Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
On the gravity dual of the light-front vacuum

Building on a previous conjecture, we argue that the holographic dual of the light-front vacuum state of a superconformal field theory quantized in the front form of dynamics contains the Kaigorodov spacetime, which is nothing but a pp-wave propagating in AdS. Evidence in favor of this conjecture is presented. In particular we verify the matching of global symmetries and discuss the contribution of the zero mode sector in both sides of the correspondence.
Molecular Simulations and Network Analyses of Surface/Interface Effects in Epoxy Resins: How Bonding Adapts to Boundary Conditions

In this study, we unravel the atomic structure of a covalent resin near boundaries such as surfaces and composite constituents. For this, a molecular simulation analysis of epoxy resin hardening under various boundary conditions was performed. On the atomic level of detail, molecular dynamics simulations were employed to study crosslinking reactions and self-organization of the polymer network within nm scale slab models. The resulting structures were then coarsened into a graph theoretical description for connectivity analysis of the nodes and combined with characterization of the node-to-node vector orientation. On this basis, we show that the local bonding of epoxy resins near interfaces tends to avoid under-coordinated linker sites. For both epoxy–vacuum surface models and epoxy–silica/epoxy cellulose interfaces, we find almost fully cured polymer networks. These feature a local increase in network linking lateral to the surface/interface, rather than the dangling of unreacted epoxy groups. Consequently, interface tension is low (as compared to the work of separating bulk epoxy), and the reactivity of the resin surface appears negligible.
Disulfiram/Copper Induces Immunogenic Cell Death and Enhances CD47 Blockade in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Simple Summary The combination of disulfiram and copper is a novel anti-cancer drug under clinical development for the treatment of several tumor types including hepatocellular carcinoma. In this study, we investigated the potential of disulfiram and copper to induce immunogenic cell death and whether it could enhance the efficacy of immune checkpoint blockade. Our results showed that treatment with disulfiram and copper induced the release of damage-associated molecular patterns, such as calreticulin, ATP, and high mobility group box 1; thus, eliciting the maturation and activation of dendritic cells. The treatment with disulfiram and copper further enhanced the efficacy of CD47 blockade. Mechanically, disulfiram and copper promoted the nuclear accumulation and aggregation of nuclear protein localization protein 4 to inhibit the ubiquitin-proteasome system, thus, inducing endoplasmic reticulum stress. Taken together, the present findings suggest the potential clinical applications of disulfiram and copper in hepatocellular carcinoma. Abstract Some chemotherapeutic agents have been found to enhance antitumor immunity by inducing immunogenic cell death (ICD). The combination of disulfiram (DSF) and copper (Cu) has demonstrated anti-tumor effects in a range of malignancies including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the potential of DSF/Cu as an ICD inducer and whether it can enhance the efficacy of the immune checkpoint blockade in HCC remains unknown. Here, we showed that DSF/Cu-treated HCC cells exhibited characteristics of ICD in vitro, such as calreticulin (CRT) exposure, ATP secretion, and high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) release. DSF/Cu-treated HCC cells elicited significant immune memory in a vaccination assay. DSF/Cu treatment promoted dendritic cell activation and maturation. The combination of DSF/Cu and CD47 blockade further facilitated DC maturation and subsequently enhanced CD8+ T cell cytotoxicity. Mechanically, DSF/Cu promoted the nuclear accumulation and aggregation of nuclear protein localization protein 4 (NPL4) to inhibit the ubiquitin-proteasome system; thus, inducing endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. The inhibition of NPL4 induced ICD-associated damage-associated molecular patterns. Collectively, our findings demonstrated that DSF/Cu-induced ICD-mediated immune activation in HCC enhanced the efficacy of CD47 blockade.
Development and Applications of Compton Camera—A Review

The history of Compton cameras began with the detection of radiation sources originally for applications in astronomy. A Compton camera is a promising γ-ray detector that operates in the wide energy range of a few tens of keV to MeV. The γ-ray detection method of a Compton camera is based on Compton scattering kinematics, which is used to determine the direction and energy of the γ-rays without using a mechanical collimator. Although the Compton camera was originally designed for astrophysical applications, it was later applied in medical imaging as well. Moreover, its application in environmental radiation measurements is also under study. Although a few review papers regarding Compton cameras have been published, they either focus very specifically on the detectors used in such cameras or the particular applications of Compton cameras. Thus, the aim of this paper is to review the features and types of Compton cameras and introduce their applications, associated imaging algorithms, improvement scopes, and their future aspects.
High-pressure behavior of 3.65 Å phase: Insights from Raman spectroscopy

