Reconstruction of discontinuous parameters in a second order impedance boundary operator

International audienceWe consider the inverse problem of retrieving the coefficients of a second order boundary operator from Cauchy data associated with the Laplace operator at a measurement curve. We study the identifiability and reconstruction in the case of piecewise continuous parameters. We prove in particular the differentiability of the Khon-Vogelius functional with respect to the discontinuity points and employ the result in a gradient type minimizing algorithm. We provide validating numerical results discussing in particular the case of unknown number of discontinuity points

Widespread Wolbachia infection in terrestrial isopods and other crustaceans

Wolbachia bacteria are obligate intracellular alpha-Proteobacteria of arthropods and nematodes. Although widespread among isopod crustaceans, they have seldom been found in non-isopod crustacean species. Here, we report Wolbachia infection in fourteen new crustacean species. Our results extend the range of Wolbachia infections in terrestrial isopods and amphipods (class Malacostraca). We report the occurrence of two different Wolbachia strains in two host species (a terrestrial isopod and an amphipod). Moreover, the discovery of Wolbachia in the goose barnacle Lepas anatifera (subclass Thecostraca) establishes Wolbachia infection in class Maxillopoda. The new bacterial strains are closely related to B-supergroup Wolbachia strains previously reported from crustacean hosts. Our results suggest that Wolbachia infection may be much more widespread in crustaceans than previously thought. The presence of related Wolbachia strains in highly divergent crustacean hosts suggests that Wolbachia endosymbionts can naturally adapt to a wide range of crustacean hosts. Given the ability of isopod Wolbachia strains to induce feminization of genetic males or cytoplasmic incompatibility, we speculate that manipulation of crustacean-borne Wolbachia bacteria might represent potential tools for controlling crustacean species of commercial interest and crustacean or insect disease vectors.This research was funded by a European Research Council Starting Grant (FP7/2007-2013 grant 260729 EndoSexDet) to RC and a Comité Mixte de Coopération Universitaire Franco-Tunisien grant to DB and FCC

Antiferromagnetic Excitations and Van Hove Singularities in YBa2_2Cu3_3O6+x_{6+x}

We show that in quasi-two-dimensional $d$-wave superconductors Van Hove singularities close to the Fermi surface lead to novel magnetic quasi-particle excitations. We calculate the temperature and doping dependence of dynamical magnetic susceptibility for YBCO and show that the proposed excitations are in agreement with inelastic neutron scattering experiments. In addition, the values of the gap parameter and in-plane antiferromagnetic coupling are much smaller than usually believed.Comment: REVTeX, 4 pages + 3 PostScript (compressed) figures; to appear in Phys. Rev. B (Rap. Comm.

Neutron scattering and superconducting order parameter in YBa2Cu3O7

We discuss the origin of the neutron scattering peak at 41 meV observed in YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_7$ below $T_c$. The peak may occur due to spin-flip electron excitations across the superconducting gap which are enhanced by the antiferromagnetic interaction between Cu spins. In this picture, the experiment is most naturally explained if the superconducting order parameter has $s$-wave symmetry and opposite signs in the bonding and antibonding electron bands formed within a Cu$_2$O$_4$ bilayer.Comment: In this version, only few minor corrections and the update of references were done in order to make perfect correspondence with the published version. RevTeX, psfig, 5 pages, and 3 figure

Review of alien marine macrophytes in Tunisia

In the present study, the list of alien marine macrophytes introduced into Tunisia was updated in the light of available data and new observations. A total of 27 alien marine macrophytes have been recorded so far from Tunisia: 18 Rhodophyta, 3 Ochrophyta, 5 Chlorophyta and 1 Magnoliophyta. For each species, the locality (-ies), the year (or) period and the source of the first observation in Tunisia are given. The distribution and the status (casual, cryptogenic, established or questionable) of species in Tunisia were evaluated and, where appropriate, discussed. Among them, Hypnea cornuta is reported for the first time from Tunisia. Fourteen alien marine macrophytes are established, whereas seven cryptogenic and two casual species require further investigation. Eleven species are considered as invasive or potentially invasive in the Mediterranean Sea: Acrothamnion preissii, Asparagopsis armata, A. taxiformis Indo-Pacific lineage, Hypnea cornuta, Lophocladia lallemandii, Womersleyella setacea, Caulerpa chemnitzia, C. cylindracea, C. taxifolia, Codium fragile subsp. fragile and Halophila stipulacea. Finally, the case of four questionable species is also discussed.The project “MAnagement of Port areas in the MEDiterranean Sea Basin (MAPMED)” has been funded by ENPI CBC MED Cross-Border Cooperation. This publication has been produced with the financial assistance of the European Union under the ENPI CBC Mediterranean Sea Basin Programme

Inhomogeneous superconductivity in organic conductors: role of disorder and magnetic field

Several experimental studies have shown the presence of spatially inhomogeneous phase coexistence of superconducting and non superconducting domains in low dimensional organic superconductors. The superconducting properties of these systems are found to be strongly dependent on the amount of disorder introduced in the sample regardless of its origin. The suppression of the superconducting transition temperature $T_c$ shows clear discrepancy with the result expected from the Abrikosov-Gor'kov law giving the behavior of $T_c$ with impurities. Based on the time dependent Ginzburg-Landau theory, we derive a model to account for the striking feature of $T_c$ in organic superconductors for different types of disorder by considering the segregated texture of the system. We show that the calculated $T_c$ quantitatively agrees with experiments. We also focus on the role of superconducting fluctuations on the upper critical fields $H_{c2}$ of layered superconductors showing slab structure where superconducting domains are sandwiched by non-superconducting regions. We found that $H_{c2}$ may be strongly enhanced by such fluctuations.Comment: to appear in Journal of Physics: Condensed Matte

On the distribution of Percnon gibbesi (H. Milne Edwards, 1853) (Crustacea, Decapoda, Plagusiidae) along the Tunisian coast

The subtropical crab, Percnon gibbesi is established along the Tunisian coasts. This crab was recorded by underwater observation from Malloula, Tabarka, El-Haouaria, Yasmine Hammamet, Monastir marina and the Kuriat Islands. These new observations increase the known distribution of P. gibbesi in the south Mediterranean basin

Carcinome épidermoïde Primitif de la Prostate: A propos d’un cas et revue de la littérature

Le cancer de la prostate est la tumeur maligne la plus fréquente chez l’homme. La grande majorité des tumeurs de la prostate est représentée par l’adénocarcinome prostatique (jusqu’à 95%). Le carcinome épidermoïde primitif est très rare et ne représente que 0,5% à 1% des carcinomes prostatiques. Jusqu’à 2014 seulement 24 cas ont été décrits dans la littérature. Nous rapportons un nouveau cas de carcinome épidermoide primitif de la prostate chez un jeune âgé de 48 ans diagnostiqué à un stade métastatique. Malgré une chimiothérapie à base de Cisplatine et Métoxantrone, le décès est survenu 2 mois après le diagnostic. A travers cette observation et une revue de la littérature, nous discutons les différents aspects cliniques, histologiques, thérapeutiques et pronostiques de cette tumeur.Mots clés: prostate; carcinome épidermoïde; histologie; métastases; traitement multimodalEnglish Title: Primary squamous cell carcinoma of the prostate: a case report and review of literatureEnglish AbstractProstate cancer is the most frequent malignant cancer in men, with the majority (nearly 95%) of prostate cancers being adenocarcinomas. Primary squamous cell carcinoma of the prostate is rare, representing only 0.5% to 1% of all prostatic carcinomas. Till 2014, only 24 cases have been published in the literature. We report a new case of primary squamous cell carcinoma of the prostate occurring in a young 48-years-old man and diagnosed at a metastatic stage. Despite of the chemotherapy based on Cisplatine and Méitoxantrone, death occurred two months after the diagnosis. Based on this observation and referring to literature review, we discuss the various clinical, histological, therapeutic and prognostic features of this rare tumour.Keywords: prostate; squamous cell carcinoma; histology; metastases; multimodal treatmen

On the distribution of Percnon gibbesi (H. Milne Edwards, 1853) (Crustacea, Decapoda, Plagusiidae) along the Tunisian coast

The subtropical crab, Percnon gibbesi is established along the Tunisian coasts. This crab was recorded by underwater observation from Malloula, Tabarka, El-Haouaria, Yasmine Hammamet, Monastir marina and the Kuriat Islands. These new observations increase the known distribution of P. gibbesi in the south Mediterranean basin