French Community Research Articles

“An Algorithm for Public Service Media?” Embedding Public Service Values in the News Recommender System on RTBF's Platform

In a rapidly evolving digital landscape, public service media (PSM) face a significant challenge: how to leverage recommendation algorithms to enhance their visibility and attractiveness without sacrificing their core values. This study examines the extent to which the Belgian Radio-Television of the French Community (RTBF) has integrated PSM values into the development of a recommender system for news articles on its platform (rtbf.be). The research highlights a conscientious effort to define and translate PSM values before the algorithm design phase, both inside and outside the organization. However, the study also reveals limitations that hinder the full realization of PSM values within the recommender system. Consequently, these values currently function more as abstract guiding principles and communication tools than tangible technical features. The study emphasizes the challenge of reconciling public service ethos with algorithmic realities and concludes by highlighting the need for further empirical research to bridge this gap in the digital age.

Comparative evaluation of access to emicizumab (Hemlibra®) for people with haemophilia A in community and hospital pharmacies in France.

Since June 2021 in France, patients with haemophilia A with anti-factor VIII inhibitors and patients with severe haemophilia A without anti-factor VIII inhibitors have the choice between the community and the hospital pharmacy for dispensing emicizumab (Hemlibra®). This study aims to investigate patient-centred access to treatment by evaluating and comparing the dimensions of the Penchansky and Thomas model, between community and hospital pharmacies. The evaluation of access to treatment was based on the dimensions of the Penchansky and Thomas model: accessibility, availability, acceptability, accommodation and affordability. These were assessed using appropriate and specific indicators in the study context and calculated for patients choosing community pharmacy or hospital pharmacy for emicizumab dispensing. Geographical data collected as part of the national 'PASO DOBLE DEMI' study were used for this analysis. The findings reveal that dispensing emicizumab in community pharmacies improves accessibility by significantly reducing travel time. The availability of healthcare services is also improved due to the territorial coverage of community pharmacies. The extended opening hours and low waiting time also contribute to better access to emicizumab in community pharmacies. The dimension of acceptability must be improved, and further investigations are needed to address the affordability dimension. Several months after emicizumab became available in French community pharmacies, access to treatment has significantly improved, reducing the burden of this rare chronic disease for patients and their careers. These results suggest that this innovative model could be extended to other medicines and even other therapeutic areas.

"Hommage bien amical". Foreign contacts of Professor Barbara Skarga (1919-2009) based on provenance analysis of selected copies from her private book collection

The article presents the effect of the research conducted on the subject “Private book collection of Professor Barbara Skarga within the library collection of the Joint Libraries of the Faculties of Philosophy and Sociology of the University of Warsaw, Institute of Philosophy and Sociology of the Polish Academy of Sciences and the Polish Philosophical Society”. During many years of her scientific career, Professor Barbara Skarga (1919–2009) gathered a vast and diverse book collection. After her death, following her final will, it was handed over to the Joint Libraries of the WFiS UW, IFiS PAN, and PTF and included in the Institute of Philosophy of the Polish Academy of Sciences library resources. Barbara Skarga cooperated with many institutions that gathered researchers specializing in philosophy, as well as sociology and theology, which influenced the contents of her book collection. This article includes qualitative, quantitative, and provenance analyses of Skarga’s book collection. Using the provenance and bibliographical methods allowed us to recreate the history of the book collection and Skarga’s contacts with, among others, the French scientific community.

Student-Led Language Learning Community: The Journey of a Leader

This study examines the role of a leader in a French language learning community at a Japanese university’s self-access center. Based on a previous study that focused on exploring the impressions of the members of this student-led community (Marzin & Raluy, 2023), results indicated the core role of the leader in enhancing motivation, (intercultural) communication skills, and sense of belonging. The present narrative study documents the experiences and reflections of the community leader, utilizing a range of reflective tools. The findings suggest that the leader’s regular introspection enabled him to assess his feelings, evaluate his decisions based on the community’s needs, and provide guidance to other members, with a focus on exploring World French and francophone cultures.

