International coordination over emissions and R&D expenditures: What does oil scarcity change?

In this paper, we studied the problem of international coordination in climate policy using three state-variables (oil marginal extraction cost, pollution and knowledge), two asymmetric countries and a differential game. We used a Monte Carlo procedure to obtain an insight into the behaviour of the model. We discutes the importance of R&D in international agreements and the impact of economic growth in developing countries.Climate change ; diffential games ; nonrenewable resources

International coordination over emissions and R&D expenditures: What does oil scarcity change?

In this paper, we studied the problem of international coordination in climate policy using three state-variables (oil marginal extraction cost, pollution and knowledge), two asymmetric countries and a differential game. We used a Monte Carlo procedure to obtain an insight into the behaviour of the model. We discutes the importance of R&D in international agreements and the impact of economic growth in developing countries

International coordination over emissions and R&D expenditures: What does oil scarcity change?

In this paper, we studied the problem of international coordination in climate policy using three state-variables (oil marginal extraction cost, pollution and knowledge), two asymmetric countries and a differential game. We used a Monte Carlo procedure to obtain an insight into the behaviour of the model. We discutes the importance of R&D in international agreements and the impact of economic growth in developing countries

La valeur identitaire des produits de terroir en Corse

International audienceThe aim of this contribution is, focusing on the case of Corsica, to quantify the identity value of local production. Apart from the nutritional, healthy and organoleptic features of local products, from the consumer point of view, their consumption tends to develop a sense of belonging to the place it is produced in: in other words, it is not just food, but it is also an experience allowing individuals to connect with local heritage. For instance due to the originality of the techniques or the quality of the employed ingredients. One can say that both material and immaterial local patrimony are transferred to the product, increasing consumers' willingness to pay and therefore its market value. It is precisely this identity value that we would like to isolate and estimate combining a choice experiment method with a geographical qualitative approach. To this end, a geographical survey has been undertaken. It aims to identify typical consumption profiles depending on the link between the consumer, the place and the product. This survey is complemented with an econometric analysis in order to identify consumers' motivations and measure the related values.Ce texte propose d'explorer la valeur identitaire des produits de terroir à partir de l'exemple de la Corse. Dans ce contexte territorial particulier, la demande touristique tendrait à valoriser fortement la représentation de conservatoire d'authenticité que renvoie l'île. Au-delà des qualités nutritives, sanitaires et organoleptiques des produits, les touristes chercheraient à s'immiscer dans le territoire et à opérer une rencontre avec la culture locale. C'est précisément cette « sur-» valeur patrimoniale investie par les touristes que nous cherchons à mesurer. Pour cela, une enquête géographique a été conduite de façon à mettre en évidence différents profils de consommateurs en fonction de leurs liens aux produits et au territoire. Celle-ci est complétée par une analyse économétrique devant conduire à identifier et classer les motivations des consommateurs et à mesurer quantitativement les différentes valeurs

Botulinum toxin A modifies nociceptive withdrawal reflex in subacute stroke patients

Objectives: The aims of this study were to evaluate the pattern of the nociceptive withdrawal reflex (NWR) of the upper limb at rest and after injection of Botulinum toxin type A (BoNT-A) in poststroke subacute hemiparetic patients. Methods: Fourteen patients with poststroke subacute hemiparesis underwent clinical and instrumental evaluation and BoNT-A injection. Painful electrical stimulation was applied to induce the NWR. Baseline EMG activity and NWR recordings (EMG and kinematic response) were performed at T0, one month (T1), and three months (T2) after the BoNT-A injection, as were Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) and Functional Independence Measure (FIM) scores. Results: Comparison of results at T0, T1, and T2 revealed significant changes in the MAS score for the elbow (p < 0.001) and wrist joints (p < 0.001) and in the FIM score at T0 and T2. BoNT-A injection had a significant effect on both NWR amplitude and baseline EMG activity in the posterior deltoid (PD) and flexor carpi radialis (FCR) muscles as well as in all averaged muscles. Analysis of elbow kinematics before and after treatment revealed that the reflex probability rates were significantly higher at T1 and T2 than at T0. Conclusion: Injection of BoNT-A in the subacute phase of stroke can modify both the baseline EMG activity and the NWR-related EMG responses in the upper limb muscles irrespective of the site of injection; furthermore, the reflex-mediated defensive mechanical responses, that is, shoulder extension and abduction and elbow flexion, increased after treatment. BoNT-A injection may be a useful treatment in poststroke spasticity with a potential indirect effect on spinal neurons

Refounding of Activity Concept ? Towards a Federative Paradigm for Modeling and Simulation

Journal : Simulation, Transactions of the Society for Modeling and Simulation InternationalInternational audienceCurrently, the widely used notion of activity is increasingly present in computer science. However, because this notion is used in specific contexts, it becomes vague. Here, the notion of activity is scrutinized in various contexts and, accord-ingly, put in perspective. It is discussed through four scientific disciplines: computer science, biology, economics, and epis-temology. The definition of activity usually used in simulation is extended to new qualitative and quantitative definitions. In computer science, biology and economics disciplines, the new simulation activity definition is first applied critically. Then, activity is discussed generally. In epistemology, activity is discussed, in a prospective way, as a possible framework in models of human beliefs and knowledge

Deciphering the Translation Initiation Factor 5A Modification Pathway in Halophilic Archaea

