Évaluation des retombées économiques des projets énergétiques au Québec : analyse coûts-avantages de la mini-centrale hydroélectrique de Val-Jalbert

Evaluer les retombées économiques d’un projet, cela consiste à évaluer le bénéfice du projet du point de vue de la collectivité. C’est le processus d’analyse, de mesure et d’appréciation de l’impact du projet, sur l’économie locale, régionale ou nationale. Il permet de prendre une décision optimale sur la faisabilité de l’investissement compte tenu de ses incidences sur l’ensemble des agents économiques. L’incohérence des approches et outils dans l’évaluation peut biaiser le calcul de l’impact net du projet, et par conséquent, biaiser les termes de la hiérarchisation des priorités en matière d’investissement. Dans le cas des projets sensibles, nécessitant de lourds investissements et beaucoup médiatisés, comme cela est le cas des projets énergétiques ; le biais peut s’avérer désastreux et aboutir à une situation chaotique. La présente recherche porte sur l’évaluation des retombées économiques des projets énergétiques au Québec ; la pertinence et la cohérence des outils et méthodes d’évaluation. Elle est édifiée par une étude de cas. L’étude porte sur l’évaluation du projet de la mini-centrale hydroélectrique de Val Jalbert par la méthode de l’analyse coûts-avantages. Nous utilisons la méthode des prix de référence selon l’approche de l’ONUDI. L’étude révèle que le projet de la mini-centrale hydroélectrique de Val Jalbert répond positivement aux deux objectifs : l’efficience - maximisation de la consommation, et l’équité sociale - maximisation de la justice sociale. Il est donc considéré, du point de vue de l’ONUDI, comme étant économiquement (ou socialement) rentable. L’analyse coûts-avantages est un puissant évaluateur d’impact. Elle évalue le projet en l’intégrant dans un cadre cohérent d’analyses économiques, qui repose non seulement sur des valeurs nationales mais également, qui prend en compte les coûts et avantages directs, indirects, internes et externes ; ce qui fait de l’outil, l’évaluateur le plus complet. À travers l’étude, nous montrons comment l’analyse coûts-avantages, peut être appliqué pour l’évaluation d’impact net des projets énergétiques au Québec et optimiser la décision économique en amont dans la province en général, et dans le secteur de l’énergie en particulier

Modeling Operational Variability for Robust Multidisciplinary Design Optimization

International audienceThe aim of this paper is to model and propagate operational uncertainties in view of its integration in a multidisciplinary optimization methodology for aircraft robust design. From databases relative to one specic type of long-range airplane, we analyze the variations of four ight parameters (altitude, speed, temperature and range), and build the associated statistical distributions. Then, using an uncertainty propagation methodology, we identify the distribution of operational costs

Le travail collectif des enseignants en question(s)

Depuis plus d'une dizaine d'années, on assiste à des régulations des politiques éducatives et à des transformations structurelles du système d’éducation et de formation qui accordent aux établissements d’enseignement/de formation une place désormais essentielle. On attend des établissements qu’ils mettent en œuvre des projets adaptés à leur environnement, projets dont on cherche à mesurer l’efficacité. De manière récurrente, parfois incantatoire, les prescriptions institutionnelles demandent ..

The Tumor Suppressor CYLD Interacts with TRIP and Regulates Negatively Nuclear Factor κB Activation by Tumor Necrosis Factor

Cylindromas are benign adnexal skin tumors caused by germline mutations in the CYLD gene. In most cases the second wild-type allele is lost in tumor tissue, suggesting that CYLD functions as tumor suppressor. CYLD is a protein of 956 amino acids harboring a functional deubiquitinating domain at the COOH-terminal end. To shed more light on the function of CYLD, we have performed a yeast two hybrid screen using an HaCaT cDNA library that identified the RING finger protein TRIP (TRAF-interacting protein) as interactor with full-length CYLD. Mapping of the interacting domains revealed that the central domain of CYLD binds to the COOH-terminal end of TRIP. Far Western analysis and coimmunoprecipitations in mammalian cells confirmed that full-length CYLD binds to the COOH-terminal domain of TRIP. Because TRIP is an inhibitor of nuclear factor (NF)-κB activation by tumor necrosis factor (TNF), the effect of CYLD on NF-κB activation was investigated in HeLa cells. The results established that CYLD down-regulates NF-κB activation by TNF-α. The inhibition by CYLD depends on the presence of the central domain interacting with TRIP and its deubiquitinating activity. These findings indicate that cylindromas arise through constitutive NF-κB activation leading to hyperproliferation and tumor growth

Décentralisation des services de ressources humaines : impacts sur la satisfaction des clients

Le but de cette étude est d'évaluer dans quelle mesure la décentralisation d'un service de ressources humaines a un impact sur la satisfaction de ses clients. Une enquête par questionnaire a été réalisée dans deux organisations du secteur public fédéral (l'une possédant un service centralisé et l'autre ayant opté pour une structure décentralisée). À partir d'un échantillon de 496 répondants, l'analyse statistique révèle que la satisfaction des clients envers leur service de ressources humaines est influencée positivement par la décentralisation, mais que cette relation est modérée par l'endroit de travail des clients (impact positif sur la satisfaction des clients en région). L'analyse montre également que la consultation et la flexibilité constituent deux facteurs explicatifs qui entrent enjeu seulement dans une structure décentralisée pour expliquer la satisfaction des clients.The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of the decentralization of Human Resources Services on client satisfaction. Large organizations usually have their Human Resources department at headquarters, which creates a gap between human resources professionals at headquarters and operational front line managers. The more geographically dispersed the line units, the greater the gap. Besides the psychological gap (staff managers often have their offices at the top of an office tower, whereas line managers have theirs on lower floors or in other buildings), there is a geographical gap which only worsens problems of communication and misunderstanding.It is, however, possible to decentralize Human Resources services while keeping a core of human resources professionals at headquarters and locating other human resources professionals in regional operations. That way, the latter are close to their respective clients and get to know their needs, which should result in better service and ultimately greater client satisfaction.A questionnaire survey was done in two federal public service organizations (one with centralized Human Resources services and the other with decentralization of structure). The two organizations were basically the same in terms of size (3 000 vs 2 500 employees), mission, regional activities, and manpower (the employees of both organizations were predominantly professionals and both had a similar proportion of visible minorities). A statistical analysis of 496 respondents shows that decentralizing Human Resources services has a positive impact on client satisfaction but that this relationship is moderated by the client's location (i.e. positive impact on client satisfaction in regional offices). The survey revealed other interesting facts. First, the variables related to the organizational structure (i.e. level of centralization and client location) play a much greater role than those related to client group in exploring differences in client satisfaction. Second, variables related to consultation and flexibility only play a role where there is decentralization, which allows to account for a larger proportion of variance in client satisfaction. Third, regardless of organisational structure, uniformity of service is linked directly to client satisfaction. Decentralization, therefore, does not prove an obstacle to uniformity of service, although the latter plays a greater role within a centralized structure

Présentation

En partant de l'analyse des évolutions du travail enseignant, ce texte met en évidence l’émergence d’un espace professionnel intermédiaire entre la classe et l’établissement. Il montre que si, dans le quotidien du travail enseignant, cet entre-deux se voit progressivement investi, la recherche en éducation se trouve beaucoup plus démuni pour l'investiguer. En effet, cette recherche se trouve historiquement polarisée autour de recherches relevant du niveau de la classe et de recherches relevant du niveau de l'établissement. Dès lors, pour extraire cet entre-deux d'une sorte d'angle mort de la recherche en éducation, la présente introduction indique comment chacune des contributions qui composent cette livraison vont s'attacher, théoriquement, méthodologiquement et empiriquement à investir cet entre-deuxStarting from the analysis of the evolutions of the work of the teachers, this article evidences the emergence of a professional space between the class and the school. It shows that if, during the daily work of the teacher this intermediate space receives a progressive investment, research in education becomes increasingly impoverished to be able to carry out investigations. In effect, this research is historically found to be polarised between research relevant to the level of the class, and that which is relevant to the organisational level.Thenceforce, to remove this intermediary space from a type of blind spot of research in education, the present introduction indicates how each of the contributions making up this delivery will be attached theoretically, methodologically and empirically to invest in this intermediate space.A partir del análisis de las evoluciones del trabajo docente, este texto pone de relieve la aparición de un espacio profesional intermediario entre el aula y el centro docente. Apunta que si este « entre-dos » va cobrando poco a poco protagonismo en el trabajo cotidiano del docente, la investigación en educación es hoy en día escasa  para estudiarlo. En efecto esta investigación se ha enfocado históricamente hacia el nivel de la clase o hacia las investigaciones sobre el centro docente.Por ello, para sacar este “entre-dos” de una especie de ángulo muerto de la investigación en educación, esta introducción indica cómo cada una de las contribuciones que componen esta entrega van a intentar teórica, metodológica y empíricamente estudiar este “entre-dos

