GEOGRAPHICAL GENETIC STRUCTURING AND PHENOTYPIC VARIATION IN THE VELLOZIA HIRSUTA (VELLOZIACEAE) OCHLOSPECIES COMPLEX

Premise of the study: Vellozia hirsuta forms a complex presenting wide morphological and anatomical variation, resulting in five specific names and 14 morpho-anatomical patterns occurring in disjunct populations. We carried out a phylogeographical study to investigate the existence of correlation among the genetic and morphological patterns within this complex, and to determine whether it is composed of various species or should be treated as an ochlospecies, a species having widely polymorphic and weakly polytypic complex variation, with morphological characteristics varying independently. Methods: We carried out phylogeographical analyses using cpDNA rpl32F-trnL intergenic region. Key results: We found 20 haplotypes in 23 populations sampled. The populations are genetically structured (Phi(ST) = 0.818) into four phylogeographical groups demonstrating geographical structuring but with no correlation with morpho-anatomical patterns. Our analyses do not support recognizing any of the species now synonymized under Vellozia hirsuta. The northern populations were the most genetically differentiated and could be considered a distinct taxon, as they are also morphologically different. Conclusions: It is recommended that Vellozia hirsuta be considered a single enormously variable species. The patterns of variation within V. hirsuta probably are related to climatic changes that occurred during the Pleistocene Epoch in tropical Brazil when reductions in forest cover favored the expansion of V. hirsuta populations into extensive lowland areas. The expansion of forest cover at the end of the glaciations would have again restricted the occurrence of campos rupestres vegetation to high elevations, which constitute the current centers of diversity of this species.

Structuring depressive discourse: A descriptive narrative process

This study aimed to evaluate the importance of a descriptive narrative process of the significance involved in a depressive phenomenon. The research population consisted of 324 adult and adolescent patients of both genders, located in the central area of the city of Paraiba, for clinical and psychological health care. For surveyed patients, suffering and or psychological pain were the most common complaints. A sample of 159 patients was taken, including male and female adolescents and adults. Data were collected through a narrative interview. Shutz' procedure was used for information analysis. The obtained data offered the opportunity to review concepts, discuss life history and listen to narrative positioning episodes of manifested depression. The narratives were considered to be a determinant factor to consider inherent conflicts.

Judiciary as the last resort to protect children and adolescents: intersectoral actions, investment in human resources, and structuring of services

This study aimed to identify the work developed by the Judiciary to prevent sexual violence against children and adolescents within the family. The approach to social representations in a cultural perspective was used. The field study consisted in the 1st and 2nd Court of Crimes against Children and Adolescents, at the State Supreme Court of Pernambuco, Brazil. Participant observation, semi-structured interviews, and focus group with 17 subjects were the techniques for data collection, analyzed through the interpretation of meanings, allowing the identification of the category "The Judiciary as the ultimate level" and the following subcategories: "The public policies to prevent violence" and "The structure and dynamics of Courts". This study allows the visualization of the Judiciary's limitations with regard to the full protection and absolute priority, and that the work along with the victims demands investments in structure and human resources.

The importance of vertical and horizontal dimensions of the sediment matrix in structuring nematodes across spatial scales

Intensive surveys have been conducted to unravel spatial patterns of benthic infauna communities. Although it has been recognized that benthic organisms are spatially structured along the horizontal and vertical dimensions of the sediment, little is known on how these two dimensions interact with each other. In this study we investigated the interdependence between the vertical and horizontal dimensions in structuring marine nematodes assemblages. We tested whether the similarity in nematode species composition along the horizontal dimension was dependent on the vertical layer of the sediment. To test this hypothesis, three-cm interval sediment samples (15 cm depth) were taken independently from two bedforms in three estuaries. Results indicated that assemblages living in the top layers are more abundant, species rich and less variable, in terms of species presence/absence and relative abundances, than assemblages living in the deeper layers. Results showed that redox potential explained the greatest amount (12%) of variability in species composition, more than depth or particle size. The fauna inhabiting the more oxygenated layers were more homogeneous across the horizontal scales than those from the reduced layers. In contrast to previous studies, which suggested that reduced layers are characterized by a specific set of tolerant species, the present study showed that species assemblages in the deeper layers are more causal (characterized mainly by vagrant species). The proposed mechanism is that at the superficial oxygenated layers, species have higher chances of being resuspended and displaced over longer distances by passive transport, while at the deeper anoxic layers they are restricted to active dispersal from the above and nearby sediments. Such restriction in the dispersal potential together with the unfavorable environmental conditions leads to randomness in the presence of species resulting in the high variability between assemblages along the horizontal dimension.

Weighted Fourier–Laplace transforms in reproducing kernel Hilbert spaces on the sphere

We study the action of a weighted Fourier–Laplace transform on the functions in the reproducing kernel Hilbert space (RKHS) associated with a positive definite kernel on the sphere. After defining a notion of smoothness implied by the transform, we show that smoothness of the kernel implies the same smoothness for the generating elements (spherical harmonics) in the Mercer expansion of the kernel. We prove a reproducing property for the weighted Fourier–Laplace transform of the functions in the RKHS and embed the RKHS into spaces of smooth functions. Some relevant properties of the embedding are considered, including compactness and boundedness. The approach taken in the paper includes two important notions of differentiability characterized by weighted Fourier–Laplace transforms: fractional derivatives and Laplace–Beltrami derivatives.