Evaluation of infertility

The most important goal of fertility investigation is to identify the cause(s) of infertility and to prescribe adequate therapy. The couple should be treated as a single unit as each partner contributes a share to the infertility potential of the couple. Evaluation should begin with the taking of a detailed history and a complete physical examination of both partners, which may point the investigation in a particular direction. However, other pertinent fertility factors should not be overlooked. A standardized and comprehensive approach to the investigation of infertility is proposed and is presented as a series of flow chart

Evaluation of infertility

The most important goal of fertility investigation is to identify the cause(s) of infertility and to prescribe adequate therapy. The couple should be treated as a single unit as each partner contributes a share to the infertility potential of the couple. Evaluation should begin with the taking of a detailed history and a complete physical examination of both partners, which may point the investigation in a particular direction. However, other pertinent fertility factors should not be overlooked. A standardized and comprehensive approach to the investigation of infertility is proposed and is presented as a series of flow chart

High-order harmonic generation with a strong laser field and an attosecond-pulse train: the Dirac Delta comb and monochromatic limits

In recent publications, it has been shown that high-order harmonic generation can be manipulated by employing a time-delayed attosecond pulse train superposed to a strong, near-infrared laser field. It is an open question, however, which is the most adequate way to approximate the attosecond pulse train in a semi-analytic framework. Employing the Strong-Field Approximation and saddle-point methods, we make a detailed assessment of the spectra obtained by modeling the attosecond pulse train by either a monochromatic wave or a Dirac-Delta comb. These are the two extreme limits of a real train, which is composed by a finite set of harmonics. Specifically, in the monochromatic limit, we find the downhill and uphill sets of orbits reported in the literature, and analyze their influence on the high-harmonic spectra. We show that, in principle, the downhill trajectories lead to stronger harmonics, and pronounced enhancements in the low-plateau region. These features are analyzed in terms of quantum interference effects between pairs of quantum orbits, and compared to those obtained in the Dirac-Delta limit.Comment: 10 pages, 7 figures (eps files). To appear in Laser Physic

Distributional pattern of Sardinian orchids under a climate change scenario

The Mediterranean is one of the major biodiversity hotspots of the world. It has been identified as the “core” of the speciation process for many groups of organisms. It hosts an impressive number of species, many of which are classified as endangered taxa. Climate change in such a diverse context could heavily influence community composition, reducing ecosystems resistance and resilience. This study aims at depicting the distribution of nine orchid species in the island of Sardinia (Italy), and at forecasting their future distribution in consequence of climate change. The models were produced by following an “ensemble” approach. We analysed present and future (2070) niche for the nine species, using Land Use and Soil Type, as well as 8 bioclimatic variables as predictors, selected because of their influence on the fitness of these orchids. Climate change in the next years, at Mediterranean latitudes, is predicted to results mainly in an increase of temperature and a decrease of precipitation. In 2070, the general trend for almost all modelled taxa is the widening of the suitable areas. However, not always the newly gained areas have high probability of presence. A correct interpretation of environmental changes is needed for developing effective conservation strategies