Customized physical and structural features of phosphate-based glass-ceramics: role of ag nanoparticles and ho3+ impurities

The effects of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) embedment on the physical and structural characteristics of the holmium ions (Ho3+) activated phosphate-based glass-ceramics were assessed. Two series of such glass-ceramics were prepared using the melt-quenching and characterized. In the first series, the Ag NPs were nucleated from the incorporated AgCl via the redox process. In the second series, the pure Ag nanopowder was directly added. The overall properties of these glass-ceramics were strongly sensitive to the cooling procedure and NPs addition strategies, leading to different density and refractive index modifications in the two series. The recorded O1s XPS peaks were exploited to determine the bridging to non-bridging oxygen ratios in the studied glass-ceramics network that enabled to unfold the differences in the observed inferences. A compelling correlation among various attributes in the achieved glass-ceramics was established. Briefly, the overall traits of the proposed glass-ceramics were tailored by regulating the preparation conditions

First record of Chiasmognathus from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (Hymenoptera, Apidae)

This is the publisher's version, also available electronically from http://www.pensoft.net/journals/jhr/article/5841/first-record-of-chiasmognathus-from-the-kingdom-of-saudi-arabia-hymenoptera-apidae-The cleptoparasitic bee genus Chiasmognathus Engel (Nomadinae: Ammobatini) is recorded from Saudi Arabia for the first time. Chiasmognathus nearchus Engel was previously known from specimens collected in the United Arab Emirates and Oman. Here we report and figure two individuals captured in central Saudi Arabia

Nesting Biology of the Leafcutting Bee Megachile minutissima (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) in Central Saudi Arabia

The leafcutting bee Megachile (Eutricharaea) minutissima Radoszkowski is a widely distributed species in the Middle East and a promising pollinator of alfalfa. We provide information on the nest architecture, foraging behavior, phenology, and host plants of a wild population of M. minutissima studied between March 2010 and September 2012 in Amariah, a typical desert in central Saudi Arabia. Bees nested in preexisting cavities in the sandy, dry, and loose soil, and built between 2 and 14 leaf-lined brood cells per nest. Females built and provisioned 1-2 cells per day, each consisting of a large oval piece from which the cell cup was made and a small semiround piece that was used as cell cap; however, occasionally small oval pieces were also used in the latter. Cells were built from leaves of Ricinus communis L. (Euphorbiaceae), a locally abundant plant. Both sexes were captured from March to October at flowers of 11 species (10 families), indicating some degree of polylecty as well as either bivoltinism or multivoltinism. We also provide comparative taxonomic comments that will assist bee researchers to easily recognize this species

A new species of Chalicodoma from Saudi Arabia with modified facial setae (Hymenoptera, Megachilidae)

Some bees and pollen wasps have independently evolved simple, stiff, erect, apically-curved, curly or hooked facial setae as adaptations to collect pollen from nototribic flowers. A distinctive new species of Chalicodoma Lepeletier de Saint Fargeau subgenus Pseudomegachile Friese from Saudi Arabia with such morphological adaptations, C. riyadhense sp. n., is described and figured. The species was captured visiting flowers of Blepharis ciliaris (L.) (Acanthaceae). The occurrence of modified facial setae is documented and discussed for the first time in eight other species of Pseudomegachile, and a key to the genera and subgenera of Megachilini currently confirmed for Saudi Arabia is provided

Notes on the Nesting Biology of the Small Carpenter Bee Ceratina smaragdula (Hymenoptera: Apidae) in Northwestern Pakistan

The nesting biology and some foraging activities of the familiar, brilliant metallic green, small carpenter bee Ceratina (Pithitis) smaragdula (F.) (Hymenoptera: Apidae) is documented from the northwestern-most extent of its natural distribution, as the species is a potentially important pollinator of leguminous and cucurbit crops in the region. Numerous nests around the village of Ismaila, Swabi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, Pakistan, were observed and sampled from Jun through Aug 2012. Nest details were recorded and foraging times on various floral species were documented, with bees preferentially nesting in wooden stalks of Ravenna grass (Saccharum ravennae L.; Poales: Poaceae), life cycles lasting 28 to 32 d, and conditions offering the potential for easy management. The importance of such studies on wild bees in Pakistan is stressed, as are the development of biotic surveys on bees and the training of regional melittologists, coupled with outreach activities. Resumen La biología de la anidación y algunas actividades de forrajeo de la pequeña abeja carpintera Ceratina (Pithitis) smaragdula (F.) (Hymenoptera: Apidae) de tipo familiar y brillante color verde metálico está documentado desde el punto mas noroeste de su distribución natural, ya que la especie es potencialmente un importante polinizador de legumbres y cucurbitáceas en la región. Se observaron numerosos nidos alrededor del pueblo de Ismaila, Swabi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Provincia, Pakistán, y se tomaron muestras desde junio hasta agosto del 2012. Los detalles de la anidación fueron registrados y se documentaron los tiempos de forrajeo sobre diversas especies florales, con las abejas preferentemente anidando en los tallos de madera de pasto de Rávena (Saccharum ravennae L.; Poales: Poaceae), los ciclos de vida duran de 28 a 32 dias, y las condiciones que ofrecen el potencial para un fácil manejo. Se destaca la importancia de este tipo de estudio sobre las abejas silvestres en Pakistán, igual que el desarrollo de sondeos bióticos sobre las abejas y la formación de melitólogos regionales, junto con actividades de extensión

An Effective Knowledge-Based Modeling Approach towards a “Smart-School Care Coordination System” for Children and Young People with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities

There is a significant need for a computer-aided modeling, effective information analysis and ontology knowledge base models to support both special needs children and care providers. As this research work correlated to the symmetry scope, it proposes an innovative generic smart knowledge-based “School Care Coordination System” (SCCS), which is established on a novel holistic six-layered data management model. The development of the Smart-SCCS adopts a methodology of ontology engineering to transform the given theoretical unstructured special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) code of practice into a comprehensive knowledge representation and reasoning system. The intended purpose is to deliver a system that can coordinate and bring together education, health and social care services into a single application to meet the needs of children and young people (CYP) with SEND. Moreover, it enables coordination, integration and monitoring of education, health and social care activities between different actors (formal, informal and CYP in the education sector) involved in the school care process network to provide personalized care interventions based on a predefined care plan. The developed ontology knowledge-based model has been proven efficient and solved the enormous difficulties faced by schools and local authorities on a daily basis. It enabled the coordination of care and integration of information for CYP from different departments in health, social care and education. The developed model has received significant attention with great feedback from all the schools and the local authorities involved, showing its efficiency and robustness

New genera of meliturguline bees from Saudi Arabia and Persia, with notes on related genera and a key to the Arabian fauna (Hymenoptera: Andrenidae)

A new genus of melitturgine bees (Panurginae: Melitturgini) is described and figured from central Saudi Arabia. Belliturgula najdica Engel, gen. et sp. n., is similar in several respects to the genus Flavomeliturgula Patiny in that both have a greatly elongate glossa that is longer than the face and is truncate apically. The former differs in the greatly elongate and flattened first labial palpomere, the remaining palpomeres unmodified, the greatly protuberant clypeus, and long labrum lacking dense setal patches, among other traits. In addition, remarks are made on the composition of Flavomeliturgula, with Meliturgula deserta Warncke (Iran, Pakistan), removed to Khuzimelissa Engel, gen. n., resulting in the new combination Khuzimelissa deserta (Warncke), comb. n. Khuzimelissa differs from Flavomeliturgula by the unmodified labial palpomeres (lacking the elongate first three labial palpomeres of the latter genus), the acute glossa (broadly truncate in the latter), glossa shorter than head length (greater than head length in the latter), the abundant, white, squamiform setae of the mesoscutum (sparse, erect setae in the latter), cleft pretarsal claws (simple in the latter), presence of metasomal setal bands (lacking in the latter), and apically emarginate pygidial plate (acutely rounded in the latter). The species of Flavomeliturgula are organized into three subgenera, including Koreshomelissa Engel, subgen. n., and Freyamelissa Engel, subgen. n., and these may eventually warrant generic status once phylogenetic work on the tribe has been completed. A key to the Arabian genera of Panurginae is provided, along with an augmented key to the genera of subtribe Meliturgulina

Ecological niche modeling of the rare bee Promelitta alboclypeata reveals possible cryptic differentiation across northern Africa and Arabia (Hymenoptera: Melittidae)

International audienceAbstractThe scarcely collected bee Promelitta alboclypeata with known occurrence across northern Africa and the Arabian Peninsula is a typical example of the bee family Melittidae which encompasses a good number of species with sparse or disjunct distributions and particular flower preferences. Using records for 16 localities, we estimated ecological niche models for P. alboclypeata in Maxent on four sets of occurrences, to represent the disparity of the known records, most of them known from the western section of the range. Our estimates show a predicted area for the species in the northern section of the geographic extent assumed accessible to the species (mainly north Africa and the Arabian Peninsula), signaling feasible regions to survey for the presence of the species; possible ecological niche differentiation between the western and eastern populations is also signaled by the models

A new species of the carpenter bee genus Xylocopa from the Sarawat Mountains in southwestern Saudi Arabia (Hymenoptera, Apidae)

A new species of the carpenter bee genus Xylocopa Latreille (Xylocopinae: Xylocopini) is described and figured from two localities in southern Saudi Arabia. Xylocopa (Koptortosoma) sarawatica Engel, sp. n. is a relatively small species similar to the widespread X. pubescens Spinola, but differs in the extent of maculation in males, setal coloration of both sexes, and male terminalia. A revised key to the species of Xylocopa in Saudi Arabia is provided

New genera of meliturguline bees from Saudi Arabia and Persia, with notes on related genera and a key to the Arabian fauna (Hymenoptera: Andrenidae)

A new genus of melitturgine bees (Panurginae: Melitturgini) is described and figured from central Saudi Arabia. Belliturgula najdica Engel, gen. et sp. n., is similar in several respects to the genus Flavomeliturgula Patiny in that both have a greatly elongate glossa that is longer than the face and is truncate apically. The former differs in the greatly elongate and flattened first labial palpomere, the remaining palpomeres unmodified, the greatly protuberant clypeus, and long labrum lacking dense setal patches, among other traits. In addition, remarks are made on the composition of Flavomeliturgula, with Meliturgula deserta Warncke (Iran, Pakistan), removed to Khuzimelissa Engel, gen. n., resulting in the new combination Khuzimelissa deserta (Warncke), comb. n. Khuzimelissa differs from Flavomeliturgula by the unmodified labial palpomeres (lacking the elongate first three labial palpomeres of the latter genus), the acute glossa (broadly truncate in the latter), glossa shorter than head length (greater than head length in the latter), the abundant, white, squamiform setae of the mesoscutum (sparse, erect setae in the latter), cleft pretarsal claws (simple in the latter), presence of metasomal setal bands (lacking in the latter), and apically emarginate pygidial plate (acutely rounded in the latter). The species of Flavomeliturgula are organized into three subgenera, including Koreshomelissa Engel, subgen. n., and Freyamelissa Engel, subgen. n., and these may eventually warrant generic status once phylogenetic work on the tribe has been completed. A key to the Arabian genera of Panurginae is provided, along with an augmented key to the genera of subtribe Meliturgulina