Helminth infections and allergy have evolutionary and clinical links. Infection with the nematode Ascaris lumbricoides induces IgE against several molecules including invertebrate pan-allergens. These antibodies influence the pathogenesis and diagnosis of allergy; therefore, studying parasitic and non-parasitic allergens is essential to understand both helminth immunity and allergy. Glutathione...

Foxp3 is a master regulator of CD4(+)CD25(+) regulatory T-cell (Treg) function and is also a suppressor of SKP2 and HER2/ErbB2. There are an increasing number of reports describing the functions of Foxp3 in cell types other than Tregs. In this context, we evaluated the functions of Foxp3 in ovalbumin- and cockroach-induced asthma models. Foxp3-EGFP-expressing adenovirus or EGFP control adenovir...

BACKGROUND The parasitoid Jewel Wasp hunts cockroaches to serve as a live food supply for its offspring. The wasp stings the cockroach in the head and delivers a cocktail of neurotoxins directly inside the prey's cerebral ganglia. Although not paralyzed, the stung cockroach becomes a living yet docile 'zombie', incapable of self-initiating spontaneous or evoked walking. We show here that such n...

The nisin effect on thermal death of Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris CRA 7152 spores in concentrated orange juice (64°Brix) was studied. Concentrations of 0, 50, 75 and 100 IU of nisin/ml juice, at temperatures of 92, 95, 98 and 102°C were evaluated. The quadratic polynomial model was used to analyze the effects of the factors and their interaction. Verification of surviving spores was carried...

background: antimicrobial peptides play a role as effectors substances in the immunity of vertebrate and inverte­brate hosts. in the current study, antimicrobial peptide was isolated from the haemolymph of the american cock­roach, periplaneta americana . methods: micrococcus luteus as gram-positive bacteria and escherichia coli as gram-negative bacteria were candi­date for injection. induction ...

the german cockroach, blattella germanica, is one of the most common pest species, and is acarrier of many pathogen and allergen factors in humans. thus, regarding public health, the control of thisinsect is quite important. dietary use of hormone analogues, especially juvenoids which disrupt reproductiveorgan development, is a relatively new method to control cockroaches. in this study, the ef...