Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Manutention : prise d'information et décision d'action

Cet article montre comment la manutention met en jeu un ensemble complexe d’elements perceptifs, cognitifs et physiques. Il est montre comment les modes operatoires et les strategies permettent de repondre a un ensemble d’objectifs ainsi que l’importance des prises d’information dans le processus de manutention. Ces informations sont prises dans l’immediat sur l’objet de deplacement, l’environnement, les capacites du manutentionnaire – afin de decider de l’action a mener – mais aussi sur le deroulement de l’action et la performance ainsi qu’a des fins de planification et de mise en place de strategies. Il est montre comment les modes operatoires observes sont tout autant des moyens de prendre des informations que le resultat de ces prises d’information. Des pistes de prevention sont proposees.
Health-related quality of life in elderly black and white patients with cancer: results from Medicare managed care population.

OBJECTIVE To compare differences in various aspects of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) between Black and White individuals diagnosed with cancer. DESIGN The data were extracted from 2005-2007 Medicare Health Outcome Survey, a health outcomes measure for the Medicare population in managed care settings. A total of 14089 Black and White respondents aged > or = 65 with cancer were included in the study. Multivariable linear regressions were used to assess the association between race and the HRQOL after accounting for age, sex, education years, marital status, and non-cancer comorbid conditions. RESULTS When compared with their White counterparts, Black patients had lower scores for the physical component summary (PCS) and mental component summary (MCS), and all health domains with the exception of vitality. After adjusting for demographic features and comorbid conditions, the MCS scores of Black patients were still lower than that of White patients. However, the mean PCS was not different for Black and White patients. Black patients had significantly lower HRQOL in general health, social functioning, and role emotion, whereas they had a higher mean score in vitality. CONCLUSIONS Race had a significant impact on quality of life for older cancer patients. The effect was likely to be moderated by comorbid conditions and socioeconomic indicators. To optimize cancer outcomes at the population level, it is important to identify subgroups of cancer patients with an increased risk of low quality of life and to develop appropriate supportive interventions of cancer care.
Production and perception of a sound change in progress: Tone merging in Hong Kong Cantonese

Abstract Cantonese has six lexical tones (T), but some tone pairs appear to be merging: T2 [25] vs. T5 [23], T3 [33] vs. T6 [22], and T4 [21] vs. T6 [22]. Twenty-eight merging participants and thirty control participants in Hong Kong were recruited for a perception experiment. Both accuracy rate and reaction time data were collected. Seventeen merging participants also participated in a production experiment. Predictive discriminant analysis of the fundamental frequency data and judgments by native transcribers were used to assess production accuracy. Results show that the merging participants still had six tone categories in production, although their “tone space” was more reduced. Tones with lower type frequency were more prone to change. The merging group was significantly slower in tone perception than the control group was. In illustrating the patterns of the ongoing tone merging process in Cantonese, this study contributes to a better understanding of the forces of sound change in general.
Inaccurate Performance Ratings Are a Reflection of Larger Organizational Issues

