Inventario y conservación de los escarabajos (Scarabaeoidea) de las zonas áridas del sur de América del Sur

Scarabaeoidea es uno de los grupos de escarabajos (Coleoptera) mas diversos del planeta con cerca de 2.200 géneros 32.000 especies descriptas (Jameson & Ratcliffe, 2002) en todo el mundo y unos 500 géneros y 6000 especies en el Neotrópico. Los escarabeoideos se encuentran presentes en casi todos los hábitats y muestran una amplia variedad de hábitos alimenticios, estos son herbívoros, fungívoros, necrófagos, coprófagos, saprófagos e incluso carnívoros. También presentan diferentes hábitos de vida, los hay mirmecófilos, termitófilos y ectoparásitos. Morfológicamente son muy variables, algunos poseen grandes cuernos y muchas especies presentan alto grado de dimorfismo sexual. Algunos son considerados pestes de cultivos y otros proveen grandes beneficios al hombre al ser importantes eslabones en el reciclaje de materia orgánica como por ejemplo madera, estiércol y carroña. Las áreas áridas de América del Sur incluyen varios ambientes diferentes tales como la Puna Boliviana, el desierto de Atacama en Chile y Perú,  Chile Central, el Cerrado y La Caatinga en Brasil, la Puna Andina, el bosque Chaqueño, el Monte en el Oeste y Centro de Argentina y las estepa Patagónica en el extremo sur del continente.  Existen diferentes teorías sobre el origen y antigüedad de las áreas áridas de América del Sur. Algunos autores sugieren que el origen es reciente y que habrían alcanzado su máxima extensión entre el Plioceno Medio y el Cuaternario (3.6-1.8 ma) (Raven y Axelrod, 1974; Lewis 1966). Ésta teoría se base en evidencia que indica que los bosques tropicales y subtropicales estaban muy extendidos y alcanzaban los 45° de latitud Sur y que el clima de América del Sur era mucho mas húmedo durante buena parte del Cenozoico. Otros autores sugieren que las áreas áridas de América del Sur serían mucho mas antiguas y, aunque por períodos habrían estado reducidas en extensión, existieron a lo largo del Terciario e incluso desde el Jurásico (Kuschel, 1969; Roig-Juñent et al., 2006). La idea de áreas áridas muy antiguas se base en la existencia en estas áreas de grupos de plantas (ej. Zygophyllaceae) y animales (ej. Tenebrionidae, Pimelinae; Carabidae, Cicindini) muy antiguos y que poseen distribuciones disyuntas en diferentes desiertos del mundo.Aún cuando ciertos grupos de Scarabaeoidea son relativamente bien conocidos [ej. Lucanidae, Dynastinae (Scarabaeidae)] el estado actual del conocimiento de Scarabaoidea de las zonas áridas del sur de América del Sur es un muy escaso.  Con la excepción de algunos trabajos sobre revisiones de géneros, descripciones de especies y sinopsis parciales de géneros (ej. Martínez, 1945, 1975, 1988) no existen trabajos monográficos o revisiones modernas para Scarabaeoidea de las zonas áridas del sur de América del Sur. Aún mas, los trabajos existentes sobre Scarabaeoidea de zonas áridas australes no consideran su estudio en un contexto biogeográfico histórico y/o ecológico. En el Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas en al provincia de Mendoza, Argentina, y en colaboración con varios especialistas de Canadá, España, Estados Unidos y México, se esta desarrollando un proyecto de investigación sobre los Scarabaeoidea de la Estepa Patagónica, el desierto del Monte, el bosque Chaqueño, Chile Central y el desierto de Atacama.  Este proyecto tiene como objetivos hacer un inventario de la fauna de Scarabaeoidea de las zonas áridas del sur de América del Sur, realizar revisiones taxonómicas y monografías de los taxa endémicos, crear herramientas de identificación (en formato impreso y electrónico) para las especies, estudiar sus patrones biogeográficos y proveer información a quienes deben tomar medidas de conservación de la biodiversidad.Fil: Ocampo, Federico Carlos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas; Argentin

Hybosorids of the United States and Expanding Distribution of the Introduced Species \u3ci\u3eHybosorus illigeri\u3c/i\u3e (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea: Hybosoridae)

ABSTRACT Two species of Hybosoridae, Hybosorus illigeri Reiche and Pachyplectrus laevis LeConte, are distributed in the United States. For the introduced species H. illigeri, three new country records are reported (Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, and Venezuela); six new state records are recorded in the United States (Arkansas, Arizona, Kansas, Missouri, New Mexico, and Virginia); and 10 new state records are reported in Mexico (Baja California Sur, Chiapas, Michoacán, Nuevo León, Sinaloa, Sonora, Tamaulipas, Veracruz, Querétaro, and Yucatán). Information on the predatory habits of H. illigeri and a report as a turfgrass pest in the state of Arizona are provided. Pachyplectrus laevis is redescribed, and information on its biology and distribution is provided. A key to the species is provided along with diagnostic illustrations. RESUMEN Dos especies de Hybosoridae, Hybosorus illigeri Reiche y Pachyplectrus laevis LeConte se distribuyen en los Estados Unidos. Se reporta para la especie introducida, Hybosorus illigeri, nuevos registros en tres paises (República Dominicana, Nicaragua y Venezuela); seis nuevos registros en estados de los Estados Unidos (Arkansas, Arizona, Kansas, Missouri, New Mexico, y Virginia); y diez nuevos registros en estados de Mexico (Baja California Sur, Chiapas, Michoacán, Nuevo León, Sinaloa, Sonora, Tamaulipas, Veracruz, Querétaro y Yucatán). Se provee información sobre los hábitos predadores de Hybosorus illigeri. Pachyplectrus laevis es redescripta y se provee información sobre su biología y distribución. Se provee una clave para las especies junto con ilustraciones para su diagnosis

Phylogenetic Analysis of the Scarab Family Hybosoridae and Monographic Revision of the New World Subfamily Anaidinae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea)

