Review of the inquilinous fauna associated with insect galls in Brazilian restingas

Several records of associated fauna, including parasitoids, inquilines, predators, and successors, have been reported by insect gall inventories in Brazilian restingas. Although most guilds are well established, inquilines have frequently been misinterpreted. In this paper, the inquilinous fauna of insect galls is revised based on five criteria: food habit; coexistence with the inducer; modification of gall tissues or production of new tissues; phylogenetic relationship with the inducer; and mobility. Gall inventories dated from 1988 to 2019 were examined, totaling 16 publications, eight of them with inquiline records. This guild was reported in 53 gall morphotypes in 44 plant species and four morphospecies distributed among 36 genera of 24 host families for a total of 65 records. Most inquilines were repositioned into the cecidophage guild and others into the kleptoparasite guild, resulting in a large reduction in the frequency of inquilines (from 65 to five records), and in first reports of cecidophages and kleptoparasites, with 46 and 13 records, respectively. Cecidophage was the most diverse guild with insects of five orders (Diptera, Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, Hemiptera, and Thysanoptera) while kleptoparasites were represented only by two orders (Diptera and Hymenoptera) and inquiline solely by Hymenoptera. Other results indicate that Leptothorax sp. (Formicidae) could be a successor and not an inquiline.

Social Immersion for Women After Repair for Obstetric Fistula: An Experience in Guinea

Background: Reintegration of women after repair of their female genital fistula remains a challenge. The objective of this study was to document the medical pathway and the reintegration process of women through the “social immersion” program of EngenderHealth in Kissidougou and Labé (Guinea).Methods: This was a qualitative descriptive study with 55 participants, including women seeking fistula care and stakeholders involved in the social immersion for repaired women in Kissidougou and Labé. The study included collecting demographic and clinical data of women, interviews with women before and after surgery, after social immersion, and 3 months post-discharge. Municipal officials, health providers, and members of host families were also interviewed. The study protocol was approved by the Guinea National Ethics Committee for Health Research.Results: The study confirmed that obstetric fistula still occurs among women living in rural and underserved areas. Most women attended at least two to five antenatal care visits, but nine over 10 reported a tragic experience of child loss associated with the occurrence of fistula. Most of them received support from their husband/partner during referral after the obstructed labor and later in the search for treatment. Women and stakeholders reported a good experience of surgery and social immersion in both Kissidougou and Labé. About 3 months after discharge, women who were continent reported being happy with their new life compared to women discharged with repair failure and residual incontinence.Conclusion: The study found the positive impacts of social immersion on the quality of life of women after fistula repair, particularly for those women who had a successful repair. The approach can be included in fistula care programs, either through direct provision or through referral to programs that can provide this service.

Working Conditions as Risk Factors for Depressive Symptoms among Spanish-Speaking Au Pairs Living in Germany—Longitudinal Study

Previous studies have shown poor working conditions and poor mental health among au pairs. However, there are limited longitudinal approaches to these conditions. Therefore, the main objectives of this study were to assess the occurrence of depressive symptoms longitudinally and to analyze the association between sociodemographic characteristics, working conditions and violence at work with depressive symptoms over time among Spanish-speaking au pairs living in Germany. A prospective cohort study was performed with three measurement intervals, which included 189 participants. Depressive symptoms were assessed by the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). Generalized Estimating Equation (GEE) models were implemented to estimate the association between predictors and depressive symptoms. Au pairs who worked >40 h per week were more than three times more likely to experience depression than those who did not (OR: 3.47; 95% CI: 1.46–8.28). In addition, those exposed to physical violence were almost five times more likely to suffer from depression (OR: 4.95; 95% CI: 2.16–9.75), and au pairs who had bad schedule adaptation to social and family commitments had twice the risk of depression than those who did not (OR: 2.24; 95% CI: 0.95–5.28). This knowledge could be of interest for future au pairs, host families, au pair agencies and policy makers. Together, they could improve awareness and monitoring of au pair working conditions.

