4,359 research outputs found
Measuring newborn foot length to identify small babies in need of extra care: a cross sectional hospital based study with community follow-up in Tanzania.
No full textBACKGROUND\ud
\ud
Neonatal mortality because of low birth weight or prematurity remains high in many developing country settings. This research aimed to estimate the sensitivity and specificity, and the positive and negative predictive values of newborn foot length to identify babies who are low birth weight or premature and in need of extra care in a rural African setting.\ud
\ud
METHODS\ud
\ud
A cross-sectional study of newborn babies in hospital, with community follow-up on the fifth day of life, was carried out between 13 July and 16 October 2009 in southern Tanzania. Foot length, birth weight and gestational age were estimated on the first day and foot length remeasured on the fifth day of life.\ud
\ud
RESULTS\ud
\ud
In hospital 529 babies were recruited and measured within 24 hours of birth, 183 of whom were also followed-up at home on the fifth day. Day one foot length <7 cm at birth was 75% sensitive (95%CI 36-100) and 99% specific (95%CI 97-99) to identify very small babies (birth weight <1500 grams); foot length <8 cm had sensitivity and specificity of 87% (95%CI 79-94) and 60% (95%CI 55-64) to identify those with low birth weight (<2500 grams), and 93% (95%CI 82-99) and 58% (95%CI 53-62) to identify those born premature (<37 weeks). Mean foot length on the first day was 7.8 cm (standard deviation 0.47); the mean difference between first and fifth day foot lengths was 0.1 cm (standard deviation 0.3): foot length measured on or before the fifth day of life identified more than three-quarters of babies who were born low birth weight.\ud
\ud
CONCLUSION\ud
\ud
Measurement of newborn foot length for home births in resource poor settings has the potential to be used by birth attendants, community volunteers or parents as a screening tool to identify low birth weight or premature newborns in order that they can receive targeted interventions for improved survival
The SSC of the Generalised Jahangir’s Graph Jm,k and its Algebraic Characterizations
No full textIn this article, we present important combinatorial and algebraicproperties of spanning simplicial complex (SSC) of the generalised Jahangir’sgraph Jm,k. We describe the relation to find f−vectors associatedto Δs(Jm,k) and determine the Hilbert series for the SR-ring KΔs(Jm,k).In the end, we present the associated primes of the facet ideal IF(Δs(Jm,k))and the Cohen-Macaulay characterization of the SR-ring of Δs(Jm,k).AMS (MOS) Subject Classification Codes: Primary 13-P10, Secondary 13-F20, 13-C14, 13-H10.Corresponding Author: Agha KashifKey Words: Simplicial Complexes, f-vectors, Spanning Trees, Face Ring, Hilbert Series, CohenMacaulay
Role of central nucleus of amygdala in cue-induced relapse to methamphetamine seeking after voluntary abstinence
No full textBackground: We recently established a new animal model of cue-induced
methamphetamine seeking after prolonged voluntary abstinence (Caprioli et al. Biol Psychiatry
2015). Here, we studied the role of central amygdala (CeA) in this form of relapse. Methods: We
trained rats to self-administer palatable food (6 sessions, 2-h/day) and then methamphetamine
(15 sessions, 2-h/day). Next, voluntary abstinence (14 sessions) was achieved via a discrete
choice procedure between methamphetamine and palatable food (20 trials/day). We then
assessed cue-induced methamphetamine seeking in extinction tests. We first determined the
effect of systemic injections of the dopamine D1-receptor antagonist SCH39166 on cue-induced
methamphetamine seeking and Fos expression in central amygdala (CeA) and areas that project
to CeA: basolateral amygdala (BLA), anterior insular cortex (AIC), paraventricular thalamus
(PVT), and ventral subiculum (vSub). Next, we determined the effect of CeA and BLA
injections of SCH39166 on cue-induced methamphetmaine seeking. Finally, we combined the
retrograde tracer cholera toxin subunit-B (CTb, injected into CeA) with Fos to determine
neuronal activation in the projection areas. Results: Cue-induced methamphetamine seeking after
voluntary abstinence increased Fos expression in CeA, AIC, and PVT, but not in BLA and vSub;
both Fos expression and drug seeking were decreased by systemic SCH39166 injections. CeA,
but not BLA, SCH39166 injections decreased cue-induced methamphetamine seeking. Doublelabeling
analysis of CTb+Fos showed that cue-induced methamphetamine-seeking was
associated with selective activation of AIC neurons that project to CeA. Conclusions: Results
demonstrate a critical role of CeA in cue-induced relapse of methamphetamine seeking after
voluntary abstinence and suggest a role of AIC projections to CeA in this relapse
To <i>JM</i> on Its 75th Anniversary