1. Introduction to the Scarab Family Hybosoridae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea). Federico C. Ocampo. 2. Molecular Phylogenetics and Systematic Placement of the Family Hybosoridae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea). Federico C. Ocampo and David C. Hawks. 3. Phylogenetic Analysis of the Subfamily Anaidinae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea). Federico C. Ocampo. 4. Catalog of the Subfamilies Anaidinae, Ceratocanthinae, Hybosorinae, Liparochrinae, and Pachyplectrinae (Scarabaeoidea: Hybosoridae). Federico C. Ocampo and Alberto Ballerio. Abstract. Phylogenetic analyses and taxonomic revisions were conducted on the scarabaeoid family Hybosoridae. Two new subfamilies of Hybosoridae are described, Liparochrinae and Pachyplectrinae. Phylogenetic analysis and a systematic revision of the New World subfamily Anaidinae are provided. The phylogenetic analyses of the family Hybosoridae, based on molecular data from the 288 D2 and D3 regions rDNA and 188 rDNA, support the monophyly of Hybosoridae. Five clades (referred to as subfamilies) comprise the Hybosoridae: Anaidinae, Ceratocanthinae, Hybosorinae, Liparochrinae (new subfamily), and Pachyplectrinae (new subfamily). As a result, the following family-group names have new status: Anaidinae (previously considered a tribe) and Ceratocanthinae (previously considered a family). Phylogenetic analyses of the subfamily Anaidinae, based on 117 adult morphological characters, support the monophyly of the subfamily, which now includes six genera: Anaides Westwood, Callosides Howden, Chaetodus Westwood, Cryptogenius Westwood, Hybochaetodus Arrow, and Totoia Ocampo. Character states supporting clades of Anaidinae are discussed. Descriptions of all subfamilies of Hybosoridae are provided. Keys to genera and species of Anaidinae, and synopses of all genera are provided. Two genera of Anaidinae are revised: Anaides and Chaetodus. The genus Anaides now includes 13 species, eight of which are new. The new species are: A. carioca, A. howdeni, A. onofrii, A. ortii, A. parvulus, A. plana, A. quinckei, and A. vartorellii. The species A. reticulatus Endrodi is placed in synonymy with A. fossulatus Westwood. The genus Chaetodus now includes two subgenera and 33 species, 19 of which are new. The new species are: C. datoi, C. globosus, C. hoffmanni, C. jamesonae, C. maquipucuna, C. mimi, C. nigrofrons, C. noirregularis, C. paucarae, C. paulseni, C. pax, C. platynotus, C. octocarinatus, C. ratcliffei, C. rodolfo, C. sagittarius, C. smithi, C. teamscaraborum, and C. tricarinatus. A new species in the genus Totoia Ocampo, T. magnifica, is described and now brings the total number of species in this genus to three species. The subgenus Pseudohybosorus Endrodi is placed in synonymy with Chaetodus Westwood. Pseudohybosorus drifti Endrodi and the subspecies Chaetodus amazonicus inesperatus Martinez are placed in synonymy with Chaetodus amazonicus de Borre. Chaetodus apicipennis Petrovitz is placed in synonymy with C. exaratus Arrow. Chaetodus striatus de Borre is placed in synonymy with C. irregularis Westwood. A catalog of the world Hybosoridae species is provided. Resumen. Se condujo un análisis filogenético y revisiones taxonómicas de la familia Hybosoirae (Scarabaeoidea). Dos nuevas subfamilias de Hybosoridae son descriptas, Liparochrinae y Pachyplectrinae. Se proveen análisis filogenéticos y una revision sistemática de la subfamilia Neotropical Anaidinae. Los analisis filogenéticos de la familia Hybosoridae basados en datos moleculares de las regiones 28S D2 y D3 rADN y del 18S rADN, soportan la monofilia de Hybosoridae. Cinco clados (referidos aqui como subfamilias) comprenden la familia Hybosoridae: Anaidinae, Ceratocanthinae, Hybosorinae, Liparochrinae (nueva subfamilia) y Pachyplectrinae (nueva subfamilia). Como resultado, los siguientes nombres del grupo familia poseen nuevo estatus: Anaidinae (previamente considerada tribu) y Ceratocanthinae (previamente considerada familia). Análisis filogenéticos de la subfamilia Anaidinae, basados en 117 caracteres morfológicos de adultos sostienen la monofilia de la subfamilia que ahora incluye seis géneros: Anaides Westwood, Callosides Howden, Chaetodus Westwood, Cryptogenius Westwood, Hybochaetodus Arrow y Totoia Ocampo. Los caracteres que dan soporte a los clados de Anaidinae son discutidos. Se proveen descripciones de todas las subfamilias. Se proveen claves para los generos y especies y sinopsis para todos los generos de Anaidinae. Dos géneros de Anaidinae son revisados: Anaides y Chaetodus. El genero Anaides ahora incluye 13 especies, ocho de ell as nuevas. Las nuevas especies son: A. carioca, A. howdeni, A. onofrii, A. ortii, A. parvuIus, A. plana, A. quinckei y A. vartorellii. Las especie A. reticulatus Endrodi es sinonimizada con A. fossulatus Westwood. El género Chaetodus ahora incluye 33 especies, 19 de las cuales son nuevas. Las especies nuevas son: C. datoi, C. globosus, C. hoffmanni, C. jamesonae, C. maquipucuna, C. mimi, C. nigrofrons, C. noirregularis, C. paucarae, C. paulseni, C. pax, C. platynotus, C. octocarinatus, C. ratcliffei, C. rodolfo, C. sagittarius, C. smithi, C. teamscaraborum y C. tricarinatus. Una nueva especie del genero Totoia Ocampo, T. magnifica, es descripta y ahora el genero cuenta con tres especies. El subgénero Pseudohybosorus Endrodi es sinonimizado con Chaetodus Westwood. Pseudohybosorus drifti Endrodi y la subespecie Chaetodus amazonicus inesperatus Martinez son sinonimizadas con Chaetodus amazonicus de Borre. Chaetodus apicipennis Petrovitz es sinonimizada con C. exaratus Arrow. Chaetodus striatus de Borre es sinonimizada con C. irregularis Westwood. Se provee un catálogo de los Hybosoridae del Mundo

