Nomenclatural and taxonomic changes, new distribution and biological records for jewel beetles (Coleoptera: Buprestidae)

Replacement names, nomenclatural, distributional and biological notes are presented for 21 species of Buprestidae (Coleoptera). Agrilodes strandi ssp. meranus Obenberger, 1942, and Polybothris (Amphisbeta) uitalisi var. stygia, Obenberger, 1942, are proposed to allow the subspecies or variety names define the species, respectively, with strandi and uitalisi remaining in synonymy as nomina nuda. Acmaeodera ruficaudis macfadyeni is proposed as a new replacement name for Acmaeodera ruficaudis pinguis Holm, 1985, preoccupied by A. pinguis Fairmaire, 1902; Buprestis aenescens Wiedemann, 1823 is synonymized under Buprestis albomarginata Herbst, 1801; Buprestis planus Fabricius, 1798 is transferred to Dismorpha Gistel, 1848; Damarsila conturbata Thomson, 1879 is removed from synonymy under Buprestis amaurotica Klug, 1855 and reinstated as a valid species; Damarsila obsti Cobos, 1957 is rejected as an unnecessary replacement name for Psilopotera ornata Obst, 1903; Dicerca reticulatoides is proposed as a new replacement name for D. reticulata Assmann, 1870, a fossil taxon, preoccupied by Buprestis reticulata Fabricius, 1794, a junior subjective synonym of Dicerca aenea (Linne, 1758); Kamosia luciae Obenberger, 1935, is synonymized under Kamosiella dennestoides (Thomson, 1878); Melobasis nouaeguinae is proposed as a new replacement name for Melobasis papuana Obenberger, 1938, preoccupied by M. (Briseis) papuana Obenberger, 1924; Sjoestedtius diuinus Obenberger, 1935, is transferred to Malawiella Bellamy, 1990, and Sjoestedtius atahorensis Descarpentries, 1952 is proposed as its new subjective synonym. Buprestis albomarginata Herbst, Damarsila contubata Thomson, and Psiloptera ornata Obst are transferred to Lampetis Dejean, 1833. Biological or distributional notes are given for species of Agrilaxia Kerremans, 1903, Agrilus Curtis, 1825, Conognatha Eschscholtz, 1829, Euplectalecia Obenberger, 1924, Halecia Laporte and Gory, 1837, Oualisia Kerremans, 1900, Sambomorpha Obenberger, 1924, and Spectralia Casey, 1909

A summary of the published data on host plants and morphology of immature stages of Australian jewel beetles (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) : with additional new records

A summary is given of the published host plant and descriptive immature stage morphology data for 671 species and 11 subspecies in 54 genera of Australian jewel beetles (Coleoptera: Buprestidae). New host data for 155 species and 3 subspecies in 17 genera including the first published data for 75 species are included

The Elijah-Elisha cycle of stories: a ring composition

Ring composition is a literary form found throughout the ancient world. In it, a series of elements advances, one after the other, until it reaches a center point, whereupon the sequence is reversed and returns to its beginning in inverted order. Hence, the first element is paired with the last, the second with the second to the last, and so on, with the second half of the ring a mirror image of the first half. Although ring compositions occur throughout the ancient world, the practice of writing in rings fell out of literary fashion and faded from collective memory. Later readers, unfamiliar with its conventions, found ring compositions difficult to recognize, leading to misinterpretations of numerous ancient texts. Such confusion is evident with the Elijah-Elisha cycle of stories in 1 Kgs 16:23--2 Kgs 13:25. Biblical scholars have routinely maligned these stories as a nonsensical jumble of prophetic tales. This dissertation demonstrates that the stories are not disorganized. Rather, they have been redacted in the formal structure of a ring composition with six rungs. The dissertation follows the lead of the late Mary Douglas, who brought new insights to bear on the problems inherent in identifying and interpreting ancient ring compositions--most critically, in helping to establish what constitutes a parallel correspondence. When we recognize the chiastic structure of the Elijah-Elisha cycle of stories, we discover a carefully crafted work of propaganda that promotes the religious, political, and social reforms of King Josiah of Judah (7th century BCE). These tales had their origins in the traditions of northern Israel, but they were later appropriated and recontextualized by a Judean redactor. Retold, transformed, and arranged in the form of a ring composition, the stories of Elijah and Elisha were employed to build northern support for a neo-Davidic kingdom ruled from Jerusalem. Championing the rallying cry of holy war, Josiah and his party sought to reunite the divided kingdom by capitalizing on the misfortunes of the Assyrian Empire. Under the leadership of Josiah, the chariots and horses of fire--the heavenly army of YHWH--would once again battle for Israel

