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This research study explores the potential of a pedagogical model of self-regulated learning supported with Artificial Intelligence (AI) chatbots to enhance self-expression and reflective writing skills for novice EFL student teachers at Faculty of Education, Assiut University. The study adopted a pre-post quasi-experimental design, that starts with the identification of the necessary self-expression and reflective writing skills for the target participants (50 fresh EFL student teachers at Assiut University who were purposively selected using a screening questionnaire based on their basic IT literacy skills). A pre-test was administered to assess their initial skill levels in self-expression and reflective writing. Then, an intervention was implemented in the form of a pedagogical model designed around the principles of self-regulated learning and situated language learning, which guided the use of AI chatbots (Bing, ChatGPT, and Google Bard). This model was initially piloted on a small sample (n = 10) of EFL student teachers to check validity and reliability and then experimented with the research participants for 8 weeks during the first semester of the academic year 2023/24. Following the intervention, a post-test was conducted to measure the participants' levels of self-expression and reflective writing skills after being exposed to the interventional model, aiming to identify any improvements gained from the intervention. The results indicated a positive effect with noticeable enhancements in the EFL student teachers' skills. This suggests the potential effectiveness of the model in fostering self-expression and reflective writing skills and developing EFL student teachers' general language proficiency and IT literacy. [This paper was published in "Academic Journal of Faculty of Education, Assiut University" v40 n9 p1-50 2024.]

This research was designed to develop and test a model of the Air Force manpower market. The study indicates that previous manpower supply studies failed to account for simultaneous determination of enlistments and retentions and misinterpreted regressions as supply equations. They are, instead, reduced form equations resulting from joint interaction of Air Force demand and enlistment supply activity. A stochastic process model is used to represent the Air Force manpower market. Variables determining manpower inventory levels, personnel turnover, and new enlistment flows are the mandated force level requirement, Air Force and civilian wages, the unemployment rate, and perceived civilian returns to Air Force-provided training. In the model it is possible to trace the impact of changes in the determining variables upon retention and enlistments. The empirical work supports the simultaneous demand and supply approach developed in the study. The results indicate that (1) changes in force level account for most enlistment rate changes during the all-volunteer force period, (2) higher Air Force wages have improved retention and reduce demand for new enlistments, (3) accessions show lower Air Force Qualifications Test scores, and (4) previous estimates of military manpower supply elasticities are biased downward from true elasticity. (Author/CSS)

This report examines the evolving landscape of English language arts (ELA) curriculum and instructional support in Michigan elementary schools from the 2019-20 to the 2022-23 school years. Recognizing the pivotal role instruction plays in shaping students' literacy development, this report explores which curriculum resources teachers are using to provide ELA instruction and the infrastructure of support surrounding curriculum implementation. Relying on statewide survey data, we find that: (1) Districts made many changes to their ELA curriculum resources due to the COVID-19 pandemic but few due to the Read by Grade Three Law; (2) Variability remains a feature of Michigan's ELA curriculum resource landscape; (3) Elementary classroom teachers are more likely to use only one core curriculum resource than they were in 2019-20; (4) Elementary classroom teachers are more likely to supplement their core curriculum with additional writing, phonics, or spelling resources than they were in 2019-20; (5) More teachers are using curriculum resources that EdReports rates as "Meets Expectations" than they were in 2019-20, particularly in districts serving higher proportions of students from historically underserved populations; (6) The majority of the most-used core ELA curriculum resources are not rated by What Works Clearinghouse or Evidence for ESSA; and (7) Teachers reported increased access to curriculum-aligned professional development compared to 2019-20.

Students in the foster care system tend to have lower educational outcomes than their peers, including more frequent disciplinary events. However, few studies have explored how transitions into and out of foster care placements are associated with educational outcomes. Using longitudinal data from four California school districts, this study investigated the dynamics of entering versus exiting foster care to predict school discipline and how this relationship ultimately influences absenteeism. Our findings suggest that students in foster care are more likely than their peers to face disciplinary action, especially exclusionary discipline, particularly when entering foster care. We also find suggestive evidence that disciplinary actions upon entry increase student absenteeism for students in foster care.

