Scientometric analysis of the world-wide research efforts concerning Leishmaniasis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Leishmaniasis is a chronic disease that is found in various countries of the world. The aim of the current study was to investigate the impact of leishmaniasis on the world's research output. The present study assessed benchmarking of research output for the period between 1957 and 2006. Using large database analyses, research in the field of leishmaniasis was evaluated. Furthermore, cooperation between different countries was identified.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The number of publications increased with time. Most publications came from Western countries such as the US, UK or Germany. Interestingly, countries like Brazil and India had a high research output. We found a substantial amount of cooperation between countries.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Although leishmaniasis is of limited geographic distribution it attracts a wide research interest. The central hub of research cooperation is the USA.</p

The Challenges of Developing a Successful Cooperative through an Integrated Resource Approach: Small Farmer-Tuskegee University-Walmart Project

Abstract This paper shares the challenges that small, socially disadvantaged Alabama vegetable and fruit producers in Alabama faced and overcame to secure their USDA Produce Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) food safety certification. The commercial buyers, collaborating with the Small Farmers Agricultural Cooperative (SFAC) producers, required the producers to be certified. This certification was based on the regulated security standards for food safety, the Harmonized Food Safety Standards with the Global Addendum (Global Markets Primary Production Assessments). This venture entailed the integrated resource approach, which comprised experts from Tuskegee University (Extension and Research staff) working closely with SFAC producers. Additional support and experiential guidance was provided by other collaborating partners: Walmart, Lipman Produce, WP Rawls, Pura Vida, C.H. Robinson, Federal and State Auditors, and the USDA (Strike Force Initiative). The collaborative efforts led to the producers successfully obtaining their GAP certification and fulfilling their contractual agreement obligations, despite the unexpected challenges. Keywords: Socially Disadvantaged Farmers, GAP Certification, Integrated Resource Approac

IL-13 but not IL-4 signaling via IL-4Rα protects mice from papilloma formation during DMBA/TPA two-step skin carcinogenesis

Interleukin 4 (IL-4) was shown to be tumor-promoting in full carcinogenesis studies using 3-methylcholanthrene (MCA). Because heretofore the role of IL-4 in DMBA/TPA (9,10-dimethyl-1,2-benz-anthracene/12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate) two-stage carcinogenesis was not studied, we performed such experiments using either IL-4(-/-) or IL-4R{alpha}(-/-) mice. We found that IL-4R{alpha}(-/-) but not IL-4(-/-) mice have enhanced papilloma formation, suggesting that IL-13 may be involved. Indeed, IL-13(-/-) mice developed more papillomas after exposure to DMBA/TPA than their heterozygous IL-13-competent littermate controls. However, when tested in a full carcinogenesis experiment, exposure of mice to 25 {My}g of MCA, both IL-13(-/-) and IL-13(+/-) mice led to the same incidence of tumors. While IL-4 enhances MCA carcinogenesis, it does not play a measurable role in our DMBA/TPA carcinogenesis experiments. Conversely, IL-13 does not affect MCA carcinogenesis but protects mice from DMBA/TPA carcinogenesis. One possible explanation is that IL-4 and IL-13, although they share a common IL-4R{alpha} chain, regulate signaling in target cells differently by employing distinct JAK/STAT-mediated signaling pathways downstream of IL-13 or IL-4 receptor complexes, resulting in different inflammatory transcriptional programs. Taken together, our results indicate that the course of DMBA/TPA- and MCA-induced carcinogenesis is affected differently by IL-4 versus IL-13-mediated inflammatory cascades

Lack of Evidence from Studies of Soluble Protein Fragments that Knops Blood Group Polymorphisms in Complement Receptor-Type 1 Are Driven by Malaria

Complement receptor-type 1 (CR1, CD35) is the immune-adherence receptor, a complement regulator, and an erythroid receptor for Plasmodium falciparum during merozoite invasion and subsequent rosette formation involving parasitized and non-infected erythrocytes. The non-uniform geographical distribution of Knops blood group CR1 alleles Sl1/2 and McCa/b may result from selective pressures exerted by differential exposure to infectious hazards. Here, four variant short recombinant versions of CR1 were produced and analyzed, focusing on complement control protein modules (CCPs) 15–25 of its ectodomain. These eleven modules encompass a region (CCPs 15–17) key to rosetting, opsonin recognition and complement regulation, as well as the Knops blood group polymorphisms in CCPs 24–25. All four CR1 15–25 variants were monomeric and had similar axial ratios. Modules 21 and 22, despite their double-length inter-modular linker, did not lie side-by-side so as to stabilize a bent-back architecture that would facilitate cooperation between key functional modules and Knops blood group antigens. Indeed, the four CR1 15–25 variants had virtually indistinguishable affinities for immobilized complement fragments C3b (KD = 0.8–1.1 µM) and C4b (KD = 5.0–5.3 µM). They were all equally good co-factors for factor I-catalysed cleavage of C3b and C4b, and they bound equally within a narrow affinity range, to immobilized C1q. No differences between the variants were observed in assays for inhibition of erythrocyte invasion by P. falciparum or for rosette disruption. Neither differences in complement-regulatory functionality, nor interactions with P. falciparum proteins tested here, appear to have driven the non-uniform geographic distribution of these alleles

Educators' working conditions in a day care centre on ownership of a non-profit organization

