Integration or individuation : are the salvation goods promised by first-century Christian preaching still attractive ?

(R��sum�� de l'ouvrage) The idea that religion has to succeed in a ��market��, selling ��salvation goods��, has proved to be extremely attractive to scholars in sociology and the study of religion. Max Weber used the term ��salvation good�� to compare different religious traditions. Pierre Bourdieu employed the term in order to analyze ��religious economy��. And recently, an American group of researchers advocating ��rational choice of religion�� put the theme at the forefront of current debates. This book - the fruit of an International Congress in Lausanne in April 2005 - brings together leading specialists in the fields of sociology and the study of religion who discuss the terms ��salvation goods�� (or religious goods) and ��religious market��. The authors test the applicability of these concepts by using specific examples and they either deliberately advocate or criticize Weberian, Bourdieusian or rational-choice perspectives.

Limited sampling strategies for monitoring tacrolimus in paediatric liver transplant recipients

Ce travail de recherche a ��t�� r��alis�� dans le laboratoire de pharmacologie clinique, au Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine, �� Montr��al. C'est une ��tude r��trospective bas��e sur le suivi th��rapeutique du Tacrolimus prescrit chez les enfants apr��s transplantation h��patique. Ce suivi est n��cessaire car le Tacrolimus poss��de une importante variabilit�� pharmacocin��tique inter et intra-individuelle ainsi qu'un index th��rapeutique tr��s ��troit. Actuellement, l'individualisation des doses prescrites est bas��e sur la mesure de la concentration de base - du m��dicament dans le sang (C0), mais des ��tudes r��centes montrent que cette mesure ne refl��te pas pr��cis��ment l'exposition du Tacrolimus dans l'organisme chez les enfants. Le meilleur reflet de cette exposition est la mesure de l'aire sous la courbe (AUC). Cependant, cette derni��re implique la mesure de multiples concentrations tout au long de l'intervalle entre 2 doses de m��dicament (Tacrolimus: 12 heures) ce qui est long, cher et impraticable en ambulatoire. De nouvelles m��thodes utilisant un nombre limit�� de pr��l��vements ont donc ��t�� d��velopp��es pour pr��dire au mieux cette AUC. Ce sont les "Limited sampling strategies" ou LSS. La plupart de ces LSS pour le Tacrolimus ont ��t�� d��velopp��es et valid��es chez des patients transplant��s adultes et leur application directe chez les transplant��s p��diatriques n'est pas possible en raison de diff��rences importantes au niveau des param��tres pharmacocin��tiques du m��dicament entre ces deux populations. Aussi, le but de ce travail ��tait de d��velopper et valider, pour la premi��re fois, des LSS chez les enfants transplant��s h��patiques. Pour cela, une analyse de 36 profils pharmacocin��tiques de 28 patients transplant��s h��patiques ��g��s de 0.4- 18.5 ans a ��t�� effectu��e. Tous les profils ont ��t�� r��alis��s au Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine entre janvier 2007 et janvier 2009. Les LSS comportant au maximum 4 mesures de concentration ont ��t�� d��velopp��es en utilisant une analyse de r��gression multiple. Parmi tous les mod��les obtenus, cinq ont ��t�� s��lectionn��s sur la base de crit��res pr��cis puis valid��s selon la m��thode d��crite par Sheiner et Beal.��Les r��sultats montrent que ces cinq mod��les peuvent pr��dire l'AUC du Tacrolimus avec une pr��cision cliniquement acceptable de �� 15% alors que la C0 pr��sente la plus faible corr��lation avec l'AUC.��En conclusion, cette ��tude confirme que la C0 ne permet pas de pr��dire de mani��re efficace l'exposition du Tacrolimus dans l'organisme dans notre population de patients p��diatriques contrairement aux LSS analys��es qui offrent une m��thode pratique et fiable. Par ailleurs, en permettant d'obtenir une estimation pr��cise et simplifi��e de l'AUC compl��te du Tacrolimus chez les patients, ces LSS ouvrent la porte �� de futures ��tudes prospectives visant �� mieux d��finir l'AUC cible du m��dicament et �� d��terminer si le suivi bas�� sur la mesure de l'AUC est plus efficace et plus s��r que celui bas�� sur la mesure de la C0.