Pollution gradients shape microbial communities associated with Ae. albopictus larval habitats in urban community gardens.

The Asian tiger mosquito Aedes albopictus is well adapted to urban environments and takes advantage of the artificial containers that proliferate in anthropized landscapes. Little is known about the physicochemical, pollutant, and microbiota compositions of Ae. albopictus-colonized aquatic habitats and whether these properties differ with noncolonized habitats. We specifically addressed this question in French community gardens by investigating whether pollution gradients (characterized either by water physicochemical properties combined with pollution variables or by the presence of organic molecules in water) influence water microbial composition and then the presence/absence of Ae. albopictus mosquitoes. Interestingly, we showed that the physicochemical and microbial compositions of noncolonized and colonized waters did not significantly differ, with the exception of N2O and CH4 concentrations, which were higher in noncolonized water samples. Moreover, the microbial composition of larval habitats covaried differentially along the pollution gradients according to colonization status. This study opens new avenues on the impact of pollution on mosquito habitats in urban areas and raises questions on the influence of biotic and abiotic interactions on adult life-history traits and their ability to transmit pathogens to humans.

A populist desecuritisation? Mélenchon, left-wing populism, and the fight against Islamophobia in France

Abstract While there is literature on ‘populist securitisation’ and on the ‘securitisation of Islam’, the possibility that some populists may desecuritise Islam is not sufficiently explored. Left-wing populist parties have demonstrated solidarity towards Muslim minorities in Europe through a discourse based on inclusionary rhetoric and deconstruction of the securitising narratives promoted by mainstream and populist right-wing parties. However, their attitude towards Islam can be ambiguous. This paper argues that left-wing populists tend to desecuritise Islam. However, desecuritisation happens in ways that do not always accommodate Muslims’ religious freedoms. This happens because the driver of the left-wing populist desecuritisation of Islam lies in the left-wing thick ideology surrounding populism and not in the populist thin core. I illustrate this argument through the case study of Jean-Luc Mélenchon, leader of the left-wing populist party La France Insoumise. Through a discourse analysis of texts from 2009 to 2022, I show that Mélenchon has predominantly desecuritised Islam. While his desecuritisation is populist, it has not been truly emancipatory for Muslims. Although a more committed fight against Islamophobia has emerged since 2019, Mélenchon’s ideological attachment to laïcité hinders a full rearticulation of French political community based on genuine recognition of Muslims’ religious freedoms.

The French Medicinal Chemistry Society-SCT, an Historical Member of EFMC.

The French Society of Medicinal Chemistry or " Société de Chimie Thérapeutique " (SCT) was founded in 1966. Since its inception, its mission has been to promote knowledge in the main fields of pharmaceutical research and development, in particular the research and validation of biological targets of therapeutic interest, the screening, design and optimization of drug candidates, chemical biology, medicinal chemistry, pharmacokinetics, metabolism and toxicity. Since 1964, the Society has organized an annual international congress (RICT), and later thematic days for young researchers and workshops on specific topics. The SCT is also a member of the European Federation for Medicinal Chemistry (EFMC) and organized the International Symposium on Medicinal Chemistry (ISMC) in Nice in 2022. Several new trends can be identified in the activities of the SCT, such as the organization of regular webinars, but also the recent creation of the Young MedChem Forum, as well as the distribution of a newsletter reporting scientific achievements in the French community and abroad, and an improved presence on social networks. These trends are in line with the current changes in the field in terms of scientific progress, means of communication in the community and with the public and inclusiveness.

