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The genus Bombus (bumble bees) includes approximately 265 species, many of which are in decline in North America and Europe. To estimate colony abundance of bumble bees in natural and agricultural habitats, sibship relationships are often reconstructed from genetic data with the assumption that colonies have 1 monandrous queen. However, some species such as the North American common eastern bumble bee (Bombus impatiens Cresson) can display low levels of polyandry, which may bias estimates of colony abundance based on monandrous sibship reconstructions. To accurately quantify rates of polyandry in wild and commercially mated queens of this species, we empirically estimated mating frequencies using a novel statistical model and genotypes from 730 bees. To genotype individuals, we used a highly polymorphic set of microsatellites on colonies established from 20 wild-caught gynes and 10 commercial colonies. We found multiple fathers in 3 of the wild colonies and 3 of the commercial colonies. This resulted in average effective mating frequencies of 1.075 ± 0.18 and 1.154 ± 0.25 for wild and commercial colonies, respectively. These findings agree with previous reports of low rates of polyandry for B. impatiens. Using a large empirical dataset, we demonstrate that assuming monandry for colony abundance estimation in species that violate this assumption results in an overestimation of the number of colonies. Our results emphasize the importance of studying mating frequencies in social species of conservation concern and economic importance for the accuracy of colony abundance estimation and for understanding their ecology and sociobiology., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America.)

Background: Brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB), Halyomorpha halys (Stål), is an invasive and severe pest of specialty and row crops. A 2-year field study conducted in four Mid-Atlantic states in the USA characterized the spatial and temporal dynamics of BMSB populations and its association with landscape elements in commercial agriculture settings. In each state, two 1 km 2 sites included typical landscape elements (i.e., tree fruit orchards, annual field and vegetable crops, woodlands, and human-made structures). Twenty-seven georeferenced pheromone traps were deployed per site and the number of BMSB adults and nymphs captured was counted throughout the growing season., Results: Findings from spatial analysis by distance indices, along with time-series maps of BMSB distribution, showed that BMSB exhibited significant spatial aggregation, and that its distribution was spatially consistent between years. Analyses with geographic information systems (GIS) revealed that BMSB 'hot spots' occurred in different landscape elements throughout each season. Most patches (i.e., clusters of significantly higher trap captures) were found near woodlands early in the season, near tree fruit orchards in summer, and on the border of annual field crops in autumn. Buffer analysis with GIS indicated that more BMSB adults were captured closer to woodlands compared with other landscape elements., Conclusion: Understanding the spatial and temporal movement and distribution of BMSB is critical to predicting their potential impact and ultimately devising strategies to mitigate this risk to vulnerable crops. The results of this study can be used to design streamlined, spatially-based areawide management of BMSB in heterogeneous and complex agricultural landscapes. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry. This article has been contributed to by U.S. Government employees and their work is in the public domain in the USA., (© 2023 Society of Chemical Industry. This article has been contributed to by U.S. Government employees and their work is in the public domain in the USA.)

Introduction: Biophysical approaches validated against haplotype and trap catch patterns have modeled the migratory trajectory of fall armyworms at a semi-continental scale, from their natal origins in Texas or Florida through much of the United States east of the Rocky Mountains. However, unexplained variation in the validation analysis was present, and misalignments between the simulated movement patterns of fall armyworm populations and the haplotype ratios at several locations, especially in the northeastern US and Canada, have been reported., Methods: Using an expanded dataset extending into Canada, we assess the consistency of haplotype patterns that relate overwintered origins of fall armyworm populations to hypothesized dispersal trajectories in North America and compare the geographic distribution of these patterns with previous model projections., Results and Discussion: We confirm the general accuracy of previous modeling efforts, except for late in the season where our data suggests a higher proportion of Texas populations invading the northeast, extending into eastern Canada. We delineate geographic limits to the range of both overwintering populations and show that substantial intermixing of the Texas and Florida migrants routinely occurs north of South Carolina. We discuss annual variation to these migratory trajectories and test the hypothesis that the Appalachian Mountains influence geographic patterns of haplotypes. We discuss how these results may limit gene flow between the Texas and Florida natal populations and limit the hereditary consequences of interbreeding between these populations., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Tessnow, Nagoshi, Meagher and Fleischer.)

Overwintering success is an important determinant of arthropod populations that must be considered as climate change continues to influence the spatiotemporal population dynamics of agricultural pests. Using a long-term monitoring database and biologically relevant overwintering zones, we modeled the annual and seasonal population dynamics of a common pest, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie), based on three overwintering suitability zones throughout North America using four decades of soil temperatures: the southern range (able to persist through winter), transitional zone (uncertain overwintering survivorship), and northern limits (unable to survive winter). Our model indicates H. zea population dynamics are hierarchically structured with continental-level effects that are partitioned into three geographic zones. Seasonal populations were initially detected in the southern range, where they experienced multiple large population peaks. All three zones experienced a final peak between late July (southern range) and mid-August to mid-September (transitional zone and northern limits). The southern range expanded by 3% since 1981 and is projected to increase by twofold by 2099 but the areas of other zones are expected to decrease in the future. These changes suggest larger populations may persist at higher latitudes in the future due to reduced low-temperature lethal events during winter. Because H. zea is a highly migratory pest, predicting when populations accumulate in one region can inform synchronous or lagged population development in other regions. We show the value of combining long-term datasets, remotely sensed data, and laboratory findings to inform forecasting of insect pests.

Seventy five percent of the world's food crops benefit from insect pollination. Hence, there has been increased interest in how global change drivers impact this critical ecosystem service. Because standardized data on crop pollination are rarely available, we are limited in our capacity to understand the variation in pollination benefits to crop yield, as well as to anticipate changes in this service, develop predictions, and inform management actions. Here, we present CropPol, a dynamic, open, and global database on crop pollination. It contains measurements recorded from 202 crop studies, covering 3,394 field observations, 2,552 yield measurements (i.e., berry mass, number of fruits, and fruit density [kg/ha], among others), and 47,752 insect records from 48 commercial crops distributed around the globe. CropPol comprises 32 of the 87 leading global crops and commodities that are pollinator dependent. Malus domestica is the most represented crop (32 studies), followed by Brassica napus (22 studies), Vaccinium corymbosum (13 studies), and Citrullus lanatus (12 studies). The most abundant pollinator guilds recorded are honey bees (34.22% counts), bumblebees (19.19%), flies other than Syrphidae and Bombyliidae (13.18%), other wild bees (13.13%), beetles (10.97%), Syrphidae (4.87%), and Bombyliidae (0.05%). Locations comprise 34 countries distributed among Europe (76 studies), North America (60), Latin America and the Caribbean (29), Asia (20), Oceania (10), and Africa (7). Sampling spans three decades and is concentrated on 2001-2005 (21 studies), 2006-2010 (40), 2011-2015 (88), and 2016-2020 (50). This is the most comprehensive open global data set on measurements of crop flower visitors, crop pollinators and pollination to date, and we encourage researchers to add more datasets to this database in the future. This data set is released for non-commercial use only. Credits should be given to this paper (i.e., proper citation), and the products generated with this database should be shared under the same license terms (CC BY-NC-SA)., (© 2021 The Ecological Society of America.)

