Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Conservation threats and future prospects for the freshwater fishes of Ecuador: A hotspot of Neotropical fish diversity

ABSTRACT Freshwater fish communities in Ecuador exhibit some of the highest levels of diversity and endemism in the Neotropics. Unfortunately, aquatic ecosystems in the country are under serious threat and conditions are deteriorating. In 2018–19, the government of Ecuador sponsored a series of workshops to examine the conservation status of Ecuador's freshwater fishes. Concerns were identified for 35 species, most of which are native to the Amazon region, and overfishing of Amazonian pimelodid catfishes emerged as a major issue. However, much of the information needed to make decisions across fish groups and regions was not available, hindering the process and highlighting the need for a review of the conservation threats to Ecuador's freshwater fishes. Here, we review how the physical alteration of rivers, deforestation, wetland and floodplain degradation, agricultural and urban water pollution, mining, oil extraction, dams, overfishing, introduced species and climate change are affecting freshwater fishes in Ecuador. Although many of these factors affect fishes throughout the Neotropics, the lack of data on Ecuadorian fish communities is staggering and highlights the urgent need for more research. We also make recommendations, including the need for proper enforcement of existing environmental laws, restoration of degraded aquatic ecosystems, establishment of a national monitoring system for freshwater ecosystems, investment in research to fill gaps in knowledge, and encouragement of public engagement in citizen science and conservation efforts. Freshwater fishes are an important component of the cultural and biological legacy of the Ecuadorian people. Conserving them for future generations is critical.
Distance to available services for newborns at facilities in Malawi: A secondary analysis of survey and health facility data

Background Malawi has halved the neonatal mortality rate between 1990–2018, however, is not on track to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal 12 per 1,000 live births. Despite a high facility birth rate (91%), mother-newborn dyads may not remain in facilities long enough to receive recommended care and quality of care improvements are needed to reach global targets. Physical access and distance to health facilities remain barriers to quality postnatal care. Methods Using data We used individual data from the 2015–16 Malawi Demographic and Health Survey and facility data from the 2013–14 Malawi Service Provision Assessment, linking households to all health facilities within specified distances and travel times. We calculated service readiness scores for facilities to measure their capacity to provide birth/newborn care services. We fitted multi-level regression models to evaluate the association between the service readiness and appropriate newborn care (receiving at least five of six interventions). Results Households with recent births (n = 6010) linked to a median of two birth facilities within 5–10 km and one facility within a two-hour walk. The maximum service environment scores for linked facilities median was 77.5 for facilities within 5–10 km and 75.5 for facilities within a two-hour walk. While linking to one or more facilities within 5-10km or a two-hour walk was not associated with appropriate newborn care, higher levels of service readiness in nearby facilities was associated with an increased risk of appropriate newborn care. Conclusions Women’s choice of nearby facilities and quality facilities is limited. High quality newborn care is sub-optimal despite high coverage of facility birth and some newborn care interventions. While we did not find proximity to more facilities was associated with increased risk of appropriate care, high levels of service readiness was, showing facility birth and improved access to well-prepared facilities are important for improving newborn care.
Oral health status and its association with nutritional support in malnourished patients hospitalised in acute care.

OBJECTIVES This cross-sectional study aimed to examine the oral health of malnourished acute-care hospital inpatients, who were the subjects of a nutritional support team (NST). We also aimed to elucidate the systemic and nutritional factors associated with the oral health of those patients. BACKGROUND Interventions by NST are essential for inpatient nutrition management and require the active participation of dental professionals. However, information is limited regarding the state of oral health among acute-stage malnourished inpatients. MATERIALS AND METHODS We enrolled 255 hospitalised patients (101 women, mean age: 69.7 ± 14.4 years) who were referred to an NST for nutrition management between April 2016 and July 2019. The main outcome was the Oral Health Assessment Tool (OHAT) scores. Moreover, we assessed participants' demographic characteristics, nutritional status, number of natural and functional teeth, posterior occlusal support, denture use, Dysphagia Severity Scale, whether oral health management was needed, and the methods of nutrition intake. RESULTS Several participants presented with a deteriorated oral health. Consequently, oral health management was often regarded necessary in these patients. Approximately half were fed by parenteral or tube feeding. Multiple regression analysis revealed the OHAT score has a positive association with age (P = .008), and a negative association with body mass index (P = .009) and the method of nutrition intake (P = .028). CONCLUSION Malnourished inpatients at an acute care hospital who were subject to an NST had a deteriorated oral health status. Additionally, poor oral health was associated with poor nutritional status and nutrition intake methods.
Gamma-Band Frequency Analysis and Motor Development in Music-Trained Children: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract Background: The aim of this study was to analyze the gamma-band frequency and motor performance of children with and without music training. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 31 right-handed children, 6–11 years old, who were allocated to two groups: 1) the music group (MG), including children who attended preschool and musical training (n = 16), and 2) the no-music group (NMG), including children who attended preschool but received no additional music training (n = 15). The outcomes were gamma-band frequency measured by electroencephalography, manual dexterity, aim-and-catch, and static and dynamic balance abilities measured by the Movement Assessment Battery for Children, and fine motor skills, overall motor skills, balance, corporal body scheme, spatial organization, temporal orientation, and general motor quotient (GMQ) by a Brazilian scale for motor development. Results: There 1was a significant difference between groups in the peak frequency (p = 0.0195) and median frequency (p = 0.0070) in the F3–F4 regions. Static and dynamic balance (p = 0.03), temporal orientation (p < 0.01), and GMQ (p < 0.03) were higher in MG than in NMG. Conclusion: The musically trained children had increased gamma-peak frequency in the frontal region and greater temporal orientation, balance, and the overall motor quotient.
DNA-RNA hybrids at DSBs interfere with repair by homologous recombination

DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) are the most harmful DNA lesions and their repair is crucial for cell viability and genome integrity. The readout of DSB repair may depend on whether DSBs occur at transcribed versus non-transcribed regions. Some studies have postulated that DNA-RNA hybrids form at DSBs to promote recombinational repair, but others have challenged this notion. To directly assess whether hybrids formed at DSBs promote or interfere with the recombinational repair, we have used plasmid and chromosomal-based systems for the analysis of DSB-induced recombination in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We show that, as expected, DNA-RNA hybrid formation is stimulated at DSBs. In addition, mutations that promote DNA-RNA hybrid accumulation, such as hpr1∆ and rnh1∆ rnh201∆, cause high levels of plasmid loss when DNA breaks are induced at sites that are transcribed. Importantly, we show that high levels or unresolved DNA-RNA hybrids at the breaks interfere with their repair by homologous recombination. This interference is observed for both plasmid and chromosomal recombination and is independent of whether the DSB is generated by endonucleolytic cleavage or by DNA replication. These data support a model in which DNA-RNA hybrids form fortuitously at DNA breaks during transcription and need to be removed to allow recombinational repair, rather than playing a positive role.
Natural Hydroxyapatite (NHAp) Derived from Pork Bone as a Renewable Catalyst for Biodiesel Production via Microwave Irradiation

The use of waste materials for producing biodiesel via transesterification has been of recent interest. In this study, the pork bone was used as the raw materials for natural hydroxyapatite (NHAp) catalyst. The calcination of animal bone was conducted at 900 °C for 2 h. The raw material and the resulting heterogeneous catalyst were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) method. The effects of reaction time, microwave power, methanol/oil molar ratio, catalyst loading and reusability of catalyst were systematically investigated. The optimum conditions, which yielded a conversion of oil of nearly 94%, were reaction time 5 min and microwave power 800 W. The results indicated that the NHAp catalysts derived from pork bone showed good reusability and had high potential to be used as biodiesel production catalysts under microwave-assisted transesterification of Jatropha Curcas oil with methanol.
A focused protection vaccination strategy: why we should not target children with COVID-19 vaccination policies

