Gall-inducing insects of an Araucaria Forest in southern Brazil

Gall-inducing insects of an Araucaria Forest in southern Brazil. Diversity of galling insects is reported for the first time in an Araucaria Forest site. We address gall characteristics, host plant identification and the inducer identification and provide additional information about sites of gall occurrence in a mosaic of continuous forest and natural forest patches. After 40h of sampling we found 57 species of five insect orders, the majority of them Diptera (Cecidomyiidae), galling 43 host plant species, which in turn belonged to 18 host plant families. Stem and buds together, compared to leaves, harbored more galls, which were mostly glabrous, isolated, fusiform and green. Myrtaceae, Asteraceae and Melastomataceae were the most representative host families. Similarities in gall characteristics to what has been reported in the literature probably result from spatial correlation in a larger scale driven by ecological and evolutionary processes.

Insects associated with tropical foliage produced in the coffee growing region of Colombia

We conducted a survey of insects and pest management practices on 34 farms growing ornamental tropical foliage plants in the central coffee region of Colombia over two years. Tropical foliage provided habitat for a diverse range of insects. In total, phytophagous or detritivorous insects from six orders, 40 families and 62 genera were collected. The most common were Hemiptera (29 genera from 16 families), followed by Coleoptera (17 genera from 4 families), Diptera (5 genera from 5 families), Lepidoptera (5 genera from 4 families), Hymenoptera (3 genera from 2 families) and Orthoptera (2 genera from 2 families). The most common phytophagous species were leaf cutting ants (Atta and Acromyrmex spp.), leaf beetles (Chrysomelidae), leafhoppers (Cicadellidae), stinkbugs (Pentatomidae), squash bugs (Coreidae), tree hoppers (Membracidae) and plant hoppers (Fulgoridae). Beneficial insects identified from tropical foliage included predators and parasitoids amongst 5 orders, 12 families and 22 genera. The most abundant were predators among the Coccinellidae, Chrysopidae, Reduviidae, Lycidae and Formicidae but only low numbers of parasitoids (Ichneumonidae, Braconidae and Tachinidae) were collected. A pest management questionnaire given to growers revealed a preponderance of reliance on broad spectrum insecticides with a smaller number of growers (approximately one third) also using some biological control methods. Our survey contributes basic information regarding diversity of Neotropical insects associated with ornamental foliage plants.

Preliminary study of insects associated to indoor body decay in Colombia

Preliminary study of insects associated to indoor body decay in Colombia. This is the first report studying insects associated to indoor body decay process of a white pig (Sus scrofa) (Artiodactyla, Suidae) in a controlled indoor environment in an urban area of Florencia city, Amazonia Piedmont, Colombia. For a period of 54 days, 9,220 individuals (immature and adults), distributed in 3 orders, 5 families, 10 genera, and 10 species were collected using entomological nets and tweezers. Five decaying stages are described (fresh, bloated, active decay, advanced decay and remains). During the fresh stage we recorded Cochliomyia macellaria (Fabricius, 1775), Chrysomya albiceps (Wiedemann, 1819), Ophyra aenescens (Wiedemann, 1830), Oxysarcodexia sp., Lepidodexia sp. and Lasiophanes sp.; during the bloating stage C. macellaria, C. albiceps, Lucilia eximia (Wiedemann, 1819), Hemilucillia semidiaphana (Rondani, 1850), Musca domestica Linnaeus, 1758, O. aenescens, Oxysarcodexia sp., Lepidodexia sp., Dermestes maculatus De Geer, 1774 and Lasiphanes sp.; during the active decay C. macellaria, C. albiceps, L. eximia, M. domestica, O. aenescens, Lepidodexia sp. D. maculatus and Lasiophanes sp.; during the advanced decay C. macellaria, C. albiceps, M. domestica, Lepidodexia sp. and Lasiophanes sp.; and during the remains stage C. albiceps, D. maculatus and Lasiophanes sp. The insects were sorted out in 3 ecological categories; necrophagous, predators and parasites and sarco-saprophagous. According to Chao and Jack estimators, total richness was observed on day 20, with 100% of the expected species.

Bioactivity of the latex from Parahancornia amapa (Apocynaceae) on the development of Rhodnius nasutus (Hemiptera, Reduviidae, Triatominae) under laboratory conditions

Bioactivity of the latex from Parahancornia amapa (Apocynaceae) on the development of Rhodnius nasutus (Hemiptera, Reduviidae, Triatominae) under laboratory conditions. The aim of this study was to verify the effects of the methanolic fraction of the latex from Parahancornia amapa (Apocynaceae) (PALAM) on individuals of the species Rhodnius nasutus Stål (Hemiptera, Triatominae). Many of the insects treated with the substance presented deformities and these may interfere in the feeding and possibly hinder the reproductive capacity. They also presented significant mortality during the molt when compared to the control group, noting a gradual increase in mortality. The treated insects also presented delayed nymphal development (5th instar) and higher adult longevity.

Effects of forest conversion on the assemblages' structure of aquatic insects in subtropical regions

The effects of forest conversion to agricultural land uses on assemblages of aquatic insects were analyzed in subtropical streams. Organisms and environmental variables were collected in six low-order streams: three streams located in a forested area, and three in areas converted to agricultural land uses. We expected that the aquatic insects' assemblage attributes would be significantly affected by forest conversion, as well as by environmental variables. Streams in converted areas presented lower species richness, abundance and proportion of sensitive insect taxa. The ANOSIM test evidenced strong difference in EPT assemblage structure between streams of forested and converted areas. The ISA test evidenced several EPT genera with high specificity to streams in forested areas and only one genus related to streams in converted areas. Thus, the impacts of the conversion of forested area to agricultural land uses have significantly affected the EPT assemblages, while environmental variables were not affected. We suggest that the effects detected can be influenced by two processes related to vegetation cover: i) lower input of allochthonous material, and ii) increased input of fine sediments in streams draining converted areas.

Clearing and dissecting insects for internal skeletal morphological research with particular reference to bees

ABSTRACT A detailed protocol for chemical clearing of bee specimens is presented. Dry specimens as well as those preserved in liquid media can be cleared using this protocol. The procedure consists of a combined use of alkaline solution (KOH or NaOH) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), followed by the boiling of the cleared specimens in 60–70% EtOH. Clearing is particularly useful for internal skeletal morphological research. This procedure allows for efficient study of internal projections of the exoskeleton (e.g., apodemes, furcae, phragmata, tentoria, internal ridges and sulci), but this process makes external features of the integument, as some sutures and sulci, readily available for observation as well. Upon completion of the chemical clearing process the specimens can be stored in glycerin. This procedure was developed and evaluated for the preparation of bees and other Apoidea, but modifications for use with other insect taxa should be straightforward after some experimentation on variations of timing of steps, concentration of solutions, temperatures, and the necessity of a given step. Comments on the long-term storage, morphological examination, and photodocumentation of cleared specimens are also provided.

Uncertainty Quantification with Support Vector Regression Prediction Models

Uncertainty quantification of petroleum reservoir models is one of the present challenges, which is usually approached with a wide range of geostatistical tools linked with statistical optimisation or/and inference algorithms. The paper considers a data driven approach in modelling uncertainty in spatial predictions. Proposed semi-supervised Support Vector Regression (SVR) model has demonstrated its capability to represent realistic features and describe stochastic variability and non-uniqueness of spatial properties. It is able to capture and preserve key spatial dependencies such as connectivity, which is often difficult to achieve with two-point geostatistical models. Semi-supervised SVR is designed to integrate various kinds of conditioning data and learn dependences from them. A stochastic semi-supervised SVR model is integrated into a Bayesian framework to quantify uncertainty with multiple models fitted to dynamic observations. The developed approach is illustrated with a reservoir case study. The resulting probabilistic production forecasts are described by uncertainty envelopes.

Differential effectiveness of microbially induced resistance against herbivorous insects in Arabidopsis.

Rhizobacteria-induced systemic resistance (ISR) and pathogen-induced systemic acquired resistance (SAR) have a broad, yet partly distinct, range of effectiveness against pathogenic microorganisms. Here, we investigated the effectiveness of ISR and SAR in Arabidopsis against the tissue-chewing insects Pieris rapae and Spodoptera exigua. Resistance against insects consists of direct defense, such as the production of toxins and feeding deterrents and indirect defense such as the production of plant volatiles that attract carnivorous enemies of the herbivores. Wind-tunnel experiments revealed that ISR and SAR did not affect herbivore-induced attraction of the parasitic wasp Cotesia rubecula (indirect defense). By contrast, ISR and SAR significantly reduced growth and development of the generalist herbivore S. exigua, although not that of the specialist P. rapae. This enhanced direct defense against S. exigua was associated with potentiated expression of the defense-related genes PDF1.2 and HEL. Expression profiling using a dedicated cDNA microarray revealed four additional, differentially primed genes in microbially induced S. exigua-challenged plants, three of which encode a lipid-transfer protein. Together, these results indicate that microbially induced plants are differentially primed for enhanced insect-responsive gene expression that is associated with increased direct defense against the generalist S. exigua but not against the specialist P. rapae.

Use of human MAR elements to improve retroviral vector production.

Retroviral vectors have many favorable properties for gene therapies, but their use remains limited by safety concerns and/or by relatively lower titers for some of the safer self-inactivating (SIN) derivatives. In this study, we evaluated whether increased production of SIN retroviral vectors can be achieved from the use of matrix attachment region (MAR) epigenetic regulators. Two MAR elements of human origin were found to increase and to stabilize the expression of the green fluorescent protein transgene in stably transfected HEK-293 packaging cells. Introduction of one of these MAR elements in retroviral vector-producing plasmids yielded higher expression of the viral vector RNA. Consistently, viral titers obtained from transient transfection of MAR-containing plasmids were increased up to sixfold as compared with the parental construct, when evaluated in different packaging cell systems and transfection conditions. Thus, use of MAR elements opens new perspectives for the efficient generation of gene therapy vectors.

Ecology and evolution of social-organization: insights from fire ants and other highly eusocial insects

Social organisms exhibit conspicuous intraspecific variation in all facets of their social organization. A prominent example of such variation in the highly eusocial Hymenoptera is differences in the number of reproductive queens per colony, Differences in queen number in ants are associated with differences in a host of reproductive and social traits, including queen phenotype and breeding strategy, mode of colony reproduction, and pattern of sex allocation. We examine the causes and consequences of changes in colony queen number and associated traits using the fire ant Solenopsis invicta as a principal model. Ecological constraints on mode of colony founding may act as important selective forces causing the evolution of queen number in this and many other ants, with social organization generally perpetuated across generations by means of the social environment molding appropriate queen phenotypes and reproductive strategies. Shifts in colony queen number have profound effects on genetic structure within nests and may also influence genetic structure at higher levels (aggregations of nests or local demes) because of the association of queen number with particular mating and dispersal habits. Divergence of breeding habits between populations with different social organizations has the potential to promote genetic differentiation between these social variants. Thus, evolution of social organization can be important in generating intrinsic selective regimes that channel subsequent social evolution and in initiating the development of significant population genetic structure, including barriers to gene flow important in cladogenesis.

An adenovirus-based fluorescent reporter vector to identify and isolate HIV-infected cells.

A procedure is described that allows the simple identification and sorting of live human cells that transcribe actively the HIV virus, based on the detection of GFP fluorescence in cells. Using adenoviral vectors for gene transfer, an expression cassette including the HIV-1 LTR driving the reporter gene GFP was introduced into cells that expressed stably either the Tat transcriptional activator, or an inactive mutant of Tat. Both northern and fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) analysis indicate that cells containing the functional Tat protein presented levels of GFP mRNA and GFP fluorescence several orders of magnitude higher than control cells. Correspondingly, cells infected with HIV-1 showed similar enhanced reporter gene activation. HIV-1-infected cells of the lymphocytic line Jurkat were easily identified by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) as they displayed a much higher green fluorescence after transduction with the reporter adenoviral vector. This procedure could also be applied on primary human cells as blood monocyte-derived macrophages exposed to the adenoviral LTR-GFP reporter presented a much higher fluorescence when infected with HIV-1 compared with HIV-uninfected cells. The vector described has the advantages of labelling cells independently of their proliferation status and that analysis can be carried on intact cells which can be isolated subsequently by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) for further culture. This work suggests that adenoviral vectors carrying a virus-specific transcriptional control element controlling the expressions of a fluorescent protein will be useful in the identification and isolation of cells transcribing actively the viral template, and to be of use for drug screening and susceptibility assays.