The article presents a blended dialogic socio-constructivist pedagogy for language learning, emphasizing the importance of both individual and social aspects of learning. It argues that technology alone does not transform pedagogy; rather, it is the approach to technology that matters. The pedagogy combines personal freedom for reflection and individual assignments with social interactions like pair work and group discussions for collaborative knowledge construction. The progression from controlled, face-to-face activities to freer, online ones aids in consolidating new ideas and mastering language skills. The article supports its approach with literature on socio-constructivism, highlighting the synergy between individual constructivism and socio-culturalism. It draws on theories by Vygotsky and Piaget, advocating for a dialogic approach that extends learning beyond the classroom through web-mediated environments. This approach is particularly beneficial for English Language Learners (ELL), moving language learning from isolated mental functioning to real-world communication and fostering a participatory metaphor for language learning. The article concludes that blended learning, which combines web technologies with traditional pedagogies, is crucial for engaging learners in meaningful dialogue and practice.

West central Georgia has become a burgeoning center for advanced manufacturing and logistics. With facilities for global brands across automotive, agriculture, tech, and biotech industries, the region (which includes Carroll, Coweta, Douglas, Haralson, Heard, Meriwether, and Troup counties) has experienced a 100+ percent surge in job demand for manufacturing engineers, machine operators, and material assembly shift technicians alone. This case study explores a cross-sector response to upskilling and reskilling talent in the region through West Georgia Technical College's establishment of a Regional Workforce Training Center, which has fostered impactful employer partnerships to drive skill acquisition for entry-level talent and incumbent workforces, enhance workforce diversity, and meet the evolving needs of both businesses and the community at large.

This manuscript explores the argument for lower student-to-school counselor ratios in U.S. public education. Drawing upon a comprehensive historical review and existing research, we establish the integral role of school counselors and the notable benefits of reduced student-to-counselor ratios. Our analysis of national data exposes marked disparities across states and districts, with the most underfunded often serving higher percentages of low-income students and students of color. This situation raises significant ethical concerns, prompting a call for conscientious policy reform and targeted investment. Informed by emerging best practices, we propose recommendations for enhancing counselor staffing and ultimately student outcomes. This ethical argument underscores the need for proactive actions and provides a basis for future research to further delineate the impact of school counselor ratios on educational equity and student success.

Budget constraints and limited supplies of local tutors have caused many K-12 school districts to pivot from individual tutoring in-person toward small-group tutoring online to expand access to personalized instruction. We conduct a field experiment to explore the effect of increasing student-tutor ratios on middle school students' math achievement and growth during an online tutoring program. We leverage a novel feature of the program where tutors often taught individual and small-group tutoring sessions, allowing them to directly compare their experiences across these settings. Both experimental estimates and tutor survey responses suggest 1:1 tutoring is more effective than 3:1 tutoring online. Tutoring small groups in an online format presents additional challenges for personalizing instruction, developing relationships, fostering participation, and managing student behavior.

Any research endeavour needs to conform with some endorsed research ethics, such as the BERA ethical guidelines for educational research (BERA, 2018). These ethical guidelines can be applied to many research stages and procedures, including dealing with human participants (e.g. getting consent and approvals), data collection and analysis, and using pseudonyms instead of real names in the research report itself. Drawing on British Educational Research Association (BERA, 2018) as an authoritative source in this regard, I will explore how these ethical guidelines apply to educational research in the Arab world, and how they might inform and shape research practices in the light of a chosen experimental research study in language learning (Al-Jarf, 2006) by discussing the key ethical issues and concerns evident in the study, and suggesting alternative ways when needed. This would develop a methodological understanding of the proper conduct of the research process, and hence contribute to the advancement of knowledge in the educational arena. To investigate ethical issues in this paper, focus will be on the following points considering to what extent the researcher considered them: the researcher's qualities and virtues (honesty, objectivity, clarity, etc.), her interaction with participants, tackling previous literature, and research procedures.

When employees expect evaluation and performance incentives will continue (or begin) in the future, the potential future rewards create an incentive to invest in relevant skills today. Because skills benefit job performance, the effects of evaluation can persist after the rewards end or even anticipate the start of rewards. I provide empirical evidence of these dynamics from a quasi-experiment in Tennessee schools. New performance measures improve teachers' value-added contributions to student achievement. But improvements are twice as large when the teacher also expects future rewards linked to future scores. Value-added remains at the now higher level after performance incentives end.

