Mosquitoes fight off infection after
sucking blood
New York: Ever wondered how
mosquitoes shuttle disease causing parasites from one person to another while
keeping themselves safe?
To fight off the parasites that blood
might contain, mosquitoes ramp up production of immune system proteins after
sucking blood, new research has found.
"This appears to be a new
mechanism by which the mosquito is anticipating a parasite infection," said
study co-author Michael Povelones, assistant professor at the University of
Pennsylvania.
A greater understanding of how
mosquitoes naturally fight off infection could offer a strategy for preventing
humans from getting infected with those same pathogens. "If we can use
that information to our advantage, we might be able to find new avenues of
preventing mosquitoes from transmitting disease," Povelones pointed out.
Researchers already knew that a group
of molecules called leucine-rich repeat immune proteins, or LRIMs, were
important players in mosquitoes' immune defense.
In the current study, the researchers
wanted to gain a deeper understanding of what the other identified LRIM
proteins--there are at least two dozen--did for mosquito immunity.
From their tests, one protein, LRIM9,
stood out. When it was blocked, parasite levels in the mosquitoes increased
three-fold. And they found that adult females had the highest expression levels
of LRIM9, with more than 20 times the amount of LRIM9 as adult males.
Adult females are the only mosquitoes
that drink blood.
LRIM9 may help the mosquito immune
system recognise pathogens and may also recruit or interact with other immune
system components, the researchers noted.
The study appeared in the Journal of Innate Immunity.
Source: www.zeenewsindia.com
09.02.2015
Heart risks remain for a year after
hospital discharge
New York: Risks of rehospitalisation
and death remain high for up to a year after an older heart patient's hospital
discharge, a study has warned.
The researchers defined the absolute
risks of rehospitalisation and death on each day during the full year after
discharge.
"If we can track absolute risks
and their changes over time, this information will be critical in helping
patients and hospitals set realistic expectations and goals for recovery, and
plan for appropriate care after discharge," said lead author Kumar Dharmarajan,
assistant professor at Yale School of Medicine.
However, specific risks vary by
discharge diagnosis and outcomes over time.
For example, risk remains elevated for
a longer period of time following hospitalisation for heart failure compared
with hospitalisation for acute myocardial infarction and pneumonia, the
researchers added.
The study looked at three million
patients aged 65 or older who survived hospitalisation for heart failure, acute
myocardial infarction, and pneumonia from 2008 to 2010.
"Patients should remain vigilant
for deterioration in health for an extended time after hospitalization,"
Dharmarajan pointed out.
"This might mean checking in more
often with a primary care physician or specialist," he added.
The study was published in the British Medical Journal.
Source: www.zeenewsindia.com
09.02.2015
Nothing is more despicable than
respect based on fear
Albert Camus
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