Structural and intermediary determinants in sexual health care access in migrant populations: a scoping review.

OBJECTIVES: Addressing migrant population's sexual health needs is essential, given the high vulnerability of this population, especially during migratory trajectories and when accessing health care in destination countries. The aim of this scoping review is to identify and describe the structural and intermediary determinants and their dimensions, which negatively influence sexual healthcare access in migrant population in the world in the last 20 years. STUDY DESIGN: Scoping review. METHODS: The search strategy was carried out in the databases PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, EMBASE, and CINAHL. The inclusion criteria were primary studies published in English or Spanish from 2000 to 2022, describing determinants or barriers to access to sexual health for international migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers. The construction of the results was based on the social determinants of health framework. RESULTS: A total of 44 studies were included. Thirteen categories that negatively affect access to sexual health in migrants were identified-structural determinants: language and communication barriers, religious and cultural values, VIH stigma and discrimination, irregular migration status, financial constraints, racism and discrimination, gender inequalities, and lack of knowledge and awareness about sexuality and sexual health; and intermediary determinants: financial health coverage, privacy and confidentiality, health system navigation; health system and facilities, and psychosocial factors. CONCLUSION: The most relevant dimensions identified as barriers to access to health services were "culture and societal values" and "health system". Identifying the determinants that affect migrants' access to sexual health is relevant for the formulation of public policies with sociocultural relevance and an intersectional and human rights approach.

Dentists' Perceptions of Personal Infection Control Measurements in Response to COVID-19.

OBJECTIVE: To explore through focus groups (FGs) the perceptions of dental practitioners (DPs) from different countries of the challenges of implementing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) related biosafety measures, especially personal protection equipment (PPE), during the COVID-19 pandemic period. METHODS: DPs from Colombia, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States were invited to participate in country-based FGs. These were facilitated by an experienced moderator who explored the factors that guided the implementation of COVID-19 related biosafety measures and PPE use. Data were analyzed through thematic analysis on the basis of categories defined by the researchers deductively and inductively. RESULTS: A total of 25 DPs participated in 3 FGs (Colombia:n = 8; United Kingdom: n = 7; United States: n = 9) and 1 in an in-depth interview (Germany). DPs described using several processes to judge which guidance document to adopt and which aspects of the guidance were important in their practice. These included making judgments concerning the views of any indemnity organization to which the DPs were responsible, the staff's views in the practice, and the views of patients. In the absence of a single overarching guidance document, DPs filtered the available information through several considerations to find a level of PPE that they deemed "implementable" in local practice. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that the implementation of evidence-based practice is subject to modification through a lens of what is "feasible" in practice. KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER STATEMENT: Clinicians, educators, and policy makers can use the results of this study to understand the process through which guidance is transformed into implementable patient care pathways in the dental practice.

Conocimientos y decisiones clínicas de los odontólogos colombianos acerca del riesgo de las osteonecrosis de los maxilares en pacientes que reciben tratamiento para la osteoporosis / Knowledge and clinical decisions of Colombian dentists about the risk of osteonecrosis of the jaws in patients receiving treatment for osteoporosis

Introducción: La osteonecrosis de los maxilares es una reacción adversa severa poco frecuente, asociado a la administración de medicamentos utilizados para el tratamiento de la osteoporosis y cáncer, como los bisfosfonatos y el denosumab. Sin embargo, muchos profesionales suspenden estos medicamentos, o difieren los procedimientos hasta tener aval del médico tratante. El presente estudio evalúa los conocimientos y actitudes de un grupo de odontólogos colombianos, con respecto al riesgo de desarrollar osteonecrosis de maxilar con el uso de bisfosfonatos y denosumab.Métodos: Se diseñó una encuesta a partir de un grupo focal que fue avalada por expertos. Se obtuvo una herramienta de 30 preguntas, la cual fue enviada a un grupo de odontólogos, cirujanos maxilofaciales, periodoncistas y rehabilitadores orales afiliados a las sociedades odontológicas a través del software Survey Monkey.Resultados: Se analizaron las respuestas de 187 odontólogos (42,6% con estudios de posgrado). El 50,3% de los odontólogos consideraron equivocadamente, que el uso de bisfosfonatos es una contraindicación absoluta para procedimientos odontológicos mayores, y el 51,3% lo consideraron para el uso de denosumab. El 74,6% de los profesionales solicitarían innecesariamente aval del médico tratante para programar procedimientos en pacientes que reciben bisfosfonatos, y el 43,8% para pacientes con denosumab. Los hallazgos fueron similares independientemente de los años de experiencia o el nivel de educativo.Conclusión: Los resultados de nuestro estudio sugieren que hay bajo conocimiento, en relación al riesgo de desarrollar osteonecrosis de maxilar con el uso de medicamentos para el manejo de la osteoporosis. (AU)

