Nestboxes as habitat for insects, especially for flies and their parasitoids

Aus Nistkästen wurden nach dem Ausfliegen der Vögel etwa 500 Nester entnommen und die darin vorhandenen Insekten herausgesucht oder mit einem Eklektor abgesammelt. Die gefundenen Arten lassen sich den in Nestern bekannten Gilden zuordnen: Parasiten, Saprophage, Räuber oder Parasitoide (Schlupfwespen i.w.S. und Raupenfliegen). Für die cyclorrhaphen Dipteren und ihre Parasitoide wird ein Nahrungsnetz als Bild eines Teils der Choriozönose im Vogelnest dargestellt. Es konnten 32 Arten in 10 Familien gefunden werden. Nidikol sind die Vogelblutfliegen (Protocalliphora azurea, Calliphoridae) mit ihrem Parasitoiden (Nasonia vitripennis, Pteromalidae), der durchschnittlich 40% der Puparien abtötet und dadurch für die Vögel eine besondere Bedeutung hat. Eine zweite Vogelblutfliegenart (P. falcozi) konnte nur in Süddeutschland gefunden werden. Bei dieser Art ist der größte Teil der Puparien mit einer Hülle aus Nistmaterial vor der Parasitierung geschützt. Die wenigen nicht geschützten Puparien werden ähnlich häufig parasitiert wie die von P. azurea. Zwei weitere Parasitoide (Dibrachys cavus und D. lignicola, Pteromalidae) konnten in Puparien von Raupenfliegen (Triarthria setipennis und Ocytata pallipes, Tachinidae) gefunden werden, die ihrerseits als Parasitoide in Ohrwürmern (Forficula auricularia, Forficulidae) leben. Die Arten der Nahrungskette Ohrwurm → Raupenfliege → Dibrachys gehören zu einer anderen Choriozönose, die sich in Verstecken bildet und sich im Nistkasten mit der der Nester überschneidet. Bei den Flöhen (Ceratophyllus gallinae, Ceratophyllidae) konnte das Verlassen des Nestes nach dem Ausfliegen der Jungvögel bis zur folgenden Brutsaison mit einem Eklektor ermittelt werden. Im Herbst erscheinen zunächst die im Nest vorhandenen adulten Flöhe, im folgenden Frühjahr die Individuen der neuen Generation. Die in Nistkästen gefundenen saprophagen Insekten werden erstaunlich wenig parasitiert. Sie fressen Mikroorganismen und sind am Abbau des Nistmaterials beteiligt. In Nistkästen spielen sie allerdings eine untergeordnete Rolle, weil das Nistmaterial normalerweise entfernt wird. Es wird diskutiert, dass sie in natürlichen Höhlen eine Bedeutung beim Abbau des Nistmaterials haben. Die Wirkung der Keratin fressenden Arten, die Haare und Federn abbauen, wird an Hand von Fängen der Kleistermotte (Endrosis sarcitrella, Oecophoridae) gezeigt.The insect fauna from about 500 nest boxes was investigated after the birds had left the nests. The insects were collected out of the nest material or were captured with an emergence trap. All species found belong to the known guilds: Blood sucking parasites, saprophagous species, predators or parasitoids. The foodweb of the cyclorrhaphous flies and their parasitoids is shown as a part of the choriocoenosis in the nests. 32 species of 10 fly families were found. The bird blow fly Protocalliphora azurea (Calliphoridae) and its parasitoid Nasonia vitripennis (Pteromalidae) are nidicole species. The parasitoid kills about 40% of the blow fly puparia which is an advantage for the birds. A second blow fly P. falcozi was only found in Southern Germany. This species wraps most of the puparia with material of the nest which protects them from parasitism. The unwrapped puparia suffer a similar infestation as P. azurea. Two more parasitoids (Dibrachys cavus and D. lignicola, Pteromalidae) were found in the puparia of two tachinid flies (Triarthria setipennis and Ocytata pallipes) which are parasitoids of the common European earwig (Forficula auricularia, Forficulidae). The food chain earwig → tachinid fly → Dibrachys spp. belongs to another choriocoenosis which describes the fauna of the earwig shelters. It overlaps in the nest box with the choriocoenosis of the nidicole insects. The catches of fleas (Ceratophyllus gallinae, Ceratophyllidae) with an emergence trap show that the adult fleas leave the box during autumn and winter. The new generation emerges in springtime of the following year. Many species of saprophagous insects live in the nest. They suffer very low parasitism rates. The insects feed on microorganisms and contribute to the destruction of the nest material. Normally this has no effect in nest boxes because these are cleaned whereas the saprophagous species may be important in natural holes. The effect of the keratin feeding White-shouldered House-moth (Endrosis sarcitrella, Oecophoridae) is demonstrated

