Non-native invasive species (NIS) release chemicals into the environment that are unique to the invaded communities, defined as novel chemicals. Novel chemicals impact competitors, soil microbial... Show moreNon-native invasive species (NIS) release chemicals into the environment that are unique to the invaded communities, defined as novel chemicals. Novel chemicals impact competitors, soil microbial communities, mutualists, plant enemies, and soil nutrients differently than in the species' native range. Ecological functions of novel chemicals and differences in functions between the native and non-native ranges of NIS are of immense interest to ecologists. Novel chemicals can mediate different ecological, physiological, and evolutionary mechanisms underlying invasion hypotheses. Interactions amongst the NIS and resident species including competitors, soil microbes, and plant enemies, as well as abiotic factors in the invaded community are linked to novel chemicals. However, we poorly understand how these interactions might enhance NIS performance. New empirical data and analyses of how novel chemicals act in the invaded community will fill major gaps in our understanding of the chemistry of biological invasions. A novel chemical-invasion mechanism framework shows how novel chemicals engender invasion mechanisms beyond plant-plant or plant-microorganism interactions. Show less
Malaria parasites are transmitted by Anopheles mosquitoes. During its life cycle in the mosquito vector the Plasmodium ookinete escapes the proteolytic milieu of the post-blood meal midgut by... Show moreMalaria parasites are transmitted by Anopheles mosquitoes. During its life cycle in the mosquito vector the Plasmodium ookinete escapes the proteolytic milieu of the post-blood meal midgut by traversing the midgut wall. This process requires penetration of the chitin-containing peritrophic matrix lining the midgut epithelium, which depends in part on ookinete-secreted chitinases. Plasmodium falciparum ookinetes have one chitinase (PfCHT1), whereas ookinetes of the avian-infecting parasite, P. gallinaceum, have two, a long and a short form, PgCHT1 and PgCHT2, respectively. Published data indicates that PgCHT2 forms a high molecular weight (HMW) reduction-sensitive complex; and one binding partner is the ookinete-produced von Willebrand A-domain-containing protein, WARP. Size exclusion chromatography data reported here show that P. gallinaceum PgCHT2 and its ortholog, P. falciparum PfCHT1 are covalently-linked components of a HMW chitinase-containing complex (> 1,300 kDa). Mass spectrometry of ookinete-secreted proteins isolated using a new chitin bead pull-down method identified chitinase-associated proteins in P. falciparum and P. gallinaceum ookinete-conditioned culture media. Mass spectrometry of this complex showed the presence of several micronemal proteins including von Willebrand factor A domain-related protein (WARP), ookinete surface enolase, and secreted ookinete adhesive protein (SOAP). To test the hypothesis that ookinete-produced PfCHT1 can form a high molecular homo-multimer or, alternatively, interacts with P. berghei ookinete-produced proteins to produce an HMW hetero-multimer, we created chimeric P. berghei parasites expressing PfCHT1 to replace PbCHT1, enabling the production of large numbers of PfCHT1-expressing ookinetes. We show that chimeric P. berghei ookinetes express monomeric PfCHT1, but a HMW complex containing PfCHT1 is not present. A better understanding of the chitinase-containing HMW complex may enhance development of next-generation vaccines or drugs that target malaria transmission stages. Show less
Background:There is an emerging body of evidence that supports the potential clinical value of left ventricular (LV) intracavity blood flow kinetic energy (KE) assessment using four-dimensional... Show moreBackground:There is an emerging body of evidence that supports the potential clinical value of left ventricular (LV) intracavity blood flow kinetic energy (KE) assessment using four-dimensional flow cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (4D flow CMR). The aim of this systematic review is to summarize studies evaluating LV intracavity blood flow KE quantification methods and its potential clinical significance.Methods:A systematic review search was carried out on Medline, Pubmed, EMBASE and CINAHL.Results:Of the 677 articles screened, 16 studies met eligibility. These included six (37%) studies on LV diastolic function, another six (37%) studies on heart failure or cardiomyopathies, three (19%) studies on ischemic heart disease or myocardial infarction and finally, one (6%) study on valvular heart disease, namely, mitral regurgitation. One of the main strengths identified by these studies is high reproducibility of LV blood flow KE hemodynamic assessment (mean coefficient of variability = 6 +/- 2%) for the evaluation of LV diastolic function.Conclusions:The evidence gathered in this systematic review suggests that LV blood flow KE has great promise for LV hemodynamic assessment. Studies showed increased diagnostic confidence at no cost of additional time. Results were highly reproducible with low intraobserver variability. Show less