Deprescribing in older adults in a French community: a questionnaire study on patients’ beliefs and attitudes

BackgroundGeneral practitioners (GPs) have a central role to play on reduction of polypharmacy and deprescribing. This study aimed to assess beliefs and attitudes towards deprescribing in patients, aged 65 years or older in primary care, and to identify factors associated with deprescribing and their willingness to stop medication.MethodsA questionnaire study was performed between 23 May and 29 July 2022 on patients aged 65 years or older attending a GP’s surgery in a French area. We used the French version of the revised Patients’ Attitudes Towards Deprescribing self-report questionnaire (rPATD), which measures four subscales (“Burden”, “Appropriateness”, “Concerns about stopping” and, “Involvement”), patients’ willingness to stop one of their regular medicines, and patients’ satisfaction with their current medicines.ResultsThe study enrolled 200 patients. Median age was 76 years old (IQR 71–81), 55% were women, and 42.5% took 5 or more medications per day. Although most patients (92.5%) were satisfied with their current medicines, 35% were reluctant to stop medications they had been taking for a long time, and 89.5% were willing to stop medication if asked to by their GP. Patients aged less than 75 years old reported more concerns about stopping. Women and patients with higher educational attainment showed significantly higher involvement in medication management.ConclusionsThe majority of older adults were willing to stop one or more of their regular medicines if asked to do so by their GP. GPs should address deprescribing into their current practice.

Territorial Communities of France in International Cooperation with Eastern Countries and Regions (20th-21st Centuries)

This article explores the formation and development of transregional relations of territorial communities of France with Eastern countries and regions. It examines the interplay of centrifugal and centripetal tendencies in the “center-regions” relationship of the French Republic. The analysis focuses on the normative framework of international and foreign policy activities of French territorial communities based on national constitution and legislation. Traditional close ties of French regions with partners from European countries are discussed, with a special emphasis on collaborations with countries in Eastern and Southern Mediterranean, as well as North Africa. Partnership with distant Eastern territories is separately examined. The study is based on a comprehensive methodology incorporating principles of historicism, objectivity, comprehensiveness, historical-systemic and historical-comparative approaches, as well as theoretical foundations of multilevel governance theory. It includes an examination of the activities of various administrative units in France: regions, departments, municipalities, cities, and metropolises. The conclusion drawn is that the international activities of French regions are currently less active than those of regions in other European Union countries; however, in the 21st century, they have significantly intensified compared to previous periods.

The roles of French community pharmacists in palliative home care

BackgroundThe World Health Organization identifies pharmacists as a key resource in palliative care. However, the roles of these professionals in end-of-life care at home remain poorly understood, and community pharmacists themselves sometimes struggle to recognize their true role in this care. The aim of our study was to analyze community pharmacists’ representations of their roles in palliative care at home in France.MethodsThe methodology was qualitative and based on semi-structured interviews with community pharmacists (n = 26). The analysis of the interviews was carried out using a qualitative content approach with thematic and lexical analysis.ResultsThree main elements of the community pharmacist’s role were identified: drug expertise, care management, and psychosocial support for patients and their families.ConclusionsThis study highlights a wide variety of roles adopted by French community pharmacists in palliative care at home. Some of these roles, which are in line with WHO recommendations on palliative care, have been little described to date. These roles of community pharmacists in home-based palliative care could be better recognized, and the players better integrated into end-of-life care systems at home, in order to improve such care.Trial registrationThis work was carried out within the framework of a call for projects from the Fondation de France and has received the approval of the University Clermont Auvergne Research Ethics Committee (no. IRB00011540-2021-60).

Oral anticancer medicine interventions: A cross-sectional study in French community pharmacies.

The increasing number of oral anticancer medicines (OAMs) dispensed in community pharmacies and the associated challenges (misuse, management of side effects) give the community pharmacist (CP) a major role in the pharmacotherapeutic management of cancer patients. In France, as a response to these challenges, cancer outpatients can schedule a meeting with their CP to ensure the safe and effective use of OAMs. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the perspectives of these interventions regarding their implementation and the opinion of French CPs. A declarative survey and semi-structured interviews were conducted with CPs that dispensed at least one OAM between January 2021 and March 2022. The study was conducted between April and August 2022. Eighty-five CPs completed the survey. Of these pharmacists, 21% (n = 18) had already performed OAM interventions and 91% (n = 61) wanted to implement them. Lack of time, knowledge and training were the main barriers to implementation. No correlations were identified between the characteristics of community pharmacies and the likelihood of implementing OAM interventions. Considering that CPs seem willing to implement them and the favourable context in France, this observational study highlights the potential of OAM interventions to improve the management of cancer patients. Though further studies are required to better evaluate the implementation and the potential effects of these interventions, OAM interventions could be relevant strategies in other healthcare systems to secure the management of cancer patients through the involvement of the CP.

