The unblinking eye on the sky

From near-Earth asteroids to superluminous supernovae and counterparts to gravitational wave sources, the Zwicky Transient Facility will soon scan the night sky for transient phenomena.Comment: Author's version of "Mission Control" profile published in Nature Astronomy. 3 pages, 1 figure. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41550-017-007

Density Evolution for Asymmetric Memoryless Channels

Density evolution is one of the most powerful analytical tools for low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes and graph codes with message passing decoding algorithms. With channel symmetry as one of its fundamental assumptions, density evolution (DE) has been widely and successfully applied to different channels, including binary erasure channels, binary symmetric channels, binary additive white Gaussian noise channels, etc. This paper generalizes density evolution for non-symmetric memoryless channels, which in turn broadens the applications to general memoryless channels, e.g. z-channels, composite white Gaussian noise channels, etc. The central theorem underpinning this generalization is the convergence to perfect projection for any fixed size supporting tree. A new iterative formula of the same complexity is then presented and the necessary theorems for the performance concentration theorems are developed. Several properties of the new density evolution method are explored, including stability results for general asymmetric memoryless channels. Simulations, code optimizations, and possible new applications suggested by this new density evolution method are also provided. This result is also used to prove the typicality of linear LDPC codes among the coset code ensemble when the minimum check node degree is sufficiently large. It is shown that the convergence to perfect projection is essential to the belief propagation algorithm even when only symmetric channels are considered. Hence the proof of the convergence to perfect projection serves also as a completion of the theory of classical density evolution for symmetric memoryless channels.Comment: To appear in the IEEE Transactions on Information Theor

J0041+3224: a new double-double radio galaxy

We report the discovery of a double-double radio galaxy (DDRG), J0041+3224, with the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) and subsequent high-frequency observations with the Very Large Array (VLA). The inner and outer doubles are aligned within about 4 deg and are reasonably collinear with the parent optical galaxy. The outer double has a steeper radio spectrum compared with the inner one. Using an estimated redshift of 0.45, the projected linear sizes of the outer and inner doubles are 969 and 171 kpc respectively. The time scale of interruption of jet activity has been estimated to be about 20 Myr, similar to other known DDRGs. We have compiled a sample of known DDRGs, and have re-examined the inverse correlation between the ratio of the luminosities of the outer to the inner double and the size of the inner double, l_{in}. Unlike the other DDRGs with l_{in} larger than about 50 kpc, the inner double of J0041+3224 is marginally more luminous than the outer one. The two DDRGs with l_{in} less than about a few kpc have a more luminous inner double than the outer one, possibly due to a higher efficiency of conversion of beam energy as the jets propagate through the dense interstellar medium. We have examined the symmetry parameters and find that the inner doubles appear to be more asymmetric in both its armlength and flux density ratios compared with the outer doubles, although they appear marginally more collinear with the core than the outer double. We discuss briefly possible implications of these trends.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS, 9 pages, 10 figure

Lipid self-assemblies and nanostructured emulsions for cosmetic formulations

A majority of cosmetic products that we encounter on daily basis contain lipid constituents in solubilized or insolubilized forms. Due to their amphiphilic nature, the lipid molecules spontaneously self-assemble into a remarkable range of nanostructures when mixed with water. This review illustrates the formation and finely tunable properties of self-assembled lipid nanostructures and their hierarchically organized derivatives, as well as their relevance to the development of cosmetic formulations. These lipid systems can be modulated into various physical forms suitable for topical administration including fluids, gels, creams, pastes and dehydrated films. Moreover, they are capable of encapsulating hydrophilic, hydrophobic as well as amphiphilic active ingredients owing to their special morphological characters. Nano-hybrid materials with more elegant properties can be designed by combining nanostructured lipid systems with other nanomaterials including a hydrogelator, silica nanoparticles, clays and carbon nanomaterials. The smart materials reviewed here may well be the future of innovative cosmetic applications

A spiking half-cognitive model for classification

This paper describes a spiking neural network that learns classes. Following a classic Psychological task, the model learns some types of classes better than other types, so the net is a spiking cognitive model of classification. A simulated neural system, derived from an existing model, learns natural kinds, but is unable to form sufficient attractor states for all of the types of classes. An extension of the model, using a combination of singleton and triplets of input features, learns all of the types. The models make use of a principled mechanism for spontaneous firing, and a compensatory Hebbian learning rule. Combined, the mechanisms allow learning to spread to neurons not directly stimulated by the environment. The overall network learns the types of classes in a fashion broadly consistent with the Psychological data. However, the order of speed of learning the types is not entirely consistent with the Psychological data, but may be consistent with one of two Psychological systems a given person possesses. A Psychological test of this hypothesis is proposed