Line-Shaped Illumination: A Promising Configuration for a Flexible Two-Photon Microscopy Setup

An innovative two-photon microscope exploiting a line-shaped illumination has been recently devised and then implemented. Such configuration allows to carry out a real-time detection by means of standard CCD cameras and is able to maintain the same resolution as commonly used point-scanning devices, thus overcoming what is usually regarded as the main limitation of linescanning microscopes. Here, we provide an overview of the applications in which this device has been tested and has proved to be a flexible and efficient tool, namely imaging of biological samples, in-depth sample reconstruction, two-photon spectra detection, and dye cross-section measurements. These results demonstrate that the considered setup is promising for future developments in many areas of research and applications

Observation of electro-activated localized structures in broad area VCSELs

We demonstrate experimentally the electro-activation of a localized optical structure in a coherently driven broad-area vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) operated below threshold. Control is achieved by electro-optically steering a writing beam through a pre-programmable switch based on a photorefractive funnel waveguide.Comment: 5 Figure

Experimental evidence of delocalized states in random dimer superlattices

We study the electronic properties of GaAs-AlGaAs superlattices with intentional correlated disorder by means of photoluminescence and vertical dc resistance. The results are compared to those obtained in ordered and uncorrelated disordered superlattices. We report the first experimental evidence that spatial correlations inhibit localization of states in disordered low-dimensional systems, as our previous theoretical calculations suggested, in contrast to the earlier belief that all eigenstates are localized.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figures. Physical Review Letters (in press

An observation methodology for non-measurable rotorcraft states

In an attempt to reduce acoustic pollution due to terminal flight phases (lift-offs and landings) in the surroundings of heliport, project MANOEUVRES developed a device capable of estimating the acoustic footprint of helicopters on the ground. This device requires knowledge of certain quantities that cannot be directly measured through physical sensors: the tip-path plane angle of attack and the main rotor thrust coefficient. Previous research has demonstrated that these quantities can be accurately estimated using observers that are properly fed with directly measurable flight mechanics and rotor state variables. However, these observers, which are based on linear mathematical models identified offline and employed through interpolation with respect to nominal airspeed, have shown poor robustness when the number of identification input cases is reduced, as required for a realistic design of observers in the field. This issue has particularly emerged when non-trimmed manoeuvres were considered during observation testing. To address this issue, this paper introduces a new baseline for the observation model, which includes dynamic pressure as an additional input. Moreover, a different model structure is considered depending on the observed variable. Specifically, for the tip-path plane angle of attack, a single model covers the entire airspeed range, while observation models for the rotor thrust coefficient are interpolated based on flight altitude. This new approach demonstrates results of comparable or superior quality to previous observation models. Furthermore, it exhibits increased robustness when the pool of identification cases used for observer synthesis is significantly reduced. Such improved performance and ease of synthesis pave the way for the setup and adoption of the proposed observers in the field

La formazione iniziale degli insegnanti di scuola: verso un modello sostenibile

The University of Milan is traditionally engaged in the activities of teacher training and, as regards initial training,has participated with punctual dedication to the activities required by the various governments that have occurredover time. And not only that. The Committee for Teacher Training, active for some time in the Lombardy University,has contributed proactively to the definition of training models and has participated in the debates that havedeveloped both within the Italian Academy and in the ministerial, school and trade union environments. All thishappened for one main reason: the possibility of exploiting real positive network economies connected with the sizeand, therefore, the heterogeneity of a large university. In this work, in particular, will be presented the experienceof the University of Studies in relation to obtaining the certification provided for by Legislative Decree n.59 of 2017:through the data collected through this last experience, In fact, it will be possible to propose a series ofconsiderations about the most diverse profiles of teaching candidates in the coming years in order to come up witha proposal for an efficient, effective and sustainable initial teacher education model.Keywords: Teacher education, Initial teacher training, UniversityL’Università degli Studi di Milano è tradizionalmente impegnata nelle attività di formazione degli insegnanti e, perquanto attiene alla formazione iniziale, ha partecipato con puntuale dedizione alle attività richieste dai vari governiche si sono succeduti nel tempo. E non solo. Il Comitato per la Formazione degli insegnanti, attivo da tempo in senoall’Ateneo lombardo, ha contribuito in modo proattivo alla definizione di modelli di formazione e ha partecipato aidibattiti che si sono sviluppati sia all’interno dell’Accademia italiana che negli ambienti ministeriali, scolastici,sindacali. Tutto ciò è avvenuto per una ragione principale: la possibilità di sfruttare vere e proprie economie di retepositive connesse con la dimensione e, quindi, l’eterogeneità di un ateneo di grandi dimensioni.In questo lavoro, in particolare, verrà presentata l’esperienza dell’Università degli Studi in relazioneall’ottenimento della certificazione prevista dal Decreto Legislativo n.59 del 2017: attraverso i dati raccoltiattraverso quest’ultima esperienza, sarà infatti possibile proporre una serie di considerazioni circa i più differentiprofili dei candidati all’insegnamento nei prossimi anni per giungere una proposta di un modello di formazioneiniziale degli insegnanti efficiente, efficace e sostenibile

