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In the present paper we consider a magnetically confined plasma in the presence of ion cyclotron resonant heating (ICRH) in the minority scheme. The distribution function of the minority species was split into a steady state part corresponding to the time averaged part and the time harmonic perturbation corresponding to the rapid varying part driven by high-frequency field. The both distribution functions are supposed non-Maxwellian and written as Maxwellian multiplied by deformation functions, specific for each part. The goal of the paper is to study the radial profile of these deformation functions and their relation with power density absorbtion in the particular case of isotropic velocity space. The steady state part of the distribution function is obtained from the quasilinear Fokker-Planck equation. On the other hand, the kinetic equation is used to find the rapid varying part of the distribution function driven by radio-frequency field in terms of the steady state part and so the deformation functions from Maxwellian form. The both deformation functions and the diffusion coefficient are plotted for some specific situations using density and temperature profiles inspired by experiment data in JET. The obtained results show how the deformation functions depends both on the power density deposition profile and the value of power density deposition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In previous work, we investigated thermodynamic processes in systems at the mesoscopic level where traditional thermodynamic descriptions (macroscopic or microscopic) may not be fully adequate. The key result is that entropy in such systems does not change continuously, as in macroscopic systems, but rather in discrete steps characterized by the quantization constant β. This quantization reflects the underlying discrete nature of the collision process in low-dimensional systems and the essential role played by thermodynamic fluctuations at this scale. Thermodynamic variables conjugate to the forces, along with Glansdorff-Prigogine's dissipative variable can be discretized, enabling a mesoscopic-scale formulation of canonical commutation rules (CCRs). In this framework, measurements correspond to determining the eigenvalues of operators associated with key thermodynamic quantities. This work investigates the quantization parameter β in the CCRs using a nano-gas model analyzed through classical statistical physics. Our findings suggest that β is not an unknown fundamental constant. Instead, it emerges as the minimum achievable value derived from optimizing the uncertainty relation within the framework of our model. The expression for β is determined in terms of the ratio χ, which provides a dimensionless number that reflects the relative scales of volume and mass between entities at the Bohr (atomic level) and the molecular scales. This latter parameter quantifies the relative influence of quantum effects versus classical dynamics in a given scattering process.

We propose a realistic model for the evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic subject to the lockdown and quarantine measures, which takes into account the timedelay for recovery or death processes. The dynamic equations for the entire process are derived by adopting a kinetic-type reactions approach. More specifically, the lockdown and the quarantine measures are modelled by some kind of inhibitor reactions where susceptible and infected individuals can be trapped into inactive states. The dynamics for the recovered people is obtained by accounting people who are only traced back to hospitalized infected people. To get the evolution equation we take inspiration from the Michaelis Menten's enzyme-substrate reaction model (the so-called MM reaction) where the enzyme is associated to the available hospital beds, the substrate to the infected people, and the product to the recovered people, respectively. In other words, everything happens as if the hospitals beds act as a catalyzer in the hospital recovery process. Of course, in our case, the reverse MM reaction has no sense in our case and, consequently, the kinetic constant is equal to zero. Finally, the ordinary differential equations (ODEs) for people tested positive to COVID-19 is simply modelled by the following kinetic scheme $S+I\Rightarrow 2I$ with $I\Rightarrow R$ or $I\Rightarrow D$, with $S$, $I$, $R$ and $D$ denoting the compartments susceptible, infected, recovered and deceased people, respectively. The resulting kinetic-type equations provide the ODEs, for elementary reaction steps, describing the number of the infected people, the total number of the recovered people previously hospitalized, subject to the lockdown and the quarantine measure and the total number of deaths. The model foresees also the second wave of infection by coronavirus. The tests carried out on real data for Belgium, France and Germany confirmed the correctness of our model., (© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications. All rights reserved.)

