Measurement results and improvements on an open EPR system

Electron spin resonance (ESR) is a spectroscopic method that allows to measure stable radicals induced by ionizing radiation. The EPR measurements can help to estimate the dose absorbed by people exposed during a nuclear disaster, detecting the number of radicals induced in their mobile phones due to the exposition [1]. Using conventional closed microwave cavities, the phone display must be fragmented in order to be introduced inside the resonator, becoming no more usable. The aim of this work is to develop a system, compatible with the spectrometer Bruker Elexys E500, able to preserve the sample integrity. The system uses an X-band resonant metallic cavity with a slit, realized on one side, for the leak of the excitation magnetic field and a Helmotz coil pair. The resonator allows measuring a sample lodged outside the cavity, while the coils produce a 100 kHz modulated field that encodes the output signal at a particular frequency and increases the SNR

From Mendel’s discovery on pea to today’s plant genetics and breeding

In 2015, we celebrated the 150th anniversary of the presentation of the seminal work of Gregor Johann Mendel. While Darwin’s theory of evolution was based on differential survival and differential reproductive success, Mendel’s theory of heredity relies on equality and stability throughout all stages of the life cycle. Darwin’s concepts were continuous variation and “soft” heredity; Mendel espoused discontinuous variation and “hard” heredity. Thus, the combination of Mendelian genetics with Darwin’s theory of natural selection was the process that resulted in the modern synthesis of evolutionary biology. Although biology, genetics, and genomics have been revolutionized in recent years, modern genetics will forever rely on simple principles founded on pea breeding using seven single gene characters. Purposeful use of mutants to study gene function is one of the essential tools of modern genetics. Today, over 100 plant species genomes have been sequenced. Mapping populations and their use in segregation of molecular markers and marker–trait association to map and isolate genes, were developed on the basis of Mendel's work. Genome-wide or genomic selection is a recent approach for the development of improved breeding lines. The analysis of complex traits has been enhanced by high-throughput phenotyping and developments in statistical and modeling methods for the analysis of phenotypic data. Introgression of novel alleles from landraces and wild relatives widens genetic diversity and improves traits; transgenic methodologies allow for the introduction of novel genes from diverse sources, and gene editing approaches offer possibilities to manipulate gene in a precise manner

Il Cammino della Scienza. Successi, rischi, prospettive

La breve storia della scienza occidentale delineata in questo libro vuole mostrare come una delle più alte manifestazioni dell’intelletto umano rischi di perdere dignità e di essere coinvolta in una corsa alla produzione e al profitto incompatibile con la propria vocazione. E vorrebbe avvicinare i giovani e gli studenti alla scienza, offrendo loro una visione critica della ricerca, affinché possano impegnarsi nel rinnovamento di un’impresa intellettuale cruciale per il loro futuro e che ha nel contempo la stessa dignità e lo stesso valore dell’arte e della musica

Le radici socioeconomiche dei problemi etici della ricerca scientifica

Financial conflicts of interest are today exceedingly common in research and have to be considered as the real source of the ethical research problems. Government and professional organisations have proposed guidelines for managing ethical problems and the teaching of ethics has been promoted by universities, but all with no evident influence on the practice of science. This paper goes back to the origin of the so-called linear model for R&D to find the economic and social conditions that shaped the science as a profession in essential conflict according the Merton’s Criteria. As a consequence according to the Author there is no other way to increase the ethical standards in science than a radical revolution in the economic and political management of the Scientific Research based in a clear-cut distinction between basic and industrial research on one side and between scientist and engineer on the other

Ist die wissenschaftliche Abhandlung ein Betrug?

Il saggio esamina criticamente l’opinione di P.B. Medawar secondo la quale il formato standard dell’articolo scientifico è una forma di frode letteraria. Sulla base di analisi storiche e in particolare dei contributi di Peter Dear e Frederick Holmes, e di considerazioni di sociologia della scienza, si sostiene che questa opinione è fondata su una equivoca interpretazione del falsificazionismo popperiano e su una errata concezione della funzione che l’articolo scientifico svolge all’interno del sistema di comunicazione in uso nella comunità scientifica

Alloparmenes Megalofuies

Greek Transl