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1. Student Interpretations of Eigenequations in Linear Algebra and Quantum Mechanics

   https://doi.org/10.1007/s40753-024-00241-7  

   Wawro, Megan; Pina, Andi; Thompson, John_R; Topdemir, Zeynep; Watson, Kevin (June 2024, International Journal of Research in Undergraduate Mathematics Education)

   Abstract This work investigates how students interpret various eigenequations in different contexts for$$2 \times 2$$ $2\times 2$matrices:$$A\vec {x}=\lambda \vec {x}$$ $A\overrightarrow{x}=\lambda \overrightarrow{x}$in mathematics and either$$\hat{S}_x| + \rangle _x=\frac{\hbar }{2}| + \rangle _x$$ ${\hat{S}}_x{|+⟩}_x=\frac{ħ}{2}{|+⟩}_x$or$$\hat{S}_z| + \rangle =\frac{\hbar }{2}| + \rangle$$ ${\hat{S}}_z|+⟩=\frac{ħ}{2}|+⟩$in quantum mechanics. Data were collected from two sources in a senior-level quantum mechanics course; one is video, transcript and written work of individual, semi-structured interviews; the second is written work from the same course three years later. We found two principal ways in which students reasoned about the equal sign within the mathematics eigenequation and at times within the quantum mechanical eigenequations: with a functional interpretation and/or a relational interpretation. Second, we found three distinct ways in which students explained how they made sense of the physical meaning conveyed by the quantum mechanical eigenequations: via a measurement interpretation, potential measurement interpretation, or correspondence interpretation of the equation. Finally, we present two themes that emerged in the ways that students compared the different eigenequations: attention to form and attention to conceptual (in)compatibility. These findings are discussed in relation to relevant literature, and their instructional implications are also explored. 

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2. Improved Merlin–Arthur Protocols for Central Problems in Fine-Grained Complexity

   https://doi.org/10.1007/s00453-023-01102-6  

   Akmal, Shyan; Chen, Lijie; Jin, Ce; Raj, Malvika; Williams, Ryan (February 2023, Algorithmica)

   Abstract In a Merlin–Arthur proof system, the proof verifier (Arthur) accepts valid proofs (from Merlin) with probability 1, and rejects invalid proofs with probability arbitrarily close to 1. The running time of such a system is defined to be the length of Merlin’s proof plus the running time of Arthur. We provide new Merlin–Arthur proof systems for some key problems in fine-grained complexity. In several cases our proof systems have optimal running time. Our main results include:Certifying that a list ofnintegers has no 3-SUM solution can be done in Merlin–Arthur time$$\tilde{O}(n)$$ $\tilde{O}\left(n\right)$. Previously, Carmosino et al. [ITCS 2016] showed that the problem has a nondeterministic algorithm running in$$\tilde{O}(n^{1.5})$$ $\tilde{O}\left(n^{1.5}\right)$time (that is, there is a proof system with proofs of length$$\tilde{O}(n^{1.5})$$ $\tilde{O}\left(n^{1.5}\right)$and a deterministic verifier running in$$\tilde{O}(n^{1.5})$$ $\tilde{O}\left(n^{1.5}\right)$time).Counting the number ofk-cliques with total edge weight equal to zero in ann-node graph can be done in Merlin–Arthur time$${\tilde{O}}(n^{\lceil k/2\rceil })$$ $\tilde{O}\left(n^{\lceil k/2\rceil }\right)$(where$$k\ge 3$$ $k\ge 3$). For oddk, this bound can be further improved for sparse graphs: for example, counting the number of zero-weight triangles in anm-edge graph can be done in Merlin–Arthur time$${\tilde{O}}(m)$$ $\tilde{O}\left(m\right)$. Previous Merlin–Arthur protocols by Williams [CCC’16] and Björklund and Kaski [PODC’16] could only countk-cliques in unweighted graphs, and had worse running times for smallk.Computing the All-Pairs Shortest Distances matrix for ann-node graph can be done in Merlin–Arthur time$$\tilde{O}(n^2)$$ $\tilde{O}\left(n^2\right)$. Note this is optimal, as the matrix can have$$\Omega (n^2)$$ $\Omega \left(n^2\right)$nonzero entries in general. Previously, Carmosino et al. [ITCS 2016] showed that this problem has an$$\tilde{O}(n^{2.94})$$ $\tilde{O}\left(n^{2.94}\right)$nondeterministic time algorithm.Certifying that ann-variablek-CNF is unsatisfiable can be done in Merlin–Arthur time$$2^{n/2 - n/O(k)}$$ $2^{n/2-n/O\left(k\right)}$. We also observe an algebrization barrier for the previous$$2^{n/2}\cdot \textrm{poly}(n)$$ $2^{n/2}·\text{poly}\left(n\right)$-time Merlin–Arthur protocol of R. Williams [CCC’16] for$$\#$$ $\#$SAT: in particular, his protocol algebrizes, and we observe there is no algebrizing protocol fork-UNSAT running in$$2^{n/2}/n^{\omega (1)}$$ $2^{n/2}/n^{\omega \left(1\right)}$time. Therefore we have to exploit non-algebrizing properties to obtain our new protocol.Certifying a Quantified Boolean Formula is true can be done in Merlin–Arthur time$$2^{4n/5}\cdot \textrm{poly}(n)$$ $2^{4n/5}·\text{poly}\left(n\right)$. Previously, the only nontrivial result known along these lines was an Arthur–Merlin–Arthur protocol (where Merlin’s proof depends on some of Arthur’s coins) running in$$2^{2n/3}\cdot \textrm{poly}(n)$$ $2^{2n/3}·\text{poly}\left(n\right)$time.Due to the centrality of these problems in fine-grained complexity, our results have consequences for many other problems of interest. For example, our work implies that certifying there is no Subset Sum solution tonintegers can be done in Merlin–Arthur time$$2^{n/3}\cdot \textrm{poly}(n)$$ $2^{n/3}·\text{poly}\left(n\right)$, improving on the previous best protocol by Nederlof [IPL 2017] which took$$2^{0.49991n}\cdot \textrm{poly}(n)$$ $2^{0.49991n}·\text{poly}\left(n\right)$time. 

