title: UV Completions for Non-Critical Strings

abstract:
  Compactifications of the physical superstring to two dimensions provide a
general template for realizing 2D conformal field theories coupled to
worldsheet gravity, i.e. non-critical string theories. Motivated by this
observation, in this paper we determine the quasi-topological 8D theory which
governs the vacua of 2D N = (0,2) gauged linear sigma models (GLSMs) obtained
from compactifications of type I and heterotic strings on a Calabi-Yau
fourfold. We also determine the quasi-topological 6D theory governing the 2D
vacua of intersecting 7-branes in compactifications of F-theory on an
elliptically fibered Calabi-Yau fivefold, where matter fields and interaction
terms localize on lower-dimensional subspaces, i.e. defect operators. To cancel
anomalies / cancel tadpoles, these GLSMs must couple to additional chiral
sectors, which in some cases do not admit a known description in terms of a UV
GLSM. Additionally, we find that constructing an anomaly free spectrum can
sometimes break supersymmetry due to spacetime filling anti-branes. We also
study various canonical examples such as the standard embedding of heterotic
strings on a Calabi-Yau fourfold and F-theoretic "rigid clusters" with no local
deformation moduli of the elliptic fibration.


title:
Low Surface Brightness Imaging of the Magellanic System: Imprints of
  Tidal Interactions between the Clouds in the Stellar Periphery

abstract:
  We present deep optical images of the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds (LMC
and SMC) using a low cost telephoto lens with a wide field of view to explore
stellar substructure in the outskirts of the stellar disk of the LMC (r < 10
degrees from the center). These data have higher resolution than existing star
count maps, and highlight the existence of stellar arcs and multiple spiral
arms in the northern periphery, with no comparable counterparts in the South.
We compare these data to detailed simulations of the LMC disk outskirts,
following interactions with its low mass companion, the SMC. We consider
interaction in isolation and with the inclusion of the Milky Way tidal field.
The simulations are used to assess the origin of the northern structures,
including also the low density stellar arc recently identified in the DES data
by Mackey et al. 2015 at ~ 15 degrees. We conclude that repeated close
interactions with the SMC are primarily responsible for the asymmetric stellar
structures seen in the periphery of the LMC. The orientation and density of
these arcs can be used to constrain the LMC's interaction history with and
impact parameter of the SMC. More generally, we find that such asymmetric
structures should be ubiquitous about pairs of dwarfs and can persist for 1-2
Gyr even after the secondary merges entirely with the primary. As such, the
lack of a companion around a Magellanic Irregular does not disprove the
hypothesis that their asymmetric structures are driven by dwarf-dwarf
interactions.


title: Reentrant Network Formation in Patchy Colloidal Mixtures under Gravity

abstract:
  We study a two-dimensional binary mixture of patchy colloids in
sedimentation-diffusion-equilibrium using Monte Carlo simulation and Wertheim's
theory. By tuning the buoyant masses of the colloids we can control the
gravity-induced sequence of fluid stacks of differing density and percolation
properties. We find complex stacking sequences with up to four layers and
reentrant network formation, consistently in simulations and theoretically
using only the bulk phase diagram as input. Our theory applies to general
patchy colloidal mixtures and is relevant to understanding experiments under
gravity.


title: Fourier-space entanglement of spin chains

abstract:
  Entanglement between different regions in momentum space is studied for
ground states of some spin-chain Hamiltonians: the XY model, the Ising model in
a transverse field (ITF) and the XXZ models. In the XY and ITF cases,
entanglement only takes place between states with opposite momenta. Thus, an
anisotropy in the interaction induces entanglement in the momentum pairs. In
the ITF case, the ferromagnetic phase is characterized by a total entropy
between left- and right-moving modes which is independent on the external
field. This result characterizes the Ising phase transition in momentum space.
In the critical XXZ case, we provide evidence that the maximal entropy between
energy modes around the Fermi point grows logarithmically with the system size,
with a prefactor which depends on the compactification radius. The slow growth
of the entanglement in Fourier space with the system size provides an
explanation for the success of the renormalization techniques in momentum
space.


title:
Adsorption by design: tuning atom-graphene van der Waals interactions
  via mechanical strain

abstract:
  We aim to understand how the van der Waals force between neutral adatoms and
a graphene layer is modified by uniaxial strain and electron correlation
effects. A detailed analysis is presented for three atoms (He, H, and Na) and
graphene strain ranging from weak to moderately strong. We show that the van
der Waals potential can be significantly enhanced by strain, and present
applications of our results to the problem of elastic scattering of atoms from
graphene. In particular we find that quantum reflection can be significantly
suppressed by strain, meaning that dissipative inelastic effects near the
surface become of increased importance. Furthermore we introduce a method to
independently estimate the Lennard-Jones parameters used in an effective model
of He interacting with graphene, and determine how they depend on strain. At
short distances, we find that strain tends to reduce the interaction strength
by pushing the location of the adsorption potential minima to higher distances
above the deformed graphene sheet. This opens up the exciting possibility of
mechanically engineering an adsorption potential, with implications for the
formation and observation of anisotropic low dimensional superfluid phases.


title:
Assisted Inspirals of Stellar Mass Black Holes Embedded in AGN Disks:
  Solving the "Final AU Problem"

abstract:
  We explore the evolution of stellar mass black hole binaries (BHBs) which are
formed in the self-gravitating disks of active galactic nuclei (AGN). Hardening
due to three-body scattering and gaseous drag are effective mechanisms that
reduce the semi-major axis of a BHB to radii where gravitational waves take
over, on timescales shorter than the typical lifetime of the AGN disk. Taking
observationally-motivated assumptions for the rate of star formation in AGN
disks, we find a rate of disk-induced BHB mergers ($\mathcal{R} \sim 3~{\rm
yr}^{-1}~{\rm Gpc}^{-3}$, but with large uncertainties) that is comparable with
existing estimates of the field rate of BHB mergers, and the approximate BHB
merger rate implied by the recent Advanced LIGO detection of GW150914. BHBs
formed thorough this channel will frequently be associated with luminous AGN,
which are relatively rare within the sky error regions of future gravitational
wave detector arrays. This channel could also possess a (potentially transient)
electromagnetic counterpart due to super-Eddington accretion onto the stellar
mass black hole following the merger.

categories: astro-ph.GA astro-ph.HE astro-ph.SR gr-qc


title: Scale-free network optimization: foundations and algorithms

abstract:
  We investigate the fundamental principles that drive the development of
scalable algorithms for network optimization. Despite the significant amount of
work on parallel and decentralized algorithms in the optimization community,
the methods that have been proposed typically rely on strict separability
assumptions for objective function and constraints. Beside sparsity, these
methods typically do not exploit the strength of the interaction between
variables in the system. We propose a notion of correlation in constrained
optimization that is based on the sensitivity of the optimal solution upon
perturbations of the constraints. We develop a general theory of sensitivity of
optimizers the extends beyond the infinitesimal setting. We present instances
in network optimization where the correlation decays exponentially fast with
respect to the natural distance in the network, and we design algorithms that
can exploit this decay to yield dimension-free optimization. Our results are
the first of their kind, and open new possibilities in the theory of local
algorithms.


title: Beyond the Standard Model

abstract:
  We introduce aspects of physics beyond the Standard Model focusing on
supersymmetry, extra dimensions, and a composite Higgs as solutions to the
Hierarchy problem. Lectures at the European School of High Energy Physics,
Par\'adf\"urd\H{o}, Hungary, 5-18 June 2013.


title:
Energy efficient OFDMA networks maintaining statistical QoS guarantees
  for delay-sensitive traffic

abstract:
  An energy-efficient design is proposed under specific statistical
quality-of-service (QoS) guarantees for delay-sensitive traffic in the downlink
orthogonal frequency-division multiple-access (OFDMA) networks. This design is
based on Wu's $\textit{effective capacity}$ (EC) concept [1], which
characterizes the maximum throughput of a system subject to statistical
delay-QoS requirements at the data-link layer. In the particular context
considered, our main contributions consist of quantifying the
$\textit{effective energy-efficiency}$ (EEE)-versus-EC tradeoff and
characterizing the delay-sensitive traffic as a function of the QoS-exponent
$\theta$, which expresses the exponential decay rate of the delay-QoS violation
probabilities. Upon exploiting the properties of fractional programming, the
originally quasi-concave EEE optimization problem having a fractional form is
transformed into a subtractive optimization problem by applying Dinkelbach's
method. As a result, an iterative inner-outer loop based resource allocation
algorithm is conceived for efficiently solving the transformed EEE optimization
problem. Our simulation results demonstrate that the proposed scheme converges
within a few Dinkelbach algorithm's iterations to the desired solution
accuracy. Furthermore, the impact of the circuitry power, of the QoS-exponent
and of the power amplifier inefficiency is characterized numerically. These
results reveal that the optimally allocated power maximizing the EEE decays
exponentially with respect to both the circuitry power and the QoS-exponent,
whilst decaying linearly with respect to the power amplifier inefficiency.


title:
Ptychographic X-ray computed tomography of extended colloidal networks
  in food emulsions

abstract:
  As a main structural level in colloidal food materials, extended colloidal
networks are important for texture and rheology. By obtaining the 3D
microstructure of the network, macroscopic mechanical properties of the
material can be inferred. However, this approach is hampered by the lack of
suitable non-destructive 3D imaging techniques with submicron resolution.
  We present results of quantitative ptychographic X-ray computed tomography
applied to a palm kernel oil based oil-in-water emulsion. The measurements were
carried out at ambient pressure and temperature. The 3D structure of the
extended colloidal network of fat globules was obtained with a resolution of
around 300 nm. Through image analysis of the network structure, the fat globule
size distribution was computed and compared to previous findings. In further
support, the reconstructed electron density values were within 4% of reference
values.


title: Stationary focusing Mean Field Games

abstract:
  We consider stationary viscous Mean-Field Games systems in the case of local,
decreasing and unbounded coupling. These systems arise in ergodic mean-field
game theory, and describe Nash equilibria of games with a large number of
agents aiming at aggregation. We show how the dimension of the state space, the
behavior of the coupling and the Hamiltonian at infinity affect the existence
and non-existence of regular solutions. Our approach relies on the study of
Sobolev regularity of the invariant measure and a blow-up procedure which is
calibrated on the scaling properties of the system. In very special cases we
observe uniqueness of solutions. Finally, we apply our methods to obtain new
existence results for MFG systems with competition, namely when the coupling is
local and increasing.


