Tracking through equality

We give a tracker solution for the quintessence scalar field for Ratra--Peebles or SUGRA potentials, holding before, during and after the equality epoch (\rho_m=\rho_r) and nicely fitting the numerical behavior.Comment: submitted to New Astronom

Uncertainty in cell confluency measurements

Pharmaceutical industries have declared their need of metrology in the cellular field, to improve new drugs developing time and costs by high-content screening technologies. Cell viability and proliferation tests largely use confluency of cells on a bi-dimensional (2D) surface as a biological measurand. The confluency is measured from images of 2D surface acquired via microscopy techniques. The plethora of algorithms already in use aims at recognizing objects from images and identifies a threshold to distinguish objects from the background. The reference method is the visual assessment from an operator and any objective uncertainty estimation is not yet available. A method to estimate the image analysis contribution to confluency uncertainty is here proposed. A maximum and a minimum threshold are identified from a visual assessment of the free edge of the cells. An application to a fluorescence microscopy image of 2D of PT-45 cell cultures is reported. Results shows that the method can be a promising solution to associate an uncertainty to cell confluency measurements to enhance reliability and efficiency of high-content screening technologies

Exceptional cause of bowel obstruction: rectal endometriosis mimicking carcinoma of Rectum - A case report

Endometriosis with intestinal serosal involvement is not uncommon in women of childbearing age. However, endometriosis presenting as colon obstruction is rare and occurs in less than 1% of cases. The Lack of pathognomonic signs makes the diagnosis difficult, mostly because the main differential diagnosis is with neoplasm, even during the intervention. Reported here is a case of a 35-year –old woman presenting with bowel obstruction due to rectal endometriosis. The patient presented signs and symptoms of bowel obstruction. Colonoscopy and radiological findings were suggestive of rectal carcinoma. Surgeons performed an anterior resection with right salpingectomy. Histopathology diagnosed bowel endometriosis. This case demonstrates the difficulty of establishing an accurate pre- and intra-operative diagnosis and the ability of intestinal endometriosis to mimic colon cancer

On the use of new methods and multimedia

In the STEPS project the working group WG2 studied “New teaching and learning methods” and “The use of new multimedia”. Both were surveyed in Bachelor and Master studies of all STEPS members An inventory among universities and alumni on tools, software, programming languages and the importance of transferable skills was made. A list of categorized methods, tools and transferable skills resulted. The WG2 evaluated MultiMedia (MM) with the MPTL group. In 2009 the project STEPS TWO started. The WG2 focuses on project-based and student centred learning, also trying out some best practice materials with students and teachers. We address some problems found in categorizing and evaluating methods and materials We describe some didactical aspects and conditions for an effective integration of MM

Dynamic images to address conceptual nodes about mechanical waves: Example materials and preliminary results of the experimentation of the teacher training module IMAGONDE

In the framework of the 2002-03 project “Fisica per la Formazione Culturale - FORMazione Insegnanti” funded by Italy ministry of Education, a set of training materials, focused on mechanical waves, has been developed. The core of the materials is represented by animated images purposely designed in order to: 1) address intrinsically dynamic aspects of one-dimensional impulses/waves propagation on a string; 2) have the trainees reflect upon students’ difficulties in reading/interpreting static images (as the ones which are featured in common textbooks) and animations. In this paper we discuss example materials concerning transversal impulses on strings to address conceptual nodes such as: 1) configuration of the string at a given time and its abstract representation; 2) displacement vs. time graph of a string element and its abstract representation; 3) relationships between the two abstract representations; 4) modelization of mechanical wave propagation in one dimension. Moreover the results of the experimentation of the training materials in the framework of the Post Graduate School to Became Physics Teacher in Secondary Schools are presented and commented

La partecipazione democratica al Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership

Questo articolo affronta i limiti opponibili alla partecipazione democratica nelle relazioni internazionali. Il tema vuole, dunque, a) fornire qualche precisazione sui nomi e sulle cose di cui si tratta, e quindi che cosa si intende per democrazia partecipativa, su quali principi si fonda e con quali meccanismi si attua; b) riassumere lo stato dell'arte in ordine, da un lato, alle modalit\ue0 attraverso cui il fenomeno partecipativo si manifestato e, dall'altro, ai risultati ottenuti dalla pressione democratica che reclama trasparenza nelle negoziazioni in corso del TTIP; c) individuare nel gioco del bilanciamento degli interessi pubblici, quale interesse, tra quello relativo alla trasparenza e quello alla segretezza, prevale nelle relazioni internazionali europee di natura commercial

