La végétation des mares temporaires au Sénégal oriental

La végétation de quelques dépressions temporairement inondées par des eaux pluviales, sur les plateaux mal drainés du Sénégal oriental, dont le sol présente un horizon ferrallitique concrétionné imperméable, est analysée selon la méthode phytosociologique de BRAUN-BLANQUET. Une association aquatique à #Dopatrium senegalense (tabl. 1) occupe les eaux libres à fond rocheux. Les mares sont envahies par les hélophytes de l'association à #Oryza brachyantha (tabl. 2 : relevés 1-3) et par ceux de l'association à #Echinochloa callopus (tabl. 2 : relevés 4-9). Les sols gravillonnaires inondés peu de temps portent une association à #Cyperus pulchellus et #Bacopa hamiltoniana (tabl. 3 : relevés 1-6); #Parahyparrhenia annua et #Rhytachne triaristata croissent en peuplements denses, considérés comme des faciès particuliers de cette association (tabl. 3 : relevés 7-10). La ceinture de végétation la plus externe est souvent dominée par #Andropogon pseudapricus (tabl. 3 : relevé 11). L'analyse chorologique des tableaux relevés met en évidence le caractère essentiellement soudanien de cette végétation aquatique et palustre. (Résumé d'auteur

The difference in mental well-being between self-employed and employees

With this article we hope to break open a deeper discussion about the differences between self-employed and employees. We answer our research question: Is there a difference in the mental well-being of self-employed and employees? Are the predictors of mental wellbeing on self-employees’ and employees the same? In order to provide an answer, we use the Effort-Rewards Imbalance (ERI) model as a theoretical framework to understand how the quality of work is associated with mental wellbeing in self-employed people and employees. As a dataset we use The European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS). Within this dataset we reconstructed the ERI scale and tested our hypotheses using a hierarchical linear regression. Our results show that self-employed people report better mental well-being when compared to employees. Moreover, our results suggest that the predictors of self-employees’ mental well-being are different from the predictors of employees’ mental well-being. Rewards, such as empowerment, career advancement, social support from colleagues and satisfaction with wage, are positively related with employees’ mental well-being. The self-employed have only empowerment, social support and wage satisfaction associated with mental well-being. Efforts like work pace, interruptions, ergonomic risks and emotional strain are negatively related with employees’ mental well-being. None of them appear to be detrimental for self-employees’ mental well-being. In fact, interruptions even seem to be positively associated with self-employees’ mental well-being. Our results also indicate that the self-employment status interacts with an effortreward imbalance (an imbalance means higher efforts than rewards at work) in the prediction of participants’ self-reported mental well-being.Com este artigo, esperamos quebrar abrir uma discussão mais aprofundada sobre as diferenças entre trabalhadores independentes e trabalhadores. Nós responder a nossa questão de pesquisa: Existe uma diferença no bem-estar mental dos trabalhadores independentes e? São os preditores de bem-estar mental na auto-empregados e empregados do mesmo? A fim de dar uma resposta, usamos o modelo Esforço-Rewards Desequilíbrio (ERI) como referencial teórico para entender como a qualidade do trabalho está associado ao bemestar mental em pessoas auto-empregadas e empregados. Como um conjunto de dados que usamos O Inquérito Europeu sobre as Condições de Trabalho (EWCS). Dentro deste conjunto de dados reconstruímos a escala ERI e testado nossas hipóteses usando uma regressão linear hierárquica. Nossos resultados mostram que os trabalhadores independentes relatam uma melhor bem-estar mental quando comparados aos trabalhadores. Além disso, nossos resultados sugerem que os preditores de auto-empregados de bem-estar mental são diferentes dos preditores de funcionários de bem-estar mental. Enquanto recompensas, como a emancipação, a progressão na carreira, o apoio social dos colegas e satisfação com o salário, estão positivamente relacionados com o bem-estar mental dos empregados, para a auto-funcionários só capacitação, apoio social e de satisfação dos salários parecem estar associados com o bem-estar mental, ser. Além disso, esforços como ritmo de trabalho, interrupções, riscos ergonômicos e tensão emocional está negativamente relacionado com os funcionários 'bem-estar mental, nenhum deles parece ser prejudicial para a auto-empregados de bem-estar mental. Na verdade, as interrupções mesmo parecem estar associados positivamente com o bem-estar mental dos auto-empregados. Nossos resultados também indicam que o estado auto-emprego interage com o esforço-recompensa desequilíbrio (perceber a existência de esforços mais elevados do que recompensas no trabalho) na predição de auto-relato bem-estar mental dos participantes. Observou-se que as recompensas que anularia o efeito negativo dos esforços para trabalhadores independentes

Local Councillors and Citizens. An exploratory study of the interaction between councillors and citizens in 4 municipalities in the Meuse-Rhine Euregion

The aim of this study is to look into into role behaviour of local councillors and their relation with citizens in their municipality. As little is known about the actual interaction between councillors and citizens in local government the nature of the study is mainly explorative. The research focuses on councillors in 4 different municipalities in the 3 countries of the Meuse-Rhine Euregion: Valkenburg (Netherlands), Riemst (Belgium-Flanders), Visé (Belgium-Wallonia) and Übach-Palenberg (Germany). The study reveals that there are many similarities between the councillors in the different countries. All councillors receive input from citizens, always about specific and often even individual issues of citizens, and surprisingly they leave the initiative mostly to the citizens, instead of actively looking for input. We also found significant differences. We noticed different patterns of contacts between citizens and councillors in the municipalities and it seems that input by citizens is valued differently on the different sides of the border. Several questions for further research were identified.

Controlled non uniform random generation of decomposable structures

Consider a class of decomposable combinatorial structures, using different types of atoms \Atoms = \{\At_1,\ldots ,\At_{|{\Atoms}|}\}. We address the random generation of such structures with respect to a size $n$ and a targeted distribution in $k$ of its \emph{distinguished} atoms. We consider two variations on this problem. In the first alternative, the targeted distribution is given by $k$ real numbers \TargFreq_1, \ldots, \TargFreq_k such that 0 < \TargFreq_i < 1 for all $i$ and \TargFreq_1+\cdots+\TargFreq_k \leq 1. We aim to generate random structures among the whole set of structures of a given size $n$, in such a way that the {\em expected} frequency of any distinguished atom \At_i equals \TargFreq_i. We address this problem by weighting the atoms with a $k$-tuple \Weights of real-valued weights, inducing a weighted distribution over the set of structures of size $n$. We first adapt the classical recursive random generation scheme into an algorithm taking \bigO{n^{1+o(1)}+mn\log{n}} arithmetic operations to draw $m$ structures from the \Weights-weighted distribution. Secondly, we address the analytical computation of weights such that the targeted frequencies are achieved asymptotically, i. e. for large values of $n$. We derive systems of functional equations whose resolution gives an explicit relationship between \Weights and \TargFreq_1, \ldots, \TargFreq_k. Lastly, we give an algorithm in \bigO{k n^4} for the inverse problem, {\it i.e.} computing the frequencies associated with a given $k$-tuple \Weights of weights, and an optimized version in \bigO{k n^2} in the case of context-free languages. This allows for a heuristic resolution of the weights/frequencies relationship suitable for complex specifications. In the second alternative, the targeted distribution is given by a $k$ natural numbers $n_1, \ldots, n_k$ such that $n_1+\cdots+n_k+r=n$ where $r \geq 0$ is the number of undistinguished atoms. The structures must be generated uniformly among the set of structures of size $n$ that contain {\em exactly} $n_i$ atoms \At_i ($1 \leq i \leq k$). We give a \bigO{r^2\prod_{i=1}^k n_i^2 +m n k \log n} algorithm for generating $m$ structures, which simplifies into a \bigO{r\prod_{i=1}^k n_i +m n} for regular specifications

Mavrilimumab, a fully human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor receptor α monoclonal antibody: long-term safety and efficacy in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Objective: Mavrilimumab, a human monoclonal antibody, targets granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor receptor alpha. We report mavrilimumab long-term safety and efficacy in rheumatoid arthritis patients in two phase IIb studies (1071, 1107) and open-label extension (OLE; NCT01712399). Methods: In 1071, patients with disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD)-inadequate responses received mavrilimumab 30, 100, 150 mg, or placebo every other week (eow), plus methotrexate. In 1107, patients with anti-tumor necrosis factor agent- and/or DMARD-inadequate responses received mavrilimumab 100 mg eow or golimumab 50 mg every 4 weeks, plus methotrexate. Patients entering the OLE received mavrilimumab 100 mg eow plus methotrexate. Mavrilimumab long-term safety and efficacy were assessed. Results: In total, 442 patients received mavrilimumab (14/245 patients from 1071, 9/70 from 1107, 52/397 from OLE discontinued mavrilimumab treatment throughout the studies). The cumulative safety exposure was 899 patient-years (PY); the median duration of mavrilimumab treatment was 2.5 (range 0.1–3.3) years. Most common treatment-emergent adverse events were nasopharyngitis (n=69, 7.68/100 PY), bronchitis (n=51, 5.68/100 PY). At Weeks 74/104: 3.5%/6.2% patients showed reduction in forced expiratory volume in 1 second; 2.9%/3.4% patients showed reduction in forced vital capacity, respectively (&gt;20% reduction from baseline to &lt;80% predicted). Most pulmonary changes were transient and only infrequently associated with adverse events. Mavrilimumab 100 mg eow demonstrated sustained efficacy; 65.0% and 40.6% patients achieved Disease Activity Score 28–C-reactive protein &lt;3.2 and &lt;2.6, respectively at Week 122. Conclusion: Mavrilimumab long-term treatment maintained response and was well-tolerated with no TEAE incidence increase. Safety data were comparable with both phase IIb qualifying studies

