Alien Registration- Culleton, Thomas H. (Livermore Falls, Androscoggin County)

https://digitalmaine.com/alien_docs/27275/thumbnail.jp

Schizophrenia, recovery and the self: An introduction to the special issue on metacognition

In this special issue, work is presented linking metacognition among persons with schizophrenia with a range of psychosocial outcomes including vocational functioning, empathy, motivation, self-evaluation, and other cognitive functions. This overview will highlight how these works allow for the quantitative study of processes which underpin alterations in self-experience in schizophrenia, which in turn allows self-experience to be studied as part of a larger set of brain-based and social phenomena whose interaction influences the trajectory of one's life and illness. We explore the hypothesis that metacognitive capacity, as a node in a larger biopsychosocial network, may be accessible by psychosocial treatment and, if successfully targeted, may disrupt the processes which perpetuate disability. Limitations and directions for future research are also discussed

Origin of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium vivax

The geographic origin of Plasmodium vivax, a leading cause of human malaria, has been the subject of much speculation. Here we review the evolutionary history of P. vivax and P. vivax-like parasites in humans and non-human primates on three continents, providing overwhelming evidence for an African origin. This conclusion is consistent with recent reports showing that Duffy-negative humans in Africa are, in fact, susceptible to P. vivax, with parasites invading Duffy-antigen-expressing erythroid precursors. Thus, the African origin of P. vivax not only explains the distribution of the Duffy-negative genotype but also provides new insight into the history and status of P. vivax malaria in Africa and efforts geared toward its eradication.</p

Soberanía y Defensa Nacional: una aproximación desde la memoria y los relatos de Veteranos de la Guerra de Malvinas y Expedicionarios al Desierto Blanco

El objetivo de esta ponencia es establecer vínculos entre dos espacios que no suelen ser analizados de forma conjunta: el Sector Antártico Argentino y las Islas Malvinas. A partir del registro audiovisual de testimonios de Expedicionarios al Desierto Blanco, llevado a cabo de manera conjunta entre la Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata y la Universidad de la Defensa Nacional, se identificaron nuevos perfiles de Veteranos de la Guerra de Malvinas: aquellos que además de ser protagonistas del conflicto de 1982 poseen experiencia antártica. El contacto con sus relatos permitió esbozar nuevas hipótesis sobre los conflictos de soberanía en el Atlántico Sur que incluyan al territorio antártico. Por esta razón, la metodología seleccionada para realizar este recorrido es la historia oral, aunque también se incorpora el análisis de fuentes escritas e imágenes. En el marco del 40º aniversario de la Guerra de Malvinas, se abren en Argentina una serie de debates en torno a los posibles abordajes sobre el conflicto. En este sentido, la contribución que se pretende realizar con esta línea de investigación es poner de manifiesto, por un lado, que la causa Malvinas y la cuestión antártica forman parte de un mismo problema. En este sentido, se busca establecer un panorama complejo de voces y miradas que permita configurar un entramado de ideas en tensión respecto de cómo pueden ser abordados los conceptos de soberanía y defensa nacional. El análisis de estas categorías, se realiza teniendo en cuenta los desafíos geoestratégicos que representa el Atlántico Sur a futuro para la Argentina y la región. El recorrido seleccionado permite sentar las bases para cuestionar algunos postulados que en el último tiempo caracterizaron los análisis sobre Malvinas. Partimos del supuesto de que el legado de la historia reciente, vinculado al terrorismo de Estado, eclipsó dos aspectos importantes a tener en cuenta en el análisis del conflicto. En primer lugar, la trayectoria histórica de los reclamos que sostuvo nuestro país desde el momento de la usurpación de Gran Bretaña en 1833. En segundo lugar, el valor geoestratégico que tienen las islas respecto a la explotación de recursos en el Atlántico Sur y a la proyección sobre el territorio antártico. Esto permite, por un lado, reforzar una mirada de larga duración del conflicto y, a su vez, establecer conexiones históricas entre las Islas Malvinas y el Sector Antártico Argentino. Por esta razón, las ideas en torno a las particularidades de la definición de soberanía que suponen estos territorios y los desafíos que representan a las decisiones vinculadas con la Defensa Nacional son los pilares que sostienen nuestra aproximación en clave bicontinental.Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias de la Educació

