bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Tumor tissue samples collection for scientific research in morphology and molecular oncology
Authors: Khabarov O. R. , Seferov B. D. , Aliev K. A. , Zima D. V. , Golubinskaya E. P. , Zyablitskaya E. Yu.
Published: March 2024

Purpose of the study. Is to describe the experience of creating a collection of biological images of tumor tissues and biomaterials, which are control samples, for scientific research in morphology and molecular oncology.

Materials and methods. We studied the molecular markers of cell cycle regulation, apoptosis, oncogenesis and angiogenesis, the expression of proteins that regulate inflammation and tumor infiltrate cells in biocollections of verified tumors of common localizations: e. g. thyroid cancer, colorectal cancer, breast cancer, prostate adenocarcinoma, endometrioid adenocarcinoma. Also, tissue fragments with normal structure or non-tumor pathology (autoimmune thyroiditis, adenomatous and thyrotoxic goiter, benign formations of the colon, fibrocystic disease of the mammary glands, benign prostatic hyperplasia, endometrial hyperplasia) were used as control samples or comparison groups. The total number of tissue samples is n = 7000.

Results. It is reasonable to gather the collection in a pathomorphological laboratory according to the profile of the medical institutions, which has a sufficient volume of incoming target material and specialized morphologists to verify tumors of a given localization. It is necessary to consider the regional and ethnic specifics of the population, which determines the sampling and mutational load. The laboratory must initiate an addition to the informed consent of patients about the possibility of conducting morphological and molecular genetic studies for scientific purposes and publishing their results in a depersonalized form for the development of new elaborations, when signing the contracts with legal entities and individuals and when serving patients within an institution. When working with biocollections, it has to consider having registers of tissue biomaterials of target disorder groups of main localizations with downloading by year from an accessible information system, consider external factors affecting the database (changes in clinical recommendations and classifications, the population of patients served, pandemics and other significant events). The standard of the preanalytical stage, data collection, development of protocols for analytical molecular genetic studies and their evaluation, the utilization of the capabilities of working with reagents for scientific tasks and modeling experiments on laboratory animals are crucial.

Conclusion. The formed biocollection made it possible to carry out a number of initiative and funded domestic and international scientific projects at the request of clinicians and fundamental researchers, as well as to improve the quality standards of morphological and molecular genetic oncology diagnostics. Biobanking makes the pathological archive more accessible for review and use, significantly expanding its scientific and practical potential. Scientific and medical research do not conflict and can be used within the same laboratory.
Extracellular mitochondria as promising diagnostic agents
Authors: Kit О. I. , Frantsiyants E. M. , Shikhlyarova A. I. , Neskubina I. V. , Ilchenko S. A.
Published: March 2024

Nowadays, there is a new concept that says that mitochondria naturally circulate in the blood and this is characteristic of both human and animal bodies. It is believed that circulating mitochondria can easily pass through tissue barriers due to their small size (50–400 nm). The phenomenon of mitochondrial intercellular transfer, which is bidirectional, has been observed in vitro and in vivo, under both physiological and pathophysiological conditions, and among a variety of cells, including malignant tumor cells. Circulating cell-free intact mitochondria are thought to play an active biological and physiological role, as mitochondria are already known to be systemic mediators of intercellular communication, transmitting hereditary and non-hereditary biological components, including MtDN A. Mitochondrial components of cellular origin, including mitochondrial DNA, were detected in the extracellular space. There are about 50,000 times more copies of the mitochondrial genome than the nuclear genome in the blood plasma of healthy people. The researchers confirmed that mitochondrial cell-free DNA (McfDNA) is stable enough for detection and quantification, implying that there are stable structures protecting these DNA molecules. The circulating mitochondrial genome, which is released as a cell-free mitochondrial DNA, is recognized as a new biomarker of mitochondrial stress and signal transduction. McfDNA has become an attractive circulating biomarker because of its potential use in diagnostic programs for various diseases, e. g., diabetes, acute myocardial infarction, and cancer. There is no doubt that detection of circulating mitochondria and their DNA in body fluids opens up a new promising scientific direction in biology and medicine. The article analyzes modern scientific data devoted to proving the existence of extracellular mitochondria, their functions outside the cell and diagnostic value.
Radiomics and radiogenomics in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma
Authors: Smirnova A. D. , Karmazanovsky G. G. , Kondratyev E. V. , Karelskaya N.  A. , Galkin V. N. , Popov A.  Yu. , Gurmikov B. N. , Kalinin D. V.
Published: March 2024

Purpose of the study. Analytical review and analysis of available literature on texture analysis of computed tomgraphy (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in noninvasive diagnosis of ICC and correlation with molecular genetic features and tumor immunophenotype.

Materials and methods. The scientific publications and clinical guidelines in the information- analytical systems PubMed, Scopus for 2012–2022 were carried out using the keywords: "mri", "radiomics", "texture analysis", "radiogenomics", "intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma", "molecular". 49 articles were selected for analysis after excluding studies dealing with technical aspects of radiomics and describing individual clinical observations.