Abstract The 3.65 Å phase [MgSi(OH)6] is a hydrous phase that is predicted to be stable in a simplified MgO-SiO2-H2O (MSH) ternary system at pressures exceeding 9 GPa. Along cold subduction zones, it is likely to transport water, bound in its crystalline lattice, into the Earth’s interior. The 3.65 Å phase consists of Mg and Si octahedral sites attached to the hydroxyl group that forms a hydrogen bond and is predicted to undergo pressure-induced symmetrization of the hydrogen bond. Therefore, in this study, we investigate the high-pressure behavior of the 3.65 Å phase using Raman spectroscopy. We have conducted five distinct compressions up to ~60 GPa using two different pressure-transmitting media—alcohol mixture and neon. At ambient conditions, we identified vibrational modes using complementary first-principles simulations based on density functional perturbation theory. Upon compression, we note that the first derivative of the vibrational modes in the lattice region stifens, i.e., b i lattice > 0. $b_{\mathrm{i}}^{\text {lattice }}>0. $In contrast, the hydroxyl region softens, i.e., b i O H > 0. $b_{\mathrm{i}}^{\mathrm{OH}}>0. $This is indicative of the strengthening of hydrogen bonding upon compression. We noticed a significant broadening of vibrational modes related to hydroxyl groups that are indicative of proton disorder. However, within the maximum pressures explored in this study, we did not find evidence for pressure-induced symmetrization of the hydrogen bonds. We used the pressure derivative of the vibrational modes to determine the ratio of the bulk moduli and their pressure derivative. We note that the smaller bulk moduli of hydrous phases compared to the major mantle phases are compensated by significantly larger pressure derivatives of the bulk moduli for the hydrous phases. This leads to a significant reduction in the elasticity contrast between hydrous and major mantle phases. Consequently, the detection of the degree of mantle hydration is likely to be challenging at greater depths.
The Red MSX Source survey: critical tests of accretion models for the formation of massive stars

There is currently no accepted theoretical framework for the formation of the most massive stars, and the manner in which protostars continue to accrete and grow in mass beyond ∼10 M⊙ is still a controversial topic. In this study we use several prescriptions of stellar accretion and a description of the Galactic gas distribution to simulate the luminosities and spatial distribution of massive protostellar population of the Galaxy. We then compare the observables of each simulation to the results of the Red MSX Source (RMS) survey, a recently compiled data base of massive young stellar objects (YSO). We find that the observations are best matched by accretion rates which increase as the protostar grows in mass, such as those predicted by the turbulent core and competitive accretion (i.e. Bondi–Hoyle) models. These ‘accelerating accretion’ models provide very good qualitative and quantitative fits to the data, though we are unable to distinguish between these two models on our simulations alone. We rule out models with accretion rates which are constant with time, and those which are initially very high and which fall away with time, as these produce results which are quantitatively and/or qualitatively incompatible with the observations. To simultaneously match the low- and high-luminosity YSO distribution we require the inclusion of a ‘swollen-star’ pre-main-sequence phase, the length of which is well-described by the Kelvin–Helmholz time-scale. Our results suggest that the lifetime of the YSO phase is ∼105 yr, whereas the compact H ii region phase lasts between ∼2 and 4 × 105 yr depending on the final mass of the star. Finally, the absolute numbers of YSOs are best matched by a globally averaged star formation rate for the Galaxy of 1.5–2 M⊙.
NCOA4 Regulates Iron Recycling and Responds to Hepcidin Activity and Lipopolysaccharide in Macrophages

Macrophages, via erythrophagocytosis, recycle iron from effete erythrocytes to newly developing red blood cells. Conversion of potentially cytotoxic levels of iron from its heme into nonheme form during iron recycling is safely accomplished via coordinated regulations of cellular iron transport and homeostasis. Herein, we demonstrate the roles and regulation of NCOA4 (nuclear receptor coactivator 4)-mediated ferritinophagy in macrophages after erythrophagocytosis using the mouse macrophage cell line J774 cells. Ferritin in J774 cells increased with the rise of nonheme iron by erythrocyte ingestion and declined when total cellular iron contents subsequently decreased. NCOA4, a selective autophagic cargo receptor for ferritin, was responsible for the control of cellular ferritin and total iron contents at the later stage of erythrophagocytosis. A hepcidin analog, which limits the flux of iron through iron-recycling by inhibiting iron export at the plasma membrane, repressed NCOA4 expression and led to accumulation of ferritin in the mouse macrophages. Transcriptome analyses revealed a functional association of immune response with NCOA4-dependent gene expressions, and we confirmed repression of Ncoa4 by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in J774 cells and the spleen of mice. Collectively, our studies indicate that NCOA4 facilitates cellular ferritin turnover and the release of iron by macrophages after erythrophagocytosis and functions as a regulatory target for molecular signals of systemic iron overload and inflammation. These identify macrophage NCOA4 as a potential therapeutic target for disorders of systemic iron dysregulation, including anemia of inflammation and hemochromatosis.
Radio jets from stellar tidal disruptions

