A new species of Colletes (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Colletidae) from northern Florida and Georgia, with notes on the Colletes of those states

Colletes ultravalidus Hall & Ascher, new species, is described from several sites in northwestern Florida and southeastern Georgia.  It is a member of the inaequalis species group, very similar to C. validus Cresson, a specialist of Ericaceae, but can be distinguished by an even more elongate malar area and the absence of conspicuous tergal fascia.  Colletes ultravalidus has been found flying from early winter to early spring when it forms nest aggregations in xeric sites adjacent to shrub bog or basin swamp, the habitat of Pieris phyllyreifolia (Hook.) DC. (Ericaceae), the most likely, but as yet unconfirmed, host plant of the new species.  State records of Colletes for Florida and Georgia are reviewed and discrepancies in taxonomy and distributional limits between Stephen’s 1954 revision of the genus and Mitchell’s 1960 monograph of eastern North American bees are noted.  We concur with Stephen that the distributions of several taxa in Colletes are more limited than that reported by Mitchell

Megachile sculpturalis, the Giant Resin Bee, overcomes the blossom structure of Sunn Hemp (Crotalaria juncea) that impedes pollination

Bee species that are effective pollinators of sunn hemp (Crotalaria juncea L.: Fabaceae: Crotalarieae) are few in number because of the large size and papilionaceous structure of the plant’s blossom.  Seed for this potentially valuable cover crop is largely unavailable due to the paucity of pollinators and to the plant’s self-incompatibility.  The introduced Megachile (Callomegachile) sculpturalis Smith (Megachilidae: Megachilinae), the giant resin bee, has the anatomy and behavior to be a most effective pollinator.  While holding onto the upper vexillum petal of the blossom with her mandibles, this bee has the strength to depress the lower keel causing pollen to be expelled by the style through the small opening at the end.  The bee is long enough for its metasoma to extend over the end of the keel, and, as a member of the family Megachilidae, has scopal hairs on the venter of the metasoma, which are thus in an optimal position to contact the pollen.  Honey bees (Apis mellifera L.: Apidae) are common visitors to sunn hemp flowers but are too small to be effective pollinators.  A honey bee worker robs the pollen by inserting her proboscis into the end of the keel and extracting the adhering pollen.  Possible problems could result from mutual enhancement of populations of an exotic bee and an exotic plant

Hydrodynamic Self-Consistent Field Theory for Inhomogeneous Polymer Melts

We introduce a mesoscale technique for simulating the structure and rheology of block copolymer melts and blends in hydrodynamic flows. The technique couples dynamic self consistent field theory (DSCFT) with continuum hydrodynamics and flow penalization to simulate polymeric fluid flows in channels of arbitrary geometry. We demonstrate the method by studying phase separation of an ABC triblock copolymer melt in a sub-micron channel with neutral wall wetting conditions. We find that surface wetting effects and shear effects compete, producing wall-perpendicular lamellae in the absence of flow, and wall-parallel lamellae in cases where the shear rate exceeds some critical Weissenberg number.Comment: Revised as per peer revie

2,2-Disubstituted-1,3-Propanediamines and Related Diurethans, Diureides and Hexahydropyrimidin-2-Ones

2,2-Disubstituted-1,3-Propanediamines Have Been Prepared and Converted to Diurethans, Diureides and Hexahydropyrimidin-2-Ones. a Practical Synthesis of 5-AlkyI-5-Phenylhexahydropyrimidin-2-Ones Has Been the Major Achievement. as a Cyclization Reagent Diphenyl Carbonate Was Superior to Diethyl Carbonate. © 1957, American Chemical Society. All Rights Reserved

A Web-Based Learning Module for Teaching GIS within the Context of Environmental Engineering