We show, for the first time, the explicit form of the nonlinear partial differential equations (PDEs) subject to the correct boundary conditions that have to be satisfied by transport coefficients having a vanishing skew-symmetric piece. We also report, for the first time, the nonlinear PDEs (with the appropriate boundary conditions) for transport coefficients when the thermodynamic system is subject to two thermodynamic forces. Since the proposed PDEs have been derived without neglecting any term present in the dynamical equations (i.e., the energy, mass, and momentum balance equations), we propose them as a good candidate for describing transport in thermodynamic systems also far from equilibrium (e.g., in the turbulent regime). The preliminary test was carried out by analyzing a concrete example where Onsager's relationships manifestly disagree with experience: magnetically confined Tokamak-plasmas. More specifically, we focus our calculations to compute mass and energy transports in Frascati Tokamak Upgrade-plasmas subject to two thermodynamic forces. We show a good agreement between the theoretical predictions and the experimental data. The aim of this study is to apply our approach to the Divertor Tokamak Test Facility, to be built in Italy, and to the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor.

The main objective of this work [previously appeared in literature, the thermodynamical field theory (TFT)] is to determine the nonlinear closure equations (i.e., the flux-force relations) valid for thermodynamic systems out of Onsager's region. The TFT rests upon the concept of equivalence between thermodynamic systems. More precisely, the equivalent character of two alternative descriptions of a thermodynamic system is ensured if, and only if, the two sets of thermodynamic forces are linked with each other by the so-called thermodynamic coordinate transformations (TCT). In this work, we describe the Lie group and the group representations associated to the TCT. The TCT guarantee the validity of the so-called thermodynamic covariance principle (TCP): The nonlinear closure equations, i.e., the flux-force relations, everywhere and in particular outside the Onsager region, must be covariant under TCT. In other terms, the fundamental laws of thermodynamics should be manifestly covariant under transformations between the admissible thermodynamic forces, i.e., under TCT. The TCP ensures the validity of the fundamental theorems for systems far from equilibrium. The symmetry properties of a physical system are intimately related to the conservation laws characterizing that system. Noether's theorem gives a precise description of this relation. We derive the conserved (thermodynamic) currents and, as an example of calculation, a system out of equilibrium (tokamak plasmas) where the validity of TCP imposed at the level of the kinetic equations is also analyzed.

Starting from the geometrical interpretation of the Rényi entropy, we introduce further extensive generalizations and study their properties. In particular, we found the probability distribution function obtained by the MaxEnt principle with generalized entropies. We prove that for a large class of dynamical systems subject to random perturbations, including particle transport in random media, these entropies play the role of Liapunov functionals. Some physical examples, which can be treated by the generalized Rényi entropies, are also illustrated.

Background: The purpose of the present study was to introduce a new device specifically designed to evaluate the cutting efficiency of mechanically driven endodontic instruments., Material and Methods: Twenty new Reciproc R25 (VDW, Munich, Germany) files were used to be investigated in the new device developed to test the cutting ability of endodontic instruments. The device consists of a main frame to which a mobile plastic support for the hand-piece is connected and a stainless-steel block containing a Plexiglas block against which the cutting efficiency of the instruments was tested. The length of the block cut in 1 minute was measured in a computerized program with a precision of 0.1mm. The instruments were activated by using a torque-controlled motor (Silver Reciproc; VDW, Munich, Germany) in a reciprocating movement by the "Reciproc ALL" program (Group 1) and in counter-clockwise rotation at 300 rpm (Group 2). Mean and standard deviations of each group were calculated and data were statistically analyzed with a one-way ANOVA test (P<0.05)., Results: Reciproc in reciprocation (Group 1) mean cut in the Plexiglas block was 8.6 mm (SD=0.6 mm), while Reciproc in rotation mean cut was 8.9 mm (SD=0.7 mm). There was no statistically significant difference between the 2 groups investigated (P>0.05)., Conclusions: The cutting testing device evaluated in the present study was reliable and easy to use and may be effectively used to test cutting efficiency of both rotary and reciprocating mechanical endodontic instruments.

