Search

Pantothenate (Pan), or vitamin B5, is essential for the synthesis of co-enzyme A (CoA), acetyl-CoA, and numerous downstream physiological processes. We previously demonstrated that Pan is not only essential for mosquito survival, but also for the development of malaria parasites within the mosquito, suggesting that targeting Pan and CoA biosynthesis may be a novel approach for malaria control. However, little is known about how Pan is acquired and mobilized within the mosquito. In this work, we examined Pan levels in the important human malaria vector Anopheles stephensi, including the abundance of Pan during immature development and adulthood. We also assessed the distribution of Pan in various adult tissues and examined the impact of provisioning Pan to the mosquito via a sugar or blood meal on mosquito survival and reproduction. Furthermore, we examined how Pan was mobilized in the mosquito via a putative Pan transporter, the A. stephensi sodium multi-vitamin transporter. We demonstrated that this transporter is capable of mobilizing both Pan and biotin (vitamin B7) in a dose dependent manner. We also assessed the distribution of A. stephensi sodium multi-vitamin transporter in the mosquito and its capacity to transport vitamins. This work establishes the basic physiology of Pan uptake and mobilization in the mosquito, providing essential information for Pan based malaria control strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is based on quantitative and qualitative research examining humanities scholars' understandings of the advantages and disadvantages of print versus electronic information resources. It explores how humanities' faculty members at Florida State University (FSU) use print and electronic resources, as well as how they perceive these different formats. It was carried out with the goal of assisting the authors and other librarians in choosing between electronic and print formats when performing collection development responsibilities. © 2014 Sarah Buck Kachaluba, Jessica Evans Brady, and Jessica Critten.

This article discusses the preferences, habits, and needs of graduate students as they relate to spaces for research and study. The findings are based on a large-scale ethnographic study of graduate students at Florida State University conducted between 2010 and 2013. Using a variety of ethnographic methods, researchers found that graduate students have diverse needs and unequal access to appropriate spaces and resources to meet those needs. Libraries can help fill the gaps left by home and academic departments by providing a range of spaces offering different noise levels, resources, and other amenities.

This document is an update of the British Society for Haematology guideline on the management of myelofibrosis. It provides healthcare professionals with clear guidance on the stratified management of primary myelofibrosis, as well as post-polycythemia myelofibrosis and post-essential thrombocythemia myelofibrosis. The guidelines discuss various treatment options, including medications like ruxolitinib, fedratinib, momelotinib, and pacritinib, as well as other therapies such as hydroxycarbamide, pegylated interferons, and anti-platelet agents. The document also covers the management of MF-associated anemia, the use of erythropoiesis-stimulating agents, danazol, immunomodulating drugs, and iron chelation therapy. It provides recommendations for special situations and emphasizes the importance of individualized treatment approaches and patient support. Additionally, the document provides recommendations for pretransplant workup, donor choice, conditioning choice, and post allo-HSCT monitoring for patients considering allogeneic stem cell transplantation. [Extracted from the article]

This document is an update of the British Society for Haematology (BSH) guideline on myelofibrosis (MF), providing healthcare professionals with clear guidance on the diagnosis and prognostic evaluation of different types of MF. It emphasizes the importance of bone marrow biopsy and molecular testing for diagnosis, as well as the use of various prognostic models to inform clinical decisions and guide therapy. The document also discusses risk stratification and prognostication for MF patients, including the use of validated risk scores. Additionally, it provides information on the diagnosis and prognostication of prefibrotic MF, highlighting the importance of diagnostic criteria and mutational profiles. [Extracted from the article]

This document is a guideline published in the British Journal of Haematology that provides healthcare professionals with clear guidance on the diagnosis and management of patients with marginal zone lymphoma (MZL). MZL is a group of clinically indolent mature B-cell lymphomas that arise from memory B cells in the marginal zones of secondary lymphoid tissues. The guideline discusses the different subtypes of MZL, diagnostic methods, and potential aetiological factors. It also includes information on treatment options for different stages of MZL, including radiotherapy, systemic therapy, and targeted agents. The document emphasizes the importance of individualized patient care and shared decision making. [Extracted from the article]

Plasmodium knowlesi poses a health threat throughout Southeast Asian communities and currently causes most cases of malaria in Malaysia. This zoonotic parasite species has been studied in Macaca mulatta (rhesus monkeys) as a model for severe malarial infections, chronicity, and antigenic variation. The phenomenon of Plasmodium antigenic variation was first recognized during rhesus monkey infections. Plasmodium -encoded variant proteins were first discovered in this species and found to be expressed at the surface of infected erythrocytes, and then named the Schizont-Infected Cell Agglutination (SICA) antigens. SICA expression was shown to be spleen dependent, as SICA expression is lost after P. knowlesi is passaged in splenectomized rhesus. Here we present data from longitudinal P. knowlesi infections in rhesus with the most comprehensive analysis to date of clinical parameters and infected red blood cell sequestration in the vasculature of tissues from 22 organs. Based on the histopathological analysis of 22 tissue types from 11 rhesus monkeys, we show a comparative distribution of parasitized erythrocytes and the degree of margination of the infected erythrocytes with the endothelium. Interestingly, there was a significantly higher burden of parasites in the gastrointestinal tissues, and extensive margination of the parasites along the endothelium, which may help explain gastrointestinal symptoms frequently reported by patients with P. knowlesi malarial infections. Moreover, this margination was not observed in splenectomized rhesus that were infected with parasites not expressing the SICA proteins. This work provides data that directly supports the view that a subpopulation of P. knowlesi parasites cytoadheres and sequesters, likely via SICA variant antigens acting as ligands. This process is akin to the cytoadhesive function of the related variant antigen proteins, namely Erythrocyte Membrane Protein-1, expressed by Plasmodium falciparum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]