Evolutionary Biology

Wang, Y., Shih, C., Szwedo, J. & Ren, D. iFirst article. New fossil palaeontinids (Hemiptera, Cicadomorpha, Palaeontinidae) from the Middle Jurassic of Daohugou, China. Alcheringa, 1–12. ISSN 0311-5518.A new genus and species assigned to the extinct family Palaeontinidae, Synapocossus sciacchitanoae Wang, Shih & Ren, is described from the Middle Jurassic of Daohugou in Inner Mongolia, China. This new genus is established based on well-preserved fossil specimens with body and complete forewings and hind wings. It differs from other described genera by the following characters: small body size, RP and M1 coalescing for an interval on the forewings and M3 + 4 without bifurcation on the hind wings. The RP coalescence with M1 in Synapocossus Wang, Shih & Ren previously reported only in Turgaiella Becker-Migdisova & Wootton, seems to be associated with strengthening of the anterior wing margin. The intra-specific and individual variations of Synapocossus and numerous other insect fossils of northeastern China probably indicate long-lasting ecological stresses and a competitive environment in the Middle Jurassic to Early Cretaceous ecosystems.Synapocossus sciacchitanoae Wang, Shih&Ren;Palaeontinidae:, RPM1, M3+4, Synapocossus Wang, Shih&RenRPM1Turgaiella Becher-Migdisova&Wootton, Synapocossus

This article is about the question whether or not human religiousness can be interpreted and explained by evolution. First four concepts of evolution are introduced and discussed (general, teleological, functional, Darwinian). It turns out that a purely functional understanding of evolution proves to be to narrow. It is argued that only a combination between an essentialist and functionalist understanding of religion is sustainable. From this perspective a taxonomy of religions is developed to classify them. The core of the argument is that religion can be understood as a continuing process of selftranscendence. Thus the aspects of rite, myth, mysticism can be understood as results of this process of selftranscendence. Finally the relation between human religiousness and Christian belief is being discussed.

Inoculation of maize silage with Lactobacillus buchneri (5 x 10(5) c.f.u. g(-1) of maize silage) prior to ensiling results in the formation of aerobically stable silage. After 9 months, lactic acid bacterium counts are approximately 10(10) c.f.u. g(-1) in these treated silages. An important subpopulation (5.9 x 10(7) c.f.u. g(-1)) is able to degrade 1,2-propanediol, a fermentation product of L. buchneri, under anoxic conditions to 1-propanol and propionic acid. From this group of 1,2-propanediol-fermenting, facultatively anaerobic, heterofermentative lactobacilli, two rod-shaped isolates were purified and characterized. Comparative 16S rDNA sequence analysis revealed that the newly isolated bacteria have identical 16S rDNA sequences and belong phylogenetically to the L. buchneri group. DNA-DNA hybridizations, whole-cell protein fingerprinting and examination of phenotypic properties indicated that these two isolates represent a novel species, for which the name Lactobacillus diolivo...

#LINK: http://www.researchgate.net/publication/232990708 - Nest‐building behaviour was studied in Xylocopa violacea, with particular attention to that exhibited in the construction of each cell, from the formation of the pollen paste to the construction of the diaphragm. Seven inside characteristics of 28 nests excavated in dried Arundo donax canes were determined. The cell length ranged from 14 to 20 mm. The diaphragms separating the cells were 2 mm thick in the middle, and 4–5 mm at the edge. In 37 additional nests, only data on some characteristics were taken: (a) colour of the pollen paste; (b) cane internode used for nesting. X. violacea is univoltine and solitary, and as in all the other Xylocopa species, female average fecundity is very low (7.43 eggs per nest), despite considerable maternal investment. Univoltine Xylocopa species are less fertile than multivoltine Xylocopa species because of the one to three sup plementary generations per year.
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https://www.researchgate.net/publication/236334738
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/256457322
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/257137913
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/263203818
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/256485808
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/257337087
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/256463429
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/256526773
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/256485795
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/257825570
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/256697682

