Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
DISCOVERY OF EIGHT z ∼ 6 QUASARS IN THE SLOAN DIGITAL SKY SURVEY OVERLAP REGIONS

We present the discovery of eight quasars at z ∼ 6 ? > identified in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) overlap regions. Individual SDSS imaging runs have some overlap with each other, leading to repeat observations over an area spanning >4000 deg2 (more than one-fourth of the total footprint). These overlap regions provide a unique data set that allows us to select high-redshift quasars more than 0.5 mag fainter in the z band than those found with the SDSS single-epoch data. Our quasar candidates were first selected as i-band dropout objects in the SDSS imaging database. We then carried out a series of follow-up observations in the optical and near-IR to improve photometry, remove contaminants, and identify quasars. The eight quasars reported here were discovered in a pilot study utilizing the overlap regions at high galactic latitude ( ∣ b ∣ > 30 ° ? > ). These quasars span a redshift range of 5.86 < z < 6.06 ? > and a flux range of 19.3 < z AB < 20.6 ? > mag. Five of them are fainter than z AB = 20 ? > mag, the typical magnitude limit of z ∼ 6 ? > quasars used for the SDSS single-epoch images. In addition, we recover eight previously known quasars at z ∼ 6 ? > that are located in the overlap regions. These results validate our procedure for selecting quasar candidates from the overlap regions and confirming them with follow-up observations, and they provide guidance to a future systematic survey over all SDSS imaging regions with repeat observations.
A Portable Microwave Intracranial Hemorrhage Imaging System Based on PSO-MCKD-CEEMDAN Method

A novel signal processing method to directly extract the hemorrhage response signals using the maximum correlation kurtosis deconvolution (MCKD) technique and complete ensemble empirical mode decomposition (CEEMDAN) algorithm is proposed in this article. This method only needs to acquire the raw data measured one time, which saves a lot of time in data acquisition. In emergency cases, a shorter time in detection means a better prognosis and better life for the patients. A portable microwave brain hemorrhage imaging system comprising a portable vector network analyzer (VNA), a small-sized antenna array (30 mm $\times $ 30.5 mm of each antenna), a flexible substrate, simple structure, and wideband (0.5–6 GHz) is established by applying this proposed signal processing method. The preliminary results from the experiments on the head phantom demonstrate the capability and effectiveness of this proposed method. Final results show that the proposed portable microwave imaging system can successfully detect brain hemorrhage with a size of 17 mm in diameter. The robustness of the proposed method is verified by successfully detecting the brain hemorrhage with a size of 20 mm in diameter.
Water-energy nexus: A systematic analysis and evaluation of a center-pivot irrigation system

ABSTRACT Water-energy nexus plays a crucial role in addressing the issue of water wasting as well as planning, developing, and optimization of the agricultural product irrigation demands. The objective of this paper is to improve the water and energy use in value crops irrigated by center pivot systems under conventional irrigation planning in southern Algeria. This study is based on the field evaluation of the real water and electrical energy consumption, in two types of center pivot systems, large pivots and traditional Mini-Center Pivot Systems in two different areas (Ouargla and El Oued). Over two years, irrigation campaigns on six pivots systems with six different crops were analyzed to evaluate and characterize their water and electrical energy use. The CROPWAT model was used to determine the crop water requirements and compared with the water volumes currently applied by conventional irrigation planning. The results showed that there was over-consumption of water followed by high electrical energy use due to the poor planning of irrigation, which was generally excessive. In addition, the amount of water applied by conventional irrigation planning and that estimated by CROPWAT do not coincide during the most stages of crop growth. Closer inspection of the results shows that the irrigation water use efficiency for different crops was low and ranged between 0.25 and 3.27 kg/m3 due to the Over-irrigation. Furthermore, the modern pivots presented the most efficient equipment in terms of Energy Use Indicators with 1.1 kW ha−1 while the average of the traditional mini pivots was four times more (4.15 kWh−1). No significant difference was evident between the present specific consumption Es (in the average of 0.274 kWh m−3) and those reported in the literature due to high power installed in the pumping station for Mini-Center Pivot Systems. Therefore, the study findings are expected to draw the attention of decision-makers to the extent of wasting water and energy. Also, these findings reveal the harmful effects of farmers’ incorrect irrigation practices and motivate them to take strong measures toward sustainable agriculture. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT
Extraction, Isolation, and Purification of Value-Added Chemicals from Lignocellulosic Biomass

This review covers the operating conditions for extracting top value-added chemicals, such as levulinic acid, lactic acid, succinic acid, vanillic acid, 3-hydroxypropionic acid, xylitol, 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid, 5-hydroxymethyl furfural, chitosan, 2,3-butanediol, and xylo-oligosaccharides, from common lignocellulosic biomass. Operating principles of novel extraction methods, beyond pretreatments, such as Soxhlet extraction, ultrasound-assisted extraction, and enzymatic extraction, are also presented and reviewed. Post extraction, high-value biochemicals need to be isolated, which is achieved through a combination of one or more isolation and purification steps. The operating principles, as well as a review of isolation methods, such as membrane filtration and liquid–liquid extraction and purification using preparative chromatography, are also discussed.
Older Adults’ Access to Care during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Results from the LOckdown and LifeSTyles (LOST) in Lombardia Project

The COVID-19 pandemic disproportionally affected older people in terms of clinical outcomes and care provision. We aimed to investigate older adults’ changes in access to care during the pandemic and their determinants. We used data from a cross-sectional study (LOST in Lombardia) conducted in autumn 2020 on a representative sample of 4400 older adults from the most populated region in Italy. Lifestyles, mental health, and access to healthcare services before and during the pandemic were collected. To identify factors associated with care delays, reduction in emergency department (ED) access, and hospitalisations, we estimated prevalence ratios (PR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) using multivariable log-binomial regression models. During the pandemic, compared to the year before, 21.5% of the study population increased telephone contacts with the general practitioner (GP) and 9.6% increased self-pay visits, while 22.4% decreased GP visits, 12.3% decreased outpatient visits, 9.1% decreased diagnostic exams, 7.5% decreased ED access, and 6% decreased hospitalisations. The prevalence of care delays due to patient’s decision (overall 23.8%) was higher among men (PR 1.16, 95% CI 1.05–1.29), subjects aged 75 years or more (PR 1.12, 95% CI 1.00–1.25), and those with a higher economic status (p for trend < 0.001). Participants with comorbidities more frequently cancelled visits and reduced ED access or hospitalisations, while individuals with worsened mental health status reported a higher prevalence of care delays and ED access reductions. Access to care decreased in selected sub-groups of older adults during the pandemic with likely negative impacts on mortality and morbidity in the short and long run.
Pitavastatin and Ivermectin Enhance the Efficacy of Paclitaxel in Chemoresistant High-Grade Serous Carcinoma

Simple Summary The main challenge in high-grade serous carcinoma management is to unveil therapeutic approaches to overcome chemoresistance. Drug combinations and repurposing of non-oncological agents are attractive strategies that allow for higher efficacy, decreased toxicity, and the overcoming of chemoresistance. Several non-oncological drugs display an effective anti-cancer activity and have been studied to be repurposed in multi-drug resistant neoplasms. The purpose of our study was to explore whether combining Paclitaxel with repurposed drugs (Pitavastatin, Metformin, Ivermectin, Itraconazole and Alendronate) led to a therapeutic benefit. Our results showed that the combination of Paclitaxel with Pitavastatin or Ivermectin demonstrates the highest cytotoxic effect and the strongest synergism among all combinations for two chemoresistant cell lines. Thus, the combination of these repurposed drugs with Paclitaxel could be a particularly valuable strategy to treat ovarian cancer patients with intrinsic or acquired chemoresistance. Abstract Chemotherapy is a hallmark in high-grade serous carcinoma management; however, chemoresistance and side effects lead to therapeutic interruption. Combining repurposed drugs with chemotherapy has the potential to improve antineoplastic efficacy, since drugs can have independent mechanisms of action and suppress different pathways simultaneously. This study aimed to explore whether the combination of Paclitaxel with repurposed drugs led to a therapeutic benefit. Thus, we evaluated the cytotoxic effects of Paclitaxel alone and in combination with several repurposed drugs (Pitavastatin, Metformin, Ivermectin, Itraconazole and Alendronate) in two tumor chemoresistant (OVCAR8 and OVCAR8 PTX R P) and a non-tumoral (HOSE6.3) cell lines. Cellular viability was assessed using Presto Blue assay, and the synergistic interactions were evaluated using Chou–Talalay, Bliss Independence and Highest Single Agent reference models. The combination of Paclitaxel with Pitavastatin or Ivermectin showed the highest cytotoxic effect and the strongest synergism among all combinations for both chemoresistant cell lines, resulting in a chemotherapeutic effect superior to both drugs alone. Almost all the repurposed drugs in combination with Paclitaxel presented a safe pharmacological profile in non-tumoral cells. Overall, we suggest that Pitavastatin and Ivermectin could act synergistically in combination with Paclitaxel, being promising two-drug combinations for high-grade serous carcinoma management.
The many lives of active galactic nuclei: cooling flows, black holes and the luminosities and colour

We simulate the growth of galaxies and their central supermassive black holes by implementing a suite of semi-analytic models on the output of the Millennium Run, a very large simulation of the concordance A cold dark matter cosmogony. Our procedures follow the detailed assembly history of each object and are able to track the evolution of all galaxies more massive than the Small Magellanic Cloud throughout a volume comparable to that of large modern redshift surveys. In this first paper we supplement previous treatments of the growth and activity of central black holes with a new model for 'radio' feedback from those active galactic nuclei that lie at the centre of a quasi-static X-ray-emitting atmosphere in a galaxy group or cluster. We show that for energetically and observationally plausible parameters such a model can simultaneously explain: (i) the low observed mass drop-out rate in cooling flows; (ii) the exponential cut-off at the bright end of the galaxy luminosity function; and (iii) the fact that the most massive galaxies tend to be bulge-dominated systems in clusters and to contain systematically older stars than lower mass galaxies. This success occurs because static hot atmospheres form only in the most massive structures, and radio feedback (in contrast, for example, to supernova or starburst feedback) can suppress further cooling and star formation without itself requiring star formation. We discuss possible physical models that might explain the accretion rate scalings required for our phenomenological 'radio mode' model to be successful.
Cyto-Genotoxicity of Tritiated Stainless Steel and Cement Particles in Human Lung Cell Models

During the decommissioning of nuclear facilities, the tritiated materials must be removed. These operations generate tritiated steel and cement particles that could be accidentally inhaled by workers. Thus, the consequences of human exposure by inhalation to these particles in terms of radiotoxicology were investigated. Their cyto-genotoxicity was studied using two human lung models: the BEAS-2B cell line and the 3D MucilAirTM model. Exposures of the BEAS-2B cell line to particles (2 and 24 h) did not induce significant cytotoxicity. Nevertheless, DNA damage occurred upon exposure to tritiated and non-tritiated particles, as observed by alkaline comet assay. Tritiated particles only induced cytostasis; however, both induced a significant increase in centromere negative micronuclei. Particles were also assessed for their effects on epithelial integrity and metabolic activity using the MucilAirTM model in a 14-day kinetic mode. No effect was noted. Tritium transfer through the epithelium was observed without intracellular accumulation. Overall, tritiated and non-tritiated stainless steel and cement particles were associated with moderate toxicity. However, these particles induce DNA lesions and chromosome breakage to which tritium seems to contribute. These data should help in a better management of the risk related to the inhalation of these types of particles.
Impact of Capital Structure on Firm Performance of Food and Beverage Listed Companies on the Stock Exchange of Vietnam

This study tested the relationship between capital structure and firm performance. Data were collected from 41 food and beverage companies listed on the Vietnam Stock Exchange from 2017 to 2021. Three variables were used to measure the performance of each company, including ROA, ROE and EPS. The ratio of total debt to total assets (DA), total debt to total equity (DE), short-term debt to total assets (SDTA) and long-term debt to total assets (LDTA) are the key factors. for capital structure. Besides, growth rate (GROWTH) and company size (SIZE) are also applied in the model as control variables. As a result, most of the capital structure variables have a negative effect on each of the firm’s performance variables. It is noteworthy that this study also illustrates the negative correlation between ROE and capital structure shown, which was thought to be insignificant in many previous studies but also shows a negligible relationship between SDTA and SDTA. Moreover, ROE was rarely seen in previous studies. Furthermore, the research results also show a negligible impact on growth rate and a positive relationship between size and firm performance.
Recycling of dissolved iron in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre

The importance of iron as a limiting nutrient in the open ocean is widely recognized, but there is substantial uncertainty about the rate that it cycles in the marine environment. Here, we combine measurements from the water column, sediment traps, and incubations to constrain Fe turnover during summer at Station ALOHA in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre. Using low levels of 57Fe–58Fe double spike, measured with high precision by multi‐collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, we find Fe uptake rates of 30–60 pM d−1 throughout the euphotic zone. Dissolved Fe turnover times are estimated at 10–15 d in the mixed layer and 1–3 d near the deep chlorophyll maximum. Aerosol Fe supply inferred from a thorium isotope mass balance indicates that the dissolved Fe residence time is approximately 6 months in the upper euphotic zone (0–75 m), relative to external sources, and 2 months in the lower euphotic zone (75–150 m). To reconcile these observations, the average Fe atom must be recycled over 25 times at Station ALOHA in both the upper and lower euphotic zones (an “Fe ratio” equal to 0.04 and 0.03, respectively), a level of conservation that has only been documented in Fe‐limited regions thus far. At steady state, this scenario requires an aerosol Fe solubility of 4.5%, which is similar to dissolution experiments from Pacific Ocean aerosols. Our results suggest that the oligotrophic ocean is capable of recycling iron efficiently even when these ecosystems are not demonstrably iron‐limited.
Stereoselective Synthesis and Application of Gibberellic Acid-Derived Aminodiols

A series of gibberellic acid-based aminodiols was designed and synthesized from commercially available gibberellic acid. Exposure of gibberellic acid to hydrochloric acid under reflux conditions resulted in aromatization followed by rearrangement to form allo-gibberic acid. The key intermediate, ethyl allo-gibberate, was prepared according to literature methods. Epoxidation of key intermediate and subsequent ring-opening of the corresponding epoxide with different nucleophiles resulted in N-substituted aminodiols. The regioselective ring closure of N-benzyl-substituted aminodiol with formaldehyde was also investigated. All aminodiol derivatives were well characterized using modern spectroscopic techniques and evaluated for their antiproliferative activity against a panel of human cancer cell lines. In addition, structure–activity relationships were examined by assessing substituent effects on the aminodiol systems. The results indicated that aminodiols containing aromatic rings on their nitrogen substituents displayed significant cytotoxic effects. Among these agents, N-naphthylmethyl-substituted aminodiols were found to be the most potent candidates in this series. One of these molecules exhibited a modest cancer selectivity determined by non-cancerous fibroblast cells. A docking study was also made to exploit the observed results.
Applied Chaos Theory: A Paradigm for Complexity

Living with Complexity. Meta-Quantification of Complexity. The Anatomy of Systems and Structures. Attractors. Rapid Growth. The Logistic Curve. The Discrete Logistic Equation. The Different Personalities of Entropy. Dimensionsand Scaling. Gallery of Monsters. The Diagnostics and Control of Chaos. Discussion Topics. Chapter Notes and References. Index of Names. Subject Index.
The B?Xs? photon spectrum

The photon energy spectrum in inclusive weak radiative B -> X_s gamma decay is computed to order alpha_s^2 beta_0. This result is used to extract a value for the HQET parameter $\bar\Lambda$ from the average , and a value of the parameter $\lambda_1$ from . An accurate measurement of can determine the size of the nonperturbative contributions to the Upsilon(1S) mass which cannot be absorbed into the b quark pole mass.
Peranan Komunikasi Organisasi dalam Manajemen Konflik

Contemporary view showed the position of communication to achieve educational organization purpose. Besides, communication has important role to create organization individual attitude. The importance of organization in education organization to minimize bad conflict. The result of this study showed that communication has taken preventive and represive steps to manage conflict in the organization. Communication also has important role to implemented conflict management activities in the organization. Communication also has informative, regulative, persiasive and integrative roles to manage conflict in organization.
Healthcare Facilities as Potential Reservoirs of Antimicrobial Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae: An Emerging Concern to Public Health in Bangladesh

