Quantification of ¹⁸F-FDG PET images is useful for accurate diagnosis and evaluation of various brain diseases, including brain tumors, epilepsy, dementia, and Parkinson disease. However, accurate quantification of ¹⁸F-FDG PET images requires matched 3-dimensional T₁ MRI scans of the same individuals to provide detailed information on brain anatomy. In this paper, we propose a transfer learning approach to adapt a pretrained deep neural network model from amyloid PET to spatially normalize ¹⁸F-FDG PET images without the need for 3-dimensional MRI. Methods: The proposed method is based on a deep learning model for automatic spatial normalization of ¹⁸F-FDG brain PET images, which was developed by fine-tuning a pretrained model for amyloid PET using only 103 ¹⁸F-FDG PET and MR images. After training, the algorithm was tested on 65 internal and 78 external test sets. All T₁ MR images with a 1-mm isotropic voxel size were processed with FreeSurfer software to provide cortical segmentation maps used to extract a ground-truth regional SUV ratio using cerebellar gray matter as a reference region. These values were compared with those from spatial normalization-based quantification methods using the proposed method and statistical parametric mapping software. Results: The proposed method showed superior spatial normalization compared with statistical parametric mapping, as evidenced by increased normalized mutual information and better size and shape matching in PET images. Quantitative evaluation revealed a consistently higher SUV ratio correlation and intraclass correlation coefficients for the proposed method across various brain regions in both internal and external datasets. The remarkably good correlation and intraclass correlation coefficient values of the proposed method for the external dataset are noteworthy, considering the dataset’s different ethnic distribution and the use of different PET scanners and image reconstruction algorithms. Conclusion: This study successfully applied transfer learning to a deep neural network for ¹⁸F-FDG PET spatial normalization, demonstrating its resource efficiency and improved performance. This highlights the efficacy of transfer learning, which requires a smaller number of datasets than does the original network training, thus increasing the potential for broader use of deep learning–based brain PET spatial normalization techniques for various clinical and research radiotracers.

FORT MYERS, Fla., Nov. 7, 2024 — The AlmaLinux OS Foundation, the nonprofit that stewards the free and community-governed open source enterprise Linux distribution, today announced that chair benny Vasquez is […]

The post AlmaLinux OS Foundation Chair to Discuss Embracing Diversity in Open Source at SC24 appeared first on HPCwire.

In August, 80 Somali believers met outside of Örebro, Sweden, for a week of fellowship, encouragement and teaching. Eight new believers were baptised.

Young Somali believers take bold risks in sharing their faith with their families and community.

A team of researchers at Penn State College of Medicine and collaborators from five different institutes has created a 3D atlas of developing mice brains, providing a more dynamic understanding of how the mammalian brain develops. This atlas provides a common reference and anatomical framework to help researchers understand brain development and study neurodevelopmental disorders.

Hello everyone. In recent days, I'm having a weird problem with sound output on my Windows 10 PC. In fact, I can't control the loudness of it. So is there any possibility of PCB of sound card being damaged?

Microwaves & RF's David Maliniak interviews Sherry Hess of Cadence about recently announced products of Optimality and OnCloud.(read more)

