Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Towards A Census of Earth-mass Exo-planets with Gravitational Microlensing

Thirteen exo-planets have been discovered using the gravitational microlensing technique (out of which 7 have been published). These planets already demonstrate that super-Earths (with mass up to ~10 Earth masses) beyond the snow line are common and multiple planet systems are not rare. In this White Paper we introduce the basic concepts of the gravitational microlensing technique, summarise the current mode of discovery and outline future steps towards a complete census of planets including Earth-mass planets. In the near-term (over the next 5 years) we advocate a strategy of automated follow-up with existing and upgraded telescopes which will significantly increase the current planet detection efficiency. In the medium 5-10 year term, we envision an international network of wide-field 2m class telescopes to discover Earth-mass and free-floating exo-planets. In the long (10-15 year) term, we strongly advocate a space microlensing telescope which, when combined with Kepler, will provide a complete census of planets down to Earth mass at almost all separations. Such a survey could be undertaken as a science programme on Euclid, a dark energy probe with a wide-field imager which has been proposed to ESA's Cosmic Vision Programme.
Investigating Mg ii absorption in paired quasar sight-lines

We test whether the Tinker & Chen model of Mg ii absorption due to the gaseous halo around a galaxy can reproduce absorption in quasar pairs (both lensed and physical) and lensed triples and quads from the literature. These quasars exhibit absorption from a total of 38 Mg ii systems spanning z= 0.043–2.066 with mean redshift 〈z〉= 1.099 and weighted mean rest-frame equivalent width of 0.87 A. Using the Tinker & Chen model to generate simulated sight-lines, we marginalize the unknown parameters of the absorbing galaxies: dark matter halo mass, impact parameter and azimuthal angle on the sky. We determine the ability of the model to statistically reproduce the observed variation in Mg ii absorption strength between paired sight-lines for different values of the gas covering fraction fc and the characteristic length scale lc, within which the variation in absorption equivalent widths between sight-lines exponentially decreases. We find a best-fitting fc= 0.60 ± 0.15 per cent and (1σ confidence limits), with smaller fc allowed at larger lc. At 99.7 per cent confidence, we are able to rule out fc > 0.87 for all values of lc and the region where kpc and fc < 0.3.
A Qualitative Assessment of Current Perception of Different Social Groups about Leprosy in High & Low Prevalent Districts of West Bengal

Background: A KAP study on leprosy among leprosy patients, family members, community & service providers was conducted in both high & low prevalent district of West Bengal. As a part of the study, to corroborate its finding, a qualitative assessment on perceptions of different social groups about leprosy in the study area was undertaken. Objectives: To assess perception & attitude of different social groups about leprosy. Materials & Methods: 26 FGDs in high prevalent and 72 FGD in low prevalent districts of West Bengal were arranged with different social groups like health workers, ASHA, panchayer members, NGO repepresentatives etc. Total 274 persons in high prevalent districts & 780 persons in low prevalent districts, representing different social groups of the locality participated in the discussion. Results: Most of the panchayet representatives & villagers had poor knowledge & adverse attitudes & stigma towards leprosy, whereas ASHA workers were found to have inadequate knowledge about the disease. Conclusion: Community involvement, reorientation & adequate training of front line workers, proven IEC are required to address the problem.
SUPERSHELLS AS MOLECULAR CLOUD FACTORIES: PARSEC RESOLUTION OBSERVATIONS OF H i AND 12CO(J = 1–0) IN GSH 287+04−17 AND GSH 277+00+36

We present parsec-scale resolution observations of the atomic and molecular interstellar medium in two Galactic supershells, GSH 287+04−17 and GSH 277+00+36. H i synthesis images from the Australia Telescope Compact Array are combined with 12CO(J = 1–0) data from the NANTEN telescope to reveal substantial quantities of molecular gas closely associated with both shells. These data allow us to confirm an enhanced level of molecularization over the volumes of both objects, providing the first direct observational evidence of increased molecular cloud production due to the influence of supershells. We find that the atomic shell walls are dominated by cold gas with estimated temperatures and densities of T ∼ 100 K and n0 ∼ 10 cm−3, respectively. Locally, the shells show rich substructure in both tracers, with molecular gas seen elongated along the inner edges of the atomic walls, embedded within H i filaments and clouds, or taking the form of small CO clouds at the tips of tapering atomic “fingers. ” We discuss these structures in the context of different formation scenarios, suggesting that molecular gas embedded within shell walls is well explained by in situ formation from the swept-up medium, whereas CO seen at the ends of fingers of H i may trace remnants of molecular clouds that pre-date the shells. A preliminary assessment of star formation activity within the shells confirms ongoing star formation in the molecular gas of both GSH 287+04−17 and GSH 277+00+36.
Online routing in geometric graphs

This thesis considers the problem of finding a path from a source to a destination in a graph in which only local information is available. This type of routing problem occurs regularly in robotics, parallel and distributed computing, mobile networks, and everyday life. In particular, the research focuses on the case where the graph is geometric (nodes of the graph have locations in space) and planar (edges of the graph do not cross). The results in this thesis fall into four categories: (1) natural and intuitive algorithms that work on some well known and structured geometric graphs, (2) algorithms for special classes of graphs that find paths approximating shortest paths, (3) algorithms for arbitrary planar graphs, (4) algorithms for embedding graphs nicely so that simple algorithms can be used to find paths between vertices, and (5) simulation results that help to determine which routing algorithms work best in different settings. In studying these problems we draw on a wide range of techniques from computer science and mathematics, improve some previous results, and report a number of open problems and directions for continuing research.
Collective transport of charges in charge density wave systems based on traveling soliton lattices

Solitons are peculiar excitations that appear in a wide range of nonlinear systems such as in fluids or optics. We show here that the collective transport of charges observed in charge density wave (CDW) systems can be explained by using a similar theory based on a traveling soliton lattice. Coherent x-ray diffraction experiment performed in the sliding state of a CDW material reveals peculiar diffraction patterns in good agreement with this assumption. Therefore, the collective transport of charges in CDW systems may be due to a nonlinear interaction leading to a self-localized excitation, carrying charges without deformation through the sample, on top of the CDW ground state. This single theory explains why charges remain spatially correlated over very long distances and reconciles the main features of sliding CDW systems, either observed by transport measurements or diffraction.
Experimental assessment of thermoelectric cooling on the efficiency of PV module

- Solar photovoltaic (PV) energy is currently among the most utilized energies within the renewable energy (RE) industry for the generation of electricity. The technology which is used in converting the solar radiation into electrical power however has some demerits, one of which is its dependence on its operating temperature i.e., it’s performance decreases with increase in temperature. This study therefore used a thermo-electric cooling mechanism to cool a PV panel under real weather conditions. Results from the experimental process shows a significant temperature reduction in the modified PV module (i.e., cooled panel), an average temperature of 33.37 ℃ was recorded for the cooled PV module against 45.60 ℃. This is a 12.23 ℃ reduction in the PV module temperature which resulted in an electrical efficiency enhancement of 5.07%. The economics of the module suggests that the cooled module registered a levelized cost of electricity (LCE) of 0.410 $/kWh for a 365-day period whiles the referenced module recorded 0.414 $/kWh for the same period. An amount of 1.247$/kWh was recorded by the cooled panel for the 120-day period whiles the referenced module recorded 1.265 $/kWh. Despite the relatively high investment cost of the cooled module due to the extra cost associated with the cooling system, it still recorded a relatively lower LCE. This is due to the high power it generated during the experimental period.
Co-Simulation Platform for Simulating Heavy Mobile Machinery With Hydraulic Actuators and Various Hybrid Electric Powertrains

