Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A New Look at an Old Cluster: The Membership, Rotation, and Magnetic Activity of Low-mass Stars in the 1.3 Gyr Old Open Cluster NGC 752

The nearby open cluster NGC 752 presents a rare opportunity to study stellar properties at ages >1 Gyr. However, constructing a membership catalog for it is challenging; most surveys have been limited to identifying its giants and dwarf members earlier than mid-K. We supplement past membership catalogs with candidates selected with updated photometric and proper-motion criteria, generating a list of 258 members, a >50% increase over previous catalogs. Using a Bayesian framework to fit MESA Isochrones & Stellar Tracks evolutionary models to literature photometry and the Tycho-Gaia Astrometric Solution data available for 59 cluster members, we infer the age of and distance to NGC 752: 1.34 ± 0.06 Gyr and pc. We also report the results of our optical monitoring of the cluster using the Palomar Transient Factory. We obtain rotation periods for 12 K and M cluster members, the first periods measured for such low-mass stars with a well-constrained age >1 Gyr. We compare these new periods to data from the younger clusters Praesepe and NGC 6811, and to a theoretical model for angular momentum loss, to examine stellar spin-down for low-mass stars over their first 1.3 Gyr. While on average NGC 752 stars are rotating more slowly than their younger counterparts, the difference is not significant. Finally, we use our spectroscopic observations to measure Hα for cluster stars, finding that members earlier than ≈M2 are magnetically inactive, as expected at this age. Forthcoming Gaia data should solidify and extend the membership of NGC 752 to lower masses, thereby increasing its importance for studies of low-mass stars.
Vacuum-Deposited Perovskite LED by Interface Defect Passivation With Better Color Stability

Preparation of all-inorganic perovskite light-emitting diodes (PeLEDs) based on the thermal evaporation has sparked research interest in recent years. However, there are few reports about the blue-emitting PeLEDs by thermal evaporation, and the performance of blue-emitting PeLEDs made by thermal evaporation is much lower than that by solution process. Here, we construct blue-emitting PeLED based on thermally evaporated CsPbBrxCl $_{\mathrm {3-x}}$ and adopted interface engineering to improve device performance and suppress redshift phenomenon. It is found that ammonium bromide could not only passivate the interface defect but also provide extra Br atoms, changing the Br/Cl ratio and resulting the narrowed energy bandgap. The best device exhibited an electroluminescent (EL) peak at 483 nm with a maximum brightness of 1121 cd/m2, a maximum current efficiency of 0.6 cd/A and a peak EQE of 0.52%. Our work would provide beneficial suggestion to improve the mixed halide blue-emitting PeLED by thermal evaporation.
The H i-to-H2 Transition in a Turbulent Medium

We study the effect of density fluctuations induced by turbulence on the H i/H2 structure in photodissociation regions (PDRs) both analytically and numerically. We perform magnetohydrodynamic numerical simulations for both subsonic and supersonic turbulent gas and chemical H i/H2 balance calculations. We derive atomic-to-molecular density profiles and the H i column density probability density function (PDF) assuming chemical equilibrium. We find that, while the H i/H2 density profiles are strongly perturbed in turbulent gas, the mean H i column density is well approximated by the uniform-density analytic formula of Sternberg et al. The PDF width depends on (a) the radiation intensity–to–mean density ratio, (b) the sonic Mach number, and (c) the turbulence decorrelation scale, or driving scale. We derive an analytic model for the H i PDF and demonstrate how our model, combined with 21 cm observations, can be used to constrain the Mach number and driving scale of turbulent gas. As an example, we apply our model to observations of H i in the Perseus molecular cloud. We show that a narrow observed H i PDF may imply small-scale decorrelation, pointing to the potential importance of subcloud-scale turbulence driving.
Increasing precipitation whiplash in climate change hotspots

Throughout the world, the hydrologic cycle is projected to become more variable due to climate change, posing challenges in semi-arid regions with high water resource vulnerability. Precipitation whiplash results from hydrologic variability, and refers to interannual shifts between wet (⩾80th historical percentile) and dry (⩽20th historical percentile) years. Using five model large ensembles, we show that whiplash is projected to increase in frequency (25%–60%) and intensity (30%–100%) by 2100 across several semi-arid regions of the globe, including Western North America and the Mediterranean. These changes can be driven by increases in the frequency of wet years or dry years, or both, depending on the region. Moisture budget calculations in these regions illuminate the physical mechanisms behind increased whiplash. Thermodynamic changes generally dominate, with modulations by dynamics, evaporation, and eddies on regional or global scales. These findings highlight increasingly volatile hydrology in semi-arid regions as the 21st Century progresses.
Building blocks of agriculture

The origins of agriculture lie in the distant past, approximately 12 000 years ago, when hunter-gatherers of the Palaeolithic embraced sedentism at the dawn of the Neolithic. The variety of life history transitions emanating from this unique phenomenon have had an enormous impact on the biodiversity of the planet, while subjecting humanity to a variety of life-changing physical and social challenges right up to the present. The ever-present consequences of the Agricultural Revolution continue to demand our attention, yet frustrate our efforts, on a seemingly perpetual basis, to effectively manage the outcomes. Here we review the origins and lasting after-effects of the Agricultural Revolution and its impact on the human condition, with reference to sedentism, nutrition, health issues, disease, gender discrimination as well as mythmaking and religion.Contribution: Our aim is to engage a wider audience with respect to the causes and consequences of the Agricultural Revolution. We discuss a broad spectrum of relevant phenomena implicated in this epochal event and consequently underline that the Agricultural Revolution precipitated not only major changes to the ecology of the planet, but also and most importantly to the social and cultural well-being of humanity.
Seesaw at LHC

We study the implementation of the type III seesaw in the ordinary nonsupersymmetric SU(5) grand unified theory. This allows for an alternative definition of the minimal SU(5) model, with the inclusion of the adjoint fermionic multiplet. The main prediction of the theory is the light fermionic SU(2) triplet with mass at the electroweak scale. Due to their gauge couplings, these triplets can be produced pair-wise via Drell-Yan, and due to the Majorana nature of the neutral component their decays leave a clear signature of same sign di-leptons and four jets. This allows for their possible discovery at LHC and provides an example of directly measurable seesaw parameters.
The Correlation between Hard X-Ray Peak Flux and Soft X-Ray Peak Flux in the Outburst Rise of Low-Mass X-Ray Binaries

We have analyzed Rossi X-Ray Timing Explorer pointed observations of the outbursts of black hole and neutron star soft X-ray transients in which an initial low/hard state, or "island" state, followed by a transition to a softer state was observed. In three sources—the black hole transient XTE J1550-564, the neutron star transient Aquila X-1, and the quasi-persistent neutron star low-mass X-ray binary 4U 1705-44—two such outbursts were found. We find that the flux of the soft X-ray peak, which lags the hard X-ray peak by a few days to several weeks, scales with the flux of the hard X-ray peak. We conclude that we are able to predict the soft X-ray outburst peak flux based on the "preceding" hard X-ray peak flux, implying an early setup of the outbursts. We also find that the X-ray luminosity corresponding to the peak of the hard X-ray flux, which corresponds to the X-ray luminosity of the start of the hard-to-soft state transition, varies by a factor of about 2. If the accretion geometry early in the outburst rise is composed of two flows (e.g., a hot sub-Keplerian halo flow and a Keplerian disk flow or an outflow and a Keplerian disk flow), the correlation indicates that the two flows are initially related, probably owing to processes in the outer part of the accretion disk. We discuss constraints on a single-flow model and a disk-jet model from these observations.
Detection of Multi-TeV Gamma Rays from Markarian 501 during an Unforeseen Flaring State in 1997 with the Tibet Air Shower Array

In 1997, the BL Lac object Mrk 501 entered a very active phase and was the brightest source in the sky at TeV energies, showing strong and frequent flaring. Using the data obtained with a high-density air shower array that has been operating successfully at Yangbajing in Tibet since 1996, we searched for γ-ray signals from this source during the period in 1997 from February through August. Our observation detected multi-TeV γ-ray signals at the 3.7 σ level during this period. The most rapid increase in the excess counts was observed between April 7 and June 16, and the statistical significance of the excess counts in this period was 4.7 σ. Among several observations of flaring TeV γ-rays from Mrk 501 in 1997, this is the only observation using a conventional air shower array. We present the energy spectrum of γ-rays, which will be worth comparing with those obtained by imaging atmospheric Cerenkov telescopes.
Protein kinase R dependent phosphorylation of α-synuclein regulates its membrane binding and aggregation

Abstract Aggregated α-synuclein (α-syn) accumulates in the neuronal Lewy body (LB) inclusions in Parkinson's disease (PD) and LB dementia. Yet, under nonpathological conditions, monomeric α-syn is hypothesized to exist in an equilibrium between disordered cytosolic- and partially α-helical lipid-bound states: a feature presumably important in synaptic vesicle release machinery. The exact underlying role of α-syn in these processes, and the mechanisms regulating membrane-binding of α-syn remains poorly understood. Herein we demonstrate that Protein kinase R (PKR) can phosphorylate α-syn at several Ser/Thr residues located in the membrane-binding region that is essential for α-syn's vesicle-interactions. α-Syn phosphorylated by PKR or α-syn isolated from PKR overexpressing cells, exhibit decreased binding to lipid membranes. Phosphorylation of Thr64 and Thr72 appears as the major contributor to this effect, as the phosphomimetic Thr64Glu/Thr72Glu-α-syn mutant displays reduced overall attachment to brain vesicles due to a decrease in vesicle-affinity of the last two thirds of α-syn's membrane binding region. This allows enhancement of the “double-anchor” vesicle-binding mechanism that tethers two vesicles and thus promote the clustering of presynaptic vesicles in vitro. Furthermore, phosphomimetic Thr64Glu/Thr72Glu-α-syn inhibits α-syn oligomerization and completely abolishes nucleation, elongation, and seeding of α-syn fibrillation in vitro and in cells, and prevents trans-synaptic spreading of aggregated α-syn pathology in organotypic hippocampal slice cultures. Overall, our findings demonstrate that normal and abnormal functions of α-syn, like membrane-binding, synaptic vesicle clustering and aggregation can be regulated by phosphorylation, e.g., via PKR. Mechanisms that could potentially be modulated for the benefit of patients suffering from α-syn aggregate-related diseases.
The DWT Power Spectrum of the two‐degree Field Galaxy Redshift Survey

The power spectrum of the two‐degree Field Galaxy Redshift Survey (2dFGRS) sample is estimated with the discrete wavelet transform (DWT) method. The DWT power spectra within 0.035<k<2.2hMpc−1 are measured for three volume‐limited samples defined in connective absolute magnitude bins −19∼−18, −20∼−19 and −21∼−20. We show that the DWT power spectrum can effectively distinguish ΛCDM models of σ8 = 0.84 and σ8 = 0.74. We adopt maximum likelihood method to perform three‐parameter fitting with bias parameter b, pairwise velocity dispersion σpv and redshift distortion parameter β = Ωm0. 6/b to the measured DWT power spectrum. Fitting results denotes that in a σ8 = 0.84 universe the best fitted Ωm given by the three samples are consistent in the range 0.28∼0.36, and the best fitted σpv are 398−27+35, 475−29+37 and 550±20 km/s for the three samples, respectively. However in the model of σ8 = 0.74, our three samples give very different values of Ωm. We repeat the fitting by using empirical formula of redshift distor.
Chandra Observations of Arp 220: The Nuclear Source

We present the first results from 60 ks of observations of Arp 220 using the ACIS-S instrument on Chandra. We report the detection of several sources near the galaxy's nucleus, including a point source with a hard spectrum that is coincident with the western radio nucleus B. This point source is mildly absorbed (NH ~ 3 × 1022 cm-2) and has an estimated luminosity of 4 × 1040 ergs s-1. In addition, a fainter source may coincide with the eastern nucleus A. Extended hard X-ray emission in the vicinity raises the total estimated nuclear 2-10 keV X-ray luminosity to 1.2 × 1041 ergs s-1, but we cannot rule out a hidden active galactic nucleus behind columns exceeding 5 × 1024 cm-2. We also detect a peak of soft X-ray emission to the west of the nucleus and a hard point source 2.5 kpc from the nucleus with a luminosity of 6 × 1039 ergs s-1.
Proximity and Josephson effects in superconductor/antiferromagnetic Nb/γ-Fe 50 Mn 50 heterostructures

We study the proximity effect in superconductor $(S),$ antiferromagnetic (AF) bilayers, and report the fabrication and measurement of the first trilayer $S/\mathrm{AF}/S$ Josephson junctions. The disordered fcc alloy $\ensuremath{\gamma}\ensuremath{-}{\mathrm{Fe}}_{50}{\mathrm{Mn}}_{50}$ was used as the AF, and the S is Nb. Micron and submicron scale junctions were measured, and the scaling of ${J}_{C}{(d}_{\mathrm{AF}})$ gives a coherence length in the AF of 2.4 nm, which correlates with the coherence length due to suppression of ${T}_{C}$ in the bilayer samples. The diffusion constant for FeMn was found to be $1.7\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}4}{\mathrm{m}}^{2}{\mathrm{s}}^{\ensuremath{-}1},$ and the density of states at the Fermi level was also obtained. An exchange biased FeMn/Co bilayer confirms the AF nature of the FeMn in this thickness regime.
Stellar binary black holes in the LISA band: a new class of standard sirens

The recent Advanced LIGO detections of coalescing black hole binaries (BHBs) imply a large population of such systems emitting at milli-Hz frequencies, accessible to the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA). We show that these systems provide a new class of cosmological standard sirens. Direct LISA luminosity distance -$D_l$- measurements, combined with the inhomogeneous redshift -$z$- distribution of possible host galaxies provide an effective way to populate the $D_l-z$ diagram at $z<0.1$, thus allowing a precise local measurement of the Hubble expansion rate. To be effective, the method requires a sufficiently precise LISA distance determination and sky localization of a sizeable number of BHBs, which is best achieved for a 6-link detector configuration. We find that, for a BHB population consistent with current fiducial LIGO rates, the Hubble constant $H_0$ can be determined at the $\sim$5% and $\sim$2% level (68% confidence) assuming two and five million Km arm-length respectively.
Life Beyond the Solar System: Space Weather and Its Impact on Habitable Worlds

The search of life in the Universe is a fundamental problem of astrobiology and a major priority for NASA. A key area of major progress since the NASA Astrobiology Strategy 2015 (NAS15) has been a shift from the exoplanet discovery phase to a phase of characterization and modeling of the physics and chemistry of exoplanetary atmospheres, and the development of observational strategies for the search for life in the Universe by combining expertise from four NASA science disciplines including heliophysics, astrophysics, planetary science and Earth science. The NASA Nexus for Exoplanetary System Science (NExSS) has provided an efficient environment for such interdisciplinary studies. Solar flares, coronal mass ejections and solar energetic particles produce disturbances in interplanetary space collectively referred to as space weather, which interacts with the Earth upper atmosphere and causes dramatic impact on space and ground-based technological systems. Exoplanets within close in habitable zones around M dwarfs and other active stars are exposed to extreme ionizing radiation fluxes, thus making exoplanetary space weather (ESW) effects a crucial factor of habitability. In this paper, we describe the recent developments and provide recommendations in this interdisciplinary effort with the focus on the impacts of ESW on habitability, and the prospects for future progress in searching for signs of life in the Universe as the outcome of the NExSS workshop held in Nov 29 - Dec 2, 2016, New Orleans, LA. This is one of five Life Beyond the Solar System white papers submitted by NExSS to the National Academy of Sciences in support of the Astrobiology Science Strategy for the Search for Life in the Universe.
A self-calibrating programable mobility spectrometer for atmospheric ion measurements

Ion measurements in atmospheric air allow atmospheric ion-aerosol charge exchange to be investigated, which is thought to be important in cloud processes. Classical aspiration ion measurement techniques have been significantly improved by the use of electronic switching systems to permit the selection of different mobilities, with adjacent instruments using the combination of Voltage Decay and ion current techniques used for calibration. An integrated programable ion mobility spectrometer using the same collection electrodes in both modes is described here, with which high-resolution measurements (1 s sampling) of ion concentration fluctuations have been made. Mobility spectrum information has also been extracted by varying the bias voltage under full computer control. The integrated system can determine small ion concentrations to ±1%, to a minimum mobility μ∼0.1 cm2 V−1 s−1 (corresponding to a particle radius of ∼2 nm).
Optimal control study to enhance oil production in labscale Vapex by varying solvent injection pressure with time

In this study, we determine and validate optimal policies of solvent injection pressure versus time to enhance oil production in labscale Vapex or vapor extraction of heavy oil. The study utilizes propane as solvent for a heavy oil of viscosity 14 500 mPa s. The necessary conditions for maximum oil production are derived using a detailed mass transfer model with interfacial solvent concentration versus time as a control function. Based on these conditions, a computational algorithm is developed and implemented to determine the optimal control, which is then converted into the optimal policy of solvent injection pressure versus time using experimental data. The experiments demonstrate that the optimal policy enhances oil production by 20–37% compared with that using constant solvent injection pressure. Moreover, the average deviation of the optimally calculated oil production from its experimental counterpart, both obtained using the same optimal solvent injection policy, is found to be a low value of 4.8%. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Endoscopic Microdiscectomy Versus Conventional Discectomy for Lumber Disc Diseases; A Randomized Controlled Trial at Tertiary Care Hospital

Objective: The aim of this study is to determine the efficacy of endoscopic microdisectomy versus conventional discectomy for lumber disc disease. Study Design: Randomized Control trial Place and Duration: Dow International Medical College and Hospital OJHA Campus, Karachi during the period from December, 2021 to May, 2022. Methods: Total 70 patients of both genders were presented in this study. Patients detailed demographics age, sex and BMI were recorded after taking written consent. Patients were aged between 18-70 years, Patients were divided in to two groups I and II. Group I had 35 patients and underwent for endoscopic microdisectomy and group II received conventional discectomy among 35 patients. The research included patients with low back pain radiating to the legs and prolapsed intervertebral discs at the L5–S1 and L4–L5 levels on MRI. Post-operatively effectiveness was observed between both groups, by using Oswestry disability index (ODI) in follow up of 10 months. Complete data was analyzed by SPSS. Results: Total 34 (48.6%) patients were females and 36 (51.4%) were males. Mean age of the patients were 48.32± 6.44 years with mean BMI 26.14± 3.23 kg/m2. Significantly no difference was observed between age and BMI. Patients who had prolapsed disc at L4-5 levels were 26 (37.14%) and 44 (62.86%) patients had prolapsed disc at L5-S1. Mean post-operative ODI in group I was 21.14± 54 and in group II was 24.16± 3.31. Mean post-operative vas in group I was 3.5 and in group II was 5.7. In group I hospital stay, blood loss and complications were observed less as compared to group II. Conclusion: We concluded in this that both endoscopic microdisectomy and conventional discectomy was effective and safe procedures. But conventional discectomy was found less effective as compared to endoscopic microdisectomy in terms of rapid mobilization and postoperative pain. Keywords: Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Lumbar Disc Prolapse, Endoscopic Discectomy, Visual Analog Score (VAS)
Exploring the nature and synchronicity of early cluster formation in the Large Magellanic Cloud – III. Horizontal branch morphology

We leverage new high-quality data from Hubble Space Telescope program GO-14164 to explore the variation in horizontal branch morphology among globular clusters in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). Our new observations lead to photometry with a precision commensurate with that available for the Galactic globular cluster population. Our analysis indicates that, once metallicity is accounted for, clusters in the LMC largely share similar horizontal branch morphologies regardless of their location within the system. Furthermore, the LMC clusters possess, on average, slightly redder morphologies than most of the inner halo Galactic population; we find, instead, that their characteristics tend to be more similar to those exhibited by clusters in the outer Galactic halo. Our results are consistent with previous studies showing a correlation between horizontal branch morphology and age.