Analyse des modes de coordination Inter-Organisationnelle Cas des relations inter-entreprises et Entreprises-Institutions Publiques

En se fondant sur une approche pluridisciplinaire, nous proposons, dans cet article, l’élaboration d’une  échelle de mesure du phénomène de coordination inter organisationnelle, à partir de la perception et du vécu par les entreprises de leurs échanges avec leurs partenaires (entreprises et institutions  publiques).La revue de la littérature (Durand-Lefaix et al., 2006) permet de dégager quatre grandes  dimensions de la coordination inter- organisationnelle : l’environnement des affaires, les comportements organisationnels, la nature des liens et les modes de régulation. Une spécification des relations entre ces dimensions dans un modèle conceptuel est effectuée selon une perspective de création de ressources. Une double analyse a été menée : une analyse descriptive visant à décrire les profils des entreprises échantillonnées et une analyse explicative pour  l’évaluation du modèle par la méthode des équations structurelles à variables latentes, version Partial Least Squares –PathModeling. Mots Clés :Coordination inter-organisationnelle, Relations interorganisationnelles, Apprentissage  organisationnel, Régulation (coordination inter-organisationnelle), Relations entreprises -institutions  publiques

A hybrid evaluation approach and guidance for mHealth education applications

© Springer International Publishing AG 2018. Mobile health education applications (MHEAs) are used to support different users. However, although these applications are increasing in number, there is no effective evaluation framework to measure their usability and thus save effort and time for their many user groups. This paper outlines a useful framework for evaluating MHEAs, together with particular evaluation metrics: an efficient hybrid of selected heuristic evaluation (HE) and usability evaluation (UE) factors to enable the determination of the usefulness and usability of MHEAs. We also propose a guidance tool to help stakeholders choose the most suitable MHEA. The outcome of this framework is envisioned as meeting the requirements of different users, in addition to enhancing the development of MHEAs using software engineering approaches by creating new and more effective evaluation techniques. Finally, we present qualitative and quantitative results for the framework when used with MHEAs

Effects of grassland management on soil organic carbon density in agro-pastoral zone of Northern China

The objective of this study was to estimate the soil organic carbon (SOC) in grasslands with different management measures including: (1) uncontrolled or free grazing grassland (FG); (2) grassland enclosured, excluding grazing and mowing (EG); (3) grassland enclosured and mowed early in October every year (MG) and (4) grassland enclosured under controlled grazing (CG) by examining soil bulk density and SOC content from 0 to 50 cm soil depth in agro-pastoral ecotone, Northern China. The results showed that, by implementing CG, EG and MG practices, the grasslands in agro-pastoral ecotone of Northern China achieved higher SOC storage on decade scales when compared to FG field. CG field had the highest SOC density in 0 to 50 cm soil layer, while the least SOC density was displayed by FG. However, SOC density was similar between MG and EG plots. CG increased SOC concentration by 56.08% and SOC density by 4.96 kg/m2 when compared to FG practice. In addition, it was likely to give positive financial returns in providing livestock products when compared to EG practice. CG therefore was the most feasible and benign short-term grassland management option which could deposit even higher carbon dioxide in agro-pastoral ecotone in Northern China.Key words: Agro-pastoral zone, soil organic carbon density, grassland management, Northern China

Questions in a Research Setting

Because closed-ended (multiple-choice) questioning formats are often used in educational research, it is important to understand how presenting response options can affect the data obtained. In this study children and adults answered questions in an open-ended condition or one of two closed-ended conditions where options were either likely or unlikely. Participants who were presented with unlikely response options generated their own responses more often than participants who were presented with likely response options. On the other hand, children were more likely than adults to choose the presented response options regardless of how unlikely they were. These findings have important research implications; response options for closed-ended data collection devices must be selected carefully to reflect real-world possibilities.Étant donné que l'on emploie souvent des questionnaires sous forme de questions fermées (à choix multiples) dans la recherche en éducation, il est important de comprendre comment la présentation du choix de réponses peut influencer les données ainsi obtenues. Les enfants et les adultes qui ont participé à cette étude ont répondu soit à des questions ouvertes, soit à des questions fermées où les choix de réponses étaient probables ou improbables. Les participants à qui on avait présenté des choix de réponses improbables ont produit leurs propres réponses plus souvent que ceux à qui on avait présenté des choix de réponses probables. Par ailleurs, les enfants étaient plus portés que les adultes à choisir les réponses proposées, indépendamment de leur improbabilité. Ces résultats ont des implications importantes pour la recherche: dans la collecte de données, il est important de bien formuler les choix de réponses aux questions fermées pour qu'ils constituent des possibilités réalistes

