κ\kappa-Poincar\'e invariant quantum field theories with KMS weight

A natural star product for 4-d $\kappa$-Minkowski space is used to investigate various classes of $\kappa$-Poincar\'e invariant scalar field theories with quartic interactions whose commutative limit coincides with the usual $\phi^4$ theory. $\kappa$-Poincar\'e invariance forces the integral involved in the actions to be a twisted trace, thus defining a KMS weight for the noncommutative (C*-)algebra modeling the $\kappa$-Minkowski space. The associated modular group and Tomita modular operator are characterized. In all the field theories, the twist generates different planar one-loop contributions to the 2-point function which are at most UV linearly diverging. Some of these theories are free of UV/IR mixing. In the others, UV/IR mixing shows up in non-planar contributions to the 2-point function as a polynomial singularity at exceptional zero external momenta while staying finite at non-zero external momenta. These results are discussed together with the possibility for the KMS weight relative to the quantum space algebra to trigger the appearance of KMS state on the algebra of observables.Comment: 32 pages, several paragraphs added, published in PR

Analysis of Air Traffic Controllers Decisions

International audienceThis paper presents an approach based on a multiple criteria decision making methodology (MCDM) to analyse the decisions of Air Traffic Controllers. This study will allow to model some tools able to assist the controllers in their tasks and particularly able to help them to assume the ceaseless increase of Air Traffic. Currently the platform AMANDA assists controllers on only one sector of control. This platform was very pleasant welcome, and we wish to extend these principles to adjacent sectors, and thus include tool to help the cooperation between adjacent controllers. This analysis is composed of three main points. First it is necessary to determine the decision making process of controllers. The second point consists of the application of the MCDM which guide all the study. And finally a repertory grid technique is applied in order to support the operational aspect of MCDM and to support the interviews. We begin this paper by a presentation of Air traffic Control and the problematic, we present then AMANDA and its principles, and the objectives for the new version. In a third part we describe the approach developed and a real example of its application, the results and analyses that we can deduce of this first grid are also presented. These results must be, of course, confirmed and validated by the controllers

Definitive chemical evidence for the constitutive ability of Candida albicans serotype A strains to synthesize β-1,2 linked oligomannosides containing up to 14 mannose residues

AbstractWe have previously reported the presence of phosphate bound β-1,2 linked oligomannosides with unusually high degrees of polymerization (DP>7) in the mannan of Candida albicans strain VW32. To confirm this observation, we have prepared these oligomannosides from the mannan of C. albicans strain NIH A 207. Gel filtration chromatography and TLC analysis revealed DP up to 14. For both strains, NMR analysis confirmed the exclusive presence of β-1,2 linkages in the pools of oligomannosides with a DP higher than 6 which presented an average DP of 10.6 (VW32) and 10.4 (NIH A 207). These results are important to consider in relation with the ability of these C. albicans derived oligomannosides to trigger TNFα synthesis according to their DP

The Star Clusters in the Irregular Galaxy NGC 4449

We examine the star clusters in the irregular galaxy NGC 4449. We use a near-infrared spectrum and broad-band images taken with the HST to place a limit of 8--15 Myrs on the age of the bright central ojbect in NGC 4449. Its luminosity and size suggest that it is comparable to young super star clusters. However, there is a peculiar nucleated-bar structure at the center of this star cluster, and we suggest that this structure is debris from the interaction that has produced the counter-rotating gas systems and extended gas streamers in the galaxy. From the images we identify 60 other candidate compact star clusters in NGC 4449. Fourteen of these could be background elliptical galaxies or old globular star clusters. Of the star clusters, three, in addition to the central object, are potentially super star clusters, and many others are comparable to the populous clusters found in the LMC. The star clusters span a large range in ages with no obvious peak in cluster formation that might be attributed to the interaction that the galaxy has experienced.Comment: To be published in PASP, Feb. 2001; also attainable from ftp.lowell.edu, cd pub/dah/n4449pape

Climate and soil type together explain the distribution of microendemic species in a biodiversity hotspot

The grasshopper genus Caledonula, endemic to New Caledonia, was studied to understand the evolution of species distributions in relation to climate and soil types. Based on a comprehensive sampling of 80 locations throughout the island, the genus was represented by five species, four of which are new to science, of which three are described here. All the species have limited distributions in New Caledonia. Bioclimatic niche modelling shows that all the species were found in association with a wet climate and reduced seasonality, explaining their restriction to the southern half of the island. The results suggest that the genus was ancestrally constrained by seasonality. A molecular phylogeny was reconstructed using two mitochondrial and two nuclear markers. The partially resolved tree showed monophyly of the species found on metalliferous soils, and molecular dating indicated a rather recent origin for the genus. Adaptation to metalliferous soils is suggested by both morphological changes and radiation on these soils. The genus Caledonula is therefore a good model to understand the origin of microendemism in the context of recent and mixed influences of climate and soil type

Optically variable active galactic nuclei in the 3 yr VST survey of the COSMOS field

