Consistency Conditions for an AdS/MERA Correspondence

The Multi-scale Entanglement Renormalization Ansatz (MERA) is a tensor network that provides an efficient way of variationally estimating the ground state of a critical quantum system. The network geometry resembles a discretization of spatial slices of an AdS spacetime and "geodesics" in the MERA reproduce the Ryu-Takayanagi formula for the entanglement entropy of a boundary region in terms of bulk properties. It has therefore been suggested that there could be an AdS/MERA correspondence, relating states in the Hilbert space of the boundary quantum system to ones defined on the bulk lattice. Here we investigate this proposal and derive necessary conditions for it to apply, using geometric features and entropy inequalities that we expect to hold in the bulk. We show that, perhaps unsurprisingly, the MERA lattice can only describe physics on length scales larger than the AdS radius. Further, using the covariant entropy bound in the bulk, we show that there are no conventional MERA parameters that completely reproduce bulk physics even on super-AdS scales. We suggest modifications or generalizations of this kind of tensor network that may be able to provide a more robust correspondence.Comment: 38 pages, 9 figure

Io's polar volcanic thermal emission indicative of magma ocean and shallow tidal heating models

The distribution of Io's volcanic activity likely reflects the position and magnitude of internal tidal heating. We use new observations of Io's polar regions by the Juno spacecraft Jovian Infrared Auroral Mapper (JIRAM) to complete near-infrared global coverage, revealing the global distribution and magnitude of thermal emission from Io's currently erupting volcanoes. We show that the distribution of volcanic heat flow from 266 active hot spots is consistent with the presence of a global magma ocean, and/or shallow asthenospheric heating. We find that Io's polar volcanoes are less energetic but about the same in number per unit area than at lower latitudes. We also find that volcanic heat flow in the north polar cap is greater than that in the south. The low volcanic advection seen at Io's poles is therefore at odds with measurements of background temperature showing Io's poles are anomalously warm. We suggest that the differences in volcanic thermal emission from Io's poles compared to that at lower latitudes is indicative of lithospheric dichotomies that inhibit volcanic advection towards Io's poles, particularly in the south polar region.Comment: 17 pages, two tables, 7 figure

Prospective relationships between body weight and physical activity: an observational analysis from the NAVIGATOR study

Objectives: While bidirectional relationships exist between body weight and physical activity, direction of causality remains uncertain and previous studies have been limited by self-reported activity or weight and small sample size. We investigated the prospective relationships between weight and physical activity. Design: Observational analysis of data from the Nateglinide And Valsartan in Impaired Glucose Tolerance Outcomes Research (NAVIGATOR) study, a double-blinded randomised clinical trial of nateglinide and valsartan, respectively. Setting Multinational study of 9306 participants. Participants: Participants with biochemically confirmed impaired glucose tolerance had annual measurements of both weight and step count using research grade pedometers, worn for 7 days consecutively. Along with randomisation to valsartan or placebo plus nateglinide or placebo, participants took part in a lifestyle modification programme. Outcome measures: Longitudinal regression using weight as response value and physical activity as predictor value was conducted, adjusted for baseline covariates. Analysis was then repeated with physical activity as response value and weight as predictor value. Only participants with a response value preceded by at least three annual response values were included. Results: Adequate data were available for 2811 (30%) of NAVIGATOR participants. Previous weight (χ2=16.8; p<0.0001), but not change in weight (χ2=0.1; p=0.71) was inversely associated with subsequent step count, indicating lower subsequent levels of physical activity in heavier individuals. Change in step count (χ2=5.9; p=0.02) but not previous step count (χ2=0.9; p=0.34) was inversely associated with subsequent weight. However, in the context of trajectories already established for weight (χ2 for previous weight measurements 747.3; p<0.0001) and physical activity (χ2 for previous step count 432.6; p<0.0001), these effects were of limited clinical importance. Conclusions: While a prospective bidirectional relationship was observed between weight and physical activity, the magnitude of any effect was very small in the context of natural trajectories already established for these variables

X-ray structure determination at low resolution

Refinement is meaningful even at 4 Å or lower, but with present methodologies it should start from high-resolution crystal structures whenever possible

Reshaping our understanding of species’ roles in landscape-scale networks

Data associate with Ecology Letters manuscript number: ELE-01021-2018.R2; Hackett et al. Reshaping our understanding of species’ roles in landscape-scale networks<div><br></div><div>See READ ME text file for specific detail</div

Pulmonary delivery of cisplatin-hyaluronan conjugates via endotracheal instillation for the treatment of lung cancer

