Scorpions trapped in amber: a remarkable window on their evolution over time from the Mesozoic period to present days

This synoptic review aims to bring some general information on fossil scorpions, namely those trapped in amber - fossilized resin - ranging from Lower Cretaceous through the Palaeocene and up to the Miocene. The question to be addressed is how the study of these fossils can be connected with possible present scorpionism problems. A precise knowledge of these ancient lineages provides information about the evolution of extant lineages, including the buthoids, which contain most known noxious species. Among the Arthropods found trapped in amber, scorpions are considered rare. A limited number of elements have been described from the Late Tertiary Dominican and Mexican amber, while the most ancient Tertiary amber from the Baltic region produced more consistent results in the last 30 years, primarily focusing on a single limited lineage. Contrarily, the Cretaceous amber from Myanmar, also called Burmite, has yielded and continues to yield a significant number of results represented by several distinct lineages, which attest to the considerable degree of diversity that existed in the Burmese amber-producing forests. As in my previous similar contributions to this journal, the content of this note is primarily addressed to non-specialists whose research embraces scorpions in various fields such as venom toxins and public health. An overview knowledge of at least some fossil lineages can eventually help to clarify why some extant elements associated with the buthoids represent dangerous species while others are not noxious.(AU)

Tratamiento integral y control a 12 años de paciente con Dentinogénesis Imperfecta tipo I / Manejo clínico e seguimento de 12 anos em paciente com Dentinogênese Imperfeita tipo I / Clinical management and 12 years follow up in a patient with Dentinogenesis Imperfecta type I

La Dentinogénesis Imperfecta es una anomalía dentaria determinada genéticamente y caracterizada clínicamente por una apariencia ámbar opalescente de la dentina. Se presenta la resolución clínica, con seguimiento y control a 12 años de un paciente de 3 años de edad al momento de la consulta, con diagnóstico de Dentinogénesis Imperfecta tipo I asociada a Osteogénesis Imperfecta tipo IB. La identificación temprana de esta entidad y el tratamiento oportuno y multidisciplinario, contribuyen a mejorar el pronóstico de la misma.

Dentinogênese Imperfeita é uma anormalidade dentária geneticamente determinada, caracterizada clinicamente pela aparência opalescente e translúcida da dentina. Manejo clínico e seguimento de 12 anos são relatados, em um paciente de 3 anos com Dentinogênese Imperfeita tipo I associado à Osteogenesis Imperfecta tipo IB. O diagnóstico precoce.

Dentinogenesis Imperfecta is a geneti-cally determinated dental abnormality, characterized clinically by opalescent and translucent appearance of the den-tin. Clinical management and a 12 years follow up are reported, in a 3 years old patient with Dentinogenesis Imperfecta type I associated with Osteogenesis Im-perfecta type IB. The earlier diagnosis and the opportune and multidisciplinary treatment, led to improve the prognosis.

Evaluation of physicochemical and microbiological stability of liquid preparation from tizanidine hydrochloride tablets - a Hospital concern

Tizanidine hydrochloride is a centrally acting skeletal muscle relaxant, used in the management of spasticity. This drug is commercially available only as tablets, which highlights the need to develop oral liquid formulations. In the hospital environment, this aspect is circumvented by the preparation of suspensions, to allow administration to children and adults with impaired swallowing, but there are no data regarding their stability. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the physicochemical andmicrobiological stability of liquid dosage forms prepared in the hospital environment from tizanidine hydrochloride tablets, applying high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and microbiological analysis. A simple and stability-indicating HPLC method was developed and validated for specificity, linearity, limits of detection and quantification, precision, accuracy and robustness. The liquid formulations were placed in amber PET and glass bottles, which were stored under three different conditions: at room temperature, under refrigeration and at 40 ºC. The liquid formulations were analyzed and demonstrated chemical stability for 56 days, allowing their use for long periods. However, the determination of microbiological stability showed that these formulations are prone to microbial contamination, which has dramatically reduced its stability to 7 days, in both bottles and at all evaluated temperatures

New fossil Stylops (Strepsiptera: Stylopidae) from Dominican amber

Description of a new species of the genus Stylops from Dominican amber expands the number of families of this order represented by fossils of the mid-Eocene in the Neotropical region. The specimen described herein is reasonably well preserved, except for the tip of the abdomen that hampered observation of the aedeagus. The specimen fits definition of the comtemporary genus Stylops and differs from a related species, Jantarostylops kinzelbachi Kulicka, from Baltic amber, by the larger number of ommatidia, relative proportion of antennal segments, and venation of hind wings. The specimen differs from other contemporary species of Nearctic Stylops in, among other characters, the smaller size, sub-costa detached from costa and maxillary structure. Discovery of this fossil species of Stylops provides evidence of a possibly more temperate climate in the Antilles, since most contemporary species of the genus occur predominantly in the temperate zones of the Nearctic, Palearctic, and Oriental regions. All known species of the genus parasitize bees of the genus Andrena ( sensu lato). Existence of a fossil andrenid, Protandrena eickworti Rozen Jr, of the same Dominican amber, offers evidence of a potential host for this new species of Stylops.