Computer simulations are important tools for evaluating hybrid electric powertrain concepts. In heavy mobile machinery, the powertrain undergoes traction and often hydraulic loads. The dynamic loads on hydraulic actuators of heavy mobile machinery can be studied using detailed physics-based simulation models. The effect of coupling hydraulic actuators to various configurations of hybrid electric powertrains is studied using a co-simulation approach in this study. The case example of a tractor modeled using multibody dynamic approach combined with four powertrain configurations with different topology and hydraulic actuator coupling is investigated. A farm tractor was simulated in a virtual environment with deformable terrain in a soil digging and dumping work cycle. The coupling of hydraulics to the electric energy source in a series-parallel topology achieved fuel savings of 10.5% and total energy savings of 12.3%. The presented modeling method can be used to simulate various heavy mobile machinery to evaluate hybrid electric powertrains using work cycles created by human operators.
Production of Cement Based on Calcium Aluminate by Means of Solid State Reactions

Through powder techniques and in situ solid state reactions, a refractory cement CaAl2O4-based was fabricated, using CaCO3 extracted from chicken eggshells and Al as precursor materials. To reduce the particle size and achieve a homogeneous mixture, the powders were subjected to high-energy milling in a planetary mill. The powders resulting from the grinding were compacted to form cylindrical tablets. These samples were pressureless sintered in air. A particle size distribution analysis indicates that they were obtained from the grinding particles ranging in size from nanometers to 2 microns. Differential thermal analysis indicates that the decomposition of CaCO3 begins at 953 K and ends at 1073 K, a situation confirmed by X-ray diffraction analysis, the latter also indicating that the formation of the CaAl2O4 crystalline phase is completed at 1773 K. The microstructure observed by scanning electron microscope shows equiaxial grains in the form of flakes and sizes from 1 to 2 microns. The average density and hardness of the material was 3.08 g/cm3 and 430 HV, respectively. With regard to thermal shock tests, the material showed cracks from cooling with temperature gradients of 873 K.
About the relative importance of compressional heating and current dissipation for the formation of coronal X-ray Bright Points

Context. The solar corona is heated to high temperatures of the order of 10^{6} K. The coronal energy budget and specifically possible mechanisms of coronal heating (wave, DC-electric fields, .) are poorly understood. This is particularly true as far as the formation of X-ray bright points (BPs) is concerned. Aims. Investigation of the energy budget with emphasis on the relative role and contribution of adiabatic compression versus current dissipation to the formation of coronal BPs. Methods. Three-dimensional resistive MHD simulation starts with the extrapolation of the observed magnetic field from SOHO/MDI magnetograms, which are associated with a BP observed on 19 December 2006 by Hinode. The initial radially non-uniform plasma density and temperature distribution is in accordance with an equilibrium model of chromosphere and corona. The plasma motion is included in the model as a source of energy for coronal heating. Results. Investigation of the energy conversion due to Lorentz force, pressure gradient force and Ohmic current dissipation for this bright point shows the minor effect of Joule heating in comparison to the work done by pressure gradient force in increasing the thermal energy by adiabatic compression. Especially at the time when the temperature enhancement above the bright point starts to form, compressional effects are quite dominant over the direct Joule heating. Conclusions. Choosing non-realistic high resistivity in compressible MHD models for simulation of solar corona can lead to unphysical consequences for the energy balance analysis, especially when local thermal energy enhancements are being considered.
Subaru/HDS study of CH stars: elemental abundances for stellar neutron-capture process studies

A comprehensive abundance analysis providing rare insight into the chemical history of lead stars is still lacking. We present results from high resolution (R ~ 50000), spectral analyses of three CH stars, HD 26, HD 198269, HD 224959, and, a carbon star with a dusty envelope, HD 100764. Previous studies on these objects are limited by both resolution and wavelength regions and the results differ significantly from each other. We have undertaken to re-analyse the chemical composition of these objects based on high resolution Subaru spectra covering the wavelength regions 4020 to 6775 A,. Considering local thermodynamic equilibrium and using model atmospheres, we have derived the stellar parameters, the effective temperatures Teff, surface gravities log g, and metallicities [Fe/H] for these objects. The derived parameters for HD 26, HD 100764, HD 198269 and HD 224959 are (5000, 1.6, -1.13), (4750, 2.0 -0.86), (4500, 1.5, -2.06) and (5050, 2.1, -2.44) respectively. The stars are found to exhibit large enhancements of heavy elements relative to iron in conformity to previous studies. Large enhancement of Pb with respect to iron is also confirmed. Updates on the elemental abundances for several s-process elements (Y, Zr, La, Ce, Nd, Sm, Pb) along with the first-time estimates of abundances for a number of other heavy elements (Sr, Ba, Pr, Eu, Er, W) are reported. Our analysis suggests that neutron-capture elements in HD 26 primarily originate in s-process while the major contributions to the abundances of neutron-capture elements in the more metal-poor objects HD 224959 and HD 198269 are from r-process, possibly formed from materials that are pre-enriched with products of r-process.
Ion Absorption by a Woody Plant with Episodic Growth

