Devi Suman - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Devi Suman

International Journal of Tropical Insect Science

Parasitology Research Monographs

Arboviruses diseases, especially dengue, chikungunya and Zika are responsible for millions of hum... more Arboviruses diseases, especially dengue, chikungunya and Zika are responsible for millions of human sickness and a significant number of deaths worldwide. There is no effective treatment and cure available for these arboviral diseases. These diseases are transmitted mainly by Aedes mosquitoes such as Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. They are highly anthropophilic, container-inhabiting and diurnal mosquitoes surviving in peridomestic habitats. The management of dengue, chikungunya and Zika diseases mainly depends on vector management, but the habit and habitats of these mosquitoes make their management difficult. The present chapter mainly has three major sections: (1) mosquito, viruses, interrelationships and disease treatment, (2) vector management and (3) novel approaches for vector management and disease transmission inhibition. The first aspect includes the relationship of mosquitoes with arboviruses, vector competency and the treatments of arbovirus diseases involving vaccine developments with future aspects. The next section deals with mosquito biology, surveillance and control strategies for eggs, larvae, pupae and adults stages using the conventional and advanced methods to develop an integrated approach for effective vector management. This section also elaborates the environmental management, biological and insecticidal controls of different stages of mosquitoes. The last segment of the chapter discusses the efficacy and applicability of novel technologies for multiple stages of Aedes mosquito control which includes autodissemination technology, Wolbachia-based cytoplasmic incompatibility, sterile insect techniques and the release of insects carrying a dominant lethal gene (RIDL) that can be a potential tool in the future to restrict disease transmission. The human behaviour alteration to avoid mosquito biting and methods applicable for personal protection has been discussed in the chapter. Based on the discussion, the prevention of the transmission of dengue, chikungunya and Zika is the only cure in the present scenario.

Journal of Medical Entomology

Effective suppression of container-inhabiting Asian Tiger [Aedes albopictus (Skuse)] (Diptera: Cu... more Effective suppression of container-inhabiting Asian Tiger [Aedes albopictus (Skuse)] (Diptera: Culicidae) and yellow fever [Aedes aegypti (L.)] (Diptera: Culicidae) mosquitoes presents one of the most intractable problems for modern mosquito control. Traditional tools often fail to control populations of these mosquito species, and are prohibitively expensive or have negative environmental impacts. Novel approaches and tools are urgently needed for integrated container-inhabiting mosquito management programs. One of the most promising techniques is autodissemination. We present the results of a long-term large-scale study conducted in a temperate urbanized environment representing typical Ae. albopictus habitats. Three treatment sites with autodissemination stations and three nearby reference sites were monitored for eggs, immature, and adult mosquitoes over a period of 3 yr from 2014 to 2016. Elevated larval and pupal mortality of 12–19% on average was the most notable outcome in s...

Journal of medical entomology, Jan 13, 2017

Mosquito control programs in the United States are still searching for best management practices ... more Mosquito control programs in the United States are still searching for best management practices to control the Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus (Skuse; Diptera: Culicidae). Most intervention methods for this species are either labor intensive (e.g., source reduction) or short-term (e.g., ultra-low-volume adulticiding). We investigated the effectiveness of barrier spray pesticide applications within urban and suburban residential yards in New Jersey as a control strategy using a before-after-control-impact (BACI) approach. Applications of Demand CSR pyrethroid (9.7% AI lambda-cyhalothrin) only or combined Demand CSR and Archer IGR insect growth regulator (1.3% AI pyriproxyfen) applications resulted in significant and similar decreases in adult mosquito abundance post-treatment ranging from 78 to 74% respectively, compared with the untreated control. Both insecticides exceeded the 70% reduction threshold considered as effective for Ae. albopictus control for 2 to 4 wk. However,...

Pest management science, Jan 31, 2017

The control of the container-inhabiting mosquito, Aedes albopictus, is difficult with conventiona... more The control of the container-inhabiting mosquito, Aedes albopictus, is difficult with conventional methods due to its selection of cryptic peridomestic habitats. We evaluated whether autodissemination stations are able to deliver sufficient pyriproxyfen to sentinel containers to produce significant pupal mortality in different habitats such as competing oviposition sites, peridomestic habitats, junk yards and tire piles. We also tested how far the pesticide could be transferred over a 200 m range. Autodissemination stations performed effectively for 8-12 weeks under field conditions. Pupal mortality was reduced in sentinel cups with high competing oviposition habitats (5 Vs 20) in isolated plots, however, similar results were not seen in residential areas. Increasing the number of stations per plot (from 1 to 4) enhanced the efficacy. Peridomestic habitat trials showed the highest pupal mortality (50.4%) and site contamination with pyriproxyfen (82.2%) among the trials. Autodissemin...

Parasites & vectors, Jan 9, 2017

Aedes albopictus, the Asian tiger mosquito, is an aggressive, highly anthropophilic, day-biting m... more Aedes albopictus, the Asian tiger mosquito, is an aggressive, highly anthropophilic, day-biting mosquito with an expanding geographic range. Suppression of Ae. albopictus is difficult because of the abundance and prevalence of larval habitats within peridomestic environments, particularly cryptic habitats such as corrugated extension spouts, fence post openings, discarded food containers, etc. Because of the challenges of eliminating or treating larval habitats of this species, we tested an autodissemination concept to contaminate these habitats with the insect growth regulator pyriproxyfen. Our study was conducted in the City of Trenton (Mercer County), New Jersey, USA (40°12'N, 74°44'W). We selected six hot spots, where five or more Ae. albopictus males or females were collected based on weekly trap surveillance. A trapping unit was a city block, approximately 0.8 ha (hot spot), where we deployed 26 to 28 autodissemination stations per treatment plot. To gauge efficacy, we...

PLoS neglected tropical diseases, Dec 1, 2016

The Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus, is a vector of dengue, Chikungunya, and Zika viruses.... more The Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus, is a vector of dengue, Chikungunya, and Zika viruses. This mosquito inhabits a wide range of artificial water-holding containers in urban and suburban areas making it difficult to control. We tested the hypothesis that female-driven autodissemination of an insect growth regulator could penetrate cryptic oviposition habitats difficult to treat with conventional insecticidal sprays. Oviposition preferences of Ae. albopictus females for open and cryptic cups were tested in semi-field experiments. Two conventional larvicidal sprayers were tested to determine droplet penetration and larvicidal efficacy in open and cryptic habitats using Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis (Bti) in the field. Finally, the efficacy of pyriproxyfen autodissemination stations was assessed in cryptic and open cups in residential areas during 2013 and 2014. Gravid females strongly preferred cryptic (53.1±12.9 eggs/cup) over open (10.3±4.3 eggs/cup) cups for ovipo...

A prototype autodissemination station to topically contaminate oviposition-seeking container-dwel... more A prototype autodissemination station to topically contaminate oviposition-seeking container-dwelling mosquitoes with the insect growth regulator, pyriproxyfen, was developed and tested in the laboratory. Our test subject was the Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus (Skuse) (Diptera: Culicidae), an urban species that colonizes small-volume cryptic larval habitats and is a skip ovipositor that visits multiple containers. The station consists of a water reservoir to attract gravid females, which is joined to a transfer chamber designed to contaminate visiting mosquitoes. The unit is easily constructed by moulding wet shredded cardboard using corn starch as a binder. The essential criteria that must be met to prove the efficacy of an autodissemination station require it to demonstrate effectiveness in attracting the target insect, in transferring the toxicant to the insect that will disperse the agent, and in facilitating the subsequent transfer of the toxicant from the insect to target habitats at a lethal concentration. Cage experiments demonstrated that the unit was readily accepted by gravid females as an oviposition site. A powder formulation of pyriproxyfen-impregnated silica particles adhered to visiting Ae. albopictus females (mean: 66 particles/female), although particles were lost over time. In cage (2.2 m 3) trials, pyriproxyfen-charged stations resulted in 100% inhibition of adult emergence, whereas in small-room (31.1 m 3) trials, 81% emergence inhibition was recorded. The venereal transfer of pyriproxyfen from contaminated males to virgin females was also observed, and pyriproxyfen was subsequently transferred to water-holding containers at concentrations that inhibited emergence. Key autodissemination station features include lack of maintenance requirements, biodegradable construction, low cost and low risk.

