Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Weak-value amplification as an optimal metrological protocol

The implementation of weak-value amplification requires the pre- and post-selection of states of a quantum system, followed by the observation of the response of the meter, which interacts weakly with the system. Data acquisition from the meter is conditioned to successful post-selection events. Here we derive an optimal post-selection procedure for estimating the coupling constant between system and meter, and show that it leads both to weak-value amplification and to the saturation of the quantum Fisher information, under conditions fulfilled by all previously reported experiments on the amplification of weak signals. For most of the pre-selected states, full information on the coupling constant can be extracted from the meter data set alone, while for a small fraction of the space of pre-selected states, it must be obtained from the post-selection statistics.
The lowest detected stellar Fe abundance: the halo star SMSS J160540.18−144323.1

We report the discovery of SMSS J160540.18−144323.1, a new ultra metal-poor halo star discovered with the SkyMapper telescope. We measure $\left[\rm {Fe}/\rm {H}\right]= -6.2 \pm 0.2$ (1D LTE), the lowest ever detected abundance of iron in a star. The star is strongly carbon-enhanced, $\left[\rm {C}/\rm {Fe}\right] = 3.9 \pm 0.2$, while other abundances are compatible with an α-enhanced solar-like pattern with $\left[\rm {Ca}/\rm {Fe}\right] = 0.4 \pm 0.2$, $\left[\rm {Mg}/\rm {Fe}\right] = 0.6 \pm 0.2$, $\left[\rm {Ti}/\rm {Fe}\right] = 0.8 \pm 0.2$, and no significant s- or r-process enrichment, $\left[\rm {Sr}/\rm {Fe}\right] \lt 0.2$ and $\left[\rm {Ba}/\rm {Fe}\right] \lt 1.0$ (3σ limits). Population III stars exploding as fallback supernovae may explain both the strong carbon enhancement and the apparent lack of enhancement of odd-Z and neutron-capture element abundances. Grids of supernova models computed for metal-free progenitor stars yield good matches for stars of about $10\, \rm M_\odot$ imparting a low kinetic energy on the supernova ejecta, while models for stars more massive than roughly $20\, \rm M_\odot$ are incompatible with the observed abundance pattern.
On the Uniformity of the Constant in the Poincaré Inequality

Abstract The classical Poincaré inequality establishes that for any bounded regular domain Ω ⊂ ℝN there exists a constant C = C(Ω) > 0 such that In this paper we show that C can be taken independently of Ω when Ω is in a certain class of domains. Our result generalizes previous results in this direction.
AMiBA: SCALING RELATIONS BETWEEN THE INTEGRATED COMPTON-y AND X-RAY-DERIVED TEMPERATURE, MASS, AND LUMINOSITY

We investigate the scaling relations between the X-ray and the thermal Sunyaev–Zel'dovich effect properties of clusters of galaxies, using data taken during 2007 by the Y. T. Lee Array for Microwave Background Anisotropy (AMiBA) at 94 GHz for the six clusters A1689, A1995, A2142, A2163, A2261, and A2390. The scaling relations relate the integrated Compton-y parameter Y2500 to the X-ray-derived gas temperature Te, total mass M2500, and bolometric luminosity LX within r2500. Our results for the power-law index and normalization are both consistent with the self-similar model and other studies in the literature except for the Y2500–LX relation, for which a physical explanation is given though further investigation may be still needed. Our results not only provide confidence for the AMiBA project but also support our understanding of galaxy clusters.
New effective recombination coefficients for nebular N II lines (Corrigendum)

Errors in the computed effective recombination coefficients for nebular N ii lines in an earlier publication (Fang et al. 2011) have been discovered and are here corrected. Those errors were not due to the basic atomic physics (i.e. creation of the N2+ target and the target wave functions, and calculations of bound-state energies, oscillator strengths and photoionization cross-sections for the N ii states) but due to mislabeling of five N ii bound-state energy levels. The 2p3p P1 level was originally labeled as 2p3p S1, the 2p3p S1 level was labeled as 2p3p P1, and the 2p3p P1 level was labeled as 2p3p P1; labels of the 2p3d D2 and 2p3d D2 levels were swapped. As a consequence, the effective recombination coefficients for the N ii lines that are directly related to the above five states were incorrect. We have corrected the labeling of the N ii energy levels and re-calculated the effective recombination coefficients for the N ii lines at the same electron temperature and density ranges as in Fang et al. (2011). The newly calculated effective recombination coefficients are given in Tables 3–6.
Load Frequency Control of Distributed Generators Assisted Hybrid Power System Using QOHSA Tuned Model Predictive Control

One of the challenging issues in a hybrid power system (HPS) is to provide a stable power supply with minimum frequency deviation, which can be accomplished by ensuring a coordinated operation among intermittent type distributed generators (DGs). In this study, the coordinated operation of a tidal turbine generator (TTG) (an emerging and less explored DG), diesel engine generator (DEG) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) based an autonomous HPS (a less explored HPS of this kind) for load frequency control (LFC) is investigated. The coordinated operation of different control loops such as the blade pitch control loop of TTG, supplementary control loop of DEG, and power control loop of PHEVs are realized through the maiden application of the proposed quasi-oppositional harmony search algorithm (QOHSA) based model predictive control (MPC) strategy. To establish the superiority of the proposed QOHSA tuned MPC method in mitigating frequency deviation following disturbance, its performance is compared with that of the coordinated performance obtained using QOHSA tuned conventional controllers and other existing optimization algorithms. The results conclude that the suggested method can significantly reduce frequency fluctuation under different load disturbances. The proposed method can handle different variances of the disturbance signals or noise entering the system as well as the model mismatch.
Dissolution on Titan and on Earth: Toward the age of Titan's karstic landscapes

Titan's polar surface is dotted with hundreds of lacustrine depressions. Based on the hypothesis that they are karstic in origin, we aim at determining the efficiency of surface dissolution as a landshaping process on Titan, in a comparative planetology perspective with the Earth as reference. Our approach is based on the calculation of solutional denudation rates and allow inference of formation timescales for topographic depressions developed by chemical erosion on both planetary bodies. The model depends on the solubility of solids in liquids, the density of solids and liquids, and the average annual net rainfall rates. We compute and compare the denudation rates of pure solid organics in liquid hydrocarbons and of minerals in liquid water over Titan and Earth timescales. We then investigate the denudation rates of a superficial organic layer in liquid methane over one Titan year. At this timescale, such a layer on Titan would behave like salts or carbonates on Earth depending on its composition, which means that dissolution processes would likely occur but would be 30 times slower on Titan compared to the Earth due to the seasonality of precipitation. Assuming an average depth of 100 m for Titan's lacustrine depressions, these could have developed in a few tens of millions of years at polar latitudes higher than 70°N and S, and a few hundreds of million years at lower polar latitudes. The ages determined are consistent with the youth of the surface (<1 Gyr) and the repartition of dissolution‐related landforms on Titan.
Hyper-spectral sensor calibration extrapolated from multi-spectral measurements

Hyper-spectral (HS) sensors are the instruments of choice for remote sensing applications involving environmental monitoring, littoral survey, and military assessment. Accurate band-to-band sensor radiometric calibration is critical for successful data mining of such HS spectral sets. Current calibration is often performed with methods not necessarily developed for HS applications. This work describes two advances which facilitate laboratory source calibrations. First, an analytical solution to the attenuation of flux within an integrating sphere, the best laboratory source of non-directional radiance for numerous radiometric applications, is given. Relative component attenuations due to integrating sphere coating, exit port escape, and atmospheric absorption are derived employing a geometrical PDF of summed probabilities. Equations providing the attenuation ratios and mean number of reflections for the three outcomes are obtained, yielding the three partial mean pathlengths and variances of all quantities. This work then describes an approach allowing accurate radiometric calibration of HS sensor bands using well-characterized and stable multi-spectral transfer radiometers. The resulting high-quality calibration enables the best representation of the truth spectral signature of the imaged scene. In order to obtain the best calibration with the least instrument complexity and expense, it is critical that the radiometer samples the source with the fewest samples at those optimal wavelengths which predict that source with the highest accuracy. The optimal source-specific bands are determined efficiently by application of the Direct Search methodology described here. Using the minimal selection of multi-spectral radiometer measurements obtained from the optimized transfer radiometer bands, one can obtain a complete and accurate calibration set for the continuum of calibration coefficients required for a robust HS application. Degradation of the prediction is documented for several typical error sources encountered with calibration, thereby defining limitations on the usefulness of the optimization approach.
Heavy Metal Depuration Steps for Gracilaria chilensis in Outdoor Culture Systems

