A pure-carbon ring transistor: The role of topology and structure

We report results on the rectification properties of a carbon nanotube (CNT) ring transistor, contacted by CNT leads, whose novel features have been recently communicated by Watanabe et al. [Appl. Phys. Lett. 78, 2928 (2001)]. This paper contains results which are validated by the experimental observations. Moreover, we report on additional features of the transmission of this ring device which are associated with the possibility of breaking the lead inversion symmetry. The linear conductance displays a "chessboard"-like behavior alternated with anomalous zero-lines which should be directly observable in experiments. We are also able to discriminate in our results structural properties (quasi-onedimensional confinement) from pure topological effects (ring configuration), thus helping to gain physical intuition on the rich ring phenomenology.Comment: 3 pages, 4 figure

Iron overload and immunity

World J Gastroenterol. 2007 Sep 21;13(35):4707-15. Iron overload and immunity. Porto G, De Sousa M. Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Rua do Campo Alegre, Porto 8234150, Portugal. [email protected] Abstract Progress in the characterization of genes involved in the control of iron homeostasis in humans and in mice has improved the definition of iron overload and of the cells affected by it. The cell involved in iron overload with the greatest effect on immunity is the macrophage. Intriguing evidence has emerged, however, in the last 12 years indicating that parenchymal iron overload is linked to genes classically associated with the immune system. This review offers an update of the genes and proteins relevant to iron metabolism expressed in cells of the innate immune system, and addresses the question of how this system is affected in clinical situations of iron overload. The relationship between iron and the major cells of adaptive immunity, the T lymphocytes, will also be reviewed. Most studies addressing this last question in humans were performed in the clinical model of Hereditary Hemochromatosis. Data will also be reviewed demonstrating how the disruption of molecules essentially involved in adaptive immune responses result in the spontaneous development of iron overload and how they act as modifiers of iron overload. PMID: 17729392 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE

On the comparison of results regarding the post-Newtonian approximate treatment of the dynamics of extended spinning compact binaries

A brief review is given of all the Hamiltonians and effective potentials calculated hitherto covering the post-Newtonian (pN) dynamics of a two body system. A method is presented to compare (conservative) reduced Hamiltonians with nonreduced potentials directly at least up to the next-to-leading-pN order.Comment: Conference proceedings for the 7th International Conference on Gravitation and Cosmology (ICGC2011), 4 page

A lattice of double wells for manipulating pairs of cold atoms

We describe the design and implementation of a 2D optical lattice of double wells suitable for isolating and manipulating an array of individual pairs of atoms in an optical lattice. Atoms in the square lattice can be placed in a double well with any of their four nearest neighbors. The properties of the double well (the barrier height and relative energy offset of the paired sites) can be dynamically controlled. The topology of the lattice is phase stable against phase noise imparted by vibrational noise on mirrors. We demonstrate the dynamic control of the lattice by showing the coherent splitting of atoms from single wells into double wells and observing the resulting double-slit atom diffraction pattern. This lattice can be used to test controlled neutral atom motion among lattice sites and should allow for testing controlled two-qubit gates.Comment: 9 pages, 11 figures Accepted for publication in Physical Review

Prediction of hearing recovery in sudden deafness treated with intratympanic steroids

The present study aims to obtain a probability model allowing the prediction of the auditory recovery in patients affected by sudden sensorineural hearing loss treated exclusively with intratympanic steroids. A monocentric retrospective chart review of three-hundred eighty-one patients has been performed. A Probit model was used to investigate the correlation between the success of the treatment (marked or total recovery according to Furuashi's criteria), and the delay between the onset of disease and the beginning of therapy. The age of the patients and the audiometric curve shapes were included in the analysis. Results show that delay is negatively correlated with the variable success. Considering the entire sample, each day of delay decreases by 3% the probability of success. The prediction model shows that for every day that passes from the onset of the disease the probability of success declines in absence of the medical treatment, hence we conclude that early treatment is strongly recommended

