Insects associated with the composting process of solid urban waste separated at the source

Sarcosaprophagous macroinvertebrates (earthworms, termites and a number of Diptera larvae) enhance changes in the physical and chemical properties of organic matter during degradation and stabilization processes in composting, causing a decrease in the molecular weights of compounds. This activity makes these organisms excellent recyclers of organic matter. This article evaluates the succession of insects associated with the decomposition of solid urban waste separated at the source. The study was carried out in the city of Medellin, Colombia. A total of 11,732 individuals were determined, belonging to the classes Insecta and Arachnida. Species of three orders of Insecta were identified, Diptera, Coleoptera and Hymenoptera. Diptera corresponding to 98.5% of the total, was the most abundant and diverse group, with 16 families (Calliphoridae, Drosophilidae, Psychodidae, Fanniidae, Muscidae, Milichiidae, Ulidiidae, Scatopsidae, Sepsidae, Sphaeroceridae, Heleomyzidae, Stratiomyidae, Syrphidae, Phoridae, Tephritidae and Curtonotidae) followed by Coleoptera with five families (Carabidae, Staphylinidae, Ptiliidae, Hydrophilidae and Phalacaridae). Three stages were observed during the composting process, allowing species associated with each stage to be identified. Other species were also present throughout the whole process. In terms of number of species, Diptera was the most important group observed, particularly Ornidia obesa, considered a highly invasive species, and Hermetia illuscens, both reported as beneficial for decomposition of organic matter.

A process approach to the utility for gambling

This paper argues that any specific utility or disutility for gamblingmust be excluded from expected utility because such a theory is consequentialwhile a pleasure or displeasure for gambling is a matter of process, notof consequences. A (dis)utility for gambling is modeled as a process utilitywhich monotonically combines with expected utility restricted to consequences.This allows for a process (dis)utility for gambling to be revealed. Asan illustration, the model shows how empirical observations in the Allaisparadox can reveal a process disutility of gambling. A more general modelof rational behavior combining processes and consequences is then proposedand discussed.

Monitoring the university admissions process in Spain

The examinations taken by high-school graduates in Spain and the role ofthe examination in the university admissions process are described. Thefollowing issues arising in the assessment of the process are discussed:reliability of grading, comparability of the grades and scores(equating),maintenance of standards, and compilation and use of the grading process,and their integration in the operational grading are proposed. Variousschemes for score adjustment are reviewed and feasibility of theirimplementation discussed. The advantages of pretesting of items and ofempirical checks of experts' judgements are pointed out. The paperconcludes with an outline of a planned reorganisation of the highereducation in Spain, and with a call for a comprehensive programme ofempirical research concurrent with the operation of the examination andscoring system.

Revision of the neotropical species of empididae (Diptera) described by Mario Bezzi: IX. The species described in Atrichopleura Bezzi and the description of a new species

Revision of the Neotropical species of Empididae (Diptera) described by Mario Bezzi. IX. The species described in Atrichopleura Bezzi and the description of a new species. Four Neotropical species of Empididae described by Bezzi in Atrichopleura Bezzi, 1909 are redescribed: A. crassa (lectotype, pres. desig.), A. hirtipes (lectotype, pres. desig.), A. nitida (lectotype, pres. desig.), A. schnusei (lectotype, pres. desig.). Atrichopleura bezzii sp. nov. is described from among syntypes of A. schnusei.

Phylogeny and revision of the bee genus Rhinocorynura Schrottky (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Augochlorini), with comments on its female cephalic polymorphism

Phylogeny and revision of the bee genus Rhinocorynura Schrottky (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Augochlorini), with comments on its female cephalic polymorphism. A taxonomic revision and a phylogeny for the species of Rhinocorynura are provided. Six species are recognized: R. briseis, R. crotonis, R. inflaticeps and R. vernoniae stat. nov., the latter removed from synonymy with R. inflaticeps, in addition to two newly described species, R. brunnea sp. nov. and R. viridis sp. nov. Lectotypes for Halictus crotonis Ducke, 1906 and Halictus inflaticeps Ducke, 1906 are hereby designated. Another available name included in Rhinocorynura, Corynuropsis ashmeadi Schrottky, 1909, is removed from the genus and treated as species inquerenda in Augochlorini. Rhinocorynura is monophyletic in the phylogenetic analysis and the following relationships were found among its species: (R. crotonis (R. briseis ((R. brunnea sp. nov. + R. viridis sp. nov.) (R. inflaticeps + R. vernoniae)))). Biogeographic relationships within the genus and comparisons with related taxa are presented. Females of all species exhibit pronounced variation in body size, in two of them, R. inflaticeps and R. vernoniae, with structural modifications possibly linked to division of labor. Identification key and illustrations for the species are provided.

