A note on the switching adiabatic theorem

We derive a nearly optimal upper bound on the running time in the adiabatic theorem for a switching family of Hamiltonians. We assume the switching Hamiltonian is in the Gevrey class $G^\alpha$ as a function of time, and we show that the error in adiabatic approximation remains small for running times of order $g^{-2}\,|\ln\,g\,|^{6\alpha}$. Here $g$ denotes the minimal spectral gap between the eigenvalue(s) of interest and the rest of the spectrum of the instantaneous Hamiltonian.Comment: 20 pages, no figures, to appear in JM

Parasitoses internes des primates de la République Démocratique du Congo (d'après la collection Cassard-Chambron 1956-1960). Rôle pathogène - diagnostic - prophylaxie

L'étude d'une collection de parasites de primates - surtout des Anthropoïdes et des Cercopithèques - autopsiés entre 1956 et 1960 à Brazzaville a permis d'isoler 22 espèces différentes dont treize nouvelles pour les singes de la République Populaire du Congo. Les plus largement représentées sont les Oesophagostomes, les Trichures et les Necator suivies des Ascaris, des Ternidens et des Bertiella. Les chimpanzés et les gorilles sont les plus atteints et, dans ce groupe, la mortalité est souvent élevée. Les auteurs donnent des renseignements sur le rôle pathogène de ces helminthes et sur la prophylaxie à mettre en ouvre. Ils proposent une clé permettant d'identifier les principaux parasites d'après leurs ouf

Elevage de Biomphalaria glabrata, Say, au laboratoire

Les auteurs décrivent une méthode d'élevage de Biomphalaria glabrata, Say, au laboratoire, méthode nécessitant l'emploi successif et, dans des conditions qui sont bien précisées, de bacs de ponte et de bacs de croissance. Bien que concernant un Planorbe hôte intermédiaire de Schistosoma mansoni, l'agent de la bilharziose intestinale humaine, les renseignements fournis présentent un certain intérêt en médecine vétérinaire, car ils peuvent, dans leur ensemble, être transposés à d'autres mollusques vecteurs de Trématodoses animales (Fasciolose, paramphistomose, bilharzioses à Schistosoma bovis et à Schistosoma mattheei): Limnaea natalensis, Biomphalaria pfeifferi, Bulins appartenant aux genres Physopsis, Bulinus s. str. (toute la série polyploïde) et Pyrgophysa. En outre, lorsque les conditions climatiques s'y prêtent, cette méthode, simple et pratique, permet de disposer constamment, et quelle que soit la saison, d'importantes populations de Biomphalaria glabrata destinées à diverses recherches d'ordre général, notamment les essais de molluscicides et la lutte biologique contre les mollusques vecteurs, recherches qui intéressent à la fois la médecine humaine et la médecine vétérinaire tropicale notammen

On a Watson-like Uniqueness Theorem and Gevrey Expansions

We present a maximal class of analytic functions, elements of which are in one-to-one correspondence with their asymptotic expansions. In recent decades it has been realized (B. Malgrange, J. Ecalle, J.-P. Ramis, Y. Sibuya et al.), that the formal power series solutions of a wide range of systems of ordinary (even non-linear) analytic differential equations are in fact the Gevrey expansions for the regular solutions. Watson's uniqueness theorem belongs to the foundations of this new theory. This paper contains a discussion of an extension of Watson's uniqueness theorem for classes of functions which admit a Gevrey expansion in angular regions of the complex plane with opening less than or equal to (\frac \pi k,) where (k) is the order of the Gevrey expansion. We present conditions which ensure uniqueness and which suggest an extension of Watson's representation theorem. These results may be applied for solutions of certain classes of differential equations to obtain the best accuracy estimate for the deviation of a solution from a finite sum of the corresponding Gevrey expansion.Comment: 18 pages, 4 figure

La Mammomonogamose des ruminants domestiques et sauvages

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Multilayered feed forward Artificial Neural Network model to predict the average summer-monsoon rainfall in India

