SHORT COMMUNICATION- An update on the diversity of \u3ci\u3eWolbachia in Spalangia\u3c/i\u3e spp. (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae)

Results from 13 additional host populations improves resolution on the diversity of Wolbachia bacteria in Spalangia spp. (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae). These bacteria are of interest because they can profoundly affect their host’s reproduction. Manipulating Wolbachia infections may provide a method to improve the efficacy of biocontrol agents including Spalangia spp. Parasitoid wasps (Pteromalidae: Hymenoptera) are of interest as biocontrol agents for pest flies (Diptera: Muscidae) of livestock confinements; e.g. dairies, cattle feedlots, poultry houses, swine barns. Many of these wasps are infected with Wolbachia bacteria that can profoundly affect their host’s reproduction. Wolbachia induce parthenogenesis in Muscidifurax uniraptor Kogan & Legner (Zchori-Fein, Gottlieb, and Coll 2000) and cytoplasmic incompatibility in Nasonia vitripennis (Walker) (Breeuwer and Werren 1990) and Urolepis rufipes (Ashmead) (Kyei-Poku, Floate, Benkel, and Goettel 2003). Additional information on the occurrence and effect of Wolbachia on members of this parasitoid guild may facilitate their mass-production for use in biocontrol programmes. A recent survey identified infections of Wolbachia in 15 of 21 species of these wasps (Kyei- Poku et al. 2006). Most of the species were infected with single isolates of Wolbachia as determined by genetic variation in the wsp gene. Infections of two and four isolates were detected in N. vitripennis and Spalangia cameroni Perkins, respectively. The same study showed incompatible crosses of S. cameroni to produce fertilised eggs that died during embryogenesis. In addition, the progeny of infected males exhibited prolonged development regardless of whether the female parent was infected or whether the males developed from fertilised or unfertilised eggs (Kyei-Poku et al. 2006)

SHORT COMMUNICATION- An update on the diversity of \u3ci\u3eWolbachia in Spalangia\u3c/i\u3e spp. (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae)

Results from 13 additional host populations improves resolution on the diversity of Wolbachia bacteria in Spalangia spp. (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae). These bacteria are of interest because they can profoundly affect their host’s reproduction. Manipulating Wolbachia infections may provide a method to improve the efficacy of biocontrol agents including Spalangia spp. Parasitoid wasps (Pteromalidae: Hymenoptera) are of interest as biocontrol agents for pest flies (Diptera: Muscidae) of livestock confinements; e.g. dairies, cattle feedlots, poultry houses, swine barns. Many of these wasps are infected with Wolbachia bacteria that can profoundly affect their host’s reproduction. Wolbachia induce parthenogenesis in Muscidifurax uniraptor Kogan & Legner (Zchori-Fein, Gottlieb, and Coll 2000) and cytoplasmic incompatibility in Nasonia vitripennis (Walker) (Breeuwer and Werren 1990) and Urolepis rufipes (Ashmead) (Kyei-Poku, Floate, Benkel, and Goettel 2003). Additional information on the occurrence and effect of Wolbachia on members of this parasitoid guild may facilitate their mass-production for use in biocontrol programmes. A recent survey identified infections of Wolbachia in 15 of 21 species of these wasps (Kyei- Poku et al. 2006). Most of the species were infected with single isolates of Wolbachia as determined by genetic variation in the wsp gene. Infections of two and four isolates were detected in N. vitripennis and Spalangia cameroni Perkins, respectively. The same study showed incompatible crosses of S. cameroni to produce fertilised eggs that died during embryogenesis. In addition, the progeny of infected males exhibited prolonged development regardless of whether the female parent was infected or whether the males developed from fertilised or unfertilised eggs (Kyei-Poku et al. 2006)

Exploring the Role of AIS Scholars in Framing the Concept of “contractor” and “employee” in the Gig Economy

