Ricci curvature on polyhedral surfaces via optimal transportation

The problem of defining correctly geometric objects such as the curvature is a hard one in discrete geometry. In 2009, Ollivier defined a notion of curvature applicable to a wide category of measured metric spaces, in particular to graphs. He named it coarse Ricci curvature because it coincides, up to some given factor, with the classical Ricci curvature, when the space is a smooth manifold. Lin, Lu & Yau, Jost & Liu have used and extended this notion for graphs giving estimates for the curvature and hence the diameter, in terms of the combinatorics. In this paper, we describe a method for computing the coarse Ricci curvature and give sharper results, in the specific but crucial case of polyhedral surfaces

Λ\Lambda-buildings associated to quasi-split groups over Λ\Lambda-valued fields

Let $\mathbf{G}$ be a quasi-split reductive group and $\mathbb{K}$ be a Henselian field equipped with a valuation $\omega:\mathbb{K}^{\times}\rightarrow \Lambda$, where $\Lambda$ is a totally ordered abelian group. In 1972, Bruhat and Tits constructed a building on which the group $\mathbf{G}(\mathbb{K})$ acts provided that $\Lambda$ is a subgroup of $\mathbb{R}$. In this paper, we deal with the general case where there are no assumptions on $\Lambda$ and we construct a set on which $\mathbf{G}(\mathbb{K})$ acts. We then prove that it is a $\Lambda$-building, in the sense of Bennett

Λ\Lambda-buildings associated to quasi-split groups over Λ\Lambda-valued fields

Let $\mathbf{G}$ be a quasi-split reductive group and $\mathbb{K}$ be a Henselian field equipped with a valuation $\omega:\mathbb{K}^{\times}\rightarrow \Lambda$, where $\Lambda$ is a totally ordered abelian group. In 1972, Bruhat and Tits constructed a building on which the group $\mathbf{G}(\mathbb{K})$ acts provided that $\Lambda$ is a subgroup of $\mathbb{R}$. In this paper, we deal with the general case where there are no assumptions on $\Lambda$ and we construct a set on which $\mathbf{G}(\mathbb{K})$ acts. We then prove that it is a $\Lambda$-building, in the sense of Bennett

The future of monetary policy. Summary of the conference held in Rome on 30 September and 1 October 2010: Summary of the conference held in Rome on 30 September and 1 October 2010

This article summarises the main questions that dominated the presentations, discussions and debates, namely: are monetary policy and liquidity management always independent from each other? Should monetary policy preserve financial stability? Should monetary policy react to asset price bubbles? And, more generally, what is the future for monetary policy

Autologous endothelial progenitor cell therapy improves right ventricular function in a model of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension.

International audienceBACKGROUND:Right ventricular (RV) failure is the main prognostic factor in pulmonary hypertension, and ventricular capillary density (CD) has been reported to be a marker of RV maladaptive remodeling and failure. Our aim was to determine whether right intracoronary endothelial progenitor cell (EPC) infusion can improve RV function and CD in a piglet model of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH).METHODS:We compared 3 groups: sham (n = 5), CTEPH (n = 6), and CTEPH with EPC infusion (CTEPH+EPC; n = 5). After EPC isolation from CTEPH+EPC piglet peripheral blood samples at 3 weeks, the CTEPH and sham groups underwent right intracoronary infusion of saline, and the CTEPH+EPC group received EPCs at 6 weeks. RV function, pulmonary hemodynamics, and myocardial morphometry were investigated in the animals at 10 weeks.RESULTS:After EPC administration, the RV fractional area change increased from 32.75% (interquartile range [IQR], 29.5%-36.5%) to 39% (IQR, 37.25%-46.50%; P = .030). The CTEPH+EPC piglets had reduced cardiomyocyte surface areas (from 298.3 μm2 [IQR, 277.4-335.3 μm2] to 234.6 μm2 (IQR, 211.1-264.7 μm2; P = .017), and increased CD31 expression (from 3.12 [IQR, 1.27-5.09] to 7.14 [IQR, 5.56-8.41; P = .017). EPCs were found in the RV free wall at 4 and 24 hours after injection but not 4 weeks later.CONCLUSIONS:Intracoronary infusion of EPC improved RV function and CD in a piglet model of CTEPH. This novel cell-based therapy might represent a promising RV-targeted treatment in patients with pulmonary hypertension

BRICE project: solutions to monitor and to mitigate checking and breakage of dry cereal products

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Biogeography of soil microbial communities: a review and a description of the ongoing french national initiative

