Quantum Entanglement dependence on bifurcations and scars in non autonomous systems. The case of Quantum Kicked Top

Properties related to entanglement in quantum systems, are known to be associated with distinct properties of the corresponding classical systems, as for example stability, integrability and chaos. This means that the detailed topology, both local and global, of the classical phase space may reveal, or influence, the entangling power of the quantum system. As it has been shown in the literature, the bifurcation points, in autonomous dynamical systems, play a crucial role for the onset of entanglement. Similarly, the existence of scars among the quantum states seems to be a factor in the dynamics of entanglement. Here we study these issues for a non-autonomous system, the Quantum Kicked Top, as a collective model of a multi-qubit system. Using the bifurcation diagram of the corresponding classical limit (the Classical Kicked Top), we analyzed the pair-wise and the bi-partite entanglement of the qubits and their relation to scars, as a function of the critical parameter of the system. We found that the pair-wise entanglement and pair-wise negativity show a strong maximum precisely at the bifurcation points, while the bi-partite entanglement changes slope at these points. We have also investigated the connection between entanglement and the fixed points on the branch of the bifurcation diagram between the two first bifurcation points and we found that the entanglement measures take their extreme values precisely on these points. We conjecture that our results on this behaviour of entanglement is generic for many quantum systems with a non-linear classical analogue.Comment: 14 pages, 6 figures in separate ps files, submitted for publicatio

Global patient outcomes after elective surgery: prospective cohort study in 27 low-, middle- and high-income countries.

BACKGROUND: As global initiatives increase patient access to surgical treatments, there remains a need to understand the adverse effects of surgery and define appropriate levels of perioperative care. METHODS: We designed a prospective international 7-day cohort study of outcomes following elective adult inpatient surgery in 27 countries. The primary outcome was in-hospital complications. Secondary outcomes were death following a complication (failure to rescue) and death in hospital. Process measures were admission to critical care immediately after surgery or to treat a complication and duration of hospital stay. A single definition of critical care was used for all countries. RESULTS: A total of 474 hospitals in 19 high-, 7 middle- and 1 low-income country were included in the primary analysis. Data included 44 814 patients with a median hospital stay of 4 (range 2-7) days. A total of 7508 patients (16.8%) developed one or more postoperative complication and 207 died (0.5%). The overall mortality among patients who developed complications was 2.8%. Mortality following complications ranged from 2.4% for pulmonary embolism to 43.9% for cardiac arrest. A total of 4360 (9.7%) patients were admitted to a critical care unit as routine immediately after surgery, of whom 2198 (50.4%) developed a complication, with 105 (2.4%) deaths. A total of 1233 patients (16.4%) were admitted to a critical care unit to treat complications, with 119 (9.7%) deaths. Despite lower baseline risk, outcomes were similar in low- and middle-income compared with high-income countries. CONCLUSIONS: Poor patient outcomes are common after inpatient surgery. Global initiatives to increase access to surgical treatments should also address the need for safe perioperative care. STUDY REGISTRATION: ISRCTN5181700