In this session, we propose to engage the AIS scholars in policy debates regarding the digital variability that exists in different types of gig work enabled by digital platforms (e.g., Uber, Upwork, MTurk). We argue that AIS members are uniquely positioned to contribute to framing our shared understanding of the variability of the types of gig work and workers, enabled by digital platforms. Gig work enabled by digital platforms consists of income-earning activities outside of traditional, long-term employer-employee relationships. Rapidly growing during the last decade, the gig economy is forecasted to continue its explosive expansion over the next five years. PriceWaterhouseCooper forecasts the gig economy to grow from $15 billion in 2013 to$335 billion in 2025 . In response to the changing labor market landscape, the legislators, regulators and judicial officials around the world are trying to re-interpret, re-define, and re-imagine current policies and labor laws to create a legitimate and credible space for gig workers by re-conceptualizing the notion of what constitutes an “employee” and what constitutes a “contractor.” The regulatory efforts in crafting definitions for “employee” (versus “contractor”) in the gig economy is complicated by how the nature of work (e.g., degree of modularization and digitization of task) and its environment (platform owners’ role in worker compensation and governance) is enabled by digital platforms. One example of such a regulatory complication associated with defining “employees” in the digital context is exemplified by a recent law enacted by the US state of California, titled Assembly Bill (AB) 5. This law was enacted in January 2020 and established a three-part test for classifying workers as a “contractor” rather than “employee.” The execution of this law has yielded mixed results, which are particularly acute when comparing platforms that enable physical versus digital tasks. Some digital platforms, such as Uber have publicly argued that they are merely software companies and have continued to operate within the state of California as they had before AB 5 was passed. Others, such as digital provider Vox Media have laid off California based staff in an effort to comply with the law. The degree of digitization of gig work and its environment is germane to our shared understanding of these issues. Through our critical discourse and discussion at this AMCIS2020 TREO talk session we hope to make a call for action, and to inspire AIS members to contribute to framing of these critical issues

Electron correlation energy in confined two-electron systems

Radial, angular and total correlation energies are calculated for four two-electron systems with atomic numbers Z=0-3 confined within an impenetrable sphere of radius R. We report accurate results for the non-relativistic, restricted Hartree-Fock and radial limit energies over a range of confinement radii from 0.05 - 10 a0. At small R, the correlation energies approach limiting values that are independent of Z while at intermediate R, systems with Z > 1 exhibit a characteristic maximum in the correlation energy resulting from an increase in the angular correlation energy which is offset by a decrease in the radial correlation energy

Synchronous biological feedbacks in parrotfishes associated with pantropical coral bleaching

Biological feedbacks generated through patterns of disturbance are vital for sustaining ecosystem states. Recent ocean warming and thermal anomalies have caused pantropical episodes of coral bleaching, which has led to widespread coral mortality and a range of subsequent effects on coral reef communities. Although the response of many reef‐associated fishes to major disturbance events on coral reefs is negative (e.g., reduced abundance and condition), parrotfishes show strong feedbacks after disturbance to living reef structure manifesting as increases in abundance. However, the mechanisms underlying this response are poorly understood. Using biochronological reconstructions of annual otolith (ear stone) growth from two ocean basins, we tested whether parrotfish growth was enhanced following bleaching‐related coral mortality, thus providing an organismal mechanism for demographic changes in populations. Both major feeding guilds of parrotfishes (scrapers and excavators) exhibited enhanced growth of individuals after bleaching that was decoupled from expected thermal performance, a pattern that was not evident in other reef fish taxa from the same environment. These results provide evidence for a more nuanced ecological feedback system—one where disturbance plays a key role in mediating parrotfish–benthos interactions. By influencing the biology of assemblages, disturbance can thereby stimulate change in parrotfish grazing intensity and ultimately reef geomorphology over time. This feedback cycle operated historically at within‐reef scales; however, our results demonstrate that the scale, magnitude, and severity of recent thermal events are entraining the biological responses of disparate communities to respond in synchrony. This may fundamentally alter feedbacks in the relationships between parrotfishes and reef systems

