Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Site response, attenuation and source spectra of S waves along the Guerrero, Mexico, subduction zone

Acceleration spectra from nine earthquakes and up to 11 stations per earthquake are inverted to find the source spectra, the site response, and the quality factor Q of S waves. This method is applied to moderate earthquakes (4.0 0.8 Hz does not follow a simple linear relation as observed in previous studies of attenuation in other regions. When the source spectra are interpreted in terms of Brune's model, the stress drops obtained are less than 20 bars for the four larger events analyzed. The site functions obtained indicate that although all the stations used are on rock, the effect of the near surface geology caused important amplifications at some stations.
Investigation of low gain avalanche detectors exposed to proton fluences beyond 10^15 neq/cm^2

Low gain avalanche detectors (LGADs) deliver excellent timing resolution, which can mitigate mis-assignment of vertices associated with pileup at the High Luminosity LHC and other future hadron colliders. The most highly irradiated LGADs will be subject to $2.5 \times10^{15} \mathrm{n}_\mathrm{eq} \mathrm{cm}^{-2}$ of hadronic fluence during HL-LHC operation; their performance must tolerate this. Hamamatsu Photonics K.K. and Fondazione Bruno Kessler LGADs have been irradiated with 400 and 500 MeV protons respectively in several steps up to $1.5 \times10^{15} \mathrm{n}_\mathrm{eq} \mathrm{cm}^{-2}$. Measurements of the acceptor removal constants of the gain layers, evolution of the timing resolution and charge collection with damage, and inter-channel isolation characteristics, for a variety of design options, are presented here.
Last Glacial Maximum deep water masses in southwestern Gulf of Mexico: Clues from benthic foraminifera

The repercussions of climate change during the Last Glacial Maximun (LGM) associated with changes in the structure and chemistry of abyssal waters in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico were studied by numerical analysis of benthic foraminiferal data from three sediment cores (water depth 1988-2735 m). In this context, to better understand the distribution patterns of modern benthic foraminifera in bathyal and abyssal waters of the area, species data from twelve core-tops (water depth 960-3255 m) were also analyzed. Multivariate Q-mode factor analysis separated the modern foraminiferal faunas of the North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW, deeper than ~2000 m), dominated by Nuttallides decorata, Alabaminella turgida, Ioanella tumidula, and Globocassidulina subglobosa, from those of the shallower Subantarctic Intermediate Water (AAIW) and Caribbean Midwater (CMW), characterized by the association of Bolivina lowmani, Bulimina aculeata, Alabaminella turgida, Globocassidulina subglobosa, Epistominella exigua, and E. vitrea. Although most of the species are found in the entire stratigraphic interval studied, detailed examination shows differences between the dominant LGM and Holocene assemblages, which can be traced to climate-related modifications in world ocean circulation in the LGM, particularly those of NADW. During LGM, Alabaminella turgida (a species sensitive to oxygen depletion) along with a group of dissolution-prone species such as Biloculinella irregularis and Cornuloculina inconstans, thrived in the deepest part of the study area, indicating well-oxygenated waters of glacial NADW (GNADW). As the production of GNADW ceased in the Holocene, the deep areas in the Gulf were occupied by the present NADW that contains less oxygen and more CO2 . This water mass is more corrosive and precluded the presence of dissolution-prone species during the LGM, except in the most calcium carbonate- and oxygen-rich areas next to the Yucatan platform. Conditions in this area allowed the proliferation of Nuttallides decorata during the Holocene, while the N. decorata and Alabaminella turgida populations decreased in the western Gulf.
Automated atomistic simulations of dissociated dislocations with 
ab initio
 accuracy

In (M Hodapp and A Shapeev 2020 Mach. Learn.: Sci. Technol. 1 045005), we have proposed an algorithm that fully automatically trains machine-learning interatomic potentials (MLIPs) during large-scale simulations, and successfully applied it to simulate screw dislocation motion in body-centered cubic tungsten. The algorithm identifies local subregions of the large-scale simulation region where the potential extrapolates, and then constructs periodic configurations of 100--200 atoms out of these non-periodic subregions that can be efficiently computed with plane-wave Density Functional Theory (DFT) codes. In this work, we extend this algorithm to dissociated dislocations with arbitrary character angles and apply it to partial dislocations in face-centered cubic aluminum. Given the excellent agreement with available DFT reference results, we argue that our algorithm has the potential to become a universal way of simulating dissociated dislocations in face-centered cubic and possibly also other materials, such as hexagonal closed-packed magnesium, and their alloys. Moreover, it can be used to construct reliable training sets for MLIPs to be used in large-scale simulations of curved dislocations.
Low Overhead Beam Alignment for Mobile Millimeter Channel Based on Continuous-Time Prediction

