A Parafermionic Generalization of the Jaynes Cummings Model

We introduce a parafermionic version of the Jaynes Cummings Hamiltonian, by coupling $k$ Fock parafermions (nilpotent of order $F$) to a 1D harmonic oscillator, representing the interaction with a single mode of the electromagnetic field. We argue that for $k=1$ and $F\leq 3$ there is no difference between Fock parafermions and quantum spins $s=\frac{F-1}{2}$. We also derive a semiclassical approximation of the canonical partition function of the model by assuming $\hbar$ to be small in the regime of large enough total number of excitations $n$, where the dimension of the Hilbert space of the problem becomes constant as a function of $n$. We observe in this case an interesting behaviour of the average of the bosonic number operator showing a single crossover between regimes with different integer values of this observable. These features persist when we generalize the parafermionic Hamiltonian by deforming the bosonic oscillator with a generic function $\Phi(x)$; the $q-$deformed bosonic oscillator corresponds to a specific choice of the deformation function $\Phi$. In this particular case, we observe at most $k(F-1)$ crossovers in the behavior of the mean bosonic number operator, suggesting a phenomenology of superradiance similar to the $k-$atoms Jaynes Cummings model.Comment: to appear on J.Phys.

Young at Heart: Pioneering Approaches to Model Nonischaemic Cardiomyopathy with Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

A mere 9 years have passed since the revolutionary report describing the derivation of induced pluripotent stem cells from human fibroblasts and the first in-patient translational use of cells obtained from these stem cells has already been achieved. From the perspectives of clinicians and researchers alike, the promise of induced pluripotent stem cells is alluring if somewhat beguiling. It is now evident that this technology is nascent and many areas for refinement have been identified and need to be considered before induced pluripotent stem cells can be routinely used to stratify, treat and cure patients, and to faithfully model diseases for drug screening purposes. This review specifically addresses the pioneering approaches to improve induced pluripotent stem cell based models of nonischaemic cardiomyopathy

Cortical and subcortical neuronal substrates of social behavior

Social behavior is one of the most important properties of animal life and it plays a critical role in biological adaptations. However, the neural substrates of social cognitive processing are complex and largely unknown. The \u201csocial brain\u201d network, involving a range of cortical and subcortical regions and connective pathways, varies depending on task demands. The aim of this thesis was to clarify the implication of different brain pathways and systems in different aspects of mice social behavior. The work presented in the first two chapters of the thesis was to develop and validated a new behavioral test to assess the ability to discriminate unfamiliar conspecific based on their emotional state. The results provide significant new insights on the role of the PVN-CeA oxytocin pathway and the implication of an excitatory and inhibitory imbalance in mPFC as core behavioral dysfunctions in social cognitive deficits. The last part of the thesis was focused more on the investigation of the behavioral and physiological effects produced by pharmacological treatment (oxytocin). In particular, taking advantage of the effects oxytocin produced in a mouse model of genetic liability, we investigated the physiological mechanisms of exogenous oxytocin action in the mPFC. All the results presented in this thesis indicate mixed molecular factors for the different social and brain response in mice that may be crucial in the aetiology of the social disease

NADPH oxidase and enhanced superoxide generation in intrauterine undernourished rats: involvement of the renin-angiotensin system

Objective: We previously reported that intrauterine undernutrition increased the oxidative stress by decreasing superoxide dismutase activity. in the present study, we tested whether NADPH oxidase, xanthine oxidase, cyclooxygenase or nitric oxide synthase are responsible for the increased O-2(-) generation observed in rats submitted to intrauterine undernutrition. in addition, we investigated the 2 effect of angiotensin II (ANG II on O-2(-) production via activation of NADPH oxidase. Methods: Female pregnant Wistar rats were fed either normal or 50% of the normal intake diets, during the whole gestational period. At 16 weeks of age, the rats were used for the study of intravital fluorescence microscopy; microvascular reactivity, local ANG II concentration and AT(1), p22(phox) and gp91(phox) gene expression. in this study only the male offspring was used. Results: Treatment of mesenteric arterioles with the xanthine oxidase inhibitor oxypurinol, the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor L-NAME or the cyclooxygenase, inhibitor diclofenac did not significantly change superoxide production. Thus, these vascular sources of superoxide were not responsible for the increased superoxide concentration. in contrast, treatment with the NADPH oxidase inhibitor apocynin significantly decreased superoxide generation and improved vascular function. On the other hand, intrauterine undernutrition did not alter the gene expression for p22(phox) and gp91(phox). the fact that the local ANG II concentration was increased and the attenuation of oxidative stress by blocking AT, receptor with losartan, led us to suggest that ANG II induces O-2 generation in intrauterine undernourished rats. Conclusion: Our study shows that NADPH oxidase inhibition attenuated superoxide anion generation and ameliorated vascular function in rats submitted to intrauterine undernutrition. Although it is not clear which mechanisms are responsible for the increase in NADPH oxidase activity, a role for ANG II-mediated superoxide production via activation of NADPH oxidase is suggested. (C) 2003 European Society of Cardiology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Univ São Paulo, Inst Biomed Sci, Dept Pharmacol, Lab Hypertens, BR-05508900 São Paulo, SP, BrazilUNIFESP, Lab Nephrol, São Paulo, SP, BrazilUNIFESP, Lab Nephrol, São Paulo, SP, BrazilWeb of Scienc

