103,584 research outputs found
Group Theoretic Methods and Similarity Solutions of the Savage-Hutter Equations
No full textWe consider the spatially one-dimensional time dependent system of equations, obtained by Savage and Hutter, which describes the gravity-driven free surface flow of granular avalanches. All similarity solutions of this system are found by means of group analysis. The family of solutions which are invariant to stretching transformations is investigated in greater detail. Explicit solutions are constructed in three cases and their physical interpretation is given. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2003
Methods of similitude in granular avalanche flows
No full textSnow avalanches are relatively dry and dense granular hows for which the Savage-Hutter (SH) equations have been demonstrated to be an adequate mathematical model. We review these equations and point out for which cases the equations have been tested against laboratory experiments. Since the equations are scale invariant and because agreement with experiments is good, laboratory experiments can be used to test realistic flows. This is detailed in this paper. We demonstrate how shocks are formed when dilatational how states merge into compacting states and show that shock formation is an essential mechanism in flows against obstructions. We finally apply the theory of similitude to the design of a projected avalanche protection structure of the Schneefernerhaus at the Zugspitze
An accurate shock-capturing finite-difference method to solve the Savage-Hutter equations in avalanche dynamics
No full textThe Savage-Hutter equations of granular avalanche flows are a hyperbolic system of equations for the distribution of depth and depth-averaged velocity components tangential to the sliding bed. They involve two phenomenological parameters, the internal and the bed friction angles, which together define the earth pressure coefficient which assumes different values depending upon whether the flow is either diverging or contracting. Because of the hyperbolicity of the equations, since velocities may be supercritical, shock waves are often formed in avalanche flows. Numerical schemes solving these free surface flows must cope with smooth as well as non-smooth solutions. In this paper the Savage-Hutter equations in conservative form are solved with a shock-capturing technique, including a front-tracking method. This method can perform for parabolic similarity solutions for which the Lagrangian scheme is excellent, and it is even better in other situations when the latter fails
Natural variation in Drosophila melanogaster
No full textThis work is dedicated to studying natural variation in D. melanogaster at the DNA sequence and gene expression level. In addition I present a new version of the DNA polymorphism analysis program VariScan, which includes significant improvements.
In CHAPTER 1 I describe a genome scan of single nucleotide polymorphism in two natural D. melanogaster populations (from Africa and Europe) on the third chromosome. Together with polymorphism data previously published for the X chromosome of the same populations, this allows a comparative study of the polymorphism patterns of the X chromosome and an autosome. The frequency spectrum of mutations and the patterns of linkage disequilibrium are investigated. The observed patterns indicate that there is a significant difference in the behavior of the two chromosomes, as has already been suggested by previous studies. To uncover the reasons for this a coalescent based maximum likelihood method is applied that incorporates the effects of demographic history and unequal sex ratios. For the African population the differential behavior of the chromosomes can be explained by its demographic history and an excess of females. In Europe, a population bottleneck and an excess of males alone cannot explain the patterns we observe. The additional action of positive selection in this population is proposed as a possible explanation.
In CHAPTER 2 I investigate the variation in gene expression of the two aforementioned populations. Whole-genome microarrays are used to study levels of expression for 88% of all known genes in eight adult males from both populations. The observed levels of expression variation are equal in Africa and Europe, despite the fact that DNA sequence variation is much higher in Africa. This is evidence for the action of stabilizing selection governing levels of expression polymorphism. Supporting this view, genes involved in many different functions, and are therefore on strong selective constraint, show less variation than do genes with only few functions. The experimental design allows the search for genes which differ in their expression patterns between Europe and Africa and might therefore have undergone adaptive evolution. Detected candidates include genes putatively involved in insecticide resistance and food choice. Surprisingly, many genes over-expressed in Africa are involved in the formation and function of the flying apparatus.
In CHAPTER 3 I present version 2 of the program VariScan. This program was designed to analyse patterns of DNA sequence polymorphism on a chromosomal scale. The functionality of the core analysis tool, the wavelet decomposition, is described. In addition, multiple improvements to the previous version are presented. The program now supports the “pairwise deletion” option. This is essential for analysing data at the chromosome scale, since such data often contains incomplete information. It is now possible to add outgroup information, which allows the calculation of additional statistics. Furthermore, the separate analysis of different predefined chromosomal regions is added as an option. To increase the user friendliness, a graphical user interface is now included as part of the software package. Finally, VariScan is applied to published and computer-generated data and the ability of the wavelet-based analysis to uncover chromosomal regions with interesting DNA polymorphism patterns is demonstrated
Letter, [Author unclear] to Paulina T. Merritt
No full textHandwritten letter to Paulina Merritt from an unknown author, October 1, 1876.
Handwritten biographical information on Paulina T. McClung Merritt
No full textA handwritten biography of Paulina T. McClung Merritt by an unknown author, 1892.
Heterogeneous and tissue-specific regulation of effector T cell responses by IFN-gamma during Plasmodium berghei ANKA infection.
No full textIFN-γ and T cells are both required for the development of experimental cerebral malaria during Plasmodium berghei ANKA infection. Surprisingly, however, the role of IFN-γ in shaping the effector CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cell response during this infection has not been examined in detail. To address this, we have compared the effector T cell responses in wild-type and IFN-γ(-/-) mice during P. berghei ANKA infection. The expansion of splenic CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells during P. berghei ANKA infection was unaffected by the absence of IFN-γ, but the contraction phase of the T cell response was significantly attenuated. Splenic T cell activation and effector function were essentially normal in IFN-γ(-/-) mice; however, the migration to, and accumulation of, effector CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells in the lung, liver, and brain was altered in IFN-γ(-/-) mice. Interestingly, activation and accumulation of T cells in various nonlymphoid organs was differently affected by lack of IFN-γ, suggesting that IFN-γ influences T cell effector function to varying levels in different anatomical locations. Importantly, control of splenic T cell numbers during P. berghei ANKA infection depended on active IFN-γ-dependent environmental signals--leading to T cell apoptosis--rather than upon intrinsic alterations in T cell programming. To our knowledge, this is the first study to fully investigate the role of IFN-γ in modulating T cell function during P. berghei ANKA infection and reveals that IFN-γ is required for efficient contraction of the pool of activated T cells
Dispelling the Myths Behind First-author Citation Counts
No full textWe conducted a full-scale evaluative citation analysis study of scholars in the XML research field to explore just how different from each other author rankings resulting from different citation counting methods actually are, and to demonstrate the capability of emerging data and tools on the Web in supporting more realistic citation counting methods. Our results contest some common arguments for the continued
use of first-author citation counts in the evaluation of scholars, such as high correlations between author rankings by first-author citation counts and other citation
