Complete mitochondrial genome of the introduced Indian walking stick (Lonchodidae, Insecta) from California.

We present the complete mitochondrial genome of from Salinas, CA. The mitochondrial genome of is circular, AT rich (78.1%), and 16,671 bp in length.

A parasite odyssey: An RNA virus concealed in .

We are entering a 'Platinum Age of Virus Discovery', an era marked by exponential growth in the discovery of virus biodiversity, and driven by advances in metagenomics and computational analysis. In the ecosystem of a human (or any animal) there are more species of viruses than simply those directly infecting the animal cells. Viruses can infect all organisms constituting the microbiome, including bacteria, fungi, and unicellular parasites.

Comparing cefazolin/ metronidazole, piperacillin-tazobactam, or c efoxitin as surgical antibiotic prophylaxis in patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy: A retrospective cohort study.

Background: Preoperative antibiotic options for pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) include cefoxitin (CX), piperacillin-tazobactam (PT), or combined cefazolin and metronidazole (CM). Recent studies suggest the superiority of PT over CX, but evidence for CM is unclear.

Objective: To explore the impact of preoperative antibiotic selection (CM vs.

Quality of life following perioperative optimization with nutritional supplements in patients undergoing gastrointestinal surgery for cancer: A randomized, placebo-controlled feasibility clinical trial.

Background: Up to two thirds of patients presenting for abdominal cancer surgery are malnourished pre-operatively. Perioperative nutritional supplementation has been proposed to improve surgical outcomes, though its effect on quality of life (QoL) is not yet understood.

Methods: A randomized controlled feasibility trial for perioperative nutrition among patients undergoing major abdominal cancer surgery was conducted.

Genome-wide CRISPR screen identifies genes synthetically lethal with GRA17, a nutrient channel encoding gene in Toxoplasma.

Toxoplasma gondii is a parasite that replicates within a specialized compartment called the parasitophorous vacuole (PV), which is surrounded by the PV membrane (PVM). To obtain essential nutrients, Toxoplasma must transport molecules across the PVM, a process mediated by the secreted parasite proteins GRA17 and GRA23. These proteins form pores in the PVM through which small molecules can diffuse in and out of the PV.

Variation in CD8 T cell IFNγ differentiation to strains of is characterized by small effect QTLs with contribution from ROP16.

Introduction: induces a strong CD8 T cell response characterized by the secretion of IFNγ that promotes host survival during infection. The initiation of CD8 T cell IFNγ responses differs widely between clonal lineage strains of , in which type I strains are low inducers, while types II and III strains are high inducers. We hypothesized this phenotype is due to a polymorphic "Regulator Of CD8 T cell Response" (ROCTR).

What does the public think about microplastics? Insights from an empirical analysis of mental models elicited through free associations.

Microplastics are an issue of rising concern, in terms of their possible implications for both the environment and human health. A survey was distributed among a representative sample of the adult Norwegian population ( = 2720) to explore the public understanding of microplastics. Respondents were asked to report the first thing that came to mind when they read or heard the word "microplastics," based on which a coding scheme was developed that served to categorize the obtained answers into thematic clusters.

Critical Incidences in U.S. Health Care Systems Experienced by Undocumented Young Adults.

Undocumented ("illegal immigrant") young adults and families face many barriers when seeking health care, including discrimination, which contributes to health disparities. Using critical race theory, an investigation of experiences of health care among undocumented young adults was conducted to highlight their limitations to health care access. Using a community-based participatory paradigm, a qualitative research approach was used to explore the experiences of 13 participants via a semistructured interview.

Surveillance of Trypanosoma cruzi infection in Triatomine vectors, feral dogs and cats, and wild animals in and around El Paso county, Texas, and New Mexico.

The causative agent of Chagas disease, Trypanosoma cruzi, is transmitted by triatomine vectors. The insect is endemic in the Americas, including the United States, where epidemiological studies are limited, particularly in the Southwestern region. Here, we have determined the prevalence of T.

Lymphatic Proliferation Ameliorates Pulmonary Fibrosis after Lung Injury.

Despite many reports about pulmonary blood vessels in lung fibrosis, the contribution of lymphatics to fibrosis is unknown. We examined the mechanism and consequences of lymphatic remodeling in mice with lung fibrosis after bleomycin injury or telomere dysfunction. Widespread lymphangiogenesis was observed after bleomycin treatment and in fibrotic lungs of prospero homeobox 1-enhanced green fluorescent protein (Prox1-EGFP) transgenic mice with telomere dysfunction.

Naïve CD8 T cell IFNγ responses to a vacuolar antigen are regulated by an inflammasome-independent NLRP3 pathway and Toxoplasma gondii ROP5.

Host resistance to Toxoplasma gondii relies on CD8 T cell IFNγ responses, which if modulated by the host or parasite could influence chronic infection and parasite transmission between hosts. Since host-parasite interactions that govern this response are not fully elucidated, we investigated requirements for eliciting naïve CD8 T cell IFNγ responses to a vacuolar resident antigen of T. gondii, TGD057.

and Characterization of Potent Antileishmanial Methionine Aminopeptidase 1 Inhibitors.

is the causative agent of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL). No human vaccine is available for CL, and current drug regimens present several drawbacks, such as emerging resistance, severe toxicity, medium effectiveness, and/or high cost. Thus, the need for better treatment options against CL is a priority.

