Population dynamics of phyllocnistis citrella (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae) and its parasitoids in Tafí Viejo, Tucumán, Argentina

Seasonal abundance of the citrus leafminer, Phyllocnistis citrella Stainton (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae), was investigated between Nov 1999 and Apr 2003 in Tafí Viejo (Tucuman province). Phyllocnistis citrella populations increased during spring and summer, declined during fall, and disappeared in the winter. Five species of parasitoids, one exotic and four indigenous, attacked citrus leafminer immature stages in commercial and experimental lemon orchards. Ageniaspis citricola Logvinovskaya (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) was the most abundant parasitoid. Cirrospilus neotropicus Diez & Fidalgo (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) was the most abundant indigenous species, followed by Galeopsomyia fausta LaSalle (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae). The other indigenous species were not common and were only occasionally collected from citrus leafminer larvae. Parasitoids and P. citrella exhibited similar population fluctuations throughout the entire sampling period. A certain degree of synchrony exists between the most abundant parasitoids (A. citricola, C. neotropicus, and G. fausta) and the pest. The highest rates of parasitism were observed in the fall. Ageniaspis citricola exhibited approximately 29.5% parasitism, whereas all the native species together were only 8.2%. Data showed that a clear dependence existed between percentages of parasitism and citrus leafminer population density for the most frequent parasitoid populations. The results of this study show that C. neotropicus has an important role among the native species present in Argentina.Fil: Diez, Patricia Alejandra. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Regional de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia Tecnológica de La Rioja. - Universidad Nacional de La Rioja. Centro Regional de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia Tecnológica de La Rioja. - Universidad Nacional de Catamarca. Centro Regional de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia Tecnológica de La Rioja. - Secretaría de Industria y Minería. Servicio Geológico Minero Argentino. Centro Regional de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia Tecnológica de La Rioja. - Provincia de La Rioja. Centro Regional de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia Tecnológica de La Rioja; ArgentinaFil: Peña, Jorge E.. University of Florida; Estados UnidosFil: Fidalgo, Patricio. University of Florida; Estados Unido

Testing differences in long run growth among Spanish regions: Can growth models explain it?

During the last decade we have assisted to a renewal interest in growth. There were a great number of theoretical and empirical works since the question was reopen by the Romer (1986) article about long run properties of growth models. Growth models can be classified in two kinds: exogenous growth models and endogenous growth models. The main differences between them are that the endogenous models try to incorporate into the behavior of the agents the assumptions that the first assumes as exogenous. This difference, that sounds only methodological, has important implications. The conclusion of the exogenous models is that, in presence of free factor mobility and free diffusion of technology, countries and regions will converge to the same rate of growth, and, in absence of technical progress, they will converge to the same level of per capita income, without any influence of initial conditions or political intervention in the economy (This result is obtained by Barro(1991) and Barro y Sala(1992)). With endogenous models the economies will growth at a rate determined by the behavior of the agents in the economy and could be the same or different among different economies. The theoretical result of these models is that in the long run could exist convergence or divergence. The main focus of this paper is, using the data for Spanish Regions from 1955 to 1991 and applying unit root time series methodology, to determine long run growth rates for each region with the aim of knowing if we can choose between the two kind of growth models.

Journalists : to license or not to license…

The existence or absence of some legal or professional pre-conditions for someone to be allowed to work as a journalist has been a reason for many controversies along the last decades – actually, since the very beginning of the efforts to establish journalism as a legitimate (and legitimized) ‘profession’, rather than an ‘occupation’ or a craft. The obligation to have some kind of license to work as a professional journalist exists in some countries (in Portugal, for example) but doesn’t exist – and, moreover, that simple idea is strongly criticized – in other countries. Those who oppose to any kind of license emphasize the importance of keeping journalism as an ‘open’ profession, accessible to any citizen, under the main argument that it is an activity grounded on the right to freedom of expression – a fundamental and universal right. Those who favour some kind of license or pre-requisite to become a journalist underscore the social relevance and sensitiveness of this job in order to fulfil another fundamental right of every citizen – the right to information (to a truthful, independent, accurate and comprehensive information on the actuality). And, because of that, they stress the importance of having well-prepared, professionalized, ethically responsible and accountable people working as journalists, in order to properly meet such a demanding right. In this paper, we try to review and discuss the arguments for and against this subject, putting it in historical perspective and balancing it with the new questions faced by journalism in the digital Internet era we are living now. Furthermore, we argue that a decisive issue in this debate is ‘who’ might (if so) have the responsibility to grant this professional license and look for its adequate use. In our opinion, this seems to be typically a matter for professional self-regulation, rather than state or government regulation, in order to keep and safeguard the values of freedom of expression and freedom of the press. On the other hand, the values of responsibility and accountability in journalism must be somehow kept and safeguarded as well, if the journalists’ professional group – or those engaged in journalism in its multiple possible forms – really wants to recover some lost credibility and confidence by the public. For this purpose, a real commitment with some requirements usually associated to professionalism – commitment with professional standards and techniques, but, more than that, commitment with a public interest and with clear ethical principles, values and norms – is a major challenge for journalists

Jornalistas e saberes profissionais

Nesta comunicação defendo a necessidade de discutir em novos moldes a tradicional dicotomia (e oposição) entre teoria e prática, no que se refere aos saberes profissionais associados à actividade jornalística. Mais especificamente, argumento sobre a importância de revalorizarmos a componente prática da aprendizagem do jornalismo, não a tratando apenas como um conjunto de técnicas que reproduzem mecanicamente o que outros já se habituaram a fazer, mas como um “saber de acção” ou um “saber profissional” que comporta, necessariamente, dimensões reflexivas (teóricas, se se quiser) de grande importância. O aprofundamento de uma “epistemologia da prática”, defendida por alguns autores, pode ser um bom contributo para colocar em novos moldes a questão da formação dos jornalistas – e da sua própria identidade

O esgotamento (Burnout) nos professores

A palavra Esgotamento é já antiga e está vulgarizada no vocabulário de todos aqueles que se queixam de mal estar físico e, principalmente, psíquico, pelas mais variadas razões, e é quantas vezes a palavra que se leva ao médico para manifestar o seu sentir: "Dr., sinto-me esgotado", "Dr., tenho um esgotamento"

A questão das fontes nos códigos deontológicos dos jornalistas

As múltiplas questões suscitadas pela relação entre jornalistas e fontes de informação fazem parte das mais recorrentes preocupações desta classe profissional. Não admira, portanto, que sejam referidas com frequência nos Códigos Deontológicos dos jornalistas. Constatamos entretanto, quando lemos códigos de diversas latitudes, que essas referências são muito desiguais – tanto no pormenor com que aprofundam (ou não) o assunto, como no maior ou menor enfoque dado a determinados aspectos particulares -, revelando sensibilidades diversas, tradições particulares e até enquadramentos legais específicos. O objectivo desta comunicação é tentar mostrar, de modo necessariamente breve e não exaustivo, as principais semelhanças e diferenças existentes nos Códigos Deontológicos (ou Códigos de Conduta Profissional) de jornalistas, no espaço europeu, quanto à abordagem da problemática das fontes. Analisa-se complementarmente, de modo mais detalhado, a questão específica da protecção das fontes confidenciais de informação (sigilo profissional)

Self-regulation in Portugal : a work in (slow) progress

Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT