Publications

study of the fragmentation of arginine isobutyl ester applied to arginine quantification in aedes aegypti mosquito excreta.	it has been demonstrated that argininolysis and uricolysis are involved in the synthesis and excretion of urea in aedes aegypti female mosquitoes. to further investigate the metabolic regulation of urea in female mosquitoes, it is desirable to have a rapid and efficient method to monitor arginine (arg) concentration in mosquito excreta. thus, a procedure currently used for the identification of arg in urea cycle disorders in newborn babies was adapted to analyze arg in a. aegypti excreta. the fr ...	23019169
light-mediated control of rhodopsin movement in mosquito photoreceptors.	multiple mechanisms contribute to a photoreceptor's ability to adapt to ambient light conditions. the mosquito aedes aegypti expresses the long-wavelength rhodopsin aaop1 in all r1-r6 photoreceptors and most r8 photoreceptors. these photoreceptors alter the cellular location of aaop1 and reorganize their photosensitive rhabdomeric membranes on a daily basis. during daylight periods, aaop1 is excluded from the light-sensitive rhabdomeres and localized to multivesicular bodies (mvbs) within the ph ...	23035078
biochemical identification and crystal structure of kynurenine formamidase from drosophila melanogaster.	kfase (kynurenine formamidase), also known as arylformamidase and formylkynurenine formamidase, efficiently catalyses the hydrolysis of nfk (n-formyl-l-kynurenine) to kynurenine. kfase is the second enzyme in the kynurenine pathway of tryptophan metabolism. a number of intermediates formed in the kynurenine pathway are biologically active and implicated in an assortment of medical conditions, including cancer, schizophrenia and neurodegenerative diseases. consequently, enzymes involved in the ky ...	22690733
dengue fever in south korea, 2006-2010.		22931747
biological and molecular properties of dengue 2 strains isolated during the dhf/dss cuban epidemic, 1981.	to study some biological and molecular properties of nine denv-2 strains isolated during the 1981 cuban epidemic, temperature sensitivity, viral plaque size, the kinetic of virus replication in newborn mice inoculated by intracerebral route, the influence of ph medium on virus-cell attachment phase and the restriction enzyme pattern were studied. strains were classified in two patterns according to temperature sensitivity, plaque size, and virus replication in mouse brain and cell culture and re ...	23675036
using fluorescently labelled m13-tailed primers to isolate 45 novel microsatellite loci from the arboviral vector culex tarsalis.	culex tarsalis coquillett (diptera: culicidae) is a highly efficient arbovirus vector. spatial and temporal heterogeneity have been observed in cx tarsalis for phenotypic traits including autogeny, virus susceptibility and host preference. genetic differences between populations may in part explain these observations. using the m13-tailed primer method, we identified 45 novel polymorphic microsatellite markers from microsatellite-enriched cx tarsalis genomic libraries. the m13-tailed primer meth ...	17550440
genomic mapping of suppressor of hairy-wing binding sites in drosophila.	insulator elements are proposed to play a key role in the organization of the regulatory architecture of the genome. in drosophila, one of the best studied is the gypsy retrotransposon insulator, which is bound by the suppressor of hairy-wing (su [hw]) transcriptional regulator. immunolocalization studies suggest that there are several hundred su(hw) sites in the genome, but few of these endogenous su(hw) binding sites have been identified.	17705839
dengue fever seroprevalence and risk factors, texas-mexico border, 2004.	reported autochthonous dengue fever transmission in the united states has been limited to 5 south texas border counties since 1980. we conducted a cross-sectional serosurvey in brownsville, texas, and matamoros, tamaulipas, mexico (n = 600), in 2004 to assess dengue seroprevalence. recent dengue infection was detected in 2% (95% confidence interval [ci] 0.5%-3.5%) and 7.3% (95% ci 4.3%-10.3%) of residents in brownsville and matamoros, respectively. past infection was detected in 40% (95% ci 34%- ...	18257990
defeating dengue: a difficult task ahead.		18038050
quantification of ortholog losses in insects and vertebrates.	the increasing number of sequenced insect and vertebrate genomes of variable divergence enables refined comparative analyses to quantify the major modes of animal genome evolution and allows tracing of gene genealogy (orthology) and pinpointing of gene extinctions (losses), which can reveal lineage-specific traits.	18021399
inferring genome-scale rearrangement phylogeny and ancestral gene order: a drosophila case study.	a simple, fast, and biologically inspired computational approach for inferring genome-scale rearrangement phylogeny and ancestral gene order has been developed. this has been applied to eight drosophila genomes. existing techniques are either limited to a few hundred markers or a small number of taxa. this analysis uses over 14,000 genomic loci and employs discrete elements consisting of pairs of homologous genetic elements. the results provide insight into evolutionary chromosomal dynamics and ...	17996033
the significance of ratios of detritus types and micro-organism productivity to competitive interactions between aquatic insect detritivores.	investigations of competitive interactions emphasize non-detrital resources, even though detritus is a major component of most food webs. studies of competing species focus usually on single resource types, although consumers in nature are likely to encounter mixtures of resource types that may affect whether competition results in exclusion or coexistence. the invasive mosquito aedes albopictus is capable of excluding the native mosquito ochlerotatus triseriatus in competition for single detrit ...	17922707
surprising complexity of the ancestral apoptosis network.	apoptosis, one of the main types of programmed cell death, is regulated and performed by a complex protein network. studies in model organisms, mostly in the nematode caenorhabditis elegans, identified a relatively simple apoptotic network consisting of only a few proteins. however, analysis of several recently sequenced invertebrate genomes, ranging from the cnidarian sea anemone nematostella vectensis, representing one of the morphologically simplest metazoans, to the deuterostomes sea urchin ...	17958905
