Does the distribution of emission permits matter for international competitiveness ?

This paper analyzes the implications of the distribution of emission permits related to a strategic environmental policy and shows how it alters the competitive relation among firms in the international product market. Our model introduces permits trading into the Brander-Spencer [1985] framework. It analyzes a class of two stages Cournot game involving two governments (Home and Foreign) and their respective industry. It shows the incentive for the Home government to distort is initial distribution of permits from the first-best rule to achieve trade-related policy objectives, enabling its domestic producers to improve their market shares. We establish that the Home government implements a higher distribution of permits than the optimal level.Tradable emission permits, international oligopoly, strategic policy.

Environmental regulation incidences towards international oligopolies: pollution taxes vs emission permits

The purpose of this paper is to analyze whether the choice between two instruments of environmental policy (pollution taxes vs emission permits) affects the market shares in the presence of imperfectly competitive product markets. We consider two countries, referred to as the Domestic country and the Foreign country, agreeing on an equally stringent exogenous ceiling on pollution. These countries are also suppliers on the international markets of two commodities produced by two separate sectors competing à− la− Cournot. The environmental policy taken by each government is different. The Domestic country implements a tradable emission permits market, while the Foreign country imposes a specific pollution tax across sectors. Thus, the Higher− Abatement− Cost (the Lower) sector in the Domestic country increases (decreases) its market shares compared to its counterpart in the Foreign country.

La valeur psychologique du temps : Une synthèse de la littérature

International audienceCet article procède à une synthèse de la littérature sur la question de la valeur psychologique du temps. Il discute des différents déterminants du taux d'actualisation et la possibilité d'avoir une fonction d'escompte de type hyperbolique. L'approche historique permet de retracer les origines du concept de valeur psychologique du temps. Ce concept est ensuite rediscuter dans le cadre de la théorie des perspectives, en considérant que l'utilité ressentie de l'agent vient modifier la structure de leur valeur psychologique du temps. L'analyse des résultats empiriques et des méthodologies d'identification permet de mettre en évidence que motifs individuels et psychologiques conditionnent le caractère intertemporel des choix

Application of kDNA as a molecular marker to analyse Leishmania infantum diversity in Portugal.

Around the Mediterranean basin Leishmania infantum is an important parasite causing canine leishmaniasis and visceral and cutaneous clinical forms in both immunocompetent and immunocompromised humans. Efficient monitoring and evaluation of epidemiology with discriminatory molecular markers are required. We investigated the genetic diversity of L. infantum in Portugal by polymerase chain amplification and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of kinetoplastid DNA, as molecular marker. We analysed 120 Portuguese isolates of L. infantum plus 16 other non-Portuguese isolates (as a reference group) from humans, dogs and sand flies. The Portuguese population showed a high degree of polymorphism with a total of 13 profiles identified. The predominant profile was A, which was only detected in the Portuguese samples. The kinetoplastid DNA PCR-RFLP assay described here was suitable for use directly with biological samples and the profiles obtained were stable during long-term growth in vitro and in laboratory animals

Genetic structure and evolution of the Leishmania genus in Africa and Eurasia: what does MLSA tell us

Leishmaniasis is a complex parasitic disease from a taxonomic, clinical and epidemiological point of view. The role of genetic exchanges has been questioned for over twenty years and their recent experimental demonstration along with the identification of interspecific hybrids in natura has revived this debate. After arguing that genetic exchanges were exceptional and did not contribute to Leishmania evolution, it is currently proposed that interspecific exchanges could be a major driving force for rapid adaptation to new reservoirs and vectors, expansion into new parasitic cycles and adaptation to new life conditions. To assess the existence of gene flows between species during evolution we used MLSA-based (MultiLocus Sequence Analysis) approach to analyze 222 Leishmania strains from Africa and Eurasia to accurately represent the genetic diversity of this genus. We observed a remarkable congruence of the phylogenetic signal and identified seven genetic clusters that include mainly independent lineages which are accumulating divergences without any sign of recent interspecific recombination. From a taxonomic point of view, the strong genetic structuration of the different species does not question the current classification, except for species that cause visceral forms of leishmaniasis (L. donovani, L. infantum and L. archibaldi). Although these taxa cause specific clinical forms of the disease and are maintained through different parasitic cycles, they are not clearly distinct and form a continuum, in line with the concept of species complex already suggested for this group thirty years ago. These results should have practical consequences concerning the molecular identification of parasites and the subsequent therapeutic management of the disease

Faciliter l’accès à la contraception des jeunes majeures : Évaluation des « Pass Contraception »

