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Using dispersion relations of the scattering amplitudes and semi-definite programming, we calculate causality bounds on the Wilson coefficients in scalar-tensor effective field theories that include parity-violating operators. Particular attention has been paid to the dynamical-Chern-Simons (dCS) and scalar-Gauss-Bonnet (sGB) couplings, along with higher order coefficients, and the interplay between them. For the leading terms, the bounds on the parity-conserving and -violating coefficients are simply projections of the complex coefficients. Some parity-violating coefficients are found to be upper bounded by the the parity-conserving counterparts, or the higher order parity-conserving coefficients. While the observational constraints on parity-violating coefficients are weaker than the parity-conserving counterparts, the causality bounds are of comparable strength and thus may play a more prominent role in constraining strong gravity effects in upcoming observations., Comment: 49 pages, 19 figures, 1 table

Reinforcement learning from human feedback (RLHF) methods are emerging as a way to fine-tune diffusion models (DMs) for visual generation. However, commonly used on-policy strategies are limited by the generalization capability of the reward model, while off-policy approaches require large amounts of difficult-to-obtain paired human-annotated data, particularly in visual generation tasks. To address the limitations of both on- and off-policy RLHF, we propose a preference optimization method that aligns DMs with preferences without relying on reward models or paired human-annotated data. Specifically, we introduce a Semi-Policy Preference Optimization (SePPO) method. SePPO leverages previous checkpoints as reference models while using them to generate on-policy reference samples, which replace "losing images" in preference pairs. This approach allows us to optimize using only off-policy "winning images." Furthermore, we design a strategy for reference model selection that expands the exploration in the policy space. Notably, we do not simply treat reference samples as negative examples for learning. Instead, we design an anchor-based criterion to assess whether the reference samples are likely to be winning or losing images, allowing the model to selectively learn from the generated reference samples. This approach mitigates performance degradation caused by the uncertainty in reference sample quality. We validate SePPO across both text-to-image and text-to-video benchmarks. SePPO surpasses all previous approaches on the text-to-image benchmarks and also demonstrates outstanding performance on the text-to-video benchmarks. Code will be released in https://github.com/DwanZhang-AI/SePPO.

A violation of the usual conservation law is proposed in Rastall theory. We consider two generalizations of Rastall theory: Brans-Dicke-Rastall theory and the newly established Rastall-scalar-tensor theory, the latter being a further generalization of the former. The field equations in these two generalized theories are studied across different parameter space, and the polarization modes of gravitational waves, as a key focus, are subsequently investigated. The results show that the polarization modes of gravitational waves in Brans-Dicke-Rastall theory are the same as those in Brans-Dicke theory; specifically, both theories exhibit the plus, cross, and breathing modes. However, in Rastall-scalar-tensor theory, the polarization modes of gravitational waves depend on the parameter space of the theory. Particularly, over a broad range of the parameter space, regardless of some special values of the parameters, it allows only two tensor modes, just as in general relativity, without introducing any additional degrees of freedom. This indicates that Rastall theory offers a novel approach to constructing modified gravity theories that propagate only two tensor degrees of freedom. In the remaining regions of the parameter space, there is also one scalar mode in addition to the two tensor modes. The scalar mode can be either a mixture of the breathing and longitudinal modes or just a pure breathing mode, depending on the parameter space. These results will play a crucial role in constraining the theoretical parameters through future gravitational wave detection projects, such as LISA, Taiji, and TianQin.

