Considering the Development Workflow to Achieve Reproducibility with Variation

International audienceThe ability to reproduce an experiment is fundamental in computer science. Existing approaches focus on repeatability, but this is only the first step to repro-ducibility: Continuing a scientific work from a previous experiment requires to be able to modify it. This ability is called reproducibility with Variation. In this contribution, we show that capturing the environment of execution is necessary but not sufficient ; we also need the environment of development. The variation also implies that those environments are subject to evolution, so the whole software development lifecycle needs to be considered. To take into account these evolutions, software environments need to be clearly defined, reconstructible with variation, and easy to share. We propose to leverage functional package managers to achieve this goal

Experimental and numerical investigation of the response of a swirled flame to flow modulations in a non-adiabatic combustor

Turbulent combustion models for Large Eddy Simulation (LES) aims at predicting the flame dynamics. So far, they have been proven to predict correctly the mean flow and flame properties in a wide range of configurations. A way to challenge these models in unsteady situations is to test their ability to recover turbulent flames submitted to harmonic flow modulations. In this study, the Flame Transfer Function (FTF) of a CH4/H2/air premixed swirled-stabilized flame submitted to harmonic flowrate modulations in a non-adiabatic combustor is compared to the response computed using the Filtered TAbulated Chemistry for LES (F-TACLES) formalism. Phase averaged analysis of the perturbed flow field and flame response reveal that the velocity field determined with Particle Image Velocimetry measurements, the heat release distribution inferred from OH* images and the probability of presence of burnt gases deduced from OH-Planar Laser Induced Fluorescence measure- ments are qualitatively well reproduced by the simulations. However, noticeable differences between experiments and simulations are also observed in a narrow frequency range. A detailed close-up view of the flow field highlight differences in experimental OH* and numerical volumetric heat release rate distributions which are at the origin of the differences observed between the numerical and experimental FTF. These differences mainly originate from the outer shear layer of the swirling jet where a residual reaction layer takes place in the simulations which is absent in the experiments. Consequences for turbulent combustion modeling are suggested by examining the evolution of the perturbed flame brush envelope along the downstream distance of the perturbed flames. It is shown that changing the grid resolution and the flame subgrid scale wrinkling factor in these regions does not alter the numerical results. It is finally concluded that the combined effects of strain rate and enthalpy defect due to heat losses are the main factors leading to small but sizable differences of the flame response to coherent structures synchronized by the acoustic forcing in the outer shear layer of the swirling flow. These small differences in flame response lead in turn to a misprediction of the FTF at specific forcing frequencies

Effect of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor and angiotensin receptor blocker initiation on organ support-free days in patients hospitalized with COVID-19

IMPORTANCE Overactivation of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) may contribute to poor clinical outcomes in patients with COVID-19. Objective To determine whether angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) initiation improves outcomes in patients hospitalized for COVID-19. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS In an ongoing, adaptive platform randomized clinical trial, 721 critically ill and 58 non–critically ill hospitalized adults were randomized to receive an RAS inhibitor or control between March 16, 2021, and February 25, 2022, at 69 sites in 7 countries (final follow-up on June 1, 2022). INTERVENTIONS Patients were randomized to receive open-label initiation of an ACE inhibitor (n = 257), ARB (n = 248), ARB in combination with DMX-200 (a chemokine receptor-2 inhibitor; n = 10), or no RAS inhibitor (control; n = 264) for up to 10 days. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The primary outcome was organ support–free days, a composite of hospital survival and days alive without cardiovascular or respiratory organ support through 21 days. The primary analysis was a bayesian cumulative logistic model. Odds ratios (ORs) greater than 1 represent improved outcomes. RESULTS On February 25, 2022, enrollment was discontinued due to safety concerns. Among 679 critically ill patients with available primary outcome data, the median age was 56 years and 239 participants (35.2%) were women. Median (IQR) organ support–free days among critically ill patients was 10 (–1 to 16) in the ACE inhibitor group (n = 231), 8 (–1 to 17) in the ARB group (n = 217), and 12 (0 to 17) in the control group (n = 231) (median adjusted odds ratios of 0.77 [95% bayesian credible interval, 0.58-1.06] for improvement for ACE inhibitor and 0.76 [95% credible interval, 0.56-1.05] for ARB compared with control). The posterior probabilities that ACE inhibitors and ARBs worsened organ support–free days compared with control were 94.9% and 95.4%, respectively. Hospital survival occurred in 166 of 231 critically ill participants (71.9%) in the ACE inhibitor group, 152 of 217 (70.0%) in the ARB group, and 182 of 231 (78.8%) in the control group (posterior probabilities that ACE inhibitor and ARB worsened hospital survival compared with control were 95.3% and 98.1%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE In this trial, among critically ill adults with COVID-19, initiation of an ACE inhibitor or ARB did not improve, and likely worsened, clinical outcomes. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT0273570