In millimeter-wave (mmWave) communications, directional transmission based on beamforming is important to compensate for high pathloss. To maintain the desired direction transmission gain, beam scanning that involves the transmitter sending the pilot signal over all available beam directions to find the optimal beam is often considered. Alternatively, beam tracking using partial beams can save the beam training overhead through algorithms such as statistical analysis models and kalman filter (KF). Unfortunately, existing beam tracking solutions are limited to a fixed beam variation pattern. In this work, we propose an adaptive online beam alignment (AOBA) scheme, which aims to reduce training overhead and achieve accurate beam alignment for any movement profile. The proposed AOBA periodically performs beam tracking using a small amount but carefully selected candidate beams and switches to beam scanning using all available beams based on a given switching rule. During the interval without the pilot signal, the optimal beam at an arbitrary time instant is predicted with the aid of the recently proposed ordinary differential equation (ODE)-long short-term memory (LSTM) model. Extensive simulations are conducted to evaluate the performance of the proposed AOBA in comparison with several existing beam alignment schemes.
Investigating the Behavior of Diffusion Models for Accelerating Electronic Structure Calculations

We present an investigation into diffusion models for molecular generation, with the aim of better understanding how their predictions compare to the results of physics-based calculations. The investigation into these models is driven by their potential to significantly accelerate electronic structure calculations using machine learning, without requiring expensive first-principles datasets for training interatomic potentials. We find that the inference process of a popular diffusion model for de novo molecular generation is divided into an exploration phase, where the model chooses the atomic species, and a relaxation phase, where it adjusts the atomic coordinates to find a low-energy geometry. As training proceeds, we show that the model initially learns about the first-order structure of the potential energy surface, and then later learns about higher-order structure. We also find that the relaxation phase of the diffusion model can be re-purposed to sample the Boltzmann distribution over conformations and to carry out structure relaxations. For structure relaxations, the model finds geometries with ~10x lower energy than those produced by a classical force field for small organic molecules. Initializing a density functional theory (DFT) relaxation at the diffusion-produced structures yields a>2x speedup to the DFT relaxation when compared to initializing at structures relaxed with a classical force field.
Conditions on Preference Relations that Guarantee the Existence of Optimal Policies

Learning from Preferential Feedback (LfPF) plays an essential role in training Large Language Models, as well as certain types of interactive learning agents. However, a substantial gap exists between the theory and application of LfPF algorithms. Current results guaranteeing the existence of optimal policies in LfPF problems assume that both the preferences and transition dynamics are determined by a Markov Decision Process. We introduce the Direct Preference Process, a new framework for analyzing LfPF problems in partially-observable, non-Markovian environments. Within this framework, we establish conditions that guarantee the existence of optimal policies by considering the ordinal structure of the preferences. We show that a decision-making problem can have optimal policies -- that are characterized by recursive optimality equations -- even when no reward function can express the learning goal. These findings underline the need to explore preference-based learning strategies which do not assume that preferences are generated by reward.
Towards higher super-$\sigma$-model categories

A simplicial framework for the gerbe-theoretic modelling of supercharged-loop dynamics in the presence of worldsheet defects is discussed whose equivariantisation with respect to global supersymmetries of the bulk theory and subsequent orbit decomposition lead to a natural stratification of and cohomological superselection rules for target-space supergeometry, expected to encode essential information on the quantised 2d field theory. A physically relevant example is analysed in considerable detail.
High Probability Convergence of Adam Under Unbounded Gradients and Affine Variance Noise

In this paper, we study the convergence of the Adaptive Moment Estimation (Adam) algorithm under unconstrained non-convex smooth stochastic optimizations. Despite the widespread usage in machine learning areas, its theoretical properties remain limited. Prior researches primarily investigated Adam's convergence from an expectation view, often necessitating strong assumptions like uniformly stochastic bounded gradients or problem-dependent knowledge in prior. As a result, the applicability of these findings in practical real-world scenarios has been constrained. To overcome these limitations, we provide a deep analysis and show that Adam could converge to the stationary point in high probability with a rate of $\mathcal{O}\left({\rm poly}(\log T)/\sqrt{T}\right)$ under coordinate-wise"affine"variance noise, not requiring any bounded gradient assumption and any problem-dependent knowledge in prior to tune hyper-parameters. Additionally, it is revealed that Adam confines its gradients' magnitudes within an order of $\mathcal{O}\left({\rm poly}(\log T)\right)$. Finally, we also investigate a simplified version of Adam without one of the corrective terms and obtain a convergence rate that is adaptive to the noise level.
Relaxing cosmological constraints on current neutrino masses

We show that a mass-varying neutrino model driven by scalar field dark energy relaxes the existing upper bound on the current neutrino mass to ${\sum m_\nu<0.72}$ eV. We extend the standard $\Lambda$CDM model by introducing two parameters: the rate of change of the scalar field with the number of $e$-folds and the coupling between neutrinos and the field. We investigate how they affect the matter power spectrum, the CMB anisotropies and its lensing potential. The model is tested against Planck observations of temperature, polarization, and lensing, combined with BAO measurements that constrain the background evolution. The results indicate that small couplings favor a cosmological constant, while larger couplings favor a dynamical dark energy, weakening the upper bound on current neutrino masses.
PEDESTRIAN DEAD RECKONING— A SOLUTION TO NAVIGATION IN GPS SIGNAL DEGRADED AREAS?