Objective: In this work we aim to investigate the origins and genetic affinities of Bronze Age populations (2,400–1,100 BC) from the region of southern Poland and to trace maternal kinship patterns present in the burials of those populations by the use of complete mitochondrial genomes. Materials and methods: We performed ancient DNA analyses for Bronze Age individuals from present-day Poland associated with the Strzyżow culture, the Mierzanowice culture, and the Trzciniec Cultural circle. To obtain complete mitochondrial genomes, we sequenced genomic libraries using Illumina platform. Additionally, hybridization capture was used to enrich some of the samples for mitochondrial DNA. AMS 14C-dating was conducted for 51 individuals to verify chronological and cultural attribution of the analyzed samples. Results: Complete ancient mitochondrial genomes were generated for 80 of the Bronze Age individuals from present-day Poland. The results of the population genetic analyses indicate close maternal genetic affinity between Mierzanowice, Trzciniec, and Corded Ware culture-associated populations. This is in contrast to the genetically more distant Strzyżów people that displayed closer maternal genetic relation to steppe populations associated with the preceding Yamnaya culture and Catacomb culture, and with later Scythians. Potential maternal kinship relations were identified in burials of Mierzanowice and Trzciniec populations analyzed in this study. Discussion: Results revealed genetic continuity from the Late Neolithic Corded Ware groups to Bronze Age Mierzanowice and Trzciniec-associated populations, and possible additional genetic contribution from the steppe to the formation of the Strzyżów associated group at the end of 3rd millennium BC. Mitochondrial patterns indicated several pairs of potentially maternally related individuals mostly in Trzciniec-associated group.

"The expression “mental illness” arises historically in the course of conversations about our human relational living, in an attempt to visualize some regularities that occurred in it, thinking that if we could grasp them we would be able to solve some difficulties that we were encountering in our living together, thinking that we could do so through formalizing them with some adequate theory that we would invent. However, to do that, we have to abstract those regularities in our living together first; we must respect ourselves accepting that naming is not a trivial aspect of what we do in our living: names have arisen in our history of living together as operational elements of coordination of our doings, and reveal regularities in that living."

The central importance of evolution to all biological sciences is recognised by many authors. Despite this scientific consensus, the theory of evolution is commonly presented as one discrete topic among many in the biology curriculum. Possible reasons for this scenario include discomfort with the content, ideological opposition and teachers’ difficulties in concepts identified as essential for the understanding of evolution. In evolution education, there is a well-established literature on these aspects, but little has been discussed about the historical and philosophical issues concerning the challenges to the centrality of evolution in biology teaching. In this article, I argue that evolution at both basic and higher education levels is strongly based on the original evolutionary synthesis, with a focus on population genetics, and this is one of the reasons for the failure in establishing the centrality of evolution in biology teaching. Given the diversity and complexity of contemporary evolution theory, a more pluralistic perspective to evolutionary teaching is required. I propose that a causally pluralistic evolutionary worldview, which expands the range of causal factors contributing to evolutionary change, is essential when it comes to establishing the centrality of evolution in biology teaching.

Since Charles Darwin made the theory of evolution popular, the church has been faced with the problem of either denying the validity of evolution or finding a way to interpret the Bible that will harmonize with both an old-earth scenario and with the belief that humans evolved from lower forms of life. This article will not deny either of these scientific conclusions. Its purpose will be to discuss some of the proposed interpretations of the Bible's teachings that have been presented for the purpose of harmonizing the Bible and science, showing that some of these have serious problems. But first I will present an alterative view that has both mathematical and exegetical support to undergird it. Two benefits that are inherent in this view are its simplicity and its employment of the historical-grammatical hermeneutic. Also it does not contradict any New Testament teaching, which should be a requirement for any methodology employed to discover the Bible's teaching on human origins. I appreciate all those who have taken in hand to harmonize an inspired view of Scripture with the present views of the science community.

Book (in French) published in 2003 at the occasion of the first exhibition staging exclusively biomedia art works at the national art center Le Lieu Unique in Nantes/France. Hauser Jens (ed.): L'Art Biotech. Nantes/Trézélan, 2003.

The publication has not been available anymore since 2008; this PDF is made accessible with the agreement and the kind support of the Filigranes publishing house, until an augmented new edition will be be available. Great thanks to Filigranes and Patrick Le Bescont! https://www.filigranes.com

Essay detailing some of Titian's most famous works, looking at self-expression through painting,  memento mori, emotion, as well as topics of mortality and death. The focus of this paper is to shed light on aspects of symbolism found in some of the artist's later pieces in order to determine why his style changed so drastically over time.

The interesting thing about things that evolve, is that they rarely recall what they evolved from.  Nativist or empiricist, innate grammars or reinforced learning, every time a child is born, that child must start over and reacquire a language its forebears have spoken for millennia.  This paper argues that humans seem innate with respect to language acquisition, because we have forgotten how far back it was learned.  Perhaps we, as humans with needs like commerce and the need to record transactions, discovered that our infinite diversity of subjective perceptions required a similar diversity of ways to express it, which we call language.  The bonobo Kanzi evinced that when learning is intrinsic to the species and motivated by group need and peer exchanges, animal language limits begin to vanish.  Humans are not special, only familiar with how we have conversed for millennia, yet somehow amnestic about how this came to be familiar.  The advent of machines capable of mimicking human verbal responses raises the age-old question of whether humans are simply machines.  Yet all that speech technology has taught us, is that knowledge acquisition is a conscious effort to comprehend and express; no machine can equal what a conscious urgency can surprise us with.  Building machines that can talk to one another has not resolved the nature-nurture debate, but taught us that it is in our nature to need nurture, and it is during nurture we need language to help us find it.  This paper will evince that innateness is the amnestic part of nurture, and nurture the amnestic part of nature; speech technology only reinforces the insight that we learn and grow through this struggle to remember—then we forget the struggle, preserving only the learning.  Each new life learns to recall what was lost, by reliving the struggle.

