Transmission of the malaria parasite to the mosquito vector is critical for the completion of the sexual stage of the parasite life cycle and is dependent on the release of male gametes from the gametocyte body inside the mosquito midgut. In the present study, we demonstrate that PfCDPK4 is critical for male gametogenesis and is involved in phosphorylation of proteins essential for male gamete emergence.
Summary
The human malaria parasite
Plasmodium vivax
remains vastly understudied, mainly due to the lack of suitable laboratory models. Here, we report a humanized mouse model to test interventions that block
P. vivax
parasite transition from liver stage infection to blood stage infection. Human liver-chimeric FRGN huHep mice infected with
P. vivax
sporozoites were infused with human reticulocytes, allowing transition of exo-erythrocytic merozoites to reticulocyte infection and development into all erythrocytic forms, including gametocytes,
in vivo.
In order to test the utility of this model for preclinical assessment of interventions, the invasion blocking potential of a monoclonal antibody targeting the essential interaction of the
P. vivax
Duffy Binding Protein with the Duffy antigen receptor was tested by passive immunization. This antibody inhibited invasion by over 95%, providing unprecedented
in vivo
evidence that PvDBP constitutes a promising blood stage vaccine candidate and proving our model highly suitable to test blood stage interventions.
in order to analyse milk consumption by type, specifically high-fat milk vs. low-fat milk. Whereas trend analysis displays an overall increase in low-fat milk consumption over the last few decades in the United States, a number of individuals still consume high-fat milk varieties, and overall dietary intakes have yet to achieve recommended levels. In light of recent research regarding fat intakes, it is important to understand what factors might cause consumers to purchase high-fat options given the number of lowfat options available in the market. Through the use of Logistic regression, key socioeconomic and demographic variables are analysed in order to determine their impacts on the probability of consuming low-fat milk vs. high-fat milk. The results indicate that a number of factors do influence probability of low-fat milk consumption as compared with high-fat milk consumption. Most notably, probability of low-fat milk consumption appears to be positively related to age, education level, and income level. African Americans and other minorities had a lower probability of consuming low-fat milk when compared with White people in the sample population. Also, those respondents designated as low income or living in the South were less likely to consume low-fat milk.
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