Déterminants de la qualité du système d'information comptable dans les PME d'une entité décentralisée : Cas de la cité de Mbanza-Ngungu de 2013-2014

This article tries to identify factors that determine the quality of the accountancy system in Small and Medium sized (SMS) of Mbanza-Ngungu. It also analyzes the structural and behavioral contingency factors likely to influence this system. To achieve this goal, an investigation was carried out on a sample of 50 SMS. The results obtained show that structural contingency factors influence the use of the accountancy system more than behavioral contingency factors

OncoLog Volume 43, Number 08, August 1998

Non-Hodgkin\u27s lymphoma therapy innovations improve patient response Tamoxifen helps women escape breast cancer\u27s shadow Careful inspection, early detection important in controlling oral cancer Protocols: Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Protocols Feature Chemotherapy, Radiotherapy, and Monoclonal Antibodies House Call: Americans’ Appetite for Alternative Medicine: Is It a Safe Diet? DiaLog: Comprehensive in More Ways than One, by Stephen P. Tomosovic, PhD, Associate Vice President for Educational Programshttps://openworks.mdanderson.org/oncolog/1065/thumbnail.jp

Results from a 13-Year Prospective Cohort Study Show Increased Mortality Associated with Bloodstream Infections Caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa Compared to Other Bacteria

ABSTRACT The impact of bacterial species on outcome in bloodstream infections (BSI) is incompletely understood. We evaluated the impact of bacterial species on BSI mortality, with adjustment for patient, bacterial, and treatment factors. From 2002 to 2015, all adult inpatients with monomicrobial BSI caused by Staphylococcus aureus or Gram-negative bacteria at Duke University Medical Center were prospectively enrolled. Kaplan-Meier curves and multivariable Cox regression with propensity score models were used to examine species-specific bacterial BSI mortality. Of the 2,659 enrolled patients, 999 (38%) were infected with S. aureus , and 1,660 (62%) were infected with Gram-negative bacteria. Among patients with Gram-negative BSI, Enterobacteriaceae (81% [1,343/1,660]) were most commonly isolated, followed by non-lactose-fermenting Gram-negative bacteria (16% [262/1,660]). Of the 999 S. aureus BSI isolates, 507 (51%) were methicillin resistant. Of the 1,660 Gram-negative BSI isolates, 500 (30%) were multidrug resistant. The unadjusted time-to-mortality among patients with Gram-negative BSI was shorter than that of patients with S. aureus BSI ( P = 0.003), due to increased mortality in patients with non-lactose-fermenting Gram-negative BSI generally ( P < 0.0001) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa BSI ( n = 158) in particular ( P < 0.0001). After adjustment for patient demographics, medical comorbidities, bacterial antibiotic resistance, timing of appropriate antibiotic therapy, and source control in patients with line-associated BSI, P. aeruginosa BSI remained significantly associated with increased mortality (hazard ratio = 1.435; 95% confidence interval = 1.043 to 1.933; P = 0.02). P. aeruginosa BSI was associated with increased mortality relative to S. aureus or other Gram-negative BSI. This effect persisted after adjustment for patient, bacterial, and treatment factors

Prevalence of asthma and asthma action plans in South Australia: population surveys from 1990 to 2001

The document attached has been archived with permission from the editor of the Medical Journal of Australia. An external link to the publisher’s copy is included.OBJECTIVES: To assess trends in the prevalence of self-reported doctor-diagnosed asthma, associated asthma related morbidity, and the uptake of written asthma action plans in South Australia, 1990–2001. DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Surveys by telephone interview of the South Australian population between 1990 and 2001, and interview of participants in their own homes by trained health interviewers. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Asthma prevalence, percentage of patients with written action plans, and asthma associated morbidity. RESULTS: The reported prevalence of doctor-diagnosed asthma has increased from 8% (95% CI, 6.4%–9.6%) in 1990 to 12.8% (95% CI, 11.4%–14.2%) in 2001. Morbidity, as measured by wakening at night (daily or weekly) and days lost from normal activities because of asthma, has remained constant over the decade. The percentage of patients with written asthma action plans increased to a peak of 42.3% (95% CI, 40.3%–44.3%) in 1995, but then declined to 22.2% (95% CI, 20.7%–23.7%) in 2001. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of asthma has increased while morbidity has remained constant, indicating that the burden of asthma has increased. The associated decline in the percentage of patients with asthma action plans in recent years is cause for concern.David H Wilson, Robert J Adams, Sarah L Appleton, Graeme Hugo, David Wilkinson, Janet Hiller, Philip Ryan, Julianne Cheek and Richard E Ruffi

Cellular inhibitor of apoptosis-2 is a critical regulator of apoptosis in airway epithelial cells treated with asthma-related inflammatory cytokines

Aberrant apoptosis of airway epithelial cells (AECs) is a disease contributing feature in the airways of asthmatics. The proinflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) and interferon γ (IFNγ) are increased in asthma and have been shown to contribute to apoptosis at the airways. In the present study, we investigated the role of the inhibitor of apoptosis protein (IAP) family in primary AECs exposed to TNFα and IFNγ. IAPs are potent regulators of caspase activity elicited by the intrinsic and extrinsic apoptosis pathways. However, while caspase‐mediated apoptosis was observed in AECs exposed to doxorubicin, it was not observed after cytokine treatment. Instead, AECs exhibited proapoptotic changes evidenced by an increased Bax:Bcl2 transcript ratio and partial processing of procaspase‐3. Examination by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT‐PCR) and Western analysis showed that proapoptotic changes were associated with a time‐ and dose‐dependent induction of cellular IAP‐2 (cIAP2), potentiated primarily by IFNγ. The abundance of the IAP antagonists X‐linked IAP‐associated factor 1 (XAF1) and second mitochondria‐derived activator of caspases did not change, although a moderate nuclear redistribution was observed for XAF1, which was also observed for cIAP2. Small interfering RNA (siRNA)‐mediated depletion of cIAP2 from AECs leads to caspase‐3 activation and poly (ADP‐ribose) polymerase cleavage, but this required extended cytokine exposure to produce a concomitant decrease in cIAP1 and Bcl2. These results indicate that AECs possess endogenous mechanisms making them highly resistant to apoptosis due to asthma‐related inflammatory cytokines, and the activity of cIAP2 plays an important role in this protection.Eugene Roscioli, Rhys Hamon, Richard E. Ruffin, Susan Lester, and Peter Zalewsk

Cavity-Enhanced Photon Emission from a Single Germanium-Vacancy Center in a Diamond Membrane

The nitrogen-vacancy center in diamond has been explored extensively as a light-matter interface for quantum information applications, however it is limited by low coherent photon emission and spectral instability. Here, we present a promising interface based on an alternate defect with superior optical properties (the germanium-vacancy) coupled to a finesse $\approx11{,}000$ fiber cavity, resulting in a $31^{+11}_{-15}$-fold increase in the spectral density of emission. This work sets the stage for cryogenic experiments, where we predict a measurable increase in the spontaneous emission rate.Comment: 7 pages, 6 figure

Using Biomarkers to Inform Cumulative Risk Assessment

BACKGROUND: Biomarkers are considered the method of choice for determining exposure to environmental contaminants and relating such exposures to health outcomes. However, the association between many biomarkers and outcome is not direct because of variability in sensitivity and susceptibility in the individual. OBJECTIVES: We explore the relationship between environmental exposures and health outcomes as mitigated by differential susceptibility in individuals or populations and address the question “Can biomarkers enable us to understand and quantify better the population burden of disease and health effects attributable to environmental exposures?” METHODS: We use a case–study approach to develop the thesis that biomarkers offer a pathway to disaggregation of health effects into specific, if multiple, risk factors. We offer the point of view that a series or array of biomarkers, including biomarkers of exposure, biomarkers of susceptibility, and biomarkers of effect, used in concert offer the best means by which to effect this disaggregation. We commence our discussion by developing the characteristics of an ideal biomarker, then give some examples of commonly used biomarkers to show the strengths and weaknesses of current usage. We follow this by more detailed case-study assessment outlining the state-of-the-science in specific cases. We complete our work with recommendations regarding the future use of biomarkers and areas for continued development. CONCLUSIONS: The case studies provide examples of when and how biomarkers can be used to infer the source and magnitude of exposure among a set of competing sources and pathways. The answer to this question is chemical specific and relates to how well the biomarker matches the characteristics of an “ideal” biomarker–in particular ease of collection and persistence. The use of biomarkers in combination provides a better opportunity to disaggregate both source and pathway contributions

