Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Study on Biosorption of Heavy Metals by Modified Lignocellulosic Waste

Heavy metal laden effluent coming out of various industries is posing a huge pressure on the environment. This in turn, necessitates the development of a noble low cost and efficient technology for the removal of such wastes from industrial effluents. In this particular research, the heavy metal (lead (II)) biosorption capacity of modified agri-waste (rice husk and sugarcane bagasse) has been studied, taking the two biosorbents as abundant and low cost biosorbents with promising potential to remove hazardous heavy metal wastes from effluent streams. In the study, options to enhance metal sorption capacity by chemical and thermal modification of the sorbents have been investigated. Impact of modifier chemicals used include sodium hydroxide, sulfuric acid, nitric acid, citrc acid, acrylic acid and glutamic acid in case of rice husk and modifiers like Sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), Sodium bicarbonate, Cetyl trimethyl diammonium bromide (CTAB), sodium methylate and urea, in case of sugar cane bagasse in addition to those used with rice husk. Characterization of the sorbents surfaces has been made before and after chemical and thermal modification and after sorption of heavy metals using furrier transform infra-red spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electro microscope (SEM). Some studies have also been done on mechanism of sorption. In addition impact of concentration of sodium hydroxide and citric acid as effective chemical modifier has been studied. Tests to understand impact of particle size have also been conducted and results for the two biosorbents have been compared.
Lightcurve Analysis of Four New Monolithic Fast-Rotating Asteroids

Abstract We present lightcurves and analysis for four new monolithic fast-rotating asteroids: 2000 AG 6 , 2000 DO 8 , 2000 EB 14 , and 2000 HB 24 . Their rotation periods of 4.60, 1.30, 107.47, and 13.05 min place them well below the critical threshold for the rotation rate of strengthless prolate ellipsoids, as we demonstrate. These four objects join the five previously identified fast-rotating asteroids. The sharp segregation in spin rates between these nine objects and asteroids with more typical spin rates is somewhat puzzling. No observed objects larger than about 200 m spin with rates faster than the critical rate for strengthless prolate ellipsoids, while no objects smaller than 200 m have shown spin rates slower than this critical limit. We hypothesize that these small, fast-rotating objects are representative of the building blocks of the “rubble pile” asteroids and are in fact derived from impacts into already existing “rubble piles. ”
Primary SARS-CoV-2 Infections, Re-infections and Vaccine Effectiveness during the Omicron Transmission Period in Healthcare Workers of Trieste and Gorizia (Northeast Italy), 1 December 2021–31 May 2022

Objective: To evaluate the incidence of primary and recurrent COVID-19 infections in healthcare workers (HCWs) routinely screened for SARS-CoV-2 by nasopharyngeal swabs during the Omicron wave. Design: Dynamic Cohort study of HCWs (N = 7723) of the University Health Agency Giuliano Isontina (ASUGI), covering health services of the provinces of Trieste and Gorizia (Northeast Italy). Cox proportional hazard model was employed to estimate the risk of primary as well as recurrent SARS-CoV-2 infection from 1 December 2021 through 31 May 2022, adjusting for a number of confounding factors. Results: By 1 December 2021, 46.8% HCWs of ASUGI had received the booster, 37.2% were immunized only with two doses of COVID-19 vaccines, 6.0% only with one dose and 10.0% were unvaccinated. During 1 March 2020–31 May 2022, 3571 primary against 406 SARS-CoV-2 recurrent infections were counted among HCWs of ASUGI, 59.7% (=2130/3571) versus 95.1% (=386/406) of which occurring from 1 December 2021 through 31 May 2022, respectively. All HCWs infected by SARS-CoV-2 during 1 December 2021 through 31 May 2022 presented mild flu-like disease. Compared to staff working in administrative services, the risk of primary as well as recurrent SARS-CoV-2 infection increased in HCWs with patient-facing clinical tasks (especially nurses and other categories of HCWs) and in all clinical wards but COVID-19 units and community health services. Regardless of the number of swab tests performed during the study period, primary infections were less likely in HCWs immunized with one dose of COVID-19 vaccine. By contrast, the risk of SARS-CoV-2 re-infection was significantly lower in HCWs immunized with three doses (aHR = 0.58; 95%CI: 0.41; 0.80). During the study period, vaccine effectiveness (VE = 1-aHR) of the booster dose declined to 42% against re-infections, vanishing against primary SARS-CoV-2 infections. Conclusions: Though generally mild, SARS-CoV-2 infections and re-infections surged during the Omicron transmission period. Compared to unvaccinated colleagues, the risk of primary SARS-CoV-2 infection was significantly lower in HCWs immunized just with one dose of COVID-19 vaccines. By Italian law, HCWs immunized only with one dose were either suspended or re-assigned to job tasks not entailing patient facing contact; hence, while sharing the same biological risk of unvaccinated colleagues, they arguably had a higher level of protection against COVID-19 infection. By contrast, SARS-CoV-2 re-infections were less likely in HCWs vaccinated with three doses, suggesting that hybrid humoral immunity by vaccination combined with natural infection provided a higher level of protection than vaccination only. In this stage of the pandemic, where SARS-CoV-2 is more infectious yet much less pathogenic, health protection measures in healthcare premises at higher biological risk seem the rational approach to control the transmission of the virus.
Photo-induced lattice softening of excited-state VO2

