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physicians, primary caregivers and topical repellent: all under-utilised resources in stopping dengue virus transmission in affected households.primary health care facilities frequently manage dengue cases on an ambulatory basis for the duration of the patient's illness. there is a great opportunity for specific messaging, aimed to reduce dengue virus (denv) transmission in and around the home, to be directly targeted toward this high-risk ambulatory patient group, as part of an integrated approach to dengue management. the extent however, to which physicians understand, and can themselves effectively communicate strategies to stop foca ...201627164168
coeloconic sensilla on the antennae of the yellow fever mosquito, aedes aegypti (l.). 20165026452
dengue deaths: associated factors and length of hospital stay.background. dengue continues to pose a public health problem globally. objective. to review factors associated with patients who died from dengue in trinidad. methods. a retrospective case note review of hospitalized patients who died during 2001 to 2010. results. a total of 23 cases were identified: 13 males, 10 females-12 east indians, 9 africans, and 2 unknown. more than half (n = 17) were over 40 years of age with 10 being over 60 years of age; three were children. a falling platelet count w ...201627462472
tourniquet test for dengue diagnosis: systematic review and meta-analysis of diagnostic test accuracy.dengue fever is a ubiquitous arboviral infection in tropical and sub-tropical regions, whose incidence has increased over recent decades. in the absence of a rapid point of care test, the clinical diagnosis of dengue is complex. the world health organisation has outlined diagnostic criteria for making the diagnosis of dengue infection, which includes the use of the tourniquet test (tt).201627486661
afrocolombian ethnicity, a paradoxical protective factor against dengue.dengue is a priority public health problem. during epidemics in cuba and haiti, ethnic african descendant population had lower risk of dengue, and the ethnic factor was proposed as a protective one.201627821892
transcript abundance of photorhabdus insect-related (pir) toxin in manduca sexta and galleria mellonella infections.in this study, we assessed pirab toxin transcription in photorhabdus luminescens laumondii (strain tt01) (enterobacteriaceae) by comparing mrna abundance under in vivo and in vitro conditions. in vivo assays considered both natural and forced infections with two lepidopteran hosts: galleria mellonella and manduca sexta. three portals of entry were utilized for the forced infection assays: (a) integument; (b) the digestive route (via mouth and anus); and (c) the tracheal route (via spiracles). we ...201627690103
developmental pirna profiles of the invasive vector mosquito aedes albopictus.in eukaryotic organisms, piwi-interacting rnas (pirnas) control the activities of mobile genetic elements and ensure genome maintenance. recent evidence indicates that pirnas are involved in multiple biological pathways, including transcriptional regulation of protein-coding genes, sex determination and even interactions between host and pathogens. aedes albopictus is a major invasive species that transmits a number of viral diseases in humans. ae. albopictus has the largest genome and the highe ...201627686069
kap surveys and dengue control in colombia: disentangling the effect of sociodemographic factors using multiple correspondence analysis.during the last few decades, several studies have analyzed and described knowledge, attitudes, and practices (kap) of populations regarding dengue. however, few studies have applied geometric data analytic techniques to generate indices from kap domains. results of such analyses have not been used to determine the potential effects of sociodemographic variables on the levels of kap. the objective was to determine the sociodemographic factors related to different levels of kap regarding dengue in ...201627682141
spatial variations in dengue transmission in schools in thailand.dengue is an important neglected tropical disease, with more than half of the world's population living in dengue endemic areas. good understanding of dengue transmission sites is a critical factor to implement effective vector control measures.201627669170
n6-(2-hydroxyethyl)-adenosine exhibits insecticidal activity against plutella xylostella via adenosine receptors.the diamondback moth, plutella xylostella, is one of the most important pests of cruciferous crops. we have earlier shown that n6-(2-hydroxyethyl)-adenosine (hea) exhibits insecticidal activity against p. xylostella. in the present study we investigated the possible mechanism of insecticidal action of hea on p. xylostella. hea is a derivative of adenosine, therefore, we speculated whether it acts via p. xylostella adenosine receptor (pxador). we used rnai approach to silence pxador gene and used ...201627668428
evaluating the performance of infectious disease forecasts: a comparison of climate-driven and seasonal dengue forecasts for mexico.dengue viruses, which infect millions of people per year worldwide, cause large epidemics that strain healthcare systems. despite diverse efforts to develop forecasting tools including autoregressive time series, climate-driven statistical, and mechanistic biological models, little work has been done to understand the contribution of different components to improved prediction. we developed a framework to assess and compare dengue forecasts produced from different types of models and evaluated t ...201627665707
predicted structure of a minus-c obp from batocera horsfieldi (hope) suggests an intermediate structure in evolution of obps.odorant binding proteins (obps) transport hydrophobic odorants from the environment to odorant receptors and play an important role in specific recognition of volatiles. here, we expressed and purified a minus-c obp, bhorobpm2, from batocera horsfieldi, a major pest of popolus, to determine its binding characteristics with 58 candidate volatiles using a fluorescence competition-binding assay. we showed that bhorobpm2 exhibited high binding affinity with chain volatiles and that ligands were sele ...201627659921
potential of camellia sinensis proanthocyanidins-rich fraction for controlling malaria mosquito populations through disruption of larval development.anopheles arabiensis and a. gambiae (sensu stricto) are the most prolific afrotropical malaria vectors. population control efforts of these two vectors have been hampered by extremely diverse larval breeding sites and widespread resistance to currently available insecticides. control of mosquito larval stages using bioactive compounds of plant origin has the potential to suppress vector populations leading to concomitant reduction in disease transmission rates. in this study, we evaluated the ef ...201627660043
