Know2Look: Commonsense Knowledge for Visual Search

With the rise in popularity of social media, images accompanied by contextual text form a huge section of the web. However, search and retrieval of documents are still largely dependent on solely textual cues. Although visual cues have started to gain focus, the imperfection in object/scene detection do not lead to significantly improved results. We hypothesize that the use of background commonsense knowledge on query terms can significantly aid in retrieval of documents with associated images. To this end we deploy three different modalities - text, visual cues, and commonsense knowledge pertaining to the query - as a recipe for efficient search and retrieval

Employment rights: an unseen iceberg in the Brexit debate?

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, chances are you are aware of the impending EU referendum on 23 June. A key Brexit slogan is ‘we don’t want Brussels to dictate which laws the UK should pass’. This argument has gained traction with the public, thanks in part to the press reports on curly cucumbers and the ‘abolition’ of pounds and ounces. But many of the laws ‘imposed’ by the EU are to the benefit of millions of workers and employees, which, naturally, benefits our society

The scaling of the decoherence factor of a qubit coupled to a spin chain driven across quantum critical points

We study the scaling of the decoherence factor of a qubit (spin-1/2) using the central spin model in which the central spin (qubit) is globally coupled to a transverse XY spin chain. The aim here is to study the non-equilibrium generation of decoherence when the spin chain is driven across (along) quantum critical points (lines) and derive the scaling of the decoherence factor in terms of the driving rate and some of the exponents associated with the quantum critical points. Our studies show that the scaling of logarithm of decoherence factor is identical to that of the defect density in the final state of the spin chain following a quench across isolated quantum critical points for both linear and non-linear variations of a parameter even if the defect density may not satisfy the standard Kibble-Zurek scaling. However, one finds an interesting deviation when the spin chain is driven along a critical line. Our analytical predictions are in complete agreement with numerical results. Our study, though limited to integrable two-level systems, points to the existence of a universality in the scaling of the decoherence factor which is not necessarily identical to the scaling of the defect density.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures, Final and accepted versio

Renormalization group flows in a Lifshitz-like four fermi model

We study renormalization group flows in the Lifshitz-like $N$-flavour four fermi model discussed in 0905.2928. In the large-$N$ limit, a nontrivial flow occurs in only one of all possible marginal couplings and one relevant coupling, which provides the scale for Lorentz invariance violations. We discuss in detail the phase diagram and RG flows in the space of couplings, which includes the Lifshitz fixed point, the free field fixed point and a new fixed point characterized by $z=1$ scaling and a violation of Lorentz invariance, which cannot be tuned away by adjusting a parameter. In the broken symmetry phase, the model flows from the $z=3$ Lifshitz-like fixed point in the ultraviolet to this new fixed point in the infrared. However, in a modified version of the present model, which has an effective ultraviolet cut-off much smaller than the Lorentz invariance violating scale, the infrared behaviour is governed by an approximately Lorentz invariant theory, similar to the low energy limit of the usual relativistic Nambu$-$Jona-Lasinio model. Such a modified model could be realized by a supersymmetric version of the present model.Comment: 30 pages, 2 figure

Coenzyme Q10 deficiencies: pathways in yeast and humans.

Coenzyme Q (ubiquinone or CoQ) is an essential lipid that plays a role in mitochondrial respiratory electron transport and serves as an important antioxidant. In human and yeast cells, CoQ synthesis derives from aromatic ring precursors and the isoprene biosynthetic pathway. Saccharomyces cerevisiae coq mutants provide a powerful model for our understanding of CoQ biosynthesis. This review focusses on the biosynthesis of CoQ in yeast and the relevance of this model to CoQ biosynthesis in human cells. The COQ1-COQ11 yeast genes are required for efficient biosynthesis of yeast CoQ. Expression of human homologs of yeast COQ1-COQ10 genes restore CoQ biosynthesis in the corresponding yeast coq mutants, indicating profound functional conservation. Thus, yeast provides a simple yet effective model to investigate and define the function and possible pathology of human COQ (yeast or human gene involved in CoQ biosynthesis) gene polymorphisms and mutations. Biosynthesis of CoQ in yeast and human cells depends on high molecular mass multisubunit complexes consisting of several of the COQ gene products, as well as CoQ itself and CoQ intermediates. The CoQ synthome in yeast or Complex Q in human cells, is essential for de novo biosynthesis of CoQ. Although some human CoQ deficiencies respond to dietary supplementation with CoQ, in general the uptake and assimilation of this very hydrophobic lipid is inefficient. Simple natural products may serve as alternate ring precursors in CoQ biosynthesis in both yeast and human cells, and these compounds may act to enhance biosynthesis of CoQ or may bypass certain deficient steps in the CoQ biosynthetic pathway