2,983 research outputs found
The invisible power of fairness. How machine learning shapes democracy
Many machine learning systems make extensive use of large amounts of data
regarding human behaviors. Several researchers have found various
discriminatory practices related to the use of human-related machine learning
systems, for example in the field of criminal justice, credit scoring and
advertising. Fair machine learning is therefore emerging as a new field of
study to mitigate biases that are inadvertently incorporated into algorithms.
Data scientists and computer engineers are making various efforts to provide
definitions of fairness. In this paper, we provide an overview of the most
widespread definitions of fairness in the field of machine learning, arguing
that the ideas highlighting each formalization are closely related to different
ideas of justice and to different interpretations of democracy embedded in our
culture. This work intends to analyze the definitions of fairness that have
been proposed to date to interpret the underlying criteria and to relate them
to different ideas of democracy.Comment: 12 pages, 1 figure, preprint version, submitted to The 32nd Canadian
Conference on Artificial Intelligence that will take place in Kingston,
Ontario, May 28 to May 31, 201
Andreev Reflections in Micrometer-Scale Normal-Insulator-Superconductor Tunnel Junctions
Understanding the subgap behavior of Normal-Insulator-Superconductor (NIS)
tunnel junctions is important in order to be able to accurately model the
thermal properties of the junctions. Hekking and Nazarov developed a theory in
which NIS subgap current in thin-film structures can be modeled by multiple
Andreev reflections. In their theory, the current due to Andreev reflections
depends on the junction area and the junction resistance area product. We have
measured the current due to Andreev reflections in NIS tunnel junctions for
various junction sizes and junction resistance area products and found that the
multiple reflection theory is in agreement with our data
Basis-independent methods for the two-Higgs-doublet model II. The significance of tan(beta)
In the most general two-Higgs-doublet model (2HDM), there is no distinction
between the two complex hypercharge-one SU(2) doublet scalar fields, Phi_a
(a=1,2). Thus, any two orthonormal linear combinations of these two fields can
serve as a basis for the Lagrangian. All physical observables of the model must
therefore be basis-independent. For example, tan(beta)=/ is
basis-dependent and thus cannot be a physical parameter of the model. In this
paper, we provide a basis-independent treatment of the Higgs sector with
particular attention to the neutral Higgs boson mass-eigenstates, which
generically are not eigenstates of CP. We then demonstrate that all physical
Higgs couplings are indeed independent of tan(beta). In specialized versions of
the 2HDM, tan(beta) can be promoted to a physical parameter of the
Higgs-fermion interactions. In the most general 2HDM, the Higgs-fermion
couplings can be expressed in terms of a number of physical "tan(beta)--like"
parameters that are manifestly basis-independent. The minimal supersymmetric
extension of the Standard Model provides a simple framework for exhibiting such
effects.Comment: 56 pages, 5 tables, with Eq. (65) corrected (erratum to appear in
Physical Review D
Long-time discrete particle effects versus kinetic theory in the self-consistent single-wave model
The influence of the finite number N of particles coupled to a monochromatic
wave in a collisionless plasma is investigated. For growth as well as damping
of the wave, discrete particle numerical simulations show an N-dependent long
time behavior resulting from the dynamics of individual particles. This
behavior differs from the one due to the numerical errors incurred by Vlasov
approaches. Trapping oscillations are crucial to long time dynamics, as the
wave oscillations are controlled by the particle distribution inhomogeneities
and the pulsating separatrix crossings drive the relaxation towards thermal
equilibrium.Comment: 11 pages incl. 13 figs. Phys. Rev. E, in pres
Independent evaluation of a simple clinical prediction rule to identify right ventricular dysfunction in patients with shortness of breath
BACKGROUND:
Many patients have unexplained persistent dyspnea after negative computed tomographic pulmonary angiography (CTPA). We hypothesized that many of these patients have isolated right ventricular (RV) dysfunction from treatable causes. We previously derived a clinical decision rule (CDR) for predicting RV dysfunction consisting of persistent dyspnea and normal CTPA, finding that 53% of CDR-positive patients had isolated RV dysfunction. Our goal is to validate this previously derived CDR by measuring the prevalence of RV dysfunction and outcomes in dyspneic emergency department patients.
METHODS:
A secondary analysis of a prospective observational multicenter study that enrolled patients presenting with suspected PE was performed. We included patients with persistent dyspnea, a nonsignificant CTPA, and formal echo performed. Right ventricular dysfunction was defined as RV hypokinesis and/or dilation with or without moderate to severe tricuspid regurgitation.