A star that passes too close to a massive black hole will be torn apart by tidal forces. The flare of photons emitted during the accretion of the stellar debris is predicted to be observable, and candidates of such events have been observed at optical to X-ray frequencies. If a fraction of the accreted material is fed into a jet, tidal flares should be detectable at radio frequencies too, thus comprising a new class of rare radio transients. Using the well-established scaling between accretion power and jet luminosity and basic synchrotron theory, we construct an empirically rooted model to predict the jet luminosity for a time-dependent accretion rate. We apply this model to stellar tidal disruptions and predict the snapshot rate of these events. For a small angle between the observer and the jet, our model reproduces the observed radio flux of the tidal flare candidate GRB 110328A. We find that future radio surveys will be able to test whether the majority of tidal disruptions are accompanied by a jet.
The origin of the mass-metallicity relation: an analytical approach

Context. The mass-metallicity (MZ) relation in star-forming galaxies at all redshifts has been recently established. It is therefore important to understand the physical mechanisms underlying such a relation. Aims. We aim at studying some possible physical mechanisms contributing to the MZ relation by adopting analytical solutions of chemical evolution models, including infall and outflow. Methods. Analytical models assume the instantaneous recycling approximation, which is still an acceptable assumption for elements produced on short timescales such as oxygen, which is the measured abundance in the MZ relation.We explore the hypotheses of a variable galactic wind rate, infall rate, and yield per stellar generation (i.e. a variation in the IMF), as possible causes for the MZ relation. Results. By means of analytical models, we computed the expected O abundance for galaxies of a given total baryonic mass and gas mass.The stellar mass was derived observationally and the gas mass was derived by inverting the Kennicutt law of star formation, once its rate is known. Then we tested how the parameters describing the outflow, infall, and IMF should vary to reproduce the MZ relation, and we exclude the cases where such a variation leads to unrealistic situations. Conclusions. We find that a galactic wind rate increasing with decreasing galactic mass or a variable IMF are both viable solutions for the MZ relation. A variable infall rate instead is not acceptable. It is difficult to differentiate among the outflow and IMF solutions by only considering the MZ relation, and other observational constraints should be taken into account in selecting a specific solution. For example, a variable efficiency of star formation increasing with galactic mass can also reproduce the MZ relation and explain the downsizing in star formation suggested for ellipticals. The best solution could be a variable efficiency of star formation coupled with galactic winds, which are indeed observed in low-mass galaxies.
Optical signal-to-noise ratio monitoring based on four-wave mixing

Abstract. The transmission rates of the next generation intelligent optical networks are high, and the use of dense wavelength division multiplexing and a reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer makes the traditional optical signal-to-noise ratio (OSNR) monitoring techniques unsuitable. Hence, we investigated the OSNR monitoring method based on the nonlinear effect of four-wave mixing (FWM), which applies to the next generation intelligent optical networks. Due to FWM in a highly nonlinear fiber, a converted wave is generated and its power is dependent on the OSNR of the input signal. Two scenarios are studied, single-pump and orthogonal-polarized dual-pump. Under the condition of the given fiber length and the appropriate pump power, the monitoring ranges of OSNR could be extended to 23 and 30 dB for single-pump and orthogonal-polarized dual-pump, respectively.
Evolution of Quantitative Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography Markers with Glycemic Control: A Pilot Study

Aim: We aimed to analyze changes in retinal microvascularization with intensive reduction of glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) in patients with poorly controlled diabetes using quantitative optical coherence tomography angiography (OCT-A) metrics. Method: This was a retrospective observational study in patients with uncontrolled diabetes admitted to the hospital for glycemic control. A second set of 15 healthy volunteers was included to serve as a control group. OCT-A was performed at inclusion and at 3 months to measure foveal avascular zone area (FAZA), vessel density (VD) of the superficial capillary plexus (SCP) and deep capillary plexus (DCP), acircularity index (AI), and fractal dimension (FD). Results: This analysis included 35 patients (35 eyes): 28 type-2 diabetics and 7 type-1 diabetics. Mean HbA1c was 13.1 ± 2.0% at inclusion and 7.0 ± 1.5% at 3 months. In the short period from inclusion to 3 months post-inclusion, patients showed significant decrease in VD–DCP (28.8% vs. 27.8%; p = 0.014), a significant increase in FAZA (0.300 mm2 vs. 0.310 mm2; p < 0.001), and a significant increase in AI (1.31 vs. 1.34; p < 0.01). Multivariate analysis found an increase in FAZA was correlated with baseline HbA1c level and age (R2 = 0.330), and a decrease in VD-DCP was correlated with HbA1c decrease and diabetes duration (R2 = 0.286). Conclusions: Rapid glycemic control in patients with uncontrolled diabetes led to possible short-term microvascular damage that correlated to both initial and decreased HbA1c.
The Accuracy of Commercially Available Fitness Trackers in Patients after Stroke