End-to-end simulations to optimize imaging spectroscopy mission requirements for seven scientific applications

CNES is currently carrying out a Phase A study to assess the feasibility of a future hyperspectral imaging sensor (10 m spatial resolution) combined with a panchromatic camera (2.5 m spatial resolution). This mission focuses on both high spatial and spectral resolution requirements, as inherited from previous French studies such as HYPEX, HYPXIM, and BIODIVERSITY. To meet user requirements, cost, and instrument compactness constraints, CNES asked the French hyperspectral Mission Advisory Group (MAG), representing a broad French scientific community, to provide recommendations on spectral sampling, particularly in the Short Wave InfraRed (SWIR) for various applications.This paper presents the tests carried out with the aim of defining the optimal spectral sampling and spectral resolution in the SWIR domain for quantitative estimation of physical variables and classification purposes. The targeted applications are geosciences (mineralogy, soil moisture content), forestry (tree species classification, leaf functional traits), coastal and inland waters (bathymetry, water column, bottom classification in shallow water, coastal habitat classification), urban areas (land cover), industrial plumes (aerosols, methane and carbon dioxide), cryosphere (specific surface area, equivalent black carbon concentration), and atmosphere (water vapor, carbon dioxide and aerosols). All the products simulated in this exercise used the same CNES end-to-end processing chain, with realistic instrument parameters, enabling easy comparison between applications. 648 simulations were carried out with different spectral strategies, radiometric calibration performances and signal-to-noise Ratios (SNR): 24 instrument configurations × 25 datasets (22 images + 3 spectral libraries).The results show that spectral sampling up to 20 nm in the SWIR range is sufficient for most applications. However, 10 nm spectral sampling is recommended for applications based on specific absorption bands such as mineralogy, industrial plumes or atmospheric gases. In addition, a slight performance loss is generally observed when radiometric calibration accuracy decreases, with a few exceptions in bathymetry and in the cryosphere for which the observed performance is severely degraded. Finally, most applications can be achieved with a realistic SNR, with the exception of bathymetry, shallow water classification, as well as carbon dioxide and methane estimation, which require the optimistic SNR level tested. On the basis of these results, CNES is currently evaluating the best compromise for designing the future hyperspectral sensor to meet the objectives of priority applications.

Participatory science for social impacts and structural change in polluted industrial regions: Case study in France

Over multiple years, we developed and conducted a community-based participatory health study in the industrial zone of Marseille, France. We focused on documenting health issues among residents living in two towns in the industrial core and one town on the periphery that had a larger agricultural sector and an identical transportation/logistics sector. Our study, called EPSEAL (Etude Participative en Santé Environment Ancrée Localement; Locally-Anchored Participatory Study of Environmental Health, English trans.), was designed to answer residents’ questions about the health experiences of living in industrial zones. Our multidisciplinary Franco-American team conducted health surveys in these three towns and held focus groups with residents and other stakeholders to discuss the findings. The main social impacts we achieved included: 1) empowerment of local residents with evidence they could use for advocating for health interventions; 2) substantial media coverage that drew regional, national, and international attention to the scope of the issue; 3) policy and regulatory changes; and 4) interest from other French communities for conducting similar community-driven health studies. Our study demonstrates that there is substantial interest among residents in doing participatory studies that answer their questions about health. Additionally we show that collaboratively-produced, epidemiologically rigorous studies have substantial social and policy impacts.

