Global domination by crazy ants: phylogenomics reveals biogeographical history and invasive species relationships in the genus Nylanderia (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Nylanderia (Emery) is one of the world's most diverse ant genera, with 123 described species worldwide and hundreds more undescribed. Fifteen globetrotting or invasive species have widespread distributions and are often encountered outside their native ranges. A molecular approach to understanding the evolutionary history and to revision of Nylanderia taxonomy is needed because historical efforts based on morphology have proven insufficient to define major lineages and delimit species boundaries, especially where adventive species are concerned. To address these problems, we generated the first genus-wide genomic dataset of Nylanderia using ultraconserved elements (UCEs) to resolve the phylogeny of major lineages, determine the age and origin of the genus, and describe global biogeographical patterns. Sampling from seven biogeographical regions revealed a Southeast Asian origin of Nylanderia in the mid-Eocene and four distinct biogeographical clades in the Nearctic, the Neotropics, the Afrotropics/Malagasy region, and Australasia. The Nearctic and Neotropical clades are distantly related, indicating two separate dispersal events to the Americas between the late Oligocene and early Miocene. We also addressed the problem of misidentification that has characterized species-level taxonomy in Nylanderia as a result of limited morphological variation in the worker caste by evaluating the integrity of species boundaries in six of the most widespread Nylanderia species. We sampled across ranges of species in the N. bourbonica complex (N. bourbonica (Forel) + N. vaga (Forel)), the N. fulva complex (N. fulva (Mayr) + N. pubens (Forel)), and the N. guatemalensis complex (N. guatemalensis (Forel) + N. steinheili (Forel)) to clarify their phylogenetic placement. Deep splits within these complexes suggest that some species names – specifically N. bourbonica and N. guatemalensis – each are applied to multiple cryptic species. In exhaustively sampling Nylanderia diversity in the West Indies, a ‘hot spot’ for invasive taxa, we found five adventive species among 22 in the region; many remain morphologically indistinguishable from one another, despite being distantly related. We stress that overcoming the taxonomic impediment through the use of molecular phylogeny and revisionary study is essential for conservation and invasive species management.     

Trace element transfer from alginate dressings to wounds

ABSTRACT

A method has been developed for impregnating alginate-based wound dressings with trace elements required for wound healing and for quantifying the transfer from these dressing to wound fluid (for which a substitute—blood serum—was used in these experiments). Under ideal conditions, up to 85% can be carried across from the tow to the wound fluid.     

Characteristics of patients aged over 75 not seen during one year in general practice.

A study was carried out in two large urban practices to determine the number of patients aged over 75 years who had had no contact with the primary care team during one year and to examine their medical and social characteristics. Although their general health was considered to be good, over half needed treatment or other action and half had no identifiable career.     

Generation of aspartate aminotransferase multiple forms by deamidation.

The development of aspartate aminotransferase subforms in vitro was followed by densitometry after thin-film isoelectric focusing. At the same time ammonia production was measured. Each reaction can be expressed in terms of a first-order process in which 2 mol of glutamine or asparagine/mol of dimer are deamidated with a half time of 22 days. The more negatively charged subforms developed in vitro were almost fully active. Another process occurred leading to inactivation by coenzyme modification, and this was independent of deamidation. Although the enzyme formed absorbed maximally at 340nm, it was different from the naturally occurring inactive enzyme that absorbs at this wavelength.