This paper presents an analysis of the performance of medium-accuracy Pedestrian Dead Reckoning (PDR) systems. Such PDR systems, based on self-contained sensors, are well suited for indoor use and in urban canyons where GPS signals are degraded or not available with an adequate geometry. An analysis of major error contributors to the PDR system position errors, namely the step length error and the heading error, is performed. The importance of accurate PDR initialization is also discussed. A new method to estimate the 2-D position accuracy of stand-alone PDR navigation is proposed. Several stochastic models to represent the major PDR error source for a medium-grade PDR system namely, the step length estimation error, are presented and analyzed. A quantitative analysis of the upper-bound horizontal position error for a given quality PDR system is performed for the case of a straight walk, which represents the worst case of PDR horizontal error propagation. Using this analysis, the requirements for a PDR system and the initialization accuracy can be estimated for a desired accuracy of navigation as a function of time. The feasibility analysis is tested with a field experiment.
Evaluation of performance and operational costs for three biological nutrient removal schemes at a full-scale wastewater treatment plant

A two-year nutrient removal study was conducted at McDowell Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant in Charlotte, North Carolina. The overall objective of the research was to evaluate performance and operational costs for three biological nutrient removal schemes implemented at the plant, including documenting and monitoring effluent nitrogen and phosphorus levels for each configuration, and tracking the operations, maintenance and chemical input costs for operation. The nutrient removal schemes evaluated included the University of Cape T o d i r g i n i a Initiative Plant (UCTNIP) process, the Charlotte North Carolina (CNC) process, the modified Orange Water and Sewer Authority (OWASA) process, and the chemical phosphorus removal process. All processes were successful in removing phosphorus and nitrogen from the wastewater to meet permit limits of 1 mg/L and 10 mg/L for total phosphorus and nitrogen respectively. All processes required supplemental acetic acid feed to assist in anaerobic phosphorus release. Problems with process stability were encountered due to the plant expansion underway, and it was discovered that each process must be closely monitored to ensure efficient removal. Low levels of alum addition for phosphorus precipitation were necessary to meet regulatory limits during periods of instability. (Biological Treatment, Wastewater, Nutrient Removal)
The role of Indian Ocean sea surface temperature in forcing east African rainfall anomalies during December-January 1997/98

Abstract The role of anomalous Indian Ocean sea surface temperature (SST) in forcing east African rainfall anomalies during December–January 1997/98 has been investigated by means of atmospheric model response experiments. It is shown that the strong precipitation anomalies that led to severe flooding over eastern equatorial Africa can be directly related to the contemporaneous changes in the Indian Ocean’s SST. The authors’ set of ensemble experiments prescribing SST anomalies in different ocean basins indicates further that the El Nino–related SST anomalies in the equatorial Pacific did not directly drive the changes in the climate over eastern Africa.
Quantifying changes of wind speed distributions in the historical record of Atlantic tropical cyclones

Here we re-examine the official Atlantic basin tropical cyclone (hurricane) database HURDAT (1851-2008) and quantify differences between wind speed distributions in the early historical (1851-1943) record and more recent ob- servations. Analyses were performed at three different geo- graphical levels: for all six-hourly track segments of all At- lantic basin events, all segments of all events that crossed the US mainland, and US landfalling segments alone. At all three geographical levels of study, distributions of wind- speeds over the last two, four and six decades display negli- gible dispersion or systematic change over time. On the other hand and relative to wind speed frequencies for subsequent years, the 1851-1943 record has a marked and statistically significant over-representation of wind speeds largely corre- sponding to Saffir-Simpson Categories 1 and 2 and under- representation of Categories 4 and 5 events; importantly, no single Category 5 event is recorded prior to 1924. The sta- bility of the distribution of windspeeds at landfall over the last six decades, the dataset in which we can have most con- fidence, suggests that the differences in the earlier record are most likely explained by well-known measurement and observational deficiencies. Moreover by disaggregating the Power Dissipation Index (PDI), we demonstrate that the up- ward trend in Atlantic basin PDI since 1970s does not imply stronger and longer duration Category 5 windspeeds despite a warming climate. These results have implications for hurri- cane catastrophe loss modeling for the insurance industry and long-term trend analyses of the historical wind speed record, especially those related to the attribution of the role of Global Climate Change.
Canopy cover and organic matter spatial distribution as indicators of soil quality for aquifer recharge.

