Determinants of participation in colonoscopic screening by siblings of colorectal cancer patients in France

International audienceBACKGROUND: Targeted colonosocopic screening is recommended for first-degree relatives of colorectal cancer patients diagnosed before the age of 60 and offers the possibility of reducing morbidity and mortality, but participation remains too low. The objective of this study was to determine in a French population the factors that affect siblings' participation in screening, notably those relating to the individuals, their medical care, their family and their social network. METHODS: A cross sectional survey was conducted in siblings of index patients having undergone surgery for colorectal cancer between 1999 and 2002 in two French counties. Siblings were contacted during 2007 and 2008 through the index patient. The factors affecting participation in colonoscopic screening were studied by logistic regression taking into account family cluster effect. RESULTS: 172 siblings of 74 index cases were included. The declared rate of undergoing at least one colonoscopy among siblings was 66%; 95%CI 59-73%. Five variables were independently associated with colonoscopic screening: perceiving fewer barriers to screening (OR = 3.2; 95%CI 1.2-8.5), having received the recommendation to undergo screening from a physician (OR = 4.9; 1.7-13.7), perceiving centres practising colonoscopy as more accessible (OR = 3.2, 1.3-7.8), having discussed screening with all siblings (OR = 3.9; 1.6-9.6) and being a member of an association (OR = 2.6; 1.0-6.6). CONCLUSIONS: The factors independently associated with participation in CRC screening by an individual at increased risk belonged to each of four dimensions relating to his individual psychosocial characteristics, to his relationship with a physician, within the family and social environment. The relevance of these results to clinical practice may help to improve compliance to recommendations in a global preventive strategy including all stages of the information pathway from the physician to the index patient and his relatives

Deep execution monitor for robot assistive tasks

We consider a novel approach to high-level robot task execution for a robot assistive task. In this work we explore the problem of learning to predict the next subtask by introducing a deep model for both sequencing goals and for visually evaluating the state of a task. We show that deep learning for monitoring robot tasks execution very well supports the interconnection between task-level planning and robot operations. These solutions can also cope with the natural non-determinism of the execution monitor. We show that a deep execution monitor leverages robot performance. We measure the improvement taking into account some robot helping tasks performed at a warehouse

Quality of life in patients with hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT)

Background: There are very few studies about general quality of life parameters, standards for the description of health status and comparison with general population data on patients with Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT), a rare disease in which epistaxis is a cardinal symptom. Purpose: To assess the quality of life in a population of Spanish patients with HHT and compare it with the general population. Design and methods: Between January 1st 2005 and December 31st 2013, 187 adult patients diagnosed with HHT who were admitted to the HHT Unit of the Hospital Sierrallana, completed on their first visit, the EuroQol 5D-3L (five dimensions and three levels) quality of life descriptive test and the visual analog scale (VAS). The numerical social index value was also determined and the subjective effect of the nasal epistaxis on their quality of life was estimated classified as mild, moderate or severe. Results: Patients with HHT had greater problems than the general population in the five dimensions of the EuroQol 5D-3L, particularly considering pain/discomfort and anxiety/depression. In the VAS and the social index value, patients with HHT also scored lower than the general population, particularly older patients, males, and patients with HHT2. They also had values similar to those of populations with chronic illnesses. The subjective perception of the severity of epistaxis correlated strongly with the VAS and social index values. Conclusions: The quality of life of patients with HHT, estimated using the EuroQol 5D-3L scale, is affected across all dimensions. The scores are similar to those seen in cases of other chronic diseases. Older patients, males and the carriers of the ACVRL1 mutation generally have worse scores on these scales. The VAS and the social index value are index that correlate well with the severity of the clinical symptoms associated mainly with epistaxis

Functional significance of an unusual chela dimorphism in a marine decapod: specialization as a weapon?

