Microlepidoptera of Illinois hill prairies

Among insects, which are the most diverse eukaryotic group on earth, Lepidoptera is one of four enormously diverse orders, with approximately 10,000 described species in North America. Within the order, Nearctic “microlepidoptera,” which represent an overwhelmingly large percentage of diversity within the order, remain poorly known despite their ecological importance in many plant communities. In this thesis, I undertook several studies of microlepidoptera diversity in a natural community type (hill prairie) and a managed community type (biofuel feedstock). In two Illinois hill prairies differing in size, latitude, and plant composition, alpha diversity of Pyraloidea and Tortricidae was similar, but the prairies were found to support different sets of species of these moth groups. It is concluded that the similarity in alpha diversity occurs because the larger prairie supports primarily a complement of moth species that feed as larvae on prairie plants (especially species of Asteraceae and Fabaceae), whereas the moths collected in the small prairie represent relatively few prairie-associated species, plus a large component of species that feed as larvae on deciduous trees that surround the prairie. This agrees with the finding of high beta diversity of moths between the sites, which reflects a high level of larval hostplant specificity in most species of Pyraloidea and Tortricidae. Based on published information plus observations made on microlepidoptera collected during the course of this study, 31 families of basal microlepidoptera were reviewed with an aim toward evaluating the likelihood of their including species that are dependent on tallgrass prairie. Of these families, 12 were evaluated as possible, and two as likely or certain, to include prairie-dependent species. In a comparison of moth diversity in light-trap samples from corn, miscanthus, switchgrass, and native prairie, alpha diversity was highest in prairie and was higher in switchgrass than in the other two biofuel crops. Moth species complements generally were similar among the biofuel crops, and prairie shared higher species complementarity with switchgrass than with corn or miscanthus. These findings suggest that large-scale conversion of land to biofuel crops may, to a substantial degree, detrimentally affect arthropod biodiversity, with a resulting loss of valuable arthropod-derived ecosystem services both within the cropping systems and in the surrounding landscape. During the course of this study, rearing efforts yielded two species of moths of the family Gelechiidae, both of which are monophagous leaf feeders on leadplant, Amorpha canescens (Fabaceae). Because these moths are restricted to tallgrass prairie, they are likely to be of interest to conservation biologists. In the interest of naming the moths to facilitate communication regarding them, and to augment our taxonomic knowledge of their respective genera, the moths are described, and diagnoses are provided to differentiate them from similar, related species.

„Ob Wahrheit oder nicht, ich glaube die Geschichte“. Unbequeme Bildung zu demokratischer Mündigkeit

Vor dem Hintergrund der Flüchtlingsthematik illustriert die Autorin als Auftakt, wie sehr sich die Demokratie in westlichen Gesellschaften, die schon immer Frauen ausschloss, dem Abgrund nähert. Bildung, ob sie es will oder nicht, bildet indirekt oder direkt immer auch politisch-soziale Bedingungen und Verhältnisse ab, bildet in diese hinein, kann nicht unpolitisch sein. Demokratie und Politik finden nicht im Menschen statt, sondern entstehen zwischen den Menschen. Wie kann Bildung nun zum Demokratie lernen oder - um es mit Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak auszudrücken - Demokratie verlernen beitragen? Indem sich jede Bildung immer wieder prozessual einer Selbstprüfung aussetzt, um den Anspruch auf "Erziehung" mündiger BürgerInnen nicht durch die eigene Praxis zu verhindern, lautet die Antwort in diesem kritisch-feministischen und essayistischen Beitrag. Zudem brauche es Bildungsorte, wo es möglich ist, ein BürgerInnensein durch Erfahrung und politische Ideengeschichte zu lernen. (DIPF/Orig.)

