Adiabatic Electroweak Baryogenesis Driven by an Axion-like Particle

An axion-like particle (ALP) offers a new direction in electroweak baryogenesis because the periodic nature enables it to trigger a strong first-order phase transition insensitively to the decay constant $f$. For $f$ much above TeV, the ALP-induced electroweak phase transition is approximately described by adiabatic processes, distinguishing our scenario for electroweak baryogenesis from the conventional ones. We show that, coupled to the electroweak anomaly, the ALP can naturally realize spontaneous electroweak baryogenesis to solve the matter-antimatter asymmetry problem for $f$ in the range between about $10^5$ GeV and $10^7$ GeV. In such an ALP window, the $CP$ violation for baryogenesis is totally free from the experimental constraints, especially from the recently improved limit on the electron electric dipole moment. Future searches for ALPs could probe our scenario while revealing the connection between electroweak symmetry breaking and baryogenesis.Comment: 12 pages, 5 figures, appendices added, published versio

Two Cases of Lichen Planus Pigmentosus Presenting with a Linear Pattern

We report two cases of lichen planus pigmentosus (LPP) that developed in a unilateral linear pattern. The patients presented with unilateral linear brown macules on the extremities. Skin biopsy showed orthokeratosis, basal hydropic degeneration with scarce lymphohistiocytic infiltrates, and numerous melanophages in both patients. These patients, to the best of our knowledge, are the first cases of LPP presenting with a linear pattern. LPP should be considered in the differential diagnosis of linear hyperpigmented skin lesions

Tuning Locality of Pair Coherence in Graphene-based Andreev Interferometers

We report on gate-tuned locality of superconductivity-induced phase-coherent magnetoconductance oscillations in a graphene-based Andreev interferometer, consisting of a T-shaped graphene bar in contact with a superconducting Al loop. The conductance oscillations arose from the flux change through the superconducting Al loop, with gate-dependent Fraunhofer-type modulation of the envelope. We confirm a transitional change in the character of the pair coherence, between local and nonlocal, in the same device as the effective length-to-width ratio of the device was modulated by tuning the pair-coherence length xi(T) in the graphene layer.open1133sciescopu

Contextual Linear Bandits under Noisy Features: Towards Bayesian Oracles

We study contextual linear bandit problems under uncertainty on features; they are noisy with missing entries. To address the challenges from the noise, we analyze Bayesian oracles given observed noisy features. Our Bayesian analysis finds that the optimal hypothesis can be far from the underlying realizability function, depending on noise characteristics, which is highly non-intuitive and does not occur for classical noiseless setups. This implies that classical approaches cannot guarantee a non-trivial regret bound. We thus propose an algorithm aiming at the Bayesian oracle from observed information under this model, achieving $\tilde{O}(d\sqrt{T})$ regret bound with respect to feature dimension $d$ and time horizon $T$. We demonstrate the proposed algorithm using synthetic and real-world datasets.Comment: 30 page

A Cost Effective Block Framing Scheme for Underwater Communication

In this paper, the Selective Multiple Acknowledgement (SMA) method, based on Multiple Acknowledgement (MA), is proposed to efficiently reduce the amount of data transmission by redesigning the transmission frame structure and taking into consideration underwater transmission characteristics. The method is suited to integrated underwater system models, as the proposed method can handle the same amount of data in a much more compact frame structure without any appreciable loss of reliability. Herein, the performance of the proposed SMA method was analyzed and compared to those of the conventional Automatic Repeat-reQuest (ARQ), Block Acknowledgement (BA), block response, and MA methods. The efficiency of the underwater sensor network, which forms a large cluster and mostly contains uplink data, is expected to be improved by the proposed method

Curvature-induced spin-orbit coupling and spin relaxation in a chemically clean single-layer graphene

The study of spin-related phenomena in materials requires knowledge on the precise form of effective spin-orbit coupling of conducting carriers in the solid-states systems. We demonstrate theoretically that curvature induced by corrugations or periodic ripples in single-layer graphenes generates two types of effective spin-orbit coupling. In addition to the spin-orbit coupling reported previously that couples with sublattice pseudospin and corresponds to the Rashba-type spin-orbit coupling in a corrugated single-layer graphene, there is an additional spin-orbit coupling that does not couple with the pseudospin, which can not be obtained from the extension of the curvature-induced spin-orbit coupling of carbon nanotubes. Via numerical calculation we show that both types of the curvature-induced spin-orbit coupling make the same order of contribution to spin relaxation in chemically clean single-layer graphene with nanoscale corrugation. The spin relaxation dependence on the corrugation roughness is also studied.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figure

Depression and PTSD in Pashtun Women in Kandahar, Afghanistan

ObjectivesThe objectives were (a) to establish prevalence of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in Afghanistan and, (b) to investigate sociodemographic and quality of life variables, which predict depression and PTSD.MethodsTranslated versions of the Beck Depression Inventory, Impact of Event Scale-Revised, and Quality of Life Inventory were administered to 125 Pashtun women in Kandahar, and statistically analyzed.ResultsApproximately half of the participants showed moderate to severe levels of depression, and more than half of the participants exhibited symptoms of PTSD. Education and income showed significant associations with PTSD symptoms or depression. The way one spends time, general health status, and general feeling towards life predicted low levels of depression and PTSD.ConclusionsThe high prevalence of depression and PTSD indicate the continuing need for mental health intervention. While education has been found to be a protective factor for mental health in previous studies, the relationship between education and mental health appear to be more complex among Afghan women. Quality of life variables could be further investigated and incorporated into mental health interventions for Afghan women

A Wireless Sensor Network-Based Ubiquitous Paprika Growth Management System

Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) technology can facilitate advances in productivity, safety and human quality of life through its applications in various industries. In particular, the application of WSN technology to the agricultural area, which is labor-intensive compared to other industries, and in addition is typically lacking in IT technology applications, adds value and can increase the agricultural productivity. This study attempts to establish a ubiquitous agricultural environment and improve the productivity of farms that grow paprika by suggesting a ‘Ubiquitous Paprika Greenhouse Management System’ using WSN technology. The proposed system can collect and monitor information related to the growth environment of crops outside and inside paprika greenhouses by installing WSN sensors and monitoring images captured by CCTV cameras. In addition, the system provides a paprika greenhouse environment control facility for manual and automatic control from a distance, improves the convenience and productivity of users, and facilitates an optimized environment to grow paprika based on the growth environment data acquired by operating the system

An Active and Soft Hydrogel Actuator to Stimulate Live Cell Clusters by Self-folding

The hydrogels are widely used in various applications, and their successful uses depend on controlling the mechanical properties. In this study, we present an advanced strategy to develop hydrogel actuator designed to stimulate live cell clusters by self-folding. The hydrogel actuator consisting of two layers with different expansion ratios were fabricated to have various curvatures in self-folding. The expansion ratio of the hydrogel tuned with the molecular weight and concentration of gel-forming polymers, and temperature-sensitive molecules in a controlled manner. As a result, the hydrogel actuator could stimulate live cell clusters by compression and tension repeatedly, in response to temperature. The cell clusters were compressed in the 0.7-fold decreases of the radius of curvature with 1.0 mm in room temperature, as compared to that of 1.4 mm in 37 degrees C. Interestingly, the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-2 (IGFBP-2) in MCF-7 tumor cells exposed by mechanical stimulation was expressed more than in those without stimulation. Overall, this new strategy to prepare the active and soft hydrogel actuator would be actively used in tissue engineering, drug delivery, and micro-scale actuators