Elective nodal radiotherapy in prostate cancer

In patients with prostate cancer who have a high risk of pelvic nodal disease, the use of elective whole pelvis radiotherapy is still controversial. Two large, randomised, controlled trials (RTOG 9413 and GETUG-01) did not show a benefit of elective whole pelvis radiotherapy over prostate-only radiotherapy. In 2020, the POP-RT trial established the role of elective whole pelvis radiotherapy in patients who have more than a 35% risk of lymph node invasion (known as the Roach formula). POP-RT stressed the importance of patient selection. In patients with cN1 (clinically node positive) disease or pN1 (pathologically node positive) disease, the addition of whole pelvis radiotherapy to androgen deprivation therapy significantly improved survival compared with androgen deprivation therapy alone, as shown in large, retrospective studies. This patient population might increase in the future because use of the more sensitive prostate-specific membrane antigen PET-CT will become the standard staging procedure. Additionally, the SPORTT trial suggested a benefit of whole pelvis radiotherapy in biochemical recurrence-free survival in the salvage setting. A correct definition of the upper field border, which should include the bifurcation of the abdominal aorta, is key in the use of pelvic radiotherapy. As a result of using modern radiotherapy technology, severe late urinary and intestinal toxic effects are rare and do not seem to increase compared with prostate-only radiotherapy

Oligorecurrent nodal prostate cancer: radiotherapy quality assurance of the randomized PEACE V-STORM phase II trial.

PURPOSE Aim of this study is to report the results of the radiotherapy quality assurance program of the PEACE V-STORM randomized phase II trial for pelvic nodal oligorecurrent prostate cancer (PCa). MATERIAL AND METHODS A benchmark case (BC) consisting of a postoperative case with 2 nodal recurrences was used for both stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT, 30 Gy/3 fx) and whole pelvic radiotherapy (WPRT, 45 Gy/25 fx + SIB boost to 65 Gy). RESULTS BC of 24 centers were analyzed. The overall grading for delineation variation of the 1st BC was rated as 'UV' (Unacceptable Variation) or 'AV' (Acceptable Variation) for 1 and 7 centers for SBRT (33%), and 3 and 8 centers for WPRT (46%), respectively. An inadequate upper limit of the WPRT CTV (n=2), a missing delineation of the prostate bed (n=1), and a missing nodal target volume (n=1 for SBRT and WPRT) constituted the observed 'UV'. With the 2nd BC (n=11), the overall delineation review showed 2 and 8 'AV' for SBRT and WPRT, respectively, with no 'UV'. For the plan review of the 2nd BC, all treatment plans were per protocol for WPRT. SBRT plans showed variability in dose normalization (Median D90% = 30.1 Gy, range 22.9-33.2Gy and 30.6 Gy, range 26.8-34.2Gy for nodes 1 and 2 respectively). CONCLUSIONS Up to 46% of protocol deviations were observed in delineation of WPRT for nodal oligorecurrent PCa, while dosimetric results of SBRT showed the greatest disparities between centers. Repeated BC resulted in an improved adherence to the protocol, translating in an overall acceptable contouring and planning compliance rate among participating centers

Evidence for Composite Cost Functions in Arm Movement Planning: An Inverse Optimal Control Approach

An important issue in motor control is understanding the basic principles underlying the accomplishment of natural movements. According to optimal control theory, the problem can be stated in these terms: what cost function do we optimize to coordinate the many more degrees of freedom than necessary to fulfill a specific motor goal? This question has not received a final answer yet, since what is optimized partly depends on the requirements of the task. Many cost functions were proposed in the past, and most of them were found to be in agreement with experimental data. Therefore, the actual principles on which the brain relies to achieve a certain motor behavior are still unclear. Existing results might suggest that movements are not the results of the minimization of single but rather of composite cost functions. In order to better clarify this last point, we consider an innovative experimental paradigm characterized by arm reaching with target redundancy. Within this framework, we make use of an inverse optimal control technique to automatically infer the (combination of) optimality criteria that best fit the experimental data. Results show that the subjects exhibited a consistent behavior during each experimental condition, even though the target point was not prescribed in advance. Inverse and direct optimal control together reveal that the average arm trajectories were best replicated when optimizing the combination of two cost functions, nominally a mix between the absolute work of torques and the integrated squared joint acceleration. Our results thus support the cost combination hypothesis and demonstrate that the recorded movements were closely linked to the combination of two complementary functions related to mechanical energy expenditure and joint-level smoothness