High frequency acoustic modes in liquid gallium at the melting point

The microscopic dynamics in liquid gallium (l-Ga) at melting (T=315 K) has been studied by inelastic x-ray scattering. We demonstrate the existence of collective acoustic-like modes up to wave-vectors above one half of the first maximum of the static structure factor, at variance with earlier results from inelastic neutron scattering data [F.J. Bermejo et al. Phys. Rev. E 49, 3133 (1994)]. Despite the structural (an extremely rich polymorphism and rather complex phase diagram) and electronic (mixed valence) peculiarity of l-Ga, its collective dynamics is strikingly similar to the one of Van der Walls and alkali metals liquids. This result speaks in favor of the universality of the short time dynamics in monatomic liquids rather than of system-specific dynamics.Comment: LaTex format, 11 pages, 4 EncapsulatedPostScript figure

Total Widths And Slopes From Complex Regge Trajectories

Maximally complex Regge trajectories are introduced for which both Re $\alpha(s)$ and Im $\alpha(s)$ grow as $s^{1-\epsilon}$ ($\epsilon$ small and positive). Our expression reduces to the standard real linear form as the imaginary part (proportional to $\epsilon$) goes to zero. A scaling formula for the total widths emerges: $\Gamma_{TOT}/M\to$ constant for large M, in very good agreement with data for mesons and baryons. The unitarity corrections also enhance the space-like slopes from their time-like values, thereby resolving an old problem with the $\rho$ trajectory in $\pi N$ charge exchange. Finally, the unitarily enhanced intercept, $\alpha_{\rho}\approx 0.525$, \nolinebreak is in good accord with the Donnachie-Landshoff total cross section analysis.Comment: 9 pages, 3 Figure

Hadronic Masses and Regge Trajectories

A comprehensive phenomenological analysis of experimental data and some theoretical models is presented here (for mesons) to critically discuss how Regge trajectory parameters depend on flavor. Through analytic continuation of physical trajectories (obtained from resonance data) into the space like region, we derive the suppression factor for heavy flavor production. The case of our D Regge exchange, both for D and $\Lambda_c$ production, is considered in some detail. Good agreement with data is reached confirming that indeed the slopes of heavier flavors decrease. This result suggests that the confinement potential has a substantial dependence on the quark masses. In a simple non-relativistic model, constrained to produce linear Regge trajectories, it is shown that a linear quark mass dependence is required (in the confinement part of the potential) in order for the slope to decrease in the appropriate way.Comment: 19 pages, 9 Figures, IV Table

Spatial and temporal hot spots of Aedes albopictus abundance inside and outside a South European metropolitan area

Aedes albopictus is a tropical invasive species which in the last decades spread worldwide, also colonizing temperate regions of Europe and US, where it has become a public health concern due to its ability to transmit exotic arboviruses, as well as severe nuisance problems due to its aggressive daytime outdoor biting behaviour. While several studies have been carried out in order to predict the potential limits of the species expansions based on eco-climatic parameters, few studies have so far focused on the specific effects of these variables in shaping its micro-geographic abundance and dynamics. The present study investigated eco-climatic factors affecting Ae. albopictus abundance and dynamics in metropolitan and sub-urban/rural sites in Rome (Italy), which was colonized in 1997 and is nowadays one of the most infested metropolitan areas in Southern Europe. To this aim, longitudinal adult monitoring was carried out along a 70 km-transect across and beyond the most urbanized and densely populated metropolitan area. Two fine scale spatiotemporal datasets (one with reference to a 20m circular buffer around sticky traps used to collect mosquitoes and the second to a 300m circular buffer within each sampling site) were exploited to analyze the effect of climatic and socio-environmental variables on Ae. albopictus abundance and dynamics along the transect. Results showed an association between highly anthropized habitats and high adult abundance both in metropolitan and sub-urban/ rural areas, with “small green islands” corresponding to hot spots of abundance in the metropolitan areas only, and a bimodal seasonal dynamics with a second peak of abundance in autumn, due to heavy rains occurring in the preceding weeks in association with permissive temperatures. The results provide useful indications to prioritize public mosquito control measures in temperate urban areas where nuisance, human-mosquito contact and risk of local arbovirus transmission are likely higher, and highlight potential public health risks also after the summer months typically associated with high mosquito densities

