Publications

the harmonic convergence of fathers predicts the mating success of sons in aedes aegypti.	during courtship males often communicate information about their fitness to females. the matching of harmonic components of flight tone in male-female pairs of flying mosquitoes, or harmonic convergence, was recently described. this behaviour occurs prior to mating and has been suggested to function in mate selection. we investigated the hypothesis that harmonic convergence is a component of mosquito courtship. a key prediction of this hypothesis is that harmonic convergence should provide infor ...	22003255
dengue infection: an emerging cause of neuromuscular weakness.		22346179
hemoperitoneum in dengue fever with normal coagulation profile.	a 43-year-old male living in bengaluru sought emergency services due to high-grade fever, headache, myalgia, abdominal pain and distension. platelet count (except the first-96,000/mm(3)) and coagulation profile was in normal limits. the dengue serology was positive for igm and ig g (immunoglobulin m and g) antibodies. ultrasound abdomen showed gross ascites, mild bilateral pleural effusion and hepatosplenomegaly. the patient continued to have abdominal pain and progressive distention ascitic tap ...	23599615
the phospholipase c isozymes and their regulation.	the physiological effects of many extracellular neurotransmitters, hormones, growth factors, and other stimuli are mediated by receptor-promoted activation of phospholipase c (plc) and consequential activation of inositol lipid signaling pathways. these signaling responses include the classically described conversion of phosphatidylinositol(4,5)p(2) to the ca(2+)-mobilizing second messenger inositol(1,4,5)p(3) and the protein kinase c-activating second messenger diacylglycerol as well as alterat ...	22403074
dengue antibodies in blood donors.	dengue is an urban arbovirus whose etiologic agent is a virus of the genus flavorius with four distinct antigen serotypes (denv-1, denv-2, denv-3 and denv-4) that is transmitted to humans through the bite of the mosquito aedes aegypti. the campo mourão region in brazil is endemic for dengue fever. obtective: the aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of igg and igm antibodies specific to the four serotypes of dengue in donors of the blood donor service in the city of campo mourão.	23049418
microsatellite-based parentage analysis of aedes aegypti (diptera: culicidae) using nonlethal dna sampling.	to track aedes aegypti (l.) egg-laying behavior in the field in iquitos, peru, we developed methods for 1) sampling dna from live mosquitoes and 2) high through-put parentage analysis using microsatellite markers. we were able to amplify dna extracted from a single hind leg, but not from the pupal exuvia. removal of a leg from teneral females caused no significant changes in female behavioral or life history traits (e.g., longevity, blood feeding frequency, fecundity, egg hatch rate, gonotrophic ...	22308775
daily newspaper view of dengue fever epidemic, athens, greece, 1927-1931.	during the late summers of 1927 and 1928, a biphasic dengue epidemic affected the athens, greece, metropolitan area; >90% of the population became sick, and >1,000 persons (1,553 in the entire country) died. this epidemic was the most recent and most serious dengue fever epidemic in europe. review of all articles published by one of the most influential greek daily newspapers (i kathimerini) during the epidemic and the years that followed it did not shed light on the controversy about whether th ...	22257469
factors associated with dengue mortality in latin america and the caribbean, 1995-2009: an ecological study.	in this study, we aimed to estimate the effect that environmental, demographic, and socioeconomic factors have on dengue mortality in latin america and the caribbean. to that end, we conducted an observational ecological study, analyzing data collected between 1995 and 2009. dengue mortality rates were highest in the caribbean (spanish-speaking and non-spanish-speaking). multivariate analysis through poisson regression revealed that the following factors were independently associated with dengue ...	22302870
anopheles nf-κb-regulated splicing factors direct pathogen-specific repertoires of the hypervariable pattern recognition receptor agdscam.	insects rely on innate immune responses controlled by the immune deficiency (imd), toll, and other immune signaling pathways to combat infection by a broad spectrum of pathogens. these pathways signal to downstream nf-κb family transcription factors that control specific antipathogen action via direct transcriptional control of immune effectors, hematopoiesis, and melanization. here we show that in the anopheles malaria vector, imd and toll pathways mediate species-specific defenses against plas ...	23084919
shotgun analysis on the peritrophic membrane of the silkworm bombyx mori.	the insect midgut epithelium is generally lined with a unique chitin and protein structure, the peritrophic membrane (pm), which facilitates food digestion and protects the gut epithelium. we used gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry to identify the extracted proteins from the silkworm pm to obtain an in-depth understanding of the biological function of the silkworm pm components. a total of 305 proteins, with molecular weights ranging from 8.02 kda to 788.52 kda and the isoelectric points ...	23187007
studies on the post-oviposition blood-feeding behaviour of aedes aegypti (l.) (diptera: culicidae) in the laboratory.	the blood-feeding behaviour of the trinidad strain of aedes aegypti was studied, under laboratory conditions, using one female per cage and monitoring blood feeding immediately, 12, and 24 hours after oviposition. to get large numbers of females that had newly completed their first gonotrophic cycle, the diel oviposition periodicity was conducted using single females per cage and monitoring at 2-hour intervals. the diel oviposition periodicity showed a small morning peak (8%) during the first 2 ...	23265613
