This paper extends the foundational reflection theory of Nichols algebras to the setting of some certain coquasi-Hopf algebras. Our primary motivation arises from the classification of pointed finite-dimensional coquasi-Hopf algebras. We develop a reflection theory for tuples of simple Yetter-Drinfeld modules in the category $\GG$, where $G$ is a finite group and $Φ$ is a 3-cocycle on $G$. We prove that such a tuple gives rise to a semi-Cartan graph if admitting all reflections. Consequently, its Weyl groupoid is well-defined. We further establish several criteria for the finite-dimensionality of Nichols algebras in terms of the associated semi-Cartan graph. As an application, we provide a new proof for the infinite-dimensionality of a specific class of Nichols algebras previously studied in \cite{huang2024classification}, bypassing extensive computational arguments.

In this work, we establish the existence of solutions to stochastic differential equations on the Wasserstein space over a closed Riemannian manifold, under suitable regularity assumptions on the driving vector fields. Interpreting the diffeomorphism group $\mathscr{D}$ as a Riemannian submersion onto the smooth Wasserstein space $\mathscr{P}_\infty$, we further prove the existence and uniqueness of the stochastic parallel parallel transport along diffusions on $\mathscr{P}_\infty$. Finally, we show that equivariant diffusions on $\mathscr{D}$ endowed with a principal bundle structure over $\mathscr{P}_\infty$ admit a unique factorization into a horizontal diffusion and a vertical component expressed as a right exponential of a process taking values in the Lie algebra $\mathfrak{g}$ of the group $G$ of volume preserving diffeomorphisms.

Single-arm studies in the early development phases of new treatments are not uncommon in the context of rare diseases or in paediatrics. If an assessment of efficacy is to be made at the end of such a study, the observed endpoints can be compared with reference values that can be derived from historical data. For a time-to-event endpoint, a statistical comparison with a reference curve can be made using the one-sample log-rank test. In order to ensure the interpretability of the results of this test, the role of the reference curve is crucial. This quantity is often estimated from a historical control group using a parametric procedure. Hence, it should be noted that it is subject to estimation uncertainty. However, this aspect is not taken into account in the one-sample log-rank test statistic. We analyse this estimation uncertainty for the common situation that the reference curve is estimated parametrically using the maximum likelihood method, and indicate how the variance estimation of the one-sample log-rank test can be adapted in order to take this variability into account. The resulting test procedures are illustrated using a data example and analysed in more detail using simulations, particularly in comparison with established two-sample methods.

Using K giants from the second data release (DR2) of the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) Milky Way (MW) Survey, we measure the shape, orientation, radial profile, and density anisotropies of the MW stellar halo over 8 kpc$<r_\mathrm{GC}<200$ kpc. We identify a triaxial stellar halo (axes ratio $10:8:7$), 43 degrees tilted from the disk, showing two break radii at $\sim16$ kpc and $\sim76$ kpc, likely associated with Gaia-Sausage/Enceladus (GSE) and Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), respectively. The inner stellar halo ($<30$ kpc) is oblate and aligned with the disk, whereas the outer stellar halo becomes prolate and perpendicular to the disk, consistent with the Vast Polar Structure of MW satellites. The twisted halo may arise from the disk-halo angular momentum shift triggered by the infall of a massive satellite. The anisotropic density distribution of the stellar halo is also measured, with successful re-identification of the Hercules-Aquila Cloud South/North (HAC-N/-S) and Virgo overdensities (VOD). Break radii are found at 15/30 kpc for VOD/HAC-N(-S). We identify the LMC transient density wake with a break radius at 60 kpc in the Pisces overdensity region. We also find new observational evidence of the LMC collective density wake, by showing a break radius at $\sim$100 kpc in the northern Galactic cap with a clear density peak at 90 kpc. In the end, we found that more metal-poor halo stars are more radially extended. Our results provide important clues to the assembly and evolution of the MW stellar halo under the standard cosmic structure formation framework.