title:
The Magnitude and Frequency Variations of Vector-Borne Infections
  Outbreaks with the Ross-Macdonald Model: Explaining and Predicting Outbreaks
  of Dengue Fever

abstract:
  It is possible to model vector-borne infection using the classical
Ross-Macdonald model. This attempt, however fails in several respects. First,
using measured (or estimated) parameters, the model predicts a much greater
number of cases than what is usually observed. Second, the model predicts a
single huge outbreaks that is followed after decades of much smaller outbreaks.
This is not what is observed. Usually towns or cities report a number of cases
that recur for many years, even when environmental changes cannot explain the
disappearance of the infection in-between the peaks. In this paper we continue
to examine the pitfalls in modeling this class of infections, and explain that,
in fact, if properly used, the Ross-Macdonald model works, can be used to
understand the patterns of epidemics and even, to some extents, to make some
predictions. We model several outbreaks of dengue fever and show that the
variable pattern of year recurrence (or absence of it) can be understood and
explained by a simple Ross-Macdonald model modified to take into account human
movement across a range of neighborhoods inside a city. In addition, we analyze
the effect of seasonal variations in the parameters determining the number,
longevity and biting behavior of mosquitoes. Based on the size of the first
outbreak, we show that it is possible to estimate the proportion of the
remaining susceptibles and predict the likelihood and magnitude of eventual
subsequent outbreaks. The approach is exemplified by actual dengue outbreaks
with different recurrence patterns from some Brazilian regions.


title:
Absorption Cross-section and Decay Rate of Rotating Linear Dilaton Black
  Holes

abstract:
  We analytically study the scalar perturbation of non-asymptotically flat
(NAF) rotating linear dilaton black holes (RLDBHs) in 4-dimensions. We show
that both radial and angular wave equations can be solved in terms of the
hypergeometric functions. The exact greybody factor (GF), the absorption
cross-section (ACS), and the decay rate (DR) for the massless scalar waves are
computed for these black holes (BHs). The results obtained for ACS and DR are
discussed through graphs.


title:
Consensus-Based Torque Control of Deloaded Wind DFIGs for Distributed
  and Fair Dynamic Dispatching

abstract:
  In this paper we aim to address the problem of dynamically dispatching a
group of state-of-the-art deloaded wind generators (WGs) in a fair-sharing
manner. We use the term dynamically since the WGs aim to dispatch themselves
according to a varying committed WF power output. We first propose a
leader-follower protocol whose execution guarantees asymptotically, two control
objectives. These are 1) reaching asymptotic consensus on the utilization level
of all WGs and 2) the total power output of the WGs asymptotically converges to
the reference value. Thereafter, we combine singular perturbation and Lyapunov
theory to prove that, under certain conditions, the proposed protocol will
asymptotically converge to its equilibrium. Finally, we derive a cooperative
Control Lyapunov Function-based (CLF) controller for the rotor side converter
(RSC) of each WG that realizes the protocol in practice. We demonstrate the
effectiveness of our proposed protocol and the corresponding RSC controller
design via simulations on the modified IEEE 24-bus RT system.


title:
Observing single FoF1-ATP synthase at work using an improved fluorescent
  protein mNeonGreen as FRET donor

abstract:
  Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is the universal chemical energy currency for
cellular activities provided mainly by the membrane enzyme FoF1-ATP synthase in
bacteria, chloroplasts and mitochondria. Synthesis of ATP is accompanied by
subunit rotation within the enzyme. Over the past 15 years we have developed a
variety of single-molecule FRET (smFRET) experiments to monitor catalytic
action of individual bacterial enzymes in vitro. By specifically labeling
rotating and static subunits within a single enzyme we were able to observe
three-stepped rotation in the F1 motor, ten-stepped rotation in the Fo motor
and transient elastic deformation of the connected rotor subunits. However, the
spatial and temporal resolution of motor activities measured by smFRET were
limited by the photophysics of the FRET fluorophores. Here we evaluate the
novel FRET donor mNeonGreen as a fusion to FoF1-ATP synthase and compare it to
the previously used fluorophore EGFP. Topics of this manuscript are the
biochemical purification procedures and the activity measurements of the fully
functional mutant enzyme.


title:
Role of Carrier Mobility and Band Alignment Engineering on the
  Efficiency of Colloidal Quantum Dot Solar Cells

abstract:
  We investigate physics based design of colloidal quantum dot (CQD) solar
cells using self-consistent computational modeling. The significance of band
alignment engineering and optimized carrier mobility are quantitatively
explored as a function of sub bandgap defect densities (N_t) in the bulk CQD.
For $N_t \leq 10^{15} cm^{-3}$, band alignment engineering near the interface
of CQD and the metal contact could significantly improve open circuit voltage
by suppressing the forward bias dark current. This effect could enhance cell
efficiency up to ~37% for thinner $(< 1 \mu m)$ CQD layers. For thicker $(> 1
\mu m)$ CQD layer, the effect of band engineering is diminished as the forward
bias dark current becomes diffusion-limited and less dependent on the
interfacial band offsets. An optimal carrier mobility in CQD lies in the range
~ 10^{-2} cm^2/Vs - 10^0 cm^2/Vs and shows variation as a function of CQD layer
thickness and the interfacial band offset. For $N_t \approx 10^{14} cm^{-3}$,
an optimally designed cell could provide ~20% efficiency under AM1.5G solar
spectrum without employing advanced structural optimizations such as the
nanostructured electrodes. These physical insights contribute to a better
understanding of quantum dot solar cell design, allowing a step further towards
a highly efficient and a low cost solar cell technology.


title:
Resolving the Fan-Spine Reconnection Geometry of a Small-Scale
  Chromospheric Jet Event with the New Solar Telescope

abstract:
  Jets present ubiquitously in both quiet and active regions on the Sun. They
are widely believed to be driven by magnetic reconnection. A fan-spine
structure has been frequently reported in some coronal jets and flares,
regarded as a signature of ongoing magnetic reconnection in a topology
consisting of a magnetic null connected by a fan-like separatrix surface and a
spine. However, for small-scale chromospheric jets, clear evidence of such
structures is rather rare, although they are implied in earlier works that show
an inverted-Y-shaped feature. Here we report high-resolution (0$"$.16)
observations of a small-scale chromospheric jet obtained by the New Solar
Telescope (NST) using 10830~{\AA} filtergrams. Bi-directional flows were
observed across the separatrix regions in the 10830~\AA{} images, suggesting
that the jet was produced due to magnetic reconnection. At the base of the jet,
a fan-spine structure was clearly resolved by the NST, including the spine and
the fan-like surface, as well as the loops before and after the reconnection. A
major part of this fan-spine structure, with the exception of its bright
footpoints and part of the base arc, was invisible in the extreme ultraviolet
and soft X-ray images (observed by the Atmosphere Imaging Assembly and the
X-Ray Telescope, respectively), indicating that the reconnection occurred in
the upper chromosphere. Our observations suggest that the evolution of this
chromospheric jet is consistent with a two-step reconnection scenario proposed
by \citet{Torok2009}


title: Rebuttal of "The multicaloric effect in multiferroic materials"

abstract:
  The paper refutes the model and claims published in the Solid State
Communications [1] as well as elsewhere. The theoretical approach proposed in
"The multicaloric effect in multiferroic materials" by Melvin M.~Vopson has a
number of inaccuracies and mistakes. The Author of [1] does not pay necessary
attention to the range of applicability of the derived equations and confuses
the dependent and independent variables. The resulting equations for
electrically and magnetically induced multicaloric effects are incorrect and
cannot be used for measurement interpretation.


title:
Recovering Differential Operators with Nonseparated Boundary Conditions
  in the Central Symmetric Case

abstract:
  Inverse spectral problems for Sturm-Liouville operators on a finite interval
with non-separated boundary conditions are studied in the central symmetric
case, when the potential is symmetric with respect to the middle of the
interval. We discuss statements of the problems, provide algorithms for their
solutions along with necessary and sufficient conditions for the solvability of
the inverse problems considered.


title: Complete Flat Cone Metrics on Punctured Surfaces

abstract:
  We prove that each complete flat cone metric on a surface, perhaps with
boundary and punctures, can be triangulated with finitely many types of
triangles. We derive Gauss-Bonnet formula for this kind of cone metrics. In
addition, we prove that each free homotopy class of paths has a geodesic
representative.


title: The Ubiquity of Sidon Sets That Are Not $I_0$

abstract:
  We prove that every infinite, discrete abelian group admits a pair of $I_0$
sets whose union is not $I_0$. In particular, this implies that every such
group contains a Sidon set that is not $I_{0}$.


title:
Two-State Thermodynamics and the Possibility of a Liquid-Liquid Phase
  Transition in Supercooled TIP4P/2005 Water

abstract:
  Water shows intriguing thermodynamic and dynamic anomalies in the supercooled
liquid state. One possible explanation of the origin of these anomalies lies in
the existence of a metastable liquid-liquid phase transition (LLPT) between two
(high and low density) forms of water. While the anomalies are observed in
experiments on bulk and confined water and by computer simulation studies of
water-like models, the existence of a LLPT in water is still debated.
Unambiguous experimental proof of the existence of a LLPT in bulk supercooled
water is hampered by fast ice nucleation which is a precursor of the
hypothesized LLPT. Moreover, the hypothesized LLPT, being metastable, in
principle cannot exist in the thermodynamic limit (infinite size, infinite
time). Therefore, computer simulations of water models are crucial for
exploring the possibility of the metastable LLPT and the nature of the
anomalies. In this work, we present new simulation results in the NVT ensemble
for one of the most accurate classical molecular models of water, TIP4P/2005.
To describe the computed properties and explore the possibility of a LLPT we
have applied two-structure thermodynamics, viewing water as a non-ideal mixture
of two interconvertible local structures ("states"). The results suggest the
presence of a liquid-liquid critical point and a LLPT in this model for the
simulated length and time scales. We have compared the behavior of TIP4P/2005
with other popular water-like models, namely mW and ST2, and with real water,
all of which are well described by two-state thermodynamics. In view of the
current debate involving different studies of TIP4P/2005, we discuss
consequences of metastability and finite size in observing the liquid-liquid
separation. We also address the relationship between the phenomenological order
parameter of two-structure thermodynamics and the microscopic nature of the
low-density structure.


title:
Response to: "Limitations of the Method of Lagrangian Descriptors"
  [arXiv:1510.04838]

abstract:
  This Response is concerned with the recent Comment of Ruiz-Herrera,
"Limitations of the Method of Lagrangian Descriptors" [arXiv:1510.04838],
criticising the method of Lagrangian Descriptors. In spite of the significant
body of literature asserting the contrary, Ruiz-Herrera claims that the method
fails to reveal the presence of stable and unstable manifolds of hyperbolic
trajectories in incompressible systems and in almost all linear systems. He
supports this claim by considering the method of Lagrangian descriptors applied
to three specific examples. However in this response we show that Ruiz-Herrera
does not understand the proper application and interpretation of the method
and, when correctly applied, the method beautifully and unambiguously detects
the stable and unstable manifolds of the hyperbolic trajectories in his
examples.


title: A fast computation of density of exponentially $S$-numbers

abstract:
  The author \cite{4} proved that, for every set $S$ of positive integers
containing 1 (finite or infinite) there exists the density $h=h(E(S))$ of the
set $E(S)$ of numbers whose prime factorizations contain exponents only from
$S,$ and gave an explicit formula for $h(E(S)).$ In this paper we give an
equivalent polynomial formula for $\log h(E(S))$ which allows to get a fast
calculation of $h(E(S)).$


title: Small fractional parts of polynomials

abstract:
  Using the recent result of Bourgain, Demeter and Guth on Vinogradov's mean
value, a number of new results about small fractional parts of polynomials and
fractional parts of additive forms are obtained. These improve work of Baker,
Cook, Danicic, Vaughan and Wooley.


title:
On Contact Numbers of Finite Lattice Sphere Packings and the Maximal
  Coordination of Monatomic Crystals

abstract:
  We algorithmically characterize the maximal contact number problem for finite
congruent lattice sphere packings in $\mathbb{R}^d$ and show that in
$\mathbb{R}^3$ this problem is equivalent to determining the maximal
coordination of a monatomic crystal.


title: Some remarks on the mathematical structure of the multiverse

abstract:
  The Copenhagen interpretation of quantum entanglement experiments is at best
incomplete, since the intermediate state induced by collapse of the wave
function apparently depends upon the inertial rest frame in which the
experiment is observed. While the Many Worlds Interpretation of Everett, MWI,
avoids the issue of wave function collapse, it, too, is a casualty of the
special theory of relativity. This requires all events in the universe, past,
present and future, to be unique, as in the block universe picture, which rules
out Everett style branching. The benefits of MWI may be retained, however, by
postulating a multiverse of discrete, parallel, block universes which are
identical to each other up to certain points in the MWI trunk before they
diverge according to the MWI branching. The quantum probability of an event
then emerges from the number of parallel universes in which the event happens
divided by the total number of universes. This means that the total number of
such universes is finite. Such a picture is more easily envisaged by thinking
of it as a purely mathematical structure, as in the Mathematical Universe
Hypothesis proposed by Tegmark. However, while Tegmark wished to avoid
contamination from Goedelian self referential knots, not only does such
contamination appear to be inevitable, it brings an unexpected benefit. The
mathematical hierarchy required by the enigmatic footnote 48a in the paper by
Goedel leads to an explanation for a unitary evolution of deterministic quantum
rules across the multiverse while accounting for quantum uncertainty within an
individual universe. Other aspects of this structure, called here the Plexus,
are discussed, including awareness of existence and other questions raised by
the hypothesis.


title:
Some New Results On Even Almost Perfect Numbers Which Are Not Powers Of
  Two

abstract:
  In this note, we present some new results on even almost perfect numbers
which are not powers of two. In particular, we show that $2^{r+1} < b$, if
${2^r}{b^2}$ is an even almost perfect number.


title:
The second law of thermodynamics is riddled with (in percentage terms
  extremely rare) exceptions

abstract:
  Statistical mechanics descriptions of the second law of thermodynamics
generally imply point-like particles driven by a dissipative overall mechanism
for their simultaneous time-evolution. As the number of involved particles
grows larger, it becomes more and more unlikely that they by itself adopt an
off-equilibrium state with lower entropy. We present a macroscopic
counterexample of the second law that repeatedly and spontaneously produces an
entropy sink, thus recurrently enables us to harvest energy that sidesteps all
the compensation interactions with the surroundings. Hence, this mechanism
extracts energy from a single reservoir. This proves true in an experiment and
is explained as a consequence of size effects, among them nonzero particle
extent that marginally amend crucial peculiarities of thermodynamic equilibrium
dynamics.


title: Multiple Solutions of Riemann-Type of Functional Equations

abstract:
  Linearly independent Dirichlet L-functions satisfying the same Riemann-type
of functional equation have been supposed for long time to possess off critical
line non trivial zeros. We are taking a closer look into this problem and into
its connection with the Generalized Riemann Hypothesis


title: Gapped Boundary Phases of Topological Insulators via Weak Coupling

abstract:
  The standard boundary state of a topological insulator in 3+1 dimensions has
gapless charged fermions. We present model systems that reproduce this standard
gapless boundary state in one phase, but also have gapped phases with
topological order. Our models are weakly coupled and all the dynamics is
explicit. We rederive some known boundary states of topological insulators and
construct new ones. Consistency with the standard spin/charge relation of
condensed matter physics places a nontrivial constraint on models.


title:
Photonic realization of topologically protected bound states in
  domain-wall waveguide arrays

abstract:
  We present an analytical theory of topologically protected photonic states
for the two-dimensional Maxwell equations for a class of continuous periodic
dielectric structures, modulated by a domain wall. We further numerically
confirm the applicability of this theory for three-dimensional structures.

categories: physics.optics cond-mat.mes-hall math-ph math.AP math.MP


title: Algebraic dynamics of the lifts of Frobenius

abstract:
  We study the algbraic dynamics for endomorphisms of projective spaces with
coefficients in a p-adic field whose reduction in positive characteritic is the
Frobenius. In particular, we prove a version of the dynamical Manin-Mumford
conjecture and the dynamical Mordell-Lang conjecture for the coherent backward
orbits for such endomorphisms. We also give a new proof of a dynamical version
of the Tate-Voloch conjecture in this case. Our method is based on the theory
of perfectoid spaces introduced by P. Scholze. In the appendix, we prove that
under some technical condition on the field of definition, a dynamical system
for a polarized lift of Frobenius on a projective variety can be embedding into
a dynamical system for some endomorphism of a projective space.


title: Witt vectors as a polynomial functor

abstract:
  For every commutative ring $A$, one has a functorial commutative ring $W(A)$
of $p$-typical Witt vectors of $A$, an iterated extension of $A$ by itself. If
$A$ is not commutative, it has been known since the pioneering work of L.
Hesselholt that $W(A)$ is only an abelian group, not a ring, and it is an
iterated extension of the Hochschild homology group $HH_0(A)$ by itself. It is
natural to expect that this construction generalizes to higher degrees and
arbitrary coefficients, so that one can define "Hochschild-Witt homology"
$WHH_*(A,M)$ for any bimodule $M$ over an associative algebra $A$ over a field
$k$. Moreover, if one want the resulting theory to be a trace theory in the
sense of arXiv:1308.3743, then it suffices to define it for $A=k$. This is what
we do in this paper, for a perfect field $k$ of positive characteristic $p$.
Namely, we construct a sequence of polynomial functors $W_m$, $m \geq 1$ from
$k$-vector spaces to abelian groups, related by restriction maps, we prove
their basic properties such as the existence of Frobenius and Verschiebung
maps, and we show that $W_m$ are trace functors in the sense of
arXiv:1308.3743. The construction is very simple, and it only depends on
elementary properties of finite cyclic groups.


title: On topological full groups of Z^d-actions

abstract:
  We give new examples of simple finitely generated groups arising from actions
of free abelian groups on the Cantor sets. As particular examples, we discuss
groups of interval exchange transformations, and a group naturally associated
with the Penrose tilings. Many groups in this class are amenable.


title: Squish: Near-Optimal Compression for Archival of Relational Datasets

abstract:
  Relational datasets are being generated at an alarmingly rapid rate across
organizations and industries. Compressing these datasets could significantly
reduce storage and archival costs. Traditional compression algorithms, e.g.,
gzip, are suboptimal for compressing relational datasets since they ignore the
table structure and relationships between attributes.
  We study compression algorithms that leverage the relational structure to
compress datasets to a much greater extent. We develop Squish, a system that
uses a combination of Bayesian Networks and Arithmetic Coding to capture
multiple kinds of dependencies among attributes and achieve near-entropy
compression rate. Squish also supports user-defined attributes: users can
instantiate new data types by simply implementing five functions for a new
class interface. We prove the asymptotic optimality of our compression
algorithm and conduct experiments to show the effectiveness of our system:
Squish achieves a reduction of over 50\% in storage size relative to systems
developed in prior work on a variety of real datasets.


title: Identifying Diabetic Patients with High Risk of Readmission

abstract:
  Hospital readmissions are expensive and reflect the inadequacies in
healthcare system. In the United States alone, treatment of readmitted diabetic
patients exceeds 250 million dollars per year. Early identification of patients
facing a high risk of readmission can enable healthcare providers to to conduct
additional investigations and possibly prevent future readmissions. This not
only improves the quality of care but also reduces the medical expenses on
readmission. Machine learning methods have been leveraged on public health data
to build a system for identifying diabetic patients facing a high risk of
future readmission. Number of inpatient visits, discharge disposition and
admission type were identified as strong predictors of readmission. Further, it
was found that the number of laboratory tests and discharge disposition
together predict whether the patient will be readmitted shortly after being
discharged from the hospital (i.e. <30 days) or after a longer period of time
(i.e. >30 days). These insights can help healthcare providers to improve
inpatient diabetic care. Finally, the cost analysis suggests that \$252.76
million can be saved across 98,053 diabetic patient encounters by incorporating
the proposed cost sensitive analysis model.


title:
Phylo.io: interactive viewing and comparison of large phylogenetic trees
  on the web

abstract:
  Phylogenetic trees are pervasively used to depict evolutionary relationships.
Increasingly, researchers need to visualize large trees and compare multiple
large trees inferred for the same set of taxa (reflecting uncertainty in the
tree inference or genuine discordance among the loci analysed). Existing tree
visualization tools are however not well suited to these tasks. In particular,
side-by-side comparison of trees can prove challenging beyond a few dozen taxa.
Here, we introduce Phylo.io, a web application to visualize and compare
phylogenetic trees side-by-side. Its distinctive features are: highlighting of
similarities and differences between two trees, automatic identification of the
best matching rooting and leaf order, scalability to very large trees, high
usability, multiplatform support via standard HTML5 implementation, and
possibility to store and share visualisations. The tool can be freely accessed
at http://phylo.io. The code for the associated JavaScript library is available
at https://github.com/DessimozLab/phylo-io under an MIT open source license.


