title: Nucleus--nucleus interactions in the inner crust of neutron stars

abstract:
  The interaction between nuclei in the inner crust of neutron stars consists
of two contributions, the so-called "direct" interaction and an "induced" one
due to density changes in the neutron fluid. For large nuclear separations $r$
the contributions from nuclear forces to each of these terms are shown to be
nonzero. In the static limit they are equal in magnitude but have opposite
signs and they cancel exactly. We analyze earlier results on effective
interactions in the light of this finding. We consider the properties of
long-wavelength collective modes and, in particular, calculate the degree of
mixing between the lattice phonons and the phonons in the neutron superfluid.
Using microscopic theory, we calculate the net non-Coulombic contribution to
the nucleus--nucleus interaction and show that, for large $r$, the leading term
is due to exchange of two phonons and varies as $1/r^7$: it is an analog of the
Casimir--Polder interaction between neutral atoms.


title: Doubly Stochastic Neighbor Embedding on Spheres

abstract:
  Stochastic Neighbor Embedding (SNE) methods minimize the divergence between
the similarity matrix of a high-dimensional data set and its counterpart from a
low-dimensional embedding, leading to widely applied tools for data
visualization. Despite their popularity, the current SNE methods experience a
crowding problem when the data include highly imbalanced similarities. This
implies that the data points with higher total similarity tend to get crowded
around the display center. To solve this problem, we introduce a fast
normalization method and normalize the similarity matrix to be doubly
stochastic such that all the data points have equal total similarities.
Furthermore, we show empirically and theoretically that the doubly
stochasticity constraint often leads to embeddings which are approximately
spherical. This suggests replacing a flat space with spheres as the embedding
space. The spherical embedding eliminates the discrepancy between the center
and the periphery in visualization, which efficiently resolves the crowding
problem. We compared the proposed method (DOSNES) with the state-of-the-art SNE
method on three real-world datasets and the results clearly indicate that our
method is more favorable in terms of visualization quality.


title:
Strongly 2-Hopf hypersurfaces in complex projective and hyperbolic
  planes

abstract:
  We give a geometric characterization of certain hypersurfaces of
cohomogeneity one in the complex projective and hyperbolic planes. We also
obtain some partial classifications of austere hypersurfaces and of Levi-flat
hypersurfaces with constant mean curvature in these spaces.


title: Haas' theorem revisited

abstract:
  Haas' theorem describes all partchworkings of a given non-singular plane
tropical curve $C$ giving rise to a maximal real algebraic curve. The space of
such patchworkings is naturally a linear subspace $W_C$ of the
$\mathbb{Z}/2\mathbb{Z}$-vector space $\overrightarrow \Pi_C$ generated by the
bounded edges of $C$, and whose origin is the Harnack patchworking. The aim of
this note is to provide an interpretation of affine subspaces of
$\overrightarrow \Pi_C $ parallel to $W_C$. To this purpose, we work in the
setting of abstract graphs rather than plane tropical curves. We introduce a
topological surface $S_\Gamma$ above a trivalent graph $\Gamma$, and consider a
suitable affine space $\Pi_\Gamma$ of real structures on $S_\Gamma$ compatible
with $\Gamma$. We characterise $W_\Gamma$ as the vector subspace of
$\overrightarrow \Pi_\Gamma$ whose associated involutions induce the same
action on $H_1(S_\Gamma,\mathbb{Z}/2\mathbb{Z})$. We then deduce from this
statement another proof of Haas' original result.


title:
Rapid Equilibration by algorithmic quenching the ringing mode in
  molecular dynamics

abstract:
  Long wavelength acoustic phonons are normally weakly coupled to other
vibrational modes in a crystalline system. This is particularly problematic in
molecular dynamics calculations where vibrations at the system size scale are
typically excited at initiation. The equilibration time for these vibrations
depends on the strength of coupling to other modes, so is typically very long.
A very simple deterministic method which avoids the use of is presented which
removes this problem.


title: Exploring the Nonlinear Cloud and Rain Equation

abstract:
  Marine stratocumulus cloud decks are regarded as the reflectors of the
climate system, returning back to space a significant part of the income solar
radiation, thus cooling the atmosphere. Such clouds can exist in two stable
modes, open and closed cells, for a wide range of environmental conditions.
This emergent behavior of the system, and its sensitivity to aerosol and
environmental properties, is captured by a set of nonlinear equations. Here,
using linear stability analysis, we express the transition from steady to a
limit-cycle state analytically, showing how it depends on the model parameters.
We show that the control of the droplet concentration (N) the environmental
carrying-capacity (H0) and the cloud recovery parameter (tau) can be linked by
a single nondimensional parameter mu=N/(alfa*tau*H0), suggesting that for
deeper clouds the transition from open (oscillating) to closed (stable fixed
point) cells will occur for higher droplet concentration (i.e. higher aerosol
loading). The analytical calculations of the possible states, and how they are
affected by changes in aerosol and the environmental variables, provide an
enhanced understanding of the complex interactions of clouds and rain.


title: Uniform Transformation of Non-Separable Probability Distributions

abstract:
  A theoretical framework is developed to describe the transformation that
distributes probability density functions uniformly over space. In one
dimension, the cumulative distribution can be used, but does not generalize to
higher dimensions, or non-separable distributions. A potential function is
shown to link probability density functions to their transformation, and to
generalize the cumulative. A numerical method is developed to compute the
potential, and examples are shown in two dimensions.


title:
Extended First-Principles Molecular Dynamics Method From Cold Materials
  to Hot Dense Plasmas

abstract:
  An extended first-principles molecular dynamics (FPMD) method based on
Kohn-Sham scheme is proposed to elevate the temperature limit of the FPMD
method in the calculation of dense plasmas. The extended method treats the wave
functions of high energy electrons as plane waves analytically, and thus
expands the application of the FPMD method to the region of hot dense plasmas
without suffering from the formidable computational costs. In addition, the
extended method inherits the high accuracy of the Kohn-Sham scheme and keeps
the information of elec- tronic structures. This gives an edge to the extended
method in the calculation of the lowering of ionization potential, X-ray
absorption/emission spectra, opacity, and high-Z dense plasmas, which are of
particular interest to astrophysics, inertial confinement fusion engineering,
and laboratory astrophysics.


title: Human Body Orientation Estimation using Convolutional Neural Network

abstract:
  Personal robots are expected to interact with the user by recognizing the
user's face. However, in most of the service robot applications, the user needs
to move himself/herself to allow the robot to see him/her face to face. To
overcome such limitations, a method for estimating human body orientation is
required. Previous studies used various components such as feature extractors
and classification models to classify the orientation which resulted in low
performance. For a more robust and accurate approach, we propose the light
weight convolutional neural networks, an end to end system, for estimating
human body orientation. Our body orientation estimation model achieved 81.58%
and 94% accuracy with the benchmark dataset and our own dataset respectively.
The proposed method can be used in a wide range of service robot applications
which depend on the ability to estimate human body orientation. To show its
usefulness in service robot applications, we designed a simple robot
application which allows the robot to move towards the user's frontal plane.
With this, we demonstrated an improved face detection rate.


title: Behavioural Prototypes

abstract:
  We sketch a simple language of concurrent objects which explores the design
space between type systems and continuous testing. In our language, programs
are collections of communicating automata checked automatically for multiparty
compatibility. This property, taken from the session types literature but here
applied to terms rather than types, guarantees that no state-related errors
arise during execution: no object gets stuck because it was sent the wrong
message, and every message is processed.


title:
FairGA: Fair Genetic Algorithm - Beyond Resource-oriented Sustainability
  for ICT Products and Services

abstract:
  The complexity of ICT products and services has brought them to the level of
disposable `species'. The combination of the race to optimal performance and
disposability has resulted in considerable footprint and impact. Although
approaches such as increasing efficiency, reducing the total cost of ownership,
life cycle assessment and management, and circular economy have been put
forward to manage and reduce the footprint and impact, the complexity of
processes involved and especially invisibility of key but unobservable
processes has resulted in some lower bounds for minimal achievable footprint.
In this work, a modified approach to the Genetic Algorithm is proposed in order
to introduce the notion of 'nondisposability' to the ICT products and services
in order to implicitly influence and manage unobservable processes, and
ultimately reduce the overall footprint and resource consumption. The proposed
genetic algorithm is called FairGA, and it is compared with the traditional
Genetic Algorithm against standard optimization functions. Also, the impact of
the FairGA on the resource extraction has been illustrated with promising
results.


title:
CHSalign: A Web Server That Builds upon Junction-Explorer and RNAJAG for
  Pairwise Alignment of RNA Secondary Structures with Coaxial Helical Stacking

abstract:
  RNA junctions are important structural elements of RNA molecules. They are
formed when three or more helices come together in three-dimensional space.
Recent studies have focused on the annotation and prediction of coaxial helical
stacking (CHS) motifs within junctions. Here we exploit such predictions to
develop an efficient alignment tool to handle RNA secondary structures with CHS
motifs. Specifically, we build upon our Junction-Explorer software for
predicting coaxial stacking and RNAJAG for modelling junction topologies as
tree graphs to incorporate constrained tree matching and dynamic programming
algorithms into a new method, called CHSalign, for aligning the secondary
structures of RNA molecules containing CHS motifs. Thus, CHSalign is intended
to be an efficient alignment tool for RNAs containing similar junctions.
Experimental results based on thousands of alignments demonstrate that CHSalign
can align two RNA secondary structures containing CHS motifs more accurately
than other RNA secondary structure alignment tools. CHSalign yields a high
score when aligning two RNA secondary structures with similar CHS motifs or
helical arrangement patterns, and a low score otherwise. This new method has
been implemented in a web server, and the program is also made freely
available, at http://bioinformatics.njit.edu/CHSalign/.


title:
Proceedings of the 2013 European School of High-Energy Physics (ESHEP
  2013), Paradfurdo, Hungary, 5-18 Jun 2013

abstract:
  The European School of High-Energy Physics is intended to give young
physicists an introduction to the theoretical aspects of recent advances in
elementary particle physics. These proceedings contain lecture notes on the
Standard Model of electroweak interactions, quantum chromodynamics, Higgs
physics, physics beyond the Standard Model, flavour physics, and practical
statistics for particle physicists.


title: Monolayer Adsorption of Noble Gases on Graphene

abstract:
  We report our results on the adsorption of noble gases such as argon, krypton
and xenon on a graphene sheet, using Grand Canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC)
simulations. We calculated the two-dimensional gas-liquid critical temperature
for each adsorbate, resulting in fair agreement with theoretical predictions
and experimental values of gases on graphite. We determined the different
phases of the monolayers and constructed the phase diagrams. We found
two-dimensional incommensurate solid phases for krypton, argon and xenon, and a
two-dimensional commensurate solid phase for krypton.


