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Background: Vector control tools are urgently needed to control malaria transmission in Africa. A native strain of Chromobacterium sp. from Burkina Faso was recently isolated and preliminarily named Chromobacterium anophelis sp. nov. IRSSSOUMB001. In bioassays, this bacterium showed a promising virulence against adult mosquitoes and reduces their blood feeding propensity and fecundity. The current study assessed the entomopathogenic effects of C. anophelis IRSSSOUMB001 on larval stages of mosquitoes, as well as its impacts on infected mosquitoes reproductive capacity and trans-generational effects. Methods: Virulence on larvae and interference with insemination were assayed by co-incubation with C. anophelis IRSSSOUMB001 at a range of 104 to 108 cfu/ml. Trans-generational effects were determined by measuring body size differences of progeny from infected vs. uninfected parent mosquitoes using wing size as a proxy. Results: Chromobacterium anophelis IRSSSOUMB001 killed larvae of the pyrethroid-resistant Anopheles coluzzii with LT80 of ~ 1.75 ± 0.14 days at 108 cfu/ml in larval breeding trays. Reproductive success was reduced as a measure of insemination rate from 95 ± 1.99% to 21 ± 3.76% for the infected females. There was a difference in wing sizes between control and infected mosquito offsprings from 2.55 ± 0.17 mm to 2.1 ± 0.21 mm in infected females, and from 2.43 ± 0.13 mm to 1.99 ± 0.15 mm in infected males. Conclusions: This study showed that C. anophelis IRSSSOUMB001 was highly virulent against larvae of insecticide-resistant Anopheles coluzzii, and reduced both mosquito reproduction capacity and offspring fitness. Additional laboratory, field, safety and social acceptance studies are needed to draw firm conclusions about the practical utility of this bacterial strain for malaria vector control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant–animal interactions constitute some of the most important ecological processes for the maintenance of tropical forests. Bats are the only group of mammals capable of true flight and have been recognized as important dispersers of pioneer and secondary successional plant species. Although progress has been made in the study of Neotropical bats, morphological variation of the wing and its influence on niche separation between species is unknown. We evaluated relationships among habitat structures of selected Colombian tropical dry forest patches, the diet through interaction networks, and wing morphology of 11 species of bats in the Stenodermatinae subfamily (297 individuals) using geometric morphometry in a phylogenetic context. The results indicate that the phylogenetic signal for wing size is greater than for wing shape, thus providing some evidence for evolutionary convergence. Wing shape variation was associated primarily with the distal anatomical tip of the third finger and the joint between the humerus and the radius and ulna. Species with wide, short wings, as in the genus Artibeus had generalist diets and less nested positions within the interaction networks. In contrast, species with elongated and pointed wings, such as Sturnira and Platyrrhinus , had specialized diets and more nested positions within the interaction networks. We argue that wing shape variation may play an important role as a source of interspecific variation leading to food specialization within tropical bat communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Wings play an important role in insect locomotion. It is the venation that provides reinforcement to the wings. An important question is whether the lines considered to be veins are visible in cross-section or are they just the folds of the wing's membrane. The cross-sections of the forewing of the scale insect Matsucoccus pini were cut and confirmed the presence of only one vein—radius. There were also campaniform sensilla described, for the first time, on both the dorsal and ventral sides of the wing base. Wings of Matsucoccus pini males were studied. Using light and scanning electron microscopes, both sides of the wing membrane, dorsal and ventral, were examined. The presence of only one vein in the common stem was confirmed by the cross-section, namely the radius. The elements regarded as subcostal and medial veins were not confirmed as veins. On the dorsal side of the wings, a cluster of campaniform sensilla is shown for the first time in the family Matsucoccidae, through SEM, and two additional sensilla were found on the ventral side. There was a lack of alar setae, microtrichia as well as pterostigma. This is the second cross-section of the wing among scale insects. We propose the following nomenclature for the wings in the family Matsucoccidae: subcostal thickening (sct), radius (R), median fold (med) and anal fold (af). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural surfaces with remarkable properties and functionality have become the focus of intense research. Heretofore, the natural antimicrobial properties of insect wings have inspired research into their applications. The wings of cicadas, butterflies, dragonflies, and damselflies have evolved phenomenal anti-biofouling and antimicrobial properties. These wings are covered by periodic topography ranging from highly ordered hexagonal arrays of nanopillars to intricate "Christmas-tree" like structures with the ability to kill microbes by physically rupturing the cell membrane. In contrast, the topography of honeybee wings has received less attention. The role topography plays in antibiofouling, and antimicrobial activity of honeybee wings has never been investigated. Here, through antimicrobial and electron microscopy studies, we showed that pristine honeybee wings displayed no microbes on the wing surface. Also, the wings displayed antimicrobial properties that disrupt microbial cells and inhibit their growth. The antimicrobial activities of the wings were extremely effective at inhibiting the growth of Gram-negative bacterial cells when compared to Grampositive bacterial cells. The fore wing was effective at inhibiting the growth of Gram-negative bacteria compared to Gram-positive samples. Electron microscopy revealed that the wings were studded with an array of rough, sharp, and pointed pillars that were distributed on both the dorsal and ventral sides, which enhanced anti-biofouling and antimicrobial effects. Our findings demonstrate the potential benefits of incorporating honeybee wings nanopatterns into the design of antibacterial nanomaterials which can be translated into countless applications in healthcare and industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While surface microstructures of butterfly wings have been extensively studied for their structural coloration or optical properties within the visible spectrum, their properties in infrared wavelengths with potential ties to thermoregulation are relatively unknown. The midinfrared wavelengths of 7.5 to 14 µm are particularly important for radiative heat transfer in the ambient environment, because of the overlap with the atmospheric transmission window. For instance, a high midinfrared emissivity can facilitate surface cooling, whereas a low midinfrared emissivity can minimize heat loss to surroundings. Here we find that the midinfrared emissivity of butterfly wings from warmer climates such as Archaeoprepona demophoon (Oaxaca, Mexico) and Heliconius sara (Pichincha, Ecuador) is up to 2 times higher than that of butterfly wings from cooler climates such as Celastrina echo (Colorado) and Limenitis arthemis (Florida), using Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and infrared thermography. Our optical computations using a unit cell approach reproduce the spectroscopy data and explain how periodic microstructures play a critical role in the midinfrared. The emissivity spectrum governs the temperature of butterfly wings, and we demonstrate that C. echo wings heat up to 8 °C more than A. demophoon wings under the same sunlight in the clear sky of Irvine, CA. Furthermore, our thermal computations show that butterfly wings in their respective habitats can maintain a moderate temperature range through a balance of solar absorption and infrared emission. These findings suggest that the surface microstructures of butterfly wings potentially contribute to thermoregulation and provide an insight into butterflies' survival.

Epithelial sheets define organ architecture during development. Here, we employed an iterative multiscale computational modeling and quantitative experimental approach to decouple direct and indirect effects of actomyosin-generated forces, nuclear positioning, extracellular matrix, and cell-cell adhesion in shaping Drosophila wing imaginal discs. Basally generated actomyosin forces generate epithelial bending of the wing disc pouch. Surprisingly, acute pharmacological inhibition of ROCK-driven actomyosin contractility does not impact the maintenance of tissue height or curved shape. Computational simulations show that ECM tautness provides only a minor contribution to modulating tissue shape. Instead, passive ECM pre-strain serves to maintain the shape independent from actomyosin contractility. These results provide general insight into how the subcellular forces are generated and maintained within individual cells to induce tissue curvature. Thus, the results suggest an important design principle of separable contributions from ECM prestrain and actomyosin tension during epithelial organogenesis and homeostasis.

Tradeoffs affect resource allocation during development and result in fitness consequences that drive the evolution of life history strategies. Yet despite their importance, we know little about the mechanisms underlying life history tradeoffs. Many species of Colias butterflies exhibit an alternative life history strategy (ALHS) where females divert resources from wing pigment synthesis to reproductive and somatic development. Due to this reallocation, a wing color polymorphism is associated with the ALHS: either yellow/orange or white. Here we map the locus associated with this ALHS in Colias crocea to a transposable element insertion located downstream of the Colias homolog of BarH-1, a homeobox transcription factor. Using CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing, antibody staining, and electron microscopy we find white-specific expression of BarH-1 suppresses the formation of pigment granules in wing scales and gives rise to white wing color. Lipid and transcriptome analyses reveal physiological differences associated with the ALHS. Together, these findings characterize a mechanism for a female-limited ALHS.

A variety of genetic techniques have been devised to determine cell lineage relationships during tissue development. Some of these systems monitor cell lineages spatially and/or temporally without regard to gene expression by the cells, whereas others correlate gene expression with the lineage under study. The GAL4 Technique for Real-time and Clonal Expression (G-TRACE) system allows for rapid, fluorescent protein-based visualization of both current and past GAL4 expression patterns and is therefore amenable to genome-wide expression-based lineage screens. Here we describe the results from such a screen, performed by undergraduate students of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Undergraduate Research Consortium for Functional Genomics (URCFG) and high school summer scholars as part of a discovery-based education program. The results of the screen, which reveal novel expression-based lineage patterns within the brain, the imaginal disc epithelia, and the hematopoietic lymph gland, have been compiled into the G-TRACE Expression Database (GED), an online resource for use by the Drosophila research community. The impact of this discovery-based research experience on student learning gains was assessed independently and shown to be greater than that of similar programs conducted elsewhere. Furthermore, students participating in the URCFG showed considerably higher STEM retention rates than UCLA STEM students that did not participate in the URCFG, as well as STEM students nationwide.

