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Purpose: Cross-language studies suggest more similarities than differences in how dysarthria affects the speech of people with Parkinson's disease (PwPD) who speak different languages. In this study, we aimed to identify the relative contribution of acoustic variables to distinguish PwPD from controls who spoke varieties of two Romance languages, French and Portuguese. Method: This bi-national, cross-sectional, and case-controlled study included 129 PwPD and 124 healthy controls who spoke French or Portuguese. All participants underwent the same clinical examinations, voice/speech recordings, and self-assessment questionnaires. PwPD were evaluated off and on optimal medication. Inferential analyses included Disease (controls vs. PwPD) and Language (French vs. Portuguese) as factors, and random decision forest algorithms identified relevant acoustic variables able to distinguish participants: (a) by language (French vs. Portuguese) and (b) by clinical status (PwPD on and off medication vs. controls). Results: French-speaking and Portuguese-speaking individuals were distinguished from each other with over 90% accuracy by five acoustic variables (the mean fundamental frequency and the shimmer of the sustained vowel /a/ production, the oral diadochokinesis performance index, the relative sound level pressure and the relative sound pressure level standard deviation of the text reading). A distinct set of parameters discriminated between controls and PwPD: for men, maximum phonation time and the oral diadochokinesis speech proportion were the most significant variables; for women, variables calculated from the oral diadochokinesis were the most discriminative. Conclusions: Acoustic variables related to phonation and voice quality distinguished between speakers of the two languages. Variables related to pneumophonic coordination and articulation rate were the more effective in distinguishing PwPD from controls. Thus, our research findings support that respiration and diadochokinesis tasks appear to be the most appropriate to pinpoint signs of dysarthria, which are largely homogeneous and language-universal. In contrast, identifying language-specific variables with the speech tasks and acoustic variables studied was less conclusive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little is known about use of early interventions for autism spectrum disorder in Europe. Parents of children with autism spectrum disorder aged 7?years or younger (N?=?1680) were recruited through parent organisations in 18 European countries and completed an online survey about the interventions their child received. There was considerable variation in use of interventions, and in some countries more than 20% of children received no intervention at all. The most frequently reported interventions were speech and language therapy (64%) and behavioural, developmental and relationship-based interventions (55%). In some parts of Europe, use of behavioural, developmental and relationship-based interventions was associated with higher parental educational level and time passed since diagnosis, rather than with child characteristics. These findings highlight the need to monitor use of intervention for children with autism spectrum disorder in Europe in order to contrast inequalities.

Simple Summary: Weaning is one of the most stressful experiences for beef calves during their life cycle; however, it is a crucial practice for the production system. Calming pheromones can alleviate stress and reduce its negative impacts on behavior, growth, and the immune system. In this study, the administration of a bovine-appeasing substance enhanced body weight gain, reduced temperament scores and serum cortisol concentration, and improved the behavior and response to vaccination. Therefore, the bovine-appeasing substance could be used in complement to the best weaning practices to reduce stress and its impact on performance, temperament, grazing behavior, and the immune system. An analog of a bovine-appeasing substance (BAS) was previously demonstrated to have calming effects, and it could be an alternative to alleviate the stress caused by weaning. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of BAS administration at weaning on growth, stress, behavior, and response to vaccination of Nellore calves. Eighty-six Nellore calves (40 females and 46 males) were abruptly weaned and randomly assigned into 1 of 2 treatments: (1) saline solution (0.9% NaCl; n = 43) and (2) BAS (Secure Catte, IRSEA Group, Quartier Salignan, France; n = 43). The solutions were topically applied (5 mL/calf) to the nuchal skin area of each animal. On d 0, before treatment application, calves were vaccinated against infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR), parainfluenza-3 (PI3) virus, and bovine viral diarrhea virus types 1 and 2 (BVDV-1 and 2). Calves from each treatment were kept in different pastures for 15 d (time of BAS action) and then moved to a single pasture. Body weight (BW), blood samples, and temperament in the chute (entry score, chute score, and exit score) were collected on d 0, 3, 8, 15, 51, and 100, and behavior on pasture on d 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 9. Calves assigned to BAS vs. Saline treatment tended to have greater BW on d 15 (p = 0.10), tended to have lower entry scores on d 8 and 51 (p = 0.10), and chute scores on d 8 (p = 0.07), and had lower exit scores on d 8 (p = 0.02). Calves assigned to BAS vs. Saline treatment also had greater time grazing on d 7 and 9 (p < 0.01), eating concentrate on d 2, 5, and 6 (p = 0.05), walking on d 1, 2, 5, and 9 (p < 0.01), standing and ruminating on d 2, 7 and 9 (p < 0.01), and playing on d 2, 4, 6, 7, and 9 (p < 0.01). Furthermore, they had lower time lying on 1 and 2 (p < 0.01), standing on d 5 and 9 (p < 0.01), and vocalizing on d 1 and 2 (p < 0.01). Calves assigned to BAS vs. Saline treatment had greater serum titter concentrations of PI3 t on d 15 and 51 (p = 0.05) and BVDV-1 on d 51 (p = 0.02). However, they had lower serum concentrations of cortisol on d 3 (p = 0.03). BAS administration did not affect (p ≥ 0.12) the serum titer concentration of IBR and BVDV-2 titers or the plasma concentration of haptoglobin and ceruloplasmin. The BAS administration