JEGA: a joint estimation and gossip averaging algorithm for sensor network applications

Distributed consensus algorithms are widely used in the area of sensor networks. Usually, they are designed to be extremely lightweight at the price of computation time. They rely on simple local interaction rules between neighbor nodes and are often used to perform the computation of spatial statistical parameters (average, variance, regression). In this paper, we consider the case of a parameter estimation from input data streams at each node. An average consensus algorithm is used to perform a spatial regularization of the parameter estimations. A two step procedure could be used: each node first estimates its own parameter, and then the network applies a spatial regularization step. It is however much more powerful to design a joint estimation/regularization process. Previous work has been done for solving this problem but under very restrictive hypotheses in terms of communication synchronicity, estimator choice and sampling rates. In this paper, we study a modified gossip averaging algorithm which fulfills the sensor networks requirements: simplicity, low memory/CPU usage and asynchronicity. By the same way, we prove that the intuitive idea of mass conservation principle for gossip averaging is stable and asympotically verified under feedback corrections even in presence of heavily corrupted and correlated measures

A Method for Modeling Analytical Stiffness of a Lower Mobility Parallel Manipulator

International audienceThe H4 robot is a parallel machine with four degrees of freedom. The purpose of this work is to evaluate the H4 stiffness, ie the displacement response of the tool controlled point when it is submitted to a given force using an analytical method. A stiffness analysis based on analytical calculations is performed. It has the advantage to be rather fast and easy to integrate into a design optimization. This method allows to compute stiffness matrix of parallel robots and takes into account particularity of parallel robots with articulated traveling plate. Some numerical results are shown at the end of this paper for the H4 first prototype

Reducing COPD Exacerbation Among African Americans Affected with COPD in a South Florida Clinic. A Quality Improvement Project

Abstract Objective: The study aimed to determine if an educational intervention will improve COPD exacerbations in African American population after a 6-week self-management program that includes the proper use of an inhaler. Methods: Ten patients were recruited in a primary care setting with the assistance of the providers. All patients had to complete a pretest and a posttest to assess their knowledge of inhaler technique, their willingness to engage in self-efficacy disease management, their symptoms improvement and treatment adherence. The Inhaler Device Assessment Tool, the Self-Efficacy for Managing Chronic Disease 6-Item Scale, the CAT test, and the TAI test were the tools used for the project. Results: In the recruited population, 70 % were females and 30% were males. In the pretest and posttest of the inhaler technique, there is an improvement difference of 1.5 %, with a mean of 3.1 % in the pretest, and 4.6 % in the posttest. The CAT test has a mean of 17.9 with a standard deviation (SD) of 7.25 in the pretest, and a mean of 9.9 and a SD of 6.21. The CAT test has difference of 8. Self-efficacy management shows a difference of 3.4 with a mean value of 53 and 56.4 in the pretest and posttest respectively. Inhaler adherence has a mean value of 46.4 in the pretest and 49.3 in the posttest with a difference of 2.9 in inhaler adherence improvement. Conclusion: The study reveals that teaching the proper use of an inhaler can improve COPD symptoms and decrease the frequency of COPD exacerbations in African American population after a 6-week self-management program, but further studies are needed to validate the findings

Association Syndrome SAPHO et Maladie inflammatoire chronique de l’intestin : une observation clinique inhabituelle: SAPHO syndrome associated with chronic inflammatory bowel disease: an unsual case report

The authors report a clinical case reporting, on the one hand, a chronic inflammatory bowel disease and, on the other hand, synovitis, spondylitis, acne, pustulosis, hyperostosis and osteitis that found in the SAPHO syndrome. The latter, which is a rare form of spondyloarthritis, was first observed in a 31-year-old Congolese patient followed by the Rheumatology unit of the University Hospitals of Kinshasa. Digestive signs included episodes of non-febrile bloody glairo-diarrhoea and rectorragia. Colonoscopy and histopathological examination had diagnosed ulcerative colitis. Les auteurs rapportent un cas clinique associant, d’une part, une maladie inflammatoire chronique intestinale et, d’autre part, des synovites, une spondylite, des acnés, une pustulose, une hyperostose et une ostéite qui entrent dans le cadre du syndrome SAPHO. Ce dernier qui est une forme rare de Spondylarthrite a été observée pour la première fois chez un patient congolais de 31 ans suivi au service de Rhumatologie des Cliniques Universitaires de Kinshasa. Les signes digestifs comprenaient d’épisodes de diarrhées glairo sanguinolentes non fébriles et de rectorragie. La colonoscopie et l’examen histopathologique avaient permis de diagnostiquer une rectocolite ulcérohémorragique

