Identification of functional information subgraphs in complex networks

We present a general information theoretic approach for identifying functional subgraphs in complex networks where the dynamics of each node are observable. We show that the uncertainty in the state of each node can be expressed as a sum of information quantities involving a growing number of correlated variables at other nodes. We demonstrate that each term in this sum is generated by successively conditioning mutual informations on new measured variables, in a way analogous to a discrete differential calculus. The analogy to a Taylor series suggests efficient search algorithms for determining the state of a target variable in terms of functional groups of other degrees of freedom. We apply this methodology to electrophysiological recordings of networks of cortical neurons grown it in vitro. Despite strong stochasticity, we show that each cell's patterns of firing are generally explained by the activity of a small number of other neurons. We identify these neuronal subgraphs in terms of their mutually redundant or synergetic character and reconstruct neuronal circuits that account for the state of each target cell.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Understanding the effect resonant magnetic perturbations have on ELMs

All current estimations of the energy released by type I ELMs indicate that, in order to ensure an adequate lifetime of the divertor targets on ITER, a mechanism is required to decrease the amount of energy released by an ELM, or to eliminate ELMs altogether. One such amelioration mechanism relies on perturbing the magnetic field in the edge plasma region, either leading to more frequent, smaller ELMs (ELM mitigation) or ELM suppression. This technique of Resonant Magnetic Perturbations (RMPs) has been employed to suppress type I ELMs at high collisionality/density on DIII-D, ASDEX Upgrade, KSTAR and JET and at low collisionality on DIII-D. At ITER-like collisionality the RMPs enhance the transport of particles or energy and keep the edge pressure gradient below the 2D linear ideal MHD critical value that would trigger an ELM, whereas at high collisionality/density the type I ELMs are replaced by small type II ELMs. Although ELM suppression only occurs within limitied operational ranges, ELM mitigation is much more easily achieved. The exact parameters that determine the onset of ELM suppression are unknown but in all cases the magnetic perturbations produce 3D distortions to the plasma and enhanced particle transport. The incorporation of these 3D effects in codes will be essential in order to make quantitative predictions for future devices.Comment: 32 pages, 9 figure

Neutral Higgs bosons in the MNMSSM with explicit CP violation

Within the framework of the minimal non-minimal supersymmetric standard model (MNMSSM) with tadpole terms, CP violation effects in the Higgs sector are investigated at the one-loop level, where the radiative corrections from the loops of the quark and squarks of the third generation are taken into account. Assuming that the squark masses are not degenerate, the radiative corrections due to the stop and sbottom quarks give rise to CP phases, which trigger the CP violation explicitly in the Higgs sector of the MNMSSM. The masses, the branching ratios for dominant decay channels, and the total decay widths of the five neutral Higgs bosons in the MNMSSM are calculated in the presence of the explicit CP violation. The dependence of these quantities on the CP phases is quite recognizable, for given parameter values.Comment: 25 pages, 8 figure

Large-eddy simulations of co-annular turbulent jet using a Voronoi-based mesh generation framework

Large eddy simulations are performed for a cold ideally-expanded dual-stream jet issued from cylindrical co-axial nozzles, with supersonic primary stream (Mach number M_1 = 1.55) and subsonic secondary stream (M_2 = 0.9). The geometry includes the internal screw holes used to fasten the two nozzles together and to the plenum chamber. These slanted cylindrical holes over which the secondary stream flows were not covered in the experiment and were seamlessly captured in the computational mesh thanks to a novel grid generation paradigm based on the computation of Voronoi diagrams. A simulation with the screw holes covered is also performed and the preliminary results tends to indicate that these features have minimal impact on the flow and acoustic fields for the present operating conditions. As expected, the present dual-stream configuration with subsonic annular stream surrounding the primary supersonic stream features a reduced shear-layer growth, a longer potential core and a lack of strong Mach wave radiation. A long LES database is currently being collected for analysis and modeling of wavepackets and noise sources in such complex turbulent jets

Two-Dimensional Spectroscopy of Extended Molecular Systems: Applications to Energy Transport and Relaxation in an α-Helix

A simulation study of the coupled dynamics of amide I and amide II vibrations in an α-helix dissolved in water shows that two-dimensional (2D) infrared spectroscopy may be used to disentangle the energy transport along the helix through each of these modes from the energy relaxation between them. Time scales for both types of processes are obtained. Using polarization-dependent 2D spectroscopy is an important ingredient in the method we propose. The method may also be applied to other two-band systems, both in the infrared (collective vibrations) and the visible (excitons) parts of the spectrum.