Cameron et al’s ethical considerations about the ‘Dualism of Values’ in pandemic response emphasise the need to strike a fair balance between the interests of the less vulnerable to COVID-19 (most notably, their freedom) and the interests of the more vulnerable (most notably, their protection from COVID-19). Those considerations are at the basis of ethical defences of focused protection strategies. One example is the proposal put forward in the Great Barrington Declaration. It presented focused protection strategies as more ethical alternatives to lockdowns which would prevent lockdowns’ ‘irreparable damage, with the underprivileged disproportionately harmed’. Here we want to suggest that a version of Cameron et al’s analysis can be applied to the case of vaccines to support a focused protection vaccination strategy. At this stage, we should limit vaccination to the vulnerable and not target children (and possibly other young people) in COVID-19 vaccination strategies. We argue that, given the current state of knowledge about COVID-19, immunity and vaccines, it would be wrong to pose the costs and risks of vaccines on children for three reasons. First, they are unlikely to benefit from COVID-19 vaccination directly. Second, the collective benefit would likely be very limited. Third, we have already imposed very large costs on children during this pandemic through indiscriminate restrictions, using them as mere means to others’ ends. BEFORE VACCINES Cameron et al frame the ethical problem of pandemic restrictions mostly in terms of dualism between freedom and wellbeing. However, the cost of indiscriminate pandemic restrictions on young people is not only in terms of freedom. Restrictions such as lockdowns and school closure compromise important societal and public goods and the wellbeing and health of young generations. Thus, a fairer way to protect vulnerable groups is to adopt focused protection strategies targeted at them: the burdens on them would be justified by the benefit they receive in terms of protection from COVID-19, something that is not true for young people. How to implement these strategies (eg, through some form of state coercion or some incentivisation programme) is a question we are leaving open here. The fact that focused protection entails a form of unequal treatment of different groups has often been used as a reason to rule this option out, often with very morally loaded language. For example, it has been called an ‘ageist and ableist statement’ and compared with a ‘genocide of the aged, the disabled and the sick’. And yet, equality and fairness are not the same thing and actually sometimes fairness ethically requires treating different individuals or groups differently. What matters, from an ethical point of view, is that the differential treatment is based not on arbitrary or irrelevant factors (which would make it discriminatory), but on morally relevant factors (eg, risks of COVID-19, individual benefit from restrictions, personal costs of restrictions, societal benefit and so on).
Composition and Phase Tuned InGaAs Alloy Nanowires

InxGa1−xAs (0 ≤ x ≤ 1) alloy nanowires (average diameter = 50 nm) were synthesized at 800 °C with complete composition tuning by the thermal evaporation of GaAs/InAs powders. X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy confirmed the complete composition tuning over the whole range. They exhibit exclusively a superlattice structure composed of zinc blende phase twinned octahedral slice segments having alternating orientations along the axial [111] direction and wurtzite phase twin planes. When the mole fraction (x) approaches 0.5, the period of the twinned superlattice structures becomes shorter, showing a controlled wurtzite−zinc blende polytypism. At x = 0.5, the wurtzite phase is dominant with the shortest superlattice periodicity (∼2 nm). The smaller diameter consistently induces shorter periodic superlattice structures. This unique polytypism shows that the incorporation of In (or Ga) and the smaller diameter promotes the crystallization of the nanowires in the wurtzite phase. These InxGa1−xAs nanowires .
Anthicidae (Insecta: Coleoptera) of the Lesser Sunda Islands – A Preliminary Review

