Identification concept and the use of probabilities in forensic odontology--an approach by philosophical discussion.

This paper questions the practitioners' deterministic approach(es) in forensic identification and notes the limits of their conclusions in order to encourage a discussion to question current practices. With this end in view, a hypothetical discussion between an expert in dentistry and an enthusiastic member of a jury, eager to understand the scientific principles of evidence interpretation, is presented. This discussion will lead us to regard any argument aiming at identification as probabilistic.

Approche multidisciptinaire des coûts humains des lombalgies [Human cost of low back pain: a multi-disciplinary approach]

The valuation of human costs is a necessity, but this task poses many problems of method. A team made of a philosopher, a psychologist and a physician has been working with economist researchers in order to look into the meaning that the preferences announced at the time of the inquiries on human costs by QALY methods could assume. These methods are often used to obtain a valuation of the impact of a health attack on people's quality of life. The methods--in the frame of the argument assumed by the economic theory on well-being--hypothesize that people's choices depend mainly on cognitive work. The qualitative interviews show that the psychological construction process for the announced preferences largely overlap this frame. In this paper the authors hastily tackle the factors which have an effect on the preferences. They conclude that the QALY methods don't seem to be able to assess the quality of life nori to valuate the damage that the quality of life could include.

Population pharmacokinetics of imatinib in CML and GIST patients under long-term treatment

Imatinib (Glivec®) has transformed the treatment and short-term prognosis of chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) and gastro-intestinal stromal tumour (GIST). However, the treatment must be taken indefinitely, it is not devoid of inconvenience and toxicity. Moreover, resistance or escape from disease control occur in a significant number of patients. Imatinib is a substrate of the cytochromes P450 CYP3A4/5 and of the multidrug transporter P glycoprotein (product of the MDR1 gene). Considering the large inter-individual differences in the expression and function of those systems, the disposition and clinical activity of imatinib can be expected to vary widely among patients, calling for dosage individualisation. The aim of this exploratory study was to determine the average pharmacokinetic parameters characterizing the disposition of imatinib in the target population, to assess their inter-individual variability, and to identify influential factors affecting them. A total of 321 plasma concentrations, taken at various sampling times after latest dose, were measured in 59 patients receiving Glivec® at diverse regimens, using a validated chromatographic method (HPLC-UV) developed for this study. The results were analysed by non-linear mixed effect modelling (NONMEM). A one- compartment model with first-order absorption appeared appropriate to describe the data, with an average apparent clearance of 12.4 l/h, a distribution volume of 268 l and an absorption constant of 0.47 h-1. The clearance was affected by body weight, age and sex. No influences of interacting drugs were found. DNA samples were used for pharmacogenetic explorations. The MDR1 polymorphism 3435C>T appears to affect the disposition of imatinib. Large inter-individual variability remained unexplained by the demographic covariates considered, both on clearance (40%) and distribution volume (71%). Together with intra-patient variability (34%), this translates into an 8-fold width of the 90%-prediction interval of plasma concentrations expected under a fixed dosing regimen ! This is a strong argument to further investigate the possible usefulness of a therapeutic drug monitoring programme for imatinib. It may help to individualise the dosing regimen before overt disease progression or observation of treatment toxicity, thus improving both the long-term therapeutic effectiveness and tolerability of this drug.

Validation study of the French version of the observer-rater scales measuring coping and cognitive errors (CE-CAP) on a non-clinical population

This study examined the validity and reliability of the French version of two observer-rated measures developed to assess cognitive errors (cognitive errors rating system [CERS]) [6] and coping action patterns (coping action patterns rating system [CAPRS]) [22,24]. The CE measures 14 cognitive errors, broken down according to their valence positive or negative (see the definitions by A.T. Beck), and the CAP measures 12 coping categories, based on an comprehensive review literature, each broken down into three levels of action (affective, behavioural, cognitive). Thirty (N = 30) subjects recruited in a community sample participated in the study. They were interviewed according to a standardized clinical protocol: these interviews were transcribed and analysed with both observer-rated systems. Results showed that the inter-rater reliability of the two measures is good and that their internal validity is satisfactory, due to a non-significant canonical correlation between CAP and CE. With regard to discriminant validity, we found a non-significant canonical correlation between CAPRS and CISS, one of most widely used self-report questionnaire measuring coping. The same can be said for the correlation with a self-report questionnaire measuring symptoms (SCL-90-R). These results confirm the absence of confounds in the assessment of cognitive errors and of coping as assessed by these observer-rated scales and add an argument in favour of the French validation of the CE-CAP rating scales. (C) 2010 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Français 1738