The Isaacson picture provides a general method for describing the effects of gravitational waves, established on two sets of basic equations. The first set of equations describes the propagation of gravitational waves within a given background, while the second set elucidates the interaction between the effective energy-momentum tensor of gravitational waves and the background metric. These two sets of equations are typically derived by expanding the field equations to second-order perturbations. In addition to the method of perturbing field equations, there is an alternative method: obtaining the two sets of basic equations by expanding the action to the second-order of perturbations. In this paper, we elaborate on this method, establishing its foundations more rigorously. Especially, the second-order perturbation action, with the Minkowski metric as the background, contains all necessary information to construct the Isaacson picture far from the source. We outline the derivation of the two sets of basic equations to describe the gravitational wave effects in the Isaacson picture, based on the second-order perturbation action. This will enable us to analyze the following effects: polarizations of gravitational waves, the wave speed for each polarization mode, the effective energy-momentum tensor of gravitational waves, and the nonlinear memory effect of gravitational waves. We illustrate this method by applying it to the most general second-order vector-tensor theory including parity-breaking terms. We further analyze the polarization modes of gravitational waves in this theory. We highlight that this method facilitates model-independent research on various gravitational wave effects in general modified gravity theories. These effects are anticipated to be identified by the upcoming generation of gravitational wave detectors, aimed at testing potential modifications to gravity theory., Comment: 85 pages, 1 figure

The dynamic mechanism of short range interaction between $u/d$ quarks is still an open and challenging problem. In order to reveal this quark dynamics, we perform a systematic analysis of $NN$, $D_{03}$, and $D_{30}$ systems in the (extended) chiral SU(3) constituent quark models. By comparing results calculated with different models and different parameter sets, the effects of one gluon exchange and vector meson exchange terms are carefully examined. The results indicate that the vector meson exchange interactions dominate the short range interactions between $u/d$ quarks, while the small residual one gluon exchange coupling strength is also allowed., Comment: 8 pages, 2 figures, comments and suggestions are welcome

For spinful systems with spin 1/2, it is generally believed that P and T invariant strong and second-order topologies exist in four band and eight band system, respectively. Here, by using periodic driving, we find it is possible to have strong topological insulator, second-order topological insulator and hybrid-order topological insulator in a single four band system. Furthermore, we established a direct connection between topology and dynamics. More convenient experimental detection for these topological phases has also been proposed. This study provides the theoretical basis for novel topological insulator that possess hybrid-order boundary states beyond the conventional regimes., Comment: 7 pages

In noncentrosymmetric superconductors, superconducting and normal conductions can interchange based on the current flow direction. This effect is termed a superconducting diode effect (SDE), which is a focal point of recent research. The broken inversion and time reversal symmetry is believed to be the requirements of SDE but their intrinsic role has remained elusive. Here, we report strain-controlled SDEs in a layered trigonal superconductor, PbTaSe2. The SDE was found exclusively in a strained device with its absence in an unstrained device, despite that it is allowed in unstrained trigonal structure. Moreover, the zero-field or magnetic field-even (magnetic field-odd) SDE is observed when the strain and current are along armchair (zigzag) direction The results unambiguously demonstrate the intrinsic SDE under time-reversal symmetry and the critical role of strain-induced electric polarization., Comment: 35 pages, 11 figures

We study the polarization modes of gravitational waves in general Einstein-vector theory with an arbitrary constant background vector field under a Minkowski background. We compare these polarization modes with those of other vector-tensor theories and constrain the parameter spaces based on the gravitational-wave event GW170817 with its electromagnetic counterpart GRB170817A and observations of pulsar timing arrays. The presence of the background vector field leads to the anisotropy of space and a rich variety of gravitational waves contents. Our results reveal that the polarization modes of gravitational waves depend on the parameter spaces. There are at least two and at most five independent polarization modes in one parameter space. In different parameter spaces, some mixture modes are allowed, including tensor-vector, tensor-scalar, tensor-vector-scalar, vector-scalar, and scalar-scalar mixture modes, as well as five independent modes (excluding $P_l$): $P_+$, $P_{\times}$, $P_x$, $P_y$, and $P_b$. In all regions of the parameter spaces, there are always two tensor modes, which can be either independent of or mixed with other modes. The independent $P_b$ mode consistently exhibits the same speed as light. If the speed of tensorial gravitational waves strictly equals that of light, only the $P_+$, $P_{\times}$, and $P_b$ modes are permitted. Furthermore, through comparisons of some vector-tensor theories and based on the observations of gravitational waves, the $P_b$ mode is expected to be allowed.

