Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Highly Charged Ru(II) Polypyridyl Complexes as Photosensitizer Agents in Photodynamic Therapy of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer Cells

Ovarian cancer recurrence is frequent and associated with chemoresistance, leading to extremely poor prognosis. Herein, we explored the potential anti-cancer effect of a series of highly charged Ru(II)-polypyridyl complexes as photosensitizers in photodynamic therapy (PDT), which were able to efficiently sensitize the formation of singlet oxygen upon irradiation (Ru12+ and Ru22+) and to produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) in their corresponding dinuclear metal complexes with the Fenton active Cu(II) ion/s ([CuRu1]4+ and [Cu2Ru2]6+). Their cytotoxic and anti-tumor effects were evaluated on human ovarian cancer A2780 cells both in the absence or presence of photoirradiation, respectively. All the compounds tested were well tolerated under dark conditions, whereas they switched to exert anti-tumor activity following photoirradiation. The specific effect was mediated by the onset of programed cell death, but only in the case of Ru12+ and Ru22+ was preceded by the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential soon after photoactivation and ROS production, thus supporting the occurrence of apoptosis via type II photochemical reactions. Thus, Ru(II)-polypyridyl-based photosensitizers represent challenging tools to be further investigated in the identification of new therapeutic approaches to overcome the innate chemoresistance to platinum derivatives of some ovarian epithelial cancers and to find innovative drugs for recurrent ovarian cancer.
The Extended Northern ROSAT Galaxy Cluster Survey (NORAS II). I. Survey Construction and First Results

As the largest, clearly defined building blocks of our universe, galaxy clusters are interesting astrophysical laboratories and important probes for cosmology. X-ray surveys for galaxy clusters provide one of the best ways to characterize the population of galaxy clusters. We provide a description of the construction of the NORAS II galaxy cluster survey based on X-ray data from the northern part of the ROSAT All-Sky Survey. NORAS II extends the NORAS survey down to a flux limit of 1.8 × 10−12 erg s−1 cm−2 (0.1–2.4 keV), increasing the sample size by about a factor of two. The NORAS II cluster survey now reaches the same quality and depth as its counterpart, the southern REFLEX II survey, allowing us to combine the two complementary surveys. The paper provides information on the determination of the cluster X-ray parameters, the identification process of the X-ray sources, the statistics of the survey, and the construction of the survey selection function, which we provide in numerical format. Currently NORAS II contains 860 clusters with a median redshift of z = 0.102. We provide a number of statistical functions, including the log N–log S and the X-ray luminosity function and compare these to the results from the complementary REFLEX II survey. Using the NORAS II sample to constrain the cosmological parameters, σ8 and Ωm, yields results perfectly consistent with those of REFLEX II. Overall, the results show that the two hemisphere samples, NORAS II and REFLEX II, can be combined without problems into an all-sky sample, just excluding the zone of avoidance.
Fiscal Policy, Monetary Policy, and Trade Balance Nexus in Nigeria

Today fiscal and monetary policy instruments are inextricably linked in macroeconomic management as the macroeconomic variables are interwoven. The broad objective is to analyze the impact of fiscal and monetary policy instruments on the trade balance in Nigeria. This study uses the cointegration method and ordinary least square estimation to examine the impact of fiscal and monetary policy on Nigeria's trade balance from 1981 to 2018. The co-integration test confirms the existence of a long-run relationship between monetary policy as measured by broad money supply and fiscal policy as measured by government spending, taxation, and trade balance. The empirical findings revealed that the selected monetary and fiscal policy variables did not improve Nigeria's trade balance during the study period. As a result, the study recommended that the government encourage trade policies that increase exports to attract foreign exchange inflows and foreign investments.
Holographic QCD, entanglement entropy, and critical temperature

Based on gauge-gravity duality, by using holographic entanglement entropy, we have done a phenomenological study to probe confinement-deconfinement phase transition in the QCD-like gauge theory. Our outcomes are in perfect agreement with the expected results, qualitatively and quantitatively. We find out that the (holographic) entanglement entropy is a reliable order parameter for probing the phase transition.
Universality classes of topological phase transitions with higher-order band crossing

In topological insulators and topological superconductors, the discrete jump of the topological invariant upon tuning a certain system parameter defines a topological phase transition. A unified framework is employed to address the quantum criticality of the topological phase transitions in one to three spatial dimensions, which simultaneously incorporates the symmetry classification, order of band crossing, m-fold rotational symmetry, correlation functions, critical exponents, scaling laws, and renormalization group approach. We first classify higher-order Dirac models according to the time-reversal, particle-hole, and chiral symmetries, and determine the even–oddness of the order of band crossing in each symmetry class. The even–oddness further constrains the rotational symmetry m permitted in a symmetry class. Expressing the topological invariant in terms of a momentum space integration over a curvature function, the order of band crossing determines the critical exponent of the curvature function, as well as that of the Wannier state correlation function introduced through the Fourier transform of the curvature function. The conservation of topological invariant further yields a scaling law between critical exponents. In addition, a renormalization group approach based on deforming the curvature function is demonstrated for all dimensions and symmetry classes. Through clarification of how the critical quantities, including the jump of the topological invariant and critical exponents, depend on the nonspatial and the rotational symmetry, our work introduces the notion of universality class into the description of topological phase transitions.
A Study of the Performance Degradation of Conductive Threads Based on the Effects of Tensile Forces and Repeated Washing

In recent years, after the ongoing success in the creation of portable electronic devices, an increasing effort has been put in creating wearable devices capable of sensing multiple parameters while being imperceptible to the user. A field that has recently gained attention due to this is that of textile electronics. For this purpose, one of the most commonly used materials is conductive threads, capable of sustaining an electrical connection, while at the same time being part of a garment. As research on the performance and stability of such threads is scarce, the aim of this work is to study the effects of tension on readily available conductive threads and to verify their suitability and reliability for e-textile applications. After testing seven commercially available threads, this study demonstrates that the nominal parameters provided by the manufacturers are not in line with experimentation, and that both embroidery and washing have an impact on their performance.
Comparison between Short Therapy and Standard Therapy in Pediatric Patients Hospitalized with Urinary Tract Infection: A Single Center Retrospective Analysis

Introduction: There is marked heterogeneity in clinicians’ choice of antibiotic duration for pediatric urinary tract infections (UTIs). Most patients with bacterial UTIs still receive between 7 and 10 days of antibiotics. Prolonged antibiotic exposure drives the emergence of resistance and increases the occurrence of adverse effects. There is increasing evidence that shorter antibiotic regimens may be equally effective compared with longer ones. However, studies evaluating shorter therapies in children hospitalized with urinary tract infections have not yet been performed. Methods: We performed a retrospective study comparing children hospitalized with UTIs treated with a short antibiotic (<7 days) or standard antibiotic treatment. The primary aim of our study was to assess the efficacy of a shorter antibiotic therapy for children with UTIs, compared with an historical group of children treated with a standard 7–14 days course. Results: 112 patients, 46 of which were females (41.1%) with a median age 6 months were enrolled. A total of 33 patients (29.5%) underwent a short therapy. All patients were successfully discharged from the acute episode, independently from antibiotic duration. Short therapy was associated with a lower risk of urinary tract relapse (22 relapses (95.6%) in the standard group, 1 (4.4%) in the short group; OR 0.081; 95%CI 0.01–0.63). Conclusions: Short antibiotic therapy was equivalent to standard duration therapy for the cure of UTIs in hospitalized children and was also associated with a lower rate of recurrences. This study provides the basis for a larger prospective randomized study to address the role of short antibiotic therapies in children with UTIs requiring hospitalization
Health-Promoting Nutrients and Potential Bioaccessibility of Breads Enriched with Fresh Kale and Spinach

Bread is a staple food and can be a potential product to be enriched with various deficient nutrients. The objective of the study was to characterize the nutritional properties of toasted bread enriched with 10% and 20% of kale and wholemeal bread with 20% and 40% of spinach. The supplementation increased the phenolic content up to 2–3 times in the bread with the addition of 20% spinach and 40% kale. The highest antioxidant properties were noticed in extracts of bread with 20% kale. The in vitro digestion released the hydrophilic and lipophilic antioxidative compounds, leading to higher bioaccessibility of the breads enriched with these selected green vegetables. Even more than a 2-fold increase in folate content was observed in breads with the greatest addition of kale (20%) and spinach (40%), from 18.1 to 45.3 µg/100 g and from 37.2 to 83.2 µg/100 g, respectively, compared to the non-enriched breads. Breads with spinach showed significantly (P < 0.05) higher contents of all of the tested minerals, Cu, Mn, Fe, Zn, Mg, Ca, Na, K, and P, whereas kale enriched breads showed most of them. The results suggest that the addition of fresh green vegetables can enhance the daily supply of micronutrients and significantly increase the bioavailability of bioactive compounds with high antioxidant status.
Giant burst of methanol maser in S255IR-NIRS3

Context. High-mass young stellar objects (HMYSOs) can undergo accretion episodes that strongly affect the star evolution, the dynamics of the disk, and its chemical evolution. Recently reported extraordinary bursts in the methanol maser emission may be the observational signature of accretion events in deeply embedded HMYSOs. Aims. We analyze the light curve of 6.7 GHz methanol masers in S255IR-NIRS3 during the 2015–2016 burst. Methods. 8.5-yr monitoring data with an average sampling interval of 5 days were obtained with the Torun 32 m radio telescope. Archival data were added, extending the time series to ~27 yr. Results. The maser emission showed moderate (25–30%) variability on timescales of months to years over ~23 yr since its discovery. The main burst was preceded by a 1 yr increase of the total flux density by a factor of 2.5, then it grew by a factor of 10 over ~0.4 yr and declined by a factor of 8 during the consecutive 2.4 yr. The peak maser luminosity was a factor of 24.5 higher than the pre-burst quiescent value. The light curves of individual features showed considerable diversity but indicated a general trend of suppression of the maser emission at blueshifted (<4.7 km s−1) velocities when the redshifted emission rapidly grew and new emission features appeared at velocities >5.8 km s−1. This new emission provided a contribution of about 80% to the maser luminosity around the peak of the burst. The duration of the burst at the extreme redshifted velocities of 7.1–8.7 km s−1 was from 0.9 to 1.9 yr, and its lower limit for the other features was ~3.9 yr. Conclusions. The onset of the maser burst exactly coincides with that of the infrared burst estimated from the motion of the light echo. This strongly supports the radiative pumping scheme of the maser transition. The growth of the maser luminosity is the result of an increasing volume of gas where the maser inversion is achieved.
Individually addressable double quantum dots formed with nanowire polytypes and identified by epitaxial markers

Double quantum dots (DQDs) hold great promise as building blocks for quantum technology as they allow for two electronic states to coherently couple. Defining QDs with materials rather than using electrostatic gating allows for QDs with a hard-wall confinement potential and more robust charge and spin states. An unresolved problem is how to individually address these QDs, which is necessary for controlling quantum states. We here report the fabrication of DQD devices defined by the conduction band edge offset at the interface of the wurtzite and zinc blende crystal phases of InAs in nanowires. By using sacrificial epitaxial GaSb markers selectively forming on one crystal phase, we are able to precisely align gate electrodes allowing us to probe and control each QD independently. We hence observe textbooklike charge stability diagrams, a discrete energy spectrum, and electron numbers consistent with theoretical estimates and investigate the tunability of the devices, finding that changing the electron number can be used to tune the tunnel barrier as expected by simple band diagram arguments.
First principle calculations of the electronic properties and splitting energy of AlxGa1-xN using GGA and mBJ potentials

In this paper, we present the first principle calculations of the band structure of gallium nitride (GaN)-based semiconductor alloy of AlxGa1-xN for x=0.25, 0.50 and 0.75. Our calculations were performed using the density functional theory (DFT) with the generalized gradient approximation (GGA) and modified BeckeJohnson (mBJ) potential of Tran and Blaha, which are based on the optimization of total energy and corresponding potential within the full potential-linearized augmented plane wave (FP-LAPW) method. We have compared our results calculated by GGA and mBJ and we found that mBJ gave better results than GGA. The calculated band gap varies nonlinearly as a function of the composition x. Our calculated direct band gap bowing parameter b using mBJ potential is found to be 0.72 eV which is in good agreement with the experimental results as well as the theoretical predictions. However, in the case of GGA, the direct band gap measured has a lower value of 0.55 eV. We also obtained the result on the band structure with the inclusion of spin-orbit interaction (SOI) on both approximations and also compared the results. We have found that the inclusion of SOI affected the band structures and the splitting of the degenerate valence band occurred on high symmetry Γ-point.
Analyzing a Bose polaron across resonant interactions

Recently, two independent experiments reported the observation of long-lived polarons in a Bose-Einstein condensate, providing an excellent setting to study the generic scenario of a mobile impurity interacting with a quantum reservoir. Here we expand the experimental analysis by disentangling the effects of trap inhomogeneities and the many-body continuum in one of these experiments. This makes it possible to extract the energy of the polaron at a well-defined density as a function of the interaction strength. Comparisons with quantum Monte Carlo as well as diagrammatic calculations show good agreement, and provide a more detailed picture of the polaron properties at stronger interactions than previously possible. Moreover, we develop a semiclassical theory for the motional dynamics and three-body loss of the polarons, which partly explains a previously unresolved discrepancy between theory and experimental observations for repulsive interactions. Finally, we utilize quantum Monte Carlo calculations to demonstrate that the findings reported in the two experiments are consistent with each other.
Ethyl Methane Sulfonate and Sodium Azide-Mediated Chemical and X-ray-Mediated Physical Mutagenesis Positively Regulate Peroxidase 1 Gene Activity and Biosynthesis of Antineoplastic Vinblastine in Catharanthus roseus

Catharanthus roseus synthesizes bioactive therapeutic metabolites, known as monoterpenoid indole alkaloids (MIAs), including antineoplastic vinblastine and vincristine, which have high global demand, and antihypertensive ajmalicine, a serpentine. However, the in planta biosynthesis and accumulation of these phytopharmaceuticals are very low, attributed to their high cytotoxicity in the plant. Considering the low in planta concentration and over-harvesting of plant resources, biotechnological interventions have been undertaken to enhance the production of MIAs in plant systems. The present study was carried out to mutation through chemical and physical mutagenesis with sodium azide, ethyl methane sulfonate and X-rays, respectively, on C. roseus to determine their possible effects on the transcriptional modulation of MIA biosynthetic pathways in planta. The chemical mutagenesis resulted in delayed seed pod development in mutated C. roseus plants, with distinct leaf morphology and flower color. However, X-ray mutagenesis resulted in pollen-less sterile flowers. An HPLC analysis confirmed the higher catharanthine, vindoline and vinblastine content in sodium azide and X-ray mutants, and was further supported by higher PRX1 transcript levels estimated through real-time PCR analysis. The transcription factors WRKY1 and ORCA2 were found negatively regulated along with major MIA pathway genes in chemical mutants and their M1 generation, but showed positive regulation in X-ray M0 mutants. The induced mutagenesis of C. roseus provides a prospective strategy to modulate plant transcriptomes and enhance the biosynthesis of pharmaceutically important antineoplastic vinblastine in the plant.
Prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) among rural population: A national survey in Bangladesh

Background: In Bangladesh, there is a scarcity of nationally representative data on the burden of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Methods: To estimate the COPD prevalence in rural settings, this cross-sectional, population-based study was conducted in all eight administrative divisions of Bangladesh, and involved adults aged 40 years and above. By using multi-stage random sampling, 2,458 individuals were enrolled. The Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) guidelines were used to diagnose COPD based on post-bronchodilator lung function, while additional participant data was gathered through computer-assisted personal interviews. Results: A 2% COPD prevalence (95% CI: 1.45, 2.55) was found in the study sample with a statistically significant difference between males (2.7%; 95% CI: 1.8, 3.6) and females (1.2%; 95% CI: 0.59, 1.81). Increasing age significantly inflated the odds of having COPD irrespective of sex (OR: 1.03; 95% CI: 1.00, 1.05; P value < 0.05). Furthermore, prevalence of COPD was higher among manual workers, cigarette smokers, and those that used the indoor kitchen and did not have a primary education. Sex-based analysis showed that smokeless tobacco consumption was significantly associated with COPD occurrence among males (OR: 2.14; 95% CI: 1.05, 4.37; P value < 0.05), but not females. Further, using an indoor kitchen increased the odds of developing COPD by 400% among female participants (OR: 4.39; 95% CI: 1.37, 14.10; P value < 0.05). Conclusion: This study provides a comprehensive sex-based estimation of COPD prevalence among rural population and imparts significant contribution to the growing database on COPD prevalence in Bangladesh.
A Design for the High Yield Photoneutron Source Target Station

