First report of predation by a stink bug (Supputius cincticeps Stål) on a walking-stick insect (Cladomorphus phyllinus Gray), with reflections on evolutionary mechanisms for camouflage

OBJECTIVE — The stink bug Supputius cincticeps is a well-known neotropical, generalist predator. However, in contrast to other predators, S. cincticeps also need to feed on plants to complete its life cycle. The aim of this report is to describe predation by S. cincticeps on Cladomorphus phyllinus, a walking-stick insect that feeds on leaves of several fruit trees, and is considered one of the largest walk-stick insect species in the Southern Hemisphere. Also a new hypothesis for camouflage is discussed. RESULTS — Suputius cincticeps, recently brought from nature, was accidentally introduced into a colony of C. phyllinus, while feeding them with guava leaves. Once the nymph of S. cincticeps detected the C. phyllinus female it displayed immediately feeding behavior. Both adults and nymphs of C. phyllinus were observed to be predated by S. cincticeps. This new predatory interaction offers a novel evolutionary hypothesis for camouflage based on horizontal transfer of genes a process that might be occurring in nature

Discovery of Broad Soft X-ray Absorption Lines from the Quasar Wind in PDS 456

High resolution soft X-ray spectroscopy of the prototype accretion disk wind quasar, PDS 456, is presented. Here, the XMM-Newton RGS spectra are analyzed from the large 2013-2014 XMM-Newton campaign, consisting of 5 observations of approximately 100 ks in length. During the last observation (hereafter OBS. E), the quasar is at a minimum flux level and broad absorption line profiles are revealed in the soft X-ray band, with typical velocity widths of $\sigma_{\rm v}\sim 10,000$ km s$^{-1}$. During a period of higher flux in the 3rd and 4th observations (OBS. C and D, respectively), a very broad absorption trough is also present above 1 keV. From fitting the absorption lines with models of photoionized absorption spectra, the inferred outflow velocities lie in the range $\sim 0.1-0.2c$. The absorption lines likely originate from He and H-like neon and L-shell iron at these energies. Comparison with earlier archival data of PDS 456 also reveals similar absorption structure near 1 keV in a 40 ks observation in 2001, and generally the absorption lines appear most apparent when the spectrum is more absorbed overall. The presence of the soft X-ray broad absorption lines is also independently confirmed from an analysis of the XMM-Newton EPIC spectra below 2 keV. We suggest that the soft X-ray absorption profiles could be associated with a lower ionization and possibly clumpy phase of the accretion disk wind, where the latter is known to be present in this quasar from its well studied iron K absorption profile and where the wind velocity reaches a typical value of 0.3$c$.Comment: 44 pages, including 13 figures, accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journa

Evaluation of community perspectives on national health insurance policy to health service delivery in Ghana

The paper aims to examine National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) policy from the perspective of local communities. Qualitative data from nine key informant interviews and seventy-two community respondents in nine focus group discussions (FGD) were conducted. The FGDs took place in seven different communities in seven regions of Ghana. The data were analysed using thematic network approach. The findings noted a disconnection between NHIS policy and community life. More so, the findings showed an explicit link between equity and access with its impacts on health outcomes. The qualitative results indicated lack of voice and understanding as features limiting people from accessing the NHIS facilities. Understanding of equity as a key theme revealed: first, lack of stakeholder engagement and consultation or participation in the NHIS decision making process. Second it was established that while the policy indicated a will to include all the core poor for an equitable NHIS, there is lack of willingness to implement this aim fully. Finally, despite being a pro- poor intervention by name, practical management of the NHIS is transmitted down vertical silos from the national level, with the lack of joined-up government at the centre undermining local partnerships. Thus, not only are national expectations being dashed locally, local expectations are dashed nationally. The paper proposes that community viewpoints should be given higher priority given that NHIS has since its inception been associated with medical treatments and biomedical paradigm. Promoting community participation, understanding and voices should be recognised to shape the future NHIS policy and practice

Ecological niche modeling and differentiation of populations of *Triatoma brasiliensis* Neiva, 1911, the most important Chagas disease vector in northeastern Brazil (Hemiptera, Reduviidae, Triatominae)

Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg., 67(5), 2002, pp. 516–520 Copyright © 2002 by The American Society of TropicalMedicine and Hygiene 516 http://www.ajtmh.org/cgi/reprint/67/5/516Ecologic niche modeling has allowed numerous advances in understanding the geographic ecology of species, including distributionalpredictions, distributionalchange and invasion, and assessment of ecologic differences. We used this toolto characterize ecologic differentiation of Triatoma brasiliensis populations, the most important Chagas’ disease vector in northeastern Brazil. The species’ ecologic niche was modeled based on data from the Fundação Nacionalde Saúde of Brazil(1997–1999) with the Genetic Algorithm for Rule-Set Prediction (GARP). This method involves a machine-learning approach to detecting associations between occurrence points and ecologic characteristics of regions. Four independent “ecologic niche models” were developed and used to test for ecologic differences among T. brasiliensis populations. These models confirmed four ecologically distinct and differentiated populations, and allowed characterization of dimensions of niche differentiation. Patterns of ecologic similarity matched patterns of molecular differentiation, suggesting that T. brasiliensis is a complex of distinct populations at various points in the process of speciation

Cathepsin L of Triatoma brasiliensis (Reduviidae, Triatominae): Sequence characterization, expression pattern and zymography

AbstractTriatoma brasiliensis is considered one of the main vectors of Chagas disease commonly found in semi-arid areas of northeastern Brazil. These insects use proteases, such as carboxypeptidase B, aminopeptidases and different cathepsins for blood digestion. In the present study, two genes encoding cathepsin L from the midgut of T. brasiliensis were identified and characterized. Mature T. brasiliensis cathepsin L-like proteinases (TBCATL-1, TBCATL-2) showed a high level of identity to the cathepsin L-like proteinases of other insects, with highest similarity to Rhodnius prolixus. Both cathepsin L transcripts were highly abundant in the posterior midgut region, the main region of the blood digestion. Determination of the pH in the whole intestine of unfed T. brasiliensis revealed alkaline conditions in the anterior midgut region (stomach) and acidic conditions in the posterior midgut region (small intestine). Gelatine in-gel zymography showed the activity of at least four distinct proteinases in the small intestine and the cysteine proteinase inhibitors transepoxysuccinyl-l-leucylamido-(4-guanidino)butane (E-64) and cathepsin B inhibitor and N-(l-3-trans-propylcarbamoyl-oxirane-2-carbonyl)-l-isoleucyl-l-proline (CA-074) were employed to characterize enzymatic activity. E-64 fully inhibited cysteine proteinase activity, whereas in the samples treated with CA-074 residual proteinase activity was detectable. Thus, proteolytic activity could at least partially be ascribed to cathepsin L. Western blot analysis using specific anti cathepsin L antibodies confirmed the presence of cathepsin L in the lumen of the small intestine of the insects

Geographic Distribution of Chagas Disease Vectors in Brazil Based on Ecological Niche Modeling

Although Brazil was declared free from Chagas disease transmission by the domestic vector Triatoma infestans, human acute cases are still being registered based on transmission by native triatomine species. For a better understanding of transmission risk, the geographic distribution of Brazilian triatomines was analyzed. Sixteen out of 62 Brazilian species that both occur in >20 municipalities and present synanthropic tendencies were modeled based on their ecological niches. Panstrongylus geniculatus and P. megistus showed broad ecological ranges, but most of the species sort out by the biome in which they are distributed: Rhodnius pictipes and R. robustus in the Amazon; R. neglectus, Triatoma sordida, and T. costalimai in the Cerrado; R. nasutus, P. lutzi, T. brasiliensis, T. pseudomaculata, T. melanocephala, and T. petrocchiae in the Caatinga; T. rubrovaria in the southern pampas; T. tibiamaculata and T. vitticeps in the Atlantic Forest. Although most occurrences were recorded in open areas (Cerrado and Caatinga), our results show that all environmental conditions in the country are favorable to one or more of the species analyzed, such that almost nowhere is Chagas transmission risk negligible

Epidemiological profile of nonmelanoma skin cancer in renal transplant recipients: experience of a referral center