Allium leafminer, Phytomyza gymnostoma (Diptera: Agromyzidae), is an invasive species first recorded in the Western Hemisphere in 2015 and has expanded its range into northeastern and MidAtlantic states. Its host range encompasses Allium species grown for food and ornamentals, weedy species, species used for pollinator provisioning, and species of conservation concern. Using field and laboratory studies, we advanced methods for rearing, developed a phenology model for spring emergence, describe pupal development, and report on parasitism. Spring emergence was best detected by scouting wild alliums as opposed to emergence cages, and modeled using 350 degree-days above a lower threshold of 1.0°C. Spring adult flight occurred for about 5 wk. Larval development required 22 and 20 d at 17.5 and 25°C, respectively. Pupal development progressed along a color gradient, and an initial presence of fat cell clusters and an air bubble, followed by an exarate pupa. Pupal developed at 3-5% per day at 3°C and reached 25% per day at 21.5°C, but development was not successful at 30°C. Although parasitism rates were low, we documented two Chalcidoidea parasitoids, Halticoptera circulus (Walker) (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) and Chrysocharis oscinidis Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae). Together, these data provide baseline information to advance IPM for this invasive species both in crops and noncrop areas., (Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America 2021.)

As part of an insect resistance management plan to preserve Bt transgenic technology, annual monitoring of target pests is mandated to detect susceptibility changes to Bt toxins. Currently Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) monitoring involves investigating unexpected injury in Bt crop fields and collecting larvae from non-Bt host plants for laboratory diet bioassays to determine mortality responses to diagnostic concentrations of Bt toxins. To date, this monitoring approach has not detected any significant change from the known range of baseline susceptibility to Bt toxins, yet practical field-evolved resistance in H. zea populations and numerous occurrences of unexpected injury occur in Bt crops. In this study, we implemented a network of 73 sentinel sweet corn trials, spanning 16 U.S. states and 4 Canadian provinces, for monitoring changes in H. zea susceptibility to Cry and Vip3A toxins by measuring differences in ear damage and larval infestations between isogenic pairs of non-Bt and Bt hybrids over three years. This approach can monitor susceptibility changes and regional differences in other ear-feeding lepidopteran pests. Temporal changes in the field efficacy of each toxin were evidenced by comparing our current results with earlier published studies, including baseline data for each Bt trait when first commercialized. Changes in amount of ear damage showed significant increases in H. zea resistance to Cry toxins and possibly lower susceptibility to Vip3a. Our findings demonstrate that the sentinel plot approach as an in-field screen can effectively monitor phenotypic resistance and document field-evolved resistance in target pest populations, improving resistance monitoring for Bt crops., (© The Author(s) 2020. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

The striped cucumber beetle, Acalymma vittatum (Fabricius), is an important pest of cucurbit production in the eastern United States, where most commercial producers rely on insecticides to control this pest species. Biological control provides an alternative to insecticide use, but for A. vittatum, top-down control has not been well developed. In the northeastern United States, two parasitoid species, Celatoria setosa (Coquillett) (Diptera: Tachinidae) and Centistes diabroticae (Gahan) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) have been reported from A. vittatum, but their distribution is poorly known. To determine whether these parasitoid species are attacking A. vittatum in Pennsylvania and the amount of mortality they provide, we characterized the parasitoid dynamics in two distinct efforts. First, we reared parasitoids from beetles captured at two research farms. Second, we focused on one of these farms and dissected beetles to quantify both parasitoid and parasite species attacking A. vittatum. Both efforts confirmed Cl. setosa and Cn. diabroticae, and parasitism rates varied widely between locations and among years (4-60%). Unexpectedly, our dissections revealed that a potentially undescribed nematode species (Howardula sp.) as the most common parasite in the community. We also discovered gregarine protists. Despite being smaller than females, males were more commonly attacked by parasitic species, but we detected no relationship between the size of beetles and abundance of parasitic species in A. vittatum. This work provides a baseline understanding of the parasitoid and parasite community attacking A. vittatum and advances opportunities for conservation biological control using these natural-enemy species., (© The Author(s) 2020. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Halyomorpha halys (Stål), the brown marmorated stink bug, is an invasive and highly polyphagous insect that has caused serious economic injury to specialty and row crops in the United States and Europe. Here, we evaluated the effects of marking adult and nymphal H. halys with four different colors of fluorescent powder (Blaze Orange, Corona Pink, Horizon Blue, and Signal Green) on mobility and survivorship in laboratory bioassays. Adults and nymphs were marked using liquified fluorescent powder solutions and allowed to dry prior to bioassay. The presence of the marking solution had no significant effects on adult or nymphal mobility, adult survivorship, nymphal development, or adult flight capacity. We also evaluated the persistence of neon marker applied to the pronotum of H. halys adults and found this technique remained detectable for 2 wk under field conditions. Although both marking techniques are inexpensive, persist for ≥1 wk, and do not affect mortality, the neon marker method is more time-consuming, taking ~12 times longer to mark 50 adult H. halys compared with the liquified fluorescent powders. Thus, we would recommend using fluorescent powders for large-scale mark-release-recapture studies., (Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America 2020.)

Allium leafminer, Phytomyza gymnostoma Loew, is the newest invasive pest of allium crops in North America. Larvae initially feed in the upper canopy before mining toward the base of the plant to pupate. Crop loss occurs when larvae destroy vascular tissue, facilitating infection by bacterial and fungal pathogens that cause rot. Contamination also occurs when larvae and pupae are present at harvest. In response to this invasion, efficacy of 14 insecticide active ingredients applied via foliar sprays, transplant treatments, and drip chemigation was evaluated for managing P. gymnostoma. Multiple field studies were conducted in onions, leeks, and scallions in Pennsylvania and New York, United States in 2018 and 2019. The highest and most consistent levels of P. gymnostoma control occurred using foliar applications of dinotefuran, cyantraniliprole and spinetoram (84-89% reduction in damage; 95% reduction in P. gymnostoma densities). Despite the success of dinotefuran and cyantraniliprole applied as foliar sprays, neither was effective in controlling P. gymnostoma when administered via drip chemigation. Other foliar-applied insecticides that significantly reduced densities of P. gymnostoma in one or two experiments included abamectin, acetamiprid, cyromazine, imidacloprid, lambda-cyhalothrin, methomyl, and spinosad. Active ingredients that never controlled P. gymnostoma included azadirachtin, kaolin clay, pyrethrin, and spirotetramat. Spinosad applied to bare-root and plug-tray transplants immediately before transplanting reduced P. gymnostoma damage in the field by >90%. Implications of using these insecticides and application strategies are discussed within the context of developing a sustainable IPM program., (© The Author(s) 2020. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Most of the world's crops depend on pollinators, so declines in both managed and wild bees raise concerns about food security. However, the degree to which insect pollination is actually limiting current crop production is poorly understood, as is the role of wild species (as opposed to managed honeybees) in pollinating crops, particularly in intensive production areas. We established a nationwide study to assess the extent of pollinator limitation in seven crops at 131 locations situated across major crop-producing areas of the USA. We found that five out of seven crops showed evidence of pollinator limitation. Wild bees and honeybees provided comparable amounts of pollination for most crops, even in agriculturally intensive regions. We estimated the nationwide annual production value of wild pollinators to the seven crops we studied at over $1.5 billion; the value of wild bee pollination of all pollinator-dependent crops would be much greater. Our findings show that pollinator declines could translate directly into decreased yields or production for most of the crops studied, and that wild species contribute substantially to pollination of most study crops in major crop-producing regions.

Migrant populations of Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) captured during 2002, 2005, 2016, and 2018 from Landisville and Rock Springs in Pennsylvania, USA were genotyped using 85 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers. Samples (n = 702) genotyped were divided into 16 putative populations based on collection time and site. Fixation indices ( F -statistics), analysis of molecular variance, and discriminant analysis of principal components were used to examine within and among population genetic variation. The observed and expected heterozygosity in putative populations ranged from 0.317-0.418 and 0.320-0.359, respectively. Broad range of F ST (0.0-0.2742) and F IS (0.0-0.2330) values indicated different genotype frequencies between and within the populations, respectively. High genetic diversity within and low genetic differentiation between populations was found in 2002 and 2005. Interestingly, high genetic differentiation between populations from two collection sites observed in 2018 populations was not evident in within-site comparisons of putative populations collected on different dates during the season. The shift of H. zea population genetic makeup in 2018 may be influenced by multiple biotic and abiotic factors including tropical storms. Continued assessment of these peripheral populations of H. zea will be needed to assess the impacts of genetic changes on pest control and resistance management tactics.

Wild bees supply sufficient pollination in Cucurbita agroecosystems in certain settings; however, some growers continue to stock fields with managed pollinators due to uncertainties of temporal and spatial variation on pollination services supplied by wild bees. Here, we evaluate wild bee pollination activity in wholesale, commercial pumpkin fields over 3 yr. We identified 37 species of bees foraging in commercial pumpkin fields. Honey bees (Apis mellifera L. [Hymenoptera: Apidae]), squash bees (Eucera (Peponapis) Say, Dorchin [Hymenoptera: Apidae]), and bumble bees (Bombus spp., primarily B. impatiens Cresson [Hymenoptera: Apidae]) were the most active pollinator taxa, responsible for over 95% of all pollination visits. Preference for female flowers decreased as distance from field edge increased for several bee taxa. Visitation rates from one key pollinator was negatively affected by field size. Visitation rates for multiple taxa exhibited a curvilinear response as the growing season progressed and responded positively to increasing floral density. We synthesized existing literature to estimate minimum 'pollination thresholds' per taxa and determined that each of the most active pollinator taxa exceeded these thresholds independently. Under current conditions, renting honey bee hives may be superfluous in this system. These results can aid growers when executing pollination management strategies and further highlights the importance of monitoring and conserving wild pollinator populations., (© The Author(s) 2019. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Reliable monitoring of the invasive Halyomorpha halys abundance, phenology and geographic distribution is critical for its management. Halyomorpha halys adult and nymphal captures on clear sticky traps and in black pyramid traps were compared in 18 states across the Great Lakes, Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, Pacific Northwest and Western regions of the United States. Traps were baited with commercial lures containing the H. halys pheromone and synergist, and deployed at field sites bordering agricultural or urban locations with H. halys host plants. Nymphal and adult captures in pyramid traps were greater than those on sticky traps, but captures were positively correlated between the two trap types within each region and during the early-, mid- and late season across all sites. Sites were further classified as having a low, moderate or high relative H. halys density and again showed positive correlations between captures for the two trap types for nymphs and adults. Among regions, the greatest adult captures were recorded in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic on pyramid and sticky traps, respectively, with lowest captures recorded in the West. Nymphal captures, while lower than adult captures, were greatest in the Southeast and lowest in the West. Nymphal and adult captures were, generally, greatest during July-August and September-October, respectively. Trapping data were compared with available phenological models showing comparable population peaks at most locations. Results demonstrated that sticky traps offer a simpler alternative to pyramid traps, but both can be reliable tools to monitor H. halys in different geographical locations with varying population densities throughout the season., (© The Author(s) 2019. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Patterns of mating for the European corn borer (Ostrinia nubilalis) moth depend in part on variation in sex-pheromone blend. The ratio of (E)-11- and (Z)-11-tetradecenyl acetate (E11- and Z11-14:OAc) in the pheromone blend that females produce and males respond to differs between strains of O. nubilalis. Populations also vary in female oviposition preference for and larval performance on maize (C4) and nonmaize (C3) host plants. The relative contributions of sexual and ecological trait variation to the genetic structure of O. nubilalis remains unknown. Host-plant use ( 13 C/ 14 C ratios) and genetic differentiation were estimated among sympatric E and Z pheromone strain O. nubilalis males collected in sex-pheromone baited traps at 12 locations in Pennsylvania and New York between 2007 and 2010. Among genotypes at 65 single nucleotide polymorphism marker loci, variance at a position in the pheromone gland fatty acyl-reductase (pgfar) gene at the locus responsible for determining female pheromone ratio (Pher) explained 64% of the total genetic differentiation between males attracted to different pheromones (male response, Resp), providing evidence of sexual inter-selection at these unlinked loci. Principal coordinate, Bayesian clustering, and distance-based redundancy analysis (dbRDA) demonstrate that host plant history or geography does not significantly contribute to population variation or differentiation among males. In contrast, these analyses indicate that pheromone response and pgfar-defined strain contribute significantly to population genetic differentiation. This study suggests that behavioural divergence probably plays a larger role in driving genetic variation compared to host plant-defined ecological adaptation., (© 2019 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Sunn hemp, Crotalaria juncea L., is a warm-season legume that can be planted in rotation to cash crops to add nitrogen and organic matter to the soils, for weed growth prevention, and to suppress nematode populations. Sunn hemp flowers also provide nectar and pollen for pollinators and enhance biological control by furnishing habitat for natural enemies. Experiments were conducted in Northern and North Central Florida to evaluate bee populations that visited flowers within mixed plots of sunn hemp and sorghum-sudangrass and plots of two sunn hemp germplasm lines. Collections of bees that visited 'AU Golden' and Tillage Sunn flowers indicated that Xylocopa virginica (L.) (Hymenoptera: Apidae), Xylocopa micans Lepeletier (Hymenoptera: Apidae), Megachile sculpturalis Smith (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae), Megachile mendica (Cresson) (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae), and Megachile georgica Cresson (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) were present in large numbers in May through July and then again in October. Although Tillage Sunn seeds planted in March flowered in May, percent bloom and number of bee visits were low. Compared with short day sunn hemp cultivars, 'AU Golden' plants produced flowers early in the season to provide food and habitat for pollinators and have the potential to produce an abundant seed crop in Northern and North Central Florida., (Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America 2019.)

Aims: We aim to determine if Pseudomonas fluorescens is a viable biological control for Erwinia tracheiphila within the insect vector, Acalymma vittatum., Methods and Results: Pseudomonas fluorescens secreted fluorescein and inhibited growth of E. tracheiphila in disc diffusion assays. To determine if this antagonism was conserved within the insect vector, we performed in vivo assays by orally injecting beetles with bacterial treatments and fluorescent in situ hybridization to determine bacterial presence within the alimentary canal., Conclusions: Pseudomonas fluorescens inhibited the growth of E. tracheiphila on a nutrient-limiting medium. In situ experiments demonstrated that P. fluorescens is maintained within the alimentary canal of the beetle for at least 4 days, and co-occurred with E. tracheiphila. When beetles were first presented with Pseudomonas and then challenged with E. tracheiphila, E. tracheiphila was not recovered via FISH after 4 days. These data suggest that P. fluorescens has potential as a biological control agent to limit E. tracheiphila within the insect vector., Significance and Impact of the Study: This is a novel approach for controlling E. tracheiphila that has the potential to decrease reliance on insecticides, providing a safer environment for pollinators and growers., (© 2018 The Authors. Journal of Applied Microbiology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society for Applied Microbiology.)