PloS one, 2015

The Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus, is a highly invasive mosquito species that transmits ... more The Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus, is a highly invasive mosquito species that transmits chikungunya and dengue. This species overwinters as diapausing eggs in temperate climates. Early diapause termination may be a beneficial strategy for winter mosquito control; however, a mechanism to terminate the diapause process using chemicals is not known. We tested the hypothesis that a hormonal imbalance caused by the administration of juvenile hormone analog would terminate egg diapause in A. albopictus. We tested the insect growth regulator pyriproxyfen on all developmental stages to identify a susceptible stage for diapause termination. We found that pyriproxyfen treatment of mosquito eggs terminated embryonic diapause. The highest rates of diapause termination were recorded in newly deposited (78.9%) and fully embryonated (74.7%) eggs at 0.1 and 1 ppm, respectively. Hatching was completed earlier in newly deposited eggs (25-30 days) compared to fully embryonated eggs (71-80 day...

Your article is protected by copyright and all rights are held exclusively by Springer-Verlag Ber... more Your article is protected by copyright and all rights are held exclusively by Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg. This e-offprint is for personal use only and shall not be selfarchived in electronic repositories. If you wish to self-archive your work, please use the accepted author's version for posting to your own website or your institution's repository. You may further deposit the accepted author's version on a funder's repository at a funder's request, provided it is not made publicly available until 12 months after publication.

Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - General Subjects, 2015

Lipid metabolism dysfunction leading to excess fat deposits (obesity) may cause tumor (cancer) de... more Lipid metabolism dysfunction leading to excess fat deposits (obesity) may cause tumor (cancer) development. Both obesity and cancer are the epicenter of important medical issues. Lipid metabolism and cell death/proliferation are controlled by biochemical and molecular pathways involving many proteins, and organelles; alteration in these pathways leads to fat accumulation or tumor growth. Mammalian Krüppel-like factors, KLFs play key roles in both lipid metabolism and tumor development. Substantial epidemiological and clinical studies have established strong association of obesity with a number of human cancers. However, we need more experimental verification to determine the exact role of this metabolic alteration in the context of tumor development. A clear understanding of molecules, pathways and the mechanisms involved in lipid metabolism and cell death/proliferation will have important implications in pathogenesis, and prevention of these diseases. The regulatory role of KLFs, in both cell death/proliferation and lipid metabolism suggests a common regulation of both processes. This provides an excellent model for delivering a precise understanding of the mechanisms linking altered expression of KLFs to obesity and tumor development. Currently, mouse and rats are the models of choice for investigating disease mechanisms and pharmacological therapies but a genetic model is needed for a thorough examination of KLF function in vivo during the development of an organism. The worm Caenorhabditis elegans is an ideal model to study the connectivity between lipid metabolism and cell death/proliferation.

Pest Management Science, 2014

The Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus (Skuse), transmits important arboviral diseases and di... more The Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus (Skuse), transmits important arboviral diseases and displaces native species. This peridomestic mosquito deposits eggs in natural and artificial containers. Container larval habitats tend to be cryptic and, therefore, difficult to reach by conventional insecticide treatments. We have developed an autodissemination station that transfers the insect growth regulator, pyriproxyfen, from the station to oviposition sites. Mosquitoes visiting the station become contaminated with an oil sticker followed by pyriproxyfen powder before exiting. In a room (31 m(3) ) bioassay a single station consistently achieved 100% Ae. albopictus pupal mortality against 10 oviposition containers. In a greenhouse (200 m(3) ) assay with two stations and 12 oviposition cups, 91.7% of the cups had been contaminated as shown, and 57.1% pupal mortality was recorded. Pyriproxyfen transfer was also detected by visualizing mosquito 'tarsal prints' using a fluorescent dye. The oil and pyriproxyfen powder dual-treatment station enhanced autodissemination efficacy by increasing toxicant attachment and retention on contaminated females. The autodissemination station offers a targeted, less environmentally damaging approach to manage cryptic container species.

