'This is what is going to help me': Developing a co-designed and theoretically informed harm reduction intervention for mobile youth in South Africa and Uganda

Young migrants in sub-Saharan Africa are particularly vulnerable to HIV-acquisition. Despite this, they are consistently under-served by services, with low uptake and engagement. We adopted a community-based participatory research approach to conduct longitudinal qualitative research among 78 young migrants in South Africa and Uganda. Using repeat in-depth interviews and participatory workshops we sought to identify their specific support needs, and to collaboratively design an intervention appropriate for delivery in their local contexts. Applying a protection-risk conceptual framework, we developed a harm reduction intervention which aims to foster protective factors, and thereby nurture resilience, for youth ‘on the move’ within high-risk settings. Specifically, by establishing peer supporter networks, offering a ‘drop-in’ resource centre, and by identifying local adult champions to enable a supportive local environment. Creating this supportive edifice, through an accessible and cohesive peer support network underpinned by effective training, supervision and remuneration, was considered pivotal to nurture solidarity and potentially resilience. This practical example offers insights into how researchers may facilitate the co-design of acceptable, sustainable interventions

Differential effect of tannic acid on two tree-feeding Lepidoptera: implications for theories of plant anti-herbivore chemistry

Feeding efficiencies of ultimate instar larvae of two polyphagous tree-feeding Lepidoptera, Malacosoma disstria (Lasiocampidae) and Orgyia leucostigma (Liparidae), were measured on artificial diets containing from 0% to 8% tannic acid. Relative growth rate (RGR) of O. leucostigma was not affected by up to 8% tannic acid, suggesting that O. leucostigma has evolved an effective counteradaptation to hydrolyzable tannins. In contrast, as little as 0.5% tannic acid caused a significant reduction in RGR of M. disstria , due both to reduced efficiency of conversion of digested food (ECD) and reduced relative consumption rate (RCR), and caused a significant increase in mortality during the pupal stage. Moreover, when reared from hatching on tannin-containing diets, no M. disstria larvae survived past the fourth instar.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/47780/1/442_2004_Article_BF00380074.pd

The Influence of Corporate Front-Group Stealth Campaigns

This research examined corporate front-group stealth campaigns. An experiment was conducted to examine the influence of front-group stealth campaigns on a variety of measures. It was anticipated that corporate front-group stealth campaigns, which feature names that mask the true interests of sponsors, positively affect public opinion, unless they are exposed as intentionally misleading, in which case they boomerang against sponsors. The experiment examined the potential of the inoculation strategy to preempt the influence of corporate front-group stealth campaigns. The pattern of results supported all of these expectations. Front-group stealth campaigns proved to be effective, at least in the short term. Front-group stealth campaigns eroded public attitudes toward the issue in question and boosted perceptions of the front group, but not the corporate sponsor. However, when front-group stealth campaigns were subsequently exposed, positive effects dissipated and perceptions of corporate sponsors boomeranged. Results revealed that inoculation can protect against the influence of front-group stealth campaigns.Yeshttps://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/manuscript-submission-guideline

Attract and deter: a dual role for pyrrolizidine alkaloids in plant–insect interactions

Pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) are the major defense compounds of plants in the Senecio genus. Here I will review the effects of PAs in Senecio on the preference and performance of specialist and generalist insect herbivores. Specialist herbivores have evolved adaptation to PAs in their host plant. They can use the alkaloids as cue to find their host plant and often they sequester PAs for their own defense against predators. Generalists, on the other hand, can be deterred by PAs. PAs can also affect survival of generalist herbivores. Usually generalist insects avoid feeding on young Senecio leaves, which contain a high concentration of alkaloids. Structurally related PAs can differ in their effects on insect herbivores, some are more toxic than others. The differences in effects of PAs on specialist and generalists could lead to opposing selection on PAs, which may maintain the genetic diversity in PA concentration and composition in Senecio species

The Tri-Trophic Interactions Hypothesis: Interactive Effects of Host Plant Quality, Diet Breadth and Natural Enemies on Herbivores

Several influential hypotheses in plant-herbivore and herbivore-predator interactions consider the interactive effects of plant quality, herbivore diet breadth, and predation on herbivore performance. Yet individually and collectively, these hypotheses fail to address the simultaneous influence of all three factors. Here we review existing hypotheses, and propose the tri-trophic interactions (TTI) hypothesis to consolidate and integrate their predictions. The TTI hypothesis predicts that dietary specialist herbivores (as compared to generalists) should escape predators and be competitively dominant due to faster growth rates, and that such differences should be greater on low quality (as compared to high quality) host plants. To provide a preliminary test of these predictions, we conducted an empirical study comparing the effects of plant (Baccharis salicifolia) quality and predators between a specialist (Uroleucon macolai) and a generalist (Aphis gossypii) aphid herbivore. Consistent with predictions, these three factors interactively determine herbivore performance in ways not addressed by existing hypotheses. Compared to the specialist, the generalist was less fecund, competitively inferior, and more sensitive to low plant quality. Correspondingly, predator effects were contingent upon plant quality only for the generalist. Contrary to predictions, predator effects were weaker for the generalist and on low-quality plants, likely due to density-dependent benefits provided to the generalist by mutualist ants. Because the TTI hypothesis predicts the superior performance of specialists, mutualist ants may be critical to A. gossypii persistence under competition from U. macolai. In summary, the integrative nature of the TTI hypothesis offers novel insight into the determinants of plant-herbivore and herbivore-predator interactions and the coexistence of specialist and generalist herbivores