title:
A Minimalistic Approach to Sum-Product Network Learning for Real
  Applications

abstract:
  Sum-Product Networks (SPNs) are a class of expressive yet tractable
hierarchical graphical models. LearnSPN is a structure learning algorithm for
SPNs that uses hierarchical co-clustering to simultaneously identifying similar
entities and similar features. The original LearnSPN algorithm assumes that all
the variables are discrete and there is no missing data. We introduce a
practical, simplified version of LearnSPN, MiniSPN, that runs faster and can
handle missing data and heterogeneous features common in real applications. We
demonstrate the performance of MiniSPN on standard benchmark datasets and on
two datasets from Google's Knowledge Graph exhibiting high missingness rates
and a mix of discrete and continuous features.


title:
Adaptivity provably helps: information-theoretic limits on $l_0$ cost of
  non-adaptive sensing

abstract:
  The advantages of adaptivity and feedback are of immense interest in signal
processing and communication with many positive and negative results. Although
it is established that adaptivity does not offer substantial reductions in
minimax mean square error for a fixed number of measurements, existing results
have shown several advantages of adaptivity in complexity of reconstruction,
accuracy of support detection, and gain in signal-to-noise ratio, under
constraints on sensing energy. Sensing energy has often been measured in terms
of the Frobenius Norm of the sensing matrix. This paper uses a different metric
that we call the $l_0$ cost of a sensing matrix-- to quantify the complexity of
sensing. Thus sparse sensing matrices have a lower cost. We derive
information-theoretic lower bounds on the $l_0$ cost that hold for any
non-adaptive sensing strategy. We establish that any non-adaptive sensing
strategy must incur an $l_0$ cost of $\Theta\left( N \log_2(N)\right) $ to
reconstruct an $N$-dimensional, one--sparse signal when the number of
measurements are limited to $\Theta\left(\log_2 (N)\right)$. In comparison,
bisection-type adaptive strategies only require an $l_0$ cost of at most
$\mathcal{O}(N)$ for an equal number of measurements. The problem has an
interesting interpretation as a sphere packing problem in a multidimensional
space, such that all the sphere centres have minimum non-zero co-ordinates. We
also discuss the variation in $l_0$ cost as the number of measurements increase
from $\Theta\left(\log_2 (N)\right)$ to $\Theta\left(N\right)$.


title:
Short-term Predictable Power of a Wind Farm via Distributed Control of
  Wind Generators with Integrated Storage

abstract:
  In this paper we introduce a Leader-follower consensus protocol and study its
stability properties with and without communication delays. On the practical
side, we explore its application on coordinating a group of wind Double-Fed
Induction Generators (DFIGs) with integrated storage. To begin with, we
establish asymptotic stability of the consensus protocol by employing singular
perturbation theory. Subsequently, we establish asymptotic stability of the
protocol under communication delays using a Lyapunov-Krasovskii functional.
Lastly, we use the proposed protocol to design a methodology that can be
adopted by a fleet of state-of-the-art wind generators (WGs). The objective is
that the WGs selforganize and control their storage devices such that WF total
power output is tracking a reference while equal contribution from each storage
device is attained i.e equal power output from each storage. We demonstrate the
effectiveness of our results and the corresponding approach via simulations on
the IEEE 24-bus RT system.


title:
Quantum groups obtained from solutions to the parametrized Yang-Baxter
  equation

abstract:
  In this article we use a parametrized version of the FRT construction to
construct two new coquasitriangular Hopf algebras. The first one,
$\widehat{SL_q(2)}$, is a quantization of the coordinate ring on affine
$SL(2)$. We show that there is a duality relation between this object and the
more well-known $U_q(\widehat{\mathfrak{sl}_2})$. We then build certain
irreducible comodules of this Hopf algebra and prove an irreducibility
criterion for their tensor product in the spirit of Chari and Pressley.
  The second object is built from a solution of the parametrized Yang-Baxter
equation with parameter group $GL(2, \mathbb{C}) \times GL (1,\mathbb{C})$.
This solution doesn't come from any known quantum group, though it is related
to both solutions coming from $U_{\pm i}(\widehat{\mathfrak{sl}_2})$ and
$U_q(\widehat{\mathfrak{gl}(1|1)})$. We then study certain irreducible
comodules of this newly built object.


title: Electrons under the dominant action of shock-electric fields

abstract:
  We consider a fast magnetosonic multifluid shock as a representation of the
solar-wind termination shock. We assume the action of the transition happens in
a three-step process: In the first step, the upstream supersonic solar-wind
plasma is subject to a strong electric field that flashes up on a small
distance scale $\Delta z\simeq U_1/ \Omega _{\mathrm e}$ (first part of the
transition layer), where $\Omega_{\mathrm e}$ is the electron gyro-frequency
and $U_1$ is the upstream speed. This electric field both decelerates the
supersonic ion flow and accelerates the electrons up to high velocities. In
this part of the transition region, the electric forces connected with the
deceleration of the ion flow strongly dominate over the Lorentz forces. We,
therefore, call this part the demagnetization region. In the second phase,
Lorentz forces due to convected magnetic fields compete with the electric
field, and the highly anisotropic and energetic electron distribution function
is converted into a shell distribution with energetic shell electrons storing
about 3/4 of the upstream ion kinetic energy. In the third phase, the plasma
particles thermalize due to the relaxation of free energy by plasma
instabilities. The first part of the transition region opens up a new
thermodynamic degree of freedom never before taken into account for the
electrons, since the electrons are usually considered to be enslaved to follow
the behavior of the protons in all velocity moments like density, bulk
velocity, and temperature. We show that electrons may be the downstream plasma
fluid that dominates the downstream plasma pressure.


title: A topological state sum model for a scalar field on the circle

abstract:
  This paper is a follow-up to a previous paper on fermions. A simple state sum
model for a scalar field on a triangulated 1-manifold is constructed. The model
is independent of the triangulation and gives exactly the same partition
function as the continuum functional integral with zeta function
regularisation. For a certain choice of gauge group, the state sum model on the
circle is equivalent to the path integral for the simple harmonic oscillator.


title:
Lasso Guarantees for Time Series Estimation Under Subgaussian Tails and
  $ \beta $-Mixing

abstract:
  Many theoretical results on estimation of high dimensional time series
require specifying an underlying data generating model (DGM). Instead, along
the footsteps of~\cite{wong2017lasso}, this paper relies only on (strict)
stationarity and $ \beta $-mixing condition to establish consistency of lasso
when data comes from a $\beta$-mixing process with marginals having subgaussian
tails. Because of the general assumptions, the data can come from DGMs
different than standard time series models such as VAR or ARCH. When the true
DGM is not VAR, the lasso estimates correspond to those of the best linear
predictors using the past observations. We establish non-asymptotic
inequalities for estimation and prediction errors of the lasso estimates.
Together with~\cite{wong2017lasso}, we provide lasso guarantees that cover full
spectrum of the parameters in specifications of $ \beta $-mixing subgaussian
time series. Applications of these results potentially extend to non-Gaussian,
non-Markovian and non-linear times series models as the examples we provide
demonstrate. In order to prove our results, we derive a novel Hanson-Wright
type concentration inequality for $\beta$-mixing subgaussian random vectors
that may be of independent interest.


title:
Evidence for Defect-induced Superconductivity up to 49 K in
  (Ca1-xRx)Fe2As2

abstract:
  To explore the origin of the unusual non-bulk superconductivity with a Tc up
to 49 K reported in the rare-earth-doped CaFe2As2 , the chemical composition,
magnetization, specific heat, resistivity, and annealing effect are
systematically investigated on nominal (Ca1-xRx)Fe2As2 single crystals with
different x's and R = La, Ce, Pr, and Nd. All display a doping-independent Tc
once superconductivity is induced, a doping-dependent low field superconducting
volume fraction f, and a large magnetic anisotropy {\eta} in the
superconducting state, suggesting a rather inhomogeneous superconducting state
in an otherwise microscale-homogenous superconductor. The wavelength dispersive
spectroscopy and specific heat show the presence of defects which are closely
related to f, regardless of the R involved. The magnetism further reveals that
the defects are mainly superparamagnetic clusters for R = Ce, Pr, and Nd with
strong intercluster interactions, implying that defects are locally
self-organized. Annealing at 500 {\deg}C, without varying the doping level x,
suppresses f profoundly but not the Tc. The above observations provide evidence
for the crucial role of defects in the occurrence of the unusually high Tc ~ 49
K in (Ca1-xRx)Fe2As2 and are consistent with the interface-enhanced
superconductivity recently proposed.


title:
Structure and Kinematics of Early-Type Galaxies from Integral-Field
  Spectroscopy

abstract:
  Observations of galaxy isophotes, longs-slit kinematics and high-resolution
photometry suggested a possible dichotomy between two distinct classes of E
galaxies. But these methods are expensive for large galaxy samples. Instead,
integral-field spectroscopic can efficiently recognize the shape, dynamics and
stellar population of complete samples of early-type galaxies (ETGs). These
studies showed that the two main classes, the fast and slow rotators, can be
separated using stellar kinematics. We showed there is a dichotomy in the
dynamics of the two classes. The slow rotators are weakly triaxial and dominate
above $M_{\rm crit}\approx2\times10^{11} M_\odot$. Below $M_{\rm crit}$, the
structure of fast rotators parallels that of spiral galaxies. There is a smooth
sequence along which, the metals content, the enhancement in $\alpha$-elements,
and the "weight" of the stellar initial mass function, all increase with the
CENTRAL mass density slope, or bulge mass fraction, while the molecular gas
fraction correspondingly decreases. The properties of ETGs on galaxy scaling
relations, and in particular the $(M_{\ast}, R_{\rm e})$ diagram, and their
dependence on environment, indicate two main independent channels for galaxy
evolution. Fast rotators ETGs start as star forming disks and evolve trough a
channel dominated by gas accretion, bulge growth and quenching. While slow
rotators assemble near the center of massive halos via intense star formation
at high redshift, and remain as such for the rest of their evolution via a
channel dominated by gas poor mergers. This is consistent with independent
studies of the galaxies redshift evolution.


title: The ERA of FOLE: Superstructure

abstract:
  This paper discusses the representation of ontologies in the first-order
logical environment FOLE (Kent 2013). An ontology defines the primitives with
which to model the knowledge resources for a community of discourse (Gruber
2009). These primitives, consisting of classes, relationships and properties,
are represented by the ERA (entity-relationship-attribute) data model (Chen
1976). An ontology uses formal axioms to constrain the interpretation of these
primitives. In short, an ontology specifies a logical theory. This paper is the
second in a series of three papers that provide a rigorous mathematical
representation for the ERA data model in particular, and ontologies in general,
within the first-order logical environment FOLE. The first two papers show how
FOLE represents the formalism and semantics of (many-sorted) first-order logic
in a classification form corresponding to ideas discussed in the Information
Flow Framework (IFF). In particular, the first paper (Kent 2015) provided a
"foundation" that connected elements of the ERA data model with components of
the first-order logical environment FOLE, and this second paper provides a
"superstructure" that extends FOLE to the formalisms of first-order logic. The
third paper will define an "interpretation" of FOLE in terms of the
transformational passage, first described in (Kent 2013), from the
classification form of first-order logic to an equivalent interpretation form,
thereby defining the formalism and semantics of first-order logical/relational
database systems (Kent 2011). The FOLE representation follows a conceptual
structures approach, that is completely compatible with Formal Concept Analysis
(Ganter and Wille 1999) and Information Flow (Barwise and Seligman 1997).


title:
A cycling state that can lead to glassy dynamics in intracellular
  transport

abstract:
  Power-law dwell times have been observed for molecular motors in living
cells, but the origins of these trapped states are not known. We introduce a
minimal model of motors moving on a two-dimensional network of filaments, and
simulations of its dynamics exhibit statistics comparable to those observed
experimentally. Analysis of the model trajectories, as well as experimental
particle tracking data, reveals a state in which motors cycle unproductively at
junctions of three or more filaments. We formulate a master equation for these
junction dynamics and show that the time required to escape from this
vortex-like state can account for the power-law dwell times. We identify trends
in the dynamics with the motor valency for further experimental validation. We
demonstrate that these trends exist in individual trajectories of myosin II on
an actin network. We discuss how cells could regulate intracellular transport
and, in turn, biological function, by controlling their cytoskeletal network
structures locally.


title: Haplotype Inference for Pedigrees with Few Recombinations

abstract:
  Pedigrees, or family trees, are graphs of family relationships that are used
to study inheritance. A fundamental problem in computational biology is to
find, for a pedigree with $n$ individuals genotyped at every site, a set of
Mendelian-consistent haplotypes that have the minimum number of recombinations.
This is an NP-hard problem and some pedigrees can have thousands of individuals
and hundreds of thousands of sites.
  This paper formulates this problem as a optimization on a graph and
introduces a tailored algorithm with a running time of O(n^{(k+2)}m^{6k}) for n
individuals, m sites, and k recombinations. Since there are generally only 1-2
recombinations per chromosome in each meiosis, k is small enough to make this
algorithm practically relevant.


title:
Perturbative unification of gauge couplings in supersymmetric $E_6$
  models

abstract:
  We study gauge coupling unification in supersymmetric $E_6$ models where an
additional $\mathrm{U}(1)'$ gauge symmetry is broken near the TeV scale and a
number of exotic matter fields from the $\bm{27}$ representations have
$O(\mathrm{TeV})$ mass. Solving the 2-loop renormalization group equations of
gauge couplings and a kinetic mixing coupling between the $\mathrm{U}(1)'$ and
$\mathrm{U}(1)_Y$ gauge fields, we find that the gauge couplings fall into the
non-perturbative regime below the GUT scale. We examine threshold corrections
on the running of gauge couplings from both light and heavy ($\sim$ GUT scale)
particles and show constraints on the size of corrections to achieve the
perturbative unification of gauge couplings.


title: PML Inspired Transparent Metamaterials

abstract:
  Perfectly transparent metamaterial structures of arbitrary shapes,
constructed from coordinate stretching and contractions, are presented.
Coordinate stretching has been used for 2 decades in perfectly matched layers
(PMLs) to electromagnetically simulate infinite domains in numerical
techniques, but this concept is applied here for the first time to realize a
physical transmission medium. The transparent medium does not scatter
electromagnetic waves, i.e. it is reflection-less for all incidence angles and
all excitation frequencies. It may be implemented in the form of metasurfaces
and will clearly find a myriad of applications if it can be efficiently
manufactured.


title: Pure virtual braids, resonance, and formality

abstract:
  We investigate the resonance varieties, lower central series ranks, and Chen
ranks of the pure virtual braid groups and their upper-triangular subgroups. As
an application, we give a complete answer to the 1-formality question for this
class of groups. In the process, we explore various connections between the
Alexander-type invariants of a finitely generated group and several of the
graded Lie algebras associated to it, and discuss possible extensions of the
resonance-Chen ranks formula in this context.


title:
Systematic and Deterministic Graph-Minor Embedding for Cartesian
  Products of Graphs

abstract:
  The limited connectivity of current and next-generation quantum annealers
motivates the need for efficient graph-minor embedding methods. These methods
allow non-native problems to be adapted to the target annealer's architecture.
The overhead of the widely used heuristic techniques is quickly proving to be a
significant bottleneck for solving real-world applications. To alleviate this
difficulty, we propose a systematic and deterministic embedding method,
exploiting the structures of both the input graph of the specific problem and
the quantum annealer. We focus on the specific case of the Cartesian product of
two complete graphs, a regular structure that occurs in many problems. We
divide the embedding problem by first embedding one of the factors of the
Cartesian product in a repeatable pattern. The resulting simplified problem
consists of the placement and connecting together of these copies to reach a
valid solution. Aside from the obvious advantage of a systematic and
deterministic approach with respect to speed and efficiency, the embeddings
produced are easily scaled for larger processors and show desirable properties
for the number of qubits used and the chain length distribution. To conclude,
we briefly address the problem of circumventing inoperable qubits by presenting
possible extensions of the method.


title: Equations for secant varieties of Chow varieties

abstract:
  The Chow variety of polynomials that decompose as a product of linear forms
has been studied for more than 100 years. Finding equations in the ideal of
secant varieties of Chow varieties would enable one to measure the complexity
the permanent to prove Valiant's conjecture $\mathbf{VP\neq VNP}$. In this
article, I use the method of prolongation to obtain equations for secant
varieties of Chow varieties as $GL(V)$-modules.


title: Spin transport in n-type single-layer transition metal dichalcogenides

abstract:
  Valley asymmetry of the electron spectrum in transition metal dichalcogenides
(TMDs) originates from the spin-orbit coupling. Presence of spin-orbit fields
of opposite signs for electrons in K and K' valleys in combination with
possibility of intervalley scattering result in a nontrivial spin dynamics.
This dynamics is reflected in the dependence of nonlocal resistance on external
magnetic field (the Hanle curve). We calculate theoretically the Hanle shape in
TMDs. It appears that, unlike conventional materials without valley asymmetry,
the Hanle shape in TMDs is different for normal and parallel orientations of
the external field. For normal orientation, it has two peaks for slow
intervalley scattering, while, for fast intervalley scattering the shape is
usual. For parallel orientation, the Hanle curve exhibits a cusp at zero field.
This cusp is a signature of a slow-decaying valley-asymmetric mode of the spin
dynamics.


title: Evaluation of Protein Structural Models Using Random Forests

abstract:
  Protein structure prediction has been a grand challenge problem in the
structure biology over the last few decades. Protein quality assessment plays a
very important role in protein structure prediction. In the paper, we propose a
new protein quality assessment method which can predict both local and global
quality of the protein 3D structural models. Our method uses both multi and
single model quality assessment method for global quality assessment, and uses
chemical, physical, geo-metrical features, and global quality score for local
quality assessment. CASP9 targets are used to generate the features for local
quality assessment. We evaluate the performance of our local quality assessment
method on CASP10, which is comparable with two stage-of-art QA methods based on
the average absolute distance between the real and predicted distance. In
addition, we blindly tested our method on CASP11, and the good performance
shows that combining single and multiple model quality assessment method could
be a good way to improve the accuracy of model quality assessment, and the
random forest technique could be used to train a good local quality assessment
model.


title:
Signer-independent Fingerspelling Recognition with Deep Neural Network
  Adaptation

abstract:
  We study the problem of recognition of fingerspelled letter sequences in
American Sign Language in a signer-independent setting. Fingerspelled sequences
are both challenging and important to recognize, as they are used for many
content words such as proper nouns and technical terms. Previous work has shown
that it is possible to achieve almost 90% accuracies on fingerspelling
recognition in a signer-dependent setting. However, the more realistic
signer-independent setting presents challenges due to significant variations
among signers, coupled with the dearth of available training data. We
investigate this problem with approaches inspired by automatic speech
recognition. We start with the best-performing approaches from prior work,
based on tandem models and segmental conditional random fields (SCRFs), with
features based on deep neural network (DNN) classifiers of letters and
phonological features. Using DNN adaptation, we find that it is possible to
bridge a large part of the gap between signer-dependent and signer-independent
performance. Using only about 115 transcribed words for adaptation from the
target signer, we obtain letter accuracies of up to 82.7% with frame-level
adaptation labels and 69.7% with only word labels.


title:
On the Smoluchowski-Kramers approximation for SPDEs and its interplay
  with large deviations and long time behavior

abstract:
  We discuss here the validity of the small mass limit (the so-called
Smoluchowski-Kramers approximation) on a fixed time interval for a class of
semi-linear stochastic wave equations, both in the case of the presence of a
constant friction term and in the case of the presence of a constant magnetic
field. We also consider the small mass limit in an infinite time interval and
we see how the approximation is stable in terms of the invariant measure and of
the large deviation estimates and the exit problem from a bounded domain of the
space of square integrable functions.


title:
Strain Control of Oxygen Vacancies in Epitaxial Strontium Cobaltite
  Films

abstract:
  The ability to manipulate oxygen anion defects rather than metal cations in
complex oxides can facilitate creating new functionalities critical for
emerging energy and device technologies. However, the difficulty in activating
oxygen at reduced temperatures hinders the deliberate control of important
defects, oxygen vacancies. Here, strontium cobaltite (SrCoOx) is used to
demonstrate that epitaxial strain is a powerful tool for manipulating the
oxygen vacancy concentration even under highly oxidizing environments and at
annealing temperatures as low as 300 C. By applying a small biaxial tensile
strain (2%), the oxygen activation energy barrier decreases by ~30%, resulting
in a tunable oxygen deficient steady-state under conditions that would normally
fully oxidize unstrained cobaltite. These strain-induced changes in oxygen
stoichiometry drive the cobaltite from a ferromagnetic metal towards an
antiferromagnetic insulator. The ability to decouple the oxygen vacancy
concentration from its typical dependence on the operational environment is
useful for effectively designing oxides materials with a specific oxygen
stoichiometry.


