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The article shows the experience of Cumbres International School Oaxaca and Prepa Anáhuac Oaxaca in the implementation of a STEAM-Makerspace laboratory. This is through a guide for the operation of a makerspace laboratory with a STEAM pedagogy (for its acronym in English Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics).

Durante las últimas décadas el mundo ha estado buscando una manera de generar una mayor participación ciudadana y una de estas formas las encontró mediante la transparencia y la rendición de cuentas de los Estados respecto del ejercicio de los recursos públicos a fin de avanzar en una rendición de cuentas y una participación en ejecución de la ciudadanía. En 2011 México da un paso para alcanzar este fin al unirse a la Alianza para el Gobierno Abierto, sin embargo, no se ha obtenido el nivel de participación ciudadana y la rendición de cuentas que se esperaría al encontrarse en su cuarto plan de acción. La presente investigación mostrará de manera breve en que consiste la Alianza para el Gobierno Abierto, posteriormente se establecerá que es un gobierno abierto y que es la participación ciudadana, concluyendo con el análisis de un compromiso del plan de acción 2019-2021 de México.

Various cardiopulmonary pathologies associated with electronic cigarette (EC) vaping have been reported. This study investigated the differential adverse effects of heating-associated by-products versus the intact components of EC aerosol to the lungs and heart of mice. We further dissected the roles of caspase recruitment domain-containing protein 9 (CARD9)-associated innate immune response and NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome in EC exposure-induced cardiopulmonary injury. C57BL/6 wild type (WT), CARD9

El ácaro de la erinosis del lichi es una plaga nativa de Asia que ha sido reportada en varios países. En Brasil ha causado pérdidas y ha incrementado los costos de producción en un 20%. También en India se ha reportado una reducción del 80% en el rendimiento. En 2018, el LEM fue encontrado en el condado de Lee, Florida y luego en otros del centro y el sur del estado. En consecuencia, la División de Industria Vegetal del Departamento de Agricultura y Servicios al Consumidor del estado de Florida estableció un programa de erradicación y cuarentena en el condado de Lee. Esta publicación brinda un perfil a profundidad del ácaro de la erinosis del lichi y está dirigida a personas interesadas con conocimiento de biología, así como a una audiencia académica.

El picudo del botón del hibisco es una plaga originaria de México y de Texas, visto en Florida por primera vez en 2017. El incremento de las poblaciones del picudo entre 2019 y 2020 impactó negativamente la industria del hibisco en Florida, resultando en grandes pérdidas económicas (el estado lidera la producción nacional). Esta plaga está regulada por la División de Industria Vegetal del Departamento de Agricultura y Servicios al Consumidor, que establece que cualquier vivero que lo detecte debe seguir un acuerdo para reducir probabilidades de dispersión. El propósito de este documento es proveer información acerca de esta importante plaga a productores de viveros y al público interesado.

This paper explores the construction of Peruvian literature in two different language editions of Wikipedia: Spanish and Quechua. Comparing both versions I analyze the way they approach the representation and writing of a national literature in relation to two factors: region (writers from the 25 Peruvian political regions) and language (words used to provide information about writers). I argue that the exclusion of cultural contributions of Amazonian regions in both Wikipedias not only has a high correlation with the regional population and Gross Domestic Product, but also reproduces a traditional notion of Peruvian literature. However, because of its accessibility and collaborative nature, the Quechua Wikipedia innovates by enabling the user community to propose an alternative representation of national literature. The research also demonstrates the urgency of engaging and fostering the participation of indigenous communities in the creation and editing of Wikipedia.

The Caribbean fruit fly, Anastrepha suspensa (Loew) (Diptera: Tephritidae), is a quarantine pest of Citrus spp. and a production pest of guava and other specialty fruits in Florida. Effective monitoring lures and traps are needed for early pest detection and timely initiation of control measures. As part of a continued effort to identify attractive synthetic lures for the Caribbean fruit fly, we conducted field tests in Homestead, Florida to compare the efficacy and longevity of commercial 2- and 3-component cone lures (2C [ammonium acetate and putrescine], 3C [ammonium acetate, putrescine, and trimethylamine]), the current standards used by regulatory agencies, versus the traditional liquid protein bait consisting of hydrolyzed torula yeast and borax as a positive control. Additional lures were also field-aged and periodically brought into the laboratory to quantify residual chemical contents. Traps baited with the torula yeast-borax mixture captured the highest mean number of A. suspensa, and traps baited with the commercial 2C lures captured more flies than the 3C lures. Traps baited with torula yeast-borax also captured the highest number of nontarget Diptera. Captures with all three treatments were significantly biased toward females. Attractiveness of the 2C lure began to drop after 6–8 wk, and the 3C lure after 5–6 wk. Overall, these data suggest that the 2C cone lure is more attractive to A. suspensa than the 3C cone lure under field conditions in south Florida, and that the 2C lures are attractive for up to 8 wk.

RESUMENLa industria de la curtiembre genera aguas residuales con alta carga contaminante si estos son desechados sin previo tratamiento alguno, afecta severamente a los distintos compartimientos ambientales. Se estudió la eficiencia de un modelo de sistema de tratamiento a escala para tratar los efluentes de la curtiembre. Se diseñó, construyo y evaluó un sistema que comprende de 4 etapas principales siendo estas: sedimentación, filtración, electrocoagulación y finalmente el tratamiento con un biofiltro a base de la biomasa de los hongos de Aspergillus niger y Rhizopus sp; se trabajó con una muestra compuesta por las etapas de lavado, remojo, pelambre, curtido, desencale y engrase de una curtiembre; se monitoreó antes y después del tratamiento los parámetros fisicoquímicos como la DBO5, DQO, sulfatos y cromo. Se obtuvo una remoción de DQO en 83,33 %, en cuando a la DBO5 se redujo en 66,43 % y la concentración final del cromo fue de 7,786 ppm, lo que representa una reducción del 84 %. Existen diversas tecnologías que se emplean para tratar efluentes industriales, pero el presente modelo desarrollado es una alternativa para la remoción de cromo y DQO.Palabras Clave: Cromo, biofiltros, electrocoagulación, Aspergillus niger, Rhizopus sp.

Florida is one of three US states (the other two being California and Hawaii) that have the climatic conditions to cultivate lychee. Given the growing consumer demand for this crop, the production of lychee has the potential to be a profitable crop for Florida growers. This publication estimates the costs and returns associated with operating a lychee grove in south and central Florida. It presents the results of field interviews with lychee growers and industry experts. Growers on average can expect to earn nearly $8,000 an acre per year from lychee production when there is a harvest, but climate variation causes inconsistent harvests. When making production decisions, growers must also consider increasing pressure from pests such as the lychee erinose mite, and strong foreign competition.

Este artículo analiza la asociación existente entre el consumo de tabaco y el consumo de alcohol en mujeres de 15 a 49 años en Costa Rica. Se trata de un estudio epidemiológico observacional de tipo transversal (n = 7.487), en el cual se valora, por medio de un diseño de regresión logística, parte de los datos provenientes de la Encuesta de Mujeres, Niñez y Adolescencia del año 2018. Se utilizaron las variables dependientes de consumo de tabaco y alcohol y las variables independientes de edad, zona, nivel educativo, situación marital y nivel socioeconómico. Los resultados confirman una relación entre el uso de tabaco y el de alcohol, cuya intensidad se modifica a partir de las variables descritas; en efecto, las mujeres que bebieron alcohol cuatro veces o más en el último mes tuvieron una prevalencia de consumo de tabaco más alta (OR = 18,80 [11,25-31.41]). Así mismo, quienes fuman diariamente tuvieron una prevalencia de consumo de alcohol inferior (OR = 4,09 [2,67-6,26]) a las que fuman ocasionalmente (OR = 8,86 [4,83-16,24]). Se concluye el vínculo entre el consumo de tabaco y el consumo de alcohol en mujeres de 15 a 49 años, con mayor frecuencia en jóvenes, solteras y residentes de la zona urbana.

Introducción. Las actividades que realizan las auxiliares de enfermería movilizando lencería hospitalaria en forma manual, pueden causar lesiones lumbares. Objetivo. Esta investigación evalúa el uso de un vehículo de carga para el transporte de lencería hospitalaria, para disminuir lesiones lumbares en el personal auxiliar de enfermería del Hospital Privado Tungurahua, utilizando como medio de verificación las tablas de Snook y Ciriello, que se basa en la norma ISO 11228. Metodología. Se inició con la identificación de que trastornos musculoesqueléticos utilizando como herramienta el Cuestionario Nórdico de Kuorinka. Luego para encontrar las fuerzas máximas aceptables y el nivel de riesgo ergonómico del uso de vehículo de carga de 4 ruedas con capacidad de carga de 15 kg se utilizó las tablas de Snook y Ciriello. Para profundizar el estudio se realizó una evaluación posterior a la implementación de la ayuda mecánica, utilizando el Método de Indicadores Clave (MIC). Resultados. Del cuestionario Nórdico de Kuorinka indica que el 100% de la población en estudio han presentado lumbalgias. El estudio preliminar con las tablas de Snook y Ciriello indica un peso máximo de manipulación de la carga en el: levantamiento, descarga y transporte son de: 7,99 kg; 8,67 kg y 10,2 kg respectivamente. Luego de la implementación de las medidas ergonómicas se obtuvo una puntuación de 4.875, que representa un nivel de riesgo ergonómico bajo de 1. Conclusión. El resultado de la aplicación de vehículos de carga para el transporte de lencería hospitalaria atenúa el nivel de riesgo ergonómico a valores de riesgo bajo y podrían ayudar a prevenir lesiones lumbares.