Schule, Lehrerschaft und Bildungspolitik um 1800. Neue Studien im Umfeld der Helvetischen Stapfer-Enquête von 1799

Dieser zweite Sammelband im Rahmen der Reihe „Studien zur Stapfer-Schulenquête von 1799“ beinhaltet [...] Beiträge zu der 1799 durch den Helvetischen Bildungsminister Philipp Albert Stapfer initiierten großangelegten Schulumfrage. Gegenüber den Beiträgen im ersten Sammelband „Volksschule um 1800“ konnten diese hier versammelten Studien auf die komplette Edition der rund 2400 überlieferten Antwortbögen der Stapfer-Enquête zurückgreifen (www. stapferenquete.ch). Der nun vollständig mögliche Zugriff auf die Daten hat dementsprechend umfassendere Forschungsresultate zur Folge und erlaubt repräsentativere Tiefenbohrungen. Noch deutlicher als beim ersten Band vermögen diese Beiträge ein gegenüber der traditionellen Schulgeschichte wesentlich differenzierteres, in vielen Fällen auch korrigiertes Bild der Volksschule um 1800 zu zeichnen. (DIPF/Orig.)

Avaliação da ação bioinseticida de SBTI e vicilina de Erythrina velutina em enzimas digestivas e membrana peritrófica de larvas de Plodia interpunctella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)

Plodia interpunctella (Indian meal moth) is a cosmopolitan pest that attacks not only a wide range of stored grain as well other food products. Due to its economic importance several researches have focused in a method with ability to control this pest with few or no damage to the environment. The study of digestive enzymes inhibitors, lectins and chitin-binding proteins, has often been proposed as an alternative to reduce insect damage. In this study we report the major classes of digestive enzymes during larval growth in P. Interpunctella, being those proteinases actives at pH 9.5 and optimum temperature of 50 oC to both larvae of the 3rd instar and pre-pupal stage of development. In vitro and zymogram assays presented the effects of several inhibitors, such as SBTI, TLCK and PMSF to intestinal homogenate of 3rd instar larvae of 62%, 92% and 87% of inhibition and In pre-pupal stage of 87%, 62 % and 55% of inhibition, respectively. Zymograms showed inhibition of two low molecular masses protein bands by TLCK and that in presence of SBTI were retarded. These results are indicative of predominance of digestive serine proteinases in gut homogenate from Plodia interpunctella larvae. This serine proteinase was then used as a target to evaluate the effect of SBTI on larvae in in vivo assay. Effect of SBTI on mortality and larval mass was not observed at until 4% of concentration (w/w) in diets. Chitin, another target to insecticidal proteins, was observed by chemical method. Moreover, optic microscopy confirmed the presence of a peritrophic membrane. Established this target, in vivo effect of EvV, a chitin binding vicilin, evaluated during the larval development of P. interpunctella and was obtained a LD50 of 0,23% and WD50 of 0,27% to this protein. Mechanism of action was proposed through of the in vivo digestibility of EvV methodology. During the passage through the larval digestive tract was observed that EvV was susceptible to digestive enzymes and a reactive fragment, visualized by Western blotting, produced by digestion was recovered after dissociation of the peritrophic membrane. The bound of EvV to peritrophic membrane was confirmed by immunohystochemical assays that showed strong immunofluorescent signal of EvV-FITC binding and peritrophic membrane. These results are a indicative that vicilins could be utilized as potential insecticide to Plodia interpunctella and a control methods using EvV as bioinsecticide should be studied to reduce lost caused by storage insect pests

Soziale Arbeit in der Migrationsgesellschaft

Migration in ihren unterschiedlichsten Facetten hat die Gesellschaft der Bundesrepublik Deutschland in den Arbeits- und Lebenswelten in vielfältiger Weise beeinflusst und verändert. Auch in der Sozialen Arbeit gehören die Begegnungen mit Menschen mit Zuwanderungsgeschichte längst zum Alltag beruflicher Praxis. Für die Soziale Arbeit ergeben sich aus der Migration vielfältige Aufgaben, Herausforderungen und Chancen. Diese Aufgaben, Herausforderungen und Chancen wurden im Rahmen der Tagung Soziale Arbeit in der Migrationsgesellschaft, welche am 20. und 21. Januar 2012 an der Katholischen Hochschule NRW in Aachen stattfand, diskutiert. Die einzelnen Beiträge dieser Tagung liegen mit dem vorliegenden Band nun als Buch vor. (DIPF/Orig.)

Ecological infrastructures in sustainable olive growing: studies about Prays oleae (Bernard) and its natural enemies

Doutoramento em Engenharia Agronómica - Instituto Superior de Agronomia - UL

Effects de l'application d'acide gibbérellique (GA3) sur la qualité de raisins et de vins produits en climat tropical au Nord-Est du Brésil.

The honeydew moth Cryptoblabes gnidiella is the main problem for the wineries in the Northeast of the Brazil, because it attacks the bunch and reduces the quality of the grapes and the wines. In order to stretch out the bunch to facilitate the penetration of the insecticides, it was used gibberellic acid. Six treatments with different concentrations and different dates of application, and the control were compared. The bunches are compact, characteristic of the "Syrah" grapes in the region. The grape berries were analysed at harvest and wines were made by microvinifications. The grape berries showed different qualitative characteristics, as berry weight, number of berries. °Brix, total acidity and heterogeneity of the maturation. The microvinifications were carried out with 50 kg of grapeberries into glass bottles of 20 L at 22°C, for the alcoholic and malolactic fermentations, then stabilized and bottled. The wines were tasted by a panel of ten people and compared on smell and taste plans. The tasting results showed that the control treatment was the best graded wine. The application of gibberellic acid allowed to control the honeydew moth attack, but it caused a heterogeneity on grape maturation, with a lower quality of the grapes and wines compared to the control.

Pollination, herbivory, and habitat fragmentation: Their effects on the reproductive fitness of Angadenia berteroi, a native perennial plant of the south Florida pine rocklands

Angadenia berteroi is a tropical perennial subshrub of the pine rocklands with large yellow flowers that set very few fruits. My dissertation seeks to elucidate the factors that affect the reproductive fitness of Angadenia berteroi a native species of the south Florida pine rocklands. I provide novel information on the pollination biology of this native species. I also assess the effects of herbivory on growth and the reproductive success of A. berteroi. Finally, I elucidate how habitat fragmentation and quality are correlated with reproductive fitness of this native perennial plant.^ Using a novel experimental approach, I determined the most effective pollinator group. I used nylon fishing line of widths corresponding to proboscis diameter of the major groups of visitors to examine pollen removal and deposition. In the field, I estimated visitation frequency and efficacy of each pollinator type. Using potted plants, I exposed flowers to single visit from different types of pollinators to measure fruit set. I performed artificial defoliation with scissors on plants growing in the greenhouse to assess the effects of defoliation before flowering as well as during flowering. Additionally, I used structural equation modelling (SEM) to elucidate how A. berteroi reproductive fitness was affected by habitat fragmentation and quality. ^ My experiments provide evidence that Angadenia berteroi is specialized for bee pollination; though butterflies, skippers and others also visit its flowers, A. berteroi is exclusively pollinated by two native bees of the South Florida pine rocklands . This research also demonstrated that herbivory by the oleander moth may have direct and indirect effects on Angadenia berteroi growth and reproductive success. The SEM results suggested that habitat quality (litter depth and subcanopy cover) may favor reproduction in native species of the South Florida pine rocklands that are properly maintained by periodic fires and exotic control. Insights from this threatened and charismatic species may provide impetus to properly manage remaining pine rocklands in South Florida for this and other endemic understory species.^

Amor e criação: A universalidade das cartas portuguesas

Dissertação de Mestrado apresentada no ISPA – Instituto Universitário para obtenção do grau de Mestre em Psicologia especialidade de Psicologia Clínica.

Review of the Psychodinae from Mallorca, Spain, with description of Pericoma unipennata, sp. n. (Diptera, Psychodidae)

We review the Psychodinae of Mallorca, recognising fifteen species based on recent collections and available literature. Previously unpublished data is presented for eleven species, of which Neoarisemus ibericus Wagner, 1978, Mormia tenebricosa (Vaillant, 1954), Clogmia albipunctata (Williston, 1893), Lepiseodina rothschildi (Eaton, 1913), Paramormia ustulata (Walker, 1856), Philosepedon pyrenaicus Vaillant, 1974 and Psychoda (Psycha) grisescens Tonnoir, 1922 are first records for Mallorca. An old record of Pericoma trifasciata (Meigen, 1804) is considered doubtful. Pericoma unipennata sp. n is described and illustrated based on a male collected at Deía. Distributional data are reviewed for all newly recorded species. Based on the Psychodinae fauna, the zoogeographical affinities of Mallorca are briefly discussed.

Leistungsoptimale zentrale Fahrdynamikregelung

Um den Fahrkomfort eines Automobils weiter zu erhöhen und zugleich dessen fahrdynamischen Grenzbereich kontinuierlich auszubauen, wurden im Laufe der letzten Jahrzehnte und insbesondere innerhalb der letzten Jahre vermehrt aktive Fahrwerkregelsysteme eingeführt. Durch diesen zunehmenden Verbau von Fahrwerksaktoren in heutigen Fahrzeugen nimmt jedoch die Beanspruchung des 12V-Energienetzes nach wie vor stetig zu und beeinträchtigt somit dessen Stabilität. Um das Bordnetz zu stützen, stehen nun einige Optionen zur Verfügung, wie z.B. der Einsatz einer zusätzlichen 48V-Spannungsebene. Da solche Technologien jedoch mit einem entsprechend hohen Mehraufwand einhergehen, ist es das Bestreben der Automobilindustrie, mit der Einführung derartiger Maßnahmen möglichst lange zu warten. Um diesen Zielkonflikt zu lösen, wird im Rahmen dieser Dissertation das Potential eines Zentralreglers für ein aktives Fahrwerk untersucht, welches unter Beachtung der Bordnetzstabilität und der geforderten fahrdynamischen Eigenschaften realisierbar ist. Zu diesem Zweck wird ein Versuchsträger aufgebaut und mit ausgewählten aktiven Fahrwerkskomponenten ausgestattet. Auf Basis dieses Versuchsfahrzeugs wird ein Gesamtfahrzeugmodell in der Simulationsumgebung Matlab/Simulink bzw. veDYNA generiert, welches in der Lage ist, die elektromechanischen Charakteristiken des aktiven Fahrwerks realitätsnah abzubilden. Da die Simulationsmodelle der Fahrwerkssteller Hinterachslenkung und Sportdifferenzial bislang nicht verfügbar waren, mussten zunächst entsprechende Modelle aufgebaut werden, welche die Auswirkungen der Aktoren sowohl auf die Fahrdynamik als auch auf den Strombedarf in geeigneter Form wiedergeben können. Das zentrale Regelungskonzept für das aktive Fahrwerk, welches im Rahmen dieser Arbeit zum Einsatz kommt, basiert auf einer linear-quadratischen Regelung (LQR) mit Führungsgrößenaufschaltung. Unter Zuhilfenahme der Simulationsumgebung und eines speziell entwickelten Optimierungstools werden unterschiedliche Reglerabstimmungen vorgestellt, bei denen zum einen die Absenkung des elektrischen Leistungsbedarfs und zum anderen die Umsetzung einer optimalen Fahrdynamik im Vordergrund steht. Zwecks Validierung der Berechnungsergebnisse werden anschließend die im Versuchsträger durchgeführten Untersuchungen präsentiert, bei denen diese Reglerabstimmungen gegenübergestellt werden, um das Potential des zentralen Regelungskonzeptes zu bewerten.

Relación entre atrofia cortical difusa y desempeño cognitivo : estudio en población mayor de 60 años en un hospital universitario en la ciudad de Bogotá

El presente trabajo tuvo como objetivo evaluar la existencia de la relación entre la atrofia cortical difusa objetivada por neuroimagenes cerebrales y desempeños cognitivos determinados mediante la aplicación de pruebas neuropsicológicas que evalúan memoria de trabajo, razonamiento simbólico verbal y memoria anterógrada declarativa. Participaron 114 sujetos reclutados en el Hospital Universitario Mayor Méderi de la ciudad de Bogotá mediante muestreo de conveniencia. Los resultados arrojaron diferencias significativas entre los dos grupos (pacientes con diagnóstico de atrofia cortical difusa y pacientes con neuroimagenes interpretadas como dentro de los límites normales) en todas las pruebas neuropsicológicas aplicadas. Respecto a las variables demográficas se pudo observar que el grado de escolaridad contribuye como factor neuroprotector de un posible deterioro cognitivo. Tales hallazgos son importantes para determinar protocoles tempranos de detección de posible instalación de enfermedades neurodegenerativas primarias.