  As more users adopt VPNs for a variety of reasons, it is important to develop
empirical knowledge of their needs and mental models of what a VPN offers.
Moreover, studying VPN users alone is not enough because, by using a VPN, a
user essentially transfers trust, say from their network provider, onto the VPN
provider. To that end, we are the first to study the VPN ecosystem from both
the users' and the providers' perspectives. In this paper, we conduct a
quantitative survey of 1,252 VPN users in the U.S. and qualitative interviews
of nine providers to answer several research questions regarding the
motivations, needs, threat model, and mental model of users, and the key
challenges and insights from VPN providers. We create novel insights by
augmenting our multi-perspective results, and highlight cases where the user
and provider perspectives are misaligned. Alarmingly, we find that users rely
on and trust VPN review sites, but VPN providers shed light on how these sites
are mostly motivated by money. Worryingly, we find that users have flawed
mental models about the protection VPNs provide, and about data collected by
VPNs. We present actionable recommendations for technologists and security and
privacy advocates by identifying potential areas on which to focus efforts and
improve the VPN ecosystem.


  Routine applications of electronic structure theory to molecules and periodic
systems need to compute the electron density from given Hamiltonian and, in
case of non-orthogonal basis sets, overlap matrices. System sizes can range
from few to thousands or, in some examples, millions of atoms. Different
discretization schemes (basis sets) and different system geometries (finite
non-periodic vs. infinite periodic boundary conditions) yield matrices with
different structures. The ELectronic Structure Infrastructure (ELSI) project
provides an open-source software interface to facilitate the implementation and
optimal use of high-performance solver libraries covering cubic scaling
eigensolvers, linear scaling density-matrix-based algorithms, and other reduced
scaling methods in between. In this paper, we present recent improvements and
developments inside ELSI, mainly covering (1) new solvers connected to the
interface, (2) matrix layout and communication adapted for parallel
calculations of periodic and/or spin-polarized systems, (3) routines for
density matrix extrapolation in geometry optimization and molecular dynamics
calculations, and (4) general utilities such as parallel matrix I/O and JSON
output. The ELSI interface has been integrated into four electronic structure
code projects (DFTB+, DGDFT, FHI-aims, SIESTA), allowing us to rigorously
benchmark the performance of the solvers on an equal footing. Based on results
of a systematic set of large-scale benchmarks performed with Kohn-Sham
density-functional theory and density-functional tight-binding theory, we
identify factors that strongly affect the efficiency of the solvers, and
propose a decision layer that assists with the solver selection process.
Finally, we describe a reverse communication interface encoding matrix-free
iterative solver strategies that are amenable, e.g., for use with planewave
basis sets.


  The Planetary Systems Imager (PSI) is a proposed instrument for the Thirty
Meter Telescope (TMT) that provides an extreme adaptive optics (AO) correction
to a multi-wavelength instrument suite optimized for high contrast science.
PSI's broad range of capabilities, spanning imaging, polarimetry, integral
field spectroscopy, and high resolution spectroscopy from 0.6-5 microns, with a
potential channel at 10 microns, will enable breakthrough science in the areas
of exoplanet formation and evolution. Here, we present a preliminary optical
design and performance analysis toolset for the 2-5 microns component of the
PSI AO system, which must deliver the wavefront quality necessary to support
infrared high contrast science cases. PSI-AO is a two-stage system, with an
initial deformable mirror and infrared wavefront sensor providing a common
wavefront correction to all PSI science instruments followed by a dichroic that
separates "PSI-Red" (2-5 microns) from "PSI-Blue" (0.5-1.8 microns). To meet
the demands of visible-wavelength high contrast science, the PSI-Blue arm will
include a second deformable mirror and a visible-wavelength wavefront sensor.
In addition to an initial optical design of the PSI-Red AO system, we present a
preliminary set of tools for an end-to-end AO simulation that in future work
will be used to demonstrate the planet-to-star contrast ratios achievable with
PSI-Red.


  The physics of neutrino-nucleus cross sections is a critical probe of the
Standard Model and beyond. A precise understanding is also needed to accurately
deduce astrophysical neutrino spectra. At energies above $\sim 5$ GeV, the
cross section is dominated by deep inelastic scattering, mediated by weak
bosons. In addition, there are subdominant processes where the hadronic
coupling is through virtual photons, $\gamma^\ast$: (on-shell) $W$-boson
production (e.g., where the underlying interaction is $\nu_\ell + \gamma^\ast
\rightarrow \ell^- + W^+$) and trident production (e.g., where it is $\nu +
\gamma^\ast \rightarrow \nu + \ell_1^- + \ell_2^+$). These processes become
increasingly relevant at TeV--PeV energies. We undertake the first systematic
approach to these processes (and those with hadronic couplings through virtual
$W$ and $Z$ bosons), treating them together, avoiding common approximations,
considering all neutrino flavors and final states, and covering the energy
range $10\,$--$10^8$ GeV. In particular, we present the first complete
calculation of $W$-boson production and the first calculation of trident
production at TeV--PeV energies. When we use the same assumptions as in prior
work, we recover all of their major results. In a companion paper, we show that
these processes should be taken into account for IceCube-Gen2.


  We have studied the Giant Magnetoresistance (GMR) for laterally confined
multilayers, e.g., layers of wires, using the classical Boltzmann equation in
the current-in-plane (CIP) geometry. For spin-independent specularity factors
at the sides of the wires we find that the GMR due to bulk and surface
scattering decreases with lateral confinement. The length scale at which this
occurs is of order the film thickness and the mean free paths. The precise
prefactor depends on the relative importance of surface and bulk scattering
anisotropies. For spin-dependent specularity factors at the sides of the wires
the GMR can increase in some cases with decreasing width. The origin of the
change in the GMR in both cases can be understood in terms of lateral
confinement changing the effective mean free paths within the layers.


  Given a learning task where the data is distributed among several parties,
communication is one of the fundamental resources which the parties would like
to minimize. We present a distributed boosting algorithm which is resilient to
a limited amount of noise. Our algorithm is similar to classical boosting
algorithms, although it is equipped with a new component, inspired by
Impagliazzo's hard-core lemma [Impagliazzo95], adding a robustness quality to
the algorithm. We also complement this result by showing that resilience to any
asymptotically larger noise is not achievable by a communication-efficient
algorithm.


  We study the role resonant scattering plays in the transport of Lyman-alpha
photons in accreting protoplanetary disk systems subject to varying degrees of
dust settling. While the intrinsic stellar FUV spectrum of accreting T Tauri
systems may already be dominated by a strong, broad Lyman-alpha line (~80% of
the FUV luminosity), we find that resonant scattering further enhances the
Lyman-alpha density in the deep molecular layers of the disk. Lyman-alpha is
scattered downwards efficiently by the photodissociated atomic hydrogen layer
that exists above the molecular disk. In contrast, FUV-continuum photons pass
unimpeded through the photodissociation layer, and (forward-)scatter
inefficiently off dust grains. Using detailed, adaptive grid Monte Carlo
radiative transfer simulations we show that the resulting
Lyman-alpha/FUV-continuum photon density ratio is strongly stratified;
FUV-continuum dominated in the photodissociation layer, and Lyman-alpha
dominated field in the molecular disk. The enhancement is greatest in the
interior of the disk (r~1AU) but is also observed in the outer disk (r~100AU).
The majority of the total disk mass is shown to be increasingly Lyman-alpha
dominated as dust settles towards the midplane.


  Planet host stars with well-constrained ages provide a rare window to the
time domain of planet formation and evolution. The NASA K2 mission has enabled
the discovery of the vast majority of known planets transiting stars in
clusters, providing a valuable sample of planets with known ages and radii. We
present the discovery of two planets transiting K2-264, an M2 dwarf in the
intermediate age (600-800 Myr) Praesepe open cluster (also known as the Beehive
Cluster, M44, or NGC 2632), which was observed by K2 during Campaign 16. The
planets have orbital periods of 5.8 and 19.7 days, and radii of $2.2 \pm 0.2 $
and $2.7 \pm 0.2$ $R_\oplus$, respectively, and their equilibrium temperatures
are $496 \pm 10$ and $331 \pm 7$ $K$, making this a system of two warm
sub-Neptunes. When placed in the context of known planets orbiting field stars
of similar mass to K2-264, these planets do not appear to have significantly
inflated radii, as has previously been noted for some cluster planets. As the
second known system of multiple planets transiting a star in a cluster, K2-264
should be valuable for testing theories of photoevaporation in systems of
multiple planets. Follow-up observations with current near-infrared (NIR)
spectrographs could yield planet mass measurements, which would provide
information about the mean densities and compositions of small planets soon
after photoevaporation is expected to have finished. Follow-up NIR transit
observations using Spitzer or large ground-based telescopes could yield
improved radius estimates, further enhancing the characterization of these
interesting planets.


  One of Jupiter's most prominent atmospheric features, the Great Red Spot
(GRS), has been observed for more than two centuries, yet little is known about
its structure and dynamics below its observed cloud-level. While its
anticyclonic vortex appearance suggests it might be a shallow weather-layer
feature, the very long time span for which it was observed implies it is likely
deeply rooted, otherwise it would have been sheared apart by Jupiter's
turbulent atmosphere. Determining the GRS depth will shed light not only on the
processes governing the GRS, but on the dynamics of Jupiter's atmosphere as a
whole. The Juno mission single flyby over the GRS (PJ7) discovered using
microwave radiometer measurements that the GRS is at least a couple hundred
kilometers deep (Li et al. 2017). The next flybys over the GRS (PJ18 and PJ21),
will allow high-precision gravity measurements that can be used to estimate how
deep the GRS winds penetrate below the cloud-level. Here we propose a novel
method to determine the depth of the GRS based on the new gravity measurements
and a Slepian function approach that enables an effective representation of the
wind-induced spatially-confined gravity signal, and an efficient determination
of the GRS depth given the limited measurements. We show that with this method
the gravity signal of the GRS should be detectable for wind depths deeper than
300 kilometers, with reasonable uncertainties that depend on depth (e.g.,
$\pm$100km for a GRS depth of 1000km).


  Properties of hybrid stars with a mixed phase composed of asymmetric nuclear
matter and strange quark matter are studied. The quark phase is investigated by
the quark quasiparticle model with a self-consistent thermodynamic and
statistical treatment. We present the stability windows of the strange quark
matter with respect to the interaction coupling constant versus the bag
constant. We find that the appearance of the quark-hadron mixed phases is
associated with the meta-stable or unstable regions of the pure quark matter
parameters. The mass-radius relation of the hybrid star is dominated by the
equation of state of quark matter rather than nuclear matter. Due to the
appearance of mixed phase, the mass of hybrid star is reduced to 1.64
M$_{\odot}$ with radius 10.6 km by comparison with neutron star.