The spotted lanternfly (SLF), Lycorma delicatula (Hemiptera: Fulgoridae), is a generalist phloem feeder that produces copious amounts of honeydew, which in turn coats the understory. These insects form large aggregations covering the trunks of some trees, while similar trees nearby mysteriously seem unattractive. We investigated whether volatiles from SLF honeydew are attractive to conspecifics by collecting honeydew from the field and testing it for SLF attraction in a two-choice olfactometer. We found that honeydew excreted by adult male SLF was significantly attractive to male SLF, but not female SLF. Although the honeydew excreted by adult female SLF did not significantly attract male or female SLF, both sexes showed a positive trend towards attraction in response to female honeydew in the olfactometer. Analysis of the headspace volatiles of honeydew was conducted, and numerous semiochemicals were identified. Five of which, 2-heptanone, 2-octanone, 2-nonanone, benzyl acetate, and 1-nonanol, were tested in two-choice behavioral assays against a blank control. Benzyl acetate and 2-octanone were attractive to both sexes, whereas 2-heptanone was only attractive to males, and 2-nonanone only to females. The remaining compound, 1-nonanol, repelled females, but not males. Although honeydew has been reported as a source of kairomones for some natural enemies, this may be the first report of sex-specific attractants for conspecific insects found in the honeydew volatiles of a planthopper.

Phoretic females of Acarothorectes curculionium (Cross) and a new species Brasilopsis floridensis sp. nov. (Acari: Pygmephoridae) were collected as associates of ambrosia beetles in Florida, USA. The genera Acarothorectes and Brasilopsis are recorded from USA for the first time and redefined. Acarothorectes curculionium is redescribed based on material from USA. Some morphological structures of described mites and the present state of knowledge of taxonomy of Pygmephoroidea are discussed.

Fungus farming ambrosia beetles carry their nutritional mutualistic fungi in specialized structures called mycetangia. Fungal propagules are also dispersed phoretically on the beetle’s exoskeleton. We determined the phoretic presence and abundance of Raffaelea lauricola, the causal agent of the laurel wilt disease in avocado, on five ambrosia beetle species: Xyleborus bispinatus, Xyleborus volvulus, Xyleborus affinis, Xyleborinus saxesenii and Xylosandrus crassiusculus. Beetles were captured while in flight, excavated from logs, and from logs placed in emergence chambers. Beetles collected by the three methods were assayed for the presence of internal (gut and mycetangium) and external (attached to the exoskeleton) colony forming units (CFUs) of R. lauricola. The pathogen was recovered from the exoskeleton of all beetle species. The collection method significantly influenced the frequency of pathogen recovery, and the abundance of both internal and phoretic R. lauricola was species-specific. Internal CFUs recovery was greater than phoretic recovery. Besides R. lauricola, other cycloheximide tolerant fungi, including mutualistic and entomopathogenic fungi, were isolated from the beetle’s exoskeleton. However, phoretic CFUs of R. lauricola were more prevalent and abundant than any other mutualistic phoretic fungi across the beetle species. Our results suggest that phoresy is a common mechanism of transportation of wood-inhabiting fungi and that phoretic transmission of R. lauricola may potentially contribute to the infection in avocado.

The tea shot hole borer, Euwallacea perbrevis, has been recently established in Florida, USA, where it vectors fungal pathogens that cause Fusarium dieback in avocado. Pest monitoring uses a two-component lure containing quercivorol and α-copaene. Incorporation of a repellent into IPM programs may reduce the incidence of dieback in avocado groves, particularly if combined with lures in a push–pull system. This study evaluated piperitone and α-farnesene as potential repellents for E. perbrevis, comparing their efficacy to that of verbenone. Replicate 12-week field tests were conducted in commercial avocado groves. Each test compared beetle captures in traps baited with two-component lures versus captures in traps containing lures plus repellent. To complement field trials, Super-Q collections followed by GC analyses were performed to quantify emissions from repellent dispensers field-aged for 12 weeks. Electroantennography (EAG) was also used to measure beetle olfactory response to each repellent. Results indicated that α-farnesene was ineffective; however, piperitone and verbenone were comparable in repellency, achieving 50–70% reduction in captures, with longevity of 10–12 weeks. EAG responses to piperitone and verbenone were equivalent, and significantly greater than response to α-farnesene. Since piperitone is less expensive than verbenone, this study identifies a potential new E. perbrevis repellent.