Abstract. An account of the Anthicidae (ant-like flower beetles) from the Lesser Sunda Archipelago (politically shared between Indonesia & Timor Leste) is presented for the first time. Thirteen species new to science are described and illustrated: Anthicomorphus badeng sp. nov. (Bali), Anthicus (s. str.) miroshnikovi sp. nov. (East Java, Lombok, Timor Leste), A. (s. str.) renschi sp. nov. (Flores), Anthelephila anthophila sp. nov. (Timor Leste), A. barsevskisi sp. nov. (Timor Island), A. nusatenggara sp. nov. (Lombok), A. tambora sp. nov. (Sumbawa), Macratria maru sp. nov. (Pura Island, Alor Archipelago), Sapintus degiovannii sp. nov. (Timor Leste), Pseudotomoderus reidi sp. nov. (Timor Leste), Tomoderus balianus sp. nov. (Bali), T. dompu sp. nov. (Sumbawa), and T. vulcanicus sp. nov. (Lombok). Three new combinations (Floydwernerius bolmi (Uhmann, 1997) comb. nov. from Stricticomus Pic, 1894; Pseudocyclodinus denisonii (King, 1869) comb. nov. from Pseudoleptaleus Pic, 1900; Pseudocyclodinus dilutus (Pic, 1901) comb. nov. from Papuanthicus Telnov, 2006) are proposed, and three new synonyms (Anthicus bisbicinctus Marseul, 1886 = A. robustus Pic, 1902 syn. nov.; Nitorus bangi (Pic, 1895) = Anthicus mollinus Krekich-Strassoldo, 1930 syn. nov., = A. thienemanni Heberdey, 1931 syn. nov.) are proposed. New species records for Alor, Bali, Lombok, Sumbawa, Timor, and Yamdena are presented. An annotated bibliography and checklist of the Lesser Sunda Islands anthicids are presented. Comparative morphology of Pseudocyclodinus Telnov, 2003 and Papuanthicus Telnov, 2006 is briefly discussed. The genus Floydwernerius Telnov, 2003, previously considered restricted to the Australian Region, is reported from the Lesser Sunda Islands. In total, 50 species and subspecies of Anthicidae are confirmed for the Lesser Sunda Islands.
Effects of Season, Location, Species, and Sex on Hematologic and Plasma Biochemical Values and Body Mass in Free-ranging Grebes (Aechmophorus species)

Abstract: The effects of season, location, species, and sex on body weight and a comprehensive array of blood chemistry and hematology analytes were compared for free-ranging western (Aechmophorus occidentalis) and Clark's (Aechmophorus clarkii) grebes. Birds (n = 56) were collected from Puget Sound, WA, and Monterey Bay and San Francisco Bay, CA, from February 2007 to March 2011. The data supported generalization of observed ranges for most analytes across Aechmophorus grebe metapopulations wintering on the Pacific coast. Notable seasonal and location effects were observed for packed cell volume (winter 6% greater than fall; winter California [CA] 5% greater than Washington [WA]), total white blood cell count (CA 3.57 × 103 cells/µL greater than WA), heterophils (WA 10% greater than CA), lymphocytes (winter 19% greater than fall), heterophil to lymphocyte ratio (fall 5.7 greater than winter), basophils (CA greater than WA), plasma protein (WA about 10 g/L [1.0 g/dL] greater than CA), plasma protein to fibrinogen ratio (winter about 15 greater than fall), potassium (CA 2 mmol/L greater than WA), and liver enzymes (alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase: WA greater than CA). Within California, season had a greater effect on body mass than sex (mean winter weights about 200 g greater than fall), whereas within a season, males weighed only about 80 g more than females, on average. These data give biologists and veterinarians quantitative reference values to better assess health at the individual and metapopulation level.
Injectable Anesthesia With Medetomidine, Ketamine, and Butorphanol in Captive Humboldt Penguins (Spheniscus humboldti)