A senior Somali official insisted Saturday that Ethiopia will not participate in a new African Union peacekeeping mission starting in January. The two nations remain deadlocked over a Memorandum of Understanding that Ethiopia signed with the breakaway region, Somaliland, earlier this year. “I can say that Ethiopia is the only government we know of so far that will not participate in the new AU mission because it has violated our sovereignty and national unity," Somalia Defense Minister Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur said Saturday in a government-run television interview. African Union troops from several countries have been operating in Somalia since 2007. They started with the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) before changing the mission and its name on April 1, 2022, to the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS). Its mandate ends at the end of this year. For 17 years, the African Union mission helped Somalia combat al-Shabab, a violent extremist organization that threatened to overthrow the government and impose a strict interpretation of Islamic law. The aim of past and upcoming missions is to hand over security responsibility to the Somali National Forces. The nation is preparing for a third peace support operation, set to begin January 1, 2025, when a new mission, the African Union Support Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), replaces ATMIS. According to a United Nations report in August, ATMIS has been drawing down troops from about 20,000 to less than 13,000. The new mission is expected to number at least 12,000. AUSSOM is scheduled to operate until the end of 2028. It is not the first time Somalia has rejected the involvement of Ethiopian troops in a peacekeeping mission in the country. In August, Somalia Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre said Ethiopian forces would only join AUSSOM once Addis Ababa withdraws from the MoU with Somaliland. Mogadishu, which sees Somaliland as a part of Somalia, has described the agreement as an assault on its sovereignty and territorial integrity. Analysts say Somalia’s repeated demands that Ethiopia withdraw from the MoU have fallen on deaf ears, which further alienates Somalia. Professor Sonkor Geyre, a former director of the defense ministry, said Somalia has a right to choose the countries it wants and rejects others. “Somalia has national sovereign rights to exclude Ethiopia from the upcoming AU mission because it sees Ethiopia’s actions, including its MoU with Somaliland, as a national threat,” Geyre told VOA Somali. Last month, the leaders of Somalia, Eritrea, and Egypt signed a security cooperation deal seen as an anti-Ethiopia front, and Mogadishu has also boosted its military ties with Cairo, which has offered troops for the new AU mission. “There is an ongoing procedure that we will share and announce when the time comes regarding the new governments that will join and the previous ones who will not be part of the new mission," Nur, the defense minister, said. Under the current AU mission, at least 3,000 Ethiopian soldiers officially operate as part of an African Union peacekeeping mission fighting al-Shabab. Another 5,000 to 7,000 Ethiopian soldiers are stationed in several regions under a bilateral agreement. Other countries contributing to the current AU forces in Somalia include Burundi, Djibouti, Kenya, and Uganda.

WASHINGTON — According to the Somaliland National Electoral Commission, more than 1 million registered and eligible voters head to the polls Wednesday to elect their president for the next five years. Three candidates, including incumbent President Muse Bihi Abdi, seek to consolidate the region’s fragile democracy, boost economic growth and gain international recognition that the Somali enclave has struggled to secure for 33 years. Abdi, of the ruling Peace, Unity and Development Party, also known simply as Kulmiye, seeks a second term in Wednesday’s polls. He is running against Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, known as "Irro,” of the Waddani party and Faisal Ali Warabe of the Justice and Development Party, or UCID. Promises In an interview with VOA Somali, each of the three candidates promised to strengthen democracy, boost economic growth and seek international recognition for the breakaway region. Abdi, 76, who was elected head of the region in 2017, has pledged there will be progress on a controversial maritime deal that Ethiopia signed with Somaliland earlier this year. “On our side, we [Somaliland] are free, we are ready to implement the MOU [Memorandum of Understanding], and we are waiting from the Ethiopian side so that we can go ahead with it,” Abdi said. “Ethiopia needs access to sea, and we need recognition, and this MOU is about these needs.” This is the fourth presidential election since the region on the northwestern tip of Somalia broke away from the rest of the country, following the collapse of the Siad Barre regime in 1991. The territory declared independence that year but has never achieved international recognition. Despite this, Somaliland has a functioning government and institutions, a political system that has allowed democratic transfers of power between rival parties, its own currency, passport and armed forces. According to Freedom House's 2024 flagship annual report, which assesses the condition of political rights and civil liberties around the world, Somaliland experienced an erosion of political rights in the past several years. The report said, “Journalists and public figures face pressure from authorities. Minority clans are subject to political and economic marginalization, and violence against women remains a serious problem.” Talks between Somaliland, which is seeking full statehood, and Mogadishu, which fiercely opposes the move, have been held on and off between 2012 and 2020 but failed to bear fruit. Irro, of the Waddani party, who also served as speaker of the House of Representatives of Somaliland’s lower chamber of parliament for more than 11 years, said he would resume talks with Somalia. “It was not our choice to talk to Somalia because our goal has always been getting recognition, but the international community urged us to talk. If I am elected, I will resume the talks if the Somaliland interest lies there, and [at] the same time we will review the previous failed talks,” said Irro. Warabe, of the Justice and Development Party, said that if elected, he would seek recognition through the establishment of a national unity government in Somaliland. “The return of Bihi [Abdi], who has been for seven years in power, and his party, which has been in power since 2010, is not [an] option for Somaliland voters,” Warabe said. “If I am elected, I will lead Somaliland to recognition and [a] more prosperous road.” Regional tension Somaliland’s Wednesday vote comes at a time when tensions remain high between Somalia and Ethiopia over the controversial Memorandum of Understanding that Ethiopia signed with Somaliland. The deal would grant Ethiopia a 50-year lease of access to 20 kilometers of the Red Sea coastline in exchange for the potential recognition of Somaliland's independence, which Somalia views as a violation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity. The deal signed on January 1 in Addis Ababa by Abdi and Ethiopia Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed sparked anger in Mogadishu, which considers Somaliland as part of its national territory. The opposition to the deal plunged the two neighboring countries into a deadlocked situation. In April, Somalia expelled Ethiopian Ambassador Muktar Mohamed Ware, alleging "internal interference" by Ethiopia. Somalia also ordered the closure of Ethiopia's consulates in Somaliland and Puntland, although they remained open. Last month, Somalia expelled Mogadishu-based Ethiopian diplomat Ali Mohamed Adan, who was a counselor at Ethiopia's embassy in Mogadishu. In July and August 2024, two rounds of talks between Ethiopia and Somalia, mediated by Turkey, failed to solve the dispute, with Somalia demanding Ethiopia withdraw from the deal and Ethiopia insisting that it does not infringe on Somalia’s sovereignty. On Saturday, Somali Defense Minister Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur repeated the Somali government position against Ethiopian troop involvement in a new African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia starting in January. “I can say that Ethiopia is the only government we know of so far that will not participate in the new AU mission because it has violated our sovereignty and national unity," Nur said Saturday in a government-run television interview. Somaliland’s last presidential elections were held in 2017. The current presidential election was originally set to take place in 2022 but was postponed until 2023 and then again pushed back to November 2024, following a controversial extension of Abdi’s mandate by the parliament’s upper house. The Somaliland National Election Commission, or NEC, said at the time that the delays were due to “time, technical and financial constraints.” Opposition parties vehemently denounced the delays. The president is directly elected for a maximum of two five-year terms and appoints the Cabinet. Sahra Eidle Nur and Harun Maruf contributed to this report.

