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The present study investigates the formation of sting-jet cyclones using an idealized configuration of a high-resolution mesoscale numerical model. The initial set-up is composed of axisymmetric finite-amplitude synoptic-scale cyclones added to a baroclinic zonal jet. When the surface cyclone is initialized on the warm-air side of the zonal jet, a strong bent-back warm front forms, which is a favourable condition for sting jets. A rather high vertical resolution of about 200 m in the lower troposphere is required to obtain well-formed slantwise circulations near the cloud head and to make the distinction between cold-conveyor-belt jet and sting jet. In contrast, when the surface cyclone is initialized on the jet axis, the surface cyclone is more representative of the Norwegian cyclone model and the bent-back warm front is almost non-existent. Sting-jet mechanisms are analyzed using backward Lagrangian trajectories. A minority group of air parcels entering the sting-jet region undergoes diabatic cooling due to sublimation of snow and graupel. The majority group does not present such a diabatic cooling and corresponds to descending air masses from the cloud-head region in a near-neutral environment with respect to conditional symmetric instability. Indeed, the saturated moist potential vorticity is near zero and the momentum surfaces and saturated moist isentropes are quasi-parallel in the main slantwise descent. The latter descent is shown to be geostrophically forced by the strong divergent component of the along-front Q vector. Boundary-layer processes are also analyzed. In most areas, the static stability being strong, there is no penetration of descents coming from the sting jet into the boundary layer and the peaks in surface wind gusts are connected to intrinsic boundary-layer convective cells and parametrized turbulence. Such a penetration occurs in some areas but is not related to the strongest wind gusts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Idealized simulations of deep moist convection are performed with the Meso-NH model at kilometric scales to assess the impact of the horizontal grid spacing (4 km, 2 km, 1 km and 500 m) and turbulence scheme (one-dimensional (T1D) versus three-dimensional (T3D) turbulence). The simulations generate one cell which splits into two convective systems: a leftward-moving multicellular system and a rightward-moving supercell. Objective criteria based on statistical properties and bulk quantities are examined for both systems to characterize the convection. They show that the accumulated rainfall and corresponding surface area increase with increasing resolution, as does the area covered by the updraughts, while the 90th quantile of the intensity of updraught cores decreases. The 4 km horizontal grid spacing is set apart, as it clearly under-resolves the convective motions, but the difference between 2 and 1 km horizontal resolutions is larger than between 1 km and 500 m, suggesting the beginning of convergence at 500 m. Also, 1 km appears to represent the deep convective structures more correctly than 2 km for a practical weather forecast of organized convective systems. T3D induces more mixing and enhances the microphysical processes compared with T1D, producing larger amounts of cloud cover and precipitation. Also, the magnitude of the pressure anomaly on the southeastern flank of the supercell is stronger, accentuating the path curvature. The difference between T1D and T3D becomes perceptible at 2 km, pointing out the necessity to deal with horizontal turbulent fluxes at kilometric resolutions. Although a stronger numerical diffusion added to T1D allows the necessary damping to be introduced at the spectral energy tail, it removes a part of the physical mixing and still misses some variance at larger scales. The ratio between resolved and total turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) decreases with increasing resolution for both T1D and T3D, which is unexpected. The main explanation is insufficient turbulent mixing inside convective clouds, more pronounced at coarser resolution, which is also confirmed by the vertical velocity spectra. At 500 m horizontal resolution, the subgrid TKE is mainly due to dynamical processes, with maxima located at the upper level of the convective systems in areas of stronger potential temperatures associated with downdraughts. However, thermal production is mostly negative, underlying the lack of entrainment at the cloud edges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kinetic energy (KE) spectra are applied to evaluate two convection-permitting models: the AROME numerical weather prediction operational model and the Meso-NH research model, that share the same physics and differ only in the dynamics (semi-Lagrangian semi-implicit versus Eulerian explicit schemes). A first analysis of AROME spectra for winter and summer seasons shows that the model-derived spectra match the observational spectra well, including the transition between k−3 and k−5/3 regimes. The vertical distribution of the spectra is coherent with previous observational and numerical studies and the diurnal cycle has a strong impact on the amount of KE in the mesoscale during summer. A comparative analysis of KE spectra for both models is then performed on a real case of individual convective cells that developed over plains, during the afternoon of 11 April 2007, characterized by a strong cold air outflow in the low levels. AROME spectra are characterized by a coarser effective resolution than Meso-NH, even without explicit diffusion, revealing the impact of the implicit diffusion of the semi-implicit semi-Lagrangian scheme used in AROME. For large time steps, the damping increases and can be attributed preferentially to the SI part of the SISL (semi-implicit semi-Lagrangian) formulation. Adiabatic runs show that the transition to a shallow mesoscale regime is still apparent even if the mesoscale KE variance strongly depends on the presence of the physical processes. Effective resolution of Meso-NH remains around 4-6Δ x for horizontal grid spacings between 2.5 km and 250 m. The effects of subgrid mixing schemes are also investigated with Meso-NH at 500 m horizontal grid spacing in the grey zone for turbulence, illustrating the difficulty in finding a good equilibrium between resolved and subgrid mixing at this scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Midlatitude cyclogenesis is currently often explained as resulting from the baroclinic instability of a jet flow. The present formulation of the theory, essentially resulting from the deep revision performed by Farrell, associates incipient cyclones with amplifying singular vectors of a linear propagator operator obtained by linearizing the relevant model equations (balanced or not) about a trajectory representing the jet flow alone. A major difficulty for transposing the theoretical framework to a real case, and then opening the way to quantitative verifications of the theory, is this separation of an actual realization of cyclogenesis into the cyclone as a perturbation on one side and its environment on the other. A methodology to obtain such a separation in a