Dephasing in Metals by Two-Level Systems in the 2-Channel-Kondo Regime

We point out a novel, non-universal contribution to the dephasing rate 1/\tau_\phi \equiv \gamma_\phi of conduction electrons in metallic systems: scattering off non-magnetic two-level systems (TLSs) having almost degenerate Kondo ground states. In the regime \Delta_{ren} < T < T_K (\Delta_{ren} = renormalized level splitting, T_K = Kondo temperature), such TLSs exhibit non-Fermi-liquid physics that can cause \gamma_\phi, which generally decreases with decreasing T, to seemingly saturate in a limited temperature range before vanishing for T \to 0. This could explain the saturation of dephasing recently observed in gold wires [Mohanty et al. Phys. Rev. Lett. 78, 3366 (1997)].Comment: Final published version, including minor improvements suggested by referees. 4 pages, Revtex, 1 figur

Clinical Consensus Conference: Survey on Gram-Positive Bloodstream Infections with a Focus on Staphylococcus aureus

The increased incidence over the past decade of bloodstream infections (BSIs) caused by gram-positive bacteria, particularly methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus , highlights the critical need for a consistent approach to therapy. However, there is currently no international consensus on the diagnosis and management of gram-positive BSIs. The Clinical Consensus Conference on Gram-Positive Bloodstream Infections was convened as a session at the 9th International Symposium on Modern Concepts in Endocarditis and Cardiovascular Infections held in 2007. Participants discussed various aspects of the practical treatment of patients who present with gram-positive BSI, including therapeutic options for patients with BSIs of undefined origin, the selection of appropriate empirical therapy, and treatment of complicated and uncomplicated BSIs. The opinions of participants about these key issues are reflected in this articl

Systematics and evolution of predatory flower flies (Diptera Syrphidae) based on exon-capture sequencing

Flower flies (Diptera: Syrphidae) are one of the most species-rich dipteran families and provide important ecosystem services such as pollination, biological control of pests, recycling of organic matter and redistributions of essential nutrients. Flower fly adults generally feed on pollen and nectar, but their larval feeding habits are strikingly diverse. In the present study, high-throughput sequencing was used to capture and enrich phylogenetically and evolutionary informative exonic regions. With the help of the baitfisher software, we developed a new bait kit (SYRPHIDAE1.0) to target 1945 CDS regions belonging to 1312 orthologous genes. This new bait kit was successfully used to exon capture the targeted loci in 121 flower fly species across the different subfamilies of Syrphidae. We analysed different amino acid and nucleotide data sets (1302 loci and 154 loci) with maximum likelihood and multispecies coalescent models. Our analyses yielded highly supported similar topologies, although the degree of the SRH (global stationarity, reversibility and homogeneity) conditions varied greatly between amino acid and nucleotide data sets. The sisterhood of subfamilies Pipizinae and Syrphinae is supported in all our analyses, confirming a common origin of taxa feeding on soft-bodied arthropods. Based on our results, we define Syrphini stat.rev. to include the genera Toxomerus and Paragus. Our divergence estimate analyses with beast inferred the origin of the Syrphidae in the Lower Cretaceous (125.5-98.5 Ma) and the diversification of predatory flower flies around the K-Pg boundary (70.61-54.4 Ma), coinciding with the rise and diversification of their prey.Peer reviewe

Gene content evolution in the arthropods

Arthropods comprise the largest and most diverse phylum on Earth and play vital roles in nearly every ecosystem. Their diversity stems in part from variations on a conserved body plan, resulting from and recorded in adaptive changes in the genome. Dissection of the genomic record of sequence change enables broad questions regarding genome evolution to be addressed, even across hyper-diverse taxa within arthropods. Using 76 whole genome sequences representing 21 orders spanning more than 500 million years of arthropod evolution, we document changes in gene and protein domain content and provide temporal and phylogenetic context for interpreting these innovations. We identify many novel gene families that arose early in the evolution of arthropods and during the diversification of insects into modern orders. We reveal unexpected variation in patterns of DNA methylation across arthropods and examples of gene family and protein domain evolution coincident with the appearance of notable phenotypic and physiological adaptations such as flight, metamorphosis, sociality, and chemoperception. These analyses demonstrate how large-scale comparative genomics can provide broad new insights into the genotype to phenotype map and generate testable hypotheses about the evolution of animal diversity

Differential, Positional-Dependent Transcriptional Response of Antigenic Variation (var) Genes to Biological Stress in Plasmodium falciparum

1% of the genes of the human malaria causing agent Plasmodium falciparum belong to the heterogeneous var gene family which encodes P. falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein 1 (PFEMP1). This protein mediates part of the pathogenesis of the disease by causing adherence of infected erythrocytes (IE) to the host endothelium. At any given time, only one copy of the family is expressed on the IE surface. The cues which regulate the allelic exclusion of these genes are not known. We show the existence of a differential expression pattern of these genes upon exposure to biological stress in relation to their positional placement on the chromosome – expression of centrally located var genes is induced while sub-telomeric copies of the family are repressed - this phenomenon orchestrated by the histone deacetylase pfsir2. Moreover, stress was found to cause a switch in the pattern of the expressed var genes thus acting as a regulatory cue. By using pharmacological compounds which putatively affect pfsir2 activity, distinct changes of var gene expression patterns were achieved which may have therapeutic ramifications. As disease severity is partly associated with expression of particular var gene subtypes, manipulation of the IE environment may serve as a mechanism to direct transcription towards less virulent genes

