Abstract: We report the discovery of a warm sub-Saturn, TOI-257b (HD 19916b), based on data from NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS). The transit signal was detected by TESS and confirmed to be of planetary origin based on radial velocity observations. An analysis of the TESS photometry, the MINERVA-Australis, FEROS, and HARPS radial velocities, and the asteroseismic data of the stellar oscillations reveals that TOI-257b has a mass of M-P = 0.138 +/- 0.023M(J) (43.9 +/- 7.3 M-circle plus), a radius of R-P = 0.639 +/- 0.013 R-J (7.16 +/- 0.15 R-circle plus), bulk density of 0.65(-0.11)(+0.12) (cgs), and period 18.38818(-0.00084)(+0.00085) days. TOI-257b orbits a bright (V = 7.612 mag) somewhat evolved late F-type star with M-* = 1.390 +/- 0.046(Msun), R-* = 1.888 +/- 0.033 R-sun, T-eff = 6075 +/- 90 K, and vsin i = 11.3 +/- 0.5 kms(-1). Additionally, we find hints for a second non-transiting sub-Saturn mass planet on a similar to 71 day orbit using the radial velocity data. This system joins the ranks of a small number of exoplanet host stars (similar to 100) that have been characterized with asteroseismology. Warm sub-Saturns are rare in the known sample of exoplanets, and thus the discovery of TOI-257b is important in the context of future work studying the formation and migration history of similar planetary systems.

Abstract: In this paper, we study the multi-asset Black-Scholes model from a structural point of view. For this, we interpret the multi-asset Black-Scholes equation as a multidimensional Schrodinger one particle equation. The analysis of the classical Hamiltonian and Lagrangian mechanics associated with this quantum model implies that, in this system, the canonical momentums cannot always be written in terms of the velocities. This feature is a typical characteristic of the constrained system that appears in the high-energy physics. To study this model in the proper form, one must apply Dirac's method for constrained systems. The results of the Dirac's analysis indicate that in the correlation parameters space of the multi assets model, there exists a surface (called the Kummer surface Sigma(K), where the determinant of the correlation matrix is null) on which the constraint number can vary. We study in detail the cases with N = 2 and N = 3 assets. For these cases, we calculate the propagator of the multi-asset Black-Scholes equation and show that inside the Kummer Sigma(K) surface the propagator is well defined, but outside Sigma(K) the propagator diverges and the option price is not well defined. On Sigma(K) the propagator is obtained as a constrained path integral and their form depends on which region of the Kummer surface the correlation parameters lie. Thus, the multi-asset Black-Scholes model is an example of a variable constrained dynamical system, and it is a new and beautiful property that had not been previously observed. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Abstract: We propose an algorithm based on infeasible irreducible subsystems to solve binary linear chance-constrained problems with random technology matrix. By leveraging on the problem structure we are able to generate good quality upper bounds to the optimal value early in the algorithm, and the discrete domain is used to guide us efficiently in the search of solutions. We apply our methodology to individual and joint binary linear chance-constrained problems, demonstrating the ability of our approach to solve those problems. Extensive numerical experiments show that, in some cases, the number of nodes explored by our algorithm is drastically reduced when compared to a commercial solver.

