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Ascaroside#18 Promotes Plant Defence by Repressing Auxin Signalling.
Get PDFPlant immunity against pathogens is primarily triggered by the perception of pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs). Ascaroside#18, a nematode-derived pheromone, is the first identified nematode-associated molecular pattern conferring broad-spectrum pathogen resistance. Recently, ascr#18 was shown to be recognised by the leucine-rich repeat receptor NILR1, linked to pattern-triggered immunity (PTI) against nematodes. However, the molecular mechanisms downstream of ascr#18 perception remain largely unknown. Here, we show that ascr#18 triggers an immune response that differs from the typical PTI features, with no reactive oxygen species burst or defence-related growth inhibition. Further analysis indicates that the ascr#18-associated resistance mechanism against cyst nematodes (CN) operates independently of the peroxisomal β-oxidation pathway. Transcriptome profiling of Arabidopsis roots treated with ascr#18 revealed strong effects on the regulation of auxin transport and signalling genes, while classical defence genes remained unchanged. These changes, particularly the downregulation of auxin-related genes, occur independently of NILR1. Analysis of CN feeding sites revealed that ascr#18 pretreatment reduced expression of the auxin influx carrier AUX1 and the auxin-responsive genes SAUR69 and IAA27. Promoter-reporter analysis confirmed reduced AUX1 expression in both nematode-infected and non-infected roots treated with ascr#18. Since nematode establishment and the associated feeding cell development are heavily dependent on the modulation of auxin signalling, our results suggest a novel defence mechanism based on its suppression. This mechanism reduces nematode susceptibility without activating classical PTI responses. Our results provide new insights into how plants fend off biotrophic pathogens and point to ways of developing novel strategies for controlling nematodes and other biotrophic pathogens
Des fumées et leur écran. Éteindre les polémiques au sujet des rejets industriels de fluor et de mercure dans les Alpes suisses (1900–1950)
Get PDFThis article explores two cases of industrial pollution that affected the canton of Valais from 1910 to the present day. Driven by hydroelectricity, this agricultural canton entered industrial modernity in the space of two generations and discovered its externalities with fluoride and mercury residues that ravaged crops and made workers, residents and their livestock suffer. The article shows how a small world of experts favourable to the aluminium (AIAG) and carbochemistry (Lonza) industries was set up that first dismissed the lay knowledge denouncing pollution as superstitious, then contradicted Prof. Hector Cristiani’s discoveries about industrial fluorosis, and finally controlled the technical choices made in water purification. A community of interests developed between a few recognised experts (Heinrich Zangger, Louis Michaud, Maurice Vouga) and the companies, leading to the imposition of compensation for damages as the standard regulation for the victims of pollution.tru
Le critère de l’intérêt supérieur de l’enfant dans le cadre du droit aux relations personnelles du parent d’intention – respectivement du parent social – sur l’enfant de son ex-compagne
Get PDFRésumé et analyse, Tribunal fédéral – 5A_576/2024, IIe Cour de droit civil, Arrêt du 26 juin 202
Sexual nationalism and asylum in Switzerland: How deservingness and credibility are created in the discourse about asylum claims pertaining to sexual orientation and gender identity
No full textUniNE, FLSH, Institut MAPS-maison d'analyse des processus sociaux, soutenue le 16.04.2025Dans les dernières décennies, les caractéristiques des demandes d'asile en Suisse ont significativement changé. Une nouveauté est l'augmentation des demandes basées sur la persécution liée à l'orientation sexuelle, à l'identité et à l'expression de genre, ainsi qu'aux caractéristiques sexuelles (OSIEGCS) - tant en termes de nombre de demandes que de sujets de débats politiques. Comme dans d'autres pays, cette catégorie de demandes s'avère être une question liée à des discours préexistants de nationalisme sexuel et à la configuration et à l’architecture précis du système d'asile. Le projet nationaliste de la Suisse - comme dans de nombreux autres pays d'Europe occidentale - est façonné par des idées supposément libérales, progressistes et humanitaires - tandis que les systèmes d'asile deviennent de plus en plus restrictifs. Dans ce contexte, cette dissertation, compose de trois articles scientifiques, répond à la question de recherche suivante :
Comment le discours sur l'asile queer en Suisse interagit-il avec le nationalisme sexuel dominant et le système d'asile restrictif du pays ?
