Genomic exploration of the journey of Plasmodium vivax in Latin America.

Plasmodium vivax is the predominant malaria parasite in Latin America. Its colonization history in the region is rich and complex, and is still highly debated, especially about its origin(s). Our study employed cutting-edge population genomic techniques to analyze whole genome variation from 620 P.

A Mouse Model of Mechanotransduction-driven, Human-like Hypertrophic Scarring.

Hypertrophic scarring (HTS) is an abnormal process of wound healing that results in excessive scar tissue formation. Over the past decade, we have demonstrated that mechanotransduction-the conversion of mechanical stimuli into cellular responses-drives excessive fibrotic scar healing. A mouse model to assess human-like hypertrophic scarring would be an essential tool for examining various therapeutics and their ability to reduce scarring and improve healing.

Effects of drug pressure and human migration on antimalarial resistance in circulating Plasmodium falciparum malaria parasites in Ecuador.

Antimalarial resistance in is a public health problem in the fight against malaria in Ecuador. Characterizing the molecular epidemiology of drug resistance genes helps to understand the emergence and spread of resistant parasites. In this study, the effects of drug pressure and human migration on antimalarial resistance in were evaluated.

Bioactivity of synthetic peptides from Ecuadorian frog skin secretions against , , and .

Chagas disease, leishmaniasis, and malaria are major parasitic diseases disproportionately affecting the underprivileged population in developing nations. Finding new, alternative anti-parasitic compounds to treat these diseases is crucial because of the limited number of options currently available, the side effects they cause, the need for long treatment courses, and the emergence of drug-resistant parasites. Anti-microbial peptides (AMPs) derived from amphibian skin secretions are small bioactive molecules capable of lysing the cell membrane of pathogens while having low toxicity against human cells.

Blade-Coating of High Crystallinity Cesium-Formamidinium Perovskite Formulations.

Up-scalable coating processes need to be developed to manufacture efficient and stable perovskite-based solar modules. In this work, we combine two Lewis base additives (N,N'-dimethylpropyleneurea and thiourea) to fabricate high-quality CsFAPbI perovskite films by blade-coating on large areas. Selected-area electron diffraction patterns reveal a minimization of stacking faults in the α-FAPbI phase for this specific cesium-formamidinium composition in both spin-coated and blade-coated perovskite films, demonstrating its scaling potential.