Relación entre la actividad en las redes sociales de las revistas de medicina interna y las citaciones que reciben / Relationship between internal medicine journals’ activity on social networks and the citations they receive

Antecedentes y objetivo: Las redes sociales son medios de divulgación de información científica. Se han generado métricas alternativas que evalúan el impacto de publicaciones científicas en redes sociales. Este estudio busca evaluar si existe correlación entre la actividad de las revistas de medicina interna en las redes sociales y las métricas tradicionales basadas en citaciones. Métodos: Se identificaron las revistas de medicina interna a partir de la base de datos SCImago. Se extrajo información de las métricas tradicionales y alternativas de actividad de las revistas en Facebook, Twitter, YouTube e Instagram. Se evaluó correlación mediante el coeficiente de Spearman. Resultados: De un total de 134 revistas de medicina interna, 17 contaban con presencia en las redes sociales evaluadas. El índice SJR fue más alto en revistas con red social vs. sin red social (59 vs. 18, p<0,0001), y la correlación global entre el índice SJR y el número de seguidores/año en Facebook fue muy fuerte (coeficiente de Spearman 0,95, p<0,05) y fuerte para el número de seguidores/año en Twitter (coeficiente de Spearman 0,54, p <0,05). Conclusiones: Nuestro estudio sugiere que existe una correlación muy fuerte entre las métricas de actividad de las redes sociales, comparado con las métricas tradicionales basadas en el número de citaciones en revistas de medicina interna (AU)

Background and objectives: Social networks are a means for disseminating scientific information. Alternative metrics assessing the impact of scientific publications on social networks have been created. Our study aims to assess the correlation between the activity of internal medicine journals on social networks and traditional metrics based on citations. Methods: Internal medicine journals were identified in the SCImago-Scopus database and information on traditional impact metrics was extracted. In addition, alternative metrics of activity were determined for Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram. The correlation was assessed through Spearman's correlation coefficient. Results: Of 134 Internal Medicine journals, 17 had a presence on the social networks evaluated. The SJR index was higher in journals with a presence on social networks vs. those without (59 vs. 18, p <.0001). The overall correlation between the SJR index and the number of followers/year was very strong for Facebook (Spearman's correlation coefficient 0.95, p <.05) and strong for Twitter (Spearman's correlation coefficient 0.54 p <.05). Conclusions: Our study suggests that there is a very strong correlation between social network activity metrics (mainly Facebook and Twitter) compared to traditional metrics based on the number of citations of internal medicine journals (AU)

Relationship between internal medicine journals' activity on social networks and the citations they receive.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Social networks are a means for disseminating scientific information. Alternative metrics assessing the impact of scientific publications on social networks have been created. Our study aims to assess the correlation between the activity of internal medicine journals on social networks and traditional metrics based on citations. METHODS: Internal medicine journals were identified in the SCImago-Scopus database and information on traditional impact metrics was extracted. In addition, alternative metrics of activity were determined for Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram. The correlation was assessed through Spearman's correlation coefficient. RESULTS: Of 134 Internal Medicine journals, 17 had a presence on the social networks evaluated. The SJR index was higher in journals with a presence on social networks vs. those without (59 vs. 18, p < .0001). The overall correlation between the SJR index and the number of followers/year was very strong for Facebook (Spearman's correlation coefficient 0.95, p < .05) and strong for Twitter (Spearman's correlation coefficient 0.54 p < .05). CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that there is a very strong correlation between social network activity metrics (mainly Facebook and Twitter) compared to traditional metrics based on the number of citations of internal medicine journals.

