title:
Expected Planet and False Positive Detection Rates for the Transiting
  Exoplanet Survey Satellite

abstract:
  The proposed Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) will survey the
entire sky to locate the nearest and brightest transiting extrasolar planets
with orbital periods up to about 36 days. Here we estimate the number and kind
of astrophysical false positives that TESS will report, along with the number
of extrasolar planets. These estimates are then used to size the ground-based
follow-up observing efforts needed to confirm and characterize the planets. We
estimate that the needed observing resources will be about 1400
telescope-nights of imaging with 0.5m to 1m-class telescopes, 300
telescope-nights with 1m to 2m-class telescopes for the classification of the
host stars and for radial velocity measurements with roughly 1 km/s precision,
and 380 telescope-nights with 2m to 4m-class telescopes for radial velocity
studies with precision of a few m/s. Follow-up spectroscopy of the smallest
planets discovered by TESS at the best possible velocity precision will be
limited by the number of telescope nights available on 4m to 10m class
telescopes with instruments such as HARPS and HIRES, but the pay-off of such
efforts will be the determination of masses for Super Earths with sufficient
accuracy to distinguish rocky desert planets from water worlds.


title: Secular evolution of viscous and self-gravitating circumstellar discs

abstract:
  We add the effect of turbulent viscosity via the \alpha-prescription to
models of the self-consistent formation and evolution of protostellar discs.
Our models are non-axisymmetric and carried out using the thin-disc
approximation. Self-gravity plays an important role in the early evolution of a
disc, and the later evolution is determined by the relative importance of
gravitational and viscous torques. In the absence of viscous torques, a
protostellar disc evolves into a self-regulated state with disk-averaged Toomre
parameter Q \sim 1.5-2.0, non-axisymmetric structure diminishing with time, and
maximum disc-to-star mass ratio \xi = 0.14. We estimate an effective viscosity
parameter \alpha_eff associated with gravitational torques at the inner
boundary of our simulation to be in the range 10^{-4}-10^{-3} during the late
evolution. Addition of viscous torques with a low value \alpha = 10^{-4} has
little effect on the evolution, structure, and accretion properties of the
disc, and the self-regulated state is largely preserved. A sequence of
increasing values of \alpha results in the discs becoming more axisymmetric in
structure, being more gravitationally stable, having greater accretion rates,
larger sizes, shorter lifetimes, and lower disc-to-star mass ratios. For
\alpha=10^{-2}, the model is viscous-dominated and the self-regulated state
largely disappears by late times. (Abridged)


title: Branon stabilization from fermion-induced radiative corrections

abstract:
  We consider a 3-brane embedded in 5-dimensional space time characterized by a
Gaussian warp factor, for which the four-dimensional effective theory for brane
fluctuation (branons) is unstable. We show that radiative corrections arising
from fermions living on the brane, and therefore coupled to branons, stabilize
the system by generating dynamically a spontaneous symmetry breaking for the
branon field. The price to pay, for the corresponding mechanism to be
consistent, is to have a large number of fermion flavours, and we discuss the
fat brane scenario as an interpretation for the dressed branon theory, taking
into account the Maxwell construction, which avoids the spinodal instability
present in the perturbative effective potential.


title: Redshifts and lens profile for the double quasar QJ 0158-4325

abstract:
  We report on the redshift of the lensing galaxy and of the quasar QJ
0158-4325 and on the lens model of the system. A deep VLT/FORS2 spectrum and
HST/NICMOS-F160W images are deconvolved. From the images we derive the light
profile of the lensing galaxy and an accurate relative astrometry for the
system. In addition we measure the flux ratio between the quasar images in the
MgII emission line to constrain the mass model. From the spectrum we measure
the redshift of the lensing galaxy (z=0.317+/-0.001) and of the quasar
(z=1.294+/-0.008). Using the flux ratio in the lens model allows to discard the
SIE as a suitable approximation of the lens potential. On the contrary the
truncated-PIEMD gives a good fit to the lens and leads to a time delay of
t(A-B)=-14.5+/-0.1 days, with H0=73 km/s/Mpc. Using the flux ratio to constrain
the mass model favors the truncated-PIEMD over the SIE, while ignoring this
constraint leaves the choice open.


title:
Voltage-Controlled Surface Magnetization of Itinerant Ferromagnet
  Ni_(1-x)Cu_x

abstract:
  We argue that surface magnetization of a metallic ferromagnet can be turned
on and off isothermally by an applied voltage. For this, the material's
electron subsystem must be close enough to the boundary between para- and
ferromagnetic regions on the electron density scale. For the 3d series, the
boundary is between Ni and Cu, which makes their alloy a primary candidate.
Using Ginzburg-Landau functional, which we build from Ni_(1-x)Cu_x empirical
properties, ab-initio parameters of Ni and Cu, and orbital-free LSDA, we show
that the proposed effect is experimentally observable.


title:
Network Analysis of Biochemical Logic for Noise Reduction and Stability:
  A System of Three Coupled Enzymatic AND Gates

abstract:
  We develop an approach aimed at optimizing the parameters of a network of
biochemical logic gates for reduction of the "analog" noise buildup.
Experiments for three coupled enzymatic AND gates are reported, illustrating
our procedure. Specifically, starch - one of the controlled network inputs - is
converted to maltose by beta-amylase. With the use of phosphate (another
controlled input), maltose phosphorylase then produces glucose. Finally,
nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) - the third controlled input - is
reduced under the action of glucose dehydrogenase to yield the optically
detected signal. Network functioning is analyzed by varying selective inputs
and fitting standardized few-parameters "response-surface" functions assumed
for each gate. This allows a certain probe of the individual gate quality, but
primarily yields information on the relative contribution of the gates to noise
amplification. The derived information is then used to modify our experimental
system to put it in a regime of a less noisy operation.


title: Classical electron model with non static conformal symmetry

abstract:
  Lorentz proposed a classical model of electron in which electron was assumed
to have only 'electromagnetic mass'. We modeled electron as charged anisotropic
perfect fluid sphere admitting non static conformal symmetry. It is noticed
that the pressure and density fail to be regular at the origin but effective
gravitational mass is regular everywhere and vanishes at the limit r->0 i.e. it
does not have to tolerate the problem of singularity. Further, we have matched
interior metric with exterior (Reissner-Nordstr\"om) metric and determine the
values of the parameters k and r_0 (occurring in the solutions) in functions of
mass, charge and radius of the spherically symmetric charged objects i.e.
electron.


title: Quantum Trajectory Analysis of the Two-Mode Three-Level Atom Microlaser

abstract:
  We consider a single atom laser (microlaser) operating on three-level atoms
interacting with a two-mode cavity. The quantum statistical properties of the
cavity field at steady state are investigated by the quantum trajectory method
which is a Monte Carlo simulation applied to open quantum systems. It is found
that a steady state solution exists even when the detailed balance condition is
not guaranteed. The differences between a single mode microlaser and a two-mode
microlaser are highlighted. The second-order correlation function g^2(T) of a
single mode is studied and special attention is paid to the one-photon trapping
state, for which a simple formula is derived for its correlation function. We
show the effects of the velocity spread of the atoms used to pump the
microlaser cavity on the second-order correlation function, trapping states,
and phase transitions of the cavity field.


title: Radial Velocity Studies of Close Binary Stars. XV

abstract:
  Radial-velocity measurements and sine-curve fits to the orbital radial
velocity variations are presented for the last eight close binary systems
analyzed the same way as in the previous papers of this series: QX And, DY Cet,
MR Del, HI Dra, DD Mon, V868 Mon, ER Ori, and Y Sex. For another seven systems
(TT Cet, AA Cet, CW Lyn, V563 Lyr, CW Sge, LV Vir and MW Vir) phase coverage is
insufficient to provide reliable orbits but radial velocities of individual
components were measured. Observations of a few complicated systems observed
throughout the DDO close-binary program are also presented; among them an
especially interesting is the multiple system V857 Her which - in addition to
the contact binary - very probably contains one or more sub-dwarf components of
much earlier spectral type. All suspected binaries which were found to be most
probably pulsating stars are briefly discussed in terms of mean radial
velocities and projected rotation velocities (v sin i) as well as spectral type
estimates. In two of them, CU CVn and V752 Mon, the broadening functions show a
clear presence of non-radial pulsations. The previously missing spectral types
for the DDO I paper are given here in addition to such estimates for most of
the program stars of this paper.


title: Equations resolving a conjecture of Rado on partition regularity

abstract:
  A linear equation L is called k-regular if every k-coloring of the positive
integers contains a monochromatic solution to L. Richard Rado conjectured that
for every positive integer k, there exists a linear equation that is
(k-1)-regular but not k-regular. We prove this conjecture by showing that the
equation $\sum_{i=1}^{k-1} \frac{2^i}{2^i-1} x_i = (-1 + \sum_{i=1}^{k-1}
\frac{2^i}{2^i-1}) x_0$ has this property.
  This conjecture is part of problem E14 in Richard K. Guy's book "Unsolved
problems in number theory", where it is attributed to Rado's 1933 thesis,
"Studien zur Kombinatorik".


title:
Finite-time collapse and soliton-like states in the dynamics of
  dissipative gases

abstract:
  A study of the gas dynamics of a dilute collection of the inelastically
colliding hard spheres is presented. When diffusive processes are neglected the
gas density blows up in a finite time. The blowup is the mathematical
expression for one of the possible mechanisms for cluster formation in
dissipative gases. The way diffusive processes smoothen the singularity has
been studied. Exact localized soliton-type solutions of the gas dynamics when
heat diffusion balances non-linear cooling are obtained. The presented results
generalize previous findings for planar flows.


title: Using the Notion of Copula in Tomography

abstract:
  In 1917 Johann Radon introduced the Radon transform which is used in 1963 by
A. M. Cormack for application in the context of tomographic image
reconstruction. He proposed to reconstruct the spatial variation of the
material density of the body from X-Ray images (radiographies) for different
directions. Independently G. N. Hounsfield derived an algorithm and built the
first medical CT scanner. Basically the idea of the X-ray CT is to get an image
of the interior structure of an object by X-raying the object from many
different directions. The mathematical problem is then estimating a
multivariate function from its line integrals.
  Four year before Cormack's idea, Abe Sklar introduced a theory in the context
of Statistics called copula. Shortly copulas are functions that link
multivariate distributions to theirs univariate marginal functions. It appeared
that copulas captivated all dependence structure concerning the marginal
functions and offer a wide range of parametric family model which could be used
as a model for the joint distribution function. This statistical problem is the
same as in Tomography, because a marginal density is obtained from a line
integral of its joint distribution. In the particular case of only given
horizontal and vertical projections corresponding to a given two marginal
functions, we link the theory of copula to tomography via the Radon transform
and Sklar's theorem. The result we propose seems to be new as mathematical
approach to solve this tomographic inverse problem.


title:
Exploring Universality of Few-Body Physics Based on Ultracold Atoms Near
  Feshbach Resonances

abstract:
  A universal characterization of interactions in few- and many-body quantum
systems is often possible without detailed description of the interaction
potential, and has become a defacto assumption for cold atom research.
Universality in this context is defined as the validity to fully characterize
the system in terms of two-body scattering length. We discuss universality in
the following three contexts: closed-channel dominated Feshbach resonance,
Efimov physics near Feshbach resonances, and corrections to the mean field
energy of Bose-Einstein condensates with large scattering lengths. Novel
experimental tools and strategies are discussed to study universality in
ultracold atomic gases: dynamic control of interactions, run-away evaporative
cooling in optical traps, and preparation of few-body systems in optical
lattices.


title:
On the complete classification of the unitary N=2 minimal superconformal
  field theories

abstract:
  Aiming at a complete classification of unitary N=2 minimal models (where the
assumption of space-time supersymmetry has been dropped), it is shown that each
modular invariant candidate of a partition function for such a theory is indeed
the partition function of a minimal model. A family of models constructed via
orbifoldings of either the diagonal model or of the space-time supersymmetric
exceptional models demonstrates that there exists a unitary N=2 minimal model
for every one of the allowed partition functions in the list obtained from
Gannon's work.
  Kreuzer and Schellekens' conjecture that all simple current invariants can be
obtained as orbifolds of the diagonal model, even when the extra assumption of
higher-genus modular invariance is dropped, is confirmed in the case of the
unitary N=2 minimal models by simple counting arguments.


title: Surface instability of sheared soft tissues

abstract:
  When a block made of an elastomer is subjected to large shear, its surface
remains flat. When a block of biological soft tissue is subjected to large
shear, it is likely that its surface in the plane of shear will buckle
(apparition of wrinkles). One factor that distinguishes soft tissues from
rubber-like solids is the presence -- sometimes visible to the naked eye -- of
oriented collagen fibre bundles, which are stiffer than the elastin matrix into
which they are embedded but are nonetheless flexible and extensible. Here we
show that the simplest model of isotropic nonlinear elasticity, namely the
incompressible neo-Hookean model, suffers surface instability in shear only at
tremendous amounts of shear, i.e., above 3.09, which corresponds to a 72
degrees angle of shear. Next we incorporate a family of parallel fibres in the
model and show that the resulting solid can be either reinforced or strongly
weakened with respect to surface instability, depending on the angle between
the fibres and the direction of shear, and depending on the ratio E/mu between
the stiffness of the fibres and that of the matrix. For this ratio we use
values compatible with experimental data on soft tissues. Broadly speaking, we
find that the surface becomes rapidly unstable when the shear takes place
"against" the fibres, and that as E/mu increases, so does the sector of angles
where early instability is expected to occur.


title: Power operations for Morava E-theory of height 2 at the prime 2

abstract:
  Explicit calculations of the algebraic theory of power operations for a
specific Morava E-theory spectrum are given, without detailed proofs.


title: Oscillations with TCP-like Flow Control in Networks of Queues

abstract:
  We consider a set of flows passing through a set of servers. The injection
rate into each flow is governed by a flow control that increases the injection
rate when all the servers on the flow's path are empty and decreases the
injection rate when some server is congested. We show that if each server's
congestion is governed by the arriving traffic at the server then the system
can *oscillate*. This is in contrast to previous work on flow control where
congestion was modeled as a function of the flow injection rates and the system
was shown to converge to a steady state that maximizes an overall network
utility.


title: Order-N implementation of exact exchange in extended systems

abstract:
  Exact (Hartree Fock) exchange is needed to overcome some of the limitations
of local and semilocal approximations of density functional theory (DFT). So
far, however, computational cost has limited the use of exact exchange in plane
wave calculations for extended systems. We show that this difficulty can be
overcome by performing a unitary transformation from Bloch to Maximally
Localized Wannier functions in combination with an efficient technique to
compute real space Coulomb integrals. The resulting scheme scales linearly with
system size. We validate the scheme with representative applications.


title: Star Formation in the Orion Nebula I: Stellar Content

abstract:
  The Orion Nebula is one of the most frequently observed nearby (<1
kiloparsec) star forming regions and, consequently, the subject of a large
bibliography of observations and interpretation. The summary in this chapter is
bounded spatially by the blister HII region, with sources beyond the central
nebula that are part of the same dynamical clustering covered in other chapters
in this book. Herein are discussed panchromatic observations of the massive OB
stars, the general T Tauri population, the sub-stellar sources and variable
stars within the Orion Nebula. First, a brief history of 400 years of
observation of the Nebula is presented. As this history is marked clearly by
revelations provided in each age of new technology, recent ultra-deep X-ray
surveys and high resolution multi-epoch monitoring of massive binary systems
and radio stars receive special attention in this review. Topics discussed
include the kinematics, multiplicity, mass distribution, rotation, and
circumstellar characteristics of the pre-main sequence population. Also treated
in depth are historical and current constraints on the distance to the Orion
Nebula Cluster; a long standing 10-20% uncertainty has only recently begun to
converge on a value near ~400 parsecs. Complementing the current review of the
stellar population is a companion chapter reviewing the molecular cloud,
ionized HII region and the youngest protostellar sources.


title: A streamlined proof of Goodwillie's n-excisive approximation

abstract:
  We give a shorter proof of Lemma 1.9 from Goodwillie, "Calculus III", which
is the key step in proving that the construction P_nF gives an n-excisive
functor.


title:
Structural results for free Araki-Woods factors and their continuous
  cores

abstract:
  We show that for any type ${\rm III_1}$ free Araki-Woods factor $\mathcal{M}
= \Gamma(H_\R, U_t)"$ associated with an orthogonal representation $(U_t)$ of
$\R$ on a separable real Hilbert space $H_\R$, the continuous core $M =
\mathcal{M} \rtimes_\sigma \R$ is a semisolid ${\rm II_\infty}$ factor, i.e.
for any non-zero finite projection $q \in M$, the ${\rm II_1}$ factor $qMq$ is
semisolid. If the representation $(U_t)$ is moreover assumed to be mixing, then
we prove that the core $M$ is solid. As an application, we construct an example
of a non-amenable solid ${\rm II_1}$ factor $N$ with full fundamental group,
i.e. $\mathcal{F}(N) = \R^*_+$, which is not isomorphic to any interpolated
free group factor $L(\F_t)$, for $1 < t \leq +\infty$.


title:
The Bean model of the critical state in a magnetically shielded
  superconductor filament

abstract:
  We study the magnetization of a cylindrical type-II superconductor filament
covered by a coaxial soft-magnet sheath and exposed to an applied transverse
magnetic field. Examining penetration of magnetic flux into the superconductor
core of the filament on the basis of the Bean model of the critical state, we
find that the presence of a non-hysteretic magnetic sheath can strongly enhance
the field of full penetration of magnetic flux. The average magnetization of
the superconductor/magnet heterostructure under consideration and hysteresis AC
losses in the core of the filament are calculated as well.


title: The Dirichlet problem for the Bellman equation at resonance

abstract:
  We generalize the Donsker-Varadhan minimax formula for the principal
eigenvalue of a uniformly elliptic operator in nondivergence form to the first
principal half-eigenvalue of a fully nonlinear operator which is concave (or
convex) and positively homogeneous. Examples of such operators include the
Hamilon-Jacobi-Bellman operator and the Pucci extremal operators. In the case
that the two principal half-eigenvalues are not equal, we show that the
measures which achieve the minimum in this formula provide a partial
characterization of the solvability of the corresponding Dirichlet problem at
resonance.


title: Apparent shape of super-spinning black holes

abstract:
  We consider the possibility that astrophysical Black Holes (BHs) can violate
the Kerr bound; i.e., they can have angular momentum greater than BH mass, $J >
M$. We discuss implications on the BH apparent shape. Even if the bound is
violated by a small amount, the shadow cast by the BH changes significantly (it
is $\sim$ an order of magnitude smaller) from the case with $J \le M$ and can
be used as a clear observational signature in the search for super--spinning
BHs. We discuss briefly recent observations in the mm range of the
super--massive BH at the Center of the Galaxy, speculating on the possibility
that it might violate the Kerr bound.


title:
Exploring the disk-jet connection from the properties of narrow line
  regions in powerful young radio-loud AGNs

abstract:
  We investigate the optical emission-line flux ratios of narrow-line regions,
in order to determine whether the formation of AGN jets requires specific
accretion conditions. We find that bright compact radio galaxies, which are
powerful radio galaxies in the early stage of the jet activity, exhibit
systematically larger flux ratios of [O{\sc i}]$\lambda$6300/[O{\sc
iii}]$\lambda$5007 and smaller flux ratios of [O{\sc iii}]$\lambda$5007/[O{\sc
iii}]$\lambda$4363 than radio-quiet (RQ) Seyfert 2 galaxies. Comparing the
observed line ratios with photoionization models, it is found that the
difference in the flux ratio of low- to high-ionization lines (e.g., [O{\sc
i}]$\lambda$6300/[O{\sc iii}]$\lambda$5007) can be well understood by the
difference in the spectral energy distribution (SED) of ionizing sources.
Powerful young radio-loud (YRL) AGNs favor SED without a strong big blue bump,
i.e., a radiatively inefficient accretion flow (RIAF), while RQ AGNs are
consistent with the models adopting SED with a strong big blue bump, i.e., a
geometrically thin, optically thick disk. These findings imply that the
formation of powerful AGN jets requires the accretion disk with harder ionizing
SED (i.e., a RIAF). We discuss the obscuring structure of YRL AGNs as a
plausible origin of the difference in flux ratios of [O{\sc iii}]$
\lambda$5007/[O{\sc iii}]$\lambda$4363.


title: Bounded Martin's Maximum with Many Witnesses

abstract:
  We study a strengthening of Bounded Martin's Maximum which asserts that if a
\Sigma_1 fact holds of \omega_2^V in a stationary set preserving extension then
it holds in V for a stationary set of ordinals less than \omega_2. We show that
this principle implies Global Projective Determinacy, and therefore does not
hold in the \mathbb{P}_{max} model for \mathsf{BMM}, but that the restriction
of this principle to forcings which render \omega_2^V countably cofinal does
hold in the \mathsf{BMM} model, though it is not a consequence of \mathsf{BMM}.


title: N=4 Chern-Simons theories and wrapped M-branes in their gravity duals

abstract:
  We investigate a class of N=4 quiver Chern-Simons theories and their gravity
duals. We define the group of fractional D3-brane charges in a type IIB brane
setup with taking account of D3-brane creation due to Hanany-Witten effect, and
confirm that it agrees with the 3-cycle homology of the dual geometry, which
describes the charges of fractional M2-branes, M5-branes wrapped on 3-cycles.
The relation between the fractional brane charge and the torsion of the
three-form potential field is partially established. We also discuss the
duality between baryonic operators in the Chern-Simons theories and M5-branes
wrapped on 5-cycles in the dual geometries. The degeneracy and the conformal
dimension of the operators are reproduced on the gravity side. We also comment
on the relation between wrapped M2-branes and monopole operators. The baryonic
operators we consider are not gauge invariant. We argue that the gauge
invariance cannot be imposed on all the operators corresponding to wrapped
M-branes in AdS4/CFT3 correspondence.


title: Critical properties of a trapped interacting Bose gas

abstract:
  We develop a practical theoretical formalism for studying the critical
properties of a trapped Bose-Einstein condensate using the projected
Gross-Pitaevskii equation. We show that this approach allows us investigate the
behavior of the correlation length, condensate mode and its number fluctuations
about the critical point. Motivated by recent experiments [Science {\bf 315},
1556 (2007)] we calculate the critical exponent for the correlation length,
observe clear finite-size effects, and develop characteristic length scales to
characterize the finite-size influences. We extend the Binder cumulant to the
trapped system and discuss an experimental method for measuring number
fluctuations.


title: B2 0902+34: A Collapsing Protogiant Elliptical Galaxy at z=3.4

abstract:
  We have used the visible integral-field replicable unit spectrograph
prototype (VIRUS-P), a new integral field spectrograph, to study the spatially
and spectrally resolved Lyman-alpha emission line structure in the radio galaxy
B2 0902+34 at z=3.4. We observe a halo of Lyman-alpha emission with a velocity
dispersion of 250 km/s extending to a radius of 50 kpc. A second feature is
revealed in a spatially resolved region where the line profile shows
blueshifted structure. This may be viewed as either HI absorption at -450 km/s
or secondary emission at -900 km/s from the primary peak. Our new data, in
combination with the 21 cm absorption, suggest two important and unexplained
discrepancies. First, nowhere in the line profiles of the Lyman-alpha halo is
the 21 cm absorber population evident. Second, the 21 cm absorption redshift is
higher than the Lyman-alpha emission redshift. In an effort to explain these
two traits, we have undertaken the first three dimensional Monte Carlo
simulations of resonant scattering in radio galaxies. Though simple, the model
produces the features in the Lyman-alpha data and predicts the 21 cm
properties. To reach agreement between this model and the data, global infall
of the HI is strictly necessary. The amount of gas necessary to match the model
and data is surprisingly high, >= 10E12 solar masses, an order of magnitude
larger than the stellar mass. The collapsing structure and large gas mass lead
us to interpret B2 0902+34 as a protogiant elliptical galaxy.


title: Feedback Differential Invariants

abstract:
  The problem of feedback equivalence for control systems is considered. An
algebra of differential invariants and criteria for the feedback equivalence
for regular control systems are found.


title:
An integrable generalization of the nonlinear Schr\"odinger equation on
  the half-line and solitons

abstract:
  We analyze initial-boundary value problems for an integrable generalization
of the nonlinear Schr\"odinger equation formulated on the half-line. In
particular, we investigate the so-called linearizable boundary conditions,
which in this case are of Robin type. Furthermore, we use a particular solution
to verify explicitly all the steps needed for the solution of a well-posed
problem.


title: Quantum Action Principle in Relativistic Mechanics

abstract:
  A quantum version of the action principle is considered in the case of a free
relativistic particle. The classical limit of the quantum action is obtained.


title: Strong-Coupling Constant at Three Loops in Momentum Subtraction Scheme

abstract:
  In this paper we compute the three-loop corrections to the $\beta$ function
in a momentum subtraction (MOM) scheme with a massive quark. The calculation is
performed in the background field formalism applying asymptotic expansions for
small and large momenta. Special emphasis is devoted to the relation between
the coupling constant in the MOM and $\overline{\rm{MS}}$ schemes as well as
their ability to describe the phenomenon of decoupling.
  It is demonstrated by an explicit comparison that the $\overline{\rm{MS}}$
scheme can be consistently used to relate the values of the MOM-scheme
strong-coupling constant in the energy regions higher and lower than the
massive-quark production threshold. This procedure obviates the necessity to
know the full mass dependence of the MOM $\beta$ function and clearly
demonstrates the equivalence of both schemes for the description of physics
outside the threshold region.


title:
Circumstellar water vapour in M-type AGB stars: Constraints from
  H2O(1_10 - 1_01) lines obtained with Odin

abstract:
  Aims: Spectrally resolved circumstellar H2O(1_10 - 1_01) lines have been
obtained towards three M-type AGB stars using the Odin satellite. This provides
additional strong constrains on the properties of circumstellar H2O and the
circumstellar envelope. Methods: ISO and Odin satellite H2O line data are used
as constraints for radiative transfer models. Special consideration is taken to
the spectrally resolved Odin line profiles, and the effect of excitation to the
first excited vibrational states of the stretching modes (nu1=1 and nu3=1) on
the derived abundances is estimated. A non-local, radiative transfer code based
on the ALI formalism is used. Results: The H2O abundance estimates are in
agreement with previous estimates. The inclusion of the Odin data sets stronger
constraints on the size of the H2O envelope. The H2O(1_10 - 1_01) line profiles
require a significant reduction in expansion velocity compared to the terminal
gas expansion velocity determined in models of CO radio line emission,
indicating that the H2O emission lines probe a region where the wind is still
being accelerated. Including the nu3=1 state significantly lowers the estimated
abundances for the low-mass-loss-rate objects. This shows the importance of
detailed modelling, in particular the details of the infrared spectrum in the
range 3 to 6 micron, to estimate accurate circumstellar H2O abundances.
Conclusions: Spectrally resolved circumstellar H2O emission lines are important
probes of the physics and chemistry in the inner regions of circumstellar
envelopes around asymptotic giant branch stars. Predictions for H2O emission
lines in the spectral range of the upcoming Herschel/HIFI mission indicate that
these observations will be very important in this context.


title: The role of self-similarity in singularities of PDE's

abstract:
  We survey rigorous, formal, and numerical results on the formation of
point-like singularities (or blow-up) for a wide range of evolution equations.
We use a similarity transformation of the original equation with respect to the
blow-up point, such that self-similar behaviour is mapped to the fixed point of
a \textit{dynamical system}. We point out that analysing the dynamics close to
the fixed point is a useful way of characterising the singularity, in that the
dynamics frequently reduces to very few dimensions. As far as we are aware,
examples from the literature either correspond to stable fixed points,
low-dimensional centre-manifold dynamics, limit cycles, or travelling waves.
For each "class" of singularity, we give detailed examples.


title:
Obtaining Depth Maps From Color Images By Region Based Stereo Matching
  Algorithms

abstract:
  In the paper, region based stereo matching algorithms are developed for
extraction depth information from two color stereo image pair. A filter
eliminating unreliable disparity estimation was used for increasing reliability
of the disparity map. Obtained results by algorithms were represented and
compared.


title: The Quest for the Nuclear Equation of State

abstract:
  The present status of the efforts to determine the nuclear equation of state
from results of heavy ion reactions and from astrophysical observations is
reviewed


title: Minimum mass of galaxies from BEC or scalar field dark matter

abstract:
  Many problems of cold dark matter models such as the cusp problem and the
missing satellite problem can be alleviated, if galactic halo dark matter
particles are ultra-light scalar particles and in Bose-Einstein condensate
(BEC), thanks to a characteristic length scale of the particles. We show that
this finite length scale of the dark matter can also explain the recently
observed common central mass of the Milky Way satellites ($\sim 10^7 M_\odot$)
independent of their luminosity, if the mass of the dark matter particle is
about $10^{-22} eV$.


title:
Actions of the derived group of a maximal unipotent subgroup on
  $G$-varieties

abstract:
  Let $U$ be a maximal unipotent subgroup of a connected semisimple group $G$
and $U'$ the derived group of $U$. We study actions of $U'$ on affine
$G$-varieties.
  First, we consider the algebra of $U'$ invariants on $G/U$. We prove that
$k[G/U]^{U'}$ is a polynomial algebra of Krull dimension $2r$, where $r=rk(G)$.
A related result is that, for any simple finite-dimensional $G$-module $V$,
$V^{U'}$ is a cyclic $U/U'$-module.
  Second, we study "symmetries" of Poincare series for $U'$-invariants on
affine conical $G$-varieties.
  Third, we obtain a classification of simple $G$-modules $V$ with polynomial
algebras of $U'$-invariants (for $G$ simple).


title: On relevance of modified gravities

abstract:
  It is shown that modified gravity theories with a Lagrangian composed of the
three quadratic invariants of the Riemann curvature tensor are not appropriate.
The field equations are either incompatible and/or irregular [like
f(R)-gravities], or, if compatible, lead to the linear instability of
polarizations relating to the Weyl tensor.
  A more relevant modification is the frame field theory, namely the best and
unique variant of Absolute Parallelism; it has no free parameters (D=5 is a
must) and no singularities arising in solutions. I sketch few remarkable
features of this theory.


title: A Unified Approach to Distance-Two Colouring of Graphs on Surfaces

abstract:
  In this paper we introduce the notion of $\Sigma$-colouring of a graph $G$:
For given subsets $\Sigma(v)$ of neighbours of $v$, for every $v\in V(G)$, this
is a proper colouring of the vertices of $G$ such that, in addition, vertices
that appear together in some $\Sigma(v)$ receive different colours. This
concept generalises the notion of colouring the square of graphs and of cyclic
colouring of graphs embedded in a surface. We prove a general result for graphs
embeddable in a fixed surface, which implies asymptotic versions of Wegner's
and Borodin's Conjecture on the planar version of these two colourings. Using a
recent approach of Havet et al., we reduce the problem to edge-colouring of
multigraphs, and then use Kahn's result that the list chromatic index is close
to the fractional chromatic index.
  Our results are based on a strong structural lemma for graphs embeddable in a
fixed surface, which also implies that the size of a clique in the square of a
graph of maximum degree $\Delta$ embeddable in some fixed surface is at most
$\frac32\,\Delta$ plus a constant.


title:
The high-energy emission from GX 339-4 as seen with INTEGRAL and
  XMM-Newton

abstract:
  GX 339--4 is a well-known microquasar. In this contribution we show the
obtained results with the INTEGRAL and XMM-Newton observatories of the outburst
undertaken on 2007. The observations cover spectral evolution from the hard,
soft intermediate states to the high/soft state. Spectral hardening correlated
with the appearance of an skewed Fe line is detected during one of the
observations during the soft intermediate state. In all spectral states joint
XMM/EPIC-pn, JEM-X, ISGRI and SPI data were fit with the hybrid
thermal/non-thermal Comptonization model (EQPAIR). With this model a
non-thermal component seems to be required by the data in all the observations.
Our results imply evolution in the coronal properties, the most important one
being the transition from a compact corona in the first observation to the
disappearance of coronal material in the second and re-appearance in the third.
We discuss the results obtained in the context of possible physical scenarios
for the origin and geometry of the corona and its relation to black hole
states.


