Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
HIV-1 Reverse Transcriptase and Protease Resistance Mutations Selected during 16–72 Weeks of Therapy in Isolates from Antiretroviral Therapy-Experienced Patients Receiving Abacavir/Efavirenz/Amprenavir in the CNA2007 Study

Objective To determine HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT) and protease (PRO) mutations selected in isolates from antiretroviral therapy (ART)-experienced patients receiving an efavirenz/abacavir/amprenavir salvage regimen. Methods Open-label, single arm of abacavir, 300 mg twice daily, amprenavir, 1200 mg twice daily and efavirenz, 600 mg once daily, in ART-experienced patients of which 42% were non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor-naive. The virology population examined consisted of all patients who took at least 16 weeks of study drugs (n=74). Plasma population sequencing was carried out at baseline and last time point at which patients were still taking the three study drugs ± other ART. The median follow-up was 48 weeks (range week 16–72). Results Baseline (n=73) and on-therapy (n=49) genotypes were obtained. By 48 weeks, 51% of isolates had ≥3 non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) mutations. NNRTI mutations selected on therapy were K103N (51%), substitutions at position 190 (17/49, 35%): G to A (n=11) / S (n=4) / E (n=1) and T (n=1); L100I (37%) and V108I (20%) mutations. P225H was not observed in this study. L100I and G190A/S/E/T mutations were rarely detected in the same viral population and baseline Y181C favoured the G190 mutations (OR=8.9, P<0.001), rather than the L100I. The NRTI mutations selected were in accordance with abacavir known resistance profile, no new TAMs were observed, new L74V or I mutations developed in 39 and 16% of isolates, respectively, however, new M184V mutations were only detected in isolates from two patients, one of whom had added lamivudine + didanosine. M184V was common at baseline (55%) and maintained in 22/27 (81%) isolates (five of these 22 added lamivudine or didanosine, or both). The PRO mutations selected were in accordance with the distinct resistance profile of amprenavir compared with other protease inhibitors. Mutations D30N, G48V, N88D/S, L90M and I54V were de-selected, and mutations I50V, I or V to 54M/L, I84V, M46I/L, L33F, I47V as well mutations at position 10 were observed in 20/49 (41%) isolates. Conclusion Prior NNRTI and NRTI therapy influences the pathway of resistance to efavirenz. In this study, the prevalence of mutations selected by efavirenz were different from those described in less ART-experienced patients. Baseline Y181C was associated with the development of mutations at position 190, but not L100I or K103N. In this patient population, abacavir with efavirenz preferentially selected for L74V but not for thymidine analogue mutations. M184V was rarely selected and was maintained in only 77% of patients who did not add lamivudine or didanosine. Finally, amprenavir-specific mutations were selected in the background of other primary protease inhibitor mutations, confirming the distinct resistance profile of amprenavir.
Deep inspiration breath-hold volumetric modulated arc radiotherapy decreases dose to mediastinal structures in locally advanced lung cancer

Concomitant radio-chemotherapy is the standard treatment for locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), with a five-year survival of only approximately 15–20% [1]. Several clinical studies have indicated a positive dose-response relationship with an improved survival with higher dose [2,3]. However, evidence of mediastinal toxicity is accumulating: The phase III dose escalation trial RTOG 0617 [4] showed that heart dose parameters were correlated to death in a multivariate analysis and in a dose escalation trial by Cannon et al. [5] serious late toxicity from central and perihilar structures was encountered. In breast cancer radiotherapy a large population-based case-control study showed an increased risk of major cardiac events with increasing heart dose [6]. During deep inspiration breath-hold (DIBH), the lungs are inflated and the heart displaced caudally and these anatomical changes can be exploited to achieve a lower radiation dose to the intra-thoracic normal tissue. Several reports have shown that DIBH radiotherapy (RT) is a feasible alternative and has the potential of decreasing the lung dose in conventional three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) [7–9] and also with volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) [10]. Furthermore, DIBH RT does not acquire a lot of time [11] or economical resources for implementation. We previously reported preliminary results from the first 10 patients included in this study and found a statistically significant reduction of mean lung dose with DIBH 3D-CRT as well as with VMAT in patients with locally advanced NSCLC [12]. The combination of DIBH and VMAT reduced these parameters further and DIBH mitigated the low dose bath induced by VMAT. Most previous studies have focused on dose to the lungs and none of them have reported on dose to bronchi and trachea. In this final report, we examine if DIBH-VMAT holds potential to decrease doses to mediastinal organs at risk (OAR) compared to free breathing (FB) VMAT.
Contingent variables to the price charged by hotels

