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Efficient attention deployment in visual search is limited by human visual memory, yet this limitation can be offset by exploiting the environment's structure. This paper introduces a computational cognitive model that simulates how the human visual system uses visual hierarchies to prevent refixations in sequential attention deployment. The model adopts computational rationality, positing behaviors as adaptations to cognitive constraints and environmental structures. In contrast to earlier models that predict search performance for hierarchical information, our model does not include predefined assumptions about particular search strategies. Instead, our model's search strategy emerges as a result of adapting to the environment through reinforcement learning algorithms. In an experiment with human participants we test the model's prediction that structured environments reduce visual search times compared to random tasks. Our model's predictions correspond well with human search performance across various set sizes for both structured and unstructured visual layouts. Our work improves understanding of the adaptive nature of visual search in hierarchically structured environments and informs the design of optimized search spaces.

Knowledge models are fundamental to dialogue systems for enabling conversational interactions, which require handling domain-specific knowledge. Ensuring effective communication in information-providing conversations entails aligning user understanding with the knowledge available to the system. However, dialogue systems often face challenges arising from semantic inconsistencies in how information is expressed in natural language compared to how it is represented within the system's internal knowledge. To address this problem, we study the potential of large language models for conversational grounding, a mechanism to bridge information gaps by establishing shared knowledge between dialogue participants. Our approach involves annotating human conversations across five knowledge domains to create a new dialogue corpus called BridgeKG. Through a series of experiments on this dataset, we empirically evaluate the capabilities of large language models in classifying grounding acts and identifying grounded information items within a knowledge graph structure. Our findings offer insights into how these models use in-context learning for conversational grounding tasks and common prediction errors, which we illustrate with examples from challenging dialogues. We discuss how the models handle knowledge graphs as a semantic layer between unstructured dialogue utterances and structured information items., Comment: Accepted to SIGDIAL 2024

Operational contextuality forms a rapidly developing subfield of quantum information theory. However, the characterization of the quantum mechanical entities that fuel the phenomenon has remained unknown with many partial results existing. Here, we present a resolution to this problem by connecting operational contextuality one-to-one with the no-broadcasting theorem. The connection works both on the level of full quantum theory and subtheories thereof. We demonstrate the connection in various relevant cases, showing especially that for quantum states the possibility of demonstrating contextuality is exactly characterized by non-commutativity, and for measurements this is done by a norm-1 property closely related to repeatability. Moreover, we show how techniques from broadcasting can be used to simplify known foundational results in contextuality.

A direct measurement of the ground-state-to-ground-state electron-capture decay $Q$ value of $^{95}$Tc has been performed utilizing the double Penning trap mass spectrometer JYFLTRAP. The $Q$ value was determined to be 1695.92(13) keV by taking advantage of the high resolving power of the phase-imaging ion-cyclotron-resonance technique to resolve the low-lying isomeric state of $^{95}$Tc (excitation energy of 38.910(40) keV) from the ground state. The mass excess of $^{95}$Tc was measured to be $-$86015.95(18) keV/c$^2$, exhibiting a precision of about 28 times higher and in agreement with the value from the newest Atomic Mass Evaluation (AME2020). Combined with the nuclear energy-level data for the decay-daughter $^{95}$Mo, two potential ultra-low $Q$-value transitions are identified for future long-term neutrino-mass determination experiments. The atomic self-consistent many-electron Dirac--Hartree--Fock--Slater method and the nuclear shell model have been used to predict the partial half-lives and energy-release distributions for the two transitions. The dominant correction terms related to those processes are considered, including the exchange and overlap corrections, and the shake-up and shake-off effects. The normalized distribution of the released energy in the electron-capture decay of $^{95}$Tc to excited states of $^{95}$Mo is compared to that of $^{163}$Ho currently being used for electron-neutrino-mass determination., Comment: 13 pages, 5 figures

