Search

Objective.The Outcome Measures in Rheumatology (OMERACT) Worker Productivity Group continues efforts to assess psychometric properties of measures of presenteeism.Methods.Psychometric properties of single-item and dual answer multiitem scales were assessed, as well as methods to evaluate thresholds of meaning.Results.Test-retest reliability and construct validity of single item global measures was moderate to good. The value of measuring both degree of difficulty and amount of time with difficulty in multiitems questionnaires was confirmed. Thresholds of meaning vary depending on methods and external anchors applied.Conclusion.We have advanced our understanding of the performance of presenteeism measures and have developed approaches to describing thresholds of meaning.

Objective.Several global measures to assess at-work productivity loss or presenteeism in patients with rheumatic diseases have been proposed, but the comparative validity is hampered by the lack of data on test-retest reliability and comparative concurrent and construct validity. Our objective was to test-retest 5 global measures of presenteeism and to compare the association between these scales and health-related well-being.Methods.Sixty-five participants with inflammatory arthritis or osteoarthritis in paid employment were recruited from 7 countries (UK, Canada, Netherlands, France, Sweden, Romania, and Italy). At baseline and 2 weeks later, 5 global measures of presenteeism were evaluated: the Work Productivity Scale–Rheumatoid Arthritis (WPS-RA), Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Questionnaire (WPAI), Work Ability Index (WAI), Quality and Quantity questionnaire (QQ), and the WHO Health and Performance Questionnaire (HPQ). Agreement between the 2 timepoints was assessed using single-measure intraclass correlations (ICC) and correlated between each other and with visual analog scale general well-being scores at followup by Spearman correlation.Results.ICC between measures ranged from fair (HPQ 0.59) to excellent (WPS-RA 0.78). Spearman correlations between measures were moderate (Qquality vs WAI, r = 0.51) to strong (WPS-RA vs WPAI, r = 0.88). Correlations between measures and general well-being were low to moderate, ranging from −0.44 ≤ r ≤ 0.66.Conclusion.Test-retest results of 4 out of 5 global measures were good, and the correlations between these were moderate. The latter probably reflect differences in the concepts, recall periods, and references used in the measures, which implies that some measures are probably not interchangeable.

The reliable modeling of three-dimensional complex geological structures can have a major impact on forecasting and managing natural resources and on predicting seismic and geomechanical hazards. However, the qualification of a model as structurally complex is often qualitative and subjective making the comparison of the capabilities and performances of various geomodeling methods or software difficult. In this paper, we consider the notion of structural complexity from a geometrical point of view and argue that it can be characterized using general metrics computed on three-dimensional sealed structural models. We propose global and local measures of the connectivity and of the geometry of the model components and show how they permit to classify nine 3D synthetic structural models. Depending on the complexity elements favored, the classification varies. The models we introduce could be used as benchmark models for geomodeling algorithms. HighlightsWe describe complicated geometrical configurations in structural models.Nine benchmark 3D structural models for geomodeling methods are proposed.We propose four measures to compare geometry and connectivity of structural models.Several classifications of the proposed benchmark models are given.

Groupe f.m.r. (flux, matrices, réseaux) animé par César Ducruet et Laurent Beauguitte (CNRS, UMR Géographie-cités) L'objectif du groupe de travail est d'intégrer dans l'approche géographique les outils et méthodes issues de l'analyse des réseaux (sociaux, techniques et complexes). Ces derniers paraissent en effet fournir des pistes intéressantes pour l'analyse des flux de toute nature (commerciaux, informationnels, financiers, migratoires et touristiques). Cette appropriation méthodologique suppose un travail approfondi sur les concepts, le vocabulaire, les méthodes et les outils disponibles. Trois axes de travail sont envisagés, l'un sur les concepts, l'un sur les méthodes et le troisième sur les outils. L'étude des concepts vise à clarifier le vocabulaire utilisé et à évaluer sa pertinence pour l'étude géographique des réseaux. Les méthodes étudiées peuvent s'organiser en trois grands sous-thèmes ; les mesures, le partitionnement de graphe et enfin les modèles statistiques. Le dernier axe propose une introduction à quelques logiciels disponibles (Ucinet, igraph, Statnet, Tulip, Pajek etc.) en vue de visualiser et d'analyser des matrices.; This document from the group f.m.r. (flux, matrices, réseaux) proposes a synthesis of global measures regarding networks, planar or not. Recent measures proposed notably by physicians are detailed.; Ce document du groupe f.m.r. (flux, matrices, réseaux) propose une synthèse des mesures globales d'un réseau, qu'il s'agisse d'un réseau planaire ou non. Les mesures récentes proposées par les physiciens sont détaillées.

Groupe f.m.r. (flux, matrices, réseaux) animé par César Ducruet et Laurent Beauguitte (CNRS, UMR Géographie-cités) L'objectif du groupe de travail est d'intégrer dans l'approche géographique les outils et méthodes issues de l'analyse des réseaux (sociaux, techniques et complexes). Ces derniers paraissent en effet fournir des pistes intéressantes pour l'analyse des flux de toute nature (commerciaux, informationnels, financiers, migratoires et touristiques). Cette appropriation méthodologique suppose un travail approfondi sur les concepts, le vocabulaire, les méthodes et les outils disponibles. Trois axes de travail sont envisagés, l'un sur les concepts, l'un sur les méthodes et le troisième sur les outils. L'étude des concepts vise à clarifier le vocabulaire utilisé et à évaluer sa pertinence pour l'étude géographique des réseaux. Les méthodes étudiées peuvent s'organiser en trois grands sous-thèmes ; les mesures, le partitionnement de graphe et enfin les modèles statistiques. Le dernier axe propose une introduction à quelques logiciels disponibles (Ucinet, igraph, Statnet, Tulip, Pajek etc.) en vue de visualiser et d'analyser des matrices.; This document from the group f.m.r. (flux, matrices, réseaux) proposes a synthesis of global measures regarding networks, planar or not. Recent measures proposed notably by physicians are detailed.; Ce document du groupe f.m.r. (flux, matrices, réseaux) propose une synthèse des mesures globales d'un réseau, qu'il s'agisse d'un réseau planaire ou non. Les mesures récentes proposées par les physiciens sont détaillées.

The self-concept construct is one of the oldest in psychology and is used widely in many disciplines. Despite its popularity, reviews prior to the 1980s typically emphasized the lack of theoretical basis in most studies, the poor quality of measurement instruments, methodological shortcomings, and a general lack of consistent findings except, perhaps, support for the null hypothesis. This situation called into question the usefulness of the self-concept construct. In dramatic contrast, the last decade has seen considerable progress in theory, measurement, and research. This progress is due at least in part to a stronger emphasis on a multidimensional self-concept instead of global measures of self. The purpose of this invited review is to summarize how my self-concept research has contributed to these advances. This review further substantiates the claim that self-concept cannot be understood adequately if its multidimensionality is ignored, and recommends that researchers use well-constructed multidimensional measures of self-concept instead of relying solely on global measures of self.