Divorce in the barn owl: securing a compatible or better mate entails the cost of re-pairing with a less ornamented female mate.

Two nonmutually exclusive hypotheses can explain why divorce is an adaptive strategy to improve reproductive success. Under the 'better option hypothesis', only one of the two partners initiates divorce to secure a higher-quality partner and increases reproductive success after divorce. Under the 'incompatibility hypothesis', partners are incompatible and hence they may both increase reproductive success after divorce. In a long-term study of the barn owl (Tyto alba), we address the question of whether one or the two partners derive fitness benefits by divorcing. Our results support the hypothesis that divorce is adaptive: after a poor reproductive season, at least one of the two divorcees increase breeding success up to the level of faithful pairs. By breeding more often together, faithful pairs improve coordination and thereby gain in their efficiency to produce successful fledglings. Males would divorce to obtain a compatible mate rather than a mate of higher quality: a heritable melanin-based signal of female quality did not predict divorce (indicating that female absolute quality may not be the cause of divorce), but the new mate of divorced males was less melanic than their previous mate. This suggests that, at least for males, a cost of divorce may be to secure a lower-quality but compatible mate. The better option hypothesis could not be formally rejected, as only one of the two divorcing partners commonly succeeded in obtaining a higher reproductive success after divorce. In conclusion, incompatible partners divorce to restore reproductive success, and by breeding more often together, faithful partners improve coordination.

El impacto de las TIC en la elección y comercialización del destino turístico de Benidorm

Este trabajo aborda el análisis del impacto de las TIC en la elección y comercialización del destino turístico de Benidorm. El hecho de que el turismo sea el motor de la economía de este destino turístico y uno de los motores de la economía española, así como un sector en el que Internet ha tenido un gran impacto, justifican el análisis del uso de Internet como herramienta de acceso a información turística y de contratación de servicios turísticos y su evolución en el tiempo. La elección de Benidorm como caso de estudio se debe a su notoriedad en el contexto turístico nacional e internacional.

Mate and fuse: how yeast cells do it.

Many cells are able to orient themselves in a non-uniform environment by responding to localized cues. This leads to a polarized cellular response, where the cell can either grow or move towards the cue source. Fungal haploid cells secrete pheromones to signal mating, and respond by growing a mating projection towards a potential mate. Upon contact of the two partner cells, these fuse to form a diploid zygote. In this review, we present our current knowledge on the processes of mating signalling, pheromone-dependent polarized growth and cell fusion in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Schizosaccharomyces pombe, two highly divergent ascomycete yeast models. While the global architecture of the mating response is very similar between these two species, they differ significantly both in their mating physiologies and in the molecular connections between pheromone perception and downstream responses. The use of both yeast models helps enlighten both conserved solutions and species-specific adaptations to a general biological problem.

Mate choice evolution, dominance effects, and the maintenance of genetic variation.

Female mate choice influences the maintenance of genetic variation by altering the mating success of males with different genotypes. The evolution of preferences themselves, on the other hand, depends on genetic variation present in the population. Few models have tracked this feedback between a choice gene and its effects on genetic variation, in particular when genes that determine offspring viability and attractiveness have dominance effects. Here we build a population genetic model that allows comparing the evolution of various choice rules in a single framework. We first consider preferences for good genes and show that focused preferences for homozygotes evolve more easily than broad preferences, which allow heterozygous males high mating success too. This occurs despite better maintenance of genetic diversity in the latter scenario, and we discuss why empirical findings of superior mating success of heterozygous males consequently do not immediately lead to a better understanding of the lek paradox. Our results thus suggest that the mechanisms that help maintain genetic diversity also have a flipside of making female choice an inaccurate means of producing the desired kind of offspring. We then consider preferences for heterozygosity per se, and show that these evolve only under very special conditions. Choice for compatible genotypes can evolve but its selective advantage diminishes quickly due to frequency-dependent selection. Finally, we show that our model reproduces earlier results on selfing, when the female choice strategy produces assortative mating. Overall, our model indicates that various forms of heterozygote-favouring (or variable) female choice pose a problem for the theory of sexual ornamentation based on indirect benefits, rather than a solution.

