Order-Stability in Complex Biological,Social, and AI-Systems from Quantum Information Theory

This paper is our attempt, on the basis of physical theory, to bring more clarification on the question “What is life?” formulated in the well-known book of Schrödinger in 1944. According to Schrödinger, the main distinguishing feature of a biosystem’s functioning is the ability to preserve its order structure or, in mathematical terms, to prevent increasing of entropy. However, Schrödinger’s analysis shows that the classical theory is not able to adequately describe the order-stability in a biosystem. Schrödinger also appealed to the ambiguous notion of negative entropy. We apply quantum theory. As is well-known, behaviour of the quantum von Neumann entropy crucially differs from behaviour of classical entropy. We consider a complex biosystem S composed of many subsystems, say proteins, cells, or neural networks in the brain, that is, S=(Si). We study the following problem: whether the compound system S can maintain “global order” in the situation of an increase of local disorder and if S can preserve the low entropy while other Si increase their entropies (may be essentially). We show that the entropy of a system as a whole can be constant, while the entropies of its parts rising. For classical systems, this is impossible, because the entropy of S cannot be less than the entropy of its subsystem Si. And if a subsystems’s entropy increases, then a system’s entropy should also increase, by at least the same amount. However, within the quantum information theory, the answer is positive. The significant role is played by the entanglement of a subsystems’ states. In the absence of entanglement, the increasing of local disorder implies an increasing disorder in the compound system S (as in the classical regime). In this note, we proceed within a quantum-like approach to mathematical modeling of information processing by biosystems—respecting the quantum laws need not be based on genuine quantum physical processes in biosystems. Recently, such modeling found numerous applications in molecular biology, genetics, evolution theory, cognition, psychology and decision making. The quantum-like model of order stability can be applied not only in biology, but also in social science and artificial intelligence.     

Unsteady hydromagnetic flow of a reactive variable viscosity third‐grade fluid in a channel with convective cooling

This paper examines the combined effects of a transverse magnetic field and variable viscosity on unsteady flow of a reactive third‐grade electrically conducting fluid and heat transfer in a channel with convective cooling at the surface. It is assumed that the fluid has small electrical conductivity and the electromagnetic force produced is very small. The coupled nonlinear partial differential equations governing the problem are derived and solved numerically using a semi‐implicit finite‐difference scheme. Both numerical and graphical results are presented and physical aspects of the problem are discussed with respect to various parameters embedded in the system. It is in general noted that those parameters that increase/decrase one flow quantity (velocity or temperature) also lead to the increase/decrease respectively of the other quantity. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Joint impact of nodes-mobility and channel estimation error on the performance of two-way relay systems

This paper presents the performance analysis of a two-way relay system with nodes-mobility (NM) and channel estimation errors (CEE) under time-varying Rayleigh fading. Herein, analog network coding protocol is employed at the relay node. All the participating nodes are half-duplex and equipped with single-antenna devices. Specifically, we utilize first-order Markovian model to characterize the impact of NM in the channel. Along with the NM, we also consider that the CEE may exist in practical scenarios, where nodes require to estimate the channel state information. By incorporating these factors, we first derive the instantaneous end-to-end (e2e) signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) at two source nodes. Then, we obtain the exact closed-form expressions for distribution and density functions of the two e2e SNRs. After that, we derive the accurate expressions of various performance metrics, viz., sum-bit error rate, overall outage probability, and ergodic sum-rate. Further, to attain more insights into the considered system, we deduce the asymptotic behavior of these performance metrics. Finally, numerical and Monte-Carlo simulation results are provided to validate our theoretical analysis and to illustrate the impact of NM and CEE on the performance measures of the considered system.     

Fast parallel detection of feline panleukopenia virus DNA by multi‐channel microchip electrophoresis with programmed step electric field strength

A multi‐channel microchip electrophoresis using a programmed step electric field strength (PSEFS) method was investigated for fast parallel detection of feline panleukopenia virus (FPV) DNA. An expanded laser beam, a 10× objective lens, and a charge‐coupled device camera were used to simultaneously detect the separations in three parallel channels using laser‐induced fluorescence detection. The parallel separations of a 100‐bp DNA ladder were demonstrated on the system using a sieving gel matrix of 0.5% poly(ethylene oxide) (M_r = 8 000 000) in the individual channels. In addition, the PSEFS method was also applied for faster DNA separation without loss of resolving power. A DNA size marker, FPV DNA sample, and a negative control were simultaneously analyzed with single‐run and one‐step detection. The FPV DNA was clearly distinguished within 30 s, which was more than 100 times faster than with conventional slab gel electrophoresis. The proposed multi‐channel microchip electrophoresis with PSEFS was demonstrated to be a simple and powerful diagnostic method to analyze multiple disease‐related DNA fragments in parallel with high speed, throughput, and accuracy.     

