From Competition to Complementarity: Comparative Influence Diffusion and Maximization

Influence maximization is a well-studied problem that asks for a small set of influential users from a social network, such that by targeting them as early adopters, the expected total adoption through influence cascades over the network is maximized. However, almost all prior work focuses on cascades of a single propagating entity or purely-competitive entities. In this work, we propose the Comparative Independent Cascade (Com-IC) model that covers the full spectrum of entity interactions from competition to complementarity. In Com-IC, users' adoption decisions depend not only on edge-level information propagation, but also on a node-level automaton whose behavior is governed by a set of model parameters, enabling our model to capture not only competition, but also complementarity, to any possible degree. We study two natural optimization problems, Self Influence Maximization and Complementary Influence Maximization, in a novel setting with complementary entities. Both problems are NP-hard, and we devise efficient and effective approximation algorithms via non-trivial techniques based on reverse-reachable sets and a novel "sandwich approximation". The applicability of both techniques extends beyond our model and problems. Our experiments show that the proposed algorithms consistently outperform intuitive baselines in four real-world social networks, often by a significant margin. In addition, we learn model parameters from real user action logs.Comment: An abridged of this work is to appear in the Proceedings of VLDB Endowment (PVDLB), Vol 9, No 2. Also, the paper will be presented in the VLDB 2016 conference in New Delhi, India. This update contains new theoretical and experimental results, and the paper is now in single-column format (44 pages

Evaluating decay Rates and Asymmetries of Λb\Lambda_b into Light Baryons in LFQM

In this work we calculate the branching ratios of semi-leptonic and non-leptonic decays of $\Lambda_b$ into light baryons ($p$ and $\Lambda$), as well as the measurable asymmetries which appear in the processes, in the light front quark model (LFQM). In the calculation, we adopt the diquark picture and discuss the justifiability of applying the picture in our case. Our result on the branching ratio of $\Lambda_b\to\Lambda+J/\psi$ is in good agreement with data. More predictions are made in the same model and the results will be tested in the future experiments which will be conducted at LHCb and even ILC.Comment: 20 page, 8 talbes, 1 figure; Some changes were made. Accepted by PR

Interaction of cosmic background neutrinos with matter of periodic structure

We study coherent interaction of cosmic background neutrinos(CBNs) with matter of periodic structure. The mixing and small masses of neutrinos discovered in neutrino oscillation experiments indicate that CBNs which have very low energy today should be in mass states and can transform from one mass state to another in interaction with electrons in matter. We show that in a coherent scattering process a periodic matter structure designed to match the scale of the mass square difference of neutrinos can enhance the conversion of CBNs from one mass state to another. Energy of CBNs can be released in this scattering process and momentum transfer from CBNs to electrons in target matter can be obtained.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures, publication versio

B meson decays to baryons in the diquark model

We study B meson decays to two charmless baryons in the diquark model, including strong and electroweak penguins as well as the tree operators. It is shown that penguin operators can enhance \bar{B} \to \Bb_s \bar{\Bb} considerably, but affect \bar{B} \to \Bb_1 \bar{\Bb}_2 only slightly, where \Bb_{(1,2)} and \Bb_s are non-strange and strange baryons, respectively. The $\gamma$ dependence of the decay rates due to tree-penguin interference is illustrated. In principle, some of the \Bb_s \bar{\Bb} modes could dominate over \Bb_1 \bar{\Bb}_2 for $\gamma > 90^\circ$, but in general the effect is milder than their mesonic counterparts. This is because the $O_6$ operator can only produce vector but not scalar diquarks, while the opposite is true for $O_1$ and $O_4$. Predictions from diquark model are compared to those from the sum rule calculation. The decays \bar{B} \to \Bb_s \bar{\Bb}_s and inclusive baryonic decays are also discussed.Comment: 9 pages, 6 figures, Revte

Covariant Light-Front Approach for BcB_c transition form factors

In the covariant light-front quark model, we investigate the form factors of $B_c$ decays into $D, D^*, D_s, D_s^*, \eta_c, J/\psi, B, B^*, B_s, B_s^*$ mesons. The form factors in the spacelike region $q^2<0$ are directly evaluated. To extrapolate the form factors to the full kinematic region, we fit the form factors by adopting a three-parameter form from the spacelike region. $b\to u,d,s$ transition form factors at maximally recoiling point ($q^2=0$) are smaller than $b\to c$ and $c\to d,s$ transition form factors, while the $b\to d,s,c$ form factors at zero recoiling point are close to each other. In the fitting procedure, we find the parameters for the form factors $A_2(B_c\to B^*)$ and $A_2(B_c\to B^*_s)$ strongly depend on the decay constants of $B^*$ and $B_s^*$ mesons. Fortunately, the semileptonic and nonleptonic $B_c$ decays are not sensitive to these form factors. With the form factors, we also investigate the branching fractions, polarizations of the semileptonic $B_c\to Ml\nu$ decays. Semileptonic $B_c\to (\eta_c,J/\psi)l\nu$ and $B_c\to (B_s,B_s^*)l\nu$ decays have much larger branching fractions than $B_c\to (D,D^*,B,B^*)l\nu$. In the three kinds of $B_c\to Vl\nu$ decays, contributions from the longitudinal polarized vector is comparable with those from the transversely polarized vector. These predictions will be tested at the ongoing and forthcoming hadron colliders.Comment: 15 pages, 1 figure, uncertainties reanalyzed, several parts reorganized, conclusions unchange