title:
Theoretical Interpretation of Experimental Data from Direct Dark Matter
  Detection

abstract:
  Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs) are one of the leading
candidates for Dark Matter. Currently, the most promising method to detect
WIMPs is the direct detection of the recoil energy deposited in a
low-background laboratory detector due to elastic WIMP-nucleus scattering. So
far the usual procedure has been to predict the event rate of direct detection
of WIMPs based on some model(s) of the Galactic halo from cosmology and of
WIMPs from elementary particle physics. The aim of this work is to invert this
process. In this thesis I present methods which allow to reconstruct (the
moments of) the WIMP velocity distribution function as well as to determine the
WIMP mass from the recoil energy spectrum as well as from experimental data
directly. The reconstruction of the velocity distribution function has been
further extended to take into account the annual modulation of the event rate.
Moreover, the reconstruction of the amplitude of the annual modulation of the
velocity distribution and an alternative, better way for confirming the annual
modulation of the event rate have been discussed. On the other hand, the
determination of the WIMP mass by combining two (or more) experiments with
different detector materials has been developed. All formulae and expressions
given here are not only independent of the model of Galactic halo but also of
that of WIMPs. This means that we need neither the as yet unknown WIMP density
near the Earth nor the WIMP-nucleus cross section. The only information which
we need is the measured recoil energies and their measuring times.


title:
An Unbiased Survey of 500 Nearby Stars for Debris Disks: A JCMT Legacy
  Program

abstract:
  We present the scientific motivation and observing plan for an upcoming
detection survey for debris disks using the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope. The
SCUBA-2 Unbiased Nearby Stars (SUNS) Survey will observe 500 nearby main
sequence and sub-giant stars (100 of each of the A, F, G, K and M spectral
classes) to the 850 micron extragalactic confusion limit to search for evidence
of submillimeter excess, an indication of circumstellar material. The survey
distance boundaries are 8.6, 16.5, 22, 25 and 45 pc for M, K, G, F and A stars,
respectively, and all targets lie between the declinations of -40 deg to 80
deg. In this survey, no star will be rejected based on its inherent properties:
binarity, presence of planetary companions, spectral type or age. This will be
the first unbiased survey for debris disks since IRAS. We expect to detect ~125
debris disks, including ~50 cold disks not detectable in current shorter
wavelength surveys. A substantial amount of complementary data will be required
to constrain the temperatures and masses of discovered disks. High resolution
studies will likely be required to resolve many of the disks. Therefore, these
systems will be the focus of future observational studies using a variety of
observatories to characterize their physical properties. For non-detected
systems, this survey will set constraints (upper limits) on the amount of
circumstellar dust, of typically 200 times the Kuiper Belt mass, but as low as
10 times the Kuiper Belt mass for the nearest stars in the sample
(approximately 2 pc).


title:
The Galactic Deuterium Abundance and Dust Depletion: Insights From an
  Expanded Ti/H Sample

abstract:
  The primordial abundance of deuterium (D/H) yields a measure of the density
of baryons in the universe and is an important complement to determinations
from cosmic microwave background (CMB) experiments. Indeed, the current small
sample of high redshift D/H measurements from quasar absorption line studies
are in excellent agreement with CMB-derived values. Conversely, absorption line
measurements of the Galactic D/H ratio in almost 50 stellar sightlines show a
puzzlingly large scatter outside the Local Bubble which is difficult to explain
simply by astration from the primordial value. Here, we investigate the dust
depletion scenario by studying the correlation between D/H and the abundance of
titanium, one of the most refractory elements readily observed in the ISM. With
a sample 3 times larger than previous work, we confirm a correlation between
Ti/H and D/H at the 97% confidence level. However, the magnitude of this
dependence is difficult to reconcile with a simple model of dust depletion for
two reasons. First, contrary to what is expected from local depletion rates,
the gradient of the highly refractory Ti is much shallower than that observed
for Fe and Si. Second, we do not observe the established tight, steep
correlation between [Ti/H] and the mean volume density of hydrogen. Therefore,
whilst dust remains a plausible explanation for the local D/H variations, the
abundances of at least some of the refractory elements do not provide unanimous
support for this scenario. We also argue that the correlations of [Si/H],
[Fe/H], and [Ti/H] with D/H are inconsistent with a simple infall model of low
metallicity gas with approximately solar abundances as the dominant cause for D
variations.


title: L.V.Kantorovich and Linear Programming

abstract:
  I want to write about what I know and remember about the activities of Leonid
Vital'evich Kantorovich, an outstanding scientist of the 20th century; about
his dramatic struggle for recognition of his mathematical economic theories;
about the initial stage of the history of linear programming; about beautuful
Kantorovich metric, about the creation of a new area of mathematical activity
related to economic applications, which is called sometimes operation research,
sometimes mathematical economics, sometimes linear and convex programming, or
economic cybernetics, etc.; about its place in the modern mathematical
landscape; and, finally, about several personal impressions of this
distinguished scientist. The notes in no way pretend to exhaust these topics.


title:
Low Surface Brightness Galaxies around the HDF-S: II. Distances and
  volume densities

abstract:
  With this study we aim at the spectroscopic verification of a photometrically
selected sample of Low Surface Brightness (LSB) galaxy candidates in a field
around the Hubble Deep Field-South (HDF-S). The sample helps to extend the
parameter space for LSB galaxies to lower central surface brightnesses and to
provide better estimates on the volume densities of these objects. To derive
redshifts for the LSB candidates, long-slit spectra were obtained covering a
spectral range from 3400{\AA} to 7500{\AA}. The observations have been obtained
using the ESO 3.6m telescope, equipped with the EFOSC2 spectrograph. From the
measured radial velocities, distances could be estimated. With this distance
information, it is possible to differentiate between true LSB galaxies and
higher redshift High Surface Brightness (HSB) galaxies which may contaminate
the sample. A correction for the surface brightnesses can then be applied,
accounting for the cosmological dimming effect (``Tolman Dimming''). We show
that ~70% of the LSB candidates, selected based on their location in the
color-color space, are real LSB galaxies. Their position in the color-color
diagrams, therefore, indicate that the LSB galaxies have a different stellar
population mix resulting from a different star formation history compared to
HSBs. Our LSB galaxy sample consists only of large disk galaxies with
scale-length between 2.5kpc and 7.3kpc. We confirm the flat central surface
brightness distribution of previous surveys and extend this distribution down
to central surface brightnesses of 27 B mag arcsec^-2.


title:
A comment on `Wave-breaking Limits for relativistic electrostatic waves
  in a one-dimensional warm plasma' Phys. Plasmas 13 123102 by R. M. G. M.
  Trines and P. A. Norreys

abstract:
  Trines and Norreys state that a principle aim of their work on warm
wave-breaking was ``to create some order in the diverse landscape of warm fluid
models and establish which model is most suitable for the study of wave
breaking in thermal plasma.'' Unfortunately, we must conclude that they have
obfuscated more than they have clarified, and have advanced the waterbag model
only by exaggerating or misstating its benefits while mischaracterizing
features of alternative warm fluid theories.


title: Additional Symmetry of CKP hierarchy

abstract:
  Based on the Orlov and Shulman's M operator, the additional symmetries and
the string equation of the CKP hierarchy are established, and then the higher
order constraints on $L^l$ are obtained. In addition, the generating function
and some properties are also given. In particular, the additional symmetry
flows form a new infinite dimensional algebra $W^C_{1+\infty}$, which is a
subalgebra of $W_{1+\infty}$.


title: Vibrating Superconducting Island in a Josephson Junction

abstract:
  We consider a combined nanomechanical-supercondcuting device that allows the
Cooper pair tunneling to interfere with the mechanical motion of the middle
superconducting island. Coupling of mechanical oscillations of a
superconducting island between two superconducting leads to the electronic
tunneling generate a supercurrent which is modulated by the oscillatory motion
of the island. This coupling produces alternating finite and vanishing
supercurrent as function of the superconducting phases. Current peaks are
sensitive to the superconducting phase shifts relative to each other. The
proposed device may be used to study the nanoelectromechanical coupling in case
of superconducting electronics.


title: Controlled spontaneous emission

abstract:
  The problem of spontaneous emission is studied by a direct computer
simulation of the dynamics of a combined system: atom + radiation field. The
parameters of the discrete finite model, including up to 20k field oscillators,
have been optimized by a comparison with the exact solution for the case when
the oscillators have equidistant frequencies and equal coupling constants.
Simulation of the effect of multi-pulse sequence of phase kicks and emission by
a pair of atoms shows that both the frequency and the linewidth of the emitted
spectrum could be controlled.


title: Moduli Stabilization in Meta-Stable Heterotic Supergravity Vacua

abstract:
  We revisit the issue of moduli stabilization in a class of N=1 four
dimensional supergravity theories which are low energy descriptions of standard
perturbative heterotic string vacua compactified on Calabi-Yau spaces. In
particular, we show how it is possible to stabilize the universal dilaton and
Kahler moduli in a de Sitter/Minkowski vacuum with low energy supersymmetry
breaking by means of non-perturbative gauge dynamics, including recent results
by Intriligator, Seiberg and Shih. The non-SUSY vacua are meta-stable but
sufficiently long-lived.


title: The Role of Time in the Creation of Knowledge

abstract:
  This paper I assume that in humans the creation of knowledge depends on a
discrete time, or stage, sequential decision-making process subjected to a
stochastic, information transmitting environment. For each time-stage, this
environment randomly transmits Shannon type information-packets to the
decision-maker, who examines each of them for relevancy and then determines his
optimal choices. Using this set of relevant information-packets, the
decision-maker adapts, over time, to the stochastic nature of his environment,
and optimizes the subjective expected rate-of-growth of knowledge. The
decision-maker's optimal actions, lead to a decision function that involves,
over time, his view of the subjective entropy of the environmental process and
other important parameters at each time-stage of the process. Using this model
of human behavior, one could create psychometric experiments using computer
simulation and real decision-makers, to play programmed games to measure the
resulting human performance.


title: Lovelock inflation and the number of large dimensions

abstract:
  We discuss an inflationary scenario based on Lovelock terms. These higher
order curvature terms can lead to inflation when there are more than three
spatial dimensions. Inflation will end if the extra dimensions are stabilised,
so that at most three dimensions are free to expand. This relates graceful exit
to the number of large dimensions.


title: Location-Aided Fast Distributed Consensus in Wireless Networks

abstract:
  Existing works on distributed consensus explore linear iterations based on
reversible Markov chains, which contribute to the slow convergence of the
algorithms. It has been observed that by overcoming the diffusive behavior of
reversible chains, certain nonreversible chains lifted from reversible ones mix
substantially faster than the original chains. In this paper, we investigate
the idea of accelerating distributed consensus via lifting Markov chains, and
propose a class of Location-Aided Distributed Averaging (LADA) algorithms for
wireless networks, where nodes' coarse location information is used to
construct nonreversible chains that facilitate distributed computing and
cooperative processing. First, two general pseudo-algorithms are presented to
illustrate the notion of distributed averaging through chain-lifting. These
pseudo-algorithms are then respectively instantiated through one LADA algorithm
on grid networks, and one on general wireless networks. For a $k\times k$ grid
network, the proposed LADA algorithm achieves an $\epsilon$-averaging time of
$O(k\log(\epsilon^{-1}))$. Based on this algorithm, in a wireless network with
transmission range $r$, an $\epsilon$-averaging time of
$O(r^{-1}\log(\epsilon^{-1}))$ can be attained through a centralized algorithm.
Subsequently, we present a fully-distributed LADA algorithm for wireless
networks, which utilizes only the direction information of neighbors to
construct nonreversible chains. It is shown that this distributed LADA
algorithm achieves the same scaling law in averaging time as the centralized
scheme. Finally, we propose a cluster-based LADA (C-LADA) algorithm, which,
requiring no central coordination, provides the additional benefit of reduced
message complexity compared with the distributed LADA algorithm.


title: K-band spectroscopy of pre-cataclysmic variables

abstract:
  We have taken K-band spectroscopy of a sample of 13 pre-CVs in order to
examine them for anomalous chemical abundances. In particular, we study the
strength of the 12CO and 13CO absorption bands that have been found diminished
and enhanced, respectively, in similar studies of CVs.
  All our systems show CO abundances that are within the range observed for
single stars. The weakest 12CO bands with respect to the spectral type are
found in the pre-CV BPM 71214, although on a much smaller scale than observed
in CVs. Furthermore there is no evidence for enhanced 13CO. Taking into account
that our sample is subject to the present observational bias that favours the
discovery of young pre-CVs with secondary stars of late spectral types, we can
conclude the following: 1) our study provides observational proof that the CO
anomalies discovered in certain CVs are not due to any material acquired during
the common envelope phase, and 2) if the CO anomalies in certain CVs are not
due to accretion of processed material during nova outburst, then the
progenitors of these CVs are of a significantly different type than the
currently known sample of pre-CVs.


title:
Deflated GMRES for Systems with Multiple Shifts and Multiple Right-Hand
  Sides

abstract:
  We consider solution of multiply shifted systems of nonsymmetric linear
equations, possibly also with multiple right-hand sides. First, for a single
right-hand side, the matrix is shifted by several multiples of the identity.
Such problems arise in a number of applications, including lattice quantum
chromodynamics where the matrices are complex and non-Hermitian. Some Krylov
iterative methods such as GMRES and BiCGStab have been used to solve multiply
shifted systems for about the cost of solving just one system. Restarted GMRES
can be improved by deflating eigenvalues for matrices that have a few small
eigenvalues. We show that a particular deflated method, GMRES-DR, can be
applied to multiply shifted systems. In quantum chromodynamics, it is common to
have multiple right-hand sides with multiple shifts for each right-hand side.
We develop a method that efficiently solves the multiple right-hand sides by
using a deflated version of GMRES and yet keeps costs for all of the multiply
shifted systems close to those for one shift. An example is given showing this
can be extremely effective with a quantum chromodynamics matrix.


title: Spin-Orbit Alignment for the Eccentric Exoplanet HD 147506b

abstract:
  The short-period exoplanet HD 147506b (also known as HAT-P-2b) has an
eccentric orbit, raising the possibility that it migrated through planet-planet
scattering or Kozai oscillations accompanied by tidal dissipation. Either of
these scenarios could have significantly tilted the orbit relative to the host
star's equatorial plane. Here we present spectroscopy of a transit of HD
147506b, and assess the spin-orbit alignment via the Rossiter-McLaughlin
effect. We find the sky projections of the stellar spin axis and orbital axis
to be aligned within 14 deg. Thus we find no corroborating evidence for
scattering or Kozai migration, although these scenarios cannot be ruled out
with the present data.


title:
Experimental Free Energy Surface Reconstruction From Single-Molecule
  Force Spectroscopy Using Jarzynski's Equality

abstract:
  We used the atomic force microscope to manipulate and unfold individual
molecules of the titin I27 domain and reconstructed its free energy surface
using Jarzynski's equality. The free energy surface for both stretching and
unfolding was reconstructed using an exact formula that relates the
nonequilibrium work fluctuations to the molecular free energy. In addition, the
unfolding free energy barrier, i.e. the activation energy, was directly
obtained from experimental data for the first time. This work demonstrates that
Jarzynski's equality can be used to analyze nonequilibrium single-molecule
experiments, and to obtain the free energy surfaces for molecular systems,
including interactions for which only nonequilibrium work can be measured.


title:
Deflated Iterative Methods for Linear Equations with Multiple Right-Hand
  Sides

abstract:
  A new approach is discussed for solving large nonsymmetric systems of linear
equations with multiple right-hand sides. The first system is solved with a
deflated GMRES method that generates eigenvector information at the same time
that the linear equations are solved. Subsequent systems are solved by
combining restarted GMRES with a projection over the previously determined
eigenvectors. This approach offers an alternative to block methods, and it can
also be combined with a block method. It is useful when there are a limited
number of small eigenvalues that slow the convergence. An example is given
showing significant improvement for a problem from quantum chromodynamics. The
second and subsequent right-hand sides are solved much quicker than without the
deflation. This new approach is relatively simple to implement and is very
efficient compared to other deflation methods.


title: The Distance to SS433/W50 and its Interaction with the ISM

abstract:
  [ABRIDGED] The distance to the relativistic jet source SS433 and the related
supernova remnant W50 is re-examined using new observations of HI in absorption
from the VLA, HI in emission from the GBT, and 12CO emission from the FCRAO.
The new measurements show HI in absorption against SS433 to a velocity of 75
km/s but not to the velocity of the tangent point, which bounds the kinematic
distance at 5.5 < d_k < 6.5 kpc. This is entirely consistent with a 5.5 +/- 0.2
kpc distance determined from light travel-time arguments (Blundell & Bowler
2004). The HI emission map shows evidence of interaction of the lobes of W50
with the interstellar medium near the adopted systemic velocity of V_LSR = 75
km/s. The western lobe sits in a cavity in the HI emission near the Galactic
plane, while the eastern lobe terminates at an expanding HI shell. The
expanding shell has a radius of 40 pc, contains 8 +/- 3 x 10^3 M_sun of HI and
has a measured kinetic energy of 3 +/- 1.5 x 10^{49} ergs. There may also be a
static HI ring or shell around the main part of W50 itself at an LSR velocity
of 75 km/s, with a radius of 70 pc and a mass in HI of 3.5 - 10 x 10^4 M_sun.
We do not find convincing evidence for the interaction of the system with any
molecular cloud or with HI at other velocities. The HI emission data suggest
that SS433 lies in an interstellar environment substantially denser than
average for its distance from the Galactic plane. This Population I system, now
about 200 pc below the Galactic plane, most likely originated as a runaway
O-star binary ejected from a young cluster in the plane. New astrometric data
on SS433 show that the system now has a peculiar velocity of a few tens of km/s
in the direction of the Galactic plane. From this peculiar velocity and the
symmetry of the W50 remnant we derive a time since the SN of < 10^5 yr.


title: Incommensurate magnetic structure in the orthorhombic perovskite ErMnO_3

abstract:
  By combining dielectric, specific heat, and magnetization measurements and
high-resolution neutron powder diffraction, we have investigated the
thermodynamic and magnetic/structural properties of the metastable orthorhombic
perovskite ErMnO_3 prepared by high-pressure synthesis. The system becomes
antiferromagnetically correlated below 42 K and undergoes a lock-in transition
at 28 K with propagation wave vector (0,k_b,0), which remains incommensurate at
low temperature. The intercorrelation between the magnetic structure and
electric properties and the role of the rare earth moment are discussed.


title:
X-ray Spectral Signatures of the Photon Bubble Model for Ultraluminous
  X-ray Sources

abstract:
  The nature of ultraluminous X-ray sources in nearby galaxies is one of the
major open questions in modern X-ray astrophysics. One possible explanation for
these objects is an inhomogeneous, radiation dominated accretion disk around a
$\sim 10 M_{\odot}$ black hole -- the so-called ``photon bubble'' model. While
previous studies of this model have focused primarily on its
radiation-hydrodynamics aspects, in this paper, we provide an analysis of its
X-ray spectral (continuum and possible edge and line) characteristics. Compton
reflection between high and low density regions in the disk may provide the key
to distinguishing this model from others, such as accretion onto an
intermediate mass black hole. We couple a Monte Carlo/Fokker-Planck radiation
transport code with the XSTAR code for reflection to simulate the photon
spectra produced in a photon bubble model for ULXs. We find that reflection
components tend to be very weak and in most cases not observable, and make
predictions for the shape of the high-energy Comptonizing spectra. In many
cases the Comptonization dominates the spectra even down to $\sim$ a few keV.
In one simulation, a $\sim 9 \kev$ feature was found, which may be considered a
signature of photon bubbles in ULXs; furthermore, we make predictions of high
energy power-laws which may be observed by future instruments.


title: Order-Parameter Correlation Functions in Quantum Critical Phenomena

abstract:
  We investigate the functional form of the order-parameter (two-point)
correlation function in quantum critical phenomena. Contrary to the common
lore, when there is no particle-hole symmetry we find that the equal-time
correlation function at criticality does not display a diverging correlation
length. We illustrate our conclusions by Monte Carlo calculations of the
quantum rotor model in $d=2$ space dimensions


title: Computational coarse graining of a randomly forced 1-D Burgers equation

abstract:
  We explore a computational approach to coarse graining the evolution of the
large-scale features of a randomly forced Burgers equation in one spatial
dimension. The long term evolution of the solution energy spectrum appears
self-similar in time. We demonstrate coarse projective integration and coarse
dynamic renormalization as tools that accelerate the extraction of macroscopic
information (integration in time, self-similar shapes, and nontrivial dynamic
exponents) from short bursts of appropriately initialized direct simulation.
These procedures solve numerically an effective evolution equation for the
energy spectrum without ever deriving this equation in closed form.


title:
The S-matrix of the Faddeev-Reshetikhin Model, Diagonalizability and PT
  Symmetry

abstract:
  We study the question of diagonalizability of the Hamiltonian for the
Faddeev-Reshetikhin (FR) model in the two particle sector. Although the two
particle S-matrix element for the FR model, which may be relevant for the
quantization of strings on $AdS_{5}\times S^{5}$, has been calculated recently
using field theoretic methods, we find that the Hamiltonian for the system in
this sector is not diagonalizable. We trace the difficulty to the fact that the
interaction term in the Hamiltonian violating Lorentz invariance leads to
discontinuity conditions (matching conditions) that cannot be satisfied. We
determine the most general quartic interaction Hamiltonian that can be
diagonalized. This includes the bosonic Thirring model as well as the bosonic
chiral Gross-Neveu model which we find share the same S-matrix. We explain this
by showing, through a Fierz transformation, that these two models are in fact
equivalent. In addition, we find a general quartic interaction Hamiltonian,
violating Lorentz invariance, that can be diagonalized with the same two
particle S-matrix element as calculated by Klose and Zarembo for the FR model.
This family of generalized interaction Hamiltonians is not Hermitian, but is
$PT$ symmetric. We show that the wave functions for this system are also $PT$
symmetric. Thus, the theory is in a $PT$ unbroken phase which guarantees the
reality of the energy spectrum as well as the unitarity of the S-matrix.


title:
$(\alpha')^4$ Corrections in Holographic Large N_c QCD and $\pi - \pi$
  Scattering

abstract:
  We calculate the ${\alpha'}^4$ corrections to the non-Abelian DBI action on
the D8-brane in the holographic dual of large N_c QCD proposed by Sakai and
Sugimoto. These give rise to higher derivative terms, in particular, four
derivative contact terms for the pion field with the coupling uniquely
determined. We calculate the pion-pion scattering amplitude near threshold. The
results respecting unitarity are in qualitative agreement with the experimental
curves.


title: On the zero-temperature limit of one-dimensional Gibbs measures

abstract:
  This paper has been withdrawn by the authors due to an error in the main
theorem.


title: Phase space methods and psychoacoustic models in lossy transform coding

abstract:
  I present a method for lossy transform coding of digital audio that uses the
Weyl symbol calculus for constructing the encoding and decoding transformation.
The method establishes a direct connection between a time-frequency
representation of the signal dependent threshold of masked noise and the
encode/decode pair. The formalism also offers a time-frequency measure of
perceptual entropy.


title: High Energy neutrino signals from the Epoch of Reionization

abstract:
  We perform a new estimate of the high energy neutrinos expected from GRBs
associated with the first generation of stars in light of new models and
constraints on the epoch of reionization and a more detailed evaluation of the
neutrino emission yields. We also compare the diffuse high energy neutrino
background from Population III stars with the one from "ordinary stars"
(Population II), as estimated consistently within the same cosmological and
astrophysical assumptions. In disagreement with previous literature, we find
that high energy neutrinos from Population III stars will not be observable
with current or near future neutrino telescopes, falling below both IceCube
sensitivity and atmospheric neutrino background under the most extreme
assumptions for the GRB rate. This rules them out as a viable diagnostic tool
for these still elusive metal-free stars.


title: Deep VLT infrared observations of X-ray Dim Isolated Neutron Stars

abstract:
  X-ray observations have unveiled the existence of a family of radio-quiet
Isolated Neutron Stars whose X-ray emission is purely thermal, hence dubbed
X-ray Dim Isolated Neutron Stars (XDINSs). While optical observations have
allowed to relate the thermal emission to the neutron star cooling and to build
the neutron star surface thermal map, IR observations are critical to pinpoint
a spectral turnover produced by a so far unseen magnetospheric component, or by
the presence of a fallback disk. The detection of such a turnover can provide
further evidence of a link between this class of isolated neutron stars and the
magnetars, which show a distinctive spectral flattening in the IR.
  Here we present the deepest IR observations ever of five XDINSs, which we use
to constrain a spectral turnover in the IR and the presence of a fallback disk.
The data are obtained using the ISAAC instrument at the VLT.
  For none of our targets it was possible to identify the IR counterpart down
to limiting magnitudes H = 21.5 - 22.9. Although these limits are the deepest
ever obtained for neutron stars of this class, they are not deep enough to rule
out the existence and the nature of a possible spectral flattening in the IR.
We also derive, by using disk models, the upper limits on the mass inflow rate
in a fallback disk. We find the existence of a putative fallback disk
consistent (although not confirmed) with our observations.


title: On the nature of Delta Scuti star HD 115520

abstract:
  As a continuation of the study of the newly found Delta Scuti star HD 115520,
we present a period analysis of recently acquired photometric data covering
four nights, as well as some conclusions on the nature of this star.


title: Generalized handlebody sets and non-Haken 3-manifolds

abstract:
  In the curve complex for a surface, a handlebody set is the set of loops that
bound properly embedded disks in a given handlebody bounded by the surface. A
boundary set is the set of non-separating loops in the curve complex that bound
two-sided, properly embedded surfaces. For a Heegaard splitting, the distance
between the boundary sets of the handlebodies is zero if and only if the
ambient manifold contains a non-separating, two sided incompressible surface.
We show that the boundary set is 2-dense in the curve complex, i.e. every
vertex is within two edges of a point in the boundary set.


title: NaV2O4: a Quasi-1D Metallic Antiferromagnet with Half-Metallic Chains

abstract:
  NaV2O4 crystals were grown under high pressure using a NaCl flux, and the
crystals were characterized with X-ray diffraction, electrical resistivity,
heat capacity, and magnetization. The structure of NaV2O4 consists of double
chains of edge-sharing VO6 octahedra. The resistivity is highly anisotropic,
with the resistivity perpendicular to the chains more than 20 times greater
than that parallel to the chains. Magnetically, the intrachain interactions are
ferromagnetic and the interchain interactions are antiferromagnetic; 3D
antiferromagnetic order is established at 140 K. First principles electronic
structure calculations indicate that the chains are half metallic.
Interestingly, the case of NaV2O4 seems to be a quasi-1D analogue of what was
found for half-metallic materials.


title:
The Real Scalar Field Equation for Nariai Black Hole in the 5D
  Schwarzschild-de Sitter Black String Space

abstract:
  The Nariai black hole, whose two horizons are lying close to each other, is
an extreme and important case in the research of black hole. In this paper we
study the evolution of a massless scalar field scattered around in 5D
Schwarzschild-de Sitter black string space. Using the method shown by Brevik
and Simonsen (2001) we solve the scalar field equation as a boundary value
problem, where real boundary condition is employed. Then with convenient
replacement of the 5D continuous potential by square barrier, the reflection
and transmission coefficients ($R, T$) are obtained. At last, we also compare
the coefficients with usual 4D counterpart.


title: The distance to the Fornax Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxy

abstract:
  A large multicolour, wide-field photometric database of the Fornax dwarf
spheroidal galaxy has been analysed using three different methods to provide
revised distance estimates based on stellar populations in different age
intervals. The distance to Fornax was obtained from the Tip of the Red Giant
Branch measured by a new method, and using the luminosity of Horizontal Branch
stars and Red Clump stars correc ted for stellar population effects. Assuming a
reddening $E(B-V)=0.02$, the following distance moduli were derived:
$(m-M)_0=20.71 \pm 0.07$ based on the Tip of the Red Giant Branch,
$(m-M)_0=20.72 \pm 0.06$ from the level of the Horizontal Branch, and
$(m-M)_0=20.73 \pm 0.09$ using the Red Clump method. The weighted mean distance
modulus to Fornax is $(m-M)_0=20.72 \pm 0.04$. All these measurements agree
within the errors, and are fully consistent with previous determinations and
with the distance measurements obtained in a companion paper from near-infrared
colour-magnitude diagrams.


title: Superconductivity in spinel oxide LiTi2O4 epitaxial thin films

abstract:
  LiTi2O4 is a unique material in that it is the only known oxide spinel
superconductor. Although bulk studies have demonstrated that superconductivity
can be generally described by the Bardeen-Cooper-Schreiffer theory, the
microscopic mechanisms of superconductivity are not yet resolved fully. The
sensitivity of the superconducting properties to various defects of the spinel
crystal structure provides insight into such mechanisms. Epitaxial films of
LiTi2O4 on single crystalline substrates of MgAl2O4, MgO, and SrTiO3 provide
model systems to systematically explore the effects of lattice strain and
microstructural disorder. Lattice strain that affects bandwidth gives rise to
limited variations in the superconducting and normal state properties.
Microstructural disorder such as antiphase boundaries that give rise to Ti
network disorder can reduce the critical temperature, but Ti network disorder
combined with Mg interdiffusion can affect the superconducting state much more
dramatically. Thickness dependent transport studies indicate a
superconductor-insulator transition as a function of film thickness regardless
of lattice strain and microstructure. In addition, surface sensitive X-ray
absorption spectroscopy has identified Ti to retain site symmetry and average
valence of the bulk material regardless of film thickness.


title:
Upper critical field of electron-doped Pr$_{2-x}$Ce$_x$CuO$_{4-\delta}$
  in parallel magnetic fields

abstract:
  We report a systematic study of the resistive superconducting transition in
the electron-doped cuprates Pr$_{2-x}$Ce$_{x}$CuO$_{4-\delta}$ down to 1.5 K
for magnetic field up to 58 T applied parallel to the conducting ab-planes. We
find that the zero temperature parallel critical field (H$_{c2\parallel
ab}$(0)) exceeds 58 T for the underdoped and optimally-doped films. For the
overdoped films, 58 T is sufficient to suppress the superconductivity. We also
find that the Zeeman energy $\mu_B$H$_{c2\parallel ab}$(0) reaches the
superconducting gap ($\triangle_0$), i.e. $\mu_B$H$_{c2\parallel ab}(0)\simeq
\triangle_0$, for all the dopings, strongly suggesting that the parallel
critical field is determined by the Pauli paramagnetic limit in electron-doped
cuprates.


title: Smart Electromechanical Pumping of Electrons in a Nanopillars Transistor

abstract:
  Analysis of room-temperature current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of a
silicon box in a nanopillar transistor suggests that a weak electromechanical
coupling of 0.17 is responsible for the stable tunnel of single-electron. The
dynamics involves a few electrons and the numbers (N) specified are periodical
at 3, 6, and 12. Quantized currents are observed at N = 7 and 13, indicating
that the box is a man-made atom. At a large value of 0.5, instability however
dominates the I-V by showing interference, channel closure and the change of
tunnel direction. Overall, the interplay of even and odd electrons between
different channels also shows that the box operates itself like a smart quantum
pump.