the whole genome sequence of the mediterranean fruit fly, ceratitis capitata (wiedemann), reveals insights into the biology and adaptive evolution of a highly invasive pest species.the mediterranean fruit fly (medfly), ceratitis capitata, is a major destructive insect pest due to its broad host range, which includes hundreds of fruits and vegetables. it exhibits a unique ability to invade and adapt to ecological niches throughout tropical and subtropical regions of the world, though medfly infestations have been prevented and controlled by the sterile insect technique (sit) as part of integrated pest management programs (ipms). the genetic analysis and manipulation of medf ...201627659211
sit 2.0: 21(st) century genetic technology for the screwworm sterile-insect program.release of sterile insects, the sterile insect technique (sit), can be an extremely effective and precise method of pest control. a study in bmc biology from the new world screwworm sit program and others shows that modern genetic methods can provide major improvements even to this well-established and highly successful sit program.see research article: https://bmcbiol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12915-016-0296-8.201627643991
gc content heterogeneity transition of conserved noncoding sequences occurred at the emergence of vertebrates.conserved non-coding sequences (cnss) of eukaryotes are known to be significantly enriched in regulatory sequences. cnss of diverse lineages follow different patterns in abundance, sequence composition, and location. here, we report a thorough analysis of cnss in diverse groups of eukaryotes with respect to gc content heterogeneity. we examined 24 fungi, 19 invertebrates, and 12 non-mammalian vertebrates so as to find lineage specific features of cnss. we found that fungi and invertebrate cnss a ...201628040773
non-mendelian dominant maternal effects caused by crispr/cas9 transgenic components in drosophila melanogaster.the crispr/cas9 system has revolutionized genomic editing. the cas9 endonuclease targets genomic dna via an experimentally determined guide rna (grna). this results in a double-strand break at the target site. we generated transgenic drosophila melanogaster in which the crispr/cas9 system was used to target a gal4 transgene in vivo to our surprise, progeny whose genomes did not contain crispr/cas9 components were still capable of mutating gal4 sequences. we demonstrate this effect was caused by ...201627638686
smshb, the sh2-containing adaptor protein b of schistosoma mansoni regulates venus kinase receptor signaling pathways.venus kinase receptors (vkrs) are invertebrate receptor tyrosine kinases (rtks) formed by an extracellular venus fly trap (vft) ligand binding domain associated via a transmembrane domain with an intracellular tyrosine kinase (tk) domain. schistosoma mansoni vkrs, smvkr1 and smvkr2, are both implicated in reproductive activities of the parasite. in this work, we show that the sh2 domain-containing protein smshb is a partner of the phosphorylated form of smvkr1. expression of these proteins in xe ...201627636711
lbd1 of vitellogenin receptor specifically binds to the female-specific storage protein sp1 via lbr1 and lbr3.storage proteins are the major protein synthesized in the fat body, released into hemolymph and re-sequestered into the fat body before pupation in most insect species. storage proteins are important amino acid and nutrition resources during the non-feeding pupal period and play essential roles for the metamorphosis and oogenesis of insects. the sequestration of storage protein is a selective, specific receptor-mediated process. however, to date, the potential receptor mediating the sequestratio ...201627637099
maintenance of host dna integrity in field-preserved mosquito (diptera: culicidae) blood meals for identification by dna barcoding.determination of the interactions between hematophagous arthropods and their hosts is a necessary component to understanding the transmission dynamics of arthropod-vectored pathogens. current molecular methods to identify hosts of blood-fed arthropods require the preservation of host dna to serve as an amplification template. during transportation to the laboratory and storage prior to molecular analysis, genetic samples need to be protected from nucleases, and the degradation effects of hydroly ...201627629021
agricultural chemicals: life changer for mosquito vectors in agricultural landscapes?although many mosquito species develop within agricultural landscapes where they are potentially exposed to agricultural chemicals (fertilizers and pesticides), the effects of these chemicals on mosquito biology remain poorly understood. this study investigated the effects of sublethal concentrations of four agricultural chemicals on the life history traits of anopheles arabiensis and culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes.201627624456
silencing the olfactory co-receptor rferorco reduces the response to pheromones in the red palm weevil, rhynchophorus ferrugineus.the red palm weevil (rpw, rhynchophorus ferrugineus), one of the most widespread of all invasive insect pest species, is a major cause of severe damage to economically important palm trees. rpw exhibits behaviors very similar to those of its sympatric species, the asian palm weevil (r. vulneratus), which is restricted geographically to the southern part of southeast asia. although efficient and sustainable control of these pests remains challenging, olfactory-system disruption has been proposed ...201627606688
evolutionary dynamics of abundant stop codon readthrough.translational stop codon readthrough emerged as a major regulatory mechanism affecting hundreds of genes in animal genomes, based on recent comparative genomics and ribosomal profiling evidence, but its evolutionary properties remain unknown. here, we leverage comparative genomic evidence across 21 anopheles mosquitoes to systematically annotate readthrough genes in the malaria vector anopheles gambiae, and to provide the first study of abundant readthrough evolution, by comparison with 20 droso ...201627604222
the tomato spotted wilt virus genome is processed differentially in its plant host arachis hypogaea and its thrips vector frankliniella fusca.thrips-transmitted tospoviruses are economically important viruses affecting a wide range of field and horticultural crops worldwide. tomato spotted wilt virus (tswv) is the type member of the tospovirus genus with a broad host range of more than 900 plant species. interactions between these viruses and their plant hosts and insect vectors via rnai pathways are likely a key determinant of pathogenicity. the current investigation, for the first time, compares biogenesis of small rnas between the ...201627656190
rhodopsin 7-the unusual rhodopsin in drosophila.rhodopsins are the major photopigments in the fruit fly drosophila melanogaster. drosophila express six well-characterized rhodopsins (rh1-rh6) with distinct absorption maxima and expression pattern. in 2000, when the drosophila genome was published, a novel rhodopsin gene was discovered: rhodopsin 7 (rh7). rh7 is highly conserved among the drosophila genus and is also found in other arthropods. phylogenetic trees based on protein sequences suggest that the seven drosophila rhodopsins cluster in ...201627651995
spatiotemporal analysis of dengue fever in nepal from 2010 to 2014.due to recent emergence, dengue is becoming one of the major public health problems in nepal. the numbers of reported dengue cases in general and the area with reported dengue cases are both continuously increasing in recent years. however, spatiotemporal patterns and clusters of dengue have not been investigated yet. this study aims to fill this gap by analyzing spatiotemporal patterns based on monthly surveillance data aggregated at district.201627549095
