Mise en place d'un modèle de fuite multi-états en secteur hydraulique partiellement instrumenté

The evolution of equipment on drinking water networks has considerably bettered the monitoring of these lasts. Automatic meter reading (AMR) is clearly the technology which has brought the major progress these last years in water management, as for the operator and the end-users. This technology has allowed passing from an annual information on water consumption (thanks to the manual meter reading) toan infra-daily information. But as efficient as AMR can be, it has one main inconvenient : its cost. A complete network instrumentation generates capital expenditures that some operators can’t allowed themselves. The constitution of a sample of meters to equip enables then to estimate the network total consumption while minimizing the investments. This sample has to be built smartly so the inaccuracy of the estimator shouldn’t be harmful to the consumption estimation. A precise knowledge on water consumption allowsquantifying the water lost volumes on the network. But even an exact assessment of losses is still not enough to eliminate all the leaks on the network. Indeed, if the water distribution network is buried, and so invisible, so do the leaks. A fraction of leaks are invisible and even undetectable by the current technologies of leakage control, and so these leaks are un-reparable. The construction of a multi-state model enables us to decompose the leakage flow according to the different stages of appearance of a leak : invisible and undetectable, invisible but detectable with leakage control and finally detectable. This semi-Markovian model takes into account operational constrains, in particular the fact that we dispose of panel data. The leakage flow decomposition allows a better network monitoring but targeting and adapting the action of leakage reduction to set up according to the degradation state of the network.L’évolution de l’équipement des réseaux d’eau potable a considérablement amélioré le pilotage de ces derniers. Le telérelevé des compteurs d’eau est sans doute la technologie qui a créé la plus grande avancée ces dernières années dans la gestion de l’eau, tant pour l’opérateur que pour l’usager. Cette technologie a permis de passer d’une information le plus souvent annuelle sur les consommations (suite à la relève manuelle des compteurs d’eau) à une information infra-journalière. Mais le télérelevé, aussi performant soit-il, a un inconvénient : son coût. L’instrumentation complète d’un réseau engendre des investissements que certains opérateurs ne peuvent se permettre. Ainsi la création d’un échantillon de compteurs à équiper permet d’estimer la consommation totale d’un réseau tout en minimisant les coûts d’investissement. Cet échantillon doit être construit de façon intelligente de sorte que l’imprécision liée à l’estimation ne nuise pas à l’évaluation des consommations. Une connaissance précise sur les consommations d’eau permet de quantifier les volumes perdus en réseau. Mais, même dans le cas d’une évaluation exacte des pertes, cela ne peut pas suffire à éliminer toutes les fuites sur le réseau. En effet, si le réseau de distribution d’eau potable est majoritairement enterré, donc invisible, il en va de même pour les fuites. Une fraction des fuites est invisible et même indétectable par les techniques actuelles de recherche de fuites, et donc irréparable. La construction d’un modèle de fuite multi-états permet de décomposer le débit de fuite suivant les différents stades d’apparition d’une fuite : invisible et indétectable, invisible mais détectable par la recherche de fuite et enfin visible en surface. Ce modèle, de type semi-markovien, prend en compte les contraintes opérationnelles, notamment le fait que nous disposons de données de panel. La décomposition du débit de fuite permet de fait une meilleure gestion du réseau en ciblant et adaptant les actions de lutte contre les fuites à mettre en place en fonction de l’état de dégradation du réseau

The effect of piglet vitality, birth order, and blood lactate on the piglet growth performances and preweaning survival