title:
Urban sidewalks: visualization and routing for individuals with limited
  mobility

abstract:
  People with limited mobility in the U.S. (defined as having difficulty or
inability to walk a quarter of a mile without help and without the use of
special equipment) face a growing informational gap: while pedestrian routing
algorithms are getting faster and more informative, planning a route with a
wheeled device in urban centers is very difficult due to lack of integrated
pertinent information regarding accessibility along the route. Moreover,
reducing access to street-spaces translates to reduced access to other public
information and services that are increasingly made available to the public
along urban streets. To adequately plan a commute, a traveler with limited or
wheeled mobility must know whether her path may be blocked by construction,
whether the sidewalk would be too steep or rendered unusable due to poor
conditions, whether the street can be crossed or a highway is blocking the way,
or whether there is a sidewalk at all. These details populate different
datasets in many modern municipalities, but they are not immediately available
in a convenient, integrated format to be useful to people with limited
mobility. Our project, AccessMap, in its first phase (v.1) overlayed the
information that is most relevant to people with limited mobility on a map,
enabling self-planning of routes. Here, we describe the next phase of the
project: synthesizing commonly available open data (including streets,
sidewalks, curb ramps, elevation data, and construction permit information) to
generate a graph of paths to enable variable cost-function accessible routing.


title: Conservative Bandits

abstract:
  We study a novel multi-armed bandit problem that models the challenge faced
by a company wishing to explore new strategies to maximize revenue whilst
simultaneously maintaining their revenue above a fixed baseline, uniformly over
time. While previous work addressed the problem under the weaker requirement of
maintaining the revenue constraint only at a given fixed time in the future,
the algorithms previously proposed are unsuitable due to their design under the
more stringent constraints. We consider both the stochastic and the adversarial
settings, where we propose, natural, yet novel strategies and analyze the price
for maintaining the constraints. Amongst other things, we prove both high
probability and expectation bounds on the regret, while we also consider both
the problem of maintaining the constraints with high probability or
expectation. For the adversarial setting the price of maintaining the
constraint appears to be higher, at least for the algorithm considered. A lower
bound is given showing that the algorithm for the stochastic setting is almost
optimal. Empirical results obtained in synthetic environments complement our
theoretical findings.


title: Deep Learning on FPGAs: Past, Present, and Future

abstract:
  The rapid growth of data size and accessibility in recent years has
instigated a shift of philosophy in algorithm design for artificial
intelligence. Instead of engineering algorithms by hand, the ability to learn
composable systems automatically from massive amounts of data has led to
ground-breaking performance in important domains such as computer vision,
speech recognition, and natural language processing. The most popular class of
techniques used in these domains is called deep learning, and is seeing
significant attention from industry. However, these models require incredible
amounts of data and compute power to train, and are limited by the need for
better hardware acceleration to accommodate scaling beyond current data and
model sizes. While the current solution has been to use clusters of graphics
processing units (GPU) as general purpose processors (GPGPU), the use of field
programmable gate arrays (FPGA) provide an interesting alternative. Current
trends in design tools for FPGAs have made them more compatible with the
high-level software practices typically practiced in the deep learning
community, making FPGAs more accessible to those who build and deploy models.
Since FPGA architectures are flexible, this could also allow researchers the
ability to explore model-level optimizations beyond what is possible on fixed
architectures such as GPUs. As well, FPGAs tend to provide high performance per
watt of power consumption, which is of particular importance for application
scientists interested in large scale server-based deployment or
resource-limited embedded applications. This review takes a look at deep
learning and FPGAs from a hardware acceleration perspective, identifying trends
and innovations that make these technologies a natural fit, and motivates a
discussion on how FPGAs may best serve the needs of the deep learning community
moving forward.


title:
Origin of the Broad Iron Line Feature and the Soft X-ray Variation in
  Seyfert Galaxies

abstract:
  Many Seyfert galaxies are known to exhibit significant X-ray spectral
variations and seemingly broad iron K-emission line features. In this paper, we
show that the "variable partial covering model", which has been successfully
proposed for MCG-6.30-15 (Miyakawa, Ebisawa & Inoue 2012) and 1H0707.495
(Mizumoto, Ebisawa & Sameshima 2014), can also explain the spectral variations
in 2-10 keV as well as the broad iron line features in 20 other Seyfert
galaxies observed with Suzaku. In this model, the absorbed spectral component
through the optically-thick absorbing clouds has a significant iron K-edge,
which primarily accounts for the observed seemingly broad iron line feature.
Fluctuation of the absorbing clouds in the line of sight of the extended X-ray
source results in variation of the partial covering fraction, which causes an
anti-correlation between the direct (not covered) spectral component and the
absorbed (covered) spectral component below ~10 keV. Observed spectral
variation in 2-10 keV in a timescale of less than ~day is primarily explained
by such variations of the partial covering fraction, while the intrinsic soft
X-ray luminosity is hardly variable.


title: Dynamics of "comb-of-comb" networks

abstract:
  The dynamics of complex networks, being a current hot topic of many
scientific fields, is often coded through the corresponding Laplacian matrix.
The spectrum of this matrix carries the main features of the networks'
dynamics. Here we consider the deterministic networks which can be viewed as
"comb-of-comb" iterative structures. For their Laplacian spectra we find
analytical equations involving Chebyshev polynomials, whose properties allow
one to analyze the spectra in deep. Here, in particular, we find that in the
infinite size limit the corresponding spectral dimension goes as
$d_s\rightarrow2$. The $d_s$ leaves its fingerprint in many dynamical
processes, as we exeplarily show by considering the dynamical properties of the
polymer networks, including single monomer displacement under a constant force,
mechanical relaxation, and fluorescence depolarization.


title:
Geometric Adaptive Control of Attitude Dynamics on SO(3) with State
  Inequality Constraints

abstract:
  This paper presents a new geometric adaptive control system with state
inequality constraints for the attitude dynamics of a rigid body. The control
system is designed such that the desired attitude is asymptotically stabilized,
while the controlled attitude trajectory avoids undesired regions defined by an
inequality constraint. In addition, we develop an adaptive update law that
enables attitude stabilization in the presence of unknown disturbances. The
attitude dynamics and the proposed control systems are developed on the special
orthogonal group such that singularities and ambiguities of other attitude
parameterizations, such as Euler angles and quaternions are completely avoided.
The effectiveness of the proposed control system is demonstrated through
numerical simulations and experimental results.


title: A Minimax Theory for Adaptive Data Analysis

abstract:
  In adaptive data analysis, the user makes a sequence of queries on the data,
where at each step the choice of query may depend on the results in previous
steps. The releases are often randomized in order to reduce overfitting for
such adaptively chosen queries. In this paper, we propose a minimax framework
for adaptive data analysis. Assuming Gaussianity of queries, we establish the
first sharp minimax lower bound on the squared error in the order of
$O(\frac{\sqrt{k}\sigma^2}{n})$, where $k$ is the number of queries asked, and
$\sigma^2/n$ is the ordinary signal-to-noise ratio for a single query. Our
lower bound is based on the construction of an approximately least favorable
adversary who picks a sequence of queries that are most likely to be affected
by overfitting. This approximately least favorable adversary uses only one
level of adaptivity, suggesting that the minimax risk for 1-step adaptivity
with k-1 initial releases and that for $k$-step adaptivity are on the same
order. The key technical component of the lower bound proof is a reduction to
finding the convoluting distribution that optimally obfuscates the sign of a
Gaussian signal. Our lower bound construction also reveals a transparent and
elementary proof of the matching upper bound as an alternative approach to
Russo and Zou (2015), who used information-theoretic tools to provide the same
upper bound. We believe that the proposed framework opens up opportunities to
obtain theoretical insights for many other settings of adaptive data analysis,
which would extend the idea to more practical realms.


title: Weyl magnons in breathing pyrochlore antiferromagnets

abstract:
  Frustrated quantum magnets not only provide exotic ground states and unusual
magnetic structures, but also support unconventional excitations in many cases.
Using a physically relevant spin model for a breathing pyrochlore lattice, we
discuss the presence of topological linear band crossings of magnons in
antiferromagnets. These are the analogs of Weyl fermions in electronic systems,
which we dub Weyl magnons. The bulk Weyl magnon implies the presence of chiral
magnon surface states forming arcs at finite energy. We argue that such
antiferromagnets present a unique example in which Weyl points can be
manipulated in situ in the laboratory by applied fields. We discuss their
appearance specifically in the breathing pyrochlore lattice, and give some
general discussion of conditions to find Weyl magnons and how they may be
probed experimentally. Our work may inspire a re-examination of the magnetic
excitations in many magnetically ordered systems.


title: Distribution of dislocations in twisted bars

abstract:
  An asymptotically exact continuum dislocation theory of single crystal bars
under torsion is proposed. The dislocation distribution minimizing energy of
the bar with zero torque is shown to be uniform. If the applied torque is
non-zero, the minimizer exhibits a dislocation-free zone at the outer ring of
the bar's cross-section. The non-uniform distribution of dislocations in
equilibrium as well as the twist angle per unit length are found in terms of
the given torque. With the energy dissipation being taken into account, there
exists an elastic core region, while dislocation are concentrated in a ring
between two dislocation-free zones. This leads to the change of the stress
distribution increasing the critical threshold of the torque.


title: Designing Intelligent Instruments

abstract:
  Remote science operations require automated systems that can both act and
react with minimal human intervention. One such vision is that of an
intelligent instrument that collects data in an automated fashion, and based on
what it learns, decides which new measurements to take. This innovation
implements experimental design and unites it with data analysis in such a way
that it completes the cycle of learning. This cycle is the basis of the
Scientific Method.
  The three basic steps of this cycle are hypothesis generation, inquiry, and
inference. Hypothesis generation is implemented by artificially supplying the
instrument with a parameterized set of possible hypotheses that might be used
to describe the physical system. The act of inquiry is handled by an inquiry
engine that relies on Bayesian adaptive exploration where the optimal
experiment is chosen as the one which maximizes the expected information gain.
The inference engine is implemented using the nested sampling algorithm, which
provides the inquiry engine with a set of posterior samples from which the
expected information gain can be estimated. With these computational structures
in place, the instrument will refine its hypotheses, and repeat the learning
cycle by taking measurements until the system under study is described within a
pre-specified tolerance. We will demonstrate our first attempts toward
achieving this goal with an intelligent instrument constructed using the LEGO
MINDSTORMS NXT robotics platform.


title: Schwinger-Dyson Equation in Minkowski Space beyond the IE Approximation

abstract:
  We investigate the properties of fermion mass functions in quantum
electrodynamics calculated by the Schwinger-Dyson equation in the strong
coupling region, in which the loop integration is performed in Minkowski space.
The calculated results without the instantaneous exchange approximation are
compared with those obtained by integration in Euclidean space.


