A symbolic sensor for an Antilock brake system of a commercial aircraft

The design of a symbolic sensor that identifies thecondition of the runway surface (dry, wet, icy, etc.) during the braking of a commercial aircraft is discussed. The purpose of such a sensor is to generate a qualitative, real-time information about the runway surface to be integrated into a future aircraft Antilock Braking System (ABS). It can be expected that this information can significantly improve the performance of ABS. For the design of the symbolic sensor different classification techniques based upon fuzzy set theory and neural networks are proposed. To develop and to verify theses classification algorithms data recorded from recent braking tests have been used. The results show that the symbolic sensor is able to correctly identify the surface condition. Overall, the application example considered in this paper demonstrates that symbolic information processing using fuzzy logic and neural networks has the potential to provide new functions in control system design. This paper is part of a common research project between E.N.S.I.C.A. and Aerospatiale in France to study the role of the fuzzy set theory for potential applications in future aircraft control systems

Protein Lipoxidation: Basic Concepts and Emerging Roles

Protein lipoxidation is a non-enzymatic post-translational modification that consists of the covalent addition of reactive lipid species to proteins. This occurs under basal conditions but increases in situations associated with oxidative stress. Protein targets for lipoxidation include metabolic and signalling enzymes, cytoskeletal proteins, and transcription factors, among others. There is strong evidence for the involvement of protein lipoxidation in disease, including atherosclerosis, neurodegeneration, and cancer. Nevertheless, the involvement of lipoxidation in cellular regulatory mechanisms is less understood. Here we review basic aspects of protein lipoxidation and discuss several features that could support its role in cell signalling, including its selectivity, reversibility, and possibilities for regulation at the levels of the generation and/or detoxification of reactive lipids. Moreover, given the great structural variety of electrophilic lipid species, protein lipoxidation can contribute to the generation of multiple structurally and functionally diverse protein species. Finally, the nature of the lipoxidised proteins and residues provides a frameshift for a complex interplay with other post-translational modifications, including redox and redox-regulated modifications, such as oxidative modifications and phosphorylation, thus strengthening the importance of detailed knowledge of this process

Antiviral Activities of Sulfated Polysaccharides Isolated from Sphaerococcus coronopifolius (Rhodophytha, Gigartinales) and Boergeseniella thuyoides (Rhodophyta, Ceramiales)

Water-soluble sulfated polysaccharides isolated from two red algae Sphaerococcus coronopifolius (Gigartinales, Sphaerococcaceae) and Boergeseniella thuyoides (Ceramiales, Rhodomelaceae) collected on the coast of Morocco inhibited in vitro replication of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) at 12.5 μg/mL. In addition, polysaccharides were capable of inhibiting the in vitro replication of Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) on Vero cells values of EC50 of 4.1 and 17.2 μg/mL, respectively. The adsorption step of HSV-1 to the host cell seems to be the specific target for polysaccharide action. While for HIV-1, these results suggest a direct inhibitory effect on HIV-1 replication by controlling the appearance of the new generations of virus and potential virucidal effect. The polysaccharides from S. coronopifolius (PSC) and B. thuyoides (PBT) were composed of galactose, 3,6-anhydrogalactose, uronics acids, sulfate in ratios of 33.1, 11.0, 7.7 and 24.0% (w/w) and 25.4, 16.0, 3.2, 7.6% (w/w), respectively

Intérêts et limites d’une approche cartographique géographique pour le management des parcours de soins en santé : L’exemple de l’Auvergne (France)

International audience"Patient pathways", "care pathways", "health pathways" and "life pathways" are now concepts widely used in political and professional discourses and discussions on improving patient care (Porter, 2010). In the managerial sciences, the mobilisation of these notions suffers from an important conceptual weakness. There is very little empirical or scientific research to define precisely how to build an integrated and comprehensive management of a care pathway inside and outside the walls of health institutions (hospitals). The mapping approach can be very relevant for designing a management of territorialised care pathways by jointly representing medical and nursing resources and patient populations. The methodology used is based on the analysis of a series of maps presenting an inventory of the care offer and the socio-demographic characteristics of the territories of a specific region (the former Auvergne region). The advantage of this method is that it spatializes the socio-demographic phenomena and relates them to the characteristics of the care provision in each territory. The application of this cartographic analysis to the Auvergne territory makes it possible to define three types of health territories with homogeneous characteristics and levers of action. By superimposing the health resources of a territory and the geographical locations of potential patients, the mapping analysis makes it possible to identify the characteristics that interactions between patients and health professionals can take on in a specific territory (type, time, location of interactions). On a managerial level, this analysis allows the identification of measures and actions for managing care pathways such as the methods for locating and deploying nursing homes, or those of m-health or e-health tools, or the methods for developing training and jobs for pathway managers.Les notions de « parcours patient », « parcours de soins », « parcours de santé », « parcours de vie » sont aujourd’hui largement mobilisées et reprises dans les discours et discussions politiques et professionnels autour de l’amélioration de la prise en charge des patients (Porter, 2010). Dans le domaine managérial, la mobilisation de ces notions souffre d’une importante faiblesse conceptuelle. Peu de réflexions empiriques ou scientifiques permettent de définir précisément comment construire le management intégré et global d’un parcours de soins dans et hors les murs des établissements de santé. L’approche de cartographie géographique peut s’avérer très pertinente pour penser un management des parcours territorialisés en représentant conjointement les ressources médicales et soignantes et les populations de patients. L'application de cette approche à l’Auvergne permet de définir trois types de territoires de santé et de repérer des leviers d'action pour un management intégré des parcours de soins

