Ochlerotatus j. japonicus (Theobald) was first collected and identified in 2003 from CDC gravid trap collections in Boone, Campbell, and Wolfe counties, Kentucky. Subsequent collections during 2004 ...and 2005 indicate that the species has become established in Boone, Campbell, Fayette, Fleming, Grant, Jefferson, and Kenton counties.
Arboviral diseases transmitted by Aedes species mosquitoes pose an increasing public health challenge in tropical regions. Wolbachia-mediated population suppression (Wolbachia suppression) is a ...vector control method used to reduce Aedes mosquito populations by introducing male mosquitoes infected with Wolbachia, a naturally occurring endosymbiotic bacterium. When Wolbachia-infected male mosquitoes mate with female wild mosquitoes, the resulting eggs will not hatch. Public support is vital to the successful implementation and sustainability of vector control interventions. Communities Organized to Prevent Arboviruses (COPA) is a cohort study to determine the incidence of arboviral disease in Ponce, Puerto Rico and evaluate vector control methods. Focus groups were conducted with residents of COPA communities to gather their opinion on vector control methods; during 2018-2019, adult COPA participants were interviewed regarding their views on Wolbachia suppression; and a follow-up questionnaire was conducted among a subset of participants and non-participants residing in COPA communities. We analyzed factors associated with support for this method. Among 1,528 participants in the baseline survey, median age was 37 years and 63% were female. A total of 1,032 (68%) respondents supported Wolbachia suppression. Respondents with an income of $40,000 or more were 1.34 times as likely 95% CI: 1.03, 1.37 to support Wolbachia suppression than those who earned less than $40,000 annually. Respondents who reported repellant use were 1.19 times as likely to support Wolbachia suppression 95% CI: 1.03, 1.37. A follow-up survey in 2020 showed that most COPA participants (86%) and non-participants living in COPA communities (84%) supported Wolbachia suppression during and after an educational campaign. The most frequent questions regarding this method were related to its impact on human and animal health, and the environment. Continuous community engagement and education efforts before and during the implementation of novel vector control interventions are necessary to increase and maintain community support.
Larval coccinellids are thought to exhibit random search behavior but recent work has suggested that closer analysis of search paths could reveal more olfaction-driven behavior than previously ...realized. To test this idea, the use of volatile chemical cues by larvae of the coccinellid Hippodamia convergens Guérin-Méneville in searching for prey tobacco aphids, Myzus nicotianae Blackman, were studied. Larvae (second, third, and fourth instars) were exposed to three volatile sources; aphids alone, aphids on tobacco leaves and tobacco leaves previously exposed to aphids. Larvae were placed in an arena and their search path traced onto a grid then divided into seven different components relating approach angles and velocities at various time intervals. In general, older larvae were more efficient at searching than were younger ones. Older larvae had lower approach angles and higher approach velocities associated with treatments than did younger larvae. Different search behavior components responded differently to the various treatments but in most cases significant effects attributable to olfactory cues were obtained. The results support the potential use of olfactory cues by these larvae and suggest that a more extensive set of analyses and treatments should be conducted.
Numerous studies have demonstrated induction of proteins in plant tissues by wounding and infestations by various pests and pathogens. Lipoxygenase (LOX) is among the proteins that has been found to ...be induced by pathogens, but detailed information on the induction of LOX has not been reported. We have found a large (up to 10-fold) increase in LOX activity upon wounding of soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) leaves and variable increases due to feeding of the twospotted spider mite. This induction in LOX activity was reflected in increases in amounts of both LOX protein and transcripts suggesting that the induction was at the transcriptional level. LOX activity was also found to be increased in unwounded leaves from plants with wounded leaves lower on the stem indicating that translocatable factors can cause remote induction of LOX activity.
Computer-based technologies have greatly advanced insect pest management. However, as their size and complexity have increased, they have become more oriented toward insect management than insect ...science. Because these technologies consume a significant percentage of entomology's scarce computer expertise, it is important that the advancement of entomology as a science be the point of emphasis. This suggests that changes in priorities are necessary in the areas of research and development at all levels-from the development of farmer-oriented (end user) systems to the individual research entomologist to the funding agency level. This paper presents one perspective on these issues
The effect of atmospheric methyl jasmonate on the oxylipin pathway was investigated in leaves of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.), cucumber (Cucumis sativa L.), and Arabidopsis thaliana (L.). ...Differential sensitivities of test plants to methyl jasmonate were observed. Thus, different concentrations of methyl jasmonate were required for induction of changes in the oxylipin pathway. Arabidopsis was the least and cucumber the most sensitive to methyl jasmonate. Methyl jasmonate induced the accumulation of lipoxygenase protein and a corresponding increase in extractable lipoxygenase activity. Atmospheric methyl jasmonate additionally induced hydroperoxide lyase activity and the enhanced production of several volatile six-carbon products. It is interesting that lipid hydroperoxidase activity, which is a measure of hydroperoxide lyase plus allene oxide synthase plus possibly other lipid hydroperoxide-metabolizing activities, was not changed by methyl jasmonate treatment. Methyl jasmonate selectively altered the activity of certain enzymes of the oxylipin pathway (lipoxygenase and hydroperoxide lyase) and increased the potential of leaves for greatly enhanced six-carbon-volatile production
Stabilization of poorly graded sand in full-scale applications is challenging. This thesis evaluated cement-stabilized sand and had two objectives: (1) evaluation of stabilized material using the PM ...device to quantify engineering properties for future comparison to alterative materials and to investigate the effectiveness of the device with sand and (2) investigation of the merits of alternative application of cement to sand to benchmark against other topically applied materials. The PM device was successfully used to recommend 10% cement for field studies with one sand, successfully allowed data collection in laboratory and field applications, and its potential in sand seems promising though more overarching conclusions on characterization of sand using the PM device are withheld for subsequent efforts. Topical application methods developed in this thesis were able to percolate cement into sand and produce an average estimated unconfined compressive strength of 245 psi measured on cores that were 2.5 inches thick.
Martin Luther King Jr. and the civil rights movement taught me something about liturgy. Remember those scenes in places like Selma or Birmingham, Ala., with the police dogs and the fire hoses? When ...those ordinary folks were marching, singing and facing incredible horrors - the vicious dogs that were attacking even the children, the fire hoses that were coming out with such incredible force - I asked, "How did they do that?" Here's what I found out. In our minority communities, because of the devastation that has taken place for so long, a lot of our black men were not there.
Martin Luther King Jr. and the civil rights movement taught me something about liturgy. Remember those scenes in places like Selma or Birmingham, Ala., with the police dogs and the fire hoses? When ...those ordinary folks were marching, singing and facing incredible horrors --the vicious dogs that were attacking even the children, the fire hoses that were coming out with such incredible force-- I asked, "How did they do that?"
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