Asymptotically Hilbertian Modular Banach Spaces: Examples of Uncountable Categoricity

We give a criterion ensuring that the elementary class of a modular Banach space E (that is, the class of Banach spaces, some ultrapower of which is linearly isometric to an ultrapower of E) consists of all direct sums E\oplus_m H, where H is an arbitrary Hilbert space and \oplus_m denotes the modular direct sum. Also, we give several families of examples in the class of Nakano direct sums of finite dimensional normed spaces that satisfy this criterion. This yields many new examples of uncountably categorical Banach spaces, in the model theory of Banach space structures.Comment: 20 page

Simple Scalings for Various Regimes of Electron Acceleration in Surface Plasma Waves

Different electron acceleration regimes in the evanescent field of a surface plasma wave are studied by considering the interaction of a test electron with the high-frequency electromagnetic field of a surface wave. The non-relativistic and relativistic limits are investigated. Simple scalings are found demonstrating the possibility to achieve an efficient conversion of the surface wave field energy into electron kinetic energy. This mechanism of electron acceleration can provide a high-frequency pulsed source of relativistic electrons with a well defined energy. In the relativistic limit, the most energetic electrons are obtained in the so-called electromagnetic regime for surface waves. In this regime the particles are accelerated to velocities larger than the wave phase velocity, mainly in the direction parallel to the plasma-vacuum interface

Electron acceleration by surface plasma waves in the interaction between femtosecond laser pulses and sharp-edged overdense plasmas

International audienceThe relativistic acceleration of electrons by the field of surface plasma waves created in the interaction between ultrashort high-intensity laser pulses with sharp-edged overdense plasmas has been investigated. It is shown that the initial phase of the wave experienced by the electrons play a leading part by yielding a well-defined peaked structure in the energy distribution function. This study suggests that resonant excitation of surface plasma waves could result in quasi-monokinetic energetic electron bunches. When the space charge field becomes too strong, this mechanism can evolve toward a true absorption process of the surface wave energy via an enhanced ''vacuum heating'' mechanism generalized to the case of surface plasma waves

Can we predict the duration of an interglacial?

Differences in the duration of interglacials have long been apparent in palaeoclimate records of the Late and Middle Pleistocene. However, a systematic evaluation of such differences has been hampered by the lack of a metric that can be applied consistently through time and by difficulties in separating the local from the global component in various proxies. This, in turn, means that a theoretical framework with predictive power for interglacial duration has remained elusive. Here we propose that the interval between the terminal oscillation of the bipolar seesaw and three thousand years (kyr) before its first major reactivation provides an estimate that approximates the length of the sea-level highstand, a measure of interglacial duration. We apply this concept to interglacials of the last 800 kyr by using a recently-constructed record of interhemispheric variability. The onset of interglacials occurs within 2 kyr of the boreal summer insolation maximum/precession minimum and is consistent with the canonical view of Milankovitch forcing pacing the broad timing of interglacials. Glacial inception always takes place when obliquity is decreasing and never after the obliquity minimum. The phasing of precession and obliquity appears to influence the persistence of interglacial conditions over one or two insolation peaks, leading to shorter (~ 13 kyr) and longer (~ 28 kyr) interglacials. Glacial inception occurs approximately 10 kyr after peak interglacial conditions in temperature and CO2, representing a characteristic timescale of interglacial decline. Second-order differences in duration may be a function of stochasticity in the climate system, or small variations in background climate state and the magnitude of feedbacks and mechanisms contributing to glacial inception, and as such, difficult to predict. On the other hand, the broad duration of an interglacial may be determined by the phasing of astronomical parameters and the history of insolation, rather than the instantaneous forcing strength at inception

Alginate for cardiac regeneration: From seaweed to clinical trials.

Heart failure is a growing endemic in the aging Western population with a prevalence of over 20 million people worldwide1. Existing heart failure therapies are unable to reverse heart failure and do not address its fundamental cause, the loss of cardiomyocytes2. In order to induce myocardial regeneration for the myocardium and the heart valve, facilitate self-repair, improve tissue salvage, reduce or reverse the adverse-remodeling and ultimately achieve long-term functional stabilization and improvement in the heart function, novel strategies for therapeutic regeneration are being developed which are aiming to compensate for the insufficient and low intrinsic regenerative ability of the adult heart3. Similarly, valve replacement with mechanical or biological substitutes meets numerous hurdles. New approaches using multicellular approaches and new material are extensively studied. Most of those strategies depend on biomaterials that help to achieve functional integrated vasculogenesis and myogenesis in the heart/tissue. Especially for failed heart valve function a number of therapeutic approaches are common from corrective intervention to complete replacement4. However the complexity of the heart valve tissue and its high physical exposure has led to a variety of approaches, however therapeutic regeneration needs to be established. Beside other approaches alginate has been identified as one building block to achieve therapeutic regeneration. Alginate is a versatile and adaptable biomaterial that has found numerous biomedical applications which include wound healing, drug delivery and tissue engineering. Due to its biologically favorable properties including the ease of gelation and its biocompatibility, alginate-based hydrogels have been considered a particularly attractive material for the application in cardiac regeneration and valve replacement techniques. Here, we review current applications of alginate in cardiac regeneration as well as perspectives for the alginate-dependent, cardiac regeneration strategies