Stimulant Medication and Reading Performance

The study examined the sustained effects of methylphenidate on reading performance in a sample of 42 boys, ages 8 to 11, with attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Two subgroups were formed based on the presence or absence of co-occurring conduct disorders. Subjects were selected on the basis of their positive response to methylphenidate as determined in a series of original medication trials (Forness, Cantwell, Swanson, Hanna, & Youpa, 1991). For the purpose of this study, subjects were placed on their optimal dose of medication for a 6-week period and then tested on measures of oral reading and reading comprehension equivalent to those used in the original trials, retested after a week without medication (placebo), then tested again the following week after return to medication. Only the subgroup with conduct disorders responded, and this response was limited to reading comprehension improvement in only those subjects who also demonstrated improvement in oral reading on original trials. No response differences were found between subjects with or without learning disabilities.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/68569/2/10.1177_002221949202500205.pd

Impact of Salmonid alphavirus infection in diploid and triploid Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) fry

With increasing interest in the use of triploid salmon in commercial aquaculture, gaining an understanding of how economically important pathogens affect triploid stocks is important. To compare the susceptibility of diploid and triploid Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) to viral pathogens, fry were experimentally infected with Salmonid alphavirus sub-type 1 (SAV1), the aetiological agent of pancreas disease (PD) affecting Atlantic salmon aquaculture in Europe. Three groups of fry were exposed to the virus via different routes of infection: intraperitoneal injection (IP), bath immersion, or cohabitation (co-hab) and untreated fry were used as a control group. Mortalities commenced in the co-hab challenged diploid and triploid fish from 11 days post infection (dpi), and the experiment was terminated at 17 dpi. Both diploid and triploid IP challenged groups had similar levels of cumulative mortality at the end of the experimental period (41.1 % and 38.9 % respectively), and these were significantly higher (p < 0.01) than for the other challenge routes. A TaqMan-based quantitative PCR was used to assess SAV load in the heart, a main target organ of the virus, and also liver, which does not normally display any pathological changes during clinical infections, but exhibited severe degenerative lesions in the present study. The median viral RNA copy number was higher in diploid fish compared to triploid fish in both the heart and the liver of all three challenged groups. However, a significant statistical difference (p < 0.05) was only apparent in the liver of the co-hab groups. Diploid fry also displayed significantly higher levels of pancreatic and myocardial degeneration than triploids. This study showed that both diploid and triploid fry are susceptible to experimental SAV1 infection. The lower virus load seen in the triploids compared to the diploids may possibly be related to differences in cell metabolism between the two groups, however, further investigation is necessary to confirm this and also to assess the outcome of PD outbreaks in other developmental stages of the fish when maintained in commercial production systems

Building Social Capital Through Rhetoric and Public Relations

When the focus is on meaning making, language, rhetorical argument, and persuasion, there is enormous potential to see how public relations theory and practice in external organizational rhetoric can serve community interests—or not. Rhetoric (as the discourse) and public relations (as the enactment of that discourse) are essential to building and sustaining a society as a good place to live because they create various types of social capital. This article describes the various relationships among international and indigenous NGOs, business organizations, and community activists in facilitating (and, at times, frustrating) dialogue in Jordan. It offers an example of how social capital may be created when rhetors using public relations advocate in ways that enhance the capacity of local governance and make their community a better place to live.Yeshttps://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/manuscript-submission-guideline

Multiplicative renormalizability and quark propagator

The renormalized Dyson-Schwinger equation for the quark propagator is studied, in Landau gauge, in a novel truncation which preserves multiplicative renormalizability. The renormalization constants are formally eliminated from the integral equations, and the running coupling explicitly enters the kernels of the new equations. To construct a truncation which preserves multiplicative renormalizability, and reproduces the correct leading order perturbative behavior, non-trivial cancellations involving the full quark-gluon vertex are assumed in the quark self-energy loop. A model for the running coupling is introduced, with infrared fixed point in agreement with previous Dyson-Schwinger studies of the gauge sector, and with correct logarithmic tail. Dynamical chiral symmetry breaking is investigated, and the generated quark mass is of the order of the extension of the infrared plateau of the coupling, and about three times larger than in the Abelian approximation, which violates multiplicative renormalizability. The generated scale is of the right size for hadronic phenomenology, without requiring an infrared enhancement of the running coupling.Comment: 17 pages; minor corrections, comparison to lattice results added; accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.