Contextualiser et augmenter l'attractivité de l'enseignement de base des circuits électriques via l'étude et la réalisation d'un amplificateur audio de classe D

En Belgique au niveau de la formation des ingénieurs universitaires, la réforme de Bologne a conduit à remplacer l'approche traditionnelle de deux ans de formation générale suivie de trois ans de spécialisation par une approche de type 3+2 (bachelor degree, master) dans laquelle les étudiants choisissent au cours du premier cycle des modules “ techniques ”, tels que l'électricité, la mécanique, la chimie- physique, ..., les préparant à des masters de spécialisation dans ces domaines. Dans ce contexte où des choix se font très tôt dans le curriculum, offrir via des activités de projet une approche qui permet aux étudiants de découvrir des aspects du métier liés à une discipline peut jouer un rôle significatif au niveau de l'attractivité des formations proposées. C'est dans ce contexte que la présente communication décrit une expérience de projet réalisée cette année et montrant comment l'enseignement des circuits électriques peut permettre aux étudiants de comprendre les principes et réaliser un prototype d'un dispositif en prise directe avec la technologie actuelle, à savoir un ampli audio de classe D

Electric Vehicle Performance and Consumption Evaluation

In this article, the driving performance of two electric vehicles of the latest generation clean powertrain cars is evaluated. The vehicles under test are an electric Peugeot iOn, and an AGV electric version of the Ford Transit Connect. For different torque-speed operating conditions at wheel level, the vehicles are evaluated for their battery to wheel - electrical to mechanical - power conversion performance, with the help of chassis dynamometer testing. This generates an insight in the mapping of the consumption and efficiency value ranges for electric driving. The vehicles are also tested in real life on-road conditions, by following a pre-set representative track on public roads. Charging efficiency and consumption of auxiliaries is considered too. These tests give insight and realistic values to judge consumption, driving range and efficiency. With these results, further calculations and accurate simulations of realistic scenarios are possible Document type: Articl

Bio-optimized Curcuma longa extract is efficient on knee osteoarthritis pain: A double-blind multicenter randomized placebo controlled three-arm study

Objectives: Comparison of two doses of bio-optimized Curcuma longa extract (BCL) in the management of symptomatic knee osteoarthritis (OA). Methods: A prospective, randomized, 3-month, double-blind, multicenter, three-group, placebo-controlled trial assessing Patient Global Assessment of Disease Activity (PGADA) and serum sColl2-1, a biomarker of cartilage degradation, as co-primary endpoints. Pain on visual analog scale (VAS), Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), and paracetamol/non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) consumption were used as secondary endpoints. Results: One hundred fifty patients with knee OA were followed for 90 days. Low and high doses of BCL showed a greater decrease of PGADA than placebo. Analysis of sColl2-1 showed in the placebo and BCL low-dose groups, but not in the BCL high-dose group, a transient but non-significant increase of sColl2-1 between T0 and T1. Thereafter, in all groups, sColl2-1 decreased between T1 and T3 (all p < 0.01), but no difference between the groups was found. Pain reduction at day 90 in the low- and high-dose BCL groups (- 29.5 mm and - 36.5 mm) was higher than that in the placebo (- 8 mm; p = 0.018). The global KOOS significantly decreased overtime, but changes were comparable across treatment arms. The ratio of patients with adverse events (AE) related to the product was similar in the placebo and treatment groups, but the number of AE linked to the product was higher in the high-dose BCL group compared to the placebo (p = 0.012). Conclusions: BCL appeared safe and well-tolerated with no evidence of severe adverse effects. Efficacy analysis suggested positive trends for measurements of PGADA and serum levels of an OA biomarker and showed a rapid and significant decrease of pain in knee OA (Trial registration: ISRCTN, ISRCTN12345678. Registered 21 September 2016 - retrospectively registered, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02909621?term=osteoarthritis+curcumin&rank=5 - Evaluation of FLEXOFYTOL® Versus PLACEBO (COPRA) NCT02909621).SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe