Spin Conductance in one-dimensional Spin-Phonon systems

We present results for the spin conductance of the one dimensional spin-1/2 Heisenberg and XY model coupled to phonons. We apply an approach based on the Stochastic Series Expansion (Quantum Monte Carlo) method to evaluate the conductance for a variety of phonon dispersions and values of spin-phonon coupling. From our numerical simulations and analytical arguments, we derive several scaling laws for the conductance.Comment: 7 pages, 9 figure

Review of The English Class by Ouyang Yu

Review of The English Class by Ouyang Y

Keeping tradition alive: just war and historical imagination

The just war tradition is one of the key constituencies of international political theory, and its vocabulary plays a prominent role in how political and military leaders frame contemporary conflicts. Yet, it stands in danger of turning in on itself and becoming irrelevant. This article argues that scholars who wish to preserve the vitality of this tradition must think in a more open-textured fashion about its historiography. One way to achieve this is to problematize the boundaries of the tradition. This article pursues this objective by treating one figure that stands in a liminal relation to the just war tradition. Despite having a lot to say about the ethics of war, Xenophon is seldom acknowledged as a bona fide just war thinker. The analysis presented here suggests, however, that his writings have much to tell us, not only about how he and his contemporaries thought about the ethics of war, but about how just war thinking is understood (and delimited) today and how it might be revived as a pluralistic critical enterprise

The differential effect of intravenous iron in patients with non-dialysis chronic kidney disease in terms of fibroblast growth factor 23, phosphate, bone metabolism, functional status and quality of life and cardiovascular variables

Background: Modern intravenous iron preparations (e.g. ferric derisomaltose (FDI), ferric carboxymaltose (FCM)) are commonly used in non-dialysis-dependent chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. Despite similar efficacy and safety in terms of previously described side-effect profile, a differential effect in hypophosphatemia has been noted with FCM. This appears to be related to fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23). Fibroblast growth factor 23 is an important phosphatonin with intertwined effects to phosphate metabolism, relevant to vitamin D and parathyroid hormone, leading to enhanced phosphaturia. In addition such alterations may lead to changes in bone turnover, and may be responsible for subtle differences in clinical and patient reported outcome measures. No previous randomised study evaluated this phenomenon in patients with non-dialysis dependent CKD. Moreover, no prior study adopting such a methodology evaluated any differential effect in terms of clinical and patient reported outcome measures, alongside potential cardiovascular implications. The primary hypothesis under study was whether any differential effect could arise secondary to the use of various modern intravenous iron compounds. This study primarily examined the comparative effects of FDI and FCM on FGF23, phosphate and other bone metabolism markers. In addition, it secondarily evaluated the impact of intravenous iron on functional status and cardiovascular variables, and assessed for any difference between the two compounds.Methods: This single-center double-blind randomised controlled trial primarily assessed the effects of FCM and FDI on intact FGF23 and phosphate, whilst also studying the impact on vitamin D, parathyroid hormone and phosphaturia. Bone turnover markers (alkaline phosphatase, bone-specific alkaline phosphatase, cross-linked C-telopeptide of type I collagen, N-terminal propeptides of Type I collagen), functional status (fatigue severity scale, 36-Item Short Form Health Survey, Duke Activity Status Index and 1-minute-sit-to-stand test) and cardiovascular variables (NT-pro-BNP, troponin T and pulse wave velocity) were monitored. Non-dialysis-dependent CKD patients with iron deficiency with/without anemia (serum ferritin <200μg/L or transferrin saturation ≤20% and serum ferritin 200-299μg/L) were randomised to receive FDI or FCM (1:1). At baseline 1000mg of intravenous iron was administered followed by 500-1000mg at one month. Measurements were performed at baseline, 1-2 days following iron administration, 14 days, 1 month, 1-2 days following second administration, 2 months and 3 months following initial infusion. Safety was assessed throughout the study.Results: Twenty-six patients were randomized to FDI (n=14) and FCM (n=12). Intact FGF23 increased following iron administration, which was significantly higher with FCM compared to FDI (Baseline to 1-2 days following 1st administration: FDI: 3.0 (IQR: - 15.1 - 13.8) % vs. FCM: 146.1 (IQR: 108.1-203.1) %; p < 0.001 and Baseline to 1-2 days following 2nd administration: FDI: 3.2 (IQR: - 3.5 - 25.4) % vs. FCM: 235.1 (138.5-434.6) %; p = 0.001). Phosphate levels decreased in the FCM group, causing a significant difference versus FDI at 14 days (FDI: 1.26 (IQR: 1.05–1.66) mmol/L vs. FCM: 1.09 (IQR: 0.94–1.23) mmol/L; p = 0.049). No clinically significant hypophosphataemia was detected ad either group. A significantly greater decrease in 1,25 (OH)2 Vitamin D was noted with FCM. A trend for increased phosphaturia was noted with FDI, albeit not statistically significant. Several bone turnover markers significantly changed following FCM administration but not FDI, both in terms of resorption and formation. Functional status improved in the total cohort and more specifically FDI in certain domains. This was particularly evident in those pertinent to fatigue and physical function as indicated both by the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey questionnaire and the Fatigue Severity Scale. No cardiovascular detriment was identified. Clinical efficacy and safety were similar between the two groups.Conclusions: The study suggests a differential effect in FGF23 following FCM administration in non-dialysis-dependent CKD patients. This may lead to changes consistent with hypovitaminosis D and alterations in bone turnover with potential clinical consequences. A common complication of non-dialysis-dependent CKD is mineral bone disease, characterised by impact on quality of life, strength and succeptibility to fractures. This is fueled by changes in the metabolism of both vitamin D and parathyroid hormone. It is hence possible that any further detriment to the already fragile kidney-bone axis secondary to such differential effect can have a significant clinical impact on patients with reduced kidney function. This becomes increasingly important, as the cumulative effect of repeated intravenous iron infusions is yet to be established. The positive effect of iron on patient reported outcome measures and functional status, alongside the similar efficacy and safety displayed, complement evidence relevant to intravenous iron, and can increase the confidence of clinicians in the use of such compounds. Nonetheless, as this study was small in nature with certain inherent limitations, further definitive studies are required to understand these differences and provide further insights, both clinical and mechanistic, into any arising differences