pupal productivity & nutrient reserves of aedes mosquitoes breeding in sewage drains & other habitats of kolkata, india: implications for habitat expansion & vector management.	the quality of breeding sites is reflected through the pupal productivity and the life history traits of aedes mosquitoes. using nutrient reserves and pupal productivity of aedes as indicators, the larval habitats including sewage drains were characterized to highlight the habitat expansion and vector management.	26905248
spatial distribution & physicochemical characterization of the breeding habitats of aedes aegypti in & around kolkata, west bengal, india.	dengue infection is endemic in several areas and the dengue virus is transmitted by aedes mosquitoes. thus, it becomes important to understand the breeding ecology of dengue vector and characterize the physicochemical parameters of its breeding habitat. the objective of this study was to analyze the physicochemical parameters of the breeding habitat of the dengue vector and to find out the nutrient composition of the habitat in and around kolkata, west bengal. in addition, a geographic informati ...	26905247
chikungunya outbreak in atmakur village, medak district, telangana state, india.		26905235
assessment of blood collection from the lateral saphenous vein for microfilaria counts in mongolian gerbils (meriones unguiculatus) infected with brugia pahangi.	the nih guidelines for survival bleeding of mice and rats note that using the retroorbital plexus has a greater potential for complications than do other methods of blood collection and that this procedure should be performed on anesthetized animals. lateral saphenous vein puncture has a low potential for complications and can be performed without anesthesia. mongolian gerbils (meriones unguiculatus) are the preferred rodent model for filarial parasite research. to monitor microfilaria counts in ...	26678366
primary dengue haemorrhagic fever in patients from northeast of brazil is associated with high levels of interferon-β during acute phase.	dengue is an acute febrile disease caused by the mosquito-borne dengue virus (denv) that according to clinical manifestations can be classified as asymptomatic, mild or severe dengue. severe dengue cases have been associated with an unbalanced immune response characterised by an over secretion of inflammatory cytokines. in the present study we measured type i interferon (ifn-i) transcript and circulating levels in primary and secondary denv infected patients. we observed that dengue fever (df) a ...	27223651
global distribution and environmental suitability for chikungunya virus, 1952 to 2015.	chikungunya fever is an acute febrile illness caused by the chikungunya virus (chikv), which is transmitted to humans by aedes mosquitoes. although chikungunya fever is rarely fatal, patients can experience debilitating symptoms that last from months to years. here we comprehensively assess the global distribution of chikungunya and produce high-resolution maps, using an established modelling framework that combines a comprehensive occurrence database with bespoke environmental correlates, inclu ...	27239817
drosophila by the dozen.		17634150
accuracy of dengue reporting by national surveillance system, brazil.		26812472
essential oils from two eucalyptus from tunisia and their insecticidal action on orgyia trigotephras (lepidotera, lymantriidae).	essential oils extracted from aromatic and medicinal plants have many biological properties and are therefore an alternative to the use of synthetic products. the chemical composition of essential oils from two medicinal plants (eucalyptus globulus and e. lehmannii) was determined and, their insecticidal effects on the third and fourth larval stages of orgyia trigotephras were assessed.	25204015
within-host viral dynamics of dengue serotype 1 infection.	dengue, the most common mosquito-borne viral infection of humans, is endemic across much of the world, including much of tropical asia and is increasing in its geographical range. here, we present a mathematical model of dengue virus dynamics within infected individuals, detailing the interaction between virus and a simple immune response. we fit this model to measurements of plasma viral titre from cases of primary and secondary denv 1 infection in vietnam. we show that variation in model param ...	24829280
[environmental pollution, climate variability and climate change: a review of health impacts on the peruvian population].	this article is a review of the pollution of water, air and the effect of climate change on the health of the peruvian population. a major air pollutant is particulate matter less than 2.5 μ (pm 2.5). in lima, 2,300 premature deaths annually are attributable to this pollutant. another problem is household air pollution by using stoves burning biomass fuels, where excessive indoor exposure to pm 2.5 inside the household is responsible for approximately 3,000 annual premature deaths among adults, ...	25418656
temporal correlations between mosquito-based dengue virus surveillance measures or indoor mosquito abundance and dengue case numbers in mérida city, méxico.	surveillance of dengue virus (denv) in aedes (stegomyia) aegypti (l.) females is of potential interest because human denv infections are commonly asymptomatic, which decreases the effectiveness of dengue case surveillance to provide early warning of building outbreaks. our primary aim was to examine if mosquito-based virological measures--monthly percentages of examined ae. aegypti females infected with denv or examined homes from which at least one denv-infected ae. aegypti female was collected ...	25118425
what does not kill them makes them stronger: larval environment and infectious dose alter mosquito potential to transmit filarial worms.	for organisms with complex life cycles, larval environments can modify adult phenotypes. for mosquitoes and other vectors, when physiological impacts of stressors acting on larvae carry over into the adult stage they may interact with infectious dose of a vector-borne pathogen, producing a range of phenotypes for vector potential. investigation of impacts of a common source of stress, larval crowding and intraspecific competition, on adult vector interactions with pathogens may increase our unde ...	24827444
dengue: moving from current standard of care to state-of-the-art treatment.	treatment of dengue remains supportive in the absence of targeted antiviral therapy or approved vaccines. responsive fluid management is key to preventing progression to shock or other severe manifestations. the dynamic natural history of dengue infection and its influence on hemodynamic homeostasis needs to be carefully considered in the planning of individualized therapy. though largely self-limiting, the sheer burden of dengue disease on the global population will result in atypical manifesta ...	25999799
