Towards a Microscopic Theory for Metallic Heavy-Fermion Point Contacts

The bias-dependent resistance R(V) of NS-junctions is calculated using the Keldysh formalism in all orders of the transfer matrix element. We present a compact and simple formula for the Andreev current, that results from the coupling of electrons and holes on the normal side via the anomalous Green's function on the superconducting side. Using simple BCS Nambu-Green's functions the well known Blonder-Tinkam-Klapwijk theory can be recovered. Incorporating the energy-dependent quasi-particle lifetime of the heavy fermions strongly reduces the Andreev-reflection signal.Comment: 3 pages, TeX type, 1 eps figure include, SCES96 Z\"uric

Molecular dissection of Phaseolus vulgaris polygalacturonase-inhibiting protein 2 reveals the presence of hold/release domains affecting protein trafficking toward the cell wall

The plant endomembrane system is massively involved in the synthesis, transport and secretion of cell wall polysaccharides and proteins; however, the molecular mechanisms underlying trafficking toward the apoplast are largely unknown. Besides constitutive, the existence of a regulated secretory pathway has been proposed. A polygalacturonase inhibitor protein (PGIP2), known to move as soluble cargo and reach the cell wall through a mechanism distinguishable from default, was dissected in its main functional domains (A, B, C, D), and C sub-fragments (C1–10), to identify signals essential for its regulated targeting. The secretion patterns of the fluorescent chimeras obtained by fusing different PGIP2 domains to the green fluorescent protein (GFP) were analyzed. PGIP2 N-terminal and leucine-rich repeat domains (B and C, respectively) seem to operate as holding/releasing signals, respectively, during PGIP2 transit through the Golgi. The B domain slows down PGIP2 secretion by transiently interacting with Golgi membranes. Its depletion leads, in fact, to the secretion via default (Sp2-susceptible) of the ACD-GFP chimera faster than PGIP2. Depending on its length (at least the first 5 leucine-rich repeats are required), the C domain modulates B interaction with Golgi membranes allowing the release of chimeras and their extracellular secretion through a Sp2 independent pathway. The addition of the vacuolar sorting determinant Chi to PGIP2 diverts the path of the protein from cell wall to vacuole, suggesting that C domain is a releasing rather than a cell wall sorting signal

Italian anthologies about Russian Children's literature : an overview (1926-1944)

The “Archive” section publishes four fragments selected from studies of Italian authors who wrote about children’s literature—the writers and teachers Giuseppe Fanciulli (1881–1951) and Olindo Giacobbe (1880–1950), the children writer, translator and publisher Mary Tibaldi-Chiesa (1896–1968) and teacher Olga Visentini (1893–1961). These works, written between 1926 and 1943, are taken from textbooks and are interesting in that they present the view of Italian experts on Russian children’s literature. The authors build the history of Russian literature for children, give an overview of contemporary émigré children’s literature, and try to determine the national identity of children’s literature in Russia. Giuseppe Fanciulli turns to Russian folklore, to the fairy tale genre and brings the line of his research to the beginning of the 20th century. The work of Mary Tibaldi-Chiesa gives a detailed review of translations of Russian literature into Italian, made with a focus on children’s and youthful readers, and also presents a detailed biography of Alexander Pushkin. Olga Visentini’s essay is based on the previous experience of Olindo Giacobbe, supplementing and continuing his work up to the first attempts at Soviet children’s literature

Creativity and thinking styles in Arts, Sciences, and Humanities High School students