White dwarfs (WDs) are the final fate of about 97\% of the stars in our galaxy, making them vital tracers of stellar history. A fraction of WDs exist in cataclysmic variable (CV) systems, accreting matter from a nearby companion star. A subset of CVs undergo episodic rapid mass transfer, termed dwarf novae (DNe) outbursts. Some accreting WDs exhibit near sinusoidal photometric variations, interpreted as $g$ mode pulsations. However, identifying pulsation modes in accreting WDs remains challenging due to the paucity of available observed modes. In this work, we present a comprehensive computation of the observable $g$ mode frequencies across a range of WD parameters, varying the WD mass, size of the newly accreted layer and core temperature. We also introduce a novel method for mode identification based on the time evolution of pulsation periods following an accretion episode. Our mode identification method does not rely on the direct detection of the consecutive radial mode orders, frequently required in isolated WDs. Moreover, this work improves upon our previous WD modeling efforts. We use a more realistic core temperature in addition to thermohaline mixing and element diffusion enabled during the accretion phase.

Data from the LHC show a rise in strange-hadron production with charged-particle multiplicity in pp collisions. The Monte-Carlo event generator PYTHIA, using its default Monash tune, instead predicts constant strangeness. We investigate a mechanism invoked during hadronization called string closepacking, where overlapping strings generate a background field, here assumed to be predominantly aligned with the beam axis. This increases the effective string tension, reducing strangeness suppression and thus enhancing strangeness production. We tune this model to LHC data and contrast it with several alternatives. We comment specifically on the challenge of simultaneously describing the non-strange p/pi ratio, and introduce a mechanism which may act to suppress it. Many of the salient particle-production ratios can be qualitatively described by this model, although the XiC/D ratio and the shape of pT spectra remain challenging to account for.

A model of hybrid meson structure based on the QCD Hamiltonian in Coulomb gauge and the use of a single constituent quasigluon is applied compute hadronic decays of mesons with exotic quantum numbers, $0^{+-}$ and $2^{+-}$. These correspond to hybrid mesons in which the gluon couples to a $q\bar{q}$ pair in an $P$-wave and can therefore be identified as orbital excitations of the exotic $1^{-+}$ state. Interestingly, we find $0^{+-}$ states to be narrow, contrary to what was found by previous calculations. This is primarily due to the suppression of the decay mode $0^{+-}\rightarrow 2^1S_0+1^1S_0$, which is unique to our model. The $2^{+-}$ states are found to be narrow, as expected.

Quantized transport not only exist in gapped topological states but also in metallic states. Recently, Kane proposed a quantized nonlinear conductance in ballistic metals whose value is determined by the Euler characteristic of the Fermi sea [Phys. Rev. Lett. 128, 076801 (2022)]. In this paper, we consider two-dimensional noninteracting fermionic systems whose Fermi surface has nonvanishing Berry curvature. We find that the Berry curvature at the Fermi surface does not affect the quantized nonlinear transport for translationally invariant systems. When spatial inhomogeneity is introduced, such quantization breaks down due to the combined effect of Berry curvature and the gradient of local potential. Such breakdown of quantization can be observed in trapped ultracold atoms with topological bands.

Bug prediction has long been considered the "prince" of empirical software engineering research, and accordingly, a substantial body of work has focused on predicting bugs to enable early preventive actions. However, most existing studies operate at the class or file level, which practitioners have found to be of limited practical value. As a result, method-level bug prediction has gained increasing attention in recent years. Despite this shift, current method-level prediction models typically treat all buggy methods as equally fault-prone, regardless of whether a method has been associated with a bug once or repeatedly. We argue that methods involved in bugs multiple times-hereafter referred to as ExtremelyBuggy methods-are more harmful than methods that are buggy only once. In this study, we investigate the prevalence of ExtremelyBuggy methods, analyze their code quality metrics, and assess whether they can be predicted at the time of their introduction. In addition, we conduct a thematic analysis of 287 ExtremelyBuggy methods to gain deeper insights into their characteristics. Using a dataset of over 1.25 million methods extracted from 98 open-source Java projects, we find that only a small proportion of methods can be classified as ExtremelyBuggy, yet these methods account for a disproportionately large share of bugs within a project. Although we observe statistically significant differences between ExtremelyBuggy and other methods, ExtremelyBuggy methods remain difficult to predict at their inception. Nevertheless, our manual analysis reveals recurring characteristics among these methods. These findings can help practitioners avoid harmful patterns in practice and guide future research toward developing features and models that better capture the unique properties of such methods.

We study the tree-level scattering of massless scalars followed by an emission of a soft graviton in the small compact region inside the static patch in de Sitter space. We derive in the small cosmological constant limit the perturbative corrections to the Weinberg soft graviton theorem. Exploiting the remarkable relationship between asymptotic symmetries and soft theorems in flat space, we derive perturbative corrections to the supertranslation Ward identity. We further show that the derived supertranslation Ward identity reduces to the perturbative soft graviton theorem for the same choice of the supertranslation parameter as in flat space.

We investigate the nonequilibrium dynamics of interacting bosons in a two-leg ring ladder pierced by an artificial magnetic flux, where the particles are initially localized in the central sites of both rings, and the ac-driven local energy shifts are applied to the remaining lattice sites. Within the mean-field approximation, we demonstrate the emergence of nonlinear self-trapping for strong interparticle interactions, and characterize the distinct excitation regimes in the absence of the inter-ring tunneling. The artificial magnetic flux typically introduces Peierls phase factors, which induces complex-valued hopping amplitudes and leads to directed net particle currents along the chains. By further incorporating the finite inter-ring coupling and biased intra-ring hopping, we reveal that the tuning of the drive frequency and Peierls phase allows the precise control over both the intensity and direction of particle currents, which facilitates the transition between chiral and antichiral dynamics. These findings offer insights into the coherent manipulation of matter-wave transports in closed-loop lattice configurations and the exploration of nonequilibrium synthetic quantum systems in related fields.

We revisit whether a semiclassical closed baby universe in AdS/CFT necessarily possess a trivial one-dimensional Hilbert space or may instead carry a large entropy. Recent results on Haar random encoding suggest a breakdown of complementary recovery, in which no logical operators can be reconstructed from individual bipartite subsystems. Motivated by this, we propose an interpretation where a baby universe emerges as logical degrees of freedom that cannot be accessed from either boundary alone, assuming pseudorandom dynamics in holographic CFT correlators. We then analyze two conceptual puzzles: an apparent cloning of baby-universe microstates and its eventual fate at the singularity. Both puzzles are avoided because no single boundary observer can access the baby-universe degrees of freedom, be it classical or quantum, reflecting an emergent form of complementarity due to the structure of random encoding. In this interpretation, observers arise naturally: the same heavy operator that prepares the baby-universe geometry also serves as observer-like degrees of freedom that define an observer-dependent baby-universe microstate.

Optical control offers a compelling route for tailoring material properties on an ultrafast time scale. Ordered states such as charge density waves (CDWs) can be transiently melted by an ultrafast light excitation. This is also the case for the rare-earth tritelluride LaTe$_3$, a prototypical CDW compound. For this material it has recently been reported that the suppression of the primary CDW allows the transient formation of a second CDW, whose wave vector is orthogonal to the primary one. This creates the intriguing scenario where light enables switching between two distinct ordered phases of the material. While the second CDW has so far been observed by structural techniques, it remains an open question how the interplay of the two CDW phases is reflected in the material's electronic structure. We investigate this via time- and angle-resolved photoemission measurements of LaTe$_3$. The complex Fermi contour is probed using a FeSuMa analyzer, which records the photoemission intensity of the entire Fermi contour at once. The dynamics revealed by the FeSuMa analyzer are complemented by measurements using a conventional hemispherical electron analyzer. We combine conventional data analysis with $k$-means clustering, an unsupervised machine learning technique, demonstrating its strong potential for disentangling large datasets. While we do not find any features that cannot be explained by the melting and re-establishment of the primary CDW, distinct dynamics and coherent oscillations are observed in the different branches of the Fermi contour.

