Search results for "nails"

Persistent establishment of a tropical disease in Europe: the preadaptation of schistosomes to overwinter

2019

International audience; Background: Global changes promote the spread of infectious diseases worldwide. In this context, tropical uro-genital schistosomiasis is now permanently established in Corsica since its first emergence in 2013. The local persistence of the tropical pathogens (schistosomes) responsible for urogenital schistosomiasis at such latitudes might be explained by (i) the presence of its intermediate host, the snail Bulinus truncatus, (ii) the recurrent local reseeding of schistosomes by their vertebrate hosts (either human or animal) every summer, and/or (iii) the maintenance and survival of schistosomes within their snail hosts over winter.Methods: In this study we conducted…

In vitro efficacy of praziquantel against the cercariae of Diplostomum sp., Rhipidocotyle fennica and R. campanula.

2009

Larval trematode infections in freshwater gastropods from the Albufera Natural Park in Spain

1998

AbstractMalacological samplings were made from January 1994 to December 1996 in the Albufera Natural Park (Valencia, Spain) to trace the dynamics of molluscan populations and the prevalence and intensity of infection by larval trematodes. A total of 10,533 freshwater gastropods belonging to seven species (Lymnaea auricularia, L. truncatula, L. palustris, L. peregra, Bithynia tentaculata, Physa acuta and Gyraulus chinensis) was examined, and 110 (1.04%) were found to harbour some of the nine distinguishable types of cercariae, namely four echinostome cercariae (Hypoderaeum conoideum, Echinoparyphium recurvatum, Euparyphium albuferensis, and Echinostoma sp.), four furcocercous cercariae, and …

Molecular phylogeny of the genus Chondrina (Gastropoda, Panpulmonata, Chondrinidae) in the Iberian Peninsula

2022

[EN] Chondrina Reichenbach, 1828 is a highly diverse genus of terrestrial molluscs currently including 44 species with about 28 subspecific taxa. It is distributed through North Africa, central and southern Europe, from Portugal in the West to the Caucasus and Asia Minor in the East. Approximately 70% of the species are endemic to the Iberian Peninsula constituting its main center of speciation with 34 species. This genus includes many micro endemic taxa, some of them not yet described, confined to limestone habitats (being strictly rock-dwelling species). They are distributed on rocky outcrops up to 2000 m.a.s.l. It is a genus of conical-fusiform snails that differ mainly in shell characte…

Inhibition of HSP27 blocks fibrosis development and EMT features by promoting Snail degradation

2013

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a devastating disease characterized by myofibroblast proliferation. Transition of epithelial/mesothelial cells into myofibroblasts [epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT)] occurs under the influence of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1, with Snail being a major transcription factor. We study here the role of the heat-shock protein HSP27 in fibrogenesis and EMT. In vitro, we have up- and down-modulated HSP27 expression in mesothelial and epithelial cell lines and studied the expression of different EMT markers induced by TGF-β1. In vivo, we inhibited HSP27 with the antisense oligonucleotide OGX-427 (in phase II clinical trials as anticancer agent)…

Exploring land snails’ response to habitat characteristics and their potential as bioindicators of riparian forest quality

2021

Abstract Riparian ecosystems are crucial for landscape-level biodiversity, especially in highly anthropic and agricultural areas. Although the low mobility of snails reduces their dispersal capacity and makes them vulnerable to habitat degradation, they are less commonly used as indicators. We evaluated the potential of land snails as bioindicators of riparian forest quality in central European riparian forests by surveying snail communities in relation to habitat characteristics that characterize its quality. Habitat characteristics were found to affect both snail abundance and species richness. The abundance of snail species increased with the forest continuity, forest width and abundance…

Infection success of Echinoparyphium aconiatum (Trematoda) in its snail host under high temperature: role of host resistance

2014

Background Extreme weather events such as summer heat waves become more frequent owing to global climate change and are predicted to alter disease dynamics. This is because high temperatures can reduce host immune function. Predicting the impact of climate change on host-parasite interactions is, however, difficult as temperature may also affect parasite infective stages and other host characteristics determining the outcome of interaction. Methods Two experiments were conducted to investigate these phenomena in a Lymnaea stagnalis–Echinoparyphium aconiatum (Trematoda) interaction. In the first experiment, the effects of exposure of snails to experimental heat waves [maintenance at 25°C vs.…

Fast and accurate methodology for direct mercury determination in hair and nails

2015

AbstractA solvent-free, easy, fast and waste-free methodology was developed for the determination of total mercury levels in hair and nails. Samples were taken from several volunteers and directly analysed, with levels of mercury in the range between 0.5 and 8 ng/mg. The influence of quantity of hair, as well as the addition of small amount of solvent and the necessity of previous treatment were studied. Also, a history of mercury exposure was provided by the distance of the hair from the scalp of each volunteer, the results of which were correlated with fish consumption. Furthermore, a short study of mercury in nails was carried out and correlated to the results from hair mercury levels. A…

Is the El Niño-Southern Oscillation likely to increase the risk of Fasciola transmission?

2007

(2007). Is the El Nino–Southern Oscillation likely to increase the risk of Fasciola transmission? Annals of Tropical Medicine & Parasitology: Vol. 101, No. 6, pp. 555-557.

Locked Plate Fixation and Intramedullary Nailing for Proximal Humerus Fractures: A Biomechanical Evaluation

2005

Background Internal fixation of proximal humeral fractures is associated with a considerable secondary malalignment rate. Fixed-angle implants have been suggested to increase the stability of fixation. Methods The biomechanical properties of four different implants were tested. These included an internal fixator with semi-elastic properties (reference), the Synthes T-plate, a locked plate with rigid properties and a spiral blade locked intramedullary nail (PHN). These implants were assessed in twenty-four osteotomized pairs of human cadaveric humeri. Specimens were subjected to two-hundred cycles of axial loading and torque followed by load to failure. Results The PHN had greater axial stif…