VictorJuiz/thesis huggingface dataset:
Enhancing Fault-tolerant Quantum Computing through the Integration of Topological Error Correction and Concatenation Schemes
Keywords: Physics
Quantum error correction
Fault-tolerant computing
Concatenation
Text
Thesis

We explore a range of fault-tolerant quantum error correction schemes that employ concatenation of small error detection or correction codes with the three-dimensional cluster state. To combat errors at the circuit level, we propose fault-tolerant state preparation and decoding techniques that convert every such error into an erasure error, leveraging the cluster state's robustness against this type of error. Through our investigations, we identify a set of codes that support such a conversion, and we evaluate their performance against the standard circuit-level depolarization model. Our most successful scheme, which involves concatenation with a classical code, improves the threshold by $16.5% and reduces the spacetime overhead by $32% compared to the non-concatenated scheme, with both schemes operating under a physical error rate of $10^{-3} and achieving a logical error rate of $10^{-6}.
Entanglement
Keywords: Humanities and Sciences.
Music.

ENTANGLEMENT (2023) is an intermedia work for live-electronics performer, higher order ambisonics audio, video projection, and programmed lights. The culmination of over a decade of research and creative practice in electronic music, this work is a paratactic collection of ten visceral and dynamic personal reflections. Aesthetically, ENTANGLEMENT demands us to experience the contrast of extremes, for example: tension and release, density and stasis, and -- sometimes -- discomfort and catharsis. These ten sections are structurally linked to one another by a network of interconnections in material, form, and theme; ENTANGLEMENT is: i. Terminus ii. Reclamation iii. why do you distort your face? iv. static / wake v. in situ vi. Wormwood vii. [REDACTED] viii. degrade.loop(16) ix. ENTANGLEMENT x. six lines Performance of this work is facilitated by a purpose-built electronic performance interface (MH / CH2) which, with the assistance of bespoke computer software, leverages the hands and movement of the performer to afford a high degree of control over an array of digital synthesis engines and spatial controls
Entre Camaradas: The Transformation of Anticommunist Rhetoric in Colombia Through the Discourse of Laureano Gómez and Álvaro Uribe Vélez
Keywords: Latin America
Colombia
Uribe Vélez, Álvaro, 1952-
Uribe, Alvaro, 1953-
Gómez, Laureano, 1889-1965
Text
Thesis

Though the Soviet Union fell decades ago, the red specter of communism still looms
large over parts of the world, including Colombia. In this thesis, I explore the anticommunist
rhetoric in Colombia through the discourse of two former presidents who lived in two very
different realities. I compare the discourse of Laureano Gómez with that of Álvaro Uribe Vélez,
using a speech titled “El Basilisco” as a case study of Gómez’s discourse and various tweets
published by Uribe between 2016 and 2018 as examples of his discourse. I argue that while
communism was a “real” threat during Gómez’s time and within his rhetoric, for Uribe, his
anticommunist discourse function less as an expression of a real threat and more as a tool that
leverages the history and context of Colombia and to a certain extent Venezuela. I place the
discourse of both men firmly within the general context that shaped their time, meaning that I
explore various events that occurred during the 20th century in Colombia, paying particular
attention to the position of Marxism within Colombian society. Furthermore, I also briefly
discuss the implications of the evolution of communication from the present day in comparison
to the 1940s and 50s. I also engage with various literature across multiple fields such as history,
communication, and political science.
Enveloped viruses in the environment : fate, transmission, and intervention strategies
Keywords: Engineering.

Enveloped viruses, characterized by lipid membranes, have started multiple pandemics in recent decades. These events have encouraged research into the fate of enveloped viruses in the environment, an area of research that historically focused on non-enveloped viruses. Understanding how the environment influences enveloped viruses is crucial for effective disease control strategies, including assessing risk and employing effective interventions. When viruses are present in the environment, indirect transmission can occur as susceptible individuals interact with contaminated intermediaries. Human behavior is pivotal in the indirect transmission of enveloped viruses as actions such as sneezing on or touching surfaces can facilitate virus spread. Yet, our understanding of how these actions impact viral transmission, particularly for enveloped viruses, remains incomplete. Once infectious viruses are present in the environment, their survival further complicates indirect transmission. Prolonged survival of infective viruses in the environment increases the risk of exposure for susceptible individuals. However, the impact of environmental factors, such as sunlight, on the decay of enveloped viruses is poorly understood. Efforts to mitigate indirect disease transmission include non-pharmaceutical interventions like hand hygiene and surface disinfection. While interventions like handwashing with soap and water have shown effectiveness in some settings, challenges persist in ensuring their availability and proper usage, particularly in resource-limited settings. In such cases, alternative interventions may be considered, though their efficacy against enveloped viruses remains uncertain. The research described here explores the fate of viruses in the environment, their transfer to humans, as well as non-pharmaceutical intervention strategies for low-resource regions. Using volunteer studies and laboratory experiments, the results of this dissertation compare enveloped viruses to non-enveloped viruses, elucidating previous knowledge gaps about how the environment, human interactions, and interventions influence their transfer and decay.
Epigenomic approaches for understanding gene regulation
Keywords: Engineering.
Bioengineering.

Regulation of gene expression plays a key role in the vast majority of developmental cell programs and disease states, and many human therapeutics act through regulation to alter gene expression. Greater than 90% of disease associated variants are in noncoding regions of the genome, which suggests that these variants likely act by altering gene regulation rather than the gene sequences themselves. Further, genetic interactions, for example when two genes physically interact, adds another layer of complexity to the regulation of our genes and can result in unanticipated effects on biological pathways. Despite advances in technologies to study the genome, including the increased accessibility of genome sequencing, we have yet to develop a clear understanding of how a given genotype leads to a given phenotype, or more specifically, how disease risk variants lead to disease and how changes in the expression of one gene can cascade through interconnected gene networks to produce nuanced biological outcomes. To expand our understanding of the functional effects of the genome, we leverage epigenomic and high-throughput technologies to develop new approaches for studying gene regulation and genetic interactions. First, we develop a tool for bidirectional epigenetic editing, termed CRISPRai, in which we apply activating (CRISPRa) and repressive (CRISPRi) perturbations to two loci simultaneously in the same cell and can be applied to study the functional effects of noncoding regulatory elements as well as genes. We extend CRISPRai to a single-cell screening platform (CRISPRai Perturb-seq), which enables study of many genetic perturbations in a mixture of cell types in a single experiment. Next, we apply CRISPRai to study the genetic interaction between two hematopoietic transcription factors and elucidate their co-regulation on downstream target genes. Further, we leverage CRISPRai to study the regulatory landscape of the Interleukin-2 gene in T cells and uncover hierarchies among regulatory elements in gene regulation. Finally, we apply single-cell epigenomic analysis to immune cells from patients with the autoimmune disease systemic sclerosis to identify key cell types implicated in disease and nominate genomic loci for further study with tools like CRISPRai. Together, these approaches reveal new insight on gene regulation and genetic interactions and broaden the toolkit for studying the functional effects of the genome.
Equity and environmental justice in the clean energy transition in the United States
Keywords: Sustainability.
Energy Resources Engineering.

This thesis presents an investigation of equity and environmental justice implications of the transition to clean energy in the United States through a series of analyses of current and future energy systems. In the first chapter we set the groundwork for the dissertation and emphasize the need for rapid decarbonization of the global energy sector while taking into account inequities in our current energy system. In the second chapter we discuss the distribution of health damages associated with electricity consumption and the role of electricity trading. In the third chapter we estimate the health, climate, and environmental justice benefits of freight truck electrification. In the fourth chapter we identify policy strategies that would allow California to meet its climate goals and assess the air quality and environmental justice impacts of each policy. In the fifth chapter we discuss the distribution of electric vehicles and allocation of electric vehicle rebates in California across the state and in formerly redlined neighborhoods and provide an assessment of justice in the state's transition to electric vehicles. In the final chapter we present an overview of the findings and highlight three key takeaways: i) the existence of viable climate solutions; ii) the importance of considering the electric sector and transportation as coupled systems when looking at transportation electrification as a means for decarbonization; and iii) the importance of taking into account sub-national and local inequities to achieve a just transition to clean energy
Essays in behavioral antitrust law and economics
Keywords: Law.