J'examine ce discours à deux niveaux distincts. D'abord, pour le niveau public-politique, je démontré que les acteurs concernés produisent des récits basés sur le 'mérite' qui fonctionnent comme un moyen de filtrer et de trier l'accès : certaines demandes sont jugées 'méritantes' alors que d'autres ne le sont pas. L’acceptation d’une partie des demandes alimente l'idéal d'être une nation (queer-) libérale et humanitaire. Les autres demandes, jugées 'non méritantes', sont donc exclues. Ensuite, au niveau du discours juridique, je montre que les attentes liées aux affaires OSIEGCS ont conduit à une importance amplifiée des évaluations de vraisemblance et de la représentation légale pour les affaires liées à l’OSIEGCS devant les tribunaux.
Sur le plan empirique, la thèse s'inscrit dans une méthodologie mixte qui combine des sources de données et des analyses quantitatives ainsi que qualitatives. Mon corpus de données se compose d'articles de journaux, de procès-verbaux parlementaires, d’entretiens avec des experts et de plus de 44 000 décisions de cas de recours. Grâce à ces données, je produis non seulement une analyse qualitative et critique du discours, mais aussi une analyse quantitative de ce discours basée sur les données textuelles. Le premier article se concentre sur le niveau public-politique du discours sur l'asile queer. J'examine quels récits de mérite peuvent être trouvés en Suisse. Je constate que, notamment, les imaginaires géopolitiques, les notions occidentales de queerness, de vulnérabilité et de vraisemblance sont des récits centraux dans les débats sur le mérite.In recent decades, the nature of asylum claims in Switzerland has changed. A significant novelty is the increase in claims based on persecution related to sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and sex characteristics (SOGIESC) – both in terms of quantity and as a subject of political debate. As in other countries, this category of claims – and the overall phenomenon of queer asylum – turns out to be an issue related to pre-existing discourses of sexual nationalism and the precise configuration and design of the asylum system: Relatedly, the nationalist project of Switzerland – as in many other Western European countries – is informed by supposedly liberal, progressive, and humanitarian ideas – while the asylum systems are becoming more and more restrictive. In this dissertation, which consists of three scientific articles, I therefore pursue the following research question:
How does the discourse on queer asylum in Switzerland interact with the country's predominant sexual nationalism and exclusivist asylum system?
I investigate this discourse at two distinct levels. First, for the public-political level, I argue that the relevant actors produce narratives of deservingness that function as a means of filtering and triaging access. Some claims are deemed ‘deserving’. Their acceptance feeds the ideal of being a queer liberal and humanitarian nation. Others are deemed undeserving and are thus excluded. Second, at the level of legal discourse, I argue that the expectations regarding SOGI-related cases have led to an amplified importance of credibility assessments and legal representation for SOGI-related cases in court.
Empirically, the thesis combines qualitative and quantitative data sources and analyses and applies a sequential mixed-method research design. My data corpus consists of newspaper articles, parliamentary minutes, expert interviews, and over 44,000 asylum appeal claims. Using this data, I apply grounded theory–inspired critical discourse analysis and quantitative text-as-data methods to identify and analyse the discourse. The first article focuses on the public-political level of the discourse about sexual/queer asylum. Here, I investigate what narratives of deservingness can be found in Switzerland. I find that notably geopolitical imaginaries, Western notions of queerness, vulnerability, and credibility are central narratives in the debates about deservingness.
The second article addresses the amplified role of credibility in SOGIESC-related asylum claims. I analyse the case law of the Swiss appeal court and show that SOGIESC-related claims are subject to high levels of credibility assessments, highlighting how credibility serves as a central element of the legal level of the discourse. Importantly, the relevance of credibility is, when compared to non-SOGIESC cases, amplified in such cases.
In the third article, I highlight the role of legal representation in SOGIESC-related asylum claims. For all asylum cases, (quality) legal representation significantly increases the likelihood of a favourable decision. Probably due to the complexity of SOGIESC cases, this effect is, however, amplified in SOGIESC-related cases, compared to the others. Here, I further show that represented, SOGIESC-related cases are positively correlated with credibility-related formulations, indicating that experienced legal representatives can counter-argue the credibility-related arguments of the institutions, but also argue in favour of the claimant’s credibility.
