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vacant lots: productive sites for aedes (stegomyia) aegypti (diptera: culicidae) in mérida city, méxico.we assessed the potential for vacant lots and other nonresidential settings to serve as source environments for aedes (stegomyia) aegypti (l.) (diptera: culicidae) in mérida city, méxico. mosquito immatures were collected, during november 2011-june 2013, from residential premises (n = 156 site visits) and nonresidential settings represented by vacant lots (50), parking lots (18), and streets or sidewalks (28). collections totaled 46,025 mosquito immatures of 13 species. ae. aegypti was the most ...024724299
neuropeptides in the antennal lobe of the yellow fever mosquito, aedes aegypti.for many insects, including mosquitoes, olfaction is the dominant modality regulating their behavioral repertoire. many neurochemicals modulate olfactory information in the central nervous system, including the primary olfactory center of insects, the antennal lobe. the most diverse and versatile neurochemicals in the insect nervous system are found in the neuropeptides. in the present study, we analyzed neuropeptides in the antennal lobe of the yellow fever mosquito, aedes aegypti, a major vect ...023897410
cockroach diuretic hormones: characterization of a calcitonin-like peptide in insects.insect diuretic hormones are crucial for control of water balance. we isolated from the cockroach diploptera punctata two diuretic hormones (dh), dippu-dh(31) and dippu-dh(46), which increase camp production and fluid secretion in malpighian tubules of several insect species. dippu-dh(31) and -dh(46) contain 31 and 46 amino acids, respectively. dippu-dh(46) belongs to the corticotropin-releasing factor (crf)-like insect dh family, whereas dippu-dh(31) has little sequence similarity to the crf-li ...010841553
a survival and reproduction trade-off is resolved in accordance with resource availability by virgin female mosquitoes.the first 2-4 days after an anopheles gambiae female mosquito emerges are critical to her survival and reproductive success. yet, the order of behavioural events (mating, sugar feeding, blood feeding) during this time has received little attention. we discovered that among female cohorts sampled from emergence, sugar feeding had a higher probability than blood feeding of occurring first, and mating rarely occurred before a meal was taken. the night after emergence, 48% of females fed on sugar in ...021499504
new baseline environmental assessment of mosquito ecology in northern haiti during increased urbanization.the catastrophic 2010 earthquake in port-au-prince, haiti, led to the large-scale displacement of over 2.3 million people, resulting in rapid and unplanned urbanization in northern haiti. this study evaluated the impact of this unplanned urbanization on mosquito ecology and vector-borne diseases by assessing land use and change patterns. land-use classification and change detection were carried out on remotely sensed images of the area for 2010 and 2013. change detection identified areas that we ...026047183
sequence analysis of the genome of the neodiprion sertifer nucleopolyhedrovirus.the genome of the neodiprion sertifer nucleopolyhedrovirus (nesenpv), which infects the european pine sawfly, n. sertifer (hymenoptera: diprionidae), was sequenced and analyzed. the genome was 86,462 bp in size. the c+g content of 34% was lower than that of the majority of baculoviruses. a total of 90 methionine-initiated open reading frames (orfs) with more than 50 amino acids and minimal overlapping were found. from those, 43 orfs were homologous to other baculovirus orfs, and 29 of these were ...015194780
sterile-insect methods for control of mosquito-borne diseases: an analysis.effective vector control, and more specifically mosquito control, is a complex and difficult problem, as illustrated by the continuing prevalence (and spread) of mosquito-transmitted diseases. the sterile insect technique and similar methods control certain agricultural insect pest populations in a species-specific, environmentally sound, and effective manner; there is increased interest in applying this approach to vector control. such an approach, like all others in use and development, is not ...019725763
early origin and adaptive evolution of the gw182 protein family, the key component of rna silencing in animals.the gw182 proteins are a key component of the mirna-dependent post-transcriptional silencing pathway in animals. they function as scaffold proteins to mediate the interaction of argonaute (ago)-containing complexes with cytoplasmic poly(a)-binding proteins (pabp) and pan2-pan3 and ccr4-not deadenylases. the ago-gw182 complexes mediate silencing of the target mrna through induction of translational repression and/or mrna degradation. although the gw182 proteins are a subject of extensive experime ...026106978
cloning of the heat shock protein 60 gene from the stem borer, chilo suppressalis, and analysis of expression characteristics under heat stress.heat shock protein 60 is an important chaperonin. in this paper, hsp60 of the stem borer, chilo suppressalis (walker) (lepidoptera: pyralidae), was cloned by rt-pcr and rapid amplification of cdna end (race) reactions. the full length cdna of hsp6 degrees consisted of 2142 bp, with an orf of 1719 bp, encoding 572 amino acid residues, with a 5'utr of 158 bp and a 3'utr of 265 bp. cluster analysis confirmed that the deduced amino acid sequence shared high identity with the reported sequences from ...020673188
an empirical test of the aggregation model of coexistence and consequences for competing container-dwelling mosquitoes.we investigated the aggregation model of coexistence as a potential mechanism explaining patterns of coexistence between container mosquitoes aedes albopictus and aedes aegypti in southern florida, usa. aedes aegypti coexists with the invasive a. albopictus in many locations despite being an inferior resource competitor under most conditions. in agreement with aggregation theory we observed significant intraspecific aggregation of a. albopictus in all six field sites sampled in southern florida ...023691666
predator identity and additive effects in a treehole community.multiple predator species can interact as well as strongly affect lower trophic levels, resulting in complex, nonadditive effects on prey populations and community structure. studies of aquatic systems have shown that interactive effects of predators on prey are not necessarily predictable from the direct effects of each species alone. to test for complex interactions, the individual and combined effects of a top and intermediate predator on larvae of native and invasive mosquito prey were exami ...016676542
