Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Interferometric observations of SiO thermal emission in the inner wind of M-type AGB stars IK Tauri and IRC+10011.

Context Asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars go through a process of strong mass loss that involves pulsations of the atmosphere, which extends to a region in which the conditions are adequate for dust grains to form. Radiation pressure acts on these grains which, coupled to the gas, drive a massive outflow. The details of this process are not clear, including which molecules are involved in the condensation of dust grains. Aims We seek to study the role of the SiO molecule in the process of dust formation and mass loss in M-type AGB stars. Methods Using the IRAM NOEMA interferometer we observed the 28SiO and 29SiO J = 3 - 2, v = 0 emission from the inner circumstellar envelope of the evolved stars IK Tau and IRC+10011. We computed azimuthally averaged emission profiles to compare the observations to models using a molecular excitation and ray-tracing code for SiO thermal emission. Results We observe circular symmetry in the emission distribution. We also find that the source diameter varies only marginally with radial velocity, which is not the expected behaviour for envelopes expanding at an almost constant velocity. The adopted density, velocity, and abundance laws, together with the mass-loss rate, which best fit the observations, give us information concerning the chemical behaviour of the SiO molecule and its role in the dust formation process. Conclusions The results indicate that there is a strong coupling between the depletion of gas-phase SiO and gas acceleration in the inner envelope. This could be explained by the condensation of SiO into dust grains.
Qubit coherence control in a nuclear spin bath

Coherent dynamics of localized spins in semiconductors is limited by spectral diffusion arising from dipolar fluctuation of lattice nuclear spins. Here we extend the semiclassical theory of spectral diffusion for nuclear spins I=1/2 to the high nuclear spins relevant to the III-V materials and show that applying successive qubit pi-rotations at a rate approximately proportional to the nuclear spin quantum number squared (I^2) provides an efficient method for coherence enhancement. Hence robust coherent manipulation in the large spin environments characteristic of the III-V compounds is possible without resorting to nuclear spin polarization, provided that the pi-pulses can be generated at intervals scaling as I^{-2}.
Nonquasiparticle states in the half-metallic ferromagnet NiMnSb

Nonquasiparticle states above the Fermi energy are studied by first-principle dynamical mean field calculations for a prototype half-metallic ferromagnet NiMnSb. We present a quantitative evaluation of the spectral weight of this characteristic feature and discuss the possible experimental investigation (Bremsstrahlung isohromat spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance, scanning tunneling microscopy, and Andreev reflection) to clarify the existence of these states.
Long-Term Repeatable In Vivo Monitoring of Amyloid-β Plaques and Vessels in Alzheimer’s Disease Mouse Model with Combined TPEF/CARS Microscopy

Long-term, repeatable monitoring of the appearance and progress of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in real time can be extremely beneficial to acquire highly reliable diagnostic insights, which is crucial for devising apt strategies towards effective AD treatment. Herein, we present an optimized innovative cranial window imaging method for the long-term repeatable imaging of amyloid-β (Aβ) plaques and vessels in an AD mouse model. Basically, two-photon excitation fluorescence (TPEF) microscopy was used to monitor the fluorescently labeled Aβ plaques, whereas the label-free blood vessels were studied using coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) microscopy in the live in vivo AD mouse model. It was possible to clearly observe the Aβ deposition and vascular structure in the target cortex localization for 31 weeks in the AD mouse model using this method. The combined TPEF/CARS imaging studies were also instrumental in realizing the relationship between the tendency of Aβ deposition and ageing. Essentially, the progression of cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) in the AD mouse model was quantitatively characterized, which revealed that the proportion Aβ deposition in the unit vessel can increase from 13.63% to 28.80% upon increasing the age of mice from 8 months old to 14 months old. The proposed imaging method provided an efficient, safe, repeatable platform with simple target localization aptitude towards monitoring the brain tissues, which is an integral part of studying any brain-related physiological or disease conditions to extract crucial structural and functional information.
The Impact of Interpretive Packaged Food Labels on Consumer Purchase Intention: The Comparative Analysis of Efficacy and Inefficiency of Food Labels

The objectives of this study are twofold. Firstly, the current study elucidates the impact and efficacy of food labels in developing consumers’ attitudes and intentions towards the selection of nutritional food. Secondly, the inefficacy of labels in developing consumers’ attitudes and intentions towards healthy packaged food selection is demonstrated. The supportive theories of the current model are those of reasoned action and protection motivation. The data of 797 respondents have been collected from four major grocery stores in Pakistan. The structural equation model has been employed for the analysis of data. The results indicate that the efficacy of food labels has a positive significant effect on attitudes towards familiar and unfamiliar foods. In contrast to this, inefficacy in labelling has shown a positive significant effect on familiar foods but is insignificant for unfamiliar foods. The user-friendly food labels significantly affect unfamiliar foods in terms promoting consumer attitudes. Reciprocally, the inefficacy of labels creates a hindrance to the reading of unfamiliar labels while purchasing food items. The study findings reveal the fact that food label information and its format influences consumer attitudes and intentions at the point of purchase.
The quasar luminosity function at redshift 4 with the Hyper Suprime-Cam Wide Survey

We present the luminosity function of z=4 quasars based on the Hyper Suprime-Cam Subaru Strategic Program Wide layer imaging data in the g, r, i, z, and y bands covering 339.8 deg^2. From stellar objects, 1666 z~4 quasar candidates are selected by the g-dropout selection down to i=24.0 mag. Their photometric redshifts cover the redshift range between 3.6 and 4.3 with an average of 3.9. In combination with the quasar sample from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey in the same redshift range, the quasar luminosity function covering the wide luminosity range of M1450=-22 to -29 mag is constructed. It is well described by a double power-law model with a knee at M1450=-25.36+-0.13 mag and a flat faint-end slope with a power-law index of -1.30+-0.05. The knee and faint-end slope show no clear evidence of redshift evolution from those at z~2. The flat slope implies that the UV luminosity density of the quasar population is dominated by the quasars around the knee, and does not support the steeper faint-end slope at higher redshifts reported at z>5. If we convert the M1450 luminosity function to the hard X-ray 2-10keV luminosity function using the relation between UV and X-ray luminosity of quasars and its scatter, the number density of UV-selected quasars matches well with that of the X-ray-selected AGNs above the knee of the luminosity function. Below the knee, the UV-selected quasars show a deficiency compared to the hard X-ray luminosity function. The deficiency can be explained by the lack of obscured AGNs among the UV-selected quasars.
Acute Effects of Cognitive Training Game on Functional Brain Asymmetry and Motor Performance in Golf Putting: A Pilot Study

ABSTRACT Neural and behavioral evidence has indicated that video games and mental training can enhance motor skills and attentional stability. The purpose of this study is to investigate the acute effect of a single session of cognitive game training on electroencephalography (EEG) activity and golf putting performance (10, 12 ft putts). A total of twelve participants (10 males, 2 females, aged 22–59) participated in this study. Seven participants were assigned to an experimental group. This group putted before and after a 10-min of cognitive game training; five additional participants were assigned to a control group, sitting quietly with limited physical movements. Measures of EEG signals (i.e., frontal alpha asymmetry, temporal alpha asymmetry) and performance outcomes (i.e., accuracy, quality of feel) were recorded before and after the intervention. The experimental group demonstrated a significantly increased quality of putting feel compared to the control group. Although functional brain asymmetry did not approach a significant level, it was speculated that this single session of cognitive game training might stimulate approaching attention to the target (i.e., hole) and reduce mental exertions which could explain why the experimental group showed a high quality of feel in their performance. Future work is still needed with larger sample size and controlled variables (e.g., eye-dominance, handedness) to examine the long-term effects of cognitive game training on motor performance in skilled and novice golfers, respectively.
Concluding Henrietta Leavitt's Work on Classical Cepheids in the Magellanic System and Other Updates of the OGLE Collection of Variable Stars

More than a century ago, Henrietta Leavitt discovered the first Cepheids in the Magellanic Clouds together with the famous period-luminosity relationship revealed by these stars, which soon after revolutionized our view of the Universe. Over the years, the number of known Cepheids in these galaxies has steadily increased with the breakthrough in the last two decades thanks to the new generation of large-scale long-term sky variability surveys. Here we present the final upgrade of the OGLE Collection of Cepheids in the Magellanic System which already contained the vast majority of known Cepheids. The updated collection now comprises 9649 classical and 262 anomalous Cepheids. Type-II Cepheids will be updated shortly. Thanks to high completeness of the OGLE survey the sample of classical Cepheids includes virtually all stars of this type in the Magellanic Clouds. Thus, the OGLE survey concludes the work started by Leavitt. Additionally, the OGLE sample of RR Lyrae stars in the Magellanic System has been updated. It now counts 46 443 variables. A collection of seven anomalous Cepheids in the halo of our Galaxy detected in front of the Magellanic Clouds is also presented. OGLE photometric data are available to the astronomical community from the OGLE Internet Archive. The time-series photometry of all pulsating stars in the OGLE Collection has been supplemented with new observations.
XMM-Newton View of PKS 2155–304: Characterizing the X-Ray Variability Properties with EPIC pn

