Stathis Arapostathis, Graeme Gooday, Patently Contestable: Electrical Technologies and Inventor Identities on Trial in Britain | Sean Bottomley, The British Patent System during the Industrial Revolution, 1700-1852. From Privilege to Property | Christopher Beauchamp, Invented by Law: Alexander Graham Bell and the Patent That Changed America

La parution récente de plusieurs ouvrages en langue anglaise portant sur l’histoire des brevets d’invention offre l’occasion de revenir sur cet objet de recherche et de mesurer le chemin parcouru depuis les ouvrages, devenus classiques, des années 1980. Nous le verrons, ces trois études, qui renseignent à nouveaux frais les cas anglais et américain, font montre d’un certain nombre de convergences, alors même qu’elles prennent racine dans des points de départ disciplinaires bien distincts : l’..

Can Energy Savings from Operations Promoting Energy Efficient Behaviors in Office Buildings be Accounted for?

International audienceWhen looking for solutions to mitigate the growth of energy consumption in the commercial buildings sector, research works often focus on the energy performance of buildings. Indeed, many studies established how large the technical improvement potential was in this sector. But cost-effective energy savings can also be achieved in a complementary way by an improved energy management promoting energy efficient behaviors, because energy consumptions depend on both energy performance of buildings and equipments, and end-users behaviors. Past experiences tend to show that if awareness operations were widely disseminated, a significant amount of energy savings could be realized. It is likely that more and more organizations engage such operations. Unfortunately, their real impacts remain rather unknown and uncertain, mainly because they are not perceived as a serious option. Consequently they are implemented in very heterogeneous ways. Thus, their results may vary a lot too. This paper first reminds success factors analyzed in previous works, before presenting monitoring guidelines to ensure that energy savings can be accounted for. This methodological approach could be an entry to consider the inclusion of behavioral actions in schemes accounting for energy savings, such as white certificates. The option to include awareness operations in an energy management service appears to create good conditions ensuring the quality of the operations and therefore an accounting system reliable enough for certified energy savings. Admitting this new kind of energy service in white certificates schemes would on the one side provide a clear recognition of behavioral actions, and on the other side promote quality standards ensuring more homogeneity and effectiveness among this kind of operation

Computational study of dense granular flows in stirred reactors

In chemical engineering applications, reactors featuring rotating parts are common practice. As these rotating parts are present in order to enhance chemical reactions, it is essential to take them into account when performing predictive numerical simulations. This aspect can be particularly challenging, even more so when complex industrial geometries are to be treated. In this communication the rotating mesh numerical methodology of NEPTUNE_CFD V3.0 (an Eulerian n-fluid multiphase flow CFD code) is presented. The method is based on splitting the domain into static and rotating parts. The information between rotating and static parts is passed thanks to a non-conformal mesh matching technique. The methodology is first validated, both numerically and experimentally using the classical rotating drum case. The high degree of compaction of the flow is taken into account thanks to a frictional stress tensor. The method is then pushed further and used to investigate the hydrodynamics of dry granular beds in stirred vessels. The results show that the rotating mesh method can effectively treat such configurations, hence offering interesting insight concerning the dynamics of the flow

Numerical simulation of unsteady dense granular flows with rotating geometries.

In chemical engineering applications, it is not uncommon to encounter reactors featuring rotating parts. As these rotating parts are present in order to enhance processes such as chemical reactions and/or ensure homogeneity, it is essential to take them into account to perform predictive numerical simulations. This aspect can be particularly challenging, even more so when complex industrial geometries are to be treated.In this paper a numerical methodology for simulating unsteady granular flow in rotating geometries is presented. The method is based on splitting the domain into static and rotating parts. The information between rotating and static parts is passed by a non-conformal mesh matching technique. The presented methodology is validated numerically by comparing its results with other conventional methods. The method is then applied to an industrial scale problem. The applicability of the method and the way it may be used to investigate complex flow is demonstrated. Therefore this approach enables to consider the full geometry of complex reactors. It opens the door to further investigation, optimization and design of industrial scale chemical processes

Compatibility of the French white certificate program to fulfil the objective of energy savings claimed by the Energy Service Directive

International audienceThe Commission has proposed a Directive on the promotion of end-use efficiency and energy services (ESD) to enhance the cost-effective and efficient end-use of energy in Member States. According to the Directive, the Member States shall adopt and aim to achieve an overall national indicative energy savings target of 9% (or beyond) in 2016. This target is to be reached by way of energy services and other energy efficiency measures. The French National Energy Efficiency Action Plan to comply with the ESD includes a White Certificates scheme (or FWC) as one of the important measures to fulfil the target. As the accountings of energy savings in the FWC scheme and in the ESD are different (e.g. lifetime-cumulated and discounted kWh for FWC and annual kWh for ESD), an analysis of the compliance of both methodologies and a comparison of the assessed savings are necessary. In this paper, we evaluate the compliance with the ESD requirements of two different end-use actions (insulation, heating boiler) included in the FWC scheme. This is done through the concrete case of certificates filed by EDF. The main objective of this evaluation is to assess the contribution of the savings of these FWC actions to the target of the ESD. Finally, general conclusions are drawn about the use of a White Certificates scheme as a monitoring and evaluation tool for the ESD purpose

Generating Counterexamples of Model-based Software Product Lines: An Exploratory Study