Background: Working conditions of nursery school teachers have not been scrutinized thoroughly in scientific research. Only a few studies have so far examined work-load and strain in this profession. Preferably, subjective perceptions should be corroborated by data that can be quantified more objectively and accurately. The aim of the present observational field study was to evaluate pedagogical staffs' workflow. Methods: In 2009 eleven educators in a day care centre were observed throughout three complete workdays. A total of 250 working hours were recorded. Results: An educators' workday lasted on average 07:46:59 h (SD = 01:01:10 h).Within this time span, an average of 02:20:46 h (30.14%, SD = 00:28:07 h) were spent on caring, 01:44:18 h on playing (22.33%, SD = 00:54:12 h), 00:49:37 h on educational work (10.62%, SD = 00:40:09), and only 00:05:38 h on individual child contact (1.21%, SD = 00:04:58 h). Conclusion: For the first time, educators' workflow in day care centres was studied in real time. Some of the educators' self-reported problems were corroborated. The results of this study form a basis upon which further investigations can be built and measures can be developed for an overall improvement of child care

STAT-1 decoy oligodeoxynucleotide inhibition of acute rejection in mouse heart transplants

During acute rejection of cardiac transplants endothelial cell–leukocyte interaction fuelled by co-stimulatory molecules like CD40/CD154 may ultimately lead to graft loss. One key player in up-regulating the expression of such pro-inflammatory gene products is the interferon-γ-dependent transcription factor STAT-1. Hence down-regulating interferon-γ-stimulated pro-inflammatory gene expression in the graft endothelial cells by employing a decoy oligodeoxynucleotide (dODN) neutralising STAT-1 may protect the graft. To verify this hypothesis, heterotopic mouse heart transplantation was performed in the allogeneic B10.A(2R) to C57BL/6 and syngeneic C57BL/6 to C57BL/6 strain combination without immunosuppression. Graft vessels were pre-treated with STAT-1 dODN, mutant control ODN (10 μM each) or vehicle (Ringer solution). Cellular rejection (vascular and interstitial component) was graded histologically and CD40, ICAM-1, VCAM-1, MCP-1, E-selectin and RANTES expression in the graft monitored by real time PCR 24 h and 9 days post-transplantation. Nine days after transplantation both rejection scores were significantly diminished by 85 and 70%, respectively, in STAT-1 dODN-treated allografts as compared to mutant control ODN-treated allografts. According to immunohistochemistry analysis, this was accompanied by a reduced infiltration of monocyte/macrophages and T cells into the graft myocardium. In addition, pro-inflammatory gene expression was strongly impaired by more than 80% in STAT-1 dODN-treated allografts 24 h post-transplantation but not in mutant control ODN or vehicle-treated allografts. This inhibitory effect on pro-inflammatory gene expression was no longer detectable 9 days post-transplantation. Single periprocedural treatment with a STAT-1 dODN thus effectively reduces cellular rejection in mouse heart allografts. This effect is associated both with an early decline in pro-inflammatory gene expression and a later drop in mononuclear cell infiltration

Analysis of the putative role of CR1 in Alzheimer’s disease: Genetic association, expression and function

Chronic activation of the complement system and induced inflammation are associated with neuropathology in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Recent large genome wide association studies (GWAS) have identified single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the C3b/C4b receptor (CR1 or CD35) that are associated with late onset AD. Here, anti-CR1 antibodies (Abs) directed against different epitopes of the receptor, were used to localize CR1 in brain, and relative binding affinities of the CR1 ligands, C1q and C3b, were assessed by ELISA. Most Abs tested stained red blood cells in blood vessels but showed no staining in brain parenchyma. However, two monoclonal anti-CR1 Abs labeled astrocytes in all of the cases tested, and this reactivity was preabsorbed by purified recombinant human CR1. Human brain-derived astrocyte cultures were also reactive with both mAbs. The amount of astrocyte staining varied among the samples, but no consistent difference was conferred by diagnosis or the GWAS-identified SNPs rs4844609 or rs6656401. Plasma levels of soluble CR1 did not correlate with diagnosis but a slight increase was observed with rs4844609 and rs6656401 SNP. There was also a modest but statistically significant increase in relative binding activity of C1q to CR1 with the rs4844609 SNP compared to CR1 without the SNP, and of C3b to CR1 in the CR1 genotypes containing the rs6656401 SNP (also associated with the larger isoform of CR1) regardless of clinical diagnosis. These results suggest that it is unlikely that astrocyte CR1 expression levels or C1q or C3b binding activity are the cause of the GWAS identified association of CR1 variants with AD. Further careful functional studies are needed to determine if the variant-dictated number of CR1 expressed on red blood cells contributes to the role of this receptor in the progression of AD, or if another mechanism is involved

Does type of hospital ownership influence physicians' daily work schedules? An observational real-time study in German hospital departments

Background: During the last two decades the German hospital sector has been engaged in a constant process of transformation. One obvious sign of this is the growing amount of hospital privatization. To date, most research studies have focused on the effects of privatization regarding financial outcomes and quality of care, leaving important organizational issues unexplored. Yet little attention has been devoted to the effects of privatization on physicians' working routines. The aim of this observational real-time study is to deliver exact data about physicians' work at hospitals of different ownership. By analysing working hours, further impacts of hospital privatization can be assessed and areas of improvement identified. Methods: Observations were made by shadowing 100 physicians working in private, for-profit or non-profit as well as public hospital departments individually during whole weekday shifts in urban German settings. A total of 300 days of observations were conducted. All working activities were recorded, accurate to the second, by using a mobile personal computer. Results: Results have shown significant differences in physicians' working activities, depending on hospital ownership, concerning working hours and time spent on direct and indirect patient care. Conclusion: This is the first real-time analysis on differences in work activities depending on hospital ownership. The study provides an objective insight into physicians' daily work routines at hospitals of different ownership, with additional information on effects of hospital privatization