Survival and Phenology of \u3ci\u3eAgrilus Planipennis\u3c/i\u3e (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) Reared on a Newly Developed Artificial Diet Free of Host Material

The final phase in the development of an artificial diet that contains no ash host material and the phenology of the emerald ash borer, Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire (Coleoptera: Bupresidae) on that diet are documented. A diet containing powdered ash phloem exists, but host material introduces potential variability and contamination, and the cost and effort needed to collect and process it can be high. The post-embryonic development of A. planipennis was evaluated on four artificial diets lacking host material, and effects of variations in diet layer thickness and moisture content were also investigated. The best diet and rearing method resulted in 67.8% survival to pupation and 51% to adult. Larval size and development rate were comparable to published accounts for emerald ash borer larvae developing on susceptible host plants. Important advances include reduction of antimicrobial components to the lowest functional level; change of protein sources from wheat germ, brewer’s yeast, and casein to soy flour and casein; reduction of diet moisture content to 50%; and adding a fresh layer of diet to spent diet half-way through larval development. The artificial diet represents a step toward the development of a standardized mass- production system for A. planipennis

Biology and parasitism rates of Pteromalus nr. myopitae (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae), a newly discovered parasitoid of olive fruit fly Bactrocera oleae (Diptera: Tephritidae) in coastal California

An undescribed wasp, Pteromalus nr. myopitae (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) opportunistically parasitizes the olive fruit fly Bactrocera oleae (Rossi) (Diptera: Tephritidae), an introduced pest of olives in California. The native or typical host of P. nr. myopitae is unknown. We demonstrate that P. nr. myopitae is a solitary, ectoparasitic, idiobiont parasitoid of the third instar host inside fruit, and pupation occurs in the host tunnel. Reproduction of P. nr. myopitae on B. oleae in olives in the laboratory and in field cages generally failed. Host-feeding was not observed, and adults fed honey and water lived longer than those provided with water alone. Parasitism in non-commercial olives in the moderate coastal climate of San Luis Obispo occurred primarily from August to October, and was absent from a nearby location with more extreme climate and a low population of B. oleae. Greater parasitoid numbers were associated with greater host densities, and proportion of hosts parasitized was generally higher at lower host densities during 2 years of the study. The geographic range of the parasitoid extends along the coast from San Francisco Bay to Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico, and also inland in the Sacramento Valley, with one record in the San Joaquin Valley. The potential of the parasitoid as a biological control agent of B. oleae is probably low, however, the extent of its interference with other parasitoids being considered for release in California is unknown and warrants further study

Electrophysiologically determined spectral responses in Lobesia botrana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae)

Electrophysiological methods were used to test the visual sensitivity of European grapevine moth, Lobesia botrana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) to wavelengths ranging from 300 to 700 nm. For male and females tested, a main, peak response occurred in the 460-540 nm range (blue-green wavelengths) with females having a generally lower response to wavelengths in that range. A second smaller peak was observed for both sexes at the 340-420 nm range. A general linear model indicated that males, virgin females, and mated females did not react differently to changes in wavelength. No moths showed any obvious sensitivity to wavelengths between 580 and 700 nm. Based on our retinal recording data we suggest that UV light traps (≤480 nm) could be utilized alongside pheromone traps when monitoring L. botrana in high risk areas

Absorption of Nasal and Bronchial Fluids: Precision Sampling of the Human Respiratory Mucosa and Laboratory Processing of Samples.

The methods of nasal absorption (NA) and bronchial absorption (BA) use synthetic absorptive matrices (SAM) to absorb the mucosal lining fluid (MLF) of the human respiratory tract. NA is a non-invasive technique which absorbs fluid from the inferior turbinate, and causes minimal discomfort. NA has yielded reproducible results with the ability to frequently repeat sampling of the upper airway. By comparison, alternative methods of sampling the respiratory mucosa, such as nasopharyngeal aspiration (NPA) and conventional swabbing, are more invasive and may result in greater data variability. Other methods have limitations, for instance, biopsies and bronchial procedures are invasive, sputum contains many dead and dying cells and requires liquefaction, exhaled breath condensate (EBC) contains water and saliva, and lavage samples are dilute and variable. BA can be performed through the working channel of a bronchoscope in clinic. Sampling is well tolerated and can be conducted at multiple sites in the airway. BA results in MLF samples being less dilute than bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) samples. This article demonstrates the techniques of NA and BA, as well as the laboratory processing of the resulting samples, which can be tailored to the desired downstream biomarker being measured. These absorption techniques are useful alternatives to the conventional sampling techniques used in clinical respiratory research