PRELIMINARY SURVEY OF COUNTERFEITING OF ALBENDAZOLE AND METRONIDAZOLE MARKETED IN LUBUMBASHI

Objective: Counterfeit medicines represent a major health risk in the treatment of various pathologies. They are responsible for resistance emergence in the treatment of infectious diseases. This study was conducted in order to identify illegal and legal drugs marketed in the city of Lubumbashi and assess the quality of all samples concerned by this study.Methods: The study included albendazole and metronidazole for oral administration. Visual inspection of medicines, investigation of the authenticity of drugs from pharmaceutical regulatory authorities, and determination of content were used as study parameters.Results: A total of 34 samples were collected including 19 of albendazole and 15 of metronidazole. 11 (32%) samples were not permitted to be marketed. 9 (26 %) samples were substandard according to the US Pharmacopoeia in terms of the content of active ingredient: all of them, the active ingredient was found to present in a lower amount (under-dosing). The proportion of non-compliance is highest among medicines not permitted to be marketed (78% vs 8.0%; p˂0.005). Conclusion: It is obvious that strengthening the capacity of drug regulatory authority of the DR Congo can reduce the influx of counterfeit/substandard drugs in Lubumbashi.Keywords: Medicines, Counterfeiting, Antiparasitics, DR Congo, Lubumbash

Aspects épidémiologiques et cliniques des manifestations rhumatismales au cours de l’infection à VIH en milieu hospitalier de Kinshasa: Epidemiological and clinical aspects of rheumatic manifestations in HIV patients in Kinshasa. A hospital- based study

Context and objective. Data on articular manifestations of HIV infection in sub-Saharan Africa are scarce. The present study aimed to describe clinical features of rheumatic manifestations in Congolese HIV patients. Methods. A cross-sectional study including HIV patients was conducted from June 1st to September 30th, 2015 in two hospitals of Salvation Army in Kinshasa, DRC. The parameters of interest included musculoskeletal signs, radiographic and laboratory data of each patient. Rheumatic diseases were defined according to classical criteria or physician opinion if criteria were not applicable. Results. Three hundred twenty one HIV patients were recruited, of whom 254 women (79.1%). Their average age was 45.1 ± 9.56 years. The median duration of HIV infection and antiretroviral therapy was 38 months (ranged between 3 and 155 months) and 34 months respectively (ranged between 2 to 137 months). The prevalence of rheumatic complaints in HIV was 27.7%. The following diseases were encountered: osteoarthritis (49.4%), spondyloarthitis (33.7%), soft tissue rheumatisms (25.8%), rheumatoid arthritis (1.1%) and miscellaneous (16.9%). HIV patients with rheumatic symptoms showed no difference to those without rheumatic symptoms concerning the WHO classification system for HIV infection, the number of T-CD4 lymphocytes and the duration of HIV infection. A disease or a treatment duration between 12 and 60 months was associated to a high frequency of spondylarthritis and soft tissue rheumatisms. The risk of soft tissue rheumatisms occurrence was fourfold highest in patients with low T-CD4 lymphocytes. Conclusion. Roughly, one third of HIV patients exhibits various rheumatic diseases, mainly osteoarthritis, spondylarthritis and soft tissue rheumatism. Contexte et objectif. Les données sur l’atteinte articulaire dans l’infection à VIH en Afrique subsaharienne l’épicentre sont fragmentaires. La présente étude a décrit les aspects épidémiologiques des manifestations rhumatismales, au cours de l’infection à VIH/SIDA ; en milieu hospitalier de Kinshasa. Méthodes. Etude transversale descriptive et analytique incluant les personnes vivant avec VIH menée du 1er juin au 30 septembre 2015 dans deux formations médicales de l’Armée du Salut. Les paramètres d’intérêt étaient : démographiques, cliniques (symptômes musculosquelettiques), radiographiques et biologiques. Le diagnostic des pathologies rhumatismales a été posé sur base des critères classiques ou le cas échéant, l’opinion du rhumatologue pour les maladies sans critères diagnostiques consensuels. Résultats. Trois cent vingt et un PVV ont été examinés, dont 254 femmes (79,1%). L’âge moyen des patients était de 45,1 ± 9,6 ans. La durée médiane de l’infection à VIH et du traitement antirétroviral étaient respectivement de 38 mois [extrêmes 3 et 155 mois) et 34 mois (extrêmes 2 et 137 mois). La fréquence des manifestations rhumatismales était 27,7%. Les pathologies rhumatismales rencontrées comprenaient: l’arthrose (49,4%), les spondylarthrites (33,7%), les pathologies abarticulaires (25,8%), la polyarthrite rhumatoïde (1,1%) et les autres rhumatismes (16,9%). Les caractéristiques de l’infection à VIH (stade de l’OMS, taux des LT CD4, durée de la maladie, durée du traitement) étaient similaires entre les rhumatisants et les non rhumatisants. Une maladie ou un traitement d’une durée de 12 à 60 mois était indépendamment associé aux maladies abarticulaires. Le risque d’atteinte abarticulaire était également majoré par 4 pour un taux bas de LTCD4. Enfin, seul l’âge > 40 ans était associé risque d’arthrose. Conclusions. Près d’un tiers des PVV présentent des manifestations rhumatismales variées, en particulier ; les spondylarthrites, l’arthrose et les pathologies abarticulaires

A Method for Modeling Analytical Stiffness of a Lower Mobility Parallel Manipulator

