A Comparison of Two Methods of Quantifying Mating Success in Low Density Gypsy Moth (Lymantria dispar) Populations

The gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar) is a defoliating pest native to Europe and invasive to North America. The gypsy moth is subject to depressed mating success in low density populations, which may restrict spread of the forest pest. Research focusing on gypsy moth density as it relates to mating behavior has often used counts of males caught in pheromone-baited delta traps as a proxy to estimate the probability of female mating success. The purpose of this project was to determine whether pheromone trap counts provide accurate estimates of female mating success probability, by comparing data gathered from pheromone-baited delta traps to data gathered on mating success of tethered females. To determine the relationship between number of males caught in delta traps and the probability of successful mating, male catch counts in traps were compared to mating success of tethered females in a mass male release experiment. The relationship between delta trap catch of males and female mating success was quantified using a Bayesian framework, which explicitly incorporates uncertainties in the model. Vegetative cover in the study plots was reduced to a single measure through principal components analysis and included as an independent factor in the model. The data suggest that delta traps reduce the male’s ability to find a female by 67%; thus, results garnered from delta trap catch counts tend to underestimate the underlying ability of males to locate and mate with females. Thick understory vegetation further reduced the male’s ability to locate a female, and further reduced the effectiveness of delta traps. Future studies that seek to use counts of males in pheromone-baited traps as a proxy for mating success should consider using an adjustment factor to equate the two methods of quantifying reproductive behavior in the gypsy moth.https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/uresposters/1271/thumbnail.jp

Individually mark–mass release–resight study elucidates effects of patch characteristics and distance on host patch location by an insect herbivore

1. How organisms locate their hosts is of fundamental importance in a variety of basic and applied ecological fields, including population dynamics, invasive species management and biological control. However, tracking movement of small organisms, such as insects, poses significant logistical challenges. 2. Mass-release and individual–mark–recapture techniques were combined in an individually mark–mass release–resight (IMMRR) approach to track the movement of over 2000 adult insects in an economically important plant–herbivore system. Despite its widespread use for the biological control of the invasive thistle Carduus nutans, the host-finding behaviour of the thistle head weevil Rhinocyllus conicus has not previously been studied. Insects were released at different distances from a mosaic of artificially created host patches with different areas and number of plants to assess the ecological determinants of patch finding. 3. The study was able to characterize the within-season dispersal abilities and between-patch movement patterns of R. conicus. Weevils found host plant patches over 900 m away. Large patches, with tall plants, situated close to the nearest release point had the highest first R. conicusresights. Patch area and plant density had no effect on the number of weevils resighted per plant; however, R. conicus individuals were more likely to disperse out of small patches and into large patches. 4. By understanding how R. conicus locates host patches of C. nutans, management activities for the control of this invasive thistle can be better informed. A deeper mechanistic understanding of host location will also improve prediction of coupled plant–herbivore spatial dynamics in general

Mapping the future

Individual space time patterns of serial burglary offenders: mapping risk for operational responses This paper reports on research into the space-time behaviour of burglary crime, in particular that of individual serial offenders, and on an extension to the use of the near repeat phenomena in operational policing in Bournemouth as reported at last years’ conference. Analysis appertaining to serial burglary offending over a period of several years was undertaken with access to full offending histories. Little research has been undertaken on this issue with the use of individual offender data, previous work predominantly utilising recorded crime data with reference to crime scene behavioural indicators. Two stages were involved, the first of which can be described as ‘area analysis’, the purpose being to ascertain if space-time clusters (or ‘near repeats’) were manifest in recorded crime data for the study area. The results were used to inform the second stage comprising of crime series’ analysis of identified prolific burglary offenders to establish their propensity to commit offences close in space and close in time. The work required the development of a new methodology to ascertain and describe potential space-time patterns of individuals. Closest offending behaviour of individuals was established in terms of both time and distance and descriptive statistics with measures of skewness utilised as indicators of overall behaviour. The results add to previous academic findings in the field of crime prevention, providing further evidence that current ‘repeat offence’ crime reduction policies need reviewing and expanding to take account of the element of contagious risk apparent in burglary crime. Concerning individual offending behaviour indications from this work are that most serial burglary offenders commit ‘near repeat’ burglaries, there is a common range of time spans and distance bands within which such offending is carried out. The result of this recent research strongly suggests that serial offenders identify minimum distances from previous offences within which they will prefer not to offend further until a certain minimum time has elapsed. In other words offenders mentally place spatial and temporal buffers around past crime locations and avoid offending within the spatial buffer until the time buffer has ‘expired’. In an effort to retain an operational output the author further developed empirical analysis of serial offending patterns in order to identify small space spatial behaviour of active serial burglary offenders. Simple spreadsheet functions are used in such a way that a serial offender’s personal space-time buffers can be determined as his/her series of crimes develops. This in turn suggests areas and time spans where an offence is unlikely to take place and therefore conversely where the risk of offending is greater. Such mapping therefore creates both enforcement and reduction opportunities that are empirically led. Dorset Police are currently utilising this new analytical method in order to enhance identification and linking of crime series and provide additional evidence led pro-active enforcement opportunities. To date it has proved to be a useful and valid tool, in particular for planning both overt and covert patrol/observation strategies that will be exampled within the presentation

Derek Johnson Dante\u27s Inferno Mini Magazine

https://digital.sandiego.edu/ital-347/1004/thumbnail.jp

Segmentation of slap fingerprints

This thesis describes a novel algorithm that segments the individual fingerprints in a multi-print image. The algorithm identifies the distal phalanx portion of each finger that appears in the image and labels them as an index, middle, little or ring finger. The accuracy of this algorithm is compared with the publicly-available reference implementation, NFSEG, part of the NIST Biometric Image Software (NBIS) suite developed at National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The comparison is performed over large set of fingerprint images captured from unique individuals

The Role of TIPE2 in the Regulation of Inflammation and Tumorigenesis

TIPE2 is a recently discovered regulator of immunity and inflammation. Here we describe a new function of TIPE2 in the regulation of Ras signaling and Tumorigenesis. By using various stimuli and inhibitors in T Cells and macrophages we discovered that TIPE2 is regulated at both the message and protein level by inflammatory stimuli. TIPE2 mRNA is regulated in the short to intermediate term by an NF-Kappa B induced micro RNA, and TIPE2 is also ubiquitylated and degraded, possibly by SCF-Beta TRCP. Mechanistically TIPE2 interacts with and inhibits the Ras-interacting domain of the RalGDS family of Ras effectors, leading to a loss of downstream Ral and AKT activity. TIPE2 deficiency led to increased activation of Ral and AKT, resulting in resistance to cell death, increased migration, and dysregulated exocyst complex formation. Overexpression of TIPE2 conversely induced cell death, affected actin polymerization, and reduced exocyst complex assembly. TIPE2 was able to dramatically slow the growth of Ras-induced tumors in mice, and the tumors were required to silence TIPE2 before they were licensed to grow. TIPE2 additionally negatively regulates effectors of the mTOR pathway, including S6K and 4EBP1, possibly via an interaction with, and destabilization of the mTORC2 complex. Crucially TIPE2 expression is either completely lost or heavily down-regulated by human hepatocellular carcinoma. Thus, via its simultaneous role as a regulator of inflammation and cancer, TIPE2 provides a mechanistic link between these two disease states, and may be a potential drug target for both inflammatory and neoplastic disease