Although, the Abaso section is widely accepted as an independent section, the taxonomic status of Populus mexicana (section Abaso) has not yet been resolved due to the limited availability markers and/or the lack of P. mexicana specimens in previous studies. Thirty-one poplar species that represent six sections of the Populus genus were sampled, and 23 single-copy nuclear DNA and 34 chloroplast...

•The name Cryptotis peregrina (Merriam, 1895) previously encompassed two separate populations of a small-eared shrew of the Cryptotis mexicana-group inhabiting the Sierra de Cuatro Venados and the Sierra de Miahuatlan in Oaxaca, Mexico. Analysis of museum specimens from these two populations, including the type series of C. peregrina, indicates that they are neither conspecific nor even sister ...

Our increased understanding of host pathogen interactions shows that pathogens could capitalize on host cell pathways to favor entry and disease establishment. One such pathway used by Leishmania mexicana to enter into neutrophils and macrophages is the PI3Kγ signaling pathway. We recently showed that the use of the PI3Kγ inhibitor AS-605240 for the treatment of experimental L. mexicana infecti...

A 19-month mark-release-recapture study of Neotoma micropus with sequential screening for Leishmania mexicana was conducted in Bexar County, Texas, USA. The overall prevalence rate was 14.7% and the seasonal prevalence rates ranged from 3.8 to 26.7%. Nine incident cases were detected, giving an incidence rate of 15.5/100 rats/year. Follow-up of 101 individuals captured two or more times ranged ...

showing phenotypic characteristics typical of S. mexicana and S. schenckii (2). In contrast, type reference strain S. brasiliensis CBS 120339 was included in the test, and it was able to assimilate only dextrose. A presumptive identifi cation based on phenotypic characteristics allowed us to classify this fungus as S. mexicana, although this species has an atypical morphologic profi le. The dia...

SIBLING SPECIES OR SUBSPECIES? MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS OF NEOTOMA MEXICANA FOUND SOUTH OF THE ISTHMUS OF TEHUANTEPEC. M. K. Unkefer, R. D. Bradley , N. Ordonez-Garza, & C. W. Edwards, College of Science, George Mason University, Fairfax VA 22030, Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock TX, 79409 and Natural Science Research Laboratory, The Museum, Texas Tech University...

Leishmaniasis is a vectorborne disease transmitted to human and other mammalian hosts by sand fly bite. In the present study, we show that immunization with Leishmania mexicana promastigote secretory gel (PSG) or with a chemically defined synthetic glycovaccine containing the glycans found in L. mexicana PSG can provide significant protection against challenge by the bite of infected sand flies...

The cutaneous growth of Leishmania mexicana was measured in STAT6-deficient mice (STAT6-/-) and compared with that in similarly infected wild-type (STAT6+/+) mice. Following s.c. inoculation with 5 x 10(6) amastigotes of L. mexicana into the shaven rump, STAT6+/+ mice developed large, nonhealing cutaneous lesions, while STAT6-/- mice failed to develop detectable lesions during most of the cours...

Leishmania parasites cause human cutaneous, mucocutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis. Several studies proposed involvement of certain genes in infectivity of these parasites based on differential mRNA expression data. Due to unusual gene expression mechanism, functions of such genes must be further validated experimentally. Here, we investigated a role of one of the putative virulence factors, ...

—Overfishing due to high demand in Asian markets, have encouraged illegal fisheries of sea cucumbers in non-traditional areas of the tropical Caribbean. This work assesses the population structure, distribution, and abundance of three commercially important Caribbean species (Isostichopus badionotus, Holothuria mexicana, and Astichopus multifidus) in 47 158 hectares of shallow habitats in Bocas...