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We propose a method to accurately handle fluorescence in a non‐spectral (e.g., tristimulus) rendering engine, showcasing color‐shifting and increased luminance effects. Core to our method is a principled reduction technique that encodes the reradiation into a low‐dimensional matrix working in the space of the renderer's Color Matching Functions (CMFs). Our process is independent of a specific CMF set and allows for the addition of a non‐visible ultraviolet band during light transport. Our representation visually matches full spectral light transport for measured fluorescent materials even for challenging illuminants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zoonotic diseases threaten human health worldwide and are often associated with anthropogenic disturbance. Predicting how disturbance influences spillover risk is critical for effective disease intervention but difficult to achieve at fine spatial scales. Here, we develop a method that learns the spatial distribution of a reservoir species from aerial imagery. Our approach uses neural networks to extract features of known or hypothesized importance from images. The spatial distribution of these features is then summarized and linked to spatially explicit reservoir presence/absence data using boosted regression trees. We demonstrate the utility of our method by applying it to the reservoir of Lassa virus, Mastomys natalensis, within the West African nations of Sierra Leone and Guinea. We show that, when trained using reservoir trapping data and publicly available aerial imagery, our framework learns relationships between environmental features and reservoir occurrence and accurately ranks areas according to the likelihood of reservoir presence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a technique for efficient storage and importance sampling of fluorescent spectral data. Fluorescence is fully described by a re‐radiation matrix, which for a given input wavelength indicates how much energy is re‐emitted at other wavelengths. However, such representation has a considerable memory footprint. To significantly reduce memory requirements, we propose the use of Gaussian mixture models for the representation of re‐radiation matrices. Instead of the full‐resolution matrix, we work with a set of Gaussian parameters that also allow direct importance sampling. Furthermore, if accuracy is of concern, a re‐radiation matrix can be used jointly with efficient importance sampling provided by the Gaussian mixture. In this paper, we present our pipeline for efficient storage of bispectral data and provide its extensive evaluation on a large set of bispectral measurements. We show that our method is robust and colour accurate even with its comparably minor memory requirements and that it can be seamlessly integrated into a standard Monte Carlo path tracer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To describe baseline characteristics and follow‐up data in patients with lipodystrophy syndromes treated with metreleptin in a national reference network, in a real‐life setting. Patients and Methods: Clinical and metabolic data from patients receiving metreleptin in France were retrospectively collected, at baseline, at 1 year and at the latest follow‐up during treatment. Results: Forty‐seven patients with lipodystrophy including generalized lipodystrophy (GLD; n = 28) and partial lipodystrophy (PLD; n = 19) received metreleptin over the last decade. At baseline, the median (interquartile range [IQR]) patient age was 29.3 (16.6‐47.6) years, body mass index was 23.8 (21.2‐25.7) kg/m2 and serum leptin was 3.2 (1.0‐4.9) ng/mL, 94% of patients had diabetes (66% insulin‐treated), 53% had hypertension and 87% had dyslipidaemia. Metreleptin therapy, administered for a median (IQR) of 31.7 (14.2‐76.0) months, was ongoing in 77% of patients at the latest follow‐up. In patients with GLD, glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) and fasting triglyceride levels significantly decreased from baseline to 1 year of metreleptin treatment, from 8.4 (6.5‐9.9)% [68 (48‐85) mmol/mol] to 6.8 (5.6‐7.4)% [51(38‐57) mmol/mol], and 3.6 (1.7‐8.5) mmol/L to 2.2 (1.1‐3.7) mmol/L, respectively (P < 0.001), with sustained efficacy thereafter. In patients with PLD, HbA1c was not significantly modified (7.7 [7.1‐9.1]% [61 (54‐76) mmol/mol] at baseline vs. 7.7 [7.4‐9.5]% [61(57‐80) mmol/mol] at 1 year), and the decrease in fasting triglycerides (from 3.3 [1.9‐9.9] mmol/L to 2.5 [1.6‐5.3] mmol/L; P < 0.01) was not confirmed at the latest assessment (5.2 [2.2‐11.3] mmol/L). However, among PLD patients, at 1 year, 61% were responders regarding glucose homeostasis, with lower baseline leptin levels compared to nonresponders, and 61% were responders regarding triglyceridaemia. Liver enzymes significantly decreased only in the GLD group. Conclusions: In this real‐life setting study, metabolic outcomes are improved by metreleptin therapy in patients with GLD. The therapeutic indication for metreleptin needs to be clarified in patients with PLD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polysiloxane networks with or without phenyl groups have been subjected to isothermal, thermal sweep and cycling thermal treatments to investigate the phenyl effect on evolution of their properties during thermal aging. Polydimethyldiphenylsiloxanes (PDMDPS) containing between 5 and 30 mol% phenyl groups were more stable than polydimethylsiloxanes (PDMS) under isothermal