The purpose of this article is to determine whether there is a link between the effort capacity and the generally recognized value at national level in the case of performance athletes specialized as wing in the Romanian National Men’s Handball League. The sample of participants consisted of 20 male players divided into two groups. The first group included 16 wings (n=16) who participate in the first handball league and the second group included four wing players (n=4), which play for Dinamo Bucharest Sports Club. In order to assess the effort capacity, we chose to use the Gacon test, which has a high degree of applicability at the level of performance handball, oriented towards the evaluation of the intermittent running skills of the athlete. Analyzing the performances obtained, we notice that at the level of the National League of Men’s Handball, the effort level presents us with an average of 18.68±3.66 with a variability coefficient of 19.61% located on the threshold of average homogeneity and the values obtained by the players specialized as wings that play for Dinamo Bucharest Sports Club, indicate an average of 14.75±2.21, inferior to the group to which they belong, but with the same degree of average homogeneity (15.03%). As a result of the tests carried out, a significant difference is observed between the two groups of subjects when it comes to the distance traveled, the average speed and the aerobic power, but not in terms of heart rate, which indicates that the individual value expressed on the court and generally recognized in the professional handball players specialized as wing is not directly related to their effort capacity.

Forest strip systems have a multifunctional effect on agricultural landscapes, stabilize the agroecological situation, and form new sustainable agroforestry systems. Goal. On the basis of a comparative analysis of the taxation and reclamation parameters of the protective forest strips (PLP) of various windage to assess their current state. The novelty of the research lies in the assessment of the state of various types of ZLN consisting of curtains, wings, modular and linear forest strips on complex chestnut soils. Methods. The methodology included a survey of protective forest stands, laying of permanent test areas, determination of morphometric parameters taking into account the assortment of tree species and their condition. The width of the crown space, openwork, crown closeness coefficient, optical density, etc. were determined by the method of photographic images. Results. Most of the plantings were planted in the period from 1988-92 of the last century. Forest strips whose age exceeds 34 years were created in an ordinary way. In addition to the main breed, shrubs were present in the composition of the bands. Many years of experience in creating forest strips in the dry steppe has revealed the dependence of plantings on the conditions of the soil cover on which they are grown. Moreover, the successful survival of PZLP on meadow-chestnut soils is linked to depressions. Edaphic conditions become an important criterion when growing LP. Conclusion. When the edaphic conditions are significantly complicated, due to the complexity of soils and the rigidity of the climate, it is either extremely difficult or impossible to grow durable, stable and aerodynamically efficient tree plantations from tree species. In such cases, non-linear curtain and backstage plantings may be more reliable and effective.

Abstract The Weighted Influence Nonlinear Measurement System (WINGS) method originates from DEMATEL, which has the advantage of analyzing the interweaved determinants and the causal relationships within them. The innovation is mainly reflected in considering both the strength of the influencing factors themselves and the relationship of their mutual influence. To address the problems of ambiguity in assessing information and uncertainty in the judgment of expert group, this paper proposes fuzzy WINGS improved by D numbers (fuzzy D-WINGS). Combining D numbers with Triangular fuzzy numbers can overcome the limitation of mutually exclusive and collectively extensive set. The WINGS method is used to reveal the interdependent causal relationships by recognizing the orientation and strength of the factors. Utilizing the MICMAC method to draw matrix analysis diagrams can further reveal the relationship among them. Finally, a practical case study is conducted to prove the practicability of this fuzzy D-WINGS–MICMAC method.