Μια επι τόπου διερεύνηση στις τιμές U εξωτερικής τοιχοποιίας

The results of an insitu investigation into the thermal performance of a range of wall constructions are presented. The investigations were mainly undertaken to establish the uncertainty introduced by the measurement, the variability in the performance of the wall due to factors such as workmanship and the relevance of design values in practice. This study provides a useful addition to the otherwise sparse literature of actual measured heat flow and temperature data available from large scale field surveys in UK.A review of methods and equipment used to recover the thermal transmittance value of wall constructions is presented. The Heat Flow Sensor measurement method was found to be most suitable for the needs of the study and was evaluated both theoretically and experimentally.An experimental design approach was devised which enabled the separation of the variability involved in the measurement process and the variability involved in the performance of the wall to be obtained. The four generic wall types sampled included a representative range of existing and new build constructions. The indications are that the wall constructions investigated broadly perform as expected. However, for certain wall types there were significant differences between measured and standard design calculation values. This was because the appropriate theoretical model was not applied in order to establish the transmittance of the wall construction at the design stage.It would appear that the overall error in the measurement process, which is a combination of both the systematic and the random error, was typically of the order of +/-11%, whereas the variability in the wall performance was seen to vary as a function of the wall type with the resulting values ranging between 4% and 39.5%. The differences in the observed performance of the wall may be potentially attributed to 4 major causes, namely:(a)dimensional tolerances and material properties, (b) changes in material properties, (c) the wall as part of the construction and (d) workmanship.The average wall performance in some circumstances can be estimated satisfactorily by using a one dimensional model where a relatively homogeneous wall construction is assumed. While the area weighted one dimensional model gives a reasonable estimate of the average wall performance by taking into account the cold bridging of the mortar joints, a more complete understanding of the wall performance can only be achieved by the use of a three dimensional model.Στην παρούσα μελέτη παρουσιάζονται τα αποτελέσματα μιας επιτόπου διερεύνησης στη θερμική συμπεριφορά διαφορετικών τύπων κατασκευών εξωτερικής τοιχοποιίας. Η έρευνα αναλήφθηκε κυρίως για να καθορισθεί η αβεβαιότητα στις μετρήσεις, η μεταβλητότητα στη θερμική συμπεριφορά της εξωτερικής τοιχοποιϊας, η οποία οφείλεται σε παράγοντες όπως η ποιότητα κατασκευής και η συνάφεια των τιμών που υιοθετούνται στο σχεδιαστικό επίπεδο με αυτό στη πράξη. Η μελέτη αυτή παρέχει μια χρήσιμη προσθήκη στην κατά τα άλλα αραιή βιβλιογραφία που αφορά σε πραγματικά δεδομένα που προέρχονται από μετρήσεις πεδίου ροής θερμότητας και θερμοκρασίας, μετρήσεις που είναι διαθέσιμες μόνο από έρευνες πεδίου μεγάλης κλίμακας στο Ηνωμένο Βασίλειο.Στη μελέτη παρουσιάζεται επίσης μια επισκόπηση των μεθόδων και του εξοπλισμού που χρησιμοποιούνται για να προσδιορίσουν τον συντελεστή θερμικής αγωγιμότητας στην εξωτερική τοιχοποιία. Η μέθοδος μέτρησης του αισθητήρα ροής θερμότητας (heat flow sensor) βρέθηκε να είναι η πλέον κατάλληλη για τις ανάγκες της μελέτης και αξιολογήθηκε τόσο θεωρητικά όσο και πειραματικά.Έγινε εφαρμογή των αρχών του πειραματικού σχεδιασμού ο οποίος επέτρεψε τον διαχωρισμό της μεταβλητότητας στη διαδικασία μέτρησης και της μεταβλητότητας στη θερμική επίδοση της εξωτερικής τοιχοποιίας. Οι εν λόγω μετρήσεις πραγματοποιήθηκαν σε τέσσερις διαφορετικούς τύπους εξωτερικής τοιχοποιίας αντιπροσωπευτικό δείγμα τόσο υφιστάμενων όσο και νέων κατασκευών. Οι ενδείξεις είναι ότι οι κατασκευές εξωτερικής τοιχοποιίας που διερευνήθηκαν σε γενικές γραμμές συμπεριφέρονται θερμικά όπως αναμενόταν στο στάδιο σχεδιασμού. Ωστόσο, για ορισμένους τύπους εξωτερικής τοιχοποιίας υπήρξαν σημαντικές διαφορές μεταξύ των μετρήσεων πεδίου και των τιμών υπολογισμού στο στάδιο σχεδιασμού. Η αιτία για αυτή την απόκλιση είναι ότι στο στάδιο σχεδιασμού δεν εφαρμόσθηκε το κατάλληλο θεωρητικό μοντέλο προκειμένου να προσδιορισθεί η αγωγιμότητα της εξωτερικής τοιχοποιίας. Όπως προκύπτει, το συνολικό σφάλμα στη διαδικασία μέτρησης, η οποία είναι ένας συνδυασμός τόσο συστηματικού όσο και τυχαίου σφάλματος, ήταν συνήθως της τάξης του +/-11%, ενώ η μεταβλητότητα στην επίδοση της εξωτερικής τοιχοποιίας ποικίλλει ως συνάρτηση του τύπου της κατασκευής της εξωτερικής τοιχοποιίας με τις προκύπτουσες τιμές να κυμαίνονται μεταξύ 4% και 39,5%. Οι διαφορές στην παρατηρούμενη επίδοση του τοιχώματος μπορεί να αποδοθεί σε 4 κύριες αιτίες, δηλαδή:(Α) στις ανοχές διαστάσεων και ιδιότητες των υλικών, (β) στις μεταβολές στις ιδιότητες των υλικών, (γ) στην εξωτερική τοιχοποιία ως μέρος της συνολικής κατασκευής του κτηρίου και (δ) στη ποιότητα κατασκευής.Η μέση επίδοση της εξωτερικής τοιχοποιίας σε ορισμένες περιπτώσεις μπορεί να εκτιμηθεί ικανοποιητικά με τη χρήση ενός μονοδιάστατου μοντέλου όπου λαμβάνεται υπόψη μια σχετικά ομοιογενής κατασκευή εξωτερικής τοιχοποιίας. Ενώ η μέθοδος της «σταθμισμένης περιοχής» (area weighted method) η οποία είναι μονοδιάστατο μοντέλο δίνει μια περισσότερο ρεαλιστική εκτίμηση της μέσης επίδοσης μιας εξωτερικής τοιχοποιίας λαμβάνοντας υπόψη τις θερμικές γέφυρες που δημιουργούνται από την ύπαρξη αρμών κονιάματος, μια πιο ολοκληρωμένη κατανόηση της επίδοσης (της εξωτερικής τοιχοποιίας) μπορεί να επιτευχθεί μόνο με τη χρήση ενός μοντέλου τριών διαστάσεων

Critical-Illness: Combined Effects of Colistin and Vasoactive Drugs: A Pilot Study