Nitric oxide synthase 2 is required for conversion of pro-fibrogenic inflammatory CD133+ progenitors into F4/80+ macrophages in experimental autoimmune myocarditis

Aims Experimental autoimmune myocarditis (EAM) model mirrors important mechanisms of inflammatory dilated cardiomyopathy (iDCM). In EAM, inflammatory CD133+ progenitors are a major cellular source of cardiac myofibroblasts in the post-inflammatory myocardium. We hypothesized that exogenous delivery of macrophage-colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) can stimulate macrophage lineage differentiation of inflammatory progenitors and, therefore, prevent their naturally occurring myofibroblast fate in EAM. Methods and results EAM was induced in wild-type (BALB/c) and nitric oxide synthase 2-deficient (Nos2−/−) mice and CD133+ progenitors were isolated from inflamed hearts. In vitro, M-CSF converted inflammatory CD133+ progenitors into nitric oxide-producing F4/80+ macrophages and prevented transforming growth factor-β-mediated myofibroblast differentiation. Importantly, only a subset of heart-infiltrating CD133+ progenitors expresses macrophage-specific antigen F4/80 in EAM. These CD133+/F4/80hi cells show impaired myofibrogenic potential compared with CD133+/F4/80− cells. M-CSF treatment of wild-type mice with EAM at the peak of disease markedly increased CD133+/F4/80hi cells in the myocardium, and CD133+ progenitors isolated from M-CSF-treated mice failed to differentiate into myofibroblasts. In contrast, M-CSF was not effective in converting CD133+ progenitors from inflamed hearts of Nos2−/− mice into macrophages, and M-CSF treatment did not result in increased CD133+/F4/80hi cell population in hearts of Nos2−/− mice. Accordingly, M-CSF prevented post-inflammatory fibrosis and left ventricular dysfunction in wild-type but not in Nos2−/− mice. Conclusion Active and NOS2-dependent induction of macrophage lineage differentiation abrogates the myofibrogenic potential of heart-infiltrating CD133+ progenitors. Modulating the in vivo differentiation fate of specific progenitors might become a novel approach for the treatment of inflammatory heart disease

Peroxidase Profiling Reveals Genetic Linkage between Peroxidase Gene Clusters and Basal Host and Non-Host Resistance to Rusts and Mildew in Barley

Background: Higher plants possess a large multigene family encoding secreted class III peroxidase (Prx) proteins. Peroxidases appear to be associated with plant disease resistance based on observations of induction during disease challenge and the presence or absence of isozymes in resistant vs susceptible varieties. Despite these associations, there is no evidence that allelic variation of peroxidases directly determines levels of disease resistance. Methodology/Principal Findings: The current study introduces a new strategy called Prx-Profiling. We showed that with this strategy a large number of peroxidase genes can be mapped on the barley genome. In order to obtain an estimate of the total number of Prx clusters we followed a re-sampling procedure, which indicated that the barley genome contains about 40 peroxidase gene clusters. We examined the association between the Prxs mapped and the QTLs for resistance of barley to homologous and heterologous rusts, and to the barley powdery mildew fungus. We report that 61 % of the QTLs for partial resistance to P. hordei, 61 % of the QTLs for resistance to B. graminis and 47 % of the QTLs for non-host resistance to other Puccinia species co-localize with Prx based markers. Conclusions/Significance: We conclude that Prx-Profiling was effective in finding the genetic location of Prx genes on the barley genome. The finding that QTLs for basal resistance to rusts and powdery mildew fungi tend to co-locate with Prx clusters provides a base for exploring the functional role of Prx-related genes in determining natural differences in levels o

Hypoxia enhances human B19 erythrovirus gene expression in primary erythroid cells

AbstractHuman B19 erythrovirus replicates in erythroid progenitors present in bone marrow and fetal tissues where partial oxygen tension is low. Here we show that infected human primary erythroid progenitor cells exposed to hypoxia (1% O2) in vitro increase viral capsid protein synthesis, virus replication, and virus production. Hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1), the main transcription factor involved in the cellular response to reduced oxygenation, is shown to bind an HIF binding site (HBS) located in the distal part of the B19 promoter region, but the precise mechanism involved in the oxygen-sensitive upregulation of viral gene expression remains to be elucidated