Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The role of AGN jets in the reionization epoch

The reionization of the Universe ends the dark ages that started after the recombination era. In the case of H, reionization finishes around z ~ 6. Faint star-forming galaxies are the best candidate sources of the H-ionizing radiation, although active galactic nuclei may have also contributed. We have explored whether the termination regions of the jets from active galactic nuclei may have contributed significantly to the ionization of H in the late reionization epoch, around z ~ 6−7. We assumed that, as it has been proposed, active galactic nuclei at z ~ 6 may have presented a high jet fraction, accretion rate, and duty cycle, and that non-thermal electrons contribute significantly to the pressure of jet termination regions. Empirical black-hole mass functions were adopted to characterize the population of active galactic nuclei. From all this, estimates were derived for the isotropic H-ionizing radiation produced in the jet termination regions, at z ~ 6, through inverse Compton scattering off CMB photons. We find that the termination regions of the jets of active galactic nuclei may have radiated most of their energy in the form of H-ionizing radiation at z ~ 6. For typical black-hole mass functions at that redshift, under the considered conditions (long-lasting, common, and very active galactic nuclei with jets), the contribution of these jets to maintain (and possibly enhance) the ionization of H may have been non-negligible. We conclude that the termination regions of jets from active galactic nuclei could have had a significant role in the reionization of the Universe at z ≳ 6.
Enzymatic Activities of Halotolerant and Halophilic Fungi Isolated from Iko River Estuary, South-South Nigeria

Aim: Fungi that can tolerate unfavorable conditions are a potential source of stable bioactive metabolites that can be used for various industrial processes. Therefore this study aimed to isolate halotolerant and halophilic fungi from the Iko river estuary and screen them for three industrially important enzymes: amylase, cellulase, and mannanase. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Microbiology, Akwa Ibom State University, Nigeria, between September 2021 and August 2022. Methodology: Five sediment-dwelling fungi isolated from three locations along the Iko river estuary were assayed for their halotolerance on PDA containing different NaCl concentrations while their amylolytic, cellulolytic, and mannolytic activities were evaluated on agar plates containing 10% NaCl. The highest producer of the screened enzymes was identified using molecular techniques and further subjected to various submerged fermentation conditions to optimize the production of salt tolerant amylase, cellulase, and mannanase. Results: All isolates were halotolerant, best adapted to a salinity of 5% NaCl (w/v), and capable of secreting at least one of the three tested enzymes in 10% NaCl (w/v). Aspergillus niger isolate L2S1 had the highest enzymatic index among other isolates thus requiring optimization. The optimum production of amylase, cellulase, and mannanase was obtained at an incubation temperature of 30oC, initial pH of 6.0, and NaCl concentration of 5% (w/v). Out of the tested agro-wastes, wheat bran was most suited for the production of amylase, corncob was optimum for cellulase production, and maximum mannanase yield was obtained using copra meal. Amylase and cellulase production was optimal at 96 hours of incubation, whereas mannanase required 144 hours of fermentation to reach its maximum activity. Conclusion: Aspergillus niger isolate L2S1 was capable of utilizing different carbon sources including cheap agro-residues as substrates for the production of halostable amylase, cellulase, and mannanase.
An ab initio study on phase stability, elastic and mechanical properties of Zr-doped TiAl2 and α-TiAl3 intermetallics

In this study, phase stability, elastic and mechanical properties of Zr-doped TiAl2 and intermetallics have been studied by ab initio calculations based on density functional theory. The virtual crystal approximation (VCA) method has been utilized to develop crystal structures. Calculated lattice constants and elastic properties of the unalloyed TiAl2 and intermetallics were given and discussed. In addition, machinability index has been accounted for. Formation enthalpies, Gibbs free energies of Zr-doped compounds are lower than pure TiAl2 and intermetallics. Bulk moduli values have been improved by Zr doping for both alloys. Ductile alloys have been obtained when Zr addition of TiAl2 and was greater than 6.0 wt. %.
COMPACT STARBURSTS IN z ∼ 3 ?> –6 SUBMILLIMETER GALAXIES REVEALED BY ALMA