We study correlation decay for the maximum weight matching problem on sparse graphs with i.i.d. edge weights. We show exponential decay of correlations when the underlying graphs are locally tree-like with uniformly bounded degree and the edge weights are exponential. We also prove a polynomial rate of decay of correlations for any finite graph with maximum degree at most three, again for exponential edge weights. As consequences of the correlation decay property, we obtain the existence of the maximum weight matching on infinite graphs, local weak convergence of the maximum weight matching, and a law of large numbers for its total weight.

We consider the existence of the integrated density of states (IDS) of the magnetic Schrödinger operator with a random potential on the Hilbert space \( L^2(\mathbb{R}^d) \), as an analogue of the law of large numbers (LLN) for trace functionals. In this work, we establish an analogue of the central limit theorem (CLT), which describes the fluctuations of the trace functionals of the IDS, for a class of test functions denoted by \( C^1_{d,0}(\mathbb{R}) \). This class consists of real-valued, continuously differentiable functions on \( \mathbb{R} \) that decay at the rate \( O(|x|^{-m}) \) as \( |x| \to \infty \), where \( m > d + 1 \).

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations provide atomistic insights into the structure, dynamics, and function of biomolecules by generating time-resolved, high-dimensional trajectories. Analyzing such data benefits from estimating the minimal number of variables required to describe the explored conformational manifold, known as the intrinsic dimension (ID). We present MDIntrinsicDimension, an open-source Python package that estimates ID directly from MD trajectories by combining rotation- and translation-invariant molecular projections (e.g., backbone dihedrals and inter-residue distances) with state-of-the-art estimators. The package provides three complementary analysis modes: whole-molecule ID; sliding windows along the sequence; and per-secondary-structure elements. It computes both overall ID (a single summary value) and instantaneous, time-resolved ID that can reveal transitions and heterogeneity over time. We illustrate the approach on fast folding-unfolding trajectories from the DESRES dataset, demonstrating that ID complements conventional geometric descriptors by highlighting spatially localized flexibility and differences across structural segments.

We perform a lattice QCD calculation of the $S$-wave interactions between the ground-state spin-$1/2$ doubly charmed baryons and Goldstone bosons. The lattice QCD simulations are carried out on four $2+1$ flavor Wilson-Clover ensembles generated by the CLQCD collaboration, with a lattice spacing $a=0.07746$ fm and two different pion masses, $M_π\sim 210$ and $\sim 300~\mathrm{MeV}$. Energy levels are extracted for four single channels, $Ω_{cc}\bar{K}^{(-2,1/2)}$, $Ξ_{cc}K^{(1,1)}$, $Ξ_{cc}K^{(1,0)}$, and $Ξ_{cc}π^{(0,3/2)}$, where the superscripts $(S,I)$ denote strangeness $S$ and isospin $I$. Our results indicate that the $Ξ_{cc}K^{(1,0)}$ channel is attractive, exhibiting negative energy shifts relative to the non-interacting two-hadron thresholds, while the other three channels are repulsive. Using Lüscher's finite-volume formula, we extract the near-threshold phase shifts and determine the $S$-wave scattering lengths. Furthermore, a virtual state pole is found in the $Ξ_{cc}K^{(1,0)}$ scattering amplitude. These results provide {\it ab initio} input to enable high-precision studies of the properties and spectroscopy of doubly heavy baryons.

We investigate the periodic Anderson model composed of an itinerant $c$-band and a strongly localized $f$-band, featuring on-site electron-electron interactions in the $f$-orbitals. The two bands interact via a hybridization term with spin-orbit coupling, which enables spin-flip processes. In the non-interacting limit, these profoundly alter the electronic structure, leading to the emergence of flat bands, van Hove singularities, and, most notably, Dirac cones within a single Kondo-Dirac semimetal order. The strongly interacting regime is explored via the determinant quantum Monte Carlo method, in the absence of the sign problem, where we unveil a complete ground-state phase diagram revealing two distinct phases, the Kondo-Dirac semimetal phase and a novel antiferromagnetic semimetal phase. Their characterization by the spectral functions establishes an orbital-selective Mott transition in the antiferromagnetic semimetal phase, marked by the opening of a gap exclusively in the $f$-orbital while Dirac cones persist in the $c$-orbital. Conversely, in the Kondo-Dirac semimetal phase, both $c$- and $f$-orbitals sustain robust Dirac cones. We establish that spin-orbit coupling in the hybridization term gives rise to Dirac cones, which, combined with additional symmetry-breaking conditions, can generate novel topological states.

