Will gravitational waves confirm Einstein's General Relativity?

Even if Einstein's General Relativity achieved a great success and overcame lots of experimental tests, it also showed some shortcomings and flaws which today advise theorists to ask if it is the definitive theory of gravity. In this proceeding paper it is shown that, if advanced projects on the detection of Gravitational Waves (GWs) will improve their sensitivity, allowing to perform a GWs astronomy, accurate angular and frequency dependent response functions of interferometers for GWs arising from various Theories of Gravity, i.e. General Relativity and Extended Theories of Gravity, will be the ultimate test for General Relativity. This proceeding paper is also a short review of the Essay which won Honorable Mention at the 2009 Gravity Research Foundation Awards.Comment: To appear in Proceedings of the 7th International Conference of Numerical Analysis and Applied Mathematics, Rethymno, Crete (near to Chania), Greece, 18-22 September 200

Gravitomagnetic effect in gravitational waves

After an introduction emphasizing the importance of the gravitomag- netic effect in general relativity, with a resume of some space-based appli- cations, we discuss the so-called magnetic components of gravitational waves (GWs), which have to be taken into account in the context of the total response functions of interferometers for GWs propagating from ar- bitrary directions.Comment: To appear in Proceedings of the 7th International Conference of Numerical Analysis and Applied Mathematics, Rethymno, Crete (near to Chania), Greece, 18-22 September 200

A non-geodesic motion in the R^-1 theory of gravity tuned with observations

In the general picture of high order theories of gravity, recently, the R^-1 theory has been analyzed in two different frameworks. In this letter a third context is added, considering an explicit coupling between the R^-1 function of the Ricci scalar and the matter Lagrangian. The result is a non-geodesic motion of test particles which, in principle, could be connected with Dark Matter and Pioneer anomaly problems.Comment: Accepted for Modern Physics Letters

Post-rift sequence architecture and stratigraphy in the Oligo-Miocene Sardinia rift (Western Mediterranean Sea)

Rift basins provide important sedimentary archives to reconstruct past tectonic and climatic conditions. Understanding their sedimentary history is, however, largely hampered by the competing influence of tectonic versus climatic forcing. The aim of this study is to comprehend the effects of local to regional tectonic and global climatic/eustatic changes on shallow marine depositional systems in the Sardinia Rift (Western Mediterranean Sea). For this purpose the stratigraphic and depositional relations of a mixed siliciclastic-carbonate ramp at the Porto Torres Basin margin were studied along extensive proximal to distal transects. Three depositional sequences (DS1 to DS3) of late Burdigalian to early Serravallian age have been identified, which are separated by erosional unconformities. Each contains a lower trans- gressive part and an upper regressive part. The former includes shoreface sandstone (DS2) or coral reef (DS3) deposits on the proximal ramp and channelized sheet sandstone (DS1) or basinal mudstone (DS2, DS3) deposits on the distal ramp, typically recording an upsection trend of sediment starvation. The latter is represented by basinward-prograding coralline red algal carbonate wedges due to enhanced shallow water carbonate production rates. In the long term, the depositional evolution from DS1 to DS3 reveals basin margin progradation associated with decreasing siliciclastic supply. Integrated calcareous nannoplankton-foraminiferal-pectinid biostratigraphy links the depositional sequences to third-order sea-level cycles and allows to correlate the erosional unconformities at the top of DS1 and DS2 with the Bur 5/Lan 1 and Lan 2/Ser 1 sequence boundaries. The improved sequence stratigraphic framework enables better regional and global correlations. This shows that rhodalgal carbonate slopes started prograding in the western branch of the Sardinia Rift during the late Burdigalian because (1) of a worldwide bloom of rhodalgal facies, and (2) decreasing tectonic activity at the transition from the syn- rift to the post-rift stage caused a continuous reduction of the siliciclastic sediment input

The production of matter from curvature in a particular linearized high order theory of gravity and the longitudinal response function of interferometers

