Conesus Lake 2008: Baseline Data on the Stream Bank Restoration Project, Update on Water Quality of USDA Monitored Watersheds

Conesus Lake is fed by 18 tributaries and a number of smaller streams and rivulets (Forest et al. 1978). The terrain in the watershed is characterized by gentle slopes at the northern outlet and southern inlet areas. Steep hilly slopes characterize the flanks and southern portion of the watershed. For example, from the middle third of the lake to the southern end of the watershed, the lake and valley are flanked by steep slopes exceeding 45 percent. The soils of the Conesus Lake watershed are mostly derived from locally-occurring shale and sandstone bedrock material that has been reworked by glacial action (Bloomfield 1978). Towards the north of the watershed, limestone materials transported by the glaciers from the central NY limestone belt influence the soil. This influence is less as one moves south, and in general, soils are more agriculturally productive to the north of the watershed compared with the south (Stout 1970). The soils vary widely in other properties of significance to land use management and water quality impacts. Many of the soils are highly susceptible to erosion, presenting the risk of sediment or sediment-borne nonpoint source pollution. Other soils are poorly drained, which make them likely to be important surface runoff generation areas. They are also risk zones for generation of nonpoint source pollution. Overall, the soils of this watershed present a diverse and complicated mosaic of management imperatives – they prescribe land use decisions at the field scale

Influence of Urban Landscapes on Population Dynamics in a Short-Distance Migrant Mosquito: Evidence for the Dengue Vector Aedes aegypti

Worldwide, 2.5 billion people are at risk for dengue infection, with no vaccine or treatment available. Thus dengue prevention is largely focused on controlling its mosquito vector, Aedes aegypti. Traditional mosquito control approaches typically include insecticide applications and breeding site source reduction. Presently, novel dengue control measures including the sterile insect technique and population replacement with dengue-incompetent transgenic mosquitoes are also being considered. Success of all population control programs is in part dependent upon understanding mosquito population ecology, including how anthropogenic effects on the urban landscape influence dispersal and expansion. We conducted a two year population genetic study examining how a major metropolitan highway impacts mosquito dispersal in Trinidad, West Indies. As evidenced by significant differentiation using both nuclear and mitochondrial DNA sequences, the highway acted as a significant barrier to dispersal. Our results suggest that anthropogenic landscape features can be used effectively to enhance population suppression/replacement measures by defining mosquito control zones along recognized landscape barriers that limit population dispersal

Characterization of a broad-based mosquito yeast interfering RNA larvicide with a conserved target site in mosquito semaphorin-1a genes

BACKGROUND: RNA interference (RNAi), which has facilitated functional characterization of mosquito neural development genes such as the axon guidance regulator semaphorin-1a (sema1a), could one day be applied as a new means of vector control. Saccharomyces cerevisiae (baker's yeast) may represent an effective interfering RNA expression system that could be used directly for delivery of RNA pesticides to mosquito larvae. Here we describe characterization of a yeast larvicide developed through bioengineering of S. cerevisiae to express a short hairpin RNA (shRNA) targeting a conserved site in mosquito sema1a genes. RESULTS: Experiments conducted on Aedes aegypti larvae demonstrated that the yeast larvicide effectively silences sema1a expression, generates severe neural defects, and induces high levels of larval mortality in laboratory, simulated-field, and semi-field experiments. The larvicide was also found to induce high levels of Aedes albopictus, Anopheles gambiae and Culex quinquefasciatus mortality. CONCLUSIONS: The results of these studies indicate that use of yeast interfering RNA larvicides targeting mosquito sema1a genes may represent a new biorational tool for mosquito control

Characteristics of Tobacco Users in the Lumber Industry

Cessation interventions for adult smokeless tobacco users may benefit from an improved understanding of the demographic, psychosocial, and tobacco-dependence characteristics of this group. In the current study, 143 employees of the Pacific Lumber Company were interviewed and completed questionnaires about their tobacco use product preference (smokeless tobacco only, cigarettes only, both, and former user), demographic, psychosocial, and tobacco-dependence characteristics. Results of a multivariate discriminant analysis revealed that smokeless-tobacco-only users were younger and reported in engaging in more exercise than did the other three groups; however, they also reported greater dependence on tobacco than did smokers. Formal cessation clinics similar to those that are being used effectively with smokers, and which are age appropriate, may be an effective treatment for adult smokeless tobacco users

Developing a Multi-Dimensional Early Elementary Mathematics Screener and Diagnostic Tool: The Primary Mathematics Assessment

There is a critical need to identify primary level students experiencing difficulties in mathematics to provide immediate and targeted instruction that remediates their deficits. However, most early math screening instruments focus only on the concept of number, resulting in inadequate and incomplete information for teachers to design intervention efforts. We propose a mathematics assessment that screens and provides diagnostic information in six domains that are important to building a strong foundation in mathematics. This article describes the conceptual framework and psychometric qualities of a web-based assessment tool, the Primary Math Assessment (PMA). The PMA includes a screener to identify students at risk for poor math outcomes and a diagnostic tool to provide a more in-depth profile of children’s specific strengths and weaknesses in mathematics. The PMA allows teachers and school personnel to make better instructional decisions by providing more targeted analyses

Enhancing Genome Investigations in the Mosquito Culex quinquefasciatus via BAC Library Construction and Characterization

Background Culex quinquefasciatus (Say) is a major species in the Culex pipiens complex and an important vector for several human pathogens including West Nile virus and parasitic filarial nematodes causing lymphatic filariasis. It is common throughout tropical and subtropical regions and is among the most geographically widespread mosquito species. Although the complete genome sequence is now available, additional genomic tools are needed to improve the sequence assembly. Findings We constructed a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) library using the pIndigoBAC536 vector and HindIII partially digested DNA isolated from Cx. quinquefasciatus pupae, Johannesburg strain (NDJ). Insert size was estimated by NotI digestion and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis of 82 randomly selected clones. To estimate genome coverage, each 384-well plate was pooled for screening with 29 simple sequence repeat (SSR) and five gene markers. The NDJ library consists of 55,296 clones arrayed in 144 384-well microplates. Fragment insert size ranged from 50 to 190 kb in length (mean = 106 kb). Based on a mean insert size of 106 kb and a genome size of 579 Mbp, the BAC library provides ~10.1-fold coverage of the Cx. quinquefasciatus genome. PCR screening of BAC DNA plate pools for SSR loci from the genetic linkage map and for four genes associated with reproductive diapause in Culex pipiens resulted in a mean of 9.0 positive plate pools per locus. Conclusion The NDJ library represents an excellent resource for genome assembly enhancement and characterization in Culex pipiens complex mosquitoes