Comment évaluer la valeur sociale d'un bien? D'une définition substantive à la construction sociale d'une procédure de qualification

International audienceLes stratégies de responsabilité sociale des entreprises (RSE) conduisent certaines d'entre elles, comme ArcelorMittal, à se demander quelle est la ‘valeur sociale' de ses produits. Pour définir ce qu'est la valeur sociale, nous nous appuyons sur la littérature scientifique en économie dans laquelle le concept de ‘valeur' est une question canonique. Une définition objective de la valeur sociale ne peut être fournie puisqu'elle résulte d'un jugement collectif issu d'interactions sociales au sein d'un groupe (espace politique). C'est pourquoi, nous mobilisons le concept de ‘going concern' de Commons ainsi que l'analyse d'Ostrom relative aux autorités politiques, lesquels révèlent la nécessité de construire une procédure politique de qualification des paramètres constituant la valeur sociale. Cette procédure se doit de faire sens auprès du going concern, c'est-à-dire auprès de ceux qui y participent. Nous proposons par conséquent une méthode scientifique pour opérationnaliser cette procédure politique dans le cadre d'une recherche action. Mots-clés : Valeur sociale, Responsabilité sociale de l'entreprise, Going concern, Procédure politique, Recherche action   Because of the corporate social responsibility (CSR) agendas, some firms, like ArcelorMittal, wish to know the ‘social value' of their products. We therefore develop in this paper the scientific literature on the concept of value - which has been a canonic issue for economics - in order to define the concept of social value. The ‘social value' cannot be defined as an ‘objective' nature and refers instead to a collective judgment emerging from social interactions within a group (political sphere). We therefore use Commons' concept of ‘going concern' and Ostrom's analysis of political authorities, which both reveal that defining the ‘social value' of a product implies the design a political procedure for qualifying the variables. Such a procedure will make sense to the going concern, i.e the ones that will have a say in this procedure. We have finally design a scientific method in order to operationalize this political procedure on the field, which can be an aim to achieve for CSR strategies. Key words: Social value, Corporate social responsibility, Going concern, Political procedure, Action research  </p

Comment évaluer la valeur sociale d'un bien? D'une définition substantive à la construction sociale d'une procédure de qualification

International audienceLes stratégies de responsabilité sociale des entreprises (RSE) conduisent certaines d'entre elles, comme ArcelorMittal, à se demander quelle est la ‘valeur sociale' de ses produits. Pour définir ce qu'est la valeur sociale, nous nous appuyons sur la littérature scientifique en économie dans laquelle le concept de ‘valeur' est une question canonique. Une définition objective de la valeur sociale ne peut être fournie puisqu'elle résulte d'un jugement collectif issu d'interactions sociales au sein d'un groupe (espace politique). C'est pourquoi, nous mobilisons le concept de ‘going concern' de Commons ainsi que l'analyse d'Ostrom relative aux autorités politiques, lesquels révèlent la nécessité de construire une procédure politique de qualification des paramètres constituant la valeur sociale. Cette procédure se doit de faire sens auprès du going concern, c'est-à-dire auprès de ceux qui y participent. Nous proposons par conséquent une méthode scientifique pour opérationnaliser cette procédure politique dans le cadre d'une recherche action. Mots-clés : Valeur sociale, Responsabilité sociale de l'entreprise, Going concern, Procédure politique, Recherche action   Because of the corporate social responsibility (CSR) agendas, some firms, like ArcelorMittal, wish to know the ‘social value' of their products. We therefore develop in this paper the scientific literature on the concept of value - which has been a canonic issue for economics - in order to define the concept of social value. The ‘social value' cannot be defined as an ‘objective' nature and refers instead to a collective judgment emerging from social interactions within a group (political sphere). We therefore use Commons' concept of ‘going concern' and Ostrom's analysis of political authorities, which both reveal that defining the ‘social value' of a product implies the design a political procedure for qualifying the variables. Such a procedure will make sense to the going concern, i.e the ones that will have a say in this procedure. We have finally design a scientific method in order to operationalize this political procedure on the field, which can be an aim to achieve for CSR strategies. Key words: Social value, Corporate social responsibility, Going concern, Political procedure, Action research  </p

Identification and Field Evaluation of Grape Shoot Volatiles Attractive to Female Grape Berry Moth ( Paralobesia viteana )