title: Identifying Excessively Rounded or Truncated Data

abstract:
  All data are digitized, and hence are essentially integers rather than true
real numbers. Ordinarily this causes no difficulties since the truncation or
rounding usually occurs below the noise level. However, in some instances, when
the instruments or data delivery and storage systems are designed with less
than optimal regard for the data or the subsequent data analysis, the effects
of digitization may be comparable to important features contained within the
data. In these cases, information has been irrevocably lost in the truncation
process. While there exist techniques for dealing with truncated data, we
propose a straightforward method that will allow us to detect this problem
before the data analysis stage. It is based on an optimal histogram binning
algorithm that can identify when the statistical structure of the digitization
is on the order of the statistical structure of the data set itself.


title: Stellar Tidal Disruption Events by Direct Collapse Black Holes

abstract:
  We analyze the early growth stage of direct-collapse black holes (DCBHs) with
$\sim 10^{5} \ \rm M_\odot$, which are formed by collapse of supermassive stars
in atomic-cooling halos at $z \gtrsim 10$. A nuclear accretion disk around a
newborn DCBH is gravitationally unstable and fragments into clumps with a few
$10 \ \rm M_\odot$ at $\sim 0.01-0.1 \ \rm pc$ from the center. Such clumps
evolve into massive population III stars with a few $10-100 \ \rm M_\odot$ via
successive gas accretion and a nuclear star cluster is formed. Radiative and
mechanical feedback from an inner slim disk and the star cluster will
significantly reduce the gas accretion rate onto the DCBH within $\sim 10^6 \
\rm yr$. Some of the nuclear stars can be scattered onto the loss cone orbits
also within $\lesssim 10^6 \ \rm yr$ and tidally disrupted by the central DCBH.
The jet luminosity powered by such tidal disruption events can be $L_{\rm j}
\gtrsim 10^{50} \ \rm erg \ s^{-1}$. The prompt emission will be observed in
X-ray bands with a peak duration of $\delta t_{\rm obs} \sim 10^{5-6} \ (1+z) \
\rm s$ followed by a tail $\propto t_{\rm obs}^{-5/3}$, which can be detectable
by Swift BAT and eROSITA even from $z \sim 20$. Follow-up observations of the
radio afterglows with, e.g., eVLA and the host halos with JWST could probe the
earliest AGN feedback from DCBHs.


title: Time Window Temporal Logic

abstract:
  This paper introduces time window temporal logic (TWTL), a rich expressivity
language for describing various time bounded specifications. In particular, the
syntax and semantics of TWTL enable the compact representation of serial tasks,
which are typically seen in robotics and control applications. This paper also
discusses the relaxation of TWTL formulae with respect to deadlines of tasks.
Efficient automata-based frameworks to solve synthesis, verification and
learning problems are also presented. The key ingredient to the presented
solution is an algorithm to translate a TWTL formula to an annotated finite
state automaton that encodes all possible temporal relaxations of the
specification. Case studies illustrating the expressivity of the logic and the
proposed algorithms are included.


title: Zeros of Bessel function derivatives

abstract:
  We prove that for $\nu>n-1$ all zeros of the $n$th derivative of Bessel
function of the first kind $J_{\nu}$ are real and simple. Moreover, we show
that the positive zeros of the $n$th and $(n+1)$th derivative of Bessel
function of the first kind $J_{\nu}$ are interlacing when $\nu\geq n,$ and $n$
is a natural number or zero. Our methods include the Weierstrassian
representation of the $n$th derivative, properties of the Laguerre-P\'olya
class of entire functions, and the Laguerre inequalities. Some similar results
for the zeros of the first and second derivative of the Struve function of the
first kind $\mathbf{H}_{\nu}$ are also proved. The main results obtained in
this paper generalize and complement some classical results on the zeros of
Bessel functions of the first kind. Some open problems related to Hurwitz
theorem on the zeros of Bessel functions are also proposed, which may be of
interest for further research.


title:
Tightening the entropic uncertainty bound in the presence of quantum
  memory

abstract:
  The uncertainty principle is a fundamental principle in quantum physics. It
implies that the measurement outcomes of two incompatible observables can not
be predicted simultaneously. In quantum information theory, this principle can
be expressed in terms of entropic measures. Berta \emph{et al}.
[\href{http://www.nature.com/doifinder/10.1038/nphys1734}{ Nature Phys. 6, 659
(2010) }] have indicated that uncertainty bound can be altered by considering a
particle as a quantum memory correlating with the primary particle. In this
article, we obtain a lower bound for entropic uncertainty in the presence of a
quantum memory by adding an additional term depending on Holevo quantity and
mutual information. We conclude that our lower bound will be tighten with
respect to that of Berta \emph{et al.}, when the accessible information about
measurements outcomes is less than the mutual information of the joint state.
Some examples have been investigated for which our lower bound is tighter than
the Berta's \emph{et al.} lower bound. Using our lower bound, a lower bound for
the entanglement of formation of bipartite quantum states has obtained, as well
as an upper bound for the regularized distillable common randomness.


title:
Radiative Decays of the $X(3872)$ in the Charmonium-Molecule Hybrid
  Picture

abstract:
  The X(3872) radiative decay is discussed by employing a two-meson
multichannel model with the charmonium components, which explains many of the
other observed features of X(3872). We have found that the ratio of the
branching fractions of the X(3872) radiative decays, $R_\gamma
=\text{Br}(X(3872)\rightarrow\psi(2S)\gamma)$ / Br$(X(3872)\rightarrow
J/\psi\gamma)$, is 1.1 $\sim$ 3.4 if one assumes that the decay occurs only
from the charmonium components. The invariant mass spectra of
$cc^{bar}$($2P$)$\rightarrow J/\psi \gamma$ and $cc^{bar}$($2P$)$\rightarrow
\psi(2S) \gamma$ are also investigated. It is found that an enhancement appears
at around $E\sim 3960$ MeV in the $\psi(2S) \gamma$ spectrum but not in the
$J/\psi\gamma$ spectrum. This corresponds to the missing $cc^{bar}$($2P$) pole
which was predicted by the quark models but has not been observed due to the
coupling to the $DD^{bar}$ states. We argue that the fluctuation seen in the
experimental $\psi(2S) \gamma$ spectrum reported by LHCb may correspond to this
$cc^{bar}$($2P$) pole.


title: A mixture evolution scenario of the AGN radio luminosity function

abstract:
  We propose a mixture evolution scenario to model the evolution of the radio
luminosity function (RLF) of steep spectrum AGNs (active galactic nuclei) based
on a Bayesian method. In this scenario, the shape of the RLF is determined by
both the density and luminosity evolution. Our models indicate that the density
evolution is positive until a redshift of $\thicksim 0.9$, at which point it
becomes negative, while the luminosity evolution is positive to a higher
redshift ($z \thicksim 5$ for model B and $z \thicksim 3.5$ for model C), where
it becomes negative. Our mixture evolution model works well, and the modeled
RLFs are in good agreement with previous determinations. The mixture evolution
scenario can naturally explain the luminosity-dependent evolution of the RLFs.


title: A note on many valued quantum computational logics

abstract:
  The standard theory of quantum computation relies on the idea that the basic
information quantity is represented by a superposition of elements of the
canonical basis and the notion of probability naturally follows from the Born
rule. In this work we consider three valued quantum computational logics. More
specifically, we will focus on the Hilbert space C^3, we discuss extensions of
several gates to this space and, using the notion of effect probability, we
provide a characterization of its states.


title:
On Gr\"obner Bases and Krull Dimension of Residue Class Rings of
  Polynomial Rings over Integral Domains

abstract:
  Given an ideal $\mathfrak{a}$ in $A[x_1, \ldots, x_n]$, where $A$ is a
Noetherian integral domain, we propose an approach to compute the Krull
dimension of $A[x_1,\ldots,x_n]/\mathfrak{a}$, when the residue class
polynomial ring is a free $A$-module. When $A$ is a field, the Krull dimension
of $A[x_1,\ldots,x_n]/\mathfrak{a}$ has several equivalent algorithmic
definitions by which it can be computed. But this is not true in the case of
arbitrary Noetherian rings. For a Noetherian integral domain, $A$ we introduce
the notion of combinatorial dimension of $A[x_1, \ldots,x_n]/\mathfrak{a}$ and
give a Gr\"obner basis method to compute it for residue class polynomial rings
that have a free $A$-module representation w.r.t. a lexicographic ordering. For
such $A$-algebras, we derive a relation between Krull dimension and
combinatorial dimension of $A[x_1, \ldots, x_n]/\mathfrak{a}$. An immediate
application of this relation is that it gives a uniform method, the first of
its kind, to compute the dimension of $A[x_1, \ldots, x_n]/\mathfrak{a}$
without having to consider individual properties of the ideal. For $A$-algebras
that have a free $A$-module representation w.r.t. degree compatible monomial
orderings, we introduce the concepts of Hilbert function, Hilbert series and
Hilbert polynomials and show that Gr\"obner basis methods can be used to
compute these quantities. We then proceed to show that the combinatorial
dimension of such $A$-algebras is equal to the degree of the Hilbert
polynomial. This enables us to extend the relation between Krull dimension and
combinatorial dimension to $A$-algebras with a free $A$-module representation
w.r.t. a degree compatible ordering as well.


title: Latent Space Model for Road Networks to Predict Time-Varying Traffic

abstract:
  Real-time traffic prediction from high-fidelity spatiotemporal traffic sensor
datasets is an important problem for intelligent transportation systems and
sustainability. However, it is challenging due to the complex topological
dependencies and high dynamics associated with changing road conditions. In
this paper, we propose a Latent Space Model for Road Networks (LSM-RN) to
address these challenges. In particular, given a series of road network
snapshots, we learn the attributes of vertices in latent spaces which capture
both topological and temporal properties. As these latent attributes are
time-dependent, they can estimate how traffic patterns form and evolve. In
addition, we present an incremental online algorithm which sequentially and
adaptively learn the latent attributes from the temporal graph changes. Our
framework enables real-time traffic prediction by 1) exploiting real-time
sensor readings to adjust/update the existing latent spaces, and 2) training as
data arrives and making predictions on-the-fly with given data. By conducting
extensive experiments with a large volume of real-world traffic sensor data, we
demonstrate the utility superiority of our framework for real-time traffic
prediction on large road networks over competitors as well as a baseline
graph-based LSM.