Abstract: The stochastic volatility models used in the financial world are characterized, in the continuous-time case, by a set of two coupled stochastic differential equations for the underlying asset price S and volatility sigma. In addition, the correlations of the two Brownian movements that drive the stochastic dynamics are measured by the correlation parameter rho (-1 <= rho <= 1). This stochastic system is equivalent to the Fokker-Planck equation for the transition probability density of the random variables S and sigma. Solutions for the transition probability density of the Heston stochastic volatility model (Heston, 1993) were explored in Dragulescu and Yakovenko (2002), where the fundamental quantities such as the transition density itself, depend on rho in such a manner that these are divergent for the extreme limit rho = +/- 1. The same divergent behavior appears in Hagan et al. (2002), where the probability density of the SABR model was analyzed. In an option pricing context, the propagator of the bi-dimensional Black-Scholes equation was obtained in Lemmens et al. (2008) in terms of the path integrals, and in this case, the propagator diverges again for the extreme values rho = +/- 1. This paper shows that these similar divergent behaviors are due to a universal property of the stochastic volatility models in the continuum: all of them are second class constrained systems for the most extreme correlated limit rho = +/- 1. In this way, the stochastic dynamics of the rho = +/- 1 cases are different of the rho (1 <= rho <= 1) case, and it cannot be obtained as a continuous limit from the rho not equal +/- 1 regimen. This conclusion is achieved by considering the Fokker-Planck equation or the bi-dimensional Black-Scholes equation as a Euclidean quantum Schrodinger equation. Then, the analysis of the underlying classical mechanics of the quantum model, implies that stochastic volatility models at rho = +/- 1 correspond to a constrained system. To study the dynamics in an appropriate form, Dirac's method for constrained systems (Dirac, 1958, 1967) must be employed, and Dirac's analysis reveals that the constraints are second class. In order to obtain the transition probability density or the option price correctly, one must evaluate the propagator as a constrained Hamiltonian path-integral (Henneaux and Teitelboim, 1992), in a similar way to the high energy gauge theory models. In fact, for all stochastic volatility models, after integrating over momentum variables, one obtains an effective Euclidean Lagrangian path integral over the volatility alone. The role of the second class constraints is determining the underlying asset price S completely in terms of volatility, so it plays no role in the path integral. In order to examine the effect of the constraints on the dynamics for both extreme limits, the probability density function is evaluated by using semi-classical arguments, in an analogous manner to that developed in Hagan et al. (2002), for the SABR model. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Abstract: In a recent article, a generic optimal control problem was studied from a physicist's point of view (Contreras et al. 2017). Through this optic, the Pontryagin equations are equivalent to the Hamilton equations of a classical constrained system. By quantizing this constrained system, using the right ordering of the operators, the corresponding quantum dynamics given by the Schrodinger equation is equivalent to that given by the Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman equation of Bellman's theory. The conclusion drawn there were based on certain analogies between the equations of motion of both theories. In this paper, a closer and more detailed examination of the quantization problem is carried out, by considering three possible quantization procedures: right quantization, left quantization, and Feynman's path integral approach. The Bellman theory turns out to be the classical limit h -> 0 of these three different quantum theories. Also, the exact relation of the phase S(x, t) of the wave function Psi(x, t) = e(i/hS(x,t)) of the quantum theory with Bellman's cost function J(+)(x, t) is obtained. In fact, S(x, t) satisfies a 'conjugate' form of the Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman equation, which implies that the cost functional J(+)(x, t) must necessarily satisfy the usual Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman equation. Thus, the Bellman theory effectively corresponds to a quantum view of the optimal control problem. (C) 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Abstract: Context. The Multi-site All-Sky CAmeRA (MASCARA) and bRing are both photometric ground-based instruments with multiple stations that rely on interline charge-coupled devices with wide-field lenses to monitor bright stars in the local sky for variability. MASCARA has already discovered several planets in the northern sky, which are among the brightest known transiting hot Jupiter systems. Aims. In this paper, we aim to characterize a transiting planetary candidate in the southern skies found in the combined MASCARA and bRing data sets of HD 85628, an A7V star of V = 8.2 mag at a distance 172 pc, to establish its planetary nature. Methods. The candidate was originally detected in data obtained jointly with the MASCARA and bRing instruments using a Box Least-Square search for transit events. Further photometry was taken by the 0.7 m Chilean-Hungarian Automated Telescope (CHAT), and radial velocity measurements with the Fiber Dual Echelle Optical Spectrograph on the European Southern Observatory 1.0 m Telescope. High-resolution spectra during a transit were taken with the CTIO high-resolution spectrometer (CHIRON) on the Small and Moderate Aperture Research Telescope System 1.5 m telescope to target the Doppler shadow of the candidate. Results. We confirm the existence of a hot Jupiter transiting the bright A7V star HD 85628, which we co-designate as MASCARA-4b and bRing-1b. It is in an orbit of 2.824 days, with an estimated planet radius of 1.53(-0.04)(+0.07) R-Jup and an estimated planet mass of 3.1 +/- 0.9 M-Jup, putting it well within the planetary regime. The CHAT observations show a partial transit, reducing the probability that the transit was around a faint background star. The CHIRON observations show a clear Doppler shadow, implying that the transiting object is in a retrograde orbit with |lambda| = 244.9(-3.6)(+2.7)degrees. The planet orbits at a distance of 0.047 +/- 0.004 AU from the star and has a zero-albedo equilibrium temperature of 2100 +/- 100 K. In addition, we find that HD 85628 has a previously unreported stellar companion star in the Gaia DR2 data demonstrating common proper motion and parallax at 4.3 '' separation (projected separation similar to 740 AU), and with absolute magnitude consistent with being a K/M dwarf. Conclusions. MASCARA-4 b/bRing-1 b is the brightest transiting hot Jupiter known to date in a retrograde orbit. It further confirms that planets in near-polar and retrograde orbits are more common around early-type stars. Due to its high apparent brightness and short orbital period, the system is particularly well suited for further atmospheric characterization.

