Ecological studies of Ctenosciara hawaiiensis (Hardy) (Diptera: Sciaridae)

Reports were scanned in black and white at a resolution of 600 dots per inch and were converted to text using Adobe Paper Capture Plug-in.The seasonal fluctuations of Ctenosciara hawaiiensis (Hardy) populations in two different ecosystems at the same elevation on Mauna Loa on the island of Hawaii are compared and correlated with fluctuations in rainfall, humidity, and temperature. Rainfall appears to be the most important extrinsic factor affecting seasonal changes in this species. There is a marked difference between the two populations which in part could be explained by differences in the ecosystems. Ctenosciara hawaiiensis is closely associated with Acacia koa. The larvae live under the bark of dead branches

Arthropod Fauna Associated with Wild and Cultivated Cranberries in Wisconsin

The cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon Aiton) is an evergreen, trailing shrub native to North American peatlands. It is cultivated commercially in the US and Canada, with major production centers in Wisconsin, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Washington, Québec, and British Columbia. Despite the agricultural importance of cranberry in Wisconsin, relatively little is known of its arthropod associates, particularly the arachnid fauna. Here we report preliminary data on the insect and spider communities associated with wild and cultivated cranberries in Wisconsin. We then compare the insect and spider communities of wild cranberry systems to those of cultivated cranberries, indexed by region. Approximately 7,400 arthropods were curated and identified, spanning more than 100 families, across 11 orders. The vast majority of specimens and diversity derived from wild ecosystems. In both the wild and cultivated systems, the greatest numbers of families were found among the Diptera (midges, flies) and Hymenoptera (bees, ants, wasps), but numerically, the Hymenoptera and Araneae (spiders) were dominant. Within the spider fauna, 18 new county records, as well as a new Wisconsin state record (Linyphiidae: Ceratinopsis laticeps (Em.)), were documented. While more extensive sampling will be needed to better resolve arthropod biodiversity in North American cranberry systems, our findings represent baseline data on the breadth of arthropod diversity in the Upper Midwest, USA

Emerging role of metabolomics in ovarian cancer diagnosis

Ovarian cancer is considered a silent killer due to the lack of clear symptoms and efficient diagnostic tools that often lead to late diagnoses. Over recent years, the impelling need for proficient biomarkers has led researchers to consider metabolomics, an emerging omics science that deals with analyses of the entire set of small-molecules (≤1.5 kDa) present in biological systems. Metabolomics profiles, as a mirror of tumor–host interactions, have been found to be useful for the analysis and identification of specific cancer phenotypes. Cancer may cause significant metabolic alterations to sustain its growth, and metabolomics may highlight this, making it possible to detect cancer in an early phase of development. In the last decade, metabolomics has been widely applied to identify different metabolic signatures to improve ovarian cancer diagnosis. The aim of this review is to update the current status of the metabolomics research for the discovery of new diagnostic metabolomic biomarkers for ovarian cancer. The most promising metabolic alterations are discussed in view of their potential biological implications, underlying the issues that limit their effective clinical translation into ovarian cancer diagnostic tools

Sketch-To-Solution: An Exploration of Viscous CFD with Automatic Grids

Numerical simulation of the Reynolds-averaged NavierStokes (RANS) equations has become a critical tool for the design of aerospace vehicles. However, the issues that affect the grid convergence of three dimensional RANS solutions are not completely understood, as documented in the AIAA Drag Prediction Workshop series. Grid adaption methods have the potential for increasing the automation and discretization error control of RANS solutions to impact the aerospace design and certification process. The realization of the CFD Vision 2030 Study includes automated management of errors and uncertainties of physics-based, predictive modeling that can set the stage for ensuring a vehicle is in compliance with a regulation or specification by using analysis without demonstration in flight test (i.e., certification or qualification by analysis). For example, the Cart3D inviscid analysis package has automated Cartesian cut-cell gridding with output-based error control. Fueled by recent advances in the fields of anisotropic grid adaptation, error estimation, and geometry modeling, a similar work flow is explored for viscous CFD simulations; where a CFD application engineer provides geometry, boundary conditions, and flow parameters, and the sketch-to-solution process yields a CFD simulation through automatic, error-based, grid adaptation