Results. The presented review demonstrated the broad possibilities and prospects of application of CT and MRI texture analysis in the study of cholangiocellular cancer, including the first results in the study of molecular features (signatures) of this tumor. Correlation of texture features with the expression of immunotherapy target genes KRAS/NRAS/BRAF as well as IDH1/2 mutation was shown. Texture scores were the predominant independent predictor of microvascular invasion, which was a major independent risk factor for postoperative recurrence.

Conclusion. The use of texture analysis undoubtedly demonstrates promising possibilities both in noninvasive assessment of the HCC histological differentiation grade, as well as in differential diagnosis with hepatocellular carcinoma, metastases, and requires further study for systematization and standardization of the obtained data.
Ultrasound cases of an elongated left lobe of the liver as an anatomical variant
Authors: Ischenko N. V. , Vinogradova N. K. , Titova L. A. , Tolstykh E. M. , Marks S. I.
Published: March 2024

The elongated left lobe of the liver (saddle liver, saber liver, beaver tail liver, beaver lobe) is one of the types of variant liver anatomy, characterized by the fact that the left lobe extends far beyond the midline of the body, and can come into contact with the spleen and even go above it. Due to the fact that the elongated left lobe of the liver is more often susceptible to injury and, in some cases, can imitate a subcapsular hematoma of the spleen, it seems important to increase the awareness among doctors of various specialties about the variety of morphological variations in the structure of the liver, in particular about the elongated left lobe of the liver, to unify approaches to the description and establish uniformity of wording to designate this feature of the anatomical structure of the left lobe of the liver, which will reduce the risk of diagnostic errors and errors during surgical interventions, especially in cases of blunt abdominal trauma.

The article presents clinical cases with ultrasound examination of 10 patients of different ages (from 1 month to 38 years) and gender with a newly diagnosed anomaly in the structure of the left lobe of the liver, i.e an elongated left lobe. An analysis of national and foreign literature sources containing reports on various morphological variants of the liver structure and the frequency of their occurrence was carried out. Ultrasound signs were proposed to describe the elongated left lobe of the liver. The features of the ultrasound examination technique for the elongated left lobe of the liver in children older than one year are described. The variety of formulations used by different authors when describing this variant of the anatomical structure of the liver was studied.
Pharmacological efficacy and potential of the use of nitazoxanide, a thiazolide drug with a wide spectrum of action
Authors: Rusanovsky Vladimir V. , Savelyeva Anastasia A. , Tadtaeva Zara G. , Astudin Egor S. , Krivoshein Alexandr E. , Akimov Alexandr A. , Kuritsina Natalia  A.
Published: March 2024

The article is devoted to the possibility and prospects of using nitazoxanide in a wide range of diseases. Based on literature data, the authors evaluate the pharmacological effectiveness and substantiate the potential of using nitazoxanide in bacterial, helminthic, protean, viral and oncological diseases. This information is of interest and can be used to decide on the need to conduct clinical trials of nitazoxanide in Russia. A systematic search for current information was conducted in four databases until December 1, 2023: PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science and Cochrane Library. The work included preclinical studies in vitro and in vivo, as well as randomized clinical trials comparing the pharmacological effectiveness of nitazoxanide and placebo. The broad-spectrum thiazolide drug nitazoxanide has antibacterial, antiprotozoal, anthelmintic, antiviral and antitumor activity. This is achieved through its pharmacological properties, namely: regulation of the cell cycle, apoptosis, cell proliferation and migration; activation of innate immunity; influence on the synthesis and activation of cell proteins, some of which are links in cellular signaling pathways; binding to proteins of viruses, bacteria, protozoa and helminths with disruption of their vital functions; immunomodulating effect by regulating the activity of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines. The article systematizes and summarizes current information on the pharmacodynamics of nitazoxanide, as well as the results of preclinical and clinical studies of the drug, and discusses further prospects.
Review of experimental studies on the properties of the ozone-safe refrigerant R1234yf and their mathematical modeling using equations of state
Authors: Valiakina Anna V. , Dolya Vladimir V.
Published: March 2024

In this review, a set of 44 experimental studies on the thermophysical properties of the promising ozone-safe refrigerant R1234yf are considered. Based on the experimental data, the following properties are found to be necessary when using the refrigerant: saturation pressure, saturated vapor density, p–v–t dependence, isobaric heat capacity, isochoric heat capacity, isobaric heat capacity of an ideal gas, sound velocity, dynamic viscosity, kinematic viscosity, surface tension, and thermal conductivity. In addition, the published measurement errors are specified. Furthermore, a list of computational modeling studies on the thermodynamic properties of the refrigerant R1234yf with an indication of the type of equation of state used is presented. The contributions of Russian scientists to the development of this field are also described. This review increases the efficiency of the information search on the properties of R1234yf and their modeling. Finally, conclusions are drawn regarding the completeness of the information based on experiments and the extent of possibilities of the current modeling methods for the properties of the refrigerant under consideration.
The Per Capita Meat Consumption: the Trend and Macroeconomic Determinants in Nigeria
Authors: AKPAN Sunday , UDOH Edet , NKANTA Veronica S.
Published: March 2024