Starting from XMM-Newton EPIC pn data, we present the X-ray variability characteristics of PKS 2155-304 using a simple analysis of the excess variance, σ, and of the fractional rms variability amplitude, Fvar. The scatter in σ and Fvar, calculated using 500 s long segments of the light curves, is smaller than the scatter expected for red-noise variability. This alone does not imply that the underlying process responsible for the variability of the source is stationary, since the real changes of the individual variance estimates are possibly smaller than the large scatters expected for a red-noise process. In fact, the averaged σ and Fvar, which reduce the fluctuations of the individual variances, also change with time, indicating nonstationary variability. Moreover, both the averaged σXS (absolute rms variability amplitude) and the averaged Fvar show linear correlation with source flux, but in an opposite sense: σXS correlates with flux, but Fvar anticorrelates with flux. These correlations suggest that the variability process of the source is strongly nonstationary, as random scatters of variances should not yield any correlation. Spectra of Fvar were constructed to compare variability amplitudes in different energy bands. We found that the fractional rms variability amplitude of the source, when significant variability is observed, increases logarithmically with the photon energy, indicating significant spectral variability. The point-to-point variability amplitude may also track this trend, suggesting that the slopes of the power spectral density of the source are energy-independent. Using the normalized excess variance, the black hole mass of PKS 2155-304 was estimated to be about 1.45 × 108 M☉. This is compared and contrasted with the estimates derived from measurements of the host galaxies.
Party Identification, Ambivalence, and the Issue of Vaccine Procurement in Taiwan

After the Covid-19 pandemic began to wreak havoc around the world in January 2020, Taiwan managed to stay mostly Covid-free due to swift and efficient action taken by the government to contain the outbreak. However, after the country experienced its first significant wave of domestically transmitted cases in May 2021, vaccines became a highly salient issue because Taiwan did not have enough doses to immunize all its citizens. In this study, we investigate how Taiwanese appraise the government’s overall efforts to acquire vaccines. We hypothesize that, apart from a partisan divergence of opinions, some citizens would hold ambivalent attitudes toward the way the government handled the vaccine procurement process. Results from multivariate regression analysis indicate that the effect of party identification on evaluations of government is conditionally dependent on citizens’ level of ambivalence. Specifically, increased ambivalence offsets the strong effect of party affiliation on government evaluation, especially for political independents and supporters of opposition parties.
Moderating carbon dynamics in black soil by combined application of biochar and an artificial humic substance

The mineralization and humification of organic matter triggered by added exogenous carbon are relevant to soil organic matter (SOM) turnover and stability. Biochar (BC) and artificial humic substance (A‐HS), two typical exogenous carbon materials, have not been jointly applied to seek to improve the soil carbon pool, which is contributed by the development of A‐HS which has not yet been used on a large‐scale. We surmise that the dynamic interactions occurring in combined application of BC and A‐HS are complex and deserve detailed attention. Herein, a continuous incubation experiment including relevant weather events (freezing, freezing–thawing, warming climates) was conducted for 180 days to observe the development of SOM in the different stages and under separate and mixed applications of A‐HS and BC. After 45 d cultivation period and the freezing phase, the relative mineralization rate of SOM was up to 6.4% (120 ml/kg A‐HS), 4.9% (2% BC) and 13.3% (for the combination of 120 ml/kg A‐HS and 2% BC), suggesting that the presence of A‐HS triggers an enhanced mineralization of SOM throughout freezing. However, the remaining SOM turned out to be more strongly humified and more stable, preserving the SOM through the warming season, as shown by ultraviolet fluorescence and high‐throughput sequencing. Overall, the dynamic interactions between BC and A‐HS are shown to be mainly mediated by biological activity and alterations of microbial community structure and the related metabolic preferred pathways, which vice versa can be influenced by the added carbon sources.
Comparison of the Effectiveness of Transnasal Humidified Rapid Insufflation Ventilator Exchange (THRIVE) with Facemask Pre-Oxygenation in 40 Patients ≥65 Years of Age Undergoing General Anaesthesia During Gastrointestinal Surgery for Intestinal Obstruction

Background In this study, we aimed to compare the effectiveness of transnasal humidified rapid insufflation ventilator exchange (THRIVE) with facemask pre-oxygenation in 40 patients ≥65 years of age undergoing general anesthesia during gastrointestinal surgery for intestinal obstruction. Material/Methods Patients with gastrointestinal obstruction were randomized to either a facemask group (group M, n=20) or THRIVE group (group T, n=20). During pre-oxygenation, the 2 groups used a facemask (100% oxygen, 6 L/min) and THRIVE (100% oxygen, 40 L/min) to supply oxygen, respectively. Induction of anesthesia was performed in both groups using facemasks and without mechanical or assisted ventilation. The intubation occurred after myorelaxant action began. When the peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2) dropped below 95%, or 480 s after administration of muscle relaxants, mechanical ventilation was initiated immediately. The primary outcome was arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2) at 5 min after pre-oxygenation. A secondary outcome was time to SpO2 of 95% during apnea, with a cut-off time of 480 s. Results PaO2 at 5 min after pre-oxygenation was (261.5±30.9) mmHg for group M and (446.1±84.4) mmHg for group T (P<0.001). Based on survival analysis, the median time-to-event in group T was 480 s (95% CI 415.7 s – upper limit unknown) and 240 s (95% CI 225.9–254.1 s) in group M (P<0.001). Conclusions In elderly patients undergoing rapid sequence induction, pre-oxygenation with THRIVE could improve oxygenation and extend safe apnea time, compared with facemask pre-oxygenation.
Transport Properties of the Nuclear Pasta Phase with Quantum Molecular Dynamics

