Collective beliefs for responsible investment

International audienceThe financial community does not seem to have shifted yet to greater sustainability, despite increasing awareness and concerns around social and environmental issues. In this paper, we provide insights to help understand why. Building on responsible investment (RI) data from the UK financial press between 1982 and 2010, we examine the collective beliefs which financial actors rely on to take decisions under uncertainty, as a way of understanding the status of and implications for RI mainstreaming. Our results identify five periods that characterize RI over time. The “civil rights” years (1982-1991), the “green niche” years (1992-1997), the “professionalization” years (1998-2000), the “SRI” years (2001-2004) and the “ESG” years (2005-ongoing) follow each other with specific representations and practices for RI. The analysis of the collective beliefs leads us to define two theoretical dimensions – justifying RI and practicing RI—that allow us to characterize how mainstream actors collectively make sense of RI. Our data confirm the existence of collective beliefs around RI and highlights changes in the content of the collective beliefs throughout the five periods, demonstrating a dynamic in the RI field. Our analysis reveals that the RI collective beliefs currently (1) do not provide a favorable environment for RI mainstreaming and (2) need to be taken into account when discussing the value of sustainability

Inauguration de l’Institut Emilie du Châtelet (IEC) pour le développement et la diffusion des recherches sur les femmes, le sexe et le genre en Ile-de-France

En novembre 2006 avait lieu l’inauguration de l’Institut Emilie du Châtelet au Collège de France à Paris. Cette note brève sur cet évènement peut intéresser les chercheurs et chercheuses concernés par les questions sur le genre. Le rôle et l’ambition de l’IEC portent sur quatre points : mettre en place des bases documentaires sur les femmes, le sexe et le genre (internet, support multimédia, politique éditoriale) ; soutenir et améliorer la visibilité des recherches sur ces thèmes ; développer..

Inauguration de l’Institut Emilie du Châtelet (IEC) pour le développement et la diffusion des recherches sur les femmes, le sexe et le genre en Ile-de-France

En novembre 2006 avait lieu l’inauguration de l’Institut Emilie du Châtelet au Collège de France à Paris. Cette note brève sur cet évènement peut intéresser les chercheurs et chercheuses concernés par les questions sur le genre. Le rôle et l’ambition de l’IEC portent sur quatre points : mettre en place des bases documentaires sur les femmes, le sexe et le genre (internet, support multimédia, politique éditoriale) ; soutenir et améliorer la visibilité des recherches sur ces thèmes ; développer..

Une approche socioculturelle de l'hygiène au Cambodge : pratiques soignantes et risques de transmission virale

Les modalités de la transmission nosocomiale du VIH, du virus de l'hépatite B (VHB) et le virus de l'hépatite C (VHC), et les logiques socioculturelles sous-jacentes qui la favorisent semblent assez mal connues et peu étudiées à l'échelle mondiale. La question de l'hygiène en milieu sanitaire a été abordée à l'heure actuelle, essentiellement d'un point de vue biologique [1,2].Or, celle-ci est traversée et modelée par des normes et des représentations socioculturelles qui sous-tendent les pratiques favorisant ou limitant la transmission des pathologies, toujours inscrites au sein de relations sociales [3-5]. De 2006 à 2009, une équipe d'anthropologues du centre de recherche cultures, santé, sociétés de l'université d'Aix- Marseille a conduit un projet de recherche1 dont l'objectif était de produire des connaissances sur les conditions de la transmission iatrogène des VIH, VHB, VHC, en s'intéressant aux dimensions socioculturelles de l'hygiène hospitalière au Cambodge. Ce projet contribue à montrer comment, dans une perspective d'application, il est indispensable de mieux connaître les logiques sous-jacentes aux pratiques d'hygiène pour adapter des formations destinées aux professionnels de santé, voire aux populations

Biochemical and structural characterization of the Arabidopsis bifunctional enzyme dethiobiotin synthetase-diaminopelargonic acid aminotransferase: evidence for substrate channeling in biotin synthesis.

