Investigating the role of molecular coating in human corneal endothelial cell primary culture using artificial intelligence-driven image analysis

Gauthier Travers and Louise Coulomb contributed equally to this work - Gauthier Travers et Louise Coulomb ont contribué à parts égales à ce travailInternational audienceThe monolayer of approximately 300,000 human corneal endothelial cells (hCECs) on the posteriorsurface of the cornea is essential to maintain transparency but is non-self-regenerative. Cornealblindness can currently only be treated by corneal transplantation, hindered by a global donorshortage, highlighting the need for developing tissue and/or cell therapy. The mass production ofthese advanced therapy medicinal products requires obtaining high-yield, high-quality endothelial cellcultures characterized by hexagonal shape, low size variability, and high endothelial cell density (ECD).Among the usual critical quality attributes which combine the expression of differentiation markers,ECD and cell morphological parameters, the latter are not optimally measured in vitro by conventionalimage analysis which poorly recognizes adherent cultured cells. We developed a high-performanceautomated segmentation using Cellpose algorithm and an original analysis method, improving thecalculation of classical morphological parameters (coefficient of variation of cell area and hexagonality)and introducing new parameters specific to hCECs culture in vitro. Considering the importance ofthe extracellular matrix in vivo, and the panel of molecules available for coating cell culture plastics,we used these new tools to perform a comprehensive comparison of 13 molecules (laminins andcollagens). We demonstrated their ability to discriminate subtle differences between cultures

High temperature chromium coating cracking investigation during tensile tests monitored by acoustic emission

International audienceThe present study focuses on in-situ measurements of crack initiation and propagation in first-generation PVD-HiPIMS chromium coatings on M5Framatome11M5Framatome is a trademark or a registered trademark of Framatome or its affiliates in the USA or other countries. cladding substrates using an acoustic emission (AE) device and a tensile test machine. A key novelty of this work is the implementation of a temperature-controlled cracking monitoring system adapted to the cladding geometry under tensile loading. Post-mortem examinations (after different interrupted tensile tests) provide an evaluation of the in-situ method for determining the crack initiation threshold and crack density evolution. The critical strain to crack initiation increases exponentially from 0.4 % at room temperature to 3 % at 350 °C. Above 410 °C, the coating no longer exhibits brittle cracking until reaching high macroscopic imposed strain (up to 30-50 %). Additionally, the crack density decreases more or less linearly with the increasing testing temperature. At higher temperatures, the coating becomes highly ductile, consistently with the increased plasticity of pure chromium. SEM observations of the coating cross-section confirm that cracks do not propagate beyond the coating and that no delamination occurs. Thus, after rapidly reaching crack density saturation, the residual uncracked chromium coating exhibits significant plasticity and widening of the existing Cr cracks while providing slight mechanical reinforcement to the Zr-based cladding up to at least 400 °C

Facilitating Agile Transformation Through Business Process Standardisation – A Case Study

International audienceEnterprises across various sectors are adopting agile transformation as a strategic response to an increasingly dynamic business environment. However, this shift is often hindered by misconceptions, a lack of guidance, and growing process complexity. This paper aims to provide practical guidance for managing agile transformation projects by examining a scale-up initiative within a vocational training programme involving multiple teams. Drawing on Business Process Standardisation (BPS) and the Iterative Agility Improvement Framework (IAIF), the study demonstrates how structured approaches can streamline processes and support programme expansion. Specifically, the case study illustrates how IAIF can guide agile transformation efforts, highlights the role of process standardisation in aligning team perspectives and fostering collaboration, and underscores the importance of process modularisation in enhancing agility and performance. The findings offer valuable insights for practitioners seeking to operationalise agile transformation, particularly in contexts where collaboration is critical

Perspectives on Regulation Adaptation in Multi-Agent Systems: from Agent to Organization Centric and Beyond

International audienceIn Multi-Agent Systems (MAS), the regulation of agents aims to define a balance between the control of the system and the agents' autonomy. The ability of a MAS to adapt its regulations at run-time is an important feature that enables it to be flexible to changing situations. There is no unique approach to designing such ability. In this paper, we discuss the different options along the multi-agent oriented programming dimensions, i.e., agent, environment, interaction, and organization. We show that regulation adaptation can be managed within a single dimension or distributed in multiple dimensions. We use a case study in the manufacturing system domain to motivate the regulation adaptation in each of these dimensions

Stochastic image generator for industrial bin-picking simulation

International audienceIn modern industrial automation, bin-picking remains a challenging task due to the unpredictable and chaotic distribution of parts on a surface. Reliable robotic grasping depends on effective separation and alignment of components, often requiring complex tuning and setup. Expertise Vision, a company based in France, has developed a vibrating system called PVR (Plateau Vibrant Rotatif, or Rotating Vibrating Plate), which facilitates part separation and radial alignment through carefully tuned vibration recipes

An advanced image processing and multivariate statistical methodology to interpret Micro-EDXRF 2D maps: Uncovering heterogeneity and spatial distribution patterns of rare earth elements in phosphogypsum