Estudio de caso de una persona con encefalitis autoinmune basado en la teoría déficit de autocuidado de Dorothea Orem / Case study of a person with autoimmune encephalitis based on the theory of self-care deficit of Dorothea Orem

Introducción: este caso describe el abordaje y aplicación de intervenciones especializadas de enfermería en una mujer de 49 años con encefalitis autoinmune teniendo como base el modelo de Dorothea Orem. Objetivo: identificar los requisitos universales alterados en la persona para restablecerlos mediante acciones de cuidado. Material y métodos: tras la selección de la persona y autorización del cuidador primario se aplicó un instrumento de valoración que permitió realizar diagnósticos utilizando el formato PESS, planeación y ejecución de intervenciones de enfermería, así como evaluación de cada una, por último, la elaboración de un plan de alta. Descripción del caso clínico: mujer de 49 años presentó súbitamente cefalea, alteración del lenguaje, agitación, inatención y labilidad emocional, punción lumbar arrojó leve proceso inflamatorio, descartando etiología vascular e infecciosa sospechando de autoinmunidad. Relevancia: analizar diferentes situaciones clínicas permitiendo plantear soluciones y estrategias para la mejora en el cuidado enfermero. Resultados y conclusiones: resultados satisfactorios, la evolución fue poco a poco, con grandes cambios que le permitieron ser funcional en las actividades de la vida diaria; ahora, a un año de su enfermedad a pesar del deterioro cognitivo puede deambular y alimentarse por sí misma.

Introduction: This case study describes the approach and application of specialized nursing interventions applied to a 49-year-old woman with autoimmune encephalitis based on the Dorothea Orem model. Objective: Identify the universal requirements altered in the person to restore them through care actions. Methodology: After the selection of the person and authorization of the primary caregiver, an assessment instrument was applied that allowed diagnoses to be made using the PESS format, planning and execution of nursing interventions, as well as the evaluation of each one, ending with the elaboration of a high plan. Description of the clinical case: a 49-year-old woman who suddenly presented headache, language alteration, agitation, inattention and emotional lability, lumbar puncture showed a mild inflammatory process, ruling out vascular and infectious etiology, suspecting autoimmunity. Relevance: The case study analyzes different clinical situations allowing solutions and strategies to be proposed to improve nursing care. Results and conclusions: The results were satisfactory, the evolution of the person was slow but with great changes that allowed her to be functional in the activities of daily life, currently one year after his illness, despite the cognitive deterioration, she can walk and feed herself by herself.

Complex networks exhibit intermittent synchronization.

The path toward the synchronization of an ensemble of dynamical units goes through a series of transitions determined by the dynamics and the structure of the connections network. In some systems on the verge of complete synchronization, intermittent synchronization, a time-dependent state where full synchronization alternates with non-synchronized periods, has been observed. This phenomenon has been recently considered to have functional relevance in neuronal ensembles and other networked biological systems close to criticality. We characterize the intermittent state as a function of the network topology to show that the different structures can encourage or inhibit the appearance of early signs of intermittency. In particular, we study the local intermittency and show how the nodes incorporate to intermittency in hierarchical order, which can provide information about the node topological role even when the structure is unknown.

Identifiability of structural networks of nonlinear electronic oscillators.

The interplay between structure and function is critical in the understanding of complex systems, their dynamics and their behavior. We investigated the interplay between structural and functional networks by means of the differential identifiability framework, which here quantifies the ability of identifying a particular network structure based on (1) the observation of its functional network and (2) the comparison with a prior observation under different initial conditions. We carried out an experiment consisting of the construction of [Formula: see text] different structural networks composed of [Formula: see text] nonlinear electronic circuits and studied the regions where network structures are identifiable. Specifically, we analyzed how differential identifiability is related to the coupling strength between dynamical units (modifying the level of synchronization) and what are the consequences of increasing the amount of noise existing in the functional networks. We observed that differential identifiability reaches its highest value for low to intermediate coupling strengths. Furthermore, it is possible to increase the identifiability parameter by including a principal component analysis in the comparison of functional networks, being especially beneficial for scenarios where noise reaches intermediate levels. Finally, we showed that the regime of the parameter space where differential identifiability is the highest is highly overlapped with the region where structural and functional networks correlate the most.

