Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Submillimeter H2O masers in water-fountain nebulae

We report the first detection of submillimeter water maser emission toward water-fountain nebulae, which are post-AGB stars that exhibit high-velocity water masers. Using APEX we found emission in the ortho-H2O (10(29) -> 9(36)) transition at 321.226 GHz toward three sources: IRAS 15445-5449, :IRAS 18043-2116, and IRAS 18286-0959. Similar to the 22 GHz masers, the submillimeter water masers are expanding with higher velocity than do 011 masers, suggesting that these masers also originate in fast bipolar outflows. In IRAS 18043-2116 and IRAS 18286-0959, which figure among the sources with the fastest water masers, the velocity range of the 321 GHz masers coincides with the range of the 22 GHz masers, indicating that they probably coexist. Toward IRAS 15445-5449, the submillimeter masers appear in a different velocity range, indicating that they trace different regions. The intensity of the submillimeter masers is comparable to the 22 GHz masers, implying that the kinetic temperature of the region where the masers originate should be T-k > 1000 K. We propose that the passage of two shocks through the same gas can create the conditions for explaining the strong high-velocity 321 GHz masers coexisting with the 22 GHz masers in the same region.
Exploring the Cosmic Web in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release Six using the Local Dimension

It is possible to visualize the Cosmic Web as an interconnected network of one dimensional filaments, two dimensional sheets and three dimensional volume filling structures which we refer to as clusters. We have used the Local Dimension D, which takes value D = 1, 2, and 3 for filaments, sheets and clusters respectively, to analyse the Cosmic Web in a three dimensional volume limited galaxy sample from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release Six. The analysis was carried out separately using three different ranges of length-scales, 0.5 to 5 h−1 Mpc, 1 to 10 h−1 Mpc and 5 to 50 h−1 Mpc. We find that there is a progressive increase in the D values as we move to larger length-scales. At the smallest length-scales the galaxies predominantly reside in filaments and sheets. There is a shift from filaments to sheets and clusters at larger scales. Filaments are completely absent at the largest length-scales (5 to 50 h−1 Mpc). Considering the effect of the density environment on the Cosmic Web, we find that the filaments preferentially inhabit regions with a lower density environment as compared to sheets and clusters which prefer relatively higher density environments. A similar length-scale dependence and environment dependence was also found in a galaxy sample drawn from the Millennium Simulation which was analysed in exactly the same way as the actual data.
Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders with Psychiatric Symptoms: Involvement of the Microbiome–Gut–Brain Axis in the Pathophysiology and Case Management

Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders have been an important cause of poor life quality in affected populations. The unclear etiology and pathophysiological mechanism alter the clinical evolution of the patient. Although a strong connection with psychological stress has been observed, it was not until recently that the gut–brain axis involvement has been revealed. Furthermore, the current literature not only promotes the gut–brain axis modulation as a therapeutical target for functional digestive disorders but also states that the gut microbiome has a main role in this bi-directional mechanism. Psychiatric symptoms are currently recognized as an equally important aspect of the clinical manifestation and modulation of both the digestive and central nervous systems and could be the best approach in restoring the balance. As such, this article proposes a detailed description of the physiology of the microbiome–gut–brain axis, the pathophysiology of the functional gastrointestinal disorders with psychiatric symptoms and current perspectives for therapeutical management, as revealed by the latest studies in the scientific literature.
Stellar Over-Densities in the Outer Halo of the Milky Way

Abstract This study presents a tomographic survey of a subset of the outer halo (10–40 kpc) drawn from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 6. Halo substructure on spatial scales of >3 degrees is revealed as an excess in the local density of sub-giant stars. With an appropriate assumption of a model stellar isochrone it is possible for us to then derive distances to the sub-giant population. We describe three new candidate halo substructures; the 160- and 180-degree over-densities (at distances of 17 and 19 kpc respectively and radii of 1.3 and 1.5 kpc respectively) and an extended feature at 28 kpc that covers at least 162 deg2, the Virgo Equatorial Stream. In addition, we recover the Sagittarius dwarf galaxy (Sgr) leading-arm material and the Virgo Over-Density. The derived distances, together with the number of sub-giant stars associated with each substructure, enables us to derive the integrated luminosity for the features. The tenuous, low surface brightness of the features strongly suggests an origin from the tidal disruption of an accreted galaxy or galaxies. Given the dominance of the tidal debris of Sgr in this region of the sky we investigate if our observations can be accommodated by tidal disruption models for Sgr. The clear discordance between observations and model predictions for known Sgr features means it is difficult to tell unambiguously if the new substructures are related to Sgr or not. Radial velocities in the stellar over-densities will be critical in establishing their origins.
SUPERBUBBLES IN THE MULTIPHASE ISM AND THE LOADING OF GALACTIC WINDS

We use numerical simulations to analyze the evolution and properties of superbubbles (SBs), driven by multiple supernovae (SNe), that propagate into the two-phase (warm/cold), cloudy interstellar medium (ISM). We consider a range of mean background densities and intervals between SNe , and follow each SB until the radius reaches , where H is the characteristic ISM disk thickness. Except for embedded dense clouds, each SB is hot until a time when the shocked warm gas at the outer front cools and forms an overdense shell. Subsequently, diffuse gas in the SB interior remains at , with an expansion velocity (both highest for low ). At late times, the warm shell gas velocities are several tens to . While shell velocities are too low to escape from a massive galaxy, they are high enough to remove substantial mass from dwarfs. Dense clouds are also accelerated, reaching a few to tens of . We measure the mass in hot gas per SN, , and the total radial momentum of the bubble per SN, . After , (highest for low ), while (highest for high ). If galactic winds in massive galaxies are loaded by the hot gas in SBs, we conclude that the mass-loss rates would generally be lower than star formation rates. Only if the SN cadence is much higher than usual in galactic disks, as may occur for nuclear starbursts, can SBs breakout while hot and expel up to 10 times the mass locked up in stars. The momentum injection values, , are consistent with requirements to control star formation rates within galaxies at observed levels.
Rescuing quartic and natural inflation in the Palatini formalism

When considered in the Palatini formalism, the Starobinsky model does not provide us with a mechanism for inflation due to the absence of a propagating scalar degree of freedom. By (non)-minimally coupling scalar fields to the Starobinsky model in the Palatini formalism we can in principle describe the inflationary epoch. In this article, we focus on the minimally coupled quartic and natural inflation models. Both theories are excluded in their simplest realization since they predict values for the inflationary observables that are outside the limits set by the Planck data. However, with the addition of the R2 term and the use of the Palatini formalism, we show that these models can be rendered viable.
Particles under radiation thrust in Schwarzschild space–time from a flux perpendicular to the equatorial plane

Motivated by the picture of a thin accretion disc around a black hole, radiating mainly in the direction perpendicular to its plane, we study the motion of test particles interacting with a test geodesic radiation flux originating in the equatorial plane of a Schwarzschild space-time and propagating initially in the perpendicular direction. We assume that the interaction with the test particles is modelled by an effective term corresponding to the Thomson-type interaction which governs the Poynting-Robertson effect. After approximating the individual photon trajectories adequately, we solve the continuity equation approximately in order to find a consistent flux density with a certain plausible prescribed equatorial profile. The combined effects of gravity and radiation are illustrated in several typical figures which confirm that the particles are generically strongly influenced by the flux. In particular, they are both collimated and accelerated in the direction perpendicular to the disc, but this acceleration is not enough to explain highly relativistic outflows emanating from some black hole-disc sources. The model can however be improved in a number of ways before posing further questions which are summarized in concluding remarks.
The Mobility and Its Impact on Mobile Payment Adoption

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between mobility, ease of use and continuous usage from the use of mobile payment e-wallet. The research method used is through a survey to mobile payment e-wallet users. Users are selected only who have used the e-wallet application in the city of Bandung. Data from respondents was collected through online quantitative questionnaires. There were 290 respondents who were mobile payment e-wallet users who filled out the questionnaire perfectly. The data from the respondents was processed using path analysis with the SmartPLS analysis tool. The model in path analysis was tested using inner and outer, as well as research hypothesis testing. The test results were conveyed that the mobility considered by students had a positive relationship to the increase in perceived ease of use. Furthermore, perceived ease of use is stated to have a positive relationship with the continuous usage of mobile payment e-wallet users. It is immediately known that perceived mobility is declared capable of supporting continuous usage. It is known that mobility assessed by mobile payment e-wallet users is able to increase mobile payment adoption through continuous usage. The information in this study is useful for e-wallet service providers in evaluating the performance of mobile payments.
Blazar Mrk 501 shows rhythmic oscillations in its γ-ray emission

In this letter, we report the detection of transient rhythmic oscillations in the $\sim$10-year long Fermi/LAT observations of the famous blazar Mrk 501. Using two widely accepted methods, Lomb-Scargle periodogram and weighted wavelet z-transform, we found a strong signal of quasi-periodic oscillation (QPO) with a periodicity centered around 332 days. In addition, we noted that the $\gamma$-ray flux modulations gradually decayed in strength during the recent years. A large number of Monte Carlo simulations were performed to properly account for the red-noise inherent in the light curve and thereby estimate both the local and global significance of the signal to be above 99\%. In the context where not many $\gamma$-ray QPOs are reported to show more than 5 cycles, this might be one of the few instances where we witness a relatively high frequency, having a period of less than a year, $\gamma$-ray QPO persisting nearly 7 cycles before it weakens. Mrk 501 being one of the best studied sources, the detection, complemented with what has been already known about the source, can lead us to the understanding of extreme conditions prevailing around the supermassive black holes that potentially lead to the launch of the relativistic jets. In addition, the detection might contribute to the broader program of searching for characteristic timescales in the blazar light curves. Furthermore, the core of the distant sources being unresolved by our current telescopes, such timescales provide us with important clues about the processes taking place at the heart of active galactic nuclei. Several possible scenarios that possibly give rise to such a transient $\gamma$-ray QPO are discussed.
A 32-Channel Time-to-Digital Converter with 20-ps Resolution for ToF Applications

Single-photon avalanche diodes (SPAD) enable sensitive detection of single photons under ultra-weak light conditions. Combined with direct time-of-flight (ToF) measurements, SPAD sensors are widely used in 3D imaging systems. Time-to-Digital Converter (TDC) can accurately measure time intervals in picoseconds, which is widely used for direct TOF measurements. This paper proposes a 32-channel TDC of two-level architecture containing a delay locked loop (DLL) and a vernier delay line (VDL) loop to increase timing accuracy. Designed in a 180 nm CMOS process, the TDC occupies an area of 4.1 mm $\times$ 3.6 mm and achieves 20 ps resolution at 2 Msps measurement rate.
THE MEASURED COMPOSITIONS OF URANUS AND NEPTUNE FROM THEIR FORMATION ON THE CO ICE LINE

The formation mechanisms of the ice giants Uranus and Neptune, and the origin of their elemental and isotopic compositions, have long been debated. The density of solids in the outer protosolar nebula is too low to explain their formation, and spectroscopic observations show that both planets are highly enriched in carbon, very poor in nitrogen, and the ices from which they originally formed might have had deuterium-to-hydrogen ratios lower than the predicted cometary value, unexplained properties that were observed in no other planets. Here, we show that all these properties can be explained naturally if Uranus and Neptune both formed at the carbon monoxide ice line. Due to the diffusive redistribution of vapors, this outer region of the protosolar nebula intrinsically has enough surface density to form both planets from carbon-rich solids but nitrogen-depleted gas, in abundances consistent with their observed values. Water-rich interiors originating mostly from transformed CO ices reconcile the D/H value of Uranus's and Neptune's building blocks with the cometary value. Finally, our scenario generalizes a well known hypothesis that Jupiter formed on an ice line (water snow line) for the two ice giants, and might be a first step toward generalizing this mechanism for other giant planets.
Ghost instabilities of cosmological models with vector fields nonminimally coupled to the curvature

We prove that many cosmological models characterized by vectors nonminimally coupled to the curvature (such as the Turner-Widrow mechanism for the production of magnetic fields during inflation, and models of vector inflation or vector curvaton) contain ghosts. The ghosts are associated with the longitudinal vector polarization present in these models and are found from studying the sign of the eigenvalues of the kinetic matrix for the physical perturbations. Ghosts introduce two main problems: (1) they make the theories ill defined at the quantum level in the high energy/subhorizon regime (and create serious problems for finding a well-behaved UV completion), and (2) they create an instability already at the linearized level. This happens because the eigenvalue corresponding to the ghost crosses zero during the cosmological evolution. At this point the linearized equations for the perturbations become singular (we show that this happens for all the models mentioned above). We explicitly solve the equations in the simplest cases of a vector without a vacuum expectation value in a Friedmann-Robertson-Walker geometry, and of a vector with a vacuum expectation value plus a cosmological constant, and we show that indeed the solutions of the linearized equations diverge when these equations become singular.
Evaluation of Conspiracy Beliefs, Vaccine Hesitancy, and Willingness to Pay towards COVID-19 Vaccines in Six Countries from Asian and African Regions: A Large Multinational Analysis

Vaccination protects people from serious illness and associated complications. Conspiracy theories and misinformation on vaccines have been rampant during the COVID-19 pandemic and are considered significant drivers of vaccine hesitancy. Since vaccine hesitancy can undermine efforts to immunize the population against COVID-19 and interferes with the vaccination rate, this study aimed to ascertain the COVID-19-vaccine-related conspiracy beliefs, vaccine hesitancy, views regarding vaccine mandates, and willingness to pay for vaccines among the general population. A web-based, cross-sectional survey was conducted (April–August 2021) among the adult population in six countries (Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, India, Malaysia, Sudan, and Egypt). Participants were recruited using an exponential, non-discriminate snowball sampling method. A validated self-completed electronic questionnaire was used for the data collection. All the participants responded to questions on various domains of the study instrument, including conspiracy beliefs, vaccine hesitancy, and willingness to pay. The responses were scored according to predefined criteria and stratified into various groups. All data were entered and analyzed using SPSS version 22. A total of 2481 responses were included in the study (Pakistan 24.1%, Saudi Arabia 19.5%, India 11.6%, Malaysia 8.1%, Sudan 19.3%, and Egypt 17.3%). There was a preponderance of participants ≤40 years old (18–25 years: 55.8%, 26–40 years: 28.5%) and females (57.1%). The average score of the COVID-19 vaccine conspiracy belief scale (C19V-CBS) was 2.30 ± 2.12 (median 2; range 0–7). Our analysis showed that 30% of the respondents were found to achieve the ideal score of zero, indicating no conspiracy belief. The mean score of the COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy scale (C19V-HS) was 25.93 ± 8.11 (range: 10–50). The majority (45.7%) had C19V-HA scores of 21–30 and nearly 28% achieved a score greater than 30, indicating a higher degree of hesitancy. There was a significant positive correlation between conspiracy beliefs and vaccine hesitancy (Spearman’s rho = 0.547, p < 0.001). Half of the study population were against the vaccine mandate. Respondents in favor of governmental enforcement of COVID-19 vaccines had significantly (p < 0.001) lower scores on the C19V-CBS and C19V-HS scale. Nearly 52% reported that they would only take vaccine if it were free, and only 24% were willing to pay for COVID-19 vaccines. A high prevalence of conspiracy beliefs and vaccine hesitancy was observed in the targeted countries. Our findings highlight the dire need for aggressive measures to counter the conspiracy beliefs and factors underlying this vaccine hesitancy.
Impact of Total Parenteral Nutrition on Gut Microbiota in Pediatric Population Suffering Intestinal Disorders

Parenteral nutrition (PN) is a life-saving therapy providing nutritional support in patients with digestive tract complications, particularly in preterm neonates due to their gut immaturity during the first postnatal weeks. Despite this, PN can also result in several gastrointestinal complications that are the cause or consequence of gut mucosal atrophy and gut microbiota dysbiosis, which may further aggravate gastrointestinal disorders. Consequently, the use of PN presents many unique challenges, notably in terms of the potential role of the gut microbiota on the functional and clinical outcomes associated with the long-term use of PN. In this review, we synthesize the current evidence on the effects of PN on gut microbiome in infants and children suffering from diverse gastrointestinal diseases, including necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), short bowel syndrome (SBS) and subsequent intestinal failure, liver disease and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Moreover, we discuss the potential use of pre-, pro- and/or synbiotics as promising therapeutic strategies to reduce the risk of severe gastrointestinal disorders and mortality. The findings discussed here highlight the need for more well-designed studies, and harmonize the methods and its interpretation, which are critical to better understand the role of the gut microbiota in PN-related diseases and the development of efficient and personalized approaches based on pro- and/or prebiotics.
Optimal state discrimination in general probabilistic theories

We investigate a state discrimination problem in operationally the most general framework to use a probability, including both classical, quantum theories, and more. In this wide framework, introducing closely related family of ensembles (which we call a Helstrom family of ensembles) with the problem, we provide a geometrical method to find an optimal measurement for state discrimination by means of Bayesian strategy. We illustrate our method in two-level quantum systems and in a probabilistic model with square-state space to reproduce, e.g., the optimal success probabilities for binary state discrimination and $N$ numbers of symmetric quantum states. The existences of families of ensembles in binary cases are shown both in classical and quantum theories in any generic cases.
THE ORION FINGERS: NEAR-IR SPECTRAL IMAGING OF AN EXPLOSIVE OUTFLOW

We present near-IR (1.1–2.4 μm) position–position–velocity cubes of the 500 year old Orion BN/KL explosive outflow with spatial resolution 1″ and spectral resolution 86 km s−1. We construct integrated intensity maps free of continuum sources of 15 H2 and [Fe ii] lines while preserving kinematic information of individual outflow features. Included in the detected H2 lines are the 1-0 S(1) and 1-0 Q(3) transitions, allowing extinction measurements across the outflow. Additionally, we present dereddened flux ratios for over two dozen outflow features to allow for the characterization of the true excitation conditions of the BN/KL outflow. All of the ratios show the dominance of the shock excitation of the H2 emission, although some features exhibit signs of fluorescent excitation from stellar radiation or J-type shocks. We also detect tracers of the PDR/ionization front north of the Trapezium stars in [O i] and [Fe ii] and analyze other observed outflows not associated with the BN/KL outflow.
Quasar feedback in the early Universe: The case of SDSS J1148+5251

Galaxy-scale gas outflows triggered by active galactic nuclei have been proposed as a key physical process to regulate the co-evolution of nuclear black holes and their host galaxies. The recent detection of a massive gas outflow in one of the most distant quasars, SDSS J1148+5251 at z = 6.4, presented by Maiolino et al., strongly supports this idea and suggests that strong quasar feedback is already at work at very early times. In a previous work, Valiante et al., we have presented a hierarchical semi-analytical model, GAMETE/QSOdust, for the formation and evolution of high-redshift quasars, and we have applied it to the quasar SDSS J1148+5251, with the aim of investigating the star formation history, the nature of the dominant stellar populations and the origin and properties of the large dust mass observed in the host galaxy. A robust prediction of the model is that the evolution of the nuclear black hole and of the host galaxy are tightly coupled by quasar feedback in the form of strong galaxy-scale winds. In the present Letter, we show that the gas outflow rate predicted by GAMETE/QSOdust is in good agreement with the lower limit of 3500 M circle dot yr(-1) inferred by the observations. According to the model, the observed outflow at z = 6.4 is dominated by quasar feedback, as the outflow rate has already considerably depleted the gas content of the host galaxy, leading to a downturn in the star formation rate at z <78. Hence, we predict that supernova explosions give a negligible contribution to the observed winds at z = 6.4.