Constraints of cluster separability and covariance on current operators

Realistic models of hadronic systems should be defined by a dynamical unitary representation of the Poincare group that is also consistent with cluster properties and a spectral condition. All three of these requirements constrain the structure of the interactions. These conditions can be satisfied in light-front quantum mechanics, maintaining the advantage of having a kinematic subgroup of boosts and translations tangent to a light front. The most straightforward construction of dynamical unitary representations of the Poincare group due to Bakamjian and Thomas fails to satisfy the cluster condition for more than two particles. Cluster properties can be restored, at significant computational expense, using a recursive method due to Sokolov. In this work we report on an investigation of the size of the corrections needed to restore cluster properties in Bakamjian-Thomas models with a light-front kinematic symmetry. Our results suggest that for models based on nucleon and meson degrees of freedom these corrections are too small to be experimentally observed.Comment: Contribution to Light Cone 2011, Dallas TX, 4 pages, 2 figure

A Quantum Anti-Zeno Paradox

We establish an exact differential equation for the operator describing time-dependent measurements continuous in time and obtain a series solution. Suppose the projection operator $E(t) = U(t) E U^\dagger(t)$ is measured continuously from t = 0 to T, where E is a projector leaving the initial state unchanged and U(t) a unitary operator obeying U(0) = 1 and some smoothness conditions in t. We prove that the probability of always finding E(t) = 1 from t = 0 to T is unity. If $U(t) \neq 1$, the watched kettle is sure to `boil'.Comment: 10 pages,late

The Representation of Natural Numbers in Quantum Mechanics

This paper represents one approach to making explicit some of the assumptions and conditions implied in the widespread representation of numbers by composite quantum systems. Any nonempty set and associated operations is a set of natural numbers or a model of arithmetic if the set and operations satisfy the axioms of number theory or arithmetic. This work is limited to k-ary representations of length L and to the axioms for arithmetic modulo k^{L}. A model of the axioms is described based on states in and operators on an abstract L fold tensor product Hilbert space H^{arith}. Unitary maps of this space onto a physical parameter based product space H^{phy} are then described. Each of these maps makes states in H^{phy}, and the induced operators, a model of the axioms. Consequences of the existence of many of these maps are discussed along with the dependence of Grover's and Shor's Algorithms on these maps. The importance of the main physical requirement, that the basic arithmetic operations are efficiently implementable, is discussed. This conditions states that there exist physically realizable Hamiltonians that can implement the basic arithmetic operations and that the space-time and thermodynamic resources required are polynomial in L.Comment: Much rewrite, including response to comments. To Appear in Phys. Rev.

Biallelic Loss-of-Function Variants in BICD1 Are Associated with Peripheral Neuropathy and Hearing Loss

Hearing loss and peripheral neuropathy are two clinical entities that are genetically and phenotypically heterogeneous and sometimes co-occurring. Using exome sequencing and targeted segregation analysis, we investigated the genetic etiology of peripheral neuropathy and hearing loss in a large Ashkenazi Jewish family. Moreover, we assessed the production of the candidate protein via western blotting of lysates from fibroblasts from an affected individual and an unaffected control. Pathogenic variants in known disease genes associated with hearing loss and peripheral neuropathy were excluded. A homozygous frameshift variant in the BICD1 gene, c.1683dup (p.(Arg562Thrfs*18)), was identified in the proband and segregated with hearing loss and peripheral neuropathy in the family. The BIDC1 RNA analysis from patient fibroblasts showed a modest reduction in gene transcripts compared to the controls. In contrast, protein could not be detected in fibroblasts from a homozygous c.1683dup individual, whereas BICD1 was detected in an unaffected individual. Our findings indicate that bi-allelic loss-of-function variants in BICD1 are associated with hearing loss and peripheral neuropathy. Definitive evidence that bi-allelic loss-of-function variants in BICD1 cause peripheral neuropathy and hearing loss will require the identification of other families and individuals with similar variants with the same phenotype

Dwell-time distributions in quantum mechanics

Some fundamental and formal aspects of the quantum dwell time are reviewed, examples for free motion and scattering off a potential barrier are provided, as well as extensions of the concept. We also examine the connection between the dwell time of a quantum particle in a region of space and flux-flux correlations at the boundaries, as well as operational approaches and approximations to measure the flux-flux correlation function and thus the second moment of the dwell time, which is shown to be characteristically quantum, and larger than the corresponding classical moment even for freely moving particles.Comment: To appear in "Time in Quantum Mechanics, Vol. 2", Springer 2009, ed. by J. G. Muga, A. Ruschhaupt and A. del Camp

Bi-allelic variants in SPATA5L1 lead to intellectual disability, spastic-dystonic cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and hearing loss

Spermatogenesis-associated 5 like 1 (SPATA5L1) represents an orphan gene encoding a protein of unknown function. We report 28 bi-allelic variants in SPATA5L1 associated with sensorineural hearing loss in 47 individuals from 28 (26 unrelated) families. In addition, 25/47 affected individuals (53%) presented with microcephaly, developmental delay/intellectual disability, cerebral palsy, and/or epilepsy. Modeling indicated damaging effect of variants on the protein, largely via destabilizing effects on protein domains. Brain imaging revealed diminished cerebral volume, thin corpus callosum, and periventricular leukomalacia, and quantitative volumetry demonstrated significantly diminished white matter volumes in several individuals. Immunofluorescent imaging in rat hippocampal neurons revealed localization of Spata5l1 in neuronal and glial cell nuclei and more prominent expression in neurons. In the rodent inner ear, Spata5l1 is expressed in the neurosensory hair cells and inner ear supporting cells. Transcriptomic analysis performed with fibroblasts from affected individuals was able to distinguish affected from controls by principal components. Analysis of differentially expressed genes and networks suggested a role for SPATA5L1 in cell surface adhesion receptor function, intracellular focal adhesions, and DNA replication and mitosis. Collectively, our results indicate that bi-allelic SPATA5L1 variants lead to a human disease characterized by sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) with or without a nonprogressive mixed neurodevelopmental phenotype

Psychophysiological sequelae of Holocaust trauma in a Jewish child

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/45673/1/11231_2005_Article_BF01253540.pd