JoVE Monthly Highlights: October 2017

Abstract

Here's a look at what's coming up in the October 2017 issue of JoVE: The World's Premier Video Journal. From the bubbling cauldron of science emerges our first featured article, from JoVE Environment. Here, our Authors demonstrate how to build and deploy double-decker traps to attract and capture emerald ash borers - the most destructive forest insect to invade North America. These traps capture significantly more emerald ash borers than any other trap type in sites with relatively low EAB densities, allowing for effective detection and management of this invasive insect. Even more than giant creepy spiderwebs! Moving from pests to pets, our next study from JoVE Behavior takes a look at man's best friend. Here, our Authors describe eight different experimental tasks to analyze the relationship between dogs and their owners. The results of this standardized study suggest that owner warmth is the greatest source of behavioral variance - and that dogs belonging to more controlling owners tend to be more aggressive towards strangers. And good doggies get treats...no tricks! Switching gears, in JoVE Bioengineering this month our Authors use a custom built mechanical testing device to measure the flexural behavior of load bearing biological structures. The successful execution of this three-point bending test on the skeletal elements from marine sponges shows that this method can be used to understand the remarkable mechanical functions of a host of similar structures. That's heavy stuff! Finally, JoVE Chemistry zooms in on nanoparticle self-assembly processes in real time. Using uniformly sized platinum and lead selenide nanoparticles, our Authors produced liquid cells with silicon or silicon nitride or windows. Liquid-cell transmission electron microscopy analysis reveals that changes in the solvent boundaries, caused by evaporation, affects nanoparticle self-assembly by driving them to form amorphous aggregates. These aggregates then flatten, producing spellbinding two-dimensional self-assembled structures. You've just had a sneak peek of the October 2017 issue of JoVE. Visit the website to see the full-length articles, plus many more, in JoVE: The World's Premier Video Journal.