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Agri-environmental schemes (AES) are a central component of the European environmental policy, but few of these schemes have been carefully evaluated and doubts are often expressed about their effectiveness. We use original data collected from winegrowers who participated in an AES targeting non-point source pollution from herbicides in 2011 and 2012 in the South region of France. Using the variation in the implementation of the scheme across time and space and a matching approach, we show that the quantity of herbicides used by participants in the scheme in 2011 ranges from 38 to 53% below what they would have used without the scheme and this percentage is between 42 and 50% in 2012. Further, our results suggest that least demanding AES options are effective in avoiding pollution peaks when weed pressure is high, whereas more demanding AES options guarantee an overall reduction in herbicide use, even during relatively easy farming years in which less weed pressure is experienced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Student employment is usually thought to curb academic achievement. Our research relating to a survey at a French university in 2012 emphasizes the significance of the intensity of student working hours. Allowance for the endogeneity of student employment reinforces the negative effects, particularly for young people working more than 16 hours a week. However, the academic achievement of those working fewer than 8 hours per week seems unaffected. The type of employment also affects the chances of success: students with public sector jobs appear to be less prone to failure, possibly because of more flexible working hours. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this paper, we develop an empirical strategy based on the treatment evaluation model to show (i) that sunk entry costs exist for French firms and (ii) that firms' productivity significantly affects their level of sunk costs. Given our empirical results, we extend the basic Melitz [2003] model by considering heterogeneous sunk costs of entry into the export market. Our theoretical model highlights the role of heterogeneity in the sunk cost structure and the links between productivity and sunk entry costs. We point out that the Melitz model with homogeneous entry costs may mispredict the self-selection of firms in the export market. Dans cet article, nous développons une stratégie empirique basée sur les modèles d'évaluation, nous permettant de montrer (i) qu'il existe un coût fixe d'entrée à l'exportation pour les entreprises françaises et (ii) que le niveau de ce coût est affecté de façon significative par la productivité de l'entreprise. Avec ces résultats empiriques, nous généralisons le modèle de Melitz [2003] en considérant que les coûts d'entrée auxquels les entreprises font face sur le marché de l'exportation sont hétérogènes. Notre modèle théorique met en lumière le rôle de cette hétérogénéité et son lien avec la productivité des entreprises. En particulier, nous montrons l'importance de la prise en compte de ces coûts fixes hétérogènes afin de mieux évaluer le mécanisme d'auto-sélection des entreprises sur le marché de l'exportation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Trials using mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs) in myocardial infraction (MI) without heart failure (HF) or systolic impairment have been underpowered to assess morbidity-mortality benefit. In EPHESUS 6632 patients were included, of whom 11% had an ejection fraction (EF) of 40% and HF or diabetes. We aim to assess the potential benefit of MRAs in MI with EF of 40%., Methods: Cox models with interaction term for EF. The primary outcome was a composite of cardiovascular death or hospitalization for cardiovascular reasons., Hypothesis: Patients with an EF of 40% benefit similarly from MRA therapy to those with an EF <40%., Results: In EPHESUS, 753 patients had an EF = 40% and 5864 an EF < 40%. Patients with an EF = 40% were younger (63 vs 64 years), had lower heart rate (73 vs 75 bpm), less atrial fibrillation (10% vs 14%), previous MI (21% vs 28%), HF hospitalization (5% vs 8%), and had more often reperfusion therapy and/or revascularization (55% vs 44%). The mean EF was 40.0 ± 0.3% in those with EF = 40% vs 32.2 ± 5.9% in those with EF < 40%. The primary outcome occurred in 13.3% (10 events per 100 py) of the patients with EF = 40% vs 22.9% (19 events per 100 py) in those with EF < 40%; adjusted HR for EF = 40% vs <40% = 0.65 (0.53-0.81). Eplerenone reduced the event-rate homogenously regardless of EF (interaction p EF = 40% vs EF < 40% = 0.21). Similar findings were observed for cardiovascular and all-cause death., Conclusion: Eplerenone reduces hospitalizations and mortality in patients with MI and EF = 40% similarly to patients with EF < 40%. These findings suggest that MI patients with EF in the "mid-range zone" may also benefit from MRA therapy which might help clinicians in their treatment decisions., (© 2019 The Authors. Clinical Cardiology published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)