neutron threshold. It concerns the measured $E1$ strength for $^{93,95}$Mo at $\approx 7$ MeV ([@RIPL] and references therein), and for $^{92,94,96,98,100}$Mo from $(\gamma,\gamma')$ experiments [@Rusev]. The latter, however, shows an RSF with a shape quite different (convex rather than concave) from the one extracted from the Oslo data. In addition, the absolute value of the data presented in Ref. [@Rusev] appears to overestimate the experimental average radiative width $\left< \Gamma_{\gamma}(S_n) \right>$. The reason for this disagreement is not yet understood, but the explanation might be connected to the different reaction parameters and selectivity of the populated states (such as restrictions on the spin range and/or parity) compared to the Oslo data. Also, these data reach energies down to $E_{\gamma} \approx 5-6$ MeV only, depending on the isotope studied. We will therefore in the following use the results from the Oslo method to constrain the $E_\gamma \rightarrow 0$ limit.

The existence of the upbend structure could also be questioned on the basis of the various assumptions related to the Oslo method. In particular, one fundamental assumption behind the extraction procedure relies on the Brink hypothesis [@br55], which states that collective excitation modes built on excited states have the same properties as 