Background Litter size is going up in modern pig production. Due to large litter size and increased farrowing duration, newborn piglets, during parturition, can suffer from asphyxiation. This alters their blood energy parameters and can contribute to their reduced vitality at birth, which is detrimental to their growth performance and survival. We aimed to evaluate the effects of vitality score, piglets’ umbilical cord blood lactate, glucose, and butyrate, and birth order on growth performance and the preweaning mortality of piglets. Results The more vital (vitality score 2, VS2) piglets had higher umbilical cord blood glucose and butyrate, lower blood lactate, and higher colostrum intake (CI) at birth, and showed higher body weight at birth and at weaning than did less vital piglets (vitality score 1, VS1). Umbilical cord lactate negatively correlated with vitality, colostrum intake, and growth before weaning. Among the four birth-order groups (BOGs), piglets born earlier during parturition had a higher mean vitality score than those born later. BOG1 and BOG2 had significantly higher CI (p  Conclusion Changes in piglets’ body weight, colostrum intake, and umbilical cord lactate are associated with piglet vitality and asphyxiation during farrowing. In addition, asphyxiation induced higher umbilical cord lactate may serve as an indicator of low vitality and low colostrum consumption. Overall, improvement in piglets’ vitality and in the farrowing process can help in reducing piglet mortality.Peer reviewe

Engagement of the PFC in consolidation and recall of recent spatial memory

The standard model of system consolidation proposes that memories are initially hippocampus dependent and become hippocampus independent over time. Previous studies have demonstrated the involvement of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) in the retrieval of remote memories. The transformations required to make a memory undergo system's consolidation are thought to require synaptic plasticity. In this study, we investigated the participation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/ERK pathway in acquisition, memory consolidation, and recent memory recall of the Morris water maze (MWM) task using a 1-d training protocol. To this end, bilateral injections of the MEK inhibitor U0126 into the rat mPFC were performed. The injection of the MEK inhibitor in the mPFC did not affect the acquisition of the MWM. However, MEK inhibitor resulted in impairments on recent memory retrieval either when applied at the end of the learning phase (memory consolidation) or prior to the retention test. The results strongly support the concept that recently acquired and consolidated spatial memories require the mPFC, and that local activation of the MAPK/ERK pathway in the mPFC is necessary for the consolidation and recall of recent memories.Fil: Leon, Wanda C.. McGill University; CanadáFil: Bruno, Martin. McGill University; Canadá. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Juan; ArgentinaFil: Allard, Simon. McGill University; CanadáFil: Nader, Karim. McGill University; CanadáFil: Cuello, A. Claudio. McGill University; Canad

In-Feed Supplementation of Resin Acid-Enriched Composition Modulates Gut Microbiota, Improves Growth Performance, and Reduces Post-Weaning Diarrhea and Gut Inflammation in Piglets

The weaning process represents a delicate phase for piglets, and is often characterized by lower feed intake, lower weight gain, diarrhea, and ultimately increased mortality. We aimed to determine the effects of RAC supplementation in diets on improving piglet growth and vitality, reducing post-weaning diarrhea, and enhancing gut health. In a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial experiment, we selected forty sows and their piglets. Piglets were followed until seven weeks of age. There were no significant differences found between RAC treated and control piglets until weaning (p = 0.26). However, three weeks after weaning, RAC treated piglets had higher body weight and average daily growth (ADG) than the control piglets (p = 0.003). In addition, the piglets that received RAC after weaning, irrespective of mother or prior creep feed treatment, had lower post-weaning diarrhea (PWD) and fecal myeloperoxidase (MPO) level than control piglets. Gut microbiota analysis in post-weaning piglets revealed that RAC supplementation significantly increased Lachnospiraceae_unclassified, Blautia, Butyricicoccus, Gemmiger and Holdemanella, and decreased Bacteroidales_unclassified. Overall, RAC supplementation to piglets modulated post-weaning gut microbiota, improved growth performance after weaning, reduced post-weaning diarrhea and reduced fecal myeloperoxidase levels. We therefore consider RAC to be a potential natural feed supplement to prevent enteric infections and improve growth performance in weaning piglets

Diagnostic value of 18F-FDG PET/CT in trauma patients with suspected chronic osteomyelitis

