Search

In order to combat resistance, it is necessary to develop antimicrobial agents that act differently from conventional antibiotics. Fluorothiazinone, 300 mg tablet (The Gamaleya National Research Center), is an original antibacterial drug based on a new small molecule T3SS and flagellum inhibitor. A total of 357 patients with complicated urinary tract infections (UTIs) were divided into two groups and given Fluorothiazinone 1200 mg/day or a placebo for 7 days to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the drug. Additionally, all patients were given Cefepime 2000 mg/day. Fluorothiazinone with Cefepime showed superiority over placebo/Cefepime based on the assessment of the proportion of patients with an overall outcome in the form of a cure after 21 days post-therapy (primary outcome), overall outcome in cure rates, clinical cure rates, and microbiological efficacy at the end of therapy and after 21 days post-therapy (secondary outcomes). In patients who received Fluorothiazinone, the rate of infection recurrences 53 and 83 days after the end of the therapy was lower by 18.9%, compared with patients who received placebo. Fluorothiazinone demonstrated a favorable safety profile with no serious unexpected adverse events reported. The results showed superiority of the therapy with Fluorothiazinone in combination with Cefepime compared with placebo/Cefepime in patients with cUTIs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of new approaches and drugs for effective control of the chronic and complicated forms of urogenital chlamydia caused by Chlamydia trachomatis, which is suspected to be one of the main causes of infertility in both women and men, is an urgent task. We used the technology of single-domain antibody (nanobody) generation both for the production of targeting anti-chlamydia molecules and for the subsequent acquisition of anti-idiotypic nanobodies (ai-Nbs) mimicking the structure of a given epitope of the pathogen (the epitope of the Chlamydial Type III Secretion System Needle Protein). In a mouse model, we have shown that the obtained ai-Nbs are able to induce a narrowly specific humoral immune response in the host, leading to the generation of intrinsic anti-Chlamydia antibodies, potentially therapeutic, specifically recognizing a given antigenic epitope of Chlamydia. The immune sera derived from mice immunized with ai-Nbs are able to suppress chlamydial infection in vitro. We hypothesize that the proposed method of the creation and use of ai-Nbs, which mimic and present to the host immune system exactly the desired region of the antigen, create a fundamentally new universal approach to generating molecular structures as a part of specific vaccine for the targeted induction of immune response, especially useful in cases where it is difficult to prepare an antigen preserving the desired epitope in its native conformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study uses a panel data regression model to investigate how internal and external factors affect the profitability of city commercial banks in China. The research sample consists of 16 listed city commercial banks with an unbalanced dataset covering the time period within the period of 2008–2020. A panel data regression method is utilized to investigate the factors that influence the profitability of city commercial banks in China. There are several estimation methods in panel data, and the most commonly employed models are the fixed effects and random effects models. The pooled OLS model is often used for comparison for panel data regression, and the appropriate model will be determined by statistical hypothesis testing. The results show that internal explanatory variables such as bank size, capital adequacy, credit quality, and operating efficiency and external explanatory variables such as province GDP and inflation have a significant impact on the profitability of city commercial banks, while liquidity has no significant effect on the bank's profitability. The paper contributes to the relevant literature by identifying the determinants of city commercial banks' profitability considering the latest situation of the banking sector in China and provides practical implications from the perspective of improving bank profitability, which are important for both banking management and regulators and for the municipal and state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mucosal tissue homeostasis is a dynamic process that involves multiple mechanisms including regulation of innate lymphoid cells (ILCs). ILCs are mostly tissue-resident cells which are critical for tissue homeostasis and immune response against pathogens. ILCs can sense environmental changes and rapidly respond by producing effector cytokines to limit pathogen spread and initiate tissue recovery. However, dysregulation of ILCs can also lead to immunopathology. Accumulating evidence suggests that ILCs are dynamic population that can change their phenotype and functions under rapidly changing tissue microenvironment. However, the significance of ILC plasticity in response to pathogens remains poorly understood. Therefore, in this review, we discuss recent advances in understanding the mechanisms regulating ILC plasticity in response to intestinal, respiratory and genital tract pathogens. Key transcription factors and lineage-guiding cytokines regulate this plasticity. Additionally, we discuss the emerging data on the role of tissue microenvironment, gut microbiota, and hypoxia in ILC plasticity in response to mucosal pathogens. The identification of new pathways and molecular mechanisms that control functions and plasticity of ILCs could uncover more specific and effective therapeutic targets for infectious and autoimmune diseases where ILCs become dysregulated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to examine the interplay between the attributes of the FinTech ecosystem (input) and productive entrepreneurship (output) in Russian regions. A survey was used to gather data from FinTech representatives in ten selected regions located in Russia. The acquired responses allowed measuring the FinTech ecosystem attributes by calculating the FinTech ecosystem index. Correlation analysis was used to analyse the association between the FinTech ecosystem index and productive entrepreneurship, as measured by the number of FinTechs. Data envelopment analysis was used to determine regions with more productive entrepreneurship given the ecosystem attributes. The FinTech ecosystem index defines a similar environment in the analysed regions for financial sector entrepreneurship. The regions have high values of physical infrastructure, demand, and talent, while new knowledge and networks appear as weaknesses. Still, Moscow has the