What if? Mouse proteomics after gene inactivation

The complex interactions among proteins and of proteins with small molecular weight protein ligands are overturned every time one of the components of the network is missing. For study purposes, animal models lacking one protein are obtained by experimental manipulation of the genome: in the knocking out approach, a gene is altered through the insertion of an artificial DNA sequence, which halts the transcription-translation sequence of events. In this review we have compiled the research papers that analyze the effects of knocking out individual genes on the proteomes of various tissues/organs throughout the body. We have gathered and organized all the available evidence and then compared the proteomic data in order to stress the context-specificity of the outcome every time two or more organs were investigated in the same KO mice. Finally, in a symmetrical approach to the above, we surveyed whether there is any obvious overlap among the effects of different KO on the same organ, marking affection of general pathways or lacking specificity of the gene targeting. Specific attention was put on the possible involvement of cellular stress markers

Perinatal palliative care: focus on comfort

Providing comfort while a patient is living with a life-limiting condition or at end of life is the hallmark of palliative care regardless of the patient's age. In perinatal palliative care, the patient is unable to speak for themselves. In this manuscript we will present guidelines garnered from the 15-year experience of the Neonatal Comfort Care Program at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, and how they provide care for families along the perinatal journey. We will describe essential tools and strategies necessary to consider in assessing and providing comfort to infants facing a life-limiting diagnosis in utero, born at the cusp of viability or critically ill where the burden of care may outweigh the benefit

Coastal and marine geomorphology between Albenga and Savona(NW Mediterranean Sea, Italy)

In this paper, we present a map describing the main geomorphological features of the coastal and marine area between the towns of Albenga and Savona (Ligurian Sea, NW Mediterranean) corresponding to a coastal stretch of ∼40 km. To produce this map, we collated data from the literature, orthophotos, perspective photos, multibeam and side scan sonar data, and undertook direct surveys to ground truth data obtained using indirect techniques. We divided the information into nine thematic layers, including bathymetry, natural coastal types, geomorphological elements, seafloor coverage (both geological and biological), coastal and nearshore dynamics, human influence on coastal and marine environments, coastal occupation and protected areas

Identification of serine/threonine kinase and nucleotide-binding site–leucine-rich repeat (NBS-LRR) genes in the fire blight resistance quantitative trait locus of apple cultivar ‘Evereste’

Fire blight is the most destructive bacterial disease affecting apple (Malus×domestica) worldwide. So far, no resistance gene against fire blight has been characterized in apple, despite several resistance regions having been identified. A highly efficacious resistance quantitative trait locus (QTL) was localized on linkage group 12 (LG12) of the ornamental cultivar ‘Evereste’. A marker previously reported to be closely linked to this resistance was used to perform a chromosome landing. A bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) clone of 189 kb carrying the fire blight resistance QTL was isolated and sequenced. New microsatellite markers were developed, and the genomic region containing the resistance locus was limited to 78 kb. A cluster of eight genes with homologies to already known resistance gene structures to bacterial diseases was identified and the corresponding gene transcription was verified. From this cluster, two genes were recognized in silico as the two most probable fire blight resistance genes showing homology with the Pto/Prf complex in tomato

Subwavelength anti-diffracting beams propagating over more than 1,000 Rayleigh lengths

Propagating light beams with widths down to and below the optical wavelength require bulky large-aperture lenses and remain focused only for micrometric distances. Here, we report the observation of light beams that violate this localization/depth- of-focus law by shrinking as they propagate, allowing resolution to be maintained and increased over macroscopic propagation lengths. In nanodisordered ferroelectrics we observe a non-paraxial propagation of a sub-micrometre-sized beam for over 1,000 diffraction lengths, the narrowest visible beam reported to date. This unprecedented effect is caused by the nonlinear response of a dipolar glass, which transforms the leading opticalwave equation into a Klein-Gordon-type equation that describes a massive particle field. Our findings open the way to high-resolution optics over large depths of focus, and a route to merging bulk optics into nanodevices