«Reserve de service» et performance des entreprises: Réflexion sur les mutations dans les services à l’ère des nouvelles technologies de l’information et de la communication

Cet article s’inscrit dans une perspective de gestion stratégique de l’offre de service des entreprises. Sans relativiser la qualité du service comme déterminant de la performance, il montre qu’il faut intégrer la qualité des services dans sa relation avec la rentabilité de l’offre et met ainsi en perspective le concept de réserve de service. Ce concept est basé sur l’anticipation des solutions aux besoins et réclamations des clients, mais l’opérationnalité ne se déclenche qu’au moment où le client en a besoin. Ce qui règle le problème des couts liés à l’opportunisme des clients et en fait un réservoir de rentabilité pour l’entreprise

The assessment of risk factors, lipid profile, uric acid and alanine aminotransferase in Helicobacter pylori-positive subjects

Background: Helicobacter pylori infection is associated with gastro duodenal ulcer, chronic gastric, MALT lymphoma and gastric cancer but also to coronary heart diseases, ischemic diseases and metabolic diseases like diabetes. The colonization of the stomach by H. pylori causes persistent inflammation of the stomach wall which can influence some biochemical parameters in the patient. The aim of this study was to investigate risk factors, uric acid and alanine aminotransferase along with lipid parameters in H. pylori-positive and -negative patients at Dschang District Hospital in Cameroon.Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out on 160 consenting patients of average age 53.91±13.36 years attending the hospital for medical check-up or admitted in the hospital. The determination of anti-H. pylori IgG by the indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique, enabled us to distinguish two groups of patients. A questionnaire survey was administered to study participants and potential risk factors for H. pylori exposure sought. Measurements of total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, uric acid and activity of alanine aminotransferase were carried out in serum by methods resulting from commercial kits.Results: The habits of not washing hands after the toilets (OR = 3.33; p = 0.036) and giving of chewed food by the parents to children (OR = 2.26; p = 0.029) were independent risk factors of H. pylori infection. H. pylori infected patients had increased levels of uric acid (p = 0.017), total cholesterol (p = 0.001), LDL-cholesterol (p = 0.021) and total cholesterol/HDL-cholesterol ratio (p = 0.046) compared to the uninfected group.Conclusions: Our study therefore suggests that H. pylori infection can cause modifications of lipid parameters and uremia that are considered as risk factors for cardiovascular diseases and gout.

Le secteur informel en Afrique : dynamiques organisationnelles des acteurs dans les marchés de proximité, une étude de quelques cas de marché dans la ville de Douala au Cameroun.

Cet article décrit à partir d’une observation de cinq cas de marchés de proximité en Afrique, comment se forment et se pérennisent les organisations dites informelles. Il apparait que dans les marchés de proximité, il existe une réalité de l’ordre fonctionnel au-delà de l’ordre administratif qui contraste avec le désordre organisationnel apparent. De même, certains facteurs autres que la rentabilité ou le confort d’une situation de travail déterminent la stabilité et la robustesse d’une organisation dite informelle. Enfin, le processus de formation et la coordination qui se situent au carrefour du formel et de l’informel sont en effet garants de la dynamique stabilisatrice dans le fonctionnement de ces marchés

Pig-farming systems and porcine cysticercosis in the north of Cameroon

A survey was conducted in 150 households owning 1756 pigs in the rural areas of Mayo-Danay division in the north of Cameroon. A questionnaire survey was carried out to collect information on the pig-farming system and to identify potential risk factors for Taenia solium cysticercosis infection in pigs. Blood samples were collected from 398 pigs with the aim of estimating the seroprevalence of T. solium cysticercosis. The results showed that 90.7% of the pigs are free roaming during the dry season and that 42.7% of households keeping pigs in the rural areas have no latrine facility. Seventy-six per cent of the interviewed pig owners confirmed that members of the household used open-field defecation. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for antigen and antibody detection showed an apparent prevalence of cysticercosis of 24.6% and 32.2%, respectively. A Bayesian approach, using the conditional dependence between the two diagnostic tests, indicated that the true seroprevalence of cysticercosis in Mayo-Danay was 26.6%. Binary logistic regression analysis indicated that a lack of knowledge of the taeniasis–cysticercosis complex and the absence of a pig pen in the household were associated with pig cysticercosis