reasonably objective and dynamically consistent way is presented. It enables obtaining two diabatic primitive equation solutions about the 26 December 1999 intense storm, one that has the event and the other that has most of the characteristics of the exceptional baroclinic environment of that case, except the storm itself. It is then possible to employ the theoretical framework without further approximation and to compare the predicted unstable modes with the storm representing itself as a perturbation. Two aspects of the theory are especially studied. One is a comparison of the properties of the real and predicted systems, focusing on their structures. The other deals with the idea that precursor structures, although very different from the theoretical modes, trigger the cyclogenesis by exciting these modes. It appears that the classical predictions (scales, etc.) of such a theory are, for most of them, far away from the observed properties. It is clear that the structure of a singular vector has little to share with that of a real cyclone. Yet, a weaker, slower storm does occur as a result of applying the theory to the stormless trajectory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the natural progression and the impact of temozolomide in low-grade gliomas and to correlate these changes with the profile of genetic alterations.Methods: The mean tumor diameter (MTD) of low-grade gliomas was evaluated on serial magnetic resonance images before (n = 39), during, and after (n = 107) treatment with neoadjuvant temozolomide. MTD growth curves were correlated with chromosomes 1p-19q loss and p53 overexpression in the tumors.Results: Before temozolomide onset, MTD increased linearly over time, indicating a continuous growth that was significantly slower in 1p-19q deleted tumors (3.4 vs 5.9mm/year; p = 0.0016) and in tumors that did not overexpress p53 (4.2 vs 6.3mm/year; p = 0.05). During temozolomide treatment, almost all patients (92%) experienced initial decrease of MTD. Subsequently, some tumors started to resume growth despite continuous administration of temozolomide, with a lower rate of relapse in 1p-19q deleted tumors (16.6 vs 58%; p = 0.0004) and in tumors that did not overexpress p53 (26 vs 68%; p = 0.003). When temozolomide was discontinued in the absence of tumor progression, a majority of tumors resumed their progressive growth within a year.Interpretation: Untreated low-grade gliomas grow continuously at a rate that is influenced by the genetic alterations of the tumors. Temozolomide reverses this pattern at the onset, but this effect is often brief in patients whose tumors overexpress p53 and do not harbor the 1p-19q codeletion, suggesting acquired chemoresistance. A majority of tumors will resume their growth when treatment is discontinued, raising the issue of the optimal duration of treatment in continuously responding patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is generally thought that the various third-order Raman spectroscopic techniques are equivalent to spontaneous Raman scattering, even when inhomogeneous broadening is present. Experimental observations show that certain of these techniques are complementary in certain cases. We give here the simple explanation for this complementarity. © 2002 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Onasemnogene abeparvovec gene replacement therapy (GT) has changed the prognosis of patients with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) with variable outcome regarding motor development in symptomatic patients. This pilot study evaluates acceptability, validity and clinical relevance of Inertial Measurement Units (IMU) to monitor spontaneous movement recovery in early onset SMA patients after GT. Methods: Clinical assessments including CHOPINTEND score (the gold standard motor score for infants with SMA) and IMU measurements were performed before (M0) and repeatedly after GT. Inertial data was recorded during a 25-min spontaneous movement task, the child lying on the back, without (10 min) and with a playset (15 min) wearing IMUs. Two commonly used parameters, norm acceleration 95th centile (||A||_95) and counts per minute (||A||_CPM) were computed for each wrist, elbow and foot sensors. Results: 23 SMA-patients were included (mean age at diagnosis 8 months [min 2, max 20], 19 SMA type 1, three type 2 and one presymptomatic) and 104 IMU-measurements were performed, all well accepted by families and 84/104 with a good child participation (evaluated with Brazelton scale). ||A||_95 and ||A||_CPM showed high internal consistency (without versus with a playset) with interclass correlation coefficient for the wrist sensors of 0.88 and 0.85 respectively and for the foot sensors of 0.93 and 0.91 respectively. ||A||_95 and ||A||_CPM were strongly correlated with CHOPINTEND (r for wrist sensors 0.74 and 0.67 respectively and for foot sensors 0.61 and 0.68 respectively, p-values < 0.001). ||A||_95 for the foot, the wrist, the elbow sensors and ||A||_CPM for the foot, the wrist, the elbow sensors increased significantly between baseline and the 12 months follow-up visit (respective p-values: 0.004, < 0.001, < 0.001, 0.006, < 0.001, < 0.001). Conclusion: IMUs were well accepted, consistent, concurrently valid, responsive and associated with unaided sitting acquisition especially for the elbow sensors. This study is the first reporting a large set of inertial sensor derived data after GT in SMA patients and paves the way for IMU-based follow-up of SMA patients after treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Experimental study of the change δα in the absorption spectrum due to a static electric field is reported for very small CdSSe crystallites. We observe oscillations of δα as a function of the wavelength, which are well explained as a Stark effect for the quantized electronic levels. A perturbation calculation is performed, which gives good theoretical fits of the experimental curves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using coherent anti-Stokes Raman and linear absorption spectroscopy we present experimental evidence for a novel electron trapping mechanism in Sm doped CaF2. The appearance of additional Raman lines after ionization of the Sm2+ ions, their dependence on the Sm3+ concentration and their behavior due to an enhancement by the lowest 4f→5d transition of Sm2+, support strongly that electrons can be trapped by dimers or trimers of Sm3+ ions in a CaF2 lattice. The resulting color change is reversible due to a possible reionization of the traps, rendering this material photochromic. © 1996 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Inclusion of brain tumour patients in oncological protocols may be hampered by their neurological impairment. The goal of this study was to assess the reliability of Karnofsky Performance Scale (KPS) and WHO Performance Scale (WHO-PS) scores in this population. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted through the Association des Neuro-Oncologues d'Expression Française (ANOCEF) and European Neuro-Oncology Association (EANO) networks. Clinicians were asked to write a text defining their operative definition of a patient with ≥ 70 KPS and to assess KPS and WHO-PS in six different clinical case vignettes. Results: Two hundred seventy-six clinicians sent a response. The operative definition mentioned a normal life (89%), what patients were able (26%) or unable (29%) to do, normal cognitive processing (8%) and caregivers (6%). Older physicians mentioned more often what patients were unable to do (p = 0.005). The two scales were homogeneous in less severely handicapped patients only. More patients were excluded for hemiplegia than for expressive aphasia. Older physicians significantly excluded more patients for KPS and WHO-PS. Speciality of the physician significantly influenced scoring. On multivariable analysis, age and speciality of the physicians were correlated with KPS and WHO-PS rating even if adjusted on cases. Discordant scoring increased with severity of the deficit: in nearly all cases, the KPS would have denied, while WHO-PS would have allowed, access to a trial. Conclusion: Performance scores assigned to brain tumour patients are clinician and score dependant. WHO-PS would allow more access to a trial. Specific criteria should be developed for patients with neurological deficits to facilitate their access to trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Anti-Hu antibodies (Hu-Ab) and anti-CV2/CRMP5 antibodies (CV2/CRMP5-Ab) have been identified in association with paraneoplastic neurological disorders. However, it is not clear whether these antibodies are associated with specific neurological symptoms or are only markers of anti-cancer immune reaction.Methods: To address this question, 37 patients with CV2/CRMP5-Ab and 324 patients with Hu-Ab were compared.Results: Whereas the age and sex ratio were the same between the two groups, the distribution of neurological symptoms was not. Patients with CV2/CRMP5-Ab presented more frequently cerebellar ataxia, chorea, uveo/retinal symptoms and myasthenic syndrome (Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome LEMS or myasthenia gravis). They also had a better Rankin score. In contrast, dysautonomia, brainstem encephalitis and peripheral neuropathy were more frequent in patients with Hu-Ab. Limbic encephalitis occurred similarly in both groups. Small-cell lung cancer was the most frequently associated tumour in both groups of patients, while malignant thymoma was observed only in patients with CV2/CRMP5-Ab. In particular, patients with CV2/CRMP5-Ab and thymoma developed myasthenic syndrome more frequently, while patients with SCLC developed neuropathies more frequently. Chorea and myasthenic syndrome were only seen in patients with CV2/CRMP5-Ab. The median survival time was significantly longer in patients with CV2/CRMP5-Ab, and this effect was not dependent on the type of tumour.Interpretation: The data demonstrate that in patients with paraneoplastic neurological syndromes, the neurological symptoms and survival vary with both the type of associated onco-neural antibody and the type of tumour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Le suivi longitudinal des patients atteints d’arthrose de hanche et de genou nécessite des méthodes de quantification de la boîterie utilisables en consultation clinique. Le but était de réaliser une étude exploratoire afin de déterminer si une mesure de la boîterie à partir de capteurs inertiels et une analyse de bas niveau du signal pouvait révéler des paramètres de marche corrélés à la sévérité clinique de l’arthrose, elle-même évaluée avec l’indice de WOMAC. Matériel et méthodes Quarante-huit patients arthrosiques ont formé 2 groupes de sévérité (G1, G2) séparés par la médiane du WOMAC. Douze sujets sains appariés en âge ont formé le groupe témoin (G0). L’exercice consistait à marcher 10 m aller/retour à vitesse de confort avec quatre capteurs inertiels attachés à la tête, à la ceinture et aux deux pieds. Soixante paramètres correspondant à la moyenne et à la déviation standard des normes des signaux d’accélération et de vitesse angulaire ont été calculés. Un paramètre était « discriminant » si les différences étaient significatives entre tous les groupes de patients. Résultats Au total, quatre paramètres étaient discriminants : la moyenne et l’écart-type de la norme de l’accélération dans le plan horizontal du pied controlatéral (valeur de p respectivement : G2 vs G0 < 0,0001, G2 vs G1 = 0,013, G2 vs G0 = 0,011 ; G2 vs G0 < 0,0001, G2 vs G1 = 0,026, G2 vs G0 = 0,010) et ipsilatéral à la lésion arthrosique (G2 vs G0 < 0,0001, G2 vs G1 = 0,0004, G2 vs G0 = 0,002 ; G2 vs G0 < 0,0001, G2 vs G1 = 0,001, G2 vs G0 = 0,001). Sur la tête et le pelvis, aucun paramètre n’était discriminant. Discussion–conclusion Un accéléromètre sur le pied ipsilatéral constitue un complément objectif et chiffré à la consultation clinique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radiation therapy (RT) is one of the main treatments administered to patients with cancer. The development of technology has improved RT accuracy by allowing more precise delivery of high doses to the target volumes with reduced exposure of healthy tissue. Life expectancy has increased due to these therapeutic advancements and the patients' quality of life remains a major concern. The adverse events related to RT are quite various and most likely will impair essential neurological functions, e.g. cognitive status. This literature review aims to describe the physiopathological processes, the neurological symptoms as well as the local modifications observed in magnetic resonance imaging following RT. The specific therapeutic options and preventive actions will also be discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Anti-Hu antibodies (Hu-Ab) and anti-CV2/CRMP5 antibodies (CV2/CRMP5-Ab) have been identified in association with paraneoplastic neurological disorders. However, it is not clear whether these antibodies are associated with specific neurological symptoms or are only markers of anti-cancer immune reaction. Methods: To address this question, 37 patients with CV2/CRMP5-Ab and 324 patients with Hu-Ab were compared. Results: Whereas the age and sex ratio were the same between the two groups, the distribution of neurological symptoms was not. Patients with CV2/CRMP5-Ab presented more frequently cerebellar ataxia, chorea, uveo/retinal symptoms and myasthenic syndrome (Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome LEMS or myasthenia gravis). They also had a better Rankin score. In contrast, dysautonomia, brainstem encephalitis and peripheral neuropathy were more frequent in patients with Hu-Ab. Limbic encephalitis occurred similarly in both groups. Small-cell lung cancer was the most frequently associated tumour in both groups of patients, while malignant thymoma was observed only in patients with CV2/CRMP5-Ab. In particular, patients with CV2/CRMP5-Ab and thymoma developed myasthenic syndrome more frequently, while patients with SCLC developed neuropathies more frequently. Chorea and myasthenic syndrome were only seen in patients with CV2/CRMP5-Ab. The median survival time was significantly longer in patients with CV2/CRMP5-Ab, and ths effect was not dependent on the type of tumour. Interpretation: The data demonstrate that in patients with paraneoplastic neurological syndromes, the neurological symptoms and survival vary with both the type