L'internet des objets pour les régions rurales et éloignées

Cet ouvrage vise l’étude d’une technologie visant à optimiser la communication sans fil entre des objets dans un environnement rural ou éloigné. On y fait une comparaison des technologies LPWAN pour ensuite sélectionner Symphony Link par Link Labs qui n’est visée par très peu d’études. Un prototype est conçu afin de mesurer plusieurs paramètres de transmission dont l’énergie consommée, le nombre de paquets retransmis et la puissance à la réception. Un modèle d’atténuation de l’environnement rural de l’expérience est établi. Il s’en suit l’élaboration d’un modèle de simulation illustrant le comportement d’un réseau comportant plusieurs de ces nœuds. On y analyse les résultats et approxime des équations visant entre autres le taux de réception total, l’efficacité spectrale et l’efficacité énergétique. Finalement, ces approximations sont utilisées dans des exemples de déploiement visant l’agriculture et le Grand Nord, représentant un milieu éloigné.This work is on a technology that optimizes wireless communications between objects operating in a remote or rural environment. We compare different LPWAN technologies. Then we select Symphony Link by Link Labs that is the subject to very few studies. A prototype is made to monitor transmission parameters like the energy consumed, the number of packets that has to be resent and the power at reception. An attenuation model of the rural environment of the experiment is made. After, a simulation model is built to illustrate the behavior of a network made of many of these nodes. We analyze and work on equations that approximate, among others, the total reception ratio, the spectral efficiency and the energy efficiency. Finally, these approximations are used in deployment examples on agricultural and remote areas

The EcoChip : a wireless multi-sensor platform for comprehensive environmental monitoring

This paper presents the EcoChip, a new system based on state-of-the-art electro-chemical impedance (EIS) technologies allowing the growth of single strain organisms isolated from northern habitats. This portable system is a complete and autonomous wireless platform designed to monitor and cultivate microorganisms directly sampled from their natural environment, particularly from harsh northern environments. Using 96-well plates, the EcoChip can be used in the field for realtime monitoring of bacterial growth. Manufactured with highquality electronic components, this new EIS monitoring system is designed to function at a low excitation voltage signal to avoid damaging the cultured cells. The high-precision calibration network leads to high-precision results, even in the most limiting contexts. Luminosity, humidity and temperature can also be monitored with the addition of appropriate sensors. Access to robust data storage systems and power supplies is an obvious limitation for northern research. That is why the EcoChip is equipped with a flash memory that can store data over long periods of time. To resolve the power issue, a low-power microcontroller and a power management unit control and supply all electronic building blocks. Data stored in the EcoChip’s flash memory can be transmitted through a transceiver whenever a receiver is located within the functional transmission range. In this paper, we present the measured performance of the system, along with results from laboratory tests in-vitro and from two field tests. The EcoChip has been utilized to collect bio-environemental data in the field from the northern soils and ecosystems of Kuujjuarapik and Puvirnituq, during two expeditions, in 2017 and 2018, respectively. We show that the EcoChip can effectively carry out EIS analyses over an excitation frequency ranging from 750 Hz to 10 kHz with an accuracy of 2.35%. The overall power consumption of the system was 140.4 mW in normal operating mode and 81 µW in sleep mode. The proper development of the isolated bacteria was confirmed through DNA sequencing, indicating that bacteria thrive in the EcoChip’s culture wells while the growing conditions are successfully gathered and stored

Target for improvement: a cluster randomised trial of public involvement in quality-indicator prioritisation (intervention development and study protocol)