Colistin is often used as a last resort for treating multidrug-resistant infections, particularly in critically ill patients in intensive care units. Nonetheless, its side effects, including myopathy, require careful monitoring. Vasoconstrictive drugs are also used in intensive care to increase blood pressure and improve blood flow to vital organs, which can be compromised in critically ill patients. The exact mechanism of colistin-induced muscle toxicity is of significant interest due to its potential intensive-care clinical implications. Colistin alone or in combination with vasoconstrictive agents was administrated in non-septic and LPS-induced septic animals for 10 days. Histopathological evaluation of the gastrocnemius muscle and dot-blot protein tissue analysis were performed. Increased intramuscular area, de-organization of the muscle fibers and signs of myopathy were observed in colistin-treated animals. This effect was ameliorated in the presence of vasoconstrictive drugs. Administration of colistin to septic animals resulted in a decrease of AMPK and cyclin-D1 levels, while it had no effect on caspase 3 levels. Vasoconstrictive drugs’ administration reversed the effects of colistin on AMPK and cyclin D1 levels. Colistin’s effects on muscle depend on septic state and vasoconstriction presence, highlighting the need to consider these factors when administering it in critically ill patients

Microbiota Succession of Whole and Filleted European Sea Bass (<i>Dicentrarchus labrax</i>) during Storage under Aerobic and MAP Conditions via 16S rRNA Gene High-Throughput Sequencing Approach

In the present work, the profiles of bacterial communities of whole and filleted European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax), during several storage temperatures (0, 4, 8 and 12 °C) under aerobic and Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) conditions, were examined via the 16S rRNA High-Throughput Sequencing (HTS) approach. Sensorial attributes were also assessed to determine products’ shelf-life. Results indicated that shelf-life was strongly dependent on handling, as well as on temperature and atmosphere conditions. HTS revealed the undisputed dominance of Pseudomonas from the very beginning and throughout storage period in the majority of treatments. However, a slightly different microbiota profile was recorded in MAP-stored fillets at the middle stages of storage, which mainly referred to the sporadic appearance of some bacteria (e.g., Carnobacterium, Shewanella, etc.) that followed the dominance of Pseudomonas. It is noticeable that a major difference was observed at the end of shelf-life of MAP-stored fillets at 12 °C, where the dominant microbiota was constituted by the genus Serratia, while the relative abundance of Pseudomonas and Brochothrix was more limited. Furthermore, at the same temperature under aerobic storage of both whole and filleted fish, Pseudomonas almost co-existed with Acinetobacter, while the presence of both Erwinia and Serratia in whole fish was noteworthy. Overall, the present study provides useful information regarding the storage fate and spoilage status of whole and filleted European sea bass, suggesting that different handling and storage conditions influence the shelf-life of sea bass by favoring or delaying the dominance of Specific Spoilage Organisms (SSOs), affecting in parallel to some extent the formation of their consortium that is responsible for products’ sensorial deterioration. Such findings enrich the current knowledge and should be used as a benchmark to develop specific strategies aiming to delay spoilage and thus increase the products’ added value

Forward Genetic Screening for the Improved Production of Fermentable Sugars from Plant Biomass

<div><p>With their unique metabolism and the potential to produce large amounts of biomass, plants are an excellent bio-energy feedstock for a variety of industrial purposes. Here we developed a high-throughput strategy, using the model plant <em>Arabidopsis thaliana</em>, to identify mutants with improved sugar release from plant biomass. Molecular analysis indicates a variety of processes including starch degradation, cell wall composition and polar transport of the plant hormone auxin can contribute to this improved saccharification. To demonstrate translatability, polar auxin transport in maize was either genetically or chemical inhibited and this also resulted in increased sugar release from plant tissues. Our forward genetic approach using Arabidopsis not only uncovers new functions that contribute to cell wall integrity but also demonstrates that information gleaned from this genetic model can be directly translated to monocotyledonous crops such as maize to improve sugar extractability from biomass.</p> </div

Mutation Spectrum of the ABCA4 Gene in a Greek Cohort with Stargardt Disease: Identification of Novel Mutations and Evidence of Three Prevalent Mutated Alleles

Aim. To evaluate the frequency and pattern of disease-associated mutations of ABCA4 gene among Greek patients with presumed Stargardt disease (STGD1). Materials and Methods. A total of 59 patients were analyzed for ABCA4 mutations using the ABCR400 microarray and PCR-based sequencing of all coding exons and flanking intronic regions. MLPA analysis as well as sequencing of two regions in introns 30 and 36 reported earlier to harbor deep intronic disease-associated variants was used in 4 selected cases. Results. An overall detection rate of at least one mutant allele was achieved in 52 of the 59 patients (88.1%). Direct sequencing improved significantly the complete characterization rate, that is, identification of two mutations compared to the microarray analysis (93.1% versus 50%). In total, 40 distinct potentially disease-causing variants of the ABCA4 gene were detected, including six previously unreported potentially pathogenic variants. Among the disease-causing variants, in this cohort, the most frequent was c.5714+5G>A representing 16.1%, while p.Gly1961Glu and p.Leu541Pro represented 15.2% and 8.5%, respectively. Conclusions. By using a combination of methods, we completely molecularly diagnosed 48 of the 59 patients studied. In addition, we identified six previously unreported, potentially pathogenic ABCA4 mutations