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Purpose: This paper aims to elaborate on current research on fourth party logistics "4PL" by offering a taxonomy that provides a deeper understanding of 4PL service offerings, thus drawing clear frontiers between existing 4PL business models. Design/methodology/approach: The authors collected data using semi-structured interviews conducted with 60 logistics executives working in 44 "4PL" providers located in France. Using automatic analysis of textual data, the authors combined spatial visualisation, clustering analysis and hierarchical descending classification to generate the taxonomy. Findings: Two key dimensions emerged, allowing the authors to clearly identify and distinguish four 4PL business models: the level of reliance on interpersonal relationships and the level of involvement in 4PL service offering. As a result, 4PL providers fall under one of the following business models in the taxonomy: (1) The Metronome, (2) The Architect, (3) The Nostalgic and (4) The Minimalist. Research limitations/implications: The study focuses on investigating 4PL providers located in France; thus, future studies should explore the classification of 4PL business models across different cultural contexts and social structures. Practical implications: The findings offer valuable managerial insights for logistics executives and clients of 4PL to better orient their needs, the negotiations and the contracting process with 4PLs. Originality/value: Using a Lexicometric analysis, the authors develop taxonomy of 4PL service providers based on empirical evidence from logistics executives; the work addresses the existing confusion regarding the conceptualisation of 4PL firms with other types of logistical providers and the role of in/formal interpersonal relationships in the logistical intermediation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces a new spatial scan statistic designed to adjust cluster detection for longitudinal confounding factors indexed in space. The functional-model-adjusted statistic was developed using generalized functional linear models in which longitudinal confounding factors were considered to be functional covariates. A general framework was developed for application to various probability models. Application to a Poisson model showed that the new method is equivalent to a conventional spatial scan statistic that adjusts the underlying population for covariates. In a simulation study with single and multiple covariate models, we found that our new method adjusts the cluster detection procedure more accurately than other methods. Use of the new spatial scan statistic was illustrated by analyzing data on premature mortality in France over the period from 1998 to 2013, with the quarterly unemployment rate as a longitudinal confounding factor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The most widely used measure for studying social, economic, and health inequality is the Gini index/ratio. Whereas other measures of inequality possess certain useful characteristics, such as the straightforward decomposability of the generalized entropy measures, the Gini index has remained the most popular, at least in part due to its ease of interpretation. However, the Gini index has a limitation in measuring inequality. It is less sensitive to how the population is stratified than how individual values differ. The twin purposes of this paper are to explain the limitation and to propose a model-based method—latent class/clustering analysis for understanding and measuring inequality. The latent cluster approach has the major advantage of being able to identify potential “classes” of individuals who share similar levels of income or one or more other attributes and to assess the fit of the model-based classes to the empirical data, based on different cluster distributional assumptions and the number of latent classes. This paper distinguishes class inequality from individual inequality, the type that is better captured by the Gini. Once the classes are estimated, the membership of estimated classes obtained from the best fitting model facilitates the decomposition of the Gini index into individual and class inequality. Class inequality is then measured by two relative stratification indices based on either the relative size of the Gini between-class components or the relative number of stratified individuals. Therefore, the Gini index is extended and assisted by model-based clustering to measure class inequality, thereby realizing its great potential for studying inequality. Income data from France and Hungary are used to illustrate the application of the method. INSETS: Figure 1. Gini indices and Lorenz curves for income data...;Figure 2. Empirical income distribution of France in 1990...;Figure 3. Income clustering in France, 1990.;Figure 4. Income clustering in Hungary, 1992. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Research on ideological attitudes has identified two main dimensions that refer to two fundamental features of group organization: social solidarity and social control. In response to prior research that has studied their relationship mainly from a correlational perspective, this paper introduces a social reality model based on psychological functionality of ideological attitudes. Social position variables (education, income and material vulnerability) and insecurity variables (fear of crime and distrust) are used to predict the interplay between ideological attitudes towards social solidarity and social control. Using K-means cluster analysis, a typology with four patterns of support for solidarity and control ('socials', 'repressives', 'minimalists' and 'social-repressives') was created, on the basis of representative survey data for the UK, France and Germany ( N = 7034). Results from logistic regression analyses show that the proposed social reality model explains membership in typology categories, with similar results across the three countries. Overall, the model underscores the social origins of ideological attitudes as functional responses to perceived social reality. The paper illustrates how the social psychological study of ideological attitudes may be enriched by a typological approach that examines patterns of attitudes rather than single dimensions. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to assess the French reform of employees' access to lifelong learning by addressing the issue of the relationship between corporate training policy and employees' capability to aspire for learning. Design/methodology/approach – The investigation is based on the French linked employer-employee survey DIFES1, which allows for responses from employees and human resource management to be analysed together. From a mixed ascending hierarchical clustering, the paper highlights the different ways in which the reform was applied within firms, and identifies capability-friendly backgrounds. From bivariate probit models, it examines what factors affect employees' capability to aspire. Findings – First, the results identify 10.5 per cent of French firms as capability-friendly. Second, it reveals that the capability to aspire is even more influenced by the environment as shaped by the corporate training policy than by professional pathways, occupational groups and other determinants, whilst training experiences themselves have no influence. Third, it raises the key issue of capability for voice as a matter of fundamental importance. Research limitations/implications – Because of the cross-sectional nature of the survey, the research is not able to address the temporal dynamics of the capability to aspire, how it evolves over time. Practical implications – In contrast to political pronouncements attributing employees' lack of aspiration to a personal inclination, the results show how corporate training policies may increase employees' capability to aspire for training by making it a collective issue and provide insights to combat adaptive preferences. Originality/value – The research provides, for the first time, an understanding of the relationship between corporate training strategies and the capability to aspire. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on unsupervised curve classification in the context of nuclear industry. At the Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique (CEA), Cadarache (France), the thermal-hydraulic computer code CATHARE is used to study the reliability of reactor vessels. The code inputs are physical parameters and the outputs are time evolution curves of a few other physical quantities. As the CATHARE code is quite complex and CPU time-consuming, it has to be approximated by a regression model. This regression process involves a clustering step. In the present paper, the CATHARE output curves are clustered using a k-means scheme, with a projection onto a lower dimensional space. We study the properties of the empirically optimal cluster centres found by the clustering method based on projections, compared with the ‘true’ ones. The choice of the projection basis is discussed, and an algorithm is implemented to select the best projection basis among a library of orthonormal bases. The approach is illustrated on a simulated example and then applied to the industrial problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper sheds light on the relationship between the social and tenure mix in Paris between 1990 and 2010. Using two quantitative methods (cluster analysis and entropy indices) it explores the relationship between the social and tenure mix at the microscale. Although no statistical correlation was found, other relationships were discovered. First, the social mix is a function of the general characteristics of the neighbourhood or district. Second, social upgrading and homogenization began in the 1990s, and the ‘ideal’ social mix was a temporary phase before upper socio-professional groups became overrepresented. The growing availability and diversification of social housing has neither created a greater social mix nor slowed down social upgrading, either in general or for social housing in particular. Finally, the fact that there are different categories of social housing landlords nuances the outcomes of policies. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Highlights • Large-scale traffic networks. • Aggregation and clustering over graphs. • Reduced models for travel time calculation. Abstract In this paper we consider aggregation technique to reduce the complexity of large-scale traffic network. In particular, we consider the city of Grenoble and show that, by clustering adjacent sections based on a similarity of speed condition, it is possible to cut down the complexity of the network without loosing crucial and intrinsic information. To this end, we consider travel time computation as a metric of comparison between the original graph and the reduced one: for each cluster we define four attributes (average speed , primary and secondary length and heading) and show that, in case of an aggregation rate of 95%, these attributes are sufficient in order to maintain the travel time error below the 25%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the purchasing practices adopted by restaurants and cafés operating in France to observe how the owner/operator(s) attitudes towards sustainable business practice impact on the choice of fresh food suppliers. A two-stage cluster analysis revealed the presence of two clusters: conventional buyers and green buyers that showed significant differences in the adoption of sustainable purchasing practices, the perceived benefits derived from the adoption of sustainable business practices, and barriers to the adoption of green purchasing. In making the decision to operate as a green restaurant, the personal beliefs of the owner/operator(s) were paramount, guided in part by the belief that in order to prepare and present the best-tasting food to patrons, executive chefs needed to procure the very best ingredients. In procuring the best quality fresh food ingredients, executive chefs preferred to deal with many small suppliers with whom they had developed a long-term relationship based on their reputation for delivering premium quality products in season. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The use of antibiotics in dental care is often unnecessary or inappropriate. Our objectives were to identify (i) Clusters of dentists grouped according to their appropriateness score based on proxy indicators' results; and (ii) Dentists' and patients' characteristics associated with the appropriateness of antibiotic prescriptions. Methods: We used data of the Health Insurance reimbursement databases on antibiotics prescribed in 2019 by general dental practitioners of the Grand Est region in France. The appropriateness of antibiotic prescriptions was estimated by the results of recently published proxy indicators. We conducted a cluster analysis according to an appropriateness score calculated for each dentist, using the Ward method. We then conducted bivariate and multivariable analyses to identify characteristics associated with these clusters. Results: We included 3,014 dentists, who prescribed 373,975 antibiotics in 2019, and which were grouped into three clusters: average practices (n = 1,241), better (n = 686), and worse (n = 1,087) than average practices. Overall, dentists had more appropriate prescription practices when they were male (OR for belonging to cluster with "worse than average practices" = 1.37 (p = 0.003) for female), having a predominant surgery practice (p = 0.028) in the Lorraine area (p < 0.0001) for less years (p = 0.0002), when they had healthier patients (i.e., younger, with no chronic diseases, and who received less procedures), and when they had a more prudent use of drugs in general (i.e., less prescriptions of drugs, antibiotics, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory). Conclusions: We identified clusters and characteristics associated with the appropriateness of antibiotic prescriptions made by dentists, which might help guiding antimicrobial stewardship interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The debate on national identity has been receiving more attention from academics, social planners, and the public in recent years. This study aims to analyse citizens' different national identity typologies using data from the International Social Survey Program (ISSP) in two waves: 2003 and 2013. The study is based on 10 countries for which the dimensions of the national identity construct are first examined through multi-group confirmatory factor analysis (MGCFA). Then, a fuzzy hybrid approach is used to obtain two synthetic indicators for each dimension of national identity, namely ethnic and civic orientations. Then, a fuzzy clustering analysis is used to extend the Classical Apostle Model, obtaining 16 different national identity categories that expand the four Apostle categories denominated as credentialists, post-nationalists, ethnic-oriented and civic-oriented. The study ends by applying the Binary Probit Model to analyse whether some socioeconomic characteristics can partly explain the four pure national identity categories. Our results show that people seem to be increasingly credentialists. Furthermore, the civic–ethnic dichotomy of France–Germany is no longer confirmed, as Germans appear to be included in the civic-oriented national identity group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While typologies of substance use disorder are very informative, they are still scarcer. The aim of this study was to consider a classification system of substance use among adolescents based on types of substance used and levels of use, and to compare identified groups on sociodemographic characteristics, mental and physical health factors, and other psychological indices. A total of 23,294 17-year-old French adolescents were assessed on mental health factors (depression, suicide, visits to a mental health professional), physical health factors (health self-perception, body shape perception, body mass index), family relationships, perceptions of substance use risk, and vision of the future. Hierarchical Cluster Analysis identified four classes of adolescents: 'Adolescents who use Occasionally/experimentally Tobacco and Alcohol' (n = 7328, 35.3%), 'Adolescents who do not use drugs' (n = 5218, 25.1%), 'Adolescents who use Tobacco, Alcohol, Cannabis' (n = 6804, 32.8%), and 'Adolescents who use Multi-drugs' (n = 1403, 6.8%). The two first were mostly high school girls, with no mental and physical health