Biological controls investigated to aid management of olive fruit fly in California

The widespread and rapid establishment of the olive fruit fly in California required immediate changes in integrated pest management (IPM) programs for olives. After finding that resident natural enemies did not provide adequate control, researchers began a worldwide search for parasitoids, with exploration in the Republic of South Africa, Namibia, India, China and other countries. Parasitoids were shipped to California, and most were studied in quarantine to determine the best species for release. Two parasitoid species — Psyttalia lounsburyi and Psyttalia humilis — are now being released throughout the state’s olive-growing regions, and researchers are studying their effectiveness

High temperature affects olive fruit fly populations in California's Central Valley

Olive fruit fly commonly infests olives in California’s Central Valley. Field studies indicate that trap counts for olive fruit fly adults in pesticide-free sites decrease in mid- and late summer and then rebound from September to November. Part of this decline is associated with heat stress that the flies experience in mid-July and August. Studies have shown that adult flies will die within a few days if they cannot access adequate amounts of water and carbohydrates. Flight ability is dramatically reduced when resources are unavailable. Olive fruit fly adults may use black scale honeydew as a carbohydrate source to help them survive hot periods. Heat also affects the fly’s reproduction and immature stages within olive fruit. Geographic information system (GIS) maps may be useful for predicting the risk of olive fruit fly infestation

Identification of regulatory variants associated with genetic susceptibility to meningococcal disease.

Non-coding genetic variants play an important role in driving susceptibility to complex diseases but their characterization remains challenging. Here, we employed a novel approach to interrogate the genetic risk of such polymorphisms in a more systematic way by targeting specific regulatory regions relevant for the phenotype studied. We applied this method to meningococcal disease susceptibility, using the DNA binding pattern of RELA - a NF-kB subunit, master regulator of the response to infection - under bacterial stimuli in nasopharyngeal epithelial cells. We designed a custom panel to cover these RELA binding sites and used it for targeted sequencing in cases and controls. Variant calling and association analysis were performed followed by validation of candidate polymorphisms by genotyping in three independent cohorts. We identified two new polymorphisms, rs4823231 and rs11913168, showing signs of association with meningococcal disease susceptibility. In addition, using our genomic data as well as publicly available resources, we found evidences for these SNPs to have potential regulatory effects on ATXN10 and LIF genes respectively. The variants and related candidate genes are relevant for infectious diseases and may have important contribution for meningococcal disease pathology. Finally, we described a novel genetic association approach that could be applied to other phenotypes

Plasma lipid profiles discriminate bacterial from viral infection in febrile children

Fever is the most common reason that children present to Emergency Departments. Clinical signs and symptoms suggestive of bacterial infection are often non-specific, and there is no definitive test for the accurate diagnosis of infection. The 'omics' approaches to identifying biomarkers from the host-response to bacterial infection are promising. In this study, lipidomic analysis was carried out with plasma samples obtained from febrile children with confirmed bacterial infection (n = 20) and confirmed viral infection (n = 20). We show for the first time that bacterial and viral infection produces distinct profile in the host lipidome. Some species of glycerophosphoinositol, sphingomyelin, lysophosphatidylcholine and cholesterol sulfate were higher in the confirmed virus infected group, while some species of fatty acids, glycerophosphocholine, glycerophosphoserine, lactosylceramide and bilirubin were lower in the confirmed virus infected group when compared with confirmed bacterial infected group. A combination of three lipids achieved an area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of 0.911 (95% CI 0.81 to 0.98). This pilot study demonstrates the potential of metabolic biomarkers to assist clinicians in distinguishing bacterial from viral infection in febrile children, to facilitate effective clinical management and to the limit inappropriate use of antibiotics

Plasma lipid profiles discriminate bacterial from viral infection in febrile children

Fever is the most common reason that children present to Emergency Departments. Clinical signs and symptoms suggestive of bacterial infection ar