One Health as a potential platform to rescue the neglected fruit trees in Yucatan, Mexico.

Neglected and underutilized species of plants (NUS) have been identified by the Food and Agriculture Organization as valuable resources for fighting poverty, hunger and malnutrition as they can help make agricultural production systems more sustainable and resilient. Adaptation of NUS to changing environments over several millennia has rendered most of these plants resistant to pests and climate change. In this paper, we explore the potential values of some of the Mayan fruit trees justifying conservation efforts in their native habitats.

Competencies for Transformational Leadership in Public Health-An International Delphi Consensus Study.

This Delphi study intended to develop competencies for transformational leadership in public health, including behavioral descriptions (descriptors) tailored to individuals and their contexts. The study involved five rounds, including online "e-Delphi" consultations and real-time online workshops with experts from diverse sectors. Relevant competencies were identified through a literature review, and experts rated, ranked, rephrased, and proposed descriptors.

Cell Types and Synapses Expressing the SNARE Complex Regulating Proteins Complexin 1 and Complexin 2 in Mammalian Retina.

Complexins (Cplxs) 1 to 4 are components of the presynaptic compartment of chemical synapses where they regulate important steps in synaptic vesicle exocytosis. In the retina, all four Cplxs are present, and while we know a lot about Cplxs 3 and 4, little is known about Cplxs 1 and 2. Here, we performed in situ hybridization experiments and bioinformatics and exploited Cplx 1 and Cplx 2 single-knockout mice combined with immunocytochemistry and light microscopy to characterize in detail the cell type and synapse-specific distribution of Cplx 1 and Cplx 2.

Efforts to mitigate the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic: potential entry points for neglected tropical diseases.

Background: The damage inflicted by the coronavirus diseases 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic upon humanity is and will continue to be considerable. Unprecedented progress made in global health over the past 20 years has reverted and economic growth has already evaporated, giving rise to a global recession, the likes of which we may not have experienced since the Second World War. Our aim is to draw the attention of the neglected tropical disease (NTD) community towards some of the major emerging economic opportunities which are quickly appearing on the horizon as a result of COVID-19.

Source Imaging of Triphasic Waves and Other Encephalopathies.

Purpose: Triphasic waves (TWs) are defined as high-amplitude positive waveforms with preceding and after-going negative waves, typically seen in medically ill patients. TWs manifest in similar clinical presentations as other EEG encephalopathies; however, electrographically, they appear different. To better understand the difference, the authors used two different source localization software programs to find a reproducible and unique signature for TW.

Strategies supporting the prevention and control of neglected tropical diseases during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.

Emerging and re-emerging zoonotic diseases represent a public health challenge of international concern. They include a large group of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), many of which are of zoonotic nature. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), another emerging zoonotic disease, has just increased the stakes exponentially.

Association of Periodic and Rhythmic Electroencephalographic Patterns With Seizures in Critically Ill Patients.

Importance: Periodic and rhythmic electroencephalographic patterns have been associated with risk of seizures in critically ill patients. However, specific features that confer higher seizure risk remain unclear.

Objective: To analyze the association of distinct characteristics of periodic and rhythmic patterns with seizures.

Sensitivity of quantitative EEG for seizure identification in the intensive care unit.

Objective: To evaluate the sensitivity of quantitative EEG (QEEG) for electrographic seizure identification in the intensive care unit (ICU).

Methods: Six-hour EEG epochs chosen from 15 patients underwent transformation into QEEG displays. Each epoch was reviewed in 3 formats: raw EEG, QEEG + raw, and QEEG-only.

Seizure reporting technologies for epilepsy treatment: A review of clinical information needs and supporting technologies.

This review surveys current seizure detection and classification technologies as they relate to aiding clinical decision-making during epilepsy treatment. Interviews and data collected from neurologists and a literature review highlighted a strong need for better distinguishing between patients exhibiting generalized and partial seizure types as well as achieving more accurate seizure counts. This information is critical for enabling neurologists to select the correct class of antiepileptic drugs (AED) for their patients and evaluating AED efficiency during long-term treatment.

Are we there yet? Assessing achievement of vaccine-preventable disease goals in WHO's Western Pacific Region.

Accelerated disease control goals have long been appreciated for their role in galvanizing commitment and bringing a sense of urgency for disease prevention. WHO's Western Pacific Region has 14 on-going communicable disease reduction goals including 1 targeting eradication, 10 targeting elimination, and 3 control initiatives. These goals cover mother-to-child transmission of HIV, congenital syphilis, tuberculosis, leprosy, five parasitic diseases and four vaccine-preventable diseases (VPD).

Towards effective prevention and control of helminth neglected tropical diseases in the Western Pacific Region through multi-disease and multi-sectoral interventions.

Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) cause serious health, social and economic burdens in the countries of the World Health Organization Western Pacific Region. Among the NTDs, helminth infections are particularly prominent with regard to the number of infected individuals and health impact. Co-endemicity is common among impoverished and marginalized populations.

Lymphatic filariasis in Brazil: epidemiological situation and outlook for elimination.