The breakaway region of Somaliland in East Africa is due to hold general elections on November 13th. As the self-declared republic pushes for recognition from the international community and begins to play a larger role in the wider region, what could the outcome mean for Somalia, the Horn of Africa and beyond? Henry Wilkins reports.

Dakar, Senagal — The CEO and two executives of Australian gold mine Resolute in Mali have been arrested while in Bamako to discuss ongoing disputes with authorities, the company confirmed Sunday. CEO Terence Holohan and his two colleagues "were in Bamako to discuss with mining and tax authorities the company's business practices in Mali generally and to make progress on ongoing claims against Resolute, which continues to claim they are unfounded," Resolute said in a statement posted on its website. "Unexpectedly, the three employees were arrested after the end of these meetings on Friday," she reported. The three executives were taken the same day to the unit specializing in the fight against corruption and economic and financial delinquency — and were placed in police custody in a case of alleged forgery and damage to public property, AFP learned Saturday from a judicial and industrial source. Four employees of the Canadian company Barrick Gold, also in dispute with the Malian authorities, were detained for several days at the end of September, then released. Foreign mining companies are subject to increased pressure from the junta that came to power by force in 2020 and pays particular attention to the juicy revenues of the mining industry. "Resolute is working to reach an agreement with the Malian government that secures the long-term future of the Syama gold mine; at the same time its top priority remains the safety and well-being of its employees," the company said. The executives benefit from the support of the embassies and consulates of the United Kingdom and other countries present in Mali, she said. Resolute holds 80% of the shares in the subsidiary that owns the Syama mine, with the remaining 20% in the hands of the Malian state, according to the company's website. The Malian authorities have made the fight against corruption and the restoration of national sovereignty over natural resources their mantras. Mali, one of the poorest countries in the world, faces jihadis and a multidimensional crisis, and is also one of the leading gold producers in Africa. Gold contributes to a quarter of the national budget and three quarters of export revenues. The increased pressure on foreign companies coincided with the junta's strategic pivot toward Russia.

War-saxaafadeed ka soo baxay wasaaradda arrimaha gudaha ee Dowaldda Federaalka ayaa looga hadley doorashada Madaxweynaha iyo…

The post Dowladda Federaalka oo bogaadisey doorashada Somaliland appeared first on Horseed Media.

In Somalia’s complex political landscape, the tenure of Prime Minister Hamse Abdi Barre presents a compelling…

The post The Paradox of Power: Analyzing PM Hamse Abdi Barre’s Leadership Crisis in Somalia appeared first on Horseed Media.