Solid-phase microextraction (SPME) and gas chromatography coupled with electroantennographic detection (GC-EAD) were used to identify volatile compounds from shoots of riverbank grape (Vitis riparia) that attract the female grape berry moth (GBM, Paralobesia viteana). Consistent EAD activity was obtained for 11 chemicals: (Z)-3-hexen-1-yl acetate, (E)-linalool oxide, (Z)-linalool oxide, nonanal, linalool, (E)-4,8-dimethyl-1,3,7-nonatriene, methyl salicylate, decanal, β-caryophyllene, germacrene-D, and α-farnesene. In flight-tunnel tests that involved female GBM and rubber septa loaded with subsets of these 11 compounds, we found that both the 11-component blend and a seven-component blend, composed of (E)-linalool oxide, (Z)-linalool oxide, nonanal, (E)-4,8-dimethyl-1,3,7-nonatriene, decanal, β-caryophyllene and germacrene-D, elicited equivalent levels of upwind flight as freshly cut grape shoots. The removal of any of the seven compounds from the seven-component blend resulted in a significant decrease in female upwind flight responses. In a field trial with these two synthetic blends, traps equipped with either blend captured more female GBM compared to traps baited with hexane only (control), although the number of females caught was generally low. There were no differences in the number of males captured among treatments. Although in flight-tunnel trials, moths readily flew upwind to both grape shoots and rubber septa loaded with the best lures, they landed on shoots but not on rubber septa. Coupled with relatively low field catches, this suggests that additional host finding cues need to be identified to improve trap efficac

The "Ram Effect": A "Non-Classical" Mechanism for Inducing LH Surges in Sheep

During spring sheep do not normally ovulate but exposure to a ram can induce ovulation. In some ewes an LH surge is induced immediately after exposure to a ram thus raising questions about the control of this precocious LH surge. Our first aim was to determine the plasma concentrations of oestradiol (E2) E2 in anoestrous ewes before and after the "ram effect" in ewes that had a "precocious" LH surge (starting within 6 hours), a "normal" surge (between 6 and 28h) and "late» surge (not detected by 56h). In another experiment we tested if a small increase in circulating E2 could induce an LH surge in anoestrus ewes. The concentration of E2 significantly was not different at the time of ram introduction among ewes with the three types of LH surge. "Precocious" LH surges were not preceded by a large increase in E2 unlike "normal" surges and small elevations of circulating E2 alone were unable to induce LH surges. These results show that the "precocious" LH surge was not the result of E2 positive feedback. Our second aim was to test if noradrenaline (NA) is involved in the LH response to the "ram effect". Using double labelling for Fos and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) we showed that exposure of anoestrous ewes to a ram induced a higher density of cells positive for both in the A1 nucleus and the Locus Coeruleus complex compared to unstimulated controls. Finally, the administration by retrodialysis into the preoptic area, of NA increased the proportion of ewes with an LH response to ram odor whereas treatment with the α1 antagonist Prazosin decreased the LH pulse frequency and amplitude induced by a sexually active ram. Collectively these results suggest that in anoestrous ewes NA is involved in ram-induced LH secretion as observed in other induced ovulators

Hyperprolactinemia-induced ovarian acyclicity is reversed by kisspeptin administration

Hyperprolactinemia is the most common cause of hypogonadotropic anovulation and is one of the leading causes of infertility in women aged 25-34. Hyperprolactinemia has been proposed to block ovulation through inhibition of GnRH release. Kisspeptin neurons, which express prolactin receptors, were recently identified as major regulators of GnRH neurons. To mimic the human pathology of anovulation, we continuously infused female mice with prolactin. Our studies demonstrated that hyperprolactinemia in mice induced anovulation, reduced GnRH and gonadotropin secretion, and diminished kisspeptin expression. Kisspeptin administration restored gonadotropin secretion and ovarian cyclicity, suggesting that kisspeptin neurons play a major role in hyperprolactinemic anovulation. Our studies indicate that administration of kisspeptin may serve as an alternative therapeutic approach to restore the fertility of hyperprolactinemic women who are resistant or intolerant to dopamine agonists

Neuroanatomical organization of gonadotropin-releasing hormone neurons during the oestrus cycle in the ewe

BACKGROUND: During the preovulatory surge of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), a very large amount of the peptide is released in the hypothalamo-hypophyseal portal blood for 24-36H00. To study whether this release is linked to a modification of the morphological organization of the GnRH-containing neurons, i.e. morphological plasticity, we conducted experiments in intact ewes at 4 different times of the oestrous cycle (before the expected LH surge, during the LH surge, and on day 8 and day 15 of the subsequent luteal phase). The cycle stage was verified by determination of progesterone and LH concentrations in the peripheral blood samples collected prior to euthanasia. RESULTS: The distribution of GnRH-containing neurons throughout the preoptic area around the vascular organ of the lamina terminalis was studied following visualisation using immunohistochemistry. No difference was observed in the staining intensity for GnRH between the different groups. Clusters of GnRH-containing neurons (defined as 2 or more neurons being observed in close contact) were more numerous during the late follicular phase (43 ± 7) than during the luteal phase (25 ± 6), and the percentage of clusters was higher during the beginning of the follicular phase than during the luteal phase. There was no difference in the number of labelled neurons in each group. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that the morphological organization of the GnRH-containing neurons in ewes is modified during the follicular phase. This transitory re-organization may contribute to the putative synchronization of these neurons during the surge. The molecular signal inducing this plasticity has not yet been identified, but oestradiol might play an important role, since in sheep it is the only signal which initiates the GnRH preovulatory surge

