A novel genotype of Babesia microti-like group in Ixodes montoyanus ticks parasitizing the Andean bear (Tremarctos ornatus) in Ecuador.

Babesia species (Piroplasmida) are hemoparasites that infect erythrocytes of mammals and birds and are mainly transmitted by hard ticks (Acari: Ixodidae). These hemoparasites are known to be the second most common parasites infecting mammals, after trypanosomes, and some species may cause malaria-like disease in humans. Diagnosis and understanding of Babesia diversity increasingly rely on genetic data obtained through molecular techniques.

Decoding the blueprint of receptor binding by filoviruses through large-scale binding assays and machine learning.

Evidence suggests that bats are important hosts of filoviruses, yet the specific species involved remain largely unidentified. Niemann-Pick C1 (NPC1) is an essential entry receptor, with amino acid variations influencing viral susceptibility and species-specific tropism. Herein, we conducted combinatorial binding studies with seven filovirus glycoproteins (GPs) and NPC1 orthologs from 81 bat species.

New Insights into the Molecular Evolution of (Tapiridae, Perissodactyla) and the Rise and Fall of as a Full Species.

Large wild mammals are extremely important in their respective ecological communities and are frequently considered to be emblematic. This is the case of the different tapir species, the largest terrestrial mammals from the Neotropics. Despite their large size and being objects of interest for many naturalists, the field still lacks critical genetics and systematics information about tapir species.

BETA-HYDROXYBUTYRATE COUNTERACTS THE DELETERIOUS EFFECTS OF A SATURATED HIGH-FAT DIET ON SYNAPTIC AMPA RECEPTORS AND COGNITIVE PERFORMANCE.

The ketogenic diet, characterized by high fat and low carbohydrates, has gained popularity not only as a strategy for managing body weight but also for its efficacy in delaying cognitive decline associated with neurodegenerative diseases and the aging process. Since this dietary approach stimulates the liver's production of ketone bodies, primarily β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), which serves as an alternative energy source for neurons, we investigated whether BHB could mitigate impaired AMPA receptor trafficking, synaptic dysfunction, and cognitive decline induced by metabolic challenges such as saturated fatty acids. Here, we observe that, in cultured primary cortical neurons, exposure to palmitic acid (200μM) decreased surface levels of glutamate GluA1-containing AMPA receptors, whereas unsaturated fatty acids, such as oleic acid and ω-3 docosahexaenoic acid (200μM), and BHB (5mM) increased them.

Communicating With Spanish-Speaking Families of Hospitalized Children With Medical Complexity.

Background And Objectives: Hospitalized families who use languages other than English (LOE) for care encounter unique communication challenges, as do children with medical complexity (CMC). We sought to better understand communication challenges and opportunities to improve care of families who use LOE from the perspectives of hospital staff and Spanish-speaking parents of CMC.

Methods: This qualitative project involved secondary analysis of transcripts from a study on family safety reporting at 2 quaternary care children's hospitals and additional primary data collection (interviews) of staff and parents.

Characterization of ClC-1 chloride channels in zebrafish: a new model to study myotonia.

The function of the chloride channel ClC-1 is crucial for the control of muscle excitability. Thus, reduction of ClC-1 functions by CLCN1 mutations leads to myotonia congenita. Many different animal models have contributed to understanding the myotonia pathophysiology.

A review of emerging health threats from zoonotic New World mammarenaviruses.

Despite repeated spillover transmission and their potential to cause significant morbidity and mortality in human hosts, the New World mammarenaviruses remain largely understudied. These viruses are endemic to South America, with animal reservoir hosts covering large geographic areas and whose transmission ecology and spillover potential are driven in part by land use change and agriculture that put humans in regular contact with zoonotic hosts.We compiled published studies about Guanarito virus, Junin virus, Machupo virus, Chapare virus, Sabia virus, and Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis virus to review the state of knowledge about the viral hemorrhagic fevers caused by New World mammarenaviruses.

Robo-Therm, a pipeline to RNA thermometer discovery and validation.

RNA thermometers are highly structured noncoding RNAs located in the 5'-untranslated regions (UTRs) of genes that regulate expression by undergoing conformational changes in response to temperature. The discovery of RNA thermometers through bioinformatics is difficult because there is little sequence conservation among their structural elements. Thus, the abundance of these thermosensitive regulatory structures remains unclear.

Family sitosterolemia: report of two cases in Colombia.

Sitosterolemia is an autosomal recessive and very rare disease. Its main characteristic is that there is a greater absorption and a decrease in the excretion of sterols, which leads to them being deposited in tissues. It is given by mutations in the ABCG5 or ABCG8 genes found on chromosome 2p21.

Chronic aryl hydrocarbon receptor activity impairs muscle mitochondrial function with tobacco smoking.

Background: Accumulating evidence has demonstrated that chronic tobacco smoking directly contributes to skeletal muscle dysfunction independent of its pathological impact to the cardiorespiratory systems. The mechanisms underlying tobacco smoke toxicity in skeletal muscle are not fully resolved. In this study, the role of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR), a transcription factor known to be activated with tobacco smoke, was investigated.

Investigating Local Patterns of Mumps Virus Circulation, Using a Combination of Molecular Tools.

