Household Wealth and Heterogeneous Impacts of a Market-Based Training Program: The Case of Projoven in Peru

This paper analyzes the relationship between households\u27 wealth and heterogeneous treatment impacts for a market-based training program that has benefited more than 40,000 disadvantaged individuals in Peru since 1996. We proxy long-run wealth by a linear index based on 21 household assets, and three main findings emerge. First, we find that voluntary choices among eligibles, rather than administrative choices, play a bigger role in explaining demographic disparities in program participation. Second, quantile treatment effects on the treated suggest important differences in program impacts at different quantiles of earnings, and strong differences in distributional impacts for men and women. Third, both parametric-based and semiparametric regression-matching estimates reveal that the poorest among the poor benefit the same from the program. It is the type of institution that provides the training services that largely accounts for the heterogeneity of the impacts

Modelling the adsorption of phenolic acids onto α\alpha,γ\gamma-alumina particles

International audienceAdsorption of three phenolic acids, namely parahydroxybenzoic acid (4-hydroxybenzoic acid, H$_2$Phb), protocatechuic acid (3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid, H$_2$Proto) and gallic acid (3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoic acid, H$_2$Gal) onto $\alpha$,$\gamma$-Al$_2$O$_3$ particles was studied vs. ligand concentration at pH 5.0, and vs. pH. The oxide surface was characterized with both potentiometric titrations and electrophoretic measurements; a difference in the point of zero salt effect (PZSE) and the isoelectric point (IEP) was evidenced, which could be attributed to the presence of impurities or to the heterogeneity of the oxide. The potentiometric titration experiments lead to the determination of a PZSE of 8.5. Moreover, the particular shape of the curves were fitted in the framework of the constant capacitance model (CCM), using FITEQL 4.0 software, to determine the oxide parameters (protolytic properties and site density). The electrophoretic measurements were fitted in the framework of the double diffuse layer model (DLM) and an IEP of 9.5 was determined. The constant-pH isotherms of the acids were fitted using the CCM. Constant-pH isotherms of H$_2$Gal and H$_2$Proto onto the Al$_2$O$_3$ surface sites at pH 5 were similar. Two adsorption sites of different affinities were clearly evidenced for H$_2$Gal and can also be proposed for H$_2$Proto. H$_2$Phb showed a lower affinity for the surface than the two other acids, as the logK$_{sorb}$ for H$_2$Phb is one and a half time lower than the one for H$_2$Proto when adsorption is described with one adsorption site. As expected for a carboxylic acid, adsorption of H$_2$Phb decreased with pH and experimental data were well fitted using three adsorbed species $\equiv$MOH$_2$H$_2$Phb$^+$, $\equiv$MHPhb$^−$, and $\equiv$MPhb$^−$). Adsorption of H$_2$Proto and H$_2$Gal did not change significantly upon increasing pH, meaning that the different functional groups on the aromatic ring (carboxylate and phenolate) were involved in adsorption as pH increases. Dissolution of the oxide was also estimated by measuring the amount of soluble aluminum at pH 5. Increasing acid concentration promoted dissolution, especially for the low concentration range ([acid] < 3 mmol L$^{−1}$), but higher acid concentration lowers the increase of the solubility increase, likely due to adsorption on surface of an aluminum-organic complex

Complexation of europium(III) by hydroxybenzoic acids: a time-resolved luminescence spectroscopy study

International audienceComplexation of Eu(III) by two hydroxybenzoic acids, namely p-hydroxybenzoic acid (4 dihydroxybenzoic, HPhbH), and protocatechuic acid (3,4-dihydroxybenzoic, HProtoH2), is studied by time-resolved luminescence spectroscopy (TRLS) in mildly acidic solution. Comparable formation constants are determined at 0.1 mol/L NaCl for EuPhbH[2+] – log10β°(EuPhbH[2+]) = 2.18 ± 0.09 (1sigma) – and 0.01 mol/L NaCl for EuProtoH2[2+] – log10β°(EuProtoH2[2+]) = 2.72 ± 0.07 (1sigma). The stoichiometry and carboxylate complexation of the EuProtoH2[2+] complex is ascertained by varying both pH and ligand concentration. The luminescence decay time of EuPhbH[2+] (τ = 107 ± 5 µs) is comparable with that of Eu(H2O)n[3+] (τ = 110 ± 3 µs), suggesting that luminescence quenching processes compensate the expected increase in decay time due to the dehydration associated with complexation. For EuProtoH2[2+], the luminescence decay time is even shorter (τ = 20 ± 5 µs), evidencing intricate quenching processes

Assessing nutritional value of ready-to-eat breakfast cereals in the province of Quebec (Canada) : a study from the Food Quality Observatory

Objective: The Food Quality Observatory was created in the province of Quebec (Canada) in 2016. In this study, the Observatory aimed to generate a methodology to (1) test the use of sales data combined with nutrient values to characterise the nutritional composition of ready-to-eat (RTE) breakfast cereals offered and purchased in the province of Quebec (Canada) and (2) verify the extent to which a front-of-pack label based on the percentage of daily value (DV) for total sugar, as a strategy to improve the food supply, would be distributed in this food category. Design: Nutritional information were obtained by purchasing each RTE breakfast cereal available in the Greater Montreal area. Cereals were then classified according to their processing type. Setting: The nutritional values of 331 RTE breakfast cereals available in Quebec were merged with sales data covering the period between May 2016 and May 2017. A total of 306 products were successfully cross-referenced. Results: Granola and sweetened cereals were the most available (36·6 % and 19·6 %, respectively) and purchased (19·8 % and 40·9 % of sales, respectively). When compared with other types of cereals, granola cereals had a higher energy, fat, saturated fat, protein content and a lower Na content. A larger proportion of chocolate (65 %) and sweetened cereals (49 %) were above 15 % of the DV for sugar. Conclusions: This study showed that the methodology developed generates important data to monitor nutritional quality of the food supply and ultimately contribute to improve the nutritional quality of processed foods

