Cascading Gravity and Degravitation

We construct a cascading brane model of gravity in which the behavior of the gravitational force law interpolates from (n+4)-dimensional to (n+3)-dimensional all the way down to 4-dimensional from longer to shorter length scales. We show that at the linearized level, this model exhibits the features necessary for degravitation of the cosmological constant. The model is shown to be ghost free with the addition of suitable brane kinetic operators, and we demonstrate this using a number of independent procedures. Consequently this is a consistent IR modification of gravity, providing a promising framework for a dynamical, degravitating solution of the cosmological constant problem.Comment: 31 pages, 1 figur

Optimal sampling paths for autonomous vehicles in uncertain ocean flows

Despite an extensive history of oceanic observation, researchers have only begun to build a complete picture of oceanic currents. Sparsity of instrumentation has created the need to maximize the information extracted from every source of data in building this picture. Within the last few decades, autonomous vehicles, or AVs, have been employed as tools to aid in this research initiative. Unmanned and self-propelled, AVs are capable of spending weeks, if not months, exploring and monitoring the oceans. However, the quality of data acquired by these vehicles is highly dependent on the paths along which they collect their observational data. The focus of this research is to find optimal sampling paths for autonomous vehicles, with the goal of building the most accurate estimate of a velocity field in the shortest time possible. The two main numerical tools employed in this work are the level set method for time-optimal path planning, and the Kalman filter for state estimation and uncertainty quantification. Specifically, the uncertainty associated with the velocity field is defined as the trace of the covariance matrix corresponding to the Kalman filter equations. The novelty in this work is the covariance tracking algorithm, which evolves this covariance matrix along the time-optimal trajectories defined by the level set method, and determines the path expected to minimize the uncertainty corresponding to the flow field by the end of deployment. While finding optimal sampling paths using this method is straightforward for the single-vehicle problem, it becomes increasingly difficult as the number of AVs grows. As such, an iterative procedure is presented here for multi-vehicle problems, which in simple cases can be proven to find controls that collectively minimizes the expected uncertainty, assuming that such a minimum exists. This work demonstrates the utility of combining methods from optimal control theory and estimation theory for learning uncertain fields using fleets of autonomous vehicles. Additionally, it shows that by optimizing over long-duration, continuous trajectories, superior results can be obtained when compared to ad hoc approaches such as a gradient-following control. This is demonstrated for both single-vehicle and multi-vehicle problems, and for static and evolving flow models

Best-case performance of quantum annealers on native spin-glass benchmarks: How chaos can affect success probabilities

Recent tests performed on the D-Wave Two quantum annealer have revealed no clear evidence of speedup over conventional silicon-based technologies. Here, we present results from classical parallel-tempering Monte Carlo simulations combined with isoenergetic cluster moves of the archetypal benchmark problem-an Ising spin glass-on the native chip topology. Using realistic uncorrelated noise models for the D-Wave Two quantum annealer, we study the best-case resilience, i.e., the probability that the ground-state configuration is not affected by random fields and random-bond fluctuations found on the chip. We thus compute classical upper-bound success probabilities for different types of disorder used in the benchmarks and predict that an increase in the number of qubits will require either error correction schemes or a drastic reduction of the intrinsic noise found in these devices. We outline strategies to develop robust, as well as hard benchmarks for quantum annealing devices, as well as any other computing paradigm affected by noise.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figure

Pumilio binds para mRNA and requires nanos and brat to regulate sodium current in drosophila motoneurons

Homeostatic regulation of ionic currents is of paramount importance during periods of synaptic growth or remodeling. Our previous work has identified the translational repressor Pumilio (Pum) as a regulator of sodium current (INa) and excitability in Drosophila motoneurons. In this current study, we show that Pum is able to bind directly the mRNA encoding the Drosophila voltage-gated sodium channel paralytic (para). We identify a putative binding site for Pum in the 3' end of the para open reading frame (ORF). Characterization of the mechanism of action of Pum, using whole-cell patch clamp and real-time reverse transcription-PCR, reveals that the full-length protein is required for translational repression of para mRNA. Additionally, the cofactor Nanos is essential for Pum-dependent para repression, whereas the requirement for Brain Tumor (Brat) is cell type specific. Thus, Pum-dependent regulation of INa in motoneurons requires both Nanos and Brat, whereas regulation in other neuronal types seemingly requires only Nanos but not Brat. We also show that Pum is able to reduce the level of nanos mRNA and as such identify a potential negative-feedback mechanism to protect neurons from overactivity of Pum. Finally, we show coupling between INa (para) and IK (Shal) such that Pum-mediated change in para results in a compensatory change in Shal. The identification of para as a direct target of Pum represents the first ion channel to be translationally regulated by this repressor and the location of the binding motif is the first example in an ORF rather than in the canonical 3'-untranslated region of target transcripts

Cirrus microphysics and radiative transfer: Cloud field study on October 28, 1986

The radiative properties of cirrus clouds present one of the unresolved problems in weather and climate research. Uncertainties in ice particle amount and size and, also, the general inability to model the single scattering properties of their usually complex particle shapes, prevent accurate model predictions. For an improved understanding of cirrus radiative effects, field experiments, as those of the Cirrus IFO of FIRE, are necessary. Simultaneous measurements of radiative fluxes and cirrus microphysics at multiple cirrus cloud altitudes allows the pitting of calculated versus measured vertical flux profiles; with the potential to judge current cirrus cloud modeling. Most of the problems in this study are linked to the inhomogeneity of the cloud field. Thus, only studies on more homogeneous cirrus cloud cases promises a possibility to improve current cirrus parameterizations. Still, the current inability to detect small ice particles will remain as a considerable handicap

Rapid variability at very high energies in Mrk 501

A major flaring state of the BL Lac object Mrk 501 was observed by the High Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.) in June, 2014. Flux levels higher than one Crab unit were recorded and rapid variability at very high energies ($\sim$2-20 TeV) was revealed. The high statistics afforded by the flares allowed us to probe the presence of minutes timescale variability and study its statistical characteristics exclusively at TeV energies owing to the high energy threshold of approximately 2 TeV. Doubling times of a few minutes are estimated for fluxes greater than 2 TeV. Statistical tests on the light curves show interesting temporal structure in the variations including deviations from a normal flux distribution similar to those found in the PKS 2155-304 flare of July 2006, at nearly an order of magnitude higher threshold energy. Rapid variations at such high energies put strong constraints on the physical mechanisms in the blazar jet.Comment: In Proceedings of the 34th International Cosmic Ray Conference (ICRC2015), The Hague, The Netherland

Isolation of highly selective IgNAR variable single-domains against a human therapeutic Fc scaffold and their application as tailor-made bioprocessing reagents

Funding This work was supported by the Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre, and Merck KGaA. Acknowledgements The authors would like to thank Iris Willenbücher and Kerstin Hallstein for the BIAcore™ analysis and Nadine Barron for the bio-layer interferometry work.Peer reviewedPostprin