scholarly journals Diversity of Termite Breeding Systems

Insects ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 52 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edward Vargo
Keyword(s):  
Life Span ◽  
Social Insects ◽  
Breeding System ◽  
The Other ◽  
Breeding Systems ◽  
Termite Species ◽  
Colony Fusion ◽  
Current State ◽  
Primary Reproductives ◽  
Parthenogenetic Reproduction

Termites are social insects that live in colonies headed by reproductive castes. The breeding system is defined by the number of reproductive individuals in a colony and the castes to which they belong. There is tremendous variation in the breeding system of termites both within and among species. The current state of our understanding of termite breeding systems is reviewed. Most termite colonies are founded by a primary (alate-derived) king and queen who mate and produce the other colony members. In some species, colonies continue throughout their life span as simple families headed by the original king and queen. In others, the primary king and queen are replaced by numerous neotenic (nymph- or worker-derived) reproductives, or less commonly primary reproductives, that are descendants of the original founding pair leading to inbreeding in the colony. In still others, colonies can have multiple unrelated reproductives due to either founding the colonies as groups or through colony fusion. More recently, parthenogenetic reproduction has shown to be important in some termite species and may be widespread. A major challenge in termite biology is to understand the ecological and evolutionary factors driving the variation in termite breeding systems.

Breeding systems and related floral traits in several Erysimum (Cruciferae)

1991 ◽  
Vol 69 (11) ◽  
pp. 2515-2521 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gonzalo Nieto Feliner
Keyword(s):  
Life Span ◽  
Breeding System ◽  
Morphological Characters ◽  
Breeding Systems ◽  
Floral Traits ◽  
Anther Length ◽  
Self Compatibility ◽  
System Data ◽  
Petal Size ◽  
Greenhouse Tests

The breeding system of 13 populations belonging to eight species of Erysimum (Cruciferae) was studied and its relation with the life-span of the plants is discussed. To assess the breeding system of each population, greenhouse tests for apomixis, self-compatibility, and self-pollination were carried out, morphological characters like petal size and anther length were measured and pollen to ovule ratios were computed. The evidence gathered supports the selfing behavior of the three annuals, E. cheiranthoides L., E. incanum G. Kunze, and E. repandum L., and the outcrossing behavior of the perennials E. linifolium (Pers.) Gay, E. asperum (Nutt.) DC, and E. menziesii (Hook.) Wettst. Among those two groups, E. inconspicuum (S. Wats.) MacMillan and E. suffruticosum Sprengel apparently occupy an intermediate position, although the former tends more towards autogamy, whereas the latter tends towards allogamy. The importance of the breeding system data in the systematics of this genus, particularly, in studying the apparent links between the Mediterranean annuals and the temperate E. hieracifolium L. group is briefly discussed. Key words: Erysimum, breeding systems, pollen to ovule ratio, life-span.

Comparative flower structure of three species of sundew (Drosera anglica, Drosera linearis, and Drosera rotundifolia) in relation to breeding system

2003 ◽  
Vol 81 (11) ◽  
pp. 1129-1142 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gillian L Murza ◽  
Arthur R Davis
Keyword(s):  
Breeding System ◽  
Floral Morphology ◽  
Glandular Trichomes ◽  
The Other ◽  
Breeding Systems ◽  
Flower Structure ◽  
Drosera Rotundifolia ◽  
Pollen Colour ◽  
Secretory Tissue ◽  
Scanning Electron

Whereas much attention has been given to the fascinating prey-trapping leaves of carnivorous plants, less research has been conducted on their flower structure and breeding systems. Accordingly, a comparative study of the floral morphology and anatomy of the three species of sundews (Droseraceae: Drosera anglica Huds., Drosera linearis Goldie, and Drosera rotundifolia L.) in Saskatchewan was performed to ascertain the presence of floral rewards for potential pollinators and to obtain pollen to ovule ratios, an indicator of breeding system. Utilizing light and scanning electron microscopy, differences between the three species were apparent in length of styles, number of placentas, anther and pollen colour, and structure of glandular trichomes on sepals. The occurrence of features unique to each species does not support the concept of D. anglica as a hybrid of the other two species. Flowers of all three species lack nectaries, although clusters of papillate cells that were reminiscent of secretory tissue were observed at the apices of anthers and at the summits of ovaries. Pollen to ovule ratios were low for all species, ranging from 9.0 to 18.7 in D. rotundifolia and D. linearis, respectively, suggesting an autogamous breeding system for each species.Key words: Drosera anglica, Drosera linearis, Drosera rotundifolia, Droseraceae, comparative flower structure, pollen to ovule ratios, breeding system.

scholarly journals Commentary to “Practicing Dialectics of Technoscience During the Anthropocene” by Hub Zwart

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hans-Jörg Rheinberger
Keyword(s):  
Synthetic Biology ◽  
Philosophy Of Science ◽  
The Other ◽  
Scientific Development ◽  
Current State

AbstractHub Zwart’s article is about the idea—and the practice—of an embedded philosophy of science, that is, a philosophy participating in and at the same time reflecting about the current state of the sciences facing the Anthropocene, to which I am very sympathetic. There are, however, two caveats. The first is that participation is always in danger to end up in a more or less uncritical eulogy, in the present case of synthetic biology. The second is that I have doubts about packing the historical path of scientific development into the Procrustes bed of Hegelian dialectics. This usually leads to one or the other form of teleology.