Adopté par la moitié des régions de France métropolitaine, le Pass contraception est un carnet de coupons facilitant un accès anonyme et gratuit à la contraception. Comment évaluer ce type de dispositif ? Qu’apportent réellement les Pass contraception ? Faut-il les pérenniser et/ou les généraliser à toutes les régions ? Sous quelles conditions ? Nous livrons ici les premiers constats et les limites de notre évaluation

Full moonlight-induced circadian clock entrainment in Coffea arabica

Background: It is now well documented that moonlight affects the life cycle of invertebrates, birds, reptiles, and mammals. The lunisolar tide is also well-known to alter plant growth and development. However, although plants are known to be very photosensitive, few studies have been undertaken to explore the effect of moonlight on plant physiology. Results: Here for the first time we report a massive transcriptional modification in Coffea arabica genes under full moonlight conditions, particularly at full moon zenith and 3 h later. Among the 3387 deregulated genes found in our study, the main core clock genes were affected. Conclusions: Moonlight also negatively influenced many genes involved in photosynthesis, chlorophyll biosynthesis and chloroplast machinery at the end of the night, suggesting that the full moon has a negative effect on primary photosynthetic machinery at dawn. Moreover, full moonlight promotes the transcription of major rhythmic redox genes and many heat shock proteins, suggesting that moonlight is perceived as stress. We confirmed this huge impact of weak light (less than 6 lx) on the transcription of circadian clock genes in controlled conditions mimicking full moonlight

Cutaneous Leishmaniosis in Portugal Due to Leishmania Infantum Mon-1

Leishmania infantum zimodeme MON-1 foi isolado a partir de uma lesão cutânea da face de uma criança, residente em Lisboa e que nunca saíu do país. Após biópsia excisional não houve recorrência da lesão. Este é o primeiro caso em que este agente é identificado como responsável pela leishmaniose cutãnea em Portugal

Evolutionary history of Leishmania killicki (synonymous Leishmania tropica) and taxonomic implications

Background: Leishmania (L.) killicki is responsible for the chronic cutaneous leishmaniasis. The taxonomic status of this parasite is still not well defined. It was suggested on one hand to include this taxon within L. tropica complex but also on the other hand to consider it as a distinct phylogenetic complex. The present work represents the more detailed study on the evolutionary history of L. killicki relative to L. tropica and the taxonomic implications. Methods: Thirty five L. killicki and 25 L. tropica strains isolated from humans and from several countries were characterized using the MultiLocus Enzyme Electrophoresis (MLEE) and the MultiLocus Sequence Typing (MLST) approaches. Results: The genetic and phylogenetic analyses strongly support that L. killicki belongs to L. tropica complex. The study suggests the emergence of L. killicki by a funder effect followed by an independent evolution from L. tropica, but does not validate the species status of this taxon. In this context, we suggest to call this taxon L. killicki (synonymous L. tropica) until further epidemiological and phylogenetic studies justify the L. killicki denomination. Conclusions: These findings provided taxonomic and phylogenetic informations on L. killicki and helped to better know the evolutionary history of this taxon

Design and characterisation of the new CIS115 sensor for JANUS, the high resolution camera on JUICE

JUICE, the Jupiter Icy Moon Explorer, is a European Space Agency L-class mission destined for the Jovian system. Due for launch in 2022, it will begin a science phase after its transit to Jupiter that will include detailed investigations of three of the Galilean moons: Ganymede, Callisto and Europa. JUICE will carry payloads to characterise the Jovian environments, divided into in situ, geophysical and remote sensing packages. A key instrument in the remote sensing package is JANUS, an optical camera operating over a wavelength range of 350 nm to 1064 nm. JANUS will be used to study the external layers of Jupiter’s atmosphere, the ring system and the planetary bodies. To achieve the science goals, resolutions of better than 5 m per pixel are required for the highest resolution observations during the 200 km altitude orbit of Ganymede, whilst the system is operated with a signal to noise ratio of better than 100. Jupiter’s magnetic field is a dominant object in the solar system, trapping electrons and other charged particles leading to the radiation environment around Jupiter being very hostile, especially in the regions closest to Jupiter in the Ganymede orbit. The radiation tolerance of the focal plane detector in JANUS is therefore a major concern and radiation testing is vital to confirm its expected performance after irradiation will meet requirements set by the science goals. JANUS will be using a detector from e2v technologies plc, the CMOS Imaging Sensor 115 (CIS115), which is a device manufactured using 0.18 μm Imaging CMOS Process with a 2000 by 1504 pixel array each 7 μm square. The pixels have a 4T pinned photodiode pixel architecture, and the array is read out through four differential analogue outputs. This paper describes the preliminary characterisation of the CIS115, and results obtained with the CIS107 precursor sensor