Lectotype designations in the Buprestidae collection of the National Museum of Natural History (Coleoptera)

Lectotypes are designated for the following species: A. aureocoerulans Obenberger, A. auroguttatus Schaeffer, A. cannulus Obenberger, A. carinellifer Obenberger, A. dolli Schaeffer, A. exclusus Obenberger, A. ferrisi Dury, A. huachucae Schaeffer, A. optatus Obenberger, A. pictithorax Obenberger, A. simillipictus Obenberger, A. subtropicus Schaeffer, Aphanisticus peninsulae Obenberger, Brachys fascifera Schwam, Buprestis adducta Casey, B. caliginosa Casey, B. disruptans Casey, B. fastidiosa Casey, B. flavopicta Casey, B. fulgens Casey, B. fusca Casey, B. graminea Casey, B. gravidula Casey, B. leporina Casey, B. maculipennis deficiens Casey, Chalcophora angulicollis montana Casey, C. laurentica Casey, Cinyra prosternalis Schaeffer, Conognatha fisheri Hoscheck, C. neutra Hoscheck, Cypriacis obscura Casey, C. venusta Casey, Endelus bakerianus Obenberger, E. belial Obenberger, Gyascutus amplus Casey, G. compactus Casey, G. fidelisCasey, G. pistorius Casey, Hippomelas grossus Casey, H. planicauda Casey, Meliboeus carbonicolor Obenberger, Meliboeus pravus Obenberger, Pachyschelus caeruleus Schwam, P. orientalis Obenberger, Poecilonota cupripes Casey, P. parviceps Casey, Polycesta arizonica Schaeffer, Rhaeboscelis texana Schaeffer, Sambus delicatulus Obenberger, Stereosa cribripennis Casey, Stictocera laticornis Casey, S. pollens Casey, Texania bisinuata Casey, Trachys fisheri Obenberger, T. isolata Obenberger, T. scriptella Obenberger, T. subaenella Obenberger, T. (Habroloma) bakeriana Obenberger, T. (H.) singaporensis Obenberger, Tyndaris chamaeleonis Skinner and T. olneyae Skinner

Non-radial oscillations in M-giant semi-regular variables: Stellar models and Kepler observations

The success of asteroseismology relies heavily on our ability to identify the frequency patterns of stellar oscillation modes. For stars like the Sun this is relatively easy because the mode frequencies follow a regular pattern described by a well-founded asymptotic relation. When a solar like star evolves off the main sequence and onto the red giant branch its structure changes dramatically resulting in changes in the frequency pattern of the modes. We follow the evolution of the adiabatic frequency pattern from the main sequence to near the tip of the red giant branch for a series of models. We find a significant departure from the asymptotic relation for the non-radial modes near the red giant branch tip, resulting in a triplet frequency pattern. To support our investigation we analyze almost four years of Kepler data of the most luminous stars in the field (late K and early M type) and find that their frequency spectra indeed show a triplet pattern dominated by dipole modes even for the most luminous stars in our sample. Our identification explains previous results from ground-based observations reporting fine structure in the Petersen diagram and sub ridges in the period-luminosity diagram. Finally, we find `new ridges' of non-radial modes with frequencies below the fundamental mode in our model calculations, and we speculate they are related to f modes.Comment: 8 page, 5 figures, accepted by ApJL (ApJ, 788, L10

