Le Nouvel Essor des Relations Entre la Chine et Madagascar

The report analyses the new partnership between China and Madagascar

The evolution of hourly compensation in Canada between 1980 and 2010

Nous étudions l’évolution des salaires horaires au Canada au cours des trois dernières décennies à l’aide de données confidentielles du recensement et de l’Enquête nationale sur les ménages. Nous trouvons que le coefficient de variation des salaires chez les travailleurs à temps plein a presque doublé entre 1980 et 2010. La croissance rapide du 99,9e centile est le principal facteur expliquant cette hausse. Les changements dans la composition de la population active expliquent moins de 25% de la hausse de l’inégalité. Toutefois, des effets de composition expliquent la majorité de la hausse du salaire horaire moyen sur la période, alors que les salaires stagnent pour un niveau de compétence donné.We consider changes in the distribution of hourly compensation in Canada over the last three decades using confidential census data and the recent National Household Survey. We find that the coefficient of variation of wages among full-time workers has almost doubled between 1980 and 2010. The rapid growth of the 99.9th percentile is the main driver of that increase. Changes in the composition of the workforce explain less than 25% of the rise in wage inequality. However, composition changes explain most of the increase in average hourly compensation over those three decades, while wages stagnate within skill groups

Harmonisation des processus de planification de la gestion des parcs nationaux et des aires marines protégées administrés par l’Agence Parcs Canada et Parcs Québec

L’objectif principal de cet essai est d’identifier des mesures visant à harmoniser les processus de planification de la gestion des parcs nationaux et des aires marines protégées administrés par l’Agence Parcs Canada et Parcs Québec. Ces processus comportent une série d’étapes menant à l’élaboration, la révision, l’amendement ou la reconduction d’un plan directeur, qui représente un outil de planification et de reddition de comptes important. La problématique réside dans le cas du parc marin du Saguenay–Saint-Laurent, qui est administré selon un modèle de gestion conjointe par les deux paliers gouvernementaux. Les divergences entre les approches de planification applicables à leurs réseaux d’aires protégées respectifs engendrent notamment des difficultés lors de la révision du plan directeur. De plus, l'absence d'harmonisation entre les processus de planification de la gestion pourrait aussi poser problème dans le futur pour la planification conjointe de nouvelles aires marines protégées. L’analyse a permis de soulever des différences considérables entre les approches de planification employées pour l’administration des parcs nationaux du Canada et du Québec. Dans le premier cas, les opérations de planification et de gestion sont assurées entièrement par l’Agence Parcs Canada, alors que la planification du développement du réseau de Parcs Québec est effectuée par le Ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs qui confie ensuite la gestion à ses délégataires, le principal étant la Société des établissements de plein air du Québec. Or, un écart important a été observé entre leurs processus de planification de la gestion. L’Agence Parcs Canada possède un processus de planification ancré à l’intérieur d’un cycle itératif décennal de production d'un plan directeur, alors que les plans directeurs des parcs nationaux du Québec sont élaborés à leur création et sont révisés lors de modifications des limites d’un parc, sans toutefois être révisés selon un processus récurrent. En fonction des résultats, il appert que les propositions d’harmonisation visent principalement le Ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs et l’instauration d’un cycle régulier de production des documents d’orientations. Les recommandations effectuées à ce niveau sont l’instauration d’une durée de vie pour les plans directeurs, la mise en place d’un processus de planification de la gestion à caractère itératif et l’élaboration de documents strictement dédiés à l’encadrement des opérations de planification. Il est aussi suggéré que les gouvernements du Canada et du Québec envisagent de nouvelles ententes pour la gestion conjointe de nouvelles aires marines protégées

Manufacturing location decisions in the pharmaceutical industry: An exploratory study from a network perspective

Master'sMASTER OF ENGINEERIN

Making Peace, building the state. Relations between central government and the Sahelian peripheries in Niger and Mali