Translation initiation factor 5A (IF5A) is essential and highly conserved in Eukarya (eIF5A) and Archaea (aIF5A). The activity of IF5A requires hypusine, a posttranslational modification synthesized in Eukarya from the polyamine precursor spermidine. Intracellular polyamine analyses revealed that agmatine and cadaverine were the main polyamines produced in Haloferax volcanii in minimal medium, raising the question of how hypusine is synthesized in this halophilic Archaea. Metabolic reconstruction led to a tentative picture of polyamine metabolism and aIF5A modification in Hfx. volcanii that was experimentally tested. Analysis of aIF5A from Hfx. volcanii by LC-MS/MS revealed it was exclusively deoxyhypusinylated. Genetic studies confirmed the role of the predicted arginine decarboxylase gene (HVO 1958) in agmatine synthesis. The agmatinase-like gene (HVO 2299) was found to be essential, consistent with a role in aIF5A modification predicted by physical clustering evidence. Recombinant deoxyhypusine synthase (DHS) fromS. cerevisiae was shown to transfer 4-aminobutyl moiety from spermidine to aIF5A from Hfx. volcanii in vitro. However, at least under conditions tested, this transfer was not observed with the Hfx. volcanii DHS. Furthermore, the growth of Hfx. volcanii was not inhibited by the classical DHS inhibitor GC7. We propose a model of deoxyhypusine synthesis in Hfx. volcanii that differs from the canonical eukaryotic pathway, paving the way for further studies

Botulinum Toxin Is Effective in the Management of Neurogenic Dysphagia. Clinical-Electrophysiological Findings and Tips on Safety in Different Neurological Disorders

Background and Aims: Neurogenic dysphagia linked to failed relaxation of the upper esophageal sphincter (UES) can be treated by injecting botulinum toxin (BTX) into the cricopharyngeal (CP) muscle. We compared the effects of this treatment in different neurological disorders with dysphagia, to evaluate its efficacy over time including the response to a second injection. Materials and Methods: Sixty-seven patients with neurogenic dysphagia associated with incomplete or absent opening of the UES (24 with brainstem or hemispheric stroke, 21 with parkinsonian syndromes, 12 with multiple sclerosis, and 10 with spastic-dystonic syndromes secondary to post-traumatic encephalopathy) were treated with the injection of IncobotulinumtoxinA (dose 15–20 U) into the CP muscle under electromyographic guidance. The patients were assessed at baseline and after the first and second treatment through clinical evaluation and fiberoptic endoscopy of swallowing, while their dysphagia was quantified using the Dysphagia Outcome and Severity Scale (DOSS). An electrokinesiographic/electromyographic study of swallowing was performed at baseline. Results: Most patients responded to the first BTX treatment: 35 patients (52.2%) were classified as high responders (DOSS score increase >2 levels), while other 19 patients (28.4%) were low responders (DOSS score increase of ≤2 levels). The effect of the first treatment usually lasted longer than 4 months (67%), and in some cases up to a year. The treatment efficacy remained high also after the second injection: 31 patients (46.3%) qualified as high responders and other 22 patients (32.8%) showed a low response. Only in the parkinsonian syndromes group we observed a reduction in the percentage of high responders as compared with the first treatment. Side effects were mostly mild and reported in non-responders following the first injection. A severe side effect, consisting of ingestion pneumonia, was observed following the second BTX injection in two patients who had both been non-responders to the first. Non-responders were characterized electromyographically by higher values of the oropharyngeal interval. Conclusion: These findings confirm the effectiveness of IncobotulinumtoxinA injection in the treatment of neurogenic dysphagia due to hyperactivity and relaxation failure of the UES. Caution should be used as regards, the re-injection in non-responders to the first treatment

Formulation spatiale de données SIG pour la simulation de MAS/LUCC

National audienceLes modèles cellulaires multi-échelles (Cellular Automata Model-CAM) [9, 1, 3, 2] sont souvent utilisés pour déterminer les facteurs-clés qui influencent les variations spatio-temporelles et l'utilisation des sols sur un territoire, notamment leurs déclinaisons de type " syst emes multi-agents d'utilisation et de couverture des sols " (Multi-Agent System models of Land-Use/Cover Change-MAS/LUCC)[4, 5, 10]. Dans ce travail, nous envisageons de développer un CAM de type MAS/LUCC afin d'´ etudier par la simulation informatique la multifonctionnalité du foncier rural en Corse. Nous allons nous intéresser plusparticulì erement a l'approché economique décrivant des usages multiples, en conflit ou complémentaires : tourisme/agriculture, chasse/agriculture, agriculture/environnement, etc. Il s'agit ici de développer un mod ele capable d' expérimenter virtuellement des politiques de projet de territoire, afin que l'on puissé etudier l'impact de l'homme sur la ressourcefoncì ere. Il s'agit notamment de poursuivre les travaux de 2010, en nous inspirant des mod eles décisionnels que nous avons déj a développés dans [7, 6, 8]. Dans ce travail préparatoire , nous discutons précisément de l'opportunité d'initialiser le mod ele MAS/LUCC depuis des données expérimentales provenant d'un SIG 1. En effet, les données SIG ne pouvent pas etre intégrées en l'´ etat dans le mod ele. L'utilisation des données provenant du SIG nécessite un travail de " rasteurisation ". Celui-ci doit permettre de rendre les données digestes par le CAM. Nous pro-posons dans ce travail une méthode d' intégration fondée sur l'analysé econométrique. Pour cela, nous allons utiliser les sciences mathématiques et statistiques afin d'exprimercompì etement les données SIG dans le mod ele MAS/LUCC. Ce traitement d' intégration est illustré sur la figure 1. Nous exprimons rationnellement a l'aide des outils de la science Figure 1 – Traitement d' intégration des données expérimentales SIG