silencing of the hsf gene, the transcriptional regulator of a. gambiae male accessory glands, inhibits the formation of the mating plug in mated females and disrupts their monogamous behaviour.	discovering the molecular factors that shape the mating behaviour and the fertility of the mosquito anopheles gambiae, the principal vector of human malaria, is regarded as critical to better understand its reproductive success as well as for identifying new leads for malaria control measures. in a. gambiae mating induces complex behavioural and physiological changes in the females, including refractoriness to subsequent mating and induction of egg-laying. in other insects including drosophila a ...	23265612
efficacy of three formulations of diflubenzuron, an insect growth regulator, against culex quinquefasciatus say, the vector of bancroftian filariasis in india.	insect growth regulators (igrs) offer alternatives to conventional chemical larvicides that pose problem of resistance and environmental safety. however, only a limited number of igrs have been approved for use in mosquito control. in the present study, two new formulations of the igr diflubenzuron, 2 per cent granular (gr) and 2 per cent tablet (dt) were tested for its efficacy against culex quinquefasciatus, in comparison to its 25 per cent wettable powder (wp) formulation.	23287125
need for an efficient adult trap for the surveillance of dengue vectors.	the emergence and re-emergence of arboviral diseases transmitted by aedes aegypti and ae. albopictus continue to be a major threat in the tropics and subtropics. associations between currently used indices and dengue transmission have not been proven to be satisfactorily predictive of dengue epidemics. classical larval indices in dengue surveillance have limited use in assessing transmission risk and are a poor proxy for measuring adult emergence. besides, collection of larval indices is labour ...	23287120
seroprevalence of antibodies against chikungunya, dengue, and rift valley fever viruses after febrile illness outbreak, madagascar.	in october 2009, two-3 months after an outbreak of a febrile disease with joint pain on the eastern coast of madagascar, we assessed serologic markers for chikungunya virus (chikv), dengue virus (denv), and rift valley fever virus (rvfv) in 1,244 pregnant women at 6 locations. in 2 eastern coast towns, igg seroprevalence against chikv was 45% and 23%; igm seroprevalence was 28% and 5%. igg seroprevalence against denv was 17% and 11%. no anti-denv igm was detected. at 4 locations, 450-1,300 m hig ...	23092548
sources of dengue viruses imported into queensland, australia, 2002-2010.	to assess risk for importation of dengue virus (denv) into queensland, australia, and sources of imported viruses, we sequenced the envelope region of denv isolates from symptomatic patients with a history of travel during 2002-2010. the number of imported dengue cases greatly increased over the surveillance period, some of which were associated with domestic outbreaks. patients reported traveling to (in order) asia, papua new guinea, pacific island countries, and non-asia-pacific countries. by ...	23092682
mathematical models as aids for design and development of experiments: the case of transgenic mosquitoes.	we demonstrate the utility of models as aids in the design and development of experiments aimed at measuring the effects of proposed vector population control strategies. we describe the exploration of a stochastic, age-structured model that simulates field cage experiments that test the ability of a female-killing strain of the mosquito aedes aegypti (l.) to suppress a wild-type population. model output predicts that choices of release ratio and population size can impact mean extinction time a ...	23270145
gene flow networks among american aedes aegypti populations.	the mosquito aedes aegypti, the dengue virus vector, has spread throughout the tropics in historical times. while this suggests man-mediated dispersal, estimating contemporary connectivity among populations has remained elusive. here, we use a large mtdna dataset and a bayesian coalescent framework to test a set of hypotheses about gene flow among american ae. aegypti populations. we assessed gene flow patterns at the continental and subregional (amazon basin) scales. for the americas, our data ...	23144654
pyrethroid resistance in aedes aegypti and aedes albopictus from port-au-prince, haiti.	in port-au-prince, haiti, the status of insecticide resistance has not recently been evaluated for aedes aegypti (l) and aedes albopictus (skuse) populations. no prophylactics exist for dengue, so prevention is only through vector control methods. an earthquake occurred in haiti on january 12, 2010, with a magnitude of 7.0 mw that devastated the area. dengue became a major concern for the humanitarian relief workers that entered the country. bottle bioassays were conducted in the field on adult ...	23181855
lessons from malaria control to help meet the rising challenge of dengue.	achievements in malaria control could inform efforts to control the increasing global burden of dengue. better methods for quantifying dengue endemicity-equivalent to parasite prevalence surveys and endemicity mapping used for malaria-would help target resources, monitor progress, and advocate for investment in dengue prevention. success in controlling malaria has been attributed to widespread implementation of interventions with proven efficacy. an improved evidence base is needed for large-sca ...	23174383
application of eco-friendly tools and eco-bio-social strategies to control dengue vectors in urban and peri-urban settings in thailand.	dengue is considered one of the most important vector-borne diseases in thailand. its incidence is increasing despite routine implementation of national dengue control programmes. this study, conducted during 2010, aimed to demonstrate an application of integrated, community-based, eco-bio-social strategies in combination with locally-produced eco-friendly vector control tools in the dengue control programme, emphasizing urban and peri-urban settings in eastern thailand.	23318236