Electrochemical conversion of CO2 to useful products at temperatures below 100 °C is nearing the commercial scale. Pilot units for CO2 conversion to CO are already being tested. Units to convert CO2 to formic acid are projected to reach pilot scale in the next year. Further, several investigators are starting to observe industrially relevant rates of the electrochemical conversion of CO2 to ethanol and ethylene, with the hydrogen needed coming from water. In each case, Faradaic efficiencies of 80% or more and current densities above 200 mA cm−2 can be reproducibly achieved. Here we describe the key advances in nanocatalysts that lead to the impressive performance, indicate where additional work is needed and provide benchmarks that others can use to compare their results. This Perspective describes the key advances in nanocatalysts that have led to the impressive electrochemical conversion of CO2 to useful products and provides benchmarks that others can use to compare their results.

The horntail snail was detected, in August 2020, in Miami-Dade County. This snail is considered of quarantine importance in the United States because it can become an agricultural pest and potentially host parasitic nematodes of medical significance. A program to survey, control, and eradicate the horntail snail has been implemented by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Plant Industry. A version of this article has been posted on the UF/IFAS Tropical REC website prior to EDIS publication at https://trec.ifas.ufl.edu/media/trecifasufledu/pdf-docs/Horntail-Snail-Extension-10-13-2020.pdf

Studies were conducted from 2015 to 2018 to evaluate spotted lanternfly (SLF) distribution and developmental suitability of different plant species in the U.S. Tree bands on 283 trees spanning 33 species captured 21,006 SLF in 2 yr. More SLF per tree were trapped on tree-of-heaven Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle (Sapindales: Simaroubaceae) than on other species, on average, and most adults were captured on tree-of-heaven. Frequency of detection of adult SLF was higher on tree-of-heaven than on other species but was actually equal or lower on tree-of-heaven than on all other species combined for younger SLF stages in 2015. An enclosed choice test between tree-of-heaven and black walnut Juglans nigra L. (Fagales: Juglandaceae) revealed nymphs showed little consistent preference, whereas adults consistently and significantly preferred tree-of-heaven. No-choice field sleeve studies evaluated SLF survivorship on 26 host plant species in 17 families. Ten plant species supported SLF for an average of ≥45 d, with the rest unable to support SLF for >30 d. Eight species were able to support development from first instar to adult: black walnut, chinaberry Melia azedarach L. (Sapindales: Meliaceae), oriental bittersweet Celastrus orbiculatus Thunb. (Celastrales: Celastraceae), tree-of-heaven, hops Humulus lupulus L. (Rosales: Cannabaceae), sawtooth oak Quercus acutissima Carruthers (Fagales: Fagaceae), butternut Juglans cinerea L, and tulip tree Liriodendron tulipifiera L. (Magnoliales: Magnoliaceae). The ability of SLF to develop to adult on hosts other than tree-of-heaven may impact pest management decisions.

Host plant volatiles play a key role in mediating plant–herbivore interactions. How an array of host plant volatiles guides host preference and attraction in the invasive polyphagous Lycorma delicatula (White), the spotted lanternfly (SLF), is largely unknown. A pernicious phloem feeder, SLF feeds on over 70 species of plants, some with high economic impact. To aid the development of detection and monitoring tools for SLF, we used a two-choice olfactometer to compare 14 host plant species for attraction, first to a blank control, and then to their preferred host Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle (Sapindales: Simaroubaceae), tree-of-heaven. SLF were significantly attracted to seven host plants compared to a blank control, but no host plant was more attractive than tree-of-heaven. We then used electroantennographic detection (EAD) to screen select host plants for EAD active compounds, hypothesizing that EAD-active plant volatiles act as kairomones and mediate SLF attraction to host plants. Out of 43 unique antennal responses, 18 compounds were identified and tested individually for attraction in a two-choice olfactometer against a blank control and then against methyl salicylate, the current best attractant. Eleven compounds were significantly attractive, and one, sulcatone, was more attractive than methyl salicylate. Blends of kairomones were then tested for attraction, revealing five blends that were significantly more attractive than methyl salicylate, and could be developed into lures for field testing. The presence of these kairomones in volatile profiles of 17 plant species is described. These findings support the hypothesis that the identified volatiles act as kairomones and function in attraction to host plants.