Este estudio tuvo como objetivo explorar las diferencias entre los factores de la creatividad y los estilos de pensamiento entre los estudiantes de 13 a 18 años de edad que asisten a escuelas secundarias de artes, ciencias y humanidades. El inventario de estilo de pensamiento de Sternberg y Wagner (1992) y el test de pensamiento creativo de Williams (1994) fueron utilizados. Los resultados mostraron que más estudiantes de ciencias preferían trabajar con problemas concretos y detalles, la mayoría de ellos transformaron las ideas de uno a otro estado mental diferente, prefirieron ir más allá de las normas existentes y maximizar el cambio, la mayor parte de ellos prefirieron ir mas allá de las reglas existentes y maximizar los cambios, fueron capaces de producir ideas poco comunes y significantes; además, los estudiantes de ciencias preferían trabajar con otras personas y seguir las reglas existentes y minimizar los cambios, una pequeña parte de ellos fue capaces de enriquecer y desarrollar sus ideas en forma diferente. No hay relaciones entre estilos de pensamiento y creatividad en otros tipos de escuelas. Futuras investigaciones investigarán las similitudes y diferencias en otros planes de estudio estudios utilizando otras medidas de creatividad y estilos de pensamiento.This study aimed to explore the differences in factors of creativity and thinking styles among students aged 13-18 attending to arts, sciences, and humanities high schools. Thinking Style Inventory of Sternberg and Wagner (1992) and Test of Creative Thinking of Williams (1994) were used. Results showed that the more sciences students preferred to work with concrete problems and details, the more they transformed ideas from one to another different mental set; the more sciences students preferred to go beyond existing rules and maximize change, the more they were able to change ideas in different mental set; the more sciences students preferred to maximize change, the more they were able to produce uncommon and meaningful ideas; in addition, the more sciences students preferred to work with other people and to follow existing rules and minimize change, the less they were able to enrich and elaborate their ideas in different way. No relationships between thinking styles and creativity in other types of schools were observed. Future researches will investigate similarities and differences in other curricula studies using other measures of creativity and thinking styles.Questo studio ha esplorato le differenze nei fattori della creatività e negli stili di pensiero tra studenti di età compresa tra 13 e 18 anni frequentanti licei artistici, scientifici e classici. Sono stati usati il Thinking Style Inventory di Sternberg e Wagner (1992) ed il Test of Creative Thinking di Williams (1994). I risultati hanno mostrato che più gli studenti dei licei scientifici preferiscono lavorare con problemi concreti e dettagli, più essi trasformano le idee in differenti set mentali; più gli stessi preferiscono andare oltre le regole esistenti e massimizzare il cambiamento, più sono abili a cambiare set mentale; più gli stessi preferiscono massimizzare il cambiamento più sono abili a produrre idée rare; inoltre, più gli stessi preferiscono lavorare con gli altri e seguire le regole esistenti e minimizzare il cambiamento, meno sono abili ad arricchire le loro idee. Nessuna relazione è emersa tra stili di pensiero e creatività negli studenti degli altri licei. Future ricerche potranno analizzare somiglianze e differenze in altri indirizzi scolastici utilizzando altre misure di creatività e di stili di pensiero.peerReviewe

Divergent Thinking in Children with Down Syndrome

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Siblings and Disability: A Study on Social Attitudes toward Disabled Brothers and Sisters

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Portrait Values, Similarity in Aspects of Everyday Life, Self and Group Representations in Refugees Asylum Seekers

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Are Special Needs Teachers More Burned-out Than Volunteers with Disabled People?

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Analytic Density of States in the Abrikosov-Gorkov Theory

Since the early 1960s, Abrikosov-Gorkov theory has been used to describe superconductors with paramagnetic impurities. Interestingly, the density of states resulting from the theoretical framework has to date only been known approximately, as a numeric solution of a complex polynomial. Here we introduce an exact analytic solution for the density of states of a superconductor with paramagnetic impurities. The solution is valid in the whole regime of Abrikosov-Gorkov theory; both where there is an energy gap and gapless. While of fundamental interest, we argue that this solution also has computational benefits in the evaluation of integrals for tunneling conductances and allows for an analytic description of materials with densities of states that are modeled from the basic Abrikosov-Gorkov density of states.Comment: 5 pages, 1 figur

Relationship between self-efficacy and self-concepts in university students

El propósito de esta investigación es enfocar la relación entre autoeficacia (Bandura, 1997), en relación a la creencia de que puede ser capaz de percibir las necesidades y creencias de los demás (autoeficacia empática) y de establecer buenas relaciones (auto-eficacia social), y el auto-concepto, que se analizó evocando la teoría de la auto-discrepancia (Higgins, 1987). Se emplearon medidas de autoeficacia empática y social y la técnica del diferencial semántico para explorar el Ser real y Social en una muestra de 76 estudiantes de psicología en la Universidad italiana de Catania. Los resultados mostraron que los estudiantes de psicología lograron niveles medios en la autoeficacia enfática y social, y expresaron una representación muy similar del concepto de sí mismos, en términos de la teoría de la auto-discrepancia. Además, la mayoría de los estudiantes de psicología se percibieron eficientes en la comprensión de los sentimientos y emociones de los demás y así como cultivando buenas relaciones, la mayoría expresaron una representación positiva del ser real y el ser social; además, los estudiantes por encima de los niveles medios de la autoeficacia enfática y social mostraron una representación más positiva del ser real y social que aquellos con bajo promedio. Se discuten las implicaciones futuras sobre el importante papel que desempeñan los auto-conceptos en otras dimensiones psicológicas.The purpose of this investigation was focused on the relationship between self-efficacy (Bandura, 1997), regarding the beliefs to be able to recognize the needs and beliefs of the others (emphatic self-efficacy) and to establish good relationships (social self-efficacy), and Self-concepts (Actual and Social Self), analyzed evoking the Self-Discrepancy Theory (Higgins, 1987). We used empathic and social self-efficacy measures and semantic differential technique to explore Actual and Social Self in a sample of 76 psychology Italian students at University of Catania. Results showed that psychology students reached on average levels in emphatic and social self-efficacy and expressed a very similar representation of Self-concepts, in terms of Self-Discrepancy Theory. In addition, the more the psychology students perceived themselves efficient at understanding the feelings and emotions of the others and cultivating good relations, the more they expressed a positive representation of Actual and Social Self; further, students with on and above average levels of emphatic and social self-efficacy showed a more positive representation of Actual and Social Self than those with under average. Future implications on the important role played by Self-concepts on other psychological dimensions were discussed