Biology subjects

Reyes, D.

Publications and source records attributed to Reyes, D..

4 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2025

Mosquito seasonality and trap type evaluation using routine surveillance data from New Orleans, Louisiana, United States

New Orleans, Louisiana, is a major gateway for the introduction of arboviruses into the United States due to high volumes of travel from arbovirus-endemic regions, the influx of migratory birds, and the presence of competent mosquito vectors. To respond to this increasing threat, the New Orleans Mosquito, Termite, and Rodent Control Board conducts routine and response-based mosquito surveillance. Three main types of traps are used in their surveillance system: gravid traps, CDC light traps, and BG-Sentinel traps. Understanding the capability of different trap types in assessing species richness, abundance, and community composition is instrumental in guiding surveillance efforts and responding to travel-associated and locally acquired arboviral infections effectively. This study aims to characterize the temporal dynamics of mosquito vector species in New Orleans, Louisiana, and to evaluate the effectiveness of BG-Sentinel, CDC light, and gravid traps in assessing species richness, abundance, and community composition. Alpha and beta diversity were compared based on trap type. Abundance, Richness, Shannon-Wiener diversity index, and evenness were compared using a Kruskal-Wallis Rank Sum test, followed by a post-hoc Dunn test with Bonferroni correction. Community composition was assessed using pairwise permutational multivariate analysis of variance (perMANOVA) and similarity percentage analysis (SIMPER), both with 10,000 permutations. Significant differences in mosquito abundance and diversity metrics were observed among trap types, indicating that trap choice strongly influences observed mosquito abundance, richness, community composition, and evenness. Gravid and CDC light traps, as well as BG-Sentinel and gravid traps, collected significantly different communities, driven mostly by higher Culex quinquefasciatus abundance in gravid traps. Differences between BG-Sentinel and CDC light traps were primarily driven by Culex salinarius and Aedes vexans, both more frequently collected by CDC light traps. Our results show that trap type significantly influences estimates of species abundance, richness, community composition, and evenness in New Orleans. These findings emphasize the importance of selecting appropriate trap types to generate accurate and actionable surveillance data, essential for guiding and optimizing mosquito control strategies aimed at preventing and responding to arbovirus outbreaks.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2025

Site-specific immunogenicity and anti-PD1 response in mismatch repair deficient lung adenocarcinoma models

Immunotherapy has revolutionized cancer treatment, yet responses vary significantly based on tumour characteristics and microenvironment. Here, we developed and analysed subcutaneous and orthotopic immunocompetent mice models of mismatch repair-deficient (dMMR) lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) by selectively ablating Mlh1. Subcutaneous tumours demonstrated partial sensitivity to anti-PD1 therapy, characterized by tumour volume reduction without significant changes in immune infiltration. In contrast, orthotopic tumours exhibited robust responses, with substantial reductions in tumour burden, enhanced immune infiltration, and increased CD4+ memory T cells, highlighting the critical role of anatomical site and tumour microenvironment in shaping immunotherapy outcomes. Our findings emphasise the relevance of orthotopic models for preclinical evaluation and suggest that they more accurately reflect clinical responses to immune checkpoint blockade in dMMR LUAD.

cancer biology↗

bioRxiv2022

Comparing 10x Genomics single-cell 3' and 5' assay in short-and long-read sequencing

Barcoding strategies are fundamental to droplet-based single-cell sequencing, and understanding the biases and caveats between approaches is essential. Here, we comprehensively evaluated both short and long reads of the cDNA obtained through the two marketed approaches from 10x Genomics, the "3 assay" and the "5 assay", which attach barcodes at different ends of the mRNA molecule. Although the barcode detection, cell-type identification, and gene expression profile are similar in both assays, the 5 assay captured more exonic molecules and fewer intronic molecules compared to the 3 assay. We found that 13.7% of genes sequenced have longer average read lengths and are more complete (spanning both polyA-site and TSS) in the long reads from the 5 assay compared to the 3 assay. These genes are characterized by long average transcript length, high intron number, and low expression overall. Despite these differences, cell-type-specific isoform profiles observed from the two assays remain highly correlated. This study provides a benchmark for choosing the single-cell assay for the intended research question, and insights regarding platform-specific biases to be mindful of when analyzing data, particularly across samples and technologies.

bioinformatics↗

bioRxiv2017

Multiple introductions of Zika virus into the United States revealed through genomic epidemiology

Zika virus (ZIKV) is causing an unprecedented epidemic linked to severe congenital syndromes1,2. In July 2016, mosquito-borne ZIKV transmission was first reported in the continental United States and since then, hundreds of locally-acquired infections have been reported in Florida3. To gain insights into the timing, source, and likely route(s) of introduction of ZIKV into the continental United States, we tracked the virus from its first detection in Miami, Florida by direct sequencing of ZIKV genomes from infected patients and Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. We show that at least four distinct ZIKV introductions contributed to the outbreak in Florida and that local transmission likely started in the spring of 2016 - several months before its initial detection. By analyzing surveillance and genetic data, we discovered that ZIKV moved among transmission zones in Miami. Our analyses show that most introductions are phylogenetically linked to the Caribbean, a finding corroborated by the high incidence rates and traffic volumes from the region into the Miami area. By comparing mosquito abundance and travel flows, we describe the areas of southern Florida that are especially vulnerable to ZIKV introductions. Our study provides a deeper understanding of how ZIKV initiates and sustains transmission in new regions.

epidemiology↗