Conversational grounding is a collaborative mechanism for establishing mutual knowledge among participants engaged in a dialogue. This experimental study analyzes information-seeking conversations to investigate the capabilities of large language models in classifying dialogue turns related to explicit or implicit grounding and predicting grounded knowledge elements. Our experimental results reveal challenges encountered by large language models in the two tasks and discuss ongoing research efforts to enhance large language model-based conversational grounding comprehension through pipeline architectures and knowledge bases. These initiatives aim to develop more effective dialogue systems that are better equipped to handle the intricacies of grounded knowledge in conversations., Comment: Accepted to IWSDS 2024

This paper explores the friction forces encountered by droplets on non-wetting surfaces, specifically focusing on superhydrophobic and superheated substrates. Employing a combination of experimental techniques, including inclined plane tests and cantilever force sensor measurements, we quantify friction forces across a broad range of velocities and surface types. Our results demonstrate that friction forces vary significantly with changes in droplet velocity and surface characteristics, transitioning from contact line pinning to viscous dissipation in the bulk of the droplet. We propose a universal scaling law that accounts for contact angle hysteresis, viscous dissipation, and aerodynamic drag, providing a comprehensive framework for understanding droplet dynamics on non-wetting surfaces. These findings offer valuable insights for optimizing surface designs in fluid transport and microfluidic applications, paving the way for enhanced efficiency and innovation in these technologies., Comment: 17 pages double spaced, 8 figures, submitted to Physical Review Fluids. To be presented at Soft Matter, Fluids, Interfaces June 09th to 15th, 2024, Quy Nhon, Vietnam

We propose numerical algorithms for recovering parameters in eigenvalue problems for linear elasticity of transversely isotropic materials. Specifically, the algorithms are used to recover the elastic constants of a rotor core. Numerical tests show that in the noiseless setup, two pairs of bending modes are sufficient for recovering one to four parameters accurately. To recover all five parameters that govern the elastic properties of electric engines accurately, we require three pairs of bending modes and one torsional mode. Moreover, we study the stability of the inversion method against multiplicative noise; for tests in which the data contained multiplicative noise of at most $1\%$, we find that all parameters can be recovered with an error less than $10\%$.

The absolute mass of $^{84}$Sr was determined using the phase-imaging ion-cyclotron-resonance technique with the JYFLTRAP double Penning trap mass spectrometer. A more precise value for the mass of $^{84}$Sr is essential for providing potential indications of physics beyond the Standard Model through high-precision isotope shift measurements of Sr atomic transition frequencies. The mass excess of $^{84}$Sr was refined to be -80649.229(37) keV/c$^2$ from high-precision cyclotron-frequency-ratio measurements with a relative precision of 4.8$\times$10$^{-10}$. The obtained mass-excess value is in agreement with the adopted value in the Atomic Mass Evaluation 2020, but is 30 times more precise. With this new value, we confirm the previously observed nonlinearity in the study of the isotope shift of strontium. Moreover, the double-beta ($2\beta^{+}$) decay $Q$ value of $^{84}$Sr was directly determined to be 1790.115(37) keV, and the precision was improved by a factor of 30., Comment: 7 pages, 4 figures

This paper presents a model of pedestrian crossing decisions, based on the theory of computational rationality. It is assumed that crossing decisions are boundedly optimal, with bounds on optimality arising from human cognitive limitations. While previous models of pedestrian behaviour have been either 'black-box' machine learning models or mechanistic models with explicit assumptions about cognitive factors, we combine both approaches. Specifically, we model mechanistically noisy human visual perception and assumed rewards in crossing, but we use reinforcement learning to learn bounded optimal behaviour policy. The model reproduces a larger number of known empirical phenomena than previous models, in particular: (1) the effect of the time to arrival of an approaching vehicle on whether the pedestrian accepts the gap, the effect of the vehicle's speed on both (2) gap acceptance and (3) pedestrian timing of crossing in front of yielding vehicles, and (4) the effect on this crossing timing of the stopping distance of the yielding vehicle. Notably, our findings suggest that behaviours previously framed as 'biases' in decision-making, such as speed-dependent gap acceptance, might instead be a product of rational adaptation to the constraints of visual perception. Our approach also permits fitting the parameters of cognitive constraints and rewards per individual, to better account for individual differences. To conclude, by leveraging both RL and mechanistic modelling, our model offers novel insights about pedestrian behaviour, and may provide a useful foundation for more accurate and scalable pedestrian models.

