pinecone/core-2020-05-10-deduplication huggingface dataset:
Discovery of VHE gamma-rays from the distant BL Lacertae 1ES 0347-121

Aims.Our aim is to study the production mechanism for very-high-energy (VHE; >100 GeV) ?-rays in distant active galactic nuclei (AGN) and use the observed VHE spectrum to derive limits on the Extragalactic Background Light (EBL). We also want to determine physical quantities through the modeling of the object's broad-band spectral energy distribution (SED). Methods: VHE observations (~25 h live time) of the BL Lac 1ES 0347-121 (redshift z = 0.188) were conducted with the High Energy Stereoscopic System (HESS) between August and December 2006. Contemporaneous X-ray and UV/optical observations from the SWIFT satellite are used to interpret the SED of the source in terms of a synchrotron self Compton (SSC) model. Results: An excess of 327 events, corresponding to a statistical significance of 10.1 standard deviations, is detected from 1ES 0347-121. Its photon spectrum, ranging from ~250 GeV to ~3 TeV, is well described by a power law with a photon index of ? = 3.10 ± 0.23stat ± 0.10sys. The integral flux above 250 GeV corresponds to ~2% of the flux of the Crab Nebula above the same threshold. No VHE flux variability is detected within the data set. Conclusions: Constraints on the EBL density at optical to near-infrared wavelengths derived from the photon spectrum of 1ES 0347-121 are close to the strongest limits derived previously. The strong EBL limits confirm earlier findings, that the EBL density in the near-infrared is close to the lower limits from source counts. This implies that the universe is more transparent to VHE ?-rays than previously believed. An SSC model provides a reasonable description of the contemporaneous SED. Affiliations are only available in electronic form at http://www.aanda.or
Stratigraphy and age of the Cappadocia ignimbrites, Turkey: reconciling field constraints with paleontologic, radiochronologic, geochemical and paleomagnetic data

The stratigraphy and age of the Neogene Cappadocia ignimbrites (Central Turkey) have been inferred in previous studies from fieldwork and K–Ar age determinations. The resulting stratigraphic schemes, however, differed from each other, suggesting that further studies were required to produce a reliable succession. In this paper, we examine the chronostratigraphy of mammalian remains recovered in the continental sediments interbedded with the Cappadocia ignimbrites. Using recent advances in mammalian chronostratigraphy, we evaluate selected taxa and faunal associations to place new and independent constraints on the ignimbrite ages. The biostratigraphically bracketed ages concur with some published radiometric dates, but they disagree with others, principally at localities where major stratigraphic discrepancies have arisen in the literature. In order to reconcile these apparent inconsistencies, we combine, at selected sites, our field observations with the biostratigraphic and radiometric age limits, and we compare these with the available geochemical and magnetic data. This allows us to present revised age estimates, and a revised stratigraphy which includes the correlation of the local Sofular deposits with the large-volume Gördeles ignimbrite. The issues faced in this study apply to other ignimbrite provinces in the world. For instance, ignimbrite eruption frequency in Cappadocia is higher than the resolution of many published K–Ar ages. Furthermore, different K–Ar ages have led to the description of individual and distinct ignimbrites that fieldwork and geochemical data allow to merge into a single ignimbrite. Argon loss from pumice samples leading to radiometric “rejuvenation” provides a likely explanation for most stratigraphic discrepancies. Cappadocia is the only documented ignimbrite field in which the chronostratigraphy of vertebrate remains provides better constraints on some ignimbrite ages than scattered K–Ar dates. We further argue that K–Ar dates from the Cappadocia area are too imprecise to establish a reliable magnetostratigraphic scheme for the ignimbrite succession, with the exception of the not, vert, similar2.8 Ma Valibaba Tepe ignimbrite
Using Rock-Eval 6 pyrolysis for tracking fossil organic carbon in modern environments: implications for the roles of erosion and weathering.

This work relates to the debate on the fossil organic carbon (FOC) input in modern environments and its possible implication for the carbon cycle, and suggests the use of Rock-Eval 6 pyrolysis as a relevant tool for tracking FOC in such environments. Considering that such a delivery is mainly due to supergene processes affecting the continental surface, we studied organic matter in different reservoirs such as bedrocks, alterites, soils and rivers in two experimental catchments at Draix (Alpes de Haute Provence, France). Samples were subjected to geochemical (Rock-Eval 6 pyrolysis) investigations and artificial bacterial degradations. After comparing the geochemical fingerprint of samples, geochemical markers of FOC were defined and tracked in the different reservoirs. Our results confirm the contribution of FOC in modern soils and rivers and display the various influences of weathering and erosional processes on the fate of FOC during its exchange between these pools. In addition, the contrasting behaviour of these markers upon the supergene processes has also highlighted the refractory or labile characters of the fossil organic matter (FOM). Bedrock to river fluxes, controlled by gully erosion, are characterized by a qualitative and quantitative preservation of FOM. Bedrock to alterite fluxes, governed by chemical weathering, are characterized by FOC mineralization without qualitative changes in deeper alterites. Alterite to soils fluxes, controlled by (bio)chemical weathering, are characterized by strong FOC mineralization and qualitative changes of FOM. Thus weathering and erosional processes induce different FOM evolution and affect the fate of FOC towards the global carbon cycle. In this study, gully erosion would involve maintenance of an ancient sink for the global carbon cycle, while (bio)chemical processes provide a source of CO2. Finally, this study suggests that Rock-Eval 6 pyrolysis can be considered as a relevant tool for tracking FOC in modern environments
Marangoni induced force on a drop in a Hele Shaw cell

International audienceWe analyse the force balance on a cylindrical drop in a Hele-Shaw cell, subjected to a Marangoni flow caused by a surface tension gradient. Depth-averaged Stokes equations, called Brinkman equations, are introduced and a general closed form solution is obtained. The validity of the averaging procedure is ascertained by considering a linear surface tension gradient acting on a cylindrical flattened drop. The Marangoni-driven flow field and resulting force predicted by the Brinkman model are seen to match well a full three-dimensional direct numerical simulation. A closed form ex-pression of the force acting on the drop is obtained, calculated from contributions due to the normal viscous stress, tangential viscous stress, and pressure fields, integrated on the drop perimeter. This expression is used to predict the force balance when a stationary droplet is submitted to both a carrier flow and a Marangoni flow. We show that previous results in the literature had underestimated by a factor two the Marangoni-induced force
Multiphoton k -resolved photoemission from gold surface states with 800-nm femtosecond laser pulses

International audienceWe measure direct multiphoton photoemission of the Au(111) surface state with 800-nm laser pulses. We observe the parabolic dispersion in the angular distribution of photoelectrons having absorbed between four and seven photons. The k dispersion we measure can be explained in terms of Shockley-state replicas, with a nascent hot electrons distribution at k above the Fermi level. Moderate laser power densities, of the order of 100 GW/cm 2 , resulted in large electron yields, indicating the importance of multiphoton excitations to define the electronic and magnetic properties of matter in the first hundred femtoseconds after laser excitation
Fast running restricts evolutionary change of the vertebral column in mammals

The mammalian vertebral column is highly variable, reflecting adaptations to a wide range of lifestyles, from burrowing in moles to flying in bats. However, in many taxa, the number of trunk vertebrae is surprisingly constant. We argue that this constancy results from strong selection against initial changes of these numbers in fast running and agile mammals, whereas such selection is weak in slower-running, sturdier mammals. The rationale is that changes of the number of trunk vertebrae require homeotic transformations from trunk into sacral vertebrae, or vice versa, and mutations toward such transformations generally produce transitional lumbosacral vertebrae that are incompletely fused to the sacrum. We hypothesize that such incomplete homeotic transformations impair flexibility of the lumbosacral joint and thereby threaten survival in species that depend on axial mobility for speed and agility. Such transformations will only marginally affect performance in slow, sturdy species, so that sufficient individuals with transitional vertebrae survive to allow eventual evolutionary changes of trunk vertebral numbers. We present data on fast and slow carnivores and artiodactyls and on slow afrotherians and monotremes that strongly support this hypothesis. The conclusion is that the selective constraints on the count of trunk vertebrae stem from a combination of developmental and biomechanical constraints
Low Power HEVC Software Decoder for Mobile Devices

