Revision of Cameron (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Braconinae) with descriptions of 13 new species.

The Old World braconine wasp genus Cameron is revised. The genus is recorded from the island of Madagascar for the first time based on two new species, Quicke & Butcher, and Quicke & Friedman, Quicke, is described from Australia; Quicke & Friedman, is described from Ethiopia; Quicke & Butcher, is described from Congo; van Noort, is described from Tanzania; Quicke & Friedman, , Ranjith, , Ranjith, and Ranjith, are described from India; Quicke & Butcher, , Quicke & Butcher, , and Quicke & Butcher, are described from Thailand. is recorded from Thailand for the first time.

Identification of a Durability Descriptor for Molecular Oxygen Reduction Reaction Catalysts.

The development of durable platinum-group-metal-free oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalysts is a key research direction for enabling the wide use of fuel cells. Here, we use a combination of experimental measurements and density functional theory calculations to study the activity and durability of seven iron-based metallophthalocyanine (MPc) ORR catalysts that differ only in the identity of the substituent groups on the MPcs. While the MPcs show similar ORR activity, their durabilities as measured by the current decay half-life differ greatly.

Nonaromatic naphthocorroles.

New naphthocorrole ligands, display both the cavity size of corroles and the dianionic character of porphyrins. Nonaromatic and yet flaunting deceptively porphyrin-like optical spectra, they are readily accessible a simple protocol.

Reclassification of Gall Midges (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae: Cecidomyiini) from Amaranthaceae, with Description of Ten New Species Based on an Integrative Taxonomic Study.

The genus includes 99 species restricted to host-plants of the Amaranthaceae, virtually all of which are from Central Asia. The discovery of numerous undescribed species putatively belonging to this genus in Israel instigated an exhaustive review of the original descriptions of all known species in this genus. This study revealed that the generic concept of and some of the genera synonymized under it should be redefined based on morphological and life-history attributes, such that is limited to only 13 species developing in plant tissues without obvious gall formation or as inquilines in galls of other cecidomyiids.

Application of Molecular Catalysts for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction in Alkaline Fuel Cells.

The development of precious group metal-free (PGM-free) catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction is considered as the main thrust for the cost reduction of fuel cell technologies and their mass production. Within the PGM-free category, molecular catalysts offer an advantage over other heat-treated PGM-free catalysts owing to their well-defined structure, which enables further design of more active, selective, and durable catalysts. Even though non-heat-treated molecular catalysts with exceptional performance have been reported in the past, they were rarely tested in a fuel cell.

Control of Molecular Catalysts for Oxygen Reduction by Variation of pH and Functional Groups.

In the search for replacement of the platinum-based catalysts for fuel cells, MN molecular catalysts based on abundant transition metals play a crucial role in modeling and investigation of the influence of the environment near the active site in platinum-group metal-free (PGM-free) oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalysts. To understand how the ORR activity of molecular catalysts can be controlled by the active site structure through modification by the pH and substituent functional groups, the change of the ORR onset potential and the electron number in a broad pH range was examined for three different metallocorroles. Experiments revealed a switch between two different ORR mechanisms and a change from 2e to 4e pathway in the pH range of 3.

Enhancement of the oxygen reduction reaction electrocatalytic activity of metallo-corroles using contracted cobalt(iii) CF-corrole incorporated in a high surface area carbon support.

Molecular oxygen reduction reaction catalysts based on metallo-corrole with the smallest meso-substituent reported to-date, Co(iii)CF-corrole, was synthesized and compared to the well-studied Co(iii)tpfcorrole when adsorbed on a high surface area carbon support. This study shows the improved electrocatalytic performance with the new corrole, attributed to its unique compact structure, which enables surface interactions in favor of lowering the reaction overpotential by 70 mV.

Climate and host-plant associations shaped the evolution of ceutorhynch weevils throughout the Cenozoic.

Using molecular phylogenetic data and methods we inferred divergence times and diversification patterns for the weevil subfamily Ceutorhynchinae in the context of host-plant associations and global climate over evolutionary time. We detected four major diversification shifts that correlate with both host shifts and major climate events. Ceutorhynchinae experienced an increase in diversification rate at ∼53 Ma, during the Early Eocene Climate Optimum, coincident with a host shift to Lamiaceae.

Bioinspired Electrocatalysis of Oxygen Reduction Reaction in Fuel Cells Using Molecular Catalysts.

One of the most important chemical reactions for renewable energy technologies such as fuel cells and metal-air batteries today is oxygen reduction. Due to the relatively sluggish reaction kinetics, catalysts are necessary to generate high power output. The most common catalyst for this reaction is platinum, but its scarcity and derived high price have raised the search for abundant nonprecious metal catalysts.

Little effect of climate change on body size of herbivorous beetles.

Ongoing climate change affects various aspects of an animal's life, with important effects on distribution range and phenology. The relationship between global warming and body size changes in mammals and birds has been widely studied, with most findings indicating a decline in body size over time. Nevertheless, little data exist on similar size change patterns of invertebrates in general and insects in particular, and it is unclear whether insects should decrease in size or not with climate warming.

Timing and host plant associations in the evolution of the weevil tribe Apionini (Apioninae, Brentidae, Curculionoidea, Coleoptera) indicate an ancient co-diversification pattern of beetles and flowering plants.

Host plant shifts of insects can lead to a burst of diversification driven by their arrival in a new adaptive zone. In this context, our study aims to explore timing and patterns in the evolution of the weevil tribe Apionini (Brentidae, Curculionoidea, Coleoptera), particularly in relation to affiliations with their host plants. The classification of Apionini is difficult because of their relatively uniform appearance.