An updated checklist to the biodiversity data of ladybeetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) of the Azores Archipelago (Portugal)

BACKGROUND: A recently-published review from 2021 presents a comprehensive checklist of ladybeetles of Portugal, including the Azores and Madeira Archipelagos. Until then, the available information was very scattered and based on a single revision dating back to 1986, a few international catalogues and databases, individual records and studies on communities of agroecosystems. However, no information was available on faunal composition across the Azorean islands and their habitats, using standardised inventories. Here, we present data about the biodiversity of ladybeetles and their distribution and abundance in five Islands of the Azores (Faial, Graciosa, Pico, São Jorge and São Miguel). Surveys included herbaceous and arboreal habitats from native to anthropogenic-managed habitats: ruderal road vegetation, vegetable garden, mixed forest of endemic and non-native host plants, coastal prairies, coastal mixed vegetation, cornfields and urban areas. We aimed to contribute to the ongoing effort to document the terrestrial biodiversity of Portugal, including the Archipelago of the Azores, within the research project AZORESBIOPORTAL–PORBIOTA (ACORES-01-0145-FEDER-000072). NEW INFORMATION: In this study, a total of 1,487 specimens of Coccinellidae belonging to 19 species are reported for several habitats. The listed species are from one single sub-familiy (Coccinellinae) and six tribes; Chilocorini (one species), Coccidulini (three species), Coccinellini (six species), Noviini (one species), Scymnini (seven species), Stethorini (one species). The number of species collected per island differed; Faial (10 species), Graciosa (four species), Pico (seven species), São Jorge (seven species) and São Miguel (12 species). For six species, new island records are given. Currently, the number of species known to occur in the Azores are 32, including two doubtful records. The majority of species are Scymnini, being Scymnus (Scymnus) interruptus (Goeze, 1777) and Scymnus (Scymnus) nubilus Mulsant, 1850, the most abundant species (relative abundance 71.1%). This database will be the baseline of a long-term monitoring project allowing assessment of the impact of ongoing global changes in the distribution and abundance of ladybeetles.This study was financed by FEDER in 85% and by Azorean Public funds by 15% through the Operational Programme Azores 2020, under the following projects AZORESBIOPORTAL–PORBIOTA (ACORES-01-0145-FEDER-000072) and under the project ECO -TUTA (ACORES-01-0145-FEDER-000081) and by the Official Forestry Services from the Regional Government of the Azores, through the research projects PICA (Utilização de agentes de controlo biológico para o combate a populações de afídeos em plantas endémicas produzidas em viveiro) and PICONIA (Controlo biológico de populações de pragas de plantas endémicas produzidas em viveiro). Isabel Borges was funded by a PhD grant from Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) (POCI 2010).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

H? filtering of time-varying systems with bounded rates of variation

In this paper, the problem of robust filter design for time-varying discrete-time polytopic systems with bounded rates of variation is investigated. The design conditions are obtained by using a parameter-dependent Lyapunov function and the Finsler\u27s Lemma. A robust filter, that minimizes an upper bound to the H? performance of the estimation error, is obtained as the solution of an optimization problem. A more precise geometric representation of the parameter time variation was used in order to obtain less conservative design conditions. Robust filters for time-invariant, as well as arbitrarily time-varying, polytopic systems can be obtained as a particular case of the proposed method. Numerical examples illustrate the results

H? robust memory controllers for networked control systems: uncertain sampling rates and time delays in polytopic domains

In this paper, the problem of controller design for networked control systems with time-varying sampling rates and time delays is investigated. By using a memory at the feedback loop, a digital robust controller that minimizes an upper bound to the Hinfin performance of the closed loop system is determined. The design conditions are obtained from the Finsler\u27s Lemma combined with the Lyapunov theory and expressed in terms of bilinear matrix inequalities. Extra variables introduced by the Finsler\u27s Lemma are explored in order to provide a better system behavior. The time-varying uncertainties are modelled using polytopic domains. The controller is obtained by the solution of an optimization problem formulated only in terms of the vertices of the polytope, avoiding grids in the parametric space. Numerical examples illustrate the efficiency of the proposed approach

H? filtering of networked systems with time-varying sampling rates

In this paper, the problem of robust filter design for networked systems with time-varying sampling rate is investigated. The design conditions are obtained by using the Lyapunov theory and the Finsler\u27s Lemma. A robust filter, that minimizes an upper bound to the Hinfin performance of the estimation error, is obtained as the solution of an optimization problem. A path-dependent Lyapunov function is used in order to obtain less conservative design conditions. Robust filters based on affine parameter-dependent Lyapunov functions can be obtained as a particular case of the proposed method. Numerical examples illustrate the results

H? Gain Scheduling for Discrete-Time Systems with Control Delays and Time-Varying Parameters: a BMI Approach