COVID-19 symptoms at hospital admission vary with age and sex: results from the ISARIC prospective multinational observational study

Background: The ISARIC prospective multinational observational study is the largest cohort of hospitalized patients with COVID-19. We present relationships of age, sex, and nationality to presenting symptoms. Methods: International, prospective observational study of 60 109 hospitalized symptomatic patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 recruited from 43 countries between 30 January and 3 August 2020. Logistic regression was performed to evaluate relationships of age and sex to published COVID-19 case definitions and the most commonly reported symptoms. Results: ‘Typical’ symptoms of fever (69%), cough (68%) and shortness of breath (66%) were the most commonly reported. 92% of patients experienced at least one of these. Prevalence of typical symptoms was greatest in 30- to 60-year-olds (respectively 80, 79, 69%; at least one 95%). They were reported less frequently in children (≤ 18 years: 69, 48, 23; 85%), older adults (≥ 70 years: 61, 62, 65; 90%), and women (66, 66, 64; 90%; vs. men 71, 70, 67; 93%, each P < 0.001). The most common atypical presentations under 60 years of age were nausea and vomiting and abdominal pain, and over 60 years was confusion. Regression models showed significant differences in symptoms with sex, age and country. Interpretation: This international collaboration has allowed us to report reliable symptom data from the largest cohort of patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19. Adults over 60 and children admitted to hospital with COVID-19 are less likely to present with typical symptoms. Nausea and vomiting are common atypical presentations under 30 years. Confusion is a frequent atypical presentation of COVID-19 in adults over 60 years. Women are less likely to experience typical symptoms than men

Contribution to the study and the achievement of monolithic magnetic components made by SPS and their power electronics applications

L’augmentation des fréquences de commutation des alimentations induit de nouvelles problématiques pour les composants. Que ces composants soient actifs ou passifs, il est nécessaire de contrôler les pertes afin que les rendements restent acceptables. La thèse se propose d’étudier et de fabriquer une nouvelle structure de transformateur destiné à s’insérer dans une alimentation à découpage. Ces transformateurs sont produits à l’aide du procédé PECS/SPS, qui est une technologie de frittage. Cette technologie permet de fritter des ferrites tout autour des enroulements primaires et secondaires. Il en résulte que les composants sont monolithiques.Une première partie présente l’état de l’art, ainsi que le magnétisme dans la matière. Il s’ensuit un chapitre dédié à la fabrication des matériaux magnétiques utilisés durant la thèse : les ferrites.Une deuxième partie concerne les ferrites fabriqués par le procédé PECS/SPS. Il est question dans un premier temps d’étudier l’anisotropie magnétocristalline de ces matériaux, et il est possible de la diminuer en jouant sur la composition chimique. Dans un second temps, d’autres grandeurs telles que la perméabilité ou la polarisation sont mesurées, toujours en fonction de la composition chimique. Les principaux résultats montrent que le frittage par le procédé PECS/SPS est plus réducteur que le frittage classique, ce qui dégrade certaines propriétés comme la résistivité des ferrites. Un dernier chapitre est dédié à la réalisation des transformateurs monolithiques. Un protocole détaillé de la fabrication est alors présenté.Une troisième partie illustre le fonctionnement des transformateurs réalisés. Les mesures usuelles permettent d’identifier les inductances propres, mutuelles et de fuite. Les valeurs de ces inductances montrent qu’il est plus judicieux d’utiliser les composants fabriqués non pas en tant que transformateur, mais en tant que coupleur. Enfin un convertisseur basé sur une structure de type VRM est réalisé. La fréquence de découpage est de 2 MHz, le rendement est supérieur à 90 %, et la densité de puissance est de 15 kW/litre.The increase in switching frequency of power supply induces new problems for the components. These components are active or passive, it is necessary to control the losses so that efficiency remains acceptable. The thesis deals with the study and production of a new transformer structure intended to be part of a switching power supply. These transformers are produced using PECS/SPS method, which is a sintering technology. This technology can be sintered ferrite around the primary and secondary windings. It follows that the components are monolithic.A first part presents the state of the art, and magnetism in the matter. It follows a chapter dedicated to the manufacture of magnetic materials used in the thesis : the ferrites.A second part concerns the ferrites produced by the PECS / SPS process. Firstly, the magnetocrystalline anisotropy of these materials is studied, and it is possible to decrease it by varying the chemical composition. In a second stage, other variables such as the permeability or the polarization are measured, always depending on the chemical composition. The main results show that the sintering by PECS / SPS method is more reducing than conventional sintering, which degrades certain properties such as the resistivity of the ferrites. The last chapter is dedicated to the realization of monolithic processors. A detailed manufacturing protocol is presented.A third part shows the operation of the realized transformers. The usual measurements allow identifying self, mutual and leakage inductances. The values of these inductances show that it is better to use components made not as a transformer, but as a coupler. Finally a converter based on a VRM structure is realized. The switching frequency is 2 MHz, the efficiency is greater than 90%, and the power density is 15 kW / liter

