Spin projection chromatography

We formulate the many-body spin dynamics at high temperature within the non-equilibrium Keldysh formalism. For the simplest XY interaction, analytical expressions in terms of the one particle solutions are obtained for linear and ring configurations. For small rings of even spin number, the group velocities of excitations depend on the parity of the total spin projection. This should enable a dynamical filtering of spin projections with a given parity i.e. a Spin projection chromatography.Comment: 13 pages, 3 figure

Decoherence as attenuation of mesoscopic echoes in a spin-chain channel

An initial local excitation in a confined quantum system evolves exploring the whole system, returning to the initial position as a mesoscopic echo at the Heisenberg time. We consider a two weakly coupled spin chains, a spin ladder, where one is a quantum channel while the other represents an environment. We quantify decoherence in the quantum channel through the attenuation of the mesoscopic echoes. We evaluate decoherence rates for different ratios between sources of amplitude fluctuation and dephasing in the inter-chain interaction Hamiltonian. The many-body dynamics is seen as a one-body evolution with a decoherence rate given by the Fermi golden rule.Comment: 12 pages, 7 figure

Quantum parallelism as a tool for ensemble spin dynamics calculations

Efficient simulations of quantum evolutions of spin-1/2 systems are relevant for ensemble quantum computation as well as in typical NMR experiments. We propose an efficient method to calculate the dynamics of an observable provided that the initial excitation is "local". It resorts a single entangled pure initial state built as a superposition, with random phases, of the pure elements that compose the mixture. This ensures self-averaging of any observable, drastically reducing the calculation time. The procedure is tested for two representative systems: a spin star (cluster with random long range interactions) and a spin ladder.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, improved version of the manuscrip

Concentrations of some toxic and trace elements in wild boar (Sus scrofa) organs and tissues in different areas of the Province of Viterbo, Central Italy

The aim of the present study was to determine heavy metal reference levels for exposure and risk assessment studies on a local scale. We measured lead (Pb), chromium (Cr), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu) and cadmium (Cd) content in edible tissues and organs of wild boars harvested in dif- ferent areas of the Province of Viterbo, Central Italy. The average levels of cadmium recorded in 75 wild boars were 0.085, 0.079 and 1.052 mg Cd kg–1 wet weight (w.w.) in the liver, muscle and kidney, respectively. The majority of the muscle samples and some of the liver samples contained levels of heavy metal that were over the legal limit [EU Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs)] for pigs. Our data are similar to or lower than the val- ues reported in most of the available literature. For Pb concentration, the average values record- ed were 0.318, 0.126 and 0.298 mg kg–1 w.w. in the liver, muscle and kidney, respectively. The sam- ples that were non-compliant with regulatory limits (MRLs) for pigs were registered only for muscle. Available data on the presence of Pb con- tent in game meat report lower values than ours, most likely because the area around the bullet path was avoided while sampling. The average values of total Cr were 0.141, 0.139 and 0.097 mg kg–1 w.w. in the liver, muscle and kidney, respec- tively. For Zn, the mean values were 49.76, 53.21 and 32.46 mg kg–1 w.w. in the liver, muscle and kidney, respectively. Cu content was 46.12, 12.20 and 5.64 mg Cu kg–1 w.w. in the liver, muscle and kidney, respectively. The results obtained have been validated on the basis of the scarce and inconsistent Italian literature available and on international studies

Perfect state transfers by selective quantum interferences within complex spin networks

We present a method that implement directional, perfect state transfers within a branched spin network by exploiting quantum interferences in the time-domain. That provides a tool to isolate subsystems from a large and complex one. Directionality is achieved by interrupting the spin-spin coupled evolution with periods of free Zeeman evolutions, whose timing is tuned to be commensurate with the relative phases accrued by specific spin pairs. This leads to a resonant transfer between the chosen qubits, and to a detuning of all remaining pathways in the network, using only global manipulations. As the transfer is perfect when the selected pathway is mediated by 2 or 3 spins, distant state transfers over complex networks can be achieved by successive recouplings among specific pairs/triads of spins. These effects are illustrated with a quantum simulator involving 13C NMR on Leucine's backbone; a six-spin network.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure

Decoherence under many-body system-environment interactions: a stroboscopic representation based on a fictitiously homogenized interaction rate

An environment interacting with portions of a system leads to multiexponential interaction rates. Within the Keldysh formalism, we fictitiously homogenize the system-environment interaction yielding a uniform decay rate facilitating the evaluation of the propagators. Through an injection procedure we neutralize the fictitious interactions. This technique justifies a stroboscopic representation of the system-environment interaction which is useful for numerical implementation and converges to the natural continuous process. We apply this procedure to a fermionic two-level system and use the Jordan-Wigner transformation to solve a two-spin swapping gate in the presence of a spin environment.Comment: 11 pages, 3 figures, title changed, some typos change

Environmentally induced Quantum Dynamical Phase Transition in the spin swapping operation

Quantum Information Processing relies on coherent quantum dynamics for a precise control of its basic operations. A swapping gate in a two-spin system exchanges the degenerate states |+,-> and |-,+>. In NMR, this is achieved turning on and off the spin-spin interaction b=\Delta E that splits the energy levels and induces an oscillation with a natural frequency \Delta E/\hbar. Interaction of strength \hbar/\tau_{SE}, with an environment of neighboring spins, degrades this oscillation within a decoherence time scale \tau_{\phi}. While the experimental frequency \omega and decoherence time \tau_{\phi} were expected to be roughly proportional to b/\hbar and \tau_{SE} respectively, we present here experiments that show drastic deviations in both \omega and \tau_{\phi}. By solving the many spin dynamics, we prove that the swapping regime is restricted to \Delta E \tau_{SE} > \hbar. Beyond a critical interaction with the environment the swapping freezes and the decoherence rate drops as 1/\tau_{\phi} \propto (b/\hbar)^2 \tau_{SE}. The transition between quantum dynamical phases occurs when \omega \propto \sqrt{(b/\hbar)^{2}-(k/\tau_{SE})^2} becomes imaginary, resembling an overdamped classical oscillator. Here, 0<k^2<1 depends only on the anisotropy of the system-environment interaction, being 0 for isotropic and 1 for XY interactions. This critical onset of a phase dominated by the Quantum Zeno effect opens up new opportunities for controlling quantum dynamics.Comment: Final version. One figure and some equations corrected, 10 pages, 4 figure

Towards a time-reversal mirror for quantum systems

The reversion of the time evolution of a quantum state can be achieved by changing the sign of the Hamiltonian as in the polarization echo experiment in NMR. In this work we describe an alternative mechanism inspired by the acoustic time reversal mirror. By solving the inverse time problem in a discrete space we develop a new procedure, the perfect inverse filter. It achieves the exact time reversion in a given region by reinjecting a prescribed wave function at its periphery.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures. Introduction modified, references added, one figure added to improve the discussio

Medical imaging in the diagnosis of schistosomiasis: a review

Schistosomiasis is one of the most important parasitic diseases and it is endemic in tropical and subtropical areas. Clinical and laboratory data are fundamental for the diagnosis of schistosomiasis, but diagnostic imaging techniques such as x-rays, ultrasound (US), computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) may be helpful in the evaluation of disease severity and complications. In this context, the aim of this review is to explore the actual role of diagnostic imaging in the diagnosis of schistosomiasis, underlining advantages and drawbacks providing information about the utilization of diagnostic imaging techniques in this context. Furthermore, we aim to provide a useful guide regarding imaging features of schistosomiasis for radiology and nuclear medicine physicians of non-endemic countries: in fact, in the last years non-endemic countries have experienced important flows of migrants from endemic areas, therefore it is not uncommon to face cases of this disease in daily practice