CCD Washington photometry of four poorly studied open clusters in the two inner quadrants of the galactic plane

Complementing our Washington photometric studies on Galactic open clusters (OCs), we now focus on four poorly studied OCs located in the first and fourth Galactic quadrants, namely BH 84, NGC 5381, BH 211 and Czernik 37. We have obtained CCD photometry in the Washington system $C$ and $T_1$ passbands down to $T_1$ $\sim$ 18.5 magnitudes for these four clusters. Their positions and sizes were determined using the stellar density radial profiles. We derived reddening, distance, age and metallicity of the clusters from extracted $(C-T_1,T_1)$ color-magnitude diagrams (CMDs), using theoretical isochrones computed for the Washington system. There are no previous photometric data in the optical band for BH 84, NGC 5381 and BH 211. The CMDs of the observed clusters show relatively well defined main sequences, except for Czernik 37, wherein significant differential reddening seems to be present. The red giant clump is clearly seen only in BH 211. For this cluster, we estimated the age in (1000$^{+260}_{-200}$) Myr, assuming a metallicity of $Z$ = 0.019. BH 84 was found to be much older than it was previously believed, while NGC 5381 happened to be much younger than previously reported. The heliocentric distances to these clusters are found to range between 1.4 and 3.4 kpc. BH 84 appears to be located at the solar galactocentric distance, while NGC 5381, BH 211 and Czernik 37 are situated inside the solar ring.Comment: 30 pages, 9 figures, 10 table

Measuring the Impact and Satisfaction Rates of Promotores de Salud-led Health Programs in Yakima County

Purpose: Increased infection and mortality rates of COVID-19 have disproportionately affected Latine communities as seen in increased rates of infection, hospitalization, and deaths with lower rates of vaccination across multiple states. Yakima County, WA experienced the highest rates on the West Coast within two months of the initial March 2020 lockdown, overwhelming the local healthcare systems and highlighting barriers to accessing healthcare for local Latine communities. In August 2021, 56 percent of COVID-19 cases in Yakima County were Latine yet Latine identifying people only accounted for 49 percent of the county’s population. Design: This study is a program evaluation of a community health intervention, the COVID-19 es Real campaign, which took place in Yakima County. The program evaluation consisted of Likert survey questions, semi-structured interviews, and analyzed through descriptive mixed methods. Results: Three Yakima Health District (YHD) employees and six Promotoras de Salud took the survey. Three YHD employees participated in the semi-structured interview process. The interview responses supported the survey results illustrating that with the assistance of Promotoras as a COVID-19 intervention, YHD programming was able to better provide Yakima County with COVID-19 education, resources for testing, vaccinations, and improve community resilience. Conclusion: Without the Promotoras, YHD could not have provided education to community members regarding COVID-19 testing and vaccination sites at the rates that they did. The program evaluation showed that Promotores de Salud are valuable public health partners to government agencies and communities and can successfully connect with high-risk community members to combat the spread of misinformation, disease, as well as extend the utilization of local resources

Fast Integrated Spectra Analyzer: A New Computational Tool For Age and Reddening Determination of Small Angular Diameter Open Clusters

We present a new algorithm called 'Fast Integrated Spectra Analyzer" (FISA) that permits fast and reasonably accurate age and reddening determinations for small angular diameter open clusters by using their integrated spectra in the (3600-7400) \AA \ range and currently available template spectrum libraries. This algorithm and its implementation help to achieve astrophysical results in shorter times than from other methods. A brief review is given of the integrated spectroscopic technique applied to the study of open clusters as well as the basic assumptions that justify its use. We describe the numerical algorithm employed in detail, show examples of its application, and provide a link to the code. Our method has successfully been applied to integrated spectroscopy of open clusters, both in the Galaxy and in the Magellanic Clouds, to determine ages and reddenings.Comment: 27 Pages, 7 Figures, 1 table. Accepted to PAS

The Mexican Patch-nosed Snake, Salvadora mexicana (Duméril, Bibron & Duméril, 1854; Squamata: Colubridae): a new state record for Zacatecas, Mexico, and a new prey species

Mexico, Zacatecas, Municipality of Valparaiso, ca. 2 km (airline) west of San Juan Capistrano, (22.637258° N; 104.118608° W [WGS84]; 1249 m elevation), 18 July 2017. Collected by Jorge A. Bañuelos-Alamillo. The snake was deposited in the Vertebrate Collection at Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes (CZUAA-REP-690); a photo voucher is also available at the San Diego Natural History Museum (SDSNH_HerpPC_05366). Adult female (SVL= 900 mm, TL= 380 mm), and had 17 midbody dorsal scales, 188 ventral scales, 106 subcaudals, nine supralabials, 11 infralabials, two loreal scales, one preocular, and three postoculars on both sides (Fig. 1-A). The snake was road-killed near a river within dry forest vegetation and had recently consumed an adult male Aspidoscelis gularis scalaris ingested headfirst.Asociación Herpetológica Argentin