Population outbreaks and failures in controlling Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae) were reported on ornamental plants in Miami-Dade County, Florida. We compared the susceptibility of two T. urticae field populations collected from commercial nurseries with a laboratory population to one new generation (cyflumetofen) and two conventional (abamectin and pyridaben) acaricides. The field populations were collected from hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, Malvaceae) and croton (Codiaeum variegatum, Euphorbiaceae). Resistance ratios based on LC50 values of the field and laboratory populations revealed high resistance levels to the two conventional acaricides (9.64 and 19.28-fold abamectin, 12.34 and 34.08-fold pyridaben), and low levels (1.88 and 2.39-fold) of cyflumetofen resistance in the hibiscus and the croton populations, respectively. Rotation of acaricides with different modes of action and biological control should be implemented to mitigate T. urticae resistance problems in ornamentals in south Florida.

Introducción: La infección de tracto urinario asociada a catéter (ITUCV) es la causa más frecuente de infección asociada a los cuidados de la salud. Existen diversas estrategias para prevenir dichas infecciones. Se deben considerar nuevas estrategias como los catéteres vesicales BIP (catéteres con recubrimiento de plata, oro, paladio), como una alternativa para reducir las mismas. Objetivos: Comparar la incidencia de las ITUCV en pacientes con catéter vesical Foley BIP versus Foley convencional. Metodología: Se realizó un ensayo clínico con aleatorización simple, siguiendo el sistema de doble ciego. Se estableció un nivel de confianza del 95%, un error no mayor del 5%. Obteniendo un total de 140 casos, alcanzando así una muestra representativa. Resultados: 140 casos con una inclusión de 125 casos y una exclusión de 15 casos (11%). La media de edad fue 50 años ± 18, con un 52 % hombres y 48% mujeres. El tiempo observado promedio fue de 10 días ± 7. Se presentó una tasa de incidencia global de 25 ITUCV x 1000 días. Discusión: El uso del catéter urinario Foley es una práctica cotidiana. El uso de catéteres Foley BIP disminuyó la tasa de incidencia de infección de vías urinarias asociada a catéter. Conclusiones: Las ITUCV son la infección más frecuente asociado a cuidados de la salud. Las infecciones nosocomiales representan un indicador de calidad de atención de los pacientes, repercuten en la morbimortalidad y economía de los pacientes. Los catéteres con recubrimiento fueron una medida eficaz, disminuyendo de manera considerable la incidencia de ITUCV.

The lychee erinose mite is an important pest of lychee and is found in lychee-producing countries in Asia and South America and in Australia, Hawaii, and Brazil, where it has has caused an estimated 70–80% yield reduction and a 20% increase in production costs. Found in Lee County, Florida, in 2018, it has since spread to several counties in central and south Florida. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services , Division of Plant Industry established an eradication program and a quarantine in Lee county. Management in other countries includes chemical control in combination with pruning. The purpose of this publication is to provide an in-depth profile of the lychee erinose mite. It is intended for the use of interested laypersons with some knowledge of biology as well as academic audiences.

With the advent of single cell/nucleus RNA sequencing (sc/snRNA-seq), the field of cell phenotyping is now a data-driven exercise providing statistical evidence to support cell type/state categorization. However, the task of classifying cells into specific, well-defined categories with the empirical data provided by sc/snRNA-seq remains nontrivial due to the difficulty in determining specific differences between related cell types with close transcriptional similarities, resulting in challenges with matching cell types identified in separate experiments. To investigate possible approaches to overcome these obstacles, we explored the use of supervised machine learning methods—logistic regression, support vector machines, random forests, neural networks, and light gradient boosting machine (LightGBM)–as approaches to classify cell types using snRNA-seq datasets from human brain middle temporal gyrus (MTG) and human kidney. Classification accuracy was evaluated using an F-beta score weighted in favor of precision to account for technical artifacts of gene expression dropout. We examined the impact of hyperparameter optimization and feature selection methods on F-beta score performance. We found that the best performing model for granular cell type classification in both datasets is a multinomial logistic regression classifier and that an effective feature selection step was the most influential factor in optimizing the performance of the machine learning pipelines.

