The Discovery of Trissolcus japonicus (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) in Michigan

The invasive brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys (Stål), is a pest of growing economic importance in the United States, the control of which currently relies on pesticide applications. Biological control could provide sustainable and long-term control but classical biological control agents have not yet been approved. Adventive populations of a potential biological control agents, the Samurai wasp, Trissolcus japonicus (Ashmead), have been found in the United States, first in Maryland in 2014, expanding its range west to Ohio by 2017. Trissolcus japonicus is a highly effective parasitoid of H. halys eggs, but its redistribution and augmentative releases are restricted to states where it has been detected in the wild. To assess the presence of T. japonicus in Michigan and attack rates of H. halys by native natural enemies we deployed 189 H. halys egg masses at ten sites in lower Michigan between May and October in 2018. In addition, we deployed 51 native stink bug egg masses at the same sites to evaluate potential non-target effects of T. japonicus in the field, which were shown to occur in laboratory studies. We found T. japonicus in a single H. halys egg mass, which constitutes the first record of this Asian parasitoid in Michigan. Native predators and parasitoids caused minimal mortality of H. halys eggs and we did not find evidence of non-target effects of T. japonicus on native stink bug species. These findings open the door to initiation of a classical biological control program using an efficient, coevolved parasitoid from the native range of H. halys

Game-theoretic versions of strong law of large numbers for unbounded variables

We consider strong law of large numbers (SLLN) in the framework of game-theoretic probability of Shafer and Vovk (2001). We prove several versions of SLLN for the case that Reality's moves are unbounded. Our game-theoretic versions of SLLN largely correspond to standard measure-theoretic results. However game-theoretic proofs are different from measure-theoretic ones in the explicit consideration of various hedges. In measure-theoretic proofs existence of moments are assumed, whereas in our game-theoretic proofs we assume availability of various hedges to Skeptic for finite prices

DNA methylation profiling of the human major histocompatibility complex: A pilot study for the Human Epigenome Project

The Human Epigenome Project aims to identify, catalogue, and interpret genome-wide DNA methylation phenomena. Occurring naturally on cytosine bases at cytosine-guanine dinucleotides, DNA methylation is intimately involved in diverse biological processes and the aetiology of many diseases. Differentially methylated cytosines give rise to distinct profiles, thought to be specific for gene activity, tissue type, and disease state. The identification of such methylation variable positions will significantly improve our understanding of genome biology and our ability to diagnose disease. Here, we report the results of the pilot study for the Human Epigenome Project entailing the methylation analysis of the human major histocompatibility complex. This study involved the development of an integrated pipeline for high-throughput methylation analysis using bisulphite DNA sequencing, discovery of methylation variable positions, epigenotyping by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation mass spectrometry, and development of an integrated public database available at http://www.epigenome.org. Our analysis of DNA methylation levels within the major histocompatibility complex, including regulatory exonic and intronic regions associated with 90 genes in multiple tissues and individuals, reveals a bimodal distribution of methylation profiles (i.e., the vast majority of the analysed regions were either hypo- or hypermethylated), tissue specificity, inter-individual variation, and correlation with independent gene expression data

The formation of medical workers subjectity in the patient care institution environment from a position of the eco-psychological approach

The process of the medical worker's subjectity development as the realization of the ability to be a subject of the optional activity in the shape of professional performance in the patient care institution environment is analyse

Non-newtonian flow and pressure drop of pineapple juice in a plate heat exchanger

The study of non-Newtonian flow in plate heat exchangers (PHEs) is of great importance for the food industry. The objective of this work was to study the pressure drop of pineapple juice in a PHE with 50º chevron plates. Density and flow properties of pineapple juice were determined and correlated with temperature (17.4 < T < 85.8ºC) and soluble solids content (11.0 < Xs < 52.4 ºBrix). The Ostwald-de Waele (power law) model described well the rheological behavior. The friction factor for non-isothermal flow of pineapple juice in the PHE was obtained for diagonal and parallel/side flow. Experimental results were well correlated with the generalized Reynolds number (20 < Re g < 1230) and were compared with predictions from equations from the literature. The mean absolute error for pressure drop prediction was 4% for the diagonal plate and 10% for the parallel plate.(FAPESP) São Paulo Research Foundatio

Arthropod community organization and development in pear

Arthropod communities in pear are conceptualized as hierarchically organized systems in which several levels of organization or subsystems can be recognized between the species population level and the community as a whole. An individual tree is taken to be the community habitat with arthropod subcommunities developing on leaf, fruit and wood subcommunity habitats. Over a hundred species are reported to colonize one or more subcommunity habitats. Each subcommunity is composed of trophically organized systems of populations. Each system of populations is comprised of a guild of arthropods that use the habitat primarily for feeding but also for overwintering or egg deposition, and associated guilds of specialized predators, parasitoids and hyperparasitoids. Understanding community organization entails understanding how subsystems and their environments interact so as to be incorporated into a unified whole. Along with the relatively specialized interrelationships so important in organizing systems of populations, higher level community subsystems are coupled through the activities of phytophagous and predaceous generalists which feed in or take their prey from more than one subcommunity. In meeting the habitat requirements of each of its life history stages, several members of the pear community move from one subcommunity to another during the course of community development and serve to integrate these subsystems. Additional habitat, trophic and life history aspects of subsystem incorporation and interpenetration are discussed. Community development or change in organization through time is conceptualized as being jointly determined by the development of the habitat and the organization of the species pool. Seasonal development of the pear arthropod community is described in terms of changes in the species composition, size, and spatial distribution of guilds and subcommunities. Community habitat development is taken to be the primary determinant of changes in community structure and organization. As the season progresses, changes in the kinds and biomass of developmental states of each subcommunity habitat are accompanied by changes in the kinds, number or biomass, and distribution of associated community subsystems. Although the influence of habitat development on community development is emphasized, it is from the the species pool that arthropods colonize pear. The species that colonize, and their abundance and time of arrival is partially determined by the organization of this system of communities