On surface, Nigeria and Mali share fairly similar territorial configurations and historical trajectories. Recurring rebellions supported by mainly nomadic groups raise the question of relations between the centre and peripheries in these states. The purpose of this study is to analyse how these states try “peacemaking”, in the absence of “peacebuilding”, resulting in short-term hybrid arrangements that are cobbled together. The study integrates ways to make peace and wage war within a common analytical context

Perflubron Distribution During Transition From Gas to Total Liquid Ventilation

Total liquid ventilation (TLV) using perfluorocarbons has shown promising results for the management of neonatal respiratory distress. However, one important safety consideration for TLV is a better understanding of the early events during the transition to TLV, especially regarding the fate of residual air in the non-dependent-lung regions. Our objective was to assess perflubron distribution during transition to TLV using electrical impedance tomography, complemented by fluoroscopy, in a neonatal lamb model of induced surfactant deficiency. Eight lambs were anesthetized and ventilated in supine position. Surfactant deficit was induced by saline lung lavage. After deflation, lungs were filled with 25 ml/kg perflubron over 18 s, and TLV was initiated. Electrical impedance tomography data was recorded from electrodes placed around the chest, during the first 10 and at 120 min of TLV. Lung perfusion was also assessed using hypertonic saline injection during apnea. In addition, fluoroscopic sequences were recorded during initial lung filling with perfluorocarbons, then at 10 and 60 min of TLV. Twelve lambs were used as controls for histological comparisons. Transition to TLV involved a short period of increased total lung volume (p = 0.01) secondary to recruitment of the dependent lung regions. Histological analysis shows that TLV was protective of these same regions when compared to gas-ventilated lambs (p = 0.03). The non-dependent lung regions filled with perflubron over at least 10 min, without showing signs of overdistention. Tidal volume distribution was more homogenous in TLV than during the preceding gas ventilation. Perflubron filling was associated with a non-significant increase in the anterior distribution of the blood perfusion signal, from 46 ± 17% to 53 ± 6% (p = 0.4). However, combined to the effects on ventilation, TLV had an instantaneous effect on ventilation-perfusion relationship (p = 0.03), suggesting better coupling. Conclusion: transition to TLV requires at least 10 min, and involves air evacuation or dissolution in perflubron, dependent lung recruitment and rapid ventilation-perfusion coupling modifications. During that time interval, the total lung volume transiently increases. Considering the potential deleterious effect of high lung volumes, one must manage this transition phase with care and, we suggest using a real-time monitoring system such as electrical impedance tomography

Intronic FGF14 GAA repeat expansions are a common cause of ataxia syndromes with neuropathy and bilateral vestibulopathy

BACKGROUND: Intronic GAA repeat expansions in the fibroblast growth factor 14 gene (FGF14) have recently been identified as a common cause of ataxia with potential phenotypic overlap with RFC1-related cerebellar ataxia, neuropathy and vestibular areflexia syndrome (CANVAS). Our objective was to report on the frequency of intronic FGF14 GAA repeat expansions in patients with an unexplained CANVAS-like phenotype. METHODS: We recruited 45 patients negative for biallelic RFC1 repeat expansions with a combination of cerebellar ataxia plus peripheral neuropathy and/or bilateral vestibulopathy (BVP), and genotyped the FGF14 repeat locus. Phenotypic features of GAA-FGF14-positive versus GAA-FGF14-negative patients were compared. RESULTS: Frequency of FGF14 GAA repeat expansions was 38% (17/45) in the entire cohort, 38% (5/13) in the subgroup with cerebellar ataxia plus polyneuropathy, 43% (9/21) in the subgroup with cerebellar ataxia plus BVP and 27% (3/11) in patients with all three features. BVP was observed in 75% (12/16) of GAA-FGF14-positive patients. Polyneuropathy was at most mild and of mixed sensorimotor type in six of eight GAA-FGF14-positive patients. Family history of ataxia (59% vs 15%; p=0.007) was significantly more frequent and permanent cerebellar dysarthria (12% vs 54%; p=0.009) significantly less frequent in GAA-FGF14-positive than in GAA-FGF14-negative patients. Age at onset was inversely correlated to the size of the repeat expansion (Pearson's r, -0.67; R2=0.45; p=0.0031). CONCLUSIONS: GAA-FGF14-related disease is a common cause of cerebellar ataxia with polyneuropathy and/or BVP, and should be included in the differential diagnosis of RFC1 CANVAS and disease spectrum

