SMT-based Model Checking for Recursive Programs

We present an SMT-based symbolic model checking algorithm for safety verification of recursive programs. The algorithm is modular and analyzes procedures individually. Unlike other SMT-based approaches, it maintains both "over-" and "under-approximations" of procedure summaries. Under-approximations are used to analyze procedure calls without inlining. Over-approximations are used to block infeasible counterexamples and detect convergence to a proof. We show that for programs and properties over a decidable theory, the algorithm is guaranteed to find a counterexample, if one exists. However, efficiency depends on an oracle for quantifier elimination (QE). For Boolean Programs, the algorithm is a polynomial decision procedure, matching the worst-case bounds of the best BDD-based algorithms. For Linear Arithmetic (integers and rationals), we give an efficient instantiation of the algorithm by applying QE "lazily". We use existing interpolation techniques to over-approximate QE and introduce "Model Based Projection" to under-approximate QE. Empirical evaluation on SV-COMP benchmarks shows that our algorithm improves significantly on the state-of-the-art.Comment: originally published as part of the proceedings of CAV 2014; fixed typos, better wording at some place

On Deformations of n-Lie algebras

The aim of this paper is to review the deformation theory of $n$-Lie algebras. We summarize the 1-parameter formal deformation theory and provide a generalized approach using any unital commutative associative algebra as a deformation base. Moreover, we discuss degenerations and quantization of $n$-Lie algebras.Comment: Proceeding of the conference Dakar's Workshop in honor of Pr Amin Kaidi. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:hep-th/9602016 by other author

An ultrashort pulse ultra-violet radiation undulator source driven by a laser plasma wakefield accelerator

Narrow band undulator radiation tuneable over the wavelength range of 150–260 nm has been produced by short electron bunches from a 2 mm long laser plasma wakefield accelerator based on a 20 TW femtosecond laser system. The number of photons measured is up to 9 × 106 per shot for a 100 period undulator, with a mean peak brilliance of 1 × 1018 photons/s/mrad2/mm2/0.1% bandwidth. Simulations estimate that the driving electron bunch r.m.s. duration is as short as 3 fs when the electron beam has energy of 120–130 MeV with the radiation pulse duration in the range of 50–100 fs

Dynamical Properties of small Polarons

On the basis of the two-site polaron problem, which we solve by exact diagonalization, we analyse the spectral properties of polaronic systems in view of discerning localized from itinerant polarons and bound polaron pairs from an ensemble of single polarons. The corresponding experimental techniques for that concern photoemission and inverse photoemission spectroscopy. The evolution of the density of states as a function of concentration of charge carriers and strength of the electron-phonon interaction clearly shows the opening up of a gap between single polaronic and bi-polaronic states, in analogy to the Hubbard problem for strongly correlated electron systems. The crossover regime between adiabatic and anti-adiabatic small polarons is triggered by two characteristic time scales: the renormalized electron hopping rate and the renormalized vibrational frequency becoming equal. This crossover regime is then characterized by temporarily alternating self- localization and delocalization of the charge carriers which is accompanied by phase slips in the charge and molecular deformation oscillations and ultimately leads to a dephasing between these two dynamical components of the polaron problem. We visualize these features by a study of the temporal evolution of the charge redistribution and the change in molecular deformations. The spectral and dynamical properties of polarons discussed here are beyond the applicability of the standard Lang Firsov approach to the polaron problem.Comment: 31 pages and 23 figs.(eps), accepted in the Phys. Rev.

Space-time versus particle-hole symmetry in quantum Enskog equations

The non-local scattering-in and -out integrals of the Enskog equation have reversed displacements of colliding particles reflecting that the -in and -out processes are conjugated by the space and time inversions. Generalisations of the Enskog equation to Fermi liquid systems are hindered by a request of the particle-hole symmetry which contradicts the reversed displacements. We resolve this problem with the help of the optical theorem. It is found that space-time and particle-hole symmetry can only be fulfilled simultaneously for the Bruckner-type of internal Pauli-blocking while the Feynman-Galitskii form allows only for particle-hole symmetry but not for space-time symmetry due to a stimulated emission of Bosons

Predicting phase equilibria in polydisperse systems

Many materials containing colloids or polymers are polydisperse: They comprise particles with properties (such as particle diameter, charge, or polymer chain length) that depend continuously on one or several parameters. This review focusses on the theoretical prediction of phase equilibria in polydisperse systems; the presence of an effectively infinite number of distinguishable particle species makes this a highly nontrivial task. I first describe qualitatively some of the novel features of polydisperse phase behaviour, and outline a theoretical framework within which they can be explored. Current techniques for predicting polydisperse phase equilibria are then reviewed. I also discuss applications to some simple model systems including homopolymers and random copolymers, spherical colloids and colloid-polymer mixtures, and liquid crystals formed from rod- and plate-like colloidal particles; the results surveyed give an idea of the rich phenomenology of polydisperse phase behaviour. Extensions to the study of polydispersity effects on interfacial behaviour and phase separation kinetics are outlined briefly.Comment: 48 pages, invited topical review for Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter; uses Institute of Physics style file iopart.cls (included