This document is a preprint version. The final publication is available at link.springer.com: http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs11554-015-0512-8International audienceIn the context of mobile handheld devices, energy consumption is a primary concern and the process of video decoding is often among the most resource-intensive applications. Recent embedded processors are equipped with advanced features such as Dynamic Voltage Frequency Scaling (DVFS) in order to reduce their power consumption. These features can be used to perform low power video decoding when no hardware decoding support is available for a given standard. High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) is a recent video standard offering state-of-the-art compression rates and advanced parallel processing solutions. This paper presents strategies for the power optimization of a real-time software HEVC decoder on Neon architecture. These strategies include the exploitation of data and task-level parallelism, as well as the use of a new frequency control system to optimize the processor DVFS, based on an estimation of the decoding complexity. Extensive power measurement results, based on a multi-core ARM big.LITTLE processor, are provided and compared to state-of-the-art. These results show that the proposed open-source implementation can reach an energy consumption below 21 nJ/px for HD decoding at 2.2 Mbits/s
Designer lignins: harnessing the plasticity of lignification

Lignin is a complex polyphenolic constituent of plant secondary cell walls. Inspired largely by the recalcitrance of lignin to biomass processing, plant engineering efforts have routinely sought to alter lignin quantity, composition, and structure by exploiting the inherent plasticity of lignin biosynthesis. More recently, researchers are attempting to strategically design plants for increased degradability by incorporating monomers that lead to a lower degree of polymerisation, reduced hydrophobicity, fewer bonds to other cell wall constituents, or novel chemically labile linkages in the polymer backbone. In addition, the incorporation of value-added structures could help valorise lignin. Designer lignins may satisfy the biological requirement for lignification in plants while improving the overall efficiency of biomass utilisation
An interpretation of small values of transfer coefficient at conducting polymers

The electrochemical oxidation of electronically conducting polymers has shown values of the anodic transfer coefficient closed to zero at the Tafel equation rather than 0.5. This experimental result is interpreted in this report as a difference between the ionic conductance in the reactant with the neutral state and the electric conductance in the product with the polaron state. Since the electric conductance generates a lower electric field for the charged activated complex than the ionic conductance in the reaction coordinate, it compels the activated complex to move less toward the reactant than toward the product. The asymmetry of the activation potential hill makes the anodic transfer coefficient small. This concept is demonstrated by use of the Langevin equation for the activated complex at the activation energy hill. The transfer coefficient is expressed in terms of the thermal fluctuation the conductance, and the current density. The Tafel plot deviates convexly from a straight line, and depends on applied potential, as is consistent with experimental results
Calcineurin-independent inhibition of mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake by cyclosporin A

Producción CientíficaCyclosporin A (CsA) is a widely used compound because ofits potent immunosupressive
properties, derived mainly from the inhibition of calcineurin, and also because of its ability to block
the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (PTP). This second effect has been involved in the
protection against apoptosis mediated by release ofmitochondrial factors. We show here that CsA (1–
10mM) has an additional effect on Ca2+ homeostasis in mitochondria that cannot be attributed to
inhibition ofPTP.
By measuring specifically mitochondrial [Ca2+] with targeted aequorin, we show that CsA
inhibited Ca2+ entry into mitochondria both in intact and in permeabilized cells, and this effect was
stronger when Ca2+ entry was triggered by low cytosolic [Ca2+], below 5 mM.
Inhibition ofmitochondrial Ca2+ uptake required micromolar concentrations ofCsA and was not
mimicked by other inhibitors of calcineurin such as FK-506 or cypermethrin, nor by a different
inhibitor ofthe PTP, bongkrekic acid.
CsA blocked the increase in mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake rate induced by the mitochondrial Ca2+
uniporter activator SB202190.
5 Our results suggest that CsA inhibits Ca2+ entry through the Ca2+ uniporter by a mechanism
independent ofthe inhibition ofPTP or calcineurin. This effect may contribute to reduce
depolarization and Ca2+ overloading in mitochondria after cell stimulation, and thus cooperate
with the direct inhibition ofPTP to prevent apoptosis.2015-09-1
Ground Versus Soil: A New Paradigm in Geotechnical Engineering Education