The squat lobster Munida rugosa has an unusual chela dimorphism exhibited mainly by large males. Some individuals have ‘arched’ chelae in which there is a gap between the dactylus and the pollex when closed, and others have a ‘straight’ morphology in which the dactylus and pollex oppose along most of their length. Geometric morphometric analysis indicated that, compared with males, the arched morphology does not develop fully in females, so further investigation was confined to males. In males, the distal part of the chela was similar in both the forms and seemed to be adapted to hold and shred prey items. Both morphologies had a major cylindrical tooth on the inner proximal part of the dactylus, but the arched morphology had a higher and wider propodus, a greater major tooth–pollex distance and a greater force generation than the straight morphology. The findings suggest that the arched chela morphology in M. rugosa is a sexually selected trait adapted to inflict puncture wounds on opponents during agonistic interactions. The arched morphology, therefore, appears to have evolved in males by means of sexual selection because it enhanced the function of the chela as a weapon, while retaining functionality for feeding

L'implication des éleveurs de bovins-viande dans les filières de qualité correspond-elle à des conduites d'élevage spécifiques ?

National audienceWe investigated the management and marketing practices for females and products in 21 Charolais farms specializing in beef production. Oar aim was to verify the assumption that some farmers adjust their system so as to maximize the number of animals sold in the quality meat sector as against other farmers having different priorities (e.g. simplifying their management). Based on enquiries in four producer groups, we formed two samples of out of these two farmer categories. Three main results were derived from the study. 1) For the producer groups, the chief discriminating factor between the two samples is the number and proportion of animals transiting through their groups, and not the total number of animals sold by the farmers in the quality meat sector. 2) The number of animals sold in the quality meat sector does not adequately reflect the capacity of farmers to produce animals meeting the technical specifications of the sector, as a great part of the animals are marketed through other channels, in particular directly via independent butchers. 3) The farmers most implicated in the quality meat sector do not necessarily adopt specific management practices, in particular more meticulous, more individual-focused management than others. But these farmers delegate far more extensively the marketing function to the producer groups, even though this may involve lower valorisation of each individual animal. Based on these results we propose and discuss a new classification of farmers combining their practices and their implication in the quality meat sector. With 5 distinct groups of farmers, this classification is more complex than the one drawn up in oar initial assumption.Les pratiques de conduite du troupeau (femelles et produits) et de commercialisation des animaux ont été étudiées dans 21 élevages. Charolais spécialisés en production de viande bovine. Il s'agissait de tester l'hypothèse selon laquelle certains éleveurs orientent leur système de production dans l'objectif de maximiser le nombre d'animaux vendus dans les filières qualité, par rapport à d'autres pour lesquels les priorités sont différentes (simplification de la conduite). Deux échantillons d'éleveurs ont été constitués selon ces deux catégories à partir d'enquêtes auprès de 4 groupements de producteurs. Trois types de résultats ressortent de l'étude : 1) les groupements ont discriminé les deux échantillons d'abord en fonction des effectifs et de la proportion d'animaux transitant effectivement par eux, et non en fonction du nombre d'animaux vendus dans les filières qualité, 2) le nombre d'animaux vendus dans les filières qualité ne suffit pas à rendre compte de la capacité des éleveurs à produire des animaux conformes aux cahiers des charges de ces filières, une grande partie de ceux-ci pouvant être valorisés autrement (notamment via des bouchers), 3) les éleveurs les plus impliqués dans les filières qualité n'ont pas forcément adopté des pratiques spécifiques, notamment une gestion plus minutieuse, plus "à l'individu" que les autres. Par contre, ils délèguent beaucoup plus la fonction de commercialisation à la structure d'aval, quitte à une moindre valorisation de chaque animal pris individuellement. Une autre classification des éleveurs combinant à la fois les pratiques et l'implication dans les filières qualité est alors proposée et discutée, plus complexe que celle correspondant à l'hypothèse de départ (5 groupes distincts)

Transformation des pratiques techniques et flexibilité des systèmes d'élevage

National audienceLa relation entre les besoins des filières sous signe officiel de qualité et les pratiques d'élevage des producteurs impliqués dans ces filières constitue un nouvel enjeu. Les résultats présentés ici sont issus de trois types de travaux, conduits en 2000 et 2002. Le premier ensemble de résultats correspond à l'analyse de 15 cahiers des charges Label Rouge gros bovins. Les cahiers des charges les plus restrictifs sont aussi ceux qui impliquent le plus faible nombre d'animaux. Le deuxième ensemble de résultats est une analyse des pratiques de renouvellement/réforme dans 20 exploitations limousines. Trois types de stratégies ont été mis en évidence, selon le taux de renouvellement annuel moyen du troupeau. Le troisième type de résultats concerne plus particulièrement les relations entre les éleveurs et les groupements de producteurs. Les éleveurs qualifies de "gestionnaires" (vs. "opportunistes") par les groupements n'ont pas forcément des pratiques de conduite spécifiques. La notion de gestionnaires et d'opportunistes correspond à la vision de l'éleveur par rapport à ce qui relève de son métier. Les premiers délèguent volontiers la fonction de commercialisation au groupement, contrairement aux seconds. Enfin, nous nous sommes intéressés à l'AOC, dans le cadre de la production "Fin Gras du Mézenc" (Haute Loire). L'analyse des trajectoires de production de 169 génisses met en évidence une grande diversité de conduite. Cette diversité peut toutefois être interprétée comme la capacité des éleveurs à trier, sélectionner, choisir, que ce soit pour le foin, mais aussi pour les animaux orientés par la production de Fin Gras

L'implication des éleveurs de bovins-viande dans les filières de qualité correspond-elle à des conduites d'élevage spécifiques ?

National audienceWe investigated the management and marketing practices for females and products in 21 Charolais farms specializing in beef production. Oar aim was to verify the assumption that some farmers adjust their system so as to maximize the number of animals sold in the quality meat sector as against other farmers having different priorities (e.g. simplifying their management). Based on enquiries in four producer groups, we formed two samples of out of these two farmer categories. Three main results were derived from the study. 1) For the producer groups, the chief discriminating factor between the two samples is the number and proportion of animals transiting through their groups, and not the total number of animals sold by the farmers in the quality meat sector. 2) The number of animals sold in the quality meat sector does not adequately reflect the capacity of farmers to produce animals meeting the technical specifications of the sector, as a great part of the animals are marketed through other channels, in particular directly via independent butchers. 3) The farmers most implicated in the quality meat sector do not necessarily adopt specific management practices, in particular more meticulous, more individual-focused management than others. But these farmers delegate far more extensively the marketing function to the producer groups, even though this may involve lower valorisation of each individual animal. Based on these results we propose and discuss a new classification of farmers combining their practices and their implication in the quality meat sector. With 5 distinct groups of farmers, this classification is more complex than the one drawn up in oar initial assumption.Les pratiques de conduite du troupeau (femelles et produits) et de commercialisation des animaux ont été étudiées dans 21 élevages. Charolais spécialisés en production de viande bovine. Il s'agissait de tester l'hypothèse selon laquelle certains éleveurs orientent leur système de production dans l'objectif de maximiser le nombre d'animaux vendus dans les filières qualité, par rapport à d'autres pour lesquels les priorités sont différentes (simplification de la conduite). Deux échantillons d'éleveurs ont été constitués selon ces deux catégories à partir d'enquêtes auprès de 4 groupements de producteurs. Trois types de résultats ressortent de l'étude : 1) les groupements ont discriminé les deux échantillons d'abord en fonction des effectifs et de la proportion d'animaux transitant effectivement par eux, et non en fonction du nombre d'animaux vendus dans les filières qualité, 2) le nombre d'animaux vendus dans les filières qualité ne suffit pas à rendre compte de la capacité des éleveurs à produire des animaux conformes aux cahiers des charges de ces filières, une grande partie de ceux-ci pouvant être valorisés autrement (notamment via des bouchers), 3) les éleveurs les plus impliqués dans les filières qualité n'ont pas forcément adopté des pratiques spécifiques, notamment une gestion plus minutieuse, plus "à l'individu" que les autres. Par contre, ils délèguent beaucoup plus la fonction de commercialisation à la structure d'aval, quitte à une moindre valorisation de chaque animal pris individuellement. Une autre classification des éleveurs combinant à la fois les pratiques et l'implication dans les filières qualité est alors proposée et discutée, plus complexe que celle correspondant à l'hypothèse de départ (5 groupes distincts)