improved BW, reduced temperament and serum cortisol concentration, and improved behavior and response to vaccination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dentinogenesis imperfecta (DI) is the main orodental manifestation of osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) caused by COL1A1 or COL1A2 heterozygous pathogenic variants. Its prevalence varies according to the studied population. Here, we report the molecular analysis of 81 patients with OI followed at reference centers in Brazil and France presenting COL1A1 or COL1A2 variants. Patients were submitted to clinical and radiographic dental examinations to diagnose the presence of DI. In addition, a systematic literature search and a descriptive statistical analysis were performed to investigate OI/DI phenotype–genotype correlation in a worldwide sample. In our cohort, 50 patients had COL1A1 pathogenic variants, and 31 patients had COL1A2 variants. A total of 25 novel variants were identified. Overall, data from a total of 906 individuals with OI were assessed. Results show that DI was more frequent in severe and moderate OI cases. DI prevalence was also more often associated with COL1A2 (67.6%) than with COL1A1 variants (45.4%) because COL1A2 variants mainly lead to qualitative defects that predispose to DI more than quantitative defects. For the first time, 4 DI hotspots were identified. In addition, we showed that 1) glycine substitution by branched and charged amino acids in the α2(I) chain and 2) substitutions occurring in major ligand binding regions—MLRB2 in α1(I) and MLBR 3 in α2(I)—could significantly predict DI (P < 0.05). The accumulated variant data analysis in this study provides a further basis for increasing our comprehension to better predict the occurrence and severity of DI and appropriate OI patient management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The literature in the field of health management mentions a concept called new public management (NPM), introduced in Brazil and France at the end of the 20th century. The objective of the study was to analyze the repercussions of the work of nurses in primary health care in Brazil and France under the influence of NPM. This is an excerpt of a double-titled thesis, which is a research intervention with nurses from two Brazilian states and five French departments. Data were produced between February 2019 and July 2021. The public policy Health on the Hour acted as an institutional transducer, provoking a reduction in access and producing effects on professional practices. In both countries, NPM amplified the predominance of technical and quantifiable acts, the focus on individual care, and the loss of autonomy. Nurses reported insurmountable situations, using the metaphor "Sophie's choice". The results showed that making dilemmatic decisions has been the daily routine of nurses, which has not resulted in debureaucratization and higher quality of care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, COVID-19 healthcare-associated infections (HAI) and risk management became major challenges facing hospitals. Using evidence from a research project, this commentary presents: 1) various communication and information strategies implemented by four hospitals and their staff in Brazil, Canada and France to reduce the risks of COVID-19 HAIs, and how they were perceived by hospital staff; 2) the flaws in communication in the hospitals; and 3) a proposed agenda for research on and action to improve institutional communications for future pandemics. By analyzing "top-down" strategies at the organizational level and spontaneous strategies initiated by and between professionals, this study shows that during the first waves of the pandemic, reliable information and clear communication about guidelines and health protocols' changes can help alleviate fears among staff and avoid misapplication of protocols, thereby reducing infection risks. There was a lack of a "bottom-up" communication channel, while, when making decisions, it is crucial to listen to and fully take into account staff's voices, experiences, and feelings. More balanced communication between hospital administrators and staff could strengthen team cohesion and lead to better enforcement of protocols, which in turn will reduce the risk of contamination, alleviate the potential impacts on staff health, and improve the quality of care provided to patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Technosols represent the group of soils whose properties and functions were defined by human action, formed from technogenic diagnostic materials. In this study, we use bibliometric techniques to investigate how environmental contamination has been addressed in global Technosol research and identify research trends that contribute to adequate Technosol management. We use 567 papers on Technosols from around the world available in the Web of Science database (2006–2021). Our results indicated that 34.2% of the global research on Technosols was related to environmental contamination, with significant growth over the years (R2 = 0.88). France was responsible for 29.8% of global research in contaminated Technosols. The main contaminant agents in Technosols were the heavy metals and the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), with a higher highlight for the first. Among the polluting metals, a greater concern was directed to the Pb, followed, in descending order, by the Zn, Cu, Cd, Ni, Cr, and As. The mining tailings were the main sources of the contaminant material. The combined effects of different pollutants, such as toxic metals and PAHs, in the biological community of Technosols and the combined use of environmental restoration strategies (phytoremediation and uses of organic compound, biochar, and biofertilizers) can be considered the main research trends in contaminated Technosols. Our results can be useful for research institutions and researchers around the world that seek development of strategies for the use and management of Technosols at the global level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is a review of the book "The Place of the Other: Religious and Mystical History" by Michel de Certeau. The author analyzes mystical history in an attempt to understand the crisis within the Jesuit order. He discusses the relationship between Christianity and modernity, the extinction of voice in historiography, and the creation of a rudimentary memory. The book also addresses studies on mystical practices in the 17th century, the psychology of temptations against faith, and the reform of Catholicism in France. The text discusses different aspects related to spirituality and religion, addressing topics such as spiritual possessions, religious practices, mystical writings, and the relationship between spirituality and politics. The author highlights the importance of understanding spiritual experience within a specific historical and cultural context, avoiding generalizations and judgments. He also emphasizes the need to consider different religious traditions when analyzing mysticism, recognizing that there is no single or universal definition for this experience. [Extracted from the article]

