Discovery Of New Options Research Articles

Antimalarial Activity of Fagaropsis angolensis (Rutaceae) Crude Extracts and Solvent Fractions of Its Stem Bark Against Plasmodium berghei in Mice.

BackgroundA current challenge in malaria control and elimination is the progressive resistance to most antimalarial drugs which necessitates the discovery of new options. Hence, the current study was initiated to investigate the antimalarial activity of the stem bark of Fagaropsis angolensis in mice.MethodsThe test material was extracted using 80% methanol in a cold maceration technique and further fractionated in solvents of varied polarity. Acute oral toxicity was assessed following the OECD guideline no. 425 protocol. Then, the antimalarial activities of the crude extract and the fractions were evaluated in a 4-day suppression test. Rane’s test was also used to evaluate the curative potential of the n-butanol fraction that showed the highest effect during the 4-day suppressive test. Parameters such as parasitemia suppression, mean survival time, packed cell volume, rectal temperature, and body weight were determined to establish the activity.ResultsThe acute oral toxicity test indicated that the plant did not cause any signs of behavioral changes or mortality at 200 mg/kg limit dose. In a 4-day suppression test, a significant dose-dependent reduction in the parasitemia level and prolongation of survival time were observed (p<0.001) in all three doses of the crude extract compared with the negative control. The crude extract also exhibited a significant (p<0.001) protective effect in packed cell volume and rectal temperature decline in all three doses in a dose-dependent fashion compared with the negative control. Among all fractions, the n-butanol fraction displayed the highest effects in all parameters in the 4-day suppression test. In addition, the n-butanol fraction also showed a significant percentage of parasitemia suppression effects at all doses in Rane’s test. Furthermore, higher free radical scavenging activity was observed in the n-butanol fraction and the 80% methanol extract.ConclusionThis study established that Fagaropsis angolensis had shown potential antimalarial activity as evidenced by the significant effects in the different parameters, upholding its traditional use for the treatment of malaria and laying the foundation for further investigations.

Imágenes escolares: experiencias de discriminación y resiliencia

&lt;p&gt;En este artículo se exponen resultados parciales de una investigación que se realiza actualmente con jóvenes de la región Altos de Chiapas, México, quienes relatan experiencias de discriminación sufridas en diversas etapas de su vida. Desde un enfoque biográfico-narrativo se recuperan las voces de tres jóvenes que reconstruyen imágenes de su pasado para replantear su vida actual. Las imágenes reconstruidas por estos jóvenes al rememorar sus trayectos escolares permiten entender lo que significa vivir en una región marcada por la violencia de género, la intolerancia religiosa, la homofobia, el racismo y la discriminación hacia los migrantes, así como las escasas posibilidades de trabajo y la precariedad económica en la que se mantienen la mayoría de sus habitantes. En este contexto adverso las escuelas por las que transitaron se presentaron como espacios de reconstrucción y de descubrimiento de nuevas opciones para transformar-se y tomar decisiones que los llevan a incorporarse en trabajos en los que brindan apoyo a otras personas. Se descubre que las imágenes reconstruidas por los sujetos sobre sí mismos durante el tránsito por las aulas escolares a partir de relaciones empáticas y afectivas les lleva a asumir una actitud de resiliencia para replantear su actuar como adultos, así como la manera en la que se relacionan con otros.&lt;/p&gt;

Expanding the therapeutic index of radiation therapy by normal tissue protection.

Normal tissue damages induced by radiation therapy remain dose-limiting factors in radiation oncology and this is still true despite recent advances in treatment planning and delivery of image-guided radiation therapy. Additionally, as the number of long-term cancer survivors increases, unacceptable complications emerge and dramatically reduce the patients' quality of life. This means that patients and clinicians expect discovery of new options for the therapeutic management of radiation-induced complications. Over the past four decades, research has enhanced our understanding of the pathophysiological, cellular and molecular processes governing normal tissue toxicity. Those processes are complex and involve the cross-talk between the various cells of a tissue, including fibroblasts, endothelial, immuneand epithelial cells as well as soluble paracrine factors including growth factors and proteases. We will review the translatable pharmacological approaches that have been developed to prevent, mitigate, or reverse radiation injuries based upon the targeting of cellular and signalling pathways. We will summarize the different steps of the research strategy, from the definition of initial biological hypotheses to preclinical studies and clinical translation. We will also see how novel research and therapeutic hypotheses emerge along the way as well as briefly highlight innovative approaches based upon novel radiotherapy delivery procedures.

An Audio-Taped Consciousness-Raising Group for Women: Evaluation of the Process Dimension

This study describes the development and assessment of an audio-taped women's consciousness-raising program. Two components of the program were communications skills training and the explorations of women's issues. These two components were designed to accomplish four goals: the development of effective communication; an awareness of the issues facing women; the discovery of new options for behavior; and the establishment of a supportive environment. Twenty-seven volunteer women were assigned to three groups, each of which received a different combination of the two components. Using ratings and structured descriptive narratives by trained experienced observers, progress toward the aforementioned goals was measured in each group. The group that only received the communications training component made steady significant progress over time toward all four goals. The group that received both the communication training and women's issues components made significant progress toward two goals: the development of effective communications and the discovery of new options for behavior. The group that received only the women's issues component made no apparent progress toward any of the goals. The results point toward the effectiveness of this audio-taped program and the importance of including communication skills training in consciousness-raising programs.