Previous studies have found that ∼1deg2 fields surrounding the stellar aggregates in the Taurus star-forming region exhibit a surplus of solar-mass stars relative to denser clusters like IC348 and the Orion Nebula Cluster. To test whether this difference reflects mass segregation in Taurus or a variation in the initial mass function, we have performed a survey for members of Taurus across a large field (∼40 deg 2 ) that was imaged by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). We obtained optical and near-infrared spectra of candidate members identified with those images and the Two Micron All Sky Survey, as well as miscellaneous candidates that were selected with several other diagnostics of membership. We have classified 22 of the candidates as new members of Taurus, which includes one of the coolest known members (M9.75). Our updated census of members within the SDSS field shows a surplus of solar-mass stars relative to clusters, although it is less pronounced than in the smaller fields toward the stellar aggregates that were surveyed for previously measured mass functions in Taurus. In addition to spectra of our new members, we include in our study near-IR spectra of roughly half of the known members of Taurus, which are used to refine their spectral types and extinctions. We also present an updated set of near-IR standard spectra for classifying young stars and brown dwarfs at M and L types.

We report the discovery of quiescent emission from molecular hydrogen gas located in the circumstellar disks of six pre-main sequence stars, including two weak-line TTS, and one Herbig AeBe star, in the Chamaeleon I star forming region. For two of these stars, we also place upper limits on the 2 → 1 S(1)/1 → 0 S(1) line ratios of ∼ 0.4 and 0.5. Of the 11 pre-main sequence sources now known to be sources of quiescent near-infrared hydrogen emission, four possess transitional disks, which suggests that detectable levels of H 2 emission and the presence of inner disk holes are correlated. These H 2 detections demonstrate that these inner holes are not completely devoid of gas, in agreement with the presence of observable accretion signatures for all four of these stars and the recent detections of [Ne ii] emission from three of them. The overlap in [Ne ii] and H 2 detections hints at a possible correlation between these two features and suggests a shared excitation mechanism of high energy photons. Our models, combined with the kinematic information from the H 2 lines, locate the bulk of the emitting gas at a few tens of AU from the stars. We also find a correlation between H 2 detections and those targets which possess the largest Hα equivalent widths, suggesting a link between accretion activity and quiescent H 2 emission. We conclude that quiescent H 2 emission from relatively hot gas within the disks of TTS is most likely related to on-going accretion activity, the production of UV photons and/or X-rays, and the evolutionary status of the dust grain populations in the inner disks.

We present spatially-resolved X-ray observations of the binary T Tauri star system V710 Tau. Using Chandra's Advanced CCD Imaging Spectrometer (ACIS), we imaged this 3.2 ′′ separation binary system, consisting of a classical T Tauri star, V710 Tau N, and a weak-lined T Tauri star, V710 Tau S. The Chandra ACIS-S3 images -obtained in two 9 ks exposures separated by about three months (2004 December and 2005 April) -cleanly resolve the V710 Tau binary, demonstrating that both stars emit X-rays and thereby enabling the first spectral/temporal study of the individual components of this mixed (classical and weak-lined) T Tauri star binary system. The northern component, V710 Tau N, appears to have been in a flaring state during the first (2004 December) exposure. During this flare event, the X-ray flux of the classical T Tauri star hardened significantly. Single-component plasma models with plasma temperatures in the range kT X ∼ 0.7 − 1.1 keV are adequate to fit the observed X-ray spectra of V710 Tau S in 2004 December and both stars in 2005 April. The 2004 December flare-state observation of V710 Tau N requires a higher-temperature plasma component (kT X ∼ 2.5 − 3.0 keV) in addition to the soft component (kT X ∼ 0.5 keV) and is better fit by a model that includes a slightly enhanced Ne/Fe abundance ratio. These results are generally consistent with statistical contrasts between the X-ray emission properties of classical (rapidly accreting) vs. weak-lined (weakly accreting or non-accreting) T Tauri stars.

Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) is an important source of bioactive compounds, such as the phenolic compounds. The phenolic compounds in sorghum grain are concentrated in its hull; however, its hull is usually being discarded as a waste. In this study, ultrasonication power intensity (916, 1018, and 1120 W/cm 2 ), sonication time (20, 25, and 30 min), and particle size (100, 300 and 500 μm) for ultrasound assisted extraction and, microwave power (50, 60 and 70 W), microwave time (90, 105, and 120 s), and particle size (100, 300, and 500 μm) for microwave assisted extraction

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