Sugarcane stems as larval habitat for the stable fly (Stomoxys calcitrans) in sugarcane plantations

Outbreaks of stable fly, Stomoxys calcitrans, cause losses for livestock producers located near sugarcane mills in Brazil, especially in southern Mato Grosso do Sul. The sugarcane mills are often pointed by local farmers as the primary source of these outbreaks; some mills also joined the farmers in combating the flies. Brazilian beef cattle production has great economic importance in similar level to bio-fuel production as ethanol. In this context, the wide-ranging knowledge on the biology and ecology of the stable fly, including larval habitats and their reproduction sites is extremely important for further development of control programs. This paper aims to report the occurrence and development of S. calcitrans larvae inside sugarcane stems in three municipalities of Mato Grosso do Sul. The sugarcane stems give protection against bad weather conditions and insecticide application. In this way, for sustainable sugarcane growth specific research concerning this situation should be conducted.

Fly pollination and pollinator sharing in two synchronopatric species: Cordia multispicata (Boraginaceae) and Borreria alata (Rubiaceae)

The floral biology of Cordia multispicata (Boraginaceae) and Borreria alata (Rubiaceae) was studied in natural populations in a fragment of the Atlantic forest in Pernambuco, northeastern Brazil. Both species flower during almost the whole year. Cordia multispicata is a shrubby species with white, distylous and tubular flowers. Borreria alata is a herbaceous species. Its flowers are whitish, tubular and have a polymorphism in relation to the size of their style. Floral anthesis in both species begins at 6:00 a.m. Sugar concentration in the nectar was about 16% in C. multispicata and 30% in B. alata. Nine species of flies, mainly of the genus Palpada (Syrphidae), were observed visiting flowers of the two species. Seven of them were observed visiting and pollinating flowers of both C. multispicata and B. alata. Two species visited only flowers of C. multispicata, whereas no fly was exclusive to B. alata flowers. Both species have similar flower morphology, flowering time, habitats in the forest and establish populations very close to each other. These facts can favour the pollinators’ sharing and increase pollinator attraction.

Short-term exposure of mice to cigarette smoke and/or residual oil fly ash produces proximal airspace enlargements and airway epithelium remodeling

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with inflammatory cell reactions, tissue destruction and lung remodeling. Many signaling pathways for these phenomena are still to be identified. We developed a mouse model of COPD to evaluate some pathophysiological mechanisms acting during the initial stage of the disease. Forty-seven 6- to 8-week-old female C57/BL6 mice (approximately 22 g) were exposed for 2 months to cigarette smoke and/or residual oil fly ash (ROFA), a concentrate of air pollution. We measured lung mechanics, airspace enlargement, airway wall thickness, epithelial cell profile, elastic and collagen fiber deposition, and by immunohistochemistry transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), macrophage elastase (MMP12), neutrophils and macrophages. We observed regional airspace enlargements near terminal bronchioles associated with the exposure to smoke or ROFA. There were also increases in airway resistance and thickening of airway walls in animals exposed to smoke. In the epithelium, we noted a decrease in the ciliated cell area of animals exposed to smoke and an increase in the total cell area associated with exposure to both smoke and ROFA. There was also an increase in the expression of TGF-β1 both in the airways and parenchyma of animals exposed to smoke. However, we could not detect inflammatory cell recruitment, increases in MMP12 or elastic and collagen fiber deposition. After 2 months of exposure to cigarette smoke and/or ROFA, mice developed regional airspace enlargements and airway epithelium remodeling, although no inflammation or increases in fiber deposition were detected. Some of these phenomena may have been mediated by TGF-β1.

Prerequisites for commercialization of tube granulator for fly ash

A large amount of fly ash is produced in power plants and a big fraction of it ends up as waste to landfills. Disposal of fly ash to landfills is expensive for power plants due to for example waste taxation. However fly ash can utilized in different applications. Possibility of utilizing fly ash can be increased by granulation which also removes the dustiness problems of ash. This Thesis deals with the prerequisites for commercialization of a new granulation technique, tube granulation. Tube granulation technique utilizes water, calcium oxide in fly ash plus carbon dioxide and heat from flue gas. This Thesis determines the necessary auxiliary equipment for tube granulation, approaches for process dimensioning and implementation of the granulation process into a continuous power plant process. In addition, the economic benefits of tube granulation are examined from the user’s perspective. A continuous tube granulation process requires the following auxiliary systems to function: ash system, water feed system and flue gas system. Implementation of tube granulation system into a power plant process depends on the specific power plant but a general principle is that fly ash should be obtained to the granulator as fresh as possible and flue gas should be taken from the pressure side of a flue gas fan. Dimensioning of the process can be examined for example in terms of degree of filling and residence time in the granulator or in terms of granule drying. Determining the optimal dimensioning parameters requires pilot tests with the granulator.

