Semen analysis, sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) and hypo-osmotic swelling test (HOST) are usually performed for the evaluation of sperm fertilizing ability. There are some debates over the necessity of SDF and HOST incorporation in male infertility work-up.Semen of 77 men was evaluated by SDF and HOST through three semen analyses. Sperm parameters were arranged into different categories: <5%, 5-1...

The bacterial composition of the human fecal microbiome is influenced by many lifestyle factors, notably diet. It is less clear, however, what role host genetics plays in dictating the composition of bacteria living in the gut. In this study, we examined the association of ~200K host genotypes with the relative abundance of fecal bacterial taxa in a founder population, the Hutterites, during tw...

Fleas (order Siphonaptera) are highly-specialized, diverse blood-feeding ectoparasites of mammals and birds with an enigmatic evolutionary history and obscure origin. We here present a molecular phylogenetic study based on a comprehensive taxon sampling of 259 flea taxa, representing 16 of the 18 extant families of this order. A Bayesian phylogenetic tree with strong nodal support was recovered...

Salmonella species are zoonotic pathogens and leading causes of food borne illnesses in humans and livestock. Understanding the mechanisms underlying Salmonella-host interactions are important to elucidate the molecular pathogenesis of Salmonella infection. The Gentamicin protection assay to phenotype Salmonella association, invasion and replication in phagocytic cells was adapted to allow high...

hyalomma dromedarii (h. dromedarii) is a very characteristic tick with a cosmopolitan distribution, which is closely associated with camels. it is well adapted to extreme dryness of habitat and to camel hosts. in this study, we studied rural husbandry of one-humped camels (dromedaries) in a village in south-west of semnan (biabanak). a total of 163 ticks (94 adults and 67 nymphs) were found on ...

an outbreak of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by leishmania major was identified in ghanavat rural district, qom province, central iran, during 1999-2001. among 1069 inhabitants examined in dec. 1999, 5.14% showed evidence of active lesions and 12.44% had scar indicative of past infection. the most highly infected age group was 5-9 years old for ulcers with a rate of 6.56%. the inciden...

background: parasite proteases have important roles in cleavage of host proteins during the invasion of host tissues and participate in the parasite’s evasion from the host’s immune response. the aim of the present study was to estimate a metalloproteinase properties of taenia solium metacestode (tsmp) during host-parasite interactions, and evaluate its potential as a serodiagnostic antigen for...

An annotated list of 41 species from 23 genera in three subfamilies Pteromalidae is given. Five Capellia Delucchi, 1958, Globimesosoma Xiao et Hui, 2001, Lyubana Bouček, 1915, Tachingousa Tselikh, 2018 and Thinodytes Graham, 1956 twenty-one are recorded for the first time fauna South Korea. A new data host-parasitic association Gastracanthus nigrescens Kamijo, 1960

Triptycene-derived macrotricyclic polyether containing an anthracene unit is a powerful host for 1,2-bis(pyridium)ethane, diquat and 2,7-diazapyrenium salt with association constants of the 1 : 1 complexes at >10(5) M(-1). Crystal structures showed that π-π stacking interactions between the host and the guests play an important role in the formation of the stable complexes.