Inequities Between Security Infrastructure and Performance Increases
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Nelms, John [Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM)↗
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LA100 Equity Strategies. Chapter 1: Justice as Recognition
The LA100 Equity Strategies project synthesizes community guidance with robust research, modeling, and analysis to identify strategy options that can increase equitable outcomes in Los Angeles' clean energy transition. Grounded in the analysis of past and ongoing energy inequities and engagement with underserved communities, the project presents community-guided and community-tailored strategies that aim to operationalize recognition and procedural justice. This chapter focuses on recognition justice, identifying and analyzing past and present social, cultural, and institutional barriers to affordable and clean energy for LA communities, as well as disparities in the distribution of energy system burdens and benefits. Acknowledging historical and structural factors behind current energy inequities is a first step in developing energy equity strategies for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) to achieve distributional justice - the just and equitable distribution of energy benefits and burdens in LA's energy transition. Recognition, procedural, and distributional justice are the three tenets of energy justice around which the LA100 Equity Strategies project is organized. In the United States, theory and practice around justice have historically focused on unequal distribution of environmental benefits and burdens. The historical siting of hazardous infrastructure such as power plants and transportation corridors in communities of color and low-income communities has disproportionately concentrated negative environmental impacts in their neighborhoods. Those inequities are reproduced via programs, policies, and other efforts (e.g., zoning and regulations, rebates and incentives, lending, investment, and financing) that directly affect people's lives and livelihoods. In recent decades, energy justice scholars and activists broadened their analysis to examine how environmental inequities intersect with other forms of social difference in the distribution of energy benefits and burdens. This approach investigates how differences in class, race, gender, age, and abilities, among others, intersect to understand the social, cultural, and institutional processes that create and perpetuate energy inequities. The LA100 Equity Strategies project embraces this approach to developing a more just clean energy future for LA. Because recognizing and understanding past and existing inequities is vital to addressing them in ways that ensure an equitable energy transition for all Angelenos, this chapter focuses on identifying and analyzing the challenges and inequities of LA's past and existing energy system, including LADWP programs.
community↗
Global disease burden linked to diet high in red meat and colorectal cancer from 1990 to 2019 and its prediction up to 2030
Background Numerous studies have already identified an association between excessive consumption of red meat and colorectal cancer (CRC). However, there has been a lack of detailed understanding regarding the disease burden linked to diet high in red meat and CRC. Objective We aim to offer evidence-based guidance for developing effective strategies that can mitigate the elevated CRC burden in certain countries. Methods We used the data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study 2019 to evaluate global, regional, and national mortality rates and disability-adjusted Life years (DALYs) related to diet high in red meat. We also considered factors such as sex, age, the socio-demographic index (SDI), and evaluated the cross-national inequalities. Furthermore, we utilized DALYs data from 204 countries and regions to measure cross-country inequalities of CRC by calculating the slope index of inequality and concentration index as standard indicators of absolute and relative inequalities. Discussion The results show that globally, the age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR) and age-standardized disability adjusted life year rate (ASDR) related to CRC due to diet high in red meat have decreased, with estimated annual percent change (EAPCs) of −0.32% (95% CI −0.37 to −0.28) and-0.18% (95% CI −0.25 to −0.11). Notably, the burden was higher among males and the elderly. The slope index of inequality rose from 22.0 (95% CI 18.1 to 25.9) in 1990 to 32.9 (95% CI 28.3 to 37.5) in 2019 and the concentration index fell from 59.5 (95% CI 46.4 to 72.6) in 1990 to 48.9 (95% CI 34.6 to 63.1) in 2019. Also, according to our projections, global ASDR and ASMR might tend to increase up to 2030. Conclusion ASMR and ASDR for CRC associated with high red meat diets declined globally from 1990 to 2019, but the absolute number of cases is still rising, with men and the elderly being more affected. CRC associated with diets high in red meat exhibits significant income inequality, placing a disproportionate burden on wealthier countries. Moreover, according to our projections, ASMR and ASDR are likely to increase globally by 2030. In order to address this intractable disease problem, understanding changes in global and regional epidemiologic trends is critical for policy makers and others.
