Université de Lille
Recent publications
The problems of interval estimation and stabilization are studied for a class of generalized Persidskii systems. For this class of models with nonlinearities satisfying the incremental passivity property, the nonnegativity conditions are proposed and a nonlinear interval observer is synthesized. A nonlinear feedback is designed that uses the interval estimates. The conditions of stability of estimation and regulation errors are formulated using linear matrix inequalities. The efficiency of the proposed interval observer and controller is demonstrated for a recurrent neural network and a mechanical system with cubic nonlinearity.
Multimodal nonlinear endoscopes have been a topic of intense research over the past two decades, enabling sub-cellular and label-free imaging in areas not reachable with table-top microscopes. They are sophisticated systems that can be implemented on an optical table in a lab environment, but they cannot be easily moved within or out of the lab. We present here a multimodal and flexible nonlinear endoscope system able to perform two-photon excited fluorescence and second harmonic generation imaging with a stand-alone and movable kart integrating a compact ultrashort laser source. In addition, the system can perform three-photon excited fluorescence and third harmonic generation imaging thanks to a delivery optical fiber that connects a large frame laser system to the stand-alone kart. The endoscopic fiber probes and delivery optical fibers are based on functionalized negative curvature hollow core fibers. The endoscope distal head has a diameter << 2.2 mm and can perform nonlinear imaging at max 10 frames/s over a field of view up to 600 μm with a \sim 1 μm spatial resolution.
Sino-North African relations intensified at the turn of the century with a significant growth in trade, investment, and turnkey contracts. While economic exchanges did not initially break patterns of unequal exchange, since 2013, Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has signalled a qualitative shift in China’s engagement with the region and the rest of the continent. China has committed to increase investments in high value-added sectors, promote research and innovation and to boost cooperation in science, technology and research with countries across North Africa in the digital sector in particular which is emerging significantly in China-North African partnerships. China is becoming ever-more important actors in North Africa through the Digital Silk Road (DSR), the digital component of the BRI. North African governments see the Digital Silk Road as an opportunity to help bridge the digital divide and bolster their own national efforts to build digital economies, create jobs for the millions of unemployed university graduates and ultimately succeed in effective technology transfer mainly through training and spillover. Drawing on the rich literature on technology transfer and innovation in developing countries and an extensive field work conducted through observant participation methodology in the Algerian industrial sector, this chapter aims at assessing the developmental implications of the Digital. Using the case of the giant chinese tech company Huawei, it will attempt to unpack dynamics between Chinese and local state agencies, firms and universities, and assess the resulting outcomes in terms of technology transfer.
We propose new operators for weighted propositional belief merging operators. We introduce distance-based operators that use the product as aggregation function. In social choice theory, the product, called the Nash welfare function, is known to be a more equitable social welfare function than the classical utilitarian welfare function (based on a sum). We study which properties are satisfied by the obtained corresponding weighted merging operators. In particular, we show that, unlike the Nash welfare function, distance-based operators using the product do not satisfy the Pigou-Dalton property. Then, we introduce a new family of weighted merging operators, which we call utility-based weighted merging operators, where the utility is roughly the converse of a distance for distance-based operators. For most well-known distance-based operators, it is easy to find the corresponding utility-based merging operators. But an interesting result is that the utility-based weighted merging operator based on the product does not correspond to any standard distance-based weighted merging operator, and this operator satisfies the Pigou-Dalton property.
