The Hrushovski Property for Compact Special Cube Complexes

We show that any compact nonpositively curved cube complex $Y$ embeds in a compact nonpositively curved cube complex $R$ where each combinatorial injective partial local isometry of $Y$ extends to an automorphism of $R$. When $Y$ is special and the collection of injective partial local isometries satisfies certain conditions, we show that $R$ can be chosen to be special and the embedding $Y\hookrightarrow R$ can be chosen to be a local isometry

A Simple PCR–RFLP Method for Genetic Phase Determination in Compound Heterozygotes

When susceptibility to diseases is caused by cis-effects of multiple alleles at adjacent polymorphic sites, it may be difficult to assess with confidence the genetic phase and identify individuals carrying the risk haplotype. Experimental assessment of genetic phase is still challenging and most population studies use statistical approaches to infer haplotypes given the observed genotypes. While these statistical approaches are powerful and have been proven very useful in large scale genetic population studies, they may be prone to errors in studies with small sample size, especially in the presence of compound heterozygotes. Here, we describe a simple and novel approach using the popular PCR–RFLP based strategy to assess the genetic phase in compound heterozygotes. We apply this method to two extensively studied SNPs in two clustered immune-related genes: The −308 (G > A) and the +252 (A > G) SNPs of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha and the lymphotoxin alpha (LTA) genes, respectively. Using this method, we successfully determined the genetic phase of these two SNPs in known compound heterozygous individuals and in every sample tested. We show that the A allele of TNF −308 is carried on the same chromosome as the LTA +252(G) allele

Environmental and landscape rehabilitation: case study for fresh stone treatment on big dams

The construction of big dams usually cause a severe environmental change at a local level, producing a considerable visual impact that must be remedied and the disturbed area must be rehabilitated and recovered, approaching the landscape prior to the dam construction. In this work, several assays were tested, with the purpose of finding a treatment for fresh cut granite that could be used as a general rock treatment for visual impact of fresh excavated rocks. Some organic mixtures were tried, using autochthonous lichens and moss, as well as chemical treatments, like acid or paint. Granite blocks were selected and five different treatments were applied to cover the fresh granitic blocks and trigger their colonization and aging. The experiment has been established on two groups of blocks, one submitted to irrigation three times a week and the other without irrigation. Each treatment had two repetitions per group. Two blocks for control were also established in each group to interpret the gaps of variation in comparison to the treated blocks. All the stone blocks were maintained in a greenhouse, with controlled temperature and humidity. The monitoring of the treatment was done by taking pictures every 20 days, that were analyzed using RGB color characteristics and parameters that shows the evolution of pigmentation of the blocks. The results of this study show that three or at least two out of the five tested treatments are recommended to use in the disturbed areas. Irrigation can be more useful for the first two to three weeks after treatmentsinfo:eu-repo/semantics/submittedVersio

Les arrangements de proximité sur les terres publiques : un choix délibéré ou une " question de survie " pour l'agriculture irriguée en Algérie ?

International audienceCe papier présente l'étude de l'organisation actuelle des agriculteurs sur les terres publiques collectivisées. L'objectif était de reconstituer, de manière participative, la situation actuelle et de co-construire des scénarios d'évolution des activités agricoles dans la plaine irriguée de la Mitidja en Algérie. L'analyse repose d'une part, sur nos enquêtes de terrain menées sur un large échantillon d'exploitations agricoles collectives et, d'autre part, sur plusieurs ateliers participatifs impliquant des agriculteurs et des représentants d'institutions agricoles locales. Cette méthode nous a permis de valider avec les acteurs concernés les résultats issus des enquêtes portant sur les principales contraintes et les arrangements qui charpentent l'agriculture irriguée sur les terres publiques algériennes. L'ensemble des réformes qu'a connues le secteur agricole en Algérie ainsi qu'un contexte socioéconomique fragilisé a donné lieu aujourd'hui à un éventail de dynamiques agricoles et d'arrangements parfois rapides et très éloignés du schéma " théorique " tracé par le ministère de l'Agriculture. Le recours quasi systématique à la nappe souterraine en présence d'un réseau collectif d'irrigation et le partage à l'amiable du foncier au sein des exploitations agricoles collectives constituent une partie " visible " de ces arrangements qui viennent combler, voire contourner, un cadre légal inadapté ou rigide notamment en matière de législation foncière et d'accès aux facteurs de production. L'évaluation de cette démarche faite par les participants était globalement très positive, montrant un changement de perception des acteurs les uns vis-à-vis des autres et un réel intérêt pour la démarche de co-construction dans un espace de dialogue absent jusqu'alors. Nous avons abouti à une convergence " agriculteurs-institutionnels " sur l'activité agricole dans la Mitidja, notamment sur l'eau et le foncier; et à une vision partagée sur les scénarios d'évolution de l'agriculture dans la plaine de la Mitidja, principalement le développement de nouvelles plantations d'agrumes. L'originalité de cette approche réside dans la combinaison des résultats d'enquêtes de terrain avec un travail de réflexion sur l'implication des acteurs, moteur du changement, dans l'élaboration et l'exploration de ces scénarios d'évolution et les modes d'arrangements