In this paper, the problem of gain scheduling for time-varying systems with time delays is investigated. By using a memory at the feedback loop, a discrete gain scheduled controller which minimizes an upper bound to the ,Hscrinfin performance of the closed loop system is determined. The design conditions, expressed in terms of bilinear matrix inequalities, are obtained from the Finsler\u27s Lemma combined with the Lyapunov theory. The extra variables introduced by the Finsler\u27s Lemma represent an alternative way in the search of better system behavior. The time-varying uncertainties are modeled using polytopic domains. The controller is obtained by the solution of an optimization problem formulated only in terms of the vertices of the polytope. No grids in the parametric space are used. Numerical examples illustrate the efficiency of the proposed approach

Stanniocalcin 2 contributes to aggressiveness and is a prognostic marker for oral squamous cell carcinoma

Stanniocalcin 2 (STC2), a glycoprotein that regulates calcium and phosphate homeostasis during mineral metabolism, appears to display multiple roles in tumorigenesis and cancer progression. This study aimed to access the prognostic value of STC2 in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and its implications in oral tumorigenesis. STC2 expression was examined in 2 independent cohorts of OSCC tissues by immunohistochemistry. A loss-of-function strategy using shRNA targeting STC2 was employed to investigate STC2 in vitro effects on proliferation, apoptosis, migration, invasion, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and possible activation of signaling pathways. Moreover, STC2 effects were assessed in vivo in a xenograft mouse cancer model. High expression of STC2 was significantly associated with poor disease-specific survival (HR: 2.67, 95% CI: 1.37-5.21, p = 0.001) and high rate of recurrence with a hazard ratio of 2.80 (95% CI: 1.07-5.71, p = 0.03). In vitro downregulation of STC2 expression in OSCC cells attenuated proliferation, migration and invasiveness while increased apoptotic rates. In addition, the STC2 downregulation controlled EMT phenotype of OSCC cells, with regulation on E-cadherin, vimentin, Snaill, Twist and Zeb2. The reactivation of STC2 was observed in the STC2 knockdown cells in the in vivo xenograft model, and no influence on tumor growth was observed. Modulation of STC2 expression levels did not alter consistently the phosphorylation status of CREB, ERK, JNK, p38, p70 S6K, STAT3, STAT5A/B and AKT. Our findings suggest that STC2 overexpression is an independent marker of OSCC outcome and may contribute to tumor progression via regulation of proliferation, survival and invasiveness of OSCC cells.Peer reviewe

Trabalho, terra e geração de renda em três décadas de reflorestamentos no alto Jequitinhonha.

A partir dos anos 1970, as chapadas do Alto Jequitinhonha, localizadas no nordeste de Minas Gerais, até então áreas de uso comum de agricultores familiares, foram plantadas com eucaliptos. O objetivo deste artigo é comparar os efeitos do reflorestamento sobre a estrutura fundiária, valor da produção agrícola e ocupação rural com os efeitos da produção agrícola familiar sobre essas mesmas variáveis na microrregião homogênea de Capelinha, no Alto Jequitinhonha. Tal microrregião foi escolhida para o estudo por ser a área de maior concentração de eucaliptais da região. Foram utilizados dados secundários dos Censos do IBGE para os anos de 1970, 1980, 1985 e 1996, além de dados secundários de pesquisas realizadas sobre a região em questão, incluindo entrevistas com dirigentes de empresas e lideranças sindicais. O artigo conclui que, em trinta anos, o reflorestamento concentrou terras e criou um número reduzido de empregos; a agricultura familiar, ao contrário, teve suas áreas de terras comprimidas e super-exploradas em decorrência da perda das chapadas, mas continuou sendo a principal responsável pela geração de ocupações e rendas na região

Prime Focus Spectrograph (PFS) for the Subaru Telescope: Overview, recent progress, and future perspectives

PFS (Prime Focus Spectrograph), a next generation facility instrument on the 8.2-meter Subaru Telescope, is a very wide-field, massively multiplexed, optical and near-infrared spectrograph. Exploiting the Subaru prime focus, 2394 reconfigurable fibers will be distributed over the 1.3 deg field of view. The spectrograph has been designed with 3 arms of blue, red, and near-infrared cameras to simultaneously observe spectra from 380nm to 1260nm in one exposure at a resolution of ~1.6-2.7A. An international collaboration is developing this instrument under the initiative of Kavli IPMU. The project is now going into the construction phase aiming at undertaking system integration in 2017-2018 and subsequently carrying out engineering operations in 2018-2019. This article gives an overview of the instrument, current project status and future paths forward.Comment: 17 pages, 10 figures. Proceeding of SPIE Astronomical Telescopes and Instrumentation 201