Human toxocariasis: contribution by Brazilian researchers

In the present paper the main aspects of the natural history of human infection by Toxocara larvae that occasionally result in the occurrence of visceral and/or ocular larva migrans syndrome were reviewed. The contribution by Brazilian researchers was emphasized, especially the staff of the Tropical Medicine Institute of São Paulo (IMT)

Why are Aedes mosquitoes rare colonisers of Nepenthes pitcher plants?

1. Nepenthes pitcher plants produce fluid-containing animal traps that are colonised by a variety of specialised arthropods, especially dipterans. However, container-breeding vector mosquitoes, such as Aedes albopictus Skuse have rarely been recorded from pitchers. Increasing overlap in the geographical ranges of Nepenthes and Ae. albopictus in urban parts of Southeast Asia owing to urbanisation highlights a growing need to investigate the potential role of pitchers as larval habitats for vector mosquitoes. 2. The ability of Ae. albopictus larvae to survive in three common lowland Nepenthes in Peninsular Malaysia that are most likely to co-occur with Ae. albopictus [viz., Nepenthes ampullaria Jack, Nepenthes gracilis Korth., and Nepenthes mirabilis (Lour.) Druce] was investigated. 3. The larval survival rates of Ae. albopictus in pitcher fluids of the three Nepenthes species were determined, then the effects of low pH, larvicidal agents (such as microbes, predators, and chemical compounds) through manipulative experiments were investigated. 4. It was found that pitchers represent a hostile environment to Ae. albopictus, but that the principal cause of larval mortality varies among Nepenthes species (i.e. low fluid pH in N. gracilis, predation by Toxorhynchites acaudatus Leicester larvae in N. ampullaria, and microbial activity in N. mirabilis). It was concluded that Nepenthes pitchers are generally not suitable larval habitats for Ae. albopictus. However, the pitcher environment of N. ampullaria is worthy of further study, as pitchers that lack predators are nevertheless rarely colonised by Ae. albopictus, indicating that other aspects of the host pitcher environment inhibit oviposition or larval survivorship

The effects of the dopamine D? receptor antagonist GSK598809 on attentional bias to palatable food cues in overweight and obese subjects

The mesolimbic dopamine system plays a critical role in the reinforcing effects of rewards. Evidence from pre-clinical studies suggests that D3 receptor antagonists may attenuate the motivational impact of rewarding cues. In this study we examined the acute effects of the D3 receptor antagonist GSK598809 on attentional bias to rewarding food cues in overweight to obese individuals (n=26; BMI mean = 32.7 ??3.7; range 27-40kg/m2) who reported binge andr emotional eating. We also determined whether individual differences in restrained eating style modulated the effects of GSK598809 on attentional bias. The study utilised a randomised, double-blind placebo-controlled, cross-over design with each participant tested following acute administration of placebo and GSK598809 (175mg). Attentional bias was assessed by the visual probe task and modified Stroop task using food-related words. Overall GSK598809 had no effects on attentional bias in either the visual probe or food-Stroop tasks. However, the effect of GSK598809 on both visual probe and food-Stroop attentional bias scores was inversely correlated with a measure of eating restraint allowing the identification of two subpopulations, low and high restrained eaters. Low restrained eaters had a significant attentional bias towards food cues in both tasks under placebo, and this was attenuated by GSK598809. In contrast, high restrained eaters showed no attentional bias to food cues following either placebo or GSK598809. These findings suggest that excessive attentional bias to food cues generated by individual differences in eating traits can be modulated by D3 receptor antagonists, warranting further investigation with measures of eating behaviour and weight loss