me  of  the  practitioners  of  geotechnical \ud
engineering  tend  to  confuse  Ground  with \ud
Soil. It is not just semantics but the terms have d\ud
eeper technical and philosophical implications. Soi\ud
l \ud
is  a  material  which  can  be  handled,  felt,  seen,  sme\ud
lt,  tasted,  and  tested  in  small  to  medium  size \ud
samples while ‘Ground’ is an entity that exists in-\ud
situ. Just as the adage, ‘The total is more than th\ud
e \ud
sum  of  the  individual  parts’,  predicting  the  behavi\ud
or  of  ground  from  the  so-called  properties \ud
measured  on  samples  collected  from  the  field  is  muc\ud
h  more  complex  and  involves  judgment. \ud
Ground  is  an  intricate  natural  entity  very  similar \ud
to  ‘Humans’  and  exhibits  behavioral  responses \ud
rather  than  merely  possess  properties  like  other  en\ud
gineering  materials.  Humans  have  organs  and \ud
traits such as being jovial, sad, friendly, angry, \ud
misanthropic, etc. but do not have properties. Thei\ud
r \ud
behavioral  responses  depend  on  genetics,  environmen\ud
t  in  which  they  grow,  personality  they \ud
develop  and  to  impetus  they  experience.  Similarly, \ud
the  genetics  of  ground  is  defined  by  its \ud
formation (alluvial, marine, residual, colluvial, a\ud
eolin, etc.) depending upon how physiogamy forms \ud
the  deposit.  Ground,  one  tends  to  believe,  is  a  sol\ud
id  mass  on  which  structures  are  built,  becomes \ud
suddenly  a  fluid  under  specific  aggravating  circums\ud
tances  such  as  consisting  loose  saturated  sand \ud
with  small  amount  of  fines  but  subjected  to  seismic\ud
  activity  of  medium  to  high  intensity.  On  the \ud
other hand, a river in flood can erode the ground b\ud
y removing particles by its high velocity leading \ud
to  scour.  Slopes  on  which  civilizations  thrive,  bec\ud
ome  unstable  and  sometimes  even  catastrophic \ud
under  heavy  rainfall,  coupled  with  human  activities\ud
  of  deforestation,  cutting/steepening  of  slopes, \ud
saturating  it  by  ignorance  or  callousness,  etc.  The\ud
  paper  presents a  new  paradigm  that  emphasizes \ud
the  need  to  visualize  Ground,  not  just  as  a  materia\ud
l  but  rather  an  entity,  and  view  Geotechnical \ud
Engineering comprehensively, beyond a mechanistic s\ud
tandpoint
Transdisciplinary global change research: the co-creation of knowledge for sustainability

The challenges formulated within the Future Earth framework set the orientation for research programmes in sustainability science for the next ten years. Scientific disciplines from natural and social science will collaborate both among each other and with relevant societal groups in order to define the important integrated research questions, and to explore together successful pathways towards global sustainability. Such collaboration will be based on transdisciplinarity and integrated research concepts. This paper analyses the relationship between scientific integration and transdisciplinarity, discusses the dimensions of integration of different knowledge and proposes a platform and a paradigm for research towards global sustainability that will be both designed and conducted in partnership between science and society. We argue that integration is an iterative process that involves reflection among all stakeholders. It consists of three stages: co-design, co-production and co-dissemination
Visible spectroelectrochemical characterization of geobacter sulfurreducens biofilms on optically transparent indium tin oxide electrode

We report visible spectroelectrochemical (SEC) characterization of cytochrome c552 (cyt c552) in viable Geobacter sulfurreducens biofilms on tin-doped indium oxide (ITO) electrodes poised at 0.24 V vs.. SHE. G. sulfurreducens biofilms were grown in minimal medium with acetate as electron donor (turnover conditions), followed by 24 hours incubation in electron donor-depleted medium (non-turnover conditions). The electronic absorption spectra of G. sulfurreducens biofilms showed the lowest energy absorption band in the reduced state at 552 nm, which indicated excess of cyt c552 in the biofilm. The spectra under non-turnover conditions displayed gradual reduction of the cyt c552, following the step-wise decrease of electrode potential from 0.0 V to -0.6 V vs.. standard calomel electrode (SCE). The spectral changes were fully reversible in both positive and negative direction of the scan potential, with average midpoint potential value of -0.42 V vs.. SCE. Confocal microscopy analysis revealed that the thickness of biofilms under turnover conditions and non-turnover conditions was approximately 35 and 3.5 µm, respectively. This is the first study to observe the reversible redox conversion of cyt c552 in viable G. sulfurreducens biofilms
Investigating the CO2 laser cutting parameters of MDF wood composite material

