Improving the Efficiency of 3D Monocular Object Detection and Tracking for Road and Railway Smart Mobility.

Three-dimensional (3D) real-time object detection and tracking is an important task in the case of autonomous vehicles and road and railway smart mobility, in order to allow them to analyze their environment for navigation and obstacle avoidance purposes. In this paper, we improve the efficiency of 3D monocular object detection by using dataset combination and knowledge distillation, and by creating a lightweight model. Firstly, we combine real and synthetic datasets to increase the diversity and richness of the training data. Then, we use knowledge distillation to transfer the knowledge from a large, pre-trained model to a smaller, lightweight model. Finally, we create a lightweight model by selecting the combinations of width, depth & resolution in order to reach a target complexity and computation time. Our experiments showed that using each method improves either the accuracy or the efficiency of our model with no significant drawbacks. Using all these approaches is especially useful for resource-constrained environments, such as self-driving cars and railway systems.

Soft water level sensors for characterizing the hydrological behaviour of agricultural catchments.

An innovative soft water level sensor is proposed to characterize the hydrological behaviour of agricultural catchments by measuring rainfall and stream flows. This sensor works as a capacitor coupled with a capacitance to frequency converter and measures water level at an adjustable time step acquisition. It was designed to be handy, minimally invasive and optimized in terms of energy consumption and low-cost fabrication so as to multiply its use on several catchments under natural conditions. It was used as a stage recorder to measure water level dynamics in a channel during a runoff event and as a rain gauge to measure rainfall amount and intensity. Based on the Manning equation, a method allowed estimation of water discharge with a given uncertainty and hence runoff volume at an event or annual scale. The sensor was tested under controlled conditions in the laboratory and under real conditions in the field. Comparisons of the sensor to reference devices (tipping bucket rain gauge, hydrostatic pressure transmitter limnimeter, Venturi channels…) showed accurate results: rainfall intensities and dynamic responses were accurately reproduced and discharges were estimated with an uncertainty usually acceptable in hydrology. Hence, it was used to monitor eleven small agricultural catchments located in the Mediterranean region. Both catchment reactivity and water budget have been calculated. Dynamic response of the catchments has been studied at the event scale through the rising time determination and at the annual scale by calculating the frequency of occurrence of runoff events. It provided significant insight into catchment hydrological behaviour which could be useful for agricultural management perspectives involving pollutant transport, flooding event and global water balance.

[Use of rapid diagnostic tests of tonsillitis in medical practice. Survey conducted from November 2006 to January 2007 in Pays de la Loire (France)]. / Utilisation des tests de diagnostic rapide de l'angine en médecine générale. Enquête réalisée de novembre 2006 à janvier 2007 dans les Pays de la Loire.

INTRODUCTION: The use of the rapid diagnostic test (RDT) and the strategy of management of pharyngitis in medical practice are little known. METHODS: During the 2006-2007 winter, a survey was conducted in the Pays de la Loire Region to evaluate the use of the RDT. A focus group was also organised. RESULTS: Data were collected from 525 patients (patients who were consulting for a sore throat, angina or patients for whom a RDT was made). RDT were performed on 245 patients (46%). The sixty positive RDT patients systematically received an antibiotic. Twenty negative RDT patients received an antibiotic. More than 75% of GPs considered the RDT useful or very useful. DISCUSSION: The guidelines for the management of pharyngitis are known but they are partially followed by physicians. Many countries have national guidelines for the management of tonsillitis and they are also not unanimous. When patients had pharyngitis symptoms, the frequency of antibiotic prescription was lower when the RDT was used as recommended by the French Medicines Agency (AFSSAPS). The treatment must be short in order to improve the compliance of outpatients and reduce the inappropriate use of antibiotics. CONCLUSION: A decrease in antibiotics prescription was recorded in the community. It was attributed to the availability of the RDT provided by the CNAMTS (French National Health Service). Moreover, the RDT are still free for practitioners and their reimbursement could be extended to hospital.

[Fifty years old and more patients' attitudes towards and experiences of generic substitution of prescription medicines]. / Connaissance et perceptions des médicaments génériques après 50 ans.