This study examined trends in per capita consumption of game meat, mutton, pork and total meat and provided evidence of their correlation with key macroeconomic factors in Nigeria. Data from FAOSTAT, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the World Bank (WB) covering the period 1981 to 2021 were analyzed. The results showed that game meat, mutton, pork and total meat consumption per capita recorded compound annual exponential growth rates of -0.87%, 2.05%, 2.08% and -0.54%, respectively. The empirical results showed that the rate of inflation, the nominal exchange rate, GDP per capita, credit to the agricultural sector, and capacity utilization in the meat industry all had varying degrees of impact on per capita meat consumption (including game meat, mutton, pork and total meat) in both the short and long runs. In order to increase per capita meat consumption in the country, it is strongly recommended to effectively manage the identified macroeconomic variables and implement appropriate measures to stabilize inflation and the nominal exchange rate. At the same time, concerted efforts should be made to increase GDP per capita.
Measuring Psychosis: A Review of Widely Used Clinical Outcome Assessments in Clinical Trials
Authors: Echevarria Barbara , Klein Hans , Opler Mark
Published: March 2024

Accurate diagnosis and assessment of symptoms is essential to the appropriate treatment and management of individuals with psychotic disorders. It also plays a pivotal role in research, ensuring that enrolled subjects meet study-specific inclusion requirements and that their progress is accurately tracked throughout the study. Clinical outcome assessments are standardized instruments designed specifically to measure symptoms and their impact on a patient’s life and functioning. These instruments can be used to diagnose, categorize, and track symptom severity, and to measure the functional impact of disease on a patient’s quality of life. Clinical outcome assessments play a pivotal role in advancing our understanding and treatment of schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders, providing the ability to evaluate the safety and efficacy of emerging treatments and interventions. In this review article we provide an overview of the most widely used clinical outcome assessments in schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders research with a focus on clinical trials, and delve into the specific instruments commonly used to diagnose, measure symptom severity, and assess cognitive ability. A brief description of each instrument and its role in clinical outcome assessment is provided, along with advantages and limitations in implementation. Additionally, the clinician’s perspective on the administration and scoring of these scales is included, where relevant. The goal is to familiarize new clinicians and researchers with the available assessment tools, highlighting the advantages, limitations, and any other relevant information that can aid in the selection of the appropriate measurement tools for their patients and studies. Finally, we briefly discuss our view on the future of clinical outcome assessments in schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders research and clinical trials
Abuse of Women and Children in Armed Conflict and Domestically: More Effective Safeguarding Systems Urgently Needed to Prevent these Crimes and Ensure Protection
Authors: Southall David , MacDonald Rhona , MacKenzie Siobhan
Published: March 2024

Emergency medicine health workers have major roles in managing the clinical effects of armed conflict and domestic abuse on women and children. To safeguard vulnerable people from such criminal abuse, there is an urgent need for international and domestic action. International and national legal systems need to work more rapidly and efficiently with immediate power to protect against, and prevent, such abuse. Internationally, the current weakness of the United Nations Security Council to provide civilian protection, such as through UN troops on the ground and no-fly zones over conflict areas, and thereby minimise the effects of armed conflict on civilians, can, and has, largely resulted from self-serving, dangerous vetoes of the 5 permanent members with major conflicts of interest, in part related to their role in the manufacturing and global distribution of weapons. The International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court have little immediate power to protect civilians affected by war crimes, including abuse, which breach the Geneva and other International Conventions. To date, the number of war criminals convicted by the International Criminal Court is incredibly small, and the long delay in the Courts’ decisions mean that the consequences of the war crimes sometimes continue for years. We describe new systems to better protect women and children from abuse in the home. We propose a new definition that separates ill treatment from criminal abuse that is undertaken for gain by perpetrators (who are often carers or intimate partners with antisocial personality disorders). Ill treatment undertaken within families experiencing adversity such as homelessness, poverty, displacement, and addiction requires compassion and socio-economic support. In contrast the crimes of abuse committed for gain require stronger forensic approaches investigated and addressed by special, inter-agency, forensic taskforce units led by senior experienced detectives in partnership with social, healthcare, and legal professionals. We also discuss additional issues linked to abuse, such as the links between animal/pet abuse and human abuse, the need for better systems to prevent and protect children living in institutions, better regulation of social media to protect children from scenes of violence and sexual abuse, and gun control needed to protect children, especially in the USA.
The Uneven Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on US Fatal Road Accidents
Authors: Fuks Maya , Gandal Keith , Gandal Neil
Published: March 2024