Abstract Background: Fitness trackers could represent an easy-to-use and cheap tool for continuous tracking of physical activity of stroke survivors during the period of their recovery at home. The aim of the study was to examine the accuracy of the Fitbit activity tracker in locomotor activity monitoring of stroke survivors with respect to gait disorders, walking speed, walking aid, and placement of the tracker on body. Methods: Twenty-four ambulatory stroke survivors (15 men and 9 women) with locomotion/gait disorder were involved in the study. Patients underwent two walking tests with the Fitbit Alta HR trackers attached on 5 different places on body. The accuracy of the trackers has been analyzed on 3 groups of patients—those walking without any walking aid, those using a single-point stick and those using a rolling walker. Results: For no-aid patients, the most accurate place was the waist. Patients with a single-point stick revealed the smallest deviations for a tracker attached to a healthy lower limb, and patients with a rolling walker revealed the smallest deviations for a tracker attached on the paretic lower limb. Conclusions: An accuracy comparable with the healthy population can be reached for all of the three groups of patients, while fulfilling the conditions for minimum speed of 2 km/h and optimal placement of the trackers with respect to a walking aid and aspect to impairment.
CSR and employee attachment in tourism firms: Perceived ethical leadership, responsible management, and the mediating role of community engagement

Abstract This study examines (i) how tourism employees perceive their firm’s community engagement, (ii) the factors that affect employee attachment, and (iii) how employees’ perception of their firm’s community engagement affects employee attachment. Using the survey data collected from 119 tourism firms in the Ha Long Bay area, Vietnam, a developing country, the study finds that CSR practices (ethical leadership, labor relations, environmental protection and consumer rights protection) affect employees’ perception of their firm’s community engagement. Furthermore, employee-perceived community engagement appears to enhance the employees’ bond with their firm. The firm’s community engagement mediates the relationships between CSR and employees’ commitment toward the firm. The theoretical and managerial implications for the study are discussed.
Gram-Scale Preparation of Cannflavin A from Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) and Its Inhibitory Effect on Tryptophan Catabolism Enzyme Kynurenine-3-Monooxygenase

Simple Summary Kynurenine-3-monooxygenase (KMO) is an enzyme in the neurotoxic branch of the kynurenine pathway (KP) and is a target of inhibitors with therapeutic potential against neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases. Phytochemicals from hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) including phytocannabinoids and flavonoids, can modulate enzymes involved in the KP metabolism, but their direct inhibition on KMO is unknown. In the current study, we purified a unique C. sativa flavonoid, namely, cannflavin A (CFA), from the hemp aerial material at a gram-scale. We evaluated the anti-KMO activity of CFA and a panel of phytocannabinoids. CFA was the most active compound with an IC50 of 29.4 μM, which was comparable to the positive control Ro 61-8048 (IC50 = 5.1 μM). We used a modeling method to demonstrate the interactions between CFA and the KMO protein and measured the binding affinity by a biophysical tool (surface plasmon resonance; SPR). We also conducted a competitive SPR assay to show that CFA and Ro 61-8048 may bind to the same location of the KMO protein. Our findings help the understanding of C. sativa compounds’ effects on KMO. Abstract Inhibitors targeting kynurenine-3-monooxygenase (KMO), an enzyme in the neurotoxic kynurenine pathway (KP), are potential therapeutics for KP metabolites-mediated neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative disorders. Although phytochemicals from Cannabis (C. sativa L.) have been reported to show modulating effects on enzymes involved in the KP metabolism, the inhibitory effects of C. sativa compounds, including phytocannabinoids and non-phytocannabinoids (i.e., cannflavin A; CFA), on KMO remain unknown. Herein, CFA (purified from hemp aerial material at a gram-scale) and a series of phytocannabinoids were evaluated for their anti-KMO activity. CFA showed the most active inhibitory effect on KMO, which was comparable to the positive control Ro 61-8048 (IC50 = 29.4 vs. 5.1 μM, respectively). Furthermore, a molecular docking study depicted the molecular interactions between CFA and the KMO protein and a biophysical binding assay with surface plasmon resonance (SPR) technique revealed that CFA bound to the protein with a binding affinity of 4.1×10−5 M. A competitive SPR binding analysis suggested that CFA and Ro 61-8048 bind to the KMO protein in a competitive manner. Our findings show that C. sativa derived phytochemicals, including CFA, are potential KMO inhibitors, which provides insight into the development of therapeutics targeting the KP and its related pathological conditions.