First case of fatal equine meningoencephalitis caused by Halicephalobus gingivalis in Mexico.

Aberrant nematode larval migration in the CNS of horses is rare but frequently fatal; one of the main etiological agents involved in this illness is Halicephalobus gingivalis. This soil nematode has been associated with several fatal equine meningoencephalitis reports worldwide; however, it had never been diagnosed in horses of Mexico. A 10 year-old Andalusian horse presented dysphagia, fever, weakness, prostration and ataxia; the patient expired during the medical attention. Post mortem examination was performed and no gross alterations were found. Histopathology revealed meningoencephalitis, vasculitis and intralesional adult nematodes, larvae and eggs compatible with Halicephalobus spp. A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the nuclear large subunit ribosomal RNA gene (LSU rDNA) of nematodes was performed from formalin-fixed and paraffin wax-embedded sections of brain. Posterior nucleotide sequence analysis of the amplified fragment identified the agent as H. gingivalis. To our knowledge, this is the first confirmed report of Halicephalobiasis in Mexico.

Experimental datasets of networks of nonlinear oscillators: Structure and dynamics during the path to synchronization.

The analysis of the interplay between structural and functional networks require experiments where both the specific structure of the connections between nodes and the time series of the underlying dynamical units are known at the same time. However, real datasets typically contain only one of the two ways (structural or functional) a network can be observed. Here, we provide experimental recordings of the dynamics of 28 nonlinear electronic circuits coupled in 20 different network configurations. For each network, we modify the coupling strength between circuits, going from an incoherent state of the system to a complete synchronization scenario. Time series containing 30000 points are recorded using a data-acquisition card capturing the analogic output of each circuit. The experiment is repeated three times for each network structure allowing to track the path to the synchronized state both at the level of the nodes (with its direct neighbours) and at the whole network. These datasets can be useful to test new metrics to evaluate the coordination between dynamical systems and to investigate to what extent the coupling strength is related to the correlation between functional and structural networks.

[Predictive factors of bacteraemia in the patients seen in emergency departments due to infections]. / Factores predictores de bacteriemia en los pacientes atendidos en el Servicio de Urgencias por infección.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to analyze predictive factors of bacteraemia in patients seen in the emergency department (ED) for an episode of infectious disease. METHODS: Observational, retrospective and descriptive analytical study of all blood cultures extracted in an ED in adult patients (≥ 18 years) seen in ED due to infec-tious disease from 1-1-2019 to 1-7-2019. The follow-up was carried out during 30 days. Thirty-eight variables for predicting bacteraemia were assessed. They covered epidemiological, comorbidity, functional, clinical and analytical factors. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed. RESULTS: A total of 1,425 blood cultures were finally enrolled in the study. Of those were considered true bacteremia 179 (12.6 %) and as negative blood cultures 1,246 (87.4 %). Amongst negatives, 1,130 (79.3%) without growth and 116 (8.1%) as contaminants blood cultures. Five variables were significantly associated with true bacteraemia: serum procalcitonin (PCT) ≥ 0.51 ng/ml [odds ratio (OR): 4.52; 95% confidence interval (CI): 4.20-4.84, P <.001], temperature > 38.3°C [OR:1.60; 95% CI:1.29-1.90, P <.001], systolic blood pressure (SBP) < 100 mmHg [OR:3.68; 95% CI:2.78-4.58, P <.001], septic shock [OR:2.96; 95% CI:1.78-4.13, P <.001] and malignancy [OR:1.73; 95% CI:1.27-2.20, P <.001]. CONCLUSIONS: Several factors evaluated in an initial assessment in the ED, including serum PCT, temperature, hypotension (with/without septic shock) and being malignancy, were found to predict true bacteraemia.

Anti-Ascaris suum immunoglobulin Y as a novel biotechnological tool for the diagnosis of human ascariasis.

