Board gender diversity and responsible banking during the COVID-19 pandemic

This study investigates whether board gender diversity matters in banks’ initial responses to the COVID-19 pandemic in supporting their customers, communities and governments. We construct a unique and comprehensive COVID-19 Bank Response Measure (C19BRM) by compiling a novel hand-collected dataset on supportive measures announced by US and European banks during the first wave of the pandemic. We find that banks with higher board representation of women directors supported their customers and communities more. Our findings also reveal that more women on the boards increased their charity and donations. Our results are robust to the potential self-selection bias of women choosing to join boards of more responsible banks, the omitted variables bias, and alternative measures of gender diversity

Heart-type fatty acid-binding protein (H-FABP), pentraxin-3 (PTX-3) and thrombomodulin in bovine traumatic pericarditis

The aim of this study was to evaluate the biomarkers of cardiac damage such as heart-type fatty acid-binding protein (H-FABP), pentraxin-3 (PTX-3), and thrombomodulin (TM) for the detection and prognosis of bovine traumatic pericarditis (TP). Spontaneous TP was diagnosed on the basis of history, clinical signs, complete blood count, glutaraldehyde test, ultrasonography, and pericardiocentesis findings. H-FABP, PTX-3 and TM levels in serum were compared between 25 Holstein cows diagnosed with spontaneous TP and 10 healthy control cows using bovine-specific ELISA kits. Serum H-FABP in cattle with TP was significantly (P < 0.05) higher than in the control group and positively correlated with cardiac troponin-I (cTnI), creatine kinase myocardial band (CK-MB), PTX-3 and TM (r = 0.683, 0.342, 0.448 and 0.424, respectively; P < 0.05). The serum levels of PTX-3 (P < 0.05) and TM (P < 0.05) in cattle with TP were significantly higher than in the control group. Cardiac damage biomarkers H-FABP, PTX-3 and TM may be useful in the diagnosis of bovine TP

Effectiveness and safety of elvitegravir/cobicistat/emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate single-tablet combination among HIV-infected patients in Turkey: results from a real world setting

Background: Efficacy of elvitegravir/cobicistat/emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil (E/C/F/TDF) in treatment-naïve and experienced patients with HIV infection was demonstrated in phase 3 trials. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate effectiveness and safety of E/C/F/TDF in real world settings. Methods: Retrospective, observational data collected by the Turkish ACTHIV-IST study group between May 2015 and December 2016 were analysed. Results: A total of 387 patients were prescribed E/C/F/TDF; 210 patients with available data at 6th month were eligible; 91.5% were male, and mean age was 35.2 (SD: 10.8) years; 54.0% of males identified themselves as MSM. Sixty-three percent (133) of the study population were treatment-naïve patients, and 37% (77) were treatment experienced. HIV RNA level was below 100 copies/mL in 78.9% of treatment-naïve patients and 89.9% of treatment experienced patients at month 6. Median increase in CD4 T lymphocyte count was 218 copies/mL in treatment-naïve patients and remained stable or increased in treatment experienced patients. Adverse events were observed in 15% of the patients, and the regimen was discontinued in only six patients. Conclusion: Real world data on the effectiveness and safety of E/C/F/TDF is comparable with the phase 3 trial results Adverse events are uncommon and manageable. Keywords: Elvitegravir/cobicistat/emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate; HIV; effectiveness; safety

Effects of evening primrose oil and 5-fluorouracil on the healing of colonic anastomoses in rats

Aim: This study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of evening primrose oil (EPO) on colonic anastomosis. Methods: Sixty rats with colonic anastomosis were randomly divided into six groups. EPO and 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) were administered at doses of 5 g/kg/day and 20 mg/kg/day, respectively.&nbsp; Group 1 served as sham control. The rats in Group 2 (EPO) received EPO (14 days preoperatively), in Group 3 (Extended EPO) received EPO (14 days preoperatively and 7 days postoperatively), in Group 4 (5-FU) received intraperitoneally 5-FU (5 days preoperatively), in Group 5 (5-FU+EPO) received EPO (14 days preoperatively), and 5-FU (5 days preoperatively), in Group 6 (5-FU+ extended EPO) received EPO (14 days preoperatively and 7 days postoperatively)&nbsp; and 5-FU (5 days preoperatively). Histopathological examination, bursting pressure, and hydroxyproline content were used for evaluation. Results: Significant differences were found between the Groups 1, 2, and 3 and Groups 4, 5, and 6 in bursting pressures. Polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMNL) and lymphocyte infiltration was significantly less in group 3, compared to the control and group 2. The least PMNL infiltration was in group 6 compared to groups 4 and 5.&nbsp; The hydroxyproline level was different in group 3 compared to the control and group 2. Furthermore, groups 5 and 6 were different compared to group 4. Conclusion: EPO had favorable effects on colonic anastomosis even in groups where 5-FU was used

Leptomeningeal metastasis in primary uterine cervical cancer: a rare case and review of the literature

