The History of Expansion of the Genus Bursaphelenchus (Nematoda: Aphelenchida: Parasitaphelenchidae)

Because of globalization and removal of geographical barriers, frequent biological invasions of introduced species become an urgent environmental problem. According to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), precise identification of dangerous aggressive species at the early stages of their invasion to new regions is the most important component of the environmental control and monitoring. To resist the potential environmental hazard, the precise data are required on the current distribution and history of expansion of pests that are of global economic importance

Inflation and Welfare in Long-Run Equilibrium with Firm Dynamics

We analyze the welfare cost of inflation in a model with cash-in-advance constraints and an endogenous distribution of establishments' productivities. Inflation distorts aggregate productivity through firm entry dynamics. The model is calibrated to the United States economy and the long-run equilibrium properties are compared at low and high inflation. We find that, when the period over which the cash-in-advance constraint is binding is one quarter, an annual inflation rate of 10 percent leads to a decrease in the steady-state average productivity of roughly 0.5 percent compared to the optimum's steady-state. This decrease in productivity is not innocuous: it leads to a doubling of the welfare cost of inflation.firm dynamics, productivity, inflation, welfare

The transregional innovation processes - the key challenge for the trans borders regions

The competitiveness of regions it is strong linked with innovation dynamics. This dynamics requires the involvement of different actors of the territory, namely, the set of actors with capacity and power to influence the territorial activities: the governance system. Thus, the vigorous attitude and participation of the firms and of institutional associative actors on innovation pressure the innovative performance of the territory. Hence, the aim of this paper is analyse the process of innovation in a transterritorial view and illustrate a perspective of innovation that reflect the better performance innovative of the territory depends of different characteristics of the milieu and evaluate the important conditions for dynamics of innovation. We use the results of survey applied to a vast set of firms and institutional/associative actors for distinguish profiles of involvement in innovation activities and for analyse and perceive which attributes or variables of territory are related with the best performance on innovation. The study looks at five sub regions of the transborder region of central region Portuguese and Spanish: Raia Central Ibérica (three Portuguese and two Spanish).

Review of the genus Bursaphelenchus Fuchs, 1937 (Nematoda, Aphelenchida) with some conclusions on the host-parasite and vector-parasite evolution.

INTRODUCTION AND GOALS: Genus Bursaphelenchus includes several pests of the world importance for the rural economy, the most dangerous are the Bursaphelenchus xylophilus (the pinewood nematode caused decline of the pine trees in south Asia and in one spot area in Europe, Portugal, Peninsula de Setubal) and the Bursaphelenchus cocophilus, causing the decline of coco-palm plantations in Carribean and Latin American regions. The peculiarity of the host-parasite association of the genus that the nematode life cycle includes three trophic components: plant (mostly a tree), insect vector and a fungus. Goals of the presentation is to list all species of the world fauna and all efficient diagnostic characters, then create the identification tool and analyze the similarity of species and possible ways and causes of the host-parasite evolution of the group. RESULTS: Complete list of species with synonymy and a catalogue of all efficient diagnostic characters with their states, selected from papers of the most experienced taxonomists of the genus, are given for the genus Bursaphelenchus. List of known records of Bursaphelenchus species with names of natural vectors and plants and their families is given (for world pests the most important groups of trees and insects are listed). The tabular, traditional and computer-aided keys are presented. Dendrograms of species relationships (UPGMA, standard distance: mean character difference) based on all efficient taxonomic characters and separately on the spicule characters only, are given. Discussion whether the species groups are natural or purely diagnostic ones is based on the relationships dendrograms and the vector and associated plant ranges of Bursaphelenchus species; the xylophilus species group (B. xylophilus, B. abruptus, B. baujardi, B. conicaudatus, B. eroshenkii, B. fraudulentus, B. kolymensis, B. luxuriosae; B. mucronatus), the hunti group (B. hunti, B. seani, B. kevini and B. fungivorus) are probably the natural ones. CONCLUSIONS: The parasitic nematode association includes three trophic components: plant, insect vector and fungus. The initial insect-plant complex Scolytidae-Pinaceae is changeable and only in rare occasions the change of the preferred vector to Cerambycidae (the xylophilus group), Hymenoptera (the hunti group) led to formation of the natural species-groups. From the analysis it is clear that although the vector range is changeable it is comparatively more important for the evolution of the genus Bursaphelenchus than associations with plants at the family level. Data on the fungi species (3rd component in natural Bursaphelenchus associations) are insufficient for the detailed comparative analysis

Computerized key to the genus Bursaphelenchus Fuchs, analysis of species clusters based on morphology, using information of insect vectors and associated plants, with a revision of the genus.