  We study bond percolation for a family of infinite hyperbolic graphs. We
relate percolation to the appearance of homology in finite versions of these
graphs. As a consequence, we derive an upper bound on the critical
probabilities of the infinite graphs.


  Pick spaces are a class of reproducing kernel Hilbert spaces that generalize
the classical Hardy space and the Drury--Arveson reproducing kernel spaces. We
give characterizations of certain contractively included subspaces of Pick
spaces. These generalize the characterization of closed invariant subspaces of
Trent and McCullough, as well as results for the Drury--Arveson space obtained
by Ball, Bolotnikov and Fang.


  In the paper we provide new conditions ensuring the isolated calmness
property and the Aubin property of parameterized variational systems with
constraints depending, apart from the parameter, also on the solution itself.
Such systems include, e.g., quasi-variational inequalities and implicit
complementarity problems. Concerning the Aubin property, possible restrictions
imposed on the parameter are also admitted. Throughout the paper, tools from
the directional limiting generalized differential calculus are employed
enabling us to impose only rather weak (non-restrictive) qualification
conditions. Despite the very general problem setting, the resulting conditions
are workable as documented by some academic examples


  Recently, a distinct topological semimetal, nodal-net semimetal, has been
identified by Wang et al. through ab initio calculations [Phys. Rev. Lett. 120,
026402 (2018)]. The authors claimed that a new body-centered tetragonal carbon
allotrope with I4/mmm symmetry, termed bct-C40, can host this novel state
exhibiting boxed-astrisk shaped nodal nets. In this Comment, we demonstrate
that bct-C40 is in fact a nodal surface semimetal, the concept of which has
been proposed as early as 2016 [Phys. Rev. B 93, 085427 (2016)].


  Formal methods yet advantageous, face challenges towards wide acceptance and
adoption in software development practices. The major reason being presumed
complexity. The issue can be addressed by academia with a thoughtful plan of
teaching and practise. The user study detailed in this paper is examining
AutoProof tool with the motivation to identify complexities attributed to
formal methods. Participants' (students of Masters program in Computer Science)
performance and feedback on the experience with formal methods assisted us in
extracting specific problem areas that effect tool usability. The study results
infer, along with improvements in verification tool functionalities, teaching
program must be modified to include pre-requisite courses to make formal
methods easily adapted by students and promoting their usage in software
development process.


  This paper concerns pseudo-classical knots in the non-orientable manifold
$\hat{\Sigma} =\Sigma \times [0,1]$, where $\Sigma$ is a non-orientable surface
and a knot $K \subset \hat{\Sigma}$ is called pseudo-classical if $K$ is
orientation-preserving path in $\hat{\Sigma}$. For this kind of knot we
introduce an invariant $\Delta$ that is an analogue of Turaev comultiplication
for knots in a thickened orientable surface. As its classical prototype,
$\Delta$ takes value in a polynomial algebra generated by homotopy classes of
non-contractible loops on $\Sigma$, however, as a ground ring we use some
subring of $\mathbb{C}$ instead of $\mathbb{Z}$. Then we define a few homotopy,
homology and polynomial invariants, which are consequences of $\Delta$,
including an analogue of the affine index polynomial.


  We have analyzed scanning tunneling spectra of two electron-doped cuprates
Pr0.88LaCe0.12CuO4 (Tc = 21 K and 24 K) and compared them with tunneling
spectrum of hole-doped La1.84Sr0.16CuO4 and effective electron-boson spectral
function of hole-doped La1.97Sr0.03CuO4 (extracted from angle-resolved
photoemission spectrum). We have also analyzed tunneling spectra and
angle-resolved photoemission spectra for hole-doped Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8. These
results unambiguously rule out magnetic pairing mechanism in both electron- and
hole-doped cuprates and support polaronic/bipolaronic superconductivity in
hole-doped Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8.


  In the analysis on self-similar fractal sets, the Kusuoka measure plays an
important role (cf. \cite{kusuoka2}, \cite{kajino}, \cite{str3}). Here we
investigate the Kusuoka measure from an ergodic theoretic viewpoint, seen as an
invariant measure on a symbolic space. Our investigation shows that the Kusuoka
measure generalizes Bernoulli measures and their properties to higher
dimensions of an underlying finite dimensional vector space. Our main result is
that the transfer operator on functions has a spectral gap when restricted to a
certain Banach space that contains the H\"older continuous functions, as well
as the highly discontinuous $g$-function associated to the Kusuoka measure. As
a consequence, we obtain exponential decay of correlations. In addition, we
provide some explicit rates of convergence for a family of generalized
Sierpi\'ski gaskets.


  Recent observational and theoretical developments concerning the origin of
the ultraviolet emission from ellipticals are reviewed and discussed,with
particular, reference to the extensive set of predictions contained in Greggio
and Renzini (1990). Strong support to the preferred hot horizontal branch and
AGB-manque' scenario for the origin of the UV emission has come from UIT, HUT
and HST data. However, the UV sensitivity of such space telescopes has proved
insufficient to unambiguously detect the predicted fading away of the UV rising
branch with redshift, that we consider the ultimate check for this scenario.


  In a recent preprint James Owen Weatherall has attempted a simple
local-deterministic model for the EPR-Bohm correlation and speculated about why
his model fails when my counterexample to Bell's theorem succeeds. Here I bring
out the physical, mathematical, and conceptual reasons why his model fails. In
particular, I demonstrate why no model based on a tensor representation of the
rotation group SU(2) can reproduce the EPR-Bohm correlation. I demonstrate this
by calculating the correlation explicitly between measurement results A = +1 or
-1 and B = +1 or -1 in a local and deterministic model respecting the spinor
representation of SU(2). I conclude by showing how Weatherall's reading of my
model is misguided at best and bring out a number of misconceptions and
unwarranted assumptions in his imitation of my model, as it relates to
Bell-CHSH inequalities.


  Grazing incidence mirrors for X-ray astronomy are usually designed in the
parabola-hyperbola (Wolter I) configuration. This design allows for optimal
images on-axis, which however degrade rapidly with the off-axis angle. Mirror
surfaces described by polynomia (with terms higher than order two), have been
put forward to improve the performances over the field of view. Here we present
a refined procedure aimed at optimizing wide-field grazing incidence telescopes
for X-ray astronomy. We improve the angular resolution over existing
(wide-field) designs by ~ 20%. We further consider the corrections for the
different plate scale and focal plane curvature of the mirror shells, which
sharpen by another ~ 20% the image quality. This results in a factor of ~ 2
reduction in the observing time needed to achieve the same sensitivity over
existing wide-field designs and of ~ 5 over Wolter I telescopes. We demonstrate
that such wide-field X-ray telescopes are highly advantageous for deep surveys
of the X-ray sky.


  We briefly review the current status of the hadronic light-by-light
scattering correction to the muon g-2. Then we present our semi-analytical
evaluation of the pion-pole contribution, using a description of the
pion-photon-photon transition form factor based on large-N_C and short-distance
properties of QCD. We derive a two-dimensional integral representation which
allows to separate the generic features from the model dependence, in order to
better control the latter. Finally, we sketch an effective field theory
approach to hadronic light-by-light scattering which yields the leading
logarithmic terms that are enhanced by a factor N_C. It also shows that the
modeling of hadronic light-by-light scattering by a constituent quark loop is
not consistent with QCD.


  We consider known expressions for the eigenvalue of the
Balitsky-Fadin-Kuraev-Lipatov (BFKL) equation in $N=4$ super Yang-Mills theory
as a real valued function of two variables anomalous dimension and the
conformal spin. We define new real valued functions of two complex conjugate
variables that have a definite complexity analogous to the weight of the nested
harmonic sums. We argue that those functions span a general space of functions
for the BFKL eigenvalue at any order of the perturbation theory.


  This paper compares two neural network input selection schemes, the Principal
Component Analysis (PCA) and the Automatic Relevance Determination (ARD) based
on Mac-Kay's evidence framework. The PCA takes all the input data and projects
it onto a lower dimension space, thereby reduc-ing the dimension of the input
space. This input reduction method often results with parameters that have
significant influence on the dynamics of the data being diluted by those that
do not influence the dynamics of the data. The ARD selects the most relevant
input parameters and discards those that do not contribute significantly to the
dynamics of the data being modelled. The ARD sometimes results with important
input parameters being discarded thereby compromising the dynamics of the data.
The PCA and ARD methods are implemented together with a Multi-Layer-Perceptron
(MLP) network for fault identification in structures and the performance of the
two methods is as-sessed. It is observed that ARD and PCA give similar
accu-racy levels when used as input-selection schemes. There-fore, the choice
of input-selection scheme is dependent on the nature of the data being
processed.


  The certificate of success for a number of important quantum information
processing protocols, such as entanglement distillation, is based on the
difference in the entanglement content of the quantum states before and after
the protocol. In such cases, effective bounds need to be placed on the
entanglement of non-local states consistent with statistics obtained from local
measurements. In this work, we study numerically the ability of a novel type of
homodyne detector which combines phase sensitivity and photon-number resolution
to set accurate bounds on the entanglement content of two-mode quadrature
squeezed states without the need for full state tomography. We show that it is
possible to set tight lower bounds on the entanglement of a family of two-mode
degaussified states using only a few measurements. This presents a significant
improvement over the resource requirements for the experimental demonstration
of continuous-variable entanglement distillation, which traditionally relies on
full quantum state tomography.


  The rings of symmetric polynomials form an inverse system whose limit, the
ring of symmetric functions, is the model for the bosonic Fock space
representation of the affine Lie algebra. We categorify this construction by
considering an inverse limit of categories of polynomial representation of
general linear groups. We show that this limit naturally carries an action of
the affine Lie algebra (in the sense of Rouquier), thereby obtaining a famiy of
categorifications of the bosonic Fock space representation.


