Estudio de un kit de dise��o mixto con Softcore Microblaze e IP's, para el control ESP, ASR y ABS

Este proyecto consiste en el estudio de una placa de prototipado mixta anal��gico-digital formada principalmente por un PSoC, una FPGA y memoria flash para determinar sus capacidades en sistemas de control ESP, ASR y ABS. El estudio se basa en concluir la l��gica que se puede a��adir al dispositivo para enfocarlo a unas aplicaciones que, a pesar de ser muy comunes en coches, est�� poco desarrollado en motocicletas y ciclomotores. Es por ello surge el inter��s de dise��ar un sistema del m��s bajo coste posible para impulsar su desarrollo.

Characterization of the immunological properties of " Plasmodium falciparum " and " Plasmodium berghei " circumsporozoite proteins : antibody responses and recognition by specific CD8+ T cells

SUMMARY Interest in developing intervention strategies against malaria by targeting the liver stage of the Plasmodium life cycle has been fueled by studies which show that sterile protective immunity can be achieved by immunization with radiation-attenuated sporozoites. Anti-malarial drugs and insecticides have been widely used to control the disease, but in the hope of developing a more cost-effective intervention strategy, vaccine development has taken centre stage in malaria research. There is currently no vaccine against malaria. Attenuated sporozoite-induced immunity is achieved by antibodies and T cells against malaria liver stage antigens, the most abundant being the circumsporozoite protein (CSP), and many vaccine formulations aim at mimicking this immunity. However, the mechanisms by which the antibody and T cell immune responses are generated after infection by sporozoites, or after immunization with different vaccine formulations are still not well understood. The first part of this work aimed at determining the ability of primary hepatocytes from BALB/c mice to process and present CSP-derived peptides after infection with P. berghei sporozoites. Both infected hepatocytes and those traversed by sporozoites during migration were found to be capable of processing and presenting the CSP to specific CD8+ T cells in vitro. The pathway of processing and presentation involved the proteasome, aspartic proteases and transport through a post-Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER) compartment. These results suggest that in vivo, infected hepatocytes contribute to the elicitation and expansion of a T cell response. In the second part, the antibody responses of CB6F1 mice to synthetic peptides corresponding to the N- and C-terminal domains of P. berghei and P. falciparum CS proteins were characterized. Mice were immunized with single peptides or a combination of N- and C-terminal peptides. The peptides were immunogenic in mice and the antisera generated could recognize the native CSP on the sporozoite surface. Antisera generated against the N-terminal peptides or against the combinations inhibited sporozoite invasion of hepatocytes in vitro. In vivo, more mice immunized with single P. berghei peptides were protected from infection upon a challenge with P. berghei sporozoites, than mice immunized with a combination of N- and C-terminal peptides. Furthermore, P. falciparum N-terminal peptides were recognized by serum samples from people living in malaria-endemic areas. Importantly, recognition of a peptide from the N-terminal fragment of the P. falciparum CSP by sera from children living in a malaria-endemic region was associated with protection from disease. These results underline the potential of using such peptides as malaria vaccine candidates. RESUME L'int��r��t de d��velopper des strat��gies d'intervention contre la malaria ciblant le stade pr��-erythrocytaire a ��t�� aliment�� par des ��tudes qui montrent qu'il est possible d'obtenir une immunit�� par l'injection de sporozoites irradi��s. Les m��dicaments et les insecticides anti-paludiques ont ��t�� largement utilis��s pour contr��ler la maladie, mais dans l'espoir de d��velopper une strat��gie d'intervention plus rentable, le d��veloppement de vaccins a ��t�� plac�� au centre des recherches actuelles contre la malaria. A l'heure actuelle, il n'existe aucun vaccin contre la malaria. L'immunit�� induite par les sporozoites irradi��s est due �� l'effet combin�� d'anticorps et de cellules T qui agissent contre les antig��nes du stade h��patique dont le plus abondant est la prot��ine circumsporozoite (CSP). Beaucoup de formulations de vaccin visent �� imiter l'immunit�� induite par les sporozoites irradi��s. Cependant, les m��canismes par lesquels les anticorps et les cellules T sont g��ner��s apr��s infection par les sporozoites ou apr��s immunisation avec des formulations de vaccin ne sont pas bien compris. La premi��re partie de ce travail a vis�� �� d��terminer la capacit�� de h��patocytes primaires provenant de souris BALB/c �� "processer" et �� pr��senter des peptides d��riv��s de la CSP, apr��s infection par des sporozoites de Plasmodium berghei. Nous avons montr�� que in vitro, les h��patocytes infect��s et ceux travers��s par les sporozoites pendant leur migration ��taient capables de "processer" et de pr��senter la CSP aux cellules T CD8+ sp��cifiques. La voie de pr��sentation implique le prot��asome, les prot��ases de type aspartique et le transport �� travers un compartiment post-reticulum endoplasmique. Ces r��sultats sugg��rent que in vivo, les h��patocytes infect��s contribuent �� l'induction et �� l'expansion d'une r��ponse immunitaire sp��cifique aux cellules T. Dans la deuxi��me partie, nous avons caract��ris�� les r��ponses anticorps chez les souris de la souche CB6F1 face aux peptides N- et C-terminaux des prot��ines circumsporozoites de Plasmodium berghei et Plasmodium falciparum. Les souris ont ��t�� immunis��es avec les peptides individuellement ou en combinaison. Les peptides utilis��s ��taient immunog��niques chez les souris, et les anticorps produits pouvaient reconna��tre la prot��ine CSP native �� la surface des sporozoites. In vitro, les sera contre les peptides N-teminaux et les combinaisons ��taient capables d'inhiber l'invasion de h��patocytes par les sporozoites. In vivo, plus de souris immunis��es avec les peptides individuels de la CSP de P. berghei ��taient prot��g��es contre la malaria que les souris immunis��es avec une combinaison de peptides N- et C-terminaux. De plus, les peptides N-terminaux de la CSP de P. falciparum ont ��t�� reconnus par les sera de personnes vivant dans des r��gions end��miques pour la malaria. Il est int��ressant de voir que la reconnaissance d'un peptide N-terminal de P. falciparum par des sera d'enfants habitant dans des r��gions end��miques ��tait associ�� �� la protection contre la maladie. Ces r��sultats soulignent le potentiel de ces peptides comme candidats-vaccin contre la malaria.

