Relative Riemann-Zariski spaces

In this paper we study relative Riemann-Zariski spaces attached to a morphism of schemes and generalizing the classical Riemann-Zariski space of a field. We prove that similarly to the classical RZ spaces, the relative ones can be described either as projective limits of schemes in the category of locally ringed spaces or as certain spaces of valuations. We apply these spaces to prove the following two new results: a strong version of stable modification theorem for relative curves; a decomposition theorem which asserts that any separated morphism between quasi-compact and quasi-separated schemes factors as a composition of an affine morphism and a proper morphism. (In particular, we obtain a new proof of Nagata's compactification theorem.)Comment: 30 pages, the final version, to appear in Israel J. of Mat

Synthèse du colloque international sur la microfinance.

La microfinance a fait l’objet d’un colloque organisé par la Banque de France en juillet 2011. Les participants ont souligné son utilité comme outil d’inclusion financière, de développement économique et de lutte contre la pauvreté en s’appuyant sur les expériences des pays du Sud et ont proposé des pistes de réflexion pour le financement de son développement, ainsi que sur la pertinence et les modalités de sa régulation.microfinance, microcrédit, entrepreneuriat, lutte contre la pauvreté, régulation, réglementation, inclusion financière, développement économique.

Molecular dynamics simulations of lead clusters

Molecular dynamics simulations of nanometer-sized lead clusters have been performed using the Lim, Ong and Ercolessi glue potential (Surf. Sci. {\bf 269/270}, 1109 (1992)). The binding energies of clusters forming crystalline (fcc), decahedron and icosahedron structures are compared, showing that fcc cuboctahedra are the most energetically favoured of these polyhedral model structures. However, simulations of the freezing of liquid droplets produced a characteristic form of ``shaved'' icosahedron, in which atoms are absent at the edges and apexes of the polyhedron. This arrangement is energetically favoured for 600-4000 atom clusters. Larger clusters favour crystalline structures. Indeed, simulated freezing of a 6525-atom liquid droplet produced an imperfect fcc Wulff particle, containing a number of parallel stacking faults. The effects of temperature on the preferred structure of crystalline clusters below the melting point have been considered. The implications of these results for the interpretation of experimental data is discussed.Comment: 11 pages, 18 figues, new section added and one figure added, other minor changes for publicatio

Need and importance of health protection training in Nepal

By investing in health protection, the health of the nation can be safeguarded from future threats of uncontrolled infectious disease epidemics and disasters

Dynamic effects in the scattering of electrons by small clusters of atoms

Dynamic scattering corrections were calculated for 40 kV electrons diffracted by randomly oriented fcc clusters of argon and of gold atoms ranging in size from 13 to 135 atoms. Computations were carried out according to several variants of two limiting theoretical approaches, namely, the direct summing up of atomic contributions calculated through single–single and single–double scattered waves by modifications of Glauber theory, and the extrapolation to limitingly small crystallites of conventional dynamic theory in the Blackman and Fujimoto formulations. For the small clusters studied, integrated intensities of diffraction rings (through single–double scatterings) calculated for three dimensional crystallites differ insignificantly from Glauber theory intensities calculated by projecting atomic potential energies onto a plane perpendicular to the mean direction of the incident and scattered wave vectors. The fractional dynamic correction increases with cluster size very nearly as N2/3 in both the Glauber and Blackman–Fujimoto limiting treatments. For crystalline clusters 8–20 Å in diameter, the dynamic effect calculated by summing single–double scatterings is an order of magnitude larger than that according to Blackman–Fujimoto theory. For argon clusters the dynamic effect is not serious; but according to our direct sums, dynamic corrections for 16 Å spheres of gold are surprisingly large, exceeding 25% for 111 reflections. Since the direct sums have been verified experimentally for several vapor‐phase molecules, the present work indicates that, in the limit of very small scatterers, extrapolations from conventional two‐beam dynamic theory may seriously underestimate the magnitude of dynamic effects.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/71250/2/JCPSA6-66-12-5387-1.pd

Essential versus accessory aspects of cell death: recommendations of the NCCD 2015

Cells exposed to extreme physicochemical or mechanical stimuli die in an uncontrollable manner, as a result of their immediate structural breakdown. Such an unavoidable variant of cellular demise is generally referred to as ‘accidental cell death’ (ACD). In most settings, however, cell death is initiated by a genetically encoded apparatus, correlating with the fact that its course can be altered by pharmacologic or genetic interventions. ‘Regulated cell death’ (RCD) can occur as part of physiologic programs or can be activated once adaptive responses to perturbations of the extracellular or intracellular microenvironment fail. The biochemical phenomena that accompany RCD may be harnessed to classify it into a few subtypes, which often (but not always) exhibit stereotyped morphologic features. Nonetheless, efficiently inhibiting the processes that are commonly thought to cause RCD, such as the activation of executioner caspases in the course of apoptosis, does not exert true cytoprotective effects in the mammalian system, but simply alters the kinetics of cellular demise as it shifts its morphologic and biochemical correlates. Conversely, bona fide cytoprotection can be achieved by inhibiting the transduction of lethal signals in the early phases of the process, when adaptive responses are still operational. Thus, the mechanisms that truly execute RCD may be less understood, less inhibitable and perhaps more homogeneous than previously thought. Here, the Nomenclature Committee on Cell Death formulates a set of recommendations to help scientists and researchers to discriminate between essential and accessory aspects of cell death

Goats show higher behavioural flexibility than sheep in a spatial detour task

The ability to adapt to changing environments is crucial for survival and has evolved based on socio-ecological factors. Goats and sheep are closely related, with similar social structures, body sizes and domestication levels, but different feeding ecologies, i.e. goats are browsers and sheep are grazers. We investigated whether goats' reliance on more patchily distributed food sources predicted an increased behavioural flexibility compared to sheep. We tested 21 goats and 28 sheep in a spatial A-not-B detour task. Subjects had to navigate around a straight barrier through a gap at its edge. After one, two, three or four of these initial A trials, the gap was moved to the opposite end and subjects performed four B trials. Behaviourally more flexible individuals should move through the new gap faster, while those less behaviourally flexible should show greater perseveration. While both species showed an accuracy reduction following the change of the gap position, goats recovered from this perseveration error from the second B trial onwards, whereas sheep did so only in the fourth B trial, indicating differences in behavioural flexibility between the species. This higher degree of flexibility in goats compared to sheep could be linked to differences in their foraging strategies

Potential for Tick-borne Bartonelloses

Although possible, tick transmission to a vertebrate host has not been proven