Using delimiting surveys to characterize the spatiotemporal dynamics facilitates the management of an invasive non-native insect

The ability to ascertain abundance and spatial extent of a nascent population of a non-native species can inform management decisions. Following initial detection, delimiting surveys, which involve the use of a finer network of samples around the focal point of a newly detected colony, are often used to quantify colony size, spatial extent, and the location of the population core. Despite the widespread use of pheromone-baited traps in delimitation surveys to manage invading populations of Lymantria dispar (L.) in North America, there has been no prior comprehensive attempt to analytically determine the adequacy of these surveys. We used data from 2,190 delimiting grids collected from 2000 to 2010 in the United States to quantify the information gained from delimiting surveys. The use of delimiting surveys revealed that ≈53 % of populations of low initial abundance persisted as detectable populations in the following year; however, when trap data from delimiting surveys were excluded, only ≈16 % of these low density populations were detected in the following year. Measurements of abundance and spatial extent of a detected population were affected by the increased use of delimiting traps after accounting for initial abundance, the distance from an infested area, and colony area. The use of delimiting traps had a lesser effect on the estimation of the spatial location of the population core, indicating that initial detection of a population often reflects the population core. The need to prioritize resources in efforts to manage non-native species is paramount, and early detection is a key in invasive species management.     

Mechanical Stability and Fibrinolytic Resistance of Clots Containing Fibrin,DNA, and Histones

Neutrophil extracellular traps are networks of DNA and associated proteins produced by nucleosome release from activated neutrophils in response to infection stimuli and have recently been identified as key mediators between innate immunity, inflammation, and hemostasis. The interaction of DNA and histones with a number of hemostatic factors has been shown to promote clotting and is associated with increased thrombosis, but little is known about the effects of DNA and histones on the regulation of fibrin stability and fibrinolysis. Here we demonstrate that the addition of histone-DNA complexes to fibrin results in thicker fibers (increase in median diameter from 84 to 123 nm according to scanning electron microscopy data) accompanied by improved stability and rigidity (the critical shear stress causing loss of fibrin viscosity increases from 150 to 376 Pa whereas the storage modulus of the gel increases from 62 to 82 pascals according to oscillation rheometric data). The effects of DNA and histones alone are subtle and suggest that histones affect clot structure whereas DNA changes the way clots are lysed. The combination of histones + DNA significantly prolongs clot lysis. Isothermal titration and confocal microscopy studies suggest that histones and DNA bind large fibrin degradation products with 191 and 136 nm dissociation constants, respectively, interactions that inhibit clot lysis. Heparin, which is known to interfere with the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps, appears to prolong lysis time at a concentration favoring ternary histone-DNA-heparin complex formation, and DNase effectively promotes clot lysis in combination with tissue plasminogen activator.     

Current understanding of the development of sex attractant-based biocontrol in burnet moths

Burnet moths, also known as the family Zygaenidae, are a typical diurnal family of Lepidoptera. Some species are important insect pests in agriculture and forestry. The use of sex attractants is one of the most important measures in the integrated pest management of burnet moths because these attractants are highly efficient, do not cause pollution, and are convenient and harmless to natural enemies. The earliest information about sex pheromones in Zygaenidae was reported in 1972. To date, many studies have described sex pheromones and attractants of species in Zygaenidae. Here, we review a total of 22 sex attractant compositions identified for 57 species of Zygaenidae and compare the differences in the structures of sex attractants among these species. The application of sex attractants in seasonal monitoring showed that the main activity period of zygaenid moths is from May to September each year. However, there are few reports on the effects of sex attractants on mass trapping of members of the family Zygaenidae. The ratio and degradation of sex attractants and the trap color, shape and hanging height were considered the main factors influencing capture effectiveness. Directions for further study of burnet moths are also discussed.     

Seasonal Prevalence of Mosquitoes Collected from Light Traps in the Republic of Korea, 2002

Adult mosquito surveillance was conducted during 2002 at 30 US military installations and training sites located in six provinces in the Republic of Korea (ROK). Adult mosquitoes were collected in New Jersey and dry ice ‐baited New Jersey light traps from 1 May through 15 October. Mosquito surveillance was conducted to determine threshold levels to initiate pesticide applications and identify malaria infection rates at selected Army installations and training sites. A total of 100,617 adults [82,410 (81.9%) females and 18,207 (18.1%) males] comprising 17 species and 7 genera were collected during 2002. The most common species collected were Culex tritaeniorhynchus Giles (49.5%), Anopheles sinensis Wiedemann (30.9%), Culex pipiens Coquillett(11.8%) and Aedes vexans nipponii (Theobald) (7.1%). Trap indices (TIs) varied widely for species over their range, due in part, to geographical distribution and degree of association with urban communities. Anopheles sinensis were collected at the same level while Culex tritaeniorhynchus increased by 27.2% in 2001, due in part to very high populations of Culex tritaeniorhynchus at Gunsan Air Base. The weekly population densities for some species were variable for each of the years, apparently as a result of variable annual weather conditions. None of Anopheles sp. assayed for plasmodium vivax (Pv) malaria infections by Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) were positive.     

Contrasting patterns of vertical stratification in two moth families in a Costa Rican lowland rain forest

The vertical stratification of two species-rich moth families (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae, Geometridae) was analysed in a lowland rain forest in Costa Rica. Moths were trapped with automatic 8 W ultraviolet light traps at three sites in the understorey and canopy of a primary forest at the La Selva Biological Station (10.4° N, 84.0° W). A total of 846 arctiid moths (148 species) and 946 geometrid moths (140 species) were analysed. Species richness and diversity of arctiid moths was significantly lower in the understorey than in the canopy (Fisher's alpha: 24 vs. 49) whereas geometrid moths showed an inverse pattern (Fisher's alpha: 44 vs. 27). This resulted in an overall increase in the proportion of conspicuously coloured species towards the canopy. Moth ensembles were clearly separated in multidimensional scaling ordinations, and differed significantly in their faunal composition and dominance between the strata. The available host plant data suggest that the flight height of moths was determined by larval resource availability. Examples include understorey flyers such as the geometrid genus Eois feeding on Piper, and canopy flyers such as the arctiid moth genera Aclytia, Macrocneme and Poliopastea which feed on lianas.     