Spirit that wants to fly: Adorno under a spell

The starting point of Demirovic's text is Adorno’s idea that concepts as forms of thinking are constellations of power. Differently from many interpretations of Adorno as resigned, Demirovic shows that this assumption enables Adorno to give his own theory the character of interventions in the ideological consensus of everyday life with regard to emancipation.

An investigative study on the effects of black fly (diptera: simuliidae) sugar meals on reproductive success and parasite transmission /

Black flies are opportunistic sugar-feeders. They take sugar meals from Homopteran honeydew secretions or plant nectars, depending on availability. Homopteran honeydew secretions contain both simple and complex carbohydrates while plant nectars contain primarily simple carbohydrates. In order to determine whether honeydew secretions offer more energy than plant nectars to their insect visitors a study of wild-caught black flies was undertaken in Algonquin Provincial Park, Canada during the spring of 1 998 and 1 999. It was hypothesized that female black flies maintained on honeydew sugars will survive longer, produce more eggs and have a greater parasite vectoring potential than those maintained on artificial nectar or distilled water. Results demonstrated that: (1) host-seeking female Prosimulimfuscum/mixtum and Simulium venustum maintained on artificial honeydew did not survive longer than those maintained on artificial nectar when fed ad libitum; (2) fiiUy engorged S. venustum and Simulium rugglesi maintained on artificial honeydew did not produce more eggs than those maintained on artificial nectar when fed ad libitum; and (3) S. rugglesi did not have a greater vectoring potential of Leucocytozoon simondi when maintained on artificial honeydew as opposed to artificial nectar when fed ad libitum. However, all flies maintained on the two sugars (artificial honeydew and artificial nectar) survived longer, produce more eggs and had greater vectoring potential than those maintained on distilled water alone.

Behavioural characteristics in phylogenetics : a case study using black fly (Diptera: Simuliidae) cocoon spinning behaviour

1-1 is torically, the predominan t method of reconstructing phylogenies has been through the use of morphological characters. There are new techniques now gaining acceptance, including molecular techniques al1d chromosomal information. Altl10ugh the study of behaviour has been used in a comparative framework, these analyses have, historically, been based on intuition. Hennig (1966) devised a neV\' method of reconstructing phylogenies which provided a 110ncircular method for formulating, testing and refining phylogenies. Subsequent s)Tstematists had virtually abandoned ecological and beha\lioural data as primary indicators of phylogenetic relationships (Brooks and McLennan 1991). Therefore, in a modern cladistic framework (sensu Hennig) the analysis of behavioural traits remains underrepresented as a method of reconstructing phylogenies. This thesis will reconstruct the phylogeny for species of black flies (Diptera: Simuliidae), using two steps. The first step is to thoroughl)' understand and explain the cocoon spinning in black fly larvae. There have bee115 previous descriptions of cocoon spinning, but all were incomplete or erroneous. The advances in technology, including video recorders and VCRs, have allowed this behaviour to be analyzed in great detail in 20 different species. A complete description of the cocoon spinning of Simulium \littatum is given. This description will be used as a template for the other species observed. The description and understanding of cococ)n spinning was the first step in undertaking a phylogenetic analysis using this behaviour. The behaviour was then broken down and analyzed, revealing 23 characters, 3 either qualitative and quantitative in nature. These characters were assessed in a cladistic framework (sensu Hennig) and a phylogenetic tree was reconstructed with a e.I of 0.91 and an R.I. of 0.96. This phylogenetic tree closely resembles a previously established pllylogenetic tree produced from morphological and cytological information. The importance of this result is the indication that, contrary to some authors, behavioural characters, if used properly, can add very informative characters to a data set.

The effect of feeding regime on larval black fly (Diptera: simuliidae) primary head fan ray number

Identification of larval simuliids has always been difficult due to the morphological similarity many species bear to one another. For this reason all characters available have been drawn upon to aid in species identification, including head fan ray number. Even in light of an increasing body of anecdotal reports that head fan ray number is not fixed, it has continued to be used to aid species identification. In the current experiment simuliid larvae were reared under controlled laboratory conditions to last instar in one of three feeding regimes. Out of nine trials, the results of six showed a significant inverse relationship between feeding regime and head fan ray number. In addition to the laboratory experiments, larvae were also collected from the field over the course of the spring and summer, 1994. From these samples significant interspecific and intraspecific variations in head fan ray number were found both spatially and temporally within Algonquin Park. From these data it is concluded that head fan ray number for the species analysed is a developmentally plastic character, which varies in response to food availability. Furthermore, given the extreme variations in head fan ray number found in some species, I recommend that head fan ray number not be used as an aid to identification unless it can be shown to be a fixed character for the species in question.

An investigation into the effects of homopteran honeydew sugars versus floral nectar sugars on black fly longevity, flight performance and digestion /

Floral nectar is thought to be the primary carbohydrate source for most dipteran species. However, it has been shown that black flies (Burgin & Hunter 1997 a,b,c), mosquitoes (Foster 1995; Burkett et al. 1999; Russell & Hunter 2002), deer flies (Magnarelli & Burger 1984; Janzen & Hunter 1998; Ossowski & Hunter 2000), horse flies (Schutz & Gaugler 1989; Hunter & Ossowski 1999) and sand flies (MacVicker et al. 1990; Wallbanks et al. 1990; Cameron et al. 1992, 1995; Schlein & Jacobson 1994, 1999; Hamilton & EI Naiem 2000) feed on homopteran honeydew as well as floral nectar. Prior to 1997 floral nectar was thought to be the main source of carbohydrates for black flies. However, Burgin & Hunter (1 997a) demonstrated that up to 35% of black flies had recently consumed meals of homo pte ran honeydew. This information has necessitated a re-assessment of many life history aspects of black flies. Attempts are being made to examine the effects of nectar versus honeydew on black fly fecundity and parasite transmission (Hazzard 2003). Recently, Stanfield and Hunter (unpublished data) have shown that in female black flies, honeydew sugars produce flights of longer distance and duration than do nectar sugars. This thesis examines two aspects of black fly biology as it relates to sugar meal consumption. First, the effects of honeydew and nectar on black fly longevity are examined. Second, the proximate causation behind longer flight performances in honeydew-fed flies will be examined. The comparison between these two sources is important because nectar is composed of mainly simple sugars (monosaccharides and disaccharides) whereas honeydew is composed of both simple and complex sugars (including trisaccharides and tetrasaccharides ).

Characterization of black fly (Diptera: Simuliidae) silk proteins

Black fly (Simuliidae) silk is produced by the larvae and pharate pupae and is used for anchorage and cocoon production. There exists limited information on simuliid silks, including protein composition and genetic sequences encoding such proteins. The present study aimed to expand what is known about simuliid silks by examining the silks of several simuliid species and by making comparisons to the silk of non-biting midges (Chironomidae). Silk glands were dissected out of larval and pupal simuliids, and protein contents were separated by sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and visualized with silver stain. Protein contents were compared by mass in kilodaltons (kDa) between life stages and among species. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to expand upon known gene sequence information, and to determine the presence of genes homologous to chironomid silk. SDS-PAGE of cocoons revealed the presence of a 56 kDa and a 67 kDa protein. Silk gland contained as many as 28 different proteins ranging from 319 kDa to 8 kDa. Protein profiles vary among species, and group into large (>200), intermediate(>100), and small (<100) protein classes as is found in chironomids. It is likely that silk evolved in a common ancestor of simuliids and chironomids

Photograph - Fishing Trip #1

A photograph of two women and a man fishing.

Photograph - Fishing Trip #2

A photograph of two women and two men fishing. One woman is wearing an apron that reads "Cream of the West and Nelson Finest Canadian Flour" while she holds a fishing net.

Photograph - Fishing Trip #3

A photograph of a woman with a fishing pole and eating melon.

Living and fishing in a marine protected area : balancing traditional fisheries with conservation in Karimunjawa National Park, Indonesia

Cette recherche a porté sur quelques enjeux importants liés à la gestion des aires marines protégées (AMP) en Indonésie en examinant comment celles-ci sont en mesure d'adapter leurs politiques afin de mieux répondre à l'évolution des conditions socioéconomiques et écologiques, quels ont été les impacts socioéconomiques de ces aires, et quelles sont les préoccupations environnementales des acteurs locaux dont les moyens de subsistance dépendent des ressources règlementées. Le «livelihoods framework » a servi de guide pour notre analyse des changements socioéconomiques dans la région, tandis que la notion d’« environmentality » d’Agrawal a fourni les bases théoriques pour l'examen de la formation de sujets environnementaux au parc national de Karimunjawa. Cette étude a montré que les changements de politique apportés au plan de la gestion du parc sont un pas dans la bonne direction, mais que les objectifs importants liés sa cogestion n'ont jamais été entièrement réalisés dans la pratique. Les résultats montrent également que d'importants changements socioéconomiques surviennent dans le parc, de nombreux pêcheurs se tournent vers des moyens de subsistance alternatifs, afin de compenser la baisse des prises de poissons. Enfin, cette étude a révélé que d'importants changements positifs dans les préoccupations environnementales sont survenus depuis la modification du zonage du parc, mais que ceux-ci ne se sont pas entièrement traduits en conformité avec les règles et règlements de l'AMP.

Healthy as a trout – as delicate as a dragon-fly

Travail créatif / Creative Work