Leptoconops nosopheris sp. n. (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) and Paleotrypanosoma burmanicus gen. n., sp. n. (Kinetoplastida: Trypanosomatidae), a biting midge - trypanosome vector association from the Early Cretaceous

Leptoconops nosopheris sp. n. (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) is described from a blood-filled female biting midge in Early Cretaceous Burmese amber. The new species is characterized by a very elongate terminal flagellomere, elongate cerci, and an indistinct spur on the metatibia. This biting midge contained digenetic trypanosomes (Kinetoplastida: Trypanosomatidae) in its alimentary tract and salivary glands. These trypanosomes are described as Paleotrypanosoma burmanicus gen. n., sp. n., which represents the first fossil record of a Trypanosoma generic lineage.

Description of Micropygomyia brandaoi sp. n. (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae), a fossil phlebotomine from the Dominican Republic

The description of Micropygomyia brandaoi, a new species of fossil phlebotomine sand fly, is based on one male specimen obtained from Dominican amber of the Miocene period (20 million years). In this new species, the fifth palpal segment is long, the coxite lacks a setal tuft and the style shows four well-developed spines. This set of characters allowed us to place the new species in the genus Micropygomyia Barretto.

Description of Pintomyia (Pifanomyia) paleotrichia, a Miocene period new species from the Dominican Republic (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae)

A new fossil species of phlebotomine sandflies is described from Dominican amber based in one specimen. Pintomyia (Pifanomyia) paleotrichia sp. nov. is distinguished from the other extant and extinct species by aspects of paramere and the basal tuft of bristles in the gonocoxite.

Early Cretaceous trypanosomatids associated with fossil sand fly larvae in Burmese amber

Early Cretaceous flagellates with characters typical of trypanosomatids were found in the gut of sand fly larvae, as well as in surrounding debris, in Burmese amber. This discovery supports a hypothesis in which free-living trypanosomatids could have been acquired by sand fly larvae in their feeding environment and then carried transtadially into the adult stage. At some point in time, specific genera were introduced into vertebrates, thus establishing a dixenous life cycle.

Pintomyia (Pifanomyia) paleotownsendi, a new sand fly from the Miocene amber of Dominican Republic (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae)

Phlebotominae includes some vector species, mainly that of leishmaniases, with a very old host-parasite relationship. Some species fossils of this subfamily have been recently described and this paper presents the description of a new sand fly Pintomyia (Pifanomyia) paleotownsendi sp. nov in amber. The gonostyle present four spines, being one apical, one external superior implanted close to the apical third, one external inferior in the middle of the structure and one internal implanted in the basal third. This disposition of the spines may separate the new species from others in the sub genus.

Description of Pintomyia (Pifanomyia) brazilorum sp. nov. a new fossil species from the Dominican Republic (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae)

A sand fly fossil was found in amber, a vegetal resin, which allows all the external phlebotomine structures to be seen. The piece that contains the new species is 14 mm long ´ 8 mm wide ´ 3 mm high. All the structures from the head, thorax, and abdomen were examined under the microscope and measured with a calibrated micrometric eye-piece. The morphological aspects of the new species suggest its inclusion in the Pintomyia genus, Pifanomyia subgenus though it is not possible to include it in any of the series known for this subgenus. The presence of two atrophied spines on the gonostyles and gonocoxites without tufts of setae permit the exclusion of the new species from the other species of the subgenus Pifanomyia. The new species is named Pintomyia (Pifanomyia) brazilorum sp. nov.

Description of Pintomyia (Pifanomyia) falcaorum sp. n. (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae), a fossil sand fly from Dominican amber

A new species of sand fly, Pintomyia (Pifanomyia) falcaorum is described from an amber originated from the northern mountain range of Dominican Republic. The male sand fly specimen is well preserved and most features used in Phlebotominae taxonomy are seen with remarkable clarity