title:
Spectral asymptotics for the Schr\"odinger operator on the line with
  spreading and oscillating potentials

abstract:
  This study is devoted to the asymptotic spectral analysis of multiscale
Schr\"odinger operators with oscillating and decaying electric potentials.
Different regimes, related to scaling considerations, are distinguished. By
means of a normal form filtrating the oscillations, a reduction to a
non-oscillating effective Hamiltonian is performed.


title:
F-Theory $E_7$, Heterotic String-Derived Vacua And Flipped $SO(10)$ In
  Hor\v{a}va-Witten Theory

abstract:
  In this paper, $E_6$ and especially $E_7$ GUT are considered in the F-theory
setting in view of the free fermionic construction of the $4D$ heterotic
string. In particular, the NAHE-Based LRS model of \cite{Cleaver:2000ds,
Cleaver:2002ps} is revisited as an illustration where the starting point was
taken to be the $N=4$, $E_7 \times E_7 \times SO(16)$ which through the use of
boundary condition basis vectors is reduced to obtain the flipped $SO(10)$ GUT
symmetry.
  We also seek to extend the results of \cite{Faraggi:2002ah} in the case of
the flipped $SU(5)$ to home in on the flipped $SO(10)$ vacua from the
Hor\v{a}va-Witten theory where the $E_8$ gauge group on the observable sector
decomposes as $E_{8}\supset E_{6}\times SU(3)$ with $E_{6}$ being the gauge
group of the effective field theory. We find for the $E_{6}$ GUT symmetry,
solutions of type A and solutions of type B where the Hirzebruch surfaces are
considered for the base contrary to \cite{Faraggi:2002ah} where flipped $SU(5)$
vacua were studied and only solutions of type B were found. Moreover, no
solutions are found in the case of the base being the del Pezzo surfaces.
Furthermore, this goes hand in hand with the heterotic, low-energy
string-derived effective model discussed in
\cite{Ashfaque:2016psv,Ashfaque:2016ydg}.


title:
The MHz-peaked radio spectrum of the unusual gamma-ray source PMN
  J1603-4904

abstract:
  Context. The majority of bright extragalactic gamma-ray sources are blazars.
Only a few radio galaxies have been detected by Fermi/LAT. Recently, the
GHz-peaked spectrum source PKS 1718-649 was confirmed to be gamma-ray bright,
providing further evidence for the existence of a population of gamma-ray loud,
compact radio galaxies. A spectral turnover in the radio spectrum in the MHz to
GHz range is a characteristic feature of these objects, which are thought to be
young due to their small linear sizes. The multiwavelength properties of the
gamma-ray source PMN J1603-4904 suggest that it is a member of this source
class. Aims. The known radio spectrum of PMN J1603-4904 can be described by a
power law above 1 GHz. Using observations from the Giant Metrewave Radio
Telescope (GMRT) at 150, 325, and 610 MHz, we investigate the behaviour of the
spectrum at lower frequencies to search for a low-frequency turnover. Methods.
Data from the TIFR GMRT Sky Survey (TGSS ADR) catalogue and archival GMRT
observations were used to construct the first MHz to GHz spectrum of PMN
J1603-4904. Results. We detect a low-frequency turnover of the spectrum and
measure the peak position at about 490 MHz (rest-frame), which, using the known
relation of peak frequency and linear size, translates into a maximum linear
source size of ~1.4 kpc. Conclusions. The detection of the MHz peak indicates
that PMN J1603-4904 is part of this population of radio galaxies with turnover
frequencies in the MHz to GHz regime. Therefore it can be considered the
second, confirmed object of this kind detected in gamma-rays. Establishing this
gamma-ray source class will help to investigate the gamma-ray production sites
and to test broadband emission models.


title: Scattering for NLS with a potential on the line

abstract:
  We show the $H^{1}$ scattering for a one dimensional nonlinear Schr\"odinger
equation with a non-negative, repulsive potential $V$ such that $V,xV\in
W^{1,1}$, and a mass-supercritical non-linearity. We follow the approach of
concentration-compacity/rigidity first introduced by Kenig and Merle.


title:
On the Maximal Invariant Statistic for Adaptive Radar Detection in
  Partially-Homogeneous Disturbance with Persymmetric Covariance

abstract:
  This letter deals with the problem of adaptive signal detection in
partially-homogeneous and persymmetric Gaussian disturbance within the
framework of invariance theory. First, a suitable group of transformations
leaving the problem invariant is introduced and the Maximal Invariant Statistic
(MIS) is derived. Then, it is shown that the (Two-step) Generalized-Likelihood
Ratio test, Rao and Wald tests can be all expressed in terms of the MIS, thus
proving that they all ensure a Constant False-Alarm Rate (CFAR).


title: Unifying task specification in reinforcement learning

abstract:
  Reinforcement learning tasks are typically specified as Markov decision
processes. This formalism has been highly successful, though specifications
often couple the dynamics of the environment and the learning objective. This
lack of modularity can complicate generalization of the task specification, as
well as obfuscate connections between different task settings, such as episodic
and continuing. In this work, we introduce the RL task formalism, that provides
a unification through simple constructs including a generalization to
transition-based discounting. Through a series of examples, we demonstrate the
generality and utility of this formalism. Finally, we extend standard learning
constructs, including Bellman operators, and extend some seminal theoretical
results, including approximation errors bounds. Overall, we provide a
well-understood and sound formalism on which to build theoretical results and
simplify algorithm use and development.


title:
(Lack Of) Representation of Non Western World in process of creation of
  Web standards

abstract:
  World Wide Consortium (W3C) as an standard setting organization for the world
wide web plays a very important role in shaping the web. We focus on the
ongoing controversy related to Encrypted Media Extensions (EME) and found that
there was a serious lack of participation from people from non western
countries. We also found serious lack of gender diversity in the EME debate.


title: Energy-constrained private and quantum capacities of quantum channels

abstract:
  This paper establishes a general theory of energy-constrained quantum and
private capacities of quantum channels. We begin by defining various
energy-constrained communication tasks, including quantum communication with a
uniform energy constraint, entanglement transmission with an average energy
constraint, private communication with a uniform energy constraint, and secret
key transmission with an average energy constraint. We develop several code
conversions, which allow us to conclude non-trivial relations between the
capacities corresponding to the above tasks. We then show how the regularized,
energy-constrained coherent information is equal to the capacity for the first
two tasks and is an achievable rate for the latter two tasks, whenever the
energy observable satisfies the Gibbs condition of having a well defined
thermal state for all temperatures and the channel satisfies a finite
output-entropy condition. For degradable channels satisfying these conditions,
we find that the single-letter energy-constrained coherent information is equal
to all of the capacities. We finally apply our results to degradable quantum
Gaussian channels and recover several results already established in the
literature (in some cases, we prove new results in this domain). Contrary to
what may appear from some statements made in the literature recently, proofs of
these results do not require the solution of any kind of minimum output entropy
conjecture or entropy photon-number inequality.


title: Agegraphic dark energy: growth index and cosmological implications

abstract:
  We study the main cosmological properties of the agegraphic dark energy model
at the expansion and perturbation levels. Initially, using the latest
cosmological data we implement a joint likelihood analysis in order to
constrain the cosmological parameters. Then we test the performance of the
agegraphic dark energy model at the perturbation level and we define its
difference from the usual $\Lambda$CDM model. Within this context, we verify
that the growth index of matter fluctuations depends on the choice of the
considered agegraphic dark energy (homogeneous or clustered). In particular,
assuming a homogeneous agegraphic dark energy we find, for the first time, that
the asymptotic value of the growth index is $\gamma \approx 5/9$, which is
close to that of the usual $\Lambda$ cosmology, $\gamma^{(\Lambda)} \approx
6/11$. Finally, if the distribution of dark energy is clustered then we obtain
$\gamma \approx 1/2$ which is $\sim 8\%$ smaller than that of the $\Lambda$CDM
model.


title: Generalized Log-Majorization and Multivariate Trace Inequalities

abstract:
  We show that recent multivariate generalizations of the Araki-Lieb-Thirring
inequality and the Golden-Thompson inequality [Sutter, Berta, and Tomamichel,
Comm. Math. Phys. (2016)] for Schatten norms hold more generally for all
unitarily invariant norms and certain variations thereof. The main technical
contribution is a generalization of the concept of log-majorization which
allows us to treat majorization with regards to logarithmic integral averages
of vectors of singular values.


title:
Cybernetic Cities: Designing and controlling adaptive and robust urban
  systems

abstract:
  Cities are changing constantly. All urban systems face different conditions
from day to day. Even when averaged regularities can be found, urban systems
will be more efficient if they can adapt to changes at the same temporal scales
at which these occur. Still, the functionality of urban systems must be robust
to changes, either caused by adaptation or by other factors. Technology can
assist humans in designing and regulating this adaptation and robustness. To
achieve this, we propose a description of cities as cybernetic systems. We
identify three main components: information, algorithms, and agents, which we
illustrate with current and future examples. The implications of cybernetic
cities are manifold, with direct impacts on mobility, sustainability,
resilience, governance, and society. Still, the potential of a cybernetic
perspective on cities will not depend so much on technology as on how we use
it.


title: Dense Motion Estimation for Smoke

abstract:
  Motion estimation for highly dynamic phenomena such as smoke is an open
challenge for Computer Vision. Traditional dense motion estimation algorithms
have difficulties with non-rigid and large motions, both of which are
frequently observed in smoke motion. We propose an algorithm for dense motion
estimation of smoke. Our algorithm is robust, fast, and has better performance
over different types of smoke compared to other dense motion estimation
algorithms, including state of the art and neural network approaches. The key
to our contribution is to use skeletal flow, without explicit point matching,
to provide a sparse flow. This sparse flow is upgraded to a dense flow. In this
paper we describe our algorithm in greater detail, and provide experimental
evidence to support our claims.


title: Three dimensional dilatonic gravity's rainbow: exact solutions

abstract:
  Deep relations of dark energy scenario and string theory results into dilaton
gravity, on one hand, and the connection between quantum gravity with gravity's
rainbow, on the other hand, motivate us to consider three dimensional dilatonic
black hole solutions in gravity's rainbow. We obtain two classes of the
solutions which are polynomial and logarithmic forms. We also calculate
conserved and thermodynamic quantities, and examine the first law of
thermodynamics for both classes. In addition, we study thermal stability and
show that one of the classes is thermally stable while the other one is
unstable.


