Heavy Ion Dynamics and Neutron Stars

Some considerations are reported, freely inspired from the presentations and discussions during the Beijing Normal University Workshop on the above Subject, held in July 2007. Of course this cannot be a complete summary but just a collection of personal thougths aroused during the meeting.Comment: 11 pages, no figures, Summary Talk, Int.Workshop on "Nuclear Dynamics in Heavy Ion Collisions and Neutron Stars", Beijing Normal Univ. July 07, to appear in Int.Journ.Modern Physics E (2008

Intense terahertz pulses from SPARC-LAB coherent radiation source

The linac-based Terahertz source at the SPARC_LAB test facility is able to gene rate highly intense Terahertz broadband pulses via coherent transition radiation (CTR) from high brightness electron beams. The THz pulse duration is typically down to 100 fs RMS and can be tuned through the electron bunch duration and shaping. The measured stored energy in a single THz pulse has reached 40 μ J, which corresponds to a peak electric field of 1.6 MV/cm at the THz focus. Here we present the main features, in particular spatial and sp ectral distributions and energy characterizations of the SPARC_LAB THz source, which is very competitive for investigations in Condensed Matter, as well as a valid tool for electron beam longitudinal diagnostics

An Algorithmic Approach to Quantum Field Theory

The lattice formulation provides a way to regularize, define and compute the Path Integral in a Quantum Field Theory. In this paper we review the theoretical foundations and the most basic algorithms required to implement a typical lattice computation, including the Metropolis, the Gibbs sampling, the Minimal Residual, and the Stabilized Biconjugate inverters. The main emphasis is on gauge theories with fermions such as QCD. We also provide examples of typical results from lattice QCD computations for quantities of phenomenological interest.Comment: 44 pages, to be published in IJMP

On the comparison of age determination methods based on dental development radiographic studies in a sample of Italian population

OBJECTIVES: This study investigated the degree of reliability, complexity of use and possibility of further refinement of eight radiographic methods for the age determination of subjects in the growth phase, applied on a sample of Italian population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Each considered method was tested on a sample of 178 digitized panoramic radiographs (97 males and 81 females, aged 5 to 22 years). The obtained data were processed by statistical analysis. RESULTS: The overall Absolute Mean Error (AME) was on average equal to 0.89 years; within this error range fell approximately 61% of the subjects in our sample. The overall average of AME plus 1 standard deviation (SD) was equal to approximately 1.70 years, in the context of which fell about 84.5% of the sample investigated. CONCLUSIONS: The statistical analysis of the data obtained by applying on our sample the considered methods showed, for each of them, the level of reliability in terms of absolute error with the relative SD (i.e., exact match between the age determined by the evaluators and the actual age, in terms of absolute value)

Clinical Evaluation and Orodental Status in a Group of Elderly Institutionalised Patients

10% of elderly patients are functionally dependents and they therefore need permanent assistance. Orodental alterations may evolve into a pathological state in elderly people, which is increasing in the recent decades. The current study analysed institutionalized patients in the district of Bari (Southern Italy), who have been so far monitored. We assessed 125 elderly institutionalized patients. The assessment has been carried out by an assessment questionnaire aiming at evaluating the patient’s psychophysical health status, objective intraoral test and prosthetic rehabilitations. About 90% of enrolled patients reported a good general health status. The main dental problems are due to the complete lack of specific prevention and treatment programs, together with handicap, presence of systemic diseases and medicines taken. The level of oral hygiene is poor and the conditions of the residual dental elements are precarious because of root caries and periodontal problems. Prostheses are usually old (on average 15) and appear scarcely retentive and unstable. We believe in the need for specific interventions aiming at the various issues emerging from the present study, so as to achieve a smaller prevalence of dental loss, periodontal disease and caries. These relatively simple interventions are now lacking because of the non-demand of treatment from patients and for economical reasons

A study on occupational exposure of Sicilian farmers to Giardia and Cryptosporidium