community mobilization and household level waste management for dengue vector control in gampaha district of sri lanka; an intervention study.	waste management through community mobilization to reduce breeding places at household level could be an effective and sustainable dengue vector control strategy in areas where vector breeding takes place in small discarded water containers. the objective of this study was to assess the validity of this assumption.	23318240
introduction.		23318233
community-based control of aedes aegypti by adoption of eco-health methods in chennai city, india.	dengue is highly endemic in chennai city, south india, in spite of continuous vector control efforts. this intervention study was aimed at establishing the efficacy as well as the favouring and limiting factors relating to a community-based environmental intervention package to control the dengue vector aedes aegypti.	23318241
estimating dengue vector abundance in the wet and dry season: implications for targeted vector control in urban and peri-urban asia.	research has shown that the classical stegomyia indices (or "larval indices") of the dengue vector aedes aegypti reflect the absence or presence of the vector but do not provide accurate measures of adult mosquito density. in contrast, pupal indices as collected in pupal productivity surveys are a much better proxy indicator for adult vector abundance. however, it is unknown when it is most optimal to conduct pupal productivity surveys, in the wet or in the dry season or in both, to inform contr ...	23318235
eco-bio-social research on dengue in asia: a multicountry study on ecosystem and community-based approaches for the control of dengue vectors in urban and peri-urban asia.	this article provides an overview of methods and cross-site insights of a 5-year research and capacity building initiative conducted between 2006 and 2011 in six countries of south asia (india, sri lanka) and south-east asia (indonesia, myanmar, philippines, thailand).the initiative managed an interdisciplinary investigation of ecological, biological, and social (i.e., eco-bio-social) dimensions of dengue in urban and peri-urban areas, and developed community-based interventions aimed at reducin ...	23318234
genetically modified insects as a public health tool: discussing the different bio-objectification within genetic strategies.		23275331
roles of pkc and phospho-adducin in transepithelial fluid secretion by malpighian tubules of the yellow fever mosquito.	the diuretic hormone aedeskinin-iii is known to increase the paracellular cl(-) conductance in malpighian (renal) tubules of the mosquito aedes aegypti via a g protein-coupled receptor. the increase serves the blood-meal-initiated diuresis and is associated with elevated levels of ca(2+) and phosphorylated adducin in the cytosol of tubule. in the present study we have cloned adducin in aedes malpighian tubules and investigated its physiological roles. immunolabeling experiments are consistent wi ...	24062972
development associated profiling of chitinase and microrna of helicoverpa armigera identified chitinase repressive microrna.	expression of chitinase is developmentally regulated in insects in consonance with their molting process. during the larval-larval metamorphosis in helicoverpa armigera, chitinase gene expression varies from high to negligible. in the five-day metamorphic course of fifth-instar larvae, chitinase transcript is least abundant on third day and maximal on fifth day. microrna library prepared from these highest and lowest chitinase-expressing larval stages resulted in isolation of several mirnas. in ...	23887392
promoting health and advancing development through improved housing in low-income settings.	there is major untapped potential to improve health in low-income communities through improved housing design, fittings, materials and construction. adverse effects on health from inadequate housing can occur through a range of mechanisms, both direct and indirect, including as a result of extreme weather, household air pollution, injuries or burns, the ingress of disease vectors and lack of clean water and sanitation. collaborative action between public health professionals and those involved i ...	23271143
papaya, dengue fever and ayurveda.		24501439
seroprevalence of chikungunya in southern odisha.	the emergence of chikungunya (chik) infection was observed in odisha, india in 2006. thereafter many cases with symptoms suggestive of chik were reported from different districts of southern-odisha. this study was aimed to know the seroprevalence, clinical presentations and seasonal trends of chik infection in this region.	24479040
effects of the botanical insecticide, toosendanin, on blood digestion and egg production by female aedes aegypti (diptera: culicidae): topical application and ingestion.	botanical insecticides offer novel chemistries and actions that may provide effective mosquito control. toosendanin (tsn, 95% purity) is one such insecticide used to control crop pests in china, and in this study, it was evaluated for lethal and sublethal effects on larvae and females of the yellowfever mosquito, aedes aegypti (l.). tsn was very toxic to first instar larvae after a 24 h exposure (lc50 = 60.8 microg/ml) and to adult females up to 96 h after topical treatment (ld50 = 4.3 microg/fe ...	23427659
oral delivery of double-stranded rna in larvae of the yellow fever mosquito, aedes aegypti: implications for pest mosquito control.	rna interference has already proven itself to be a highly versatile molecular biology tool for understanding gene function in a limited number of insect species, but its widespread use in other species will be dependent on the development of easier methods of double-stranded rna (dsrna) delivery. this study demonstrates that rna interference can be induced in the mosquito aedes aegypti l. (diptera: culicidae) simply by soaking larvae in a solution of dsrna for two hours. the mrna transcripts for ...	24224468
