Over-Actuated Underwater Robots: Configuration Matrix Design and Perspectives.

In general, for the configuration designs of underwater robots, the positions and directions of actuators (i.e., thrusters) are given and installed in conventional ways (known points, vertically, horizontally).

Post-retirement surveillance of workers exposed to asbestos or wood dust: first results of the French national SPIRALE Program.

Objectives: In France, 15 000-20 000 cancers attributable to occupational exposure occur each year. These cancers appear most often after the worker has retired. Since 1995, a system of post-retirement medical surveillance (PRMS) has been set up for former workers, but it remains largely underused.

[Pilot data from the Spirale project -- follow-up of occupational respiratory exposures].

Introduction: The medical follow-up of individuals who have had occupational exposures to potential respiratory hazards is little known and under-utilised. The Spirale program aims to deliver this intervention effectively to all potential beneficiaries.

Methods: Spirale was introduced in two stages; i) identification of occupational exposures to asbestos or wood dust through a postal questionnaire; ii) for those initially identified, confirmation of exposure through attendance at a health centre for examination and further medical follow-up as necessary.

Practical way to assess metabolic syndrome using a continuous score obtained from principal components analysis.

Aims/hypothesis: We devised a practical continuous score to assess the metabolic syndrome, and assessed whether this syndrome score predicts incident diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Subjects And Methods: Among 5,024 participants of the Data from an Epidemiological Study on the Insulin Resistance Syndrome (D.E.