8,086 research outputs found
EPR before EPR: a 1930 Einstein-Bohr thought experiment revisited
In 1930 Einstein argued against consistency of the time-energy uncertainty
relation by discussing a thought experiment involving a measurement of mass of
the box which emitted a photon. Bohr seemingly triumphed over Einstein by
arguing that the Einstein's own general theory of relativity saves the
consistency of quantum mechanics. We revisit this thought experiment from a
modern point of view at a level suitable for undergraduate readership and find
that neither Einstein nor Bohr was right. Instead, this thought experiment
should be thought of as an early example of a system demonstrating nonlocal
"EPR" quantum correlations, five years before the famous
Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen paper.Comment: 11 pages, revised, accepted for publication in Eur. J. Phy
Promoting post-stroke recovery through focal or whole body vibration: criticisms and prospects from a narrative review
Objective: Several focal muscle vibration (fMV) and whole body vibration (WBV) protocols have been designed to promote brain reorganization processes in patients with stroke. However, whether fMV and WBV should be considered helpful tools to promote post-stroke recovery remains still largely unclear. Methods: We here achieve a comprehensive review of the application of fMV and WBV to promote brain reorganization processes in patients with stroke. By first discussing the putative physiological basis of fMV and WBV and then examining previous observations achieved in recent randomized controlled trials (RCT) in patients with stroke, we critically discuss possible strength and limitations of the currently available data. Results: We provide the first systematic assessment of fMV studies demonstrating some improvement in upper and lower limb functions, in patients with chronic stroke. We also confirm and expand previous considerations about the rather limited rationale for the application of current WBV protocols in patients with chronic stroke. Conclusion: Based on available information, we propose new recommendations for optimal stimulation parameters and strategies for recruitment of specific stroke populations that would more likely benefit from future fMV or WBV application, in terms of speed and amount of post-stroke functional recovery
Barium alginate capsules for 3D immobilisation of living cells: morphology, membrane properties and permeability
Encapsulation in a barium alginate membrane is a promising strategy to obtain a three dimensional culture of living cells: membrane properties are crucial for a realistic clinical application. A one-step encapsulation technique, recently developed for controlled release of boar semen, was employed to prepare barium alginate and protamine-alginate membranes: permeability to two model molecules (haemoglobin and glucose) was evaluated. Capsules were evaluated for technological properties and scanning electron microscopy was used to examine the external morphology of the capsules and the 3D distribution of the cells within the core. The results indicate that 3D arrangement and cell shape are maintained, capsule dimensions and mechanical properties can be modulated, as well as their permeability to model molecules such as haemoglobin and glucose
Transport in strongly-coupled graphene-LaAlO3/SrTiO3 hybrid systems
We report on the transport properties of hybrid devices obtained by
depositing graphene on a LaAlO3/SrTiO3 oxide junction hosting a 4 nm-deep
two-dimensional electron system. At low graphene-oxide inter-layer bias the two
electron systems are electrically isolated, despite their small spatial
separation, and very efficient reciprocal gating is shown. A pronounced
rectifying behavior is observed for larger bias values and ascribed to the
interplay between electrostatic depletion and tunneling across the LaAlO3
barrier. The relevance of these results in the context of strongly-coupled
bilayer systems is discussed.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figure
Internal Time Formalism for Spacetimes with Two Killing Vectors
The Hamiltonian structure of spacetimes with two commuting Killing vector
fields is analyzed for the purpose of addressing the various problems of time
that arise in canonical gravity. Two specific models are considered: (i)
cylindrically symmetric spacetimes, and (ii) toroidally symmetric spacetimes,
which respectively involve open and closed universe boundary conditions. For
each model canonical variables which can be used to identify points of space
and instants of time, {\it i.e.}, internally defined spacetime coordinates, are
identified. To do this it is necessary to extend the usual ADM phase space by a
finite number of degrees of freedom. Canonical transformations are exhibited
that identify each of these models with harmonic maps in the parametrized field
theory formalism. The identifications made between the gravitational models and
harmonic map field theories are completely gauge invariant, that is, no
coordinate conditions are needed. The degree to which the problems of time are