mutually exclusive splicing of the insect dscam pre-mrna directed by competing intronic rna secondary structures.	drosophila dscam encodes 38,016 distinct axon guidance receptors through the mutually exclusive alternative splicing of 95 variable exons. importantly, known mechanisms that ensure the mutually exclusive splicing of pairs of exons cannot explain this phenomenon in dscam. i have identified two classes of conserved elements in the dscam exon 6 cluster, which contains 48 alternative exons--the docking site, located in the intron downstream of constitutive exon 5, and the selector sequences, which a ...	16213213
females use self-referent cues to avoid mating with previous mates.	females of many species mate repeatedly throughout their lives, often with many different males (polyandry). females can secure genetic benefits by maximizing their diversity of mating partners, and might be expected, therefore, to forego matings with previous partners in favour of novel males. indeed, a female preference for novel mating partners has been shown in several taxa, but the mechanism by which females distinguish between novel males and previous mates remains unknown. we show that fe ...	16271971
cloning and expression analysis of the bombyx mori α-amylase gene (amy) from the indigenous thai silkworm strain, nanglai.	α-amylase is a common enzyme for hydrolyzing starch. in the silkworm, bombyx mori l. (lepidoptera: bombycidae), α-amylase is found in both digestive fluid and hemolymph. here, the complete genomic sequence of the amy gene encoding α-amylase from a local thai silkworm, the nanglai strain, was obtained. this gene was 7981 bp long with 9 exons. the full length amy cdna sequence was 1749 bp containing a 1503 bp open reading frame. the orf encoded 500 amino acid residues. the deduced protein showed 8 ...	21529256
identification, characterization and structure of a new delta class glutathione transferase isoenzyme.	the insect gst (glutathione transferase) supergene family encodes a varied group of proteins belonging to at least six individual classes. interest in insect gsts has focused on their role in conferring insecticide resistance. previously from the mosquito malaria vector anopheles dirus, two genes encoding five delta class gsts have been characterized for structural as well as enzyme activities. we have obtained a new delta class gst gene and isoenzyme from a. dirus, which we name adgstd5-5. the ...	15717864
influence of spatial heterogeneity on an emerging infectious disease: the case of dengue epidemics.	the importance of spatial heterogeneity and spatial scales (at a village or neighbourhood scale) has been explored with individual-based models. our reasoning is based on the chilean easter island (ei) case, where a first dengue epidemic occurred in 2002 among the relatively small population localized in one village. even in this simple situation, the real epidemic is not consistent with homogeneous models. conversely, including contact heterogeneity on different scales (intra-households, inter- ...	16024379
persistent emergence of dengue.		15898171
public health as an international problem: 1944.		22676498
advances in developing a climate based dengue outbreak models in dhaka, bangladesh: challenges & opportunities.		22885257
discrete pulses of molting hormone, 20-hydroxyecdysone, during late larval development of drosophila melanogaster: correlations with changes in gene activity.	periodic pulses of the insect steroid molting hormone 20-hydroxyecdysone (20e), acting via its nuclear receptor complex (ecr/usp), control gene expression at many stages throughout drosophila development. however, during the last larval instar of some lepidopteran insects, subtle changes in titers of ecdysteroids have been documented, including the so-called "commitment peak." this small elevation of 20e reprograms the larva for metamorphosis to the pupa. similar periods of ecdysteroid immunorea ...	16273522
the drosophila microrna iab-4 causes a dominant homeotic transformation of halteres to wings.	the drosophila bithorax complex encodes three well-characterized homeodomain proteins that direct segment identity, as well as several noncoding rnas of unknown function. here, we analyze the iab-4 locus, which produces the micrornas iab-4-5p and iab-4-3p. iab-4 is analogous to mir-196 in vertebrate hox clusters. previous studies demonstrate that mir-196 interacts with the hoxb8 3' untranslated region. evidence is presented that mir-iab-4-5p directly inhibits ubx activity in vivo. ectopic expres ...	16357215
light on the moth-eye corneal nipple array of butterflies.	the outer surface of the facet lenses in the compound eyes of moths consists of an array of excessive cuticular protuberances, termed corneal nipples. we have investigated the moth-eye corneal nipple array of the facet lenses of 19 diurnal butterfly species by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscope, as well as by optical modelling. the nipples appeared to be arranged in domains with almost crystalline, hexagonal packing. the nipple distances we ...	16608684
condition-specific competition in container mosquitoes: the role of noncompeting life-history stages.	condition-specific competition, wherein competitive superiority varies with the abiotic environment, can determine species' distributions in a spatially heterogeneous environment. we investigated this phenomenon with two competing container-dwelling mosquitoes. we tested the hypothesis that habitat drying alters the outcome of interspecific competition, predicting that the competitive impact of aedes albopictus on aedes aegypti would be severe in wetter environments, but greatly reduced in drier ...	17450188
ecoepidemiologia del dengue: relevancia de dos vectores invasores.		25284912
characterization of cry2-type genes of bacillus thuringiensis strains from soilisolated of sichuan basin, china.	sichuan basin, situated in the west of china, is the fourth biggest basin in china. in order to describe a systematic study of the cry2-type genes resources from bacillus thuringiensis strains of sichuan basin, a total of 791 bacillus thuringiensis strains have been screened from 2650 soil samples in different ecological regions. the method of pcr-restriction fragment length polymorphism (pcr-rflp) was used to identify the type of cry2 genes. the results showed that 322 bacillus thuringiensis st ...	24031615
