Context.Optical long-baseline interferometry is moving a crucial step forward with the advent of general-user scientific instruments that equip large aperture and hectometric baseline facilities, ...such as the Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI). Aims.AMBER is one of the VLTI instruments that combines up to three beams with low, moderate and high spectral resolutions in order to provide milli-arcsecond spatial resolution for compact astrophysical sources in the near-infrared wavelength domain. Its main specifications are based on three key programs on young stellar objects, active galactic nuclei central regions, masses, and spectra of hot extra-solar planets. Methods.These key science goals led to scientific specifications, which were used to propose and then validate the instrument concept. AMBER uses single-mode fibers to filter the entrance signal and to reach highly accurate, multiaxial three-beam combination, yielding three baselines and a closure phase, three spectral dispersive elements, and specific self-calibration procedures. Results.The AMBER measurements yield spectrally dispersed calibrated visibilities, color-differential complex visibilities, and a closure phase allows astronomers to contemplate rudimentary imaging and highly accurate visibility and phase differential measurements. AMBER was installed in 2004 at the Paranal Observatory. We describe here the present implementation of the instrument in the configuration with which the astronomical community can access it. Conclusions.After two years of commissioning tests and preliminary observations, AMBER has produced its first refereed publications, allowing assessment of its scientific potential.
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Objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) became a national exam at the end of medical studies in France. The aim of this study was to identify the predictive factors for success at OSCEs.
...Aurvey query after the OSCEs was completed by fifth-year medicine students at Rouen Uuniversity.. Data on continuous variables were compared using the Mann-Whitney test. Data on quantitative variables were compared using the Spearman's correlation.
Two hundred and thirty-nine students, i.e., 98.7 % of the students, responded to the query. The median (IQR 25-75) OSCE score was 13.6/20 (12.5-14.2). Students' personal factors significantly associated with a higher OSCE performance were female sex (median score of 13.7 versus 13.4; P=0.03) and good health during the clerkship (median score of 13.6 versus 12.6; P=0.02). A higher OSCE performance was associated with an increased number (≥6) of medicine clerkships (median score of 13.8 versus 13.3; P=0.02) and a decreased number (<3) of surgery clerkships (median score of 13.7 versus 12.9; P=0.009). There was no correlation between the OSCE score and medical school performance (Spearman's correlation, r=0.24).
Homogenization of student's clerkships, assistance to students with health problems seem to be teaching approaches to promote success at OSCEs.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Avec la réforme des études médicales, les examens cliniques objectifs et structurés (ECOS) deviennent un examen national. L’objectif de ce travail est d’identifier les facteurs, intrinsèques et ...extrinsèques à l’étudiant, associés à la réussite aux ECOS.
Un questionnaire nominatif a été distribué après l’épreuve d’ECOS (4 stations) aux étudiants en deuxième année du diplôme de formation approfondie en sciences médicales à Rouen (2020–2021). Le critère de jugement principal était une modification statistiquement significative de la note médiane aux ECOS selon les différents facteurs étudiés (facteurs qualitatifs par le test de Mann-Whitney et quantitatifs par le coefficient de corrélation de Spearman).
Deux cent trente-neuf étudiants (98,7 %) ont répondu au questionnaire. La note médiane (IQR 25–75) aux ECOS était de 13,6/20 (12,5–14,2). Les facteurs intrinsèques significativement associés à une meilleure réussite aux ECOS étaient le sexe féminin (13,7 versus 13,4 ; p=0,03) et l’absence de problème de santé pendant l’externat (13,6 versus 12,6 ; p=0,02). Les facteurs extrinsèques identifiés étaient la réalisation d’un nombre de stages d’externat dans une spécialité médicale élevé (≥6) (13,8 versus 13,3 ; p=0,02) et un nombre bas dans une spécialité chirurgicale (<3) (13,7 versus 12,9 ; p=0,009). Nous n’avons pas observé de corrélation entre la réussite aux ECOS et la réussite pour l’année universitaire (coefficient de Spearman, r=0,24).
Une homogénéisation des stages, un accompagnement des étudiants au parcours de santé complexe semblent être des pistes pédagogiques pour favoriser la réussite aux ECOS.
Objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) became a national exam at the end of medical studies in France. The aim of this study was to identify the predictive factors for success at OSCEs.
Aurvey query after the OSCEs was completed by fifth-year medicine students at Rouen Uuniversity.. Data on continuous variables were compared using the Mann-Whitney test. Data on quantitative variables were compared using the Spearman's correlation.
Two hundred and thirty-nine students, i.e., 98.7 % of the students, responded to the query. The median (IQR 25–75) OSCE score was 13.6/20 (12.5–14.2). Students’ personal factors significantly associated with a higher OSCE performance were female sex (median score of 13.7 versus 13.4; P=0.03) and good health during the clerkship (median score of 13.6 versus 12.6; P=0.02). A higher OSCE performance was associated with an increased number (≥6) of medicine clerkships (median score of 13.8 versus 13.3; P=0.02) and a decreased number (<3) of surgery clerkships (median score of 13.7 versus 12.9; P=0.009). There was no correlation between the OSCE score and medical school performance (Spearman's correlation, r=0.24).
