A Parafermionic Generalization of the Jaynes Cummings Model

We introduce a parafermionic version of the Jaynes Cummings Hamiltonian, by coupling $k$ Fock parafermions (nilpotent of order $F$) to a 1D harmonic oscillator, representing the interaction with a single mode of the electromagnetic field. We argue that for $k=1$ and $F\leq 3$ there is no difference between Fock parafermions and quantum spins $s=\frac{F-1}{2}$. We also derive a semiclassical approximation of the canonical partition function of the model by assuming $\hbar$ to be small in the regime of large enough total number of excitations $n$, where the dimension of the Hilbert space of the problem becomes constant as a function of $n$. We observe in this case an interesting behaviour of the average of the bosonic number operator showing a single crossover between regimes with different integer values of this observable. These features persist when we generalize the parafermionic Hamiltonian by deforming the bosonic oscillator with a generic function $\Phi(x)$; the $q-$deformed bosonic oscillator corresponds to a specific choice of the deformation function $\Phi$. In this particular case, we observe at most $k(F-1)$ crossovers in the behavior of the mean bosonic number operator, suggesting a phenomenology of superradiance similar to the $k-$atoms Jaynes Cummings model.Comment: to appear on J.Phys.

Cortical and subcortical neuronal substrates of social behavior

Social behavior is one of the most important properties of animal life and it plays a critical role in biological adaptations. However, the neural substrates of social cognitive processing are complex and largely unknown. The \u201csocial brain\u201d network, involving a range of cortical and subcortical regions and connective pathways, varies depending on task demands. The aim of this thesis was to clarify the implication of different brain pathways and systems in different aspects of mice social behavior. The work presented in the first two chapters of the thesis was to develop and validated a new behavioral test to assess the ability to discriminate unfamiliar conspecific based on their emotional state. The results provide significant new insights on the role of the PVN-CeA oxytocin pathway and the implication of an excitatory and inhibitory imbalance in mPFC as core behavioral dysfunctions in social cognitive deficits. The last part of the thesis was focused more on the investigation of the behavioral and physiological effects produced by pharmacological treatment (oxytocin). In particular, taking advantage of the effects oxytocin produced in a mouse model of genetic liability, we investigated the physiological mechanisms of exogenous oxytocin action in the mPFC. All the results presented in this thesis indicate mixed molecular factors for the different social and brain response in mice that may be crucial in the aetiology of the social disease

The impact of land use characteristics for sustainable mobility: the case study of Rome

Sustainable mobility requires actions to reduce the need for travel, to promote modal shift, to reduce trip lengths and to increase efficiency of transport system. Public transport could play an important role to solve part of the needs previously reported. Starting from these remarks, the present paper analyse the role, the importance and the impact of land use characteristics to develop services able to compete with automobile use. This analysis is carried out by studying the real world case of the city of Rome in Italy. The results of the test carried out highlight the importance of density of residences and activities, the need for a good quality access system to the transit services stops and the importance of the configuration of the transit network, identifying the best way to connect the different districts of the urban area. However, single actions are not sufficient to achieve a sustainable transport system: these actions can be successful only if they are planned in a complex unique system that helps the synergic development of the effects of the single actions proposed

Impacts of a large wildfire on hydrologic behavior and water resources quality in the Pisano Mount area (northwestern Tuscany): preliminary results

Wildfires are recognized as one of the most effecting ecological agents, altering geomorphological processes, hydrologic cycles, and water quality (Shakesby, 2011; Smith et al., 2011; Moody et al., 2013). On average from 50,000 to 65,000 fires occur in Europe every year, burning approximately 500,000 ha of forested areas (Turco et al., 2014). Between September 2018 and February 2019 two large wildfires burned about 1,400 ha of forest and farmlands in the Pisano Mount area, mainly in the municipalities of Calci and Vicopisano (northwestern Tuscany) (Salbitano et al., 2020). The area is mainly formed of a hilly landscape, with extensive forest cover and peculiar geomorphological features. The main outcropping rocks are composed of quartzite, arenite, phyllite and quartz metaconglomerate. The burned area is of primary importance in the hydrologic recharge processes of the groundwater resources hosted in the alluvial fan of the Zambra stream and in the multi-layer aquifer of the Pisa plain (Del Tredici, 2019). The presented study is concerned with a characterization of the hydrological cycle and water resources quality in the burned area of the Pisano Mount. The recent wildfire impact on hydrological behaviour and water quality and quantity is being evaluated by the comparison between burned and unburned areas, selecting two major catchments in the former and two sub-catchments in the latter. The catchments were selected as similar as possible by evaluating morphometry, geology and pre-fire vegetation features. A network of meteorological stations was already present and was implemented. Five hydraulic sections of the main streams draining the area are currently monitored for hydraulic level and physico-chemical parameters. All the sections are equipped for monitoring water level, electrical conductivity, and temperature, whereas two probes register also pH, turbidity and oxidation-reduction potential. Monthly samples are collected for stream water and groundwater. In addition, four plate lysimeters will be installed to sample water infiltrated through the soils to evaluate the chemical exchanges between soil and rainwater. Samples are analysed for major anions and cations, total suspended solids, trace elements, water isotopes and organic compounds, to search chemical perturbation potentially arising by the wildfire. Finally, a survey of measurement of the hydraulic properties, permeability and sorptivity, is also scheduled, aiming to address changes of these properties induced by wildfires. The main knowledge about wildfire perturbation and the experimental design will be illustrated including the preliminary results of the work

