Evaluating the Usefulness of Compulsory Licensing in Developing Countries: A Comparative Study of Thai and Brazilian Experiences Regarding Access to Aids Treatments

While compulsory licensing (CL) is described in the TRIPS agreement as flexibility to protect public health by improving access to medicines in developing countries, a recent literature contends adversely that CL may harm public health. Therefore, this article intends to evaluate the usefulness of CL in the South through the prism of obligations and goals entrusted to patent holders (the effective and non‐abusive exploitation of patents in order to achieve industrial and health developments) and in light of experiences in Thailand and Brazil regarding access to antiretroviral drugs. In this way, it shows that the obligations assigned to patent holders were better served by the recipients of CL and brought significant health and industrial benefits in the two high middle‐income countries. In particular, CL allowed the scaling‐up of free and universal access to antiretroviral drugs by assuring the financial sustainability of these public health programs endangered by monopolistic practices from patent holders.     

So you think you want to save the world

There is increasing interest among both medical and other professional communities in becoming involved in global health, development, and other charitable work. There has also been a proliferation of opportunities in the field. Nonetheless, it is still difficult to find practical information on the daily realities of development work or advice on the difficulties inherent to this type of work. This article is intended for individuals who are interested in becoming involved in global health and development work. Through a discussion that touches on development economics, the history, psychology, and current state of development aid, the common conflicts, as well as the rewards of development work, this article aims to prepare the interested individual for the experience of global health and development work. The article also provides practical suggestions and references for those searching for an opportunity in the field, with an emphasis on global health opportunities.     

On Abortion: Exploring Psychological Meaning and Attitudes in a Sample of Mexican Gynecologists

Elective abortion has become an issue of ethical and political debate in many countries including Mexico. As gynecologists are directly involved in the practice of abortion, it is important to know the psychological meaning that the term ‘elective abortion’ has for them. This study explores the psychological meaning and attitudes toward elective abortion of one hundred and twenty‐three Mexican gynecologists. We used the semantic networks technique, which analyzed the words the participants associated with the term ‘elective abortion’. The defining words most frequently used by participants implied a negative sanction. There were important differences by gender and religiosity: male gynecologists, as well as those with strong religious beliefs (mainly Catholics), revealed a more negative psychological meaning and more negative attitudes than females or physicians with weak religious beliefs. A contribution of the present study is that it highlights the importance of psychology to enhancing understanding of the issue of elective abortion.     

KSGal6ST Is Essential for the 6-Sulfation of Galactose within Keratan Sulfate in Early Postnatal Brain

Keratan sulfate (KS) comprises repeating disaccharides of galactose (Gal) and N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc). Residues of Gal and GlcNAc in KS are potentially modified with sulfate at their C-6 positions. The 5D4 monoclonal antibody recognizes KS structures containing Gal and GlcNAc, both 6-sulfated, and has been used most extensively to evaluate KS expression in mammalian brains. We previously showed that GlcNAc6ST1 is an enzyme responsible for the synthesis of the 5D4 epitope in developing brain and in the adult brain, where it is induced after injury. It has been unclear which sulfotransferase is responsible for Gal-6-sulfation within the 5D4 KS epitope in developing brains. We produced mice deficient in KSGal6ST, a Gal-6-sulfotransferase. Western blotting and immunoprecipitation revealed that all 5D4-immunoreactivity to proteins, including phosphacan, were abolished in KSGal6ST-deficient postnatal brains. Likewise, the 5D4 epitope, expressed primarily in the cortical marginal zone and subplate and dorsal thalamus, was eliminated in KSGal6ST-deficient mice. Disaccharide analysis showed the loss of Gal-6-sulfate in KS of the KSGal6ST-deficient brains. Transfection studies revealed that GlcNAc6ST1 and KSGal6ST cooperated in the expression of the 5D4 KS epitope in HeLa cells. These results indicate that KSGal6ST is essential for C-6 sulfation of Gal within KS in early postnatal brains.     

Glutamate dehydrogenase and glutamine synthetase activities during the development of triticale grains

Glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH, EC 1.4.1.2–4) and glutamine synthetase (GS, EC 6.3.1.2) activities as well as protein content and dry matter in developing kernels of winter Triticale were determined. The relatively low level of GS activity compared to high level of NAD(P)H-dependent GDH activity during intensive filling of grains with storage compounds may indicate the participation of GDH in reductive amination of 2-oxoglutarate. The amination activity of this enzyme in all grain development phases exceeded the deaminating activity several fold. Moreover, the dynamics in the change of NAD(P)H-GDH and NAD(P)⁺-GDH activities were analysed in various tissues of the developing grains. The high amination activity of the enzyme in the seed coat, where the intensive protein synthesis occurs would also be an indication of the anabolic function of this enzyme.     

Oxidative activity in mitochondria isolated from rat liver at different stages of development

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the oxidative capacities in hepatic mitochondria isolated from prepubertal, young adult and adult rats (40, 90 and 180 days of age, respectively). In these rats, mitochondrial respiratory rates using FAD- and NAD-linked substrates as well as mitochondrial protein mass were measured. The results show that only the oxidative capacity of FAD-linked pathways significantly declined in mitochondria from 180-day-old rats compared with those from younger animals. When we consider FAD-linked respiration expressed per g liver, no significant difference was found among rats of different ages because of an increased mitochondrial protein mass found in 180-day-old rats. However, when FAD-linked and lipid-dependent respiratory rates were expressed per 100 g body weight, significant decreases occurred in 180-day-old rats. Therefore, the decrease in liver weight expressed per 100 g body weight rather than an impaired hepatic cellular activity may be the cause of body energy deficit in 180-day-old rats. Copyright © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Understanding the Interaction of Rural People with Ecosystems: A Case Study in a Tropical Dry Forest of Mexico

The aim of this study was to help understand the interaction of rural people with tropical dry forests. It was based on social research conducted in the Chamela-Cuixmala region, on the Pacific coast of Mexico. The analytical tools used in the study included stakeholder identification, environmental history and social perceptions. The two main social groups in the study were ejidatarios, who own most of the territory, and avecindados, who possess no land but have high population numbers. Through an interpretative methodological approach we documented the vision and meaning that rural people give to their natural and social worlds. The agricultural development model promoted by the Mexican government for decades was identified as the main driver of ecosystem transformation. Rural people, who arrived recently in the region, were proud of the pasture-lands that were transformed from tropical forests. Conservation policies implemented during the last two decades were viewed as impositions although people recognized the value of services provided by ecosystems. This case study has helped to unravel the main dimensions of the human system and how it relates to structures of signification. The social panorama unveiled can be used as an initial basis to promote further research on the social-ecological system of the Chamela-Cuixmala region and to develop future participatory management schemes.     

猕猴桃优良株系果实生长发育规律研究

猕猴桃果实生长发育过程可分为三个时期。(1)迅速增长期:中华猕猴桃大约从4月中旬至6月上旬;美味猕猴桃大约从4月底或5月初至6月中下旬。(2)缓慢增长期:中华猕猴桃约自6月上旬至7月下旬;美味猕猴桃自6月下旬至7月下旬。(3)停滞增长期:中华猕猴桃从7月下旬至8月底或9月初;美味猕猴桃自8月上旬至9月上中旬。 中华猕猴桃优株果实可溶性固形物含量增长过程可分为四个阶段:(1)微升增长阶段,持续时间5周左右;(2)活跃增长阶段,持续2周左右;(3)迅速增长阶段,持续2周左右;(4)渐缓增长阶段。美味猕猴桃优株及绿果猕猴桃果实固形物含量增大变化的阶段性不明显。