Mass Rearing the Gypsy Moth Pupal Parasitoids \u3ci\u3eBrachymeria Lasus\u3c/i\u3e and \u3ci\u3eBrachymeria Intermedia\u3c/i\u3e (Hymenoptera: Chalcididae) for Small-Scale Laboratory Studies

An economical technique was developed for mass rearing the gypsy moth para- sitoids Brachymeria lasus and B. intermedia using a factitious host, the greater wax moth, Galleria mellonella (Lepidoptera: pyralidae). Percentages of host pupae producing adult B. lusus and B. intermedia were 72.2 and 67.5, respectively. Percentages of adult wax moths emerging from groups of pupae exposed to populations of B. lasus and B. intermedia were 3.4 and 9.8, respectively. Mean emergence times of males and females from parasitized pupae incubated at 29° C. were 12.1 days and 13.8 days for B. lasus and 11.9 days and 13.5 days for B. intermedia. This procedure provides a low-maintenance laboratory culture with high yields from host pupae

An Array of Spatulate Sensilla on Antennae of Male \u3ci\u3eBrachymeria Lasus\u3c/i\u3e (Hymenoptera: Chalcididae)

An array of spatulate sensilla on the ventral flagellar surface of each antenna of male Brachymeria lasus occurs only on segments IV-VII and is absent on female antennae. Most such sensilla are on segment VI. Each spatulate sensillum was 15 p, by 16.7 p with a stalk extending 17 p, from the antennal base. Pores were not apparent, but the sensillum surface was imbricated. The sensilla are speculated to have a role in the courtship sequence of this chalcid by functioning both as chemoreceptors of the female-produced sex pheromone and as mechanoreceptors to indicate female receptivity, as female B. lasus typically raise the abdomen to expose the genital pocket

Mass Rearing of the Greater Wax Moth, \u3ci\u3eGalleria Mellonella\u3c/i\u3e (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), for Small-Scale Laboratory Studies

A technique was developed to mass rear the greater wax moth, Galleria mellonella, economically (ca. 0.2 cents per larva exclusive of 3-5 h of labor costs per week). Mortality in the egg and early larval stages was ca. 48% whereas in later larval and pupal stages it was ca. 10% and 27% respectively. With a fecundity of 650-1120 eggs per female, and notwithstanding the high egg and early larval mortality, the procedure easily provides a self-sustaining culture with high yields of all stages

Transition of the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands

"In 2012, the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI) describes itself as being in a period of transition, or change, as it enters its next phase. The appropriateness of the timing for this transition, as well as the plans for the transition, is considered in this paper..." - page 1AusAI

Temperature and Crowding Effects on Virus Manifestation in Neodiprion Sertifer (Hymenoptera: Diprionidae) Larvae

Temperature and (or) crowding (larval density) functioned as stressors in the induction of symptoms associated with the nucleopolyhedrosis virus of the European pine sawfly, Neodiprion sertifer, Subsamptes of larvae maintained at 30 and 35°C, with three levels of larval density each (20, 60, and 100/shoot) which had died under these conditions, revealed the presence of polyhedral inclusion bodies under microscopic examination. In contrast, larvae maintained at 25°C with the same three larval density levels experienced no symptoms of virus infection or mortality, The latter was consistent with field observations when temperatures during larval development ranged from 14°C to 27°C and larval densities were in the same general range

Bioassay of the Nucleopolyhedrosis Virus of \u3ci\u3eNeodiprion Sertifer\u3c/i\u3e (Hymenoptera: Diprionidae)

Linear regression analysis of probit mortality versus several concentrations of nucleo- polyhedrosis virus of Neodiprion sertifer resulted in the equation Y = 2.170 + 0.872X. An LC50 was calculated at 1758 PIB/mL Also, the incubation time of the virus was dependent on Its concentration

The autoepitope of the 74-kD mitochondrial autoantigen of primary biliary cirrhosis corresponds to the functional site of dihydrolipoamide acetyltransferase.

Autoantibodies to mitochondrial antigens are characteristic of the autoimmune liver disease primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), but the precise antigenic determinants recognized by these antibodies have not been defined. Recently, our laboratory identified a 1,370-bp rat liver cDNA clone that coded for a polypeptide recognized specifically by sera from patients with PBC but not by sera from patients with other forms of liver disease. This recombinant protein was identified as the 74-kD M2 mitochondrial inner membrane autoantigen, now known to be dihydrolipoamide acetyltransferase. In the present study, we have identified a 603-bp fragment that codes for a polypeptide containing all of the autoreactivity of the original clone. In addition, based on hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity plots of the amino acid sequence of this polypeptide segment, several peptides were synthesized and tested for reactivity by an inhibition assay using sera from patients with PBC. One peptide, defined by the amino acids AEIETDKATIGFEVQEEGYL, absorbed serum reactivity to the protein product of the original clone. Of particular interest was the finding that this peptide contains the lipoic acid binding site KATIGF of the dihydrolipoamide acetyltransferase found in the inner mitochondrial membrane. Thus, it appears that for this autoantigen, the target of the autoantibodies corresponds to a functional site of the dihydrolipoamide acetyltransferase

On similarity solutions for boundary layer flows with prescribed heat flux

This paper is concerned with existence, uniqueness and behavior of the solutions of the autonomous third order nonlinear differential equation $f'''+(m+2)ff''-(2m+1)f'^2=0$ on $\mathbb{R}^+$ with the boundary conditions $f(0)=-\gamma$, $f'(\infty)=0$ and $f''(0)=-1$. This problem arises when looking for similarity solutions for boundary layer flows with prescribed heat flux. To study solutions we use some direct approach as well as blowing-up coordinates to obtain a plane dynamical system.Comment: v2: new page-settin

Field Release of Virus-Sprayed Adult Parasitoids of the European Pine Sawfly (Hymenoptera: Diprionidae) in Wisconsin

Rapid field release of adult parasitoids sprayed with the nucleopolyhedrosis virus of the European pine sawfly successfully transferred the virus to feeding larval colonies

Water operator partnerships as a model to achieve the Millenium Development Goals for water supply? Lessons from four cities in Mozambique

In the void left by the declining popularity of public-private partnerships, the concept of ‘water operator partnerships’ (WOPs) has increasingly been promoted as an alternative for improving water services provision in developing countries. This paper assesses the potential of such partnerships as a ‘model’ for contributing to the MDGs, by focusing on 4 water utilities in Mozambique. Although, the study found these partnerships to be successful, it is more sceptical about the potential for this type of water operator partnership to significantly contribute towards achieving the MDGs. The main reason for this is that the replicability of the partnership-model studied in Mozambique was found to be quite limited. The case presented in this article highlights 3 main lessons for water operator partnerships in the water services sector. First, the availability of investment funds is a crucial component of a partnership. Without access to such funds the impact of such a partnership is likely to be limited. Secondly, the level of commitment to the partnership needs to be high if it is to be successful. This commitment is likely to take shape in the form of both financial commitment as well as commitment of time and effort of the organisations involved. Thirdly, even if the partnership is a success, the question of how sustainable the achieved performance gains are remains a point of concern. All in all, although we acknowledge the success achieved by the studied partnership, the findings have made us hesitant about the potential for replicating this ‘model’ at a large scale.Keywords: partnerships, Millennium Development Goals, water supply, Mozambiqu