Journal of Medical Entomology, 2013

Pyriproxyfen, a juvenile hormone analog insect growth regulator (IGR), is a recommended insectici... more Pyriproxyfen, a juvenile hormone analog insect growth regulator (IGR), is a recommended insecticide for the control of container-inhabiting mosquitoes. The effects of eight container substrates (three plastics, wood, tire rubber, clay pot, concrete, and glass) were studied on reduction of bio-efÞcacy of pyriproxyfen for Aedes albopictus (Skuse) in the laboratory. Insect growth regulatorbioassay of third instars showed signiÞcant increase of LC 50 with some substrates compared with control probably because of pyriproxyfen adsorption to the substrate. The LC 50 for the control substrate (glass mug) was 0.029 g/liter. In comparison to the control, LC 50 increased 150.1 times with tire rubber (4.354 g/liter) and 8 Ð10 times with wood and high-density polyethylene plastic containers. Slight increases of LC 50 were detected for clay pots, polypropylene, and polystyrene plastics (1.9 Ð2.7 times). Pyriproxyfen efÞcacy with concrete substrate was higher than with glass containers, which might be caused by high pH. The pH of water with wood (5.6) and concrete (9.8) substrates differed from the other substrates tested (6.3Ð7.1). There was no pupal mortality at pH 5Ð11 without pyriproxyfen; however, interaction of pH (5Ð11) with pyriproxyfen (0.05 g/liter) showed additive effects at both low and high pH values. Different substrates have variable impacts on pyriproxyfen efÞcacy, which might be associated with the failure of larval control strategies for the container mosquitoes under certain Þeld conditions.

Journal of the American Mosquito …, 2008

Sexual separation at the larval stage in anopheline mosquitoes with the naked eye is difficult. W... more Sexual separation at the larval stage in anopheline mosquitoes with the naked eye is difficult. We have identified distinguishing spots visible to the naked eye on the 6th abdominal segment of 3rd and 4th instars of Anopheles stephensi, An. culicifacies, and An. ...

Journal of Vector …, 2009

Variation in egg surface morphology and morphometrics of Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes of the... more Variation in egg surface morphology and morphometrics of Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes of the Jodhpur, Bikaner, Jamnagar, and Bathinda strains were correlated with geographical distribution in different ecological regions of India. We report the geographic variation in Cx. ...

International Journal of Tropical Insect Science

Parasitology Research Monographs

Arboviruses diseases, especially dengue, chikungunya and Zika are responsible for millions of hum... more Arboviruses diseases, especially dengue, chikungunya and Zika are responsible for millions of human sickness and a significant number of deaths worldwide. There is no effective treatment and cure available for these arboviral diseases. These diseases are transmitted mainly by Aedes mosquitoes such as Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. They are highly anthropophilic, container-inhabiting and diurnal mosquitoes surviving in peridomestic habitats. The management of dengue, chikungunya and Zika diseases mainly depends on vector management, but the habit and habitats of these mosquitoes make their management difficult. The present chapter mainly has three major sections: (1) mosquito, viruses, interrelationships and disease treatment, (2) vector management and (3) novel approaches for vector management and disease transmission inhibition. The first aspect includes the relationship of mosquitoes with arboviruses, vector competency and the treatments of arbovirus diseases involving vaccine developments with future aspects. The next section deals with mosquito biology, surveillance and control strategies for eggs, larvae, pupae and adults stages using the conventional and advanced methods to develop an integrated approach for effective vector management. This section also elaborates the environmental management, biological and insecticidal controls of different stages of mosquitoes. The last segment of the chapter discusses the efficacy and applicability of novel technologies for multiple stages of Aedes mosquito control which includes autodissemination technology, Wolbachia-based cytoplasmic incompatibility, sterile insect techniques and the release of insects carrying a dominant lethal gene (RIDL) that can be a potential tool in the future to restrict disease transmission. The human behaviour alteration to avoid mosquito biting and methods applicable for personal protection has been discussed in the chapter. Based on the discussion, the prevention of the transmission of dengue, chikungunya and Zika is the only cure in the present scenario.