  Methods: The microscopic equations of H2-formation and protonation are
integrated numerically over time in such a manner that the overall structures
evolve self-consistently under benign conditions. Results: The equilibrium H2
formation timescale in an H I cloud with N(H) ~ 4x10^{20}/cm^2 is 1-3 x 10^7
yr, nearly independent of the assumed density or H2 formation rate constant on
grains, etc. Attempts to speed up the evolution of the H2-fraction would
require densities well beyond the range usually considered typical of diffuse
gas. The calculations suggest that, under benign, quiescent conditions,
formation of H2 is favored in larger regions having moderate density,
consistent with the rather high mean kinetic temperatures measured in H2, 70-80
K. Formation of H3+ is essentially complete when H2-formation equilibrates but
the final abundance of H3+ appears more nearly at the very last instant.
Chemistry in a weakly-molecular gas has particular properties so that the
abundance patterns change appreciably as gas becomes more fully molecular,
either in model sequences or with time in a single model. One manifestation of
this is that the predicted abundance of H3+ is much more weakly dependent on
the cosmic-ray ionization rate when n(H2)/n(H) < 0.05. In general, high
abundances of H3+ do not enhance the abundances of other species (e.g. HCO+)
but late-time OH formation proceeds most vigourously in more diffuse regions
having modest density, extinction and H2 fraction and somewhat higher
fractional ionization, suggesting that atypically high OH/H2 abundance ratios
might be found optically in diffuse clouds having modest extinction.


  We present strong theoretical evidence that a Larkin-Ovchinnikov (LOFF/FFLO)
pairing phase is favoured over the homogeneous superfluid and normal phases in
three-dimensional unitary Fermi systems. Using a Density Functional Theory
(DFT) based on the latest quantum Monte-Carlo calculations and experimental
results, we show that this phase is competitive over a large region of the
phase diagram. The oscillations in the number densities and pairing field have
a substantial amplitude, and a period some 3 to 10 times the average
interparticle separation. Within the DFT, the transition to a normal polarized
Fermi liquid at large polarizations is smooth, while the transition to a
fully-paired superfluid is abrupt.


  The objective of this paper is to point out that contact induced states can
help explain the structure dependence of the minimum conductivity observed
experimentally even if the samples were purely ballistic. Contact induced
states are similar to the well-known metal induced gap states (MIGS) in
metal-semiconductor Schottky junctions, which typically penetrate only a few
atomic lengths into the semiconductor, while the depth of penetration decreases
with increasing band gap. However, in graphene we find that these states
penetrate a much longer distance of the order of the width of the contacts. As
a result, ballistic graphene samples with a length less than their width can
exhibit a resistance proportional to length that is not Ohmic in origin, but
arises from a reduced role of contact-induced states. While actual samples are
probably not ballistic and involve scattering processes, our results show that
these contact induced effects need to be taken into account in interpreting
experiments and minimum conductivity depends strongly on the structure and
configuration (two- vs. four-terminal) used.


  In a knowledge society, the term knowledge must be considered a core resource
for organizations. So, beyond being a medium to progress and to innovate,
knowledge is one of our most important resources: something necessary to
decide.Organizations that are embracing knowledge retention activities are
gaining a competitive advantage. Organizational rearrangements from companies,
notably outsourcing, increase a possible loss of knowledge, making knowledge
retention an essential need for them. When Knowledge is less shared,
collaborative decision-making seems harder to obtain insofar as a
``communication breakdown'' characterizes participants' discourse. At best,
stakeholders have to finda consensus according to their knowledge. Sharing
knowledge ensures its retention and catalyzes the construction of this
consensus.
  Our vision of collaborative decision-making aims not only at increasing the
quality of the first parts of the decision-making process: intelligence and
design, but also at increasing the acceptance of the choice. Intelligence and
design will be done by more than one individual and constructed together; the
decision is more easily accepted. The decided choice will then be shared.
Thereby where decision-making could be seen as a constructed model,
collaborative decision-making, for us,is seen as the use of socio-technical
media to improve decision-making performance and acceptability. The shared
decision making is a core activity in a lot of human activities. For example,
the sustainable decision-making is the job of not only governments and
institutions but also broader society. Recognizing the urgent need for
sustainability, we can argue that to realize sustainable development, it must
be considered as a decision-making strategy. The location of knowledge in the
realization of collaborative decision-making has to be regarded insofar as
knowledge sharing leads to improve collaborative decision-making: a ``static
view'' has to be structured and constitutes the ``collaborative knowledge.''
Knowledge has an important role in individual decision-making, and we consider
that for collaborative decision-making, knowledge has to be shared. What is
required is a better understanding of the nature of group work''. Knowledge has
to be shared, but how do we share knowledge?


  A subset $\mathcal X$ of a C*-algebra $\mathcal A$ is called irredundant if
no $A\in \mathcal X$ belongs to the C*-subalgebra of $\mathcal A$ generated by
$\mathcal X\setminus \{A\}$. Separable C*-algebras cannot have uncountable
irredundant sets and all members of many classes of nonseparable C*-algebras,
e.g., infinite dimensional von Neumann algebras have irredundant sets of
cardinality continuum.
  There exists a considerable literature showing that the question whether
every AF commutative nonseparable C*-algebra has an uncountable irredundant set
is sensitive to additional set-theoretic axioms and we investigate here the
noncommutative case.
  Assuming $\diamondsuit$ (an additional axiom stronger than the continuum
hypothesis) we prove that there is an AF C*-subalgebra of $\mathcal B(\ell_2)$
of density $2^\omega=\omega_1$ with no nonseparable commutative C*-subalgebra
and with no uncountable irredundant set. On the other hand we also prove that
it is consistent that every discrete collection of operators in $\mathcal
B(\ell_2)$ of cardinality continuum contains an irredundant subcollection of
cardinality continuum.
  Other partial results and more open problems are presented.


  We present a new 0.9" resolution 3.29 micron narrowband image of the
reflection nebula NGC 7023. We find that the 3.29 micron IEF in NGC 7023 is
brightest in narrow filaments NW of the illuminating star. These filaments have
been seen in images of K', molecular hydrogen emission lines, the 6.2 and 11.3
micron IEFs, and HCO+. We also detect 3.29 micron emission faintly but
distinctly between the filaments and the star. The 3.29 micron image is in
contrast to narrowband images at 2.09, 2.14, and 2.18 micron, which show an
extended emission peak midway between the filaments and the star, and much
fainter emission near the filaments. The [2.18]-[3.29] color shows a wide
variation, ranging from 3.4-3.6 mag at the 2 micron continuum peak to 5.5 mag
in the filaments. We observe [2.18]-[3.29] to increase smoothly with increasing
distance from the star, up until the filament, suggesting that the main
difference between the spatial distributions of the 2 micron continuum and the
the 3.29 micron emission is related to the incident stellar flux. Our result
suggests that the 3.29 micron IEF carriers are likely to be distinct from, but
related to, the 2 micron continuum emitters. Our finding also imply that, in
NGC 7023, the 2 micron continuum emitters are mainly associated with HI, while
the 3.29 micron IEF carriers are primarily found in warm molecular hydrogen,
but that both can survive in HI or molecular hydrogen. (abridged)


  An exact calculation of the eigenvalue statistics of truncated random Haar
distributed real orthogonal matrices has recently been carried out by
Khoruzhenko, Sommers and Zyczkowski. We further develop this calculation, and
use it to deduce a Pfaffian form of the correlations for the zeros of the
limiting Kac random polynomial. This contrasts with the forms known from
previous studies of the real zeros (a multidimensional Gaussian integral with
the integrand multiplied by the absolute values of the variables) and the
complex zeros (a Hafnian).


  We connect Liouville theory, anyons and Higgs model in a purely geometrical
way.


  This paper addresses the problem of detecting radioactive material in transit
using an UAV of minimal sensing capability, where the objective is to classify
the target's radioactivity as the vehicle plans its paths through the workspace
while tracking the target for a short time interval. To this end, we propose a
motion planning framework that integrates tightly-coupled visual-inertial
localization and target tracking. In this framework,the 3D workspace is known,
and this information together with the UAV dynamics, is used to construct a
navigation function that generates dynamically feasible, safe paths which avoid
obstacles and provably converge to the moving target. The efficacy of the
proposed approach is validated through realistic simulations in Gazebo.


  We compute the Green function of the massless scalar field theory in the
infrared till the next-to-leading order, providing a fully covariant strong
coupling expansion. Applying Callan-Symanzik equation we obtain the exact
running coupling for this case by computing the beta function. This result is
applied using a recently proved mapping theorem between a massless scalar field
theory and Yang-Mills theory. This beta function gives a running coupling going
to zero as $p^4$ in agreement with lattice results presented in Boucaud et al.
[JHEP 0304 (2003) 005] and showing that the right definition of the running
coupling for a Yang-Mills theory in the infrared is given in a MOM scheme. The
emerging scenario is supporting a quantum field theory based on instantons.


  Affine registration is indispensable in a comprehensive medical image
registration pipeline. However, only a few studies focus on fast and robust
affine registration algorithms. Most of these studies utilize convolutional
neural networks (CNNs) to learn joint affine and non-parametric registration,
while the standalone performance of the affine subnetwork is less explored.
Moreover, existing CNN-based affine registration approaches focus either on the
local misalignment or the global orientation and position of the input to
predict the affine transformation matrix, which are sensitive to spatial
initialization and exhibit limited generalizability apart from the training
dataset. In this paper, we present a fast and robust learning-based algorithm,
Coarse-to-Fine Vision Transformer (C2FViT), for 3D affine medical image
registration. Our method naturally leverages the global connectivity and
locality of the convolutional vision transformer and the multi-resolution
strategy to learn the global affine registration. We evaluate our method on 3D
brain atlas registration and template-matching normalization. Comprehensive
results demonstrate that our method is superior to the existing CNNs-based
affine registration methods in terms of registration accuracy, robustness and
generalizability while preserving the runtime advantage of the learning-based
methods. The source code is available at https://github.com/cwmok/C2FViT.


  The perturbative QCD expansion for $J/\psi$ photoproduction appears to be
unstable: the NLO correction is large (and of opposite sign) to the LO
contribution. Moreover, the predictions are very sensitive to the choice of
factorization and renormalization scales. Here we show that perturbative
stability is greatly improved by imposing a $`Q_0$ cut' on the NLO coefficient
functions; a cut which is required to avoid double counting. $Q_0$ is the input
scale used in the parton DGLAP evolution. This result opens the possibility of
high precision exclusive $J/\psi$ data in the forward direction at the LHC
being able to determine the low $x$ gluon distribution at low scales.


  The spin conductivity in the integrable spin-1/2 XXZ-chain is known to be
infinite at finite temperatures T for anisotropies -1 < Delta < 1.
Perturbations which break integrability, e.g. a next-nearest neighbor coupling
J', render the conductivity finite. We construct numerically a non-local
conserved operator J_parallel which is responsible for the finite spin Drude
weight of the integrable model and calculate its decay rate for small J'. This
allows us to obtain a lower bound for the spin conductivity sigma_s >= c(T) /
J'^2, where c(T) is finite for J' to 0. We discuss the implication of our
result for the general question how non-local conservation laws affect
transport properties.