Contient : 1° Douze « Oraisons de CICERO », traduction par « ESTIENNE LE BLANC » ; 2° « Description des offices, dignitez et magistratz par lesquelz les Rommains se sont gouvernez depuis Romulus,... jusques à Julles Cesar » ; 3° « Argument sur l'oraison que faict CICERO à la louenge de Pompée »

Long-term outcome of preterm infants treated with nasal continuous positive airway pressure

RESUME La ventilation en pression positive continue (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure, CPAP), utilisée pour la première fois chez. les prématurés en 1971, est une technique actuellement très largement utilisée dans les unités néonatales. L'utilisation de la CPAP présente de nombreux avantages à court terme: diminution de la fraction maximale inspirée d'oxygène, de la durée de l'oxygénothérapie, du taux d'intubation et donc du recours à une ventilation mécanique, réduction de l'utilisation des amines, des curares et de la morphine, possible prévention de l'apparition d'une bronchodysplasie pulmonaire, et possibles réductions du nombre d'infections postnatales et des entérocolites nécrosantes. Mais peu d'études existent concernant les effets à long terme de la CPAP sur le neurodéveloppement et la croissance, qui constituent l'objectif de la présente étude. L'utilisation systématique de la CPAP comme alternative à la ventilation mécanique a été introduite à Lausanne en 1998. La population cible de cette étude est constituée des prématurés nés à moins de 32 semaines de gestation ou pesant moins de 1500 g à la naissance; ils ont été systématiquement suivis jusqu'en âge préscolaire dans le cadre de l'étude de cohorte «Unité de Développement, CHUV». L'originalité de ce travail réside dans le fait d'évaluer le neurodéveloppement et la croissance à long terme d'enfants prématurés traités préférentiellement avec la CPAP, en comparaison avec un groupe historique contrôle traité par d'autres modes ventilatoires, en tenant compte de nombreux autres paramètres néonataux. Du point de vue du neurodéveloppement, l'usage, de la CPAP montre une tendance à diminuer l'incidence d'hémorragie intraventriculaire et le risque d'avoir un mauvais neurodéveloppement à 6 mois. Ces résultats positifs sur le neurodéveloppement s'estompent à l'âge de 18 mois, où persiste néanmoins une valeur plus élevée du quotient de développement, et disparaissent complètement en âge préscolaire. Du point de vue de la croissance, l'utilisation de la CPAP ne montre aucun effet sur le poids, mais par contre un effet positif sur la taille à 6 et 18 mois et sur le périmètre crânien à 6 mois, 18 mois et en âge préscolaire. Malgré le caractère non randomisé de cette étude, les résultats positifs obtenus ici permettent sans conteste de s'assurer d'une utilisation de la CPAP sans effet négatif sur le neurodéveloppement et la croissance, et fournissent donc un argument supplémentaire pour l'utilisation systématique de la CPAP chez les prématurés.

On the morphological nature of spanish adverbs ending in -mente

The morphological status of adverbs ending in -mente in Spanish (-ly in English) has been the object of many studies and continues to be the subject of debate. The two main proposals regarding the morphology of these adverbs treat them as either compounds or derivatives as the result of suffixation, but bothhypotheses present problems. In this study an analysis will be defended which treats -mente as a phrasal affix (cf. Zwicky 1987, Nevis 1985 and Miller 1992). The notion of phrasal affix has been used to describe clitics which, from a morphological standpoint, are similar to affixes but which, simultaneously manifest characteristics of independent words. The argument for analyzing -mente as a phrasal affix is based on both synchronic and diachronic data, including some similarities with object clitic pronouns.

The European Union and refugees: towards more restrictive asylum policies in the European Union?

