Publications

repellency of essential oils extracted from plants in thailand against four mosquito vectors (diptera: culicidae) and oviposition deterrent effects against aedes aegypti (diptera: culicidae).	in this study we evaluated and reported repellent effects of essential oils from thai plants against 4 mosquito vectors: aedes aegypti, ae. albopictus, anopheles. dirus and culex quinquefasciatus under laboratory conditions using human volunteers. the essential oils were extracted from 18 plant species, belonging to 11 families, and the oils were then prepared as 10% solution in absolute ethanol with additives. two chemical repellents, deet and ir3535, were also prepared in the same formulation ...	2006	17333734
structure of the functional form of the mosquito larvicidal cry4aa toxin from bacillus thuringiensis at a 2.8-angstrom resolution.	the cry4aa delta-endotoxin from bacillus thuringiensis is toxic to larvae of culex, anopheles, and aedes mosquitoes, which are vectors of important human tropical diseases. with the objective of designing modified toxins with improved potency that could be used as biopesticides, we determined the structure of this toxin in its functional form at a resolution of 2.8 angstroms. like other cry delta-endotoxins, the activated cry4aa toxin consists of three globular domains, a seven-alpha-helix bundl ...	2006	16621834
observations on the exoerythrocytic stages of different isolates of plasmodium cynomolgi in hepatocytes of new world aotus and saimiri monkeys.	sporozoites of 3 isolates of plasmodium cynomolgi dissected from the salivary glands of anopheles dirus and anopheles quadrimaculatus were injected intravenously into 9 new world monkeys. liver stage parasites were demonstrated in all 9 animals; 7 of these animals also produced blood stages after prepatent periods of 9 to 23 days.	2006	16629341
a global assessment of closed forests, deforestation and malaria risk.	global environmental change is expected to affect profoundly the transmission of the parasites that cause human malaria. amongst the anthropogenic drivers of change, deforestation is arguably the most conspicuous, and its rate is projected to increase in the coming decades. the canonical epidemiological understanding is that deforestation increases malaria risk in africa and the americas and diminishes it in south-east asia. partial support for this position is provided here, through a systemati ...	2006	16630376
core set approach to reduce uncertainty of gene trees.	a genealogy based on gene sequences within a species plays an essential role in the estimation of the character, structure, and evolutionary history of that species. because intraspecific sequences are more closely related than interspecific ones, detailed information on the evolutionary process may be available by determining all the node sequences of trees and provide insight into functional constraints and adaptations. however, strong evolutionary correlations on a few lineages make this dete ...	2006	16712735
alternative splicing in concert with protein intrinsic disorder enables increased functional diversity in multicellular organisms.	alternative splicing of pre-mrna generates two or more protein isoforms from a single gene, thereby contributing to protein diversity. despite intensive efforts, an understanding of the protein structure-function implications of alternative splicing is still lacking. intrinsic disorder, which is a lack of equilibrium 3d structure under physiological conditions, may provide this understanding. intrinsic disorder is a common phenomenon, particularly in multicellular eukaryotes, and is responsible ...	2006	16717195
deployment of early diagnosis and mefloquine-artesunate treatment of falciparum malaria in thailand: the tak malaria initiative.	early diagnosis and treatment with artesunate-mefloquine combination therapy (mas) have reduced the transmission of falciparum malaria dramatically and halted the progression of mefloquine resistance in camps for displaced persons along the thai-burmese border, an area of low and seasonal transmission of multidrug-resistant plasmodium falciparum. we extended the same combination drug strategy to all other communities (estimated population 450,000) living in five border districts of tak province ...	2006	16719547
concomitant infections of plasmodium falciparum and wuchereria bancrofti on the kenyan coast.	anopheles gambiae s.l. and an. funestus are important vectors of malaria and bancroftian filariasis, which occur as co-endemic infections along the kenyan coast. however, little is known about the occurrence and prevalence of concomitant infections of the two diseases in mosquito and human populations in these areas. this study reports the prevalence of concomitant infections of plasmodium falciparum and wuchereria bancrofti in mosquito and human populations in jilore and shakahola villages in m ...	2006	16723020
transmission-blocking activities of quinine, primaquine, and artesunate.	the infectivity of plasmodium falciparum gametocytes after exposure in vitro to quinine, artesunate, and primaquine was assessed in anopheles dirus, a major vector of malaria in southeast asia. mature gametocytes (stage 5) of a thai isolate of p. falciparum were exposed to the drugs for 24 h in vitro before membrane feeding to a. dirus. after 10 days, the mosquito midguts were dissected and the oocysts were counted. in this system, artesunate showed the most potent transmission-blocking activity ...	2006	16723547
population dynamics of sporogony for plasmodium vivax parasites from western thailand developing within three species of colonized anopheles mosquitoes.	the population dynamics of plasmodium sporogony within mosquitoes consists of an early phase where parasite abundance decreases during the transition from gametocyte to oocyst, an intermediate phase where parasite abundance remains static as oocysts, and a later phase where parasite abundance increases during the release of progeny sporozoites from oocysts. sporogonic development is complete when sporozoites invade the mosquito salivary glands. the dynamics and efficiency of this developmental s ...	2006	16887043
is vector body size the key to reduced malaria transmission in the irrigated region of niono, mali?	malaria vectors can reach very high densities in villages near irrigated rice fields in africa, leading to the expectation that malaria should be especially prevalent there. surprisingly, this is not always the case. in niono, mali, villages from nonirrigated areas have higher malaria prevalence than those within the irrigated regions, which suffer from higher mosquito numbers. one hypothesis explaining this observation is that mosquitoes from irrigated fields with high densities are inefficient ...	2006	17017214
a glycine- and glutamate-rich protein is female salivary gland-specific and abundant in the malaria vector anopheles dirus b (diptera: culicidae).	before transmission, malaria parasites reside in the salivary glands of their female mosquito hosts. saliva proteins assist in blood feeding and also may influence the ability of mosquitoes to transmit malaria. we attempted to identify and isolate cdnas encoding proteins expressed at a high level in the salivary glands of a malaria vector, anopheles dirus b peyton and harrison (= an. cracens) (diptera: culicidae). a major protein with an estimated molecular mass of 35 kda and an isoelectric poin ...	2006	17017221
