6,765 research outputs found
Coherent scattering of a Multiphoton Quantum Superposition by a Mirror-BEC
We present the proposition of an experiment in which the multiphoton quantum
superposition consisting of N= 10^5 particles generated by a quantum-injected
optical parametric amplifier (QI-OPA), seeded by a single-photon belonging to
an EPR entangled pair, is made to interact with a Mirror-BEC shaped as a Bragg
interference structure. The overall process will realize a Macroscopic Quantum
Superposition (MQS) involving a microscopic single-photon state of polarization
entangled with the coherent macroscopic transfer of momentum to the BEC
structure, acting in space-like separated distant places.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure
Measurement-induced quantum operations on multiphoton states
We investigate how multiphoton quantum states obtained through optical
parametric amplification can be manipulated by performing a measurement on a
small portion of the output light field. We study in detail how the macroqubit
features are modified by varying the amount of extracted information and the
strategy adopted at the final measurement stage. At last the obtained results
are employed to investigate the possibility of performing a
microscopic-macroscopic non-locality test free from auxiliary assumptions.Comment: 13 pages, 13 figure
Entanglement criteria for microscopic-macroscopic systems
We discuss the conclusions that can be drawn on a recent experimental
micro-macro entanglement test [F. De Martini, F. Sciarrino, and C. Vitelli,
Phys. Rev. Lett. 100, 253601 (2008). The system under investigation is
generated through optical parametric amplification of one photon belonging to
an entangled pair. The adopted entanglement criterion makes it possible to
infer the presence of entanglement before losses, that occur on the macrostate,
under a specific assumption. In particular, an a priori knowledge of the system
that generates the micro-macro pair is necessary to exclude a class of
separable states that can reproduce the obtained experimental results. Finally,
we discuss the feasibility of a micro-macro "genuine" entanglement test on the
analyzed system by considering different strategies, which show that in
principle a fraction epsilon, proportional to the number of photons that
survive the lossy process, of the original entanglement persists in any losses
regime.Comment: 11 pages, 10 figure
New architectural design of delivery room reduces morbidity in preterm neonates: a prospective cohort study
Background: A multidisciplinary committee composed of a panel of experts, including a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics and American Institute of Architects, has suggested that the delivery room (DR) and the neonatal intensive care units (NICU) room should be directly interconnected. We aimed to investigate the impact of the architectural design of the DR and the NICU on neonatal outcome. Methods: Two cohorts of preterm neonates born at < 32weeks of gestational age, consecutively observed during 2years, were compared prospectively before (Cohort 1: "conventional DR") and after architectural renovation of the DR realized in accordance with specific standards (Cohort 2: "new concept of DR"). In Cohort 1, neonates were initially cared for a conventional resuscitation area, situated in the DR, and then transferred to the NICU, located on a separate floor of the same hospital. In Cohort 2 neonates were assisted at birth directly in the NICU room, which was directly connected to the DR via a pass-through door. The primary outcome of the study was morbidity, defined by the proportion of neonates with at least one complication of prematurity (i.e., late-onset sepsis, patent ductus arteriosus, intraventricular hemorrhage, periventricular leukomalacia, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, retinopathy of prematurity and necrotizing enterocolitis). Secondary outcomes were mortality and duration of hospitalization. Statistical analysis was performed using standard methods by SPSS software. Results: We enrolled 106 neonates (56 in Cohort 1 and 50 in Cohort 2). The main clinical and demographic characteristics of the 2cohorts were similar. Moderate hypothermia (body temperature ≤ 35.9° C) was more frequent in Cohort 1 (57%) compared with Cohort 2 (24%, p = 0.001). Morbidity was increased in Cohort 1 (73%) compared with Cohort 2 (44%, p = 0.002). No statistically significant differences in mortality and median duration of hospitalization were observed between the 2 cohorts of the study. Conclusions: If realized according to the proposed architectural standards, renovation of DR and NICU may represent an opportunity to reduce morbidity in preterm neonates
The Synergy between Organ-on-a-Chip and Artificial Intelligence for the Study of NAFLD: From Basic Science to Clinical Research
Non-alcoholic fatty liver affects about 25% of global adult population. On the long-term, it is associated with extra-hepatic compliances, multiorgan failure, and death. Various invasive and non-invasive methods are employed for its diagnosis such as liver biopsies, CT scan, MRI, and numerous scoring systems. However, the lack of accuracy and reproducibility represents one of the biggest limitations of evaluating the effectiveness of drug candidates in clinical trials. Organ-on-chips (OOC) are emerging as a cost-effective tool to reproduce in vitro the main NAFLD’s pathogenic features for drug screening purposes. Those platforms have reached a high degree of complexity that generate an unprecedented amount of both structured and unstructured data that outpaced our capacity to analyze the results. The addition of artificial intelligence (AI) layer for data analysis and interpretation enables those platforms to reach their full potential. Furthermore, the use of them do not require any ethic and legal regulation. In this review, we discuss the synergy between OOC and AI as one of the most promising ways to unveil potential therapeutic targets as well as the complex mechanism(s) underlying NAFLD
Modulated linear dynamics of nanobeams accounting for higher gradient effects
We present some numerical results for the linear dynamics of nanobeams
modulated by an axial force, basing on a recent proposal of literature that encompasses
both the standard nonlocal elasticity, according to Eringen, and second-order strain
elasticity. Three different possibilities for the elastic potential energy provide different
responses that highlight the contributions of nonlocality and strain gradient, plus their
combination. An axial force affects the linear stationary dynamics of such nanobeams,
inducing suitable variation of the natural angular frequencies for benchmark cases, until
static buckling occurs when the natural angular frequency vanishes. Effects of the various
elastic potentials on this modulation are investigated and thoroughly commented
EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION OF LOW PRESSURE TURBINE NOISE: RADIAL MODE ANALYSIS FOR SWIRLING FLOWS
The way to ultrafast, high-throughput enantioseparations of bioactive compounds in liquid and supercritical fluid chromatography
Until less than 10 years ago, chiral separations were carried out with columns packed with 5 or 3 μm fully porous particles (FPPs). Times to resolve enantiomeric mixtures were easily larger than 30 min, or so. Pushed especially by stringent requirements from medicinal and pharmaceutical industries, during the last years the field of chiral separations by liquid chromatography has undergone what can be defined a “true revolution”. With the purpose of developing ever faster and efficient method of separations, indeed, very efficient particle formats, such as superficially porous particles (SPPs) or sub-2 μm FPPs, have been functionalized with chiral selectors and employed in ultrafast applications. Thanks to the use of short column (1–2 cm long), packed with these extremely efficient chiral stationary phases (CSPs), operated at very high flow rates (5–8 mL/min), resolution of racemates could be accomplished in very short time, in many cases less than 1 s in normal-, reversed-phase and HILIC conditions. These CSPs have been found to be particularly promising also to carry out high-throughput separations under supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) conditions. The most important results that have been recently achieved in terms of ultrafast, high-throughput enantioseparations both in liquid and supercritical fluid chromatography with particular attention to the very important field of bioactive chiral compounds will be reviewed in this manuscript. Attention will be focused not only on the latest introduced CSPs and their applications, but also on instrumental modifications which are required in some cases in order to fully exploit the intrinsic potential of new generation chiral columns
LO SPAZIO DELLA PARAFRASI E DELLA RIFORMULAZIONE NELLE GRAMMATICHE SCOLASTICHE
Attraverso l’analisi di un corpus di quindici manuali scolastici si offre una prima ricognizione sul ruolo della parafrasi nei libri di grammatica per la scuola secondaria di secondo grado. L’intervento è articolato in due parti: la prima mette a fuoco obiettivi, presupposti metodologici e definizioni documentate nel corpus; la seconda mira a far emergere e risaltare le motivazioni teoriche e pratiche delle scelte delle grammatiche relativamente a esercizi e tipi di testi proposti, incrociando i dati emersi con gli studi linguistici sulla parafrasi. A corredo dell’analisi, sono fatte alcune considerazioni su come possano essere coniugate teoria e finalità didattiche in funzione della piena comprensione dei testi e della riflessione storica e metalinguistica sulle varietà letterarie e specialistiche dell’italiano. Paraphrase and reformulation in school textbooksThrough the analysis of a corpus of fifteen school textbooks, this survey investigates the role of paraphrases in textbooks for secondary schools. The first part focuses on objectives, methodological assumptions and definitions documented in the corpus; the second part aims to identify and highlight the theoretical and practical reasons for the choice of textbooks in relation to exercises and types of texts proposed, crossing the data with language studies on paraphrase. In support of the analysis, some considerations are made on how theory and teaching objectives can be combined in order to fully understand the texts as well as historical and metalinguistic reflections on the literary and specialized varieties of Italian
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