Women are a particularly vulnerable group among persons seeking asylum but are still required to provide clinical evidence of acts of violence inflicted against them. In this study the authors describe patient histories, dermatological lesions and other injuries arising from physical violence and torture in female asylum-seekers attending a specialist outpatient service in France. Twenty-seven women were assessed during 2016-2018. Clinical corroboration of lesions with patients' self-reports was affirmative in >90% (25/27) of cases. Health care services in recipient countries must be configured and resourced to support women seeking asylum, and health care professionals must be receptive and sensitive to women's self-reported histories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article explores how babies interact with technical objects of increasing complexity. The theoretical framework deals with touch and prospective convergence between objects and subjects. In this article, the research question is: how do babies interact with objects of increasing technological complexity, activating a material dimension at the service of their individuation? Observations were carried out in France and Brazil, either in daycare centres or in families' homes with babies. A nonanthropocentric methodology is proposed - linking the body-environment system. Some episodes will be presented to show how babies activate the material dimension at the service of their individuation, highlighting the impossibility of separating the individual-environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Brazilian Journal of Kineanthropometry & Human Performance is the property of Brazilian Journal of Kineanthropometry & Human Performance 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.)

Objective: To map, from the literature, health systems and services worldwide, characterizing them as to the type of social protection, service provision, organizational structure of the PHC and origin of financing. Methods: This is a Scoping Review of databases: Virtual Health Library, Embase, ProQuest, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health and Scientific Electronic Library Online. The descriptors and their combinations were used Health Systems, Health Services, Structure of Services and Primary Health Care, between 2009 and 2019, available in Spanish, French, English, Portuguese. They were analyzed considering study objectives, type of social protection, service provision, structure and organization of Primary Health Care and financing. Results: Twelve studies that followed the research proposal were included. The systems shown are related to the countries Iraq, Ecuador, Denmark, Argentina, Netherlands, Canada, Ireland, Belgium, France, Sweden, United Kingdom and Italy. Conclusion: Among the health systems and services of the analyzed countries, some are guided by the market model, others by the public offer of health care and there are those that integrate the two models. Health systems must offer services that reach the entire population, organized based on Primary Health Care. Those who adopt the social security model are the closest to this scenario. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present article intends to correlate critical and theoretical elements of a certain French philosophy, the French philosophy that emerges after World War II, with critical (and to some extent practical) elements that operate in the formation of modern cinema criticism in France. The meaning of this correlation is to present the possibilities of a joint investigation with the aim of renewing the understanding and scope of both projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1791, the term mariage civil first appeared in French law in order to designate a civil and secular union recognised only by the State. After the introduction of this term into the French legal domain, there were legislative changes regarding the rules of civil marriages over the following years. The present paper examines the semantic evolution of the term mariage civil in French law, relating this evolution to socio-cultural and historical aspects of France between 1791 (when civil marriage was instituted in this country) and 2013 (when the most recent legislative change in the area occurred). Based on this investigation, it is possible to affirm the transformations in the French society and legislative changes have modified the concept designated by the term mariage civil, especially concerning the notion of family and the achievement of rights by women and homosexuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various biotic and abiotic stresses are threatening forests. Modern remote sensing technologies provide powerful means for monitoring forest health, and provide a sustainable basis for forest management and protection. The objective of this study was to develop unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) based spectral remote sensing technologies for tree health assessment, particularly, for detecting the European spruce bark beetle (Ips typographus L.) attacks. Our focus was to study the early detection of bark beetle attack, i.e. the "green attack" phase. This is a difficult remote sensing task as there does not exist distinct symptoms that can be observed by the human eye. A test site in a Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) dominated forest was