Lethal and sublethal effects of essential oil of Lippia sidoides (Verbenaceae) and monoterpenes on Chagas´ disease vector Rhodnius prolixus

The aim of this study was to identify the composition of the essential oil from leaves of Lippia sidoides (EOLS), a typical shrub commonly found in the dry northeast of Brazil, popularly known as “alecrim-pimenta”. Additionally, we investigated the nymphicidal, ovicidal, phagoinhibitory and excretion effects of EOLS, its major constituent thymol and its isomer carvacrol, on fourth instar nymphs and eggs of Rhodnius prolixus, the Chagas’ disease vector. The nymphicidal and ovicidal activity of thymol, carvacrol, and EOLS was assessed by tests using impregnated Petri dishes. The lethal concentration values (LC50) for EOLS, carvacrol, and thymol were 54.48, 32.98, and 9.38 mg/cm2, respectively. The ovicidal test showed that both carvacrol and thymol (50 mg/cm2) inhibited hatching (50% and 23.3%, respectively), while treatments with 10 mg/cm2 or 50 mg/cm2 EOLS did not affect the hatching rate at all (80% and 90%, respectively). We observed an anti-feeding effect in insects fed with blood containing natural products at the higher concentrations (100 µg/mL). Finally, excretion rate was affected by EOLS and carvacrol, but not by thymol. These findings offer novel insights into basic physiological processes that make the tested natural compounds interesting candidates for new types of insecticides.

Estudo comparativo das regulamentações de reprodução assistida e das leis de abortamento de Brasil, Alemanha, Colômbia e França / Comparative study of regulations of assisted reproduction and abortion laws between Brazil, Germany, Colombia and France

OBJETIVO: Descrever as regulamentacões de Reprodução Humana Assistida (RHA) e as leis de abortamento do Brasil, Alemanha, Colômbia e Franc¸a. MÉTODO: Foi feito estudo qualitativo transversal das regulamentações referentes à reproducão humana assistida e ao abortamento no Brasil, na Colômbia, Alemanha e Franca entre agosto de 2014 e março de 2015. RESULTADOS: Para a RHA o Brasil tem a resolucão do Conselho Federal de Medicina 2.013/2013, a Colômbia o decreto 1.546/1998 para a doacão de gametas, a Alemanha e Franc¸a leis específicas. Em relacão à lei do abortamento, os quatro países têm leis específicas. CONCLUSÃO: Considerando todas as regulamentacões de RHA e leis de abortamento, verificamos que os países encontram-se em situacões distintas em relacão à RHA e que todos têm leis específicas para o abortamento.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to describe the regulations of Assisted Human Reproduction (AHR) and the abortion laws of Brazil, Germany, Colombia and France. METHOD: A cross-sectional qualitative study of regulations relating to assisted human reproduction and abortion in Brazil, Colombia, Germany and France between august 2014 and March 2015. RESULTS: For the AHR Brazil has the resolution of the Federal Council of Medicine 2013/2013, Colombia has the 1546/1998 decree for the donation of gametes, Germany and France have specific laws. Regarding the abortion law, the four countries have specific laws. CONCLUSION: Considering all the regulations of AHR and abortion laws, we found that these countries are in different situations regarding the AHR and that they all have specific laws for abortion.

Ações, rastros e controvérsias online/ offline: possibilidades metodológicas a partir da Teoria A torrede / Actions, traces and controversies online/ offline: possibilities methodological from Actor-Network Theory / Acciones, rastros y controversias on-line y off-line: posibilidades metodológicas de la Teoría del Actor-Red

O processo de convergência midiática nos oferece um campo vasto e complexo de práticas cotidianas e comportamentais. Ações virtuais,invariavelmente, trazem à tona dimensões que envolvem, em um primeiro momento, ações simples e conversações em rede. A partir das quais, um olhar mais cuidadoso, revela com igual força condições tecnológicas,materiais, visibilidade social, questões humanas, culturais, políticas, entre outras - com curiosa fluidez para algumas situações que transitam livremente entre os espaços online e offline, entre o público e o privado,entre meios interpessoais e massivos etc. A partir desse cenário, e utilizando um caso específico como ponto de partida, propomos a produção de um pequeno mapa de conexões, empregando a Teoria Ator Rede (TAR) como possibilidade metodológica. A partir de uma escrita etnográfica (em contexto virtual) buscamos rastrear vínculos e estabilizar uma rede que nos permitisse compreender, mesmo que parcialmente, os múltiplos fluxos e associações proporcionadas pelos dispositivos de comunicação (digitais e/ou convencionais).