Human ascariasis is a neglected tropical disease of great relevance to public health and is considered the most frequent helminthiasis in poor regions. Accurately diagnosing this parasite has been challenging due to limitations of current diagnostic methods. Immunoglobulin Y (IgY) technology is a very effective alternative for the production of highly specific and profitable antibodies. This study aimed to produce and apply anti-Ascaris suum IgY antibodies in the immunodiagnosis of human ascariasis. Five immunizations comprising total saline extract from A. suum adult life forms were given at 14-day intervals to Gallus gallus domesticus hens of the Isa Brown line. Eggs and blood samples were collected weekly and fortnightly, respectively, to monitor the production of antibodies. The specificity of antibodies was confirmed by dot-blot, kinetic enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), avidity ELISA, immunoblotting and indirect immunofluorescence antibody tests. The application for disease diagnosis was performed through the detection of immune complexes in human serum samples by sandwich ELISA. Peaks of IgY anti-A. suum production occurred at weeks 6 and 8. IgY showed high avidity levels after the second dose of immunization, ranging from 64% to 93%, with a mean avidity index of 78.30%. Purified IgY recognized 12 bands of proteins from A. suum saline extract. Eggs, the uterine portion and cuticles of A. suum female adult are reactive in immunofluorescence. The detection of immune complexes showed diagnostic values of 80% sensitivity and 90% specificity. In conclusion, specific IgY have been shown to be a potential immunodiagnostic tool with promising future applications in human ascariasis.

Dynamical complexity as a proxy for the network degree distribution.

We explore the relation between the topological relevance of a node in a complex network and the individual dynamics it exhibits. When the system is weakly coupled, the effect of the coupling strength against the dynamical complexity of the nodes is found to be a function of their topological roles, with nodes of higher degree displaying lower levels of complexity. We provide several examples of theoretical models of chaotic oscillators, pulse-coupled neurons, and experimental networks of nonlinear electronic circuits evidencing such a hierarchical behavior. Importantly, our results imply that it is possible to infer the degree distribution of a network only from individual dynamical measurements.

Relay synchronization in multiplex networks.

Relay (or remote) synchronization between two not directly connected oscillators in a network is an important feature allowing distant coordination. In this work, we report a systematic study of this phenomenon in multiplex networks, where inter-layer synchronization occurs between distant layers mediated by a relay layer that acts as a transmitter. We show that this transmission can be extended to higher order relay configurations, provided symmetry conditions are preserved. By first order perturbative analysis, we identify the dynamical and topological dependencies of relay synchronization in a multiplex. We find that the relay synchronization threshold is considerably reduced in a multiplex configuration, and that such synchronous state is mostly supported by the lower degree nodes of the outer layers, while hubs can be de-multiplexed without affecting overall coherence. Finally, we experimentally validated the analytical and numerical findings by means of a multiplex of three layers of electronic circuits.

Prey Foraging Under Sublethal Lambda-Cyhalothrin Exposure on Pyrethroid-Susceptible and -Resistant Lady Beetles (Eriopis connexa (Coleoptera: Coccinelidae)).

Sublethal insecticide exposure may affect foraging of insects, including natural enemies, although the subject is usually neglected. The lady beetle Eriopis connexa (Germar, 1824) (Coleoptera: Coccinelidae) is an important predator of aphids with existing pyrethroid-resistant populations that are undergoing scrutiny for potential use in pest management systems characterized by frequent insecticide use. However, the potential effect of sublethal pyrethroid exposure on this predator's foraging activity has not yet been assessed and may compromise its use in biological control. Therefore, our objective was to assess the effect of sublethal lambda-cyhalothrin exposure on three components of the prey foraging activity (i.e., walking, and prey searching and handling), in both pyrethroid-susceptible and -resistant adults of E. connexa. Both lady beetle populations exhibited similar walking patterns without insecticide exposure in noncontaminated arenas, but in partially contaminated arenas walking differed between strains, such that the resistant insects exhibited greater walking activity. Behavioral avoidance expressed as repellence to lambda-cyhalothrin was not observed for either the susceptible or resistant populations of E. connexa, but the insecticide caused avoidance by means of inducing irritability in 40% of the individuals, irrespective of the strain. Insects remained in the insecticide-contaminated portion of the arena for extended periods resulting in greater exposure. Although lambda-cyhalothrin exposure did not affect prey searching by susceptible lady beetles, prey searching was extended for exposed resistant predators. In contrast, prey handling was not affected by population or by lambda-cyhalothrin exposure. Thus, sublethal exposure to the insecticide in conjunction with the insect resistance profile can affect prey foraging with pyrethroid-exposed resistant predators exhibiting longer prey searching time associated with higher walking activity reducing its predatory performance.