RESULTS:
A total of 7940 patients were enrolled. Two thousand six hundred sixteen patients were analyzed after excluding patients without persistent dyspnea and those with a significant finding on CTPA. One hundred ninety eight patients had echocardiography performed as standard care. Of those, 19% (95% confidence interval [CI], 14%-25%) and 33% (95% CI, 25%-42%) exhibited RV dysfunction and isolated RV dysfunction, respectively. Patients with isolated RV dysfunction or overload were more likely than those without RV dysfunction to have a return visit to the emergency department within 45 days for the same complaint (39% vs 18%; 95% CI of the difference, 4%-38%).
CONCLUSION:
This simple clinical prediction rule predicted a 33% prevalence of isolated RV dysfunction or overload. Patients with isolated RV dysfunction had higher recidivism rates and a trend toward worse outcomes
The Invisible Power of Fairness. How Machine Learning Shapes Democracy
Many machine learning systems make extensive use of large amounts of data regarding human behaviors. Several researchers have found various discriminatory practices related to the use of human-related machine learning systems, for example in the field of criminal justice, credit scoring and advertising. Fair machine learning is therefore emerging as a new field of study to mitigate biases that are inadvertently incorporated into algorithms. Data scientists and computer engineers are making various efforts to provide definitions of fairness. In this paper, we provide an overview of the most widespread definitions of fairness in the field of machine learning, arguing that the ideas highlighting each formalization are closely related to different ideas of justice and to different interpretations of democracy embedded in our culture. This work intends to analyze the definitions of fairness that have been proposed to date to interpret the underlying criteria and to relate them to different ideas of democracy
Abelian symmetries in multi-Higgs-doublet models
N-Higgs doublet models (NHDM) are a popular framework to construct
electroweak symmetry breaking mechanisms beyond the Standard model. Usually,
one builds an NHDM scalar sector which is invariant under a certain symmetry
group. Although several such groups have been used, no general analysis of
symmetries possible in the NHDM scalar sector exists. Here, we make the first
step towards this goal by classifying the elementary building blocks, namely
the abelian symmetry groups, with a special emphasis on finite groups. We
describe a strategy that identifies all abelian groups which are realizable as
symmetry groups of the NHDM Higgs potential. We consider both the groups of
Higgs-family transformations only and the groups which also contain generalized
CP transformations. We illustrate this strategy with the examples of 3HDM and
4HDM and prove several statements for arbitrary N.Comment: 33 pages, 2 figures; v2: conjecture 3 is proved and becomes theorem
3, more explanations of the main strategy are added, matches the published
versio
Creating and studying ion acoustic waves in ultracold neutral plasmas
We excite ion acoustic waves in ultracold neutral plasmas by imprinting
density modulations during plasma creation. Laser-induced fluorescence is used
to observe the density and velocity perturbations created by the waves. The
effect of expansion of the plasma on the evolution of the wave amplitude is
described by treating the wave action as an adiabatic invariant. After
accounting for this effect, we determine that the waves are weakly damped, but
the damping is significantly faster than expected for Landau damping
Diffusive transport and self-consistent dynamics in coupled maps
The study of diffusion in Hamiltonian systems has been a problem of interest
for a number of years.
In this paper we explore the influence of self-consistency on the diffusion
properties of systems described by coupled symplectic maps. Self-consistency,
i.e. the back-influence of the transported quantity on the velocity field of
the driving flow, despite of its critical importance, is usually overlooked in
the description of realistic systems, for example in plasma physics. We propose
a class of self-consistent models consisting of an ensemble of maps globally
coupled through a mean field. Depending on the kind of coupling, two different
general types of self-consistent maps are considered: maps coupled to the field
only through the phase, and fully coupled maps, i.e. through the phase and the
amplitude of the external field. The analogies and differences of the diffusion
properties of these two kinds of maps are discussed in detail.Comment: 13 pages, 14 figure
L-Edge Spectroscopy of Dilute, Radiation-Sensitive Systems Using a Transition-Edge-Sensor Array
We present X-ray absorption spectroscopy and resonant inelastic X-ray
scattering (RIXS) measurements on the iron L-edge of 0.5 mM aqueous
ferricyanide. These measurements demonstrate the ability of high-throughput
transition-edge-sensor (TES) spectrometers to access the rich soft X-ray
(100-2000eV) spectroscopy regime for dilute and radiation-sensitive samples.
Our low-concentration data are in agreement with high-concentration
measurements recorded by conventional grating-based spectrometers. These
results show that soft X-ray RIXS spectroscopy acquired by high-throughput TES
spectrometers can be used to study the local electronic structure of dilute
metal-centered complexes relevant to biology, chemistry and catalysis. In
particular, TES spectrometers have a unique ability to characterize frozen
solutions of radiation- and temperature-sensitive samples.Comment: 19 pages, 4 figure
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