Boosting literacy among school-age children remains a national priority. Nearly one third of students in the United States have not developed the foundational reading skills needed to succeed academically, with students living in poverty, students with disabilities, and English learners especially at risk. Starting in 2010, Congress invested more than $1 billion for state literacy improvement efforts through the Striving Readers Comprehensive Literacy (SRCL) program. SRCL was intended to focus funding on disadvantaged schools, encourage schools to use evidence-based practices, and support schools and teachers in providing comprehensive literacy instruction. These efforts were expected to lead to improved literacy outcomes for students. This study assesses how well SRCL implementation was aligned with these goals, using information collected from states, districts, and schools in all 11 states awarded grants in 2017.

There has been a paradigm shift from accommodations to the identification of levels of accessibility (e.g., universal features, designated features, and accommodations). A consequence of this shift is that many students with disabilities who previously were assigned accommodations now access many of them as universal or designated features. This Brief highlights what states and Individualized Education Program (IEP) teams can do to avoid possible unintended consequences of the paradigm shift.

We present the JWST Emission Line Survey (JELS), a Cycle 1 JWST imaging programme exploiting the wavelength coverage and sensitivity of NIRCam to extend narrow-band rest-optical emission line selection into the epoch of reionization (EoR) for the first time, and to enable unique studies of the resolved ionised gas morphology in individual galaxies across cosmic history. The primary JELS observations comprise $\sim4.7\mu$m narrow-band imaging over $\sim63$ arcmin$^{2}$ designed to enable selection of H$\alpha$ emitters at $z\sim6.1$, as well as the selection of a host of novel emission-line samples including [OIII] at $z\sim8.3$ and Pa $\alpha/\beta$ at $z\sim1.5/2.8$. For the prime F466N and F470N narrow-band observations, the emission-line sensitivities achieved are up to $\sim2\times$ more sensitive than current slitless spectroscopy surveys (5$\sigma$ limits of 1.1-1.6$\times10^{-18}\text{erg s}^{-1}\text{cm}^{-2}$), corresponding to unobscured H$\alpha$ star-formation rates (SFRs) of 1-1.6 $\text{M}_{\odot}\,\text{yr}^{-1}$ at $z\sim6.1$ and extending emission-line selections in the EoR to fainter populations. Simultaneously, JELS also obtained F200W broadband and F212N narrow-band imaging (H$\alpha$ at $z\sim2.23$) that probes SFRs $\gtrsim5\times$ fainter than previous ground-based narrow-band studies ($\sim0.2 \text{M}_{\odot}\text{yr}^{-1}$), offering an unprecedented resolved view of star formation at cosmic noon. In this paper we describe the detailed JELS survey design, key data processing steps specific to the survey observations, and demonstrate the exceptional data quality and imaging sensitivity achieved. We then summarise the key scientific goals of JELS and present some early science results, including examples of spectroscopically confirmed H$\alpha$ and [OIII] emitters discovered by JELS that illustrate the novel parameter space probed., Comment: Submitted to MRNAS; 13 pages, 8 figures. Accompanying data will be publicly released upon acceptance of this and companion paper (Pirie et al., subm.)

Heat transport in bulk materials is well described using the Debye theory of 3D vibrational modes (phonons) and the acoustic match model. However, in cryogenic nanodevices, phonon wavelengths exceed device dimensions, leading to confinement effects that standard models fail to address. With the growing application of low-temperature devices in communication, sensing, and quantum technologies, there is an urgent need for models that accurately describe heat transport under confinement. We introduce a computational approach to obtain phonon heat capacity and heat transport rates between solids in various confined geometries, that can be easily integrated into, e.g., the standard two-temperature model. Confinement significantly reduces heat capacity and may slow down heat transport. We have validated our model in experiments on strongly disordered NbTiN superconducting nanostructures, widely used in highly efficient single-photon detectors, and we argue that confinement is due to their polycrystalline granular structure. These findings point to potential advances in cryogenic device performance through tailored material and microstructure engineering., Comment: arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:2308.12090

We consider a spin valve composed of a superconducting film (S) between two ferromagnetic insulators (FI) on two sides. In the dirty limit the superconductor is described by Usadel equations. Appropriate boundary conditions were chosen for two S-FI interfaces, which are described via the interface parameter spin mixing angle. By numerically solving the Usadel equations, the density of states (DOS) at different spin mixing angles were obtained. It was shown previously that critical temperature of such FI-S-FI structure depends on the mutual alignment of the FI layers magnetization. We follow the evolution of DOS at change of misalignment of ferromagnets magnetization and probe the zero bias peak creation. The DOS characteristic features may give a fruitful information about triplet superconducting components creation and interplay inside the S layer.