Abstract: The effects of an injectable anesthesia with 0.05 mg/kg medetomidine, 5 mg/kg ketamine, and 0.5 mg/kg butorphanol administered together intramuscularly were evaluated in 22 captive Humboldt penguins (Spheniscus humboldti, 10 male and 12 female), with a mean age of 8.5 ± 8.23 years. The birds fasted for18–24 hours prior to the procedure. Induction was followed by 4 distinct progressive responses of the birds to the anesthetic effect, including onset of initial effects at 2.0 ± 1.7 minutes (x̄ ± SD), sternal recumbency with the head still elevated at 2.2 ± 1.6 minutes, lowering and placing the beak tip to the ground at 3.6 ± 3.4 minutes, and lateral positioning of the neck and head at 4.2 ± 3.4 minutes. A general state of sedation, muscle relaxation, and analgesia were noted 10.0 ± 2.8 minutes postinjection. However, according to an established scoring system for the assessment of anesthetic depth in avian patients, a surgical plane of anesthesia was not achieved. Muscle relaxation determined by the same scoring system lasted for 31.4 ± 17.1 minutes. The penguins' mean respiratory rate did not demonstrate significant change and spontaneous ventilation was present throughout the procedure. Relative peripheral arterial oxygen saturation decreased significantly from 92.83 ± 5.77% at 10 minutes to 90.91 ± 5.77% at 40 minutes following induction. The birds' heart rate also decreased significantly from 112.55 ± 23.97 beats/min at 10 minutes to 101.65 ± 25.42 beats/min at 40 minutes. The measured cloacal temperatures were maintained within normal range despite ambient temperatures of up to 28.3°C (82.9°F). Reversal of medetomidine with 0.25 mg/kg atipamezole was conducted after 45.1 ± 7.3 minutes. Recovery was smooth but of variable duration with patients being able or willing to stand steadily in an upright position after 50.1 ± 34.6 minutes. One penguin died during recovery from a ruptured left ventricle and consecutive pericardial tamponade, but no predisposing factors were identified. The anesthetic protocol proved to be effective for noninvasive and minor painful procedures (eg, diagnostic imaging, blood collection). Disadvantages to the administration of the combined anesthetic agents in the penguins included a short period of muscle relaxation and smooth but potentially prolonged recovery. The safety of the anesthetic protocol described for Humboldt penguins in this report has to be evaluated critically against the the death of 1 penguin during recovery.
The Raman spectrum of diopside: a comparison between ab initio calculated and experimentally measured frequencies

The Raman spectrum of diopside has been calculated by using three purely Density Functional Theory (DFT) Hamiltonians (PBE, WCPBE, LDA), the Hartree-Fock Hamiltonian (HF) and three hybrid HF/DFT ones (B3LYP, WC1LYP, PBE0). A comparison has been done between the calculated frequencies with those measured by Raman spectroscopy on a natural sample, along with several different orientations and beam polarizations, or retrieved from literature; such a comparison demonstrated the excellent performances of the hybrid Hamiltonians in reproducing the vibrational spectrum of the mineral, in line with what it is generally observed in literature concerning other mineral phases. In particular, the mean average absolute discrepancies of the calculated frequencies with respect to the experimental data were: 3.2 (WC1LYP), 4.7 (B3LYP), 6.5 (PBE0), 18.0 (PBE), 9.7 (WCPBE), 7.3 (LDA), and 40.6 cm −1 (HF). The very good quality of the WC1LYP results allowed for a reliable assignment of all of the experimentally observed Raman signals, and the corresponding assignments to specific patterns of atomic vibrational motion (normal modes).
Trauma-informed care psychoeducational group-based interventions for foster carers and adoptive parents: A narrative review

Trauma-informed care (TIC) psychoeducational group-based interventions for foster carers and adoptive parents are growing, but evidence about their effects have not been integrated. A narrative review was undertaken of studies that evaluated the effects of these interventions. It found that they appear to increase carers’ capacity to provide children with TIC and reduce child trauma-related difficulties. Three core components – psychoeducation, reflective engagement and skills building – were identified as helping to explain how the interventions work. However, the evidence is weak due to the mixed findings, diverse research designs, varied measures and methodological deficiencies, so results should be interpreted with caution. This highlights the urgent need for more rigorous research. Implications for practice, policy and research are discussed.
Taxes and Economic Development: An Update on the State of the Economics Literature

There is a large literature examining the effect of taxes and tax concessions on local economic development. The last comprehensive review of taxes and economic development, however, was Wasylenko’s review in 1997, which mostly examined the location response of firms. Subsequent to the last major review of the literature, empirical work in this area sought to address endogeneity concerns that plagued previous studies, resulting in a series of compelling new studies. This article reviews the empirical literature on tax-based economic development incentives produced since Wasylenko’s 1997 review and covers property tax (including tax increment financing and business improvement districts); spatially targeted and zone-based tax concessions; firm-specific incentives; and corporate income taxes. The review focuses on academic studies that employ modern program evaluation or quasi-experimental techniques and U.S.-based policies.