Penser la télévision avec le cinéma

Est-il légitime de parler de la télévision en utilisant le vocabulaire critique ou théorique du cinéma ? Quelle est la pertinence et l’utilité, pour décrire et analyser les réalisations télévisuelles, de notions comme celles de « plan », « continuité », « découpage » ou « montage » ? Et si l’on importe de telles notions dans le champ des études télévisuelles, n’y prennent-elles pas nécessairement un sens inédit ? Ces interrogations peuvent être éclairées par le témoignage des observateurs de la télévision naissante ainsi que par celui des premiers réalisateurs. Les uns et les autres se sont en effet attachés à explorer méthodiquement les potentialités expressives du nouveau média qu’ils découvraient. Leur souci commun que les réalisations télévisuelles s’émancipent du modèle du film les a notamment amenés à reconsidérer la relation entre continu et discontinu, à repenser la fonction du découpage, à expérimenter de nouvelles formes de réglage entre le son et l’image, à redéfinir la notion de montage. La réflexion autour de ces différentes questions a été, pendant la première décennie de la télévision, en grande partie déterminée par les impératifs de la transmission en direct. Il est toutefois remarquable que nombre de problèmes soulevés et de solutions proposées ont conservé leur validité au cours des décennies suivantes, alors que la pratique de l’enregistrement des émissions et de la diffusion en différé était devenue dominante. À quoi il faut ajouter le fait que, dès le milieu des années 1950, plusieurs critiques de cinéma ont éprouvé le besoin de faire référence à la notion de direct… pour parler du cinéma et rendre compte de formes cinématographiques nouvelles.Is it legitimate to speak about television using the critical or theoretical vocabulary of cinema? Is it well-advised or useful, when describing and analysing television shows, to use such concepts as “shot,” “continuity,” “découpage” and “editing”? And if we import such concepts into television studies, don’t they inevitably take on new meaning? These questions can be discussed in light of comments by television observers and directors in its early days. Both were involved in methodically exploring the expressive possibilities of the new medium they were discovering. Their shared concern that television shows free themselves from the model of cinema led them to think about the relation between the continuous and the discontinuous, to rethink the use of découpage, to try out new ways of relating sound to the image and to redefine the concept of editing. During television’s first decade, ideas on these topics were largely determined by the imperatives of live broadcasting. Nevertheless, it is remarkable that a number of the problems raised and solutions proposed were still valid decades later, when pre-recorded broadcast had become the dominant model. To which we must add that, since the mid-1950s, various film critics have felt the need to refer to the concept of “liveness” in their discussion of cinema and new cinematic forms

On the Testing of Ground--Motion Prediction Equations against Small--Magnitude Data

Ground-motion prediction equations (GMPE) are essential in probabilistic seismic hazard studies for estimating the ground motions generated by the seismic sources. In low seismicity regions, only weak motions are available in the lifetime of accelerometric networks, and the equations selected for the probabilistic studies are usually models established from foreign data. Although most ground-motion prediction equations have been developed for magnitudes 5 and above, the minimum magnitude often used in probabilistic studies in low seismicity regions is smaller. Desaggregations have shown that, at return periods of engineering interest, magnitudes lower than 5 can be contributing to the hazard. This paper presents the testing of several GMPEs selected in current international and national probabilistic projects against weak motions recorded in France (191 recordings with source-site distances up to 300km, 3.8\leqMw\leq4.5). The method is based on the loglikelihood value proposed by Scherbaum et al. (2009). The best fitting models (approximately 2.5\leqLLH\leq3.5) over the whole frequency range are the Cauzzi and Faccioli (2008), Akkar and Bommer (2010) and Abrahamson and Silva (2008) models. No significant regional variation of ground motions is highlighted, and the magnitude scaling could be predominant in the control of ground-motion amplitudes. Furthermore, we take advantage of a rich Japanese dataset to run tests on randomly selected low-magnitude subsets, and check that a dataset of ~190 observations, same size as the French dataset, is large enough to obtain stable LLH estimates. Additionally we perform the tests against larger magnitudes (5-7) from the Japanese dataset. The ranking of models is partially modified, indicating a magnitude scaling effect for some of the models, and showing that extrapolating testing results obtained from low magnitude ranges to higher magnitude ranges is not straightforward

