Constraining the Randall-Sundrum modulus in the light of recent PVLAS data

Recent PVLAS data put stringent constraints on the measurement of birefringence and dichroism of electromagnetic waves travelling in a constant and homogeneous magnetic field. There have been theoretical predictions in favour of such phenomena when appropriate axion-electromagnetic coupling is assumed. Origin of such a coupling can be traced in a low energy string action from the requirement of quantum consistency. The resulting couplings in such models are an artifact of the compactification of the extra dimensions present inevitably in a string scenario. The moduli parameters which encode the compact manifold therefore play a crucial role in determining the axion-photon coupling. In this work we examine the possible bounds on the value of compact modulus that emerge from the experimental limits on the coupling obtained from the PVLAS data. In particular we focus into the Randall-Sundrum (RS) type of warped geometry model whose modulus parameter is already restricted from the requirement of the resolution of gauge hierarchy problem in connection with the mass of the Higgs. We explore the bound on the modulus for a wide range of the axion mass for both the birefringence and the dichroism data in PVLAS. We show that the proposed value of the modulus in the RS scenario can only be accommodated for axion mass \gsim 0.3 eV.Comment: 26 pages, 1 figure, LaTex; added references, typos corrected. Minor changes in the text, a comment added in the Conclusio

Visualization of Single Molecules Building a Viral Capsid Protein Lattice through Stochastic Pathways

Direct visualization of pathways followed by single molecules while they spontaneously self-assemble into supramolecular biological machines may provide fundamental knowledge to guide molecular therapeutics and the bottom-up design of nanomaterials and nanodevices. Here, high-speed atomic force microscopy is used to visualize self-assembly of the bidimensional lattice of protein molecules that constitutes the framework of the mature human immunodeficiency virus capsid. By real-time imaging of the assembly reaction, individual transient intermediates and reaction pathways followed by single molecules could be revealed. As when assembling a jigsaw puzzle, the capsid protein lattice is randomly built. Lattice patches grow independently from separate nucleation events whereby individual molecules follow different paths. Protein subunits can be added individually, while others form oligomers before joining a lattice or are occasionally removed from the latter. Direct real-time imaging of supramolecular self-assembly has revealed a complex, chaotic process involving multiple routes followed by individual molecules that are inaccessible to bulk (averaging) techniques

Phronesis of AI in radiology: Superhuman meets natural stupidity

Advances in AI in the last decade have clearly made economists, politicians, journalists, and citizenry in general believe that the machines are coming to take human jobs. We review 'superhuman' AI performance claims in radiology and then provide a self-reflection on our own work in the area in the form of a critical review, a tribute of sorts to McDermotts 1976 paper, asking the field for some self-discipline. Clearly there is an opportunity to replace humans, but there are better opportunities, as we have discovered to fit cognitive abilities of human and non-humans. We performed one of the first studies in radiology to see how human and AI performance can complement and improve each others performance for detecting pneumonia in chest X-rays. We question if there is a practical wisdom or phronesis that we need to demonstrate in AI today as well as in our field. Using this, we articulate what AI as a field has already and probably can in the future learn from Psychology, Cognitive Science, Sociology and Science and Technology Studies

Ethical Use of Cereal Legume Intercrop Forages for Feeding of Sheep and Pasture Development

Cereal forages are important in the feeding of livestock for their high energy and dry matter content. However, they are low in protein content and inferior in other nutritional quality than the legume forages. Ruminants required protein as well as energy to maintain their production. Supplementation of protein through concentrates is cost effective in livestock production. Besides, ruminant is unique in having the potential for cycling forage materials, poor quality protein and non protein nitrogen sources into human food supply as meat and milk (Eskandary et al., 2009). Thus, management of forages for livestock feeding either in feedlot or in pasture grazing is the key task of livestock manager to minimize cost in maximization of profit. In agricultural system, intercropping is a crop management system involving two or more crop species grown together for at least part of their productive cycle (Innis, 1997). Cereal legume intercropping system is more productive and profitable cropping system for the supply of balanced nutrients to livestock. Besides, animal welfare committee pointed out that there should not be restriction or prevention of natural innate behaviour including natural foraging or exploratory behaviour of animal. As per this, animals foraging behaviour on feeding and thereby analysis of the system and its application in livestock farming and pasture development as per species of animal became utmost important in forthcoming days of livestock farming. Intercropping of cereals and legumes can boost forage protein of animal’s diet which may be tested for animals choice in foraging will justify the ethics in animal feeding

Ability of unbounded pairs of observers to achieve quantum advantage in random access codes with a single pair of qubits

Complications in preparing and preserving quantum correlations stimulate recycling of a single quantum resource in information processing and communication tasks multiple times. Here, we consider a scenario involving multiple independent pairs of observers acting with unbiased inputs on a single pair of spatially separated qubits sequentially. In this scenario, we address whether more than one pair of observers can demonstrate quantum advantage in some specific $2 \rightarrow 1$ and $3 \rightarrow 1$ random access codes. Interestingly, we not only address these in the affirmative, but also illustrate that unbounded pairs can exhibit quantum advantage. Furthermore, these results remain valid even when all observers perform suitable projective measurements and an appropriate separable state is initially shared