Workers dominate male production in the neotropical bumblebee Bombus wilmattae (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

Background

Cooperation and conflict in social insects are closely linked to the genetic structure of the colony. Kin selection theory predicts conflict over the production of males between the workers and the queen and between the workers themselves, depending on intra-colonial relatedness but also on other factors like colony efficiency, sex ratios, cost of worker reproduction and worker dominance behaviour. In most bumblebee (Bombus) species the queen wins this conflict and often dominates male production. However, most studies in bumblebees have been conducted with only a few selected, mostly single mated species from temperate climate regions. Here we study the genetic colony composition of the facultative polyandrous neotropical bumblebee Bombus wilmattae, to assess the outcome of the queen-worker conflict over male production and to detect potential worker policing.

Results

A total of 120 males from five colonies were genotyped with up to nine microsatellite markers to infer their parentage. Four of the five colonies were queen right at point of time of male sampling, while one had an uncertain queen status. The workers clearly dominated production of males with an average of 84.9% +/- 14.3% of males being worker sons. In the two doubly mated colonies 62.5% and 96.7% of the male offspring originated from workers and both patrilines participated in male production. Inferring the mother genotypes from the male offspring, between four to eight workers participated in the production of males.

Conclusions

In this study we show that the workers clearly win the queen-worker conflict over male production in B. wilmattae, which sets them apart from the temperate bumblebee species studied so far. Workers clearly dominated male production in the singly as well the doubly mated colonies, with up to eight workers producing male offspring in a single colony. Moreover no monopolization of reproduction by single workers occurred.     

Plasma thyroxine and cortisol profiles and gill and kidney Na+/K+-ATPase and SDH activities during acclimation of the catfish Heteropneustes fossilis (bloch) to higher salinity, with special reference to the effects of exogenous cortisol on hypo-osmoregulatory ability of the catfish

When the stenohaline catfish Heteropneustes fossilis was transferred from fresh water (FW) to 30% seawater (SW), the Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase activity significantly increased in the kidney, while in gills it remained more or less constant. A reverse pattern was observed for succinic dehydrogenase (SDH) activity inasmuch as it significantly increased in gills and remained unchanged in the kidney. Plasma osmolality significantly increased within 3 days of transfer to 30% SW and remained significantly higher throughout the duration of experiment. These results suggest that catfish gills may not be able to reverse their function from salt uptake in FW to salt excretion at higher salinity, and that the elimination of monovalent as well as divalent ions is performed by the kidney but not the gills. The significant decline in plasma cortisol (F) levels following transfer to higher salinity may not be due to reduced production but rather to an enhanced utilization and clearance rate, a conclusion supported by the fact that exogenous administration of cortisol acetate (FA) resulted in significant increases in branchial and renal Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase in FW and 30% SW. FA also improved the plasma osmotic regulatory ability of the catfish, possibly due to a change in branchial function from salt-absorption to salt excretion, as was evident from a significant increase in branchial Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase activity in the fish in 30% SW pretreated with FA for 5 days. Consistently higher levels of plasma thyroxine (T4) following transfer to higher salinity suggest the involvement of this hormone at higher salinity.     

Redox-active antioxidant modulation of lipid signaling in vascular endothelial cells: vitamin C induces activation of phospholipase D through phospholipase A2, lipoxygenase, and cyclooxygenase

We have earlier reported that the redox-active antioxidant, vitamin C (ascorbic acid), activates the lipid signaling enzyme, phospholipase D (PLD), at pharmacological doses (mM) in the bovine lung microvascular endothelial cells (BLMVECs). However, the activation of phospholipase A(2) (PLA(2)), another signaling phospholipase, and the modulation of PLD activation by PLA(2) in the ECs treated with vitamin C at pharmacological doses have not been reported to date. Therefore, this study aimed at the regulation of PLD activation by PLA(2) in the cultured BLMVECs exposed to vitamin C at pharmacological concentrations. The results revealed that vitamin C (3-10 mM) significantly activated PLA(2) starting at 30 min; however, the activation of PLD resulted only at 120 min of treatment of cells under identical conditions. Further studies were conducted utilizing specific pharmacological agents to understand the mechanism(s) of activation of PLA(2) and PLD in BLMVECs treated with vitamin C (5 mM) for 120 min. Antioxidants, calcium chelators, iron chelators, and PLA(2) inhibitors offered attenuation of the vitamin C-induced activation of both PLA(2) and PLD in the cells. Vitamin C was also observed to significantly induce the formation and release of the cyclooxygenase (COX)- and lipoxygenase (LOX)-catalyzed arachidonic acid (AA) metabolites and to activate the AA LOX in BLMVECs. The inhibitors of PLA(2), COX, and LOX were observed to effectively and significantly attenuate the vitamin C-induced PLD activation in BLMVECs. For the first time, the results of the present study revealed that the vitamin C-induced activation of PLD in vascular ECs was regulated by the upstream activation of PLA(2), COX, and LOX through the formation of AA metabolites involving oxidative stress, calcium, and iron.     

定量电子束显微分析中生物薄样品的质量损失

对多种生物薄样品和标样进行电子探针X射线能谱显微定量分析,分别以电子束轰击后样品的O Kα峰计数和介于4.2-6.2keV区间的连续X－射线计数变化监测质量损失,结果显示样品O Kα峰计数减少幅度大于连续X－射线计数减少幅度,在相同的分析条件下,各样品质量损失程度不相同（P＜0.05）。培养肝癌细胞冷冻干燥超薄切片、明胶冷冻干燥超薄切片、BSA薄膜、氨基塑料超薄切片、红细胞冷冻干燥超薄切片和卵黄高磷蛋白薄膜样品的质量损失分别为33％、28％、26％、18％、13％和13％,以上结果提示：以O Kα峰计数的减少监测样品的质量损失较敏感,在进行生物薄试样定量EPMA时应对各样品的质量损失进行相应校正。     

Optimization of methods for peripheral blood mononuclear cells isolation and expansion of human gamma delta T cells

Human Vg9/Vδ2 T cells (γδ T cells) are immune surveillance cells both in innate and adaptive immunity and are a possible target for anticancer therapies, which can induce immune responses in a variety of cancers. Small non-peptide antigens such as zoledronate can do activation and expansion of T cells in vitro. It is evident that for adoptive cancer therapies, large numbers of functional cells are needed into cancer patients. Hence, optimization of methods needs to be carried out for the efficient expansion of these T cells. Standardization of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) isolation was devised. Cytokines (interleukin 2 (IL-2) and interleukin 15 (IL-15)) and zoledronate were also standardized for different concentrations. It was found that an increased number of PBMCs were recovered when washing was done at 1100 revolution per minute (rpm). Significantly high expansion fold was (2524 ± 787 expansion fold) achieved when stimulation of PBMCs was done with 1 µM of zoledronate and both cytokines IL-2 and IL-15 supported the expansion and survival of cells at the concentrations of 100 IU/ml and 10 ng/ml respectively. 14-day cultures showed highly pure (91.6 ± 5.1%) and live (96.5 ± 2.5%) expanded γδ T cells. This study aimed to standardize an easy to manipulate technique for the expansion of γδ T cells, giving a higher yield.     

Desflurane consumption during automated closed-circuit delivery is higher than when a conventional anesthesia machine is used with a simple vaporizer-O2-N2O fresh gas flow sequence

Background

Current analgesics have drawbacks such as delays in acquisition, lag-times for effect, and side effects. We recently presented a preliminary report of a new analgesic method involving a two-minute sciatic nerve press, which resulted in immediate short-term relief of pain associated with dental and renal diseases. The present study investigated whether this technique was effective for pain associated with other disease types, and whether the relief was effective for up to one hour.

Methods

This randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel-group trial was conducted in four hospitals in Anhui Province, China. Patients with pain were sequentially recruited by participating physicians during clinic visits, and 135 patients aged 15 – 80 years were enrolled. Dental disease patients included those with acute pulpitis and periapical abscesses. Renal disease patients included those with kidney infections and/or stones. Tumor patients included those with nose, breast, stomach and liver cancers, while Emergency Room patients had various pathologies. Patients were randomly assigned to receive a "sciatic nerve press" in which pressure was applied simultaneously to the sciatic nerves at the back of both thighs, or a "placebo press" in which pressure was applied to a parallel region on the front of the thighs. Each fist applied a pressure of 11 – 20 kg for 2 minutes. Patients rated their level of pain before and after the procedure.

Results

The "sciatic nerve press" produced immediate relief of pain in all patient groups. Emergency patients reported a 43.5% reduction in pain (p < 0.001). Significant pain relief for dental, renal and tumor patients lasted for 60 minutes (p < 0.001). The peak pain relief occurred at the 10 – 20^th minutes, and the relief decreased 47% by the 60^th minutes.

Conclusion

Two minutes of pressure on both sciatic nerves produced immediate significant short-term conduction analgesia. This technique is a convenient, safe and powerful method for the short-term treatment of clinical pain associated with a diverse range of pathologies.

Trial registration

Current Controlled Trials ACTRN012606000439549     

Genetic diversity of chloroquine-resistant Plasmodium vivax parasites from the western Brazilian Amazon

The molecular basis of Plasmodium vivax chloroquine (CQ) resistance is still unknown. Elucidating the molecular background of parasites that are sensitive or resistant to CQ will help to identify and monitor the spread of resistance. By genotyping a panel of molecular markers, we demonstrate a similar genetic variability between in vitro CQ-resistant and sensitive phenotypes of P. vivax parasites. However, our studies identified two loci (MS8 and MSP1-B10) that could be used to discriminate between both CQ-susceptible phenotypes among P. vivax isolates in vitro. These preliminary data suggest that microsatellites may be used to identify and to monitor the spread of P. vivax-resistance around the world.