Rooted cuttings of Euonymus japonica Thunb. were grown in solution culture for 3 months and rates of NO3-, Ca2+, K+, and Mg2+ absorption were measured by their disappearance from solution. During shoot elongation, absorption rates for these ions declined and the pH of the nutrient solution decreased to about 4. As a flush of shoot elongation ended, the absorption rates for the ions rose to much higher levels and the pH of the nutrient solution increased to 6 or above. The changes in the nutrient solution pH appear to be caused by changes in the relative cation-anion absorption.
High-density Polyethylene - Expanded Perlite Composites: Structural Oriented Analysis of Mechanical and Thermomechanical Properties

As part of this work, research was carried out on the effect of the addition of expanded perlite (PR) on the mechanical and thermomechanical properties of high-density polyethylene (PE) composites. Composites containing from 1 to 10 wt% of the inorganic filler were produced. Polyethylene-based composites manufactured by twin-screw extrusion and formed in the compression molding process were subjected to mechanical, thermomechanical, and structural analyses. The structure of polymer composites and filler was analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It has been correlated with the static tensile tests and results of dynamic thermomechanical analysis (DMA). As part of the work, several thermomechanical parameters were calculated, and the obtained results were discussed with the evaluation of interfacial adhesion based on microscopic analysis. The research showed that despite introducing a 10 wt% of particle-shaped filler, the composites show increased stiffness without noticeable deterioration in tensile strength, simultaneously reducing toughness and brittleness. The analysis of the thermomechanical properties showed the lack of significant effects of the filler influence on the polymer matrix.
Solvability of differential systems near singular points

Functional analysis techniques are used to prove a theorem, analogous to the Harris-Sibuya-Weinberg theorem for ordinary differential equations, which yields as a number of existence theorems for holomorphic solutions of linear functional differential systems of the form in the neighborhood of the singularity at ABSTRACT By use of techniques developed by Harris, and Weinberg, various existence theorems are obtained for holo morphic solutions of functional differential systems near singular points, including generalizations of the theorems of Bass, Lettenmeyer, and Perron. Further results on Briot Bouquet singularities are also given.
Origin of the Warm Arctic–Cold North American Pattern on the Intraseasonal Time Scale

The warm Arctic–cold continent pattern (WACC) of near-surface air temperature variability has often been associated with the connection between Arctic sea ice reduction and cold weather over the midlatitude continents. Whether the existence of this pattern is due to variability of sea ice or is caused by atmospheric internal dynamics is subject to debate. Based on a long integration of a primitive equation atmospheric model (SGCM), this study examines the origin of the warm Arctic–cold North American pattern (WACNA), which is characterized by a pair of opposite surface air temperature anomalies over the high-latitude Chukchi–Bering Sea region and the North American continent, in boreal winter on the intraseasonal time scale. The model atmosphere is maintained by a time-independent forcing, so that atmospheric internal dynamics is the only source of variability. It is found that the SGCM model simulates well the behavior of the observed WACNA pattern. The WACNA pattern develops by interacting with the time-mean flow and synoptic-scale transient eddies. Two pathways of Rossby wave propagation are associated with WACNA. The northern pathway originates from eastern Siberia moving eastward across the Bering Strait to Canada, and the southern pathway is rooted in the subtropical waveguide propagating across the eastern North Pacific. Our simulation of this pattern implies that tropospheric dynamics alone can generate the WACNA, and the predictability associated with this pattern is likely limited by its internal dynamics nature. The warm Arctic–cold continent pattern of temperature variability has often been associated with the connection between Arctic sea ice reduction and cold weather over the midlatitude continents, which implies possible impacts of polar warming on midlatitude climate. There has been debate on whether the existence of this pattern depends on variability of sea ice or can be caused by processes within the atmosphere. In this study, we use a simple atmospheric model, which has a constant forcing; thus, atmospheric internal dynamics is the only source of variability. We show that atmospheric internal dynamics alone can generate the warm Arctic–cold North American pattern. The result has implications for our understanding of the impact of global warming.
Mesenchymal Stem Cells May Alleviate the Intervertebral Disc Degeneration by Reducing the Oxidative Stress in Nucleus Pulposus Cells

