The expectations theory of term structure: evidence and implication for four developed countries

The Yield curve is very prominent in the economics and finance literature to analyze the behavior of households and investors towards bonds markets. In this paper we explore and test the Expectations Hypothesis (EH) of the term structure for a number of international bond markets. We use data at the short and long end maturities for the Treasury bill rate and the Government of Canada bond rate. The sample includes monthly yields for maturities ranging from 1, 3, 5-month treasury bills and 1, 5, 10 and more years for Government of Canada bonds, USA bonds, UK bonds and France bonds. We use the Engle-Granger cointegration test and OLS to estimate the spread between short and long term interest rates, including tests for serial correlation in residuals, and to test the validity of the EH. The EH is rejected in all cases

A qualitative exploration of family members' perspectives on reducing and discontinuing antipsychotic medication

BACKGROUND: Antipsychotics are routinely prescribed to people diagnosed with schizophrenia or psychosis on a long-term basis. Considerable literature explores service users' opinions and experiences of antipsychotics, but studies investigating family members' views are lacking. AIMS: To explore family members' perspectives on antipsychotics, particularly their views on long-term use, reduction and discontinuation of antipsychotics. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 family members of people experiencing psychosis. Participants were recruited through community support groups and mental health teams. Interviews were analysed thematically. RESULTS: The majority of family members valued antipsychotic medication primarily in supporting what they saw as a fragile stability in the person they cared for. Their views of medication were ambivalent, combining concerns about adverse effects with a belief in the importance of medication due to fears of relapse. They described a need for constant vigilance in relation to medication to ensure it was taken consistently, and often found changes, particularly reduction in medication difficult to contemplate. CONCLUSIONS: Findings highlight that family members' attitudes to medication sometimes conflict with those of the people they care for, impacting on their health and the caring relationship. Family members may need more support and could be usefully involved in medication decision-making

Experiences of reduction and discontinuation of antipsychotics: a qualitative investigation within the RADAR trial

BACKGROUND: Antipsychotics are a core treatment for psychosis, but the evidence for gradual dose reductions guided by clinicians is under-developed. The RADAR randomised controlled trial (RCT) compared antipsychotic reduction and possible discontinuation with maintenance treatment for people with recurrent psychotic disorders. The current study explored participants’ experiences of antipsychotic reduction or discontinuation within this trial. METHODS: This qualitative study was embedded within the RADAR RCT (April 2017–March 2022) that recruited 253 participants from specialist community mental health services in 19 public healthcare localities in England. Participants were adults with recurrent non affective psychosis who were taking antipsychotic medication. Semi-structured interviews, lasting 30–90 min, were conducted after the trial final 24-month follow-up with 26 people who reduced and/or discontinued antipsychotics within the trial, sampled purposively for diversity in sociodemographic characteristics, trial variables, and pre-trial medication and clinical factors. Data were analysed using thematic analysis and findings are reported qualitatively. FINDINGS: Most participants reported reduced adverse effects of antipsychotics with dose reductions, primarily in mental clouding, emotional blunting and sedation, and some positive impacts on social functioning and sense of self. Over half experienced deteriorations in mental health, including psychotic symptoms and intolerable levels of emotional intensity. Nine had a psychotic relapse. The trial context in which medication reduction was explicitly part of clinical care provided various learning opportunities. Some participants were highly engaged with reduction processes, and despite difficulties including relapses, developed novel perspectives on medication, dose optimisation, and how to manage their mental health. Others were more ambivalent about reduction or experienced less overall impact. INTERPRETATION: Experiences of antipsychotic reductions over two years were dynamic and diverse, shaped by variations in dose reduction profiles, reduction effects, personal motivation and engagement levels, and relationships with prescribers. There are relapse risks and challenges, but some people experience medication reduction done with clinical guidance as empowering. Clinicians can use findings to inform and work flexibly with service users to establish optimal antipsychotic doses. FUNDING: National Institute for Health Research

Indigenous Vibrio cholerae strains from a non-endemic region are pathogenic

Of the 200+ serogroups of Vibrio cholerae, only O1 or O139 strains are reported to cause cholera, and mostly in endemic regions. Cholera outbreaks elsewhere are considered to be via importation of pathogenic strains. Using established animal models, we show that diverse V. cholerae strains indigenous to a nonendemic environment (Sydney, Australia), including non-O1/O139 serogroup strains, are able to both colonize the intestine and result in fluid accumulation despite lacking virulence factors believed to be important. Most strains lacked the type three secretion system considered a mediator of diarrhoea in non- O1/O13 V. cholerae. Multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) showed that the Sydney isolates did not form a single clade and were distinct from O1/O139 toxigenic strains. There was no correlation between genetic relatedness and the profile of virulence-associated factors. Current analyses of diseases mediated by V. cholerae focus on endemic regions, with only those strains that possess particular virulence factors considered pathogenic. Our data suggest that factors other than those previously well described are of potential importance in influencing disease outbreaks. © 2013 The Authors

Evaluation of the Phenolic Profile, Mineral, and Fatty Acid Content and Antioxidant Activity of Black Cumin before and after an In Vitro Simulated Gastrointestinal Digestion

Black cumin (N. sativa; Ranunculaceae family) is well known for its numerous beneficial biological effects while its seed extracts exhibit anti-diabetic, anti-cancer, immunomodulatory, anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, anti-hypertensive and antioxidant activities [1,2]. This study aimed to evaluate the phenolic and mineral contents, chemical composition and antioxidant activity of methanolic extracts from dried black cumin seed powder. Also, we have evaluated, after gastrointestinal digestion, the effect of phenolic components and their antioxidant activity by utilising an in vitro gastrointestinal digestion process. Black cumin showed high amounts of total phenolic and flavonoid contents (such as dihydroxybenzoic acid and ferulic acid) via HPLC analysis. Six mineral elements (Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Se, and Zn) were determined by using coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Twenty five (25) fatty acids (13 saturated, 7 unsaturated and 5 unsaturated omega fatty acids) were identified, by gas chromatography, with linoleic acid being the most abundant. In addition, black cumin methanolic extract presented higher antioxidant capacity measured by DPPH, FRAP and TEAC. Finally, dried black cumin powder was evaluated, after gastrointestinal digestion, with results indicating that phenolics, flavonoids and antioxidant capacity to be increased in the gastric fraction (1.81, 1.03 and 2.1-fold respectively) compared with the undigested methanolic extract. Moreover, a higher amount of total phenolic and flavonoid content as well as a higher total antioxidant capacity were found present in the gastric and elimination fraction than in the bio-accessible fraction (that represent the colon availability). Our results demonstrate a significant reduction in the quantity of phenolic (68%) and flavonoid (95.53%) compounds, after gastrointestinal digestion, in the bio-accessible fraction together with a decrease in total antioxidant activity suggesting that phenolic compounds are responsible for the observed antioxidant activity. References doi=pjbs.2004.441.451 doi:1016/S1875-5364(16)30088-

Viral Satellites Exploit Phage Proteins to Escape Degradation of the Bacterial Host Chromosome.

Phage defense systems are often found on mobile genetic elements (MGEs), where they constitutively defend against invaders or are induced to respond to new assaults. Phage satellites, one type of MGE, are induced during phage infection to promote their own transmission, reducing phage production and protecting their hosts in the process. One such satellite in Vibrio cholerae, phage-inducible chromosomal island-like element (PLE), sabotages the lytic phage ICP1, which triggers PLE excision from the bacterial chromosome, replication, and transduction to neighboring cells. Analysis of patient stool samples from different geographic regions revealed that ICP1 has evolved to possess one of two syntenic loci encoding an SF1B-type helicase, either of which PLE exploits to drive replication. Further, loss of PLE mobilization limits anti-phage activity because of phage-mediated degradation of the bacterial genome. Our work provides insight into the unique challenges facing parasites of lytic phages and underscores the adaptions of satellites to their ever-evolving target phage