Effect of altitude on Mistletoe’s distribution in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (BNIP), Uganda

This study examined mistletoes in the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in South Western Uganda. In 6.4 ha, comprising 64 plots, divided between disturbed and less disturbed forests, spanning on an elevation range of 1160 to 2607 m a.s.l. 1,496 mistletoescounts were recorded, comprising of 21 species in seven genera and two families. These were hosted on 542 host trees comprising of 45 species in 18 unique mistletoes –host families. These mistletoes showed a preference for stems growing in open conditions with the mean density of 356 ha-1 versus 129 ha-1 in denser forest. The most abundant mistletoe species were found in the altitudinal range of a1000.5-1500m and 1500.5-2000.5m a.s.l with minimum numbers of counts dominated by Englerina woodfordiodes (with a count of 151 contributing to 23.18 %.) and Phragamenthera usuiensis (with155 counts contributing to f 42.8% of mistletoes in Bwindi forest).Mistletoe abundance differed significantly between altitude ranges (P < 0.001) although it was similar between the forest edge and interior sites (P= 0.565).Nevertheless, six mistletoe species were recorded over one hundred times each and another six species were recorded only once implying that the species list is incomplete. Application of Chao’s estimator indicated that mistletoe species richness is likely to exceed 40 species suggesting that mistletoes represent a significant component of the forest’s botanical diversity.

Move Over Medici!

This chapter draws attention to the disconnect between the goal of global learning through mutual cross-cultural exchange with local hosts and the absence of efforts to assess the impact of study abroad students on host communities. When host community impact is considered, it is typically in the context of service-learning in the Global South and ignores more popular and densely saturated sites in Europe. In contribution to filling this gap, this chapter presents data from a study conducted in Florence, Italy that sought to better understand the experience of intentional hosts and gauge what they see as the economic, cultural, educational, and environmental impacts of hosting large numbers of US students. In-depth interviews with 31 local faculty, administrators, and host families provide important insights for how international educators can design programming that mitigates negative impacts on host communities while creating opportunities for equitable, ethical, cross-cultural engagement.

Phylogenetic delimitation of Apiospora and Arthrinium

In the present study six species of Arthrinium (including a new taxon, Ar. crenatum) are described and subjected to phylogenetic analysis. The analysis of ITS and 28S rDNA, as well as sequences of tef1 and tub2 exons suggests that Arthrinium s. str. and Apiospora represent independent lineages within Apiosporaceae. Morphologically, Arthrinium and Apiospora do not seem to have clear diagnostic features, although species of Arthrinium often produce variously shaped conidia (navicular, fusoid, curved, polygonal, rounded), while most species of Apiospora have rounded (face view) / lenticular (side view) conidia. Ecologically, most sequenced collections of Arthrinium were found on Cyperaceae or Juncaceae in temperate, cold or alpine habitats, while those of Apiospora were collected mainly on Poaceae (but also many other plant host families) in a wide range of habitats, including tropical and subtropical regions. A lectotype for Sphaeria apiospora (syn.: Ap. montagnei, type species of Apiospora) is selected among the original collections preserved at the PC fungarium, and the putative identity of this taxon, found on Poaceae in Mediterranean lowland habitats, is discussed. Fifty-five species of Arthrinium are combined to Apiospora, and a key to species of Arthrinium s. str. is provided.

The Impact of Intercultural Exchange on Secondary School Exchange Students and Their Host Families

The last decade has seen a significant increase of international student mobility and a growing popularity of secondary school exchange programs in the United States and around the world. Drawing upon culture learning theory, the purpose of this study is to understand the impacts, challenges, and rewards of intercultural exchange on secondary school exchange students and their host families. I performed a case study of in-depth interviews with six students who were placed in Hawai’i for an academic year on the Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Future Leaders Exchange merit-based scholarships, as well as interviews with their volunteer host families. Findings show that intercultural exchange occurs as a two-way process. Both students and host families reap the benefits of intercultural exchange by way of active interaction and culture sharing that is enhanced by a positive student–host relationship.