  A topology optimization method is presented for the design of periodic
microstructured materials with prescribed homogenized nonlinear constitutive
properties over finite strain ranges. The mechanical model assumes linear
elastic isotropic materials, geometric nonlinearity at finite strain, and a
quasi-static response. The optimization problem is solved by a nonlinear
programming method and the sensitivities computed via the adjoint method.
Two-dimensional structures identified using this optimization method are
additively manufactured and their uniaxial tensile strain response compared
with the numerically predicted behavior. The optimization approach herein
enables the design and development of lattice-like materials with prescribed
nonlinear effective properties, for use in myriad potential applications,
ranging from stress wave and vibration mitigation to soft robotics.


  Synchronous oscillations of neuronal populations support resting-state
cortical activity. Recent studies indicate that resting-state functional
connectivity is not static, but exhibits complex dynamics. The mechanisms
underlying the complex dynamics of cortical activity have not been well
characterised. Here, we directly apply singular value decomposition (SVD) in
source-reconstructed electroencephalography (EEG) in order to characterise the
dynamics of spatiotemporal patterns of resting-state functional connectivity.
We found that changes in resting-state functional connectivity were associated
with distinct complex topological features, "Rich-Club organisation", of the
default mode network, salience network, and motor network. Rich-club topology
of the salience network revealed greater functional connectivity between
ventrolateral prefrontal cortex and anterior insula, whereas Rich-club
topologies of the default mode networks revealed bilateral functional
connectivity between fronto-parietal and posterior cortices. Spectral analysis
of the dynamics underlying Rich-club organisations of these source-space
network patterns revealed that resting-state cortical activity exhibit distinct
dynamical regimes whose intrinsic expressions contain fast oscillations in the
alpha-beta band and with the envelope-signal in the timescale of $<0.1$ Hz. Our
findings thus demonstrated that multivariate eigen-decomposition of
source-reconstructed EEG is a reliable computational technique to explore how
dynamics of spatiotemporal features of the resting-state cortical activity
occur that oscillate at distinct frequencies.


  The cores of neutron stars harbor the highest matter densities known to occur
in nature, up to several times the densities in atomic nuclei. Similarly,
magnetic field strengths can exceed the strongest fields generated in
terrestrial laboratories by ten orders of magnitude. Hyperon-dominated matter,
deconfined quark matter, superfluidity, even superconductivity are predicted in
neutron stars. Similarly, quantum electrodynamics predicts that in strong
magnetic fields the vacuum becomes birefringent. The properties of matter under
such conditions is governed by Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD) and Quantum
Electrodynamics (QED), and the close study of the properties of neutron stars
offers the unique opportunity to test and explore the richness of QCD and QED
in a regime that is utterly beyond the reach of terrestrial experiments.
Experimentally, this is almost virgin territory.


  This paper presents a neural network classifier approach to detecting both
within- and cross- document event coreference effectively using only event
mention based features. Our approach does not (yet) rely on any event argument
features such as semantic roles or spatiotemporal arguments. Experimental
results on the ECB+ dataset show that our approach produces F1 scores that
significantly outperform the state-of-the-art methods for both within-document
and cross-document event coreference resolution when we use B3 and CEAFe
evaluation measures, but gets worse F1 score with the MUC measure. However,
when we use the CoNLL measure, which is the average of these three scores, our
approach has slightly better F1 for within- document event coreference
resolution but is significantly better for cross-document event coreference
resolution.


  Let $D$ be a bounded Lipschitz domain of $\mathbb{R}^d$. We consider the
complement value problem $$
\left\{\begin{array}{l}(\Delta+a^{\alpha}\Delta^{\alpha/2}+b\cdot\nabla+c)u+f=0\
\ {\rm in}\ D,\\ u=g\ \ {\rm on}\ D^c. \end{array}\right.$$ Under mild
conditions, we show that there exists a unique bounded continuous weak
solution. Moreover, we give an explicit probabilistic representation of the
solution. The theory of semi-Dirichlet forms and heat kernel estimates play an
important role in our approach.


  In this work we consider solutions to stochastic partial differential
equations with transport noise, which are known to converge, in a suitable
scaling limit, to solution of the corresponding deterministic PDE with an
additional viscosity term. Large deviations and Gaussian fluctuations
underlying such scaling limit are investigated in two cases of interest:
stochastic linear transport equations in dimension $D\geq 2$ and $2$D Euler
equations in vorticity form. In both cases, a central limit theorem with strong
convergence and explicit rate is established. The proofs rely on nontrivial
tools, like the solvability of transport equations with supercritical
coefficients and $\Gamma$-convergence arguments.


  We study vortices in a radially inhomogeneous superfluid, as realized by a
trapped degenerate Bose gas in a uniaxially symmetric potential. We show that,
in contrast to a homogeneous superfluid, an off-axis vortex corresponds to an
anisotropic superflow whose profile strongly depends on the distance to the
trap axis. One consequence of this superflow anisotropy is vortex precession
about the trap axis in the absence of an imposed rotation. In the complementary
regime of a finite prescribed rotation, we compute the minimum-energy vortex
density, showing that in the rapid-rotation limit it is extremely uniform,
despite a strongly inhomogeneous (nearly) Thomas-Fermi condensate density
$\rho_s(r)$. The weak radially-dependent contribution ($\propto
\nabla^2\ln\rho_s(r)$) to the vortex distribution, that vanishes with the
number of vortices $N_v$ as $\frac{1}{N_v}$, arises from the interplay between
vortex quantum discretness (namely their inability to faithfully support the
imposed rigid-body rotation) and the inhomogeneous superfluid density. This
leads to an enhancement of the vortex density at the center of a typical
concave trap, a prediction that is in quantitative agreement with recent
experiments (cond-mat/0405240). One striking consequence of the inhomogeneous
vortex distribution is an azimuthally-directed, radially-shearing superflow.


  We consider extensions of the standard model containing additional heavy
particles ("quirks") charged under a new unbroken non-abelian gauge group as
well as the standard model. We assume that the quirk mass m is in the
phenomenologically interesting range 100 GeV--TeV, and that the new gauge group
gets strong at a scale Lambda < m. In this case breaking of strings is
exponentially suppressed, and quirk production results in strings that are long
compared to 1/Lambda. The existence of these long stable strings leads to
highly exotic events at colliders. For 100 eV < Lambda < keV the strings are
macroscopic, giving rise to events with two separated quirk tracks with
measurable curvature toward each other due to the string interaction. For keV <
Lambda < MeV the typical strings are mesoscopic: too small to resolve in the
detector, but large compared to atomic scales. In this case, the bound state
appears as a single particle, but its mass is the invariant mass of a quirk
pair, which has an event-by-event distribution. For MeV < Lambda < m the
strings are microscopic, and the quirks annihilate promptly within the
detector. For colored quirks, this can lead to hadronic fireball events with
10^3 hadrons with energy of order GeV emitted in conjunction with hard decay
products from the final annihilation.


  We analyse under which dynamical conditions the coherence of an open quantum
system is totally unaffected by noise. For a single qubit, specific measures of
coherence are found to freeze under different conditions, with no general
agreement between them. Conversely, for an N-qubit system with even N, we
identify universal conditions in terms of initial states and local incoherent
channels such that all bona fide distance-based coherence monotones are left
invariant during the entire evolution. This finding also provides an insightful
physical interpretation for the freezing phenomenon of quantum correlations
beyond entanglement. We further obtain analytical results for distance-based
measures of coherence in two-qubit states with maximally mixed marginals.


  The quantum inverse scattering method is applied to the solution of equations
for wave functions of compound states of $n$ reggeized gluons in the
multicolour QCD in a generalized leading logarithmic approximation.


  Thermalization has been shown to occur in a number of closed quantum
many-body systems, but the description of the actual thermalization dynamics is
prohibitively complex. Here, we present a model - in one and two dimensions -
for which we can analytically show that the evolution into thermal equilibrium
is governed by a Fokker-Planck equation derived from the underlying quantum
dynamics. Our approach does not rely on a formal distinction of weakly coupled
bath and system degrees of freedom. The results show that transitions within
narrow energy shells lead to a dynamics which is dominated by entropy and
establishes detailed balance conditions that determine both the eventual
equilibrium state and the non-equilibrium relaxation to it.


  Three-loop QCD corrections to the vector current correlator are considered.
The large momentum procedure is applied in order to evaluate mass corrections
up to order $(m^2/q^2)^6$. The inclusion of the first seven terms to the ratio
$R=\sigma(e^+e^- \to hadrons)/\sigma(e^+e^- \to \mu^+\mu^-)$ leads to reliable
predictions from the high energy region down to relatively close to threshold.


  We state that all Rota-Baxter operators of nonzero weight on Grassmann
algebra over a field of characteristic zero are projections on a subalgebra
along another one. We show the one-to-one correspondence between the solutions
of associative Yang-Baxter equation and Rota-Baxter operators of weight zero on
the matrix algebra $M_n(F)$ (joint with P. Kolesnikov). We prove that all
Rota-Baxter operators of weight zero on a unital associative (alternative,
Jordan) algebraic algebra over a field of characteristic zero are nilpotent.
For an algebra $A$, we introduce its new invariant the rb-index
$\mathrm{rb}(A)$ as the nilpotency index for Rota-Baxter operators of weight
zero on $A$. We show that $\mathrm{rb}(M_n(F)) = 2n-1$ provided that
characteristic of $F$ is zero.


  We provide a short supplement to the paper "MAPK networks and their capacity
for multistationarity due to toric steady states" by P\'erez Mill\'an and
Turjanski. We show that the capacity for toric steady states in the three
networks analyzed in that paper can be derived using the process of network
translation, which corresponds the original mass action system to a generalized
mass action system with the same steady states. In all three cases, the
translated chemical reaction network is proper, weakly reversible, and has both
a structural and kinetic deficiency of zero. This is sufficient to guarantee
toric steady states by previously established work on network translations. A
basis of the steady state ideal is then derived by consideration of the linkage
classes of the translated chemical reaction network.


  We argue that recent experiments by Kirtley et al. may show evidence of time
reversal symmetry breaking in YBCO at crystal grain boundaries. We illustrate
this through a Ginzburg-Landau model calculation. Further experimental tests
are proposed.


