QCALT: a tile calorimeter for KLOE-2 upgrade

The upgrade of the DA$\Phi$NE machine layout requires a modification of the size and position of the inner focusing quadrupoles of KLOE-2 thus asking for the realization of two new calorimeters covering the quadrupoles area. To improve the reconstruction of $K_L\to 2\pi^0$ events with photons hitting the quadrupoles a calorimeter with high efficiency to low energy photons (20-300 MeV), time resolution of less than 1 ns and space resolution of few cm, is needed. To match these requirements, we are designing a tile calorimeter, QCALT, where each single tile is readout by mean of SiPM for a total granularity of 2400 channels. We show first tests of the different calorimeter components

Use of Robotics kits for the enhancement of metacognitive skills of mathematics: a possible approach

The present study is aimed at analyzing the process of building and programming robots as a metacognitive tool of mathematics. Quantitative data from a study performed on a sample of students attending an Italian secondary school are described. Results showed that robotics activities may be used as a new metacognitive environment allowing students to improve their attitude towards mathematics, and to increase their attitude to reflect on themselves and on their own learning, and their higher-level control components, such as forecasting, planning, monitoring and evaluation exercises and problems related to implementation

NEUTRAL LOSS ANALYSIS OF AMINO ACIDS BY DESORPTION ELECTROSPRAY IONIZATION USING AN UNMODIFIED TANDEM QUADRUPOLE MASS SPECTROMETER.

A new method to analyze free amino acids using desorption electrospray ionization (DESI) has been implemented. The method is based on the neutral loss mode determination of underivatized amino acids using a tandem quadrupole mass spectrometer equipped with an unmodified atmospheric interface. Qualitative and quantitative optimization of DESI parameters, including ESI voltage, solvent flow rate, angle of collection and incidence, gas flow and temperatures, was performed for amino acids detection. The parameters for DESI analysis were evaluated using a mixture of valine, leucine, methionine, phenylalanine and tyrosine standards. A few microliters of this mixture were deposited on a slide, dried and analyzed at a flow rate of 2mL/min. The optimal ionization response was obtained using laboratory glass slides and an equivalent solution of water/methanol doped with 2% of formic acid. The method specificity was evaluated by comparing product ion spectra and neutral loss analysis of amino acids obtained either by DESI or by electrospray ionization flow injection analysis (ESI-FIA). To evaluate the quantitative response on amino acids analyzed by DESI, calibration curves were performed on amino acid standard solutions spiked with a fixed amount of labelled amino acids. The method was also employed to analyze free amino acids from blood spots, after a rapid solvent extraction without other sample pretreatment, from positive and negative subjects. The method enables one to analyze biological samples and to discriminate healthy subjects from patients affected by inherited metabolic diseases. The intrinsic high-throughput analysis of DESI represents an opportunity, because of its potential application in clinical chemistry.....

CHANTI: a Fast and Efficient Charged Particle Veto Detector for the NA62 Experiment at CERN

The design, construction and test of a charged particle detector made of scintillation counters read by Silicon Photomultipliers (SiPM) is described. The detector, which operates in vacuum and is used as a veto counter in the NA62 experiment at CERN, has a single channel time resolution of 1.14 ns, a spatial resolution of ~2.5 mm and an efficiency very close to 1 for penetrating charged particles

Giant Prolactinoma Embedded by Pseudoaneurysm of the Cavernous Carotid Artery Treated with a Tailored Therapeutic Scheme