issue, accurate perception of substances uses risk, and positive vision of their future. They differed regarding parental socioeconomic status and body mass index. The two latest were mostly boys, with poor school performance, bad family relationships, mental health issues, incorrect perception of substances uses risk, and negative vision of their future. They differed regarding parental socioeconomic status, weight and weight perception. Our results confirm the heterogeneous nature of drug use in adolescents, the relevance of typologies, and their importance for future public health policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intersectoral cooperation is increasingly perceived as important to regional renewal. Yet, studies of local cooperation generally show that few ties exist among actors from diff erent sectors. However, we know little about the mechanisms behind this lack, which exists despite eff orts by policy makers and, sometimes, despite the desires of upper-level managers within fi rms. I attempt to examine mechanisms that might explain this lack of intersectoral partnerships. To this end, I will use a study of the cluster at Plateau de Saclay (in the Paris suburbs), which was founded in response to the French government's Pôle de compétitivité policy. The paper shows that, in order to understand these mechanisms, it is necessary to examine both local arrangements and employees' work within fi rms. The former explains dynamics of inclusion and exclusion, while the latter sheds light on the way fi rm strategy is constructed. Local arrangements have made it diffi cult to build intersectoral partnerships. In some cases policy does succeed in making fi rms from diff erent sectors cooperate, but these partnerships are diffi cult to maintain--a problem that results from negotiations inside large fi rms with confl icting economic goals and a lack of experience in measuring knowledge benefi ts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This article aimed to detect clusters of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and their relationships with exposure of the population to various environmental factors in the Limousin region of France. Methods used were extensively described. We adopted a geographical approach that revealed variations in the incidence of ALS and permitted us to identify three regional clusters and their spatial spread. We considered environmental factors and the potent locations or source of substances or activities hypothesized to be associated with ALS. Notably, we determined which industrial activities seem to affect the incidence of ALS in Limousin. The results were interpreted at a regional level. Among the 50 factors this article considered, paper paste and water treatment plants were particularly geostatistically significant and deserve special attention in the ongoing investigations into high resolution spatial clusters (geographical and epidemiological studies). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Our paper provides several insights on the characteristics of the concept of "Poles d'Excellence Rurale" (PER) through bilateral comparisons with that of Competitive Pole (CP) and cluster. The concept of PER is a French government' initiative designed for the development of rural areas similar to that of the Competitive Pole. We emphasize important particularities of these concepts by analyzing some of their similarities and major differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background — We aimed to identify the knowledge producers, the knowledge that they produce and the main areas of interest for health services research (HSR) in France, which is one of the priorities for public health research planning. Methods — A two-phase approach comprising a bibliometric analysis and semi-structured interviews with 20 researchers and 13 staff members of public health bodies was used. Results — In France today, interdisciplinary research teams are being organized in the main cities despite a lack of critical mass. The interviews showed that the term 'health services research' is vague with fuzzy boundaries between research, scientific expertise and evaluation. A keyword cluster analysis showed that French HSR is more hospital-centric compared to those countries that publish most frequently. The analysis also revealed a lack of research on methodological aspects. Conclusions — We analyzed the structure of HSR in France and the specificity of the French publications in this field, compared with other countries. The results indicate the obstacles faced by researchers and decision-makers and offer insight into how these barriers may be removed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our article provides empirical findings for France related to sustainable consumption and what triggers sustainable behavior. We investigate various potential key explanatory variables including social influence and environmental values, among others. Our main contribution is to survey and to analyze a set of consumption practices (rather than the examination of single practices as in most of the literature) for a large sample of more than 3000 households. The survey was conducted in France in 2012. We use cluster analysis to identify and describe the different consumer behavior profiles. This methodology identifies three clusters of consumers characterized by diverse concerns related to the environmental impact of their consumption. Based on these clusters, ordered Logit models are fitted on three levels of sustainable consumption behaviors. Our results emphasize the importance of age, gender, education, environmental concern and peer effects for spurring sustainable consumption. We discuss the role of peer pressure as a major determinant. Learning about sustainable behavior from peers seems to complement changing environmental values and stimulate pro-environmental behavior. Our findings show that local externalities clearly outweigh the global consequences related to the promotion of sustainable consumption behaviors that is, the ability to learn in small networks is critical for the promotion of trust and the exchange of ideas and practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Supervised injection facilities have been set-up in many countries to curb the health risks associated with unsafe injection practices. These facilities have, however, been met with vocal opposition, notably in France. As harm reduction policies can only succeed to the extent that people agree with them, this study mapped French people's opinions regarding the setting-up of these facilities.Method: A sample of 318 adults--among them health professionals--were presented with 48 vignettes depicting plans to create a supervised injection facility in their town. Each vignette contained three pieces of information: (a) the type of substance that would be injected in the facility (amphetamines only, amphetamines and cocaine only, or amphetamines, cocaine and heroin), (b) the type of staff who would be working in the facility (physicians and nurses, specially trained former drug users, specially trained current drug users, or trained volunteers recruited by the municipality), and (c) the staff members' mission (to be present and observe only, technical counselling about safe injection, counselling about safe injection and hygiene, or counselling and encouragement to follow a detoxification program).Results: Through cluster analysis, three qualitatively different positions were found: Not very acceptable (20%), Depends on staff and mission (49%), and Always acceptable (31%). These positions were associated with demographic characteristics--namely gender, age and political orientation.Conclusion: French people's positions regarding supervised injection facilities were extremely diverse. One type of facility would, however, be accepted by a large majority of people: supervised injection facilities run by health professionals whose mission would be, in addition to technical and hygienic counselling, to encourage patrons to enter detoxification or rehabilitation programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The study aimed at mapping in a detailed way French lay people's positions on the disclosure of information that makes possible the tracing of their biological origins for adoptees