Unified Scenario for Composite Right-Handed Neutrinos and Dark Matter

We entertain the possibility that neutrino masses and dark matter (DM) originate from a common composite dark sector. A minimal effective theory can be constructed based on a dark $SU(3)_D$ interaction with three flavors of massless dark quarks; electroweak symmetry breaking gives masses to the dark quarks. By assigning a $\mathbb Z_2$ charge to one flavor, a stable "dark kaon" can provide a good thermal relic DM candidate. We find that "dark neutrons" may be identified as right handed Dirac neutrinos. Some level of "neutron-anti-neutron" oscillation in the dark sector can then result in non-zero Majorana masses for light Standard Model neutrinos. A simple ultraviolet completion is presented, involving additional heavy $SU(3)_D$-charged particles with electroweak and lepton Yukawa couplings. At our benchmark point, there are "dark pions" that are much lighter than the Higgs and we expect spectacular collider signals arising from the UV framework. This includes the decay of the Higgs boson to $\tau \tau \ell \ell^{\prime}$, where $\ell$($\ell'$) can be any lepton, with displaced vertices. We discuss the observational signatures of this UV framework in dark matter searches and primordial gravitational wave experiments; the latter signature is potentially correlated with the $H \to \tau \tau \ell \ell^{\prime}$ decay.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures, 1 table. Version published on PR

The Refraction Indices and Brewster Law in Stressed Isotropic Materials and Cubic Crystals

none4noWe study the elasto-optic behavior of stressed cubic crystals (all classes) and isotropic materials (like e.g. glasses). We obtain the explicit dependence of the refraction indices on the stress (either applied or residual), as well as a mild generalization of the Brewster law for cubic crystals. We show also that the optic indicatrix and the stress ellipsoid are coaxial only in the isotropic case. This theory allows the improvement of the measurements techniques, as photoelasticity, on cubic crystals and optically isotropic materials.openDaniele Rinaldi,Pier Paolo Natali, Luigi Montalto,Fabrizio DavìRinaldi, Daniele; Natali, PIER PAOLO; Montalto, Luigi; Davi', Fabrizi

Micro/nanoscale patterning of nanostructured metal substrates for plasmonic applications.

The ability to precisely control the pattern of different metals at the micro- and nanoscale, along with their topology, has been demonstrated to be essential for many applications, ranging from material science to biomedical devices, electronics, and photonics. In this work, we show a novel approach, based on a combination of lithographic techniques and galvanic displacement reactions, to fabricate micro- and nanoscale patterns of different metals, with highly controlled surface roughness, onto a number of suitable substrates. We demonstrate the possibility to exploit such metal films to achieve significant fluorescence enhancement of nearby fluorophores, while maintaining accurate spatial control of the process, from submicron resolution to centimeter-sized features. These patterns may be also exploited for a wide range of applications, including SERS, solar cells, DNA microarray technology, hydrophobic/hydrophilic substrates, and magnetic devices

GT2004-54217 VALIDATION OF CESI BLADE LIFE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM BY CASE HISTORIES, ON LINE MEASUREMENTS AND IN SITU NDT

ABSTRACT A Life Management System was developed for hot components of large industrial gas turbines, in the form of a software tool for predicting component lives under typical operational transients (normal and also abnormal) and steady-state periods. The method utilises results of previous thermomechanical finite element and finite volume fluid mechanics analyses. The basic idea of this method is using data from structural and aero-thermal analyses (pressures and temperatures), blade life theory and material properties as an input to algorithms, and using operational and historical data to validate the predicted damage amounts. The software developed in this project, of general applicability to all GT models, has been implemented with reference to the geometries, materials and service conditions of a Fiat-Westinghouse model. Keywords INTRODUCTION To obtain a reliable, cost-effective and efficient energy production with a low polluting level it is very important that the engine remains as long as possible in a good condition. Normally maintenance and overhaul intervals are prescribed by the gas turbine manufacturer based on the design know how and on the feedback collated from users' experience. A sufficiently wide statistics to make reliable prediction of component lives is normally available only to the manufacturer; on the opposite each individual user is generally unable to obtain a sufficient statistics on a particular GT model, unless he has several similar machines in his fleet and several years of operation experience. Moreover in several plants gas turbines are operated in variable conditions, so that the scheduled maintenance time intervals originally suggested by the OEM do not result to be the best ones to minimise maintenance costs while optimising plant availability and safety. To obtain a convenient tool to optimise life of hot parts in a GT, a code can be prepared which has capability to calculate their residual life by combining turbine operational history with mechanical analysis algorithms and measured engine parameters. With the support of such a system it is possible for a user to predict the consequences of the different types of turbine operation (start/stop, baseload, trip etc.). This concept A life prediction methodology for large industrial gas turbines was developed also in CESI, dedicated at present to the first stage rotating blades of gas turbines widely used in Italy. In this study, the CESI approach is presented, implemented in

Conformation of microcontact-printed proteins by atomic force microscopy molecular sizing.

We investigated the structural changes occurring in proteins patterned via microcontact printing. This was done by molecular sizing using atomic force microscopy to observe the structure of printed individual metalloprotein molecules in the unlabeled and untreated states. We observed that the size of the printed proteins were more than 2-fold smaller than the native shape, which indicates that some deformations take place upon the contact-assisted adsorption on silanized silicon dioxide. This can be attributed to simultaneously occurring effects, and particularly to the sandwiching between surfaces of very different hydrophilic/hydrophobic properties during contact lithography

Retention of nativelike conformation by proteins embedded in high external electric fields.

