Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Yellow Vests, Carbon Tax Aversion, and Biased Beliefs

This paper helps to understand how beliefs form and determine attitudes towards policies. Using a new survey and official households’ survey data, we investigate the case of carbon taxation in France in the context of the Yellow Vests movement that started against it. We find that French people would largely reject a Tax & Dividend policy, i.e. a carbon tax whose revenues are redistributed uniformly to each adult. However, they also overestimate the negative impact of the scheme on their purchasing power, wrongly think it is regressive, and do not perceive it as environmentally effective. Using information about the scheme as instruments to robustly identify causal effects, our econometric analysis shows that if we could rectify these three biased beliefs, it would suffice to generate majority approval. Yet, only a small minority can be convinced by new information and revisions are biased towards pessimism. Finally, if overly pessimistic beliefs cause tax rejection, they also result from it through motivated reasoning, which manifests what we define as “tax aversion”.
HYPERVITAMINOSIS D IN A GIANT ANTEATER (MYRMECOPHAGA TRIDACTYLA) AND A LARGE HAIRY ARMADILLO (CHAETOPHRACTUS VILLOSUS) RECEIVING A COMMERCIAL INSECTIVORE DIET

Abstract: Hypervitaminosis D was diagnosed in a giant anteater (Myromecophaga tridactyla) and a large hairy armadillo (Chaetophractus villosus) being fed a commercial insectivore diet. Clinical findings included weight loss, reduced appetite, vomiting, and suspected abdominal discomfort. Hypercalcemia (3.68 and 2.04 mmol/L total and ionized calcium, respectively) was detected in the anteater, and plasma 25(OH)D levels were measured and found to be 808.7 and 379.4 nmol/L for the anteater and armadillo, respectively. Dietary change resulted in a reduction of 25(OH)D levels in both animals and resolution of hypercalcemia in the giant anteater. Dietary analysis of the commercial insectivore food revealed levels of vitamin D3 higher than the data-sheet values. This case report demonstrates that hypervitaminosis D in Xenarthra can be associated with significant clinical signs.
Expression Profiles of Toll-like Receptors 2, 7 and 8 in Rat Testis and Epididymis During Postnatal Developmental Period

Toll-like receptors take an essential part in innate immunity in response to invasion of the various harmful pathogens. We aimed to investigate TLR2, 7 and 8 expression in rat testis and epididymis throughout postnatal development. In the prepubertal period, TLR2 and 7 were variably localized to peritubular myoid cells, interstitial cells, blood vessels, epithelial cells, ductal smooth muscle cells in testis and epididymis. In the pubertal period, immunostaining of TLR2 and 7 started to be seen in primary spermatocytes, as well as other cells, in the testis. Narrow cells showed strong intracytoplasmic staining in the epididymis. In the postpubertal period, moderate to strong immunostaining of TLR2 and TLR7 was seen in spermatids at different developmental steps but weak immunoreaction in pachytene spermatocytes. Other cells in testis and epididymis showed variable immunostaining of TLR2 and 7. However, weak to moderate immunoreaction to TLR8 was detected in only interstitial cells in testis. In the mature period, immunostaining of TLR2, 7 and 8 tended to increase in different types of cells in testis and epididymis. Our findings suggest that expression of TLR2, 7 and 8 changed dynamically during postnatal development and increased towards mature period. We consider that TLR2, 7 and 8 might be associated with the regulation of spermatogenesis and the maintenance of innate immunity of testis and epididymis during postnatal development.
A two-way comparison of whole-body 18FDG PET-CT and whole-body contrast-enhanced MRI for distant metastasis staging in patients with malignant tumors: a meta-analysis of 13 prospective studies.

BACKGROUND The correct staging of distant metastasis is crucial in deciding an adequate course of therapy for cancer patients. This meta-analysis was carried out to produce an evaluation and comparison of the performances of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography-computed tomography (18FDG PET-CT) and contrastenhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in detecting distant metastasis in patients suffering malignant tumors. Systematic literature searches of the MEDLINE and Embase databases were conducted to identify relevant studies in the period from December 31, 1950 to August 1, 2019. We used the following search terms: MRI, magnetic resonance imaging, PET, positron emission tomography, staging, distant metastasis, and distant recurrence. The searches were carried out by two independent reviewers. We only included relevant studies that evaluated both 18FDG PET-CT and contrast-enhanced MRI in relation to distant metastasis detection in the same patients with malignant tumors. The two reviewers independently extracted relevant data from the eligible studies, and the quality of each study was determined with "Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2". Using the bivariate model, we obtained pooled estimates for sensitivity and specificity. The area under the curve (AUC) of summary receiver operating characteristic (SROC) curves for 18FDG PET-CT and contrast-enhanced MRI was used to extra and synthesize, respectively. METHODS Pooled sensitivities and specificities, and the AUC of SROC curves for 18FDG PET-CT and contrast-enhanced MRI were used to measure the main outcomes, respectively. RESULTS Across all 13 studies (1,465 patients), 18FDG PET-CT had similar sensitivity (0.84 vs. 0.85) and specificity (0.96 vs. 0.98) to contrast-enhanced MRI. In the 5 studies related to head and neck cancer (511 patients), 18FDG PET-CT had similar sensitivity (0.82 vs. 0.81) and specificity (0.97 vs. 0.98) to contrastenhanced MRI. In the 6 lung cancer-related studies (779 patients), sensitivity (0.72 vs. 0.85) and specificity (0.95 vs. 1.00) tended to be lower in 18FDG PET-CT than in contrast-enhanced MRI. CONCLUSIONS :18FDG PET-CT and contrast-enhanced MRI both performed well as detectors of distant metastasis in the diagnosis of cancer patients. The subgroup analysis suggests that 18FDG PET-CT and contrast-enhanced MRI may possess different advantageous qualities for distant metastasis staging of patients with various types of tumor.
Factors That Influence the Undergraduate Accounting Students In UCSI University To Choose External Auditing As A Career Choice

Issues of the quality and the environment of audit programmes are crucial that to be comparable with the standards at the international level in order to keep on track to meet the industry needs. In this perspective, The development of the external audit profession has played the important role in the development of the economy. Thus this work is to determines the factors that could influence this decision from the perspective of undergraduate accounting students at UCSI University perception toward external auditing as a career choice. In this work, the relationship between Salary and benefit, Interest in subject and job opportunity on students perception toward external auditing as a career choice in UCSI university was evaluated. This study is an explanatory research that based on deductive approach with quantitative research. he unit of analysis this research were undergraduate Accounting/Accounting and Finance students at UCSI University Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur. About 260 web-based questionnaires were personally distributed to the respondents. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 23 in terms of pearson correlation and multiple regression analysis. This study found that only two factors, interest in the subject and job opportunity, were significantly correlated with the dependent variable, external auditing as a career choice.
Factors Affecting External Audit Quality In Malaysia

The aims of this study are to understand the importance of audit quality and determine potential factors that might affect the external audit quality and also to highlight its importance of maintaining the external audit quality in Malaysia. This work will examine the effect of size of audit firm, audit tenure and industry specialization on external audit quality in Malaysia.This work was done based on quantitative research approach. In this study, a survey questionnaire is used as a purpose of obtaining data from respondents. The online questionnaires was distributed to fifty auditing firms in Malaysia which has been chosen randomly. SPSS software was used for the data analysis and data were analyzed in terms of Pearson Correlation Analysis and Multiple Regression. The result showed that there is weak positive relationship between the size of audit firm, audit tenure and industry specialization on external audit quality in Malaysia.The size of audit firm has a positive relationship with external audit quality as the correlation coefficient (r) obtained is 0.366. the correlation coefficient, r value of 0.383 indicates a weak positive relationship between audit tenure and external audit quality in Malaysia. The industry specialization has a direct influence on the external audit quality because the correlation coefficient (r) obtained from Pearson correlation analysis is 0.772.
EFFECTIVENESS OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM BASED ON SELF MANAGEMENT MODEL ON DEPRESSION, ANXIETY AND STRESS IN PATIENTS WITH SICKLE CELL DISEASE (24 WEEKS FOLLOW UP)

Patients suffering from sickle cell disease may indeed vary in their psychological adaptation to the unpredictability and seriousness of the complication and lead to lower quality of life in these patients. The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of self-management program on Depression, Anxiety and Stress in patients with sickle cell disease. Materials & Methods: Samples of this quasi-experimental study, which included 69 patients with sickle cell disease referring to the Thalassemia Clinic of Shafa Hospital, were entered into the study by census method. Patients received a self-management program using the 5A model (Assess, Advice, Agree, Assist and Arrange) for 12 weeks, while the Depression, Anxiety and Stress of patients before the intervention was assessed at the twelfth week and thirty-sixth week using Doss-21 questionnaire. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, paired t-test, Wilcoxon test and repeated measures test in SPSS software v.19. Results: There were significant differences between Depression, Anxiety and Stress levels before and after intervention (p < 0.001). Repeated measures test showed a significant difference between the scores of the Depression, Anxiety and Stress in the twelfth week and thirty-sixth week after intervention comparing to the pre-intervention (p<0.001). Conclusion: It is concluded that self management program can be used, as an interventional method, to decrease stress, anxiety, and depression in patients with sickle cell disease. Therefore, selfmanagement program as an effective way is advisable to decrease mental health problems in the sickle cell patients
Assessment Of Oxidative Stress , Haematological , Kidney And Liver Function Parameters Of Libyan Cement Factory Workers