and for donor conceived persons. Method: A convenience sample of 151 adults was presented with a set of 20 vignettes that depicted the situation of teenagers (1) who recently learned that one or both of their parents were not their biological parents, (2) who wished to have information about biological parents, and (3) who were denied access to information because of legal dispositions in the country. Participants were asked to judge the extent to which the denial of access to information was defensible. The factors introduced in the vignettes were the teenagers' age and motives (e.g., an 18-year old boy who was suffering from a genetic illness), and the filiation link (e.g., conceived through sperm donation). Results: Through cluster analysis, four qualitatively different positions were found: Never Defensible (16% of participants), Not Very Defensible (42%), Depends on Circumstances (13%), and Almost Always Defensible (29%). Conclusions: The difference in importance that participants in this study attributed to blood filiation – whether it was essential to know about it or not – is reminiscent of the more general opposition between two legal principles regarding the way nationality is conferred: jus sanguinis (right of blood, which applies in England or Germany) versus jus soli (right of soil, which applies in France). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adolescence and emerging adulthood are periods in life when individuals both question and define their place in society and form their identity. Meanwhile, active youth civic engagement represents a challenge for each democracy. The purpose of this study was to analyze the different forms of civic engagement among late adolescents and emerging adults and how they are related to personal identity and social identity, while adopting an integrative perspective through the lens of a person-oriented approach. The participants were 1217 (62.3% female) 16-24 year-old French students (Mage = 19.17; SDage = 1.83). First, derived from cluster analyses, the findings emphasized diversity in civic engagement, from strong civic participation (in different formal and informal ways) to various forms of passivity. Diversity was also highlighted for personal identity and social identity profiles. Second, a Configural Frequency Analysis revealed a typical pattern associating passivity in civic engagement, personal carefree diffusion and rejection of social identity. Overall, these findings highlight an absence of general youth disaffection and provide a meaningful specific pattern for the understanding of passivity in political and civic matters in late adolescence and emerging adulthood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reliable subnational mortality estimates are essential in the study of health inequalities within a country. One of the difficulties in producing such estimates is the presence of small populations among which the stochastic variation in death counts is relatively high, and thus the underlying mortality levels are unclear. We present a Bayesian hierarchical model to estimate mortality at the subnational level. The model builds on characteristic age patterns in mortality curves, which are constructed using principal components from a set of reference mortality curves. Information on mortality rates are pooled across geographic space and are smoothed over time. Testing of the model shows reasonable estimates and uncertainty levels when it is applied both to simulated data that mimic U.S. counties and to real data for French départements. The model estimates have direct applications to the study of subregional health patterns and disparities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective:The study mapped French people’s views regarding the acceptability of posthumous reproduction. Background:Posthumous reproduction – the use of a deceased person’s gametes for procreative purposes –is a controversial procedure because it involves a series of ethical issues, namely the surviving partner’s rights to procreation, the emotional feelings and financial interests of other family members, and the government’s interest in maintaining orderly inheritance rules. Methods:A convenience sample of participants aged 19–68 (104 lay people, 47 health professionals and 15 lawyers) were presented with 48 realistic stories that were composed according to a four-factor within-subject design: marital status (married for about 10 years with children, married for about three years without children, and cohabiting for three years without children) × attitude of the deceased’s parents (favourable vs. unfavourable to posthumous procreation) × time elapsed since the partner’s death (three months vs. nine months) × deceased’s wishes (written consent, oral consent given in front of credible witnesses, unknown wishes, and unfavourable attitude). Results:Through cluster analysis, four qualitatively different positions were found. They were calledNever Acceptable(35% of the sample, mostly health professionals, lawyers and regular attendees to the church or temple),Tolerable in a Few Cases(28%),Depends on Deceased’s Wishes(22%, mostly lay people) andQuite Acceptable(16%, mostly lay people). Conclusions:About half of French lay people view the current legislation regarding posthumous assisted reproduction in a country such as the UK as more appropriate than the French legislation. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Aim: We explored the positions of nurses working in hospitals regarding the acceptability of refusing to give a repeat dose of painkiller to a postoperative patient who requested it. These positions were compared with that of lay people, physicians, and other health professionals. Design and Methods: Factorial design was used to assess the impact of 6 situational factors: the patient's age, the current level of pain as assessed by the nurse, the number of requests, the level of risk associated with the administration of a repeat dose, the outcome of surgery, and the giving of alternative mild analgesics. We implemented a combination of scenario technique and of cluster analysis. Data were collected from April 2013 to December 2015. Participants: 138 registered nurses, 32 nurse's aides, 33 physicians, 23 psychologists, and 169 lay people participated in the study. Results: We found 4 qualitatively different meaningful positions. A plurality of participants (57% of nurses) considered that refusing was not acceptable, irrespective of circumstances. A substantial minority of participants (but 52% of physicians) considered that refusing was acceptable only if the level of pain was low and the risk was high. Other participants (mostly lay people) considered that refusing was always acceptable each time a risk of side effects, either serious or simply mild, was present. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Social differences among adolescents in physical activity and sedentary behaviour have been identified but are not well explained. The current study aimed to identify socioeconomic, family and school-related associated factors with physical activity and sedentary behaviour among high-school adolescents.Methods: This was a cross-sectional analysis of T0 physical activity and sedentary behaviour of 2523 students 14 - 18 years old recruited for the PRALIMAP trial from 24 French state-run high schools. Data were collected by self-administered questionnaire at the start of grade 10. Adolescents completed the International Physical Activity Questionnaire for physical activity and sedentary behaviour and an ad hoc questionnaire for active commuting and sport participation. Statistical analyses involved linear and logistic regressions.Results: Socioeconomic, family or school variables were associated with levels of physical activity and sedentary behaviour for both boys and girls, but no factor, except perceived parental physical activity level, was associated with total energy expenditure (total physical activity) for either gender. Adolescents with privileged and less privileged socioeconomic status reported the same total amount of energy expenditure.Conclusions: Total physical activity score alone is not sufficient to assess the physical activity of adolescents. These findings may have implications for better understanding of social