Contribution à l'étude et à la réalisation de composants magnétiques monolithiques réalisés par PECS/SPS et à leurs applications en électronique de puissance

The increase in switching frequency of power supply induces new problems for the components. These components are active or passive, it is necessary to control the losses so that efficiency remains acceptable. The thesis deals with the study and production of a new transformer structure intended to be part of a switching power supply. These transformers are produced using PECS/SPS method, which is a sintering technology. This technology can be sintered ferrite around the primary and secondary windings. It follows that the components are monolithic.A first part presents the state of the art, and magnetism in the matter. It follows a chapter dedicated to the manufacture of magnetic materials used in the thesis : the ferrites.A second part concerns the ferrites produced by the PECS / SPS process. Firstly, the magnetocrystalline anisotropy of these materials is studied, and it is possible to decrease it by varying the chemical composition. In a second stage, other variables such as the permeability or the polarization are measured, always depending on the chemical composition. The main results show that the sintering by PECS / SPS method is more reducing than conventional sintering, which degrades certain properties such as the resistivity of the ferrites. The last chapter is dedicated to the realization of monolithic processors. A detailed manufacturing protocol is presented.A third part shows the operation of the realized transformers. The usual measurements allow identifying self, mutual and leakage inductances. The values of these inductances show that it is better to use components made not as a transformer, but as a coupler. Finally a converter based on a VRM structure is realized. The switching frequency is 2 MHz, the efficiency is greater than 90%, and the power density is 15 kW / liter.L’augmentation des fréquences de commutation des alimentations induit de nouvelles problématiques pour les composants. Que ces composants soient actifs ou passifs, il est nécessaire de contrôler les pertes afin que les rendements restent acceptables. La thèse se propose d’étudier et de fabriquer une nouvelle structure de transformateur destiné à s’insérer dans une alimentation à découpage. Ces transformateurs sont produits à l’aide du procédé PECS/SPS, qui est une technologie de frittage. Cette technologie permet de fritter des ferrites tout autour des enroulements primaires et secondaires. Il en résulte que les composants sont monolithiques.Une première partie présente l’état de l’art, ainsi que le magnétisme dans la matière. Il s’ensuit un chapitre dédié à la fabrication des matériaux magnétiques utilisés durant la thèse : les ferrites.Une deuxième partie concerne les ferrites fabriqués par le procédé PECS/SPS. Il est question dans un premier temps d’étudier l’anisotropie magnétocristalline de ces matériaux, et il est possible de la diminuer en jouant sur la composition chimique. Dans un second temps, d’autres grandeurs telles que la perméabilité ou la polarisation sont mesurées, toujours en fonction de la composition chimique. Les principaux résultats montrent que le frittage par le procédé PECS/SPS est plus réducteur que le frittage classique, ce qui dégrade certaines propriétés comme la résistivité des ferrites. Un dernier chapitre est dédié à la réalisation des transformateurs monolithiques. Un protocole détaillé de la fabrication est alors présenté.Une troisième partie illustre le fonctionnement des transformateurs réalisés. Les mesures usuelles permettent d’identifier les inductances propres, mutuelles et de fuite. Les valeurs de ces inductances montrent qu’il est plus judicieux d’utiliser les composants fabriqués non pas en tant que transformateur, mais en tant que coupleur. Enfin un convertisseur basé sur une structure de type VRM est réalisé. La fréquence de découpage est de 2 MHz, le rendement est supérieur à 90 %, et la densité de puissance est de 15 kW/litre

Considering the Development Workflow to Achieve Reproducibility with Variation

International audienceThe ability to reproduce an experiment is fundamental in computer science. Existing approaches focus on repeatability, but this is only the first step to repro-ducibility: Continuing a scientific work from a previous experiment requires to be able to modify it. This ability is called reproducibility with Variation. In this contribution, we show that capturing the environment of execution is necessary but not sufficient ; we also need the environment of development. The variation also implies that those environments are subject to evolution, so the whole software development lifecycle needs to be considered. To take into account these evolutions, software environments need to be clearly defined, reconstructible with variation, and easy to share. We propose to leverage functional package managers to achieve this goal

PCB integration of a magnetic component dedicated to a power factor corrector converter

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