No full text This article discusses how Journal of Marketing ( JM) has influenced marketing science and practice by publishing articles on substantive topics relevant to customers, managers, organizations, markets, and society. The journal's 75th anniversary coincides with the 50th anniversary of the Marketing Science Institute (MSI). Frequently, JM and MSI have collaborated to address important substantive marketing issues identified in MSI's Research Priorities. The author highlights seminal articles on brand equity; business-to-business marketing (including sales force management); connecting marketing information, metrics, and strategy; consumer behavior; innovation, new product development. and product management; marketing orientation and capabilities; and market research, methodology and services. She also draws attention to articles that have won the Sheth Foundation/ JM Award and the H. Paul Root Award. The article describes how JM‘s knowledge dissemination is amplified by powerful social network effects. Ideas in JM articles diffuse through the business community, influencing the mind-set of managers worldwide. </jats:p
Chimpanzee hunting behavior
No full textThe pursuit, capture and consumption of small-and medium-sized vertebrates, appears to be typical of all chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) populations, although large variation exists. Red colobus monkeys (Piliocolobus sp.) appear to be the preferred prey but intensity and frequency of hunting varies from month to month and between populations. Hunting is a predominately male activity and is typically opportunistic, although there is some evidence of searching for prey. The degree of cooperation during hunting, as well as prey selection, varies between East and West African populations and may be related to the way the kill is divided: in West Africa, hunters often collaborate, with kills tending to be shared according to participation, whereas in East Africa, the kill is typically divided tactically by the male in possession of the carcass, trading meat with females in return for sex or with other males to strengthen alliances, and cooperation in hunting is more limited. The adaptive function of chimpanzee hunting is not well understood, although it appears that it may be both a means to acquire a nutritionally valuable commodity that can then be traded and as a means for males to display their prowess and reliability to one another
A critical role of the central amygdala nucleus in relapse to methamphetamine seeking after voluntary abstinence
No full textRationale and Objective: We recently developed a rat model of relapse to methamphetamine seeking after voluntary abstinence. The mechanisms underlying this form of relapse are unknown. Here, we studied the role of central amygdala (CeA) and its forebrain projections in relapse after voluntary abstinence. Methods: We trained rats to self-administer palatable food (6 d, 2-h/d) and intravenous methamphetamine (15 d, 2-h/d). We then assessed methamphetamine seeking in extinction tests after 14 voluntary abstinence days (achieved via a discrete choice procedure between methamphetamine and palatable food). Results: Relapse to methamphetamine seeking after voluntary abstinence was associated with increased expression of the activity marker Fos in CeA but not basolateral amygdala (BLA). Systemic injections of SCH39166 (D1-family receptor antagonist [20 μg/kg]) decreased relapse to methamphtemaine seeking and Fos expression in CeA. Using RNAscope in-situ hybridization we found that the majority of Fos positive neurons co-labelled with dopamine Drd1, but not Drd2 in CeA. CeA injections of SCH39166 (0.5-1.0 μg/side) decreased relapse to methamphetamine seeking after voluntary abstinence; CeA injection of raclopride (D2-family receptor antagonist [1.0 μg/side]) or BLA injections of SCH39166 (1.0 μg/side) had no effect. Double-labeling analysis of Fos with the retrograde tracer cholera toxin subunit-B (CTb, injected into CeA) showed that relapse after voluntary abstinence was associated with selective activation of ventral anterior insula (AIV) neurons projecting to CeA.Conclusions: Results demonstrate a critical role of CeA Drd1 in relapse to methamphetamine seeking after voluntary abstinence and further suggest a role of AIV→CeA projection in this form of relapse
JM-20, a Benzodiazepine-Dihydropyridine Hybrid Molecule, Inhibits the Formation of Alpha-Synuclein-Aggregated Species
No full text\ua9 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.Studies showed that JM-20, a benzodiazepine-dihydropyridine hybrid molecule, protects against rotenone and 6-hydroxydopamine neurotoxicity. However, its protective effects against cytotoxicity induced by endogenous neurotoxins involved in Parkinson’s disease (PD) pathogenesis have never been investigated. In this study, we evaluated the ability of JM-20 to inhibit alpha-synuclein (aSyn) aggregation. We also evaluated the interactions of JM-20 with aSyn by molecular docking and molecular dynamics and assessed the protective effect of JM-20 against aminochrome cytotoxicity. We demonstrated that JM-20 induced the formation of heterogeneous amyloid fibrils, which were innocuous to primary cultures of mesencephalic cells. Moreover, JM-20 reduced the average size of aSyn positive inclusions in H4 cells transfected with SynT wild-type and synphilin-1-V5, but not in HEK cells transfected with synphilin-1-GFP. In silico studies showed the interaction between JM-20 and the aSyn-binding site. Additionally, we showed that JM-20 protects SH-SY5Y cells against aminochrome cytotoxicity. These results reinforce the potential of JM-20 as a neuroprotective compound for PD and suggest aSyn as a molecular target for JM-20