Waxaa saacado kadib Shacabka Somaliland u dareeri doonaan goobaha codbixinta ee  doorashada Madaxweynaha Somaliland iyo ururada…

The post Doorashada Somaliland, Saadaasha Guusha iyo  Khatarta Jirta appeared first on Horseed Media.

Somaliland, the self-declared state in the Horn of Africa, is set to hold its fourth presidential…

The post Somaliland Heads to Polls Amid Hope and Concerns appeared first on Horseed Media.

[Shabelle] Mogadishu -- In a strategic move to bolster Somalia's defense apparatus, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has made key changes in the military hierarchy, appointing General Sahal Abdullahi Omar as the new Commander of Land Forces and elevating Lt. Colonel Hassan Salah Abdi to the position of Commander of Special Forces.

[VOA] Minneapolis, Mn -- Somali Americans in Minnesota last month took part in a town hall involving Democratic and Republican party representatives encouraging them to participate in the 2024 election, arguing the stakes are high for them and their grandchildren.

[Shabelle] Mogadishu -- In a significant political development, two ministers from Somalia's federal government resigned on Sunday, November 3, 2024, citing what they described as the government's plans to exacerbate tensions with regional administrations, particularly Jubbaland and Puntland.

[Radio Dalsan] In a move that has captured international attention, Somalia's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ahmed Moalim Fiqi, has announced plans to relocate the Ethiopian Embassy currently housed within the Somali presidential compound.

[Radio Dalsan] Mogadishu -- The Federal Government of Somalia has dispatched four planes of humanitarian aid to Baidoa, the capital of the Southwest State, in response to escalating concerns over a severe drought expected to hit the region.

[Shabelle] Germany and Somalia are to cooperate on stepping up the deportation of migrants from the East African country.

[Radio Dalsan] A Turkish-made drone armed with missiles reportedly crashed on Tuesday in the Al-Shabaab-controlled village of Farsooley, located in Somalia's Lower Shabelle region, local sources have confirmed.

[Shabelle] Mogadishu -- In a move signaling deepening political discord, Somalia's Deputy Minister of Ports and Maritime Transport, MP Saddam Mohamud Abdi, resigned on Tuesday, accusing the federal government of constitutional violations and politicizing development projects in his home region of Puntland.

[Addis Standard] Addis Abeba -- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Somaliland has announced progress in preparing for the upcoming presidential and party elections scheduled to take place on 13 November this year.

[Radio Dalsan] The European Union (EU) handed over a fleet of military vehicles and equipment to the Somali government on Tuesday, at the General Dhagabadan Training Camp in Mogadishu.

[Radio Dalsan] In a move to bolster Somalia's economic recovery and stability, the United States has forgiven $1.14 billion in debt owed by Somalia. The debt cancellation, announced by US Ambassador to Somalia Richard Riley in Mogadishu, is part of a larger $1.2 billion assistance package for Somalia this fiscal year.

[Radio Dalsan] Somalia is prepared to welcome back its nationals from Germany, particularly those without legal residency, following a meeting between Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Wednesday.

[Shabelle] Mogadishu, Somalia -- The National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) of Somalia announced on Thursday the arrest of two men with ties to the militant group Al-Shabaab in the capital city of Mogadishu.

[Shabelle] Mogadishu, Somalia -- Somalia's Minister of Defense, Abdiqadir Mohamed Noor, has been actively engaging with troop-contributing countries for the forthcoming African Union mission, set to start in 2025.

[Shabelle] Mogadishu, Somalia -- In its weekly session, Somalia's Council of Ministers, under the leadership of Prime Minister Hamsa Abdi Barre, delved into a comprehensive review of the nation's strategies and achievements in combating terrorism and financial crimes.

[ISS] Somalia's upcoming seat on the UN Security Council should allow it to shape international maritime security policies.

[VOA] At least 11 Somali regional and federal government forces were killed in fierce fighting on Wednesday in the south of the country, officials said.

[Shabelle] Cairo, Egypt -- Somalia took a significant step towards addressing its internal displacement crisis with the launch of the "Saameynta: Scaling Solutions to Displacement through Financing Inclusive Urban Development" during the World Urban Forum in Cairo on Thursday.

[VOA] The U.S. military says it is investigating what caused an army drone to crash in southern Somalia this week.