International audienceMicrobial biogeography is the study of the distribution of microbial diversity on large scales of space and time. This science aims at understanding biodiversity regulation and its link with ecosystem biological functioning, goods and services such as maintenance of productivity, of soil and atmospheric quality, and of soil health. Although the initial concept dates from the early 20th century (Beijerinck (1913) De infusies en de ontdekking der backterien, in: Jaarboek van de Knoniklijke Akademie van Wetenschappen, Muller, Amsterdam), only recently have an increasing number of studies have investigated the biogeographical patterns of soil microbial diversity. A such delay is due to the constraints of the microbial models, the need to develop relevant molecular and bioinformatic tools to assess microbial diversity, and the non-availability of an adequate sampling strategy. Consequently, the conclusions from microbial ecology studies have rarely been generally applicable and even the fundamental power-laws differ because the taxa-area relationship and the influence of global and distal parameters on the spatial distribution of microbial communities have not been examined. In this article we define and discuss the scientific, technical and operational limits and outcomes resulting from soil microbial biogeography together with the technical and logistical feasibility. The main results are that microbial communities are not stochastically distributed on a wide scale and that biogeographical patterns are more influenced by local parameters such as soil type and land use than by distal ones, e.g. climate and geomorphology, contrary to plants and animals. We then present the European soil biological survey network, focusing on the French national initiative and the "ECOMIC-RMQS" project. The objective of the ECOMIC-RMQS project is to characterise the density and diversity of bacterial communities in all soils in the RMQS library in order to assess, for the first time, not only microbial biogeography across the whole of France but also the impact of land use on soil biodiversity (Réseau de Mesures de la Qualité des Sols = French Soil Quality Monitoring Network, 2200 soils covering all the French territory with a systematic grid of sampling). The scientific, technical and logistical outputs are examined with a view to the future prospects needed to develop this scientific domain and its applications in sustainable land use

Monitoring the evolution of coastal zones under various forcing factors using space-based observing systems

International audienceAbout 10% of the global population is currently livingalong the coasts. In many regions, populations are exposed to a variety of natural hazards (e.g., extreme weather such as damaging cyclones and their associated storm surges), as well as to the effects of global climate change (e.g., sea level rise), and to the impacts of human activities (e.g., urbanization). Today, our knowledge regarding these processes still remains limited by the lack of observations. For example, the proportion of the world's shorelines currently affected by erosion still remains uncertain. This lack of information not only prevents us from addressing important scientific questions, but it has also practical implications for coastal managers in charge of managing coastal risks and adapting to climate change. In this poster, we present the outcome of the International Space Science Institute (ISSI) Forum on " Monitoring the evolution of coastal zones under various forcing factors using space-based observing systems " (http://www.issibern.ch/forum/costzoneevo/) held at ISSI, Bern, Switzerland on 11-12 October 2016. This poster first reviews the scientific questions with high societal significance, where improved remote sensing observations are needed: this includes (1) separating the contributions of climate-induced sea-level changes and vertical ground motions (uplift and subsidence) in relative (coastal) sea-level changes; (2) understanding the roles, for each different coastal geomorphological setting, of human interventions, extreme events, seasonal interannual and multidecadal variability and trends in driving coastal evolution. In a second step, we review theobservations currently available or needed to address these questions. Overall, we show that since the publication of the latest IGOS report on coastal zone observational requirements (2006), the availability of high resolution topographic data, hydrometeorological reanalysis (e.g., wind, waves, pressures) and historical surge databases have greatly improved the ability to understand and model coastal flooding. In addition, there is a continued need for tide gauges collocated with GNSS and other geodetic data. However, research is needed in many other topics such as the retrieval of changing topographic and bathymetric features at the required accuracy and frequency, and in processing radar altimetry measurements in the coastal ocean. Concerning ocean color, global analyses are expected to provide useful information (e.g. on suspended materials). Besides the improvements of the current observing infrastructure, there is a need of strengthening the exchanges between different scientists and stakeholders concerned with coastal risks and climate change. Today, information on the evolution of coastal zones is managed at local to regional scales by coastal observatories. These entitieslinkscienceinformation to operational observations (including space-based)and coastal stakeholders. We argue that establishing links between global providers of Earth Observation data (such as space agencies), and the emerging networks of coastal observatories, can be beneficial to both coastal science and the management of coastal risks

Analysis of the molecular dialogue between gray mold (Botrytis cinerea) and grapevine (Vitis vinifera) reveals a clear shift in defense mechanisms during berry ripening

International audienceMature grapevine berries at the harvesting stage (MB) are very susceptible to the gray mold fungus Botrytis cinerea while veraison berries (VB) are not. We conducted simultaneous microscopic and transcriptomic analyses of the pathogen and the host to investigate the infection process developed by B. cinerea on MB versus VB, and the plant defense mechanisms deployed to stop the fungus development. On the pathogen side, our genome-wide transcriptomic data revealed that B. cinerea genes up-regulated during infection of MB are enriched in functional categories related to necrotrophy such as degradation of plant cell wall, proteolysis, membrane transport, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and detoxification. Quantitative-PCR on a set of representative genes related to virulence and microscopic observations further demonstrated that the infection is also initiated on VB but stops at the penetration stage. On the plant side, genome-wide transcriptomic analysis and metabolic data revealed a defense pathways switch during berry ripening. In response to B. cinerea inoculation, VB activated a burst of ROS, the salicylate-dependent defense pathway, the synthesis of the resveratrol phytoalexin and cell-wall strengthening. On the contrary, in infected MB the jasmonate-dependent pathway was activated which did not stop the fungal necrotrophic process