Malaria vector species in Colombia: a review

Here we present a comprehensive review of the literature on the vectorial importance of the major Anopheles malaria vectors in Colombia. We provide basic information on the geographical distribution, altitudinal range, immature habitats, adult behaviour, feeding preferences and anthropophily, endophily and infectivity rates. We additionally review information on the life cycle, longevity and population fluctuation of Colombian Anopheles species. Emphasis was placed on the primary vectors that have been epidemiologically incriminated in malaria transmission: Anopheles darlingi, Anopheles albimanus and Anopheles nuneztovari. The role of a selection of local, regional or secondary vectors (e.g., Anopheles pseudopunctipennis and Anopheles neivai) is also discussed. We highlight the importance of combining biological, morphological and molecular data for the correct taxonomical determination of a given species, particularly for members of the species complexes. We likewise emphasise the importance of studying the bionomics of primary and secondary vectors along with an examination of the local conditions affecting the transmission of malaria. The presence and spread of the major vectors and the emergence of secondary species capable of transmitting human Plasmodia are of great interest. When selecting control measures, the anopheline diversity in the region must be considered. Variation in macroclimate conditions over a species' geographical range must be well understood and targeted to plan effective control measures based on the population dynamics of the local Anopheles species

Parahydrogen-Induced Polarization by Pairwise Replacement Catalysis on Pt and Ir Nanoparticles

Pairwise and random addition processes are ordinarily indistinguishable in hydrogenation reactions. The distinction becomes important only when the fate of spin correlation matters, such as in parahydrogen-induced polarization (PHIP). Supported metal catalysts were not expected to yield PHIP signals given the rapid diffusion of H atoms on the catalyst surface and in view of the sequential stepwise nature of the H atom addition in the Horiuti–Polanyi mechanism. Thus, it seems surprising that supported metal hydrogenation catalysts can yield detectable PHIP NMR signals. Even more remarkably, supported Pt and Ir nanoparticles are shown herein to catalyze pairwise replacement on propene and 3,3,3-trifluoropropene. By simply flowing a mixture of parahydrogen and alkene over the catalyst, the scalar symmetrization order of the former is incorporated into the latter without a change in molecular structure, producing intense PHIP NMR signals on the alkene. An important indicator of the mechanism of the pairwise replacement is its stereoselectivity, which is revealed with the aid of density matrix spectral simulations. PHIP by pairwise replacement has the potential to significantly diversify the substrates that can be hyperpolarized by PHIP for biomedical utilization