One of the lesser-known categories of excess deaths of the COVID-19 pandemic in the US was that of fatal car crashes—road-death incidents went up despite the fact that driving decreased due to the lockdowns. Remarkably, then, while there was significantly less traffic in 2020 compared to 2019—the total miles traveled by car decreased by 11% in 2020—there was at the same time a 6.8% increase in fatal car crashes. This meant that the fatality rate per vehicle miles traveled increased by 21% from 2019 to 2020. But the increase was not uniform: states that voted for Biden in 2020 had a much larger percentage increase in fatal car accidents per miles driven during the March to June 2020 period (the first four months of the pandemic) relative to the same period in 2019. In the case of states that voted for Biden, the average percentage increase in fatal car accidents per miles driven per state was 45 percent while the increase was just 22 percent in states that voted for Trump. During the next four months of the pandemic (July – October 2020), when COVID-19 was less prominent in the news and lockdowns had eased, the differences in the percentage increase in fatal car accidents per miles driven between Biden and Trump states was much smaller: 29% for Biden states versus 25% for states that voted for Trump. Using regression analysis, we show that a higher percentage vote for Biden in 2020 is associated with a statistically significant increase in fatal accidents per vehicle miles travelled during the first four months (March – June 2020) of the pandemic relative to the same period in 2019. On the other hand, there is no statistical difference between the next four months of the pandemic (July-October 2020) relative to 2019.
Novel Therapeutic strategies in the Management of Cardiomyopathies.
Authors: Dodoo Sheriff , Vivekanandan Deepak , Akinnawo Oluwaremilekun , Dodoo Afia , Kilaru Vikas , Egolum Ugochukwu
Published: March 2024

Cardiomyopathies are a heterogeneous group of disorders that consist of primary dysfunction in cardiac contractility, myocardial relaxation, restrictive ventricular filling, and cardiac rhythm anomalies. This review discusses a limited number of cardiomyopathic disorders and the treatment modalities used to manage them. Studies in elucidating pathophysiological mechanisms that underlie the development of these cardiomyopathies are leading to the development of novel therapeutic strategies. While some modalities have found expression in current practice recommendation guidelines, others are on the horizon. While treatment strategies of cardiomyopathies are too large to discuss comprehensively in a single review, we present the current therapeutic landscape for cardiomyopathies. We also provide an update on the preclinical treatment options.
Early Consequences of Thiophosphate Substitution in Escherichia coli: Possible Epigenetic and Energetic Factors
Authors: G. Frayne Elizabeth
Published: March 2024

Substitution of thiophosphate for phosphate during the culture of Escherichia coli leads to an increase in biosynthetic activity across a broad spectrum of pathways. To investigate the basis for this enhanced profile, early analysis of RNA transcripts was performed using RNA seq methods. The results identified a possible mediator of activation, namely the ser/thr kinase, yegI, which was increased ~190X fold during the first 1 hr. of induction. There is also a massive shift in the amount of non-ribosomal RNA relative to rRNA of 8-10X fold. RNA seq analysis further supports the idea that energy savings from reduced RNA turnover in thiophosphate treated cells, is the driving force for triggering the enhanced transcriptional profile in Escherichia coli. Thus, in response to an increased energy state, the cells appear to activate a new transcriptional program via a protein kinase cascade.
Human Brain Organoids in the Preclinical Phase of Drug Development for Migraine
Authors: Gazerani Parisa
Published: March 2024

Developing drugs for brain disorders poses significant hurdles. These challenges stem from the scarcity of optimal models for preclinical drug testing and the often observed lack of translation from preclinical to human clinical trials. Further complexity arises from the specific targeting required in many brain disorders, with drug delivery often impeded by the necessity to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB). As such, the search for novel and efficient platforms for preclinical drug development is a vibrant area of research. In acknowledgment of the limitations of animal tests - such as the lack of translation owing to species differences - and in alignment with the principles of reduction, refinement, and replacement (3Rs), the scientific community is moving towards promoting animal-free drug development plans. In this context, human brain organoids are rapidly emerging as potential alternatives to traditional methods. These early-stage in vitro models, mirroring in vivo complexities, hold great promise for preclinical drug testing for brain disorders. Stable organoid phenotypes and the uncovering of disease-specific features could soon elevate them to a valuable strategy in pharmaceutical testing for a range of brain disorders. Recent advancements in assay-ready organoid platforms and microfluidic chips present considerable potential for the application of human brain organoids in drug development. This commentary briefly discusses the generation of human brain organoids and their application in drug development with existing examples, focusing on their potential use in preclinical drug development for migraine, a prevalent, complex, and disabling brain disorder. The associated challenges and opportunities will also be outlined.
Oxidative Stress: Cannot be Measured, Localized, Prevented, or Treated.
Authors: Azzi Angelo
Published: March 2024