Journal of Medical Entomology

Effective suppression of container-inhabiting Asian Tiger [Aedes albopictus (Skuse)] (Diptera: Cu... more Effective suppression of container-inhabiting Asian Tiger [Aedes albopictus (Skuse)] (Diptera: Culicidae) and yellow fever [Aedes aegypti (L.)] (Diptera: Culicidae) mosquitoes presents one of the most intractable problems for modern mosquito control. Traditional tools often fail to control populations of these mosquito species, and are prohibitively expensive or have negative environmental impacts. Novel approaches and tools are urgently needed for integrated container-inhabiting mosquito management programs. One of the most promising techniques is autodissemination. We present the results of a long-term large-scale study conducted in a temperate urbanized environment representing typical Ae. albopictus habitats. Three treatment sites with autodissemination stations and three nearby reference sites were monitored for eggs, immature, and adult mosquitoes over a period of 3 yr from 2014 to 2016. Elevated larval and pupal mortality of 12–19% on average was the most notable outcome in s...

Journal of medical entomology, Jan 13, 2017

Mosquito control programs in the United States are still searching for best management practices ... more Mosquito control programs in the United States are still searching for best management practices to control the Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus (Skuse; Diptera: Culicidae). Most intervention methods for this species are either labor intensive (e.g., source reduction) or short-term (e.g., ultra-low-volume adulticiding). We investigated the effectiveness of barrier spray pesticide applications within urban and suburban residential yards in New Jersey as a control strategy using a before-after-control-impact (BACI) approach. Applications of Demand CSR pyrethroid (9.7% AI lambda-cyhalothrin) only or combined Demand CSR and Archer IGR insect growth regulator (1.3% AI pyriproxyfen) applications resulted in significant and similar decreases in adult mosquito abundance post-treatment ranging from 78 to 74% respectively, compared with the untreated control. Both insecticides exceeded the 70% reduction threshold considered as effective for Ae. albopictus control for 2 to 4 wk. However,...

Pest management science, Jan 31, 2017

The control of the container-inhabiting mosquito, Aedes albopictus, is difficult with conventiona... more The control of the container-inhabiting mosquito, Aedes albopictus, is difficult with conventional methods due to its selection of cryptic peridomestic habitats. We evaluated whether autodissemination stations are able to deliver sufficient pyriproxyfen to sentinel containers to produce significant pupal mortality in different habitats such as competing oviposition sites, peridomestic habitats, junk yards and tire piles. We also tested how far the pesticide could be transferred over a 200 m range. Autodissemination stations performed effectively for 8-12 weeks under field conditions. Pupal mortality was reduced in sentinel cups with high competing oviposition habitats (5 Vs 20) in isolated plots, however, similar results were not seen in residential areas. Increasing the number of stations per plot (from 1 to 4) enhanced the efficacy. Peridomestic habitat trials showed the highest pupal mortality (50.4%) and site contamination with pyriproxyfen (82.2%) among the trials. Autodissemin...

Parasites & vectors, Jan 9, 2017

Aedes albopictus, the Asian tiger mosquito, is an aggressive, highly anthropophilic, day-biting m... more Aedes albopictus, the Asian tiger mosquito, is an aggressive, highly anthropophilic, day-biting mosquito with an expanding geographic range. Suppression of Ae. albopictus is difficult because of the abundance and prevalence of larval habitats within peridomestic environments, particularly cryptic habitats such as corrugated extension spouts, fence post openings, discarded food containers, etc. Because of the challenges of eliminating or treating larval habitats of this species, we tested an autodissemination concept to contaminate these habitats with the insect growth regulator pyriproxyfen. Our study was conducted in the City of Trenton (Mercer County), New Jersey, USA (40°12'N, 74°44'W). We selected six hot spots, where five or more Ae. albopictus males or females were collected based on weekly trap surveillance. A trapping unit was a city block, approximately 0.8 ha (hot spot), where we deployed 26 to 28 autodissemination stations per treatment plot. To gauge efficacy, we...

PLoS neglected tropical diseases, Dec 1, 2016

The Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus, is a vector of dengue, Chikungunya, and Zika viruses.... more The Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus, is a vector of dengue, Chikungunya, and Zika viruses. This mosquito inhabits a wide range of artificial water-holding containers in urban and suburban areas making it difficult to control. We tested the hypothesis that female-driven autodissemination of an insect growth regulator could penetrate cryptic oviposition habitats difficult to treat with conventional insecticidal sprays. Oviposition preferences of Ae. albopictus females for open and cryptic cups were tested in semi-field experiments. Two conventional larvicidal sprayers were tested to determine droplet penetration and larvicidal efficacy in open and cryptic habitats using Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis (Bti) in the field. Finally, the efficacy of pyriproxyfen autodissemination stations was assessed in cryptic and open cups in residential areas during 2013 and 2014. Gravid females strongly preferred cryptic (53.1±12.9 eggs/cup) over open (10.3±4.3 eggs/cup) cups for ovipo...