The Big Data revolution has allowed companies to steer their users' behavior with astonishing effectiveness. While antitrust scholarship has tended to stay away from the influx of behavioral economics, enforcers, policymakers, and scholars have recently suggested that firms tend to exploit behavioral biases to monopolize markets. This is especially common in platform markets, in which a company may not only own the technology infrastructure that allows firms to operate in the platform but may also compete in it downstream (e.g., Microsoft Windows' tying of Internet Explorer, and Android's tying of Chrome). A hypothesis that has gained considerable traction in the last few years is that agreements to set an application as a default unfairly restrict competition, regardless of whether the platform is vertically integrated or not (e.g., Google pays Apple to have its search engine as Apple's default). Because people rarely change defaults, conventional wisdom holds that default agreements amount to exclusivity arrangements. Furthermore, it suggests that because dominant firms take advantage of their users' lack of choice, forcing users to choose their defaults is the best regulatory remedy for correcting market concentration. This dissertation criticizes the behavioral premise that conventional wisdom assumes, as well as the legal categorizations and policy implications that follow from it. This work proposes a richer analytical framework to predict when default effects are likely, calls into question the theory that default agreements are de facto exclusive dealing, and criticizes the effectiveness of forced-choice remedies. Nevertheless, my research suggests that the strategic use of defaults is usually a part of a broader monopolization scheme and that forced choice may sometimes be necessary to encourage the entry of potential competitors. These articles have significant implications for the interpretation of monopolization standards in exclusive dealing and monopoly maintenance cases, for applying potential competition theories to antitrust enforcement, and for the design and implementation—either by regulators or judges—of effective remedies to promote competition in digital markets.
Essays in financial economics
Keywords: Business.

This dissertation centers on the asset pricing and macro-finance implications of intermediation. In particular, I examine how demand and supply frictions affect asset prices, with well-identified empirical support from granular data and insights from applied theory. The first chapter, Monetary Transmission, and Portfolio Rebalancing: A Cross-sectional Approach, joint with Lingxuan Wu, addresses the puzzlingly significant stock market reactions to monetary shocks through a novel demand-based mechanism. This chapter unveils the crucial role of intermediaries' demand in monetary transmission through their preferences for a target share between equities and bonds. For example, given a one percent monetary shock, bond prices devaluate ten percent if the duration is ten. To maintain the pre-shock equity-bond ratios, institutions sell their equity holdings, creating downward price pressure. Such institutions serve as an amplifying mechanism for aggregate market returns. The rebalancing channel provides rich cross-sectional implications, and the chapter identifies empirical evidence in the cross-section unique to the mechanism. The second chapter, The Political Economy of China's Housing Boom, joint with Jiwei Zhang, uses transaction-level land sales data to understand how the Chinese Communist Party's cadre promotion system contributed to China's real estate boom. Promotions of China's city-level communist officials to higher ranks were largely based on local GDP performances. In turn, local officials were incentivized to sell more land to firms with higher GDP contributions instead of developing the local housing market, pushing up the housing prices locally. Analyzing a large dataset of Chinese Communist Party members' biographies, we identify exogenous variations in promotion chances caused by social connections between the local officials and their bosses and find that the shortage in land supply induced by promotion incentives played an important role in the Chinese housing boom
Essays in financial intermediation
Keywords: Business.

This dissertation comprises two essays, coauthored with Sooji Kim, that concern different aspects of financial intermediation. In the first chapter, we find that the refinancing channel of monetary policy has spillovers to renters, due to the refinancing decisions of property owners. We find that property owners, once they refinance, pass on changes in their interest expense to the monthly rents faced by renters. Our channel sheds light on one mechanism through which monetary policy is transmitted to renters. In the second chapter, we investigate whether cuts in small business credit supply during a crisis differ by the type of financial intermediary. We find that fintech lenders significantly reduce their credit supply relative to other lenders. As this reduction in credit supply is not offset by corresponding increases in credit supply from other lenders, our results show that areas that have come to rely more on fintech lenders also experience relative reductions in total credit supply
Essays in information economics
Keywords: Humanities and Sciences.
Economics.

This dissertation comprises three essays in information economics. Each essay employs tools from mechanism design and game theory to examine individuals' incentives when acquiring information and when sharing that information with others. The first chapter considers a mechanism design setting in which agents can obtain costly information about their own preferences and those of others. A mechanism is informationally simple if agents have no incentive to learn about others' preferences. This property is of interest for two reasons: First, it is a necessary condition for the existence of dominant strategy equilibria in the extended game. Second, it endogenizes an "independent private value" property of the interim information structure. We show that, generically, a mechanism is informationally simple if and only if it satisfies a separability condition which rules out most economically meaningful mechanisms. The second chapter examines auctions in which buyers can acquire costly information about their own valuations and those of others, and investigates how competition among buyers shapes their learning incentives. In equilibrium, buyers find it cost-efficient to acquire some information about their competitors so as to only learn their valuations when they have a fair chance of winning. We show that such learning incentives make competition between buyers less effective: losing buyers often fail to learn their valuations precisely and, as a result, compete less aggressively for the good. The third chapter deviates from the preceding two by focusing on how individuals communicate with each other. It seeks to understand how individuals' subjective models of the world, or worldviews, affect communication
Essays in labor and family economics
Keywords: Humanities and Sciences.
Economics.