We report the source size distribution, as measured by ALMA millimetric continuum imaging, of a sample of 13 AzTEC-selected submillimeter galaxies (SMGs) at z phot ∼ 3 ? > –6. Their infrared luminosities and star formation rates (SFRs) are L IR ∼ ? > 2– 6 × 10 12 ? > L ⊙ ? > and ∼200–600 M ⊙ ? > yr−1, respectively. The sizes of these SMGs range from 0. ″10 to 0. ″38, with a median of 0. ″20 − 0 &farcs; 05 + 0 &farcs; 03 ? > (FWHM), corresponding to a median circularized effective radius ( R c , e ? > ) of 0.67 − 0.14 + 0.13 ? > kpc, comparable to the typical size of the stellar component measured in compact quiescent galaxies at z ∼ 2 ? > (cQGs)— R e ∼ 1 ? > kpc. The median surface SFR density of our SMGs is 100 − 26 + 42 ? > M ⊙ ? > yr−1 kpc−2, comparable to that seen in local merger-driven (U)LIRGs rather than in extended disk galaxies at low and high redshifts. The discovery of compact starbursts in z ≳ 3 ? > SMGs strongly supports a massive galaxy formation scenario wherein z ∼ 3 ? > –6 SMGs evolve into the compact stellar components of z ∼ 2 ? > cQGs. These cQGs are then thought to evolve into the most massive ellipticals in the local universe, mostly via dry mergers. Our results thus suggest that z ≳ 3 ? > SMGs are the likely progenitors of massive local ellipticals, via cQGs, meaning that we can now trace the evolutionary path of the most massive galaxies over a period encompassing ∼90% of the age of the universe.
Observations on a Series of Merging Magnetic Flux Ropes Within an Interplanetary Coronal Mass Ejection

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are intense solar explosive eruptions. CMEs are highly important players in solar‐terrestrial relationships, and they have important consequences for major geomagnetic storms and energetic particle events. It has been unclear how CMEs evolve when they propagate in the heliosphere. Here we report an interplanetary CME consisting of multiple magnetic flux ropes measured by WIND on 25–26 March 1998. These magnetic flux ropes were merging with each other. The observations indicate that internal interactions (reconnections) within multiflux rope CME can coalesce into large‐scale ropes, which may improve our understanding of the interplanetary evolution of CMEs. In addition, we speculated that the reported rope‐rope interactions may also exist between successive rope‐like CMEs and are important for the space weather forecasting.
Effect of a micronization method on the particle-size distribution and eluted phosphate-ion concentration for methane fermentation residue sludge

Abstract Micronized methane fermentation residue sludge can be used as a liquid fertilizer because the micronized solid particles can be directly sprayed. Thus, the objective of this study was to clarify the effect of the micronization method on the particle-size distribution and eluted phosphate-ion concentration of sludge micronized by ultrasonication or ball milling. Although the average particle size in the sludge micronized by ball milling was ~15 µm smaller than that micronized by ultrasonication, many finer particles (<10 µm) were observed in the ultrasonication-micronized sludge. Compared with untreated sludge, the concentration of the eluted phosphate ions of ultrasonication-micronized sludge was almost 15% higher, whereas that of the ball-milled sludge changed insignificantly. These results indicate that the particle sizes in the ball-milled and ultrasonication-micronized sludge were different, resulting in different phosphate ion elution behavior. Thus, the particle size and phosphate ion concentration can be controlled by changing and/or combining micronization techniques and optimizing their operating conditions.
Probing cosmic velocity–density correlations with galaxy luminosity modulations

We study the possibility of using correlations between spatial modulations in the observed luminosity distribution of galaxies and the underlying density field as a cosmological probe. Considering redshift ranges, where magnification effects due to gravitational lensing may be neglected, we argue that the dipole part of such luminosity-density correlations traces the corresponding velocity-density signal which may thus be measured from a given galaxy redshift catalogue. Assuming an SDSS-like survey with mean density $\overline{n}$ = 0.01 ($h^{-1}$ Mpc)$^{-3}$ and effective volume $V_{\rm eff}$ = 0.2 ($h^{-1}$ Gpc)$^{3}$ at a fiducial redshift z = 0.1, we estimate that the velocity-density correlation function can be constrained with high signal-to-noise ratio $\gtrsim$ 10 on scales 10-100 Mpc. Similar conclusions apply to the monopole which is sensitive to the environmental dependence of galaxy luminosities and relevant to models of galaxy formation.
Polarimetric Study of Near-Earth Asteroid (1566) Icarus

