The DIDAM framework Disaggregated demand and assignment models for combined passengers and freight transport

The objective of this paper is to present the methodological developments in the DIDAM (Disaggregated demand and assignment models for combined passengers and freight transport) research project, which aims at advancing fundamental research in transportation modelling and analysis, using two complementary methodologies. The first is to develop a joint methodological approach for both freight and passenger transport, and the second is to base this common approach on the use of models that are as disaggregate and realistic as possible. Furthermore, the methods will be designed to cope with the important question of competition for infrastructure. The project is mainly organized around two themes. Each of them covers both freight and passengers aspects, in a manner which promotes collaborative work between the partners of the project. The first theme is concerned with disaggregate demand modelling issues, the second deals with innovative aspects of (joint) traffic assignment. Working at a fully disaggregate level is however not always easy. If such models are already available for passenger demand and traffic, disaggregate tools are still largely missing for freight transport. This is not only true at the operational level, but, more crucially, at the conceptual level. This is why our research program adopts, in this domain, a progressive approach that introduces disaggregation gradually into existing methods and models. This entails research in a full spectrum of issues, ranging from concepts definition (who are the actors, how can they be characterized ...) to validation exercises using available data source

A lightweight sensing platform for monitoring sleep quality and posture: a simulated validation study

Background The prevalence of self-reported shoulder pain in the UK has been estimated at 16%. This has been linked with significant sleep disturbance. It is possible that this relationship is bidirectional, with both symptoms capable of causing the other. Within the field of sleep monitoring, there is a requirement for a mobile and unobtrusive device capable of monitoring sleep posture and quality. This study investigates the feasibility of a wearable sleep system (WSS) in accurately detecting sleeping posture and physical activity. Methods Sixteen healthy subjects were recruited and fitted with three wearable inertial sensors on the trunk and forearms. Ten participants were entered into a ‘Posture’ protocol; assuming a series of common sleeping postures in a simulated bedroom. Five participants completed an ‘Activity’ protocol, in which a triphasic simulated sleep was performed including awake, sleep and REM phases. A combined sleep posture and activity protocol was then conducted as a ‘Proof of Concept’ model. Data were used to train a posture detection algorithm, and added to activity to predict sleep phase. Classification accuracy of the WSS was measured during the simulations. Results The WSS was found to have an overall accuracy of 99.5% in detection of four major postures, and 92.5% in the detection of eight minor postures. Prediction of sleep phase using activity measurements was accurate in 97.3% of the simulations. The ability of the system to accurately detect both posture and activity enabled the design of a conceptual layout for a user-friendly tablet application. Conclusions The study presents a pervasive wearable sensor platform, which can accurately detect both sleeping posture and activity in non-specialised environments. The extent and accuracy of sleep metrics available advances the current state-of-the-art technology. This has potential diagnostic implications in musculoskeletal pathology and with the addition of alerts may provide therapeutic value in a range of areas including the prevention of pressure sores

Erythropoietic protoporphyria without skin symptoms-you do not always see what they feel

Erythropoietic protoporphyria (EPP) is an inherited disorder of the porphyrin metabolism that often remains undiagnosed in children. We report on a 4-year-old girl who had been suffering for 1 year from recurrent painful crises affecting her hands, feet, and nose following sun exposure. Objective skin lesions were absent until the age of 6. Porphyrin analysis revealed elevated free erythrocyte protoporphyrin (FEP) levels confirming the diagnosis of EPP. This illustrates that skin lesions might be completely absent in children affected with EPP, a fact that has only been reported once previously. Because EPP can manifest with few and unspecific cutaneous symptoms or no skin lesions at all, like in this patient, the diagnosis of EPP might be delayed or missed. EPP should be excluded in all photosensitive children, especially when discomfort is disproportionate to the extent of the cutaneous lesions. The clinic, pathophysiology, diagnosis, complications, and therapy of EPP are discussed

Patient education after amputation: Systematic review and experts’ opinions

AbstractObjectiveTo perform a systematic review of the literature regarding amputee self-care, and analyze current experts’ opinions.MethodThe research in Medline and Cochrane Library databases was performed using the keywords “amputee self-care”, “amputee health care”, “amputee education”, and “amputee health management”. The methodological quality of the articles was assessed using four levels of evidence and three guideline grades (A: strong; B: moderate; C: poor).ResultOne prospective randomized controlled study confirm the level of evidence of self-care amputee persons with grade B, which is similar others chronic diseases self-care. Self-care of amputee persons contributes to improve functional status, depressive syndrome, and also health-related quality of life. A review of the patients’ needs and expectations in self-care amputee persons has been established thanks to the presence of qualitative focus group study.ConclusionA multidisciplinary self-care of amputee persons can be recommended. Regarding literature date, the level of evidence of self-care amputee persons is moderate (grade B). Experts groups are currently working on a self-care amputee persons guideline book in order to standardize practicing and programs in the physical medicine and rehabilitation departments

Consiliari : un jeu sérieux au service des missions de référent départemental inondation (RDI)

RÉSUMÉLes jeux sérieux sont depuis les années 2000 considérés comme des outils de formation à part entière : ils proposent un modèle pédagogique différent des formations classiques transmissives, avec la possibilité de mettre en œuvre des situations complexes et de proposer aux apprenants de constituer leur propre processus d’apprentissage. Mis au point par le Schapi et les référents régionaux inondation (RRI) dans le cadre de l’animation nationale des missions de référent départemental inondation (RDI), Consiliari est un jeu de plateau qui reprend les codes des jeux de société traditionnels, accordant une part importante au volet ludique et à l’attractivité visuelle. Le jeu met en scène une équipe d’interprètes de l’inondation, chargée de prodiguer au gouverneur les bons conseils pour gérer une situation d’inondation et sauver la population. Depuis son lancement début 2022, plusieurs dizaines de missions RDI ont pu jouer à Consiliari. Les premiers retours montrent que le jeu remplit ses objectifs principaux, à savoir mobiliser les compétences, savoir-faire et savoir-faire nécessaires pour l’exercice de la mission RDI, sans oublier le côté ludique. Des pistes d’amélioration sont toutefois d’ores et déjà identifiées pour améliorer et prolonger l’expérience de jeu

