Towards fairer conservation: Perspectives and ideas from early‐career researchers

The Black Lives Matter Movement, which gained unprecedented global momentum in mid-2020, triggered critical reflection on systemic discrimination of disadvantaged groups across many domains of society. It prompted us, as early-career researchers (ECRs) in conservation science, to examine our own awareness of ongoing injustices within our field, the role we play in perpetuating or countering these injustices, and how to move forward. Colonialist ideologies and power dynamics throughout the history of conservation practice and research have left a long-lasting legacy of inequality and systemic racism. While improvements have been made, these legacies continue to influence teaching and practice today. In this perspective piece, we reflect on the impacts of conservation’s colonial past and how the sector has developed. We then explore how current traditional routes into conservation, and the dominance of these approaches, can leave ECRs underprepared to address modern-day conservation issues due to a limited understanding of conservation’s history and key theories from other fields. We end by offering a set of suggestions encouraging others to learn and practise fairer and more inclusive conservation practices

Quantitative determination of sulphamethoxazole and trimethoprim in powder mixtures using raman spectroscopy and PLS

Raman spectroscopy in combination with partial least-squares (PLS) regression method was developed for sulphamethoxazole (SMZ) and trimethoprim (TMP) simultaneous determination in powder mixtures. The calibration set was designed with 18 samples and validation set with 9 samples, containing different SMZ and TMP concentrations. The concentration ranges were 400-900 mg/g for SMZ and 80- 240 mg/g for TMP. The proposed procedure was validated by comparison with the official method (HPLC). Mean root square error of calibration (RMSEC) and mean root square error of prediction (RMSEP) were calculated. RMSEC found was 30.96 mg/g to SMZ and 14.36 mg/g to TMP, respectively. RMSEP found was 25.60 mg/g to SMZ and 14.36 mg/g to TMP, respectively. Correlation coefficient (R2) was 0.99 for SMZ and 0.99 for TMP. This parameter evidences a very good agreement between estimated and real values. The results showed that PLS regression model combined with Raman spectroscopy provides a sensitive, fast and simple method for the quantitative analysis of SMZ and TMP mixtures in powder quality control.Colegio de Farmacéuticos de la Provincia de Buenos Aire

Transcription of toll-like receptors 2, 3, 4 and 9, FoxP3 and Th17 cytokines in a susceptible experimental model of canine Leishmania infantum infection

Canine leishmaniosis (CanL) due to Leishmania infantum is a chronic zoonotic systemic disease resulting from complex interactions between protozoa and the canine immune system. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are essential components of the innate immune system and facilitate the early detection of many infections. However, the role of TLRs in CanL remains unknown and information describing TLR transcription during infection is extremely scarce. The aim of this research project was to investigate the impact of L. infantum infection on canine TLR transcription using a susceptible model. The objectives of this study were to evaluate transcription of TLRs 2, 3, 4 and 9 by means of quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) in skin, spleen, lymph node and liver in the presence or absence of experimental L. infantum infection in Beagle dogs. These findings were compared with clinical and serological data, parasite densities in infected tissues and transcription of IL-17, IL-22 and FoxP3 in different tissues in non-infected dogs (n = 10), and at six months (n = 24) and 15 months (n = 7) post infection. Results revealed significant down regulation of transcription with disease progression in lymph node samples for TLR3, TLR4, TLR9, IL-17, IL-22 and FoxP3. In spleen samples, significant down regulation of transcription was seen in TLR4 and IL-22 when both infected groups were compared with controls. In liver samples, down regulation of transcription was evident with disease progression for IL-22. In the skin, upregulation was seen only for TLR9 and FoxP3 in the early stages of infection. Subtle changes or down regulation in TLR transcription, Th17 cytokines and FoxP3 are indicative of the silent establishment of infection that Leishmania is renowned for. These observations provide new insights about TLR transcription, Th17 cytokines and Foxp3 in the liver, spleen, lymph node and skin in CanL and highlight possible markers of disease susceptibility in this model

The Global Burden of Disease Study 2010: Interpretation and Implications for the Neglected Tropical Diseases

This article analyzes the "Global Burden of Disease Study 2010" and examines the study's implications for neglected tropical diseases