Cladistic analysis of the pennatulacean genus \u3ci\u3eRenilla\u3c/i\u3e Lamarck, 1816 (Coelenterata, Octocorallia)

The genus Renilla is an interesting taxon for phylogenetic studies, which includes six species endemic to America with an anphiamerican distribution (Pacific–Atlantic Ocean). A cladistic analysis of Renilla Lamarck, 1816 using eight characters from external morphology produced one cladogram (length 14, CI = 0.92, RI = 0.87), and the characters were polarized using Echinoptilum macintoshii Hubrecht, 1885 as an outgroup. In the cladogram the following phylogenetic sequence results: ((R. koellikeri (R. muelleri, R. musaica)) (R. octodentata (R. reniformis, R. tentaculata)))

Differential cross section measurements for the production of a W boson in association with jets in proton–proton collisions at √s = 7 TeV

Measurements are reported of differential cross sections for the production of a W boson, which decays into a muon and a neutrino, in association with jets, as a function of several variables, including the transverse momenta (pT) and pseudorapidities of the four leading jets, the scalar sum of jet transverse momenta (HT), and the difference in azimuthal angle between the directions of each jet and the muon. The data sample of pp collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV was collected with the CMS detector at the LHC and corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 5.0 fb[superscript −1]. The measured cross sections are compared to predictions from Monte Carlo generators, MadGraph + pythia and sherpa, and to next-to-leading-order calculations from BlackHat + sherpa. The differential cross sections are found to be in agreement with the predictions, apart from the pT distributions of the leading jets at high pT values, the distributions of the HT at high-HT and low jet multiplicity, and the distribution of the difference in azimuthal angle between the leading jet and the muon at low values.United States. Dept. of EnergyNational Science Foundation (U.S.)Alfred P. Sloan Foundatio

Penilaian Kinerja Keuangan Koperasi di Kabupaten Pelalawan

This paper describe development and financial performance of cooperative in District Pelalawan among 2007 - 2008. Studies on primary and secondary cooperative in 12 sub-districts. Method in this stady use performance measuring of productivity, efficiency, growth, liquidity, and solvability of cooperative. Productivity of cooperative in Pelalawan was highly but efficiency still low. Profit and income were highly, even liquidity of cooperative very high, and solvability was good

Juxtaposing BTE and ATE – on the role of the European insurance industry in funding civil litigation

One of the ways in which legal services are financed, and indeed shaped, is through private insurance arrangement. Two contrasting types of legal expenses insurance contracts (LEI) seem to dominate in Europe: before the event (BTE) and after the event (ATE) legal expenses insurance. Notwithstanding institutional differences between different legal systems, BTE and ATE insurance arrangements may be instrumental if government policy is geared towards strengthening a market-oriented system of financing access to justice for individuals and business. At the same time, emphasizing the role of a private industry as a keeper of the gates to justice raises issues of accountability and transparency, not readily reconcilable with demands of competition. Moreover, multiple actors (clients, lawyers, courts, insurers) are involved, causing behavioural dynamics which are not easily predicted or influenced. Against this background, this paper looks into BTE and ATE arrangements by analysing the particularities of BTE and ATE arrangements currently available in some European jurisdictions and by painting a picture of their respective markets and legal contexts. This allows for some reflection on the performance of BTE and ATE providers as both financiers and keepers. Two issues emerge from the analysis that are worthy of some further reflection. Firstly, there is the problematic long-term sustainability of some ATE products. Secondly, the challenges faced by policymakers that would like to nudge consumers into voluntarily taking out BTE LEI