Mechanical strength and cationic dye adsorption ability of metakaolin-based geopolymer spheres

Metakaolin-based geopolymer spheres shaped by three different dripping techniques were investigated in terms of compressive strength and dye adsorption ability. Spheres were produced by injection and solidification in polyethylene glycol (PEG) or liquid nitrogen (ice-templating) and ionotropic gelation (alginate in calcium chloride). Mechanical tests by ISO 18591 evidenced that compressive strength was strictly linked to porosity and composition of the spheres, being 12.9 MPa with 29% of porosity for spheres produced in PEG, 2.1 MPa with a porosity of 64% for spheres shaped in liquid nitrogen and up to 19.6 MPa with a porosity of 59% for hybrid spheres with a skeleton of Ca-alginate. The influence of contact time and initial concentration on a cationic dye (methylene blue) adsorption was studied. Removal efficiency was related to morphology, porosity and specific surface area: after 24 h the percentage of adsorption was 94\u201398% for spheres shaped in liquid nitrogen while below 75% for hybrid spheres and spheres produced in PEG. By adding TiO2 P25 as photocatalytic phase to the hybrid spheres, an increase of removal efficiency of 33% was observed after 90 min under UV irradiation

Evaluation de modèles de prévision des crues sur le bassin de la Seine

National audienceThe flood forecasting service Seine-Moyenne-Yonne-Loing (SPC SMYL) is responsible for issuing flood forecasts on a large domain around the great Paris area, with 29 reference forecast stations on the Seine River and its tributaries. The modernization of the flood forecasting tools started a few years ago and resulted in the development of a modelling platform that includes hydraulic and hydrological models. Since 2005, the SPC SMYL uses among others the lumped hydrological forecasting model GRP. The results of the GRP model obtained in operational conditions are encouraging but can still be improved, which lead the SPC to seek for possible sources of improvements. In this study, we present three aspects of the work that was done to better understand the model behaviour and to identify performance gains. They are (1) the sensitivity analysis of flood forecasts to the temporal distribution of future rainfall; (2) the development of a hydrological-hydraulic coupled model in a unified assimilation framework; (3) the construction and evaluation of semi-distributed model versions tested on gauged confluences. Results show, among others, that exploiting the information contained in the flows observed at upstream stations is promising to improve the short-term forecasts made by hydrological models.Le Service de Prévision des Crues Seine-Moyenne-Yonne-Loing (SPC SMYL) a la responsabilité de réaliser des prévisions de crues sur un vaste territoire centré sur la région Ile-de-France, avec 29 points de prévision réglementaires sur la Seine et ses affluents. Engagée il y a plusieurs années, la modernisation des outils de prévision des crues du SPC a conduit à la mise en place d'une plateforme de modélisation comprenant des modèles hydrauliques et hydrologiques. Depuis 2005, le SPC SMYL utilise notamment le modèle hydrologique global de prévision GRP. Les résultats du modèle GRP obtenus en conditions opérationnelles sont encourageants mais bien entendu perfectibles, ce qui a conduit le SPC à explorer différentes pistes d'amélioration. Dans cette étude, nous présentons trois aspects des travaux menés pour mieux comprendre le fonctionnement du modèle et pour tenter d'apporter des gains de performance dans les prévisions, à savoir : (1) l'analyse de la sensibilité des prévisions de crue à la distribution temporelle des pluies futures ; (2) la construction d'un modèle de prévision couplant hydrologie et hydraulique dans un cadre d'assimilation unique ; (3) la construction et l'évaluation de versions semi-distribuées du modèle, testées sur des cas de confluences instrumentées. Les résultats montrent notamment que là où des stations amont existent, l'exploitation d'observations de débits amont constitue une voie prometteuse d'amélioration des prévisions à courte échéance

Three-dimensional structure and ligand binding properties of trichosurin, a metatherian lipocalin from the milk whey of the common brushtail possum Trichosurus vulpecula

Lipocalins are extracellular proteins (17–25 kDa) that bind and transport small lipophilic molecules. The three-dimensional structure of the first lipocalin from a metatherian has been determined at different values of pH both with and without bound ligands. Trichosurin, a protein from the milk whey of the common brushtail possum, Trichosurus vulpecula, has been recombinantly expressed in Escherichia coli, refolded from inclusion bodies, purified and crystallized at two different pH values. The three-dimensional structure of trichosurin was solved by X-ray crystallography in two different crystal forms to 1.9 Å (1 Å=0.1 nm) and 2.6 Å resolution, from crystals grown at low and high pH values respectively. Trichosurin has the typical lipocalin fold, an eight-stranded anti-parallel β-barrel but dimerizes in an orientation that has not been seen previously. The putative binding pocket in the centre of the β-barrel is well-defined in both high and low pH structures and is occupied by water molecules along with isopropanol molecules from the crystallization medium. Trichosurin was also co-crystallized with a number of small molecule ligands and structures were determined with 2-naphthol and 4-ethylphenol bound in the centre of the β-barrel. The binding of phenolic compounds by trichosurin provides clues to the function of this important marsupial milk protein, which is highly conserved across metatherians