Epidemiology of sarcoptic mange in free-ranging vicuñas (Vicugna vicugna): a cross-sectional study in Andean highland communities in Peru.

Sarcoptic mange or scabies is a contagious parasitic skin disease that affects a wide range of domestic and wildlife species. A cross-sectional study was carried out to determine the prevalence, molecular identification, and characteristics of sarcoptic mange in vicuñas. A total of 3,274 vicuñas were examined.

is an essential plant gene for geminiviruses, putatively priming viral ss-DNA replication.

The family of consists of more than 500 circular single-stranded (ss) DNA viral species that can infect numerous dicot and monocot plants. Geminiviruses replicate their genome in the nucleus of a plant cell, taking advantage of the host's DNA replication machinery. For converting their DNA into double-stranded DNA, and subsequent replication, these viruses rely on host DNA polymerases.

Primary plasma cell leukemia in Latin America: demographic, clinical, and prognostic characteristics. A study of GELAMM group.

Primary plasma cell leukemia (pPCL) is an infrequent and aggressive plasma cell disorder. The prognosis is still very poor, and the optimal treatment remains to be established. A retrospective, multicentric, international observational study was performed.

The precise determination of the window of implantation significantly improves ART outcomes.

The human endometrium is receptive to the embryo for a specific period of time known as the window of implantation (WOI). During this period, the endometrium shows a specific gene expression profile suitable for endometrial function evaluation. ER Map is a molecular tool able to accurately predict endometrial receptivity status by transcriptomic analysis.

Two-Dimensional Sampling-Recovery Algorithm of a Realization of Gaussian Processes on the Input and Output of Linear Systems.

Based on the application of the conditional mean rule, a sampling-recovery algorithm is studied for a Gaussian two-dimensional process. The components of such a process are the input and output processes of an arbitrary linear system, which are characterized by their statistical relationships. Realizations are sampled in both processes, and the number and location of samples in the general case are arbitrary for each component.

Comparison of ART outcomes in men with altered mRNA protamine 1/protamine 2 ratio undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection with ejaculated and testicular spermatozoa.

Assisted reproductive technologies involving the use of spermatozoa and eggs for in vitro fertilization (IVF) have come as the solution for many infertile couples to become parents. However, in some cases, the use of ejaculated spermatozoa delivers poor IVF performance. Some studies have suggested the use of testicular spermatozoa in severe male infertility cases, but no guidelines regarding their utilization are currently available.

First birth of a healthy infant following intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection using a new permeable cryoprotectant-free sperm vitrification protocol.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to present the first birth of healthy infant born following ICSI using the new permeable cryoprotectant-free sperm vitrification protocol Easy-Sperm.

Principal Results: A 39 years old woman and his 40 years old partner underwent egg donation treatment at IVF-Spain Alicante (Spain). Half of the mature oocytes obtained from a young and healthy donor were fertilized by ICSI, using slow-frozen spermatozoa and the other half with vitrified spermatozoa.

Dual Conformal Structure Beyond the Planar Limit.

The planar scattering amplitudes of N=4 super-Yang-Mills theory display symmetries and structures which underlie their relatively simple analytic properties such as having only logarithmic singularities and no poles at infinity. Recent work shows in various nontrivial examples that the simple analytic properties of the planar sector survive into the nonplanar sector, but this has yet to be understood from underlying symmetries. Here, we explicitly show that for an infinite class of nonplanar integrals that covers all subleading-color contributions to the two-loop four- and five-point amplitudes of N=4 super-Yang-Mills theory, symmetries analogous to dual conformal invariance exist.

Euploid embryos selected by an automated time-lapse system have superior SET outcomes than selected solely by conventional morphology assessment.

Purpose: We investigated if automated TLI selection may be a valuable strategy to identify those euploid embryos with the best chances of success.

Methods: This is a unicentric and retrospective study involving 244 patients undergoing preimplantational genetic screening (PGS) cycles with autologous oocytes or oocyte donation (OD) with single euploid embryo transferred. We examined euploid embryos selected for transfer based on morphology evaluation alone (PGS-only; control group) or by assessment using an automated TLI system (Eeva™; PGS-TLI group).

QModeling: a Multiplatform, Easy-to-Use and Open-Source Toolbox for PET Kinetic Analysis.

Kinetic modeling is at the basis of most quantification methods for dynamic PET data. Specific software is required for it, and a free and easy-to-use kinetic analysis toolbox can facilitate routine work for clinical research. The relevance of kinetic modeling for neuroimaging encourages its incorporation into image processing pipelines like those of SPM, also providing preprocessing flexibility to match the needs of users.

Predicting the Enthalpy and Gibbs Energy of Sublimation by QSPR Modeling.

The enthalpy and Gibbs energy of sublimation are predicted using quantitative structure property relationship (QSPR) models. In this study, we compare several approaches previously reported in the literature for predicting the enthalpy of sublimation. These models, which were reproduced successfully, exhibit high correlation coefficients, in the range 0.

Development of a new comprehensive and reliable endometrial receptivity map (ER Map/ER Grade) based on RT-qPCR gene expression analysis.

Study Question: Is it possible to determine the receptivity status of an endometrium by combined quantitative reverse transcription PCR (RT-qPCR) expression analysis of genes involved in endometrial proliferation and immunity?

Summary Answer: The new ER Map®/ER Grade® test can predict endometrial receptivity status by RT-qPCR using a new panel of genes involved in endometrial proliferation and the maternal immune response associated to embryonic implantation.