Adaptive search and information updating in sequential mate choice

Classical treatments of problems of sequential mate choice assume that the distribution of the quality of potential mates is known a priori. This assumption, made for analytical purposes, may seem unrealistic, opposing empirical data as well as evolutionary arguments. Using stochastic dynamic programming, we develop a model that includes the possibility for searching individuals to learn about the distribution and in particular to update mean and variance during the search. In a constant environment, a priori knowledge of the parameter values brings strong benefits in both time needed to make a decision and average value of mate obtained. Knowing the variance yields more benefits than knowing the mean, and benefits increase with variance. However, the costs of learning become progressively lower as more time is available for choice. When parameter values differ between demes and/or searching periods, a strategy relying on fixed a priori information might lead to erroneous decisions, which confers advantages on the learning strategy. However, time for choice plays an important role as well: if a decision must be made rapidly, a fixed strategy may do better even when the fixed image does not coincide with the local parameter values. These results help in delineating the ecological-behavior context in which learning strategies may spread.

The role of territory choice mate choice and arrival date on breeding success in the Savi's warbler (Locustella luscinioides)

We investigated how territory quality, settlement date and morphometry affected several components of yearly breeding success of a Swiss population of Savi's Warblers Locustella luscinioides. Territories occupied by males differed from unoccupied sites of similar size and location by having higher and denser reeds, a more extensive straw litter, and a thicker cover of dead sedge leaves. Territories with these characteristics were the ones first chosen by males upon spring arrival. These males, however, did not differ in morphometry from those that arrived later. Availability of suitable nesting sites; rather than food availability, appears to be an important choice criterion for territories. Early arriving males had higher breeding success than late males because of a higher mating success and more successful clutches. The positive correlation between male breeding success and territory quality was thus mediated through their common dependence on occupancy date. Female breeding success decreased with the date of first-clutch laying, mainly because late-nesting females fledged fewer broods. Breeding success in either sex did not correlate with morphometry. Our results provide clear support for territory choice by males, but not for mate or territory choice by females, and show the crucial role played by individual settlement date on many aspects of the breeding cycle of both sexes. We propose a lottery model of mate choice. arriving females obtain the best available territories even without choosing mates or territories; since males occupy territories sequentially and in order of decreasing quality, the few unpaired males available at any moment also occupy the best available territories.

Caracterização morfológica de espécies de Hemerobius Linnaeus, 1758 (Neuroptera, Hemerobiidae) associadas a cultivos de café (Coffea arabica L.), milho (Zea mays L.) e erva-mate (Ilex paraguariensis St. Hill.)

The predators were collected in mate crop in Cascavel and São Mateus do Sul, Paraná, Brazil and some other additional specimens in coffee and maize crops in Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil. Illustrations obtained by SEM are given by the first time to the principal structures. Three species of Hemerobius were identified: H. bolivari Banks, 1910; H. domingensis Banks, 1941 and H. gaitoi Monserrat, 1996. H. domingensis is recorded for the first time to Brazil.

Comparação dos sistemas de cultivo nativo e adensado de erva mate, Ilex paraguariensis St. Hil., quanto à ocorrência e flutuação populacional de insetos

This research was carried out in order to compare the occurrence of insects in two maté cultivation systems, native and high tree density. It was performed from August/2000 to September/2001, in a private property in São Mateus do Sul county, in Paraná State, Brazil. Visual inspections of trees and light traps were used to evaluate insect populations in both areas. For Hedypathes betulinus (Klug) (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae), only six adults were observed in the dense area. Based on presence of sawdust at the basis of the trunk, it was obtained that the number of attacked trees did not surpass 11% in either area. For Gyropsylla spegazziniana (Lizer y Trelles) (Hemiptera, Psyllidae), the number of galls per tree was counted and it was observed that the population peak occurred from November to January. For Hylesia spp. (Lepidoptera, Saturniidae) and Thelosia camina Schaus (Lepidoptera, Eupterotidae), the presence of caterpillars on the trees was noticed from September to February, with the population peak in November and December. Adults of Hylesia spp. were more numerous in February and March. Two species that were not previously recorded for Brazil on maté were identified: Hylesia paulex Dognin (83%) and Hylesia remex Dyer (17%), collected with light traps. The maté caterpillar, T. camina was not collected with these traps. Nymphs and adults of Ceroplastes grandis Hempel (Hemiptera, Coccidae) were observed along the year on the branches, with population peak between April and June for the nymphs and from September to November for the adults. It should be considered that despite higher insect incidence in the dense area compared to the native area, the first presents higher yield, and that with a good pest management program the insect problems can be minimized.

Flutuação populacional de Gyropsylla spegazziniana (Lizer y Trelles) (Hemiptera, Psyllidae) e de seus inimigos naturais em erva-mate no município de São Mateus do Sul, PR, Brasil

G. spegazziniana é considerada uma das principais pragas da cultura da erva mate, porém pouco se conhece sobre sua densidade populacional e de seus inimigos naturais. O objetivo do trabalho foi determinar a dinâmica populacional da praga e de seus inimigos naturais, visando definir o momento adequado para seu controle. A flutuação populacional foi avaliada mediante a instalação de 10 armadilhas Gyrotrap®, em uma área de 0,5 ha, em um erval situado em São Mateus do Sul, Pr, Brasil. Verificou-se a ocorrência de G. spegazziniana durante o ano todo, com um aumento populacional no início e meados da primavera; os picos foram observados entre outubro e abril. Para o levantamento dos inimigos naturais, foram realizadas coletas quinzenais diretamente nas erveiras, utilizando-se um funil de alumínio. Dentre os inimigos naturais associados à cultura, a maioria foram predadores e uma espécie de parasitóide, os quais apresentaram picos populacionais sincronizados com o da praga.

Estadística y economía . Pesca de la anchoveta. Pesca marítima de las principales especies de consumo. Estadística de comercialización. Análisis estadístico

El presente informe indica los objetivos estadísticos que se han de tener en cuenta, para estudiar la dinámica de las poblaciones acuíferas, también precisa la implicancia que tienen los análisis estadísticos en la pesca industrial, los que serán necesarios para hallar información de suma importancia.

Investigación preliminar de índices microbiológicos determinantes de la sanidad de las especies ícticas de mayor comercialización en la zona de Lima

Expone que el control de la calidad alimentaria presenta tres aspectos: físico-organoleótico, microbiológico y químico, cada cual con su metodología propia. Las especies destinadas al consumo humano requieren una calidad satisfactoria con el fin de garantizar sus cualidades nutricionales y sanitarias, por lo que es importante efectuar controles cualitativos de estos productos.

"Vinci Cosmetics" Fabricación y comercialización de productos cosméticos

Contexto: La idea principal es la creación de una empresa para la fabricación y comercialización de productos cosméticos de alta gama. A pesar del contexto de crisis económica en el que estamos envueltos estos últimos años y del que no parece que acabamos de salir, el sector de la cosmética está resistiendo la situación de forma envidiable. De la crisis, como dicen los economistas, “se saldrá y se volverá, todo es cíclico” y viendo la fortaleza que éste sector está mostrando unido a la necesidad de que nuestra economía abandone sectores muy deteriorados y sin una previsión positiva de futuro, la cosmética se postula con un futuro prometedor dentro del contexto económico español y europeo. “Vinci Cosmetics” es el nombre inicialmente pensado para que la nueva compañía inicie su andadura. Nombre con tintes latinos de la lejana época del imperio romano como homenaje a la rica herencia histórica de la ciudad del autor del proyecto - Tarragona. La cultura por cuidarse y sentirse bien, muy arraigada en la mentalidad latina y mediterránea, es un factor cultural clave para el desarrollo y futura evolución de esta industria. El slogan de la empresa, “Dieta Mediterránea para tu piel”, clarifica en buena medida la idea a desarrollar y los objetivos pretendidos por la estrategia empresarial. Objetivos: El objetivo esencial del TFC es elaborar un estudio detallado para la creación de una empresa de fabricación y comercialización de productos cosméticos de alta gama que abarque el management y la gestión por procesos de la empresa, la función de marketing, el tipo de operaciones y procesos a realizar, la gestión del factor humano y el presupuesto necesario para cubrir este ambicioso proyecto. En detalle, un completo plan de empresa que marque las directrices de la organización industrial que se pretende crear compuesto a su vez por cinco planes: plan de gerencia, plan de marketing, plan de operaciones, plan de recursos humanos y plan económico – financiero. Procedimientos: El proyecto tiene un alto componente de estudio de mercados y de marketing pero pretende también abarcar el management, los procesos de operación, el factor humano y el aspecto económico y financiero de las inversiones y presupuesto necesario. El estudio inicial centrará su esfuerzo en un análisis del mercado de la península ibérica, y, en función del avance y del progreso esperado por la empresa, la compañía podría extender su campo de acción a Europa aunque no antes de un medio plazo. “Vinci Cosmetics” ha adoptado referenciales de sistemas de gestión integrados en toda la organización. Así tenemos principalmente, por un lado, la norma internacional ISO 9001:2008 y, por otro, el Modelo EFQM de Excelencia en la gestión; ambos plasmados a partir de un enfoque basado en procesos que nos garantiza el control continuo y la gestión excelente. Conclusiones: Tras evaluar la situación actual del mercado de la cosmética, las previsiones futuras de éste y las necesidades que una organización industrial necesita, se puede crear - con plenas garantías de éxito como organización empresarial y desde el punto de vista económico - una empresa de cosméticos de alta gama para cubrir las necesidades de una parte de mercado que lo requiere.

¿Las patentes aceleran o retrasan la comercialización de nuevos medicamentos en los países en desarrollo?

Este trabajo analiza el impacto de las patentes en la dinámica de introducción de nuevos medicamentos en diferentes mercados nacionales. El estudio de un conjunto de mercados de medicamentos contra el VIH/SIDA en una muestra de países en desarrollo indica que las patentes sólo aceleran significativamente la introducción de los nuevos medicamentos después de que hayan pasado entre 1 y 4 años desde su lanzamiento mundial. Las patentes impiden que se introduzcan copias locales de los nuevos medicamentos comercializados por las grandes multinacionales, y la falta de competencia y los mayores precios de introducción resultantes ofrece a las multinacionales mayores ingresos en la comercialización de nuevos medicamentos mientras dura la patente. Sin embargo, el incentivo económico que debería acelerar la disponibilidad de nuevos medicamentos parece operar con cierto retraso

¿Las patentes aceleran o retrasan la comercialización de nuevos medicamentos en los países en desarrollo?

Este trabajo analiza el impacto de las patentes en la dinámica de introducción de nuevos medicamentos en diferentes mercados nacionales. El estudio de un conjunto de mercados de medicamentos contra el VIH/SIDA en una muestra de países en desarrollo indica que las patentes sólo aceleran significativamente la introducción de los nuevos medicamentos después de que hayan pasado entre 1 y 4 años desde su lanzamiento mundial. Las patentes impiden que se introduzcan copias locales de los nuevos medicamentos comercializados por las grandes multinacionales, y la falta de competencia y los mayores precios de introducción resultantes ofrece a las multinacionales mayores ingresos en la comercialización de nuevos medicamentos mientras dura la patente. Sin embargo, el incentivo económico que debería acelerar la disponibilidad de nuevos medicamentos parece operar con cierto retraso