Review of 'Talking About Detective Fiction' by P.D. James.

Review of P.D. James, 'Talking About Detective Fiction.

Thermal conductivity of anisotropic spin - 1/2 two leg ladder:Green's function approach

We study the thermal transport of a spin-1/2 two leg antiferromagnetic ladder in the direction of legs. The possible effect of spin-orbit coupling and crystalline electric field are investigated in terms of anisotropies in the Heisenberg interactions on both leg and rung couplings. The original spin ladder is mapped to a bosonic model via a bond-operator transformation where an infinite hard-core repulsion is imposed to constrain one boson occupation per site. The Green's function approach is applied to obtain the energy spectrum of quasi-particle excitations responsible for thermal transport. The thermal conductivity is found to be monotonically decreasing with temperature due to increased scattering among triplet excitations at higher temperatures. A tiny dependence of thermal transport on the anisotropy in the leg direction at low temperatures is observed in contrast to the strong one on the anisotropy along the rung direction, due to the direct effect of the triplet density. Our results reach asymptotically the ballistic regime of the spin - 1/2 Heisenberg chain and compare favorably well with exact diagonalization data

The use and misuse of wealth according to St. John chrysostom

Today, when one is being constantly reminded that the cause of social justice is of the very essence of Christianity, it is important and helpful to reflect that this is not a new development in Christian teaching over the past hundred years, but has in fact solid roots in early Christian tradition. One of the strongest and most eloquent spokesmen for this demand for Christian responsibility and involvement in the issues of social justice is John Chrysostom, bishop, pastor, teacher and prophet in the Christian communities of Antioch and Constantinople in the latter part of the fourth century. By way of introduction, a brief survey of the Early Church’s attitude to wealth from its Gospel origins to the end of the third century is provided. Then follow three chapters: the first deals with the proper use of wealth, i.e. alms-giving and rich people as stewards of the poor. Chrysostom argued that some wealth is given by God to rich people, who in turn are to act as God’s stewards. Riches used in the service of other people are much more likely to be considered gifts from God while wealth that is ill-gotten or selfishly spent is usually thought to be permitted by God rather than specially provided. The second deals with Chrysostom's argument that rich people who abuse their wealth make the poor suffer. He observes says that their wealth is derived from dishonest business, the misfortune of others and taking interest on loans. Finally, in the third chapter, Chrysostom's teaching on the use and misuse of wealth in the light of the after-life are discussed. The third chapter also examines the arguments of those scholars who suggest that Chrysostom's works were either socialist or communist and concludes that they are neither