Linguistic deficits attested in children with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) have been explained in terms of limitations in working memory (WM). The goal of this research is to assess whether a tailored WM program can improve the syntactic abilities of children with DLD and those with typical development (TD). We created a novel iPad application consisting of five activities specifically designed to train the components of WM that have been shown to be the most predictive of performance on tests assessing complex syntax. Thirty-two children with DLD (M = 9;0) and 18 with TD (M = 8;5) followed the WM training (lasting 12 hours). Results show significant improvement in verbal WM (direct effects) in both TD and DLD groups, and in sentence repetition (transfer effects) in the DLD group, with the most pronounced improvements observed for complex syntactic structures. This progression is not observed for 38 age-matched children of the same age who followed an alternative, global scholastic training (20 DLD, 18 TD), which proves the specific efficacy of our WM training. The logical next step will be to incorporate the training into the therapy of children with DLD in order to reinforce the potential benefit of their interventions.

Some theories of Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) explain the linguistic deficits observed in terms of limitations in non-linguistic cognitive systems such as working memory. The goal of this research is to clarify the relationship between working memory and the processing of complex sentences by exploring the performance of 28 French-speaking children with DLD aged five to fourteen years and 48 typically developing children of the same age in memory and linguistic tasks. We identified predictive relationships between working memory and the comprehension and repetition of complex sentences in both groups. As for syntactic measures in spontaneous language, it is the complex spans that explain the major part of the variance in the control children. In children with DLD, however, simple spans are predictive of these syntactic measures. Our results thus reveal a robust relationship between working memory and syntactic complexity, with clinical implications for the treatment of children with DLD.

L' étude de la structure d' une argile sensible du Québec est abordée en porosimétrie au mercure après lyophilisation et en microscopie électronique à balayage sur une surface obtenue par fracture de l' échantillon congelé (système Cryoscan). On observe une structure en agrégats définissant deux classes de pores. A grande vitesse de congélation, la cristallisation de la glace semble surtout affecter les points faibles de la structure, qui sont les ponts de plaquettes reliant les agrégats les uns aux autres.

This paper presents performances achieved with InAlGaN/GaN HEMTs with 0.15 µm gate length on SiC substrate. Technology Computer Aided Design simulations were used to optimize the heterostructure. Special attention was paid to the design of the buffer structure. I-V measurements with DC and pulsed bias voltages were performed. CW measurements at millimeter waves were also carried out and are detailed in the following sections. The technology, optimized for power applications up to 45 GHz, demonstrates a current gain cut-off frequency FT of 70 GHz and a maximum available gain cut-off frequency FMAG of 140 GHz. CW Load-pull power measurements at 30 GHz enable to achieve a maximum PAE of 41% associated with an output power density of 3.5 W/mm when biased at VDS = 20 V. These devices, with an improved buffer structure show, reduced recovery time in pulsed operating conditions. These improved characteristics should have a positive impact for pulsed or modulated signal applications.

An unusual tumor arising in the filum terminale is described. The clinical data revealed an extensive and slowly growing lesion. The histologic picture was characterized by a proliferation of lobules and sheets of regular cells within a rich vascular network. Electron microscopic studies showed light and dark cells with sustentacular extensions. Typical neurosecretory granules were obsen'ed in both cell types, establishing the diagnosis of para-ganglioma. The glomus coccygeum could be the site of this tumor.

An 8 year old boy developed cerebral abscess and purulent meningitis due to Clostridium perfringens and Clostridium paraputrificum after trauma to the left orbit. The patient made a satisfactory recovery with surgical treatment and antibiotic therapy. A review of the literature revealed that meningitis due to Clostridia is rare and usually related to penetrating trauma, and that penetrating trauma to the orbit is associated with significant central nervous system morbidity.

