Trouillet (Jean-Georges), Les Chemins de fer impériaux d’Alsace-Lorraine. Reichs-Eisenbahnen in Elsass-Lothringen, Administration, Trafic & Aspects militaires

C’est une véritable somme sur les chemins de fer du Reichsland Elsass-Lothringen (et du Luxembourg de 1871 à 1918) que livre ici J.‑G. Trouillet. En dehors de ses activités politiques, celui-ci est ingénieur, spécialisé dans la construction ferroviaire, mais, comme il le souligne lui-même, son « livre est d’abord l’œuvre d’un passionné », destiné a priori à des passionnés, ferrivophiles ou ferrivopathes selon la nuance que l’on voudra apporter. Cependant, il ne cache pas dès son introduction ..

Single rooms may help to prevent nosocomial bloodstream infection and cross-transmission of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in intensive care units

OBJECTIVE: Nosocomial infections remain a major problem in intensive care units. Several authorities have recommended housing patients in single rooms to prevent cross-transmission of potential pathogens, but this issue is currently debated. The aim of the present study was to compare the rate of nosocomial cross-contamination between patients hosted in single rooms versus bay rooms. DESIGN: Prospective observational data acquisition over 2.5 years. SETTING: A 14-bed medico-surgical ICU, composed of six single-bed rooms plus a six-bed and a two-bed bay room served by the same staff. PATIENTS AND PARTICIPANTS: All patients admitted from 1 July 2002 to 31 December 2004. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: Prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in admitted patients was 1.1% and acquisition rate 2.4%. The incidence density of MRSA acquisition was 4.1 [95% CI 2.7-6.3]/1,000 patient-days in bay rooms versus 1.3 [0.5-3.4]/1,000 patient-days in single rooms (p<0.001). Pseudomonas spp. acquisition rate was 3.9 [2.5-6.1]/1,000 patient-days in bay rooms versus 0.7 [0.2-2.4]/1,000 patient-days in single rooms (p<0.001), and Candida spp. colonization was 38.4 [33.3-44.1]/1,000 patient-days in bay rooms versus 13.8 [10.2-18.6]/1,000 patient-days (p<0.001). By multivariate analysis, the relative risk of MRSA, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida spp. acquisition in single rooms or cubicles versus bay rooms was 0.65, 0.61 and 0.75 respectively. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that in an institution where MRSA is not hyperendemic, infection control measures may be more effective to prevent cross-transmission of microorganisms in patients housed in single rooms

Understanding factors behind the late testing and diagnosis of HIV: Findings from phase 1 of the IMPRESS Health 2 (Interreg IVA Channel Programme) Project

Over 100,000 have HIV in the UK. However, while effective treatment exists, there is neither a cure nor a preventive vaccine, so 500+ people die from AIDS every year with many others dying undiagnosed. Health policy focuses on prevention and support, but it is necessary to increase the number of early diagnoses and reduce the rate of spread (Public Health England, 2014). Approximately 25% of HIV positive individuals do not know their status however, and almost half of all UK diagnoses occur late. It is vital therefore, to understand and address barriers to early testing and diagnoses to address this trend. Clinical data for 240 patients diagnosed with HIV in 3 trusts in Kent and Medway over 5 years were analysed in relation to clinical, social, demographic and psychosexual factors likely to affect knowledge of HIV and their decision to seek a test. Fifty-three semi-structured interviews were also conducted with patients and healthcare professionals to elicit experienced and perceptions about barriers to testing and ways to increase uptake. Patients were aged 19-81 (mean 40 years) and 67.5% were men. Women were more likely to be diagnosed late however (67.9% versus 56.8%), and late diagnosis was higher than the national average for both sexes (60.4%) with the highest rates in Medway (66.1%) and Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells (64.6%). Patients diagnosed late were 4 years older than those diagnosed early, and late diagnosis was higher in ethnic minority groups (70.2%) compared to white British (53.0%). Those born outside the UK were also generally diagnosed later (69.8%). The most frequent categories affected were heterosexuals (56.2%), men who have sex with men (36.6%) and intravenous drug users (2.0%). Patients diagnosed during an acute hospital admission were far more likely to be diagnosed late (89.1%) compared to other settings (49.6% - 57.1%). Qualitative data suggested that outmoded notions of HIV as a ‘gay’ disease still prevailed and heterosexuals did not generally consider themselves to be at risk. Healthcare professionals sometimes failed to acknowledge risks in ‘non-traditional’ groups and often overlooked HIV as a likely cause of symptoms until they were seriously unwell. Clearer public health messages should be targeted at the general population and there is a need to better educate healthcare professionals, especially GPs about the clinical indicators of HIV which also needs to be de-stigmatised

