291 research outputs found

    Homogeneous and inhomogeneous magnetic phases of constrained dipolar bosons

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    We study the emergence of several magnetic phases in dipolar bosonic gases subject to three-body loss mechanism employing numerical simulations based on the density matrix renormalization group(DMRG) algorithm. After mapping the original Hamiltonian in spin language, we find a strong parallelism between the bosonic theory and the spin-1 Heisenberg model with single ion anisotropy and long-range interactions. A rich phase diagram, including ferromagnetic, antiferromagnetic and non-local ordered phases, emerges in the half-filled one-dimensional case, and is preserved even in presence of a trapping potential.Comment: v2: 9 pages, 15 figures, extended version, new numerical calculations on the BKT transition, accepted for pubblication in PR

    Phase separation and pairing regimes in the one-dimensional asymmetric Hubbard model

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    We address some open questions regarding the phase diagram of the one-dimensional Hubbard model with asymmetric hopping coefficients and balanced species. In the attractive regime we present a numerical study of the passage from on-site pairing dominant correlations at small asymmetries to charge-density waves in the region with markedly different hopping coefficients. In the repulsive regime we exploit two analytical treatments in the strong- and weak-coupling regimes in order to locate the onset of phase separation at small and large asymmetries respectively.Comment: 13 pages, RevTeX 4, 12 eps figures, some additional refs. with respect to v1 and citation errors fixe

    Increase in airborne allergenic pollen in Trentino (North Italy): knowledge to adapt to climate change

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    Pollen allergy affects approximately 25% of adult and 40% of children globally (Nur Husna et al. 2022). Climate change is impacting allergenicity and pollen production, as well as the spread of neophytes that produce allergenic pollen, due to the combined effects of milder weather, air pollution, and elevated CO2 levels (Luschkova et al. 2022). As a result, there is an upward trend in allergic diseases (D’Amato et al. 2015). The study of pollen and its spatio-temporal changes is highly important due to the allergenicity of many airborne pollen taxa. Earlier-onset of pollen, the lengthening of the pollen season, and/or the increase in pollen quantities, can diminish the quality of life of allergic patients. In the "one health" perspective, we examine how climate change impact the ecosystem, affecting human well-being and health. Phenology, the science of natural recurring events, is one of the preferred indicators for observing the impacts of climate change on ecosystems and biological processes (Parmesan 2006). The shift in phenology is a high-temporal resolution signal of this impact and pollen dispersal is often used as a reliable proxy of flowering. This study describes the significant changes that have occurred to the airborne pollen component recorded in San Michele all’Adige, Northern Italy, from 1989 to 2018, analyzing a total of 24 arboreal (AP; trees and shrubs) and non-arboreal pollen taxa (NAP; herbaceous). Airborne pollen was collected using a volumetric Hirst-type aerobiological sampler (Lanzoni VPPS 2000), and the daily concentration of airborne pollen (P*m-3) was calculated for each taxon over a 30-year period from 1989 to 2018. The sampling and analysis of airborne pollen have been performed in accordance with the UNI EN 16868:2019 European standard procedure. The following pollen season descriptors were calculated for each taxon: (i) annual pollen integral (APIn; pollen*day*m-3); (ii) the start and end dates of the main pollen season (MPS), as the day of the year (DOY) when 2.5% and 97.5% of the APIn was reached, respectively; (iii) the length of the MPS, as the difference between the end and start DOY (+1); (iv) peak concentration; and (v) peak date, as the DOY when the maximum concentration was registered. The presence of a monotonic upward or downward temporal trend in pollen season descriptors was verified and changes were analyzed in relation to temperature, precipitation, and land use; in addition, pollen data were analyzed clustered into blocks of one decade each to minimize interannual fluctuations and maximize relevant change signals. The major result is an increase in pollen load (Fig. 1). All arboreal and shrub species (AP) and the majority of herbaceous (NAP) species had an impressive increase in pollen quantities. The extent of the increase in pollen load is evident when analyzing decadic blocks, with a relevant increase in the APIn for the total pollen spectrum, mostly due to AP taxa, with hop hornbeam and cypress family accounting for 49% of the increase (average on the 30-year period). Accordingly, AP shows a significant increase (+31 days) in the number of days with high pollen concentrations (i.e., > 100 pollen grains/m3). Such an increase in pollen quantity is unlikely to be related to changes in land use, given that the increase in forests and semi-natural areas is limited. The finding of an increase in APIn, especially marked for AP taxa, is consistent with previous studies and on a broader scale, from Europe (Ziello et al. 2012) to the entire Northern Hemisphere (Ziska et al. 2019). Moreover, some evidence of early start date for some taxa has been observed (e.g. Poaceae), at the same time as a longer pollen seasons for other taxa (e.g. Cupressaceae). A larger amount of pollen, an increase in the number of days with high pollen concentration, and an early start to the pollen season, which have been occurring since 1990 in the study area, all constitute a worsening situation and a major threat to people with pollen allergies. Thanks to these achievements it is possible to develop proposals for adaptation strategies that include as early stages: (i) development and implementation of risk communication strategies, (ii) implementation of good practices for green management. These proposals will be included in the Climate Change Adaptation Strategy of the Autonomous Province of Trento, which is currently being defined. Figures Fig 1: Increase of total arboreal pollen integral in the 30 years; detail for Ostrya (hop hornbeam) pollen taxonom