For the High-Luminosity (HL-LHC) phase, the upgrade of the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) experiment at CERN will include a novel MIP Timing Detector (MTD). The central part of MTD, the barrel timing layer (BTL), is designed to provide a measurement of the time of arrival of charged particles with a precision of 30 ps at the beginning of HL-LHC, progressively degrading to 60 ps while operating in an extremely harsh radiation environment for over a decade. In this paper we present a comparative analysis of the time resolution of BTL module prototypes made of LYSO:Ce crystal bars read out by silicon photo-multipliers (SiPMs). The timing performance measured in beam test campaigns is presented for prototypes with different construction and operation parameters, such as different SiPM cell sizes (15, 20, 25 and 30 $\rm \mu m$), SiPM manufacturers and crystal bar thicknesses. The evolution of time resolution as a function of the irradiation level has been studied using non-irradiated SiPMs as well as SiPMs exposed up to $2\times 10^{14}~n_{eq}/cm^2$ fluence. The key parameters defining the module time resolution such as SiPM characteristics (gain, photon detection efficiency, radiation induced dark count rate) and crystal properties (light output and dimensions) are discussed. These results have informed the final choice of the MTD barrel sensor configuration and offer a unique starting point for the design of future large-area scintillator-based timing detectors in either low or high radiation environments.

We used TESS observations to search for pulsations in six known Of?p stars in the Magellanic Clouds. We find evidence for pulsational variability in three Of?p stars: UCAC4 115-008604, OGLE SMC-SC6 237339, and AzV 220. Two of them, UCAC4 115-008604 and OGLE SMC-SC6 237339, have been reported to possess kG-order magnetic fields. The obtained results are important to constrain and improve stellar evolution models., Comment: 3 pages, 1 figure, accepted for RNAAS

Using $20.3\,\rm fb^{-1}$ of $e^+e^-$ collision data collected at the center-of-mass energy 3.773\,GeV with the BESIII detector, we report the first observation of the semileptonic decay $D^+\to \eta^\prime \mu^+\nu_\mu$ with significance of $8.6\sigma$ including systematic uncertainties, and an improved measurement of $D^+\to \eta^\prime e^+\nu_e$. The branching fractions of $D^+\to \eta^\prime \mu^+\nu_\mu$ and $D^+\to \eta^\prime e^+\nu_e$ are determined to be $(1.92\pm0.28_{\rm stat}\pm 0.08_{\rm syst})\times 10^{-4}$ and $(1.79\pm0.19_{\rm stat}\pm 0.07_{\rm syst})\times 10^{-4}$, respectively. From an analysis of the $D^+\to \eta^\prime \ell^+\nu_\ell$ decay dynamics, the product of the hadronic form factor $f_+^{\eta^{\prime}}(0)$ and the CKM matrix element $|V_{cd}|$ is measured for the first time, giving $f^{\eta^\prime}_+(0)|V_{cd}| = (5.92\pm0.56_{\rm stat}\pm0.13_{\rm syst})\times 10^{-2}$. No evidence for violation of $\mu-e$ lepton-flavor universality is found in both the full range and several bins of $\ell^+\nu_\ell$ four-momentum transfer. The $\eta-\eta^\prime$ mixing angle in the quark flavor basis is determined to be $\phi_{\rm P} =(39.8\pm0.8_{\rm stat}\pm0.3_{\rm syst})^\circ$.

We present a measurement of the branching fraction and time-dependent charge-parity ($CP$) decay-rate asymmetries in $B^0 \to J/\psi \pi^0$ decays. The data sample was collected with the Belle~II detector at the SuperKEKB asymmetric $e^+e^-$ collider in 2019-2022 and contains $(387\pm 6)\times 10^6$ $B\overline{B}$ meson pairs from $\Upsilon(4S)$ decays. We reconstruct $392\pm 24$ signal decays and fit the $CP$ parameters from the distribution of the proper-decay-time difference of the two $B$ mesons. We measure the branching fraction to be $B(B^0 \to J/\psi \pi^0)=(2.02 \pm 0.12 \pm 0.10)\times 10^{-5}$ and the direct and mixing-induced $CP$ asymmetries to be $C_{CP}=0.13 \pm 0.12 \pm 0.03$ and $S_{CP}=-0.88 \pm 0.17 \pm 0.03$, respectively, where the first uncertainties are statistical and the second are systematic. We observe mixing-induced $CP$ violation with a significance of $5.0$ standard deviations for the first time in this mode.

