Direct Infusion Device for Molecule Delivery in Plants.

Testing the function of therapeutic compounds in plants is an important component of agricultural research. Foliar and soil-drench methods are routine but have drawbacks, including variable uptake and the environmental breakdown of tested molecules. Trunk injection of trees is well-established, but most methods for this require expensive, proprietary equipment.

Urinary endogenous peptides as biomarkers for prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the most prevalent types of cancer in men worldwide; however, the main diagnostic tests available for PCa have limitations and a biopsy is required for histopathological confirmation of the disease. Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is the main biomarker used for the early detection of PCa, but an elevated serum concentration is not cancer-specific. Therefore, there is a need for the discovery of new non-invasive biomarkers that can accurately diagnose PCa.

Influence of Light on Reproductive Rates of Asian Citrus Psyllid (Hemiptera: Liviidae).

The impact of light on reproductive rates of Asian citrus psyllid (Diaphorina citri Kuwayama) was assessed in an air-conditioned, polycarbonate greenhouse. This psyllid is an important pest because it transmits a bacterium presumed responsible for a serious citrus disease known as Asiatic huanglongbing. Numbers of psyllids produced were compared among rearing cages subjected to different amounts of light provided by natural sunlight and light-emitting diode floodlights.

Effects of Temperature, Photoperiod, and Rainfall on Morphometric Variation of Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera: Liviidae).

Phenotypic plasticity provides a mechanism by which an organism can adapt to new or changing environments. Earlier studies have demonstrated the variability of Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Asian citrus psyllid) population dynamics, but no analysis of morphological changes induced by seasonal or artificial laboratory-induced conditions has yet been documented. Such morphometric variation has been found to correspond in dispersal capabilities in several insect taxa.

Host plant affects morphometric variation of (Hemiptera: Liviidae).

The Asian citrus psyllid (ACP), Kuwayama, is one of the most serious citrus pests worldwide due to its role as vector of huanglongbing or citrus greening disease. While some optimal plant species for ACP oviposition and development have been identified, little is known of the influence of host plants on ACP size and shape. Our goal was to determine how size and shape of ACP wing and body size varies when development occurs on different host plants in a controlled rearing environment.