{"id":{"repo_id":"vt","oai_identifier":"oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/119418"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/vt/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/119418","repository":{"repo_id":"vt","name":"Virginia Tech","base_url":"https://vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Effects of Fluid Properties on the Dynamics of Mosquitoes' Ingestion Pumps","abstract":"This thesis explores the feeding structures of insects, which have evolved over millennia to utilize a variety of dietary sources. It examines the mouthparts of insects feeding on plants, other bugs, or vertebrate blood, analyzing how these structures influence or limit their diet. Focusing particularly on mosquitoes, which are a significant public health threat due to their role as vectors of deadly diseases, we investigate the unique sexual dimorphism and diet, females' blood-feeding behaviors and the differences in the dual-pump feeding mechanisms of Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus. Specifically, we investigated the effect of fluid viscosity on the sugar-feeding behavior and the pumping dynamics of males and females via force-feeding assays and electromyography (EMG) recording. Results showed varied pumping contraction frequencies among mosquito species and sexes that align with host feeding preferences. Furthermore, the study confirms that both species and sexes significantly influence sucrose intake, with Aedes aegypti females notably consuming more at higher concentrations, a trend not mirrored in Culex quinquefasciatus females. By studying the effects of fluid viscosity on feeding behavior and pumping dynamics, we inform computational models of the ingestion pumps that will help us gain insight into how the evolution of blood feeding.","abstract_html":"This thesis explores the feeding structures of insects, which have evolved over millennia to utilize a variety of dietary sources. It examines the mouthparts of insects feeding on plants, other bugs, or vertebrate blood, analyzing how these structures influence or limit their diet. Focusing particularly on mosquitoes, which are a significant public health threat due to their role as vectors of deadly diseases, we investigate the unique sexual dimorphism and diet, females' blood-feeding behaviors and the differences in the dual-pump feeding mechanisms of Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus. Specifically, we investigated the effect of fluid viscosity on the sugar-feeding behavior and the pumping dynamics of males and females via force-feeding assays and electromyography (EMG) recording. Results showed varied pumping contraction frequencies among mosquito species and sexes that align with host feeding preferences. Furthermore, the study confirms that both species and sexes significantly influence sucrose intake, with Aedes aegypti females notably consuming more at higher concentrations, a trend not mirrored in Culex quinquefasciatus females. By studying the effects of fluid viscosity on feeding behavior and pumping dynamics, we inform computational models of the ingestion pumps that will help us gain insight into how the evolution of blood feeding.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Diggs, Shajaesza Dhakhai"],"institution":"Virginia Tech","degree_name":"Master of Science in Life Sciences","degree_level":"masters","degree_discipline":"Biochemistry","degree_department":"Biochemistry","school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":["Vinauger, Clément","Lahondere, Chloe Aude"],"committee_members":["Tu, Zhijian"],"year":2024,"date_issued":"2024-06-12","date_published":"2024-06-12","updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:19:22Z","subjects":["Mosquitoes","insect mouthparts","electrophysiology","ingestion pumps","sugar feeding","Aedes aegypti"],"languages":["en"],"rights":["In Copyright"],"rights_urls":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"],"identifier_entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["vt_gsexam:40341"],"render_values":[{"text":"vt_gsexam:40341","href":null,"code":true}]}]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://hdl.handle.net/10919/119418","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.committeechair","label":"Committee Chair","values":["Vinauger, Clément","Lahondere, Chloe Aude"]},{"key":"dc:contributor.committeemember","label":"Committee Member","values":["Tu, Zhijian"]},{"key":"dc:contributor.department","label":"Department","values":["Biochemistry"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Diggs, Shajaesza Dhakhai"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2024-06-13T08:01:50Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2024-06-13T08:01:50Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2024-06-12"]},{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["Virginia Tech"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Biochemistry"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["masters"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science in Life Sciences"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Mosquitoes","insect mouthparts","electrophysiology","ingestion pumps","sugar feeding","Aedes aegypti"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language.iso","label":"Language (ISO)","values":["en"]},{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["In Copyright"]},{"key":"dc:rights.uri","label":"Rights URI","values":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["vt_gsexam:40341"]},{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["https://hdl.handle.net/10919/119418"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstractgeneral","label":"General Abstract","values":["This thesis explores the feeding structures of insects, which have evolved over millennia to utilize a variety of dietary sources. It examines the mouthparts of insects feeding on plants, other bugs, or vertebrate blood, analyzing how these structures influence or limit their diet. Focusing particularly on mosquitoes, which are a significant public health threat due to their role as vectors of deadly diseases, we investigate the unique sexual dimorphism and diet, females' blood-feeding behaviors and the differences in the dual-pump feeding mechanisms of Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus. Specifically, we investigated the effect of fluid viscosity on the sugar-feeding behavior and the pumping dynamics of males and females via force-feeding assays and electromyography (EMG) recording. Results showed varied pumping contraction frequencies among mosquito species and sexes that align with host feeding preferences. Furthermore, the study confirms that both species and sexes significantly influence sucrose intake, with Aedes aegypti females notably consuming more at higher concentrations, a trend not mirrored in Culex quinquefasciatus females. By studying the effects of fluid viscosity on feeding behavior and pumping dynamics, we inform computational models of the ingestion pumps that will help us gain insight into how the evolution of blood feeding."]},{"key":"dc:description.degree","label":"Dc Description Degree","values":["Master of Science in Life Sciences"]},{"key":"dc:format.medium","label":"Dc Format Medium","values":["ETD"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Effects of Fluid Properties on the Dynamics of Mosquitoes' Ingestion Pumps"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.committeechair":["Vinauger, Clément","Lahondere, Chloe Aude"],"dc:contributor.committeemember":["Tu, Zhijian"],"dc:contributor.department":["Biochemistry"],"dc:creator":["Diggs, Shajaesza Dhakhai"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2024-06-13T08:01:50Z"],"dc:date.available":["2024-06-13T08:01:50Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2024-06-12"],"dc:description.abstractgeneral":["This thesis explores the feeding structures of insects, which have evolved over millennia to utilize a variety of dietary sources. 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Furthermore, the study confirms that both species and sexes significantly influence sucrose intake, with Aedes aegypti females notably consuming more at higher concentrations, a trend not mirrored in Culex quinquefasciatus females. 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