Numerical analysis for an interpretation

We present the theory used for the interpretation of the pressuremeter test in cohesive soil and its extension to the conventional limit pressure, which is defined as the pressure at the borehole wall for a volume increase DV equal to the initial volume of the borehole. This conventional limit pressure can be directly measured with the pressuremeter whereas the determination of the theoretical limit pressure needs an extrapolation to an infinite expansion and cannot be directly measured. The validation of this theory is made by the finite element method with the results of the Tresca standard model of Plaxis, which is compared with the theoretical expression. Conclusions are drawn on the validity of this new theory which allows the measurement and the control of shearing modulus and shear strength of the natural soil

Numerical analysis for an interpretation of the pressuremeter test in granular soil

The recent elasto-plastic pressuremeter theory of Monnet and Khlif (1994) for the granular soil had been used in several civil engineering constructions. The finite element method allows nowadays to check the validity of this theory. In the first part, we briefly present the interpretation of the pressuremeter test in granular soil and the theoretical expression of the limit pressure. In the second part, we present the analysis of the theoretical limit pressure compared with the result of the Mohr-Coulomb non-standard model used by the Plaxis finite element program. As the theory shows that the limit pressure depends on four parameters, we apply a variation of one of these parameters, the others remaining unchanged, and we study the resulting variation of the limit pressure. The theoretical evolution of the limit pressure as a function of each parameter shows a fine agreement with the numerical result

Assessment of the microbial diversity at the surface of Livarot cheese using culture-dependent and independent approaches

International audienceThe microbial diversity of the surface of a commercial red-smear cheese, Livarot cheese, sold on the retail market was studied using culture-dependent and independent approaches. Forty yeasts and 40 bacteria from the cheese surface were collected, dereplicated using single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis and identified using rRNA gene sequencing for the culture-dependent approach. The cultureindependent approach involved cloning and sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene and SSCP analysis from total DNA extracted from the cheese. The most dominant bacteria were Microbacterium gubbeenense, Leucobacter komagatae and Gram-negative bacteria from the Gamma-Proteobacteria class. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis was also used to study the cheese microbial diversity with class-level and specific rRNAtargeted probes for bacteria and yeasts, respectively. FISH analysis confirmed that Gamma-Proteobacteria were important microorganisms in this cheese. Four specific FISH probes targeting the dominant yeasts present in the cheese, Candida catenulata, Candida intermedia, Geotrichum spp. and Yarrowia lipolytica, were also designed and evaluated. These probes allowed the detection of these yeasts directly in cheese. The use of the rRNA gene-based approach combined with FISH analysis was useful to investigate the diversity of a surface microbial consortium from cheese

Studying slow displacements of the natural slopes using particle image velocimetry method

La Vitesse Imagée de Particules est une technique de mesure de vitesse qui a été développée à l'origine dans le domaine de la mécanique des fluides expérimentale. Cette méthode, a été modifiée pour être appliquée aux essais de géotechnique du laboratoire LIRIGM consacrés aux déplacements lents des pentes naturelles. Ces phénomènes ont été étudiésen utilisant une pente expérimentale, et la nouvelle technologie PIV. Cet essai permet de contrôler la direction de la vitesse et la dimension de ce phénomène. Le phénomène de déplacements lents est très complexe et dépend de plusieurs variables comme la teneur en eau, index de plasticité, hauteur du sol, angle de la pente, déplacements etc... Les expériences de laboratoire complémentaires ont été menées (par exemple essais triaxiaux, essais scissométriques). Le phénomène de déplacements lents est très difficile à observer; nous ne pouvons seulement qu’en observer les conséquences. Le modèle de comportement utilisé comme support du programme expérimental décrit dans cet article, a été employé pour construire et contrôler un modèle théorique des déformations lentes. Ce modèle a permis une meilleure du phénomène de mouvements lents observé

Méthodes de reconnaissance croisées pour l'analyse de stabilité des digues soumises à érosion interne

Les tronçons de digue autour de Grenoble font l'’objet d’une campagne de reconnaissances fondée sur l’utilisation d’'une méthode géophysique à grand rendement, le panneau électrique. L'’expérience montre que la détection de l’'écoulement, des hétérogénéités, de la géométrie, de la nature des couches obtenue par l'analyse électrique, n’'est pas toujours conforme à une réalité objective, mais que la méthode d’inversion conduit à une incertitude qui peut être importante. La recherche permet de réduire les erreurs de cette méthode par la prise en compte des géométries lorsqu’'elles sont connues. Des essais pressiométriques à cycle ont été réalisé et interprété en analyse inverse pour déterminer les caractéristiques mécaniques d’'élasticité et de résistance avec les méthodes développées au L3S-R. Des essais Lefranc, pour la détermination de la perméabilité des matériaux de la digue, ont été réalisé. Les résultats sont regroupés et confrontés aux mesures en laboratoire pour une meilleure analyse du risque d’'instabilit

Efficacy of First-Line Chemotherapy in Patients with Advanced Lung Sarcomatoid Carcinoma