title: Spontaneous magnetization in QCD and non-Fermi-liquid effects

abstract:
  Magnetic properties of quark matter at finite temperature are discussed by
evaluating the magnetic susceptibility. Combining the microscopic calculation
of the self-energy for quarks as well as the screening effects for gluons with
Fermi-liquid theory in a consistent way, we study the temperature dependence of
the magnetic susceptibility. The longitudinal gluons have the static screening
given by the Debye mass, and have a standard temperature dependence of
$O(T^2)$. An anomalous $T^2\ln T$ term arises in the magnetic susceptibility as
a novel non-Fermi-liquid effect due to the anomalous self-energy for quarks
given by the dynamic screening for transverse gluons. We then extract the
critical(Curie) temperature and present the magnetic phase diagram on the
density-temperature plane.


title:
Position and frequency shifts induced by massive modes of the
  gravitational wave background in alternative gravity

abstract:
  Alternative theories of gravity predict the presence of massive scalar,
vector, and tensor gravitational wave modes in addition to the standard
massless spin~2 graviton of general relativity. The deflection and frequency
shift effects on light from distant sources propagating through a stochastic
background of gravitational waves, containing such modes, differ from their
counterparts in general relativity. Such effects are considered as a possible
signature for alternative gravity in attempts to detect deviations from
Einstein's gravity by astrophysical means.


title: The cosmological background of vector modes

abstract:
  We investigate the spectrum of vector modes today which is generated at
second order by density perturbations. The vector mode background that is
generated by structure formation is small but in principle it contributes to
the integrated Sachs-Wolfe effect, to redshift-space distortions and to weak
lensing. We recover, clarify and extend previous results, and explain carefully
why no vorticity is generated in the fluid at second order. The amplitude of
the induced vector mode in the metric is around 1% that of the first-order
scalars on small scales. We also calculate the power spectrum and the energy
density of the vector part of the shear at second order.


title:
Intermittent accreting millisecond pulsars: light houses with broken
  lamps?

abstract:
  Intermittent accreting millisecond X-ray pulsars are an exciting new type of
sources. Their pulsations appear and disappear either on timescales of hundreds
of seconds or on timescales of days. The study of these sources add new
observational constraints to present models that explain the presence or not of
pulsations in neutron star LMXBs. In this paper we present preliminary results
on spectral and aperiodic variability studies of all intermittent AMSPs, with a
particular focus on the comparison between pulsating and non pulsating periods.


title: Feedback Equivalence of 1-dimensional Control Systems of the 1-st Order

abstract:
  The problem of local feedback equivalence for 1-dimensional control systems
of the 1-st order is considered. The algebra of differential invariants and
criteria for the feedback equivalence for regular control systems are found.


title:
Semileptonic $D_{q}\to K_{1}\ell \nu$ and nonleptonic $D\to K_1 \pi$
  decays in three--point QCD sum rules and factorization approach

abstract:
  We analyze the semileptonic $D_{q}\to K_1 \ell\nu$ transition with $q=u, d,
s$, in the framework of the three--point QCD sum rules and the nonleptonic
$D\to K_1 \pi$ decay within the QCD factorization approach. We study $D_{q}$ to
$K_1(1270)$ and $K_1(1400)$ transition form factors by separating the mixture
of the $K_1(1270)$ and $K_1(1400)$ states. Using the transition form factors of
the $D\to K_1 $, we analyze the nonleptonic $D\to K_1 \pi$ decay. We also
present the decay amplitude and decay width of these decays in terms of the
transition form factors. The branching ratios of these channel modes are also
calculated at different values of the mixing angle $\theta_{K_1}$ and compared
with the existing experimental data for the nonleptonic case.


title: Fate of baby radio galaxies: Dead or Alive ?

abstract:
  In order to reveal the long-term evolution of relativistic jets in active
galactic nuclei (AGNs), we examine the dynamical evolution of variously-sized
radio galaxies [i.e., compact symmetric objects (CSOs), medium-size symmetric
objects (MSOs), Fanaroff-Riley type II radio galaxies (FRIIs)]. By comparing
the observed relation between the hot spot size and the linear size of radio
source with a coevolution model of hot spot and cocoon, we find that the
advance speed of hot spots and lobes inevitably show the deceleration phase
(CSO-MSO phase) and the acceleration phase (MSO-FRII phase). The deceleration
is caused by the growth of the cross-sectional area of the cocoon head.
Moreover, by comparing the hot spot speed with the sound speed of the ambient
medium, we predict that only CSOs whose initial advance speed is higher than
0.3-0.5c can evolve into FRIIs.


title:
Three-dimensional Resonance in superconducting
  BaFe$_{1.9}$Ni$_{0.1}$As$_2$

abstract:
  We use inelastic neutron scattering to study magnetic excitations of the
FeAs-based superconductor BaFe$_{1.9}$Ni$_{0.1}$As$_2$ above and below its
superconducting transition temperature $T_c=20$ K. In addition to gradually
open a spin gap at the in-plane antiferromagnetic ordering wavevector
$(1,0,0)$, the effect of superconductivity is to form a three dimensional
resonance with clear dispersion along the c-axis direction. The intensity of
the resonance develops like a superconducting order parameter, and the mode
occurs at distinctively different energies at $(1,0,0)$ and $(1,0,1)$. If the
resonance energy is directly associated with the superconducting gap energy
$\Delta$, then $\Delta$ is dependent on the wavevector transfers along the
c-axis. These results suggest that one must be careful in interpreting the
superconducting gap energies obtained by surface sensitive probes such as
scanning tunneling microscopy and angle resolved photoemission.


title: Rare Muon Decay $\mu^+ \to e^+e^-e^+\nu_e\bar{\nu_\mu}$

abstract:
  An analytical expression for the spin-averaged amplitude squared of the rare
muon decay $\mu^+ \to e^+e^-e^+\nu_e\bar{\nu_\mu}$ is calculated. Monte Carlo
phase space simulation using the analytical expression for the amplitude has
been used to get various differential distributions of charged leptons. The
approximate analytical expression for the total energy spectrum of charged
leptons near the end point is presented. The dependence of branching ratio on
cuts in total energy of charged leptons is studied taking into account an
experimental energy resolution. It is shown that the measured branching ratio
is very sensitive to the energy resolution.


title: Mean Curvature Flow on Ricci Solitons

abstract:
  We study monotonic quantities in the context of combined geometric flows. In
particular, focusing on Ricci solitons as the ambient space, we consider
solutions of the heat type equation integrated over embedded submanifolds
evolving by mean curvature flow and we study their monotonicity properties.
This is part of an ongoing project with Magni and Mantegazzawhich will treat
the case of non-solitonic backgrounds $\cite{a_14}$.


title: A Novel Clustering Algorithm Based on Quantum Random Walk

abstract:
  The enormous successes have been made by quantum algorithms during the last
decade. In this paper, we combine the quantum random walk (QRW) with the
problem of data clustering, and develop two clustering algorithms based on the
one dimensional QRW. Then, the probability distributions on the positions
induced by QRW in these algorithms are investigated, which also indicates the
possibility of obtaining better results. Consequently, the experimental results
have demonstrated that data points in datasets are clustered reasonably and
efficiently, and the clustering algorithms are of fast rates of convergence.
Moreover, the comparison with other algorithms also provides an indication of
the effectiveness of the proposed approach.


title: Microstate Dependence of Scattering from the D1-D5 System

abstract:
  We investigate the question of distinguishing between different microstates
of the D1-D5 system (with charges Q_1 and Q_5), by scattering with an
incoherent beam, composed of a supergravity probe, with central energy E_0 and
width (\Delta E). The scattering is studied in the dual CFT description in the
orbifold limit for finite R, where R is the radius of the circle on which the
D1 branes are wrapped. When R(\Delta E) >> 1, the absorption cross-section is
found to be independent of the microstate and identical to the leading
semiclassical answer computed from the naive geometry. For smaller (\Delta E),
the answer depends on the particular microstate, which we examine for both
typical and atypical microstates. We derive an upper bound for the leading
correction to the cross-section when 1/R >> \Delta E >> (the average energy gap
1/{R [sqrt(Q_1Q_5)]}. For a typical state the bound is proportional to the area
of the stretched horizon, [\sqrt(Q_1 Q_5)], up to [log (Q_1Q_5)] terms.
Furthermore, when E_0 << (\Delta E), the proportionality constant is a pure
number independent of all energy scales. Numerical calculations using
Lorentzian profiles show that the actual value of the correction is in fact
proportional to [sqrt(Q_1Q_5)] without the logarithmic factor. We offer some
speculations about how this result can be consistent with a resolution of the
naive geometry by higher derivative corrections to supergravity.


title: Automorphism invariance and identities

abstract:
  If an outer (multilinear) commutator identity holds in a large subgroup of a
group, then it holds also in a large characteristic subgroup. Similar
assertions are valid for algebras and their ideals or subspaces. Varying the
meaning of the word "large", we obtain many interesting facts. These results
cannot be extended to arbitrary (non-multilinear) identities. As an
application, we give a sharp estimate for the `virtual derived length' of
(virtually solvable)-by-(virtually solvable) groups.


title:
Improved time-resolved magneto-optical Kerr effect technique and dynamic
  magnetization reversal mechanism of perpendicularly magnetized
  $L1_{\mathrm{0}}$ FePt films

abstract:
  The dynamic coercivity cannot be measured rigorously by the conventional
time-resolved magneto-optical Kerr effect technique because the irreversible
deviation of the transient magnetization is accumulated. In order to remove the
accumulation effect, the alternating magnetic field is employed and
synchronized with the femtosecond laser pulse. Since the sample is reset before
each single laser pulse, the accumulation effect of the irreversible deviation
of the transient magnetization is removed. For perpendicularly magnetized
$L1_{\mathrm{0}}$ FePt films, the dynamic magnetization reversal process is
accomplished by the nucleation of reversed domains and the pinned domain wall
motion.


title:
The Feshbach resonance and nanoscale phase separation in a polaron
  liquid near the quantum critical point for a polaron Wigner crystal

abstract:
  The additional long range order parameter that competes with the high Tc
superconductivity long range order is identified as an electronic crystal of
pseudo Jahn-Teller polarons beyond the critical value of the electron lattice
interaction. We show that the region of quantum critical fluctuations in the
two variables phase diagram of cuprates: the doping (delta) and the chemical
pressure (i.e., the tolerance factor, or the average ionic radius of A-site
cations) can be measured via the microstrain (eta) of the Cu-O length in the
CuO2 lattice. The fluctuating order in the proximity of the microstrain quantum
critical point that competes with the superconducting long range order is the
polaron electronic crystalline phase called a Wigner polaron crystal and the
variation of the spin gap energy as a function of microstrain provides a strong
experimental support for this proposal.


