Efficient and spectrally bright source of polarization-entangled photons

We demonstrate an efficient fiber-coupled source of nondegenerate polarization entangled photons at 795 and 1609 nm using bidirectionally pumped parametric down-conversion in bulk periodically poled lithium niobate. The single-mode source has an inferred bandwidth of 50 GHz and a spectral brightness of 300 pairs/s/GHz/mW of pump power that is suitable for narrowband applications such as entanglement transfer from photonic to atomic qubits.Comment: 8 pages, 7 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.

Two-photon coincident-frequency-entanglement via extended phase matching

We demonstrate a new class of frequency-entangled states generated via spontaneous parametric down-conversion under extended phase matching conditions. Biphoton entanglement with coincident signal and idler frequencies is observed over a broad bandwidth in periodically poled KTiOPO$_4$. We demonstrate high visibility in Hong-Ou-Mandel interferometric measurements under pulsed pumping without spectral filtering, which indicates excellent frequency indistinguishability between the down-converted photons. The coincident-frequency entanglement source is useful for quantum information processing and quantum measurement applications.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, submitted to PR

CHARACTERISTICS OF ELITE SWIM START PERFORMANCES

It is generally undisputed that the start is of paramount importance in elite competitive sprint swimming. Accordingly, there is a need to identify the value of those parameters at the start that are typical of international elite performance. This will enable coaches and skill technicians to assist sprint swimmers to improve their performance in this aspect of competition. Using the Wetplate analysis system many elite international swimmers were analysed performing a start. Selected parameters for five elite freestyle, butterfly, backstroke and breaststroke swimmers for both genders, that represented the best starters in each group, was used to identify the value of these parameters. Even if the coach does not work with sophisticated analysis systems, the information supplied in this paper is of vital importance to identify possible inefficiencies in swim start performance

Generation of ultrabright tunable polarization entanglement without spatial, spectral, or temporal constraints

The need for spatial and spectral filtering in the generation of polarization entanglement is eliminated by combining two coherently-driven type-II spontaneous parametric downconverters. The resulting ultrabright source emits photon pairs that are polarization entangled over the entire spatial cone and spectrum of emission. We detect a flux of $\sim$12 000 polarization-entangled pairs/s per mW of pump power at 90% quantum-interference visibility, and the source can be temperature tuned for 5 nm around frequency degeneracy. The output state is actively controlled by precisely adjusting the relative phase of the two coherent pumps.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figure

Efficient generation of tunable photon pairs at 0.8 and 1.6 micrometer

We demonstrate efficient generation of collinearly propagating, highly nondegenerate photon pairs in a periodically-poled lithium niobate cw parametric downconverter with an inferred pair generation rate of 1.4*10^7/s/mW of pump power. Detection of an 800-nm signal photon triggers a thermoelectrically-cooled 20%-efficient InGaAs avalanche photodiode for the detection of the 1600-nm conjugate idler photon. Using single-mode fibers as spatial mode filters, we obtain a signal-conditioned idler-detection probability of about 3.1%.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figure

Sviluppo di una procedura innovativa per la cubatura del volume della massa legnosa di fustaie di latifoglie mediante LiDAR

La tecnica di scansione aerea con strumentazione LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) è sempre più presa in considerazione ai fini di analisi e monitoraggio degli attributi dendrometrici dei popolamenti forestali, ma anche per stimare attributi complessi quali il volume della massa legnosa e la biomassa legnosa. Il presente contributo propone una procedura innovativa per la stima del volume di massa legnosa di soprassuoli forestali mediante elaborazione di dati LiDAR in ambiente GIS, in particolare per i popolamenti a prevalenza di latifoglie dove i convenzionali metodi di stima basati sulle misurazioni LiDAR dell’altezza dei singoli fusti arborei conducono in genere a risultati relativamente insoddisfacenti.L'articolo è disponibile sul sito dell'editore http://www.asita.i

Scattering Amplitudes and Toric Geometry

In this paper we provide a first attempt towards a toric geometric interpretation of scattering amplitudes. In recent investigations it has indeed been proposed that the all-loop integrand of planar N=4 SYM can be represented in terms of well defined finite objects called on-shell diagrams drawn on disks. Furthermore it has been shown that the physical information of on-shell diagrams is encoded in the geometry of auxiliary algebraic varieties called the totally non negative Grassmannians. In this new formulation the infinite dimensional symmetry of the theory is manifest and many results, that are quite tricky to obtain in terms of the standard Lagrangian formulation of the theory, are instead manifest. In this paper, elaborating on previous results, we provide another picture of the scattering amplitudes in terms of toric geometry. In particular we describe in detail the toric varieties associated to an on-shell diagram, how the singularities of the amplitudes are encoded in some subspaces of the toric variety, and how this picture maps onto the Grassmannian description. Eventually we discuss the action of cluster transformations on the toric varieties. The hope is to provide an alternative description of the scattering amplitudes that could contribute in the developing of this very interesting field of research.Comment: 58 pages, 25 figures, typos corrected, a reference added, to be published in JHE

L1\mathcal{L}^1 limit solutions for control systems

For a control Cauchy problem $$\dot x= {f}(t,x,u,v) +\sum_{\alpha=1}^m g_\alpha(x) \dot u_\alpha,\quad x(a)=\bar x,$$ on an interval $[a,b]$, we propose a notion of limit solution $x,$ verifying the following properties: i) $x$ is defined for $\mathcal{L}^1$ (impulsive) inputs $u$ and for standard, bounded measurable, controls $v$; ii) in the commutative case (i.e. when $[g_{\alpha},g_{\beta}]\equiv 0,$ for all $\alpha,\beta=1,...,m$), $x$ coincides with the solution one can obtain via the change of coordinates that makes the $g_\alpha$ simultaneously constant; iii) $x$ subsumes former concepts of solution valid for the generic, noncommutative case. In particular, when $u$ has bounded variation, we investigate the relation between limit solutions and (single-valued) graph completion solutions. Furthermore, we prove consistency with the classical Carath\'eodory solution when $u$ and $x$ are absolutely continuous. Even though some specific problems are better addressed by means of special representations of the solutions, we believe that various theoretical issues call for a unified notion of trajectory. For instance, this is the case of optimal control problems, possibly with state and endpoint constraints, for which no extra assumptions (like e.g. coercivity, bounded variation, commutativity) are made in advance

Idiopathic eosinophilic parotitis in an eight-year-old boy: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>A number of medical conditions, some of them recently reported, are associated with an increased production of eosinophils. We report the first case of eosinophilic parotitis in the literature.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>The patient was an eight-year-old Caucasian boy who presented with a two-year history of recurring acute parotitis with no fever. He had had a total of five episodes with no response to antibiotics, but remission had been achieved with oral corticosteroid therapy. We performed allergy tests for inhalant and food allergens and for haptens, but the results were all negative. The results of echography ruled out sialodochitis. Instead, a swab from the parotid duct led to the detection of a high number of eosinophils.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This report is first in the literature to describe a case of eosinophilic parotitis, and we suggest that a cytological assessment, which is quite simple yet rarely used by physicians, be performed when patients with parotitis of uncertain origin are under evaluation.</p

Oral immunization with pBsVP6-transgenic alfalfa protects mice against rotavirus infection

AbstractA critical factor in edible plant-derived vaccine development is adequate expression of the exogenous antigens in transgenic plants. We synthesized a codon-optimized gene (sVP6) encoding the VP6 protein of human group A rotavirus and inserted it into the alfalfa genome using agrobacterium-mediated transformation. As much as 0.28% of the total soluble protein of the pBsVP6-transgenic alfalfa was sVP6. Female BALB/c mice were gavaged weekly with 10 mg of transgenic alfalfa extract containing 24 μg of sVP6 protein and 10 μg of CpG-rich oligodeoxynucleotides as mucosal adjuvant. Immunized mice developed high titers of anti-VP6 serum IgG and mucosal IgA. Offspring of immunized dams developed less severe diarrhea after challenge with simian rotavirus SA-11, indicating that antibodies generated in the dams provided passive heterotypic protection to the pups. These results suggest that oral immunization with pBsVP6-transgenic alfalfa provides a potential means of protecting children and young animals from severe acute rotavirus-induced diarrhea