The Hunting Behavior and Carnivory of Wild Chimpanzees
No full textThe pursuit, capture and consumption of small- and medium-sized vertebrates appear to be typical of all chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) populations, although large variation exists. Red colobus monkeys (Piliocolobus sp.) appear to be the preferred prey, but intensity and frequency of hunting varies from month to month and among populations. Hunting is a predominately male activity and is typically opportunistic, although there is some evidence of searching for prey. The degree of cooperation during hunting, as well as prey selection, varies between East and West African populations and may be related to the way the kill is divided: in West Africa, hunters often collaborate, with kills tending to be shared according to participation, whereas in East Africa, cooperation in hunting is more limited and the kill is typically consumed selfishly, or divided in response to harassment (begging) by others. In some cases it may be shared tactically, trading meat with other males to strengthen alliances. The adaptive function of chimpanzee hunting is not well understood and a variety of hypotheses have been proposed. Ideas that chimpanzees hunt to make up for nutritional shortfalls, or to acquire meat to trade for sex, have failed to find empirical support, while recent work favors nutritional benefits of some kind. Nevertheless, cross-population studies evaluating multiple hypotheses are in their infancy, and there is much to be learned. In particular, very little is known about hunting of non-primates, particularly ungulates, or the impact that variation in levels of hunting, and of carcasses to share and consume, has on patterns of chimpanzee behavior. If one goal of studying this topic is to shed light on the behavioral ecology of hominins, then efforts to understand the diversity of hunting and carnivory in wild chimpanzees are needed
Uterine transplantation: a promising surrogate to surrogacy?
No full textUterine transplantation: a promising surrogate to surrogacy?
Grynberg M1, Ayoubi JM, Bulletti C, Frydman R, Fanchin R.
Author information
Abstract
Infertility due to the inability of the uterus to carry a pregnancy ranks among the most unresolved issues in reproductive medicine. It affects millions of women worldwide who have congenital or acquired uterine affections, often requiring hysterectomy, and potentially represents a considerable fraction of the general infertile population. Patients suffering from severe uterine infertility are currently compelled to go through gestational surrogacy or adoption; both approaches, unfortunately, deprive them of the maternal experience of pregnancy and birth. Uterine transplantation represents an outstanding, yet complex, perspective to alleviating definitive uterine infertility. In the past decades, a number of scientific experiments conducted both in animals and women, focusing on uterine transplantation, have led to promising results. Collectively, these findings undoubtedly constitute a sound basis to clinically apply uterine transplantation in the near future. This paper is, however, an overview not only of the extent and limitations of accumulated scientific knowledge on uterine transplantation, but also its ethical implications, in an effort to define the actual place of such an approach among the therapeutic arsenal for alleviating infertility.
© 2011 New York Academy of Sciences
Translation and interpretation: Translation redundancy reconsidered
No full textInterpretation is an integral part of the process of translating. This article raises the question of whether interpretation fo a literary work by a translator should be guided by extratextual factors or not. The discussion is illustrated with examples taken from David Hawkes' translation of a Chinese classic, A Dream of Red Mansions. As the work of a scholar-translator, Hawkes' version is richly supplemented with disclosures concerning the characters and explanations of the cultural environment embodied in the novel. In many cases, however, this translation procedure is redundant and explanatory, enlightening the readers but at the same time robbing them of the pleasure of literary interpretation and cultural exploration. By means of this illustration of translation redundancy, the author points out that there is difference between a scholar who helps the interpretation fo a work and a translator who presents a work close to its original version. It is particularly important to pay attention tot his difference in literary translations in a cross-cultural situation involving two enormously different cultures.Language & LinguisticsA&HCI0ARTICLE1,SI115-12
- …
