Firmware Updates over the Air via LoRa: Unicast and Broadcast Combination for Boosting Update Speed.

The capacity to update firmware is a vital component in the lifecycle of Internet of Things (IoT) devices, even those with restricted hardware resources. This paper explores the best way to wirelessly (Over The Air, OTA) update low-end IoT nodes with difficult access, combining the use of unicast and broadcast communications. The devices under consideration correspond to a recent industrial IoT project that focuses on the installation of intelligent lighting systems within ATEX (potentially explosive atmospheres) zones, connected via LoRa to a gateway.

Management of acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Guidelines from the Société de pneumologie de langue française (summary).

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the chronic respiratory disease with the most important burden on public health in terms of morbidity, mortality and health costs. For patients, COPD is a major source of disability because of dyspnea, restriction in daily activities, exacerbation, risk of chronic respiratory failure and extra-respiratory systemic organ disorders. The previous French Language Respiratory Society (SPLF) guidelines on COPD exacerbations were published in 2003.

Human adaptation to ischemia by preconditioning or unstable angina: involvement of nuclear factor kappa B, but not hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha in the heart.

Objective: Ischemic preconditioning reduces infarct size and improves hemodynamic function. Unstable angina may be a clinical analogue to ischemic preconditioning, and involve activation of gene programs. We hypothesized that preceding unstable angina and/or ischemic preconditioning activated genes regulated by nuclear factor kappa B (NFkappaB) or hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha in parallel to improved cardiac function.

[Evaluation of the efficacy of a carbon brace ("Corset monocoque carbone respectant la respiration" [CMCR]) preserving lung capacity to treat idiopathic scoliosis in children and adolescents: a retrospective study of 115 patients].

Objectives: The purpose of this retrospective study was to investigate whether treatment with a carbon brace (CMCR) stops the progression of idiopathic scoliosis in children and adolescents affected by combined or thoraco-lumbar scoliosis.

Method: We compared clinical features (hump and vital capacity) and radiolographic data (Cobb angle, sacral slope, lumbar lordosis and thoracic kyphosis) at brace set-up and removal in 115 children and adolescents with combined or thoraco-lumbar scoliosis. The impact of the brace was evaluated in 2 subgroups: patients who started the treatment at Risser stages 0, 1 or 2 and those who started the treatment at Risser stages 3 or 4.