Some probabilistic techniques in field theory

We study, in the context of the Markov hyerarchical fields (d=2, 3) the role of the Markov property, of formal renormalization and of formal positivity. We determine upper and lower bounds for the ground state energy and discuss their relation with the perturbation theory series.This work has been partially supported by I.N.F.N., G.N.F.M., and G.N.S.M.     

Investigation of a Pt–Fe/C catalyst for oxygen reduction reaction in direct ethanol fuel cells

Three cathode catalysts (60% Pt/C, 30% Pt/C and 60% Pt–Fe/C), with a particle size of about 2–3 nm, were prepared to investigate the effect of ethanol cross-over on cathode surfaces. All samples were studied in terms of structure and morphology by using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analyses. Their electrocatalytic behavior in terms of oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) was investigated and compared using a rotating disk electrode (RDE). The tolerance of cathode catalysts in the presence of ethanol was evaluated. The Pt–Fe/C catalyst showed both higher ORR activity and tolerance to ethanol cross-over than Pt/C catalysts. Moreover, the more promising catalysts were tested in 5 cm² DEFC single cells at 60 and 80 °C. An improvement in single cell performance was observed in the presence of the Pt–Fe catalyst, due to an enhancement in the oxygen reduction kinetics. The maximum power density was 53 mW cm⁻² at 2 bar rel. cathode pressure and 80 °C.     

Turing vegetation patterns in a generalized hyperbolic Klausmeier model

The formation of Turing vegetation patterns in flat arid environments is investigated in the framework of a generalized version of the hyperbolic Klausmeier model. The extensions here considered involve, on the one hand, the strength of the rate at which rainfall water enters into the soil and, on the other hand, the functional dependence of the inertial times on vegetation biomass and soil water. The study aims at elucidating how the inclusion of these generalized quantities affects the onset of bifurcation of supercritical Turing patterns as well as the transient dynamics observed from an uniformly vegetated state towards a patterned state. To achieve these goals, linear and multiple-scales weakly nonlinear stability analysis are addressed, this latter being inspected in both large and small spatial domains. Analytical results are then corroborated by numerical simulations, which also serve to describe more deeply the spatio-temporal evolution of the emerging patterns as well as to characterize the different timescales involved in vegetation dynamics.     

Wave features of a hyperbolic prey–predator model

A hyperbolic predator–prey model is proposed within the context of extended thermodynamics. The nature of the steady state solutions for the uniform and non‐uniform perturbations are analyzed. The existence of smooth traveling wave‐like solutions, related to the invasion of the predator population into a prey‐only state is discussed. Validation of the model in point is also accomplished by searching for numerical solutions of the system, which also points out limit cycles in the populations. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

On the Mosaic Method for Many-Dimensional Modal Logics: A Case Study Combining Tense and Modal Operators

We present an extension of the mosaic method aimed at capturing many-dimensional modal logics. As a proof-of-concept, we define the method for logics arising from the combination of linear tense operators with an “orthogonal” S5-like modality. We show that the existence of a model for a given set of formulas is equivalent to the existence of a suitable set of partial models, called mosaics, and apply the technique not only in obtaining a proof of decidability and a proof of completeness for the corresponding Hilbert-style axiomatization, but also in the development of a mosaic-based tableau system. We further consider extensions for dealing with the case when interactions between the two dimensions exist, thus covering a wide class of bundled Ockhamist branching-time logics, and present for them some partial results, such as a non-analytic version of the tableau system.     

Fourier Self-Deconvolution Analysis of β-Sheet Contents in the Amide I Region of Hemoglobin Aqueous Solutions under Exposure to 900 MHz Microwaves and Bioprotective Effectiveness of Sugar and Salt Solutions

Spectroscopic Fourier self-deconvolution analysis was used to investigate β-sheet features in the secondary structure of hemoglobin under mobile phone microwaves at 900 MHz. To this end, four samples of hemoglobin in bidistilled water, sucrose, trehalose, and sodium chloride aqueous solutions were exposed for up to 4 hr to 900 MHz microwaves at an average H-field intensity of 42 mA/m. Quantitative spectral analyses highlighted significant increases in β-sheet contents in the Amide I region of hemoglobin samples in bidistilled water solution, but no appreciable change was observed in hemoglobin samples in sucrose, trehalose, and sodium chloride solutions. These results led us to conclude that mobile phone microwaves can denaturate hemoglobin in bidistilled water solution whereas sucrose, trehalose, and sodium chloride solutions produce a protective effect against microwaves, preserving the protein from unfolding.