Flexible colony-founding strategies in a socially polymorphic ant

In social insects the number of queens per nest varies greatly. One of the proximate causes of this variation may be that queens produced by multiple-queen colonies are generally smaller, and might thus be unable to found new colonies independently. We examined whether the social origin of queens and males influenced the colony-founding success of queens in the socially polymorphic ant Formica selysi. Queens originating from single-queen and multiple-queen colonies had similar survival rates and colony-founding success, be they alone or in two-queen associations. During the first 5 months, queens originating from single-queen colonies gave rise to more workers than queens originating from multiple-queen colonies. Pairs of queens were also more productive than single queens. However, these differences in productivity were transient, as all types of colonies had reached a similar size after 15 months. Mating between social forms was possible and did not decrease queen survival or colony productivity, compared to mating within social forms. Overall, these results indicate that queens from each social form are able to found colonies independently, at least under laboratory conditions. Moreover, gene flow between social forms is not restricted by mating or genetic incompatibilities. This flexibility in mating and colony founding helps to explain the maintenance of alternative social structures in sympatry and the absence of genetic differentiation between social forms.

New strategies in the modulation of fatty acid oxidation as a treatment for obesity

Strategies that enhance fat degradation or reduce caloricfood intake could be considered therapeutic interventions to reduce notonly obesity, but also its associated disorders. The enzyme carnitinepalmitoyltransferase 1 (CPT1) is the critical rate-determining regulatorof fatty acid oxidation (FAO) and might play a key role in increasingenergy expenditure and controlling food intake. Our group has shownthat mice overexpressing CPT1 in liver are protected from weight gain,the development of obesity and insulin resistance. Regarding foodintake control, we observed that the pharmacological inhibition ofCPT1 in rat hypothalamus decreased food intake and body weight.This suggests that modulation of CPT1 activity and the oxidation offatty acids in various tissues can be crucial for the potential treatmentof obesity and associated pathologies.

Generic brands and product differentiation strategies

Generic or own brand products were initially only lesser expensive copies of the branded label alternative, but nowadays, pricing alone is not enough in order to survive in the Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) or Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG)markets. With this in mind manufacturers of generic brands have adapted to this rapidlygrowing niche by investing in design and marketing during the initial phase in order to be perceived as having a quality product comparable to that of the branded products. In addition, they have gone further ahead with a second phase and resorted to innovativeproduct differentiation strategies and even pure innovation in many cases. These strategies have granted generic brands constantly increasing market shares and a position of equals relative to national brands.Using previous analyses and case studies, this paper will provide conceptual and empirical evidence to explain the surprisingly fast growth and penetration of generic supermarket brands, which in their relatively short lifespan, have grown to rival the historical market leaders, the branded products. According to this analysis, the main conclusion is that the growth in generic brands can be explained not only by price competition, but also by the use of innovative product differentiation strategies.

Young innovative firms and R&D strategies: is the Spanish case different?

This paper analyzes the profile of Spanish young innovative companies (YICs) and the determinants of innovation and imitation strategies. The results for an extensive sample of 2,221 Spanish firms studied during the period 2004���2010 show that YICs are found in all sectors, although they are more concentrated in high-tech sectors and, in particular, in knowledge-intensive services (KIS). Three of every four YICs are involved in KIS. Our results highlight that financial and knowledge barriers have much impact on the capacity of young, small firms to innovate and to become YICs, whereas market barriers are not obstacles to becoming a YIC. Public funding, in particular from the European Union, makes it easier for a new firm to become a YIC. In addition, YICs are more likely to innovate than mature firms, although they are more susceptible to sectoral and territorial factors. YICs make more dynamic use of innovation and imitation strategies when they operate in high-tech industries and are based in science parks located close to universities. Keywords: innovation strategies, public innovation policies, barriers to innovation, multinomial probit model. JEL Codes: D01, D22 , L60, L80, O31

Cost-effectiveness of surgery in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: There is increasing interest in provision of essential surgical care as part of public health policy in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). Relatively simple interventions have been shown to prevent death and disability. We reviewed the published literature to examine the cost-effectiveness of simple surgical interventions which could be made available at any district hospital, and compared these to standard public health interventions. METHODS: PubMed and EMBASE were searched using single and combinations of the search terms "disability adjusted life year" (DALY), "quality adjusted life year," "cost-effectiveness," and "surgery." Articles were included if they detailed the cost-effectiveness of a surgical intervention of relevance to a LMIC, which could be made available at any district hospital. Suitable articles with both cost and effectiveness data were identified and, where possible, data were extrapolated to enable comparison across studies. RESULTS: Twenty-seven articles met our inclusion criteria, representing 64 LMIC over 16 years of study. Interventions that were found to be cost-effective included cataract surgery (cost/DALY averted range US$5.06-$106.00), elective inguinal hernia repair (cost/DALY averted range US$12.88-$78.18), male circumcision (cost/DALY averted range US$7.38-$319.29), emergency cesarean section (cost/DALY averted range US$18-$3,462.00), and cleft lip and palate repair (cost/DALY averted range US$15.44-$96.04). A small district hospital with basic surgical services was also found to be highly cost-effective (cost/DALY averted 1 US$0.93), as were larger hospitals offering emergency and trauma surgery (cost/DALY averted US$32.78-$223.00). This compares favorably with other standard public health interventions, such as oral rehydration therapy (US$1,062.00), vitamin A supplementation (US$6.00-$12.00), breast feeding promotion (US$930.00), and highly active anti-retroviral therapy for HIV (US$922.00). CONCLUSIONS: Simple surgical interventions that are life-saving and disability-preventing should be considered as part of public health policy in LMIC. We recommend an investment in surgical care and its integration with other public health measures at the district hospital level, rather than investment in single disease strategies.