bilateral premacular subhyaloid hemorrhage in dengue fever.		22454709
sampling considerations for designing aedes aegypti (diptera:culicidae) oviposition studies in iquitos, peru: substrate preference, diurnal periodicity, and gonotrophic cycle length.	when devising methods to sample aedes aegypti (l.) eggs from naturally-occurring containers to investigate selective oviposition, failure to take into account certain aspects of ae. aegypti behavior can bias study inferences. in iquitos, peru, we tested three assumptions related to designing ae. aegypti oviposition field studies, as follows: 1) lining containers with paper as an oviposition substrate does not affect oviposition; 2) diurnal egg-laying activity peaks in the late afternoon or early ...	21337947
differential selection within the drosophila retinal determination network and evidence for functional divergence between paralog pairs.	the retinal determination (rd) network in drosophila comprises 14 known nuclear proteins that include dna-binding proteins, transcriptional coactivators, kinases, and phosphatases. the composition of the network varies considerably throughout the animal kingdom, with the network in several basal insects having fewer members and with vertebrates having potentially significantly higher numbers of rd genes. one important contributing factor for the variation in gene number within the network is gen ...	21210943
proteome changes in the plasma of pieris rapae parasitized by the endoparasitoid wasp pteromalus puparum.	parasitism by the endoparasitoid wasp pteromalus puparum causes alterations in the plasma proteins of pieris rapae. analysis of plasma proteins using a proteomic approach showed that seven proteins were differentially expressed in the host pupae after 24-h parasitism. they were masquerade-like serine proteinase homolog (msph), enolase (eno), bilin-binding protein (bbp), imaginal disc growth factor (idgf), ornithine decarboxylase (odc), cellular retinoic acid binding protein (crabp), and one unkn ...	21265041
prevalence of chikungunya in urban field practice area of a private medical college, chennai.	the outbreak of chikungunya in india started during december 2005 with more than 11,00,000 cases. many cases with symptoms suggestive of chikungunya reported to our urban health-training centre. hence this study was done to estimate the prevalence of chikungunya, to study the common treatment-seeking behavior, control measures and the sequalae of chikungunya by follow-up.	21976797
visceral leishmaniasis in far western nepal: another case and concerns about a new area of endemicity.		21363996
male mating history and body size influence female fecundity and longevity of the dengue vector aedes aegypti.	male reproductive success is dependent on insemination success and reproductive output. during mating, male mosquitoes transfer not just sperm, but also seminal fluid proteins that may have profound effects on mated female biology and behavior. in this study, we investigated the role of male body size and mating history on semen depletion, female longevity, and reproductive success in aedes aegypti l. small and large males were mated in rapid succession with up to five females. our results indic ...	21485355
infection dynamics of western equine encephalomyelitis virus (togaviridae: alphavirus) in four strains of culex tarsalis (diptera: culicidae): an immunocytochemical study.	background: vector competence describes the efficiency with which vector arthropods become infected with and transmit pathogens and depends on interactions between pathogen and arthropod genetics as well as environmental factors. for arbovirus transmission, the female mosquito ingests viremic blood, the virus infects and replicates in midgut cells, escapes from the midgut, and disseminates to other tissues, including the salivary glands. virus-laden saliva is then injected into a new host. for t ...	22629118
the poly(a) polymerase gld2 is required for spermatogenesis in drosophila melanogaster.	the dna of a developing sperm is normally inaccessible for transcription for part of spermatogenesis in many animals. in drosophila melanogaster, many transcripts needed for late spermatid differentiation are synthesized in pre-meiotic spermatocytes, but are not translated until later stages. thus, post-transcriptional control mechanisms are required to decouple transcription and translation during spermatogenesis. in the female germline, developing germ cells accomplish similar decoupling throu ...	21427144
upward trend in dengue incidence among hospitalized patients, united states.	international travel and a global expansion of dengue fever have the potential to increase the incidence of dengue in the united states. we conducted a retrospective cohort analysis of trends in dengue among hospitalized patients by using the national inpatient sample (2000-2007); the number of cases more than tripled (p<0.0001).	21529411
the cost of routine aedes aegypti control and of insecticide-treated curtain implementation.	insecticide-treated curtains (itcs) are promoted for controlling the dengue vector aedes aegypti. we assessed the cost of the routine aedes control program (racp) and the cost of itc implementation through the racp and health committees in venezuela and through health volunteers in thailand. the yearly cost of the racp per household amounted to us$2.14 and $1.89, respectively. the itc implementation cost over three times more, depending on the channel used. in venezuela the racp was the most eff ...	21540384
the mysterious multi-modal repellency of deet.	deet is the most effective insect repellent available and has been widely used for more than half a century. here, i review what is known about the olfactory and contact mechanisms of deet repellency. for mosquitoes, deet has at least two molecular targets: odorant receptors (ors) mediate the effect of deet at a distance, while unknown chemoreceptors mediate repellency upon contact. additionally, the ionotropic receptor ir40a has recently been identified as a putative deet chemosensor in drosoph ...	26252744
