Ribosome subunits are upregulated in brain samples of a subgroup of individuals with schizophrenia: a systematic gene expression meta-analysis

One of the new theories accounting for the underlying pathophysiology of schizophrenia is excitation/inhibition imbalance. Interestingly, perturbation in protein synthesis machinery as well as oxidative stress can lead to excitation/inhibition imbalance. We thus performed a systematic meta-analysis of the expression of 79 ribosome subunit genes and two oxidative-stress related genes, HIF1A and NQO1, in brain samples of individuals with schizophrenia vs. healthy controls. We integrated 12 gene expression datasets, following the PRISMA guidelines (overall 511 samples, 253 schizophrenia and 258 controls). Five ribosome subunit genes were significantly upregulated in a subgroup of the patients with schizophrenia, while 24 (30%) showed a tendency for upregulation. HIF1A and NQO1 were also found to be significantly upregulated. Moreover, HIF1A and NQO1 showed positive correlation with the expression of the upregulated ribosome subunit genes. Our results, together with previous findings, suggest a possible role for altered mRNA translation in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia, in association with markers of increased oxidative stress in a subgroup of patients. Further studies should define whether the upregulation of ribosome subunits result in altered mRNA translation, which proteins are modulated and how it characterizes a subgroup of the patients with schizophrenia

Social Science and Rights: Destutt de Tracy and the Shaping of a Notion

In 1811 Antoine-Louis-Claude Destutt de Tracy an often forgotten French Revolutionary academician declared his great ambition in life: To contribute my effort to the progress of social science. But what was the social science Tracy was dedicating his life to? What were its implications? Through an examination of a number of his own philosophical works I examine how Tracy\u27s theories, based on the importance of human sensation impact earlier articulated notions of rights. I demonstrate how Tracy and his companion Ideologues, as they were known, subsume the concept of rights, but fail to fully articulate it through their science. And yet, they still claim to be a progressive force for the underserved classes in society. I conclude that Tracy is ultimately using a very different form of argumentation than one based on rights, thereby undercutting the very rhetorical power of the later

Towards actionable farm typologies: Scaling adoption of agricultural inputs in Rwanda

Rollout of development interventions using a one-size-fits-all model can achieve economies of scale but neglects to account for variability in farm and farmer characteristics. A data-driven approach to incorporate farmer diversity in scaling strategies may help to achieve greater development impact. However, interpreting the multiplicity of smallholder characteristics is complex, time-consuming, and the ways in which the insights gained can be implemented is poorly understood. Navigating these tensions, we present a farm typology study carried out in collaboration with a large development organisation (the “scaling partner”) promoting agricultural inputs in Rwanda. This study was conducted late in the scaling pathway, in order to finesse the scaling strategy, rather than to target intervention selection. Drawing on nearly 3000 interviews from 17 districts of the Western, Southern, and Eastern Provinces of Rwanda, the typology differentiates households along two axes: 1. prosperity (a cornerstone of conventional typologies), and 2. adoption of inputs (fertilisers and improved crop varieties). We used an efficient household survey tool, a minimum-variable approach, and concepts from the study of adoption of agricultural innovations. Through an action-research collaboration with the scaling organisation we adapted the methods and the findings to be “actionable. Approximately two-thirds of the study population were using fertilisers and improved seed to some extent. Along each prosperity stratum, however, there were multiple degrees of adoption, demonstrating the value of including adoption information in typology constructions. Ten farm types were identified, where the key differences along the prosperity axis were land area cultivated and livestock owned, and the key differences along the adoption axis were perceptions of input efficacy, access to training, and education level. We also present a simple decision tree model to assign new households to a farm type. The findings were used in three ways by the scaling organisation: (i) characterisation of the population into discrete groups; (ii) prioritisation, of farm types for engagement, and geographical locations for further investment; and (iii) design of decision support tools or re-design of packages to support technology adoption for specific farm types. The need for field-level validation of the typologies was also stressed by the scaling organisation