Gas Mass Research Articles

Pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry analysis as a useful tool in identifying fibre composition in mixed post-consumer textile waste

The progress of textile recycling is significantly impeded by the absence of adequate methodologies for determining the composition of fibres in textile blends. The examination of textile mixtures poses considerable difficulties, particularly due to the presence of elastane fibres, which in their limited quantities cannot be easily detected using conventional analytical techniques. Further, the undetected elastane fibres pose difficulty in separation during recycling of the textiles as they end up as impurities in cases where dissolution of the fibres is employed. Consequently, it is of utmost importance to explore new analytical tools that possess the capability to identify the primary fibres in post-consumer waste. In the current investigation, we conducted a study to assess the capabilities of Attenuated Total Reflectance Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) and Pyrolysis coupled with Gas Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) for the characterization of postconsumer textile fabrics. A comprehensive pyrolysis database was established encompassing prevalent pure fibres commonly employed in textile production. In addition, an examination was conducted on three textile blends with predetermined compositions, and the findings were subsequently compared with data obtained through the utilization of ATR-FTIR. The data derived from the original fibres was ultimately utilized for the examination of post-consumer fabric samples acquired from a waste landfill. The utilization of Py-GC/MS, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and ATR-FTIR enabled to discern fibre compositions of mixtures even those that contained relatively low fibre content.

Weak lensing combined with the kinetic Sunyaev–Zel’dovich effect: a study of baryonic feedback

ABSTRACT Extracting precise cosmology from weak lensing surveys requires modelling the non-linear matter power spectrum, which is suppressed at small scales due to baryonic feedback processes. However, hydrodynamical galaxy formation simulations make widely varying predictions for the amplitude and extent of this effect. We use measurements of Dark Energy Survey Year 3 weak lensing (WL) and Atacama Cosmology Telescope DR5 kinematic Sunyaev–Zel’dovich (kSZ) to jointly constrain cosmological and astrophysical baryonic feedback parameters using a flexible analytical model, ‘baryonification’. First, using WL only, we compare the $S_8$ constraints using baryonification to a simulation-calibrated halo model, a simulation-based emulator model, and the approach of discarding WL measurements on small angular scales. We find that model flexibility can shift the value of $S_8$ and degrade the uncertainty. The kSZ provides additional constraints on the astrophysical parameters, with the joint WL + kSZ analysis constraining $S_8=0.823^{+0.019}_{-0.020}$. We measure the suppression of the non-linear matter power spectrum using WL + kSZ and constrain a mean feedback scenario that is more extreme than the predictions from most hydrodynamical simulations. We constrain the baryon fractions and the gas mass fractions and find them to be generally lower than inferred from X-ray observations and simulation predictions. We conclude that the WL + kSZ measurements provide a new and complementary benchmark for building a coherent picture of the impact of gas around galaxies across observations.

A study of particle motion in Kwerk-type twisted blades: Effect of configuration on particle mixing performance by CFD–DEM

Static mixers could promote the particle mixing in industries. Experimental and numerical investigations of particle mixing and flow characteristics in the riser with static mixers are carried out. The instantaneous microscopic characteristics and energy loss in Kwerk-type static mixer (K-KSM) are evaluated by Computational Fluid Dynamics coupled with Discrete Element Method (CFD–DEM). A more suitable calculation method is proposed, which utilizes particle coordinates and the coordination number of central particles to calculate the instantaneous mixing degree of particles (PK). The PK, Residence Time Distribution (RTD) and collision correlation are analyzed at different superficial gas velocities (Ug) and mass flow rates (Ms). The results show that the performance of K-KSM is superior to that of KSM under current conditions. Back mixing and aggregation phenomena are eliminated at Ug > 5 m/s and Ms < 1.73 g/s, and the recommended regimes are Ug ≥ 6.0 m/s and Ms < 1.5 g/s.

The factors that influence protostellar multiplicity

Context. Protostellar multiplicity is common at all stages and mass ranges. However, the factors that determine the multiplicity of protostellar systems have not been systematically characterized through their molecular gas. Aims. We characterize the physical properties of the Perseus molecular cloud at ≥5000 AU scales by mapping the diagnostic molecular lines. Methods. We used Nobeyama 45m Radio Observatory (NRO) on-the-fly maps of HCN, HNC, HCO+, and N2H+ (J=1–0) toward five subregions in Perseus, complemented with single-pointing Atacama Pathfinder Experiment (APEX) observations of HNC (J = 4–3), to derive the physical parameters of the dense gas. The spatial resolutions of both observations were ~18″, which is equivalent to ~5000 AU scales at the distance of Perseus. The kinetic gas temperature was derived from the I(HCN)/I(HNC) J ratio, and the H2 density was obtained from the HNC J=4–3/J=1–0 ratio. These parameters were used to obtain the N2H+ (cold) and HCO+ (warm) gas masses. The inferred and derived parameters were then compared to source the parameters, including protostellar multiplicity, bolometric luminosity, and dust envelope mass. Results. The inferred mean kinetic gas temperature (I(HCN)/I(HNC) J=1–0 ratio; ranging between 15 and 26 K), and H2 volumetric density (HNC J=4–3/J=1–0; 105−106 cm−3) are not correlated with multiplicity in Perseus. The derived gas and dust masses, 1.3 to 16 × 10−9 M⊙ for the cold-gas mass (N2H+), 0.1 to 25 M⊙ for the envelope dust masses (850 μm), and 0.8 to 10 × 10−10 M⊙ for the warm-gas mass (HCO+), are correlated to multiplicity and to the number of protostellar components. The warm-gas masses are lower by a factor of 16 than the cold-gas masses. Conclusions. The gas and dust mass is correlated to multiplicity at ~5000 AU scales in Perseus. Higher-order multiples tend to have higher gas and dust masses in general, while close binaries (separations ≤7″) and single protostars have similar gas and dust mass distributions. On the other hand, the H2 density and kinetic gas temperature are not correlated with multiplicity.

Comparisons between Resolved Star Formation Rate and Gas Tracers in the Strongly Lensed Galaxy SDSS J0901+1814 at Cosmic Noon

We report new radio observations of SDSS J090122.37+181432.3, a strongly lensed star-forming galaxy at z = 2.26. We image 1.4 GHz (L-band) and 3 GHz (S-band) continuum using the Very Large Array (VLA) and 1.2 mm (band 6) continuum with Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array, in addition to the CO(7–6) and C i(3 P 2→3 P 1) lines, all at ≲1.″7 resolution. Based on the VLA integrated flux densities, we decompose the radio spectrum into its free–free (FF) and nonthermal components. The infrared–radio correlation parameter qTIR=2.65−0.31+0.24 is consistent with expectations for star-forming galaxies. We obtain radio continuum-derived star formation rates (SFRs) that are free of dust extinction, finding 620−220+280M⊙yr−1 , 230−160+570M⊙yr−1 , and 280−120+460M⊙yr−1 from the FF emission, nonthermal emission, and when accounting for both emission processes, respectively, in agreement with previous results. We estimate the gas mass from the C i(3 P 2→3 P 1) line as M gas = (1.2 ± 0.2) × 1011 M ☉, which is consistent with prior CO(1–0)-derived gas masses. Using our new IR and radio continuum data to map the SFR, we assess the dependence of the Schmidt–Kennicutt relation on choices of SFR and gas tracer for ∼kpc scales. The different SFR tracers yield different slopes, with the IR being the steepest, potentially due to highly obscured star formation in J0901. The radio continuum maps have the lowest slopes and overall fidelity for mapping the SFR, despite producing consistent total SFRs. We also find that the Schmidt–Kennicutt relation slope is flattest when using CO(7–6) or C i(3 P 2→3 P 1) to trace gas mass, suggesting that those transitions are not suitable for tracing the bulk molecular gas in galaxies like J0901.