The Mexican Patch-nosed Snake, Salvadora mexicana (Duméril, Bibron & Duméril, 1854; Squamata: Colubridae): a new state record for Zacatecas, Mexico, and a new prey species

Mexico, Zacatecas, Municipality of Valparaiso, ca. 2 km (airline) west of San Juan Capistrano, (22.637258° N; 104.118608° W [WGS84]; 1249 m elevation), 18 July 2017. Collected by Jorge A. Bañuelos-Alamillo. The snake was deposited in the Vertebrate Collection at Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes (CZUAA-REP-690); a photo voucher is also available at the San Diego Natural History Museum (SDSNH_HerpPC_05366). Adult female (SVL= 900 mm, TL= 380 mm), and had 17 midbody dorsal scales, 188 ventral scales, 106 subcaudals, nine supralabials, 11 infralabials, two loreal scales, one preocular, and three postoculars on both sides (Fig. 1-A). The snake was road-killed near a river within dry forest vegetation and had recently consumed an adult male Aspidoscelis gularis scalaris ingested headfirst.Asociación Herpetológica Argentin

Time-Series Photometry of M67: W UMa Systems, Blue Stragglers, and Related Systems

We present an analysis of over 2200 V images taken on 14 nights at the Mt. Laguna 1 m telescope of the open cluster M67. Our observations overlap but extend beyond the field analyzed by Gilliland et al. (1991), and complement data recently published by van den Berg et al. (2002) and Stassun et al. (2002). We show variability in the light curves of all 4 of the known W UMa variables on timescales ranging from a day to decades (for AH Cnc). We have modeled the light curve of AH Cnc, and the total eclipses allow us to determine q = 0.16 +0.03/-0.02 and i = 86 +4/-8 degrees. The position of this system near the turnoff of M67 makes it useful for constraining the turnoff mass for the cluster. We have also detected two unusual features in the light curve of AH Cnc that may be caused by prominences. We have also monitored cluster blue stragglers for variability, and we present evidence hinting at low level variations in the stragglers S752, S968, and S1263, and we place limits on the variability of a number of other cluster blue stragglers. Finally, we provide photometry of the sub-subgiant branch star S1063 showing variability on timescales similar to the orbital period, while the ``red straggler'' S1040 shows evidence of an unexplained drop in brightness at phases corresponding to the passage of the white dwarf in front of the giant.Comment: 44 pages, 16 figures, AASTeX, accepted for A

Optical Light Curve of the Type Ia Supernova 1998bu in M96 and the Supernova Calibration of the Hubble Constant

We present the UBVRI light curves of the Type Ia supernova SN 1998bu which appeared in the nearby galaxy M96 (NGC 3368). M96 is a spiral galaxy in the Leo I group which has a Cepheid-based distance. Our photometry allows us to calculate the absolute magnitude and reddening of this supernova. These data, when combined with measurements of the four other well-observed supernovae with Cepheid based distances, allow us to calculate the Hubble constant with respect to the Hubble flow defined by the distant Calan/Tololo Type Ia sample. We find a Hubble constant of 64.0 +/- 2.2(internal) +/- 3.5(external) km/s/Mpc, consistent with most previous estimates based on Type Ia supernovae. We note that the two well-observed Type Ia supernovae in Fornax, if placed at the Cepheid distance to the possible Fornax spiral NGC 1365, are apparently too faint with respect to the Calan/Tololo sample calibrated with the five Type Ia supernovae with Cepheid distances to the host galaxies.Comment: AAS LaTeX, 20 pages, 4 figures, 6 tables, accepted for publication in the Astronomical Journal. Figure 1 (finding chart) not include

Modelling the Dynamics of an Aedes albopictus Population

We present a methodology for modelling population dynamics with formal means of computer science. This allows unambiguous description of systems and application of analysis tools such as simulators and model checkers. In particular, the dynamics of a population of Aedes albopictus (a species of mosquito) and its modelling with the Stochastic Calculus of Looping Sequences (Stochastic CLS) are considered. The use of Stochastic CLS to model population dynamics requires an extension which allows environmental events (such as changes in the temperature and rainfalls) to be taken into account. A simulator for the constructed model is developed via translation into the specification language Maude, and used to compare the dynamics obtained from the model with real data.Comment: In Proceedings AMCA-POP 2010, arXiv:1008.314