Several scholars have argued that European countries have decided to cooperate on asylum and migration matters at the EU level in order to develop more restrictive policies. In particular, it has been argued that European states have ‘venue-shopped’ to a new policy-venue in order to escape national constraints. This paper puts this argument to the test by assessing the extent to which the development of EU cooperation on asylum matters has indeed led to the adoption of more restrictive asylum standards. The paper argues that, actually, EU asylum cooperation has led to an overall increase in protection standards for asylum-seekers and refugees. This outcome is explained by two main factors: the increasing ‘judicialisation’ of asylum in the EU and institutional changes in the EU asylum policy area that have strengthened the role of more ‘refugee-friendly’ institutions.

Introducing diversity in public organisations : diminishing theoretical ambiguity and controversy by empirical research

Many theoretical dissertations have an unclear definition of diversity and when interpreting strategies of organizational diversity policies, theories often contradict each other. It is argued that this ambiguity and controversy can be diminished by basing theory on diversity and diversity policy more on qualitative structured descriptive empirical comparisons.This argument is elaborated in two steps. First, diversity is shown to be a social construction: dynamic and plural in nature, dependent on the social-historical context. Second, the common theoretical dichotomy between diversity policy as equal opportunities or as diversity management in shown to be possibly misleading; empirical studies indicate more practical differentiation in types of diversity policy, manifested in public and private organizations. As qualitative comparisons are rare, especially in the European context and especially among public organizations, this article calls for more contributions of this kind and provides an analytical framework to assist scholars in the field of diversity studies.

Causal explanations and scientific realism in particle physics

Particle physics studies highly complex processes which cannot be directly observed. Scientific realism claims that we are nevertheless warranted in believing that these processes really occur and that the objects involved in them really exist. This dissertation defends a version of scientific realism, called causal realism, in the context of particle physics. I start by introducing the central theses and arguments in the recent philosophical debate on scientific realism (chapter 1), with a special focus on an important presupposition of the debate, namely common sense realism. Chapter 2 then discusses entity realism, which introduces a crucial element into the debate by emphasizing the importance of experiments in defending scientific realism. Most of the chapter is concerned with Ian Hacking's position, but I also argue that Nancy Cartwright's version of entity realism is ultimately preferable as a basis for further development. In chapter 3,1 take a step back and consider the question whether the realism debate is worth pursuing at all. Arthur Fine has given a negative answer to that question, proposing his natural ontologica! attitude as an alternative to both realism and antirealism. I argue that the debate (in particular the realist side of it) is in fact less vicious than Fine presents it. The second part of my work (chapters 4-6) develops, illustrates and defends causal realism. The key idea is that inference to the best explanation is reliable in some cases, but not in others. Chapter 4 characterizes the difference between these two kinds of cases in terms of three criteria which distinguish causal from theoretical warrant. In order to flesh out this distinction, chapter 5 then applies it to a concrete case from the history of particle physics, the discovery of the neutrino. This case study shows that the distinction between causal and theoretical warrant is crucial for understanding what it means to "directly detect" a new particle. But the distinction is also an effective tool against what I take to be the presently most powerful objection to scientific realism: Kyle Stanford's argument from unconceived alternatives. I respond to this argument in chapter 6, and I illustrate my response with a discussion of Jean Perrin's experimental work concerning the atomic hypothesis. In the final part of the dissertation, I turn to the specific challenges posed to realism by quantum theories. One of these challenges comes from the experimental violations of Bell's inequalities, which indicate a failure of locality in the quantum domain. I show in chapter 7 how causal realism can further our understanding of quantum non-locality by taking account of some recent experimental results. Another challenge to realism in quantum mechanics comes from delayed-choice experiments, which seem to imply that certain aspects of what happens in an experiment can be influenced by later choices of the experimenter. Chapter 8 analyzes these experiments and argues that they do not warrant the antirealist conclusions which some commentators draw from them. It pays particular attention to the case of delayed-choice entanglement swapping and the corresponding question whether entanglement is a real physical relation. In chapter 9,1 finally address relativistic quantum theories. It is often claimed that these theories are incompatible with a particle ontology, and this calls into question causal realism's commitment to localizable and countable entities. I defend the commitments of causal realism against these objections, and I conclude with some remarks connecting the interpretation of quantum field theory to more general metaphysical issues confronting causal realism.

