A Self-Preserving Pitted Texture Enables Reversible Topographic Evolution and Cycling on Zn Metal Anodes

We identify that the irreversible evolution of flat to nonuniform topography on the pristine Zn anode surface during the repeated stripping/plating cycles triggers the fatal dendrite growth. Given this, a...

What is the Environment of Quantum Systems?

Henry and Eve try to outrace each other, so as to get first to the unique quantum crystals deposited in an underground mine. In his descent into the mine, Henry resorts to coherent transfer. When he tries to return the same way, he gets stuck halfway up, because his entanglement to Eve’s sensors decoheres him. This scenario represents any environment where the interaction of each constituent with the quantum system is weak. Yet, together these many constituents and the system become completely entangled, causing environment-induced decoherence. This consensual narrative on decoherence conceals conceptual hurdles. Where does one draw the line between the system and the environment? How can the unitarity of QM be reconciled, whereby our past and future are interchangeable, with the irreversible evolution of quantum systems under decoherence, culminating in death? The appendix to this chapter describes coherent oscillations in a quantum system and their decay by decoherence.

Fahr’s syndrome in adolescence: a case report

We present here a case of Fahr’s disease in the pediatric age group. Fahr’s disease is a neurological, degenerative and rare disease, especially in this age group. It differs from Fahrs syndrome, which is associated with infectious pathologies, such as human immunodeficiency virus infection and metabolic causes, such as hypoparathyroidism. In contrast, Fahr’s disease has an idiopathic or familial cause and is related to neuropsychic symptoms. However, the differentiation of these terms is still poorly established in the literature. It has an unknown prevalence and affects individuals of both sexes in any age group, and individuals from the 4th decade are more likely to develop it. It has polygenic etiology being autosomal dominant, characterized by abnormal deposits of minerals, including mainly calcium and phosphate in the basal ganglia. It presents extra-pyramidal, psychiatric and epileptic manifestations. It is an incurable disease with progressive and irreversible evolution. Due to the involvement of the central nervous system, the prognosis is reserved and eventually fatal. The patient in question was MF, 15-years-old, male, with severe holocranial headache and convulsive crisis with findings of calcifications in the base ganglia bilaterally tomography of the skull.

Approach to Equilibrium, the H-Theorem and Irreversibility

Like most of the greatest equations in science, the Boltzmann equation is not only beautiful but also generous. Indeed, it delivers a great deal of information without imposing a detailed knowledge of its solutions. In fact, Boltzmann himself derived most if not all of his main results without ever showing that his equation did admit rigorous solutions. This Chapter illustrates one of the most profound contributions of Boltzmann, namely the famous H-theorem, providing the first quantitative bridge between the irreversible evolution of the macroscopic world and the reversible laws of the underlying microdynamics.

The Boltzmann Equation and the H Theorem (1872–1875)

This chapter covers Boltzmann’s writings about the Boltzmann equation and the H theorem in the period 1872–1875, through which he succeeded in deriving the irreversible evolution of the distribution of molecular velocities in a dilute gas toward Maxwell’s distribution. Boltzmann also used his equation to improve on Maxwell’s theory of transport phenomena (viscosity, diffusion, and heat conduction). The bulky memoir of 1872 and the eponymous equation probably are Boltzmann’s most famous achievements. Despite the now often obsolete ways of demonstration, despite the lengthiness of the arguments, and despite hidden difficulties in the foundations, Boltzmann there displayed his constructive skills at their best.

Economic Expansion of China: Determinants, Perspectives, Limits

Two centuries ago, Asia delivered over 60 percent of world production; in the middle of the 20th century it was less than 20 percent. Currently, it is twice as large and this share is still increasing, above all but not only, because of China whose production is still growing at a rate twice as fast as the world average. China is trying to maintain high economic dynamics, inter alia, through investment external expansion. This aim is to be served, among others, by the infrastructure project, drawn up with enormous verve, known as the New Silk Road, which the Middle Kingdom addresses to 65 countries on three continents. While some hope for accelerating their own economic growth, others warn against the risk of becoming dependent on China. The article analyzes these challenges, pointing to the desired directions of irreversible evolution globalization by giving it a more inclusive character, which is also strongly emphasized by the Chinese authorities in their official enunciations.

Competitiveness of nonstationary states in linear kinetic systems

The master equation formalism is used to describe the possibility for peak population amplitudes of two nonstationary states in a 3-stage linear kinetic system to be endowed with an untraditional physical quantity — competitiveness — established in regard to the differences for the degree of the peak responses to a change in the input rate constants. Calculated coefficients of competitiveness are found to agree with observations of performance for the three optical materials with respect to their reliability in different operating windows. It is concluded that, for a non-equilibrium linear kinetic system, the competitiveness constitutes a common dynamic property of its nonstationary states and, in the case of their directed irreversible evolution, comprises the property of a system’s anti-cooperativity.