The coexistence of intracranial aneurysm (IA) is generally thought to be highest in patients with pituitary adenomas (PAs). Different mechanisms may play a role in aneurysm formation, but whether the PA contributes to aneurysm formation is still unclear. In the literature, there are numerous reported cases of this association; however, the analyses of the characteristics of PAs, aneurysms, and treatment management are rare and limited to a restricted number of case reports. We report a rare case of an embedded aneurysm in a macroprolactinoma treated with therapeutic management tailored to the clinical, neurological, and radiological characteristics of the patient. To select the best treatment, we reviewed the literature and reported the only cases in which the radiological characteristics of aneurysms, PAs, therapeutic management, and patient outcome are described. We aimed to understand what are the variables that determine the best therapeutic management with the best possible outcome. The presence of a large pseudoaneurysm of the internal carotid artery completely embedded in a giant macroprolactinoma is rare and needs a tailored treatment strategy. The importance of the preoperative knowledge of asymptomatic IA coexisting with PA can avoid accidental rupture of the aneurysm during surgical resection and may lead to planning the best treatment. A high degree of suspicion for an associated aneurysm is needed, and if magnetic resonance imaging shows some atypical features, digital subtraction angiography must be performed prior to contemplating any intervention to avoid iatrogenic aneurysmal rupture. Our multimodal approach with the first-line therapy of low-dose cabergoline to obtain prolactin normalization with minimum risks of aneurysms rupture and subsequent endovascular treatment with flow diverter has not been described elsewhere to our knowledge. In the cases, we suggest adopting a tailored low-dose cabergoline therapy scheme to avoid rupture during cytoreduction and initiate a close neuroradiological follow-up program

The Low Energy Tagger for the KLOE-2 experiment

The KLOE experiment at the upgraded DAFNE e+e- collider in Frascati (KLOE-2) is going to start a new data taking at the beginning of 2010 with its detector upgraded with a tagging system for the identification of gamma-gamma interactions. The tagging stations for low-energy e+e- will consist in two calorimeters The calorimeter used to detect low-energy e+e- will be placed between the beam-pipe outer support structure and the inner wall of the KLOE drift chamber. This calorimeter will be made of LYSO crystals readout by Silicon Photomultipliers, to achieve an energy resolution better than 8% at 200 MeV.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figures, in the proceedings of "Frontier detectors for frontier physics", isola d'Elba, Italy, May 200

Study of gender differences in VR response following cardiac surgery

Cardiac and other invasive surgical procedures cause significant anxiety and stress to patients and their family members. In this study Virtual Reality (VR) was used as a method to reduce stress, anxiety and pain in patients undergoing surgical procedures. This study compared a cohort of patients in the interval prior to and successive to the surgery, differentiating the responses achieved by males and females and comparing the effectiveness. The results are encouraging: they demonstrate the efficacy of VR treatment and the safety of the method and detection of differences in the responses based on gender

β-Hexachlorocyclohexane Drives Carcinogenesis in the Human Normal Bronchial Epithelium Cell Line BEAS-2B

Organochlorine pesticides constitute the majority of the total environmental pollutants, and a wide range of compounds have been found to be carcinogenic to humans. Among all, growing interest has been focused on β-hexachlorocyclohexane (β-HCH), virtually the most hazardous and, at the same time, the most poorly investigated member of the hexachlorocyclohexane family. Considering the multifaceted biochemical activities of β-HCH, already established in our previous studies, the aim of this work is to assess whether β-HCH could also trigger cellular malignant transformation toward cancer development. For this purpose, experiments were performed on the human normal bronchial epithelium cell line BEAS-2B exposed to 10 µM β-HCH. The obtained results strongly support the carcinogenic potential of β-HCH, which is achieved through both non-genotoxic (activation of oncogenic signaling pathways and proliferative activity) and indirect genotoxic (ROS production and DNA damage) mechanisms that significantly affect cellular macroscopic characteristics and functions such as cell morphology, cell cycle profile, and apoptosis. Taking all these elements into account, the presented study provides important elements to further characterize β-HCH, which appears to be a full-fledged carcinogenic agent

Enhanced high-temperature mechanical behavior of an in situ TiAl matrix composite reinforced with alumina

A Ti-45Al-3Cr-2.5Nb alloy reinforced with in situ formed alumina has been produced by means of centrifugal casting by adding zirconium oxide in the crucible. The dispersion-strengthened alloy has been characterized to verify its microstructure and particle distribution. Mechanical tests carried out over the temperature range 850-950 degrees C highlighted that in situ formed alumina allows to increase the alloy yield stress by 21% at 850 degrees C and by 35% at 900 degrees C. Moreover, the in situ formed oxide particles produced an increase of the Young's modulus of about 10% at 850 degrees C and of about 8% at 900 degrees C. Considering that the tested alloy has a density that is about a half of nickel superalloys, obtaining high specific mechanical properties over the temperature range 850-950 degrees C can boost its application in the production of turbine blades