Young at Heart: Pioneering Approaches to Model Nonischaemic Cardiomyopathy with Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

A mere 9 years have passed since the revolutionary report describing the derivation of induced pluripotent stem cells from human fibroblasts and the first in-patient translational use of cells obtained from these stem cells has already been achieved. From the perspectives of clinicians and researchers alike, the promise of induced pluripotent stem cells is alluring if somewhat beguiling. It is now evident that this technology is nascent and many areas for refinement have been identified and need to be considered before induced pluripotent stem cells can be routinely used to stratify, treat and cure patients, and to faithfully model diseases for drug screening purposes. This review specifically addresses the pioneering approaches to improve induced pluripotent stem cell based models of nonischaemic cardiomyopathy

Identification of an intragenic deletion in the SGCB gene through a re-evaluation of negative next generation sequencing results

A large mutation screening of 504 patients with muscular dystrophy or myopathy has been performed by next generation sequencing (NGS). Among this cohort of patients, we report a case with a severe form of muscular dystrophy with a proximal weakness in the limb-girdle muscles. Her biopsy revealed typical dystrophic features and immunohistochemistry for α- and γ-sarcoglycans showed an absent reaction, addressing the clinical diagnosis toward a sarcoglycanopathy. Considering that no causative point mutation was detected in any of the four sarcoglycan genes, we re-evaluated the NGS data by careful quantitative analysis of the specific reads mapping on the four sarcoglycan genes. A complete absence of reads from the sixth exon of the β-sarcoglycan gene was found. Subsequent array comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) analysis confirmed the result with the identification of a novel 3.3 kb intragenic deletion in the SGCB gene. This case illustrates the importance of a multidisciplinary approach involving clinicians and molecular geneticists and the need for a careful re-evaluation of NGS data

Field testing of tube-dip-in water precipitation collectors used in isotope hydrology

The oxygen and hydrogen stable isotope composition in precipitation serves as a benchmark in most isotope atmospheric, (eco-)hydrological, and paleoclimatological applications. Several rain collectors have been designed for collecting monthly, daily or event-based precipitations aiming to prevent evaporation and associated isotope fractionation. Oil collectors have been the most widely used for many years and only recently they are being progressively replaced by free- oil Tube-dip-in water collectors, especially after their formal publication by Gröning et al. (2012) and the production of a commercial version (Palmex Ltd). Although the reliability of this precipitation collector has been proven, many doubts remain when dealing with small precipitation amounts (Michelsen et al., 2018). Field testing of precipitation collectors is therefore encouraged, which should be carried out under the same environmental conditions of areas where researchers want to undertake their studies. In this work, we tested the field performance of different precipitation collectors in preventing evaporation and isotope fractionation. Two main objectives were behind this study: i) to evaluate the reliability of tube-dip-in water collectors for very low precipitation amounts; ii) to test a homemade Tube-dip-in water collector for different water amounts. The experiment consisted of simulating the collection of small monthly precipitation samples in spring and summer when atmospheric conditions are more likely to promote evaporation. The experiment was carried out on the rooftop of the Earth Science Department of the University of Pisa from March 2022 to July 2022. Four different collector designs were tested simultaneously over four different periods (each lasting approximately one month): a Control collector with no anti-evaporative system; an Oil collector; a Palmex Tube-dip-in water collector; a homemade Tube-dip-in water collector. They were filled to 1.4% of their total volume (10 L) with water of known isotope composition. Since the diameter of 13.5 cm of most common funnels, this percentage corresponds to ~10 mm. Other two homemade Tube-dip-in water collectors were filled to 5% and 10%, corresponding to ~35 mm and ~70 mm. All the collectors were placed outside at the start of each period. Evaporative mass losses were determined gravimetrically and samples for isotope analyses were collected at the end of each period. On average, the Oil collector showed the smallest mass losses, and the isotope shifts were much lower than analytical errors. The Palmex collector failed, with even larger mass losses and isotope shifts (Δδ18O = 0.42‰ and Δδ2H = 1.6‰) than the Control collector. The home-made Tube-dip-in water collectors performed well and better than Palmex. Mass losses and isotope shifts tended to increase with increasing temperature and decreasing relative humidity

Bi-Allelic DES Gene Variants Causing Autosomal Recessive Myofibrillar Myopathies Affecting Both Skeletal Muscles and Cardiac Function

Mutations in the human desmin gene (DES) may cause both autosomal dominant and recessive cardiomyopathies leading to heart failure, arrhythmias and atrio-ventricular blocks, or progressive myopathies. Cardiac conduction disorders, arrhythmias and cardiomyopathies usually associated with progressive myopathy are the main manifestations of autosomal dominant desminopathies, due to mono-allelic pathogenic variants. The recessive forms, due to bi-allelic variants, are very rare and exhibit variable phenotypes in which premature sudden cardiac death could also occur in the first or second decade of life. We describe a further case of autosomal recessive desminopathy in an Italian boy born of consanguineous parents, who developed progressive myopathy at age 12, and dilated cardiomyopathy four years later and died of intractable heart failure at age 17. Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) analysis identified the homozygous loss-of-function variant c.634C>T; p.Arg212*, which was likely inherited from both parents. Furthermore, we performed a comparison of clinical and genetic results observed in our patient with those of cases so far reported in the literature