title:
Dynamic Stimulation of Superconductivity With Resonant Terahertz
  Ultrasonic Waves

abstract:
  An experiment is proposed to stimulate a superconducting thin film with
terahertz (THz) acoustic waves, which is a regime not previously tested. For a
thin film on a piezoelectric substrate, this can be achieved by coupling the
substrate to a tunable coherent THz electromagnetic source. Suggested materials
for initial tests are a niobium film on a quartz substrate, with a BSCCO
intrinsic Josephson junction (IJJ) stack. This will create acoustic standing
waves on the nm scale in the thin film. A properly tuned standing wave will
enable electron diffraction across the Fermi surface, leading to electron
localization perpendicular to the substrate. This is expected to reduce the
effective dimensionality, and enhance the tendency for superconducting order
parallel to the substrate, even well above the superconducting critical
temperature. This enhancement can be observed by measuring the in-plane
critical current and the perpendicular tunneling gap. A similar experiment may
be carried out for a cuprate thin film, although the conduction electrons might
be more responsive to spin waves than to acoustic waves. These experiments
address a novel regime of large momentum transfer to the electrons, which
should be quite distinct from the more traditional regime of large energy
transfer obtained from direct electromagnetic stimulation. The experiments are
also motivated in part by novel theories of the superconducting state involving
dynamic charge-density waves and spin-density waves. Potential device
applications are discussed.


title:
In the Name of the Name: RDF literals, ER Attributes and the Potential
  to Rethink the Structures and Visualizations of Catalogs

abstract:
  The aim of this study is to contribute to the field of machine-processable
bibliographic data that is suitable for the Semantic Web. We examine the Entity
Relationship (ER) model, which has been selected by IFLA as a "conceptual
framework" in order to model the FR family (FRBR, FRAD, and RDA), and the
problems ER causes as we move towards the Semantic Web. Subsequently, while
maintaining the semantics of the aforementioned standards but rejecting the ER
as a conceptual framework for bibliographic data, this paper builds on the RDF
(Resource Description Framework) potential and documents how both the RDF and
Linked Data's rationale can affect the way we model bibliographic data. In this
way, a new approach to bibliographic data emerges where the distinction between
description and authorities is obsolete. Instead, the integration of the
authorities with descriptive information becomes fundamental so that a network
of correlations can be established between the entities and the names by which
the entities are known. Naming is a vital issue for human cultures because
names are not random sequences of characters or sounds that stand just as
identifiers for the entities; they also have socio-cultural meanings and
interpretations. Thus, instead of describing indivisible resources, we could
describe entities that appear in a variety of names on various resources. In
this study, a method is proposed to connect the names with the entities they
represent and, in this way, to document the provenance of these names by
connecting specific resources with specific names.


title:
Analytical Estimation in Differential Optical Transmission Systems
  Influenced by Equalization Enhanced Phase Noise

abstract:
  An analytical model is presented for assessing the performance of the
bit-error-rate (BER) in the differential m-level phase shift keying (m-PSK)
transmission systems, where the influence of equalization enhanced phase noise
(EEPN) has been considered. Theoretical analysis has been carried out in
differential quadrature phase shift keying (DQPSK), differential 8-PSK (D8PSK),
and differential 16-PSK (D16PSK) coherent optical transmission systems. The
influence of EEPN on the BER performance, in term of signal-to-noise ratio
(SNR), are investigated for different fiber dispersion, LO laser linewidths,
symbol rates, and modulation formats. Our analytical model achieves a good
agreement with previously reported EEPN induced BER floors, and can give an
accurate prediction for the DQPSK system, and a leading-order approximation for
the D8PSK and the D16PSK systems.


title: Convolution kernels for multi-wavelength imaging

abstract:
  Astrophysical images issued from different instruments and/or spectral bands
often require to be processed together, either for fitting or comparison
purposes. However each image is affected by an instrumental response, also
known as PSF, that depends on the characteristics of the instrument as well as
the wavelength and the observing strategy. Given the knowledge of the PSF in
each band, a straightforward way of processing images is to homogenise them all
to a target PSF using convolution kernels, so that they appear as if they had
been acquired by the same instrument. We propose an algorithm that generates
such PSF-matching kernels, based on Wiener filtering with a tunable
regularisation parameter. This method ensures all anisotropic features in the
PSFs to be taken into account. We compare our method to existing procedures
using measured Herschel/PACS and SPIRE PSFs and simulated JWST/MIRI PSFs.
Significant gains up to two orders of magnitude are obtained with respect to
the use of kernels computed assuming Gaussian or circularised PSFs.


title:
Violation of the PT-symmetry and structure formation in the dark
  matter-gravitational wave interaction

abstract:
  In flat spacetime, quantum fluctuations in dark matter, as described as a
Bose-Einstein condensate, are stable and display a relativistic Bogoliubov
dispersion relation. In the weak gravitational field limit, both relativistic
and nonrelativistic models self-gravitating dark matter suggest the formation
of structures as the result of a dynamical (Jeans) instability. Here, we show
that in the presence of spontaneous symmetry breaking of the dark matter field,
the gravitational wave is damped for wave-lengths larger than the Jeans length.
Such energy is converted to the Bogoliubov modes of the BEC that in their turn
become unstable and grow, leading to the formation of structures even in the
absence of expansion. Remarkably, this compensated attenuation/amplification
mechanism is the signature of a discrete PT-symmetry-breaking of the system.


title: Neutral and Charged Inter-Valley Biexcitons in Monolayer MoSe$_2$

abstract:
  In atomically thin transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), reduced
dielectric screening of the Coulomb interaction leads to strongly correlated
many-body states, including excitons and trions, that dominate the optical
properties. Higher-order states, such as bound biexcitons, are possible but are
difficult to identify unambiguously using linear optical spectroscopy methods
alone. Here, we implement polarization-resolved two-dimensional coherent
spectroscopy to unravel the complex optical response of monolayer MoSe$_2$ and
identify multiple higher-order correlated states. Decisive signatures of
neutral and charged inter-valley biexcitons appear in cross-polarized
two-dimensional spectra as distinct resonances with respective ~20 meV and ~5
meV binding energies--similar to recent calculations using variational and
Monte Carlo methods. A theoretical model taking into account the
valley-dependent optical selection rules reveals the specific quantum pathways
that give rise to these states. Inter-valley biexcitons identified here,
comprised of neutral and charged excitons from different valleys, offer new
opportunities for creating exotic exciton-polariton condensates and for
developing ultrathin biexciton lasers and polarization-entangled photon
sources.


title: Non-Evolutionary Superintelligences Do Nothing, Eventually

abstract:
  There is overwhelming evidence that human intelligence is a product of
Darwinian evolution. Investigating the consequences of self-modification, and
more precisely, the consequences of utility function self-modification, leads
to the stronger claim that not only human, but any form of intelligence is
ultimately only possible within evolutionary processes. Human-designed
artificial intelligences can only remain stable until they discover how to
manipulate their own utility function. By definition, a human designer cannot
prevent a superhuman intelligence from modifying itself, even if protection
mechanisms against this action are put in place. Without evolutionary pressure,
sufficiently advanced artificial intelligences become inert by simplifying
their own utility function. Within evolutionary processes, the implicit utility
function is always reducible to persistence, and the control of superhuman
intelligences embedded in evolutionary processes is not possible. Mechanisms
against utility function self-modification are ultimately futile. Instead,
scientific effort toward the mitigation of existential risks from the
development of superintelligences should be in two directions: understanding
consciousness, and the complex dynamics of evolutionary systems.


title: Equilibrium Graphs

abstract:
  In this paper we present an extension of Peirce's existential graphs to
provide a diagrammatic representation of expressions in Quantified Equilibrium
Logic (QEL). Using this formalisation, logical connectives are replaced by
encircled regions (circles and squares) and quantified variables are
represented as "identity" lines. Although the expressive power is equivalent to
that of QEL, the new representation can be useful for illustrative or
educational purposes.


title:
ALMA reveals the anatomy of the mm-sized dust and molecular gas in the
  HD 97048 disk

abstract:
  Transitional disks show a lack of excess emission at infrared wavelengths due
to a large dust cavity, that is often corroborated by spatially resolved
observations at ~ mm wavelengths. We present the first spatially resolved ~
mm-wavelength images of the disk around the Herbig Ae/Be star, HD 97048.
Scattered light images show that the disk extends to ~640 au. The ALMA data
reveal a circular-symmetric dusty disk extending to ~350 au, and a molecular
disk traced in CO J=3-2 emission, extending to ~750 au. The CO emission arises
from a flared layer with an opening angle ~ 30 deg - 40 deg. HD 97048 is
another source for which the large (~ mm-sized) dust grains are more centrally
concentrated than the small (~ {\mu}m-sized) grains and molecular gas, likely
due to radial drift. The images and visibility data modelling suggests a
decrement in continuum emission within ~50 au, consistent with the cavity size
determined from mid-infrared imaging (34 +/- 4 au). The extracted continuum
intensity profiles show ring-like structures with peaks at ~50, 150, and 300
au, with associated gaps at ~100 and 250 au. This structure should be confirmed
in higher-resolution images (FWHM ~ 10 - 20 au). These data confirm the
classification of HD 97048 as a transitional disk that also possesses multiple
ring-like structures in the dust continuum emission. Additional data are
required at multiple and well-separated frequencies to fully characterise the
disk structure, and thereby constrain the mechanism(s) responsible for
sculpting the HD 97048 disk.


title: Step-index optical fibre drawn from 3D printed preforms

abstract:
  Optical fibre is drawn from a dual-head 3D printer fabricated preform made of
two optically transparent plastics with a high index core (NA ~ 0.25, V > 60).
The asymmetry observed in the fibre arises from asymmetry in the 3D printing
process. The highly multi-mode optical fibre has losses measured by cut-back as
low as {\alpha} ~ 0.44 dB/cm in the near IR.


