19,056 research outputs found
Book Reviews
The Variational Auto-Encoder (VAE) is one of the most used unsupervised
machine learning models. But although the default choice of a Gaussian
distribution for both the prior and posterior represents a mathematically
convenient distribution often leading to competitive results, we show that this
parameterization fails to model data with a latent hyperspherical structure. To
address this issue we propose using a von Mises-Fisher (vMF) distribution
instead, leading to a hyperspherical latent space. Through a series of
experiments we show how such a hyperspherical VAE, or -VAE, is
more suitable for capturing data with a hyperspherical latent structure, while
outperforming a normal, -VAE, in low dimensions on other data
types.Comment: GitHub repository: http://github.com/nicola-decao/s-vae-tf, Blogpost:
https://nicola-decao.github.io/s-va
On formation of domain wall lattices
We study the formation of domain walls in a phase transition in which an
S_5\times Z_2 symmetry is spontaneously broken to S_3\times S_2. In one compact
spatial dimension we observe the formation of a stable domain wall lattice. In
two spatial dimensions we find that the walls form a network with junctions,
there being six walls to every junction. The network of domain walls evolves so
that junctions annihilate anti-junctions. The final state of the evolution
depends on the relative dimensions of the simulation domain. In particular we
never observe the formation of a stable lattice of domain walls for the case of
a square domain but we do observe a lattice if one dimension is somewhat
smaller than the other. During the evolution, the total wall length in the
network decays with time as t^{-0.71}, as opposed to the usual t^{-1} scaling
typical of regular Z_2 networks.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figures. Minor changes, final version accepted for
publication in Phys. Rev.
The eta-photon transition form factor
The eta-photon transition form factor is evaluated in a formalism based on a
phenomenological description at low values of the photon virtuality, and a
QCD-based description at high photon virtualities, matching at a scale
. The high photon virtuality description makes use of a Distribution
Amplitude calculated in the Nambu-Jona-Lasinio model with Pauli-Villars
regularization at the matching scale , and QCD evolution from
to higher values of . A good description of the available
data is obtained. The analysis indicates that the recent data from the BaBar
collaboration on pion and eta transition form factor can be well reproduced, if
a small contribution of twist three at the matching scale is
included.Comment: 14 pages, 3 figures, revised version, minor corrections, references
added, conclusions unchanged. Accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.
Non-equilibrium dynamics of gene expression and the Jarzynski equality
In order to express specific genes at the right time, the transcription of
genes is regulated by the presence and absence of transcription factor
molecules. With transcription factor concentrations undergoing constant
changes, gene transcription takes place out of equilibrium. In this paper we
discuss a simple mapping between dynamic models of gene expression and
stochastic systems driven out of equilibrium. Using this mapping, results of
nonequilibrium statistical mechanics such as the Jarzynski equality and the
fluctuation theorem are demonstrated for gene expression dynamics. Applications
of this approach include the determination of regulatory interactions between
genes from experimental gene expression data
On the Curious Resemblance Between Fly Ash and Meteoritic Dust
This paper is a discussion of W. J. Thomsen\u27s prize-winning paper presented to the Geology Section of the Iowa Academy of Science in 1952 and entitled The Annual Contribution of Meteoritic Dust to the Mass of the Earth (1). The present paper presents evidence that Thomsen\u27s unusually high estimate for the annual deposition of meteoritic dust may be due to the presence of fly-ash in the magnetic dust samples he collected
Turbulence Effects upon Laser Propagation in the Marine Boundary Layer
Shipboard measurements of small scale temperature and velocity fluctuations have been accomplished to determine optical wave propagation properties of the marine boundary layer. Measurements were recorded for ocean conditions in Monterey Bay and in the confines of the Pacific Missile Range. Laser beam propagation measurements were performed in conjunction with the meteorological measurements
Preliminary report on IUE spectra of the Crab Nebula
The Crab Nebula is marginally observable with the IUE. Observations of the optically brightest filamentary regions, made with IUE in August 1979, show the C IV lambda 1549, He II lambda 1640, and C III lambda 1909 emission lines. The intensities of these lines were compared with the visual wavelength data. It appears that carbon is not overabundant in the Crab; carbon/oxygen is approximately normal and oxygen is slightly scarcer than normal as a fraction of the total mass
Use of Phosphoric Acid and Furfuryl Alcohol for Soil Stabilization
This paper presents results of an investigation of the effects of phosphoric acid and furfuryl alcohol on the resistance and strengths of a clayey soil and of a sandy soil. Results indicate that greater water resistance and higher strengths can be obtained with both soils by using the admixtures. For the sandy soil, a certain optimum amount of phosphoric acid gives the maximum strengths for all furfuryl alcohol contents. The stabilization mechanism for the clayey soil is thought to be a combination of the formation of phosphoric gels and of a resin product of a furfuryl alcohol polymerization reaction. The mechanism for the sandy soil is the formation of the polymerization resin product
Microscopic heat from the energetics of stochastic phenomena
The energetics of the stochastic process has shown the balance of energy on
the mesoscopic level. The heat and the energy defined there are, however,
generally different from their macroscopic counterpart. We show that this
discrepancy can be removed by adding to these quantities the reversible heat
associated with the mesoscopic free energy.Comment: 4 pages, 0 figur
- …