Selection of ground motion prediction equations for the global earthquake model

Ground motion prediction equations (GMPEs) relate ground motion intensity measures to variables describing earthquake source, path, and site effects. From many available GMPEs, we select those models recommended for use in seismic hazard assessments in the Global Earthquake Model. We present a GMPE selection procedure that evaluates multidimensional ground motion trends (e.g., with respect to magnitude, distance, and structural period), examines functional forms, and evaluates published quantitative tests of GMPE performance against independent data. Our recommendations include: four models, based principally on simulations, for stable continental regions; three empirical models for interface and in-slab subduction zone events; and three empirical models for active shallow crustal regions. To approximately incorporate epistemic uncertainties, the selection process accounts for alternate representations of key GMPE attributes, such as the rate of distance attenuation, which are defensible from available data. Recommended models for each domain will change over time as additional GMPEs are developed

Toward a ground-motion logic tree for probabilistic seismic hazard assessment in Europe

The Seismic Hazard Harmonization in Europe (SHARE) project, which began in June 2009, aims at establishing new standards for probabilistic seismic hazard assessment in the Euro-Mediterranean region. In this context, a logic tree for ground-motion prediction in Europe has been constructed. Ground-motion prediction equations (GMPEs) and weights have been determined so that the logic tree captures epistemic uncertainty in ground-motion prediction for six different tectonic regimes in Europe. Here we present the strategy that we adopted to build such a logic tree. This strategy has the particularity of combining two complementary and independent approaches: expert judgment and data testing. A set of six experts was asked to weight pre-selected GMPEs while the ability of these GMPEs to predict available data was evaluated with the method of Scherbaum et al. (Bull Seismol Soc Am 99:3234-3247, 2009). Results of both approaches were taken into account to commonly select the smallest set of GMPEs to capture the uncertainty in ground-motion prediction in Europe. For stable continental regions, two models, both from eastern North America, have been selected for shields, and three GMPEs from active shallow crustal regions have been added for continental crust. For subduction zones, four models, all non-European, have been chosen. Finally, for active shallow crustal regions, we selected four models, each of them from a different host region but only two of them were kept for long periods. In most cases, a common agreement has been also reached for the weights. In case of divergence, a sensitivity analysis of the weights on the seismic hazard has been conducted, showing that once the GMPEs have been selected, the associated set of weights has a smaller influence on the hazar

Tissue cell stress response to obesity and its interaction with late gestational diet

Intra-uterine growth restriction in late pregnancy can contribute to adverse long term metabolic health in the offspring. We utilised an animal (sheep) model of maternal dietary manipulation in late pregnancy, combined with exposure of the offspring to a low activity, obesogenic environment after weaning, to characterise the effects on glucose homeostasis. Dizygotic twin-pregnant sheep were either fed to 60% of requirements (nutrient restriction (R)) or fed ad libitum (~ 140% of requirements (A)) from 110 days gestation until term (~147d). After weaning (~3 months of age), their offspring were kept in either a standard (in order to remain lean) or low activity, obesogenic environment. R mothers gained less weight and produced smaller offspring. As adults, obese offspring were heavier and fatter with reduced glucose tolerance, irrespective of maternal diet. Molecular markers of stress and autophagy in liver and adipose tissue were increased with obesity, with gene expression of hepatic Grp78 and of omental Atf6, Grp78 and Edem1 only being increased in R offspring. In conclusion, the adverse effect of juvenile onset obesity on insulin responsive tissues can be amplified by previous exposure to a suboptimal nutritional environment in utero, thereby contributing to earlier onset of insulin resistance