Unexpected Features of Supersymmetry with Central Charges

It is shown that N=2 supersymmetric theories with central charges present some hidden quartic symmetry. This enables us to construct representations of the quartic structure induced by superalgebra representations.Comment: 14 pages, more details have been given, to appear in J. Phys.

Ternary algebras and groups

We construct explicitly groups associated to specific ternary algebras which extend the Lie (super)algebras (called Lie algebras of order three). It turns out that the natural variables which appear in this construction are variables which generate the three-exterior algebra. An explicit matrix representation of a group associated to a peculiar Lie algebra of order three is constructed considering matrices with entry which belong to the three exterior algebra.Comment: 11 pages contribution to the 5th International Symposium on Quantum Theory and Symmetries (QTS5

Fractional Supersymmetry and Fth-Roots of Representations

A generalization of super-Lie algebras is presented. It is then shown that all known examples of fractional supersymmetry can be understood in this formulation. However, the incorporation of three dimensional fractional supersymmetry in this framework needs some care. The proposed solutions lead naturally to a formulation of a fractional supersymmetry starting from any representation D of any Lie algebra g. This involves taking the Fth-roots of D in an appropriate sense. A fractional supersymmetry in any space-time dimension is then possible. This formalism finally leads to an infinite dimensional extension of g, reducing to the centerless Virasoro algebra when g=sl(2,R).Comment: 23 pages, 1 figure, LaTex file with epsf.st

Multifractal analysis via scaling zeta functions and recursive structure of lattice strings

The multifractal structure underlying a self-similar measure stems directly from the weighted self-similar system (or weighted iterated function system) which is used to construct the measure. This follows much in the way that the dimension of a self-similar set, be it the Hausdorff, Minkowski, or similarity dimension, is determined by the scaling ratios of the corresponding self-similar system via Moran's theorem. The multifractal structure allows for our definition of scaling regularity and scaling zeta functions motivated by geometric zeta functions and, in particular, partition zeta functions. Some of the results of this paper consolidate and partially extend the results regarding a multifractal analysis for certain self-similar measures supported on compact subsets of a Euclidean space based on partition zeta functions. Specifically, scaling zeta functions generalize partition zeta functions when the choice of the family of partitions is given by the natural family of partitions determined by the self-similar system in question. Moreover, in certain cases, self-similar measures can be shown to exhibit lattice or nonlattice structure with respect to specified scaling regularity values. Additionally, in the context provided by generalized fractal strings viewed as measures, we define generalized self-similar strings, allowing for the examination of many of the results presented here in a specific overarching context and for a connection to the results regarding the corresponding complex dimensions as roots of Dirichlet polynomials. Furthermore, generalized lattice strings and recursive strings are defined and shown to be very closely related.Comment: 33 pages, no figures, in pres

Frédéric Goulet et Dominique Vinck (dir.), Faire sans, faire avec moins. Les nouveaux horizons de l’innovation

En 2012, Frédéric Goulet et Dominique Vinck ont proposé une approche microsociologique de l’innovation par retrait en introduisant la notion de détachement, décrite par ses mécanismes. Dans Faire sans, faire avec moins. Les nouveaux horizons de l’innovation, ils rassemblent et présentent treize contributions de chercheurs dont les travaux se nourrissent de leur approche pionnière sur de nouvelles dynamiques sociotechniques de l’innovation. Dans la première partie, Benoît Godin rappelle le con..

Soil type and soil preparation influence vine development and grape composition through its impact on vine water and nitrogen status

The influence of soil type and preparation on vine development and grape composition was investigated in a 50 ha estate located in Saint-Emilion (Bordeaux, France) and planted predominantly with Merlot. Part of the vineyard was planted down the slopes and another part of the vineyard was planted on terraces, where soils were profoundly modified through soil preparation. Grape composition (berry weight, sugar, total acidity, malic acid and pH), vigor (pruning weight), vine nitrogen status (Yeast Available Nitrogen (YAN) in grapes) and vine water status (δ13C) was measured at a very high density grid of 10 data points per hectare. Water deficit was globally weak over the estate because of high soil water holding capacity whereas vine nitrogen status was highly variable. Vine vigor and grape composition were predominantly driven by vine nitrogen status. On terraces, where soils were deep, due to invasive soil preparation, water deficits were particularly small or non-existent and vine nitrogen status was highly variable. Grape quality potential was medium to low, except in places with low nitrogen status, but at the expense of low yields. On parcels planted down the slopes water deficits were recorded because vine rooting was limited by compact subsoils. Vine nitrogen status was homogeneous. Grape quality and yield were medium to high and relatively homogeneous. When possible, downhill plantations are to be preferred over terraces because in the latter vine yield and quality parameters are highly variable because of massive soil movements prior to plantation

Assessment of an automatic prosthetic elbow control strategy using residual limb motion for transhumeral amputated individuals with socket or osseointegrated prostheses