We conducted a polarimetric observation of the fast-rotating near-Earth asteroid (1566) Icarus at large phase (Sun–asteroid–observer’s) angles α = 57°–141° around the 2015 summer solstice. We found that the maximum values of the linear polarization degree are Pmax = 7.32 ± 0.25% at phase angles of αmax = 124° ± 8° in the V-band and Pmax = 7.04 ± 0.21% at αmax = 124° ± 6° in the RC-band. Applying the polarimetric slope–albedo empirical law, we derived a geometric albedo of pV = 0.25 ± 0.02, which is in agreement with that of Q-type taxonomic asteroids. αmax is unambiguously larger than that of Mercury, the Moon, and another near-Earth S-type asteroid (4179) Toutatis but consistent with laboratory samples with hundreds of microns in size. The combination of the maximum polarization degree and the geometric albedo is in accordance with terrestrial rocks with a diameter of several hundreds of micrometers. The photometric function indicates a large macroscopic roughness. We hypothesize that the unique environment (i.e., the small perihelion distance q = 0.187 au and a short rotational period of Trot = 2.27 hr) may be attributed to the paucity of small grains on the surface, as indicated on (3200) Phaethon.
Genetically Predicted Circulating Concentrations of Alanine and Alanine Aminotransferase Were Associated with Prostate Cancer Risk

Object Prostate cancer is one of the leading malignancies in men worldwide. Previous observational studies have linked amino acids and transaminase with altered risk of prostate cancer. However, whether these associations were causal remained unclear. Therefore, we conducted a Mendelian randomization (MR) to assess their potential causal associations. Methods Summary-level data for prostate cancer were obtained from a meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) including 79,148 prostate cancer cases and 61,106 controls of European descent. Instrumental variables (IVs) of amino acids and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were obtained from a GWAS of 86,507 European individuals and a GWAS of 312,572 participants from the UK Biobank, respectively. MR analyses were performed using inverse-variance-weighted (IVW), likelihood-based, MR Pleiotropy RESidual Sum and Outlier (MR-PRESSO) test and MR-Egger regression. Results Genetically predicted circulating concentrations of alanine were associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer (odds ratio (OR): 1.16, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.01–1.33, P=0.037 by IVW). Consistently, genetically predicted ALT was inversely associated with the risk of prostate cancer (OR: 0.43, 95% CI: 0.27–0.68, P=3.28×10−4 by IVW). MR-Egger regression did not indicate evidence of directional pleiotropy and sensitivity analyses yielded consistent associations. Conclusion Our study revealed that genetically predicted circulating alanine and ALT levels were associated with an altered risk of prostate cancer, suggesting their potential roles in the development of prostate cancer. Whether targeting alanine, ALT or its downstream effectors are helpful in reducing prostate cancer incidence warrants further investigation.
V1094 Scorpii: A rare giant multi-ringed disk around a T Tauri star