Mendelian randomization study of B-type natriuretic peptide and type 2 diabetes: evidence of causal association from population studies

<p>Background: Genetic and epidemiological evidence suggests an inverse association between B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels in blood and risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D), but the prospective association of BNP with T2D is uncertain, and it is unclear whether the association is confounded.</p> <p>Methods and Findings: We analysed the association between levels of the N-terminal fragment of pro-BNP (NT-pro-BNP) in blood and risk of incident T2D in a prospective case-cohort study and genotyped the variant rs198389 within the BNP locus in three T2D case-control studies. We combined our results with existing data in a meta-analysis of 11 case-control studies. Using a Mendelian randomization approach, we compared the observed association between rs198389 and T2D to that expected from the NT-pro-BNP level to T2D association and the NT-pro-BNP difference per C allele of rs198389. In participants of our case-cohort study who were free of T2D and cardiovascular disease at baseline, we observed a 21% (95% CI 3%-36%) decreased risk of incident T2D per one standard deviation (SD) higher log-transformed NT-pro-BNP levels in analysis adjusted for age, sex, body mass index, systolic blood pressure, smoking, family history of T2D, history of hypertension, and levels of triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. The association between rs198389 and T2D observed in case-control studies (odds ratio = 0.94 per C allele, 95% CI 0.91-0.97) was similar to that expected (0.96, 0.93-0.98) based on the pooled estimate for the log-NT-pro-BNP level to T2D association derived from a meta-analysis of our study and published data (hazard ratio = 0.82 per SD, 0.74-0.90) and the difference in NT-pro-BNP levels (0.22 SD, 0.15-0.29) per C allele of rs198389. No significant associations were observed between the rs198389 genotype and potential confounders.</p> <p>Conclusions: Our results provide evidence for a potential causal role of the BNP system in the aetiology of T2D. Further studies are needed to investigate the mechanisms underlying this association and possibilities for preventive interventions.</p&gt

Spin Waves in Canted Phases: An Application to Doped Manganites

We present the effective lagrangian for low energy and momentum spin waves in canted phases at next to leading order in the derivative expansion. The symmetry breaking pattern SU(2) --> 1 of the internal spin group and that of the crystallographic space group imply that there is one ferromagnetic and one antiferromagnetic spin wave. The interaction of the spin waves with the charge carriers is also discussed for canted, ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic phases. All this together allows us to write the doping dependence of the dispersion relation parameters for doped manganites. We point out that the spin waves posses distinctive characteristics which may allow us to experimentally differentiate canted phases from phase separation regions in doped manganites.Comment: 34 pages, latex file, 1 eps included figure. Minor changes, published versio

Triplet Exciton Generation in Bulk-Heterojunction Solar Cells based on Endohedral Fullerenes

Organic bulk-heterojunctions (BHJ) and solar cells containing the trimetallic nitride endohedral fullerene 1-[3-(2-ethyl)hexoxy carbonyl]propyl-1-phenyl-Lu3N@C80 (Lu3N@C80-PCBEH) show an open circuit voltage (VOC) 0.3 V higher than similar devices with [6,6]-phenyl-C[61]-butyric acid methyl ester (PC61BM). To fully exploit the potential of this acceptor molecule with respect to the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of solar cells, the short circuit current (JSC) should be improved to become competitive with the state of the art solar cells. Here, we address factors influencing the JSC in blends containing the high voltage absorber Lu3N@C80-PCBEH in view of both photogeneration but also transport and extraction of charge carriers. We apply optical, charge carrier extraction, morphology, and spin-sensitive techniques. In blends containing Lu3N@C80-PCBEH, we found 2 times weaker photoluminescence quenching, remainders of interchain excitons, and, most remarkably, triplet excitons formed on the polymer chain, which were absent in the reference P3HT:PC61BM blends. We show that electron back transfer to the triplet state along with the lower exciton dissociation yield due to intramolecular charge transfer in Lu3N@C80-PCBEH are responsible for the reduced photocurrent

Competition of Zener and polaron phases in doped CMR manganites

Inspired by the strong experimental evidence for the coexistence of localized and itinerant charge carriers close to the metal-insulator transition in the ferromagnetic phase of colossal magnetoresistive manganese perovskites, for a theoretical description of the CMR transition we propose a two-phase scenario with percolative characteristics between equal-density polaron and Zener band-electron states. We find that the subtle balance between these two states with distinctly different electronic properties can be readily influenced by varying physical parameters, producing various ``colossal'' effects, such as the large magnetization and conductivity changes in the vicinity of the transition temperature.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figure