The lychee erinose mite (LEM), Aceria litchii, is a serious pest of lychee. This tiny mite induces the formation of erinea, which are open galls with hypertrophic trichomes. Erinea can form on leaves, flowers, fruit, and other plant structures, hampering plant growth and yield. Four distinct types of erinea can be observed: light white (stage 01), white (stage 02), amber (stage 03), and dark erinea (stage 04). To date, it is unknown how and why A. litchii induces the formation of erinea on lychee plants.

Eriophyoid mites, also known as bud, gall, or rust mites, impact nearly all crops of economic importance, including food crops, timber, and ornamental plants. Currently, they are divided into three families (Phytoptidae, Eriophyidae and Diptilomiopidae) with an estimated one million species, of which just over 5600 have been described.

Brevipalpus yothersi is the main vector of Cileviruses (CiLV-C and CiLV-C2) that cause citrus leprosis disease in Brazil, Colombia, Mexico and other places in South and Central America. This mite is also present in Florida, where it was recently found vectoring a strain of Citrus leprosis virus 2 (CiLV-C2H) that infects hibiscus. Management of B. yothersi has been focused on chemical control, however, reports of B. yothersi resistance to acaricides indicate the need for an integrated pest management approach.

Brevipalpus-transmitted viruses (BTVs) cause economically important diseases such as citrus leprosis, widespread in Latin America, and coffee ringspot, found mainly in Brazil. One BTV, the orchid fleck virus, has a worldwide distribution infecting orchids.

Ambrosia beetles spend most of their life inside galleries built on host trees. They use the xylem as a substrate for farming symbiotic fungi, carried in specialized sac-like structures called mycangia. Most of their symbionts offer no threat to plants. However, some of these symbionts are phytopathogens that infect avocado (Persea americana) and other plants in the family Lauraceae. Raffaelea lauricola is a fungal pathogen vectored by several species of ambrosia beetles in the United States. It is the causal agent of laurel wilt, a deadly disease affecting avocado and forest ecosystems in Florida. The cryptic living habits of the ambrosia beetles make their management challenging. Conventional insecticide and fungicide applications have not been successful so far. This system requires novel IPM strategies.

The Lychee Erinose Mite (LEM) (Aceria litchii (Keifer)) is a gall-making eriophyid that feeds exclusively on lychee trees (Litchi chinensis Sonnerat), inducing the development of open leaf galls called erinea. Erinea are structures formed of hypertrophic leaf trichomes where LEM seeks refuge, feeds and reproduces.

Brevipalpus yothersi Baker (Acari: Tenuipalpidae) is an important mite species inhabiting citrus crops. This mite is the vector of Citrus leprosis virus (CiLV), which causes leprosis disease.

The lychee erinose mite (LEM) (Aceria litchii) is an important pest of lychee. This minute mite prefers to feed on young new flush, causing the formation of hypertrophic trichomes, known as erinea. In Brazil, LEM has been reported to cause 80% yield reduction.

Citrus leprosis diseased caused by citrus leprosis virus (CiLV) is considered one of the most destructive diseases of citrus. The putative vectors (Brevipalpus spp.) are present in the major citrus producing states in the U.S.A. Recently, Citrus leprosis virus C2 (CiLV-C2) Hibiscus strain, a virus with a high degree of homology with CiLV, was found infecting hibiscus in Florida and Hawaii. Hibiscus is an important ornamental plant generating over $21 billion (2010–2015) for the Florida nursery industry. We studied the presence of the CiLV-C2 vector Brevipalpus yothersi on hibiscus hedges located in south Florida to determine if hibiscus could be a reservoir for leprosis vectors and if predators and environmental conditions affect the population dynamics of the vector. For two years, samples were taken monthly from 3 hibiscus hedges. All Brevipalpus mites and known predatory mites were counted from three locations in the canopy (top, middle and bottom). Weather data was collected from local weather stations. Brevipalpus mites were always found on hibiscus but in very low numbers. The populations of B. yothersi were similar in all areas of the canopy but were different at the three locations. Humidity and precipitation did not explain changes in B. yothersi populations. Brevipalpus yothersi growth rate increased with temperature with a predicted peak at 26.1°C. Predators populations increased with increases in B. yothersi population. Hibiscus hedges appear to serve as a reservoir for predators. Higher temperatures that could occur with climate change could lead to an exponential increase in the abundance of B. yothersi.

The invasion of the Red Palm Mite (RPM), Raoiella indica, in the western hemisphere, is probably the most extensive, fastest, and better-documented plant pest arthropod invasion in recent decades. RPM was initially detected in the Lesser Caribbean Antilles, and it rapidly spread hooping through the islands and reaching continental areas in North, Central and South America.