Context. A wide variety of ring-like dust structures have been detected in protoplanetary disks, but their origin and frequency are still unclear. Aims. We aim to characterize the structure of an extended, multi-ringed disk discovered serendipitously in the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) Lupus disk survey and put it in the context of the Lupus disk population. Methods. ALMA observations in Band 6 at 234 GHz and Band 7 at 328 GHz at 0.3″ resolution toward the K6 star V1094 Sco in Lupus III are presented, and its disk structure analyzed. The spectral index αmm is determined in the inner 150 AU of the disk. Results. The ALMA continuum data show a very extended disk with two gap-ring pairs. The gaps are located at 100 AU and 170 AU, the bright rings at 130 AU and 220 AU. Continuum emission is detected out to a 300 AU distance, similar to IM Lup but a factor of five larger than typically found for Lupus disks at this sensitivity and resolution. The bright central region of the disk (within 35 AU) is possibly optically thick at 1 mm wavelengths, and has a brightness temperature of only 13 K. The spectral index increases between the inner disk and the first ring at the location of the first gap. Conclusions. Due to the low temperature of the disk midplane, snow lines can be excluded as the drivers behind the ring and gap formation in this disk. Disks the size of V1094 Sco are rare, and only 2.1 ± 1.5% of disks in Lupus show continuum emission beyond 200 AU. Possible connections between the large primordial disk population, transition disks, and exoplanets are discussed.
Antibacterial Effect of Essential Oil on Staphylococcus Aureus-resistant Strain (MRSA), the Causative Agent of Dermatitis

The emergence of multidrug-resistant microorganisms represents a global challenge owing to the lack of new effective antimicrobial agents. Essential oils could be an alternative to antibiotics because of their anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antibacterial, and antibiofilm activities. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the antibacterial activity of essential oils as an alternative to antibiotics. In the present study, we cultured methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) with two concentrations (0.5% and 1.0%) of 17 types of essential oils and the antibiotic oxacillin as the control. The optical density of the culture suspensions at 600 nm was determined to assess the effect of the essential oils on MRSA. At 0.5% concentration, 8 essential oils demonstrated higher antibacterial activity than oxacillin, with palmarosa, melissa true, and rose geranium showing the highest antibacterial activity. At 1% concentration, 13 essential oils showed higher antibacterial activity than oxacillin, with melissa true, palmarosa, lemongrass, and rosemary verbenone showing the highest antibacterial activity. Furthermore, essential oils isolated from leaves showed higher antibacterial ability. Overall, the antibacterial activity of essential oils against MRSA varied with the concentration, type, and extraction site. Therefore, our study provides a basis for the selection and use of essential oils for antibacterial activity against MRSA.
Systematic bias and the phylogeny of Coleoptera—A response to Cai et al. (2022) following the responses to Cai et al. (2020)

Systematic bias is one of the major phylogenetic issues arising over the last two decades. Using methods designed to reduce compositional and rate heterogeneity, hence systematic bias, Cai and co‐workers (2022) (= CEA22) reanalyzed the DNA sequence dataset for Coleoptera of Zhang et al. (2018) (= ZEA). CEA22 suggest that their phylogenetic results and major evolutionary hypotheses about the Coleoptera should be favoured over other recently published studies. Here, we discuss the methodology of CEA22 with particular attention to how their perfunctory reanalysis of ZEA obfuscates rather than illuminates beetle phylogeny. Similar to published rebuttals of an earlier study of theirs, we specifically find that many of their claims are misleading, unsupported, or false. Critically, CEA22 fail to establish the stated premise for their reanalysis. They fail to demonstrate how composition or rate heterogeneity supposedly impacted the phylogeny estimate of ZEA, let alone the results of other recent studies. Moreover, despite their claim of comprehensive sampling of Coleoptera, their dataset is neither the most diverse with respect to species and higher taxa included, nor anywhere near the largest in terms of sequence data and sampled loci. Although CEA22 does contribute additional fossils for calibration, those seeking the best available estimate for Coleoptera phylogeny and evolution based on molecular data are advised to look elsewhere.
Blocking Periostin Prevented Development of Inflammation in Rhabdomyolysis-Induced Acute Kidney Injury Mice Model