Real-Time implementation of a blind authentication method using self-synchronous speech watermarking

A blind speech watermarking scheme that meets hard real-time deadlines is presented and implemented. In addition, one of the key issues in these block-oriented watermarking techniques is to preserve the synchronization. Namely, to recover the exact position of each block in the mark extract process. In fact, the presented scheme can be split up into two distinguished parts, the synchronization and the information mark methods. The former is embedded into the time domain and it is fast enough to be run meeting real-time requirements. The latter contains the authentication information and it is embedded into the wavelet domain. The synchronization and information mark techniques are both tunable in order to allow a con gurable method. Thus, capacity, transparency and robustness can be con gured depending on the needs. It makes the scheme useful for professional applications, such telephony authentication or even sending information throw radio applications.

Comparison of automatic traps to capture mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) in rural areas in the tropical Atlantic rainforest

In several countries, surveillance of insect vectors is accomplished with automatic traps. This study addressed the performance of Mosquito Magnet® Independence (MMI) in comparison with those of CDC with CO2 and lactic acid (CDC-A) and CDC light trap (CDC-LT). The collection sites were in a rural region located in a fragment of secondary tropical Atlantic rainforest, southeastern Brazil. Limatus durhami and Limatus flavisetosus were the dominant species in the MMI, whereas Ochlerotatus scapularis was most abundant in CDC-A. Culex ribeirensis and Culex sacchettae were dominant species in the CDC-LT. Comparisons among traps were based on diversity indices. Results from the diversity analyses showed that the MMI captured a higher abundance of mosquitoes and that the species richness estimated with it was higher than with CDC-LT. Contrasting, difference between MMI and CDC-A was not statistically significant. Consequently, the latter trap seems to be both an alternative for the MMI and complementary to it for ecological studies and entomological surveillance.

