Population divergence of Melipona scutellaris (Hymenoptera: Meliponina) in two restricted areas in Bahia, Brazil

Melipona scutellaris Latreille has great economic and ecological importance, especially because it is a pollinator of native plant species. Despite the importance of this species, there is little information about the conservation status of their populations. The objective of this study was to assess the diversity in populations of M. scutellaris coming from a Semideciduous Forest Fragment and an Atlantic Forest Fragment in the Northeast Brazil, through geometric morphometric analysis of wings in worker bees. In each area, worker bees were collected from 10 colonies, 10 workers per colony. To assess the diversity on the right wings of worker bees, 15 landmarks were plotted and the measures were used in analysis of variance and multivariate analysis, principal component analysis, discriminant analysis and clustering analysis. There were significant differences in the shape of the wing venation patterns between colonies of two sites (Wilk's lambda = 0.000006; p < 0.000001), which is probably due to the geographical distance between places of origin which impedes the gene flow between them. It indicates that inter and intrapopulation morphometric variability exists (p < 0.000001) in M. scutellaris coming from two different biomes, revealing the existence of diversity in these populations, which is necessary for the conservation of this bee species.

DIFFERENTIAL INVOLVEMENT OF DORSAL RAPHE SUBNUCLEI IN THE REGULATION OF ANXIETY- AND PANIC-RELATED DEFENSIVE BEHAVIORS

A wealth of evidence indicates that the dorsal raphe nucleus (DR) is not a homogenous structure, but an aggregate of distinctive populations of neurons that may differ anatomically, neurochemically and functionally. Other findings suggest that serotonergic neurons within the mid-caudal and caudal part of the DR are involved in anxiety processing while those within the lateral wings (IwDR) and ventrolateral periaqueductal gray (vIPAG) are responsive to panic-evoking stimuli/situations. However, no study to date has directly compared the activity of 5-HT and non-5HT neurons within different subnuclei of the DR following the expression of anxiety- and panic-related defensive responses. In the present investigation, the number of doubly immunostained cells for Fos protein and tryptophan hydroxylase, a marker of serotonergic neurons, was assessed within the rat DR, median raphe nucleus (MRN) and PAG following inhibitory avoidance and escape performance in the elevated T-maze, behaviors associated with anxiety and panic, respectively. Inhibitory avoidance, but not escape, significantly increased the number of Fos-expressing serotonergic neurons within the mid-caudal part of the dorsal subnucleus, caudal and interfascicular subnuclei of the DR and in the MRN. Escape, on the other hand, caused a marked increase in the activity of non-5HT cells within the IwDR, vIPAG, dorsolateral and dorsomedial columns of the PAG. These results strongly corroborate the view that different subsets of neurons in the DR are activated by anxiety- and panic-relevant stimuli/situations, with important implications for the understanding of the pathophysiology of generalized anxiety and panic disorders. (C) 2012 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Integrated landmark and outline-based morphometric methods efficiently distinguish species of Euglossa (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Euglossini)

Morphometric methods permit identification of insect species and are an aid for taxonomy. Quantitative wing traits were used to identify male euglossine bees. Landmark- and outline-based methods have been primarily used independently. Here, we combine the two methods using five Euglossa. Landmark-based methods correctly classified 84% and outline-based 77%, but an integrated analysis correctly classified 91% of samples. Some species presented significantly high reclassification percentages when only wing cell contour was considered, and correct identification of specimens with damaged wings was also obtained using this methodology.