aging, and no effect of the phenyl content was noted. Hence, only PDMS and PDMDPS with 5 mol% phenyl groups were then retained for the monitoring of their weight loss, tensile stress, elongation at break and Young's modulus during isothermal treatments between 150 and 300°C. Weight losses as well as the cracks appearance time during cycling aging were recorded simultaneously. The activation energies under the different aging conditions were determined, and found equal to 175 kJ/mol from the weight loss (characteristic of the depolymerization reaction) and 145–165 kJ/mol from the mechanical properties (characteristic of the post‐cross‐linking reaction) for PDMDPS, and 110 kJ/mol and 125–145 kJ/mol for PDMS, respectively. These activation energies confirm that silicone containing phenyl moieties are thermally more stable than those without. Finally, all these results empirically allow connecting weight loss and changes in mechanical properties to the appearance of cracks during thermal cycle aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper uses a structural gravity approach, specifying currency movements as trade cost component to derive an empirical trade balance model, which incorporates multilateral resistance terms and accounts for the cross‐country variation in the exchange rate pass‐through into import and export prices. The model is estimated using quarterly bilateral trade flows between 47 countries over the period 2010Q1 to 2017Q2, disaggregated into 97 commodity groups. Our results support the existence of an "aggregate" J‐curve, pooled over commodity groups; at the same time they point to considerable heterogeneity in the trade balance dynamics across industries below the surface of aggregate data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study focuses on the market accessibility of European regions and its relationship to income per capita, summarized in the new economic geography (NEG) “wage equation”. In a first step, we make use of a novel dataset of bilateral trade flows for 254 European nomenclature of territorial units for statistics (NUTS‐2) regions (for 26 European countries excluding Bulgaria and Romania) in order to estimate trade costs and ultimately construct a regional measure of access to markets. In a second step, we test the hypothesis that access to domestic as well as to foreign markets increases income per capita. We find that, in spite of its spatial formulation, the wage equation is not able to capture local spatial patterns of the distribution of European regional income per capita. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present two separate improvements to the handling of fluorescence effects in modern uni-directional spectral rendering systems. The first is the formulation of a new distance tracking scheme for fluorescent volume materials which exhibit a pronounced wavelength asymmetry. Such volumetric materials are an important and not uncommon corner case of wavelength-shifting media behaviour, and have not been addressed so far in rendering literature. The second one is that we introduce an extension of Hero wavelength sampling which can handle fluorescence events, both on surfaces, and in volumes. Both improvements are useful by themselves, and can be used separately: when used together, they enable the robust inclusion of arbitrary fluorescence effects in modern uni-directional spectral MIS path tracers. Our extension of Hero wavelength sampling is generally useful, while our proposed technique for distance tracking in strongly asymmetric media is admittedly not very efficient. However, it makes the most of a rather difficult situation, and at least allows the inclusion of such media in uni-directional path tracers, albeit at comparatively high cost. Which is still an improvement since up to now, their inclusion was not really possible at all, due to the inability of conventional tracking schemes to generate sampling points in such volume materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of eight poly(aminobismaleimide)s containing aromatic units have been synthesized from a one-step nucleophilic addition reaction between diamine and bismaleimide, without exogeneous solvent, to provide encapsulant withstanding high temperature suitable for power electronics. To have a homogeneous medium at room temperature, the solid aromatic diamines are first mixed with different liquid aliphatic ones, and then mixed with bismaleimide. The syntheses were then carried out at 175 8C for 15 min. Thus, according to their composition, these obtained thermosetting resins are characterized by a relaxation temperature between 98 and 190 8C and a coefficient of thermal expansion between 20 and 150 ppm/K. All material surfaces are hydrophobic and their moisture uptake is lower than 2-3 wt %. Finally, as expected, the substitution of a part of the aliphatic diamine by an aromatic one improves the thermal stability under air atmosphere of the resulting materials (Td5280-300 8C increased to Td5315-340 8C). Their use as power module encapsulant can therefore be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the relationship between countries' fiscal balances and current accounts with an emphasis on the role of fiscal rules. The direct effect of fiscal policy on the current account via aggregate (import) demand is potentially amplified by indirect effects, materialising through interest rate effects and intergenerational transfers that reduce savings. On the other hand, the implied