Monocarboxylate transporters (MCTs) in gliomas: expression and exploitation as therapeutic targets

Background. Gliomas exhibit high glycolytic rates, and monocarboxylate transporters (MCTs) play a major role in the maintenance of the glycolytic metabolism through the proton-linked transmembrane transport of lactate. However, their role in gliomas is poorly studied. Thus, we aimed to characterize the expression of MCT1, MCT4, and their chaperone CD 147 and to assess the therapeutic impact of MCT inhibition in gliomas. Methods. MCTs and CD 147 expressions were characterized by immunohistochemistry in nonneoplastic brain and glioma samples. The effect of CHC (MCT inhibitor) and MCT1 silencing was assessed in in vitro and in vivo glioblastoma models. Results. MCT1, MCT4, and CD 147 were overexpressed in the plasma membrane of glioblastomas, compared with diffuse astrocytomas and nonneoplastic brain. CHC decreased glycolytic metabolism, migration, and invasion and induced cell death in U251 cells (more glycolytic) but only affected proliferation in SW1088 (more oxidative). The effectiveness of CHC in glioma cells appears to be dependent on MCT membrane expression. MCT1 downregulation showed similar effects on different glioma cells, supporting CHC as an MCT1 inhibitor. There was a synergistic effect when combining CHC with temozolomide treatment in U251 cells. In the CAM in vivo model, CHC decreased the size of tumors and the number of blood vessels formed. Conclusions. This is the most comprehensive study reporting the expression of MCTs and CD 147 in gliomas. The MCT1 inhibitor CHC exhibited anti-tumoral and anti-angiogenic activity in gliomas and, of importance, enhanced the effect of temozolomide. Thus, our results suggest that development of therapeutic approaches targeting MCT1 may be a promising strategy in glioblastoma treatment.Life and Health Sciences Research Institute, University of Minho, Portugal; Fundacao para a Ciencia e Tecnologia [SFRH/BI/33503/2008, SFRH/BPD/69479/2010, SFRH/BD/36463/2007]info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Network hydration, ordering and composition interplay of chemical vapor deposited amorphous silica films from tetraethyl orthosilicate

The chemical or mechanical performance of amorphous SiO2 films depend on intrinsic physicochemical properties, which are intimately linked to atomic and molecular arrangements in the Si–O–Si network. In this context, the present work focuses on a comprehensive description of SiO2 films deposited from a well-established chemical vapor deposition process involving tetraethyl-orthosilicate, oxygen and ozone, and operating at atmospheric pressure in the range 400–550 °C. The connectivity of the silica network is improved with increasing the deposition temperature (Td) and this is attributed to the decreased content of hydrated species through dehydration-condensation mechanisms. In the same way, the critical load of delamination increases with increasing Td thanks to the silicon substrate oxidation. The utilization of a O2/O3 oxidizing atmosphere involving the oxidation of intermediates species by O2, O3 and O., allows increasing the deposition rate at moderate temperatures, while minimizing carbon, H2O and silanol contents to extremely low values (4.5 at.% of H). The SiOx stoichiometry and Td interplay reveals two distinct behaviors before and above 450 °C. The best corrosion resistance of these films to standard P-etching test is obtained for the minimum silanol content and the best network molecular ordering, with an etching rate of 4.0 ± 0.1 Å/s at pH = 1.5. The elastic modulus and hardness of the films remain stable in the investigated range of deposition temperature, at 64.2 ± 1.7 and 7.4 ± 0.3 GPa respectively, thanks to the low content in silanol groups