On the feasibility of studying vortex noise in 2D superconductors with cold atoms

We investigate the feasibility of using ultracold neutral atoms trapped near a thin superconductor to study vortex noise close to the Kosterlitz-Thouless-Berezinskii transition temperature. Alkali atoms such as rubidium probe the magnetic field produced by the vortices. We show that the relaxation time $T_1$ of the Zeeman sublevel populations can be conveniently adjusted to provide long observation times. We also show that the transverse relaxation times $T_2$ for Zeeman coherences are ideal for studying the vortex noise. We briefly consider the motion of atom clouds held close to the surface as a method for monitoring the vortex motion.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figur

Attaccamento ai genitori e disagio emotivo in adolescenti appartenenti a famiglie italiane, miste e migranti: Un approccio multi-metodo

Una ricerca compiuta in italia con metodologia quantitativa e qualitativa per approfondire l'attaccamento ai genitori e il disagio emotivo in adolescenti appartenenti a famiglie italiane, miste e migranti.I partecipanti erano 509 adolescenti (55% maschi) che frequentavano varie scuole medie e superiori del centro-est Italia. La loro et\ue0 variava tra gli 11 e i 19 anni (M = 13.6, DS = 2.2). Il campione era composto da tre gruppi: 261 adolescenti provenivano da famiglie italiane; 100 da famiglie miste (in cui un solo genitore aveva la nazionalit\ue0 italiana); e 148 da famiglie migranti. I risultati hanno mostrato che gli adolescenti provenienti da famiglie migranti si differenziano dai loro coetanei provenienti da famiglie italiane o miste in quanto manifestano con minore frequenza un forte attaccamento a entrambi i genitori e con maggiore frequenza un debole attaccamento a entrambi. Inoltre, gli studenti di famiglie migranti riportano pi\uf9 sintomi ansiosi e depressivi dei coloro coetanei appartenenti alle famiglie italiane e miste. In generale, gli adolescenti con un forte attaccamento a entrambi i genitori manifestano i livelli pi\uf9 bassi di sintomi depressivi e ansiosi mentre un legame ambivalente o evitante sono associati a maggiori disagi emotivi. I risultati sono interpretabili in linea con la letteratura che vuole i compiti di sviluppo relazionali pi\uf9 complessi in adolescenti di famiglie migranti mentre nelle famiglie miste la coppia sarebbe gi\ue0 abituata a negoziare tra culture differenti rendendo meno complessa la costruzione dell\u2019identit\ue0 nei figli

Rapporto con la famiglia e sviluppo del concetto di s\ue9 in adolescenza [family relationship and self concept development in adolescence]

The aim of this study was to investigate associations between family relationships and self-concept in adolescence. Specifically, we investigated how adolescent attachment (expressed by levels of trust, communication, and alienation; Armsden & Greenberg, 1987) to both parents is associated with self-concept clarity (Campbell, 1990), that indicates the extent to which self beliefs are clear, internally consistent and stable. Participants were 2113 Italian adolescents (979 boys and 1134 girls), with ages ranging between 11 and 18 years (1023 were attending junior high schools and 1090 were attending high schools). Participants filled out the Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment (Nada-Raja, McGee, & Stanton, 1992) and the Self-Concept Clarity Scale (Campbell, Trapnell, Heine, Katz, Lavalle, & Lehman, 1996). Main findings of the multivariate analyses of variance indicated that quality of paternal and maternal relationships worsened during adolescence: trust in both parents and quality of communication with them was lower among older adolescents, that reported also higher levels of alienation. Second, self-concept clarity varied as a function of both gender and age (i.e., self-concept clarity increased over time for male adolescents, whereas it decreased for female adolescents). Results of regression analyses pointed out that paternal and maternal trust were positively related to self-concept clarity, whereas paternal and maternal alienation and maternal communication were negatively linked to it. A further exploration of these associations within gender and age adolescent groups highlighted that within the younger adolescent category paternal and maternal relationships were related to self-concept clarity in both male and female groups. On the contrary, within the older adolescent category only paternal attachment was related to boys\u2019 self-concept clarity and only maternal attachment was linked to girls\u2019 self-concept clarity

The Utrecht-Management of IdentityCommitments Scale (U-MICS)Italian Validation and Cross-National Comparisons

The present study examined the psychometric properties of the Dutch and Italian versions of the Utrecht-Management of Identity Commitments Scale (U-MICS) in large community samples of adolescents from Italy (N = 1,975) and The Netherlands (N = 1,521). Confirmatory factor analyses indicated that the three-factor model, consisting of commitment, in-depth exploration, and reconsideration of commitment, provided a better fit to the data than alternative one- and two-factor models. The three-factor model fit equivalently across sex and across age groups (early and middle adolescents). Furthermore, we demonstrated cross-national equivalence of the factor structure of the U-MICS. Additionally, results indicated that the latent means for commitment were higher in the Dutch sample, while latent means for both in-depth exploration and reconsideration of commitment were substantially higher in the Italian sample. The three identity processes were found to be meaningfully related to measures of self-concept, psychosocial problems, and parent-adolescent relations in both countries. These findings suggest that the U-MICS is a reliable tool for assessing identity processes in Italian and Dutch adolescents