draft genome sequence of bacillus thuringiensis 147, a brazilian strain with high insecticidal activity.	bacillus thuringiensis is a ubiquitous gram-positive and sporulating bacterium. its crystals and secreted toxins are useful tools against larvae of diverse insect orders and, as a consequence, an alternative to recalcitrant chemical insecticides. we report here the draft genome sequence of b. thuringiensis147, a strain isolated from brazil and with high insecticidal activity. the assembled genome contained 6,167,994 bp and was distributed in seven replicons (a chromosome and 6 plasmids). we iden ...	26517667
satyrization without evidence of successful insemination from interspecific mating between invasive mosquitoes.	previous research has documented low frequencies of interspecific mating in nature between the invasive vectors aedes aegypti and aedes albopictus. it is also known that heterospecific male accessory gland substances transferred during mating sterilize a. aegypti but not a. albopictus females, leading to satyrization, a form of reproductive interference. this paper demonstrates that satyrization of a. aegypti by a. albopictus may occur without evidence of successful insemination. our results sho ...	26382076
inhibitor designing, virtual screening, and docking studies for methyltransferase: a potential target against dengue virus.	aim of this work was to design and identify some s-adenosyl-l-homocysteine (sah) analogs as inhibitors of s-adenosyl-l-methionine-dependent methyltransferase (mtase) protein using computational approaches.	27413346
it's time for doctors to speak out on climate change.		22135506
cell surface changes in the egg at fertilization.	an egg changes dramatically at fertilization. these changes include its developmental potential, its physiology, its gene expression profile, and its cell surface. this review highlights the changes in the cell surface of the egg that occur in response to sperm. these changes include modifications to the extracellular matrix, to the plasma membrane, and to the secretory vesicles whose contents direct many of these events. in some species, these changes occur within minutes of fertilization, and ...	19658159
chikungunya fever - epidemic in rural maharashtra.		20165644
racing against time against zika.		27489331
the efficacy of some commercially available insect repellents for aedes aegypti (diptera: culicidae) and aedes albopictus (diptera: culicidae).	reducing the number of host-vector interactions is an effective way to reduce the spread of vector-borne diseases. repellents are widely used to protect humans from a variety of protozoans, viruses, and nematodes. deet (n,n-diethyl-meta-toluamide), a safe and effective repellent, was developed during world war ii. fear of possible side effects of deet has created a large market for "natural" deet-free repellents with a variety of active ingredients. we present a comparative study on the efficacy ...	26443777
big city, small world: density, contact rates, and transmission of dengue across pakistan.	macroscopic descriptions of populations commonly assume that encounters between individuals are well mixed; i.e. each individual has an equal chance of coming into contact with any other individual. relaxing this assumption can be challenging though, due to the difficulty of acquiring detailed knowledge about the non-random nature of encounters. here, we fitted a mathematical model of dengue virus transmission to spatial time-series data from pakistan and compared maximum-likelihood estimates of ...	26468065
promising new tools to fight aedes mosquitoes.	two new tools for suppressing aedes aegypti mosquito populations have been recommended for pilot testing. carefully designed trials will be needed to see whether they actually reduce disease as well. andréia azevedo soares reports.	27516632
clip-domain serine proteases as immune factors in insect hemolymph.	clip proteases are non-digestive serine proteases present in hemolymph of insects and other arthropods. they are composed of one or more amino-terminal clip domains followed by a linker sequence and a carboxyl-terminal s1a family serine protease domain. the genes for clip proteases have evolved as four clades (clipa, clipb, clipc, clipd), each present as multigene families in insect genomes. clip proteases in hemolymph function in innate immune responses. these include proteolytic activation of ...	26688791
nutritional control of insect reproduction.	the amino acid-target of rapamycin (aa/tor) and insulin pathways play a pivotal role in reproduction of female insects, serving as regulatory checkpoints that guarantee the sufficiency of nutrients for developing eggs. being evolutionary older, the aa/tor pathway functions as an initial nutritional sensor that not only activates nutritional responses in a tissue-specific manner, but is also involved in the control of insect insulin-like peptides (ilps) secretion. insulin and aa/tor pathways also ...	26644995
repellant and insecticidal activities of shyobunone and isoshyobunone derived from the essential oil of acorus calamus rhizomes.	it was found that the essential oil of acorus calamus rhizomes showed insecticidal activity.	26600710
modelling, simulation and social network data: what's new for public health and epidemiology informatics?		26293870
[dengue and chikungunya vector control: is it necessary to re-examine present strategies?].		26849689
vaccine-preventable diseases in humanitarian emergencies among refugee and internally-displaced populations.	humanitarian emergencies may result in breakdown of regular health services including routine vaccination programs. displaced populations including refugees and internally displaced persons are particularly susceptible to outbreaks of communicable diseases such as vaccine-preventable diseases (vpds). common vpds encountered in humanitarian emergencies include measles, polio, and depending on geographical location, meningococcal meningitis, yellow fever, hepatitis a, and cholera. we conducted a r ...	26406333
aedes aegypti mosquitoes imported into the netherlands, 2010.	during summer 2010, aedes aegypti mosquitoes were discovered in the netherlands. using genetic markers, we tracked the origin of these mosquitoes to a tire shipment from miami, florida, usa. surveillance of tire exports from the united states should be included as part of a comprehensive surveillance system.	22172498
spatial stability of adult aedes aegypti populations.	vector control programs could be more efficient by identifying the location of highly productive sites of aedes aegypti. this study explored if the number of female adults of ae. aegypti in bg-sentinel traps was clustered and if their spatial distribution changed in time in two neighborhoods in san juan, puerto rico. traps were uniformly distributed across each neighborhood (130 m from each other), and samples were taken every 3 weeks. global and local spatial autocorrelations were explored. spa ...	22144449
the monarch butterfly genome yields insights into long-distance migration.	we present the draft 273 mb genome of the migratory monarch butterfly (danaus plexippus) and a set of 16,866 protein-coding genes. orthology properties suggest that the lepidoptera are the fastest evolving insect order yet examined. compared to the silkmoth bombyx mori, the monarch genome shares prominent similarity in orthology content, microsynteny, and protein family sizes. the monarch genome reveals a vertebrate-like opsin whose existence in insects is widespread; a full repertoire of molecu ...	22118469
distinct intracellular motifs of delta mediate its ubiquitylation and activation by mindbomb1 and neuralized.	dsl proteins are transmembrane ligands of the notch receptor. they associate with a ring (really interesting new gene) family e3 ubiquitin ligase, either neuralized (neur) or mindbomb 1 (mib1), as a prerequisite to signaling. although neur and mib1 stimulate internalization of dsl ligands, it is not known how ubiquitylation contributes to signaling. we present a molecular dissection of the intracellular domain (icd) of drosophila melanogaster delta (dl), a prototype dsl protein. using a cell-bas ...	22162135
lessons from studying insect symbioses.	as in mammals, insect health is strongly influenced by the composition and activities of resident microorganisms. however, the microbiota of insects is generally less diverse than that of mammals, allowing microbial function in insects to be coupled to individual, identified microbial species. this trait of insect symbioses facilitates our understanding of the mechanisms that promote insect-microbial coexistence and the processes by which the microbiota affect insect well-being. as a result, ins ...	22018236
evaluation of the who classification of dengue disease severity during an epidemic in 2011 in the state of ceará, brazil.	in 2009, the world health organization (who) issued a new guideline that stratifies dengue-affected patients into severe (sd) and non-severe dengue (nsd) (with or without warning signs). to evaluate the new recommendations, we completed a retrospective cross-sectional study of the dengue haemorrhagic fever (dhf) cases reported during an outbreak in 2011 in northeastern brazil. we investigated 84 suspected dhf patients, including 45 (53.6%) males and 39 (46.4%) females. the ages of the patients r ...	24626308
characterization of lipophorin receptor (lpr) mediating the binding of high density lipophorin (hdlp) in the silkworm, bombyx mori.	in an earlier report, we described the gene encoding a lipophorin receptor (lpr) of the silkworm, bombyx mori l. (lepidoptera: bombycidae), and recombinant expression of the protein. the present study was performed to characterize the corresponding native bmlpr and its binding characteristics. polyclonal anti-lpr antibody prepared against the cloned receptor fragment from the cytoplasmic domain specifically detected the receptor. through immunoblotting, ovary and brain membrane protein samples o ...	22236107
cdna cloning and expression pattern of homolog of alpha subunit of platelet-activating factor acetylhydrolase ib from the chinese oak silkworm, antheraea pernyi.	platelet-activating factor acetylhydrolase (paf-ah) is an enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of platelet-activating factor (paf). a homolog of alpha subunit of paf-ah(ib) from antheraea pernyi (guérin-méneville) (lepidoptera: saturniidae) (appafahibα) was isolated and characterized. the obtained cdna sequence was 1843 base pairs (bp) long with an open reading frame (ore) of 678 bp encoding 225 amino acids. the predicted amino acid sequence shared several conserved features of paf-ahs of other ...	22224584
new approaches to the inhibition of replication of viral pathogens.	this meeting was a special symposium sponsored by the american society for biochemistry and molecular biology. the conference was held in gangzhou, china on 24-26 july 2011 and shared a venue with the society of chinese bioscientists in america thirteenth international symposium. over 150 participants from the americas, europe, asia and australia attended the meeting. this article focuses on two areas of research in which there have been exciting developments that have application to the develop ...	22029515
genetics and morphology of aedes aegypti (diptera: culicidae) in septic tanks in puerto rico.	dengue viruses, primarily transmitted by the mosquito aedes aegypti (l.), affect an estimated 50-100 million people yearly. traditional approaches to control mosquito population numbers, such as the use of pesticides, have had only limited success. atypical mosquito behavior may be one reason why current vector control efforts have been less efficacious than expected. in puerto rico, for example, adult ae. aegypti have been observed emerging from septic tanks. interestingly, adults emerging from ...	22238867
aedes albopictus mosquitoes, yucatan peninsula, mexico.		22377491
wedding fever: fever in the returning traveler. diagnosis: dengue fever.		23851538
