Nonpoint source pollution: An experimental investigation of the Average Pigouvian Tax

The “Average Pigouvian Tax” (APT) was proposed by Suter et al. (2008) to reduce the financial burden of the standard ambient tax. This instrument consists in a standard ambient tax divided by the number of firms, which requires polluters to cooperate in order to achieve the social optimum. To enable polluters to cooperate, communication is allowed. We introduce different types of communication: cheap talk, exogenous costly communication (communication is imposed), and endogenous costly communication (conducted on a voluntary basis after a vote). Our experiment confirms that the instrument induces polluters to reduce their emissions under cheap talk. However, we find that group emissions are less reduced when communication is costly. This result still holds even when we endogenize communication by introducing a voting phase

Transport properties of ybco thin films near the critical state with no applied field

Transport measurements carried out on twinned ybco films are compared to the predictions of a previously proposed model suggesting that the vortices move along the films twin boundaries that behave as rows of Josephson weak links [P.Bernstein and J.F.Hamet, J.Appl.Phys.95 (2004) 2569]. The obtained results suggest that, except if the films are very thin, the twin boundaries consist of superimposed rows of weak links with mean height,ds, whose mean length along the TBs is an universal function of T/Tc, the reduced temperature. This conclusion yields a general expression for the critical surface current density of the films as a function of T/Tc and of the number of superimposed weak links rows, while the critical current density depends on ds. A comparison of the measurements reported by various authors shows that the nature of the substrate and the growth technique have both a strong effect on ds . The existence of superimposed weak links rows is attributed to extended defects generated by y2o3 inclusions.Comment: 33 pages, 13 figures; accepted for publication in Physica

Activation of cAMP signaling transiently inhibits apoptosis in vascular smooth muscle cells in a site upstream of caspase-3

Intracellular signaling pathways that are involved in protection of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) from apoptosis remain poorly understood. This study examines the effect of activators of cAMP/cGMP signaling on apoptosis in non-transfected VSMC and in VSMC transfected with c-myc (VSMC-MYC) or with its functional analogue, E1A-adenoviral protein (VSMC-E1A). Serum-deprived VSMC-E1A exhibited the highest apoptosis measured as the content of chromatin and low molecular weight DNA fragments, phosphatidylserine content in the outer surface of plasma membrane and caspase-3 activity (ten-, five-, four- and tenfold increase after 6 h of serum withdrawal, respectively). In VSMC-E1A, the addition of an activator of adenylate cyclase, forskolin, abolished chromatin cleavage, DNA laddering, caspase-3 activation and the appearance of morphologically-defined apoptotic cells triggered by 6 h of serum deprivation. In non-transfected VSMC and in VSMC-MYC, 6 h serum deprivation led to approximately six- and threefold activation of chromatin cleavage, respectively, that was also blocked by forskolin. In VSMC-E1A, inhibition of apoptosis was observed with other activators of cAMP signaling (cholera toxin, isoproterenol, adenosine, 8-Br-cAMP), whereas 6 h incubation with modulators of cGMP signaling (8-Br-cGMP, nitroprusside, atrial natriuretic peptide, L-NAME) did not affect the development of apoptotic machinery. The antiapoptotic effect of forskolin was abolished in 24 h of serum deprivation that was accompanied by normalization of intracellular cAMP content and protein kinase A (PKA) activity. Protection of VSMC-E1A from apoptosis by forskolin was blunted by PKA inhibitors (H-89 and KT5720), whereas transfection of cells with PKA catalytic subunit attenuated apoptosis triggered by serum withdrawal. The protection of VSMC-E1A by forskolin from apoptosis was insensitive to modulators of cytoskeleton assembly (cytochalasin B, colchicine). Neither acute (30 min) nor chronic (24 h) exposure of VSMC to forskolin modified basal and serum-induced phosphorylation of the MAP kinase ERK1/2. Thus, our results show that activation of cAMP signaling delays the development of apoptosis in serum-deprived VSMC at a site upstream of caspase-3 via activation of PKA and independently of cAMP-induced reorganization of the cytoskeleton network and the ERK1/2-terminated MAPK signaling cascade

Long-term Benefits of Intensive Glucose Control for Preventing End-Stage Kidney Disease: ADVANCE-ON

OBJECTIVE The Action in Diabetes and Vascular Disease: Preterax and Diamicron MR Controlled Evaluation (ADVANCE) trial reported that intensive glucose control prevents end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) in patients with type 2 diabetes, but uncertainty about the balance between risks and benefits exists. Here, we examine the long-term effects of intensive glucose control on risk of ESKD and other outcomes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Survivors, previously randomized to intensive or standard glucose control, were invited to participate in post-trial follow-up. ESKD, defined as the need for dialysis or kidney transplantation, or death due to kidney disease, was documented overall and by baseline CKD stage, along with hypoglycemic episodes, major cardiovascular events, and death from other causes. RESULTS A total of 8,494 ADVANCE participants were followed for a median of 5.4 additional years. In-trial HbA1c differences disappeared by the first post-trial visit. The in-trial reductions in the risk of ESKD (7 vs. 20 events, hazard ratio [HR] 0.35, P = 0.02) persisted after 9.9 years of overall follow-up (29 vs. 53 events, HR 0.54, P 0.26). CONCLUSIONS Intensive glucose control was associated with a long-term reduction in ESKD, without evidence of any increased risk of cardiovascular events or death. These benefits were greater with preserved kidney function and with well-controlled blood pressure

Comprendre les bases théoriques du néo-racisme pour analyser les discours des populistes de droite en France et en Allemagne - L’exemple du FN et de l’AfD

Ziel der Arbeit ist es, zu hinterfragen ob die AfD und der FN überhaupt rassistische Parteien sind. Deshalb, war eine zentrale Fragestellung der Arbeit, woher die Ideologie der Nationalpopulisten in Deutschland und Frankreich stammt und welche Unterschiede von Bedeutung sind. Für die Beantwortung dieser Fragestellung wurde eine Analyse medialer sowie parteiinterner Quellen der AFD und des FN unternommen, um eine Strukturierung neorassistischer Aspekte beider Parteien ins Licht zu setzen

Reduced blood pressure after smooth muscle EFNB2 deletion and the potential association of EFNB2 mutation with human hypertension risk

Ephrin B2 (EFNB2) is a ligand for erythropoietin-producing hepatocellular kinases (EPH), the largest family of receptor tyrosine kinases. It has critical functions in many biological systems, but is not known to regulate blood pressure. We generated mice with a smooth muscle cell-specific deletion of EFNB2 and investigated its roles in blood pressure regulation and vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) contractility. Male Efnb2 knockout (KO) mice presented reduced blood pressure, while female KO mice had no such reduction. Both forward signaling from EFNB2 to EPHs and reverse signaling from EPHs to EFNB2 were involved in regulating VSMC contractility, with EPHB4 serving as a critical molecule for forward signaling, based on crosslinking studies. We also found that a region from aa 313 to aa 331 in the intracellular tail of EFNB2 was essential for reverse signaling regulating VSMC contractility, based on deletion mutation studies. In a human genetic study, we identified 5 SNPs in the 3’ region of the EFNB2 gene which were in linkage disequilibrium and which were significantly associated with hypertension for male but not female subjects, consistent with our findings in mice. The coding (minor) alleles of these 5 SNPs were protective in males. We have thus discovered a previously unknown blood pressure-lowering mechanism mediated by EFNB2 and identified EFNB2 as a gene associated with hypertension risk in humans

Trehalose metabolism gene manipulations and improving plant abiotic stress tolerance

Genetické modifikace zemědělských plodin jsou v dnešní době již běžně využívány v boji proti škůdcům a plevelům. Čím dál tím častěji se také objevují snahy využít genetické modifikace i ke zvýšení odolnosti k abiotickým stresům, které celosvětově ovlivňují výnosy mnohem více než stresy biotické. Jednou z intenzivně studovaných možností jak zvýšení stresové tolerance dosáhnout, je manipulace s trehalosovým metabolismem. Tato práce shrnuje dosavadní poznatky o ochranných účincích trehalosy v buňkách a zabývá se přirozenou signální funkcí trehalosy a meziproduktu její syntézy trehalosa-6-fosfátu u rostlin. Dále popisuje již dosažené úspěchy při zvyšování odolnosti rostlin k abiotickým stresům pomocí genetických zásahů do trehalosového metabolismu, ale i doprovodné problémy. V závěru je pak zhodnocen potenciál využití této metody do budoucna.In these days, genetic modifications of crops are commonly used in the fight against pests and weeds. More and more often there are also efforts to use genetic modifications to increase tolerance to abiotic stresses that affect worldwide yields much more than biotic ones. Manipulation of trehalose metabolism represents one of the frequently studied options of abiotic stress tolerance enhancement. This work summarizes current knowledge on the protective effects of trehalose in cells and describes signaling functions of trehalose and its metabolic intermediate trehalose-6-phosphate in plants. It also describes current achievements in increasing abiotic stress tolerance through genetic modifications of trehalose metabolism together with accompanying problems. Finally, the potential of this method for future exploitation is discussed.Department of Experimental Plant BiologyKatedra experimentální biologie rostlinFaculty of SciencePřírodovědecká fakult

Heidrun Ochs, Gabriel Zeilinger (dir.), Kaufhäuser an Mittel- und Oberrhein im Spätmittelalter

Le présent ouvrage constitue la publication des actes d’un colloque tenu à Mayence les 3 et 4 mars 2016 et portant sur les Kaufhäuser (le français parle tantôt de « halle » tantôt de « douane », notamment en Alsace) dans l’espace du Rhin supérieur et du Rhin moyen à la fin du Moyen Âge. Il s’inscrit ainsi les travaux de recherches autour de la halle de Mayence ayant donné lieu à la création d’un site internet (www.regionalgeschichte.net/rheinhessen/mainz/kulturdenkmaeler/kaufhaus-am-brand/sta..

(Re)construction pragmatique et effets de synesthésie : le cas des incises de discours rapporté

Ce travail se propose d’étudier les incises en tant que modes de construction caractéristiques du discours rapporté à l’écrit. Très présentes dans la fiction littéraire, les incises sont souvent le mode de report privilégié des types de discours « atypiques », imaginés, interprétés ou encore ressentis par les personnages. La position des incises peut être considérée comme un choix stylistique, et un parallèle avec les synesthésies ouvre des perspectives d’analyse intéressantes pour ce type d’énoncés.This article investigates the use of reporting clauses and reporting parentheticals in final and medial positions in reported speech. They are typically found in literary texts and are sometimes used for stylistic purposes such as “reporting” in the form of speech what characters feel, see or perceive. Drawing parallels with synesthesia provides some really interesting leads for discourse analysis