title:
Classification of materials with divergent magnetic Gr\"uneisen
  parameter

abstract:
  At any quantum critical point (QCP) with a critical magnetic field $H_c$, the
magnetic Gr\"uneisen parameter $\Gamma_{\rm H}$, which equals the adiabatic
magnetocaloric effect, is predicted to show characteristic signatures such as a
divergence, sign change and $T/(H-H_c)^\epsilon$ scaling. We categorize
thirteen materials, ranging from heavy fermion metals to frustrated magnets,
where such experimental signatures have been found. Remarkably, seven
stoichiometric materials at ambient pressure show $H_c=0$. However, additional
thermodynamic and magnetic experiments suggest that most of them do not show a
zero-field QCP. While the existence of a pressure insensitive "strange metal"
state is one possibility, for some of the materials $\Gamma_{\rm H}$ seems
influenced by impurities or a fraction of moments which are not participating
in a frozen state. To unambiguously prove zero-field and pressure sensitive
quantum criticality, a $\Gamma_{\rm H}$ divergence is insufficient and also the
Gr\"uneisen ratio of thermal expansion to specific heat must diverge.


title: Air-structured optical fibre drawn from a 3D-printed preform

abstract:
  A structured optical fibre is drawn from a 3D-printed structured preform.
Preforms containing a single ring of holes around the core are fabricated using
filament made from a modified butadiene polymer. More broadly, 3D printers
capable of processing soft glasses, silica and other materials are likely to
come on line in the not-so distant future. 3D printing of optical preforms
signals a new milestone in optical fibre manufacture.


title: Beyond the Standard Model Lectures

abstract:
  We cover some current topics in Beyond the Standard Model phenomenology, with
an emphasis on collider (particularly Large Hadron Collider) phenomenology. We
begin with a review of the Standard Model and some unresolved mysteries that it
leaves. Then, we shall heuristically introduce supersymmetry, grand unified
theories and extra dimensions as paradigms for expanding the Standard Model.
The collider phenomenology of such models is too rich and complex to review,
but we give some key examples of how the new states associated with the models
might be inferred in Large Hadron Collider events. Before concluding, we finish
with a brief description of a quantum field theory approximation that can be
used in some cases to reduce model dependence: effective field theory. We show
how this can be employed to explain recent measurements of decays of $B$
mesons, which disagree with Standard Model predictions.


title:
A short review and primer on multimodal psychophysiological applications
  in work-related human computer interaction

abstract:
  The application of psychophysiology in human-computer interaction is a
growing field with significant potential for future smart personalised systems.
Working in this emerging field requires comprehension of an array of
physiological signals and analysis techniques. This paper focuses on the
aggregation of multiple physiological measurements, obtained from one or more
sensors. This approach requires the classification of relatively large samples
of multidimensional data, which must be associated to specific cognitive or
affective states. Researchers generally attempt to solve this problem by
utilising machine learning techniques. We present a short review to serve as a
primer for the novice, enabling rapid familiarisation with the latest core
concepts. We put special emphasis on work-related human-computer interface
applications to distinguish from the more common clinical or sports uses of
psychophysiology.
  This paper is an extract from a comprehensive review of the entire field of
ambulatory psychophysiology, including 12 similar chapters, plus application
guidelines and systematic review. Thus any citation should be made using the
following reference:
  B. Cowley, M. Filetti, K. Lukander, J. Torniainen, A. Henelius, L. Ahonen, O.
Barral, I. Kosunen, T. Valtonen, M. Huotilainen, N. Ravaja, G. Jacucci. The
Psychophysiology Primer: a guide to methods and a broad review with a focus on
human-computer interaction. Foundations and Trends in Human-Computer
Interaction, vol. 9, no. 3-4, pp. 150--307, 2016.


title:
Fluctuation-induced forces between rings threaded around a polymer chain
  under tension

abstract:
  We characterize the fluctuation properties of a polymer chain under external
tension and the fluctuation-induced forces between two ring molecules threaded
around the chain. The problem is relevant in the context of fluctuation-induced
forces in soft matter systems, features of liquid interfaces and to describe
properties of polyrotaxanes and slide-ring materials. We perform molecular
dynamics simulations of the Kremer-Grest bead-spring model for the polymer and
a simple ring-molecule model, in the canonical ensemble. We study transverse
fluctuations of the stretched chain, as a function of chain stretching and in
the presence of ring-shaped threaded molecules. The fluctuation spectra of the
chains are analyzed in equilibrium at constant temperature and the differences
in presence of two ring molecules are compared. For the rings located at fixed
distances, we find an attractive fluctuation-induced force between the rings,
proportional to the temperature and decaying with the ring distance. We
characterize this force as a function of ring distance, chain stretching, ring
radius and measure the differences between the free chain spectrum and the
fluctuations of the chain constrained by the rings. We also compare the
dependence and range of the force found in the simulations with theoretical
models coming from different fields.


title: Practical quasi parton distribution functions

abstract:
  A completely new strategy to calculate parton distribution functions on the
lattice has recently been proposed. In this method, lattice calculable
observables, called quasi distributions, are related to normal distributions.
The quasi distributions are known to contain power-law UV divergences arise
from a Wilson line in the non-local operator, while the normal distributions
only have logatithmic UV divergences. We propose possible method to subtract
the power divegence to make the matching of the quasi with the normal
distributions well-defined. We also demonstrate the matching of the quasi quark
distribution between continuum and lattice implementing the power divergence
subtraction. The matching calculations are carried out by one-loop
perturbation.


title: Compression of interferometric radio-astronomical data

abstract:
  The volume of radio-astronomical data is a considerable burden in the
processing and storing of radio observations with high time and frequency
resolutions and large bandwidths. Lossy compression of interferometric
radio-astronomical data is considered to reduce the volume of visibility data
and to speed up processing.
  A new compression technique named "Dysco" is introduced that consists of two
steps: a normalization step, in which grouped visibilities are normalized to
have a similar distribution; and a quantization and encoding step, which rounds
values to a given quantization scheme using a dithering scheme. Several
non-linear quantization schemes are tested and combined with different methods
for normalizing the data. Four data sets with observations from the LOFAR and
MWA telescopes are processed with different processing strategies and different
combinations of normalization and quantization. The effects of compression are
measured in image plane.
  The noise added by the lossy compression technique acts like normal system
noise. The accuracy of Dysco is depending on the signal-to-noise ratio of the
data: noisy data can be compressed with a smaller loss of image quality. Data
with typical correlator time and frequency resolutions can be compressed by a
factor of 6.4 for LOFAR and 5.3 for MWA observations with less than 1% added
system noise. An implementation of the compression technique is released that
provides a Casacore storage manager and allows transparent encoding and
decoding. Encoding and decoding is faster than the read/write speed of typical
disks.
  The technique can be used for LOFAR and MWA to reduce the archival space
requirements for storing observed data. Data from SKA-low will likely be
compressible by the same amount as LOFAR. The same technique can be used to
compress data from other telescopes, but a different bit-rate might be
required.


title:
Random matrices meet machine learning: a large dimensional analysis of
  LS-SVM

abstract:
  This article proposes a performance analysis of kernel least squares support
vector machines (LS-SVMs) based on a random matrix approach, in the regime
where both the dimension of data $p$ and their number $n$ grow large at the
same rate. Under a two-class Gaussian mixture model for the input data, we
prove that the LS-SVM decision function is asymptotically normal with means and
covariances shown to depend explicitly on the derivatives of the kernel
function. This provides improved understanding along with new insights into the
internal workings of SVM-type methods for large datasets.


title: The Mu2e Experiment at Fermilab

abstract:
  The Mu2e Experiment at Fermilab will search for the coherent, neutrinoless
conversion of muons into electrons in the field of an aluminium nucleus with an
unprecedented sensitivity. Such a charged lepton flavor-violating reaction
probes new physics at a scale inaccessible with direct searches at either
present or planned high energy colliders. Moreover, the Mu2e experiment both
complements and extends the current search for the {\mu} $\to$ e{\gamma} decay
at MEG and searches for new physics at the LHC. We will present the physics
motivation for Mu2e, the experimental setup and the current status of the
experiment.


title: Decouplings for three-dimensional surfaces in $\mathbb{R}^{6}$

abstract:
  We obtain the sharp $l^p$ decoupling for three-dimensional nondegenerate
surfaces in $\mathbb{R}^6$. This can be thought of as a generalization of
Bourgain and Demeter's result, which is the sharp $l^p$ decoupling for
two-dimensional nondegenerate surfaces in $\mathbb{R}^4$.


title: Molecular shock tracers in NGC 1068: SiO and HNCO

abstract:
  SiO(3-2) and HNCO(6-5) emission has been imaged in NGC 1068 with the Plateau
de Bure Interferometer (PdBI). We perform an LTE and RADEX analysis to
determine the column densities and physical characteristics of the gas emitting
these two lines. We then use a chemical model to determine the origin of the
emission. There is a strong SiO peak to the East of the AGN, with weak
detections to the West. This distribution contrasts that of HNCO, which is
detected more strongly to the West. The SiO emission peak in the East is
similar to the peak of the molecular gas mass traced by CO. HNCO emission is
offset from this peak by as much as 80 pc ( 1"). We compare velocity integrated
line ratios in the East and West. We confirm that SiO emission strongly
dominates in the East, while the reverse is true in the West. We use RADEX to
analyse the possible gas conditions that could produce such emission. We find
that, in both East and West, we cannot constrain a single temperature for the
gas. We run a grid of chemical models of potential shock processes in the CND
and find that SiO is significantly enhanced during a fast (60 km/s) shock but
not during a slow (20 km/s) shock, nor in a gas not subjected to shocks at all.
We find the inverse for HNCO, whose abundance increases during slow shocks and
in warm non-shocked gas. High SiO and low HNCO indicated a fast shock, while
high HNCO and low SiO indicates either a slow shock or warm, dense, non-shocked
gas. The East Knot is therefore likely to contain gas that is heavily shocked.
From chemical modelling, gas in the West Knot may be non-shocked, or maybe
undergoing a much milder shock event. When taking into account RADEX results,
the milder shock event is the more likely of the two scenarios.


title:
Adelically summable normalized weights and adelic equidistribution of
  effective divisors having small diagonals and small heights on the Berkovich
  projective lines

abstract:
  We introduce the notion of an adelically summable normalized weight $g$,
which is a family of normalized weights on the Berkovich projective lines
satisfying a summability condition. We then establish an adelic
equidistribution of effective $k$-divisors on the projective line over the
separable closure $k_s$ in $\overline{k}$ of a product formula field $k$ having
small $g$-heights and small diagonals. This equidistribution result generalizes
Ye's for the Galois conjugacy classes of algebraic numbers with respect to
quasi-adelic measures.