Modulation of Kv3.1b potassium channel level and intracellular potassium concentration in 158N murine oligodendrocytes and BV-2 murine microglial cells treated with 7-ketocholesterol, 24S-hydroxycholesterol or tetracosanoic acid (C24:0)

International audienceLittle is known about K+ regulation playing major roles in the propagation of nerve impulses, as well as in apoptosis and inflammasome activation involved in neurodegeneration. As increased levels of 7-ketocholesterol (7KC), 24S-hydroxycholesterol (24S-OHC) and tetracosanoic acid (C24:0) have been observed in patients with neurodegenerative diseases, we studied the effect of 24 and/or 48 h of treatment with 7KC, 24S-OHC and C24:0 on Kv3.1b potassium channel level, intracellular K+ concentration, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and plasma membrane permeability in 158N oligodendrocytes and BV-2 microglial cells. In 158N cells, whereas increased level of Kv3.1b was only observed with 7KC and 24S-OHC but not with C24:0 at 24 h, an intracellular accumulation of K+ was always detected. In BV-2 cells treated with 7KC, 24S-OHC and C24:0, Kv3.1b level was only increased at 48 h; intracellular K+ accumulation was found at 24 h with 7KC, 24S-OHC and C24:0, and only with C24:0 at 48 h. Positive correlations between Kv3.1b level and intracellular K+ concentration were observed in 158N cells in the presence of 7KC and 24S-OHC, and in 7KC-treated BV-2 cells at 48 h. Positive correlations were also found between Kv3.1b or the intracellular K+ concentration, overproduction of reactive oxygen species, loss of transmembrane mitochondrial potential and increased plasma membrane permeability in 158N and BV-2 cells. Our data support that the lipid environment affects Kv3.1b channel expression and/or functionality, and that the subsequent rupture of K+ homeostasis is relied with oligodendrocytes and microglial cells damages

Altimetry for the future: Building on 25 years of progress

In 2018 we celebrated 25 years of development of radar altimetry, and the progress achieved by this methodology in the fields of global and coastal oceanography, hydrology, geodesy and cryospheric sciences. Many symbolic major events have celebrated these developments, e.g., in Venice, Italy, the 15th (2006) and 20th (2012) years of progress and more recently, in 2018, in Ponta Delgada, Portugal, 25 Years of Progress in Radar Altimetry. On this latter occasion it was decided to collect contributions of scientists, engineers and managers involved in the worldwide altimetry community to depict the state of altimetry and propose recommendations for the altimetry of the future. This paper summarizes contributions and recommendations that were collected and provides guidance for future mission design, research activities, and sustainable operational radar altimetry data exploitation. Recommendations provided are fundamental for optimizing further scientific and operational advances of oceanographic observations by altimetry, including requirements for spatial and temporal resolution of altimetric measurements, their accuracy and continuity. There are also new challenges and new openings mentioned in the paper that are particularly crucial for observations at higher latitudes, for coastal oceanography, for cryospheric studies and for hydrology. The paper starts with a general introduction followed by a section on Earth System Science including Ocean Dynamics, Sea Level, the Coastal Ocean, Hydrology, the Cryosphere and Polar Oceans and the ‘‘Green” Ocean, extending the frontier from biogeochemistry to marine ecology. Applications are described in a subsequent section, which covers Operational Oceanography, Weather, Hurricane Wave and Wind Forecasting, Climate projection. Instruments’ development and satellite missions’ evolutions are described in a fourth section. A fifth section covers the key observations that altimeters provide and their potential complements, from other Earth observation measurements to in situ data. Section 6 identifies the data and methods and provides some accuracy and resolution requirements for the wet tropospheric correction, the orbit and other geodetic requirements, the Mean Sea Surface, Geoid and Mean Dynamic Topography, Calibration and Validation, data accuracy, data access and handling (including the DUACS system). Section 7 brings a transversal view on scales, integration, artificial intelligence, and capacity building (education and training). Section 8 reviews the programmatic issues followed by a conclusion

Mitochondrial physiology

As the knowledge base and importance of mitochondrial physiology to evolution, health and disease expands, the necessity for harmonizing the terminology concerning mitochondrial respiratory states and rates has become increasingly apparent. The chemiosmotic theory establishes the mechanism of energy transformation and coupling in oxidative phosphorylation. The unifying concept of the protonmotive force provides the framework for developing a consistent theoretical foundation of mitochondrial physiology and bioenergetics. We follow the latest SI guidelines and those of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) on terminology in physical chemistry, extended by considerations of open systems and thermodynamics of irreversible processes. The concept-driven constructive terminology incorporates the meaning of each quantity and aligns concepts and symbols with the nomenclature of classical bioenergetics. We endeavour to provide a balanced view of mitochondrial respiratory control and a critical discussion on reporting data of mitochondrial respiration in terms of metabolic flows and fluxes. Uniform standards for evaluation of respiratory states and rates will ultimately contribute to reproducibility between laboratories and thus support the development of data repositories of mitochondrial respiratory function in species, tissues, and cells. Clarity of concept and consistency of nomenclature facilitate effective transdisciplinary communication, education, and ultimately further discovery