title: Lie Groups and Quantum Mechanics

abstract:
  Mathematical modeling should present a consistent description of physical
phenomena. We illustrate an inconsistency with two Hamiltonians -- the standard
Hamiltonian and an example found in Goldstein -- for the simple harmonic
oscillator and its quantisation. Both descriptions are rich in Lie point
symmetries and so one can calculate many Jacobi Last Multipliers and therefore
Lagrangians. The Last Multiplier provides the route to the resolution of this
problem and indicates that the great debate about the quantisation of
dissipative systems should never have occurred.


title: Semigroup analysis of structured parasite populations

abstract:
  Motivated by structured parasite populations in aquaculture we consider a
class of size-structured population models, where individuals may be recruited
into the population with distributed states at birth. The mathematical model
which describes the evolution of such a population is a first-order nonlinear
partial integro-differential equation of hyperbolic type. First, we use
positive perturbation arguments and utilise results from the spectral theory of
semigroups to establish conditions for the existence of a positive equilibrium
solution of our model. Then, we formulate conditions that guarantee that the
linearised system is governed by a positive quasicontraction semigroup on the
biologically relevant state space. We also show that the governing linear
semigroup is eventually compact, hence growth properties of the semigroup are
determined by the spectrum of its generator. In the case of a separable
fertility function, we deduce a characteristic equation, and investigate the
stability of equilibrium solutions in the general case using positive
perturbation arguments.


title:
Graph Polynomials: From Recursive Definitions To Subset Expansion
  Formulas

abstract:
  Many graph polynomials, such as the Tutte polynomial, the interlace
polynomial and the matching polynomial, have both a recursive definition and a
defining subset expansion formula. In this paper we present a general,
logic-based framework which gives a precise meaning to recursive definitions of
graph polynomials. We then prove that in this framework every recursive
definition of a graph polynomial can be converted into a subset expansion
formula.


title:
Matrix elements of SU(6) generators for baryons with arbitrary $N_c$
  quarks in mixed symmetric states $[N_c-1,1]$

abstract:
  We derive general analytic formulae for the matrix elements of the SU(6)
generators for mixed symmetric $[N_c-1,1]$ spin-flavor states with an arbitrary
number $N_c$ of quarks. They are relevant for baryon spectroscopy in the
$1/N_c$ expansion method applied to light baryons and can be used to study
excited states. In this way previous work on non-strange baryons can be
extended to both non-strange and strange baryons.


title: Quantization of q-Hamiltonian SU(2)-spaces

abstract:
  We explain how to define the quantization of q-Hamiltonian SU(2)-spaces as
push-forwards in twisted K-homology, and prove a `quantization commutes with
reduction' theorem for this setting. As applications, we show how the Verlinde
formulas for flat SU(2) or SO(3) bundles are obtained by localization in
twisted K-homology.


title:
Hierarchical size-structured populations: The linearized semigroup
  approach

abstract:
  In the present paper we analyze the linear stability of a hierarchical
size-structured population model where the vital rates (mortality, fertility
and growth rate) depend both on size and a general functional of the population
density ("environment"). We derive regularity properties of the governing
linear semigroup, implying that linear stability is governed by a dominant real
eigenvalue of the semigroup generator, which arises as a zero of an associated
characteristic function. In the special case where neither the growth rate nor
the mortality depend on the environment, we explicitly calculate the
characteristic function and use it to formulate simple conditions for the
linear stability of population equilibria. In the general case we derive a
dissipativity condition for the linear semigroup, thereby characterizing
exponential stability of the steady state.


title:
Chiral perturbation theory, K to pi pi decays and 2+1 flavor domain wall
  QCD

abstract:
  We present a calculation of the low energy constants describing the real and
imaginary parts of the $K \to \pi \pi$ decay amplitudes $A_0$ and $A_2$.
Leading and next leading order chiral perturbation theory is used and its
applicability assessed. A combination of statistical and systematic errors
limits the precision of the results. The apparent limitations of chiral
perturbation theory raise doubts about the accuracy of a possible extrapolation
to physical $K \to \pi \pi$ kinematics.


title:
Asymptotic analysis of a size-structured cannibalism model with infinite
  dimensional environmental feedback

abstract:
  In this work we consider a size-structured cannibalism model with the model
ingredients (fertility, growth, and mortality rate) depending on size (ranging
over an infinite domain) and on a general function of the standing population
(environmental feedback). Our focus is on the asymptotic behavior of the
system, in particular on the effect of cannibalism on the long-term dynamics.
To this end, we formally linearize the system about steady state and establish
conditions in terms of the model ingredients which yield uniform exponential
stability of the governing linear semigroup. We also show how the point
spectrum of the linearized semigroup generator can be characterized in the
special case of a separable attack rate and establish a general instability
result. Further spectral analysis allows us to give conditions for asynchronous
exponential growth of the linear semigroup.


title: Decomposition of D-modules over a hyperplane arrangement in the plane

abstract:
  We consider the D-module defined as the push-forward of a rank one linear
system on the complement of a central plane hyperplane arrangement, and
calculate its decomposition series, using algebraic calculations in the Weyl
algebra.


title:
General solution of functional equations defined by generic
  linear-fractional mappings F_1: C^N \to C^N and by generic maps birationally
  equivalent to F_1

abstract:
  We consider a system of birational functional equations (BFEs) (or
finite-difference equations at w=m \in Z) for functions y(w) of the form:
y(w+1)=F_n(y(w)), y(w):C \to C^N, n=deg(F_n(y)), F_n \in (\bf Bir}(C^N), where
the map F_n is a given birational one of the group of all automorphisms of C^N
\to C^N. The relation of the BFEs with ordinary differential equations is
discussed. We present a general solution of the above BFEs for n=1,\forall N
and of the ones with the map F_n birationally equivalent to F_1: F_n\equiv
V\comp F_1\comp V^{-1}, \forall V \in (\bf Bir}(C^N).


title: Status of Superstring and M-Theory

abstract:
  The first lecture gives a colloquium-level overview of string theory and
M-theory. The second lecture surveys various attempts to construct a viable
model of particle physics. A recently proposed approach, based on F-theory, is
emphasized.


title: Singularities of Hinge Structures

abstract:
  Motivated by the hinge structure present in protein chains and other
molecular conformations, we study the singularities of certain maps associated
to body-and-hinge and panel-and-hinge chains. These are sequentially
articulated systems where two consecutive rigid pieces are connected by a
hinge, that is, a codimension two axis.
  The singularities, or critical points, correspond to a dimensional drop in
the linear span of the axes, regarded as points on a Grassmann variety in its
Pl\"{u}cker embedding. These results are valid in arbitrary dimension. The
three dimensional case is also relevant in robotics.


title:
Demystification of Taylor,Laurent coefficients of Lerch,Hurwitz Zeta
  functions and Dirichlet L-Function at Unity and Zero and their Bounds

abstract:
  Using elementary methods,we obtain simple,explicit expressions and bounds of
higher order derivatives of Hurwitz zeta function and consequently those of
Dirichlet L-function and also,of Lerch's Zeta function at unity (and at Zero
too)and also obtain their interrelations.We also state elementary complete
forms of approximate functional equations of Hurwitz zeta function and
Dirichlet L-function in the critical strip.


title: Extremal Configurations of Hinge Structures

abstract:
  We study body-and-hinge and panel-and-hinge chains in R^d, with two marked
points: one on the first body, the other on the last. For a general chain, the
squared distance between the marked points gives a Morse-Bott function on a
torus configuration space. Maximal configurations, when the distance between
the two marked points reaches a global maximum, have particularly simple
geometrical characterizations. The three-dimensional case is relevant for
applications to robotics and molecular structures.


title: Ascending and descending regions of a discrete Morse function

abstract:
  We present an algorithm which produces a decomposition of a regular cellular
complex with a discrete Morse function analogous to the Morse-Smale
decomposition of a smooth manifold with respect to a smooth Morse function. The
advantage of our algorithm compared to similar existing results is that it
works, at least theoretically, in any dimension. Practically, there are
dimensional restrictions due to the size of cellular complexes of higher
dimensions, though. We prove that the algorithm is correct in the sense that it
always produces a decomposition into descending and ascending regions of the
critical cells in a finite number of steps, and that, after a finite number of
subdivisions, all the regions are topological discs. The efficiency of the
algorithm is discussed and its performance on several examples is demonstrated.


title:
Colliding branes and formation of spacetime singularities in string
  theory

abstract:
  Colliding branes without $Z_{2}$ symmetry and the formation of spacetime
singularities in string theory are studied. After developing the general
formulas to describe such events, we study a particular class of exact
solutions first in the 5-dimensional effective theory, and then lift it to the
10-dimensional spacetime. In general, the 5-dimensional spacetime is singular,
due to the mutual focus of the two colliding 3-branes. Non-singular cases also
exist, but with the price that both of the colliding branes violate all the
three energy conditions, weak, dominant, and strong. After lifted to 10
dimensions, we find that the spacetime remains singular, whenever it is
singular in the 5-dimensional effective theory. In the cases where no
singularities are formed after the collision, we find that the two 8-branes
necessarily violate all the energy conditions.


title: On leafwise conformal diffeomorphisms

abstract:
  For every diffeomorphism $\varphi:M\to N$ between 3--dimensional Riemannian
manifolds $M$ and $N$ there are in general locally two 2--dimensional
distributions $D_{\pm}$ such that $\varphi$ is conformal on both of them. We
state necessary and sufficient conditions for a distribution to be one of
$D_{\pm}$. These are algebraic conditions expressed in terms of the
self-adjoint and positive definite operator $(\varphi_{\ast})^*\varphi_{\ast}$.
We investigate integrability condition of $D_+$ and $D_-$. We also show that it
is possible to choose coordinate systems in which leafwise conformal
diffeomorphism is holomorphic on leaves.