the silencing of a 14-3-3ɛ homolog in tenebrio molitor leads to increased antimicrobial activity in hemocyte and reduces larval survivability.the 14-3-3 family of phosphorylated serine-binding proteins acts as signaling molecules in biological processes such as metabolism, division, differentiation, autophagy, and apoptosis. herein, we report the requirement of 14-3-3ɛ isoform from tenebrio molitor (tm14-3-3ɛ) in the hemocyte antimicrobial activity. the tm14-3-3ɛ transcript is 771 nucleotides in length and encodes a polypeptide of 256 amino acid residues. the protein has the typical 14-3-3 domain, the nuclear export signal (nes) seque ...201627556493
rural-urban comparisons of dengue seroprevalence in malaysia.each year an estimated 390 million dengue infections occur worldwide. in malaysia, dengue is a growing public health concern but estimate of its disease burden remains uncertain. we compared the urban-rural difference of dengue seroprevalence and determined age-specific dengue seroprevalence in malaysia.201627538986
genome-wide profiling of 24 hr diel rhythmicity in the water flea, daphnia pulex: network analysis reveals rhythmic gene expression and enhances functional gene annotation.marine and freshwater zooplankton exhibit daily rhythmic patterns of behavior and physiology which may be regulated directly by the light:dark (ld) cycle and/or a molecular circadian clock. one of the best-studied zooplankton taxa, the freshwater crustacean daphnia, has a 24 h diel vertical migration (dvm) behavior whereby the organism travels up and down through the water column daily. dvm plays a critical role in resource tracking and the behavioral avoidance of predators and damaging ultravio ...201627538446
the buzz about honey bee viruses. 201627537076
symptomatic dengue disease in five southeast asian countries: epidemiological evidence from a dengue vaccine trial.dengue incidence has increased globally, but empirical burden estimates are scarce. prospective methods are best-able to capture all severities of disease. cyd14 was an observer-blinded dengue vaccine study conducted in children 2-14 years of age in indonesia, malaysia, thailand, the philippines, and vietnam. the control group received no vaccine and resembled a prospective, observational study. we calculated the rates of dengue according to different laboratory or clinical criteria to make infe ...201627532617
multiple modes of action of the squamocin in the midgut cells of aedes aegypti larvae.annonaceous acetogenins are botanical compounds with good potential for use as insecticides. in the vector, aedes aegypti (l.) (diptera: culicidae), squamocin (acetogenin) has been reported to be a larvicide and cytotoxic, but the modes of action of this molecule are still poorly understood. this study evaluated the changes in the cell morphology, and in the expression of genes, for autophagy (atg1 and atg8), for membrane ion transporter v-atpase, and for water channel aquaporin-4 (aqp4) in the ...201627532504
nationwide study of factors associated with public's willingness to use home self-test kit for dengue fever in malaysia.as there is no specific treatment for dengue, early detection and access to proper treatment may lower dengue fatality. therefore, having new techniques for the early detection of dengue fever, such as the use of dengue test kit, is vitally important. the aims of the study were: 1) identify factors associated with acceptance of a home self-test kit for dengue fever if the dengue test is available to the public and 2) find out the characteristics of the test kits that influence the use of the den ...201627520825
traditional medicine practices among community members with diabetes mellitus in northern tanzania: an ethnomedical survey.diabetes is a growing burden in sub-saharan africa where traditional medicines (tms) remain a primary form of healthcare in many settings. in tanzania, tms are frequently used to treat non-communicable diseases, yet little is known about tm practices for non-communicable diseases like diabetes.201627514380
calculation of the average cost per case of dengue fever in mexico using a micro-costing approach.the increasing burden of dengue fever (df) in the americas, and the current epidemic in previously unaffected countries, generate major costs for national healthcare systems. there is a need to quantify the average cost per df case. in mexico, few data are available on costs, despite df being endemic in some areas. extrapolations from studies in other countries may prove unreliable and are complicated by the two main mexican healthcare systems (the secretariat of health [ss] and the mexican soci ...201627501146
surveillance, insecticide resistance and control of an invasive aedes aegypti (diptera: culicidae) population in california.the invasion and subsequent establishment in california of aedes aegypti in 2013 has created new challenges for local mosquito abatement and vector control districts. studies were undertaken to identify effective and economical strategies to monitor the abundance and spread of this mosquito species as well as for its control. overall, bg sentinel (bgs) traps were found to be the most sensitive trap type to measure abundance and spread into new locations. autocidal-gravid-ovitraps (ago-b), when p ...201627158450
dengue serotype immune-interactions and their consequences for vaccine impact predictions.dengue is one of the most important and wide-spread viral infections affecting human populations. the last few decades have seen a dramatic increase in the global burden of dengue, with the virus now being endemic or near-endemic in over 100 countries world-wide. a recombinant tetravalent vaccine candidate (cyd-tdv) has recently completed phase iii clinical efficacy trials in south east asia and latin america and has been licensed for use in several countries. the trial results showed moderate-t ...201627663790
virus-derived dna drives mosquito vector tolerance to arboviral infection.mosquitoes develop long-lasting viral infections without substantial deleterious effects, despite high viral loads. this makes mosquitoes efficient vectors for emerging viral diseases with enormous burden on public health. how mosquitoes resist and/or tolerate these viruses is poorly understood. here we show that two species of aedes mosquitoes infected with two arboviruses from distinct families (dengue or chikungunya) generate a viral-derived dna (vdna) that is essential for mosquito survival ...201627580708
transcriptional analysis of the adaptive digestive system of the migratory locust in response to plant defensive protease inhibitors.herbivorous insects evolved adaptive mechanisms to compensate for the presence of plant defensive protease inhibitors (pi) in their food. the underlying regulatory mechanisms of these compensatory responses remain largely elusive. in the current study, we investigated the initiation of this adaptive response in the migratory locust, locusta migratoria, via microarray analysis of gut tissues. four hours after dietary uptake of pis, 114 and 150 transcripts were respectively found up- or downregula ...201627581362