Primi passi verso una normazione italiana del lobbying

Il problema di normare l'attivit\ue0 di lobbying \ue8 tornato di recente sul tavolo del Parlamento italiano. La questione non \ue8 nuova al nostro legislatore, anzi, \ue8 annosa. Dal 1948 ad oggi numerosi sono stati i progetti e i disegni di legge presentati nelle sedi istituzionali competenti. La novit\ue0, questa volta, \ue8 che la proposta presentata alla Giunta per il regolamento della Camera dei deputati il 10 marzo 2016 dall'on. Giuseppe Pisicchio, di adottare "una sorta di Protocollo, cui far seguire, ma solo dopo sperimentazione, modifiche parlamentari" per normare sia "l'attivit\ue0 di relazione istituzionale nella Camera dei deputati" sia un "codice di condotta dei deputati, \ue8 stata, parzialmente, parzialmente accolta. Il 12 aprile 2016, infatti, la Giunta per il regolamento della Camera dei deputati ha approvato, con il solo voto di astensione del Movimento 5 Stelle, il "Codice di condotta dei deputati"

How did italian adolescents with disability and parents deal with the covid-19 emergency?

The COVID-19 emergency has imposed distanced education and has interrupted most rehabilitation services. Adolescents with disabilities have been isolated, and the burden on their families has been exacerbated. A cross-sectional survey was administered to adolescents with disability and to parents of disabled children to describe their experience during lockdown and their concerns or expectations about rehabilitation. A sample of 53 adolescents and 239 parents completed the survey. Adolescents were ages 13\u201318 years old (45.3% female). Most parents were between 35 and 55 years old (84.9% female). While 53.6% of the parents reported no positive effects of the lockdown, 92.5% of the adolescents expressed favorable consequences. The increased time spent with family members was judged positively by 27.2% of parents and by 64.2% of adolescents. Concern for their child\u2019s disability was expressed by 47.3% of parents, while 73.6% of adolescents expressed concerns regarding the ban on meeting friends. In both groups, anxiety symptoms were correlated with the fear of contracting COVID-19 and with financial problems. Parents would have liked even more remote support from school and healthcare professionals, which was available for most participants. Thus, socioeconomic support, assistive technology and telerehabilitation strategies might help families with disabilities during a lockdown

Evaluation of point defect concentrations in B2-FeAl intermetallic compound

Thermal defects are studied for three compositions (49, 50 and 52 at.%Fe) of the intermetallic compound FeAl with B2 structure. Magnetic measurements are used to determine the thermal defect concentrations. These concentrations are determined from fitting the experimental curves of magnetic susceptibility, obtained during an isochronal annealing after a quench. Next we have evaluated theoretically the concentrations of different point defects that exist in this compound. The used model is based in the Bragg-Williams approximation assuming the nearest-neighbour interaction. The calculated concentrations describe well the experimental values.Thermal defects are studied for three compositions (49, 50 and 52 at.%Fe) of the intermetallic compound FeAl with B2 structure. Magnetic measurements are used to determine the thermal defect concentrations. These concentrations are determined from fitting the experimental curves of magnetic susceptibility, obtained during an isochronal annealing after a quench. Next we have evaluated theoretically the concentrations of different point defects that exist in this compound. The used model is based in the Bragg-Williams approximation assuming the nearest-neighbour interaction. The calculated concentrations describe well the experimental values

Long-term mannitol-induced osmotic stress leads to stomatal closure, carbohydrate accumulation and changes in leaf elasticity in Phaselous vulgaris leaves

The effect of long-term osmotic stress was investigated in leaves of two common bean lines, with contrasting tolerance: Flamingo (tolerant) and coco blanc (sensitive). Water relations, organic solute, ion accumulation and amino acids content as well as osmotic adjustment (OA) were studied during an extended exposure to osmotic stress. Osmotic stress was applied by means of 50 mM mannitol for 15 days. At the end of the stress period, both osmotic potential at full turgor (Ψ100) and at turgor loss point (Ψ0) decreased significantly in stressed plants compared with the control. The decrease being greater in the sensitive line, showed a greater OA compared with flamingo. Sugars contents increased in stressed plants and seem to be the major components of osmotic adjustment in stressed common bean leaves. The increase was more marked in coco blanc. Osmotic stress tolerance could thus not be associated with higher OA. The possible role of decreased leaf cell elasticity (εmax) is discussed in relation to osmotic stress tolerance in this species.Key words: Common bean, carbohydrate accumulation, growth, osmotic stress, osmotic adjustment, P-V curve, water relations