In present work, we perform a coupled-channel analysis of $B^{(*)}_{(s)}\bar{B}^{(*)}_{(s)}$ systems with the one-boson-exchange potentials. We first study the $I(J^{PC})=1(1^{+-})$ $B\bar{B}^{*}/B^{*}\bar{B}^{*}$ system to describe the $Z_{b}(10610)$ and $Z_{b}(10650)$ particles as molecular states and determine the reasonable range of cutoff parameter $\Lambda$. Then, other $B^{(*)}_{(s)}\bar{B}^{(*)}_{(s)}$ combinations with different quantum numbers are systematically investigated. Some bound states and resonances appear in the isoscalar systems, while only several shallow bound states exist for isovector systems. Far away from the excited conventional $P-$wave bottomium, these predicted states can be easily identified as exotic particles both theoretically and experimentally. Moreover, the $\eta_b(nS)/\Upsilon(nS)$ plus light mesons are the excellent final states to search for the bound states, while the $B\bar B^*+h.c.$ and $B^* \bar B^*$ channels are suitable for the resonances. We highly recommend that the LHCb and Belle II Collaborations can hunt for these bottomonium-like states in future., Comment: 11 pages, 4 figures. Some modifications, accepted version

Explicit mathematical reconstructions of quantum networks play a significant role in developing quantum information science. However, tremendous parameter requirements and physical constraint implementations have become computationally non-ignorable encumbrances. In this work, we propose an efficient method for quantum network tomography by learning isometries on the Stiefel manifold. Tasks of reconstructing quantum networks are tackled by solving a series of unconstrained optimization problems with significantly fewer parameters. The stepwise isometry estimation shows the capability for providing information of the truncated quantum network while processing the tomography. Remarkably, this method enables the dimension-reduced quantum network tomography by reducing the ancillary dimensions of isometries with bounded error. As a result, our proposed method exhibits high accuracy and efficiency.

The Wilson coefficients of the Standard Model Effective Field Theory are subject to a series of positivity bounds. It has been shown that, while the positivity part of the UV partial wave unitarity leads to the Wilson coefficients living in a convex cone, further including the non-positivity part caps the cone from above. For the Higgs scattering, a capped positivity cone have been obtained using a simplified, linear unitarity conditions and without utilizing the full internal symmetries of the Higgs scattering. Here we further implement the stronger nonlinear unitarity conditions from the UV, which generically gives rise to better bounds. We show that, for the Higgs case in particular, while the nonlinear unitarity conditions per se do not enhance the bounds, the fuller use of the internal symmetries do shrink the capped positivity cone significantly., Comment: 20 pages, 4 figures, invited contribution to JUSTC

Continuously and widely tunable lasers actively stabilized on a frequency reference are broadly employed in atomic, molecular and optical (AMO) physics. The frequency-stabilized optical frequency comb (OFC) provides a novel optical frequency reference with a broadband spectrum that meets the requirement of laser frequency stabilization. Therefore, we demonstrate a frequency-stabilized and precisely tunable laser system based on it. In this scheme, the laser frequency locked to the OFC is driven to jump over the ambiguity zones, which blocks the wide tuning of the locked laser, and tuned until the mode hopping happens with the always-activated feedback loop. Meanwhile, we compensate the gap of the frequency jump with a synchronized acoustic optical modulator to ensure the continuity. This scheme is applied to an external cavity diode laser (ECDL) and we achieve tuning at a rate of about 7 GHz/s with some readily available commercial electronics. Furthermore, we tune the frequency-stabilized laser only with the feedback of diode current and its average tuning speed can exceed 100 GHz/s. Due to the resource-efficient configuration and the simplicity of completion, this scheme can be referenced and find wide applications in AMO experiments.