title: Distributed (Delta + 1)-coloring in linear (in Delta) time

abstract:
  The distributed (Delta + 1)-coloring problem is one of most fundamental and
well-studied problems of Distributed Algorithms. Starting with the work of Cole
and Vishkin in 86, there was a long line of gradually improving algorithms
published. The current state-of-the-art running time is O(Delta log Delta +
log^* n), due to Kuhn and Wattenhofer, PODC'06. Linial (FOCS'87) has proved a
lower bound of 1/2 \log^* n for the problem, and Szegedy and Vishwanathan
(STOC'93) provided a heuristic argument that shows that algorithms from a wide
family of locally iterative algorithms are unlikely to achieve running time
smaller than \Theta(Delta log Delta).
  We present a deterministic (Delta + 1)-coloring distributed algorithm with
running time O(Delta) + 1/2 log^* n. We also present a tradeoff between the
running time and the number of colors, and devise an O(Delta * t)-coloring
algorithm with running time O(Delta / t + \log^* n), for any parameter t, 1 < t
< Delta^{1-epsilon}, for an arbitrarily small constant epsilon, 0 < epsilon <
1.
  On the way to this result we study a generalization of the notion of graph
coloring, which is called defective coloring. In an m-defective p-coloring the
vertices are colored with p colors so that each vertex has up to m neighbors
with the same color. We show that an m-defective p-coloring with reasonably
small m and p can be computed very efficiently. We also develop a technique to
employ multiple defect colorings of various subgraphs of the original graph G
for computing a (Delta+1)-coloring of G. We believe that these techniques are
of independent interest.


title: Multiple equivalent matings with the aeroplane polynomial

abstract:
  We produce arbitrarily large equivalence classes of matings with the
aeroplane polynomial. These are obtained by a slight generalisation of the
technique of proof of a similar result for Wittner captures.


title: Current-induced reversal in magnetic nanopillars passivated by silicon

abstract:
  We demonstrate that magnetic multilayer nanopillars can be efficiently
protected from oxidation by coating with silicon. Both the protected and the
oxidized nanopillars exhibit an increase of reversal current at cryogenic
temperatures. However the magnetic excitation onset current increases only in
the oxidized samples. We show that oxidized nanopillars exhibit anomalous
switching statistics at low temperature, providing a simple test for the
quality of magnetic nanodevices.


title: Constructing knot tunnels using giant steps

abstract:
  This is the first of three papers that refine and extend portions of our
earlier preprint, "Depth of a knot tunnel." Together, they rework the entire
preprint.
  H. Goda, M. Scharlemann, and A. Thompson described a general construction of
all tunnels of all tunnel number 1 knots using "tunnel moves". We apply the
theory that we introduced in "The tree of knot tunnels" to study this
construction. In particular, we use it to calculate the number of distinct
minimal sequences of tunnel moves that can produce a given tunnel. As a
consequence, we see that for a sparse infinite set of tunnels, the minimal
sequence is unique, but generically a tunnel will have many such constructions.


title: A lattice in more than two Kac--Moody groups is arithmetic

abstract:
  Let $\Gamma$ be an irreducible lattice in a product of n infinite irreducible
complete Kac-Moody groups of simply laced type over finite fields. We show that
if n is at least 3, then each Kac-Moody groups is in fact a simple algebraic
group over a local field and $\Gamma$ is an arithmetic lattice. This relies on
the following alternative which is satisfied by any irreducible lattice
provided n is at least 2: either $\Gamma$ is an S-arithmetic (hence linear)
group, or it is not residually finite. In that case, it is even virtually
simple when the ground field is large enough.
  More general CAT(0) groups are also considered throughout.


title:
A simple proof of exponential decay in the two dimensional percolation
  model

abstract:
  Kesten showed the exponential decay of percolation probability in the
subcritical phase for the two-dimensional percolation model. This result
implies his celebrated computation that $p_c=0.5$ for bond percolation in the
square lattice, and site percolation in the triangular lattice, respectively.
In this paper, we present a simpler proof for Kesten's theorem.


title:
An Extension of the Permutation Group Enumeration Technique (Collapse of
  the Polynomial Hierarchy: $\mathbf{NP = P}$)

abstract:
  The distinguishing result of this paper is a $\mathbf{P}$-time enumerable
partition of all the potential perfect matchings in a bipartite graph. This
partition is a set of equivalence classes induced by the missing edges in the
potential perfect matchings.
  We capture the behavior of these missing edges in a polynomially bounded
representation of the exponentially many perfect matchings by a graph theoretic
structure, called MinSet Sequence, where MinSet is a P-time enumerable
structure derived from a graph theoretic counterpart of a generating set of the
symmetric group. This leads to a polynomially bounded generating set of all the
classes, enabling the enumeration of perfect matchings in polynomial time. The
sequential time complexity of this $\mathbf{\#P}$-complete problem is shown to
be $O(n^{45}\log n)$.
  And thus we prove a result even more surprising than $\mathbf{NP = P}$, that
is, $\mathbf{\#P}=\mathbf{FP}$, where $\mathbf{FP}$ is the class of functions,
$f: \{0, 1\}^* \rightarrow \mathbb{N} $, computable in polynomial time on a
deterministic model of computation.


title: Two-color modulation transfer spectroscopy

abstract:
  We present two-color modulation transfer spectroscopy as a tool for precision
studies of atomic properties of excited states. The bi-colored technique
addresses a narrow set of velocity groups of a thermal atomic vapour using a
two-step transition to "burn a hole" in the velocity distribution. The
resulting spectrum presents sub-Doppler linewidths, good signal to noise ratio
and the trademark sidebands that work as an in situ ruler for the energy
spacing between atomic resonances. The spectra obtained can be used for
different applications such as measurements of energy splittings or
stabilization of laser frequencies to excited atomic transitions.


title: Effective three-body interactions of neutral bosons in optical lattices

abstract:
  We show that there are effective three- and higher-body interactions
generated by the two-body collisions of atoms confined in the lowest
vibrational states of a 3D optical lattice. The collapse and revival dynamics
of approximate coherent states loaded into a lattice are a particularly
sensitive probe of these higher-body interactions; the visibility of
interference fringes depend on both two-, three-, and higher-body energy
scales, and these produce an initial dephasing that can help explain the
surprisingly rapid decay of revivals seen in experiments. If inhomogeneities in
the lattice system are sufficiently reduced, longer timescale partial and
nearly full revivals will be visible. Using Feshbach resonances or control of
the lattice potential it is possible to tune the effective higher-body
interactions and simulate effective field theories in optical lattices.


title: Model-Based Clustering using multi-allelic loci data with loci selection

abstract:
  We propose a Model-Based Clustering (MBC) method combined with loci selection
using multi-allelic loci genetic data. The loci selection problem is regarded
as a model selection problem and models in competition are compared with the
Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC). The resulting procedure selects the
subset of clustering loci, the number of clusters, estimates the proportion of
each cluster and the allelic frequencies within each cluster. We prove that the
selected model converges in probability to the true model under a single
realistic assumption as the size of the sample tends to infinity. The proposed
method named MixMoGenD (Mixture Model using Genetic Data) was implemented using
c++ programming language. Numerical experiments on simulated data sets was
conducted to highlight the interest of the proposed loci selection procedure.


title: Cabling sequences of tunnels of torus knots

abstract:
  This is the second of three papers that refine and extend portions of our
earlier preprint, "The depth of a knot tunnel." Together, they rework the
entire preprint.
  The theory of tunnel number 1 knots that we introduced in "The tree of knot
tunnels" yields a parameterization in which each tunnel is described uniquely
by a finite sequence of rational parameters and a finite sequence of 0's and
1's, that together encode a procedure for constructing the knot and tunnel. In
this paper we calculate these invariants for all tunnels of torus knots.


title: Stability of Curvature Measures

abstract:
  We address the problem of curvature estimation from sampled compact sets. The
main contribution is a stability result: we show that the gaussian, mean or
anisotropic curvature measures of the offset of a compact set K with positive
$\mu$-reach can be estimated by the same curvature measures of the offset of a
compact set K' close to K in the Hausdorff sense. We show how these curvature
measures can be computed for finite unions of balls. The curvature measures of
the offset of a compact set with positive $\mu$-reach can thus be approximated
by the curvature measures of the offset of a point-cloud sample. These results
can also be interpreted as a framework for an effective and robust notion of
curvature.


title:
Experimental study of out of equilibrium fluctuations in a colloidal
  suspension of Laponite using optical traps

abstract:
  This work is devoted to the study of displacement fluctuations of
micron-sized particles in an aging colloidal glass. We address the issue of the
validity of the fluctuation dissipation theorem (FDT) and the time evolution of
viscoelastic properties during aging of aqueous suspensions of a clay (Laponite
RG) in a colloidal glass phase. Given the conflicting results reported in the
literature for different experimental techniques, our goal is to check and
reconcile them using \emph{simultaneously} passive and active microrheology
techniques. For this purpose we measure the thermal fluctuations of micro-sized
brownian particles immersed in the colloidal glass and trapped by optical
tweezers. We find that both microrheology techniques lead to compatible results
even at low frequencies and no violation of FDT is observed. Several
interesting features concerning the statistical properties and the long time
correlations of the particles are observed during the transition.


title:
The Horizon Run N-body Simulation: Baryon Acoustic Oscillations and
  Topology of Large Scale Structure of the Universe

abstract:
  In support of the new Sloan III survey, which will measure the baryon
oscillation scale using the luminous red galaxies (LRGs), we have run the
largest N-body simulation to date using $4120^3 = 69.9$ billion particles, and
covering a volume of $(6.592 h^{-1} {\rm Gpc})^3$. This is over 2000 times the
volume of the Millennium Run, and corner-to-corner stretches all the way to the
horizon of the visible universe. LRG galaxies are selected by finding the most
massive gravitationally bound, cold dark matter subhalos, not subject to tidal
disruption, a technique that correctly reproduces the 3D topology of the LRG
galaxies in the Sloan Survey.We have measured the covariance function, power
spectrum, and the 3D topology of the LRG galaxy distribution in our simulation
and made 32 mock surveys along the past lightcone to simulate the Sloan III
survey. Our large N-body simulation is used to accurately measure the
non-linear systematic effects such as gravitational evolution, redshift space
distortion, past light cone space gradient, and galaxy biasing, and to
calibrate the baryon oscillation scale and the genus topology. For example, we
predict from our mock surveys that the baryon acoustic oscillation peak scale
can be measured with the cosmic variance-dominated uncertainty of about 5% when
the SDSS-III sample is divided into three equal volume shells, or about 2.6%
when a thicker shell with $0.4<z<0.6$ is used. We find that one needs to
correct the scale for the systematic effects amounting up to 5.2% to use it to
constrain the linear theories. And the uncertainty in the amplitude of the
genus curve is expected to be about 1% at 15 $h^{-1}$Mpc scale. We are making
the simulation and mock surveys publicly available.


title:
Thermoelectric and Magnetothermoelectric Transport Measurements of
  Graphene

abstract:
  The conductance and thermoelectric power (TEP) of graphene is simultaneously
measured using microfabricated heater and thermometer electrodes. The sign of
the TEP changes across the charge neutrality point as the majority carrier
density switches from electron to hole. The gate dependent conductance and TEP
exhibit a quantitative agreement with the semiclassical Mott relation. In the
quantum Hall regime at high magnetic field, quantized thermopower and Nernst
signals are observed and are also in agreement with the generalized Mott
relation, except for strong deviations near the charge neutrality point.


