Metabolic control analysis of the transsulfuration pathway and the compensatory role of the cysteine transport in Trypanosoma cruzi.

Trypanosoma cruzi is the causal agent of American Trypanosomiasis or Chagas Disease in humans. The current drugs for its treatment benznidazole and nifurtimox have inconveniences of toxicity and efficacy; therefore, the search for new therapies continues. Validation through genetic strategies of new drug targets against the parasite metabolism have identified numerous essential genes.

Machine learning and statistical classification of birdsong link vocal acoustic features with phylogeny.

Birdsong is a longstanding model system for studying evolution and biodiversity. Here, we collected and analyzed high quality song recordings from seven species in the family Estrildidae. We measured the acoustic features of syllables and then used dimensionality reduction and machine learning classifiers to identify features that accurately assigned syllables to species.

Auditory sensitivity and vocal acoustics in five species of estrildid songbirds.

Comparative studies of acoustic communication in clades with diverse signal features provide a powerful framework for testing relationships between perception and behaviour. We measured auditory sensitivity in five species of estrildid songbirds with acoustically distinct songs and tested whether differences aligned with species differences in song frequency content. Species were chosen based on phylogeny and differences in song acoustics.

Gestationally dependent immune organization at the maternal-fetal interface.

The immune system and placenta have a dynamic relationship across gestation to accommodate fetal growth and development. High-resolution characterization of this maternal-fetal interface is necessary to better understand the immunology of pregnancy and its complications. We developed a single-cell framework to simultaneously immuno-phenotype circulating, endovascular, and tissue-resident cells at the maternal-fetal interface throughout gestation, discriminating maternal and fetal contributions.

Neural activation in response to conspecific songs in zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) embryos and nestlings.

Classic studies on the effects of auditory stimulation in embryonic birds have largely been limited to precocial taxa. In altricial taxa, physiological responses of embryos and, subsequently, the behavioral responses of nestlings have begun to receive increasing attention, yet it remains unclear whether and to what specificity neural responses are generated in ovo. Using in-situ hybridization for an immediate early gene, ZENK, we detected significant neural activation in both the embryos and nestlings of an altricial songbird, the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) when exposed to conspecific song playbacks relative to silence.

Stereotypical alterations in cortical patterning are associated with maternal illness-induced placental dysfunction.

We have previously shown in mice that cytokine-mediated damage to the placenta can temporarily limit the flow of nutrients and oxygen to the fetus. The placental vulnerability is pronounced before embryonic day 11, when even mild immune challenge results in fetal loss. As gestation progresses, the placenta becomes increasingly resilient to maternal inflammation, but there is a narrow window in gestation when the placenta is still vulnerable to immune challenge yet resistant enough to allow for fetal survival.