Kisspeptin, a new key player in reproduction control

The discovery of the role of kisspeptin and of its cognate receptor, KISS1R, has been a breakthrough in the understanding of the mechanisms underpinning reproduction and in particular GnRH secretion. The injection of kisspeptin in various mammalian species showed its capacity to stimulate GnRH secretion and to trigger ovulation in anoestrus ewe. This capacity is under the control of sexual hormones that act directly and with opposite effects on the two kisspeptin neuronal populations present in the hypothalamus. There is a clear interest for the use of this molecule in farming and in human medicine although its short half-life has until now hampered its exploitation. The design of analogs with longer half-life represents a possible solution and preliminary results look promisingLa découverte de la kisspeptine et de son récepteur, KISS1R, a permis une avancée majeure dans la compréhension des mécanismes qui contrôlent la reproduction et plus particulièrement, la sécrétion de la GnRH. L’administration de la kisspeptine chez différentes espèces de mammifères permet de stimuler la sécrétion de la GnRH et chez la brebis, d’induire l’ovulation en contre-saison. Son action sur la libération de la GnRH est sous le rétrocontrôle à la fois positif et négatif des hormones sexuelles qui agissent directement et de façon opposée sur les deux populations de neurones à kisspeptine présentes dans l’hypothalamus. L’intérêt de cette molécule pour une utilisation en élevage ou en clinique humaine est évident, mais sa demi-vie très courte a été pour le moment un frein à son exploitation. La création d’analogues à durée d’action accrue représente une solution possible à ce problème et les premiers résultats sont encourageant

Neuroendocrine regulation of seasonal breeding cycles in the ewe

Seasonal reproduction has emerged as an important topic of investigation which bridges the areas of endocrinology, neurobiology, biological rhythms, and fertility regulation. Among the species in which this topic has been studied, the sheep has proven to be especially useful for investigating the neuroendocrine mechanisms which underlie the seasonal switches in fertility. This is due to a number of attributes. One of these is the large blood volume of sheep which permits extensive sampling for characterizing pulsatile patterns of hormone secretion. Another attribute is the large size of its brain and pituitary gland which facilitates complex neurosurgical procedures such as those required for collecting hypothalamic-pituitary portal blood for measurement of hypophysiotropic substances. Based on work in sheep, it has become evident that pulsatile secretion of luteinizing hormone (LH) from the anterior pituitary is driven by an episodic discharge of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) from the hypothalamus, and that seasonal reproduction results largely from alterations in the pulsatile pattern of LH release. By using the sheep as a model, it should now be possible to elucidate the neural mechanisms which underlie these seasonal alterations in the reproductive neuroendocrine axis.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/38095/1/1402560405_ftp.pd

Epigenetics and developmental programming of welfare and production traits in farm animals

The concept that postnatal health and development can be influenced by events that occur in utero originated from epidemiological studies in humans supported by numerous mechanistic (including epigenetic) studies in a variety of model species. Referred to as the ‘developmental origins of health and disease’ or ‘DOHaD’ hypothesis, the primary focus of large-animal studies until quite recently had been biomedical. Attention has since turned towards traits of commercial importance in farm animals. Herein we review the evidence that prenatal risk factors, including suboptimal parental nutrition, gestational stress, exposure to environmental chemicals and advanced breeding technologies, can determine traits such as postnatal growth, feed efficiency, milk yield, carcass composition, animal welfare and reproductive potential. We consider the role of epigenetic and cytoplasmic mechanisms of inheritance, and discuss implications for livestock production and future research endeavours. We conclude that although the concept is proven for several traits, issues relating to effect size, and hence commercial importance, remain. Studies have also invariably been conducted under controlled experimental conditions, frequently assessing single risk factors, thereby limiting their translational value for livestock production. We propose concerted international research efforts that consider multiple, concurrent stressors to better represent effects of contemporary animal production systems

Insulin: Its role in the central control of reproduction

Insulin has long been recognized as a key regulator of energy homeostasis via its actions at the level of the brain, but in addition, plays a role in regulating neural control of reproduction. In this review, we consider and compare evidence from animal models demonstrating a role for insulin for physiological control of reproduction by effects on GnRH/LH secretion. We also review the role that insulin plays in prenatal programming of adult reproduction, and consider specific candidate neurons in the adult hypothalamus by which insulin may act to regulate reproductive function. Finally, we review clinical evidence of the role that insulin may play in adult human fertility and reproductive disorders. Overall, while insulin appears to have a significant impact on reproductive neuroendocrine function, there are many unanswered questions regarding its precise sites and mechanisms of action, and their impact on developing and adult reproductive neuroendocrine function