BACKGROUND: Nonmelanoma skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in humans and also the malignant disease that is increasingly common among kidney transplant recipients. OBJECTIVE: To determine the epidemiological characteristics of renal transplant recipients with nonmelanoma skin cancer seen at a referral transplantation center. METHODS: Cross-sectional descriptive study with renal transplant recipients presenting nonmelanoma skin cancer, treated at a transplantation referral center between 08/01/2004 and 08/31/2009. Analyzed variables were: gender, age, skin phototype, occupational and recreational sun exposure, use of photoprotection, personal and family history of non-melanoma skin cancer, clinical type and location, time between transplantation and the appearance of the first nonmelanoma skin cancer, occurrence of viral warts, timing of transplantation, type of donor, cause of kidney failure, previous transplants, comorbidities, pre-transplant dialysis, type and duration of dialysis. RESULTS: 64 subjects were included. Males - 71.9%; low skin phototypes (up to Fitzpatrick III) - 89%; mean age - 57.0 years - and mean age at transplant - 47.3 years; sun exposure - 67.2% occupational - and 64.1% recreational; photoprotection - 78.2% (although only 34.4% in a regular manner); squamous cell carcinoma - 67.2%; squamous cell carcinoma/basal cell carcinoma ratio - 2:1; personal history of nonmelanoma skin cancer - 25% - and family history - 10.9%; location at photoexposed area - 98.4%; average latency time between transplantation and first nonmelanoma skin cancer appearance - 78.3 months; viral warts (HPV) after transplant - 53.1%; average timing of transplantation - 115.5 months; living donor - 64.1%; triple regimen (antirejection) - 73.2%; comorbidities - 92.2%; pre-transplant dialysis - 98.4%; hemodialysis - 71.7%; average duration of dialysis - 39.1 months; previous transplants - 3.1%; hypertension as cause of renal failure - 46.9%. CONCLUSION: This study allowed the epidemiological characterization of a population of kidney transplant recipients with nonmelanoma skin cancer.Universidade de TaubatéUniversidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP)UNIFESPSciEL

O NORDESTE EM MOVIMENTO: : A REGIÃO CANTADA SOB O OLHAR DA BANDA DONA ZEFINHA

This article deals with the process of cultural appropriation exposed in the Brazilian musical field, the subjects participating in this process recreate and re-elaborate new identities in the course of their artistic trajectory, transiting more freely in the midst of aesthetics that cross the local / national / international. The empirical field of this research is constituted in the case study of an integral band of the Ceará music scene titled as Banda Dona Zefinha, from this perspective the proposal of this article seeks to understand how this collective of artists appropriates cultural symbols historically associated with the Northeast region, recreating The same ones, through specific languages and performances elaborating strategies of participation and survival in the artistic scenery of Ceará. The band Dona Zefinha appeared in the public scene of Ceará in 2001, the group sought to unite northeastern folklores, from the musicality inspired by gourds bands and interspersed with great humor, in addition to show other clear influences of Latin American bands, Arab and medieval. The data presented here were collected through observation during the band's concerts, interviews with musicians, phonographic material and virtual media through which these subjects share from a qualitative bias, in addition to a broad bibliographic reference as a tool for analysis.Este artigo versa sobre o processo de apropriação cultural exposto no campo musical brasileiro, os sujeitos participantes deste processo recriam e reelaboram novas identidades no percurso de sua trajetória artística transitando mais livremente em meio a estéticas que atravessam o local/nacional/internacional. O campo empírico desta pesquisa se constitui no estudo de caso de uma banda integrante do cenário musical cearense intitulada como Banda Dona Zefinha, nessa perspectiva a proposta deste artigo busca compreender como o Nordeste é retratado por este coletivo de artistas, os quais se apropriam de símbolos culturais associados historicamente a essa região, recriando os mesmos, por meio de linguagens e performances específicas. A banda Dona Zefinha surgiu no cenário público cearense em 2001, o grupo buscou unir folguedos nordestinos, a partir da musicalidade inspiradas em bandas cabaçais e entrecortadas com muito humor, além de exibir outras influências claras de bandas latino-americanas, árabes e medievais. Os dados aqui apresentados foram colhidos por meio de observação durante os shows da banda, entrevistas com os músicos, material fonográfico e meios virtuais pelos quais estes sujeitos compartilham a partir de um viés qualitativo, além de um amplo referencial bibliográfico como ferramenta de análise

About Sensations, Emotions and Feelings: A Contribution to the Theoretical Basis of Transactional Analysis

This article is intended to present new thinking and expansion of the knowledge of emotions and feelings within transactional analysis, through a dialogue between Eric Berne, Antonio Damasio and Humberto Maturana. From Berne comes the guiding framework of transactional analysis and the core concept of ego states. From Damasio comes the distinction between feeling, emotion and mood as well as an understanding of the organisation of the brain. From Maturana comes an understanding of the importance of emotions, particularly the emotion of love, in the process of human evolution. From this dialogue can be seen the foundation for the five primary emotions referred to within transactional analyis: anger, fear, sadness, joy and love. Finally, there is a proposal to update the concept of ego states in line with that dialogue.   Citation - APA format: Costa, J. (2018). About Sensations, Emotions and Feelings: A Contribution to the Theoretical Basis of Transactional Analysis. International Journal of Transactional Analysis Research & Practice, 9(1), 43-51. https://doi.org/10.29044/v9i1p4