established in Southern-Finland in summer 2019. It had an emergent bark beetle outbreak and it was also suffering from other stress factors, especially the root and butt rot (Heterobasidion annosum (Fr.) Bref. s. lato). Altogether seven multitemporal hyper- and multispectral UAV remote sensing datasets were captured from the area in August to October 2019. Firstly, we explored deterioration of tree health and development of spectral symptoms using a time series of UAV hyperspectral imagery. Secondly, we trained assessed a machine learning model for classification of spruce health into classes of "bark beetle green attack", "root-rot", and "healthy". Finally, we demonstrated the use of the model in tree health mapping in a test area. Our preliminary results were promising and indicated that the green attack phase could be detected using the accurately calibrated spectral image data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article makes a comparison between the territorial approaches of the public policies in Brazil and in France, until the 80's and from this date to the present day, with emphasis on the Brazilian National Development Policy (PNDR) and the Stateregion plan contract (CPER). Although these two countries have different political and economic formations, the centrality that the theme occupies in the French state agenda and the intersectoral approach contrasts with the marginality of the policies developed by the Brazilian government. The text is based on the hypothesis that, in Brazil, the construction of territorial policies focused on the reduction of regional inequalities has, in its recent history, faced difficulties due to the absence of a national project of a structured development, aggravated by the process of clientelistic fragmentation present in the structure of the Brazilian State. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective(s): With aging population, a rise in anterior wall prolapse surgery is expected. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of genital prolapse repair by the vaginal route using a mixed polypropylene and porcine skin mesh (Avaulta Plus®).Study Design: Retrospective study conducted at Tenon University Hospital, Paris, France. We included seventy-nine women who underwent anterior wall prolapse repair using Avaulta Plus® mesh by the transobturator route for genital prolapse ≥ stage II from September 2008 to December 2017. Pre- and postoperative pelvic organ prolapse classification, functional symptoms, quality of life scores were evaluated, and complications were recorded.Results: The anatomical success rate for anterior wall prolapse was 97 %. The postoperative complication rate was 29.1 % among which the mesh exposure rate was 7.6 %. Pelvic symptoms such as vaginal discomfort and pelvic heaviness were significantly improved (p < 0.01). Voiding dysfunction were significantly improved (p < 0.01). A significant improvement in the PFDI-20 score (p < 0.01) and PFIQ-7 score (p < 0.01) was observed. After 3 years of follow-up, the recurrence rate was 12 %.Conclusion(s): Prolapse repair using the Avaulta Plus® mesh is effective and results in a significant improvement in quality of life. The complication rate, including mesh exposure, is acceptable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is a theoretical essay derived from considerations developed in two researches carried out between 2012 and 2017. The objective is discussing the insertion of the domicile as a caring space within public policies regarding the end of life in Brazil and in France. For this purpose, reading documents that regulate the organization of services addressed to persons undergoing palliative care in both countries was performed with peculiar interest. The documents that supported the analysis were: from the Brazilian context, Ordinance no. 825/2016; and, from the French scenario, the Triennial Plan for Palliative Care (2015 - 2018). To guide the analysis, the source referrals were authors linked to Social Anthropology and Cultural Studies. Since the years 2000, the home became a central element for the implementation of public health policies, especially those aimed at organizing the care towards people with chronic diseases and in palliative care. It is an approach with less economic costs for the State while it tends to meet the expectations of patients and families in the search for comfort and less painful ways to face the end of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Science studies have been a field of research for different knowledge areas, and they have been successfully used to analyse the construction of scientific knowledge, practice and dissemination. In this study, we aimed to verify how the Zika epidemic has moulded the scientific articles published worldwide by analysing international collaborations and the knowledge landscape through time, as well as research topics and country involvement. Methodology: We searched the Web of Science (WoS), Scopus and PubMed for studies published up to 31st December 2018 on Zika using the search terms "zika", "zkv" or "zikv". We analysed the scientific production regarding which countries have published the most, on which topics, as well as country level collaboration. We performed a scientometric analysis of research on Zika focusing on knowledge mapping and the scientific research path over time and space. Findings: We found two well defined research areas divided into three subtopics accounting for six clusters. With regard to country analysis, the USA and Brazil were the countries with the highest numbers of publications on Zika. China entered as a new player focusing on specific research areas. When we took into consideration the epidemics and reported cases, Brazil and France were the leading research countries on related topics. As for international collaboration, the USA followed by England and France stand out as the main hubs. The research areas most published included public health-related topics from 2015 until the very beginning of 2016, followed by an increase in topics related to the clinical aspects of the disease in 2016 and the emergence of laboratory research in 2017/2018. Conclusions: Mapping the response to Zika, a public health emergency, demonstrated a clear pattern of the participation of countries in the