Murphy (2008) suggests that there is generally only a ‘‘weak’’ relationship between job performance and ratings of job performance, arguing that supervisory performance ratings get little respect, and he questions whether the benefits of performance appraisal even outweigh the costs. Despite these doubts, most organizations continue to collect performance ratings and to conduct performance appraisals with their employees. We contend that industrial and organizational (I–O) psychologists should conduct more research on this issue before discarding the notion that performance ratings are practically useless. We extend Murphy’s comments byelaboratingon ratermotivation (mentioned in passing by Murphy) and rater accountability (not included in Murphy’s discussion). Our informal, anecdotal conversations with managers suggest to us that indeed, line managers do not often think highly of their performancemanagement system.Thequestion of whether ratings formed under different instructional sets (e.g., research vs. administrative purposes) leads to major differences in practice is, however, not so clear. For example, Harris, Smith, and Champagne (1995) found a statistically significant mean difference between the performance ratings made for administrative purposes and the performance ratings made for research purposes (i.e., a validation study). However, they also found that performance ratings made for administrative purposes correlated . 58 with performance ratings made for research purposes. Finally, they did report that an overall assessment center rating exhibited a nonsignificant correlation with the performance ratings made for administrative purposes (r 1⁄4 .11), whereas it exhibited a statistically significant correlation with the performance ratings made for research purposes (r 1⁄4 .17), but the difference between these two correlations was not statistically significant. Although the linkage between job performance and job performance ratings may not be as strong as I–O psychologists would like, and as Murphy notes, there are inaccuracies; the notion that the linkage is so weak as to make performance ratings unsuitable criteria for validation studies, training program assessment, Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Michael M. Harris. E-mail: mharris@ umsl.edu Address: College of Business Administration, University of Missouri-St. Louis, 1 University Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63121 Michael M. Harris, Department of Management and Center for International Studies, College of Business Administration, University of Missouri-St. Louis; Dan Ispas and Greg F. Schmidt, Department of Psychology, University of South Florida. Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 1 (2008), 190–193. Copyright a 2008 Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology. 1754-9426/08
Resources, Agency, Achievements: Reflections on the Measurement of Women's Empowerment

This paper evaluates the measurement of womens empowerment in the context of three interrelated dimensions: resources agency and achievements. Several studies are analyzed to stress important methodological points. Resources is here understood to refer not only to material resources but also to the various human and social resources which enhance the ability to exercise choice. Individual and structural change are interdependent in processes of empowerment. The idea of choice must be qualified so that it incorporates the structural dimensions of individual choice according to two criteria: the criterion of alternatives relates to the structural conditions under which choices are made while the criterion of consequences relates to the extent to which choices made have the potential for transforming structural conditions. By definition indicators of empowerment cannot provide an accurate measurement of changes in womens ability to make choices; they can merely indicate the direction and meaning of change. Finally there are problems in measurement and conceptualization associated with capturing particular kinds of social change. Thus giving women access to credit creating constitutional provisions for political participation or equalizing educational opportunities is unlikely to empower them automatically; instead it will create a vantage point from which to view alternatives; this in turn constitutes the precondition for the establishment of a more transformatory consciousness.
Screening for diabetic retinopathy with a mobile non-mydriatic digital fundus camera in southern Israel.

BACKGROUND Diabetic retinopathy is a leading cause of adult blindness and accounts for about 10% of cases of legal blindness in Israel. Only about half of the patients with diabetes in Israel have regular eye examinations. OBJECTIVES To evaluate, for the first time in southern Israel, a new service for diabetic retinopathy screening that uses a mobile non-mydriatic mobile fundus camera in primary care patients. METHODS Diabetic members of the largest health fund in southern Israel and over 18 years old were invited for non-mydriatic fundus examination between January and October 2009. Screening was performed by a trained photographer using the Topcon TRC NW-6S non-mydriatic camera in nine primary care centers. RESULTS A total of 4318 diabetic patients were screened, of whom 53% were classified as normal. The incidence of diabetic retinopathy was 15.8% (1.2% had proliferative retinopathy and 2.4% had suspected macular edema and were referred for laser treatment). Other possible sight-threatening conditions were detected in 9.3%. Fundus pictures were inadequate for assessment in 16% of cases. CONCLUSIONS Diabetic retinopathy screening with a mobile non-mydriatic fundus camera improved the quality of care for diabetic patients in southern Israel. This screening method identified patients requiring prompt referral to the ophthalmologist for further complete eye examination. Extending this screening program to other areas in the country should be considered.
A sequence analysis of consumers' online searches

