Efficacy of alternating therapy with oxamniquine and praziquantel to treat Schistosoma mansoni in children following failure of first treatment

Two hundred children infected with Schistosoma mansoni were treated with either 20 mg/kg oxamniquine or 60 mg/kg praziquantel. Cure rates (about 85%) were similar as was the percentage reduction (80%) in egg counts in uncured children. Treatment with the alternative drug of children not cured with the first treatment resulted in negative stools in 11 of 12 cases examined one month after the second round of therapy. In order to minimize the risk of the development of drug resistance, our data suggest that infected patients be treated with one drug, and therapeutic failures with another. Evidence from experiments in mice with isolates obtained after failures of one treatment in children suggests that therapeutic failure does not necessarily indicate the presence of drug-resistant schistosomes. The value of using mice to assess drug resistance in schistosomes is questioned.     

Emerging Applications of Liquid Crystals Based on Nanotechnology

Diverse functionalities of liquid crystals (LCs) offer enormous opportunities for their potential use in advanced mobile and smart displays, as well as novel non-display applications. Here, we present snapshots of the research carried out on emerging applications of LCs ranging from electronics to holography and self-powered systems. In addition, we will show our recent results focused on the development of new LC applications, such as programmable transistors, a transparent and active-type two-dimensional optical array and self-powered display systems based on LCs, and will briefly discuss their novel concepts and basic operating principles. Our research will give insights not only into comprehensively understanding technical and scientific applications of LCs, but also developing new discoveries of other LC-based devices.     

“Not Just Right Experiences” in Adolescents: Phenomenology and Associated Characteristics

Efforts to understand the nature of “Not Just Right Experiences” (NJREs) have expanded the scientific understanding of obsessive–compulsive (OC) behavior. Approximately 80 % of unselected adults report experiencing NJREs and these experiences have been found to highly correlate with OC behavior. The purpose of this study was to assess NJREs in an unselected sample of adolescents (ages 14–17; N = 152), to compare their experience with adults (N = 237), and to assess the relation between NJREs and OC symptoms. Findings from questionnaires completed on the Internet were consistent with previous findings in adults, 81 % of adolescents endorsed recently having an NJRE. Some reactions differed according to age: adults reported NJREs as more frequent and adolescents endorsed feeling more compelled to respond. Surprisingly, OC symptoms were not significantly related to NJREs in the adolescents. Implications, limitations, and future directions for the study of NJREs in youth are discussed.