The impact of land use characteristics for sustainable mobility: the case study of Rome

Sustainable mobility requires actions to reduce the need for travel, to promote modal shift, to reduce trip lengths and to increase efficiency of transport system. Public transport could play an important role to solve part of the needs previously reported. Starting from these remarks, the present paper analyse the role, the importance and the impact of land use characteristics to develop services able to compete with automobile use. This analysis is carried out by studying the real world case of the city of Rome in Italy. The results of the test carried out highlight the importance of density of residences and activities, the need for a good quality access system to the transit services stops and the importance of the configuration of the transit network, identifying the best way to connect the different districts of the urban area. However, single actions are not sufficient to achieve a sustainable transport system: these actions can be successful only if they are planned in a complex unique system that helps the synergic development of the effects of the single actions proposed

Impacts of a large wildfire on hydrologic behavior and water resources quality in the Pisano Mount area (northwestern Tuscany): preliminary results

Wildfires are recognized as one of the most effecting ecological agents, altering geomorphological processes, hydrologic cycles, and water quality (Shakesby, 2011; Smith et al., 2011; Moody et al., 2013). On average from 50,000 to 65,000 fires occur in Europe every year, burning approximately 500,000 ha of forested areas (Turco et al., 2014). Between September 2018 and February 2019 two large wildfires burned about 1,400 ha of forest and farmlands in the Pisano Mount area, mainly in the municipalities of Calci and Vicopisano (northwestern Tuscany) (Salbitano et al., 2020). The area is mainly formed of a hilly landscape, with extensive forest cover and peculiar geomorphological features. The main outcropping rocks are composed of quartzite, arenite, phyllite and quartz metaconglomerate. The burned area is of primary importance in the hydrologic recharge processes of the groundwater resources hosted in the alluvial fan of the Zambra stream and in the multi-layer aquifer of the Pisa plain (Del Tredici, 2019). The presented study is concerned with a characterization of the hydrological cycle and water resources quality in the burned area of the Pisano Mount. The recent wildfire impact on hydrological behaviour and water quality and quantity is being evaluated by the comparison between burned and unburned areas, selecting two major catchments in the former and two sub-catchments in the latter. The catchments were selected as similar as possible by evaluating morphometry, geology and pre-fire vegetation features. A network of meteorological stations was already present and was implemented. Five hydraulic sections of the main streams draining the area are currently monitored for hydraulic level and physico-chemical parameters. All the sections are equipped for monitoring water level, electrical conductivity, and temperature, whereas two probes register also pH, turbidity and oxidation-reduction potential. Monthly samples are collected for stream water and groundwater. In addition, four plate lysimeters will be installed to sample water infiltrated through the soils to evaluate the chemical exchanges between soil and rainwater. Samples are analysed for major anions and cations, total suspended solids, trace elements, water isotopes and organic compounds, to search chemical perturbation potentially arising by the wildfire. Finally, a survey of measurement of the hydraulic properties, permeability and sorptivity, is also scheduled, aiming to address changes of these properties induced by wildfires. The main knowledge about wildfire perturbation and the experimental design will be illustrated including the preliminary results of the work

On the reliability of tube-dip-in-water precipitation collectors in isotope hydrology: A field experiment for low rainfall amounts

The oxygen and hydrogen stable isotope composition in precipitation serves as a benchmark in most isotope atmospheric, (eco-) hydrological, and paleoclimatological applications. Several rain collectors have been designed for collecting monthly, daily, or event-based precipitations aiming to prevent evaporation and associated isotope fractionation. Oil collectors have been the most widely used for many years and only recently they are being replaced by free-oil Tube-dip-in-water collectors, especially after the production of commercial versions. Although several isotopic studies already adopted this precipitation collector, no field experiments were performed to evaluate the isotopic integrity of low-amount precipitation samples. Field testing of precipitation collectors is therefore encouraged under the same environmental conditions of areas where researchers want to undertake their studies. In this work, we tested field performances of different Tube-dip-in-water collectors, compared to an Oil collector and a reference collector with no anti-evaporative system, in preventing evaporation during the collection of low-amount monthly precipitation samples. The field experiment was carried out in the city of Pisa (Italy), in the Mediterranean region, over four different periods in spring and summer 2022, when atmospheric conditions were more likely to promote evaporation. Six precipitation collectors were filled at the beginning of each period with distilled water with a known isotope composition. Four collectors (reference, Oil, Palmex Tube-dip-in-water, Home-made Tube-dip-in-water) were filled to less than 2 % of the total volume, and other two Home-made Tube-dip-in collectors were filled to 5 % and 10 %. Evaporative mass losses were determined gravimetrically at the end of each period, and water aliquots were sampled for isotope analyses. The Oil collector showed the smallest evaporative mass losses and no detectable isotope shifts. The Home-made Tube-dip-in-water collector was also effective in preventing evaporation for low water amounts and it provided acceptable results even for extremely low water volumes, albeit with small isotope shifts. The Palmex collector, by contrast, exhibited worst performance when the collection of very low amount precipitation samples (less than 2 % of the total volume of the bottle) was tested. The isotope shifts were significant and larger than values measured for the Home-made collector filled to same percentage. Among the possible reasons behind the worse performance of this sampler, the outer case material seemed to be the most likely. The Palmex sampler was enclosed in a metal outer case which could have promoted an overheating of the bottle, when exposed to solar radiation, potentially enhancing the day-night temperature fluctuations inside the bottle and between the bottle and the case. This could have led to greater evaporation but potentially also to larger expansion-contraction cycles of the gas inside the bottle, thus promoting vapour exchange with the external atmosphere. However, further experiments will have to be carried out to confirm this hypothesis. Overall, our results indicated Tube-dip-in-water collectors as a reliable and low-cost alternative to oil models in most studies of isotope hydrology, especially in regions with temperate to semi-arid climate, including Mediterranean areas. However, a prudent approach is recommended at the sampling stage whereby the choice of the collector design should be calibrated according to the climatic features of the area and seasonality

Field testing of tube-dip-in water precipitation collectors used in isotope hydrology

The oxygen and hydrogen stable isotope composition in precipitation serves as a benchmark in most isotope atmospheric, (eco-)hydrological, and paleoclimatological applications. Several rain collectors have been designed for collecting monthly, daily or event-based precipitations aiming to prevent evaporation and associated isotope fractionation. Oil collectors have been the most widely used for many years and only recently they are being progressively replaced by free- oil Tube-dip-in water collectors, especially after their formal publication by Gröning et al. (2012) and the production of a commercial version (Palmex Ltd). Although the reliability of this precipitation collector has been proven, many doubts remain when dealing with small precipitation amounts (Michelsen et al., 2018). Field testing of precipitation collectors is therefore encouraged, which should be carried out under the same environmental conditions of areas where researchers want to undertake their studies. In this work, we tested the field performance of different precipitation collectors in preventing evaporation and isotope fractionation. Two main objectives were behind this study: i) to evaluate the reliability of tube-dip-in water collectors for very low precipitation amounts; ii) to test a homemade Tube-dip-in water collector for different water amounts. The experiment consisted of simulating the collection of small monthly precipitation samples in spring and summer when atmospheric conditions are more likely to promote evaporation. The experiment was carried out on the rooftop of the Earth Science Department of the University of Pisa from March 2022 to July 2022. Four different collector designs were tested simultaneously over four different periods (each lasting approximately one month): a Control collector with no anti-evaporative system; an Oil collector; a Palmex Tube-dip-in water collector; a homemade Tube-dip-in water collector. They were filled to 1.4% of their total volume (10 L) with water of known isotope composition. Since the diameter of 13.5 cm of most common funnels, this percentage corresponds to ~10 mm. Other two homemade Tube-dip-in water collectors were filled to 5% and 10%, corresponding to ~35 mm and ~70 mm. All the collectors were placed outside at the start of each period. Evaporative mass losses were determined gravimetrically and samples for isotope analyses were collected at the end of each period. On average, the Oil collector showed the smallest mass losses, and the isotope shifts were much lower than analytical errors. The Palmex collector failed, with even larger mass losses and isotope shifts (Δδ18O = 0.42‰ and Δδ2H = 1.6‰) than the Control collector. The home-made Tube-dip-in water collectors performed well and better than Palmex. Mass losses and isotope shifts tended to increase with increasing temperature and decreasing relative humidity