Importance In patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI), limited physiologic adaptation to acute anemia might lead to greater benefit from a liberal red blood cell (RBC) transfusion strategy. Data on such a possible benefit are lacking. Objectives To compare acute anemia with chronic anemia and post-MI outcomes and estimate the differential effect of a restrictive RBC transfusion strategy compared with a liberal strategy on post-MI outcomes according to anemia acuity. Design, Setting, and Participants A prespecified subgroup analysis of the Myocardial Ischemia and Transfusion (MINT) multicenter randomized clinical trial was conducted in 126 hospitals in 6 countries between April 26, 2017, and April 14, 2023, with 30-day follow-up and blinded adjudication of the primary outcome. The analysis included 3144 of 3504 MINT participants (89.7%) with acute MI, a hemoglobin (Hb) level less than 10 g/dL at randomization, and a first Hb measurement available on the day of or the day following hospital admission. Intervention The MINT trial randomized participants to a restrictive (Hb <7-8 g/dL) or liberal (Hb <10 g/dL) RBC transfusion strategy. Acute anemia was defined as having a first Hb value greater than 13 g/dL (men) or 12 g/dL (women), or as having a decrease greater than or equal to 2 g/dL between the first Hb measurement and measurement at randomization. Other Hb levels were categorized as chronic anemia. Main Outcomes and Measures The primary outcome was a composite of death or recurrent MI up to 30 days after randomization. Secondary outcomes were death, recurrent MI, cardiac death, heart failure, pulmonary complications, and major bleeding events. Intention-to-treat analysis was performed. Results Among 3144 included participants (mean [SD] age, 72.3 [11.6] years; 1715 [54.5%] male; 1307 [41.6%] with type 1 MI), 1078 [34.3%]) had acute anemia. Acute anemia was associated with an increased risk of death or recurrent MI (adjusted risk ratio, 1.25; 95% CI, 1.05-1.48). The effect of a restrictive RBC transfusion strategy compared with a liberal strategy was similar for participants with either acute or chronic anemia for all outcomes. Conclusions and Relevance In this secondary analysis of the MINT trial, acute anemia was associated with less favorable post-MI outcomes than chronic anemia but did not modify the effects of the randomized transfusion strategy. In patients with anemia and MI, the acuity of anemia should not influence the choice of transfusion trigger. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02981407
Accidental awareness during general anaesthesia is a major complication. Despite the routine use of continuous electroencephalographic monitoring, accidental awareness during general anaesthesia remains relatively frequent and constitutes a significant additional cost. The prediction of patients’ arousal during general anaesthesia could help preventing accidental awareness and some researchers have suggested that heart rate variability (HRV) analysis contains valuable information about the patient arousal during general anaesthesia. We conducted pilot study to investigate HRV ability to detect patient arousal. RR series and the Bispectral IndexTM (BISTM) were recorded during general anaesthesia. The pre-arousal period T0 was defined as the time at which the BISTM exceeded 60 at the end of surgery. HRV parameters were computed over several time periods before and after T0 and classified as “BISTM<60” or “BISTM≥60”. A multivariate logistic regression model and a classification and regression tree algorithm were used to evaluate the HRV variables’ ability to detect “BISTM≥60”. All the models gave high specificity but poor sensitivity. Excluding T0 from the classification increased the sensitivity for all the models and gave AUCROC>0.7. In conclusion, we found that HRV analysis provided encouraging results to predict arousal at the end of general anaesthesia.
Background Prolonged grief is a chronic and debilitating condition that affects millions of persons worldwide. The aim of this study was to use a qualitative approach to better understand how relatives with prolonged grief disorder perceive what does or not help them and whether they were able to make recommendations. Methods Participants were all relatives of deceased patients admitted to 26 palliative care units involved in the FamiLife study; relatives were included if diagnosed with prolonged grief symptoms (i.e., Inventory Complicated Grief (ICG) questionnaire with a cut-off >25), and volunteered to participate. Semi-directed telephone interviews were conducted by psychologists between 6 and 12 months after the patient’s death. The interviews were open-ended, without a pre-established grid, then transcribed and analyzed using a thematic approach. Results Overall, 199/608 (32.7%) relatives were diagnosed with prolonged grief symptoms, i.e., with an ICG score >25, and 39/199 (20%) agreed to be interviewed. The analysis yielded 4 themes: (1) the experience of mourning: intense sadness and guilt (reported by 35/39 participants, 90%); (2) aggravating factors (38/39, 97%): feeling unprepared for death and loneliness, presence of interpersonal barriers to adjustment, external elements hindering the mourning progress; (3) facilitating factors (39/39, 100%): having inner strength or forcing oneself to get better, availability of social and emotional support; and (4) the suggestions grieving relatives had to alleviate the grief burden (36/39, 92%). The analysis enabled to identify 5 suggestions for relieving the grief burden: improving communication, developing education about death and grief, maintaining contact, offering psychological support, and choosing the right time for the palliative care team to contact the relatives. Conclusions This study revealed how bereaved relatives experienced the help provided by the healthcare teams, their representations, and what could be improved. These findings could be used to design intervention studies.
In France, training in the NICHD investigative interview protocol was implemented in 2016. Since then, no study has examined the French field practices in interviewing children. The aim of this research was to learn more about the manner in which child victims were interviewed and the effect of the NICHD training. The current study examined 92 real interviews with alleged child victims conducted by 17 French gendarmes trained in the NICHD protocol before and after their training. The quality of these interviews was analyzed based on the number and proportion of questions. The pre-training interviews were of poor quality, containing less than 4% of invitations and 58% of closed and suggestive questions, which are strongly discouraged. On the contrary, the post-training interviews were of better quality: they contained more than seven times as many invitations, twice as many facilitators, and half as many suggestive questions as the pre-training interviews. Invitations accounted for 19% of questions asked, and closed and suggestive questions for 31%. This confirmed that the NICHD training has improved interviewing practices with children. However, directive questions were the most frequent, and the proportion of invitations decreased with time since training. These findings encourage the training of all interviewers in the NICHD protocol and the implementation of effective post-training follow-up to maintain high-quality interviews.