Yang, Xuesong↗
An Analysis of the Johnson-Lindenstrauss Lemma with the Bivariate Gamma Distribution
Probabilistic proofs of the Johnson-Lindenstrauss lemma imply that random projection can reduce the dimension of a data set and approximately preserve pairwise distances. If a distance being approximately preserved is called a success, and the complement of this event is called a failure, then such a random projection likely results in no failures. Assuming a Gaussian random projection, the lemma is proved by showing that the no-failure probability is positive using a combination of Bonferroni's inequality and Markov's inequality. This paper modifies this proof in two ways to obtain a greater lower bound on the no-failure probability. First, Bonferroni's inequality is applied to pairs of failures instead of individual failures. Second, since a pair of projection errors has a bivariate gamma distribution, this probability of a pair of successes is bounded using an inequality from [Jensen, 1969]. If n is the number of points to be embedded and μ is the probability of success, then this leads to an increase in the lower bound on the no-failure probability of $\frac{1}{2}$ ($\genfrac{}{}{0pt}{}{n}{2}$) (1- μ ) 2 is ($\genfrac{}{}{0pt}{}{n}{2}$) is even and $\frac{1}{2}$ (($\genfrac{}{}{0pt}{}{n}{2}$)-1) (1- μ ) 2 if ($\genfrac{}{}{0pt}{}{n}{2}$) is odd. For example, if n =10 5 points are to be embedded in k =10 4 dimensions with a tolerance of ϵ=0.1, then the improvement in the lower bound is on the order of 10 -14 . We also show that further improvement is possible if the inequality in [Jensen, 1969] extends to three successes, though we do not have a proof of this result.
96 KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AND PRESERVATION↗
VA/Q distribution during heavy exercise and recovery in humans: implications for pulmonary edema
Ventilation-perfusion (VA/Q) inequality has been shown to increase with exercise. Potential mechanisms for this increase include nonuniform pulmonary vasoconstriction, ventilatory time constant inequality, reduced large airway gas mixing, and development of interstitial pulmonary edema. We hypothesized that persistence of VA/Q mismatch after ventilation and cardiac output subside during recovery would be consistent with edema; however, rapid resolution would suggest mechanisms related to changes in ventilation and blood flow per se. Thirteen healthy males performed near-maximal cycle ergometry at an inspiratory PO2 of 91 Torr (because hypoxia accentuates VA/Q mismatch on exercise). Cardiorespiratory variables and inert gas elimination patterns were measured at rest, during exercise, and between 2 and 30 min of recovery. Two profiles of VA/Q distribution behavior emerged during heavy exercise: in group 1 an increase in VA/Q mismatch (log SDQ of 0.35 +/- 0.02 at rest and 0.44 +/- 0.02 at exercise; P less than 0.05, n = 7) and in group 2 no change in VA/Q mismatch (n = 6). There were no differences in anthropometric data, work rate, O2 uptake, or ventilation during heavy exercise between groups. Group 1 demonstrated significantly greater VA/Q inequality, lower vital capacity, and higher forced expiratory flow at 25-75% of forced vital capacity for the first 20 min during recovery than group 2. Cardiac index was higher in group 1 both during heavy exercise and 4 and 6 min postexercise. However, both ventilation and cardiac output returned toward baseline values more rapidly than did VA/Q relationships. Arterial pH was lower in group 1 during exercise and recovery. We conclude that greater VA/Q inequality in group 1 and its persistence during recovery are consistent with the hypothesis that edema occurs and contributes to the increase in VA/Q inequality during exercise. This is supported by observation of greater blood flows and acidosis and, presumably therefore, higher pulmonary vascular pressures in such subjects.
NASA Discipline Cardiopulmonary↗
Quantum Extremal Surfaces and the Holographic Entropy Cone
Quantum states with geometric duals are known to satisfy a stricter set of entropy inequalities than those obeyed by general quantum systems. The set of allowed entropies derived using the Ryu-Takayanagi (RT) formula defines the Holographic Entropy Cone (HEC). These inequalities are no longer satisfied once general quantum corrections are included by employing the Quantum Extremal Surface (QES) prescription. Nevertheless, the structure of the QES formula allows for a controlled study of how quantum contributions from bulk entropies interplay with HEC inequalities. In this paper, we initiate an exploration of this problem by relating bulk entropy constraints to boundary entropy inequalities. In particular, we show that requiring the bulk entropies to satisfy the HEC implies that the boundary entropies also satisfy the HEC. Further, we also show that requiring the bulk entropies to obey monogamy of mutual information (MMI) implies the boundary entropies also obey MMI.