I offer several contributions to the literature. By examining different levels of discourse, I provide a nuanced understanding of the Swiss case. Specifically, I show which narratives can be found in the public-political sphere and how they are used by different actors. At the same time, I show how influential credibility assessments are in this area of asylum law and how central the role of legal representation is in this context. Finally, thanks to the quantitative approach, I further advance the marginal but emerging field of queered quantitative research
Funktionsverbgefüge unter Druck: Ein Vorschlag zur Typologisierung verbonominaler Konstruktionen des Deutschen
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This study investigates German verbo-nominal constructions of the type [auf/unterPP & stehen/stellen/setzen], which have been classified in previous research under the broader phenomenon of “Funktionsverbgefüge” (FVG). While some studies treat FVG as a unified category (von Polenz 1987; Helbig 1979; Kamber 2008), others focus on specific (families of) constructions and their unique properties (Zeschel 2008; Kabatnik 2020; Fleischhauer 2022). This study is a first step toward a typology of German verbal multi-word constructions that dispenses with the assumption of a category of FVG. The aim is to demonstrate that many structures traditionally discussed under this term actually belong to entirely different types of constructions. Consequently, any attempt at overarching categorization proves to be fundamentally flawed. Our analysis concludes that constructions with the pattern [auf/unterPP & stehen/stellen/setzen] can be classified into four distinct groups based on structural and semantic parameters. In none of the identified construction types systematic (= functional) differences can be observed that are attributable to the verbal element when the overall schematic (= constructional) meaning remains constant. We therefore argue that these constructions should not be classified as FVG.</jats:p
Study on historical potash-lime silicate glass corroded in the presence of volatile organic compounds
Get PDFJury members:
Prof. Edith Joseph, directrice de thèse, Université de Neuchâtel et Haute Ecole ARC Neuchâtel Berne Jura, Suisse
Dre Tiziana Lombardo, codirectrice de thèse, Musée National Suisse, Zürich, Suisse
Prof. Stefan von Reuss, Université de Neuchâtel, Suisse
Dr Guus Verhaar, Delft University of Technology, NL
Prof. Sony George, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norvège
Defended in September 2023
No de thèse : 3153Le verre historique transparent présente de nombreux défis en matière de documentation et de
suivi. En raison de leur complexité chimique et de leurs conditions de stockage, de nombreuses
questions sur leur documentation et leurs mécanismes de corrosion restent sans réponse. Ce
projet visait à développer un nouveau protocole de contrôle, basé sur des techniques d'imagerie
non destructives. Le projet portait sur les objets en verre du Musée national suisse datant du
17e au 20e siècle. En raison de conditions de stockage inappropriées dans le passé, les objets
étudiés étaient dans un état de corrosion irréversible et, par conséquent, afin de mettre en oeuvre
les mesures appropriées, une recherche sur les mécanismes de la corrosion était nécessaire.
Pour atteindre cet objectif, un protocole de vieillissement artificiel a été mis en place pour
soumettre les verres modèles à des conditions similaires à celles des verres historiques et induire
une corrosion pendant une durée d'au moins 18 mois en présence de COV, à savoir l'acide
acétique et l'acide formique, ainsi que d'une humidité relative fluctuante ou fixe. Ces verres
modèles corrodés ont été périodiquement contrôlés pour caractériser la corrosion sur la base
des changements physiques et chimiques en utilisant diverses techniques d'analyse chimique et
d'imagerie, dont la plupart étaient non invasives.
Une terminologie a été développée pour décrire les différents signes de corrosion du verre. La
combinaison d'analyses chimiques et d'imagerie a permis de catégoriser la corrosion, même à
un stade précoce. Les changements chimiques tels que les changements dans les espèces de
silicate et la composition des produits de corrosion ont été compris grâce à la spectroscopie
IRTF et Raman, tandis que la microscopie numérique et l'imagerie de transformation par
réflectance se sont avérées utiles pour quantifier les deux signes visibles de la corrosion, à
savoir les néocristallisations de sels humides et les fissures. L'imagerie hyperspectrale dans le
domaine de l'infrarouge à ondes courtes s'est avérée la plus utile pour identifier la corrosion à
un stade précoce. Elle a permis non seulement de visualiser des caractéristiques sur l'ensemble
du verre modèle, dont certaines n'étaient pas visibles à l'oeil nu, mais aussi d'obtenir des preuves
spectrales de l'absorption d'eau et d'hydroxyles, qui ont pu être utilisées comme indicateur pour
quantifier la corrosion.