title:
Conceptual approach through an annotation process for the representation
  and the information contents enhancement in economic intelligence (EI)

abstract:
  In the era of the information society, the impact of the information systems
on the economy of material and immaterial is certainly perceptible. With
regards to the information resources of an organization, the annotation
involved to enrich informational content, to track the intellectual activities
on a document and to set the added value on information for the benefit of
solving a decision-making problem in the context of economic intelligence. Our
contribution is distinguished by the representation of an annotation process
and its inherent concepts to lead the decisionmaker to an anticipated decision:
the provision of relevant and annotated information. Such information in the
system is made easy by taking into account the diversity of resources and those
that are well annotated so formally and informally by the EI actors. A capital
research framework consist of integrating in the decision-making process the
annotator activity, the software agent (or the reasoning mechanisms) and the
information resources enhancement.


title:
Optimal sequential testing of two simple hypotheses in presence of
  control variables

abstract:
  Suppose that at any stage of a statistical experiment a control variable $X$
that affects the distribution of the observed data $Y$ can be used. The
distribution of $Y$ depends on some unknown parameter $\theta$, and we consider
the classical problem of testing a simple hypothesis $H_0: \theta=\theta_0$
against a simple alternative $H_1: \theta=\theta_1$ allowing the data to be
controlled by $X$, in the following sequential context. The experiment starts
with assigning a value $X_1$ to the control variable and observing $Y_1$ as a
response. After some analysis, we choose another value $X_2$ for the control
variable, and observe $Y_2$ as a response, etc. It is supposed that the
experiment eventually stops, and at that moment a final decision in favour of
$H_0$ or $H_1$ is to be taken.
  In this article, our aim is to characterize the structure of optimal
sequential procedures, based on this type of data, for testing a simple
hypothesis against a simple alternative.


title: Tunnel leveling, depth, and bridge numbers

abstract:
  This is the third of three papers that refine and extend portions of our
earlier preprint, "The depth of a knot tunnel." Together, they rework the
entire preprint.
  In this paper, we use the theory of tunnel number 1 knots that we introduced
in "The tree of knot tunnels" to strengthen the Tunnel Leveling Theorem of H.
Goda, M. Scharlemann, and A. Thompson. This yields considerable information
about bridge numbers of tunnel number 1 knots. In particular, we calculate the
minimum bridge number of a knot as a function of the maximum depth invariant d
of its tunnels. The growth of this value is on the order of (1+\sqrt{2})^d. We
also find the maximum bridge number as a function of the number of cabling
constructions needed to produce the tunnel, showing in particular that the
maximum bridge number of a knot produced by n cabling constructions is the
(n+2)nd Fibonacci number. Finally, we examine the special case of the "middle"
tunnels of torus knots.


title: A large deviations bound for the Teichmuller flow

abstract:
  Large deviation rates are obtained for suspension flows over symbolic
dynamical systems with a countable alphabet. The method is that of the first
author and follows that of L.-S. Young. A corollary of the main results is a
large deviation bound for the Teichm\"uller flow on the moduli space of abelian
differentials, which extends earlier work of J. Athreya.


title: Nonlinear Euler buckling

abstract:
  The buckling of hyperelastic incompressible cylindrical tubes of arbitrary
length and thickness under compressive axial load is considered within the
framework of nonlinear elasticity. Analytical and numerical methods for
bifurcation are developed using the exact solution of Wilkes for the linearized
problem within the Stroh formalism. Using these methods, the range of validity
of the Euler buckling formula and its first nonlinear corrections are obtained
for third-order elasticity. The values of the geometric parameters (tube
thickness and slenderness) where a transition between buckling and barrelling
is observed are also identified.


title:
Dynamics of a self gravitating light-like matter shell with spherical
  symmetry

abstract:
  A novel Hamiltonian description of the dynamics of a spherically symmetric,
light-like, self-gravitating shell is presented. It is obtained via the
systematic reduction of the phase space with respect to the Gauss-Codazzi
constraints, model and rare procedure in the Canonical Gravity. The Hamiltonian
of the system (numerically equal to the value of the ADM mass) is explicitly
calculated in terms of the gauge-invariant "true degrees of freedom", i.e. as a
function on the reduced phase space. A geometric interpretation of the momentum
canonically conjugate to the shell's radius is given. Models of matter
compatible with the shell dynamics are found. A transformation between the
different time parameterizations of the shell is calculated. The presented
model may become a new toy model of quantum gravity.


title: The mass function of young star clusters in spiral galaxies

abstract:
  The initial cluster mass function (ICMF) in spiral galaxy discs is
constrained and compared with data for old globular clusters and young clusters
in starbursts. It is found that the observed ages and luminosities of the
brightest clusters in spiral discs can be reproduced if the ICMF is a Schechter
function with a cut-off mass (Mc) of a few times 10^5 Msun and disruption of
optically visible clusters is dominated by relatively slow secular evolution. A
direct Schechter function fit to the combined cluster MF for all spirals in the
sample studied here yields Mc = (2.1+/-0.4)x10^5 Msun. The MFs in cluster-poor
and cluster-rich spirals are statistically indistinguishable. An Mc=2.1x10^5
Msun Schechter function also fits the MF of young clusters in the Large
Magellanic Cloud. If the same ICMF applies in the Milky Way, a bound cluster
with M>10^5 Msun will form about once every 10 Myr, while an M>10^6 Msun
cluster will form only once every 50 Gyr. Luminosity functions (LFs) of model
cluster populations drawn from an Mc=2.1x10^5 Msun Schechter ICMF generally
agree with LFs observed in spiral galaxies. It is thus concluded that the ICMF
in present-day spiral discs can be modelled as a Schechter function with Mc =
200,000 Msun. However, the presence of significant numbers of M>10^6 Msun (and
even M>10^7 Msun) clusters in some starburst galaxies makes it unlikely that
the Mc value derived for spirals is universal. In high-pressure environments,
such as those created by complex gas kinematics and feedback in mergers, Mc can
shift to higher masses than in quiescent discs.


title: Factorization theorems for dominated polynomials

abstract:
  In this note we prove that the factorization theorem for dominated
polynomials previously proved by the authors is equivalent to an alternative
factorization scheme that uses classical linear techniques and a linearization
process. However, this alternative scheme is shown not to be satisfactory until
the equivalence is proved.


title: Galactic vs. Extragalactic Origin of the Peculiar Transient SCP 06F6

abstract:
  We study four scenarios for the SCP 06F6 transient event that was announced
recently. Some of these were previously briefly discussed as plausible models
for SCP 06F6, in particular with the claimed detection of a z=0.143
cosmological redshift of a Swan spectrum of a carbon rich envelope. We adopt
this value of z for extragalactic scenarios. We cannot rule out any of these
models, but can rank them from most to least preferred. Our favorite model is a
tidal disruption of a CO white dwarf (WD) by an intermediate-mass black hole
(IMBH). To account for the properties of the SCP 06F6 event, we have to assume
the presence of a strong disk wind that was not included in previous numerical
simulations. If the IMBH is the central BH of a galaxy, this explains the non
detection of a bright galaxy in the direction of SCP 06F6. Our second favorite
scenario is a type Ia-like SN that exploded inside the dense wind of a carbon
star. The carbon star is the donor star of the exploded WD. Our third favorite
model is a Galactic source of an asteroid that collided with a WD. Such a
scenario was discussed in the past as the source of dusty disks around WDs, but
no predictions exist regarding the appearance of such an event. Our least
favorite model is of a core collapse SN. The only way we can account for the
properties of SCP 06F6 with a core collapse SN is if we assume the occurrence
of a rare type of binary interaction.


title: Electroweak symmetry breaking as a proximity effect

abstract:
  The proximity effect in condensed matter physics is a mechanism that
naturally produces weak superconductivity. We argue that a braneworld can
similarly produce a low-energy breaking of the electroweak symmetry, provided
that in addition to the "normal" region, occupied by the conventional phase of
QCD, there is a bulk region where the color is in an anisotropic (layered)
state with a larger confinement scale. The W and Z bosons, as well as the
quarks, acquire masses by scattering off the layered region. A peculiar feature
of this scenario is that the strongly interacting sector responsible for the
symmetry breaking can be much lighter than the conventional 1 TeV.


title: Logical aspects of quantum (non-)individuality

abstract:
  In this paper I consider some logical and mathematical aspects of the
discussion of the identity and individuality of quantum entities. I shall point
out that for some aspects of the discussion, the logical basis cannot be put
aside; on the contrary, it leads us to unavoidable conclusions which may have
consequences in how we articulate certain concepts related to quantum theory.
Behind the discussion, there is a general argument which suggests the
possibility of a metaphysics of non-individuals, based on a reasonable
interpretation of quantum basic entities. I close the paper with a suggestion
that consists in emphasizing that quanta should be referred to by the
cardinalities of the collections to which they belong, for which an adequate
mathematical framework seems to be possible.


title: Cognitive Coexistence between Infrastructure and Ad-hoc Systems

abstract:
  The rapid proliferation of wireless systems makes interference management
more and more important. This paper presents a novel cognitive coexistence
framework, which enables an infrastructure system to reduce interference to
ad-hoc or peer-to-peer communication links in close proximity. Motivated by the
superior resources of the infrastructure system, we study how its centralized
resource allocation can accommodate the ad-hoc links based on sensing and
predicting their interference patterns.
  Based on an ON/OFF continuous-time Markov chain model, the optimal allocation
of power and transmission time is formulated as a convex optimization problem
and closed-form solutions are derived. The optimal scheduling is extended to
the case where the infrastructure channel is random and rate constraints need
only be met in the long-term average. Finally, the multi-terminal case is
addressed and the problem of optimal sub-channel allocation discussed.
Numerical performance analysis illustrates that utilizing the superior
flexibility of the infrastructure links can effectively mitigate interference.


title: 3D Genus Topology of Luminous Red Galaxies

abstract:
  We measure the 3D genus topology of large scale structure using Luminous Red
Galaxies (LRGs) in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey and find it consistent with the
Gaussian random phase initial conditions expected from the simplest scenarios
of inflation. This studies 3D topology on the largest scales ever obtained. The
topology is sponge-like. We measure topology in two volume-limited samples: a
dense shallow sample studied with smoothing length of 21h^{-1}Mpc, and a sparse
deep sample studied with a smoothing length of 34h^{-1}Mpc. The amplitude of
the genus curve is measured with 4% uncertainty. Small distortions in the genus
curve expected from non-linear biasing and gravitational effects are well
explained (to about 1-\sigma accuracy) by N-body simulations using a
subhalo-finding technique to locate LRGs. This suggests the formation of LRGs
is a clean problem that can be modeled well without any free fitting
parameters. This bodes well for using LRGs to measure the characteristic scales
such as the baryon oscillation scale in future deep redshift surveys.