Copper-induced concomitant increases in photosynthesis, respiration, and C, N and S assimilation revealed by transcriptomic analyses in Ulva compressa (Chlorophyta).

Background: The marine alga Ulva compressa is the dominant species in copper-polluted coastal areas in northern Chile. It has been shown that the alga tolerates micromolar concentrations of copper and accumulates copper at the intracellular level. Transcriptomic analyses were performed using total RNA of the alga cultivated with 10 μ M copper for 0, 1, 3 and 5 days using RNA-seq in order to identify processes involved in copper tolerance.

Traumatic esophageal perforation in Puerto Rico Trauma Hospital: A case-series.

Background: Esophageal injuries are rare, life-threatening, events with an overall reported incidence of less than 3%. In rare cases, trauma due to blunt or penetrating injuries cause esophageal perforations, which account for less than 15% of all esophageal injuries.

Materials And Methods: A case-series study was conducted to describe the outcomes and management of all the traumatic esophageal injuries at the Puerto Rico Trauma Hospital (PRTH) from 2000 through 2017.

Treatment of Hidradenitis Suppurativa with Extensive Resection of the Lesion and Coverage with Perforator Flaps of the Lateral Thoracic Wall (Lateral Thoracic Artery, Thoracodorsal Artery Perforators).

Stage IV hidradenitis suppurativa in the axilla is a chronic disease in which the removal of the affected area and a reconstruction with disease free skin is the definitive treatment; however there is some controversy about the technique to be used in this reconstruction. Studies show superiority in wide resections, and coverage with flaps rather than grafts. The use of pedicle flaps of lateral thoracic artery perforators and thoracodorsal artery perforators has demonstrated superior performance to other techniques in postsurgical follow-up.

Copper-induced increased expression of genes involved in photosynthesis, carotenoid synthesis and C assimilation in the marine alga Ulva compressa.

Background: The marine alga Ulva compressa is the dominant species in coastal areas receiving effluents from copper mines. The alga can accumulate high amounts of copper and possesses a strong antioxidant system. Here, we performed short-term transcriptomic analyses using total RNA of the alga cultivated with 10 μM of copper for 0, 3, 6, 12 and 24 h by RNA-seq.

Near-Apneic Ventilation Decreases Lung Injury and Fibroproliferation in an Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Model with Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation.

Rationale: There is wide variability in mechanical ventilation settings during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome. Although lung rest is recommended to prevent further injury, there is no evidence to support it.

Objectives: To determine whether near-apneic ventilation decreases lung injury in a pig model of acute respiratory distress syndrome supported with ECMO.

Development of Thiophene Compounds as Potent Chemotherapies for the Treatment of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Caused by .

() is a protozoan parasite that causes cutaneous leishmaniasis. About 12 million people are currently infected with an annual incidence of 1.3 million cases.

P2X4 Receptor and Electrophysiological Approaches Reveal Insights of Ivermectin and Zinc Allosteric Modulation.

Protein allosteric modulation is a pillar of metabolic regulatory mechanisms; this concept has been extended to include ion channel regulation. P2XRs are ligand-gated channels activated by extracellular ATP, sensitive to trace metals and other chemicals. By combining calculations with electrophysiological recordings, we investigated the molecular basis of P2X4R modulation by Zn(II) and ivermectin, an antiparasite drug currently used in veterinary medicine.

Alpinone exhibited immunomodulatory and antiviral activities in Atlantic salmon.

In this study, we seek to identify flavonoids able to regulate the gene expression of a group of cytokines important for the control of infections in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). Particularly, we studied the potential immunomodulatory effects of two flavonoids, Alpinone and Pinocembrine, which were isolated and purified from resinous exudates of Heliotropium huascoense and Heliotropium sinuatum, respectively. The transcript levels of TNF-α and IL-1 (inflammatory cytokines), IFN-γ and IL-12 (T helper 1 type cytokines), IL4/13A (Th2-type cytokine), IL-17 (Th17 type cytokine) TGF-β1 (regulatory cytokine) and IFN-α (antiviral cytokine) were quantified by qRT-PCR in kidneys of flavonoid-treated and control fish.

An α-Gal-containing neoglycoprotein-based vaccine partially protects against murine cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania major.

Background: Protozoan parasites from the genus Leishmania cause broad clinical manifestations known as leishmaniases, which affect millions of people worldwide. Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL), caused by L. major, is one the most common forms of the disease in the Old World.

β-1,3/1,6-Glucan-supplemented diets antagonize immune inhibitory effects of hypoxia and enhance the immune response to a model vaccine.

The diets of farmed salmon are usually supplemented with immunostimulants to improve health status. Because β-glucan is one of the most common immunostimulants used in diets, here we examined the effect of two β-1,3/1,6-glucan-supplemented diets on the expression of immune response genes of Atlantic salmon. The relative abundances of IFN-α1, Mx, IFN-γ, IL-12, TGF-β1, IL-10, and CD4 transcripts were evaluated in head kidney by qRT-PCR.