Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
ABT-450: a novel agent for the treatment of CHC genotype 1: focus on treatment-experienced patients

Chronic hepatitis C (CHC) constitutes a major health concern. Hepatitis C virus eradication by antiviral treatment can markedly reduce the risk of developing cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma and liver-related death. A plethora of new direct antiviral agents have been developed and are being explored in clinical trials. One of the newest members of this family is the NS3/4A protease inhibitor ABT-450. The multi-targeted approach combining ritonavir-enhanced ABT-450 with ombitasvir and dasabuvir has been evaluated for the treatment of CHC Gt1 in treatment-naïve and treatment-experienced adults. In this article, we sought to discuss the current knowledge on ABT-450-containing regimens, with special emphasis on treatment-experienced CHC Gt1 patients. This new combination was found to be potent, safe and well tolerated. Future Phase III trials with larger sample size in patients with decompensated cirrhosis, non-Gt1, end-stage renal disease and liver transplant recipients are eagerly awaited.
THE IMPORTANCE OF BANK CREDITS FOR AGRICULTURAL FINANCING IN SERBIA

Agricultural loans present unutilized bank credit market segment in Serbia. This is not only missed profit opportunity for banks, but also serious deficiency that slows down the development of agriculture and rural areas. Paper uses FADN, NBS and bank balance sheet data in order to analyse supply and demand side of this credit market segment, with the aim to better understand the conditions for its development. Paper recommends better education of producers and lenders. Banks should better understand the requirements of agricultural producers and risks of the production to be able to create tailored credits. Insurance has very important role in specific risk hedging and can facilitate agricultural loans. There is also a need to adjust the conditions for obtaining subsidized loans, while the land size is considered as a key prerequisite for obtaining loans in the situation of large fragmentation of properties.
The Three-Factor Capital Asset Pricing Model and the Indian Equity Market: Evidence from the Bombay Stock Exchange

This study aims to test one of the most widely used asset pricing models – the Three-factor capital asset pricing model on the developing market of Indian equities. The study uses a sample of 29 companies from the Bombay stock exchanges SENSEX index covering the 5-year period of 2011-2016. This study aids in filling the large gap seen in asset price testing of developing markets, contributing to the fields understanding of what factors capture the cross-section of average returns in a developing market. The study followed the Fama/French methodology (Fama & French, 1995) (French, Data Library, 2017), as well as drawing from the methodology used by Sobti (Sobti, 2016). The study found that the Three-factor model did not capture a significant proportion of average cross-sectional returns, when compared to the models explanatory capabilities seen in studies of developed markets. The findings from the study did demonstrate the presence of both market beta and the size effect in excess returns, though the value effect was not evident. The performance of the model suggested that along with market beta, and size, additional factors are responsible for explaining excess returns within the Indian equity market. The study highlighted the need for further research in the areas of market efficiency and asset pricing. Furthermore, additional research is needed in testing which company fundamentals are present in stock returns, characterised by the Indian equity market as risk factors.
Seneca Valley Virus, a Systemically Deliverable Oncolytic Picornavirus, and the Treatment of Neuroendocrine Cancers

Background Numerous clinical trials have demonstrated that oncolytic viruses can elicit antitumor responses when they are administered directly into localized cancers. However, the treatment of metastatic disease with oncolytic viruses has been challenging due to the inactivation of viruses by components of human blood and/or to inadequate tumor selectivity. Methods We determined the cytolytic potential and selectivity of Seneca Valley Virus-001 (SVV-001), a newly discovered native picornavirus, in neuroendocrine and pediatric tumor cell lines and normal cells. Suitability of the virus for intravenous delivery in humans was assessed by blood inactivation assays. Safety was evaluated in vivo using an immune-competent mouse model, and efficacy was evaluated in vivo in athymic mice bearing tumors derived from human small-cell lung cancer and retinoblastoma cell lines. Results Cell lines derived from small-cell lung cancers and solid pediatric cancers were at least 10000-fold more sensitive to the cytolytic activity of SVV-001 than were any of the adult normal human cells tested. Viral infectivity was not inhibited by human blood components. Intravenous doses up to 1 × 1014 virus particles (vp) per kg were well tolerated, and no dose-limiting toxicity was observed in immune-competent mice. A single intravenous dose of 1 × 108 vp per kg into athymic mice bearing preestablished small-cell lung or retinoblastoma tumors resulted in complete, durable responses in ten of ten and five of eight mice, respectively. Conclusions SVV-001 has potent cytolytic activity and high selectivity for tumor cell lines having neuroendocrine properties versus adult normal cells. Systemically administered SVV-001 has potential for the treatment of metastatic neuroendocrine cancers.
Targeting financial stress as opposed to the exchange rate

This paper analyses the role of monetary policy in targeting financial stress as opposed to the exchange rate in South Africa. This is achieved by augmenting the central bank’s monetary policy reaction function with the composite indicator of financial stress and the nominal bilateral exchange rate between the US dollar and the South African rand. The results show that the monetary authority adopts an accommodative monetary policy stance in the face of financially stressful economic conditions. The paper further finds a statistical insignificant as well as negligible reaction of the nominal bilateral foreign exchange rate to the changes in the monetary policy interest rate. The paper concludes that, although evidence exists that the monetary policy interest rate in South Africa has reacted to both the indicator of financial stress and the nominal bilateral foreign exchange rate, the impact of such a reaction seems to be more significant on the indicator financial stress as opposed to the exchange rate.
Improving the Hydro-Morpho Dynamics of A River Confluence by Using Vanes

Controlling the flow and bed morphology in a river confluence is important in training and navigation works. The flow in river confluence is highly complex due to crucial and rapid changes associated with flow dynamics, sediment transport, and geomorphology. The flow in Malaysia’s rivers has many confluence junctions in natural drains of catchment areas. The confluence between Kurau and Ara Rivers, in Perak, Malaysia, is selected to investigate the scour hole that usually forms in the erosion zone and the bar that forms in the deposition zone. A 2D numerical model is used in simulating hydro-morpho dynamics in the rivers confluence to mitigate the erosion and deposition zones by adopting vanes as control structures. Simulation results suggest that the most effective location, dimension, and angle of vanes can be decided based on their performance in scouring and deposition zones. The distribution velocity and flow vectors can help in deciding the location of the vanes.
The use of common salt (sodium chloride) fortified with iron to control anaemia: results of a preliminary study

1. Iron-deficiency anaemia continues to be a major public health problem in all developing countries. Fortification of commonly consumed food items has been suggested as an effective method of preventing anaemia. Common salt (sodium chloride) has been identified as a suitable vehicle to be fortified with Fe in India. 2. Common salt was fortified with ferric orthophosphate (3500 mg/kg) and sodium hydrogen sulphate (5000 mg/kg) to provide an additional 1 mg elemental Fe/g common salt consumed. 3. After ascertaining the acceptability of the fortified salt with respect to its colour, taste and bioavailability a pilot feeding trial was conducted among residential schoolchildren in Hyderabad. Feeding of the fortified salt for a period of 1 year resulted in a significant increase in the haemoglobin level of these children. There was also a significant reduction in the prevalence of anaemia among children given the fortified salt. 4. Before the same fortified salt is recommended as a public health measure to prevent Fe-deficiency anaemia among our population it is necessary that further large-scale community trials with this fortified salt are carried out particularly among the rural population.
The reciprocal relationship between participation in leisure activities and cognitive functioning: the moderating effect of self-rated literacy level

ABSTRACT Objective: Participation in leisure activities is beneficial for cognitive functioning of older adults, but it is less known whether it is also beneficial for those with low basic cognitive level. This study examined the reciprocal relationship between participating in leisure activities and cognitive functioning among low and higher literacy level older adults. Method: Respondents aged 60 years and older who participated in both first waves (2005–2006 and 2009–2010) of the Israeli component of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE-Israel) were divided into low (n = 139) and higher literacy level respondents (n = 714). They reported participation in leisure activities and completed measures of cognitive functioning at both waves. Results: Cross-lagged models showed that participation in leisure activities predicted higher cognitive functioning four years later only among older adults with low literacy level. On the other hand, cognitive functioning predicted more participation in leisure activities four years later only among higher literacy level older adults. Conclusions: Participating in leisure activities may be especially beneficial to cognitive functioning among older adults with low literacy level, as their initial low cognitive level allows more room for cognitive improvement than among higher literacy level older adults. Public efforts aimed at increasing participation in leisure activities may therefore target particularly older adults with low basic cognitive level.
A neonatal swine model for peanut allergy.

BACKGROUND Peanut allergy represents a significant health threat in the United States. The factors contributing to the severity of the allergic response and the immunopathogenic mechanisms underlying peanut allergy remain to be completely characterized. As yet, no animal model has been developed that will completely mimic the physical, immunologic, and histologic features of food allergy. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this investigation was to develop a neonatal pig model of peanut allergy that would mimic the allergic symptoms and the immunologic and histologic profile of human peanut allergy. METHODS Newborn piglets sensitized intraperitoneally with peanut extract and cholera toxin were orally challenged repeatedly with peanut meal. Physical symptoms, including emesis, lethargy, diarrhea, and respiratory distress, were monitored to determine the allergic response. Immunologic assessment was conducted through use of skin testing and the antigenic response to peanut proteins. Histologically, tissues derived from the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and colon were assessed for morphologic changes after the oral challenge. RESULTS Peanut-sensitized pigs responded with physical symptoms that mimicked those seen in double-blinded, placebo-controlled oral food challenges to peanuts in children and adults. Skin testing suggested an IgE-mediated response; this was confirmed by a negative passive cutaneous anaphylaxis response of heat-treated sera obtained from peanut-sensitized animals. Damage to villi of the small intestine was similar to that seen in endoscopically obtained tissue specimens from certain food-allergic individuals. CONCLUSION The neonatal pig model of peanut allergy mimics the physical and immunologic characteristics of peanut allergy in human beings. The model will be useful for determining IgE-mediated mechanisms and conducting endoscopic histologic assessment of tissues and immunotherapeutic intervention strategies with repeated allergen challenges.
The Influence of Organizational Systems on Information Exchange in Long-Term Care Facilities

Person-centered care is heavily dependent on effective information exchange among health care team members. We explored the organizational systems that influence resident care attendants’ (RCAs) access to care information in long-term care (LTC) settings. We conducted an institutional ethnography in three LTC facilities. Investigative methods included naturalistic observations, in-depth interviews, and textual analysis. Practical access to texts containing individualized care-related information (e.g., care plans) was dependent on job classification. Regulated health care professionals accessed these texts daily. RCAs lacked practical access to these texts and primarily received and shared information orally. Microsystems of care, based on information exchange formats, emerged. Organizational systems mandated written exchange of information and did not formally support an oral exchange. Thus, oral information exchanges were largely dependent on the quality of workplace relationships. Formal systems are needed to support structured oral information exchange within and between the microsystems of care found in LTC.
Mouse Strain Affects Behavioral and Neuroendocrine Stress Responses Following Administration of Probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus JB-1 or Traditional Antidepressant Fluoxetine

Currently, there is keen interest in the development of alternative therapies in the treatment of depression. Given the explosion of research focused on the microbiota-gut-brain axis, consideration has turned to the potential of certain probiotics to improve patient outcomes for those suffering from mood disorders. Here we examine the abilities of a known antidepressant, fluoxetine, and the probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus JB-1™, to attenuate responses to two established criteria for depressive-like behavior in animal models, the tail suspension test (TST) and the corticosterone response to an acute restraint stressor. We examine two different strains of mice known to differ in the extent to which they express both anxiety-like behavior and measures of despair—BALB/c and Swiss Webster—with respectively high and normal behavioral phenotypes for each. While adult male BALB/c mice responded with increased antidepressive-like behavior to both fluoxetine and L. rhamnosus JB-1 in both the TST and the corticosterone stress response, SW mice did not respond to either treatment as compared to controls. These findings highlight the importance of investigating putative antidepressants in mouse strains known to express face validity for some markers of depression. Clinical studies examining the activity of L. rhamnosus JB-1 in patients suffering from mood disorders are warranted, as well as further pre-clinical work examining how interactions between host genotype and intestinal microbial alterations may impact behavioral responses. This study adds to the literature supporting the possibility that modifying the intestinal microbiota via probiotics represents a promising potential therapeutic breakthrough in the treatment of psychiatric disease.
A simple model to bridge Hardin's tragedy and Ostrom's comity

Triggered by the article titled “The tragedy of the commons” by Hardin, a collectively‐managed resource (CMR) emerges and becomes a highly fruitful discussion topic. Furthermore, Ostrom augments the topic and demonstrates that the utilization of a CMR should not always result in a tragedy. However, the theory used to justify Hardin's tragedy differs from the one used to justify Ostrom's comity; Hardin's tragedy is justified by one‐shot prisoners' dilemma (PD), while Ostrom's comity is justified by infinitely repeated PD. The discussion in this study shows that Hardin's tragedy and Ostrom's comity can be supported by the same theory. An infinitely repeated PD complemented with a likelihood of making an error is used to reach the conclusion that the occurrences of Hardin's tragedy and Ostrom's comity are just a matter of probability.
ACCESS TO HEALTH: WOMEN’S STATUS AND UTILIZATION OF MATERNAL HEALTH SERVICES IN NEPAL

Summary With the objective of reducing maternal and neonatal mortality, the Safe Motherhood Program was implemented in Nepal in 1997. It was launched as a priority programme during the ninth five-year plan period, 1997–2002, with the aim of increasing women’s access to health care and raising their status. This paper examines the association of access to health services and women’s status with utilization of prenatal, delivery, and postnatal care during the plan period. The 1996 Nepal Family Health Survey and the 2001 Nepal Demographic and Health Survey data were pooled and the likelihood of women’s using maternal health care was examined in 2001 in comparison with 1996. Multiple logistic regression analysis indicates that the utilization of maternal health services increased over the period. Programme interventions such as outreach worker’s visits, radio programmes on maternal health, maternal health information disseminated through various mass media sources and raising women’s status through education were able to explain the observed change in utilization. Health worker visits and educational status of women showed a large association, but radio programmes and other mass media information were only partially successful in increasing use of maternal health services. Socioeconomic and demographic variables such as household economic status, number of living children and place of residence showed stronger association with use of maternal health services then did intervention programmes.
The Dark Side of Share Buybacks

Share buybacks reduce taxes, commit managers to pay out free cash-flow, and send positive signals to investors. This paper shows that they also transfer wealth from shareholders to the owners of employee stock options and that this transfer increases the price needed to induce shareholders to sell shares back to the firm. Two costs arise: at firms with poor governance, buybacks occur that harm shareholders; at firms with good governance, some value-enhancing buybacks do not occur. These costs are greatest when the number of outstanding options is large and when the options are out-of-the-money.
Taking The Initiative: Exploring The Influence Of Citizen Legislating On Good Goverance In The American States

The citizen legislator is both a controversial and recurring phenomenon of interest in political science research. A longstanding concern for the discipline has been whether or not involvement of the public in the lawmaking process is an asset or a liability to quality governance. This study explores the desirability of citizen legislating in the American states. A four dimensional index is created that includes empirical indicators of “substantive” and “procedural” governance. These indicators include voter turnout, fiscal health, the ideological distance between government and the citizenry, and the diversity of a state’s interest group system. The total number of initiatives and popular referendums that appear biennially within each of the fifty states is employed as the key explanatory variable to capture the degree of citizen legislating that is occurring in the states between 1980 and 2000. A random-effects generalized least squares regression reveals that higher ballot measure counts are statistically and substantively associated with better quality governance, indicating that citizen legislation is a quality input into the political system. Key control variables such as divided government, interparty competition, citizen ideological extremism, state legislative term limits, and legislative professionalism also tell particularly poignant stories about the road to good governance.
Does Credit Reporting Lead to a Decline in Relationship Lending? Evidence from Information Sharing Technology

I examine how credit reporting affects where firms access credit and how lenders contract with them. I use within firm-time and lender-time tests that exploit lenders joining a credit bureau and sharing information in a staggered pattern. I find information sharing reduces relationship-switching costs, particularly for firms that are young, small, or have had no defaults. After sharing, lenders transition away from relationship contracting, in two ways: contract maturities in new relationships are shorter, and lenders are less willing to provide financing to their delinquent borrowers. My results highlight the mixed effects of transparency-improving financial technologies on credit availability.
Price transmission dynamics for quality‐certified food products: A comparison between conventional and organic fluid milk in Italy

Despite the vast number of works investigating price transmission (PT) processes in diverse agrifood markets, very little has been said about quality‐differentiated products. In this paper, we compare the conventional and organic fluid milk sectors in Italy to better understand the economic organization and functioning of one of the most important agrifoods in Italy. Using a unique dataset featuring processor and retail (scanner) prices for the two types of milk, we estimate Momentum‐Threshold Autoregressive models to account for asymmetric price movements in both sectors, but the PT results are eventually symmetric. The Vector Error Correction Model estimations and Impulse Response Functions analysis provide significant insights into the differences between the two markets. [EconLit citations: Q130, Q110, C590]
Constitutive activation of the RON gene promotes invasive growth but not transformation

MET, RON, and SEA are members of a gene family encoding tyrosine kinase receptors with distinctive properties. Besides mediating growth, they control cell dissociation, motility ("scattering"), and formation of branching tubules. While there are transforming counterparts of MET and SEA, no oncogenic forms of RON have yet been identified. A chimeric Tpr-Ron, mimicking the oncogenic form of Met (Tpr-Met) was generated to investigate its transforming potential. For comparison, a chimeric Tpr-Sea was also constructed. Fusion with Tpr induced constitutive activation of the Ron and Sea kinases. While Tpr-Sea was more efficient than Tpr-Met in transformation, Tpr-Ron did not transform NIH 3T3 cells. The differences in the transforming abilities of Tpr-Met and Tpr-Ron were linked to the functional features of the respective tyrosine kinases using the approach of swapping subdomains. Kinetic analysis showed that the catalytic efficiency of Tpr-Ron is five times lower than that of Tpr-Met. Moreover, constitutive activation of Ron resulted in activation of the MAP kinase signaling cascade approximately three times lower than that attained by Tpr-Met. However, constitutive activation of Ron did induce a mitogenic-invasive response, causing cell dissociation, motility, and invasion of extracellular matrices. Tpr-Ron also induced formation of long, unbranched tubules in tridimensional collagen gels. These data show that RON has the potential to elicit a motile-invasive rather than a transformed phenotype.
Chikungunya Fever Outbreak, Bhutan, 2012

In 2012, chikungunya virus (CHIKV) was reported for the first time in Bhutan. IgM ELISA results were positive for 36/210 patient samples; PCR was positive for 32/81. Phylogenetic analyses confirmed that Bhutan CHIKV belongs to the East/Central/South African genotype. Appropriate responses to future outbreaks require a system of surveillance and improved laboratory capacity.