On the Paradoxes of Acting “Now” in the Climate Struggle

Taking inspiration from Walter Benjamin's “Theses on the Philosophy of History,” this article discusses how new climate movements try to break with the empty time of conventional climate discourses in order to politicize the “now.” Pointing at the catastrophe looming on the horizon, new climate movements question understandings of history as progress. These are underpinned by linear, gradual, and homogeneous conceptions of time, as present in a wide range of future climate pathways characterized by moveable deadlines and a strong reliance on future promises. Embracing, at least rhetorically, a full conception of time, for instance, in their call to declare a climate emergency, new climate movements claim that the struggle cannot be postponed until tomorrow. One has to act “now.” Paradoxically, however, to create this sense of full time, the movements rely on the empty time of, for instance, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) climate scenarios and the image of the climate clock. The performative call to “act now” entails, therefore, its own contradictions. When every now moment can be staged as the decisive moment, time is paradoxically made empty again.Research Foundation Flanders (FWO

Neuroinflammation and Its Resolution: From Molecular Mechanisms to Therapeutic Perspectives

Neuroinflammation, the complex immune response of the central nervous system (CNS), when sustained, is a common denominator in the etiology and course of all major neurological diseases, including neurodevelopmental, neurodegenerative, and psychiatric disorders (e.g., Alzheimer's disease, AD; Parkinson's disease, PD; multiple sclerosis, MS; motor neuron disease; depression; autism spectrum disorder; and schizophrenia). Cellular (microglia and mast cells, two brain-resident immune cells, together with astrocytes) and molecular immune components (e.g., cytokines, complement and patternrecognition receptors) act as key regulators of neuroinflammation (Skaper et al., 2012). In response to pathological triggers or neuronal damage, immune cells start an innate immune response with the aim to eliminate the initial cause of injury. However, when the cellular activity becomes dysregulated, it results in an inappropriate immune response that can be injurious and affect CNS functions. Thus, limiting neuroinflammation and microglia activity represents a potential strategy to alleviate neuroinflammationrelated diseases. The Research Topic collects 20 manuscripts, divided into five sections, that include both original research articles and reviews of the emerging literature and explore the role of neuroinflammation in various neurological diseases. There is particular attention dedicated to the relevant research exploring the mechanisms and mediators involved in the resolution of neuroinflammation. Our aim was to generate a valuable discussion contributing to identify new therapeutic targets in brain damage and providing new drug development opportunities for the prevention and treatment of CNS diseases involving neuroinflammation

Evidence for the occurrence of sibling species in Eubazus spp. (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), parasitoids of Pissodes spp. weevils (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

Comparative studies were made on three presumed sibling species of the genus Eubazus, parasitoids of European Pissodes spp. weevils, to clarify their taxonomy and define diagnostic characters. Several populations of E. semirugosus (Nees), E. robustus (Ratzeburg) and Eubazus sp. were compared with respect to their morphology (mainly through morphometric analyses), fecundity, isoenzyme patterns and host preference. Crosses were made to assess the genetic and behavioural compatibility of the populations. In addition, the North American E. crassigaster (Provancher), a parasitoid of Pissodes strobi (Peck), was compared to E. semirugosus, a species selected for introduction against P. strobi in Canada. The ratio of the length of the ovipositor sheath to the fore wing length was the most discriminating morphometric variable, but discriminant analyses including several measurements were needed to completely separate European species. A canonical discriminant function provided a total separation between males of E. crassigaster and E. semirugosus, but not between females. Eubazus crassigaster and E. semirugosus were totally separated by the banding pattern of the enzyme phosphogluconate dehydrogenase whereas hexokinase and esterase provided a diagnostic separation between Eubazus sp. and E. robustus. Eubazus sp. differed from all the other species by having a greater number of ovarioles and, consequently, a higher potential fecundity. In a two-choice oviposition test, E. semirugosus and Eubazus sp. showed a significant preference for their natural host, P. castaneus De Geer and P. piceae (Illiger), respectively. A similar test made with their progenies reared under standard conditions showed that the difference in host preference was genetically fixed. Males and females of different species did not mate readily, in contrast to individuals from the same species. All attempts to interbreed E. robustus and Eubazus sp. failed, but a few crosses between E. semirugosus and the two other European species produced fertile offspring. These observations strongly suggest that the complex of Eubazus spp. parasitoids attacking Pissodes spp. in Europe is composed of at least three sibling species, two of which appear to have specialized on distinct host species that occupy exclusive microhabitat