crygetter: a tool to automate retrieval and analysis of cry protein data.for many years, the use of chemical agents to control crop pests has been degrading the environment, bringing problems to humans and all living things. an alternative to deal with the pests is the use of biopesticides, biological agents capable of controlling these harmful organisms. one kind of biopesticide is bacillus thuringiensis, a gram-positive bacterium that synthesizes a protein that, when ingested by the pests, kills them and does not harm other species.201627578522
transcriptional differences between diapausing and non-diapausing d. montana females reared under the same photoperiod and temperature.a wide range of insects living at higher latitudes enter diapause at the end of the warm season, which increases their chances of survival through harsh winter conditions. in this study we used rna sequencing to identify genes involved in adult reproductive diapause in a northern fly species, drosophila montana. both diapausing and non-diapausing flies were reared under a critical day length and temperature, where about half of the emerging females enter diapause enabling us to eliminate the eff ...201627571415
the correlation between dengue incidence and diurnal ranges of temperature of colombo district, sri lanka 2005-2014.meteorological factors affect dengue transmission. mechanisms of the way in which different diurnal temperatures, ranging around different mean temperatures, influence dengue transmission were published after 2011.201627566717
developmental expression of ecdysone-related genes associated with metamorphic changes during midgut remodeling of silkworm bombyx mori (lepidoptera:bombycidae).steroid hormone 20-hydroxyecdysone is known as the systemic regulators of insect cells; however, how to impact the fate and function of mature and stem cells is unclear. for the first time, we report ecdysone regulatory cascades in both mature midgut cell and stem cell fractions related to developmental events by using histological, immunohistochemical, biochemical and gene expression analysis methods. ecdysone receptor-b1 (ecr-b1) and ultraspiracle 1 (usp-1) mrnas were detected mainly in mature ...201627620558
using wolbachia releases to estimate aedes aegypti (diptera: culicidae) population size and survival.mosquitoes carrying the endosymbiont bacterium wolbachia have been deployed in field trials as a biological control intervention due to wolbachia effects on reducing transmission of arboviruses. we performed mark, release and recapture (mrr) experiments using wolbachia as an internal marker with daily collections with bg-traps during the first two weeks of releases in rio de janeiro, brazil. the mrr design allowed us to investigate two critical parameters that determine whether wolbachia would s ...201627479050
dynamic spatiotemporal trends of imported dengue fever in australia.dengue fever (df) epidemics in australia are caused by infected international travellers and confined to northern queensland where competent vectors exist. recent analyses suggest that global trade and climate change could lead to the re-establishment of ae. aegypti across the country and promote the spread of dengue nationally. this study aimed to describe the dynamic spatiotemporal trends of imported df cases and their origins, identify the current and potential future high-risk regions and lo ...201627460696
opposing roles for dna replication initiator proteins orc1 and cdc6 in control of cyclin e gene transcription.newly born cells either continue to proliferate or exit the cell division cycle. this decision involves delaying expression of cyclin e that promotes dna replication. orc1, the origin recognition complex (orc) large subunit, is inherited into newly born cells after it binds to condensing chromosomes during the preceding mitosis. we demonstrate that orc1 represses cyclin e gene (ccne1) transcription, an e2f1 activated gene that is also repressed by the retinoblastoma (rb) protein. orc1 binds to r ...201627458800
additive effect of knockdown resistance mutations, s989p, v1016g and f1534c, in a heterozygous genotype conferring pyrethroid resistance in aedes aegypti in thailand.mutation in the voltage-gated sodium channel gene that results in knockdown resistance (kdr), is a major mechanism of pyrethroid resistance in several mosquito species. in aedes aegypti, v1016g (occurring with and without s989p) and f1534c mutations are common and widely distributed throughout asia. the g1016 allele is known to be associated with resistance to type i and ii pyrethroids. the c1534 allele is primarily associated with resistance to type i pyrethroids and is known to be a recessive ...201627460671
potential for extrinsic incubation temperature to alter interplay between transmission potential and mortality of dengue-infected aedes aegypti.the extrinsic incubation period is a critical component in the assessment of arboviral transmission potential. it defines the time it takes for a mosquito to become infectious following exposure to an arbovirus. since this is a temporal process, the lifespan of a mosquito is intimately tied to the extrinsic incubation period and thus transmission potential of these viruses. temperature is a known effector of both vector competence (the ability of a vector to transmit a pathogen) and mosquito mor ...201627478382
de novo assembly and characterization of the transcriptome of grasshopper shirakiacris shirakii.the grasshopper shirakiacris shirakii is an important agricultural pest and feeds mainly on gramineous plants, thereby causing economic damage to a wide range of crops. however, genomic information on this species is extremely limited thus far, and transcriptome data relevant to insecticide resistance and pest control are also not available.201627455245
lmcyp4g102: an oenocyte-specific cytochrome p450 gene required for cuticular waterproofing in the migratory locust, locusta migratoria.cytochrome p450 superfamily proteins play important roles in detoxification of xenobiotics and during physiological and developmental processes. to contribute to our understanding of this large gene family in insects, we have investigated the function of the cytochrome p450 gene lmcyp4g102 in the migratory locust locusta migratoria. suppression of lmcyp4g102 expression by rna interference (rnai) does not interfere with moulting but causes rapid loss of body weight - probably due to massive loss ...201627444410
identification of a diazinon-metabolizing glutathione s-transferase in the silkworm, bombyx mori.the glutathione s-transferase superfamily play key roles in the metabolism of numerous xenobiotics. we report herein the identification and characterization of a novel glutathione s-transferase in the silkworm, bombyx mori. the enzyme (bmgstu2) conjugates glutathione to 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene, as well as metabolizing diazinon, one of the organophosphate insecticides. quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis of transcripts demonstrated that bmgstu2 expression was ...201627440377
