q-Symmetries in DNLS-AL chains and exact solutions of quantum dimers

Dynamical symmetries of Hamiltonians quantized models of discrete non-linear Schroedinger chain (DNLS) and of Ablowitz-Ladik chain (AL) are studied. It is shown that for $n$-sites the dynamical algebra of DNLS Hamilton operator is given by the $su(n)$ algebra, while the respective symmetry for the AL case is the quantum algebra su_q(n). The q-deformation of the dynamical symmetry in the AL model is due to the non-canonical oscillator-like structure of the raising and lowering operators at each site. Invariants of motions are found in terms of Casimir central elements of su(n) and su_q(n) algebra generators, for the DNLS and QAL cases respectively. Utilizing the representation theory of the symmetry algebras we specialize to the $n=2$ quantum dimer case and formulate the eigenvalue problem of each dimer as a non-linear (q)-spin model. Analytic investigations of the ensuing three-term non-linear recurrence relations are carried out and the respective orthonormal and complete eigenvector bases are determined. The quantum manifestation of the classical self-trapping in the QDNLS-dimer and its absence in the QAL-dimer, is analysed by studying the asymptotic attraction and repulsion respectively, of the energy levels versus the strength of non-linearity. Our treatment predicts for the QDNLS-dimer, a phase-transition like behaviour in the rate of change of the logarithm of eigenenergy differences, for values of the non-linearity parameter near the classical bifurcation point.Comment: Latex, 19pp, 4 figures. Submitted for publicatio

Tight-binding parameters for charge transfer along DNA

We systematically examine all the tight-binding parameters pertinent to charge transfer along DNA. The $\pi$ molecular structure of the four DNA bases (adenine, thymine, cytosine, and guanine) is investigated by using the linear combination of atomic orbitals method with a recently introduced parametrization. The HOMO and LUMO wavefunctions and energies of DNA bases are discussed and then used for calculating the corresponding wavefunctions of the two B-DNA base-pairs (adenine-thymine and guanine-cytosine). The obtained HOMO and LUMO energies of the bases are in good agreement with available experimental values. Our results are then used for estimating the complete set of charge transfer parameters between neighboring bases and also between successive base-pairs, considering all possible combinations between them, for both electrons and holes. The calculated microscopic quantities can be used in mesoscopic theoretical models of electron or hole transfer along the DNA double helix, as they provide the necessary parameters for a tight-binding phenomenological description based on the $\pi$ molecular overlap. We find that usually the hopping parameters for holes are higher in magnitude compared to the ones for electrons, which probably indicates that hole transport along DNA is more favorable than electron transport. Our findings are also compared with existing calculations from first principles.Comment: 15 pages, 3 figures, 7 table

Who Said or What Said? Estimating Ideological Bias in Views Among Economists

There exists a long-standing debate about the influence of ideology in economics. Surprisingly, however, there is no concrete empirical evidence to examine this critical issue. Using an online randomized controlled experiment involving economists in 19 countries, we examine the effect of ideological bias on views among economists. Participants were asked to evaluate statements from prominent economists on different topics, while source attribution for each statement was randomized without participants’ knowledge. For each statement, participants either received a mainstream source, an ideologically different less-/non-mainstream source, or no source. We find that changing source attributions from mainstream to less-/non-mainstream, or removing them, significantly reduces economists’ reported agreement with statements. Using a model of Bayesian updating we examine two competing hypotheses as potential explanations for these results: unbiased Bayesian updating versus ideologically-biased Bayesian updating. While we find no evidence in support of unbiased updating, our results are consistent with biased Bayesian updating. More specifically, we find that changing/removing sources (1) has no impact on economists’ reported confidence with their evaluations; (2) similarly affects experts/non-experts in relevant areas; and (3) affects those at the far right of the political spectrum much more significantly than those at the far left. Finally, we find significant heterogeneity in our results by gender, country, PhD completion country, research area, and undergraduate major, with patterns consistent with the existence of ideological bias