Développement et automatisation d'un outil de mesure des mouvements du cheval pour l'aide à la prévention, au diagnostic et au suivi vétérinaire des affections locomotrices

The visual examination by the veterinarian of the horse's locomotion under standardized conditions is a decisive step in the diagnosis of locomotor disorders. It conditions the choice of further medical imaging exploration and the follow-up of the evolution of a locomotor disorder. Its objectification by a dedicated quantification system is a major challenge to improve the accuracy of diagnosis by overcoming the bias of qualitative visual observation. Methods exist, but no device that precisely meets this need is adapted to the conditions of veterinary practice. Thus, the objective of this thesis is to set up and develop a reliable, relevant and precise measurement system that can be used as a tool to assist in the diagnosis and monitoring of locomotor asymmetries in horses. The scientific objective of this thesis will be to verify the accuracy, precision, relevance and discriminatory capacity of this system while participating in the development of a marketable instrument for the veterinarian.L'examen visuel, par le vétérinaire, de la locomotion du cheval dans des conditions standardisées est une étape déterminante du diagnostic des affections locomotrices. Elle conditionne les examens complémentaires et le suivi de l'évolution d'un trouble locomoteur. Son objectivation par des systèmes de quantification dédiés est un enjeu majeur pour améliorer la précision des diagnostics en s'affranchissant des biais de l'observation visuelle qualitative. Des méthodes existent mais aucun dispositif répondant précisément à ce besoin n'est adapté aux conditions de la pratique vétérinaire. Ainsi l'objectif de cette thèse est de mettre en place et de développer un système de mesure fiable, pertinent et précis, utilisable comme un outil d'aide au diagnostic et au suivi des asymétries locomotrices chez le cheval. Ce travail de thèse aura pour objectif scientifique de vérifier l'exactitude, la précision, la pertinence et la capacité de discrimination de ce système tout en participant à l'élaboration d'un instrument commercialisable pour le vétérinaire

L’accompagnement des étudiants en soins infirmiers avec une dyslexie. État des lieux en France en 2022 et perspectives

Introduction : le nombre d’étudiants en situation de handicap augmente dans l’enseignement supérieur. La dyslexie en constitue la forme la plus fréquente. Peu de communications sur ce sujet ciblent les formations en santé en France. Objectifs : l’enquête menée cherchait à caractériser et à comprendre l’accompagnement mis en place en instituts de formations en soins infirmiers (Ifsi) au regard de la dyslexie. Méthodes : une enquête mixte a été réalisée en 2022 principalement auprès de référents handicap en Ifsi. Un questionnaire national a recueilli 113 réponses de métropole et d’Outre-Mer, puis trois focus groups ont réuni 28 participants originaires de dix régions différentes. Résultats : au moment de l’étude, les mesures les plus fréquentes concernaient les évaluations et la communication institutionnelle. Cependant, elles manquaient de structuration. Des zones lacunaires persistaient, notamment en stage professionnel. Discussion : au-delà des référents handicap, l’ensemble des acteurs doivent être sensibilisés aux besoins des étudiants avec une dyslexie. Une plus grande visibilité du handicap pourrait également faire évoluer les mentalités dans le milieu soignant. Conclusion : l’accompagnement spécifique concernant la dyslexie est initié en Ifsi. Son développement nécessite un changement de regard des parties prenantes. Il pourra secondairement se prolonger à d’autres formations en santé

Plateformes pour la création de données en pictogrammes

International audienceNous présentons un ensemble de trois interfaces web pour la création de données en pictogrammes dans le cadre du projet ANR Propicto. Chacune a un objectif précis : annoter des données textuelles en pictogrammes ARASAAC, créer un vocabulaire en pictogrammes, et post-éditer des phrases annotées en pictogrammes. Bien que nécessaire pour des outils de traduction automatique vers les unités pictographiques, actuellement, presque aucune ressource annotée n'existe. Cet article présente les spécificités de ces plateformes web (disponibles en ligne gratuitement) et leur utilité

A Pilot Study on the Inter-Operator Reproducibility of a Wireless Sensors-Based System for Quantifying Gait Asymmetries in Horses

Repeatability and reproducibility of any measuring system must be evaluated to assess possible limitations for its use. The objective of this study was to establish the repeatability and the inter-operator reproducibility of a sensors-based system (EQUISYM®) for quantifying gait asymmetries in horses.. Seven wireless IMUs were placed on the head, the withers, the pelvis, and the 4 cannon bones on three horses, by four different operators, four times on each horse, which led to a total of 48 repetitions randomly assigned. Data were collected along three consecutive days and analysed to calculate total variance, standard deviation and the variance attributable to the operator on multiple asymmetry variables. Maximal percentage of variance due to the operator (calculated out of the total variance) was 5.3% and was related to the sensor placed on the head. The results suggest a good reproducibility of IMU-based gait analysis systems for different operators repositioning the system and repeating the same measurements at a succession of time intervals. Future studies will be useful to confirm that inter-operator reproducibility remains valid in larger groups and on horses with different degrees of locomotor asymmetry

Stance Phase Detection by Inertial Measurement Unit Placed on the Metacarpus of Horses Trotting on Hard and Soft Straight Lines and Circles

The development of on-board technologies has enabled the development of quantification systems to monitor equine locomotion parameters. Their relevance among others relies on their ability to determine specific locomotor events such as foot-on and heel-off events. The objective of this study was to compare the accuracy of different methods for an automatic gait events detection from inertial measurement units (IMUs). IMUs were positioned on the cannon bone, hooves, and withers of seven horses trotting on hard and soft straight lines and circles. Longitudinal acceleration and angular velocity around the latero-medial axis of the cannon bone, and withers dorso-ventral displacement data were identified to tag the foot-on and a heel-off events. The results were compared with a reference method based on hoof-mounted-IMU data. The developed method showed bias less than 1.79%, 1.46%, 3.45% and −1.94% of stride duration, respectively, for forelimb foot-on and heel-off, and for hindlimb foot-on and heel-off detection, compared to our reference method. The results of this study showed that the developed gait-events detection method had a similar accuracy to other methods developed for straight line analysis and extended this validation to other types of exercise (circles) and ground surface (soft surface)

Investigation of Thresholds for Asymmetry Indices to Represent the Visual Assessment of Single Limb Lameness by Expert Veterinarians on Horses Trotting in a Straight Line

Defining whether a gait asymmetry should be considered as lameness is challenging. Gait analysis systems now provide relatively accurate objective data, but their interpretation remains complex. Thresholds for discriminating between horses that are visually assessed as being lame or sound, as well as thresholds for locating the lame limb with precise sensitivity and specificity are essential for accurate interpretation of asymmetry measures. The goal of this study was to establish the thresholds of asymmetry indices having the best sensitivity and specificity to represent the visual single-limb lameness assessment made by expert veterinarians as part of their routine practice. Horses included in this study were evaluated for locomotor disorders at a clinic and equipped with the EQUISYM® system using inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensors. Visual evaluation by expert clinicians allocated horses into five groups: 49 sound, 62 left forelimb lame, 67 right forelimb lame, 23 left hindlimb lame, and 23 right hindlimb lame horses. 1/10 grade lame horses were excluded. Sensors placed on the head (_H), the withers (_W), and the pelvis (_P) provided vertical displacement. Relative difference of minimal (AI-min) and maximal (AI-max) altitudes, and of upward (AI-up) and downward (AI-down) amplitudes between right and left stance phases were calculated. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves discriminating the sound horses from each lame limb group revealed the threshold of asymmetry indice associated with the best sensitivity and specificity. AI-up_W had the best ability to discriminate forelimb lame horses from sound horses with thresholds (left: −7%; right: +10%) whose sensitivity was greater than 84% and specificity greater than 88%. AI-up_P and AI-max_P discriminated hindlimb lame horses from sound horses with thresholds (left: −7%; right: +18% and left: −10%; right: +6%) whose sensitivity was greater than 78%, and specificity greater than 82%. Identified thresholds will enable the interpretation of quantitative data from lameness quantification systems. This study is mainly limited by the number of included horses and deserves further investigation with additional data, and similar studies on circles are warranted