Oxidative stress refers to an imbalance between the production of reactive oxygen species and the ability of the body to detoxify or repair the resulting damage. However, it will be shown that the term "oxidative stress" is often used instead of the correct "oxidative damage”. The term “eustress” has been used for describing beneficial signaling by small amounts of reactive oxygen species, but it will be shown that reactive oxygen species signaling can also promote cancer cell growth. The term "oxidative distress" has been created to describe the negative effects produced on cells, organs, and the entire body by large amounts of reactive oxygen species. However, if the reactive oxygen species are used to kill infectious microorganisms, the result is beneficial. Measurements of oxidative stress in body fluids or tissue specimens are a measure of oxidative damage potentially occurring simultaneously in different cells, tissues, and organs; they only provide a sum of non-separable events, possibly with opposite effects. There is no officially approved therapy to prevent or treat oxidative stress or oxidative damage. This implies that while oxidative stress issues are already a complex challenge for basic biological sciences, in a clinical setting oxidative stress is only a term of convenience with no diagnostic or therapeutic value. A critical appraisal of oxidative stress terminology, quantification, and therapeutic attempts is presented.
Data-Driven Hypothesis Generation in Clinical Research: What We Learned from a Human Subject Study?
Authors: Jing Xia , Cimino James , Patel Vimla , Zhou Yuchun , Shubrook Jay , Liu Chang , Lacalle Sonsoles
Published: March 2024

Hypothesis generation is an early and critical step in any hypothesis-driven clinical research project. Because it is not yet a well-understood cognitive process, the need to improve the process goes unrecognized. Without an impactful hypothesis, the significance of any research project can be questionable, regardless of the rigor or diligence applied in other steps of the study, e.g., study design, data collection, and result analysis. In this perspective article, the authors provide a literature review on the following topics first: scientific thinking, reasoning, medical reasoning, literature-based discovery, and a field study to explore scientific thinking and discovery. Over the years, scientific thinking has shown excellent progress in cognitive science and its applied areas: education, medicine, and biomedical research. However, a review of the literature reveals the lack of original studies on hypothesis generation in clinical research. The authors then summarize their first human participant study exploring data-driven hypothesis generation by clinical researchers in a simulated setting. The results indicate that a secondary data analytical tool, VIADS—a visual interactive analytic tool for filtering, summarizing, and visualizing large health data sets coded with hierarchical terminologies, can shorten the time participants need, on average, to generate a hypothesis and also requires fewer cognitive events to generate each hypothesis. As a counterpoint, this exploration also indicates that the quality ratings of the hypotheses thus generated carry significantly lower ratings for feasibility when applying VIADS. Despite its small scale, the study confirmed the feasibility of conducting a human participant study directly to explore the hypothesis generation process in clinical research. This study provides supporting evidence to conduct a larger-scale study with a specifically designed tool to facilitate the hypothesis-generation process among inexperienced clinical researchers. A larger study could provide generalizable evidence, which in turn can potentially improve clinical research productivity and overall clinical research enterprise.
An Updated Prioritization of Geroscience- Guided FDA-Approved Drugs Repurposed to Target Aging
Authors: Leone Michael , Barzilai Nir
Published: March 2024

The biological mechanisms of aging drive the development of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, dementia, and cancer that dominate our current medical system. Geroscience-guided approaches seek to mitigate these pathological consequences of aging by targeting the fundamental hallmarks of aging. Using modalities that modulate these aging mechanisms to reinforce longevity we can prevent the onset of these diseases as well as target many of them at once. In this way, geroscience-guided approaches hope to extend both lifespan and healthspan in the near future. This article builds upon a previous paper which proposed a standardized process for evaluating FDA-approved medications for their geroscience potential and prioritized them to reflect preclinical and clinical evidence. In this article, we provide an update of the previous list of candidate gerotherapeutics to reflect the new and rapidly evolving evidence. We include the geroscience-guided evidence for three new FDA-approved drugs which did not have strong arguments for inclusion before: bisphosphonates, GLP-1 receptor agonists, beta blockers. This updated prioritization should help guide the efforts and financial investments for translating geroscience and allow immediate progress involving such candidate gerotherapeutics, especially the top 4 drugs: SGLT2 inhibitors, metformin, bisphosphonates, and GLP-1 receptor agonists. Since all of these drugs have been approved for safety and used extensively, repurposing them as gerotherapeutics should be considered in older adults.
Interactions between Immunoglobulin like receptors and the Peptidome in the Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation in the Cytomegalovirus context. A mini review.
Authors: Cardozo Daniela , Mazon Silvia , Guimarães Fernando , Visentainer Jeane , Souza Cármino
Published: March 2024