In this paper, we establish a unified parameterized framework for analyzing the polarization modes of gravitational waves in the general metric theory (gravity is only described by the metric) and the general scalar-tensor theory (gravity is described by the metric and an additional scalar field). Specifically, we study the polarization modes of gravitational waves in the most general metric theory and general scalar-tensor theory that satisfy the following conditions: (1) Spacetime is four-dimensional; (2) The theory satisfies the principle of least action; (3) The theory is generally covariant; (4) The action describing a free particle is $\int ds$. We find that the polarization modes of gravitational waves in the theory satisfying the above conditions depends on the selection of parameters in the framework, and the theory allows for up to all six polarization modes. Once we have established our framework, the analysis of the polarization modes of gravitational waves in specific theories will depend on determining the corresponding parameters within our framework. In our analysis, we also find that the polarization modes of gravitational waves in the general metric theory and the general scalar-tensor theory that satisfy the conditions also have some interesting universal properties., Comment: v3: 38 pages, 1 figure, 2 tables, typos corrected

While in-memory learned indexes have shown promising performance as compared to B+-tree, most widely used databases in real applications still rely on disk-based operations. Based on our experiments, we observe that directly applying the existing learned indexes on disk suffers from several drawbacks and cannot outperform a standard B+-tree in most cases. Therefore, in this work we make the first attempt to show how the idea of learned index can benefit the on-disk index by proposing AULID, a fully on-disk updatable learned index that can achieve state-of-the-art performance across multiple workload types. The AULID approach combines the benefits from both traditional indexing techniques and the learned indexes to reduce the I/O cost, the main overhead under disk setting. Specifically, three aspects are taken into consideration in reducing I/O costs: (1) reduce the overhead in updating the index structure; (2) induce shorter paths from root to leaf node; (3) achieve better locality to minimize the number of block reads required to complete a scan. Five principles are proposed to guide the design of AULID which shows remarkable performance gains and meanwhile is easy to implement. Our evaluation shows that AULID has comparable storage costs to a B+-tree and is much smaller than other learned indexes, and AULID is up to 2.11x, 8.63x, 1.72x, 5.51x, and 8.02x more efficient than FITing-tree, PGM, B+-tree, ALEX, and LIPP., Comment: 14 pages

Latest diffusion-based methods for many image restoration tasks outperform traditional models, but they encounter the long-time inference problem. To tackle it, this paper proposes a Wavelet-Based Diffusion Model (WaveDM). WaveDM learns the distribution of clean images in the wavelet domain conditioned on the wavelet spectrum of degraded images after wavelet transform, which is more time-saving in each step of sampling than modeling in the spatial domain. To ensure restoration performance, a unique training strategy is proposed where the low-frequency and high-frequency spectrums are learned using distinct modules. In addition, an Efficient Conditional Sampling (ECS) strategy is developed from experiments, which reduces the number of total sampling steps to around 5. Evaluations on twelve benchmark datasets including image raindrop removal, rain steaks removal, dehazing, defocus deblurring, demoir\'eing, and denoising demonstrate that WaveDM achieves state-of-the-art performance with the efficiency that is comparable to traditional one-pass methods and over 100$\times$ faster than existing image restoration methods using vanilla diffusion models., Comment: Accepted by TMM

In this paper, we study polarization modes of gravitational waves in generalized Proca theory in the homogeneous and isotropic Minkowski background. The results show that the polarizations of gravitational waves depend on the parameter space of this gravity theory and can be divided into quite rich cases by parameters. In some parameter space, it only allows two tensor modes, i.e., the $+$ and $\times$ modes. In some parameter space, besides tensor modes, it also allows one scalar mode, or two vector (vector-$x$ and vector-$y$) modes, or both one scalar mode and two vector modes. The scalar mode is a mixture mode of a breathing mode and a longitudinal mode, or just a pure breathing mode. Interestingly, it is found that the amplitude of the vector modes is related to the speed of the tensor modes. This allows us to give the upper bound of the amplitude of the vector modes by detecting the speed of the tensor modes. Specifically, if the speed of tensor modes is strictly equal to the speed of light, then the amplitude of vector modes is zero., Comment: v2: 28 pages, 1 figure, 2 tables, improved version