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Public priorities for improvement often differ from those of clinicians and managers. Public involvement has been proposed as a way to bridge the gap between professional and public clinical care priorities but has not been studied in the context of quality-indicator choice. Our objective is to assess the feasibility and impact of public involvement on quality-indicator choice and agreement with public priorities.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We will conduct a cluster randomised controlled trial comparing quality-indicator prioritisation with and without public involvement. In preparation for the trial, we developed a 'menu' of quality indicators, based on a systematic review of existing validated indicator sets. Participants (public representatives, clinicians, and managers) will be recruited from six participating sites. In intervention sites, public representatives will be involved through direct participation (public representatives, clinicians, and managers will deliberate together to agree on quality-indicator choice and use) and consultation (individual public recommendations for improvement will be collected and presented to decision makers). In control sites, only clinicians and managers will take part in the prioritisation process. Data on quality-indicator choice and intended use will be collected. Our primary outcome will compare quality-indicator choice and agreement with public priorities between intervention and control groups. A process evaluation based on direct observation, videorecording, and participants' assessment will be conducted to help explain the study's results. The marginal cost of public involvement will also be assessed.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>We identified 801 quality indicators that met our inclusion criteria. An expert panel agreed on a final set of 37 items containing validated quality indicators relevant for chronic disease prevention and management in primary care. We pilot tested our public-involvement intervention with 27 participants (11 public representatives and 16 clinicians and managers) and our study instruments with an additional 21 participants, which demonstrated the feasibility of the intervention and generated important insights and adaptations to engage public representatives more effectively. To our knowledge, this study is the first trial of public involvement in quality-indicator prioritisation, and its results could foster more effective upstream engagement of patients and the public in clinical practice improvement.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p><a href="http://www.trialregister.nl/trialreg/admin/rctview.asp?TC=2496">NTR2496</a> (Netherlands National Trial Register, <url>http://www.trialregister.nl</url>).</p

The Community IntraVenous Antibiotic Study (CIVAS): a mixed methods evaluation of patient preferences for and cost effectiveness of different service models for delivering outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy

Background: Outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) is widely used in most developed countries, providing considerable opportunities for improved cost savings. However, it is implemented only partially in the UK, using a variety of service models. Objectives: The aims of this research were to (1) establish the extent of OPAT service models in England and identify their development; (2) evaluate patients’ preferences for different OPAT service delivery models; (3) assess the cost-effectiveness of different OPAT service delivery models; and (4) convene a consensus panel to consider our evidence and make recommendations. Methods: This mixed-methods study included seven centres providing OPAT using four main service models: (1) hospital outpatient (HO) attendance; (2) specialist nurse (SN) visiting at home; (3) general nurse (GN) visiting at home; and (4) self-administration (SA) or carer administration. Health-care providers were surveyed and interviewed to explore the implementation of OPAT services in England. OPAT patients were interviewed to determine key service attributes to develop a discrete choice experiment (DCE). This was used to perform a quantitative analysis of their preferences and attitudes. Anonymised OPAT case data were used to model cost-effectiveness with both Markov and simulation modelling methods. An expert panel reviewed the evidence and made recommendations for future service provision and further research. Results: The systematic review revealed limited robust literature but suggested that HO is least effective and SN is most effective. Qualitative study participants felt that different models of care were suited to different types of patient and they also identified key service attributes. The DCE indicated that type of service was the most important factor, with SN being strongly preferred to HO and SA. Preferences were influenced by attitudes to health care. The results from both Markov and simulation models suggest that a SN model is the optimal service for short treatment courses (up to 7 days). Net monetary benefit (NMB) values for HO, GN and SN services were £2493, £2547 and £2655, respectively. For longer treatment, SA appears to be optimal, although SNs provide slightly higher benefits at increased cost. NMB values for HO, GN, SN and SA services were £8240, £9550, £10,388 and £10,644, respectively. The simulation model provided useful information for planning OPAT services. The expert panel requested more guidance for service providers and commissioners. Overall, they agreed that mixed service models were preferable. Limitations: Recruitment to the qualitative study was suboptimal in the very elderly and ethnic minorities, so the preferences of patients from these groups might not be represented. The study recruited from Yorkshire, so the findings may not be applicable nationally. Conclusions: The quantitative preference analysis and economic modelling favoured a SN model, although there are differences between sociodemographic groups. SA provides cost savings for long-term treatment but is not appropriate for all. Future work: Further research is necessary to replicate our results in other regions and populations and to evaluate mixed service models. The simulation modelling and DCE methods used here may be applicable in other health-care settings. Funding: The National Institute for Health Research Health Service and Delivery Research programme