The Natural Killer cells are innate lymphoid cells that play essential roles in defense against viral and parasitic infections, elimination of tumor cells, regulation of adaptive immunity through cytotoxicity, and cytokine secretion. Fundamental knowledge about the regulation of Natural Killer cells can be applied to study their function in patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, with or without Cytomegalovirus reactivation. The function of Natural Killer cells is governed by a repertoire of receptors responsible for initiating intracellular activating or inhibitory signaling. The balance of this signaling directs the cytotoxic activity of these cells, as well as cell proliferation and cytokine release.Understanding the interaction of receptors expressed on the surface of Natural Killer cells with their ligands expressed on target cells is a topic of discussion in the context of alloreactivity and the graft-versus-leukemia effect in transplant patients. Recent investigations have shown that KIR/HLA interactions go beyond affinity and describe that many of them depend on the peptide being presented by the HLA at that moment. Analysis of the peptidome (HLA class I + bound peptide) has demonstrated that some Natural Killer cell receptors are peptide-dependent. Therefore, understanding these interactions by considering the entire Natural Killer cell receptor + HLA class I + peptide complex is crucial in the reestablishment of immune cells after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, especially in the context of Cytomegalovirus reactivation, which is very common in these patients. Hence, the aim of this study is to deepen our understanding of the specificity of interactions between human Natural Killer cell KIR receptors and the peptidome in the context of Cytomegalovirus reactivation after allogeneic, related, HLA-compatible hematopoietic stem cell transplantation without T-cell depletion. For the analysis of interactions between Natural Killer cell receptors and peptidomes, specific peptide libraries for HLA class I alleles will be created to evaluate the specificities of interactions between KIR + HLA class I + peptide.
Inter-American Development Bank Annual Report 2004
Authors:   Inter American Development Bank
Published: March 2024

This Annual Report contains a brief summary of the economic situation of Latin America and the Caribbean and a review of the Bank's operations in 2004. It provides a description on a country-by-country basis and a regional overlook of the Bank's various operations - loans, guarantees, financing for small projects and technical cooperation - for development in Latin America and the Caribbean; a summary statement of the loans approved in 2004; the financial statements of the Bank; and its general appendices. Natural disasters occurred in several countries during the year, leading the Bank to review its policies for providing relief and resulting in an increase in the ceiling for resources that can be provided in response to emergencies on a case-by-case basis. A number of important changes occurred in 2004 including the proposed new framework for lending instruments that will enhance the development impact of Bank operations and the Bank also approved its first performance driven loan for Nicaragua.
Japan Special Fund and Japanese Trust Fund for Consultancy Services Annual Report 2004
Authors:   Inter American Development Bank
Published: March 2024

This Annual Report details activities of the Japanese Special Fund and the Japanese Trust Fund for Consultancy Services for the year 2004. Japan has been playing a leading role through Technical Cooperation resources through two funds: established in 1988 for the Japan Special Fund (JSF) and the Japanese Trust Fund for Consultancy Services (JCF). Both funds provide financing through a wide range of activities in various sectors in Latin America and Caribbean region. In Fiscal Year 2004, the JSF Team worked to streamline the Poverty Reduction Program (JPO) facility with an extensive interviewing process with specialists, which resulted in the creation of two innovative windows, the Loan Enhancement Program (LEP) and the Community Based Program (CBP). The LEP is designed to enhance the quality of loans by enlarging the coverage of poverty target activities, thereby upgrading the developmental impact of the loan facility. The Community Based Program (CBP) empowers local governments, NGOs, and communities to ensure that their own development can be effective and sustainable in building the basis of social needs. The CBP is expected to be a major catalyst for grass-roots development at the local level.
Apoyo del grupo BID al sector de la microempresa (1990-2000)
Authors: Chalmers Geoffrey , López Marcela
Published: March 2024

Este informe presenta una visión general de las contribuciones del BID al sector de la microempresa, resumiendo los casos que han tenido éxito y resaltando algunas de las lecciones importantes aprendidas entre 1990 y 2000. Proporciona al lector una idea de los logros del BID, pero también una comprensión general del contexto en el que se ha llevado a cabo el apoyo del Banco. Finalmente, sirve de proyecto original para medidas posteriores en la comunidad de donantes, identificando tendencias e innovaciones recientes e indicando algunas de las prioridades del BID para los próximos años.
Banque Interaméricaine de Développement rapport annuel 2011: États financiers
Authors:   Inter American Development Bank
Published: March 2024

C'est le second de deux volumes qui composent le rapport annuel de la Banque interaméricaine de développement (BID). Ce volume contient la discussion et l'analyse de l'Administration: Capital ordinaire et les états financiers de la Banque pour 2011.
Inter-American Development Bank Cultural Center Annual Report 1999
Authors:   Inter American Development Bank
Published: March 2024

The IDB Cultural Center ended 1999 with a successful balance of diverse programs. Throughout the year, the IDB Cultural Center produced 32 events, including art exhibitions, concerts, music workshops and lectures. These activities attracted an estimated 14,000 visitors to the Bank, and received publicity in over ninety local, national and international newspaper, magazine, radio and TV reviews. The Cultural Center's impact on the local Washington community was recognized this year with a nomination for the Center as a finalist in the Mayor's Arts Awards, in the field of Excellence in Service to the Arts.
Inter-American Development Bank Cultural Center Annual Report 2003
Authors:   Inter American Development Bank
Published: March 2024