  Topological Insulators (TIs) are unique materials where insulating bulk hosts
linearly dispersing surface states protected by the Time-Reversal Symmetry
(TRS). These states lead to dissipationless current flow, which makes this
class of materials highly promising for spintronic applications. Here, we
predict new TIs via high-throughput screening by employing state-of-the-art
first-principles based methodologies, viz., Density Functional Theory (DFT) and
many-body perturbation theory (G0W0) combined with Spin-Orbit Coupling (SOC).
For this, we take a well-known 3D TI, TlBiSe2 and perform complete substitution
with suitable materials at different sites to check if the obtained
isostructural materials exhibit topological properties. Subsequently, we scan
these materials based on SOC-induced parity inversion at Time-Reversal
Invariant Momenta (TRIM). Later, to confirm the topological nature of selected
materials, we plot their surface states along with calculation of Z2
invariants. Our results show that GaBiSe2 is a Strong Topological Insulator
(STI). Besides, we report six Weak Topological Insulators (WTIs) viz. PbBiSe2,
SnBiSe2, SbBiSe2, Bi2Se2, TlSnSe2 and PbSbSe2. We have further verified that
all the reported TIs are dynamically stable showing all real phonon modes of
vibration.


  We show that the coherence between different bacteriochlorophyll-a (BChla)
sites in the Fenna-Mathews-Olson complex is an essential ingredient for
excitation energy transfer between various sites. The coherence delocalizes the
excitation energy, which results in the redistribution of excitation among all
the BChla sites in the steady state. We further show that the system remains
partially coherent at the steady state. In our numerical simulation of the
non-Markovian density matrix equation, we consider both the inhomogeneity of
the protein environment and the effect of active vibronic modes.


  We examine a modification of the Fisher-Kolmogorov-Petrovsky-Piskunov (FKPP)
process in which the diffusing substance requires a parent density field for
reproduction. A biological example would be the density of diffusing spores
(propagules) and the density of a stationary fungus (parent). The parent
produces propagules at a certain rate, and the propagules turn into the parent
substance at another rate. We model this evolution by the FKPP process with
delay, which reflects a finite time typically required for a new parent to
mature before it begins to produce propagules. While the FKPP process with
other types of delays have been considered in the past as a pure mathematical
construct, in our work a delay in the FKPP model arises in a natural science
setting. The speed of the resulting density fronts is shown to decrease with
increasing delay time, and has a non-trivial dependence on the rate of
conversion of propagules into the parent substance. Remarkably, the fronts in
this model are always slower than Fisher waves of the classical FKPP model. The
largest speed is half of the classical value, and it is achieved at zero delay
and when the two rates are matched.


  We study a variant of the cyclic Lotka-Volterra model with three-agent
interactions. Inspired by a multiplayer variation of the Rock-Paper-Scissors
game, the model describes an ideal ecosystem in which cyclic competition among
three species develops through cooperative predation. Its rate equations in a
well-mixed environment display a degenerate Hopf bifurcation, occurring as
reactions involving two predators plus one prey have the same rate as reactions
involving two preys plus one predator. We estimate the magnitude of the
stochastic noise at the bifurcation point, where finite size effects turn
neutrally stable orbits into erratically diverging trajectories. In particular,
we compare analytic predictions for the extinction probability, derived in the
Fokker-Planck approximation, with numerical simulations based on the Gillespie
stochastic algorithm. We then extend the analysis of the phase portrait to
heterogeneous rates. In a well-mixed environment, we observe a continuum of
degenerate Hopf bifurcations, generalizing the above one. Neutral stability
ensues from a complex equilibrium between different reactions. Remarkably, on a
two-dimensional lattice, all bifurcations disappear as a consequence of the
spatial locality of the interactions. In the second part of the paper, we
investigate the effects of mobility in a lattice metapopulation model with
patches hosting several agents. We find that strategies propagate along the
arms of rotating spirals, as they usually do in models of cyclic dominance. We
observe propagation instabilities in the regime of large wavelengths. We also
examine three-agent interactions inducing nonlinear diffusion.


  We develop a microspectral theory for quasinilpotent linear operators $Q$
(i.e., those with $\sigma(Q) = \{0}$) in a Banach space. When such $Q$ is not
compact, normal, or nilpotent, the classical spectral theory gives little
information, and a somewhat deeper structure can be recovered from
microspectral sets in $\C$. Such sets describe, e.g., semigroup generation,
resolvent properties, power boundedness as well as Tauberian properties
associated to $zQ$ for $z \in \C$.


  This paper presents a new tool to perform various steps in jet tagger
development in an efficient and comprehensive way. A common data structure is
used for training, as well as for performance evaluation in data. The
introduction of this new framework reduces the amount of data to be stored
while accomplishing the same tasks, and shortens waiting times between
algorithm development and data-to-simulation results becoming available from
months to days, taking typical CMS experiment pipelines as a reference. Proper
utilization of high-throughput systems enables first data-to-simulation studies
with a recent neural network architecture, Particle Transformer, adapted to jet
flavour tagging. Unlike official implementations of the collaboration, the new
framework allows investigating different variants, like different training
paradigms, and their impact on data/simulation agreement, without producing any
new large files on disk, and within the same run of the analysis framework.
Besides being more time- and storage-efficient and thus enabling the first
results of that kind to be available just few hours after finishing neural
network training, the framework is currently the only realization capable of
studying how adversarial techniques affect data/simulation agreement for tagger
algorithm outputs as well as inputs.


  Interpolation-based Data Augmentation (DA) methods (Mixup) linearly
interpolate the inputs and labels of two or more training examples. Mixup has
more recently been adapted to the field of Natural Language Processing (NLP),
mainly for sequence labeling tasks. However, such a simple adoption yields
mixed or unstable improvements over the baseline models. We argue that the
direct-adoption methods do not account for structures in NLP tasks. To this
end, we propose SegMix, a collection of interpolation-based DA algorithms that
can adapt to task-specific structures. SegMix poses fewer constraints on data
structures, is robust to various hyperparameter settings, applies to more task
settings, and adds little computational overhead. In the algorithm's core, we
apply interpolation methods on task-specific meaningful segments, in contrast
to applying them on sequences as in prior work. We find SegMix to be a flexible
framework that combines rule-based DA methods with interpolation-based methods,
creating interesting mixtures of DA techniques. We show that SegMix
consistently improves performance over strong baseline models in Named Entity
Recognition (NER) and Relation Extraction (RE) tasks, especially under
data-scarce settings. Furthermore, this method is easy to implement and adds
negligible training overhead.


  Let $\overline{\mathrm{Mov}}^k(X)$ be the closure of the cone
$\mathrm{Mov}^k(X)$ generated by classes of effective divisors on a projective
variety $X$ with stable base locus of codimension at least $k+1$. We propose a
generalized version of the Log Nonvanishing Conjecture and of the Log Abundance
Conjecture for a klt pair $(X,\Delta)$, that is: if $K_X+\Delta \in
\overline{\mathrm{Mov}}^{k}(X)$, then $K_X+\Delta \in \mathrm{Mov}^{k}(X)$.
Moreover, we prove that if the Log Minimal Model Program, the Log Nonvanishing,
and the Log Abundance hold, then so does our conjecture.


  We introduce a notion of partial presentability in parametrized higher
category theory and investigate its interaction with the concepts of
parametrized semiadditivity and stability from arXiv:2301.08240. In particular,
we construct the free partially presentable $T$-categories in the unstable,
semiadditive, and stable contexts and explain how to exhibit them as full
subcategories of their fully presentable analogues.
  Specializing our results to the setting of (global) equivariant homotopy
theory, we obtain a notion of equivariant presentability for the global
categories of arXiv:2301.08240, and we show that the global category of genuine
equivariant spectra is the free global category that is both equivariantly
presentable and equivariantly stable. As a consequence, we deduce the analogous
result about the $G$-category of genuine $G$-spectra for any finite group $G$,
previously formulated by Nardin.


  We present a mechanism to generate the baryon asymmetry of the Universe which
preserves the net baryon number created in the Big Bang. If dark matter
particles carry baryon number $B_X$, and $\sigma^{\rm annih}_{\bar{X}} <
\sigma^{\rm annih}_{X} $, the $\bar{X}$'s freeze out at a higher temperature
and have a larger relic density than $X$'s. If $m_X \lsi 4.5 B_X $GeV and the
annihilation cross sections differ by $\gsi 10%$, this type of scenario
naturally explains the observed $\Omega_{DM} \approx 5 \Omega_b$.


  We construct a triangle equivalence between the singularity categories of two
isolated cyclic quotient singularities of Krull dimensions two and three,
respectively. This is the first example of a singular equivalence involving
connected commutative algebras of odd and even Krull dimension. In combination
with Orlov's localization result, this gives further singular equivalences
between certain quasi-projective varieties of dimensions two and three,
respectively.


  More than 40 years ago the standard model made a successful new step in
understanding properties of fermion and boson fields. Now the next step is
needed, which would explain what the standard model and the cosmological models
just assume: a. The origin of quantum numbers of massless one family members.
b. The origin of families. c. The origin of the vector gauge fields. d. The
origin of the Higgses and Yukawa couplings. e. The origin of the dark matter.
f. The origin of the matter-antimatter asymmetry. g. The origin of the dark
energy. h. And several other open problems. The spin-charge-family theory, a
kind of the Kaluza-Klein theories in $(d=(2n-1) +1)$ - space-time, with
$d=(13+1)$ and the two kinds of the spin connection fields, which are the gauge
fields of the two kinds of the Clifford algebra objects anti-commuting with one
another, may provide this much needed next step. The talk presents: i. A short
presentation of this theory. ii. The review over the achievements of this
theory so far, with some not published yet achievements included. iii.
Predictions for future experiments.


  Gamma-ray observations in the very-high-energy domain (E > 30 GeV) can
exploit the imaging of few-nanosecond Cherenkov flashes from atmospheric
particle showers. Photomultipliers have been used as the primary photosensors
to detect gamma-ray induced Cherenkov light for the past 25 years, but they are
increasingly challenged by the swift progress of silicon photomultipliers
(SiPMs). We are working to identify the optimal photosensors for medium-sized
Schwarzschild-Couder telescopes (SCT), which are proposed to contribute a
significant fraction of the sensitivity of the Cherenkov Telescope Array in its
core energy range. We present the capabilities of the latest SiPMs from the
Hamamatsu, SensL, and Excelitas companies that we have characterized in our
laboratory, and compare them to the SiPMs equipping the prototype SCT camera
that is under construction.


  The strongly correlated liquid state of a bilayer of charged particles has
been studied via the HNC calculation of the two-body functions. We report the
first time emergence of a series of structural phases, identified through the
behavior of the two-body functions.


  We compute arithmetic Chern classes of sheaves on an arithmetic surface X
associated to a Hermitian Azumaya algebra.