International audiencePhosphogypsum (PG), a by-product of the fertilizer industry, is a potential source of rare earth elements (REEs) such as Lanthanum (La), Cerium (Ce), Neodymium (Nd), and Yttrium (Y). These elements were efficiently detected using micro-Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence (μ-EDXRF). Although a homogeneous REE distribution was expected in μ-EDXRF 2D maps, significant heterogeneity and variations in elemental associations (EA) were observed at a micrometric scale. To enhance and better interpret μ-EDXRF mapping results, a specialized image processing methodology was developed, incorporating Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Hierarchical Clustering (HC), and Multiple Linear Regression (MLA) which were applied to process and analyse 2D RGB pixel data. Identification of spatial overlaps, and multivariate correlations among the detected elements could be achieved. Notably, distinct EA patterns were found, with Ti, Ba, Y, and K playing a key role in REEs spatial distribution. Strong positive spatial correlations were identified between La and Ti, while Ce, Nd, and Y exhibited independent spatial distributions relative to La in certain sample areas. MLA further revealed strong EA between La, Ce, Nd, Y, and K, particularly in locations where Ti or Ba were also present. Additional elemental interactions were detected with Al, Cl, Ni, and Fe, with P and Cl showing significant correlations. Multicollinearity effects suggest strong interdependencies among elements. These findings highlight distinct REE spatial distributions within PG, demonstrating that mineralogical and compositional variations within the PG matrix influence REE spatial distribution patterns. Understanding these associations can improve strategies for REEs recovery from PG waste

Craftsman gaze data study to enhance craft material selection and facilitate Knowledge Transfer

International audienceMaterial selection methods and tools are mainly quantitative-based and cater essentially to engineering material selection requirements. However, shifts in material sourcing and manufacturing as well as data processing tend to lean towards tailored fabrication models in which the material leads the design. This highlights emerging opportunities and requirements in material selection, including the need to consider the situation of the person making the assessment, which has come to the forefront of material selection. Designers and researchers have already provided valuable research to enhance material selection on a sensorial basis. However, little has been recommended for material selection based on the different states of a material and a person’s experience with the material in those various states. Crafts offer a wealth of opportunity to study the different states of a material when interacting with a human being and offer fertile ground to conduct research into user-situation based material selection. To further the study, the eye tracker has been considered a favored tool, as it produces data sets of a user’s visual attention, revealing unfolding cognition and unaware processing while a person performs a material selection task. We present illustrations of four material selection situations to show the benefit of providing gaze data. We consider that this data, given the different areas and levels of expertise in material knowledge, can be an important contribution to the existing means and models already being used by designers in material selection. We present prospects and suggest that material selection should take place early on in the material transformation process. We also question the very notion of gaze and its many possible meanings, concluding our paper by highlighting the need for as much complementary experiential data as possible to hone into more informed and refined data sets associated with material selection experience

Investigation of [BMIM]FeCl₄ ionic liquid as an additive for carbon capture using gas hydrates with seawater

International audienceCarbon capture through gas hydrate formation represents a highly promising avenue for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions. The unique structure of gas hydrates allows for the efficient trapping of gases like CO2, potentially offering a robust solution for carbon sequestration. However, the practical implementation of this technology faces several challenges, primarily related to the kinetics of hydrate formation and the stability of hydrates under varying conditions. The use of promoters has shown potential in overcoming some of these kinetic barriers. A few years ago, iron-based ionic liquids were studied as kinetic promoters for gas hydrates. Since hydrate formation kinetics pose a well-known challenge for developing hydrate-based technologies, this study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of [BMIM]FeCl4 ionic liquid for carbon capture from seawater. The research is divided into three stages: analyzing the influence of NaCl concentration on the liquid–liquid equilibrium of brine and ionic liquids; examining the thermodynamic equilibrium of CO2 hydrates in the presence of seawater and ionic liquids; and investigating the kinetics of hydrate formation. The first stage produced a two-phase ternary diagram relevant to expected industrial conditions, and the kinetic constants for gas-to-liquid and liquid-to-hydrate mass transfer were estimated. The results demonstrated a thermodynamic inhibition effect for CO2 hydrates. However, from a kinetic perspective, no significant improvement was observed. Consequently, [BMIM]FeCl4 did not prove to be an effective overall promoter

A Multi-Agent-based infrastructure for coupling physical and digital robotic environments

International audienceThis paper presents a multi-agent-based infrastructure achieving a seamless coupling between physical and digital environments. The goal is to simplify the design of Cyber-Physical systems (CPS) including robots. The proposed infrastructure introduces agents that act on behalf of physical and digital robots, facilitating real-time interaction and coordination between both environments. Based on the multi-agent framework Hypermedea, the infrastructure provides a solid framework for hiding the technical complexity of the designed system. Our proposal is illustrated through a motivating scenario from the Industry 4.0

Fatigue damage of automotive LEDs: Experimental approach and thermomechanical model

International audienc