Multicentric investigations of the role in the disease severity of accelerated phospholipid changes in COVID-19 patient airway.

Context: The changes in host membrane phospholipids are crucial in airway infection pathogenesis. Phospholipase A2 hydrolyzes host cell membranes, producing lyso-phospholipids and free fatty acids, including arachidonic acid (AA), which contributes significantly to lung inflammation.

Aim: Follow these changes and their evolution from day 1, day 3 to day 7 in airway aspirates of 89 patients with COVID-19-associated acute respiratory distress syndrome and examine whether they correlate with the severity of the disease.

The Anopheles leucine-rich repeat protein APL1C is a pathogen binding factor recognizing Plasmodium ookinetes and sporozoites.

Leucine-rich repeat (LRR) proteins are commonly involved in innate immunity of animals and plants, including for pattern recognition of pathogen-derived elicitors. The Anopheles secreted LRR proteins APL1C and LRIM1 are required for malaria ookinete killing in conjunction with the complement-like TEP1 protein. However, the mechanism of parasite immune recognition by the mosquito remains unclear, although it is known that TEP1 lacks inherent binding specificity.

The voltage-gated sodium channel, para, limits Anopheles coluzzii vector competence in a microbiota dependent manner.

The voltage-gated sodium channel, para, is a target of DDT and pyrethroid class insecticides. Single nucleotide mutations in para, called knockdown resistant or kdr, which contribute to resistance against DDT and pyrethroid insecticides, have been correlated with increased susceptibility of Anopheles to the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. However, a direct role of para activity on Plasmodium infection has not yet been established.

Food safety knowledge attitude and practices of oncology nurses, in Lebanese hospitals.

Background: Cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment, have a higher risk to foodborne infections as compared to other populations. Oncology nurses, having a direct significant contact with these patients, could be the first information source concerning food safety and play a pivotal role in reducing these risks.

Objective: This study aims to assess the level of knowledge regarding food safety among oncology nurses, as well as their attitudes and practices in private hospitals in Lebanon.

Should We Interfere with the Interleukin-6 Receptor During COVID-19: What Do We Know So Far?

Severe manifestations of COVID-19 consist of acute respiratory distress syndrome due to an initially local reaction leading to a systemic inflammatory response that results in hypoxia. Many therapeutic approaches have been attempted to reduce the clinical consequences of an excessive immune response to viral infection. To date, systemic corticosteroid therapy is still the most effective intervention.

Genetics and immunity of Anopheles response to the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae overlap with immunity to Plasmodium.

Entomopathogenic fungi have been explored as a potential biopesticide to counteract the insecticide resistance issue in mosquitoes. However, little is known about the possibility that genetic resistance to fungal biopesticides could evolve in mosquito populations. Here, we detected an important genetic component underlying Anopheles coluzzii survival after exposure to the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae.

COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 pneumonia: a comparison.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has caused the relocation of huge financial resources to departments dedicated to infected patients, at the expense of those suffering from other pathologies.

Aim: To compare clinical features and outcomes in COVID-19 pneumonia and non-COVID-19 pneumonia patients.

Patients And Methods: 53 patients (35 males, mean age 61.

TMEM16A/ANO1: Current Strategies and Novel Drug Approaches for Cystic Fibrosis.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is the most common of rare hereditary diseases in Caucasians, and it is estimated to affect 75,000 patients globally. CF is a complex disease due to the multiplicity of mutations found in the CF transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene causing the CFTR protein to become dysfunctional. Correctors and potentiators have demonstrated good clinical outcomes for patients with specific gene mutations; however, there are still patients for whom those treatments are not suitable and require alternative CFTR-independent strategies.

Novel Anti-Inflammatory Approaches for Cystic Fibrosis Lung Disease: Identification of Molecular Targets and Design of Innovative Therapies.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is the most common genetic disorder among Caucasians, estimated to affect more than 70,000 people in the world. Severe and persistent bronchial inflammation and chronic bacterial infection, along with airway mucus obstruction, are hallmarks of CF lung disease and participate in its progression. Anti-inflammatory therapies are, therefore, of particular interest for CF lung disease.

Leucine-Rich Immune Factor APL1 Is Associated With Specific Modulation of Enteric Microbiome Taxa in the Asian Malaria Mosquito .

The commensal gut microbiome is contained by the enteric epithelial barrier, but little is known about the degree of specificity of host immune barrier interactions for particular bacterial taxa. Here, we show that depletion of leucine-rich repeat immune factor APL1 in the Asian malaria mosquito is associated with higher midgut abundance of just the family , and not generalized dysbiosis of the microbiome. The effect is explained by the response of a narrow clade containing two main taxa related to and .

Possible influence of Plasmodium/Trypanosoma co-infections on the vectorial capacity of Anopheles mosquitoes.

Objective: In tropical Africa, trypanosomiasis is present in endemic areas with many other diseases including malaria. Because malaria vectors become more anthropo-zoophilic under the current insecticide pressure, they may be exposed to trypanosome parasites. By collecting mosquitoes in six study sites with distinct malaria infection prevalence and blood sample from cattle, we tried to assess the influence of malaria-trypanosomiasis co-endemicity on the vectorial capacity of Anopheles.

Exposure of Anopheles mosquitoes to trypanosomes reduces reproductive fitness and enhances susceptibility to Plasmodium.

During a blood meal, female Anopheles mosquitoes are potentially exposed to diverse microbes in addition to the malaria parasite, Plasmodium. Human and animal African trypanosomiases are frequently co-endemic with malaria in Africa. It is not known whether exposure of Anopheles to trypanosomes influences their fitness or ability to transmit Plasmodium.

Interaction of RNA viruses of the natural virome with the African malaria vector, Anopheles coluzzii.

Mosquitoes are colonized by a little-studied natural virome. Like the bacterial microbiome, the virome also probably influences the biology and immunity of mosquito vector populations, but tractable experimental models are lacking. We recently discovered two novel viruses in the virome of wild Anopheles and in colonies of the malaria vector Anopheles coluzzii: Anopheles C virus and Anopheles cypovirus.

Dual role of the Anopheles coluzzii Venus Kinase Receptor in both larval growth and immunity.

Vector-borne diseases and especially malaria are responsible for more than half million deaths annually. The increase of insecticide resistance in wild populations of Anopheles malaria vectors emphasises the need for novel vector control strategies as well as for identifying novel vector targets. Venus kinase receptors (VKRs) constitute a Receptor Tyrosine Kinase (RTK) family only found in invertebrates.

Microbial Pre-exposure and Vectorial Competence of Mosquitoes.

female mosquitoes can transmit , the malaria parasite. During their aquatic life, wild mosquito larvae are exposed to a huge diversity of microbes present in their breeding sites. Later, adult females often take successive blood meals that might also carry different micro-organisms, including parasites, bacteria, and viruses.

Does the use of pretreatment MRI change the management of patients with newly diagnosed breast cancer?

Breast MRI plays a critical role in the diagnosis and management of breast cancer. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of preoperative breast MRI on the management of a large cohort of breast cancer patients at our institution. This study is a retrospective chart review of all newly diagnosed breast cancer patients who underwent preoperative breast MRI at our institution between January 1, 2004 and December 31, 2009.

Correction: An Evolution-Based Screen for Genetic Differentiation between Anopheles Sister Taxa Enriches for Detection of Functional Immune Factors.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.

Genetic Structure of a Local Population of the Anopheles gambiae Complex in Burkina Faso.

Members of the Anopheles gambiae species complex are primary vectors of human malaria in Africa. Population heterogeneities for ecological and behavioral attributes expand and stabilize malaria transmission over space and time, and populations may change in response to vector control, urbanization and other factors. There is a need for approaches to comprehensively describe the structure and characteristics of a sympatric local mosquito population, because incomplete knowledge of vector population composition may hinder control efforts.

An Evolution-Based Screen for Genetic Differentiation between Anopheles Sister Taxa Enriches for Detection of Functional Immune Factors.

Nucleotide variation patterns across species are shaped by the processes of natural selection, including exposure to environmental pathogens. We examined patterns of genetic variation in two sister species, Anopheles gambiae and Anopheles coluzzii, both efficient natural vectors of human malaria in West Africa. We used the differentiation signature displayed by a known coordinate selective sweep of immune genes APL1 and TEP1 in A.

Association mapping by pooled sequencing identifies TOLL 11 as a protective factor against Plasmodium falciparum in Anopheles gambiae.

Background: The genome-wide association study (GWAS) techniques that have been used for genetic mapping in other organisms have not been successfully applied to mosquitoes, which have genetic characteristics of high nucleotide diversity, low linkage disequilibrium, and complex population stratification that render population-based GWAS essentially unfeasible at realistic sample size and marker density.

Methods: We designed a novel mapping strategy for the mosquito system that combines the power of linkage mapping with the resolution afforded by genetic association. We established founder colonies from West Africa, controlled for diversity, linkage disequilibrium and population stratification.

The kdr-bearing haplotype and susceptibility to Plasmodium falciparum in Anopheles gambiae: genetic correlation and functional testing.

Background: Members of the Anopheles gambiae species complex are primary vectors of human malaria in Africa. It is known that a large haplotype shared between An. gambiae and Anopheles coluzzii by introgression carries point mutations of the voltage-gated sodium channel gene para, including the L1014F kdr mutation associated with insensitivity to pyrethroid insecticides.

Antiviral immunity of Anopheles gambiae is highly compartmentalized, with distinct roles for RNA interference and gut microbiota.

Arboviruses are transmitted by mosquitoes and other arthropods to humans and animals. The risk associated with these viruses is increasing worldwide, including new emergence in Europe and the Americas. Anopheline mosquitoes are vectors of human malaria but are believed to transmit one known arbovirus, o'nyong-nyong virus, whereas Aedes mosquitoes transmit many.

Gαo is required for L-canavanine detection in Drosophila.

Taste is an essential sense for the survival of most organisms. In insects, taste is particularly important as it allows to detect and avoid ingesting many plant toxins, such as L-canavanine. We previously showed that L-canavanine is toxic for Drosophila melanogaster and that flies are able to detect this toxin in the food.