a transgenic approach for controlling lygus in cotton.lygus species of plant-feeding insects have emerged as economically important pests of cotton in the united states. these species are not controlled by commercial bacillus thuringiensis (bt) cotton varieties resulting in economic losses and increased application of insecticide. previously, a bt crystal protein (cry51aa2) was reported with insecticidal activity against lygus spp. however, transgenic cotton plants expressing this protein did not exhibit effective protection from lygus feeding dama ...201627426014
thymosin from bombyx mori is down-regulated in expression by bmnpv exhibiting antiviral activity.thymosins have been highly conserved during evolution. these hormones exist in many animal species and play an essential role in many biological events. however, little is known regarding the physiological function of silkworm bombyx mori thymosin (bmthy). in this study, we investigated the expression pattern of bmthy in a bombyx mori larval ovarian cell line (bmn) challenged with bombyx mori nuclear polyhydrosis virus (bmnpv) and the antiviral effect of recombinant bmthy (rbmthy) for bombyx mor ...201627432352
experiences with insecticide-treated curtains: a qualitative study in iquitos, peru.dengue is an arthropod-borne viral disease responsible for approximately 400 million infections annually; the only available method of prevention is vector control. it has been previously demonstrated that insecticide treated curtains (itcs) can lower dengue vector infestations in and around houses. as part of a larger trial examining whether itcs could reduce dengue transmission in iquitos, peru, the objective of this study was to characterize the participants' experience with the itcs using qu ...201627422403
rna encapsidation and packaging in the phleboviruses.the bunyaviridae represents the largest family of segmented rna viruses, which infect a staggering diversity of plants, animals, and insects. within the family bunyaviridae, the phlebovirus genus includes several important human and animal pathogens, including rift valley fever virus (rvfv), severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (sftsv), uukuniemi virus (uukv), and the sandfly fever viruses. the phleboviruses have small tripartite rna genomes that encode a repertoire of 5-7 proteins. ...201627428993
who is vulnerable to dengue fever? a community survey of the 2014 outbreak in guangzhou, china.unprecedented dengue fever (df) outbreaks impel china to develop useful disease control strategies. integrated vector management (ivm) focuses on identifying vulnerable populations and interrupting human-vector contact; however, vulnerable populations have not been clearly identified in china. we conducted a case-control study during the initial stage of the 2014 df outbreak in guangzhou, china to assess risk factors for df infection. cases were randomly sampled from the national notifiable infe ...201627428986
molecular characterization of an adiponectin receptor homolog in the white leg shrimp, litopenaeus vannamei.adiponectin (adipoq) and its receptors (adipors) are strongly related to growth and development of skeletal muscle, as well as glucose and lipid metabolism in vertebrates. herein we report the identification of the first full-length cdna encoding an adipor homolog (liv-adipor) from the decapod crustacean litopenaeus vannamei using a combination of next generation sequencing (ngs) technology and bioinformatics analysis. the full-length liv-adipor (1,245 bp) encoded a protein that exhibited the ca ...201627478708
competitive advantage of a dengue 4 virus when co-infecting the mosquito aedes aegypti with a dengue 1 virus.dengue viruses (denv) are comprised in four related serotypes (denv-1 to 4) and are critically important arboviral pathogens affecting human populations in the tropics. south american countries have seen the reemergence of denv since the 1970's associated with the progressive re-infestation by the mosquito vector, aedes aegypti. in french guiana, denv is now endemic with the co-circulation of different serotypes resulting in viral epidemics. between 2009 and 2010, a predominant serotype change o ...201627390932
epidemiological risk factors for adult dengue in singapore: an 8-year nested test negative case control study.understanding changes in the ecology and epidemiology of dengue is important to ensure resource intensive control programmes are targeted effectively as well as to inform future dengue vaccination strategies.201627390842
importance of mosquito "quasispecies" in selecting an epidemic arthropod-borne virus.most arthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses), perpetuated by alternation between a vertebrate host and an insect vector, are likely to emerge through minor genetic changes enabling the virus to adapt to new hosts. in the past decade, chikungunya virus (chikv; alphavirus, togaviridae) has emerged on la réunion island following the selection of a unique substitution in the chikv e1 envelope glycoprotein (e1-a226v) of an east-central-south african (ecsa) genotype conferring a higher transmission rate ...201627383735
gene expression analysis of overwintering mountain pine beetle larvae suggests multiple systems involved in overwintering stress, cold hardiness, and preparation for spring development.cold-induced mortality has historically been a key aspect of mountain pine beetle, dendroctonus ponderosae hopkins (coleoptera: curculionidae), population control, but little is known about the molecular basis for cold tolerance in this insect. we used rna-seq analysis to monitor gene expression patterns of mountain pine beetle larvae at four time points during their overwintering period-early-autumn, late-autumn, early-spring, and late-spring. changing transcript profiles over the winter indica ...201627441109
rapid and non-destructive detection and identification of two strains of wolbachia in aedes aegypti by near-infrared spectroscopy.the release of wolbachia infected mosquitoes is likely to form a key component of disease control strategies in the near future. we investigated the potential of using near-infrared spectroscopy (nirs) to simultaneously detect and identify two strains of wolbachia pipientis (wmelpop and wmel) in male and female laboratory-reared aedes aegypti mosquitoes. our aim is to find faster, cheaper alternatives for monitoring those releases than the molecular diagnostic techniques that are currently in us ...201627362709
neuroethology of olfactory-guided behavior and its potential application in the control of harmful insects.harmful insects include pests of crops and storage goods, and vectors of human and animal diseases. throughout their history, humans have been fighting them using diverse methods. the fairly recent development of synthetic chemical insecticides promised efficient crop and health protection at a relatively low cost. however, the negative effects of those insecticides on human health and the environment, as well as the development of insect resistance, have been fueling the search for alternative ...201627445858
