Critical parameters for the partial coalescence of a droplet

The partial coalescence of a droplet onto a planar liquid/liquid interface is investigated experimentally by tuning the viscosities of both liquids. The problem mainly depends on four dimensionless parameters: the Bond number (gravity vs. surface tension), the Ohnesorge numbers (viscosity in both fluids vs. surface tension), and the density relative difference. The ratio between the daughter droplet size and the mother droplet size is investigated as a function of these dimensionless numbers. Global quantities such as the available surface energy of the droplet has been measured during the coalescence. The capillary waves propagation and damping are studied in detail. The relation between these waves and the partial coalescence is discussed. Additional viscous mechanisms are proposed in order to explain the asymmetric role played by both viscosities.Comment: 16 pages, 14 figures, submitted to Physical Review

Noncommutative generalization of SU(n)-principal fiber bundles: a review

This is an extended version of a communication made at the international conference ``Noncommutative Geometry and Physics'' held at Orsay in april 2007. In this proceeding, we make a review of some noncommutative constructions connected to the ordinary fiber bundle theory. The noncommutative algebra is the endomorphism algebra of a SU(n)-vector bundle, and its differential calculus is based on its Lie algebra of derivations. It is shown that this noncommutative geometry contains some of the most important constructions introduced and used in the theory of connections on vector bundles, in particular, what is needed to introduce gauge models in physics, and it also contains naturally the essential aspects of the Higgs fields and its associated mechanics of mass generation. It permits one also to extend some previous constructions, as for instance symmetric reduction of (here noncommutative) connections. From a mathematical point of view, these geometrico-algebraic considerations highlight some new point on view, in particular we introduce a new construction of the Chern characteristic classes

Intracellular mechanism of the action of inhibin on the secretion of follicular stimulating hormone and of luteinizing hormone induced by LH-RH in vitro

The FSH secretion-inhibiting action of inhibin in vitro under basal conditions and also in the presence of LH-RH is suppressed by the addition of MIX, a phosphodiesterase inhibitor. In the presence of LH-RH, inhibin reduces significantly the intracellular level of cAMP in isolated pituitary cells. In contrast, the simultaneous addition of MIX and inhibin raises the cAMP level, and this stimulation is comparable to the increase observed when MIX is added alone. These observations suggest that one mode of action of inhibin could be mediated by a reduction in cAMP within the pituitary gonadotropic cell

A hermeneutic inquiry into user-created personas in different Namibian locales

Persona is a tool broadly used in technology design to support communicational interactions between designers and users. Different Persona types and methods have evolved mostly in the Global North, and been partially deployed in the Global South every so often in its original User-Centred Design methodology. We postulate persona conceptualizations are expected to differ across cultures. We demonstrate this with an exploratory-case study on user-created persona co-designed with four Namibian ethnic groups: ovaHerero, Ovambo, ovaHimba and Khoisan. We follow a hermeneutic inquiry approach to discern cultural nuances from diverse human conducts. Findings reveal diverse self-representations whereby for each ethnic group results emerge in unalike fashions, viewpoints, recounts and storylines. This paper ultimately argues User-Created Persona as a potentially valid approach for pursuing cross-cultural depictions of personas that communicate cultural features and user experiences paramount to designing acceptable and gratifying technologies in dissimilar locales

A numerical approach to large deviations in continuous-time

We present an algorithm to evaluate the large deviation functions associated to history-dependent observables. Instead of relying on a time discretisation procedure to approximate the dynamics, we provide a direct continuous-time algorithm, valuable for systems with multiple time scales, thus extending the work of Giardin\`a, Kurchan and Peliti (PRL 96, 120603 (2006)). The procedure is supplemented with a thermodynamic-integration scheme, which improves its efficiency. We also show how the method can be used to probe large deviation functions in systems with a dynamical phase transition -- revealed in our context through the appearance of a non-analyticity in the large deviation functions.Comment: Submitted to J. Stat. Mec

Temperature-induced crossovers in the static roughness of a one-dimensional interface

At finite temperature and in presence of disorder, a one-dimensional elastic interface displays different scaling regimes at small and large lengthscales. Using a replica approach and a Gaussian Variational Method (GVM), we explore the consequences of a finite interface width $\xi$ on the small-lengthscale fluctuations. We compute analytically the static roughness $B(r)$ of the interface as a function of the distance $r$ between two points on the interface. We focus on the case of short-range elasticity and random-bond disorder. We show that for a finite width $\xi$ two temperature regimes exist. At low temperature, the expected thermal and random-manifold regimes, respectively for small and large scales, connect via an intermediate `modified' Larkin regime, that we determine. This regime ends at a temperature-independent characteristic `Larkin' length. Above a certain `critical' temperature that we identify, this intermediate regime disappears. The thermal and random-manifold regimes connect at a single crossover lengthscale, that we compute. This is also the expected behavior for zero width. Using a directed polymer description, we also study via a second GVM procedure and generic scaling arguments, a modified toy model that provides further insights on this crossover. We discuss the relevance of the two GVM procedures for the roughness at large lengthscale in those regimes. In particular we analyze the scaling of the temperature-dependent prefactor in the roughness B(r)\sim T^{2 \text{\thorn}} r^{2 \zeta} and its corresponding exponent \text{\thorn}. We briefly discuss the consequences of those results for the quasistatic creep law of a driven interface, in connection with previous experimental and numerical studies

Rythmes saisonniers de la croissance chez quelques Téléostéens de Guyane française

Des études squeletto-chronologiques de diverses espèces de Guyane française, #Arius couma, #A. proops, et #A. parkeri (#Siluriformes, #Arridae), #Leporinus friderici (#Characiformes, #Anostomidae) et #Myleus rhomboidalis (#Characiformes, #Serrasalmidae), permettent de proposer quelques hypothèses sur les modalités de leur croissance dans le milieu naturel, notamment dans le fleuve Sinnamary. Toutes semblent présenter, chaque année, deux phases de croissance active séparées par des périodes de ralentissement correspondant respectivement aux saisons humides et aux saisons sèches. C'est très probablement la disponibilité en nourriture, abondante en saison des pluies, qui règle les performances de croissance. A partir de l'hypothèse de deux cycles de croissance annuels, des courbes de croissance sont proposées pour chaque espèce. (Résumé d'auteur

Natural and projectively equivariant quantizations by means of Cartan Connections

The existence of a natural and projectively equivariant quantization in the sense of Lecomte [20] was proved recently by M. Bordemann [4], using the framework of Thomas-Whitehead connections. We give a new proof of existence using the notion of Cartan projective connections and we obtain an explicit formula in terms of these connections. Our method yields the existence of a projectively equivariant quantization if and only if an \sl(m+1,\R)-equivariant quantization exists in the flat situation in the sense of [18], thus solving one of the problems left open by M. Bordemann.Comment: 13 page

Finite-temperature and finite-time scaling of the directed polymer free-energy with respect to its geometrical fluctuations

We study the fluctuations of the directed polymer in 1+1 dimensions in a Gaussian random environment with a finite correlation length {\xi} and at finite temperature. We address the correspondence between the geometrical transverse fluctuations of the directed polymer, described by its roughness, and the fluctuations of its free-energy, characterized by its two-point correlator. Analytical arguments are provided in favor of a generic scaling law between those quantities, at finite time, non-vanishing {\xi} and explicit temperature dependence. Numerical results are in good agreement both for simulations on the discrete directed polymer and on a continuous directed polymer (with short-range correlated disorder). Applications to recent experiments on liquid crystals are discussed