counting methods, and high costs of using more realistic citation counting methods that are not well-supported by the ISI databases. It is argued that increasingly available digital full text research papers make it possible for citation analysis studies to go beyond what the ISI databases have directly supported and to employ more
sophisticated methods
Nymphargus lasgralarias Hutter & Guayasamin, new species
No full text<i>Nymphargus lasgralarias</i> Hutter & Guayasamin, new species <p>Figures 4 A–4C; 5B; 6A–6D; 7A–7D; 13D</p> <p> <b>Holotype.</b> MZUTI 0 96, adult male collected by Carl R. Hutter on 0 5 April 2011 from “Five Frog Creek” (0º01.870’ S, 78º42.358’ W; 2150 m) at Reserva Las Gralarias, Pichincha province, Ecuador. Figure 5 B.</p> <p> <b>Paratypes.</b> MZUTI 091–095, and 0 97, adult males obtained from Reserva Las Gralarias by Carl R. Hutter. MZUTI 093–095 were collected on 0 5 April 2011; MZUTI 0 92 on 17 April 2011; and MZUTI 0 91 on 18 April 2011 from “Kathy’s Creek” (0º01.398’ S, 78º43.772’ W; 2000 m). MZUTI 0 97 was collected on 0 1 July 2011 from “Hercules Giant Tree Frog Creek” (0º01.529’ S, 78º42.243’ W; 2175 m).</p> <p> <b>Generic placement.</b> All species in <i>Nymphargus</i> share an absence of webbing among Fingers I–III and absence or reduced webbing between Fingers III and IV. Additionally, males lack humeral spines (except <i>N. grandisonae</i>). The new species presents the aforementioned traits and, therefore, is placed in <i>Nymphargus</i> (<i>sensu</i> Guayasamin <i>et al.</i> 2009).</p> <p> <b>Diagnosis.</b> The new species can be distinguished from most species of <i>Nymphargus</i> by having a uniformly green dorsum (see Guayasamin <i>et al</i>. 2009). Within <i>Nymphargus</i>, the only species with a green dorsum that lacks spots are: <i>N. cristinae</i> (Ruiz-Carranza & Lynch 1995), <i>N. prasinus</i> (Duellman 1981), and <i>N. wileyi</i> (Guayasamin <i>et al.</i> 2006). <i>Nymphargus lasgralarias</i> <b>sp. nov.</b> is distinguished from <i>N. cristinae</i> by being smaller (male SVL in <i>N. lasgralarias</i> = 24.6–26.5 mm [mean = 25.3 mm; <i>n</i> = 7]; male SVL in <i>N. cristinae</i> = 26.0– 31.1 mm [mean = 28.0 mm; <i>n</i> = 12]), having a snout that is truncate in dorsal view and protruding in lateral view (subacuminate in dorsal view, truncate in lateral view in <i>N. cristinae</i>; see Ruiz-Carranza & Lynch 1995: Fig. 4), lacking vomerine teeth (present or absent in <i>N. cristinae</i>), and lacking palmar supernumerary tubercles (supernumerary small, abundant in <i>N. cristinae</i>). <i>Nymphargus prasinus</i> differs from <i>N. lasgralarias</i> <b>sp. nov.</b> by having a round snout in dorsal view (truncate <i>N. lasgralarias</i> <b>sp. nov.</b>), 5–7 teeth on each process of the vomer (vomerine teeth absent in <i>N. lasgralarias</i> <b>sp. nov.</b>), and being considerably larger (male SVL 33.0– 34.5 mm; <i>n</i> = 3; see Duellman 1981). <i>Nymphargus wileyi</i> (an endemic of the Amazonian slopes of the Ecuadorian Andes) is distinguished from <i>N. lasgralarias</i> <b>sp. nov.</b> by having its kidneys covered by a white peritoneum with small, unpigmented spots (see Guayasamin <i>et al.</i> 2006: Fig. 12), whereas in the new species, the kidneys are covered by a homogenously white layer. Additionally, among <i>Nymphargus</i> species found on the Pacific versant of the Andes of Ecuador, <i>Nymphargus lasgralarias</i> <b>sp. nov</b>. could only be confused with <i>N. buenaventura</i> (Cisneros-Heredia & Yánez-Muñoz 2007) and <i>N. griffithsi</i> (Goin 1961). Dorsal texture and color pattern readily separates <i>N. buenaventura,</i> which, in life, has a light green dorsum with warts corresponding to pale yellow spots — whereas the dorsum of <i>N. lasgralarias</i> <b>sp. nov.</b> is shagreen (lacking warts) and homogenously green (lacking yellow spots). Additionally, <i>N. buenaventura</i> is smaller, although sample size is low (male SVL in <i>N. lasgralarias</i> <b>sp. nov.</b> = 24.6–26.5 mm [mean = 25.3 mm; <i>n</i> = 7]; male SVL in <i>N. buenaventura</i> = 20.9–22.4 mm [mean = 21.8; <i>n</i> = 4]). <i>Nymphargus lasgralarias</i> <b>sp. nov.</b> and <i>N. buenaventura</i> are not known to occur sympatrically.</p> <p> <i>Nymphargus lasgralarias</i> <b>sp. nov.</b> is most similar to <i>N. griffithsi</i>. However, the two species have differences in terms of dorsal color pattern (homogenously green with minute dark melanophores in <i>N. lasgralarias</i> <b>sp. nov.</b></p> <p> [Figs. 4 B, 6A–6B]); green with small black spots and/or both minute and small dark melanophores in <i>N. griffithsi</i> [Figs. 4 E, 6E–6F]), body size (male SVL in <i>N. lasgralarias</i> <b>sp. nov.</b> = 24.6–26.5 mm [mean = 25.3 mm; SD = 0.73 mm; <i>n</i> = 7]; male SVL in <i>N. griffithsi</i> = 22.5–24.2 mm [mean = 23.0 mm; SD = 0.70 mm; <i>n</i> = 5]; T-test: <i>p</i> <0.001), and call (see <i>Advertisement call</i> section). Additionally, in life, <i>N. griffithsi</i> has an iris background coloration of white-silver with larger and less abundant spotting with some medium-dark reticulation (Fig. 7 E–7H), whereas <i>N. lasgralarias</i> <b>sp. nov.</b> has a yellow-golden iris background color with lighter reticulation and more numerous, smaller spots (Fig. 7 A–7D).</p> <p> <b>Characterization.</b> (1) Vomerine teeth absent; (2) snout truncate in dorsal profile, protruding in lateral profile; (3) tympanum small; supratympanic fold present; tympanic membrane translucent, pigmented only on its upper half; (4) skin texture finely shagreen, with microspiculations; (5) ventral skin areolate, with pair of large, round warts on ventral surfaces of thighs below vent; cloaca surrounded by low warts, non-enameled; (6) upper half of ventral parietal peritoneum covered by iridophores (= white), all other peritonea translucent, except for thin layer of iridophores covering heart and renal capsules; (7) liver tetralobed; (8) humeral spines absent; (9) webbing absent between fingers; (10) foot about half webbed; webbing formula: I (2–2–) — (2+–2 1/2) II (2–2–) — (3– –3) III (2– –2) — (3– –3) IV (3–3+) — 2 V; (11) ulnar and tarsal folds low, barely evident, non-enameled; (12) nuptial pad Type I; prepollex not separated from Finger I; (13) first finger slightly shorter than second; (14) eye diameter larger that width of disc on Finger III; (15) in life, green dorsum, with minute dark melanophores; (16) in preservative, dorsum pale lavender; (17) iris golden-yellow, with numerous small black spots; weakly reticulated; (18) hands and feet yellowish green; melanophores absent from fingers and toes or, when present, restricted to dorsal surfaces of Finger IV and Toes IV and V; (19) males call from the upper side of leaves along streams; (20) calls emitted in series of 1–4 calls; each call sounding like a “tick” or “click”; pulsed; duration of 0.0160– 0.0440 s (mean = 0.0257 ± 0.0058; <i>n</i> = 119); call non-modulated to weakly modulated; dominant frequency at 3445.3–3962.2 Hz (mean = 3691.4 ± 131.9 Hz); (21) fighting behavior unknown; (22) egg clutches deposited on upper surface of leaves at terminal margin, transitioning to hanging as eggs develop; (23) tadpoles unknown; (24) SVL in adult males 24.6–26.5 mm (mean = 25.3 ± 0.737; <i>n</i> = 7); females unknown.</p> <p> <b>Description of holotype.</b> MZUTI 0 96, adult male, SVL 25.5 mm. Head wider than long; head length 32% SVL; snout truncate in dorsal profile, protruding in lateral view; canthus rostralis indistinct, straight; loreal region slightly concave; lips slightly flared; nostrils protuberant, closer to tip of snout than to eye, directed dorsolaterally; internarial area barely depressed. Eye large, directed anterolaterally at an angle of 45°; transverse diameter of disc of Finger III 57.6% eye diameter. Supratympanic fold conspicuous, obscuring dorsal portion of tympanic annulus; tympanum small (3% of SVL), oriented mostly vertically, but with slight posterolateral inclination; tympanic membrane transparent, partially pigmented and differentiated from surrounding skin. Dentigerous processes of vomer low, situated transversely between choanae, lacking teeth; choanae large, longitudinally rectangular; tongue ovoid, with ventral posterior third not attached to mouth floor and posterior margin notched; vocal slits extending posterolaterally from the lateral edge of tongue to angle of jaws. Humeral spine absent; ulnar fold low, barely evident, nonenameled; relative lengths of fingers: III> IV> II> I; webbing between fingers absent; discs expanded, nearly round; disc pads triangular; subarticular tubercles small, round, simple; few palmar supernumerary tubercles evident, low; palmar tubercle elliptical, simple; nuptial pad Type I (<i>sensu</i> Flores 1985), ovoid, granular, extending from ventrolateral base to dorsal surface of Finger I, covering the proximal half of Finger I. Length of tibia 56% SVL; low inner tarsal fold barely evident; outer tarsal fold absent; feet about half webbed; webbing formula of foot: <b>I</b> 2 – — 2 1/ 2 <b>II</b> 2– — 3 <b>III</b> 2– –– 3– <b>IV</b> 3— 2 <b>V</b>; discs on toes round; disc on Toe IV narrower that disc on Finger III; disc pads triangular; inner metatarsal tubercle large, ovoid; outer metatarsal tubercle round, barely evident; subarticular tubercles small, round; supernumerary tubercles absent.</p> <p>Skin on dorsal surfaces of head, body, and lateral surface of head and flanks shagreen with numerous minute spinules; throat smooth; belly and lower flanks areolate; cloacal opening directed posteriorly at upper level of thighs; cloacal warts small, fleshy, located immediately posterior to cloacal slit, non-enameled. Pair of large subcloacal tubercles evident in ventral aspect.</p> <p> <b>Measurements of holotype.</b> Morphometrics of the holotype and paratypes are summarized in Table 1.</p> <p> <i>Nymphargus lasgralarias</i> <b>sp. nov.</b></p> <p> <b>Color in life</b>. Dorsum light green, with minute melanophores; flanks yellowish white; bones green; fingers and toes yellow with a faint green tint. Venter white anteriorly and translucent posteriorly. Iris background golden with numerous dark spots and very light reticulation.</p> <p> <b>Color in preservative</b>. Dorsal surfaces of head and body are cream; fingers and toes cream. Upper half of ventral parietal peritoneum covered by iridophores (= white), all other peritonea translucent, except for thin layer of iridophores covering heart and renal capsules.</p> <p> <b>Variation</b>. In life, dorsal coloration varies from very light green to light green. Coloration of dorsum in preservation varies from cream to medium-dark lavender. Females are unknown.</p> <p> <b>Advertisement Call.</b> The call of <i>Nymphargus lasgralarias</i> <b>sp. nov.</b> is reminiscent of a short “ticking” or “clicking” noise and is easily distinguishable from the significantly longer “whistle” produced by <i>Nymphargus griffithsi</i> (Figs. 8–10). The call consists of a short, pulsed note lasting 0.016– 0.044 s (mean = 0.026 ± 0.006 s) with 1–3 pulses (mean = 1.5 ± 0.6 pulses) (Figs. 9, 11 A–11C). Calls emitted in a series, which typically includes 1–4 calls (mean = 2.7 ± 0.7 calls) (Fig. 12 A–12D). Five-call series had been observed, but were not recorded. Each series has duration of 0.033– 2.541 s (mean = 1.529 ± 0.597 s) and an interval of 8.6– 78.6 s (mean 33.8 ± 18.4 s) between series with an interval of 0.088– 1.513 