Abstract: Imprecise probability allows quantifying the level of safety of a system taking into account the effect of both aleatory and epistemic uncertainty. The practical estimation of an imprecise probability is usually quite demanding from a numerical viewpoint, as it is necessary to propagate separately both types of uncertainty, leading in practical cases to a nested implementation in the so-called double loop approach. In view of this issue, this contribution presents an alternative approach that avoids the double loop by replacing the imprecise probability problem by an augmented, purely aleatory reliability analysis. Then, with the help of Bayes' theorem, it is possible to recover an expression for the failure probability as an explicit function of the imprecise parameters from the augmented reliability problem, which ultimately allows calculating the imprecise probability. The implementation of the proposed framework is investigated within the context of imprecise first excursion probability estimation of uncertain linear structures subject to imprecisely defined stochastic quantities and crisp stochastic loads. The associated augmented reliability problem is solved within the context of Directional Importance Sampling, leading to an improved accuracy at reduced numerical costs. The application of the proposed approach is investigated by means of two examples. The results obtained indicate that the proposed approach can be highly efficient and accurate.

Abstract: In this paper we study the dynamical behavior of Boolean networks with firing memory, namely Boolean networks whose vertices are updated synchronously depending on their proper Boolean local transition functions so that each vertex remains at its firing state a finite number of steps. We prove in particular that these networks have the same computational power than the classical ones, i.e. any Boolean network with firing memory composed of m vertices can be simulated by a Boolean network by adding vertices. We also prove general results on specific classes of networks. For instance, we show that the existence of at least one delay greater than 1 in disjunctive networks makes such networks have only fixed points as attractors. Moreover, for arbitrary networks composed of two vertices, we characterize the delay phase space, i.e. the delay values such that networks admits limit cycles or fixed points. Finally, we analyze two classical biological models by introducing delays: the model of the immune control of the lambda\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$$\lambda $$\end{document}-phage and that of the genetic control of the floral morphogenesis of the plant Arabidopsis thaliana.

Abstract: This paper studies vehicle platooning with communication channels subject to random data loss. We focus on homogeneous discrete-time platoons in a predecessor-following topology with a constant time headway policy. We assume that each agent in the platoon sends its current position to the immediate follower through a lossy channel modeled as a Bernoulli process. To reduce the negative effects of data loss over the string stability and performance of the platoon, we use simple strategies that modify the measurement, error, and control signals of the feedback control loop, in each vehicle, when a dropout occurs. Such strategies are based on holding the previous value, dropping to zero, or replacing with a prediction based on a simple linear extrapolation. We performed a simulation-based comparison among a set of different strategies, and found that some strategies are favorable in terms of performance, while some others present improvements for string stabilization. These results strongly suggest that proper design of compensation schemes for the communications of interconnected multi-agent systems plays an important role in their performance and their scalability properties.

Abstract: The relationship between scientific knowledge and decision-making surrounding environmental issues is complex and represents a flourishing area of scholarship and practice. However, a sense of frustration persists regarding efforts to increase the use of science for decision-making. Regulations of copper smelter arsenic emissions developed in Chile during the 1990s represent a successful example of science informing policy making. The case involved production and use of local science in contrast to the common practice of copying international ambient standards. In this paper, we investigate arsenic regulation in Chile in the 1990s and focus on the role of the major science intervention during the process, project FONDEF 2-24. The case is examined through the lens of knowledge governance (van Kerkhoff and Pilbeam, 2017). This theoretically-oriented approach guides our critical reflection on the relationship between knowledge and policy making, taking into consideration the formal and informal rules that shape the intervention and the underlying social and cultural patterns. The success of the science intervention's influence on policy is better understood with such a perspective. We expand the knowledge governance approach by scrutinizing the relations of coherence between levels of analysis to assess their alignment. The approach could be helpful for studying other cases, particularly at times when a new field of policy is emerging.