does differential predation permit invasive and native mosquito larvae to coexist in florida?1. the hypothesis that selective predation on larvae of the invasive aedes albopictus (skuse) could account for its stable coexistence with the native mosquito species and inferior competitor ochlerotatus triseriatus (say) in florida treeholes and container systems was tested experimentally.2. functional responses of the two dipteran predators toxorhynchites rutilus (coquillett) and corethrella appendiculata (grabham) were evaluated separately for a. albopictus and o. triseriatus prey. both pred ...022532705
differential behavioral responses to water-borne cues to predation in two container-dwelling mosquitoes.larvae of the mosquito toxorhynchites rutilus (coquillett) prey upon other container-dwelling insects, including larvae of aedes albopictus (skuse), which is native to asia but was introduced into the united states, and on the native tree hole mosquito ochlerotatus triseriatus (say). previous work has established that o. triseriatus adopts low-risk behaviors in the presence of predation risk from t. rutilus. it is unknown whether introduced a. albopictus show a similar response to this predator. ...017710216
the sublethal effects of the entomopathic fungus leptolegnia chapmanii on some biological parameters of the dengue vector aedes aegypti.the mosquito aedes aegypti (l.) (diptera: culicidae) is the primary vector of dengue in the americas. the use of chemical insecticides is recommended during outbreaks of dengue in order to reduce the number of adult mosquitoes; however, because ae. aegypti is highly synanthropic, the use of insecticides in densely populated areas is a dangerous practice. leptolegnia chapmanii seymour (straminipila: peronosporomycetes) is an entomopathogenic microorganism that has demonstrated marked pathogenicit ...023901823
comparative genomics of odorant binding proteins in anopheles gambiae, aedes aegypti, and culex quinquefasciatus.about 1 million people in the world die each year from diseases spread by mosquitoes, and understanding the mechanism of host identification by the mosquitoes through olfaction is at stake. the role of odorant binding proteins (obps) in the primary molecular events of olfaction in mosquitoes is becoming an important focus of biological research in this area. here, we present a comprehensive comparative genomics study of obps in the three disease-transmitting mosquito species anopheles gambiae, a ...023292137
functional classification and central nervous projections of olfactory receptor neurons housed in antennal trichoid sensilla of female yellow fever mosquitoes, aedes aegypti.mosquitoes are highly dependent on their olfactory system for, e.g. host location and identification of nectar-feeding and oviposition sites. odours are detected by olfactory receptor neurons (orns) housed in hair-shaped structures, sensilla, on the antennae and maxillary palps. in order to unravel the function of the olfactory system in the yellow fever vector, aedes aegypti, we performed single-sensillum recordings from trichoid sensilla on female antennae. these sensilla are divided into four ...017880395
towards abolition of immunogenic structures in insect cells: characterization of a honey-bee (apis mellifera) multi-gene family reveals both an allergy-related core alpha1,3-fucosyltransferase and the first insect lewis-histo-blood-group-related antigen-synthesizing enzyme.glycoproteins from honey-bee (apis mellifera), such as phospholipase a2 and hyaluronidase, are well-known major bee-venom allergens. they carry n-linked oligosaccharide structures with two types of alpha1,3-fucosylation: the modification by alpha1,3-fucose of the innermost core glcnac, which constitutes an epitope recognized by ige from some bee-venom-allergic patients, and an antennal lewis-like galnacbeta1,4(fucalpha1,3)glcnac moiety. we now report the cloning and expression of two cdnas encod ...017029591
vasa genes: emerging roles in the germ line and in multipotent cells.sexually reproducing metazoans establish a cell lineage during development that is ultimately dedicated to gamete production. work in a variety of animals suggests that a group of conserved molecular determinants act in this germ line maintenance and function. the most universal of these genes are vasa and vasa-like dead-box rna helicase genes. however, recent evidence indicates that vasa genes also function in other cell types, distinct from the germ line. here we evaluate our current understan ...020586054
multimodal integration of carbon dioxide and other sensory cues drives mosquito attraction to humans.multiple sensory cues emanating from humans are thought to guide blood-feeding female mosquitoes to a host. to determine the relative contribution of carbon dioxide (co2) detection to mosquito host-seeking behavior, we mutated the aaeggr3 gene, a subunit of the heteromeric co2 receptor in aedes aegypti mosquitoes. gr3 mutants lack electrophysiological and behavioral responses to co2. these mutants also fail to show co2-evoked responses to heat and lactic acid, a human-derived attractant, suggest ...024581501
the central role of mosquito cytochrome p450 cyp6zs in insecticide detoxification revealed by functional expression and structural modelling.the resistance of mosquitoes to chemical insecticides is threatening vector control programmes worldwide. cytochrome p450 monooxygenases (cyps) are known to play a major role in insecticide resistance, allowing resistant insects to metabolize insecticides at a higher rate. among them, members of the mosquito cyp6z subfamily, like aedes aegypti cyp6z8 and its anopheles gambiae orthologue cyp6z2, have been frequently associated with pyrethroid resistance. however, their role in the pyrethroid degr ...023844938
cloning, expression analysis, and molecular modeling of the gamma-aminobutyric acid receptor alpha2 subunit gene from the common cutworm, spodoptera litura.intensive research on the molecule structures of the gamma-nminobutyric acid (gaba) receptor in agricultural pests has great significance to the mechanism investigation, resistance prevention, and molecular design of novel pesticides. the gaba receptor a2 (slgabarα2) subunit gene in spodoptera litura (fabricius) (lepidoptera: noctuidae) was cloned using the technologies of reverse transcription pcr and rapid amplification of cdna ends. the gemonic dna sequence of slgabarα2 has 5164 bp with 8 exo ...023909412
nutrition-dependent control of insect development by insulin-like peptides.in metazoans, members of the insulin-like peptide (ilp) family play a role in multiple physiological functions in response to the nutritional status. ilps have been identified and characterized in a wide variety of insect species. insect ilps that are mainly produced by several pairs of medial neurosecretory cells in the brain circulate in the hemolymph and act systemically on target tissues. physiological and biochemical studies in lepidoptera and genetic studies in the fruit fly have greatly e ...026664828