OBJECTIVE: Assess 50 years old and over patients' attitudes towards and experiences of generic substitution of prescription medicines. A special focus on information on patient attitude to generic drugs provided by their general practitioners (GPs). METHODS: Prospective study of patients in 15 general practices and in 2 retirements home was surveyed using a self-questionnaire. RESULTS: Four hundred and forty patients were included. Four twenty eleven per cent of the patients stated that they knew of the difference between brand-name drugs and generics but only 57% knew it exactly in fact. Seventy seven per cent had received generics by their GPs; 45% reported to have received information from their physician. The study found that patients who report to have received information from their physician about generic substitution were more likely to have switch. Patient in retirement home more frequently refused substitution. Elderly patients (75 and more) were wrong with generics definition compared with others patients, and observed more adverse effects after switching (20% versus 9%--p=0.027); patients made more mistake using generics than brand-name drugs (15.5% versus 7%--p<0.005); two thirds of the patients (72%) were satisfied with switching, and 57% reported to want more information and 85% of them that it comes from their GPs. CONCLUSION: Most of the patients are satisfied with generics. GPs are in an ideal position to inform their patients adequately about the equivalence of brand-name and generic drugs. Patient education is the best way to use generics in the future. More efforts must be devoted to provide adequate information to patients and GPs.

The effects of 10% hypertonic saline, 0.9% saline and hydroxy ethyl starch infusions on hydro-electrolyte status and adrenal function in healthy conscious dogs.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of different saline and colloid solutions on adrenal steroid secretion in dogs. Six healthy male Beagles underwent three infusion cycles: 10 min infusion of 30 ml/kg of NaCl 0.9%, 5 ml/kg of hydroxy ethyl starch, or 5 ml/kg of NaCl 10%. Plasma osmolality, hematocrit, total solids, cortisol and aldosterone levels were measured at 0, 5, 15, 30, 60, 120, 180 and 240 min after beginning infusion. Plasma ACTH levels were measured at 0, 15 and 240 min. An identical timing of sampling was applied during a control session omitting the fluid infusion. Osmolality, sodium, chloride and cortisol levels were found to be significantly higher with hypertonic saline solute compared to control. All fluid infusions lead to lowered plasma potassium, hematocrit, total solids and aldosterone values. ACTH concentrations did not show significant changes with any of the infusion cycles. The increase in cortisol levels suggests that hypertonic saline infusion could be interesting in critical care resuscitation, particularly in patients who are suffering from relative adrenal insufficiency.

Iohexol plasma clearance in healthy dogs and cats.

Iohexol plasma clearance as a measure of glomerular filtration was determined in 31 dogs and 19 cats after an intravenous (i.v.) bolus injection. All animals were healthy and privately owned. Serial blood samples were taken before and up to 4 h after tracer injection. Iohexol plasma concentration was determined using X-ray fluorescence. A plasma tracer elimination curve was generated and clearance was calculated by dividing the injected dose by the area under the curve estimated using a two-compartment pharmacological model. Clearance was normalized to body weight (BW), body surface area (BSA), and extracellular fluid volume (ECFV). Mean, SD, and coefficient of variation of plasma clearance, before and after normalization, were calculated. Linear regression analyses were performed between body size and normalized plasma clearances. No significant linear relation was found between BSA and clearance normalized to BSA in dogs, and between BSA, BW, ECFV and clearance normalized to BSA, BW, and ECFV in cats. The optimal method for normalization of iohexol plasma clearance in dogs was by using BSA. In cats, all three methods tested were considered satisfactory. Normalization to BSA appears to be superior to normalization to BW and ECFV in dogs, and can be recommended for clinical use.