The analysis of the variability of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) at different wavelengths and the study of possible correlations among different spectral windows are nowadays a major field of inquiry. Optical variability has been largely used to identify AGNs in multivisit surveys. The strength of a selection based on optical variability lies in the chance to analyze data from surveys of large sky areas by ground-based telescopes. However the effectiveness of optical variability selection, with respect to other multiwavelength techniques, has been poorly studied down to the depth expected from next generation surveys. Here we present the results of our r-band analysis of a sample of 299 optically variable AGN candidates in the VST survey of the COSMOS field, counting 54 visits spread over three observing seasons spanning > 3 yr. This dataset is > 3 times larger in size than the one presented in our previous analysis (De Cicco et al. 2015), and the observing baseline is ~8 times longer. We push towards deeper magnitudes (r(AB) ~23.5 mag) compared to past studies; we make wide use of ancillary multiwavelength catalogs in order to confirm the nature of our AGN candidates, and constrain the accuracy of the method based on spectroscopic and photometric diagnostics. We also perform tests aimed at assessing the relevance of dense sampling in view of future wide-field surveys. We demonstrate that the method allows the selection of high-purity (> 86%) samples. We take advantage of the longer observing baseline to achieve great improvement in the completeness of our sample with respect to X-ray and spectroscopically confirmed samples of AGNs (59%, vs. ~15% in our previous work), as well as in the completeness of unobscured and obscured AGNs. The effectiveness of the method confirms the importance to develop future, more refined techniques for the automated analysis of larger datasets.Comment: 21 pages, 10 figures; accepted for publication in A&

Méthodologie multicritère pour la conception d'un espace de coopération. Application au contrôle de trafic aérien

International audienc

The use of mannan antigen and anti-mannan antibodies in the diagnosis of invasive candidiasis: recommendations from the Third European Conference on Infections in Leukemia

Many drugs are available for the treatment of systemic or superficial mycoses, but only a limited number of them are effective antifungal drugs, devoid of toxic and undesirable side effects. Furthermore, resistance development and fungistatic rather than fungicidal activities represent limitations of current antifungal therapy. Therefore there remains an urgent need for a new generation of antifungal agents. According to a polypharmacological approach, the present work concerns the synthesis and antifungal activity of a set of peptides designed to simultaneously target the fungal cell surface and lanosterol demethylase, a key enzyme involved in ergosterol synthesis. Our peptides include amino acid sequences characteristic of membrane-active antimicrobial peptides (AMP), and due to the presence of His residues, they carry the imidazole ring characteristic of azole compounds. The peptides synthesized by us, were tested against different yeast species, and displayed general antifungal activity, with a therapeutically promising antifungal specificity against Cryptococcus neoformans

The Globular Cluster System of NGC4374

We study the globular cluster system (GCS) of the giant elliptical NGC4374 (M84) in the Virgo cluster using B and R photometry. The colour distribution is bimodal with peaks at B-R=1.11 and B-R=1.36, fitting well to those found in other early-type galaxies. The radial profile of the cluster number density is flatter than the galaxy light. Using the luminosity function we derive a distance modulus of $\mu=31.61\pm0.2$, which within the uncertainty agrees with the distance from surface brightness fluctuations. Blue and red clusters show similar radial concentrations and azimuthal distributions. The total number of clusters is $N=1775\pm150$, which together with our distance modulus leads to a specific frequency of $S_{N}=1.6\pm0.3$. This value is surprisingly low for a giant elliptical, but resembles the case of merger remnants like NGC1316, where the low specific frequency is probably caused by the luminosity contribution of an intermediate-age population. A further common property is the high rate of type Ia supernovae which also may indicate the existence of a younger population. However, unlike in the case of NGC1316, one cannot find any further evidence that NGC4374 indeed hosts younger populations. The low specific frequency would also fit to a S0 galaxy seen face-on.Comment: Accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysics. 11 page

Diurnal variations of ambient particulate wood burning emissions and their contribution to the concentration of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Seiffen, Germany

Residential wood burning is becoming an increasingly important cause of air quality problems since it has become a popular source of alternative energy to fossil fuel. In order to characterize the contribution of residential wood burning to local particle pollution, a field campaign was organized at the village of Seiffen (Saxony, Germany). During this campaign, an Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (AMS) was deployed in parallel to a PM<sub>1</sub> high volume filter sampler. The AMS mass spectra were analyzed using Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) to obtain detailed information about the organic aerosol (OA). Biomass-burning organic aerosol (BBOA), Hydrocarbon-like organic aerosol (HOA), and Oxygenated Organic Aerosol (OOA) were identified and represented 20%, 17% and 62% of total OA, respectively. Additionally, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH) were measured by the AMS with an average concentration of 10 ng m<sup>−3</sup> and short term events of extremely high PAH concentration (up to 500 ng m<sup>−3</sup>) compared to the mean PAH value were observed during the whole measurement period. A comparison with the results from PM<sub>1</sub> filter samples showed that the BBOA factor and the AMS PAH are good indicators of the total concentration of the different monosaccharide anhydrides and PAH measured on the filter samples. Based on its low correlation with CO and the low car traffic, the HOA factor was considered to be related to residential heating using liquid fuel. An influence of the time of the week (week vs. weekend) on the diurnal profiles of the different OA components was observed. The weekdays were characterized by two maxima; a first one early in the morning and a stronger one in the evening. During the weekend days, the different OA components principally reached only one maximum in the afternoon. Finally, the PAH emitted directly from residential wood combustion was estimated to represent 1.5% of the total mass of the BBOA factor and around 62% of the total PAH concentration measured at Seiffen. This result highlights the important contribution of residential wood combustion to air quality and PAH emissions at the sampling place, which might have a significant impact on human health. Moreover, it also emphasizes the need for a better time resolution of the chemical characterization of toxic particulate compounds in order to provide more information on variations of the different sources through the days as well as to better estimate the real human exposure