Intermediate Clusters Research Articles

Assessment of the Possibility of Using the Trace Element Status of a Herbal Drug as an Additional Quality Criterion: Chamomile Flowers as a Case Study

INTRODUCTION. Herbal drugs can often be difficult to identify and distinguish from morphologically similar species, especially when fractionated. For the analysis of complex mixtures of herbal origin, it is reasonable to use additional identification methods, including hierarchical clustering of herbal drugs by their trace element content.AIM. This study aimed to assess the possibility of using hierarchical clustering by trace element content for complex biological matrices (plant mixtures), with officinal chamomile species as a case study.MATERIALS AND METHODS. Multiple morphologically similar species grow together with officinal chamomile species that are widely used in medical practice. The study examined the flowers and peduncles of Matricaria recutita L., Tanacetum parthenium (L.) Sch.Bip., Leucanthemum vulgare Lam., Tripleurospermum inodorum (L.) Sch.Bip., and Matricaria suaveolens Buchenau, as well as artificial mixtures of chamomile with adulterant species (as samples non-compliant with pharmacopoeial specifi ca tions). The content of trace elements was determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The statistical treatment of the results used Statistica 10 software with a built-in data analysis algorithm for multivariate experiments.RESULTS. Having determined the content of 56 trace elements, the authors plotted a hierarchical cluster tree using cluster analysis methods. M. recutita and M. suaveolens were shown to be the closest to each other in terms of their trace element status, which correlated with their taxonomy. Artificial plant mixtures formed intermediate clusters that were observed between different chamomile species. Moreover, according to the criterion of dissimilarity, the trace element cluster of M. recutita significantly differed from the trace element clusters of all the adulterant species and mixtures containing more than 10% of the adulterant species.CONCLUSIONS. This study demonstrated the possibility of using hierarchical clustering based on the content of trace elements in a biological object to analyse complex systems, including plant mixtures, and identify differences that may have discriminative value for the quality control of herbal drugs.

Mapping radial abundance gradients with Gaia -ESO open clusters. Evidence of recent gas accretion in the Milky Way disk

Recent evidence from spectroscopic surveys points towards the presence of a metal-poor, young stellar population in the low-alpha , chemically thin disk. In this context, the investigation of the spatial distribution and time evolution of precise, unbiased abundances is fundamental to disentangle the scenarios of formation and evolution of the Galaxy. We study the evolution of abundance gradients in the Milky Way by taking advantage of a large sample of open star clusters, which are among the best tracers for this purpose. In particular, we used data from the last release of the Gaia -ESO survey. We performed a careful selection of open cluster member stars, excluding those members that may be affected by biases in spectral analysis. We compared the cleaned open cluster sample with detailed chemical evolution models for the Milky Way, using well-tested stellar yields and prescription for radial migration. We tested different scenarios of Galaxy evolution to explain the data, namely, the two-infall and the three-infall frameworks, which suggest the chemical thin disk is formed by one or two subsequent gas accretion episodes, respectively. With the performed selection in cluster member stars, we still find a metallicity decrease between intermediate-age ($1<$ Age/Gyr $<3$) and young (Age $<1$ Gyr) open clusters. This decrease cannot be explained in the context of the two-infall scenario, even by accounting for the effect of migration and yield prescriptions. The three-infall framework, with its late gas accretion in the last 3 Gyr, is able to explain the low metallic content in young clusters. However, we have invoked a milder metal dilution for this gas infall episode relative to previous findings. To explain the observed low metallic content in young clusters, we propose that a late gas accretion episode triggering a metal dilution would have taken place, extending the framework of the three-infall model for the first time to the entire Galactic disk.