Background: Rhabdomyolysis is the collapse of damaged skeletal muscle and the leakage of muscle-cell contents, such as electrolytes, myoglobin, and other sarcoplasmic proteins, into the circulation. The glomeruli filtered these products, leading to acute kidney injury (AKI) through several mechanisms, such as intratubular obstruction secondary to protein precipitation. The prognosis is highly mutable and depends on the underlying complications and etiologies. New therapeutic plans to reduce AKI are now needed. Up to now, several cellular pathways, with the nuclear factor kappa beta (NF-kB), as well as the proinflammatory effects on epithelial and tubular epithelial cells, have been recognized as the major pathway for the initiation of the matrix-producing cells in AKI. Recently, it has been mentioned that periostin (POSTN), an extracellular matrix protein, is involved in the development of inflammation through the modulation of the NF-kB pathway. However, how POSTN develops the inflammation protection in AKI by rhabdomyolysis is uncertain. This study aimed to investigate the role of POSTN in a rhabdomyolysis mice model of AKI induced by an intramuscular injection of 50% glycerol. Methods: In vivo, we performed an intramuscular injection of 50% glycerol (5 mg/kg body weight) to make rhabdomyolysis-induced AKI. We examined the expression level of POSTN through the progression of AKI after glycerol intramuscular injection for C57BL/6J wildtype (WT) mice. We sacrificed mice at 72 h after glycerol injection. We made periostin-null mice to examine the role of POSTN in acute renal failure. The role of periostin was further examined through in vitro methods. The development of renal inflammation is linked with the NF-kB pathway. To examine the POSTN function, we administrated hemin (100 μM) on NIH-3T3 fibroblast cells, and the following signaling pathways were examined. Results: The expression of periostin was highly increased, peaking at about 72 h after glycerol injection. The expression of inflammation-associated mRNAs such as monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-a) and IL-6, and tubular injury score in H-E staining were more reduced in POSTN-null mice than WT mice at 72 h after glycerol injection. Conclusion: POSTN was highly expressed in the kidney through rhabdomyolysis and was a positive regulator of AKI. Targeting POSTN might propose a new therapeutic strategy against the development of acute renal failure.
Structure of Γ-rings

In the first part of the present paper, Γ-rings are studied in the setting of modules. The notion of a module over a Turing is studied, with the object of developing the notion of a Jacobson-radical for a Γ-ring via modules. This radical enjoys the usual properties of the corresponding object in rings. A semisimple right Artinian Γ-ring turns out to be the direct sum of simple ideals; this conclusion is strengthened to include a corresponding decomposition for the jR-ring Γ also in the case of a strongly semisimple strongly right Artinian weak ΓN ring. The Jacobson radical of a weak i~Vring R is characterized in different ways, in one of them as the set of all properly quasi-invertible elements of R. It is shown how rings, ternary rings and associative triple systems can be considered as weak /Vrings. The present approach provides a uniform module cum radical theory not only for F-rings, but also for the associative triple systems. The second part of the paper imbeds any weak ΓN-ring R into a suitable associative ring A. Simplicity and semisimplicity in R and A are shown to be related. The main result of this part which generalizes the classical Wedderburn-Artin theorem for rings to Tarings, characterizes the strongly simple, strongly right Artinian weak /Vrings as the Γ-rings of rectangular matrices over division rings.
Diffusive Hydrodynamics of Out-of-Time-Ordered Correlators with Charge Conservation

The scrambling of quantum information in closed many-body systems has received considerable recent attention. Two useful measures of scrambling have emerged: the spreading of initially-local operators, and the related concept of out-of-time-ordered correlation functions (OTOCs). Recently, random circuits have been used to give these quantities an effective hydrodynamical description. We extend these results by considering local random unitary circuits with a conserved U$(1)$ charge and argue, with numerical and analytical evidence, that the presence of a conservation law slows relaxation in both time ordered and time-out-of ordered correlation functions; we show that both can have a diffusively relaxing component or "power-law tail" at late times. Moreover, we consider OTOCs in Gibbs states, parametrized by a chemical potential $\mu$, and apply perturbative arguments to show that for $\mu\gg 1$ the ballistic front of information-spreading can only develop at times exponentially large in $\mu$ -- with the information traveling diffusively at earlier times. We also develop a new formalism for describing OTOCs and operator spreading, which allows us to describe the saturation of OTOCs as a form of "thermalization on operator space", and leads to a conjecture for their long-time behavior, wherein the conservation law results in a particular profile for OTOCs, showing a slow decay behind the main front. Our results may be relevant to systems with energy conservation, with the role of chemical potential played by the inverse temperature, even though our models explicitly break time translation symmetry.