[Shabelle] Kismayo, Somalia -- The regional state of Jubaland has announced the suspension of all cooperation with the Federal Government of Somalia, escalating tensions over political and governance issues. The decision, made public early Sunday, marks a significant rift in the country's federal structure.

[Shabelle] Mogadishu, Somalia -- In a decisive move to strengthen national security, Somalia's Cabinet of Ministers has officially endorsed General Odowa Yusuf Raage as the Commander of the Somali National Army, according to a statement released after an emergency meeting held on Sunday night.

[VOA] A senior Somali official insisted Saturday that Ethiopia will not participate in a new African Union peacekeeping mission starting in January.

[Shabelle] Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has touched down in Riyadh on Sunday evening for the Extraordinary Arab and Islamic States Summit.

[Radio Dalsan] The Somali Council of Ministers has reappointed General Odowa Yusuf Raage as Commander of the Somali Armed Forces, replacing General Ibrahim Muhyiddin, during an emergency meeting held in Mogadishu on Sunday night.

[Radio Dalsan] Somaliland's Vice President, Abdirahman Abdillahi Ismail Saylici, made headlines on Sunday by publicly endorsing the opposition Waddani Party just days before the November 13 presidential election.

[VOA] Washington -- According to the Somaliland National Electoral Commission, more than 1 million registered and eligible voters head to the polls Wednesday to elect their president for the next five years.

[UNHCR] UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency has just concluded a three-day event, hosting partners and Governments from the East and Horn of Africa, Great Lakes Region and Yemen, to review strategies for comprehensive solutions to the ongoing displacement crisis in Somalia. The meeting brought together representatives from Uganda, Yemen, Djibouti, Ethiopia and Kenya, as well as the regional body, Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and provided a platform for sharing insights and aligning efforts among

[Shabelle] Mogadishu -- Somalia's National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) conducted a targeted operation in the Dharaarweyn area near Galcad city, within the Galgaduud region.

Somalia is currently in the midst of a dire humanitarian crisis that threatens to destabilize the nation’s security. This crisis is a result of the Somali Civil War, which began in 1991. Altercations between clan-based operations have caused a host of issues over the years, including over 596 civilian casualties, according to the United Nations […]

• At COP29 leaders’ summit, Shehbaz Sharif reminds West of broken promises, calls for overhaul of global climate financing framework
• Links humanity’s survival with health of glaciers, says Pakistan ready to work with world for their protection
• Meets British, Danish, Turkish, Central Asian leaders among others on sidelines of climate summit

BAKU: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tues­day said that debt cannot become the “acceptable new normal” in climate financing, as he addressed the challenges faced by developing countries within the global climate finance framework.

“We stand at a crucial threshold where global climate finance framework must be redefined to effectively meet the needs of vulnerable nations,” he told a Climate Finance Round Table Conference organised by Pakistan on the sidelines of the two-day World Leaders Climate Action Summit.

He explained that finan­c­ing in the form of loans increases the debt of developing nations and pushes them towards “mounting debt traps” which he ref­erred to as “death traps”.

“Debt cannot become the acceptable new normal in climate financing which is why we must resume focus on non-debt financing solutions enabling countries to fund climate initiatives,” the PM said.

“Despite years of promises and commitments, the gaps are growing, leading to aggregate barriers in achieving objectives of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).”

Pakistan is ranked among the top 10 most climate-vulnerable countr­ies, according to the Glo­bal Climate Risk Index 2021. It has faced increasingly frequent and severe weather events, such as unprecedented floods, int­ense monsoon rains, devastating heat waves, rapid glacial melting and glacial lake outburst floods.

Calling climate financing an “urgent need of the hour”, PM Shehbaz said that developing countries need to deliver Nationally Determined Contribu­ti­ons (NDCs) and “need an estimated $6.8 trillion by 2030 to implement less than half of their current NDCs”.

He further urged donor countries to “fulfil their commitment”, which is 4.7 per cent of their gross nat­io­nal product and capitalise on existing climate funds.

The PM said that Pakis­tan can relate to the “agony and pain of other vulnerable countries”, highlighting how the country faced two devastating floods.

While emphasising tra­n­sparency and coordination in financial commitments made to developing countries, he stated that Pakistan alongside other developing countries, calls for stronger more equitable climate finance mechanisms under the UNFCCC.

He reiterated the pertinent need for reform of international financial architecture saying that “now is the time to build up on the momentum for international financial reforms” so that no nation is left behind in the global response to climate change.

Call to protect glaciers

In remarks delivered later at an event on glaciers, the PM linked the survival of mankind with the health of glaciers, adding that Pakistan, as one of the most affected country, was ready to work with the international community to protect these valuable natural resources.

Addressing Glaciers 2025; Actions for Glaciers, hosted by Tajik President Emamoli Rahmon, the prime minister called upon all the countries to unite in the efforts of protecting glaciers from pollution and snow melt by taking concrete and decisive actions to secure the future of glaciers as well as protect the mankind.

He said Pakistan was home to 7,000 glaciers which provided an approximately 60 to 70 per cent water for the Indus River flow, supporting 90pc of agriculture and serving its 200 million people.

However, the glaciers that provide water for this river have been shrinking over a period of time and at an alarming time, which is estimated at about 23pc decrease since 1960, he added.

The prime minister said this retreat was driven by rising temperatures and the consequences of these changes were glaringly visible.

He shared that accelerated glacial melt had led to the formation of more than 3,000 glacial lakes in the northern areas of Pakistan which were posing great threat. Out of these, he said, about 33 lakes were estimated at the risk of outburst flooding, putting lives of over 7 million people in danger.

Meetings with world leaders

On the sidelines of COP29, PM Shehbaz interacted with UAE President Sheikh Moha­m­med bin Zayed Al Nahyan and discussed cooperation on climate change.

Mr Sharif also met with UK PM Sir Keir Starmer, where the two leaders discussed enhan­c­­i­ng bilateral ties.

He also met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his wife Emine Erdogan, where they discussed environmental pollution as well as matters of mutual interest between the two friendly nations, the report added.

PM Shehbaz also met with the Czech PM Petr Fiala and Danish PM Mette Frederiksen and stressed the need to enhance bilateral cooperation as well as build global consensus on the key climate change priorities.

In his interactions with Nepal’s President Ramchandra Paudel and Bangladesh’s Muhammad Yunus, PM Shehbaz discussed growing temperatures, the threat of rising sea levels, and forest conservation in South Asia.

Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and PM Shehbaz explored strengthening bilateral relations. In his meetings with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Tajikistan’s Rahmon, the leaders spoke about the conservation of glaciers and water resources in Central Asian countries and Pakistan.

With input from APP

Published in Dawn, November 13th, 2024

Cosmological puzzles are tempting astronomers to rethink our simple picture of the universe – and ask whether dark matter is even stranger than we thought

Title: Multiple Brain Tumors Even More Malignant: Study
Category: Health News
Created: 8/24/2012 2:05:00 PM
Last Editorial Review: 8/27/2012 12:00:00 AM

ABSTRACTThe private health care sector is an important source of service delivery in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Yet, the private sector remains fragmented, making it difficult for health system actors to support and ensure the availability of quality health care services. In global health programs, social franchising is one model used to engage and organize the private health care sector. Two social franchise networks, ProFam in West Africa and Tunza in East and Central Africa, provide health care through branded networks of facilities. However, these social franchise networks include a limited number of private health care facilities, and in fragile contexts, like Burundi and Mali, they have faced challenges in integrating with national health systems. The MOMENTUM Private Healthcare Delivery (MPHD) project in Burundi and Mali sought to expand the number of health facilities it engaged beyond the existing ProFam and Tunza networks. The expansion aimed to help improve service quality in more private facilities while advancing localization and reducing fragmentation for improved stewardship by health system actors. MPHD achieved this expansion by removing barriers for private health facilities to join inclusive, nonbranded networks and engaging local partners to build and maintain these networks. We share lessons learned regarding the growing role of local organizations as actors within mixed health systems and provide insights on strengthening stewardship of the increasingly heterogeneous private health care delivery sector in LMICs, particularly in fragile settings.

Mammalian astrocytes have regional roles within the brain parenchyma. Indeed, the notion that astrocytes are molecularly heterogeneous could help explain how the central nervous system (CNS) retains embryonic positional information through development into specialized regions into adulthood. A growing body of evidence supports the concept of morphological and molecular differences between astrocytes in different brain regions, which might relate to their derivation from regionally patterned radial glia and/or local neuron inductive cues. Here, we review evidence for regionally encoded functions of astrocytes to provide an integrated concept on lineage origins and heterogeneity to understand regional brain organization, as well as emerging technologies to identify and further investigate novel roles for astrocytes.