This paper presents an original characterization method of trapping phenomena in gallium nitride high electron mobility transistors (GaN HEMTs). This method is based on the frequency dispersion of the output-admittance that is characterized by low-frequency S-parameter measurements. As microwave performances of GaN HEMTs are significantly affected by trapping effects, trap characterization is essential for this power technology. The proposed measurement setup and the trap characterization method allow us to determine the activation energy Ea and the capture cross-section σn of the identified traps. Three original characterizations are presented here to investigate the particular effects of bias, ageing, and light, respectively. These measurements are illustrated through different technologies such as AlGaN/GaN and InAlN/GaN HEMTs with non-intentionally doped or carbon doped GaN buffer layers. The extracted trap signatures are intended to provide an efficient feedback to the technology developments

This paper presents power results of L-band packaged hybrid amplifiers using InAlN/GaN/SiC HEMT power dies. The high-power densities achieved both in pulsed and continuous wave (cw) modes confirm the interest of such technology for high-frequency, high-power, and high-temperature operation. We present here record RF power measurements for different versions of amplifiers. Up to 260 W, i.e. 3.6 W/mm, in pulsed (10 µs/10%) conditions, and 105 W, i.e. 2.9 W/mm, in cw conditions were achieved. Such results are made possible thanks to the impressive performances of InAlN/GaN transistors, even when operating at high temperatures. Unit cell transistors deliver output powers of 4.3 W/mm at Vds = 40 V in the cw mode of operation at the frequency of 2 GHz. The transistor process is described here, as well as the amplifiers design and measurements, with a particular focus to the thermal management aspects.

A study of the electrical performances of AlInN/GaN High Electron Mobility Transistors (HEMTs) on SiC substrates is presented in this paper. Four different wafers with different technological and epitaxial processes were characterized. Thanks to intensive characterizations as pulsed-IV, [S]-parameters, and load-pull measurements from S to Ku bands, it is demonstrated here that AlInN/GaN HEMTs show excellent power performances and constitute a particularly interesting alternative to AlGaN/GaN HEMTs, especially for high-frequency applications beyond the X band. The measured transistors with 250 nm gate lengths from different wafers delivered in continuous wave (cw): 10.8 W/mm with 60% associated power added efficiency (PAE) at 3,5 GHz, 6.6 W/mm with 39% associated PAE at 10.24 GHz, and 4.2 W/mm with 43% associated PAE at 18 GHz.

The present paper presents an overview of the AlGaN/GaN-based circuits realized over the years. Two technological processes with 0.25 and 0.7 μm gate length allowed one to address applications from L- to Ku-bands. Depending on the process development and frequency of the operation, results on hybrid or MMIC technology are presented. GaN technology is evaluated through the realization of high-power amplifiers, robust low-noise amplifiers, or power switches to prepare the next generation of Tx-Rx modules.

The first 14-MeV neutron images of imploded microballoons have been obtained on the Phébus laser facility at CEL-V. The sizes of the source have been measured, in direct-drive experiments, by means of a coded-aperture imaging system. The principle is to use a thick aperture with a diameter larger than that of the source to image the microballoon. The deconvolution of the recorded image allows one to reconstruct the image of the neutron source, and this technique allows one to obtain images at a lower neutron yield than with a conventional pinhole camera. The choice of the experimental conditions is a trade-off between the Phébus conditions, the spatial resolution, and the image reconstruction method that is related to the signalto-noise ratio. The sensitivity of the diagnostic is strongly dependent on the number of scintillator photons that are collected by the recording system. The neutron measurement threshold of our experimental setup is typically 2 × 1010 neutrons/shot for neutron source sizes of 800 μm.

The fabrication of high-resistivity ZnO-based thin films lattice-matched to AlGaN/GaN structures has been developed. It relies on low-temperature reactive sputter deposition of ZnO:Sb from ZnSb target. Taking into account the hygroscopic nature of ZnO surface, an additional coating by Si3N4 films is applied to ensure the humidity protecition. The developped passivation suppresses leakage currents in Schottky diods, and substantially improves output characteristics of AlGaN/GaN HEMT.