The first direct determination of the ground-state-to-ground-state ${\beta^{-}}$-decay $Q$-value of $^{77}$As to $^{77}$Se was performed by measuring their atomic mass difference utilizing the double Penning trap mass spectrometer, JYFLTRAP. The resulting $Q$-value is 684.463(70) keV, representing a remarkable 24-fold improvement in precision compared to the value reported in the most recent Atomic Mass Evaluation (AME2020). With the significant reduction of the uncertainty of the ground-state-to-ground-state $Q$-value and knowledge of the excitation energies in $^{77}$Se from $\gamma$-ray spectroscopy, the ground-state-to-excited-state $Q$-value of the transition $^{77}$As (3/2$^{-}$, ground state) $\rightarrow$ $^{77}$Se$^{*}$ (5/2$^{+}$, 680.1035(17) keV) was refined to be 4.360(70) keV. We confirm that this potential low $Q$-value ${\beta^{-}}$-decay transition for neutrino mass determination is energetically allowed at a confidence level of about 60$\sigma$. Nuclear shell-model calculations with two well-established effective Hamiltonians were used to estimate the partial half-life for the low $Q$-value transition. The half-life was found to be of the order of 10$^{9}$ years for this first-forbidden non-unique transition, which rules out this candidate a potential source for rare-event experiments searching for the electron antineutrino mass., Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures

Isomers close to the doubly magic nucleus $^{78}$Ni ($Z=28$, $N=50$) provide essential information on the shell evolution and shape coexistence far from stability. The existence of a long-lived isomeric state in $^{76}$Cu has been debated for a long time. We have performed high-precision mass measurements of $^{76}$Cu with the JYFLTRAP double Penning trap mass spectrometer at the Ion Guide Isotope Separator On-Line facility and confirm the existence of such a isomeric state with an excitation energy $E_x=64.8(25)$ keV. Based on the ratio of detected ground- and isomeric-state ions as a function of time, we show that the isomer is the shorter-living state previously considered as the ground state of $^{76}$Cu. The result can potentially change the conclusions made in previous works related to the spin-parity and charge radius of the $^{76}$Cu ground state. Additionally, the new $^{76}$Cu$(n,\gamma)$ reaction $Q$-value has an impact on the astrophysical rapid neutron-capture process., Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures

We report on new precision mass measurements of neutron-rich $^{137}$Sb and $^{136-142}$I isotopes from the JYFLTRAP double Penning trap mass spectrometer. We confirm the value from the previous Penning-trap measurement of $^{137}$Sb at the Canadian Penning Trap and therefore rule out the conflicting result from the Experimental Storage Ring. The ground state and isomer in $^{136}$I were resolved and measured directly for the first time. The isomer excitation energy, $E_x = 215.1(43)$ keV, agrees with the literature but is three times more precise. The measurements have improved the precision of the mass values and confirmed previous results in the majority of cases. However, for $^{138,140}$I the results differ by 17(6) keV and 23(12) keV, respectively. This could be explained by an unresolved contamination or different ratio of unresolved isomeric states in the case of $^{140}$I., Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures

High-precision mass measurements of exotic $^{95-97}$Ag isotopes close to the $N = Z$ line have been conducted with the JYFLTRAP double Penning trap mass spectrometer, with the silver ions produced using the recently commissioned inductively-heated hot cavity catcher laser ion source at the Ion Guide Isotope Separator On-Line facility. The atomic mass of $^{95}$Ag was directly determined for the first time. In addition, the atomic masses of $\beta$-decaying 2$^+$ and 8$^+$ states in $^{96}$Ag have been identified and measured for the first time, and the precision of the $^{97}$Ag mass has been improved. The newly measured masses, with a precision of $\approx$ 1 keV/c$^2$, have been used to investigate the $N =$ 50 neutron shell closure confirming it to be robust. Empirical shell-gap and pairing energies determined with the new ground-state mass data are compared with the state-of-the-art \textit{ab initio} calculations with various chiral effective field theory Hamiltonians. The precise determination of the excitation energy of the $^{96m}$Ag isomer in particular serves as a benchmark for \textit{ab initio} predictions of nuclear properties beyond the ground state, specifically for odd-odd nuclei situated in proximity to the proton dripline below $^{100}$Sn. In addition, density functional theory (DFT) calculations and configuration-interaction shell-model (CISM) calculations are compared with the experimental results. All theoretical approaches face challenges to reproduce the trend of nuclear ground-state properties in the silver isotopic chain across the $N =$50 neutron shell and toward the proton drip-line., Comment: 9 pages, 3 figures

The multinucleon transfer (MNT) reaction approach was successfully employed for the first time to measure the isomeric ratios (IRs) of $^{211}$Po (25/2$^+$) isomer and its (9/2$^+$) ground state at the IGISOL facility using a 945 MeV $^{136}$Xe beam impinged on $^{209}$Bi and $^{\rm nat}$Pb targets. The dominant production of isomers compared to the corresponding ground states was consistently revealed in the $\alpha$-decay spectra. Deduced IR of $^{211}$Po populated through the $^{136}$Xe+$^{\rm nat}$Pb reaction was found to enhance $\approx$1.8-times than observed for $^{136}$Xe+$^{209}$Bi. State-of-the-art Langevin-type model calculations have been utilized to estimate the spin distribution of an MNT residue. The computations qualitatively corroborate with the considerable increase in IRs of $^{211}$Po produced from $^{136}$Xe+$^{\rm nat}$Pb compared to $^{136}$Xe+$^{209}$Bi. Theoretical investigations indicate a weak influence of target spin on IRs. The enhancement of the $^{211}$Po isomer in the $^{136}$Xe+$^{\rm nat}$Pb over $^{136}$Xe+$^{209}$Bi can be attributed to the different proton ($p$)-transfer production routes. Estimations demonstrate an increment in the angular momentum transfer, favorable for isomer production, with increasing projectile energy. Comparative analysis indicates the two entrance channel parameters, projectile mass and $p$-transfer channels, strongly influencing the population of the high-spin isomer of $^{211}$Po (25/2$^+$). This is the first experimental and theoretical investigation on the IRs of nuclei produced via different channels of MNT reactions, with the latter quantitatively underestimating the former by a factor of two., Comment: 5 figures

Conversational question answering systems often rely on semantic parsing to enable interactive information retrieval, which involves the generation of structured database queries from a natural language input. For information-seeking conversations about facts stored within a knowledge graph, dialogue utterances are transformed into graph queries in a process that is called knowledge-based conversational question answering. This paper evaluates the performance of large language models that have not been explicitly pre-trained on this task. Through a series of experiments on an extensive benchmark dataset, we compare models of varying sizes with different prompting techniques and identify common issue types in the generated output. Our results demonstrate that large language models are capable of generating graph queries from dialogues, with significant improvements achievable through few-shot prompting and fine-tuning techniques, especially for smaller models that exhibit lower zero-shot performance., Comment: Accepted to ICAART 2024

We generalize the notion of joint measurability to continuous variable systems by extending a recently introduced compression algorithm of quantum measurements to this realm. The extension results in a property that asks for the minimal dimensional quantum system required for representing a given set of quantum measurements. To illustrate the concept, we show that the canonical pair of position and momentum is completely incompressible. We translate the concept of measurement compression to the realm of quantum correlations, where it results in a generalisation of continuous variable quantum steering. In contrast to the steering scenario, which detects entanglement, the generalisation detects the dimensionality of entanglement. We illustrate the bridge between the concepts by showing that an analogue of the original EPR argument is genuinely infinite-dimensional with respect to our figure of merit, and that a fundamental discrete variable result on preparability of unsteerable state assemblages with separable states does not directly carry over to the continuous variable setting. We further prove a representation result for partially entanglement breaking channels that can be of independent interest.