scientific advances. The pattern of knowledge production found in this study represented varying country perspectives, research capacity and interests based first on their level of exposure to the epidemic and second on their financial positions regarding science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since ancient times philosophy has used the study of the thought, reason, truth, ethics and knowledge that permeate the branches of science. Accounting Theory, when studied under the ethical approach, should be fair and not biased to all concerned. The principles within the Accounting Theory are not uniform, being evidenced in the conceptual structures and norms of countries according to their culture, customs, ethical values and legal systems. Thus, taking as its starting point the Italian roots of the double-entry method (cradle of accounting), we analyze the philosophical bases of accounting principles in Brazil and France (cradle of the Enlightenment). Through a critical-argumentative theoretical essay it is revealed that behind the concepts defined in the accounting principles there are theoretical-philosophical foundations. It is concluded that accounting principles, in their conception, fit the philosophical assumptions of ethics, morals and the search for truth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary sugar compounds (SCs, defined as glucose, arabitol, and mannitol) are widely recognized as suitable molecular markers to characterize and apportion primary biogenic organic aerosol emission sources. This work improves our understanding of the spatial behavior and distribution of these chemical species and evidences their major effective environmental drivers. We conducted a large study focusing on the daily (24 h) PM 10 SC concentrations for 16 increasing space scale sites (local to nationwide), over at least 1 complete year. These sites are distributed in several French geographic areas of different environmental conditions. Our analyses, mainly based on the examination of the short-term evolutions of SC concentrations, clearly show distance-dependent correlations. SC concentration evolutions are highly synchronous at an urban city scale and remain well correlated throughout the same geographic regions, even if the sites are situated in different cities. However, sampling sites located in two distinct geographic areas are poorly correlated. Such a pattern indicates that the processes responsible for the evolution of the atmospheric SC concentrations present a spatial homogeneity over typical areas of at least tens of kilometers. Local phenomena, such as the resuspension of topsoil and associated microbiota, do no account for the major emissions processes of SC in urban areas not directly influenced by agricultural activities. The concentrations of SC and cellulose display remarkably synchronous temporal evolution cycles at an urban site in Grenoble, indicating a common source ascribed to vegetation. Additionally, higher concentrations of SC at another site located in a crop field region occur during each harvest periods, indicating resuspension processes of plant materials (crop detritus, leaf debris) and associated microbiota for agricultural and nearby urbanized areas. Finally, ambient air temperature, relative humidity, and vegetation density constitute the main effective drivers of SC atmospheric concentrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The consumption of red meat has been associated with colorectal cancer (CRC) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) worldwide. The objective of this study was to assess quantitatively the burden of disease of CRC and CVD due to the consumption of red meat in France. A probabilistic risk assessment model quantifying the risk, deaths and disability adjusted life years (DALY) of both outcomes was built. In the model, uncertainty and variability were propagated separately. The model used data on current CRC and CVD incidence and red meat consumption in France, as well as dose-response from epidemiological studies. Results were given by age class and gender. A total of 19 [95% CI = 8–33] DALY per 100,000 people per year for CRC associated with red meat consumption was estimated. For CVD, 21 [95% CI = 12–32] DALY per 100,000 people per year was estimated. The uncertainty was mainly due to the dose-response, as revealed by a sensitivity analysis. A scenario analysis, performed on red meat intake, highlighted that consumption of less than 65 g per day could limit the risk of CRC and CVD in the most affected sub-populations. • Effect of red meat intake on colorectal cancer and cardiovascular disease in French population assessed. • A probabilistic risk assessment model was built to estimate number of deaths and DALYs. • Consumption up to 65 g/d of red meat does not bring any additional risk of colorectal cancer and cardiovascular disease. • Uncertainty around the final output, DALY, mainly due to large confidence interval of the dose-response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Brasileira de Pesquisa em Turismo is the property of Associacao Nacional de Pesquisa e Pos-Graduacao em Turismo 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.)

A growing number of studies are using specific primary sugar species, such as sugar alcohols or primary saccharides, as marker compounds to characterize and apportion primary biogenic organic aerosols (PBOAs) in the atmosphere. To better understand their annual cycles, as well as their spatiotemporal abundance in terms of concentrations and sources, we conducted a large study focusing on three major atmospheric primary sugar compounds (i.e., arabitol, mannitol, and glucose) measured in various environmental conditions for about 5300 filter samples collected at 28 sites in France. Our results show significant atmospheric concentrations of polyols (defined here as the sum of arabitol and mannitol) and glucose at each sampling location, highlighting their ubiquity. Results also confirm that polyols and glucose are mainly associated with the coarse rather than the fine aerosol mode. At nearly all sites, atmospheric concentrations of polyols and glucose display a well-marked seasonal pattern, with maximum concentrations from late spring to early autumn, followed by an abrupt decrease in late autumn, and a