International audienceDiaminopelargonic acid aminotransferase (DAPA-AT) and dethiobiotin synthetase (DTBS) catalyze the antepenultimate and the penultimate steps, respectively, of biotin synthesis. Whereas DAPA-AT and DTBS are encoded by distinct genes in bacteria, in biotin-synthesizing eukaryotes (plants and most fungi), both activities are carried out by a single enzyme encoded by a bifunctional gene originating from the fusion of prokaryotic monofunctional ancestor genes. In few angiosperms, including Arabidopsis thaliana, this chimeric gene (named BIO3-BIO1) also produces a bicistronic transcript potentially encoding separate monofunctional proteins that can be produced following an alternative splicing mechanism. The functional significance of the occurrence of a bifunctional enzyme in biotin synthesis pathway in eukaryotes and the relative implication of each of the potential enzyme forms (bifunctional versus monofunctional) in the plant biotin pathway are unknown. In this study, we demonstrate that the BIO3-BIO1 fusion protein is the sole protein form produced by the BIO3-BIO1 locus in Arabidopsis. The enzyme catalyzes both DAPA-AT and DTBS reactions in vitro and is targeted to mitochondria in vivo. Our biochemical and kinetic characterizations of the pure recombinant enzyme show that in the course of the reaction, the DAPA intermediate is directly transferred from the DAPA-AT active site to the DTBS active site. Analysis of several structures of the enzyme crystallized in complex with and without its ligands reveals key structural elements involved for acquisition of bifunctionality and brings, together with mutagenesis experiments, additional evidences for substrate channeling

Transmission of HIV, HBV, HCV in health settings: an anthropological approach on hygiene in Cambodia

International audienceBackground: The modalities of HIV, HBV, HCV healthcare-associated infections and the underlying social and cultural logics contributing to this transmission are not precisely known, since hospital hygiene has mainly been studied from a biological point of view until now. However, hospital hygiene is shaped by norms and social-cultural representations, which increase or limit the transmission of infectious agents, always taking place within social relations. In 2006-2009, an anthropological research project (ANRS 12102) aimed at documenting those issues in various health settings in Cambodia. Practices related to hygiene were analyzed from a cultural point of view, especially since norms are interpreted at local level according to social and symbolic logics.Methods: We collected qualitative data in formal and informal sectors of care, mainly in general hospital services, maternity wards, primary health centers and in traditional practitioners’ private clinics. We interviewed many participants regarding hygiene practices and social relationships amongst the staff and between health care workers and patients. We also investigated the local representations of hygiene, their impact on the relationships between health care workers and patients and perceptions of transmission risks by health care workers.Results: In a context were hygiene practices were limited by the lack of adequate materials and equipments, other factors were identified, which influence and distort hygiene practices. They include: (1) informal and formal social relationships in hospitals, (2) major infection control roles played by cleaners in absence of professional acknowledgment, (3) lack of consideration for hygiene by health professionals that rely on low-ranking staff for hygiene practices. Besides these issues, various questions emerged regarding social science theory. Indeed, doing research on infectious disease transmission led us to include investigations and interpretations related to anthropology of development, historical and social perspectives on public health institutions, and social organization in hospital settings. The social condition of working class (the workers), the legal and illegal systems of care, various aspects related to the politics of reproduction were issues at stake, which leads to more general issues on social changes in Cambodia. Moreover, hygiene issue may be seen as an encounter of the biological body and the social body, whose construction and effects are deeply inscribed in the historical and contemporary forms of social organization and power distribution in Cambodia.Conclusion: Our anthropological findings illustrate the importance of comprehensive understanding of hygiene practices; they need to be considered when designing intervention to improve infection control practices in a Cambodian medical setting

Wildfire risk for main vegetation units in a biodiversity hotspot : modeling approach in New Caledonia, South Pacific

Wildfire has been recognized as one of the most ubiquitous disturbance agents to impact on natural environments. In this study, our main objective was to propose a modeling approach to investigate the potential impact of wildfire on biodiversity. The method is illustrated with an application example in New Caledonia where conservation and sustainable biodiversity management represent an important challenge. Firstly, a biodiversity loss index, including the diversity and the vulnerability indexes, was calculated for every vegetation unit in New Caledonia and mapped according to its distribution over the New Caledonian mainland. Then, based on spatially explicit fire behavior simulations (using the FLAMMAP software) and fire ignition probabilities, two original fire risk assessment approaches were proposed: a one-off event model and a multi-event burn probability model. The spatial distribution of fire risk across New Caledonia was similar for both indices with very small localized spots having high risk. The patterns relating to highest risk are all located around the remaining sclerophyll forest fragments and are representing 0.012% of the mainland surface. A small part of maquis and areas adjacent to dense humid forest on ultramafic substrates should also be monitored. Vegetation interfaces between secondary and primary units displayed high risk and should represent priority zones for fire effects mitigation. Low fire ignition probability in anthropogenic-free areas decreases drastically the risk. A one-off event associated risk allowed localizing of the most likely ignition areas with potential for extensive damage. Emergency actions could aim limiting specific fire spread known to have high impact or consist of on targeting high risk areas to limit one-off fire ignitions. Spatially explicit information on burning probability is necessary for setting strategic fire and fuel management planning. Both risk indices provide clues to preserve New Caledonia hot spot of biodiversity facing wildfires