Molecular Detection and Identification of Piroplasm in Cattle from Kathmandu Valley, Nepal

application/pdfBackground: Tick-borne protozoan parasites (TBPPs) cause significant problems for domestic animals’ health in Nepal. TBPPs are routinely diagnosed by labor-intensive blood smear microscopy. In Nepal, there are some reports of Babesia and Theileria in cattle, although species identification is rarely performed. Therefore, we performed conventional nested PCR (nPCR) followed by sequence analysis to identify TBPP species infecting cattle in Nepal. Methods: One hundred and six blood samples were collected from cattle in the Kathmandu Valley. Thin blood smears were prepared for microscopic examination. Parasite DNA was extracted from the blood, and nPCR and sequencing were performed to identify the TBPPs present. Results: Among the 106 samples, 45 (42.5%) were positive for piroplasm (Babesia spp. and Theileria spp.) via microscope observation and 56 (52.8%) samples were positive via nPCR. The obtained PCR products were used for direct sequencing, and we identified the species as B. bigemina, B. bovis, T. annulate and T. orientalis. Phylogenetic analyses showed that the B. bovis, B. bigemina and T. orientalis sequences from this study belonged to each species clade. On the other hand, T. annulate was divided into two clades in the analysis, and our T. annulate sequences were also divided in these two clades. The piroplasm-positive cattle showed lower hemoglobin and red blood cells than healthy cattle. Conclusions: To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to apply molecular detection and species determination of TBPPs in cattle in Nepal. The results of this study may be used as a starting point for the development of successful TBPP surveillance and prevention programs in Nepal. © 2023 by the authors.journal articl

Remarkable evolutionary rate variations among lineages and among genome compartments in malaria parasites of mammals

Genes encoded within organelle genomes often evolve at rates different from those in the nuclear genome. Here, we analyzed the relative rates of nucleotide substitution in the mitochondrial, apicoplast and nuclear genomes in four different lineages of Plasmodium species (malaria parasites) infecting mammals. The rates of substitution in the three genomes exhibit substantial variation among lineages, with the relative rates of nuclear and mitochondrial DNA being particularly divergent between the Laverania (including Plasmodium falciparum) and Vivax lineages (including Plasmodium vivax). Consideration of synonymous and nonsynonymous substitution rates suggests that their variation is largely due to changes in mutation rates, with constraints on amino acid replacements remaining more similar among lineages. Mitochondrial DNA mutation rate variations among lineages may reflect differences in the long-term average lengths of the sexual and asexual stages of the life cycle. These rate variations have far-reaching implications for the use of molecular clocks to date Plasmodium evolution.</p

Micromechanical Properties of Injection-Molded Starch–Wood Particle Composites

The micromechanical properties of injection molded starch–wood particle composites were investigated as a function of particle content and humidity conditions. The composite materials were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction methods. The microhardness of the composites was shown to increase notably with the concentration of the wood particles. In addition,creep behavior under the indenter and temperature dependence were evaluated in terms of the independent contribution of the starch matrix and the wood microparticles to the hardness value. The influence of drying time on the density and weight uptake of the injection-molded composites was highlighted. The results revealed the role of the mechanism of water evaporation, showing that the dependence of water uptake and temperature was greater for the starch–wood composites than for the pure starch sample. Experiments performed during the drying process at 70°C indicated that the wood in the starch composites did not prevent water loss from the samples.Peer reviewe

Emergence of indigenous artemisinin-resistant plasmodium falciparum in Africa

Comment in : Artemisinin-Resistant Plasmodium falciparum in Africa. [N Engl J Med. 2017]International audienceLetter to the Edito

Relation between serum uric acid and carotid intima-media thickness in healthy postmenopausal women

OBJECTIVE: Serum uric acid (SUA) is associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD). However it is still disputed whether the relationship is mediated by other risk factors such as obesity, dyslipidaemia, hypertension and insulin resistance. We explored the association of the uric acid level with carotid intima-media thickness (IMT), a well known marker of CVD, in postmenopausal healthy women. METHODS: We consecutively enrolled postmenopausal women undergoing a screening for health evaluation. After an accurate clinical examination, and a biochemical evaluation, the enrolled subjects underwent B mode ultrasonography to assess common carotid intima media thickness. RESULTS: Among 234 women aged 45-70 years, the uric acid level is associated with carotid IMT independently of other prognostic factors (p=0.03). In particular, women in the highest tertiles of uric acid level have a greater IMT than women in the lowest tertile (p=0.007). CONCLUSIONS: Independently of other cardiovascular risk factors, SUA levels are associated with carotid IMT even in subjects without the metabolic syndrome. This confirms and expands the role of uric acid in the determinism of CVD. Prospective trials would be useful to evaluate interventions aimed at lowering the uric acid level