Approches formelles pour l'analyse de la performabilité des systèmes communicants mobiles (Applications aux réseaux de capteurs sans fil)

Nous nous intéressons à l'analyse des exigences de performabilité des systèmes communicants mobiles par model checking. Nous modélisons ces systèmes à l'aide d'un formalisme de haut niveau issu du p-calcul, permettant de considérer des comportements stochastiques, temporels, déterministes, ou indéterministes. Cependant, dans le p-calcul, la primitive de communication de base des systèmes est la communication en point-à-point synchrone. Or, les systèmes mobiles, qui utilisent des réseaux sans fil, communiquent essentiellement par diffusion locale. C'est pourquoi, dans un premier temps, nous définissons la communication par diffusion dans le p-calcul, afin de mieux modéliser les systèmes que nous étudions. Nous proposons d'utiliser des versions probabilistes et stochastiques de l'algèbre que nous avons défini, pour permettre des études de performance. Nous en définissons une version temporelle permettant de considérer le temps dans les modèles. Mais l'absence d'outils d'analyse des propriétés sur des modèles spécifiés en une algèbre issue du p-calcul est un obstacle majeur à notre travail. La définition de règles de traduction en langage PRISM, nous permet de traduire nos modèles, en modèles de bas niveau supports du model checking, à savoir des chaînes de Markov à temps discret, à temps continu, des automates temporisés, ou des automates temporisés probabilistes. Nous avons choisi l'outil PRISM car, à notre connaissance, dans sa dernière version, il est le seul outil à supporter les formalismes de bas niveau que nous venons de citer, et ainsi il permet de réaliser des études de performabilité complètes. Cette façon de procéder nous permet de pallier à l'absence d'outils d'analyse pour nos modèles. Par la suite, nous appliquons ces concepts théoriques aux réseaux de capteurs sans fil mobiles.We are interested in analyzing the performability requirements of mobile communication systems by using model checking techniques. We model these systems using a high-level formalism derived from the p-calculus, for considering stochastic, timed, deterministic or indeterministic behaviors. However, in the p-calculus, the basic communication primitive of systems is the synchronous point-to-point communication. However, mobile systems that use wireless networks, mostly communicate by local broadcast. Therefore, we first define the broadcast communication into the p-calculus, to better model the systems we study. We propose to use probabilistic and stochastic versions of the algebra we have defined to allow performance studies. We define a temporal version to consider time in the models. But the lack of tools for analyzing properties of models specified with p-calculus is a major obstacle to our work and its objectives. The definition of translation rules into the PRISM language allows us to translate our models in low-level models which can support model checking, namely discrete time, or continuous time Markov chains, timed automata, or probabilistic timed automata. We chose the PRISM model checker because, in our best knowledge, in its latest version, it is the only tool that supports the low-level formalisms that we have previously cited, and thus, makes it possible to realize complete performability studies. This approach allows us to overcome the lack of model checkers for our models. Subsequently, we apply these theoretical concepts to analyse performability of mobile wireless sensor networks.PARIS-CNAM (751032301) / SudocSudocFranceF

On the shape of vortices for a rotating Bose Einstein condensate

For a Bose-Einstein condensate placed in a rotating trap, we study the simplified energy of a vortex line derived in Aftalion-Riviere Phys. Rev. A 64, 043611 (2001) in order to determine the shape of the vortex line according to the rotational velocity and the elongation of the condensate. The energy reflects the competition between the length of the vortex which needs to be minimized taking into account the anisotropy of the trap and the rotation term which pushes the vortex along the z axis. We prove that if the condensate has the shape of a pancake, the vortex stays straight along the z axis while in the case of a cigar, the vortex is bent

Systemwide Clinical Ultrasound Program Development: An Expert Consensus Model.

Clinical ultrasound (CUS) is integral to the practice of an increasing number of medical specialties. Guidelines are needed to ensure effective CUS utilization across health systems. Such guidelines should address all aspects of CUS within a hospital or health system. These include leadership, training, competency, credentialing, quality assurance and improvement, documentation, archiving, workflow, equipment, and infrastructure issues relating to communication and information technology. To meet this need, a group of CUS subject matter experts, who have been involved in institution- and/or systemwide clinical ultrasound (SWCUS) program development convened. The purpose of this paper was to create a model for SWCUS development and implementation

IN VITRO ASSESSMENT OF BIOPESTICIDE BACILLUS THURINGIENSIS VAR. KURSTAKI HD- 1 EFFECTIVENESS ON PHYTOPHTHORA PALMIVORA, AGENT OF COCOA BLACK POD ROT IN CÔTE D’IVOIRE

Phytophthora Palmivora is responsible for the cocoa black pod rot in Côte d'Ivoire, with production losses varying from 20 to 40% depending on the regions. Effectiveness of the environmentally friendly biopesticide Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki HD-1 was evaluated in vitro on the pathogen. The medium pea supercooled has been incorporated with the bioproduct at different concentrations: C1 = 100%, C2 = 50%, C3 =25%, C4 = 12.5% and C5 = 6.25%. This medium into Petri dishes was inoculated either by spreading, with 0.1 mL of P. palmivora inoculum at103 zoospores /mL, or with a mycelial disc of P. palmivora calibrated at 6 mm diameter in the center of the box. The results showed that the germination of zoospores was inhibited at the rate of 100% in the presence of the concentrations C1 and C2. This rate was 74.82 ± 21.53%, 73.17 ± 20.88% and 59.12 ± 39.05%, respectively, for C3, C4 and C5. The efficacy of the bioproduct is revealed by a significant reduction of mycelia growth ranging between 57.77± 2.4 to 100% in the presence of the concentrations C5 to C1. The IC50 of germination was 3.36% of concentration and the IC90 was 43.22%; while those which inhibit 50% and 90% of mycelial growth were 5.67% and 77.94% respectively. The biopesticide Btk HD-1 has a proven fungistatic effect against P. palmivora. Its effectiveness increases with its concentration. So it can be a valuable component of an integrated cocoa black pod management

IN VITRO ASSESSMENT OF BIOPESTICIDE BACILLUS THURINGIENSIS VAR. KURSTAKI HD- 1 EFFECTIVENESS ON PHYTOPHTHORA PALMIVORA, AGENT OF COCOA BLACK POD ROT IN CÔTE D’IVOIRE

Phytophthora Palmivora is responsible for the cocoa black pod rot in Côte d'Ivoire, with production losses varying from 20 to 40% depending on the regions. Effectiveness of the environmentally friendly biopesticide Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki HD-1 was evaluated in vitro on the pathogen. The medium pea supercooled has been incorporated with the bioproduct at different concentrations: C1 = 100%, C2 = 50%, C3 =25%, C4 = 12.5% and C5 = 6.25%. This medium into Petri dishes was inoculated either by spreading, with 0.1 mL of P. palmivora inoculum at103 zoospores /mL, or with a mycelial disc of P. palmivora calibrated at 6 mm diameter in the center of the box. The results showed that the germination of zoospores was inhibited at the rate of 100% in the presence of the concentrations C1 and C2. This rate was 74.82 ± 21.53%, 73.17 ± 20.88% and 59.12 ± 39.05%, respectively, for C3, C4 and C5. The efficacy of the bioproduct is revealed by a significant reduction of mycelia growth ranging between 57.77± 2.4 to 100% in the presence of the concentrations C5 to C1. The IC50 of germination was 3.36% of concentration and the IC90 was 43.22%; while those which inhibit 50% and 90% of mycelial growth were 5.67% and 77.94% respectively. The biopesticide Btk HD-1 has a proven fungistatic effect against P. palmivora. Its effectiveness increases with its concentration. So it can be a valuable component of an integrated cocoa black pod management

Methodological Note: On Using Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) for Survey Administration in the Study of Youth Development

Applied developmental scientists face the challenge of identifying research methods that enable the efficient collection of data from youth of diverse social backgrounds (e.g., ethnic. racial, religious, economic) and varying levels cognitive-linguistic and attentional skills. In addition, because access to youth during school time is often limited by educators’ desire to preserve instructional time, finding methodologies to collect data from youth that are highly efficient, and also those that are feasible in less structured settings, are needed. This article outlines some of the benefits and limitations of using a voice-enhanced survey delivered on a personal digital assistants (PDA) as a method of gathering data from diverse youth in both, in and out-of-school contexts

