Abstract Entomological collections help scientists to rapidly identify invasive insects that affect agriculture, forestry, and human and animal health and to infer about global change biology. There are several collections with deposited Chagas disease vectors that are distributed throughout the world, but most of them present in Brazil. Faced with the need to disclose the biological material deposited in these collections, Brazilian articles were published compiling the information about the Triatomines Collections of the Oswaldo Cruz Institute, the Collection of Chagas Disease Vectors, the Entomologic collections of the Faculty of Public Health of the University of Sao Paulo, and the Entomological Collection of Instituto Butantan. The Museum of the Institute of Agricultural Zoology “Francisco Fernández Yépez” (MIZA) in Venezuela has more than four million arthropods deposited in its collection, being more than 4,500 holotypes. Based on the importance of disseminating to the world the richness of species deposited in biological collections, with emphasis on the entomological collections of vectors that can present important epidemiological information on the distribution of the vector-borne diseases, the present work compiles all the information related to triatomines deposited in MIZA. Through the analysis of the triatomines deposited in the MIZA was possible to highlight that there are over one thousand triatomines deposited in the entomological collection, distributed in 39 species grouped in four tribes: Bolboderini (two species), Cavernicolini (one species), Rhodniini (seven species) and Triatomini (29 species). In additional, eleven new occurrence points were described for Venezuelan states, namely, Miranda (Cavernicola pilosa and Eratyrus mucronatus), Amazonas (Rhodnius pictipes and E. mucronatus), Aragua (R. robustus), Federal District (E. mucronatus), Barinas (Panstrongylus geniculatus), Bolívar (P. rufotuberculatus), Carabobo (Triatoma nigromaculata), Falcón (T. nigromaculata) and Táchira (T. nigromaculata). The analysis of the entomological collection of MIZA allowed to group important information on the richness of biological material deposited for the subfamily Triatominae, as well as for the epidemiology of Chagas disease in the States of Venezuela, emphasizing the importance of the dissemination of information on biological collections to the scientific community in the form of manuscripts or official sites aiming the internationalization and valuation of collections and deposited material.

Resumen Las colecciones entomológicas ayudan a los científicos a identificar rápidamente los insectos invasores que afectan a la agricultura, silvicultura y la salud humana y animal e inferir sobre la biología del cambio global. Hay varias colecciones con deposito de vectores de la enfermedad de Chagas que se distribuyen en todo el mundo, pero la mayoría de ellas están presentes en Brasil. Ante la necesidad de divulgar el material biológico depositado en estas colecciones, se publicaron en Brasil artículos que recopilan información sobre la Colección de Triatominos del Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, la Colección de Vectores de la Enfermedad de Chagas, las colecciones Entomológicas de la Facultad de Salud Pública de la Universidad de Sao Paulo, y la Colección Entomológica del Instituto Butantan. El Museo del Instituto de Zoología Agrícola “Francisco Fernández Yépez” (MIZA) de Venezuela, tiene más de cuatro millones de artrópodos depositados en su colección, reuniendo más de 4,500 holotipos. Basados en la importancia de diseminar al mundo la riqueza de las especies depositadas en colecciones biológicas, con énfasis en las colecciones entomológicas de vectores que pueden presentar información epidemiológica importante sobre la distribución de las enfermedades transmitidas por vectores, el presente trabajo recopila toda la información relacionada a triatominos depositados en MIZA. A través del análisis de los triatominos depositados en está colección fue posible destacar que hay más de mil triatominos representados, distribuidos en 39 especies agrupadas en cuatro tribus: Bolboderini (dos especies), Cavernicolini (una especie), Rhodniini (siete especies) y Triatomini (29 especies). Además, se describieron once nuevos puntos de ocurrencia para los estados venezolanos de Miranda (Cavernicola pilosa y Eratyrus mucronatus), Amazonas (Rhodnius pictipes y E. mucronatus), Aragua (R. robustus), Distrito Federal (E. mucronatus), Barinas (Panstrongylus geniculatus), Bolívar (P. rufotuberculatus), Carabobo (Triatoma nigromaculata), Falcón (T. nigromaculata) y Táchira (T. nigromaculata). El análisis de la colección entomológica del MIZA permitió agrupar información importante sobre la riqueza del material biológico depositado para la subfamilia Triatominae, así como para la epidemiología de la enfermedad de Chagas en los estados de Venezuela, enfatizando la importancia de la difusión de información sobre colecciones biológicas a la comunidad científica en forma de manuscritos o sitios oficiales como una forma de internacionalización y valoración de colecciones y material depositado.