Occupant pre-crash kinematics in rotated seat arrangements

2021 ◽  
pp. 095440702110045
Author(s):  
Alexander Diederich ◽  
Christophe Bastien ◽  
Karthikeyan Ekambaram ◽  
Alexis Wilson
Keyword(s):  
State Of The Art ◽  
The Other ◽  
Human Model ◽  
Multi Objective ◽  
Emergency Braking ◽  
Seating Arrangement ◽  
Current State ◽  
Occupant Comfort ◽  
Occupant Kinematics ◽  
Belt System

The introduction of automated L5 driving technologies will revolutionise the design of vehicle interiors and seating configurations, improving occupant comfort and experience. It is foreseen that pre-crash emergency braking and swerving manoeuvres will affect occupant posture, which could lead to an interaction with a deploying airbag. This research addresses the urgent safety need of defining the occupant’s kinematics envelope during that pre-crash phase, considering rotated seat arrangements and different seatbelt configurations. The research used two different sets of volunteer tests experiencing L5 vehicle manoeuvres, based in the first instance on 22 50th percentile fit males wearing a lap-belt (OM4IS), while the other dataset is based on 87 volunteers with a BMI range of 19 to 67 kg/m2 wearing a 3-point belt (UMTRI). Unique biomechanics kinematics corridors were then defined, as a function of belt configuration and vehicle manoeuvre, to calibrate an Active Human Model (AHM) using a multi-objective optimisation coupled with a Correlation and Analysis (CORA) rating. The research improved the AHM omnidirectional kinematics response over current state of the art in a generic lap-belted environment. The AHM was then tested in a rotated seating arrangement under extreme braking, highlighting that maximum lateral and frontal motions are comparable, independent of the belt system, while the asymmetry of the 3-point belt increased the occupant’s motion towards the seatbelt buckle. It was observed that the frontal occupant kinematics decrease by 200 mm compared to a lap-belted configuration. This improved omnidirectional AHM is the first step towards designing safer future L5 vehicle interiors.

scholarly journals Transcriptomic analyses of the termite, Cryptotermes secundus, reveal a gene network underlying a long lifespan and high fecundity

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Silu Lin ◽  
Jana Werle ◽  
Judith Korb
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Social Insects ◽  
Social Communication ◽  
Gene Network ◽  
Social Insect ◽  
Nutrient Sensing ◽  
Model Organisms ◽  
Termite Species ◽  
High Fecundity ◽  
Trade Off

AbstractOrganisms are typically characterized by a trade-off between fecundity and longevity. Notable exceptions are social insects. In insect colonies, the reproducing caste (queens) outlive their non-reproducing nestmate workers by orders of magnitude and realize fecundities and lifespans unparalleled among insects. How this is achieved is not understood. Here, we identified a single module of co-expressed genes that characterized queens in the termite species Cryptotermes secundus. It encompassed genes from all essential pathways known to be involved in life-history regulation in solitary model organisms. By manipulating its endocrine component, we tested the recent hypothesis that re-wiring along the nutrient-sensing/endocrine/fecundity axis can account for the reversal of the fecundity/longevity trade-off in social insect queens. Our data from termites do not support this hypothesis. However, they revealed striking links to social communication that offer new avenues to understand the re-modelling of the fecundity/longevity trade-off in social insects.

scholarly journals The European Green Capital Award—Is It a Dream or Reality for Belgrade (Serbia)?

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 6182
Author(s):  
Marijana Pantić ◽  
Saša Milijić
Keyword(s):  
Urban Transformation ◽  
The Other ◽  
Transmission Of Knowledge ◽  
Current State ◽  
Transitional Countries ◽  
Great Hope ◽  
Environmentally Responsible ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
The City ◽  
Insight Into

An agreement of cooperation and transmission of knowledge regarding the nomination for the European Green Capital Award (EGCA) was signed between the mayors of Belgrade and Ljubljana (EGCA 2016 winner) in September 2018. The candidacy of Belgrade was finally realized in October 2019. Great hope was placed in this endeavour because internationally recognized awards, such as the EGCA, represent enormous capital for both the city and the state. The EGCA requires serious preparation and significant fulfilment of preconditions. Many economically strong and environmentally responsible cities competed for the award, but did not win. On the other hand, the capital of Serbia does not appear to be an obvious winning candidate, especially as it is differentiated from the previous winners by being a non-EU city and by the fact that it is still undergoing an intense urban transformation, characteristic of transitional countries. Therefore, the main aim of this article is to present a review of the current state of Belgrade’s environmental qualities and its comparison with the EGCA criteria and with Grenoble as one of the winning competitors. The article gives a full overview of the EGCA requirements with certain details on required indicators, gives relevant insight into the procedure, which could be of use for any future candidacy, and discusses potential benefits for winners, losers and repeat candidacies.

scholarly journals Phantom Limbs, Extended Minds and the Decline of Religiosity: A Cognitive and Evolutionary Perspective

Open Theology ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Carles Salazar
Keyword(s):  
Twentieth Century ◽  
Life Span ◽  
Causal Relationship ◽  
Religious Belief ◽  
Significant Others ◽  
Causal Link ◽  
The Other ◽  
Evolutionary Perspective ◽  
Phantom Limbs

AbstractThe purpose of this paper is to advance a hypothesis that might explain the decline of religious belief and practice among the so-called WEIRD (Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich and Democratic) populations. The main point of this paper is to postulate a causal relationship between two variables that appear to be significantly correlated: on one hand, the decline of religious belief and practice that has been observed in those populations during the twentieth century, and especially since the second half of that century; on the other, the remarkable growth of their life span during that period. The factor that the author proposes as an explanation for that correlation is the causal link relating to the experience of the death of significant others and belief in the supernatural in such a way that the more that experience happens to be relevant in a population’s day-to-day life the more that population will be prone to entertain beliefs in the supernatural, and conversely, the less prominent that experience happens to be, the less inclined that population will be to uphold those beliefs.

Summary of the current state of the pathogenesis of glaucoma

1927 ◽  
Vol 23 (8) ◽  
pp. 839-845
Author(s):  
V. P. Roshchin
Keyword(s):  
Single Case ◽  
Disease Process ◽  
The Other ◽  
Medical Attention ◽  
Blind People ◽  
Current State ◽  
Constant State ◽  
The One

The problem of glaucoma has, for many reasons, occupied and continues to occupy a prominent place in the ophthalmic press. It is enough to recall that 19% of all blind people owe their misfortune to glaucoma to understand why interest in this affliction has never faded among ophthalmologists. Furthermore, no ophthalmologist is quite sure that a certain method of treatment, even if the patient has timely applied for medical attention, can definitely prevent a sad outcome in every single case. This plus the absence of a unified and correct view of the essence of glaucoma keeps ophthalmologists in a constant state of flux, constantly striving to uncover the hidden springs of the disease process on the one hand, and to find a more radical means to combat it on the other.

Qillah: A Morphological Extension for Identifying Plural-of-Paucity Arabic Words

2021 ◽  
pp. 2050013
Author(s):  
Ahlam Fuad ◽  
Amany bin Gahman ◽  
Rasha Alenezy ◽  
Wed Ateeq ◽  
Hend Al-Khalifa
Keyword(s):  
State Of The Art ◽  
The Other ◽  
Rule Based ◽  
Current State ◽  
Maximum Accuracy ◽  
Classical Arabic

Plural of paucity is one type of broken plural used in the classical Arabic. It is used when the number of people or objects ranges from three to 10. Based on our evaluation of four current state-of-the-art Arabic morphological analyzers, there is a lack of identification of broken plural words, specifically the plural of paucity. Therefore, this paper presents “[Formula: see text]” Qillah (paucity), a morphological extension that is built on top of other morphological analyzers and uses a hybrid rule-based and lexicon-based approach to enhance the identification of plural of paucity. Two versions of the Qillah were developed, one is based on FARASA morphological analyzer and the other is based on CALIMA Star analyzer, as these are some of the best-performing morphological analyzers. We designed two experiments to evaluate the effectiveness of our proposed solution based on a collection of 402 different Arabic words. The version based on CALIMA Star achieved a maximum accuracy of 93% in identifying the plural-of-paucity words compared to the baselines. It also achieved a maximum accuracy of 98% compared to the baselines in identifying the plurality of the words.

scholarly journals Inscriptiones Graecae Between Present and Future

Axon ◽  
2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Funke
Keyword(s):  
The Other ◽  
Future Perspectives ◽  
Workshop Report ◽  
Current State ◽  
Other Hand ◽  
Geographic Regions ◽  
The One

In the first part of my ‘workshop report’, I will provide information about the current state of the epigraphical editions of the Inscriptiones Graecae. Subsequently, I will focus on the plans for the upcoming years. In this context, questions pertaining to epigraphic research in new geographic regions, on the one hand, and the revision of past editions, on the other hand, are paramount. In the second part of my report, I will outline the current state and future perspectives of the digitisation of the IG.

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