minimum concentration during wintertime. Such seasonal patterns support biogenic emissions associated with higher biological metabolic activities (sporulation, growth, etc.) during warmer periods. Results from a previous comprehensive study using positive matrix factorization (PMF) based on an extended aerosol chemical composition dataset of up to 130 species for 16 of the same sample series have also been used in the present work. The polyols-to-PM PBOA ratio is 0.024±0.010 on average for all sites, with no clear distinction between traffic, urban, or rural typology. Overall, even if the exact origin of the PBOA source is still under investigation, it appears to be an important source of particulate matter (PM), especially during summertime. Results also show that PBOAs are significant sources of total organic matter (OM) in PM 10 (13±4 % on a yearly average, and up to 40 % in some environments in summer) at most of the investigated sites. The mean PBOA chemical profile is clearly dominated by contribution from OM (78±9 % of the mass of the PBOA PMF on average), and only a minor contribution from the dust class (3±4 %), suggesting that ambient polyols are most likely associated with biological particle emissions (e.g., active spore discharge) rather than soil dust resuspension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aims to present an analysis of the category "social classes" and of the notion of subject in E. P. Thompson, in the face of the critical debate between the historian, the structuralist Marxism and the economicistic Marxism. By exploring events such as the 20th Congress of the Communist Party of the URSS in 1956, May 68 in France, and the emergence of the "new" social movements, the article clarifies how Thompson emphasises the ideia of the subject that makes his own story and, in that, introduces categories such as "experience" and "class formation". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To gain insight into clinical practice regarding referral, early diagnosis and other aspects of the management of patients with dcSSc in Europe and the USA. Methods. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 84 rheumatologists (or internal medicine physicians) and 40 dermatologists in different countries (the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the USA). Physicians were asked to identify key steps in the patient pathway relating to patient presentation, diagnosis and referral, in addition to other treatment and follow-up processes. Results. The interviewed physicians reported that late presentation with dcSSc was common, with some patients presenting to primary care physicians after symptoms had persisted for up to 1 year. Awareness of dcSSc is reported to vary widely among primary care physicians. Final diagnosis, generally following guideline-based recommendations, was by rheumatologists in most cases (or internal medicine physicians in France) and they remained responsible for global patient management, with lesser involvement in diagnosis and management by dermatologists. Specialist centres were not well defined and did not exist in all countries. Conclusion. Patients and primary healthcare providers can be unaware of the symptoms of dcSSc, therefore presentation and referral to specialist care are often late. Thus, improved awareness among patients and primary care physicians is necessary to facilitate earlier referral and diagnosis. Once referred, more consistent use of the modified Rodnan skin score at diagnosis and follow-up may help to monitor disease progression. Furthermore, establishing specialist centres may help to promote such changes and improve patient care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Not only healthy growth but also childhood obesity partly originate from early life. The current work aimed to examine the association of feeding practices during infancy with growth and adiposity indices in preschool children from four European countries and in UK schoolchildren and adolescents. Existing data from four European birth cohorts (ALSPAC-UK, EDEN-France, EuroPrevall-Greece and Generation XXI-Portugal) were used. Anthropometrics and body composition indices were collected. Parallel multivariate regression analyses were performed to examine the research hypothesis. Overall, the analyses showed that breastfeeding and timing of complementary feeding were not consistently associated with height z-score, overweight/obesity, and body fat mass in children or adolescents. However, breastfeeding duration for less than 6 months was associated with lower height z-scores in 5-year-old French children (P < 0.001) but with higher height z-scores in 4-year-old UK children (P = 0.006). Furthermore, introduction of complementary foods earlier than 4 months of age was positively associated with fat mass levels in 5-year-old French children (P = 0.026).Conclusion: Early feeding practices, i.e., any breastfeeding duration and age of introduction of complementary foods, do not appear to be consistently associated with height z-score, overweight/obesity, and body fat mass in preschool children from four European countries and in UK schoolchildren and adolescents. What is known? • Healthy growth and childhood obesity partly originate from early life. What is new? • Breastfeeding duration less than 6 months was associated with lower height z-scores in 5-year-old French children, while the opposite was observed in 4-year-old British children. • Introduction of complementary foods earlier than 4 months was positively associated with fat mass levels in 5-year-old French children, but not in the other three countries. • Early feeding practices did not appear to be consistently associated with growth and adiposity indices, and as such, no clear influence can be observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Annales: Histoire, Sciences Sociales is the property of Cambridge University Press 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.)

The article presents the author's views on the works of author Ricardo Benzaquen de Araújo at the Centro de Pesquisa e Documentação de História Contemporânea do Brasil (CPDOC). Various topics discussed include his projects related to history research, his political thinking seen in his literary works and his works on French historiography.

