First record of a non-pollinating fig wasp (Hymenoptera: Sycophaginae) from Dominican amber, with estimation of the size of its host figs

Fig trees and their pollinating fig wasps arose about 75 million years ago in the Cretaceous period. Several other groups of chalcid wasps also utilize figs for larval development, including sycophagines, the putative sister group to pollinating fig wasps. Whereas stone and amber fossil pollinators are known, no fossils representing non-pollinating fig wasp groups have been confirmed previously. Here, we describe the first Sycophaginae from the c.15–20 Ma Dominican amber, Idarnes thanatos sp. nov. Farache, Rasplus, Pereira and Compton, and discuss its relationships within the Idarnes carme species group. Additionally, we use linear regression to compare body size, ovipositor sheaths length, and host fig size data from extant Idarnes species to estimate the size of its host figs. Idarnes thanatos was most likely associated with small to medium sized figs (diameter ≤1.0 cm), that were likely to have been dispersed by birds and primates. The discovery of this close relative of extant non-pollinating fig wasps suggests that early Miocene and modern fig wasp communities may share similar ecological and functional features

Composição corporal e percepção de autoimagem em universitárias

Introduction: Body image is the way we perceive the body. To recognize it is to clearly state its existence and, from this perception, to see the body's capacity to be changeable, that is, it can be changed at any moment. Objective: Classify the level of distortion of body self-image of university students of the physical education course of a public university of Pauí (UFPI) and verify its relation with anthropometric parameters, since it is believed that these students tend to present a greater concern with their appearance. Methodology: Study is descriptive and quantitative having a sample of 105 students, enrolled between the year of 2011 and 2015 and representing 75% of the total student population, were selected to participate of this descriptive-quantitative study. The self-image distortion was evaluated through the Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ) and a body control scale was used for the analysis of body weight, composition and metabolism. Results: The students were 21.5±1.8 years old, 58.3±2.0kg weight and 160.6±2.1cm height. Regarding the anthropometric evaluation, students presented body mass index of 22.4±0.6; waist circumference of 70.6±0.8cm and waist/hip ratio of 0.73±0.01cm - values considered normal for adult women. The value obtained from the QSB, 84.2±9.6 points, indicates a slight distortion in the self-body perception. This distortion is present in 53% of the total participants. In conclusion these findings are worrisome because they are a group of future professionals that will work on and promote health and body practices.Introdução: A imagem corporal é a forma como percebemos o corpo. Reconhecê-la é afirmar com clareza sua existência e, a partir dessa percepção, ver a capacidade do corpo ser mutável, ou seja, ele pode a cada momento ser alterado. Objetivo: Classificar o nível de distorção da autoimagem corporal de universitárias do curso de Educação Física de uma universidade pública do Piauí e verificar a relação com os parâmetros antropométricos, pois se acredita que essas estudantes tendem a apresentar uma preocupação maior com a aparência. Metodologia: Estudo é de carácter descritivo e quantitativo, tendo uma amostra de 105 universitárias com ingresso entre 2011 a 2015, as quais representam 75% do total da população. Para avaliar a distorção da autoimagem foi utilizado o questionário Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ), e para a análise de peso, composição e metabolismo corporal, uma balança de controle corporal (Omron, modelo HBF-514C). Resultados: As estudantes apresentaram idade de 21,5±1,8 anos, peso 58,3±2,0 kg, estatura 160,6±2,1cm, Ãndice de Massa Corporal 22,4±0,6kg/m2; Circunferência da Cintura 70,6±0,8cm e Relação da Cintura/Quadril 0,73±0,01cm, sendo todos esses valores normais para mulheres adultas. Em relação à autoimagem corporal foi encontrado o valor de 84,2±9,6 pontos, que indica uma leve distorção. Essa alteração esteve presente em 53% das participantes. Conclusão: Desta forma, esses achados revelam-se preocupantes pelo fato de se tratar de um grupo de futuros profissionais, multiplicadores de conceitos, da área de saúde e orientadores de práticas corporais

Moving Your Sons to Safety: Galls Containing Male Fig Wasps Expand into the Centre of Figs, Away From Enemies