The media convergence process offers a wide area and everyday practices and behavioral complex. Virtual actions invariably show up dimensions involved, at first, simple actions and conversations in the network. However,that view reveals, among other things, technological conditions, social visibility, human, cultural, political affairs, etc. There is a curious fluidity to some events which pass freely between on-line and off-line spaces, between public and private spaces, and also between interpersonal and mass mediaspace etc. At this stage and using a specific area as a starting point, wepropose the production of a small connection map. Using the Actor-network Theory, often abbreviated as ANT, as a methodological possibility. From an ethnographic writing (in virtual context) we look for tracing linkage andstabilize a network that allows us to understand, even partially, the multipleflows and associations provided by the communications tools (digital orconventional).

El proceso de convergencia mediático nos ofrece un campo amplio y complejo de prácticas cotidianas y de comportamientos. Las acciones virtuales, invariablemente, revelan dimensiones que envuelven, en unprimer momento, acciones simples y conversaciones en la red. Sin embargo,observando cuidadosamente muestra, entre otras cosas, condiciones tecnológicas, visibilidad social, cuestiones humanas, culturales, políticas, etc. Existe una fluidez curiosa para algunos eventos que transitan libremente entre diversos espacios, ya sean estos: on-line y off-line, público y privado, medios interpersonales y masivos etc. A partir de este escenario y utilizando un campo específico como punto de partida, proponemos la producción de un pequeño mapa de conexiones. Para ello, utilizamos la Teoría del ActorRed, de sus siglas en inglés ANT, como una posible metodología. A partir de una escritura etnográfica (en contexto virtual) buscamos rastrear los vínculos y estabilizar una red que nos ha permitido comprender, aunque sea parcialmente, los múltiples flujos y asociaciones proporcionadas por las herramientas de comunicación (digital o convencional).

Immune homeostasis to microorganisms in the guts of triatomines (Reduviidae): a review

Bacteria, fungi and parasites are in constant contact with the insect gut environment and can influence different aspects of the host gut physiology. Usually, some of these microorganisms develop and survive in the digestive tract. Therefore, the gut environment must be able to tolerate certain populations of these organisms for the establishment of interactions between non-pathogenic bacteria, parasites and the gut. This review provides a brief overview of the biological and molecular mechanisms that microorganisms use to interact with the gut epithelia in mosquitoes and speculates on their significances for the development of bacteria and Trypanosoma cruzi in the guts of triatomines.

Use of polyester pad as a new physical substrate for rearing Cochliomyia hominivorax coquerel (Diptera: Calliphoridae) larvae / Uso de manta de poliéster como substrato novo para criação de larvas de Cochliomyia hominivorax coquerel (Diptera: Calliphoridae)

Polyester pad was utilized as solid support for rearing Cochliomyia hominivorax Coquerel larvae in liquid diet and compared with the ground meat diet. There were no significant differences in the mean third instar larvae and pupal weights, number of pupae, emergence and rearing efficiency. The tests were conducted through four consecutive generations, presenting no detectable effect in any of the life history parameters. We propose that the polyester pad can be used as solid support for rearing C. hominivorax larvae in liquid diets and can be reutilized reducing the costs of mass rearing.

A utilização de manta de poliéster como substrato para a criação de larvas de Cochliomyia hominivorax Coquerel em dieta líquida foi comparada com dieta à base de carne moída. Não foram verificadas diferenças na média dos pesos de larvas de terceiro estágio e pupas, número de pupas formadas, emergência e eficiência de criação. Os resultados foram obtidos por quatro gerações consecutivas, não demonstrando interferência em nenhum parâmetro biológico avaliado. Propõe-se que manta de poliéster pode ser utilizada como suporte para a criação laboratorial de C. hominivorax em dieta líquida, reduzindo os custos de criação, uma vez que pode ser reutilizada.

Towards an understanding of the interactions of Trypanosoma cruzi and Trypanosoma rangeli within the reduviid insect host Rhodnius prolixus

Esta revisão destaca aspectos dos estágios do desenvolvimento de Trypanosoma cruzi e Trypanosoma rangeli em seu hospedeiro invertebrado, Rhodnius prolixus Atenção especial é dada às interações desses parasitas com moléculas presentes no tubo digestivo e na hemolinfa e efeitos da organização das células epiteliais sobre o desenvolvimento do parasita. A susceptibilidade do inseto vetor ao T. cruzi, o qual desenvolve no tubo digestivo, dependem do estado nutricional do hospedeiro, da cepa do parasita e de interações moleculares com compostos tripanolíticos, lectinas e bactérias residentes no tubo digestivo. O T. rangeli invade a hemocele e pode ser reconhecido e ativar o sistema de defesa do inseto vetor, ou seja, o sistema profenoloxidase, fagocitose, microagregação hemocitária,atividade de superóxido e óxido nítrico e a via de biossíntese dos eicosanóides. Estes fatos fornecem uma compreensão melhor das interações parasita-inseto vetor, e também oferecem novas idéias sobre os processos básicos envolvidos na transmissão parasitária.