Rotation of tokamak-plasmas, not at the mechanical equilibrium, is investigated using the Prigogine thermodynamic theorem. This theorem establishes that, for systems confined in rectangular boxes, the global motion of the system with barycentric velocity does not contribute to dissipation. This result, suitably applied to toroidally confined plasmas, suggests that the global barycentric rotations of the plasma, in the toroidal and poloidal directions, are pure reversible processes. In case of negligible viscosity and by supposing the validity of the balance equation for the internal forces, we show that the plasma, even not in the mechanical equilibrium, may freely rotate in the toroidal direction with an angular frequency, which may be higher than the neoclassical estimation. In addition, its toroidal rotation may cause the plasma to rotate globally in the poloidal direction at a speed faster than the expression found by the neoclassical theory. The eventual configuration is attained when the toroidal and poloidal angular frequencies reaches the values that minimize dissipation. The physical interpretation able to explain the reason why some layers of plasma may freely rotate in one direction while, at the same time, others may freely rotate in the opposite direction, is also provided. Invariance properties, herein studied, suggest that the dynamic phase equation might be of the second order in time. We then conclude that a deep and exhaustive study of the invariance properties of the dynamical and thermodynamic equations is the most correct and appropriate way for understanding the triggering mechanism leading to intrinsic plasma-rotation in toroidal magnetic configurations.

Aim: The manual files are still widely used for initial canal negotiation prior the use of nickel-titanium shaping instruments, to determine working length and to verify patency. A mechanical glide path can be performed using manual files with handpieces, such as M4 Handpiece (SybronEndo, USA) that allows a 30°/30° reciprocating motion. The Pathfinders (SybronEndo, USA) are hand files designed to negotiate complex canals, made from stainless steel (SS) or carbon steel (CS) alloys. The aim of this in vitro study was to compare cyclic fatigue resistance of these two different types of manual Pathfinder instruments used in a M4 reciprocating handpiece in double curved artificial canals., Materials and Methods: Manual instruments designed for glide path (size #9 ISO .02 taper) made from different alloys were selected: Group SS -stainless steel Pathfinders (Sybron Endo) and Group CS - carbon steel Pathfinders size K2 (Sybron Endo). Ten instruments of each group were tested for resistance to cyclic fatigue with a reciprocating M4 handpiece inside an artificial S-shaped canal; the time to fracture was recorded for each file and data were statistically analyzed (ANOVA)., Results: Mean values (and SD) were 527 (± 89) seconds for the CS instruments and 548 (± 104) seconds for the SS files. No significant differences were observed between groups (p=0,062)., Conclusions: According to the results, both carbon and stainless steel instruments presented similar fatigue resistance when used with M4 reciprocating handpiece in double curved canals.

We study the formation of localized structures, often called localized spots, in reaction-diffusion systems subject to time delayed feedback control. We focus on the regime close to a second-order critical point marking the onset of a hysteresis loop. We show that the space-time dynamics of the FitzHugh-Nagumo model in the vicinity of that critical point could be described by the delayed Swift-Hohenberg equation. We show that the delayed feedback induces a spontaneous motion of localized spots. We characterize this motion by computing analytically the velocity and the threshold above which localized structures start to move in an arbitrary direction. Numerical solutions of the governing equation are in close agreement with those obtained from the delayed Swift-Hohenberg equation.

Using statistical thermodynamics, we derive a general expression of the stationary probability distribution for thermodynamic systems driven out of equilibrium by several thermodynamic forces. The local equilibrium is defined by imposing the minimum entropy production and the maximum entropy principle under the scale invariance restrictions. The obtained probability distribution presents a singularity that has immediate physical interpretation in terms of the intermittency models. The derived reference probability distribution function is interpreted as time and ensemble average of the real physical one. A generic family of stochastic processes describing noise-driven intermittency, where the stationary density distribution coincides exactly with the one resulted from entropy maximization, is presented.

In a recent paper, Phys. Rev. E 81, 041137 (2010), the author attempts to derive ten necessary conditions for the stability of dissipative fluids and plasmas. Assuming the validity of the local equilibrium principle, these criteria have been obtained solely from the first and second laws of thermodynamics. The Onsager reciprocity relations have not been invoked, and the author's results are supposed to be valid independent of the choice of the boundary conditions. In the present Comment, in agreement with the general theory established by Glansdorff-Prigogine in 1954 and 1970, we show that there is no variational principle expressing the necessary conditions for the stability of dissipative systems involving convective effects when the system is out of the Onsager region. In particular, we prove that the basic equations constituting the starting point of the analysis of the author, attempting to derive ten necessary conditions for the stability involving magnetohydrodynamical effects, are incorrect and in contradiction with the laws of the thermodynamics of irreversible processes.