  Statistical flood frequency analysis coupled with hydrograph scaling is
commonly used to generate design floods to assess dam safety assessment. The
safety assessments can be highly sensitive to the choice of the statistical
flood frequency model. Standard dam safety assessments are typically based on a
single distribution model of flood frequency, often the Log Pearson Type III or
Generalized Extreme Value distributions. Floods, however, may result from
multiple physical processes such as rain on snow, snowmelt or rainstorms. This
can result in a mixed distribution of annual peak flows, according to the cause
of each flood. Engineering design choices based on a single distribution
statistical model are vulnerable to the effects of this potential structural
model error. To explore the practicality and potential value of implementing
mixed distribution statistical models in engineering design, we compare the
goodness of fit of several single- and mixed-distribution peak flow models, as
well as the contingent dam safety assessment at Pueblo, Colorado as a didactic
example. Summer snowmelt and intense summer rainstorms are both key drivers of
annual peak flow at Pueblo. We analyze the potential implications for the
annual probability of overtopping-induced failure of the Pueblo Dam as a
didactic example. We address the temporal and physical cause separation
problems by building on previous work with mixed distributions. We find a Mixed
Generalized Extreme Value distribution model best fits peak flows observed in
the gaged record, historical floods, and paleo floods at Pueblo. Finally, we
show that accounting for mixed distributions in the safety assessment at Pueblo
Dam increases the assessed risk of overtopping.


  We propose a new off-shell formulation for the massless ${\cal N}=1$
supersymmetric multiplet of integer superspin $s$ in four dimensions, where $s
=2,3,\dots$ (the $s=1$ case corresponds to the gravitino multiplet). Its gauge
freedom matches that of the superconformal superspin-$s$ multiplet described in
arXiv:1701.00682. The gauge-invariant action involves two compensating
multiplets in addition to the superconformal superspin-$s$ multiplet. Upon
imposing a partial gauge fixing, this action reduces to the one describing the
so-called longitudinal formulation for the massless superspin-$s$ multiplet.
Our new model is shown to possess a dual realisation obtained by applying a
superfield Legendre transformation. We present a non-conformal higher spin
supercurrent multiplet associated with the new integer superspin theory. This
fermionic supercurrent is shown to occur in the Fayet-Sohnius model for a
massive ${\cal N}=2$ hypermultiplet. We also give a new off-shell realisation
for the massless gravitino multiplet.


  We measure the apparent shapes for a sample of 62 blue compact dwarf galaxies
(BCDs), and compare them with the apparent shapes for a sample of 80 dwarf
elliptical galaxies (dEs). The BCDs are flatter, on average, than the dEs, but
the difference is only marginally significant. We then use both non-parametric
and parametric techniques to determine possible distributions of intrinsic
shapes for the BCDs. The hypothesis that BCDs are oblate spheroids can be ruled
out with a high confidence level ($> 99%$), but the hypothesis that they are
prolate spheroids cannot be excluded. The apparent shapes of BCDs are totally
consistent with the hypothesis that they are triaxial ellipsoids. If the
intrinsic axis ratios, $\beta$ and $\gamma$, are distributed according to a
Gaussian with means $\beta_0$ and $\gamma_0$ and standard deviation $\sigma$,
we find the best-fitting distribution for BCDs has $(\beta_0,\gamma_0,\sigma)=
(0.66,0.55,0.16)$, while that for dEs has $(\beta_0,\gamma_0,\sigma)=
(0.85,0.64,0.24)$. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that BCDs
have a close evolutionary relation with dEs.


  We report giant magnetoresistance up to 150 percent at low bias current and
low temperature as well as room temperature magnetoresistance in polymeric
spin-valves having the structure LSMO/conjugated polymer/Co. The conjugated
polymers, regiorandom and regioregular P3HT were used as the spacer materials.
We observed an asymmetric bias voltage dependence of different devices and
additional, hitherto unseen, peaks in MR vs. magnetic field plot with low bias
currents measurements that we attribute to local magnetic moments due to
spin-trapping in the defects in the spacer material. Also, various spacer
thicknesses led to variation of magnetoresistance within a certain temperature
range.


  The advent of AI and ML algorithms has led to opportunities as well as
challenges. In this paper, we provide an overview of bias and fairness issues
that arise with the use of ML algorithms. We describe the types and sources of
data bias, and discuss the nature of algorithmic unfairness. This is followed
by a review of fairness metrics in the literature, discussion of their
limitations, and a description of de-biasing (or mitigation) techniques in the
model life cycle.


  We present the results of an analysis of data from XMM-Newton and CHANDRA
observations of the high luminosity narrow-line quasar PG 1404+226. We confirm
a strong soft X-ray excess in the X-ray spectrum and we find rapid variability
(a factor of two in about 5000 s). When the X-ray spectrum is fit with a two
component model which includes a power-law and a blackbody component, we find
that low energy absorption lines are required to fit the data. If we interpret
these lines as due to highly ionized species of heavy elements in an outflowing
accretion disk wind, an outflow velocity of about 26000 km/s could be derived.
One interesting feature of the present observation is the possible detection of
variability in the absorption features: the absorption lines are visible only
when the source is bright. From the upper limits of the equivalent widths (EW)
of the absorption lines during the low flux states and also from the model
independent pulse height ratios, we argue that the strength of absorption is
lower during the low flux states. This constraints the physical size of the
absorbing medium within 100 Schwartzschild radius (Rg) of the putative
supermassive black hole. We also find a marginal evidence for a correlation
between the strength of the absorption line and the X-ray luminosity.


  Recent 3D generative models have achieved remarkable performance in
synthesizing high resolution photorealistic images with view consistency and
detailed 3D shapes, but training them for diverse domains is challenging since
it requires massive training images and their camera distribution information.
Text-guided domain adaptation methods have shown impressive performance on
converting the 2D generative model on one domain into the models on other
domains with different styles by leveraging the CLIP (Contrastive
Language-Image Pre-training), rather than collecting massive datasets for those
domains. However, one drawback of them is that the sample diversity in the
original generative model is not well-preserved in the domain-adapted
generative models due to the deterministic nature of the CLIP text encoder.
Text-guided domain adaptation will be even more challenging for 3D generative
models not only because of catastrophic diversity loss, but also because of
inferior text-image correspondence and poor image quality. Here we propose
DATID-3D, a domain adaptation method tailored for 3D generative models using
text-to-image diffusion models that can synthesize diverse images per text
prompt without collecting additional images and camera information for the
target domain. Unlike 3D extensions of prior text-guided domain adaptation
methods, our novel pipeline was able to fine-tune the state-of-the-art 3D
generator of the source domain to synthesize high resolution, multi-view
consistent images in text-guided targeted domains without additional data,
outperforming the existing text-guided domain adaptation methods in diversity
and text-image correspondence. Furthermore, we propose and demonstrate diverse
3D image manipulations such as one-shot instance-selected adaptation and
single-view manipulated 3D reconstruction to fully enjoy diversity in text.


  We study the long-term behaviour of solutions to a one-dimensional coupled
wave-heat system with Coleman-Gurtin thermal law. Our approach is based on the
asymptotic theory of $C_0$-semigroups and recent results developed for coupled
control systems. As our main results, we represent the system as a feedback
interconnection between the wave part and the Coleman-Gurtin part and we show
that the associated semigroup in the history framework of Dafermos is
polynomially stable with optimal decay rate $t^{-2}$ as $t\to\infty$. In
particular, we obtain a sharp estimate for the rate of energy decay of
classical solutions to the problem.


  We derive from Jefimenko's equations a multipole expansion in order to obtain
the exact expressions for the electric and magnetic fields of an electric
dipole with an arbitrary time dependence. A few comments are also made about
the usual expositions found in most common undergraduate and graduate textbooks
as well as in the literature on this topic.


  An edge-coloring of a connected graph $G$ is called a {\em monochromatic
connection coloring} (MC-coloring for short) if any two vertices of $G$ are
connected by a monochromatic path in $G$. For a connected graph $G$, the {\em
monochromatic connection number} (MC-number for short) of $G$, denoted by
$mc(G)$, is the maximum number of colors that ensure $G$ has a monochromatic
connection coloring by using this number of colors. This concept was introduced
by Caro and Yuster in 2011. They proved that $mc(G)\leq m-n+k$ if $G$ is not a
$k$-connected graph. In this paper we depict all graphs with $mc(G)=m-n+k+1$
and $mc(G)= m-n+k$ if $G$ is a $k$-connected but not $(k+1)$-connected graph.
We also prove that $mc(G)\leq m-n+4$ if $G$ is a planar graph, and classify all
planar graphs by their monochromatic connectivity numbers.


  We calculate the effects of vertex corrections, of non-constant density of
states and of a (self-consistently determined) phonon self-energy for the
Holstein model on a 3D cubic lattice. We replace vertex corrections with a
Coulomb pseudopotential, mu*, adjusted to give the same Tc, and repeat the
calculations, to see which effects are a distinct feature of vertex
corrections. This allows us to determine directly observable effects ofvertex
corrections on a variety of thermodynamic properties of superconductors. To
this end, we employ conserving approximations (in the local approximation) to
calculate the superconducting critical temperatures, isotope coefficients,
superconducting gaps, free-energy differences and thermodynamic critical fields
for a range of parameters. We find that the dressed value of lambda is
significantly larger than the bare value. While vertex corrections can cause
significant changes in all the above quantities (even whenthe bare
electron-phonon coupling is small), the changes can usually be well-modeled by
an appropriate Coulomb pseudopotential. The isotope coefficient proves to be
the quantity that most clearly shows effects of vertex corrections that can not
be mimicked by a mu*.


  This article generalizes a previous work in which the author obtained a large
lower bound for the lifespan of the solutions to the Primitive Equations, and
proved convergence to the 3D quasi-geostrophic system for general and
ill-prepared (possibly blowing-up) initial data that are regularization of
vortex patches related to the potential velocity. These results were obtained
for a very particular case when the kinematic viscosity $\nu$ is equal to the
heat diffusivity $\nu '$, turning the diffusion operator into the classical
Laplacian. Obtaining the same results without this assumption is much more
difficult as it involves a non-local diffusion operator. The key to the main
result is a family of a priori estimates for the 3D-QG system that we obtained
in a companion paper.


