Noces : un dispositif complexe et une réception plurivoque

Noces est un film réalisé par Philippe Béziat. Issu d'une coproduction franco-suisse, il est sorti en France le 8 février 2012 et en Suisse romande le 26 septembre de la même année. Il met en scène, dans le Lavaux, une production contemporaine de l'oeuvre Les Noces, des répétitions à la présentation de la pièce dans son intégralité. La particularité de cette représentation, qui constitue l'aboutissement du film, réside dans le fait qu'elle n'est pas jouée devant un public, et était d'emblée prévue pour être exclusivement filmée1. Cette «cantate-ballet» a été composée par Igor Stravinsky lors de son séjour à Morges et le livret a été adapté en français par Charles-Ferdinand Ramuz à partir de contes et chansons populaires russes. La création du spectacle est encadrée par les Souvenirs sur Igor Strawinsky2, ouvrage dans lequel le poète vaudois évoque sa collaboration avec le compositeur et dépeint le lieu où ce projet a été développé. Constatant la diversité des discours critiques portés sur le film lors de sa sortie, le présent article cherche à identifier les logiques de réception ainsi que les aspects du film qui, parce que susceptibles de produire des lectures plurivoques, peuvent conduire à élaborer des avis opposés. 1Philippe Béziat revendique cette particularité de Noces dans l'interview qui figure dans le dossier de presse du film : « Mais le dispositif de représentation est absolument unique et ne peut être que cinématographique. On ne peut pas imaginer donner ces Noces comme ça dans une salle de concert ou dans une salle d'opéra. On n'entendrait pas ce que le spectateur du film entend, avec un son direct, spatialisé, et toujours du point de vue de la caméra. Un point de vue idéal parce qu'au centre de tout. ». 2Charles-Ferdinand Ramuz, Souvenirs sur Igor Strawinsky, Lausanne, Editions de l'Aire, 1978 [1929].

Extremal principle of entropy production in the climate system

Paltridge found reasonable values for the most significant climatic variables through maximizing the material transport part of entropy production by using a simple box model. Here, we analyse Paltridge's box model to obtain the energy and the entropy balance equations separately. Derived expressions for global entropy production, which is a function of the radiation field, and even its material transport component, are shown to be different from those used by Paltridge. Plausible climatic states are found at extrema of these parameters. Feasible results are also obtained by minimizing the radiation part of entropy production, in agreement with one of Planck's results, Finally, globally averaged values of the entropy flux of radiation and material entropy production are obtained for two dynamical extreme cases: an earth with uniform temperature, and an earth in radiative equilibrium at each latitudinal point

Control of brood male production in the Argentine ant Iridomyrmex humilis (Mayr)

The influence of various social factors on the production of males was investigated in the Argentine ant, Iridomyrmex humilis. In this polygynous species, the workers which are monomorphic are unable to lay reproductive eggs, so all the males are the progeny of the queens. Although male eggs appear to be laid by mated queens throughout the year, in large stock colonies males are reared periodically (every 3 or 4 months); males develop from brood taken from these colonies at any point in the cycle and given queenless or queenright (1 to 5 queens) units. This is in striking contrast to many other species of ants where it is generally assumed that male eggs are laid seasonnally. Comparative experiments suggest that several related factors influence the rearing of males as far as the pupal stage. Worker/larva ratio: The proportion of male larvae developing in standardized units in which the worker/larva ratio was varied from 0.25 to 25 demonstrated that low ratios inhibit male production. Queen influence: In standardized units where the worker/larva ratio was high the presence of queens did not inhibit the rearing of males suggesting that there is no queen inhibitory pheromone controlling male experimental production. Data suggest evidence that queens prevent male production by means of appropriation of food. Diet: Male larvae failed to pupate in experimental societies deprived of protein. Thus, the production of males appears to be controlled by the amount of food available to larvae. This depends on foraging activity, the quantity of brood in relation to the number of workers and the number of queens in the society.

Male production by workers in the polygynous ant Prolasius advenus

The ability of workers to produce male individuals is reported here for the first time in a species of the formicine ant genus Prolasius. We show that Prolasius advenus workers possess ovaries and demonstrate that they are able to produce adult males in queenless colonies. We also experimentally tested the influence of queen volatiles on the level of worker reproduction. Workers produced fewer eggs in treatments where they could perceive odors from queens. Some volatile compounds emitted by queens may thus have a signaling or inhibitory effect on worker reproduction. This effect of queen presence did not entirely stop worker reproduction, however, as adult males still emerged under these conditions. Worker-produced males were absent only in treatments with the physical presence of queens. Dissections of workers collected from queenright nests in the field revealed signs of egg-laying activity in more than half of individuals. Together, these results suggest that in nature P. advenus workers produce males at least in orphaned colonies or in situations where the physical presence of queens is limited.

Chronic potassium depletion increases adrenal progesterone production that is necessary for efficient renal retention of potassium.

Modern dietary habits are characterized by high-sodium and low-potassium intakes, each of which was correlated with a higher risk for hypertension. In this study, we examined whether long-term variations in the intake of sodium and potassium induce lasting changes in the plasma concentration of circulating steroids by developing a mathematical model of steroidogenesis in mice. One finding of this model was that mice increase their plasma progesterone levels specifically in response to potassium depletion. This prediction was confirmed by measurements in both male mice and men. Further investigation showed that progesterone regulates renal potassium handling both in males and females under potassium restriction, independent of its role in reproduction. The increase in progesterone production by male mice was time dependent and correlated with decreased urinary potassium content. The progesterone-dependent ability to efficiently retain potassium was because of an RU486 (a progesterone receptor antagonist)-sensitive stimulation of the colonic hydrogen, potassium-ATPase (known as the non-gastric or hydrogen, potassium-ATPase type 2) in the kidney. Thus, in males, a specific progesterone concentration profile induced by chronic potassium restriction regulates potassium balance.

The Effects of Expanding Ethanol Markets On Ethanol Production Feed Markets And the Iowa Economy, June 30 2001

Report produced by Iowa Departmment of Agriculture and Land Stewardship