In what ways a CLIL lesson planning different from an EFL course plan ?

Des del 1995 el Consell Europeu ha promogut l���aprenentatge d���una segona llengua a trav��s d���una altra ��rea en el que coneixem per CLIL (Contingut i Llengua Integrats en l���Aprenentatge) o en altres paraules: ���una activitat en la qual l���aprenentatge d���una llengua estrangera ��s utilitzada com una eina per l���aprenentatge d���una ��rea no lingu��stica en la qual llengua i contingut tenen un mateix paper��� (Marsh, 2002). Tot I aix��, ���ensenyar una ��rea a trav��s d���una llengua estrangera no ��s el mateix que la integraci�� de llengua i contingut���. CLIL comporta altres implicacions metodol��giques pel que fa a la planificaci��, estrat��gies did��ctiques i particularment al rol del docent. De fet, s��n aquests factors els que componen l�����xit o el frac��s en l���implementaci�� de CLIL. i per aquest motiu pretenc analitzar i descriure les difer��ncies entre una sessi�� de CLIL i una de llengua anglesa. Aquesta investigaci�� ��s un estudi de cas que vol oferir una mirada a les difer��ncies entre una unitat de CLIL i una de llengua anglesa portades a terme en un grup de 3r de prim��ria a l���escola de Sant Miquel dels Sants (Vic) pel que fa a la planificaci��, les estrat��gies i actuacions del docent.

Quantitative integration of high-resolution hydrogeophysical data through Monte-Carlo-type conditional simulations

Geophysical techniques can help to bridge the inherent gap with regard to spatial resolution and the range of coverage that plagues classical hydrological methods. This has lead to the emergence of the new and rapidly growing field of hydrogeophysics. Given the differing sensitivities of various geophysical techniques to hydrologically relevant parameters and their inherent trade-off between resolution and range the fundamental usefulness of multi-method hydrogeophysical surveys for reducing uncertainties in data analysis and interpretation is widely accepted. A major challenge arising from such endeavors is the quantitative integration of the resulting vast and diverse database in order to obtain a unified model of the probed subsurface region that is internally consistent with all available data. To address this problem, we have developed a strategy towards hydrogeophysical data integration based on Monte-Carlo-type conditional stochastic simulation that we consider to be particularly suitable for local-scale studies characterized by high-resolution and high-quality datasets. Monte-Carlo-based optimization techniques are flexible and versatile, allow for accounting for a wide variety of data and constraints of differing resolution and hardness and thus have the potential of providing, in a geostatistical sense, highly detailed and realistic models of the pertinent target parameter distributions. Compared to more conventional approaches of this kind, our approach provides significant advancements in the way that the larger-scale deterministic information resolved by the hydrogeophysical data can be accounted for, which represents an inherently problematic, and as of yet unresolved, aspect of Monte-Carlo-type conditional simulation techniques. We present the results of applying our algorithm to the integration of porosity log and tomographic crosshole georadar data to generate stochastic realizations of the local-scale porosity structure. Our procedure is first tested on pertinent synthetic data and then applied to corresponding field data collected at the Boise Hydrogeophysical Research Site near Boise, Idaho, USA.

Autonomia i inclusi�� dels alumnes d'educaci�� infantil a l'escola rural: les confer��ncies a l'escola La Popa de Castellcir

El tema central d���aquest Treball Final de Grau ��s l���autonomia dels alumnes d���educaci�� infantil a l���escola rural. Aquest projecte est�� organitzat a partir de dos grans blocs. En el primer bloc hi trobem el marc te��ric, on es desglossen totes els aspectes importants i caracter��stics de l���escola rural i les seves estrat��gies did��ctiques, a banda de definir i recercar en el concepte d���autonomia. En el segon bloc hi trobem la part pr��ctica i el treball de camp. Aquest apartat es desenvolupa al voltant de l���estrat��gia did��ctica de les confer��ncies a l���escola La Popa de Castellcir que s���analitzen i s���avaluen per tal de con��ixer com aquesta estrat��gia potencia l���autonomia i la inclusi�� dels infants a l���etapa d���educaci�� infantil.

