Oviposition and Development of Emerald Ash Borer \u3ci\u3e(Agrilus Planipennis)\u3c/i\u3e (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) on Hosts and Potential Hosts in No-Choice Bioassays

Emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire) (Coleoptera: Bupres- tidae) is an invasive phloem-feeding pest native to Asia. It was first identified in North America in 2002 and has killed millions of ash (Fraxinus spp.) trees in southeast Michigan and Essex County, Ontario. Since then, additional populations have been discovered across Michigan and in areas of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Maryland, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. In Asia, A. planipennis reportedly colonizes other genera, including species of Juglans, Pterocarya and Ulmus. In North America, attacks on non-ash species have not been observed but there is concern about host switching as ash mortality progresses. From 2003 to 2005, we evaluated A. planipennis oviposition and larval development on 4 North American ash species: green ash (F. pennsylvanica Marshall), white ash (F. americana L.), black ash (F. nigra Marshall), blue ash (F. quadrangulata Michaux), and 6 potential alternate hosts including privet (Ligustrum and Forestiera spp.), Japanese tree lilac (Syringa reticulate (Blumb) Hara), American elm (Ulmus americana L.), black walnut (Juglans nigra L.), hickory (Carya ovata (Miller) K. Koch) and hackberry (Celtis occidentalis L.). In no- choice tests using cut branches in cages, female A. planipennis oviposited on all species tested. Larvae on green ash, white ash, black ash, blue ash and privet developed to the second instar before branches desiccated. Larvae attempted to feed on some black walnut, Japanese tree lilac, American elm and hackberry branches but died as first instars. There were no feeding attempts on hickory branches. We also conducted no-choice tests by placing adult A. planipennis in cages that encircled the lower 1 m of the trunk of live green ash, white ash, black walnut and Japanese tree lilac nursery trees. High densities of larvae developed on green ash and white ash nursery trees but there was no evidence of any larval survival, feeding, or development on the Japanese tree lilac or black walnut nursery trees

Effects of Nitrogen Fertilization on Monoterpenes of Jack Pine Seedlings and Weight Gain of Jack Pine Budworm (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae)

Nine-month old jack pine (Pinus banksiana) seedlings were grown in a greenhouse under four nitrogen fertilization regimes. Levels of total nitrogen and five monoterpenes in new foliage were measured. Fertilization resulted in four significantly different levels of foliar nitrogen; means ranged from 1.8-4.5 percent dry weight. Contrary to predictions of resource availability theory, seedlings grown under the highest fertilization regime had higher foliar monoterpene levels than seedlings in the other treatments. Newly molted, sixth-instar female jack pine budworm (Choristoneura pinus pinus [Lepidoptera: Tortricidae]) larvae were allowed to feed for four days on new foliage of the seedlings. Larvae that fed on low-nitrogen seedling gained less weight and process more vegetation than did larvae on high- nitrogen seedlings. Larval weight gain was positively related to foliar nitrogen

Laboratory Rearing of \u3ci\u3eLycaeides Melissa Samuelis\u3c/i\u3e (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae), An Endangered Butterfly in Michigan

The Karner blue butterfly (Lycaeides melissa samuelis) is listed as a federally endangered species in the United States. It occurs in oak savanna and pine barren habitats from eastern Minnesota to New Hampshire. In 1994, we successfully reared Karner blue larvae under controlled laboratory conditions for experimental purposes, and report on those rearing methods here. We collected 20 female Karner blue adults of the spring generation from two areas in Michigan, and housed them in cages in an environmental chamber at 240 -26°C for 5 days. The female butterflies produced 154 eggs, of which 72 hatched in an average of 4.5 days, and 68 first instars survived. Eggs, larvae and pupae were kept in a growth chamber at 24°C. Developmental time from egg to adult averaged 26 days; the average duration of each instar ranged from 3 to 4 days, and the average pupal duration was 8 days. Thirty three lab- oratory-reared Karner blue larvae successfully completed the 4 instars, and were released as adults into maternal collection sites. Laboratory rearing may be a viable means of providing Karner blue individuals for reintroduction into areas where the species is extirpated, for supplementation of small populations, or for research. Ultimately, such methods may become an integral part in the recovery of this and other rare invertebrate species

Susceptibility of the Endangered Karner Blue Butterfly (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) to \u3ci\u3eBacillus Thuringiensis\u3c/i\u3e Var. \u3ci\u3eKurstaki\u3c/i\u3e Used for Gypsy Moth Suppression in Michigan