Palermo tra aspirazioni Euro-Mediterranee e processi innovativi

Lo scopo di questo lavoro \ue8 quello di fornire una panoramica dei cambiamenti culturali, sociali ed economici che si sono verificati a Palermo a partire dal 90 ', fornedo per quanto possibile un quadro di riferimento per il pensiero, il dibattito e l'azione politica nelle grandi aree metropolitane del Mezzogiorno mediterraneo che come Plaermo rappresenatano un punto di contatto culturale e un luogo per nuove opportunit\ue0, non solo commerciali, ma anche sociali e turistiche. Una reinterpretazione del sistema di innovazione in Sicilia che si configura come una rete di tipo policentrica, i cui nodi sono rappresentati dalla citt\ue0 di Palermo, Catania e Messina. In questo contesto, a Palermo, dove il settore dei servizi \ue8 ancora il pi\uf9 importante settore produttivo, si pu\uf2 notare un recente processo di "metamorfosi" che le recenti politiche di sviluppo regionale hanno tentato di favorire grazie ad ingenti investimenti in innovazione e ricerca

Pair Connectedness and Shortest Path Scaling in Critical Percolation

We present high statistics data on the distribution of shortest path lengths between two near-by points on the same cluster at the percolation threshold. Our data are based on a new and very efficient algorithm. For $d=2$ they clearly disprove a recent conjecture by M. Porto et al., Phys. Rev. {\bf E 58}, R5205 (1998). Our data also provide upper bounds on the probability that two near-by points are on different infinite clusters.Comment: 7 pages, including 4 postscript figure

Kernel density estimation analyses based on a low power-global positioning system for monitoring environmental issues of grazing cattle

The use of wearable sensors that record animal activity in intensive livestock systems has become more and more frequent for both early detection of diseases and improving production quality. Their application may also be significant in extensive livestock systems, with infrequent farmer-to-animal contact. The pre-sent study aimed to prove the feasibility of a novel automatic sys- tem for locating and tracking cows in extensive livestock systems based on space-time data provided by a low-power global positioning system (LP-GPS). The information was used to study the pasture exploitation by the herd for modelling the environmental impacts of extensive livestock systems through geographical information systems (GIS). A customised device, placed within a rectangular PVC case compatible with the collar usually worn by animals, was equipped with an LP-GPS omnidirectional system, an integrated SigFox communication system, and a power supply. The experimental trial was conducted in an existing semi-natural pasture characterised by good pasture allowance and cultivated grazing areas. Ten cows were embedded with LP-GPS collars, and the data, i.e., geographical coordinates and the time intervals related to each cow detection, were recorded every 20 minutes. Data were collected through a specifically developed AppWeb to be further imported and elaborated by using a GIS software tool. In the GIS environment, the daily distances travelled by each cow were linked with heatmaps obtained by applying Kernel density estimation models from the points obtained from the LP-GPS col-lars. The study results made it possible to obtain information on some relevant aspects of livestock’s environmental issues. In detail, it was possible to acquire information on herd behaviour related to the use of the pasture, e.g., the area of the pasture most frequently used during the day, individual use of the pasture, and possible animal interactions. These results represent the first step towards further insights and research activities because monitoring of animal locations could reduce several environmental issues such as soil degradation and greenhouse emissions. r

Seismic Analysis of Traditional Stone Rural Buildings: Case study of a one-storey building

Specific features of traditional rural buildings can influence the assessment of their seismic behaviour. When a change in intended use of traditional rural buildings is necessary, restoration work must comply with specific seismic norms and should preserve their original features. In this paper, a model for the seismic safety verification of masonry walls for inplane actions was applied to investigate the structural behaviour of one-storey stone-masonry traditional rural buildings, in relation to standards application and possible retrofitting interventions. The results showed that pier-panel collapse mechanisms and the simulation method of masonry spandrel behaviour are of importance and affect the need to provide for strengthening interventions

On the exponential Diophantine equation p⋅3x+py=z2{\displaystyle p\cdot 3^{x}+p^{y}=z^2} with pp a prime number

In this paper we find non-negative integer solutions for exponential Diophantine equations of the type $p \cdot 3^x+ p^y=z^2,$ where $p$ is a prime number. We prove that such equation has a unique solution $\displaystyle{(x,y,z)=\left(\log_3(p-2), 0, p-1\right)}$ if $2 \neq p \equiv 2 \pmod 3$ and $(x,y,z)=(0,1,2)$ if $p=2$. We also display the infinite solution set of that equation in the case $p=3$. Finally, a brief discussion of the case $p \equiv 1 \pmod 3$ is made, where we display an equation that does not have a non-negative integer solution and leave some open questions. The proofs are based on the use of the properties of the modular arithmetic