Landscape structure and diversity influence insect species abundance. In agricultural systems, adjacent crop and non-crop habitats can influence pest species population dynamics and intensify economic damage. To investigate the influence of landscape factors on stink bug damage in agricultural systems, we assessed stink bug damage from 30 processing tomato fields in the mid-Atlantic United States and analyzed landscape structure and geographic location. We found that forest shape and size, and geographic location strongly influenced stink bug damage. Landscapes with larger forest edge in southern portions of the mid-Atlantic region experienced the greatest damage, perhaps owing to the introduction of the invasive brown marmorated stink bug. We conclude that landscape structure will likely influence damage rates in nearby agricultural fields.

Objectives: To evaluate the interferon (IFN) biomarkers sialic acid binding Ig like lectin 1 (SIGLEC1, CD169) and IFN-γ-inducible protein-10 (IP-10) in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS)., Methods: 31 patients fulfilling the American-European criteria for pSS were included. Disease activity was obtained by EULAR Sjögren's syndrome disease activity index (ESSDAI). SIGLEC1 expression on monocytes was analysed using flow cytometry. IP-10 concentrations were determined using Bioplex human Cytokine 27-plex kit. Spearman rank test (SRT) was used for correlation analysis and Mann-Whitney U (MWU) to test for differences between glandular and extraglandular manifestations., Results: An activated IFN system was detected by an upregulation of SIGLEC1 expression in 64.5% and by elevated serum level of IP-10 in 78.9% of our patients with pSS. In a subsequent analysis SIGLEC1 expression was found to be upregulated more frequently in patients with extraglandular manifestations (16/16, 100%) compared to patients with exclusively glandular involvement (4/15, 27%). SIGLEC1 expression could significantly discriminate between these two disease subgroups (p=0.0001, MWU) with a positive predictive value (PPV) of 80% for extraglandular disease. Moreover, the expression correlated with disease activity (p=0.005, r=0.54, SRT). Serum IP-10 levels neither differed significantly between glandular and extraglandular disease nor correlated with ESSDAI., Conclusions: Our results indicate that increased SIGLEC1 expression characterises patients with systemic involvement and high disease activity. Therefore, SIGLEC1 determination might be of value for subset definition, risk stratification and differential therapeutic considerations in pSS., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest: None declared.

Commercial cucurbit production typically involves agriculturally intensive practices, with fields prepared using conventional tillage, plasticulture, and chemically based pest management. Conservation-based management options are limited. In this study, we consider two alternative strategies, strip tillage and the use of row covers. We compare their impact on the beneficial carabid beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) community in melons and squash, following conventional or organic systems, over two years. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that soil management system (strip tillage versus plasticulture) was the primary variable influencing carabid distribution; row cover was a less important factor. The response to soil management was species dependent. Some dominant species, such as Harpalus pensylvanicus DeGeer, demonstrated no preference for a particular soil treatment. For others, including the tiger beetle, Cicindela punctulata Olivier, and a slug predator, Chlaenius tricolor Dejean, activity-density was higher in strip-tillage production systems. Our analysis suggested that strip-tillage production systems support a richer, more diverse carabid community. These results demonstrate that even within intensive annual horticultural systems, production practices can play a critical role in shaping the beneficial arthropod community, potentially encouraging or limiting ecosystem services., (© The Authors 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

The binding of antigen to the B cell receptor (BCR) results in a cascade of signalling events that ultimately drive B cell activation. Uncontrolled B cell activation is regulated by negative feedback loops that involve inhibitory co-receptors such as CD22 and CD32B that exert their functions following phosphorylation of immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibition motifs (ITIMs). The CD22-targeted antibody epratuzumab has previously been shown to inhibit BCR-driven signalling events, but its effects on ITIM phosphorylation of CD22 and CD32B have not been properly evaluated. The present study therefore employed both immunoprecipitation and flow cytometry approaches to elucidate the effects of epratuzumab on direct phosphorylation of key tyrosine (Tyr) residues on both these proteins, using both transformed B cell lines and primary human B cells. Epratuzumab induced the phosphorylation of Tyr(822) on CD22 and enhanced its co-localisation with SHP-1. Additionally, in spite of high basal phosphorylation of other key ITIMs on CD22, in primary human B cells epratuzumab also enhanced phosphorylation of Tyr(807), a residue involved in the recruitment of Grb2. Such initiation events could explain the effects of epratuzumab on downstream signalling in B cells. Finally, we were able to demonstrate that epratuzumab stimulated the phosphorylation of Tyr(292) on the low affinity inhibitory Fc receptor CD32B which would further attenuate BCR-induced signalling. Together, these data demonstrate that engagement of CD22 with epratuzumab leads to the direct phosphorylation of key upstream inhibitory receptors of BCR signalling and may help to explain how this antibody modulates B cell function.

We developed an agent-based stochastic model expressing stage-specific phenology and population dynamics for an insect species across geographic regions. We used the invasive pentatomid, Halyomorpha halys, as the model organism because gaps in knowledge exist regarding its developmental physiology, it is expanding its global distribution, and it is of significant economic importance. Model predictions were compared against field observations over 3 years, and the parameter set that enables the largest population growth was applied to eight locations over 10 years, capturing the variation in temperature and photoperiod profiles of significant horticultural crop production that could be affected by H. halys in the US. As a species that overwinters as adults, critical photoperiod significantly impacted H. halys seasonality and population size through its influence on diapause termination and induction, and this may impact other insects with similar life-histories. Photoperiod and temperature interactions influenced life stage synchrony among years, resulting in an order of magnitude difference, for occurrence of key life stages. At all locations, there was a high degree of overlap among life stages and generation. Although all populations produced F2 adults and thus could be characterized as bivoltine, the size and relative contribution of each generation to the total, or overwintering, adult population also varied dramatically. In about half of the years in two locations (Geneva, NY and Salem, OR), F1 adults comprised half or more of the adult population at the end of the year. Yearly degree-day accumulation was a significant covariate influencing variation in population growth, and average maximum adult population size varied by 10-fold among locations. Average final population growth was positive (Asheville, NC, Homestead, FL, Davis, CA) or marginal (Geneva, NY, Bridgeton, NJ, Salem, OR, Riverside, CA), but was negative in one location (Wenatchee WA) due to cooler temperatures coupled with timing of vitellogenesis of F2 adults. Years of the highest population growth in the mid-Atlantic site coincided with years of highest crop damage reports. We discuss these results with respect to assumptions and critical knowledge gaps, the ability to realistically model phenology of species with strongly overlapping life stage and which diapause as adults.

Objective: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is associated with hyperactivity of B cells and abnormalities of B cell receptor (BCR) signaling. To address the linkage between dysregulated BCR signaling and increased B cell function, we assessed immediate phosphorylation events in lupus B cells., Methods: B cells from SLE patients and healthy donors were analyzed by flow cytometry to assess phosphorylated CD22, Syk, and Akt as well as the basal expression of the BCR coreceptors CD22 and CD19. Confocal microscopy studies determined the recruitment of CD22 and the tyrosine phosphatase SH2 domain-containing phosphatase 1 to the activated BCR complex. Additionally, phosphatase activity in SLE versus healthy donor B cells was measured., Results: B cells from SLE patients showed diminished Syk phosphorylation and reduced intracellular calcium release after BCR activation as compared to B cells from healthy donors. This was related to an enhanced activity of tyrosine, but not serine/threonine, phosphatases and was corrected by inhibition of tyrosine phosphatase activity. In contrast to reduced Syk phosphorylation after BCR activation, phosphorylation of Akt was significantly increased in SLE B cells. The disturbed balance between Syk and Akt phosphorylation was significantly correlated with B cell survival following BCR engagement. Furthermore, CD27-, but not CD27+, B cells from SLE patients displayed increased expression and phosphorylation of the inhibitory BCR coreceptor CD22., Conclusion: These results indicate that an imbalance between serine and tyrosine phosphatases in SLE contributes to an intrinsically disturbed balance of BCR-initiated signaling pathways, resulting in enhanced survival of lupus B cells and differentiation into plasma cells., (© 2016, American College of Rheumatology.)