The spotted lanternfly, Lycorma delicatula (Hemiptera: Fulgoridae) is a polyphagous, phloem-feeding invasive forest, agricultural, and nuisance pest that is rapidly spreading through the U.S. Little is known about how fulgorids locate each other to mate. To determine if conspecific semiochemicals such as pheromones occur, whole body extracts (WBE) of adult spotted lanternflies from different physiological states were tested for attraction in a dual-choice olfactometer. In olfactometer assays, prior to mating, males were oriented to WBE from males and females. During their mating period, males were attracted to WBE of females, but not to that of males. After mating and oviposition had taken place, males were not attracted to either male or female extracts. Conversely, females did not orient to any WBE from either sex during any physiological state. These behavioral responses by males but not females to WBE from conspecifics in different physiological states suggest the possible presence of an aggregation-sex pheromone in the spotted lanternfly.

Most shark records are reported using different types of measurements; thus, length-to-length conversion parameters are needed to standardize and compare the available data as a function of different size measures. Shark biological information collected in the Mexican Pacific Northwest between 2006 and 2019 was used to estimate total fork length/precaudal length relationships for nine shark species. A total of 95,814 specimens were analyzed for length estimates, and a simple linear regression described all relationships correctly with a strong positive relationship (r > 0.80). The use of the present equations will allow more reliable population comparisons based on shark size.

La raya mariposa Gymnura micrura es capturada directa e indirectamente en el golfo de México. Para conocer su historia de vida, se determinó la edad y se estimaron los parámetros de crecimiento en 96 hembras capturadas durante octubre 2015 a septiembre 2016. La edad se asignó siguiendo protocolos convencionales comparando los conteos entre lectores y asumiendo una formación anual de las bandas de crecimiento. Mediante la técnica de retrocálculo, se estimaron tallas de individuos pequeños faltantes en la muestra. El modelo de von Bertalanffy fue ajustado a los datos edad-talla observados y agregando los retrocalculados. El intervalo de tallas varió de 48-89 cm de ancho de disco (AD). La relación entre el tamaño corporal y el tamaño de la vértebra es adecuadamente explicada mediante una regresión lineal (r= 0,81, P < 0,05). La edad máxima estimada fue de 11 años en un individuo de 88 cm AD. De acuerdo con el índice CIA (Criterio de Información de Akaike), agregar los datos retrocalculados no mejoró el ajuste del modelo. Los parámetros estimados a los datos observados fueron AD∞= 91,05 cm, k= 0,22 años-1 y AD0= 21,09 cm. Esta es la primera aproximación para conocer la edad de esta especie y es el inicio del entendimiento de su historia de vida y dinámica poblacional.

A profile of the hibiscus bud weevil intended for the use of interested laypersons with some knowledge of biology as well as academic audiences. The hibiscus bud weevil, a pest of China rose hibiscus, originates from northeastern Mexico and southern Texas and can cause large economic losses to hibiscus growers. This fact sheet provides nursery owners, homeowners, and other interested people with information on this serious pest.

Morphogenetic engineering aims to achieve functional, self-organized but controllable structures in human-designed systems. Controlling the structures is crucial if they are to be used for real-world applications. Building on previous work on morphogenesis, in this letter, we present a new algorithm, with controllability at its core, for large swarms of simple robots where morphogenesis occurs without self-localization, predefined map, or preprogrammed robots. Controllability is achieved through three parameters that influence the morphogenesis process and create a rich morphospace of quantitatively different shapes. The algorithm was tested in over 2000 simulations and three times on real swarms of 300 kilobots. Swarms were able to grow shapes using only local communication, and regrow missing parts when manually damaged. Extra simulations also demonstrated swarms adapting to an obstacle in the environment by getting around it. Results were compared with our previous work on morphogenesis to show how controllability allowed richer shapes. This letter represents a step into designing a controllable morphogenesis algorithm toward more functional swarms for real-world applications.

The spotted lanternfly, Lycorma delicatula (White), is an invasive phloem feeder recently introduced into North America that attacks a broad range of woody plants. When feeding in large numbers, they can seriously damage or kill a tree. Their preferred host is the invasive tree-of-heaven, Ailanthus altissima Swingle (Sapindales: Simaroubaceae), but they are serious pests of grape, Vitis vinifera L. (Vitales: Vitaceae) and a number of other commercially important host plants. Volatile collections were conducted on tree-of-heaven and grape, and the most abundant compounds from these plants present in samples and indicated in the literature were tested for attraction in the laboratory and field. Three compounds, methyl salicylate, (Z)-3-hexenol, and (E,E)-α-farnesene, were found to be highly attractive in laboratory behavioral bioassays. Methyl salicylate was attractive to all stages of L. delicatula, whereas the youngest nymphs were not as attracted to (Z)-3-hexenol or (E,E)-α-farnesene in laboratory bioassays. When comparing individual compounds, methyl salicylate attracted the most L. delicatula. Methyl salicylate lures in the field produced a two- to four-fold increase in captures compared with unbaited controls, and field testing also revealed a significant positive dose response. Of the several types of sticky bands tested, Web-Cote Industries sticky bands were found to be most efficient at trapping L. delicatula adults and nymphs.

