Sensitivity and spatial resolution of square loop SQUID magnetometers

We calculate the flux threading the pick-up coil of a square SQUID magnetometer in the presence of a current dipole source. The result reproduces that of a circle coil magnetometer calculated by Wikswo with only small differences. However it has a simpler form so that it is possible to derive from it closed form expressions for the current dipole sensitivity and the spatial resolution. The results are useful to assess the overall performance of the device and to compare different designs

Assessment of an Automatic Liquid Chromatograph for Foetal and Abnormal Haemoglobins

Peer Reviewe

mTOR-Inhibition and COVID-19 in Kidney Transplant Recipients: Focus on Pulmonary Fibrosis

Kidney transplant recipients are at high risk of developing severe COVID-19 due to the coexistence of several transplant-related comorbidities (e.g., cardiovascular disease, diabetes) and chronic immunosuppression. As a consequence, a large part of SARS-CoV-2 infected patients have been managed with a reduction of immunosuppression. The mTOR-I, together with antimetabolites, have been often discontinued in order to minimize the risk of pulmonary toxicity and to antagonize pharmacological interaction with antiviral/anti-inflammatory drugs. However, at our opinion, this therapeutic strategy, although justified in kidney transplant recipients with severe COVID-19, should be carefully evaluated in asymptomatic/paucisymptomatic patients in order to avoid the onset of acute allograft rejections, to potentially exploit the mTOR-I antiviral properties, to reduce proliferation of conventional T lymphocytes (which could mitigate the cytokine storm) and to preserve Treg growth/activity which could reduce the risk of progression to severe disease. In this review, we discuss the current literature regarding the therapeutic potential of mTOR-Is in kidney transplant recipients with COVID-19 with a focus on pulmonary fibrosis

The BeppoSAX WFC X-ray source catalogue

We present the catalogue of X-ray sources detected by the two Wide Field Cameras (WFCs) in complete observations on board BeppoSAX during its 6 years of operational lifetime, between April 1996 and April 2002. The BeppoSAX WFCs were coded mask instruments sensitive in the 2-28 keV energy band with a 40x40 square degree fields of view, pointing in opposite directions and perpendicularly to the BeppoSAX Narrow Field Instruments (NFI). The WFCs were usually operated simultaneously to NFI observations, each lasting up to several days. WFCs observed thus the entire sky several times with a typical sensitivity of 2 to 10 mCrab. A systematic analysis of all WFC observations in the BeppoSAX archive has been carried out using the latest post-mission release of the WFC analysis software and calibrations. The catalogue includes 253 distinct sources, obtained from a total sample of 8253 WFC detections. We describe the basic statistical properties of the sample and present a six-year history of two celestial calibration X-ray sources.Comment: 15 pages, 11 figures, Catalogue, Accepted for publication on A&

The supernova impostor PSN J09132750+7627410 and its progenitor

We report the results of our follow-up campaign of the supernova impostor PSN J09132750+7627410, based on optical data covering $\sim250\,\rm{d}$. From the beginning, the transient shows prominent narrow Balmer lines with P-Cygni profiles, with a blue-shifted absorption component becoming more prominent with time. Along the $\sim3\,\rm{months}$ of the spectroscopic monitoring, broad components are never detected in the hydrogen lines, suggesting that these features are produced in slowly expanding material. The transient reaches an absolute magnitude $M_r=-13.60\pm0.19\,\rm{mag}$ at maximum, a typical luminosity for supernova impostors. Amateur astronomers provided $\sim4\,\rm{years}$ of archival observations of the host galaxy, NGC 2748. The detection of the quiescent progenitor star in archival images obtained with the Hubble Space Telescope suggests it to be an $18-20$\msun white-yellow supergiant.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figures, supplemental material available in the source file. Accepted for publication on Astrophysical Journal Letter

Topology-Induced Critical Current Enhancement in Josephson Networks

We investigate the properties of Josephson junction networks with inhomogeneous architecture. The networks are shaped as "quare comb" planar lattices on which Josephson junctions link superconducting islands arranged in the plane to generate the pertinent topology. Compared to the behavior of reference linear arrays, the temperature dependencies of the Josephson currents of the branches of the network exhibit relevant differences. The observed phenomena evidence new and surprising behavior of superconducting Josephson arrays as well as remarkable similarities with bosonic junction arrays.Comment: improved figures (added magnetic pattern and single junction switching) some changes in the text and in the titl