In this letter, we demonstrated the photoexcitation of metallic phase vanadium dioxide (VO2) with time-resolved x-ray diffraction measurements. Through the photoexcitation, the metallic phase VO2 transitioned to the similar transient state, which was presented in the insulator to metal phase transition in the time-scale of ∼10 ps. This transient state was accessed only by the photoexcitation and not through further thermal excitation. The presence of the transient state could be an important factor in any further application of the phase transition phenomena.
Overexpression of CfICE1 from Cryptomeria fortunei Enhances Cold, Drought and Salt Stress in Poplar

ICE1, a regulator of the cold-inducible transcriptome and freezing tolerance, is currently widely believed to be involved in plant resistance to cold stress. In this study, CfICE1 from Cryptomeria fortunei was transformed into poplar. Physiological indicators of transgenic, empty vector and wild-type poplar after abiotic stress (cold, drought and salt) were determined. Transgenic lines had a higher chlorophyll content, antioxidant enzyme activity and soluble protein content, as well as a lower malondialdehyde and hydrogen peroxide content. The ultrastructure of the plant was observed by transmission electron microscopy, and after stress, the cell structure of the transgenic line was more complete than that of the wild type. CfICE1 was upregulated in transgenic poplar trees after abiotic stress (cold, drought and salt). The CfICE1 transgenic plants improved plant resistance by regulating the CBF gene of poplar under cold and salt stress. In terms of plant responses to abiotic stress, this study showed that overexpression of CfICE1 improved the cold, drought and salt tolerance of poplars.
ANCA-associated vasculitis in Ireland: a multi-centre national cohort study

Background: Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) is a rare multisystem autoimmune disease. There is a need for interoperable national registries to enable reporting of real-world long-term outcomes and their predictors in AAV. Methods: The Irish National Rare Kidney Disease (RKD) registry was founded in 2012. To date, 842 patients with various forms of vasculitis have been recruited across eight nephrology, rheumatology and immunology centres. We focus here on patient- and disease- characteristics, treatment and outcomes of the 397 prospectively recruited patients with AAV. Results: Median age was 64 years (IQR 55–73), 57.9% were male, 58.9% had microscopic polyangiitis and 85.9% had renal impairment. Cumulative one- and five-year patient survival was 94% and 77% respectively. Median follow-up was 33.5 months (IQR 10.7–52.7). After controlling for age, baseline renal dysfunction (p = 0.04) and the burden of adverse events (p <0.001) were independent predictors of death overall. End-stage-kidney-disease (ESKD) occurred in 73 (18.4%) patients; one- and five-year renal survival was 85% and 79% respectively. Baseline severity of renal insufficiency (p = 0.02), urine soluble CD163 (usCD163) (p = 0.002) and “sclerotic” Berden histological class (p = 0.001) were key determinants of ESKD risk. Conclusions: Long-term outcomes of Irish AAV patients are comparable to other reported series. Our results emphasise the need for personalisation of immunosuppression, to limit treatment toxicity, particularly in those with advanced age and renal insufficiency. Baseline usCD163 is a potential biomarker for ESKD prediction and should be validated in a large independent cohort.
Insights into the Relationship between Pentraxin-3 and Cancer