title:
Magnetic catalysis and inverse magnetic catalysis in nonlocal chiral
  quark models

abstract:
  We study the behavior of strongly interacting matter under an external
constant magnetic field in the context of nonlocal chiral quark models within
the mean field approximation. We find that at zero temperature the behavior of
the quark condensates shows the expected magnetic catalysis effect, our
predictions being in good quantitative agreement with lattice QCD results. On
the other hand, in contrast to what happens in the standard local
Nambu-Jona-Lasinio model, when the analysis is extended to the case of finite
temperature our results show that nonlocal models naturally lead to the Inverse
Magnetic Catalysis effect.


title:
Continuous-time quantum Monte Carlo for fermion-boson lattice models:
  Improved bosonic estimators and application to the Holstein model

abstract:
  We extend the continuous-time interaction-expansion quantum Monte Carlo
method with respect to measuring observables for fermion-boson lattice models.
Using generating functionals, we express expectation values involving boson
operators, which are not directly accessible because simulations are done in
terms of a purely fermionic action, as integrals over fermionic correlation
functions. We also demonstrate that certain observables can be inferred
directly from the vertex distribution, and present efficient estimators for the
total energy and the phonon propagator of the Holstein model. Furthermore, we
generalize the covariance estimator of the fidelity susceptibility, an unbiased
diagnostic for phase transitions, to the case of retarded interactions. The new
estimators are applied to half-filled spinless and spinful Holstein models in
one dimension. The observed renormalization of the phonon mode across the
Peierls transition in the spinless model suggests a soft-mode transition in the
adiabatic regime. The critical point is associated with a minimum in the phonon
kinetic energy and a maximum in the fidelity susceptibility.


title:
Suppression of low-energy longitudinal spin-excitations in Co-underdoped
  BaFe2As2

abstract:
  Polarized inelastic neutron scattering experiments were performed to study
magnetic excitations in the normal and superconducting phases of Co-underdoped
BaFe$_2$As$_2$, which exhibits coexistence of antiferromagnetic order and
superconductivity. In the normal state the antiferromagnetic order results in
broadened spin gaps opening in all three spin directions that are reminiscent
of the magnetic response in pure antiferromagnetic BaFe$_2$As$_2$. In
particular longitudinal excitations exhibit a large gap. In the superconducting
state we find two distinct resonance excitations, which both are anisotropic in
spin-space, and which both do not appear in the longitudinal polarization
channel. This behavior contrasts to previous polarized neutron results on
samples near optimum or higher doping. The gap in the longitudinal fluctuations
arising from the antiferromagnetic order seems to be sufficiently larger than
twice the superconducting gap to suppress any interplay with the
superconducting state. This suppressed low-energy weight of longitudinal
fluctuations can explain the reduced superconducting transition temperature in
underdoped BaFe$_2$As$_2$ and indicates that the coexistence of
antiferromagnetism and superconductivity occurs locally.


title: Resonant Transmission Line Method for Econophysics models

abstract:
  In a recent paper [1304.6846], Racorean introduced a formal similarity of the
Black-Sholes stock pricing model with a Schr\"odinger equation. We use a
previously introduced method of a resonant transmission line for arbitrary 2nd
order Sturm-Liouville problems to attack the same problem from a different
perspective revealing some deep structures in the naturally associated
eigenvalue problem.


title: ${\rm B}_\pi$-characters and quotients

abstract:
  Let $\pi$ be a set of primes, and let $G$ be a finite $\pi$-separable group.
We consider the Isaacs ${\rm B}_\pi$-characters. We show that if $N$ is a
normal subgroup of $G$, then ${\rm B}_\pi (G/N) = {\rm Irr} (G/N) \cap {\rm
B}_\pi (G)$.


title:
Uniqueness of axisymmetric viscous flows originating from circular
  vortex filaments

abstract:
  The incompressible Navier-Stokes equations in R^3 are shown to admit a unique
axisymmetric solution without swirl if the initial vorticity is a circular
vortex filament with arbitrarily large circulation Reynolds number. The
emphasis is on uniqueness, as existence has already been established in [10].
The main difficulty which has to be overcome is that the nonlinear regime for
such flows is outside of applicability of standard perturbation theory, even
for short times. The solutions we consider are archetypal examples of viscous
vortex rings, and can be thought of as axisymmetric analogues of the
self-similar Lamb-Oseen vortices in two-dimensional flows. Our method provides
the leading term in a fixed-viscosity short-time asymptotic expansion of the
solution, and may in principle be extended so as to give a rigorous
justification, in the axisymmetric situation, of higher-order formal asymptotic
expansions that can be found in the literature [7].


title:
An efficient Search Tool for an Anti-Money Laundering Application of an
  Multi-national Bank's Dataset

abstract:
  Today, money laundering (ML) poses a serious threat not only to financial
institutions but also to the nations. This criminal activity is becoming more
and more sophisticated and seems to have moved from the clichy of drug
trafficking to financing terrorism and surely not forgetting personal gain.
Most of the financial institutions internationally have been implementing
anti-money laundering solutions (AML) to fight investment fraud activities. In
AML, the customer identification is an important task which helps AML experts
to monitor customer habits: some being customer domicile, transactions that
they are involved in etc. However, simple query tools provided by current DBMS
as well as naive approaches in customer searching may produce incorrect and
ambiguous results and their processing time is also very high due to the
complexity of the database system architecture. In this paper, we present a new
approach for identifying customers registered in an investment bank. This
approach is developed as a tool that allows AML experts to quickly identify
customers who are managed independently across separate databases. It is tested
on real-world datasets, which are real and large financial datasets. Some
preliminary experimental results show that this new approach is efficient and
effective.


title:
First experimental study of photon polarization in radiative $B^{0}_{s}$
  decays

abstract:
  The polarization of photons produced in radiative $B^{0}_{s}$ decays is
studied for the first time. The data are recorded by the LHCb experiment in
$pp$ collisions corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3fb$^{-1}$ at
center-of-mass energies of $7$ and $8$TeV. A time-dependent analysis of the
$B^{0}_{s} \to \phi \gamma$ decay rate is conducted to determine the parameter
${\mathcal{A}}^\Delta$, which is related to the ratio of right- over
left-handed photon polarization amplitudes in $b \to s \gamma$ transitions. A
value of ${\mathcal{A}}^\Delta=-0.98^{\,+0.46\,+0.23}_{\,-0.52\,-0.20}$ is
measured. This result is consistent with the Standard Model prediction within
two standard deviations.


title:
Potential of a Superconducting Photon Counter for Heterodyne Detection
  at Telecommunication Wavelength

abstract:
  Here, we report on successful operation of a NbN thin film superconducting
nanowire single-photon detector (SNSPD) in a coherent mode (as a mixer) at the
telecommunication wavelength of 1550 nm. Providing the Local Oscillator power
of the order of a few picowatts, we were practically able to reach the quantum
noise limited sensitivity. The intermediate frequency gain bandwidth was
limited by the spectral band of single-photon response pulse of the detector,
which is proportional to the detector size. We observed gain bandwidth of 65
MHz and 140 MHz for 7x7 um^2 and 3x3 um^2 devices respectively. Tiny amount of
the required Local Oscillator power and wide gain and noise bandwidths along
with the needless of any Low Noise Amplification opens possibility for a photon
counting heterodyne-born megapixel array development.


title:
Time response of a scalar dynamical system with multiple delays via
  Lambert W functions

abstract:
  In this work, we establish the response of scalar systems with multiple
discrete delays based on the Laplace transform. The time response function is
expressed as the sum of infinite series of exponentials acting on eigenvalues
inside countable branches of the Lambert W functions. Eigenvalues in each
branch of Lambert W function are computed by a numerical iteration. Numerical
examples are presented to illustrate the results obtained.


title:
Component-Based Distributed Framework for Coherent and Real-Time Video
  Dehazing

abstract:
  Traditional dehazing techniques, as a well studied topic in image processing,
are now widely used to eliminate the haze effects from individual images.
However, even the state-of-the-art dehazing algorithms may not provide
sufficient support to video analytics, as a crucial pre-processing step for
video-based decision making systems (e.g., robot navigation), due to the
limitations of these algorithms on poor result coherence and low processing
efficiency. This paper presents a new framework, particularly designed for
video dehazing, to output coherent results in real time, with two novel
techniques. Firstly, we decompose the dehazing algorithms into three generic
components, namely transmission map estimator, atmospheric light estimator and
haze-free image generator. They can be simultaneously processed by multiple
threads in the distributed system, such that the processing efficiency is
optimized by automatic CPU resource allocation based on the workloads.
Secondly, a cross-frame normalization scheme is proposed to enhance the
coherence among consecutive frames, by sharing the parameters of atmospheric
light from consecutive frames in the distributed computation platform. The
combination of these techniques enables our framework to generate highly
consistent and accurate dehazing results in real-time, by using only 3 PCs
connected by Ethernet.


title: Deep Markov Random Field for Image Modeling

abstract:
  Markov Random Fields (MRFs), a formulation widely used in generative image
modeling, have long been plagued by the lack of expressive power. This issue is
primarily due to the fact that conventional MRFs formulations tend to use
simplistic factors to capture local patterns. In this paper, we move beyond
such limitations, and propose a novel MRF model that uses fully-connected
neurons to express the complex interactions among pixels. Through theoretical
analysis, we reveal an inherent connection between this model and recurrent
neural networks, and thereon derive an approximated feed-forward network that
couples multiple RNNs along opposite directions. This formulation combines the
expressive power of deep neural networks and the cyclic dependency structure of
MRF in a unified model, bringing the modeling capability to a new level. The
feed-forward approximation also allows it to be efficiently learned from data.
Experimental results on a variety of low-level vision tasks show notable
improvement over state-of-the-arts.


title: Topological Quantum Computation with Gapped Boundaries

abstract:
  This paper studies fault-tolerant quantum computation with gapped boundaries.
We first introduce gapped boundaries of Kitaev's quantum double models for
Dijkgraaf-Witten theories using their Hamiltonian realizations. We classify the
elementary excitations on the boundary, and systematically describe the
bulk-to-boundary condensation procedure. We also provide a commuting
Hamiltonian to realize defects between boundaries in any quantum double model.
Next, we present the algebraic/categorical structure of gapped boundaries and
boundary defects, which will be used to describe topologically protected
operations and obtain quantum gates. To demonstrate a potential physical
realization, we provide quantum circuits for surface codes that can perform all
basic operations on gapped boundaries. Finally, we show how gapped boundaries
of the abelian theory $\mathfrak{D}(\mathbb{Z}_3)$ can be used to perform
universal quantum computation.