    Observation of a Spinning Top in a Bose-Einstein Condensate

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    Boundaries strongly affect the behavior of quantized vortices in Bose-Einstein condensates, a phenomenon particularly evident in elongated cigar-shaped traps where vortices tend to orient along a short direction to minimize energy. Remarkably, contributions to the angular momentum of these vortices are tightly confined to the region surrounding the core, in stark contrast to untrapped condensates where all atoms contribute â„Ź\hbar. We develop a theoretical model and use this, in combination with numerical simulations, to show that such localized vortices precess in an analogous manner to that of a classical spinning top. We experimentally verify this spinning-top behavior with our real-time imaging technique that allows for the tracking of position and orientation of vortices as they dynamically evolve. Finally, we perform an in-depth numerical investigation of our real-time expansion and imaging method, with the aim of guiding future experimental implementation, as well as outlining directions for its improvement.Comment: 10 pages, 7 figure

    Bootstrap algorithms for variance estimation in complex survey sampling

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    The problem of estimating the variance of the Horvitz-Thompson estimator under a probability proportional to size design is concerned. Some IPPS-bootstrap algorithms are proposed with the purpose of both simplifying available procedures and of improving efficiency. Results from a simulation study using both natural and artificial data are presented in order to empirically study the bias and stability of the bootstrap variance estimators propose

    Prediction of minimum temperatures in an alpine region by linear and non-linear post-processing of meteorological models

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    International audienceModel Output Statistics (MOS) refers to a method of post-processing the direct outputs of numerical weather prediction (NWP) models in order to reduce the biases introduced by a coarse horizontal resolution. This technique is especially useful in orographically complex regions, where large differences can be found between the NWP elevation model and the true orography. This study carries out a comparison of linear and non-linear MOS methods, aimed at the prediction of minimum temperatures in a fruit-growing region of the Italian Alps, based on the output of two different NWPs (ECMWF T511?L60 and LAMI-3). Temperature, of course, is a particularly important NWP output; among other roles it drives the local frost forecast, which is of great interest to agriculture. The mechanisms of cold air drainage, a distinctive aspect of mountain environments, are often unsatisfactorily captured by global circulation models. The simplest post-processing technique applied in this work was a correction for the mean bias, assessed at individual model grid points. We also implemented a multivariate linear regression on the output at the grid points surrounding the target area, and two non-linear models based on machine learning techniques: Neural Networks and Random Forest. We compare the performance of all these techniques on four different NWP data sets. Downscaling the temperatures clearly improved the temperature forecasts with respect to the raw NWP output, and also with respect to the basic mean bias correction. Multivariate methods generally yielded better results, but the advantage of using non-linear algorithms was small if not negligible. RF, the best performing method, was implemented on ECMWF prognostic output at 06:00 UTC over the 9 grid points surrounding the target area. Mean absolute errors in the prediction of 2 m temperature at 06:00 UTC were approximately 1.2°C, close to the natural variability inside the area itself

