Surviving the summer: foot-and-mouth disease virus survival in U.S. regional soil types at high ambient temperatures.

Introduction: Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is one of the most economically significant global livestock diseases. In the U.S.

Molecular identification of predation on the Dubas bug (Hemiptera: Tropiduchidae) in Oman date palms: density-dependent response to prey.

The date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) (Arecales: Arecaceae) is the most economically important crop in Oman with an annual production of >360,000 tons of fruit. The Dubas bug (Ommatissus lybicus de Bergevin) (Hemiptera: Tropiduchidae) is one of the major pests of date palms, causing up to a 50% reduction in fruit production.

A high-quality genome of the convergent lady beetle, Hippodamia convergens.

Here, we describe a high-quality genome assembly and annotation of the convergent lady beetle, Hippodamia convergens (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae). The highest quality unmasked genome comprises 619 megabases (Mb) of chromosomal DNA, organized into 899 contigs, with a contig N50 score of 89 Mbps. The genome was assessed to be 96% complete (BUSCO).

Go west: Population genomics reveals unexpected population fluctuations and little gene flow in Western hemisphere populations of the predatory lady beetle, .

-the convergent lady beetle, has been used extensively in augmentative biological control of aphids, thrips, and whiteflies across its native range in North America, and was introduced into South America in the 1950s. Overwintering .  populations from its native western range in the United States are commercially collected and released across its current range in the eastern USA, with little knowledge of the effectiveness of its augmentative biological control.

Global patterns of genomic and phenotypic variation in the invasive harlequin ladybird.

Background: The harlequin ladybird Harmonia axyridis (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), native to Asia, has been introduced to other major continents where it has caused serious negative impacts on local biodiversity. Though notable advances to understand its invasion success have been made during the past decade, especially with then newer molecular tools, the conclusions reached remain to be confirmed with more advanced genomic analyses and especially using more samples from larger geographical regions across the native range. Furthermore, although H.

Prepregnancy exposure to dietary arsenic and congenital heart defects.

Introduction: Arsenic crosses the placenta and accumulates in fetal tissues. In the United States, diet is the predominant route of arsenic exposure, but epidemiologic data are sparse regarding this exposure and development of birth defects. Using data from a large case-control study, we explored associations between maternal dietary arsenic exposure and congenital heart defects (CHDs), the most prevalent birth defects.

Transcriptional Regulation of Reproductive Diapause in the Convergent Lady Beetle, .

Diapause is an alternate development program that synchronizes an insect's life cycle with seasonally abundant resources and ensures survival in unfavorable conditions. The physiological basis of diapause has been well characterized, but the molecular mechanisms regulating it are still being elucidated. Here, we present a transcriptome and quantify transcript expression during diapause in the convergent lady beetle .

Neural tube defects prevalence does not increase after modification of the folic acid fortification program in Chile.

Background: In 2000, Chile's Ministry of Health mandated fortification of wheat flour with folic acid at a concentration of 2.2 mg/kg to prevent neural tube defects (NTDs), resulting in a 50% reduction in NTD prevalence. Concerns about possible collateral effects of high folic acid intake led, in 2009, to decrease the folic acid fortification to 1.

Genome of the parasitoid wasp Dinocampus coccinellae reveals extensive duplications, accelerated evolution, and independent origins of thelytokous parthenogeny and solitary behavior.

Dinocampus coccinellae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is a generalist parasitoid wasp that parasitizes >50 species of predatory lady beetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), with thelytokous parthenogeny as its primary mode of reproduction. Here, we present the first high-quality genome of D. coccinellae using a combination of short- and long-read sequencing technologies, followed by assembly and scaffolding of chromosomal segments using Chicago + HiC technologies.

Arsenic exposure during pregnancy and postpartum maternal glucose tolerance: evidence from Bangladesh.

Background: Arsenic exposure has been associated with gestational diabetes mellitus. However, the extent to which arsenic exposure during pregnancy is associated with postpartum glucose intolerance is unknown.

Methods: We studied 323 women in Bangladesh.

Irreproducibility in searches of scientific literature: A comparative analysis.

Repeatability is the cornerstone of science, and it is particularly important for systematic reviews. However, little is known on how researchers' choice of database, and search platform influence the repeatability of systematic reviews. Here, we aim to unveil how the computer environment and the location where the search was initiated from influence hit results.

Parental metal exposures as potential risk factors for spina bifida in Bangladesh.

Background: Neural tube defects are a pressing public health concern despite advances in prevention from folic acid-based strategies. Numerous chemicals, in particular arsenic, have been associated with neural tube defects in animal models and could influence risk in humans.

Objectives: We investigated the relationship between parental exposure to arsenic and 17 metals and risk of neural tube defects (myelomeningocele and meningocele) in a case control study in Bangladesh.

Feasibility of Lead Exposure Assessment in Blood Spots using Energy-Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence.

