Infection heterogeneity is one of the most fundamental patterns in disease ecology, yet surprisingly few studies have experimentally explored its underlying drivers. Here, we used large-scale field assessments to evaluate the degree of parasite aggregation within amphibian host populations followed by a novel experimental approach to assess the potential influence of host size, behaviour and im...

UNLABELLED Plasmodium falciparum malaria remains one of the most deadly infections worldwide. The pathogenesis of the infection results from the sequestration of infected erythrocytes (IRBC) in vital organs, including the brain, with resulting impairment of blood flow, hypoxia, and lactic acidosis. Sequestration occurs through the adhesion of IRBC to host receptors on microvascular endothelium ...

To cite: Bricca R, Chidiac C, Ferry T. BMJ Case Rep Published online: [please include Day Month Year] doi:10.1136/bcr-2016216578 DESCRIPTION A 31-year-old French woman presented with typical cutaneous larva migrans following a 1-week visit to Gabon. Five days after her return to France, a serpiginous skin rash appeared on the anteromedial side of the left thigh (figure 1A). It had progressed fo...

Protein allosteric modulation is a pillar of metabolic regulatory mechanisms; this concept has been extended to include ion channel regulation. P2XRs are ligand-gated channels activated by extracellular ATP, sensitive to trace metals and other chemicals. By combining in silico calculations with electrophysiological recordings, we investigated the molecular basis of P2X4R modulation by Zn(II) an...

Targeting polyamines of parasitic protozoa in chemotherapy has attracted attention because polyamines might reveal novel drug targets for antiparasite therapies (Müller et al. 2001). The biological function of the triamine spermidine in parasitic protozoa has not been studied in great detail although the results obtained mainly imply three different functions, i.e., cell proliferation, cell dif...

--We compared Yellow-headed Blackbirds (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus) and Red-winged Blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) to determine possible explanations for the lack of Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) parasitism on Yellow-heads. Twenty-three cowbird eggs were cross-fostered from Red-winged Blackbird nests to Yellow-headed Blackbird nests. Eleven of the cross-fostered cowbird eggs hatched...

The end of 2007 brought us draft genome sequences of two eukaryotic microorganisms, Babesia bovis and Malassezia globosa, as well as complete genomes of the ammonia-oxidizing archaeal chemoautotroph Nitrosopumilus maritimus, and several environmental bacteria (Table 1). In terms of genome size, this list covers both sides of the spectrum: the 245 kb genome of an obligate insect symbiont Sulcia ...

ILCs are an emerging family of innate immune cells that exhibit phenotypic and functional heterogeneity that is remarkably similar to effector subsets of CD4 Th cells [1, 2]. As such, ILCs can be placed into three groups based on expression of cytokines, cytokine receptors, and transcription factors, including T-bet Group 1 ILCs that are comparable with Th1 cells, GATA3 Group 2 ILCs that are co...

Inflammation is a pervasive phenomenon that operates during severe perturbations of homeostasis, such as infection, injury, and exposure to contaminants, and is triggered by innate immune receptors that recognize pathogens and damaged cells. Among vertebrates, the inflammatory cascade is a complex network of immunological, physiological, and behavioral events that are coordinated by cytokines, ...

—Pharmacological ?1 anesthetics are used frequently in aquatic animal husbandry and research. Although several studies have investigated the effects of these anesthetic agents on immune responses in fish, none have assessed such effects in amphibians. To address this disparity, we exposed Osteopilus septentrionalis tadpoles to 0.005% benzocaine, 0.1% tricaine mehanesulphonate (MS-222), or artif...