First case of strong gravitational lensing by a QSO : SDSS J0013+1523 at z = 0.120

We present the first case of strong gravitational lensing by a QSO : SDSS J0013+1523, at z = 0.120. The discovery is the result of a systematic search for emission lines redshifted behind QSOs, among 22298 spectra of the SDSS data release 7. Apart from the z = 0.120 spectral features of the foreground QSO, the spectrum of SDSS J0013+1523 also displays the OII and Hbeta emission lines and the OIII doublet, all at the same redshift, z = 0.640. Using sharp Keck adaptive optics K-band images obtained using laser guide stars, we unveil two objects within a radius of 2 arcsec from the QSO. Deep Keck optical spectroscopy clearly confirms one of these objects at z = 0.640 and shows traces of the OIII, emission line of the second object, also at z = 0.640. Lens modeling suggests that they represent two images of the same z = 0.640 emission-line galaxy. Our Keck spectra also allow us to measure the redshift of an intervening galaxy at z = 0.394, located 3.2 arcsec away from the line of sight to the QSO. If the z = 0.120 QSO host galaxy is modeled as a singular isothermal sphere, its mass within the Einstein radius is M_E(r < 1 kpc) = 2.16e10 M_Sun and its velocity dispersion is sigma_SIS = 169 km/s. This is about 1 sigma away from the velocity dispersion estimated from the width of the QSO Hbeta emission line, sigma_*(M_BH) = 124 +/- 47 km/s. Deep optical HST imaging will be necessary to constrain the total radial mass profile of the QSO host galaxy using the detailed shape of the lensed source. This first case of a QSO acting as a strong lens on a more distant object opens new directions in the study of QSO host galaxies.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in A&A Letters. Added new Keck spectroscop

Time-dependent area-based pricing for multimodal systems with heterogeneous users in an agent-based environment

In this paper, we investigate an area-based pricing scheme for congested multimodal urban networks with the consideration of user heterogeneity. We propose a time-dependent pricing scheme where the tolls are iteratively adjusted through a Proportional-Integral type feedback controller, based on the level of vehicular traffic congestion and traveler's behavioral adaptation to the cost of pricing. The level of congestion is described at the network level by a Macroscopic Fundamental Diagram, which has been recently applied to develop network-level traffic management strategies. Within this dynamic congestion pricing scheme, we differentiate two groups of users with respect to their value-of-time (which related to income levels). We then integrate incentives, such as improving public transport services or return part of the toll to some users, to motivate mode shift and increase the efficiency of pricing and to attain equitable savings for all users. A case study of a medium size network is carried out using an agent-based simulator. The developed pricing scheme demonstrates high efficiency in congestion reduction. Comparing to pricing schemes that utilize similar control mechanisms in literature which do not treat the adaptivity of users, the proposed pricing scheme shows higher flexibility in toll adjustment and a smooth behavioral stabilization in long-term operation. Significant differences in behavioral responses are found between the two user groups, highlighting the importance of equity treatment in the design of congestion pricing schemes. By integrating incentive programs for public transport using the collected toll revenue, more efficient pricing strategies can be developed where savings in travel time outweigh the cost of pricing, achieving substantial welfare gain. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

A large potentiation effect of serum on the in vitro potency of tulathromycin against Mannheimia haemolytica and Pasteurella multocida

The antimicrobial properties of tulathromycin were investigated for M.haemolytica and P.multocida. Three invitro indices of antimicrobial activity, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) and time-kill curves, were established for six isolates of each organism. Each index was measured in two growth media: Mueller-Hinton broth (MHB) and calf serum. It was shown that MICs and MBCs were markedly lower in serum than in MHB. MHB:serum ratios for MIC were 47:1 (M.haemolytica) and 53:1 (P.multocida). For both serum and MHB, adjustment of pH led to greater potency at alkaline compared to acid pH. Tulathromycin MIC was influenced by size of inoculum count, being 4.0- to 7.7-fold greater for high compared to low initial counts. It was concluded that for the purpose of determining dosages for therapeutic use, pharmacodynamic data for tulathromycin should be derived in biological fluids such as serum. It is hypothesized that invitro measurement of MIC in broth, conducted according to internationally recommended standards, may be misleading as a basis for estimating the invivo potency of tulathromycin