The lift force of a rectangular semiwing in stationary ground effect was computed based on the spanwise circulation distribution inferred from wake crossflow measurement and was compared with the direct force balance data at Re =2.48 ×105. The lift calculated was found to be in good agreement with the force-balance measurement for ground distances h larger than 10% of the airfoil chord c. In close ground proximity (h/c = 10%), a large discrepancy however existed due to the appearance of a multiple vortex system consisting of a tip vortex, a corotating ground vortex, and a counter-rotating secondary vortex. The counter-rotating secondary vortex offset the vorticity of the tip vortex. By considering its contribution additive, the discrepancy observed between the lift forces computed and measured with the force balance in close ground proximity became marginal. The impact of ground effect on lift-induced drag was also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hybrid electric propulsion system-based aircraft designs are paving the path toward a future greener aviation sector and thus, have been the major focus of the aeronautical community. The fuel efficiency improvement associated to such propulsion system configurations are realized at the aircraft level. In order to assess such benefits, a radical shift in the subsystem modeling requirements and of a conceptual-level aircraft design environment are necessary. This work highlights performance model development work pertaining to different hybrid electric propulsion system components and the development of a design platform that facilitates tighter integration of different novel propulsion system disciplines at the aircraft level. Furthermore, a serial/parallel partially distributed hybrid electric propulsion system is chosen as the candidate configuration to assess the potential benefits and associated tradeoffs by conducting multidisciplinary design space exploration studies. It is established that the distributed hybrid electric configurations pose the potential for aircraft structural weight reduction benefits. The study further illustrates the impacts of onboard charging during the low thrust requirement segments, quantitatively. The provision of onboard charging lowers the potential for block fuel savings, and improvement in battery specific energy can make it more promising, which is also dependent on the hybridization power level. It is established that distributed propulsion system configurations particularly benefit from a high aspect ratio wing structure, which manifests in high hybridization power levels. A high voltage level transmission system with more efficient electrical components enhances opportunities for achieving block fuel saving benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Weighted Influence Nonlinear Measurement System (WINGS) method originates from DEMATEL, which has the advantage of analyzing the interweaved determinants and the causal relationships within them. The innovation is mainly reflected in considering both the strength of the influencing factors themselves and the relationship of their mutual influence. To address the problems of ambiguity in assessing information and uncertainty in the judgment of expert group, this paper proposes fuzzy WINGS improved by D numbers (fuzzy D-WINGS). Combining D numbers with Triangular fuzzy numbers can overcome the limitation of mutually exclusive and collectively extensive set. The WINGS method is used to reveal the interdependent causal relationships by recognizing the orientation and strength of the factors. Utilizing the MICMAC method to draw matrix analysis diagrams can further reveal the relationship among them. Finally, a practical case study is conducted to prove the practicability of this fuzzy D-WINGS–MICMAC method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Western culture, for centuries the figure of the bat has been associated with the forces of evil, with demons living in the dark, in the most hidden recesses of human fears. Some characteristics of demons of the pagan world (dark color of the body, wings, etc.) pass into the Christian iconography of the devil. Baltrušaitis has shown several elements that place the origin of bat-winged devils in China. From that area they spread out to the West and soon became common images in Europe starting from the 13th century. In the Middle Ages travelling was frequent and even long-range, from Europe to Central Asia, through the Silk Road network and also attested by the diffusion of the Nestorian Church as far as China, beginning from the 7th century. Some of the artistic images of devils with bat wings are shown also in contrast to the wings of angels with feathered wings. The oldest depiction in Europe of a devil with bat wings is the mosaic representing the fall of Simon Magus in the Cappella Palatina (Palatine Chapel) in Palermo (1135-1143). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some structural characters, such as wing venation, have been used in odonates differentiate taxa. In Cordulegaster boltonii, a species widely distributed throughout the western Palaearctic, the main characteristics of its wing venation have not been quantified until now. A six-variable analysis of wing venation (number of antenodal and postnodal cross-veins, number of cells in the anal triangle and in the anal loop) in specimens from several European countries was carried out. The results showed that: (a) females had a greater number of transversal veins and cells in the anal loop than males; (b) the values of these four variables were significantly lower in males from the Iberian Peninsula than in those from elsewhere; (c) within the Iberian Peninsula two groups of populations can be distinguished: one covers the north and the other the rest of the peninsula, the latter with two subgroups, one in the centre and one in the south and east. The number of cells in the anal loop is a valid variable for analyzing geographic differences in this species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Phasmida genus Candovia comprises nine traditionally recognized species, all endemic to Australia. In this study, Candovia diversity is explored through molecular species-delimitation analyses using the COI Fol gene fragment and phylogenetic inferences leveraging seven additional mitochondrial and nuclear loci. Molecular results were integrated with morphological observations, leading us to confirm the already described species and to the delineation of several new taxa and of the new genus Paracandovia. New Candovia species from various parts of Queensland and New South Wales are described and illustrated (C. alata sp. nov. , C. byfieldensis sp. nov. , C. dalgleishae sp. nov. , C. eungellensis sp. nov. , C. karasi sp. nov. , C. koensi sp. nov. and C. wollumbinensis sp. nov.). New combinations are proposed and species removed from synonymy with the erection of the new genus Paracandovia (P. cercata stat. rev. , comb. nov. , P. longipes stat. rev. , comb. nov. , P. pallida comb. nov. , P. peridromes comb. nov. , P. tenera stat. rev. comb. nov.). Phylogenetic analyses suggest that the egg capitulum may have independently evolved multiple times throughout the evolutionary history of these insects. Furthermore, two newly described species represent the first taxa with fully developed wings in this previously considered apterous clade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Communication between neoplastic cells and cells of their microenvironment is critical to cancer progression. To investigate the role of cytoneme-mediated signaling as a mechanism for distributing growth factor signaling proteins between tumor and tumor-associated cells, we analyzed EGFR and RET Drosophila tumor models and tested several genetic loss-of-function conditions that impair cytoneme-mediated signaling. Neuroglian, capricious, Irk2, SCAR, and diaphanous are genes that cytonemes require during normal development. Neuroglian and Capricious are cell adhesion proteins, Irk2 is a potassium channel, and SCAR and Diaphanous are actin-binding proteins, and the only process to which they are known to contribute jointly is cytoneme-mediated signaling. We observed that diminished function of any one of these genes suppressed tumor growth and increased organism survival. We also noted that EGFR-expressing tumor discs have abnormally extensive tracheation (respiratory tubes) and ectopically express Branchless (Bnl, a FGF) and FGFR. Bnl is a known inducer of tracheation that signals by a cytoneme-mediated process in other contexts, and we determined that exogenous over-expression of dominant negative FGFR suppressed tumor growth. Our results are consistent with the idea that cytonemes move signaling proteins between tumor and stromal cells and that cytoneme-mediated signaling is required for tumor growth and malignancy.

