Generation of hyperentangled photon pairs in the time and frequency domain on a silicon photonic chip.

Multi-dimensional entangled photon states represent an important resource in quantum communication networks. Specifically, hyperentangled states presenting simultaneous entanglement in several degrees of freedom (DoF) stand out for their noise resilience and information capacity. In this work, we demonstrate the generation of hyperentangled photon pairs in the time and frequency-bin domain by spontaneous four-wave mixing from the coherent driving of two integrated silicon microresonators.

Comparative analysis of light spectra emitted by two firefly species: Luciola italica and Luciolapedemontana.

Light plays an important role in fireflies (Coleptera, Lampyridae) and emission spectra and signalling patterns are usually species specific. In Italy there are two species of fireflies belonging to the genus Luciola: Luciola italica and L. pedemontana.

When the small ones tease the largest: Microplastic and phthalate ester occurrence in cetaceans occasionally found in the German North Sea and Baltic Sea.

Living in potentially burdened waters and prey on loaded species, marine mammals are sentinels for microplastic (MP) pollution. Here, seven different species of cetaceans were investigated covering baleen (Mysticeti) and toothed (Odontoceti) whales stranded along the German coast between 2016 and 2021. Intestinal and faecal samples of 12 sperm whales, three minke whales, two dolphin species, one long-finned pilot whale, one fin whale and one neonate orca were analysed.

Microplastic ingestion and Phthalate ester levels as plastic tracers in the Mediterranean Velella velella: a candidate plastic indicator for the pelagic neustonic environment.

Bioindicator species can help assess plastic pollution's impact on biodiversity by integrating spatial distribution and temporal trends, highlighting associated ecological risks. To investigate a potential indicator for pelagic neustonic environments, the holoplanktonic hydrozoan V. velella was collected in the Pelagos Sanctuary (SPAMI, NW Mediterranean Sea).

Anthropogenic fibers in the Mediterranean sea: Methods and monitoring of an overlooked category of microparticles in the water column.

Anthropogenic particles (APs) are widespread in the marine environment, but knowledge gaps remain regarding anthropogenic fibers. This study aimed to evaluate the presence of APs, including natural and synthetic fibers, in the water column. A literature review on fibers in Mediterranean seawater revealed that current sampling methods are underdeveloped.

Biodiversity at risk in the SPAMI Pelagos Sanctuary: The impact of marine litter on biota.

The Mediterranean basin is the second largest global biodiversity hotspot in the world, which coexists with a plethora of anthropogenic stress. This study examines the risks that marine litter poses to Mediterranean biodiversity, using the Special Protection Area of Mediterranean Importance (SPAMI) "Pelagos Sanctuary" as a case study. In this paper, a new survey method and data analysis strategies to assess the impact of marine litter, including microplastics, on Mediterranean organisms, is proposed.

Synthesis and Chiroptical Activity of π-Expanded Electron-Rich Heterohelicenes Based on the 1,4-Dihydropyrrolo[3,2-b]pyrrole Core.

Herein, we report the synthesis and chiroptical characteristics of the first (double) helicenes possessing the 1,4-dihydropyrrolo[3,2-b]pyrrole (DHPP) moiety as their central core. We have developed a three-step synthesis with 6π-electrocyclization accompanied by HBr elimination as its key step. We found that, whereas for smaller peripheral arms double 6π-electrocyclization occurs smoothly forming a double helicene, in the case of longer polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons the reaction becomes less efficient and mono-helicenes are the only products.

Shaping the Emission Directivity of Single Quantum Dots in Dielectric Nanodisks Exploiting Mie Resonances.

Manipulating the optical landscape of single quantum dots (QDs) is essential to increase the emitted photon output, enhancing their performance as chemical sensors and single-photon sources. Micro-optical structures are typically used for this task, with the drawback of a large size compared to the embedded single emitters. Nanophotonic architectures hold the promise to modify dramatically the emission properties of QDs, boosting light-matter interactions at the nanoscale, in ultracompact devices.

A multi-compartment monitoring approach to assess the impact of marine litter in a Mediterranean coastal area.

Marine litter, particularly microplastics, is a growing threat to the Mediterranean Sea, impacting biodiversity and ecosystem health. However, most studies conducted in the Mediterranean Sea have focused on monitoring of only specific environmental compartments, and rarely have highlighted the overall impacts affecting an area. Therefore, using a new multi-compartment monitoring approach and a standardized methodology, this study investigates the abundance, distribution, composition and impact of marine litter on beaches, surface waters, fish and mussels in a coastal area of Tuscany (Italy).

Anthropic Pressure on Cetaceans Stranded Along the Ligurian Coast Within the Pelagos Sanctuary: A Case Series.

Data collected by C. Re. Di.

Plasticizers levels in four fish species from the Ligurian Sea and Central Adriatic Sea (Mediterranean Sea) and potential risk for human consumption.

Plastic materials contain additives such as plasticizers and flame retardants, which are not covalently bound to plastic polymers and can therefore be unintentionally released into the marine environment. This study investigated three families of compounds, phthalates (PAEs), organophosphate esters (OPEs), and non-phthalate plasticizers (NPPs) currently used as plastic additives, in 48 muscle samples of bogue (Boops boops), European hake (Merluccius merluccius), red mullet (Mullus barbatus), and European pilchard (Sardina pilchardus) sampled in the Central Adriatic and the Ligurian Seas. The additional goal of this study is to assess the potential risk to human health from fish consumption with the objective of determining whether the detected levels might potentially pose a concern.

Uncorrelated photon pair generation from an integrated silicon nitride resonator measured by time-resolved coincidence detection.

