Towards a geometrical interpretation of quantum information compression

Let S be the von Neumann entropy of a finite ensemble E of pure quantum states. We show that S may be naturally viewed as a function of a set of geometrical volumes in Hilbert space defined by the states and that S is monotonically increasing in each of these variables. Since S is the Schumacher compression limit of E, this monotonicity property suggests a geometrical interpretation of the quantum redundancy involved in the compression process. It provides clarification of previous work in which it was shown that S may be increased while increasing the overlap of each pair of states in the ensemble. As a byproduct, our mathematical techniques also provide a new interpretation of the subentropy of E.Comment: 11 pages, latex2

Estimates of body sizes at maturation and at sex change, and the spawning seasonality and sex ratio of the endemic Hawaiian grouper (Hyporthodus quernus, F. Epinephelidae)

A case study of the reproductive biology of the endemic Hawaiian grouper or hapu’upu’u (Hyporthodus quernus) is presented as a model for comprehensive future studies of economically important epinephelid groupers. Specimens were collected throughout multiple years (1978–81, 1992–93, and 2005–08) from most reefs and banks of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. The absence of small males, presence of atretic oocytes and brown bodies in testes of mature males, and both developed ovarian and testicular tissues in the gonads of five transitional fish provided evidence of protogynous hermaphroditism. No small mature males were collected, indicating that Hawaiian grouper are monandrous (all males are sex-changed females). Complementary microscopic criteria also were used to assign reproductive stage and estimate median body sizes (L50) at female sexual maturity and at adult sex change from female to male. The L50 at maturation and at sex change was 580 ±8 (95% confidence interval [CI]) mm total length (TL) and 895 ±20 mm TL, respectively. The adult sex ratio was strongly female biased (6:1). Spawning seasonality was described by using gonadosomatic indices. Females began ripening in the fall and remained ripe through April. A February–June main spawning period that followed peak ripening was deduced from the proportion of females whose ovaries contained hydrated oocytes, postovulatory follicles, or both. Testes weights were not affected by season; average testes weight was only about 0.2% of body weight—an order of magnitude smaller than that for ovaries that peaked at 1–3% of body weight. The species’ reproductive life history is discussed in relation to its management

Two-stage clustering in genotype-by-environment analyses with missing data

Cluster analysis has been commonly used in genotype-by-environment (G x E) analyses, but current methods are inadequate when the data matrix is incomplete. This paper proposes a new method, referred to as two-stage clustering, which relies on a partitioning of squared Euclidean distance into two independent components, the G x E interaction and the genotype main effect. These components are used in the first and second stages of clustering respectively. Two-stage clustering forms the basis for imputing missing values in the G x E matrix so that a more complete data array is available for other GxE analyses. Imputation for a given genotype uses information from genotypes with similar interaction profiles. This imputation method is shown to improve on an existing nearest cluster method that confounds the G x E interaction and the genotype main effect

A feasibility study: California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection utilization of infrared technologies for wildland fire suppression and management

NASA's JPL has completed a feasibility study using infrared technologies for wildland fire suppression and management. The study surveyed user needs, examined available technologies, matched the user needs with technologies, and defined an integrated infrared wildland fire mapping concept system configuration. System component trade-offs were presented for evaluation in the concept system configuration. The economic benefits of using infrared technologies in fire suppression and management were examined. Follow-on concept system configuration development and implementation were proposed

Next generation sequencing analysis reveals a relationship between rDNA unit diversity and locus number in Nicotiana diploids

© 2012 Matyášek et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited

Stress Energy tensor in LCFT and the Logarithmic Sugawara construction

We discuss the partners of the stress energy tensor and their structure in Logarithmic conformal field theories. In particular we draw attention to the fundamental differences between theories with zero and non-zero central charge. However they are both characterised by at least two independent parameters. We show how, by using a generalised Sugawara construction, one can calculate the logarithmic partner of T. We show that such a construction works in the c=-2 theory using the conformal dimension one primary currents which generate a logarithmic extension of the Kac-Moody algebra.Comment: 19 pages. Minor correction

Hubble Space Telescope observations of the NUV transit of WASP-12b

We present new observations of four closely-spaced NUV transits of the hot Jupiter-like exoplanet WASP-12b using HST/COS, significantly increasing the phase resolution of the observed NUV light curve relative to previous observations, while minimising the temporal variation of the system. We observe significant excess NUV absorption during the transit, with mean normalised in-transit fluxes of $F_\mathrm{norm}\simeq0.97$, i.e. $\simeq$2-5 $\sigma$ deeper than the optical transit level of $\simeq0.986$ for a uniform stellar disk (the exact confidence level depending on the normalisation method used). We further observe an asymmetric transit shape, such that the post-conjunction fluxes are overall $\simeq$2-3 $\sigma$ higher than pre-conjunction values, and characterised by rapid variations in count rate between the pre-conjunction and out of transit levels. We do not find evidence for an early ingress to the NUV transit as suggested by earlier HST observations. However, we show that the NUV count rate observed prior to the optical transit is highly variable, but overall $\simeq$2.2-3.0 $\sigma$ below the post-transit values and comparable in depth to the optical transit, possibly forming a variable region of NUV absorption from at least phase $\phi\simeq$0.83, limited by the data coverage.Comment: Accepted into the Astrophysical Journa

Heavy ion induced Single Event Phenomena (SEP) data for semiconductor devices from engineering testing

The accumulation of JPL data on Single Event Phenomena (SEP), from 1979 to August 1986, is presented in full report format. It is expected that every two years a supplement report will be issued for the follow-on period. This data for 135 devices expands on the abbreviated test data presented as part of Refs. (1) and (3) by including figures of Single Event Upset (SEU) cross sections as a function of beam Linear Energy Transfer (LET) when available. It also includes some of the data complied in the JPL computer in RADATA and the SPACERAD data bank. This volume encompasses bipolar and MOS (CMOS and MHNOS) device data as two broad categories for both upsets (bit-flips) and latchup. It also includes comments on less well known phenomena, such as transient upsets and permanent damage modes