A checklist of the Limnichidae and the Lutrochidae (Coleoptera) of the world

A checklist of the world species of Limnichidae (35 genera, 345 species) and Lutrochidae (1 genus, 11 species) is presented. The author, year of publication and page number, synonyms, distribution by country, and a terminal bibliography are given for each genus and species. Biological information is also reviewed

Rediscovery and redescription of Ceradryops punctatus Hinton, 1937 (Coleoptera: Dryopidae)

Ceradryops punctatus Hinton from Sri Lanka is redescribed and illustrated. Notes are made on the habitat of the species

Luchoelmis : a new genus of Elmidae (Coleoptera) from Chile and Argentina

Luchoelmis New Genus is described with four new species: aequalis, magallanensis, and penai from Chile and cekalovici from Argentina and Chile. Luchoelmis penai is designated as the type species of the genus. A key to the four species is presented

Three new species of Hexanchorus Sharp, 1882 (Coleoptera: Elmidae: Larainae) from South America

Three new species of Hexanchorus Sharp, H. dimorphus and H. shannoni from Argentina, and H. mcdiarmidi from Venezuela, are described and illustrated

Computer Simulation of Cytoskeleton-Induced Blebbing in Lipid Membranes

Blebs are balloon-shaped membrane protrusions that form during many physiological processes. Using computer simulation of a particle-based model for self-assembled lipid bilayers coupled to an elastic meshwork, we investigated the phase behavior and kinetics of blebbing. We found that blebs form for large values of the ratio between the areas of the bilayer and the cytoskeleton. We also found that blebbing can be induced when the cytoskeleton is subject to a localized ablation or a uniform compression. The results obtained are qualitatively in agreement with the experimental evidence and the model opens up the possibility to study the kinetics of bleb formation in detail.Comment: To appear in Physical Review

Development and testing of hermetic, laser-ignited pyrotechnic and explosive components

During the last decade there has been increasing interest in the use of lasers in place of electrical systems to ignite various pyrotechnic and explosive materials. The principal driving force for this work was the requirement for safer energetic components which would be insensitive to electrostatic and electromagnetic radiation. In the last few years this research has accelerated since the basic concepts have proven viable. At the present time it is appropriate to shift the research emphasis in laser initiation from the scientific arena--whether it can be done--to the engineering realm--how it can be put into actual practice in the field. Laser initiation research and development at EG&G Mound was in three principal areas: (1) laser/energetic material interactions; (2) development of novel processing techniques for fabricating hermetic (helium leak rate of less than 1 x 10(exp -8) cu cm/s) laser components; and (3) evaluation and testing of laser-ignited components. Research in these three areas has resulted in the development of high quality, hermetic, laser initiated components. Examples are presented which demonstrate the practicality of fabricating hermetic, laser initiated explosive or pyrotechnic components that can be used in the next generation of ignitors, actuators, and detonators

If Violets Bloomed as Sweet as You

https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/mmb-vp/4655/thumbnail.jp

Economic selection index development for Beefmaster cattle I: Terminal breeding objective

The objective of this study was to develop an economic selection index for Beefmaster cattle in a terminal production system where bulls are mated to mature cows with all resulting progeny harvested. National average prices from 2010 to 2014 were used to establish income and expenses for the system. Phenotypic and genetic parameter values among the selection criteria and goal traits were obtained from literature. Economic values were estimated by simulating 100,000 animals and approximating the partial derivatives of the profit function by perturbing traits one at a time, by 1 unit, while holding the other traits constant at their respective means. Relative economic values (REV) for the terminal objective traits HCW, marbling score (MS), ribeye area (REA), 12th–rib fat (FAT), and feed intake (FI) were 91.29, 17.01, 8.38, -7.07, and -29.66, respectively. Consequently, improving the efficiency of beef production is expected to impact profitability greater than improving carcass merit alone. The accuracy of the index lies between 0.338 (phenotypic selection) and 0.503 (breeding values known without error). The application of this index would aid Beefmaster breeders in their sire selection decisions, facilitating genetic improvement for a terminal breeding objective

Intra-Day Variability and the Interstellar Medium Towards 0917+624

The intra-day variable source 0917+624 displays annual changes in its timescale of variability. This is explained in terms of a scintillation model in which changes in the variability timescale are due to changes in the relative velocity of the scintillation pattern as the Earth orbits the sun. (see also astro-ph/0102050)Comment: 4 pages, 1 figure. Accepted for A&A Letter