Thomas-Fermi theory for atomic nuclei revisited

The recently developed semiclassical variational Wigner-Kirkwood (VWK) approach is applied to finite nuclei using external potentials and self-consistent mean fields derived from Skyrme inter-actions and from relativistic mean field theory. VWK consist s of the Thomas-Fermi part plus a pure, perturbative h 2 correction. In external potentials, VWK passes through the average of the quantal values of the accumulated level density and total en energy as a function of the Fermi energy. However, there is a problem of overbinding when the energy per particle is displayed as a function of the particle number. The situation is analyzed comparing spherical and deformed harmonic oscillator potentials. In the self-consistent case, we show for Skyrme forces that VWK binding energies are very close to those obtained from extended Thomas-Fermi functionals of h 4 order, pointing to the rapid convergence of the VWK theory. This satisfying result, however, does not cure the overbinding problem, i.e., the semiclassical energies show more binding than they should. This feature is more pronounced in the case of Skyrme forces than with the relativistic mean field approach. However, even in the latter case the shell correction energy for e.g.208 Pb turns out to be only ∼ −6 MeV what is about a factor two or three off the generally accepted value. As an adhoc remedy, increasing the kinetic energy by 2.5%, leads to shell correction energies well acceptable throughout the periodic table. The general importance of the present studies for other finite Fermi systems, self-bound or in external potentials, is pointed out.

L'Anatomia artística a l"Escola de Belles Arts de Barcelona. Els casos de Jeroni Faraudo (1823-1886) i de Tiberio Ávila (1843-1932)

[cat] Aquest article se centra en la significació i transcendència de l"assignatura d"Anatomia artística a l"Escola de Belles Arts de Barcelona durant la segona meitat del segle XIX i principis de segle XX. S"empren, com a fil conductor, les figures de Jeroni Faraudo i Condeminas (1823-1886) i de Tiberio Ávila Rodríguez (1843-1932), els dos primers professors que impartiren la matèria i que romanen, en l"actualitat, pràcticament inèdits. El coneixement de l"ideari de Faraudo i d"Ávila permet completar el panorama de l"evolució de les idees estètiques a la Catalunya del moment i, alhora, contribueix a la comprensió de l"erosió de la primacia de l"antic en l"aprenentatge oficial de les arts a Catalunya. [spa] Este artículo se centra en la significación y transcendencia de la asignatura de Anatomía artística en la Escuela de Bellas Artes de Barcelona durante la segunda mitad del siglo XIX y principios de siglo XX. Se emplean, como hilo conductor, las figuras de Gerónimo Faraudo Condeminas (1823-1886) y de Tiberio Ávila Rodríguez (1843-1932), los dos primeros profesores que impartieron la materia y que permanecen, en la actualidad, prácticamente inéditos. El conocimiento del ideario de Faraudo y de Ávila permite completar el panorama de la evolución de las ideas estéticas en la Cataluña del momento y, al mismo tiempo, contribuye a la comprensión de la erosión de la primacía del antiguo en el aprendizaje oficial de las artes en Cataluña. [eng]This article focuses on the subject of Artistic Anatomy at the Barcelona School of Fine Arts during the second half of the 19th and early 20th centuries, discussing its signification. The connecting thread of this article are Jeroni Faraudo i Condeminas (1823-1886) and Tiberio Ávila Rodríguez (1843-1932), its first two teachers, who remain nowadays practically unknown. The knowledge of their ideas completes the history of contemporary Catalan aesthetics and also contributes to the comprehension of the erosion in the primacy of the use of ancient models in the official artistic teaching in Catalonia.

