The use of social networks as a tool for architectural and urban design

[EN] The paper focuses on the analysis of new digital media, in particular the sociometric platforms such as Facebook, Twitter..., the writing on these platforms and their impact on architectural or urban projects. In order to deconstruct these new processes of information and data made easily available to the authors of projects, we work from theories allowing to give value (meaning) to writing according to the context in which it is written and materializing in the form of powerful citizen or individual commitments. We look for the keys of analysis allowing to pass from an opinion of influence to an analysis of recurrent commitments to be the object of collective stakes. These different approaches of reading the media/medias crossed with the territory and its collective commitments allow us to develop a method of analysis of the stakes because of the advent of a new project at the scale of a district or a piece of city. Its ambition is to offer to any project author (rarely a data scientist) to appropriate an approach more within his reach while being in phase with the digital reality that transcends the traditional approach of project design.Institut Numédiart, UMONS, FNRSSimoens, P. (2023). The use of social networks as a tool for architectural and urban design. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 184-197. https://doi.org/10.4995/VIBRArch2022.2022.1513418419

Heritage buildings and digital storage: which conceivable match?

The purpose of the article is to define the relationship between property issues and new urban experiences it creates. The article is divided by chapter 3. The first presents the background and urban issues that led to the questioning and, more specifically, the issue of keeping a portfolio of real or virtual way under pressure from the major urban issues. The second part defines the concept of heritage and its representation in a virtual world. We rely heavily on Unesco's work on the preservation of digital data as well as the collective work of Petauque (FR) on the question of meaning to the stored information. Finally, we present the risks of the theory made facing the ground in describing the example of Godin Familistère project that underlies all of our research. It is clear that the article is based on actual experience and is therefore a posteriori looking for experienced face the reality of the Brussels urban governance

ns-3 Based Framework for Simulating Communication Based Train Control (CBTC) Systems

International audienceIn a Communication Based Train Control System (CBTC), a central zone controller server (ZC) exchanges signaling messages with on-board carborne controllers (CC) inside the trains through a wireless technology. The ZC calculates and sends periodically to each train its Limit of Movement Authority (LMA), i.e. how far the train can proceed. A CC triggers an emergency break (EB) if no message is received within a certain time interval to avoid collision. Clearly, it is not desired to have an EB due to signaling messages losses (called spurious EB) and not to real risks for the trains. Quantifying the rate of spurious EBs and predicting correctly CBTC system performance are hard tasks with important industrial relevance.This work aims at filling this gap using simulation to better predict CBTC system performance and avoid extra provisioning before deployment. A typical CBTC system implementation for metro by Alstom Transport is considered. New ns-3 modules (CBTC protocol, Video traffic generator, multi-channel scanning mechanism, 3D antennas patterns) are developed and a piece of existing code is enhanced. The simulation is also used to investigate the dimension of the radio access networks in a realistic environment (specific modems and access point antennas, radio frequencies, train and track models), another aspect also ignored in the previous literature. Last, our approach can be useful to validate some analytical works

Performance Evaluation of Train Moving-Block Control

In moving block systems for railway transportationa central controller periodically communicates to the train how far it can safely advance.On-board automatic protection mechanisms stop the train if no message is received during a given time window.In this report we consider as reference a typical implementation of moving-block control for metro and quantify the rate of spurious Emergency Brakes (EBs), i.e.~of train stops due to communication losses and not to an actual risk of collision. Such unexpected EBs can happen at any point on the track and are a major service disturbance. Our general formula for the EB rate requires a probabilistic characterization of losses and delays. We derive an exact formula for the case of homogeneous and independent packet losses and we use the results of this analysis to design an efficient Monte Carlo method that takes into account correlated losses due to handovers. We validate our approach via discrete-event simulations, including simulations with ns-3 for which we have developed additional modules for train systems.Our approach is computationally efficient even when emergency brakes are very rare (as they should be) and can no longer be estimated via discrete-event simulations

Performance Evaluation of Train Moving-Block Control

International audienceIn this work we provide a model-based analysis of the moving block control and quantify the rate of spurious emergency brakes (EBs). We consider as a reference a typical implementation for metro by Alstom Transport. We derive the general formula for the EB rate, that requires to provide the loss and delay model. The delay model considers processing delays, computation times and communication delays. For the loss model we start with the case when packet losses are independent and homogeneous. By developing the general formula we derive an exact expression for the EB rate. We proceed then with a more elaborate loss model, when losses are no longer independent.As it becomes hard to derive a closed-form expression for the EB rate, we evaluate it using efficient Monte Carlo simulations. The theoretical results are validated via discrete-event simulations, including simulations with ns-3 for which we have developed additional modules for train systems