title: Steenrod homotopy

abstract:
  Steenrod homotopy theory is a framework for doing algebraic topology on
general spaces in terms of algebraic topology of polyhedra; from another
viewpoint, it studies the topology of the lim^1 functor (for inverse sequences
of groups). This paper is primarily concerned with the case of compacta, in
which Steenrod homotopy coincides with strong shape. We attempt to simplify
foundations of the theory and to clarify and improve some of its major results.
  Using geometric tools such as Milnor's telescope compactification,
comanifolds (=mock bundles) and the Pontryagin-Thom Construction, we obtain new
simple proofs of results by Barratt-Milnor; Cathey; Dydak-Segal; Eda-Kawamura;
Edwards-Geoghegan; Fox; Geoghegan-Krasinkiewicz; Jussila; Krasinkiewicz-Minc;
Mardesic; Mittag-Leffler/Bourbaki; and of three unpublished results by
Shchepin. An error in Lisitsa's proof of the "Hurewicz theorem in Steenrod
homotopy" is corrected. It is shown that over compacta, R.H.Fox's overlayings
are same as I.M.James' uniform covering maps. Other results include:
  - A morphism between inverse sequences of countable (possibly non-abelian)
groups that induces isomorphisms on inverse and derived limits is invertible in
the pro-category. This implies the "Whitehead theorem in Steenrod homotopy",
thereby answering two questions of A.Koyama.
  - If X is an LC_{n-1} compactum, n>0, its n-dimensional Steenrod homotopy
classes are representable by maps S^n\to X, provided that X is simply
connected. The assumption of simply-connectedness cannot be dropped by a
well-known example of Dydak and Zdravkovska.
  - A connected compactum is Steenrod connected (=pointed 1-movable) iff every
its uniform covering space has countably many uniform connected components.


title: Reducibility of Covers of AFT shifts

abstract:
  In this paper we show that the reducibility structure of several covers of
sofic shifts is a flow invariant. In addition, we prove that for an irreducible
subshift of almost finite type the left Krieger cover and the past set cover
are reducible. We provide an example which shows that there are non almost
finite type shifts which have reducible left Krieger covers. As an application
we show that the Matsumoto algebra of an irreducible, strictly sofic shift of
almost finite type is not simple.


title: Inflationary predictions at small gamma

abstract:
  This paper explores single field inflation models with a constant, but
arbitrary speed of sound c_s, obtained by deforming the kinetic energy terms to
a Dirac-Born-Infeld form. Allowing c_s<1 provides a simple parameterization of
non-gaussianity. The dependence of inflationary observables on the parameter
c_s is considered in the leading order slow roll approximation. The results
show that in most cases the dependence is actually rather weak for the range of
c_s allowed by existing bounds on non-gaussianity.


title: On vertex, edge, and vertex-edge random graphs

abstract:
  We consider three classes of random graphs: edge random graphs, vertex random
graphs, and vertex-edge random graphs. Edge random graphs are Erdos-Renyi
random graphs, vertex random graphs are generalizations of geometric random
graphs, and vertex-edge random graphs generalize both. The names of these three
types of random graphs describe where the randomness in the models lies: in the
edges, in the vertices, or in both. We show that vertex-edge random graphs,
ostensibly the most general of the three models, can be approximated
arbitrarily closely by vertex random graphs, but that the two categories are
distinct.


title: Anomalous thermoelectric transport of Dirac particles in graphene

abstract:
  We report a thermoelectric study of graphene in both zero and applied
magnetic fields. As a direct consequence of the linear dispersion of massless
particles, we find that the Seebeck coefficient Sxx diverges with 1 /, where
n2D is the carrier density. We observe a very large Nernst signal Sxy (~ 50
uV/K at 8 T) at the Dirac point, and an oscillatory dependence of both Sxx and
Sxy on n2D at low temperatures. Our results underscore the anomalous
thermoelectric transport in graphene, which may be used as a highly sensitive
probe for impurity bands near the Dirac point.


title:
Atomic collapse, Lorentz boosts, Klein scattering, and other
  quantum-relativistic phenomena in graphene

abstract:
  Electrons in graphene, behaving as massless relativistic Dirac particles,
provide a new perspective on the relation between condensed matter and
high-energy physics. We discuss atomic collapse, a novel state of superheavy
atoms stripped of their discrete energy levels, which are transformed into
resonant states. Charge impurities in graphene provide a convenient condensed
matter system in which this effect can be explored. Relativistic dynamics also
manifests itself in another system, graphene p-n junctions. We show how the
transport problem in the presence of magnetic field can be solved with the help
of a Lorentz transformation, and use it to investigate magnetotransport in p-n
junctions. Finally, we review recent proposal to use Fabry-Perot resonances in
p-n-p structures as a vehicle to investigate Klein scattering, another hallmark
phenomenon of relativistic dynamics.


title:
Geometrical indications of adsorbed hydrogen atoms on graphite producing
  starlike and ellipsoidal features in scanning tunneling microscopy images

abstract:
  Recent scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STM) experiments display images with
star and ellipsoidal like features resulting from unique geometrical
arrangements of a few adsorbed hydrogen atoms on graphite. Based on
first-principles STM simulations, we propose a new model with three hydrogen
atoms adsorbed on the graphene sheet in the shape of an equilateral triangle
with a hexagon ring surrounded inside. The model reproduces the experimentally
observed starlike STM patterns. Additionally, we confirm that an ortho-hydrogen
pair is the configuration corresponding to the ellipsoidal images. These
calculations reveal that when the hydrogen pairs are in the same orientation,
they are energetically more stable.


title:
Measurement of exclusive B to Xu l nu decays using full-reconstruction
  tagging at Belle

abstract:
  We report on a study of the branching fractions for the exclusive charmless
semileptonic B decay modes B to pi+ l nu, B to pi0 l nu, B to rho+ l nu, B to
rho0 l nu and B to omega l nu, using events tagged by fully reconstructing one
of the B mesons in a hadronic decay mode. The obtained branching fractions are
B(B to pi+ l nu) = (1.12 +- 0.18 +- 0.05) x 1E-4, B(B to pi0 l nu) = (0.66 +-
0.12 +- 0.03) x 1E-4, B(B to rho+ l nu) = (2.56 +- 0.46 +- 0.12) x 1E-4, B(B to
rho0 l nu) = (1.80 +- 0.23 +- 0.07) x 1E-4 and B(B to omega l nu) = (1.19 +-
0.32 +- 0.05) x 1E-4, where the first error in each case is statistical and the
second systematic. The partial branching fractions as a function of q2 are
extracted using three q2 bins. At low q2, the combined charged and neutral pion
branching fractions and a Light Cone Sum Rules prescription imply |Vub| = (3.1
+- 0.2 +- 0.1 {+0.5-0.3}) x 1E-3, while using the high q2 data and two
different lattice prescriptions implies |Vub| = (3.1 +- 0.3 +- 0.1 {+0.6-0.4})
x 1E-3 (HPQCD) and |Vub| = (3.3 +- 0.4 +- 0.1 {+0.6-0.4}) x 1E-3 (FNAL)
respectively. In each case the errors are statistical, systematic and
theoretical (associated with the prescription used). These results are obtained
from a data sample that contains 657 x 1E6 BBbar pairs, collected near the
Upsilon(4S) resonance with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric energy e+
e- collider. All results are preliminary.


title:
Search for VHE $\gamma$-ray emission in the vicinity of selected pulsars
  of the Northern Sky with VERITAS

abstract:
  It is generally believed that pulsars dissipate their rotational energy
through powerful winds of relativistic particles. Confinement of these winds
leads to the formation of luminous pulsar wind nebulae (PWNe) seen across the
electromagnetic spectrum in synchrotron and inverse Compton emission. Recently,
many new detections have been produced at the highest energies by Very High
Energy (VHE) gamma-ray observations identifying PWNe as among the most common
sources of galactic VHE gamma -ray emission. We report here on the preliminary
results of a search for VHE gamma-ray emission towards a selection of energetic
and/or close pulsars in the Norther hemisphere in the first years of operations
of the full VERITAS array.


title:
Detection of Polarimetric Variations Associated with the Shortest
  Time-Scale Variability in S5 0716$ + $714

abstract:
  We present the result of near-infrared and optical observations of the BL Lac
object S5 0716$ + $714 carried out by the KANATA telescope. S5 0716$ + $714 has
both a long term high-amplitude variability and a short-term variability within
a night. The shortest variability (microvariability) time-scale is important
for understanding the geometry of jets and magnetic field, because it provides
a possible minimum size of variation sources. Here, we report the detection of
15-min variability in S5 0716$ + $714, which is one of the shortest time-scales
in optical and near-infrared variations observed in blazars. The detected
microvariation had an amplitude of $0.061{\pm}0.005$ mag in $V$ band and a blue
color of $\Delta(V-J)=-0.025{\pm}0.011$. Furthermore, we successfully detected
an unprecedented, short time-scale polarimetric variation which correlated with
the brightness change. We revealed that the microvariation had a specific
polarization component. The polarization degree of the variation component was
higher than that of the total flux. These results suggest that the
microvariability originated from a small and local region where the magnetic
field is aligned.


title: The spatial distribution of star and cluster formation in M51

abstract:
  Aims. We study the connection between spatially resolved star formation and
young star clusters across the disc of M51. Methods. We combine star cluster
data based on B, V, and I-band Hubble Space Telescope ACS imaging, together
with new WFPC2 U-band photometry to derive ages, masses, and extinctions of
1580 resolved star clusters using SSP models. This data is combined with data
on the spatially resolved star formation rates and gas surface densities, as
well as Halpha and 20cm radio-continuum (RC) emission, which allows us to study
the spatial correlations between star formation and star clusters. Two-point
autocorrelation functions are used to study the clustering of star clusters as
a function of spatial scale and age. Results. We find that the clustering of
star clusters among themselves decreases both with spatial scale and age,
consistent with hierarchical star formation. The slope of the autocorrelation
functions are consistent with projected fractal dimensions in the range of
1.2-1.6, which is similar to other galaxies, therefore suggesting that the
fractal dimension of hierarchical star formation is universal. Both star and
cluster formation peak at a galactocentric radius of 2.5 and 5 kpc, which we
tentatively attribute to the presence of the 4:1 resonance and the co-rotation
radius. The positions of the youngest (<10 Myr) star clusters show the
strongest correlation with the spiral arms, Halpha, and the RC emission, and
these correlations decrease with age. The azimuthal distribution of clusters in
terms of kinematic age away from the spiral arms indicates that the majority of
the clusters formed 5-20 Myr before their parental gas cloud reached the centre
of the spiral arm.