In the present research, possibility of predicting average summer-monsoon rainfall over India has been analyzed through Artificial Neural Network models. In formulating the Artificial Neural Network based predictive model, three layered networks have been constructed with sigmoid non-linearity. The models under study are different in the number of hidden neurons. After a thorough training and test procedure, neural net with three nodes in the hidden layer is found to be the best predictive model.Comment: 19 pages, 1 table, 3 figure

Assessing the conservation value of waterbodies: the example of the Loire floodplain (France)

In recent decades, two of the main management tools used to stem biodiversity erosion have been biodiversity monitoring and the conservation of natural areas. However, socio-economic pressure means that it is not usually possible to preserve the entire landscape, and so the rational prioritisation of sites has become a crucial issue. In this context, and because floodplains are one of the most threatened ecosystems, we propose a statistical strategy for evaluating conservation value, and used it to prioritise 46 waterbodies in the Loire floodplain (France). We began by determining a synthetic conservation index of fish communities (Q) for each waterbody. This synthetic index includes a conservation status index, an origin index, a rarity index and a richness index. We divided the waterbodies into 6 clusters with distinct structures of the basic indices. One of these clusters, with high Q median value, indicated that 4 waterbodies are important for fish biodiversity conservation. Conversely, two clusters with low Q median values included 11 waterbodies where restoration is called for. The results picked out high connectivity levels and low abundance of aquatic vegetation as the two main environmental characteristics of waterbodies with high conservation value. In addition, assessing the biodiversity and conservation value of territories using our multi-index approach plus an a posteriori hierarchical classification methodology reveals two major interests: (i) a possible geographical extension and (ii) a multi-taxa adaptation

ESX1-dependent fractalkine mediates chemotaxis and Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in humans

SummaryMycobacterium tuberculosis-induced cellular aggregation is essential for granuloma formation and may assist establishment and early spread of M. tuberculosis infection. The M. tuberculosis ESX1 mutant, which has a non-functional type VII secretion system, induced significantly less production of the host macrophage-derived chemokine fractalkine (CX3CL1). Upon infection of human macrophages ESX1-dependent fractalkine production mediated selective recruitment of CD11b+ monocytic cells and increased infection of neighbouring cells consistent with early local spread of infection. Fractalkine levels were raised in vivo at tuberculous disease sites in humans and were significantly associated with increased CD11b+ monocytic cellular recruitment and extent of granulomatous disease. These findings suggest a novel fractalkine-dependent ESX1-mediated mechanism in early tuberculous disease pathogenesis in humans. Modulation of M. tuberculosis-mediated fractalkine induction may represent a potential treatment option in the future, perhaps allowing us to switch off a key mechanism required by the pathogen to spread between cells

The Chemotactic Defect in Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome Macrophages Is Due to the Reduced Persistence of Directional Protrusions

Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein (WASp) is an actin nucleation promoting factor that is required for macrophages to directionally migrate towards various chemoattractants. The chemotaxis defect of WASp-deficient cells and its activation by Cdc42 in vivo suggest that WASp plays a role in directional sensing, however, its precise role in macrophage chemotaxis is still unclear. Using shRNA-mediated downregulation of WASp in the murine monocyte/macrophage cell line RAW/LR5 (shWASp), we found that WASp was responsible for the initial wave of actin polymerization in response to global stimulation with CSF-1, which in Dictyostelium discoideum amoebae and carcinoma cells has been correlated with the ability to migrate towards chemoattractants. Real-time monitoring of shWASp cells, as well as WASp−/− bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMMs), in response to a CSF-1 gradient revealed that the protrusions from WASp-deficient cells were directional, showing intact directional sensing. However, the protrusions from WASp-deficient cells demonstrated reduced persistence compared to their respective control shRNA and wild-type cells. Further examination showed that tyrosine phosphorylation of WASp was required for both the first wave of actin polymerization following global CSF-1 stimulation and proper directional responses towards CSF-1. Importantly, the PI3K, Rac1 and WAVE2 proteins were incorporated normally in CSF-1 – elicited protrusions in the absence of WASp, suggesting that membrane protrusion driven by the WAVE2 complex signaling is intact. Collectively, these results suggest that WASp and its phosphorylation play critical roles in coordinating the actin cytoskeleton rearrangements necessary for the persistence of protrusions required for directional migration of macrophages towards CSF-1