We investigated the phenological and physiological susceptibility of the endangered Karner blue butterfly (Lycaeides melissa samuelis) to Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki (Bt), a product widely used for gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar) suppression in Michigan and other infested states. We monitored phenology of the bivoltine Karner blue in two regions of Michigan from 1993 to 1995 to determine if larval stages overlapped temporally with the period of Bt application for gypsy moth suppression. Karner blue larvae of the spring generation were found during the period that Bt was applied in nearby areas in 1993 only. However, spring-generation adults or newly laid eggs were observed up to 11 days before applications in 1994 and 1995. Since Karner blue eggs develop within one week, summer-generation larvae were most likely present during or shortly after 1994 and 1995 Bt application periods. These larvae would have been at risk, assuming Bt persistence of 4 to 6 days. Physiological susceptibility of Karner blue larvae to Bt was determined in a laboratory bioassay. Larvae were reared on wild lupine (Lupinus perennis) foliage that was untreated, or sprayed with Bt formulations at rates of 30-37 or 90 BIU/ha. A similar bioassay with second instar gypsy moth larvae on similarly treated white oak (Quercus alba) foliage was conducted concurrently. Karner blue survival was 100%, 27% and 14% on control, low and high Bt treatments, respectively. Early and late Karner blue instars were equally susceptible to Bt. Survival of gypsy moth was 80%, 33% and 5% on control, low and high Bt treatments, respectively, and did not differ significantly from Karner blue survival. We conclude that Karner blue is both phenologically and physiologically susceptible to Bt used for gypsy moth suppression, although the larval generation at risk and extent of phenological overlap may vary from year to year

Oviposition and Development of Emerald Ash Borer \u3ci\u3e(Agrilus Planipennis)\u3c/i\u3e (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) on Hosts and Potential Hosts in No-Choice Bioassays

Emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire) (Coleoptera: Bupres- tidae) is an invasive phloem-feeding pest native to Asia. It was first identified in North America in 2002 and has killed millions of ash (Fraxinus spp.) trees in southeast Michigan and Essex County, Ontario. Since then, additional populations have been discovered across Michigan and in areas of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Maryland, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. In Asia, A. planipennis reportedly colonizes other genera, including species of Juglans, Pterocarya and Ulmus. In North America, attacks on non-ash species have not been observed but there is concern about host switching as ash mortality progresses. From 2003 to 2005, we evaluated A. planipennis oviposition and larval development on 4 North American ash species: green ash (F. pennsylvanica Marshall), white ash (F. americana L.), black ash (F. nigra Marshall), blue ash (F. quadrangulata Michaux), and 6 potential alternate hosts including privet (Ligustrum and Forestiera spp.), Japanese tree lilac (Syringa reticulate (Blumb) Hara), American elm (Ulmus americana L.), black walnut (Juglans nigra L.), hickory (Carya ovata (Miller) K. Koch) and hackberry (Celtis occidentalis L.). In no- choice tests using cut branches in cages, female A. planipennis oviposited on all species tested. Larvae on green ash, white ash, black ash, blue ash and privet developed to the second instar before branches desiccated. Larvae attempted to feed on some black walnut, Japanese tree lilac, American elm and hackberry branches but died as first instars. There were no feeding attempts on hickory branches. We also conducted no-choice tests by placing adult A. planipennis in cages that encircled the lower 1 m of the trunk of live green ash, white ash, black walnut and Japanese tree lilac nursery trees. High densities of larvae developed on green ash and white ash nursery trees but there was no evidence of any larval survival, feeding, or development on the Japanese tree lilac or black walnut nursery trees

Economic Impacts of Non-Native Forest Insects in the Continental United States

Reliable estimates of the impacts and costs of biological invasions are critical to developing credible management, trade and regulatory policies. Worldwide, forests and urban trees provide important ecosystem services as well as economic and social benefits, but are threatened by non-native insects. More than 450 non-native forest insects are established in the United States but estimates of broad-scale economic impacts associated with these species are largely unavailable. We developed a novel modeling approach that maximizes the use of available data, accounts for multiple sources of uncertainty, and provides cost estimates for three major feeding guilds of non-native forest insects. For each guild, we calculated the economic damages for five cost categories and we estimated the probability of future introductions of damaging pests. We found that costs are largely borne by homeowners and municipal governments. Wood- and phloem-boring insects are anticipated to cause the largest economic impacts by annually inducing nearly $1.7 billion in local government expenditures and approximately$830 million in lost residential property values. Given observations of new species, there is a 32% chance that another highly destructive borer species will invade the U.S. in the next 10 years. Our damage estimates provide a crucial but previously missing component of cost-benefit analyses to evaluate policies and management options intended to reduce species introductions. The modeling approach we developed is highly flexible and could be similarly employed to estimate damages in other countries or natural resource sectors

Physiological and behavioral effects of animal-assisted interventions for therapy dogs in pediatric oncology settings