inequalities in this context and recommendations to prevent overweight.Trial Registration: This trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov ( NCT00814554 ). The date of registration: 23 December 2008. Registration was not required at the time of the start of PRALIMAP for public health and prevention programmes and trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identification and characterisation of dietary patterns are needed to define public health policies to promote better food behaviours. The aim of this study was to identify the major dietary patterns in the French adult population and to determine their main demographic, socioeconomic, nutritional and environmental characteristics. Dietary patterns were defined from food consumption data collected in the second French national cross-sectional dietary survey (2006-2007). Non-negative-matrix factorisation method, followed by a cluster analysis, was implemented to derive the dietary patterns. Logistic regressions were then used to determine their main demographic and socio-economic characteristics. Finally, nutritional profiles and contaminant exposure levels of dietary patterns were compared using ANOVA. Seven dietary patterns, with specific food consumption behaviours, were identified: 'Small eater', 'Health conscious', 'Mediterranean', 'Sweet and processed', 'Traditional', 'Snacker' and 'Basic consumer'. For instance, the Health-conscious pattern was characterised by a high consumption of low-fat and light products. Individuals belonging to this pattern were likely to be older and to have a better nutritional profile than the overall population, but were more exposed to many contaminants. Conversely, individuals of Snacker pattern were likely to be younger, consumed more highly processed foods, had a nutrient-poor profile but were exposed to a limited number of food contaminants. The study identified main dietary patterns in the French adult population with distinct food behaviours and specific demographic, socio-economic, nutritional and environmental features. Paradoxically, for better dietary patterns, potential health risks cannot be ruled out. Therefore, this study demonstrated the need to conduct a risk-benefit analysis to define efficient public health policies regarding diet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: We sought to determine whether significant variation in the incidence of clinically relevant psychoses existed at an ecological level in an urban French setting, and to examine possible factors associated with this variation. We aimed to advance the literature by testing this hypothesis in a novel population setting and by comparing a variety of spatial models.Methods: We sought to identify all first episode cases of non-affective and affective psychotic disorders presenting in a defined urban catchment area over a 4 years period, over more than half a million person-years at-risk. Because data from geographic close neighbourhoods usually show spatial autocorrelation, we used for our analyses Bayesian modelling. We included small area neighbourhood measures of deprivation, migrants' density and social fragmentation as putative explanatory variables in the models.Results: Incidence of broad psychotic disorders shows spatial patterning with the best fit for models that included both strong autocorrelation between neighbouring areas and weak autocorrelation between areas further apart. Affective psychotic disorders showed similar spatial patterning and were associated with the proportion of migrants/foreigners in the area (inverse correlation). In contrast, non-affective psychoses did not show spatial patterning.Conclusions: At ecological level, the variation in the number of cases and the factors that influence this variation are different for non-affective and affective psychotic disorders. Important differences in results-compared with previous studies in different settings-point to the importance of the context and the necessity of further studies to understand these differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study which aimed at mapping people's views about childbearing among people with learning difficulties (PLD) and examined the impact of various factors on participants' judgments and grouped participants as a function of their overall pattern of responses. It suggests that when the learning disability was light and the emotional relationship was stable, the decision to bear a child was reasonable but when LD was severe only 17% agreed that bearing a child was reasonable.

The purpose of this study was to examine the differential impact of a computer-based comprehension training programme according to second graders' comprehender profiles. These profiles differed in the children's abilities to process three types of textual information: literal information, text-connecting inferences and gap-filling inferences. The results showed that all the profiles improved significantly after the training on the question type that had caused them the greatest amount of difficulty on the pretest. In addition, factors that could a priori predict the effectiveness of the programme were investigated by comparing children who benefited from the instruction (responders) with those who did not benefit (nonresponders). Before instruction, these children differed in their lexical knowledge level and logical reasoning skills, but not in their memory or comprehension-monitoring abilities. The results support the claim that children with comprehension difficulties form a heterogeneous group and emphasize the need to examine the differential impact of comprehension instruction according to the characteristics of poor comprehenders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using cluster analytical procedure, this study aimed (i) to determine whether people could be differentiated on the basis of coping profiles (or unique combinations of coping strategies); and (ii) to examine the relationships between these profiles and perceived stress and health-related behaviors. A sample of 578 French students (345 females, 233 males; Mage= 21.78, SDage= 2.21) completed the Perceived Stress Scale-14 (Bruchon-Schweitzer, 2002), the Brief COPE (Muller and Spitz, 2003) and a series of items measuring health-related behaviors. A two-phased cluster analytic procedure (i.e. hierarchical and non-hierarchical-k-means) was employed to derive clusters of coping strategy profiles. The results yielded four distinctive coping profiles: High Copers, Adaptive Copers, Avoidant Copers and Low Copers. The results showed that clusters differed significantly in perceived stress and health-related behaviors. High Copers and Avoidant Copers displayed higher levels of perceived stress and engaged more in unhealthy behavior, compared with Adaptive Copers and Low Copers who reported lower levels of stress and engaged more in healthy behaviors. These findings suggested that individuals' relative reliance on some strategies and de-emphasis on others may be a more advantageous way of understanding the manner in which individuals cope with stress. Therefore, cluster analysis approach may provide an advantage over more traditional statistical techniques by identifying distinct coping profiles that might best benefit from interventions. Future research should consider coping profiles to provide a deeper understanding of the relationships between coping strategies and health outcomes and to identify risk groups. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