Search for stop and higgsino production using diphoton Higgs boson decays

Results are presented of a search for a "natural" supersymmetry scenario with gauge mediated symmetry breaking. It is assumed that only the supersymmetric partners of the top-quark (stop) and the Higgs boson (higgsino) are accessible. Events are examined in which there are two photons forming a Higgs boson candidate, and at least two b-quark jets. In 19.7 inverse femtobarns of proton-proton collision data at sqrt(s) = 8 TeV, recorded in the CMS experiment, no evidence of a signal is found and lower limits at the 95% confidence level are set, excluding the stop mass below 360 to 410 GeV, depending on the higgsino mass

Impacts of the Tropical Pacific/Indian Oceans on the Seasonal Cycle of the West African Monsoon

The current consensus is that drought has developed in the Sahel during the second half of the twentieth century as a result of remote effects of oceanic anomalies amplified by local land–atmosphere interactions. This paper focuses on the impacts of oceanic anomalies upon West African climate and specifically aims to identify those from SST anomalies in the Pacific/Indian Oceans during spring and summer seasons, when they were significant. Idealized sensitivity experiments are performed with four atmospheric general circulation models (AGCMs). The prescribed SST patterns used in the AGCMs are based on the leading mode of covariability between SST anomalies over the Pacific/Indian Oceans and summer rainfall over West Africa. The results show that such oceanic anomalies in the Pacific/Indian Ocean lead to a northward shift of an anomalous dry belt from the Gulf of Guinea to the Sahel as the season advances. In the Sahel, the magnitude of rainfall anomalies is comparable to that obtained by other authors using SST anomalies confined to the proximity of the Atlantic Ocean. The mechanism connecting the Pacific/Indian SST anomalies with West African rainfall has a strong seasonal cycle. In spring (May and June), anomalous subsidence develops over both the Maritime Continent and the equatorial Atlantic in response to the enhanced equatorial heating. Precipitation increases over continental West Africa in association with stronger zonal convergence of moisture. In addition, precipitation decreases over the Gulf of Guinea. During the monsoon peak (July and August), the SST anomalies move westward over the equatorial Pacific and the two regions where subsidence occurred earlier in the seasons merge over West Africa. The monsoon weakens and rainfall decreases over the Sahel, especially in August.Peer reviewe

Severe early onset preeclampsia: short and long term clinical, psychosocial and biochemical aspects

Preeclampsia is a pregnancy specific disorder commonly defined as de novo hypertension and proteinuria after 20 weeks gestational age. It occurs in approximately 3-5% of pregnancies and it is still a major cause of both foetal and maternal morbidity and mortality worldwide1. As extensive research has not yet elucidated the aetiology of preeclampsia, there are no rational preventive or therapeutic interventions available. The only rational treatment is delivery, which benefits the mother but is not in the interest of the foetus, if remote from term. Early onset preeclampsia (<32 weeks’ gestational age) occurs in less than 1% of pregnancies. It is, however often associated with maternal morbidity as the risk of progression to severe maternal disease is inversely related with gestational age at onset2. Resulting prematurity is therefore the main cause of neonatal mortality and morbidity in patients with severe preeclampsia3. Although the discussion is ongoing, perinatal survival is suggested to be increased in patients with preterm preeclampsia by expectant, non-interventional management. This temporising treatment option to lengthen pregnancy includes the use of antihypertensive medication to control hypertension, magnesium sulphate to prevent eclampsia and corticosteroids to enhance foetal lung maturity4. With optimal maternal haemodynamic status and reassuring foetal condition this results on average in an extension of 2 weeks. Prolongation of these pregnancies is a great challenge for clinicians to balance between potential maternal risks on one the eve hand and possible foetal benefits on the other. Clinical controversies regarding prolongation of preterm preeclamptic pregnancies still exist – also taking into account that preeclampsia is the leading cause of maternal mortality in the Netherlands5 - a debate which is even more pronounced in very preterm pregnancies with questionable foetal viability6-9. Do maternal risks of prolongation of these very early pregnancies outweigh the chances of neonatal survival? Counselling of women with very early onset preeclampsia not only comprises of knowledge of the outcome of those particular pregnancies, but also knowledge of outcomes of future pregnancies of these women is of major clinical importance. This thesis opens with a review of the literature on identifiable risk factors of preeclampsia