Towards an EDSL to enhance good modelling practice for non-linear stochastic discrete dynamical models Application to plant growth models

International audienceA computational formalism is presented that structures a C++ library which aims at the modelling, simulation and statistical analysis of stochastic non-linear discrete dynamical system models. Applications concern the development and analysis of general plant growth models

A stochastic growth model of grapevine with full interaction between environment, trophic competition and plant development.

International audienceGrapevine development is mainly determined by environmental factors whose effects are modulated by its complex topological structure. The trophic relationships between all the organs of the different axes appear to be the main underlying process which drive axis organogenesis in fluctuating environment. A new modelling approach is proposed based on GreenLab formalism in which axis organogenesis is controlled by stochastic processes according to trophic competition between the different axes. In this model, a water budget was also implemented to account for the effects of water depletion. The model was validated at organ and axis scales on a large range of environmental conditions in terms of photosynthetic active radiation, temperature and soil water supply. The efficiency of the model to simulate plant development at a detailed scale proved its ability to further analyse of the retroactions between plant development and the different environmental variables in order to improve crop management

Cuffless Blood Pressure in clinical practice: challenges, opportunities and current limits.

La mesure de la pression artérielle est cruciale pour l'évalua4on du risque de maladies cardiovasculaires, car l’hypertension est considérée comme une des principales causes de morbidité et de mortalité dans le monde. Une hypertension non diagnos4quée et non traitée peut entraîner des maladies graves telles que l'accident vasculaire cérébral et l'insuffisance rénale. Un suivi régulier et une prise en charge adaptée par le biais de modifica4ons du mode de vie, de changements alimentaires et de médicaments peuvent aider à contrôler la pression artérielle. Le défi réside dans le fait que des niveaux de tension anormaux passent souvent inaperçus en raison d'un manque de surveillance et de l'absence de symptômes significa4fs. Une surveillance régulière et fiable est le meilleur moyen de détecter et de suivre les fluctua4ons de la tension artérielle. Les méthodes conven4onnelles de mesure de la pression artérielle à l'aide d'un brassard sont la référence de la surveillance de la pression artérielle depuis des décennies, mais elles sont associées à plusieurs limita4ons, ce qui a incité les chercheurs à se pencher sur des méthodes sans brassard. Grâce aux progrès de la technologie, la mesure de la pression artérielle sans brassard est désormais possible. L’u4lisa4on de diverses technologies, dont la photopléthysmographie, la tonométrie et l'analyse ECG, permet ainsi de mesurer la pression artérielle sans brassard. Avec le développement de nouveaux capteurs, avec l’améliora4on du traitement des signaux et avec l’implémenta4on d’algorithmes d'appren4ssage, les chercheurs s'efforcent d'établir des rela4ons précises entre les signaux biomédicaux et les varia4ons de la pression artérielle. Ces technologies sont désormais intégrées dans des appareils portables tels que des smartphones et des montres connectées. CeNe revue narra4ve actualisée examine en profondeur les défis, les opportunités et les limites associés à la mise en œuvre des systèmes de surveillance de la pression artérielle sans brassard. Nous explorons les différentes technologies développées et leur impact sur la pra4que clinique. Malgré leur poten4el, l'intégra4on des technologies sans brassard dans la pra4que clinique se heurte à plusieurs obstacles, notamment la nécessité de répondre aux préoccupa4ons liées à la fiabilité, la précision, la calibra4on et à la normalisa4on de divers appareils pour différentes popula4ons de pa4ents. L’extrac4on de signaux physiologiques clairs et indispensable, et améliorable par l’u4lisa4on d'algorithmes d’aNénua4on des artefacts et des perturba4ons environnementales. La démocra4sa4on des appareils de surveillance de la pression artérielle sans brassard passera par le développement des protocoles normalisés, par la réalisa4on d’études de valida4on et par la mise en place d’un cadre réglementaire strict, pour garan4r la fiabilité et la sécurité de ces nouveaux appareils. Une collabora4on interdisciplinaire entre ingénieurs, cliniciens et organismes de réglementa4on est cruciale pour résoudre les problèmes techniques, cliniques et réglementaires au cours de la mise en œuvre de ces nouvelles technologies. L'émergence de ces nouvelles technologies modifie le paradigme de la ges4on de la santé cardiovasculaire, en offrant une nouvelle possibilité de surveillance non invasive. Le concept de mesure de la pression artérielle sans brassard est viable et des disposi4fs plus perfec4onnés devraient arriver sur le marché, ce qui pourrait redéfinir notre compréhension de la pression artérielle et de l'hypertension. En résumant l'état actuel des connaissances et en iden4fiant les orienta4ons futures, cet ar4cle de synthèse vise à par4ciper au débat sur la mesure de la pression artérielle sans brassard tout en apportant une valeur scien4fique substan4elle à ce domaine en évolu4on rapide. -- Background: cuffless blood pressure measurement technologies have attracted significant attention for their potential to transform cardiovascular monitoring. Methods: this updated narrative review thoroughly examines the challenges, opportunities, and limitations associated with the implementation of cuffless blood pressure monitoring systems. Results: Diverse technologies, including photoplethysmography, tonometry, and ecG analysis, enable cuffless blood pressure measurement and are integrated into devices like smartphones and smartwatches. Signal processing emerges as a critical aspect, dictating the accuracy and reliability of readings. Despite its potential, the integration of cuffless technologies into clinical practice faces obstacles, including the need to address concerns related to accuracy, calibration, and standardization across diverse devices and patient populations. the development of robust algorithms to mitigate artifacts and environmental disturbances is essential for extracting clear physiological signals. Based on extensive research, this review emphasizes the necessity for standardized protocols, validation studies, and regulatory frameworks to ensure the reliability and safety of cuffless blood pressure monitoring devices and their implementation in mainstream medical practice. interdisciplinary collaborations between engineers, clinicians, and regulatory bodies are crucial to address technical, clinical, and regulatory complexities during implementation. in conclusion, while cuffless blood pressure monitoring holds immense potential to transform cardiovascular care. the resolution of existing challenges and the establishment of rigorous standards are imperative for its seamless incorporation into routine clinical practice. Conclusion: the emergence of these new technologies shifts the paradigm of cardiovascular health management, presenting a new possibility for non-invasive continuous and dynamic monitoring. the concept of cuffless blood pressure measurement is viable and more finely tuned devices are expected to enter the market, which could redefine our understanding of blood pressure and hypertension. PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY this review explores cuffless blood pressure technologies and their impact on clinical practice, highlighting innovative devices that offer non-invasive, continuous and non-continuous monitoring without a cuff. Signal processing is essential for ensuring accurate readings, as it filters out unwanted artifacts and environmental disturbances which could make the reading inaccurate. while these advancements show great potential for transforming cardiovascular care, there are still several challenges to overcome, including the need for standardized protocols and validation studies to ensure their reliability and safety in clinical settings. collaborative efforts between engineers, clinicians, and regulatory bodies are needed to address the technical and regulatory complexities surrounding the implementation of these technologies. these cuffless blood pressure measurement devices have the potential to reshape how we understand and manage blood pressure and hypertension

Coming down from the trees: is terrestrial activity in Bornean orangutans natural or disturbance driven?

The orangutan is the world's largest arboreal mammal, and images of the red ape moving through the tropical forest canopy symbolise its typical arboreal behaviour. Records of terrestrial behaviour are scarce and often associated with habitat disturbance. We conducted a large-scale species-level analysis of ground-based camera-trapping data to evaluate the extent to which Bornean orangutans Pongo pygmaeus come down from the trees to travel terrestrially, and whether they are indeed forced to the ground primarily by anthropogenic forest disturbances. Although the degree of forest disturbance and canopy gap size influenced terrestriality, orangutans were recorded on the ground as frequently in heavily degraded habitats as in primary forests. Furthermore, all age-sex classes were recorded on the ground (flanged males more often). This suggests that terrestrial locomotion is part of the Bornean orangutan's natural behavioural repertoire to a much greater extent than previously thought, and is only modified by habitat disturbance. The capacity of orangutans to come down from the trees may increase their ability to cope with at least smaller-scale forest fragmentation, and to cross moderately open spaces in mosaic landscapes, although the extent of this versatility remains to be investigated

Anti-Endothelial Cell Antibodies are not frequently elevated in hospitalized patients with COVID-19

COVID-19 is now established to be associated with a thrombotic phenomenon, now called COVID-19 associated coagulopathy (CAC). Anti-Endothelial Cell Antibodies (AECA) are a heterogenous group of autoantibodies targeting various endothelial cell antigens or antigens adhering to endothelial cells, They are commonly observed in a variety of auto-immune and rheumatologic conditions, and were observed in patients with the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2005. We aimed to assess AECA status in patients with COVID-19 and their potential contributing role to endothelial injury and CAC. AECA identification was a relatively infrequent finding in COVID-19 patients on admission, and their presence, albeit in only 2/33 patients, was not associated with disease severity. However, as the autoantibodies were only measured at admission, we cannot exclude the possibility of pathogenic AECA developing later in the course of diseaseFurther studies using additional methods are needed to evaluate the presence and potential pathogenic role of AECA in later stages of COVID-19

Measurement of the inclusive and dijet cross-sections of b-jets in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV with the ATLAS detector