72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
Physics-Informed Machine Learning Models for Predicting the Progress of Reactive-Mixing
This paper presents a physics-informed machine learning (ML) framework to construct reduced-order models (ROMs) for reactive-transport quantities of interest (QoIs) based on high-fidelity numerical simu-lations. QoIs include species decay, product yield, and degree of mixing. The ROMs for QoIs are applied to quantify and understand how the chemical species evolve over time. First, high-resolution datasets for constructing ROMs are generated by solving anisotropic reaction-di?usion equations using a non-negative finite element formulation for di?erent input parameters. The reactive-mixing model input parameters are: time-scale associated with flipping of velocity, spatial-scale controlling small/large vortex structures of velocity, perturbation parameter of the vortex-based velocity, anisotropic dispersion strength/contrast, and molecular diffusion. Second, random forests, F-test, and mutual information criterion are used to evaluate the importance of model inputs/features with respect to QoIs. We observed that anisotropic dispersion strength/contrast is the most important feature and time-scale associated with flipping of velocity is the least important feature. Third, Support Vector Machines (SVM) and Support Vector Regression (SVR) are used to construct ROMs based on the model inputs. The constructed SVR-ROMs are then used to predict scaling of QoIs. We also present estimates and inequalities on the QoIs, which inform that the species decay, mix, and produce in an exponential fashion. These inequalities also inform that a radial basis function is the most suitable kernel for the SVM/SVR models for QoIs. It is observed that R2-score for SVR-ROMs on unseen data is greater than 0.9, implying that the SVR-ROMs are able to predict the reaction-diffusion system state reasonably well. Finally, in terms of the computational cost, the proposed SVM-ROMs are O(107) times faster than running a high-fidelity finite element simulation for evaluating QoIs. This makes the proposed ML-based ROMs attractive for reactive-transport sensing and real-time monitoring applications as they are significantly faster yet reasonably accurate.
Mudunuru, Maruti K.↗
Structural reforms and income distribution: new evidence for OECD countries
Abstract This article examines the impact of labour market and product market reforms on income inequality for 25 OECD countries between 1970 and 2020, using the local projections approach and an updated narrative-based dataset of the reform indicators. Our results suggest that both types of (endogenized) market-oriented reforms increase income inequality, but the effects are small. Consistent with this finding is that counter-reforms lead to less income inequality. Our results also indicate that the inequality-increasing effect of market-oriented reforms is mostly a result of more income going to the top of the income distribution.
Wiese, Rasmus↗
Optimum vibrating beams with stress and deflection constraints
The fundamental frequency of vibration of an Euler-Bernoulli or a Timoshenko beam of a specified constant volume is maximized subject to the constraint that under a prescribed loading the maximum stress or maximum deflection at any point along the beam axis will not exceed a specified value. In contrast with the inequality constraint which controls the minimum cross-section, the present inequality constraints lead to more meaningful designs. The inequality constraint on stresses is as easily implemented as the minimum cross-section constraint but the inequality constraint on deflection uses a treatment which is an extension of the matrix partitioning technique of prescribing displacements in finite element analysis.
Kamat, M. P.↗
Equity and modeling in sustainability science: Examples and opportunities throughout the process
Equity is core to sustainability, but current interventions to enhance sustainability often fall short in adequately addressing this linkage. Models are important tools for informing action, and their development and use present opportunities to center equity in process and outcomes. This Perspective highlights progress in integrating equity into systems modeling in sustainability science, as well as key challenges, tensions, and future directions. We present a conceptual framework for equity in systems modeling, focused on its distributional, procedural, and recognitional dimensions. We discuss examples of how modelers engage with these different dimensions throughout the modeling process and from across a range of modeling approaches and topics, including water resources, energy systems, air quality, and conservation. Synthesizing across these examples, we identify significant advances in enhancing procedural and recognitional equity by reframing models as tools to explore pluralism in worldviews and knowledge systems; enabling models to better represent distributional inequity through new computational techniques and data sources; investigating the dynamics that can drive inequities by linking different modeling approaches; and developing more nuanced metrics for assessing equity outcomes. We also identify important future directions, such as an increased focus on using models to identify pathways to transform underlying conditions that lead to inequities and move toward desired futures. By looking at examples across the diverse fields within sustainability science, we argue that there are valuable opportunities for mutual learning on how to use models more effectively as tools to support sustainable and equitable futures.
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
Tight Bounds from Multiple‐Observable Entropic Uncertainty Relations
Abstract The additivity properties for both bipartite and multipartite systems are investigated by using entropic uncertainty relations (EUR) defined in terms of the joint Shannon entropy of probabilities of local measurement outcomes. In particular, state‐independent and state‐dependent entropic inequalities are introduced. Interestingly, the violation of these inequalities is strictly connected with the presence of quantum correlations. It is shown that the additivity of EUR holds only for EUR that involve two observables, while this is not the case for inequalities that consider more than two observables or the addition of the von Neumann entropy of a subsystem. They are applied to bipartite systems and to several classes of states of a three‐qubit system.
Riccardi, Alberto↗
Algorithmic construction of SSA-compatible extreme rays of the subadditivity cone and the N = 6 solution
We compute the set of all extreme rays of the 6-party subadditivity cone that are compatible with strong subadditivity. In total, we identify 208 new (genuine 6-party) orbits, 52 of which violate at least one known holographic entropy inequality. For the remaining 156 orbits, which do not violate any such inequalities, we construct holographic graph models for 150 of them. For the final 6 orbits, it remains an open question whether they are holographic. Consistent with the strong form of the conjecture in [1], 148 of these graph models are trees. However, 2 of the graphs contain a “bulk cycle”, leaving open the question of whether equivalent models with tree topology exist, or if these extreme rays are counterexamples to the conjecture. The paper includes a detailed description of the algorithm used for the computation, which is presented in a general framework and can be applied to any situation involving a polyhedral cone defined by a set of linear inequalities and a partial order among them to find extreme rays corresponding to down-sets in this poset.
AdS-CFT correspondence↗
An infeasible-start framework for convex quadratic optimization, with application to constraint-reduced interior-point and other methods
A framework is proposed for solving general convex quadratic programs (CQPs) from an infeasible starting point by invoking an existing feasible-start algorithm tailored for inequality-constrained CQPs. The central tool is an exact penalty function scheme equipped with a penalty-parameter updating rule. The feasible-start algorithm merely has to satisfy certain general requirements, and so is the updating rule. Under mild assumptions, the framework is proved to converge on CQPs with both inequality and equality constraints and, at a negligible additional cost per iteration, produces an infeasibility certificate, together with a feasible point for an (approximately) ℓ 1 -least relaxed feasible problem, when the given problem does not have a feasible solution. The framework is applied to a feasible-start constraint-reduced interior-point algorithm previously proved to be highly performant on problems with many more inequality constraints than variables (“imbalanced”). Numerical comparison with popular codes (OSQP, qpOASES, MOSEK) is reported on both randomly generated problems and support-vector machine classifier training problems. The results show that the former typically outperforms the latter on imbalanced problems. Finally, application of the proposed infeasible-start framework to other feasible-start algorithms is briefly considered, and is tested on a simplex iteration.
97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
Broadband nonreciprocal thermal emissivity and absorptivity
A body that violates Kirchhoff’s law of thermal radiation exhibits an inequality in its spectral directional absorptivity and emissivity. Achieving such an inequality is of fundamental interest as well as a prerequisite for achieving thermodynamic limits in photonic energy conversion and radiative cooling. Thus far, inequalities in the spectral directional emissivity and absorptivity have been limited to narrow spectral resonances, or wavelengths well beyond the infrared regime4. Bridging the gap from basic demonstrations to practical applications requires control over a broad spectral range of the unequal spectral directional absorptivity and emissivity. In this work, we demonstrate broadband nonreciprocal thermal emissivity and absorptivity by measuring the thermal emissivity and absorptivity of gradient epsilon-near-zero InAs layers of subwavelength thicknesses (50 nm and 150 nm) with an external magnetic field. The effect occurs in a spectral range (12.5–16 μm) that overlaps with the infrared transparency window and is observed at moderate (1 T) magnetic fields.
42 ENGINEERING↗
Orbital Conflict: Cutting Planes for Symmetric Integer Programs
Cutting planes have been an important factor in the impressive progress made by integer programming (IP) solvers in the past two decades. However, cutting planes have had little impact on improving performance for symmetric IPs. Rather, the main breakthroughs for solving symmetric IPs have been achieved by cleverly exploiting symmetry in the enumeration phase of branch and bound. In this work, we introduce a hierarchy of cutting planes that arise from a reinterpretation of symmetry-exploiting branching methods. There are too many inequalities in the hierarchy to be used efficiently in a direct manner. However, the lowest levels of this cutting-plane hierarchy can be implicitly exploited by enhancing the conflict graph of the integer programming instance and by generating inequalities such as clique cuts valid for the stable set relaxation of the instance. We provide computational evidence that the resulting symmetry-powered clique cuts can improve state-of-the-art symmetry-exploiting methods. Furthermore, the inequalities are then employed in a two-phase approach with high-throughput computations to solve heretofore unsolved symmetric integer programs arising from covering designs, establishing for the first time the covering radii of two binary-ternary codes.
97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
Quantum field theory and the Bieberbach conjecture
An intriguing correspondence between ingredients in geometric function theory related to the famous Bieberbach conjecture (de Branges' theorem) and the non-perturbative crossing symmetric representation of 2-2 scattering amplitudes of identical scalars is pointed out. Using the dispersion relation and unitarity, we are able to derive several inequalities, analogous to those which arise in the discussions of the Bieberbach conjecture. We derive new and strong bounds on the ratio of certain Wilson coefficients and demonstrate that these are obeyed in one-loop Φ 4 theory, tree level string theory as well as in the S-matrix bootstrap. Further, we find two sided bounds on the magnitude of the scattering amplitude, which are shown to be respected in all the contexts mentioned above. Translated to the usual Mandelstam variables, for large |s|, fixed t, the upper bound reads |M(s,t)| ≲ |s 2 |. We discuss how Szegö's theorem corresponds to a check of univalence in an EFT expansion, while how the Grunsky inequalities translate into nontrivial, nonlinear inequalities on the Wilson coefficients.
73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
LA100 Equity Strategies. Chapter 2: Procedural Justice
The LA100 Equity Strategies project synthesizes community guidance with robust research, modeling, and analysis to identify strategy options that can increase equitable outcomes in Los Angeles' clean energy transition. Grounded in the analysis of past and ongoing energy inequities and engagement with underserved communities, the project presents community-guided and community-tailored strategies that aim to operationalize recognition and procedural justice. This chapter focuses on procedural justice, examining priorities identified during the community engagement portion of the LA100 Equity Strategies project. This process, and our approach to partnering with community-based organizations (CBOs) and the communities they serve, was developed from the baseline analysis in Chapter 1, which centers on recognition justice, examining past and current inequities in LA. Recognition, procedural, and distributional justice are the three tenets of energy justice around which the LA100 Equity Strategies project is organized. Procedural justice prioritizes fair, equitable, and inclusive participation in the decision-making process. This tenet's practical application entails who is invited and able to participate, whose voices are considered as decisions are made, the co-development of procedures to inform this deliberative process, and who has access to formal measures of regulation and accountability. Engaging with Angelenos to examine the causes of inequities and identify impact areas and priorities that center community experiences, values, and goals represents a first step in developing energy equity strategies for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) to achieve distributional justice - the just and equitable distribution of energy benefits and burdens in LA's energy transition. Equity, as community members insisted, is about making - and following through with - a commitment to prioritize historically underserved and overburdened communities. Community engagement is a principal method for operationalizing this commitment, guiding our analytic approach and potential equity strategies. Using procedural justice as an analytical tool, this chapter presents the LA100 Equity Strategies approach to community engagement from 2021 to 2023 and the results of this process in relation to community-identified barriers and burdens impacting procedural justice outcomes. We analyze the procedural elements of reaching the equity goals Angelenos set to inform future LADWP decision-making and program development.
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
A survey of methods of feasible directions for the solution of optimal control problems
Three methods of feasible directions for optimal control are reviewed. These methods are an extension of the Frank-Wolfe method, a dual method devised by Pironneau and Polack, and a Zontendijk method. The categories of continuous optimal control problems are shown as: (1) fixed time problems with fixed initial state, free terminal state, and simple constraints on the control; (2) fixed time problems with inequality constraints on both the initial and the terminal state and no control constraints; (3) free time problems with inequality constraints on the initial and terminal states and simple constraints on the control; and (4) fixed time problems with inequality state space contraints and constraints on the control. The nonlinear programming algorithms are derived for each of the methods in its associated category.
Polak, E.↗