Assistive technology for visually impaired women for use of the female condom: a validation study

OBJECTIVE To validate assistive technology for visually impaired women to learn how to use the female condom. METHOD a methodological development study conducted on a web page, with data collection between May and October 2012. Participants were 14 judges; seven judges in sexual and reproductive health (1st stage) and seven in special education (2nd stage). RESULTS All items have reached the adopted parameter of 70% agreement. In Stage 1 new materials were added to represent the cervix, and instructions that must be heard twice were included in the 2nd stage. CONCLUSION The technology has been validated and is appropriate for its objectives, structure / presentation and relevance. It is an innovative, low cost and valid instrument for promoting health and one which may help women with visual disabilities to use the female condom.

The (un)receptive experiences of female rape victims who seek healthcare services

OBJECTIVE To know the structure and functioning of healthcare services from the perspective of women who have suffered rape. METHOD A qualitative study conducted with 11 women who experienced rape, monitored in a maternity in the state of Alagoas, Brazil. Data were systematically based on content analysis. RESULTS It allowed for understanding the path taken by women in search of support from health services, as well as the limitations and capabilities of these services. CONCLUSION The assistance received in healthcare services leans towards a revictimization process of women who already carry trauma from the rape. It is necessary to reflect about care practices aimed at sexually victimized women.

Espécies de cigarrinhas (Hemiptera, Cicadellidae, Cicadellinae) em pomares de citros da região de Bebedouro, SP, com descrição de uma espécie nova de Acrogonia Stål

Sharpshooter leafhoppers (Hemiptera, Cicadellidae, Cicadellinae) in citrus groves of the area of Bebedouro, SP, with description of a new species of Acrogonia Stål. Sixteen species of Cicadellidae, subfamily Cicadellinae, were collected and identified: 11 of the tribe Cicadellini and five of the tribe Proconiini. The ten most common species, together with a new species, are characterized based on external morphology and male genitalia: Acrogonia citrina Marucci & Cavichioli sp. nov.; Bucephalogonia xanthophis (Berg, 1879); Dilobopterus costalimai Young, 1977; Ferrariana trivittata (Signoret, 1854); Hortensia similis (Walker, 1851); Macugonalia cavifrons (Stål, 1862); M. leucomelas (Walker, 1851); Oncometopia facialis (Signoret, 1854); Plesiommata corniculata Young, 1977 and P. mollicella (Fowler, 1900). The leafhopper samples were collected in citrus groves and in adjacent habitats (woods, swamp, cultivable plain, spontaneous vegetation of the grove, coffee crop and sugarcane) at the counties of Bebedouro and Monte Azul Paulista and in the district of Turvínia. The collecting methods were: insect net, yellow sticky cards, portable suction trap and Malaise trap. Identification keys were elaborated for the 16 species. There is a great diversity of Cicadellinae species in the citric groves. In the three areas sampled, it was collected a larger number of species of the tribe Cicadellini than of the tribe Proconiini. In the Bebedouro area, the vector species of Xylella fastidiosa, A. citrina sp. nov., B. xanthophis, D. costalimai and O. facialis, were collected in the citrus groves and in all adjacent habitats.

Polietina Schnabl & Dziedzicki (Diptera, Muscidae): description of the male of P. major Albuquerque and female of P. wulpi Couri & Carvalho

Polietina Schnabl & Dziedzicki, 1911 (Diptera, Muscidae) is a New World genus of Muscini, which comprises 18 species. The male of P. major Albuquerque, 1956 and the female of P. wulpi Couri & Carvalho, 1997 are herein described and illustrated for the first time. New geographical localities are recorded for both species.

Tegumentar glands associated to foveae in the second metasomal tergum of Panurgillus Moure (Apoidea, Andrenidae, Panurginae)

Panurginae have a pair of cuticular depressions in the second metasomal tergum, recognized as lateral foveae of the T2. These structures have been used as systematic and taxonomic characters, although their functions are yet unknown. We aimed a morphological analysis at lateral foveae of three species of Panurgillus Moure, 1998: P. vagabundus (Cockerell, 1918), P. reticulatus Schlindwein & Moure, 1998 e P. flavitarsis Schlindwein & Moure, 1998. The study of the external morphology showed that the lateral foveae of the T2 are evident among females, but in males they are undistinguishable or absent. The surface of the foveae is micropunctuated in all species. The histological analysis has shown that the region of the lateral foveae of the T2, of female and male of the three species, presented tegumentar specializations. The inner part showed an evident secretory epithelium recognized as Class I gland. The height of this secretory epithelium was not uniform, although the cellular features are similar independent of sex. We have not found any previous information regarding the presence of glands related to abdominal foveae in Panurginae species.