Purpose – To describe consumers’ heuristic and analytical searches for a pre‐purchase information acquisition, and to assess the correspondence of flexibility of information task and the information found with a search.Design/methodology/approach – Propositions based on current research in web use and consumer studies. Tracked records of searches are used for descriptive analysis of transitional patterns in the data. Regression is used for statistical verification of the information provided by searches.Findings – Consumer searches center on chaining events, indicating heavy reliance on hyperlink navigation between web sites. Formal searches are seldom used, although when employed, tend to have a high level of diagnosticity. The emphasis on heuristic behavior is logical, as the way consumer information is currently presented on the internet rewards for this type of behavior. Use of heuristic search increases the likelihood of access to flexibly presented information.Research limitations/implications – Con.
Impact of Deafness on Family Life

The presence of deafness in a family has the potential to affect all areas of family life. An understanding of the impact on family life is critical to addressing all components of the family system in early intervention. This review synthesizes the literature on deafness as it relates to four domains of family quality of life, including family interaction, family resources, parenting, and support for the child who is deaf. Implications for future research are discussed.
Metastatic axillary lymph node technetium-99m-MIBI imaging in primary breast cancer.

UNLABELLED Technetium-99m-MIBI scintimammography has been shown to be useful in the detection of primary breast cancer. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the potential role of scintimammography in detecting axillary lymph node involvement in patients undergoing scintimammography to detect primary breast cancer. METHODS A group of 100 women with breast cancer who were scheduled for a Level I-II axillary dissection were prospectively studied. Scintimammography was performed in all patients before histopathologic confirmation of breast cancer. Two lateral (prone imaging) views and one anterior (supine) planar thoracic view were obtained 10-15 min after the injection of 25-30 mCi 99mTc-MIBI (10 min/view) by using a special breast positioning device (foam cushion) placed over the imaging table. Both of the axilla were included in the field-of-view. Two experienced blinded observers reviewed all cases both from films and from the computer screen with contrast adjustment when needed. The site of intravenous injection of 99mTc-MIBI was known to the interpreters in order to avoid reading any false-positive uptake in the axilla ipsilateral to the injection site. RESULTS A total of 52 patients had no axillary lymph node involvement (611 negative nodes) while 48 patients had at least one axillary lymph node with metastatic involvement (180/502 positive nodes). The sensitivity of scintimammography in detecting metastatic axillary lymph node involvement was 79.2% (38/48), and the specificity was 84.6% (44/52). The positive and the negative predictive values were 82.6% (38/46) and 81.5% (44/54), respectively. CONCLUSION This study shows that scintimammography has good diagnostic accuracy for detecting axillary lymph node involvement in patients with breast cancer. This information should be added to the result of standard scintimammography, which requires very minor modifications in order to simultaneously evaluate both of the axilla.
Using Fluorescent Sphingolipid Analogs to Study Intracellular Lipid Trafficking

Sphingolipids (SLs), including glycosphingolipids, are found on the plasma membrane where they play important roles in a wide variety of cell functions, including cell‐cell communication, cell growth and differentiation, host‐pathogen interactions, and cell‐signaling events. This unit illustrates the use of fluorescent SL analogs to identify the mechanisms underlying SL endocytosis and subsequent intracellular trafficking. Techniques used to study SL domain formation at the plasma membrane, endocytic mechanisms and intracellular transport steps are highlighted. The use of biochemical treatments and dominant‐negative protein expression to block specific steps in lipid trafficking are also discussed.
Apraxia of speech in degenerative neurologic disease