Simplified methods for estimation of plasma clearance of iohexol in dogs and cats.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate simplified methods for iohexol plasma clearance estimation in dogs and cats. Serial blood samples were taken before and 5, 20, 40, 60, 80, 100, 120, 150, 180, and 240 minutes after a bolus injection of iohexol in 51 dogs and 25 cats. Iohexol plasma concentration was determined with X-ray fluorescence. Clearance was calculated by dividing the injected dose by the area under the plasma tracer elimination curve estimated with a 2-compartment pharmacologic model. Clearance was normalized to body surface area (BSA). The 10-point clearance was used as a reference for the evaluation of simplified methods. A 2-sample method based on a single exponential fit and a single-sample method based on a linear quadratic model were investigated. Simplified methods were evaluated by calculating the standard deviation of the difference (SDD) between the clearances obtained with the simplified methods and the 10-point reference method. All combinations of sampling times were evaluated. The best sampling times were chosen for dogs and cats as the ones yielding the lowest SDD. Linear regression analysis was performed between the reference method and the optimized simplified methods. The best combination of time for the 2-sample method was 5 and 120 minutes in dogs and 20 and 180 minutes in cats. The best time for sampling in the single-sample method was 120 minutes in dogs and 80 minutes in cats. Plasma clearance of iohexol can be estimated in dogs and cats from 1 or 2 blood samples with a reasonable margin of error.

[Addictive behavior after starting buprenorphine maintenance treatment]. / Conduites addictives depuis l'introduction de la buprénorphine haut dosage: evaluation chez 118 usagers de drogues.

OBJECTIVE: This study of a cohort of drug addicts receiving buprenorphine maintenance treatment in a district in western France focused on changes in their drug use and their social and work lives. It also looked at the health consequences of their drug use before and after maintenance treatment (mean: four years). POPULATION AND METHODS: From the files of an agency providing services to drug addicts, we randomly selected 180 of the 236 patients receiving buprenorphine maintenance treatment (BMT). Usable questionnaires were returned by 118 subjects (66% response rate). This self-administered questionnaire included 32 items. RESULTS: The respondents accounted for half the population receiving drug maintenance treatment and were representative of the population for age and sex. The mean age was 30 +/- 5 years, mean BMT dose 6,5 mg/day, and mean duration of drug maintenance treatment 47 +/- 27 months. Other drug use diminished during the four years of maintenance treatment: three of every four heroin users had stopped, opiate users dropped from 31% to 5% of the population, and cocaine use followed a similar trend. Benzodiazepine use also fell, but remained relatively frequent (27%, compared with 68% four years earlier). Drinking patterns changed from strongly alcoholic beverages to lower-proof drinks. Arrest rates dropped from 70% to 25%. The percentage of persons seropositive for HIV (4%) and HCV (33%) remained low, but too many subjects had not been screened (35%). Roughly 10% of these subjects had returned to work, mainly those who had cut their drug use most. CONCLUSION: While our survey reveals some positive points, especially a reduction in illegal drug use, several negative observations appeared, including combined use of cannabis and benzodiazepines, inadequate screening, and misuse of BMD. These results underline how important it is for care providers to focus simultaneously on medical treatment and identification of co-morbidities and to provide social work when necessary. The employment rate remains too low.

Physiological factors affecting the expression of FMO1 and FMO3 in the rat liver and kidney.

FMO1 and FMO3, the main FMOs described in the rat, are highly expressed in the liver and the kidney. The age, from 3 to 11 weeks, and gender-dependent expression of FMO1 and FMO3 in the rat liver and kidney were investigated. Based on the enzyme activities, protein levels and mRNA levels, this study demonstrates an important increase in the expression of the FMO3 in the liver of male rats during a period that corresponds to the acquisition of the sexual maturity. Rat liver FMO1 remains unchanged during this period of observation. The evolutions of both isoforms in the kidney of the male rat are similar to those observed in the liver. On the contrary, the important decrease in the total flavin-containing monooxygenase (FMO) activity observed in the liver of female rat is linked to a considerable decrease in the FMO1-dependent activity, FMO1 protein and FMO1 mRNA levels as a function of age. The expression of the FMO3 in the liver does not seem to be affected by the age of the female rat. Inversely, the expression of FMO1 in the female rat kidneys does not seem to be modified as a function of age while the expression of FMO3 is strongly increased.