The inclusive and dijet production cross-sections have been measured for jets containing b-hadrons (b-jets) in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of sqrt(s) = 7 TeV, using the ATLAS detector at the LHC. The measurements use data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 34 pb^-1. The b-jets are identified using either a lifetime-based method, where secondary decay vertices of b-hadrons in jets are reconstructed using information from the tracking detectors, or a muon-based method where the presence of a muon is used to identify semileptonic decays of b-hadrons inside jets. The inclusive b-jet cross-section is measured as a function of transverse momentum in the range 20 < pT < 400 GeV and rapidity in the range |y| < 2.1. The bbbar-dijet cross-section is measured as a function of the dijet invariant mass in the range 110 < m_jj < 760 GeV, the azimuthal angle difference between the two jets and the angular variable chi in two dijet mass regions. The results are compared with next-to-leading-order QCD predictions. Good agreement is observed between the measured cross-sections and the predictions obtained using POWHEG + Pythia. MC@NLO + Herwig shows good agreement with the measured bbbar-dijet cross-section. However, it does not reproduce the measured inclusive cross-section well, particularly for central b-jets with large transverse momenta.Comment: 10 pages plus author list (21 pages total), 8 figures, 1 table, final version published in European Physical Journal

Measurement of the top quark-pair production cross section with ATLAS in pp collisions at \sqrt{s}=7\TeV

A measurement of the production cross-section for top quark pairs(\ttbar) in $pp$ collisions at \sqrt{s}=7 \TeV is presented using data recorded with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. Events are selected in two different topologies: single lepton (electron $e$ or muon $\mu$) with large missing transverse energy and at least four jets, and dilepton ($ee$, $\mu\mu$ or $e\mu$) with large missing transverse energy and at least two jets. In a data sample of 2.9 pb-1, 37 candidate events are observed in the single-lepton topology and 9 events in the dilepton topology. The corresponding expected backgrounds from non-\ttbar Standard Model processes are estimated using data-driven methods and determined to be $12.2 \pm 3.9$ events and $2.5 \pm 0.6$ events, respectively. The kinematic properties of the selected events are consistent with SM \ttbar production. The inclusive top quark pair production cross-section is measured to be \sigmattbar=145 \pm 31 ^{+42}_{-27} pb where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic. The measurement agrees with perturbative QCD calculations.Comment: 30 pages plus author list (50 pages total), 9 figures, 11 tables, CERN-PH number and final journal adde

Inclusive search for same-sign dilepton signatures in pp collisions at root s=7 TeV with the ATLAS detector

An inclusive search is presented for new physics in events with two isolated leptons (e or mu) having the same electric charge. The data are selected from events collected from p p collisions at root s = 7 TeV by the ATLAS detector and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 34 pb(-1). The spectra in dilepton invariant mass, missing transverse momentum and jet multiplicity are presented and compared to Standard Model predictions. In this event sample, no evidence is found for contributions beyond those of the Standard Model. Limits are set on the cross-section in a fiducial region for new sources of same-sign high-mass dilepton events in the ee, e mu and mu mu channels. Four models predicting same-sign dilepton signals are constrained: two descriptions of Majorana neutrinos, a cascade topology similar to supersymmetry or universal extra dimensions, and fourth generation d-type quarks. Assuming a new physics scale of 1 TeV, Majorana neutrinos produced by an effective operator V with masses below 460 GeV are excluded at 95% confidence level. A lower limit of 290 GeV is set at 95% confidence level on the mass of fourth generation d-type quarks

Single hadron response measurement and calorimeter jet energy scale uncertainty with the ATLAS detector at the LHC

The uncertainty on the calorimeter energy response to jets of particles is derived for the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). First, the calorimeter response to single isolated charged hadrons is measured and compared to the Monte Carlo simulation using proton-proton collisions at centre-of-mass energies of sqrt(s) = 900 GeV and 7 TeV collected during 2009 and 2010. Then, using the decay of K_s and Lambda particles, the calorimeter response to specific types of particles (positively and negatively charged pions, protons, and anti-protons) is measured and compared to the Monte Carlo predictions. Finally, the jet energy scale uncertainty is determined by propagating the response uncertainty for single charged and neutral particles to jets. The response uncertainty is 2-5% for central isolated hadrons and 1-3% for the final calorimeter jet energy scale.Comment: 24 pages plus author list (36 pages total), 23 figures, 1 table, submitted to European Physical Journal

Standalone vertex finding in the ATLAS muon spectrometer

A dedicated reconstruction algorithm to find decay vertices in the ATLAS muon spectrometer is presented. The algorithm searches the region just upstream of or inside the muon spectrometer volume for multi-particle vertices that originate from the decay of particles with long decay paths. The performance of the algorithm is evaluated using both a sample of simulated Higgs boson events, in which the Higgs boson decays to long-lived neutral particles that in turn decay to bbar b final states, and pp collision data at √s = 7 TeV collected with the ATLAS detector at the LHC during 2011