During 2003, the IDB Cultural Center (CCN) celebrated its 11th Anniversary and expanded outreach and visibility of its activities in Europe and the Region, thanks to its four programs and new partnerships. The CCN and the Bank's Information and Communication Technology for Development Division (SDS/ITC) successfully organized a video art competition for artists from Latin America and the Caribbean; it was inaugurated in Rome, Italy and traveled to 19 museums in 15 Latin American and Caribbean countries. This report summarizes the activities of the IDB Cultural Center in 2003.
Inter-American Development Bank Cultural Center Annual Report 2009
Authors:   Inter American Development Bank
Published: March 2024

This report summarizes the activities of the IDB Cultural Center in 2009. Throughout 2009, the IDB Cultural Center emphasized the Bank's four priority areas (water, energy, education, and Opportunities for the Majority) among its own cultural constituencies through four main cultural programs and other activities. Through its Cultural Development Program (CDP), which is aligned with the Opportunities for the Majority priority, the Cultural Center partnered with 31 institutions in 23 countries, granting financial assistance to implement cultural projects with social and economic impact. Also in 2009, the Cultural Center actively participated in the celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the IDB in 2009, and the 50th Annual Meeting of Governors in Medellin, Colombia, by organizing a successful set of cultural events that generated local, national, and international attention.
Inter-American Development Bank Sustainability Report 2013 (Report Summary)
Authors:   Inter American Development Bank
Published: March 2024

Long-term economic growth and the reduction of poverty and inequality in Latin America and the Caribbean depend on development that is both socially inclusive and environmentally sustainable. At the Inter-American Development Bank, this means maximizing positive environmental and social outcomes while minimizing risks and negative impacts to people and natural capital. We do this through support to the region through a balanced combination of loans, grants, special programs, and knowledge products.
Social, Racial and Gender Profile of the 500 largest Brazilian Companies: Executive Summary
Authors:   Inter American Development Bank,   Instituto Ethos de Empresas e Responsabilidade Social
Published: March 2024

Executive summary of the the study that analyzes the workforce of the 500 largest Brazilian companies to reveal possible gender, ethno-racial, or educational inequalities or gaps due to age or disability, with the goal of helping managers reflect on practices that value diversity and promote equality in the workplace. The study also reports on employment policies and affirmative action programs already in place in these corporations.
First Inter-American Competition and Exhibition of Digital Photography
Authors:   Inter American Development Bank
Published: March 2024

During 2003-04, a completely virtual project was organized to promote regional integration through the use of new information and communication technologies for development among other things. A jury reviewed 300 entries submitted by 100 artists from 20 countries. The exhibition was launched on the Internet in February 2004 announcing the results: Awards were given to Alejandro Crisóstomo F. (Guatemala); Miguel A. Caprara (Argentina); Ricardo Vargas B. (Peru); and Juan A. Sánchez O.(Colombia). Honorable Mentions were to given to: Raul A. Villalba (Argentina); Gonzalo Contreras del Solar (Bolivia); Santiago Vanegas D. (Colombia); Marcos Fredes Cifuentes (Chile); Jorge A. Lobato Rivera (Mexico); and Ramsés Giovanni (Panama). The contest was sponsored by the IDB Information and Communication Technology for Development Division.
Strictly Swedish: An Exhibition of Contemporary Design
Authors:   Inter American Development Bank
Published: March 2024

The exhibition brought together an assortment of 39 objects¿chairs, tables, ceramics and glass works, lamps, a coat rack, a clock¿that provide a general view of the latest trends in Swedish design of objects for daily use and show how a society can develop a very simple yet elegant way of life surrounded by functional and economical objects. The exhibition was organized with logistical support from the Embassy of Sweden in Washington and The Swedish Institute in Stockholm.
The Development Impact of Remittances
Authors:   Inter American Development Bank
Published: March 2024

Brochure on a conference in Washington, D.C. March 2007
The Multilateral Investment Fund: Promoting Private Opportunity for the Public Good
Authors:   Inter American Development Bank
Published: March 2024

Produced for Expodesarrollo 2009, a fair organized in parallel with the IDB Annual Meeting in Medellín, this publication includes a message from the new MIF Manager, Julie Katzman, and an overview of MIF work in promoting inclusive private sector development in Latin America and the Caribbean, highlighting progress made in 2008.
Opportunities for the Majority in the Caribbean
Authors:   Inter American Development Bank
Published: March 2024

This document presents the Opportunity for the Majority Development Initiative, which was launched in June 2006. Under the Initiative, the IDB is working with the private sector and civil society to support innovative, practical, market based solutions to persistent problems for the poor in Latin America and the Caribbean, such as access to housing, basic infrastructure, formal financial services, employment, business opportunities and modern technology. This bulletin describe how the IDB believes that the private sector can play a significant role in development, one that is driven not only by pro-profit motives, but also by pro-growth and pro-development ambitions.
Guyana and the IDB: Partners for Progress
Authors:   Inter American Development Bank
Published: March 2024