There is a Growing Need for Teaching Geographical Information Systems (GIS) in Engineering Disciplines, Such as Environmental. However, There Has Been Limited Focus on GIS in Undergraduate Programs, Since It\u27s Difficult to Fit a GIS Class into the Large Number of Class Requirements Already Included in Engineering Curricula. the Purpose of This Research is the Evaluation of Web-Based Learning Module Created by a Multidisciplinary Team at a Midwestern Technological Research University, Which Allows Instructors to Integrate GIS Instruction into Existing Courses. This Module is One Part of a Large-Scale National Science Foundation Funded Project in Which GIS Modules Are Being Developed for Several Areas in Civil Engineering. the Principal Goals of This Evaluation Are to Determine the overall Effectiveness of the Module, Identify the Factors that Mediate the Effectiveness, and to Determine Ways in Which the Module Can Be Made More Effective. Data Were Collected from 56 Students, 28 in an Experimental Group and 28 in a Control Group. Students in an Experimental Group Participated in a Laboratory Session, Which Utilized the Module, to Solve a Problem on Urban Ozone Events and Census Tract Analysis, Whereas Students in a Control Group Attended a Class Lecture Covering the Same Information. Students in the Experimental Group Completed a Questionnaire and Students in Both Groups Completed a Quiz over the Material. Quantitative Analysis Was Carried Out on the Quantitative Portion of the Scale for the Experimental Group, and for Both Groups on the Quiz. a Qualitative Analysis Was Applied to the Open-Ended Questionnaire Items for the Experimental Group. Students in the Experimental (Learning System) Section Scored Significantly Higher on the Quiz. Students in the Learning Systems Group Rated the Laboratory Session as Significantly More Effective for Learning, and More Motivational Than the Class Texts. They Also Rated the Lab Significantly More Applicable to Real World Engineering Than Both their Textbooks and Class Lecture. the Qualitative Analysis Revealed a Number of Ways the System Can Be Further Improved to Make the Module More Effective. © 2011 American Society for Engineering Education

Trachusa.

23, [1] p. : ill. (some col.) ; 26 cm.Herein we report on the nesting biology of ground-nesting Trachusa (Heteranthidium) larreae (Cockerell) from New Mexico and Arizona, an oligolege of creosote bush, Larrea tridentate (DC.) Coville (Zygophyllaceae). Nests are single, slanting, open burrows at the lower end of which are horizontal cells lined with resin collected from creosote bush, also the source of the orange, mealy-moist provisions. Eggs are placed on the surface of the provisions, and the first three instars remain in the same position as the eggs from which they hatched. The fourth instar separates its body from the provisions, and only the fifth (final larval) instar moves around the brood chamber while consuming remaining provisions and defecating prior to cocoon spinning. It is suggested that mid-dorsal body tubercles and an integumental body vestiture of short setae and setiform spicules restricted to this instar are adaptations enabling the movement of the fifth instar not only of this species but possibly those of other Megachilinae, all of which have a body vestiture and presumably mid-dorsal body tubercles. The cocoon is spun after most of the feces are voided. Like cocoons of many other Megachilidae, it bears a pronounced nipple at its anterior end. From its construction as well as by comparison with cocoons of other bee taxa, the nipple seems to serve a number of functions: it enables exchange between the interior air of the cocoon and the external ambient air; it screens out parasites and predators from attacking the cocoon inhabitant; and it probably regulates cell humidity. Eggs are briefly characterized, and three females each were found to have three ovarioles per ovary and to carry a single mature oocyte, which is classified as medium in Iwata and Sakagami's classification of egg/mature oocyte size relative to body size of female. The fifth instars (both pre- and post-defecating forms) are described and found similar to those of other Anthidiini

Stelis ater.

38 p. : ill. (some col.) ; 26 cm. "March 23, 2011."Herein we provide the first account of the nesting biology of Osmia (Helicosmia) chalybea Smith and of its cleptoparasite Stelis (Stelis) ater Mitchell, a newly confirmed host association. The nesting behavior of O. chalybea is similar to what is known about other members of the subgenus Helicosmia, but novel information concerning egg eclosion and cocoon structure and function are reported. Eggs of S. ater were discovered both on the front surface of the host provisions as well as deeply buried in the pollen-nectar mixture. From numerous observations, larval S. ater attacks host immatures or conspecifics whenever encountered. Because young larvae are unable to crawl (perhaps a family characteristic), the hospicidal individual may be in its third to fifth stadium or even in its second stadium, although none of the latter was certainly identified. Although usually a single cleptoparasitic egg or larva was found in a cell, two or three were occasionally observed there. The cocoon of S. ater was also examined closely. Although its construction differs in a number of ways from that of the host cocoon, the functions of both seem to be the same, i.e., excluding parasitic/parasitoid arthropods and preventing desiccation while allowing exchange of air with the outside through complex filtering devices at the front ends of cocoons. Known parasites/parasitoids in the area of study include the minute parasitoid wasp Melittobia digitata Dahms (Eulophidae) and the parasitic mite Chaetodactylus rozeni Klimov and O'Connor (the latter recovered from adults of O. chalybea). The nearly airtight cocoon fabric of both bee cocoons presumably assists immatures in maintaining their water balance through their many months of confinement. Ovarian statistics for both species are presented and compared with congeners, and their eggs/mature oocytes are described. Both have five larval instars. Comparative taxonomic descriptions of last larval instars are presented, and mandibular shapes of other larval instars are diagrammed

