Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Direct Acting Anti-Viral Drugs Improve Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients' with Hepatitis C

Chronic hepatitis C Virus (HCV) causes significant decline in the Health Related Quality of Life (HRQL). Recently, direct Acting Anti-viral Drugs (DAA) have been endorsed as standard of care for treatment for HCV. To study the HRQL in patients with HCV and cirrhosis before and after DAA. Study design: Prospective cohort hospital based study. We included 500 patients with HCV and cirrhosis fulfilled all eligibility criteria for treatment and completed the survey of HRQL using (SF-36 and CLDQ questioners) before and after treatment. Patients were treated by combination of one of the following regimens: (a) Sofosbuvir (SOF) plus Daclatasvir (DAC) ± Ribavirin (RBV) in 2 divided doses or (b) SOF plus Simeprevir (SIM) ± RBV or c) SOF plus RBV. On treatment, 35.2% of the patients had a poor physical function and half of them had poor role-emotional, while 45.7% patients’ had excellent role-emotional, 49% noticed change in their mode, evaluation of HRQL before and after treatment through SF-36 and CLDQ showed an improvement in different domains. (p<0.05). The overall Sustained Virological Response (SVR) was (89.6%). Results from the current study suggest that HRQL decreased on treatment and significantly increased after treatment. We recommend addressing the patients’ quality of life into consideration as a part of the evaluation protocol before the initiation of DAA drugs and after cure to improve this particular aspect of patients’ life.
Containing mobile citizenship: changing geopolitics and its impact on solidarity activism in Mexico

ABSTRACT Questioning the depiction of pro-migrant solidarity as unequivocal and transformative, the article draws attention to two types of ambivalences evident in the solidarity activism in Mexico. The vacillation between two different goals, that is, protecting migrants’ rights to mobile citizenship (i.e. the right to safe and secure mobility through Mexico) and the right to stay and settle in Mexico, constitutes the first type of ambivalence. We call it the mobility-immobility ambivalence. The second type of ambivalence is between the seemingly transformative discourses and actions and the de facto affirmative outcomes. We call it the transformative-affirmative ambivalence. Both ambivalences are linked to the rapidly changing geopolitical climate that has created uncertainty among Mexican solidarity activists. Based on in-depth interviews conducted in 2019 in Mexico, the article contributes to an understanding of how migrants’ citizenship rights are negotiated and claimed by solidarity activists.
Advancement in research of anti-cancer effects of toad venom (ChanSu) and perspectives

Toad venom, called as ChanSu in China, is a widely used traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) whose active components are mainly bufadienolides. ChanSu could exhibit cardiotonic, anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory and, most importantly, anti-cancer effects. In the present review, reports about the in vitro, in vivo and clinical anti-cancer effects of ChanSu or its representative component, bufalin, were summarized. And, reported anti-cancer mechanisms of cardenolides, structure analogues of bufadienolides, were also introduced. Based on the results got from research of ChanSu/bufalin and the results from cardenolides, possible signal network related to the anti-cancer effects of ChanSu/bufalin was predicted. Furthermore, future potential use of ChanSu in anti-cancer therapy was discussed.
Volatile‐Rich Magmas Distributed Through the Upper Crust in the Main Ethiopian Rift

Understanding magma storage and differentiation in the East African Rift underpins our understanding of volcanism in continental rift settings. Here, we present the geochemistry of melt inclusions erupted in Main Ethiopian Rift transitional basalts, trachytes, and peralkaline rhyolites, produced by fractional crystallization. Basalts stored on‐ and off‐axis are saturated in an exsolved volatile phase at up to 18 km in the upper crust. Much of the CO2 outgassed from the magmas is likely lost through diffuse degassing. Observed CO2 fluxes require the intrusion of up to 0.14 km3 of basalt beneath the rift each year. On‐axis peralkaline rhyolites are stored shallowly, at ~4–8 km depth. In the Daly Gap, magmas saturate in sulfide and an exsolved volatile phase, which promotes magma rise to shallower levels in the crust. Here, magmas undergo further protracted fractional crystallization and degassing, leading to the formation of a substantial exsolved volatile phase, which may accumulate in a gas‐rich cap. The exsolved volatile phase is rich in sulfur and halogens: their projected loadings into the atmosphere during explosive peralkaline eruptions in the MER are predicted to be substantially higher than their metaluminous counterparts in other settings. The high fraction of exsolved volatiles in the stored magmas enhances their compressibility and must be considered when interpreting ground displacements thought to be caused by magma intrusion at depth; otherwise, intruding volumes will be underestimated. Pockets of exsolved volatiles may be present at the roof zones of magma reservoirs, which may be resolvable using geophysical techniques.
Aspergillus nomius, an important aflatoxin producer in Brazil nuts?

The relationship between aflatoxin B1 and G1 was examined in samples from 199 aflatoxin contaminated lots of inshell Brazil nuts imported to Europe. In most of the samples, the relationship between B1 and G1 were approximately 50/50 indicating that the major responsible aflatoxin producing fungi cannot be Aspergillus flavus, which produces solely B aflatoxins. Fungal strains were isolated from two batches of Brazil nuts and isolates of both A. nomius and A. flavus could be identified. The A. nomius isolates were good producers of both B and G aflatoxins, while the A. flavus strains only produced B aflatoxins. In conclusion, this study suggests that A. nomius is an important producer of aflatoxins in Brazil nuts and that its occurrence, and possibly other B and G aflatoxin producers, should be further examined since this may influence strategies for prevention and control of aflatoxins in Brazil nuts.
Fluorescence in situ hybridization polymorphism using two repetitive DNA clones in different cultivars of wheat

Twenty-two wheat cultivars and a wheat line were analysed with two-colour fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) using the pSc119.2 and pAs1 repetitive DNA clones to detect if polymorphism could be observed in the hybridization patterns of different wheat cultivars. The FISH hybridization pattern of ‘Chinese Spring’ was compared with wheat cultivars of different origins. Differences were observed in the hybridization patterns of chromosomes 4A, 5A, 1B, 2B, 3B, 5B, 6B, 7B, 1D, 2D, 3D and 4D. Although a low level of polymorphism exists in the FISH pattern of different wheat cultivars, it is possible to identify 17 pairs of chromosomes according to their hybridization patterns with these two probes. This study will help to predict the expected variation in the FISH pattern when analysing wheat genetic stocks of different origin. It is presumed that variation in hybridization patterns are caused by chromosome structural rearrangements and by differences in the amount and location of repetitive sequences in the cultivars analysed.
Influence on mechanical and rheometric properties through different methods of chemical modification of silica applied to natural rubber compounds

The chemical modification of fillers has been an alternative to reach new levels of mechanical and rheometric properties. In this study, three methods of chemical modification of silica Zeosil 1165 PM, used as a reinforcing filler in elastomeric formulations, were evaluated by using the organosilane coupling agent, bis-(3-triethoxysilylpropyl) tetrasulphane (TESPT) compared to the reference, without addition of the TESPT named F1. The modification methods adopted were the chemical modification of the time-temperature-controlled greenhouse silica, named F2, the modification of the silica in the Banbury mixing process, named F3, and the use of the nanoclay-modified silica and incorporation of the TESPT in Banbury, named F4. Modification of greenhouse silica was monitored by thermogravimetry and Fourier-transform infrared spectrophotometry to define the modification parameters used for further incorporation of the filler in Banbury. Regarding the morphological properties, a large reduction of silica aggregates and agglomerates in TESPT formulations was evidenced by scanning electron microscopy, ranging from 100 nm to 500 nm (F1) to aggregates below 100 nm (F2, F3, and F4). On the other hand, improvements in rheometric, rheological, physical, and mechanical properties were also observed, comparing F2, F3, and F4 with F1, such as a reduction in Mooney viscosity by 40.2%, 51.1%, and 47.8%, a reduction in the optimal cure time by 41.1%, 48.9%, and 44.4%, a reduction in permanent deformation by 47.1%, 31.3%, and 41.6%, an increase in hardness by 15.3%, 16.4%, and 21.6%, increase in the reinforcement character by 32.4%, 51.7%, and 66.0%, and an increase in resistance to traction by 26.6%, 16.1%, and 63.9%. The best results for reinforcing character and tensile strength were verified in the modified nanoclay silica (F4). Thus, all results converge to a significant improvement in the properties of the formulations with the use of TESPT.
ENCOURAGING BEHAVIORAL INTENTION TO USE MOBILE PAYMENT: AN EXTENSION OF UTAUT2

The objective of this research is to analyze the antecedents of Behavioral Intention to use mobile payment platform. Specifically, the researchers expanded on UTAUT2 (Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology) by incorporating Perceived Security and Trust to better explain the endogenous variable. The sample of this study was limited to the users of mobile payment platforms in the Greater Jakarta area, and the data were collected using online questionnaires (n=144). The data in this study were examined using quantitative research by utilizing the SEM-PLS analysis. This research found that Social Influence, Hedonic Motivation, and Trust directly and significantly affected Behavioral Intention, while Effort Expectancy, Perceived Security, and Performance Expectancy had an indirect relationship with Behavioral Intention. Finally, the adjusted R of Behavioral Intention in this study is 71.6%. The results of this study contributed to the ongoing discussion on mobile payment adoption as the next digital disruptor by incorporating two important user privacy constructs.
Annual pattern of brooding and settlement in a population of the flat oyster Ostrea chilensis from central New Zealand

Abstract Temporal patterns of larval brooding and settlement were investigated in a flat oyster (Ostrea chilensis) population in Tasman Bay, central New Zealand. The proportion of the population brooding larvae and larval settlement rates were monitored over 26 months. A peak period of brooding activity began in late spring and continued through summer. Maximum rates of 17% and 23% of adult oysters brooding larvae occurred in November and December, and an estimated 55–78% of adult oysters incubated larvae over the entire summer breeding period. These proportions of brooders are higher than those previously reported for Tasman Bay. A very low level of brooding activity (1%) occurred during winter. Temporal trends in larval settlement closely tracked brooding patterns. Settlement was greatest between November and January, and there were very low rates in winter. The seasonal breeding pattern in the population was intermediate between northern and southern populations, confirming a latitudinal gradient of reproductive behaviour for O. chilensis in New Zealand. Results are useful in optimising the timing of substrate deployment in an enhancement programme for the oyster fishery.
Revisiting the Determinants of Pro-Environmental Behaviour to Inform Land Management Policy: A Meta-Analytic Structural Equation Model Application

Environmental policies in the realm of land management are increasingly focussing on inducing behavioural change to improve environmental management outcomes. This is based, implicitly or explicitly, on theories that suggest that pro-environmental behaviour can be understood, predicted and altered based on certain factors (referred to as determinants of pro-environmental behaviour). However, studies examining the determinants of pro-environmental behaviour have found mixed evidence. It is therefore important that we revisit these theories to assess if the evidence supports their postulations so that a more robust knowledge base can be established to inform land management policies. In this study, we do this using meta-analytic structural equation modelling (MASEM) to explore whether the evidence on determinants of pro-environmental behaviour supports the postulations of some predominantly applied theories of behaviour and/or behaviour change. The study analyses research in four environmental policy areas to identify implications for land management. Evidence from these related environmental areas is expected to provide insights relevant to the land management literature and to allow us to identify the extent to which lessons on pro-environmental behaviour from these other areas can be transferred to the land management context. Our findings suggest a strong evidence base for the Theories of Planned Behaviour and Reasoned Action, Attitude-Behaviour-Context Model, and the Persuasion Theory, but a weak evidence base for the Value-Belief-Norm Theory and the Norm Activation Model. We also found that type of environmental policy area moderates the relationship between different variables. This has key policy implications since, while lessons can be learnt from other environmental policy areas, land management policies aimed at influencing behaviours will need to be tailored to the specific context rather than simply ‘imported’ from other fields. Such context-specific policies may encourage pro-environmental behaviours, and potentially contribute towards improving environmental management outcomes.
Do Selective R&D incentives from the Government promote substantive innovation? Evidence from Shanghai technological enterprises

ABSTRACT Some types of government R&D incentives, such as subsidies and the High-and-New Technology Enterprise (HNTE) programme in China, are considered selective because they are given to few eligible firms. The selection process necessitates firm signalling and thus may influence R&D activities before the policy takes effect. This paper explores the innovation behaviour of firms in both the period of preparing to apply for the incentives (application period) and the period after obtaining the incentives (execution period). The empirical results show that subsidy programmes can effectively encourage firms to carry out substantive innovation, while HNTE programme stimulates deceptive innovation in the application period and suppresses innovation motivation in the execution period. This result implies that the HNTE programme fails, at least in the short run, to drive substantive innovation. Comparison of the two policies also shows that information gathering and inspection may reduce firm deviation.
Impact of foreign and domestic investment in stock market volatility: Empirical evidence from India

Abstract Volatility is one of the most important factors of investment decisions. Unexpected information forces the investor to trade abnormally in the market which in turn affects the volatility of the market. But this kind of trading behavior has a different impact on the different market segments. This study investigates the effect of unexpected DII and FPI flows on the volatility of large-cap, mid-cap and, small-cap stocks in Indian markets. Using ARMA (1, 1) and TGARCH (1, 1) model, we estimate the impact of unexpected FPI and DII flows on volatility. The main result of the study shows that unexpected flow of FPIs has a positive impact on market volatility but this impact is reduced by unexpected flow of DIIs. Further, results show that unexpected selling of FPIs increase volatility more than unexpected purchase. Impact of unexpected flow of DIIs flow is more dominating in small-cap stocks. Results from this study are useful for policymakers and regulator.
Phylogenetic position of freshwater and marine Sigmoidea species: introducing a marine hyphomycete Halosigmoidea gen. nov. (Halosphaeriales)

The aquatic hyphomycete genus Sigmoidea, with freshwater and marine representatives, is re-examined at the morphological and molecular levels. Currently six species are accepted, four from freshwater habitats (S. prolifera, S. aurantiaca, S. contorta, S. praelonga) and two marine species (S. marina, S. luteola). Phylogenetic analyses of the ribosomal small subunit rRNA gene sequences of freshwater and marine Sigmoidea species indicate that the marine species are distantly placed from the freshwater species, S. prolifera and Pseudosigmoidea cranei. The latter species are placed in the Dothideomycetes, in sister clades, with 81% bootstrap support. The phylogenetic placement of both marine Sigmoidea species, inferred from large subunit rRNA gene sequences, was within the genus Corollospora (Halosphaeriales, Sordariomycetes, Pezizomycotina). An undescribed Sigmoidea species isolated from the Baltic Sea and one previously incorrectly identified as S. marina from Japan (S. parvula sp. nov.) formed a clade together with Corollospora quin-queseptata and Varicosporina ramulosa, and were located in a sister group to S. luteola and S. marina. Based on morphological and phylogenetic evidence, Halosigmoidea gen. nov. is proposed to accommodate the three marine Sigmoidea species (S. luteola, S. marina, S. parvula sp. nov.). Identification keys to the genera Halosigmoidea, Pseudosigmoidea and Sigmoidea, and Halosigmoidea species are provided.
Caracterización del consumo de larvas de culícidos (Diptera) en dos especies de peces indígenas de la zona central de Argentina

Mosquitoes represent a threat to human health and animals because they act as vectors of several diseases. Native fish species are potential candidates to be considered for biological control populations of mosquitoes. Tests of half-hour and 24-hour consumption of Culex pipiens (Linnaeus, 1758) larvae by Cnesterodon decemmaculatus (Jenyns, 1842) and Jenynsia multidentata (Jenyns, 1842) were carried out, measuring the standard length, mouth width and weight in individuals of the two species of fishes. In both tests J. multidentata consumed more C. pipiens than C. decemmaculatus, being C. decemmaculatus female consumption higher than male consumption (and equal than both sexes of J. multidentata in the 24-hour test). These results remained unchanged when making comparisons of absolute or relative consumption in the half-hour test, but when consumptions relative to weight were compared no difference between species was found in the 24-hour test. Regression analysis between morphometric variables and weight vs. consumption rates showed low explanatory value for the half-hour test, while in the 24-hour test these variables had higher explanatory value, especially for the mouth width. Finally, a half-hour test was performed over C. decemmaculatus females using C. pipiens and Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus, 1742) larvae and it showed a strong preference for the latter ones. This work allowed us to observe that there are large differences in consumption rates of C. pipiens larvae between the fish species under study in short periods. Differences are attenuated when consumption times are longer and may even disappear when weight is taken into account.
Simulation of the Growth Potential of Sugarcane as an Energy Crop Based on the APSIM Model

Research on the development of plants grown for energy purposes is important for ensuring the global energy supply and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and simulation is an important method to study its potential. This paper evaluated the marginal land that could be used to grow sugarcane in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Based on the meteorological data from 2009 to 2017 in this region and field observations from sugarcane plantations, the sensitivity of the APSIM (Agricultural Production Systems sIMulator) model parameters was analyzed by an extended Fourier amplitude sensitivity test, and the APSIM model was validated for sugarcane phenology and yields. During the process of model validation, the value of the determination coefficient R2 of the observed and simulated values was between 0.76 and 0.91, and the consistency index D was between 0.91 and 0.97, indicating a good fit. On this basis, the APSIM sugarcane model was used to simulate the sugarcane production potential of the marginal land on a surface scale, and the distribution pattern of sugarcane production potential in the marginal land was obtained. The simulation results showed that if sugarcane was planted as an energy crop on the marginal land in Guangxi, it would likely yield approximately 42,522.05 × 104 t of cane stalks per year. It was estimated that the sugarcane grown on the marginal land plus 50% of the sugarcane grown on the cropland would be sufficient to produce approximately 3847.37 × 104 t of ethanol fuel. After meeting the demands for vehicle ethanol fuel in Guangxi, 3808.14 × 104 t of ethanol fuel would remain and could be exported to the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations).
Prey selectivity and parental feeding rates of Blue Tits Cyanistes caeruleus in relation to nestling age

Capsule The effect of nestling age (7, 10 and 13 days old) on prey choice by Blue Tits Cyanistes caeruleus seems to be related to time constraints on food selectivity rather than chick gape-size limitations. Aims To study age differences in the nestling diet of Blue Tits and how the relative contribution of each parent varies as the nestlings grow older. Methods The provisioning activity of Blue Tit parents was recorded using infrared video cameras when chicks were 7, 10 and 13 days old. Results Nestling age had no influence on the percentage of folivorous caterpillars in the diet of nestlings. Male and female parents changed their provisioning strategy with nestling age; this change was similar in adults of both sexes. Blue Tit nestlings received a smaller proportion of spiders and a greater proportion of Tortricid larvae (small, low-mobility caterpillars) as they grew older. At the age of seven days, females brought a lower proportion of Noctuids (large caterpillars) to the nest than their mates. The role of each parent in provisioning young varied with nestling age. Males fed their young at a lower rate when they were seven days old compared with later in the nestling period, whereas females tended to invest more in provisioning effort early in the nestling period in comparison with subsequent age-classes. Conclusion Contrary to what would be expected based on the gape-size constraint hypothesis, the youngest nestlings (seven days old) were fed with a higher proportion of large caterpillars (Tortricidae). Our results suggest that at these ages nestling gape-size does not restrict parents' prey-choice strategies.