resolved in these models is discussed.Comment: 36 pages, Te
Fast UPLC/PDA determination of squalene in Sicilian P.D.O. pistachio from Bronte: optimization of oil extraction method and analytical characterization
A fast reversed-phase UPLC method was developed for squalene determination in Sicilian pistachio
samples that entry in the European register of the products with P.D.O. In the present study the SPE
procedure was optimized for the squalene extraction prior to the UPLC/PDA analysis. The precision
of the full analytical procedure was satisfactory and the mean recoveries were 92.8 + 0.3 % and
96.6 + 0.1 % for 25 and 50 mg L-1 level of addition, respectively. Selected chromatographic
conditions allowed a very fast squalene determination; in fact it was well separated in ~ 0.54 min
with good resolution. Squalene was detected in all the pistachio samples analyzed and the levels
ranged from 55.45 to 226.34 mg . kg-1. Comparing our results with those of other studies it emerges
that squalene contents in P.D.O. Sicilian pistachio samples, generally, were higher than those
measured for other samples of different geographic origins
Chemical abundances and radial velocities in the extremely metal-poor galaxy DDO 68
We present chemical abundances and radial velocities of six HII regions in
the extremely metal-poor star-forming dwarf galaxy DDO 68. They are derived
from deep spectra in the wavelength range 3500 - 10,000 {\AA}, acquired with
the Multi Object Double Spectrograph (MODS) at the Large Binocular Telescope
(LBT). In the three regions where the [O III]4363 {\AA} line was
detected, we inferred the abundance of He, N, O, Ne, Ar, and S through the
"direct" method. We also derived the oxygen abundances of all the six regions
adopting indirect method calibrations. We confirm that DDO 68 is an extremely
metal-poor galaxy, and a strong outlier in the luminosity - metallicity
relation defined by star-forming galaxies. With the direct-method we find
indeed an oxygen abundance of 12+log(O/H)=7.140.07 in the northernmost
region of the galaxy and, although with large uncertainties, an even lower
12+log(O/H)=6.960.09 in the "tail". This is, at face value, the most
metal-poor direct abundance detection of any galaxy known. We derive a radial
oxygen gradient of -0.060.03 dex/kpc (or -0.30 dex ) with the
direct method, and a steeper gradient of -0.120.03 dex/kpc (or -0.59 dex
) from the indirect method. For the -element to oxygen
ratios we obtain values in agreement with those found in other metal-poor
star-forming dwarfs. For nitrogen, instead, we infer much higher values,
leading to log(N/O), at variance with the suggested existence of a
tight plateau at in extremely metal poor dwarfs. The derived helium mass
fraction ranges from Y=0.2400.005 to Y=0.250.02, compatible with
standard big bang nucleosynthesis. Finally, we measured HII region radial
velocities in the range 479522 km/s from the tail to the head of the
"comet", consistent with the rotation derived in the HI.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRA
Lunar laser ranging in infrfared at hte Grasse laser station
For many years, lunar laser ranging (LLR) observations using a green
wavelength have suffered an inhomogeneity problem both temporally and
spatially. This paper reports on the implementation of a new infrared detection
at the Grasse LLR station and describes how infrared telemetry improves this
situation. Our first results show that infrared detection permits us to densify
the observations and allows measurements during the new and the full Moon
periods. The link budget improvement leads to homogeneous telemetric
measurements on each lunar retro-reflector. Finally, a surprising result is
obtained on the Lunokhod 2 array which attains the same efficiency as Lunokhod
1 with an infrared laser link, although those two targets exhibit a
differential efficiency of six with a green laser link
Embedding variables in finite dimensional models
Global problems associated with the transformation from the Arnowitt, Deser
and Misner (ADM) to the Kucha\v{r} variables are studied. Two models are
considered: The Friedmann cosmology with scalar matter and the torus sector of
the 2+1 gravity. For the Friedmann model, the transformations to the Kucha\v{r}
description corresponding to three different popular time coordinates are shown
to exist on the whole ADM phase space, which becomes a proper subset of the
Kucha\v{r} phase spaces. The 2+1 gravity model is shown to admit a description
by embedding variables everywhere, even at the points with additional symmetry.
The transformation from the Kucha\v{r} to the ADM description is, however,
many-to-one there, and so the two descriptions are inequivalent for this model,
too. The most interesting result is that the new constraint surface is free
from the conical singularity and the new dynamical equations are linearization
stable. However, some residual pathology persists in the Kucha\v{r}
description.Comment: Latex 2e, 29 pages, no figure
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