[the incorporation of activities to control dengue by community health agents].	to evaluate the performance of community health agents when dengue control activities were added to their tasks.	24789644
insights into the preservation of the homomorphic sex-determining chromosome of aedes aegypti from the discovery of a male-biased gene tightly linked to the m-locus.	the preservation of a homomorphic sex-determining chromosome in some organisms without transformation into a heteromorphic sex chromosome is a long-standing enigma in evolutionary biology. a dominant sex-determining locus (or m-locus) in an undifferentiated homomorphic chromosome confers the male phenotype in the yellow fever mosquito aedes aegypti. genetic evidence suggests that the m-locus is in a nonrecombining region. however, the molecular nature of the m-locus has not been characterized. u ...	24398378
methods for talen evaluation, use, and mutation detection in the mosquito aedes aegypti.	the generation and study of transgenic aedes aegypti mosquitoes provides an essential tool for elucidating the complex molecular biology of this important vector. within the field, genetic manipulation has surpassed the proof of principle stage and is now utilized in both applied and theoretical vector control strategies. the application of new instruments, technologies and techniques allows ever more controlled experiments to be conducted. in this text we describe microinjection of ae. aegypti ...	26443221
the fielding h. garrison lecture: "break-bone" fever in philadelphia, 1780: reflections on the history of disease.	in the autumn of 1780 an epidemic hit the city of philadelphia. the symptoms of the disease resembled those of present day dengue fever, and subsequent observers argued that the disease was in fact dengue. but was it? the question forces us to confront the challenges of retrospective epidemiology and how we examine the history of a disease. this paper examines the 1780 epidemic from two perspectives. first, it looks at evidence that the disease was dengue and examines what this tells us about th ...	27374846
evaluation of mosquito repellent activity of isolated oleic acid, eicosyl ester from thalictrum javanicum.	to evaluate the traditional use, the mosquito repellent property of thalictrum javanicum and to confirm the predicted larvicidal activity of the isolated compound, oleic acid, eicosyl ester from its aerial parts by pass software, the present study was carried out using 4th instar stage larvae of the mosquitoes, aedes aegypti (dengue vector) and culex quinquefasciatus (filarial vector). insecticidal susceptibility tests were conducted and the mortality rate was observed after 24 h exposure. the c ...	27168688
the origin and evolution of six miniature inverted-repeat transposable elements in bombyx mori and rhodnius prolixus.	miniature inverted-repeat transposable elements (mites) are a specific group of nonautonomous dna transposons, and they are distributed in a wide range of hosts. however, the origin and evolutionary history of mites in eukaryotic genomes remain unclear. in this study, six mites were identified in the silkworm (bombyx mori). five elements are grouped into four known superfamilies of dna transposons, and one represents a novel class of mites. unexpectedly, six similar mites are also present in the ...	24115603
a comparison of larval, ovitrap and mosquitrap surveillance for aedes (stegomyia) aegypti.	in brazil, the entomological surveillance of aedes (stegomyia) aegypti is performed by government-mandated larval surveys. in this study, the sensitivities of an adult sticky trap and traditional surveillance methodologies were compared. the study was performed over a 12-week period in a residential neighbourhood of the municipality of pedro leopoldo, state of minas gerais, brazil. an ovitrap and a mosquitrap were placed at opposite ends of each neighbourhood block (60 traps in total) and inspec ...	24402144
the genome of mesobuthus martensii reveals a unique adaptation model of arthropods.	representing a basal branch of arachnids, scorpions are known as 'living fossils' that maintain an ancient anatomy and are adapted to have survived extreme climate changes. here we report the genome sequence of mesobuthus martensii, containing 32,016 protein-coding genes, the most among sequenced arthropods. although m. martensii appears to evolve conservatively, it has a greater gene family turnover than the insects that have undergone diverse morphological and physiological changes, suggesting ...	24129506
circadian clock of aedes aegypti: effects of blood-feeding, insemination and rna interference.	mosquitoes are the culprits of some of the most important vector borne diseases. a species' potential as a vector is directly dependent on their pattern of behaviour, which is known to change according to the female's physiological status such as whether the female is virgin/mated and unfed/blood-fed. however, the molecular mechanism triggered by and/or responsible for such modulations in behaviour is poorly understood. clock genes are known to be responsible for the control of circadian behavio ...	24473806
genetic basis of triatomine behavior: lessons from available insect genomes.	triatomines have been important model organisms for behavioural research. diverse reports about triatomine host search, pheromone communication in the sexual, shelter and alarm contexts, daily cycles of activity, refuge choice and behavioural plasticity have been published in the last two decades. in recent times, a variety of molecular genetics techniques has allowed researchers to investigate elaborate and complex questions about the genetic bases of the physiology of insects. this, together w ...	24473804
circadian rhythms in insect disease vectors.	organisms from bacteria to humans have evolved under predictable daily environmental cycles owing to the earth's rotation. this strong selection pressure has generated endogenous circadian clocks that regulate many aspects of behaviour, physiology and metabolism, anticipating and synchronising internal time-keeping to changes in the cyclical environment. in haematophagous insect vectors the circadian clock coordinates feeding activity, which is important for the dynamics of pathogen transmission ...	24473802
aedes aegypti on madeira island (portugal): genetic variation of a recently introduced dengue vector.	the increasing population of aedes aegypti mosquitoes on madeira island (portugal) resulted in the first autochthonous dengue outbreak, which occurred in october 2012. our study establishes the first genetic evaluation based on the mitochondrial dna (mtdna) genes [cytochrome oxidase subunit i (coi) and nadh dehydrogenase subunit 4 (nd4)] and knockdown resistance (kdr) mutations exploring the colonisation history and the genetic diversity of this insular vector population. we included mosquito po ...	24473797
cell biological analysis of mosquito midgut invasion: the defensive role of the actin-based ookinete hood.	successful completion of the plasmodium lifecycle in the mosquito vector is critical for malaria transmission. it has been documented that the fate of plasmodium in the mosquito ultimately depends on a fine interplay of molecular mosquito factors that act as parasite agonists and antagonists. here we investigate whether the cellular responses of the invaded midgut epithelium can also determine the parasite fate and development. we show that the parasite hood, an actin-rich structure formed aroun ...	24428832
vector and vector-borne disease research: need for coherence, vision and strategic planning.		24428825
climate change & infectious diseases in india: implications for health care providers.	climate change has the potential to influence the earth's biological systems, however, its effects on human health are not well defined. developing nations with limited resources are expected to face a host of health effects due to climate change, including vector-borne and water-borne diseases such as malaria, cholera, and dengue. this article reviews common and prevalent infectious diseases in india, their links to climate change, and how health care providers might discuss preventive health c ...	24521625
genomic evolution of the pathogenic wolbachia strain, wmelpop.	most strains of the widespread endosymbiotic bacterium wolbachia pipientis are benign or behave as reproductive parasites. the pathogenic strain wmelpop is a striking exception, however: it overreplicates in its insect hosts and causes severe life shortening. the mechanism of this pathogenesis is currently unknown. we have sequenced the genomes of three variants of wmelpop and of the closely related nonpathogenic strain wmelcs. we show that the genomes of wmelcs and wmelpop appear to be identica ...	24190075
a phylogenetic study of drosophila splicing assembly chaperone rnp-4f associated u4-/u6-snrna secondary structure.	the rnp-4f gene in drosophila melanogaster encodes nuclear protein rnp-4f. this encoded protein is represented by homologs in other eukaryotic species, where it has been shown to function as an intron splicing assembly factor. here, rnp-4f is believed to initially bind to a recognition sequence on u6-snrna, serving as a chaperone to facilitate its association with u4-snrna by intermolecular hydrogen bonding. rna conformations are a key factor in spliceosome function, so that elucidation of chang ...	25419488
interaction of lipophorin with rhodnius prolixus oocytes: biochemical properties and the importance of blood feeding.	lipophorin (lp) is the main haemolymphatic lipoprotein in insects and transports lipids between different organs. in adult females, lipophorin delivers lipids to growing oocytes. in this study, the interaction of this lipoprotein with the ovaries of rhodnius prolixus was characterised using an oocyte membrane preparation and purified radiolabelled lp (125i-lp). lp-specific binding to the oocyte membrane reached equilibrium after 40-60 min and when 125i-lp was incubated with increasing amounts of ...	24037104
co-infection and super-infection models in evolutionary epidemiology.	multiple infections are intensively studied because of their consequences for the health of the host but also because they can radically alter the selective pressures acting on parasites. i discuss how multiple infections have been modelled in evolutionary epidemiology. first, i briefly mention within-host models, which are at the root of these epidemiological models. then, i present the super-infection framework, with an original focus on how the definition of the super-infection function can l ...	24516718
targeting a dual detector of skin and co2 to modify mosquito host seeking.	female mosquitoes that transmit deadly diseases locate human hosts by detecting exhaled co2 and skin odor. the identities of olfactory neurons and receptors required for attraction to skin odor remain a mystery. here, we show that the co2-sensitive olfactory neuron is also a sensitive detector of human skin odorants in both aedes aegypti and anopheles gambiae. we demonstrate that activity of this neuron is important for attraction to skin odor, establishing it as a key target for intervention. w ...	24315103
origin of ecdysosteroid udp-glycosyltransferases of baculoviruses through horizontal gene transfer from lepidoptera.	baculoviruses infecting lepidoptera (butterflies and moths) encodes an enzyme known as ecdysosteroid udp-glycosyltransferase (egt), which inactivates insect host ecdysosteroid hormones, thereby preventing molt and pupation and permitting a build-up of the viral population within the host. baculovirus egt shows evidence of homology to insect udp-glycosyltransferases, and a phylogenetic analysis supported the closest relative of baculovirus egt are the ugt33 and ugt34 families of lepidopteran udp- ...	24834437
sexually dimorphic body size and development time plasticity in aedes mosquitoes (diptera: culicidae).	sexual size dimorphism (ssd) in insects often accompanies a sexual difference in development time, sexual bimaturism (sbm).	25663826
countermeasure development for rift valley fever: deletion, modification or targeting of major virulence factor nss.	rift valley fever (rvf) is a mosquito-borne zoonotic disease characterized by a high rate of abortion in ruminants, and febrile illness, hemorrhagic fever, retinitis and encephalitis in humans. rvf is caused by the rvf virus (rvfv), belonging to the genus phlebovirus of the family bunyaviridae. rvfv encodes a major virulence factor, nss, which is dispensable for viral replication, yet required for evasion of host innate immune responses. rvfv nss inhibits host gene upregulation at the transcript ...	24910709
the basic rules and methods of mosquito rearing (aedes aegypti).	the rearing of aedes mosquitoes is complex and demanding for several reasons. aedes larvae are affected by temperature, density and available nutrition, mating is not necessarily accomplished naturally and females need a blood meal to develop eggs. the climate chambers where the mosquitoes are kept are warm and sweaty. due to these tropical conditions the larvae develop fast and need to be cared for daily. the laboratory of entomology in national institute of malaria research bangalore has cultu ...	24754030
phytopharmacological overview of tribulus terrestris.	tribulus terrestris (family zygophyllaceae), commonly known as gokshur or gokharu or puncture vine, has been used for a long time in both the indian and chinese systems of medicine for treatment of various kinds of diseases. its various parts contain a variety of chemical constituents which are medicinally important, such as flavonoids, flavonol glycosides, steroidal saponins, and alkaloids. it has diuretic, aphrodisiac, antiurolithic, immunomodulatory, antidiabetic, absorption enhancing, hypoli ...	24600195
risk factors associated with death in brazilian children with severe dengue: a case-control study.	the purpose of this case-control study was to evaluate risk factors associated with death in children with severe dengue.	24473560
larvicidal efficacies and chemical composition of essential oils of pinus sylvestris and syzygium aromaticum against mosquitoes.	to assess the chemical composition and mosquito larvicidal potentials of essential oils of locally sourced pinus sylvestris (p. sylvestris) and syzygium aromaticum (s. aromaticum) against aedes aegypti (a. aegypti) and culex quinquefasciatus (c. quinquefasciatus).	24144127
close encounters: contributions of carbon dioxide and human skin odour to finding and landing on a host in aedes aegypti.	in a wind-tunnel study, the upwind flight and source location of female aedes aegypti to plumes of carbon dioxide (co2) gas and odour from human feet is tested. both odour sources are presented singly and in combination. flight upwind along the plumes is evident for both co2 and odour from human feet when the odours are presented alone. likewise, both odour sources are located by more than 70% of mosquitoes in less than 3 min. when both co2 and odour from human feet are presented simultaneously ...	24839345
innovative dengue vector control interventions in latin america: what do they cost?	five studies were conducted in fortaleza (brazil), girardot (colombia), machala (ecuador), acapulco (mexico), and salto (uruguay) to assess dengue vector control interventions tailored to the context. the studies involved the community explicitly in the implementation, and focused on the most productive breeding places for aedes aegypti. this article reports the cost analysis of these interventions.	26924235
longevity of animals under reactive oxygen species stress and disease susceptibility due to global warming.	the world is projected to experience an approximate doubling of atmospheric co2 concentration in the next decades. rise in atmospheric co2 level as one of the most important reasons is expected to contribute to raise the mean global temperature 1.4 °c-5.8 °c by that time. a survey from 128 countries speculates that global warming is primarily due to increase in atmospheric co2 level that is produced mainly by anthropogenic activities. exposure of animals to high environmental temperatures is mos ...	26981200
hexokinase is a key regulator of energy metabolism and ros activity in insect lifespan extension.	developmental arrest (diapause) is a 'non-aging' state that is similar to the caenorhabditis elegans dauer stage and drosophila lifespan extension. diapause results in low metabolic activity and a profound extension of insect lifespan. here, we cloned the helicoverpa armigera hexokinase (hk) gene, a gene that is critical for the developmental arrest of this species. hk expression and activity levels were significantly increased in nondiapause-destined pupae compared with those of diapause-destin ...	26852422
mosquito biology. evolution of sexual traits influencing vectorial capacity in anopheline mosquitoes.	the availability of genome sequences from 16 anopheline species provides unprecedented opportunities to study the evolution of reproductive traits relevant for malaria transmission. in anopheles gambiae, a likely candidate for sexual selection is male 20-hydroxyecdysone (20e). sexual transfer of this steroid hormone as part of a mating plug dramatically changes female physiological processes intimately tied to vectorial capacity. by combining phenotypic studies with ancestral state reconstructio ...	25722409
dengue vaccine: come let's fight the menace.	although dengue has a global distribution, the world health organization (who) south-east asia region together with western pacific region bears nearly 75% of the current global disease burden. globally, the societal burden has been estimated to be approximately 528 to 1300 disability-adjusted life years (daly) per million to populations in endemic regions dengue is believed to infect 50 to 100 million people worldwide a year with half a million life-threatening infections requiring hospitalizat ...	25695523
formulae for insect wingbeat frequency.	a formula is developed connecting the wingbeat frequency of insects with their masses and wing areas. it is derived first theoretically, using dimensional analysis, and then it is compared with published measurements. the formula discovered involves two parameters which dimensional analysis alone cannot determine. one of these is evaluated using one among many proposed semi-empirical relationships (the only one that stands scrutiny); the other by fitting a published dataset. it is found that the ...	20673120
modeling the impact on virus transmission of wolbachia-mediated blocking of dengue virus infection of aedes aegypti.	dengue is the most common arboviral infection of humans and is a public health burden in more than 100 countries. aedes aegypti mosquitoes stably infected with strains of the intracellular bacterium wolbachia are resistant to dengue virus (denv) infection and are being tested in field trials. to mimic field conditions, we experimentally assessed the vector competence of a. aegypti carrying the wolbachia strains wmel and wmelpop after challenge with viremic blood from dengue patients. we found th ...	25787763
cloning and characterization of a putative farnesoic acid o-methyltransferase gene from the brown planthopper, nilaparvata lugens.	juvenile hormone (jh) plays key roles in both metamorphosis and adult reproductive processes. farnesoic acid o-methyltransferase (famet) is thought to be an important enzyme in the jh biosynthetic pathway, catalyzing methylation of farnesoic acid (fa) to methyl farnesoate (mf). a full-length cdna (nlfamet) encoding a 299 amino acid putative famet was isolated from the brown planthopper, nilaparvata lugens (stal) (hemiptera: geometroidea), a major rice pest in many parts of asia. nlfamet showed h ...	20874390
evaluation of household bleach as an ovicide for the control of aedes aegypti.	accumulations of dormant eggs in container habitats allow aedes aegypti populations to survive harsh environmental conditions and may frustrate control interventions directed at larval and adult life stages. while sodium hypochlorite solutions (naocl) have long been recognized as ovicides for use against dengue vectors, the susceptibility of eggs to spray applications has not been robustly evaluated on substrate materials representative of the most frequently utilized artificial container habita ...	25843179
in vitro antibacterial and in vivo cytotoxic activities of grewia paniculata.	grewia paniculata (family: malvaceae) has been used to treat inflammation, respiratory disorders and fever. it is additionally employed for other health conditions including colds, diarrhea and as an insecticide in bangladesh. the aim of the present study was to investigate the antibacterial and cytotoxic activities of different extracts of grewia paniculata.	25949950
transgenerational effect of infection in plasmodium-infected mosquitoes.	transgenerational effects of infection have a huge potential to influence the prevalence and intensity of infections in vectors and, by extension, disease epidemiology. these transgenerational effects may increase the fitness of offspring through the transfer of protective immune factors. alternatively, however, infected mothers may transfer the costs of infection to their offspring. although transgenerational immune protection has been described in a dozen invertebrate species, we still lack a ...	25762571
molecular cloning and analysis of the tryptophan oxygenase gene in the silkworm, bombyx mori.	a bombyx mori l. (lepidoptera: bombycidae) gene encoding tryptophan oxygenase has been molecularly cloned and analyzed. the tryptophan oxygenase cdna had 1374 nucleotides that encoded a 401 amino acid protein with an estimated molecular mass of 46.47 kda and a pi of 5.88. rt-pcr analysis showed that the b. mori tryptophan oxygenase gene was transcribed in all examined stages. tryptophan oxygenase proteins are relatively well conserved among different orders of arthropods.	20331401
anterior ischemic optic neuropathy following dengue fever.	dengue fever is caused by a flavivirus. this infection is endemic in the tropics and warm temperate regions of the world. ocular manifestations of dengue fever include subconjunctival, vitreous, and retinal haemorrhages; posterior uveitis; optic neuritis; and maculopathies, haemorrhage, and oedema. however anterior ischemic optic neuropathy is a rare presentation. optic nerve ischemia most frequently occurs at the optic nerve head, where structural crowding of nerve fibers and reduction of the v ...	27843231
impact of source reduction on the spatial distribution of larvae and pupae of aedes albopictus (diptera: culicidae) in suburban neighborhoods of a piedmont community in north carolina.	aedes albopictus (skuse) is a principal nuisance mosquito species and a potential arbovirus vector throughout its geographic range in the united states. this species lays eggs, and progeny complete development in water-filled containers that are discarded in suburban landscapes. source reduction of containers, achieved through environmental sanitation, was used to experimentally manipulate mosquito production to gain insight into the spatial structure of the population of immature ae. albopictus ...	18714860
use of google earth to strengthen public health capacity and facilitate management of vector-borne diseases in resource-poor environments.	novel, inexpensive solutions are needed for improved management of vector-borne and other diseases in resource-poor environments. emerging free software providing access to satellite imagery and simple editing tools (e.g. google earth) complement existing geographic information system (gis) software and provide new opportunities for: (i) strengthening overall public health capacity through development of information for city infrastructures; and (ii) display of public health data directly on an ...	18797648
alkalinization in the isolated and perfused anterior midgut of the larval mosquito, aedes aegypti.	in the present study, isolated midguts of larval aedes aegypti l. (diptera: culicidae) were mounted on perfusion pipettes and bathed in high buffer mosquito saline. with low buffer perfusion saline, containing m-cresol purple, transepithelial voltage was monitored and luminal alkalinization became visible through color changes of m-cresol purple after perfusion stop. lumen negative voltage and alkalinization depended on metabolic energy and were stimulated in the presence of serotonin (0.2 micro ...	20307229
how relevant is panallergen sensitization in the development of allergies?	panallergens comprise various protein families of plant as well as animal origin and are responsible for wide ige cross-reactivity between related and unrelated allergenic sources. such cross-reactivities include reactions between various pollen sources, pollen and plant-derived foods as well as invertebrate-derived inhalants and foodstuff. here, we provide an overview on the most clinically relevant panallergens from plants (profilins, polcalcins, non-specific lipid transfer proteins, pathogene ...	27129102
the salivary gland-specific apyrase of the mosquito aedes aegypti is a member of the 5'-nucleotidase family.	the saliva of hematophagous insects contains a variety of pharmacologically active substances that counteract the normal hemostatic response to injury in vertebrate hosts. the yellow-fever mosquito, aedes aegypti, secretes an apyrase that inhibits adp-dependent platelet aggregation. apyrase was purified as an active enzyme from adult female salivary glands and subjected to tryptic digestion, and the resulting peptides were sequenced. the amino acid sequences obtained match the conceptual transla ...	7846038
identification of the abdominal-a homologue from aedes aegypti and structural comparisons among related genes.		1354853
cumulative mortality of aedes aegypti larvae treated with compounds.	objective to evaluate the larvicidal activity of azadirachta indica, melaleuca alternifolia, carapa guianensis essential oils and fermented extract of carica papaya against aedes aegypti (linnaeus, 1762) (diptera: culicidae). methods the larvicide test was performed in triplicate with 300 larvae for each experimental group using the third larval stage, which were exposed for 24h. the groups were: positive control with industrial larvicide (bti) in concentrations of 0.37 ppm (pc1) and 0.06 ppm (p ...	25119939
genome-wide comparison of genes involved in the biosynthesis, metabolism, and signaling of juvenile hormone between silkworm and other insects.	juvenile hormone (jh) contributes to the regulation of larval molting and metamorphosis in insects. herein, we comprehensively identified 55 genes involved in jh biosynthesis, metabolism and signaling in the silkworm (bombyx mori) as well as 35 in drosophila melanogaster, 35 in anopheles gambiae, 36 in apis mellifera, 47 in tribolium castaneum, and 44 in danaus plexippus. comparative analysis showed that each gene involved in the early steps of the mevalonate (mva) pathway, in the neuropeptide r ...	25071411
isoleucine at position 150 of cyt2aa toxin from bacillus thuringiensis plays an important role during membrane binding and oligomerization.	cyt2aa2 is a mosquito larvicidal and cytolytic toxin produced by bacillus thuringiensis subsp. darmstadiensis. the toxin becomes inactive when isoleucine at position 150 was replaced by alanine. to investigate the functional role of this position, ile150 was substituted with leu, phe, glu and lys. all mutant proteins were produced at high level, solubilized in carbonate buffer and yielded protease activated product similar to those of the wild type. intrinsic fluorescence spectra analysis sugges ...	23527862
gates grand challenges explorations award: endectocides for controlling transmission of mosquito-borne diseases.		24818085
phylogeography and spatio-temporal genetic variation of aedes aegypti (diptera: culicidae) populations in the florida keys.	aedes aegypti (l.) is the principal mosquito vector of dengue fever, the second-most deadly vector-borne disease in the world. in ae. aegypti and other arthropod disease vectors, genetic markers can be used to inform us about processes relevant to disease spread, such as movement of the vectors across space and the temporal stability of vector populations. in late 2009, 27 locally acquired cases of dengue fever were reported in key west, fl. the last dengue outbreak in the region occurred in 193 ...	23540116
pupal productivity of dengue vectors in kolkata, india: implications for vector management.	entomological surveillance of the dengue vectors using pupal productivity as indicators can be helpful in effective management. on this basis, an assessment was made on the relative importance of the larval habitats of aedes mosquitoes in kolkata, an endemic zone for dengue in west bengal, india.	23640563
how brazil joined the quest for a yellow fever vaccine. interview by claudia jurberg and julia d'aloisio..	brazil recently announced an agreement between its bio-manguinhos vaccine unit and two us companies to research and develop a new yellow fever vaccine. claudia jurberg and julia d'aloisio talk to jaime benchimol about the controversial history of the development of the vaccine that benefits millions of people today.	23476088
the tiptop/teashirt genes regulate cell differentiation and renal physiology in drosophila.	the physiological activities of organs are underpinned by an interplay between the distinct cell types they contain. however, little is known about the genetic control of patterned cell differentiation during organ development. we show that the conserved teashirt transcription factors are decisive for the differentiation of a subset of secretory cells, stellate cells, in drosophila melanogaster renal tubules. teashirt controls the expression of the water channel drip, the chloride conductance ch ...	23404107
synthetic genomics and synthetic biology applications between hopes and concerns.	new organisms and biological systems designed to satisfy human needs are among the aims of synthetic genomics and synthetic biology. synthetic biology seeks to model and construct biological components, functions and organisms that do not exist in nature or to redesign existing biological systems to perform new functions. synthetic genomics, on the other hand, encompasses technologies for the generation of chemically-synthesized whole genomes or larger parts of genomes, allowing to simultaneousl ...	23997647
susceptibility to chlorpyrifos in pyrethroid-resistant populations of aedes aegypti (diptera: culicidae) from mexico.	resistance to the organophosphate insecticide chlorpyrifos was evaluated in females from six strains of aedes aegypti (l.) that expressed high levels of cross-resistance to eight pyrethroid insecticides. relative to lc50 and lc90 at 24 h of a susceptible new orleans (no) strain, three strains were highly resistant to chlorpyrifos (coatzacoalcos, resistance ratio [rrlc90 = 11.97; pozarica, rrlc90 = 12.98; and cosoleacaque, rrlc50 = 13.94 and rrlc90 = 17.57), one strain was moderately resistant (v ...	24897857
dengue reborn: widespread resurgence of a resilient vector.		18795135
toxicity studies for indigenous bacillus thuringiensis isolates from malang city, east java on aedes aegypti larvae.	to investigate the toxicity of indigenous bacillus thuringiensis (b. thuringiensis)isolates from malang city for controlling aedes aegypti (ae. aegypti) larvae.	23593589
crystal structure and functional characterization of the human rbm25 pwi domain and its flanking basic region.	human rbm25 (rna-binding motif protein 25) is a novel splicing factor that contains a pwi domain, a newly identified rna/dna-binding domain, and regulates bcl-x pre-mrna alternative splicing. the flanking basic region has been suggested to serve as a co-operative partner of the pwi domain in the binding of nucleic acids, but the structure of this basic region is unknown. in the present paper, we report the crystal structure of the rbm25 pwi domain and its flanking basic region. the pwi domain is ...	23190262
a killer-rescue system for self-limiting gene drive of anti-pathogen constructs.	a number of genetic mechanisms have been suggested for driving anti-pathogen genes into natural populations. each of these mechanisms requires complex genetic engineering, and most are theoretically expected to permanently spread throughout the target species' geographical range. in the near term, risk issues and technical limits of molecular methods could delay the development and use of these mechanisms. we propose a gene-drive mechanism that can be self-limiting over time and space, and is si ...	18765342
