BREEDING BIOLOGY OF KELP GULLS ON THE BRAZILIAN COAST

We studied clutch size, hatching and fledging success, and time necessary for chick Kelp Gulls (Larus dominicanus) to leave the nest throughout two breeding seasons (2004 and 2005) on Guararitama Island, Sao Paulo, Brazil. We followed 93 nests in 2004 and 97 nests in 2005. The average (+/- SD) clutch size was 2.09 +/- 0.64 in 2004 and 1.93 +/- 0.59 in 2005. Hatching success was 74% in 2004 and 53% in 2005, and fledging success was 54% in 2004 and 58% in 2005. Chicks grew quickly, following the linear equation y(t) = 61g + 17.03g X age (in days), and began to fly at 40 days. Received 11 August 2008. Accepted 28 August 2009.

Spatial and temporal population interactions between the parasitoids Cotesia flavipes and Tachinidae flies: considerations on the adverse effects of biological control practice

Biological control of Diatraea saccharalis is regarded as one of the best examples of successful classical biological control in Brazil. Since the introduction of the exotic parasitoid Cotesia flavipes, the decrease of D. saccharalis infestation in sugarcane fields has been attributed to the effectiveness of this agent. Recently, the native tachinid fly parasitoids (Lydella minense and Paratheresia claripalpis) have also been implicated in the success. Here, we investigated the spatial and temporal population interactions between C. flavipes and the tachinid flies, and provide a critical analysis of the biological control practice, focusing on the undesirable effects of introductions of exotic natural enemies. To investigate these questions, a large data set comprising information from two sugarcane mills located in the state of São Paulo, Brazil (Barra and Sao Joao Mills), was analysed. Analysis of the correlation between C. flavipes and tachinid fly population densities through time revealed that such populations were inversely correlated in the Sao Joao Mill and not correlated in the Barra Mill. Logistic regressions were computed to investigate the proportion of sites occupied by the parasitoid species at both mills as a function of time. An increasing trend in the proportion of sites occupied by C. flavipes was observed, with a concomitant decrease of the sites occupied by tachinid flies. This effect was more intense in the Sao Joao Mill. Thus, there is a convincing possibility that constant releases of C. flavipes decreased the tachinid fly populations, resulting in an undesirable effect of biological control practice.

Estimation of population profiles of two strains of the fly Megaselia scalaris (Diptera: Phoridae) by bootstrap simulation

A partir de perfis populacionais experimentais de linhagens do díptero forídeo Megaselia scalaris, foi determinado o número mínimo de perfis amostrais que devem ser repetidos, via processo de simulação bootstrap, para se ter uma estimativa confiável do perfil médio populacional e apresentar estimativas do erro-padrão como medida da precisão das simulações realizadas. Os dados originais são provenientes de populações experimentais fundadas com as linhagens SR e R4, com três réplicas cada, e que foram mantidas por 33 semanas pela técnica da transferência seriada em câmara de temperatura constante (25 ± 1,0ºC). A variável usada foi tamanho populacional e o modelo adotado para cada perfíl foi o de um processo estocástico estacionário. Por meio das simulações, os perfis de três populações experimentais foram amplificados, determinando-se, dessa forma, o tamanho mínimo de amostra. Fixado o tamanho de amostra, simulações bootstrap foram realizadas para construção de intervalos de confiança e comparação dos perfis médios populacionais das duas linhagens. Os resultados mostram que com o tamanho de amostra igual a 50 inicia-se o processo de estabilização dos valores médios.

A family of stage-specific alanine-rich proteins on the surface of epimastigote forms of Trypanosoma brucei

A 'two coat' model of the life cycle of Trypanosoma brucei has prevailed for more than 15 years. Metacyclic forms transmitted by infected tsetse flies and mammalian bloodstream forms are covered by variant surface glycoproteins. All other life cycle stages were believed to have a procyclin coat, until it was shown recently that epimastigote forms in tsetse salivary glands express procyclin mRNAs without translating them. As epimastigote forms cannot be cultured, a procedure was devised to compare the transcriptomes of parasites in different fly tissues. Transcripts encoding a family of glycosylphosphatidyl inositol-anchored proteins, BARPs (previously called bloodstream alanine-rich proteins), were 20-fold more abundant in salivary gland than midgut (procyclic) trypanosomes. Anti-BARP antisera reacted strongly and exclusively with salivary gland parasites and a BARP 3' flanking region directed epimastigote-specific expression of reporter genes in the fly, but inhibited expression in bloodstream and procyclic forms. In contrast to an earlier report, we could not detect BARPs in bloodstream forms. We propose that BARPs form a stage-specific coat for epimastigote forms and suggest renaming them brucei alanine-rich proteins.

The influence of recent major crater impacts on the surrounding surfaces of (21) Lutetia

We present 3-D simulations of impacts into Asteroid 21 Lutetia, the subject of a fly-by by the European Space Agency's Rosetta mission to Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. Using a 3-D shape model of the asteroid, impacts of sizes sufficient to reproduce the observed craters in Lutetia's North Polar Crater Cluster (NPCC) as observed by the OSIRIS experiment have been simulated using the Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics technique. The asteroid itself has been modelled both as a homogeneous body and as a body with an iron core.

Influence of sample matrix on the alkaline extraction of Cr(VI) in soils and industrial materials

An accurate and efficient determination of the highly toxic Cr(VI) in solid materials is important to determine the total Cr(VI) inventory of contaminated sites and the Cr(VI) release potential from such sites into the environment. Most commonly, total Cr(VI) is extracted from solid materials following a hot alkaline extraction procedure (US EPA method 3060A) where a complete release of water-extractable and sparingly soluble Cr(VI) phase is achieved. This work presents an evaluation of matrix effects that may occur during the hot alkaline extraction and in the determination of the total Cr(VI) inventory of variably composed contaminated soils and industrial materials (cement, fly ash) and is compared to water-extractable Cr(VI) results. Method validation including multiple extractions and matrix spiking along with chemical and mineralogical characterization showed satisfying results for total Cr(VI) contents for most of the tested materials. However, unreliable results were obtained by applying method 3060A to anoxic soils due to the degradation of organic material and/or reactions with Fe2+-bearing mineral phases. In addition, in certain samples discrepant spike recoveries have to be also attributed to sample heterogeneity. Separation of possible extracted Cr(III) by applying cation-exchange cartridges prior to solution analysis further shows that under the hot alkaline extraction conditions only Cr(VI) is present in solution in measurable amounts, whereas Cr(III) gets precipitated as amorphous Cr(OH)3(am). It is concluded that prior to routine application of method 3060A to a new material type, spiking tests are recommended for the identification of matrix effects. In addition, the mass of extracted solid material should to be well adjusted to the heterogeneity of the Cr(VI) distribution in the material in question.

AFBC of coal with tyre rubber. Influence of the co-combustion variables on the mineral matter of solid by-products and on Zn lixiviation

The study focuses on the generation and distribution of mineral species in fly and bottom ashes. These were formed during a fluidised co-combustion of a fossil fuel (coal) and a non-fossil fuel (tyre rubber) in a small fluidised bed combustor (7cm x 70cm). The pilot plant had continuous fuel feed using varying ratios of coal and rubber. The study also focuses on the lixiviation behaviour of metallic elements with the assessement of zinc recovering.

The life of the fly : with which are interspersed some chapters of autobiography /

"The present volume contains all the essays on flies, or Diptera, from the Souvenirs entomologiques, to which I have added, in order to make the dimensions uniform with those of the other volumes of the series, the purely autobiographical essays comprised in the Souvenirs."--Translator's note.

Part I. A closing roll from Holy and Eternal Wisdom, Mother Ann, Father William and Father James, to the children of Zion : Part II. A sacred covenant of our heavenly parents, sent forth upon earth to their children, at the close of their late manifestation, (on the holy mount of God,) for the purification of Zion and the inhabitants thereof /

Text printed in two columns.

Fly casting : the fly rod and fly fishing /

On cover: Fly casting for the novice and the expert.

A treatise on the law of contracts of married women /

Mode of access: Internet.

Minnesota and its resources : to which are appended Camp-fire sketches, or, Notes of a trip from St. Paul to Pembina and Selkirk settlement on the Red River of the north /

Advertisements on front end-paper and fly-leaf.

A perplexed philosopher: being an examination of Mr. Herbert Spencer's various utterances on the land question, with some incidental reference to his synthetic philosophy.

Autograph of Tom L. Johnson on front fly-leaf.

The fly-fisher's entomology : illustrated by coloured representations of the natural and artificial insect : and accompanied by a few observations and instructions relative to trout-and-grayling fishing /

Advertisements on p. [1] at end.

The art of creation; essays on the self and its powers.

"Chapter II ... was originally given as an address. Chapters VIII and IX on "ʻThe godsʼ ... were published as an article in the Hibbert journal for Jan. 1904."