Willingness for more vegetarian meals in school canteens: Associations with family characteristics and parents’ food choice motives in a French community

The school meal system could contribute to the transition towards more sustainable food system by promoting plant-based meals. Knowing whether parents want more vegetarian school meals for their children is a prerequisite for a successful implementation. The present study aimed to estimate the proportion of parents who would opt for more vegetarian school meals for their children and to study associations of willingness with family characteristics and food choice motives. An online survey was sent to parents whose children are registered for school canteen in Dijon (France). We collected child-level information, data on family sociodemographic characteristics, and data on dietary habits and food choice motives of the family. We examined family characteristics associated with the willingness to increase the frequency of vegetarian school meals from one meal per week to two or daily. Generalized linear models were performed. In total, 49% of parents were willing to opt for a second weekly vegetarian meal and 26% for a daily vegetarian meal for their children (n = 1261). Parents willing to opt for more vegetarian meal were more likely to have higher education, be flexitarian or vegetarian and to currently opt for pork-free meals for their children, and their children attended the school canteen less frequently. Environmental motives were positively associated with the willing to opt for a second weekly vegetarian meal; familiarity and sensory appeal motives were negatively associated. Health and animal welfare motives were positively associated with the willing to opt for a daily vegetarian meal and sensory appeal was negatively associated. Increasing the frequency of vegetarian school meals would satisfy a demand expressed by parents but must be accompanied by interventions enhancing pleasure of eating vegetarian meals.

Diffusion of the Internet-of-Things (IoT): A framework based on smart retail technology

Internet-of-Things (IoT) innovations are reconfiguring our societies and day-to-day lives. How do these new technologies enter our communities, and when they do, how do they complement or disrupt existing activity? This paper provides a framework for addressing these questions, building on a case study of the automated pizza vending machine that is proliferating in France. Relying on an exclusive and newly constructed database, we examine the diffusion of smart pizza vending machines across over 30,000 French communities. Contrary to our expectations, we find that neither the large, dense, and most connected urban centers nor the rural areas with limited access to food options are the first adopters of these machines. Instead, small but well-connected communities, with attractive consumer bases but which lack 24/7 amenities, are at the vanguard of the adoption of this "frugal" IoT innovation -- i.e., one that requires little capital investment but potentially meets widespread demand. Furthermore, we find that independent business owners and small entrepreneurs are the early adopters of the new technology, but they act as forerunners for larger corporate actors. Based on these findings, our proposed framework highlights the decentralized and bottom-up processes that give rise to the rapid penetration of frugal IoT technologies and their associated socio-economic effects.

Factors influencing French community pharmacists’ willingness to participate in research projects: a mixed method study

BackgroundFrench community pharmacists are facing an increasing demand to provide a wider range of services to meet the needs of the population. These new missions must be evaluated by primary care research studies. This study aims to explore the factors that influence French community pharmacists’ willingness to participate in research projects.MethodsA mixed-method design was adopted for this study, comprising an initial quantitative online survey followed by semi-directed interviews. The investigation was conducted at two French faculties of pharmacy, Angers and Nantes, involving students in their 6th and final year of pharmacy education, and their community pharmacist tutors. The survey items were based on a study by Saini et al. and participants responded using five-point Likert scales. The semi-directed interviews were conducted after the quantitative analysis, only with volunteer and already graduated community pharmacists.ResultsA total of 131 people participated in the quantitative analysis, comprising 75 students and 56 pharmacists. Pharmacists and students agreed on the significance of two key aspects: the research must possess a clear and meaningful purpose, and researchers must keep the pharmacists informed about the study’s results. Among the 27 proposed items, only three showed significantly different results between students and pharmacists. Moreover, 11 semi-structured interviews were conducted. Research in the community pharmacy domain is relatively new for many pharmacists. Despite limited training, their willingness to participate is contingent on being actively involved from the outset, receiving appropriate support and training. However, the research should be seamlessly integrated into their daily practice, without being too time-consuming and administratively burdensome. Time constraints emerged as the main obstacle, along with concerns about the availability of human resources. Pharmacists expressed strong motivation driven by the research topic’s relevance, and its potential impact on patients or the profession. While financial compensation is desirable, it did not appear to be the main criterion for participation in a study.ConclusionsFrench pharmacists are willing to participate in research projects to improve patient care and develop the profession. Research teams must guide and involve from the project’s inception.