ALMA reveals a dust-obscured galaxy merger at cosmic noon

Context. Galaxy mergers play a critical role in galaxy evolution. They alter the size, morphology, dynamics, and composition of galaxies. Galaxy mergers have so far mostly been identified through visual inspection of their rest-frame optical and near-IR (NIR) emission. Dust can obscure this emission, however, resulting in the misclassification of mergers as single galaxies and in an incorrect interpretation of their baryonic properties. Aims. Having serendipitously discovered a dust-obscured galaxy merger at z = 1.17, we aim to determine the baryonic properties of the two merging galaxies, including the star formation rate (SFR) and the stellar, molecular gas and dust masses. Methods. Using Band 3 and 6 observations from the Atacama Large Millimeter and submillimeter Array (ALMA) and ancillary data, we studied the morphology of this previously misclassified merger. We deblended the emission, derived the gas masses from CO observations, and modeled the spectral energy distributions to determine the properties of each galaxy. Using the rare combination of ALMA CO(2–1), CO(5–4) and dust-continuum (rest-frame 520 μm) observations, we provide insight into the gas and dust content and into the properties of the interstellar medium of each merger component. Results. We find that only one of the two galaxies is highly obscured by dust, but both are massive (&gt; 1010.5 M⊙) and highly star forming (SFR = 60 − 900 M⊙/yr), have a moderate-to-short depletion time (tdepl &lt; 0.7 Gyr) and a high gas fraction (fgas ≥ 1). Conclusions. These properties can be interpreted as the positive impact of the merger. With this serendipitous discovery, we highlight the power of (sub)millimeter observations to identify and characterise the individual components of obscured galaxy mergers.

Tully-Fisher relation of late-type galaxies at 0.6 ≤ z ≤ 2.5

We present a study of the stellar and baryonic Tully-Fisher relation within the redshift range of 0.6 ≤ z ≤ 2.5, utilizing observations of star-forming galaxies. This dataset comprises of disk-like galaxies spanning a stellar mass range of 8.89 ≤ log(Mstar [M⊙]) ≤ 11.5, a baryonic mass range of 9.0 ≤ log(Mbar [M⊙]) ≤ 11.5, and a circular velocity range of 1.65 ≤ log(Vc [km/s]) ≤ 2.85. We estimated the stellar masses of these objects using spectral energy distribution fitting techniques, while the gas masses were determined via scaling relations. Circular velocities were directly derived from the rotation curves (RCs), after meticulously correcting for beam smearing and pressure support. Our analysis confirms that our sample adheres to the fundamental mass-size relations of galaxies and reflects the evolution of velocity dispersion in galaxies, in line with previous findings. This reaffirms the reliability of our photometric and kinematic parameters (i.e., Mstar and Vc), thereby enabling a comprehensive examination of the Tully-Fisher relation. To attain robust results, we employed a novel orthogonal likelihood fitting technique designed to minimize intrinsic scatter around the best-fit line, as required at high redshifts. For the stellar Tully-Fisher relation, we obtained a slope of α = 3.03 ± 0.25, an offset of β = 3.34 ± 0.53, and an intrinsic scatter of ζint = 0.08 dex. Correspondingly, the baryonic Tully-Fisher relation yielded α = 3.21 ± 0.28, β = 3.16 ± 0.61, and ζint = 0.09 dex. Our findings indicate a subtle deviation in the stellar and baryonic Tully-Fisher relation with respect to local studies, which is most likely due to the evolutionary processes governing disk formation.

Adsorption performance with field emission scanning electron microscopy of fruit peel induced Silver Nanoparticles in C16H18ClN3S for waste water treatment

There is a growing demand for cost-effective and sustainable technologies for treating wastewater as water consumption increases and conventional technologies become more expensive. Nanoparticles have a great deal of potential for use in the treatment of waste water. Their unique surface area allows them to effectively remove toxic metal ions, pathogenic microorganisms, organic and inorganic solutes from water. This study investigated the potential of orange and banana peels as renewable nano adsorbents for removing dyes and dissolved organic compounds from textile wastewater. Orange and banana peels are an optimal selection due to their favourable chemical characteristics, namely the presence of cellulose, pectic, hemicellulose, and lignin. Their capacity to adsorb diverse anionic and cationic compounds on their surface-active sites is attributed to their unique functional group compositions. Silver nanoparticles are able to adsorb heavy metals due to their exceptionally low electrical and thermal resistance and surface plasmon resonance. The samples were thoroughly characterised using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), UV–Visible spectrometry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and XRD. The nanoparticles were prepared (10 gm,50 gm,100 gm) and subsequently introduced to the wastewater sample. The optical density values were recorded at various time points. The optical density values demonstrate a decline over the course of the experiment, with a notable decrease observed over time. The results of this study provide valuable insights into the efficacy of these natural adsorbents and their potential for sustainable water purification technologies. For the purpose of this research, high performance instrumentation methods were performed as follows:•Field emission scanning electron microscopy for surface morphology studies.•Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS) for analytical technique that combines gas chromatography (GC) and mass spectrometry (MS) to identify unknown substances or contaminants.•Optical density values were measured for different timings of degradation.

