Article
Parasitology
Daniela de Luna Martins, Nayane Abreu do Amaral Silva, Vitor F. Ferreira, Leonardo da Silva Rangel, Jose Augusto Albuquerque dos Santos, Robson Xavier Faria
Summary: Schistosomiasis, a widespread parasitic disease, can be controlled by eradicating the snail host. This study evaluated the molluskicidal activity of 3-aryl-2-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinones (ANs) against Biomphalaria glabrata. AN-15 was found to have the highest mortality rate and lower environmental toxicity compared to niclosamide, suggesting its potential as a new molluskicide.
Article
Immunology
J. Marquez, N. Dinguirard, A. Gonzalez, A. E. Kane, N. R. Joffe, T. P. Yoshino, M. G. Castillo
Summary: This study identified and characterized TEP transcripts in the snail Biomphalaria glabrata, an intermediate host of the Schistosoma parasite. The expression and response of TEPs to S. mansoni exposure were compared between resistant and susceptible snail strains. Differences in constitutive expression levels and differential responses were observed, suggesting the potential role of TEPs in schistosomiasis transmission control.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Parasitology
Larissa C. Anderson, Eric S. Loker, Helen J. Wearing
Summary: Research indicates that snail population age structure alters the force of infection experienced by humans and the relationship between snail and human infection prevalence, emphasizing the importance of accounting for heterogeneous intermediate host populations in schistosomiasis transmission models.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Lijun Lu, Lijing Bu, Si-Ming Zhang, Sarah K. Buddenborg, Eric S. Loker
Summary: This study provides a comprehensive overview of the transcriptomics responses of the gastropod Biomphalaria glabrata (Bg) following exposure to the trematode Schistosoma mansoni (Sm). The study identified differences in gene expression between schistosome-susceptible and -resistant Bg strains and revealed distinct response patterns at different time points post-exposure. The findings also highlight shared stress responses and specific gene expression patterns in both resistant and susceptible snails.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Michael S. Blouin, Stephanie R. Bollmann, Jacob A. Tennessen
Summary: The study used marker-assisted backcrossing to introduce the PTC2 region into susceptible and resistant strains of Biomphalaria glabrata and tested the effects of allelic variation in the PTC2 region on susceptibility to schistosomes. The results showed that the resistant haplotype actually increased susceptibility compared to the susceptible haplotype. The study also discussed possible reasons for the discrepancy with previous research and identified candidate genes that might be responsible for the enhanced susceptibility of the resistant haplotype.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Thierry Wesley de Albuquerque Aguiar, Jose Josenildo Batista, Silvio Assis de Oliveira Ferreira, Maira de Vasconcelos Lima Sampaio, Dewson Rocha Pereira, Magda Rhayanny Assuncao Ferreira, Luiz Alberto Lira Soares, Ana Maria Mendonca de Albuquerque Melo, Monica Camelo Pessoa de Azevedo Albuquerque, Andre de Lima Aires, Hallysson Douglas Andrade de Araujo, Luana Cassandra Breitenbach Barroso Coelho
Summary: This study describes a promising method for controlling the main vector of schistosomiasis in Brazil, the Biomphalaria glabrata snails. The researchers used a preparation made from the leaves of the Bauhinia monandra plant, which showed toxic effects on both the snails and the schistosomiasis-causing parasite, Schistosoma mansoni cercariae. The preparation also had a reproductive impact on the snails and caused no environmental toxicity.
Article
Immunology
Adam E. Lynch, Leslie R. Noble, Catherine S. Jones, Edwin J. Routledge
Summary: This study developed an in vitro toolkit to investigate the impacts of common aquatic pollutants on the immune responses of B. glabrata, a freshwater mollusc. The results suggest that pollutants may alter innate immune responses in B. glabrata and potentially impact the dynamics of parasite transmission between molluscs and humans.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Candido Carvalho Rodrigues, Maxwell Batista Caixeta, Paula Sampaio Araujo, Bruno Bastos Goncalves, Olacir Alves Araujo, Luciana Damacena Silva, Thiago Lopes Rocha
Summary: The study found that exposure to gluconic-acid functionalized IONPs and FeCl3 resulted in various gonadal histopathological changes in snails, with GLA-IONPs inducing a more intense inflammatory response. Environmentally relevant concentration (2.5 mg L-1) of both GLA-IONPs and FeCl3 led to high gonadal histopathological indices, indicating their potential reproductive toxicity.
AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Tamires Caixeta Alves, Fabio Ribeiro Queiroz, Angelo Borges de Melo Neto, Gabriel da Rocha Fernandes, Fabiano Sviatopolk-Mirsky Pais, Wander de Jesus Jeremias, Elio Hideo Baba, Marina de Moraes Moura, Enyara Rezende Morais, Fernanda Janku Cabral, Laurence Rodrigues do Amaral, Roberta Lima Caldeira, Paulo Marcos Zech Coelho, Matheus de Souza Gomes
Summary: In this study, the small RNA response of Biomphalaria tenagophila snails to Schistosoma mansoni infection was investigated. The study identified and characterized numerous mature miRNAs and precursors, and evaluated their differential expression in susceptible and resistant populations. The results have important implications for future research in Biomphalaria spp. and disease control.
Review
Immunology
Jacob R. Hambrook, Patrick C. Hanington
Summary: Human schistosomes have evolved various immune evasion strategies, such as molecular mimicry of host antigens and the utilization of an immune resistant outer tegument, to survive in both snail and human hosts. Understanding these mechanisms is crucial for the development of novel therapeutics and treatment plans.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Johannie M. Spaan, Nathaniel Leavitt, Jessica Shen, Taylor Bundy, Lillian Burrows, Christopher Ingram, Thomas R. Maehara, Ibrahim Ndungu, Martin Mutuku, George Owino, Maurice Odiere, Michelle L. Steinauer
Summary: The response of snail vectors to heat shock may vary depending on genetic factors, influencing their resistance to the human pathogen Schistosoma mansoni. However, the effects of heat shock on infection prevalence and intensity are minimal in two species of snail vectors examined in this study.
Article
Immunology
Remi Pichon, Silvain Pinaud, Emmanuel Vignal, Cristian Chaparro, Marine Pratlong, Anais Portet, David Duval, Richard Galinier, Benjamin Gourbal
Summary: This study used single cell RNA sequencing technology to discover seven transcriptomic populations of hemocytes in Biomphalaria glabrata snails. The high heterogeneity and plasticity of hemocytes provide new insights into their role in response to pathogens and Schistosoma mansoni parasites.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Silvain Pinaud, Guillaume Tetreau, Pierre Poteaux, Richard Galinier, Cristian Chaparro, Damien Lassalle, Anais Portet, Elodie Simphor, Benjamin Gourbal, David Duval
Summary: Aerolysins, originally identified as bacterial virulence factors, are now being found in metazoans through horizontal gene transfer. A study on the Biomphalaria glabrata snail reveals a multigene family called biomphalysin, which is a novel and diversified toxin family formed by duplication and domestication of acquired bacterial toxin genes in the snail genome. The different biomphalysin toxins exhibit tissue-specific expression patterns and have the potential to expand the snail's immune arsenal by binding to pathogens.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Parasitology
Silvia Goncalves Mesquita, Floria Gabriela dos Santos Neves, Ronaldo Guilherme Carvalho Scholte, Omar dos Santos Carvalho, Cristina Toscano Fonseca, Roberta Lima Caldeira
Summary: This study validated the use of LAMP for detecting Schistosoma mansoni infection in snails of the genus Biomphalaria in Brazil. The results indicated that LAMP was three times as effective as traditional parasitological methods and showed 100% specificity, 85.7% sensitivity, and a kappa index of 0.88.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2021)
Article
Fisheries
Reed W. Ozretich, Chelsea L. Wood, Fiona Allan, Ahou Rachel Koumi, Rachel Norman, Andrew S. Brierley, Giulio A. De Leo, David C. Little
Summary: The development of water management infrastructures is crucial for addressing population growth and climate change, but it can also increase the risk of waterborne diseases. Farming snail predators through aquaculture can be an effective approach to control schistosomiasis while alleviating economic and nutritional poverty in endemic regions of sub-Saharan Africa.