Revision of Central American species of Euryomma Stein (Diptera, Fanniidae), with description of two new species and updates of distributional records

Euryomma is the second largest genus within Fanniidae, but only two species, E. panamensis Chillcott, 1958 and E. rettenmeyeri Chillcott, 1958 have been recorded in Central America. In this paper we describe two new species of the genus found in Costa Rica, Euryomma chillcotti sp. nov. (Province of Puntarenas) and Euryomma steini sp. nov. (Provinces of Cartago and Limón). Euryomma tahami Grisales, Wolff & Carvalho, 2012 is recorded for the first time to Costa Rica. Identification key to all species found in Central America, descriptions and re-descriptions of species occurring in the region and illustrations of the terminalia of new species are presented.

Revision of the Neotropical genus Mulfordia Malloch (Diptera, Muscidae)

Revision of the Neotropical genus Mulfordia Malloch (Diptera, Muscidae). The present paper provides a revision of Mulfordia Malloch (Diptera, Muscidae), including redescriptions of the genus and of its three species. The descriptions are complemented with illustrations of some characters to make the recognition of the species easier and to help the use of the key. The male terminalia of M. ferruginea Malloch is described for the first time.

Adapting the Process Writing Approach to English Language Learners with Special Needs: Using Visuals

The available literature on the writing characteristics and best practices to teach writing to English Language Learners who also present some disability is scarce. In order to understand and provide some insight on the developments in this field, I propose an adaptation of the Process Writing Approach based on a literature review of the existing bibliography about the writing characteristics of English Language Learners, Special Needs Learners, and English Language Learners with Special Needs’ writing, the effects of the Process Writing Approach in teaching writing to these groups, and the use of visuals in writing instruction. The main assumptions of this study are: a) The Process Writing Approach provides an opportunity to differentiate instruction to ELLs with special needs and gives them additional opportunities to bring their funds of knowledge to the classroom, improving their writing, and b) By allowing students to rely on visuals in different phases of the writing process teachers will be addressing the needs of both visual and verbal learners, therefore allowing students more options to develop writing skills. The main pedagogical implication is that by dividing writing in recursive stages and inserting visuals as scaffolding throughout the entire writing process, teachers will provide an alternative approach to writing instruction that may be more effective to English Language Learners with Special Needs.

Motor Vehicle Crash Fatalities for Week Ending Revision, July 17, 2009

Motor Vehicle Crash Fatalities

Use of NIR spectroscopy and multivariate process spectra calibration methodology for pharmaceutical solid samples analysis

Accomplish high quality of final products in pharmaceutical industry is a challenge that requires the control and supervision of all the manufacturing steps. This request created the necessity of developing fast and accurate analytical methods. Near infrared spectroscopy together with chemometrics, fulfill this growing demand. The high speed providing relevant information and the versatility of its application to different types of samples lead these combined techniques as one of the most appropriated. This study is focused on the development of a calibration model able to determine amounts of API from industrial granulates using NIR, chemometrics and process spectra methodology.

Traducción técnica del capítulo III del libro Advanced Data Warehouse design: from conventional to spatial and temporal applications

The proposal to work on this final project came after several discussions held with Dr. Elzbieta Malinowski Gadja, who in 2008 published the book entitled Advanced Data Warehouse Design: From Conventional to Spatial and Temporal Applications (Data-Centric Systems and Applications). The project was carried out under the technical supervision of Dr. Malinowski and the direct beneficiary was the University of Costa Rica (UCR) where Dr. Malinowski is a professor at the Department of Computer Science and Informatics. The purpose of this project was twofold: First, to translate chapter III of said book with the intention of generating educational material for the use of the UCR and, second, to venture in the field of technical translation related to data warehouse. For the first component, the goal was to generate a final product that would eventually serve as an educational tool for the post-graduate courses of the UCR. For the second component, this project allowed me to acquire new skills and put into practice techniques that have helped me not only to perfom better in my current job as an Assistant Translator of the Inter-American BAnk (IDB), but also to use them in similar projects. The process was lenggthy and required torough research and constant communication with the author. The investigation focused on the search of terms and definitions to prepare the glossary, which was the basis to start the translation project. The translation process itself was carried out by phases, so that comments and corrections by the author could be taken into account in subsequent stages. Later, based on the glossary and the translated text, illustrations had been created in the Visio software were translated. In addition to the technical revision by the author, professor Carme Mangiron was in charge of revising the non-technical text. The result was a high-quality document that is currently used as reference and study material by the Department of Computer Science and Informatics of Costa Rica.