Experiment Investigating the Connection between Weak Values and Contextuality

Weak value measurements have recently given rise to a large interest for both the possibility of measurement amplification and the chance of further quantum mechanics foundations investigation. In particular, a question emerged about weak values being proof of the incompatibility between Quantum Mechanics and Non-Contextual Hidden Variables Theories (NCHVT). A test to provide a conclusive answer to this question was given in [M. Pusey, Phys. Rev. Lett. 113, 200401 (2014)], where a theorem was derived showing the NCHVT incompatibility with the observation of anomalous weak values under specific conditions. In this paper we realize this proposal, clearly pointing out the strict connection between weak values and the contextual nature of Quantum Mechanics.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

Pelatihan Pembuatan Reagen Kimia untuk Praktikum IPA SMP dan Implementasinya dalam Kegiatan Pembelajaran Bagi Guru IPA, Laboran dan Siswa SMP

Based on the survey, SMP Negeri 4 Semarang had many parrarel classes that it had?é?á 3 hours/week for science subject. To support it, this school was equipped by having a natural sciences labolatory. Actually, the teaching and learning process at the labolatory has been done well, but it needed to develop. Thus, they still need to buy?é?á reagent?é?á in chemistry store or health labolatory to help teaching natural sciences on practical work. Therefore, that chemistry reagent was not in new condition. Chemistry reagent which was kept too long in a storage place would decrease its ?é?áquality, then it will reduce the validation result if it is used for experiment on practical work.?é?á This case was caused by the teachers whose lack of skills in using the practical tools and understanding the function of these tools and materials. Then, we need a management in how to use practical work especially chemistry materials and reagent. The target of this program was natural sciences teachers, labolatory assistants and students of SMP Negeri 4 Semarang. The output result for this program was chemistry reagent and a set of equipment. This training makes the teachers and labolatory assistants more competent in providing chemistry reagent for natural sciences practical work autonomously

ALART: A novel lidar system for vegetation height retrieval from space

We propose a multi-kHz Single-Photon Counting (SPC) space LIDAR, exploiting low energy pulses with high repetition frequency (PRF). The high PRF allows one to overcome the low signal limitations, as many return shots can be collected from nearly the same scattering area. The ALART space instrument exhibits a multi-beam design, providing height retrieval over a wide area and terrain slope measurements. This novel technique, working with low SNRs, allows multiple beam generation with a single laser, limiting mass and power consumption. As the receiver has a certain probability to detect multiple photons from different levels of canopy, a histogram is constructed and used to retrieve the properties of the target tree, by means of a modal decomposition of the reconstructed waveform. A field demonstrator of the ALART space instrument is currently being developed by a European consortium led by cosine | measurement systems and funded by ESA under the TRP program. The demonstrator requirements have been derived to be representative of the target instrument and it will be tested in an equipped tower in woodland areas in the Netherlands. The employed detectors are state-of-the-art CMOS Single-Photon Avalanche Diode (SPAD) matrices with 1024 pixels. Each pixel is independently equipped with an integrated Time-to-Digital Converter (TDC), achieving a timing accuracy that is much lower than the SPAD dead time, resulting in a distance resolution in the centimeter range. The instrument emits nanosecond laser pulses with energy on the order of several J, at a PRF of ~ 10 kHz, and projects on ground a three-beams pattern. An extensive field measurement campaign will validate the employed technologies and algorithms for vegetation height retrieval

Breakaway oxidation su acciai inossidabili

In questo lavoro sono stati eseguiti trattamenti di ossidazione ad alta temperatura su un acciaio AISI 304L in condizioni controllate per studiare il fenomeno della breakaway oxidation. Esso consiste nella rottura localizzata dello strato di ossido dovuta a shock termici o meccanici, con conseguente esposizione di metallo non ossidato all’atmosfera ossidante. Data la sua natura, si tratta di un fenomeno difficile da prevedere e da monitorare. Sono stati messi a punto metodi per la sua identificazione attraverso tecniche di analisi termica e di microscopia elettronica. E’ stata valutata l’influenza di temperatura, atmosfera ossidante e umidità sulla occorrenza del fenomeno, con riferimento al processo produttivo degli acciai. La possibilità di prevedere nel dettaglio i tempi di trattamento termico ai quali si osserva il fenomeno di breakaway oxidation si conferma limitata

Determining the Quantum Expectation Value by Measuring a Single Photon

Quantum mechanics, one of the keystones of modern physics, exhibits several peculiar properties, differentiating it from classical mechanics. One of the most intriguing is that variables might not have definite values. A complete quantum description provides only probabilities for obtaining various eigenvalues of a quantum variable. These and corresponding probabilities specify the expectation value of a physical observable, which is known to be a statistical property of an ensemble of quantum systems. In contrast to this paradigm, we demonstrate a unique method allowing to measure the expectation value of a physical variable on a single particle, namely, the polarisation of a single protected photon. This is the first realisation of quantum protective measurements.Comment: Nature Physics, in press (this version corresponds to the one initially submitted to Nature Physics

Driver mutations (JAK2V617F, MPLW515L/K or CALR), pentraxin-3 and C-reactive protein in essential thrombocythemia and polycythemia vera