Introduction. A cross-sectional study was undertaken to deter- mine the prevalence of Giardia and Cryptosporidium in calves of Palermo area (Sicily) and to evaluate the occupational risk associated with occurrence of zoonotic genotypes. Methods. A total of 217 faecal samples, from 149 calves (between 2 and 240 days of age) and 68 farmers, were collected in 19 cattle- farms of Palermo area. A questionnaire regarding demographic characteristics and personal hygienic measures was submitted to all farmers. All faecal samples were analyzed by Immunoflu- orescence assay and Polimerase Chain Reaction (PCR); geno- types were determined by DNA sequencing of Triose Phosphate Isomerase gene for Giardia and Small Subunit Ribosomal RNA gene for Cryptosporidium. Results. None farmer tested was positive for Giardia and Cryptosporidium, whereas these protozoa were respectively detected in 53 (including 5 with zoonotic G. duodenalis geno- type A) and 17 (of which 1 with zoonotic C. ubiquitum) of the examined calves. Discussion. The results indicate that the risk of transmitting both protozoa to farmers in Palermo area is negligible although it can- not be considered null because of identification of human geno- types/species in calves

Sphaerosporella brunnea (Alb. et Schwein.) Svrcek et Kubicka, un discomicete con incidencia en la truficultura e interés forestal

Sphaerosporella brunnea (Alb. et Schwein.) Svrcek et Kubicka, a cup-shaped ascomycete related with truffle cultures and afforestation. A casual finding of Sphaerosporella brunnea in some greenhouses from Spain, growing in connection with several ectomycorrhizal plants, is reported. These plants were experimentally inoculated with low level inoculum of Tuber melanosporum. Sphaerosporella brunnea is described and illustrated, and its negative role in truffle cultures and its possible utilization in burned are as recovery is emphasized.Se da cuenta del hallazgo casual, en unos viveros españoles de Sphaerosporella brunnea, formando micorrizas con plantas diversas, las cuales habían sido inoculadas experimentalmente con niveles bajos de Tuber melanosporum. Se describe e ilustra esta especie, al tiempo que se destaca su papel negativo en la truficultura y su posible utilización en la recuperación de áreas incendiadas

Sphaerosporella brunnea (Alb. et Schwein.) Svrcek et Kubicka, un discomicete con incidencia en la truficultura e interés forestal

Se da cuenta del hallazgo casual, en unos viveros españoles de Sphaerosporella brunnea, formando micorrizas con plantas diversas, las cuales habían sido inoculadas experimentalmente con niveles bajos de Tuber melanosporum. Se describe e ilustra esta especie, al tiempo que se destaca su papel negativo en la truficultura y su posible utilización en la recuperación de áreas incendiadas.Sphaerosporella brunnea (Alb. et Schwein.) Svrcek et Kubicka, a cup-shaped ascomycete related with truffle cultures and afforestation. A casual finding of Sphaerosporella brunnea in some greenhouses from Spain, growing in connection with several ectomycorrhizal plants, is reported. These plants were experimentally inoculated with low level inoculum of Tuber melanosporum. Sphaerosporella brunnea is described and illustrated, and its negative role in truffle cultures and its possible utilization in burned are as recovery is emphasized

Effect of Sphaerosporella brunnea mycorrhizas on mycorrhization of Quercus ilex × Tuber melanosporum

It is generally accepted that Sphaerosporella brunnea is a significant ectomycorrhizal contaminant in nurseries producing plants mycorrhized with various species of Tuber, and subsequently in truffières after outplanting. At the University of Alcalá, Spain, 397 small plants of Quercus ilex which were mycorrhized with Tuber melanosporum were inadvertently contaminated with S. brunnea, and this contamination was then monitored for 2 years. Sixty percent of the plants were contaminated and had S. brunnea ascomata on the surface of the container on one or several occasions. However, a Spearman test provided no evidence that S. brunnea mycorrhizas affected T. melanosporum mycorrhization whereas other contaminating ectomycorrhizal fungi significantly did. Therefore, it appears that S. brunnea is not detrimental to plants which are well mycorrhized with T. melanosporum