title:
Convex Optimization for Linear Query Processing under Approximate
  Differential Privacy

abstract:
  Differential privacy enables organizations to collect accurate aggregates
over sensitive data with strong, rigorous guarantees on individuals' privacy.
Previous work has found that under differential privacy, computing multiple
correlated aggregates as a batch, using an appropriate \emph{strategy}, may
yield higher accuracy than computing each of them independently. However,
finding the best strategy that maximizes result accuracy is non-trivial, as it
involves solving a complex constrained optimization program that appears to be
non-linear and non-convex. Hence, in the past much effort has been devoted in
solving this non-convex optimization program. Existing approaches include
various sophisticated heuristics and expensive numerical solutions. None of
them, however, guarantees to find the optimal solution of this optimization
problem.
  This paper points out that under ($\epsilon$, $\delta$)-differential privacy,
the optimal solution of the above constrained optimization problem in search of
a suitable strategy can be found, rather surprisingly, by solving a simple and
elegant convex optimization program. Then, we propose an efficient algorithm
based on Newton's method, which we prove to always converge to the optimal
solution with linear global convergence rate and quadratic local convergence
rate. Empirical evaluations demonstrate the accuracy and efficiency of the
proposed solution.


title:
The effect of orbital damping during planet migration on the Inclination
  and Eccentricity Distributions of Neptune Trojans

abstract:
  We explore planetary migration scenarios for formation of high inclination
Neptune Trojans (NTs) and how they are affected by the planetary migration of
Neptune and Uranus. If Neptune and Uranus's eccentricity and inclination were
damped during planetary migration, then their eccentricities and inclinations
were higher prior and during migration than their current values. Using test
particle integrations we study the stability of primordial NTs, objects that
were initially Trojans with Neptune prior to migration. We also study
Trans-Neptunian objects captured into resonance with Neptune and becoming NTs
during planet migration. We find that most primordial NTs were unstable and
lost if eccentricity and inclination damping took place during planetary
migration. With damping, secular resonances with Neptune can increase a low
eccentricity and inclination population of Trans-Neptunian objects increasing
the probability that they are captured into 1:1 resonance with Neptune,
becoming high inclination NTs. We suggest that the resonant trapping scenario
is a promising and more effective mechanism explaining the origin of NTs that
is particularly effective if Uranus and Neptune experienced eccentricity and
inclination damping during planetary migration.


title: GUP Assisted Hawking Radiation of Rotating Acoustic Black Holes

abstract:
  Recent studies [J. Steinhauer, Nature Phys., $\textbf{10}$, 864 (2014); Phys.
Rev. D $\textbf{92}$, 024043 (2015)] provide compelling evidences that Hawking
radiation could be experimentally proven by using an analogue black hole. In
this paper, taking this situation into account we study the quantum
gravitational effects on the Hawking radiation of rotating acoustic black
holes. For this purpose, we consider the generalized uncertainty principle
(GUP) in the phenomenon of quantum tunneling. We firstly take the modified
commutation relations into account to compute the GUP modified Hawking
temperature when the massive scalar particles tunnel from this black hole.
Then, we find a remarkably instructive expression for the GUP entropy to derive
the quantum gravity corrected Hawking temperature of the rotating acoustic
black hole.


title:
Combined search for anomalous pseudoscalar HVV couplings in VH
  production and H to VV decay

abstract:
  A search for anomalous pseudoscalar couplings of the Higgs boson H to
electroweak vector bosons V (= W or Z) in a sample of proton-proton collision
events corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 18.9 inverse femtobarns at
a center-of-mass energy of 8 TeV is presented. Events consistent with the
topology of associated VH production, where the Higgs boson decays to a pair of
bottom quarks and the vector boson decays leptonically, are analyzed. The
consistency of data with a potential pseudoscalar contribution to the HVV
interaction, expressed by the effective pseudoscalar cross section fractions
f[a3], is assessed by means of profile likelihood scans. Results are given for
the VH channels alone and for a combined analysis of the VH and previously
published H to VV channels. Under certain assumptions, f[a3](ZZ) > 0.0034 is
excluded at 95% confidence level in the combination. Scenarios in which these
assumptions are relaxed are also considered.


title: Rotating Killing horizons in generic $F(R)$ gravity theories

abstract:
  We discuss various properties of rotating Killing horizons in generic $F(R)$
theories of gravity in dimension four for spacetimes endowed with two commuting
Killing vector fields. Assuming there is no curvature singularity anywhere on
or outside the horizon, we construct a suitable $(3+1)$-foliation. We show that
similar to Einstein's gravity, we must have $T_{ab}k^ak^b=0$ on the Killing
horizon, where $k^a$ is a null geodesic tangent to the horizon. For
axisymmetric spacetimes, the effective gravitational coupling
$\sim\,F'^{-1}(R)$ should usually depend upon the polar coordinate and hence
need not necessarily be a constant on the Killing horizon. We prove that the
surface gravity of such a Killing horizon must be a constant, irrespective of
whether $F'(R)$ is a constant there or not. We next apply these results to
investigate some further basic features. In particular, we show that any hairy
solution for the real massive vector field in such theories is clearly ruled
out, as long as the potential of the scalar field generated in the
corresponding Einstein's frame is a positive definite quantity.


title:
Colorings and flows on CW complexes, Tutte quasi-polynomials and
  arithmetic matroids

abstract:
  In this note we provide a higher-dimensional analogue of Tutte's celebrated
theorem on colorings and flows of graphs, by showing that the theory of
arithmetic Tutte polynomials and quasi-polynomials encompasses invariants
defined for CW complexes by Beck-Breuer-Godkin-Martin and Duval-Klivans-Martin.
Furthermore, we answer a question by Bajo-Burdick-Chmutov, concerning the
modified Tutte-Krushkal-Renhardy polynomials defined by these authors: to this
end, we prove that the product of two arithmetic multiplicity functions on a
matroid is again an arithmetic multiplicity function.


title: A new model for the X-ray continuum of the magnetized accreting pulsars

abstract:
  Accreting highly magnetized pulsars in binary systems are among the brightest
X-ray emitters in our Galaxy. Although a number of high statistical quality
broad-band (0.1-100 keV) X-ray observations are available, the spectral energy
distribution of these sources is usually investigated by adopting pure
phenomenological models, rather than models linked to the physics of accretion.
In this paper, a detailed spectral study of the X-ray emission recorded from
the high-mass X-ray binary pulsars Cen X-3, 4U 0115+63, and Her X-1 is carried
out by using BeppoSAX and joined Suzaku+NuStar data, together with an advanced
version of the compmag model. The latter provides a physical description of the
high energy emission from accreting pulsars, including the thermal and bulk
Comptonization of cyclotron and bremsstrahlung seed photons along the neutron
star accretion column. The compmag model is based on an iterative method for
solving second-order partial differential equations, whose convergence
algorithm has been improved and consolidated during the preparation of this
paper. Our analysis shows that the broad-band X-ray continuum of all considered
sources can be self-consistently described by the compmag model. The cyclotron
absorption features, not included in the model, can be accounted for by using
Gaussian components. From the fits of the compmag model to the data we inferred
the physical properties of the accretion columns in all sources, finding values
reasonably close to those theoretically expected according to our current
understanding of accretion in highly magnetized neutron stars. The updated
version of the compmag model has been tailored to the physical processes that
are known to occur in the columns of highly magnetized accreting neutron stars
and it can thus provide a better understanding of the high energy radiation
from these sources.


title:
Comparison of the Calabi and Mabuchi geometries and applications to
  geometric flows

abstract:
  Suppose $(X,\omega)$ is a compact K\"ahler manifold. We introduce and explore
the metric geometry of the $L^{p,q}$-Calabi Finsler structure on the space of
K\"ahler metrics $\mathcal H$. After noticing that the $L^{p,q}$-Calabi and
$L^{p'}$-Mabuchi path length topologies on $\mathcal H$ do not typically
dominate each other, we focus on the finite entropy space $\mathcal E^{Ent}$,
contained in the intersection of the $L^p$-Calabi and $L^1$-Mabuchi completions
of $\mathcal H$ and find that after a natural strengthening, the $L^p$-Calabi
and $L^1$-Mabuchi topologies coincide on $\mathcal E^{Ent}$. As applications to
our results, we give new convergence results for the K\"ahler--Ricci flow and
the weak Calabi flow.


title: Adaptive test for large covariance matrices with missing observations

abstract:
  We observe $n$ independent $p-$dimensional Gaussian vectors with missing
coordinates, that is each value (which is assumed standardized) is observed
with probability $a>0$. We investigate the problem of minimax nonparametric
testing that the high-dimensional covariance matrix $\Sigma$ of the underlying
Gaussian distribution is the identity matrix, using these partially observed
vectors. Here, $n$ and $p$ tend to infinity and $a>0$ tends to 0,
asymptotically.
  We assume that $\Sigma$ belongs to a Sobolev-type ellipsoid with parameter
$\alpha >0$. When $\alpha$ is known, we give asymptotically minimax consistent
test procedure and find the minimax separation rates $\tilde \varphi_{n,p}=
(a^2n \sqrt{p})^{- \frac{2 \alpha}{4 \alpha +1}}$, under some additional
constraints on $n,\, p$ and $a$. We show that, in the particular case of
Toeplitz covariance matrices,the minimax separation rates are faster, $\tilde
\phi_{n,p}= (a^2n p)^{- \frac{2 \alpha}{4 \alpha +1}}$. We note how the
"missingness" parameter $a$ deteriorates the rates with respect to the case of
fully observed vectors ($a=1$).
  We also propose adaptive test procedures, that is free of the parameter
$\alpha$ in some interval, and show that the loss of rate is $(\ln \ln (a^2
n\sqrt{p}))^{\alpha/(4 \alpha +1)}$ and $(\ln \ln (a^2 n p))^{\alpha/(4 \alpha
+1)}$ for Toeplitz covariance matrices, respectively.


title: Quantum group of type $A$ and representations of queer Lie superalgebra

abstract:
  We establish a maximal parabolic version of the Kazhdan-Lusztig conjecture
\cite[Conjecture 5.10]{CKW} for the BGG category $\mathcal{O}_{k,\zeta}$ of
$\mathfrak{q}(n)$-modules of "$\pm \zeta$-weights", where $k\leq n$ and
$\zeta\in\mathbb{C} \setminus \frac{1}{2} \mathbb{Z}$. As a consequence, the
irreducible characters of these $\mathfrak{q}(n)$-modules in this maximal
parabolic category are given by the Kazhdan-Lusztig polynomials of type $A$ Lie
algebras. As an application, closed character formulas for a class of
$\mathfrak{q}(n)$-modules resembling polynomial and Kostant modules of the
general linear Lie superalgebras are obtained.