Contribution of perceptions to the acceptability of adaptation tools to sea level rise

ABSTRACT Using a perception survey of 782 residents of 227 French coastal communities, this study examines the underlying motives for the acceptability of property relocation policies in response to sea level rise. These policies are concerned with new land-use management methods that aim to reduce coastal vulnerability and are recommended for adaptation to climate change. The originality of the approach is to simultaneously analyze both the perception and acceptability of relocation policies and, through econometric models, compare the factors that facilitate or hinder their implementation. A wide variety of variables were tested to demonstrate the complexity of social and psychological determinants. The data show 52% of the sample have a negative perception of relocation. The results highlight social norms and perceived sense of control as the variables that could help increase acceptability of relocation. Therefore, efficiency and trust in the implementing institutions are important to increase acceptability of public policies.

Evidence-Based Pharmaceutical Care in Community Pharmacies: A Survey of 595 French Pharmacists.

We assessed the use of evidence-based practice (EBP) among pharmacists working in community pharmacies in France and the factors linked to this practice. During 3 months in 2018, an online survey was sent to over 7000 active pharmacists and posted on pharmacists' social media sites. In total, 595 pharmacists completed the questionnaire. The responders were on average younger than the general population of community pharmacists. The 40-item questionnaire described four fictional clinical cases reflecting typical situations (conventional medicine and complementary and alternative medicine) encountered daily by community pharmacists. Multiple-choice responses were proposed and scored according to whether they reflected EBP. A high total score indicated behaviour in line with EBP. We observed 344/595 participants with a positive EBP score (57.8% [53.7-61.8%]). Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to evaluate factors that might explain adherence to EPB (the pharmacy's characteristics, the pharmacist's status, the mode of continuing education and sources of information). The majority relied on pharmaceutical industry and other biased and/or non-evidence-based sources, particularly concerning information on homeopathic products. The consultation of independent reviews, health agency recommendations and peer-reviewed scientific journals was associated with evidence-based decisions. In contrast, reliance on pharmaceutical industry documents, personal experience and informal handbooks was linked to lower EBP scores. The level of EBP use by French community pharmacists needs to be improved to ensure that good-quality, science-based advice is given to customers.

Knowledge and perceptions of French community pharmacists and pharmacy students about the papillomavirus vaccine

IntroductionIn a French context of low vaccination coverage for human papillomavirus (HPV) disease, we conducted a study on pharmacy students and community pharmacists to assess their self-reported knowledge about HPV infection and vaccination and their perceptions of vaccination. Material and methodsA prospective volunteered-based study was conducted in the French Franche-Comté region based on a questionnaire targeting pharmacy students (from the 2nd to 6th years) and community pharmacists. ResultsAll in all, 220 students and 55 pharmacists completed a questionnaire. Fewer than a third knew which HPV genotypes are considered to be high-risk (p-value = 0.11) and were aware of the diversified nature of HPV-induced cancers (p-value = 0.02). Their overall level of general knowledge about vaccination was estimated to be good by 62% of students and 85% of pharmacists (p-value = 10−3). More than 75% of students and pharmacists considered that HPV vaccination has a positive benefit-risk balance (p-value = 0.44) but that its low coverage is due to non-confirmed adverse events that were suggested in the past (p-value = 0.60). Pharmacists had a better perception of the safety of HPV vaccination (84% versus 64%, p-value = 6·10−3). More than 50% of students and pharmacists agreed with mandatory HPV vaccination for girls and boys (11–14 years). ConclusionThis study allowed us to assess the knowledge of students and community pharmacists and their more or less favorable perceptions of HPV vaccination. It helped us to suggest their needs in terms of practical training. Future changes should include pharmacists in the implementation of public health policies and to improve vaccination coverage.

2163P Supportive care in French community pharmacies: OncoPharma certification

2163P Supportive care in French community pharmacies: OncoPharma certification