The genus Bursaphelenchus includes B. xylophilus (Steiner et Buhrer, 1934) Nickle, 1981, which is of world economic and quarantine importance. Distinction among several species of the pinewood nematodes species complex (PWNSC) is often difficult. Besides standard morphology, morphometrics and molecular biology, new tools are welcome to better understand this group. The computerized (or e-) key of this genus, presented in this communication, includes 74 species (complete list of valid species of the world fauna) and 35 characters, that were used by the taxonomic experts of this group, in the original descriptions. Morphology of sex organs (male spicules and female vulval region) was digitized and classified to distinguish alternative types. Several qualitative characters with overlapping character states (expressions) were transformed into the morphometric indices with the discontinuous ranges (characters of ratios of the spicule dimensions). Characters and their states (expressions) were illustrated in detail and supplied by brief user-friendly comments. E-key was created in the BIKEY identification system (Dianov & Lobanov, 1996-2004). The system has built-algorithm ranging characters depending on their diagnostic values at each step of identification. Matrix of species and the character states (structural part of the e-key database) may be easily transformed using statistical packages into the dendrograms of general phenetic similarities (UPGMA, standard distance: mean character difference). It may be useful in the detailed analysis of taxonomy and evolution of the genus and in its splitting to the species groups based on morphology. The verification of the dendrogram using the information on the species links with insect vectors and their associated plants, provided an opportunity to recognize the five clusters (xylophilus, hunti, eremus sensu stricto, tusciae and piniperdae sensu stricto), which seem to be the natural species groups. The hypothesis about the origin and the first stages of the genus evolution is proposed. A general review of the genus Bursaphelenchus is presented

Computerized key of the genus genus Laimaphelenchus Fuchs, 1937

The Order Aphelenchida contains several genera of economic importance, namely Aphelenchoides and Bursaphelenchus. Nematode species belonging to these 2 genera frequently co-habit with other genera such as Laimaphelenchus. It is therefore important to clearly distinguish them, as well as understand the group´s biodiversity. A computerized, or e-key, for the genus Laimaphelenchus Fuchs has been developed in the BiKey Identification system (Dianov & Lobanov, 1996-2004). The e-key includes 14 species and 34 characters (from 2 to 6 character states each). It also includes the built-in algorithm ranging characters according their diagnostic values to minimize the number of the diagnosis steps (average number of steps is 2.7; values are re-calculated at each step). The most important characters (as calculated by BiKey) are: length of posterior branch of the female genital system; excretory pore position; vulval anterior flap shape; number pairs of mail tale papillae; male bursa shape (ventral view); number of tail tip setae in female; female tail tip stub shape; presence of mucro on tail tip in male. Key is pictorial (image-operating), multientry, as other BiKey products

Cartel deterrence and settlements: the brazilian experience

Settlements are an important part of a program of cartel deterrence, particularly when the likelihood ofconviction and the litigation costs are higher. This type of negotiated procedure to reach finality is inessence complementary to the fully adversarial procedures associated to the trial by the administrative orjudicial courts, and to other investigative instruments, such as the leniency agreement. The Brazilianexperience provides some insights about the different models of direct settlement in cartel cases and thecomplex interaction among settlements, leniency agreements, and trial outcome. First, there is leeway forthe complementary models of settlements, the first oriented mainly to increasing the likelihood ofdetection, and the second oriented to saving social costs of litigation. Second, the concern with thepreservation of the demand for leniency agreements led the competition authority to restrict the use ofsettlements, which are effectively designed for the defendants that are likely guilty and give higher valueto finality. The recent experience illustrates that the current settlement policy has not caused any adverseeffect on leniency agreements, while reducing litigation costs and granting finality in some cases.

On the vulval morphology of some species of Bursaphelenchus (Nematoda: Parasitaphelenchinae)

The vulval pattern of six species of the genus Bursaphelenchus (B. abruptus, B. conicaudatus, B. fraudulentus, B. luxuriosae, B. mucronatus and B. xylophilus) was studied using scanning electron microscopy. A terminology for the vulval region structures observed is proposed herein and illustrated by micrographs and line drawings. It was shown that, of the studied species, only B. mucronatus and B. xylophilus share an identical morphology of the vulval region, all other species differing significantly from each other and from both B. mucronatus and B. xylophilus. This study indicates the diagnostic potential for variation in vulval morphology within Bursaphelenchus and it is recommended that such features are recorded in all future descriptions

Backward stochastic differential equation approach to modeling of gene expression

In this article, we introduce a novel backward method to model stochastic gene expression and protein level dynamics. The protein amount is regarded as a diffusion process and is described by a backward stochastic differential equation (BSDE). Unlike many other SDE techniques proposed in the literature, the BSDE method is backward in time; that is, instead of initial conditions it requires the specification of endpoint ("final") conditions, in addition to the model parametrization. To validate our approach we employ Gillespie's stochastic simulation algorithm (SSA) to generate (forward) benchmark data, according to predefined gene network models. Numerical simulations show that the BSDE method is able to correctly infer the protein level distributions that preceded a known final condition, obtained originally from the forward SSA. This makes the BSDE method a powerful systems biology tool for time reversed simulations, allowing, for example, the assessment of the biological conditions (e.g. protein concentrations) that preceded an experimentally measured event of interest (e.g. mitosis, apoptosis, etc.).Comment: Accepted in Physical Review

O corpo travestido enquanto objecto de desejo

Se entendermos o erotismo como uma busca de prazer de um modo intencional, prolongado, articulado e aprofundado, prazer esse que não só é procurado como é continuado no tempo, verifica-se que há uma área onde a informação é particularmente lacunar, a ligação do erotismo ao mundo do vestuário ligado às questões de género já que a grande maioria dos estudos realizados até ao presente na esfera da indumentária com características eróticas, abrangem maioritariamente os consumos de indumentária erótica pelos homens heterossexuais