Seaweed aquaculture is affected by natural and anthropogenic stressors, which put the biomass productivity of the cultures at risk. Seaweed biomass for commercial purposes, principally in pharmaceutical and/or nutraceutical applications, needs to be free of pollutants; therefore, controlled cultures have relevance in regulating the quality of biomass. The aim of this work was to demonstrate the successful utilization of controlled outdoor cultures to remove excess heavy metal accumulation in Gracilaria chilensis, an important commercial seaweed farming model. Specifically, we designed a simple and operational heavy metal depuration protocol, utilizing seawater and tap water removal, which permitted the concentration reduction of 10 heavy metals, including As, Cu, and Cd but not Zn, from the biomass at 7 days of culture. The percentage of depuration of the heavy metals ranged from 32 to 92% at 7 days, which was maintained throughout 21 days of culture. During the culture period, the monitored physicochemical parameters (temperature, salinity, and dissolved oxygen, among others) remained stable, with an increase in the daily growth rate (DGR% d−1) of the biomass recorded after 14 days of culture. Consequently, the experimental setup was successful for heavy metal depuration, which highlights the importance of controlled outdoor cultures as important tools of sustainability.
Comparisons of outcomes between different age groups attending a specialist mental health service for children and young people in care

Objective: Children and adolescents in care experience higher rates of mental illness. No studies have looked at differences in treatment effect amongst age groups for children/young people in care accessing mental health services. This study aims to determine if age is associated with outcomes for children and adolescents in care receiving treatment from a specialist mental health service in Queensland, Australia. Method: This 5-year retrospective cohort study consisted of a sample of 1338 children and adolescents in care aged 0–17 with pre- and post-treatment data. The Children’s Global Assessment Scale (CGAS) and the Health of the Nations Outcome Scale for Children and Adolescents (HoNOSCA) were used to assess functioning and mental health outcomes. Results: Data analysis revealed significant differences between the age groups. Age 0–4 also showed significantly greater improvement on a number of domains when compared with older age groups, including overactivity and attention, scholastic and language skills, emotional symptoms, peer relationships, and family life and relationships. Conclusion: This study demonstrated positive outcomes for all ages, yet better outcomes for the younger age groups in a cohort of children and adolescents in care attending a specialist mental health service. It highlights the importance of providing mental health interventions to children/young people in care, particularly age 0–4. Further, it calls for validated measures for young children to be utilised across mental health services to aid research in this area and optimise outcomes for this vulnerable population.
Human Language Explanation for a Decision Making Agent via Automated Rationale Generation

Advances in reinforcement learning (RL) algorithms have made them become increasingly capable in many tasks in recent years. However, the vast majority of RL algorithms are not readily interpretable off the shelf. Moreover, the task of generating explanations in the form of human language has not been sufficiently addressed for these RL algorithms in previous works. Human language explanations have the advantages of being easy to understand, and they can help increase the satisfaction experienced by the end user while using the product. In this paper, we propose a method for generating explanations in the form of free-text human language to help the end user better understand the behaviors of RL agents. Our work involves generating explanations for both single actions and sequences of actions. We also create an open dataset as a baseline for future research. Our proposed method is evaluated in two simulated environments: Pong and the Minimalistic Gridworld Environment (MiniGgrid). The results demonstrate that our models are able to consistently generate accurate rationales, which are highly correlated with the expert rationales. Hence, this work offers a solution for bridging the gap of trust encountered when employing RL agents in virtual world or real-world applications.
A comparison of methods for monitoring a sparse population of the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) subject to lethal control using GPS telemetry, camera traps and sand plots

ABSTRACT Context. The introduced red fox has driven the decline or extinction of numerous wildlife species in Australia, yet little information exists on the population densities of foxes in most ecosystems. Fox monitoring programs will differ widely depending on the goals of management, which, in turn, will determine whether the appropriate metric is a density estimate, or some proxy thereof, and the time and resources required. Aims. This study aims to assist wildlife managers to design fit-for-purpose monitoring programs for foxes by providing a better understanding of the utility and precision of various monitoring methods. Methods. We surveyed foxes monthly over four consecutive years in a semi-arid region of Australia by using sand plots, camera traps and GPS telemetry. The resultant data were used to produce population estimates from one count-based method, two spatially explicit methods, and two activity indices. Key results. The incorporation of GPS-collar data into the spatial capture–recapture approaches greatly reduced uncertainty in estimates of abundance. Activity indices from sand plots were generally higher and more variable than were indices derived from camera traps, whereas estimates from N-mixture models appeared to be biased high. Conclusions. Our study indicated that the Allen–Engeman index derived from camera-trap data provided an accurate reflection of change in the underlying fox density, even as density declined towards zero following introduction of lethal control. This method provides an efficient means to detect large shifts in abundance, whether up or down, which may trigger a change to more laborious, but precise, population monitoring methods. If accuracy is paramount (e.g. for reintroduction programs) spatially explicit methods augmented with GPS data provide robust estimates, albeit at a greater cost in resources and expertise than does an index. Implications. Our study demonstrated that the shorter the survey period is, the greater is the likelihood that foxes are present but not detected. As such, if limited resources are available, longer monitoring periods conducted less frequently will provide a more accurate reflection of the underlying fox population than do shorter monitoring periods conducted more often.
In Search of a Key Value Store with High Performance and High Availability

