University of Avignon

About: University of Avignon is a education organization based out in Avignon, Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur, France. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Speaker recognition. The organization has 1526 authors who have published 3766 publications receiving 88928 citations.

Primer Pheromones in Social Hymenoptera

Abstract: Social insect are profoundly influenced by primer pheromones (PPhs), which are efficient means for maintaining social harmony in the colony. PPhs act by affecting the physiology of the recipients with a subsequent shift in their behavior, and many PPhs have a releaser effect (i.e., changing the probability of performing a certain behavior upon perception). In this review we try to clarify the interplay between such dual pheromonal effects. Only a few PPhs have been identified, and we provide evidence for their existence in multiple species of social Hymenoptera, which is the most extensively studied of the social insects. We focus on the regulation of reproduction, social policing, and task allocation. Considering PPhs in a broad sense, we also discuss fertility signals and the role of cuticular hydrocarbons as putative PPhs. Identification of the underlying chemistry of PPhs offers insights into insect physiology and the evolution of social behavior. PPhs of the honey bee are used to demonstrate the complexity of pheromonal communication in social insects.

Stabilizing and Modulating Color by Copigmentation: Insights from Theory and Experiment

Abstract: Natural anthocyanin pigments/dyes and phenolic copigments/co-dyes form noncovalent complexes, which stabilize and modulate (in particular blue, violet, and red) colors in flowers, berries, and food products derived from them (including wines, jams, purees, and syrups). This noncovalent association and their electronic and optical implications constitute the copigmentation phenomenon. Over the past decade, experimental and theoretical studies have enabled a molecular understanding of copigmentation. This review revisits this phenomenon to provide a comprehensive description of the nature of binding (the dispersion and electrostatic components of π-π stacking, the hydrophobic effect, and possible hydrogen-bonding between pigment and copigment) and of spectral modifications occurring in copigmentation complexes, in which charge transfer plays an important role. Particular attention is paid to applications of copigmentation in food chemistry.

Uncertainties in predicting rice yield by current crop models under a wide range of climatic conditions

Abstract: Predicting rice (Oryza sativa) productivity under future climates is important for global food security. Ecophysiological crop models in combination with climate model outputs are commonly used in yield prediction, but uncertainties associated with crop models remain largely unquantified. We evaluated 13 rice models against multi-year experimental yield data at four sites with diverse climatic conditions in Asia and examined whether different modeling approaches on major physiological processes attribute to the uncertainties of prediction to field measured yields and to the uncertainties of sensitivity to changes in temperature and CO2 concentration [CO2]. We also examined whether a use of an ensemble of crop models can reduce the uncertainties. Individual models did not consistently reproduce both experimental and regional yields well, and uncertainty was larger at the warmest and coolest sites. The variation in yield projections was larger among crop models than variation resulting from 16 global climate model-based scenarios. However, the mean of predictions of all crop models reproduced experimental data, with an uncertainty of less than 10% of measured yields. Using an ensemble of eight models calibrated only for phenology or five models calibrated in detail resulted in the uncertainty equivalent to that of the measured yield in well-controlled agronomic field experiments. Sensitivity analysis indicates the necessity to improve the accuracy in predicting both biomass and harvest index in response to increasing [CO2] and temperature.

Analytical Model for Connectivity in Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks

Abstract: We investigate connectivity in the ad hoc network formed between vehicles that move on a typical highway. We use a common model in vehicular traffic theory in which a fixed point on the highway sees cars passing it that are separated by times with an exponentially distributed duration. We obtain the distribution of the distances between the cars, which allows us to use techniques from queuing theory to study connectivity. We obtain the Laplace transform of the probability distribution of the connectivity distance, explicit expressions for the expected connectivity distance, and the probability distribution and expectation of the number of cars in a platoon. Then, we conduct extensive simulation studies to evaluate the obtained results. The analytical model that we present is able to describe the effects of various system parameters, including road traffic parameters (i.e., speed distribution and traffic flow) and the transmission range of vehicles, on the connectivity. To more precisely study the effect of speed on connectivity, we provide bounds obtained using stochastic ordering techniques. Our approach is based on the work of Miorandi and Altman, which transformed the problem of connectivity distance distribution into that of the distribution of the busy period of an equivalent infinite server queue. We use our analytical results, along with common road traffic statistical data, to understand connectivity in vehicular ad hoc networks.