Understanding open quantum systems using information encoded in its complex eigenvalues has been a subject of growing interest. In this paper, we study higher-order gap ratios of the singular values of generic open quantum systems. We show that $k$-th order gap ratio of the singular values of an open quantum system can be connected to the nearest-neighbor spacing ratio of positions of classical particles of a harmonically confined log-gas with inverse temperature $\beta'(k)$ where $\beta'(k)$ is an analytical function that depends on $k$ and the Dyson's index $\beta=1,2,$ and $4$ that characterizes the properties of the associated Hermitized matrix. Our findings are crucial not only for understanding long-range correlations between the eigenvalues but also provide an excellent way of distinguishing different symmetry classes in an open quantum system. To highlight the universality of our findings, we demonstrate the higher-order gap ratios using different platforms such as non-Hermitian random matrices, random dissipative Liouvillians, Hamiltonians coupled to a Markovian bath, and Hamiltonians with in-built non-Hermiticity., Comment: 12 pages, 12 figures

We study the stellar mass function (SMF) and the co-evolution with dark matter halos via abundance matching in the largest redshift range to date $0.25$, we find increased abundances of massive (log$\, M_{\star}/M_{\odot}>10.5$) implying integrated star formation efficiencies (SFE) $\epsilon_{\star}\equiv M_{\star}\, f_{\rm b}^{-1} M_{\rm halo}^{-1} \gtrsim 0.5$. We find a flattening of the SMF at the high-mass end that is better described by a double power law at $z>5.5$. At $z \lesssim 5.5$ it transitions to a Schechter law which coincides with the emergence of the first massive quiescent galaxies in the Universe. We trace the cosmic stellar mass density (SMD) and infer the star formation rate density (SFRD), which at $z>7.5$ agrees remarkably with recent \JWST{} UV luminosity function-derived estimates. However, at $z \lesssim 3.5$, we find significant tension ($\sim 0.3$ dex) with the cosmic star formation (SF) history from instantaneous SF measures, the causes of which remain poorly understood. We infer the stellar-to-halo mass relation (SHMR) and the SFE from abundance matching out to $z=12$, finding a non-monotonic evolution. The SFE has the characteristic strong dependence with mass in the range of $0.02 - 0.2$, and mildly decreases at the low mass end out to $z\sim3.5$. At $z\sim3.5$ the SFE increases sharply from $\sim 0.1$ to approach high SFE of $0.8-1$ by $z\sim 10$ for log$(M_{\rm h}/M_{\odot})\approx11.5$, albeit with large uncertainties. Finally, we use the SHMR to track the SFE and stellar mass growth throughout the halo history and find that they do not grow at the same rate -- from the earliest times up until $z\sim3.5$ the halo growth rate outpaces galaxy assembly, but at $z>3.5$ halo growth stagnates and accumulated gas reservoirs keep the SF going and galaxies outpace halos.

Determining the physical nature of a star requires precise knowledge of its stellar atmospheric parameters, including effective temperature, surface gravity, and metallicity. This study presents a new atomic line list covering a broad spectral range (1-2.5 $\mu$m; $YJHK$-bands) for iron (Fe) and $\alpha$-elements (Ca, Mg, Ti, Si) to improve stellar parameter determination using near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy. We highlight the limitations of existing line lists, stemming primarily from inconsistencies in oscillator strengths for ionized iron lines within the APOGEE DR17. The line list was validated using the high-resolution and high-quality disc-center NIR spectra of the Sun and its solar analog HD 76151. As a result of the spectroscopic analyses, the effective temperature of HD 76151 was calculated as 5790$\pm$170 K, surface gravity as 4.35$\pm$0.18 cgs, metal abundance as 0.24$\pm$0.09 dex, and microturbulence velocity of 0.30$^{\rm +0.5}_{\rm -0.3}$ km s$^{-1}$ by combining the optical and NIR line lists. A comparison of the model atmospheric parameters calculated for HD 76151 with the PARSEC isochrones resulted in a stellar mass of $1.053_{-0.068}^{+0.056} M_{\odot}$, radius $1.125_{-0.011}^{+0.035} R_{\odot}$, and an age of 5.5$^{\rm +2.5}_{\rm -2.1}$ Gyr. For the first time, kinematic and dynamical orbital analyses of HD 76151 using a combination of Gaia astrometric and spectroscopic data showed that the star was born in a metal-rich region within the Solar circle and is a member of the thin disc population. Thus, the slightly metal-rich nature of the star, as reflected in its spectroscopic analysis, was confirmed by dynamical orbital analysis., Comment: 31 pages, including 8 figures and 13 tables, accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal

In this paper, we investigate the possibility of selecting high-redshift Lyman-Break Galaxies (LBG) using current and future broadband wide photometric surveys, such as UNIONS or the Vera C. Rubin LSST, using a Random Forest algorithm. This work is conducted in the context of future large-scale structure spectroscopic surveys like DESI-II, the next phase of the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI), which will start around 2029. We use deep imaging data from HSC and CLAUDS on the COSMOS and XMM-LSS fields. To predict the selection performance of LBGs with image quality similar to UNIONS, we degrade the $u, g, r, i$ and $z$ bands to UNIONS depth. The Random Forest algorithm is trained with the $u,g,r,i$ and $z$ bands to classify LBGs in the $2.5 < z < 3.5$ range. We find that fixing a target density budget of $1,100$ deg$^{-2}$, the Random Forest approach gives a density of $z>2$ targets of $873$ deg$^{-2}$, and a density of $493$ deg$^{-2}$ of confirmed LBGs after spectroscopic confirmation with DESI. This UNIONS-like selection was tested in a dedicated spectroscopic observation campaign of 1,000 targets with DESI on the COSMOS field, providing a safe spectroscopic sample with a mean redshift of 3. This sample is used to derive forecasts for DESI-II, assuming a sky coverage of 5,000 deg$^2$. We predict uncertainties on Alcock-Paczynski parameters $\alpha_\perp$ and $\alpha_{\parallel}$ to be 0.7$\%$ and 1$\%$ for $2.6

Gravitational lensing magnification of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) allows information to be obtained about the distribution of matter on small scales. In this paper, we derive limits on the fraction $\alpha$ of the total matter density in compact objects (which comprise stars, stellar remnants, small stellar groupings and primordial black holes) of mass $M > 0.03 M_{\odot}$ over cosmological distances. Using 1,532 SNe Ia from the Dark Energy Survey Year 5 sample (DES-SN5YR) combined with a Bayesian prior for the absolute magnitude $M$, we obtain $\alpha < 0.12$ at the 95\% confidence level after marginalisation over cosmological parameters, lensing due to large-scale structure, and intrinsic non-Gaussianity. Similar results are obtained using priors from the cosmic microwave background, baryon acoustic oscillations and galaxy weak lensing, indicating our results do not depend on the background cosmology. We argue our constraints are likely to be conservative (in the sense of the values we quote being higher than the truth), but discuss scenarios in which they could be weakened by systematics of the order of $\Delta \alpha \sim 0.04$, Comment: Submitted to MNRAS

We present a coil system designed to generate a highly uniform magnetic field for the n2EDM experiment at the Paul Scherrer Institute. It consists of a main $B_0$ coil and a set of auxiliary coils mounted on a cubic structure with a side length of 273 cm, inside a large magnetically shielded room (MSR). We have assembled this system and characerized its performances with a mapping robot. The apparatus is able to generate a 1 $\mu$ T vertical field with a relative root mean square deviation $\sigma$ ($B_z$)/$B_z$ = 3 $\times$ $10^{-5}$ over the volume of interest, a cylinder of radius 40 cm and height 30 cm. This level of uniformity overcomes the n2EDM requirements, allowing a measurement of the neutron Electric Dipole Moment with a sensitivity better than 1 $\times$ $10^{-27}$ ecm., Comment: 20 pages, 13 figures

Parametrized quantum circuits are essential components of variational quantum algorithms. Until now, optical implementations of these circuits have relied solely on adjustable linear optical units. In this study, we demonstrate that using programmable nonlinearities, rather than linear optics, offers a more efficient method for constructing quantum optical circuits -- especially quantum neural networks. This approach significantly reduces the number of adjustable parameters needed to achieve high-fidelity operation. Specifically, we explored a quantum optical neural network (QONN) architecture composed of meshes of two-mode interferometers programmable by adjustable Kerr-like nonlinearities. We assessed the capabilities of our quantum optical neural network architecture and compared its performance to previously studied architectures that use multimode linear optics units. Additionally, we suggest future research directions for improving programmable quantum optical circuits., Comment: 14 pages, 13 figures

Sensitivity and resolution of space telescopes are directly related to the size of the primary mirror. Enabling such future extremely large space telescopes or even arrays of those will require to drastically reduce the areal weight of the mirror system. Utilizing a thin parabolic polymeric membrane as primary mirror offers the prospect of very low weight and the flexible nature of those membranes allows compactly store them upon launch. Upon deployment the structure is unfolded and the mirror shape restored. Being an extremely thin structure, an active shape correction is required. Utilizing a thermal control of the surface via radiative coupling, localized shape changes are imprinted into the membrane telescope. In this paper we present the modelling and experimental test of the radiative adaptive optics. A detailed modeling of the influence function of the radiative shaping onto the membrane mirror has been carried out. Experimentally we have been radiatively actuated the shape of a prototype mirror in closed loop with a wavefront sensor and proven that we can control the mirrors surface figure to a ~15nm RMS precision., Comment: 13 pages

The LOw Frequency ARray (LOFAR) has successfully measured cosmic rays for over a decade now. With its dense core of antenna fields in the Netherlands, it is an ideal tool for studying the radio emission from extensive air showers in the $10^{16}$ eV to $10^{18.5}$ eV range. Every air shower is measured with a small particle detector array and hundreds of antennas, which sets LOFAR apart from other air shower arrays. We present our current achievements and progress in reconstruction, interpolation, and software development during the final phases of measurement of LOFAR 1.0, before the LOFAR array gets a significant upgrade, including also plans for the final data release and refined analyses., Comment: Proceedings of the 10th ARENA Workshop 2024

In the present research article, we have studied the flat FRW space time with domain wall and holographic dark energy in the context of $f(Q)$ theory of gravity. The exact solutions of the field equations are obtained using two different forms of varying deceleration parameters: (i) $q=-b(t)-1$ and (ii) $q=-lt+m-1$. It is observed that the universe is accelerating and expanding. Furthermore, we have also discussed some physical parameters of the investigated model., Comment: 15 pages, 8 figures

Using $20.3~\mathrm{fb}^{-1}$ of $e^+e^-$ collision data collected at a center-of-mass energy of $E_{\rm cm}=3.773$ GeV with the BESIII detector operating at the BEPCII collider, we determine the branching fraction of the leptonic decay $D^+\to\mu^+\nu_\mu$ to be $(3.981\pm0.079_{\rm stat}\pm0.040_{\rm syst})\times10^{-4}$. Interpreting our measurement with knowledge of the Fermi coupling constant $G_F$, the masses of the $D^+$ and $\mu^+$ as well as the lifetime of the $D^+$, we determine $f_{D^+}|V_{cd}|=(47.53\pm0.48_{\rm stat}\pm0.24_{\rm syst}\pm0.12_{\rm input})~\mathrm{MeV}$. This result is a factor of 2.3 more precise than the previous best measurement. Using the value of the magnitude of the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix element $|V_{cd}|$ given by the global standard model fit, we obtain the $D^+$ decay constant $f_{D^+}=(211.5\pm2.3_{\rm stat}\pm1.1_{\rm syst}\pm0.8_{\rm input})$ MeV. Alternatively, using the value of $f_{D^+}$ from a precise lattice quantum chromodynamics calculation, we extract $|V_{cd}|=0.2242\pm0.0023_{\rm stat}\pm0.0011_{\rm syst}\pm0.0009_{\rm input}$., Comment: 9 pages, 2 figures

We study the [OII] profiles of emission line galaxies (ELGs) from the Early Data Release of the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI). To this end, we decompose and classify the shape of [OII] profiles with the first two eigenspectra derived from Principal Component Analysis. Our results show that DESI ELGs have diverse line profiles which can be categorized into three main types: (1) narrow lines with a median width of ~50 km/s, (2) broad lines with a median width of ~80 km/s, and (3) two-redshift systems with a median velocity separation of ~150 km/s, i.e., double-peak galaxies. To investigate the connections between the line profiles and galaxy properties, we utilize the information from the COSMOS dataset and compare the properties of ELGs, including star-formation rate (SFR) and galaxy morphology, with the average properties of reference star-forming galaxies with similar stellar mass, sizes, and redshifts. Our findings show that on average, DESI ELGs have higher SFR and more asymmetrical/disturbed morphology than the reference galaxies. Moreover, we uncover a relationship between the line profiles, the excess SFR and the excess asymmetry parameter, showing that DESI ELGs with broader [OII] line profiles have more disturbed morphology and higher SFR than the reference star-forming galaxies. Finally, we discuss possible physical mechanisms giving rise to the observed relationship and the implications of our findings on the galaxy clustering measurements, including the halo occupation distribution modeling of DESI ELGs and the observed excess velocity dispersion of the satellite ELGs., Comment: 24 pages, 13 figures, submitted to ApJ