REVIEWS IN FISHERIES SCIENCE & AQUACULTURE
(2022)
Editorial Material
Health Care Sciences & Services
Mark Redding, John Hoornbeek, Bernard P. Zeigler, Michael Kelly, Sarah Redding, Lynn Falletta, Karen Minyard, Edward Chiyaka, David Bruckman
POPULATION HEALTH MANAGEMENT
(2019)
Review
Economics
Edward T. Chiyaka, Van T. Nghiem, Lu Zhang, Abhishek Deshpande, Patricia Dolan Mullen, Phuc Le
Article
Biology
Winston Garira, Martin Canaan Mafunda
JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS
(2019)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Vinay K. Cheruvu, Edward T. Chiyaka
Article
Biology
Winston Garira, Dephney Mathebula
JOURNAL OF THEORETICAL BIOLOGY
(2019)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Winston Garira
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2019)
Article
Biology
Winston Garira, Faraimunashe Chirove
Editorial Material
Biology
Rebecca B. Garabed, Anna Jolles, Winston Garira, Cristina Lanzas, Juan Gutierrez, Grzegorz Rempala
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Lynn Falletta, Mark Redding, James Cairns, Mutlaq Albugmi, Sarah Redding, Michael Gittelman, Andrew Beck, Andrew Garner, Ranjeet Arora, Edward T. Chiyaka, Joshua Filla, John Hoornbeek
PREVENTIVE MEDICINE
(2020)
Article
Economics
Yanru Qiao, Chi Chun Steve Tsang, Kenneth C. Hohmeier, Samantha Dougherty, Lisa Hines, Edward T. Chiyaka, Junling Wang
Article
Nursing
Edward T. Chiyaka, Bethany Lanese, David Bruckman, Mark Redding, Joshua Filla, Pamela Ferguson, John Hoornbeek
Summary: This study examines how in-person interaction between community health workers and their clients influence the client's level of risk mitigation achieved through care coordination using the Pathways Community HUB model. Results show that as the number of in-person contacts between the community health worker and the client increased, the likelihood of completing all Pathways increased.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CARE COORDINATION
(2022)
Article
Business, Finance
Caston Sigauke, Rosinah Mukhodobwane, Wilbert Chagwiza, Winston Garira
Summary: This paper uses empirical data to study the extremal dependence of stock markets in 5 BRICS countries, using bivariate point process and conditional multivariate extreme value models. It is found that the point process provides more information and contributes to likelihood estimation.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FINANCIAL STUDIES
(2022)
Article
Education & Educational Research
Kumbirai Mabwe, Edward T. Chiyaka, Alec Sithole
Summary: This paper examines the transformation of educational institutions from traditional face-to-face teaching to remote teaching due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Results from an online survey indicate that teachers faced a disorienting dilemma and had to challenge their previous teaching experiences, beliefs, and values. They adapted to remote teaching through reflection, adoption, and implementation of different teaching modes. The study also found significant differences in critical reflection, openness, and teaching approaches based on teachers' race. As higher education institutions move towards new instructional delivery, it is crucial to rethink professional development and support for teachers in a disrupted operating environment.
JOURNAL OF TRANSFORMATIVE EDUCATION
(2023)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
John Hoornbeek, Edward T. Chiyaka, Bethany Lanese, Amy Vreeland, Joshua Filla
Summary: The objective of this study is to enhance understanding of the financial alignment challenges faced by cross-sector partnerships (CSPs) pursuing health equity, and to provide insights for research and practice. The study finds that financing is a significant challenge for CSPs, with limited funding and state health service delivery structures being major barriers. The study suggests the need for public policy reviews and improvements, and provides a measurement framework and ideas to guide research and practice on financial alignment.
HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Mathematics
Winston Garira, Kizito Muzhinji
Summary: The replication-transmission relativity theory, used for the development of multiscale models of infectious disease dynamics, needs to be revised and extended to accommodate new scientific and clinical information. This article introduces a new universal theory for the multiscale modelling of infectious disease dynamics, which emphasizes the interactions between pathogens and hosts.
