Coffee Meeting Log
2019-05-10
Ingredients of gamma-ray searches of dark matter in the Universe
Nagisa Hiroshima (Postdoctoral Researcher, iTHEMS)
2019-04-05
Power of Supermassive Black Hole Jets
Yoshiyuki Inoue (Senior Research Scientist, iTHEMS)
2019-02-15
GRB Correlations for GRB Cosmology and machine-learning analysis
Maria Giovanna Dainotti (Visiting Scientist, Astrophysical Big Bang Laboratory, RIKEN Cluster for Pioneering Research (CPR))
2019-01-18
Stochastic and deterministic controls in ageing process
Yukinobu Arata (Cellular Informatics Laboratory, RIKEN)
Animals are born after a miraculous embryogenesis, and after the birth, they age and eventually die. Basically, ageing is considered as a “wearing out” process of biological systems. However, such a strong self-organizing force during embryogenesis would draw us to think why animals do not live forever based on the force? To scientifically approach this thought, we can set several questions; 1) what kind of statistical laws the “wearing out” process is governed by, 2) how much deterministic controls are involved in the ageing process, 3) how much we can predict or artificially manipulate our lifespan? To address these questions, I have been preparing for a recording system for motions and physiological change of a tiny multicellular animal, C. elegans at video rate during their lifespan (~20 days). This recording system will generate unprecedentedly long time series data in Biology. In this meeting, I would like to discuss which existing mathematical frameworks developed in Physics and Mathematics can be applicable for these Biological issues, and would like to discuss the limit of the mathematical frameworks.
2018-12-07
A physicist's adventure into the field of Ergonomics
Catherine Beauchemin (Senior Visiting Scientist, iTHEMS / Professor, Department of Physics, Ryerson University, Canada)
In this talk, I will present the key results of the paper I co-authored on this topic: Modelling endurance and resumption times for repetitive one-hand pushing by Linda M. Rose, Catherine A. A. Beauchemin & W. Patrick Neumann, Ergonomics, Volume 61, Issue 7, Pages 891-901, 2018.
2018-11-09
Spin hydrodynamic generation: A new power generation at nanoscale
Mamoru Matsuo (University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, China)
In this talk, I would like to introduce a new power generation using the electron as a nanoscale spinning gear. Electron, the most common elementary particle to us, is spinning perpetually since the beginning of the universe and the spinning motion is the origin of the magnetism. Recently we discovered interconversion mechanism between the electron’s spinning motion and electric power, and experimentally demonstrated it using liquid metal flow. We believe this will be a power source of nanorobots in the future.
2018-10-19
Positive flat functions cannot be positive forever (via differentiations)
Hiroki Kodama (Visiting Scientist, iTHEMS / Assistant Professor, Advanced Institute for Materials Research (AIMR), Tohoku University)
We remark that there is no function on [0,1] which is flat at 0 such that the derivatives f^{(n)} of any order is positive on (0,1].
2018-10-05
A new theorem on rational triangles
Ade Irma Suriajaya (Special Postdoctoral Researcher, iTHEMS)
2018-08-24
On the unsolved mystery of biological clock
Gen Kurosawa (Research Scientist, iTHEMS / Research Scientist, Theoretical Biology Laboratory, RIKEN Cluster for Pioneering Research (CPR))
In 2017, the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to three scientists who studied the genetic mechanisms for our daily rhythm (so-called, biological clock). The rhythm is thought to govern the timing of sleep and, to possibly influence the efficacy of some important drugs. In this coffee meeting, I would roughly sketch out the unsolved mystery of biological clock which might be tackled by mathematical sciences.
2018-07-27
IceCube experiment
Susumu Inoue (Research Scientist, Astrophysical Big Bang Laboratory, RIKEN Cluster for Pioneering Research (CPR))
2018-07-13
Boolean networks and their biological, social, and mathematical problems
Fumito Mori (Theoretical Biology Laboratory, RIKEN)
2018-06-22
A perspective on conformal field theory from Hyperbolic geometry
Tsukasa Tada (Coordinator, iTHEMS / Vice Chief Scientist, Quantum Hadron Physics Laboratory, RIKEN Nishina Center for Accelerator-Based Science (RNC))
2018-06-15
About some misuses of statistics in science
Björn Ahlgren (KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden)
2018-06-01
Life and death of a neutron
Tetsuo Hatsuda (Program Director, iTHEMS)
1. What is neutron? 2. How it was born in the Universe. 3. How it survives in the Universe. 4. What is the fate of the neutron? 5. Open questions about the neutron.
2018-05-18
Arithmetic of Words
Masato Taki (Senior Research Scientist, iTHEMS)
Word2Vec, proposed by googlers in 2013, is a nice numerical representation of a set of words. This vectorial representation realizes arithmetic relation between words. I will briefly explain how this representation is constructed, and demonstrate it by using a text of Plato.
2018-05-11
Proposed iTHEMS project in virophysics: A web tool to count infectious virus!
Catherine Beauchemin (Senior Visiting Scientist, iTHEMS / Professor, Department of Physics, Ryerson University, Canada)
I want to propose a fun, simple project for any iTHEMS members to join. The plan is to build a web-based calculation tool which can estimate the concentration of virus in a sample based on some standard measurements.
2018-04-13
Demonstration of VR system for RIKEN Open Day
Gilles Ferrand (Researcher, Astrophysical Big Bang Laboratory, RIKEN Cluster for Pioneering Research (CPR))
This will serve as a rehearsal for the ABBL booth at RIKEN Open Day. I may start with a short introduction on how it works, and our goals. Then iTHEMS people can try the experience with the guidance of ABBL members.