Present status of aphid studies in Malta (Central Mediterranean) with special reference to tree dwelling species.

A critical review of aphid literature dealing with Maltese records revealed the presence of 50 species. Most of these records were included in local journals, some of which not accessible to the rest of the scientific community. Because of this, the Fauna Europaea Project and other works about aphids in Europe included only a few aphid records from Malta. In the present paper all names are corrected and updated and doubtful records have been highlighted. Although many species of trees which are known to host aphids are lacking in Malta, and those present are often rare and with confined distributions, aphid records total 25 species and most of these aphids can be considered as locally rare.peer-reviewe

Aphids (Hemiptera: Aphidoidea) associated with native trees in Malta (Central Mediterranean)

In the present study 25 aphid species which are known to be associated with trees in the Maltese Islands are recorded. Of these, 18 species represent new records; these include Aphis craccivora, Brachyunguis tamaricis, Cavariella aegopodii, Chaitophorus capreae, C. populialbae, Cinara cupressi, C. maghrebica, C. palaestinensis, Essigella californica, Eulachnus rileyi, E. tuberculostemmatus, Hoplocallis picta, Lachnus roboris, Myzocallis schreiberi, Tetraneura nigriabdominalis, Thelaxes suberi, Tinocallis takachihoensis and Tuberolachnus salignus. A number of the above mentioned species alternate hosts between the primary host, being the tree species, and secondary hosts being mainly roots of grasses. The record of Tetraneura ulmi could be incorrect and could possibly be referred to T. nigriabdominalis. Most of the aphid species recorded in the present study have restricted distribution in the Maltese Islands due to the rarity of their host trees. This is particularly so for those aphids associated with Populus, Quercus, Salix and Ulmus whose conservation should be addressed.peer-reviewe

Magnesium and other biometals in oxidative medicine and redox biology

No abstract available

Greenidea Ficicola : is it an example of rapid colonization due to climatic changes?

In recent years, several species of aphids of tropical or subtropical origins are being found outside their native range. The reasons for the accidental introduction and subsequent establishment of these aphids in new territories remain obscure. In most cases the accidental introduction of these rather small and cryptic species are often linked to human activities (such as international trade of plants and plant products) but other factors such as global warming may aid in the dispersal of such organisms. In the present work, the rapid colonization of Greenidea ficicola Takahashi, an aphid native to the Oriental Region, in different regions of the world (Afrotropics, Nearctic, Neotropics and Southern Europe) is documented.peer-reviewe

Complete band gaps including non-local effects occur only in the relaxed micromorphic model

In this paper we substantiate the claim implicitly made in previous works that the relaxed micromorphic model is the only linear, isotropic, reversibly elastic, nonlocal generalized continuum model able to describe complete band-gaps on a phenomenological level. To this end, we recapitulate the response of the standard Mindlin-Eringen micromorphic model with the full micro-distortion gradient of P, the relaxed micromorphic model depending only on the Curl P of the micro-distortion P, and a variant of the standard micromorphic model in which the curvature depends only on the divergence Div P of the micro distortion. The Div-model has size-effects but the dispersion analysis for plane waves shows the incapability of that model to even produce a partial band gap. Combining the curvature to depend quadratically on Div P and Curl P shows that such a model is similar to the standard Mindlin-Eringen model which can eventually show only a partial band gap

Pill Thinkers: Ethical Implications of Cosmetic Neurology

In lieu of an abstract, below is the first paragraph of the paper. The desire for mind and body enhancement may be intrinsic to human nature. Individuals continually engage in behaviors like eating, exercising, or using chemicals such as caffeine or alcohol, in an effort to enhance mind and body for personal desire. The principle of autonomy and free will allows the individual the right to selfdetermination, freedom, and independence, although it is not an absolute right (Aiken, 2004). A healthy person can choose medical treatments like sildenafil citrate (Viagra) or more invasive treatments like cosmetic surgery to achieve personal outcomes. Neuroscience, or cosmetic neurology, uses pharmacological interventions such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and stimulants to enhance brain functioning by altering the neurotransmitters that affect mood and cognition. Cosmetic neurology by its nature is more complex than self-medicating at Starbucks