Week 48 resistance analyses of the once-daily, single-tablet regimen darunavir/cobicistat/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide (D/C/F/TAF) in adults living with HIV-1 from the Phase III Randomized AMBER and EMERALD Trials

Darunavir/cobicistat/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide (D/C/F/TAF) 800/150/200/10 mg is being investigated in two Phase III trials, AMBER (NCT02431247; treatment-naive adults) and EMERALD (NCT02269917; treatment-experienced, virologically suppressed adults). Week 48 AMBER and EMERALD resistance analyses are presented. Postbaseline samples for genotyping/phenotyping were analyzed from protocol-defined virologic failures (PDVFs) with viral load (VL) >= 400 copies/mL at failure/later time points. Post hoc analyses were deep sequencing in AMBER, and HIV-1 proviral DNA from baseline samples (VL = 3 thymidine analog-associated mutations (24% not fully susceptible to tenofovir) detected at screening. All achieved VL <50 copies/mL at week 48 or prior discontinuation. D/C/F/TAF has a high genetic barrier to resistance; no darunavir, primary PI, or tenofovir RAMs were observed through 48 weeks in AMBER and EMERALD. Only one postbaseline M184I/V RAM was observed in HIV-1 of an AMBER participant. In EMERALD, baseline archived RAMs to darunavir, emtricitabine, and tenofovir in participants with prior VF did not preclude virologic response

What can whiskers tell us about mammalian evolution, behaviour, and ecology?

Most mammals have whiskers; however, nearly everything we know about whiskers derives from just a handful of species, including laboratory rats Rattus norvegicus and mice Mus musculus, as well as some species of pinniped and marsupial. We explore the extent to which the knowledge of the whisker system from a handful of species applies to mammals generally. This will help us understand whisker evolution and function, in order to gain more insights into mammalian behaviour and ecology. This review is structured around Tinbergen’s four questions, since this method is an established, comprehensive, and logical approach to studying behaviour. We ask: how do whiskers work, develop, and evolve? And what are they for? While whiskers are all slender, curved, tapered, keratinised hairs that transmit vibrotactile information, we show that there are marked differences between species with respect to whisker arrangement, numbers, length, musculature, development, and growth cycles. The conservation of form and a common muscle architecture in mammals suggests that early mammals had whiskers. Whiskers may have been functional even in therapsids. However, certain extant mammalian species are equipped with especially long and sensitive whiskers, in particular nocturnal, arboreal species, and aquatic species, which live in complex environments and hunt moving prey. Knowledge of whiskers and whisker use can guide us in developing conservation protocols and designing enriched enclosures for captive mammals. We suggest that further comparative studies, embracing a wider variety of mammalian species, are required before one can make large-scale predictions relating to evolution and function of whiskers. More research is needed to develop robust techniques to enhance the welfare and conservation of mammals

An ancient bison from the mouth of the Rauchua River (Chukotka, Russia)

An incomplete carcass of an extinct bison, Bison ex gr. priscus, was discovered in 2012 in the mouth of the Rauchua River (69°30'N, 166°49'E), Chukotka. The carcass included the rump with two hind limbs, ribs, and large flap of hide from the abdomen and sides, several vertebrae, bones of the forelimbs and anterior autopodia, stomach with its contents, and wool. The limb bones are relatively gracile, which is unusual in bison, and a SEM study of the hair microstructure suggests higher insulating capacity than in extant members of the genus. Additionally, mitochondrial DNA analyses indicate that the Rauchua bison belonged to a distinct and previously unidentified lineage of steppe bison. Two radiocarbon dates suggest a Holocene age for the bison: a traditional 14C date provided an estimate of 8030±70 14C yr BP (SPb-743) and an AMS radiocarbon date provided an age of 9497±92 14C yr BP (AA101271). These dates make this the youngest known bison from Chukotka. Analysis of stomach contents revealed a diet of herbaceous plants (meadow grasses and sedges) and shrubs, suggesting that the early Holocene vegetation near the mouth of the Rauchua River was similar to that of the present day: tundra-associated vegetation with undersized plants

THE REGIONAL UNEVENNESS OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN UKRAINE AND THE EU: MODELS OF ANALYSIS

Abstract: Nowadays countries and regions are under socioeconomic threats of different origin. One of the most crucial ones is notable regional unevenness of development, which leads to aggravation of social tension in society, a decline in the level of social security. Threats of this kind are not only inherent in individual member countries but interregional associations as well, such as the European Union. This leads to a reluctance of donor countries to spend an increasingly greater share of their income on supporting the acceptor countries' development. The regional unevenness problem has been studied by many scientists. However, the structure of unevenness has not been researched fully enough. Economic and mathematical models have been constructed to analyze the economic development regional unevenness. Macroeconomic and mesoeconomic systems have been researched. The macrolevel is presented by the European Union (EU) and its member countries. The mesolevel is presented by Ukraine and its regions. Gross domestic product per capita (for the EU) and gross regional product per capita (for Ukraine) have been selected as key indicators of the unevenness development. The proposed models are based on the cumulative growth theory assumptions and variance analysis methods. The models make it possible to position separate territories within the system of coordinates "development level – unevenness level"; select the centers of economic growth, problem regions and groups of regions with homogeneous nature of changes in the economic development; carry out a comparative analysis of the unevenness trends at the macro- and mesolevels

Properties of films based on RD-grade polymide

22.00; Translated from Russian (Plast. Massy 1987 (4) p. 20-21)SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre- DSC:9022.0601(BISI-EM--74)T / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo

Properties of films based on RD-grade polymide

22.00; Translated from Russian (Plast. Massy 1987 (4) p. 20-21)SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre- DSC:9022.0601(BISI-EM--74)T / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo