41 research outputs found
Gibbs' paradox and black-hole entropy
In statistical mechanics Gibbs' paradox is avoided if the particles of a gas
are assumed to be indistinguishable. The resulting entropy then agrees with the
empirically tested thermodynamic entropy up to a term proportional to the
logarithm of the particle number. We discuss here how analogous situations
arise in the statistical foundation of black-hole entropy. Depending on the
underlying approach to quantum gravity, the fundamental objects to be counted
have to be assumed indistinguishable or not in order to arrive at the
Bekenstein--Hawking entropy. We also show that the logarithmic corrections to
this entropy, including their signs, can be understood along the lines of
standard statistical mechanics. We illustrate the general concepts within the
area quantization model of Bekenstein and Mukhanov.Comment: Contribution to Mashhoon festschrift, 13 pages, 4 figure
Quantum geometrodynamics: whence, whither?
Quantum geometrodynamics is canonical quantum gravity with the three-metric
as the configuration variable. Its central equation is the Wheeler--DeWitt
equation. Here I give an overview of the status of this approach. The issues
discussed include the problem of time, the relation to the covariant theory,
the semiclassical approximation as well as applications to black holes and
cosmology. I conclude that quantum geometrodynamics is still a viable approach
and provides insights into both the conceptual and technical aspects of quantum
gravity.Comment: 25 pages; invited contribution for the Proceedings of the seminar
"Quantum Gravity: Challenges and Perspectives", Bad Honnef, Germany, April
200
Quantum measurement as driven phase transition: An exactly solvable model
A model of quantum measurement is proposed, which aims to describe
statistical mechanical aspects of this phenomenon, starting from a purely
Hamiltonian formulation. The macroscopic measurement apparatus is modeled as an
ideal Bose gas, the order parameter of which, that is, the amplitude of the
condensate, is the pointer variable. It is shown that properties of
irreversibility and ergodicity breaking, which are inherent in the model
apparatus, ensure the appearance of definite results of the measurement, and
provide a dynamical realization of wave-function reduction or collapse. The
measurement process takes place in two steps: First, the reduction of the state
of the tested system occurs over a time of order , where
is the temperature of the apparatus, and is the number of its degrees of
freedom. This decoherence process is governed by the apparatus-system
interaction. During the second step classical correlations are established
between the apparatus and the tested system over the much longer time-scale of
equilibration of the apparatus. The influence of the parameters of the model on
non-ideality of the measurement is discussed. Schr\"{o}dinger kittens, EPR
setups and information transfer are analyzed.Comment: 35 pages revte
Nernst Effect in Electron-Doped PrCeCuO
The Nernst effect of PrCeCuO (x=0.13, 0.15, and 0.17) has
been measured on thin film samples between 5-120 K and 0-14 T. In comparison to
recent measurements on hole-doped cuprates that showed an anomalously large
Nernst effect above the resistive T and H
\cite{xu,wang1,wang2,capan}, we find a normal Nernst effect above T and
H for all dopings. The lack of an anomalous Nernst effect in the
electron-doped compounds supports the models that explain this effect in terms
of amplitude and phase fluctuations in the hole-doped cuprates. In addition,
the H(T) determined from the Nernst effect shows a conventional behavior
for all dopings. The energy gap determined from H(0) decreases as the
system goes from under-doping to over-dopingin agreement with the recent
tunnelling experiments
Superconducting fluctuations and the Nernst effect: A diagrammatic approach
We calculate the contribution of superconducting fluctuations above the
critical temperature to the transverse thermoelectric response
, the quantity central to the analysis of the Nernst effect. The
calculation is carried out within the microscopic picture of BCS, and to linear
order in magnetic field. We find that as , the dominant contribution
to arises from the Aslamazov-Larkin diagrams, and is equal to the
result previously obtained from a stochastic time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau
equation [Ussishkin, Sondhi, and Huse, arXiv:cond-mat/0204484]. We present an
argument which establishes this correspondence for the heat current. Other
microscopic contributions, which generalize the Maki-Thompson and density of
states terms for the conductivity, are less divergent as .Comment: 11 pages, 5 figure
Physics in the Real Universe: Time and Spacetime
The Block Universe idea, representing spacetime as a fixed whole, suggests
the flow of time is an illusion: the entire universe just is, with no special
meaning attached to the present time. This view is however based on
time-reversible microphysical laws and does not represent macro-physical
behaviour and the development of emergent complex systems, including life,
which do indeed exist in the real universe. When these are taken into account,
the unchanging block universe view of spacetime is best replaced by an evolving