French people's positions regarding actual and potential drug policies were examined. Adults (N = 225) aged 18-81 were presented with 28 vignettes that were composed according to a three within-subject orthogonal factor design: (a) demand for drugs in the country, (b) information campaigns regarding their dangerousness, and (c) current state policy regarding soft and hard drugs, from 'laissez faire' policy for all drugs to complete prohibition of all drugs. Participants rated the level of acceptability of each policy. Three clusters were identified. The first one (32 % of participants) was called 'Radical Constructionists' because participants considered that all policies were unacceptable. The second one (26 %) was called 'Prohibitionists' because only one drug policy was considered fully acceptable: Complete prohibition with the condition that information campaigns are conducted. The third cluster (42 %) was called 'Regulationists' because only one drug policy was considered as fully acceptable: Complete state regulation (with the same condition). In all clusters, the 'laissez-faire' policy was always judged as the least acceptable one, even when it was just about soft drugs. The strongest opposition observed was not between prohibition and regulation but between 'laissez-faire' on the one hand and regulation and prohibition on the other hand. Methodological implications and implications for decision-makers are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hypovitaminosis D is associated with executive dysfunction as a whole. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to determine whether lower vitamin D levels were associated with mental flexibility, information updating, or cognitive and motor inhibition among older adults. Methods: One hundred Caucasian older community dwellers with memory complaint (mean, 71.02 ± 0.74 years; 52.0% female) were divided into 3 groups according to serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD) concentration (deficiency <25 nmol/l, insufficiency 25-50 nmol/l, sufficiency >50 nmol/l). Executive functions were assessed with error rates by executing the Trail Making Test-B (TMT-B) for mental flexibility, the N-Back Test for information updating, the Stroop Interference Test for cognitive inhibition, and the Go/No-Go score for motor inhibition. Age, gender, BMI, education level, number of morbidities, depressive symptoms, Mini-Mental State Examination score, calcemia, estimated glomerular filtration rate and season tested were considered as potential confounders. Results: Compared to participants with vitamin D insufficiency and sufficiency, those with vitamin D deficiency had a poorer TMT-B performance (p = 0.019 and p = 0.017, respectively) but similar N-Back (p = 0.175), Stroop (p = 0.135) and Go/No-Go (p = 0.224) scores. Cognitive performance did not differ between participants with insufficient and sufficient vitamin D levels. Vitamin D deficiency was associated with poorer performance on TMT-B (adjusted β = 1.48, p = 0.011), but not on N-Back (p = 0.665), Stroop (p = 0.817) or Go/No-Go (p = 0.971). Conclusion: Vitamin D deficiencywas associated with poorer mental flexibility among older community dwellers with memory complaint. © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy intake under-reporting (UR) is a concern in nutritional epidemiological studies, as it may distort the relationships between dietary habits and health. Although UR is known to be associated with certain characteristics, few studies have investigated them in France. Therefore, the goal of the present study was to assess the prevalence and characteristics of UR in French adults. UR was defined according to Goldberg's classification. A sample of 1567 adults was drawn from the nationally representative French dietary survey (Individuelle Nationale des Consommations Alimentaires 2 2006–7). Food intake (7 d record), dietary habits, socio-economic status, region of residence, sedentary behaviour and weight perception variables were assessed. Multivariate logistic regression was used to investigate the associations between UR and a number of covariates. The overall prevalence of UR was 22·5 %, similar in men and women. In both sexes, UR was positively associated with overweight and protein intake and inversely associated with age. In women, UR was associated with eating lunch in the office, poor perception of diet quality and sedentary behaviour and was inversely associated with educational level, residence in the Paris region, cereal product intake and eating lunch in a friend's or family member's home. In men, UR was positively associated with a history of slimming and inversely associated with dairy product intake and eating lunch at a staff canteen. In conclusion, UR is prevalent in French adults and is associated with several different characteristics. It is important to take account of UR when investigating diet–disease associations in adults. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Cluster particles (0.8-1.9 nm) are key entities involved in nucleation and new particle formation processes in the atmosphere. Cluster ions were characterized in clear sky conditions at the Puy de Dôme station (1465ma.s.l.). The studied data set spread over five years (February 2007- February 2012), which provided a unique chance to observe seasonal variations of cluster ion properties at high altitude. Statistical values of the cluster ion concentrations and diameters are reported for both positive and negative polarities. Cluster ions were found to be ubiquitous at the Puy de Dôme and displayed an annual variation with lower concentrations in spring. Positive cluster ions were less numerous than negative, but were larger in diameter. Negative cluster ion properties were not sensitive to the occurrence of a new particle formation (NPF) event, while positive cluster ions appeared to be significantly more numerous and larger on event days. The parameters of the balance equation for the positive cluster concentration are reported separately for the different seasons and for the NPF event days and non-event days. The steady-state assumption suggests that the ionization rate is balanced with two sinks: the ion recombination and the attachment onto background aerosol particles, referred to as "aerosol ion sink". The aerosol ion sink was predominant compared to the recombination sink. The positive ionization rates derived from the balance equation (Qcalc) were well correlated with the ionization rates obtained from radon measurement (Qmeas). When ignoring the gamma radiation contribution to the ion production, Qcalc is on average higher than Qmeas during the warm season. In contrast, when a seasonal gamma contribution is taken into account, Qmeas always exceeds Qcalc. We found that neither the aerosol ion sink nor the ionization rate (calculated or measured, with or without the gamma contribution) were significantly different on event days compared to non-event days, and thus, they were not able to explain the different positive cluster concentrations between event and non-event days. Hence, the excess of positive small ions on event days may derive from an additional constant source of ions leading to a non-steady state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revue Française de Gestion is the property of John Libbey Eurotext Ltd. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Syllabification of spoken words has been largely used to define syllabic properties of written words, such as the number of syllables or syllabic boundaries. By contrast, some authors proposed that the functional structure of written words stems from visuo-orthographic features rather than from the transposition of phonological structure into the written modality. Thus, the first aim of the study was to assess whether the explicit segmentation of written words in French was consistent with syllabification patterns for spoken words previously reported. Second, given that spelling does not map perfectly with phonology, we examined how readers segmented printed words with grapheme/phoneme misalignments. The examination of the whole patterns of written segmentation produced by participants showed that, though written segmentation followed spoken segmentation for words matched for phonological/orthographic forms, discrepancies were found in cases of mismatch, therefore suggesting that readers rely on orthographic cues to parse printed strings of letters. This conclusion was confirmed with an on-line letter detection task. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focuses on prosodic evolution in the French news announcer style, based on acoustic and perceptual analysis of French audiovisual archives. A 10-hour corpus covering six decades of broadcast news is investigated automatically. Two prosodic features, which may give an impression of emphatic style, are explored: word-initial stress and penultimate vowel lengthening, especially before a pause. Objective measurements suggest that the following features have decreased since the 40s: mean pitch, pitch rise associated with initial stress, vowel duration characterizing an emphatic initial stress, and prepausal penultimate lengthening. The onsets of stressed initial syllables have become longer while speech rate (measured at the phonemic level) has not changed. This puzzling outcome raises interesting questions for research on French prosody, suggesting that the durational correlates of word-initial stress have changed over time, in the French news announcer style.Three perceptual experiments were conducted using prosody transplantation (copy of fundamental frequency and duration parameters on a synthetic voice), delexicalization and imitation. Rather than manipulating the parameters of, say, word-initial stress, we selected a subset of the corpus to represent the different decades under investigation. Results show that, among other factors, fundamental frequency and duration correlates of prosody contribute to distinguishing early recordings from more recent ones. The higher the pitch and the greater the pitch movements associated with word-initial stress, the more the speech samples are perceived as dating back to the 40s or 50s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim was to examine the factors involved in people's willingness to make a living organ donation. A convenience sample of 200 people in southern France rated willingness to be a living donor in 48 scenarios consisting of all combinations of five factors: recipient's identity (close family member and city resident); donor's surgical risk (little and some); donor's possible long-term health consequences (none, some lessening over time, and durable); transplant success (“generally durably successful” and “durably successful one time out of two”); and likelihood of other donors (subject is one of the rare compatible donors or one among others). Cluster analyses showed the existence of three distinct organ donation philosophies. For the largest cluster (49% of participants), willingness to donate was very high to a family member, but low to a city resident. For the second cluster (37%), willingness was high to family, but also moderately high to a city resident. For the third cluster (14%), willingness was always low. Thus, most participants judged themselves ready to make a living organ donation to a family member and many even to a stranger. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Peel and leaf oils of three lime populations, belonging to the Citrus limonia Osbeck species were obtained from fruits collected on lime trees submitted to the same pedoelimatic and cultural conditions. Their chemical composition was investigated by capillary gas chromatography (GC), GC-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and chiral multidimensional GC (MDGC), and the results were submitted to a cluster analysis. Results reported for Rangpur lime from Corsica, named Rangpur Jaune, Rangpur Intermediaire and Rangpur Rouge, were also included for comparison purposes [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Finite mixture models posit the existence of a latent categorical variable and can be used for probabilistic classification. The authors illustrate the use of mixture models for dietary pattern analysis. An advantage of this approach is taking classification uncertainty into account. Methods Participants were a random sample of women from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer. Food consumption was measured using dietary questionnaires. Mixture models identified latent classes in food consumption data, which were interpreted as dietary patterns. Results Among various assumptions examined, models allowing the variance of foods to vary within and between classes fit better than alternatives assuming constant variance (the K-means method of cluster analysis also makes the latter assumption). An eight-class model was best fitting and five patterns validated well in a second random sample. Patterns with lower classification uncertainty tended to be better validated. One pattern showed low consumption of foods despite being associated with moderate body mass index. Conclusion Mixture modelling for dietary pattern analysis has advantages over both factor and cluster analysis. In contrast to these other methods, it is easy to estimate pattern prevalence, to describe patterns and to use patterns to predict disease taking classification uncertainty into account. Owing to substantial error in food consumptions, any analysis will usually find some patterns that cannot be well validated. While knowledge of classification uncertainty may aid pattern evaluation, any method will better identify patterns from food consumptions measured with less error. Mixture models may be useful to identify individuals who under-report food consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although initiatives are setting up to improve the nutritional status of deprived people, few studies have described the food aid user profile and evaluated their nutritional needs. The contributions of food aid to the food supply, dietary behaviour and nutritional status of food aid users were evaluated in the ABENA study. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among food aid users in four urban French zones ( n = 1664, age ≥18 years). Sociodemographic and economic characteristics, food insufficiency, food supply and diet behaviours were assessed using standardised questionnaires. A subsample of participants underwent clinical and biochemical examinations. Descriptive and comparative analyses were performed taking into account sample weights. Results: Over 70% of participants used food aid as the only source of supply among numerous food groups, and one-quarter of them (27.2%) were using food aid for 3 years or more. The mean food budget was €70.0 per person per month, and 46.0% of subjects were classified as 'food-insufficient'. Half of the subjects fulfilled the French recommendations for starchy foods (48.7%) and 'meat, fish and eggs' (49.4%); 27.3% met the requirements for seafood. Only a very small proportion of participants met the recommendations for fruits and vegetables (1.2%) and dairy products (9.2%). In addition, 16.7% of subjects were obese, 29.4% had high blood pressure, 14.8% were anaemic, 67.9% were at risk of folate deficiency and 85.6% had vitamin D deficiency. Conclusions: These results provide evidence of an unhealthy diet and poor health profiles in severely disadvantaged persons and highlight the importance of food aid in this population. Thus, this study points to the necessity of improving the nutritional quality of currently distributed food aid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of VSE - Vie & Sciences Economiques / La revue de l'Economie et de l'Entreprise is the property of ANDESE and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Potato late blight is an example of a re-emerging disease of plants. Phytophthora infestans was first introduced into Europe during the 19th century, where it caused the Irish potato famine. During the 20th century several additional introduction events have been suspected, especially in the mid-70s due to the import of large quantities of potato needed after the shortage caused by drought in 1976. Here, we investigate the genetic population structure of Phytophthora infestans, at the first stages of a recent invasion process in France. A total of 220 isolates was collected from 20 commercial fields of the potato susceptible cultivar Bintje, during two consecutive years (2004 and 2005). Clustering analyses based on eight recently developed microsatellite markers reveal that French P. infestans populations are made of two differentiated genetic clusters of isolates ( FST = 0.19). This result suggests multiple introductions of P. infestans into France, either through the introduction of a composite population of isolates or through the successive introduction of isolates having differentiated genetic backgrounds. Both clusters identified have a strong clonal structure and are similar regarding genetic diversity and mating type composition. The maintenance of differentiation between the two genetic clusters should result from the low or non-existent contribution of sexual reproduction in French P. infestans populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On account of the interspecies variability in contamination and