Collecting blood spots from newborns is a common procedure used to diagnose multiple health conditions. Fingerstick blood samples are routinely collected from children to diagnose elevated blood lead levels. In our study, we wanted to test the feasibility of using a high-power energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) device to accurately measure the concentration of lead in blood spots.

Interactions Among Native and Non-Native Predatory Coccinellidae Influence Biological Control and Biodiversity.

Over the past 30 yr, multiple species of predatory Coccinellidae, prominently L. and (Pallas) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) have spread to new continents, influencing biodiversity and biological control. Here we review the mechanisms underlying these ecological interactions, focusing on multi-year field studies of native and non-native coccinellids and those using molecular and quantitative ecological methods.

Altering Planting Date to Manage Melanaphis sacchari (Hemiptera: Aphididae) Populations in Sweet Sorghum.

Melanaphis sacchari Zehntner is a new pest of sweet sorghum in the United States, with the potential to cause complete crop failure. In Kentucky, sweet sorghum is normally planted in early May and harvested in late August or September. Planting sweet sorghum earlier in the season may avoid damaging levels of M.

Stunting and lead: using causal mediation analysis to better understand how environmental lead exposure affects cognitive outcomes in children.

Background: Many children in Bangladesh experience poor nutritional status and environmental lead exposure, both of which are associated with lower scores on neurodevelopmental assessments. Recent studies have suggested that part of lead's adverse effects on neurodevelopment are caused in part by lead's effect on growth. New statistical methods are now available to evaluate potential causal pathways in observational studies.

Comparison of native and non-native predator consumption rates and prey avoidance behavior in North America and Europe.

Novel predator-prey interactions can contribute to the invasion success of non-native predators. For example, native prey can fail to recognize and avoid non-native predators due to a lack of co-evolutionary history and cue dissimilarity with native predators. This might result in a competitive advantage for non-native predators.

Comparative Studies of Reproductive Diapause in North American Populations of Three Hippodamia Species (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae).

Quantifying responses of three congeneric species of lady beetles, Hippodamia parenthesis (Say), Hippodamia convergens (Guerin), and Hippodamia variegata (Goeze) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), to abiotic factors that influence their seasonal biology provides an understanding of the phenology of these species in North America. The developmental response and the induction and duration of adult hibernal diapause in four North American populations of H. parenthesis, collected between 40° N and 44° N latitude, was determined when beetles were reared at four photoperiods (L:D 16:8, 14:10, 12;12, and 10:14) at 22°C.

Insights from Population Genomics to Enhance and Sustain Biological Control of Insect Pests.

Biological control-the use of organisms (e.g., nematodes, arthropods, bacteria, fungi, viruses) for the suppression of insect pest species-is a well-established, ecologically sound and economically profitable tactic for crop protection.

Optimizing Sample Size for Population Genomic Study in a Global Invasive Lady Beetle, .

Finding optimal sample sizes is critical for the accurate estimation of genetic diversity of large invasive populations. Based on previous studies, we hypothesized that a minimal sample size of 3-8 individuals is sufficient to dissect the population architecture of the harlequin lady beetle, , a biological control agent and an invasive alien species. Here, equipped with a type IIB endonuclease restriction site-associated (2b-RAD) DNA sequencing approach, we identified 13,766 and 13,929 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), respectively, among native and invasive populations.

Supplemental Foods Affect Energetic Reserves, Survival, and Spring Reproduction in Overwintering Adult Hippodamia convergens (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae).

For insects that overwinter as adults, winter food resources may affect subsequent spring reproduction and abundance. We tested if provision of food supplements to overwintering adult Hippodamia convergens (Guerin) increased energy reserves, winter survival, and spring reproduction. During 2015-2016, H.

A case-control analysis of maternal diet and risk of neural tube defects in Bangladesh.

Objectives: Mothers need a nutrient-rich diet for healthy neural tube development. Neural tube defect risk can be reduced through fortifying grain products with folic acid and taking folic acid supplements. Fortification is not required in Bangladesh.

Corn stover harvest N and energy budgets in central Iowa.

Harvesting corn stover removes N from the fields, but its effect on subsurface drainage and other N losses is uncertain. We used the Root Zone Water Quality Model (RZWQM) to examine N losses with 0 (NRR) or 50% (RR) corn residue removal within a corn and soybean rotation over a 10-yr period. In general, all simulations used the same pre-plant or post-emergence N fertilizer rate (200 kg ha yr).

Photoperiodic Induction of Adult Diapause in North American Populations of the Convergent Lady Beetle (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae).

Characterization of intraspecific variation is required to assess the potential nontarget effects of augmentative releases of Hippodamia convergens (Guerin) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) from the Western United States on local populations of this species in the Eastern United States. Adults of this predatory lady beetle species overwinter in adult reproductive diapause, thus examining responses to photoperiods can characterize geographic variation influencing their seasonal biology. This laboratory study quantified the induction and duration of adult reproductive diapause in five North American populations of H.