Purpose: To retrospectively evaluate the diagnostic value of 18F-FDG PET/CT in trauma patients with suspected chronic osteomyelitis. Methods: Thirty-three partial body 18F-FDG PET/CT scans were performed in 33 patients with trauma suspected of having chronic osteomyelitis. In 10 and 23 patients, infection was suspected in the axial and appendicular skeleton, respectively. In 18 patients, PET/CT was performed in the presence of metallic implants. Histopathology or bacteriological culture was used as the standard of reference. For statistical analysis, sensitivity, specificity and accuracy were calculated in relation to findings of the reference standard. Results: Of 33 PET/CT scans, 17 were true positive, 13 true negative, two false positive and one false negative. Eighteen patients had chronic osteomyelitis and 15 had no osseous infection according to the reference standard. Sensitivity, specificity and accuracy for 18F-FDG PET/CT was 94%, 87% and 91% for the whole group, 88%, 100% and 90% for the axial skeleton and 100%, 85% and 91% for the appendicular skeleton, respectively. Conclusion: 18F-FDG PET/CT is a highly sensitive and specific method for the evaluation of chronic infection in the axial and appendicular skeleton in patients with trauma. PET/CT allows precise anatomical localisation and characterisation of the infectious focus and demonstrates the extent of chronic osteomyelitis with a high degree of accurac

Modal testing of an unreinforced masonry house

There are a significant number of uncertainties in finite element models of unreinforced masonry structures related to the modelling assumptions and the properties of local materials. Therefore, it is necessary to implement calibration techniques for these models. Modal testing is a good option for assessing the dynamic properties of the structure. The experimental data is used to verify and improve the predicted response obtained by finite element model. The study presents the modal testing of a full-scale physical model of an unreinforced masonry house. The structure is tested under three different excitations: an impact by a calibrated hammer, a random excitation induced by a calibrated hammer, and a steppedsine excitation induced by a shaker. In addition, an operational modal test has been performed using ambient and random excitations. Two different methods are used for system identification: peak picking and stochastic subspace identification. The results of this research will be used in future studies for updating the model

eIF2α Phosphorylation Bidirectionally Regulates the Switch from Short- to Long-Term Synaptic Plasticity and Memory

SummaryThe late phase of long-term potentiation (LTP) and memory (LTM) requires new gene expression, but the molecular mechanisms that underlie these processes are not fully understood. Phosphorylation of eIF2α inhibits general translation but selectively stimulates translation of ATF4, a repressor of CREB-mediated late-LTP (L-LTP) and LTM. We used a pharmacogenetic bidirectional approach to examine the role of eIF2α phosphorylation in synaptic plasticity and behavioral learning. We show that in eIF2α+/S51A mice, in which eIF2α phosphorylation is reduced, the threshold for eliciting L-LTP in hippocampal slices is lowered, and memory is enhanced. In contrast, only early-LTP is evoked by repeated tetanic stimulation and LTM is impaired, when eIF2α phosphorylation is increased by injecting into the hippocampus a small molecule, Sal003, which prevents the dephosphorylation of eIF2α. These findings highlight the importance of a single phosphorylation site in eIF2α as a key regulator of L-LTP and LTM formation

Techno‐economic analysis of 5G immersive media services in cloud‐enabled small cell networks: the neutral host business model

Fifth generation (5G) envisages a “hyperconnected society” with an enormous number of interconnected devices, anywhere and at any time. Edge computing plays a pivotal role in this vision, enabling low latency, large traffic volumes, and improved quality of experience. The advent of 5G and edge computing encourages vertical industries to develop innovative services, which can meet the challenging demands coming from consumers. However, economic feasibility is the ultimate factor that determines the viability of a new service. Hence, effective techniques for the economic assessment of such services are needed. This paper analyzes the provision of immersive media services in crowded events, through a cloud‐enabled small cell network owned by a neutral host, and offered in multitenancy to different mobile network operators. We initially develop a planning model to predict the required compute, storage, and radio resources. Taking into account dynamic factors such as service penetration and price evolution, we then provide a number of economic indices, such as net present value, internal rate of return, and expected payback period to assess the viability of a potential investment in a 5G infrastructure for immersive media services. The presented analysis will guide small cell network operators in the provision of 5G innovative media services