Background: Only a limited number of case reports or case series have provided unequivocal evidence that apraxia of speech (AOS) can be the first or predominant sign of neurodegenerative disease. This may reflect a very low frequency of occurrence but may also reflect a failure in many studies to identify AOS or distinguish it from the diagnosis of primary progressive aphasia (PPA). The distinction may be important to clinical neurological localisation and diagnosis, prognosis, management, and histopathology. The author thanks Jack Thomas MS and Keith Josephs MD for their helpful comments on earlier versions of this paper. Aims: To describe the demographic characteristics, presenting complaints, perceptual attributes, associated speech‐language and related clinical findings, neuroimaging findings, and clinical neurological diagnoses for a large group of patients with AOS due to degenerative neurologic disease. Methods & Procedures: Retrospective review of patients seen between 1985 and 2004, who had AOS that was never less severe than any aphasia that might have been present and whose neurologic evaluation concluded that the cause was degenerative. Outcomes & Results: A total of 80 patients met inclusion criteria. Of these patients, 61% were men. Average age at initial evaluation was 69 years (range = 36–86 years). Speech‐language difficulty was the first symptom to emerge in 80% and the only patient complaint at the time of initial evaluation in 56%. Average duration of symptoms at initial evaluation was 29 months. Aphasia and dysarthria were unequivocally present in 49% and 50% of the sample, respectively. Of the 80 patients with AOS, 11% had neither aphasia nor dysarthria. When abnormal, neuroimaging often identified left or left>right hemisphere abnormalities. Of these patients, 44% received purely descriptive clinical neurologic diagnoses that were largely determined by speech‐language findings; an additional 18% received diagnoses related to focal/asymmetric cortical atrophy syndromes that localised to the left hemisphere; 29% received diagnoses of diseases with prominent motor manifestations, most often corticobasal degeneration, progressive supranuclear palsy, or motor neuron disease. Conclusions: AOS can be the first and most prominent manifestation of neurodegenerative disease. It often co‐occurs with aphasia and/or dysarthria, but it can be the only speech‐language disorder. It does not appear to be associated with any single neurologic disease but specific neurologic diagnoses, when they are possible, tend to reflect conditions with prominent motor manifestations. It is important to distinguish primary progressive AOS from PPA.
Development of a Finger Joint Phantom for Evaluation of Frequency Domain Measurement Systems

For development and test of new optical imaging devices, phantoms are widely used to emulate the tissue to be imaged. Phantom design gets more difficult the more complex the tissue is structured. We report on developing and testing a solid, stable finger joint phantom to simulate transillumination of finger joints in frequency-domain imaging systems. The phantom consists of the bone, capsule, skin, the capsule volume, and the joint gap. Silicone was used to build the solid parts and a glycerol-water solution for the fluid in the capsule volume and joint gap. The system to test the phantom is an optical frequency-domain scanning set-up. Different stages of joint inflammation as they occur in rheumatoid arthritis (BA) were emulated by assembling the phantom with capsule and fluid having different optical properties. Reliability of the phantom measurement was investigated by repeated assembling. The results show clear discrimination between different stages of joints within the signal deviation due to reassembling of the phantom
Prevalence of eosinophilic oesophagitis in adult patients in a central region of Spain

Background and study aims Eosinophilic oesophagitis (EoE) is a common cause of oesophageal disease. Limited data have been reported on its epidemiology in Europe as the only available information has been estimated for Swiss adult patients, among whom a prevalence of 42.9 per 100 000 was calculated. We estimate for the first time the prevalence of EoE in adult patients in two healthcare areas located in a central region of Spain. Patients and methods All patients older than 16 years of age and living in the study areas appointed to two hospitals located in a central region of Spain who were consecutively diagnosed with EoE between 2005 and 2011 were analyzed retrospectively. Annual incidence and period prevalence were estimated along with a confidence interval (CI) of 95%. Results Between January 2005 and December 2011, 40 adult patients were diagnosed with EoE in our areas, with an average overall adult reference population of 89 642. No significant differences in clinical data or prevalence figures were found between both hospitals. The average age was 29.4 years (rank 16–53), 80% of patients being younger than 40 years of age. The estimated mean annual incidence of adult EoE for the study period was 6.37 per 100 000 (95% CI: 6.31–6.44) and remained relatively stable during the study period. The period prevalence was 44.6 cases per 100 000 inhabitants (95% CI: 30–59), with a male/female ratio of 19 : 1. Conclusion EoE was highly prevalent in adults from central Spain, being diagnosed in one out of 2250 inhabitants older than 16 years of age.
Regulation of Human Apolipoprotein M Gene Expression by Orphan and Ligand-dependent Nuclear Receptors*