We measure the joint temporal intensity of signal and idler photon pairs generated by spontaneous four-wave mixing in a silicon nitride microresonator by time-resolved coincidence detection. This technique can be applied to any high-Q optical cavity whose photon lifetime exceeds the duration of the pump pulse. We tailor the temporal correlation of photon pairs by using a resonant interferometric coupler, a device that allows us to independently tune the quality factors of the pump and signal and idler resonances.

Reported biological effects following Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment: A comprehensive mapping review.

Background And Purpose: Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment (OMT) is a therapeutic whole-body approach mainly focused on correcting somatic dysfunctions. The aim of this scoping review is to systematically map the literature regarding the documented biological effects observed following OMT.

Methods: The 2020 JBIRM version and the PRISMA-ScR were followed for the conceptualization and reporting of this review.

Assessment of the impact of microplastic ingestion in striped red mullets from an Eastern Mediterranean coastal area (Zakynthos Island, Ionian Sea).

Monitoring microplastics (MPs) in the marine environment is an ongoing process, and our understanding of their impact on marine organisms is limited. The present study evaluates the effects of ingested MPs on the marine MP pollution bioindicator fish species Mullus surmuletus. The study follows a three-fold approach to assess the impact of MPs on marine organisms by investigating: 1) the ingestion of MPs, 2) the bioaccumulation of phthalate compounds as plastic additives, and 3) the evaluation of toxicological biochemical and cellular biomarkers.

Novel ultrasound assisted extraction and d-SPE clean-up for the analysis of multiple legacy and emerging organic contaminants in edible fish.

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), novel brominated flame retardants (NBFRs), phthalate esters (PAEs) are pervasive environmental pollutants, posing threats to both ecosystems and human health. Although several analytical methods were developed for these compounds, they are not performed simultaneously. This study addresses the need for a sustainable, novel, analytical approach capable of simultaneously determining these diverse chemical classes in edible fish muscles.

MIF-like domain containing protein orchestrates cellular differentiation and virulence in the fungal pathogen .

Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is a pleiotropic protein with chemotactic, pro-inflammatory, and growth-promoting activities first discovered in mammals. In parasites, MIF homologs are involved in immune evasion and pathogenesis. Here, we present the first comprehensive analysis of an MIF protein from the devastating plant pathogen ().

Oceanographic and anthropogenic variables driving marine litter distribution in Mediterranean protected areas: Extensive field data supported by forecasting modelling.

Marine litter concentration in the Mediterranean Sea is strongly influenced both by anthropogenic pressures and hydrodynamic factors that locally characterise the basin. Within the Plastic Busters MPAs (Marine Protected Areas) Interreg Mediterranean Project, a comprehensive assessment of floating macro- and microlitter in the Pelagos Sanctuary and the Tuscan Archipelago National Park was performed. An innovative multilevel experimental design has been planned ad-hoc according to a litter provisional distribution model, harmonising and implementing the current sampling methodologies.

Monitoring the composition, sources and spatial distribution of seafloor litter in the Adriatic Sea (Mediterranean Sea) through Fishing for Litter initiatives.

Although the seafloor is an important sink for marine litter, its less accessible environment makes seafloor litter the least studied component. Nevertheless, detailed monitoring of its composition and spatial distribution is urgently needed to develop appropriate mitigation strategies in areas exposed to multiple anthropogenic pressures, such as the Adriatic Sea. Commercial fisheries such as bottom trawls can serve as an opportunistic platform for collecting data on seafloor litter and help researchers in addressing the lack of data through Fishing for Litter initiatives.

Microplastic occurrence and phthalate ester levels in neuston samples and skin biopsies of filter-feeding megafauna from La Paz Bay (Mexico).

The impacts of microplastics on filter feeders megafauna have recently received increased attention. These organisms are potentially exposed to plastic ingestion and the release of added/sorbed contaminants during feeding activities. An assessment of microplastic abundance and the chemical impact of Phthalates esters (PAEs) were performed in neustonic samples and skin biopsies of Balaenoptera physalus and Rhincodon typus inhabiting the Gulf of California (Mexico).

Silicon source of frequency-bin entangled photons.

We demonstrate an integrated source of frequency-entangled photon pairs on a silicon photonics chip. The emitter has a coincidence-to-accidental ratio exceeding 10. We prove entanglement by showing two-photon frequency interference with a visibility of 94.

Single SiGe quantum dot emission deterministically enhanced in a high-Q photonic crystal resonator.

We report the resonantly enhanced radiative emission from a single SiGe quantum dot (QD), which is deterministically embedded into a bichromatic photonic crystal resonator (PhCR) at the position of its largest modal electric field by a scalable method. By optimizing our molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) growth technique, we were able to reduce the amount of Ge within the whole resonator to obtain an absolute minimum of exactly one QD, accurately positioned by lithographic methods relative to the PhCR, and an otherwise flat, a few monolayer thin, Ge wetting layer (WL). With this method, record quality (Q) factors for QD-loaded PhCRs up to Q ∼ 10 are achieved.

Detection of anthropogenic fibres in marine organisms: Knowledge gaps and methodological issues.

Most studies examining the occurrence of plastics and microplastics in marine organisms have identified anthropogenic fibres, of natural and synthetic origin, as the most commonly occurring category. Anthropogenic fibres may have been chemically treated with additives making them more persistent and a potential threat to marine organisms. However, fibres have often been excluded from analytical data for the difficulties related to the sampling and analytical procedures, including potential overestimation of the results due to airborne contamination.

A silicon source of frequency-bin entangled photons: publisher's note.

This publisher's note contains corrections to Opt. Lett.47, 6201 (2022)10.