experimental infection of the neotropical malaria vector anopheles darlingi by human patient-derived plasmodium vivax in the peruvian amazon.	malaria transmission from humans to mosquitoes is modulated by human host immune factors. understanding mechanisms by which the human host response may impair parasite infectivity for mosquitoes has direct implications for the development of transmission-blocking vaccines. we hypothesized that despite a low transmission intensity of malaria in the peruvian amazon region of iquitos, transmission-blocking immunity against plasmodium vivax might be common, given an unexpectedly high proportion of a ...	2006	17038681
molecular characterization and species identification of the anopheles dirus and an. minimus complexes in north-east india using r-dna its-2.	the sibling species composition of the anopheles minimus and anopheles dirus complexes is poorly known in the highly malarious north-eastern region of india where these two vector taxa are accountable for most of the malaria transmission among 30.7 million inhabitants. prevalent members of these two complexes in this part of india were identified using sequences for the second internal transcribed spacer (its2) of ribosomal dna. anopheles baimaii (species d) of the an. dirus complex and an. mini ...	2006	17118324
genetic structures of geographically distinct plasmodium vivax populations assessed by pcr/rflp analysis of the merozoite surface protein 3beta gene.	the recent resurgence of plasmodium vivax malaria requires close epidemiological surveillance and monitoring of the circulating parasite populations. in this study, we developed a combination of polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism (pcr/rflp) method to investigate the genetic diversity of the p. vivax merozoite surface protein 3beta (pvmsp3beta) gene among four asian parasite populations representing both tropical and temperate strains with dramatic divergent re ...	2006	17129568
studies on sporozoite-induced and chronic infections with plasmodium fragile in macaca mulatta and new world monkeys.	plasmodium fragile continues to be investigated because of its biologic similarities to the human malaria parasite, plasmodium falciparum. two strains of p. fragile are available for study; one strain is able to infect mosquitoes, whereas the other strain is transmissible only by blood inoculation. the sri lanka strain of p. fragile was transmitted to macaca mulatta, macaca fascicularis, aotus lemurinus griseimembra, aotus nancymaae, aotus vociferans, and saimiri boliviensis monkeys via sporozoi ...	2006	17152944
impact of different strategies to control plasmodium infection and anaemia on the island of bioko (equatorial guinea).	on the island of bioko (equatorial guinea), insecticide-treated nets (itns) have been the main tool used to control malaria over the last 13 years. in 2004, started an indoor residual spraying (irs) campaign to control malaria. the purpose of this study is to asses the impact of the two control strategies on the island of bioko (equatorial guinea), with regards to plasmodium infection and anaemia in the children under five years of age.	2006	16460558
crystallization and preliminary x-ray crystallographic analysis of a highly stable mutant v107a of glutathione transferase from anopheles dirus in complex with glutathione.	an engineered mutant v107a of the dimeric glutathione transferase enzyme from anopheles dirus (adgstd4-4) was cocrystallized with glutathione substrate using the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method. the crystal diffracted to 2.47 a resolution in space group p3(2)21 (unit-cell parameters a = b = 49.4, c = 272.4 a). although the crystal morphology differed from that previously obtained for the wild-type enzyme, the crystal packing was the same. at 318 k, the engineered mutant showed an enzyme sta ...	2006	16511331
a novel chimeric plasmodium vivax circumsporozoite protein induces biologically functional antibodies that recognize both vk210 and vk247 sporozoites.	a successful vaccine against plasmodium vivax malaria would significantly improve the health and quality of the lives of more than 1 billion people around the world. a subunit vaccine is the only option in the absence of long-term culture of p. vivax parasites. the circumsporozoite protein that covers the surface of plasmodium sporozoites is one of the best-studied malarial antigens and the most promising vaccine in clinical trials. we report here the development of a novel "immunologically opti ...	2007	17158893
mosquitoes do senesce: departure from the paradigm of constant mortality.	although variation in mortality is considered by virtually all vector-borne disease specialists to be one of the most important determinants of an arthropod's capacity to transmit pathogens, the operational assumption often is that insect vector mortality is independent of age. acceptance of the non-senescence assumption leads to the erroneous conclusion that mosquito age is unimportant, results in misleading predictions regarding disease reductions after vector control, and represses study of o ...	2007	17255238
ethnoveterinary medicines used for ruminants in british columbia, canada.	the use of medicinal plants is an option for livestock farmers who are not allowed to use allopathic drugs under certified organic programs or cannot afford to use allopathic drugs for minor health problems of livestock.	2007	17324258
the anopheles dirus complex: spatial distribution and environmental drivers.	the anopheles dirus complex includes efficient malaria vectors of the asian forested zone. studies suggest ecological and biological differences between the species of the complex but variations within species suggest possible environmental influences. behavioural variation might determine vector capacity and adaptation to changing environment. it is thus necessary to clarify the species distributions and the influences of environment on behavioural heterogeneity.	2007	17341297
salivary gland proteins of the human malaria vector, anopheles dirus b (diptera: culicidae).	salivary gland proteins of the human malaria vector, anopheles dirus b were determined and analyzed. the amount of salivary gland proteins in mosquitoes aged between 3--10 days was approximately 1.08 +/- 0.04 microg/female and 0.1 +/- 0.05 microg/male. the salivary glands of both sexes displayed the same morphological organization as that of other anopheline mosquitoes. in females, apyrase accumulated in the distal regions, whereas alpha-glucosidase was found in the proximal region of the latera ...	2007	17384813
large-scale malaria survey in cambodia: novel insights on species distribution and risk factors.	in cambodia, estimates of the malaria burden rely on a public health information system that does not record cases occurring among remote populations, neither malaria cases treated in the private sector nor asymptomatic carriers. a global estimate of the current malaria situation and associated risk factors is, therefore, still lacking.	2007	17389041
plasmodium yoelii: contribution of oocysts melanization to natural refractoriness in anopheles dirus.	it is well known that anopheles dirus is naturally refractory to rodent malaria parasite, plasmodium yoelii, but the mechanism is still largely unknown. here, we found that some p. yoelii taken into an. dirus could develop into oocysts, but oocysts were partially melanized at 7 days and completely melanized at 15 days post-infectious blood meal. transmission electronic microscopy could find the melanized p. yoelii oocysts in an. dirus as early as 5 days post-infection, with a few haemocytes atta ...	2007	17416360
genomic and evolutionary analyses of tango transposons in aedes aegypti, anopheles gambiae and other mosquito species.	tango is a transposon of the tc1 family and was originally discovered in the african malaria mosquito, anopheles gambiae. here we report a systematic analysis of the genome sequence of the yellow fever mosquito, aedes aegypti, which uncovered three distinct tango transposons. we name the only an. gambiae tango transposon agtango1 and the three ae. aegypti tango elements aetango1-3. like agtango1, aetango1 and aetango2 elements both have members that retain characteristics of autonomous elements ...	2007	17506852
random amplified polymorphic dna (rapd) for differentiation between thai and myanmar strains of wuchereria bancrofti.	lymphatic filariasis (lf) is a mosquito-borne disease caused by mosquito-transmitted filarial nematodes, including wuchereria bancrofti and brugia malayi. the lymphatic filariasis elimination program in thailand has reduced the prevalence of nocturnally subperiodic w. bancrofti (thai strain), mainly transmitted by the ochlerotatus (aedes) niveus group in thailand to 0.57/100,000 population. however, it is estimated that more than one million myanmar migrants with high prevalence of bancroftian f ...	2007	17663780
a low-cost repellent for malaria vectors in the americas: results of two field trials in guatemala and peru.	the cost of mosquito repellents in latin america has discouraged their wider use among the poor. to address this problem, a low-cost repellent was developed that reduces the level of expensive repellent actives by combining them with inexpensive fixatives that appear to slow repellent evaporation. the chosen actives were a mixture of para-menthane-diol (pmd) and lemongrass oil (lg).	2007	17678537
transmission-blocking activity induced by malaria vaccine candidates pfs25/pvs25 is a direct and predictable function of antibody titer.	mosquito stage malaria vaccines are designed to induce an immune response in the human host that will block the parasite's growth in the mosquito and consequently block transmission of the parasite. a mosquito membrane-feeding assay (mfa) is used to test transmission-blocking activity (tba), but in this technique cannot accommodate many samples. a clear understanding of the relationship between antibody levels and tba may allow elisa determinations to be used to predict tba and assist in plannin ...	2007	17686163
prevalence of plasmodium falciparum in active conflict areas of eastern burma: a summary of cross-sectional data.	burma records the highest number of malaria deaths in southeast asia and may represent a reservoir of infection for its neighbors, but the burden of disease and magnitude of transmission among border populations of burma remains unknown.	2007	17803819
protection of rhesus monkeys by a dna prime/poxvirus boost malaria vaccine depends on optimal dna priming and inclusion of blood stage antigens.	we have previously described a four antigen malaria vaccine consisting of dna plasmids boosted by recombinant poxviruses which protects a high percentage of rhesus monkeys against plasmodium knowlesi (pk) malaria. this is a multi-stage vaccine that includes two pre-erythrocytic antigens, pkcsp and pkssp2(trap), and two erythrocytic antigens, pkama-1 and pkmsp-1(42kd). the present study reports three further experiments where we investigate the effects of dna dose, timing, and formulation. we als ...	2007	17957247
susceptibility of anopheles gambiae and anopheles stephensi to tropical isolates of plasmodium falciparum.	the susceptibility of anopheline mosquito species to plasmodium infection is known to be variable with some mosquitoes more permissive to infection than others. little work, however, has been carried out investigating the susceptibility of major malaria vectors to geographically diverse tropical isolates of plasmodium falciparum aside from examining the possibility of infection extending its range from tropical regions into more temperate zones.	2007	17958900
continuous exposure to plasmodium results in decreased susceptibility and transcriptomic divergence of the anopheles gambiae immune system.	plasmodium infection has been shown to compromise the fitness of the mosquito vector, reducing its fecundity and longevity. however, from an evolutionary perspective, the impact of plasmodium infection as a selective pressure on the mosquito is largely unknown.	2007	18053261
progression of plasmodium berghei through anopheles stephensi is density-dependent.	it is well documented that the density of plasmodium in its vertebrate host modulates the physiological response induced; this in turn regulates parasite survival and transmission. it is less clear that parasite density in the mosquito regulates survival and transmission of this important pathogen. numerous studies have described conversion rates of plasmodium from one life stage to the next within the mosquito, yet few have considered that these rates might vary with parasite density. here we e ...	2007	18166078
[genetic variation of anopheles dirus a and d (diptera:culicidae) in china: inferred by mtdna-co i gene sequences].	to interpret genetic variation and population structure of anopheles dirus a and d from china by molecular marker.	2007	18441986
dna methods for identification of chinese medicinal materials.	as adulterated and substituted chinese medicinal materials are common in the market, therapeutic effectiveness of such materials cannot be guaranteed. identification at species-, strain- and locality-levels, therefore, is required for quality assurance/control of chinese medicine. this review provides an informative introduction to dna methods for authentication of chinese medicinal materials. technical features and examples of the methods based on sequencing, hybridization and polymerase chain ...	2007	17803808
aromatic plant-derived essential oil: an alternative larvicide for mosquito control.	five aromatic plants, carum carvi (caraway), apium graveolens (celery), foeniculum vulgare (fennel), zanthoxylum limonella (mullilam) and curcuma zedoaria (zedoary) were selected for investigating larvicidal potential against mosquito vectors. two laboratory-reared mosquito species, anopheles dirus, the major malaria vector in thailand, and aedes aegypti, the main vector of dengue and dengue hemorrhagic fever in urban areas, were used. all of the volatile oils exerted significant larvicidal acti ...	2007	17337133