Apolipoprotein M (apoM) plays an important role in the biogenesis and the metabolism of anti-atherogenic HDL particles in plasma and is expressed primarily in the liver and the kidney. We investigated the role of hormone nuclear receptors in apoM gene regulation in hepatic cells. Overexpression via adenovirus-mediated gene transfer and siRNA-mediated gene silencing established that hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 (HNF-4) is an important regulator of apoM gene transcription in hepatic cells. apoM promoter deletion analysis combined with DNA affinity precipitation and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays revealed that HNF-4 binds to a hormone-response element (HRE) in the proximal apoM promoter (nucleotides −33 to −21). Mutagenesis of this HRE decreased basal hepatic apoM promoter activity to 10% of control and abolished the HNF4-mediated transactivation of the apoM promoter. In addition to HNF-4, homodimers of retinoid X receptor and heterodimers of retinoid X receptor with receptors for retinoic acid, thyroid hormone, fibrates (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor), and oxysterols (liver X receptor) were shown to bind with different affinities to the proximal HRE in vitro and in vivo. Ligands of these receptors strongly induced human apoM gene transcription and apoM promoter activity in HepG2 cells, whereas mutations in the proximal HRE abolished this induction. These findings provide novel insights into the role of apoM in the regulation of HDL by steroid hormones and into the development of novel HDL-based therapies for diseases such as diabetes, obesity, metabolic syndrome, and coronary artery disease that affect a large proportion of the population in Western countries.
The Development of the Swahili Language

At a time when so much has been said of self-determination and of the inalienable right of nations to maintain their own traditions and institutions and to build up distinct types of civilization and culture in response to the impulse of their own national spirit and genius, the importance of national and racial differences in temperament and character needs no demonstration. But the maintenance of national rights is only one aspect of the matter. It is not even its most important aspect. No one race or nation may claim that its own attainments in all branches of philosophy, art and science, can exhaust the possibilities of human accomplishment. On the contrary, it is becoming more generally recognized that each nation and race has its own special contribution to make to the intellectual and spiritual life of humanity. From this point of view, nothing would be gained by the existence of two nations identical in traditions, capacities, and temperament. The contribution of the second would merely duplicate that of the first. For the sake of peace and fellowship there is need of a general similarity in fundamentals, but the intellectual and cultural wealth of nations is derived chiefly from the development of a diversity of special gifts and aptitudes. It is to the special aptitudes and attainments of Palestine, Greece, Rome and Arabia, that the modern world owes more than can be calculated. There is also much to be learned from India and China, and who shall say that Africa has no special contribution to make to the sum of human attainment?
Comparison of the photosynthetic capacity of Siberian and Japanese birch seedlings grown in elevated CO(2) and temperature.

The effects of increased CO(2) and temperature on the photosynthetic capacity of Siberian white birch and Japanese white birch (Betula platyphylla Sukatch. and B. platyphylla Sukatch. var. japonica Hara) were measured. Birch seedlings were raised with a CO(2) partial pressure of 36 +/- 0.3 Pa (i.e., ambient) or 70 +/- 0.6 Pa at day/night temperatures of either 30/16 degrees C or 26/12 degrees C. Siberian birch leaves were smaller and thicker than Japanese birch leaves. Water use efficiency and nitrogen use efficiency of Siberian birch grown in the CO(2)-enriched air were higher than those of Japanese birch. Both species showed a physiological adjustment to the growth CO(2) partial pressure. Carboxylation efficiency and quantum yield of both species grown in CO(2)-enriched air were lower than those of seedlings grown in ambient CO(2). The adaptation of Siberian and Japanese birch to elevated CO(2) and temperature are discussed in relation to predicted climate change.