The comparison of mechanically stimulated and spontaneous firings in traps of aquatic carnivorous Utricularia species

Firing and resetting of traps in aquatic Utricularia species are associated with water flows and trap volume changes. In this study, trap thickness was used as a measure of water flow and was monitored automatically using an electronic position sensor. Isolated traps from three aquatic Utricularia species were monitored over the course of 1-2 days to verify spontaneous firings (without any mechanical stimulation) and describe their basic characteristics. Isolated traps of three Utricularia species were initially fired by mechanical stimulation and allowed to naturally reset within a period of 24-48 h. Within this resting period, spontaneous firings were found in the traps of all species and in two trap age categories of U. vulgaris. The timing of spontaneous firings was found to be irregular. Spontaneous firings ranged between 0.29 and 2.4 during the 24-h resting period and the mean time between two spontaneous firings was highly variable within each species (319-891 min). There was no quantitative difference between spontaneous and mechanically stimulated firings of the traps. Spontaneous firings could explain how phytoplankton or detritus enters traps even when no prey species are present.     

Concomitant inhibition of HSP90, its mitochondrial localized homologue TRAP1 and HSP27 by green tea in pancreatic cancer HPAF-II cells

Pancreatic cancer is a deadly disease characterized by poor prognosis and patient survival. Green tea polyphenols have been shown to exhibit multiple antitumor activities in various cancers, but studies on the pancreatic cancer are very limited. To identify the cellular targets of green tea action, we exposed a green tea extract (GTE) to human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma HPAF-II cells and performed two-dimensional gel electrophoresis of the cell lysates. We identified 32 proteins with significantly altered expression levels. These proteins are involved in drug resistance, gene regulation, motility, detoxification and metabolism of cancer cells. In particular, we found GTE inhibited molecular chaperones heat-shock protein 90 (Hsp90), its mitochondrial localized homologue Hsp75 (tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated protein 1, or Trap1) and heat-shock protein 27 (Hsp27) concomitantly. Western blot analysis confirmed the inhibition of Hsp90, Hsp75 and Hsp27 by GTE, but increased phosphorylation of Ser78 of Hsp27. Furthermore, we showed that GTE inhibited Akt activation and the levels of mutant p53 protein, and induced apoptosis and growth suppression of the cells. Our study has identified multiple new molecular targets of GTE and provided further evidence on the anticancer activity of green tea in pancreatic cancer.     

Striga seed-germination activity of root exudates and compounds present in stems of Striga host and nonhost (trap crop) plants is reduced due to root colonization by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi

Root colonization by arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi reduces stimulation of seed germination of the plant parasite Striga (Orobanchaceae). This reduction can affect not only host plants for Striga, resulting in a lower parasite incidence, but also false hosts or trap crops, which induce suicidal Striga seed germination, thereby diminishing their effectiveness. In order to better understand these AM-induced effects, we tested the influence of root colonization by different AM fungi on the seed-germination activity of root exudates of the Striga hermonthica nonhost plants cowpea and cotton on S. hermonthica. We also tested the effect of AM fungi on the seed-germination activity of the Striga gesnerioides host plant cowpea on S. gesnerioides. Moreover, we studied whether mycorrhization affects the transport of seed-germination activity to above-ground plant parts. Mycorrhization not only resulted in a lower seed germination of S. gesnerioides in the presence of root exudates of the S. gesnerioides host cowpea but also seed germination of S. hermonthica was also lower in the presence of root exudates of the S. hermonthica nonhosts cowpea and cotton. Downregulation of the Striga seed-germination activity occurs not only in root exudates upon root colonization by different AM fungi but also in the compounds produced by stems. The lowered seed-germination activity does not appear to depend on the presence of seed germination inhibitors in the root exudates of mycorrhizal plants. The implication for Striga control in the field is discussed.     

A new versatile and robust mite trap for detection and monitoring of storage mites in the cereal and allied industries

Storage mites are important primary pests but present methods for trapping them are either rudimentary or have several limitations. These prevent effective early detection or reliable monitoring of mites in the food, animal feed and associated industries. The BT Trap is the first trap designed specifically for the detection and monitoring of mite infestation. This trap is made up of a mixed food base lure held in a robust adjustable housing. It is user friendly, requires an exposure period of only 4 days and can be used in a dusty environment. The performance of the BT Trap was evaluated in the laboratory and the mean minimal capture rate of mites was 62%. In a comparative field trial, this trap detected significantly more mites than the bait bag or the fishmeal trap. The traps performance was also assessed in four different types of premises. These were premises engaged in the production of cereal based dry pet food, specialist animal feed, traditional cheese, and in the finished cereal section of a large transit storage warehouse. A total of 17 genera or species of storage and predatory mites was detected in these four premises, with at least seven species detected in each of these premises. This study confirms that the BT Trap was able to function under the rigours of use in the field. It has demonstrated its potential as a useful tool for early detection and monitoring of mites in production premises. It also provided information that was vital for improving existing mite control measures and in implementing effective management strategies.The British Crowns right to retain a non-exclusive, royalty-free licence in and to any copyright is acknowledged.This revised version was published online in May 2005 with a corrected cover date.