Chemical ecology studies on ambrosia beetles are typically conducted with either wild or laboratory-reared specimens. Unlike laboratory-reared insects, important aspects that potentially influence behavioral responses, such as age, physiological state, and prior experience are unknown in wild specimens. In this study, we compared the electroantennographic (EAG) responses of laboratory-reared and wild X. affinis and X. ferrugineus to 70% ethanol and bark odors (host kairomones) of Bursera simaruba, Mangifera indica, and Persea schiedeana aged for 2, 24, and 48 h. Chemical analyses of each odor treatment (bark species x length of aging) were performed to determine their volatilome composition. EAG responses were different between laboratory-reared and wild X. ferrugineus when exposed to ethanol, whereas wild X. affinis exhibited similar EAG responses to the laboratory-reared insects. Ethanol elicited the strongest olfactory responses in both species. Among the bark-odors, the highest responses were triggered by B. simaruba at 48 h in X. affinis, and P. schiedeana at 24 and 48 h in X. ferrugineus. Volatile profiles varied among aged bark samples; 3-carene and limonene were predominant in B. simaruba, whereas α-copaene and α-cubebene were abundant in P. schiedeana. Further studies are needed to determine the biological function of B. simaruba and P. schiedeana terpenes on X. affinis and X. ferrugineus, and their potential application for the development of effective lures.

This chapter focuses on major pests of guava in the different production areas of the world. The most important insects and mites have been grouped into six categories that have been divided according to different species and their importance across the different guava-producing regions. The chapter also emphasizes the basic features of each group related to their feeding damage, biology, behaviour, ecology and biorational pest management strategies. Minor pests are also listed. It is suggested that the main focus of pest control measures should be targeted towards fruit flies, some coleopteran and lepidopteran species that bore fruit and stems, and some minor pests that include scales, mealybugs, thrips, whiteflies and mites that increase guava production costs and reduce fruit quality and yields.

Laurel wilt (LW) is a vascular disease caused by a fungal pathogen transmitted to avocado trees by several ambrosia beetle species and through root grafts among adjacent avocado trees. A critical part of preventing and controlling plant diseases is determining the causal agent so that the appropriate management practices can be implemented to eradicate or contain the outbreak. Proper sampling is a critical step in disease diagnosis and in the determination of the causal agent of disease. This new 3-page publication of the UF/IFAS Horticultural Sciences Department was written by Jonathan Crane, Romina Gazis, Jeff Wasielewski, Daniel Carrillo, Bruce Schaffer, Fredy Ballen, and Edward Evans.https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1394

Thoria was prepared using a solid-state method from the macromolecular precursor Chitosan·Th(NO3)4 (chitosan) and PS-co-4-PVP·Th(NO3)4 (PVP). The morphology and the average size of ThO2 depend of the chitosan and PS-co-4-PVP polymer forming the precursor. Their photoluminescent properties were investigated, finding a dependence of their intensity emission maxima, with the nature of the precursor polymer. The photocatalytic activity of ThO2 toward the degradation of methylene blue was measured for the first time, finding a degradation of about 66% in 300 min. The inclusion of ThO2 into SiO2 and TiO2 was achieved by the solid-state pyrolysis of the macromolecular composites Chitosan·Th(NO3)4//MO2 and PS-co-4-PVP·Th(NO3)4//MO2, MO2 = SiO2 or TiO2. The ThO2 exhibits a homogeneous dispersion inside the silica, showing sizes of about 40 and 50 nm for the chitosan and PVP polymer precursors, respectively. The luminescent properties of the ThO2/SiO2 and ThO2/TiO2 composites were also studied, finding a decrease in intensity when introducing the SiO2 or TiO2 matrices. The photocatalytic behavior to methylene blue degradation of ThO2 and their composites ThO2/SiO2 and ThO2/TiO2 was investigated for the first time, with them in the following order: ThO2 > ThO2/TiO2 > ThO2/SiO2.