DNA barcoding has great potential as a species identification tool because it is practical and affordable to perform and, more often than not, shows species-level separations. Currently, efforts are on to barcode all major groups of animals including insects and millions of species have been barcoded. Other than as a species identification tool, DNA barcoding has been applied to solve many complex ecological phenomena. DNA barcoding is emerging as a simple and very reliable tool for studying host-parasitoid interactions and to establish the host range of phytophagous insects which has changed the perspective of many food webs. DNA barcoding has shown potential as incontestable identification tool for biosecurity purposes with global application. DNA barcoding is also being utilised to document the biodiversity of past and present with reasonable efficiency.

The discussion of the Theory of EVERYTHING has been continued with a concerted interest on physicality, and in particular, the concept of Dark Matter and consciousness embodiment, making a reference to the advent of Core Manifestation Body Template or concept of Morphogenetic Field. It is elucidated that contrary to the erroneous conjecture of the mainstream science, Dark Matter is not just something that is only simply responsible for gravity. Indeed, it is true that Dark Matter epitomizes what ‘holds’ everything together in physicality. Yet, Dark Matter is not just regular matter that is only indigenous to 3D physicality, nor is “dark” by any means, both in terms of its Light quotient and frequency of vibration. Dark Matter manifests itself as plasma waves that has a spectral density that begins from highly comparatively lower constitution, and thus, high Light quotient and frequency of particulate (as well anti-particulate) vibration, all the way making the fabric of the to the 81st space-time dimension, to that of our Harmonic Universes, as well as forming our consciousness embodiment. Indeed, it is better to altogether dispense with the terminology of “Dark” and replace it with “Stealth” matter. In fact, Dark Matter is the essence or the substance of what emerges from the eternal spirit of the God-SOURCE. And, Dark Matter epitomizes what constitutes and builds the layers of our Lightbody that, in turn, give rise to the formation of our material atomic body. Thus, the Dark Matter body may be viewed as the connection link that exists between the eternal spiritual Light SOURCE body of the Prime Creator and the finite level of our Light source body. The Core Manifestation Body is governed by the Dark Matter Template, the blueprint or the instruction sets that our Eternal Source Particle Atoms and Molecules are built in order to generate the layers of our Eternal Light Body determining our bioenergetics, in turn, giving rise to our morphogenetic field that forms the DNA and RNA structure of our genetics. And, all this entails is the conversion of energy into matter. Dark Matter Template holds a cell that has the instruction set for the Elemental Body that is specific to the matter substance that is connected to a specific Harmonic Universe (e.g., HU1, HU2, HU3, and even HU4), and thus, provides the very means for our very consciousness embodiment. Note that quantum field affects the organization of the
Space-time or ‘dimensions,’ which in turn, determines the structure of the timelines that forms the Nebadon Time Matrix that defines our 4 holographic Harmonic Universes. This is what is commonly referred to as the 12D Grid or Tree of Life, the blueprint matrices of the Time Matrix that make up the layers of the Morphogenetic Fields of the Earth, as a macrocosm, and in turn, us, as the microcosm that determine our Consciousness reality and evolution. This establishes a system of communication that connects and realigns Earth and its planetary Light body structure via certain portals and stargates to the rest of the Cosmos, something that may be described as ‘holographic geography,’ the geometric intelligence that connects all the star systems in our local universe to the surface grid of our planet. Note that any changes in the Dark Matter Template Body (the ‘Rasha Body’), signifies a shift occurring in our physical body and physicality. And, in turn, any change in our orientation in matter, signifies a change in the fabric of space-time dimension to which our consciousness is anchored. Accordingly, a review of our quantum consciousness embodiment structure within the Nebadon Universe that may be classified under the concepts of ‘Soul Aspects,’ ‘Soul Expression,’ ‘Oversoul,’ and ‘Avatar’ matrix that was initially depicted by the ‘Carousel-Wheel of Consciousness’ by the author, is re-articulated, herein. Finally, a brief discussion of the relevance of magnetic energies discharge to the Planetary Dark Matter Body Template and the nature of the subtle energies, as well as Gravity, Black-White Holes, and Wormholes has been presented.