Revisiting the massive star-forming complex RCW 122: New millimeter and submillimeter study

In this paper, we present a new multifrequency study of the giant star-forming complex RCW 122. We used molecular data obtained with the ASTE 10 m and the APEX 12 m telescopes, along with infrared observations spanning from 3.6 µm to 870 µm, obtained from available databases. We also incorporated a range of public datasets, including the radio continuum at 3 GHz, narrowband Ha images, and deep JHK photometry. Our analysis focuses mostly on cataloged ATLASGAL sources, showcasing a spectrum of evolutionary stages from infrared dark cloud (IRDC)/high-mass protostellar object (HMPO) to ultra-compact HII region (UCHII), as inferred from preliminary inspections of the public dataset. Based on ASTE HCO+(4−3) and CO(3−2) data, we identified five molecular clumps, designated A, B, C, D, and E, as molecular counterparts of the ATLASGAL sources. These clumps have radial velocities ranging from ~−15 km s−1 to −10 km s−1, confirming their association with RCW 122. In addition, we report the detection of 20 transitions from 11 distinct molecules in the APEX spectra in the frequency ranges from 258.38 GHz to 262.38 GHz, 228.538 GHz to 232.538 GHz, and 218.3 GHz to 222.3 GHz, unveiling a diverse chemical complexity among the clumps. Utilizing CO(2−1) and C18O(2−1) data taken from the observations with the APEX telescope, we estimated the total LTE molecular mass, ranging from 200 M⊙ (clump A) to 4400 M⊙ (clump B). Our mid- to far-infrared (MIR-FIR) flux density analysis yielded minimum dust temperatures of 23.7 K (clump A) to maximum temperatures of 33.9 K (clump B), indicating varying degrees of internal heating among the clumps. The bolometric luminosities span 1.7×103 L⊙ (clump A) to 2.4×105 L⊙ (clump B), while the total (dust+gas) mass ranges from 350 M⊙ (clump A) to 3800 M⊙ (clump B). Our analysis of the molecular line richness, L/M ratios, and CH3CCH and dust temperatures reveals an evolutionary sequence of A/E→C→D/B, consistent with preliminary inferences of the ATLASGAL sources. In this context, clumps A and E exhibit early stages of collapse, with clump A likely in an early HMPO phase, which is supported by identifying a candidate molecular outflow. Clump E appears to be in an intermediate stage between IRDC and HMPO. Clumps D and B show evidence of being in the UCHII phase, with clump B likely more advanced. Clump C likely represents an intermediate stage between HMPO and HMC. Our findings suggest clump B is undergoing ionization and heating by multiple stellar and protostellar members of the stellar cluster DBS 119. Meanwhile, other cluster members may be responsible for ionizing other regions of RCW 122 that have evolved into fully developed HII regions, beyond the molecular dissociation stage.

The H i Reservoir in Central Spiral Galaxies and the Implied Star Formation Process ∗ ∗ This is the fourth paper in the “From Halos to Galaxies” series.

The cold interstellar medium (ISM) as the raw material for star formation is critical to understanding galaxy evolution. It is generally understood that galaxies stop making stars when, in one way or another, they run out of gas. However, here we provide evidence that central spiral galaxies remain rich in atomic gas even if their star formation rate (SFR) and molecular gas fraction have dropped significantly compared to “normal” star-forming galaxies of the same mass. Since H i is sensitive to external processes, here we investigate central spiral galaxies using a combined sample from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, Arecibo Legacy Fast ALFA survey, and the extended GALEX Arecibo SDSS Survey. After proper incompleteness corrections, we find that the key H i scaling relations for central spirals show significant but regular systematic dependence on stellar mass. At any given stellar mass, the H i gas mass fraction is about constant with changing specific star formation rate (sSFR), which suggests that H i reservoir is ubiquitous in central spirals with any star formation status down to M * ∼ 109 M ⊙. Together with the tight correlation between the molecular gas mass fraction and sSFR for galaxies across a wide range of different properties, it suggests that the decline of SFR of all central spirals in the local Universe is due to the halt of H2 supply, though there is plenty of H i gas around. These hence provide critical observations of the dramatically different behavior of the cold multiphase ISM, and a key to understand the star formation process and quenching mechanism.

JADES: Carbon enrichment 350 Myr after the Big Bang

Finding the emergence of the first metals in the early Universe and identifying their origin are some of the most important goals of modern astrophysics. We present deep JWST/NIRSpec spectroscopy of GS-z12, a galaxy at z = 12.5, in which we report the detection of the C III]λλ1907,1909 nebular emission line. This represents the most distant detection of a metal transition, and the most distant redshift determination based on emission lines. In addition, we report tentative detections of [O II]λλ3726,3729 and [Ne III]λ3869, and possibly O III]λλ1661,1666. By using the accurate redshift obtained from C III], we can model the Lyα drop to reliably measure an absorbing column density of hydrogen of NH I ≈ 1022 cm−2, which is too high for an IGM origin and implies an abundant neutral ISM in GS-z12 or in the CGM around it. We tentatively infer a lower limit for the neutral gas mass of about 107 M⊙ which, compared with the galaxy stellar mass of ∼5 × 107 M⊙, implies a gas fraction higher than about 0.2–0.5. By comparing the measured emission lines with model-based diagnostic diagrams, we derive a solar or even super-solar carbon-to-oxygen ratio, tentatively log (C/O) &gt; − 0.21 dex ([C/O] &gt; 0.15 dex), while a Bayesian modelling of the spectrum indicates log (C/O) = − 0.30 ± 0.07 dex ([C/O] = 0.06 ± 0.07 dex). This is higher than the C/O measured in galaxies discovered by JWST at z = 6 − 9, and higher than the C/O arising from Type II supernovae enrichment. Asymptotic giant branch stars can hardly contribute to the observed carbon enrichment at these early epochs and low metallicities. Such a high C/O in a galaxy observed 350 Myr after the Big Bang may thus be explained by the yields of extremely metal-poor stars, and may even be the heritage of the first generation of supernovae from Population III progenitors. A robust determination of the total metallicity in this galaxy is essential to constrain these scenarios.

The properties and kinematics of HCN emission across the closest starburst galaxy NGC 253 observed with ALMA

Context. Investigating molecular gas tracers, such as hydrogen cyanide (HCN), to probe higher densities than CO emission across nearby galaxies remains challenging. This is due to the large observing times required to detect HCN at a high sensitivity and spatial resolution. Although approximate kiloparsec scales of HCN maps are available for tens of galaxies, higher-resolution maps still need to be available. Aims. We aim to study the properties of molecular gas, the contrast in intensity between two tracers that probe different density regimes (the HCN(1–0)/CO(2–1) ratio), and their kinematics across NGC 253, one of the closest starburst galaxies. With its advanced capabilities, the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) can map these features at a high resolution across a large field of view and uncover the nature of such dense gas in extragalactic systems. Methods. We present new ALMA Atacama Compact Array and Total Power (ACA+TP) observations of the HCN emission across NGC 253. The observations cover the inner 8.6′ of the galaxy disk at a spatial resolution of 300 pc. Our study examines the distribution and kinematics of the HCN-traced gas and its relationship with the bulk molecular gas traced by CO(2–1). We analyze the integrated intensity and mean velocity of HCN and CO along each line of sight. We also used the SCOUSE software to perform spectral decomposition, which considers each velocity component separately. Results. We find that the denser molecular gas traced by HCN piles up in a ring-like structure at a radius of 2 kpc. The HCN emission is enhanced by two orders of magnitude in the central 2 kpc regions, beyond which its intensity decreases with increasing galactocentric distance. The number of components in the HCN spectra shows a robust environmental dependence, with multiple velocity features across the center and bar. The HCN spectra exhibit multiple velocity features across the center and bar, which shows a robust environmental dependence. We have identified an increase in the HCN/CO ratio in these regions, corresponding to a velocity component likely associated with a molecular outflow. We have also discovered that the ratio between the total infrared luminosity and dense gas mass, which is an indicator of the star formation efficiency of dense gas, is anticorrelated with the molecular gas surface density up to approximately 200 M⊙ pc−2. However, beyond this point, the ratio starts to increase. Conclusions. We argue that using information about spectroscopic features of molecular emission is an important aspect of understanding molecular properties in galaxies.

A GMRT 610 MHz radio survey of the North Ecliptic Pole (NEP, ADF-N) / Euclid Deep Field North

Abstract This paper presents a 610 MHz radio survey covering 1.94 deg2 around the North Ecliptic Pole (NEP), which includes parts of the AKARI (ADF-N) and Euclid, Deep Fields North. The median 5σ sensitivity is 28 μJy beam−1, reaching as low as 19 μJy beam−1, with a synthesised beam of 3.6″× 4.1″. The catalogue contains 1675 radio components, with 339 grouped into multi-component sources and 284 ’isolated’ components likely part of double radio sources. Imaging, cataloguing, and source identification are presented, along with preliminary scientific results. From a non-statistical sub-set of 169 objects with multi-wavelength AKARI and other detections, luminous infrared galaxies (LIRGs) represent 66$\%$ of the sample, ultra-luminous infrared galaxies (ULIRGs) 4$\%$, and sources with LIR &amp;lt; 1011 L⊙ 30$\%$. In total, 56$\%$ of sources show some AGN presence, though only seven are AGN-dominated. ULIRGs require three times higher AGN contribution to produce high-quality SED fits compared to lower luminosity galaxies, and AGN presence increases with AGN fraction. The PAH mass fraction is not significant, although ULIRGs have about half the PAH strength of lower IR-luminosity galaxies. Higher luminosity galaxies show gas and stellar masses an order of magnitude larger, suggesting higher star formation rates. For LIRGs, AGN presence increases with redshift, indicating that part of the total luminosity could be contributed by AGN activity rather than star formation. Simple cross-matching revealed 13 ROSAT QSOs, 45 X-ray sources, and 61 sub-mm galaxies coincident with GMRT radio sources.

Antimicrobial Activity of Diverse Chemotypes of Lippia graveolens Against Aeromonas hydrophila Isolated from Oreochromis niloticus

[Objective] This study aimed to evaluate the antimicrobial efficacy of essential oil (EO) from diverse chemotypes of Lippia graveolens against oxytetracycline-resistant Aeromonas hydrophila, which primarily affects the tilapia aquaculture (O. niloticus) in Guatemala. [Methodology] L. graveolens were collected in three departments in Guatemala. The EO was obtained by hydrodistillation and characterized using gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Subsequently, an antimicrobial assay was conducted using disk and dilution susceptibility tests and evaluation of synergistic interactions among the chemotypes. Each test was performed in triplicate. [Results] The analysis revealed the presence of twenty-seven compounds in the EO obtained from the chemotypes, with the main class being monoterpenes. The major constituents identified were cis-Dihydro-β-terpineol (8.84%) in chemotype I, carvacrol (51.82%) in chemotype II, and thymol (79.62%) in chemotype III. All EO chemotypes of L. graveolens demonstrated the ability to inhibit the A. hydrophila growth. Thymol chemotype exhibited the strongest inhibitory effect against bacterial growth, with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 92.4 µg/mL and a minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of 184.8 µg/mL. Furthermore, the results suggest that there is no synergistic or additive effect when combining different chemotypes of L. graveolens. [Conclusions] This is the first report of L. graveolens chemotypes exhibiting antimicrobial activity against oxytetracycline-resistant A. hydrophila. The findings suggest that the chemotype thymol could be a potential treatment for infections in the tilapia aquaculture in Guatemala.

Comparative analyses of the nutritional and antinutritional composition of pod flours from Neltuma spp. (Fabaceae, Caesalpinioideae) species from drylands of Mexico, Kenya and Tanzania

Identifying novel risk-resilient diets is urgent to address food insecurity and tackle global hunger and malnutrition. This study evaluated the suitability of mesquite (Neltuma spp.) pod flours as food staples for human nourishment and compared nutritional properties of mesquites growing natively or as introduced species in the drylands of Mexico, Kenya and Tanzania. Using gas chromatography and mass spectrometry, we analysed chemical composition, dietary fibre, antinutrients, amino acids and fatty acids of pod flours from Neltuma laevigata, N. laevigata×N. odorata and N. velutina (abundant native species of Northern Mexico). We also studied the introduced N. juliflora from Kenya, and N. pallida from Tanzania which have become invasive. This research demonstrates that mesquite flour contains all the essential amino acids, with the highest being valine, leucine and lysine. The most abundant non-essential amino acids are aspartate, glutamate and proline. Mesquite flours are rich in palmitic, oleic and linolenic acids. Besides this, mesquite flour is abundant in phenols and contains less gallic and phytic acids than wheat. We show that nutritionally, mesquite flours are comparable to wheat flour. These findings demonstrate that Neltuma pod flours are excellent candidates to reduce malnutrition and hunger for the poorest people of the world.

Merging Gas-rich Galaxies That Harbor Low-luminosity Twin Quasars at z = 6.05: A Promising Progenitor of the Most Luminous Quasars

We present Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array [C ii] 158 μm line and underlying far-IR continuum emission observations (0.″57 × 0.″46 resolution) toward a quasar–quasar pair system recently discovered at z = 6.05. The quasar nuclei (C1 and C2) are faint (M 1450 ≳ −23 mag), but we detect very bright [C ii] emission bridging the 12 kpc between the two objects and extending beyond them (total luminosity L [C ii] ≃ 6 × 109 L ⊙). The [C ii]-based total star formation rate of the system is ∼550 M ⊙ yr−1 (the IR-based dust-obscured star formation is ∼100 M ⊙ yr−1), with a [C ii]-based total gas mass of ∼1011 M ⊙. The dynamical masses of the two galaxies are large (∼9 × 1010 M ⊙ for C1 and ∼5 × 1010 M ⊙ for C2). There is a smooth velocity gradient in [C ii], indicating that these quasars are a tidally interacting system. We identified a dynamically distinct, fast-[C ii] component around C1: detailed inspection of the line spectrum there reveals the presence of a broad-wing component, which we interpret as the indication of fast outflows with a velocity of ∼600 km s−1. The expected mass-loading factor of the outflows, after accounting for multiphase gas, is ≳2 − 3, which is intermediate between AGN-driven and starburst-driven outflows. Hydrodynamic simulations in the literature predict that this pair will evolve to a luminous (M 1450 ≲ −26 mag), starbursting (≳1000 M ⊙ yr−1) quasar after coalescence, one of the most extreme populations in the early Universe.

Salvia elegans Vahl Counteracting Metabolic Syndrome and Depression in Mice on a High-Fat Diet.

Salvia elegans Vahl is a plant commonly used in Mexico as a remedy for nervous disorders, inflammatory diseases, and "ringing in the ears"; the latter can be associated with arteriosclerotic conditions and arterial hypertension. Therefore, based on medicinal use, this work aimed to evaluate the hydroalcoholic extract (SeHA, 100 mg/kg) of this plant and two fractions, ethyl acetate (SeFAc, 50 mg/kg), and obtained from SeFAc fractionation denominated SeF3 (10 mg/kg), on several alterations derived from metabolic syndrome (MetS) derived from the ingestion of a high-calorie diet (high-fat diet), in ICR (Institute of Cancer Research) mice, leading to chronic inflammation that results in neurological damage such as depression. Therefore, several MetS-related parameters, such as forced swim tests, hypertension, serum corticosterone levels, glucose, triglycerides, cholesterol, adiposity index, and insulin resistance, will be evaluated. Additionally, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and IL-10 levels were measured in kidneys, fat tissue, brains, and spleens. It was proven that all those S. elegans-derived treatments reversed the damage, showing antidepressant, antihypertensive, antihyperglycemic, and antidyslipidemic effects and decreased adiposity, insulin resistance, and serum corticosterone. They induced a modulatory response by modifying the levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-10 in different organs. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis of the acetate of ethyl fraction from S. elegans (SeFAc) fraction revealed the presence of rosmarinic and caffeic acids as well as flavonoids, while the fraction from SeFAc called SeF3 Was identified by gas mass as methyl glucose, glycerol, and known sterols, among others. Thus, it was concluded that S. elegans protects against the harmful effects of MetS.

Unveiling the Hubble constant through galaxy cluster gas mass fractions

In this work, we obtain Hubble constant (H0) estimates by using two galaxy cluster gas mass fraction measurement samples, Type Ia supernovae luminosity distances, and the validity of the cosmic distance duality relation. Notably, the angular diameter distance (ADD) to each galaxy cluster in the samples is determined by combining its gas mass fraction measurement with galaxy clustering observations, more precisely, the Ωb/Ωm ratio. Such a combination results in a H0 estimate that is independent of a specific cosmological framework. In one of the samples, the gas fraction measurements were calculated in spherical shells at radii near r2500 (44 data points), while in the other (103 data points) the measurements were calculated within r500. We find H0=72.7−5.6+6.3 km/s/Mpc at 68% CL for the joint analysis of these data sets. We also investigate the impact on the H0 determination by exploring the precision and number of gas mass fraction data by performing a data Monte Carlo simulation. Our simulations show that future measurements could achieve a precision of up to 5% for H0.

The diffusion stability of an externally driven cavitation bubble in micro-confinement

The diffusion stability of a single cavitation bubble in a spherical liquid cell surrounded by an infinite elastic solid is considered. The time-periodic pressure in the solid far away from the liquid cell is used as an external driving, which initiates bubble oscillations along with the gas diffusion process in the bubble-in-cell system. The work is based on the engineering approximation according to which the bubble growth/reduction is considered on average, assuming that during the period of the external driving the mass of gas in the bubble does not noticeably change. This theory predicts the existence of stably oscillating bubbles in confined liquid undergoing an external driving force. Three possible diffusion regimes are revealed: 1) total bubble dissolution, 2) partial bubble dissolution, and 3) partial bubble growth, where the last two regimes provide the diffusion stability in the bubble-in-cell system. The parametric study of the influence of the gas concentration dissolved in the liquid on the resulting stable bubble size is conducted. The obtained results are compared with the results for the case of the stable bubble oscillations in the pressure sound field in a bulk (infinite) liquid. The theoretical findings of the present study can be used for improvement of the modern applications of ultrasound technology.

Probing the filamentary nature of star formation in the California giant molecular cloud

Context. Recent studies suggest that filamentary structures are representative of the initial conditions of star formation in molecular clouds and support a filament paradigm for star formation, potentially accounting for the origin of the stellar initial mass function (IMF). The detailed, local physical properties of molecular filaments remain poorly characterized, however. Aims. Using Herschel imaging observations of the California giant molecular cloud, we aim to further investigate the filament paradigm for low- to intermediate-mass star formation and to better understand the exact role of filaments in the origin of stellar masses. Methods. Using the multiscale, multiwavelength extraction method getsf, we identify starless cores, protostars, and filaments in the Herschel data set and separate these components from the background cloud contribution to determine accurate core and filament properties. Results. We find that filamentary structures contribute approximately 20% of the overall mass of the California cloud, while compact sources such as dense cores contribute a mere 2% of the total mass. Considering only dense gas (defined as gas with AV,bg &gt; 4.5–7), filaments and cores contribute ~66–73% and 10–14% of the dense gas mass, respectively. The transverse half-power diameter measured for California molecular filaments has a median undeconvolved value of 0.18 pc, consistent within a factor of 2 with the typical ~0.1 pc width of nearby filaments from the Herschel Gould Belt survey. A vast majority of identified prestellar cores (~82–90%) are located within ~0.1 pc of the spines of supercritical filamentary structures. Both the prestellar core mass function (CMF) and the distribution of filament masses per unit length or filament line mass function (FLMF) are consistent with power-law distributions at the high-mass end, ΔN/ΔlogM ∝ M−1.4±0.2 at M &gt; 1 M⊙ for the CMF and ΔN/Δlog Mline ∝ Mline−1.5±0.2 for the FLMF at Mline &gt; 10 M⊙ pc−1, which are both consistent with the Salpeter power-law IMF. Based on these results, we propose a revised model for the origin of the CMF in filaments, whereby the global prestellar CMF in a molecular cloud arises from the integration of the CMFs generated by individual thermally supercritical filaments within the cloud. Conclusions. Our findings support the existence a tight connection between the FLMF and the CMF/IMF and suggests that filamentary structures represent a critical evolutionary step in establishing a Salpeter-like mass function.