Although cancer can be cured if detected early and treated effectively, it is still a leading cause of death worldwide. Tumor development can be limited by an appropiate immune response, but it can be promoted by chronic extensive inflammation through metabolic dysregulation and angiogenesis. In the past decade, numerous efforts have been made in order to identify novel candidates with predictive values in cancer diagnostics. In line with this, researchers have investigated the involvement of pentraxin-3 (PTX-3) in cellular proliferation and immune escape in various types of cancers, although it has not been clearly elucidated. PTX-3 is a member of the long pentraxin subfamily which plays an important role in regulating inflammation, innate immunity response, angiogenesis, and tissue remodeling. Increased synthesis of inflammatory biomarkers and activation of different cellular mechanisms can induce PTX-3 expression in various types of cells (neutrophils, monocytes, lymphocytes, myeloid dendritic cells, fibroblasts, and epithelial cells). PTX-3 has both pro- and anti-tumor functions, thus dual functions in oncogenesis. This review elucidates the potential usefulness of PTX-3 as a serum biomarker in cancer. While future investigations are needed, PTX-3 is emerging as a promising tool for cancer’s diagnosis and prognosis, and also treatment monitoring.
Comparative study of growth and production performance of Kroiler, Vanraja and desi birds under extensive system of rearing in cold, arid area of Kargil, Ladakh

KVK-Kargil under its FLD programme, distributed Kroiler and Vanraja birds to selected tribal families belonging to two blocks of Kargil District and that were considered for the present investigation to carry out a comparative growth and production performance of the improved supplied variety with the existing deshi birds. The results revealed that body weights gain varies significantly among Kroiler, Vanraja and Desi chicken across the different age and were found to be 1. 91Â±0.02, 1. 78Â±0.02 and 0. 62Â±0.014 at six months; 3. 93Â±0.05, 3. 64Â±0.07 and 1. 48Â±0.01 at one year and 4. 33Â±0.05, 4. 07Â±0.06 and 1. 87Â±0.01 at two years of age respectively. Similar trend were also observed in respect of all production parameters, be it age at first laying, numbers of egg production or egg weight. Numbers of egg produced during first cycle reveals the figure as 182. 95Â±1.31,172. 44Â±1.59 and 112. 85Â±1.73 for Kroiler, Vanraja and Desi birds respectively and which differ significantly among each other. The study concludes that the Kroiler and Vanraja have better adaptability under free range system of production in cold arid condition of Kargil and can be a better alternative for existing Desi birds to augment the production and met the nutritional demand.
Polymeric microneedles enable simultaneous delivery of cancer immunomodulatory drugs and detection of skin biomarkers

Background: Immune-modulating therapies impart positive outcomes in a subpopulation of cancer patients. Improved delivery strategies and non-invasive monitoring of anti-tumor effects can help enhance those outcomes and understand the mechanisms associated with the generation of anti-tumor immune responses following immunotherapy. Methods: We report on the design of a microneedle (MN) platform capable of simultaneous delivery of immune activators and collection of interstitial skin fluid (ISF) to monitor therapeutic responses. While either approach has shown promise, the integration of the therapy and diagnostic arms into one MN platform has hardly been explored before. MNs were synthesized out of crosslinked hyaluronic acid (HA) and loaded with a model immunomodulatory nanoparticle-containing drug, CpG oligodinucleotides (TLR9 agonist), for cancer therapy in melanoma and colon cancer models. The therapeutic response was monitored by longitudinal analysis of entrapped immune cells in the MNs following patch retrieval and digestion. Results: Transdermal delivery of CpG-containing NPs with MNs induced anti-tumor immune responses in multiple syngeneic mouse cancer models. CpG-loaded MNs stimulated innate immune cells and reduced tumor growth. Intravital microscopy showed deposition and spatiotemporal co-localization of CpG-NPs within the tumor microenvironment when delivered with MNs. Analysis of MN-sampled ISF revealed similar immune signatures to those seen in the bulk tumor homogenate, such as increased populations of macrophages and effector T cells following treatment. Conclusions: Our hydrogel-based MNs enable effective transdermal drug delivery into immune cells in the tumor microenvironment, and upon retrieval, enable studying the immune response to the therapy over time. This platform has the theranostic potential to deliver a range of combination therapies while detecting biomarkers.
Chebyshev Spectral Collocation Simulation of Nonlinear Boundary Value Problems in Electrohydrodynamics