Estanislao Reynals i Rabassa: la reacció catalana al Projecte de Codi Civil de 1851. La qüestió de la llibertat de testar

En ple procés de codificació del dret civil de Catalunya, pot semblar quelcom romàntic analitzar com es visqué al Principat un altre moviment co- dificador: el del segle XIX. És clar que aquest darrer tenia un caràcter que no s"assembla en res a l"actual, tret de la mateixa voluntat de codificar. Es va tractar aleshores d"unificar i sistematitzar el dret civil d"Espanya, en resposta a una tendència generalitzada que s"havia estès a bona part d"Europa. Es tracta, ara, de codificar el dret civil de Catalunya en exercici d"una competència legislativa constitucionalment i estatutàriament reconeguda. Malgrat aquesta diferent significació, o potser per això, sentim un agradable sentimentalisme en mirar enrere. L"objecte del nostre comentari se centra, només, en l"intent de codificació de mitjan segle XIX: en l"anomenat Projecte de Codi civil de 1851. A Catalunya, el dit Projecte va despertar reaccions apassionades, quasi totes desfavorables al text codificat i no tant pel fet de voler codificar el dret civil, sinó pel caire castellanitzant del seu contingut, que negava tota vigència als altres drets territorials. Alhora, l"anàlisi que es proposa es redueix a la regulació projectada de la llegítima. I la resposta que va merèixer des de Catalunya s"esbossà de la mà d"un jurista autoritzat de l"època: Estanislao Reynals i Rabassa. Esdevé un més entre una gran munió de personatges vuitcentistes, tots ells intel·lectuals, que apareixen aquí i allà, en el decurs d"esdeveniments literaris, acadèmics, polítics, etc., i que permeten identificar una reacció prou sentida en contra dels elements revulsius dels trets de la identitat catalana.

Early versus delayed application of Thomas splints in patients with isolated femur shaft fractures: The benefits quantified.

AIMS: To investigate and quantify the clinical benefits of early versus delayed application of Thomas splints in patients with isolated femur shaft fractures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Level IV retrospective clinical and radiological analysis of patients presenting from January to December 2012 at a Level 1 Trauma Unit. All skeletally mature patients with isolated femur shaft fractures independently of their mechanism of injury were included. Exclusion criteria were: ipsilateral fracture of the lower limb, neck and supracondylar femur fractures, periprosthetic and incomplete fractures. Their clinical records were analysed for blood transfusion requirements, pulmonary complications, surgery time, duration of hospital stay and analgesic requirements. RESULTS: A total of 106 patients met our inclusion criteria. There were 74 males and 32 females. Fifty seven (54%) patients were in the 'early splinted' group and 49 patients (46%) were in the 'delayed splinted' group (P>0.05). The need for blood transfusion was significantly reduced in the 'early splinted' group (P=0.04). There was a significantly higher rate of pulmonary complications in the 'delayed splinted' group (P=0.008). All other parameters were similar between the two groups. CONCLUSION: The early application of Thomas splints for isolated femur fractures in non-polytraumatised patients has a clinically and statistically significant benefit of reducing the need for blood transfusions and the incidence of pulmonary complications.

Bulletin monumental / publié sous les auspices de la Société française pour la conservation et la description des monuments historiques ; et dirigé par M. de Caumont

1851 (SER2,T7 = VOL17).

Classical references and their significance in The Magic Mountain by Thomas Mann

Although Thomas Mann’s novel The Magic Mountain has been the object of innumerable studies, this paper suggests that so far none of these has given truly close attention to the significance of the classical references in this novel with regard to the search for a true humanism. This is probably owing to the generally held belief that the influence of the classical tradition is relatively inconsequential in relation to the ample conjunction of philosophical ideas on which the novel is based. This article takes a differing view and, through a close analysis and comment of the explicit and implicit classical notions in the text, concludes that these ideas are also a valuable key to a greater comprehension of the ideological design of the main character, Hans Castorp, and to a certain degree they also help to continue to reflect on the most enigmatic and controversial episode of the novel: the young protagonist’s descent to the plain from the magical mountain (Zauberberg) in order to take part in the great tragedy of World War I, alien as is any war to the prevalent but ultimately futile desire that love (Liebe) should in the end prevail in the life of humans.