Since the World Health Assembly's (Resolution WHA 50.29, 1997) call for the elimination of lymphatic filariasis by the year 2020, most of the endemic countries identified have established programmes to meet this objective. In 1997, a National Lymphatic Filariasis Elimination Plan was drawn up by the Ministry of Health of Brazil, creating local programs for the elimination of Bancroftian filariasis in areas with active transmission.

Reviewing the development, evidence base, and application of the revised dengue case classification.

With the example of dengue, an evidence-based approach to prospectively develop a case classification is described, gathering evidence for identifying strength and weaknesses of the existing model, collecting new data describing the disease as it occurs globally, further developing a new model that can be applied in practice and field testing the newly developed model in comparison to the previous model. For each step in this process, the highest available level of evidence has been applied. This process has been initiated by the World Health Organization's (WHO) Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR) and WHO's Department for Control of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD), developing the following for dengue.

Neglected diseases and ethnic minorities in the Western Pacific Region exploring the links.

Ethnic minority groups (EMGs) are often subject to exclusion, marginalization and poverty. These characteristics render them particularly vulnerable to neglected diseases, a diverse group of diseases that comprise bacteria, ecto-parasites, fungi, helminths and viruses. Despite the health policy relevance, only little is known of the epidemiological profile of neglected diseases among EMGs.

Escalating the global fight against neglected tropical diseases through interventions in the Asia Pacific region.

As local, national and international control and elimination efforts for the neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) expand, there is increasing recognition that the 11 Southeast Asian countries together with the People's Republic of China (P.R. China) account for a significant burden of global poverty and disease.

Malaria trends and challenges in the Greater Mekong Subregion.

This report provides an overview of the epidemiological patterns of malaria in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) from 1998 to 2007, and highlights critical challenges facing national malaria control programs and partners in effort to build on their successes as they move towards malaria pre-elimination and elimination as a programmatic goal. Epidemiological data provided by malaria programs show a drastic decline in malaria deaths and confirmed malaria positive cases over the last 10 years in the GMS. More than half of confirmed malaria cases and deaths recorded in the GMS occur in Myanmar, however, reporting methods and data management are not comparable between countries despite effort made by WHO to harmonize data collection, analysis and reporting among WHO Member States.

[Preparedness planning for an influenza pandemic: regional efforts].

Failure to establish a contingency plan prior to a public health emergency can have catastrophic consequences. The threat of a new influenza pandemic has prompted countries to draft national strategic preparedness plans to prevent, mitigate, and recover from a potential influenza pandemic. This paper examines these preparations in Latin America and the Caribbean and describes potential scenarios of pandemic impact on the burden of mortality and on health services in the Region.

Coverage and costs of a school deworming programme in 2007 targeting all primary schools in Lao PDR.

Infections with soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) are among the commonest infections in Lao PDR. Recent investigation in this country showed that intestinal helminths currently infect the majority of school-aged children. The Lao Government has addressed the problem by organizing regular anthelminthic chemotherapy with mebendazole 500mg for school and pre-school children in conjunction with health education activities incorporated into the national school curriculum.

Prolonged neurophysiologic effects of levetiracetam after oral administration in humans.

Purpose: To determine whether neurophysiological effects of levetiracetam (LEV) outlast its serum half-life of approximately 7 h. Demonstration of prolonged effects would help to explain the efficacy of LEV at conventional dosing intervals that are longer than the serum half-life.

Methods: Following an oral dose of LEV 3 g in 12 normal volunteers, we compared transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) measures of motor threshold (MT) and recruitment with LEV serum levels and subjective ratings of toxicity over 48 h.

Prevention, control, and elimination of neglected diseases in the Americas: pathways to integrated, inter-programmatic, inter-sectoral action for health and development.

Background: In the Latin America and Caribbean region over 210 million people live below the poverty line. These impoverished and marginalized populations are heavily burdened with neglected communicable diseases. These diseases continue to enact a toll, not only on families and communities, but on the economically constrained countries themselves.

Neglected diseases of neglected populations: thinking to reshape the determinants of health in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Background: People living in poverty throughout the developing world are heavily burdened with neglected communicable diseases and often marginalized by the health sector. These diseases are currently referred to as Neglected Diseases of Neglected Populations. The neglected diseases create social and financial burdens to the individual, the family, the community, and the nation.

Effects of thoracic epidural analgesia on glucose homeostasis after cardiac surgery in patients with and without diabetes mellitus.

Background And Objective: Even moderate hyperglycaemia increases mortality/morbidity after coronary artery bypass grafting, stroke and myocardial infarction. The goal of this prospective study was to determine if using thoracic epidural analgesia from start of surgery until the end of the third postoperative day would blunt postoperative hyperglycaemia.

Methods: Forty-four patients had diabetes mellitus, 60 did not; half of each group had an epidural with continuous local anaesthetics.

Retrograde crystalloid cardioplegia preserves left ventricular systolic function better than antegrade cardioplegia in patients with occluded coronary arteries.

Objective: To investigate retrograde and antegrade crystalloid cardioplegia in terms of cardiac cooling and postoperative cardiac function.

Design: Prospective, randomized, and blinded.

Setting: University hospital.