Staircase to Higher-Order Topological Phase Transitions

We find a series of topological phase transitions of increasing order, beyond the more standard second-order phase transition in a one-dimensional topological superconductor. The jumps in the order of the transitions depend on the range of the pairing interaction, which is parametrized by an algebraic decay with exponent $\alpha$. Remarkably, in the limit $\alpha = 1$ the order of the topological transition becomes infinite. We compute the critical exponents for the series of higher-order transitions in exact form and find that they fulfill the hyperscaling relation. We also study the critical behaviour at the boundary of the system and discuss potential experimental platforms of magnetic atoms in superconductors.Comment: 5+5pages, 7 figures. Accepted as a Rapid Communicatio

Factors influencing the incidence of infections in Felty's syndrome

Contains fulltext : 4466.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access

Calcium phosphate:An alternative calcium compound for dietary prevention of colon cancer? a study on intestinal and faecal parameters in healthy volunteers

In an effort to reduce the risk of colorectal cancer development, oral calcium carbonate supplementation has been used in previous studies for the precipitation of cytotoxic bile acids and fatty acids. In human intervention trials its effect on mucosal hyperproliferation in the colorectum has not always been satisfactory. Because the complexation of calcium and bile acids requires the formation of calcium phosphate, we performed an intervention study in 14 healthy volunteers, giving them 1,500 mg calcium as Ca3(PO4)2 for 1 week. The effects of tricalcium phosphate on luminal and faecal parameters of cytolytic activity were evaluated before, during, and after calcium phosphate supplementation. The cytolytic activity of faecal water and intestinal alkaline phosphatase activity in faecal water were not affected by supplemental calcium phosphate. In duodenal bile, the proportion of cholic acid tended to increase, whereas that of chenodeoxycholic acid tended to decrease during calcium phosphate supplementation. Neither concentrations of total and individual faecal bile acids, nor that of faecal fat were affected during calcium phosphate supplementation. It is suggested that, although phosphate is involved in bile acid precipitation, phosphate competes for calcium in the binding of fatty acids. This might possibly explain the unchanged cytolytic potency of faecal water, and therefore does not make tricalcium phosphate a suitable calcium compound for dietary intervention.</p

Social isolation, loneliness & older people: The case of Iranians

The purpose of this paper is to study a group of elderly people in relation to social isolation and loneliness in older people and the effects it has on a person's well being. Social isolation and loneliness occurs in people of all ages but may be a particular problem in the older generation. The emphasis of this paper is placed upon social isolation and loneliness of a group of elderly Iranians living in metropolitan Sydney. The results showed that all the elderly participants of this study felt isolated and lonely in Australia. The causes had to do with their level of proficiency in the English language, loss and grief due to leaving their homeland and losing friends, political conflict in the Iranian community and the need for meaningful social support networks