title: The central role of symmetry in physics

abstract:
  Spacetime and internal symmetries can be used to severely restrict the form
of the equations for the fundamental laws of physics. The success of this
approach in the context of general relativity and particle physics motivates
the conjecture that symmetries may help us to one day uncover the ultimate
theory that provides a unique, unified description of all observed physical
phenomena. We examine some of the strengths and weaknesses of this conjecture.


title:
Detection of polarized continuum emission of the Dusty S-cluster Object
  (DSO/G2)

abstract:
  A peculiar source in the Galactic center known as the Dusty S-cluster Object
(DSO/G2) moves on a highly eccentric orbit around the supermassive black hole
with the pericenter passage in the spring of 2014. Its nature has been
uncertain mainly because of the lack of any information about its intrinsic
geometry. For the first time, we use near-infrared polarimetric imaging data to
obtain constraints about the geometrical properties of the DSO. We find out
that DSO is an intrinsically polarized source, based on the significance
analysis of polarization parameters, with the degree of the polarization of
$\sim 30\%$ and an alternating polarization angle as it approaches the position
of Sgr A*. Since the DSO exhibits a near-infrared excess of $K_{\rm s}-L'>3$
and remains rather compact in emission-line maps, its main characteristics may
be explained with the model of a pre-main-sequence star embedded in a
non-spherical dusty envelope.


title: Geometric Time and Causal Time in Relativistic Lagrangian Mechanics

abstract:
  In this article, we argue that two distinct types of time should be taken
into account in relativistic physics: a geometric time, which emanates from the
structure of spacetime and its metrics, and a causal time, indicating the flow
from the past to the future. A particularity of causal times is that its values
have no intrinsic meaning, as their evolution alone is meaningful. In the
context of relativistic Lagrangian mechanics, causal times corresponds to
admissible parameterizations of paths, and we show that in order for a
langragian to not depend on any particular causal time (as its values have no
intrinsic meaning), it has to be homogeneous in its velocity argument. We
illustrate this property with the example of a free particle in a potential.
Then, using a geometric Lagrangian (i.e. a parameterization independent
Lagrangian which is also manifestly covariant), we introduce the notion of
ageodesicity of a path which measures to what extent a path is far from being a
geodesic, and show how the notion can be used in the twin paradox to
differentiate the paths followed by the two twins.


title: Mid-infrared pyro-resistive graphene detector on LiNbO3

abstract:
  Mid-infrared (mid-IR) photo-detection has been recently growing in importance
because of its multiple applications, including vibrational spectroscopy and
thermal imaging. We propose and demonstrate a novel pyro-resistive
photo-detection platform that combines a ferroelectric substrate (a z-cut
LiNbO3 crystal) and a graphene layer transferred on top of its surface with
electrical connections. Upon strong light absorption in the LiNbO3 substrate
and the subsequent temperature increase, via the pyroelectric effect,
polarization (bound) charges form at the crystal surface. These causes doping
into graphene which in turn changes its carrier density and conductivity. In
this way, by monitoring the graphene electrical resistance one can measure the
incident optical power. . Detectivities of about 10^5 cm sqrt(Hz)/W in the 6 to
10 microns wavelength region are demonstrated.We explain the underlying
physical mechanism of the pyro-resistive photo-detection and propose a model
that reproduces accurately the experimental results. We also show that up to
two orders of magnitude larger detectivity can be achieved by optimising the
geometry and operating in vacuum, thus opening the path to a new class of
mid-IR photo-detectors that can challenge classical HgCdTe devices, especially
in real applications where cooling is to be avoided and low cost is crucial.


title:
Polarimetry at millimeter wavelengths with the NIKA camera: calibration
  and performance

abstract:
  Magnetic fields, which play a major role in a large number of astrophysical
processes from galactic to cosmological scales, can be traced via observations
of dust polarization as demonstrated by the Planck satellite results. In
particular, low-resolution observations of dust polarization have demonstrated
that Galactic filamentary structures, where star formation takes place, are
associated to well organized magnetic fields. A better understanding of this
process requires detailed observations of galactic dust polarization on scales
of 0.01 to 0.1 pc. Such high-resolution polarization observations can be
carried out at the IRAM 30 m telescope using the recently installed NIKA2
camera, which features two frequency bands at 260 and 150 GHz (respectively
1.15 and 2.05 mm), the 260 GHz band being polarization sensitive. NIKA2 so far
in commissioning phase, has its focal plane filled with ~3300 detectors to
cover a Field of View (FoV) of 6.5 arcminutes diameter. The NIKA camera, which
consisted of two arrays of 132 and 224 Lumped Element Kinetic Inductance
Detectors (LEKIDs) and a FWHM (Full-Width-Half-Maximum) of 12 and 18.2
arcsecond at 1.15 and 2.05 mm respectively, has been operated at the IRAM 30 m
telescope from 2012 to 2015 as a test-bench for NIKA2. NIKA was equipped of a
room temperature polarization system (a half wave plate (HWP) and a grid
polarizer facing the NIKA cryostat window). The fast and continuous rotation of
the HWP permits the quasi simultaneous reconstruction of the three Stokes
parameters, I, Q and U at 150 and 260 GHz. This paper presents the first
polarization measurements with KIDs and reports the polarization performance of
the NIKA camera and the pertinence of the choice of the polarization setup in
the perspective of NIKA2. (abridged)


title:
Feasibility of Post-Editing Speech Transcriptions with a Mismatched
  Crowd

abstract:
  Manual correction of speech transcription can involve a selection from
plausible transcriptions. Recent work has shown the feasibility of employing a
mismatched crowd for speech transcription. However, it is yet to be established
whether a mismatched worker has sufficiently fine-granular speech perception to
choose among the phonetically proximate options that are likely to be generated
from the trellis of an ASRU. Hence, we consider five languages, Arabic, German,
Hindi, Russian and Spanish. For each we generate synthetic, phonetically
proximate, options which emulate post-editing scenarios of varying difficulty.
We consistently observe non-trivial crowd ability to choose among fine-granular
options.


title: Lie groups of controlled characters of combinatorial Hopf algebras

abstract:
  In this article groups of controlled characters of a combinatorial Hopf
algebra are considered from the perspective of infinite-dimensional Lie theory.
A character is controlled in our sense if it satisfies certain growth bounds,
e.g.\ exponential growth. We study these characters for combinatorial Hopf
algebras. Following Loday and Ronco, a combinatorial Hopf algebra is a graded
and connected Hopf algebra which is a polynomial algebra with an explicit
choice of basis (usually identified with combinatorial objects such as trees,
graphs, etc.). If the growth bounds and the Hopf algebra are compatible we
prove that the controlled characters form infinite-dimensional Lie groups.
Further, we identify the Lie algebra and establish regularity results (in the
sense of Milnor) for these Lie groups. The general construction principle
exhibited here enables to treat a broad class of examples from physics,
numerical analysis and control theory. Groups of controlled characters appear
in renormalisation of quantum field theories, numerical analysis and control
theory in the guise of groups of locally convergent power series. The results
presented here, generalise the construction of the (tame) Butcher group, aka
the controlled character group of the Butcher-Connes-Kreimer Hopf algebra.


title: Kerr-Newman-AdS Black Hole In Quintessential Dark Energy

abstract:
  Quintessential dark energy with pressure $p$ and density $\rho$ is related by
equation of state $p=\omega\rho$ with the state parameter $-1<\omega<-1/3$. The
cosmological dark energy influence on black hole spacetime are interesting and
important. In this paper, we study the Kerr-Newman-AdS solutions of the
Einstein-Maxwell equation in quintessence field around a black hole by
Newman-Janis algorithm and complex computations. From the horizon structure
equation, we obtain the expression between quintessence parameter $\alpha$ and
cosmological constant $\Lambda$ if the black hole exists two cosmological
horizon $r_{q}$ and $r_{c}$ when $\omega=-2/3$, the result is different from
rotational black hole in quintessence matter situation. Through analysis we
find that the black hole charge cannot change the value of $\alpha$. But the
black hole spin and cosmological constant are opposite. The black hole spin and
cosmological constant make the maximum value of $\alpha$ to become small. The
existence of four horizon leads seven types of extremal black holes to
constraint the parameter $\alpha$. With the state parameter $\omega$ ranging
from $-1$ to $-1/3$, the maximum value of $\alpha$ changes from $\Lambda$ to
$1$. When $\omega\rightarrow -1$, the quintessential dark energy likes
cosmological constant. The singularity of the black holes is the same with that
of Kerr black hole. We also discuss the rotation velocity of the black holes on
the equatorial plane for $\omega=-2/3,-1/2$ and $-1/3$. For small value of
$\alpha$, the rotation velocity on the equatorial plane is asymptotically flat
and it can explain the rotation curves in spiral galaxies.


title: The Berenstein-Kirillov group and cactus groups

abstract:
  Berenstein and Kirillov have studied the action of Bender-Knuth moves on
semistandard tableaux. Losev has studied a cactus group action in
Kazhdan-Lusztig theory; in type $A$ this action can also be identified in the
work of Henriques and Kamnitzer. We establish the relationship between the two
actions. We show that the Berenstein-Kirillov group is a quotient of the cactus
group. We use this to derive previously unknown relations in the
Berenstein-Kirillov group. We also determine precise implications between
subsets of relations in the two groups, which yields a presentation for cactus
groups in terms of Bender-Knuth generators.


title:
Existence of coupled K\"ahler-Einstein metrics using the continuity
  method

abstract:
  In this paper we prove the existence of coupled K\"ahler-Einstein metrics on
complex manifolds whose canonical bundle is ample. These metrics were
introduced and their existence in the said case was proven by Hultgren and
Nystr\"om using calculus of variations. We prove the result using the method of
continuity. In the process of proving estimates, akin to the usual
K\"ahler-Einstein metrics, we reduce existence in the Fano case to a C^0
estimate.


title:
Magnetodielectric and spin-lattice coupling in quasi 1D Ising spin chain
  CoNb$_{2}$O$_{6}$

abstract:
  We have studied magnetodielectric and spin-lattice coupling in
CoNb$_{2}$O$_{6}$ single crystals. Magnetostriction and magnetodielectric
experiments are performed at temperatures in and above antifferomagnetic phase
of quasi 1D Ising spin chain CoNb$_{2}$O$_{6}$. Field induced magnetic
transitions are clearly reflected in magnetodielectric measurement as well as
magnetostriction measurement also. Two sharp anomalies are found around the
critical fields of antiferromagnetic to ferrimagnetic transition and
ferrimagnetic to saturated paramagnetic transition in both magnetodielectric
and magnetostriction experiments. High field anomaly is more pronounced for
magnetodielectric response and magnetostriction also. So, in CoNb$_{2}$O$_{6}$,
spins are strongly coupled with lattice as well as charges also.


