Developing farmers’ skills and confidence in the use of Trichogramma ostriniae for European corn borer control in sweet corn, peppers, and potatoes

Numerous research and demonstration trials have shown that releases of the parasitic wasp Trichogramma ostriniae (T.ost) can be an effective management strategy for European corn borer control in sweet corn, peppers, and potatoes. It is time to put the use of T.ost into the hands of farmers. Organic farmers, farmers who do not use conventional insecticides, and high-level IPM adopters all stand to benefit from using T.ost releases as all or part of their ECB management strategy, through reduced crop damage, reduced use of insecticides, or both. Growers who are trying T.ost for the first time benefit from technical support to help make the decisions needed to get good results. An understanding of pest and beneficial biology, crop phenology, and proper release rates is needed, as well as the organizational skills to make decisions, order and release wasps, and monitor success in a timely manner. We will work closely with a minimum of 30 farmers growing sweet corn, peppers, and/or potatoes in New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. Project staff will visit collaborating farmers each week to work with farmers to track crop phenology, decide on wasp needs for the following week, and decide where and how the releases will take place. Wasps will be supplied by the project for the first year, with farmers sharing costs the second year. Wasps are currently available commercially through IPM Laboratories in Locke, NY

First analysis of solar structures in 1.21 mm full-disc ALMA image of the Sun

Various solar features can be seen on maps of the Sun in the mm and sub-mm wavelength range. The recently installed Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) is capable of observing the Sun in that wavelength range with an unprecedented spatial, temporal and spectral resolution. To interpret solar observations with ALMA the first important step is to compare ALMA maps with simultaneous images of the Sun recorded in other spectral ranges. First we identify different structures in the solar atmosphere seen in the optical, IR and EUV parts of the spectrum (quiet Sun (QS), active regions (AR), prominences on the disc, magnetic inversion lines (IL), coronal holes (CH) and coronal bright points (CBPs)) in a full disc solar ALMA image. The second aim is to measure the intensities (brightness temperatures) of those structures and compare them with the corresponding QS level. A full disc solar image at 1.21 mm obtained on December 18, 2015 during a CSV-EOC campaign with ALMA is calibrated and compared with full disc solar images from the same day in H\alpha, in He I 1083 nm core, and with SDO images (AIA at 170 nm, 30.4 nm, 21.1 nm, 19.3 nm, and 17.1 nm and HMI magnetogram). The brightness temperatures of various structures are determined by averaging over corresponding regions of interest in the ALMA image. Positions of the QS, ARs, prominences on the disc, ILs, CHs and CBPs are identified in the ALMA image. At 1.21 mm ARs appear as bright areas (but sunspots are dark), while prominences on the disc and CHs are not discernible from the QS background, although having slightly less intensity than surrounding QS regions. ILs appear as large, elongated dark structures and CBPs correspond to ALMA bright points. These results are in general agreement with sparse earlier measurements at similar wavelengths. The identification of CBPs represents the most important new result.Comment: 9 pages, 3 figure

Differential immunity in pigs with high and low responses to porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus infection

One hundred Hampshire × Duroc crossbred pigs (HD) and 100 NE Index line (I) pigs were infected with porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) virus and evaluated for resistance/susceptibility. Controls (100/line) were uninfected littermates to the infected pigs. Viremia, change in weight (WTΔ), and rectal temperature at 0, 4, 7, and 14 d postinfection were recorded. Lung, bronchial lymph node (BLN), and blood tissue were collected at necropsy (14 d postinfection). The first principal component from principal component analyses of all variables was used to rank the pigs for phenotypic response to PRRS virus. Low responders (low PRRS burden) had high WTΔ, low viremia, and few lung lesions; high responders (high PRRS burden) had low WTΔ, high viremia, and many lesions. The RNA was extracted from lung and BLN tissue of the 7 highest and 7 lowest responders per line and from each of their littermates. Expression of 11 innate and T helper 1 immune markers was evaluated with cDNA in a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial design. Significant upregulation in lung, lymph, or both of infected pigs relative to controls occurred for all but one gene. Expression differences were greater in HD than I pigs. Significant downregulation for certain immune genes in low pigs, relative to littermate controls, was detected in lung and BLN, particularly in line I. Serum levels of the immune cytokines affirmed the gene expression differences. High preinfection serum levels of IL 8 were significantly associated with PRRS virus-resistant, low pigs. After infection, low expression of interferon gamma in cDNA and in serum was also correlated with PRRS virus resistance. Important genetic associations were revealed for fine mapping of candidate genes for PRRS virus resistance and determining the causative alleles

