Stars and Strips (Idelsy Book 1)
The WASP system developed into a very comprehensive planning tool for electric power system expansion analysis.
Stars & Stripes (Cut & Run, #6) by Abigail Roux
This version introduced important improvements to the system, namely in the treatment of hydroelectric power plants. In , the Model for Analysis of Energy Demand MAED was developed in order to allow the determination of electricity demand, consistent with the overall requirements for final energy, and thus, to provide a more adequate forecast of electricity needs to be considered in the WASP study.
More recently, the VALORAGUA model was completed in as a means for helping in the preparation of the hydro plant characteristics to be input in the WASP study and to verify that the WASP overall optimized expansion plan takes also into account an optimization of the use of water for electricity generation. Volatile emissions from an epiphytic fungus are semiochemicals for eusocial wasps. Microbes are ubiquitous on plant surfaces. However, interactions between epiphytic microbes and arthropods are rarely considered as a factor that affects arthropod behaviors. Here, volatile emissions from an epiphytic fungus were investigated as semiochemical attractants for two eusocial wasps.
The fungus Aureobasidium pullulans was isolated from apples, and the volatile compounds emitted by fungal colonies were quantified. The attractiveness of fungal colonies and fungal volatiles to social wasps Vespula spp. Three important findings emerged: Wasps were most attracted to 2-methylbutanol. The primary wasp species attracted to fungal volatiles were the western yellowjacket Vespula pensylvanica and the German yellowjacket V. This is the first study to link microbial volatile emissions with eusocial wasp behaviors, and these experiments indicate that volatile compounds emitted by an epiphytic fungus can be responsible for wasp attraction.
This work implicates epiphytic microbes as important components in the community ecology of some eusocial hymenopterans, and fungal emissions may signal suitable nutrient sources to foraging wasps. Our experiments are suggestive of a potential symbiosis, but additional studies are needed to determine if eusocial wasp -fungal associations are widespread, and whether these associations are incidental, facultative, or obligate.
Sex ratio in two species of Pegoscapus wasps Hymenoptera: Agaonidae that develop in figs: The fig pollinating wasps Hymenoptera: Agaonidae have obligate arrhenotoky and a breeding structure that fits local mate competition LMC. It has been traditionally assumed that LMC organisms adjust the sex ratio by laying a greater proportion of male eggs when there is superparasitism several foundresses in a host.
Total number of wasps and seeds were recorded in individual isolated naturally colonized syconia. There was a constant additive effect between the number of foundresses and the number of males produced in the brood of a syconium, while the number of females decreased. Both wasp species seem to have precise sex ratios and probably lay the male eggs first in the sequence, independently of superparasitism and clutch size: Each syconium of Ficus pertusa and of F.
The two species of wasps studied do not seem to adjust the sex ratio when there is superparasitism. Pollinating fig wasp behavior is better explained by those models not assuming that females do mathematical calculations according to other females' sex ratios, size, number of foundresses, genetic constitution, clutch size or environmental conditions inside the syconium.
Our results are in agreement with the constant male number hypothesis, not with sex ratio games. Spitzer observations of the thermal emission from WASP b. Andrews, North Haugh, St. The eclipse depths and brightness temperatures from our jointly fit model are 0. We use our Spitzer eclipse depths along with four previously reported ground-based photometric observations in the near-infrared to constrain the atmospheric properties of WASP b. The data rule out a strong thermal inversion in the dayside atmosphere of WASP b.
Model atmospheres with no thermal inversions and fiducial oxygen-rich compositions are able to explain all the available data. Why wasp foundresses change nests: Full Text Available The costs and benefits of different social options are best understood when individuals can be followed as they make different choices, something that can be difficult in social insects.
In this detailed study, we follow overwintered females of the social wasp Polistes carolina through different nesting strategies in a stratified habitat where nest site quality varies with proximity to a foraging area, and genetic relatedness among females is known.
Females may initiate nests, join nests temporarily or permanently, or abandon nests. Females can become helpers or egglayers, effectively workers or queens.
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What they actually do can be predicted by a combination of ecological and relatedness factors. Advantages through increased lifetime success of individuals and nests drives foundresses of the social wasp Polistes from solitary to social nest founding. We studied reproductive options of spring foundresses of P. We examined what behavioral decisions foundresses make after relaxing a strong ecological constraint, shortage of nesting sites.
We also look at the reproductive consequences of different behaviors. As in other Polistes, the most successful strategy for a foundress was to initiate a nest as early as possible and then accept others as subordinates. A common feature for many P. A clear motivation for moving to new nests was high genetic relatedness; by the end of the foundress period all females were on nests with full sisters.
Why Wasp Foundresses Change Nests: Relatedness, Dominance, and Nest Quality. The costs and benefits of different social options are best understood when individuals can be followed as they make different choices, something that can be difficult in social insects. The plotting of data into graphs should be a mandatory step in all data analysis as part of a descriptive statistics exercise, since it gives the researcher an overview of the shape and nature of the data. Moreover, outlier values may be identified, which may be incorrect data, or true outliers, from which important findings and publications may arise.
The LiDAR measurements, vertical wind profile in any height between 10 to m, are based on assumption that the measured wind is a product of a homogenous wind. In reality there are many factors affecting the wind on each measurement point which the terrain plays the main role. DAR measurements and predict possible error in different wind directions for a certain terrain we have analyzed two experiment data sets from Greece.