A decade ago, a macroscopic theory for closure relations has been proposed for systems out of Onsager's region. This theory is referred to as the thermodynamic field theory (TFT). The aim of this work was to determine the nonlinear flux-force relations that respect the thermodynamic theorems for systems far from equilibrium. We propose a formulation of the TFT where one of the basic restrictions, namely, the closed-form solution for the skew-symmetric piece of the transport coefficients, has been removed. In addition, the general covariance principle is replaced by the De Donder-Prigogine thermodynamic covariance principle (TCP). The introduction of TCP requires the application of an appropriate mathematical formalism, which is referred to as the entropy-covariant formalism. By geometrical arguments, we prove the validity of the Glansdorff-Prigogine universal criterion of evolution. A new set of closure equations determining the nonlinear corrections to the linear ("Onsager") transport coefficients is also derived. The geometry of the thermodynamic space is non-Riemannian. However, it tends to be Riemannian for high values of the entropy production. In this limit, we recover the transport equations found by the old theory. Applications of our approach to transport in magnetically confined plasmas, materials submitted to temperature, and electric potential gradients or to unimolecular triangular chemical reactions can be found at references cited herein. Transport processes in tokamak plasmas are of particular interest. In this case, even in the absence of turbulence, the state of the plasma remains close to (but, it is not in) a state of local equilibrium. This prevents the transport relations from being linear.

The existence and stability of stable standing-wave patterns in an assembly of spatially distributed generic oscillators governed by a couple of complex Ginzburg-Landau equations, subjected to parametric forcing, are reported. The mechanism of a dispersion-induced pattern in dissipative oscillators parametrically forced near the degenerate Turing-Hopf bifurcation is also illustrated. We show that, when excitation occurs just after the Turing bifurcation and before the Hopf instability, the system exhibits a new type of stable standing-wave structures, namely the mixed-mode solutions. The Brussellator-model, parametrically forced below the threshold of oscillations, is analyzed as an example of calculation.

A field theory approach to transport phenomena in magnetically confined plasmas is presented. The thermodynamic field theory (TFT), previously developed for treating the generic thermodynamic system out of equilibrium, is applied to plasmas physics. Transport phenomena are treated here as the effect of the field linking the thermodynamic forces with their conjugate flows combined with statistical mechanics. In particular, the Classical and the Pfirsch-Schluter regimes are analyzed by solving the thermodynamic field equations of the TFT in the weak-field approximation. We found that, the TFT does not correct the expressions of the ionic heat fluxes evaluated by the neoclassical theory in these two regimes. On the other hand, the fluxes of matter and electronic energy (heat flow) is further enhanced in the nonlinear Classical and Pfirsch-Schluter regimes. These results seem to be in line with the experimental observations. The complete set of the electronic and ionic transport equations in the nonlinear Banana regime, is also reported. A paper showing the comparison between our theoretic results and the experimental observations in the JET machine is currently in preparation.

This paper forms a part of a series of manuscripts which we intend to submit for publication in the near future, aiming to test the validity of the thermodynamic field theory (TFT), previously formulated, comparing the theoretical results with experimental data. In this particular case, we shall analyze the Hall effect. As known, when a magnetic field is applied at right angles to the direction of an electric current or a thermal gradient, galvano- and thermomagnetic effects appear in the material. In this paper, we shall show that if we study these effects in nonlinear regime, the TFT foresees an interesting effect: the nonlinear Hall effect. This prediction is herein submitted to experimental verifications. In this paper, we shall analyze this effect studying materials with weak thermoelectric power coefficients. We shall show the agreement between the theoretical predictions of the TFT and experiments. Experimental curves related to the nonlinear Hall effect allow us to determine the order of magnitude of the constant chi introduced in the TFT., (Copyright 2004 American Institute of Physics)