Psychometric properties of the Screen for Child Anxiety Related EmotionalDisorders (SCARED) in the general Italian adolescent population:A validation and a comparison between Italy and The Netherlands

In this study examination is given to the psychometric properties of the Italian version of the Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders (SCARED) in a large community sample of adolescents. Additionally, a comparison was made between the anxiety scores of this Italian adolescent cohort (N = 1975) and a comparative Dutch adolescent cohort (N = 1115). Findings revealed that a five-factor structure of the SCARED applied not only to the Italian adolescents from the general community, but also to boys and girls, and to early and middle adolescents. Moreover, sex and age differences on anxiety scores within the Italian sample were found to be consistent with previous studies of adolescent anxiety disorders. Finally, Italian adolescents reported higher anxiety scores than their Dutch peers. Findings of this study highlight that the SCARED is a valid screening instrument to rate anxiety symptoms of Italian adolescents

Sustainable Co-Design with Older People: The case of a Public Restorative Garden in Milan (Italy)

The demographic aging and the evolution of lifestyles require new strategies to promote the well-being and active aging of elderly. Active aging depends on many factors: some of these are related to objective data such as physical environment, others are personal elements; it is important to improve environmental physical factors to encourage personal attitudes to the green spaces in use. To design a small sustainable restorative green space in Milan, Italy, restorative garden design criteria are summarized in the first section of the paper and both social and environmental sustainability are considered. The methodology section describes the co-design process and how it was applied to include dierent older user groups in the design of the area. In the results section authors apply a taxonomy based on the four properties of restorative settings according to the Attention Restoration Theory by Kaplan (compatibility, being away, extent, fascination): this provides a unified system to classify users\u2019 expectations and to describe the final project. The proposed co-design process combines social and environmental sustainability, as it provides designers an insight about the user\u2019s experience in nature. Such information can be fruitfully integrated with professional competences about comfort aspects and environmental protection in order to improve the whole design project

Trapping of ultra-cold atoms with the magnetic field of vortices in a thin film superconducting micro-structure

We store and control ultra-cold atoms in a new type of trap using magnetic fields of vortices in a high temperature superconducting micro-structure. This is the first time ultra-cold atoms have been trapped in the field of magnetic flux quanta. We generate the attractive trapping potential for the atoms by combining the magnetic field of a superconductor in the remanent state with external homogeneous magnetic fields. We show the control of crucial atom trap characteristics such as an efficient intrinsic loading mechanism, spatial positioning of the trapped atoms and the vortex density in the superconductor. The measured trap characteristics are in good agreement with our numerical simulations.Comment: 4pages, comments are welcom

First measurement of the K−n →Λπ−non-resonant transition amplitude below threshold

We present the analysis of K−absorption processes on He4 leading to Λπ−final states, measured with the KLOE spectrometer at the DAΦNE e+e−collider and extract, for the first time, the modulus of the non-resonant K−n →Λπ−direct production amplitude about 33 MeV below the K‾N threshold. This analysis also allows to disentangle the K−nuclear absorption at-rest from the in-flight capture, for K−momenta of about 120 MeV. The data are interpreted with the help of a phenomenological model, and the modulus of the non-resonant K−n →Λπ−amplitude for K−absorption at-rest is found to be |AK−n→Λπ−|=(0.334±0.018stat−0.058+0.034syst)fm

On the K - Absorptions in Light Nuclei by AMADEUS

The aim of the AMADEUS collaboration is to provide experimental information on the low-energy strong interaction of antikaons with nucleons, exploiting the absorptions of low momentum K - mesons (pK∼ 127 MeV/c) produced at the DA Φ NE collider, in the materials composing the KLOE detector setup, used as an active target. The K - single and multi-nucleon absorptions in light nuclei (4He and 12C) are investigated by reconstructing hyperon–pion, hyperon–nucleon/nucleus pairs, emitted in the final state of the reactions. In this paper the results obtained from the study of Λ π-, Λ p and Λ t correlated production are presented

Measurement of the atmospheric muon depth intensity relation with the NEMO Phase-2 tower

The results of the analysis of the data collected with the NEMO Phase-2 tower, deployed at 3500 m depth about 80 km off-shore Capo Passero (Italy), are presented. Cherenkov photons detected with the photomultipliers tubes were used to reconstruct the tracks of atmospheric muons. Their zenith-angle distribution was measured and the results compared with Monte Carlo simulations. An evaluation of the systematic effects due to uncertainties on environmental and detector parameters is also included. The associated depth intensity relation was evaluated and compared with previous measurements and theoretical predictions. With the present analysis, the muon depth intensity relation has been measured up to 13 km of water equivalent.Comment: submitted to Astroparticle Physic