Performance Evaluation of Train Moving-Block Control

International audienceIn moving block systems for railway transportation a central controller periodically communicates to the train how far it can safely advance. On-board automatic protection mechanisms stop the train if no message is received during a given time window. In this paper we consider as reference a typical implementation of moving-block control for metro and quantify the rate of spurious Emergency Brakes (EBs), i.e. of train stops due to communication losses and not to an actual risk of collision. Such unexpected EBs can happen at any point on the track and are a major service disturbance. Our general formula for the EB rate requires a probabilistic characterization of losses and delays. Calculations are surprisingly simple in the case of homogeneous and independent packet losses. Our approach is computationally efficient even when emergency brakes are very rare (as they should be) and can no longer be estimated via discrete-event simulations

Health economic evaluation of gene replacement therapies:Methodological issues and recommendations

Objective: To provide recommendations for addressing previously identified key challenges in health economic evaluations of Gene Replacement Therapies (GRTs), including: 1) the assessment of clinical effectiveness; 2) the valuation of health outcomes; 3) the time horizon and extrapolation of effects beyond trial duration; 4) the estimation of costs; 5) the selection of appropriate discount rates; 6) the incorporation of broader elements of value; and 7) affordability. Methods: A literature review on economic evaluations of GRT was performed. Interviews were conducted with 8 European and US health economic experts with experience in evaluations of GRT. Targeted literature reviews were conducted to investigate further potential solutions to specific challenges. Recommendations: Experts agreed on factors to be considered to ensure the acceptability of historical cohorts by HTA bodies. Existing prospective registries or, if not available, retrospective registries, may be used to analyse different disease trajectories and inform extrapolations. The importance of expert opinion due to limited data was acknowledged. Expert opinion should be obtained using structured elicitation techniques. Broader elements of value, beyond health gains directly related to treatment, can be considered through the application of a factor to inflate the quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) or a higher cost-effectiveness threshold. Additionally, the use of cost-benefit analysis and saved young life equivalents (SAVE) were proposed as alternatives to QALYs for the valuations of outcomes of GRT as they can incorporate broader elements of value and avoid problems of eliciting utilities for paediatric diseases. Conclusions: While some of the limitations of economic evaluations of GRT are inherent to limited clinical data and lack of experience with these treatments, others may be addressed by methodological research to be conducted by health economists

Le Ruisseau de la Brasserie

International audienc

La participation numérique en urbanisme, une simple amplification des processus existants ?

Les données récoltées sur les plateformes numériques de participation citoyenne apportent-elles des opportunités ou des menaces en matière de participation à l’amélioration de l’aménagement de la ville ? Comment ces plateformes se situent-elles par rapport aux outils préexistants de concertation ou de co-création ? Redondance, complémentarité, remplacement ? Afin d’esquisser des pistes de réponses à ces interrogations globales qui interpellent architectes, urbanistes et responsables au sein des villes wallonnes, cette recherche étudie la mise en place et les premiers mois d’exploitation de la plateforme « Demain, Mons ». L’article passe en revue la plateforme ainsi que ses résultats et s’interroge sur la double question suivante : cette technique, qui suscite un engouement peu discuté, est-elle une simple amplification des processus existants ou nécessite-t-elle en amont un débat démocratique plus poussé sur la gouvernance urbaine ? Les mécanismes participatifs initiés dans les années 1970 (rompant la collusion entre architecture, urbanisme et pouvoirs) seront-ils maintenus, renforcés ou désagrégés par l’émergence du numérique ? Les résultats de la recherche permettent d’identifier les opportunités qui existent, de renforcer la participation par les innovations numériques, mais aussi les menaces qui augmentent le risque de voir le pouvoir citoyen se désagréger au sein d’une nouvelle gouvernance.Does digital data offering new opportunities or represent new threats concerning citizen participation in urban planning? Which place does digital platforms take regarding traditional participation tools? Redundancy, complementarity, substitution? In order to identify some possible ways to answer those global questions that challenge architects, urban planners and managers in the Walloon cities this research studies the implementation and the first months of operation of the platform “Demain, Mons”. This article analyses the platform and its results and pinpoints two fundamental questions: digital platforms, presented as such a natural way to follow, is it neutral or does it require a democratic debate upstream? Will the participatory mechanisms initiated in the 70’s (breaking down the collusion between architecture, urbanism and powers) be maintained, strengthened or broken up by the emergence of digital? The results of this research help to identify the opportunities that exist to enhance participation through digital innovations, but also the threats that increase the risk of citizen power falling apart in a new governance

Consumption Patterns and In Vitro Resistance of Streptococcus pneumoniae to Fluoroquinolones▿

This article analyzes patterns of consumption of fluoroquinolones and documents the in vitro resistances of Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates to fluoroquinolones in the ambulatory care setting in Belgium over time. The volume of fluoroquinolone consumption has fallen consistently since 2003. Fluoroquinolones were used primarily for their registered indications (i.e., urinary tract infections and lower respiratory tract infections). The MIC distributions of moxifloxacin and levofloxacin in S. pneumoniae isolates remained stable during 2004 to 2009, and the level of resistance to moxifloxacin and levofloxacin was low (≤1%)