In both sites LiDAR and met. Several other studies have shown that Btk played important roles in modulating innate immune responses through TLRs in immune cells. We established bone marrow—derived macrophage cell lines from transgenic Tg mice that expressed intracellular antibodies intrabodies that specifically targeted the WASP N-terminal domain. One intrabody comprised the single-chain variable fragment and the other comprised the light-chain variable region single domain of an anti- WASP N-terminal monoclonal antibody. Orchids mimic green-leaf volatiles to attract prey-hunting wasps for pollination.
An outstanding feature of orchids is the diversity of their pollination systems [1]. Most remarkable are those species that employ chemical deceit for the attraction of pollinators [2]. The orchid Epipactis helleborine is a typical wasp flower, exhibiting physiological and morphological adaptations for the attraction of pollinating social wasps [3]. As noted by Darwin [1], this species is almost entirely overlooked by other potential pollinators, despite a large nectar reward. Therefore, the mechanism for the attraction of pollinating social wasps was something of a mystery.
By using a combination of behavioral experiments, electrophysiological investigations, and chemical analyses, we demonstrate for the first time that the flowers of E. GLVs, emitted by damaged plant tissues, are known to guide parasitic wasps to their hosts [4]. This is the first example in which GLVs have been implicated in chemical mimicry for the attraction of pollinating insects.
These twin planets show similar temperature—pressure profiles and atmospheric features in the near-infrared. For future HST exoplanet studies, our analysis also suggests that a lower count limit needs to be exceeded per pixel on the detector in order to avoid unwanted instrumental systematics. Codivergence and multiple host species use by fig wasp populations of the Ficus pollination mutualism. Full Text Available Abstract Background The interaction between insects and plants takes myriad forms in the generation of spectacular diversity. In this association a species host range is fundamental and often measured using an estimate of phylogenetic concordance between species.
Pollinating fig wasps display extreme host species specificity, but the intraspecific variation in empirical accounts of host affiliation has previously been underestimated. In this investigation, lineage delimitation and codiversification tests are used to generate and discuss hypotheses elucidating on pollinating fig wasp associations with Ficus. Changes in branching patterns estimated using the generalized mixed Yule coalescent test indicated lineage duplication on the same Ficus species. Conversely, Elisabethiella and Alfonsiella fig wasp species are able to reproduce on multiple, but closely related host fig species.
Tree reconciliation tests indicate significant codiversification as well as significant incongruence between fig wasp and Ficus phylogenies. Conclusions The findings demonstrate more relaxed pollinating fig wasp host specificity than previously appreciated. Evolutionarily conservative host associations have been tempered by horizontal transfer and lineage duplication among closely related Ficus species.
Independent and asynchronistic diversification of pollinating fig wasps is best explained by a combination of both sympatric and allopatric models of speciation. Pollinator host preference constraints permit reproduction on closely related Ficus species, but uncertainty of the frequency and duration of these associations requires better resolution.
We experimentally verified the presence of two of these sequences in a diverse set of silkworm Bombyx mori genomes. We hypothesize that these horizontal transfers are made possible by the unusual strategy many parasitoid wasps employ of injecting hosts with endosymbiotic polydnaviruses to minimize the host's defense response. Because these virus-like particles deliver wasp DNA to the cells of the host, there has been much interest in whether genetic information can be permanently transferred from the wasp to the host.
Two transferred sequences code for a BEN domain, known to be associated with polydnaviruses and transcriptional regulation. These findings represent the first documented cases of horizontal transfer of genes between two organisms by a polydnavirus. This presents an interesting evolutionary paradigm in which host species can acquire new sequences from parasitoid wasps that attack them.
Unlike many other cases of horizontal transfer between two eukaryote species, these sequence transfers can be explained without the need to invoke the sequences 'hitchhiking' on a third organism e. The cellular machinery necessary for the transfer is contained entirely in the wasp genome. The work presented here is the first such discovery of what is likely to be a broader phenomenon among species affected by these wasps. Giant honeybees Apis dorsata mob wasps away from the nest by directed visual patterns.
The open nesting behaviour of giant honeybees Apis dorsata accounts for the evolution of a series of defence strategies to protect the colonies from predation. In particular, the concerted action of shimmering behaviour is known to effectively confuse and repel predators. In shimmering, bees on the nest surface flip their abdomens in a highly coordinated manner to generate Mexican wave-like patterns.
The paper documents a further-going capacity of this kind of collective defence: The honeybees take here advantage of a threefold asymmetry intrinsic to the prey-predator interaction: The findings give evidence that shimmering honeybees utilize directional alignment to enforce their repelling power against preying wasps. This phenomenon can be identified as predator driving which is generally associated with mobbing behaviour particularly known in selfish herds of vertebrate species , which is, until now, not reported in insects. Physiological selectivity and activity reduction of insecticides by rainfall to predatory wasps of Tuta absoluta.
In this study, we carried out three bioassays with nine used insecticides in tomato crops to identify their efficiency against tomato leaf miner Tuta absoluta, the physiological selectivity and the activity reduction of insecticides by three rain regimes to predatory wasps Protonectarina sylveirae and Polybia scutellaris. We assessed the mortality caused by the recommended doses of abamectin, beta-cyfluthrin, cartap, chlorfenapyr, etofenprox, methamidophos, permethrin, phenthoate and spinosad to T.
In addition, we evaluated the wasp mortality due to the insecticides for 30 days on plants that did not receive rain and on plants that received 4 or mm of rain. In the absence of rain, all the insecticides continued to cause high mortality to the wasps for 30 days after the application. The toxicity of spinosad and methamidophos on both wasp species; beta-cyfluthrin on P. In contrast, the other insecticides only showed reduced toxicity on the wasps when the plants received mm of rain. Social Learning in Vespula Germanica Wasps: Vespula germanica is a social wasp that has become established outside its native range in many regions of the world, becoming a major pest in the invaded areas.
In the present work we analyze social communication processes used by V. For this purpose, we investigated the arrival pattern of wasps at a protein bait and evaluated whether a forager recruited conspecifics in three different situations: Results demonstrated the existence of recruitment in V. Our findings showed that recruitment takes place at a distance from the food source, in addition to local enhancement. When both local enhancement and distant recruitment were occurring simultaneously, the pattern of wasp arrival was exponential.
When recruitment occurred only distant from the feeder, the arrival pattern was linear, but the number of wasps arriving was twice as many as when neither communication nor local enhancement was allowed. Moreover, when return to the nest was impeded, wasp arrival at the bait was regular and constant, indicating that naive wasps forage individually and are not spatially aggregated. In conclusion, this is the first study to demonstrate recruitment in V. In addition, the existence of correlations when communication was allowed and reflected in tandem arrivals indicates that we were not in the presence of random processes.
Full Text Available Vespula germanica is a social wasp that has become established outside its native range in many regions of the world, becoming a major pest in the invaded areas. N- wasp is essential for the negative regulation of B cell receptor signaling. Full Text Available Negative regulation of receptor signaling is essential for controlling cell activation and differentiation. In B-lymphocytes, the down-regulation of B-cell antigen receptor BCR signaling is critical for suppressing the activation of self-reactive B cells; however, the mechanism underlying the negative regulation of signaling remains elusive.
Using genetically manipulated mouse models and total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy, we demonstrate that neuronal Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein N- WASP , which is coexpressed with WASP in all immune cells, is a critical negative regulator of B-cell signaling. The increased signaling in N- WASP knockout B cells is concurrent with increased accumulation of F-actin at the B-cell surface, enhanced B-cell spreading on the antigen-presenting membrane, delayed B-cell contraction, inhibition in the merger of signaling active BCR microclusters into signaling inactive central clusters, and a blockage of BCR internalization.
Our results reveal a new mechanism for the negative regulation of BCR signaling and broadly suggest an actin-mediated mechanism for signaling down-regulation. Efficacy of fipronil for control of yellowjacket wasps in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Populations of Vespula were monitored in replicate twoto four- hectare study areas in mesic montane and seasonal submontane forests, before and after application of chicken bait, with and without 0. The bait was applied in hanging bait stations for two to three days. All indices of wasp abundance exhibited significant reductions in sites treated with fipronil compared with non-treatment sites with the exception of malaise trapping, where only a limited number of traps were available to be deployed.
Wasp traffic ceased at all Vespula nests in sites treated with fipronil within a month after baiting in four of the five trials. The only trial where fipronil failed to terminate yellowjacket nest activity occurred late in the fall when wasps switch from feeding on protein to carbohydrate foods. Based on these data, 0. A general description of the design and construction of the WASP sounding rocket and of the performance of its first flight are presented. The purpose of the flight test was to place the pound kg spacecraft above feet The WASP sounding rocket fulfilled its intended mission requirements.
The sounding rocket approximately followed a nominal trajectory. The payload was in free fall above feet Flight data including velocity, altitude, acceleration, roll rate, and angle of attack are discussed and compared to nominal performance calculations. The effect of residual burning of the second stage motor is analyzed. The flight vibration environment is presented and analyzed, including root mean square RMS and power spectral density analysis.
Sting microsculpture in the digger wasp Bembix rostrata Hymenoptera, Crabronidae. Full Text Available The sting microsculpture of the digger wasp Bembix rostrata Fabricius, Hymenoptera, Crabronidae is studied with the scanning electron microscope SEM for the first time. As in many other hymenopterans, the second valvifer of B. The presence of two paired fields of campaniform sensilla on the second valvula and second valvifer is first shown in an apoid wasp.
The first and the second valvulae bear scattered sensilla-like structures on the external surface, more numerous apically. The first valvula has two subapical barbs externally and a pair of valvilli on its inner surface, whereas the outer surface of the second valvula is smooth.
The third valvula is sclerotized externally, consisting of proximal and distal parts, and bearing four sensilla morphotypes of mechanoreceptive and probably chemoreceptive functions. The inner surface of the valvulae and the membranous cuticle that is touching the sting have microstructures of different shapes directed distally.
Functional aspects of characters studied are discussed. The data are compatible with a constant period derivative: However, it is difficult to tell whether we have observed orbital decay or a portion of a year apsidal precession cycle. Orbital decay appears to be the more parsimonious model: To distinguish unequivocally between decay and precession will probably require a few more years of monitoring. Particularly helpful will be occultation timing in and thereafter. Its host subjugation strategy is unusual in that envenomation is directed into the host central nervous system, eliciting a long-term behavior modification termed hypokinesia, turning stung cockroaches into a lethargic and compliant, but not paralyzed, living food supply for wasp offspring.