This dissertation consists of four essays on labor economics with a particular focus on the causes and consequences of major life cycle choices such as marriage, occupational choice, and retirement. How do the consequential decisions that individuals make in these dimensions affect the kinds of risks they will face throughout their life, and how can they insure themselves against them? I study these questions with a mix of survey and administrative data, using a variety of structural and reduced-form methods. In the first chapter I study how sharing a workplace with one's spouse can affect the dynamics of household income growth and risk, shedding light on the relationship between worker mobility and monopsony power in the labor market. There has been a large empirical literature documenting rent sharing between workers and firms: firms pass through performance shocks to the earnings of their employees, a fact inconsistent with perfectly competitive labor markets. This fact can be rationalized by monopsonistic models of labor markets where firm market power arises from imperfect worker mobility. An untested implication of these models is that firms should use the information available to them to infer differences in mobility for their workers and engage in price discrimination, resulting in differences in rent sharing. In this paper I provide novel evidence for this prediction by studying coworking couples: married couples who share an employer. Using Norwegian administrative data, I quantify differences in the pass-through of idiosyncratic firm shocks to coworking couples, and find that women in coworking couples experience less generous rent sharing: at any given level of firm performance, they have lower income growth than their non-coworking counterparts. These differences result in large differences in household income dynamics: coworking couples face lower average income growth and higher income risk, with substantial consequences for welfare. Firms exploit the fact that coworking couples are less mobile in order to engage in less generous rent sharing agreements, which explain a substantial fraction of the observed difference in income growth and risk. In the second chapter, I study the importance of liquid savings for smoothing consumption in the face of income shocks. I take advantage of a unique institutional feature of certain US retirement accounts, including Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs): prior to the age of 59.5, withdrawals from these accounts are subject to an additional 10\% tax penalty to discourage early withdrawal. Thus, IRAs undergo a sharp and predictable change in liquidity at age 59.5. Using survey data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), I document 3 facts. First, annual withdrawals from IRAs increase sharply by \
Essays in labor macroeconomics and monetary economics
Keywords: Humanities and Sciences.
Economics.

This dissertation explores three questions in macroeconomics: two pertaining to labor macroeconomics and one concerning monetary economics. In the first chapter, I study the role wealth plays in workers' labor market outcomes and, in turn, how it impacts their earnings prospects over the business cycle. In the second chapter (joint with Basil Halperin) we investigate the optimal monetary policy in an sectoral economy with menu costs and find that the central bank should target constant nominal wages and not constant prices, as is typically prescribed. In the third and final chapter (joint with Aniket Baksy) we show that increased educational attainment played an important role in the decline in worker mobility in the US over the past three decades. This contrast with the existing literature, which attributes the decline to lower economic dynamism
Essays in Macroeconomics
Keywords: Humanities and Sciences.
Economics.

This thesis contains four chapters examining issues in macroeconomics. The first chapter proposes a simple explanation for the slowdown in the skill premium and the flatlining of the skilled labor share, that firms have adopted skill-replacing technologies in response to the rapidly rising skill premium of the 1980 to 2000 period. It provides a dynamic general equilibrium model that accounts for up to 60 percent of the slowdown of the skill premium relative to a no-technology-adoption counterfactual, and provides microeconomic evidence using a case study of accountants. The second chapter explores the macroeconomic consequences of zombie lending, a phenomenon where banks delay loss recognition to avoid having to contract credit to stay compliant with regulation. It constructs a novel general equilibrium model in which zombie lending allows banks to extend more credit than otherwise possible but also leads to misallocation of resources, finding that the latter effect dominates in the long run. The third chapter explores the relationship between economic policy uncertainty and elections, showing that the increase in policy uncertainty around elections is driven by close and polarized elections. The fourth chapter proposes a novel explanation for the long-run decline in worker mobility, based on higher college enrollment of young workers. The decline in worker mobility arises for two reasons: first, since young workers are the most rapid switchers, their withdrawal from the labor market reduces measured average worker mobility directly, and second, since young workers learn about the careers they are best suited for while in school, higher schooling leads to less job switching by workers who are poorly matched initially in the labor market
Essays in macroeconomics
Keywords: Humanities and Sciences.
Economics.

This dissertation in macroeconomics contains three chapters. The first chapter studies the cyclical competition for workers. The second chapter, joint with Adrien Auclert, Matthew Rognlie, and Ludwig Straub, studies exchange rates and monetary policy in a New Keynesian model with Heterogeneous Agents (HANK). The third chapter, joint with Aniket Baksy, evaluates the effects of 'Zombie lending', where banks lend to insolvent, unprofitable and unproductive firms, on aggregate consumption