a procedure for identifying homologous alternative splicing events.	the study of the functional role of alternative splice isoforms of a gene is a very active area of research in biology. the difficulty of the experimental approach (in particular, in its high-throughput version) leaves ample room for the development of bioinformatics tools that can provide a useful first picture of the problem. among the possible approaches, one of the simplest is to follow classical protein function annotation protocols and annotate target alternative splice events with the inf ...	2007	17640387
microsatellite data suggest significant population structure and differentiation within the malaria vector anopheles darlingi in central and south america.	anopheles darlingi is the most important malaria vector in the neotropics. an understanding of a. darlingi's population structure and contemporary gene flow patterns is necessary if vector populations are to be successfully controlled. we assessed population genetic structure and levels of differentiation based on 1,376 samples from 31 localities throughout the peruvian and brazilian amazon and central america using 5-8 microsatellite loci.	2008	18366795
the insecticide resistance status of malaria vectors in the mekong region.	knowledge on insecticide resistance in target species is a basic requirement to guide insecticide use in malaria control programmes. malaria transmission in the mekong region is mainly concentrated in forested areas along the country borders, so that decisions on insecticide use should ideally be made at regional level. consequently, cross-country monitoring of insecticide resistance is indispensable to acquire comparable baseline data on insecticide resistance.	2008	18534006
access to artemisinin combination therapy for malaria in remote areas of cambodia.	malaria-endemic countries are switching antimalarial drug policy to artemisinin combination therapies (acts) and the global community are considering the setting up of a global subsidy mechanism in order to make them accessible and affordable. however, specific interventions may be needed to reach remote at-risk communities and to ensure that they are used appropriately. this analysis documents the coverage with acts versus artemisinin monotherapies, and the effectiveness of malaria outreach tea ...	2008	18510724
[artesunate in interrupting the transmission of plasmodium falciparum].	to observe the effect of artesunate (ats) on the infectivity of plasmodium falciparum gametocytes (pfg).	2008	19157297
flipping the paradigm on malaria transmission-blocking vaccines.	the idea of malaria transmission-blocking vaccines (tbvs) surfaced more than two decades ago. since then, the research paradigm focused on developing tbvs that target surface antigens of parasite sexual stages. only recently has an effort emerged that flipped this paradigm, targeting antigens of the parasite's obligate invertebrate vector, the anopheles mosquito. here, we review the current state of knowledge of mosquito-based tbvs and discuss the utility of this approach for future vaccine deve ...	2008	18599352
susceptibility of various mosquitoes of thailand to nocturnal subperiodic wuchereria bancrofti.	ten different mosquito species representing five genera were allowed to feed on human blood containing microfilariae (5.5-6.5 mf/microl) of nocturnal subperiodic wuchereria bancrofti from kanchanaburi province, thailand. aedes aegypti, aedes albopictus, aedes desmotes, downsiomyia species (=finlaya niveus group), culex quinquefasciatus, anopheles dirus a, an. maculatus, an. minimus, armigeres subalbatus, and mansonia uniformis were fed under laboratory conditions using an artificial membrane fee ...	2008	19263851
changing patterns of forest malaria among the mobile adult male population in chumkiri district, cambodia.	forest malaria remains a major problem in many parts of southeast asia and south america. in cambodia, where a significant reduction of malaria morbidity and mortality has been observed in the last 20 years, the forest malaria situation was studied in chumkiri district by analysing the available passive case detection data and conducting malariometric (n=1018) and questionnaire surveys (n=374) in four forest-fringe villages. there has been a decreasing trend of malaria incidence from 2001. plasm ...	2008	18471797
longitudinal study of plasmodium falciparum and plasmodium vivax in a karen population in thailand.	clinical case treatment of malaria infections where plasmodium falciparum and plasmodium vivax are sympatric has achieved effective reductions in p. falciparum prevalence and incidence rates, but has been less successful for p. vivax. the high transmissibility of p. vivax and its capacity to relapse have been suggested to make it a harder parasite species to control.	2008	18518964
control of mosquito vectors of tropical infectious diseases: (1) bioefficacy of mosquito coils containing several pyrethroids and a synergist.	the bioefficacy of mosquito coils containing several pyrethroids were tested in a 25 m3 room against culex pipiens quinquefasciatus, aedes aegypti and anopheles dirus. the test results were compared with tests against culex pipiens pallens in japan. based on the kt50 values (the 50% knockdown time) of mosquito coils containing dl, d-t80-allethrin, d, d-t-prallethrin and methoxymethyl-tetrafluorobenzyl tetramethyl-cyclopropanecarboxylate (k-3050) at doses of 0.05-0.5% (w/w) with or without a syne ...	2008	18567443
competency of anopheles stephensi mysorensis strain for plasmodium vivax and the role of inhibitory carbohydrates to block its sporogonic cycle.	despite the abundance of studies conducted on the role of mosquitoes in malaria transmission, the biology and interaction of plasmodium with its insect host still holds many mysteries. this paper provides the first study to follow the sporogonic cycle of plasmodium vivax in a wild insecticide-resistant mysorensis strain of anopheles stephensi, a major vector of vivax malaria in south-eastern iran. the study subsequently demonstrates that host-parasite sugar binding interactions are critical to t ...	2008	18627630
characterization of putative hydrophobic substrate binding site residues of a delta class glutathione transferase from anopheles dirus.	to date, investigations of the hydrophobic substrate site of the insect delta class glutathione transferase are limited in number. in the present study, putative hydrophobic site residues of adgstd4-4 have been proposed and characterized. these residues are gln-112, thr-174, phe-212, arg-214, tyr-215 and phe-216. it was found that gln-112 does not contribute significantly to the catalytic properties of adgstd4-4. arg-214, tyr-215 and phe-216 made contributions to catalytic properties and the rat ...	2008	18760991
catalytically active monomer of glutathione s-transferase pi and key residues involved in the electrostatic interaction between subunits.	human glutathione transferase pi (gst pi) has been crystallized as a homodimer, with a subunit molecular mass of approximately 23 kda; however, in solution the average molecular mass depends on protein concentration, approaching that of monomer at <0.03 mg/ml, concentrations typically used to measure catalytic activity of the enzyme. electrostatic interaction at the subunit interface greatly influences the dimer-monomer equilibrium of the enzyme and is an important force for holding subunits tog ...	2008	18796433