La corrosion du verre a été exacerbée par la présence de COV qui ont formé des
néocristallisations humides de sels de formate sur la surface du verre en cas de corrosion à des
concentrations plus élevées de COV et ont formé des sels de formate et d'acétate en cas de
corrosion à des concentrations plus faibles de COV. Des corrélations ont été trouvées entre
divers paramètres de corrosion tels que les changements de poids, la zone couverte par les
néocristallisations de sels humides, l'épaisseur de la couche d'altération, les rapports de pics
Raman et IRTF, la densité des fissures, l'eau et l'hydroxyle absorbés par la matrice du verre et
les ions alcalins lessivés du verre en vrac. Le protocole proposé dans cette recherche peut donc
faciliter l'identification précoce de la corrosion du verre, ce qui pourrait aider les conservateurs
et les scientifiques de la conservation à appliquer des méthodes de conservation préventive
appropriées et à stocker les objets historiques en verre dans des conditions adéquates.
Abstract
Transparent historical glass presents many challenges in its documentation and monitoring. Due
to their chemical complexity as well as their storage conditions, many questions about their
documentation and corrosion mechanisms lay unanswered. This project aimed to develop a new
monitoring protocol, based on non-destructive imaging techniques. The project was concerned
with the glass objects of the Swiss National Museum belonging to the 17th to 20th century. Due
to inappropriate storage conditions in the past, the objects under study were in an irreversible
corroded state and therefore, in order to implement the appropriate measures, research about the
mechanisms of corrosion was necessary. To achieve this aim, an artificial aging protocol was
setup to subject the model glasses to conditions similar to those of the historical glasses and
induce corrosion for a duration of at least 18 months in the presence of VOCs namely acetic
acid and formic acid as well as fluctuating or fixed relative humidity. These corroded model
glass were periodically monitored to characterize the corrosion based on physical and chemical
changes using various chemical analytical and imaging techniques, most of which were
noninvasive.
A terminology was developed for describing the various signs of glass corrosion. The
combination of chemical and imaging analyses was successful in categorizing corrosion even
at an incipient stage. The chemical changes such as changes in silicate species and composition
of the corrosion products were understood using FTIR and Raman spectroscopy while digital
microscopy and reflectance transformation imaging proved to be helpful in quantifying the two
visible signs of corrosion i.e., wet salt neocrystallizations and cracks. Hyperspectral imaging in
the short-wave infra-red range was found to be the most useful to identify corrosion at an early
stage. Not only it did provide visualization of features over the whole model glass, some of
which could not be seen with naked eyes, but also the spectral evidence of water and hydroxyl
absorption which could be used as a proxy for quantifying corrosion.
Glass corrosion was exacerbated by the presence of VOCs which formed wet formate salt
neocrystallizations on the glass surface in case of corrosion in higher VOC concentrations and
formed both formate and acetate salts in case of corrosion in lower VOC concentrations.
Correlations were found between various parameters of corrosion such as weight changes, area
covered by wet salt neocrystallizations, alteration layer thickness, Raman and FTIR peak ratios,
crack density, water and hydroxyl absorbed by the glass matrix and the alkali ions leached out
of the bulk glass. Some of the techniques along with few modifications such as digital
photography and digital microscopy were also applied on actual historical objects and helped
to validate the aging protocol which produced corrosion similar to that found on the objects.
The proposed protocol in this research thus can facilitate the early identification of corrosion of
glass which could help conservators and conservation scientists to apply suitable preventive
conservation methods and to be able to store historical glass objects in proper conditions
Environmental heterogeneity, biodiversity and agriculture in the wood-pastures of the Swiss Jura mountains
No full textThesis committee:
Prof. Dr. Delphine Clara Zemp (thesis director) - University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland
Dr. Kurt Bollmann - Eidg. Forschungsanstalt für Wald, Schnee und Landschaft (WSL), Switzerland
Prof. tit. Christophe Praz - University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland
Defended on th 22nd of May 2025
N°3203Wood-pastures are a traditional agricultural landscape from the Swiss Jura mountains, where cattle graze within dispersed trees and shrubs. This agroforestry system was originally meant to exploit both wood and animal products. However, today, wood-pastures’ persistence is threatened due to land use intensification or land abandonment, phenomena common to many mountainous areas. The environmental heterogeneity created by the presence of trees
and shrubs on pastures, as well as the irregular micro topography of the wood-pastures’ landscape makes them host to a unique biodiversity. While such a context offers a great opportunity to study links between environmental heterogeneity and biodiversity, it is also crucial, from an applied perspective, to identify which key elements of the wood-pastures have the potential to promote the diversity of different groups of species, as well as species of conservation concern, to target conservation strategies. Additionally, grazing activity is central in wood-pastures, and it is imperative to better understand how it is linked with environmental heterogeneity and biodiversity and to find synergies between conservation goals and agricultural production.
