Évaluation des activités du CTA en vue d’encourager les contacts et les échanges d’expérience : résumé : constats et recommandations

Le présent document est un résumé du rapport final de synthèse de l’étude — réalisée par le BIEF (Bureau d’Ingénierie en Éducation et en Formation) entre juin 1998 et janvier 1999 — portant sur l’évaluation des activités du CTA qui se sont déroulées entre 1993 et 1997 en vue d’encourager les contacts et les échanges d’expérience.Evaluation des activités du CTA qui se sont déroulées entre 1993 et 1997 en vue d’encourager les contacts et les échanges d’expérience

The impact of the unilateral EU commitment on the stability of international climate agreements

In this paper we analyze the negotiation strategy of the European Union regarding the formation of an international climate agreement for the post-2012 era. We use game theoretical stability concepts to explore incentives for key players in the climate policy game to join future climate agreements. We compare a minus 20 percent unilateral commitment strategy by the EU with a unilateral minus 30 percent emission reduction strategy for all Annex-B countries. Using a numerical integrated assessment climate-economy simulation model, we find that carbon leakage effects are negligible. Ther EU strategy to reduce emissions by 30% (compared to 1990 levels) by 2020 if other Annex-B countries follow does not induce participation of the USA with a similar 30% reduction commitement. However, the model shows that an appropriate initial allocation of emission allowances may stabilize a larger and more ambitious climate coalition than the Kyoto Protocol in its first commitment period.Climate change, Coalition theory, Integrated assessment model, Kyoto protocol

Identification and Inference in Regression Discontinuity Designs with a Manipulated Running Variable

A key assumption in regression discontinuity analysis is that units cannot manipulate the value of their running variable in a way that guarantees or avoids assignment to the treatment. Standard identification arguments break down if this condition is violated. This paper shows that treatment effects remain partially identified in this case. We derive sharp bounds on the treatment effects, show how to estimate them, and propose ways to construct valid confidence intervals. Our results apply to both sharp and fuzzy regression discontinuity designs. We illustrate our methods by studying the effect of unemployment insurance on unemployment duration in Brazil, where we find strong evidence of manipulation at eligibility cutoffs

The SIMBAD astronomical database

Simbad is the reference database for identification and bibliography of astronomical objects. It contains identifications, `basic data', bibliography, and selected observational measurements for several million astronomical objects. Simbad is developed and maintained by CDS, Strasbourg. Building the database contents is achieved with the help of several contributing institutes. Scanning the bibliography is the result of the collaboration of CDS with bibliographers in Observatoire de Paris (DASGAL), Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris, and Observatoire de Bordeaux. When selecting catalogues and tables for inclusion, priority is given to optimal multi-wavelength coverage of the database, and to support of research developments linked to large projects. In parallel, the systematic scanning of the bibliography reflects the diversity and general trends of astronomical research. A WWW interface to Simbad is available at: http://simbad.u-strasbg.fr/SimbadComment: 14 pages, 5 Postscript figures; to be published in A&A

Intrusion and extrusion of water in hydrophobic mesopores

We present experimental and theoretical results on intrusion-extrusion cycles of water in hydrophobic mesoporous materials, characterized by independent cylindrical pores. The intrusion, which takes place above the bulk saturation pressure, can be well described using a macroscopic capillary model. Once the material is saturated with water, extrusion takes place upon reduction of the externally applied pressure; Our results for the extrusion pressure can only be understood by assuming that the limiting extrusion mechanism is the nucleation of a vapour bubble inside the pores. A comparison of calculated and experimental nucleation pressures shows that a proper inclusion of line tension effects is necessary to account for the observed values of nucleation barriers. Negative line tensions of order $10^{-11} \mathrm{J.m}^{-1}$ are found for our system, in reasonable agreement with other experimental estimates of this quantity

Experimentation of ‘Link for Health’, a new Telehealth application in Cochin Hospital, France

Orange and Cochin Hospital have experimented ‘Link for Health’, a new Telehealth application in the Department of Oncology of Cochin Hospital, France.This new application allows a complete Telehealth service combining mobile application, sensors and questionnaires to return by internet to healthcare team.The purpose of this paper is to analyse and experiment the effectiveness of the Telehealth service, in oral and intravenous anti-cancer therapy to improve clinical and process outcomes.Results were analysed in terms of benefits for the patients and the hospital team

Challenges and Innovative Technologies On Fuel Handling Systems for Future Sodium-Cooled Fast Reactors

International audienceThe reactor refuelling system provides the means of transporting, storing, and handling reactor core subassemblies. The system consists of the facilities and equipment needed to accomplish the scheduled refuelling operations. The choice of a FHS impacts directly on the general design of the reactor vessel (primary vessel, storage, and final cooling before going to reprocessing), its construction cost, and its availability factor. Fuel handling design must take into account various items and in particular operating strategies such as core design and management and core configuration. Moreover, the FHS will have to cope with safety assessments: a permanent cooling strategy to prevent fuel clad rupture, plus provisions to handle short-cooled fuel and criteria to ensure safety during handling. In addition, the handling and elimination of residual sodium must be investigated; it implies specific cleaning treatment to prevent chemical risks such as corrosion or excess hydrogen production. The objective of this study is to identify the challenges of a SFR fuel handling system. It will then present the range of technical options incorporating innovative technologies under development to answer the GENERATION IV SFR requirements

Amplification of 1 ps pulses at 1.053 [mu]m in a Ti:Al2O3 regenerative amplifier

We demonstrate the operation of a Ti:Al2O3 regenerative amplifier tunable around 1 [mu]m. Gains up to 108 at 1.053 [mu]m without any spectral narrowing are obtained. This amplifier is designed for use in terawatt picosecond lasers.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/29239/1/0000294.pd

Homogeneous superconducting state at 8.1 K under ambient pressure in the organic conductor β-(BEDT-TTF)2I3

We report the observation of the first narrow and complete superconducting transition yet obtained in β-(BEDT-TTF)2I3 at 8.1 K and ambient pressure after pressurization up to 1.5 kbar and a release of the helium gas pressure at low temperature. We show experimental evidences indicating that the metastable state giving rise to homogeneous superconductivity at ambient pressure is not stable above 250 K