  We propose an effective approach for generating highly pure and strong
cavity-mechanical entanglement (or optical-microwave entanglement) in a hybrid
modulated three-mode optomechanical system. By applying two-tone driving to the
cavity and modulating the coupling strength between two mechanical oscillators
(or between a mechanical oscillator and a transmission line resonator), we
obtain an effective Hamiltonian where an intermediate mechanical mode acting as
an engineered reservoir cools the Bogoliubov modes of two target system modes
via beam-splitter-like interactions. In this way, the two target modes are
driven to two-mode squeezed states in the stationary limit. In particular, we
discuss the effects of cavity-driving detuning on the entanglement and the
purity. It is found that the cavity-driving detuning plays a critical role in
the goal of acquiring highly pure and strongly entangled steady states.


  n this paper we formulate necessary conditions for the integrability in the
Jacobi sense of Newton equations $\ddot \vq=-\vF(\vq)$, where $\vq\in\C^n$ and
all components of $\vF$ are polynomial and homogeneous of the same degree $l$.
These conditions are derived from an analysis of the differential Galois group
of the variational equations along special particular solutions of the Newton
equations. We show that, taking all admissible particular solutions, we
restrict considerably the set of Newton's equations satisfying the necessary
conditions for the integrability. Moreover, we apply the obtained conditions
for a detailed analysis of the Newton equations with two degrees of freedom
(i.e., $n=2$). We demonstrate the strength of the obtained results analyzing
general cases with $\deg F_i =l< 4$. For $l=3$ we found an integrable case when
the Newton equations have two polynomial first integrals and both of them are
of degree four in the momenta $p_1=\dot q_1$, and $p_2=\dot q_2$. Moreover, for
an arbitrary $k$, we found a family of Newton equations depending on one
parameter $\lambda$. For an arbitrary value of $\lambda$ one quadratic in the
momenta first integral exist. We distinguish infinitely many values of
$\lambda$ for which the system is integrable or superintegrable with additional
polynomial first integrals which seemingly can be of an arbitrarily high degree
with respect to the momenta.


  The objective of this paper is to establish a new relationship between the
Veronese subsequent analytic solutions of the Euclidean $\mathbb{C}P^{2s}$
sigma model in two dimensions and the orthogonal Krawtchouk polynomials. We
show that such solutions of the $\mathbb{C}P^{2s}$ model, defined on the
Riemann sphere and having a finite action, can be explicitly parametrised in
terms of these polynomials. We apply the obtained results to the analysis of
surfaces associated with $\mathbb{C}P^{2s}$ sigma models, defined using the
generalized Weierstrass formula for immersion. We show that these surfaces are
spheres immersed in the $\mathfrak{su}(2s+1)$ Lie algebra, and express several
other geometrical characteristics in terms of the Krawtchouk polynomials.
Finally, a new connection between the $\mathfrak{su}(2)$ spin-s representation
and the $\mathbb{C}P^{2s}$ model is explored in detail. It is shown that for
any given holomorphic vector function in $\mathbb{C}^{2s+1}$ written as a
Veronese sequence, it is possible to derive subsequent solutions of the
$\mathbb{C}P^{2s}$ model through algebraic recurrence relations which turn out
to be simpler than the analytic relations known in the literature.


  Ordinal pattern dependence has been introduced in order to capture
co-monotonic behavior between two time series. This concept has several
features one would intuitively demand from a dependence measure. It was
believed that ordinal pattern dependence satisfies the axioms which Grothe et
al. (Journal of Multivariate Analysis 123, 2014) proclaimed for a multivariate
measure of dependence. In the present article we show that this is not true and
that there is a mistake in the article Betken et al. (Journal of Multivariate
Analysis 186, 2021). Furthermore we show that ordinal pattern dependence
satisfies a slightly modified set of axioms.


  A leading proposal for verifying near-term quantum supremacy experiments on
noisy random quantum circuits is linear cross-entropy benchmarking. For a
quantum circuit $C$ on $n$ qubits and a sample $z \in \{0,1\}^n$, the benchmark
involves computing $|\langle z|C|0^n \rangle|^2$, i.e. the probability of
measuring $z$ from the output distribution of $C$ on the all zeros input. Under
a strong conjecture about the classical hardness of estimating output
probabilities of quantum circuits, no polynomial-time classical algorithm given
$C$ can output a string $z$ such that $|\langle z|C|0^n\rangle|^2$ is
substantially larger than $\frac{1}{2^n}$ (Aaronson and Gunn, 2019). On the
other hand, for a random quantum circuit $C$, sampling $z$ from the output
distribution of $C$ achieves $|\langle z|C|0^n\rangle|^2 \approx \frac{2}{2^n}$
on average (Arute et al., 2019).
  In analogy with the Tsirelson inequality from quantum nonlocal correlations,
we ask: can a polynomial-time quantum algorithm do substantially better than
$\frac{2}{2^n}$? We study this question in the query (or black box) model,
where the quantum algorithm is given oracle access to $C$. We show that, for
any $\varepsilon \ge \frac{1}{\mathrm{poly}(n)}$, outputting a sample $z$ such
that $|\langle z|C|0^n\rangle|^2 \ge \frac{2 + \varepsilon}{2^n}$ on average
requires at least $\Omega\left(\frac{2^{n/4}}{\mathrm{poly}(n)}\right)$ queries
to $C$, but not more than $O\left(2^{n/3}\right)$ queries to $C$, if $C$ is
either a Haar-random $n$-qubit unitary, or a canonical state preparation oracle
for a Haar-random $n$-qubit state. We also show that when $C$ samples from the
Fourier distribution of a random Boolean function, the naive algorithm that
samples from $C$ is the optimal 1-query algorithm for maximizing $|\langle
z|C|0^n\rangle|^2$ on average.


  Vectors are universal mathematical objects that can represent text, images,
speech, or a mix of these data modalities. That happens regardless of whether
data is represented by hand-crafted features or learnt embeddings. Collect a
large enough quantity of such vectors and the question of retrieval becomes
urgently relevant: Finding vectors that are more similar to a query vector.
This monograph is concerned with the question above and covers fundamental
concepts along with advanced data structures and algorithms for vector
retrieval. In doing so, it recaps this fascinating topic and lowers barriers of
entry into this rich area of research.


  In this paper we report cross-section measurements for $\Xi^-p$ elastic and
inelastic scatterings at low energy using a scintillating fiber active target.
Upper limit on the total cross-section for the elastic scattering was found to
be 24 mb at 90% confidence level, and the total cross section for the
$\Xi^-p\to\Lambda\Lambda$ reaction was found to be $4.3^{+6.3}_{-2.7}$ mb. We
compare the results with currently competing theoretical estimates.


  Compared to conventional artificial neurons that produce dense and
real-valued responses, biologically-inspired spiking neurons transmit sparse
and binary information, which can also lead to energy-efficient
implementations. Recent research has shown that spiking neural networks can be
trained like standard recurrent neural networks using the surrogate gradient
method. They have shown promising results on speech command recognition tasks.
Using the same technique, we show that they are scalable to large vocabulary
continuous speech recognition, where they are capable of replacing LSTMs in the
encoder with only minor loss of performance. This suggests that they may be
applicable to more involved sequence-to-sequence tasks. Moreover, in contrast
to their recurrent non-spiking counterparts, they show robustness to exploding
gradient problems without the need to use gates.


  Kelvin's relations may be considered as cornerstones in the theory of
thermoelectricity. Indeed, they gather together the three thermoelectric
effects, associated respectively with Seebeck, Peltier and Thomson, to get a
unique and consistent description of thermoelectric phenomena. However, their
physical status in literature are quite different. On the one hand, the second
Kelvin's relation is associated with the microscopic reversibility, considered
as a fundamental thermodynamical property. On the other hand, the first
Kelvin's relation is traditionally introduced only as a convenient mathematical
relation between Seebeck and Thomson coefficients. In the present article, we
stress that, contrary to common believes, this relation may demonstrates deeper
insights than a bold mathematical expression between thermoelectric
coefficients. It actually reflects the coexistence of two different mechanisms
taking place inside thermoelectric systems: Energy conversion and
reorganization of heat flow when Seebeck coefficient varies.


  Low pole order frames of slanted vector fields are constructed on the space
of vertical k-jets of the universal family of complete intersections in
$\mathbb{P}^n$ and, adapting the arguments, low pole order frames of slanted
vector fields are also constructed on the space of vertical logarithmic k-jets
along the universal family of projective hypersurfaces in $\mathbb{P}^n$ with
several irreducible smooth components.
  Both the pole order (here $=5k-2$) and the determination of the locus where
the global generation statement fails are improved compared to the literature
(previously $=k^2+2k$), thanks to three new ingredients; we reformulate the
problem in terms of some adjoint action, we introduce a new formalism of
geometric jet coordinates, and then we construct what we call building-block
vector fields, making the problem for arbitrary jet order $k\geqslant1$ into a
very analog of the much easier case where $k=0$, i.e. where no jet coordinates
are needed.


  We study neutrino emission from the remnant of an inspiraling binary neutron
star following coalescence. The mass of the merged remnant is likely to exceed
the stability limit of a cold, rotating neutron star. However, the angular
momentum of the remnant may also approach or even exceed the Kerr limit, J/M^2
= 1, so that total collapse may not be possible unless some angular momentum is
dissipated. We find that neutrino emission is very inefficient in decreasing
the angular momentum of these merged objects and may even lead to a small
increase in J/M^2. We illustrate these findings with a post-Newtonian,
ellipsoidal model calculation. Simple arguments suggest that the remnant may
form a bar mode instability on a timescale similar to or shorter than the
neutrino emission timescale, in which case the evolution of the remnant will be
dominated by the emission of gravitational waves.


  We develop a novel method based on machine learning principles to achieve
optimal initiation of CPU-intensive computations for forward asteroseismic
modeling in a multi-D parameter space. A deep neural network is trained on a
precomputed asteroseismology grid containing about 62 million coherent
oscillation-mode frequencies derived from stellar evolution models. These
models are representative of the core-hydrogen burning stage of
intermediate-mass and high-mass stars. The evolution models constitute a 6D
parameter space and their predicted low-degree pressure- and gravity-mode
oscillations are scanned, using a genetic algorithm. A software pipeline is
created to find the best fitting stellar parameters for a given set of observed
oscillation frequencies. The proposed method finds the optimal regions in the
6D parameters space in less than a minute, hence providing the optimal starting
point for further and more detailed forward asteroseismic modeling in a
high-dimensional context. We test and apply the method to seven pulsating stars
that were previously modeled asteroseismically by classical grid-based forward
modeling based on a $\chi^2$ statistic and obtain good agreement with past
results. Our deep learning methodology opens up the application of
asteroseismic modeling in +6D parameter space for thousands of stars pulsating
in coherent modes with long lifetimes observed by the $Kepler$ space telescope
and to be discovered with the TESS and PLATO space missions, while applications
so far were done star-by-star for only a handful of cases. Our method is open
source and can be used by anyone freely.


  We consider a natural generalisation of the Laplace type operators for the
case of non-commutative (Moyal star) product. We demonstrate existence of a
power law asymptotic expansion for the heat kernel of such operators on T^n.
First four coefficients of this expansion are calculated explicitly. We also
find an analog of the UV/IR mixing phenomenon when analysing the localised heat
kernel.