Seasonal climatic shifts create peripheral habitats that alternate between habitable and uninhabitable for migratory species. Such dynamic peripheral habitats are potential sites where migratory species could evolve high genetic diversity resulting from convergence of immigrants from multiple regionally distant areas. Migrant populations of Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) captured during two different seasons were assessed for genetic structure using microsatellite markers and for host plant type using stable carbon isotope analysis. Individuals (N = 568) were genotyped and divided into 13 putative populations based on collection site and time. Fixation indices (F-statistics), analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA), and discriminant analysis of principal components (DAPC) were used to examine within and among population genetic variation. Mean number of alleles per locus was 10.25 (± 3.2 SD), and allelic richness ranged from 2.38 to 5.13 (± 3.2 SD). The observed and expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.07 to 0.48 and 0.08 to 0.62, respectively. Low F ST (0.01 to 0.02) and high F IS (0.08 to 0.33) values suggest captured migrants originated from breeding populations with different allele frequencies. We postulate that high genetic diversity within migrant populations and low genetic differentiation among migrant populations of H. zea are the result of asymmetrical immigration due to the high dispersal and reproductive behavior of H. zea, which may hinder the adaptation and establishment of H. zea to peripheral habitat. These findings highlight the importance of assessing peripheral population structure in relation to ecological and evolutionary dynamics of this and other highly reproductive and dispersive species.

Fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith), is a highly mobile insect pest of a wide range of host crops. However, this pest of tropical origin cannot survive extended periods of freezing temperature but must migrate northward each spring if it is to re-infest cropping areas in temperate regions. The northward limit of the winter-breeding region for North America extends to southern regions of Texas and Florida, but infestations are regularly reported as far north as Québec and Ontario provinces in Canada by the end of summer. Recent genetic analyses have characterized migratory pathways from these winter-breeding regions, but knowledge is lacking on the atmosphere's role in influencing the timing, distance, and direction of migratory flights. The Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) model was used to simulate migratory flight of fall armyworm moths from distinct winter-breeding source areas. Model simulations identified regions of dominant immigration from the Florida and Texas source areas and overlapping immigrant populations in the Alabama-Georgia and Pennsylvania-Mid-Atlantic regions. This simulated migratory pattern corroborates a previous migratory map based on the distribution of fall armyworm haplotype profiles. We found a significant regression between the simulated first week of moth immigration and first week of moth capture (for locations which captured ≥ 10 moths), which on average indicated that the model simulated first immigration 2 weeks before first captures in pheromone traps. The results contribute to knowledge of fall armyworm population ecology on a continental scale and will aid in the prediction and interpretation of inter-annual variability of insect migration patterns including those in response to climatic change and adoption rates of transgenic cultivars.

The brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys (Stål), feeds on a variety of fruits and vegetables, and is an economically important invasive hemipteran pest. Trap cropping of H. halys was examined at the Pennsylvania State University Southeast Agriculture Research and Extension Center (SEAREC) in Lancaster Co., PA, from 2012 to 2013, with sunflowers used as a trap crop to protect bell pepper. H. halys were observed frequently on sunflowers planted surrounding the pepper field, and in both years of this experiment significantly more H. halys were observed in sunflowers than peppers. Both adults and nymphs were observed with equal frequency, with higher numbers of both observed in September. A 2:1 ratio of females to males was observed throughout both years. While sunflowers were attractive to H. halys, no difference in fruit damage was observed in peppers surrounded by the sunflower trap crop versus those peppers surrounded by peppers. While sunflowers present an interesting potential trap crop for H. halys, future research is needed to clarify the feasibility of this crop protection technique., (© The Authors 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Introduction: Cytokines produced by B cells are believed to play important roles in autoimmune diseases. CD22 targeting by epratuzumab has been demonstrated to inhibit phosphorylation of B cell receptor (BCR) downstream signaling in B cells. It has been shown that other sialoadhesin molecules related to CD22 have immunoregulatory functions; therefore, in the present study, we addressed the role of epratuzumab on the production of key cytokines by B cells of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and of healthy donors (HD)., Methods: Peripheral blood B cells were purified and activated by BCR with or without Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) stimulation in the presence or absence of epratuzumab. Cytokine production by B cells (interleukin [IL]-6, tumor necrosis factor [TNF]-α and IL-10) in the supernatant and the induction of IL-10(+) B cells from patients with SLE and HD were analyzed., Results: The secretion of the proinflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-6 by anti-BCR and BCR- and/or TLR9-activated B cells from HD and patients with SLE was inhibited by epratuzumab. In contrast, the production of IL-10 by B cells was not affected by epratuzumab under either stimulation condition. Consistently, the induction of IL-10-producing B cells in culture was not affected by epratuzumab., Conclusions: Epratuzumab, by targeting CD22, was able to inhibit the production of the proinflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNF-α by B cells, in contrast to IL-10, in vitro. These data suggest that targeting CD22 alters the balance between proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6) and the regulatory cytokine IL-10 as another B cell effector mechanism.

Marking organisms with fluorescent dyes and powders is a common technique used in ecological field studies that monitor movement of organisms to examine life history traits, behaviors, and population dynamics. External fluorescent marking is relatively inexpensive and can be readily employed to quickly mark large numbers of individuals; however, the ability to detect marked organisms in the field at night has been hampered by the limited detection distances provided by portable fluorescent ultraviolet lamps. In recent years, significant advances in LED lamp and laser technology have led to development of powerful, low-cost ultraviolet light sources. In this study, we evaluate the potential of these new technologies to improve detection of fluorescent-marked organisms in the field and to create new possibilities for tracking marked organisms in visually challenging environments such as tree canopies and aquatic habitats. Using handheld lasers, we document a method that provides a fivefold increase in detection distance over previously available technologies. This method allows easy scouting of tree canopies (from the ground), as well as shallow aquatic systems. This novel detection method for fluorescent-marked organisms thus promises to significantly enhance the use of fluorescent marking as a non-destructive technique for tracking organisms in natural environments, facilitating field studies that aim to document otherwise inaccessible aspects of the movement, behavior, and population dynamics of study organisms, including species with significant economic impacts or relevance for ecology and human health.

Bacterial wilt threatens cucurbit crop production in the Midwestern and Northeastern United States. The pathogen, Erwinia tracheiphila, is a xylem-limited bacterium that affects most commercially important cucurbit species, including muskmelon, cucumber, and squash. Bacterial wilt is transmitted and overwintered by striped and spotted cucumber beetles. Since there are few commercially available resistant cultivars, disease management usually relies on use of insecticides to suppress vector populations. Although bacterial wilt was initially described more than 100 years ago, our knowledge of disease ecology and epidemiology advanced slowly for most of the 20th century. However, a recent wave of research has begun to fill in missing pieces of the bacterial wilt puzzle. This article-the first review of research toward understanding the cucurbit bacterial wilt pathosystem-recounts early findings and updates our understanding of the disease cycle, including pathogen and vector biology. We also highlight research areas that could lead to more efficient and ecologically based management of bacterial wilt.