of associated onco-neural antibody and the type of tumour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Biopsychosocial determinants of VSM performance in pathway learning differ according to space • Mental rotation and fatigue are associate with VSM performance in reaching space • Mental rotation and physical activity are associate with VSM performance in walking space Visuospatial memory (VSM) performance depends on intrinsic (biopsychosocial parameters) and extrinsic (space) factors. We aimed at characterizing the determinants of VSM performance according to space. Young healthy adults, 20 males and 41 females (23 ± 3 years old), were assessed for VSM performance through a pathway learning task, in reaching (eCorsi Block Tapping task) and walking space (Virtual Walking Corsi Task). We evaluated psychosocial factors through seven questionnaires – Epworth Sleepiness Scale, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Fatigue Severity Scale, Profile of the Mood States, 2nd edition, short version, Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations, Measurement of Ambiguity Tolerance, Motives for Physical Activities Measure-Revised, mental rotation capabilities and locomotor characteristics (physical activity level through embedded trackers and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, and gait parameters). The most explanatory biopsychosocial determinants of VSM performance were i) mental rotation capabilities and fatigue indicator in reaching space, and ii) mental rotation capabilities and physical activity level (tracked active energy expenditure only) in walking space. These results suggest that specific parameters should be preferred for the evaluation and strengthening of VSM capabilities in both reaching or walking spaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this prospective dosimetric study was to assess the dose distribution regarding the brain areas implied in cognitive functions using two approaches: volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) and helical tomotherapy (HT). Thirty-seven patients were treated using a dual-arc VMAT approach for supratentorial glioblastoma between 2016 and 2018. The total dose of 60 Gy in 30 daily fractions was administered to the planning target volume (PTV). The brain structures that play an important role in cognitive physiology, such as the hippocampi, corpus callosum, cerebellum, subventricular zones (SVZ), were delineated. For each patient, a new treatment plan in HT was determined by a second medical physicist in a blindly fashion according to the same dose constraints and priorities. Statistical analyses were performed using the Wilcoxon-signed rank test. Conformity indexes remained similar with both techniques. The mean values were 0.96 (0.19–1.00) for VMAT and 0.98 (range, 0.84–1.00) for HT, respectively (P = 0.73). Significant D 50% reductions were observed with VMAT compared to HT: 14.6 Gy (3.8–28.0) versus 17.4 Gy (12.1–25.0) for the normal brain (P = 0.014); 32.5 Gy (10.3–60.0) versus 35.6 Gy (17.1–58.0) for the corpus callosum (P = 0.038); 8.1 Gy (0.4–34.0) versus 12.8 Gy (0.8–27.0) for the cerebellum (P < 0.001), respectively. The VMAT approach seemed to improve the sparing of the key brain areas implied in cognitive functions without jeopardizing PTV coverage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using time-resolved techniques, absorption recovery, and degenerate four-wave mixing, we directly observe the nonexponential intensity-dependent recombination of free carriers photoexcited in semiconductor-doped glasses. We assign this behavior to Auger recombination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atmospheric physics is represented in numerical models by parameterizations that use resolved‐scale information to estimate the effects of physical processes on the atmospheric state. Over time, our understanding of these processes improves, new techniques are introduced to represent physics in a numerical model, and increased resolution changes the relative importance of different parameterizations within the system. As a result, the physical parameterization packages of numerical weather prediction (NWP) models undergo regular updates as older schemes are replaced with newer ones that offer an improved, and often more complex, depiction of relevant physical processes. Such changes are typically combined with a rebalancing of the physics suite because of strong interactions between parameterization schemes and the presence of compensating errors in the system. In this study, a major update to the package of physical parameterizations used in Canadian operational NWP is introduced. The primary goals of this effort were to improve the global energy budget and to facilitate an increase in the vertical resolution of operational configurations. Both of these objectives were achieved, along with a significant improvement in guidance quality for global and regional prediction systems. Key Points: An updated suite of parameterizations for atmospheric physics is developed for Canadian NWPRepresentation of the global energy budget is improved in the model climatologySignificant improvements in guidance quality are seen in upper‐air, surface, and precipitation scores [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Glioblastomas (GBMs) induce a peritumoural vasogenic oedema impairing functional status and quality of life. Steroids reduce brain tumour–related oedema but are associated with numerous side-effects. It was reported in a retrospective series that angiotensin receptor blockers might be associated with reduced peritumoural oedema. The ASTER study is a randomised, placebo-controlled trial to assess whether or not the addition of Losartan to standard of care (SOC) can reduce steroid requirement during radiotherapy (RT) in patients with newly diagnosed GBM. Patients and methods Patients with a histologically confirmed GBM after biopsy or partial surgical resection were randomised between Losartan or placebo in addition to SOC with RT and temozolomide (TMZ). The primary objective was to investigate the steroid dosage required to control brain oedema on the last day of RT in each arm. The secondary outcomes were steroids dosage 1 month after the end of RT, assessment of cerebral oedema on magnetic resonance imaging, tolerance and survival. Results Seventy-five patients were randomly assigned to receive Losartan (37 patients) or placebo (38 patients). No difference in the steroid dosage required to control brain oedema on the last day of RT, or one month after completion of RT, was seen between both arms. The incidence of adverse events was similar in both arms. Median overall survival was similar in both arms. Conclusions Losartan, although well tolerated, does not reduce the steroid requirement in newly diagnosed GBM patients treated with concomitant RT and TMZ. Trial registration number NCT01805453 with ClinicalTrials.gov. Highlights • A reduced steroid requirement in patients taking angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) was reported in a retrospective series. • This randomised trial was designed to assess if the addition of ARBs (Losartan) to standard of care can reduce steroid requirement in patients