The Discovery of Trissolcus japonicus (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) in Michigan

The invasive brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys (Stål), is a pest of growing economic importance in the United States, the control of which currently relies on pesticide applications. Biological control could provide sustainable and long-term control but classical biological control agents have not yet been approved. Adventive populations of a potential biological control agents, the Samurai wasp, Trissolcus japonicus (Ashmead), have been found in the United States, first in Maryland in 2014, expanding its range west to Ohio by 2017. Trissolcus japonicus is a highly effective parasitoid of H. halys eggs, but its redistribution and augmentative releases are restricted to states where it has been detected in the wild. To assess the presence of T. japonicus in Michigan and attack rates of H. halys by native natural enemies we deployed 189 H. halys egg masses at ten sites in lower Michigan between May and October in 2018. In addition, we deployed 51 native stink bug egg masses at the same sites to evaluate potential non-target effects of T. japonicus in the field, which were shown to occur in laboratory studies. We found T. japonicus in a single H. halys egg mass, which constitutes the first record of this Asian parasitoid in Michigan. Native predators and parasitoids caused minimal mortality of H. halys eggs and we did not find evidence of non-target effects of T. japonicus on native stink bug species. These findings open the door to initiation of a classical biological control program using an efficient, coevolved parasitoid from the native range of H. halys

Delayed mating in tortricid leafroller species: Simultaneously aging both sexes prior to mating is more detrimental to female reproductive potential than aging either sex alone

Abstract The effect of delayed mating on reproductive potential, longevity and oviposition period of female redbanded leafroller, Argyrotaenia velutinana (Walker) and Pandemis leafroller, Pandemis pyrusana Kearfott, was investigated in the laboratory. Virgin female or male moths of each species were held for 1, 2, 4, 6 or 10 days prior to pairing with one-day-old virgin conspecifics of the opposite sex. In addition, reproductive potential was assessed when both sexes of each species were aged for those periods prior to pairing. The expected reproduction of female A. velutinana was reduced by 34, 53, 71 and 81% for 2, 4, 6 and 10-day delays in female mating, respectively. For P. pyrusana, expected reproduction was reduced by 47, 74, 85 and 93% for 2, 4, 6 and 10-day delays in female mating, respectively. Increasing male age at mating in both species had a lesser effect on female reproductive output compared with increasing female age at mating. As male A. velutinana age at mating increased, the expected reproduction of female A. velutinana was reduced by 15, 45, 54 and 70% for 2, 4, 6 and 10-day delays, respectively. Comparing male P. pyrusana of various ages at mating, expected reproduction was reduced by 14, 42, 64 and 79% for 2, 4, 6 and 10-day delays in mating, respectively. The decrease in female reproduction when both sexes were aged prior to mating was higher than when either sex alone was aged prior to pairing with a one-day-old virgin of the opposite sex. The expected reproduction of female A. velutinana was reduced by 60, 83, 96 and 98% for 2, 4, 6 and 10-day delays in mating of both sexes, respectively. Only 7.5% of female eggs hatched when both sexes of A. velutinana were aged ten days prior to mating. When simultaneously aging both sexes of P. pyrusana prior to mating, expected reproduction was reduced by 71, 93, 96 and 99% for 2, 4, 6 and 10-day delays in mating, respectively. No P. pyrusana eggs hatched after a ten-day delay of mating for both sexes. For both species, female longevity increased and duration of oviposition period decreased with increasing female age at mating. Our results demonstrate that delayed mating in both females and males negatively affects female reproductive output in both species and that simultaneous aging of both sexes prior to mating has a greater effect than aging either sex alone. Our results suggest that laboratory studies that have paired aged females or aged males with conspecifics of optimal reproductive maturity have likely underestimated the effects of delayed mating on reproductive output

Mentoring New Faculty: An Appreciative Approach

During this period of dramatic social and institutional change in higher education, positive induction and ongoing support for early-career and faculty members new to the campus community is essential. Disparities remain in the recruitment, development, retention, and promotion of diverse faculty, in large part because of the lack of mentoring. The purpose of this article is to enhance approaches for supporting early-career and otherwise new faculty members. Based upon the principles and processes of Appreciative Inquiry, the Appreciative Mentoring Model is presented. Each of the Appreciative Inquiry “D-phases” is described in detail together with research-based best practices that can be employed in mentoring. Prompts, questions, and specific examples designed to support the growing need for a more collaborative, fluid, dynamic, and transformative approach to mentoring are provided.

A Bose-Einstein Approach to the Random Partitioning of an Integer

Consider N equally-spaced points on a circle of circumference N. Choose at random n points out of $N$ on this circle and append clockwise an arc of integral length k to each such point. The resulting random set is made of a random number of connected components. Questions such as the evaluation of the probability of random covering and parking configurations, number and length of the gaps are addressed. They are the discrete versions of similar problems raised in the continuum. For each value of k, asymptotic results are presented when n,N both go to infinity according to two different regimes. This model may equivalently be viewed as a random partitioning problem of N items into n recipients. A grand-canonical balls in boxes approach is also supplied, giving some insight into the multiplicities of the box filling amounts or spacings. The latter model is a k-nearest neighbor random graph with N vertices and kn edges. We shall also briefly consider the covering problem in the context of a random graph model with N vertices and n (out-degree 1) edges whose endpoints are no more bound to be neighbors