title: High-Resolution Submillimeter Imaging of the Ly-alpha Blob1 in SSA 22

abstract:
  We present ~2" resolution submillimeter observations of the submillimeter
luminous giant Ly-alpha blob (LAB1) in the SSA 22 protocluster at redshift
z=3.1 with the Submillimeter Array (SMA). Although the expected submillimeter
flux density is 16 mJy at 880 micron, no emission is detected with the 2".4 x
1".9 (18 x 14 kpc) beam at the 3 sigma level of 4.2 mJy beam^{-1} in the SMA
field of view of 35". This is in contrast to the previous lower angular
resolution (15") observations where a bright (17 mJy) unresolved submillimeter
source was detected at 850 micron toward the LAB1 using the Submillimeter
Common-User Bolometer Array on the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope. The SMA
non-detection suggests that the spatial extent of the submillimeter emission of
LAB1 should be larger than 4" (>30 kpc). The most likely interpretation of the
spatially extended submillimeter emission is that starbursts occur throughout
the large area in LAB1. Some part of the submillimeter emission may come from
spatially extended dust expelled from starburst regions by galactic superwind.
The spatial extent of the submillimeter emission of LAB1 is similar to those of
high redshift radio galaxies rather than submillimeter galaxies.


title:
Two generalizations of Cheeger-Gromoll splitting theorem via
  Bakry-\'{E}mery Ricci curvature

abstract:
  In this paper, we prove two generalized versions of the Cheeger-Gromoll
splitting theorem via the non-negativity of the Bakry-\'Emery Ricci curavture
on complete Riemannian manifolds.


title: A general Schwarz Lemma for almost-Hermitian manifolds

abstract:
  We prove a version of Yau's Schwarz Lemma for general almost-complex
manifolds equipped with Hermitian metrics. This requires an extension to this
setting of the Laplacian comparison theorem. As an application we show that the
product of two almost-complex manifolds does not admit any complete Hermitian
metric with bisectional curvature bounded between two negative constants that
satisfies some additional mild assumptions.


title:
Self-similar cosmological solutions with dark energy. I: formulation and
  asymptotic analysis

abstract:
  Based on the asymptotic analysis of ordinary differential equations, we
classify all spherically symmetric self-similar solutions to the Einstein
equations which are asymptotically Friedmann at large distances and contain a
perfect fluid with equation of state $p=(\gamma -1)\mu$ with $0<\gamma<2/3$.
This corresponds to a ``dark energy'' fluid and the Friedmann solution is
accelerated in this case due to anti-gravity. This extends the previous
analysis of spherically symmetric self-similar solutions for fluids with
positive pressure ($\gamma>1$). However, in the latter case there is an
additional parameter associated with the weak discontinuity at the sonic point
and the solutions are only asymptotically ``quasi-Friedmann'', in the sense
that they exhibit an angle deficit at large distances. In the $0<\gamma<2/3$
case, there is no sonic point and there exists a one-parameter family of
solutions which are {\it genuinely} asymptotically Friedmann at large
distances. We find eight classes of asymptotic behavior: Friedmann or
quasi-Friedmann or quasi-static or constant-velocity at large distances,
quasi-Friedmann or positive-mass singular or negative-mass singular at small
distances, and quasi-Kantowski-Sachs at intermediate distances. The
self-similar asymptotically quasi-static and quasi-Kantowski-Sachs solutions
are analytically extendible and of great cosmological interest. We also
investigate their conformal diagrams. The results of the present analysis are
utilized in an accompanying paper to obtain and physically interpret numerical
solutions.


title: Realization of universal quantum cloning with SQUID qubits in a cavity

abstract:
  We propose a scheme to realize $1\to 2$ universal quantum cloning machine
(UQCM) with superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) qubits, embeded
in a high-Q cavity. CNOT operations are derived to present our scheme, and the
two-photon Raman resonance processes are used to increase the operation rate.
Compared with previous works, our scheme has advantages in the experimental
realization and further utilization.


title:
Self-similar cosmological solutions with dark energy. II: black holes,
  naked singularities and wormholes

abstract:
  We use a combination of numerical and analytical methods, exploiting the
equations derived in a preceding paper, to classify all spherically symmetric
self-similar solutions which are asymptotically Friedmann at large distances
and contain a perfect fluid with equation of state $p=(\gamma -1)\mu$ with
$0<\gamma<2/3$. The expansion of the Friedmann universe is accelerated in this
case. We find a one-parameter family of self-similar solutions representing a
black hole embedded in a Friedmann background. This suggests that, in contrast
to the positive pressure case, black holes in a universe with dark energy can
grow as fast as the Hubble horizon if they are not too large. There are also
self-similar solutions which contain a central naked singularity with negative
mass and solutions which represent a Friedmann universe connected to either
another Friedmann universe or some other cosmological model. The latter are
interpreted as self-similar cosmological white hole or wormhole solutions. The
throats of these wormholes are defined as two-dimensional spheres with minimal
area on a spacelike hypersurface and they are all non-traversable because of
the absence of a past null infinity.


title: Construction of equilibrium networks with an energy function

abstract:
  We construct equilibrium networks by introducing an energy function depending
on the degree of each node as well as the product of neighboring degrees. With
this topological energy function, networks constitute a canonical ensemble,
which follows the Boltzmann distribution for given temperature. It is observed
that the system undergoes a topological phase transition from a random network
to a star or a fully-connected network as the temperature is lowered. Both
mean-field analysis and numerical simulations reveal strong first-order phase
transitions at temperatures which decrease logarithmically with the system
size. Quantitative discrepancies of the simulation results from the mean-field
prediction are discussed in view of the strong first-order nature.


title: A generalization of MacMahon's formula

abstract:
  We generalize the generating formula for plane partitions known as MacMahon's
formula as well as its analog for strict plane partitions. We give a
2-parameter generalization of these formulas related to Macdonald's symmetric
functions. The formula is especially simple in the Hall-Littlewood case. We
also give a bijective proof of the analog of MacMahon's formula for strict
plane partitions.


title: Super-elastic collisions in a thermally activated system

abstract:
  Impact phenomena of small clusters subject to thermal fluctuations are
numerically investigated. From the molecular dynamics simulation for colliding
two identical clusters, it is found that the restitution coefficient for
head-on collisions can exceed unity when the colliding speed is smaller than
the thermal velocity of one ``atom'' of the clusters. The averaged behavior can
be understood by the quasi-static theory of impact phenomena. It is also
confirmed that our result is governed by the fluctuation theorem.


title:
Anti-Hyperon polarization in high energy pp collisions with polarized
  beams

abstract:
  We study the longitudinal polarization of the Sigma_bar and Xi_bar
anti-hyperons in polarized high energy pp collisions at large transverse
momenta, extending a recent study for the Lambda_bar anti-hyperon. We make
predictions by using different parametrizations of the polarized parton
densities and models for the polarized fragmentation functions. Similar to the
Lambda_bar polarization, the Xi_bar0 and Xi_bar+ polarizations are found to be
sensitive to the polarized anti-strange sea in the nucleon. The Sigma_bar- and
Sigma_bar+ polarizations show sensitivity to the light sea quark polarizations,
\Delta \bar u(x) and \Delta \bar d(x), and their asymmetry.


title:
Measuring a Parity Violation Signature in the Early Universe via
  Ground-based Laser Interferometers

abstract:
  We show that pairs of widely separated interferometers are advantageous for
measuring the Stokes parameter V of a stochastic background of gravitational
waves. This parameter characterizes asymmetry of amplitudes of right- and
left-handed waves and generation of the asymmetry is closely related to parity
violation in the early universe. The advantageous pairs include
LIGO(Livingston)-LCGT and AIGO-Virgo that are relatively insensitive to
Omega_GW (the simple intensity of the background). Using at least three
detectors, information of the intensity Omega_GW and the degree of asymmetry V
can be separately measured.


title: Adaptive FDR control under independence and dependence

abstract:
  In the context of multiple hypotheses testing, the proportion $\pi_0$ of true
null hypotheses in the pool of hypotheses to test often plays a crucial role,
although it is generally unknown a priori. A testing procedure using an
implicit or explicit estimate of this quantity in order to improve its
efficency is called adaptive. In this paper, we focus on the issue of False
Discovery Rate (FDR) control and we present new adaptive multiple testing
procedures with control of the FDR. First, in the context of assuming
independent $p$-values, we present two new procedures and give a unified review
of other existing adaptive procedures that have provably controlled FDR. We
report extensive simulation results comparing these procedures and testing
their robustness when the independence assumption is violated. The new proposed
procedures appear competitive with existing ones. The overall best, though, is
reported to be Storey's estimator, but for a parameter setting that does not
appear to have been considered before. Second, we propose adaptive versions of
step-up procedures that have provably controlled FDR under positive dependences
and unspecified dependences of the $p$-values, respectively. While simulations
only show an improvement over non-adaptive procedures in limited situations,
these are to our knowledge among the first theoretically founded adaptive
multiple testing procedures that control the FDR when the $p$-values are not
independent.


title: Filtering the Wright-Fisher diffusion

abstract:
  We consider a Wright-Fisher diffusion (x(t)) whose current state cannot be
observed directly. Instead, at times t1 < t2 < . . ., the observations y(ti)
are such that, given the process (x(t)), the random variables (y(ti)) are
independent and the conditional distribution of y(ti) only depends on x(ti).
When this conditional distribution has a specific form, we prove that the model
((x(ti), y(ti)), i 1) is a computable filter in the sense that all
distributions involved in filtering, prediction and smoothing are exactly
computable. These distributions are expressed as finite mixtures of parametric
distributions. Thus, the number of statistics to compute at each iteration is
finite, but this number may vary along iterations.


title:
Transformations of infinitely divisible distributions via improper
  stochastic integrals

abstract:
  Let $X^{(\mu)}(ds)$ be an $\mathbb{R}^d$-valued homogeneous independently
scattered random measure over $\mathbb{R}$ having $\mu$ as the distribution of
$X^{(\mu)}((t,t+1])$. Let $f(s)$ be a nonrandom measurable function on an open
interval $(a,b)$ where $-\infty\leqslant a<b\leqslant\infty$. The improper
stochastic integral $\int_{a+}^{b-} f(s)X^{(\mu)}(ds)$ is studied. Its
distribution $\Phi_f(\mu)$ defines a mapping from $\mu$ to an infinitely
divisible distribution on $\mathbb{R}^d$. Three modifications (compensated,
essential, and symmetrized) and absolute definability are considered. After
their domains are characterized, necessary and sufficient conditions for the
domains to be very large (or very small) in various senses are given. The
concept of the dual in the class of purely non-Gaussian infinitely divisible
distributions on $\mathbb{R}^d$ is introduced and employed in studying some
examples. The $\tau$-measure $\tau$ of function $f$ is introduced and whether
$\tau$ determines $\Phi_f$ is discussed. Related transformations of L\'evy
measures are also studied.