complex population history of two anopheles dirus mosquito species in southeast asia suggests the influence of pleistocene climate change rather than human-mediated effects.	anopheles dirus and anopheles baimaii are closely related species which feed on primates, particularly humans, and transmit malaria in the tropical forests of mainland southeast asia. here, we report an in-depth phylogeographic picture based on 269 individuals from 21 populations from mainland southeast asia. analysis of 1537 bp of mtdna sequence revealed that the population history of a. baimaii is far more complex than previously thought. an old expansion (pre-300 kyr bp) was inferred in north ...	2008	18800997
border malaria in china: knowledge and use of personal protection by minority populations and implications for malaria control: a questionnaire-based survey.	malaria control in remote, forested areas of the mekong region relies on personal protection from mosquito bites. uptake of these methods may be limited by knowledge of the link between mosquitoes and malaria as well as social and economic aspects. understanding barriers to uptake will inform malaria control programmes on targets for improvement of delivery.	2008	18828901
the unfoldomics decade: an update on intrinsically disordered proteins.	our first predictor of protein disorder was published just over a decade ago in the proceedings of the ieee international conference on neural networks (romero p, obradovic z, kissinger c, villafranca je, dunker ak (1997) identifying disordered regions in proteins from amino acid sequence. proceedings of the ieee international conference on neural networks, 1: 90-95). by now more than twenty other laboratory groups have joined the efforts to improve the prediction of protein disorder. while the ...	2008	18831774
forest malaria in central vietnam.	studies were conducted in a village in central vietnam to explain the existence of a forest malaria cycle of transmission external to the village. the findings suggested no malaria transmission in the village because of the absence of a suitable vector, but suggested evidence for transmission in villagers when attending garden plots in the forested hills surrounding the village. a sizeable population residing near these garden plots, the presence of anopheles dirus (a highly efficient vector), a ...	2008	18981498
crystallization and preliminary x-ray crystallographic studies of the rho-class glutathione s-transferase from the antarctic clam laternula elliptica.	glutathione s-transferases are involved in phase ii detoxification processes and catalyze the nucleophilic attack of the tripeptide glutathione on a wide range of endobiotic and xenobiotic electrophilic substrates. the rho-class glutathione s-transferase from laternula elliptica was overexpressed in escherichia coli, purified and crystallized with two substrates: glutathione and 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (cdnb). diffraction data were collected to 2.20 a resolution for the glutathione-complex c ...	2008	19052367
distribution of anopheles in vietnam, with particular attention to malaria vectors of the anopheles minimus complex.	the distribution of anopheline mosquitoes in vietnam was examined, with a particular interest for the two sibling species of the anopheles minimus complex (cellia: myzomyia), an. minimus and anopheles harrisoni, respectively former species a and c. because the morphological identification of both sibling species is difficult and may lead to misidentifications, accurate data on their respective distribution are missing. this is of fundamental importance since the two species seem to exhibit diffe ...	2008	18190697
malaria in central vietnam: analysis of risk factors by multivariate analysis and classification tree models.	in central vietnam, forest malaria remains difficult to control due to the complex interactions between human, vector and environmental factors.	2008	18234102
wheat germ cell-free system-based production of malaria proteins for discovery of novel vaccine candidates.	one of the major bottlenecks in malaria research has been the difficulty in recombinant protein expression. here, we report the application of the wheat germ cell-free system for the successful production of malaria proteins. for proof of principle, the pfs25, pfcsp, and pfama1 proteins were chosen. these genes contain very high a/t sequences and are also difficult to express as recombinant proteins. in our wheat germ cell-free system, native and codon-optimized versions of the pfs25 genes produ ...	2008	18268027
detection of malaria parasites in mosquitoes from the malaria-endemic area of chakaria, bangladesh.	malaria is one of the major public health problems of bangladesh. we investigated the mosquito populations infected with malaria parasites in a malaria-endemic area chakaria, bangladesh, where anopheles dirus and anopheles minimus are the principal vectors. anopheles mosquitoes were collected with a cdc miniature light trap from inside households in june 2007. a total of 868 mosquitoes were collected, among which females numbered 669 (77.1%). the species of female anopheles mosquitoes were ident ...	2008	18379066
expression of three serine protease genes from the south east asian malaria vector, anopheles dirus, in relation to blood feeding and parasite infection.	three serine protease cdna clones were isolated from anopheles dirus, a major vector of malaria in southeast asia. transcript abundance was examined following infection by plasmodium falciparum by rt-pcr analysis. serf3 exhibited increased transcript abundance in the whole body at 10 days post-infection with p. falciparum. all three genes are candidates for further investigation to determine their roles in mosquito immune responses.	2008	18395797
enhanced detection of gametocytes by magnetic deposition microscopy predicts higher potential for plasmodium falciparum transmission.	aggregated haemozoin crystals within malaria-infected erythrocytes confer susceptibility of parasitized cells to a magnetic field. here the utility of this method for diagnosis of human malaria is evaluated in a malaria-endemic region of papua new guinea (png).	2008	18439240
rapid decrease of malaria morbidity following the introduction of community-based monitoring in a rural area of central vietnam.	despite a successful control programme, malaria has not completely disappeared in vietnam; it remains endemic in remote areas of central vietnam, where standard control activities seem to be less effective. the evolution of malaria prevalence and incidence over two and half years in a rural area of central vietnam, after the introduction of community-based monitoring of malaria cases, is presented.	2009	19123932
malaria parasite invasion of the mosquito salivary gland requires interaction between the plasmodium trap and the anopheles saglin proteins.	sm1 is a twelve-amino-acid peptide that binds tightly to the anopheles salivary gland and inhibits its invasion by plasmodium sporozoites. by use of uv-crosslinking experiments between the peptide and its salivary gland target protein, we have identified the anopheles salivary protein, saglin, as the receptor for sm1. furthermore, by use of an anti-sm1 antibody, we have determined that the peptide is a mimotope of the plasmodium sporozoite thrombospondin related anonymous protein (trap). trap bi ...	2009	19148273
