Walking Velocity and Estimated Distance of the Armored Scale Crawler Rhizaspidiotus donacis, a Biological Control Agent for Arundo donax

Arundo scale, Rhizaspidiotus donacis (Leonardi) (Hemiptera: Diaspididae), is an armored scale biological control agent established on the invasive weed, Arundo donax L. (Poaceae; Arundinoideae) at several locations along the Rio Grande in Texas (Goolsby et. al. 2009, Moran and Goolsby 2010, Goolsby et al. 2011, Villarreal et al. 2016). The arundo scale is having significant impact on the target weed in areas where it established (Goolsby and Moran 2019), and no non-target plant use was observed (Goolsby et al. 2020). Armored scale crawlers usually live for less than a day and settle within 1 m of their sessile mother (Beardsley and Gonzalez 1975). Their low level of dispersion led to biological studies of the arundo scale in quarantine before release to quantify aspects of its biology that influenced dispersal. We measured walking velocity, estimated the potential distance a crawler could travel during a 12-hour period, and variations of the attributes for crawlers that emerged over time from different geographical accessions. The information was used to prioritize populations for release at field sites or nearby rearing facility. Three accessions of R. donacis crawlers from France, Italy, and Greece were evaluated (Table 1). Crawlers of each accession were isolated as individuals in gelatin capsules on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings and kept for observation in the laboratory at 23°C and 50% relative humidity. Crawlers in gelatin capsules were observed with the aid of a dissecting microscope (Leica MZ-16). Distances walked were measured using a stage micrometer during 10-second periods. Arundo scale crawlers walked at an average velocity of 0.47 mm per second, which is similar to measurements of crawlers of black scale, Saisettia olea Bern., walking on wax paper at 0.38 mm per second (Quayle 1911). The estimated distance walked by black scale crawlers in 12 hours was 9.1 m, which is similar to arundo scale that ranged from 14.4 to 20.7 m (Table 1). Arundo scale crawlers from different European accessions showed significant differences in mean velocity walked and potential estimated maximum distance during 3 and 12 hours and for days during the week they emerged. Differences might reflect the nutrition of the plant host. All accessions were harvested from A. donax stands with high population levels of R. donacis, so rhizomes and ramets might have been significantly depleted of nutrient reserves which influenced the vigor of crawlers. As expected, crawlers collected on Mondays had the least vigor because some might have been as old as 3 days. Arundo scale crawlers seemed to be capable of traveling as far as 20 m which is the maximum height of an A. donax stem. Although we did not estimate distance for more than 12 hours, the period of time represents the typical life span of an arundo scale crawler (Beardsley and Gonzalez 1975). Dispersal of arundo scale is limited to movement of the crawlers over short distances and displacement of infested rhizomes during flood events. Considering the limited dispersal ability of R. donacis, additional rearing and release might be needed to achieve maximum benefit from this key agent where the weed is invasive and especially over the 350 river miles of the Rio Grande along the Texas-Mexico border

Incentivizing a carbon-free economy: a method to identify free-riders

Top-down approaches to reducing global carbon dioxide emissions have so far met with limited success, even though most countries accept the urgency of mitigating climate change and have entered into various agreements that should help reduce emissions. This article does not dismiss the importance of such "top-down" agreements for developing rational strategies to achieve declining total emissions, but it suggests a complementary approach to encourage immediate "bottom-up" progress on climate goals that do not need to wait for global cooperation. This paper develops a framework to identify free-riding behavior among countries that use three readily measured parameters of the country’s economy: carbon intensity, rate of change of the carbon intensity, and per capita GDP. It then goes on to propose a simple formula to calculate trade sanctions against a free-riding country that could be used in bilateral actions to incentivize carbon emissions reductions. The paper argues that the value of the goods, the difference in carbon intensity between the importer and exporter, and the cost of carbon removal can be used to calculate the unfair trade advantage of a free-riding country. The dynamics of the proposed framework are tested through three case studies, highlighting current free-rider behavior - based on historic emissions for the period 1991-2012; an lternate, hypothetical scenario whereby a subset of countries follow aggressive carbon emission reductions; and a 450 ppm stabilization scenario

Influence of Menopausal Status on Lipids and Lipoproteins and Fat Mass Distribution: The Pioneer Project

Following menopause, fat redistribution and increased risk for dyslipidemia are common. The influence of menopause; however, on the associations between total and regional fat mass with lipids and lipoproteins remains unclear. PURPOSE: The purpose of this investigation was to determine the influence of menopausal status on associations between total and regional fat mass and lipids and lipoproteins. METHODS: Sedentary, non-smoking women (n=209) were grouped based on current menstrual status: premenopausal (n=143, mean±SD; age=42.7±7.7 yr, BMI=24.5±4.0 kg•m -2, WC=77.4±9.9 cm) or postmenopausal (n=66, mean±SD; age=52.9±5.3 yr, BMI= 24.9±4.2 kg•m -2, WC=78.8±9.9 cm). Fasting (12 hr) serum samples were analyzed for total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (Tg), LDL-C, HDL-C, HDL2-C, and HDL3-C concentrations. Total (TF), abdominal (AF), hip (HF) and mid-thigh (MTF) fat mass were quantified by DXA. A MANCOVA was used to determine differences between groups for total and regional fat mass and lipids and lipoproteins controlling for HRT status. Stepwise multiple regression analysis was used to determine if menopausal status influenced the association of total and regional fat mass with lipids and lipoproteins. The criterion reference for statistical significance was set at a P \u3c 0.05. RESULTS: Postmenopausal women had significantly greater TC, HDL-C, LDL-C and HDL3-C concentrations than premenopausal women. No significant differences were observed between groups for total and regional fat mass. In premenopausal women, AF predicted TC, but no associations were observed in postmenopausal women. In premenopausal women, AF+HF and AF+TF were significant predictors of Tg and LDL-C, respectively. In contrast, only AF predicted Tg and LDL-C in postmenopausal women. AF+MTF best predicted HDL-C in premenopausal women; however, TF+MTF best predicted HDL-C in postmenopausal women. In premenopausal women, no associations were observed with HDL2-C or HDL3-C. TF and TF+MTF were best predictors of HDL2-C and HDL3-C, respectively in postmenopausal women. CONCLUSION: Menopausal status has an effect on lipid and lipoprotein-cholesterol concentrations, but not on total and regional fat mass. In addition, menopausal status had an influence on the associations of total and regional fat mass with lipids and lipoproteins