Dissecting depression symptoms: Multi-omics clustering uncovers immune-related subgroups and cell-type specific dysregulation

In a subset of patients with mental disorders, such as depression, low-grade inflammation and altered immune marker concentrations are observed. However, these immune alterations are often assessed by only one data type and small marker panels. Here, we used a transdiagnostic approach and combined data from two cohorts to define subgroups of depression symptoms across the diagnostic spectrum through a large-scale multi-omics clustering approach in 237 individuals. The method incorporated age, body mass index (BMI), 43 plasma immune markers and RNA-seq data from peripheral mononuclear blood cells (PBMCs). Our initial clustering revealed four clusters, including two immune-related depression symptom clusters characterized by elevated BMI, higher depression severity and elevated levels of immune markers such as interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RA), C-reactive protein (CRP) and C-C motif chemokine 2 (CCL2 or MCP-1). In contrast, the RNA-seq data mostly differentiated a cluster with low depression severity, enriched in brain related gene sets. This cluster was also distinguished by electrocardiography data, while structural imaging data revealed differences in ventricle volumes across the clusters. Incorporating predicted cell type proportions into the clustering resulted in three clusters, with one showing elevated immune marker concentrations. The cell type proportion and genes related to cell types were most pronounced in an intermediate depression symptoms cluster, suggesting that RNA-seq and immune markers measure different aspects of immune dysregulation. Lastly, we found a dysregulation of the SERPINF1/VEGF-A pathway that was specific to dendritic cells by integrating immune marker and RNA-seq data. This shows the advantages of combining different data modalities and highlights possible markers for further stratification research of depression symptoms.

Rest-Activity Rhythm Phenotypes in Adults with Epilepsy and Intellectual Disability.

Sleep and rest-activity rhythms (RARs) are perturbed in many forms of neuropsychiatric illness. In this study, we applied wrist actigraphy to describe the extent of RAR perturbations in adults with epilepsy and intellectual disability ("E+ID"), using a cross-sectional case-control design. We examined whether RAR phenotypes correlated with epilepsy severity, deficits in adaptive function and/or comorbid psychopathology. Primary caregivers of E+ID adults provided informed consent during routine ambulatory clinic visits and were asked to complete standardized surveys of overall epilepsy severity (GASE, Global Assessment of Severity of Epilepsy), adaptive function (ABAS-3, Adaptive Behavior Assessment System-3) and psychopathology (ABCL, Adult Behavior Checklist). Caregivers were also asked to ensure that subjects wore an Actiwatch-2 device continuously on their nondominant wrist for at least ten days. From recorded actograms, we calculated RAR amplitude, acrophase, robustness, intradaily variability (IV), interdaily stability (IS) and estimates of sleep quantity and timing. We compared these RAR metrics against those from (i) a previously published cohort of adults with epilepsy without ID (E-ID), and (ii) a cohort of age- and sex-matched intellectually able subjects measured within the Study of Latinos (SOL) Ancillary actigraphy study (SOL). Within E+ID subjects, we applied k-means analysis to divide subjects into three actigraphically distinct clusters. 46 E+ID subjects (median age 26 [20-68], 47% female) provided a median recording duration of 11 days [range 6-27]. Surveys reflected low to extremely low levels of adaptive function (ABAS3 General Adaptive Composite score: median 50 [49-75]), and low/subclinical levels of psychopathology (ABCL total score: median 54.5 [25-67]). Compared with E-ID (n=57) and SOL (n=156) cohorts, E+ID subjects displayed significantly lower RAR amplitude, robustness and IS, with significantly higher IV and total daily sleep. K-means clustering of E+ID subjects recognized an intermediate cluster "B", with RAR values indistinguishable to E-ID. Cluster "A" subjects displayed pronounced hypoactivity and hypersomnia with high rates of rhythm fragmentation, while cluster "C" subjects featured hyper-robust and high amplitude RARs. All three clusters were similar in age, body mass index, antiseizure medication (ASM) polytherapy, ABAS3 and ABCL scores. We qualitatively describe RAR examples from all three clusters. We show that adults with epilepsy and intellectual disability display a wide spectrum of RAR phenotypes that do not neatly correlate with measures of adaptive function or epilepsy severity. Prospective studies are necessary to determine whether continuous actigraphic monitoring can sensitively capture changes in chronobiological health that may arise with disease progression, iatrogenesis (e.g., ASM toxicity) or acute health deteriorations (e.g., seizure exacerbation, pneumonia). Similar long-term data is necessary to recognize whether behavioral interventions targeted to 'normalize' RARs may promote improvements in adaptive function and therapy engagement.

Cognitive subgroups of affective and non-affective psychosis show differences in medication and cortico-subcortical brain networks

Cognitive deficits are prevalent in individuals with psychosis and are associated with neurobiological changes, potentially serving as an endophenotype for psychosis. Using the HCP-Early-Psychosis-dataset (n = 226), we aimed to investigate cognitive subtypes (deficit/intermediate/spared) through data-driven clustering in affective (AP) and non-affective psychosis patients (NAP) and controls (HC). We explored differences between three clusters in symptoms, cognition, medication, and grey matter volume. Applying principal component analysis, we selected features for clustering. Features that explained most variance were scores for intelligence, verbal recognition and comprehension, auditory attention, working memory, reasoning and executive functioning. Fuzzy K-Means clustering on those features revealed that the subgroups significantly varied in cognitive impairment, clinical symptoms, and, importantly, also in medication and grey matter volume in fronto-parietal and subcortical networks. The spared cluster (86%HC, 37%AP, 17%NAP) exhibited unimpaired cognition, lowest symptoms/medication, and grey matter comparable to controls. The deficit cluster (4%HC, 10%AP, 47%NAP) had impairments across all domains, highest symptoms scores/medication dosage, and pronounced grey matter alterations. The intermediate deficit cluster (11%HC, 54%AP, 36%NAP) showed fewer deficits than the second cluster, but similar symptoms/medication/grey matter to the spared cluster. Controlling for medication, cognitive scores correlated with grey matter changes and negative symptoms across all patients. Our findings generally emphasize the interplay between cognition, brain structure, symptoms, and medication in AP and NAP, and specifically suggest a possible mediating role of cognition, highlighting the potential of screening cognitive changes to aid tailoring treatments and interventions.

Quantum wetting transition in the cluster Ising model

The wetting transition in the one-dimensional cluster Ising model with opposite boundary fields is studied. Tuning one boundary field while fixing another leads to the occurrence of phase transitions, where the transition points depend on the cluster coupling. Furthermore, the phase diagram is divided into three regions with different phase transition. For weak and strong cluster coupling, the phase transition is continuous and belongs to the same universality of transverse Ising model with boundary fields. For intermediate cluster coupling, the phase transition is first order. In the strong cluster coupling region, the critical region becomes exponentially small and the asymptotic behavior is absent even for lattice size up to 104. A numerical method to solve the energy gap and the correlation length is proposed on an infinite long spin chain. With this method, one can get the critical behavior as close to the critical point as possible provided that the numerical accuracy is high enough. In the light of this method, we clearly show that there is a preasymptotic regime in which the apparent critical exponents depend on the cluster coupling. Moreover, we obtain the accurate energy gap exponent zν and the correlation length exponent ν in the asymptotic critical region.

A multi-symptomatic model of heroin use disorder in rats reveals distinct behavioral profiles and neuronal correlates of heroin vulnerability versus resiliency.

The behavioral and diagnostic heterogeneity within human opioid use disorder (OUD) diagnosis is not readily captured in current animal models, limiting translational relevance of the mechanistic research that is conducted in experimental animals. We hypothesize that a non-linear clustering of OUD-like behavioral traits will capture population heterogeneity and yield subpopulations of OUD vulnerable rats with distinct behavioral and neurocircuit profiles. Over 900 male and female heterogeneous stock rats, a line capturing genetic and behavioral heterogeneity present in humans, were assessed for several measures of heroin use and rewarded and non-rewarded seeking behaviors. Using a non-linear stochastic block model clustering analysis, rats were assigned to OUD vulnerable, intermediate and resilient clusters. Additional behavioral tests and circuit analyses using c-fos protein activation were conducted on the vulnerable and resilient subpopulations. OUD vulnerable rats exhibited greater heroin taking and seeking behaviors relative to those in the intermediate and resilient clusters. Akin to human OUD diagnosis, further vulnerable rat sub-clustering revealed subpopulations with different combinations of behavioral traits, including sex differences. Lastly, heroin cue-induced neuronal patterns of circuit activation differed between resilient and vulnerable phenotypes. Behavioral sex differences were recapitulated in patterns of circuitry activation, including males preferentially engaging extended amygdala stress circuitry, and females cortico-striatal drug cue-seeking circuitry. Using a non-linear clustering approach in rats, we captured behavioral diagnostic heterogeneity reflective of human OUD diagnosis. OUD vulnerability and resiliency were associated with distinct neuronal activation patterns, posing this approach as a translational tool in assessing neurobiological mechanisms underpinning OUD.

UOCS

Context. Evolutionary pathways of binary systems are vastly different from single stellar evolution, and thus there is a need to quantify their frequency and diversity. Thanks to their to their coeval nature, open clusters are the best test beds for unveiling the secrets of binary populations. The availability of multi-wavelength data in recent years has been critical in characterising the binary population. Aims. NGC 752 is a solar-metallicity, intermediate-age open cluster located at 460 pc. In this work, we aim to identify the optically sub-luminous white dwarfs in NGC 752 and identify the elusive blue lurkers by association. Methods. We used multi-wavelength photometry from AstroSat/UVIT, Swift/UVOT, Gaia DR3, and other archival surveys to analyse the colour-magnitude diagrams and spectral energy distributions of 37 cluster members. Results. We detected eight white dwarf companions of cluster members. Four of the systems are main sequence stars with extremely low-mass white dwarfs as their companions. Two of these main sequence stars are also fast rotators. Conclusions. The presence of low-mass white dwarfs and fast rotation signals a past mass transfer, and we classify the four main sequence stars as blue lurkers. The binary fraction in NGC 752 is estimated to be 50–70%, and it shows that the contribution of optically undetected stars is crucial in quantifying the present-day binary fraction.

Detailed chemical abundances of the globular cluster Terzan 6 in the inner bulge

We used near-infrared spectroscopy at medium-high resolution (R = 8000 − 25 000) to perform the first comprehensive chemical study of the intermediate luminosity bulge globular cluster Terzan 6. We derived detailed abundances and abundance patterns of 27 giant stars, likely members of Terzan 6, based on their accurate Hubble Space Telescope proper motions and line-of-sight radial velocities. From the spectral analysis of these stars, we determined an average heliocentric radial velocity of 143.3 ± 1.0 km s−1 with a velocity dispersion of 5.1 ± 0.7 km s−1 and an average [Fe/H] = −0.65 ± 0.01 and a low 1σ dispersion of 0.03 dex. We also measured some depletion of [Mn/Fe] with respect to the solar-scaled values and enhancement of for [Ca/Fe], [Si/Fe], [Mg/Fe], [Ti/Fe], [O/Fe], [Al/Fe], [Na/Fe], and, to a lower extent, for [K/Fe], consistent with previous measurements of other bulge globular clusters and favoring the scenario of a rapid bulge formation and chemical enrichment. Some spread in the light element abundances suggest the presence of first- and second-generation stars, typical of genuine globulars. Finally, we measured some depletion of carbon and low 12C/13C isotopic ratios, as in previous studies of field and cluster bulge giants, indicating that extra-mixing mechanisms should be at work during the post main sequence evolution in the high metallicity regime as well.

UOCS XIV: Study of the Open Cluster NGC 2627 Using UVIT/AstroSat

We study the intermediate-age open cluster NGC 2627, located at a distance of ∼2 kpc, using UVIT/AstroSat and other archival data. Using a machine learning-based algorithm, ML-MOC, on the Gaia DR3 data, we identify 422 cluster members, including four blue straggler stars (BSSs), one yellow straggler star (YSS), one blue lurker (BL), one red clump (RC) star, and two binary candidates with detection in both UVIT/F148W and UVIT/F169M filters. We characterise them using multiwavelength spectral energy distributions (SEDs). Out of the above nine sources, one BSS, the BL, and one binary candidate have a source nearby; hence, we did not fit their SEDs. Of the remaining six sources, we successfully fit two with single-component SEDs and four with binary-component SEDs. The binary-component SED-based parameters indicate that the hot companions of BSSs, the YSS, the RC star, and the binary candidate are extremely low-mass white dwarfs, confirming that at least four out of nine stars (44%) are formed via the mass transfer channel. We fit King’s profile function to the high-probability (p > 0.8) cluster members and estimate the cluster core radius (r C ) to be 3.84′ and the tidal radius (r t ) to be 36.85′. We find that the equal-mass binaries are most concentrated towards the cluster center, followed by the single massive stars, and single low-mass stars. The BSS population of the cluster is also found to be located within a radius r ∼ 10 × r C from the cluster center, suggesting the dynamical evolution of the cluster.

VVVX survey dusts off a new intermediate-age star cluster in the Milky Way disk

Context. In the last decade, many new star clusters have been discovered in heavily obscured regions of the Milky Way bulge and disk. Aims. Our primary long-term objective is to seek out additional star clusters in the poorly studied regions of the Milky Way, where detections pose significant challenges. The aim of this pursuit is to finalize the Milky Way’s globular and open cluster system census and to gain a comprehensive understanding of both the formation and evolution of these systems and our Galaxy as a whole. Methods. We report the discovery of a new star cluster, named Garro 03. We investigated this new target using a combination of near-infrared and optical databases. We employed the VISTA Variables in the Via Láctea Survey and Two Micron All Sky Survey data in the near-infrared, and the Gaia Data Release 3 and the DECam Plane Survey datasets in the optical passband. We constructed density maps and vector proper motion diagrams in order to highlight our target. We performed a photometrical analysis in order to derive its main physical parameters. Results. Garro 03 is located at equatorial coordinates RA = 14:01:29.3 and Dec = −65:30:57.0. From our photometric analysis we find that this cluster is not heavily affected by extinction with AKs = 0.25 ± 0.04 mag and AG = 1.54 ± 0.02 mag. It is located at heliocentric distance of 14.1 ± 0.5 kpc, which places Garro 03 at 10.6 kpc from the Galactic centre and Z = −0.89 kpc below the Galactic plane. We also calculated the mean cluster proper motion of (μα*,μδ)=(−4.57 ± 0.29, −1.36 ± 0.27) mas yr−1. We derived an age of 3 Gyr and metallicity [Fe/H] = −0.5 ± 0.2 by the isochrone-fitting method, employing the PARSEC models. The total luminosity was derived in the Ks and V bands, finding MKs = −6.32 ± 1.10 mag and MV = −4.06 mag. Finally, the core and tidal radii were measured constructing the Garro 03 radial density profile and fitting the King model. We obtained rc = 3.07 ± 0.98 pc and rt = 19.36 ± 15.96 pc, respectively. Conclusions. We photometrically confirm the cluster nature for Garro 03, located in the Galactic disk. It is a distant, low-luminosity, metal-rich star cluster of intermediate age. We also searched for possible signatures (streams or bridges) between Garro 03 and Garro 01, but we exclude a companionship with the present analysis. We need spectroscopic data to classify it as an old open cluster or a young globular cluster, and to understand its origin.

Utilizing cost-effective pyrocarbon for highly efficient gold retrieval from e-waste leachate

Addressing burdens of electronic waste (E-waste) leachate while achieving sustainable and selective recovery of noble metals, such as gold, is highly demanded due to its limited supply and escalating prices. Here we demonstrate an environmentally-benign and practical approach for gold recovery from E-waste leachate using alginate-derived pyrocarbon sorbent. The sorbent demonstrates potent gold recovery performance compared to most previously reported advanced sorbents, showcasing high recovery capacity of 2829.7 mg g−1, high efficiency (>99.5%), remarkable selectivity (Kd ~ 3.1 × 108 mL g−1), and robust anti-interference capabilities within environmentally relevant contexts. The aromatic structures of pyrocarbon serve as crucial electrons sources, enabling a hydroxylation process that simultaneously generates electrons and phenolic hydroxyls for the reduction of gold ions. Our investigations further uncover a “stepwise” nucleation mechanism, in which gold ions are reduced as intermediate gold-chlorine clusters, facilitating rapid reduction process by lowering energy barriers from 1.08 to −21.84 eV. Technoeconomic analysis demonstrates its economic viability with an input-output ratio as high as 1370%. Our protocol obviates the necessity for organic reagents whilst obtaining 23.96 karats gold product from real-world central processing units (CPUs) leachates. This work introduces a green sorption technique for gold recovery, emphasizing its role in promoting a circular economy and environmental sustainability.

Numerical investigation on ball-sealers transport and diversion performance in shale gas horizontal well based on semi-resolved CFD-DEM

In the staged multi-cluster fracturing of shale gas horizontal wells, ball sealers are used to ensure uniform fluid distribution among clusters, a strategy that is both cost-effective and operationally beneficial. Despite these advantages, comprehending the ball sealers' dynamics within the wellbore and their plugging behavior at perforations is still challenging. This complexity results in prediction difficulties regarding their diversion efficiency. To address this, our study utilized a semi-resolved CFD-DEM model based on kernel approximation to simulate the behavior of medium-sized ball sealers in single and multiple cluster scenarios. Our findings from a single cluster scenario reveal that the plugging probability is co-determined by velocity gradients in the fluid ingestion area near the perforation, backflow region, and inertial forces of the ball sealers. As the critical flow rate is achieved, the plugging probability negatively correlated with fluid viscosity and displacement, and positively correlated with the perforation flow ratio (PFR), the difference in particle-fluid density, ball sealer’s diameter, and the ball sealer’s offset from the pipeline center. Temporary plugging control efficiency was used to evaluate the flow balance effect among multiple clusters. The results indicate that an increased number of ball sealers enhances the fault tolerance during the temporary plugging process. Nevertheless, excessive ball sealers might undermine the temporary plugging control efficiency, as perforations with lower fluid inflow rates are unexpectedly plugging. Higher differences in fluid injection rates between clusters led to increased efficiency in temporary plugging control. Premature deployment of ball sealers cannot effectively plug perforations with marginally higher fluid inflow rates, but instead accidently plug intermediate clusters with lower fluid inflow rates. These findings offer a theoretical basis for optimizing the design of ball sealers.

A statistical approach to polarimetric and photometric investigation of the intermediate-age open cluster NGC 1912

ABSTRACT This paper presents a comprehensive multiwavelength investigation of the intermediate-age open cluster NGC 1912. We identified 401 member stars for NGC 1912 using K-nearest neighbour and Gaussian Mixture Model machine learning techniques. The fundamental parameters determined for the cluster are metallicity (z) = 0.0141 $\pm$ 0.0006, log(age) = 8.519 $\pm$ 0.040, binary fraction ($b_{\text{frac}}$) = 0.445 $\pm$ 0.035, visual extinction ($A_V$) = 0.864 $\pm$ 0.033 mag, total-to-selective extinction ratio ($R_V$) = 3.007 $\pm$ 0.096, distance = 1096 $\pm$ 15 pc. The central density ($\rho _o$), core radius ($r_c$), tidal radius ($r_t$), and background density ($\rho _{\mathrm{bg}}$) for the cluster are obtained as 0.643 $\pm$ 0.067 stars arcmin$^{-2}$, 7.743 $\pm$ 0.784 arcmin, 84.633 $\pm$ 7.188 arcmin, and 0.001 $\pm$ 0.000 stars arcmin$^{-2}$, respectively. Dynamical mass segregation study revealed a concentration of some apparently massive stars towards the cluster centre. Polarimetric analysis of 90 stars in $BVR_cI_c$ wavelength bands revealed that the observed polarization in NGC 1912 is not solely attributed to interstellar dust. The Galactic magnetic field is dominant in this region. Dust grain sizes within the intracluster region are found to be relatively smaller than that of the general ISM. The extinction map revealed the existence of a potential ‘interstellar bubble’ located close to the cluster region. Towards the periphery of the probable bubble region, which displays an ovoid-like geometry, 16 probable young stellar objects have been detected, suggesting the ongoing triggering of secondary star formation events in this region.

CCD UBV(RI)KC photometry and dynamics of the open cluster NGC 1513

ABSTRACT We derive astrophysical parameters of the open cluster NGC 1513 by means of colour indices built with new CCD UBV(RI)KC photometry. Based on early-type members, the mean foreground reddening and total to selective extinction ratio are E(B − V) = 0.79 ± 0.09 mag and RV = 2.85 ± 0.05. Through the differential grid method, we derive the metal abundance [Fe/H] = −0.06 dex (Z = +0.013), which is consistent with the value [Fe/H] = −0.088 of the bright giant member – LAMOST 695710060. Z = +0.013 isochrone fit to the V × (B − V) colour–magnitude diagram leads to a turn-off age of 224 ± 27 Myr (thus an intermediate-age cluster), and a distance modulus of (V0 − MV) = 10.90 ± 0.15 mag, thus implying a distance from the Sun d = 1514 ± 105 pc. Within the uncertainties, our photometric distance is consistent with the value d = 1435 ± 14 pc from the Gaia DR3 parallax. We find signs of small mass segregation through a minimum spanning tree analysis for the 190 most massive stars, together with the rather steep mass function (χ = +2.39) slope. The high core to half-light radius ratio Rcore/Rh = 0.82, together with the compact half-light to tidal radius ratio Rh/Rt = 0.22, suggest that it is probably related to cluster-formation effects, due to little dynamical evolution, instead of driving its dynamical evolution by internal relaxation. Indeed, NGC 1513 is located in the second quadrant (ℓ = 152${_{.}^{\circ}}$59 and Galactocentric distance RGC = 9.57 kpc), which tends to minimize tidal effects by external processes and tidal disruption. Therefore, internal mass segregation effects in NGC 1513 seem to be more efficient than cluster evaporation processes. We find that NGC 1513 migrated about 0.50 kpc from its birth place.

On the Roles of Stellar Rotation and Binarity in NGC 2423's Main-sequence Turnoff Region

Research has shown that many young and intermediate-age clusters (younger than ∼2 Gyr) have extended main sequences and extended main-sequence turnoffs (eMSTOs), which cannot be adequately described by a single isochrone. The reason for the extended main sequences is now known, with the most probable cause being the fast rotation of stars. However, a significant fraction of slowly rotating stars form a younger stellar population than their fast-rotating counterparts, leading to speculation that they have undergone rotational mixing processes internally. One speculation is that a considerable number of slowly rotating stars reside in close binary systems, where tidal forces from companion stars are the cause of their rotational deceleration. In this work, we report a relatively old open star cluster in the Milky Way, NGC 2423 (∼1 Gyr old), which exhibits an apparent eMSTO. As anticipated, many characteristics of NGC 2423 indicate that its eMSTO is driven by stellar rotations. Our calculations indicate that if slowly rotating stars commonly have a close companion star, they should exhibit significant differences in radial velocities observationally, and binary systems that can be tidally locked within the age of NGC 2423 should have a mass ratio close to 1. However, none of these predictions align with our observations. Interestingly, among the only two equal-mass binary systems in the observed region for which spectroscopic data could be obtained, we discovered that one of them is a tidally locked binary system. This further suggests the validity of our numerical simulation results.

A fast-rotating blue straggler star in the tidal tail of the open cluster NGC 752

Context.NGC 752 is a well-known Galactic open cluster of intermediate age. In recent works, a very long and asymmetric tail was revealed. A blue straggler star (BSS) at the periphery of the tidal tail of the cluster was subsequently identified.Aims.We aim to perform a detailed analysis of the newly detected BSS based on the available comprehensive spectroscopic and photometric data. We also explored this BSS’s possible formation pathway and age limitation based on the collected spectroscopic and photometric data.Methods.We reconfirmed the membership of the newly determined BSS of NGC 752, supplemented byGaiaDR3 radial velocity data. Moreover, we also estimated the projected rotational velocity and the mass of the BSS from the Large Sky Area Multi-Object Fiber Spectroscopic Telescope low-resolution spectra and multiband photometric data from various catalogs, respectively.Results.The newly discovered BSS is confirmed as a genuine member of NGC 752. The lack of ultraviolet excess in the spectral energy distribution and no significant variations in the light curve imply that this BSS is likely a single star (mass = 1.86−0.94+3.62 M⊙) formed through stellar mergers. The fast rotation velocity (v sin i = 206.9 ± 4.9 km s−1) of the BSS may provide constraints on its age (less than a hundred million years), but more formation details require further investigation.

An Intruder-Free Fock Space Coupled-Cluster Study of the Potential Energy Curves of LiMg+ within the (2,0) Sector.

The potential energy curves (PECs) and spectroscopic constants of the ground and excited states of a LiMg+ molecular cation were investigated. We obtained accurate results for the fifteen lowest-lying states of the LiMg+ cation using the Intermediate Hamiltonian Fock Space Multireference Coupled Cluster (IH-FS-CC) method applied to the (2,0) sector. Relativistic corrections were accounted for using the third-order Douglas-Kroll method. In each instance, smooth PECs were successfully computed across the entire range of interatomic distances from equilibrium to the dissociation limit. The results are in good accordance with previous studies of this molecular cation. Notably, this study marks the first application of IH-FS-CC in investigating a mixed alkali and alkaline earth molecular cation, proving its usability in determining accurate PECs of such diatomics and their spectroscopic constants.

Explosive transitions in coupled Lorenz oscillators.

We study the transition to synchronization in an ensemble of chaotic oscillators that are interacting on a star network. These oscillators possess an invariant symmetry and we study emergent behavior by introducing the timescale variations in the dynamics of the nodes and the hub. If the coupling preserves the symmetry, the ensemble exhibits consecutive explosive transitions, each one associated with a hysteresis. The first transition is the explosive synchronization from a desynchronized state to a synchronized state which occurs discontinuously with the formation of intermediate clusters. These clusters appear because of the driving-induced multistability and the resulting attractors exhibit intermittent synchrony (antisynchrony). The second transition is the explosive death that occurs as a result of stabilization of the stable fixed points. However, if the symmetry is not preserved, the system again makes a first-order transition from an oscillatory state to death, namely, an explosive death. These transitions are studied with the help of the master stability functions, Lyapunov exponents, and the stability analysis.

Molecular dynamics simulation study on non-equilibrium melting of sodium crystals at high heating rates

ABSTRACT The non-equilibrium melting of Na crystals at high heating rates and the evolutions of the atomic clusters are studied by the MD method and PTM analysis. Results show that as the heating rate rises from 1 × 1011 K/s to 2 × 1013 K/s, the non-equilibrium melting temperature of Na increases non-linearly from 417 K to 480 K, the melting temperature difference experienced increases from 7 K to 27 K, while the melting time decreases from 70 ps to 1 ps. Through the PTM analysis, it is found that some BCC clusters transform into the disordered Other clusters through intermediate HCP and FCC clusters with increasing temperature, and the BCC cluster's reduction rate and the Other cluster's growth rate are getting slower with increasing heating rate. There is a good correspondence between the evolutions of the atomic clusters, the changes of macroscopic physical parameters, and the peaks and valleys of RDF with temperature.