Occurrence of Different Gynandromorphs and Ergatandromorphs in Laboratory Colonies of the Urban Ant, Monomorium floricola

Colonies of Monomorium floricola (Jerdon) in laboratory conditions showed gynandromorphic and ergatandromorphic specimens, the former with nine different combinations of male and female tissues and the latter with 6 different combinations. Their development from egg to adult was around 74.6 days for gynandromorphs, and 87.5 days for ergantandromorphs

Scaling properties of protein family phylogenies

One of the classical questions in evolutionary biology is how evolutionary processes are coupled at the gene and species level. With this motivation, we compare the topological properties (mainly the depth scaling, as a characterization of balance) of a large set of protein phylogenies with a set of species phylogenies. The comparative analysis shows that both sets of phylogenies share remarkably similar scaling behavior, suggesting the universality of branching rules and of the evolutionary processes that drive biological diversification from gene to species level. In order to explain such generality, we propose a simple model which allows us to estimate the proportion of evolvability/robustness needed to approximate the scaling behavior observed in the phylogenies, highlighting the relevance of the robustness of a biological system (species or protein) in the scaling properties of the phylogenetic trees. Thus, the rules that govern the incapability of a biological system to diversify are equally relevant both at the gene and at the species level.Comment: Replaced with final published versio

Factors influencing citrus fruit scarring caused by Pezothrips kellyanus

[EN] Kelly s citrus thrips (KCT) Pezothrips kellyanus (Bagnall) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) is a recently recorded cosmopolitan citrus pest, causing fruit scarring that results in downgrading of fruit. Due to the detrimental effects caused on fruits by KCT, we wanted to study some of the factors influencing fruit scarring. Specifically, the objectives were: (1) to determine the fruit development stage when citrus fruits are damaged by KCT and the population structure of KCT during this period, (2) to study the influence of temperature on intensity of damage, and finally, (3) to identify alternative host plants. KCT populations on flowers and fruitlets and alternate plant hosts were sampled in four citrus orchards from 2008 to 2010. The percentage of damaged fruits was also recorded. The exotic vine Araujia sericifera (Apocynaceae) was recorded as a new host for KCT. Thrips scarring started to increase at 350 650 degree-days (DD) above 10.2 C, coinciding with a peak abundance of the second instar larval stages over all 3 years of the study. The maximum percentage of larval stages of KCT was observed in the 3 years at about 500 DD, a period which corresponds to the end of May or early June. Variation in the severity of fruit scarring appeared to be related to air temperature. Temperature likely affects the synchronisation between the peak in abundance of KCT larvae, and the period when fruitlets are susceptible to thrips damage. Temperature can also influence the survival and development of KCT populations in citrus and other host plants in the citrus agro-ecosystem.The authors thank Alejandro Tena for his valuable suggestions and two anonymous referees for their careful review and helpful comments. We also extend our thanks to the owners of the commercial orchards for giving us permission to use their citrus orchards. The first author was awarded an FPI fellowship from the Polytechnic University of Valencia to obtain her PhD degree.Navarro Campos, C.; Pekas, A.; Aguilar Martí, MA.; Garcia Marí, F. (2013). Factors influencing citrus fruit scarring caused by Pezothrips kellyanus. Journal of Pest Science. (86):459-467. doi:10.1007/s10340-013-0489-7S45946786Baker GJ (2006) Kelly citrus thrips management. Fact sheet. Government of South Australia, primary industries and resources SA. http://www.sardi.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/44875/kctfact_sheet.pdf . Accessed 16 July 2012Baker GJ, Jackman DJ, Keller M, MacGregor A, Purvis S (2002) Development of an integrated pest management system for thrips in Citrus. HAL Final Report CT97007. http://www.sardi.sa.gov.au/pestsdiseases/horticulture/horticultural_pests/kelly_citrus_thrips/research_report_1997-2000 . Accessed 16 July 2012Bedford ECG (1998) Thrips, wind and other blemishes. Citrus pests in the Republic of South Africa. In: Bedford ECG, van den Berg MA, de Villiers EA (eds) ARC-Institute for tropical and subtropical crops, Nelspruit, South Africa, pp 170–183Blank RH, Gill GSC (1997) Thrips (Thysanoptera: Terebrantia) on flowers and fruit of citrus in New Zealand. N Z J Crop Hortic Sci 25:319–332Chellemi D, Funderburk F, Hall D (1994) Seasonal abundance of flower-inhabiting Frankliniella species (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) on wild plant species. Environ Entomol 23:337–342Conti F, Tuminelli R, Amico C, Fisicaro R, Frittitta C, Perrotta G, Marullo R (2001) Monitoring Pezothrips kellyanus on citrus in eastern Sicily, Thrips and tospoviruses. In: Proceedings of the 7th international symposium on Thysanoptera, Reggio Calabria, 1–8 July 2001, Italy, pp 207–210Costa L, Mateus C, zurStrassen R, Franco JC (2006) Thrips (Thysanoptera) associated to lemon orchards in the Oeste region of Portugal. 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Boletín de Patología Vegetal y Entomología Agrícola 19:135–146Grout TG, Morse JG, O’Connell NV, Flaherty DL, Goodell PB, Freeman MW, Coviello RL (1986) Citrus thrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) phenology and sampling in the San Joaquin Valley. J Econ Entomol 79:1516–1523Horton J (1918) The citrus thrips. US Dep Agric Bull 616:1–42Kirk WDJ (1987) A key to the larvae of some common Australian flower thrips (Insecta: Thysanoptera), with a host-plant survey. Aust J Zool 35:173–185Lacasa A, Llorens JM, Sánchez JA (1996) Un Scirtothrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) causa daños en los cítricos en España. Bol San Veg Plagas 22:79–95Lewis HC (1935) Factors influencing citrus thrips damage. J Econ Entomol 28:1011–1015Lewis T (1997) Distribution, abundance and population dynamics. In: Lewis T (ed) Thrips as crop pests. CAB International, Wallingford, pp 217–258Lovatt C, Streeter S, Minter T, O’connell N, Flaherty D, Freeman M, Goodell P (1984) Phenology of flowering in Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck, cv. Washington navel orange. Proc Int Soc Citric 1:186–190Marullo R (1998) Pezothrips kellyanus, un nuovo tripide parassita delle colture meridionali. Informatore Fitopatologico 48:72–75Milne JR, Milne M, Walter GH (1997) A key to larval thrips (Thysanoptera) from Granite Belt stonefruit trees and a first description of Pseudanaphothrips achaetus (Bagnall) larvae. Aust J Entomol 36:319–326Mound LA, Jackman DJ (1998) Thrips in the economy and ecology of Australia, In: Zalucki MP, RAI Drew RAI, White GG (eds) Pest Management: future challenges, Proceedings of the sixth Australian applied entomological research conference, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, pp 472–478Mound LA, Marullo R (1996) The thrips of Central and South America (Insecta: Thysanoptera): an introduction. Mem Entomol Int 6:1–487Mound LA, Walker AK (1982) Terebrantia (Insecta: Thysanoptera). 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Radiative contribution to neutrino masses and mixing in μν\mu\nuSSM

In an extension of the minimal supersymmetric standard model (popularly known as the $\mu\nu$SSM), three right handed neutrino superfields are introduced to solve the $\mu$-problem and to accommodate the non-vanishing neutrino masses and mixing. Neutrino masses at the tree level are generated through $R-$parity violation and seesaw mechanism. We have analyzed the full effect of one-loop contributions to the neutrino mass matrix. We show that the current three flavour global neutrino data can be accommodated in the $\mu\nu$SSM, for both the tree level and one-loop corrected analyses. We find that it is relatively easier to accommodate the normal hierarchical mass pattern compared to the inverted hierarchical or quasi-degenerate case, when one-loop corrections are included.Comment: 51 pages, 14 figures (58 .eps files), expanded introduction, other minor changes, references adde

Stochastic Gravity: Theory and Applications

Whereas semiclassical gravity is based on the semiclassical Einstein equation with sources given by the expectation value of the stress-energy tensor of quantum fields, stochastic semiclassical gravity is based on the Einstein-Langevin equation, which has in addition sources due to the noise kernel.In the first part, we describe the fundamentals of this new theory via two approaches: the axiomatic and the functional. In the second part, we describe three applications of stochastic gravity theory. First, we consider metric perturbations in a Minkowski spacetime: we compute the two-point correlation functions for the linearized Einstein tensor and for the metric perturbations. Second, we discuss structure formation from the stochastic gravity viewpoint. Third, we discuss the backreaction of Hawking radiation in the gravitational background of a quasi-static black hole.Comment: 75 pages, no figures, submitted to Living Reviews in Relativit

Stochastic Gravity: Theory and Applications

Whereas semiclassical gravity is based on the semiclassical Einstein equation with sources given by the expectation value of the stress-energy tensor of quantum fields, stochastic semiclassical gravity is based on the Einstein-Langevin equation, which has in addition sources due to the noise kernel. In the first part, we describe the fundamentals of this new theory via two approaches: the axiomatic and the functional. In the second part, we describe three applications of stochastic gravity theory. First, we consider metric perturbations in a Minkowski spacetime, compute the two-point correlation functions of these perturbations and prove that Minkowski spacetime is a stable solution of semiclassical gravity. Second, we discuss structure formation from the stochastic gravity viewpoint. Third, we discuss the backreaction of Hawking radiation in the gravitational background of a black hole and describe the metric fluctuations near the event horizon of an evaporating black holeComment: 100 pages, no figures; an update of the 2003 review in Living Reviews in Relativity gr-qc/0307032 ; it includes new sections on the Validity of Semiclassical Gravity, the Stability of Minkowski Spacetime, and the Metric Fluctuations of an Evaporating Black Hol

Perspectives on the Trypanosoma cruzi-host cell receptor interaction

Chagas disease is caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. The critical initial event is the interaction of the trypomastigote form of the parasite with host receptors. This review highlights recent observations concerning these interactions. Some of the key receptors considered are those for thromboxane, bradykinin, and for the nerve growth factor TrKA. Other important receptors such as galectin-3, thrombospondin, and laminin are also discussed. Investigation into the molecular biology and cell biology of host receptors for T. cruzi may provide novel therapeutic targets