with de novo GBM. • ARBs did not show any impact on steroid requirements during radiotherapy in this trial. A trend towards reduction of peritumoural oedema on magnetic resonance imaging over time was seen but did not reach statistical significance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background:Charcot Marie Tooth (CMT) disease is the most common form of hereditary neuropathy. Due to the high prevalence of mild and undiagnosed forms, patients with CMT disease may be exposed to severe neurotoxicity following the administration of neurotoxic chemotherapies. The aim of this report is to alert oncologists to the potential to precipitate severe irreversible peripheral neuropathies when administering neurotoxic compounds to undiagnosed CMT patients. Material and methods:A retrospective research in the OncoNeuroTox database was performed (2010–2016), searching for patients with the diagnosis of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) and CMT disease. A comprehensive literature review for previously published cases was performed using the Pubmed and Cochrane databases (1972–2017). Results:Among 428 patients with CIPN, we identified eight patients with concomitant CMT disease. Seven patients out of the eight had no previous diagnosis of CMT disease, although accurate familial history disclosed mild signs of peripheral neuropathy in five cases. Patients themselves had minor stigmata of long-standing peripheral damage. Patients received chemotherapy regimens based on vinca alkaloids, taxanes or a combination of vinca alkaloids and platinum compounds. In two cases, cumulative doses were below or equal to the expected neurotoxic threshold. Following chemotherapy administration, patients developed severe length-dependent sensory-motor deficits. Despite early drug discontinuation, most patients remained severely disabled. Conclusion:A brief checklist to disclose long-standing signs of peripheral neuropathy could be helpful to detect patients with undiagnosed hereditary neuropathies who could be at risk of developing severe irreversible neurotoxicity following the administration of neurotoxic agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the issue of turbulence representation in the 'grey zone' at a sub-kilometric scale (500 m) and analyses the sensitivity of the simulated convective systems, their mesoscale environments and their triggering mechanisms. Special attention is paid to a case of heavy precipitation (IOP16a), which occurred on 26 October 2012 and was well documented during the HyMeX SOP1. To this end, sensitivity experiments were performed with the mesoscale non-hydrostatic French model Meso-NH to investigate the impact of different mixing-length formulations at a sub-kilometric scale. The simulations succeeded in representing the observed precipitation systems and the principal mechanisms of maintenance and formation such as low-level convergence and the low-level cold pool. Spatial precipitation distribution and system evolution are fairly well reproduced with a realistic surface rainfall pattern. However the simulated environment and convective processes are highly sensitive to the formulation of the mixing length. The developing and mature stage are similarly reproduced. Nevertheless the intensity of the low-level cold pool depends on the simulation. When the mixing length is larger, sub-grid turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) is larger, and the moisture advection and the accumulation of the hydrometeor species is reduced; in this case the system is less intense with less precipitation. Conversely, when the mixing length is weaker, sub-grid TKE is weaker and winds are increased to balance this effect. The simulated convective systems are more intense associated with larger moisture advection, higher hydrometeor contents and marked low-level cold pools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For diagnosis and follow up, it is important to be able to quantify limp in an objective, and precise way adapted to daily clinical consultation. The purpose of this exploratory study was to determine if an inertial sensor-based method could provide simple features that correlate with the severity of lower limb osteoarthritis evaluated by the WOMAC index without the use of step detection in the signal processing. Forty-eight patients with lower limb osteoarthritis formed two severity groups separated by the median of the WOMAC index (G1, G2). Twelve asymptomatic age-matched control subjects formed the control group (G0). Subjects were asked to walk straight 10 meters forward and 10 meters back at self-selected walking speeds with inertial measurement units (IMU) (3-D accelerometers, 3-D gyroscopes and 3-D magnetometers) attached on the head, the lower back (L3-L4) and both feet. Sixty parameters corresponding to the mean and the root mean square (RMS) of the recorded signals on the various sensors (head, lower back and feet), in the various axes, in the various frames were computed. Parameters were defined as discriminating when they showed statistical differences between the three groups. In total, four parameters were found discriminating: mean and RMS of the norm of the acceleration in the horizontal plane for contralateral and ipsilateral foot in the doctor’s office frame. No discriminating parameter was found on the head or the lower back. No discriminating parameter was found in the sensor linked frames. This study showed that two IMUs placed on both feet and a step detection free signal processing method could be an objective and quantitative complement to the clinical examination of the physician in everyday practice. Our method provides new automatically computed parameters that could be used for the comprehension of lower limb osteoarthritis. It may not only be used in medical consultation to score patients but also to monitor the evolution of their clinical syndrome during and after rehabilitation. Finally, it paves the way for the quantification of gait in other fields such as neurology and for monitoring the gait at a patient’s home. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Both molecular profiling of tumors and longitudinal tumor size data modeling are relevant strategies to predict cancer patients' response to treatment. Herein we propose a model of tumor growth inhibition integrating a tumor's genetic characteristics (p53 mutation and 1p/19q codeletion) that successfully describes the time course of tumor size in patients with low-grade gliomas treated with first-line temozolomide chemotherapy. The model captures potential tumor progression under chemotherapy by accounting for the emergence of tissue resistance to treatment following prolonged exposure to temozolomide. Using information on individual tumors' genetic characteristics, in addition to early tumor size measurements, the model was able to predict the duration and magnitude of response, especially in those patients in whom repeated assessment of tumor response was obtained during the first 3 months of treatment. Combining longitudinal tumor size quantitative modeling with a tumor''s genetic characterization appears as a promising strategy to personalize treatments in patients with low-grade