Objectives. Leptomeningeal metastasis (LM) of primary uterine cervical cancer is rare and treatment options are limited. In this case report and literature review, we aimed to present a patient with cervical cancer with LM and discuss previously reported cases in the literature.  Case presentation. Our case was a 58-year-old patient who was initially diagnosed with metastatic primary uterine cervical cancer and treated with chemotherapy and chemoradiotherapy. During follow-up, she developed neurological symptoms, and LM was detected in the craniospinal regions. Cerebrospinal fluid cytology examination has confirmed metastatic disease. The patient was treated with concurrent intrathecal methotrexate and whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT). A good clinical and cytological response was obtained. However, while intrathecal methotrexate was being continued after WBRT, she succumbed to hematological toxicity before the radiological response could be evaluated. Conclusions. LM is an extremely rare and catastrophic distant spread pattern in patients with cervical cancer. In the literature, a total of 26 patients were reported up to date. Median survival after detection of LM was nine weeks, including our case. Multimodal treatment combinations such as systemic and intrathecal chemotherapy and radiotherapy (RT) were used. However, most of these reports did not have detailed information about toxicity. Despite the combined use of aggressive treatment modalities, patients have limited survival and very high risks of hematologic toxicity. Concurrent use of intrathecal chemotherapy and radiotherapy should be avoided due to increased risk of morbidity

Acute effects of cardiac resynchronization therapy on arterial distensibility and serum norepinephrine levels in advanced heart failure

Background: Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) has become an accepted method fortreating refractory heart failure (HF). Arterial distensibility is an index of arterial stiffnessand a surrogate marker for atherosclerosis. The present study aims to assess the acute effects of ventricular resynchronization therapy with biventricular stimulation on arterial distensibility, echocardiographic parameters and serum norepinephrine levels in patients with drugrefractory HF.Methods: Fourteen cardiac HF patients (53.6 ± 9.1; 39–67 years, 7 woman) were enrolled for CRT. Patients had an advanced cardiac HF (NYHA III–IV functional class) due to non-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy, with a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) &lt; 35% and QRS duration ≥ 120 ms. Blood samples for norepinephrine and B-type natriuretic peptidewere collected before 24 h biventricular implantation and after 48 h of CRT. Transthoracic echocardiography was used to evaluate arterial distensibility and cardiovascular condition.Results: Although systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, LV end-diastolic diameter, LV end-systolic diameter, serum B-type natriuretic peptide, and serum norepinephrine levels significantly decreased after CRT implantation; EF and aortic distensibility significantly increased (p &lt; 0.05). There was no significance in the hemodynamic and echocardiographic values, norepinephrine and B-type natriuretic peptide levels in pre- and post-CRT between man and woman.Conclusions: The major findings of this study are that in patients with cardiac HF in acute period, after implantation of CRT serum norepinephrine levels decrease and the arterial distensibility improves

Implementing the European Sports Leadership Programme: A vehicle to help development graduate workplace competencies

This research was part of a large intervention study implementing the European Sports Leadership Programme (ESLP). This paper reports the outcomes of the qualitative study that employed focus groups to assess the students’ perceptions of the 15 competencies determined according to the Framework for qualifications of the European Higher Education Area, before and after the ESLP. Focus groups were carried out at each of the five universities. The ESLP involved university students working as a sports leader for 24 months with the aim to engage more students in university sport, whilst they took part in a graduate employability programme. Each university recruited five sports leaders in their second year at university, to deliver 10 new sport and recreational activities targeting the wider inactive or semi-active student population. Findings highlighted that Organization and planning, Oral and written communication, Development of planning and decision making, and Teamworking, followed closely by Emotional control and Adapting to new situations, were the most commonly reported competencies. They affirmed that this programme had helped to develop these competencies. Use of information, communication and technology, Communication in a foreign language, Research and Emotional control were the most common competencies that students stated they needed to improve further. This research found that implementing the ESLP helped to develop students’ perceptions of their workplace and career competencies. The ESLP is therefore, recommended as one approach to helping universities to develop student’s workplace and career competencies

Characterization of greater middle eastern genetic variation for enhanced disease gene discovery

The Greater Middle East (GME) has been a central hub of human migration and population admixture. The tradition of consanguinity, variably practiced in the Persian Gulf region, North Africa, and Central Asia1-3, has resulted in an elevated burden of recessive disease4. Here we generated a whole-exome GME variome from 1,111 unrelated subjects. We detected substantial diversity and admixture in continental and subregional populations, corresponding to several ancient founder populations with little evidence of bottlenecks. Measured consanguinity rates were an order of magnitude above those in other sampled populations, and the GME population exhibited an increased burden of runs of homozygosity (ROHs) but showed no evidence for reduced burden of deleterious variation due to classically theorized ‘genetic purging’. Applying this database to unsolved recessive conditions in the GME population reduced the number of potential disease-causing variants by four- to sevenfold. These results show variegated genetic architecture in GME populations and support future human genetic discoveries in Mendelian and population genetics