seasonal and geographical variation of dengue vectors in narathiwat, south thailand.using gis-based land use map for the urban-rural division (the relative ratio of population density adjusted to relatively aedes-infested land area), we demonstrated significant independent observations of seasonal and geographical variation of aedes aegypti and aedes albopictus vectors between muang narathiwat district (urban setting) and neighbor districts (rural setting) of narathiwat, southern thailand, based on binomial distribution of aedes vectors in water-holding containers (water storag ...201627437001
modulation of the behavioral and electrical responses to the repellent deet elicited by the pre-exposure to the same compound in blattella germanica.insects under different stimuli from the environment modify behavioural responses due to changes in the sensitivity of neurons at the peripheral and/or at the central level of the nervous system. this phenomenon is called neuronal plasticity, and sensory adaptation is an example of it. an insect repellent is a chemical that produces oriented movements of the insects away from its source. in this work we studied the modulation of the behavioural and electrical response to the repellent n, n-dieth ...201627375967
analysis of the differentiation of kenyon cell subtypes using three mushroom body-preferential genes during metamorphosis in the honeybee (apis mellifera l.).the adult honeybee (apis mellifera l.) mushroom bodies (mbs, a higher center in the insect brain) comprise four subtypes of intrinsic neurons: the class-i large-, middle-, and small-type kenyon cells (lkcs, mkcs, and skcs, respectively), and class-ii kcs. analysis of the differentiation of kc subtypes during metamorphosis is important for the better understanding of the roles of kc subtypes related to the honeybee behaviors. in the present study, aiming at identifying marker genes for kc subtype ...201627351839
alarm variables for dengue outbreaks: a multi-centre study in asia and latin america.worldwide, dengue is an unrelenting economic and health burden. dengue outbreaks have become increasingly common, which place great strain on health infrastructure and services. early warning models could allow health systems and vector control programmes to respond more cost-effectively and efficiently.201627348752
genome-wide survey of gut fungi (harpellales) reveals the first horizontally transferred ubiquitin gene from a mosquito host.harpellales, an early-diverging fungal lineage, is associated with the digestive tracts of aquatic arthropod hosts. concurrent with the production and annotation of the first four harpellales genomes, we discovered that zancudomyces culisetae, one of the most widely distributed harpellales species, encodes an insect-like polyubiquitin chain. ubiquitin and ubiquitin-like proteins are universally involved in protein degradation and regulation of immune response in eukaryotic organisms. phylogeneti ...201627343289
limited specificity in the injury and infection priming against bacteria in aedes aegypti mosquitoes.injury and infection priming has been observed in several insect groups, reported as host immune protection against contact with a pathogen caused by a previous infection with the same. however, the specific response against a pathogen has not been demonstrated in all insect species. investigating the specific priming response in insects is important because their immune strategies probably reflect particular selective pressures exerted by different pathogens. here, we determined whether previou ...201627446016
mating-induced increase in germline stem cells via the neuroendocrine system in female drosophila.mating and gametogenesis are two essential components of animal reproduction. gametogenesis must be modulated by the need for gametes, yet little is known of how mating, a process that utilizes gametes, may modulate the process of gametogenesis. here, we report that mating stimulates female germline stem cell (gsc) proliferation in drosophila melanogaster. mating-induced increase in gsc number is not simply owing to the indirect effect of emission of stored eggs, but rather is stimulated by a ma ...201627310920
a cd36 ectodomain mediates insect pheromone detection via a putative tunnelling mechanism.cd36 transmembrane proteins have diverse roles in lipid uptake, cell adhesion and pathogen sensing. despite numerous in vitro studies, how they act in native cellular contexts is poorly understood. a drosophila cd36 homologue, sensory neuron membrane protein 1 (snmp1), was previously shown to facilitate detection of lipid-derived pheromones by their cognate receptors in olfactory cilia. here we investigate how snmp1 functions in vivo. structure-activity dissection demonstrates that snmp1's ectod ...201627302750
juvenile hormone regulation of female reproduction in the common bed bug, cimex lectularius.to begin studies on reproduction in common bed bug, cimex lectularius, we identified three genes coding for vitellogenin (vg, a protein required for the reproductive success of insects) and studied their hormonal regulation. rna interference studied showed that expression of vg3 gene in the adult females is a prerequisite for successful completion of embryogenesis in the eggs laid by them. juvenile hormone (jh) receptor, methoprene-tolerant (met), steroid receptor coactivator (src) and gataa but ...201627762340
rna interference in moths: mechanisms, applications, and progress.the vast majority of lepidopterans, about 90%, are moths. some moths, particularly their caterpillars, are major agricultural and forestry pests in many parts of the world. however, some other members of moths, such as the silkworm bombyx mori, are famous for their economic value. fire et al. in 1998 initially found that exogenous double-stranded rna (dsrna) can silence the homolog endogenous mrna in organisms, which is called rna interference (rnai). soon after, the rnai technique proved to be ...201627775569
identification of aedes aegypti long intergenic non-coding rnas and their association with wolbachia and dengue virus infection.long intergenic non-coding rnas (lincrnas) are appearing as an important class of regulatory rnas with a variety of biological functions. the aim of this study was to identify the lincrna profile in the dengue vector aedes aegypti and evaluate their potential role in host-pathogen interaction. the majority of previous rna-seq transcriptome studies in ae. aegypti have focused on the expression pattern of annotated protein coding genes under different biological conditions. here, we used 35 public ...201627760142
open questions: how does wolbachia do what it does?a common symbiont of insects, the bacterium wolbachia has been implicated in phenomena as diverse as sex determination, pathogen defence and speciation and is being used in public health programs to prevent mosquitoes transmitting disease. despite decades of research, we know remarkably little about how it exerts its effects.201627760540
perplexing metabolomes in fungal-insect trophic interactions: a terra incognita of mycobiocontrol mechanisms.the trophic interactions of entomopathogenic fungi in different ecological niches viz., soil, plants, or insect themselves are effectively regulated by their maneuvered metabolomes and the plethora of metabotypes. in this article, we discuss a holistic framework of co-evolutionary metabolomes and metabotypes to model the interactions of biocontrol fungi especially with mycosed insects. conventionally, the studies involving fungal biocontrol mechanisms are reported in the context of much aggrandi ...201627807434
cloning and expression of ecdysone receptor and retinoid x receptor from procambarus clarkii: induction by eyestalk ablation.ecdysone receptor and retinoid x receptor are key regulators in molting. here, full length ecdysone receptor (pcecr) and retinoid x receptor (pcrxr) cdnas from procambarus clarkii were cloned. full length cdna of pcecr has 2500 bp, encoding 576 amino acid proteins, and full length cdna of pcrxr has 2593 bp, in which a 15 bp and a 204 bp insert/deletion splice variant regions in dna binding domain and hinge domain were identified. the two splice variant regions in pcrxr result four isoforms: pcrx ...201627763563
morphological and transcriptomic analysis of a beetle chemosensory system reveals a gnathal olfactory center.the red flour beetle tribolium castaneum is an emerging insect model organism representing the largest insect order, coleoptera, which encompasses several serious agricultural and forest pests. despite the ecological and economic importance of beetles, most insect olfaction studies have so far focused on dipteran, lepidopteran, or hymenopteran systems.201627751175
bacillus thuringiensis cyt2aa2 toxin disrupts cell membranes by forming large protein aggregates.bacillus thuringiensis (bt) cyt2aa2 showed toxicity against dipteran insect larvae and in vitro lysis activity on several cells. it has potential applications in the biological control of insect larvae. although pore-forming and/or detergent-like mechanisms were proposed, the mechanism underlying cytolytic activity remains unclear. analysis of the haemolytic activity of cyt2aa2 with osmotic stabilizers revealed partial toxin inhibition, suggesting a distinctive mechanism from the putative pore f ...201627612497
haemocoel injection of pira1b1 to galleria mellonella larvae leads to disruption of the haemocyte immune functions.the bacterium photorhabdus luminescens produces a number of insecticidal proteins to kill its larval prey. in this study, we cloned the gene coding for a binary toxin pira1b1 and purified the recombinant protein using affinity chromatography combined with desalination technology. furthermore, the cytotoxicity of the recombinant protein against the haemocytes of galleria mellonella larvae was investigated. we found that the protein had haemocoel insecticidal activity against g. mellonella with an ...201627734915
time-lagging interplay effect and excess risk of meteorological/mosquito parameters and petrochemical gas explosion on dengue incidence.in kaohsiung, a metropolitan city in taiwan at high risk of dengue epidemic, weather factors combined with an accidental petrochemical gas explosion (pge) may affect mosquito‒human dynamics in 2014. generalized estimating equations with lagged-time poisson regression analyses were used to evaluate the effect of meteorological/mosquito parameters and pge on dengue incidences (2000-2014) in kaohsiung. increased minimum temperatures rendered a 2- and 3-month lagging interactive effect on higher den ...201627733774
expanding the knowledge on lignocellulolytic and redox enzymes of worker and soldier castes from the lower termite coptotermes gestroi.termites are considered one of the most efficient decomposers of lignocelluloses on earth due to their ability to produce, along with its microbial symbionts, a repertoire of carbohydrate-active enzymes (cazymes). recently, a set of pro-oxidant, antioxidant, and detoxification enzymes (pad) were also correlated with the metabolism of carbohydrates and lignin in termites. the lower termite coptotermes gestroi is considered the main urban pest in brazil, causing damage to wood constructions. recen ...201627790186
effects of a novel β-lapachone derivative on trypanosoma cruzi: parasite death involving apoptosis, autophagy and necrosis.natural products comprise valuable sources for new antiparasitic drugs. here we tested the effects of a novel β-lapachone derivative on trypanosoma cruzi parasite survival and proliferation and used microscopy and cytometry techniques to approach the mechanism(s) underlying parasite death. the selectivity index determination indicate that the compound trypanocidal activity was over ten-fold more cytotoxic to epimastigotes than to macrophages or splenocytes. scanning electron microscopy analysis ...201627770751
eukaryotic association module in phage wo genomes from wolbachia.viruses are trifurcated into eukaryotic, archaeal and bacterial categories. this domain-specific ecology underscores why eukaryotic viruses typically co-opt eukaryotic genes and bacteriophages commonly harbour bacterial genes. however, the presence of bacteriophages in obligate intracellular bacteria of eukaryotes may promote dna transfers between eukaryotes and bacteriophages. here we report a metagenomic analysis of purified bacteriophage wo particles of wolbachia and uncover a eukaryotic asso ...201627727237
infection with plasmodium berghei ookinetes alters protein expression in the brain of anopheles albimanus mosquitoes.the behaviour of anopheles spp. mosquitoes, vectors for plasmodium parasites, plays a crucial role in the propagation of malaria to humans. consequently, it is important to understand how the behaviour of these mosquitoes is influenced by the interaction between the brain and immunological status. the nervous system is intimately linked to the immune and endocrine systems. there is evidence that the malaria parasite alters the function of these systems upon infecting the mosquito. although there ...201627724938
darwin's finches treat their feathers with a natural repellent.darwin's finches are highly innovative. recently we recorded for the first time a behavioural innovation in darwin's finches outside the foraging context: individuals of four species rubbed leaves of the endemic tree psidium galapageium on their feathers. we hypothesised that this behaviour serves to repel ectoparasites and tested the repellency of p. galapageium leaf extracts against parasites that negatively affect the fitness of darwin's finches, namely mosquitoes and the invasive hematophago ...201627721475
transcriptome comparison analysis of ostrinia furnacalis in four developmental stages.the asian corn borer, ostrinia furnacalis, is one of the most destructive pests of maize and causes huge losses in maize yield each year. in order to characterize the different developmental stages, a high-throughput sequencing platform was employed to perform de novo transcriptome assembly and gene expression analysis for the egg, larva, pupa and adult stages. approximately 185 million reads were obtained, trimmed, and assembled into 42,638 unigenes with an average length of 801.94 bp and an n5 ...201627713521
glycoside hydrolases family 20 (gh20) represent putative virulence factors that are shared by animal pathogenic oomycetes, but are absent in phytopathogens.although interest in animal pathogenic oomycetes is increasing, the molecular basis mediating oomycete-animal relationships remains virtually unknown. crinkler (crn) genes, which have been traditionally associated with the cytotoxic activity displayed by plant pathogenic oomycetes, were recently detected in transcriptome sequences from the entomopathogenic oomycete lagenidium giganteum, suggesting that these genes may represent virulence factors conserved in both animal and plant pathogenic oomy ...201627716041
genetic analysis of aedes aegypti using random amplified polymorphic dna (rapd) markers from dengue outbreaks in pakistan.keeping in view the havoc situation of dengue fever in pakistan, the current study was designed to demonstrate the genetic variations, gene flow and rate of migration from lahore and faisalabad.201628032107
transcriptome response to elevated atmospheric co2 concentration in the formosan subterranean termite, coptotermes formosanus shiraki (isoptera: rhinotermitidae).carbon dioxide (co2) is a pervasive chemical stimulus that plays a critical role in insect life, eliciting behavioral and physiological responses across different species. high co2 concentration is a major feature of termite nests, which may be used as a cue for locating their nests. termites also survive under an elevated co2 concentration. however, the mechanism by which elevated co2 concentration influences gene expression in termites is poorly understood.201627761326
how social structures, space, and behaviors shape the spread of infectious diseases using chikungunya as a case study.whether an individual becomes infected in an infectious disease outbreak depends on many interconnected risk factors, which may relate to characteristics of the individual (e.g., age, sex), his or her close relatives (e.g., household members), or the wider community. studies monitoring individuals in households or schools have helped elucidate the determinants of transmission in small social structures due to advances in statistical modeling; but such an approach has so far largely failed to con ...201627821727
the epidemiological characteristics and dynamic transmission of dengue in china, 2013.there was a dengue epidemic in several regions of china in 2013. no study has explored the dynamics of dengue transmission between different geographical locations with dengue outbreaks in china. the purpose of the study is to analyze the epidemiological characteristics and to explore the dynamic transmission of dengue in china, 2013.201627820815
a cluster-randomized controlled trial to reduce diarrheal disease and dengue entomological risk factors in rural primary schools in colombia.as many neglected tropical diseases are co-endemic and have common risk factors, integrated control can efficiently reduce disease burden and relieve resource-strained public health budgets. diarrheal diseases and dengue fever are major global health problems sharing common risk factors in water storage containers. where provision of clean water is inadequate, water storage is crucial. fecal contamination of stored water is a common source of diarrheal illness, but stored water also provides bre ...201627820821
talen-mediated knock-in via non-homologous end joining in the crustacean daphnia magna.transcription activator-like effector nucleases (talens) are versatile tools that enable the insertion of dna into different organisms. here, we confirmed talen-mediated knock-in via non-homologous end joining in the crustacean daphnia magna, a model organism for ecological and toxicological genomics. we tested two different talens, ey1 talen and ey2 talen, both of which target the eyeless locus. the donor dna plasmid, harbouring the h2b-gfp reporter gene, was designed to contain both talen targ ...201627819301
oral delivery of dsrna by microbes: beyond pest control.rna interference (rnai) by oral delivery of dsrna in insects has great potential as a tool for integrated pest management (ipm), especially with respect to addressing the need to reduce off-target effect and slow down resistance development to chemical insecticides. employing the natural association existing between insect and yeast, we developed a novel method to enable the knock down of vital genes in the pest insect drosophila suzukii through oral delivery of species-specific dsrna using gene ...201628042376
host plant affects morphometric variation of diaphorina citri (hemiptera: liviidae).the asian citrus psyllid (acp), diaphorina citri kuwayama, is one of the most serious citrus pests worldwide due to its role as vector of huanglongbing or citrus greening disease. while some optimal plant species for acp oviposition and development have been identified, little is known of the influence of host plants on acp size and shape. our goal was to determine how size and shape of acp wing and body size varies when development occurs on different host plants in a controlled rearing environ ...201627833820
recombinase polymerase amplification assay for rapid detection of lumpy skin disease virus.lumpy skin disease virus (lsdv) is a capripoxvirus infecting cattle and buffalos. lumpy skin disease (lsd) leads to significant economic losses due to hide damage, reduction of milk production, mastitis, infertility and mortalities (10 %). early detection of the virus is crucial to start appropriate outbreak control measures. veterinarians rely on the presence of the characteristic clinical signs of lsd. laboratory diagnostics including virus isolation, sequencing and real-time polymerase chain ...201627806722
genome-wide analysis of differentially expressed microrna in bombyx mori infected with nucleopolyhedrosis virus.bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrosis virus (bmnpv) is a major pathogen that threatens the growth and sustainability of the sericulture industry. since micrornas (mirnas) have been shown to play important roles in host-pathogen interactions, in this study we investigated the effects of bmnpv infection on silkworm micrornas expression profile. to achieve this, we constructed and deep-sequenced two small rna libraries generated from bmnpv infected and un-infected larvae. the results revealed that 38 silk ...201627806111
the seminal fluid proteome of the polyandrous red junglefowl offers insights into the molecular basis of fertility, reproductive ageing and domestication.seminal fluid proteins (sfps) are emerging as fundamental contributors to sexual selection given their role in post-mating reproductive events, particularly in polyandrous species where the ejaculates of different males compete for fertilisation. sfp identification however remains taxonomically limited and little is known about avian sfps, despite extensive work on sexual selection in birds. we characterize the sf proteome of the polyandrous red junglefowl, gallus gallus, the wild species that g ...201627804984
turmeric powder and its derivatives from curcuma longa rhizomes: insecticidal effects on cabbage looper and the role of synergists.curcuma longa has well-known insecticidal and repellent effects on insect pests, but its impact on trichoplusia ni is unknown. in this study, the compound ar-turmerone, extracted and purified from c. longa rhizomes, was identified, and its insecticidal effects, along with turmeric powder, curcuminoid pigments and crude essential oil were evaluated against this important agricultural pest. the role of natural (sesamol and piperonal) and synthetic [piperonyl butoxide (pbo)] synergists under labora ...201627804972
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