Experimental effects on dynamics and thermodynamics in nuclear reactions on the symmetry energy as seen by the CHIMERA 4π\pi detector

Heavy ion collisions have been widely used in the last decade to constraint the parameterizations of the symmetry energy term of nuclear equation of state (EOS) for asymmetric nuclear matter as a function of baryonic density. In the Fermi energy domain one is faced with variations of the density within a narrow range of values around the saturation density $\rho_0$=0.16 fm$^{-3}$ down towards sub-saturation densities. The experimental observables which are sensitive to the symmetry energy are constructed starting from the detected light particles, clusters and heavy fragments that, in heavy ion collisions, are generally produced by different emission mechanisms at different stages and time scales of the reaction. In this review the effects of dynamics and thermodynamics on the symmetry energy in nuclear reactions are discussed and characterized using an overview of the data taken so far with the CHIMERA multi-detector array.Comment: 21 pages, 25 figures. Review to appear in EPJA special volume on nuclear symmetry energ

Constrained Hardware Dimensioning for AI Algorithms

Given the diffusion of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in numerous domains, experts and practitioners are faced with the challenge of finding the optimal hardware (HW) resources and configuration (hardware dimensioning) under different con- straints and objectives (e.g., budget, time, solution quality). To tackle this challenge, we propose an automated tool for HArdware Dimensioning of (AI) Algorithms (HADA), an approach relying on the integration of Machine Learning (ML) models together into an optimization problem, where experts domain knowledge can be injected as well. The ML models encapsulate the data-driven knowledge about the relationships between HW requirements and AI algorithm performances. We show how HADA can be employed to find the best HW configuration that respects user-defined constraints in three different domains

Total thyroidectomy associated to chemotherapy in primary squamous cell carcinoma of the thyroid

Primary squamous cell carcinoma of the thyroid (PSCCT) is a rare malignant disease with rapid fatal prognosis. The onset is generally characterized by sudden bilateral latero-cervical lymphadenopathy. The Authors report patient of 58-year-old who referred for evaluation of rapidly aggravating bilateral latero-cervical lymphadenopathy. The US highlighted the presence of a hypoechoic nodular lesion characterized by peri and intra-nodular vascularization. Multilayer CT showed diffused involvement of mediastinal and bilateral latero-cervical lymph nodes, with no evidence of primary pulmonary neoplasia or elsewhere. The patient underwent total thyroidectomy. The peri-isthmic tissue was removed due to the presence of a small roundish formation, that was due to lymph node metastasis at histological examination. Histological diagnosis: PSCCT. The immunohistochemical panel of the thyroid lesion was indispensable for the differential diagnosis between PSCCT, medullary carcinoma, anaplastic carcinoma, and thyroid metastasis of neoplasia with unknown primitiveness. The patient underwent chemotherapeutic treatment with Carboplatin and Paclitaxel with modest improvement of dysphagia symptoms and reduction of 10-15% of the target lesions. The clinical course was characterized by loco-regional progression of the disease with exitus in 10 months after diagnosis. Survival and quality of life after surgical therapy and chemotherapy were like that of patients undergoing only chemotherapy. Due to the extreme rarity of the neoplasia, 60 cases described in Literature, no exclusive guidelines are reported for PSCCT. More extensive case studies are needed to evaluate the effects of total thyroidectomy with intent R0/R1 on improving survival and quality of life of patients with PSCCT

Healthcare Associated Infections. educational intervention by "Adult Learning" in an Italian teaching hospital

An educational intervention for HAI prevention based on a combination of training, motivation and subsequent application in the current clinical practice in an Italian teaching hospital

Fano collective resonance as complex mode in a two dimensional planar metasurface of plasmonic nanoparticles