  A complete and improved calculation of phase space factors (PSF) for
$2\nu\beta^+\beta^+$ and $0\nu\beta^+\beta^+$ decay, as well as for the
competing modes $2\nu EC\beta^+$, $0\nu EC\beta^+$, and $2\nu ECEC$, is
presented. The calculation makes use of exact Dirac wave functions with finite
nuclear size and electron screening and includes life-times, single and summed
positron spectra, and angular positron correlations.


  The problem of finding a (continuous) utility function for a semiorder has
been studied since in 1956 R.D. Luce introduced in \emph{Econometrica} the
notion. There was almost no results on the continuity of the representation. A
similar result to Debreu's Lemma, but for semiorders, was never achieved.
Recently, some necessary conditions for the existence of a continuous
representation as well as some conjectures were presented by A. Estevan. In the
present paper we prove these conjectures, achieving the desired version of
Debreu's Open Gap Lemma for bounded semiorders. This result allows to remove
the open-closed and closed-open gaps of a subset $S\subseteq \mathbb{R}$, but
now keeping the constant threshold, so that $x+1<y$ if and only if $g(x)+1<g(y)
\, (x,y\in S)$. Therefore, the continuous representation (in the sense of
Scott-Suppes) of bounded semiorders is characterized. These results are
achieved thanks to the key notion of $\epsilon$-continuity, which generalizes
the idea of continuity for semiorders.


  Novel member of polymetalloporphines, namely manganese polymetalloporphine of
type I (pMnP-I) obtained by ion exchange from magnesium polyporphine of type I
(pMgP-I) is reported for the first time and compared to its cobalt analogue
(pCoP-I). Both polymer films have been obtained via two-step procedure:
demetalation of the pMgP-I electrode film via its exposure to trifluoroacetic
acid solution, resulting in formation of the metal-free polyporphine of type I
(pH2P-I) followed by electrochemically induced incorporation of Co or Mn ions
from the acetonitrile solution of cobalt and manganese perchlorates. A further
oxidative transformation of pCoP-I, pMnP-I polymer films has led to the
corresponding polyporphines of type II, pCoP-II and pMnP-II, possessing such
unique features as condensed polymer structure with a very high density of
active sites and high electronic conductivity within a very broad potential
range including the one corresponding to the neutral (uncharged) state of the
polymer matrix. Both polymers of type II also exhibit interesting
electrocatalytic activity toward oxygen electroreduction in aqueous neutral (pH
6.7) and alkaline (pH 13) media which was evaluated under cyclic voltammetric
and steady-state conditions. The results demonstrate that the efficiency
(regardless of the electrolyte) of both polymetalloporphines is comparable to
bare platinum electrode. The effect of annealing of polymer-modified electrodes
on their catalytic properties has also been considered.


  We employ the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility's near-infrared spectrograph
SpeX at 0.8-2.4$\mu$m to investigate the spatial distribution of the stellar
populations (SPs) in four well known Starburst galaxies: NGC34, NGC1614,
NGC3310 and NGC7714. We use the STARLIGHT code updated with the synthetic
simple stellar populations models computed by Maraston (2005, M05). Our main
results are that the NIR light in the nuclear surroundings of the galaxies is
dominated by young/intermediate age SPs ($t \leq 2\times10^9$yr), summing from
$\sim$40\% up to 100\% of the light contribution. In the nuclear aperture of
two sources (NGC1614 and NGC3310) we detected a predominant old SP component
($t > 2\times10^9$yr), while for NGC34 and NGC7714 the younger component
prevails. Furthermore, we found evidence of a circumnuclear star formation
ring-like structure and a secondary nucleus in NGC1614, in agreement with
previous studies. We also suggest that the merger/interaction experienced by
three of the galaxies studied, NGC1614, NGC3310 and NGC7714 can explain the
lower metallicity values derived for the young SP component of these sources.
In this scenario the fresh unprocessed metal poorer gas from the
destroyed/interacting companion galaxy is driven to the centre of the galaxies
and mixed with the central region gas, before star formation takes place. In
order to deepen our analysis, we performed the same procedure of SP synthesis
using Maraston (2011, M11) EPS models. Our results show that the newer and
higher resolution M11 models tend to enhance the old/intermediate age SP
contribution over the younger ages.


  NMR is emerging as a valuable testbed for the investigation of foundational
questions in quantum mechanics. The present paper outlines the preparation of a
class of mixed states, called pseudo-pure states, that emulate pure quantum
states in the highly mixed environment typically used to describe
solution-state NMR samples. It also describes the NMR observation of spinor
behavior in spin 1/2 nuclei, the simulation of wave function collapse using a
magnetic field gradient, the creation of entangled (or Bell) pseudo-pure
states, and a brief discussion of quantum computing logic gates, including the
Quantum Fourier Transform. These experiments show that liquid-state NMR can be
used to demonstrate quantum dynamics at a level suitable for laboratory
exercises.


  This paper reports a synergistic approach of READ and WRITE optimization by
deploying a high-precision digital computation unit along with a low-precision
ferroelectric finFET (Fe-finFETs) based analog vector-matrix multiplication
block for mitigating the impact of stochastic device variations in hafnium
zirconium oxide (HZO) based Fe-finFETs.


  The transport of individual particles in inhomogeneous environments is
complex and exhibits non-Markovian responses. The latter may be quantified by a
memory function within the framework of the linear generalised Langevin
equation (GLE). Here, we exemplify the implications of steady driving on the
memory function of a colloidal model system for Brownian motion in a corrugated
potential landscape, specifically, for one-dimensional motion in a sinusoidal
potential. To this end, we consider the overdamped limit of the GLE, which is
facilitated by separating the memory function into a singular (Markovian) and a
regular (non-Markovian) part. Relying on exact solutions for the investigated
model, we show that the random force entering the GLE must display a bias far
from equilibrium, which corroborates a recent general prediction. Based on data
for the mean-square displacement obtained from Brownian dynamics simulations,
we estimate the memory function for different driving strengths and show that
already moderate driving accelerates the decay of the memory function by
several orders of magnitude in time. We find that the memory may persist on
much longer timescales than expected from the convergence of the mean-square
displacement to its long-time asymptote. Furthermore, the functional form of
the memory function changes from a monotonic decay to a non-monotonic, damped
oscillatory behaviour, which can be understood from a competition of confined
motion and depinning. Our analysis of the simulation data further reveals a
pronounced non-Gaussianity, which questions the Gaussian approximation of the
random force entering the GLE.


  We introduce and address the problem of concurrent autonomic management of
different non-functional concerns in parallel applications build as a
hierarchical composition of behavioural skeletons. We first define the problems
arising when multiple concerns are dealt with by independent managers, then we
propose a methodology supporting coordinated management, and finally we discuss
how autonomic management of multiple concerns may be implemented in a typical
use case. The paper concludes with an outline of the challenges involved in
realizing the proposed methodology on distributed target architectures such as
clusters and grids. Being based on the behavioural skeleton concept proposed in
the CoreGRID GCM, it is anticipated that the methodology will be readily
integrated into the current reference implementation of GCM based on Java
ProActive and running on top of major grid middleware systems.


  By the same method introduced in [9], we calculate the Laplace transform of
the celebrated cut-and-join equation of Mari\~no-Vafa formula discovered by C.
Liu, K. Liu and J. Zhou [17]. Then, we study the applications of the polynomial
identity (1) obtained in theorem 1.1 of this paper. We show the proof
Bouchard-Mari\~no conjecture for C^3 which was given by L. Chen [5] Firstly.
Subsequently, we will present how to obtain series Hodge integral identities
from this polynomial identity (1). In particular, the main result in [9] is one
of special case in such series of Hodge integral identities. At last, we give a
explicit formula for the computation of Hodge integral
<\tau_{b_L}\lamda_{g}\lamda_{1}>_{g} where b_L = (b_1,..,b_l).


  Diamond is a promising material for high-power electronic applications in
both the dc and rf domains. However, the predicted advantages are yet to be
realized for a number of technical challenges. In particular, n-type devices
have not been feasible due to the large ionization energies and low
thermodynamic solubility limits of n-dopants. Motivated by the recent advances
in nonequilibrium processing, we propose and theoretically examine a
diamond/c-BN HEMT that can circumvent the critical limitations. A
first-principles calculation suggests the desired type-I alignment at the
heterojunction of these two nearly lattice matched semiconductors. The
investigation also illustrates that a large sheet carrier density in excess of
$5\times10^{12}~\mathrm{cm^{-2}}$ can be induced in the undoped diamond channel
by the gate bias. A subsequent analysis of a simple prototype design indicates
that the proposed device can achieve large current drive (~10 A/cm), low
$R_{on}$ ($\sim 0.05 ~ \mathrm{m}\Omega \cdot \mathrm{cm}^2$), and high $f_T$
(~300 GHz) simultaneously.


  We propose a perturbative asymptotic Bethe ansatz (PABA) for open spin-chain
systems whose Hamiltonians are given by matrices of anomalous dimension for
composite operators, and apply it to two types of composite operators related
to two different brane configurations. One is an AdS_4 \times S^2-brane in the
bulk AdS_5 \times S^5 which gives rise to a defect conformal field theory
(dCFT) in the dual field theory, and the other is a giant graviton system with
an open string excitation. In both cases, excitations on open strings attaching
to D-branes (a D5-brane for the dCFT case, and a spherical D3-brane for the
giant graviton case) can be represented by magnon states in the spin-chains
with appropriate boundary conditions, in which informations of the D-branes are
encoded. We concentrate on single-magnon problems, and explain how to calculate
boundary S-matrices via the PABA technique. We also discuss the energy spectrum
in the BMN limit.


  Eigenstates of fully many-body localized (FMBL) systems can be organized into
spin algebras based on quasilocal operators called l-bits. These spin algebras
define quasilocal l-bit measurement ($\tau^z_i$) and l-bit flip ($\tau^x_i$)
operators. For a disordered Heisenberg spin chain in the MBL regime we
approximate l-bit flip operators by finding them exactly on small windows of
systems and extending them onto the whole system by exploiting their quasilocal
nature. We subsequently use these operators to represent approximate
eigenstates. We then describe a method to calculate products of local
observables on these eigenstates for systems of size $L$ in $O(L^2)$ time. This
algorithm is used to compute the error of the approximate eigenstates.


  In this paper, we consider first order Sobolev spaces with Robin boundary
condition on unbounded Lipschitz domains. Hunt processes are associated with
these spaces. We prove that the semigroup of these processes are doubly Feller.
As a corollary, we provide a condition for semigroups generated by these
processes being compact.