title: Ecdysis period of Rhodnius prolixus head investigated using phase contrast synchrotron microtomography.
abstract: Microtomography using synchrotron sources is a useful tool in biological imaging research since the phase coherence of synchrotron beams can be exploited to obtain images with high contrast resolution. This work is part of a series of works using phase contrast synchrotron microtomography in the study of Rhodnius prolixus head, the insect vector of Chagas' disease, responsible for about 12,000 deaths per year. The control of insect vector is the most efficient method to prevent this disease and studies have shown that the use of triflumuron, a chitin synthesis inhibitor, disrupted chitin synthesis during larval development and it's an alternative method against insect pests. The aim of this work was to investigate the biological effects of treatments with triflumuron in the ecdysis period (the moulting of the R. prolixus cuticle) using the new imaging beamline IMX at LNLS (Brazilian Synchrotron Light Laboratory). Nymphs of R. prolixus were taken from the Laboratory of Biochemistry and Physiology of Insects, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Brazil. Doses of 0.05mg of triflumuron were applied directly to the abdomen on half of the insects immediately after feeding. The insects were sacrificed 25days after feeding (intermoulting period) and fixed with glutaraldehyde. The results obtained using phase contrast synchrotron microtomography in R. prolixus showed amazing images of the effects of triflumuron on insects in the ecdysis period, and the formation of the new cuticle on those which were not treated with triflumuron. Both formation and malformation of this insect's cuticle have never been seen before with this technique.
authors.affiliation: COPPE/Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sena
authors.affiliation: Medical Physics Laboratory/Physics Institute/State University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Electronic address: liebertrj@gmail.com.
authors.forename: L P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Nogueira
authors.affiliation: COPPE/Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Braz
authors.affiliation: UEZO/State University of West Zone, Brazil.
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.affiliation: Department of General Biology/Federal University Fluminense, Brazil.
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Gonzalez
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biochemistry and Physiology of Insects/Oswaldo Cruz Institute/FIOCRUZ, Brazil.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Azambuja
authors.affiliation: Medical Physics Laboratory/Physics Institute/State University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: M V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Colaço
authors.affiliation: UEZO/State University of West Zone, Brazil.
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Barroso
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001549:Benzamides / Q000494:pharmacology; D006257:Head / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000254:growth & development*; D018978:Molting / Q000187:drug effects; D012239:Rhodnius / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000254:growth & development*; D017356:Synchrotrons; D055114:X-Ray Microtomography / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D001549:Benzamides; C023957:triflumuron
keywords: Chagas’ disease; Ecdysis; Phase contrast synchrotron microtomography; Rhodnius prolixus