New predatory interaction of Trichonephila clavipes (Araneae: Nephilidae) on Fidicinini (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) in a forest fragment of the Neotropical region

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  New predatory interaction of Trichonephila clavipes (Araneae: Nephilidae) on Fidicinini (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) in a forest fragment of the Neotropical region Abstract Trichonephila clavipes (Araneae: Nephilidae) is an orb web-building spider whose diet is primarily based on flying insects. This note aims to report the first predatory interaction of T. clavipes on a cicada of the genus Fidicina (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) in a fragment of the Atlantic Forest in Brazil. The predation event was observed (ad libitum) in the Benjamin Maranhão Botanical Garden situated in the Mata do Buraquinho Wildlife Refuge, northeastern Brazil. A specimen of Fidicina sp. was found freshly dead and trapped in the web of T. clavipes. The nephilid was observed moving slowly between the ventral and dorsal regions of the Fidicina sp. without weaving a web around the cicadid. Then, T. clavipes was observed perched on the left side of the Fidicina sp., with its pedipalps and chelicerae manipulating the thorax ...

Stroke as a Rare Complication of Scorpion Stings: A Systematic Review and Analysis

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Stroke as a Rare Complication of Scorpion Stings: A Systematic Review and Analysis

Abstract


Approximately 1 million scorpion stings are recorded annually worldwide, resulting in 3,000 deaths. Scorpion venom has various effects on the human body, with neurological complications occurring in about 2% of cases. Among these complications, stroke—whether ischemic or hemorrhagic—is particularly significant. A systematic literature review was conducted through a bibliographic search using key terms in the PubMed, Scopus, Scielo, Latin American and Caribbean Literature in Health Sciences (LILACS) and Google Schoolar databases without date restrictions. Articles related to stroke due to scorpion stings in Spanish, English, and Portuguese were included. Our protocol was registered in PROSPERO. A total of 24 articles met the inclusion criteria for this review. The primary neurological symptoms caused by scorpion stings include hemiplegia, hemiparesis, seizures, and limb weakness. Stroke should be suspected in the presence of these symptoms, as scorpion stings can lead to both hemorrhagic and ischemic strokes in both adults and pediatric populations. While stroke is a rare complication of scorpion stings, it is crucial to consider this diagnosis in patients presenting with neurological symptoms, necessitating the use of computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging if stroke is suspected.

Vasconez-Gonzalez, J., Delgado-Moreira, K., Gamez-Rivera, E., Lopez-Molina, M. B., Davila, F. L., Izquierdo-Condoy, J. S., & Ortiz-Prado, E. (2024). Stroke as a Rare Complication of Scorpion Stings: A Systematic Review and Analysis. Toxicon: X, 100205. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.toxcx.2024.100205