Recentemente, foram descritas algumas características morfológicas de 18 espécies de hemípteros terrestres agrupados nas famílias Alydidae, Coreidae, Corimelaenidae, Lygaeidae, Rhopalidae, Scutelleridae, Tingidae e Reduviidae que apresentaram grandes variações na coloração da bainha peritonial testicular (avermelhada, alaranjada, amarelada ou transparente). Assim, este estudo teve como objetivo analisar a coloração da bainha peritoneal em 44 espécies de triatomíneos agrupadas em nove gêneros diferentes, com o intuito de analisar se os insetos da subfamília Triatominae também apresentam variações na coloração da bainha. Por meio da análise da bainha, foi possível observar que os membros desta subfamília não apresentaram diferenças interespecíficas, pois todas as espécies analisadas possuem bainha transparente. Assim, o presente trabalho descreve a coloração da bainha peritoneal em 44 espécies da subfamília Triatominae e, principalmente, sugere que a cor transparente é uma sinapomorfia deste importante grupo de insetos vetores.

Recently, were described some morphological characteristics of 18 species of terrestrial hemipteran grouped in the Alydidae, Coreidae, Corimelaenidae, Lygaeidae, Rhopalidae, Scutelleridae, Tingidae and Reduviidae family that presented found variation in coloration of testicular peritoneal sheath (Reddish, Orange, Yellowish or Transparent). Thus, this study aims to analyzed the coloration of the peritoneal sheath in 44 species of triatomines grouped in nine different genera, with the aim of analyze whether the insects of the Triatominae subfamily also show variations in coloration. By means of analysis of the sheath was possible to observe that members of this subfamily have no interspecific differences, because all species have a transparent sheath. Thus, this paper describes the coloring of the peritoneal sheath in 44 species of the subfamily Triatominae and mainly suggests that the transparent color is one synapomorphy of this important group of insect vectors.

Zaprionus indianus is a drosophilid native to the Afrotropical region that has colonized South America and exhibits a wide geographical distribution. In contrast, Z. sepsoides is restricted to certain African regions. The two species differ in the size of their testes, which are larger in Z. indianus than in Z. sepsoides. To better understand the biology and the degree of differentiation of these species, the current study evaluated spermatogenesis in males of different ages by conventional staining techniques and ultrastructural analysis. Spermatogenesis and the ultrastructure of spermatozoa were similar in the two species, and the diploid number was confirmed to be 2n = 12. A greater number of spermatozoa were observed in young Z. indianus (1-3 days old) compared to Z. sepsoides males, which showed a higher frequency of cells at the early stages of spermatogenesis. The head of the sperm was strongly marked by silver staining, lacto-acetic orcein and the Feulgen reaction; the P.A.S. reaction revealed glycogen granules in the testes of both species. Both species presented similar arrangement of microtubules (9+9+2), two mitochondrial derivatives of different size and 64 spermatozoa per bundle. Such similarity within the genus Zaprionus with other species of Drosophila, indicates that these structures are conserved in the family Drosophilidae. The differences observed the number and frequency of sperm cells in the early stages of spermatogenesis, between the young males of Z. indianus and Z. sepsoides, are features that may interfere with reproductive success and be related to the invasive potential of Z. indianus.

As peroxidases, presentes nos peroxissomos e lisossomos, pertencem às oxidases e atuam como catalítico para o peróxido de hidrogênio (H2O2), posteriormente decomposto pela oxidação de cossubstratos, evitando danos celulares.(¹) Foi aplicada a técnica da peroxidase(2) em esfregaços sanguíneos de Phrynops geoffroanus, comparando com sangue humano, para avaliação da atividade e controle da reação. O esfregaço sanguíneo humano apresentou marcações em neutrófilos, fagócitos com muitos lisossomos e peroxissomos (Figura 1). Nos esfregaços sanguíneos de Phrynops geoffroanus, as marcações apresentaram-se nos basófilos (Figura 2), que representam de 10% a 25% dos leucócitos de quelônios e possuem grande número de granulações citoplasmáticas,(3) sugerindo a presença de grande quantidade de enzimas e organelas como lisossomos e peroxissomos, possivelmente associadas a sua participação em reações imunes. A atividade peroxidásica representa resposta do organismo a ações ambientais danosas, servindo como marcador biológico.

Peroxidase, present in peroxisomes and lysosomes, belongs to the oxidases and acts as a catalyst for hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and is later decomposed by oxidation of cosubstrates thereby preventing cell damage.(1) The peroxidase technique(2) was applied to blood smears of Phrynops geoffroanus and the results compared with human blood to evaluate the activity and control of the reaction. The human blood film showed markings in neutrophils and phagocytes with many lysosomes and peroxisomes (Figure 1). In blood smears of Phrynops geoffroanus, the markings were on the basophils (Figure 2), that represent 10% to 25% of leukocytes of turtles and have a large number of cytoplasmatic granules(3) suggesting the presence of large amounts of enzymes and organelles such as lysosomes and peroxisomes, possibly associated with their participation in immune reactions. Peroxidase activity is the body's response to harmful environmental actions and serves as a biological marker.

Triatoma klugi is a Chagas disease vector in the Rio Grande do Sul State. Triatominae chromosomes are holocentric and sex chromosomes segregation is post-reductional. In this paper we describe the karyotype of male T. klugi and a meiotic analysis including the nucleolar behavior during spermatogenesis. Testis cells were analyzed after lacto-acetic orcein and silver nitrate staining. Two autosomes and the heterochromosomes presented nucleolar activity (Ag-NORs) during diplotene-diakinesis. The analysis of metaphase I and II revealed a karyotype with 2n = 20+XY. In metaphase I a prominent nucleolar mass was observed in the cell periphery and small silver grains were detected in metaphase II. During anaphase, the chromosomes segregated in parallel and a typical holocentric late migration behavior was observed. The restoration of the nucleolus was an important feature in this phase. During telophase nucleolar masses persisted and in early spermiogenesis the spermatids presented a small peripheral mass until elongation. The present study is a contribution to the study of chromatin behavior and nucleolar persistence in meiosis.

INTRODUÇÃO: A solução cardioplégica farmacológica busca eliminar as conseqüências do dano isquêmico, que é o resultado do desbalanço entre a oferta e o consumo de energia durante a parada dos batimentos cardíacos, nas cirurgias cardíacas com circulação extracorpórea. OBJETIVO: Este trabalho avalia experimentalmente as alterações estruturais e ultra-estruturais em coração isolado de coelhos submetidos à parada protegida pela Solução para Cardioplegia de Baixo Volume (SCBV). MÉTODO: O estudo compreendeu um grupo controle e dois grupos experimentais. No grupo I, a parada cardíaca foi obtida pela infusão da SCBV por 2 horas. No grupo II, o experimento foi conduzido da mesma forma até a parada protegida pela SCBV por duas horas, imediatamente procedeu-se à reperfusão com solução oxigenada de Ringer Locke (RL) por uma hora. No grupo controle os corações foram perfundidos com solução oxigenada de RL por duas horas. Após os experimentos, oito amostras de parede lateral do ventrículo esquerdo foram fixadas em formaldeído 10% e glutaraldeído 2,5% para análises histológica e ultra-estrutural. RESULTADOS: As células do miocárdio, fibroblastos e células endoteliais, observadas nos grupos experimentais I e II, apresentaram marginalização da heterocromatina, compactação do nucléolo, alteração na forma das mitocôndrias, compactação das cristas e aumento da densidade da matriz mitocondrial, indicando que tanto a estrutura nuclear quanto a das organelas citoplasmáticas foram alteradas em relação às células do grupo controle. CONCLUSÃO: As modificações estruturais foram decorrentes de uma adaptação fisiológica da célula, não sendo indicativas de oncose ou apoptose, sugerindo, portanto, que a solução cardioplégica utilizada foi eficiente para a preservação das células.

INTRODUCTION: Pharmacological cardioplegic solution aims to eliminate the consequences of ischemic damage, which results from the misbalance between the offer and consumption of energy during the arrest of the heart beats during cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass. OBJECTIVES: This research experimentally evaluates the structural and ultrastructural changes in isolated rabbit hearts submitted to arrest protected by a Low Volumetric Cardioplegic Solution (LVCS). MATERIAL AND METHOD: The study counted with a control group and two experimental groups. In group I the cardiac arrest was obtained by infusion of the LVCS for 2 hours. In group II the experiment was conducted in the same way until the arrest protected by LVCS for 2 hours, and immediately after reperfusion was performed with the Ringer Locke (RL) oxygenated solution for 1 hour. In the control group the hearts were perfused with the RL oxygenated solution for 2 hours. After the experiments, 8 samples of the left ventricle were fixed in 10% formaldehyde and 2.5% glutaraldehyde for histological and ultrastructural analysis. RESULTS: The myocardial cells, the fibroblasts and the endothelial cells which were observed in the experimental groups I and II, presented with marginalization of the heterochromatin, compaction of the nucleolus, change in the morphology of the mitochondria and compaction of the cristae. Also there was an increase of the density of the mitochondrial matrix. This indicates that the nuclear structure as well as the structure of the cytoplasmic organelles were altered when compared to the cells of the control group. CONCLUSION: The structural modifications were due a physiological adaptation of the cell, and not an indication of oncosis or apoptosis, suggesting that the cardioplegic solution used was efficient for the preservation of the cells.

Foram examinadas as esterases presentes na hemolinfa e nos túbulos de Malpighi do "barbeiro" Triatoma infestans (Triatominae, Heteroptera) através de eletroforese em gel de poliacrilamida. No total, foram observadas seis bandas esterásicas denominadas EST 1 a EST 6. As esterases EST 1, 4, 5 e 6 foram exclusivas da hemolinfa, enquanto EST 2 e 3 foram encontradas apenas nos túbulos de Malpighi. Cada tecido apresentou um padrão esterásico característico, o qual pode estar relacionado com o seu papel funcional. As quatro esterases da hemolinfa hidrolizaram o a-naftil acetato. Uma destas enzimas foi classificada como carboxilesterase (EST 4), uma como acetilesterase (EST 6) e as outras duas enzimas podem ser carboxilesterases ou serino-proteases com função esterolítica, uma vez que elas foram inibidas seletivamente pelo PMSF (EST 1 e 5). A ausência de variabilidade genética pode ser devida à alta taxa de endocruzamentos.

We examined the esterases present in the hemolymph and Malpighian tubules of "Kissing bug", Triatoma infestans (Triatominae, Heteroptera) by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Six esterase bands were observed and were designated EST 1 to EST 6. EST 1, 4, 5 and 6 were exclusive to hemolymph, whereas EST 2 and 3 were found only in Malpighian tubules. Each tissue had a characteristic esterase pattern, which may be related to its functional role. The four hemolymph esterases hydrolyzed a-naphthyl acetate. One of these enzymes was classified as a carboxylesterase (EST 4), and another was an acetylesterase (EST 6). The other two enzymes (EST 1 and 5) could be either carboxylesterases or serino-proteases with an esterolytic function, as they were selectively inhibited by phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF). Absence of genetic variability could be due to high inbreeding.