Catalogue of the type material of Phasmatodea (Insecta) deposited in Brazilian museums

The type material of Phasmatodea deposited in Brazilian museums and institutions is listed for the first time. New synonyms are proposed: Phibalosoma paulense Toledo Piza, 1938, Phibalosoma rochai Toledo Piza, 1938, Bacteria tuberculata Toledo Piza, 1938 and Bacteria tuberculata var. argentina Toledo Piza, 1938 are junior synonyms of Cladomorphus phyllinus (Gray, 1835). Nineteen new combinations are established.

Particulate matter in the indoor environment of museums in the megacity of São Paulo

Atmospheric pollutants can have serious impacts on the preservation of São Paulo's tangible cultural heritage. The purpose of this paper is to report the results of a monitoring campaign focussed on particulate matter (PM) that was conducted in three of the most important museums of the São Paulo megacity (Brazil): the Museu de Arqueologia e Etnologia (MAE-USP), the Museu Paulista (MP-USP), and the Pinacoteca do Estado de São Paulo (PE). These museums exhibit indoor PM and black carbon (BC) concentrations consistent with their urban locations and their specific methods for managing the indoor environment.

Trends in public health policies addressing violence against women

OBJECTIVE To analyze the content of policies and action plans within the public healthcare system that addresses the issue of violence against women.METHODS A descriptive and comparative study was conducted on the health policies and plans in Catalonia and Costa Rica from 2005 to 2011. It uses a qualitative methodology with documentary analysis. It is classified by topics that describe and interpret the contents. We considered dimensions, such as principles, strategies, concepts concerning violence against women, health trends, and evaluations.RESULTS Thirteen public policy documents were analyzed. In both countries’ contexts, we have provided an overview of violence against women as a problem whose roots are in gender inequality. The strategies of gender policies that address violence against women are cultural exchange and institutional action within the public healthcare system. The actions of the healthcare sector are expanded into specific plans. The priorities and specificity of actions in healthcare plans were the distinguishing features between the two countries.CONCLUSIONS The common features of the healthcare plans in both the counties include violence against women, use of protocols, detection tasks, care and recovery for women, and professional self-care. Catalonia does not consider healthcare actions with aggressors. Costa Rica has a lower specificity in conceptualization and protocol patterns, as well as a lack of updates concerning health standards in Catalonia.

Updated distribution of Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) in Spain: new findings in the mainland Spanish Levante, 2013

In 2004, Aedes (Stegomyia) albopictus (Skuse, 1894) was observed for the first time in Catalonia, northeastern Spain. A decade later, it has spread throughout the eastern Mediterranean region of the country and the Balearic Islands. Framed within a national surveillance project, we present the results of monitoring in 2013 in the autonomous communities of the mainland Levante. The current study reveals a remarkable increase in the spread of the invasive mosquito in relation to results from 2012; the species was present and well-established in 48 municipalities, most of which were along the Mediterranean coastline from the Valencian Community to the Region of Murcia.