Politique publique et changement climatique : Une lecture par les coalitions de cause du Programme de Paiement pour Services Environnementaux au Costa Rica

Les politiques de Paiement pour services environnementaux sont considérés comme des dispositifs innovants pour affronter les enjeux de conservation et de changement climatique. Néanmoins, même si les expériences locales se multiplient, les expériences de programmes nationaux sont peu nombreuses ainsi que la compréhension de leur condition d'émergence et d'évolutions. Le Programme National de Paiement pour Service Environnementaux (PPSE), adopté dès 1996 au Costa Rica, constitue une innovation singulière en termes d'instrument de politique publique pour lutter contre déforestation. Ce document de travail analyse les conditions qui ont permis l'adoption rapide puis l'évolution de cet instrument de politique. Mobilisant un cadre d'analyse cognitif des politique publique sur la longue durée, le cadre d'analyse des coalitions de cause (Advocacy Coalition Framework - ACF) développé par Sabat ier et Jenkins (1993), nous montrons que 1) le PPSE constitue un changement cognitif de la vision de la foret, 2) son adoption correspond à un changement des coalitions de cause dominantes dans le système politiques de gestion des espaces ruraux forestiers et 3) que ce changement est induit par une redistribution des ressources résultantes de modifications des variables externes et internes au système. Cette analyse permet de discuter les hypothèses de changement des politiques publiques énoncés dans le cad re de l'ACF et de mettre en perspective les évolutions récentes du PPSE à l'aune des processus d'apprentissage et d'évolution des coalitions de cause au Costa Rica

Population receptive field estimates of human auditory cortex.

Here we describe a method for measuring tonotopic maps and estimating bandwidth for voxels in human primary auditory cortex (PAC) using a modification of the population Receptive Field (pRF) model, developed for retinotopic mapping in visual cortex by Dumoulin and Wandell (2008). The pRF method reliably estimates tonotopic maps in the presence of acoustic scanner noise, and has two advantages over phase-encoding techniques. First, the stimulus design is flexible and need not be a frequency progression, thereby reducing biases due to habituation, expectation, and estimation artifacts, as well as reducing the effects of spatio-temporal BOLD nonlinearities. Second, the pRF method can provide estimates of bandwidth as a function of frequency. We find that bandwidth estimates are narrower for voxels within the PAC than in surrounding auditory responsive regions (non-PAC)

Alpine forbs rely on different photoprotective strategies during spring snowmelt

Snowmelt in alpine ecosystems brings ample water, and together with above-freezing temperatures, initiates plant growth. In this scenario, rapid activation of photosynthesis is essential for a successful life-history strategy. But, strong solar radiation in late spring enhances the risk of photodamage, particularly before photosynthesis is fully functional. We compared the photoprotective strategy of five alpine forbs: one geophyte not particularly specialised in subnival life (Crocus albiflorus) and four wintergreens differing in their degree of adaptation to subnival life, from least to most specialised: Gentiana acaulis, Geum montanum, Homogyne alpina and Soldanella alpina. We used distance to the edge of snow patches as a proxy to study time-dependent changes after melting. We postulated that the photoprotective response of snowbed specialists would be stronger than of more-generalist alpine meadow species. F-v/F-m was relatively low across wintergreens and even lower in the geophyte C. albiflorus. This species also had the largest xanthophyll-cycle pool and lowest tocopherol and flavonoid glycoside contents. After snow melting, all the species progressively activated ETR, but particularly the intermediate snowbed species G. acaulis and G. montanum. The photoprotective responses after snowmelt were idiosyncratic: G. montanum rapidly accumulated xanthophyll-cycle pigments, tocopherol and flavonoid glycosides; while S. alpina showed the largest increase in plastochromanol-8 and chlorophyll contents and the greatest changes in optical properties. Climate warming scenarios might shift the snowmelt date and consequently alter the effectiveness of photoprotection mechanisms, potentially changing the fitness outcome of the different strategies adopted by alpine forbs.Peer reviewe

