69 research outputs found
Measurement and minimisation of the Mapping Entropy of a Coarse-Grained biomolecular system
All-atom Molecular Dynamics (MD) is the standard approach to perform in silico simulations of biomolecular systems. Despite its central role in modern computational biophysics, MD cannot span the time scales where the majority of relevant biological processes take place. An alternative is represented by coarse-grained (CG) modelling [1], that is, those lower-resolution representations of the system which aim at effectively reducing the number of degrees of freedom of a biomolecule in order to reach previously inaccessible time scales. Among the several statistical mechanics-based CG'ing techniques, we focused on those that measure the difference in information content between the coarse-grained and the all-atom system. We developed a protocol [2] able to compute the Mapping Entropy, which quantifies the amount of information retained upon the process of CG'ing due only to the choice of the Mapping. Our approach can therefore provide the user with the subset of sites which are maximally informative about the original, fully atomistic system. Tests conducted over a set of well-known proteins showed that regions retained with high probability are often related to the biological function of the molecule. [1] William George Noid. Perspective: Coarse-grained models for biomolecular systems. The Journal of chemical physics, 139(9):09B201 1, 2013.[2] Marco Giulini, Roberto Menichetti, M Scott Shell, and Raffaello Potestio. An information-theory-based approach for optimal model reduction of biomolecules. Journal of chemical theory and computation, 16(11):6795–6813, 2020
General Theorems on Decoherence in the Thermodynamic Limit
We extend the results on decoherence in the thermodynamic limit [M. Frasca,
Phys. Lett. A {\bf 283}, 271 (2001)] to general Hamiltonians. It is shown that
N independent particles, initially properly prepared, have a set of observables
behaving classically in the thermodynamic limit. This particular set of
observables is then coupled to a quantum system that in this way decoheres so
to have the density matrix in a mixed form. This gives a proof of the
generality of this effect.Comment: 8 pages, no figures. Version accepted by Physics Letters
Thermodynamic Limit and Decoherence: Rigorous Results
Time evolution operator in quantum mechanics can be changed into a
statistical operator by a Wick rotation. This strict relation between
statistical mechanics and quantum evolution can reveal deep results when the
thermodynamic limit is considered. These results translate in a set of theorems
proving that these effects can be effectively at work producing an emerging
classical world without recurring to any external entity that in some cases
cannot be properly defined. In a many-body system has been recently shown that
Gaussian decay of the coherence is the rule with a duration of recurrence more
and more small as the number of particles increases. This effect has been
observed experimentally. More generally, a theorem about coherence of bulk
matter can be proved. All this takes us to the conclusion that a well definite
boundary for the quantum to classical world does exist and that can be drawn by
the thermodynamic limit, extending in this way the deep link between
statistical mechanics and quantum evolution to a high degree.Comment: 5 pages, no figures. Contribution to proceedings of DICE 2006
(Piombino, Italy, September 11-15, 2006
Dynamical decoherence in a cavity with a large number of two-level atoms
We consider a large number of two-level atoms interacting with the mode of a
cavity in the rotating-wave approximation (Tavis-Cummings model). We apply the
Holstein-Primakoff transformation to study the model in the limit of the number
of two-level atoms, all in their ground state, becoming very large. The unitary
evolution that we obtain in this approximation is applied to a macroscopic
superposition state showing that, when the coherent states forming the
superposition are enough distant, then the state collapses on a single coherent
state describing a classical radiation mode. This appear as a true dynamical
effect that could be observed in experiments with cavities.Comment: 9 pages, no figures. This submission substitutes paper
quant-ph/0212148 that was withdrawn. Version accepted for publication in
Journal of Physics B: Atomic, Molecular & Optical Physic
Simultaneity as an Invariant Equivalence Relation
This paper deals with the concept of simultaneity in classical and
relativistic physics as construed in terms of group-invariant equivalence
relations. A full examination of Newton, Galilei and Poincar\'e invariant
equivalence relations in is presented, which provides alternative
proofs, additions and occasionally corrections of results in the literature,
including Malament's theorem and some of its variants. It is argued that the
interpretation of simultaneity as an invariant equivalence relation, although
interesting for its own sake, does not cut in the debate concerning the
conventionality of simultaneity in special relativity.Comment: Some corrections, mostly of misprints. Keywords: special relativity,
simultaneity, invariant equivalence relations, Malament's theore
A drastic complex atheromatous aorta A case report
Aortic atherosclerosis is the most common disease of the aorta. More than 50% of the plaques thicker than 4 mm are located along the descending aorta. The complex morphology of the plaque, such as ulceration or the presence of thrombi, is associated with increased embolic risk. The increasing use of transesophageal echocardiogram has enhanced the recognition of aortic atheromas. We describe a case of a male patient with complex atherosclerotic disease involving the coronary vessels and descending aortic tract with some embolic complications
dosimetry methods in boron neutron capture therapy
Dosimetry studies have been carried out at thermal and epithermal columns of LVR-
15 research reactor for investigating the spatial distribution of gamma dose, fast
neutron dose and thermal neutron fluence. Two different dosimetry methods, both
based on solid state detectors, have been studied and applied and the accuracy and
consistency of the results have been inspected. One method is based on Fricke gel
dosimeters that are dilute water solutions and have good tissue equivalence for
neutrons and also for all the secondary radiations produced by neutron interactions in
tissue or water phantoms. Fricke gel dosimeters give the possibility of separating the
various dose contributions, i.e. the gamma dose, the fast neutron dose and the dose due
to charged particles generated during thermal neutron reactions by isotopes having
high cross section, like 10B. From this last dose, thermal neutron fluence can be
obtained by means of the kerma factor. The second method is based on
thermoluminescence dosimeters. In particular, the developed method draw advantage
from the different heights of the peaks of the glow curve of such phosphors when
irradiated with photons or with thermal neutrons. The results show that satisfactory
results can be obtained with simple methods, in spite of the complexity of the subject.
However, the more suitable dosimeters and principally their utilization and analysis
modalities are different for the various neutron beams, mainly depending on the
relative intensities of the three components of the neutron field, in particular are
different for thermal and epithermal columns
- …