Information transport by sine-Gordon solitons in microtubules

We study the problem of information propagation in brain microtubules. After considering the propagation of electromagnetic waves in a fluid of permanent electric dipoles, the problem reduces to the sine-Gordon wave equation in one space and one time dimensions. The problem of propagation of information is thus set.Comment: 3 page

Behavior of the parameters of microcrystalline silicon TFTs under mechanical strain

International audienceN-type and P-type microcrystalline silicon top-gate TFTs, processed directly on PEN plastic substrate at maximum temperature of 180 °C, were mechanically stressed. These TFTs were bent by different curvature radii varying between infinite (flat) and 0.5 cm. The tensile stress increases the electron mobility and the compressive stress decreases it. The tensile stress decreases the threshold voltage of N-type TFTs while the compressive stress increases it. These trends are inversed if the type of stress changes OR the type of TFTs changes. The total behavior under mechanical stress is exactly similar to that of single crystalline silicon MOSFETs in nano-scale technologies (90, 65, 45, 32 nm), where nano-scale stress is introduced in the goal to engineer the electrical parameters. The similarity originates from the microcrystalline silicon active layer that behaves like single crystalline silicon even if the stress effects are softened by the grain boundaries and the multiple crystalline orientations of the grains

Production of biocompatible gold nanoparticles for drug delivery using droplet based glass capillary microfluidic [Abstract]

Production of biocompatible gold nanoparticles for drug delivery using droplet based glass capillary microfluidic [Abstract

Thin film transistors fabricated by in-situ doped unhydrogenated polysilicon films obtained by solid phase crystallization

International audienceHigh mobility low temperature (≤ 600°C) unhydrogenated in-situ doped polysilicon thin film transistors are made. Polysilicon layers are grown by a LPCVD technique and crystallized in vacuum by a thermal annealing. Source and drain regions are in-situ doped. Gate insulator is made of an APCVD silicon dioxide. Hydrogen passivation is not performed on the transistors. One type of transistors is made of two polysilicon layers, the other one is constituted of a single polysilicon layer. The electrical properties are better for transistors made of single polysilicon layer: a low threshold voltage (1.2 V), a subthreshold slope S = 0.7 V/dec, a high field effect mobility (≈ 100 cm2/Vs) and a On/Off state current ratio higher than 107 for a drain voltage Vds = 1 V. At low drain voltage, for both transistors, the Off state current results from a pure thermal emission of trapped carriers. However, at high drain voltage, the electrical behavior is different: in the case of single polysilicon TFTs, the current obeys the field-assisted (Poole-Frenkel) thermal emission model of trapped carriers while for TFTs made of two polysilicon layers, the higher Off state current results from a field-enhanced thermal emission

Effect of resonances on the transport properties of two-dimensional disordered systems

We study both analytically and numerically how the electronic structure and the transport properties of a two-dimensional disordered system are modified in the presence of resonances. The energy dependence of the density of states and the localization length at different resonance energies and strengths of coupling between resonances and random states are determined. The results show, that at energy equals to the resonance energy there is an enhancement in the density of states. In contrast, the localization length remains unaffected from the presence of the resonances and is similar to the one of the standard Anderson model. Finally, we calculate the diffusion constant as a function of energy and we reveal interesting analogies with experimental results on light scattering in the presence of Mie resonances.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, accepted in Phys. Rev. B (2000

Seismic risk in the city of Al Hoceima (north of Morocco) using the vulnerability index method, applied in Risk-UE project

The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11069-016-2566-8Al Hoceima is one of the most seismic active regions in north of Morocco. It is demonstrated by the large seismic episodes reported in seismic catalogs and research studies. However, seismic risk is relatively high due to vulnerable buildings that are either old or don’t respect seismic standards. Our aim is to present a study about seismic risk and seismic scenarios for the city of Al Hoceima. The seismic vulnerability of the existing residential buildings was evaluated using the vulnerability index method (Risk-UE). It was chosen to be adapted and applied to the Moroccan constructions for its practicality and simple methodology. A visual inspection of 1102 buildings was carried out to assess the vulnerability factors. As for seismic hazard, it was evaluated in terms of macroseismic intensity for two scenarios (a deterministic and probabilistic scenario). The maps of seismic risk are represented by direct damage on buildings, damage to population and economic cost. According to the results, the main vulnerability index of the city is equal to 0.49 and the seismic risk is estimated as Slight (main damage grade equal to 0.9 for the deterministic scenario and 0.7 for the probabilistic scenario). However, Moderate to heavy damage is expected in areas located in the newer extensions, in both the east and west of the city. Important economic losses and damage to the population are expected in these areas as well. The maps elaborated can be a potential guide to the decision making in the field of seismic risk prevention and mitigation strategies in Al Hoceima.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft