A new species of Kirkaldy (Hemiptera, Reduviidae) in a cacao plantation from the Colombian Napo Province, including a key to species, and taxonomic notes of the genus.

A new species of the genus Kirkaldy, 1909 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Reduviidae: Harpactorinae: Harpactorini) is described and illustrated. Gamboa & Gil-Santana, represents the first record of the genus for the Province of Napo in Colombia, and the first description of a male individual in the genus. The male specimen representing the new species was collected on a leaf of cacao ( L.

A taxonomic synopsis of the Eccritotarsini (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Miridae: Bryocorinae) of Colombia.

Eccritotarsini (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Miridae: Bryocorinae) is a group of predominantly phytophagous true bugs, with 650 known species described in 112 genera worldwide. It is the most specious tribe within the subfamily, which is distributed primarily in the Neotropics. Previous studies of Eccritotarsini in Colombia recorded 13 genera and 30 species.

ATLANTIC ANTS: a data set of ants in Atlantic Forests of South America.

Ants, an ecologically successful and numerically dominant group of animals, play key ecological roles as soil engineers, predators, nutrient recyclers, and regulators of plant growth and reproduction in most terrestrial ecosystems. Further, ants are widely used as bioindicators of the ecological impact of land use. We gathered information of ant species in the Atlantic Forest of South America.

Can Rubber Crop Systems Recover Termite Diversity in Previously Degraded Pastures in the Colombian Amazon Region?

Livestock production extension in Amazon has caused deforestation and soil degradation, with negative consequences on diversity and environmental services. Recently, rubber crops have been established in deteriorated soils of the Colombian Amazon as an option to restore hectares of unproductive degraded pastures. Bioindicator insects, such as termites, have been used to assess soil quality and fertility restoration.

The sawflies and woodwasps (Hymenoptera: 'Symphyta') of Colombia.

A survey of the 'Symphyta' of Colombia is conducted, based on information from literature as well as on examination of over 2,000 specimens from the major Colombian entomological collections. A total of 127 species are recorded from Colombia, representing six families: Argidae (48 species), Tenthredinidae (37) Pergidae (37), Xiphydriidae (3 species), Siricidae (1 species) and Orussidae (1 species). 11 genera and 68 species are new records for Colombia, doubling the number of previously reported species.

Generic synopsis of the jumping plant-lice (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha: Psylloidea) from Colombia.

Jumping plant-lice (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha: Psylloidea) are a group of phloem-feeding insects with nearly 4000        described species. Previous records from Colombia comprise 19 genera of all eight known families. The revision of material deposited in six Colombian and three foreign museums yielded another nine genera that constitute new country records.

New records of (Diptera: Tephritidae) in Colombia, with discussion on the morphological variations of some species.

Rhagoletis jamaicensis Foote, 1981 and an undetermined species of the psalida group, are recorded for the first time in Colombia. The morphological variations of the Colombian specimens of these species and of other species closely related are discussed.

A new species of Oozetetes De Santis (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Eupelmidae) from Colombia with an updated key for the bucheri species-group.

Oozetetes lucidus sp. nov. (Hymenoptera: Eupelmidae) is described from Colombia, South America, and through macrophotography compared with all described species in the bucheri species-group of Oozetetes De Santis.

Two Triatoma dimidiata clades (Chagas disease vector) associated with different habitats in southern Mexico and Central America.

Triatoma dimidiata is the only reported Chagas disease vector in Campeche, Mexico. The purpose of this study was to determine the genetic variability of vectors from Campeche coastal and rain forest areas and establish a phylogenetic relationship with other T. dimidiata populations by analyzing the internal transcribed spacer-2 (ITS-2) region.

Isolation, vancomycin resistance and biofilm production of Staphylococcus epidermidis from patients with conjunctivitis, corneal ulcers, and endophthalmitis.

The infection frequency associated to bacterial conjunctivitis, corneal ulcers (CU), and endophthalmitis was studied along a five years period. The isolation and identification of microorganisms were performed by culture-based methods and biochemical test respectively. Also, a nested PCR to detect gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria in the clinical samples was assayed.

Carboxy-endcapped conductive polypyrrole: biomimetic conducting polymer for cell scaffolds and electrodes.

Numerous regenerating tissues respond favorably to electrical stimulation, creating a need for a bioactive conducting platform for tissue engineering applications. The drive for biosensors and electrode coatings further requires control of the surface properties of promising conductive materials such as polypyrrole. Here we present carboxy-endcapped polypyrrole (PPy-alpha-COOH), a unique bioactive conducting polymer with a carboxylic acid layer, composed of a polypyrrole (PPy) surface modified with pyrrole-alpha-carboxylic acid (Py-alpha-COOH).

Carboxylic acid-functionalized conductive polypyrrole as a bioactive platform for cell adhesion.

Electroactive polymers such as polypyrrole (PPy) are highly attractive for a number of biomedical applications, including their use as coatings for electrodes or neural probes and as scaffolds to induce tissue regeneration. Surface modification of these materials with biological moieties is desired to enhance the biomaterial-tissue interface and to promote desired tissue responses. Here, we present the synthesis and physicochemical characterization of poly(1-(2-carboxyethyl)pyrrole) (PPyCOOH), a PPy derivative that contains a chemical group that can be easily modified with biological moieties at the N-position of the polymer backbone.