Over the past two decades, animal-assisted interventions (AAIs), defined as the purposeful incorporation of specially trained animals in services to improve human health, have become increasingly popular in clinical settings. However, to date, there have been few rigorously-designed studies aimed at examining the impact of AAIs on therapy animals, despite a notable potential for stress. The current study measured physiological and behavioral stress indicators in therapy dogs who participated in AAI sessions in pediatric oncology settings, while also examining the psychosocial effects for patients and their parents. This manuscript describes the study’s canine stress findings. Methods: A total of 26 therapy dog-handler teams were paired with newly diagnosed children with cancer at five children’s hospitals in the United States. These teams provided regular AAI visits to the child and his/her parent(s) for a period of four months. The teams completed a demographic form, the Canine Behavioral Assessment & Research Questionnaire (C-BARQ), and a self-report survey to document the types of activities that occurred during each session. Canine saliva was also collected at five baseline time points and 20 minutes after the start of study sessions for cortisol analysis, and all study sessions were video recorded to document the dog’s behavior via an ethogram measure. Results: Data showed no significant differences in salivary cortisol levels between baseline (0.51µg/dL) and AAI sessions (0.44µg/dL), p = 0.757. Higher salivary cortisol was significantly associated with a higher number of stress behaviors per session (p = 0.039). There was a significant relationship between stress and affiliative session behaviors (pConclusions:Results show that therapy dogs did not have significantly increased physiological stress responses, nor did they exhibit significantly more stress-related behaviors than affiliative-related behaviors, while participating in AAIs in pediatric oncology settings. The significant relationship between canine cortisol and behavior, thus strengthening the argument for the use of cortisol in canine well-being research. This study discusses the importance of further investigation to confirm these findings, which may lead to enhanced canine involvement in hospital settings

Positron emission tomography and magnetic resonance imaging methods and datasets within the Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer Network (DIAN)

The Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer Network (DIAN) is an international collaboration studying autosomal dominant Alzheimer disease (ADAD). ADAD arises from mutations occurring in three genes. Offspring from ADAD families have a 50% chance of inheriting their familial mutation, so non-carrier siblings can be recruited for comparisons in case-control studies. The age of onset in ADAD is highly predictable within families, allowing researchers to estimate an individual\u27s point in the disease trajectory. These characteristics allow candidate AD biomarker measurements to be reliably mapped during the preclinical phase. Although ADAD represents a small proportion of AD cases, understanding neuroimaging-based changes that occur during the preclinical period may provide insight into early disease stages of \u27sporadic\u27 AD also. Additionally, this study provides rich data for research in healthy aging through inclusion of the non-carrier controls. Here we introduce the neuroimaging dataset collected and describe how this resource can be used by a range of researchers

The utility of B-type natriuretic peptide in the diagnosis of heart failure in the emergency department: a systematic review

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Dyspnea is a common chief complaint in the emergency department (ED); differentiating heart failure (HF) from other causes can be challenging. Brain Natriuretic Peptide (BNP) is a new diagnostic test for HF for use in dyspneic patients in the ED. The purpose of this study is to systematically review the accuracy of BNP in the emergency diagnosis of HF.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We searched MEDLINE (1975–2005) supplemented by reference tracking. We included studies that reported the sensitivity and specificity of BNP for diagnosing HF in ED patients with acute dyspnea. Two reviewers independently assessed study quality. We pooled sensitivities and specificities within five ranges of BNP cutoffs.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Ten studies including 3,344 participants met inclusion criteria. Quality was variable; possible verification or selection bias was common. No studies eliminated patients with obvious medical causes of dyspnea. Most studies used the Triage BNP assay; all utilized a clinical reference standard. Pooled sensitivity and specificity at a BNP cutoff of 100–105 pg/ml were 90% and 74% with negative likelihood ratio (LR) of 0.14; pooled sensitivity was 81% with specificity of 90% at cutoffs between 300 and 400 pg/ml with positive LR of 7.6.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our analysis suggests that BNP has moderate accuracy in detecting HF in the ED. Our results suggest utilizing a BNP of less than 100 pg/ml to rule out HF and a BNP of greater than 400 pg/ml to diagnose HF. Many studies were of marginal quality, and all included patients with varying degrees of diagnostic uncertainty. Further studies focusing on patients with diagnostic uncertainty will clarify the real-world utility of BNP in the emergency management of dyspnea.</p

The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite: Simulations of Planet Detections and Astrophysical False Positives

The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) is a NASA-sponsored Explorer mission that will perform a wide-field survey for planets that transit bright host stars. Here, we predict the properties of the transiting planets that TESS will detect along with the eclipsing binary stars that produce false-positive photometric signals. The predictions are based on Monte Carlo simulations of the nearby population of stars, occurrence rates of planets derived from Kepler, and models for the photometric performance and sky coverage of the TESS cameras. We expect that TESS will find approximately 1700 transiting planets from 2×105 pre-selected target stars. This includes 556 planets smaller than twice the size of Earth, of which 419 are hosted by M dwarf stars and 137 are hosted by FGK dwarfs. Approximately 130 of the R < 2R⊕ planets will have host stars brighter than Ks = 9. Approximately 48 of the planets with R < 2R⊕ lie within or near the habitable zone (0.2 < S/S⊕ < 2); between 2 and 7 such planets have host stars brighter than Ks = 9. We also expect approximately 1100 detections of planets with radii 2-4 R⊕, and 67 planets larger than 4 R⊕. Additional planets larger than 2 R⊕ can be detected around stars that are not among the pre-selected target stars, because TESS will also deliver full-frame images at a 30 min cadence. The planet detections are accompanied by over one thousand astrophysical false positives. We discuss how TESS data and ground-based observations can be used to distinguish the false positives from genuine planets. We also discuss the prospects for follow-up observations to measure the masses and atmospheres of the TESS planetsAstronom