Effects of reduced-risk pesticides and plant growth regulators on rove beetle (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) adults

Citation: Echegaray, Erik R., and Raymond A. Cloyd. 2012. “Effects of Reduced-Risk Pesticides and Plant Growth Regulators on Rove Beetle (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) Adults.” Journal of Economic Entomology 105 (6): 2097–2106. https://doi.org/10.1603/EC12244.In many regions, pest management of greenhouse crops relies on the use of biological control agents; however, pesticides are also widely used, especially when dealing with multiple arthropod pests and attempting to maintain high esthetic standards. As such, there is interest in using biological control agents in conjunction with chemical control. However, the prospects of combining natural enemies and pesticides are not well known in many systems. The rove beetle, Atheta coriaria (Kraatz), is a biological control agent mainly used against fungus gnats (Bradysia spp.). This study evaluated the effects of reduced-risk pesticides and plant growth regulators on A. coriaria adult survival, development, and prey consumption under laboratory conditions. Rove beetle survival was consistently higher when adults were released 24 h after rather than before applying pesticides. The pesticides acetamiprid, lambda-cyhalothrin, and cyfluthrin were harmful to rove beetle adults, whereas Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin, azadirachtin, and organic oils (cinnamon oils, rosemary oil, thyme oil, and clove oil) were nontoxic to A. coriaria adults. Similarly, the plant growth regulators acymidol, paclobutrazol, and uniconazole were not harmful to rove beetle adults. In addition, B. bassiana, azadirachtin, kinoprene, organic oils, and the plant growth regulators did not negatively affect A. coriaria development. However, B. bassiana did negatively affect adult prey consumption. This study demonstrated that A. coriaria may not be used when applying the pesticides, acetamiprid, lambda-cyhalothrin, and cyfluthrin, whereas organic oils, B. bassiana, azadirachtin, and the plant growth regulators evaluated may be used in conjunction with A. coriaria adults. As such, these compounds may be used in combination with A. coriaria in greenhouse production systems

Space probe/satellite ejection apparatus for spacecraft

An ejection apparatus for spinning and propelling objects for ejection from a spacecraft at a desired velocity and rotational speed is discussed. The apparatus includes a launch cradle on which the space object to be ejected rests. The cradle is rotatably supported by a central hub secured to the upper end of the pneumatic cylinder piston shaft. Release mechanisms consisting of a retractable pin and locking lug is utilized to hold the cradle and object to be ejected. The release mechanism has a fixed barrier member which holds the retractable pin in engagement with the locking lug until release by upward movement of the launch cradle beyond the barrier height

Effect of a physical barrier on adult emergence and egg survival associated with the fungus gnat, Bradysia sp. nr. coprophila (Diptera: Sciaridae), under laboratory conditions

Citation: Raudenbush, Amy L., Raymond A. Cloyd, and Erik R. Echegaray. 2014. “Effect of a Physical Barrier on Adult Emergence and Egg Survival Associated with the Fungus Gnat, Bradysia Sp. Nr. Coprophila (Diptera: Sciaridae), under Laboratory Conditions.” HortScience 49 (7): 905–10. https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI.49.7.905.This study was conducted to assess the direct and indirect effects of Growstones™ aggregates, which are made from recycled glass, on fungus gnat, Bradysia sp. nr. coprophila (Diptera: Sciaridae), adult emergence, female egg-laying capacity, and egg survival. A series of experiments were performed under laboratory conditions to evaluate the effect of different sizes (2.0 to 10.0 mm) of Growstones™ aggregates, layer thicknesses (0.63 to 3.18 cm), and the use of the biological control agent, the rove beetle, Dalotia coriaria, along with different thicknesses (1.27 and 3.18 cm) of small Growstones™ aggregates on fungus gnat adult emergence. For each experiment, Growstones™ aggregates were applied to the surface of the growing medium in 473-mL polypropylene deli containers. This study demonstrated that the thickest (3.18 cm) layer of small (2.0 mm) Growstones™ aggregates significantly reduced or delayed the emergence of fungus gnat adults. In addition, the thickest layer of small Growstones™ aggregates may have indirectly affected egg survival. However, the use of Growstones™ along with rove beetle adults did not significantly reduce fungus gnat adult emergence

