeping Sickness
Monitoring Trypanosoma spread using real-time imaging in vivo provides a fast method to evaluate parasite distribution especially in immunoprivileged locations. Here, we generated monomorphic and pleomorphic recombinant Trypanosoma brucei expressing the Renilla luciferase. In vitro luciferase activity measurements confirmed the uptake of the coelenterazine substrate by live parasites and light emission. We further validated the use of Renilla luciferase-tagged trypanosomes for real-time bioluminescent in vivo analysis. Interestingly, a preferential testis tropism was observed with both the monomorphic and pleomorphic recombinants. This is of importance when considering trypanocidal drug development, since parasites might be protected from many drugs by the blood-testis barrier. This hypothesis was supported by our final study of the efficacy of treatment with trypanocidal drugs in T. brucei-infected mice. We showed that parasites located in the testis, as compared to those located in the abdominal cavity, were not readily cleared by the drugs
On the search for neutrino oscillations using an artificial neutrino source
In this paper the possibility of searching for neutrino oscillations with an artificial neutrino source is discussed and a comparison with reactor experiments is carried out
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Accuracy of citrulline, I-FABP and d-lactate in the diagnosis of acute mesenteric ischemia
Data availability:
Research data are not shared.Supplementary Information oi available online at: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-98012-w#Sec14 .Early diagnosis of acute mesenteric ischemia (AMI) remains a clinical challenge, and no biomarker has been consistently validated. We aimed to assess the accuracy of three promising circulating biomarkers for diagnosing AMIâcitrulline, intestinal fatty acid-binding protein (I-FABP), and D-lactate. A cross-sectional diagnostic study enrolled AMI patients admitted to the intestinal stroke center and controls with acute abdominal pain of another origin. We included 129 patientsâ50 AMI and 79 controls. Plasma citrulline concentrations were significantly lower in AMI patients compared to the controls [15.3 ÎŒmol/L (12.0â26.0) vs. 23.3 ÎŒmol/L (18.3â29.8), pâ=â0.001]. However, the area under the receiver operating curves (AUROC) for the diagnosis of AMI by Citrulline was low: 0.68 (95% confidence intervalâ=â0.58â0.78). No statistical difference was found in plasma I-FABP and plasma D-lactate concentrations between the AMI and control groups, with an AUROC of 0.44, and 0.40, respectively. In this large cross-sectional study, citrulline, I-FABP, and D-lactate failed to differentiate patients with AMI from patients with acute abdominal pain of another origin. Further research should focus on the discovery of new biomarkers.Grants from MSD-Avenir and APHP funded the SURVIBIO study; Alexandre Nuzzo received Ph.D. Grants from âFondation de l'Avenirâ and the French Gastroenterology Society (SNFGE)
The Extent to Which Lecturers at Jordanian Universities Utilize Infographic Guidelines for Curriculum Design
This research aims to discover the degree to which faculty members use educational infographic design standards in computerized courses. So, the study adopted the descriptive analytical method; a questionnaire was used to collect data and then distributed to a sample of 149 faculty members in Jordanian universities. Accordingly, the study results showed that the degree of use of educational infographic design standards by faculty members in Jordanian universities in computerized curricula is moderately high. In addition, there indicated no statistically significant differences in the estimates of faculty members in Jordanian universities due to gender and the certificate source
Framework Ă composants logiciels pour radio logicielle
