The rise and fall of spatial inequalities in France: A long-run perspective

This paper uses a unique database that provides value-added, employment, and population levels for the entire set of French departments for the years 1860, 1930, and 2000. These data cover three sectors: agriculture, manufacturing, and services. This allows us to study the evolution of spatial inequalities within France and to test the empirical relevance of economic geography predictions over the long run. The evidence confirms the existence of a bell-shaped evolution of the spatial concentration of manufacturing and services. In contrast, labor productivity has been converging across departments. Last, our study also confirms the presence of strong agglomeration economies during the full time-period. Market potential during the first sub-period (1860-1930), and higher education during the second (1930-2000), together with sectoral diversity, account for the spatial distribution of these gains.economic geography ; agglomeration economies ; human capital ; economic history

The rise and fall of spatial inequalities in France: A long-run perspective

This paper uses a unique database that provides value-added, employment, and population levels for the entire set of French departments for the years 1860, 1930, and 2000. These data cover three sectors: agriculture, manufacturing, and services. This allows us to study the evolution of spatial inequalities within France and to test the empirical relevance of economic geography predictions over the long run. The evidence confirms the existence of a bell-shaped evolution of the spatial concentration of manufacturing and services. In contrast, labor productivity has been converging across departments. Last, our study also confirms the presence of strong agglomeration economies during the full time-period. Market potential during the first sub-period (1860-1930), and higher education during the second (1930-2000), together with sectoral diversity, account for the spatial distribution of these gains.Cet article exploite une base de données unique relative à la valeur ajoutée, l'emploi et la population de l'ensemble des départements français pour les années 1860, 1930 et 2000. Ces données concernent trois secteurs : l'agriculture, l'industrie et les services. On peut ainsi étudierl'évolution séculaire des disparités internes à l'espace économique français et tester la validité des prédictions de l'économie géographique. Si l'industrie et les services se sont concentrés entre 1860 et 1930, ils se sont dispersés durant la période 1930-2000, confirmant l'existence d'une courbe en cloche du développement spatial. En revanche, la productivité du travail n'a cessé de converger à l'échelle des départements, ce qui suggère une péréquation spatiale croissante des revenus primaires. Enfin, notre analyse confirme l'existence, à toutes les époques, de fortes économies d'agglomération. Le potentiel marchand durant la première sous-période et le niveau de capital humain durant la seconde expliquent la distribution spatiale de ces gains

Covariant Affine Integral Quantization(s)

Covariant affine integral quantization of the half-plane is studied and applied to the motion of a particle on the half-line. We examine the consequences of different quantizer operators built from weight functions on the half-plane. To illustrate the procedure, we examine two particular choices of the weight function, yielding thermal density operators and affine inversion respectively. The former gives rise to a temperature-dependent probability distribution on the half-plane whereas the later yields the usual canonical quantization and a quasi-probability distribution (affine Wigner function) which is real, marginal in both momentum p and position q.Comment: 36 pages, 10 figure

Lempdes – Les Gibaudonnes et La Ponsole, Fontanille, Croix Saint-Masson (ZAC de la Fontanille II)

L’emprise de la future ZAC de la Fontanille à Lempdes est située entre les ronds-points de la Croix Saint-Masson et de Chazal. Les parcelles concernées par l’opération archéologique se trouvent au pied de la butte marnocalcaire de Chambussière, en bordure sud de la grande plaine de La Limagne, dans le secteur communément appelée les Marais. Cette opération, menée du 13 novembre 2006 au 23 décembre 2006 et du 8 au 26 janvier 2007, concerne un projet d’une surface de 375 776 m2 (BSR 2006, p. 10..

Gout and pseudo-gout-related crystals promote GLUT1-mediated glycolysis that governs NLRP3 and interleukin-1β activation on macrophages

Objective Macrophage activation by monosodium urate (MSU) and calcium pyrophosphate (CPP) crystals mediates an interleukin (IL)-1β-dependent inflammation during gout and pseudo-gout flare, respectively. Since metabolic reprogramming of macrophages goes along with inflammatory responses dependently on stimuli and tissue environment, we aimed to decipher the role of glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation in the IL-1β-induced microcrystal response. Methods Briefly, an in vitro study (metabolomics and real-time extracellular flux analysis) on MSU and CPP crystal-stimulated macrophages was performed to demonstrate the metabolic phenotype of macrophages. Then, the role of aerobic glycolysis in IL-1β production was evaluated, as well in vitro as in vivo using 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography imaging and glucose uptake assay, and molecular approach of glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1) inhibition. Results We observed that MSU and CPP crystals led to a metabolic rewiring toward the aerobic glycolysis pathway explained by an increase in GLUT1 plasma membrane expression and glucose uptake on macrophages. Also, neutrophils isolated from human synovial fluid during gout flare expressed GLUT1 at their plasma membrane more frequently than neutrophils isolated from bloodstream. Both glucose deprivation and treatment with either 2-deoxyglucose or GLUT1 inhibitor suppressed crystal-induced NLRP3 activation and IL-1β production, and microcrystal inflammation in vivo. Conclusion In conclusion, we demonstrated that GLUT1-mediated glucose uptake is instrumental during the inflammatory IL-1β response induced by MSU and CPP crystals. These findings open new therapeutic paths to modulate crystal-related inflammation