Responses Of Lipids And Lipoproteins Following Acute And Training Resistance Exercise In Obese Postmenopausal Women

A single aerobic session and aerobic training can favorably modify lipids and lipoproteins in postmenopausal women, but the effects of a single resistance exercise session (RE) and resistance training (RT) remain equivocal. PURPOSE: To determine the acute effects of RE and chronic effects of 12 weeks of RT on lipid and lipoprotein-cholesterol concentrations in obese, postmenopausal women. METHODS: Sedentary, obese, non-smoking, postmenopausal women, not taking HRT, were divided into either an exercise group (E, n = 10; age = 65.7 ± 1.8 y; BMI = 32.6 ± 3.5 kg/m2) or control group (C, n = 11; age = 66.1 ± 3.0 y; BMI = 32.9 ± 4.3 kg/m2). Fasting (12 hr) blood samples were collected prior to and 24 hr after the first (BT) and last (AT) exercise session, and at the same time points for C. E performed ten upper and lower body resistance exercises (3 sets, 8 rep/set, 80% 1-RM) 3 times per week for 12 weeks; while C attended education classes twice per week for 12 weeks. Serum was assayed for total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL-C, HDL-C, HDL2-C, HDL3-C concentrations. A 2 x 2 x 2 (group x training period x time) MANOVA was to determine changes in lipid and lipoprotein variables. A 2 x 2 (group x time) repeated measures ANOVA was used to assess body composition. RESULTS: The MANOVA revealed no significant changes in serum lipids or lipoproteins following RE or RT. No changes in body composition were observed post-training (P \u3e 0.05). Variable Pre-BT 24 hr BT Pre-AT 24 hr AT TC (mg/dl) C E 189 ± 28 217 ± 55 205 ± 40 212 ± 49 201 ± 48 207 ± 105 206 ± 42 195 ± 106 Tg (mg/dl) C E 107 ± 42 114 ± 40 96 ± 49 103 ± 25 116 ± 49 129 ± 92 112 ± 45 102 ± 48 LDL-C (mg/dl) C E 112 ± 26 140 ± 51 129 ± 37 137 ± 41 118 ± 40 127 ± 89 124 ± 41 120 ± 88 HDL-C (mg/dl) C E 55 ± 16 55 ± 12 57 ± 14 55 ±16 60 ± 13 53 ± 15 60 ± 16 54 ± 17 HDL2-C (mg/dl) C E 36 ± 12 36 ± 10 35 ± 10 34 ± 13 35 ± 12 33 ± 14 33 ± 16 35 ± 13 HDL3-C (mg/dl) C E 19 ± 9 19 ± 5 21 ± 7 21 ± 6 25 ± 6 20 ± 5 26 ± 6 20 ± 7 CONCLUSION: These data suggest that a single RE session and a 12-week RT program have no effect on lipids and lipoproteins. Compared to the effects of aerobic training, resistance exercise related changes in body composition may be necessary to modify lipids and lipoproteins in obese postmenopausal women

Alcohol Misuse and Gun Violence: An Evidence-Based Approach for State Policy

This report summarizes the connection between alcohol and firearm use, reviews existing state laws, and makes a core set of recommendations for addressing the problem at the state level:Limiting access to firearms by persons with a record of alcohol misuseLimiting access to guns when and where alcohol is consumedIf these policy recommendations are to be effective, it is also important to address the environment where alcohol is sold and consumed. We therefore consider additional policies known to be effective in reducing excessive alcohol consumption and its related harms. In the last section, the report reviews key legal considerations that can help policymakers successfully implement the policies recommended in the report

Senior Recital

List of performers and performances

Data access for the 1,000 Plants (1KP) project

© 2014 Matasci et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. The 1,000 plants (1KP) project is an international multi-disciplinary consortium that has generated transcriptome data from over 1,000 plant species, with exemplars for all of the major lineages across the Viridiplantae (green plants) clade. Here, we describe how to access the data used in a phylogenomics analysis of the first 85 species, and how to visualize our gene and species trees. Users can develop computational pipelines to analyse these data, in conjunction with data of their own that they can upload. Computationally estimated protein-protein interactions and biochemical pathways can be visualized at another site. Finally, we comment on our future plans and how they fit within this scalable system for the dissemination, visualization, and analysis of large multi-species data sets