Silicified peritidal carbonates of the Tonian Draken Formation, Spitsbergen, contain highly diverse and well‐preserved microfossil assemblages dominated by filamentous microbial mats, but also including diverse benthic and/or allochthonous (possibly planktonic) microorganisms. Here, we characterize eight morphospecies in focused ion beam (FIB) ultrathin sections using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X‐ray absorption near‐edge structure (XANES) spectromicroscopy. Raman and XANES spectroscopies show the highly aromatic molecular structure of preserved organic matter. Despite this apparently poor molecular preservation, nano‐quartz crystallization allowed for the preservation of various ultrastructures distinguished in TEM. In some filamentous microfossils ( Siphonophycus ) as well as in all cyanobacterial coccoids, extracellular polysaccharide sheaths appear as bands of dispersed organic nanoparticles. Synodophycus microfossils, made up of pluricellular colonies of coccoids, contain organic walls similar to the F‐layers of pleurocapsalean cyanobacteria. In some fossils, internal content occurs as particulate organic matter, forming dense networks throughout ghosts of the intracellular space (e.g., in Salome svalbardensis filaments), or scarce granules (in some Chroococcales ). In some chroococcalean microfossils ( Gloeodiniopsis mikros , and also possibly Polybessurus ), we find layered internal contents that are more continuous than nanoparticulate bands defining the sheaths, and with a shape that can be contracted, folded, or invaginated. We interpret these internal layers as the remains of cell envelope substructures and/or photosynthetic membranes thickened by additional cellular material. Some Myxococccoides show a thick (up to ~ 0.9 μm) wall ultrastructure displaying organic pillars that is best reconciled with a eukaryotic affinity. Finally, a large spheroid with ruptured wall, of uncertain affinity, displays a bi‐layered envelope. Altogether, our nanoscale investigations provide unprecedented insights into the taphonomy and taxonomy of this well‐preserved assemblage, which can help to assess the nature of organic microstructures in older rocks.
The soft nitinol KONAR-MF™ ventricular septal defect (VSD) Multifunctional Occluder (MFO) device is increasingly used for transcatheter perimembranous ventricular septal defect closure. We report for the first time a case of delayed complete atrioventricular block with pacemaker implantation 20 months post-procedure. Through a systematic review, the overall rate of persistent complete atrioventricular block was 0.6% with this device, but follow-up duration was limited.
An open prospective, multicenter study enrolled 48 selected patients with chronic immune thrombocytopenia who achieved complete response for 1 year on thrombopoietin receptor agonists, half of the patients maintained a sustained response off treatment 4 years after treatment discontinuation. NCT03119974
Background and Purpose Decompressive hemicraniectomy (DH) improves survival and functional outcome in large middle cerebral artery (MCA) infarcts. However, long‐term cognitive outcomes after DH remain underexplored. In a cohort of patients with large right‐hemisphere MCA infarction undergoing DH, we assessed the rates of long‐term cognitive impairment over 3‐year follow‐up. Methods We prospectively evaluated consecutive patients included in the Lille Decompressive Surgery Database (May 2005–April 2022) undergoing DH according to existing guidelines for large hemisphere MCA infarction. We included patients with right‐sided stroke and screened with the Mini‐Mental State Examination (MMSE) in at least one of the prespecified follow‐ups (3‐month, 1‐year, 3‐year). Cognitive impairment was defined as an MMSE score < 24. We included only right‐hemisphere strokes to avoid testing biases related to severe aphasia. We compared clinical and neuroimaging data in patients with and without cognitive impairment. Results Three hundred four patients underwent DH during the study period. Among 3‐month survivors, 95 had a right‐hemisphere stroke and underwent at least one cognitive screening (median age = 51 years, 56.8% men). Forty‐four patients (46.3%) exhibited cognitive impairment at least once during the 3‐year follow‐up. Baseline characteristics did not significantly differ between patients with and without cognitive impairment. Regarding long‐term temporal trends, cognitive impairment was observed in 23 of 76 (30.3%), 25 of 80 (31.3%), and 19 of 66 (28.8%) patients at 3‐month, 1‐year, and 3‐year follow‐up, respectively, and it was associated with higher rates of functional disability (all p < 0.05). Conclusions The persistently high rates of cognitive impairment after DH highlight the importance of cognitive monitoring to improve the long‐term management of survivors.