nutrient contents, consumers must balance the risks and benefits of fish consumption through their choice of species, meal size and frequency. The objectives of this study were to better characterize the risk of methylmercury (MeHg) exposure in a sample of 161 French pregnant women consuming sea food, including fish, molluscs and crustaceans, and to explore the use of unsupervised statistical learning as an advanced type of cluster analysis to identify patterns of fish consumption that could predict exposure to MeHg and the coverage of the Recommended Daily Allowance for n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA). The proportion of about 5% of pregnant women exposed at levels higher than the tolerable weekly intake for MeHg is similar to that observed among women of childbearing age in earlier French studies. At the same time, only about 50% of the women reached the recommended intake of 500 mg/day n-3 PUFA. Cluster analysis of the fish consumption showed that they could be grouped in five major clusters that are largely predictable of the intake of both MeHg and n-3 PUFA. This study shows that a global increase in seafood consumption could lead to MeHg exposure above the toxicological limits for pregnant women, thereby questioning the overall balance between this potential risk and potential beneficial effects of n-3 PUFA intakes. Only pregnant women consuming a high proportion of fatty fish meet the n-3 PUFA intake requirements without exceeding the toxicological limit for MeHg. The clusters identified suggest that different intervention strategies may be needed to address the dual purpose of ensuring high PUFA intakes at acceptable MeHg exposures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim The main aim of this study was to compare different methods for the determination of both areas of endemism (AoEs) and biotic elements by analysing all the endemic plant species of a region, using our own data on the distribution of such taxa in the Maritime and Ligurian Alps. Our other goals were to use indicator species analysis (INDVAL) to identify and compare the species significantly associated with the AoEs detected by cluster analysis and parsimony analysis of endemicity (PAE), to compare these species with the results obtained by biotic element analysis, and to discuss the biogeographical meaning of the results obtained by all three methods. Location Maritime and Ligurian Alps, bordering north-western Italy and south-eastern France. Methods A presence/absence matrix of 36 endemic plant species was analysed using cluster analysis, PAE and biotic element analysis. INDVAL was used to compare the results obtained using these three methods. Results In an area such as the Maritime and Ligurian Alps, where the present distribution pattern of endemic taxa mainly reflects the influence of ecological factors, PAE and cluster analysis defined comparable AoEs characterized by the species that constituted the biotic elements. However, the biotic element analysis and AoE approaches revealed different relationships between the area/taxa congruence and the congruence among taxa ranges. Main conclusions The combined use of different methods seems to be useful for a complete description of the distribution patterns of taxa in a study area. INDVAL should be considered as a useful tool in biogeographical analysis for various reasons. It provides an objective criterion for dendrogram pruning based on the association rate between areas and taxon ranges. Because it identifies the strongest indicator species of each geographic unit, it allows comparison of the results of PAE and cluster analysis with those of biotic element analysis. Finally, INDVAL provides the rate of exclusivity and the rate of occupancy of each taxon in a given area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To describe the design and baseline patient characteristics of a multicomponent specific care and assistance plan (PLASA) study in Alzheimer's Disease (AD). The study is designed to evaluate the effect of PLASA in AD primarily looking at change in functional capacity. Design: Two-years prospective cluster randomized controlled trial comparing PLASA and usual care. Setting: Forty-nine hospitals in France. Participants: 1120 community-dwelling AD. Intervention: Patients in the intervention group are evaluated biannually using a standardized comprehensive global assessment. In the case of decline in any one domain a standardized study protocol recommends specific physician directed intervention in addition to information and training for the caregiver. Measurements: Alzheimer Disease Cooperative Study-Activities of Daily Living scale, Resource Utilization in Dementia scale, Clinical Global Impression of Change. Results: At baseline, the two groups were similar regarding patient and caregiver characteristics. The mean patient age was 79.61 + 5.72 years and the mean MMSE 19.73 + 4.01 for the whole cohort. Time since dementia diagnosis was about 1.37 + 1.65 years in the whole cohort. Almost a third of the patients lived alone at baseline. Mean monthly time spent in caregiving in the whole cohort was 52.70 + 71.83 hours for instrumental activities and 17.73 + 51.38 hours for basic activities. Conclusion: Persons with dementia suffer different losses at different stages of the disease and therefore accurate assessment of abilities and losses is critical to assist the person in planning for their future and for care needs. The PLASA intervention study is ongoing with 2 year follow-up to be completed in 2007. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To identify the different practice profiles of general practitioners (GPs) in order to test the hypothesis of heterogeneity in physician behaviour.Data: For the year 2000, 4,660 GPs from two regions in France.Variables: volume and structure of the physicians' medical activity, income level, personal characteristics, socioeconomic and geographical environment, characteristics of their patients.Methods: A cluster analysis to identify different practice profiles and a regression analysis to display the determinants of the physicians' activity.Results: Four different homogeneous groups can be identified, each one associating a physician's level of activity to his socioeconomic status. The level and the intensity of medical activity depend on individual factors, patients' characteristics as well as the socioeconomic context.Conclusions: There is no uniformity in the way GPs practice medicine. An immediate consequence is that any cost-containment measure that is applied uniformly to all GPs inevitably results in different outcomes according to the physicians' category type. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Lay persons' judgements of the acceptability of the not uncommon practice of ending the life of a damaged neonate have not been studied. Methods: A convenience sample of 1635 lay people in France rated how acceptable it would be for a physician to end a neonate's life—by withholding care, withdrawing care, or active euthanasia—in 54 scenarios in which the neonate was diagnosed either with perinatal asphyxia or a genetic abnormality. The scenarios were all combinations of four factors: three levels of maturity or immaturity, three levels of severity of the health problem, three levels of parents' preference concerning prolonging care and two levels of decision-making (with or without consulting the other caregivers). Analyses: Analyses of variance of the participants' responses were performed to determine the importance of each factor; the interactions among factors, with methods of ending life and with other patient characteristics; and the differences between asphyxia and genetic abnormality. A cluster analysis was performed to look for groups with different patterns of responses. Results: Lay people assigned most importance to the parents' request and to the severity of the problem. Except for a small group (12%) always opposed to ending life, they used a simple additive-type rule in integrating the information. Implications: Most of this sample of French lay people are not categorically for or against ending the life of a damaged neonate, but judge its degree of acceptability by adding up those factors that seem most salient to them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]