A prototype autodissemination station to topically contaminate oviposition-seeking container-dwel... more A prototype autodissemination station to topically contaminate oviposition-seeking container-dwelling mosquitoes with the insect growth regulator, pyriproxyfen, was developed and tested in the laboratory. Our test subject was the Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus (Skuse) (Diptera: Culicidae), an urban species that colonizes small-volume cryptic larval habitats and is a skip ovipositor that visits multiple containers. The station consists of a water reservoir to attract gravid females, which is joined to a transfer chamber designed to contaminate visiting mosquitoes. The unit is easily constructed by moulding wet shredded cardboard using corn starch as a binder. The essential criteria that must be met to prove the efficacy of an autodissemination station require it to demonstrate effectiveness in attracting the target insect, in transferring the toxicant to the insect that will disperse the agent, and in facilitating the subsequent transfer of the toxicant from the insect to target habitats at a lethal concentration. Cage experiments demonstrated that the unit was readily accepted by gravid females as an oviposition site. A powder formulation of pyriproxyfen-impregnated silica particles adhered to visiting Ae. albopictus females (mean: 66 particles/female), although particles were lost over time. In cage (2.2 m 3) trials, pyriproxyfen-charged stations resulted in 100% inhibition of adult emergence, whereas in small-room (31.1 m 3) trials, 81% emergence inhibition was recorded. The venereal transfer of pyriproxyfen from contaminated males to virgin females was also observed, and pyriproxyfen was subsequently transferred to water-holding containers at concentrations that inhibited emergence. Key autodissemination station features include lack of maintenance requirements, biodegradable construction, low cost and low risk.

PloS one, 2015

The Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus, is a highly invasive mosquito species that transmits ... more The Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus, is a highly invasive mosquito species that transmits chikungunya and dengue. This species overwinters as diapausing eggs in temperate climates. Early diapause termination may be a beneficial strategy for winter mosquito control; however, a mechanism to terminate the diapause process using chemicals is not known. We tested the hypothesis that a hormonal imbalance caused by the administration of juvenile hormone analog would terminate egg diapause in A. albopictus. We tested the insect growth regulator pyriproxyfen on all developmental stages to identify a susceptible stage for diapause termination. We found that pyriproxyfen treatment of mosquito eggs terminated embryonic diapause. The highest rates of diapause termination were recorded in newly deposited (78.9%) and fully embryonated (74.7%) eggs at 0.1 and 1 ppm, respectively. Hatching was completed earlier in newly deposited eggs (25-30 days) compared to fully embryonated eggs (71-80 day...

Your article is protected by copyright and all rights are held exclusively by Springer-Verlag Ber... more Your article is protected by copyright and all rights are held exclusively by Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg. This e-offprint is for personal use only and shall not be selfarchived in electronic repositories. If you wish to self-archive your work, please use the accepted author's version for posting to your own website or your institution's repository. You may further deposit the accepted author's version on a funder's repository at a funder's request, provided it is not made publicly available until 12 months after publication.

Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - General Subjects, 2015

Lipid metabolism dysfunction leading to excess fat deposits (obesity) may cause tumor (cancer) de... more Lipid metabolism dysfunction leading to excess fat deposits (obesity) may cause tumor (cancer) development. Both obesity and cancer are the epicenter of important medical issues. Lipid metabolism and cell death/proliferation are controlled by biochemical and molecular pathways involving many proteins, and organelles; alteration in these pathways leads to fat accumulation or tumor growth. Mammalian Krüppel-like factors, KLFs play key roles in both lipid metabolism and tumor development. Substantial epidemiological and clinical studies have established strong association of obesity with a number of human cancers. However, we need more experimental verification to determine the exact role of this metabolic alteration in the context of tumor development. A clear understanding of molecules, pathways and the mechanisms involved in lipid metabolism and cell death/proliferation will have important implications in pathogenesis, and prevention of these diseases. The regulatory role of KLFs, in both cell death/proliferation and lipid metabolism suggests a common regulation of both processes. This provides an excellent model for delivering a precise understanding of the mechanisms linking altered expression of KLFs to obesity and tumor development. Currently, mouse and rats are the models of choice for investigating disease mechanisms and pharmacological therapies but a genetic model is needed for a thorough examination of KLF function in vivo during the development of an organism. The worm Caenorhabditis elegans is an ideal model to study the connectivity between lipid metabolism and cell death/proliferation.

