Publications by authors named "A Heckmann"

An infection with the tick-borne has been associated with a broad spectrum of clinical manifestations in humans, but patients are only seldomly reported. Understanding its disease etiology necessitates well-stablished infection models, improving to recognize and diagnose patients with infection and facilitating the development of effective control strategies. In this study, we used C3H/HeN mice as a model to establish infection, achieving a high infection prevalence (89-100 %).

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Ticks are important vectors of disease, particularly in the context of One Health, where tick-borne diseases (TBDs) are increasingly prevalent worldwide. TBDs often involve co-infections, where multiple pathogens co-exist in a single host. Patients with chronic Lyme disease often have co-infections with other bacteria or parasites.

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Article Synopsis
  • Jasmonic acid (JA) and salicylic acid (SA) are important phytohormones that help wheat plants manage stress, but research on the wheat genes linked to these hormones is limited.
  • This study analyzed genomic and transcriptomic data from wheat, along with other plants, to identify the diversity and responsiveness of seven hormone-responsive gene families, ultimately selecting 14 candidate genes as potential markers.
  • Key findings revealed that wheat has a significantly larger number of genes in these families compared to other species, and distinct responses to JA and SA treatments, with potential implications for monitoring stress responses in wheat.
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Kemerovo virus (KEMV) is a tick-borne orbivirus transmitted by ticks of the genus . Previous animal experimentation studies with orbiviruses, in particular the interferon receptor double knock-out (IFNAR) mouse model, did not indicate bias that is related to age or sex. We endeavoured to assess the effect of serial and alternated passages of KEMV in mammalian or cells on virus replication and potential virulence in male or female IFNAR mice, with important age differences: younger males (4-5 months old), older males (14-15 months old), and old females (14-15 months old).

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Article Synopsis
  • - The study identified three metabotropic acetylcholine receptors (TsGAR-1, -2, and -3) in the parasitic nematode Trichinella spiralis and explored their physiological roles and genetic relationships.
  • - TsGAR-1 and -2 are distinct from mammalian receptors, while TsGAR-3 is similar to mammalian-type receptors, and all three were found to trigger a G protein pathway when activated by acetylcholine.
  • - The unique pharmacological profiles of TsGAR-1 and -2, along with their evolutionary distance from mammalian counterparts, suggest they could be important targets for creating new drugs to combat nematode infections.
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