title:
Synchrotron Radiation Interferometer Calibration Check by Use of A Size
  Control Bump in KEKB

abstract:
  In KEKB, synchrotron radiation interferometers (SRMs) are used for measuring
the transverse beam sizes. There is also a tool for enlarging the vertical beam
size intentionally by making an asymmetric bump, called an ``iSize'' bump, at
one of the strongest non-interleaved sextupole magnets in each KEKB ring. The
calibrations of the SRMs were checked by comparing the measured vertical beam
sizes with those calculated using the computer code ``SAD''. The obtained
correction factors are 1.000$\pm$0.045 for HER and 0.971$\pm$0.060 for LER,
which are consistent with the calibration factors of SRMs\cite{SRMcalib} within
errors. Using the obtained calibration factor, x-y coupling of each ring was
calculated .


title: How to project a bipartite network?

abstract:
  The one-mode projecting is extensively used to compress the bipartite
networks. Since the one-mode projection is always less informative than the
bipartite representation, a proper weighting method is required to better
retain the original information. In this article, inspired by the network-based
resource-allocation dynamics, we raise a weighting method, which can be
directly applied in extracting the hidden information of networks, with
remarkably better performance than the widely used global ranking method as
well as collaborative filtering. This work not only provides a creditable
method in compressing bipartite networks, but also highlights a possible way
for the better solution of a long-standing challenge in modern information
science: How to do personal recommendation?


title: The 3.3 $\mu$m PAH emission band of the Red Rectangle

abstract:
  A new analysis of long-slit CGS4 (UKIRT) spectra of the 3.3 $\mu$m feature of
the Red Rectangle and its evolution with offset along the NW whisker of the
nebula is presented. The results support a proposed two-component
interpretation for the 3.3 $\mu$m feature with peak wavelengths near 3.28
$\mu$m and 3.30 $\mu$m. Both components exhibit a small shift to shorter
wavelength with increasing offset from the central star which, by comparison
with laboratory studies, is consistent with a decrease in temperature of the
carriers with distance from HD 44179. The two-component approach is also
applied to 3.3 $\mu$m data for the Red Rectangle, Orion Bar D2 and Orion Bar
H2S1 from ISO SWS studies.


title:
Elemental abundances of Galactic bulge planetary nebulae from optical
  recombination lines

abstract:
  (abridged) Deep long-slit optical spectrophotometric observations are
presented for 25 Galactic bulge planetary nebulae (GBPNe) and 6 Galactic disk
planetary nebulae (GDPNe). The spectra, combined with archival ultraviolet
spectra obtained with the International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) and infrared
spectra obtained with the Infrared Space Observatory (ISO), have been used to
carry out a detailed plasma diagnostic and element abundance analysis utilizing
both collisional excited lines (CELs) and optical recombination lines (ORLs).
  Comparisons of plasma diagnostic and abundance analysis results obtained from
CELs and from ORLs reproduce many of the patterns previously found for GDPNe.
In particular we show that the large discrepancies between electron
temperatures (Te's) derived from CELs and from ORLs appear to be mainly caused
by abnormally low values yielded by recombination lines and/or continua.
Similarly, the large discrepancies between heavy element abundances deduced
from ORLs and from CELs are largely caused by abnormally high values obtained
from ORLs, up to tens of solar in extreme cases. It appears that whatever
mechanisms are causing the ubiquitous dichotomy between CELs and ORLs, their
main effects are to enhance the emission of ORLs, but hardly affect that of
CELs. It seems that heavy element abundances deduced from ORLs may not reflect
the bulk composition of the nebula. Rather, our analysis suggests that ORLs of
heavy element ions mainly originate from a previously unseen component of
plasma of Te's of just a few hundred Kelvin, which is too cool to excite any
optical and UV CELs.


title:
Cosmological perturbations from inhomogeneous preheating and multi-field
  trapping

abstract:
  We consider inhomogeneous preheating in a multi-field trapping model. The
curvature perturbation is generated by inhomogeneous preheating which induces
multi-field trapping at the enhanced symmetric point (ESP), and results in
fluctuation in the number of e-foldings. Instead of considering simple
reheating after preheating, we consider a scenario of shoulder inflation
induced by the trapping. The fluctuation in the number of e-foldings is
generated during this weak inflationary period, when the additional light
scalar field is trapped at the local maximum of its potential. The situation
may look similar to locked or thermal inflation or even to hybrid inflation,
but we will show that the present mechanism of generating the curvature
perturbation is very different from these others. Unlike the conventional
trapped inflationary scenario, we do not make the assumption that an ESP
appears at some unstable point on the inflaton potential. This assumption is
crucial in the original scenario, but it is not important in the multi-field
model. We also discuss inhomogeneous preheating at late-time oscillation, in
which the magnitude of the curvature fluctuation can be enhanced to accommodate
low inflationary scale.


title:
A catalogue of low-mass X-ray binaries in the Galaxy, LMC, and SMC
  (Fourth edition)

abstract:
  We present a new edition of the catalogue of the low-mass X-ray binaries in
the Galaxy and the Magellanic Clouds. The catalogue contains source name(s),
coordinates, finding chart, X-ray luminosity, system parameters, and stellar
parameters of the components and other characteristic properties of 187
low-mass X-ray binaries, together with a comprehensive selection of the
relevant literature. The aim of this catalogue is to provide the reader with
some basic information on the X-ray sources and their counterparts in other
wavelength ranges ($\gamma$-rays, UV, optical, IR, and radio). Some sources,
however, are only tentatively identified as low-mass X-ray binaries on the
basis of their X-ray properties similar to the known low-mass X-ray binaries.
Further identification in other wavelength bands is needed to finally determine
the nature of these sources. In cases where there is some doubt about the
low-mass nature of the X-ray binary this is mentioned. Literature published
before 1 October 2006 has, as far as possible, been taken into account.


title:
Relativistic Collisionless Shocks in Unmagnetized Electron-Positron
  Plasmas

abstract:
  It is shown that collisionless shock waves can be driven in unmagnetized
electron-positron plasmas by performing a two-dimensional particle-in-cell
simulation. At the shock transition region, strong magnetic fields are
generated by a Weibel-like instability. The generated magnetic fields are
strong enough to deflect the incoming particles from upstream of the shock at a
large angle and provide an effective dissipation mechanism for the shock. The
structure of the collisionless shock propagates at an almost constant speed.
There is no linear wave corresponding to the shock wave and therefore this can
be regarded as a kind of ``instability-driven'' shock wave. The generated
magnetic fields rapidly decay in the downstream region. It is also observed
that a fraction of the thermalized particles in the downstream region return
upstream through the shock transition region. These particles interact with the
upstream incoming particles and cause the generation of charge-separated
current filaments in the upstream of the shock as well as the electrostatic
beam instability. As a result, electric and magnetic fields are generated even
upstream of the shock transition region. No efficient acceleration processes of
particles were observed in our simulation.


title: Weighted Popular Matchings

abstract:
  We study the problem of assigning jobs to applicants. Each applicant has a
weight and provides a preference list ranking a subset of the jobs. A matching
M is popular if there is no other matching M' such that the weight of the
applicants who prefer M' over M exceeds the weight of those who prefer M over
M'. This paper gives efficient algorithms to find a popular matching if one
exists.


title:
A local ring such that the map between Grothendieck groups with rational
  coefficient induced by completion is not injective

abstract:
  In this paper, we construct a local ring $A$ such that the kernel of the map
$G_0(A)\subq \to G_0(\hat{A})\subq$ is not zero, where $\hat{A}$ is the
comletion of $A$ with respect to the maximal ideal, and $G_0()\subq$ is the
Grothendieck group of finitely generated modules with rational coefficient. In
our example, $A$ is a two-dimensional local ring which is essentially of finite
type over ${\Bbb C}$, but it is not normal.


title:
From Royal Road to Epistatic Road for Variable Length Evolution
  Algorithm

abstract:
  Although there are some real world applications where the use of variable
length representation (VLR) in Evolutionary Algorithm is natural and suitable,
an academic framework is lacking for such representations. In this work we
propose a family of tunable fitness landscapes based on VLR of genotypes. The
fitness landscapes we propose possess a tunable degree of both neutrality and
epistasis; they are inspired, on the one hand by the Royal Road fitness
landscapes, and the other hand by the NK fitness landscapes. So these
landscapes offer a scale of continuity from Royal Road functions, with
neutrality and no epistasis, to landscapes with a large amount of epistasis and
no redundancy. To gain insight into these fitness landscapes, we first use
standard tools such as adaptive walks and correlation length. Second, we
evaluate the performances of evolutionary algorithms on these landscapes for
various values of the neutral and the epistatic parameters; the results allow
us to correlate the performances with the expected degrees of neutrality and
epistasis.


title: Catalogue of high-mass X-ray binaries in the Galaxy ($4^{th}$ edition)

abstract:
  We present a new edition of the catalogue of high-mass X-ray binaries in the
Galaxy. The catalogue contains source name(s), coordinates, finding chart,
X-ray luminosity, system parameters, and stellar parameters of the components
and other characteristic properties of 114 high-mass X-ray binaries, together
with a comprehensive selection of the relevant literature. The aim of this
catalogue is to provide the reader with some basic information on the X-ray
sources and their counterparts in other wavelength ranges ($\gamma$-rays, UV,
optical, IR, radio). About 60% of the high-mass X-ray binary candidates are
known or suspected Be/X-ray binaries, while 32% are supergiant/X-ray binaries.
Some sources, however, are only tentatively identified as high-mass X-ray
binaries on the basis of their X-ray properties similar to the known high-mass
X-ray binaries. Further identification in other wavelength bands is needed to
finally determine the nature of these sources. In cases where there is some
doubt about the high-mass nature of the X-ray binary this is mentioned.
Literature published before 1 October 2005 has, as far as possible, been taken
into account.