Frame detection over the semantic web

In the past, research in ontology learning from text has mainly focused on entity recognition, taxonomy induction and relation extraction. In this work we approach a challenging research issue: detecting semantic frames from texts and using them to encode web ontologies. We exploit a new generation Natural Language Processing technology for frame detection, and we enrich the frames acquired so far with argument restrictions provided by a super-sense tagger and domain specializations. The results are encoded according to a Linguistic MetaModel, which allows a complete translation of lexical resources and data acquired from text, enabling custom transformations of the enriched frames into modular ontology components.

13

In this paper, I reframe the long-standing controversy between 'psychological egoism', which argues that human beings never perform altruistic actions, and the opposing thesis of 'psychological altruism', which claims that human beings are, at least sometimes, capable of acting in an altruistic fashion. After a brief sketch of the controversy, I begin by presenting some representative arguments in favour of psychological altruism before showing that they can all be called into question by appealing to the idea of an unconscious self-directed motive. I will then point out that this argumentative strategy not only debunks the reasons for favouring psychological altruism, but also those for favouring psychological egoism; hence it is no use in settling the dispute between the two views. In the second part of the paper, I will try to break this deadlock by reframing the whole controversy, shifting it away from the concept of motive, towards the broader notion of motivation. As it turns out, this shift enables the debate to centre on altruistic emotions and their motivational power, thereby allowing evolutionary arguments to enter the debate and settle the dispute in favour of psychological altruism.

Jeune dans sa tête. Une histoire critique du cerveau adolescent

Les recherches visant à élucider les bases neurales de l'adolescence ont émergé au cours des années 1990 pour s'imposer cette dernière décennie. Il est aujourd'hui accepté dans le champ des neurosciences cognitives et du développement que le cerveau continue à se développer après la 10eme année de vie et qu'il atteint un stade de maturation similaire à l'adulte seulement vers 25 ans. La configuration structurelle et fonctionnelle du cerveau spécifique à la période de l'adolescence impliquerait un manque de contrôle émotionnel, favorisant des comportements dits de prise de risques qui à la fois permettent l'acquisition de l'indépendance et provoquent des situations de mise en danger du jeune individu et de son entourage. Ses mêmes comportements, dans leur acception négative - consommation d'alcool et de stupéfiants, conduite en état d'ivresse, rapports sexuels non-protégés, port d'arme, etc. - mobilisent les politiques de prévention et de santé publique relatives à l'adolescence et à la jeunesse. Cette thèse qui retrace l'histoire du cerveau adolescent de la fin des années 1950 à nos jours se situe à l'intersection de ces deux thèmes d'intérêt scientifique et public. A partir d'une perspective d'histoire culturelle et sociale des sciences, elle approche les éléments expérimentaux, institutionnels et contextuels qui ont contribué à la construction d'une adolescence définie par son immaturité cérébrale, associée à des comportements dits à risque. Plus précisément, elle met en évidence, sous l'angle privilégié du genre, selon quelles modalités et quelles temporalités l'histoire des recherches scientifiques sur le développement cérébral humain à l'adolescence et celle du façonnage d'un type d'adolescent-e impulsif/ve et preneur/euse de risques - c'est-à-dire potentiellement délinquant, dépendant, invalide ou malade chronique, constitué en problème de politique et de santé publique - sont amenées à converger. L'argument développé est que le genre et le sexe sont des catégories actives dans la construction d'un cerveau adolescent idéalement unisexe. En d'autres termes, bien que le cerveau adolescent qualifie des individus en regard de leur âge, sans distinction apparente de sexe et de genre, les conditions de sa production et les critères de sa définition sont constitutivement genrés, notamment par des comportements à risque qui concernent une majorité de garçons. Il s'agit d'analyser comment du sexe et du genre peuvent produire de l'âge, a priori unisexe, et d'interroger les enjeux scientifiques, sociaux et politiques qui participent de cette invisibilisation des catégories de sexe et de genre. Le but est de considérer la manière dont l'adolescence cérébrale reconfigure la gestion des questions liées à l'adolescence et à la jeunesse, en termes de problèmes sanitaires et de délinquance, mais aussi en termes de reproduction des normes sociales, de ce qu'implique devenir un homme ou une femme.