Ectotherms, such as insects, experience non-constant temperatures in nature. Daily mean temperatures can be derived from the daily maximum and minimum temperatures. However, the converse is not true and environments with the same mean temperature can exhibit very different diurnal temperate ranges. Here we apply a degree-day model for development of the grape berry moth (Paralobesia viteana, a significant vineyard pest in the northeastern USA) to investigate how different diurnal temperature range conditions can influence degree-day accumulation and, hence, insect life history. We first consider changes in diurnal temperature range independent of changes in mean temperatures. We then investigate grape berry moth life history under potential climate change conditions, increasing mean temperature via variable patterns of change to diurnal temperature range. We predict that diurnal temperature range change can substantially alter insect life history. Altering diurnal temperature range independent of the mean temperature can affect development rate and voltinism, with the magnitude of the effects dependent on whether changes occur to the daily minimum temperature (Tmin), daily maximum temperature (Tmax), or both. Allowing for an increase in mean temperature produces more marked effects on life history but, again, the patterns and magnitude depend on the nature of the change to diurnal temperature range together with the starting conditions in the local environment. The study highlights the importance of characterizing the influence of diurnal temperature range in addition to mean temperature alone.

Fall armyworm [Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith)] is a major economic pest throughout the Western Hemisphere of maize, cotton, sorghum, and a variety of agricultural grasses and vegetable crops. Previous studies demonstrated extensive annual migrations occurring as far north as Canada from overwintering locations in southern Florida and Texas. In contrast, migratory behavior in the rest of the hemisphere is largely uncharacterized. Understanding the migration patterns of fall armyworm will facilitate efforts to predict the spread of pesticide resistance traits that repeatedly arise in this species and assess the consequences of changing climatic trends on the infestation range. Four independent fall armyworm colonies derived from widely separated populations in Mexico and two field collections were examined for their mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI) gene haplotypes and compared with other locations. The Mexico populations were most similar in their haplotype profile to those from Texas and South America, but also displayed some distinctive features. The data extend the haplotype distribution map in the Western Hemisphere and confirm that the previously observed regional differences in haplotype frequencies are stable over time. The Mexico collections were associated with haplotypes rarely found elsewhere, suggesting limited migratory interactions with foreign populations, including those in neighboring Texas., (Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. 2015. This work is written by US Government employees and is in the public domain in the US.)

Objective: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is characterized by B cell hyperactivity and autoantibody production. As spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk) is pivotal in B cell activation, these experiments aimed to examine the extent to which Syk was abnormally expressed in SLE B cells and the nature of the B cell subset that differently expressed Syk., Methods: B cells from healthy donors and SLE patients were analyzed by flow cytometry to assess basal expression of Syk and phosphorylated Syk. B cell subsets expressing higher levels of Syk were found, and their detailed phenotype, in vitro differentiation into plasmablasts/plasma cells, and Syk induction by cytokines were determined., Results: Syk expression was higher in CD27+ memory B cells than in naive B cells from SLE patients. However, a significantly increased frequency of CD27- B cells with bright expression of Syk (Syk++) was found in SLE patients. CD27-Syk++ B cells showed enhanced basal expression of p-Syk and stronger Syk phosphorylation upon B cell receptor (BCR) engagement as compared to CD27-Syk+ B cells. CD27-Syk++ B cells were CD38- as well as CD19++, CD20++, and mainly CD21-, with decreased ABCB1 transporter activity. In contrast to CD27-Syk+ B cells, CD27-Syk++ B cells exhibited enhanced differentiation into CD27++ IgG-secreting cells and expressed somatically mutated BCR gene rearrangements. Syk++ B cells were inducible in vitro by stimulation with interferon-γ, lipopolysaccharide, or tumor necrosis factor α., Conclusion: SLE patients exhibit an increased frequency of hitherto unknown CD27-Syk++ memory-like B cells, indicating that intracellular Syk density could distinguish CD27- memory B cells from truly naive B cell subsets. Furthermore, the CD27-Syk++ subset is a candidate for a source of increased plasma cells in SLE., (Copyright © 2014 by the American College of Rheumatology.)

Introduction: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease associated with a break in self-tolerance reflected by a production of antinuclear autoantibodies. Since autoantibody production can be activated via nucleic acid Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9), the respective pathway has been implicated in the development of SLE and pathogenic B cell responses. However, the response of B cells from SLE patients to TLR9 stimulation remains incompletely characterized., Methods: In the current study, the response of B cells from SLE patients and healthy donors upon TLR9 stimulation was analyzed in terms of proliferation and cytokine production and correlated with the lupus disease activity and anti-dsDNA titers., Results: B cells from SLE patients showed a reduced response to TLR9 agonist compared to B cells from healthy donors in terms of proliferation and activation. B cells from SLE patients with higher disease activity produced less interleukin (IL)-6, IL-10, vascular endothelial growth factor, and IL-1ra than B cells from healthy donors. Further analyses revealed an inverse correlation of cytokines produced by TLR9-stimulated B cells with lupus disease activity and anti-dsDNA titer, respectively., Conclusion: The capacity of B cells from lupus patients to produce cytokines upon TLR9 engagement becomes less efficient with increasing disease activity, suggesting that they either enter an exhausted state or become tolerant to TLR stimulation for cytokine production when disease worsens.

Background: Recent evidence indicates that some populations of European corn borer (ECB), Ostrinia nubilalis (Hübner), have declined to historic lows owing to widespread adoption of Bt corn hybrids. To understand current ECB populations in Pennsylvania field corn, the authors assessed larval damage in Bt and non-Bt corn hybrids at 29 sites over 3 years. The influence of Bt adoption rates, land cover types and moth activity on levels of ECB damage was also considered., Results: Bt hybrids reduced ECB damage when compared with non-Bt, but these differences inconsistently translated to higher yields and, because of higher seed costs, rarely improved profits. No relationships were detected between land use or Bt adoption and ECB damage rates, but positive relationships were found between plant damage and captures of Z-race ECB moths in pheromone traps in the PestWatch network., Conclusions: ECB damage levels were generally low and appear to be declining across Pennsylvania. In many locations, farmers may gain greater profits by planting competitive non-Bt hybrids; however, Bt hybrids remain valuable control options, particularly in the parts of Pennsylvania where ECB populations persist. Moth captures from PestWatch appear to provide insight into where Bt hybrids are most valuable., (© 2013 Society of Chemical Industry.)

Northeastern U.S. farms are often situated adjacent to forestland due to the heterogeneous nature of the landscape. We investigated how forested areas influence Carabidae diversity within nearby crop fields by establishing transects of pitfall traps. Trapping extended across a forest-agriculture ecotone consisting of maize, an intermediate mowed grass margin, and a forest edge. Carabidae diversity was compared among the three habitats, and community and population dynamics were assessed along the transect. We used a principal response curve to examine and visualize community change across a spatial gradient. The highest levels of richness and evenness were observed in the forest community, and carabid assemblages shifted significantly across the ecotone, especially at the forest-grass interface. Despite strong ecotone effects, population distributions showed that some species were found in all three habitats and seemed to thrive at the ecotone. Based on similarity indices, carabid assemblages collected in maize adjacent to forest differed from carabid assemblages in maize not adjacent to forest. We conclude that forest carabid assemblages exhibit high degrees of dissimilarity with those found in agricultural fields and forested areas should thus be retained in agricultural landscapes to increase biodiversity at the landscape scale. However, ecotone species found at forest edges can still noticeably influence carabid community composition within neighboring agricultural fields. Further studies should determine how these shifts in carabid assemblages influence agroecosystem services in relation to ecosystem services observed in fields embedded in an agricultural matrix.