International audienceLes Ă©quipements Radio Logicielle militaires utilisant les concepts dĂ©finis par le Software Defined Radio Forum font dĂ©sormais face Ă de nouvelles et nombreuses exigences de la mĂȘme façon que leurs Ă©quivalents civils, parmi lesquelles :-la nĂ©cessitĂ© de prendre en compte un accroissement continu et important de la complexitĂ© et du volume du logiciel embarquĂ© ; la flexibilitĂ© introduite par le logiciel permet par exemple une Ă©laboration plus rapide de nouvelles fonctions ou de nouveaux Ă©quipements via une intĂ©gration accrue de logiciels tiers . -la nĂ©cessitĂ© dÂinteropĂ©rer avec de nombreux Ă©quipements diffĂ©rents et dÂimplanter de ce fait des formes dÂondes impliquant des contraintes trĂšs diverses, notamment dÂun point de vue QualitĂ© de Service (optimisation du partage des ressources matĂ©rielles en fonction des exigences particuliĂšres de dĂ©lai, dĂ©bit, etc.), reconfigurabilitĂ© (redĂ©ploiement du logiciel Ă lÂintĂ©rieur de lÂĂ©quipement). -la nĂ©cessitĂ© dÂexĂ©cuter le logiciel sur des plates-formes de fournisseurs diffĂ©rents ou de changer certains composants matĂ©riels dÂune plate-forme avec le moins de modifications possible du logiciel tout en garantissant la stabilitĂ© du fonctionnement de lÂĂ©quipement ; donc assurer une portabilitĂ© optimum.En rĂ©ponse Ă ces exigences, le Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) du DoD US dĂ©finit un framework dÂarchitecture logicielle baptisĂ© Software Communication Architecture (SCA) basĂ© entre autres sur les spĂ©cifications CORBA de lÂObject Management Group (OMG) et les standards POSIX. Ce framework ouvert et orientĂ© composants couvre aussi bien les aspects logiciels que matĂ©riels ; il sÂinspire du modĂšle OSI de lÂITU pour lÂorganisation des formes dÂondes.Actuellement en cours dÂĂ©volution, SCA prĂ©sente des qualitĂ©s indĂ©niables dont la dĂ©finition assez complĂšte des principales interfaces logicielles que doivent supporter les applications (« resources ») et les Ă©lĂ©ments matĂ©riels (« devices ») dÂune plate-forme de rĂ©fĂ©rence dĂ©diĂ©e spĂ©cifiquement Ă la Radio Logicielle ; de mĂȘme la reconfiguration est prise en charge.A contrario il possĂšde aussi des lacunes : la dĂ©finition des « resources » agrĂšge aussi bien la partie fonctionnelle mĂ©tier que la partie non fonctionnelle (utilisation de CORBA, de POSIX, implantation des ports) et la notion de port interconnectant lÂensemble des « resources » et des « devices » est insuffisamment formalisĂ©e ce qui ne permet pas de garantir la rĂ©utilisabilitĂ© du logiciel dans des Ă©quipements de fournisseurs diffĂ©rents. Enfin la gestion des aspects temps rĂ©el et plus globalement de la QualitĂ© de Service est laissĂ©e totalement Ă la charge des fournisseurs de formes dÂondes.ParallĂšlement au SCA, lÂOMG propose la spĂ©cification Lightweight CORBA Component Model (Lightweight CCM), une version simplifiĂ©e du modĂšle de Composants Logiciels CORBA (CCM) mieux adaptĂ©e aux Ă©quipements embarquĂ©s. Ses principales qualitĂ©s sont la simplification des applications et leur portabilitĂ© introduites par une sĂ©paration explicite et formalisĂ©e de la partie fonctionnelle (composants) et de la partie non fonctionnelle (conteneur et services) ainsi quÂune dĂ©finition prĂ©cise de types dÂinteractions entre composants (connecteurs) et de la structure (modĂšles) des composants. Le dĂ©ploiement des composants est Ă©galement spĂ©cifiĂ© de maniĂšre trĂšs proche de celui du SCA puisque lÂayant largement inspirĂ©.Cependant malgrĂ© ces qualitĂ©s, Lightweight CCM se positionne plus en tant que socle gĂ©nĂ©rique dÂĂ©laboration de composants que comme une solution globale Ă un domaine quel quÂil soit; en effet aucune exigence non fonctionnelle courante dÂĂ©quipements embarquĂ©s nÂest prise en compte, rien nÂest prĂ©cisĂ© par exemple quant Ă la gestion de contraintes temps rĂ©el.La dĂ©marche prĂ©sentĂ©e est inscrite dans le cadre dÂune expĂ©rimentation en cours. Elle consiste Ă tirer partie des qualitĂ©s respectives des deux initiatives Lightweight CCM et SCA pour proposer plusieurs contributions applicables au domaine de la Radio Logicielle :-la structuration de lÂarchitecture logicielle globale en termes dÂune part de sĂ©paration des parties fonctionnelles et non fonctionnelles et dÂautre part de framework Ă Composants Logiciels gĂ©nĂ©rique intĂ©grant dans un conteneur un ensemble de services (non fonctionnels) tels que la gestion de la QualitĂ© de Service et la gestion de la connexion entre composants (fonctionnels).-lÂexpĂ©rimentation de correspondances permettant dÂexprimer Ă partir dÂune architecture fonctionnelle, des composants, des assemblages de composants et des services. -lÂenrichissement du framework par la rĂ©utilisation ad-hoc de logiciels tiers
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