Application of Deform 3D package for analisys of technology options of die-forging of forgings "Support"

Проведено аналіз технологічних переходів і техніко-економічних показників трьох варіантів штампування плоскою поковки «Супорт» з наявністю перепадів поперечного перерізу (матеріал – сталь 40 ГОСТ 1050-88) в пакеті Deform 3D без попереднього профілювання, з впровадженням попереднього профілювання осадкою опуклими продовгуватими бойками з наявністю ексцентриситету і багатоштучного штампування. За результатами моделювання побудовані графічні залежності розподілу інтенсивностей напружень і інтенсивностей деформацій у досліджуваних перетинах по трьом технологіям. Виявлено, що впровадження попереднього профілювання осадкою опуклими плитами з ексцентриситетом навантаження перед операцією штампування призводить до зниження інтенсивності напружень на 5% і інтенсивності деформацій на 25% в гравюрі остаточного рівчака, поліпшенню заповнення гравюри штампа і дозволяє скоротити відходи металу в облой до 22%.Purpose. Development and analysis of variants of stamping a flat forging with the presence of drops (unevenness) cross-section with a package of finite element analysis Deform 3D, for example, forging "support". Design/methodology/approach. The analysis of technological transitions and technical and economic indicators of three options of stamping of a flat forgings "Support" with existence of differences of cross section (material – state standard specification 1050-88 steel 40) in a Deform 3D without preliminary profiling, with introduction of preliminary profiling during upsetting by convex oblong dies with existence of eccentricity and multi-piece die-forging. Shows dependences of distribution of stress and strain intensities in the studied sections for the three technologies by results of modeling. Findings. It is revealed that introduction of preparing profiling by an upsetting by convex plates with eccentricity of loading before operation of stamping leads to decrease in intensity of tension on 5% and intensity of deformations on 25% in an engraving of a final brook, to improvement of filling of an engraving of a stamp and allows to reduce metal waste to 22%.Проведен анализ технологических переходов и технико-экономических показателей трёх вариантов штамповки плоской поковки «Суппорт» с наличием перепадов поперечного сечения (материал – сталь 40 ГОСТ 1050-88) в пакете Deform 3D без предварительного профилирования, с внедрением предварительного профилирования осадкой выпуклыми продолговатыми бойками с наличием эксцентриситета и многоштучной штамповки. По результатам моделирования построены графические зависимости распределения интенсивностей напряжений и интенсивностей деформаций в исследуемых сечениях по трём технологиям. Выявлено, что внедрение предварительного профилирования осадкой выпуклыми плитами с эксцентриситетом нагрузки перед операцией штамповки приводит к снижению интенсивности напряжений на 5% и интенсивности деформаций на 25% в гравюре окончательного ручья, улучшению заполнения гравюры штампа и позволяет сократить отходы металла в облой до 22%

Kappa Opioid receptor-induced aversion requires p38 MAPK activation in VTA dopamine neurons

