Random Walks and Market Efficiency: Evidence from International Real Estate Markets

This study performs tests of the random walk hypothesis for international commercial real estate markets utilizing stock market indices of real estate share prices for three geographical regions: Europe, Asia and North America. The augmented Dickey-Fuller and Phillips-Perron unit root tests and Cochrane variance ratio test find that each of these markets (as well as associated broader stock markets) exhibits random walk behavior. Moreover, a non-parametric runs test provides support for weak-form market efficiency in the real estate markets. In addition, Johansen-Juselius co-integration analysis reveals that all three markets appear co-integrated and share a common long-run stochastic trend. Results of co-integration analyses and vector error correction models suggest that diversification benefits through international real estate securities can only be achieved in the short run.

Inflation Non-neutralities and the Response of Interest Rates to Inflation Expectations

This paper develops a macroeconomic model of the response of interest rates to inflation expectations, with particular attention to the role of tax non-neutralities. Virtually all the well-known results in the theoretical literature hold as special cases of this model. Some suggestive empirical evidence is presented for the general case. Inflation drives a wedge between the real cost of capital to firms and the real return to savers. The inflation non-neutralities are shown to cause the real cost of capital to firms to rise, discouraging investment, and the after-tax real interest rate to savers to fall, discouraging saving. However, the magnitude of the effect on the cost of capital appears to be very small.Inflation; Interest Rates; Interest; Macroeconomics

Identification of a Novel Calotropis procera Protein That Can Suppress Tumor Growth in Breast Cancer through the Suppression of NF-κB Pathway

10.1371/journal.pone.0048514PLoS ONE712

The international collaboration of pharmacy journal editors (ICPJE) formally constituted to foster quality around clinical and social pharmacy practice research publications

[No abstract available

State-level clustering in PrEP implementation factors among family planning clinics in the Southern United States

Background: Availability of PrEP-providing clinics is low in the Southern U.S., a region at the center of the U.S. HIV epidemic with significant HIV disparities among minoritized populations, but little is known about state-level differences in PrEP implementation in the region. We explored state-level clustering of organizational constructs relevant to PrEP implementation in family planning (FP) clinics in the Southern U.S. Methods: We surveyed providers and administrators of FP clinics not providing PrEP in 18 Southern states (Feb-Jun 2018, N = 414 respondents from 224 clinics) on these constructs: readiness to implement PrEP, PrEP knowledge/attitudes, implementation climate, leadership engagement, and available resources. We analyzed each construct using linear mixed models. A principal component analysis identified six principal components, which were inputted into a K-means clustering analysis to examine state-level clustering. Results: Three clusters (C1–3) were identified with five, three, and four states, respectively. Canonical variable 1 separated C1 and C2 from C3 and was primarily driven by PrEP readiness, HIV-specific implementation climate, PrEP-specific leadership engagement, PrEP attitudes, PrEP knowledge, and general resource availability. Canonical variable 2 distinguished C2 from C1 and was primarily driven by PrEP-specific resource availability, PrEP attitudes, and general implementation climate. All C3 states had expanded Medicaid, compared to 1 C1 state (none in C2). Conclusion: Constructs relevant for PrEP implementation exhibited state-level clustering, suggesting that tailored strategies could be used by clustered states to improve PrEP provision in FP clinics. Medicaid expansion was a common feature of states within C3, which could explain the similarity of their implementation constructs. The role of Medicaid expansion and state-level policies on PrEP implementation warrants further exploration

Co-Utilization of HIV, Substance Use, Mental Health Services Among Women With Current Substance Use: Opportunities for Integrated Care?

BackgroundThe syndemic of HIV, substance use (SU), and mental illness has serious implications for HIV disease progression among women. We described co-utilization of HIV care, SU treatment, and mental health treatment among women with or at risk for HIV.MethodsWe included data from women with or at risk for HIV (n = 2559) enrolled in all 10 sites of the Women's Interagency HIV Study (WIHS) from 2013 to 2020. Current SU was defined as self-reported, non-medical use of drugs in the past year, excluding use of only marijuana. Tobacco and alcohol were assessed separately. We described co-utilization of SU treatment, tobacco and alcohol use treatment, HIV care, and mental health care in the past year among women who were eligible for each service. We compared service utilization by those who did/did not utilize SU treatment using Wald Chi-square tests.ResultsAmong women with current SU (n = 358), 42% reported utilizing SU treatment. Among those with current SU+HIV (n = 224), 84% saw their HIV provider, and 34% saw a mental health provider. Among women with current SU+heavy alcohol use (n = 95), 18% utilized alcohol use treatment; among current SU+tobacco use (n = 276), 8% utilized tobacco use treatment. Women who utilized SU treatment had higher utilization of alcohol use treatment (59% vs. 5%; P < .001) and tobacco use treatment (12% vs. 5%; P = .028). HIV care engagement was high regardless of SU treatment.ConclusionsWe found high engagement in SU and HIV care, but low engagement in alcohol and tobacco use treatment. Integrated SU treatment services for women, including tobacco/alcohol treatment and harm reduction, are needed to optimize treatment engagement and HIV care continuum outcomes

Well-being Content Inclusion in Pharmacy Education Across the United States and Canada

Objective. To describe the landscape of well-being content inclusion across schools and colleges of pharmacy in the United States and Canada through identification of content implementation, incorporation, and assessment. Methods. A cross-sectional survey was distributed to all accredited schools and colleges of pharmacy in the United States (n=143) and Canada (n=10). Survey questions included curricular and cocurricular timing, frequency, assessment strategies, and support for well-being initiatives, using a framework of eight dimensions (pillars) of wellness to categorize content. Results. Descriptive data analyses were applied to 99 completed surveys (65%), 89 (62%) in the United States and 10 (100%) in Canada. Well-being content was most prevalent within the cocurricular realm and incorporated into didactic and elective more than experiential curricula. The most content came from intellectual, emotional, and physical pillars, and the least content came from financial, spiritual, and environmental pillars. Less than 50% of schools and colleges of pharmacy include well-being within their strategic plans or core values. Funding is primarily at the level of the university (59%) or the school or college of pharmacy (59%). Almost half of respondents reported inclusion of some assessment, with a need for more training, expertise, and standardization. Conclusion. Survey results revealed a wide range of implementation and assessment of well-being programs across the United States and Canada. These results provide a reference point for the state of well-being programs that can serve as a call to action and research across the Academy

Effect of Neoadjuvant Therapy and Rectal Surgery on Health-related Quality of Life in Patients With Rectal Cancer During the First 2 Years After Diagnosis

INTRODUCTION: Rectal cancer surgery with neoadjuvant therapy is associated with substantial morbidity. The present study describes the course of quality of life (QOL) in rectal cancer patients in the first 2 years after the start of treatment. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We performed a prospective study within a colorectal cancer cohort including rectal cancer patients who were referred for neoadjuvant chemoradiation or short-course radiotherapy and underwent rectal surgery. QOL was assessed using the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer core questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30) and colorectal cancer questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-CR29) before treatment and after 3, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months. The outcomes were compared with the QOL scores from the Dutch general population and stratified by low anterior resection and abdominoperineal resection. Postoperative bowel dysfunction after low anterior resection was measured using the low anterior resection syndrome score. RESULTS: Of the 324 patients, 272 (84%) responded to at least 2 questionnaires and were included in the present study. Compared with pretreatment levels, the strongest decline was observed in physical, role, and social functioning at 3 and 6 months after the start of treatment. Global health and cognitive functioning declined to a lesser extend, and emotional functioning gradually improved over the time. Within 24 months, the QOL scores had recovered toward the pretreatment levels in most patients. Compared with the general population, physical, role, social, and cognitive functioning and symptoms of fatigue and insomnia remained significantly worse in patients on longer-term. After low anterior resection, major bowel dysfunction was reported by 44% to 60% of the patients. Increasing urinary incontinence and severe complaints of impotence were observed in patients who had undergone abdominoperineal resection. CONCLUSION: Rectal cancer treatment is associated with a significant decline in QOL during the first 6 months after the diagnosis. Within 2 years, most patients return toward pretreatment functioning but could still experience poorer functioning and treatment-related symptoms compared with the general population. These findings support shared decision-making and emphasize the need for postoperative supportive care and novel treatment approaches

Acceptance of emerging renal oncocytic neoplasms: a survey of urologic pathologists

Oncocytic renal neoplasms are a major source of diagnostic challenge in genitourinary pathology; however, they are typically nonaggressive in general, raising the question of whether distinguishing different subtypes, including emerging entities, is necessary. Emerging entities recently described include eosinophilic solid and cystic renal cell carcinoma (ESC RCC), low-grade oncocytic tumor (LOT), eosinophilic vacuolated tumor (EVT), and papillary renal neoplasm with reverse polarity (PRNRP). A survey was shared among 65 urologic pathologists using SurveyMonkey.com (Survey Monkey, Santa Clara, CA, USA). De-identified and anonymized respondent data were analyzed. Sixty-three participants completed the survey and contributed to the study. Participants were from Asia (n = 21; 35%), North America (n = 31; 52%), Europe (n = 6; 10%), and Australia (n = 2; 3%). Half encounter oncocytic renal neoplasms that are difficult to classify monthly or more frequently. Most (70%) indicated that there is enough evidence to consider ESC RCC as a distinct entity now, whereas there was less certainty for LOT (27%), EVT (29%), and PRNRP (37%). However, when combining the responses for sufficient evidence currently and likely in the future, LOT and EVT yielded > 70% and > 60% for PRNRP. Most (60%) would not render an outright diagnosis of oncocytoma on needle core biopsy. There was a dichotomy in the routine use of immunohistochemistry (IHC) in the evaluation of oncocytoma (yes = 52%; no = 48%). The most utilized IHC markers included keratin 7 and 20, KIT, AMACR, PAX8, CA9, melan A, succinate dehydrogenase (SDH)B, and fumarate hydratase (FH). Genetic techniques used included TSC1/TSC2/MTOR (67%) or TFE3 (74%) genes and pathways; however, the majority reported using these very rarely. Only 40% have encountered low-grade oncocytic renal neoplasms that are deficient for FH. Increasing experience with the spectrum of oncocytic renal neoplasms will likely yield further insights into the most appropriate work-up, classification, and clinical management for these entities