The impact of early and late literacy on the functional connectivity of vision and

Introduction: Learning to read leads to functional and structural changes in the cortical regions related to vision and language. The visual word-form area (VWFA) is though to play a key role in the interaction between these two systems (Dehaene et al. 2015). For instance, the VWFA is activated not only from bottom-up during reading but also in a top-down manner during speech listening without visual stimulation (Dehaene et al. 2010). The objective of this study was twofolded: how literacy acquisition affects four intrinsic functional connectivity networks related to vision and language (a dorsal language [DLN], a bilateral auditory [AN], a low-level [LLVN] and a high-level visual [HLVN] networks); and to explore the role of the VWFA as an interface between high-level vision and language functions. Methods: Independent component analysis (ICA) was applied to functional magnetic resonance imaging data from 40 adult participants with variable levels of literacy (illiterate, late literate and early literate). The four functional connectivity networks were compared across groups using dual-regression (Filippini et al. 2009). In addition, we directly explored the functional connectivity between the VWFA and each of the studied networks. Finally, the strengh of connectivity between the VWFA and each network was compared across groups and correlated with individual reading fluency scores. Results: ICA produced 40 networks, and spatial crosscorrelation was used to identify the four networks of interest. Literacy was positively correlated with increased connectivity within the four networks. A major difference separating early literate from illiterate and late literate subjects was found. The connectivity between the VWFA and the DLN increased with literacy. Conversely, the strength of connectivity between the VWFA and the HLVN correlated negatively with literacy. Finally, , the HLVN-VWFA connectivity was negatively correlated with reading scores while the connectivity between the DLN-VWFA was positively correlated with reading scores. Discussion:Literacy has a strong influence on the visual and language functional networks. Literacy modifies the VWFA connectivity, by making it functionally closer to the language system, and more distinct from other associative visual areas that do not contribute to the reading process. The current results suggest that early acquisition of literacy plays a critical role for the tuning of the functional brain architecture. References: -Dehaene S et al. Nat Rev Neurosci.(2015)16:234 244 -Dehaene S et al. Science.(2010)330:1359–1364 -Filippini N et al. PNAS.(2009)106, 7209–7214Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Data Processing using Artificial Neural Networks to Improve the Simulation of Lung Motion

International audienceTo optimize the delivery in lung radiation therapy, a better understanding of the tumor motion is required. On the one hand to have a better tumor-targeting efficiency, and on the other hand to avoid as much as possible normal tissues. The 4D-CT allows to quantify tumor motion, but due to artifacts it introduces biases and errors in tumor localization. Despite of this disadvantage, we propose a method to simulate lung motion based on data provided by the 4D-CT for several patients. To reduce uncertainties introduced by the 4D-CT scan, we conveniently treated data using artificial neural networks. More precisely, our approach consists in a data augmentation technique. The data resulting from this processing step are then used to build a training set for another artificial neural network that learns the lung motion. To improve the learning accuracy, we have studied the number of phases required to precisely describe the displacement of each point. Thus, from 1118 points scattered across 5 patients and defined over 8 or 10 phases, we obtained 5800 points of 50 phases. After training, the network is used to compute the positions of 40 points from five other patients on 10 phases. These points allow to quantify the prediction performance. In comparison with the original data, the ones issued from our treatment process provide a significant increase of the prediction accuracy: an average improvement of 16% can be observed. The motion computed for several points by the neural network that has learnt the lung one exhibits an hysteresis near the one given by the 4D-CT, with an error smaller than 1 mm in the cranio-caudal axis

Le problème de Helmoltz pour des obstacles peu réguliers

The classical Helmholtz model for wakes behind an obstacle in perfect fluid mechanics boils down in complex analysis into a Riemann problem with free boundary, the free boundary being the wake and being such that the Riemann map parametrizes it as arclength parametrization. We generalize a method due to Coifman and Meyer [CM] to solve this problem for a class of non-smooth obstacles

Self-adaptive systems requirements modelling: Four related approaches comparison

International audience—When developing Self Adaptive Systems (SAS), their highly adaptiveness has to be taken into account as early as the requirements elicitation. Because such systems modify their behaviour at run-time in response to changing environmental conditions, Non Functional Requirements (NFR's) play an impor-tant role. One has to identify as early as possible the requirements that are adaptable. Because of the inherent uncertainty in these systems, goal based approaches can help in the development of their requirements. In order to cope with this purpose, we have defined a combined approach based on several requirements modelling techniques. In this paper we use a common case study and well defined comparison criteria to illustrate the way those techniques can benefit from each other. This submission is a synthesis and hence make some reference of more specific requirements models submissions. I. INTRODUCTION This paper aims at studying the differences and potential combination of 4 different requirements' modelling tech-niques: KAOS [8], a goal-based approach (detailed in sec-tion II-B), SYSML [5], a general purpose system modelling notation (detailed in section II-C), SYSML/KAOS a combi-nation of KAOS and SYSML (detailed in section II-D) and RELAX [6] a dedicated language for adaptive systems. We have taken the opportunity of the CMA@RE workshop in order to compare those techniques that were chosen to provide the best approach to deal with the specificities of Self-Adaptive Systems requirements. In section II we describe the context in which this study has been conducted, as well as the minimum of background needed to understand the models; in section III we provide the different requirements models we have developed for the bCMS case study; in section IV we provide our inputs to the defined comparison criteria; and we analyse the results of the parallel efforts; and finally in section V we conclude this study

La condensation de l'information

International audienceCe texte présente les programmes de recherche du CILN, sur la contraction de texte, les langages documentaires et la codification économique du langage

Recommendations for the application and follow-up of quality controls in medical laboratories

This is a translation of the paper “Recommendations for the application and follow-up of quality controls in medical biology laboratories” published in French in the journal Annales de Biologie Clinique (Recommandations pour la mise en place et le suivi des contrôles de qualité dans les laboratoires de biologie médicale. Ann Biol Clin (Paris). 2019;77:577-97.). The recommendations proposed in this document are the result of work conducted jointly by the Network of Accredited Medical Laboratories (LABAC), the French Society of Medical Biology (SFBC) and the Federation of Associations for External Quality Assessment (FAEEQ). The different steps of the implementation of quality controls, based on a risk analysis, are described. The changes of reagent or internal quality control (IQC) materials batches, the action to be taken in case of non-conform IQC results, the choice of external quality assessment (EQA) scheme and interpretation of their results as well as the new issue of analyses performed on several automatic systems available in the same laboratory are discussed. Finally, the concept of measurement uncertainty, the robustness of the methods as well as the specificities of near-patient testing and rapid tests are described. These recommendations cannot apply for all cases we can find in medical laboratories. The implementation of an objective alternative strategy, supported with documented evidence, might be equally considered

Les référents du littéraire

Le processus de création littéraire, qu'essaie d'appréhender l'étude de l'arrière-texte, met en jeu un triple rapport : au monde extérieur, théâtre de nos vies individuelles et collectives, au monde intérieur des pensées conscientes ou inconscientes, aux œuvres littéraires ou artistiques qui font jouer ensemble ces deux mondes. Dès lors se repose la question du ou plutôt des référents, cette catégorie hétérogène étant envisagée ici sur un mode pluriel. L’espace – géographique, psychique, sémiotique – pourrait être la notion aidant à concevoir l’articulation de cette pluralité à l’œuvre dans la relation littéraire