Introducing the JMBE themed issue on science communication

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Latent HIV in primary T lymphocytes is unresponsive to histone deacetylase inhibitors

Recently, there is considerable interest in the field of anti-HIV therapy to identify and develop chromatin-modifying histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors that can effectively reactivate latent HIV in patients. The hope is that this would help eliminate cells harboring latent HIV and achieve an eventual cure of the virus. However, how effectively these drugs can stimulate latent HIVs in quiescent primary CD4 T cells, despite their relevant potencies demonstrated in cell line models of HIV latency, is not clear. Here, we show that the HDAC inhibitors valproic acid (VPA) and trichostatin A (TSA) are unable to reactivate HIV in latently infected primary CD4 T cells generated in the H80 co-culture system. This raises a concern that the drugs inhibiting HDAC function alone might not be sufficient for stimulating latent HIV in resting CD4 T cells in patients and not achieve any anticipated reduction in the pool of latent reservoirs

Long-term clinical, immunologic and virologic impact of glucocorticoids on the chronic phase of HIV infection

BACKGROUND: To test the hypothesis of down-regulating the increased immune system activation/destruction process associated with chronic HIV infection, we focused our interest on prednisolone (PDN), because we had showed that, in vitro, PDN had a strong anti-apoptotic activity on activated T cells of HIV-infected patients and no effect on viral replication. We thus designed in 1992 a pilot study to evaluate the clinical, immunologic and virologic effects of PDN. The drug was given to a group of 44 patients with CD4 T cells over 200/μl. After one year, no patient had developed clinical AIDS and the mean CD4 T cell count of the group had increased from 441 ± 21 cells/μl to 553 ± 43 cells/μl. Moreover, markers of immune activation had dropped back to normal levels while the mean viral load of the group had remained unchanged. Here we explore the long-term clinical, immunologic, and virologic impact of prednisolone on the chronic phase of HIV infection. METHODS: Retrospective study over 10 years starting between July 1992 and February 1993. A total of 44 patients with CD4 cells/μl ranging from 207 to 775 were treated with prednisolone, 0.5 mg/kg/d, over 6 months and 0.3 mg/kg/d thereafter. RESULTS: No clinical AIDS developed under prednisolone; side effects of the drug were mild. CD4 cells which increased from 421 cells/μl at entry to 625 cells/μl at day 15, slowly decreased to reach 426 cells/μl after two years; T cell apoptosis and activation markers dropped within 15 days to normal levels and reincreased slowly thereafter. Serum viral loads remained stable. The percentage of patients maintaining CD4 cells over entry was 43.2% at two years, 11.4% at five years and 4.6% at 10 years. Initial viral load was highly predictive of the rate of CD4 decrease under prednisolone. CONCLUSIONS: Prednisolone postponed CD4 cell decrease in a viral load dependent manner for a median of two years and for up to 10 years in a fraction of the patients with a low viral load. These findings might stimulate clinical trials as well as biological research on the role of antiapoptotic drugs in HIV infection

The association of patient weight and dose of fosphenytoin, levetiracetam, and valproic acid with treatment success in status epilepticus

The Established Status Epilepticus Treatment Trial was a blinded, comparative‐effectiveness study of fosphenytoin, levetiracetam, and valproic acid in benzodiazepine‐refractory status epilepticus. The primary outcome was clinical seizure cessation and increased responsiveness without additional anticonvulsant medications. Weight‐based dosing was capped at 75 kg. Hence, patients weighing >75 kg received a lower mg/kg dose. Logistic regression models were developed in 235 adults to determine the association of weight (≤ or >75 kg, ≤ or >90 kg), sex, treatment, and weight‐normalized dose with the primary outcome and solely seizure cessation. The primary outcome was achieved in 45.1% and 42.5% of those ≤75 kg and >75 kg, respectively. Using univariate analyses, the likelihood of success for those >75 kg (odds ratio [OR] = 0.9, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.54‐1.51) or >90 kg (OR = 0.85, 95% CI = 0.42‐1.66) was not statistically different compared with those ≤75 kg or ≤90 kg, respectively. Similarly, other predictors were not significantly associated with primary outcome or clinical seizure cessation. Our findings suggest that doses, capped at 75 kg, likely resulted in concentrations greater than those needed for outcome. Studies that include drug concentrations and heavier individuals are needed to confirm these findings