Rules of origin : from analysis to reform

General Introduction This thesis can be divided into two main parts :the first one, corresponding to the first three chapters, studies Rules of Origin (RoOs) in Preferential Trade Agreements (PTAs); the second part -the fourth chapter- is concerned with Anti-Dumping (AD) measures. Despite wide-ranging preferential access granted to developing countries by industrial ones under North-South Trade Agreements -whether reciprocal, like the Europe Agreements (EAs) or NAFTA, or not, such as the GSP, AGOA, or EBA-, it has been claimed that the benefits from improved market access keep falling short of the full potential benefits. RoOs are largely regarded as a primary cause of the under-utilization of improved market access of PTAs. RoOs are the rules that determine the eligibility of goods to preferential treatment. Their economic justification is to prevent trade deflection, i.e. to prevent non-preferred exporters from using the tariff preferences. However, they are complex, cost raising and cumbersome, and can be manipulated by organised special interest groups. As a result, RoOs can restrain trade beyond what it is needed to prevent trade deflection and hence restrict market access in a statistically significant and quantitatively large proportion. Part l In order to further our understanding of the effects of RoOs in PTAs, the first chapter, written with Pr. Olivier Cadot, Celine Carrère and Pr. Jaime de Melo, describes and evaluates the RoOs governing EU and US PTAs. It draws on utilization-rate data for Mexican exports to the US in 2001 and on similar data for ACP exports to the EU in 2002. The paper makes two contributions. First, we construct an R-index of restrictiveness of RoOs along the lines first proposed by Estevadeordal (2000) for NAFTA, modifying it and extending it for the EU's single-list (SL). This synthetic R-index is then used to compare Roos under NAFTA and PANEURO. The two main findings of the chapter are as follows. First, it shows, in the case of PANEURO, that the R-index is useful to summarize how countries are differently affected by the same set of RoOs because of their different export baskets to the EU. Second, it is shown that the Rindex is a relatively reliable statistic in the sense that, subject to caveats, after controlling for the extent of tariff preference at the tariff-line level, it accounts for differences in utilization rates at the tariff line level. Finally, together with utilization rates, the index can be used to estimate total compliance costs of RoOs. The second chapter proposes a reform of preferential Roos with the aim of making them more transparent and less discriminatory. Such a reform would make preferential blocs more "cross-compatible" and would therefore facilitate cumulation. It would also contribute to move regionalism toward more openness and hence to make it more compatible with the multilateral trading system. It focuses on NAFTA, one of the most restrictive FTAs (see Estevadeordal and Suominen 2006), and proposes a way forward that is close in spirit to what the EU Commission is considering for the PANEURO system. In a nutshell, the idea is to replace the current array of RoOs by a single instrument- Maximum Foreign Content (MFC). An MFC is a conceptually clear and transparent instrument, like a tariff. Therefore changing all instruments into an MFC would bring improved transparency pretty much like the "tariffication" of NTBs. The methodology for this exercise is as follows: In step 1, I estimate the relationship between utilization rates, tariff preferences and RoOs. In step 2, I retrieve the estimates and invert the relationship to get a simulated MFC that gives, line by line, the same utilization rate as the old array of Roos. In step 3, I calculate the trade-weighted average of the simulated MFC across all lines to get an overall equivalent of the current system and explore the possibility of setting this unique instrument at a uniform rate across lines. This would have two advantages. First, like a uniform tariff, a uniform MFC would make it difficult for lobbies to manipulate the instrument at the margin. This argument is standard in the political-economy literature and has been used time and again in support of reductions in the variance of tariffs (together with standard welfare considerations). Second, uniformity across lines is the only way to eliminate the indirect source of discrimination alluded to earlier. Only if two countries face uniform RoOs and tariff preference will they face uniform incentives irrespective of their initial export structure. The result of this exercise is striking: the average simulated MFC is 25% of good value, a very low (i.e. restrictive) level, confirming Estevadeordal and Suominen's critical assessment of NAFTA's RoOs. Adopting a uniform MFC would imply a relaxation from the benchmark level for sectors like chemicals or textiles & apparel, and a stiffening for wood products, papers and base metals. Overall, however, the changes are not drastic, suggesting perhaps only moderate resistance to change from special interests. The third chapter of the thesis considers whether Europe Agreements of the EU, with the current sets of RoOs, could be the potential model for future EU-centered PTAs. First, I have studied and coded at the six-digit level of the Harmonised System (HS) .both the old RoOs -used before 1997- and the "Single list" Roos -used since 1997. Second, using a Constant Elasticity Transformation function where CEEC exporters smoothly mix sales between the EU and the rest of the world by comparing producer prices on each market, I have estimated the trade effects of the EU RoOs. The estimates suggest that much of the market access conferred by the EAs -outside sensitive sectors- was undone by the cost-raising effects of RoOs. The chapter also contains an analysis of the evolution of the CEECs' trade with the EU from post-communism to accession. Part II The last chapter of the thesis is concerned with anti-dumping, another trade-policy instrument having the effect of reducing market access. In 1995, the Uruguay Round introduced in the Anti-Dumping Agreement (ADA) a mandatory "sunset-review" clause (Article 11.3 ADA) under which anti-dumping measures should be reviewed no later than five years from their imposition and terminated unless there was a serious risk of resumption of injurious dumping. The last chapter, written with Pr. Olivier Cadot and Pr. Jaime de Melo, uses a new database on Anti-Dumping (AD) measures worldwide to assess whether the sunset-review agreement had any effect. The question we address is whether the WTO Agreement succeeded in imposing the discipline of a five-year cycle on AD measures and, ultimately, in curbing their length. Two methods are used; count data analysis and survival analysis. First, using Poisson and Negative Binomial regressions, the count of AD measures' revocations is regressed on (inter alia) the count of "initiations" lagged five years. The analysis yields a coefficient on measures' initiations lagged five years that is larger and more precisely estimated after the agreement than before, suggesting some effect. However the coefficient estimate is nowhere near the value that would give a one-for-one relationship between initiations and revocations after five years. We also find that (i) if the agreement affected EU AD practices, the effect went the wrong way, the five-year cycle being quantitatively weaker after the agreement than before; (ii) the agreement had no visible effect on the United States except for aone-time peak in 2000, suggesting a mopping-up of old cases. Second, the survival analysis of AD measures around the world suggests a shortening of their expected lifetime after the agreement, and this shortening effect (a downward shift in the survival function postagreement) was larger and more significant for measures targeted at WTO members than for those targeted at non-members (for which WTO disciplines do not bind), suggesting that compliance was de jure. A difference-in-differences Cox regression confirms this diagnosis: controlling for the countries imposing the measures, for the investigated countries and for the products' sector, we find a larger increase in the hazard rate of AD measures covered by the Agreement than for other measures.