First overview of synthetic fibers in indoor and outdoor air

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First overview of microplastics in indoor and outdoor air

International audienceThe plastic production has increased rapidly from 1.7 to 288 million tons annually within the last 60 years (PlasticsEurope 2013). In the early 70’s, the presence of millimetric plastic debris in marine environment has been highlighted and more recently the term microplastics was used to describe millimetric and inframillimetric particles. Since 2008, plastic particles smaller than 5 mm have been defined as microplastics (Barnes et al. 2009). These microplastics cover a large and continuous spectrum of sizes and shapes including 1D-fibers (with one larger dimension), 2D-fragments (flat particles), and 3D-spherules. While numerous studies were published on microplastic in marine environment, only few are dealing with these pollutants in continental environments. Moreover most of these studies are dealing with lakes and rivers, but none focused on the contamination of atmospheric compartment by microplastics. In addition to experimentations on total atmospheric fallout (Dris et al. 2015a), this study aims at investigating the contamination of indoor and outdoor air by microplastics. Indoor air concentrations of microplastics (number of particles/m3) were measured in 2 private apartments and 1 office at the Paris-Est University. Volumes about 5 m3 over a 24h-period were pumped using a Deltanova pump (8 L/min) on glass fiber GF/A Whatman® filters (1.6 µm). In addition, household dust was also sampled using conventional vacuum cleaner and collected in the vacuum cleaner bag. Outdoor air samples were collected on the University roof located in an urbanized area (about 10 km from Paris center) and about 10 m3 were pumped over a same period. In both cases, the total dust sampling modes were considered. Filters were then observed with a stereomicroscope Leica MZ12 coupled with a software for image analyzing to account microplastics. For methodological reasons, the minimal microplastic particle size considered in this study is about 50 µm. For dust, a densimetric separation coupled with an enzymatic digestion was performed.Microplastics observed in indoor and outdoor air are exclusively fibrous with a size distribution. Fibers are mainly sub-millimetric (50-80% between 100 and 500 µm) and to a lesser extent millimetric (10-30% between 500 and 1 000 µm or between 1 000 and 5 000 µm). First campaigns indicate that indoor concentrations are in the 3-15 particles/m3 range. A gradient of indoor concentrations according to the sampling height (30, 125 and 250 cm) was also observed suggesting that the microplastics are mainly re suspended from the floor probably due to human activity and movement. Finally, a significant amount of fibers is observed in dust. Outdoor concentrations are lower than those observed for indoor and are in the 0.2-0.8 particles/m3 range. Due to their size, a high deposition velocity of microplastics may be expected and could explain the low concentrations observed. Parallel to that, a significant amount of particles is also observed in total atmospheric fallout (29-280 particles/m2/d), confirming the contamination of atmospheric compartment by microplastics. The time-variation of this flux seems to be strongly influenced by rain events suggesting that the microplastic wash out could be a major route of deposition. The chemical identification of the microplastics is in progress using Raman micro spectroscopy

A first overview of textile fibers, including microplastics, in indoor and outdoor environments

International audienceStudies about microplastics in various environments highlighted the ubiquity of anthropogenic fibers. As a follow-up of a recent study that emphasized the presence of man-made fibers in atmospheric fallout, this study is the first one to investigate fibers in indoor and outdoor air. Three different indoor sites were considered: two private apartments and one office. In parallel, the outdoor air was sampled in one site. The deposition rate of the fibers and their concentration in settled dust collected from vacuum cleaner bags were also estimated. Overall, indoor concentrations ranged between 1.0 and 60.0 fibers/m3. Outdoor concentrations are significantly lower as they range between 0.3 and 1.5 fibers/m3. The deposition rate of the fibers in indoor environments is between 1586 and 11,130 fibers/day/m2 leading to an accumulation of fibers in settled dust (190–670 fibers/mg). Regarding fiber type, 67% of the analyzed fibers in indoor environments are made of natural material, primarily cellulosic, while the remaining 33% fibers contain petrochemicals with polypropylene being predominant. Such fibers are observed in marine and continental studies dealing with microplastics. The observed fibers are supposedly too large to be inhaled but the exposure may occur through dust ingestion, particularly for young children