positive relation between fiscal and external balances is potentially attenuated by offsetting changes in savings through Ricardian equivalence considerations. We expect this attenuation effect to be stronger in countries with more stringent fiscal rules and test this hypothesis using a panel of 73 countries over the period 1985-2012. As with previous studies, we find a positive effect of fiscal balances on the current account, supporting the twin deficit hypothesis. However, the effect of fiscal balances on the current account depends on the stringency of fiscal (budget balance or debt) rules in place; it is reduced by one-third on average and virtually eliminated for countries with the most stringent fiscal rules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Patients with early stage cervical cancer routinely undergo pelvic lymphadenectomy. A para-aortic lymphadenectomy is only performed in the setting of grossly enlarged lymph nodes. In patients with locally advanced disease, a para-aortic lymphadenectomy is indicated particularly when pelvic nodes are suspicious for disease on preoperative imaging. There is no consensus about the extent of para-aortic lymph node dissection in these patients. We reviewed relevant literature to determine the extension of para-aortic lymphadenectomy in patients with cervical cancer in order to establish whether lymph node dissection up to the inferior mesenteric artery or higher to the level of renal vessels should be performed. We performed a systematic search (PubMed; up to June 2011) to review systematic complete para-aortic lymphadenectomy. According to our search, eight women (1.09%) had isolated para-aortic node metastases, of which two had only lymph node metastases above the inferior mesenteric artery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Assessment of right ventricular (RV) function in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) remains challenging. Transthoracic echocardiographic (TTE) indices based on longitudinal systolic RV function are now considered as a reliable evaluation of RV function. We investigated feasibility of two methods in ARDS patients. Methods: Prospective observational study. TTE was performed after 12-36 hours of mechanical ventilation. Feasibility of tricuspid annular motion (St), tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) was compared to usual two-dimensional (2D) study: fractional area change (RVFAC) and ratio of right to left ventricular end-diastolic area (RVEDA/LVEDA). Results: Fifty patients were investigated, with TTE possible in all but two patients. Feasibility was 62% for RVFAC, 72% for RVEDA/LVEDA, and 96% for TAPSE and St. RV dilatation (RVEDA/LVEDA ≥0.60) was found in 16 patients, including 4 patients with acute cor pulmonale. A longitudinal RV dysfunction (TAPSE < 12 mm or St < 11.5 cm/sec) was suspected in 30% of patients. Relation between both longitudinal indices was modest (r2= 0.36, P < 0.001). TAPSE (but not St) was found poorly related to RVFAC (r2= 0.27, P = 0.03). Both indices were related to LV function (St: r2= 0.27, TAPSE: r2= 0.17, both P < 0.05). Conclusion: Despite a superior feasibility than 2D study, our results suggest that both indices may not bring identical information to echo study. TAPSE may be more adapted to ICU use than St. Both should be further investigated in terms of analysis of RV function and ventricular interdependence. Their relations with LV function may limit their use as sole markers of RV function in this population. (Echocardiography 2012;29:513-521) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Early repolarization (ERep) abnormalities on electrocardiogram (ECG) are common immediately following cardiac arrest. We characterized and correlated electrocardiographic repolarization abnormalities immediately after cardiac arrest with acute coronary angiography. Methods and Results: We studied 225 consecutive patients presenting with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. All these patients had successful cardiopulmonary resuscitation and acute coronary angiography. The first ECG recorded after successful resuscitation was analyzed by two independent cardiologists. Patients were categorized according to their repolarization pattern. Patterns 1, 2, 3, and 4 were found in 112 (50%), 74 (33%), 19 (8%), and 20 (9%) patients, respectively. Cardiac arrest was due to acute myocardial ischemia in 45%, 82%, 39%, and 15% of patients in groups 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively (P < 0.0001). Sensitivity and specificity of pattern 2 was 50% and 88%, respectively, for acute coronary lesion, whereas isolated ERep pattern occurred in 9% of cases and was associated with a nonischemic event (80%). Among 65 patients (29%) who survived, 7% of patients with pattern 1, 13% with pattern 2, 60% with pattern 3, and 88% with pattern 4 exhibited ERep on ECG during the follow-up. In the context of cardiac resuscitation, an ECG with ST elevation favors acute myocardial infarction, whereas the presence of ERep is a marker of a nonischemic event and future ERep syndrome. (J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol, Vol. 22, pp. 131-136, February 2011) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As part of a large survey on reservoirs of Lassa fever in Guinea, three villages were investigated in high endemic zone, close to Sierra Leone border. Biodiversity of the small mammal community is presented in this study through a standardized trapping in