A ballistic quantum ring Josephson interferometer.

We report the realization of a ballistic Josephson interferometer. The interferometer is made from a quantum ring etched in a nanofabricated two-dimensional electron gas confined in an InAs-based heterostructure laterally contacted to superconducting niobium leads. The Josephson current flowing through the structure shows oscillations with h/e flux periodicity when threading the loop with a perpendicular magnetic field. This periodicity, in sharp contrast with the h/2e one observed in conventional dc superconducting quantum interference devices, confirms the ballistic nature of the device in agreement with theoretical predictions. This system paves the way for the implementation of interferometric Josephson π-junctions, and for the investigation of Majorana fermions.

Nanotransformation and current fluctuations in exciton condensate junctions.

We analyze the nonlinear transport properties of a bilayer exciton condensate that is contacted by four metallic leads by calculating the full counting statistics of electron transport for arbitrary system parameters. Despite its formal similarity to a superconductor the transport properties of the exciton condensate turn out to be completely different. We recover the generic features of exciton condensates such as counterpropagating currents driven by excitonic Andreev reflections and make predictions for nonlinear transconductance between the layers as well as for the current (cross)correlations and generalized Johnson-Nyquist relationships. Finally, we explore the possibility of connecting another mesoscopic system (in our case a quantum point contact) to the bottom layer of the exciton condensate and show how the excitonic Andreev reflections can be used for transforming voltage at the nanoscale.

[Oral mucosa and hormonal stimulation during the menstrual cycle]. / Mucosa orale e stimolazione ormonale durante il ciclo mestruale.

This study valued by Eosinophilic Index (EI) or cellular maturation index the behaviour of oral mucosa cells undergoing stimulus of hormones during menstrual cycle, as well as vaginal cells according to a supposition by several Authors. Specimens by scraping of oral mucosa cells in female patients selected by standards of regular menstrual cycle and absence of any oral pathology or dental prosthesis, actually showed EI changes according to cycle stage and rate of hormonal effect probably. On the other hand, specimens by scraping or oral mucosa cells in male patients showed constant EI rates during monthly cycle. Being statistical study not significant because of little series of specimens--it's difficult to select a lot of women and to control them during their whole menstrual cycle working in a small surgery! -, yet Authors confirm results of previous studies by different Authors. If the relationship between cellular maturation of oral cells and effect of hormones during menstrual cycle resulted, it could be possible further on to investigate, for example, the behaviour of epithelial cells being in any periodontal pocket undergoing stimulus of female hormones.

Frequency of qh+ chromosomal variants in a) radioexposed, b) Down syndrome and c) control subjects.

"Paranormal" variants of human chromosomes, devoid of phenotypical effects (since what appears to vary is heterochromatic, non-genic DNA) are known to be heritable. Some very large variants (especially the qh+ variants on chromosomes 1 and possibly 16 and Y) were reported to be associated with increased reproductive pathology (sterility, fetal wastage, chromosomal aberrations). These variants are currently assessed by the C-band techniques; very large C-bands correspond to morphological alterations (elongation or deformation) of the chromosome. A study of qh+ morphological variants of chromosomes 1, 9 and 16 in 40 professionally radioexposed subjects, in 40 Down-syndrome patients and in 40 controls is reported, indicating that the frequency of each variant is lowest among controls, intermediate among professionally radioexposed subjects and highest among Down-syndrome patients. These findings, if confirmed, suggest a possible use of the qh+ variants as heritable indicators of chromosomal damage.