    Coupling ultracold matter to dynamical gauge fields in optical lattices: From flux attachment to ℤ2 lattice gauge theories

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    From the standard model of particle physics to strongly correlated electrons, various physical settings are formulated in terms of matter coupled to gauge fields. Quantum simulations based on ultracold atoms in optical lattices provide a promising avenue to study these complex systems and unravel the underlying many-body physics. Here, we demonstrate how quantized dynamical gauge fields can be created in mixtures of ultracold atoms in optical lattices, using a combination of coherent lattice modulation with strong interactions. Specifically, we propose implementation of ℤ2 lattice gauge theories coupled to matter, reminiscent of theories previously introduced in high-temperature superconductivity. We discuss a range of settings from zero-dimensional toy models to ladders featuring transitions in the gauge sector to extended two-dimensional systems. Mastering lattice gauge theories in optical lattices constitutes a new route toward the realization of strongly correlated systems, with properties dictated by an interplay of dynamical matter and gauge fields

    Bariatric surgery: a practical pictorial guide for the diagnosis of common and rare complications with upper gastrointestinal imaging series

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    The aim of this educational poster is to illustrate the role of upper gastrointestinal series (UGS) in detecting the most common and some more rare complications in patients who underwent bariatric surgery procedures as \u2022 laparoscopic adjustable gastric band (LAGB) placement, \u2022 laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG), \u2022 Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB). Our centre (Radiology Unit - Department of Medicine - University Hospital of Padova, Italy) excels in the follow-up of patients who underwent bariatic surgery interventions (in the Week Surgery Unit of the same Hospital). For this reason, our database is rich in images of early and late complications, directly from our clinical practice. In this poster we are going to present, describe and comment the findings to the benefit of all radiologists, not just for those whose field of study is the gastro-intestinal radiology, adding some useful tips for conducting a good examination with high diagnostic relevance

    Hypoalbuminaemia and heart failure: A practical review of current evidence

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    Hypoalbuminaemia (serum albumin levels <= 3.5 g/dl) is associated with poor outcomes among patients with heart failure (HF). This narrative review includes original articles and reviews published over the past 20 years and retrieved from PubMed using the following search terms (or their combination): 'heart failure', 'hypoalbuminaemia', 'heart failure with reduced ejection fraction', 'heart failure with preserved ejection fraction', 'all-cause mortality', 'in-hospital mortality', 'hospitalization', 'prognosis'. The aims of this review are to provide an overview on the prevalence of hypoalbuminaemia in HF, its impact on clinical outcomes, and potential mechanisms that may suggest future therapeutic strategies. Hypoalbuminaemia is frequent in HF patients, especially among the elderly. However, data about the exact epidemiology of hypoalbuminaemia are scant due to different definitions, and prevalence is estimated between 5% and 70% across the whole spectrum of ejection fraction. Current evidence points to hypoalbuminaemia as a marker of poor outcomes in HF, irrespective of the ejection fraction, and in other cardiovascular diseases. Among patients who suffered from acute coronary syndrome, those with hypoalbuminaemia had an increased risk of new-onset HF and in-hospital mortality. Albumin, however, might also play a role in the natural history of such diseases due to its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antithrombotic properties. Whether albumin supplementation or nutritional support in general would be beneficial in improving clinical outcomes in HF is not completely clear and should be evaluated in adequately designed studies
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