complementary chimeric isoforms reveal dscam1 binding specificity in vivo.	dscam1 potentially encodes 19,008 ectodomains of a cell recognition molecule of the immunoglobulin (ig) superfamily through alternative splicing. each ectodomain, comprising a unique combination of three variable (ig) domains, exhibits isoform-specific homophilic binding in vitro. although we have proposed that the ability of dscam1 isoforms to distinguish between one another is crucial for neural circuit assembly, via a process called self-avoidance, whether recognition specificity is essential ...	22542180
a dynamic paracellular pathway serves diuresis in mosquito malpighian tubules.	female mosquitoes gorge on vertebrate blood, a rich nutrient source for developing eggs, but gorging meals increase the risk of predation. mosquitoes are quick to reduce the flight payload with a potent diuresis. diuretic peptides of the insect kinin family induce a tenfold reduction in the paracellular resistance of malpighian tubules and increase the paracellular permeation of cl(-), the counterion of the transepithelial secretion of na(+) and k(+). as a result, the transepithelial secretion o ...	22731730
evidence of polyandry for aedes aegypti in semifield enclosures.	female aedes aegypti are assumed to be primarily monandrous (i.e., mate only once in their lifetime), but true estimates of mating frequency have not been determined outside the laboratory. to assess polyandry in ae. aegypti with first-generation progeny from wild mosquitoes, stable isotope semen-labeled males ((15)n or (13)c) were allowed to mate with unlabeled females in semifield enclosures (22.5 m(3)) in a dengue-endemic area in southern mexico. on average, 14% of females were positive for b ...	22492148
proteome of aedes aegypti in response to infection and coinfection with microsporidian parasites.	hosts are frequently infected with more than one parasite or pathogen at any one time, but little is known as to how they respond to multiple immune challenges compared to those involving single infections. we investigated the proteome of aedes aegypti larvae following infection with either edhazardia aedis or vavraia culicis, and coinfections involving both. they are both obligate intracellular parasites belonging to the phylum microsporidia and infect natural populations of ae. aegypti. the re ...	22837817
knockdown resistance, rdl alleles, and the annual entomological inoculation rate of wild mosquito populations from lower moshi, northern tanzania.	understanding vector behavioral response due to ecological factors is important in the control of disease vectors. this study was conducted to determine the knockdown resistance (kdr) alleles, dieldrin resistance alleles, and entomological inoculation rates (eirs) of malaria vectors in lower moshi irrigation schemes for the mitigation of disease transmission.	22754247
dengue and us military operations from the spanish-american war through today.	dengue is a major cause of illness among travelers and a threat to military troops operating in areas to which it is endemic. before and during world war ii, dengue frequently occurred in us military personnel in asia and the south pacific. from the 1960s into the 1990s, dengue often occurred in us troops in vietnam, the philippines, somalia, and haiti. we found attack rates as high as 80% and periods of convalescence up to 3-1/2 weeks beyond the acute illness. the increase in dengue throughout ...	22469290
whole-genome sequence of wolbachia strain walbb, an endosymbiont of tiger mosquito vector aedes albopictus.	although bacteria of the genus wolbachia induced significant extended phenotypes to infected hosts, most molecular mechanisms involved are still unknown. to gain insight into the bacterial genetic determinants, we sequenced the whole genome of wolbachia walbb strain, a commensal obligate intracellular of the tiger mosquito aedes albopictus.	22408242
gene expression profiling in the thiamethoxam resistant and susceptible b-biotype sweetpotato whitefly, bemisia tabaci.	thiamethoxam has been used as a major insecticide to control the b-biotype sweetpotato whitefly, bemisia tabaci (gennadius) (hemiptera: aleyrodidae). due to its excessive use, a high level of resistance to thiamethoxam has developed worldwide over the past several years. to better understand the molecular mechanisms underlying this resistance in b. tabaci, gene profiles between the thiamethoxam-resistant and thiamethoxam-susceptible strains were investigated using the suppression subtractive hyb ...	22957505
evolution of bmp signaling in drosophila oogenesis: a receptor-based mechanism.	the bone morphogenetic protein (bmp) signaling pathway is a conserved regulator of cellular and developmental processes in animals. the mechanisms underlying bmp signaling activation differ among tissues and mostly reflect changes in the expression of pathway components. bmp signaling is one of the major pathways responsible for the patterning of the drosophila eggshell, a complex structure derived from a layer of follicle cells (fcs) surrounding the developing oocyte. activation of bmp signalin ...	22768927
community-based control of aedes aegypti by using mesocyclops in southern vietnam.	we previously reported a new community-based mosquito control strategy that resulted in elimination of aedes aegypti (linn.) in 40 of 46 communes in northern and central vietnam, and with annual recurrent total costs (direct and indirect) of only $0.28-$0.89 international dollars per person. this control strategy was extended to four provinces in southern vietnam in long an and hau giang (2004-2007) and to long an, ben tre, and vinh long (2005-2010). in a total of 14 communes with 124,743 reside ...	22556087
the economic burden of dengue.		22556068
return of epidemic dengue in the united states: implications for the public health practitioner.	conditions that facilitate sustained dengue transmission exist in the united states, and outbreaks have occurred during the past decade in texas, hawaii, and florida. more outbreaks can also be expected in years to come. to combat dengue, medical and public health practitioners in areas with mosquito vectors that are competent to transmit the virus must be aware of the threat of reemergent dengue, and the need for early reporting and control to reduce the impact of dengue outbreaks. comprehensiv ...	22547856