Radiative transfer analyses of Titan's tropical atmosphere

Titan's optical and near-IR spectra result primarily from the scattering of sunlight by haze and its absorption by methane. With a column abundance of 92 km amagat (11 times that of Earth), Titan's atmosphere is optically thick and only similar to 10% of the incident solar radiation reaches the surface, compared to 57% on Earth. Such a formidable atmosphere obstructs investigations of the moon's lower troposphere and surface, which are highly sensitive to the radiative transfer treatment of methane absorption and haze scattering. The absorption and scattering characteristics of Titan's atmosphere have been constrained by the Huygens Probe Descent Imager/Spectral Radiometer (DISR) experiment for conditions at the probe landing site (Tomasko, M.G., Bezard, B., Doose, L., Engel, S., Karkoschka, E. 120084 Planet. Space Sci. 56, 624-247: Tomasko, M.G. et al. [2008b] Planet. Space Sci. 56, 669-707). Cassini's Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (VIMS) data indicate that the rest of the atmosphere (except for the polar regions) can be understood with small perturbations in the high haze structure determined at the landing site (Penteado, P.F., Griffith, CA., Tomasko, M.G., Engel, S., See, C., Doose, L, Baines, K.H., Brown, R.H., Buratti, B.J., Clark, R., Nicholson, P., Sotin, C. [2010]. Icarus 206, 352-365). However the in situ measurements were analyzed with a doubling and adding radiative transfer calculation that differs considerably from the discrete ordinates codes used to interpret remote data from Cassini and ground-based measurements. In addition, the calibration of the VIMS data with respect to the DISR data has not yet been tested. Here, VIMS data of the probe landing site are analyzed with the DISR radiative transfer method and the faster discrete ordinates radiative transfer calculation; both models are consistent (to within 0.3%) and reproduce the scattering and absorption characteristics derived from in situ measurements. Constraints on the atmospheric opacity at wavelengths outside those measured by DISR, that is from 1.6 to 5.0 mu m, are derived using clouds as diffuse reflectors in order to derive Titan's surface albedo to within a few percent error and cloud altitudes to within 5 km error. VIMS spectra of Titan at 2.6-3.2 mu m indicate not only spectral features due to CH4 and CH3D (Rannou, P., Cours, T., Le Mouelic, S., Rodriguez, S., Sotin, C., Drossart, P., Brown, R. [2010]. Icarus 208, 850-867), but also a fairly uniform absorption of unknown source, equivalent to the effects of a darkening of the haze to a single scattering albedo of 0.63 +/- 0.05. Titan's 4.8 mu m spectrum point to a haze optical depth of 0.2 at that wavelength. Cloud spectra at 2 mu m indicate that the far wings of the Voigt profile extend 460 cm(-1) from methane line centers. This paper releases the doubling and adding radiative transfer code developed by the DISR team, so that future studies of Titan's atmosphere and surface are consistent with the findings by the Huygens Probe. We derive the surface albedo at eight spectral regions of the 8 x 12 km(2) area surrounding the Huygens landing site. Within the 0.4-1.6 mu m spectral region our surface albedos match DISR measurements, indicating that DISR and VIMS measurements are consistently calibrated. These values together with albedos at longer 1.9-5.0 mu m wavelengths, not sampled by DISR, resemble a dark version of the spectrum of Ganymede's icy leading hemisphere. The eight surface albedos of the landing site are consistent with, but not deterministic of, exposed water ice with dark impurities. (C) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The legs: a key to bird evolutionary success

Birds are the most diverse and largest group of extant tetrapods. They show marked variability, yet much of this variation is superficial and due to feather and bill color and shape. Under the feathers, the skeleto-muscular system is rather constant throughout the bird group. The adaptation to flight is the explanation for this uniformity. The more obvious morphological adaptations for flight are the wings, but the trunk is always rigid, the tail is short and the neck is flexible, since all these features are correlated with flying behaviour. Unrelated to the exigencies of flight, the legs always have three long bones, and all the birds walk on their toes. This leg structure is a striking plesiomorphic feature that was already present in related dinosaurs. The multi-purpose potential of the legs is the result of the skeletal architecture of a body with three segmented flexed legs. This configuration provides mechanical properties that allow the use of the legs as propulsive, paddling, foraging or grooming tools. It is the association of diverse modes of locomotion-walking, running, hopping, flying and swimming-that have enabled the birds to colonize almost all the environments on Earth.

Relationship between body size and flying-related structures in Neotropical social wasps (Polistinae, Vespidae, Hymenoptera)

Body size influences wing shape and associated muscles in flying animals which is a conspicuous phenomenon in insects, given their wide range in body size. Despite the significance of this, to date, no detailed study has been conducted across a group of species with similar biology allowing a look at specific relationship between body size and flying structures. Neotropical social vespids are a model group to study this problem as they are strong predators that rely heavily on flight while exhibiting a wide range in body size. In this paper we describe the variation in both wing shape, as wing planform, and mesosoma muscle size along the body size gradient of the Neotropical social wasps and discuss the potential factors affecting these changes. Analyses of 56 species were conducted using geometric morphometrics for the wings and lineal morphometrics for the body; independent contrast method regressions were used to correct for the phylogenetic effect. Smaller vespid species exhibit rounded wings, veins that are more concentrated in the proximal region, larger stigmata and the mesosoma is proportionally larger than in larger species. Meanwhile, larger species have more elongated wings, more distally extended venation, smaller stigmata and a proportionally smaller mesosoma. The differences in wing shape and other traits could be related to differences in flight demands caused by smaller and larger body sizes. Species around the extremes of body size distribution may invest more in flight muscle mass than species of intermediate sizes.

Six new species of Paraleia Tonnoir (Diptera, Mycetophilidae): amphinotic elements at the northern range of the Andes

Paraleia was originally described by Tonnoir for P. fulvescens, known from Australia. More recently, eleven Neotropical species were added to the genus-nine of which are from Chile and southern Argentina, one from Bolivia, and one from Peru. This distribution pattern is typical of many mycetophilid genera. Six new Neotropical species of Paraleia from the Andean Colombia and Ecuador are herein described. Male terminalia of P. bolivari sp. n., P. denticulata sp. n., P. fumosa sp. n., and P. tonnoiri sp. n., as well as female terminalia of P. bolivari sp. n., P. denticulata sp. n., P. fumosa sp. n., P. nidorosa sp. n., P. sharkeyi sp. n., and Paraleia sp. are illustrated. High-resolution photos of wings for all species are presented. An identification key for world species of Paraleia is provided.

Morphometrical diagnosis of the malaria vectors Anopheles cruzii, An. homunculus and An. bellator

Background: Anopheles (Kerteszia) cruzii is a primary vector of Plasmodium parasites in Brazil's Atlantic Forest. Adult females of An. cruzii and An. homunculus, which is a secondary malaria vector, are morphologically similar and difficult to distinguish when using external morphological characteristics only. These two species may occur syntopically with An. bellator, which is also a potential vector of Plasmodium species and is morphologically similar to An. cruzii and An. homunculus. Identification of these species based on female specimens is often jeopardised by polymorphisms, overlapping morphological characteristics and damage caused to specimens during collection. Wing geometric morphometrics has been used to distinguish several insect species; however, this economical and powerful tool has not been applied to Kerteszia species. Our objective was to assess wing geometry to distinguish An. cruzii, An. homunculus and An. bellator. Methods: Specimens were collected in an area in the Serra do Mar hotspot biodiversity corridor of the Atlantic Forest biome (Cananeia municipality, State of Sao Paulo, Brazil). The right wings of females of An. cruzii (n= 40), An. homunculus (n= 50) and An. bellator (n= 27) were photographed. For each individual, 18 wing landmarks were subjected to standard geometric morphometrics. Discriminant analysis of Procrustean coordinates was performed to quantify wing shape variation. Results: Individuals clustered into three distinct groups according to species with a slight overlap between representatives of An. cruzii and An. homunculus. The Mahalanobis distance between An. cruzii and An. homunculus was consistently lower (3.50) than that between An. cruzii and An. bellator (4.58) or An. homunculus and An. bellator (4.32). Pairwise cross-validated reclassification showed that geometric morphometrics is an effective analytical method to distinguish between An. bellator, An. cruzii and An. homunculus with a reliability rate varying between 78-88%. Shape analysis revealed that the wings of An. homunculus are narrower than those of An. cruzii and that An. bellator is different from both of the congeneric species. Conclusion: It is possible to distinguish among the vectors An. cruzii, An. homunculus and An. bellator based on female wing characteristics.

Variation morphogeometrics of Africanized honey bees (Apis mellifera) in Brazil

The morphometrics of the honey bee Apis mellifera L., 1758 has been widely studied mainly because this species has great ecological importance, high adaptation capacity, wide distribution and capacity to effectively adapt to different regions. The current study aimed to investigate the morphometric variations of wings and pollen baskets of honey bees Apis mellifera scutellata Lepeletier, 1836 from the five regions in Brazil. We used geometric morphometrics to identify the existence of patterns of variations of shape and size in Africanized honey bees in Brazil 16 years after the classic study with this species, allowing a temporal and spatial comparative analysis using new technological resources to assess morphometrical data. Samples were collected in 14 locations in Brazil, covering the five geographical regions of the country. The shape analysis and multivariate analyses of the wing allowed to observe that there is a geographical pattern among the population of Apis mellifera in Brazil. The geographical variations may be attributed to the large territorial extension of the country in addition to the differences between the bioregions.

Rediscovered after 77 years: Odontodiaptomus thomseni - a rare species of calanoid (Crustacea: Copepoda) from South America

The freshwater copepod Odontodiaptomus thomseni (Brehm, 1933) (Calanoida: Diaptomidae) is a rare species that has been reported only once - in its original description (BREHM 1933). The lack of subsequent records led to its inclusion in the Red List of threatened species (IUCN). Here we present a new record for O.thomseni. It was discovered in Salto Grande reservoir, which is located in the lower stretches of the Uruguay River, between Uruguay and Argentina, at the River Plate basin. In January 2010, three specimens (two males and one female) were found, and these were studied in detail using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). We only had material of Odontodiaptomus paulistanus (Wright, 1936) for comparison, but the position of the lateral spine in right P5 of the male, and the shape and size of lateral wings of the female are especially distinctive. Odontodiaptomus thomseni remains a rare species and we recommend keeping it on the IUCN Red List.

Analisi e valutazione delle performance acustiche degli aeromobili nella fase di atterraggio

Nella tesi si analizzano le principali fonti del rumore aeronautico, lo stato dell'arte dal punto di vista normativo, tecnologico e procedurale. Si analizza lo stato dell'arte anche riguardo alla classificazione degli aeromobili, proponendo un nuovo indice prestazionale in alternativa a quello indicato dalla metodologia di certificazione (AC36-ICAO) Allo scopo di diminuire l'impatto acustico degli aeromobili in fase di atterraggio, si analizzano col programma INM i benefici di procedure CDA a 3° rispetto alle procedure tradizionali e, di seguito di procedure CDA ad angoli maggiori in termini di riduzione di lunghezza e di area delle isofoniche SEL85, SEL80 e SEL75.

Reconstruction from image correspondences

A single picture provides a largely incomplete representation of the scene one is looking at. Usually it reproduces only a limited spatial portion of the scene according to the standpoint and the viewing angle, besides it contains only instantaneous information. Thus very little can be understood on the geometrical structure of the scene, the position and orientation of the observer with respect to it remaining also hard to guess. When multiple views, taken from different positions in space and time, observe the same scene, then a much deeper knowledge is potentially achievable. Understanding inter-views relations enables construction of a collective representation by fusing the information contained in every single image. Visual reconstruction methods confront with the formidable, and still unanswered, challenge of delivering a comprehensive representation of structure, motion and appearance of a scene from visual information. Multi-view visual reconstruction deals with the inference of relations among multiple views and the exploitation of revealed connections to attain the best possible representation. This thesis investigates novel methods and applications in the field of visual reconstruction from multiple views. Three main threads of research have been pursued: dense geometric reconstruction, camera pose reconstruction, sparse geometric reconstruction of deformable surfaces. Dense geometric reconstruction aims at delivering the appearance of a scene at every single point. The construction of a large panoramic image from a set of traditional pictures has been extensively studied in the context of image mosaicing techniques. An original algorithm for sequential registration suitable for real-time applications has been conceived. The integration of the algorithm into a visual surveillance system has lead to robust and efficient motion detection with Pan-Tilt-Zoom cameras. Moreover, an evaluation methodology for quantitatively assessing and comparing image mosaicing algorithms has been devised and made available to the community. Camera pose reconstruction deals with the recovery of the camera trajectory across an image sequence. A novel mosaic-based pose reconstruction algorithm has been conceived that exploit image-mosaics and traditional pose estimation algorithms to deliver more accurate estimates. An innovative markerless vision-based human-machine interface has also been proposed, so as to allow a user to interact with a gaming applications by moving a hand held consumer grade camera in unstructured environments. Finally, sparse geometric reconstruction refers to the computation of the coarse geometry of an object at few preset points. In this thesis, an innovative shape reconstruction algorithm for deformable objects has been designed. A cooperation with the Solar Impulse project allowed to deploy the algorithm in a very challenging real-world scenario, i.e. the accurate measurements of airplane wings deformations.

Relaxationsuntersuchungen in unterkühlten und glasig erstarrten Polyalkoholen mittels dielektrischer und NMR Spektroskopie

Es wurde eine homologe Reihe von Polyalkoholen mit der allgemeinen Summenformel CNHN+2(OH)N (N=3-6) hinsichtlich ihrer Glaseigenschaften ober- und unterhalb der Glasübergangstemperatur TG untersucht. Dabei kamen die dielektrische und magnetische Resonanzspektroskopie (NMR) zum Einsatz. Es ergab sich oberhalb TG eine systematische Zunahme aller untersuchten dynamischen Parameter wie Fragilität, Breite der angenommenen Korrelationszeitenverteilungen und der Sprungwinkel der primären Glasrelaxation mit zunehmendem N. Dies kann insgesamt als eine Abnahme des Netzwerkcharakters, der durch Wasserstoffbrückenbindungen bedingt ist, bei zunehmender Kettenlänge interpretiert werden. Unterhalb TG entwickelt sich mit zunehmendem N die Sekundärrelaxation von einem 'Wing Szenario' zu einem ausgeprägten Johari - Goldstein (JG) - Prozess. Ein Sprungmodell, welches eine eingeschränkte Reorientierung auf einem Konusrand beschreibt, erzeugt mit Hilfe der parametrisierten dielektrischen Verlustspektren Sprungwinkel, die mit denen aus aktuellen ²H - NMR spektroskopischen Untersuchungen vergleichbar sind. Durch den Vergleich unterschiedlich deuterierter Derivate von Glyzerin (N=3) und Sorbitol (N=6) wurde gefolgert, dass auch unterhalb TG der Netzwerkcharakter mit zunehmender Kettenlänge abnimmt.Aufgrund der hier durchgeführten Untersuchungen konnte eine Zeitskala für einen Johari - Goldstein - Prozess im Modellglasbildner Glyzerin extrapoliert werden. Eine Deutung des Wings als Hochfrequenzausläufer des JG - Prozesses ist dadurch möglich.Der JG - Prozess kann somit als universeller Glasprozess interpretiert werden, der in verschiedenen Glasbildnern in unterschiedlicher Ausprägung auftritt.

Fluid-structure interaction by a coupled lattice Boltzmann-finite element approach

In this thesis, a strategy to model the behavior of fluids and their interaction with deformable bodies is proposed. The fluid domain is modeled by using the lattice Boltzmann method, thus analyzing the fluid dynamics by a mesoscopic point of view. It has been proved that the solution provided by this method is equivalent to solve the Navier-Stokes equations for an incompressible flow with a second-order accuracy. Slender elastic structures idealized through beam finite elements are used. Large displacements are accounted for by using the corotational formulation. Structural dynamics is computed by using the Time Discontinuous Galerkin method. Therefore, two different solution procedures are used, one for the fluid domain and the other for the structural part, respectively. These two solvers need to communicate and to transfer each other several information, i.e. stresses, velocities, displacements. In order to guarantee a continuous, effective, and mutual exchange of information, a coupling strategy, consisting of three different algorithms, has been developed and numerically tested. In particular, the effectiveness of the three algorithms is shown in terms of interface energy artificially produced by the approximate fulfilling of compatibility and equilibrium conditions at the fluid-structure interface. The proposed coupled approach is used in order to solve different fluid-structure interaction problems, i.e. cantilever beams immersed in a viscous fluid, the impact of the hull of the ship on the marine free-surface, blood flow in a deformable vessels, and even flapping wings simulating the take-off of a butterfly. The good results achieved in each application highlight the effectiveness of the proposed methodology and of the C++ developed software to successfully approach several two-dimensional fluid-structure interaction problems.

"Anteroposterior Patterning: How the Hox Genes Help Us Tell Our Heads from Our ***es"

The fundamental problem of developmental biology is how a single cell- a fertilized egg- is able to produce an entire organism in all its complexity. One essential aspect of this process is spatial patterning-in essence, instructing cells as to their location in developing body so that they can exhibit characteristics appropriate to their functions. he Hox genes, first discovered in mutant fruit fly "hopeful monsters" with extra pairs of wings or legs growing out of their heads, confer spatial information along the anteroposterior axis in animals from worms to humans. Prof Marin's research focuses on the roles of specific Hox genes in sculpting the developing entral nervous system of the fruit fly and how the same gene can direct a neuron to die, survive, or send its axon in search of different connections, depending on cellular context.