Abstract-The H4 robot is a parallel machine with four degrees of freedom. The purpose of this work is to evaluate the H4 stiffness, ie the displacement response of the tool controlled point when it is submitted to a given force using an analytical method. A stiffness analysis based on analytical calculations is performed. It has the advantage to be rather fast and easy to integrate into a design optimization. This method allows to compute stiffness matrix of parallel robots and takes into account particularity of parallel robots with articulated traveling plate. Some numerical results are shown at the end of this paper for the H4 first prototype

Contribution à l’étude de la gestion intégrée de la fertilité du sol pour la culture de maïs (Zea mays) dans la Région de Mbujimayi, RDC

Dans la plupart de régions tropicales, les céréales jouent le rôle de denrées alimentaires de base, cependant elles font face au niveau faible de la fertilité du sol, déficient en azote et phosphore de cette partie du monde. Alors que ces éléments minéraux ont une part importante dans la nutrition de la culture des céréales, en contribuant ainsi à leur développement et à l’augmentation de leur rendement. Le maïs, denrée alimentaire de base pour les habitants du Kasaï-Oriental en général et de la ville de Mbujimayi en particulier, mais sa production est faible, cet état de chose, influence la fluctuation de son prix sur le marché.Objectif: Cette étude a comme objectifs de comparer : (1) la fumure minérale (DAP+Urée) à la fumure organique (Tithonia diversifolia), (2) les deux fumures (minérale et organique) à la fumure intégrée (Association de DAP+Urée avec le Tithonia diversifolia) et (3) déterminer si la fumure intégrée induit un rendement élevé plus que les autres fumures. L’expérimentation a été conduite sous un dispositif expérimental en split-plot avec les variétés de maïs constituant le facteur principal (variété QPM3 et Salongo). Les fumures constituaient le facteur secondaire, formulées en 4 traitements avec trois répétions.Méthodologie et résultats: A l’issue de cet essai, les résultats enregistrés se présentent comme suit : (1) avec la variété de maïs QPM3, la fumure intégrée (DAP+Urée et Tithonia) donne le rendement de 3,17 t.ha-1 comparativement à 2,65 t.ha-1, 1,98 t.ha-1 et 1,32 t.ha-1 respectivement avec les fumures de Tithonia diversifolia, le DAP+Urée et le témoin. (2) Avec la variété Salongo 2, la fumure intégrée induit le rendement de 2,84 t.ha-1 comparativement à 1,92 t.ha-1, 1,78 t.ha-1, et 1,37 t.ha-1, respectivement avec les fumures de Tithonia diversifolia, le DAP+Urée et le témoin.Conclusion et application des résultats: Ainsi donc, la fumure (Tithonia et DAP + Urée) est à recommander aux producteurs du maïs de la région de Mbujimayi, dans la mesure où ils peuvent se procurer les engrais minéraux (DAP + Urée) en quantité plus réduite associée à la matière organique de Tithonia diversifolia pour une bonne production locale de cette denrée de base.Mots clés: Gestion, intégrée, fertilité, sol, maïs, Mbujimayi, RDCEnglish Title: Contribution to the study of the integrated management of soil fertility for the maize crop (Zea mays) in the Mbujimayi Region, DRCEnglish AbstractIn most tropical areas, cereals act as the food base, however, they face the low soil fertility, deficient in nitrogen and phosphorus. These minerals have an important part in the nutrition of cereal cultivation, thus contributing to their development and increasing their efficiency. Corn, the staple food for the people of Kasai Oriental, city of Mbujimayi, has low production, which influences the fluctuation of its price on the market.Objective: The study's objectives are to compare: (1) the mineral fertilizer (DAP + Urea) with organic manure (Tithonia diversifolia), (2) the two fertilizers (mineral and organic) for integrated fertilizer (DAP + Urea Association with Tithonia diversifolia a) and (3) whether the integrated fertilizer induces a high yield more than other fertilizers. The experiment was conducted under split-plot with corn varieties constituting the main factor (variety QPM3 and Salongo). The fertilizers were the secondary factor, made in 4 treatments with three repetitions.Methodology and results: After this test, the results recorded are as follows: (1) with the variety of corn QPM3, integrated fertilizer (Urea + DAP and Tithonia) gives yield of 3.17 t ha-1 compared to 2.65 t ha-1, 1.98 t ha-1 and 1.32 t ha-1 respectively with the manure Tithonia diversifolia, DAP + Urea and the witness. (2) With the variety Salongo 2, integrated fertilizer induced yield of 2.84 t ha-1 compared to 1.92 t ha-1, 1.78 t ha-1 and 1.37 t. ha-1, respectively with manure Tithonia diversifolia, DAP + Urea and the witness.Conclusion and application of results: So fertilization (Tithonia and DAP + Urea) is recommended to producers of corn Mbujimayi region, since they can buy mineral fertilizers (DAP + Urea) and smaller quantities for a good local production this staple.Keywords: Management, integrated, fertility, soil, corn, Mbuji Mayi, DR

Detection of Substandard and Falsified Antibiotics Sold in the Democratic Republic of the Congo Using Validated HPLC and UV-Visible Spectrophotometric Methods

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