title:
Blending in Gravitational Microlensing Experiments: Source Confusion And
  Related Systematics

abstract:
  Gravitational microlensing surveys target very dense stellar fields in the
local group. As a consequence the microlensed source stars are often blended
with nearby unresolved stars. The presence of `blending' is a cause of major
uncertainty when determining the lensing properties of events towards the
Galactic centre. After demonstrating empirical cases of blending we utilize
Monte Carlo simulations to probe the effects of blending. We generate
artificial microlensing events using an HST luminosity function convolved to
typical ground-based seeing, adopting a range of values for the stellar density
and seeing. We find that a significant fraction of bright events are blended,
contrary to the oft-quoted assumption that bright events should be free from
blending. We probe the effect that this erroneous assumption has on both the
observed event timescale distribution and the optical depth, using realistic
detection criteria relevent to the different surveys. Importantly, under this
assumption the latter quantity appears to be reasonably unaffected across our
adopted values for seeing and density. The timescale distribution is however
biased towards smaller values, even for the least dense fields. The dominant
source of blending is from lensing of faint source stars, rather than lensing
of bright source stars blended with nearby fainter stars. We also explore other
issues, such as the centroid motion of blended events and the phenomena of
`negative' blending. Furthermore, we breifly note that blending can affect the
determination of the centre of the red clump giant region from an observed
luminosity function. This has implications for a variety of studies, e.g.
mapping extinction towards the bulge and attempts to constrain the parameters
of the Galactic bar through red clump giant number counts. (Abridged)


title:
Scanning tunneling spectroscopy characterization of the pseudogap and
  the x = 1/8 anomaly in La2-xSrxCuO4 thin films

abstract:
  Using scanning tunneling spectroscopy we examined the local density of states
of thin c-axis La2-xSrxCuO4 films, over wide doping and temperature ranges. We
found that the pseudogap exists only at doping levels lower than optimal. For x
= 0.12, close to the 'anomalous' x = 1/8 doping level, a zero bias conductance
peak was the dominant spectral feature, instead of the excepted V- shaped
(c-axis tunneling) gap structure. We have established that this surprising
effect cannot be explained by tunneling into (110) facets. Possible origins for
this unique behavior are discussed.


title: AdS$_5$ rotating non-Abelian black holes

abstract:
  We present arguments for the existence of charged, rotating black holes with
equal magnitude angular momenta in $d=5$ Einstein-Yang-Mills theory with
negative cosmological constant. These solutions posses a regular horizon of
spherical topology and approach asymptotically the Anti-de Sitter spacetime
background. The black hole solutions have also an electric charge and a
nonvanishing magnetic flux through the sphere at infinity. Different from the
static case, no regular solution with a nonvanishing angular momenta is found
for a vanishing event horizon radius.


title: Relativistic five-quark equations and a narrow N(1688) resonance

abstract:
  The relativistic five-quark equations are found in the framework of the
dispersion relation technique. The five-quark amplitude for the N(1688)
resonance including u-, d- quarks is calculated. The pole of this amplitude
determines the mass of non-strange pentaquark M=1686 MeV and the width about
7MeV. The results are in good agreement with the evidence for a narrow N(1688)
resonance.


title: Natural octonionic generalization of general relativity

abstract:
  An intriguingly natural generalization, using complex octonions, of general
relativity is pointed out. The starting point is the vierbein-based double dual
formulation of the Einstein-Hilbert action. In terms of two natural structures
on the (complex) quaternions and (complex) octonions, the inner product and the
cross products, respectively, this action is linked with the complex
quaternionic structure constants, and subsequently generalized to an
achtbein-based 'double chi-dual' action in terms of the complex octonionic
structure constants.


title: Multiplicative renormalization and Hopf algebras

abstract:
  We derive the existence of Hopf subalgebras generated by Green's functions in
the Hopf algebra of Feynman graphs of a quantum field theory. This means that
the coproduct closes on these Green's functions. It allows us for example to
derive Dyson's formulas in quantum electrodynamics relating the renormalized
and bare proper functions via the renormalization constants and the analogous
formulas for non-abelian gauge theories. In the latter case, we observe the
crucial role played by Slavnov--Taylor identities.


title: Determinacy in a synchronous pi-calculus

abstract:
  The S-pi-calculus is a synchronous pi-calculus which is based on the SL
model. The latter is a relaxation of the Esterel model where the reaction to
the absence of a signal within an instant can only happen at the next instant.
In the present work, we present and characterise a compositional semantics of
the S-pi-calculus based on suitable notions of labelled transition system and
bisimulation. Based on this semantic framework, we explore the notion of
determinacy and the related one of (local) confluence.


title: Hyperfine-mediated gate-driven electron spin resonance

abstract:
  An all-electrical spin resonance effect in a GaAs few-electron double quantum
dot is investigated experimentally and theoretically. The magnetic field
dependence and absence of associated Rabi oscillations are consistent with a
novel hyperfine mechanism. The resonant frequency is sensitive to the
instantaneous hyperfine effective field, and the effect can be used to detect
and create sizable nuclear polarizations. A device incorporating a micromagnet
exhibits a magnetic field difference between dots, allowing electrons in either
dot to be addressed selectively.


title:
Verification of the Effectiveness of VSOP-2 Phase Referencing with a
  Newly Developed Simulation Tool, ARIS

abstract:
  The next-generation space VLBI mission, VSOP-2, is expected to provide
unprecedented spatial resolutions at 8.4, 22, and 43GHz. In this report, phase
referencing with VSOP-2 is examined in detail based on a simulation tool called
ARIS. The criterion for successful phase referencing was to keep the phase
errors below one radian. Simulations with ARIS reveal that phase referencing
achieves good performance at 8.4GHz, even under poor tropospheric conditions.
At 22 and 43GHz, it is recommended to conduct phase referencing observations
under good or typical tropospheric conditions. The satellite is required to
have an attitude-switching capability with a one-minute or shorter cycle, and
an orbit determination accuracy higher than about 10cm at apogee; the phase
referencing calibrators are required to have a signal-to-noise ratio larger
than four for a single scan. The probability to find a suitable phase
referencing calibrator was estimated by using VLBI surveys. From the viewpoint
of calibrator availability, VSOP-2 phase referencing at 8.4GHz is promising.
However, the change of finding suitable calibrators at 22 and 43GHz is
significantly reduced; it is important to conduct specific investigations for
each target at those frequencies.


title: Diffusive transport in graphene: the role of interband correlation

abstract:
  We present a kinetic equation approach to investigate dc transport properties
of graphene in the diffusive regime considering long-range electron-impurity
scattering. In our study, the effects of interband correlation (or
polarization) on conductivity are taken into account. We find that the
conductivity contains not only the usual term inversely proportional to
impurity density $N_i$, but also an anomalous term that is linear in $N_i$.
This leads to a minimum in the density dependence of conductivity when the
electron density $N_{\rm e}$ is equal to a critical value, $N_c$. For $N_{\rm
e}>N_c$ the conductivity varies almost linearly with the electron density,
while it is approximately inversely proportional to $N_{\rm e}$ when $N_{\rm
e}<N_c$ in the diffusive regime. The effects of various scattering potentials
on the conductivity minimum are also analyzed. Using typical experimental
parameters, we find that for RPA screened electron-impurity scattering the
minimum conductivity is about $5.1 e^2/h$ when $N_{\rm e}\approx 0.32N_i$.


title: Percolation and Loop Statistics in Complex Networks

abstract:
  Complex networks display various types of percolation transitions. We show
that the degree distribution and the degree-degree correlation alone are not
sufficient to describe diverse percolation critical phenomena. This suggests
that a genuine structural correlation is an essential ingredient in
characterizing networks. As a signature of the correlation we investigate a
scaling behavior in $M_N(h)$, the number of finite loops of size $h$, with
respect to a network size $N$. We find that networks, whose degree
distributions are not too broad, fall into two classes exhibiting $M_N(h)\sim
({constant})$ and $M_N(h) \sim (\ln N)^\psi$, respectively. This classification
coincides with the one according to the percolation critical phenomena.


title:
Stellar Population Gradients in Bulges along the Hubble Sequence: II.
  Relations with Galaxy Properties

abstract:
  We present the analysis of the radial gradients of stellar absorption lines
in a sample of 32 bulges of edge-on spiral galaxies, spanning nearly the full
Hubble sequence (from S0 to Sc types), and a large range of velocity dispersion
(from about 60 to 300 km/s). Different diagnostics such as index-index,
gradient-gradient diagrams, and simple stellar population models are used to
tackle the origin of the variation of the bulge stellar population. We find
that the vast majority of bulges show older age, lower metallicity and higher
[alpha/Fe] in their outer regions than in their central parts. The radial
gradients in [Fe/H] are 2 to 3 times larger than in Log(age). The relation
between gradient and bulge velocity dispersion is interpreted as a gradual
build up of the gradient mean values and their dispersions from high to low
velocity dispersion, rather than a pure correlation. The bulge effective radii
and the Hubble type of the parent galaxies seem to play a more minor role in
causing the observed spatial distributions. At a given velocity dispersion,
bulges and ellipticals share common properties.


title: On a Non-Context-Free Extension of PDL

abstract:
  Over the last 25 years, a lot of work has been done on seeking for decidable
non-regular extensions of Propositional Dynamic Logic (PDL). Only recently, an
expressive extension of PDL, allowing visibly pushdown automata (VPAs) as a
formalism to describe programs, was introduced and proven to have a
satisfiability problem complete for deterministic double exponential time.
Lately, the VPA formalism was extended to so called k-phase multi-stack visibly
pushdown automata (k-MVPAs). Similarly to VPAs, it has been shown that the
language of k-MVPAs have desirable effective closure properties and that the
emptiness problem is decidable. On the occasion of introducing k-MVPAs, it has
been asked whether the extension of PDL with k-MVPAs still leads to a decidable
logic. This question is answered negatively here. We prove that already for the
extension of PDL with 2-phase MVPAs with two stacks satisfiability becomes
\Sigma_1^1-complete.


title: Role of oxygen vacancies in Cr-doped SrTiO3 for resistance-change memory

abstract:
  Transition-metal oxides exhibiting a bistable resistance state are attractive
for non-volatile memory applications. The relevance of oxygen vacancies (VO)
for the resistance-change memory was investigated with x-ray fluorescence,
infrared microscopy, and x-ray absorption spectroscopy using Cr-doped SrTiO3 as
example. We propose that the microscopic origin of resistance switching in this
class of materials is due to an oxygen-vacancy drift occurring in close
proximity to one of the electrodes.


title: Predictions for the LHC heavy ion programme

abstract:
  Apparently universal trends have been observed in relativistic
nucleus-nucleus collisions up to RHIC energies. Here, we review these trends
and we discuss their agnostic extrapolation to heavy ion collisions at the LHC.


title:
Uninformative memories will prevail: the storage of correlated
  representations and its consequences

abstract:
  Autoassociative networks were proposed in the 80's as simplified models of
memory function in the brain, using recurrent connectivity with hebbian
plasticity to store patterns of neural activity that can be later recalled.
This type of computation has been suggested to take place in the CA3 region of
the hippocampus and at several levels in the cortex. One of the weaknesses of
these models is their apparent inability to store correlated patterns of
activity. We show, however, that a small and biologically plausible
modification in the `learning rule' (associating to each neuron a plasticity
threshold that reflects its popularity) enables the network to handle
correlations. We study the stability properties of the resulting memories (in
terms of their resistance to the damage of neurons or synapses), finding a
novel property of autoassociative networks: not all memories are equally
robust, and the most informative are also the most sensitive to damage. We
relate these results to category-specific effects in semantic memory patients,
where concepts related to `non-living things' are usually more resistant to
brain damage than those related to `living things', a phenomenon suspected to
be rooted in the correlation between representations of concepts in the cortex.


