Public-private partnerships and antiretroviral drugs for HIV/AIDS: lessons from Botswana

The African Comprehensive HIV/AIDS Partnerships (ACHAP) played a major role in initiating Botswana's antiretroviral (ARV) program in 2001. ACHAP is a prominent public-private partnership involving Merck and its foundation, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and the government of Botswana. This paper analyzes ACHAP's efforts to assist Botswana with its ARV program, the first and most advanced in sub-Saharan Africa. It identifies five features of the model and shows how they contributed to the ARV program. It also raises questions about ACHAP's role in scaling up and sustaining the program, as Botswana faces the challenges of treating growing numbers of HIV-infected people.     

Stimulus-centered neglect in reading and object recognition

Abstract

We examine whether words and objects share a common stage of processing in which an item's shape is represented in a reference frame centered on the item, that is, a ‘stimulus-centered’ representation. The neurological patient MR neglected the left parts of words, letter-strings, and objects in a variety of reading and naming tests, regardless of where they were presented in the visual field. She identified only the right sides of chimeras, and failed to notice that they were not real objects. Her pattern of performance provides evidence consistent with a common pathway for word and object processing beyond the early, retinocentric levels of the visual system.     

Protective effects of lycorine against carbon tetrachloride induced hepatotoxicity in Swiss albino mice

Carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4)) is a well-known model for inducing chemical hepatic injury in Swiss albino mice. The present study was designed to examine the ability of lycorine a natural alkaloid compound to prevent CCl(4)-induced hepatotoxicity in the Swiss albino mice. After the experimental period of 8 weeks, CCl(4) significantly increased the generation of lipid peroxidation products, it reflected by high levels of malondialdehyde, hepatic marker enzymes like aspartate transaminase, Alanine transaminase, Lactate dehydrogenase, alkaline phosphatase and lipids profiles. These increases were accompanied by significant decreases of glutathione (GSH); vitamin C content and significant reduction in activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione-S-transferase and GSH reductase were observed in the mice liver, which were normalized by the lycorine treatment as compared with CCl(4)-induced group of mice. Moreover, the histological and ultrastructural observations evidenced that lycorine effectively rescues the hepatocyte from CCl(4)-induced oxidative damage without disturbing its cellular metabolic function and structural integrity. Therefore, lycorine may be considered a potent antioxidant against free radical-related diseases.     

Three-Dimensional Zirconia-Based Scaffolds for Load-Bearing Bone-Regeneration Applications: Prospects and Challenges

The design of zirconia-based scaffolds using conventional techniques for bone-regeneration applications has been studied extensively. Similar to dental applications, the use of three-dimensional (3D) zirconia-based ceramics for bone tissue engineering (BTE) has recently attracted considerable attention because of their high mechanical strength and biocompatibility. However, techniques to fabricate zirconia-based scaffolds for bone regeneration are in a stage of infancy. Hence, the biological activities of zirconia-based ceramics for bone-regeneration applications have not been fully investigated, in contrast to the well-established calcium phosphate-based ceramics for bone-regeneration applications. This paper outlines recent research developments and challenges concerning numerous three-dimensional (3D) zirconia-based scaffolds and reviews the associated fundamental fabrication techniques, key 3D fabrication developments and practical encounters to identify the optimal 3D fabrication technique for obtaining 3D zirconia-based scaffolds suitable for real-world applications. This review mainly summarized the articles that focused on in vitro and in vivo studies along with the fundamental mechanical characterizations on the 3D zirconia-based scaffolds.     

Nutraceuticals as potential therapeutic agents for colon cancer: a review

Colon cancer is a world-wide health problem and the second-most dangerous type of cancer, affecting both men and women. The modern diet and lifestyles, with high meat consumption and excessive alcohol use, along with limited physical activity has led to an increasing mortality rate for colon cancer worldwide. As a result, there is a need to develop novel and environmentally benign drug therapies for colon cancer. Currently, nutraceuticals play an increasingly important role in the treatment of various chronic diseases such as colon cancer, diabetes and Alzheimer׳s disease. Nutraceuticals are derived from various natural sources such as medicinal plants, marine organisms, vegetables and fruits. Nutraceuticals have shown the potential to reduce the risk of colon cancer and slow its progression. These dietary substances target different molecular aspects of colon cancer development. Accordingly, this review briefly discusses the medicinal importance of nutraceuticals and their ability to reduce the risk of colorectal carcinogenesis.KEY WORDS: Colon cancer, Nutraceuticals, Therapeutics, Marine organisms, Plant derivativesAbbreviations: ACC, acetyl CoA carboxylase; ACF, aberrant crypt foci; ACL, ATP-citrate lyase; ASTX, astaxanthin; COX-2, cyclooxygenase 2; DHA, decahexaenoic acid; DMH, 1,2-dimethylhydrazine; DR, death receptor; EGCG, epigallocatechingallate; EPA, eicosapentaenoic acid; FAS, fatty acid synthase; 5-FU, 5-fluorouracil; GADD, growth arrest and DNA damage; HMG-CoA, 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl CoA; HUVEC, human umbilical vein endothelial cell; IGF, insulin-like growth factor; IL, interleukin; LDH, lactate dehydrogenase; MMP, matrix metallo-proteins; NF-κB, nuclear factor-kappa B; PRAP, prolactin receptor associated protein; TCA, tricarboxylic acid cycle; TNF, tumor necrosis factor; TRAIL, tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-induced ligand; VEGF, vascular endothelial growth factor     

Building effective public-private partnerships: experiences and lessons from the African Comprehensive HIV/AIDS Partnerships (ACHAP)

This paper examines the processes for building highly collaborative public-private partnerships for public health, with a focus on the efforts to manage the complex relationships that underlie these partnerships. These processes are analyzed for the African Comprehensive HIV/AIDS Partnerships (ACHAP), a 5-year partnership (2001-2005) between the government of Botswana, Merck & Co., Inc. (and its company foundation), and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. ACHAP is a highly collaborative initiative. The ACHAP office in Botswana engages intensively (on a daily basis) with the government of Botswana (an ACHAP partner and ACHAP's main grantee) to support HIV/AIDS control in that country, which had an adult prevalence of 38.5% HIV infection in 2000 when ACHAP was being established. The paper discusses the development of ACHAP in four stages: the creation of ACHAP, the first year, the second and third years, and the fourth year. Based on ACHAP's experiences over these four years, the paper identifies five lessons for managing relationships in highly collaborative public-private partnerships for public health.