Examination of Korean stop perception in Quebec French listeners through the lens of assimilation overlap.

This study assessed the perceptual assimilation model (PAM) predictions about assimilation types and discrimination performance through the lens of assimilation overlap in Quebec French listeners' perception of nine non-native Korean stop consonants. The consonants varied in voicing (fortis, lenis, and aspirated) and place of articulation (labials, coronals, and velars). In the identification experiment, the Korean three-way voicing contrasts were found to undergo an assimilation overlap to correspond to the French two-way equivalent contrasts across places of articulation. In the discrimination experiment, assimilation overlap tended to hinder detection of non-native speech distinctions, which is in line with the PAM-based suggestion.

An assets-based approach to promoting girls' financial literacy, savings, and education.

PURPOSE: This study examined whether micro-savings programs can improve young adolescent girls' financial knowledge, savings behaviors, and schooling outcomes in Ghana. METHODS: We evaluated the short- and medium-term effects of a randomized control trial in which a sub-sample of over 1400 girls living in the Eastern Region of Ghana received financial literacy training and a micro-savings account. RESULTS: Girls in the intervention arm of the study initially exhibited higher levels of financial knowledge, planning, and savings, but some of these effects disappeared within two years. Nonetheless, girls with micro-savings retained their greater knowledge of interest rates, had higher levels of savings, and were more likely to save for school. The effects on girls' educational enrollment was strongest in the second year. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that even relatively young girls can manage micro-savings accounts and that such programs, if sustained, can effectively build girls' financial and educational assets.

Oral immunotherapy for peanut allergy: multipractice experience with epinephrine-treated reactions.

BACKGROUND: Peanut allergy creates the risk of life-threatening anaphylaxis that can disrupt psychosocial development and family life. The avoidance management strategy often fails to prevent anaphylaxis and may contribute to social dysfunction. Peanut oral immunotherapy may address these problems, but there are safety concerns regarding implementation in clinical practice. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this report is to communicate observations about the frequency of epinephrine-treated reactions during peanut oral immunotherapy in 5 different allergy/immunology practices. METHODS: Retrospective chart review of peanut oral immunotherapy performed in 5 clinical allergy practices. RESULTS: A total of 352 treated patients received 240,351 doses of peanut, peanut butter, or peanut flour, and experienced 95 reactions that were treated with epinephrine. Only 3 patients received 2 doses of epinephrine, and no patient required more intensive treatment. A total of 298 patients achieved the target maintenance dose for a success rate of 85%. CONCLUSION: Peanut oral immunotherapy carries a risk of systemic reactions. In the context of oral immunotherapy, those reactions were recognized and treated promptly. Peanut oral immunotherapy may be a suitable therapy for patients managed by qualified allergists/immunologists.

Speech articulation performance of francophone children in the early school years: norming of the Test de Dépistage Francophone de Phonologie.

Good quality normative data are essential for clinical practice in speech-language pathology but are largely lacking for French-speaking children. We investigated speech production accuracy by French-speaking children attending kindergarten (maternelle) and first grade (première année). The study aimed to provide normative data for a new screening test - the Test de Dépistage Francophone de Phonologie. Sixty-one children named 30 pictures depicting words selected to be representative of the distribution of phonemes, syllable shapes and word lengths characteristic of Québec French. Percent consonants' correct was approximately 90% and did not change significantly with age although younger children produced significantly more syllable structure errors than older children. Given that the word set reflects the segmental and prosodic characteristics of spoken Québec French, and that ceiling effects were not observed, these results further indicate that phonological development is not complete by the age of seven years in French-speaking children.

Occupational dermatitis in workers exposed to detergents, disinfectants, and antiseptics.

Anti-infective prevention has led to a significant use of disinfectants, detergents, and antiseptics in various areas of activities. Most of these products are skin irritants and allergens, which can cause skin disorders in exposed workers. The authors conducted a descriptive and retrospective study on occupational dermatitis diagnosed at an occupational dermatology hospital consultation service, targeting exposed workers in the health, food, and cleaning industries. These included 20.9% (61 of 291) of the patients seen at this consultation. An occupational origin was proven for 50 of these 61 patients. The most frequent dermatoses were irritant contact dermatitis (42%) and allergic contact dermatitis (26.3%). The main allergens were disinfectants and antiseptics (26.3%), especially quaternary ammoniums, aldehydes, and nickel. Patients exposed to disinfectants, detergents, and antiseptics in the workplace represent an important part (about 1 of 5) of occupational dermatology consultations, although factors may be contributory. Prevention and knowledge are necessary for this increasing issue.