Background:Sarcomatoid carcinomas (SCs) are rare tumors that may arise in the lung, accounting for 0.4% of non–small-cell lung cancers; the prognosis is poor. Only few retrospective small-size series have studied the efficacy of chemotherapy (CT) for metastatic SC.Methods:Multicenter study of patients with advanced or metastatic SC who received first-line CT. Clinical characteristics at baseline, response to first-line CT (Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors version 1.1), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) were retrospectively collected.Results:Ninety-seven patients were included. Median age was 62 (54–72) years. The majority of patients were men (70%), white (84%), and smokers (84%). Overall, 73% of patients received first-line platinum-based CT. At first tumor evaluation, 69% of patients experienced progression, 31% had disease control, and 16.5% had partial response. Partial response was observed in 20% of patients receiving platinum-based CT, and in none of those receiving non–platinum-based CT (p = 0.018). Median PFS was 2.0 months (confidence interval [CI] 95%: 1.8–2.3). PFS was not statistically different between patients receiving or not receiving a platinum-based CT. Median OS was 6.3 months (CI 95%: 4.7–7.8). There was a trend toward better OS for patients treated with platinum-based CT (7.0 months [CI 95%: 4.9–9.0] versus 5.3 months [CI 95%: 2.8–7.6]; p = 0.096). In multivariate analysis, disease control at first evaluation (hazard ratio = 0.38 [CI 95%: 0.21–0.59]) and at platinum-based CT (hazard ratio = 0.92 [CI 95%: 0.85–0.99]) was associated with better OS.Conclusion:SC is associated with poor prognosis and high rate of resistance to conventional first-line CT. New therapeutic strategies are needed, based on better knowledge of the carcinogenesis of SC

Routine molecular profiling of cancer: results of a one-year nationwide program of the French Cooperative Thoracic Intergroup (IFCT) for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients.

International audienceBackground: The molecular profiling of patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) for known oncogenic drivers is recommended during routine care. Nationally, however, the feasibility and effects on outcomes of this policy are unknown. We aimed to assess the characteristics, molecular profiles, and clinical outcomes of patients who were screened during a 1-year period by a nationwide programme funded by the French National Cancer Institute. Methods This study included patients with advanced NSCLC, who were routinely screened for EGFR mutations, ALK rearrangements, as well as HER2 (ERBB2), KRAS, BRAF, and PIK3CA mutations by 28 certified regional genetics centres in France. Patients were assessed consecutively during a 1-year period from April, 2012, to April, 2013. We measured the frequency of molecular alterations in the six routinely screened genes, the turnaround time in obtaining molecular results, and patients' clinical outcomes. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01700582. Findings 18 679 molecular analyses of 17 664 patients with NSCLC were done (of patients with known data, median age was 64·5 years [range 18–98], 65% were men, 81% were smokers or former smokers, and 76% had adenocarcinoma). The median interval between the initiation of analysis and provision of the written report was 11 days (IQR 7–16). A genetic alteration was recorded in about 50% of the analyses; EGFR mutations were reported in 1947 (11%) of 17 706 analyses for which data were available, HER2 mutations in 98 (1%) of 11 723, KRAS mutations in 4894 (29%) of 17 001, BRAF mutations in 262 (2%) of 13 906, and PIK3CA mutations in 252 (2%) of 10 678; ALK rearrangements were reported in 388 (5%) of 8134 analyses. The median duration of follow-up at the time of analysis was 24·9 months (95% CI 24·8–25·0). The presence of a genetic alteration affected first-line treatment for 4176 (51%) of 8147 patients and was associated with a significant improvement in the proportion of patients achieving an overall response in first-line treatment (37% [95% CI 34·7–38·2] for presence of a genetic alteration vs 33% [29·5–35·6] for absence of a genetic alteration; p=0·03) and in second-line treatment (17% [15·0–18·8] vs 9% [6·7–11·9]; p<0·0001). Presence of a genetic alteration was also associated with improved first-line progression-free survival (10·0 months [95% CI 9·2–10·7] vs 7·1 months [6·1–7·9]; p<0·0001) and overall survival (16·5 months [15·0–18·3] vs 11·8 months [10·1–13·5]; p<0·0001) compared with absence of a genetic alteration. Interpretation Routine nationwide molecular profiling of patients with advanced NSCLC is feasible. The frequency of genetic alterations, acceptable turnaround times in obtaining analysis results, and the clinical advantage provided by detection of a genetic alteration suggest that this policy provides a clinical benefit

Thinking through Errance: Journeying and Waiting among African Travelers in Quito and Dakar

RESUMEN: A partir del cambio de milenio, Ecuador se ha convertido en un lugar de paso, pero también de residencia para migrantes de diferentes países del mundo. Mientras que la fuerza de atracción de este país proviene de requisitos migratorios flexibles como resultado de una política de ciudadanía universal, las condiciones económicas no estimulan la posibilidad de quedarse. Este artículo tiene como punto de partida una reflexión previa sobre el concepto errancia que surgió de un acercamiento a las historias de africanos que esperaban en Dakar (Senegal) para continuar el viaje fuera de su continente. Contrastamos esta experiencia con la de otros africanos que han atravesado el Atlántico y han llegado a Quito. Dos opciones se presentan a estos últimos: continuar el viaje hacia Estados Unidos o quedarse. En ambos casos, las políticas migratorias, el valor de los papeles (pasaportes y visas) y las formas de socialidad influyen en su experiencia como viajeros. En el caso de quienes continúan el viaje hacia Estados Unidos,los riesgos de la travesía se convierten en pruebas de aptitud para recibir asilo.ABSTRACT: Since the beginning of the 21st century, Ecuador has been a point of transit but also of residence for migrants from around the world. While the attraction of this country resides in the flexible regulations of migration which stem from its policy of universal citizenship, the economic conditions there do not encourage migrants to stay. The starting point of this article is a previous study of the concept of errance which emerged from listening to the stories of Africans who were waiting in Dakar, Senegal, as they sought a way to leave from the continent from Africa. The article contrasts their experiences with those of other Africans who manage to cross the Atlantic and land in Quito. There are two options available for them: to either continue the journey toward the United States or remain in Ecuador. In both cases, migration policies, immigration papers and socialities are factors which shape their experience as travelers. For those who continue on their journey to the United States, the risks they run become a proof of their worthiness to be granted asylum