This document provides a sample of the extensive work that analyzes what Guyana and the IDB have done together. Divided into three main sections, this publication investigates the main development activities and results since 1977, with an emphasis on the last 10 years. First, the publication reviews the country's development history and analyzes the instruments the IDB used to support it. The document then explores the contributions of the Guyana-IDB partnership in unlocking development bottlenecks across different areas, including (1) infrastructure; (2) state reform, competitiveness, and private sector development; and (3) social sectors. Last, the publication looks toward the second decade of the 21st century, considering the appropriate strategy for Guyana's progression and the complementary role the IDB must play to remain relevant in this development journey.
Boosting Community Banking and Farming in Paraguay
Authors:   Inter American Development Bank
Published: March 2024

Small and medium-scale farmers and agricultural producers are Paraguay's economic powerhouse, but their business growth has been constrained by lack of access to capital. Paraguay's first cooperatively owned bank is designed and funded to boost these producers at the base of the economic pyramid through long-term financing.The Inter-American Development Bank's Opportunities for the Majority Initiative (OMJ) is lending up to US $6 million to Banco para la Comercializacion y la Produccion S.A. (BANCOP) to expand its agricultural and intermediate lending program. OMJ support fills an important need in Paraguay¿s financial market and works to remove obstacles for producers.
How Agricultural Policies Skew Domestic Prices for Consumers in Nicaragua
Authors: De Salvo Carmine Paolo , Boyce Rachel , Shik Olga , Kim Namho
Published: March 2024

Around the world, government agricultural policies often make the prices paid by consumers much higher or lower than they would be without policy interventions. Here is a look at the latest available data for the three-year average price of agricultural products in Nicaragua compared to international prices (prices not affected by domestic policy).
Impact Evaluation in Transport
Authors: Yañez Patricia , Lopera María Adelaida , Mitnik Oscar A.
Published: March 2024

The direct benefits of transport projects are well known; paving roads reduces vehicular operating costs, mass transport systems reduce commuting times and road maintenance prolongs their operating lifespan. Impact evaluation reveals a range of ways in which transport projects improve lives. The empirical evidence shows that paved roads encourage preventive healthcare and increase employment opportunities, mass transport systems improve air quality and reduce crime, and satisfaction of road maintenance increases when services are provided by local communities.Impact evaluations generate valuable information for both executing agencies and stakeholders. Their results provide rigorous measurements of the effect of a project, who benefits the most and why. As a result, the evidence generated by well-conducted impact evaluations is increasingly used to attract resources to effective investments and to guide institutional choices.
América Latina en PISA 2012: Chile en PISA 2012: Logros y desafíos pendientes
Authors: Ganimian Alejandro , Bos María Soledad , Vegas Emiliana
Published: March 2024

En el 2012, ocho países de América Latina (Argentina, Brasil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, México, Perú y Uruguay) participaron en el Programa para la Evaluación Internacional de Alumnos (PISA, por sus siglas en inglés)-una prueba que evaluó lo que los jóvenes de 15 años saben y pueden hacer en matemática, lectura y ciencia en 65 sistemas educativos. Este brief se enfoca en el caso de Chile, el país de mejor desempeño en PISA de la región.
Impulso regional: 17 historias de impacto de cursos INDES en proyectos de desarrollo
Authors: Garzón Elvira Inés , Zuluaga Carlos , Oportus Patricio , Robles Mario , Cunibertti Roberto , Yitani José , Álvarez Ana , Lemo Edison , Jiménez Noemí , Jaramillo Marta , Menjivar Milton , Ávila Margarita , Torres Marcelo , Tono Teresa M. , Cruz Myriam , Ávila Juan , Coronado Orlando
Published: March 2024

La presente publicación, es un valioso aporte para conocer en profundidad cómo se aplica el conocimiento adquirido en cursos del INDES. Esta aplicación se muestra desde las dimensiones técnicas, profesionales y humanas que han experimentado algunos de nuestros participantes. Con el ánimo de conocer la puesta en práctica de este conocimiento, rescatamos 17 experiencias relacionadas con los cursos INDES, que basadas en relatos personales, nos cuentan cómo ciertas herramientas, habilidades, conceptos o ideas aprendidos en los cursos fueron de utilidad para el diseño, ejecución o evaluación de proyectos de desarrollo.
2014 IDB External Feedback System
Authors:   Inter American Development Bank
Published: March 2024

The External Feedback System (EFS) captured perceptions from more than 4,000 partners surveyed between 2012-2014 in government, civil society, public, and private sectors. These perspectives, from national leaders to those directly responsible for implementing projects in the field, as well as academics and representatives of other development agencies, represent a critical asset as the IDB prepares to update its Institutional Strategy in 2015. Listening to our partners is a core element of our commitment to continuous improvement. The key findings and trends presented in this report - gauging partner satisfaction to determine where the IDB excels, how the IDB can improve, and the attributes considered most important in a development institution- reflects the needs of our partners and will help us improve the products we offer and the way in which these products are delivered.