Low energy accelerator driven neutron sources are promising candidates to obtain a neutron yield as high as 1014 n/s, which is required for a variety of applications, such as boron neutron capture therapy, neutron imaging, and neutron scattering. The methods to generate neutrons can be divided into two categories: hadron-based and photon-based methods. In order to better understand which kind of source would be the better choice for delivering a brilliant neutron beam robustly, in this paper, the underlying principles of neutron production, as well as the simulation results of neutron yield, target heat dissipation, thermal stress, and reaction byproducts concentration of these two types of neutron sources, will be elaborated on. A preliminary photoneutron target station design based on a 50 MeV/50 kW electron linear accelerator, including the optimized neutron yield, thermal hydraulic analysis, and shielding calculation, is presented as well to demonstrate the method to deliver brilliant thermal neutron beam of 1.03 × 1010 cm−2 s−1 sr−1.
Probing inflation and dark energy with current cosmological observations

It is commonly believed that our Universe has experienced at least two different stages of accelerated expansion. The early stage is known as inflation and the current acceleration is driven by dark energy. Observing inflation and dark energy dynamics are among the most important aspects of current cosmological research. In this paper we carry out a first detailed probe of the possible degeneracies between dynamical inflation and dark energy in the light of the current cosmological observations. We have combined type Ia supernova (Riess ‘gold’ samples), galaxy clustering (SDSS 3D power spectra) and the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) observations and performed a global analysis using the Markov chain Monte Carlo method. We find the inclusion of inflation and dark energy parameters together makes the parameter spaces broader and the degeneracies among the inflation dark energy parameters are non-trivial: the allowed/preferred behaviour of dynamics in one sector is dependent on the prior of the other sector. Interestingly a deviation from a scale invariant primordial spectrum is slightly preferred by the current cosmological observations when one marginalizes over dynamical dark energy models.
Bioinformatics Analysis of RNA-seq Data Reveals Genes Related to Cancer Stem Cells in Colorectal Cancerogenesis

Cancer stem cells (CSC) play one of the crucial roles in the pathogenesis of various cancers, including colorectal cancer (CRC). Although great efforts have been made regarding our understanding of the cancerogenesis of CRC, CSC involvement in CRC development is still poorly understood. Using bioinformatics and RNA-seq data of normal mucosa, colorectal adenoma, and carcinoma (n = 106) from GEO and TCGA, we identified candidate CSC genes and analyzed pathway enrichment analysis (PEI) and protein–protein interaction analysis (PPI). Identified CSC-related genes were validated using qPCR and tissue samples from 47 patients with adenoma, adenoma with early carcinoma, and carcinoma without and with lymph node metastasis and were compared to normal mucosa. Six CSC-related genes were identified: ANLN, CDK1, ECT2, PDGFD, TNC, and TNXB. ANLN, CDK1, ECT2, and TNC were differentially expressed between adenoma and adenoma with early carcinoma. TNC was differentially expressed in CRC without lymph node metastases whereas ANLN, CDK1, and PDGFD were differentially expressed in CRC with lymph node metastases compared to normal mucosa. ANLN and PDGFD were differentially expressed between carcinoma without and with lymph node metastasis. Our study identified and validated CSC-related genes that might be involved in early stages of CRC development (ANLN, CDK1, ECT2, TNC) and in development of metastasis (ANLN, PDGFD).