The front-end is a critical component of English text-to-speech (TTS) systems, responsible for extracting linguistic features that are essential for a text-to-speech model to synthesize speech, such as prosodies and phonemes. The English TTS front-end typically consists of a text normalization (TN) module, a prosody word prosody phrase (PWPP) module, and a grapheme-to-phoneme (G2P) module. However, current research on the English TTS front-end focuses solely on individual modules, neglecting the interdependence between them and resulting in sub-optimal performance for each module. Therefore, this paper proposes a unified front-end framework that captures the dependencies among the English TTS front-end modules. Extensive experiments have demonstrated that the proposed method achieves state-of-the-art (SOTA) performance in all modules., Comment: Accepted in ICASSP 2024

We compute the causality/positivity bounds on the Wilson coefficients of scalar-tensor effective field theories. Two-sided bounds are obtained by extracting IR information from UV physics via dispersion relations of scattering amplitudes, making use of the full crossing symmetry. The graviton $t$-channel pole is carefully treated in the numerical optimization, taking into account the constraints with fixed impact parameters. It is shown that the typical sizes of the Wilson coefficients can be estimated by simply inspecting the dispersion relations. We carve out sharp bounds on the leading coefficients, particularly, the scalar-Gauss-Bonnet couplings, and discuss how some bounds vary with the leading $(\partial\phi)^4$ coefficient and as well as phenomenological implications of the causality bounds., Comment: 76 pages, 15 figures; to appear in JHEP

Clinic testing plays a critical role in containing infectious diseases such as COVID-19. However, one of the key research questions in fighting such pandemics is how to optimize testing capacities across clinics. In particular, domain experts expect to know exactly how to adjust the features that may affect testing capacities, given that dynamics and uncertainty make this a highly challenging problem. Hence, as a tool to support both policymakers and clinicians, we collaborated with domain experts to build ClinicLens, an interactive visual analytics system for exploring and optimizing the testing capacities of clinics. ClinicLens houses a range of features based on an aggregated set of COVID-19 data. It comprises Back-end Engine and Front-end Visualization that take users through an iterative exploration chain of extracting, training, and predicting testing-sensitive features and visual representations. It also combines AI4VIS and visual analytics to demonstrate how a clinic might optimize its testing capacity given the impacts of a range of features. Three qualitative case studies along with feedback from subject-matter experts validate that ClinicLens is both a useful and effective tool for exploring the trends in COVID-19 and optimizing clinic testing capacities across regions. The entire approach has been open-sourced online: https://github.com/YuDong5018/clinic-lens.

The visual modeling method enables flexible interactions with rich graphical depictions of data and supports the exploration of the complexities of epidemiological analysis. However, most epidemiology visualizations do not support the combined analysis of objective factors that might influence the transmission situation, resulting in a lack of quantitative and qualitative evidence. To address this issue, we have developed a portrait-based visual modeling method called +msRNAer. This method considers the spatiotemporal features of virus transmission patterns and the multidimensional features of objective risk factors in communities, enabling portrait-based exploration and comparison in epidemiological analysis. We applied +msRNAer to aggregate COVID-19-related datasets in New South Wales, Australia, which combined COVID-19 case number trends, geo-information, intervention events, and expert-supervised risk factors extracted from LGA-based censuses. We perfected the +msRNAer workflow with collaborative views and evaluated its feasibility, effectiveness, and usefulness through one user study and three subject-driven case studies. Positive feedback from experts indicates that +msRNAer provides a general understanding of analyzing comprehension that not only compares relationships between cases in time-varying and risk factors through portraits but also supports navigation in fundamental geographical, timeline, and other factor comparisons. By adopting interactions, experts discovered functional and practical implications for potential patterns of long-standing community factors against the vulnerability faced by the pandemic. Experts confirmed that +msRNAer is expected to deliver visual modeling benefits with spatiotemporal and multidimensional features in other epidemiological analysis scenarios.