Problematic eating behaviours during early childhood could be mediators of poor dietary habits. This study aims to prospectively relate early eating behaviours with fruit and vegetable (F&V) intake and a healthy diet variety score of children aged between 4 and 5 years. Eating behaviours were assessed in three European birth cohorts (Generation XXI from Portugal, ALSPAC from the UK and EDEN from France) at 4–6, 12–15, 24 and 48–54 months of age, based on the child’s feeding difficulties, mother’s perception of child’s poor eating (eating small quantities at each meal, not eating enough or needing to be stimulated to eat), food refusal and difficulties in the establishment of daily food routines. Daily servings of F&V (>1 v. ≤1 serving/d, except in Generation XXI: >3 v. ≤3) and the Healthy Plate Variety Score (categorised by the median score of each sample) were calculated using FFQ. Associations were tested by logistic regressions adjusted for maternal age, education, smoking during pregnancy, any breast-feeding and the child’s z-score BMI at 4–5 years of age. Children with more feeding difficulties, poor eating, food refusal/neophobia and difficulties in establishing a daily routine at 12–15, 24 and 48–54 months of age had in general lower F&V intake at 4–5 years of age. The association with vegetables was slightly stronger than with fruits. These early feeding problems were also inversely associated with the variety score at 4–5 years of age, particularly when eating behaviours were reported after 12–15 months of age. A better understanding of these early feeding difficulties may help define strategies to increase the dietary quality in children. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The rates of decomposition of oak (Quercus robur) leaves have been examined using litter bags in a very high turbidity macrotidal estuary, the Gironde Estuary (S.W. France). The first experiments show a marked decrease in the decomposition rate of oak leaves at the water-sediment interface (mud-contact: anoxic conditions, reduced physical fragmentation) in comparison to the water column. The results point out the impact of hydrodynamic conditions on leaf litter degradation in such fluvio-estuarine systems. Regarding the aquatic-terrestrial linkage, our observations suggest direct changes in leaf decomposition kinetics and then, a potential delay on the recycling and transport processes of coarse particulate organic matter, especially in a context of modification of the natural water flow, due to global and land use changes. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Understanding how urban residents rate the benefits associated with urban green spaces is crucial in developing appropriate urban green infrastructure strategies. This study explores residents’ beliefs concerning the benefits of urban green spaces and investigates whether similarities and differences can be highlighted in four different French and Portuguese urban areas (Paris, Angers, Lisbon and Porto) through a questionnaire survey ( n = 1000) based on the best–worst scaling (BWS) method. The results demonstrated that urban green space benefits are not equally valued among cities, suggesting that there is simultaneously a consensus among the most and least valued benefits across cities, as well as local variations in city residents’ beliefs about some other benefits of urban green spaces. For example, the importance of urban green spaces for personal health and well-being and to facilitate contact with nature were noted by residents of all four urban areas; consensus also exists on the little support given to two microclimatic functions of green spaces, namely, air temperature reduction and noise reduction. On the other hand, some green space benefits, such as the promotion of biodiversity or the contribution to the city image, are differentially valued among the four cities. Overall, the study stresses the importance of developing local assessments of the beliefs surrounding the benefits of urban green spaces. Recognizing these multiple beliefs and communicating clearly about the benefits offered by green spaces may help to mitigate future conflicts between residents and urban planners and managers, and thus contribute to optimizing green infrastructure planning benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the religiosity and same-sex marriage in the U.S and Europe. Topics discussed include the role of the courts in marriage equality, the same-sex marriage legislation in France, and the differences among U.S and European states by looking at attitudes about secularism and religiosity in case of same-sex marriage. Other topics include the U.S Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), and the U.S Supreme Court case Hollingsworth v. Perry.

Background: Fruit and vegetable intake in children remains below recommendations in many countries. The long-term effects of early parental feeding practices on fruit and vegetable intake are not clearly established. Objective: The purpose of the current study was to examine whether early feeding practices influence later fruit and vegetable intake in preschool children. Design: The study used data from 4 European cohorts: the British Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), the French Etude des Déterminants pre et postnatals de la santé et du développement de l'Enfant study, the Portuguese Generation XXI Birth Cohort, and the Greek EuroPrevall study. Fruit and vegetable intake was assessed in each cohort by food-frequency questionnaire. Associations between early feeding practices, such as breastfeeding and timing of complementary feeding, and fruit and/or vegetable intake in 2-4-y-old children were tested by using logistic regressions, separately in each cohort, after adjustment for infant's age and sex and maternal age, educational level, smoking during pregnancy, and maternal fruit and vegetable intake. Results: Large differences in early feeding practices were highlighted across the 4 European cohorts with longer breastfeeding duration in the Generation XXI Birth Cohort and earlier introduction to complementary foods in ALSPAC. Longer breastfeeding duration was consistently related to higher fruit and vegetable intake in young children, whereas the associations with age of introduction to fruit and vegetable intake were weaker and less consistent across the cohorts. Mothers' fruit and vegetable intake (available in 3 of the cohorts) did not substantially attenuate the relation with breastfeeding duration. Conclusion: The concordant positive association between breastfeeding duration and fruit and vegetable intake in different cultural contexts favors an independent specific effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of História da Historiografia is the property of Sociedade Brasileira de Teoria e Historia da Historiografia 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.)

