Large Binocular Telescope observations of PSR J2043+2740

We present the results of deep optical imaging of the radio/$\gamma$-ray pulsar PSR J2043+2740, obtained with the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT). With a characteristic age of 1.2 Myr, PSR J2043+2740 is one of the oldest (non recycled) pulsars detected in $\gamma$-rays, although with still a quite high rotational energy reservoir ($\dot{E}_{\rm rot} = 5.6 \times 10^{34}$ erg s$^{-1}$). The presumably close distance (a few hundred pc), suggested by the hydrogen column density ($N_{\rm H} \lesssim 3.6 \times 10^{20}$ cm$^{-2}$), would make it a viable target for deep optical observations, never attempted until now. We observed the pulsar with the Large Binocular Camera of the LBT. The only object (V=25.44$\pm$0.05) detected within ~3" from the pulsar radio coordinates is unrelated to it. PSR J2043+2740 is, thus, undetected down to V~26.6 (3-$\sigma$), the deepest limit on its optical emission. We discuss the implications of this result on the pulsar emission properties.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication on MNRA

Observations of one young and three middle-aged γ\gamma-ray pulsars with the Gran Telescopio Canarias

We used the 10.4m Gran Telescopio Canarias to search for the optical counterparts to four isolated $\gamma$-ray pulsars, all detected in the X-rays by either \xmm\ or \chan\ but not yet in the optical. Three of them are middle-aged pulsars -- PSR\, J1846+0919 (0.36 Myr), PSR\, J2055+2539 (1.2 Myr), PSR\, J2043+2740 (1.2 Myr) -- and one, PSR\, J1907+0602, is a young pulsar (19.5 kyr). For both PSR\, J1907+0602 and PSR\, J2055+2539 we found one object close to the pulsar position. However, in both cases such an object cannot be a viable candidate counterpart to the pulsar. For PSR\, J1907+0602, because it would imply an anomalously red spectrum for the pulsar and for PSR\, J2055+2539 because the pulsar would be unrealistically bright ($r'=20.34\pm0.04$) for the assumed distance and interstellar extinction. For PSR\, J1846+0919, we found no object sufficiently close to the expected position to claim a possible association, whereas for PSR\, J2043+2740 we confirm our previous findings that the object nearest to the pulsar position is an unrelated field star. We used our brightness limits ($g' \approx 27$), the first obtained with a large-aperture telescope for both PSR\, J1846+0919 and PSR\, J2055+2539, to constrain the optical emission properties of these pulsars and investigate the presence of spectral turnovers at low energies in their multi-wavelength spectra.Comment: 10 pages, 11 figures, accpted for publication in MNRA

The study of neutron star magnetospheres with LOFT

This is a White Paper in support of the mission concept of the Large Observatory for X-ray Timing (LOFT), proposed as a medium-sized ESA mission. We discuss the potential of LOFT for the study of magnetospheres of isolated neutron stars. For a summary, we refer to the paper.Comment: White Paper in Support of the Mission Concept of the Large Observatory for X-ray Timin

Collapse models with non-white noises

We set up a general formalism for models of spontaneous wave function collapse with dynamics represented by a stochastic differential equation driven by general Gaussian noises, not necessarily white in time. In particular, we show that the non-Schrodinger terms of the equation induce the collapse of the wave function to one of the common eigenstates of the collapsing operators, and that the collapse occurs with the correct quantum probabilities. We also develop a perturbation expansion of the solution of the equation with respect to the parameter which sets the strength of the collapse process; such an approximation allows one to compute the leading order terms for the deviations of the predictions of collapse models with respect to those of standard quantum mechanics. This analysis shows that to leading order, the ``imaginary'' noise trick can be used for non-white Gaussian noise.Comment: Latex, 20 pages;references added and minor revisions; published as J. Phys. A: Math. Theor. {\bf 40} (2007) 15083-1509

Design of a modular Autonomous Underwater Vehicle for archaeological investigations

MARTA (MARine Tool for Archaeology) is a modular AUV (Autonomous Underwater Vehicle) designed and developed by the University of Florence in the framework of the ARROWS (ARchaeological RObot systems for the World's Seas) FP7 European project. The ARROWS project challenge is to provide the underwater archaeologists with technological tools for cost affordable campaigns: i.e. ARROWS adapts and develops low cost AUV technologies to significantly reduce the cost of archaeological operations, covering the full extent of an archaeological campaign (underwater mapping, diagnosis and cleaning tasks). The tools and methodologies developed within ARROWS comply with the "Annex" of the 2001 UNESCO Convention for the protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage (UCH). The system effectiveness and MARTA performance will be demonstrated in two scenarios, different as regards the environment and the historical context, the Mediterranean Sea (Egadi Islands) and the Baltic Sea

Clusters of risk factors in metabolic syndrome and their influence on central blood pressure in a global study

The effect of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and clusters of its components on central blood pressure (CBP) has not been well characterized. We aimed to describe the effect of MetS and clusters of its components on CBP in a large population and to identify whether this effect differs in men and women. We studied 15,609 volunteers (43% women) from 10 cohorts worldwide who participated in the Metabolic syndrome and Artery REsearch Consortium. MetS was defined according to the NCEP-ATP III criteria (GHTBW, glucose, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglyceride, blood pressure, waist circumference). CBP was measured noninvasively and acquired from pulse wave analysis by applanation tonometry. MetS was associated with a 50% greater odds of having higher CSBP. After controlling for age, male sex, non HDL cholesterol, diabetes mellitus, and mean arterial pressure, only specific clusters of MetS components were associated with a higher CSBP; and some of them were significant in women but not in men. We identified "risky clusters" of MetS variables associated with high CSBP. Future studies are needed to confirm they identify subjects at high risk of accelerated arterial aging and, thus, need more intensive clinical management

Association of Genetic Markers with CSF Oligoclonal Bands in Multiple Sclerosis Patients

Objective:to explore the association between genetic markers and Oligoclonal Bands (OCB) in the Cerebro Spinal Fluid (CSF) of Italian Multiple Sclerosis patients.Methods:We genotyped 1115 Italian patients for HLA-DRB1*15 and HLA-A*02. In a subset of 925 patients we tested association with 52 non-HLA SNPs associated with MS susceptibility and we calculated a weighted Genetic Risk Score. Finally, we performed a Genome Wide Association Study (GWAS) with OCB status on a subset of 562 patients. The best associated SNPs of the Italian GWAS were replicated in silico in Scandinavian and Belgian populations, and meta-analyzed.Results:HLA-DRB1*15 is associated with OCB+: p = 0.03, Odds Ratio (OR) = 1.6, 95% Confidence Limits (CL) = 1.1-2.4. None of the 52 non-HLA MS susceptibility loci was associated with OCB, except one SNP (rs2546890) near IL12B gene (OR: 1.45; 1.09-1.92). The weighted Genetic Risk Score mean was significantly (p = 0.0008) higher in OCB+ (7.668) than in OCB- (7.412) patients. After meta-analysis on the three datasets (Italian, Scandinavian and Belgian) for the best associated signals resulted from the Italian GWAS, the strongest signal was a SNP (rs9320598) on chromosome 6q (p = 9.4×10-7) outside the HLA region (65 Mb).Discussion:genetic factors predispose to the development of OCB