This study has two specific objectives: to analyse the association between the hotel features and the price charged; to analyse whether the performance evaluation tools used are associated with the price charged by the hotels. Data collection began with a survey directed at the financial managers of four and five star hotels located in Portugal to collect information on the performance evaluation tools used and on some hotel features. We obtained 241 completed questionnaires and to meet the objectives proposed, we also collected the price charged by the responding hotels, using the online platform Booking.com. The results obtained help us to fill a knowledge gap identified in the literature review regarding the influence of the hotel's operating conditions on the price charged, since it leads to the conclusion that hotel features and the performance evaluation tools used influence the price charged.
INFLUENCE OF CAPITAL STRUCTURE ON FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE OF LICENSED MICROFINANCE BANKS IN KENYA

Capital structure is deemed to have an impact on a firm’s performance against the position held by Modigliani and Miller in their seminal work of 1958 when they stated that capital structure is irrelevant in investment decisions. The study was guided by the following specific objectives: To determine the effect of debt capital, equity capital and retained earnings on financial performance of licensed microfinance banks in Kenya. This study utilized descriptive research design. Empirical research method was used. It used panel data of five years due to the advantage that it had. It helped to study the behavior of each licensed microfinance bank over time and across space. In this study, the population consisted of all the licensed microfinance bank registered by the Central Bank of Kenya. According to the central bank of Kenya, there were 13 licensed microfinance banks in Kenya. The results revealed that the firm utilized trade credits to finance our microfinance banks . Further the findings indicated that, the licensed microfinance banks considered the use of asset based lenders to ensure consistency in capital flow . Similarly, the findings also indicated that the firm considered the financing through commercial finance companies as a means of raising their capital . The study recommended that the licensed microfinance banks should utilize trade credits to finance their microfinance banks . Also, the licensed microfinance banks to consider the use of asset based lenders to ensure consistency in capital flow . Overall the study revealed through statistical analysis that while equity has highest influence on profitability, retaining profits has a moderate influence while debt financing has least influence. This means MFBs should take debt financing with caution but should always encourage equity financing and retainance of profits when they intend to inject more capital into their business. Applying the findings could be of benefit to managers and shareholders of MFBs as well as to researchers and students interested in this area of study. Key Words: Debt Capital, Equity Capital, Retained Earnings, Financial Performance CITATION: Wangombe, B. G. , & Kibati, P. (2019). Influence of capital structure on financial performance of licensed microfinance banks in Kenya. The Strategic Journal of Business & Change Management, 6 (2), 815 –835.
Integrated culture and creative product inventory policy in green environment

Abstract The rise of awareness about the environment protection and worsening of global warming have boosted government to concern more about this issue in recent years, the concept of carbon tax was created. It is important for whole world to reduce the emission of CO2. For culture and creative industries (CCI) of which products are complicated shapes, they need to be packed appropriately. Hence, reducing the emission of carbon in the transportation process is what enterprises of culture and creative industries care about. Once emission of carbon is cut down, the coexistence of business and environment will be seen. For that goal, this study presents an integrated inventory model with single vendor, single buyer and single customer, which combines carbon tax with cost, to find the maximum profit in the model.
Prognostic factors in patients with aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma treated by front-line autotransplantation after complete remission: a cohort study by the Groupe d'Etude des Lymphomes de l'Adulte.

PURPOSE Improved survival has been observed in aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) patients with adverse prognostic factors when autotransplantation (ASCT) was performed after complete remission. However, there is no agreement on the prognostic factors for patients treated with ASCT. We aimed to estimate the prognostic effect of clinical and biologic variables on relapse and survival rates by pooling the data from two trials. PATIENTS AND METHODS Of the patients treated in the LNH87 and LNH93 trials, 330 under age 60 years achieved complete remission after high-dose cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone, and received consolidative ASCT; 16% of patients had T-cell NHL. The International Prognostic Index (IPI) score was 0 for 11%, 1 for 23%, 2 for 51%, and 3 for 15%. Univariate and Cox multivariate survival analyses were retrospectively performed on this population. RESULTS Overall survival was 75 +/- 5% at 5 years and disease-free survival (DFS) 67 +/- 5%. For T-cell NHL, these scores were 54% and 44%, respectively. The IPI score had no prognostic value and only the following parameters adversely affected overall survival and DFS (P <.05): marrow involvement; more than one extranodal site; histology (nonanaplastic T-cell v others); and type of anthracycline (mitoxantrone v doxorubicin, for DFS only). CONCLUSION These results suggest that ASCT can prevent relapse in patients with adverse IPI factors. However, patients presenting with a nonanaplastic T-cell phenotype, more than one extranodal site, or marrow involvement still have a higher risk of relapse. These factors should be taken into account when designing post-ASCT maintenance studies.
Ca2+/Calmodulin-dependent Protein Kinase IV-mediated LIM Kinase Activation Is Critical for Calcium Signal-induced Neurite Outgrowth*

Actin cytoskeletal remodeling is essential for neurite outgrowth. LIM kinase 1 (LIMK1) regulates actin cytoskeletal remodeling by phosphorylating and inactivating cofilin, an actin filament-disassembling factor. In this study, we investigated the role of LIMK1 in calcium signal-induced neurite outgrowth. The calcium ionophore ionomycin induced LIMK1 activation and cofilin phosphorylation in Neuro-2a neuroblastoma cells. Knockdown of LIMK1 or expression of a kinase-dead mutant of LIMK1 suppressed ionomycin-induced cofilin phosphorylation and neurite outgrowth in Neuro-2a cells. Ionomycin-induced cofilin phosphorylation and neurite outgrowth were also blocked by KN-93, an inhibitor of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinases (CaMKs), and STO-609, an inhibitor of CaMK kinase. An active form of CaMKIV but not CaMKI enhanced Thr-508 phosphorylation of LIMK1 and increased the kinase activity of LIMK1. Moreover, the active form of CaMKIV induced cofilin phosphorylation and neurite outgrowth, and a dominant negative form of CaMKIV suppressed ionomycin-induced neurite outgrowth. Taken together, our results suggest that LIMK1-mediated cofilin phosphorylation is critical for ionomycin-induced neurite outgrowth and that CaMKIV mediates ionomycin-induced LIMK1 activation.
Disclosure of Cancer Diagnosis to Patients and their Relatives in Turkey: Views of Accompanying Persons and Influential Factors in Reaching those Views

Aims and Background In Turkey, it is a common belief that most family members of patients with cancer would not want them to be informed of a diagnosis of cancer. Our aim was to evaluate the attitudes and opinions of people accompanying cancer patients, regarding cancer diagnosis disclosure. Methods In a cross-sectional study 270 caregivers accompanying cancer patients during outpatient chemotherapy sessions were asked to fill in a questionnaire to determine their opinions regarding whether the diagnosis of cancer should be disclosed to the patients and their relatives or not. Timing of telling the diagnosis and from whom it should be learned were queried as well. Possible influential factors for the answers were analyzed with the chi-square test. Results Of the 270 accompanying persons, 130 (48.2%) said that the patients should be informed of the diagnosis, whereas a greater number (236, 87.4%) believed that the patient's relatives should be informed. Being younger than 40 years old (P = 0.0005), being unmarried (P = 0.002), having a higher educational status (P = 0.0001) and having passed less than four months since the diagnosis (P = 0.005) positively affected opinions regarding telling the truth to the patient. Higher education (P = 0.012) and high monthly income (P = 0.002) positively affected opinions regarding disclosing a diagnosis of cancer to the patient's relatives. Conclusion As a result, in a survey of caregivers’ points of view, more than half of the accompanying persons did not agree with disclosing a cancer diagnosis to patients, whereas the majority agreed with disclosing it to the relatives, and educational level seemed to be the major influential factor.
Embryonic and fetal development in a commercial dam-line genotype

During depopulation of a breeding unit within Swine Graphics Enterprises, extensive data were collected and used to examine relationships among ovulation rate, the pattern of prenatal loss, and placental and fetal development. Groups of Large White × Landrace females ( n = 447) were slaughtered between day 20–30, 50–55 or 85–90 of gestation, with approximately equal numbers of animals representing gilts and parity 1 (G/P1), parity 2–3 (P2/3), and parity >4 (P4 +). Ovulation rate and embryo number were recorded for all animals. With the exception of the G/P1 animals, embryonic and placental weight were recorded for four conceptuses per sow on day 20–30; on day 85–90 two conceptuses per sow were dissected to determine placental and fetal development. Ovulation rate (22.7± 0.2 overall) was higher ( P < 0.05) in P2/3 (23.6± 0.4) and P4+ (24.7± 0.4) than in G/P1 (20.2± 0.5). Embryonic/fetal survival was 61.8 ± 2.1% at day 20–30, 50.2 ± 2.2% at day 50–55 and 48.7 ± 1.9% at day 85–90 and the number of surviving conceptuses was higher ( P < 0.05) in the P2/3 sows than in other parity groups. There was no relationship between ovulation rate and number of live embryos at day 20–30 or 85–90. At day 20–30 and 85–90, embryo weight was positively correlated with placental weight, but neither placental weight nor embryonic/fetal weight was correlated with number of viable embryos. A parity by gestation day interaction existed; placental weight for P4 + (3.42± 0.43 g) was less than for P2/3 (7.55 ± 0.40 g) at day 20–30 ( P < 0.0001), whereas at day 85–90, placental weight of P2/3 (209.5 ± 8.5 g) was less ( P = 0.05) than both G/P1 (235.7± 7.3 g) and P4 + (235.4± 7.1 g). At day 85–90, fetal brain weight, relative to body weight ( R2 = 0.61,P < 0.0001), and fetal brain:liver weight ratio ( R2 = 0.35;P < 0.0001) were negatively related to mean fetal weight, and brain:liver weight ratio showed a trend towards a relationship with number of viable fetuses ( P = 0.08). Parity also affected brain:liver weight ratio (P = 0.01). Clearly, high ovulation rates in the higher parity sows have the potential to cause ∗ Corresponding author. Tel. : +1-780-492-7661; fax: +1-780-492-4265. E-mail address: george.foxcroft@ualberta.ca (G.R. Foxcroft). 1 Present address: Fmvz-Unesp Cx. Postal 560 Botucatu, Sp, Cep 18618-000, Brazil. 0378-4320/$ – see front matter © 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.anireprosci. 2004.05. 019 302 S.C. Town et al. / Animal Reproduction Science 85 (2005) 301–316 excessive in utero crowding of conceptuses in the post-implantation period. Even with moderate crowding, increased brain:liver weight ratios in smaller fetuses in late gestation indicate that uterine capacity impacts fetal development as well as the number of surviving fetuses. © 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Robust Design of High-Speed Interconnects Based on an MWCNT

A robust design of the propagation characteristics of interconnect structures based on multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) is carried out. The study allows us to identify the minimum number of shells N of the MWCNT able to guarantee that the time delay at 50% outperforms the Cu-based solution for the upcoming technology nodes, taking into account the uncertainties affecting other geometrical and physical parameters of the device. Such an investigation is carried out in the most severe conditions for the MWCNTs-based device, i.e., for short and thin wire structures, starting from the minimum interconnect length for which the MWCNT outperforms the Cu-based solution. A worst case polynomial expression of the time delay as a function of the number of the shells of the MWCNT, obtained on the basis of the equivalent single conductor model of the nano-interconnect, is adopted for the optimization procedure. The minimum number of shells that lead to outperform the Cu-based solution is determined by the use of an approach relying on a particular application of the interval analysis to find the upper bound of the performance function. The quality of the results is checked by a Monte Carlo analysis.
Cortical localization of human sustained attention: detection with functional MR using a visual vigilance paradigm.

PURPOSE Our goal was to determine whether functional MRI on a standard 1.5 T system can localize activation during a visual vigilance sustained attention task and whether this corresponds to results described in a PET investigation of a similar task. METHOD Sixteen volunteers were studied on a 1.5 T system using a gradient echo technique. A single axial section was oriented within a stereotaxic coordinate space, 40 mm superior to the anterior-posterior commissure line. Images with eyes closed were followed by images during subject concentration on a small dim spot. Motion correction and pixel-by-pixel statistical analysis were performed. Talairach grids were applied for summary statistical analysis and comparison to PET data, with analysis using a series of planned contrasts within a repeated measures analysis of variance. RESULTS Predominantly right-sided frontal and parietal activation was observed, with statistical significance across subjects in the right frontal lobe (F > or = 5.9, p < or = 0.041). Comparison with previously reported PET data yielded a very similar pattern of activation (F = 13.2; df = 1,8; p = 0.007). CONCLUSION Activation of the right middle frontal gyrus and right parietal lobe during visual vigilance is detectable across functional imaging modalities.
Dismissal of Newly Appointed CEOs: A Behavioral Theory Perspective

This study examines the role of former CEO performance on dismissal of newly appointed CEOs. Drawing from behavioral theory, we propose that when the performance of newly appointed CEO is below that of the former CEO, the new CEO is more likely to be dismissed soon after his appointment. In addition, we examine firm size as a moderator in this linkage between former CEO performance and dismissal of the newly appointed CEO. Specifically, we predict that in larger the firms, the impact of board's comparison between the predecessor's performance on the successor would be reduced. The results of from our analysis of CEO dismissal events among S&P 500 companies between 2001-2005 generally support our predictions.
Sales promotion as a leverage strategy for improving sales and profitability in alcohol beverage industry

This paper considered the huge amount of money being expended on sales promotion in recent times and sought to know whether organizations that use such strategy have justification for such investment. It sought to know whether the increase in sales promotion expenses resulted to increase in the organizations’ sales volume as well as profitability. Nigerian Breweries Plc was used for the study because of its high-level involvement in sales promotion. Personal interview was used to collect relevant information from the key staff of the organization while the published annual report was to collect relevant information from the key staff of the organization while the published annual report was used to source information on the organization’s performance in terms of sales of sales turnover, marketing expenditure, and profitability. Findings showed that sales promotion was used because the strategy was very effective in developing and sustaining patronage and loyalty among channel members. It was further found that there was a strong positive correlation between sales promotion expenses and sales volume and between sales promotion expenses and profit. It was therefore recommended that organizations should use sales promotion as a strategy for leveraging sales and profit, provided that such organizations manage the sales promotion programmed effectively to generate desired results.
Performance of the decorrelator receiver for DS-CDMA mobile radio system employing RAKE and diversity through Nakagami fading channel

Multiple-access interference (MAI) and multipath fading are two of the most significant factors limiting the capacity and performance of direct-sequence code-division multiple-access (DS-CDMA) systems. In this paper, synchronous multiuser receivers that combine antenna diversity, RAKE reception, and a multipath decorrelator for MAI cancellation are analyzed in a Nakagami faded environment using a maximal ratio combiner or a selection combiner. A coherent binary phase-shift keying employing DS-CDMA is considered. Arbitrary branch correlation is also considered for any diversity order in the case of identical severity fading on the branches.