On adjunctions for Fourier-Mukai transforms

We show that the adjunction counits of a Fourier–Mukai transform Φ:D(X1)→D(X2) arise from maps of the kernels of the corresponding Fourier–Mukai transforms. In a very general setting of proper separable schemes of finite type over a field we write down these maps of kernels explicitly –facilitating the computation of the twist (the cone of an adjunction counit) of Φ. We also give another description of these maps, better suited to computing cones if the kernel of Φ is a pushforward from a closed subscheme Z⊂X1×X2. Moreover, we show that we can replace the condition of properness of the ambient spaces X1 and X2 by that of Z being proper over them and still have this description apply as is. This can be used, for instance, to compute spherical twists on non-proper varieties directly and in full generality

Embryogenèse somatique chez le cotonnier (Gossypium hirsutum L.) : évolution des composés lipidiques au cours de la callogenèse et de la culture de suspensions cellulaires

L’implication des lipides dans le processus de l’embryogenèse somatique a été étudiée chez deux variétés de cotonnier (Gossypium hirsutum L.) : Coker 312, variété embryogène et ISA 205N, variété non embryogène. Le taux de lipides totaux de la variété ISA 205N est en général plus élevé que celui de la variété Coker 312. Ce taux atteint son optimum à la première subculture des cals et décroît par la suite régulièrement au cours de la culture de cellules. L’analyse qualitative des lipides montre que la composition lipidique des cals est identique chez les deux variétés. Cependant, on observe une accumulation de phospholipides sous forme de phosphocholine triacylglycérol (PTG) dans les suspensions cellulaires embryogènes de la variété Coker 312, contre une accumulation de galactolipides sous forme de digalactosyl diacylglycérol (DGDG) dans les suspensions cellulaires non embryogènes de la variété ISA 205N. Le PTG semble favoriser l’embryogenèse somatique tandis que le DGDG serait une cause de l’inhibition de l’embryogenèse somatique chez le cotonnier.Mots-clés : Gossypium hirsutum L., lipide, cal, suspension cellulaire, embryogenèse somatique

Tunable variation of optical properties of polymer capped gold nanoparticles

Optical properties of polymer capped gold nanoparticles of various sizes (diameter 3-6 nm) have been studied. We present a new scheme to extract size dependent variation of total dielectric function of gold nanoparticles from measured UV-Vis absorption data. The new scheme can also be used, in principle, for other related systems as well. We show how quantum effect, surface atomic co - ordination and polymer - nanoparticle interface morphology leads to a systematic variation in inter band part of the dielectric function of gold nanoparticles, obtained from the analysis using our new scheme. Careful analysis enables identification of the possible changes to the electronic band structure in such nanoparticles.Comment: 13 pages,7 figures, 1 tabl

Low thermal conductivity of the layered oxide (Na,Ca)Co_2O_4: Another example of a phonon glass and an electron crystal

The thermal conductivity of polycrystalline samples of (Na,Ca)Co_2O_4 is found to be unusually low, 20 mW/cmK at 280 K. On the assumption of the Wiedemann-Franz law, the lattice thermal conductivity is estimated to be 18 mW/cmK at 280 K, and it does not change appreciably with the substitution of Ca for Na. A quantitative analysis has revealed that the phonon mean free path is comparable with the lattice parameters, where the point-defect scattering plays an important role. Electronically the same samples show a metallic conduction down to 4.2 K, which strongly suggests that NaCo_2O_4 exhibits a glass-like poor thermal conduction together with a metal-like good electrical conduction. The present study further suggests that a strongly correlated system with layered structure can act as a material of a phonon glass and an electron crystal.Comment: 5 pages 3 figures, to be published in Phys. Rev.

MC1R variants increased the risk of sporadic cutaneous melanoma in darker-pigmented Caucasians: A pooled-analysis from the M-SKIP project.

The MC1R gene is a key regulator of skin pigmentation. We aimed to evaluate the association between MC1R variants and the risk of sporadic cutaneous melanoma (CM) within the M-SKIP project, an international pooled-analysis on MC1R, skin cancer and phenotypic characteristics. Data included 5,160 cases and 12,119 controls from 17 studies. We calculated a summary odds ratio (SOR) for the association of each of the nine most studied MC1R variants and of variants combined with CM by using random-effects models. Stratified analysis by phenotypic characteristics were also performed. Melanoma risk increased with presence of any of the main MC1R variants: the SOR for each variant ranged from 1.47 (95%CI: 1.17\u20131.84) for V60L to 2.74 (1.53\u20134.89) for D84E. Carriers of any MC1R variant had a 66% higher risk of developing melanoma compared with wild-type subjects (SOR; 95%CI: 1.66; 1.41\u20131.96) and the risk attributable to MC1R variants was 28%. When taking into account phenotypic characteristics, we found that MC1R-associated melanoma risk increased only for darker-pigmented Caucasians: SOR (95%CI) was 3.14 (2.06\u20134.80) for subjects with no freckles, no red hair and skin Type III/IV. Our study documents the important role of all the main MC1R variants in sporadic CM and suggests that they have a direct effect on melanoma risk, independently on the phenotypic characteristics of carriers. This is of particular importance for assessing preventive strategies, which may be directed to darker-pigmented Caucasians with MC1R variants as well as to lightly pigmented, fair-skinned subjects

Melanocortin-1 receptor, skin cancer and phenotypic characteristics (M-SKIP) project

Background: For complex diseases like cancer, pooled-analysis of individual data represents a powerful tool to investigate the joint contribution of genetic, phenotypic and environmental factors to the development of a disease. Pooled-analysis of epidemiological studies has many advantages over meta-analysis, and preliminary results may be obtained faster and with lower costs than with prospective consortia. Design and methods. Based on our experience with the study design of the Melanocortin-1 receptor (MC1R) gene, SKin cancer and Phenotypic characteristics (M-SKIP) project, we describe the most important steps in planning and conducting a pooled-analysis of genetic epidemiological studies. We then present the statistical analysis plan that we are going to apply, giving particular attention to methods of analysis recently proposed to account for between-study heterogeneity and to explore the joint contribution of genetic, phenotypic and environmental factors in the development of a disease. Within the M-SKIP project, data on 10,959 skin cancer cases and 14,785 controls from 31 international investigators were checked for quality and recoded for standardization. We first proposed to fit the aggregated data with random-effects logistic regression models. However, for the M-SKIP project, a two-stage analysis will be preferred to overcome the problem regarding the availability of different study covariates. The joint contribution of MC1R variants and phenotypic characteristics to skin cancer dev