2,347 research outputs found
Non-Local Order Parameters as a Probe for Phase Transitions in the Extended Fermi-Hubbard Model
The Extended Fermi-Hubbard model is a rather studied Hamiltonian due to both
its many applications and a rich phase diagram. Here we prove that all the
phase transitions encoded in its one dimensional version are detectable via
non-local operators related to charge and spin fluctuations. The main advantage
in using them is that, in contrast to usual local operators, their asymptotic
average value is finite only in the appropriate gapped phases. This makes them
powerful and accurate probes to detect quantum phase transitions. Our results
indeed confirm that they are able to properly capture both the nature and the
location of the transitions. Relevantly, this happens also for conducting
phases with a spin gap, thus providing an order parameter for the
identification of superconducting and paired superfluid phasesComment: 7 pages, 3 figures; Submitted to EPJ Special Topics, Quantum Gases
and Quantum Coherenc
Endovascular stenting of the ascending aorta for type A aortic dissections in patients at high risk for open surgery
Background: Open repair is the gold standard for type A aortic dissection (TAAD). Endovascular option has been proposed in very limited and selected TAAD patients. We report our experience with endovascular TAAD repair. Methods: Inclusion criteria were: (1) entry tear in the ascending aorta; (2) proximal landing zone of at least 2 cm; (3) distance between entry tear and brachio-cephalic trunk of at least 0.5 cm; (4) no signs of cardiac tamponade or severe aortic regurgitation and (5) no signs of aortic branches ischaemia. Patients with cardiac revascularisation from ascending aorta were excluded. Results: From April 2009 to June 2012, 37 patients with TAAD were admitted to our hospital. As many as 28 underwent surgical repair and 9 were considered at high surgical risk in a multidisciplinary meeting. Four met our inclusion criteria for an endovascular approach. Two of them had previous ascending aortic repair for TAAD and one had aortic valve replacement. Technical success was achieved in 100% of the patients. No mortality was registered during a median follow-up of 15 months (range 4-39 months), no migration of the graft and complete false lumen thrombosis of the ascending aorta in three patients. Conclusion: Endovascular treatment of TAAD is challenging but feasible in a selected subset of patients. Further research remains mandatory. © 2013 European Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved
Endovascular Management of Juxtarenal and Pararenal Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms: Role of Chimney Technique
Endovascular Management of Juxtarenal and Pararenal Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms: Role of Chimney Technique
The use of chimney technique in endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms (ChEVAR) has had a secondary role. Although it was first
developed in an emergent/urgent setting, the publication of various important studies has helped overcome scepticism towards this technique
in elective procedures. This paper reviews current evidence about ChEVAR, focusing on clinical results, technical notes and comparisons with
other techniques. The new ChEVAR findings show favourable mid- and long-term clinical outcomes, even in elective patients. These results,
comparable to those related to fenestrated endografts, have been achieved through standardisation in planning and materials. An adequate
endograft oversizing associated to the right aortic neck length is fundamental to avoid ChEVAR-related complications, such as type 1a endoleaks.
These data indicate that ChEVAR, compared to other complex endovascular treatments, has comparable outcomes along with features that
could make it an essential option in every clinical settin
In-situ Analysis of Laminated Composite Materials by X-ray Micro-Computed Tomography and Digital Volume Correlation
The complex mechanical behaviour of composite materials, due to internal heterogeneity and multi-layered composition impose deeper studies. This paper presents an experimental investigation technique to perform volume kinematic measurements in composite materials. The association of X-ray micro-computed tomography acquisitions and Digital Volume Correlation (DVC) technique allows the measurement of displacements and deformations in the whole volume of composite specimen. To elaborate the latter, composite fibres and epoxy resin are associated with metallic particles to create contrast during X-ray acquisition.
A specific in situ loading device is presented for three-point bending tests, which enables the visualization of transverse shear effects in composite structures
Investigating particle acceleration dynamics in interpenetrating magnetized collisionless super-critical shocks
Colliding collisionless shocks appear in a great variety of astrophysical
phenomena and are thought to be possible sources of particle acceleration in
the Universe. We have previously investigated particle acceleration induced by
single super-critical shocks (whose magnetosonic Mach number is higher than the
critical value of 2.7) (Yao et al. 2021, 2022), as well as the collision of two
sub-critical shocks (Fazzini et al. 2022). Here, we propose to make
measurements of accelerated particles from interpenetrating super-critical
shocks to observe the ''phase-locking effect'' (Fazzini et al. 2022) from such
an event. This effect is predicted to significantly boost the energy spectrum
of the energized ions compared to a single supercritical collisionless shock.
We thus anticipate that the results obtained in the proposed experiment could
have a significant impact on our understanding of one type of primary source
(acceleration of thermal ions as opposed to secondary acceleration mechanisms
of already energetic ions) of ion energization of particles in the Universe
Detecting myocardial salvage after primary PTCA: early myocardial contrast echocardiography versus delayed Sestamibi perfusion imaging.
Perioperative Care Pathways in Low- and Lower-Middle-Income Countries: Systematic Review and Narrative Synthesis
BACKGROUND: Safe and effective care for surgical patients requires high-quality perioperative care. In high-income countries (HICs), care pathways have been shown to be effective in standardizing clinical practice to optimize patient outcomes. Little is known about their use in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) where perioperative mortality is substantially higher. METHODS: Systematic review and narrative synthesis to identify and describe studies in peer-reviewed journals on the implementation or evaluation of perioperative care pathways in LMICs. Searches were conducted in MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL Plus, WHO Global Index, Web of Science, Scopus, Global Health and SciELO alongside citation searching. Descriptive statistics, taxonomy classifications and framework analyses were used to summarize the setting, outcome measures, implementation strategies, and facilitators and barriers to implementation. RESULTS: Twenty-seven studies were included. The majority of pathways were set in tertiary hospitals in lower-middle-income countries and were focused on elective surgery. Only six studies were assessed as high quality. Most pathways were adapted from international guidance and had been implemented in a single hospital. The most commonly reported barriers to implementation were cost of interventions and lack of available resources. CONCLUSIONS: Studies from a geographically diverse set of low and lower-middle-income countries demonstrate increasing use of perioperative pathways adapted to resource-poor settings, though there is sparsity of literature from low-income countries, first-level hospitals and emergency surgery. As in HICs, addressing patient and clinician beliefs is a major challenge in improving care. Context-relevant and patient-centered research, including qualitative and implementation studies, would make a valuable contribution to existing knowledge. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00268-022-06621-x
Failure Processes in Elastic Fiber Bundles
The fiber bundle model describes a collection of elastic fibers under load.
the fibers fail successively and for each failure, the load distribution among
the surviving fibers change. Even though very simple, the model captures the
essentials of failure processes in a large number of materials and settings. We
present here a review of fiber bundle model with different load redistribution
mechanism from the point of view of statistics and statistical physics rather
than materials science, with a focus on concepts such as criticality,
universality and fluctuations. We discuss the fiber bundle model as a tool for
understanding phenomena such as creep, and fatigue, how it is used to describe
the behavior of fiber reinforced composites as well as modelling e.g. network
failure, traffic jams and earthquake dynamics.Comment: This article has been Editorially approved for publication in Reviews
of Modern Physic
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