Distributed hydrogen sensing using in-fiber Rayleigh scattering

This letter reports a fully distributed hydrogen sensing technique using Rayleigh backscattering in palladium (Pd) and copper (Cu) coated optical fiber. The local in-fiber strain changes due to Pd hydrogen absorptions are interrogated spatially resolved optical frequency domain reflectrometry measurements of the Rayleigh signals. Electrical power is used to induce heating in the Pd coating, which accelerates both the hydrogen response and the sensor recycling. This technique promises an inexpensive and truly distributed fiber solution for continuous hydrogen leak detection with centimeter spatial resolution at room and low temperatures. © 2012 American Institute of Physics

Modélisation du déroulement d'activités humaines en mer côtière, scénarios appliqués à la mer d'Iroise.

http://letg.univ-nantes.fr/colloque/actes.htm#54c2International audienceCoastal seas, marine part of the coastal zone, are particulary attractive for human society. Human activities involve interactions that can lead to conflicts and to ressources degradation. In order to analyse the coastal system, the Geomer laboratory has developed a modelling platform of Human Activities Dynamic (DAHU) which contains a specific module adapted to the human marine activities (DAHU-MAM). This paper presents applications developed on the Iroise Sea (France). Three scenarios are proposed in an operational coastal management objective : (1) highlighting potential conflicts of use, (2) impact of a shipwrek (3) or impact of a substructure installation.Les mers côtières, franges marines des zones côtières, sont particulièrement concernées par les activités humaines qui interagissent entre elles et avec leur environnement. Afin d'analyser ces interactions, le laboratoire Géomer (LETG - UMR 6554 CNRS) a développé une plate-forme de modélisation de la Dynamique des Activités Humaines (DAHU) qui comporte un module adapté au déroulement d'activités humaines en milieu marin. Cet article présente les applications développées en mer d'Iroise. Elles sont fondées sur l'élaboration de scénarios plausibles visant à fournir des éléments relatifs aux activités humaines (1) dans leur déroulement quotidien, (2) en cas d'événement accidentel (3) ou dans le cas d'aménagement d'infrastructures

Highly sensitive optical hydrogen sensor using circular Pd-coated singlemode tapered fibre

A novel optical hydrogen sensor, based on the absorption change of the evanescent fields in a circular Pd-coated singlemode tapered fibre is presented. The proposed sensor is polarisation independent and its sensitivity is adjustable by means of the taper diameter, interaction length, and/or light wavelength. A simple light transmission measurement setup is used to test the sensor. The sensor is suitable for the detection of low hydrogen concentrations with high sensitivity and fast time response. Transmission changes as high as 60% are demonstrated

Das französische Hochschulsystem als "Sortiereinrichtung" für Humankapital

Im vorliegenden Beitrag wird das französische Bildungssystem daraufhin untersucht, inwiefern es arbeitgeberseitiges Screening bei der Einstellung von Führungsnachwuchskräften begünstigt. Die Analyse kommt zu dem Ergebnis, dass die Differenziertheit der Hochschullandschaft sowie die in ihr stattfindenden mehrstufigen Auswahlprozesse erheblich zur Reduzierung von arbeitgeberseitigen Informationsdefiziten beitragen. Insbesondere ausländische Unternehmen sollten bei der Suche nach geeigneten Nachwuchsführungskräften unbedingt die Besonderheiten des Hochschulsystems beachten, ohne jedoch der Rekrutierungspraxis der französischen Arbeitgeber in allen Punkten ungeprüft zu übernehmen. -- This article examines in how far the French educational system favours employersided screening with regard to the recruitment of managers. The author comes to the conclusion that the high degree of differentiation and selectivity of the country's higher education system considerably reduces the informational gap that employers face in hiring graduates for responsible positions. Especially foreign companies should be aware of the peculiarities of the French system when recruiting junior managers. At the same time, they should not simply copy the established hiring practices of the French employers without an own critical assessment.Bildungssystem,Screening,Personalbeschaffung,Nachwuchsführungskräfte,Humankapital,Frankreich