Indie Authors' Earnings 2023

ALLi, the Alliance of Independent Authors, together with the Self-Publishing Formula, commissioned CREATe (the UK Copyright & Creative Economy Research Centre based at the University of Glasgow) to conduct independent research into the earnings of independent (indie, or self-publishing) authors. This report consists of a secondary analysis of data gathered by way of an online survey conducted in February and March 2023 by The Future of Publishing and SKS Advisors. The analysis focussed on indie authors who had self-published at least one book, and who spent at least 50% of their working time on writing or self-publishing activities. We found that, from these sources alone, indie authors earned a typical income of 12,755 USD in 2022, representing an almost 50% increase since 2021. Whilst this level of income likely needs some form of supplementation from other sources to make a sustainable livelihood, we nonetheless found that indie authors earn a typically higher income (a difference of almost 50%) from writing alone when compared with authors who use traditional publishing models. As with many creative industries, indie authors work in a ‘winner-takes-all' market, with a highly unequal distribution of income: in 2022, the top 1% authors earned 31% of total revenues. This is in keeping with our expectations of how writing markets function based on previous research. However, we find that the indie writing market also overperforms in unexpected ways, particularly in diversifying and amplifying marginalised creator voices. We find a reverse gender gap, with cisgender women earning more than cisgender men, and a community of thriving LGBTQIA+ authors, who earn more than their straight counterparts. Nonetheless, we find that patterns of low pay for black authors continue to be perpetuated, and that disabled authors earn more than three times less than able-bodied authors. These findings suggest that, whilst the removal of traditional cultural gatekeepers is more enabling to some sub-groups within diverse author segments, many systematic issues continue to prevent meaningful participation and sustainability of a writing career. The indie writing market is particularly well served for three genres: Romance, Crime/Thriller and Fantasy. Authors who write in these genres also earn a typically higher income than more generalist indie authors. Whilst we note the great benefits to amplification of diversity to non-cis gendered authors and non-straight authors, we find that members these communities tend to remain intercommunity, writing almost exclusively for LGBTQIA+ genres. Where business strategies are concerned, we find that the indie authors are best served by lessening the barriers in distribution and communication between them and their readers. We see the highest growth in revenues for authors who utilise new business models as opposed to traditional, self-publishing routes: these include crowdfunding and patron platforms (e.g., Patreon), and income derived from sponsorships or other forms of ‘influencer’ income

Complement depletion and persistent hemodynamic-hematologic responses in protamine-heparin reactions

Hypotension, bradycardia, pulmonary artery hypertension, neutropenia, and thrombocytopenia have been suspected to be due to complement activation following protamine reversal of heparin. This investigation examined these phenomena in complement-depleted animals. Eight dogs received intraperitoneal naja n. naja cobra venom factor (CVF), 20 U/kg, 48 and 24 hr prior to anticoagulation with sodium heparin, 150 IU/kg, and reversal 30 min later with protamine sulfate, 1.5 mg/kg. Decomplementation was confirmed in all dogs. Systemic blood pressure (BP), pulse (HR), pulmonary artery systolic and diastolic pressures, (PAS, PAD), cardiac output (CO), platelet count (PTC), and white blood count (WBC) with differential were monitored. The maximal mean changes for the entire group were BP, -43 mm Hg; HR, -16; PAS, +6 mm Hg; PAD, +3 mm Hg; CO, -27%; PTC, -49%; and WBC, -48%. These hemodynamic and hematologic responses, occurring in the face of CVF-induced decomplementation, support the conclusion that complement components C3 and C5-C9 are not influential factors contributing to these protamine-heparin-induced events.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/27158/1/0000153.pd

Antarctic pack ice algal distribution: Floe-scale spatial variability and predictability from physical parameters