The emergence of virulent extended spectrum β-lactamase producing Klebsiella pneumoniae (ESBL-KP) including carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) in hospital-acquired infections has resulted in significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. We investigated the antibiotic resistance and virulence factors associated with ESBL-KP and CRKP in tertiary care hospitals in Bangladesh and explored their ability to form biofilm. A total of 67 ESBL-KP were isolated from 285 Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates from environmental and patient samples from January 2019 to April 2019. For ESBL-KP isolates, molecular typing was carried out using enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus polymerase chain reaction (ERIC-PCR), antibiotic susceptibility testing, PCR for virulence and drug-resistant genes, and biofilm assays were also performed. All 67 isolates were multidrug-resistant (MDR) to different antibiotics at high levels and 42 isolates were also carbapenem-resistant. The most common β-lactam resistance gene was blaCTX-M-1 (91%), followed by blaTEM (76.1%), blaSHV (68.7%), blaOXA-1 (29.9%), blaGES (14.9%), blaCTX-M-9 (11.9%), and blaCTX-M-2 (4.5%). The carbapenemase genes blaKPC (55.2%), blaIMP (28.4%), blaVIM (14.9%), blaNDM-1 (13.4%), and blaOXA-48 (10.4%) and virulence-associated genes such as fimH (71.6%), ugeF (58.2%), wabG (56.7%), ureA (47.8%) and kfuBC (28.4%) were also detected. About 96.2% of the environmental and 100% of the patient isolates were able to form biofilms. ERIC-PCR-based genotyping and hierarchical clustering of K. pneumoniae isolates revealed an association between environmental and patient samples, indicating clonal association with possible transmission of antimicrobial resistance genes. Our findings can help in improving patient care and infection control, and the development of public health policies related to hospital-acquired infections.
An Introduction to Granular Flow

Preface. 1. Introduction 2. Theory for slow plane flow 3. Flow through hoppers 4. Flow through wedge-shaped bunkers 5. Theory for slow three-dimensional flow 6. Flow through axisymmetric hoppers and bunkers 7. Theory for rapid flow of smooth, inelastic particles 8. Analysis of rapid flow in simple geometries 9. Theory for rapid flow of rough, inelastic particles 10. Hybrid theories A. Operations with vectors and tensors B. The stress tensor C. Hyperbolic partial differential equations of first order D. Jump balances E. Discontinuous solutions of hyperbolic equations F. Proof of the coaxiality condition G. Material frame-indifference H. The evaluation of some integrals I. Linear stability J. Pseudoscalars, vectors, and tensors K. Answers to selected problems References.
Synthetic Extracellular Matrices for 3D Culture of Schwann Cells, Hepatocytes, and HUVECs

Synthetic hydrogels from polyisocyanides (PIC) are a type of novel thermoreversible biomaterials, which can covalently bind biomolecules such as adhesion peptides to provide a suitable extracellular matrix (ECM)-like microenvironment for different cells. Although we have demonstrated that PIC is suitable for three-dimensional (3D) culture of several cell types, it is unknown whether this hydrogel sustains the proliferation and passaging of cells originating from different germ layers. In the present study, we propose a 3D culture system for three representative cell sources: Schwann cells (ectoderm), hepatocytes (endoderm), and endothelial cells (mesoderm). Both Schwann cells and hepatocytes proliferated into multicellular spheroids and maintained their properties, regardless of the amount of cell-adhesive RGD motifs in long-term culture. Notably, Schwann cells grew into larger spheroids in RGD-free PIC than in PIC-RGD, while HL-7702 showed the opposite behavior. Endothelial cells (human umbilical vein endothelial cells, HUVECs) spread and formed an endothelial cell (EC) network only in PIC-RGD. Moreover, in a hepatocyte/HUVEC co-culture system, the characteristics of both cells were well kept for a long period in PIC-RGD. In all, our work highlights a simple ECM mimic that supports the growth and phenotype maintenance of cells from all germ layers in the long term. Our findings might contribute to research on biological development, organoid engineering, and in vitro drug screening.