The wings of butterflies and moths generate some of the most spectacular visual displays observed in nature [1-3]. Particularly striking effects are seen when light interferes with nanostructure materials in the wing scales, generating bright, directional colors that often serve as dynamic visual signals [4]. Structural coloration is not known in night-flying Lepidoptera, yet here we show a highly unusual form of wing coloration in a nocturnal, sexually dimorphic moth, Eudocima materna (Noctuidae). Males feature three dark wing patches on the dorsal forewings, and the apparent size of these patches strongly varies depending on the angle of the wing to the viewer. These optical special effects are generated using specialized wing scales that are tilted on the wing and behave like mirrors. At near-normal incidence of light, these "mirror scales" act as thin-film reflectors to produce a sparkly effect, but when light is incident at ∼20°-30° from normal, the reflectance spectrum is dominated by the diffuse scattering of the underlying, black melanin-containing scales, causing a shape-shifting effect. The strong sexual dimorphism in the arrangement and architecture of the scale nanostructures suggests that these patterns might function for sexual signaling. Flickering of the male's wings would yield a flashing, supernormal visual stimulus [5] to a viewer located 20°-30° away from the vertical, while being invisible to a viewer directly above the animal. Our findings reveal a novel use of structural coloration in nature that yields a dynamic, time-dependent achromatic optical signal that may be optimized for visual signaling in dim light.

Reproductive interference is widespread, despite the theoretical expectation that it should be eliminated by reproductive character displacement (RCD). A possible explanation is that females of sympatric species are too similar phenotypically for males to distinguish between them, resulting in a type of evolutionary dilemma or catch-22 in which reproductive interference persists because male mate recognition (MR) cannot evolve until female phenotypes diverge further, and vice versa. Here we illustrate and test this hypothesis with data on rubyspot damselflies (Hetaerina spp.). First, reproductive isolation owing to male MR breaks down with increasing interspecific similarity in female phenotypes. Second, comparing allopatric and sympatric populations yielded no evidence for RCD, suggesting that parallel divergence in female coloration and male MR in allopatry determines the level of reproductive isolation on secondary contact. Whenever reproductive isolation depends on male MR and females of sympatric species are phenotypically similar, the evolutionary catch-22 hypothesis offers an explanation for the persistence of reproductive interference.

The chicken wingless-2 (wg-2) mutation is inherited in an autosomal recessive fashion, and the resulting phenotype in mutant (wg-2/wg-2) individuals is a developmental syndrome characterized by absent wings, truncated legs, craniofacial as well as skin and feather defects, and kidney malformations. Mapping and genotyping established that the mutation resides within 227 kilobases (kb) of chromosome 12 in a wg-2 congenic inbred line. A capture array was designed to target and sequence the candidate region along with flanking DNA in 24 birds from the line. Many point mutations and insertions or deletions were identified, and analysis of the linked variants indicated a point mutation predicted to cause a premature stop codon in the RAF1 gene. Expression studies were conducted inclusive of all genes in the candidate region. Interestingly, RAF1 transcription was elevated, yet the protein was absent in the mutants relative to normal individuals. RAF1 encodes a protein integral to the Ras/Raf/MAPK signaling pathway controlling cellular proliferation, and notably, human RASopathies are developmental syndromes caused by germline mutations in genes of this pathway. Our work indicates RAF1 as the priority candidate causative gene for wg-2 and provides a new animal model to study an important signaling pathway implicated in limb development, as well as RASopathies.

Aves are an incredibly diverse class of animals, ranging greatly in size and thriving in a wide variety of environments. Here, we explore the scaling trends of bird wings in connection with their flight performance. The tensile strength of avian bone is hypothesized to be a limiting factor in scaling the humerus with mass, which is corroborated by its experimentally determined allometric scaling trend. We provide a mechanics analysis that explains the scaling allometry of the wing humerus length, L H, with body weight W, L H ∝ W 0.44. Lastly, wing feathers are demonstrated to generally scale isometrically with bird mass, with the exception of the spacing between barbules, which falls within the same range for birds of all masses. Our findings provide insight into the "design" of birds and may be translatable to more efficient bird-inspired aircraft structures.