Ameloblastin is a cell adhesion molecule required for maintaining the differentiation state of ameloblasts

Tooth morphogenesis results from reciprocal interactions between oral epithelium and ectomesenchyme culminating in the formation of mineralized tissues, enamel, and dentin. During this process, epithelial cells differentiate into enamel-secreting ameloblasts. Ameloblastin, an enamel matrix protein, is expressed by differentiating ameloblasts. Here, we report the creation of ameloblastin-null mice, which developed severe enamel hypoplasia. In mutant tooth, the dental epithelium differentiated into enamel-secreting ameloblasts, but the cells were detached from the matrix and subsequently lost cell polarity, resumed proliferation, and formed multicell layers. Expression of Msx2, p27, and p75 were deregulated in mutant ameloblasts, the phenotypes of which were reversed to undifferentiated epithelium. We found that recombinant ameloblastin adhered specifically to ameloblasts and inhibited cell proliferation. The mutant mice developed an odontogenic tumor of dental epithelium origin. Thus, ameloblastin is a cell adhesion molecule essential for amelogenesis, and it plays a role in maintaining the differentiation state of secretory stage ameloblasts by binding to ameloblasts and inhibiting proliferation

An analysis of fast photochemistry over high northern latitudes during spring and summer using in-situ observations from ARCTAS and TOPSE

Observations of chemical constituents and meteorological quantities obtained during the two Arctic phases of the airborne campaign ARCTAS (Arctic Research of the Composition of the Troposphere from Aircraft and Satellites) are analyzed using an observationally constrained steady state box model. Measurements of OH and HO2 from the Penn State ATHOS instrument are compared to model predictions. Forty percent of OH measurements below 2 km are at the limit of detection during the spring phase (ARCTAS-A). While the median observed-to-calculated ratio is near one, both the scatter of observations and the model uncertainty for OH are at the magnitude of ambient values. During the summer phase (ARCTAS-B), model predictions of OH are biased low relative to observations and demonstrate a high sensitivity to the level of uncertainty in NO observations. Predictions of HO2 using observed CH2O and H2O2 as model constraints are up to a factor of two larger than observed. A temperature-dependent terminal loss rate of HO2 to aerosol recently proposed in the literature is shown to be insufficient to reconcile these differences. A comparison of ARCTAS-A to the high latitude springtime portion of the 2000 TOPSE campaign (Tropospheric Ozone Production about the Spring Equinox) shows similar meteorological and chemical environments with the exception of peroxides; observations of H2O2 during ARCTAS-A were 2.5 to 3 times larger than those during TOPSE. The cause of this difference in peroxides remains unresolved and has important implications for the Arctic HOx budget. Unconstrained model predictions for both phases indicate photochemistry alone is unable to simultaneously sustain observed levels of CH2O and H2O2; however when the model is constrained with observed CH2O, H2O2 predictions from a range of rainout parameterizations bracket its observations. A mechanism suitable to explain observed concentrations of CH2O is uncertain. Free tropospheric observations of acetaldehyde (CH3CHO) are 2–3 times larger than its predictions, though constraint of the model to those observations is sufficient to account for less than half of the deficit in predicted CH2O. The box model calculates gross O3 formation during spring to maximize from 1–4 km at 0.8 ppbv d−1, in agreement with estimates from TOPSE, and a gross production of 2–4 ppbv d−1 in the boundary layer and upper troposphere during summer. Use of the lower observed levels of HO2 in place of model predictions decreases the gross production by 25–50%. Net O3 production is near zero throughout the ARCTAS-A troposphere, and is 1–2 ppbv in the boundary layer and upper altitudes during ARCTAS-B