Description of the female of Thyrsopelma itaunense (Diptera, Simuliidae)

The female of Thyrsopelma itaunense (d'Andretta & González, 1964) is described and illustrated for the first time. T. itaunense and T. orbitale are morphologically compared. New records on geographical distribution are aslo presented.

Revision of the Leucosphyrus group of Anopheles (Cellia) (Diptera, Culicidae)

Revision of the Leucosphyrus Group of Anopheles (Cellia) (Diptera, Culicidae). This is a comprehensive revision of 20 species of the Leucosphyrus Group of the Neomyzomyia Series of Anopheles (Cellia). Morphological description of the adults, male and female, male genitalia, pupa and fourth-instar larva are provided for each taxon in addition to bionomics, distribution data and systematic discussion for each species, including diagnostic characters. Identification keys for females and fourth-instar larvae are provided. When possible medical importance of each species is included. Illustrations of of the adults, fourth-instar larvae and pupae are provided. Distribution maps for each species are mainly based on the material examined; however, when possible published data were also used. Tables on adult character variations, fourth-instar larval and pupal setal branching are included as appendices. A neotype for An. takasagoensis Morishita and An. sulawesi Koesoemawinangoen, and a lectotype for An. balabacensis Baisas, are designated. The authorship of An. sulawesi previously cited as Waktoedi is corrected to Koesoemawinangoen.

Myospila bekilyana (Séguy) (Diptera, Muscidae, Mydaeinae): redescription of male and female and description of terminalia

Myospila bekilyana Séguy (Diptera, Muscidae, Mydaeainae) is an endemic species from Madagascar. Since the original description, the species has been referred in literature only in catalogues. A material recently collected by the Madagascar Arthropod Biodiversity project, mostly deposited at the California Academy of Sciences collection enabled the exam of a large series of this species. Male and female are herein redescribed and the terminalia of both sexes are described and illustrated for the first time. The paper also records Myospila as a new host for Stylogaster Macquart (Diptera, Conopidae).

Description of two new species of Marilia Müller (Trichoptera, Odontoceridae) from southeastern Brazil, including the description of the female of Marilia major Müller

Two new species of Marilia Müller (Odontoceridae), M. aiuruoca sp. nov. and M. huamantincoae sp. nov., are described and figured from Itatiaia massif, Mantiqueira mountain range, southeastern Brazil. The female of M. major Müller, 1880 is described and the species is recorded for the first time from Rio de Janeiro state.

More than one inseminated female in colonies of the independent-founding wasp Mischocyttarus cassununga von Ihering (Hymenoptera, Vespidae)

In the primitively eusocial wasps, especially Polistini and Mischocyttarini tribes, the physiological condition of each individual is strongly associated with its dominance status in the colonial hierarchy. As a rule, in independent-founding wasps, female wasps are all morphologically alike, and their role is apparently quite flexible even as adults. However, some studies have shown that differences in body size can exist between reproductive and non-reproductive females. Thus, the present study aimed at detecting differences between reproductive (inseminated) and non-reproductive (uninseminated) individuals based on morphological and physiological parameters. We tape-recorded the daily behavioural repertory of six colonies of Mischocyttarus cassununga for determining the hierarchical dominance in the field, and then collected these colonies (in different cycle stages) for measuring 13 set characters, and assessing the physiological condition of each individual by inspecting their fat bodies and ovaries. Our results revealed that inseminated and uninseminated females are not significantly different in relation to body size, in spite of first group shows higher average than second in almost all measured parts. The physiological evaluation of each individual demonstrated more than one inseminated female per colony during all stages of the colony cycle, suggesting a strategic condition of this species against difficulties (predation and parasitism of the colony) in nature.