International audienceModel-based Software Product Line (MSPL) engineering ai- ms at deriving customized models corresponding to individ- ual products of a family. MSPL approaches usually promote the joint use of a variability model, a base model expressed in a specific formalism, and a realization layer that maps variation points to model elements. The design space of an MSPL is extremely complex to manage for the engineer, since the number of variants may be exponential and the derived product models have to be conformant to numerous well-formedness and business rules. In this paper, the objec- tive is to provide a way to generate MSPLs, called counterex- amples, that can produce invalid product models despite a valid configuration in the variability model. We provide a systematic and automated process, based on the Common Variability Language (CVL), to randomly search the space of MSPLs for a specific formalism. We validate the effective- ness of this process for three formalisms at different scales (up to 247 metaclasses and 684 rules). We also explore and discuss how counterexamples could guide practitioners when customizing derivation engines, when implementing check- ing rules that prevent early incorrect CVL models, or simply when specifying an MSPL

Generating Counterexamples of Model-based Software Product Lines: An Exploratory Study

International audienceModel-based Software Product Line (MSPL) engineering ai- ms at deriving customized models corresponding to individ- ual products of a family. MSPL approaches usually promote the joint use of a variability model, a base model expressed in a specific formalism, and a realization layer that maps variation points to model elements. The design space of an MSPL is extremely complex to manage for the engineer, since the number of variants may be exponential and the derived product models have to be conformant to numerous well-formedness and business rules. In this paper, the objec- tive is to provide a way to generate MSPLs, called counterex- amples, that can produce invalid product models despite a valid configuration in the variability model. We provide a systematic and automated process, based on the Common Variability Language (CVL), to randomly search the space of MSPLs for a specific formalism. We validate the effective- ness of this process for three formalisms at different scales (up to 247 metaclasses and 684 rules). We also explore and discuss how counterexamples could guide practitioners when customizing derivation engines, when implementing check- ing rules that prevent early incorrect CVL models, or simply when specifying an MSPL

Force-Velocity Measurements of a Few Growing Actin Filaments

The authors propose a new mechanism for actin-based force generation based on results using chains of actin-grafted magnetic colloids

Early Neurodegeneration Progresses Independently of Microglial Activation by Heparan Sulfate in the Brain of Mucopolysaccharidosis IIIB Mice

BACKGROUND: In mucopolysaccharidosis type IIIB, a lysosomal storage disease causing early onset mental retardation in children, the production of abnormal oligosaccharidic fragments of heparan sulfate is associated with severe neuropathology and chronic brain inflammation. We addressed causative links between the biochemical, pathological and inflammatory disorders in a mouse model of this disease. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In cell culture, heparan sulfate oligosaccharides activated microglial cells by signaling through the Toll-like receptor 4 and the adaptor protein MyD88. CD11b positive microglial cells and three-fold increased expression of mRNAs coding for the chemokine MIP1alpha were observed at 10 days in the brain cortex of MPSIIIB mice, but not in MPSIIIB mice deleted for the expression of Toll-like receptor 4 or the adaptor protein MyD88, indicating early priming of microglial cells by heparan sulfate oligosaccharides in the MPSIIIB mouse brain. Whereas the onset of brain inflammation was delayed for several months in doubly mutant versus MPSIIIB mice, the onset of disease markers expression was unchanged, indicating similar progression of the neurodegenerative process in the absence of microglial cell priming by heparan sulfate oligosaccharides. In contrast to younger mice, inflammation in aged MPSIIIB mice was not affected by TLR4/MyD88 deficiency. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: These results indicate priming of microglia by HS oligosaccharides through the TLR4/MyD88 pathway. Although intrinsic to the disease, this phenomenon is not a major determinant of the neurodegenerative process. Inflammation may still contribute to neurodegeneration in late stages of the disease, albeit independent of TLR4/MyD88. The results support the view that neurodegeneration is primarily cell autonomous in this pediatric disease

Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation for Severe Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome associated with COVID-19: An Emulated Target Trial Analysis.

RATIONALE: Whether COVID patients may benefit from extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) compared with conventional invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) remains unknown. OBJECTIVES: To estimate the effect of ECMO on 90-Day mortality vs IMV only Methods: Among 4,244 critically ill adult patients with COVID-19 included in a multicenter cohort study, we emulated a target trial comparing the treatment strategies of initiating ECMO vs. no ECMO within 7 days of IMV in patients with severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (PaO2/FiO2 <80 or PaCO2 ≥60 mmHg). We controlled for confounding using a multivariable Cox model based on predefined variables. MAIN RESULTS: 1,235 patients met the full eligibility criteria for the emulated trial, among whom 164 patients initiated ECMO. The ECMO strategy had a higher survival probability at Day-7 from the onset of eligibility criteria (87% vs 83%, risk difference: 4%, 95% CI 0;9%) which decreased during follow-up (survival at Day-90: 63% vs 65%, risk difference: -2%, 95% CI -10;5%). However, ECMO was associated with higher survival when performed in high-volume ECMO centers or in regions where a specific ECMO network organization was set up to handle high demand, and when initiated within the first 4 days of MV and in profoundly hypoxemic patients. CONCLUSIONS: In an emulated trial based on a nationwide COVID-19 cohort, we found differential survival over time of an ECMO compared with a no-ECMO strategy. However, ECMO was consistently associated with better outcomes when performed in high-volume centers and in regions with ECMO capacities specifically organized to handle high demand. This article is open access and distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives License 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)