SARS: Systematic review of treatment effects

Background The SARS outbreak of 2002-2003 presented clinicians with a new, life-threatening disease for which they had no experience in treating and no research on the effectiveness of treatment options. The World Health Organization ( WHO) expert panel on SARS treatment requested a systematic review and comprehensive summary of treatments used for SARS-infected patients in order to guide future treatment and identify priorities for research. Methods and Findings In response to the WHO request we conducted a systematic review of the published literature on ribavirin, corticosteroids, lopinavir and ritonavir (LPV/r), type I interferon (IFN), intravenous immunoglobulin ( IVIG), and SARS convalescent plasma from both in vitro studies and in SARS patients. We also searched for clinical trial evidence of treatment for acute respiratory distress syndrome. Sources of data were the literature databases MEDLINE, EMBASE, BIOSIS, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials ( CENTRAL) up to February 2005. Data from publications were extracted and evidence within studies was classified using predefined criteria. In total, 54 SARS treatment studies, 15 in vitro studies, and three acute respiratory distress syndrome studies met our inclusion criteria. Within in vitro studies, ribavirin, lopinavir, and type I IFN showed inhibition of SARS-CoV in tissue culture. In SARS-infected patient reports on ribavirin, 26 studies were classified as inconclusive, and four showed possible harm. Seven studies of convalescent plasma or IVIG, three of IFN type I, and two of LPV/r were inconclusive. In 29 studies of steroid use, 25 were inconclusive and four were classified as causing possible harm. Conclusions Despite an extensive literature reporting on SARS treatments, it was not possible to determine whether treatments benefited patients during the SARS outbreak. Some may have been harmful. Clinical trials should be designed to validate a standard protocol for dosage and timing, and to accrue data in real time during future outbreaks to monitor specific adverse effects and help inform treatment

The Socratic Method: Empirical Assessment of a Psychology Capstone Course

Although students make some epistemological progress during college, most graduate without developing meaning-making strategies that reflect an understanding that knowledge is socially constructed. Using a pre-test–post-test design and a within-subjects 2 × 2 mixed-design ANOVA, this study reports on empirical findings which support the Socratic method of teaching as effective in challenging and changing psychology capstone students’ levels of epistemological maturity as measured by the Learning Environment Preferences survey and Perry’s model of intellectual maturity

Genetic map construction and quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping for nitrogen use efficiency and its relationship with productivity and quality of the biennial crop Belgian endive (Cichorium intybus L.)

A genetic study of the biennial crop Belgian endive (Cichorium intybus) was carried out to examine the effect of nitrogen nutrition during the vegetative phase in the control of the productivity and quality of the chicon (etiolated bud), a crop that grows during the second phase of development (forcing process). A population of 302 recombinant inbred lines (RIL) was obtained from the cross between contrasting lines "NS1" and "NR2". A genetic map was constructed and QTLs of several physiological and agronomical traits were mapped under two levels of nitrogen fertilization during the vegetative phase (N- and N+). The agronomical traits showed high broad sense heritability, whereas the physiological traits were characterized by low broad sense heritability. Nitrogen reserves mobilization during the forcing process was negatively correlated with nitrogen reserves content of the tuberized root and common QTLs were detected for these traits. The chicon productivity and quality were not correlated, but showed one common QTL. This study revealed that chicon productivity and quality were genetically associated with nitrogen reserves mobilization that exerts opposite effects on both traits. Chicon productivity was positively correlated with N reserves mobilization under N- and N+ and a common QTL with the same additive effects was detected for both traits. Chicon quality was negatively correlated with N reserves mobilization under N- and N+ and a common QTL with opposite additive effects was detected for both traits. These results lead to the conclusion that N reserves mobilization is a more effective trait than N reserves content in predicting chicon productivity and quality. Finally, this study revealed agronomical and physiological QTLs utilizable by breeders via marker-assisted selection to aid the optimization of chicon quality under adapted N fertilization

Ketogenic diets in clinical psychology: examining the evidence and implications for practice

Introduction: The application of ketogenic dietary interventions to mental health treatments is increasingly acknowledged within medical and psychiatric fields, yet its exploration in clinical psychology remains limited. This article discusses the potential implications of ketogenic diets, traditionally utilized for neurological disorders, within broader mental health practices. Methods: This article presents a perspective based on existing ketogenic diet research on historical use, biological mechanisms, and therapeutic benefits. It examines the potential application of these diets in mental health treatment and their relevance to clinical psychology research and practice. Results: The review informs psychologists of the therapeutic benefits of ketogenic diets and introduces to the psychology literature the underlying biological mechanisms involved, such as modulation of neurotransmitters, reduction of inflammation, and stabilization of brain energy metabolism, demonstrating their potential relevance to biopsychosocial practice in clinical psychology. Conclusion: By considering metabolic therapies, clinical psychologists can broaden their scope of biopsychosocial clinical psychology practice. This integration provides a care model that incorporates knowledge of the ketogenic diet as a treatment option in psychiatric care. The article emphasizes the need for further research and training for clinical psychologists to support the effective implementation of this metabolic psychiatry intervention