Exposure of a single host (Chrysomya megacephala) (Calliphoridae) to different quantities of female parasitoids (Nasonia vitripennis) (Pteromalidae)

The aim of this study was to verify the duration of the development period, number of parasitoids produced per pupa, parasitism rate and sex ratio of Nasonia vitripennis (Hymenoptera, Pteromalidae), when they were exposed to a single host: Chrysomya megacephala (Diptera, Calliphoridae). One pupa was exposed in glass tubes to different numbers of female parasitoids (1, 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11) during 48 h. Twenty replications/treatment were used, under controlled conditions (T= 27 °C day/ 25 °C night, 60 ± 10% RH). Statistical analysis of the data was made using the ANOVA test and the "a posteriori" comparisons were made using the Tukey-HSD test (both tests with a significance level of 5%). The duration of the development period was longer in treatments where a higher density of females per host was used. When five females per host were used, the mean number of parasitoids that emerged per pupa was higher. The data showed a tendency to a decrease in the amount of parasitoids emerged per host, especially of female, when used high quantities of female per host. Higher parasitism rates were observed in the 3:1 and 5:1 treatments and an increase in the percentage of unviable pupae was observed, probably due to an increase of female densities in the treatments, possibly a consequence of superparasitism.

External morphology of the immature stages of Neotropical heliconians: VIII. Philaethria wernickei (Röber) (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae, Heliconiinae)

The external features of egg, larva, and pupa of Philaethria wernickei (Röber, 1906) are described and illustrated, based upon light and scanning electron microscopy.

Functional response of Telenomus remus Nixon(Hymenoptera, Scelionidae) to Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae) eggs: effect of female age

Functional response of Telenomus remus Nixon (Hymenoptera, Scelionidae) to Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae) eggs: effect of female age. Functional response of 24-h and 48-h-old Telenomus remus adults was studied on Spodoptera frugiperda eggs. The study was carried out in climatic chamber regulated at 25 ± 1°C, 70 ± 10% RH and 12:12h (L: D). Females of T. remus were honey fed and individualized in glass vials along with 25, 50, 75, 100, 150, 200, 250 or 300 eggs of S. frugiperda for 24 h. Complete randomized design with ten replications was adopted. The parameters evaluated to construct the functional response curve were daily average parasitism, searching rate and oviposition time. It was observed that the higher the egg density, the higher the parasitism for 24-h and 48-h-old females although there was a tendency of parasitism stabilization at 150-egg density. The results showed a type II functional response curve for both 24-h and 48-h-old female.

A new species of Contulma Flint (Trichoptera, Anomalopsychidae) from southeastern Brazil

A new species of Contulma Flint (Trichoptera, Anomalopsychidae) from southeastern Brazil. Contulma sana sp. nov. is described and illustrated based on specimens collected in the Rio Macaé Basin, Macaé, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil. The new species can be distinguished from congeners by the following male genitalia characters: long posterior lobes, dorsomedian processes of segment IX diverging on apical third, and well developed phallotremal sclerite. The female and immature stages are unknown.

Comparative morphology of the mandibles of female polistine social wasps (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Polistinae)

Comparative morphology of the mandibles of female polistine social wasps (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Polistinae). Diversity of mandibular forms in female polistines is explored and compared among 116 species of all polistine genera. Inferences about function are made and discussed based on observed form differences. Mandible length and width measurements are analyzed for a subset of polistine species plus two vespines and two eumenines. A variable expressing the ratio between these variables is also considered in morphometric analyses. The following mechanical interactions among mandible structural elements are highlighted: opposition and crossing of mandibles' apical teeth at the middle of the closing trajectory; shearing action of the apical teeth against mesial denticles of the opposite mandible; shearing action of the mandible anterior margin against the ventral margin of the clypeus. In the genera Agelaia and Angiopolybia, exceptionally developed mesial mandibular structures may be related to necrophagy. In some epiponine genera, poorly developed mesial denticles and strong torsion of mandibles may be partially related to use of short wood fibers in nest construction as advanced by Sarmiento (2004). The considerable morphological variation found across the subfamily Polistinae is certain to be important in taxonomic and phylogenetic studies at the genus and species levels.