Isomers close to doubly-magic $^{78}_{28}$Ni$_{50}$ provide essential information on the shell evolution and shape coexistence near the ${Z=28}$ and ${N=50}$ double shell closure. We report the excitation energy measurement of the $1/2^{+}$ isomer in $^{79}_{30}$Zn$_{49}$ through independent high-precision mass measurements with the JYFLTRAP double Penning trap and with the ISOLTRAP Multi-Reflection Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer. We unambiguously place the $1/2^{+}$ isomer at 942(10) keV, slightly below the $5/2^+$ state at 983(3) keV. With the use of state-of-the-art shell-model diagonalizations, complemented with Discrete Non Orthogonal shell-model calculations which are used here the first time to interpret shape coexistence, we find low-lying deformed intruder states, similar to other ${N=49}$ isotones. The $1/2^{+}$ isomer is interpreted as the band-head of a low-lying deformed structure akin to a predicted low-lying deformed band in $^{80}$Zn, and points to shape coexistence in $^{79,80}$Zn similar to the one observed in $^{78}$Ni. The results make a strong case for confirming the claim of shape coexistence in this key region of the nuclear chart., Comment: 10 pages, three figures, two tables. Accepted to Phys. Rev. Lett

Collinear laser spectroscopy was performed on the isomer of the aluminium isotope $^{26m}$Al. The measured isotope shift to $^{27}$Al in the $3s^{2}3p\;^{2}\!P^\circ_{3/2} \rightarrow 3s^{2}4s\;^{2}\!S_{1/2}$ atomic transition enabled the first experimental determination of the nuclear charge radius of $^{26m}$Al, resulting in $R_c$=\qty{3.130\pm.015}{\femto\meter}. This differs by 4.5 standard deviations from the extrapolated value used to calculate the isospin-symmetry breaking corrections in the superallowed $\beta$ decay of $^{26m}$Al. Its corrected $\mathcal{F}t$ value, important for the estimation of $V_{ud}$ in the CKM matrix, is thus shifted by one standard deviation to \qty{3071.4\pm1.0}{\second}., Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev. Lett

Exploratory search is an open-ended information retrieval process that aims at discovering knowledge about a topic or domain rather than searching for a specific answer or piece of information. Conversational interfaces are particularly suitable for supporting exploratory search, allowing users to refine queries and examine search results through interactive dialogues. In addition to conversational search interfaces, knowledge graphs are also useful in supporting information exploration due to their rich semantic representation of data items. In this study, we demonstrate the synergistic effects of combining knowledge graphs and conversational interfaces for exploratory search, bridging the gap between structured and unstructured information retrieval. To this end, we propose a knowledge-driven dialogue system for exploring news articles by asking natural language questions and using the graph structure to navigate between related topics. Based on a user study with 54 participants, we empirically evaluate the effectiveness of the graph-based exploratory search and discuss design implications for developing such systems., Comment: Accepted to PACLIC 2023

Computational models can advance affective science by shedding light onto the interplay between cognition and emotion from an information processing point of view. We propose a computational model of emotion that integrates reinforcement learning (RL) and appraisal theory, establishing a formal relationship between reward processing, goal-directed task learning, cognitive appraisal and emotional experiences. The model achieves this by formalizing evaluative checks from the component process model (CPM) in terms of temporal difference learning updates. We formalized novelty, goal relevance, goal conduciveness, and power. The formalization is task independent and can be applied to any task that can be represented as a Markov decision problem (MDP) and solved using RL. We investigated to what extent CPM-RL enables simulation of emotional responses cased by interactive task events. We evaluate the model by predicting a range of human emotions based on a series of vignette studies, highlighting its potential in improving our understanding of the role of reward processing in affective experiences., Comment: 15 pages, 7 figures