Background Stem cell therapy is a promising therapeutic modality for intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD). Oxidative stress is a vital contributor to the IDD; however, the definite role of oxidative stress in stem cell therapy for IDD remains obscure. The aim of this study was to determine the vital role of oxidative stress-related differentially expressed genes (OSRDEGs) in degenerative NPCs cocultured with mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Methods A series of bioinformatic methods were used to calculate the oxidative stress score and autophagy score, identify the OSRDEGs, conduct the function enrichment analysis and protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis, build the relevant competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) regulatory networks, and explore the potential association between oxidative stress and autophagy in degenerative NPCs cocultured with MSCs. Results There was a significantly different oxidative stress score between NPC/MSC samples and NPC samples (p < 0.05). Forty-one OSRDEGs were selected for the function enrichment and PPI analyses. Ten hub OSRDEGs were obtained according to the PPI score, including JUN, CAT, PTGS2, TLR4, FOS, APOE, EDN1, TXNRD1, LRRK2, and KLF2. The ceRNA regulatory network, which contained 17 DElncRNAs, 240 miRNAs, and 10 hub OSRDEGs, was constructed. Moreover, a significant relationship between the oxidative stress score and autophagy score was observed (p < 0.05), and 125 significantly related gene pairs were obtained (|r| > 0.90, p < 0.05). Conclusion Stem cell therapy might repair the degenerative IVD via reducing the oxidative stress through the ceRNA regulatory work and restoration of autophagy in degenerative NPCs. This research could provide new insights into the mechanism research of stem cell therapy for IDD and potential therapeutic targets in the IDD treatment.
THE UV–OPTICAL COLOR GRADIENTS IN STAR-FORMING GALAXIES AT 0.5 < z < 1.5: ORIGINS AND LINK TO GALAXY ASSEMBLY

The rest-frame UV–optical (i.e., NUV − B) color index is sensitive to the low-level recent star formation and dust extinction, but it is insensitive to the metallicity. In this Letter, we have measured the rest-frame NUV − B color gradients in ∼1400 large (re > 0.″18), nearly face-on (b/a > 0.5) main sequence star-forming galaxies (SFGs) between redshift 0.5 and 1.5 in the CANDELS/GOODS-S and UDS fields. With this sample, we study the origin of UV–optical color gradients in the SFGs at z ∼ 1 and discuss their link with the buildup of stellar mass. We find that the more massive, centrally compact, and more dust extinguished SFGs tend to have statistically more negative raw color gradients (redder centers) than the less massive, centrally diffuse, and less dusty SFGs. After correcting for dust reddening based on optical-spectral energy distribution fitting, the color gradients in the low-mass (M* < 1010M⊙) SFGs generally become quite flat, while most of the high-mass (M* > 1010.5M⊙) SFGs still retain shallow negative color gradients. These findings imply that dust reddening is likely the principal cause of negative color gradients in the low-mass SFGs, while both increased central dust reddening and buildup of compact old bulges are likely the origins of negative color gradients in the high-mass SFGs. These findings also imply that at these redshifts the low-mass SFGs buildup their stellar masses in a self-similar way, while the high-mass SFGs grow inside out.