highest and Chelyabinsk the lowest FinTech ecosystem index. There appears a positive link between FinTech ecosystem attributes and productive entrepreneurship. The Moscow and Chelyabinsk regions are also revealed as the regions that effectively create an environment for productive entrepreneurship from the position of the Fintech ecosystem index. This study contributed to the existing literature by measuring FinTech ecosystem attributes and productive entrepreneurship, investigating the relationship between them and determining the territories with productive entrepreneurship. It also contributed to Russian FinTech literature by being the first to measure the environment for financial sector entrepreneurship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Government bonds are one of the safest and most attractive instruments in the investment portfolio for private investors and investment funds. Although bonds are perceived as an alternative to bank deposits, a number of macroeconomic factors influence their yield. The goal of the research is to investigate the relationship between macroeconomic factors and the yield of government bonds. We use regression models on a dataset of 22 countries with post-industrial economics for ten years. The main criteria for selecting countries are membership in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and inclusion in the Top-25 countries on the competitiveness index. The results revealed a negative association between the yield of government bonds and gold. Moreover, we indicate a positive association between the yield of government bonds and the following indicators—inflation, oil prices, and GDP per capita. In the case of the influence of population savings and the uncertainty index, we obtain inconclusive results. The study contributes to ongoing research in the field of financial management with respect to investigating determinants of the yield of government bonds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Motor recovery after stroke is based on neuronal plasticity and the structural reorganization of the brain. Questions are debated about the proper moment to start rehabilitation in the acute period of stroke, the significance of rehabilitation interventions during the so-called "plastic window", and the advantages of modern and traditional programs. The aims of this study were to evaluate the role of different rehabilitation strategies and their combinations for motor recovery and the impact on functional disability by way of neurological and functional outcomes 3 months after ischemic stroke. Methods: We used three rehabilitation approaches: early rehabilitation from the first day of stroke (Phase I), traditional exercise programs (Phase II), and an author's new method of biofeedback rehabilitation using motion sensors and augmented reality (AR) rehabilitation (Phase III). Clinical and functional outcomes were measured on the 90th day after stroke. We developed algorithms for quantifying the quality of movements during the execution of tasks in the motor domains of the AR rehabilitation program. Results: Phase I of rehabilitation led to an improvement in functional independence, and the recovery of motor functions of the extremities with an absence of mortality and clinical deterioration. AR rehabilitation led to significant improvement both with respect to clinical and functional scores on scales and to variables reflecting the quality of movements. Patients who were actively treated during Phases II and III achieved the same final level of motor recovery and functional outcomes as that of participants who had only received AR rehabilitation during Phase III. Patients who underwent outpatient observation after Phase I showed a deficit of spontaneous motor recovery on the 90th day after stroke. Conclusions: Early rehabilitation was successful but was not enough; rehabilitation programs should be carried out throughout the entire "sensitive period" of poststroke plasticity. The newly developed AR biofeedback motion training is effective and safe as a separate rehabilitation method in the early recovery period of moderately severe, hemiparalytic, and ischemic stroke. These two rehabilitation approaches must be applied together or after each other, not instead of each other, as shown in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study examines the relationship between internal determinants, external determinants and the profitability of state-owned commercial banks. We use pooled regression, fixed effect, and random effect models on the case of the top five Chinese state-owned commercial banks from 2007 to 2019. The results show that internal factors, measured by size, credit quality, and liquidity, significantly positively influence banks' profitability. State-owned banks that have larger sizes, higher credit quality, and higher liquidity have accordingly higher profitability than other banks. On the contrary, the external factor, measured by the natural logarithm of GDP, negatively influences banks' profitability. The decrease in GDP leads to higher profitability of state-owned commercial banks in China. Our results provide insight into the profitability of state-owned commercial banks, considering the latest changes in the Chinese banking industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) may play a role during neurorehabilitation following ischemic stroke. This study aimed to elucidate the possible role of BDNF during early recovery from ischemic stroke assisted by motor training. Methods: fifty patients were included after acute recovery from ischemic stroke: 21 first received classical rehabilitation followed by 'motor rehabilitation using motion sensors and augmented reality' (AR-rehabilitation), 14 only received AR-rehabilitation, and 15 were only observed. Serum BDNF levels were measured on the first day of stroke, on the 14th day, before AR-based rehabilitation (median, 45th day), and after the AR-based rehabilitation (median, 82nd day). Motor impairment was quantified clinically using the Fugl–Meyer scale (FMA); functional disability and activities of daily living (ADL) were measured using the Modified Rankin Scale (mRS). For comparison, serum BDNF was measured in 50 healthy individuals. Results: BDNF levels were found to significantly increase during the phase with AR-based rehabilitation. The pattern of the sequentially measured BDNF levels was similar in the treated patients. Untreated patients had significantly lower BDNF levels at the endpoint. Conclusions: the fluctuations of BDNF levels are not consistently related to motor improvement but seem to react to active treatment. Without active rehabilitation treatment, BDNF tends to decrease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]