The $\beta^-$ decay $Q$-value of $^{136}$Cs ($J^\pi = 5^+$, $t_{1/2} \approx 13$~days) was measured with the JYFLTRAP Penning trap setup at the Ion Guide Isotope Separator On-Line (IGISOL) facility of the University of Jyv\"askyl\"a, Finland. The mono-isotopic samples required in the measurements were prepared with a new scheme utilised for the cleaning, based on the coupling of dipolar excitation with Ramsey's method of time-separated oscillatory fields and the phase-imaging ion-cyclotron-resonance (PI-ICR) technique. The $Q$ value is determined to be 2536.83(45) keV, which is $\sim$4 times more precise and 11.4(20) keV ($\sim$ 6$\sigma$) smaller than the adopted value in the most recent Atomic Mass Evaluation AME2020. The daughter, $^{136}$Ba, has a 4$^+$ state at 2544.481(24) keV and a $3^-$ state at 2532.653(23) keV, both of which can potentially be ultralow $Q$-value end-states for the $^{136}$Cs decay. With our new ground-to-ground state $Q$ value, the decay energies to these two states become -7.65(45) keV and 4.18(45) keV, respectively. The former is confirmed to be negative at the level of $\sim$ 17$\sigma$, which verifies that this transition is not a suitable candidate for neutrino mass determination. On the other hand, the slightly negative $Q$ value makes this transition an interesting candidate for the study of virtual $\beta$-$\gamma$ transitions. The decay to the 3$^{-}$ state is validated to have a positive low $Q$ value which makes it a viable candidate for neutrino mass determination. For this transition, we obtained a shell-model-based half-life estimate of $2.1_{-0.8}^{+1.6}\times10^{12}$ yr., Comment: 9 pages, 8 figures

As the healthcare sector is facing major challenges, such as aging populations, staff shortages, and common chronic diseases, delivering high-quality care to individuals has become very difficult. Conversational agents have shown to be a promising technology to alleviate some of these issues. In the form of digital health assistants, they have the potential to improve the everyday life of the elderly and chronically ill people. This includes, for example, medication reminders, routine checks, or social chit-chat. In addition, conversational agents can satisfy the fundamental need of having access to information about daily news or local events, which enables individuals to stay informed and connected with the world around them. However, finding relevant news sources and navigating the plethora of news articles available online can be overwhelming, particularly for those who may have limited technological literacy or health-related impairments. To address this challenge, we propose an innovative solution that combines knowledge graphs and conversational agents for news search in assisted living. By leveraging graph databases to semantically structure news data and implementing an intuitive voice-based interface, our system can help care-dependent people to easily discover relevant news articles and give personalized recommendations. We explain our design choices, provide a system architecture, share insights of an initial user test, and give an outlook on planned future work., Comment: 10 pages, submitted to PETRA 2023

Understanding the interaction between different road users is critical for road safety and automated vehicles (AVs). Existing mathematical models on this topic have been proposed based mostly on either cognitive or machine learning (ML) approaches. However, current cognitive models are incapable of simulating road user trajectories in general scenarios, and ML models lack a focus on the mechanisms generating the behavior and take a high-level perspective which can cause failures to capture important human-like behaviors. Here, we develop a model of human pedestrian crossing decisions based on computational rationality, an approach using deep reinforcement learning (RL) to learn boundedly optimal behavior policies given human constraints, in our case a model of the limited human visual system. We show that the proposed combined cognitive-RL model captures human-like patterns of gap acceptance and crossing initiation time. Interestingly, our model's decisions are sensitive to not only the time gap, but also the speed of the approaching vehicle, something which has been described as a "bias" in human gap acceptance behavior. However, our results suggest that this is instead a rational adaption to human perceptual limitations. Moreover, we demonstrate an approach to accounting for individual differences in computational rationality models, by conditioning the RL policy on the parameters of the human constraints. Our results demonstrate the feasibility of generating more human-like road user behavior by combining RL with cognitive models., Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures,1 table, manuscript created for consideration at IEEE IV 2023 conference