Ground State Asymptotics of a Dilute, Rotating Gas

We investigate the ground state properties of a gas of interacting particles confined in an external potential in three dimensions and subject to rotation around an axis of symmetry. We consider the so-called Gross-Pitaevskii (GP) limit of a dilute gas. Analyzing both the absolute and the bosonic ground state of the system we show, in particular, their different behavior for a certain range of parameters. This parameter range is determined by the question whether the rotational symmetry in the minimizer of the GP functional is broken or not. For the absolute ground state, we prove that in the GP limit a modified GP functional depending on density matrices correctly describes the energy and reduced density matrices, independent of symmetry breaking. For the bosonic ground state this holds true if and only if the symmetry is unbroken.Comment: LaTeX2e, 37 page

Braveheart, a Long Noncoding RNA Required for Cardiovascular Lineage Commitment

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are often expressed in a development-specific manner, yet little is known about their roles in lineage commitment. Here, we identified Braveheart (Bvht), a heart-associated lncRNA in mouse. Using multiple embryonic stem cell (ESC) differentiation strategies, we show that Bvht is required for progression of nascent mesoderm toward a cardiac fate. We find that Bvht is necessary for activation of a core cardiovascular gene network and functions upstream of mesoderm posterior 1 (MesP1), a master regulator of a common multipotent cardiovascular progenitor. We also show that Bvht interacts with SUZ12, a component of polycomb-repressive complex 2 (PRC2), during cardiomyocyte differentiation, suggesting that Bvht mediates epigenetic regulation of cardiac commitment. Finally, we demonstrate a role for Bvht in maintaining cardiac fate in neonatal cardiomyocytes. Together, our work provides evidence for a long noncoding RNA with critical roles in the establishment of the cardiovascular lineage during mammalian development.Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation (DRG 2032-09)Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation (DFS 04-12)European Molecular Biology Organization (Long-term Fellowship)National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Bench to Bassinet Program (U01HL098179)National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Bench to Bassinet Program (U01HL098188)Smith Family FoundationPew Charitable Trusts. Program in the Biomedical Science

Laxative activities of Mareya micrantha (Benth.) Müll. Arg. (Euphorbiaceae) leaf aqueous extract in rats

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>Mareya micrantha </it>(Benth.) Müll. Arg. (Euphorbiaceae) is a shrub that is commonly used in Côte d'Ivoire (West Africa) for the treatment of constipation and as an ocytocic drug. The present study was carried out to investigate the laxative activity of <it>Mareya micrantha </it>in albino's Wistar rats.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Rats were divided in 5 groups of 5 animals each, first group as control, second group served as standard (sodium picosulfate) while group 3, 4 and 5 were treated with leaf aqueous extract of <it>Mareya micrantha </it>at doses of 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight (b.w.), <it>per os </it>respectively. The laxative activity was determined based on the weight of the faeces matter. The effects of the leaves aqueous extract of <it>Mareya micrantha </it>and castor oil were also evaluated on intestinal transit, intestinal fluid accumulation and ions secretion.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Phytochemicals screening of the extract revealed the presence of flavonoids, alkaloids, tannins, polyphenols, sterols and polyterpenes. The aqueous extract of <it>Mareya micrantha </it>applied orally (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg; <it>p.o</it>.), produced significant laxative activity and reduced loperamide induced constipation in dose dependant manner. The effect of the extract at 200 and 400 mg/kg (<it>p.o</it>.) was similar to that of reference drug sodium picosulfate (5 mg/kg, <it>p.o</it>). The same doses of the extract (200 and 400 mg/kg, <it>p.o</it>.) produced a significant increase (p < 0.01) of intestinal transit in comparison with castor oil (2 mL) (p < 0.01). Moreover, the extract induced a significant enteropooling and excretion of Cl^-, Na⁺, K⁺and Ca²⁺in the intestinal fluid (p < 0.01).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The results showed that the aqueous extract of <it>Mareya micrantha </it>has a significant laxative activity and supports its traditional use in herbal medicine.</p