Spontaneous Violation of the CP Symmetry in the Higgs Sector of the Next-to-Minimal Supersymmetric Model

The spontaneous violation of the CP symmetry in the next-to-minimal supersymmetric standard Model (NMSSM) is investigated. It is found that the spontaneous violation of the CP symmetry can occur in the Higgs sector of the NMSSM for a wide region of the parameter space of the model, at the 1-loop level where the radiative corrections due to the top quark and scalar-top quark loops are found to generate the scalar-pseudoscalar mixings between the two Higgs doublets of the NMSSM. In our model, we assume that the masses of the left-handed and the right-handed scalar-top quarks are not degenerate. And we investigate our model anaytically: We derive analytical formulae of the 1-loop mass matrix for the neutral Higgs bosons. We calculate the upper bound on the lightest neutral Higgs boson mass under the assumption. It is found to be about 140 GeV for our choice of parameter values in the presence of the spontaneous violation of the CP symmetry in the NMSSM. Thus, the possibility of the spontaneous violation of the CP symmetry is not completely ruled out in the Higgs sector of the NMSSM if the masses of the left-handed and the right-handed scalar-top quarks are not degenerate. Further, the phenomenology of the $K$-${\bar K}$ mixing within the context of our model is studied. The lower bound on CP violating phase in the $K$-${\bar K}$ mixing is found to increase if either $\tan\beta$ decreases or $A_t$ increases.Comment: 21 pages, 5 figures, To appear in Phys. Rev.

Weak Isospin Violations in Charged and Neutral Higgs Couplings from SUSY Loop Corrections

Supersymmetric QCD and supersymmetric electroweak loop corrections to the violations of weak isospin to Yukawa couplings are investigated. Specifically it involves an analysis of the supersymmetric loop corrections to the Higgs couplings to the third generation quarks and leptons. Here we analyze the SUSY loop corrections to the charged Higgs couplings which are then compared with the supersymmetric loop corrections to the neutral Higgs couplings previously computed. It is found that the weak isospin violations can be quite significant, i.e, as much as 40-50% or more of the total loop correction to the Yukawa coupling. The effects of CP phases are also studied and it is found that these effects can either enhance or suppress the weak isospin violations. We also investigate the weak isospin violation effects on the branching ratio $BR(H^-\to\bar t b)/ BR(H^-\to \bar\nu_{\tau}\tau^-)$ and show that the effects are sensitive to CP phases. Thus an accurate measurement of this branching ratio along with the branching ratio of the neutral Higgs boson decays can provide a measure of weak isospin violation along with providing a clue to the presence of supersymmetry.Comment: 20 pages, 9 figure

Are routinely collected NHS administrative records suitable for endpoint identification in clinical trials? Evidence from the West of Scotland coronary prevention study

Background: Routinely collected electronic patient records are already widely used in epidemiological research. In this work we investigated the potential for using them to identify endpoints in clinical trials.<p></p> Methods: The events recorded in the West of Scotland Coronary Prevention Study (WOSCOPS), a large clinical trial of pravastatin in middle-aged hypercholesterolaemic men in the 1990s, were compared with those in the record-linked deaths and hospitalisations records routinely collected in Scotland.<p></p> Results: We matched 99% of fatal study events by date. We showed excellent matching (97%) of the causes of fatal endpoint events and good matching (.80% for first events) of the causes of nonfatal endpoint events with a slightly lower rate of mismatching of record linkage than study events (19% of first study myocardial infarctions (MI) and 4% of first record linkage MIs not matched as MI). We also investigated the matching of non-endpoint events and showed a good level of matching, with .78% of first stroke/TIA events being matched as stroke/TIA. The primary reasons for mismatches were record linkage data recording readmissions for procedures or previous events, differences between the diagnoses in the routinely collected data and the conclusions of the clinical trial expert adjudication committee, events occurring outside Scotland and therefore being missed by record linkage data, miscoding of cardiac events in hospitalisations data as ‘unspecified chest pain’, some general miscoding in the record linkage data and some record linkage errors.<p></p> Conclusions: We conclude that routinely collected data could be used for recording cardiovascular endpoints in clinical trials and would give very similar results to rigorously collected clinical trial data, in countries with unified health systems such as Scotland. The endpoint types would need to be carefully thought through and an expert endpoint adjudication committee should be involved.<p></p&gt

GaAs:Mn nanowires grown by molecular beam epitaxy of (Ga,Mn)As at MnAs segregation conditions

GaAs:Mn nanowires were obtained on GaAs(001) and GaAs(111)B substrates by molecular beam epitaxial growth of (Ga,Mn)As at conditions leading to MnAs phase separation. Their density is proportional to the density of catalyzing MnAs nanoislands, which can be controlled by the Mn flux and/or the substrate temperature. Being rooted in the ferromagnetic semiconductor (Ga,Mn)As, the nanowires combine one-dimensional properties with the magnetic properties of (Ga,Mn)As and provide natural, self assembled structures for nanospintronics.Comment: 13 pages, 6 figure