Background: The driver mutations JAK2V617F, MPLW515L/K and CALR influence disease phenotype of myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) and might sustain a condition of chronic inflammation. Pentraxin 3 (PTX3) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) are inflammatory biomarkers potentially useful for refining prognostic classification of MPNs. Methods: We evaluated 305 with essential thrombocythemia (ET) and 172 polycythemia vera (PV) patients diagnosed according to the 2016 WHO criteria and with full molecular characterization for driver mutations. Results: PTX3 levels were significantly increased in carriers of homozygous JAK2V617F mutation compared to all the other genotypes and triple negative ET patients, while hs-CRP levels were independent of the mutational profile. The risk of haematological evolution and death from any cause was about 2- and 1.5-fold increased in individuals with high PTX-3 levels, while the thrombosis rate tended to be lower. High hs-CRP levels were associated with risk of haematological evolution, death and also major thrombosis. After sequential adjustment for potential confounders (age, gender, diagnosis and treatments) and the presence of JAK2V617F homozygous status, high hs-CRP levels remained significant for all outcomes, while JAK2V617F homozygous status as well as treatments were the factors independently accounting for adverse outcomes among patients with high PTX3 levels. Conclusions: These results provide evidence that JAK2V617F mutation influences MPN-associated inflammation with a strong correlation between allele burden and PTX3 levels. Plasma levels of hs-CRP and PTX3 might be of prognostic value for patients with ET and PV, but their validation in future prospective studies is needed

Exposure to the Chinese Famine in Early Life and the Risk of Metabolic Syndrome in Adulthood

Objective: To examine whether exposure to the Chinese famine during fetal life and early childhood is associated with the risks of metabolic syndrome and whether this association is modified by later life environment. Research Design and Methods: We used data of 7,874 adults born between 1954 and 1964 from the 2002 China National Nutrition and Health Survey. Famine exposure groups were defined as nonexposed; fetal exposed; and early childhood, midchildhood, or late childhood exposed. Excess death rate was used to determine the severity of the famine. The ATP III criteria were used for the definition of metabolic syndrome (three or more of the following variables: elevated fasting triglyceride levels, lower HDL cholesterol levels, elevated fasting glucose levels, higher waist circumference, high blood pressure). Results: In severely affected famine areas, adults who were exposed to the famine during fetal life had a higher risk of metabolic syndrome, as compared with nonexposed subjects (odds ratio 3.13 [95% CI 1.24–7.89, P = 0.016]). Similar associations were observed among adults who were exposed to the famine during early childhood, but not for adults exposed to the famine during mid- or late childhood. Participants who were born in severely affected famine areas and had Western dietary habits in adulthood or were overweight in adulthood had a particularly high risk of metabolic syndrome in later life. Conclusions: Exposure to the Chinese famine during fetal life or infancy is associated with an increased risk of metabolic syndrome in adulthood. These associations are stronger among subjects with a Western dietary pattern or who were overweight in adulthood

Defining Smallness for Gestational Age in the Early Years of the Danish Medical Birth Registry

Background: Being born small for gestational age (SGA) is associated with decreased insulin sensitivity and increased blood pressure in childhood, but the association with clinical disease in early adulthood is less certain. The Danish Medical Birth Registry has registered all births in Denmark since 1973, but due to variable data quality, data is most often used only from 1981 onwards, and birth registers in other countries may have similar problems for the early years. We wanted to examine whether the data can be used for identification of children born SGA and used in future research. Methodology/Principal Findings: All persons born between 1974 and 1996 were identified in the Danish Medical Birth Registry (n = 1.704.890). Immigrants and children without data on gestational age and birth weight were excluded, and a total of 1.348.106 children were included in the analysis. The difference between the different variables used in the history of the registry were examined, and the quality of data in the birth registry from 1974-1981 was examined and compared to subsequent years. Data on birth weight and gestational age in the early years of the registry is inconsistent, and the identification of children born SGA is inaccurate, with 49 % false-positives. The biggest source of error is due to the rough and inaccurate intervals used for gestational age. By using –3 standard deviations as a cut-off for the identification of children born SGA, the number of false-positives was reduced to 9%, while the amount of false-negatives were increased. Conclusion: Choosing –3 standard deviations for identifying children born SGA is a viable, though not optimal solution fo

Photon-efficient imaging with a single-photon camera

Reconstructing a scene's 3D structure and reflectivity accurately with an active imaging system operating in low-light-level conditions has wide-ranging applications, spanning biological imaging to remote sensing. Here we propose and experimentally demonstrate a depth and reflectivity imaging system with a single-photon camera that generates high-quality images from ∼1 detected signal photon per pixel. Previous achievements of similar photon efficiency have been with conventional raster-scanning data collection using single-pixel photon counters capable of ∼10-ps time tagging. In contrast, our camera's detector array requires highly parallelized time-to-digital conversions with photon time-tagging accuracy limited to ∼ns. Thus, we develop an array-specific algorithm that converts coarsely time-binned photon detections to highly accurate scene depth and reflectivity by exploiting both the transverse smoothness and longitudinal sparsity of natural scenes. By overcoming the coarse time resolution of the array, our framework uniquely achieves high photon efficiency in a relatively short acquisition time