5,926 research outputs found
Dynamical Reduction Models: present status and future developments
We review the major achievements of the dynamical reduction program, showing
why and how it provides a unified, consistent description of physical
phenomena, from the microscopic quantum domain to the macroscopic classical
one. We discuss the difficulties in generalizing the existing models in order
to comprise also relativistic quantum field theories. We point out possible
future lines of research, ranging from mathematical physics to phenomenology.Comment: 12 pages. Contribution to the Proceedings of the "Third International
Workshop DICE2006", Castello di Piombino (Tuscany), September 11-15, 2006.
Minor changes mad
The quantum theory of measurement within dynamical reduction models
We analyze in mathematical detail, within the framework of the QMUPL model of
spontaneous wave function collapse, the von Neumann measurement scheme for the
measurement of a 1/2 spin particle. We prove that, according to the equation of
the model: i) throughout the whole measurement process, the pointer of the
measuring device is always perfectly well localized in space; ii) the
probabilities for the possible outcomes are distributed in agreement with the
Born probability rule; iii) at the end of the measurement the state of the
microscopic system has collapsed to the eigenstate corresponding to the
measured eigenvalue. This analysis shows rigorously how dynamical reduction
models provide a consistent solution to the measurement problem of quantum
mechanics.Comment: 24 pages, RevTeX. Minor changes mad
The Hilbert space operator formalism within dynamical reduction models
Unlike standard quantum mechanics, dynamical reduction models assign no
particular a priori status to `measurement processes', `apparata', and
`observables', nor self-adjoint operators and positive operator valued measures
enter the postulates defining these models. In this paper, we show why and how
the Hilbert-space operator formalism, which standard quantum mechanics
postulates, can be derived from the fundamental evolution equation of dynamical
reduction models. Far from having any special ontological meaning, we show that
within the dynamical reduction context the operator formalism is just a compact
and convenient way to express the statistical properties of the outcomes of
experiments.Comment: 25 pages, RevTeX. Changes made and two figures adde
The use of circular economy practices in SMEs across the EU
This study explores the circular economy (CE) practices of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the 28 European Union (EU) member states. Five measures of CE are studied, namely Re-planning the way water is used to minimize usage and maximize re-usage, Using renewable energy, Re-planning energy usage to minimize consumption, Minimizing waste by recycling or reusing waste or selling it to another firm, and Redesigning products and services to minimize the use of materials or using recycled materials. Multilevel ordinal probit models that control within- and between-variability across European Union countries are estimated. Results show that CE measures across EU countries are very heterogeneous. At the firm level, we find that firm size (number of employees and total turnover in 2015) and percentage of firms’ turnover invested in R&D in 2015 are significant in explaining within-country variations. The multilevel structure (between-country variability) accounts for 6.1%–15.1% of the total variability of CE measures. These results have implications for the design of framework policies at EU level given that the firms surveyed are SMEs, the segment in which these CE measures most need improved planning and implementation.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio
Entangling macroscopic diamonds at room temperature: Bounds on the continuous-spontaneous-localization parameters
A recent experiment [K. C. Lee et al., Science 334, 1253 (2011)] succeeded in
detecting entanglement between two macroscopic specks of diamonds, separated by
a macroscopic distance, at room temperature. This impressive results is a
further confirmation of the validity of quantum theory in (at least parts of)
the mesoscopic and macroscopic domain, and poses a challenge to collapse
models, which predict a violation of the quantum superposition principle, which
is the bigger the larger the system. We analyze the experiment in the light of
such models. We will show that the bounds placed by experimental data are
weaker than those coming from matter-wave interferometry and
non-interferometric tests of collapse models.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures, v2: close to the published version, LaTe
T Cell Leukemia/Lymphoma 1A is essential for mouse epidermal keratinocytes proliferation promoted by insulin-like growth factor 1
T Cell Leukemia/Lymphoma 1A is expressed during B-cell differentiation and, when overexpressed, acts as an oncogene in mouse (Tcl1a) and human (TCL1A) B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) and T-cell prolymphocytic leukemia (T-PLL). Furthermore, in the murine system Tcl1a is expressed in the ovary, testis and in pre-implantation embryos, where it plays an important role in blastomere proliferation and in embryonic stem cell (ESC) proliferation and self-renewal. We have also observed that Tcl1-/-adult mice exhibit alopecia and deep ulcerations. This finding has led us to investigate the role of TCL1 in mouse skin and hair follicles. We have found that TCL1 is expressed in the proliferative structure (i.e.The secondary hair germ) and in the stem cell niche (i.e.The bulge) of the hair follicle during regeneration phase and it is constitutively expressed in the basal layer of epidermis where it is required for the correct proliferative-differentiation program of the keratinocytes (KCs). Taking advantage of the murine models we have generated, including the Tcl1-/-and the K14-TCL1 transgenic mouse, we have analysed the function of TCL1 in mouse KCs and the molecular pathways involved. We provide evidence that in the epidermal compartment TCL1 has a role in the regulation of KC proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. In particular, the colony-forming efficiency (CFE) and the insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1)-induced proliferation are dramatically impaired, while apoptosis is increased, in KCs from Tcl1-/-mice when compared to WT. Moreover, the expression of differentiation markers such as cytokeratin 6 (KRT6), filaggrin (FLG) and involucrin (IVL) are profoundly altered in mutant mice (Tcl1-/-). Importantly, by over-expressing TCL1A in basal KCs of the K14-TCL1 transgenic mouse model, we observed a significant rescue of cell proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis of the mutant phenotype. Finally, we found TCL1 to act, at least in part, via increasing phospho-ERK1/2 and decreasing phospho-P38 MAPK. Hence, our data demonstrate that regulated levels of Tcl1a are necessary for the correct proliferation and differentiation of the interfollicular KC
On the uniqueness of the equation for state-vector collapse
The linearity of quantum mechanics leads, under the assumption that the wave
function offers a complete description of reality, to grotesque situations
famously known as Schroedinger's cat. Ways out are either adding elements of
reality or replacing the linear evolution by a nonlinear one. Models of
spontaneous wave function collapses took the latter path. The way such models
are constructed leaves the question, whether such models are in some sense
unique, i.e. whether the nonlinear equations replacing Schroedinger's equation,
are uniquely determined as collapse equations. Various people worked on
identifying the class of nonlinear modifications of the Schroedinger equation,
compatible with general physical requirements. Here we identify the most
general class of continuous wavefunction evolutions under the assumption of
no-faster-than-light signalling.Comment: 7 pages, LaTeX. Major changes performe
- …