Antibody recognition of Plasmodium falciparum infected red blood cells by symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals in the Brazilian Amazon

In the Amazon Region, there is a virtual absence of severe malaria and few fatal cases of naturally occurring Plasmodium falciparum infections; this presents an intriguing and underexplored area of research. In addition to the rapid access of infected persons to effective treatment, one cause of this phenomenon might be the recognition of cytoadherent variant proteins on the infected red blood cell (IRBC) surface, including the var gene encoded P. falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein 1. In order to establish a link between cytoadherence, IRBC surface antibody recognition and the presence or absence of malaria symptoms, we phenotype-selected four Amazonian P. falciparum isolates and the laboratory strain 3D7 for their cytoadherence to CD36 and ICAM1 expressed on CHO cells. We then mapped the dominantly expressed var transcripts and tested whether antibodies from symptomatic or asymptomatic infections showed a differential recognition of the IRBC surface. As controls, the 3D7 lineages expressing severe disease-associated phenotypes were used. We showed that there was no profound difference between the frequency and intensity of antibody recognition of the IRBC-exposed P. falciparum proteins in symptomatic vs. asymptomatic infections. The 3D7 lineages, which expressed severe malaria-associated phenotypes, were strongly recognised by most, but not all plasmas, meaning that the recognition of these phenotypes is frequent in asymptomatic carriers, but is not necessarily a prerequisite to staying free of symptoms.

Community introduction of practice parameters for autistic spectrum disorders: Advancing early recognition.

OBJECTIVES: Within a strong interdisciplinary framework, improvement in the quality of care for children with autistic spectrum disorders through a 2 year implementation program of Practice Parameters, aimed principally at improving early detection and intervention. METHOD: We developed Practice Parameters (PPs) for Pervasive Developmental Disorders and circulated the PPs to all child and adolescent psychiatrists practicing in the region. RESULTS: PP development and parallel information strategies resulted in a significant decrease of 1.5 years in the mean-age-at-diagnosis. However, further analysis indicated that improvement was only transient. CONCLUSION: Despite the encouraging improvement in mean-age-at-diagnosis 2 years after PP implementation, other indicators showed a failure to maintain the improvements. A systematic screening program would be the most reliable method to reinforce the PPs.

Decreased specific CD8+ T cell cross-reactivity of antigen recognition following vaccination with Melan-A peptide.

The aim of T cell vaccines is the expansion of antigen-specific T cells able to confer immune protection against pathogens or tumors. Although increase in absolute cell numbers, effector functions and TCR repertoire of vaccine-induced T cells are often evaluated, their reactivity for the cognate antigen versus their cross-reactive potential is rarely considered. In fact, little information is available regarding the influence of vaccines on T cell fine specificity of antigen recognition despite the impact that this feature may have in protective immunity. To shed light on the cross-reactive potential of vaccine-induced cells, we analyzed the reactivity of CD8(+) T cells following vaccination of HLA-A2(+) melanoma patients with Melan-A peptide, incomplete Freund's adjuvant and CpG-oligodeoxynucleotide adjuvant, which was shown to induce strong expansion of Melan-A-reactive CD8(+) T cells in vivo. A collection of predicted Melan-A cross-reactive peptides, identified from a combinatorial peptide library, was used to probe functional antigen recognition of PBMC ex vivo and Melan-A-reactive CD8(+) T cell clones. While Melan-A-reactive CD8(+) T cells prior to vaccination are usually constituted of widely cross-reactive naive cells, we show that peptide vaccination resulted in expansion of memory T cells displaying a reactivity predominantly restricted to the antigen of interest. Importantly, these cells are tumor-reactive.

