Dynamical Reduction Models: present status and future developments

We review the major achievements of the dynamical reduction program, showing why and how it provides a unified, consistent description of physical phenomena, from the microscopic quantum domain to the macroscopic classical one. We discuss the difficulties in generalizing the existing models in order to comprise also relativistic quantum field theories. We point out possible future lines of research, ranging from mathematical physics to phenomenology.Comment: 12 pages. Contribution to the Proceedings of the "Third International Workshop DICE2006", Castello di Piombino (Tuscany), September 11-15, 2006. Minor changes mad

The quantum theory of measurement within dynamical reduction models

We analyze in mathematical detail, within the framework of the QMUPL model of spontaneous wave function collapse, the von Neumann measurement scheme for the measurement of a 1/2 spin particle. We prove that, according to the equation of the model: i) throughout the whole measurement process, the pointer of the measuring device is always perfectly well localized in space; ii) the probabilities for the possible outcomes are distributed in agreement with the Born probability rule; iii) at the end of the measurement the state of the microscopic system has collapsed to the eigenstate corresponding to the measured eigenvalue. This analysis shows rigorously how dynamical reduction models provide a consistent solution to the measurement problem of quantum mechanics.Comment: 24 pages, RevTeX. Minor changes mad

The Hilbert space operator formalism within dynamical reduction models

Unlike standard quantum mechanics, dynamical reduction models assign no particular a priori status to `measurement processes', `apparata', and `observables', nor self-adjoint operators and positive operator valued measures enter the postulates defining these models. In this paper, we show why and how the Hilbert-space operator formalism, which standard quantum mechanics postulates, can be derived from the fundamental evolution equation of dynamical reduction models. Far from having any special ontological meaning, we show that within the dynamical reduction context the operator formalism is just a compact and convenient way to express the statistical properties of the outcomes of experiments.Comment: 25 pages, RevTeX. Changes made and two figures adde

The use of circular economy practices in SMEs across the EU

This study explores the circular economy (CE) practices of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the 28 European Union (EU) member states. Five measures of CE are studied, namely Re-planning the way water is used to minimize usage and maximize re-usage, Using renewable energy, Re-planning energy usage to minimize consumption, Minimizing waste by recycling or reusing waste or selling it to another firm, and Redesigning products and services to minimize the use of materials or using recycled materials. Multilevel ordinal probit models that control within- and between-variability across European Union countries are estimated. Results show that CE measures across EU countries are very heterogeneous. At the firm level, we find that firm size (number of employees and total turnover in 2015) and percentage of firms’ turnover invested in R&D in 2015 are significant in explaining within-country variations. The multilevel structure (between-country variability) accounts for 6.1%–15.1% of the total variability of CE measures. These results have implications for the design of framework policies at EU level given that the firms surveyed are SMEs, the segment in which these CE measures most need improved planning and implementation.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Entangling macroscopic diamonds at room temperature: Bounds on the continuous-spontaneous-localization parameters

A recent experiment [K. C. Lee et al., Science 334, 1253 (2011)] succeeded in detecting entanglement between two macroscopic specks of diamonds, separated by a macroscopic distance, at room temperature. This impressive results is a further confirmation of the validity of quantum theory in (at least parts of) the mesoscopic and macroscopic domain, and poses a challenge to collapse models, which predict a violation of the quantum superposition principle, which is the bigger the larger the system. We analyze the experiment in the light of such models. We will show that the bounds placed by experimental data are weaker than those coming from matter-wave interferometry and non-interferometric tests of collapse models.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures, v2: close to the published version, LaTe

T Cell Leukemia/Lymphoma 1A is essential for mouse epidermal keratinocytes proliferation promoted by insulin-like growth factor 1