In this thesis, I studied pastures distributed along a gradient of tree and shrub cover, on the Jura mountains of the canton of Neuchâtel. I investigated how different parameters of environmental heterogeneity influence the composition and diversity of communities of birds, hoverflies and ground beetles. Following, I targeted an emblematic species of the wood-pastures, woodlark (Lulla arborea), which is threatened in Switzerland. Through a habitat selection model, I aimed to show which were the crucial environmental parameters for the bird occurrence and how agricultural intensification could threaten its persistence. The last objective of this thesis was to better understand how farmers adapt their grazing system to the heterogeneous environment of the wood-pastures and therefore how heterogeneity directly or indirectly (through grazing systems) impacts botanical communities.
I showed that tree cover was the main driver of species composition of birds and hoverflies on wood-pastures, with increasing percentage of tree cover being related to diversity of both groups of species. Yet I highlighted that bird ommunities and species diversity were, in addition, influenced by heterogeneity in tree stands’ structure and composition, which was not the case for hoverflies. Functional trait distribution of ground beetles’ communities as well as their biomass was also influenced by tree cover, and extensively used pastures contributed to higher species diversity of ground beetles. Following, I showed that, in wood-pastures, woodlark favors areas of smooth terrain, with a moderate tree cover and the presence of rocky outcrops, and that large fertilized surfaces were avoided by the species.
Lastly, I demonstrated that more rugged terrain was associated with less intense grazing systems and species-rich botanical communities, while trees on pastures promote diversified plant communities as well, through reducing competitive grassland species associated with high grazing pressure and enriched soils. These findings bring additional insights about the link between environmental heterogeneity and biodiversity, while highlighting the high value of wood-pastures for biodiversity through key environmental parameters. This thesis underscores the importance of accounting for the interconnections between agriculture, landscape heterogeneity, and biodiversity to develop and promote sustainable agricultural practices
Drive to survive : au-delà des 300 Km/h. Les coulisses sociologiques d’un spectacle à très haute vitesse.
No full textLes comportements abusifs dans l'assurance-chômage : analyse critique de la gestion de l'assurance et perspectives législatives
No full textThèse, Université de Neuchâtel/Faculté de droit, 2025La présente thèse porte sur les comportements abusifs dans le domaine de l’assurance-chômage. Elle vise à identifier et à caractériser les abus qui peuvent résulter de l’application ou de la gestion de cette assurance sociale, tout en proposant des moyens efficaces pour les prévenir. Structuée en quatre parties, elle met tout d'abord en lumière l'évolution de la protection contre le chômage en Suisse et la place qu'a occupé la question des abus au fil de cette évolution. Elle dresse ensuite un panorama complet de la législation applicable, illustré par de nombreux exemples jurisprudentiels et pratiques, et met l'accent sur les règles les plus propices à provoquer des abus. Cette thèse détaille ensuite les divers comportements abusifs pouvant émaner des personnes assurées, des employeurs, mais aussi des organes d’exécution. Elle propose enfin des solutions concrètes pour diminuer les risques d'abus et pour pallier aux différentes lacunes identifiées.
This thesis focuses on abusive behaviors in the field of unemployment insurance. Its aim is to identify and characterize the types of abuse that may arise from the application or management of this social insurance, while proposing effective means of prevention. Structured in four parts, it first highlights the evolution of unemployment protection in Switzerland and the role that concerns about abuse have played throughout this development. It then provides a comprehensive overview of the applicable legislation, illustrated by numerous case law and practical examples, with a focus on the rules most likely to give rise to abuse. The thesis then details the various forms of abusive behavior that may originate from insured persons, employers, and implementing bodies. Finally, it proposes concrete solutions to reduce the risk of abuse and to address the various shortcomings identified