title: Coma cluster object populations down to M_R~-9.5

abstract:
  This study follows a recent analysis of the galaxy luminosity functions and
colour-magnitude red sequences in the Coma cluster (Adami et al. 2007). We
analyze here the distribution of very faint galaxies and globular clusters in
an east-west strip of $\sim 42 \times 7$ arcmin$^2$ crossing the Coma cluster
center (hereafter the CS strip) down to the unprecedented faint absolute
magnitude of M$_R \sim -9.5$. This work is based on deep images obtained at the
CFHT with the CFH12K camera in the B, R, and I bands. The analysis shows that
the observed properties strongly depend on the environment, and thus on the
cluster history. When the CS is divided into four regions, the westernmost
region appears poorly populated, while the regions around the brightest
galaxies NGC 4874 and NGC 4889 (NGC 4874 and NGC 4889 being masked) are
dominated by faint blue galaxies. They show a faint luminosity function slope
of -2, very significantly different from the field estimates. Results are
discussed in the framework of galaxy destruction (which can explain part of the
very faint galaxy population) and of structures infalling on to Coma.


title:
Exploring nervous system transcriptomes during embryogenesis and
  metamorphosis in Xenopus tropicalis using EST analysis

abstract:
  Xenopus tropicalis is an anuran amphibian species used as model in vertebrate
comparative genomics. It provides the same advantages as Xenopus laevis but is
diploid and has a smaller genome of 1.7 Gbp. Therefore X. tropicalis is more
amenable to systematic transcriptome surveys. We initiated a large-scale
partial cDNA sequencing project to provide a functional genomics resource on
genes expressed in the nervous system during early embryogenesis and
metamorphosis in X. tropicalis. A gene index was defined and analysed after the
collection of over 48,785 high quality sequences. Partial cDNA sequences were
obtained from an embryonic head and retina library (30,272 sequences) and from
a metamorphic brain and spinal cord library (27,602 sequences). These ESTs are
estimated to represent 9,693 transcripts derived from an estimated 6,000 genes.
An estimated 46% of these cDNA sequences contain their start codon. Further
annotation included Gene Ontology functional classification, InterPro domain
analysis, alternative splicing and non-coding RNA identification. Gene
expression profiles were derived from EST counts and used to define transcripts
specific to metamorphic stages of development. Moreover, these ESTs allowed
identification of a set of 225 polymorphic microsatellites that can be used as
genetic markers. These cDNA sequences permit in silico cloning of numerous
genes and will facilitate studies aimed at deciphering the roles of cognate
genes expressed in the nervous system during neural development and
metamorphosis. The genomic resources developed to study X. tropicalis biology
will accelerate exploration of amphibian physiology and genetics.


title:
Optimal Linear Precoding Strategies for Wideband Non-Cooperative Systems
  based on Game Theory-Part I: Nash Equilibria

abstract:
  In this two-parts paper we propose a decentralized strategy, based on a
game-theoretic formulation, to find out the optimal precoding/multiplexing
matrices for a multipoint-to-multipoint communication system composed of a set
of wideband links sharing the same physical resources, i.e., time and
bandwidth. We assume, as optimality criterion, the achievement of a Nash
equilibrium and consider two alternative optimization problems: 1) the
competitive maximization of mutual information on each link, given constraints
on the transmit power and on the spectral mask imposed by the radio spectrum
regulatory bodies; and 2) the competitive maximization of the transmission
rate, using finite order constellations, under the same constraints as above,
plus a constraint on the average error probability. In Part I of the paper, we
start by showing that the solution set of both noncooperative games is always
nonempty and contains only pure strategies. Then, we prove that the optimal
precoding/multiplexing scheme for both games leads to a channel diagonalizing
structure, so that both matrix-valued problems can be recast in a simpler
unified vector power control game, with no performance penalty. Thus, we study
this simpler game and derive sufficient conditions ensuring the uniqueness of
the Nash equilibrium. Interestingly, although derived under stronger
constraints, incorporating for example spectral mask constraints, our
uniqueness conditions have broader validity than previously known conditions.
Finally, we assess the goodness of the proposed decentralized strategy by
comparing its performance with the performance of a Pareto-optimal centralized
scheme. To reach the Nash equilibria of the game, in Part II, we propose
alternative distributed algorithms, along with their convergence conditions.


title:
Spontaneous Fluxon Production in Annular Josephson Tunnel Junctions in
  the Presence of a Magnetic Field

abstract:
  We report on the spontaneous production of fluxons in the presence of a
symmetry-breaking magnetic field for annular Josephson tunnel junctions during
a thermal quench. The dependence on field intensity $B$ of the probability
$\bar{f_1}$ to trap a single defect during the N-S phase transition drastically
depends on the sample circumferences. We show that the data can be understood
in the framework of the Kibble-Zurek picture of spontaneous defect formation
controlled by causal bounds.


title:
Gauss--Berezin integral operators and spinors over supergroups
  $\OSp(2p|2q)$, and Lagrangian super-Grasmannians

abstract:
  We obtain explicit formulas for the spinor representation of the
orthosymplectic supergroup $\OSp(2p|2q)$ and the corresponding super-Olshanski
semigroup. Also we extend the representation to Lagrangian super-Grassmannian.


title: Linear automorphism groups of relatively free groups

abstract:
  Let G be a free group in a variety of groups, but G is not absolutely free.
We prove that the group of automorphisms Aut(G) is linear iff G is a virtually
nilpotent group.


title:
On the deprojection of clusters of galaxies combining X-ray,
  Sunyaev-Zeldovich temperature decrement and gravitational lensing maps

abstract:
  Knowledge of the intrinsic shape of galaxy clusters is very important in
investigating cosmic structure formation and astrophysical processes. The
reconstruction of the 3-dimensional structure usually relies on deprojecting
2-dimensional X-ray, Sunyaev-Zeldovich (SZ) and/or gravitational lensing
observations. As known, a joint analysis of these data sets can provide the
elongation of the cluster along the line of sight together with its length and
width in the plane of the sky. An unbiased measurement of the Hubble constant
can be also inferred. Due to some intrinsic degeneracies, the observational
constraints obtained from such projected data-sets are not enough to allow an
unique inversion. In general, the projected maps can be at the same time
compatible with prolate, oblate and with many triaxial configurations. Even a
prolate cluster might be interpreted as an oblate system and vice versa.
Assuming that the cluster is axially symmetric is likely to overestimate the
intrinsic ellipticity, whereas the system always looks rounder performing the
inversion under the hypothesis of a triaxial cluster aligned with the line of
sight. In general, analysing triaxial clusters under the prolate or oblate
assumption may introduce strong biases even when the clusters are actually near
to axial symmetry whereas the systematics introduced assuming the cluster to be
aligned with the line of sight are more under control.


title: Ibis/Picsit Status

abstract:
  We report about the status of the PICsIT layer of the imager IBIS. The
instrument has been tested in both Spectral Imaging and Spectral Timing Mode.
PICsIT Single Events, Multiple and ISGRI data of the Crab are simultaneously
fitted to a power law model and fit parameters are compared with the standard
values. We present a joint fit of SPI, ISGRI, PICsIT data of the long
GRB041219, that was seen by the PICsIT instrument in both Spectral Imaging and
Spectral Timing acquisition modes. This allowed us to generate a preliminary
version of the instrumental response matrices for the PICsIT Spectral Timing
mode.


title:
Detecting spatial patterns with the cumulant function. Part I: The
  theory

abstract:
  In climate studies, detecting spatial patterns that largely deviate from the
sample mean still remains a statistical challenge. Although a Principal
Component Analysis (PCA), or equivalently a Empirical Orthogonal Functions
(EOF) decomposition, is often applied on this purpose, it can only provide
meaningful results if the underlying multivariate distribution is Gaussian.
Indeed, PCA is based on optimizing second order moments quantities and the
covariance matrix can only capture the full dependence structure for
multivariate Gaussian vectors. Whenever the application at hand can not satisfy
this normality hypothesis (e.g. precipitation data), alternatives and/or
improvements to PCA have to be developed and studied. To go beyond this second
order statistics constraint that limits the applicability of the PCA, we take
advantage of the cumulant function that can produce higher order moments
information. This cumulant function, well-known in the statistical literature,
allows us to propose a new, simple and fast procedure to identify spatial
patterns for non-Gaussian data. Our algorithm consists in maximizing the
cumulant function. To illustrate our approach, its implementation for which
explicit computations are obtained is performed on three family of of
multivariate random vectors. In addition, we show that our algorithm
corresponds to selecting the directions along which projected data display the
largest spread over the marginal probability density tails.


title: The Manakov system as two moving interacting curves

abstract:
  The two time-dependent Schrodinger equations in a potential V(s,u), $u$
denoting time, can be interpreted geometrically as a moving interacting curves
whose Fermi-Walker phase density is given by -dV/ds. The Manakov model appears
as two moving interacting curves using extended da Rios system and two Hasimoto
transformations.


title:
Magnetically-dominated jets inside collapsing stars as a model for
  gamma-ray bursts and supernova explosions

abstract:
  It has been suggested that magnetic fields play a dynamically-important role
in core-collapse explosions of massive stars. In particular, they may be
important in the collapsar scenario for gamma-ray bursts (GRB), where the
central engine is a hyper-accreting black hole or a millisecond magnetar. The
present paper is focussed on the magnetar scenario, with a specific emphasis on
the interaction of the magnetar magnetosphere with the infalling stellar
envelope. First, the ``Pulsar-in-a-Cavity'' problem is introduced as a paradigm
for a magnetar inside a collapsing star. The basic set-up of this fundamental
plasma-physics problem is described, outlining its main features, and simple
estimates are derived for the evolution of the magnetic field. In the context
of a collapsing star, it is proposed that, at first, the ram pressure of the
infalling plasma acts to confine the magnetosphere, enabling a gradual build-up
of the magnetic pressure. At some point, the growing magnetic pressure
overtakes the (decreasing) ram pressure of the gas, resulting in a
magnetically-driven explosion. The explosion should be highly anisotropic, as
the hoop-stress of the toroidal field, confined by the surrounding stellar
matter, collimates the magnetically-dominated outflow into two beamed
magnetic-tower jets. This creates a clean narrow channel for the escape of
energy from the central engine through the star, as required for GRBs. In
addition, the delayed onset of the collimated-explosion phase can explain the
production of large quantities of Nickel-56, as suggested by the GRB-Supernova
connection. Finally, the prospects for numerical simulations of this scenario
are discussed.