transmission of different strains of plasmodium cynomolgi to aotus nancymaae monkeys and relapse.	forty-four splenectomized aotus nancymaae monkeys were infected with 6 different strains of plasmodium cynomolgi, 11 via trophozoites and 33 via sporozoites. sporozoites from anopheles dirus, anopheles freeborni, anopheles gambiae, anopheles maculatus, and anopheles stephensi resulted in prepatent periods ranging from 9 to 39 days (median of 15 days). importantly, relapse was demonstrated in 5 of 5 sporozoite-induced infections with the rossan strain following treatment with chloroquine.	2009	18788885
residual effects of mossmann 100 (permethrin 10% ec) impregnated bed nets and its impact on malaria vectors and incidence of malaria.	the objective of this field trial was to assess the residual effectiveness of permethrin 10% treated mosquito nets on malaria control compared with untreated nets. the study was carried out between july and december 2007 in the pong nam ron district of chantaburi province, thailand. mosquito population densities were assessed using the landing catch method. mosquitoes were collected between 6:00 pm and 12:00 pm. residual effectiveness of the treated nets was assessed using standard who bioassay ...	2009	19323006
towards high-throughput molecular detection of plasmodium: new approaches and molecular markers.	several strategies are currently deployed in many countries in the tropics to strengthen malaria control toward malaria elimination. to measure the impact of any intervention, there is a need to detect malaria properly. mostly, decisions still rely on microscopy diagnosis. but sensitive diagnosis tools enabling to deal with a large number of samples are needed. the molecular detection approach offers a much higher sensitivity, and the flexibility to be automated and upgraded.	2009	19402894
plasmodium fieldi: observations on the hackeri and abi strains in macaca mulatta monkeys and mosquitoes.	macaca mulatta monkeys infected with the hackeri strain of plasmodium fieldi had maximum parasite counts ranging from 1,300 to 301,320/microl. in 43 intact animals infected with the abi strain, the maximum parasite counts ranged from 672 to 57,189/microl (median = 15,100/microl); in 46 splenectomized monkeys, the maximum parasite count ranged from 660 to 350,000/microl (median = 52,245/microl). transmission through anopheles dirus mosquitoes was obtained on 11 occasions with pre-patent periods o ...	2009	19407117
spatial and temporal distribution of falciparum malaria in china.	falciparum malaria is the most deadly among the four main types of human malaria. although great success has been achieved since the launch of the national malaria control programme in 1955, malaria remains a serious public health problem in china. this paper aimed to analyse the geographic distribution, demographic patterns and time trends of falciparum malaria in china.	2009	19523209
involvement of prophenoloxidases in the suppression of plasmodium yoelii development by anopheles dirus.	anopheles dirus is refractory to a rodent malaria parasite, plasmodium yoelii, and melanized oocysts are manifested in infected mosquitoes. prophenoloxidase (ppo) is a zymogen whose active form mediates melanotic encapsulation of invading pathogens in mosquitoes. in this study, we cloned cdna fragments of four an. dirus ppos, that are orthologs of anopheles gambiae ppo2, ppo4, ppo5 and ppo6. adppo4 expression in hemocytes was induced in response to p. yoelii infection. rna interference using dou ...	2009	19540233
resistance to therapies for infection by plasmodium vivax.	the gravity of the threat posed by vivax malaria to public health has been poorly appreciated. the widely held misperception of plasmodium vivax as being relatively infrequent, benign, and easily treated explains its nearly complete neglect across the range of biological and clinical research. recent evidence suggests a far higher and more-severe disease burden imposed by increasingly drug-resistant parasites. the two frontline therapies against vivax malaria, chloroquine and primaquine, may be ...	2009	19597012
genetic diversity and population structure of plasmodium falciparum in thailand, a low transmission country.	the population structure of the causative agents of human malaria, plasmodium sp., including the most serious agent plasmodium falciparum, depends on the local epidemiological and demographic situations, such as the incidence of infected people, the vector transmission intensity and migration of inhabitants (i.e. exchange between sites). analysing the structure of p. falciparum populations at a large scale, such as continents, or with markers that are subject to non-neutral selection, can lead t ...	2009	19602241
implementation of a novel pcr based method for detecting malaria parasites from naturally infected mosquitoes in papua new guinea.	detection of plasmodium species in mosquitoes is important for designing vector control studies. however, most of the pcr-based detection methods show some potential limitations. the objective of this study was to introduce an effective pcr-based method for detecting plasmodium vivax and plasmodium falciparum from the field-caught mosquitoes of papua new guinea.	2009	19646275
the tempo and mode of evolution of transposable elements as revealed by molecular phylogenies reconstructed from mosquito genomes.	although many mathematical models exist predicting the dynamics of transposable elements (tes), there is a lack of available empirical data to validate these models and inherent assumptions. genomes can provide a snapshot of several te families in a single organism, and these could have their demographics inferred by coalescent analysis, allowing for the testing of theories on te amplification dynamics. using the available genomes of the mosquitoes aedes aegypti and anopheles gambiae, we indicat ...	2009	19656180
sterile protection against plasmodium knowlesi in rhesus monkeys from a malaria vaccine: comparison of heterologous prime boost strategies.	using newer vaccine platforms which have been effective against malaria in rodent models, we tested five immunization regimens against plasmodium knowlesi in rhesus monkeys. all vaccines included the same four p. knowlesi antigens: the pre-erythrocytic antigens csp, ssp2, and erythrocytic antigens ama1, msp1. we used four vaccine platforms for prime or boost vaccinations: plasmids (dna), alphavirus replicons (vrp), attenuated adenovirus serotype 5 (ad), or attenuated poxvirus (pox). these four p ...	2009	19668343
anopheles dirus co-infection with human and monkey malaria parasites in vietnam.	the feasibility of identifying parasite dna and specific mrnas from wild-caught anopheles dirus mosquitoes was assessed using dried mosquito salivary glands preserved on filter paper. we were able to detect plasmodium falciparum, plasmodium vivax, plasmodium malariae and plasmodium knowlesi dna by conventional pcr and, furthermore, detected p. falciparum gametocyte-specific genes, pfg377 and pfs16 mrna, p. knowlesi circumsporozoite protein (csp) and sporozoite surface protein 2 (ssp2) mrna by re ...	2009	19703460
potential malaria reemergence, northeastern thailand.		2009	19751612
geographic information system (gis) maps and malaria control monitoring: intervention coverage and health outcome in distal villages of khammouane province, laos.	insecticide-treated nets (itns) are a key intervention to control malaria. the intervention coverage varies as a consequence of geographical accessibility to remote villages and limitations of financial and human resources for the intervention. people's adherence to the intervention, i.e., proper use of itns, also affects malaria health outcome. the study objective is to explore the impact of the intervention coverage and people's adherence to the intervention on malaria health outcome among tar ...	2009	19772628
widespread distribution of a newly found point mutation in voltage-gated sodium channel in pyrethroid-resistant aedes aegypti populations in vietnam.	resistance of aedes aegypti to photostable pyrethroid insecticides is a major problem for disease-vector control programs. pyrethroids target the voltage-gated sodium channel on the insects' neurons. single amino acid substitutions in this channel associated with pyrethroid resistance are one of the main factors that cause knockdown resistance in insects. although kdr has been observed in several mosquito species, point mutations in the para gene have not been fully characterized in ae. aegypti ...	2009	19806205
anopheles mortality is both age- and plasmodium-density dependent: implications for malaria transmission.	daily mortality is an important determinant of a vector's ability to transmit pathogens. original simplifying assumptions in malaria transmission models presume vector mortality is independent of age, infection status and parasite load. previous studies illustrate conflicting evidence as to the importance of plasmodium-induced vector mortality, but very few studies to date have considered the effect of infection density on mosquito survival.	2009	19822012
structures of yeast glutathione-s-transferase gtt2 reveal a new catalytic type of gst family.	glutathione-s-transferases (gsts) are ubiquitous detoxification enzymes that catalyse the conjugation of electrophilic substrates to glutathione. here, we present the crystal structures of gtt2, a gst of saccharomyces cerevisiae, in apo and two ligand-bound forms, at 2.23 a, 2.20 a and 2.10 a, respectively. although gtt2 has the overall structure of a gst, the absence of the classic catalytic essential residues--tyrosine, serine and cysteine--distinguishes it from all other cytosolic gsts of kno ...	2009	19851333
impact of insecticide-treated nets on wild pyrethroid resistant anopheles epiroticus population from southern vietnam tested in experimental huts.	in this study, the efficacy of insecticide-treated nets was evaluated in terms of deterrence, blood-feeding inhibition, induced exophily and mortality on a wild resistant population of anopheles epiroticus in southern vietnam, in order to gain insight into the operational consequences of the insecticide resistance observed in this malaria vector in the mekong delta.	2009	19874581
human plasmodium knowlesi infections in young children in central vietnam.	considering increasing reports on human infections by plasmodium knowlesi in southeast asian countries, blood samples collected during two large cross-sectional malariometric surveys carried out in a forested area of central vietnam in 2004 and 2005 were screened for this parasite.	2009	19878553
artemisinin-based combination therapies: a vital tool in efforts to eliminate malaria.	plasmodium falciparum resistance to chloroquine and sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine has led to the recent adoption of artemisinin-based combination therapies (acts) as the first line of treatment against malaria. acts comprise semisynthetic artemisinin derivatives paired with distinct chemical classes of longer acting drugs. these artemisinins are exceptionally potent against the pathogenic asexual blood stages of plasmodium parasites and also act on the transmissible sexual stages. these combination ...	2009	19881520
examining landscape factors influencing relative distribution of mosquito genera and frequency of virus infection.	mosquito-borne infections cause some of the most debilitating human diseases, including yellow fever and malaria, yet we lack an understanding of how disease risk scales with human-driven habitat changes. we present an approach to study variation in mosquito distribution and concomitant viral infections on the landscape level. in a pilot study we analyzed mosquito distribution along a 10-km transect of a west african rainforest area, which included primary forest, secondary forest, plantations, ...	2009	19915916
population structure analyses and demographic history of the malaria vector anopheles albimanus from the caribbean and the pacific regions of colombia.	anopheles albimanus is an important malaria vector in some areas throughout its distribution in the caribbean and the pacific regions of colombia, covering three biogeographic zones of the neotropical region, maracaibo, magdalena and chocó.	2009	19922672
purification and characterization of a small cationic protein from the tobacco hornworm manduca sexta.	the prophenoloxidase (propo) activation system is an important defense mechanism in arthropods, and activation of propo to active phenoloxidase (po) involves a serine proteinase cascade. here, we report the purification and characterization of a small cationic protein cp8 from the tobacco hornworm, manduca sexta, which can stimulate propo activation. blast search showed that manduca cp8 is similar to a fungal proteinase inhibitor-1 (amfpi-1), an inducible serine proteinase inhibitor-1 (ispi-1), ...	2009	19162182
seasonal abundance and bloodfeeding activity of anopheles dirus sensu lato in western thailand.	bloodfeeding activity, host preference, and seasonal abundance of the anopheles dirus complex in relation to environmental factors were measured during a 2-yr period at pu teuy village, sai yok district, kanchanaburi province, western thailand. anopheles dirus s.l. was found more abundant during the wet season compared with the dry and hot seasons. bloodfeeding by an. dirus s.l. commenced immediately after sunset with a distinct peak of activity at 2000 h. anopheles dirus s.l. fed more readily o ...	2009	20099588
absence of knockdown resistance suggests metabolic resistance in the main malaria vectors of the mekong region.	as insecticide resistance may jeopardize the successful malaria control programmes in the mekong region, a large investigation was previously conducted in the mekong countries to assess the susceptibility of the main malaria vectors against ddt and pyrethroid insecticides. it showed that the main vector, anopheles epiroticus, was highly pyrethroid-resistant in the mekong delta, whereas anopheles minimus sensu lato was pyrethroid-resistant in northern vietnam. anopheles dirus sensu stricto showed ...	2009	19400943
