We study deformations of maximally supersymmetric gauge theories by higher dimensional operators in various spacetime dimensions. We classify infinitesimal deformations that preserve all 16 supersymmetries, while allowing the possibility of breaking either Lorentz or R-symmetry, using an on-shell algebraic method developed by Movshev and Schwarz. We also consider the problem of extending the deformation beyond the first order.

We analyze spectrum of Laplacian supported by a periodic honeycomb lattice with generally unequal edge lengths and a <i></i> type coupling in the vertices. Such a quantum graph has nonempty point spectrum with compactly supported eigenfunctions provided all the edge lengths are commensurate. We derive conditions determining the continuous spectral component and show that existence of gaps may depend on number-theoretic properties of edge lengths ratios. The case when two of the three lengths coincide is discussed in detail.

We give a topological simulation for tensor networks that we call the two-string model. In this approach we give a new way to design protocols, and we discover a new multipartite quantum communication protocol. We introduce the notion of topologically compressed transformations. Our new protocol can implement multiple, non-local compressed transformations among multi-parties using one multipartite resource state.

Motivated by a recent application of quantum graphs to model the anomalous Hall effect we discuss quantum graphs the vertices of which exhibit a preferred orientation. We describe an example of such a vertex coupling and analyze the corresponding band spectra of lattices with square and hexagonal elementary cells showing that they depend heavily on the network topology, in particular, on the degrees of the vertices involved.

The paper discusses quantum graphs with a vertex coupling which interpolates between the common one of the type and a coupling introduced recently by two of the authors which exhibits a preferred orientation. Describing the interpolation family in terms of circulant matrices, we analyze the spectral and scattering property of such vertices, and investigate the band spectrum of the corresponding square lattice graph.