Assessing risks and benefits of floral supplements in conservation biological control

The use of flowering field margins is often proposed as a method to support biological control in agro-ecosystems. In addition to beneficial insects, many herbivores depend on floral food as well. The indiscriminate use of flowering species in field margins can therefore lead to higher pest numbers. Based on results from field observations and laboratory experiments we assessed risks as well as benefits associated with the provision of nectar plants in field margins, using Brussels sprouts as a model system. Results show that Brussels sprouts bordered by nectar plants suitable for the cabbage white Pieris rapae L., suffered higher infestation levels by this herbivore. In contrast, nectar plants providing accessible nectar for the diamondback moth Plutella xylostella L., did not raise densities of P. xylostella larvae in the Brassica crop. Margins with Anethum graveolens L., selected on the basis of its suitability as nectar plant for parasitoids, significantly increased the number of adult Diadegma semiclausum Hellen in the crop. This didn't translate into enhanced parasitism rates, as parasitism of P. xylostella by D. semiclausum exceeded 65 % in all treatments, irrespective of the plants in the field margin. Our findings emphasize the importance of taking a multitrophic approach when choosing flowering field margin plants for biocontrol or other ecosystem service

On the nature of the unidentified X-ray/gamma-ray sources IGR J18027-1455 and IGR J21247+5058

We present a multiwavelength study of the environment of the unidentified X-ray/gamma-ray sources IGR J18027-1455 and IGR J21247+5058, recently discovered by the IBIS/ISGRI instrument, onboard the INTEGRAL satellite. The main properties of the sources found inside their position error circles, give us clues about the nature of these high-energy sources.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures, Proceedings of the Conference "The Multiwavelength Approach to Unidentified Sources", to appear in the journal Astrophysics and Space Scienc

Prolactin

During an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) glucose and insulin levels were measured in 26 patients with prolactin-producing pituitary tumours without growth hormone excess. Basal glucose and insulin levels did not differ from the values of an age-matched control group. After glucose load the hyperprolactinaemic patients showed a decrease in glucose tolerance and a hyperinsulinaemia. Bromocriptine (CB 154), which suppressed PRL, improved glucose tolerance and decreased insulin towards normal in a second OGTT. — Human PRL or CB 154 had no significant influence on insulin release due to glucose in the perfused rat pancreas. — These findings suggest a diabetogenic effect of PRL. CB 154 might be a useful drug in improving glucose utilization in hormone-active pituitary tumours

The first spectroscopic IR reverberation programme on Mrk 509

Near IR spectroscopic reverberation of Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) potentially allows the IR broad line region (BLR) to be reverberated alongside the disc and dust continua, while the spectra can also reveal details of dust astro-chemistry. Here we describe results of a short pilot study (17 near-IR spectra over a 183 day period) for Mrk 509. The spectra give a luminosity-weighted dust radius of 〈Rd, lum〉 = 186 ± 4 light-days for blackbody (large grain dust), consistent with previous (photometric) reverberation campaigns, whereas carbon and silicate dust give much larger radii. We develop a method of calibrating spectral data in objects where the narrow lines are extended beyond the slit width. We demonstrate this by showing our resultant photometric band lightcurves are consistent with previous results, with a hot dust lag at >40 days in the K-band, clearly different from the accretion disc response at <20 days in the z-band. We place this limit of 40 days by demonstrating clearly that the modest variability that we do detect in the H and K-band does not reverberate on timescales of less than 40 days. We also extract the Paβ line lightcurve, and find a lag which is consistent with the optical BLR Hβ line of ∼70 − 90 days. This is important as direct imaging of the near-IR BLR is now possible in a few objects, so we need to understand its relation to the better studied optical BLR

United classification of cosmic gamma-ray bursts and their counterparts

United classification of gamma-ray bursts and their counterparts is established on the basis of measured characteristics: photon energy E and emission duration T. The founded interrelation between the mentioned characteristics of events consists in that, as the energy increases, the duration decreases (and vice versa). The given interrelation reflects the nature of the phenomenon and forms the E-T diagram, which represents a natural classification of all observed events in the energy range from 10E9 to 10E-6 eV and in the corresponding interval of durations from about 10E-2 up to 10E8 s. The proposed classification results in the consequences, which are principal for the theory and practical study of the phenomenon.Comment: Keywords Gamma rays: burst

Study of thermal degradation of PLGA, PLGA nanospheres and PLGA/Maghemite superparamagnetic nanospheres

Poly(glycolide-co-lactide) (PLGA) nanospheres containing magnetic materials have been extensively studied because of its biomedical applications. Therefore, it is very important to know thermal properties of these materials in addition to other physical properties. Thermal degradation activation energy (Eα) of PLGA nanospheres with maghemite entrapment (PLGA-Mag), PLGA nanospheres (hollow spheres) (PLGA-H) obtained by an emulsion method and unprocessed PLGA (PLGA-R) were calculated by isoconversional Vyazovkin method based on data of TG analysis in order to evaluate modifications in thermal behavior caused by nanospheres obtainment process or by maghemite entrapment. Both hydrodynamic diameter in the range of 200-250 nm and polydispersity index lower than 0.3 are considered satisfactory. Thermal degradation of PLGA-R begins at higher temperatures than those of PLGA-H and PLGA-Mag, but processed samples presented increase in thermal stability, which was greater before processing by emulsion and in the presence of the magnetic materials. PLGA-Mag presents superparamagnetic behavior at room temperature

Hetero-association of aromatic molecules in aqueous solution

Knowledge of the physical chemistry of small molecules complexation (the hetero-association) in aqueous solution is increasingly important in view of the rapidly emerging branch of supramolecular chemistry dealing with the formation of heterogeneous polymeric structures having specific functional roles. In this paper, the 50-year history of scientific studies of hetero-association of heterocyclic aromatic molecules in aqueous solution has been reviewed. Some important correlations of structural and thermodynamic parameters of complexation have been reported based on large data-set of hetero-association parameters accumulated to date. The fundamental problem of ‘energetic composition’ of π-stacking is extensively discussed. The review has shown that there are some gaps in our understanding of heteroassociation, which provides a challenge for further studies in this are

Lagomorpha as a model morphological system

Due to their global distribution, invasive history, and unique characteristics, European rabbits are recognizable almost anywhere on our planet. Although they are members of a much larger group of living and extinct mammals [Mammalia, Lagomorpha (rabbits, hares, and pikas)], the group is often characterized by several well-known genera (e.g., Oryctolagus, Sylvilagus, Lepus, and Ochotona). This representation does not capture the extraordinary diversity of behavior and form found throughout the order. Model organisms are commonly used as exemplars for biological research, but there are a limited number of model clades or lineages that have been used to study evolutionary morphology in a more explicitly comparative way. We present this review paper to show that lagomorphs are a strong system in which to study macro- and micro-scale patterns of morphological change within a clade that offers underappreciated levels of diversity. To this end, we offer a summary of the status of relevant aspects of lagomorph biology.Brian Kraatz, Rafik Belabbas, Łucja Fostowicz-Frelik, De-Yan Ge, Alexander N. Kuznetsov, Madlen M. Lang ... et al