Deconvolution problems in x-ray absorption fine structure

A Bayesian method application to the deconvolution of EXAFS spectra is considered. It is shown that for purposes of EXAFS spectroscopy, from the infinitely large number of Bayesian solutions it is possible to determine an optimal range of solutions, any one from which is appropriate. Since this removes the requirement for the uniqueness of solution, it becomes possible to exclude the instrumental broadening and the lifetime broadening from EXAFS spectra. In addition, we propose several approaches to the determination of optimal Bayesian regularization parameter. The Bayesian deconvolution is compared with the deconvolution which uses the Fourier transform and optimal Wiener filtering. It is shown that XPS spectra could be in principle used for extraction of a one-electron absorptance. The amplitude correction factors obtained after deconvolution are considered and discussed.Comment: 6 two-column pages, 5 eps figures; submitted to J. Phys.: Appl. Phy

High-pressure behaviour of GeO2: a simulation study

In this work we study the high pressure behaviour of liquid and glassy GeO2 by means of molecular dynamics simulations. The interaction potential, which includes dipole polarization effects, was parameterized from first-principles calculations. Our simulations reproduce the most recent experimental data to a high degree of precision. The proportion of the various GeOn polyhedra is determined as a function of the pressure: a smooth transition from tetrahedral to octahedral network is observed. Finally, the study of high-pressure, liquid germania confirms that this material presents an anomalous behaviour of the diffusivity as observed in analog systems such as silica and water. The importance of penta-coordinated germanium ions for such behaviour is stressed.Comment: 16 pages, 4 figures, accepted as a Fast Track Communication on Journal of Physics: Condensed Matte

Role of the exchange and correlation potential into calculating the x-ray absorption spectra of half-metallic alloys: the case of Mn and Cu K-edge XANES in Cu2_2MnM (M = Al, Sn, In) Heusler alloys

This work reports a theoretical study of the x-ray absorption near-edge structure spectra at both the Cu and the Mn K-edge in several Cu$_2$MnM (M= Al, Sn and In) Heusler alloys. Our results show that {\it ab-initio} single-channel multiple-scattering calculations are able of reproducing the experimental spectra. Moreover, an extensive discussion is presented concerning the role of the final state potential needed to reproduce the experimental data of these half-metallic alloys. In particular, the effects of the cluster-size and of the exchange and correlation potential needed in reproducing all the experimental XANES features are discussed.Comment: 15 pages, 5 figure

The occurrence of postoperative vertigo after CI

Background. The incidence of postoperative vertigo after cochlear implantation (CI) varies a lot in the literature. The aim of this work was to investigate both subjective complaints of vertigo before and after cochlear implantation and related it to to the preoperative vestibular function, the surgical procedure and to the position of CI at the postoperative neuroradiological study. Methods. Retrospective cohort study of adult CI series operated by the same surgeon (DZ) over the last 3 years. (N= 107). Sixty-six subjects (38 F; 28 M), aged from 21 to 78 years old were included in the study, lasting 83 CI. The outcomes of the pre-operative vestibular assessment were extracted from the database of the Vestibular Disorders Unit of the tertiary referral University Hospital of Milano from 1992 to 2018 (N=557). Post-operative presence/absence of vestibular disorders was analyzed and related to the preoperative vestibular examination and to the flat-panel computed tomography (FPCT) findings. Results: The patients were divided by age and by the presence of vestibular response of the operated ear measured by videoculography, caloric testing and video-impulse test. Sensorial analysis by static posturography was also included. The incidence of postoperative vertigo was higher in patients > 65 years old (36.3% vs 20.4%, p=0.03). Postoperative vertigo did not result related to the surgical procedure. The results are discussed with the review of the literature. Conclusion: Our results confirm the importance of vestibular testing in CI recipients, in order to better counsel the patient on the foreseeable post-operative course and to identify those patients who will need a vestibular rehabilitation