Pasireotide versus octreotide in acromegaly: A head-to-head superiority study

Context: Biochemical control reduces morbidity and increases life expectancy in patients with acromegaly. With current medical therapies, including the gold standard octreotide long-acting-release (LAR), many patients do not achieve biochemical control. Objective: Our objective was to demonstrate the superiority of pasireotide LAR over octreotide LAR in medically naive patients with acromegaly. Design and Setting: We conducted a prospective, randomized, double-blind study at 84 sites in 27 countries. Patients: A total of 358 patients with medically naive acromegaly (GH > 5 mu g/L or GH nadir >= 1 mu g/L after an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and IGF-1 above the upper limit of normal) were enrolled. Patients either had previous pituitary surgery but no medical treatment or were de novo with a visible pituitary adenoma on magnetic resonance imaging. Interventions: Patients received pasireotide LAR 40 mg/28 days (n = 176) or octreotide LAR 20 mg/28 days (n = 182) for 12 months. At months 3 and 7, titration to pasireotide LAR 60 mg or octreotide LAR 30 mg was permitted, but not mandatory, if GH >= 2.5 mu g/L and/or IGF-1 was above the upper limit of normal. Main Outcome Measure: The main outcome measure was the proportion of patients in each treatment arm with biochemical control (GH <2.5 mu g/L and normal IGF-1) at month 12. Results: Biochemical control was achieved by significantly more pasireotide LAR patients than octreotide LAR patients (31.3% vs 19.2%; P = .007; 35.8% vs 20.9% when including patients with IGF-1 below the lower normal limit). In pasireotide LAR and octreotide LAR patients, respectively, 38.6% and 23.6% (P = .002) achieved normal IGF-1, and 48.3% and 51.6% achieved GH <2.5 mu g/L. 31.0% of pasireotide LAR and 22.2% of octreotide LAR patients who did not achieve biochemical control did not receive the recommended dose increase. Hyperglycemia-related adverse events were more common with pasireotide LAR (57.3% vs 21.7%). Conclusions: Pasireotide LAR demonstrated superior efficacy over octreotide LAR and is a viable new treatment option for acromegaly

Association of MC1R Variants and host phenotypes with melanoma risk in CDKN2A mutation carriers: a GenoMEL study

&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Background&lt;/b&gt; Carrying the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2A (CDKN2A) germline mutations is associated with a high risk for melanoma. Penetrance of CDKN2A mutations is modified by pigmentation characteristics, nevus phenotypes, and some variants of the melanocortin-1 receptor gene (MC1R), which is known to have a role in the pigmentation process. However, investigation of the associations of both MC1R variants and host phenotypes with melanoma risk has been limited.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Methods&lt;/b&gt; We included 815 CDKN2A mutation carriers (473 affected, and 342 unaffected, with melanoma) from 186 families from 15 centers in Europe, North America, and Australia who participated in the Melanoma Genetics Consortium. In this family-based study, we assessed the associations of the four most frequent MC1R variants (V60L, V92M, R151C, and R160W) and the number of variants (1, &#8805;2 variants), alone or jointly with the host phenotypes (hair color, propensity to sunburn, and number of nevi), with melanoma risk in CDKN2A mutation carriers. These associations were estimated and tested using generalized estimating equations. All statistical tests were two-sided.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Results&lt;/b&gt; Carrying any one of the four most frequent MC1R variants (V60L, V92M, R151C, R160W) in CDKN2A mutation carriers was associated with a statistically significantly increased risk for melanoma across all continents (1.24 × 10−6 &#8804; P &#8804; .0007). A consistent pattern of increase in melanoma risk was also associated with increase in number of MC1R variants. The risk of melanoma associated with at least two MC1R variants was 2.6-fold higher than the risk associated with only one variant (odds ratio = 5.83 [95% confidence interval = 3.60 to 9.46] vs 2.25 [95% confidence interval = 1.44 to 3.52]; Ptrend = 1.86 × 10−8). The joint analysis of MC1R variants and host phenotypes showed statistically significant associations of melanoma risk, together with MC1R variants (.0001 &#8804; P &#8804; .04), hair color (.006 &#8804; P &#8804; .06), and number of nevi (6.9 × 10−6 &#8804; P &#8804; .02).&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Conclusion&lt;/b&gt; Results show that MC1R variants, hair color, and number of nevi were jointly associated with melanoma risk in CDKN2A mutation carriers. This joint association may have important consequences for risk assessments in familial settings.&lt;/p&gt

Open science in psychophysiology: An overview of challenges and emerging solutions

The present review is the result of a one-day workshop on open science, held at the Annual Meeting of the Society for Psychophysiological Research in Washington, DC, September 2019. The contributors represent psychophysiological researchers at different career stages and from a wide spectrum of institutions. The state of open science in psychophysiology is discussed from different perspectives, highlighting key challenges, potential benefits, and emerging solutions that are intended to facilitate open science practices. Three domains are emphasized: data sharing, preregistration, and multi-site studies. In the context of these broader domains, we present potential implementations of specific open science procedures such as data format harmonization, power analysis, data, presentation code and analysis pipeline sharing, suitable for psychophysiological research. Practical steps are discussed that may be taken to facilitate the adoption of open science practices in psychophysiology. These steps include (1) promoting broad and accessible training in the skills needed to implement open science practices, such as collaborative research and computational reproducibility initiatives, (2) establishing mechanisms that provide practical assistance in sharing of processing pipelines, presentation code, and data in an efficient way, and (3) improving the incentive structure for open science approaches. Throughout the manuscript, we provide references and links to available resources for those interested in adopting open science practices in their research. © 2021This work was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health R01MH097320 and R01 MH112558 to AK