A case study of landslides and coping strategies in two villages of central-eastern Nepal

Landslides are an increasing problem in Nepal's Middle Hills due to both natural and human phenomena: mainly increasingly intense monsoon rains and a boom in rural road construction. This problem has largely been neglected due to underreporting of losses and the dispersed nature of landslides. Understanding how populations cope with landslides is a first step toward developing more effective landslide risk management programs. The present research focuses on two villages in Central-Eastern Nepal, both affected by active landslides but with different coping strategies. Research methods are interdisciplinary, based on a geological assessment of landslide risk and a socio-economic study of the villages using household questionnaires, focus group discussions and transect walks. Community risk maps are compared with geological landslide risk maps to better understand and communicate community risk perceptions, priorities and coping strategies. A modified typology of coping strategies is presented, based on previous work by Burton, Kates, and White (1993) that is useful for decision-makers for designing more effective programs for landslide mitigation. Main findings underscore that coping strategies, mainly seeking external assistance and outmigration, are closely linked to access to resources, ethnicity/social status and levels of community organization. Conclusions include the importance of investing in organizational skills, while building on local knowledge about landslide mitigation for reducing landslide risk. There is great potential to increase coping strategies by incorporating skills training on landslide mitigation in existing agricultural outreach and community forest user group training.

Do walking strategies to increase physical activity reduce reported sitting in workplaces: a randomized control trial

Background: Interventions designed to increase workplace physical activity may not automatically reduce high volumes of sitting, a behaviour independently linked to chronic diseases such as obesity and type II diabetes. This study compared the impact two different walking strategies had on step counts and reported sitting times. Methods: Participants were white-collar university employees (n = 179; age 41.3 �� 10.1 years; 141 women), who volunteered and undertook a standardised ten-week intervention at three sites. Preintervention step counts (Yamax SW-200) and self-reported sitting times were measured over five consecutive workdays. Using pre-intervention step counts, employees at each site were randomly allocated to a control group (n = 60; maintain normal behaviour), a route-based walking group (n = 60; at least 10 minutes sustained walking each workday) or an incidental walking group (n = 59; walking in workday tasks). Workday step counts and reported sitting times were re-assessed at the beginning, mid- and endpoint of intervention and group mean�� SD steps/day and reported sitting times for pre-intervention and intervention measurement points compared using a mixed factorial ANOVA; paired sample-t-tests were used for follow-up, simple effect analyses. Results: A significant interactive effect (F = 3.5; p < 0.003) was found between group and step counts. Daily steps for controls decreased over the intervention period (-391 steps/day) and increased for route (968 steps/day; t = 3.9, p < 0.000) and incidental (699 steps/day; t = 2.5, p < 0.014) groups. There were no significant changes for reported sitting times, but average values did decrease relative to the control (routes group = 7 minutes/day; incidental group = 15 minutes/day). Reductions were most evident for the incidental group in the first week of intervention, where reported sitting decreased by an average of 21 minutes/day (t = 1.9; p < 0.057). Conclusion: Compared to controls, both route and incidental walking increased physical activity in white-collar employees. Our data suggests that workplace walking, particularly through incidental movement, also has the potential to decrease employee sitting times, but there is a need for on-going research using concurrent and objective measures of sitting, standing and walking.

Issue review : Iowa State Patrol and the Office of Motor Vehicle Enforcement potential integration.

This issue review analyzes the duties and responsibilities of troopers in the Iowa State Patrol, or ISP, and Motor Vehicle Enforcement, MVE, officers in the Department of Transportation, or DOT, as well as the differences such as funding, pay and pension. In addition, this issue review discusses the proposal for a potential integration of the offices under one system.

Allergologie: 2. Mastocytose syst��mique--nouvelles strat��gies th��rapeutiques [Systemic mastocytosis--new therapeutic strategies].

Systemic mastocytosis is characterized by an excessive proliferation of mast cells and their accumulation in different organs. Avoidance of trigger factors leading to anaphylaxis is a general measure valid for all forms of mastocytosis. A premedication is necessary in case of surgery, anesthesia or administration of radiocontrast agents. Symptomatic treatment comprises antihistamines, anti-leukotrienes, proton pump inhibitors and topical corticosteroids. Indolent mastocytosis with refractory symptoms, the rare cases of aggressive mastocytosis with organ dysfunction and the even rarer mast cell leukemia require cytoreductive therapy. First-line agents are interferon alpha 2b and imatinib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor. To date there is no curative treatment.