We show that the observation of the Drell-Yan production of low-mass lepton-pairs ( M≲20 GeV) at high rapidities ( Y≳3) at the LHC can make a direct measurement of parton distribution functions (PDFs) in the low x region, x≲10. We describe a procedure that greatly reduces the sensitivity of the predictions to the choice of the factorization scale and, in particular, show how, by imposing a cutoff on the transverse momentum of the lepton-pair, the data are able to probe PDFs in the important low scale, low x domain. We include the effects of the Sudakov suppression factor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the study is to evaluate meat quality from Ile de France lamb fed diets supplemented with sunflower seeds and vitamin E. Thirty-two lamb weighing initially 15kg were housed in individual stalls and slaughtered when body weight reached 32kg. The treatments consisted of four experimental diets: D1) sugarcane + concentrate without sunflower seeds; D2) sugarcane + concentrate with sunflower seeds; D3) sugarcane + concentrate without sunflower seeds plus 1000mg vitamin E kg-1 diet dry matter (DM); and D4) sugarcane + concentrate with sunflower seeds and 1000mg vitamin E kg-1 diet DM. The parameters temperature, pH, color, cooking loss, shear force and water holding capacity were determined at maturation times of 0, 7 and 14 days on the Longissimus dorsi muscle. Qualitative characteristics of the meat were not affected by the sunflower seed combined with vitamin E diet; however, pH 24 hours was affected (P<0.05) by the sunflower seed combined with vitamin E diet. Cooking loss was not significantly influenced (P>0.05) by diet or maturation times. On the other hand, shear force and water holding capacity were significantly affected (P<0.05) by the treatments. The use of vitamin E resulted in lamb meat with higher water holding capacity. Maturation time influenced the parameters pH, color and shear force. Lamb meat that matured for 7 days displayed the lowest shear force. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Néphrologie & Thérapeutique 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.)

Copyright of História da Historiografia is the property of Sociedade Brasileira de Teoria e Historia da Historiografia 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.)

The predictions of Drell-Yan production of low-mass lepton pairs, at high rapidity at the LHC, are known to depend sensitively on the choice of factorization and renormalization scales. We show how this sensitivity can be greatly reduced by fixing the factorization scale of the LO contribution based on the known NLO matrix element, so that observations of this process at the LHC can make direct measurements of parton distribution functions in the low x domain; x≲10. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: An understanding of the effects of ploughing on earthworm dynamics is required for the design of organic cropping systems maximising the beneficial effects of earthworms. Earthworms are often reported to be disturbed by ploughing, which is frequently used for weed control in organic farming. In this preliminary study, we investigated the effect of ploughing on the dynamics of two common endogeic species: Aporrectodea caliginosa and Aporrectodea rosea, to test the assumption that the sensivity to ploughing is species dependant. Two field trials were set up in October 2009 and November 2010, at two locations on a haplic luvisol, located in northern France. For comparison, part of each field was left unploughed, with the rest being ploughed. Earthworms were sampled at ten dates between October 2009 and July 2010 at Vi and six dates between November 2010 and March 2011 at Fa. Seven species were found in these two fields, with more than 88% of the earthworms belonging to two endogeic species, A. caliginosa and A. rosea. Ploughing had contrasting effects on the two species. A. caliginosa was more sensitive than A. rosea to tillage. In the unploughed part of the field, in 2009, the population remained small (less than 100 individuals m−2) and it was assumed that the two species were in competition for food. In 2010, the carrying capacity was higher, and A. caliginosa abundance reached 300 individuals m−2, whereas the abundance of A. rosea remained below 90 individuals m−2. In 2009, the effect of ploughing on A. caliginosa was immediate and persisted throughout the experiment, from October 2009 to June 2010, with an 80% decrease in abundance in June 2010. In 2010, the effect was delayed, but populations decreased during the winter following ploughing, with a 60% decrease in January 2011. Concerning A. rosea, the differences between the ploughed and the unploughed treatments were lower than for A. caliginosa. Our results confirm that endogeics earthworms may adapt themselves to the disturbance caused by tillage. Our observations suggest that A. caliginosa is more sensitive to ploughing than previously reported. These preliminary findings were obtained under favourable climatic conditions. They may help to define the optimal scheduling of tillage for earthworm conservation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The building design process is composed of design processes for the building's various systems. The process for each system design should be based on requirements defined early in the programme and executed by a multidisciplinary team led by a design coordinator responsible for the coordination and integration of all processes. In Brazil, building firms tend to develop fragmented designs with little regard for the advantages of integrated design. This hinders the use of new solutions, such as innovative façade technologies, that could enhance building performance and increase the efficiency of construction and maintenance. The façade influences building performance and construction and maintenance costs. It is a system that requires a specific development method and extensive consideration during the design process. In this context, a conceptual model of a commercial building was proposed to develop integrated construction and renovation designs of building façades. This article describes the model, which was prepared based on the literature and on case studies involving construction projects in Brazil and France. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this Letter we study a novel effect of a hidden sector coupling to the standard model Higgs boson: an enhancement of the Higgs pair production cross section near threshold due to bound state effects. After summing the ladder contributions of the hidden sector to the effective coupling, we find the amplitude for gluon–gluon scattering via a Higgs loop. We relate this amplitude to the double Higgs production cross section via the optical theorem. We find that enhancements of the for the partonic cross section near the threshold region can be obtained for a hidden sector strongly coupled to the Higgs boson. The corresponding cross section at the LHC can be as large as times the SM result for extreme values of the coupling. The detection of such an effect could in principle lead to important information about the hidden sector. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]