Automatic landmarks detection in breast reconstruction aesthetic assessment.

This paper addresses a fully automatic landmarks detection method for breast reconstruction aesthetic assessment. The set of landmarks detected are the supraesternal notch (SSN), armpits, nipples, and inframammary fold (IMF). These landmarks are commonly used in order to perform anthropometric measurements for aesthetic assessment. The methodological approach is based on both illumination and morphological analysis. The proposed method has been tested with 21 images. A good overall performance is observed, although several improvements must be achieved in order to refine the detection of nipples and SSNs.

The efficiency of antigen recognition by CD8+ CTL clones is determined by the frequency of serial TCR engagement.

Using H-2Kd-restricted CTL clones, which are specific for a photoreactive derivative of the Plasmodium berghei circumsporozoite peptide PbCS(252-260) (SYIPSAEKI) and permit assessment of TCR-ligand interactions by TCR photoaffinity labeling, we have previously identified several peptide derivative variants for which TCR-ligand binding and the efficiency of Ag recognition deviated by fivefold or more. Here we report that the functional CTL response (cytotoxicity and IFN-gamma production) correlated with the rate of TCR-ligand complex dissociation, but not the avidity of TCR-ligand binding. While peptide antagonists exhibited very rapid TCR-ligand complex dissociation, slightly slower dissociation was observed for strong agonists. Conversely and surprisingly, weak agonists typically displayed slower dissociation than the wild-type agonists. Acceleration of TCR-ligand complex dissociation by blocking CD8 participation in TCR-ligand binding increased the efficiency of Ag recognition in cases where dissociation was slow. In addition, permanent TCR engagement by TCR-ligand photocross-linking completely abolished sustained intracellular calcium mobilization, which is required for T cell activation. These results indicate that the functional CTL response depends on the frequency of serial TCR engagement, which, in turn, is determined by the rate of TCR-ligand complex dissociation.

Distinct conformations of Ly49 natural killer cell receptors mediate MHC class I recognition in trans and cis.

Certain cell-surface receptors engage ligands expressed on juxtaposed cells and ligands on the same cell. The structural basis for trans versus cis binding is not known. Here, we showed that Ly49 natural killer (NK) cell receptors bound two MHC class I (MHC-I) molecules in trans when the two ligand-binding domains were backfolded onto the long stalk region. In contrast, dissociation of the ligand-binding domains from the stalk and their reorientation relative to the NK cell membrane allowed monovalent binding of MHC-I in cis. The distinct conformations (backfolded and extended) define the structural basis for cis-trans binding by Ly49 receptors and explain the divergent functional consequences of cis versus trans interactions. Further analyses identified specific stalk segments that were not required for MHC-I binding in trans but were essential for inhibitory receptor function. These data identify multiple distinct roles of stalk regions for receptor function.

On the origin and scope of the second language speech production disadvatage

Los hablantes biling��es tienen un acceso al l��xico m��s lento y menos robusto que los monoling��es, incluso cuando hablan en su lengua materna y dominante. Este fen��meno, com��nmente llamado ���la desventaja biling��e��� tambi��n se observa en hablantes de una segunda lengua en comparaci��n con hablantes de una primera lengua. Una causa que posiblemente contribuya a estas desventajas es el uso de control inhibitorio durante la producci��n del lenguaje: la inhibici��n de palabras coactivadas de la lengua actualmente no en uso puede prevenir intrusiones de dicha lengua, pero al mismo tiempo ralentizar la producci��n del lenguaje. El primer objetivo de los estudios descritos en este informe era testear esta hip��tesis mediante diferentes predicciones generadas por teor��as de control inhibitorio del lenguaje. Un segundo objetivo era investigar la extensi��n de la desventaja biling��e dentro y fuera de la producci��n de palabras aisladas, as�� como avanzar en el conocimiento de las variables que la modulan. En lo atingente al primer objetivo, la evidencia obtenida es incompatible con un control inhibitorio global, desafiando la idea de mecanismos espec��ficos en el hablante biling��e utilizados para la selecci��n l��xica. Esto implica que una explicaci��n com��n para el control de lenguaje y la desventaja biling��e en el acceso al l��xico es poco plausible. En cuanto al segundo objetivo, los resultados muestran que (a) la desventaja biling��e no tiene un impacto al acceso a la memoria; (b) la desventaja biling��e extiende a la producci��n del habla conectada; y (c) similitudes entre lenguas a diferentes niveles de representaci��n as�� como la frecuencia de uso son factores que modulan la desventaja biling��e. ������

Early pattern recognition in severe perinatal asphyxia: a prospective MRI study.

On the basis of MRI examinations in 88 neonates and infants with perinatal asphyxia, we defined 6 different patterns on T2-weighted images: pattern A--scattered hyperintensity of both hemispheres of the telencephalon with blurred border zones between cortex and white matter, indicating diffuse brain injury; pattern B--parasagittal hyperintensity extending into the corona radiata, corresponding to the watershed zones; pattern C--hyper- and hypointense lesions in thalamus and basal ganglia, which relate to haemorrhagic necrosis or iron deposition in these areas; pattern D--periventricular hyperintensity, mainly along the lateral ventricles, i.e. periventricular leukomalacia (PVL), originating from the matrix zone; pattern E--small multifocal lesions varying from hyper--to hypointense, interpreted as necrosis and haemorrhage; pattern F--periventricular centrifugal hypointense stripes in the centrum semiovale and deep white matter of the frontal and occipital lobes. Contrast was effectively inverted on T1-weighted images. Patterns A, B and C were found in 17%, 25% and 37% of patients, and patterns D, E and F in 19%, 17% and 35%, respectively. In 49 patients a combination of patterns was observed, but 30% of the initial images were normal. At follow-up, persistent abnormalities were seen in all children with patterns A and D, but in only 52% of those with pattern C. Myelination was retarded most often in patients with diffuse brain injury and PVL (patterns A and D).

Modelling the cardiovascular system for automatic interpretation of the blood pressure curve

A four compartment model of the cardiovascular system is developed. To allow for easy interpretation and to minimise the number of parameters, an effort was made to keep the model as simple as possible. A sensitivity analysis is first carried out to determine which are the most important model parameters to characterise the blood pressure signal. A four stage process is then described which accurately determines all parameter values. This process is applied to data from three patients and good agreement is shown in all cases.

Gac/Rsm signal transduction pathway of gamma-proteobacteria: from RNA recognition to regulation of social behaviour.

In many gamma-proteobacteria, the conserved GacS/GacA (BarA/UvrY) two-component system positively controls the expression of one to five genes specifying small RNAs (sRNAs) that are characterized by repeated unpaired GGA motifs but otherwise appear to belong to several independent families. The GGA motifs are essential for binding small, dimeric RNA-binding proteins of a single conserved family designated RsmA (CsrA). These proteins, which also occur in bacterial species outside the gamma-proteobacteria, act as translational repressors of certain mRNAs when these contain an RsmA/CsrA binding site at or near the Shine-Dalgarno sequence plus additional binding sites located in the 5' untranslated leader mRNA. Recent structural data have established that the RsmA-like protein RsmE of Pseudomonas fluorescens makes specific contacts with an RNA consensus sequence 5'-(A)/(U)CANGGANG(U)/(A)-3' (where N is any nucleotide). Interaction with an RsmA/CsrA protein promotes the formation of a short stem supporting an ANGGAN loop. This conformation hinders access of 30S ribosomal subunits and hence translation initiation. The output of the Gac/Rsm cascade varies widely in different bacterial species and typically involves management of carbon storage and expression of virulence or biocontrol factors. Unidentified signal molecules co-ordinate the activity of the Gac/Rsm cascade in a cell population density-dependent manner.