houses, cultivations and forest. Identification of the small mammals was based on morphology and by molecular technique for sibling species. Of the 1123 specimens collected in 2003–2005, we identified seventeen species (thirteen Muridae, four Soricidae), leading to high diversity (Shannon index = 1.6–1.8) and high equitability (evenness index = 0.7–0.8) in cultivations and forest. In houses conversely, the rodent community was dominated by Mastomys natalensis (95–98%), leading to low diversity and equitability. Dynamics and reproduction were investigated in two species of pygmy mice, Mus mattheyi and Mus minutoides, two species of Praomys, P. daltoni and P. rostratus, and in Mastomys erythroleucus. The pygmy mice were abundant in cultivations in early rainy season, and reproduced from rainy to dry season. Praomys daltoni was also found more abundant in cultivations and seemed to reproduce between rainy and dry season, whereas P. rostratus preferred forest and cultivations in late rainy season, and reproduced throughout the year. Finally, M. erythroleucus was more abundant in forest in dry season, and seemed to reproduce from late rainy to dry season. This species had a low occurrence (6.5%) in the Faranah’s zone, and probably lived at its southern limit in Guinea. The presence of other Murinae, such as M. natalensis, Praomys spp as possible competitors in the same habitats, is discussed. For the first time, this study relates population biology of pygmy mice with molecular identification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fluorinated polyacrylates are highly hydrophobic and oleophobic. However, their poor mechanical properties prevent their development in many applications. Combination of a fluorinated polyacrylate network with a rigid cellulose acetate butyrate CAB network in an interpenetrating polymer network IPN architecture is an effective method for improving the mechanical properties of fluorinated polyacrylates. IPNs combining poly3,3,4,4,5,5,6,6,7,7,8,8,8tridecafluorooctyl acrylate polyAcRf6 with CAB were prepared according to an in situpolymerizationcrosslinking synthesis. CAB was crosslinked by addition between unmodified hydroxyl groups and the isocyanate of a pluriisocyanate crosslinker. The fluorinated network was obtained through freeradical copolymerization of 3,3,4,4,5,5,6,6,7,7,8,8,8tridecafluorooctyl acrylate with polyethylene glycol dimethacrylate. The rates of formation of both networks were followed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Differential scanning calorimetry DSC and dynamic mechanical thermal analysis DMTA of IPNs show a single glass transition temperature and a single mechanical relaxation temperature, which are characteristic of a high degree of interpenetration between the partner networks. The mechanical properties of IPNs are greatly improved compared with those of the single fluorinated network. CABpolyAcRf6 IPNs were prepared, and characterized using DSC and DMTA as well as contact angle measurements for their surface properties. As hoped, the mechanical properties of such materials are much improved compared with those of the fluorinated partner alone. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents an analysis of land and sea-breeze circulations of coastal areas in Caen, France. It analyzes the wind systems of the area by referring to the weather data of the national network stations and field campaigns modified to stated levels. It proposes method of evaluating spatiotemporal variability of sea breeze and local winds relative to topography and land use in the said region.

Aim To investigate the phylogeographical structure of the Guinea multimammate mouse, Mastomys erythroleucus (Temminck, 1853), a widespread murid rodent in sub-Saharan (Sahel and Sudan) savannas, for a better understanding of the impacts of geographical and historical factors on the evolutionary history of this species, in the context of the growing database of phylogeographical studies of African savanna mammal species. Location Sahel and Sudan savannas, Africa. Methods We sequenced the whole cytochrome b gene in 211 individuals from 59 localities distributed from Senegal to Ethiopia. Sequence data were analysed using both phylogenetic (several rooted tree-construction methods, median-joining networks) and population genetic methods (spatial analyses of molecular variance, mismatch distributions). Results Haplotypes were distributed into four major monophyletic groups corresponding to distinct geographical regions across a west–east axis. Diversification events were estimated to have occurred between 1.16 and 0.18 Ma. Main conclusions Vicariance events related to the fragmentation of savanna habitats during the Pleistocene era may explain the phylogeographical patterns observed. Genetic structure was consistent with a role of major Sahelian rivers as significant barriers to west–east dispersal. Recent demographic expansions probably occurred during arid phases of the Holocene with the southward expansion of savannas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the results of a study which examined the flexibility and rigidity of proton conducting poly(2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid) (PAMPS) and poly(ethylene oxide) dimethacrylate (PEGDM). The methods to study the homogeneity of conetworks are described, including dynamic mechanical thermal analysis and differential scanning calorimetry. Factors that influence the swelling behavior of the materials are cited.