T Cell Leukemia/Lymphoma 1A is expressed during B-cell differentiation and, when overexpressed, acts as an oncogene in mouse (Tcl1a) and human (TCL1A) B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) and T-cell prolymphocytic leukemia (T-PLL). Furthermore, in the murine system Tcl1a is expressed in the ovary, testis and in pre-implantation embryos, where it plays an important role in blastomere proliferation and in embryonic stem cell (ESC) proliferation and self-renewal. We have also observed that Tcl1-/-adult mice exhibit alopecia and deep ulcerations. This finding has led us to investigate the role of TCL1 in mouse skin and hair follicles. We have found that TCL1 is expressed in the proliferative structure (i.e.The secondary hair germ) and in the stem cell niche (i.e.The bulge) of the hair follicle during regeneration phase and it is constitutively expressed in the basal layer of epidermis where it is required for the correct proliferative-differentiation program of the keratinocytes (KCs). Taking advantage of the murine models we have generated, including the Tcl1-/-and the K14-TCL1 transgenic mouse, we have analysed the function of TCL1 in mouse KCs and the molecular pathways involved. We provide evidence that in the epidermal compartment TCL1 has a role in the regulation of KC proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. In particular, the colony-forming efficiency (CFE) and the insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1)-induced proliferation are dramatically impaired, while apoptosis is increased, in KCs from Tcl1-/-mice when compared to WT. Moreover, the expression of differentiation markers such as cytokeratin 6 (KRT6), filaggrin (FLG) and involucrin (IVL) are profoundly altered in mutant mice (Tcl1-/-). Importantly, by over-expressing TCL1A in basal KCs of the K14-TCL1 transgenic mouse model, we observed a significant rescue of cell proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis of the mutant phenotype. Finally, we found TCL1 to act, at least in part, via increasing phospho-ERK1/2 and decreasing phospho-P38 MAPK. Hence, our data demonstrate that regulated levels of Tcl1a are necessary for the correct proliferation and differentiation of the interfollicular KC

10/26/1990 - Marching Panthers Morgan Humphrey and Tina Kramer

“Misurare la soddisfazione” è la sfida di approfondite ricerche e l’obiettivo di molte strategie di marketing. L’assunto di base è che un consumatore soddisfatto tende a reiterare i suoi comportamenti d’acquisto, a parità di ogni altra condizione o vincolo. Tradizionalmente, la soddisfazione è stata misurata come l’esito di un raffronto positivo tra le attese sviluppate prima dell’acquisto e i risultati ottenuti con l’utilizzo del bene acquistato. Tuttavia, nelle società di oggi, con la prevalenza dei consumi simbolici su quelli materiali, la frammentazione delle richieste del mercato, la vicinanza in tempo reale alle comunità di clienti, il rapporto instaurato coi beni acquistati non è quasi mai solo razionale, ma assume i connotati di un’esperienza totalitaria, emotiva e coinvolgente. Questo lavoro parte dall’assunto che la soddisfazione derivi, piuttosto che dalla specifica performance del prodotto, dalla valutazione dell’intera esperienza di consumo, dal momento in cui il prodotto è scelto a quello in cui ci si disfa. Sulla base di un innovativo approccio, il Modello conoscenze-speranze, essa è vista come un incremento dello stock di benessere soggettivo, esito di un raffronto con quanto razionalmente atteso ed emotivamente sperato. In quest’ottica, la soddisfazione risulta connessa con gli aspetti delle esperienze legati alla curiosità, alla divergenza, alla capacità di comportarsi e relazionarsi e, al contempo, con gli aspetti più propriamente sensoriali, simbolici ed estetici del consumo, che fanno appello alle emozioni più profonde ed agli affetti delle persone. Il volume è articolato in quattro parti – a vantaggio di quanti, studiosi e operatori, desiderino misurare con validità scientifica e rigore la soddisfazione nei diversi ambiti di consumo. Nella prima, sono passati in rassegna i principali studi sulla soddisfazione, come base per una revisione critica del paradigma tradizionale realizzata con la proposizione del nuovo modello interpretativo. Nella seconda parte, è sviluppata la scala di soddisfazione derivante dalle esperienze di consumo, rispettivamente, in rapporto ai prodotti shopping, convenience, specialty e ai servizi. Nella terza parte, sono presentate delle applicazioni della scala in campo bancario, assicurativo e distributivo, oltre che in relazione ad un costrutto alternativo collegato, la customer delight, concludendo con una rassegna sistematica degli effetti comportamentali, positivi o negativi, e delle conseguenti strategie di marketing da parte delle imprese. La quarta parte, infine, fornisce una vasta appendice didattica contenente tutti i passaggi statistici, gli output e i comandi del software SPSS-PASW, per condurre le analisi contenute nel volume