long-lasting insecticidal hammocks for controlling forest malaria: a community-based trial in a rural area of central vietnam.	in vietnam, malaria remains a problem in some remote areas located along its international borders and in the central highlands, partly due to the bionomics of the local vector, mainly found in forested areas and less vulnerable to standard control measures. long lasting insecticidal hammocks (llih), a tailored and user-friendly tool for forest workers, may further contribute in reducing the malaria burden. their effectiveness was tested in a large community-based intervention trial carried out ...	2009	19809502
the salivary gland transcriptome of the neotropical malaria vector anopheles darlingi reveals accelerated evolution of genes relevant to hematophagy.	mosquito saliva, consisting of a mixture of dozens of proteins affecting vertebrate hemostasis and having sugar digestive and antimicrobial properties, helps both blood and sugar meal feeding. culicine and anopheline mosquitoes diverged ~150 mya, and within the anophelines, the new world species diverged from those of the old world ~95 mya. while the sialotranscriptome (from the greek sialo, saliva) of several species of the cellia subgenus of anopheles has been described thoroughly, no detailed ...	2009	19178717
in vitro characterization and mosquito (aedes aegypti) repellent activity of essential-oils-loaded nanoemulsions.	the nanoemulsions composed of citronella oil, hairy basil oil, and vetiver oil with mean droplet sizes ranging from 150 to 220 nm were prepared and investigated both in vitro and in vivo. larger emulsion droplets (195-220 nm) shifted toward a smaller size (150-160 nm) after high-pressure homogenization and resulted in higher release rate. we proposed that thin films obtained from the nanoemulsions with smaller droplet size would have higher integrity, thus increasing the vaporization of essentia ...	2009	19862624
mitochondrial pseudogenes in the nuclear genome of aedes aegypti mosquitoes: implications for past and future population genetic studies.	mitochondrial dna (mtdna) is widely used in population genetic and phylogenetic studies in animals. however, such studies can generate misleading results if the species concerned contain nuclear copies of mtdna (numts) as these may amplify in addition to, or even instead of, the authentic target mtdna. the aim of this study was to determine if numts are present in aedes aegypti mosquitoes, to characterise any numts detected, and to assess the utility of using mtdna for population genetics studie ...	2009	19267896
interactions between age and itn use determine the risk of febrile malaria in children.	control measures which reduce individual exposure to malaria are expected to reduce disease, but also to eventually reduce immunity. reassuringly, long term data following community wide itn distribution show sustained benefits at a population level. however, the more common practice in sub-saharan africa is to target itn distribution on young children. there are few data on the long term outcomes of this practice.	2009	20037643
pathways to malaria persistence in remote central vietnam: a mixed-method study of health care and the community.	there is increasing interest in underlying socio-cultural, economic, environmental and health-system influences on the persistence of malaria. vietnam is a mekong regional 'success story' after dramatic declines in malaria incidence following introduction of a national control program providing free bed-nets, diagnosis and treatment. malaria has largely retreated to pockets near international borders in central vietnam, where it remains a burden particularly among impoverished ethnic minorities. ...	2009	19309519
scanning electron microscopy of the cibarial armature of species in the anopheles dirus complex (diptera: culicidae).	the structure of the cibarial armature of mosquitoes has been found to be useful for taxonomic identification. we used a scanning electron micrograph to examine the cibarial armature of 4 of 5 species in the anopheles dirus complex existing in thailand: anopheles dirus peyton & harrison, and an. cracens sallum & peyton, an. scanloni sallum & peyton, and an. baimaii sallum & peyton. in all species examined, there was only 1 row of large teeth or cones (modes = 12) characteristic of the neomyzomyi ...	2009	19842377
inter-specific gene flow dynamics during the pleistocene-dated speciation of forest-dependent mosquitoes in southeast asia.	tropical forests have undergone repeated fragmentation and expansion during pleistocene glacial and interglacial periods, respectively. the effects of this repeated forest fragmentation in driving vicariance in tropical taxa have been well studied. however, relatively little is known about how often this process results in allopatric speciation, since it may be inhibited by recurrent gene flow during repeated secondary contact, or to what extent pleistocene-dated speciation results from ecologic ...	2010	20444081
investigating homology between proteins using energetic profiles.	accumulated experimental observations demonstrate that protein stability is often preserved upon conservative point mutation. in contrast, less is known about the effects of large sequence or structure changes on the stability of a particular fold. almost completely unknown is the degree to which stability of different regions of a protein is generally preserved throughout evolution. in this work, these questions are addressed through thermodynamic analysis of a large representative sample of pr ...	2010	20361049
late pleistocene environmental changes lead to unstable demography and population divergence of anopheles albimanus in the northern neotropics.	we investigated the historical demography of anopheles albimanus using mosquitoes from five countries and three different dna regions, the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit i gene (coi), the single copy nuclear white gene and the ribosomal internal transcribed spacer two (its2). all the molecular markers supported the taxonomic status of a single species of an. albimanus. furthermore, agreement between the coi and the white genes suggested a scenario of pleistocene geographic fragmentatio ...	2010	20888924
partial mitochondrial dna sequences suggest the existence of a cryptic species within the leucosphyrus group of the genus anopheles (diptera: culicidae), forest malaria vectors, in northern vietnam.	during the last decade, southeast asian countries have been very successful in reducing the burden of malaria. however, malaria remains endemic in these countries, especially in remote and forested areas. the leucosphyrus group of the genus anopheles harbors the most important malaria vectors in forested areas of southeast asia. in vietnam, previous molecular studies have resulted in the identification of only anopheles dirus sensu stricto (previously known as an. dirus species a) among the leuc ...	2010	20433694
assessing the quality of service of village malaria workers to strengthen community-based malaria control in cambodia.	malaria continues to be a major public health problem in remote forested areas in cambodia. as a national strategy to strengthen community-based malaria control, the cambodian government has been running the village malaria worker (vmw) project since 2001. this study sought to examine the nature and quality of the vmws' services.	2010	20412600