Herein we describe the life history and developmental timing of A. Using head capsule measurements and observations of mandibular morphology, we found that the larvae develop through three instars, the first two ectoparasitoid, and the third exclusively endoparasitoid. The first two instars have mandibles sufficient for piercing and cutting the cuticle respectively, while the third instar has a larger and blunter mandibular structure. During ecdysis to the third instar, the larva enters the body cavity of the cockroach, consuming internal tissues selectively, including fat body and skeletal muscle, but sparing the gut and Malpighian tubules.
The developmental timing to pupation is similar between males and females, but cocoon volume and mass, and pupation duration are sexually dimorphic. Further, we show that the difference in cocoon mass and volume can be used to predict sex before eclosion, which is valuable for studies in venom pharmacology, as only females produce venom.
Complementary sex determination in the parasitic wasp Diachasmimorpha longicaudata. Full Text Available We studied the sex determination in Diachasmimorpha longicaudata, a parasitoid braconid wasp widely used as biological control agent of fruit pest tephritid flies. We tested the complementary sex determination hypothesis CSD known in at least 60 species of Hymenoptera.
Hemizygote individuals are normal haploid males, and heterozygotes for at least one sex locus are normal diploid females, but homozygotes for all the sex loci are diploid males. In order to force the occurrence of diploid males in D. Our results suggest that this parasitoid may represent the second genus with multiple-locus CSD in Hymenoptera. Knowledge about the sex determination system in D. This information also provides the necessary background for further investigations on the underlying molecular mechanisms of sex determination in this species, and a better insight into the evolution of this pathway in Hymenoptera in particular and insects in general.
Polydnaviruses of Parasitic Wasps: Full Text Available Symbiosis is a common phenomenon in which associated organisms can cooperate in ways that increase their ability to survive, reproduce, or utilize hostile environments. Here, we discuss polydnavirus symbionts of parasitic wasps.
These viruses are novel in two ways: In this review we discuss how these novelties may have arisen, which genes are potentially involved, and what the consequences have been for genome evolution. As a continuation of its efforts to provide methodologies and tools to Member States to carry out comparative assessment and analyse priority environmental issues related to the development of the electric power sector, the IAEA has completed a new version of the Wien Automatic System Planning WASP Package WASP -IV for carrying out power generation expansion planning taking into consideration fuel availability and environmental constraints.
This manual constitutes a part of this work and aims to provide users with a guide to use effectively the new version of the model WASP -IV. WASP was originally developed in by the Tennessee Valley Authority and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in the USA to meet the IAEA needs to analyse the economic competitiveness of nuclear power in comparison to other generation expansion alternatives for supplying the future electricity requirements of a country or region.
Previous versions of the model were used by Member States in many national and regional studies to analyse the electric power system expansion planning and the role of nuclear energy in particular. Experience gained from its application allowed development of WASP into a very comprehensive planning tool for electric power system expansion analysis.
New, improved versions were developed, which took into consideration the needs expressed by the users of the programme in order to address important emerging issues being faced by the electric system planners. In order to meet the needs of electricity planners and following the recommendations of the Helsinki symposium, development of a new version of WASP was.
Small-scale area effect on species richness and nesting occupancy of cavity-nesting bees and wasps. Full Text Available Small-scale area effect on species richness and nesting occupancy of cavity-nesting bees and wasps. The research was conducted in an urban forest remnant in southeast Brazil. We tested the predictions of the following hypotheses: We sampled Aculeate bees and wasps using trap nests from February to November One hundred and thirty-seven trap nests were occupied by seven species of bees and four species of wasps.
We found an increase in wasp , but not bee species richness following increase in SU size. Both the number and density of occupied nests increased with SU size. The wasp Trypoxylon lactitarse responded significantly to area size, larger SU having more occupied nests. The same pattern was exhibited by the wasp Auplopus militaris, the Megachile bee species, and the bee Anthodioctes megachiloides. Our results show that cavity-nesting bee and wasps respond differently to the area effects.
Such findings must be complemented by information on the frequency and dynamics of area colonization and nest occupancy by species of solitary Hymenoptera. The wasp larva's last supper: Full Text Available Rhopalosomatidae are an unusual family of wasps Hymenoptera: Aculeata comprising less than species found in the tropics and subtropics of all continents except Europe and Antarctica.
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Whereas some species resemble nocturnal Ichneumonidae, others might be mistaken for spider wasps or different groups of brachypterous Hymenoptera. Despite their varied morphology, all members of the family supposedly develop as larval ectoparasitoids of crickets Orthoptera: Here, we report on the first record of a fossil rhopalosomatid larva which was discovered in mid-Cretaceous amber from northern Myanmar Burma. The larva is attached to the lateral side of a cricket between the metafemur and the abdomen, impacting the natural position of the hind leg, exactly as documented for modern species.
Additionally, the larval gestalt is strikingly similar to those of extant forms. These observations imply that this behavioral specialization, e. Ovarian development in a primitively eusocial wasp: In many primitively eusocial wasp species new nests are founded either by a single female or by a small group of females. In the single foundress nests, the lone female develops her ovaries, lays eggs as well as tends her brood. In multiple foundress nests social interactions, especially dominance-subordinate interactions, result in only one 'dominant' female developing her ovaries and laying eggs.