International audienceMost transhumeral amputated individuals deplore the lack of functionality of their prosthesis due to control-related limitations. Commercialized prosthetic elbows are controlled via myoelectric signals, yielding complex control schemes when users have to control an entire prosthetic limb. Limited control yields the development of compensatory strategies. An alternative control strategy associates residual limb motions to automatize the prosthetic elbow motion using a model of physiological shoulder/elbow synergies. Preliminary studies have shown that elbow motion could be predicted from residual limb kinematic measurements, but results with transhumeral amputated individuals were lacking. This study focuses on the experimental assessment of automatic prosthetic elbow control during a reaching task, compared to conventional myoelectric control, with six transhumeral amputated individuals, among whom, three had an osseointegrated device. Part of the recruited participants had an osseointegrated prosthetic device. The task was achieved within physiological precision errors with both control modes. Automatic elbow control reduced trunk compensations, and restored a physiologically-like shoulder/elbow movement synchronization. However, the kinematic assessment showed that amputation and prosthesis wear modifies the shoulder movements in comparison with physiological shoulder kinematics. Overall, participants described the automatic elbow control strategy as intuitive, and this work highlights the interest of automatized prosthetic elbow motion

Movement-Based Control for Upper-Limb Prosthetics: Is the Regression Technique the Key to a Robust and Accurate Control?

Due to the limitations of myoelectric control (such as dependence on muscular fatigue and on electrodes shift, difficulty in decoding complex patterns or in dealing with simultaneous movements), there is a renewal of interest in the movement-based control approaches for prosthetics. The latter use residual limb movements rather than muscular activity as command inputs, in order to develop more natural and intuitive control techniques. Among those, several research works rely on the interjoint coordinations that naturally exist in human upper limb movements. These relationships are modeled to control the distal joints (e.g., elbow) based on the motions of proximal ones (e.g., shoulder). The regression techniques, used to model the coordinations, are various [Artificial Neural Networks, Principal Components Analysis (PCA), etc.] and yet, analysis of their performance and impact on the prosthesis control is missing in the literature. Is there one technique really more efficient than the others to model interjoint coordinations? To answer this question, we conducted an experimental campaign to compare the performance of three common regression techniques in the control of the elbow joint on a transhumeral prosthesis. Ten non-disabled subjects performed a reaching task, while wearing an elbow prosthesis which was driven by several interjoint coordination models obtained through different regression techniques. The models of the shoulder-elbow kinematic relationship were built from the recordings of fifteen different non-disabled subjects that performed a similar reaching task with their healthy arm. Among Radial Basis Function Networks (RBFN), Locally Weighted Regression (LWR), and PCA, RBFN was found to be the most robust, based on the analysis of several criteria including the quality of generated movements but also the compensatory strategies exhibited by users. Yet, RBFN does not significantly outperform LWR and PCA. The regression technique seems not to be the most significant factor for improvement of interjoint coordinations-based control. By characterizing the impact of the modeling techniques through closed-loop experiments with human users instead of purely offline simulations, this work could also help in improving movement-based control approaches and in bringing them closer to a real use by patients

Gestión de la investigación en la Universidad Nacional de Cuyo (1949-2010)

La Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, desde su origen, consideró a la investigación como una de sus funciones básicas. En tal sentido este libro surge como una propuesta para sistematizar, preservar y difundir información institucional, relacionada a la gestión del área específica. La Secretaría de Ciencia, Técnica y Posgrado de esta Casa de Estudios, a fines de 2009, invitó a participar de la iniciativa a quienes fueron responsables de esta tarea y a investigadores interesados en la historia de la institución, los que aportaron información y el valor de su experiencia. En el desarrollo de la obra se puede verificar claramente la evolución de estructuras y la definición de políticas científicas desarrolladas en la UNCuyo, ligadas a momentos históricos, políticas nacionales, locales e institucionales. Del relato de cada autor se observa que: planificación, mecanismos y estrategias de promoción de la investigación manifiestan una continuidad de esfuerzos cuyo objeto es incentivar la producción del conocimiento y su transferencia a las aulas y al medio. De la compiladora de la obra: Patricia Pons, Licenciada en Ciencias De la Educación de la Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina Santa María de los Buenos Aires; se encuentra en la etapa de finalización de sus estudios de Maestría en Gestión de la Ciencia, la Técnica y la Innovación de la Universidad Nacional de General Sarmiento; Directora General de Ciencia y Técnica de la Secretaría de Ciencia Técnica y Posgrado de la Universidad Nacional de Cuyo

Finite-dimensional Lie algebras of order F

$F-$Lie algebras are natural generalisations of Lie algebras (F=1) and Lie superalgebras (F=2). When $F>2$ not many finite-dimensional examples are known. In this paper we construct finite-dimensional $F-$Lie algebras $F>2$ by an inductive process starting from Lie algebras and Lie superalgebras. Matrix realisations of $F-$Lie algebras constructed in this way from $\mathfrak{su}(n), \mathfrak{sp}(2n)$ $\mathfrak{so}(n)$ and $\mathfrak{sl}(n|m)$, $\mathfrak{osp}(2|m)$ are given. We obtain non-trivial extensions of the Poincar\'e algebra by In\"on\"u-Wigner contraction of certain $F-$Lie algebras with $F>2$.Comment: 20 pages, Late