What Is Known Already: The human endometrium reaches a receptive status adequate for embryonic implantation around Days 19-21 of the menstrual cycle. During this period, known as the window of implantation (WOI), the endometrium shows a specific gene expression profile suitable for endometrial function evaluation.

New permeable cryoprotectant-free vitrification method for native human sperm.

Study Question: Is permeable cryoprotectant-free vitrification of native sperm samples a good alternative to conventional slow freezing?

Summary Answer: The permeable cryoprotectant-free sperm vitrification protocol tested in this study renders considerably better recovery rates of good quality sperm compared to slow freezing.

What Is Known Already: Slow freezing is currently the most commonly used technique for sperm cryopreservation, though this method has been repeatedly shown to have negative effects on both structural and functional sperm features. New alternative methods such as vitrification have been established as a successful alternative in other reproductive cell types, but vitrification of spermatozoa is still a rather unexplored methodology, with limited studies showing its efficacy in male gametes.

Membrane Core-Specific Antimicrobial Action of Cathelicidin LL-37 Peptide Switches Between Pore and Nanofibre Formation.

Membrane-disrupting antimicrobial peptides provide broad-spectrum defence against localized bacterial invasion in a range of hosts including humans. The most generally held consensus is that targeting to pathogens is based on interactions with the head groups of membrane lipids. Here we show that the action of LL-37, a human antimicrobial peptide switches the mode of action based on the structure of the alkyl chains, and not the head groups of the membrane forming lipids.

BioPPSy: An Open-Source Platform for QSAR/QSPR Analysis.

The reliability of quantitative structure-property relationship (QSPR) and quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) models is often difficult to assess due to the problems of accessing the tools and data used to build the models. We present here BioPPSy, which aims to fill this gap by providing an easy-to-use open-source software platform. We demonstrate the program capabilities by calculating three key properties used in drug discovery, aqueous solubility, Caco-2 cell permeability and blood-brain barrier permeability.

Polymorphisms in the MTHFR gene influence embryo viability and the incidence of aneuploidy.

MTHFR is an important enzyme in the metabolism of folic acid and is crucial for reproductive function. Variation in the sequence of MTHFR has been implicated in subfertility, but definitive data are lacking. In the present study, a detailed analysis of two common MTHFR polymorphisms (c.

Influence of pH and sequence in peptide aggregation via molecular simulation.

We employ a recently developed coarse-grained model for peptides and proteins where the effect of pH is automatically included. We explore the effect of pH in the aggregation process of the amyloidogenic peptide KTVIIE and two related sequences, using three different pH environments. Simulations using large systems (24 peptides chains per box) allow us to describe the formation of realistic peptide aggregates.

An aspartyl protease defines a novel pathway for export of Toxoplasma proteins into the host cell.

Infection by Toxoplasma gondii leads to massive changes to the host cell. Here, we identify a novel host cell effector export pathway that requires the Golgi-resident aspartyl protease 5 (ASP5). We demonstrate that ASP5 cleaves a highly constrained amino acid motif that has similarity to the PEXEL-motif of Plasmodium parasites.

Controls and constrains of the membrane disrupting action of Aurein 1.2.

Aurein 1.2 is a 13 residue antimicrobial peptide secreted by the Australian tree frog Litoria Aurea. It is a surface-acting membrane disrupting peptide that permeabilizes bacterial membranes via the carpet mechanism; the molecular details of this process are mostly unknown.

Two Essential Light Chains Regulate the MyoA Lever Arm To Promote Toxoplasma Gliding Motility.

Unlabelled: Key to the virulence of apicomplexan parasites is their ability to move through tissue and to invade and egress from host cells. Apicomplexan motility requires the activity of the glideosome, a multicomponent molecular motor composed of a type XIV myosin, MyoA. Here we identify a novel glideosome component, essential light chain 2 (ELC2), and functionally characterize the two essential light chains (ELC1 and ELC2) of MyoA in Toxoplasma.

Insertion mechanism and stability of boron nitride nanotubes in lipid bilayers.

We provide insight into the interaction of boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) with cell membranes to better understand their improved biocompatibility compared to carbon nanotubes (CNTs). Contrary to CNTs, no computational studies exist investigating the insertion mechanism and stability of BNNTs in membranes. Our molecular dynamics simulations demonstrate that BNNTs are spontaneously attracted to lipid bilayers and are stable once inserted.

Recombination of the porcine X chromosome: a high density linkage map.

Background: Linkage maps are essential tools for the study of several topics in genome biology. High density linkage maps for the porcine autosomes have been constructed exploiting the high density data provided by the PorcineSNP60 BeadChip. However, a high density SSCX linkage map has not been reported up to date.

Modulation of a protein free-energy landscape by circular permutation.

Circular permutations usually retain the native structure and function of a protein while inevitably perturbing its folding dynamics. By using simulations with a structure-based model and a rigorous methodology to determine free-energy surfaces from trajectories, we evaluate the effect of a circular permutation on the free-energy landscape of the protein T4 lysozyme. We observe changes which, although subtle, largely affect the cooperativity between the two subdomains.

Sketching protein aggregation with a physics-based toy model.

We explore the applicability of a single-bead coarse-grained molecular model to describe the competition between protein folding and aggregation. We have designed very simple and regular sequences, based on our previous studies on peptide aggregation, that successfully fold into the three main protein structural families (all-α, all-β, and α + β). Thanks to equilibrium computer simulations, we evaluate how temperature and concentration promote aggregation.