Optical properties of an ensemble of G-centers in silicon

We addressed the carrier dynamics in so-called G-centers in silicon (consisting of substitutional-interstitial carbon pairs interacting with interstitial silicons) obtained via ion implantation into a silicon-on-insulator wafer. For this point defect in silicon emitting in the telecommunication wavelength range, we unravel the recombination dynamics by time-resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy. More specifically, we performed detailed photoluminescence experiments as a function of excitation energy, incident power, irradiation fluence and temperature in order to study the impact of radiative and non-radiative recombination channels on the spectrum, yield and lifetime of G-centers. The sharp line emitting at 969 meV ($\sim$1280 nm) and the broad asymmetric sideband developing at lower energy share the same recombination dynamics as shown by time-resolved experiments performed selectively on each spectral component. This feature accounts for the common origin of the two emission bands which are unambiguously attributed to the zero-phonon line and to the corresponding phonon sideband. In the framework of the Huang-Rhys theory with non-perturbative calculations, we reach an estimation of 1.6$\pm$0.1 \angstrom for the spatial extension of the electronic wave function in the G-center. The radiative recombination time measured at low temperature lies in the 6 ns-range. The estimation of both radiative and non-radiative recombination rates as a function of temperature further demonstrate a constant radiative lifetime. Finally, although G-centers are shallow levels in silicon, we find a value of the Debye-Waller factor comparable to deep levels in wide-bandgap materials. Our results point out the potential of G-centers as a solid-state light source to be integrated into opto-electronic devices within a common silicon platform

Strongly enhanced laser absorption and electron acceleration via resonant excitation of surface plasma waves

International audienceTwo-dimensional (2D) particle-in-cell numerical simulations of the interaction between a high-intensity short-pulse p-polarized laser beam and an overdense plasma are presented. It is shown that, under appropriate physical conditions, a surface plasma wave can be resonantly excited by a short-pulse laser wave, leading to strong relativistic electron acceleration together with a dramatic increase, up to 70%, of light absorption by the plasma. Purely 2D effects contribute to enhancement of electron acceleration. It is also found that the angular distribution of the hot electrons is drastically affected by the surface wave. The subsequent ion dynamics is shown to be significantly modified by the surface plasma wave excitation

Efficient laser-overdense plasma coupling via surface plasma waves and steady magnetic field generation

International audienceThe efficiency of laser overdense plasma coupling via surface plasma wave excitation is investigated. Two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations are performed over a wide range of laser pulse intensity from 10 15 to 10 20 W cm À2 lm 2 with electron density ranging from 25 to 100n c to describe the laser interaction with a grating target where a surface plasma wave excitation condition is fulfilled. The numerical studies confirm an efficient coupling with an enhancement of the laser absorption up to 75%. The simulations also show the presence of a localized, quasi-static magnetic field at the plasma surface. Two interaction regimes are identified for low (Ik 2 10 17 W cm À2 lm 2) laser pulse intensities. At " relativistic " laser intensity, steady magnetic fields as high as $580 MG lm/k 0 at 7 Â 10 19 W cm À2 lm 2 are obtained in the simulations

Evaluation du potentiel insecticide de l’huile essentielle de Ocimum canum Sims sur Aphis gossypii Glover (Homoptera : Aphididae) au Togo

Afin de contribuer à l’élaboration d’une stratégie de gestion intégrée des ravageurs associés à la culture cotonnière, le potentiel insecticide de l’huile essentielle de Ocimum canum et de son composé majoritaire le terpinéol-4 a été évalué sur les adultes d’Aphis gossypii, puceron du cotonnier. Les tests biologiques ont été effectués en laboratoire selon la méthodologie Insecticide Resistance Action Commitee (IRAC) N° 1 Version 2. Les résultats de ces tests ont révélé que l’huile essentielle de O. canum et le terpinéol-4 possèdent de remarquables propriétés aphicides. Ils ont induit 100% de mortalité des pucerons adultes à la concentration minimale de 4 μl.ml-¹. Les DL50 mesurées ont indiqué les valeurs de 1,49 μl.ml-¹ et 2,06 μl.ml-¹ respectivement pour l’huile essentielle et le terpinéol-4. Les essais au champ seront nécessaires pour confirmer l’intérêt pratique de ces résultats dans l’élaboration d’un pesticide naturel contre ce puceron.Keywords: Cotonnier, terpinéol-4, puceron du cotonnier, bio pesticides, propriétés aphicide

Oxidative DNA damage bypass in Arabidopsis thaliana requires DNA polymerase λ and proliferating cell nuclear antigen 2

The oxidized base 7,8-oxoguanine (8-oxo-G) is the most common DNA lesion generated by reactive oxygen species. This lesion is highly mutagenic due to the frequent misincorporation of A opposite 8-oxo-G during DNA replication. In mammalian cells, the DNA polymerase (pol) family X enzyme DNA pol l catalyzes the correct incorporation of C opposite 8-oxo-G, together with the auxiliary factor proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). Here, we show that Arabidopsis thaliana DNA pol l, the only member of the X family in plants, is as efficient in performing error-free translesion synthesis past 8-oxo-G as its mammalian homolog. Arabidopsis, in contrast with animal cells, possesses two genes for PCNA. Using in vitro and in vivo approaches, we observed that PCNA2, but not PCNA1, physically interacts with DNA pol l, enhancing its fidelity and efficiency in translesion synthesis. The levels of DNA pol l in transgenic plantlets characterized by overexpression or silencing of Arabidopsis POLL correlate with the ability of cell extracts to perform error-free translesion synthesis. The important role of DNA pol l is corroborated by the observation that the promoter of POLL is activated by UV and that both overexpressing and silenced plants show altered growth phenotypes