The strict analogy between scalar-tensor theories of gravity and high order gravity is well known in literature. In this paper it is shown that, from a particular high order gravity theory known in literature, it is possible to produce, in the linearized approch, particles which can be seen like massive scalar modes of gravitational waves and the response of interferometers to this type of particles is analyzed. The presence of the mass generates a longitudinal force in addition of the transverse one which is proper of the massless gravitational waves and the response of an arm of an interferometer to this longitudinal effect in the frame of a local observer is computed. This longitudinal response function is directly connected with the function of the Ricci scalar in the particular action of this high order theory. Important conseguences from a theoretical point of view could arise from this approach, because it opens to the possibility of using the signals seen from interferometers to understand which is the correct theory of gravitation.Comment: Accepted for Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physic

Alternative livelihoods in a coastal village

Women, Gender, Economic situation, Philippines,

TRANSMISSIBLE SPONGIFORM ENCEPHALOPATHIES (TSES): EXPERIMENTAL APPROACHES TO PATHOGENESIS, THERAPY AND PREVENTION IN ANIMAL MODELS

Prion diseases are perhaps the most mysterious and peculiar diseases in nature. These diseases do not rely on the general dogmas of modern biology, seen in other infectious diseases caused by conventional pathogens, such as viruses and bacteria. On the contrary, their infectious agent is an unconventional proteinaceous pathogen, termed prion, that lacks functional nucleic acids. Prion diseases are also known as Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (TSEs), since the diseases are transmissible from one host to another and manifest a spongiform appearance as result of the destruction of brain tissue during a long incubation period. Prion diseases include Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans, bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE, \u201cmad cow disease\u201d) in ruminants, scrapie in sheep and goats and chronic wasting disease in deer and elks. As demonstrated in the BSE outbreak and its transmission to humans, the onset of diseases is not limited to a certain species but can be transmissible from one host species to another. Such a striking nature of prions has generated huge concerns in public health and attracted serious attention in the scientific communities. To date, the potential transmission of prions to human has not been alleviated and TSEs still have no reliable preclinical screening tests and effective treatments. This doctoral thesis deals widely with the prion diseases, from epidemiology to pathogenesis, from diagnosis to therapy and prevention. Moreover it describes in detail three experimental projects aimed to clarify different aspects of TSEs. In all of them wild-type mouse bioassays are used, as they are the gold standard for assessing the biological properties of prions. The goal of the first study was to assess the therapeutic and/or preventive activity on TSEs of the chronic administration of a new \u3b3-secretase modulator. The second research investigated the ability to identify BSE in presence of scrapie. The third project was aimed to study the effects induced by chronic administration of lipid enriched/depleted specific diets on the pathogenesis of prion diseases

Gravitational Waves Astronomy: a cornerstone for gravitational theories

Realizing a gravitational wave (GW) astronomy in next years is a great challenge for the scientific community. By giving a significant amount of new information, GWs will be a cornerstone for a better understanding of gravitational physics. In this paper we re-discuss that the GW astronomy will permit to solve a captivating issue of gravitation. In fact, it will be the definitive test for Einstein's general relativity (GR), or, alternatively, a strong endorsement for extended theories of gravity (ETG).Comment: To appear in Proceedings of the Workshop "Cosmology, the Quantum Vacuum and Zeta Functions" for the celebration of Emilio Elizalde's sixtieth birthday, Barcelona, March 8-10, 201

In situ characterisation of readhesion treatments for ceiling paintings using unilateral NMR

Ceiling and wall paintings pose significant challenges for historic house management due to their position at the interface between the environment and the building. Tight restrictions to modifications on built heritage prevent total control of the environment, resulting in temperature and humidity fluctuations. Different hygrothermal responses within the wall painting stratigraphy frequently lead to fracturing and lifting of paint layers, necessitating remedial conservation to readhere areas of detachment. Assessing the success of readhesion interventions is difficult due to the hidden nature of the treatment and, often, limited access. This paper presents comparative results of two different adhesive treatments employed during the conservation of the baroque ceiling painting in the Queen's Staircase at Hampton Court Palace, analysed with unilateral nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). This non-invasive technique enabled monitoring of the adhesive systems, based on Jun Funori and BEVA® 371 adhesives, up to a depth of 3,500 μm into the ceiling by providing specially resolved proton density profiles before and after treatment. The results offer a unique and pertinent assessment of treatment areas within a strictly limited timeframe. It is shown that the solvent carrier leaves the system within 24 hours and that the ultimate deposition of the adhesive can be identified