Rates of species introduction to a remote oceanic island

The introduction of species to areas beyond the limits of their natural distributions has a major homogenizing influence, making previously distinct biotas more similar. The scale of introductions has frequently been commented on, but their rate and spatial pervasiveness have been less well quantified. Here, we report the findings of a detailed study of pterygote insect introductions to Gough Island, one of the most remote and supposedly pristine temperate oceanic islands, and estimate the rate at which introduced species have successfully established. Out of 99 species recorded from Gough Island, 71 are established introductions, the highest proportion documented for any Southern Ocean island. Estimating a total of approximately 233 landings on Gough Island since first human landfall, this equates to one successful establishment for every three to four landings. Generalizations drawn from other areas suggest that this may be only one-tenth of the number of pterygote species that have arrived at the island, implying that most landings may lead to the arrival of at least one alien. These rates of introduction of new species are estimated to be two to three orders of magnitude greater than background levels for Gough Island, an increase comparable to that estimated for global species extinctions (many of which occur on islands) as a consequence of human activities

Ein Beitrag zum Nachweis unterschiedlicher Malatpools in Beeren der Rebe

Zur Frage, ob es unterschiedlich verfügbare Malatpools gibt, wurden reifende Weinbeeren in zwei voneinander verschiedenen Versuchsreihen (Stielapplikation und Injektion) mit 14C-Apfelsäure gefüttert. Danach wird bei reifenden Beeren (Phase IV) die ins Beereninnere applizierte Apfelsäure - nahezu unabhängig vom Reifegrad - weniger stark metabolisiert (40-47 % Veratmungs-CO2/20 h) als die durch den Beerenstiel zugeführte Apfelsäure (78-95 % Veratmung/20 h). Bei grünen Beeren (Phasen I-III) ist eine Veratmung und damit Metabolisierung von injiziertem Malat kaum feststellbar. Die Bildungsrate von Zucker aus Apfelsäure (Gluconeogenese) ist beim Injektionsversuch, der eingelagertes Malat simulieren soll, etwas höher als beim Aufnahmeversuch.Die Versuchsergebnisse werden dahingehend gedeutet, daß es einen aktiven Malatpool gibt, in dem die über den Beerenstiel eintransportierte Apfelsäure unabhängig vom Reifestadium ständig veratmet wird, und daßein inaktiver Malatpool im Beereninneren existiert.Die im Beereninneren bereits abgelagerte Apfelsäure ist bei grünen Beeren nahezu unmetabolisierbar; sie wird erst nach Weichwerden der Beeren infolge der Permeabilitätssteigerung besser an die Beerenperipherie transportiert und abgebaut. Die möglichen Faktoren für die veränderte Permeabilität werden angesprochen.Investigations on the existence of different malate pools in grape berriesIn order to demonstrate the existence of differently available malate pools, ripening grape berries were fed with 14C-malic acid in two different experimental series (pedicel application and injection). The results show that malic acid injected into ripening grapes (Phase IV) is - nearly independent of the stage of ripeness - metabolized less rapid (40-47 % respiration-CO2/20 h) than is malic acid applicated through the pedicel (78-95 1/o respiration-CO2/20 h). In green berries (Phase I-III) respiration, i. e. metabolization, of injected malate can scarcely be established. The rate of sugar formation from malate (gluconeogenesis) is less intensive in the pedicel application experiment than in the injection experiment which is to be simulating the malate incorporated.The results are interpreted as follows: There is an active malate pool, where malic acid imported through the pedicel is steadily respired, independently of the stage of ripeness.An inactive malate pool exists in the interior of the berries.Malic acid already incorporated in the interior of the berries is almost not metabolized in green berries. Owing to an increase in permeability, it is transported to the berry periphery and dissimilated only with berry ripenjng. Possible factors of the change in permeability are discussed