gliomas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The distribution patterns of alpine bullhead Cottus poecilopus in three tributary streams of the Rožnovská Bečva River (Danube basin) were studied with respect to temperature, oxygen concentration and saturation, shading, current, conductivity, total organic carbon ( TOC), nitrates and phosphates, biochemical oxygen demand ( BOD5), pH, redox potential, bottom grain structure, density of macroinvertebrates and the abundance of brown trout Salmo trutta. Sites with lower abundance per hectare of C. poecilopus differed significantly in dissolved oxygen saturation, density of macroinvertebrates during the autumn period (positive correlation with C. poecilopus) and in abundance per hectare of S. trutta (negative correlation). These results indicate that these factors significantly influence the distribution of this endangered species in the studied catchment and that stocking of S. trutta will impair its recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The perception of the severity and relevance of Chemotherapy Induced Peripheral Neurotoxicity (CIPN) is different for physicians and patients. This study provides the basis for a rationale use of different physician assessed scales and of European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer CIPN specific self-report questionnaire (EORTC QOL-CIPN20).Background The different perception and assessment of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neurotoxicity (CIPN) between healthcare providers and patients has not yet been fully addressed, although these two approaches might eventually lead to inconsistent, possibly conflicting interpretation, especially regarding sensory impairment. Patients and methods A cohort of 281 subjects with stable CIPN was evaluated with the National Cancer Institute—Common Toxicity Criteria (NCI-CTC v. 2.0) sensory scale, the clinical Total Neuropathy Score (TNSc©), the modified Inflammatory Neuropathy Cause and Treatment (INCAT) sensory sumscore (mISS) and the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer CIPN specific self-report questionnaire (EORTC QOL-CIPN20). Results Patients' probability estimates showed that the EORTC QLQ-CIPN20 sensory score was overall more highly related to the NCI-CTC sensory score. However, the vibration perception item of the TNSc had a higher probability to be scored 0 for EORTC QLQ-CIPN20 scores lower than 35, as vibration score 2 for EORTC QLQ-CIPN20 scores between 35 and 50 and as grade 3 or 4 for EORTC QLQ-CIPN20 scores higher than 50. The linear models showed a significant trend between each mISS item and increasing EORTC QLQ-CIPN20 sensory scores. Conclusion None of the clinical items had a perfect relationship with patients' perception, and most of the discrepancies stood in the intermediate levels of CIPN severity. Our data indicate that to achieve a comprehensive knowledge of CIPN including a reliable assessment of both the severity and the quality of CIPN-related sensory impairment, clinical and PRO measures should be always combined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a common neurological side-effect of cancer treatment and may lead to declines in patients’ daily functioning and quality of life. To date, there are no modern clinimetrically well-evaluated outcome measures available to assess disability in CIPN patients. The objective of the study was to develop an interval-weighted scale to capture activity limitations and participation restrictions in CIPN patients using the Rasch methodology and to determine its validity and reliability properties. A preliminary Rasch-built Overall Disability Scale (pre-R-ODS) comprising 146 items was assessed twice (interval: 2–3weeks; test–retest reliability) in 281 CIPN patients with a stable clinical condition. The obtained data were subjected to Rasch analyses to determine whether model expectations would be met, and if necessarily, adaptations were made to obtain proper model fit (internal validity). External validity was obtained by correlating the CIPN-R-ODS with the National Cancer Institute-Common Toxicity Criteria (NCI-CTC) neuropathy scales and the Pain-Intensity Numeric-Rating-Scale (PI-NRS). The preliminary R-ODS did not meet Rasch model’s expectations. Items displaying misfit statistics, disordered thresholds, item bias or local dependency were systematically removed. The final CIPN-R-ODS consisting of 28 items fulfilled all the model’s expectations with proper validity and reliability, and was unidimensional. The final CIPN-R-ODS is a Rasch-built disease-specific, interval measure suitable to detect disability in CIPN patients and bypasses the shortcomings of classical test theory ordinal-based measures. Its use is recommended in future clinical trials in CIPN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a common neurological side-effect of cancer treatment and may lead to declines in patients’ daily functioning and quality of life. To date, there are no modern clinimetrically well-evaluated outcome measures available to assess disability in CIPN patients. The objective of the study was to develop an interval-weighted scale to capture activity limitations and participation restrictions in CIPN patients using the Rasch methodology and to determine its validity and reliability properties. A preliminary Rasch-built Overall Disability Scale (pre-R-ODS) comprising 146 items was assessed twice (interval: 2–3weeks; test–retest reliability) in 281 CIPN patients with a stable clinical condition. The obtained data were subjected to Rasch analyses to determine whether model expectations would be met, and if necessarily, adaptations were made to obtain proper model fit (internal validity). External validity was obtained by correlating the CIPN-R-ODS with the National Cancer Institute-Common Toxicity Criteria (NCI-CTC) neuropathy scales and the Pain-Intensity Numeric-Rating-Scale (PI-NRS). The preliminary R-ODS did not meet Rasch model’s expectations. Items displaying misfit statistics, disordered thresholds, item bias or local dependency were systematically removed. The final CIPN-R-ODS consisting of 28 items fulfilled all the model’s expectations with proper validity and reliability, and was unidimensional. The final CIPN-R-ODS is a Rasch-built disease-specific, interval measure suitable to detect disability in CIPN patients and bypasses the shortcomings of classical test theory ordinal-based measures. Its use is recommended in future clinical trials in CIPN. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a debilitating and dose-limiting complication of cancer treatment. Thus far, the impact of CIPN has not been studied in a systematic clinimetric manner. The objective of the study was to select outcome measures for CIPN evaluation and to establish their validity and reproducibility in a cross-sectional multicenter study. Patients and methods After literature review and a consensus meeting among experts, face/content validity were obtained for the following selected scales: the National Cancer Institute-Common Toxicity Criteria (NCI-CTC), the Total Neuropathy Score clinical version (TNSc), the modified Inflammatory Neuropathy Cause and Treatment (INCAT) group sensory sumscore (mISS), the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) QLQ-C30, and CIPN20 quality-of-life measures. A total of 281 patients with stable CIPN were examined. Validity (correlation) and reliability studies were carried out. Results Good inter-/intra-observer scores were obtained for the TNSc, mISS, and NCI-CTC sensory/motor subscales. Test–retest values were also good for the EORTC QLQ-C30 and CIPN20. Acceptable validity scores were obtained through the correlation among the measures. Conclusion Good validity and reliability scores were demonstrated for the set of selected impairment and quality-of-life outcome measures in CIPN. Future studies are planned to investigate the responsiveness aspects of these measures. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Northwestern Mediterranean coastal regions are frequently affected by torrential rainfall associated with quasi-stationary mesoscale convective systems (MCSs). The present work examines how the characteristics of a conditionally unstable flow impinging on the coastal complex terrain of the Northwestern Mediterranean can affect the location and intensity of quasi-stationary MCSs. The study is based on idealized simulations, but including the major ingredients of Northwestern Mediterranean heavy precipitation events: a moist conditionally unstable marine flow of about 100 km width facing the true terrain, composed of the Massif Central surrounded by the Alps and the Pyrenees. We find that MCSs are located upstream of the mountain range with a slow flow, whereas with a rapid flow the heaviest precipitation is over the Massif Central slopes. In a similar way, when the lateral environment is drier the heaviest precipitation is located upstream whereas a humid environment favours precipitation over the slopes. The dominant lifting mechanism is strongly related to the location of the system: (1) direct orographic triggering for systems over mountain slopes and (2) cold-pool triggering for upstream systems. In addition, the neighbouring mountains interplay through deflection of the flow and induced low-level convergence favoured by slow or dry lateral environments and through cold-pool blocking within valleys. Copyright © 2012 Royal Meteorological Society [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proffered Papers: Proffered papers 35: Late-breaking abstracts OC-0696: Development of dose constraints to the brain areas implied in cognition: a prospective study J. Jacob, M. Ribeiro, M.A. Benadjaoud, C. Jenny, L. Feuvret, J. Simon, M. Bernier, D. Antoni, K. Hoang-Xuan, D. Psimaras, A. Carpentier, D. Ricard, P. Maingon. [Extracted from the article]

The need for a more integrated approach to ocean management is increasingly being recognized. Discussion on appropriate indicators and reference points supporting such an approach has focused on the technical merits of one set of metrics over another in servicing some management goal. Relatively little effort has been put into answering the question how one would use suites of indicators to meet the multiple conservation objectives defined in operational plans. Such an exercise is being undertaken on the eastern Scotian Shelf off Canada''s east coast, as a national integrated management pilot. A number of ocean industries – fishing, oil and gas exploration, transport, and the military – utilize the area, a typical situation elsewhere in the world. A suite of conceptual ecosystem-level objectives has been identified to address biodiversity, productivity, and habitat issues. Operational objectives, which identify an indicator and reference points associated with each conceptual objective, are then stated. Utilizing this framework, individual ocean industry plans and activities can be reviewed in a consistent manner, to determine how they might be constrained by the conservation objectives for the area. Issues of spatial scale and cumulative impacts are addressed, and comment is made on future developments. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Presents a corrected reprint of the article `Time-resolved direct observation of Auger recombination in semiconductor-doped glasses,' published in the Number 51, 1987 issue of the `Applied Physics Letters' journal.

Intracavity nearly degenerate four-wave mixing has been used together with transmission measurements to evidence the important role played by Auger recombination in the relaxation rate of electron-hole pairs in semiconductor-doped glasses pumped by high laser intensities. Results show a shortening by a factor of 100 of the recombination carrier lifetime when the laser intensity is near damage threshold. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines time resolved measurements of carrier recombination in experimental semiconductor doped glasses. Validation on the role of Auger recombination; Designation of Auger recombination as the dominant process; Reduction in the nonradiative lifetime.

Background: Gait impairment is a hallmark of multiple sclerosis (MS) which significantly endangers the quality of life of the individual. Inertial measurement units (IMUs) are small, light wearable sensors that can be used in routine neurological practice. InertiaLocoGraphy (ILG), the quantification of gait with IMUs, has proven useful to detect early changes in MS undetectable with standard stopwatch-timed measures. Still, whether such markers are useful for evaluating the severity of the disease remains unknown. Therefore, the correlation between ILG and disease progression would be worth exploring. Methods: We will search MEDLINE via PubMed, Cochrane, and EMBASE electronic databases to identify articles published before May 2, 2018 that measure gait using IMUs in MS patients. In addition, grey literature will be searched. Inclusion criteria will be adults with a clinical diagnosis of MS and gait measured by using inertial sensors. We will exclude from the meta-analysis articles that do not provide sufficient data for evaluating the correlations between ILG parameters and disease severity as measured by at least one of the six following tests: the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), the Multiple Sclerosis Walking Scale-12 (MSWS), the Multiple Sclerosis Severity Score (MSSS), the Multiple Sclerosis Impact Scale (MSIS-29), the Multiple Sclerosis Functional Composite (MSFC), and the Timed 25-ft Walk Test (T25FW). Extracted data from included articles will be presented descriptively, and effect sizes will be computed based on the recommendations from the Cochrane Collaboration handbook and RevMan software. Discussion: Identifying changes in disease state throughout the course of MS is essential for optimal care. Current clinical and performance tests allow for identifying advanced gait alteration but lack sensitivity to detect subtle gait change. IMUs can be easily used in clinical practice to quantify gait in MS patients. Nevertheless, whether these outcomes are clinically relevant is uncertain because no study has evaluated their correlation with disease severity across different settings. This systematic review and meta-analysis would bring insight into the potential of this outcome as a marker of disease evolution. Systematic review registration: This review was registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews on May 2, 2018 (Registration: CRD42018092651). Both the search strategy and study protocol are available at https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?RecordID=92651. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction/Background Despite technological advances upper limb prosthesis, myoelectric control requires a long learning process. The absence of sensory feedback is very likely to impinge the appropriation of the prosthesis. We explored a sensory substitution alternative with various configurations and settings for vibrotactile feedback and myoelectric parameters. Material and method Six vibrators were placed on a line or circumferentially around the arm. Space intervals between vibrators were absolute (2 cm) or proportional to the length or the circumference of the arm. Dispositions as longitudinal proportional and absolute, circular proportional and absolute were tested. Sixty, 100 and 140 ms of duration and intensities of 62.5; 100; and 167 mA were explored. Estimate location of the vibration, and perceived intensity between 0 (no feeling) to 3 (strong) were assessed. EMGs from biceps and triceps were recorded during isometric contraction to control the elbow velocity of an avatar displayed on a screen. EMGs were filtered and normalized from maximal contraction. A threshold of minimum muscle activity and a gain of the velocity control were adjusted to allow fast an intuitive control. Results The circular proportional disposition elicited better discrimination results than the 3 others dispositions ( P < 0.05). Duration, intensity and disposition were all found to influence the success rate scores (3 ways ANOVA P < 0.0001). Stimulations with small duration (60 ms) were perceived as being produced with a lower level of intensity. A threshold between 5 and 7.5% of the maximum force, and a velocity gain varying from 0.3 to 1.2 rad.s-1 for a change in muscle contraction of 10% MVC were found to enable precise control of the avatar. Conclusion The circular proportional disposition of the vibrator is a well suited configuration for sensory substitution. Our next step will be to combine sensory feedback given by vibrator to the myoelectric control. This sensory substitution could improve prosthesis control, and may attenuate phantom limb pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study which proposes to evaluate a three-dimensional (3D) pelvis accelerometer-based measurement method on 12 asymptomatic subjects and 47 patients who suffer from lower limb osteoarthritis. The study reveals a reduction in walking frequency with increasing severity in lower limb osteoarthritis, but not with aging nor with the alteration of footwear condition.

Introduction Motor and sensitive disabilities deeply modify the gait pattern in progressive multiple sclerosis (MS); head–and thus cephalic sensory system- stabilization during walking is therefore a key issue for maintaining dynamic stability. This study aims at assessing the feasibility of constraining the gaze on a target while walking to limit gait disorders for patients with MS. Methods Ten patients with progressive MS participated in the study. Seven needed an occasional walking aid (A-MS) (EDSS (Expanded Disability Status Scale de Kurtzke) score > 6) and 3 did not [EDSS score ≤ 6 (NA-MS)]. Six out of 10 MS had consistent cognitive disorders (CSCT score-Computerized Speed Cognitive Test < −1.5 SD) (CD-MS) and 4 did not (NCD-MS). Oculomotricity signals were registered during 10 m way and return walk with constrained (CG) and unconstrained (UG) gaze (target fixation on the back wall). Results All patients increased their fixation rate on the back wall between UG and CG (31.4% vs 71.2%; P < 0.01), regardless of their EDSS score. Best fixers tend to be NCD-MS (tendency: Pearson coefficient R = 0.56; P = 0.08). Discussion Even patients with severe gait disorders can perform the walk-target fixation double task, so that giving a fixation instruction could help patients looking less the ground, and therefore, decreasing the risk to lean forward and fall out. No matter how severe their gait disorders are, patients with few cognitive disorders would probably be more able to look in front of them when walking in daily life with free gaze, if they are advised to do so as part of a rehabilitation program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction La faible qualité des acquisitions réalisées par la Wii Board Balance est souvent mise en avant comme le principal obstacle à son utilisation comme plate-forme de force pour l’évaluation de l’équilibre. Une nouvelle approche est proposée, utilisant des méthodes de traitement du signal avancée afin d’améliorer la qualité des enregistrements ainsi que des méthodes de fouille de données pour en améliorer l’interprétabilité. Matériel et méthode Deux cents sujets de plus de 70 ans atteints de différents syndrômes liés à l’équilibre, dont 35 chuteurs, ont été enregistrés deux fois pendant 25 secondes, une fois les yeux ouverts, une fois les yeux fermés. Les signaux ont été traités pour compenser les limitations de la plate-forme de force, puis analysés par des méthodes récentes de fouille de données. Finalement, un score entre zéro et cent est associé de manière automatique à l’enregistrement. Résultats L’aire sous la courbe de spécificité représentant le score d’équilibre en fonction des chutes réelles des patients est supérieure à 0,75, soit un résultat très significatif. Discussion–conclusion Les signaux de la Wii Board balance peuvent être traités et analysés de manière à aider à la détection de troubles de l’équilibre pouvant conduire à des chutes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction L’extraction automatique des caractéristiques de la marche est utile pour quantifier objectivement les troubles de la locomotion et étudier l’évolution de diverses maladies ORL, neurologiques ou orthopédiques. On utilise pour cela des centrales inertielles sans fil enregistrant les accélérations et les vitesses angulaires. Le but est d’extraire automatiquement à partir des signaux enregistrés le début et la fin de chaque pas. Une nouvelle approche est proposée afin de se soumettre aux niveaux d’exigence et de précision liés au contexte médical et de s’adapter à un large spectre de pathologies. Matériel et méthode Soixante-quatorze sujets (vingt-trois sujet sains et cinquante-et-un sujets présentant des troubles orthopédiques au genou, à la hanche ou à la cheville) ont effectué plusieurs allers/retours durant 10 m à vitesse de confort en portant un capteur inertiel attaché à chaque pied. Les signaux ont été analysés automatiquement grâce à une méthode innovante de détection de pas reposant sur l’utilisation d’une bibliothèque de pas préalablement annotée par des médecins. Résultats En utilisant une bibliothèque de pas contenant seulement 20 modèles, on détecte 97 % des pas, avec seulement 4 % de fausses détections. L’algorithme obtient des performances similaires sur les témoins et sur les sujets pathologiques. Discussion–conclusion La méthode proposée permet de détecter des pas de façon robuste et automatique, y compris sur des sujets pathologiques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]