Independent Recruitment of a Flavin-Dependent Monooxygenase for Safe Accumulation of Sequestered Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids in Grasshoppers and Moths

Several insect lineages have developed diverse strategies to sequester toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids from food-plants for their own defense. Here, we show that in two highly divergent insect taxa, the hemimetabolous grasshoppers and the holometabolous butterflies, an almost identical strategy evolved independently for safe accumulation of pyrrolizidine alkaloids. This strategy involves a pyrrolizidine alkaloid N-oxygenase that transfers the pyrrolizidine alkaloids to their respective N-oxide, enabling the insects to avoid high concentrations of toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids in the hemolymph. We have identified a pyrrolizidine alkaloid N-oxygenase, which is a flavin-dependent monooxygenase, of the grasshopper Zonocerus variegatus. After heterologous expression in E. coli, this enzyme shows high specificity for pyrrolizidine alkaloids of various structural types and for the tropane alkaloid atropine as substrates, a property that has been described previously for a pyrrolizidine alkaloid N-oxygenase of the arctiid moth Grammia geneura. Phylogenetic analyses of insect flavin-dependent monooxygenase sequences suggest that independent gene duplication events preceded the establishment of this specific enzyme in the lineages of the grasshoppers and of arctiid moths. Two further flavin-dependent monooxygenase sequences have been identified from Z. variegatus sharing amino acid identities of approximately 78% to the pyrrolizidine alkaloid N-oxygenase. After heterologous expression, both enzymes are also able to catalyze the N-oxygenation of pyrrolizidine alkaloids, albeit with a 400-fold lower specific activity. With respect to the high sequence identity between the three Z. variegatus sequences this ability to N-oxygenize pyrrolizidine alkaloids is interpreted as a relict of a former bifunctional ancestor gene of which one of the gene copies optimized this activity for the specific adaptation to pyrrolizidine alkaloid containing food plants

Functional identity versus species richness: herbivory resistance in plant communities

The resistance of a plant community against herbivore attack may depend on plant species richness, with monocultures often much more severely affected than mixtures of plant species. Here, we used a plant–herbivore system to study the effects of selective herbivory on consumption resistance and recovery after herbivory in 81 experimental grassland plots. Communities were established from seed in 2002 and contained 1, 2, 4, 8, 16 or 60 plant species of 1, 2, 3 or 4 functional groups. In 2004, pairs of enclosure cages (1 m tall, 0.5 m diameter) were set up on all 81 plots. One randomly selected cage of each pair was stocked with 10 male and 10 female nymphs of the meadow grasshopper, Chorthippus parallelus. The grasshoppers fed for 2 months, and the vegetation was monitored over 1 year. Consumption resistance and recovery of vegetation were calculated as proportional changes in vegetation biomass. Overall, grasshopper herbivory averaged 6.8%. Herbivory resistance and recovery were influenced by plant functional group identity, but independent of plant species richness and number of functional groups. However, herbivory induced shifts in vegetation composition that depended on plant species richness. Grasshopper herbivory led to increases in herb cover at the expense of grasses. Herb cover increased more strongly in species-rich mixtures. We conclude that selective herbivory changes the functional composition of plant communities and that compositional changes due to selective herbivory depend on plant species richness

Host Shifts from Lamiales to Brassicaceae in the Sawfly Genus Athalia

Plant chemistry can be a key driver of host shifts in herbivores. Several species in the sawfly genus Athalia are important economic pests on Brassicaceae, whereas other Athalia species are specialized on Lamiales. These host plants have glucosides in common, which are sequestered by larvae. To disentangle the possible direction of host shifts in this genus, we examined the sequestration specificity and feeding deterrence of iridoid glucosides (IGs) and glucosinolates (GSs) in larvae of five species which either naturally sequester IGs from their hosts within the Plantaginaceae (Lamiales) or GSs from Brassicaceae, respectively. Furthermore, adults were tested for feeding stimulation by a neo-clerodane diterpenoid which occurs in Lamiales. Larvae of the Plantaginaceae-feeders did not sequester artificially administered p-hydroxybenzylGS and were more deterred by GSs than Brassicaceae-feeders were by IGs. In contrast, larvae of Brassicaceae-feeders were able to sequester artificially administered catalpol (IG), which points to an ancestral association with Lamiales. In line with this finding, adults of all tested species were stimulated by the neo-clerodane diterpenoid. Finally, in a phylogenetic tree inferred from genetic marker sequences of 21 Athalia species, the sister species of all remaining 20 Athalia species also turned out to be a Lamiales-feeder. Fundamental physiological pre-adaptations, such as the establishment of a glucoside transporter, and mechanisms to circumvent activation of glucosides by glucosidases are therefore necessary prerequisites for successful host shifts between Lamiales and Brassicaceae

