National Research and Education Networks (NRENs) are pivotal in modern research and education, providing a dynamic ecosystem for academic and scientific communities. These networks form the backbone ...for crucial infrastructures and services, propelling research, education, and innovation. This article explores the role of monitoring and advanced emulation in enhancing NREN performance. The experiences of ASNET-AM, the Armenian NREN, in leveraging these techniques are presented, highlighting the benefits and challenges.
The discovery of the system of trace amines and their receptors twenty years ago opened new avenues for studying monoamine systems in the brain. However, of the six trace amine-associated receptors ...found in humans, mice and rats, only the TAAR1 receptor and its ligands are well studied. The biological functions of the remaining five receptors are currently unknown. We assessed behavioral, biochemical and morphological parameters of TAARR9 knockout (TAAR9-KO) female rats that received a 20% fructose solution instead of water for 2 months. Physiological changes were investigated in open field, elevated plus maze, and Morris water maze behavioral tests; also analyzed were changes in grooming microstructure. As a result, significant differences in exploratory activity, burrowing behavior and thermoregulation, as well as changes in some biochemical parameters and lipid accumulation in the liver, were revealed in
TAAR9
gene knockout female rats.
Objective.
To investigate the efficacy of Cortexin in the treatment of cognitive and affective disorders in cerebral ischemia (AI) developing on the background of arterial hypertension or ...atherosclerosis.
Materials and methods.
We present an analysis of the all-Russian screening program for the efficacy of Cortexin, “Cognitive and Affective Disorders in the Treatment of Cerebral Ischemia with Cortexin” (KarKaDÉ), in 50,000 patients with AI developing on the background of arterial hypertension and/or atherosclerosis in 2013 in 70 Russian cities.
Results.
All patients received Cortexin at a dose of 10 mg/day for 10 days and were investigated before treatment and on days 11 and 30 after the first dose. More extensive analysis was applied to results from the treatment of 500 patients with stage II AI, mean age 63.7 ± 10.23 years. Treatment efficacy was evaluated using a five-point rating scale for subjective and objective neurological symptoms, the five-word memory test, the Schulte test, the MMSE, the Hamilton scales for evaluation of anxiety, and the short form of the Geriatric Depression Scale.
Conclusions.
Treatment decreased or completely eliminated focal neurological symptomatology and produced positive changes in measures of cognitive impairments, these changes being accompanied by normalization of patients’ emotional status and decreases in the level of depression.
(Lancet. 2015;385(9968):629–639)Administration of antenatal corticosteroids (ACTs) is one of the most effective interventions to reduce neonatal mortality of premature infants, and is strongly ...recommended by national and international health organizations. However, treatment with ACTs is often limited in low-income countries, and all current evidence showing a reduction in neonatal mortality with ACT therapy comes solely from clinical trials done in hospitals where neonatal intensive care is available.
To examine prevalence of novel newborn types among 541 285 live births in 23 countries from 2000 to 2021.
Descriptive multi-country secondary data analysis.
Subnational, population-based birth cohort ...studies (n = 45) in 23 low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) spanning 2000-2021.
Liveborn infants.
Subnational, population-based studies with high-quality birth outcome data from LMICs were invited to join the Vulnerable Newborn Measurement Collaboration. We defined distinct newborn types using gestational age (preterm PT, term T), birthweight for gestational age using INTERGROWTH-21st standards (small for gestational age SGA, appropriate for gestational age AGA or large for gestational age LGA), and birthweight (low birthweight, LBW <2500 g, nonLBW) as ten types (using all three outcomes), six types (by excluding the birthweight categorisation), and four types (by collapsing the AGA and LGA categories). We defined small types as those with at least one classification of LBW, PT or SGA. We presented study characteristics, participant characteristics, data missingness, and prevalence of newborn types by region and study.
Among 541 285 live births, 476 939 (88.1%) had non-missing and plausible values for gestational age, birthweight and sex required to construct the newborn types. The median prevalences of ten types across studies were T+AGA+nonLBW (58.0%), T+LGA+nonLBW (3.3%), T+AGA+LBW (0.5%), T+SGA+nonLBW (14.2%), T+SGA+LBW (7.1%), PT+LGA+nonLBW (1.6%), PT+LGA+LBW (0.2%), PT+AGA+nonLBW (3.7%), PT+AGA+LBW (3.6%) and PT+SGA+LBW (1.0%). The median prevalence of small types (six types, 37.6%) varied across studies and within regions and was higher in Southern Asia (52.4%) than in Sub-Saharan Africa (34.9%).
Further investigation is needed to describe the mortality risks associated with newborn types and understand the implications of this framework for local targeting of interventions to prevent adverse pregnancy outcomes in LMICs.
We conducted a theory-driven process evaluation of a cluster randomized controlled trial comparing two types of complementary feeding (meat versus fortified cereal) on infant growth in Guatemala, ...Pakistan, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo. We examined process evaluation indicators for the entire study cohort (N = 1236) using chi-square tests to examine differences between treatment groups. We administered exit interviews to 219 caregivers and 45 intervention staff to explore why caregivers may or may not have performed suggested infant feeding behaviors. Multivariate regression analysis was used to determine the relationship between caregiver scores and infant linear growth velocity. As message recall increased, irrespective of treatment group, linear growth velocity increased when controlling for other factors (P < 0.05), emphasizing the importance of study messages. Our detailed process evaluation revealed few differences between treatment groups, giving us confidence that the main trial's lack of effect to reverse the progression of stunting cannot be explained by differences between groups or inconsistencies in protocol implementation. These findings add to an emerging body of literature suggesting limited impact on stunting of interventions initiated during the period of complementary feeding in impoverished environments. The early onset and steady progression support the provision of earlier and comprehensive interventions.
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Background: Cervical cancer is a highly preventable disease and the major cause of cancer related illness and deaths in Africa. Cervical cancer screening to find precancers before ...becoming invasive cancer is a well-proven way to prevent cervical cancer. In Zambia alone, over 2000 cervical cancer cases are diagnosed each year accounting for over 30% of new cancer cases with a mortality of above 35%. Women access screening services regardless of HIV status as long as they are sexually active. Cervical cancer screening for HIV-positive women in Zambia remains low despite the high burden of the disease among this population. Aim: We aimed to determine the trends of incidence of cervical precancer lesions among women who ever presented for screening in Lusaka. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 95,520 women who presented for cervical cancer screening between 2007 and 2017 at 11 Lusaka district clinics that provide cervical cancer screening. Data were merged from these clinics and cleaned. Descriptive analyses and Logistic regression for data analysis was conducted. Results: The study showed that the mean age of screening among women that were HIV negative and HIV-positive was 34 years. About 12% of the women that screened had a positive VIA result from which 59% were HIV-positive. Results also showed the odds of 4 to be VIA positive when one is HIV-positive. Conclusion: We have data to show that there is an increased risk among HIV-positive women to be VIA positive in Zambia. HIV infected women should be targeted as priority for cervical cancer screening especially in the resource limited countries. Resources directed to HIV care programs in these settings should be leveraged and include cervical cancer screening.
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