In this Communication, we show that proteins embedded in high external electric fields are capable of retaining a nativelike fold pattern. We have tested the metalloprotein azurin, immobilized onto SiO2 substrates in air with proper electrode configuration, by applying static fields up to 106–107V∕m. The effects on the conformational properties of protein molecules have been determined by means of intrinsic fluorescence measurements. Experimental results indicate that no significant field-induced conformational alteration occurs. Such results are also discussed and supported by theoretical predictions of the inner protein fields

Nano-scaled Biomolecular Field-Effect Transistors: Prototypes and Evaluations

As modern electronics rapidly approach the ultimate level of integration (typically thought to be at the nanoscale level), the fascinating world of biomolecules provides new opportunities and directions for further miniaturization. In this work we review our results in the field of biomolecular electronics, starting from the fabrication of nanojunctions up to the implementation of hybrid devices

Amyloid-like fibrils in elastin-related polypeptides: Structural characterization and elastic properties

We report on the structural characterization of amyloid-like fibrils, self-assembled from synthetic polypentapeptides poly(ValGlyGlyLeuGly), whose monomeric sequence is a recurring, simple building block of elastin. This polymer adopts a beta-sheet structure as revealed by circular dichroism and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Furthermore, Thioflavin-T and Congo red birefringence assays confirm the presence of amyloid-like structures. To analyze the supramolecular assembly and elastic properties of the fibrils, we employed atomic force microsocopy and spectroscopy, measuring also the elasticity of mature elastin for a comparative analysis. In the case of fibrils we estimated a Young's modulus ranging from 3.5 to 7 MPa, whereas for elastin it is around 1 MPa. The possibility to section individual fibrils with nanometric control by the AFM tip, realizing biomolecular gaps in the 100 nm range, is also demonstrated. These results are expected to open interesting perspectives for the fabrication of protein-inspired nanostructures with specific physical and chemical properties for applications in biotechnology and tissue engineering

Azurin for Biomolecular Electronics: a Reliability Study

The metalloprotein azurin, used in biomolecular electronics, is investigated with respect to its resilience to high electric fields and ambient conditions, which are crucial reliability issues. Concerning the effect of electric fields, two models of different complexity agree indicating an unexpectedly high robustness. Experiments in device-like conditions confirm that no structural modifications occur, according to fluorescence spectra, even after a 40-min exposure to tens of MV/m. Ageing is then investigated experimentally, at ambient conditions and without field, over several days. Only a small conformational rearrangement is observed in the first tens of hours, followed by an equilibrium state

Editorial

The Italian Society of Agronomy (SIA) has changed the Editor in Chief and the Editorial board of the Italian Journal of Agronomy (IJA). The new Editorial board is being integrated with new expertise and includes three Associate editors: Michael D. Casler from USDA-ARS, USA, Davide Cammarano from Purdue University, USA and Michele Rinaldi from Council for Agricultural Research and Economics, Italy, the former co-editor. The Editorial board is redeveloping the Journal with a more pro-active publishing policy, that is consistent to the changing editorial demand of agronomy scientists worldwide. The international scientific publishing industry is facing a sharp transition, pulled by the increasing demand of rapid publication in the publish-or-perish or highly-cited paradigm and pushed towards full open access publishing by research funders and end-users. Minimizing the time between manuscript submission and paper publication is threatening the quality of the peer-review process, which is constrained by time pressure on highly qualified scientists, who end up being overloaded with reviews and editorial duties. The open access scientific journal industry is struggling between increasing the impact factor/cite score of the journals and maximizing the number of published articles, which is directly proportional to the publisher's business. This is generating an increasing number of open access scientific publications worldwide: +75% between 2008-10 and 2015-17 in the 'Agronomy and crop science' subject category (Source: Scopus) while the non-open access publications in the same domain and time span increased by only +27%. This situation and the evolution of long term open-theme research funding schemes into short-term projectified finalized research funding programs are deeply influencing the topics of research in Agronomy. Long term agronomic facilities and field scale research are becoming rare and are often being replaced by short-term easily-published studies. However, international scientific exchanges are facilitating the development of permanent regional and global networks of researchers (e.g. AgMip, Global Research Alliance) that are developing unprecedented long-term research efforts on global issues around agronomy, involving hundreds of post-docs and young researchers worldwide. In this developing context, the Italian Journal of Agronomy, own by the Italian Society of Agronomy, a non-profit scientific organization, is developing a new editorial policy to contribute to the progress of agronomic science through an open-access, low-cost and authoritative scientific literature space, with particular attention to young scientists. There are number of reasons why an agronomy scientist should publish an article in the Italian Journal of Agronomy, including: i) to get a rapid and careful peer review assessment of the submissions by an authoritative editorial board with specific expertise in Agronomy and receive careful support on how to address major revisions when required; ii) to ensure maximum visibility for published articles through the open access system; iii) to contribute to the agronomic scientific literature through an open access Scopus/WOS scientific Journal owned by a non-profit scientific society at a fair price; iv) to compete for the SIA grants and prizes for best articles or best reviewers of the year. The new editorial policy of IJA includes a more pro-active publishing strategy aiming at widening the arena of international scientists contributing to the journal's scope, including invited papers and special conditions for the publication of special issues on cutting-edge agronomy topics, promotion of the journal during scientific conferences and events, rewarding of the best articles and peer-reviewers contributing to the journal's development. IJA is solely focused on the free diffusion of agroecosystem science, not on any other business: we trust that authors and readers will appreciate that IJA's editorial board members work toward this mission without compensation and that the article fee is necessary only to cover the publisher's net costs. We are very grateful to the past and new Editorial board and all peer reviewers for their invaluable contribution to the development of our Journal. Michele Perniola, President of the Italian Society of Agronomy Pier Paolo Roggero, Editor in ChiefMichael D. Casler, Associate EditorDavide Cammarano, Associate EditorMichele Rinaldi, Associate Edito