Objectives: The development of drugs to reduce malaria transmission is an important part of malaria eradication plans. We set out to develop and validate a combination of new screening assays for prioritization of transmission-blocking molecules.
Methods: We developed high-throughput assays for screening compounds against gametocytes, the parasite stages responsible for onward transmission to mosquitoes. An existing gametocyte parasitic lactate dehydrogenase (pLDH) assay was adapted for use in 384-well plates, and a novel homogeneous immunoassay to monitor the functional transition of female gametocytes into gametes was developed. A collection of 48 marketed and experimental antimalarials was screened and subsequently tested for impact on sporogony in Anopheles mosquitoes, to directly quantify the transmission-blocking properties of antimalarials in relation to their effects on gametocyte pLDH activity or gametogenesis.
Results And Conclusions: The novel screening assays revealed distinct stage-specific kinetics and dynamics of drug effects. Peroxides showed the most potent transmission-blocking effects, with an intermediate speed of action and IC50 values that were 20-40-fold higher than the IC50s against the asexual stages causing clinical malaria. Finally, the novel synthetic peroxide OZ439 appeared to be a promising drug candidate as it exerted gametocytocidal and transmission-blocking effects at clinically relevant concentrations.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jac/dkv003 | DOI Listing |
Background: Mental health remains among the top 10 leading causes of disease burden globally, and there is a significant treatment gap due to limited resources, stigma, limited accessibility, and low perceived need for treatment. Problem Management Plus, a World Health Organization-endorsed brief psychological intervention for mental health disorders, has been shown to be effective and cost-effective in various countries globally but faces implementation challenges, such as quality control in training, supervision, and delivery. While digital technologies to foster mental health care have the potential to close treatment gaps and address the issues of quality control, their development requires context-specific, interdisciplinary, and participatory approaches to enhance impact and acceptance.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJAMA Netw Open
January 2025
Laboratory of NeuroImaging, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, Maryland.
Importance: Cannabis use has increased globally, but its effects on brain function are not fully known, highlighting the need to better determine recent and long-term brain activation outcomes of cannabis use.
Objective: To examine the association of lifetime history of heavy cannabis use and recent cannabis use with brain activation across a range of brain functions in a large sample of young adults in the US.
Design, Setting, And Participants: This cross-sectional study used data (2017 release) from the Human Connectome Project (collected between August 2012 and 2015).
Circulation
January 2025
Department of Angiology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Switzerland.
Background: In patients with post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS), stent recanalization of iliofemoral veins or the inferior vena cava can restore venous patency and improve functional outcomes. The risk of stent thrombosis is particularly increased during the first 6 months after intervention. The ARIVA trial tested whether daily aspirin 100 mg plus rivaroxaban 20 mg is superior to rivaroxaban 20 mg alone to prevent stent thrombosis within 6 months after stent placement for PTS.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAsian Pac J Cancer Prev
January 2025
Cancer Foundation of India, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
Objective: The case-control study aims to identify the potential risk and protective factors contributing to breast cancer risk in the high-incidence Aizawl population and the low-incidence Agartala population, using age-specific prevalence data of established reproductive factors and body mass index (BMI) among healthy women.
Methods: A risk profile survey was conducted on asymptomatic women aged 30-64 in Aizawl and Agartala towns. Data was analysed using SPSS software.
Asian Pac J Cancer Prev
January 2025
Zanjan Metabolic Diseases Research Center, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran.
Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common form of liver cancer, has a significant mortality rate, largely due to late diagnosis. Recent advances in medical research have demonstrated the potential of biomarkers for early detection. Moreover, the discovery and use of prognostic biomarkers offer a ray of hope in the fight against liver cancer.
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