Mines ParisTech

Abstract: A fast and flexible algorithm for computing watersheds in digital gray-scale images is introduced. A review of watersheds and related motion is first presented, and the major methods to determine watersheds are discussed. The algorithm is based on an immersion process analogy, in which the flooding of the water in the picture is efficiently simulated using of queue of pixel. It is described in detail provided in a pseudo C language. The accuracy of this algorithm is proven to be superior to that of the existing implementations, and it is shown that its adaptation to any kind of digital grid and its generalization to n-dimensional images (and even to graphs) are straightforward. The algorithm is reported to be faster than any other watershed algorithm. Applications of this algorithm with regard to picture segmentation are presented for magnetic resonance (MR) imagery and for digital elevation models. An example of 3-D watershed is also provided. >

Abstract: We introduce flat systems, which are equivalent to linear ones via a special type of feedback called endogenous. Their physical properties are subsumed by a linearizing output and they might be regarded as providing another nonlinear extension of Kalman's controllability. The distance to flatness is measured by a non-negative integer, the defect. We utilize differential algebra where flatness- and defect are best defined without distinguishing between input, state, output and other variables. Many realistic classes of examples are flat. We treat two popular ones: the crane and the car with n trailers, the motion planning of which is obtained via elementary properties of plane curves. The three non-flat examples, the simple, double and variable length pendulums, are borrowed from non-linear physics. A high frequency control strategy is proposed such that the averaged systems become flat.

Abstract: High-order chromatin folding in topologically associating domains has a critical role in proper long-range transcriptional control around the Xist locus, and presumably throughout the genome. The spatial organization of the genome is linked to biological function, and advances in genomic technologies are allowing the conformation of chromosomes to be assessed genome wide. Two groups present complementary papers on the subject. Bing Ren and colleagues use Hi-C, an adaption of the chromosome conformation capture (3C) technique, to investigate the three-dimensional organization of the human and mouse genomes in embryonic stem cells and terminally differentiated cell types. Large, megabase-sized chromatin interaction domains, termed topological domains, are found to be a pervasive and conserved feature of genome organization. Edith Heard and colleagues use chromosome conformation capture carbon-copy (5C) technology and high-resolution microscopy to obtain a high-resolution map of the chromosomal interactions over a large region of the mouse X chromosome, including the X-inactivation centre. A series of discrete topologically associating domains is revealed, as is a previously unknown long intergenic RNA with a potential regulatory role. In eukaryotes transcriptional regulation often involves multiple long-range elements and is influenced by the genomic environment1. A prime example of this concerns the mouse X-inactivation centre (Xic), which orchestrates the initiation of X-chromosome inactivation (XCI) by controlling the expression of the non-protein-coding Xist transcript. The extent of Xic sequences required for the proper regulation of Xist remains unknown. Here we use chromosome conformation capture carbon-copy (5C)2 and super-resolution microscopy to analyse the spatial organization of a 4.5-megabases (Mb) region including Xist. We discover a series of discrete 200-kilobase to 1 Mb topologically associating domains (TADs), present both before and after cell differentiation and on the active and inactive X. TADs align with, but do not rely on, several domain-wide features of the epigenome, such as H3K27me3 or H3K9me2 blocks and lamina-associated domains. TADs also align with coordinately regulated gene clusters. Disruption of a TAD boundary causes ectopic chromosomal contacts and long-range transcriptional misregulation. The Xist/Tsix sense/antisense unit illustrates how TADs enable the spatial segregation of oppositely regulated chromosomal neighbourhoods, with the respective promoters of Xist and Tsix lying in adjacent TADs, each containing their known positive regulators. We identify a novel distal regulatory region of Tsix within its TAD, which produces a long intervening RNA, Linx. In addition to uncovering a new principle of cis-regulatory architecture of mammalian chromosomes, our study sets the stage for the full genetic dissection of the X-inactivation centre.

Abstract: The representative volume element (RVE) plays a central role in the mechanics and physics of random heterogeneous materials with a view to predicting their effective properties. A quantitative definition of its size is proposed in this work. A RVE size can be associated with a given precision of the estimation of the wanted overall property and the number of realizations of a given volume V of microstructure that one is able to consider. It is shown to depend on the investigated morphological or physical property, the contrast in the properties of the constituents, and their volume fractions. The methodology is applied to a specific random microstructure, namely a two-phase three-dimensional Voronoi mosaic. Finite element simulations of volumes of different sizes are performed in the case of linear elasticity and thermal conductivity. The volumes are subjected to homogeneous strain, stress or periodic boundary conditions. The effective properties can be determined for large volumes and a small number of realizations. Conversely, smaller volumes can be used providing that a sufficient number of realizations are considered. A bias in the estimation of the effective properties is observed for too small volumes for all types of boundary conditions. The variance of computed apparent properties for each volume size is used to define the precision of the estimation. The key-notion of integral range is introduced to relate this error estimation and the definition of the RVE size. For given wanted precision and number of realizations, one is able to provide a minimal volume size for the computation of effective properties. The results can also be used to predict the minimal number of realizations that must be considered for a given volume size in order to estimate the effective property for a given precision. The RVE sizes found for elastic and thermal properties, but also for a geometrical property like volume fraction, are compared.

Abstract: Metal cations can be adsorbed by chelation on amine groups of chitosan in near neutral solutions. In the case of metal anions, the sorption proceeds by electrostatic attraction on protonated amine groups in acidic solutions. However, the presence of ligands and the pH strongly control sorption performance (sorption isotherm) and the uptake mechanism (changing the speciation of the metal may result in turning the chelation mechanism into the electrostatic attraction mechanism). Several examples are discussed with precious metals (Pd, Pt), oxo-anions (Mo, V) and heavy metals (Cu, Ag). Sorption performance (equilibrium uptake but also kinetics) is also strictly controlled by other structural parameters of the polymer (degree of deacetylation, crystallinity for example) that control swelling and diffusion properties of chitosan. The identification of the limiting steps of the sorption process helps in designing new derivatives of chitosan. Diffusion properties may be improved by physical modification of chitosan (manufacturing gel beads, decreasing crystallinity). Selectivity can be enhanced by chemical modification (grafting, for example, sulfur compounds). Several examples are discussed to demonstrate the versatility of the material. This versatility allows the polymer to be used under different forms (from water soluble form, to solid form, gels, fibers, hollow fibers …) for polymer-enhanced ultrafiltration and sorption processes. These interactions of metal ions with chitosan can be used for the decontamination of effluents, for the recovery of valuable metals but also for the development of new materials or new processes involving metal-loaded chitosan. Several examples are cited in the design of new sorbing materials, the development of chitosan-supported catalysts, the manufacturing of new materials for opto-electronic applications or agriculture (plant disease treatment …).