Recent studies in the collective behavior of active colloids have shown that a global polar order may emerge due to long-ranged chemo-repulsive interactions between them. Here, we report the role of pinning disorder in the flocking transition for such a system. To this end, we study the problem of chemically interacting active colloids with some fraction of the colloids randomly pinned over space such that they can only rotate while phoretically interacting with other particles. Using this model, we investigate the sustenance of global polar order in the presence of quenched spatial disorder. We quantify the flocking transition by studying the global polarization, and the role of finite-size effects. We find that in the crystallite flocking phase, even a small fraction of pinning can destroy spatial crystalline order, although polar order in the form of a liquid phase is maintained. It is observed that polar order is sustained in a system with a higher pinning fraction if the long-ranged repulsive force is subsequently increased. However, in absence of chemo-repulsive forces between particles, polar order drastically decreases even with a smaller pinning fraction. Our work suggests that the flocking transition of active colloids can be controlled via "translationally inert" obstacles, that rotate but do not translate whilst interacting with the bulk.

We study the dynamical properties of a broad class of high-dimensional random dynamical systems exhibiting chaotic as well as fixed point and periodic attractors. We consider cases in which attractors can co-exists in some regions of the phase diagrams and we characterize their nature by computing the maximal Lyapunov exponent. For a specific choice of the dynamical system we show that this quantity can be computed explicitly in the whole chaotic phase due to an underlying integrability of a properly defined Schrödinger problem. Furthermore, we consider the response of this dynamical systems to periodic perturbations. We show that these dynamical systems act as filters in the frequency-amplitude spectrum of the periodic forcing: only in some regions of the frequency-amplitude plane the periodic forcing leads to a synchronization of the dynamics. All in all, the results that we present mirror closely the ones observed in the past forty years in the study of standard models of random recurrent neural networks. However, the dynamical systems that we consider are easier to study and we believe that this may be an advantage if one wants to go beyond random dynamical systems and consider specific training strategies.

Videos make exercise instruction widely available, but they rely on visual demonstrations that blind and low vision (BLV) learners cannot see. While audio descriptions (AD) can make videos accessible, describing movements remains challenging as the AD must convey what to do (mechanics, location, orientation) and how to do it (speed, fluidity, timing). Prior work thus used multimodal instruction to support BLV learners with individual simple movements. However, it is unclear how these approaches scale to dance instruction with unique, complex movements and precise timing constraints. To inform accessible asynchronous dance instruction systems, we conducted three co-design workshops (N=28) with BLV dancers, instructors, and experts in sound, haptics, and AD. Participants designed 8 systems revealing common themes: staged learning to dissect routines, crafting vocabularies for movements, and selectively using modalities (narration for movement structure, sound for expression, and haptics for spatial cues). We conclude with design implications to make learning dance accessible.

Neutrino detectors, particle calorimeters and some dark matter detectors require dense and massive active materials. An extremely fine segmentation is desirable to achieve precise three-dimensional particle tracking. However, such systems introduce significant challenges in construction and demand a large number of readout electronics channels, leading to extremely high costs. In this article, we propose an alternative approach to elementary particle detection that enables ultrafast three-dimensional high-resolution imaging in large volumes of unsegmented scintillator. Enabling technologies are plenoptic systems and time-resolving single-photon avalanche diode array imaging sensors. Together, they enabled us, using a plenoptic camera, to reconstruct the origin of single photons in the scintillator. A case study focused on neutrino detection demonstrates full event reconstruction with a spatial resolution of two hundred micrometres. This work paves the way for a class of particle detectors whose capabilities should be further enhanced through future developments and expanded to Cherenkov light detection, medical imaging and neutron detection.

We present a generative framework for pricing European-style basket options by learning the conditional terminal distribution of the log arithmetic-weighted basket return. A Mixture Density Network (MDN) maps time-varying market inputs encoded via truncated path signatures to the full terminal density in a single forward pass. Traditional approaches either impose restrictive assumptions or require costly re-simulation whenever inputs change, limiting real-time use. Trained on Monte Carlo (MC) under GBM with time-varying volatility or local volatility, the MDN acts as a reusable surrogate distribution: once trained, it prices new scenarios by integrating the learned density. Across maturities, correlations, and basket weights, the learned densities closely match MC (low KL) and produce small pricing errors, while enabling \emph{train-once, price-anywhere} reuse at inference-time latency.

We employed the self-consistent method on a two-orbital type-II time-reversal-symmetric Weyl semimetal, revealing a hybrid pairing of singlet $s$-wave and triplet $p$-wave. We present a detailed analysis of the normal-state electronic structure and the self-consistent results. Our findings indicate that the selection of hybrid pairings is governed by distinct surface Fermi-arc configurations: specifically, $s$-wave pairing dominates on the bottom surface, while $p$-wave pairing prevails on the top. Furthermore, the emergent superconducting state is a second-order topological superconductors with hinge states in the system. Our results identify type-II time-reversal-invariant Weyl semimetals as a promising intrinsic platform for realizing unconventional and topological superconductivity.

We propose a concept for a cryogenic source of atomic tritium at sub-Kelvin temperatures and energies suitable for magnetic trapping. The source is based on the dissociation of solid molecular T2 films below 1 K by electrons from a pulsed RF discharge, a technique recently demonstrated for atomic hydrogen, combined with buffer-gas cooling and magnetic confinement. We analyze the key processes limiting the source performance, adsorption, spin exchange and recombination, and show that atomic tritium fluxes exceeding 1e15 1/s at kinetic energies of 100 mK can be achieved at the entrance to the magnetic trap. Such a source would enable Doppler-free two-photon 1S-2S spectroscopy in atomic tritium for high-precision measurements of the triton charge radius, providing a crucial benchmark for bound-state QED and improving the comparison between electronic, muonic, and scattering determinations of nuclear sizes in light systems. Beyond spectroscopy, an atomic tritium source avoids molecular final state broadening in the beta decay and is therefore necessary for next generation neutrino mass measurements; combined with detector technologies such as sub-eV resolution quantum sensors or cyclotron radiation emission spectroscopy, it enables an order of magnitude improvement compared to the current best experimental limit. Additionally, the source can be used to generate a beam of low field seeking deuterium atoms for loading magnetic traps, an important benchmark before trapping tritium atoms, which is useful for precision spectroscopy.

We present an implementation of the density-functional theory DFT$+U$$+V$ formalism within the all-electron full-potential linearized augmented-plane-wave (FLAPW) method as implemented in the FLEUR code. The DFT$+U$$+V$ formalism extends DFT, supplemented by the onsite Coulomb interaction $U$, to address local correlation effects in localized states by incorporating intersite Coulomb interaction terms $V$. It holds promise for improving charge and bond disproportionation, charge and orbital ordering, charge density wave formation, charge transfer, and the intersite correlation resulting from hybridization between states of neighboring sites in a solid. $U$ and $V$ parameters are obtained from first principles using the constrained random-phase approximation (cRPA) employing two different atom basis representations to project the screened Coulomb interaction: the Wannier and the muffin-tin basis functions. We investigate in detail the impact of the $V$ term for typical covalently bonded materials like graphene, for bulk semiconductors such as silicon and germanium, and for charge-transfer insulators like NiO. Our results demonstrate an improvement in accuracy of specific properties across these systems, providing a framework for describing materials with different interaction regimes. We compare our DFT$+U$$+V$ results using our cRPA parameter sets with (i) previous DFT$+U$$+V$ calculation employing pseudopotential approximations, (ii) with experimental results and (iii) with our $GW$ results.