Trap cropping and biological control can provide a sustainable means of controlling insect pests. Insects in the genus Lygus (Hemiptera: Miridae) are major pests on cotton and horticultural crops throughout the United States, and pesticide resistance within Lygus populations necessitates more sustainable long-term management techniques. Here, we explore behavioral responses of Lygus bugs (L. rubrosignatus Knight) and an introduced parasitoid, Peristenus relictus (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), to a common field edge plant, Erigeron annuus, which has the potential to serve as a trap host. Erigeron annuus is attractive to Lygus in the field, with Lygus preferentially moving to Erigeron patches compared to more abundant cotton plants. To determine the role of odor cues in mediating this attraction, we collected volatiles from E. annuus with and without Lygus damage, and then tested the attractiveness of these volatiles vs. those of cotton to Lygus females and female P. relictus wasps using Y-tube and wind tunnel bioassays. We found that undamaged E. annuus emits high concentrations of a complex volatile blend (60+ compounds), with novel compounds induced and constitutive compounds up-regulated in response to damage. Additionally, both female Lygus bugs and female P. relictus wasps are highly attracted to E. annuus volatiles over those of cotton in almost every combination of damage treatments. Our results suggest that Erigeron annuus would be an effective trap plant to control Lygus in cotton, since it is highly attractive to both the pest and its natural enemy.

Abstract We provide calibrated degree-day models to predict potential West Nile virus (WNV) transmission periods in Pennsylvania. We begin by following the standard approach of treating the degree-days necessary for the virus to complete the extrinsic incubation period (EIP), and mosquito longevity as constants. This approach failed to adequately explain virus transmission periods based on mosquito surveillance data from 4 locations (Harrisburg, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Williamsport) in Pennsylvania from 2002 to 2008. Allowing the EIP and adult longevity to vary across time and space improved model fit substantially. The calibrated models increase the ability to successfully predict the WNV transmission period in Pennsylvania to 70-80% compared to less than 30% in the uncalibrated model. Model validation showed the optimized models to be robust in 3 of the locations, although still showing errors for Philadelphia. These models and methods could provide useful tools to predict WNV transmission period from surveillance datasets, assess potential WNV risk, and make informed mosquito surveillance strategies.

Objective: CD22 is a surface molecule exclusively expressed on B cells that regulates adhesion and B cell receptor (BCR) signaling as an inhibitory coreceptor of the BCR. Central downstream signaling molecules that are activated upon BCR engagement include spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk) and, subsequently, phospholipase Cγ2 (PLCγ2), which results in calcium (Ca(2+)) mobilization. The humanized anti-CD22 monoclonal antibody epratuzumab is currently being tested in clinical trials. This study was undertaken to determine the potential mechanism by which this drug regulates B cell activation., Methods: Purified B cells were preincubated with epratuzumab, and the colocalization of CD22 and CD79α, without BCR engagement, was assessed by confocal microscopy. The phosphorylation of Syk (Y348, Y352) and PLCγ2 (Y759) as well as the Ca(2+) flux in the cells were analyzed by flow cytometry upon stimulation of the BCR and/or Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR-9). The influence of CD22 ligation on BCR signaling was assessed by pretreating the cells with epratuzumab or F(ab')(2) fragment of epratuzumab, in comparison with control cells (medium alone or isotype-matched IgG1)., Results: Epratuzumab induced colocalization of CD22 and components of the BCR independent of BCR engagement, and also reduced intracellular Ca(2+) mobilization and diminished the phosphorylation of Syk and PLCγ2 after BCR stimulation in vitro. Inhibition of kinase phosphorylation was demonstrated in both CD27- and CD27+ B cells, and this appeared to be independent of Fc receptor signaling. Preactivation of the cells via the stimulation of TLR-9 did not circumvent the inhibitory effect of epratuzumab on BCR signaling., Conclusion: These findings are consistent with the concept of targeting CD22 to raise the threshold of BCR activation, which could offer therapeutic benefit in patients with autoimmune diseases., (Copyright © 2013 by the American College of Rheumatology.)

We develop individual-based Monte Carlo methods to explore how climate change can alter insect voltinism under varying greenhouse gas emissions scenarios by using input distributions of diapause termination or spring emergence, development rate, and diapause initiation, linked to daily temperature and photoperiod. We show concurrence of these projections with a field dataset, and then explore changes in grape berry moth, Paralobesia viteana (Clemens), voltinism that may occur with climate projections developed from the average of three climate models using two different future emissions scenarios from the International Panel of Climate Change (IPCC). Based on historical climate data from 1960 to 2008, and projected downscaled climate data until 2099 under both high (A1fi) and low (B1) greenhouse gas emission scenarios, we used concepts of P. viteana biology to estimate distributions of individuals entering successive generations per year. Under the low emissions scenario, we observed an earlier emergence from diapause and a shift in mean voltinism from 2.8 to 3.1 generations per year, with a fraction of the population achieving a fourth generation. Under the high emissions scenario, up to 3.6 mean generations per year were projected by the end of this century, with a very small fraction of the population achieving a fifth generation. Changes in voltinism in this and other species in response to climate change likely will cause significant economic and ecological impacts, and the methods presented here can be readily adapted to other species for which the input distributions are reasonably approximated.

Seed-based pest management tools, such as transgenes and seed treatments, are emerging as viable alternatives to conventional insecticide applications in numerous crops, and often occur as coupled technologies. Seed-based technologies have been readily adopted in maize, for which ecological studies are needed to examine effects to farmland biodiversity. We compared the response of nontarget coleopteran communities in Cry1Ab/c sweet corn and Cry3Bb field corn to conventional pyrethroid applications and a control. Of particular interest was the Cry3Bb field corn, which was coupled with a neonicotinoid seed treatment and was not rotated across years. A functionally diverse subset of the coleopteran community, consisting of three families (Carabidae, Chrysomelidae, and Nitidulidae) and 9,525 specimens, was identified to species. We compared coleopteran diversity and dynamics using rarefaction and ordination techniques. There were no differences in species richness among treatments; however, higher activity densities were more common in the control. In the nonrotated field corn, principal response curves showed a consistent pattern of treatment communities deviating from the control communities over time, whereas crop rotation in the sweet corn negated treatment effects. Treatment effects could not be detected when beetles were grouped based on functional roles. Results indicate that neonicotinoid seed-based treatments may have effects on some nontarget coleopterans, but these effects are similar to conventional pyrethroid applications., (© 2010 Entomological Society of America)

Transgenic maize engineered to express insecticidal proteins from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) has become widely adopted in U.S. agriculture. In 2009, Bt maize was planted on more than 22.2 million hectares, constituting 63% of the U.S. crop. Using statistical analysis of per capita growth rate estimates, we found that areawide suppression of the primary pest Ostrinia nubilalis (European corn borer) is associated with Bt maize use. Cumulative benefits over 14 years are an estimated $3.2 billion for maize growers in Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, with more than $2.4 billion of this total accruing to non-Bt maize growers. Comparable estimates for Iowa and Nebraska are $3.6 billion in total, with $1.9 billion for non-Bt maize growers. These results affirm theoretical predictions of pest population suppression and highlight economic incentives for growers to maintain non-Bt maize refugia for sustainable insect resistance management.

