Ultrastructural features of the hypopharyngeal glands in the social wasp Polistes versicolor (Hymenoptera : Vespidae)

The wasps of the genus Polistes have been considered the key to understanding the evolution of social behavior in Hymenoptera. Several studies have shown that the development of organized insect societies was accompanied by the evolution of structures like exocrine glands, which became specialized to perform specific functions. This article investigates the ultrastructural and cytochemical features of the hypopharyngeal glands of Polistes versicolor. These glands have been studied in depth in social bees, where they occur only in nurses and produce the royal jelly. Our results revealed that these glands basically did not vary among individuals or between sexes. They are constituted by spherical cells, each with a large nucleus and well-developed rough endoplasmic reticulum. Secretion vesicles are abundant, but lipid droplets were not observed, indicating that these glands may not have a role in pheromone synthesis. Acid phosphatase was detected in lysosomes, and also free in the cytosol, but did not seem to be related with cell death. Thus, our results suggest that the hypopharyngeal glands of P. versicolor may not have a specialized social role, but could produce digestive enzymes.

Social Panorama of Latin America 2004

Includes bibliography

Shaping the future of social protection: access, financing and solidarity

Includes bibliography

Changing population age structures and their implications on socio-economic development in the Caribbean

Includes bibliography

Flexible labour markets, workers' protection and the security of the wings": a Danish flexicurity solution to the unemployment and social problems in globalized economies"

Includes bibliography

Gender, pensions and social citizenship in Latin America

Includes bibliography

Sociodemographic vulnerability in the Caribbean: an examination of the social and demographic impediments to equitable development with participatory citizenship in the Caribbean at the dawn of the twenty-first century

Includes bibliography

Marginality and social integration in Uruguay

Includes bibliography

Changing population age structures and their implications on socio-economic development in the Caribbean

Includes bibliography

Productivity, social expenditure and income distribution in Latin America

This paper discusses the role of institutions and structural change in shaping income inequality. It is argued that while social expenditure and direct redistribution are crucial for improving income distribution, sustainable equality requires structural change to create decent jobs. The relative importance of these variables in different countries is analyzed and a typology suggested. It is argued that the most equal countries in the world combine strong institutions in favor of redistribution and knowledge-intensive production structures that sustain growth and employment in the long run. Both institutions and the production structure in Latin America fail to foster equality and this explains its extremely high levels of inequality. The last decade witnessed significant advances in reducing inequality in Latin America, but these advances are threatened by slow productivity growth and weak structural change.

Glândula hipofaríngeas na vespa social Polistes versicolor (Olivier): da morfologia às relações com o comportamento

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Intervenção pedagógica e noções sobre o meio ambiente: a construção do conhecimento social à luz da epistemologia genética

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Reflexões sobre normalidade e desvio social

O texto expõe como se instituiu uma das oposições fundamentais na organização de nossa sociedade. A partir da reconstrução histórica do processo de normalização chegamos ao movimento sócio-científico da Eugenia e a poderosa teoria da hereditariedade sob o qual ela se assentava. A categoria social dos anormais é analisada como produto de discursos e práticas sociais, portanto, historicamente. Por fim, apresentamos algumas considerações sobre a polaridade normalidade e patologia na sociedade contemporânea e a persistência de teorias que visam naturalizar diferenças individuais e desigualdades sociais.

Ética e trabalho: Concepção de uma antítese social

Pós-graduação em Serviço Social - FCHS

Comparative analysis of different meat traceability systems using multiple criteria and a social network approach

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)