A virtual roundtable on Iser’s legacy Part IV: a conversation with Federico Bertoni

In this article you find the fourth and last part of our ‘virtual roundtable’ on Wolfgang Iser’s legacy with Gerald Prince, Mark Fremman, Marco Caracciolo and Federico Bertoni. In part IV we discuss with Federico Bertoni the state of theories of reading and the centality of Iser’s work in the field, the ethical potential of literature, and the role of literary criticism and theory today

Quantum computing with quantum-Hall edge state interferometry

Electron interferometers based on Hall edge states (ESs) proved to be robust demonstrators of the coherent quantum dynamics of carriers. Several proposals to expose their capability to build and control quantum entanglement and to exploit them as building block for quantum computing devices has been presented. Here, we review the time-dependent numerical modeling of Hall interferometers operating at the single-carrier level at integer filling factor (FF). By defining the qubit state either as the spatial localization (at FF 1) or the Landau index (at FF 2) of a single carrier propagating in the ES, we show how a generic one-qubit rotation can be realized. By a proper design of the two-dimensional electron gas potential landscape, an entangling two-qubit gate can be implemented by exploiting Coulomb interaction, thus realizing a universal set of quantum gates. We also assess how the shape of the edge confining potential affects the visibility of the quantum transformations

Two-electron selective coupling in an edge-state based conditional phase shifter

We investigate the effect of long-range Coulomb interaction on the two-electron scattering in the integer quantum Hall regime at bulk filling factor two.We compute the dynamics of the exact two-particle wave function by means of a parallel version of the split-step Fourier method in a 2D potential background reproducing the effect of depleting gates in a realistic heterostructure, with the charge carrier represented by a localized wave packet of edge states.We compare the spatial shift induced by Coulomb repulsion in the final two-electron wave function for two indistinguishable electrons initialized in different configurations according to their Landau index and analyze their bunching probability and the effect of screening. We finally prove the feasibility of this device as a two-qubit conditional phase shifter able to generate controlled entanglement from product states

Characterization of Sea Urchin Transglutaminase, a Protein Regulated by Guanine/Adenine Nucleotides

Transglutaminases (TGs) are calcium-dependent enzymes that catalyze the transamidation of glutamine residues to form intermolecular isopeptide bonds. Nine distinct TGs have been identified in mammals, and three of them (types 2, 3, and 5) are regulated by GTP/ATP and are able to hydrolyze GTP, working as bifunctional enzymes. We have isolated a cDNA clone encoding a TG from a cDNA library prepared from the blastula stage of sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus (PlTG). The cDNA sequence has an open reading frame coding for a protein of 738 amino acids, including a Cys active site and two other residues critical for catalytic activity, His and Asp. We have studied its expression pattern by in situ hybridization and have also demonstrated that the in vitro expressed PlTG had GTP- and ATP-hydrolyzing activity; moreover, GTP inhibited the transamidating activity of this enzyme as it does that of human TG2, TG3, and TG5

Role of Phytoestrogen Ferutinin in Preventing/Recovering Bone Loss: Results from Experimental Ovariectomized Rat Models

In the Chapter 35 of the book are reported observations of recent pubblications on the effect of ferutinin in preventing/recovering severe osteoporosis secondary to ovariectomy in rats. On the basis of the results so far obtained, the authors suggest to enumerate ferutinin among the osteoprotective substances. This fact acquires a more relevant importance in the light of recent tenable evidences reported from various authors concerning the absence of negative side effects by some phytoestrogens (particularly genistein, 8-prenylnaringenin, reveratrol and red clover extract) on the tropism of various organs commonly targeted by estrogens. In conclusion, the results reported not only provide evidence that ferutinin can significantly prevent/recover ovariectomy-induced bone loss in rats, but also that it could protect against the onset of uterus cancer. Although the putative undesired estrogenic-like side effects on uterus of such phytoestrogen have not yet been fully investigated, ferutinin could be an interesting safer alternative new candidate for HRT in treatment of post-menopausal symptoms, since it seems to protect from bone loss induced by ovariectomy (Palumbo et al., 2009; Ferretti et al., 2010) and in part to mime the ovarian endocrine function during menopause

Coulomb and exchange interaction effects on the exact two-electron dynamics in the Hong-Ou-Mandel interferometer based on Hall edge states

The electronic Hong-Ou-Mandel interferometer in the integer quantum Hall regime is an ideal system to probe the building up of quantum correlations between charge carriers and it has been proposed as a viable platform for quantum computing gates. Using a parallel implementation of the split-step Fourier method, we simulated the antibunching of two interacting fermionic wave packets impinging on a quantum point contact. Numerical results of the exact approach are compared with a simplified theoretical model based on one-dimensional scattering formalism. We show that, for strongly localized wave packets in a full-scale geometry, the Coulomb repulsion dominates over the exchange energy, this effect being strongly dependent on the energy broadening of the particles. We define analytically the spatial entanglement between the two regions of the quantum point contact, and obtain quantitatively its entanglement-generation capabilities

A Matemática Escolar da Escola Primária da Década de 1940

http://www.pgsskroton.com.br/seer/index.php/ensino/article/view/3458/3094São raros os estudos voltados à história da matemática escolar, sobretudo os que buscam compreender como esse componente curricular favoreceu a permanência ou a transformação da cultura escolar da escola primária. O presente estudo tem como objetivo compreender como se apresentava a matemática escolar do ensino primário, na década de 1940, em duas escolas primárias do estado de Mato Grosso. A partir de um olhar minucioso aos conteúdos matemáticos prescritos e às formas como estes eram apropriados nas práticas escolares da escola primária, o estudo, orientado na perspectiva da história cultural, identifica mecanismos e lógicas utilizados pelos sujeitos na preservação da coerência simbólica da cultura escolar

Phenotypical Characterization and Clinical Outcome of Canine Burkitt-Like Lymphoma

In dogs, Burkitt-like lymphoma (B-LL) is rare tumor and it is classified as a high-grade B-cell malignancy. The diagnosis is challenging because of the similar histologic appearance with other histotypes, no defined phenotypical criteria and poorly described clinical aspects. The aim of the study was to provide a detailed description of clinical and morphological features, as well as immunophenotypical profile of B-LL in comparison with the human counterpart. Thirteen dogs with histologically proven B-LL, for which a complete staging and follow-up were available, were retrospectively selected. Immunohistochemical expression of CD20, PAX5, CD3, CD10, BCL2, BCL6, MYC, and caspase-3 was evaluated. Histologically, all B-LLs showed a diffuse architecture with medium to large-sized cells, high mitotic rate and diffuse starry sky appearance. B-phenotype of neoplastic cells was confirmed both by flow-cytometry and immunohistochemistry. Conversely, B-LLs were negative for BCL2 and MYC, whereas some cases co-expressed BCL6 and CD10, suggesting a germinal center B-cell origin. Disease stage was advanced in the majority of cases. All dogs received CHOP-based chemotherapy with or without immunotherapy. Despite treatment, prognosis was poor, with a median time to progression and survival of 130 and 228 days, respectively. Nevertheless, ~30% of dogs survived more than 1 year. An increased apoptotic index, a high turnover index and caspase-3 index correlated with shorter survival. In conclusion, canine B-LL shows phenotypical differences with the human counterpart along with features that might help to differentiate this entity from diffuse large B-cell lymphoma