Class II ADP-ribosylation factors are required for efficient secretion of Dengue viruses

This article is available open access through the publisher’s website.Identification and characterization of virus-host interactions are very important steps toward a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms responsible for disease progression and pathogenesis. To date, very few cellular factors involved in the life cycle of flaviviruses, which are important human pathogens, have been described. In this study, we demonstrate a crucial role for class II Arf proteins (Arf4 and Arf5) in the dengue flavivirus life cycle. We show that simultaneous depletion of Arf4 and Arf5 blocks recombinant subviral particle secretion for all four dengue serotypes. Immunostaining analysis suggests that class II Arf proteins are required at an early pre-Golgi step for dengue virus secretion. Using a horseradish peroxidase protein fused to a signal peptide, we show that class II Arfs act specifically on dengue virus secretion without altering the secretion of proteins through the constitutive secretory pathway. Co-immunoprecipitation data demonstrate that the dengue prM glycoprotein interacts with class II Arf proteins but not through its C-terminal VXPX motif. Finally, experiments performed with replication-competent dengue and yellow fever viruses demonstrate that the depletion of class II Arfs inhibits virus secretion, thus confirming their implication in the virus life cycle, although data obtained with West Nile virus pointed out the differences in virus-host interactions among flaviviruses. Our findings shed new light on a molecular mechanism used by dengue viruses during the late stages of the life cycle and demonstrate a novel function for class II Arf proteins.Research Fund for Control of Infectious Diseases of Hong Kong and BNP Paribas Corporate and Investment Banking

A quick DNA extraction protocol: Without liquid nitrogen in ambient temperature

Marker assisted selection is an effective technique for quality traits selection in breeding program which are impossible by visual observation. Marker assisted selection in early generation requires rapid DNA extraction protocol for large number of samples in a low cost approach. A rapid and inexpensive DNA extraction protocol has been described for different tissues of color rice and other plant species which contain pigment and polyphenolic compound. This method has been modified from well known cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) method where CTAB is used for DNA extraction. This protocol is simple and fast compared to other methods and no liquid nitrogen is required. Only inexpensive chemicals and ordinary laboratory equipments are enough for DNA extraction. The quantity of total genomic DNA from different tissues was almost similar which was extracted from 10 mg samples. The extracted DNA is stable and applicable to marker assisted selection, DNA fingerprinting, quantitative traits loci analysis, screening of transformants and enzymatic digestion.Key words: Different plant tissues, inexpensive, rice flour, rapid DNA extraction

Parasitism of Plutella xylostella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae) Populations on Cabbage Brassica oleracea var. capitata (L.) by Cotesia plutellae (Kurdjumov) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) in Ghana

The study was carried out at the Weija Irrigation Company site at Weija, in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana, to determine the seasonal abundance of the major parasitoid of Plutella xylostella (L.) populations on cabbage, Brassica oleracea var. capitata (L.) during the rainy and the dry seasons. The results indicated that Cotesia plutellae (Kurdjumov) was the most abundant and important parasitoid of P. xylostella on cabbage. It accounted for about 92% of the parasitoids, and occurred in all the three seasons of planting. The rest consisted of four facultative hyperparasitoids: Oomyzus sokolowskii, Aphanogmus reticulatus, Elasmus sp. and a Trichomalopsis sp., and two primary parasitoids, Pediobius sp. and Hockeria sp. A significantly higher rate of parasitism (68.6 ± 12.9%, P < 0.05) of P. xylostella by C. plutellae occurred during the major rainy season and the least (9.9 ± 7.1) in the minor rainy season. Cotesia plutellae acted in a density dependent manner, and its numbers increased as that of the host in all three seasons. The coefficient of correlation was highest in the major rainy season (r = 0.97) with a coefficient of determination of 0.97. In the minor rainy season r = 0.55, and in the dry season r = 0.66. The annual coefficient of correlation was r = 0.51 and the coefficient of determination = 0.262. Hence, in an annual production of cabbage, 26.2% of the variation in parasitism was due to the variation in the number of P. xylostella. The results, therefore, indicate that C. plutellae can be used in the development of an integrated pest management programme (IPMP), against P. xylostella in Ghana

Palmitoylation of Desmoglein 2 Is a Regulator of Assembly Dynamics and Protein Turnover.

Desmosomes are prominent adhesive junctions present between many epithelial cells as well as cardiomyocytes. The mechanisms controlling desmosome assembly and remodeling in epithelial and cardiac tissue are poorly understood. We recently identified protein palmitoylation as a mechanism regulating desmosome dynamics. In this study, we have focused on the palmitoylation of the desmosomal cadherin desmoglein-2 (Dsg2) and characterized the role that palmitoylation of Dsg2 plays in its localization and stability in cultured cells. We identified two cysteine residues in the juxtamembrane (intracellular anchor) domain of Dsg2 that, when mutated, eliminate its palmitoylation. These cysteine residues are conserved in all four desmoglein family members. Although mutant Dsg2 localizes to endogenous desmosomes, there is a significant delay in its incorporation into junctions, and the mutant is also present in a cytoplasmic pool. Triton X-100 solubility assays demonstrate that mutant Dsg2 is more soluble than wild-type protein. Interestingly, trafficking of the mutant Dsg2 to the cell surface was delayed, and a pool of the non-palmitoylated Dsg2 co-localized with lysosomal markers. Taken together, these data suggest that palmitoylation of Dsg2 regulates protein transport to the plasma membrane. Modulation of the palmitoylation status of desmosomal cadherins can affect desmosome dynamics

Effects of Drought and Elevated Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide on Seed Nutrition and 15N and 13C Natural Abundance Isotopes in Soybean Under Controlled Environments

The objective of the current research was to evaluate the effects of drought and elevated CO2 on seed production and seed nutrition under controlled conditions in soybean. Soybean plants were subjected to ambient and elevated CO2 and under irrigated and drought conditions. The results showed that drought or drought with elevated CO2 resulted in high protein and oleic acid, but low in oil and linoleic and linolenic acids. Significant decrease of sucrose, glucose, and fructose concentrations was noticed, but high content of raffinose and stachyose was observed. Nutrients such as N, P, K, and some micro-nutrients were reduced under drought or drought with normal or elevated CO2 concentrations. Seed δ15N (15N/14N ratio) and δ13C (13C/12C ratio) natural abundance isotopes were also altered under drought or drought with ambient or elevated CO2 concentrations, reflecting nitrogen and carbon metabolism changes. The current research demonstrated that global climate changes may lead to changes in seed nutrition, and nitrogen and carbon metabolism. Efforts of breeders to select for these traits will sustain food source and food security for humans and livestock as soybean is a major source for protein and oil for human consumption and soymeal for animals

Preload maintenance protects against a depression in left ventricular systolic, but not diastolic, function immediately after ultraendurance exercise

This article has been made available through the Brunel Open Access Publishing Fund and is available from the specified link - Copyright © 2006 BMJ Publishing Group.Objective: To investigate indices of left ventricular (LV) function before and after a 224 km Ironman triathlon, specifically in the presence of unaltered haemodynamic loading. Method: LV loading and function were assessed before and after the race using M mode and Doppler echocardiography in 39 (mean (SD) age 33 (8) years, body mass 77.6 (8.6) kg; 36 male) triathletes in the Trendelenburg position. Specifically left ventricular end diastolic volume (LVEDV) was assessed to estimate preload, and systolic blood pressure to estimate afterload as well as heart rate (HR). Systolic functional indices included ejection fraction (EF) and the end systolic pressure/volume ratio (ESPV), and diastolic functional indices included peak mitral flow velocity in early (E) and atrial (A) filling as well as the ratio E/A. Data obtained before and after the race were compared by t tests, and delta LV functional indices were correlated with delta heart rate. Results: Preload (LVEDV: 143 (34) ml before v 147 (34) ml after) and afterload (systolic blood pressure 121 (13) v 115 (20) mm Hg) were not significantly altered after the race (p>0.05), nor were EF (61 (8)% v 58 (10)%) and ESPV (2.4 (0.9) v 2.1 (0.8) mm Hg/cm3). The diastolic filling ratio E/A was significantly reduced after the race (1.73 (0.25) v 1.54 (0.23); p0.05). Conclusion: When preload and afterload are unaltered after the race, because of the adoption of a unique assessment posture, LV systolic function is not depressed. A depression in LV diastolic function persists which is not explained by an increase in heart rate after the race