Cisplatin (CDDP) intravenous treatments suffer several dose-limiting toxicity issues. Hyaluronan (HA), a naturally occurring biopolymer in the interstitium, is primarily cleared by the lymphatic system. An alteration in input rate and administration route through pulmonary delivery of hyaluronan-cisplatin conjugate (HA-Pt) may increase local lung CDDP concentrations and decrease systemic toxicity. Sprague-Dawley rats were split into four groups: i.v. CDDP (3.5 mg/kg), i.v. HA-Pt conjugate (3.5 mg/kg equivalent CDDP), lung instillation CDDP and lung instillation HA-Pt conjugate. Total platinum level in the lungs of the HA-Pt lung instillation group was 5.7-fold and 1.2-fold higher than the CDDP intravenous group at 24 h and 96 h, respectively. A 1.1-fold increase of Pt accumulation in lung draining nodes for the HA-Pt lung instillation group was achieved at 24 h relative to the CDDP i.v. group. In the brain and kidneys, the CDDP i.v. group had higher tissue/plasma ratios compared to the HA-Pt lung instillation group. Augmented tissue distribution from CDDP i.v. could translate into enhanced tissue toxicity compared to the altered input rate and distribution of the intrapulmonary nanoformulation. In conclusion, a local pulmonary CDDP delivery system was developed with increased platinum concentration in the lungs and draining nodes compared to i.v. therapy

Teleost and elasmobranch eye lenses as a target for life-history stable isotope analyses

Incrementally grown, metabolically inert tissues such as fish otoliths provide biochemical records that can used to infer behavior and physiology throughout the lifetime of the individual. Organic tissues are particularly useful as the stable isotope composition of the organic component can provide information about diet, trophic level and location. Unfortunately, inert, incrementally grown organic tissues are relatively uncommon. The vertebrate eye lens, however, is formed via sequential deposition of protein-filled fiber cells, which are subsequently metabolically inert. Lenses therefore have the potential to serve as biochemical data recorders capturing life-long variations in dietary and spatial ecology. Here we review the state of knowledge regarding the structure and formation of fish eye lenses in the context of using lens tissue for retrospective isotopic analysis. We discuss the relationship between eye lens diameter and body size, describe the successful recovery of expected isotopic gradients throughout ontogeny and between species, and quantify the isotopic offset between lens protein and white muscle tissue. We show that fish eye lens protein is an attractive host for recovery of stable isotope life histories, particularly for juvenile life stages, and especially in elasmobranchs lacking otoliths, but interpretation of lens-based records is complicated by species-specific uncertainties associated with lens growth rates

Developing a Model for Evidence-based Clinical Forensic Interviewing

Much of the work undertaken in forensic settings, such as diagnosis, formulation and judgements about treatment and placement are based on information gathered through clinical forensic interviewing. Despite this, the evidence base on which clinical forensic interviewing is founded is extremely limited. This paper is divided into two sections; the first examines the nature of interviewing and provides an introduction to this area of practice. Drawing on some of the research undertaken with specific forms of interview such as those for diagnosis and investigative purposes allows factors such as the evidence concerning interview quality, interview effectiveness, underlying competencies and methods for skills training to be outlined. The second part of the paper, which provides the main focus, describes a forensic clinical interview framework which seeks to draw together a broad range of considerations and areas for research in relation to the clinical forensic interview. This framework is explicitly intended to provoke and guide practitioners and researchers in the pursuit of evidence-based interviewing

A comparison of lead-based and lead-free bullets for shooting sambar deer (Cervus unicolor) in Australia

Context: In response to the toxic health threats posed by lead (Pb), there is currently a focus on transitioning to lead-free bullets for shooting wild animals. Aim: We aimed to quantify the killing efficiency and animal welfare outcomes of lead-based and lead-free (copper-based) bullets for ground-based shooting of sambar deer (Cervus unicolor) in Victoria, south-eastern Australia. Methods: We used shooter-collected data from recreational diurnal hunting and professional nocturnal culling during 2020–2021. Shooters recorded rifle calibre, cartridge type, bullet mass, bullet type, shooting outcomes (miss, wound or kill), shooting distance, flight distance (the distance between where the animal was shot and where it died) as an assumed positive correlate of time to incapacitation, anatomical zones struck by bullets, and frequency of bullet exit wounds. We used flight distance as our response variable, assuming that it is positively correlated with time to incapacitation. To examine the role of several predictor variables (including bullet type) potentially influencing flight distance, the dataset was reduced to those deer killed with a single thoracic shot. Key results: Our data captured shooting events involving 276 deer, with 124 deer shot at with lead-based bullets and 152 with copper-based bullets. Most (87%) of the deer were killed with a single shot. The frequency of non-fatal wounding was <4% for both bullet types and there was no distinct difference in the probability of a single shot kill for deer shot with either bullet type. For those deer killed with a single thoracic shot (n = 198), there was no evidence that bullet energy or shooting distance influenced flight distance. After accounting for differences in terminal kinetic energy, the mean flight distance of deer shot with lead-free bullets (35 m) was 56% greater than that of deer shot with lead-based bullets (22 m). Conclusions: Lead-based and lead-free bullets produced similar animal welfare outcomes for shooting sambar deer. Implications: A transition to lead-free ammunition for shooting sambar deer would have minimal impact on efficiency or animal welfare outcomes