Trypanosoma rangeli interactions within the vector Rhodnius prolixus: a mini review

This article is an integrative mini review of the research on the interactions between Trypanosoma rangeli and the insect vector, Rhodnius prolixus. Special attention is given to the interactions of these parasites with the gut environment, gut walls, with hemolymph invasion, hemocytes, hemocyte microaggregations, prophenoloxidase-activating system, superoxide, and nitric acid generation and eicosanoid pathways. We described factors affecting vectorial capacity and suggested that T. rangeli may modulate the hemocoelic invasion and the survival of the parasites by overcoming the cellular and humoral defense reactions of the insect vector at different physiological events. The mechanisms of these interactions and their significance for parasite transmission are discussed.

Haemolymph and fat body metallo-protease associated with Enterobacter cloacae infection in the bloodsucking insect, Rhodnius prolixus

Analysis of zymograms with SDS-polyacrilamide gel electrophoresis containing gelatin as substrate, and performed on samples of haemolymph or fat body taken from Rhodnius prolixus inoculated or not with Enterobacter cloacae, demonstrated distinct patterns of protease activities: (i) in the haemolymph two proteases were induced in insects inoculated with bacteria; (ii) two proteases were detected in the fat bodies derived from non-inoculated controls or insect inoculated with sterile culture medium; (iii) haemolymph and fat body had both the same apparent molecular weights proteases (46 and 56 kDa); and (iv) these enzymes were characterized as metallo-proteases. The association of these enzymes in Rhodnius infected with bacteria was discussed.

Biomorphological alterations induced by an anti-juvenile hormonal compound, 2-(2-EthoxyEthoxy) Ethyl furfuryl ether, on three species of Triatominae larvae (Hemiptera, Reduviidae)

Applied topically to larvae of Rhodnius prolixus Stal, Triatoma infestans (Klug) and Panstrongylus herreri Wygodzinsky, vectors of Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas' disease, a synthetic, furan-containing anti-juveline hormonal compound, 2-(2-ethoxyethoxy) ethyl furfuryl ether induced a variety of biomorphological alterations, including precocious metamorphosis into small adultoids with adult abdominal cuticle, ocelli, as well as rudimentary adultoid wings. Some adultoids died during ecdysis and were confined within the old cuticle. The extension of these biomorphological responses is discussed in terms of the complexity of the action of anti-juvenile hormonal compounds during the development of triatomines.

Gangliosidosis GM1 Tipo I: forma infantil / Gangliosidosis GM1 Type I: infantile form

Se presenta un caso de Gangliosidosis GM1, tipo I, de diagnóstico tardío para llamar la atención sobre una enfermedad hereditaria. Se trata de una lactante de sexo femenino que a pesar de presentar los signos principales de la enfermedad no fue reconocida tempranamente. El diagnóstico se confirmó a los 6 meses por dosificación de la enzima beta-galactosidasa lisosomal en leucocitos. Se destaca la falla de la atención primaria y la necesidad de un diagnóstico seguro para poder realizar un adecuado consejo genético

Effects of azadirachtin on Rhodnius prolixus: immunity and trypanosoma interaction

The effects of azadirachtin, a tetranortriterpenoid from the neem tree Aradirachta indica J. on both immunity and Trypanosoma cruzi interaction within Rhodniusprolixus and other triatomines, were presented Given through a blood meal, azadirachtin affected the immune reactivity as shown by a significant reduction in numbers of hemocytes and consequently nodule formation follwing challenge with Enterobacter cloacae ß12, reduction in ability to produce antibacterial activities in the hemolymph when injected with bacteria, and decreased ability to destroy the infection caused by inoculation of E. cloacae cells. A single dose of azadirachtin was able to block the development of T. cruzi in R. prolixus if given through the meal at different intervals, together with, before or after parasite infection. Similary, these results were observed with different triatomine species and different strains of T. cruzi. Azadirachtin induced a permanent resistance of the vector against reinfection with T. cruzi. The significance of these data is discussed in relation to the general mode of azadirachtin action in insects

Aspects of classification of Hemiptera hemocytes from six triatomine species

The objective of this work was to characterize, and compare different morphological types of hemocytes of Rhodnius prolixus, Rhodnius, Rhodnius neglectus, Triatoma infestans, Panstrongylus megistus, and Dipetalogaster maximus. This information provides the basis for studying the cellular immune systems of these insects. Seven morphological hemocyte types wereidentified by phase-contrast microscopy: prohemocytes, plasmatocytes, granular cells, cytocytes, oenocytoids, adipohemocytes and giant cells. All seven types of hemocytes are not present in every species. For example, adipohemocytes and oenocytoids were not observed in P. megistus and P. infestans, and giant cells were rarely found in any of the species studied. The hemocytes of rhodnius and Dipetalogaster are more similar to each other than those from Triatoma and Panstrongylus which in turn closely resemble each other. Emphasis is placed on methodological problems arising in this work wicah are discussed in detail

Effects of proallatotoxins (precocenes) on the development and reproduction of Rhodnius prolixus: some data

Proallatotoxins, and particularly preconcenes, are exceptionally promising models for studying Rhodnius prolixus physiology and for comparison with other natural compounds with anti-hormonal activities. Effects of preconcenes on feeding, development and reproduction of R. prolixus are being detailed. The precocenes reveal significant effects on feeding, moulting cycle (inducing precocious metamorphosis and ecdysial stasis), and reproduction of these insect. The mechanism of action of proallatotoxins was discussed based on the corpus allatum cytotoxic effect and on the ecdysteroid biosynthesis in prothoracic glands and ovaries. Further studies of these compounds on R. prolixus are need and will hopefully reveal other unesplored points regarding the action of the proallatotoxins on insects.

Short-and long-term effects of proallatotoxin (ethoxyprecocene II) on Rhodnius prolixus females

A ovogênese e a postura de ovos pode ser inibida, durante o primeiro ciclo reprodutivo de Rhodnius prolixus, por um único tratamento com etoxiprecoceno II. Esta inibiçäo, se medida pelo crescimento dos ovócitos, maturaçäo de ovos e ovipostura, depende da dose do composto utilizado. A produçäo de ovos, no entanto, pode ser parcial ou totalmente restabelecida após dois subseqüentes repastos de sangue sem a droga. Estes dados sugerem que a açäo do etoxiprecoceno II sobre o corpus allatum näo é irreversível em fêmeas de Rhodnius prolixus

Effects of precocene and azadirachtin in Rhodnius prolixus: some data on development and reproduction

The results presented in this paper clearly indicate that precocene and azadirachtin are effective inhibitors of moulting and reproduction in the hemipteran Rhodnius prolixus. The time of application is important and only applications of these substances early in the intermoulting period cause their effects in nymphs. The inhibition of moulting is fully reversed by ecdysone therapy. Precocene and azadirachtin also affected drastically the oogenesis and egg deposition in this insect. Precocene-induced sterilization is reversed by application of juvenile hormone III. However, this hormone is unable to reverse the effect of azadirachtin on reproduction. Ecdysteroid titers in nymphs and adult females are decreased by these treatments. In vitro analysis suggest that precocene and azadirachtin may act directly on the prothoracic glands and ovaries producing ecdysteroids. Based on these and other findings the possible mode of action of these compounds on the development and reproduction of Rhodnius prolixus is discussed.

Alteraçöes biomorfogênicas causadas pela aplicaçäo de precoceno II em ninfas de Triatoma infestans (Klug, 1834) (Hemiptera, reduviidae, triatominae) / Biomorphogenetic changes caused by the application or prococene II in nymphs of Triatoma infestans (klug, 1834) (Hemiptera, Reduviidae, Triatominae

O precoceno II aplicado topicamente em ninfas de 4ª estádio, nas dosagens de 200, 300 e 400 micron-grama/1 micron-litro de acetona, proporcionou o aparecimento de adultóides, em diferentes percentagens com as seguintes características: tegumento alterado, aparelho bucal deformado, asas braquípteras, tarsos trímeros, ocelos, evidentes e genitália externa com estruturas desenvolvidas e deformadas; genitália interna em estágio intermediário entre ninfas de 4§ e 5§ estádios. Os adultóides apresentaram um período de sobrevivência inversamente proporcional à dosagem aplicada, variando de 3 a 22 dias, näo tendo se alimentado devido as alteraçöes

Efficacy of ivermectin against the bloodsucking insect, Rhodnius prolixus (hemiptera, triatominae)

A alimentaçäo de ninfas e adultos de Rhodnius prolixus em camundongos tratados previamente com ivermectin (0,2 mg/kg peso corporal, via subcutânea) resultou em alta mortalidade dos insetos. Este efeito foi mais drástico em ninfas de 1§ e 2§ estádios. Foi observado que as ninfas de 3§ estádio alimentadas 24-48 horas após o tratamento dos camundongos demonstraram uma mortalidade maior do que os insetos alimentados 72 horas após o tratamento. Os insetos de 3§ estádio sobreviventes aos tratamentos apresentaram uma inibiçäo total das mudas. Fêmeas adultas alimentadas em camundongos 24 horas após o tratamento com invermectin demonstraram uma considerável reduçäo na produçäo de ovos. Este efeito näo foi revertido por uma posterior alimentaçäo em camundongos normais. Foi sugerido que dose subletal de ivermectin poderia interferir no controle neuro-endócrino do desenvolvimento e reproduçäo do inseto