Do consumers dream of digital advertising? New communication rules in social media

O objetivo deste artigo é analisar a forma recente de comunicação e as regras retóricas utilizadas atualmente para otimizar o impacto publicitário nas mídias sociais. Depois de ter descrito, com a ajuda da literatura, as principais diretrizes comunicativas para novas mídias e mídias sociais, as recentes regras de comunicação serão testadas com os consumidores. Portanto, para melhor elaborar esses tópicos, faremos uso de uma pesquisa exploratória realizada na Universidade Iulm de Milão, na primavera de 2019. A pesquisa responderá aos gostos e desgostos em relação à comunicação na mídia social e publicidade. Assim, as descobertas da pesquisa sobre o consumidor podem ajudar pesquisadores e profissionais de marketing a entender melhor o nascimento dessas novas formas de comunicação. Outro foco desta pesquisa será analisar se a tecnologia social é um viés e, se for, até que ponto. Por fim, os consumidores adoram a publicidade digital nas mídias sociais? Na verdade, toda nova tecnologia requer novas linguagens e, com efeito, isso deve acontecer quando o impacto tecnológico estiver relacionado à mídia. Em suma, as mídias sociais parecem ser um bom terreno para explorar as mudanças recentes na comunicação e, especificamente, na publicitária. As descobertas da pesquisa exploratória podem levar a outras questões, tais como: a comunicação e a propaganda mudam da mesma forma? No mesmo ritmo? Elas vão na mesma direção? Em que medida? A publicidade simplesmente tem que seguir as novas regras de comunicação ou é forçada a usar e inventar novas formas de comunicação? O presente artigo somente será capaz de delinear e rapidamente esquematizar possíveis respostas para as questões que, de fato, estão destinadas a desenvolver outras considerações e pesquisas adicionais.El presente artículo tiene como objetivo analizar la actual forma de comunicación y las normas retóricas utilizadas para optimizar el impacto de la publicidad en los medios sociales. Con base en la literatura, se describieron las principales directrices comunicativas de los nuevos medios y de los medios sociales, y se sometieron las nuevas normas de comunicación a los consumidores. Para elaborar estos temas, se hizo una investigación exploratoria realizada en la Universidad Iulm de Milán, en la primavera de 2019. En la encuesta tenían que contestar las preferencias y las no preferencias en relación a la comunicación en los medios sociales y la publicidad. Se espera que los hallazgos de la investigación sobre el consumidor puedan aportar más informaciones a los investigadores y profesionales de marketing para mejor entender el surgimiento de esas nuevas formas de comunicación. Otro objetivo de esta investigación es analizar si la tecnología social es una tendencia y hasta qué punto lo es. Y por último es conocer si los consumidores les gusta la publicidad digital en los medios sociales. Cada nueva tecnología requiere nuevos lenguajes, y esto debe suceder cuando se vincule el nuevo impacto tecnológico con los medios. En resumen, los medios sociales parecen ser una buena forma de explorar los recientes cambios en la comunicación, más específicamente en la comunicación publicitaria. Los hallazgos de la investigación exploratoria pueden llevar a nuevos cuestionamientos, tales como: ¿La comunicación y la propaganda pasan por los mismos cambios? ¿En el mismo ritmo? ¿Van hacia la misma dirección? ¿En qué punto? ¿La publicidad simplemente debe seguir las nuevas normas de comunicación o es obligada a utilizar e inventar nuevas formas de comunicarse? El presente artículo solamente puede delinear y esquematizar posibles respuestas a estos cuestionamientos, que pueden desarrollarse en otras consideraciones e investigaciones adicionales.This paper aims to analyze the recent forms of communication and the rhetoric rules that are used nowadays to optimize the advertising impact on social media. After having described, with the help of the literature, the main communicative guidelines for new media and social media, the new communication rules will be tested with the consumers. Therefore, to better elaborate on these topics, we will make use of an exploratory research conducted in the IULM University of Milan in spring 2019. The research will provide answers as to the likes and dislikes regarding the social media communication and advertising. Thus, the consumer research findings can help researchers and marketers to better understand the rise of those new forms of communication. This research will also focus on analyzing whether the social technology is a bias and to what extent. Finally, do consumers love digital advertising on social media? Actually, every new technology requires new languages and, a fortiori, this must happen when the new technology impact is related with the media. In sum, the social media seem to be fertile ground to explore recent changes in communication, and specifically in advertising communication. The findings of the exploratory research can lead to new questions, such as: do communication and advertising change in the same manner? At the same pace? Do they go in the same direction? And to what extent? Does advertising simply have to follow the new communication rules or is it forced to use and invent new forms of communication? This paper will only be able to outline and quickly schematize possible answers to the questions that, indeed, are bound to lead to further considerations and further researches