title: Pulsar kicks by anisotropic neutrino emission from quark matter

abstract:
  We discuss an acceleration mechanism for pulsars out of their supernova
remnants based on asymmetric neutrino emission from quark matter in the
presence of a strong magnetic field. The polarized electron spin fixes the
neutrino emission from the direct quark Urca process in one direction along the
magnetic field. We calculate the magnetic field strength which is required to
polarize the electron spin as well as the required initial proto-neutron star
temperature for a successfull acceleration mechanism. In addition we discuss
the neutrino mean free paths in quark as well as in neutron matter which turn
out to be very small. Consequently, the high neutrino interaction rates will
wash out the asymmetry in neutrino emission. As a possible solution to this
problem we take into account effects from colour superconductivity.


title:
Charge transport in disordered organic solids: A Monte Carlo simulation
  study on the effects of film morphology

abstract:
  The influence of ordered regions (micro crystallites and aggregates) in the
other wise disordered polymer host matrix on field and temperature dependence
of mobility (\mu) has been simulated. Increase in concentration of ordered
regions leads to increase in magnitude of mobility and in high field regime the
saturation of the mobility occurs at lower electric field strength. The
influence of different mean and standard deviation of Gaussian density of
states (DOS) of ordered regions on the field dependence of mobility was studied
and found to be significant only at higher concentrations. Weak influence of
these parameters at low concentrations are attributed to the strong interface
effects due to the difference in the standard deviation of DOS of two regions
(host and ordered region) and shallow trapping effect by ordered regions. For
all the parameters of ordered regions under investigation the temperature
dependence of mobility (log{\mu}) and the slope of log{\mu} Vs E^{1/2} plot
show 1/T^2 dependence.


title:
Perspectives on Beam-Shaping Optimization for Thermal-Noise Reduction in
  Advanced Gravitational-Wave Interferometric Detectors: Bounds, Profiles, and
  Critical Parameters

abstract:
  Suitable shaping (in particular, flattening and broadening) of the laser beam
has recently been proposed as an effective device to reduce internal (mirror)
thermal noise in advanced gravitational wave interferometric detectors. Based
on some recently published analytic approximations (valid in the
infinite-test-mass limit) for the Brownian and thermoelastic mirror noises in
the presence of arbitrary-shaped beams, this paper addresses certain
preliminary issues related to the optimal beam-shaping problem. In particular,
with specific reference to the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave
Observatory (LIGO) experiment, absolute and realistic lower-bounds for the
various thermal noise constituents are obtained and compared with the current
status (Gaussian beams) and trends ("mesa" beams), indicating fairly ample
margins for further reduction. In this framework, the effective dimension of
the related optimization problem, and its relationship to the critical design
parameters are identified, physical-feasibility and model-consistency issues
are considered, and possible additional requirements and/or prior information
exploitable to drive the subsequent optimization process are highlighted.


title:
Force unfolding kinetics of RNA using optical tweezers. I. Effects of
  experimental variables on measured results

abstract:
  Experimental variables of optical tweezers instrumentation that affect RNA
folding/unfolding kinetics were investigated. A model RNA hairpin, P5ab, was
attached to two micron-sized beads through hybrid RNA/DNA handles; one bead was
trapped by dual-beam lasers and the other was held by a micropipette. Several
experimental variables were changed while measuring the unfolding/refolding
kinetics, including handle lengths, trap stiffness, and modes of force applied
to the molecule. In constant-force mode where the tension applied to the RNA
was maintained through feedback control, the measured rate coefficients varied
within 40% when the handle lengths were changed by 10 fold (1.1 to 10.2 Kbp);
they increased by two- to three-fold when the trap stiffness was lowered to one
third (from 0.1 to 0.035 pN/nm). In the passive mode, without feedback control
and where the force applied to the RNA varied in response to the end-to-end
distance change of the tether, the RNA hopped between a high-force folded-state
and a low-force unfolded-state. In this mode, the rates increased up to
two-fold with longer handles or softer traps. Overall, the measured rates
remained with the same order-of-magnitude over the wide range of conditions
studied. In the companion paper (1), we analyze how the measured kinetics
parameters differ from the intrinsic molecular rates of the RNA, and thus how
to obtain the molecular rates.

categories: physics.bio-ph cond-mat.soft cond-mat.stat-mech q-bio.BM


title: Compact Manifolds Covered by a Torus

abstract:
  Let $X$ be a connected compact complex manifold admitting a finite surjective
map $A \to X$ from a complex torus $A.$ We prove that up to finite \'etale
cover, $X$ is a product of projective spaces and a torus.


title: Quenched lattice calculation of the B --> D l nu decay rate

abstract:
  We calculate, in the continuum limit of quenched lattice QCD, the form factor
that enters in the decay rate of the semileptonic decay B --> D l nu. Making
use of the step scaling method (SSM), previously introduced to handle two scale
problems in lattice QCD, and of flavour twisted boundary conditions we extract
G(w) at finite momentum transfer and at the physical values of the heavy quark
masses. Our results can be used in order to extract the CKM matrix element Vcb
by the experimental decay rate without model dependent extrapolations.


title: Low-loss grating for coupling to a high-finesse cavity

abstract:
  A concept for a low loss all-reflective cavity coupler is experimentally
demonstrated at a wavelength of 1064 nm. A 1450 nm period dielectric reflection
grating with a diffraction efficiency of 0.58 % in the -1st order is used in
2nd order Littrow configuration as a coupler to form a cavity with a finesse of
400. The application of such reflective low-loss cavity couplers in future
generations of gravitational-wave detectors as well as some implementation
issues are discussed.


title:
Magnetic susceptibility of the two-dimensional Hubbard model using a
  power series for the hopping constant

abstract:
  The magnetic susceptibility of the two-dimensional repulsive Hubbard model
with nearest-neighbor hopping is investigated using the diagram technique
developed for the case of strong correlations. In this technique a power series
in the hopping constant is used. At half-filling the calculated zero-frequency
susceptibility and the square of the site spin reproduce adequately results of
Monte Carlo simulations. Also in agreement with numerical simulations no
evidence of ferromagnetic correlations was found in the considered range of
electron concentrations $0.8\alt\bar{n}\alt 1.2$ for the repulsion parameters
$8|t|\leq U\leq 16|t|$. However, for larger $U/|t|$ and $|1-\bar{n}|\approx
0.2$ the nearest neighbor correlations become ferromagnetic. For $\bar{n}\alt
0.94$ and $\bar{n}\agt 1.06$ the imaginary part of the real-frequency
susceptibility becomes incommensurate for small frequencies. The
incommensurability parameter grows with departure from half-filling and
decreases with increasing the frequency. This behavior of the susceptibility
can explain the observed low-frequency incommensurate response observed in
normal-state lanthanum cuprates.


title: Wave function of the Universe in the early stage of its evolution

abstract:
  In quantum cosmological models, constructed in the framework of
Friedmann-Robertson-Walker metrics, a nucleation of the Universe with its
further expansion is described as a tunneling transition through an effective
barrier between regions with small and large values of the scale factor $a$ at
non-zero (or zero) energy. The approach for describing this tunneling consists
of constructing a wave function satisfying an appropriate boundary condition.
There are various ways for defining the boundary condition that lead to
different estimates of the barrier penetrability and the tunneling time.
  In order to describe the escape from the tunneling region as accurately as
possible and to construct the total wave function on the basis of its two
partial solutions unambiguously, we use the tunneling boundary condition that
the total wave function must represent only the outgoing wave at the point of
escape from the barrier, where the following definition for the wave is
introduced: the wave is represented by the wave function whose modulus changes
minimally under a variation of the scale factor $a$. We construct a new method
for a direct non-semiclassical calculation of the total stationary wave
function of the Universe, analyze the behavior of this wave function in the
tunneling region, near the escape point and in the asymptotic region, and
estimate the barrier penetrability. We observe oscillations of modulus of wave
function in the external region starting from the turning point which decrease
with increasing of $a$ and which are not shown in semiclassical calculations.
The period of such an oscillation decreases uniformly with increasing $a$ and
can be used as a fully quantum dynamical characteristic of the expansion of the
Universe.


title:
Numerical studies of the Pfaffian model of the nu=5/2 fractional quantum
  Hall effect

abstract:
  The Pfaffian model has been proposed for the fractional quantum Hall effect
(FQHE) at nu=5/2. We examine it for the quasihole excitations by comparison
with exact diagonalization results. Specifically, we consider the structure of
the low-energy spectrum, accuracy of the microscopic wave functions,
particle-hole symmetry, splitting of the degeneracies, and off-diagonal long
range order. We also review how the 5/2 FQHE can be understood without
appealing to the Pfaffian model. Implications for nonabelian braiding
statistics will be mentioned.


title:
Quenched lattice calculation of semileptonic heavy-light meson form
  factors

abstract:
  We calculate, in the continuum limit of quenched lattice QCD, the matrix
elements of the heavy-heavy vector current between heavy-light pseudoscalar
meson states. We present the form factors for different values of the initial
and final meson masses at finite momentum transfer. In particular, we calculate
the non-perturbative correction to the differential decay rate of the process B
--> D l nu including the case of a non-vanishing lepton mass.


title: Lattice Refining LQC and the Matter Hamiltonian

abstract:
  In the context of loop quantum cosmology, we parametrise the lattice
refinement by a parameter, $A$, and the matter Hamiltonian by a parameter,
$\delta$. We then solve the Hamiltonian constraint for both a self-adjoint, and
a non-self-adjoint Hamiltonian operator. Demanding that the solutions for the
wave-functions obey certain physical restrictions, we impose constraints on the
two-dimensional, $(A,\delta)$, parameter space, thereby restricting the types
of matter content that can be supported by a particular lattice refinement
model.


title: Observation and Mass Measurement of the Baryon $\Xi^-_b$

abstract:
  We report the observation and measurement of the mass of the bottom, strange
baryon $\Xi^-_b$ through the decay chain $\Xi^-_b \to J/\psi \Xi^-$, where
$J/\psi \to \mu^+ \mu^-$, $\Xi^- \to \Lambda \pi^-$, and $\Lambda \to p \pi^-$.
Evidence for observation is based on a signal whose probability of arising from
the estimated background is 6.6 x 10^{-15}, or 7.7 Gaussian standard
deviations. The $\Xi^-_b$ mass is measured to be $5792.9\pm 2.5$ (stat.) $\pm
1.7$ (syst.) MeV/$c^2$.


title:
Dispersal of planets hosted in binaries, transitional members of
  multiple star systems

abstract:
  This paper explains why planets in binary star systems might have a lower
frequency. A transient triple state of the binary causes the dispersal of
planets.