The Chebyshev Spectral Collocation Method (CSCM) is applied to two nonlinear boundary value problems in electrohydrodynamic (EHD) ion drag pump flows. We consider two fundamental one-dimensional flows: EHD flow in a conduit and EHD ion drag pumping in a pipe. In the first case, a single dimensionless momentum equation for axial flow velocity is considered. In the second case, three coupled equations for electrical field, potential and charge density are considered. Both models comprise ordinary differential equations. The present study finds applications in micro-fabrication and biomicrofluidic systems. The excellent accuracy and potential of CSCM in nonlinear electro-hydrodynamics is demonstrated.
In Vitro Evaluation of the Interaction of Seven Biologically Active Components in Anemarrhenae rhizoma with P-gp

The efficacy and pharmacokinetics of the biologically active components in Anemarrhenae rhizoma (AR) would be affected by the interaction of P-glycoprotein(P-gp) and effective components in AR. However, little is known about the interaction between them. The goal of this research was to examine the transmembrane absorption of timosaponin AIII(TAIII), timosaponin BII(TBII), sarsasapogenin (SSG), mangiferin(MGF), neomangiferin(NMGF), isomangiferin(IMGF), and baohuosideI(BHI) in AR and their interaction with P-gp. Seven effective components in AR(TAIII, TBII, SSG, MGF, NMGF, IMGF, and BHI) were investigated, and MDCK-MDR1 cells were used as the transport cell model. CCK-8 assays, bidirectional transport assays, and Rhodamine-123 (Rh-123) transport assays were determined in the MDCK-MDR1 cells. LC/MS was applied to the quantitative analysis of TAIII, TBII, MGF, NMGF, IMGF, SSG, and BHI in transport samples. The efflux ratio of MGF, TAIII, TBII, and BHI was greater than 2 and significantly descended with the co-administration of Verapamil, indicating MGF, TAIII, TBII, and BHI as the substrates of P-gp. The efflux ratio of the seven effective components in the extracts (10 mg/mL) of AR decreased from 3.00~1.08 to 1.92~0.48. Compared to the efflux ratio of Rh-123 in the control group (2.46), the efflux ratios of Rh-123 were 1.22, 1.27, 1.25, 1.09, 1.31, and 1.47 by the addition of TAIII, TBII, MGF, IMGF, NMGF, and BHI, respectively, while the efflux ratio of Rh-123 with the co-administration of SSG had no statistical difference compared to the control group. These results indicated that MGF, TAIII, TBII, and BHI could be the substrates of P-gp. TAIII, TBII, MGF, IMGF, NMGF, and BHI show the effect of inhibiting P-gp function, respectively. These findings provide important basic pharmacological data to assist the therapeutic development of AR constituents and extracts.
Beam emission spectroscopy as a comprehensive plasma diagnostic tool

A beam of injected fast atomic hydrogen presents a superb probe for hot fusion plasmas. The neutral particles experience excitation and ionization by collisions with electrons and ions as they penetrate into a plasma. The emitted characteristic line radiation is Doppler shifted and the spectral lines are split due to motional Stark fields. Measurements of wavelength, intensity and polarization of the Balmer- alpha emission reveal information about the neutral beam, such as beam attenuation, beam-geometry, beam-divergence and species mix. Local pitch angles and toroidal fields can be derived from the simultaneous measurement of the polarization pattern and the wavelength separation of the Stark multiplet. The implementation and application of beam emission spectroscopy as a quantitative diagnostic tool on the Joint European Torus (JET) experiment is reviewed.
FUNCTIONALS OF CLASSICAL FIELDS IN QUANTUM FIELD THEORY

Many methods of modern quantum field theory rely heavily on functionals of classical fields; this notion is however problematic whenever anticommuting fields are present. We propose a calculus for such functionals which avoids the use of auxiliary Grassmann algebras, and which relies on an infinite-dimensional version of Berezin-Leites supermanifold theory. We begin by studying “functional power series expansions” without growth conditions; this already allows to make e.g. the Yang-Mills action functional with fermionic, anticommuting matter fields a well-defined mathematical object. We introduce analytical conditions on power series which enable us to substitute them into each other, and we globalize them to superfunctionals. Also, infinitesimal transformation laws of the fields are discussed.
Whispering-gallery-mode microring laser using a conjugated polymer

We observed laser emission in whispering gallery modes using a microring composed of a semiconducting polymer poly[2,5-bis-(2′-ethylhexyloxy)-p-phenylenevinylene coated on an etched fiber under transient and quasisteady-state pumping conditions. The threshold for laser oscillation was 1 mJ/cm2 (0.1 MW/cm2) and 30 μJ/cm2 (300 MW/cm2) for nanosecond and femtosecond excitation, respectively. The laser output showed superlinear dependence on the excitation energy above the threshold. The demonstration of lasing under quasisteady-state pumping shows the possibility to develop electrically pumped polymer lasers.
Chinese Postgraduate Students' Perceived Social Presence in Online Learning Environments: A Zoom-Based Online Student-Led Project Evaluation

: Research on how Chinese students perceive their social presence, especially in the UK's higher education and online environment, has received less attention. This qualitative study will fill the research gap by providing data to understand Chinese students' attitudes towards Zoom-based student-led online learning projects, aiming to explore how Chinese students perceive social presence and what factors influence their social presence. We collected data by conducting semi-structured interviews with seven postgraduate students who attended an online Zoom-based student-led project, "Holistic Academic and Research Reflective Practice". It is found that students’ perceived social presence can be grouped into three themes: conceptualization of social presence; the level of perceived social presence in the online environments; and the perceived importance of social presence. The factors that affect the social presence of Chinese students can be put into three categories: social context, online communication, and interactivity. We suggest that students should always be aware of the impact of emotional values and human interaction in online learning environments in order to have a positive learning experience. Chinese students who want to take part in more interactive online learning environments should think about how to build a healthy sense of social presence.
Sustainable Sheep Wool/Soy Protein Biocomposites for Sound Absorption

The wool fibers of the Latxa sheep breed were combined with a soy protein isolate (SPI) matrix to develop sustainable biocomposites with acoustic properties, adding value to Latxa sheep wool, which is currently considered a residue. Samples with 7, 10, 15, and 20 wt % wool were prepared by freeze drying in order to develop porous structures, as shown by SEM analysis. Additionally, XRD analysis provided the evidence of a change toward a more amorphous structure with the incorporation of wool fibers due to the interactions between the soy protein and keratin present in wool fibers, as shown by the relative intensity changes in the FTIR bands. The biocomposites were analyzed in a Kundt’s tube to obtain their sound absorption coefficient at normal incidence. The results showed an acoustic absorption coefficient that well-surpassed 0.9 for frequencies above 1000 Hz. This performance is comparable to that of the conventional synthetic materials present in the market and, thus, sheep wool/SPI biocomposites are suitable to be used as acoustic absorbers in the building industry, highlighting the potential of replacing not only synthetic fibers but also synthetic polymers, with natural materials to enhance the sustainability of the building sector.
Evaluation of Polyherbal Formulation at Different Dose Levels on Egg Production and Egg Quality Parameters in White Leghorn layers fed with High Energy Diets

Choline is an essential nutrient in the poultry diet. It plays a vital role in the metabolism and mobilization of accumulated abdominal fat. In layer birds, it helps in improving the rate of egg production, egg quality and prevents fatty liver syndrome. However, synthetic choline has lots of demerits that need to be addressed. To mitigate the drawbacks of choline, the present study was conducted to evaluate the impact of Kolin PlusTM, a polyherbal formulation (POH) manufactured by M/s Natural Remedies Pvt Ltd, Bengaluru, India, on the performance of the White Leghorn (WL) layer poultry birds. In the current trial, WL layer hens at the age of 41 to 55 weeks were distributed into 7 (G1 to G7) study groups having 6 replicates (20 birds/replicate) per group. All groups (G2 to G7) except the normal control group (G1) were supplied with high energy diet (HED).