Cement workers are exposed to different types of health hazards, which are risk factors in developing occupational diseases. The hypothesis of this study focuses on the opinion that cements worker impact on their health by pollution with cement dust and this affects the different tissues including liver and kidney. This study was carried out in exposed workers of the cement factory of Libya that has not yet been studied. This study measured the plasma oxidant, antioxidant status and haemopoietic, liver and kidney functions in workers occupationally exposed to cement dust in order to test the hypothesis that cement dust exposure may perturb these parameters. 21 volunteer cement plant workers and 30 volunteer office workers (control) with a mean age of 38.79 ± 4.68 and 39.40 ± 2.19 years respectively (Mean ± S.E) participated. The levels of P-MDA, P-ALT, P-AST, P-AlP, P-LDH activities, TLC count and total bilirubin level were significantly increased (P<0.05), while TEC, PLT count, Hb concentration, P-E, P-C, β-carotene levels, P-SOD, P-CAT, P-GST activities and the total protein, albumin and globulin were significantly decreased (P<0.05) compared with the unexposed group. The results presented in this study showed that cement workers are exposed to more oxidative stress compared to the control group. The present data showed that the exposure of humans to cement dust is capable of inducing free radicals, marked hazardous alterations in some enzymatic activities, liver functions and some biochemical parameters. To protect the health of their workers dust needs to be removed from the critical area of the factory and with the use of industrial masks. [Khaled S Al Salhen. Assessment Of Oxidative Stress, Haematological, Kidney And Liver Function Parameters Of Libyan Cement Factory Workers. J Am Sci 2014;10(5):58-65]. (ISSN: 1545-1003). http://www.jofamericanscience. org. 9
Who responds to fertility-boosting incentives? Evidence from pro-natal policies in Australia

BACKGROUND In the wake of aging societies, pro-natalist policies have been used around the world to promote childbearing in developed countries. Very little research investigates the causal effect of the Australian government's baby bonus policy as a once-off, non-means tested incentive scheme on the observed individual fertility. OBJECTIVE We investigate the role of immigration in raising fertility beyond what could be achieved by the Australian-born population. The impact of this policy is heavily reliant on the effectiveness of monetary incentives in boosting fertility, yet it is not clear who drives this effect. METHODS We utilize triple difference-in-difference (DDD) strategy to evaluate the relationship between childbearing and introduction of the baby bonus in a quasi-experimental setting. We evaluate the quasi-experimental setting by using propensity score matching. RESULTS Our findings highlight the role of immigrant women in driving the success of the policy. Moreover, the impact is found to be highest among immigrant women with low levels of human capital, which diminishes with age. CONCLUSION The results imply that the role of immigrants, especially that of a young workforce, in aging societies may be greater than has been previously attributed. CONTRIBUTION This paper not only provides scope for the analysis of pro-natal policies within the context of Australia but investigates its impact on immigrant women vis-a-vis nativeborn women. We find the immigrant contribution to be significant in driving the success of pro-natal monetary incentives. Australia is an exemplar for this analysis due to early adoption of pro-natalist incentives for childbearing amidst a population with high immigrant concentration.
An Empirical Study of E-Marketplace Acceptance by MSMEs in Bali using TOE Model

In the world today, undoubtedly e-commerce has proven to be beneficial and convenient to both merchants (seller) and consumers (buyer) particularly with various e-marketplace platforms such as Lazada, Shoppe, e-bay and many more. However, not many entrepreneurs took up the opportunity and ventured into e-marketplace. This scenario is more noticeable among the MSMEs entrepreneurs in developing countries. Hence, this study aimed to fill the gap and provide richer insights in technology acceptance from the user, environment, technology, and organizational side by applying the Technological, Organizational, and Environmental (TOE) framework model. This research was conducted in three regencies of Bali (Denpasar, Badung and Gianyar) by distributing five-point Likert scale questionnaires to 100 entrepreneurs (who meet the criteria). The developed hypotheses testing analysis was based on Partial Least Square Structural Equation Model (PLS-SEM) and was conducted using SmartPLS 3.0. Findings obtained revealed that organizational (p = 0.042, and t-statistics = 2.062) and environmental factors (p = 0.011 and t-statistics = 2.587) had positive significance towards behavioral intention (BI) in accepting e-marketplace.
Factors Affecting Overconfidence Of Opportunistic Investors In Malaysia

The main objective of the research is to determine the factors that affecting overconfidence of opportunistic investors in Malaysia. The authors examined the traits of overconfidence and opportunistic investors in a more specific way. The research is conducted by using SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Science) and it is completed by using primary data, data collections are distributed through questionnaire. The data was collected through different range of individual to enhance our result of studies. Mainly, the respondents who meet the criteria of overconfidence. Most of the age range 18-24, opportunistic investors in Malaysia are encountering in overconfidence because they reveal certain psychological biases when timing their investment decisions. Overconfidence that affected by over-optimism, hindsight bias, self-attribution and individual traits. As overconfidence will leads to higher trading volume that causes in reducing of returns, opportunistic investors should be educated on how to trade in the stock market. In brief, if investors had taught a correct way of investment and perfect knowledge on how to analyse information, trading in stock market in a frequent way can lead to higher gain on investment. This study concludes the factors of affecting the overconfidence of opportunistic investor and how they believe in they can beat the market and earns an abnormal return.
Transcriptomic Analysis of Pichia pastoris (Komagataella phaffii) GS115 During Heterologous Protein Production Using a High-Cell-Density Fed-Batch Cultivation Strategy

Pichia pastoris (Komagataella phaffii) is a methylotrophic yeast that is widely used in industry as a host system for heterologous protein expression. Heterologous gene expression is typically facilitated by strongly inducible promoters derived from methanol utilization genes or constitutive glycolytic promoters. However, protein production is usually accomplished by a fed-batch induction process, which is known to negatively affect cell physiology, resulting in limited protein yields and quality. To assess how yields of exogenous proteins can be increased and to further understand the physiological response of P. pastoris to the carbon conversion of glycerol and methanol, as well as the continuous induction of methanol, we analyzed recombinant protein production in a 10,000-L fed-batch culture. Furthermore, we investigated gene expression during the yeast cell culture phase, glycerol feed phase, glycerol-methanol mixture feed (GM) phase, and at different time points following methanol induction using RNA-Seq. We report that the addition of the GM phase may help to alleviate the adverse effects of methanol addition (alone) on P. pastoris cells. Secondly, enhanced upregulation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway was observed in P. pastoris following methanol induction. The MAPK signaling pathway may be related to P. pastoris cell growth and may regulate the alcohol oxidase1 (AOX1) promoter via regulatory factors activated by methanol-mediated stimulation. Thirdly, the unfolded protein response (UPR) and ER-associated degradation (ERAD) pathways were not significantly upregulated during the methanol induction period. These results imply that the presence of unfolded or misfolded phytase protein did not represent a serious problem in our study. Finally, the upregulation of the autophagy pathway during the methanol induction phase may be related to the degradation of damaged peroxisomes but not to the production of phytase. This work describes the metabolic characteristics of P. pastoris during heterologous protein production under high-cell-density fed-batch cultivation. We believe that the results of this study will aid further in-depth studies of P. pastoris heterologous protein expression, regulation, and secretory mechanisms.
Development and Validation of Fear of Relapse Scale for Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis: Understanding Stressors in Patients

Chronic diseases are associated with patients’ long-term stress and development of fear to things related to the source of stress. Better management of a patients’ condition requires investigation of the underlying mechanisms that contribute to the process of development of chronic stress. Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a debilitating chronic disease in most cases diagnosed after a relapse and characterized by the periodic occurrence of relapses in most patients. Due to the unpredictable course of the disease and relapses, patients with Relapsing-Remitting MS (RRMS) may deal with the stress of anticipation of relapse and its unpredictable consequences. The role of relapses and related stress on patients’ quality of life has not been previously investigated. This study is the first effort to develop a self-report measure of Fear of Relapse (FoR) in patients with RRMS. Thirty-one items were extracted from in-depth clinical interviews with 33 RRMS patients to develop the preliminary version of the scale. Subsequently, 168 RRMS patients completed the questionnaire, the Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale (IUS) and Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS). Fifty-one patients completed the scale one more time a month later. Factor analysis revealed three components, and five items failed to load on any of them. To test the FoR’s independence from similar measures, responses to 26 items were pooled once with DASS items and once with IUS items, and each time were subjected to confirmatory factor analysis (two-component solution). Despite significant correlations between FoR, DASS, and IUS Independent loadings of items belonging to FoR and DASS, and FoR and IUS revealed independence and unique contribution of FoR to the evaluation of patients. Cronbach’s alpha for the 26-item version was 0.92. Test-retest reliability for total score was equal to 0.74. These findings provide preliminary evidence of the validity and reliability of the measure. This scale can help researchers and clinicians to have a more comprehensive understanding of patients’ experience with the uncertain nature of MS, which is necessary for future efforts to address this stressor by targeting the underlying mechanism.