1H-NMR plasma lipoproteins profile analysis reveals lipid metabolism alterations in HER2-positive breast cancer patients

The lipid tumour demand may shape the host metabolism adapting the circulating lipids composition to its growth and progression needs. This study aims to exploit the straightforward 1 H-NMR lipoproteins analysis to investigate the alterations of the circulating lipoproteins’ fractions in HER2-positive breast cancer and their modulations induced by treatments. The baseline1H-NMR plasma lipoproteins profiles were measured in 43 HER2-positive breast cancer patients and compared with those of 28 healthy women. In a subset of 32 patients, longitudinal measurements were also performed along neoadjuvant chemotherapy, after surgery, adjuvant treatment, and during the two-year follow-up. Differences between groups were assessed by multivariate PLS-DA and by univariate analyses. The diagnostic power of lipoproteins subfractions was assessed by ROC curve, while lipoproteins time changes along interventions were investigated by ANOVA analysis. The PLS-DA model distinguished HER2-positive breast cancer patients from the control group with a sensitivity of 96.4% and specificity of 90.7%, mainly due to the differential levels of VLDLs subfractions that were significantly higher in the patients' group. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy-induced a significant drop in the HDLs after the first three months of treatment and a specific decrease in the HDL-3 and HDL-4 subfractions were found significantly associated with the pathological complete response achievement. These results indicate that HER2-positive breast cancer is characterized by a significant host lipid mobilization that could be useful for diagnostic purposes. Moreover, the lipoproteins profiles alterations induced by the therapeutic interventions could predict the clinical outcome supporting the application of1H-NMR lipoproteins profiles analysis for longitudinal monitoring of HER2-positive breast cancer in large clinical studies

Flower fields and pesticide use interactively shape pollen beetle infestation and parasitism in oilseed rape fields

Pollen beetles (Brassicogethes spp.) are the main pests of oilseed rape (OSR, Brassica napus) in Europe and responsible for massive yield losses. Upcoming pesticide resistances highlight the need for other means of crop protection, such as natural pest control. Sown flower fields aim to counteract the decrease of insect biodiversity in agricultural landscapes by providing resources to ecosystem service providers. However, the optimal age and size of flower fields to increase natural pest control is still unclear. We conducted experiments on 31 OSR fields located along a gradient of landscape-scale semi-natural habitat (SNH). OSR fields were located adjacent to flower fields which differed in age, continuity and size, or adjacent to crop fields or calcareous grasslands. Pesticide-free areas were established to examine interactive effects of pesticide use and flower field characteristics. The abundance of pollen beetle adults and larvae, parasitism and superparasitism rates in OSR were recorded at increasing distances to the adjacent sites. Flower fields and calcareous grasslands increased pollen beetle parasitism when compared to OSR fields neighbouring crop fields. The threshold for effective natural pest control of 35% could be reached in the pesticide-free areas of OSR fields adjacent to calcareous grasslands and flower fields maintained continuously for at least 6 years. In pesticide-sprayed areas, pollen beetle parasitism and superparasitism declined with increasing distance to the adjacent field. Furthermore, flower fields larger than 1.5 ha were able to improve pollen beetle parasitism more than smaller fields. Synthesis and applications. To promote natural pest control in oilseed rape (OSR), large flower fields should be maintained for several years, to create stable habitats for natural enemies. The continuous maintenance of flower fields should be preferred, as ploughing and resowing after 5–6 years decreased the positive effects of the flower fields on natural pest control in adjacent OSR fields. However, pesticide use can abrogate positive effects of flower fields on pollen beetle parasitism. This study highlights that sown flower fields have the potential to increase natural pest control in OSR, but this potential is depending on its age, continuity and size and can be hindered by pesticide use. © 2021 The Authors. Journal of Applied Ecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Ecological Societ