Maintaining perennial rivers, with water emerging in springs, is directly related to soil management, as this will determine the groundwater flow in recharge areas. Rational management in a watershed requires knowledge of several important parameters regarding the hydrology, including vegetation cover and soil organic matter (OM) amounts. The objectives of this study were to identify the existence of vegetation using the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and analyze the spatial variability of the organic matter (OM) amount, in order to identify favorable points of carbon stocks and groundwater recharge in the Salto and Pitangueiras Sub-basins that are part of Jaguari River Basin. Both sub-basins are located in the county of Extrema (Minas Gerais, Brazil). For vegetation analyses, the Landsat-5 TM images acquired on Sept. 03, 2008 (INPE 2009) were used. In addition, geostatistics and kriging were performed to determine the OM spatial variability. The study area was primarily occupied by degraded pastures with dense vegetation mainly in the headwater basin. In most of the study area, there were moderate amounts of OM, with higher levels of OM in areas of high and low altitude. The study area is occupied by degraded pasture, which has less potential for carbon storage when compared to dense vegetation. Accordingly soil conservation can be impaired and thus recharging groundwater and water quality as well.
Long expected sponges from the Neoproterozoic Ediacara fauna of South Australia

New fossils from the Neoproterozoic Ediacara fauna of South Australia are interpreted as the oldest known hexactinellid sponges. They occur within the Ediacara Member of the Rawnsley Quartzite (Pound Subgroup) from several locations in the Flinders Ranges. The new genus, Palaeophragmodictya, is characterized by disc-shaped impressions preserving characteristic spicular networks and is reconstructed as a convex sponge with a peripheral frill and an oscular disc at the apex.
Pyrimidine salvage in Toxoplasma gondii as a target for new treatment

Toxoplasmosis is a common protozoan infection that can have severe outcomes in the immunocompromised and during pregnancy, but treatment options are limited. Recently, nucleotide metabolism has received much attention as a target for new antiprotozoal agents and here we focus on pyrimidine salvage by Toxoplasma gondii as a drug target. Whereas uptake of [3H]-cytidine and particularly [3H]-thymidine was at most marginal, [3H]-uracil and [3H]-uridine were readily taken up. Kinetic analysis of uridine uptake was consistent with a single transporter with a Km of 3.3 ± 0.8 µM, which was inhibited by uracil with high affinity (Ki = 1.15 ± 0.07 µM) but not by thymidine or 5-methyluridine, showing that the 5-Me group is incompatible with uptake by T. gondii. Conversely, [3H]-uracil transport displayed a Km of 2.05 ± 0.40 µM, not significantly different from the uracil Ki on uridine transport, and was inhibited by uridine with a Ki 2.44 ± 0.59 µM, also not significantly different from the experimental uridine Km. The reciprocal, complete inhibition, displaying Hill slopes of approximately ∼1, strongly suggest that uridine and uracil share a single transporter with similarly high affinity for both, and we designate it uridine/uracil transporter 1 (TgUUT1). While TgUUT1 excludes 5-methyl substitutions, the smaller 5F substitution was tolerated as 5F-uracil inhibited uptake of [3H]-uracil with a Ki of 6.80 ± 2.12 µM (P > 0.05 compared to uracil Km). Indeed, we found that 5F-Uridine, 5F-uracil and 5F,2’-deoxyuridine were all potent antimetabolites against T. gondii with EC50 values well below that of the current first line treatment, sulfadiazine. In vivo evaluation also showed that 5F-uracil and 5F,2’-deoxyuridine were similarly effective as sulfadiazine against acute toxoplasmosis. Our preliminary conclusion is that TgUUT1 mediates potential new anti-toxoplasmosis drugs with activity superior to the current treatment.
Glioblastoma Margin as a Diffusion Barrier Revealed by Photoactivation of Plasmonic Nanovesicles

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most complex and lethal adult primary brain cancer. Adequate drug diffusion and penetration are essential for treating GBM, but how the spatial heterogeneity in GBM impacts drug diffusion and transport is poorly understood. Herein, we report a new method, photoactivation of plasmonic nanovesicles (PANO), to measure molecular diffusion in the extracellular space of GBM. By examining three genetically engineered GBM mouse models that recapitulate key clinical features including angiogenic core and diffuse infiltration, we found that the tumor margin has the lowest diffusion coefficient (highest tortuosity) compared with the tumor core and surrounding brain tissue. Analysis of the cellular composition shows that the tortuosity in the GBM is strongly correlated with neuronal loss and astrocyte activation. Our all-optical measurement reveals the heterogeneous GBM microenvironment and highlights the tumor margin as a diffusion barrier for drug transport in the brain, with implications for therapeutic delivery.