Relationships between catches in flight and emergence traps of the mountain pine beetle, Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopk. (Col.: Scolytidae)

Daily emergence of the mountain pine beetle from lodgepole pine trees was monitored in the field by using caged bolts and by counting emergence holes on standing trees. Flying mountain pine beetles, pine engraver beetles and Pityogenes plagiatus knechteli (Swaine) were captured daily in two types of barrier traps. Daily totals of emergence holes and emergence into cages were moderately correlated with daily captures by both types of barrier traps. A simple model of daily emergence was developed based on estimates of brood density, daily proportions of brood adults, and daily proportions of brood adults ready to emerge. Daily catches of pine engravers and P. plagiatus knechteli were highly intercorrelated, but correlations with catches of mountain pine beetle were low for both species. The results are discussed in relation to beetle emergence and flight behaviour

Identification and characterization of a novel extracellular matrix protein nephronectin that is associated with integrin alpha8beta1 in the embryonic kidney.

The epithelial-mesenchymal interactions required for kidney organogenesis are disrupted in mice lacking the integrin alpha8beta1. None of this integrin's known ligands, however, appears to account for this phenotype. To identify a more relevant ligand, a soluble integrin alpha8beta1 heterodimer fused to alkaline phosphatase (AP) has been used to probe blots and cDNA libraries. In newborn mouse kidney extracts, alpha8beta1-AP detects a novel ligand of 70-90 kD. This protein, named nephronectin, is an extracellular matrix protein with five EGF-like repeats, a mucin region containing a RGD sequence, and a COOH-terminal MAM domain. Integrin alpha8beta1 and several additional RGD-binding integrins bind nephronectin. Nephronectin mRNA is expressed in the ureteric bud epithelium, whereas alpha8beta1 is expressed in the metanephric mesenchyme. Nephronectin is localized in the extracellular matrix in the same distribution as the ligand detected by alpha8beta1-AP and forms a complex with alpha8beta1 in vivo. Thus, these results strongly suggest that nephronectin is a relevant ligand mediating alpha8beta1 function in the kidney. Nephronectin is expressed at numerous sites outside the kidney, so it may also have wider roles in development. The approaches used here should be generally useful for characterizing the interactions of novel extracellular matrix proteins identified through genomic sequencing projects

Discrimination against Mixed-Status Families and its Health Impact on Latino Children

Background and Objective: Restrictive immigration policies and discrimination are associated with negative health outcomes for immigrant and Latino families. Mixed-status families represent a unique subpopulation of Latinos affected by restrictive immigration policies. This qualitative study explored discrimination against mixed-status families and its potential health impact on Latino children from the perspective of Latina mothers. Methods: In 2017, twenty in-depth interviews with Latina mothers of mixed-status families living in northwestern North Carolina were conducted, transcribed, and analyzed. Constant comparison, an approach to grounded theory development, was used. Results: Nine themes emerged that reflected experiences with discrimination and its negative impact on children. Themes included more frequent and severe discrimination during and after the 2016 US presidential election, determination to stay together and remain in the US, experiences of discrimination in multiple settings, the impact of discrimination on child health and well-being, the impact of fear and stress on meeting the needs of children, the burden on children serving as liaisons between families and services, the inability of citizenship to protect against the effects of discrimination, positive and hopeful responses to discrimination, and the potential role of education in building a foundation for reducing discrimination (and thus promoting the health and well-being of Latino children) in the future. Conclusions: Discrimination against mixed-status Latino families constitutes a critical threat to the health and well-being of Latino children. Further research should inform immigration policies that support (rather than threaten) the health, well-being, and health care practices that mitigate the stresses experienced by Latino children

Characterization of a 5-eV neutral atomic oxygen beam facility

An experimental effort to characterize an existing 5-eV neutral atomic oxygen beam facility being developed at Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory is described. This characterization effort includes atomic oxygen flux and flux distribution measurements using a catalytic probe, energy determination using a commercially designed quadrupole mass spectrometer (QMS), and the exposure of oxygen-sensitive materials in this beam facility. Also, comparisons were drawn between the reaction efficiencies of materials exposed in plasma ashers, and the reaction efficiencies previously estimated from space flight experiments. The results of this study show that the beam facility is capable of producing a directional beam of neutral atomic oxygen atoms with the needed flux and energy to simulate low Earth orbit (LEO) conditions for real time accelerated testing. The flux distribution in this facility is uniform to +/- 6 percent of the peak flux over a beam diameter of 6 cm

Patterns of landing of spruce beetles, Dendroctonus rufipennis (Coleoptera: Scolytidae), on baited lethal trap trees

The distribution of spruce beetles (Dendroctonus rufipennis [Kirby]) landing on lethal trap trees was studied in each of 2 years. A wire basket and sticky boards on each tree were used to trap beetles. Significantly more beetles landed on the north side of the boles than on the other three aspects. The density of beetles that landed increased sharply to about 1.6-2.4 m above ground and then decreased. A three- parameter empirical model was used to describe the relationship. On average, about 4 of all the beetles that landed did so below the maximum height of insecticide treatment (4 m). The proportion of beetles from the lower 4 m of the bole that were trapped in the wire baskets ranged from 11% to 57% and averaged 33%. High correlations between numbers of beetles trapped in wire baskets at the paired trap trees each year, and between beetles trapped in wire baskets and on corresponding sticky boards showed that catches in the baskets were good indicators of the total numbers of beetles that landed on trap trees.Relative heat accumulation in the stand in degree-hours above a base temperature of 13.3°C during the day was a good indicator of the relative numbers of beetles that landed on the sticky boards. On typical days, beetles began to land on trap trees in midmorning: landings peaked between 1500 hours and 1600 hours and ceased by 2000 hours

Mortality of spruce beetle broods in bolts submerged in water

Six weeks of continuous submersion in water of spruce bolts containing larvae and young adults of the spruce beetle resulted in complete mortality. We estimated that 22 days of continuous submersion would be required to kill 50% of the brood. Brood development ceased in the submerged bolts even though water temperature, which increased from 13.3°C to 17.8°C during the experiments, was well above the larval development threshold (6.1°C)

Wheat potential yield trials 1980

80C34, 80TS9, 80BA4, 80WH8, 80KA7, 80N20, 80E41