foreword. 024473796
cloning and sequence analysis of chitin synthase gene fragments of demodex mites.to our knowledge, few reports on demodex studied at the molecular level are available at present. in this study our group, for the first time, cloned, sequenced and analyzed the chitin synthase (chs) gene fragments of demodex folliculorum, demodex brevis, and demodex canis (three isolates from each species) from xi'an china, by designing specific primers based on the only partial sequence of the chs gene of d. canis from japan, retrieved from genbank. results show that amplification was successf ...023024043
proteome changes in the plasma of papilio xuthus (lepidoptera: papilionidae): effect of parasitization by the endoparasitic wasp pteromalus puparum (hymenoptera: pteromalidae).although the biochemical dissection of parasitoid-host interactions is becoming well characterized, the molecular knowledge concerning them is minimal. in order to understand the molecular bases of the host immune response to parasitoid attack, we explored the response of papilio xuthus parasitized by the endoparasitic wasp pteromalus puparum using proteomic approach. by examining the differential expression of plasma proteins in the parasitized and unparasitized host pupae by two-dimensional (2 ...019489110
but2 is a member of the third major group of hat transposons and is involved in horizontal transfer events in the genus drosophila.the hat superfamily comprises a large and diverse array of dna transposons found in all supergroups of eukaryotes. here we characterized the drosophila buzzatii but2 element and found that it harbors a five-exon gene encoding a 643-aa putatively functional transposase. a phylogeny built with 85 hat transposases yielded, in addition to the two major groups already described, ac and buster, a third one comprising 20 sequences that includes but2, tip100, hat-4_bm, and rp-hat1. this third group is h ...024459285
cloning and immunoreactivity of the 5-ht 1mac and 5-ht 2mac receptors in the central nervous system of the freshwater prawn macrobrachium rosenbergii.biogenic amines are implicated in several mental disorders, many of which involve social interactions. simple model systems, such as crustaceans, are often more amenable than vertebrates for studying mechanisms underlying behaviors. although various cellular responses of biogenic amines have been characterized in crustaceans, the mechanisms linking these molecules to behavior remain largely unknown. observed effects of serotonin receptor agonists and antagonists in abdomen posture, escape respon ...019184976
molecular determinants of differential ligand sensitivities of insect ecdysteroid receptors.the functional receptor for insect ecdysteroid hormones is a heterodimer consisting of two nuclear hormone receptors, ecdysteroid receptor (ecr) and the retinoid x receptor homologue ultraspiracle (usp). although ecdysone is commonly thought to be a hormone precursor and 20-hydroxyecdysone (20e), the physiologically active steroid, little is known about the relative activity of ecdysteroids in various arthropods. as a step toward characterization of potential differential ligand recognition, we ...010805730
insights into the venom composition of the ectoparasitoid wasp nasonia vitripennis from bioinformatic and proteomic studies.with the nasonia vitripennis genome sequences available, we attempted to determine the proteins present in venom by two different approaches. first, we searched for the transcripts of venom proteins by a bioinformatic approach using amino acid sequences of known hymenopteran venom proteins. second, we performed proteomic analyses of crude n. vitripennis venom removed from the venom reservoir, implementing both an off-line two-dimensional liquid chromatography matrix-assisted laser desorption/ io ...020167014
mechanisms and dynamics of orphan gene emergence in insect genomes.orphan genes are defined as genes that lack detectable similarity to genes in other species and therefore no clear signals of common descent (i.e., homology) can be inferred. orphans are an enigmatic portion of the genome because their origin and function are mostly unknown and they typically make up 10% to 30% of all genes in a genome. several case studies demonstrated that orphans can contribute to lineage-specific adaptation. here, we study orphan genes by comparing 30 arthropod genomes, focu ...023348040
a visible dominant marker for insect transgenesis.transgenesis of most insects currently relies on fluorescence markers. here we establish a transformation marker system causing phenotypes visible to the naked eye due to changes in the color of melanin pigments, which are widespread in animals. ubiquitous overexpression of arylalkylamine-n-acetyl transferase in the silkworm, bombyx mori, changes the color of newly hatched first-instar larvae from black to a distinctive light brown color, and can be used as a molecular marker by directly connect ...023250425
molecular evolution, structure, and function of peroxidasins.peroxidasins represent the subfamily 2 of the peroxidase-cyclooxygenase superfamily and are closely related to chordata peroxidases (subfamily 1) and peroxinectins (subfamily 3). they are multidomain proteins containing a heme peroxidase domain with high homology to human lactoperoxidase that mediates one- and two-electron oxidation reactions. additional domains of the secreted and glycosylated metalloproteins are type c-like immunoglobulin domains, typical leucine-rich repeats, as well as a von ...022976969
big data: the future of biocuration. 018769432
clinical, virologic, and epidemiologic characteristics of dengue outbreak, dar es salaam, tanzania, 2014.we investigated a dengue outbreak in dar es salaam, tanzania, in 2014, that was caused by dengue virus (denv) serotype 2. denv infection was present in 101 (20.9%) of 483 patients. patient age and location of residence were associated with infection. seven (4.0%) of 176 patients were co-infected with malaria and denv.027088845
an operational framework for insecticide resistance management planning.arthropod vectors transmit organisms that cause many emerging and reemerging diseases, and their control is reliant mainly on the use of chemical insecticides. only a few classes of insecticides are available for public health use, and the increased spread of insecticide resistance is a major threat to sustainable disease control. the primary strategy for mitigating the detrimental effects of insecticide resistance is the development of an insecticide resistance management plan. however, few exa ...027089119
seasonality and the effectiveness of mass vaccination.many infectious diseases have seasonal outbreaks, which may be driven by cyclical environmental conditions (e.g., an annual rainy season) or human behavior (e.g., school calendars or seasonal migration). if a pathogen is only transmissible for a limited period of time each year, then seasonal outbreaks could infect fewer individuals than expected given the pathogen's in-season transmissibility. influenza, with its short serial interval and long season, probably spreads throughout a population un ...027105983
detection of all four dengue serotypes in aedes aegypti female mosquitoes collected in a rural area in colombia.the aedes aegypti vector for dengue virus (denv) has been reported in urban and periurban areas. the information about denv circulation in mosquitoes in colombian rural areas is limited, so we aimed to evaluate the presence of denv in ae. aegypti females caught in rural locations of two colombian municipalities, anapoima and la mesa. mosquitoes from 497 rural households in 44 different rural settlements were collected. pools of about 20 ae. aegypti females were processed for denv serotype detect ...027074252
bacillus thuringiensis cry1a toxins are versatile proteins with multiple modes of action: two distinct pre-pores are involved in toxicity.cry proteins from bacillus thuringiensis are insecticidal pfts (pore-forming toxins). in the present study, we show that two distinct functional pre-pores of cry1ab are formed after binding of the protoxin or the protease-activated toxin to the cadherin receptor, but before membrane insertion. both pre-pores actively induce pore formation, although with different characteristics, and contribute to the insecticidal activity. we also analysed the oligomerization of the mutant cry1abmod protein. th ...024456341
inner workings: a big role for a microbial parasite. 027095842
sub-lethal metal stress response of larvae of aedes aegypti.aedes aegypti (diptera: culicidae) has adapted to urban environments; the urbanisation process provides suitable habitats for this disease vector subsequently increasing the probability of the transmission of pathogens in high-density environments. urban environments provide metal stressed larval habitats. however, little is known about the physiological cost of metal stress or how this might affect the performance of this mosquito species. this study aims to characterise the sub-lethal physiolo ...024926118
a mosquito sperm's journey from male ejaculate to egg: mechanisms, molecules, and methods for exploration.the fate of mosquito sperm in the female reproductive tract has been addressed sporadically and incompletely, resulting in significant gaps in our understanding of sperm-female interactions that ultimately lead to fertilization. as with other diptera, mosquito sperm have a complex journey to their ultimate destination, the egg. after copulation, sperm spend a short time at the site of insemination where they are hyperactivated and quickly congregate near the entrance of the spermathecal ducts. w ...027147424
molecular determinants of odorant receptor function in insects.the olfactory system of drosophila melanogaster provides a powerful model to study molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying function of a sensory system. in the 1970s siddiqi and colleagues pioneered the application of genetics to olfactory research and isolated several mutant drosophila with odorant-specific defects in olfactory behaviour, suggesting that odorants are detected differentially by the olfactory system. since then basic principles of olfactory system function and development ha ...025116610
transfusion support in patients with dengue fever.dengue fever has emerged as a global public health problem in the recent decades. the clinical spectrum of the disease ranges from dengue fever to dengue hemorrhagic fever and dengue shock syndrome. the disease is characterized by increased capillary permeability, thrombocytopenia and coagulopathy. thrombocytopenia with hemorrhagic manifestations warrants platelet transfusions. there is lack of evidence-based guidelines for transfusion support in patients with dengue fever. this contributes to i ...025298950
laboratory evaluation of the development of aedes aegypti in two seasons: influence of different places and different densities.aedes aegypti is an important vector in brazil being the main vector of the dengue-fever. this paper employs survival curves to describe the time in days from larvae to adult forms of aedes aegypti raised, individually and collectively, and compares it during winter and spring when positioned inside and outside a laboratory. the study was conducted in são vicente, a coastal city in southeastern brazil. the lowest water temperature in winter and in spring was 20 °c and the highest was 26 °c in sp ...025229215
detection and characterization of wolbachia infection in silkworm.wolbachia naturally infects a wide variety of arthropods, where it plays important roles in host reproduction. it was previously reported that wolbachia did not infect silkworm. by means of pcr and sequencing we found in this study that wolbachia is indeed present in silkworm. phylogenetic analysis indicates that wolbachia infection in silkworm may have occurred via transfer from parasitic wasps. furthermore, southern blotting results suggest a lateral transfer of the wsp gene into the genomes o ...025249781
spatiotemporal distribution of dengue vectors & identification of high risk zones in district sonitpur, assam, india.dengue is an arboviral disease of public health importance in many parts of india and recently many cases have been reported from northeastern india. aedes mosquitoes, which are the vectors of dengue, are widely prevalent in the region. a study was initiated in sonitpur district of assam to understand the spatiotemporal distribution and seasonal prevalence of dengue vectors and to identify the high risk zones.025297362
bioactivity of indigenous medicinal plants against the cotton whitefly, bemisia tabaci.forty-one methanol extracts of 28 indigenous medicinal plant species were tested for their insecticidal bioactivity against cotton whitefly, bemisia tabaci (gennadius) (hemiptera: aleyrodidae), adults and second nymphal instars under controlled conditions. this study is within a bioprospection context, in the form of utilizing local plant species as an alternative in sustainable agriculture development. eighteen and nine plant extracts caused a significant decrease in number of live adult and ny ...025204756
expression of a toll signaling regulator serpin in a mycoinsecticide for increased virulence.serpins are ubiquitously distributed serine protease inhibitors that covalently bind to target proteases to exert their activities. serpins regulate a wide range of activities, particularly those in which protease-mediated cascades are active. the drosophila melanogaster serpin spn43ac negatively controls the toll pathway that is activated in response to fungal infection. the entomopathogenic fungus beauveria bassiana offers an environmentally friendly alternative to chemical pesticides for inse ...024837378
chikungunya outbreak in bueng kan province, thailand, 2013. 025061989
double trouble: combined action of meiotic drive and wolbachia feminization in eurema butterflies.arthropod sex ratios can be manipulated by a diverse range of selfish genetic elements, including maternally inherited wolbachia bacteria. feminization by wolbachia is rare but has been described for eurema mandarina butterflies. in this species, some phenotypic and functional females, thought to be zz genetic males, are infected with a feminizing wolbachia strain, wfem. meanwhile, heterogametic wz females are not infected with wfem. here, we establish a quantitative pcr assay allowing reliable ...025948567
how mathematical epidemiology became a field of biology: a commentary on anderson and may (1981) 'the population dynamics of microparasites and their invertebrate hosts'.we discuss the context, content and importance of the paper 'the population dynamics of microparasites and their invertebrate hosts', by r. m. anderson and r. m. may, published in the philosophical transactions of the royal society as a stand-alone issue in 1981. we do this from the broader perspective of the study of infectious disease dynamics, rather than the specific perspective of the dynamics of insect pathogens. we argue that their 1981 paper fits seamlessly in the systematic study of inf ...025750231
climate change influences on global distributions of dengue and chikungunya virus vectors.numerous recent studies have illuminated global distributions of human cases of dengue and other mosquito-transmitted diseases, yet the potential distributions of key vector species have not been incorporated integrally into those mapping efforts. projections onto future conditions to illuminate potential distributional shifts in coming decades are similarly lacking, at least outside europe. this study examined the global potential distributions of aedes aegypti and aedes albopictus in relation ...025688023
dengue: recent past and future threats.this article explores four key questions about statistical models developed to describe the recent past and future of vector-borne diseases, with special emphasis on dengue: (1) how many variables should be used to make predictions about the future of vector-borne diseases? (2) is the spatial resolution of a climate dataset an important determinant of model accuracy? (3) does inclusion of the future distributions of vectors affect predictions of the futures of the diseases they transmit? (4) whi ...025688021
present and future projections of habitat suitability of the asian tiger mosquito, a vector of viral pathogens, from global climate simulation.climate change can influence the transmission of vector-borne diseases (vbds) through altering the habitat suitability of insect vectors. here we present global climate model simulations and evaluate the associated uncertainties in view of the main meteorological factors that may affect the distribution of the asian tiger mosquito (aedes albopictus), which can transmit pathogens that cause chikungunya, dengue fever, yellow fever and various encephalitides. using a general circulation model at 50 ...025688015
reappearance of chikungunya, formerly called dengue, in the americas.after an absence of ≈200 years, chikungunya returned to the american tropics in 2013. the virus is maintained in a complex african zoonotic cycle but escapes into an urban cycle at 40- to 50-year intervals, causing global pandemics. in 1823, classical chikungunya, a viral exanthem in humans, occurred on zanzibar, and in 1827, it arrived in the caribbean and spread to north and south america. in zanzibar, the disease was known as kidenga pepo, swahili for a sudden cramp-like seizure caused by an ...025816211
chile confronts its environmental health future after 25 years of accelerated growth.chile has recently been reclassified by the world bank from an upper-middle-income country to a high-income country. there has been great progress in the last 20 to 30 years in relation to air and water pollution in chile. yet after 25 years of unrestrained growth, there remain clear challenges posed by air and water pollution, as well as climate change.026615070
chikungunya outbreak in garo hills, meghalaya: an epidemiological perspective.chikungunya (chik) fever is a mosquito-borne disease caused by chikungunya virus (chikv). chikungunya infection was first reported from india in 1963 from kolkata. we report the serological and molecular evidence of an outbreak of chikungunya in northeast india that occurred in tura, a hilly and forested terrain in garo hills district of meghalaya.026139776
the changing tails of a novel short interspersed element in aedes aegypti: genomic evidence for slippage retrotransposition and the relationship between 3' tandem repeats and the poly(da) tail.a novel family of trna-related sines named gecko was discovered in the yellow fever mosquito, aedes aegypti. approximately 7200 copies of gecko were distributed in the a. aegypti genome with a significant bias toward a + t-rich regions. the 3' end of gecko is similar in sequence and identical in secondary structure to the 3' end of mosqui, a non-ltr retrotransposon in a. aegypti. nine conserved substitutions and a deletion separate gecko into two groups. group i includes all gecko that end with ...015611173
bracoviruses contain a large multigene family coding for protein tyrosine phosphatases.the relationship between parasitic wasps and bracoviruses constitutes one of the few known mutualisms between viruses and eukaryotes. the virions produced in the wasp ovaries are injected into host lepidopteran larvae, where virus genes are expressed, allowing successful development of the parasite by inducing host immune suppression and developmental arrest. bracovirus-bearing wasps have a common phylogenetic origin, and contemporary bracoviruses are hypothesized to have been inherited by chrom ...015542661
cysteine and keto acids modulate mosquito kynurenine aminotransferase catalyzed kynurenic acid production.kynurenine aminotransferase (kat) catalyzes the formation of kynurenic acid (kyna), the natural antagonist of ionotropic glutamate receptors. this study tests potential substrates and assesses the effects of amino acids and keto acids on the activity of mosquito kat. various keto acids, when simultaneously present in the same reaction mixture, display a combined effect on kat catalyzed kyna production. moreover, methionine and glutamine show inhibitory effects on kat activity, while cysteine fun ...015556614