Upstream Supply Chain Visibility and Complexity Effect on Focal Company’s Sustainable Performance: Indian Manufacturers’ Perspective

Understanding supply chain sustainability performance is increasingly important for supply chain researchers and managers. Literature has considered supply chain sustainability and the antecedents of performance from a triple bottom line (economic, social, and environmental) perspective. However, the role of supply chain visibility and product complexity contingency in achieving sustainable supply chain performance has not been explored in depth. To address this gap, this study utilizes a contingent resource-based view theory perspective to understand the role of product complexity in shaping the relationship between upstream supply chain visibility (resources and capabilities) and the social, environmental, and economic performance dimensions. We develop and test a theoretical model using survey data gathered from 312 Indian manufacturing organizations. Our findings indicate that supply chain visibility (SCV) has significant influence on social and environmental performance under the moderation effect of product complexity. Hence, the study makes significant contribution to the extant literature by examining the impact of SCV under moderating effect of product complexity on social performance and environmental performance

Le sacré dans la pièce Bob de René-Daniel Dubois, suivi du texte de création Ludvig et moi (1-2-3)

In the first section of this Master's thesis, we study the concept of sacred, more precisely the phenomenon of "re-enchantment" at work in Bob (2008), a theatre play by René-Daniel Dubois. Through an analysis of religious patterns, discourse segments related to the sacred, and of the mise en abyme of Lorenzaccio (1834), a romantic drama written by Alfred de Musset, we demonstrate that the romantic discourse of characters Madame Fryers and Lorenzo (played by Bob) exerts a salutary influence on both the discourse and the life of the two male protagonists, and thus creates a form of "re-enchantment" in the play.The second section presents a creative piece of writing, a short story made of about twenty "fragments/mirrors" reflecting the life of a pianist named Ludvig, from the first note to the last fermata. On top of describing an important event that occurred in his childhood during a piano lesson, and the consequences of the latter on the rest of his existence, the character reveals, through a three-voice polyphony, his relation to music, to Art, and to the world.The link between the two parts of this Master's thesis is Dubois' theatre play itself, which has served as a foundation to the research section, and as a source of inspiration (among others) for the short story. Indeed, the latter borrows from the drama themes such as the gulf between the inside and the outside worlds and the multiple identities of the contemporary individual, and integrates the play by the means of the mise en abyme. Finally, Bob et Ludvig et moi (1-2-3) are linked by the redemptive value given to Art, which plays in both works an important, perhaps even a sacred role.La première partie de ce mémoire propose une étude de la notion de sacré, plus précisément du phénomène du « réenchantement » à l'oeuvre dans la pièce Bob (2008) de René-Daniel Dubois. À travers une analyse des schémas religieux, des discours sur le sacré et de la mise en abyme de Lorenzaccio (1834) d'Alfred de Musset, elle vise à démontrer que le discours romantique des personnages de Madame Fryers et de Lorenzo (interprété par Bob) exerce une influence bénéfique sur le discours et sur la vie des principaux personnages masculins, et participe ainsi à une forme de « réenchantement » dans l'oeuvre. La seconde partie présente un texte de création, une nouvelle composée d'une vingtaine de « morceaux-miroirs » reflétant la vie, depuis la première note jusqu'au dernier point d'orgue, d'un pianiste nommé Ludvig. En plus de décrire un événement de l'enfance survenu lors d'une leçon de piano, et les répercussions de celui-ci sur le reste de son existence, le personnage révèle, à travers une polyphonie à trois voix, son rapport à la musique, au monde et à l'Art. Le lien entre les deux volets de ce mémoire est la pièce de Dubois elle-même, qui sert de fondation au texte de critique et d'inspiration (parmi d'autres oeuvres) au texte de création. La pièce donne à la nouvelle quelques-uns de ses thèmes, dont la diffraction entre les mondes intérieur et extérieur et la pluralité identitaire chez l'individu contemporain, et est intégrée à celle-ci au moyen de la mise en abyme. Également, Bob et Ludvig et moi (1-2-3) se trouvent liés par la valeur rédemptrice accordée à l'Art, qui joue – dans l'un comme dans l'autre – un rôle central, voire sacré