Isolated noncompaction of the left ventricle (INLV) is a rare congenital disorder associated with multiple cardiac arrhythmias. We report a case of INLV revealed by ventricular fibrillation in a patient with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. Because of the persistence of inducible ventricular arrhythmias after ablation of the accessory pathway, implantation of an ICD was decided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the relationships between landscape composition and the population dynamics of the fossorial water vole Arvicola terrestris. Land use patterns were studied based on agricultural and forestry data from the French Ministry of Agriculture collected in 1955 and 1988. In the Massif Central, France, water vole populations were monitored from 1985 to 1993 by using index methods. Outbreaks of water vole populations occurred in many dispersed epicentres and spread suddenly and widely over >7500 km2. At a regional scale, the fluctuation lasts six years on average with an outbreak period lasting from two to three years. Density variation patterns are positively correlated with the proportion of permanent grassland to agricultural land. A high risk of outbreak is linked to a high proportion of permanent grassland (over 90%), whereas a low risk of outbreak is linked to a proportion of <80%. Conversely, density variation patterns are negatively correlated with the proportion of temporary grassland to agricultural land and with the proportion of forest to total land in the western (major) part of the study area. Temporary grassland thus appears to be a marginal habitat for water voles and extensive forests could act as a brake on outbreaks. The increase in the area of permanent grassland from 1955 to 1988 was apparently the major cause of chronic high densities of water voles. Therefore, land use and landscape management could be one way to control water vole outbreaks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary 1. The rodent Psammomys obesus is the main reservoir host for Leishmania major , the causative agent of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Tunisia, much of North Africa and mid-western Asia. An understanding of the population dynamics of this rodent is essential to establish a preventive control strategy based on the early prediction of rodent outbreaks. 2. The study of P. obesus dynamics at a regional scale requires index-based sampling. Rodent numbers were monitored twice per year at the beginning and end of the breeding season, using transects around the Sidi Bouzid region in central Tunisia. 3. Two different types of dynamics occurred in two drainage basins. Rodents living in the northern basin were at low density and those living in the southern basin were at high density. 4. At the scale of a plot, occupied burrows were generally associated with the presence of three Chenopodiaceae: Arthrocnemum glaucum , Salsola tetrandra and Suæda fruticosa , rarely in monospecific formations. However, in dry periods, occupied burrows drifted to A. glaucum formation linked with high moisture and salinity of the soil (χ2 MacNemar = 6·26). 5. The risk of a P. obesus outbreak can be assessed by a simultaneous knowledge of flooding regimes in the drainage basins, the distribution of halophytic plant formations, and the progressive movements of the rodents as drying out proceeds. The transect indices of rodents are easily repeatable, economical and would be applicable in other developing countries where cutaneous leishmaniasis occurs. 6. This work illustrates that simple ecological methods can assist the assessment of spatial and temporal components of epidemiological risk such as the proximity between rodent colonies and human habitats at the time of outbreaks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor is presented related to association of Tako-Tsubo syndrome with hepatic encephalopathy.

This article focuses on severe venous thromboembolic diseases in Churg-Strauss syndrome. Churg-Strauss syndrome is a systemic vasculitis, characterized by severe asthma, blood and tissue eosinophilia and diffuse organ involvement. Venous thromboembolic disease has exceptionally been reported in CSS. Three cases of severe VTED in a cohort of 10 CSS patients. A 58-year-old man had a diagnosis of CSS based on the association of steroid-dependent asthma, blood eosinophilia, transient pulmonary infiltrates, sinusitis, profound asthenia and weight loss.

Jérôme Fichet and Laure Moreau respond to a letter to the editor submitted in response to their article 'Feasibility of Right Ventricular Longitudinal Systolic Function Evaluation With Transthoracic Echocardiographic Indices Derived From Tricuspid Annular Motion: A Preliminary Study in Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor is presented in response to an article about a case of a noncompaction or left ventricular hypertrabeculation revealed by cardiac arrest in a patient with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome in the 2007 issue.