Bi-photon propagation control with optimized wavefront by means of Adaptive Optics

We present an efficient method to control the spatial modes of entangled photons produced through SPDC process. Bi-photon beam propagation is controlled by a deformable mirror, that shapes a 404nm CW diode laser pump interacting with a nonlinear BBO type-I crystal. Thanks to adaptive optical system, the propagation of 808nm SPDC light produced is optimized over a distance of 2m. The whole system optimization is carried out by a feedback between deformable mirror action and entangled photon coincidence counts. We also demonstrated the improvement of the two-photon coupling into single mode fibers

Breast metastasis and lung large-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma: first clinical observation

The lung Large-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC) is a very rare aggressive neuroendocrine tumor with a high propensy to metastasize and very poor prognosis. We report an atypical presentation of lung large-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma was diagnosed from a metastatic nodule on the breast. Our patient is a 59 years-old woman that presented in March 2014 non productive cough. A CT scan showed multiple brain, lung, adrenal gland and liver secondary lesions; moreover, it revealed a breast right nodule near the chest measuring 1.8 cm. The breast nodule and a lung lesions were biopsied and their histology and molecular diagnosis were LCNEC of the lung. To our knowledge, this is the first documented case of breast metastasis from LCNEC of the lung. Furthermore, breast metastasis from extramammary malignancy is uncommon and its diagnosis is difficult but important for proper management and prediction of prognosis. Therefore, a careful clinical history with a thorough clinical examination is needed to make the correct diagnosis. Moreover, metastasis to the breast should be considered in any patient with a known primary malignant tumor history who presents with a breast lump. Anyhow, pathological examination should be performed to differentiate the primary breast cancer from metastatic tumor. Therefore, an accurate diagnosis of breast metastases may not only avoid unnecessary breast resection, more importantly it is crucial to determine an appropriate and systemic treatment

CLIL Funerary Archaeology courses for first-cycle and second-cycle degree students

This paper reports on the differences between two specialized funerary archaeology courses conducted by a native language teacher from the Institute for Computational Linguistics of the National Research Council in Pisa and a subject specialist in paleopathology and funerary archaeology from the Division of Palaeopathology, Department of Translational Research on New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery of Pisa University. Lessons addressed to first cycle three-year Bachelor's degree undergraduates who were studying archaeology, art history, natural and environmental sciences took place in the second semester of the year 2012-2013. Classes in the same discipline and addressed to students from the same faculties had been held a year earlier for a second cycle twoyear Master's degree course. The classes were delivered in English using CLIL (exploitation of a vehicular foreign language to teach a special subject) associated with blended learning methodology (combination of face-to-face instructor-led training with web-based technology). Appropriate teaching materials selected by the two teachers covered a wide range of topics, from the study of death to ancient burials, rites, and dynamics of human settlements, as well as evidence of past human societies recovered by excavations. In particular, ancient Roman funerary customs (inhumation, cremation) and Medieval mortuary practices and burials were studied, alongside artifacts such as weapons, jewellery, and pottery vessels recovered from archaeological sites both in Italy and in Britain. Collaboration between language teacher and subject specialist was crucial for the selection of the reading and listening materials, for the correction of the oral and written work assigned to the students, and for the intervention on the part of the subject teacher to clarify points that had been raised, to assist the students during the individual presentations, pairwork or group discussions, and to encourage their work. Two researchers collaborating with the subject specialist also contributed to the lessons by presenting studies they had performed in their area of expertise and by assisting the students during the discussions. These student-centred tasks were aimed at accomplishing important educational goals such as student motivation, improved cognitive and academic performance, enhanced access to online learning resources, peer learning and collaboration. The 2012-2013 course proved to be much more interactive and challenging than the previous one, owing to the major emphasis given to the more practical aspects, in preparation for the fieldwork in archaeology and bioarchaeology, which was carried out in the summer of 2013, working with their peers from Ohio State University and other Universities in the USA, Canada and Australia. Particular attention was devoted to the language of funerary archaeology, and the trainees extracted definitions from the texts they were using to enrich an ongoing English-Italian glossary of funerary archaeology terms. The most important items and sentence structures of the English language were studied and revised, and an English grammar containing contextualized examples drawn from specialized works in that domain was enriched with new material. Student exchanges under different European and international programmes have emphasized on the need for specialist knowledge in specific thematic areas, alongside an oral and written command of a foreign language

Enamel hypoplasia and health condition through social status in the Roman Imperial Age

Dental enamel hypoplasia is a deficit in enamel matrix formation occurring in childhood and resulting from nutritional deficiency or diseases. Examination of hypoplastic lesions in ancient skeletal remains provides an excellent index of developmental stress levels in the past. In this research, the incidence and distribution of Linear Enamel Hypoplasia (LEH) were detected to investigate whether the social status had affected the health and nutritional conditions of the Romans during the Imperial Age. Dental enamel hypoplasia was observed in the teeth of 200 human skeletal remains found in two large necropoles from the Imperial Age in Rome (Italy). Both necropoles, dated back to (1st-2nd centuries A.D.), are located near the ancient centre of Rome and the presence of different typologies of graves, with monumental mausoleums and simple tombs, testifies that the cemeteries were used by diversified social classes. The availability of two sub-samples with different subsistence patterns in the same population permitted to evaluate the distribution of the dental stress markers evidencing the differences between the social classes. Enamel hypoplasia was collected in the whole dentition and differences were found between anterior and posterior teeth, male and female samples, upper and lower social classes. The results will be discussed taking into account other skeletal and dental indicators of health and life condition collected in the sample, and in relation to the economic and social life in Rome during the Imperial Age

Spinodal of supercooled polarizable water

We develop a series of molecular dynamics computer simulations of liquid water, performed with a polarizable potential model, to calculate the spinodal line and the curve of maximum density inside the metastable supercooled region. After analysing the structural properties,the liquid spinodal line is followed down to T=210 K. A monotonic decrease is found in the explored region. The curve of maximum density bends on approaching the spinodal line. These results, in agreement with similar studies on non polarizable models of water, are consistent with the existence of a second critical point for water.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures, 2 tables. To be published in Phys. Re

A Case of Gout from Imperial Rome (1st-2nd Century AD)

The study of pathological alterations in ancient skeletal remains may contribute to the reconstruction of the history of diseases and health conditions of ancient populations. Therefore, in recent research palaeopathology provides an important point of view in bioarchaeology and medicine. This work describes the bone alterations observed in the skeleton of an adult woman found during archaeological excavations in the greatest necropolis of the Imperial Age in Rome. The skeletal remains showed some pathological anomalies and the most evident alterations consisted of multiple osteolytic lesions involving mainly the small bones of the feet, which presented round cavitations and scarce signs of bone repair. Differential diagnosis suggests that this individual was affected by gout, probably associated with hypothyroidism that determined her short stature