Fano resonances are features in transmissivity/reflectivity/absorption that owe their origin to the interaction between a bright resonance and a dark (i.e., sub-radiant) narrower resonance, and may emerge in the optical properties of planar two-dimensional (2D) periodic arrays (metasurfaces) of plasmonic nanoparticles. In this Letter, we provide a thorough assessment of their nature for the general case of normal and oblique plane wave incidence, highlighting when a Fano resonance is affected by the mutual coupling in an array and its capability to support free modal solutions. We analyze the representative case of a metasurface of plasmonic nanoshells at ultraviolet frequencies and compute its absorption under TE- and TM-polarized, oblique plane-wave incidence. In particular, we find that plasmonic metasurfaces display two distinct types of resonances observable as absorption peaks: one is related to the Mie, dipolar resonance of each nanoparticle; the other is due to the forced excitation of free modes with small attenuation constant, usually found at oblique incidence. The latter is thus an array-induced collective Fano resonance. This realization opens up to manifold flexible designs at optical frequencies mixing individual and collective resonances. We explain the physical origin of such Fano resonances using the modal analysis, which allows to calculate the free modes with complex wavenumber supported by the metasurface. We define equivalent array dipolar polarizabilities that are directly related to the absorption physics at oblique incidence and show a direct dependence between array modal phase and attenuation constant and Fano resonances. We thus provide a more complete picture of Fano resonances that may lead to the design of filters, energy-harvesting devices, photodetectors, and sensors at ultraviolet frequencies.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figure

Alternative linear structures for classical and quantum systems

The possibility of deforming the (associative or Lie) product to obtain alternative descriptions for a given classical or quantum system has been considered in many papers. Here we discuss the possibility of obtaining some novel alternative descriptions by changing the linear structure instead. In particular we show how it is possible to construct alternative linear structures on the tangent bundle TQ of some classical configuration space Q that can be considered as "adapted" to the given dynamical system. This fact opens the possibility to use the Weyl scheme to quantize the system in different non equivalent ways, "evading", so to speak, the von Neumann uniqueness theorem.Comment: 32 pages, two figures, to be published in IJMP

Microscopic construction of the chiral Luttinger liquid theory of the quantum Hall edge

We give a microscopic derivation of the chiral Luttinger liquid theory for the Laughlin states. Starting from the wave function describing an arbitrary incompressibly deformed Laughlin state (IDLS) we quantize these deformations. In this way we obtain the low-energy projections of local microscopic operators and derive the quantum field theory of edge excitations directly from quantum mechanics of electrons. This shows that to describe experimental and numeric deviations from chiral Luttinger liquid theory one needs to go beyond Laughlin's approximation. We show that in the large N limit the IDLS is described by the dispersionless Toda hierarchy.Comment: 5 pages, revtex, several clarifying comments adde

Corrosion behavior of Shape Memory Alloy in NaCl environment and deformation recovery maintenance in Cu-Zn-Al system

Shape memory effect (SME) and the relation with corrosion behavior of Cu-Zn-Al Smart Memory Alloys (SMAs) were investigated using different techniques: Scanning Electron Microscopy equipped with an Energy Dispersive System, X-Ray Diffraction analysis, Electrochemical Test in NaCl solutions with different concentrations (0.035%, 0.35% and 3.5%), which simulate coastal conditions, mechanical characterization through tensile test and guided bend test. SMAs are an important class of smart materials able to recover after deformation a pre-imposed shape through a temperature modification. These alloys show great potential, finding several applications in medicine and in different types of industry sectors (aerospace, architecture, automotive etc.). Cu-based SMAs, including Cu-Zn-Al alloys, have lower production costs with respect to Ni-Ti alloys as well as good possibility in seismic and architectural applications. A Cu-Zn-Al alloy with a theoretical composition of 25 wt.% Zn and 4 wt.% Al was produced by casting method. The aim of this study is to characterize the microstructure, the mechanical properties and the corrosion behavior through different kind of standard corrosion tests of this alloy and to evaluate the effect of corrosion damage on the shape memory recovery capability through a combination of corrosion and thermo-mechanical cyclic test and SEM observations