Ovaries of the remaining 'subordinate' cofoundresses remain suppressed and these individuals function as workers and tend the dominant's brood. Using the tropical, primitively eusocial polistine wasp Ropalidia marginata and by comparing wasps held in isolation and those kept as pairs in the laboratory, we demonstrate that social interactions affect ovarian development of dominant and subordinate wasps among the pairs in opposite directions, suppressing the ovaries of the subordinate member of the pair below that of solitary wasps and boosting the ovaries of dominant member of the pair above that of solitary females.
In addition to being of physiological interest, such mirror image effects of aggression on the ovaries of the aggressors and their victims, suggest yet another mechanism by which subordinates can enhance their indirect fitness and facilitate the evolution of worker behavior by kin selection.
Wasps are the cause of an increasing mastitis problem in dairy cattle in Israel. The German wasp Vespula germanica Fabr. Vespidae has been observed to injure dairy cows teats, causing lesions which can lead to mastitis. The number of dairy herds in Israel reported to be affected in this way has increased from five prior to to 32 from to Likewise, the geographical distribution of the colonies of these wasps has expanded from the Galilee to the northern Negev.
Most cases of mastitis appeared during August and September when the wasps were most active; the predominant organism isolated was Streptococcus dysgalactiae. Apparently the wasps served as a vector in spreading S. More adult cows than first-calving cows were affected. The teats of the front quarters were more affected than those of the hind quarters. Sensitivity to European wasps in a group of allergic patients in Marseille: Serum samples obtained from allergic subjects in Marseille were studied in order to determine the positivity by RAST to these venoms.
The presence in some sera of IgE antibodies to the venoms of all three wasps and RAST inhibition studies suggested that the three venoms were relevant in the area studied and that most sera were positive to the three venoms due to allergenic cross-reactivity. However, inhibition studies revealed that 2 patients may have had antibodies that did not cross-react and that were specific for the venom of only one species. Mouthpart dimorphism in male and female wasps of Vespula vulgaris and Vespula germanica Vespidae, Hymenoptera.
Full Text Available Social wasps perform a variety of tasks with their mouthparts. Female workers use them to feed on carbohydrate-rich fluids, to build nests by collecting wood fibers and forming paper, to hunt and manipulate insect prey for feeding larvae as well as for brood care. Since male wasps neither feed on insects nor participate in nest building, sex-specific differences in mouthpart morphology are expected.
Despite these different applications, general mouthpart morphology of male and female wasps from the genus Vespula was similar. However, males possessed significantly shorter mandibles with fewer teeth than females. Furthermore, the adductor muscles of the mandibles were distinctly smaller in males than in females.
Male wasps showed a higher number of sensilla on the mandibles and the labial palpi. Mouthpart dimorphism and functional morphology of fluid uptake are discussed. Pre-hospital treatment of bee and wasp induced anaphylactic reactions. Data of pre-hospital treatment of bee and wasp induced anaphylactic reactions are sparse. This study aimed to estimate the incidence of bee Discharge summaries with diagnosis related to anaphylaxis according to the International Classification of Diseases 10 ICD were reviewed to identify bee and wasp induced anaphylactic reactions.
The severity of the anaphylactic reaction Treatment was evaluated in relation to administration of adrenaline, glucocorticoids and antihistamine. A role for sexual conflict in the evolution of reproductive traits in Nasonia wasps? Sexual conflict theory predicts that female and male reproductive traits coevolve resulting in disruption of reproductive behaviour upon mating of individuals from diverged populations. We used interfertile species of haplodiploid Nasonia wasps to compare re-mating frequency, longevity, oviposition. A unique nest-protection strategy in a new species of spider wasp.
Full Text Available Hymenoptera show a great variation in reproductive potential and nesting behavior, from thousands of eggs in sawflies to just a dozen in nest-provisioning wasps. Reduction in reproductive potential in evolutionary derived Hymenoptera is often facilitated by advanced behavioral mechanisms and nesting strategies. Here we describe a surprising nesting behavior that was previously unknown in the entire animal kingdom: Pompilidae species collected with trap nests in South-East China.
We scientifically describe the 'Bone-house Wasp ' as Deuteragenia ossarium sp. We show that D. Full Text Available Insects commonly harbor facultative bacterial endosymbionts, such as Wolbachia and Spiroplasma species, that are vertically transmitted from mothers to their offspring.
These endosymbiontic bacteria increase their propagation by manipulating host reproduction or by protecting their hosts against natural enemies. While an increasing number of studies have reported endosymbiont-mediated protection, little is known about the mechanisms underlying this protection.
Here, we analyze the mechanisms underlying protection from parasitoid wasps in Drosophila melanogaster mediated by its facultative endosymbiont Spiroplasma poulsonii. Our results indicate that S. In this work, we provide three important observations that support the notion that S. First, lipid quantification shows that both S. Third, we show that the growth of S. We propose that competition for host lipids may be relevant to endosymbiont-mediated protection in other systems and could explain the broad spectrum of protection provided.
Data analysis at the descriptive stage and the eventual presentation of results requires the tabulation and summarisation of data. This exercise should always precede inferential statistics. Pivot tables and pivot charts are one of Excel's most powerful and underutilised features, with tabulation functions that immensely facilitate descriptive statistics. Pivot tables permit users to dynamically summarise and cross-tabulate data, create tables in several dimensions, offer a range of summary statistics and can be modified interactively with instant outputs.
Large and detailed datasets are thereby easily manipulated making pivot tables arguably the best way to explore, summarise and present data from many different angles. Ancient conservation of trinucleotide microsatellite loci in polistine wasps.
Stars & Stripes
Microsatellites have proven to be very useful genetic markers for studies of kinship, parentage, and gene mapping. If microsatellites are conserved among species, then those developed for one species can be used on related species, which would save the time and effort of developing new loci. We further investigated cross-species polymorphism levels for There was a clear relationship between cladistic distance and both conservation of the priming sites and heterozygosity.
However the loci derived from P. The disparity in cross-species utility The close proximity of WASP b to its G-type star results in extreme tidal forces capable of inducing apsidal precession with a period as short as a few decades. This precession would be measurable if the orbit had a significant eccentricity, leading to an estimate of the tidal Love number and an assessment of the degree of central concentration in the planetary interior.
An initial ground-based secondary-eclipse phase reported by Lopez-Morales et al. The spectroscopic orbit of Hebb et al. However, there is a well-documented tendency of spectroscopic data to overestimate small eccentricities. Our eclipse phases are 0. An unlikely orbital precession scenario invoking an alignment of the orbit during the Spitzer observations could have explained this apparent discrepancy, but the final eclipse phase of Lopez-Morales et al. Coexistence or displacement of parasitoids in hosts during intrinsic competitive interactions between different parasitoid species multiparasitism may depend on their life history traits and behavior.
However, the mechanisms of physiological suppression during multiparasitism remain unclear. Previous work has shown that first instar larvae of the solitary endoparasitoid Meteorus pulchricornis possess well-developed mandibles that are used to kill competitors. Two gregarious endoparasitoids, Cotesia kariyai and C.
Here, we investigated the physiological influence of wasp -regulatory factors of the three endoparasitoids, M. In fact, the more Tara yelps the harder Frankie's nipple pinches and gut slugs seem to get. Cali Logan and Mai Mao begin this match in nothing but some adorable bikini bottoms. These charming brunettes have some of the most bewitching tits in the sport of female fighting. Cali's are plump and perky and match nicely with Mai's substantially larger bosoms. Cali's back becomes Mai's main target via the Boston crab, kneeling back breaker, and inverted standing surfboard. Quickly this match becomes a one-sided destruction match.
Mai uses every tool at her disposal to crush Cali's back: However, Francesca doesn't show up. Instead Celeste Star shows up and quickly derails Sinn's plans. Celeste begins to bully Sinn. A scared Sinn goes running from Celeste's attacks. Celeste bear hugs, beats, and wedgies her curvy opponent until she is crying on the ground. Once Sinn has been turned into little more than mince meat, Celeste forces her to repeatedly lick clean the inside of her perfect belly button. The only problem is that they don't know that. Both women show up at his home in an attempt to surprise him.
They end up surprising each other wearing nothing but their birthday suits. The jealousy and surprise is a potent cocktail that leaves both women violently intoxicated and I'm assuming some painful hangovers. The nude fighters seem intent on making each other useless to their absent boyfriend by attacking one another's crotch. Here come those Tigers again, Melissa Jacobs is in one tiger gang and Prinzzess is in another so they must fight and fight they do.
Another wild sex fight where each girl takes her turn at dominating, each lady tries desperately to rip the tiger bikini off her foe but it's not easy as each wants to keep her gang colors on, finally after a valiant struggle Melissa loses her top and sometime later also her bottom. The blonde is in control and she does love it so, camel clutch, bow and arrow, Boston crab, all used to destroy poor Mel. But when she goes after Red's pussy and humps her ass, well that's just too much and Melissa strikes back, she strips the tiger stripes off the tan blonde's fabulous body and begins her own torture of both pussy and breasts and of course mixing in some killer holds.
Eva Lovia, such a beauty and we were recently told she is no longer wrestling so enjoy her while she lasts, she also does some nice groaning and whining so of course we had to pair her up with the queen of noise, yes, no one makes the groans and moans like Capri Cavanni. Two knock out tan bodies, and those butts - wow, Eva is built down below - both girls show off their bottoms with some sexy cat like crawling and Capri so loves giving Eva a good wedgie up her bountiful bum.
This is a real cat fight with a some good holds sprinkled in like; body scissors, camel clutch and that last match book where both their bodies get stretched and pressed, you will love that one. It's Idelsy Love but she is saying she's someone else, it's very confusing but under this name she has not lost a fight and is being interviewed, all the questions end up being answered by how fabulous Idelsy is, she even hikes up her shirt so show off her tits and then her skirt to show off her ass.
The interviewer asked her some real pointed questions about her record and about how she has been ducking Misty Stone I try to savor every book because I know one day Roux will say, no more. But until then, enjoy this series everyone. Nov 10, Deborah rated it it was amazing Shelves: Harrison nodded and they watched Ty argue with the horse. This time it's the turn of Zane's family, another interesting bunch. As always the writing is fabulous we've come so far with these two and hopefully there's a lot longer to go it will be a very sad day when this series ends.
I read this book again the other night and I'd forgotten just how funny it is, it was a mistake reading it in bed as I was shaking with laughter and tears were rolling down my face, just love these guys. View all 16 comments. Nov 10, Cristina T. This one is the one. This review may contain unmarked spoilers, so read at your own risk! They've been living together for a while and they're blissfully happy. First they head to West Virginia to visit the Gradys, whom need help installing a new roof. God, I missed these people a great deal, they're just awesome! A few days pass and Zane gets a phone call, after which he rushes to go home to Texas in order to see what's going on with his family.
He goes alone, but Ty senses his lover needs him, so he joins him soon enough. We finally get to meet Zane's family. Harrison Garrett, his father, is one hell of a man. I really liked him and the support he showed Zane throughout the whole book. Just like Harrison, she can see how much of a good influence Ty has had on her brother, that he's brought Zane back to life. That's why she wholeheartedly agrees with their relationship. I hated that despicable raging bitch with a passion! Meanwhile, they visit an animal sanctuary for big cats, where Ty falls head over heels in love with Barnum, a Bengal tiger.
I was smitten with the tiger, too, especially since he saved Ty's life more than once. Ah, who am I kidding, I'm a sucker for big cats anyway Ty was just hilarious with them! The guy plays with pound tigers, but horses and chipmunks, dogs, even moths make him nervous They're very tender and more than ever, they talk, they're honest and they discuss their future and things they didn't dare talk about before.
Coming out to their families and acting like a couple in public has been a big step for them and has obviously done them a lot of good. The faith they have in each other is incredible and they're happy, very much so. Zane trusts his partner, no matter what bullshit people are talking about him. He had no doubt that he knew who Ty was now, inside and out. He knew every one of Ty's quirks and weak spots and favorite things. He knew what Ty found funny and what annoyed him.
He knew what would break his heart. He knew how to touch him to drive him wild, and when to back off when Ty was having a bad day. He knew that Ty was kind and loyal and funny, that he had a deep sense of honor and righteousness. He knew that Ty would die to save a stranger, and kill to save a friend.
That was the type of man he was. Oh, and Ty riding Zane, wearing nothing but the rose compass, a Stetson and a grin But I also found it amazing that Zane adopted the two tigers, just to make Ty happy. I think I should stop now, even though I could go on and on I highly recommend the books to be read in the following order View all 18 comments. Is it possible not to fall hard for this sweetie?! It is why Ty did! Lucky Ty, it was mutually! What do we have here? The reason why Zane had to come back home was not very pleasant, but- I can't help myself!
Alone for the reason to see Ty in cowboy hut!! Ty think they are horrible, but it is the reason why they are sweeeeet!! We know Ty's family, and here we are introduced to Zane's family. They are all- except his mother- very nice people! I ask myself why for god sake he had no contact to them all this years?! Okay, this problem was fixed here! And the problem with his inheritance was solved also with the best results for Zane!
Sorry, I'm repeating myself, but Barnum is the most sweeeeetest sweetie I have ever known as tiger! Barnum has a perfect feeling for timing. It was always at the right time on the right place! I'd like to adopt it, but Ty was unfortunately quicker! Zane was like a big sweet lollipop. Do you know what they are good for?! You won't believe me until you read it yourself. Doesn't matter that they were supposed to be dangerous, I have not noticed it! SEX was sticky sweeeet! There are 3 great sex scenes. I was about to pack my suitcase and book a one way ticket to Texas! Normally I should got a sugar shock at least around a half of the book because of so much sweetness!
Normally I start to roll my eyes if there are too much sugar in my books. I am allergic to it. Normally it is a point for me to start to be a sarcastic bitch. I can't help myself, I am not that sweet as you could think. Though I have to disappoint all of you who hoped to read a sarcastic review here!!!! In spite of the fact that at the end of the book I was lying buried under multiple layers of chocolate, cream and sugar icing near to collapse because of too much SWEETness, I am still badly in love with this two guys!!!! I was smiling reading it, I was smiling turning the last page and I think I still have a stupid smile on my face.
There are so many paths in life. We walk our paths without looking down and that's the life we lead. The only things you'll get from guessing where another path would have gone are questions you can't answer and heartache you can't ever soothe. View all 56 comments. So, Abigail Roux had a co-writer for the first four books, but I am definitely a huge fan of her solo writing endeavors. Chaos ensues, as it inevitably does around our boys. Ty with a new unlikely finger injury? Even Earl when he acts like a jackass.
I have never wanted to hug someone so bad in my life. The only downfall of seeing them in this book was how brief it was. Luckily, his dad almost makes up for it. In fact, he is up there with Chester as one of my favorite parts of the book. Best line in the whole thing too…gay bulls. Every single time they are able to express their feelings to each other, I melt into a puddle of fangirly goo.
It took them a long time — and several books — to get here, and I am enjoying every second of it. To Sum it Up: View all 3 comments. I was originally going to give this 5 stars but then I read the next in the series and it was just so amazing and a total 5 star for me that I had to drop my rating for this one to 4 stars I really should do my reviews straight away after reading a book but I was traveling and just had not time. Ty is just too cute. Not too keen on the Mom.
Onwards and upwards to read the next book Each time I finish a book in this series, I think it's the best one yet, and this one is no different. It just keeps getting better and better. Since I don't do re-reads, I am going to be crying some serious tears when I finish this series and say good bye to Ty and Zane. This book blew my mind from beginning to end.
Just 30 pages into this book, Roux had me laughing out loud and also crying with the amount of heartbreak. Readers who have been following this series will finally get what they have been praying for: Ty and Zane come out to their parents. It turns out that more is going on because dangerous animal predators, the Benal tigers are going missing from their shelters. Panic arises in Texas as these tigers continue to be taken. In comes Ty, providing a helping hand even though one hand is broken , yet nothing can separate Ty from Zane.
They are in it together and when Zane is feeling the wrath from his mother, Ty is there to remind him that he is not alone. It was perfect, the ideal blend of the wickedly entertaining hysterics and so much passion and love. Roux fuses rough, dirty rutting with passionate embraces and lingering kisses. Whatever it is, I hope she had a hoard of it in her keeping. I am stoked about a character named Annie in this. Check out my interview with Abigail Roux on Under the Covers View all 27 comments. Apr 24, Wendy rated it it was amazing Shelves: This is seriously the best series ever this and Rock chick ofcourse.
Will continue reading on. I am getting a bit nervous because of the reviews on the next 3 books in the series View all 5 comments. And probably you, too, because I plan on listening to more audiobooks this year. I won't bore the pants off you with my reviews for this series, but since the narrator for this book changed again, I just wanted to say how much I loved it.
I won't say that J. Harding is the best narrator for this series I loved Sawyer Allerde and Sean Crisden's narration, too , but he is the one I understood best, not to say every single word. This is not a given for me as a non-native English speaker, so I was quite impressed. Although he didn't gave Zane the swoon-worthy deep voice like Sean Crisden did, I loved how he conveyed all the emotions in this story and he made me laugh out loud with Ty's antics, made me want to hug Deuce after Ty and Zane's outing and made me want to kick Zane's mother in the ass for her behavior.
So I can say with a clear conscience that I enjoyed the audiobook version very much. It always comes in handy when the rating for the story tallies with the rating for the audiobook, because - like I said before - this series is, was and always will be a solid five-star-read for me. Each and every single book! View all 14 comments. Aug 02, Nicole rated it it was amazing Shelves: Review originally posted here: This book was one of my most anticipated reads of , so you can imagine how excited I was to get it a week early.
With the shooting, multiple trespassing violations, and missing exotic animals, Ty and Zane are quickly plunged into a case that hits way too close to home. I liked how the big-cat sanctuary came into play, and we got to see Ty face his fears of big exotic cats literally. However, for me it really felt as if the case took a bit of a back seat to the rest of the story, which has a different feel than the other books in this series.
So much of the first five books is solely focused on the mystery aspect, and the lives and romance of Ty and Zane usually take a more back-seat role. In this installment, that is flip-flopped and the case takes more of a back-seat to the romance. I even kind of missed the intensity of the previous books. Again, without giving too much away, something big happens between Ty and his father and for a few seconds, I hated Earl. His sister Anne was so sweet and funny, and she has probably the second best line in the whole book. She was so supportive of Zane, and was willing to stand up to their horrible mother at every turn.
He had the all time best line of the book, and from the first moment we met him, I fell in love with him. He truly loved Zane, was glad to see that Ty was helping Zane get his life back together, and did everything he could to help run interference between Zane and his mom. The woman was cold and rude and nasty and an all around bitch.
I could see a lot of Zane in her, but was also so glad to see all the ways that Ty was helping him break those bad habits and become a better person. A lot of stuff happens in this book that help Ty and Zane really move forward with their relationship. These two together are one of my all time favorite couples. I absolutely loved the relationship progression for Ty and Zane. So many spoiler-ish things happened that made me laugh and giggle and cry and scream. Sep 11, LenaLena rated it did not like it Shelves: Most romance books have an epilogue.
It's that bit at the end where it shows the couple a few days, weeks or years later all happy and solid in their relationship, usually with a few cute references to quirky, couple-y things that happened to them in the process of getting together. Things to make the couple and the reader chuckle at their previous antics, now happily in the past.
Epilogues are like the icing on the cake, the cherry on top: This Most romance books have an epilogue. This book is like one big, endless , epilogue. Ty and Zane are together. They are totally committed. They are rock solid. Nothing shakes the foundation of their relationship. They reaffirm their love every couple of hours or so. So what this book is, besides one mighty long-winded affirmation of mutual love and desire, is a unending collection of quirky couple-y things that are all different flavors of CUTE.
Designed to make the fangirls sqeee and go 'Aaaaaawwwww' and do the Snoopy-dance. With every touch and every look we have to realize how speshul this is. The dancing and the singing. Zane prodding Ty to sing. Cowboy hats are sexay too. All times they are mentioned. Even though they must be as common as ballcaps in Texas. Eccentric Chester is eccentric. No hoses die this time, but domestic violence is still normal. Amazing, btw, how virtually all the people from extremely conservative rural bible belt regions in this book are just so happy that the boys are gay.
And that the token homophobes-in-a-bar are involved in the crime. Ty's family still treats him like he's This doesn't bother him. Look there is a cute 3 year old girl who wants a pink pony and who falls for uncle Ty like all other living creatures! Ty has weird reactions to medications. Ty and the big cats. First he's scared, then he's not. He denies this, but Zane sees right through him, of course, chuckle chuckle. Horses love Ty too! But Ty hates horses. But he manages to do it cutely.
Harrison gives Ty a classic car that's been stashed in a barn for 3 decades because Ty 'enjoys bringing things back to life' he does? I think we're making up cute, quirky things now, just like his hidden passion for history. Srsly, what was the effing point of this particular scene? Besides giving Harrison the opportunity to spout the cloying line: I expect you'll take the same care with that ol' Hoss.
So, yay, well done.