natively unfolded domains in endocytosis: hooks, lines and linkers.it is commonly assumed that a protein must adopt a tertiary structure to achieve its active native state and that regions of a protein that are devoid of alpha-helix or beta-sheet structures are functionally inert. although extended proline-rich regions are recognized as presenting binding motifs to, for example, src homology 2 (sh2) and sh3 domains, the idea persists that natively unfolded regions in functional proteins are simply 'spacers' between the folded domains. such a view has been chall ...015520805
stereodivergent construction of cyclic ethers by a regioselective and enantiospecific rhodium-catalyzed allylic etherification: total synthesis of gaur acid. 015366088
interspecific differences in feeding behavior and survival under food-limited conditions for larval aedes albopictus and aedes aegypti (diptera: culicidae).aedes albopictus has replaced aedes aegypti in much of the latter species' historic range within the united states. the leading hypothesis for this displacement is exclusion via resource competition; however, the proximate mechanism producing a competitive advantage for a. albopictus over a. aegypti has not been identified. we performed laboratory experiments to test the hypotheses that these species differ in feeding behavior, and that these differences result in differences in survival when re ...023197877
yellow fever: readily prevented but difficult to treat. 015210636
dengue spatial and temporal patterns, french guiana, 2001.to study a 2001 dengue fever outbreak in iracoubo, french guiana, we recorded the location of all patients' homes and the date when symptoms were first observed. a geographic information system (gis) was used to integrate the patient-related information. the knox test, a classic space-time analysis technique, was used to detect spatiotemporal clustering. analysis of the relative-risk (rr) variations when space and time distances vary, highlighted the maximum space and time extent of a dengue tra ...015200850
dengue fever outbreak in a recreation club, dhaka, bangladesh.an outbreak of dengue fever occurred among employees of a recreation club in bangladesh. occupational transmission was characterized by a 12% attack rate, no dengue among family contacts, and aedes vectors in club areas. early recognition of the outbreak likely limited its impact.015200876
signature of the oligomeric behaviour of nuclear receptors at the sequence and structural level.nuclear receptors (nrs) are ligand-dependent transcription factors that control a large number of physiological events through the regulation of gene transcription. nrs function either as homodimers or as heterodimers with retinoid x receptor/ultraspiracle protein (rxr/usp). a structure-based sequence analysis aimed at discovering the molecular mechanism that controls the dimeric association of the ligand-binding domain reveals two sets of differentially conserved residues, which partition the e ...015105832
resistance of aedes aegypti to temephos and adaptive disadvantages.to evaluate the resistance of aedes aegypti to temephos fersol 1g (temephos 1% w/w) associated with the adaptive disadvantage of insect populations in the absence of selection pressure.025372168
o'nyong-nyong virus infection imported to europe from kenya by a traveler. 025271361
dengue expansion in africa-not recognized or not happening?an expert conference on dengue in africa was held in accra, ghana, in february 2013 to consider key questions regarding the possible expansion of dengue in africa. four key action points were highlighted to advance our understanding of the epidemiology of dengue in africa. first, dengue diagnostic tools must be made more widely available in the healthcare setting in africa. second, representative data need to be collected across africa to uncover the true burden of dengue. third, established net ...025271370
three-way interactions between mosquito population, viral strain and temperature underlying chikungunya virus transmission potential.interactions between pathogens and their insect vectors in nature are under the control of both genetic and non-genetic factors, yet most studies on mosquito vector competence for human pathogens are conducted in laboratory systems that do not consider genetic and/or environmental variability. evaluating the risk of emergence of arthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses) of public health importance such as chikungunya virus (chikv) requires a more realistic appraisal of genetic and environmental cont ...025122228
concurrent malaria and dengue fever: a need for rapid diagnostic methods.malaria and dengue fever are endemic in the south-east asian region including india. both the illnesses share similar symptomatology, but differ in certain respects such as different- causative organisms and mosquito vector with diverse habitat. hence, concurrent malaria and dengue fever in the same patient is said to be unusual. there have been cases of concurrent malaria and dengue, but they are scarce from highly endemic region like ours. here, we describe three unusual cases of plasmodium vi ...025657963
functional characterizations of residues arg-158 and tyr-170 of the mosquito-larvicidal bacillus thuringiensis cry4ba.the insecticidal activity of bacillus thuringiensis (bt) cry toxins involves toxin stabilization, oligomerization, passage across the peritrophic membrane (pm), binding to midgut receptors and pore-formation. the residues arg-158 and tyr-170 have been shown to be crucial for the toxicity of bt cry4ba. we characterized the biological function of these residues. in mosquito larvae, the mutants r158a/e/q (r158) could hardly penetrate the pm due to a significantly reduced ability to alter pm permeab ...024286331
an unusual ocular emergency in severe dengue.dengue, one of the most common mosquito-borne flavivirus diseases affecting humans, is spread by the aedes aegypti mosquito. most people infected with dengue virus are asymptomatic or only have mild symptoms such as an uncomplicated fever; few have more severe features, while in a small proportion it is life-threatening. severe dengue is defined as that associated with severe bleeding, severe organ dysfunction, or severe plasma leakage. ophthalmic manifestations can involve both the anterior and ...025371643
from genome to "venome": molecular origin and evolution of the snake venom proteome inferred from phylogenetic analysis of toxin sequences and related body proteins.this study analyzed the origin and evolution of snake venom proteome by means of phylogenetic analysis of the amino acid sequences of the toxins and related nonvenom proteins. the snake toxins were shown to have arisen from recruitment events of genes from within the following protein families: acetylcholinesterase, adam (disintegrin/metalloproteinase), avit, complement c3, crotasin/beta defensin, cystatin, endothelin, factor v, factor x, kallikrein, kunitz-type proteinase inhibitor, lynx/slur, ...015741511
alkaline phosphatase from venom of the endoparasitoid wasp, pteromalus puparum.using chromogenic substrates 5-bromo-4-chloro-3'-indolyl phosphate and nitro blue tetrazolium, alkaline phosphatase (alpase) was histochemically detected in the venom apparatus of an endoparasitoid wasp, pteromalus puparum l. (hymenoptera: pteromalidae). ultrastructural observations demonstrated its presence in the secretory vesicles and nuclei of the venom gland secretory cells. using p-nitrophenyl phosphate as substrate to measure enzyme activity, the venom alpase was found to be temperature d ...020575745
chromatin-remodelling proteins of the pea aphid, acyrthosiphon pisum (harris).aphids display extraordinary developmental plasticity in response to environmental cues. these differential responses to environmental changes may be due in part to changes in gene expression patterns. to understand the molecular basis for aphid developmental plasticity, we attempted to identify the chromatin-remodelling machinery in the recently sequenced pea aphid genome. we find that the pea aphid possesses a complement of metazoan histone modifying enzymes with greater gene family diversity ...020482651
eco-bio-social determinants of dengue vector breeding: a multicountry study in urban and periurban asia.to study dengue vector breeding patterns under a variety of conditions in public and private spaces; to explore the ecological, biological and social (eco-bio-social) factors involved in vector breeding and viral transmission, and to define the main implications for vector control.020428384
comparative analysis of nuclear trna genes of nasonia vitripennis and other arthropods, and relationships to codon usage bias.using bioinformatics methods, we identified a total of 221 and 199 trna genes in the nuclear genomes of nasonia vitripennis and honey bee (apis mellifera), respectively. we performed comparative analyses of nasonia trna genes with honey bee and other selected insects to understand genomic distribution, sequence evolution and relationship of trna copy number with codon usage patterns. many trna genes are located physically close to each other in the form of small clusters in the nasonia genome. h ...020167017
effects of pygidial secretion (zoopesticide) on histopathological changes in the male accessory reproductive glands of adult male insect odontopus varicornis in relation to reproduction.indiscriminate use of pesticides for the eradication of pests causes tremendous changes to the environment and also to other nontarget organisms. to prevent such contamination of the environment and save nontarget species, zoopesticides are increasingly used as they are cost effective, eco-friendly, safe, and sustainable in the field of agriculture. the present study was undertaken to find out the effect of pygidial secretion (zoopesticide) on odontopus varicornis. the insects were exposed to py ...021042469
functional consequences of mutations in the drosophila histamine receptor hclb.the gene hclb encodes a histamine-gated chloride channel subunit in drosophila melanogaster. mutations in hclb lead to defects in the visual system and altered sensitivity to the action of ivermectin. to investigate whether this member of the cys-loop receptors is common across the insecta, we analysed the genomes of seven other insect species (diptera, hymenoptera, coleoptera) and revealed orthologues of hclb in all of them. sequence comparisons showed high identity levels between the orthologu ...019716373
the epidemiology of dengue in the americas over the last three decades: a worrisome reality.we have reported the epidemic patterns of dengue disease in the region of the americas from 1980 through 2007. dengue cases reported to the pan american health organization were analyzed from three periods: 1980-1989 (80s), 1990-1999 (90s), and 2000-2007 (2000-7). age distribution data were examined from brazil, venezuela, honduras, and mexico. cases increased over time: 1,033,417 (80s) to 2,725,405 (90s) to 4,759,007 (2000-7). the highest concentrations were reported in the hispanic caribbean ( ...020065008
cellular mechanisms of acid secretion in the posterior midgut of the larval mosquito (aedes aegypti).the gut contents of larval mosquitoes are alkalinized by the anterior midgut and reacidified by the posterior midgut. in the present study the cellular mechanisms of reacidification were studied in isolated, perfused posterior midgut by measuring the transepithelial voltage (v(te)) and the rate of acid secretion as indicated by the color change of m-cresol purple during intervals of perfusion stop. the lumen-positive v(te) and reacidification were significantly increased by serotonin (0.2 mumol ...020038664
chikungunya fever in traveler from angola to japan, 2016.simultaneous circulation of multiple arboviruses presents diagnostic challenges. in may 2016, chikungunya fever was diagnosed in a traveler from angola to japan. travel history, incubation period, and phylogenetic analysis indicated probable infection acquisition in angola, where a yellow fever outbreak is ongoing. thus, local transmission of chikungunya virus probably also occurs in angola.027983938
detection of wolbachia from field collected aedes albopictus skuse in malaysia.wolbachia-based vector control strategies have been proposed as a mean to augment the existing measures for controlling dengue vector. prior to utilizing wolbachia in novel vector control strategies, it is crucial to understand the wolbachia-mosquito interactions. many studies have only focused on the prevalence of wolbachia in female aedes albopictus with lack of attention on wolbachia infection on the male ae. albopictus which also affects the effective expression of wolbachia induced- cytopla ...026354218
underrecognition of dengue during 2013 epidemic in luanda, angola.during the 2013 dengue epidemic in luanda, angola, 811 dengue rapid diagnostic test-positive cases were reported to the ministry of health. to better understand the magnitude of the epidemic and identify risk factors for dengue virus (denv) infection, we conducted cluster surveys around households of case-patients and randomly selected households 6 weeks after the peak of the epidemic. of 173 case cluster participants, 16 (9%) exhibited evidence of recent denv infection. of 247 random cluster pa ...026196224
a comparative analysis of reproductive biology of insect vectors of human disease.studying the reproductive strategies of insect species that transmit diseases to humans can identify new exploitable targets for the development of vector control methods. here we describe shared characteristics and individual features of the reproductive biology of three major disease vectors: anopheles gambiae, aedes aegypti and glossina morsitans. current studies are identifying i) species-specific molecular cascades that determine female monandrous behavior, ii) core aspects of egg developme ...026140265
genetic linkage map of the edible basidiomycete pleurotus ostreatus.we have constructed a genetic linkage map of the edible basidiomycete pleurotus ostreatus (var. florida). the map is based on the segregation of 178 random amplified polymorphic dna and 23 restriction fragment length polymorphism markers; four hydrophobin, two laccase, and two manganese peroxidase genes; both mating type loci; one isozyme locus (est1); the rrna gene sequence; and a repetitive dna sequence in a population of 80 sibling monokaryons. the map identifies 11 linkage groups correspondi ...011097904
drug-resistant drosophila indicate glutamate-gated chloride channels are targets for the antiparasitics nodulisporic acid and ivermectin.the fruit fly drosophila melanogaster was used to examine the mode of action of the novel insecticide and acaricide nodulisporic acid. flies resistant to nodulisporic acid were selected by stepwise increasing the dose of drug in the culture media. the resistant strain, glc(1), is at least 20-fold resistant to nodulisporic acid and 3-fold cross-resistant to the parasiticide ivermectin, and exhibited decreased brood size, decreased locomotion, and bang sensitivity. binding assays using glc(1) head ...011095718
chorion peroxidase-mediated nadh/o(2) oxidoreduction cooperated by chorion malate dehydrogenase-catalyzed nadh production: a feasible pathway leading to h(2)o(2) formation during chorion hardening in aedes aegypti mosquitoes.a specific chorion peroxidase is present in aedes aegypti and this enzyme is responsible for catalyzing chorion protein cross-linking through dityrosine formation during chorion hardening. peroxidase-mediated dityrosine cross-linking requires h(2)o(2), and this study discusses the possible involvement of the chorion peroxidase in h(2)o(2) formation by mediating nadh/o(2) oxidoreduction during chorion hardening in a. aegypti eggs. our data show that mosquito chorion peroxidase is able to catalyze ...011042391
molecular characterization of the abp1 5'-flanking region in maize and the teosintes.auxin-binding protein 1 subsp. mays (abp1) has been suggested as a receptor mediating auxin-induced cell expansion and differentiation. in maize (zea mays), abp1 is encoded by a single gene, abp1. the tata and caat promoter elements as well as the transcriptional start site were previously identified and all were found to be located within a transposable element (te), tourist-zm11. in this study we report the cloning and characterization of the abp1 5'-flanking region in maize and its wild relat ...010982450
a repressible female-specific lethal genetic system for making transgenic insect strains suitable for a sterile-release program.we have developed a tetracycline-repressible female-specific lethal genetic system in the vinegar fly drosophila melanogaster. one component of the system is the tetracycline-controlled transactivator gene under the control of the fat body and female-specific transcription enhancer from the yolk protein 1 gene. the other component consists of the proapoptotic gene hid under the control of a tetracycline-responsive element. males and females of a strain carrying both components are viable on medi ...010890889
purification and characterization of chorion peroxidase from aedes aegypti eggs.previous study has shown that a peroxidase is present in the mature eggs of aedes aegypti mosquitoes, and the enzyme is involved in the formation of a rigid and insoluble chorion by catalyzing chorion protein crosslinking through dityrosine formation. in this study, chorion peroxidase was solubilized from egg chorion by 1% sds and 2 m urea and purified by various chromatographic techniques. the enzyme has a relative molecular mass of 63,000 as estimated by sds-page. spectral analysis of the enzy ...010871050
the other dr finlay is commemorated in cuban stamps. 010731200
cis and trans factors affecting mos1 mariner evolution and transposition in vitro, and its potential for functional genomics.mos1 and other mariner / tc1 transposons move horizon-tally during evolution, and when transplanted into heterologous species can transpose in organisms ranging from prokaryotes to protozoans and vertebrates. to further develop the drosophila mos1 mariner system as a genetic tool and to probe mechanisms affecting the regulation of transposition activity, we developed an in vitro system for mos1 transposition using purified transposase and selectable mos1 derivatives. transposition frequencies of ...010637331
recent, extensive, and preferential insertion of members of the miniature inverted-repeat transposable element family heartbreaker into genic regions of maize.a 314-bp dna element called heartbreaker-hm1 (hbr-hm1) was previously identified in the 3' untranslated region of a mutant allele of the maize disease resistance gene hm1. this element has structural features of miniature inverted-repeat transposable elements (mites) and is a member of a large family of approximately 4,000 copies in the maize genome. unlike previously described mites, most members of the hbr family display over 90% sequence identity. this, coupled with the insertion of an hbr el ...010655501
regulation of the vitellogenin receptor during drosophila melanogaster oogenesis.in many insects, development of the oocyte arrests temporarily just before vitellogenesis, the period when vitellogenins (yolk proteins) accumulate in the oocyte. following hormonal and environmental cues, development of the oocyte resumes, and endocytosis of vitellogenins begins. an essential component of yolk uptake is the vitellogenin receptor. in this report, we describe the ovarian expression pattern and subcellular localization of the mrna and protein encoded by the drosophila melanogaster ...010679010
receptor-mediated endocytosis in the caenorhabditis elegans oocyte.the caenorhabditis elegans oocyte is a highly amenable system for forward and reverse genetic analysis of receptor-mediated endocytosis. we describe the use of transgenic strains expressing a vitellogenin::green fluorescent protein (yp170::gfp) fusion to monitor yolk endocytosis by the c. elegans oocyte in vivo. this yp170::gfp reporter was used to assay the functions of c. elegans predicted proteins homologous to vertebrate endocytosis factors using rna-mediated interference. we show that the b ...010588660
the other dr finlay 010473479
scientists try new strategy to eradicate dengue fever.in a bid to reduce the risk of dengue fever in parts of vietnam, the australian foundation for the peoples of asia and the pacific, an aid organization, recently completed a 3-year program using the mesocyclops crustacean, an organism about 1 mm long which eats the larvae of mosquitos which transmit dengue fever. the program appears to eradicated the larvae from the northern vietnamese province of phan boi, and there was a 75% success rate in other provinces. the queensland institute of medical ...010037618
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