block universe which extends as time evolves, with the potential of the future
continually becoming the certainty of the past. However this time evolution is
not related to any preferred surfaces in spacetime; rather it is associated
with the evolution of proper time along families of world linesComment: 28 pages, including 9 Figures. Major revision in response to referee
comment
Decoherence and wave function collapse
The possibility of consistency between the basic quantum principles of
quantum mechanics and wave function collapse is reexamined. A specific
interpretation of environment is proposed for this aim and applied to
decoherence. When the organization of a measuring apparatus is taken into
account, this approach leads also to an interpretation of wave function
collapse, which would result in principle from the same interactions with
environment as decoherence. This proposal is shown consistent with the
non-separable character of quantum mechanics
On the EPR-type Entanglement in the Experiments of Scully et Al. I. The Micromaser Case and Delayed-choice Quantum Erasure
Delayed-choice erasure is investigated in two-photon two-slit experiments
that are generalizations of the micromaser experiment of Scully et al. [Scully,
M. O. et al. Nature 351, 111-116 (1991)]. Applying quantum mechanics to the
localization detector, it is shown that erasure with delayed choice in the
sense of Scully, has an analogous structure as simple erasure. The description
goes beyond probabilities. The EPR-type disentanglement, consisting in two
mutually incompatible distant measurements, is used as a general framework in
both parts of this study. Two simple coherence cases are shown to emerge
naturally, and they are precisely the two experiments of Scully et al. The
treatment seems to require the relative-reality-of-unitarily-evolving-state
(RRUES) approach. Besides insight in the exoeriments, this study has also the
goal of insight in quantum mechanics. The question is if it can be more than
just a "book-keeping device" for calculating probabilities as Scully et al.
modestly and cautiously claim.Comment: Latex2e, no figures, this manuscript is the first part of a study in
two part
The feasibility, proficiency, and mastery learning curves in 635 robotic pancreatoduodenectomies following a multicenter training program: "Standing on the Shoulders of Giants"
Objective: To assess the feasibility, proficiency, and mastery learning curves for robotic pancreatoduodenectomy (RPD) in "second-generation" RPD centers following a multicenter training program adhering to the IDEAL framework.Background: The long learning curves for RPD reported from "pioneering" expert centers may discourage centers interested in starting an RPD program. However, the feasibility, proficiency, and mastery learning curves may be shorter in "second-generation" centers that participated in dedicated RPD training programs, although data are lacking. We report on the learning curves for RPD in "second-generation" centers trained in a dedicated nationwide program.Methods: Post hoc analysis of all consecutive patients undergoing RPD in 7 centers that participated in the LAELAPS-3 training program, each with a minimum annual volume of 50 pancreatoduodenectomies, using the mandatory Dutch Pancreatic Cancer Audit (March 2016-December 2021). Cumulative sum analysis determined cutoffs for the 3 learning curves: operative time for the feasibility (1) risk-adjusted major complication (Clavien-Dindo grade >= III) for the proficiency, (2) and textbook outcome for the mastery, (3) learning curve. Outcomes before and after the cutoffs were compared for the proficiency and mastery learning curves. A survey was used to assess changes in practice and the most valued "lessons learned."Results: Overall, 635 RPD were performed by 17 trained surgeons, with a conversion rate of 6.6% (n=42). The median annual volume of RPD per center was 22.56.8. From 2016 to 2021, the nationwide annual use of RPD increased from 0% to 23% whereas the use of laparoscopic pancreatoduodenectomy decreased from 15% to 0%. The rate of major complications was 36.9% (n=234), surgical site infection 6.3% (n=40), postoperative pancreatic fistula (grade B/C) 26.9% (n=171), and 30-day/in-hospital mortality 3.5% (n=22). Cutoffs for the feasibility, proficiency, and mastery learning curves were reached at 15, 62, and 84 RPD. Major morbidity and 30-day/in-hospital mortality did not differ significantly before and after the cutoffs for the proficiency and mastery learning curves. Previous experience in laparoscopic pancreatoduodenectomy shortened the feasibility (-12 RPDs, -44%), proficiency (-32 RPDs, -34%), and mastery phase learning curve (-34 RPDs, -23%), but did not improve clinical outcome.Conclusions: The feasibility, proficiency, and mastery learning curves for RPD at 15, 62, and 84 procedures in "second-generation" centers after a multicenter training program were considerably shorter than previously reported from "pioneering" expert centers. The learning curve cutoffs and prior laparoscopic experience did not impact major morbidity and mortality. These findings demonstrate the safety and value of a nationwide training program for RPD in centers with sufficient volume.Surgical oncolog