A gliding bird's ability to stabilize its flight path is as critical as its ability to produce sufficient lift. In flight, birds often morph the shape of their wings, but the consequences of avian wing morphing on flight stability are not well understood. Here, we investigate how morphing the gull elbow joint in gliding flight affects their static pitch stability. First, we combined observations of freely gliding gulls and measurements from gull wing cadavers to identify the wing configurations used during gliding flight. These measurements revealed that, as wind speed and gusts increased, gulls flexed their elbows to adopt wing shapes characterized by increased spanwise camber. To determine the static pitch stability characteristics of these wing shapes, we prepared gull wings over the anatomical elbow range and measured the developed pitching moments in a wind tunnel. Wings prepared with extended elbow angles had low spanwise camber and high passive stability, meaning that mild perturbations could be negated without active control. Wings with flexed elbow angles had increased spanwise camber and reduced static pitch stability. Collectively, these results demonstrate that gliding gulls can transition across a broad range of static pitch stability characteristics using the motion of a single joint angle.

Many organisms exhibit changes in phenotypic traits as a response to seasonal environmental variation. We investigated the role of habitat in generating seasonal polyphenism in different populations of the light bush brown butterfly Bicyclus dorothea (Cramer, 1779) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) in Cameroon. Butterflies were caught during the wet and dry seasons across four localities representing two distinct habitats, namely forest and ecotone (forest-savanna transition zone) over a 2-yr period (2015-2016). We found distinct variation in the wing pattern characteristics of butterflies in response to seasonality and habitat. Specifically we observed that: 1) all wing characters are not seasonally plastic in B. dorothea; 2) populations from ecotone tend to be more variable, with individuals exhibiting wings with large spots during the wet season and very reduced spots in the dry season while in forest populations, individuals exhibit wings with large spots during the wet season, but in the dry season, spots are not as greatly reduced as their ecotone counterparts; 3) this polyphenism in B. dorothea alternated consistently during the wet and dry seasons over the 2 yr of sampling. Bicyclus species have become a textbook example of seasonal polyphenism while this study extends this model system to the unique forest-ecotone gradient of Central Africa and demonstrates the complexity of seasonal forms in different habitats.

Insect wings are typically supported by thickened struts called veins. These veins form diverse geometric patterns across insects. For many insect species, even the left and right wings from the same individual have veins with unique topological arrangements, and little is known about how these patterns form. We present a large-scale quantitative study of the fingerprint-like "secondary veins." We compile a dataset of wings from 232 species and 17 families from the order Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies), a group with particularly elaborate vein patterns. We characterize the geometric arrangements of veins and develop a simple model of secondary vein patterning. We show that our model is capable of recapitulating the vein geometries of species from other, distantly related winged insect clades.

Due to the global problem of electronic wastes (e-wastes), the concept of a circular economy is deemed a viable framework for achieving minimal resource extraction and waste generation. Despite the advances in the literature on managing the circularity of e-wastes, the consumption aspect needs much attention. Although some barriers to the consumption of recovered e-wastes, such as refurbished mobile phones, were already identified, an overarching evaluation of these barriers remains a gap. Thus, this work evaluates these relevant barriers by considering their internal strengths (or priorities) and the intertwined relationships between them under uncertainty. In achieving this agenda, three phases of the methodology were implemented: (1) performing a systematic literature review of the barriers, (2) finalizing the list of barriers following a focus group discussion, and (3) evaluating the barriers using a soft system model. The intricacies of the evaluation process prompt the development of a proposed integration of grey system theory and the weighted influence non-linear gauge systems (WINGS), coined grey WINGS. Findings from a case study in the Philippines reveal that negative perception, inferior quality, the misconception of the refurbishment concept, technological obsolescence, and lack of awareness are the critical barriers to the consumption of refurbished mobile phones. Discussions behind these barriers in view of consumer decisions were offered. Also, some policy insights were outlined to overcome these barriers. In effect, this work contributes twofold to the literature: (1) evaluating the barriers to the consumption of refurbished mobile phones to help design circularity initiatives, and (2) methodologically, integrating grey system theory within the framework of the WINGS method to address uncertainty in judgment elicitations.

Seven known species of the Triassic family Subioblattidae Schneider, 1983 reveal a cosmopolitan paleogeographic range (Argentina, South Africa, China, France, Kazahstan and Kyrgyzstan). A monospecific assemblage of Subioblatta madygenica Papier and Nel, 2001 from the Middle–Late Triassic Madygen locality in Kyrgyzstan is described here. All specimens exhibit characters typical for Subioblattidae such as an elongated costal field, ribbon-like subcostal field, Sc with pectinate branches inclined apically, sigmoidal R with undulating branches, variable M, sigmoidal CuA with branches subperpendicular to wing margin and a long anal field with a unique diagonal groove. Highly preserved coloration on wings of several specimens is comparable to that of S. madygenica. The described material enhances our knowledge of Triassic cockroaches and affirms Madygen as one of the most important Mesozoic insect lagerstätte. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The article presents the equations of the rotor of a wind turbine with a concave wing in such a format that it can be used in practice. It is adapted to obtain results using computer programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study suggests a novel hybrid model for calculating the interrelationships between factors by integrating the Fuzzy set, Delphi, the Grey theory, and Weighted Influence Nonlinear Gauge System (WINGS) approaches in agricultural green supply chain management (AGSCM). Fuzzy Delphi helps to select 12 indicators from 19 factors by defuzzification for ambiguity associated with subjective judgment by 10 experts in data collection. Grey WINGS can illustrate the relationships, direction, and strength of factors simultaneously, which illustrates that environmental law, green consciousness, product quality, and price are the most significant factors of AGSCM. The results can help operators not only to analyze these key influencing factors, but also to understand the complex cause-and-effect relationships between these factors. This integrated model will hopefully provide a useful tool to agricultural policy makers and decision makers for sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presence of resilin, an elastomeric protein, in insect vein joints provides the flexible, passive deformations that are crucial to flapping flight. This study investigated the resilin gene expression and autofluorescence dynamics among Apis mellifera (honey bee) worker age classes and drone honey bees. Resilin gene expression was determined via ddPCR on whole honey bees and resilin autofluorescence was measured in the 1m-cu, 2m-cu, Cu-V, and Cu2-V joints on the forewing and the Cu-V joint of the hindwing. Resilin gene expression varied significantly with age, with resilin activity being highest in the pupae. Autofluorescence of the 1m-cu and the Cu-V joints on the ventral forewing and the Cu-V joint on the ventral hindwing varied significantly between age classes on the left and right sides of the wing, with the newly emerged honey bees having the highest level of resilin autofluorescence compared to all other groups. The results of this study suggest that resilin gene expression and deposition on the wing is age-dependent and may inform us more about the physiology of aging in honey bees.

This study offers an integrated evaluation methodology for construction project delay causes viewed as a multicriteria sorting (MCS) problem. Time, cost, and quality were the three project management factors considered as criteria to evaluate 38 identified delay causes. The priority weights were extracted using the integration of Weighted Influence Non-linear Gauge Systems (WINGS) and Level-Based Weight Assessment (LBWA) to capture the inherent interdependencies of the criteria. The sorting of 38 delay causes was performed using FlowSort. To handle the uncertainty and vagueness of the judgments of the decision makers in the evaluation process, q-rung fuzzy orthopair fuzzy sets (q-ROFS) were integrated within the proposed computational framework. The proposed novel q-ROF–WINGS–LBWA–FlowSort method was applied in an actual case study in residential construction projects. The delay causes were categorized under three categories of construction firm vulnerability into four levels of impact. In highly vulnerable construction firms, thirty-five delay causes have a high impact, two have a moderate impact, and one has the least impact. In moderately vulnerable and least-vulnerable construction firms, 32 and 28 delay causes have a medium impact, respectively. The results may provide insights for decision makers in highly vulnerable construction firms, i.e., small companies with limited resources and networks. Layers of sensitivity and comparative analyses were put forward to test the robustness of the approach.

Sexual signals may be acquired or lost over evolutionary time, and are tempered in their exaggeration by natural selection. In the Pacific field cricket, Teleogryllus oceanicus, a mutation ("flatwing") causing loss of the sexual signal, the song, spread in

Despite more than a century of biological research on the evolution and maintenance of mimetic signals, the relative frequencies of models and mimics necessary to establish and maintain Batesian mimicry in natural populations remain understudied. Here we investigate the frequency-dependent dynamics of imperfect Batesian mimicry, using predation experiments involving artificial butterfly models. We use two geographically distinct populations of Adelpha butterflies that vary in their relative frequencies of a putatively defended model (Adelpha iphiclus) and Batesian mimic (Adelpha serpa). We found that in Costa Rica, where both species share similar abundances, Batesian mimicry breaks down, and predators more readily attack artificial butterfly models of the presumed mimic, A. serpa By contrast, in Ecuador, where A. iphiclus (model) is significantly more abundant than A. serpa (mimic), both species are equally protected from predation. Our results provide compelling experimental evidence that imperfect Batesian mimicry is frequency-dependent on the relative abundance of models and mimics in natural populations, and contribute to the growing body of evidence that complex dynamics, such as seasonality or the availability of alternative prey, influence the evolution of mimetic traits.

Phenotypic characters with a complex physical basis may have a correspondingly complex evolutionary history. Males in the "bee" hummingbird clade court females with sound from tail-feathers, which flutter during display dives. On a phylogeny of 35 species, flutter sound frequency evolves as a gradual, continuous character on most branches. But on at least six internal branches fall two types of major, saltational changes: mode of flutter changes, or the feather that is the sound source changes, causing frequency to jump from one discrete value to another. In addition to their tail "instruments," males also court females with sound from their syrinx and wing feathers, and may transfer or switch instruments over evolutionary time. In support of this, we found a negative phylogenetic correlation between presence of wing trills and singing. We hypothesize this transference occurs because wing trills and vocal songs serve similar functions and are thus redundant. There are also three independent origins of self-convergence of multiple signals, in which the same species produces both a vocal (sung) frequency sweep, and a highly similar nonvocal sound. Moreover, production of vocal, learned song has been lost repeatedly. Male bee hummingbirds court females with a diverse, coevolving array of acoustic traits.

BackgroundFrom bat wings to whale flippers, limb diversification has been crucial to the evolutionary success of mammals. We performed the first transcriptome-wide study of limb development in multiple species to explore the hypothesis that mammalian limb diversification has proceeded through the differential expression of conserved shared genes, rather than by major changes to limb patterning. Specifically, we investigated the manner in which the expression of shared genes has evolved within and among mammalian species.ResultsWe assembled and compared transcriptomes of bat, mouse, opossum, and pig fore- and hind limbs at the ridge, bud, and paddle stages of development. Results suggest that gene expression patterns exhibit larger variation among species during later than earlier stages of limb development, while within species results are more mixed. Consistent with the former, results also suggest that genes expressed at later developmental stages tend to have a younger evolutionary age than genes expressed at earlier stages. A suite of key limb-patterning genes was identified as being differentially expressed among the homologous limbs of all species. However, only a small subset of shared genes is differentially expressed in the fore- and hind limbs of all examined species. Similarly, a small subset of shared genes is differentially expressed within the fore- and hind limb of a single species and among the forelimbs of different species.ConclusionsTaken together, results of this study do not support the existence of a phylotypic period of limb development ending at chondrogenesis, but do support the hypothesis that the hierarchical nature of development translates into increasing variation among species as development progresses.

BackgroundLongwing butterflies, Heliconius sp., also called heliconians, are striking examples of diversity and mimicry in butterflies. Heliconians feature strongly colored patterns on their wings, arising from wing scales colored by pigments and/or nanostructures, which serve as an aposematic signal.ResultsHere, we investigate the coloration mechanisms among several species of Heliconius by applying scanning electron microscopy, (micro)spectrophotometry, and imaging scatterometry. We identify seven kinds of colored scales within Heliconius whose coloration is derived from pigments, nanostructures or both. In yellow-, orange- and red-colored wing patches, both cover and ground scales contain wavelength-selective absorbing pigments, 3-OH-kynurenine, xanthommatin and/or dihydroxanthommatin. In blue wing patches, the cover scales are blue either due to interference of light in the thin-film lower lamina (e.g., H. doris) or in the multilayered lamellae in the scale ridges (so-called ridge reflectors, e.g., H. sara and H. erato); the underlying ground scales are black. In the white wing patches, both cover and ground scales are blue due to their thin-film lower lamina, but because they are stacked upon each other and at the wing substrate, a faint bluish to white color results. Lastly, green wing patches (H. doris) have cover scales with blue-reflecting thin films and short-wavelength absorbing 3-OH-kynurenine, together causing a green color.ConclusionsThe pigmentary and structural traits are discussed in relation to their phylogenetic distribution and the evolution of vision in this highly interesting clade of butterflies.

Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) is a highly polyphagous insect pest of worldwide occurrence, including India. In the present study, a detailed morphological assessment of H. armigera showed the following: typically dome-shaped egg with ribbed surface; larva having coriaceous skin, biordinal crochets and 11 primary setae on the prothoracic segment; pupa adecticous and obtect with prominent posterior tip cremaster; and adult forewings characterized by the presence of 7-8 black spots along the apical margin and a reniform shaped brown marking, more prominent on the underside. Adults exhibit sexual dimorphism in the colour of vestiture and forewings. The genitalic traits like the presence of usually 12 or less sets of cornuti in aedeagus, apically broadened harpe having length ranging between 4.5 to 4.9 mm and a single lobe at the base of everted vesica in males, and four distinct signa on bursa copulatrix in females, also distinguishes it from other congeneric species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the closed-loop experimental framework and dynamic model validation for a 1/12-scale underwater kite design. The pool-based tow testing framework described herein, which involves a fully actuated, closed-loop controlled kite and flexible tether, significantly expands upon the capabilities of any previously developed open-source framework for experimental underwater kite characterization. Specifically, the framework has allowed for the validation of three closed-loop flight control strategies, along with a critical comparison between dynamic model predictions and experimental results. In this paper, we provide a detailed presentation of the experimental tow system and kite setup, describe the control algorithms implemented and tested, and quantify the level of agreement between our multi-degree-of-freedom kite dynamic model and experimental data. We also present a sensitivity analysis that helps to identify the most influential parameters to kite performance and further explain the remaining mismatches between the model and data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]