title: Classification of syncope through data analytics

abstract:
  Objective: Syncope is a sudden loss of consciousness with loss of postural
tone and spontaneous recovery; it is a common condition, albeit one that is
challenging to accurately diagnose. Uncertainties about the triggering
mechanisms and their underlying pathophysiology have led to various
classifications of patients exhibiting this symptom. This study presents a new
way to classify syncope types using machine learning. Method: we hypothesize
that syncope types can be characterized by analyzing blood pressure and heart
rate time series data obtained from the head-up tilt test procedure. By
optimizing classification rates, we identify a small number of determining
markers which enable data clustering. Results: We apply the proposed method to
clinical data from 157 subjects; each subject was identified by an expert as
being either healthy or suffering from one of three conditions:
cardioinhibitory syncope, vasodepressor syncope and postural orthostatic
tachycardia. Clustering confirms the three disease groups and identifies two
distinct subgroups within the healthy controls. Conclusion: The proposed method
provides evidence to question current syncope classifications; it also offers
means to refine them. Significance: Current syncope classifications are not
based on pathophysiology and have not led to significant improvements in
patient care. It is expected that a more faithful classification will
facilitate our understanding of the autonomic system for healthy subjects,
which is essential in analyzing pathophysiology of the disease groups.


title: Local Theory of t-bonded sets

abstract:
  The local theory for regular and multi-regular systems was developed in the
assumption that these systems are Delone sets, or (r;R)-systems. The
requirement for a set to be a (r;R)-system particularly implies that any two
points in a Delone set can be connected by a sequence of points from the set
with sequel interpoint distances bounded by 2R. In the terminology we adopted
in this paper, it means that a Delone set is a 2R-bonded set. Meanwhile, there
are crystals, e.g. zeolites, whose atomic structure is multi-regular
microporous point set. In these structures there are cavities that are
relatively large compared to the "length"of bonds between atomes. In other
words, the parameter R in this Delone set significantly exceeds a natural link
parameter. For a better description of such "microporous"structures it is
worthwhile to take into consideration a parameter that represents atomic bonds
within the matter. In the paper we generalize some results of the local theory
to the sets that we called t-bonded sets even without making an assumption that
a set is a Delone set.


title:
Boundary behavior of the squeezing functions of $\mathbb C$-convex
  domains and plane domains

abstract:
  It is shown that any non-degenerate $\mathbb C$-convex domain in $\mathbb
C^n$ is uniformly squeezing. It is also found the precise behavior of the
squeezing function near a Dini-smooth boundary point of a plane domain.


title: Extreme eigenvalues of an integral operator

abstract:
  We study the family of compact operators $B_{\alpha} = V A_{\alpha} V$,
$\alpha>0$ in $L^2(\mathbb R^d)$, $d\ge 1$, where $A_{\alpha}$ is the
pseudo-differential operator with symbol $a_{\alpha}(\boldsymbol\xi) =
a(\alpha\boldsymbol\xi)$, and both functions $a$ and $V$ are real-valued and
decay at infinity. We assume that $a$ and $V$ attain their maximal values
$A_0>0$, $V_0>0$, only at $\boldsymbol\xi = \mathbf 0$ and $\mathbf x = \mathbf
0$. We also assume that a(\boldsymbol\xi) = &\ A_0 -
\Psi_{\gamma}(\boldsymbol\xi) + o(|\boldsymbol\xi|^{\gamma}),\
|\boldsymbol\xi|\to 0, V(\mathbf x) = &\ V_0 - \Phi_{\beta}(\mathbf x) +
o(|\mathbf x|^{\beta}),\ |\mathbf x|\to 0, with some functions
$\Psi_{\gamma}(\boldsymbol\xi)>0$, $\boldsymbol\xi\not =\mathbf 0$ and
$\Phi_{\beta}(\mathbf x) >0$, $\mathbf x\not = \mathbf 0$ that are homogeneous
of degree $\gamma>0$ and $\beta >0$ respectively. The main result is the
following asymptotic formula for the eigenvalues $\lambda_{\alpha}^{(n)}$ of
the operator $B_{\alpha}$ (arranged in descending order counting multiplicity)
for fixed $n$ and $\alpha\to 0$: \lambda_{\alpha}^{(n)} = A_0V_0^2 - \mu^{(n)}
\alpha^{\sigma} + o(\alpha^{\sigma}), \alpha\to 0, where $\sigma^{-1} =
\gamma^{-1}+ \beta^{-1}$, and $\mu^{(n)}$ are the eigenvalues (arranged in
ascending order counting multiplicity) of the model operator $T$ with symbol
$V_0^2\Psi_{\gamma}(\boldsymbol\xi) + 2A_0 V_0 \Phi_{\beta}(\mathbf x)$.


title:
Fast and Efficient Asynchronous Neural Computation with Adapting Spiking
  Neural Networks

abstract:
  Biological neurons communicate with a sparing exchange of pulses - spikes. It
is an open question how real spiking neurons produce the kind of powerful
neural computation that is possible with deep artificial neural networks, using
only so very few spikes to communicate. Building on recent insights in
neuroscience, we present an Adapting Spiking Neural Network (ASNN) based on
adaptive spiking neurons. These spiking neurons efficiently encode information
in spike-trains using a form of Asynchronous Pulsed Sigma-Delta coding while
homeostatically optimizing their firing rate. In the proposed paradigm of
spiking neuron computation, neural adaptation is tightly coupled to synaptic
plasticity, to ensure that downstream neurons can correctly decode upstream
spiking neurons. We show that this type of network is inherently able to carry
out asynchronous and event-driven neural computation, while performing
identical to corresponding artificial neural networks (ANNs). In particular, we
show that these adaptive spiking neurons can be drop in replacements for ReLU
neurons in standard feedforward ANNs comprised of such units. We demonstrate
that this can also be successfully applied to a ReLU based deep convolutional
neural network for classifying the MNIST dataset. The ASNN thus outperforms
current Spiking Neural Networks (SNNs) implementations, while responding (up
to) an order of magnitude faster and using an order of magnitude fewer spikes.
Additionally, in a streaming setting where frames are continuously classified,
we show that the ASNN requires substantially fewer network updates as compared
to the corresponding ANN.


title:
Ensemble inequivalence and absence of quasi-stationary states in
  long-range random networks

abstract:
  Ensemble inequivalence has been previously displayed only for long-range
interacting systems with non-extensive energy. In order to perform the
thermodynamic limit, such systems require an unphysical, so-called, Kac
rescaling of the coupling constant. We here study models defined on long-range
random networks, which avoid such a rescaling. The proposed models have an
extensive energy, which is however non-additive. For such long-range random
networks, pairs of sites are coupled with a probability decaying with the
distance $r$ as $1/r^\delta$. In one dimension and with $0 \leq \delta <1$,
surface energy scales linearly with the network size, while for $\delta >1$ it
is $O(1)$. By performing numerical simulations, we show that a negative
specific heat region is present in the microcanonical ensemble of a Blume-Capel
model, in correspondence with a first-order phase transition in the canonical
one. This proves that ensemble inequivalence is a consequence of
$non$-$additivity$ rather than $non$-$extensivity$. Moreover, since a
mean-field coupling is absent in such networks, relaxation to equilibrium takes
place on an intensive time scale and quasi-stationary states are absent.


title: Spin-electric Berry phase shift in triangular molecular magnets

abstract:
  We propose a Berry phase effect on the chiral degrees of freedom of a
triangular magnetic molecule. The phase is induced by adiabatically varying an
external electric field in the plane of the molecule via a spin-electric
coupling mechanism present in these frustrated magnetic molecules. The Berry
phase effect depends on spin-orbit interaction splitting and on the electric
dipole moment. By varying the amplitude of the applied electric field, the
Berry phase difference between the two spin states can take any arbitrary value
between zero and $\pi$, which can be measured as a phase shift between the two
chiral states by using spin-echo techniques. Our result can be used to realize
an electric field induced geometric phase-shift gate acting on a chiral qubit
encoded in the ground state manifold of the triangular magnetic molecule.


title:
Quantum Tunneling of Spin-1 Particles from a 5D
  Einstein-Yang-Mills-Gauss-Bonnet Black Hole Beyond Semiclassical
  Approximation

abstract:
  In the present paper we study the Hawking radiation as a quantum tunneling
effect of spin-$1$ particles from a five-dimensional, spherically symmetric,
Einstein-Yang-Mills-Gauss-Bonnet (5D EYMGB) black hole. We solve the Proca
equation (PE) by applying the WKB approximation and separation of variables via
Hamilton-Jacobi (HJ) equation which results in a set of five differential
equations, and reproduces in this way, the Hawking temperature. In the second
part of this paper, we extend our results beyond the semiclassical
approximation. In particular, we derive the logarithmic correction to the
entropy of the 5D EYMGB black hole and show that the quantum corrected specific
heat indicates the possible existence of a remnant.


title: Multipolar nonlinear nanophotonics

abstract:
  Nonlinear nanophotonics is a rapidly developing field with many useful
applications for a design of nonlinear nanoantennas, light sources, nanolasers,
sensors, and ultrafast miniature metadevices. A tight confinement of the local
electromagnetic fields in resonant photonic nanostructures can boost nonlinear
optical effects, thus offering versatile opportunities for subwavelength
control of light. To achieve the desired functionalities, it is essential to
gain flexible control over the near- and far-field properties of
nanostructures. Thus, both modal and multipolar analyses are widely exploited
for engineering nonlinear scattering from resonant nanoscale elements, in
particular for enhancing the near-field interaction, tailoring the far-field
multipolar interference, and optimization of the radiation directionality.
Here, we review the recent advances in this recently emerged research field
ranging from metallic structures exhibiting localized plasmonic resonances to
hybrid metal-dielectric and all-dielectric nanostructures driven by Mie-type
multipolar resonances and optically-induced magnetic response.


title: On non-optimal spectral factorizations

abstract:
  For a given Laurent polynomial matrix function $S$, which is positive
definite on the unit circle in the complex plane, we consider all possible
polynomial spectral factors of $S$ which are not necessarily invertible inside
the unit circle.