Urea metabolism in the digestive tract of the pig ; preliminary quantitative and qualitative data

La méthode directe d’étude des échanges de nutriments entre le sang et les contenus digestifs, déjà exposée ici (Rerat, 1977) a été appliquée à l'étude du passage de l’urée sanguine vers la lumière intestinale et de sa métabolisation en ammoniac chez le porc au cours de cinq répétitions à niveaux alimentaires différents permettant de comparer chez un même animal des régimes à 12 p. 100 de protéines contenant ou non de l’urée (3 p. 100). Il se produit une sécrétion brute permanente d urée en provenance du sang vers le tube digestif qui s’élève à près d’un gramme par heure au cours de la digestion de repas équilibrés chez des sujets en bonne santé. L’urée sécrétée n’est que partiellement dégradée (moins de 50 p. 100) en ammoniac. L’urée fournie par voie alimentaire est rapi dement absorbée (en cinq heures environ), et son addition au régime ne se traduit pas par une élévation significative des quantités d’ammoniac produites au cours de la période d’étude postprandiale (8 h) chez des animaux non adaptés à cette addition d urée.The previously reported direct method of determination of the exchanges of nutriments between blood and digestive contents (Rerat, 1977) was applied to the study of the passage of blood urea towards the intestinal lumen and its meta- bolization into ammonia in the pig. Using five replications at different feeding levels it was possible to compare in one and the same animal diets containing 12 p. 100 protein and either no urea or 3 p. 100. The amount of blood urea permanently secreted in the gut during digestion of a balanced meal in healthy animals ranged around 1 gramme per hour. The urea secreted was only partially degraded ( less than 50 p. 100) into ammonia. Dietary urea was rapidly absorbed (within about 5 hours) and its addition to the diet did not lead to a significant elevation in the amounts of ammonia produced during the postprandial period (8 h) in animals non adapted to this addition of urea

La perfusion des organes digestifs. Méthode d'étude de l'absorption

Le Bars Henri, Mollé J., Rérat Alain, Simonnet Henri. La perfusion des organes digestifs. Méthode d'étude de l'absorption. In: Bulletin de l'Académie Vétérinaire de France tome 111 n°6, 1958. pp. 305-310

Ab-initio study of the dielectric response of high-permittivity perovskites for energy storage

Des facteurs fondamentaux pour la performance de matériaux à haute permittivité basés sur des pérovskites sont étudiés par des techniques ab-initio. L anomalie diélectrique géante à 0K des pérovskites est investiguée aux niveaux Hartree-Fock, Théorie de la Fonctionnelle de la Densité et méthodes hybrides, en termes de la stabilité thermodynamique des phases, des contributions structurales et vibrationnelles et des charges effectives de Born. Le mode mou actif en infra-rouge est responsable par l anomalie et des méthodes hybrides sont nécessaires pour reproduire les données expérimentales. L évolution de l instabilité ferroélectrique dans les pérovskites ABO3 avec la substitution de l ion A est reliée de façon systématique aux rayons ioniques ainsi qu aux degrés d hybridation dans les liaisons pour des tantalates, niobates et titanates.Ab-initio techniques are used to investigate key factors influencing the dielectric performance of high permittivity materials based on perovskites. The pressure-induced giant dielectric anomaly at 0K of ABO3 perovskites is investigated at the Hartree-Fock, density-functional theory and hybrid levels. Its mechanism is analyzed in terms of thermodynamic phase stability, structural and phonon contributions and Born effective charges. It is shown that the IR-active soft phonon is responsible for the anomaly and the use of hybrid functionals is required for agreement with experimental data. The evolution of the ferroelectric instability in ABO3 perovskites with substitution of the ion in the A site is systematically investigated for tantalates, niobates and titanates and correlated with the ionic radii as well as the degree of hybridization in the bonds.PAU-BU Sciences (644452103) / SudocSudocFranceF