Separation of variables in AdS/CFT: functional approach for the fishnet CFT

The major simplification in a number of quantum integrable systems is the existence of special coordinates in which the eigenstates take a factorised form. Despite many years of studies, the basis realising the separation of variables (SoV) remains unknown in $$ \mathcal{N} $$ N = 4 SYM and similar models, even though it is widely believed they are integrable. In this paper we initiate the SoV approach for observables with nontrivial coupling dependence in a close cousin of $$ \mathcal{N} $$ N = 4 SYM — the fishnet 4D CFT. We develop the functional SoV formalism in this theory, which allows us to compute non-perturbatively some nontrivial observables in a form suitable for numerical evaluation. We present some applications of these methods. In particular, we discuss the possible SoV structure of the one-point correlators in presence of a defect, and write down a SoV-type expression for diagonal OPE coefficients involving an arbitrary state and the Lagrangian density operator. We believe that many of the findings of this paper can be applied in the $$ \mathcal{N} $$ N = 4 SYM case, as we speculate in the last part of the article.

The implicit taxonomy of the equality jurisprudence of the UN Human Rights Committee

The article analyses the individual communications of the UN Human Rights Committee (HRC) on how the latter conceptualizes equality under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). It finds an implicit taxonomy in the case law that is not reflected in the doctrinal formulae that the HRC applies. The argument proceeds in several steps: First, I argue that the concept of equality in human rights treaties depends heavily on its operationalization by courts and quasi-judicial bodies, like the HRC. Second, I analyse the doctrinal formulae that the HRC has developed in order to specify equality. I argue that the doctrine is rather inconsistent and does not give significant guidance for resolving actual cases. Third, I present the results of a systematic analysis of the case law of the HRC. The latter shows a rather stable pattern which is not reflected in the doctrinal formulae: The best predictor whether the HRC finds a violation of Article 26 ICCPR or another equality norm of the Convention is the existence of a suspect criterion on which the challenged distinction was based. There are only very few cases in which a violation is found in the absence of a suspect criterion. The majority of these cases arguably concern arbitrary state actions. At the same time, the HRC has only rarely held that a state has not violated an equality norm despite the existence of a suspect criterion.

Critical Journalists in China and Russia

This chapter compares media politics in China and Russia through the prism of critical journalists. It argues that whereas Chinese journalists experience political restrictions in the form of “structured ambiguity” or via frequent preemptive signals from the state, Russian journalists face a more arbitrary state that sends occasional post-factum signals that are difficult to premeditate. As a result, journalists’ negotiation strategies also differ between the two cases. Chinese journalists embark upon a routine game of cautious improvisation with the state, whereas Russian journalists combine defiant opposition with resigned self-censorship. The China-Russia comparison suggests that structured ambiguity breeds resistance from within, whereas arbitrary coercion incites political contestation that is more isolated but also more radically disposed.

Piecewise deterministic processes following two alternating patterns

We propose a wide generalization of known results related to the telegraph process. Functionals of the simple telegraph process on a straight line and their generalizations on an arbitrary state space are studied.

Bad subjects: Epistemic violence at arraignment

While arraignment is meant to serve as a check on arbitrary state power, actualizing defendants’ rights to due process, it is also a key site wherein individuals come face to face with the state. This article theorizes the epistemic violence inherent in that encounter and embedded in routine court practices. Drawing on ethnographic observations of misdemeanor arraignments, this article explores how the state produces and marshals knowledge of the accused: interpellating most defendants into a degraded subject position, actively silencing their attempts to know otherwise, and making racialized moral evaluations of their worthiness. Together these practices constitute epistemic violence, inflicting injury through their assault on defendants’ dignity and personhood and through their justification and reproduction of more material harms.

A general approach to the integral functionals of epidemic processes

In this paper we consider the integral functionals of the general epidemic model up to its extinction. We develop a new approach to determine the exact Laplace transform of such integrals. In particular, we obtain the Laplace transform of the duration of the epidemic T, the final susceptible size ST, the area under the trajectory of the infectives AT, and the area under the trajectory of the susceptibles BT. The method relies on the construction of a family of martingales and allows us to solve simple recursive relations for the involved parameters. The Laplace transforms are then expanded in terms of a special class of polynomials. The analysis is generalized in part to Markovian epidemic processes with arbitrary state-dependent rates.

PERSONA: a Psychometric Monitoring Instrument for High-stress Individuals

Stress is considered to be among the leading causes of various psychopathological problems, whose outcomes are often difficult to foresee. In order to prevent consequent maladaptive behaviors, the present paper introduces a novel, three-phase architecture for analyzing the formation, handling and manifestation of stress in individuals. We specifically model the process of transforming stressful stimuli to cognitive schemas, and from these to subconscious defense mechanism manifestations. Such three-phase model has been implemented and validated via the PERSONA-80 test. Psychometric properties of PERSONA-80 have been evaluated on a sample of 83 individuals from general and clinical populations. The test showed good internal consistency and excellent predictive validity results, from which we derived the purified scale PERSONA-16. The potential of the developed instrument is the detection of the inability to produce mature defense mechanisms from an arbitrary state of mind, or the inability to preserve schemas when exposed to stressful conditions, useful in high-stress occupation screening and monitoring. To encourage widespread use and validation in different domains, we provide at the end of this text the complete PERSONA-16 instrument.

El ejercicio de derechos fundamentales a través de las organizaciones y los procedimientos administrativos

LABURPENA: Funtsezko eskubideek posizio juridiko subjektiboak babesten dituzte euren titularren alde, botere publikoa edo, kasuan kasu, hirugarrenak tartean sartzearen aurrean. Baina haien eduki arautzaileak berme objektiboak ere eskatzen ditu eskubide horiek eraginkortasunez erabiltzeko behar diren erakunde eta prozeduretan. RESUMEN: Los derechos fundamentales protegen posiciones jurídicas subjetivas en favor de sus titulares frente a intromisiones provenientes del poder público o, en su caso, de terceros. Pero su contenido normativo exige también garantías objetivas en las organizaciones y procedimientos de los que dependa el ejercicio efectivo de estos derechos. ABSTRACT: Fundamental rights protect individual legal status from any arbitrary state actions or torts committed by private parties. However, such rights may also involve warranties concerning organization and procedural issues in which their enforcement is at stake.