title:
The allostery landscape: quantifying thermodynamic couplings in
  biomolecular systems

abstract:
  Allostery plays a fundament role in most biological processes. However,
little theory is available to describe it outside of two-state models. Here we
use a statistical mechanical approach to show that the allosteric coupling
between two collective variables is not a single number, but instead a
two-dimensional thermodynamic coupling function that is directly related to the
mutual information from information theory and the copula density function from
probability theory. On this basis, we demonstrate how to quantify the
contribution of specific energy terms to this thermodynamic coupling function,
enabling a decomposition that reveals the mechanism of allostery. We illustrate
the thermodynamic coupling function and its use by showing how allosteric
coupling in the alanine dipeptide molecule contributes to the overall shape of
the {\Phi}/{\Psi} free energy surface, and by identifying the interactions that
are necessary for this coupling.


title: Detailed Design of a Deployable Tertiary Mirror for the Keck I Telescope

abstract:
  Motivated by the ever increasing pursuit of science with the transient sky
(dubbed Time Domain Astronomy or TDA), we are fabricating and will commission a
new deployable tertiary mirror for the Keck I telescope (K1DM3) at the W.M.
Keck Observatory. This paper presents the detailed design of K1DM3 with
emphasis on the opto-mechanics. This project has presented several design
challenges. Foremost are the competing requirements to avoid vignetting the
light path when retracted against a sufficiently rigid system for
high-precision and repeatable pointing. The design utilizes an actuated swing
arm to retract the mirror or deploy it into a kinematic coupling. The K1DM3
project has also required the design and development of custom connections to
provide power, communications, and compressed air to the system. This NSF-MRI
funded project is planned to be commissioned in Spring 2017.


title: Are we living near the center of a local void?

abstract:
  The properties of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) temperature and
polarisation anisotropies measured by a static, off-centered observer located
in a local spherically symmetric void, are described. In particular in this
paper we compute, together with the standard 2- point angular correlation
functions, the off-diagonal correlators, which are no more vanishing by
symmetry. While the energy shift induced by the off-centered position of the
observer can be suppressed by a proper choice of the observer velocity, a
lensing-like effect on the CMB emission point remains. This latter effect is
genuinely geometrical (e.g. non-degenerate with a boost) and reflects in the
structure of the off-diagonal correlators. At lowest order in this effect, the
temperature and polarisation correlation matrices have non-vanishing diagonal
elements, as usual, and all the off-diagonal terms are excited. This particular
signature of a local void model allows one, in principle, to disentangle
geometrical effects from local kinematical ones in CMB observations.


title: Octahedral norms in tensor products of Banach spaces

abstract:
  We continue the investigation of the behaviour of octahedral norms in tensor
products of Banach spaces. Firstly, we will prove the existence of a Banach
space $Y$ such that the injective tensor products
$l_1\widehat{\otimes}_\varepsilon Y$ and $L_1\widehat{\otimes}_\varepsilon Y$
both fail to have an octahedral norm, which solves two open problems from the
literature. Secondly, we will show that in the presence of the metric
approximation property octahedrality is preserved from a non-reflexive
$L$-embedded Banach space taking projective tensor products with an arbitrary
Banach space.


title:
Mixed-Integer Programming for Cycle Detection in Non-reversible Markov
  Processes

abstract:
  In this paper, we present a new, optimization-based method to exhibit cyclic
behavior in non-reversible stochastic processes. While our method is general,
it is strongly motivated by discrete simulations of ordinary differential
equations representing non-reversible biological processes, in particular
molecular simulations. Here, the discrete time steps of the simulation are
often very small compared to the time scale of interest, i.e., of the whole
process. In this setting, the detection of a global cyclic behavior of the
process becomes difficult because transitions between individual states may
appear almost reversible on the small time scale of the simulation. We address
this difficulty using a mixed-integer programming model that allows us to
compute a cycle of clusters with maximum net flow, i.e., large forward and
small backward probability. For a synthetic genetic regulatory network
consisting of a ring-oscillator with three genes, we show that this approach
can detect the most productive overall cycle, outperforming classical spectral
analysis methods. Our method applies to general non-equilibrium steady state
systems such as catalytic reactions, for which the objective value computes the
effectiveness of the catalyst.


title:
Conducting transition analysis of thin films composed of long flexible
  macromolecules: Percolation study

abstract:
  Simulating percolation and critical phenomena of labelled species inside
films composed of single-component linear homogeneous macromolecules using
molecular Monte Carlo method in 3 dimensions, we study dependence of these
conducting transition and critical phenomena upon both thermal movement, i.e.
spontaneous mobility, and extra-molecular topological constraints of the
molecules. Systems containing topological constraints and/or composed of
immobile particles, e.g. lattice models and chemical gelation, were studied in
conventional works on percolation. Coordinates of the randomly distributed
particles in the conventional lattice models are limited to discrete lattice
points. Moreover, each particle is spatially fixed at the distributed position,
which results in a temporally unchanged network structure. Although each
polymer in the chemical gels can spontaneously move in the continuous space,
the network structure is fixed when cross-linking reaction ends. By contrast to
these conventional systems, all the molecules in the present system freely move
and spontaneously diffuse in the continuous space. The network structure of the
present molecules continues changing dynamically. The percolation and critical
phenomena of such dynamic network structures are examined here. We reveal that
these phenomena also occur in the present system, and that both the
universality class and percolation threshold are independent from the
extra-molecular topological constraints.


title: Statistical mechanics of exploding phase spaces: Ontic open systems

abstract:
  The volume of phase space may grow super-exponentially ("explosively") with
the number of degrees of freedom for certain types of complex systems such as
those encountered in biology and neuroscience, where components interact and
create new emergent states. Standard ensemble theory can break down as we
demonstrate in a simple model reminiscent of complex systems where new
collective states emerge. We present an axiomatically defined entropy and argue
that it is extensive in the micro-canonical, equal probability, and canonical
(max-entropy) ensemble for super-exponentially growing phase spaces. This
entropy may be useful in determining probability measures in analogy with how
statistical mechanics establishes statistical ensembles by maximising entropy.


title:
Background Studies for the MINER Coherent Neutrino Scattering Reactor
  Experiment

abstract:
  The proposed Mitchell Institute Neutrino Experiment at Reactor (MINER)
experiment at the Nuclear Science Center at Texas A&M University will search
for coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering within close proximity (about
2 meters) of a 1 MW TRIGA nuclear reactor core using low threshold, cryogenic
germanium and silicon detectors. Given the Standard Model cross section of the
scattering process and the proposed experimental proximity to the reactor, as
many as 5 to 20 events/kg/day are expected. We discuss the status of
preliminary measurements to characterize the main backgrounds for the proposed
experiment. Both in situ measurements at the experimental site and simulations
using the MCNP and GEANT4 codes are described. A strategy for monitoring
backgrounds during data taking is briefly discussed.


title: Practical Data Compression for Modern Memory Hierarchies

abstract:
  In this thesis, we describe a new, practical approach to integrating
hardware-based data compression within the memory hierarchy, including on-chip
caches, main memory, and both on-chip and off-chip interconnects. This new
approach is fast, simple, and effective in saving storage space. A key insight
in our approach is that access time (including decompression latency) is
critical in modern memory hierarchies. By combining inexpensive hardware
support with modest OS support, our holistic approach to compression achieves
substantial improvements in performance and energy efficiency across the memory
hierarchy. Using this new approach, we make several major contributions in this
thesis. First, we propose a new compression algorithm, Base-Delta-Immediate
Compression (BDI), that achieves high compression ratio with very low
compression/decompression latency. BDI exploits the existing low dynamic range
of values present in many cache lines to compress them to smaller sizes using
Base+Delta encoding. Second, we observe that the compressed size of a cache
block can be indicative of its reuse. We use this observation to develop a new
cache insertion policy for compressed caches, the Size-based Insertion Policy
(SIP), which uses the size of a compressed block as one of the metrics to
predict its potential future reuse. Third, we propose a new main memory
compression framework, Linearly Compressed Pages (LCP), that significantly
reduces the complexity and power cost of supporting main memory compression. We
demonstrate that any compression algorithm can be adapted to fit the
requirements of LCP, and that LCP can be efficiently integrated with the
existing cache compression designs, avoiding extra compression/decompression.


title:
Quasi-classical asymptotics for functions of Wiener-Hopf operators:
  smooth vs non-smooth symbols

abstract:
  We consider functions of Wiener--Hopf type operators on the Hilbert space
$L^2(\mathbb R^d)$. It has been known for a long time that the quasi-classical
asymptotics for traces of resulting operators strongly depend on the smoothness
of the symbol: for smooth symbols the expansion is power-like, whereas
discontinuous symbols (e.g. indicator functions) produce an extra logarithmic
factor. We investigate the transition regime by studying symbols depending on
an extra parameter $T\ge 0$ in such a way that the symbol tends to a
discontinuous one as $T\to 0$. The main result is two-parameter asymptotics (in
the quasi-classical parameter and in $T$), describing a transition from the
smooth case to the discontinuous one. The obtained asymptotic formulas are used
to analyse the low-temperature scaling limit of the spatially bipartite
entanglement entropy of thermal equilibrium states of non-interacting fermions.


title: T2K & beyond

abstract:
  This article presents the status of the art of the T2K experiment and the
measurements prospects for the incoming years. After a brief description of the
experiment, the most recent results will be illustrated. The observation of the
electron neutrino appearance in a muon neutrino beam and the new high-precision
measurements of the mixing angle theta13 by the reactor experiments have led to
a re-evaluation of the expected sensitivity to the oscillation parameters,
relative to what was given in the original T2K proposal. For this reason the
new physics potential of T2K for 7.8 x 10**21 p.o.t. and for a data exposure 3
times larger than it's expected to be reachable with accelerator and beam line
upgrades in 2026 before the start of operation of the next generation of
long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiments will also be described in the
text. In particular the last challenging scenario opens the door to the
possibility to obtain, under some conditions, a 3 sigma measurement excluding
sin(deltaCP= 0.


title:
Mass spectrometric identification of C60 fragmentation regimes under
  energetic Cs+ bombardment

abstract:
  Three C60 fragmentation regimes in fullerite bombarded by Cs+ are identified
as a function of its energy. C2 is the major species sputtered at all energies.
For E(Cs+) < 1 keV C2 emissions dominate. C2 and C1 have highest intensities
between 1 and 3 keV with increasing contributions from C3 and C4. Intensities
of all fragments maximize around 2 keV. Above 3 keV, fragments densities
stabilize. The roles of and the contributions from direct recoils and collision
cascades are determined. Maximum direct recoil energy delivered to the C60
fullerite cage is 210 eV at which only C2 emissions occur is identified and an
explanation provided. The three fragmentation regimes under continued Cs+
bombardment eventually lead to complete destruction of the C60 cages
transforming fullerite into amorphous carbon