Appartenances en fête: entre l'ordinaire et le spectaculaire

Résumé Alors que les pratiques religieuses régulières diminuent et que les groupes religieux majoritaires perdent des membres formellement enregistrés, une évènementisation de l'appartenance religieuse peut être observée depuis environ deux décennies. Dans un premier exemple, l'auteure montre que le réseau transnational de la confrérie soufie des Mourides resserre les liens entre adeptes dans un contexte migratoire qui tend à fragiliser les relations sociales. La confrérie y fait face à travers une spectacularisation de la pratique religieuse, occupant l'espace public à Harlem ou, dans une moindre mesure, à Paris. Le second exemple traite du pèlerinage aux Saintes et Saints d'Afrique dans la ville valaisanne de Saint Maurice. Ce dernier fut inventé par l'Église catholique suisse afin d'attirer des migrants africains, mais aussi afin de redynamiser une pratique religieuse ordinaire en perte de vitesse. L'évènement a lieu en même temps que le pèlerinage de Namugongo en Ouganda, réunissant plus d'un demi-million de personnes. Les communautés évènementielles ainsi créées sont-elles durables ou plutôt liquides ? Abstract While regular religious practice is decreasing and the major religious groups are losing formally registered members, a 'spectacularization' of religious belonging can be observed over the last two decades. The author presents two examples to support this argument. In the first, the transnational network of the Murids, a Sufi brotherhood, has tried to reinforce the relations between its members, which become fragile during migration. The brotherhood occupies a public space in Harlem, and, to a lesser extent, in Paris, in a spectacularization of religious belonging, in order to remain attractive to migrants. The second example deals with the pilgrimage dedicated to African Saints in the Swiss town of Saint Maurice. This event was invented by the missionary service of the Swiss Catholic Church in order to attract African migrants, but also in order to make ordinary religious practice more appealing. The event takes place at the same time as the Ugandan pilgrimage of Namugongo, which assembles more than half a million people. However, are these 'event communities' sustainable or ephemeral?