In recent year, the write-heavy applications is more and more prevalent. How to efficiently handle this sort of workload is one of intensive research direction in the field of database system. The overhead caused by write operation is mainly issued by two reasons: 1) the hardware level, i.e., the IO cost caused by logging. We can't remove this cost in short period 2) the dual-copy software architecture and serial replay. The born of log as database architecture is originated to overcome the software defect. But existing systems treating log as database either are built on top of special infrastructure such as infiniband or NVRam (Non-Volatile Random access memory) which is far from widely available or are constructed with the help of other system such as Dynamo which is lack of flexibility. In this paper we build only write-once key-value system called LogStore from scratch to support our instant messenger business. The key features of LogStore include: 1) a single thread per partition executing mode, which eliminates the concurrency overhead; 2) log as database to enable write-once feature and freshness on the standby. We achieve high availability by embedding replication protocol other than dependent on other infrastructure; 3) fine-grained and low overhead data buffer pool management to effectively minimize IO cost. According to our empirical evaluations LogStore has good performance in write operation, recovery and replication
Energy-Saving Load Control of Induction Electric Motors for Drives of Working Machines to Reduce Thermal Wear

The influence of reduced voltage on the service life of an induction motor is considered in this article. An algorithm for calculating the rate of thermal wear of induction motor insulation under reduced supply voltage depending on the load and the mechanical characteristics of the working machine has been developed. It determines the change in the rate of thermal wear under alternating external effects on the motor (supply voltage and load) and allows forecasting its service life under these conditions. The dependency graphs of the rate of insulation thermal wear on the motor load for various levels of supply voltage and various mechanical characteristics of working machines are provided in the work. It was determined that the rate of thermal wear of the induction motor insulation increases significantly when the voltage is reduced compared to its nominal value with nominal load on the motor. The authors propose to consider this fact for resource-saving control of the motor. The paper presents the results of experimental verification of the obtained rule for “Asynchronous Interelectro” (AI) series electric motors that confirm its accuracy. Based on the obtained correlation, the rule of voltage regulation in energy-saving operation mode has been derived. The proposed rule takes into account the thermal impact on the electric motor running in energy-saving mode and enables saving its resource, which, in turn, results in extending its service life. The research does not consider additional effects on the electric motor except the thermal one.
A hierarchical extension scheme for solutions of the Wright–Fisher model

We develop a global and hierarchical scheme for the forward Kolmogorov (Fokker-Planck) equation of the diffusion approximation of the Wright-Fisher model of population genetics. That model describes the random genetic drift of several alleles at the same locus in a population. The key of our scheme is to connect the solutions before and after the loss of an allele. Whereas in an approach via stochastic processes or partial differential equations, such a loss of an allele leads to a boundary singularity, from a biological or geometric perspective, this is a natural process that can be analyzed in detail. Our method depends on evolution equations for the moments of the process and a careful analysis of the boundary flux.
An empirical relation between sodium absorption and dust extinction

Dust extinction and reddening are ubiquitous in astronomical observations and are often a major source of systematic uncertainty. We present here a study of the correlation between extinction in the Milky Way and the equivalent width of the Na i D absorption doublet. Our sample includes more than 100 high-resolution spectra from the Keck telescopes and nearly a million low-resolution spectra from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). We measure the correlation to unprecedented precision, constrain its shape and derive an empirical relation between these quantities with a dispersion of the order of 0.15 mag in E(B − V). From the shape of the curve of growth we further show that a typical sight line through the Galaxy, as seen within the SDSS footprint, crosses about three dust clouds. We provide a brief guide on how to best estimate extinction to extragalactic sources such as supernovae, using the Na i D absorption feature, under a variety of circumstances.