Noise thermometry applied to thermoelectric measurements in InAs nanowires

We apply noise thermometry to characterize charge and thermoelectric transport in single InAs nanowires (NWs) at a bath temperature of 4.2 K. Shot noise measurements identify elastic diffusive transport in our NWs with negligible electron-phonon interaction. This enables us to set up a measurement of the diffusion thermopower. Unlike in previous approaches, we make use of a primary electronic noise thermometry to calibrate a thermal bias across the NW. In particular, this enables us to apply a contact heating scheme, which is much more efficient in creating the thermal bias as compared to conventional substrate heating. The measured thermoelectric Seebeck coefficient exhibits strong mesoscopic fluctuations in dependence on the back-gate voltage that is used to tune the NW carrier density. We analyze the transport and thermoelectric data in terms of approximate Mott's thermopower relation and to evaluate a gate-voltage to Fermi energy conversion factor

Local noise in a diffusive conductor

The control and measurement of local non-equilibrium configurations is of utmost importance in applications on energy harvesting, thermoelectrics and heat management in nano-electronics. This challenging task can be achieved with the help of various local probes, prominent examples including superconducting or quantum dot based tunnel junctions, classical and quantum resistors, and Raman thermography. Beyond time-averaged properties, valuable information can also be gained from spontaneous fluctuations of current (noise). From these perspective, however, a fundamental constraint is set by current conservation, which makes noise a characteristic of the whole conductor, rather than some part of it. Here we demonstrate how to remove this obstacle and pick up a local noise temperature of a current biased diffusive conductor with the help of a miniature noise probe. This approach is virtually noninvasive and extends primary local measurements towards strongly non-equilibrium regimes.Comment: minor revision, accepted in Scientific Report

Topological Phenomena in the Real Periodic Sine-Gordon Theory

The set of real finite-gap Sine-Gordon solutions corresponding to a fixed spectral curve consists of several connected components. A simple explicit description of these components obtained by the authors recently is used to study the consequences of this property. In particular this description allows to calculate the topological charge of solutions (the averaging of the $x$-derivative of the potential) and to show that the averaging of other standard conservation laws is the same for all components.Comment: LaTeX, 18 pages, 3 figure

Isoperiodic deformations of the acoustic operator and periodic solutions of the Harry Dym equation

We consider the problem of describing the possible spectra of an acoustic operator with a periodic finite-gap density. We construct flows on the moduli space of algebraic Riemann surfaces that preserve the periods of the corresponding operator. By a suitable extension of the phase space, these equations can be written with quadratic irrationalities.Comment: 15 page

On Soliton-type Solutions of Equations Associated with N-component Systems

The algebraic geometric approach to $N$-component systems of nonlinear integrable PDE's is used to obtain and analyze explicit solutions of the coupled KdV and Dym equations. Detailed analysis of soliton fission, kink to anti-kink transitions and multi-peaked soliton solutions is carried out. Transformations are used to connect these solutions to several other equations that model physical phenomena in fluid dynamics and nonlinear optics.Comment: 43 pages, 16 figure

Wannier functions for quasi-periodic finite-gap potentials

In this paper we consider Wannier functions of quasi-periodic g-gap ($g\geq 1$) potentials and investigate their main properties. In particular, we discuss the problem of averaging underlying the definition of Wannier functions for both periodic and quasi-periodic potentials and express Bloch functions and quasi-momenta in terms of hyperelliptic $\sigma$ functions. Using this approach we derive a power series expansion of the Wannier function for quasi-periodic potentials valid at $|x|\simeq 0$ and an asymptotic expansion valid at large distance. These functions are important for a number of applied problems

LE ATTIVITA’ INFORMATIVE DELL’INGV IN EMERGENZA SISMICA: MOTIVAZIONI E IPOTESI DI SVILUPPO FUTURO

Negli ultimi anni, in particolare a partire dalla sequenza sismica aquilana del 2009, il tema dell’informazione e della comunicazione collegata ad una situazione di emergenza sismica è diventato oggetto di dibattito pubblico, di discussione all’interno della comunità scientifica, di studio in ambienti disciplinari molto diversi (sociologia della comunicazione, psicologia dell’emergenza, ambito giuridico, ecc.) e di riflessione più generale all’interno del Sistema di protezione civile. In questa nostro lavoro si intende discutere del tema più generale dell’informazione che il Sistema di protezione civile (e la comunità scientifica che ne è una componente essenziale) produce in situazioni di emergenza o post-emergenza. Indubbia è l’importanza di una buona comunicazione, attentamente testata, in momenti di crisi. Essa infatti può aiutare a migliorare la risposta all’emergenza, ridurre i costi del disastro, migliorare la trasparenza del processo decisionale e aumentare il potenziale di accettazione delle conseguenze (Del Lungo, 2012; Wendling et al., 2013). Lo scopo del presente lavoro è quello di sintetizzare ragioni, forme e contenuti delle attività informative che, in modo sempre più organico, sono state realizzate in numerose occasioni, a partire principalmente dal 2009, ipotizzando uno schema di protocollo operativo per la gestione di tali attività. Va ricordato che le esperienze qui descritte sono state realizzate in modo coordinato con il Dipartimento della Protezione Civile e che questa attività è formalmente parte del programma di lavoro annuale all’interno della convenzione decennale DPC-INGV

Integrable equations in nonlinear geometrical optics

Geometrical optics limit of the Maxwell equations for nonlinear media with the Cole-Cole dependence of dielectric function and magnetic permeability on the frequency is considered. It is shown that for media with slow variation along one axis such a limit gives rise to the dispersionless Veselov-Novikov equation for the refractive index. It is demonstrated that the Veselov-Novikov hierarchy is amenable to the quasiclassical DBAR-dressing method. Under more specific requirements for the media, one gets the dispersionless Kadomtsev-Petviashvili equation. Geometrical optics interpretation of some solutions of the above equations is discussed.Comment: 33 pages, 7 figure

Biliary Diseases from the Microbiome Perspective: How Microorganisms Could Change the Approach to Benign and Malignant Diseases

Recent evidence regarding microbiota is modifying the cornerstones on pathogenesis and the approaches to several gastrointestinal diseases, including biliary diseases. The burden of biliary diseases, indeed, is progressively increasing, considering that gallstone disease affects up to 20% of the European population. At the same time, neoplasms of the biliary system have an increasing incidence and poor prognosis. Framing the specific state of biliary eubiosis or dysbiosis is made difficult by the use of heterogeneous techniques and the sometimes unwarranted invasive sampling in healthy subjects. The influence of the microbial balance on the health status of the biliary tract could also account for some of the complications surrounding the post-liver-transplant phase. The aim of this extensive narrative review is to summarize the current evidence on this topic, to highlight gaps in the available evidence in order to guide further clinical research in these settings, and, eventually, to provide new tools to treat biliary lithiasis, biliopancreatic cancers, and even cholestatic disease