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3. The half-volume spectrum of a manifold

   https://doi.org/10.1007/s00526-025-02949-z  

   Mazurowski, Liam; Zhou, Xin (May 2025, Calculus of Variations and Partial Differential Equations)

   Abstract We define the half-volume spectrum$$\{{\tilde{\omega }_p\}_{p\in \mathbb {N}}}$$ $\{{\tilde{\omega }}_p{\}}_{p\in N}$of a closed manifold$$(M^{n+1},g)$$ $(M^{n+1},g)$. This is analogous to the usual volume spectrum ofM, except that we restrict top-sweepouts whose slices each enclose half the volume ofM. We prove that the Weyl law continues to hold for the half-volume spectrum. We define an analogous half-volume spectrum$$\tilde{c}(p)$$ $\tilde{c}\left(p\right)$in the phase transition setting. Moreover, for$$3 \le n+1 \le 7$$ $3\le n+1\le 7$, we use the Allen–Cahn min-max theory to show that each$$\tilde{c}(p)$$ $\tilde{c}\left(p\right)$is achieved by a constant mean curvature surface enclosing half the volume ofMplus a (possibly empty) collection of minimal surfaces with even multiplicities. 

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4. On an Equivalence of Divisors on $$\overline {\text {M}}_{0,n}$$ from Gromov-Witten Theory and Conformal Blocks

   https://doi.org/10.1007/s00031-022-09752-6  

   Chen, L.; Gibney, A.; Heller, L.; Kalashnikov, E.; Larson, H.; Xu, W. (August 2022, Transformation Groups)

   Abstract We consider a conjecture that identifies two types of base point free divisors on$$\overline {\text {M}}_{0,n}$$ ${\overline{M}}_{0,n}$. The first arises from Gromov-Witten theory of a Grassmannian. The second comes from first Chern classes of vector bundles associated with simple Lie algebras in type A. Here we reduce this conjecture on$$\overline {\text {M}}_{0,n}$$ ${\overline{M}}_{0,n}$to the same statement forn= 4. A reinterpretation leads to a proof of the conjecture on$$\overline {\text {M}}_{0,n}$$ ${\overline{M}}_{0,n}$for a large class, and we give sufficient conditions for the non-vanishing of these divisors. 

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5. Search for supersymmetry in final states with missing transverse momentum and three or more b-jets in 139 fb$$^{-1}$$ of proton–proton collisions at $$\sqrt{s} = 13$$ TeV with the ATLAS detector

   https://doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-023-11543-6  

   Aad, G.; Abbott, B.; Abbott, D. C.; Abeling, K.; Abidi, S. H.; Aboulhorma, A.; Abramowicz, H.; Abreu, H.; Abulaiti, Y.; Abusleme Hoffman, A. C.; et al (July 2023, The European Physical Journal C)

   Abstract A search for supersymmetry involving the pair production of gluinos decaying via off-shell third-generation squarks into the lightest neutralino$$(\tilde{\chi }^0_1)$$ $\left({\tilde{\chi }}_1^0\right)$is reported. It exploits LHC proton–proton collision data at a centre-of-mass energy$$\sqrt{s} = 13$$ $\sqrt{s}=13$TeV with an integrated luminosity of 139 fb$$^{-1}$$ ${}^{-1}$collected with the ATLAS detector from 2015 to 2018. The search uses events containing large missing transverse momentum, up to one electron or muon, and several energetic jets, at least three of which must be identified as containingb-hadrons. Both a simple kinematic event selection and an event selection based upon a deep neural-network are used. No significant excess above the predicted background is found. In simplified models involving the pair production of gluinos that decay via off-shell top (bottom) squarks, gluino masses less than 2.44 TeV (2.35 TeV) are excluded at 95% CL for a massless$$\tilde{\chi }^0_1.$$ ${\tilde{\chi }}_1^0.$Limits are also set on the gluino mass in models with variable branching ratios for gluino decays to$$b\bar{b}\tilde{\chi }^0_1,$$ $b\overline{b}{\tilde{\chi }}_1^0,$$$t\bar{t}\tilde{\chi }^0_1$$ $t\overline{t}{\tilde{\chi }}_1^0$and$$t\bar{b}\tilde{\chi }^-_1/\bar{t}b\tilde{\chi }^+_1.$$ $t\overline{b}{\tilde{\chi }}_1^{-}/\overline{t}b{\tilde{\chi }}_1^{+}.$ 

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