Homogenization of student's clerkships, assistance to students with health problems seem to be teaching approaches to promote success at OSCEs.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
This study was designed to determine the precision and accuracy of anthropometric measurements using three-dimensional computed tomography (3D-CT) volume rendering by computer systems for ...craniofacial clinical applications, and to compare the craniometric landmarks using bone and soft tissue protocols.
The study population consisted of 13 cadaver heads that were examined with spiral CT. The archived CT data were transferred to a workstation, and 3D-CT volume rendered images were generated using computer graphics tools. Linear measurements (n = 10), based upon conventional craniometric anatomical landmarks (n = 08), were identified in 2D-CT and in 3D-CT images by two radiologists twice each independently, and then performed by 3D-CT imaging using a computer graphics systems using bone and soft tissue protocols. In total, 520 imaging measurements were made. The soft tissues were subsequently removed from the cadaver heads and the measurements were repeated using an electromagnetic 3 Space trade mark digitizer.
The results demonstrated no statistically significant difference between interobserver and intraobserver measurements or between imaging and physical measurements in both 3D-CT protocols. The standard error was found to be between 0.45% and 1.44% for all the measurements in both protocols, indicating a high level of precision. Furthermore, there was no statistically significant difference between imaging and physical measurements (P > 0.01). The error between the mean actual and mean 3D-based linear measurements was 0.83% for bone and 1.78% for soft tissue measurements, demonstrating high accuracy of both 3D-CT protocols.
3D-CT volume rendering images using craniometric measurements can be used for anthropological studies involving craniofacial applications.
Hippocampal Atrophy in Recurrent Major Depression Sheline, Yvette I.; Wang, Po W.; Gado, Mokhtar H. ...
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS,
04/1996, Volume:
93, Issue:
9
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Open access
Hippocampal volumes of subjects with a history of major depressive episodes but currently in remission and with no known medical comorbidity were compared to matched normal controls by using ...volumetric magnetic resonance images. Subjects with a history of major depression had significantly smaller left and right hippocampal volumes with no differences in total cerebral volumes. The degree of hippocampal volume reduction correlated with total duration of major depression. In addition, large (diameter ≥ 4.5 mm)-hippocampal low signal foci (LSF) were found within the hippocampus, and their number also correlated with the total number of days depressed. These results suggest that depression is associated with hippocampal atrophy, perhaps due to a progressive process mediated by glucocorticoid neurotoxicity.
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Modalities like optical, CT, MR, PET/SPECT and US are used separately, but can be combined. Multimodality imaging is necessary when the results of two (or more) modalities differ, and each does ...something useful but not everything that's required. We will consider several practical examples: residual or recurrent tumor after treatment, eloquent cortex in the brain when a lesion is nearby, drug effect in situ — especially for cytostatic agents, control of thermal ablation, vulnerable plaque, evaluation of gene therapy, and assessment of revascularization benefits depending on tissue viability. All of these scenarios can be detected in one modality, where another provides a morphologic reference useful for guiding therapy.
Not only are imaging modalities synergistic, but their performance can be altered and utility extended using exogenous agents, such as contrast media, radiopharmaceuticals, and other targeted compounds with desirable in vivo biological and physical characteristics. Optimizing the combination of modalities, agents, data acquisition, image reconstruction, visualization and analysis can be challenging, but may provide unique capabilities that no single technique could offer.
We will evaluate the state‐of‐the‐art for combining modalities in animals and show how this could translate to clinical practice, recognizing the impediments of cost, complexity, reliability, crosstalk, and safety/regulatory restrictions. The need and potential for multimodality techniques and systems already far exceeds what's currently available, so we can identify some unsolved problems where the benefits are not yet available.
Educational Objectives
1. To understand the synergy between modalities (optical, CT, MR, PET/SPECT, US), contrast agents or tracer compounds, and post‐processing image analysis that provides multimodality and multidimensional capability.
2. To provide examples of how multimodality/multidimensional imaging can solve clinical problems in diseases of the brain, cardiovascular system, cancer, and for regenerative medicine.
3. To identify several unsolved problems where multimodality/multidimensional imaging may provide clinically useful solutions.
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Les anticorps anti-peptides-cycliques-citrullinées (anti-CCP) sont des biomarqueurs fiables pour caractériser les patients atteints de polyarthrite rhumatoïde (PR). Des études ont montré que leur ...positivité pouvait influencer la réponse aux biomédicaments. L’objectif de notre étude était de déterminer si le titre des anti-CCP à l’introduction du traitement est prédictif de rémission chez les patients traités par abatacept, inhibiteurs du facteur de nécrose tumorale alpha (anti-TNF-α) ou tocilizumab.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Parasitic protozoa of the genus Leishmania infect mammalian mononuclear phagocytic cells causing a potentially fatal disease with a broad spectrum of clinical manifestations. The drugs of choice used ...in the leishmaniasis therapy are significantly toxic, expensive and faced with a growing frequency of refractory infections. Thus the search for new leishmanicidal compounds is urgently required. In order to perform a proper drug design and to understand the modes of action of such compounds it is necessary to elucidate the intricate cellular and molecular events that orchestrate the parasite biology. In order to invade the host cell Leishmania are able to recruit different surface receptors which may assist engaging the microbicidal responses. In the intracellular milieu these pathogens can deactivate and/or subvert the phagocyte signal transduction machinery rendering these cells permissive to infection. In the present review we attempted to approach some of the most relevant cellular and biochemical invasion and evasion strategies employed by Leishmania parasites.
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