We study estimation of the average treatment effect (ATE) from a single network in observational settings with interference. The weak cross-unit dependence is modeled via an endogenous peer-effect (network autoregressive) term that induces distance-decaying network dependence, relaxing the common finite-order interference to infinite interference. We propose a targeted minimum loss estimation (TMLE) procedure that removes plug-in bias from an initial estimator. The targeting step yields an adjustment direction that incorporates the network autoregressive structure and assigns heterogeneous, network-dependent weights to units. We find that the asymptotic leading term related to the covariates $\mathbf{X}_i$ can be formulated into a $V$-statistic whose order diverges with the network degrees. A novel limit theory is developed to establish the asymptotic normality under such complex network dependent scenarios. We show that our method can achieve smaller asymptotic variance than existing methods when $\mathbf{X}_i$ is i.i.d. generated and estimated with empirical distribution, and provide theoretical guarantees for estimating the variance. Extensive numerical studies and a live-streaming data analysis are presented to illustrate the advantages of the proposed method.

Transition Radiation Detectors (TRDs) are useful for electron identification and hadron suppression in high energy nuclear and particle physics experiments. Conventional wire-chamber TRDs face operational limitations due to space charge effects, motivating the replacement of the amplification stage with MicroPattern Gaseous Detectors (MPGDs). This work explores different MPGD technologies - Gas Electron Multiplier (GEM), Micro-Mesh Gaseous Structure (Micromegas), and Resistive Micro-Well ($μ$RWELL) - as alternative TRD amplification stages. We report on the design, construction, and in-beam characterization of multiple MPGD-based TRD prototypes exposed to 3-20 GeV mixed electron-hadron beams at the Fermilab Test Beam Facility and at the CERN SPS H8 beamline. Each detector consisted of a multi-layered radiator, an approximately 2 cm deep drift region, an MPGD amplification stage optimized for X-ray transition radiation detection in a Xe:CO$_{2}$ (90:10) gas mixture, and a two-dimensional readout. The GEM-based TRD prototype achieved a pion suppression factor of about 8 at 90% electron efficiency, while the Micromegas-based prototype - with an added GEM preamplification layer - demonstrated improved operational stability and clear TR photon discrimination. The $μ$RWELL prototype achieved stable operation but limited signal gain. Geant4-based studies confirmed the observed trends and highlighted the sensitivity of the TR yield to cathode material and radiator configuration. These studies represent the first in-beam measurements of Micromegas- and $μ$RWELL-based TRDs, along with discussion of the performance capabilities of a triple-GEM-TRD. The results demonstrate the feasibility of MPGDs as scalable, high-rate amplification structures for next-generation TRD applications.

In this article, we investigate the proposed duality between the island and the defect extremal surface (DES) prescriptions using the fine-grained entanglement entropy in Karch-Randall (KR) brane-world models with gravitating radiation baths. We consider the AdS$_3$ black string geometry and compute the entanglement entropy for radiation subsystems on an AdS$_2$ eternal black hole background using both the island and the DES prescriptions. We find an agreement between the two proposals for the island and the no-island phases, thus verifying the validity of the proposed duality. We further extend to a $T\bar{T}$ deformed AdS$_3$ black string geometry with a cut-off and find consistent results for both phases. We finally plot and compare the Page curves for the undeformed and deformed scenarios, and discuss the modifications due to $T\bar{T}$ deformation.

We study broadband terahertz (THz) conductivity and ultrafast photoconductivity spectra in lithographically fabricated multilayer epitaxial graphene nanoribbons grown on C- face of 6H-SiC substrate. THz near-field spectroscopy reveals local conductivity variations across nanoscale structural inhomogeneities such as wrinkles and grain boundaries within the multilayer graphene. Ultrabroadband THz far-field spectroscopy (0.15-16 THz) distinguishes doped graphene layers near the substrate from quasi-neutral layers (QNLs) further from the substrate. Temperature-dependent THz conductivity spectra are dominated by intra-band transitions both in the doped and QNLs. Photoexcitation then alters mainly the response of the QNLs: these exhibit a very high carrier mobility and a large positive THz photoconductivity with picosecond lifetime. The response of QNLs strongly depends on the carrier temperature $T_c$: the scattering time drops by an order of magnitude down to ~10 fs upon an increase of $T_c$ from 50 K to $T_c >$ 1000 K, which is attributed to an enhanced electron-electron and electron-phonon scattering and to an interaction of electrons with mid-gap states.