The endogenous dynorphin-κ opioid receptor (KOR) system encodes the dysphoric component of the stress response and controls the risk of depression-like and addiction behaviors; however, the molecular and neural circuit mechanisms are not understood. In this study, we report that KOR activation of p38α MAPK in ventral tegmental (VTA) dopaminergic neurons was required for conditioned place aversion (CPA) in mice. Conditional genetic deletion of floxed KOR or floxed p38α MAPK by Cre recombinase expression in dopaminergic neurons blocked place aversion to the KOR agonist U50,488. Selective viral rescue by wild-type KOR expression in dopaminergic neurons of KOR(−/−) mice restored U50,488-CPA, whereas expression of a mutated form of KOR that could not initiate p38α MAPK activation did not. Surprisingly, while p38α MAPK inactivation blocked U50,488-CPA, p38α MAPK was not required for KOR inhibition of evoked dopamine release measured by fast scan cyclic voltammetry in the nucleus accumbens. In contrast, KOR activation acutely inhibited VTA dopaminergic neuron firing, and repeated exposure attenuated the opioid response. This adaptation to repeated exposure was blocked by conditional deletion of p38α MAPK, which also blocked KOR-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of the inwardly rectifying potassium channel (GIRK) subunit Kir3.1 in VTA dopaminergic neurons. Consistent with the reduced response, GIRK phosphorylation at this amino terminal tyrosine residue (Y12) enhances channel deactivation. Thus, contrary to prevailing expectations, these results suggest that κ opioid-induced aversion requires regulation of VTA dopaminergic neuron somatic excitability through a p38α MAPK effect on GIRK deactivation kinetics rather than by presynaptically inhibiting dopamine release. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Kappa opioid receptor (KOR) agonists have the potential to be effective, nonaddictive analgesics, but their therapeutic utility is greatly limited by adverse effects on mood. Understanding how KOR activation produces dysphoria is key to the development of better analgesics and to defining how the endogenous dynorphin opioids produce their depression-like effects. Results in this study show that the aversive effects of κ receptor activation required arrestin-dependent p38α MAPK activation in dopamine neurons but did not require inhibition of dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens. Thus, contrary to the prevailing view, inhibition of mesolimbic dopamine release does not mediate the aversive effects of KOR activation and functionally selective κ opioids that do not activate arrestin signaling may be effective analgesics lacking dysphoric effects

Difference in severity of porcine circovirus type two-induced pathological lesions between Landrace and Pietrain pigs

Anecdotal information from the field suggests that there are host genetic differences in susceptibility to porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) associated disease among Landrace and Pietrain breeds. The objective of this study was to determine if a difference exists in PCV2 susceptibility between Landrace and Pi-etrain pigs under experimental conditions. Thirty-nine Landrace pigs and 39 Pietrain pigs were blocked by breed, sire, dam, and litter and randomly divided into the following 4 groups: Landrace noninoculated negative control (Landrace-NEG; n = 13), Pietrain noninoculated negative control (Pietrain-NEG; n = 13), Landrace-PCV2 (n = 26; Landrace), and Pietrain-PCV2 (n = 26; Pietrain). After waning of passively acquired anti-PCV2 antibodies, Landrace-PCV2 and Pietrain-PCV2 groups were inoculated with PCV2 isolate ISU-40895. The Landrace-NEG and Pietrain-NEG groups were housed in a separate room, remained noninoculated, and served as negative controls. All pigs in all groups were necropsied at 21 d post PCV2-inoculation. Onset of seroconversion and concentrations of anti-PCV2-IgM, anti-PCV2-IgG, and anti-PCV2 neutralizing antibodies were similar in Landrace-PCV2 and Pietrain-PCV2 groups. Furthermore, the amount of PCV2 DNA and cytokine concentrations in serum and plasma samples were not different between the 2 PCV2-inoculated groups. The severity of PCV2-associated microscopic lesions was different between Landrace and Pietrain pigs; Landrace-PCV2 pigs had significantly (P \u3c 0.05) more severe lymphoid lesions than the Pietrain-PCV2 pigs. Although the pigs originated from the same farm where their dams were commingled, passively acquired anti-PCV2-antibodies waned in Pietrain pigs by approximately 12 wk of age, whereas the majority of the Landrace pigs remained PCV2 seropositive until 18 wk of age and beyond. The results from this study indicate that a genetic difference exists between these 2 breeds of pigs in susceptibility to PCV2-associated lesions