The New World species of Ataenius Harold, 1867 : 5. Revision of the A. strigatus group (Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae: Eupariini)

The strigatus group of the New World species of Ataenius Harold is revised. Seventeen species are recognized including two species described as new: Ataenius ecruensis sp. nov. from the United States and A. oaxacaensis sp. nov. from Mexico. Fifteen previously used names are considered valid, three new synonyms are proposed: A. liogaster Bates (= A. edwardsi Chapin syn. nov. = A. hoguei Cartwright and Spangler syn. nov.), A. wenzelii Horn (= A. rudellus Fall, syn. nov.). New state records are presented for A. spretulus (Haldeman) (Washington) and A. cognatus (LeConte) (Indiana, Missouri, and Mississippi). The taxa are diagnosed, keyed and illustrated; available biological information and distribution data are given

First Report of Leptomantispa pulchella (Banks, 1912) (Neuroptera: Mantispidae) from Iowa

An adult specimen of Leptomantispa pulchella (Banks) (Neuroptera: Mantispidae) was collected in southeast Iowa. Published records indicate the species is present in southwestern Canada and much of Central America, but this is the first published report of this species from Iowa

The variegated mud-loving beetles (Coleoptera: Heteroceridae) of Mississippi and Alabama, with discussion and keys to the species occurring in the southeastern United States

We review the variegated mud-loving beetle fauna of the southeastern United States (Coleoptera: Heteroceridae), with an emphasis on Mississippi and Alabama. A key is presented to all species known to occur in the southeastern US, and includes several extra-limital species. Descriptions, illustrations and distribution maps are presented for each species. One new species, Tropicus nigrellus, is described and a lectotype is designated for Heterocerus schwarzi Horn. Our molecular data suggest that many previously recognized generic concepts are unnatural. As a result, the following generic synonymies are proposed: Culmus Pacheco 1964, Damfius Pacheco 1964, Efflagitatus Pacheco 1964, Erus Pacheco 1964, Filiolus Pacheco 1964, Gradus Pacheco 1964, Lanternarius Pacheco 1964, Lapsus Pacheco 1964, Neoheterocerus Pacheco 1964, Olmedous Pacheco 1964 and Peditatus Pacheco 1964 are synonyms of Heterocerus Fabricius; the genera Centariatus Pacheco 1964, Explorator Pacheco 1964, and Microaugyles Pacheco 1964 are synonyms of Augyles Schiödte. New combinations proposed and used in this paper include: Augyles auromicans (Kiesenwetter 1851, Heterocerus), Heterocerus parrotus (Pacheco 1964, Lanternarius), Heterocerus sandersoni (Pacheco 1964, Neoheterocerus) and Heterocerus selanderi (Pacheco 1964, Efflagitatus), Heterocerus texanus (Pacheco 1964, Peditatus). Other new combinations for North American species formed as a result of these generic reconfigurations, but not used in this paper, include: Heterocerus inciertus (Pacheco 1964, Damfius), Heterocerus longilobulus (Pacheco 1964, Neoheterocerus), Heterocerus sinuosus (Pacheco 1964, Lanternarius), Augyles canadensis (Fall 1920, Heterocerus), Augyles compactus (Fall 1937, Heterocerus), Augyles moleculus (Fall 1920, Heterocerus) and Augyles mundulus (Fall 1920, Heterocerus). New combinations for South American species suggested by molecular data, all originally described in the genus Efflagitatus, include: Heterocerus boliviensis (Pacheco 1964), Heterocerus freudei (Pacheco 1973), Heterocerus furmidus (Pacheco 1964), Heterocerus ingeniosus (Pacheco 1964), Heterocerus meridianus (Pacheco 1975), Heterocerus reticulatus (Pacheco 1964), Heterocerus solitarius (Pacheco 1973), Heterocerus splendidus (Pacheco 1964), Heterocerus tortuosus (Pacheco 1973), Heterocerus woodruffi (Pacheco 1975). No new combinations involving synonymy within the genera Culmus, Erus, Filiolus, Gradus, Lapsus, and Olmedous were proposed because all included species were originally described as Heterocerus

Two New Sulcate Species of Dichelonyx Harris (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae: Dichelonychini) from Southern California, USA and Baja California, Mexico