Objectives To compare two strategies—a hydrocortisone replacement strategy and a prednisone tapering strategy—for their success in glucocorticoid discontinuation in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with low disease activity (LDA). Methods The Strategies for glucocorticoid TApering in Rheumatoid arthritis (STAR) study was a double-blind, double-placebo randomised controlled trial including patients with RA receiving a stable dose of glucocorticoid 5 mg/day for ≥3 months and were in LDA for ≥3 months. Patients were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to either replace prednisone with 20 mg/day of hydrocortisone for 3 months, then reduce to 10 mg/day for 3 months before discontinuation or to taper prednisone by 1 mg/day every month until complete discontinuation, contingent on maintaining LDA. The primary outcome was the percentage of patients achieving glucocorticoid discontinuation at 12 months. Other secondary outcomes were proportion of flares, need for additional glucocorticoid use, disease activity, patient-reported outcomes and the results of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) stimulation tests. Results Of the 102 patients randomised in the trial (mean age 62.4 years, 70.6% females), 53 had hydrocortisone replacement and 49 tapered prednisone. At 12 months, 29 patients (55%) in the hydrocortisone replacement group and 23 patients (47%) in the prednisone tapering group achieved glucocorticoid discontinuation (p=0.4). No difference was observed between groups in the secondary outcomes. No cases of acute adrenal insufficiency were observed; however, 17 patients still had an abnormal ACTH stimulation test at 12 months, with no differences between arms. Conclusion A hydrocortisone replacement strategy was not superior to a prednisone tapering strategy for achieving glucocorticoid discontinuation success in patients with RA in LDA. Trial registration number NCT02997605 .
The influence of the support on the performance of Mo nitrides has been investigated in ammonia synthesis and decomposition. A series of Mo‐N catalysts supported on different materials, namely SiO2 (commercial, SBA‐15), Al2O3 and CeO2, were prepared. The results showed that, despite high dispersion of Mo species in all catalysts, large disparities in activity for ammonia synthesis exist. Initial rates of ~ 1208, ~ 481 and ~ 372 µmol gactive phase‐1 h‐1 are obtained over 10‐Mo‐N/SBA‐15, 10‐Mo‐N/SiO2 and 10‐Mo‐N/Al2O3 respectively. However, no catalytic activity was registered when Mo species were supported on CeO2. Furthermore, 10‐Mo‐N/Al2O3 deactivated after few hours of reaction. The surface composition was studied by means of XPS to probe the origin of the catalytic activity differences, and the results showed that a range of various oxidation states of Mo was detected depending on the support. The difference in catalytic behavior could not be solely explained by the differences in Mo‐N species concentrations. In situ EPR analysis showed that the mechanism of MoO3 nitridation could differ depending on the support, leading to the formation of different Mo‐N species. The effect of support was however not as severe in ammonia decomposition as it was the case of ammonia synthesis.
Objective Prosthetic restorations require functional occlusal planes to ensure therapeutic success. The purpose of the present study was to develop a new Broadrick flag support for a semi‐adjustable articulator and to investigate the effectiveness of occlusal planes drawn using the Broadrick flag method by inexperienced practitioners in complex situations such as skeletal class II relationships associated with edentulous areas. Méthodology The Broadrick flag support was designed and manufactured by the additive technique and was adapted to the Quick Master articulator. The QR code of the manufacturing file of the Broadrick flag support is accessible to any practitioner. Thirty‐seven third‐year students (inexperienced practitioners) were randomised into two groups for drawing occlusal planes on two models either with or without the Broadrick flag method. A prosthodontic professor (experienced practitioner) drew occlusal planes on the models to serve as references. Each model was analysed using a standardised method to measure the distances between the occlusal planes drawn by experienced and inexperienced practitioners. Résults Only the distance measured for the right second molar of the first model with the Broadrick flag method was significantly shorter than those measured without using this method ( p < 0.05, Wilcoxon test). Visual observations showed that only the second molar drawings of the inexperienced practitioners were above the drawings of the experienced practitioner. Conclusion The Broadrick flag method helped inexperienced practitioners to draw occlusal planes of models in complex skeletal class II relationships associated with edentulous areas with natural teeth located both anterior and posterior to them.
Institution pages aggregate content on ResearchGate related to an institution. The members listed on this page have self-identified as being affiliated with this institution. Publications listed on this page were identified by our algorithms as relating to this institution. This page was not created or approved by the institution. If you represent an institution and have questions about these pages or wish to report inaccurate content, you can contact us here.
13,239 members
Philippe Zinck
  • Unité de Catalyse et Chimie du Solide (UCCS)
Marc Ferdinand Lensink
  • Computational Biology
Giuseppe Lipari
  • Laboratoire d'Informatique Fondamentale de Lille (LIFL)
Etienne Billette de Villemeur
  • Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences
Information
Address
Lille, France