Type II supernovae (SNeII) mark the endpoint in the lives of hydrogen-rich massive stars. Their large explosion energies and luminosities allow us to measure distances, metallicities, and star formation rates into the distant Universe. To fully exploit their use in answering different astrophysical problems, high-quality low-redshift data sets are required. Such samples are vital to understand the physics of SNeII, but also to serve as calibrators for distinct - and often lower-quality - samples. We present uBgVri optical and YJH near-infrared (NIR) photometry for 94 low-redshift SNeII observed by the Carnegie Supernova Project (CSP). A total of 9817 optical and 1872 NIR photometric data points are released, leading to a sample of high-quality SNII light curves during the first ~150 days post explosion on a well-calibrated photometric system. The sample is presented and its properties are analysed and discussed through comparison to literature events. We also focus on individual SNeII as examples of classically defined subtypes and outlier objects. Making a cut in the plateau decline rate of our sample (s2), a new subsample of fast-declining SNeII is presented. The sample has a median redshift of 0.015, with the nearest event at 0.001 and the most distant at 0.07. At optical wavelengths (V), the sample has a median cadence of 4.7 days over the course of a median coverage of 80 days. In the NIR (J), the median cadence is 7.2 days over the course of 59 days. The fast-declining subsample is more luminous than the full sample and shows shorter plateau phases. Of the non-standard SNeII highlighted, SN2009A particularly stands out with a steeply declining then rising light curve, together with what appears to be two superimposed P-Cygni profiles of H-alpha in its spectra. We outline the significant utility of these data, and finally provide an outlook of future SNII science., Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A. Photometric data will be uploaded to the CDS and the CSP website, and can also be requested from the first author

Recently, rotation sensors utilizing the nuclear spins of nitrogen-vacancy color centers in diamond have been demonstrated. However, these devices are power-intensive and challenging to integrate into small chip-based radiofrequency antennas and circuits necessary for controlling nuclear spins or producing relatively high magnetic fields. To address this issue, the coherent manipulation of nuclear spins via coherent population trapping at moderate magnetic fields using microwave fields has been successfully demonstrated in isotopically pure diamond. In this work, we demonstrate that a similar technique can be applied to a diamond plate with a natural abundance of carbon-13, which holds significant potential for practical sensing applications. Although the forbidden resonances required for coherent control were only partially observed, coherent population trapping was successfully demonstrated at both visible and invisible transitions, with an apparent contrast of up to 98 +- 11% and a true contrast of approximately 35 +-7%. This finding confirms the feasibility of coherent nuclear spin control even in diamond plates with naturally occurring carbon-13.

Among interesting applications of cold atoms, quantum simulations attract a lot of attention. In this context, rare-earth ultracold atoms are particularly appealing for such simulators due to their numerous Fano-Feshbach resonances and magnetic dipole moments in the ground state. However, creating a quantum gas microscope with these atoms presents challenges, primarily because of the need to transfer the atoms from the main cooling chamber to another chamber with large optical access. Stray magnetic fields complicate this transfer by exerting forces on the atoms. Using thulium atoms as an example, the study demonstrates that stray magnetic fields can be measured directly using the atoms themselves, allowing for these fields to be accounted for during the transfer process. This approach significantly improves the efficiency of the transfer, allowing to transfer over 1/3 of the atoms from the main chamber to the scientific chamber, located 56 cm away.

The plasma screening model, taking into account the electronic exchange-correlation effects and the ionic non-ideality in dense quantum plasmas, is presented. This model can be used as an input in various plasma interaction models to calculate the scattering cross-sections and transport properties. The application of the presented plasma screening model is demonstrated on the example of the temperature relaxation rate in dense hydrogen and warm dense aluminum. Additionally, we compute the conductivity of warm-dense aluminum in the regime where collisions are dominated by electron-ion scattering. The obtained results are compared with available theoretical results and simulation data.