Mumps is a vaccine-preventable disease caused by the mumps virus (MuV). However, MuV has re-emerged in many countries with high vaccine coverage. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends molecular surveillance based on sequencing of the small hydrophobic (SH) gene.

Digital Support Systems to Improve Child Health and Development in Peru: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Children living in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) are at greater risk for experiencing adversities that can undermine their health and early development. Recently launched digital early childhood development (ECD) programs attempt to support families with young children in their home environments using digital technologies. However, relatively little is known regarding the effectiveness of these new technologies.

A Manifesto in Defense of Pain Complexity: A Critical Review of Essential Insights in Pain Neuroscience.

Chronic pain has increasingly become a significant health challenge, not just as a symptomatic manifestation but also as a pathological condition with profound socioeconomic implications. Despite the expansion of medical interventions, the prevalence of chronic pain remains remarkably persistent, prompting a turn towards non-pharmacological treatments, such as therapeutic education, exercise, and cognitive-behavioral therapy. With the advent of cognitive neuroscience, pain is often presented as a primary output derived from the brain, aligning with Engel's Biopsychosocial Model that views disease not solely from a biological perspective but also considering psychological and social factors.

Genomic and Evolutionary Features of Nine AHPND Positive Vibrio parahaemolyticus Strains Isolated from South American Shrimp Farms.

Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a bacterial pathogen that becomes lethal to shrimps when acquiring the pVA1-type plasmid carrying the PirAB genes, causing acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease (AHPND). This disease causes significant losses across the world, with outbreaks reported in Southeast Asia, Mexico, and South America. Virulence level and mortality differences have been reported in isolates from different locations, and whether this phenomenon is caused by plasmid-related elements or genomic-related elements from the bacteria remains unclear.

Phylogenetic and biogeographical traits predict unrecognized hosts of zoonotic leishmaniasis.

The spatio-temporal distribution of leishmaniasis, a parasitic vector-borne zoonotic disease, is significantly impacted by land-use change and climate warming in the Americas. However, predicting and containing outbreaks is challenging as the zoonotic Leishmania system is highly complex: leishmaniasis (visceral, cutaneous and muco-cutaneous) in humans is caused by up to 14 different Leishmania species, and the parasite is transmitted by dozens of sandfly species and is known to infect almost twice as many wildlife species. Despite the already broad known host range, new hosts are discovered almost annually and Leishmania transmission to humans occurs in absence of a known host.

Epileptic spasms with terror during sleep in CDKL5 encephalopathy.

Study Objectives: To describe early diagnostic clues in Cyclin-Dependent Kinase-Like 5 (CDKL5) refractory encephalopathy, to improve treatment strategies.

Methods: We retrospectively studied 35 patients (25 females, 10 males) with gene mutations or deletion, focusing on their early seizure semiology, the electroencephalogram (EEG) pattern, the effect of treatment, and developmental outcome.

Results: The first seizures were recognizable and consisted of tonic, then clonic, and spasms phases, occurring in sleep at a median age of 6 weeks.

Digital tools to improve parenting behaviour in low-income settings: a mixed-methods feasibility study.

Introduction: Digital parenting interventions could be potentially cost-effective means for providing early child development services in low-income settings. This 5-month mixed-methods pilot study evaluated the feasibility of using , a comprehensive -based digital parenting intervention in a remote rural setting in Latin America and explored necessary adaptations to local context.

Methods: The study was conducted in three provinces in the Cajamarca region, Peru, from February to July 2021.

Submicron 3-D mass spectrometry imaging reveals an asymmetric molecular distribution on chemotaxing cells.

is a ~10 µm diameter unicellular eukaryote that lives on soil surfaces. When starved, cells aggregate into streams of cells in a process called chemotaxis. In this report, we studied cells during chemotaxis using 3D - mass spectrometry imaging (3D-MSI).

Data-driven predictions of potential Leishmania vectors in the Americas.

The incidence of vector-borne diseases is rising as deforestation, climate change, and globalization bring humans in contact with arthropods that can transmit pathogens. In particular, incidence of American Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (ACL), a disease caused by parasites transmitted by sandflies, is increasing as previously intact habitats are cleared for agriculture and urban areas, potentially bringing people into contact with vectors and reservoir hosts. Previous evidence has identified dozens of sandfly species that have been infected with and/or transmit Leishmania parasites.

Nurses' Work Concerns and Disenchantment During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Machine Learning Analysis of Web-Based Discussions.

Background: Web-based forums provide a space for communities of interest to exchange ideas and experiences. Nurse professionals used these forums during the COVID-19 pandemic to share their experiences and concerns.

Objective: The objective of this study was to examine the nurse-generated content to capture the evolution of nurses' work concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Early Prediction of Adverse Pregnancy Outcome in Women with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Antiphospholipid Syndrome, or Non-Criteria Obstetric Antiphospholipid Syndrome.

A prospectively study of pregnant women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), antiphospholipid syndrome, or non-criteria obstetric antiphospholipid syndrome was conducted to describe the characteristics of women followed in a referral unit and to derive a predictive tool for adverse pregnancy outcome (APO). Demographic characteristics, treatments, SLE activity, and flares were recorded. Laboratory data included a complete blood cell count, protein-to-creatinine urinary ratio (Pr/Cr ratio), complement, anti dsDNA, anti-SSA/Ro, anti-SSB/La, and antiphospholipid antibodies status.