Interventions to reduce the bacterial load in recycled broiler litter.

Two experiments were undertaken to evaluate the bacterial load in recycled litter between broiler flocks following addition of quicklime (T1), windrowing (T2), shallow fermentation (T3), and control (no intervention, T4). The first experiment was developed in field conditions in which the broiler houses were accompanied by 6 consecutive flocks and the effect of the treatments was assessed on enterobacteria and aerobic mesophiles. The second experiment was conducted in an experimental broiler house with recycled litter for assessment of Salmonella Enteritidis phage type 4 (SE PT4). In the field study, T3 presented the best results in reducing enterobacteria in broiler litter in relation to the other treatments, with the highest reduction occurring in the first 3 flocks, tending to stabilization from the fourth flock onward for all the treatments assessed. From the third to sixth flocks, enterobacteria level at the end of the treatments (d 12) was lower than the average in the fresh litter, except in T4. All treatments reduced aerobic mesophiles throughout the flocks, where T2 showed the highest reduction. The percentage of dry matter in the broiler litter diminished in T4 and increased in T3 over the course of the flocks. In the second experiment, the drop in the SE PT4 level in the broiler litter first occurred in T2 and T3. However, all the treatments except for T4 eliminated SE PT4 within 12 d. The temperature of the broiler litter in T2 was higher in relation to the other treatments. The results show that litter treatment prior to reutilization by the successive broiler flock is required to reduce the level of residual bacteria. The fermentative treatments (T2 and T3) were found to be superior to the others in terms of reducing the bacterial load, with shallow fermentation standing out with the highest reduction of enterobacteria and equivalent SE PT4 elimination when compared to windrowing.

Optimal phase synchronization in networks of phase-coherent chaotic oscillators.

We investigate the existence of an optimal interplay between the natural frequencies of a group of chaotic oscillators and the topological properties of the network they are embedded in. We identify the conditions for achieving phase synchronization in the most effective way, i.e., with the lowest possible coupling strength. Specifically, we show by means of numerical and experimental results that it is possible to define a synchrony alignment function J(ω,L) linking the natural frequencies ωi of a set of non-identical phase-coherent chaotic oscillators with the topology of the Laplacian matrix L, the latter accounting for the specific organization of the network of interactions between oscillators. We use the classical Rössler system to show that the synchrony alignment function obtained for phase oscillators can be extended to phase-coherent chaotic systems. Finally, we carry out a series of experiments with nonlinear electronic circuits to show the robustness of the theoretical predictions despite the intrinsic noise and parameter mismatch of the electronic components.

Effects of repeated 9 and 30-day exposure to extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields on social recognition behavior and estrogen receptors expression in olfactory bulb of Wistar female rats.

OBJECTIVE: We investigated the short- and long-term effects of extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields (EMF) on social recognition behavior and expression of α- and ß-estrogen receptors (ER). METHODS: Rats were exposed to 60-Hz electromagnetic fields for 9 or 30 days and tested for social recognition behavior. Immunohistochemistry and western blot assays were performed to evaluate α- and ß-ER expression in the olfactory bulb of intact, ovariectomized (OVX), and ovariectomized+estradiol (E2) replacement (OVX+E2). RESULTS: Ovariectomization showed impairment of social recognition after 9 days of EMF exposure and a complete recovery after E2 replacement and so did those after 30 days. Short EMF exposure increased expression of ß-ER in intact, but not in the others. Longer exposure produced a decrease in intact but an increase in OVX and OVX+E2. DISCUSSION: Our findings suggest a significant role for ß-estrogen receptors and a lack of effect for α-estrogen receptors on a social recognition task. ABBREVIATIONS: EMF: extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields; ERs: estrogen receptors; OB: olfactory bulb; OVX: ovariectomized; OVX + E2: ovariectomized + estradiol replacement; IEI: interexposure interval; ß-ER: beta estrogen receptor; E2: replacement of estradiol; GAPDH: glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase; WB: Western blot; PBS: phosphate-buffer saline; PB: phosphate-buffer.

Morphological characterization of pollens from three Apiaceae species and their ingestion by twelve-spotted lady beetle (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) / Caracterização morfológica de três espécies de Apiaceae e sua ingestão pela joaninha de doze pintas (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)

Abstract Larvae and adults of certain species of predator lady beetles feed on pollen, guaranteeing their survival, and at times, reproduction in the absence of preferred prey. Palynology, therefore, may contribute in the investigation of botanical families visited by these predators in order to obtain this floral resource. There are records of the visitation of Apiaceae flowers by Coleomegilla maculata DeGeer, 1775 (Coleoptera, Coccinellidae), but not the ingestion of their pollen grains by this lady beetle. The external morphology of pollen grains of three Apiaceae aromatic species (Anethum graveolens L., Coriandrum sativum L., Foeniculum vulgare Mill.) was characterized, and it was evaluated the ingestion of these pollens by fourth instar larvae and adults of C. maculata upon confinement along with flowers of these Apiaceae for 24 and 48 hours. The pollen grains of those species presented similar external morphology. In the two times of exposure, the larvae ingested the same amount of pollen from the three Apiaceae species, and the amount of C. sativum pollen ingested was the same between larvae and adults. The amount of A. graveolens pollen grains ingested by the adults was significantly greater than the pollens of C. sativum and F. vulgare, in 24 hours, with the opposite occurring in 48 hours. In the first 24 hours, the adults ingested more A. graveolens pollen than the larvae, with the opposite occurring with F. vulgare. There was no significant difference in the amount of Apiaceae pollen ingested between larvae and adults in 48 hours. The results suggest that the pollen-eating habits of certain aphidophagous lady beetles may be crucial in their preservation within agro-ecosystems.

Resumo Larvas e adultos de certas espécies de joaninhas predadoras podem se alimentar de pólen, garantindo a sua sobrevivência, e, às vezes, a reprodução na ausência da presa preferencial. Palinologia, portanto, pode contribuir na investigação de famílias botânicas visitadas por estes predadores a fim de obter esse recurso floral. Há registros da visitação de flores de Apiaceae por Coleomegilla maculata DeGeer, 1775 (Coleoptera, Coccinellidae), mas não da ingestão de seus grãos de pólen por essa joaninha. A morfologia externa de grãos de pólen de três espécies aromáticas de Apiaceae (Anethum graveolens L., Coriandrum sativum L., Foeniculum vulgare Mill.) foi caracterizada e avaliou-se a ingestão desses polens por larvas de quarto instar e adultos de C. maculata em confinamento com flores dessas Apiaceae por 24 e 48 horas. Os grãos de pólen dessas espécies apresentaram morfologia externa semelhante. Nos dois tempos de exposição, as larvas ingeriram a mesma quantidade de pólen das três espécies de Apiaceae, e a quantidade de pólen de C. sativum ingerida foi semelhante entre as larvas e adultos. A quantidade de grãos de pólen de A. graveolens ingerida pelos adultos foi significativamente maior do que a dos polens de C. sativum e F. vulgare, em 24 horas, com o oposto ocorrendo em 48 horas. Nas primeiras 24 horas, os adultos ingeriram mais pólen de A. graveolens do que as larvas, ocorrendo o oposto com F. vulgare. Não houve diferença significativa na quantidade de pólen de Apiaceae ingerida entre as larvas e adultos em 48 horas. Os resultados sugerem que o hábito de alimentar de pólen de certas joaninhas afidófagas pode ser crucial para a sua preservação dentro dos agroecossistemas.