Laser cutting of medium density fibreboard (MDF) is a complicated process and the selection of the process parameters combinations is essential to get the highest quality of the cut section. This paper presents laser cutting of MDF based on design of experiments (DOE). CO2 laser was used to cut three thicknesses 4, 6 and 9 mm of MDF panels. The process factors investigated are: laser power, cutting speed, air pressure and focal point position. In this work, cutting quality was evaluated by measuring, upper kerf width, lower kerf width, ratio between the upper kerf width to the lower kerf width, cut section roughness and the operating cost. The effect of each factor on the quality measures was determined and special graphs were drawn for this purpose. The optimal cutting combinations were presented in favours of high quality process output and in favours of low cutting cost
Effects of polylinker uATGs on the function of grass HKT1 transporters expressed in yeast cells

HvHKT1 mediates K+ or Na+ uniport in yeast cells if the expression promoter is joined directly to the HvHKT1 cDNA, and Na+-K+ symport if a 59-nt polylinker is inserted. Our results show that three ATG triplets in the polylinker decreased the synthesis of the transporter and that the lower amount of transporter caused the functional change. With the rice HKT1 cDNA, the 59-nt polylinker changed the mode of Na+ uptake from K+-insensitive to K+-inhibitable. These two modes of Na+ uptake also occurred in rice plant
Modelling solute transport in soil columns using advective-dispersive equations with fractional spatial derivatives

Solute transport in soils is commonly simulated with the advective–dispersive equation, or ADE. It has been reported that this model cannot take into account several important features of solute movement through soil. Recently, a new model has been suggested that results in a solute transport equation with fractional spatial derivatives, or FADE. We have assembled a database on published solute transport experiments in soil columns to test the new model. The FADE appears to be a useful generalization of the ADE. The order of the fractional differentiation reflects differences in physical conditions of the solute transport in soi
Argon K-shell and bound-free emission from OMEGA direct-drive implosion cores

We discuss calculations of synthetic spectra for the interpretation and analysis of K-shell and bound-free emission from argon-doped deuterium-filled OMEGA direct-drive implosion cores. The spectra are computed using a model that considers collisional-radiative atomic kinetics, continuum-lowering, detailed Stark-broadened line shapes, line overlapping, and radiation transport effects. The photon energy range covers the moderately optically thick n = 3 → n = 1 and n = 4 → n = 1 line transitions in He- and H-like Ar, their associated satellite lines in Li- and He-like Ar, and several radiative recombination edges. At the high-densities characteristic of implosion cores, the radiative recombination edges substantially shift to lower energies thus overlapping with several line transitions. We discuss the application of the spectra to spectroscopic analysis of doped implosion core
Nutritive value of palm kernel meal in diets for growing rabbits

The aim of this work was to determine the nutritive value of palm kernel meal (PKM) in diets for growing rabbits. In Experiment 1, 20 New Zealand × Californian growing rabbits 50 d-old were used to determine energy, crude protein, fibre and fat digestibility of PKM. The nutritive value was estimated by the difference method using a basal diet and another diet made by substituting 200 g/kg of basal diet with PKM. Energy, crude protein, ether extract and neutral detergent fibre of PKM digestibilities were, respectively, 0.549 (±0.056, SE), 0.541 (±0.069), 0.850 (±0.048) and 0.430 (±0.101), and the digestible energy concentration was 10.9 MJ/kg (±1.03) DM. In Experiment 2, 412 rabbits were allocated at random to the two experimental diets to measure growing performance. Inclusion of 200 g PKM/kg in the diet did not affect feed or digestible energy intake but decreased slightly (by around 5%) average daily gain (P = 0.003) and feed efficiency (P < 0.001). Neither mortality nor Clostridium perfringens counts in soft faeces were affected by type of diet. Palm kernel meal can be considered a palatable source of fibre, protein and fat for rabbits and can substitute significant amounts of other fibrous ingredients in the diet without adverse effects on growth performance