©2017. Commonwealth of Australia. Antarctic pack ice serves as habitat for microalgae which contribute to Southern Ocean primary production and serve as important food source for pelagic herbivores. Ice algal biomass is highly patchy and remains severely undersampled by classical methods such as spatially restricted ice coring surveys. Here we provide an unprecedented view of ice algal biomass distribution, mapped (as chlorophyll a) in a 100 m by 100 m area of a Weddell Sea pack ice floe, using under-ice irradiance measurements taken with an instrumented remotely operated vehicle. We identified significant correlations (p < 0.001) between algal biomass and concomitant in situ surface measurements of snow depth, ice thickness, and estimated sea ice freeboard levels using a statistical model. The model's explanatory power (r2 = 0.30) indicates that these parameters alone may provide a first basis for spatial prediction of ice algal biomass, but parameterization of additional determinants is needed to inform more robust upscaling efforts

Spectroscopy of 28^{28}Na: shell evolution toward the drip line

Excited states in $^{28}$Na have been studied using the $\beta$-decay of implanted $^{28}$Ne ions at GANIL/LISE as well as the in-beam $\gamma$-ray spectroscopy at the NSCL/S800 facility. New states of positive (J$^{\pi}$=3,4$^+$) and negative (J$^{\pi}$=1-5$^-$) parity are proposed. The former arise from the coupling between 0d$\_{5/2}$ protons and a 0d$\_{3/2}$ neutron, while the latter are due to couplings with 1p$\_{3/2}$ or 0f$\_{7/2}$ neutrons. While the relative energies between the J$^{\pi}$=1-4$^+$ states are well reproduced with the USDA interaction in the N=17 isotones, a progressive shift in the ground state binding energy (by about 500 keV) is observed between $^{26}$F and $^{30}$Al. This points to a possible change in the proton-neutron 0d$\_{5/2}$-0d$\_{3/2}$ effective interaction when moving from stability to the drip line. The presence of J$^{\pi}$=1-4$^-$ negative parity states around 1.5 MeV as well as of a candidate for a J$^{\pi}$=5$^-$ state around 2.5 MeV give further support to the collapse of the N=20 gap and to the inversion between the 0f$\_{7/2}$ and 1p$\_{3/2}$ levels below Z=12. These features are discussed in the framework of Shell Model and EDF calculations, leading to predicted negative parity states in the low energy spectra of the $^{26}$F and $^{25}$O nuclei.Comment: Exp\'erience GANIL/LISE et NSCL/S80

Clomifene citrate or low-dose FSH for the first-line treatment of infertile women with anovulation associated with polycystic ovary syndrome : a prospective randomized multinational study

BACKGROUND: Clomifene citrate (CC) is accepted as the first-line method for ovulation induction (OI) in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) associated with infertility owing to anovulation. Low-dose FSH has been reserved for women failing to conceive with CC. In this RCT, we tested the hypothesis that pregnancy rate (PR) and live birth rates (LBR) are higher after OI with low-dose FSH than with CC as first-line treatment. METHODS: Infertile women (<40 years old) with PCOS-related anovulation, without prior OI treatment, attending 10 centres in Europe/South America were randomized to OI with either CC (50-150 mg/day for 5 days) or FSH (starting dose 50 IU) for up to three treatment cycles. The primary outcome was clinical PR. RESULTS: Patients (n = 302) were randomized to OI with FSH (n = 132 women; 288 cycles) or CC (n = 123; 310 cycles). Per protocol analysis revealed that reproductive outcome was superior after OI with FSH than with CC with respect to PR per first cycle [30 versus 14.6%, respectively, 95 confidence interval (CI) 5.3-25.8, P = 0.003], PR per woman, (58 versus 44% of women, 95% CI 1.5-25.8, P = 0.03), LBR per woman (52 versus 39%, 95% CI 0.4-24.6, P = 0.04), cumulative PR (52.1 versus 41.2%, P = 0.021) and cumulative LBR (47.4 versus 36.9%, P = 0.031), within three cycles of OI. CONCLUSIONS: Pregnancies and live births are achieved more effectively and faster after OI with low-dose FSH than with CC. This result has to be balanced by convenience and cost in favour of CC. FSH may be an appropriate first-line treatment for some women with PCOS and anovulatory infertility, particularly older patients.peer-reviewe