© 2020 Coleopterists Society.All right reserved. Species of Dichelonyx Harris with a sulcate pronotum and from southern California, USA and Baja California, Mexico are treated in this paper. Dichelonyx magnesae McPeak and Lago, new species, and Dichelonyx bajaensis McPeak and Lago, new species, are described. The new species are illustrated, diagnostic characters to separate them from previously described species are discussed, and a key to sulcate Dichelonyx species from southern California and Baja California is presented

A Preliminary Annotated Checklist of Mississippi Mecoptera (Insecta)

We summarize distribution records for 22 Mecoptera species known to occur in Mississippi. These include the fi rst specimens of Bittacus occidentis Walker, B. strigosus Hagen, Hylobittacus apicalis (Hagen) and Panorpa insolens Carpenter to be recorded from the state

A Preliminary Annotated Checklist of Mississippi Mecoptera (Insecta)

We summarize distribution records for 22 Mecoptera species known to occur in Mississippi. These include the fi rst specimens of Bittacus occidentis Walker, B. strigosus Hagen, Hylobittacus apicalis (Hagen) and Panorpa insolens Carpenter to be recorded from the state

A Preliminary Annotated Checklist of Mississippi Mecoptera (Insecta)

We summarize distribution records for 22 Mecoptera species known to occur in Mississippi. These include the fi rst specimens of Bittacus occidentis Walker, B. strigosus Hagen, Hylobittacus apicalis (Hagen) and Panorpa insolens Carpenter to be recorded from the state

Ambient Oxygen Promotes Tumorigenesis

Oxygen serves as an essential factor for oxidative stress, and it has been shown to be a mutagen in bacteria. While it is well established that ambient oxygen can also cause genomic instability in cultured mammalian cells, its effect on de novo tumorigenesis at the organismal level is unclear. Herein, by decreasing ambient oxygen exposure, we report a ∼50% increase in the median tumor-free survival time of p53−/− mice. In the thymus, reducing oxygen exposure decreased the levels of oxidative DNA damage and RAG recombinase, both of which are known to promote lymphomagenesis in p53−/− mice. Oxygen is further shown to be associated with genomic instability in two additional cancer models involving the APC tumor suppressor gene and chemical carcinogenesis. Together, these observations represent the first report directly testing the effect of ambient oxygen on de novo tumorigenesis and provide important physiologic evidence demonstrating its critical role in increasing genomic instability in vivo

From Emergence to Eradication: The Epidemiology of Poliomyelitis Deconstructed

Poliomyelitis has appeared in epidemic form, become endemic on a global scale, and been reduced to near-elimination, all within the span of documented medical history. Epidemics of the disease appeared in the late 19th century in many European countries and North America, following which polio became a global disease with annual epidemics. During the period of its epidemicity, 1900–1950, the age distribution of poliomyelitis cases increased gradually. Beginning in 1955, the creation of poliovirus vaccines led to a stepwise reduction in poliomyelitis, culminating in the unpredicted elimination of wild polioviruses in the United States by 1972. Global expansion of polio immunization resulted in a reduction of paralytic disease from an estimated annual prevaccine level of at least 600,000 cases to fewer than 1,000 cases in 2000. Indigenous wild type 2 poliovirus was eradicated in 1999, but unbroken localized circulation of poliovirus types 1 and 3 continues in 4 countries in Asia and Africa. Current challenges to the final eradication of paralytic poliomyelitis include the continued transmission of wild polioviruses in endemic reservoirs, reinfection of polio-free areas, outbreaks due to circulating vaccine-derived polioviruses, and persistent excretion of vaccine-derived poliovirus by a few vaccinees with B-cell immunodeficiencies. Beyond the current efforts to eradicate the last remaining wild polioviruses, global eradication efforts must safely navigate through an unprecedented series of endgame challenges to assure the permanent cessation of all human poliovirus infections

Measurement of the Depth of Maximum of Extensive Air Showers above 10^18 eV

We describe the measurement of the depth of maximum, Xmax, of the longitudinal development of air showers induced by cosmic rays. Almost four thousand events above 10^18 eV observed by the fluorescence detector of the Pierre Auger Observatory in coincidence with at least one surface detector station are selected for the analysis. The average shower maximum was found to evolve with energy at a rate of (106 +35/-21) g/cm^2/decade below 10^(18.24 +/- 0.05) eV and (24 +/- 3) g/cm^2/decade above this energy. The measured shower-to-shower fluctuations decrease from about 55 to 26 g/cm^2. The interpretation of these results in terms of the cosmic ray mass composition is briefly discussed.Comment: Accepted for publication by PR