evolution of an insect-specific groucho-interaction motif in the engrailed selector protein.	animal morphology evolves through alterations in the genetic regulatory networks that control development. regulatory connections are commonly added, subtracted, or modified via mutations in cis-regulatory elements, but several cases are also known where transcription factors have gained or lost activity-modulating peptide motifs. in order to better assess the role of novel transcription factor peptide motifs in evolution, we searched for synapomorphic motifs in the homeotic selectors of drosoph ...	18803772
genome-level analysis of selective constraint without apparent sequence conservation.	conservation of function can be accompanied by obvious similarity of homologous sequences which may persist for billions of years (iyer lm, leipe dd, koonin ev, aravind l. 2004. evolutionary history and higher order classification of aaa+ atpases. j struct biol. 146:11-31.). however, presumably homologous segments of noncoding dna can also retain their ancestral function even after their sequences diverge beyond recognition (fisher s, grice ea, vinton rm, bessling sl, mccallion as. 2006. conserv ...	23418180
evolutionary conservation and adaptation in the mechanism that regulates srebp action: what a long, strange trip it's been.	sterol regulatory element-binding proteins (srebps) are a subfamily of basic helix-loop-helix leucine zipper (bhlh-lz) transcription factors that are conserved from fungi to humans and are defined by two key features: a signature tyrosine residue in the dna-binding domain, and a membrane-tethering domain that is a target for regulated proteolysis. recent studies including genome-wide and model organism approaches indicate srebps coordinate cellular lipid metabolism with other cellular physiologi ...	19933148
larvicidal activity of syzygium aromaticum (l.) merr and citrus sinensis (l.) osbeck essential oils and their antagonistic effects with temephos in resistant populations of aedes aegypti.	environmentally friendly botanical larvicides are commonly considered as an alternative to synthetic larvicides against aedes aegypti linn. in addition, mosquito resistance to currently used larvicides has motivated research to find new compounds acting via different mechanisms of action, with the goal of controlling the spread of mosquitos. essential oils have been widely studied for this purpose. this work aims to evaluate the larvicidal potential of syzygium aromaticum and citrus sinensis ess ...	27384083
do viruses use vectors to penetrate mucus barriers?	i propose a mechanism by which viruses successfully infect new individuals, despite being immotile particles with no ability for directed movement. within cells, viral particle movements are directed by motors and elements of the cytoskeleton, but how viruses cross extracellular barriers, like mucus, remains a mystery. i propose that viruses cross these barriers by hitch-hiking on bacteria or sperm cells which can transport themselves across mucosal layers designed to protect the underlying cell ...	20190864
the steroid hormone ecdysone functions with intrinsic chromatin remodeling factors to control female germline stem cells in drosophila.	steroid hormones are known systemic regulators of multiple normal and cancerous tissues; however, whether or how they impact the fate and function of adult stem cells is unclear. in the drosophila ovary, insulin signals modulate the proliferation and self-renewal of germline stem cells (gscs), yet despite evidence that additional systemic factors control gsc activity, these have remained largely unknown. here, we report that ecdysone, a steroid hormone structurally related to mammalian sex stero ...	21040900
examination of a miniaturized funnel trap for aedes aegypti (diptera: culicidae) larval sampling.	funnel traps are often used to sample for the presence of aedes aegypti (l.) (diptera: culicidae) larvae in subterranean aquatic habitats. these traps are generally > or = 15 cm in diameter, making them impractical for use in subterranean sites that have narrow (10-cm) access ports, such as those in standard-sized septic tanks. recent research indicates septic tanks may be important habitats for ae. aegypti in puerto rico and the caribbean. to sample mosquito larval populations in these sites, a ...	21175077
neuroscience: love hangover.		18172487
purification and characterization of recombinant lipid storage protein-2 from drosophila melanogaster.	lipid storage protein 2 (lsd 2) is a conserved insect protein that belongs to the small pat family of proteins. pat proteins are found associated to the lipid droplets of adipocytes and play significant roles in the regulation of triacylglycerides metabolism. here we describe the expression and purification of lsd2, its reconstitution in lipoprotein particles, the location of putative lipid binding sites and its secondary structure. this study provides the starting point for future studies on th ...	18991782
ageing in a eusocial insect: molecular and physiological characteristics of life span plasticity in the honey bee.	commonly held views assume that ageing, or senescence, represents an inevitable, passive, and random decline in function that is strongly linked to chronological age. in recent years, genetic intervention of life span regulating pathways, for example, in drosophila as well as case studies in non-classical animal models, have provided compelling evidence to challenge these views.rather than comprehensively revisiting studies on the established genetic model systems of ageing, we here focus on an ...	18728759
a cumulative feeding threshold required for vitellogenesis can be obviated with juvenile hormone treatment in lubber grasshoppers.	developmental thresholds can ensure that an adequate condition has been attained to proceed through major transitions (e.g. initiation of reproduction, metamorphosis). nutrition is critical to attaining most thresholds, because it is needed for both growth and storage. attaining a threshold typically stimulates the release of hormones that commit the animal to the developmental transition, yet the relationships between the nutrition needed for developmental thresholds and these endocrine signals ...	18083735
circatidal activity rhythm in the mangrove cricket apteronemobius asahinai.	mangrove forests are influenced by tidal flooding and ebbing for a period of approximately 12.4 hours (tidal cycle). mangrove crickets (apteronemobius asahinai) forage on mangrove forest floors only during low tide. under constant darkness, most crickets showed a clear bimodal daily pattern in their locomotor activity for at least 24 days; the active phases of approximately 10 hours alternated with inactive phases of approximately 2 hours, which coincided with the time of high tide in the field. ...	18302994