Figs are the inflorescences of fig trees (Ficus spp., Moraceae). They are shaped like a hollow ball, lined on their inner surface by numerous tiny female flowers. Pollination is carried out by host-specific fig wasps (Agaonidae). Female pollinators enter the figs through a narrow entrance gate and once inside can walk around on a platform generated by the stigmas of the flowers. They lay their eggs into the ovules, via the stigmas and styles, and also gall the flowers, causing the ovules to expand and their pedicels to elongate. A single pollinator larva develops in each galled ovule. Numerous species of non-pollinating fig wasps (NPFW, belonging to other families of Chalcidoidea) also make use of galled ovules in the figs. Some initiate galls, others make use of pollinator-generated galls, killing pollinator larvae. Most NPFW oviposit from the outside of figs, making peripherally-located pollinator larvae more prone to attack. Style length variation is high among monoecious Ficus spp. and pollinators mainly oviposit into more centrally-located ovules, with shorter styles. Style length variation is lower in male (wasp-producing) figs of dioecious Ficus spp., making ovules equally vulnerable to attack by NPFW at the time that pollinators oviposit

Phylogeny and evolution of life-history strategies in the Sycophaginae non-pollinating fig wasps (Hymenoptera, Chalcidoidea)

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Non-pollinating Sycophaginae (Hymenoptera, Chalcidoidea) form small communities within <it>Urostigma </it>and <it>Sycomorus </it>fig trees. The species show differences in galling habits and exhibit apterous, winged or dimorphic males. The large gall inducers oviposit early in syconium development and lay few eggs; the small gall inducers lay more eggs soon after pollination; the ostiolar gall-inducers enter the syconium to oviposit and the cleptoparasites oviposit in galls induced by other fig wasps. The systematics of the group remains unclear and only one phylogeny based on limited sampling has been published to date. Here we present an expanded phylogeny for sycophagine fig wasps including about 1.5 times the number of described species. We sequenced mitochondrial and nuclear markers (4.2 kb) on 73 species and 145 individuals and conducted maximum likelihood and Bayesian phylogenetic analyses. We then used this phylogeny to reconstruct the evolution of Sycophaginae life-history strategies and test if the presence of winged males and small brood size may be correlated.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The resulting trees are well resolved and strongly supported. With the exception of <it>Apocrytophagus</it>, which is paraphyletic with respect to <it>Sycophaga</it>, all genera are monophyletic. The Sycophaginae are divided into three clades: (i) <it>Eukoebelea</it>; (ii) <it>Pseudidarnes</it>, <it>Anidarnes </it>and <it>Conidarnes </it>and (iii) <it>Apocryptophagus</it>, <it>Sycophaga </it>and <it>Idarnes</it>. The ancestral states for galling habits and male morphology remain ambiguous and our reconstructions show that the two traits are evolutionary labile.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The three main clades could be considered as tribes and we list some morphological characters that define them. The same biologies re-evolved several times independently, which make Sycophaginae an interesting model to test predictions on what factors will canalize the evolution of a particular biology. The ostiolar gall-inducers are the only monophyletic group. In 15 Myr, they evolved several morphological adaptations to enter the syconia that make them strongly divergent from their sister taxa. Sycophaginae appears to be another example where sexual selection on male mating opportunities favored winged males in species with small broods and wingless males in species with large broods. However, some species are exceptional in that they lay few eggs but exhibit apterous males, which we hypothesize could be due to other selective pressures selecting against the re-appearance of winged morphs.</p

Nutraceutical therapies for atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease affecting large and medium arteries and is considered to be a major underlying cause of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Although the development of pharmacotherapies to treat CVD has contributed to a decline in cardiac mortality in the past few decades, CVD is estimated to be the cause of one-third of deaths globally. Nutraceuticals are natural nutritional compounds that are beneficial for the prevention or treatment of disease and, therefore, are a possible therapeutic avenue for the treatment of atherosclerosis. The purpose of this Review is to highlight potential nutraceuticals for use as antiatherogenic therapies with evidence from in vitro and in vivo studies. Furthermore, the current evidence from observational and randomized clinical studies into the role of nutraceuticals in preventing atherosclerosis in humans will also be discussed