s (mean = 0.873 ± 0.205 s) between calls within a series. The call repetition rate is 2.0–9.9 (5.5 ± 2.7) calls per minute (<i>n</i> = 6 individuals). The dominant frequency is measured at 3445.3–3962.2 Hz (mean = 3691.4 ± 131.9 Hz); contained within the fundamental frequency. The individual call begins at an initial fundamental frequency of 2561.0–3441.0 Hz (mean 3063.6 ± 162.5 Hz). The fundamental frequency is bound between the lower frequency of 2939.4–4145.2 Hz (mean = 3236.3 ± 168.7) and the upper frequency of 3887.7–4473.4 Hz (mean = 4139.8 ± 139.7 Hz). The call has three harmonic frequencies at 6546.1– 8096.5 Hz (mean = 7298.9 ± 305.8 Hz), 9991.4–12058.6 Hz (mean = 11034.2 ± 478.3 Hz), and 13781.2–14928.0 Hz (mean 14317.1 ± 245.5 Hz).</p> <p> A quantitative comparison between the calls of <i>Nymphargus lasgralarias</i> <b>sp. nov.</b> and <i>Nymphargus griffithsi</i> is shown in Table 2. Structurally, the calls of the two species are quite different (Fig. 8). The call of <i>N. griffithsi</i> is a single tonal or multi-pulsed (i.e., 2 or more pulses) call (Figs. 8 B, 10, 11D–11F), whereas the calls of <i>N. lasgralarias</i> <b>sp. nov.</b> are always pulsed (Figs. 8A, 9, 11 A–11C). <i>Nymphargus griffithsi</i> emits its advertisement call as a single call (absent from a series) while <i>N. lasgralarias</i> <b>sp. nov.</b> emits its calls as a single call or in a series, demonstrating a highly variable calling pattern in contrast to <i>N. griffithsi</i> (Fig. 12 A–12D). In addition, <i>N. lasgralarias</i> <b>sp. nov.</b> has a significantly shorter call duration than <i>N. griffithsi</i> (call duration in <i>N. lasgralarias</i> <b>sp. nov.</b> = 0.016– 0.044 s [mean = 0.026 s; SD = 0.006 s; <i>n</i> = 119]; call duration in <i>N. griffithsi</i> = 0.103– 0.148 s [mean = 0.122 s; SD = 0.009 s; <i>n</i> = 48]; T-test: <i>p</i> <0.001).</p> <p> The dominant frequency is significantly lower in <i>N. lasgralarias</i> <b>sp. nov.</b> than <i>N. griffithsi</i> (dominant frequency in <i>N. lasgralarias</i> <b>sp. nov.</b> = 3445.3–3962.2 Hz [mean = 3691.4 Hz; SD = 131.9 Hz; <i>n</i> = 119]; dominant frequency in <i>N. griffithsi</i> = 3789.8–4306.6 Hz [mean = 4107.4 Hz; SD = 105.5 Hz; <i>n</i> = 48]; T-test: <i>p</i> <0.001), although there is partial overlap. Although the calls of <i>N. lasgralarias</i> <b>sp. nov.</b> and <i>N. griffithsi</i> do not show a conspicuous change in dominant frequency, the two species show a slight increase in the dominant frequency, an increase that is more pronounced it <i>N. griffithsi</i>. Furthermore, <i>N. lasgralarias</i> <b>sp. nov.</b> has a significantly lower initialization frequency (Hz) than <i>N. griffithsi</i> (initial frequency in <i>N. lasgralarias</i> <b>sp. nov. =</b> 2561.0–3441.0 Hz [mean = 3063.6 Hz; SD = 162.5 Hz; <i>n</i> = 119]; initial frequency in <i>N. griffithsi</i> = 2821.0–3776.0 Hz [mean = 3328.6 Hz; SD = 300.9 Hz; <i>n</i> = 48]; T-test: <i>p</i> <0.001). A quantitative comparison between the calls of <i>N. lasgralarias</i> <b>sp. nov.</b> and <i>N. griffithsi</i> is shown in Table 2. Additional detailed acoustic measurements can be found in APPENDIX II and APPENDIX III.</p> <p> <b>Distribution.</b> <i>Nymphargus lasgralarias</i> <b>sp. nov.</b> is known only from its type locality at Reserva Las Gralarias (Fig. 1) in Pichincha province, Ecuador, between an elevation of 1850–2200 m. Within the reserve, <i>N. lasgralarias</i> <b>sp. nov.</b> is known from the Chalguayacu Grande River (0º01.868’ S, 78º44.057’ W; 1925–2000 m), “Five Frog Creek”, “ Heloderma Creek” (0º01.245’ S, 78º42.370’ W; 2175–2225 m), “Hercules Giant Tree Frog Creek”, “Kathy’s Creek”, and “Lucy’s Creek” (0º00.585’ S, 78º43.901’ W; 1850–1875 m). <i>Nymphargus lasgralarias</i> <b>sp. nov.</b> is quite ubiquitous throughout Reserva Las Gralarias, with observations only absent from the Santa Rosa River (0º01.192’ S, 78º43.212’ W; 1825–1850 m) (Table 3; Fig. 2).</p> <p> <b>Species</b></p> <p> <i>N. lasgralarias</i> <b>sp. nov.</b> <i>N. griffithsi</i></p> <p> Parameter Range Mean ± SD Range Mean ± SD <b>Species</b></p> <p> <i>Centrolene ballux Centrolene lynchi Centrolene peristictum Centrolene heloderma Nymphargus grandisonae Nymphargus griffithsi Nymphargus lasgralarias</i></p> <p>Ballux Creek</p> <p>(2150–2200 m) Five Frog Creek (2100– 2150 m)</p> <p>Heloderma Creek (2175–</p> <p>2225 m)</p> <p>Hercules Creek (2150–2200</p> <p>m)</p> <p>Chalguayacu River (1900–</p> <p>1950 m)</p> <p>Kathy´s Creek (1950–2050 m) Lucy´s Creek</p> <p>(1825–1875 m)</p> <p>Santa Rosa River (1800–</p> <p>1875 m)</p> <p> <b>Ecology and natural history.</b> <i>Nymphargus lasgralarias</i> <b>sp. nov.</b> inhabits small sized permanent streams (ca. 3 m width) within primary montane forest with minimal disturbance. The species is active during the night and emits advertisement calls from the tops of small sized ferns, small leaves, and long palm leaves 1–6 m above the stream (Fig. 13 D). <i>Nymphargus lasgralarias</i> <b>sp. nov.</b> occurs sympatrically with the following members of Centrolenidae: <i>Centrolene ballux, Centrolene heloderma,</i> <i>Centrolene lynchi</i> (Duellman 1980), <i>Centrolene peristictum</i> (Lynch & Duellman 1973), <i>Nymphargus grandisonae,</i> and <i>Nymphargus griffithsi</i> (Table 3). Other anuran species sympatric along the creeks include: <i>Hyloscirtus alytolylax</i> (Duellman 1972), <i>Pristimantis eugeniae</i> (Lynch & Duellman 1997), <i>Pristimantis calcarulatus</i> (Lynch 1976), <i>Pristimantis parvillus</i> (Lynch 1976), and <i>Pristimantis wnigrum</i> (Boettger 1892).</p> <p> Eggs are deposited on the tips of leaves over the stream and later expand into a hanging gelatinous mass upon absorption of water. We observed 12– 36 eggs per mass (mean = 25.4 ± 6.0 eggs; <i>n</i> = 23) for <i>N. lasgralarias</i> <b>sp. nov.</b> (Fig. 13 A–13B); we observed a single mass of <i>N. griffithsi</i> eggs containing 14 eggs (Fig. 13 C). The quantity of eggs per mass appears to be highly variable. The egg masses were distinguished by continual monitoring of calling male activity and observed close proximity of calling males. <i>Nymphargus lasgralarias</i> <b>sp. nov.</b> marks the third species of glassfrog in Ecuador with this egg habit type (i.e., eggs dangling from the tips of leaves) — after <i>N. griffithsi</i> and <i>N. wileyi</i> (Guayasamin <i>et al.</i> 2006).</p> <p> The Saloya River basin is the type locality for <i>N. griffithsi</i> (Goin 1961), a locality that is about 11 km from the population of <i>N. griffithsi</i> at Reserva Las Gralarias (Fig. 2). These populations are nearly connected through the regional river system — the Canchupi River and Saloya River both flow into the Mindo River connecting the two systems, with ca. a 1 km gap between the start of the Canchupi River and “Five Frog Creek”. It is unknown whether <i>N. griffithsi</i> and <i>N. lasgralarias</i> <b>sp. nov.</b> populations occur in between these two observed localities. At Reserva Las Gralari
Pelevin’s Trinity in the novel “t”: author – protagonist – reader
No full textThe article attempts to interpret Pelevin's artistic strategy in the novel "T" by exploring its subject organization and addressing the key problems of the author, the protagonist, and the reader as they are seen by the researcher. The article analyzes the peculiarities of constructing the narrative reality in the novel "T", and goes on to discuss Pelevin's philosophic models of the development of the humankind, and the emergence of his new anthropology
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