University of Milano-Bicocca

About: University of Milano-Bicocca is a education organization based out in Milan, Italy. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Blood pressure. The organization has 8972 authors who have published 22322 publications receiving 620484 citations. The organization is also known as: Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca & Universita degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca.

Measuring the leading hadronic contribution to the muon g-2 via $\mu e$ scattering

Abstract: We propose a new experiment to measure the running of the electromagnetic coupling constant in the space-like region by scattering high-energy muons on atomic electrons of a low-Z target through the elastic process $$\mu \, e \rightarrow \mu \, e$$ . The differential cross section of this process, measured as a function of the squared momentum transfer $$t=q^2<0$$ , provides direct sensitivity to the leading-order hadronic contribution to the muon anomaly $$a^\mathrm{{HLO}}_{\mu }$$ . By using a muon beam of 150 GeV, with an average rate of $$\sim $$ 1.3 $$\times 10^7$$ muon/s, currently available at the CERN North Area, a statistical uncertainty of $$\sim $$ 0.3% can be achieved on $$a^\mathrm{{HLO}}_{\mu }$$ after two years of data taking. The direct measurement of $$a^\mathrm{{HLO}}_{\mu }$$ via $$\mu e$$ scattering will provide an independent determination, competitive with the time-like dispersive approach, and consolidate the theoretical prediction for the muon g-2 in the Standard Model. It will allow therefore a firmer interpretation of the measurements of the future muon g-2 experiments at Fermilab and J-PARC.

Sox2 and Mitf cross-regulatory interactions consolidate progenitor and melanocyte lineages in the cranial neural crest

Abstract: The cellular origin and molecular mechanisms regulating pigmentation of head and neck are largely unknown. Melanocyte specification is controlled by the transcriptional activity of Mitf, but no general logic has emerged to explain how Mitf and progenitor transcriptional activities consolidate melanocyte and progenitor cell fates. We show that cranial melanocytes arise from at least two different cellular sources: initially from nerve-associated Schwann cell precursors (SCPs) and later from a cellular source that is independent of nerves. Unlike the midbrain-hindbrain cluster from which melanoblasts arise independently of nerves, a large center of melanocytes in and around cranial nerves IX-X is derived from SCPs, as shown by genetic cell-lineage tracing and analysis of ErbB3-null mutant mice. Conditional gain- and loss-of-function experiments show genetically that cell fates in the neural crest involve both the SRY transcription factor Sox2 and Mitf, which consolidate an SCP progenitor or melanocyte fate by cross-regulatory interactions. A gradual downregulation of Sox2 in progenitors during development permits the differentiation of both neural crest- and SCP-derived progenitors into melanocytes, and an initial small pool of nerve-associated melanoblasts expands in number and disperses under the control of endothelin receptor B (Ednrb) and Wnt5a signaling.

Improving Color Constancy Using Indoor–Outdoor Image Classification

Abstract: In this work, we investigate how illuminant estimation techniques can be improved, taking into account automatically extracted information about the content of the images We considered indoor/outdoor classification because the images of these classes present different content and are usually taken under different illumination conditions We have designed different strategies for the selection and the tuning of the most appropriate algorithm (or combination of algorithms) for each class We also considered the adoption of an uncertainty class which corresponds to the images where the indoor/outdoor classifier is not confident enough The illuminant estimation algorithms considered here are derived from the framework recently proposed by Van de Weijer and Gevers We present a procedure to automatically tune the algorithms' parameters We have tested the proposed strategies on a suitable subset of the widely used Funt and Ciurea dataset Experimental results clearly demonstrate that classification based strategies outperform general purpose algorithms

Major results from the first plasma campaign of the Wendelstein 7-X stellarator

Abstract: After completing the main construction phase of Wendelstein 7-X (W7-X) and successfully commissioning the device, first plasma operation started at the end of 2015. Integral commissioning of plasma start-up and operation using electron cyclotron resonance heating (ECRH) and an extensive set of plasma diagnostics have been completed, allowing initial physics studies during the first operational campaign. Both in helium and hydrogen, plasma breakdown was easily achieved. Gaining experience with plasma vessel conditioning, discharge lengths could be extended gradually. Eventually, discharges lasted up to 6 s, reaching an injected energy of 4 MJ, which is twice the limit originally agreed for the limiter configuration employed during the first operational campaign. At power levels of 4 MW central electron densities reached 3 x 10(19) m(-3), central electron temperatures reached values of 7 keV and ion temperatures reached just above 2 keV. Important physics studies during this first operational phase include a first assessment of power balance and energy confinement, ECRH power deposition experiments, 2nd harmonic O-mode ECRH using multi-pass absorption, and current drive experiments using electron cyclotron current drive. As in many plasma discharges the electron temperature exceeds the ion temperature significantly, these plasmas are governed by core electron root confinement showing a strong positive electric field in the plasma centre.

Measurements of the S-wave fraction in B 0 → K + π − μ + μ − decays and the B 0 → K ∗ (892) 0 μ + μ − differential branching fraction

Abstract: A measurement of the differential branching fraction of the decay B0→K∗(892)0μ+μ− is presented together with a determination of the S-wave fraction of the K+π− system in the decay B0→K+π−μ+μ−. The analysis is based on pp-collision data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3\,fb−1 collected with the LHCb experiment. The measurements are made in bins of the invariant mass squared of the dimuon system, q2. Precise theoretical predictions for the differential branching fraction of B0→K∗(892)0μ+μ− decays are available for the q2 region 1.1