Transitional random matrix theory nearest-neighbor spacing distributions

This paper presents a study of the properties of a matrix model that was introduced to describe transitions between all Wigner surmises of Random Matrix theory. New results include closed-form exact analytical expressions for the transitional probability density functions, as well as suitable analytical approximations for cases not amenable to explicit representation

Long-term changes in a zooplankton community revealed by the sediment archive

To reconstruct changes in zooplankton communities in response to past anthropogenic perturbations, one possibility is to use the sedimentary records. We analyzed the sediments at a coastal site in the Northern Baltic Sea to relate changes in the zooplankton community to anthropogenic eutrophication and the invasion of a predatory cladoceran, Cercopagis pengoi. We sampled 30-cm laminated sediment cores and dated the sediment layers back to the 1950s. From each 1-cm layer, we measured eutrophication indicators (delta C-13, delta N-15, TC, TN, TP) and identified and counted zooplankton resting eggs (cladoceran, calanoid copepod, rotifer). In addition, we estimated the abundance of the cladoceran Bosmina (Eubosmina) maritima by counting subfossils (carapaces, headshields, and ephippia) and estimated the experienced stress as the relationship between sexual and asexual reproduction. Using redundancy and variance partitioning analyses, we found similar to 16% of the variation in the zooplankton community to be explained by eutrophication, and 24% of the variation in B. (E.) maritima abundance and reproduction mode to be explained by eutrophication and the introduction of the alien predator. Our results show a long-term shift from calanoid copepods and predatory cladocerans toward small-sized zooplankton species, like rotifers. Furthermore, the results indicate that the invasion of C. pengoi induced a short-term increase in sexual reproduction in B. (E.) maritima. The results indicate that anthropogenic eutrophication since the 1950s has altered the zooplankton community toward smaller species, while the invasion of the predatory cladoceran had only a transitory influence on the community during its expansion phase.Peer reviewe

Aging Management and License Renewal

ABSTRACT Lifetime management of EDF PWR vessels and pipings are one of the main technical key points of safety and competitivness. This paper describes the EDF global approach in this field, which is applied to the nuclear fleet i.e 58 nuclear power plants, and particularly to the first 34 three loops, as far as lifetime is concerned : operating procedures and routine maintenance, special maintenance and ten years safety reassessment, engineering analysis ,based on feed back experience, scientific knowledge, degradations mechanisms, causes and consequences management, operating loadings decrease, complementary deterministic and cost-benefit analysis, fit for service justifications. anticipation strategy to prepare future, based on Non Destructive Testing investigations, ability to repair and/or to replace components, in situ expertises, ... Some examples are given : lifetime management of reactor vessels heads and bottom penetrations of pressure vessels, fit for service of cast stainless steel primary pipings, primary nozzles and auxiliary pipings special maintenance. 11

On uniformization of Burnside's curve y2=x5−xy^2=x^5-x

Main objects of uniformization of the curve $y^2=x^5-x$ are studied: its Burnside's parametrization, corresponding Schwarz's equation, and accessory parameters. As a result we obtain the first examples of solvable Fuchsian equations on torus and exhibit number-theoretic integer $q$-series for uniformizing functions, relevant modular forms, and analytic series for holomorphic Abelian integrals. A conjecture of Whittaker for hyperelliptic curves and its hypergeometric reducibility are discussed. We also consider the conversion between Burnside's and Whittaker's uniformizations.Comment: Final version. LaTeX, 23 pages, 1 figure. The handbook for elliptic functions has been moved to arXiv:0808.348

Phylogenetic conservatism of environmental niches in mammals

Phylogenetic niche conservatism is the pattern where close relatives occupy similar niches, whereas distant relatives are more dissimilar. We suggest that niche conservatism will vary across clades in relation to their characteristics. Specifically, we investigate how conservatism of environmental niches varies among mammals according to their latitude, range size, body size and specialization. We use the Brownian rate parameter, σ2, to measure the rate of evolution in key variables related to the ecological niche and define the more conserved group as the one with the slower rate of evolution. We find that tropical, small-ranged and specialized mammals have more conserved thermal niches than temperate, large-ranged or generalized mammals. Partitioning niche conservatism into its spatial and phylogenetic components, we find that spatial effects on niche variables are generally greater than phylogenetic effects. This suggests that recent evolution and dispersal have more influence on species' niches than more distant evolutionary events. These results have implications for our understanding of the role of niche conservatism in species richness patterns and for gauging the potential for species to adapt to global change

Fuchs versus Painlev\'e

We briefly recall the Fuchs-Painlev\'e elliptic representation of Painlev\'e VI. We then show that the polynomiality of the expressions of the correlation functions (and form factors) in terms of the complete elliptic integral of the first and second kind, $K$ and $E$, is a straight consequence of the fact that the differential operators corresponding to the entries of Toeplitz-like determinants, are equivalent to the second order operator $L_E$ which has $E$ as solution (or, for off-diagonal correlations to the direct sum of $L_E$ and $d/dt$). We show that this can be generalized, mutatis mutandis, to the anisotropic Ising model. The singled-out second order linear differential operator $L_E$ being replaced by an isomonodromic system of two third-order linear partial differential operators associated with $\Pi_1$, the Jacobi's form of the complete elliptic integral of the third kind (or equivalently two second order linear partial differential operators associated with Appell functions, where one of these operators can be seen as a deformation of $L_E$). We finally explore the generalizations, to the anisotropic Ising models, of the links we made, in two previous papers, between Painlev\'e non-linear ODE's, Fuchsian linear ODE's and elliptic curves. In particular the elliptic representation of Painlev\'e VI has to be generalized to an ``Appellian'' representation of Garnier systems.Comment: Dedicated to the : Special issue on Symmetries and Integrability of Difference Equations, SIDE VII meeting held in Melbourne during July 200

Aquaculture system diversity and sustainable development : fish farms and their representation

Initiatives for the sustainable development of aquaculture have so far focused on the production of codes of conduct, of best management practices, of standards etc., most of which have been developed by international organisations, the industrial sector and non governmental organisations. They were, to a large extent, produced using a "top down" process and inspired by models from intensive industrial shrimp and sea fish farming (mainly salmon). However, most of global aquaculture production comes from small-and medium-sized farms, essentially in Asia which contributes 92% of the total world aquaculture production volume. The objective of this article is to define the contours of systemic typologies that are able to express the sustainability conditions of aquaculture systems. The proposed approach builds on surveys of aquaculture systems which differ in terms of their biogeographical nature (temperate/tropical and north/south countries) or their farming techniques and their governance systems. This work is a prerequisite to any attempt at an individualised and comparative evaluation of specific aquaculture systems from either global or territorial viewpoints. In order to go beyond the cleavage of a typology based on the differentiation between developed and developing countries, three typologies were produced. These typologies allow for discriminatory variables to be identified such as for example the marketing methods or the pace of innovation: a structural typology, a functional typology and a systemic typology. Finally, the representations of aquaculture activity and of its sustainability that producers have of the 4 different types that emerge from the systemic typology were recorded and analyzed

Object-based Illumination Estimation with Rendering-aware Neural Networks

We present a scheme for fast environment light estimation from the RGBD appearance of individual objects and their local image areas. Conventional inverse rendering is too computationally demanding for real-time applications, and the performance of purely learning-based techniques may be limited by the meager input data available from individual objects. To address these issues, we propose an approach that takes advantage of physical principles from inverse rendering to constrain the solution, while also utilizing neural networks to expedite the more computationally expensive portions of its processing, to increase robustness to noisy input data as well as to improve temporal and spatial stability. This results in a rendering-aware system that estimates the local illumination distribution at an object with high accuracy and in real time. With the estimated lighting, virtual objects can be rendered in AR scenarios with shading that is consistent to the real scene, leading to improved realism.Comment: ECCV 202

Inter-specific aggression generates ant mosaics in canopies of primary tropical rainforest

The ant mosaic is a concept of the non-random spatial distribution of individual ant species in trees built upon the assumption of interspecific behavioural associations. However, colony identity and environmental variance may also play a role in species distribution. Here we assess the presence of ant mosaics in a primary forest ecosystem and whether they are structured by species' aggressive behaviours or by habitat filtering. We sampled arboreal ants from vertically stratified baits exposed in 225 canopy trees in a 9-ha plot of primary lowland forest in Papua New Guinea, the largest forest area surveyed to detect ant mosaics. We performed behavioural tests on conspecific ants from adjacent trees to determine the territories of individual colonies. We explored the environmental effects on the ant communities using information on the plot vegetation structure and topography. Furthermore, we created a novel statistical method to test for the community non-random spatial structure across the plot via spatial randomisation of individual colony territories. Finally, we linked spatial segregation among the four most common species to experimentally assessed rates of interspecies aggression. The ant communities comprised 57 species of highly variable abundance and vertical stratification. Ant community composition was spatially dependent, but it was not affected by tree species composition or canopy connectivity. Only local elevation had a significant but rather small effect. Individual colony territories ranged from one tree to 0.7 ha. Species were significantly over-dispersed, with their territory overlap significantly reduced. The level of aggression between pairs of the four most common species was positively correlated with their spatial segregation. Our study demonstrates the presence of ant mosaics in tropical pristine forest, which are maintained by interspecific aggression rather than habitat filtering, with vegetation structure having a rather small and indirect effect, probably linked to microclimate variability.publishedVersio