Pest Management Science, 2014

The Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus (Skuse), transmits important arboviral diseases and di... more The Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus (Skuse), transmits important arboviral diseases and displaces native species. This peridomestic mosquito deposits eggs in natural and artificial containers. Container larval habitats tend to be cryptic and, therefore, difficult to reach by conventional insecticide treatments. We have developed an autodissemination station that transfers the insect growth regulator, pyriproxyfen, from the station to oviposition sites. Mosquitoes visiting the station become contaminated with an oil sticker followed by pyriproxyfen powder before exiting. In a room (31 m(3) ) bioassay a single station consistently achieved 100% Ae. albopictus pupal mortality against 10 oviposition containers. In a greenhouse (200 m(3) ) assay with two stations and 12 oviposition cups, 91.7% of the cups had been contaminated as shown, and 57.1% pupal mortality was recorded. Pyriproxyfen transfer was also detected by visualizing mosquito 'tarsal prints' using a fluorescent dye. The oil and pyriproxyfen powder dual-treatment station enhanced autodissemination efficacy by increasing toxicant attachment and retention on contaminated females. The autodissemination station offers a targeted, less environmentally damaging approach to manage cryptic container species.

Journal of Medical Entomology, 2013

Pyriproxyfen, a juvenile hormone analog insect growth regulator (IGR), is a recommended insectici... more Pyriproxyfen, a juvenile hormone analog insect growth regulator (IGR), is a recommended insecticide for the control of container-inhabiting mosquitoes. The effects of eight container substrates (three plastics, wood, tire rubber, clay pot, concrete, and glass) were studied on reduction of bio-efÞcacy of pyriproxyfen for Aedes albopictus (Skuse) in the laboratory. Insect growth regulatorbioassay of third instars showed signiÞcant increase of LC 50 with some substrates compared with control probably because of pyriproxyfen adsorption to the substrate. The LC 50 for the control substrate (glass mug) was 0.029 g/liter. In comparison to the control, LC 50 increased 150.1 times with tire rubber (4.354 g/liter) and 8 Ð10 times with wood and high-density polyethylene plastic containers. Slight increases of LC 50 were detected for clay pots, polypropylene, and polystyrene plastics (1.9 Ð2.7 times). Pyriproxyfen efÞcacy with concrete substrate was higher than with glass containers, which might be caused by high pH. The pH of water with wood (5.6) and concrete (9.8) substrates differed from the other substrates tested (6.3Ð7.1). There was no pupal mortality at pH 5Ð11 without pyriproxyfen; however, interaction of pH (5Ð11) with pyriproxyfen (0.05 g/liter) showed additive effects at both low and high pH values. Different substrates have variable impacts on pyriproxyfen efÞcacy, which might be associated with the failure of larval control strategies for the container mosquitoes under certain Þeld conditions.

Journal of the American Mosquito …, 2008

Sexual separation at the larval stage in anopheline mosquitoes with the naked eye is difficult. W... more Sexual separation at the larval stage in anopheline mosquitoes with the naked eye is difficult. We have identified distinguishing spots visible to the naked eye on the 6th abdominal segment of 3rd and 4th instars of Anopheles stephensi, An. culicifacies, and An. ...

Journal of Vector …, 2009

Variation in egg surface morphology and morphometrics of Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes of the... more Variation in egg surface morphology and morphometrics of Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes of the Jodhpur, Bikaner, Jamnagar, and Bathinda strains were correlated with geographical distribution in different ecological regions of India. We report the geographic variation in Cx. ...