Amicus Brief, Lebron v. Gottlieb Memorial Hospital

Illinois Public Act 82-280, § 2-1706.5, as amended by P.A. 94-677, § 330 (eff. Aug. 25, 2005), and as codified as 735 ILCS 5/2-1706.5(a), imposes a $500,000 “cap” on the noneconomic damages that may be awarded in a medical malpractice suit against a physician or other health care professional, and a$1 million “cap” on the noneconomic damages that may be awarded against a hospital, its affiliates, or their employees. This brief will address two of the questions presented for review by the parties: 1. Does the cap violate the Illinois Constitution’s prohibition on “special legislation,” Art. IV, § 3, because it unnecessarily, arbitrarily, and irrationally grants exceptional benefits and privileges exclusively to certain classes of tort defendants. 2. Does the cap violate the Illinois Constitution’s guarantee of “equal protection,” Art. I, § 2, because it unnecessarily, arbitrarily, and irrationally imposes extraordinary burdens uniquely upon certain classes and sub-classes of tort plaintiffs

Metabolic and Hormonal Changes After Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass and Sleeve Gastrectomy: a Randomized, Prospective Trial

BACKGROUND: The mechanisms of amelioration of glycemic control early after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) or laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) are not fully understood. METHODS: In this prospective, randomized 1-year trial, outcomes of LRYGB and LSG patients were compared, focusing on possibly responsible mechanisms. Twelve patients were randomized to LRYGB and 11 to LSG. These non-diabetic patients were investigated before and 1 week, 3 months, and 12 months after surgery. A standard test meal was given after an overnight fast, and blood samples were collected before, during, and after food intake for hormone profiles (cholecystokinin (CCK), ghrelin, glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), peptide YY (PYY)). RESULTS: In both groups, body weight and BMI decreased markedly and comparably leading to an identical improvement of abnormal glycemic control (HOMA index). Post-surgery, patients had markedly increased postprandial plasma GLP-1 and PYY levels (p > 0.05) with ensuing improvement in glucose homeostasis. At 12 months, LRYGB ghrelin levels approached preoperative values. The postprandial, physiologic fluctuation returned, however, while LSG ghrelin levels were still markedly attenuated. One year postoperatively, CCK concentrations after test meals increased less in the LRYGB group than they did in the LSG group, with the latter showing significantly higher maximal CCK concentrations (p > 0.012 vs. LRYGB). CONCLUSIONS: Bypassing the foregut is not the only mechanism responsible for improved glucose homeostasis. The balance between foregut (ghrelin, CCK) and hindgut (GLP-1, PYY) hormones is a key to understanding the underlying mechanisms

The Chalcidoidea bush of life: evolutionary history of a massive radiation of minute wasps.

Chalcidoidea are mostly parasitoid wasps that include as many as 500 000 estimated species. Capturing phylogenetic signal from such a massive radiation can be daunting. Chalcidoidea is an excellent example of a hyperdiverse group that has remained recalcitrant to phylogenetic resolution. We combined 1007 exons obtained with Anchored Hybrid Enrichment with 1048 ultra-conserved elements (UCEs) for 433 taxa including all extant families, >95% of all subfamilies, and 356 genera chosen to represent the vast diversity of the superfamily. Going back and forth between the molecular results and our collective knowledge of morphology and biology, we detected bias in the analyses that was driven by the saturation of nucleotide data. Our final results are based on a concatenated analysis of the least saturated exons and UCE datasets (2054 loci, 284 106 sites). Our analyses support an expected sister relationship with Mymarommatoidea. Seven previously recognized families were not monophyletic, so support for a new classification is discussed. Natural history in some cases would appear to be more informative than morphology, as illustrated by the elucidation of a clade of plant gall associates and a clade of taxa with planidial first-instar larvae. The phylogeny suggests a transition from smaller soft-bodied wasps to larger and more heavily sclerotized wasps, with egg parasitism as potentially ancestral for the entire superfamily. Deep divergences in Chalcidoidea coincide with an increase in insect families in the fossil record, and an early shift to phytophagy corresponds with the beginning of the "Angiosperm Terrestrial Revolution". Our dating analyses suggest a middle Jurassic origin of 174 Ma (167.3-180.5 Ma) and a crown age of 162.2 Ma (153.9-169.8 Ma) for Chalcidoidea. During the Cretaceous, Chalcidoidea may have undergone a rapid radiation in southern Gondwana with subsequent dispersals to the Northern Hemisphere. This scenario is discussed with regard to knowledge about the host taxa of chalcid wasps, their fossil record and Earth's palaeogeographic history