We study the transport properties of nuclear pasta for a wide range of density, temperature, and proton fractions, relevant for different astrophysical scenarios adopting a quantum molecular dynamics model. In particular, we estimate the values of shear viscosity as well as electrical and thermal conductivities by calculating the static structure factor S(q) using simulation data. In the density and temperature range where the pasta phase appears, the static structure factor shows irregular behavior. The presence of a slab phase greatly enhances the peak in S(q). However, the effect of irregularities in S(q) on the transport coefficients is not very dramatic. The values of all three transport coefficients are found to have the same orders of magnitude as found in theoretical calculations for the inner crust matter of neutron stars without the pasta phase; therefore, the values are in contrast to earlier speculations that a pasta layer might be highly resistive, both thermally and electrically.
Optical extinction due to intrinsic structural variations of photonic crystals

Unavoidable variations in size and position of the building blocks of photonic crystals cause light scattering and extinction of coherent beams. We present a model for both two- and three-dimensional photonic crystals that relates the extinction length to the magnitude of the variations. The predicted lengths agree well with our experiments on high-quality opals and inverse opals, and with literature data analyzed by us. As a result, control over photons is limited to distances up to 50 lattice parameters 15 m in state-of-the-art structures, thereby impeding applications that require large photonic crystals, such as proposed optical integrated circuits. Conversely, scattering in photonic crystals may lead to different physics such as Anderson localization and nonclassical diffusion.
Chemical enrichment in isolated barred spiral galaxies

To investigate the role of bars in the chemical evolution of isolated disc galaxies, we performed a series of 39 gas dynamical simulations of isolated barred and unbarred galaxies with various masses, initial gas fractions, and AGN feedback models. The presence of a bar drives a substantial amount of gas toward the central region of the galaxy. In the most massive galaxies, this results in a violent starburst, followed by a drop in star formation resulting from gas exhaustion. The time delay between Type Ia and Type II supernovae explosions means that barred galaxies experience a rapid increase in [O/H] in the central region, and a much more gradual increase in [Fe/H]. In unbarred galaxies, star formation proceeds at a slow and steady rate, and oxygen and iron are produced at steady rates which are similar except for a time offset. Comparing the abundance ratios in barred and unbarred galaxies with the same central stellar mass $M_*$, we find in barred galaxies an enhancement of 0.07 dex in [O/H], 0.05 dex in [Fe/H], and 0.05 dex in [O/Fe]. The [O/H] enhancement is in excellent agreement with observations from the SDSS. The initial gas fraction has very little effect on the abundance ratios in barred and unbarred galaxies, unless the galaxies experience a starburst. We considered AGN-host galaxies located near the bottom of the AGN regime, $M_*>3\times10^{10}M_\odot$, where AGN feedback dominates over supernovae feedback. We found that the impact of AGN feedback on the central abundances is marginal.
Resonance capture and dynamics of three-planet systems

We present a series of dynamical maps for fictitious 3-planets systems in initially circular coplanar orbits. These maps have unveiled a rich resonant structure involving two or three planets, as well as indicating possible migration routes from secular to double resonances or pure 3-planet commensurabilities. These structures are then compared to the present-day orbital architecture of observed resonant chains. In a second part of the paper we describe N-body simulations of type-I migration. Depending on the orbital decay timescale, we show that 3-planet systems may be trapped in different combinations of independent commensurabilities: (i) double resonances, (ii) intersection between a 2-planet and a first-order 3-planet resonance, and (iii) simultaneous libration in two first-order 3-planet resonances. These latter outcomes are found for slow migrations, while double resonances are almost always the final outcome in high-density disks. Finally, we discuss an application to the TRAPPIST-1 system. We find that, for low migration rates and planetary masses of the order of the estimated values, most 3-planet sub-systems are able to reach the observed double resonances after following evolutionary routes defined by pure 3-planet resonances. The final orbital configuration shows resonance offsets comparable with present-day values without the need of tidal dissipation. For the 8/5 resonance proposed to dominate the dynamics of the two inner planets, we find little evidence of its dynamical significance; instead, we propose that this relation between mean motions could be a consequence of the interaction between a pure 3-planet resonance and a 2-planet commensurability between planets c and d.