Atmospheric degradation mechanisms of a simulant organophosphorus pesticide isopropyl methyl methylphosphonate: A theoretical consideration

Calculations using density functional theory were performed to explore the mechanisms for atmospheric degradation of isopropyl methyl methylphosphonate (IMMP). The potential energy surface profiles for OH‐initiated reaction of IMMP were constructed, and all possible degradation channels were considered. Rate constants were further calculated using transition state theory. It was established from these calculations that H‐abstractions from alkyl groups have much lower energy barriers than substitutions of alkoxyl groups, and four possible H‐abstraction channels are competitive. Investigations into the secondary reactions under the presence of O₂/NO were also performed. It is shown that O₂ addition, reaction of peroxide radicals with NO to form RO radicals, and removal of ·RO are the major degradation pathways for alkyl radicals. Four selected products, CH₃OP(O)(CH₃)OC(O)CH₃, CH₃OP(O)(O)CH₃, (CH₃)₂CHOP(O)(CH₃)OH, and (CH₃)₂CHOP(O)(CH₃)OCH?O, are predicted to be the major products in this study. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

基于MetropolisQ学习的蜂窝网络在线信道分配

针对现有的蜂窝网络的在线动态分配模型具有的信道需求量大、呼叫动态变化时阻塞率高和收敛速度慢的缺点,设计了一种基于MetropoisQ学习的蜂窝网络的在线信道分配方法。首先,在考虑同信道限制、邻居信道限制和同小区限制的基础上,设计了在线信道分配的数学模型,然后在Q-Learning算法基础上的设计了一种基于资格迹的Q(λ)算法实现信道的在线分配,为了进一步提高收敛速度,采用Metropois规则对算法中动作的选择方式进行改进,实现探索和利用的平衡。为了验证文中方法,采用Matlab工具上进行实验,仿真实验结果表明文中方法能实现蜂窝通信网络的在线信道分配,且与其它方法比较,具有较少的信道需求量、较低的阻塞率和收敛速度,较其它方法具有较大优越性。     

Transformations of iodine species inside elliptical channels of AlPO4‐11 crystals at low temperature: a Raman study

Raman spectra of iodine species confined in one‐dimensional elliptical channels of AlPO₄‐11 (AEL) crystals have been studied from room temperature down to −196 °C. As temperature decreases, thermal fluctuations of individual iodine molecules confined in AEL channels are slowed down and they prefer to rotate to channel axis direction, which increases the population of iodine molecules along channel axis (i.e., lying molecules and chains). Such temperature‐driven orientation transformation of iodine molecules is found to be reversible upon heating up to room temperature. The experimental observations are in good agreement with our theoretical simulations by molecular dynamics on low density iodine‐filled AEL crystals. We thus provide a new way to modulate the orientation of iodine molecules in nanochannels, which may have implications in low‐temperature‐sensitive nanoscale devices. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Numerical simulations of viscoelastic particle migration in a microchannel with triangular cross-section

The migration of a spherical particle immersed in a viscoelastic liquid flowing in a microchannel with a triangular cross-section is investigated by direct numerical simulations under inertialess conditions. The viscoelastic fluid is modeled through two constitutive equations to investigate the effect of the second normal stress difference and the resulting secondary flows on the migration phenomenon. The results are presented in terms of trajectories followed by the particles released at different initial positions over the channel cross-section in a wide range of Weissenberg numbers and confinement ratios. Particles suspended in a fluid with a negligible second normal stress difference migrate toward the channel centerline or the closest wall, depending on their initial position. A much more complex dynamics is found for particles suspended in a fluid with a relevant second normal stress difference due to the appearance of secondary flows that compete with the migration phenomenon. Depending on the Weissenberg number and confinement ratio, additional equilibrium positions (points or closed orbits) may appear. In this case, the channel centerline becomes unstable and the particles are driven to the corners or “entrapped” in recirculation regions within the channel cross-section. The inversion of the centerline stability can be exploited to design efficient size-based separation devices.     

Secondary-flow-aided single-train elastic-inertial focusing in low elasticity viscoelastic fluids

Elastic-inertial focusing has attracted increasing interest in recent years due to the three-dimensional (3D) single-train focusing ability it offers. However, multi-train focusing, instead of single-train focusing, was observed in viscoelastic fluids with low elasticity as a result of the competition between inertia effect and viscoelasticity effect. To address this issue, we employed the secondary flow to facilitate single-train elastic-inertial focusing in low elasticity viscoelastic fluids. A three-section contraction-expansion channel was designed to induce the secondary flow to pinch the multiplex focusing trains into a single one exactly at the channel centerline. After demonstrating the focusing process and mechanism in our device, we systematically explored and discussed the effects of particle diameter, operational flow rate, polymer concentration, and channel dimension on particle focusing performances. Our device enables single-train focusing of particles in viscoelastic fluids with low elasticity, and offers advantages of planar single-layer structure, and sheathless, external-field free operation.     

Dynamics of the thermocline in the equatorial region of the Pacific ocean

This paper is devoted to the subsurface current dynamics in equatorial regions, where the hallmark of a strong stratification is a sharp interface (thermocline), separating two layers of different density, and whose depth is dependent upon the strength of the winds above the ocean's surface. We give here a few monotonicity results concerning the dynamics of the thermocline in the equatorial region. The most important one asserts that the level of the thermocline decreases as the strength of the wind at ten meters above the ocean surface, denoted |U_w|, increases. Moreover, the strength of the current at the thermocline decreases as |U_w| increases.