To slow the resistance evolution of the European corn borer (ECB) to Cry proteins expressed in transgenic Bacillus thuringensis (Bt) corn, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has adopted an insect resistance management (IRM) plan that relies on a "high dose/refuge" strategy. However, this IRM plan does not consider possible ecological differences between the two ECB pheromone races (E and Z). Using carbon isotope analysis, we found that unstructured (non-corn) refuges contribute more to E race (18%) than to Z race (4%) populations of ECB in upstate New York (USA). Furthermore, feeding on non-corn hosts is associated with decreased body mass and reduced fecundity. We also show that the geographic range of E-race ECB is restricted within the range of the Z race and that E-race ECB are increasingly dominant in regions with increasing non-corn habitat. While the proportion of E-race ECB developing in unstructured refuges is higher than previously assumed, low rates of unstructured refuge use by the Z race, evidence for reduced fecundity when reared on non-corn hosts, and complete sympatry within the E race range all argue against a relaxation of current IRM refuge standards in corn based on alternative-host use. We also discuss implications of this research for integrated pest management in vegetables and IRM in Bt cotton.

Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) has become a major limiting factor in snap bean production in the Great Lakes region of North America, and epidemics have occurred more frequently since the soybean aphid, Aphis glycines Matsumura, was introduced. Major aphid vectors of CMV epidemics were identified by statistically relating their temporal dispersal trends to the incidence of CMV. Alates were monitored weekly using water pan traps in 74 snap bean fields in New York and Pennsylvania from 2002 to 2006. Plants were tested for CMV by ELISA one time during late bloom in 2002 and 2003 and weekly over the season from 2004 to 2006. Principal vectors of CMV included Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris), A. glycines, Aphis gossypii Glover, and Therioaphis trifolii (Monell). Among these, A. glycines and T. trifolii were likely responsible for severe CMV epidemics because they were among the most abundant species captured, they efficiently transmit CMV, and their dispersal activity was positively correlated with periods when CMV incidence was highest. Moreover, because high numbers of A. glycines and T. trifolii disperse during July and August, snap bean fields planted beyond late June are at risk for infection during early vegetative stages and are subsequently more at risk for yield loss. In contrast, plantings up to late June are less likely to become infected during early developmental stages and should escape yield loss because major vectors are dispersing infrequently. CMV-resistant or tolerant snap bean varieties should be planted after late June to reduce the risk of yield loss.

Insecticidal Bt crops and seed treatments represent additional pest management tools for growers, prompting ecological studies comparing their impact on farm system inputs and effects to nontarget organisms compared with conventional practices. Using high taxonomic and temporal resolution, we contrast the dominance structure of carabids and dynamics of the most abundant species in maize (both sweet and field corn) agroecosystems using pest management tactics determined by the purchase of seed and application of pyrethroid insecticides. In the seed-based treatments, sweet corn contained Cry1Ab/c proteins, whereas field corn contained the coupled technology of Cry3Bb1 proteins for control of corn rootworm and neonicotinoid seed treatments aimed at secondary soil-borne pests. The insecticide treatments involved foliar pyrethroids in sweet corn and at-planting pyrethroids in field corn. The carabid community, comprised of 49 species, was dominated by four species, Scarites quadriceps Chaudoir, Poecilus chalcites Say, Pterostichus melanarius Illiger, and Harpalus pensylvanicus DeGeer, that each occupied a distinct temporal niche during the growing season. Two species, Pt. melanarius and H. pensylvanicus, exhibited differences between treatments over time. Only H. pensylvanicus had consistent results in both years, in which activity densities in field corn were significantly higher in the control in July and/or August. These results, along with laboratory bioassays, led us to hypothesize that lower adult captures resulted from decrease in prey availability or exposure of H. pensylvanicus larvae to soil-directed insecticides-either the neonicotinoid seed treatment in the transgenic field corn or an at-planting soil insecticide in the conventional field corn.

Using multiple locations and a series of field trials over 2 yr, we evaluated an integrated pest management program for Ostrinia nubilalis (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) management in peppers involving biorational chemistries, inundative releases of Trichogramma ostriniae (Pang & Chen), and conservation of generalist predators. In small plot trials, three biorational insecticides (spinosad, indoxacarb, and methoxyfenozide) provided comparable control of O. nubilalis as two broad-spectrum conventional insecticides (acephate and lambda-cyhalothrin). However, lambdacyhalothrin at most locations, and indoxacarb at one location, resulted in outbreaks of green peach aphids. We also observed significant effects on the generalist predator community: beneficial communities in methoxyfenozide-treated plots were most similar to untreated controls, and acephate-treated plots were the least similar. Management systems comparing untreated controls, inundative release of T. ostriniae with methoxyfenozide applied when lepidopterans exceeded thresholds, or weekly applications of acephate or lambda-cyhalothrin, showed no effects on marketable fruit or percentage of fruit damaged, but the conventional insecticide approach caused aphid flares. Inundative releases of T. ostriniae and biorational chemistries provide a more environmentally sound approach to managing O. nubilalis in peppers, due, in part, to conservation of generalist predators.

Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) is a major component of the virus complex that has become more pronounced in snap bean in the midwestern and northeastern United States since 2001. Multiple-vector-transfer tests were done to estimate the CMV transmission efficiencies (p) of the main aphid species identified in commercial snap bean fields in New York and Pennsylvania. The four most efficient vectors (p > 0.05) were Aphis gossypii, A. glycines, Acyrthosiphon pisum, and Therioaphis trifolii, which were all significant species in the migratory aphid populations in snap bean. Moderately efficient vectors (0.01 < p < 0.04) were A. spiraecola, A. craccivora, Macrosiphum euphorbiae, and Rhopalosiphum maidis. Poor vectors (p < 0.01) included A. fabae, Nearctaphis bakeri, and Myzus persicae. Only one species, Sitobion avenae, failed to transmit CMV in replicated tests. Estimates of p were consistent between different clones of the same aphid species and among three different field isolates of CMV tested. Single-vector-transfer test results for a subset of the species supported those obtained via the multiple-vector-transfer approach. Our results are consistent with the notion that A. glycines is a major vector of recent CMV epidemics in snap bean, but that species is only one of several that are involved.

Many ecological studies have focused on the effects of transgenes in field crops, but few have considered multiple transgenes in diversified vegetable systems. We compared the epigeal, or soil surface-dwelling, communities of Coleoptera and Formicidae between transgenic and isoline vegetable systems consisting of sweet corn, potato, and acorn squash, with transgenic cultivars expressing Cry1(A)b, Cry3, or viral coat proteins. Vegetables were grown in replicated split plots over 2 yr with integrated pest management (IPM) standards defining insecticide use patterns. More than 77.6% of 11,925 insects from 1,512 pitfall traps were identified to species, and activity density was used to compare dominance distribution, species richness, and community composition. Measures of epigeal biodiversity were always equal in transgenic vegetables, which required fewer insecticide applications than their near isolines. There were no differences in species richness between transgenic and isoline treatments at the farm system and individual crop level. Dominance distributions were also similar between transgenic and isoline farming systems. Crop type, and not genotype, had a significant influence on Carabidae and Staphylinidae community composition in the first year, but there were no treatment effects in the second year, possibly because of homogenizing effects of crop rotations. Communities were more influenced by crop type, and possibly crop rotation, than by genotype. The heterogeneity of crops and rotations in diversified vegetable farms seems to aid in preserving epigeal biodiversity, which may be supplemented by reductions in insecticide use associated with transgenic cultivars.