Field-Level Exposure of Bumble Bees to Fungicides Applied to a Commercial Cherry Orchard

Abstract Bumble bees, Bombus spp. (Apidae), are important native pollinators; however, populations of some species are declining in North America and agricultural chemicals are a potential cause. Fungicides are generally not highly toxic to bees, but little is known about sublethal or synergistic effects. This study evaluates bumble bee exposure to fungicides by quantifying concentrations of boscalid and pyraclostrobin in nectar and pollen collected by colonies of Bombus huntii Greene, 1860 (Hunt bumble bee) deployed in a commercial cherry Prunus avium L. orchard in the spring of 2016. Seven colonies were placed adjacent to an orchard block that was sprayed with a fungicide mixture of boscalid and pyraclostrobin and a control group of seven colonies was placed next to an unsprayed block of orchard 400 m away from the treated block. Nectar and pollen were collected daily, beginning 1 d before spray application and continuing for a total of 12 d, and analyzed for both fungicides. Fungicide concentrations varied spatially by colony and temporally by day. The highest concentrations in nectar occurred 1 and 3 d after spraying: up to 440 ng/g boscalid and 240 ng/g pyraclostrobin. Six days after application, pollen from cherry flowers contained the highest concentrations of the fungicides: up to 60,500 ng/g boscalid and 32,000 ng/g pyraclostrobin. These data can help to determine field-level fungicide concentrations in nectar and pollen and direct future work on understanding the effects of these compounds, including their interactions with important bumble bee pathogenic and beneficial symbionts.

Download Full-text

Landscape Enhancements in Apple Orchards: Higher Bumble Bee Queen Species Richness, but No Effect on Apple Quality

Insects ◽

10.3390/insects12050421 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (5) ◽

pp. 421

Author(s):

Amélie Gervais ◽

Marc Bélisle ◽

Marc J. Mazerolle ◽

Valérie Fournier

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Bumble Bees ◽

Bumble Bee ◽

Pesticide Use ◽

Apple Orchards ◽

Seed Number ◽

Apple Production ◽

Apple Quality ◽

Effective Pollinators ◽

Quality Weight

Bumble bees are among the most effective pollinators in orchards during the blooming period, yet they are often threatened by the high levels of pesticide use in apple production. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of landscape enhancements (e.g., hedgerows, flower strips) on bumble bee queens in apple orchards. Bumble bee queens from 12 orchards in southern Québec (Canada) were marked, released, and recaptured in the springs and falls of 2017 to 2019. Half of the 12 orchards had landscape enhancements. Apples were harvested in 2018 and 2019 to compare their quality (weight, diameter, sugar level, and seed number) in sites with and without landscape enhancements. Species richness, as well as the occurrence of three species out of eight, was higher in orchards with landscape enhancements than in orchards without such structures. The occurrence of Bombus ternarius was lower in orchards with high levels of pesticide use. Apples had fewer seeds when collected in orchards with landscape enhancements and were heavier in orchards that used more pesticides. Our work provides additional evidence that landscape enhancements improve bumble bee presence in apple orchards and should therefore be considered as a means to enhance pollination within farms.

Download Full-text

Olfactory coding in the antennal lobe of the bumble bee Bombus terrestris

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-90400-6 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Marcel Mertes ◽

Julie Carcaud ◽

Jean-Christophe Sandoz

Keyword(s):

Honey Bees ◽

Antennal Lobe ◽

Bombus Terrestris ◽

Bumble Bees ◽

Foraging Strategies ◽

Bumble Bee ◽

Carbon Chain Length ◽

Olfactory Coding ◽

Major Transitions

AbstractSociality is classified as one of the major transitions in evolution, with the largest number of eusocial species found in the insect order Hymenoptera, including the Apini (honey bees) and the Bombini (bumble bees). Bumble bees and honey bees not only differ in their social organization and foraging strategies, but comparative analyses of their genomes demonstrated that bumble bees have a slightly less diverse family of olfactory receptors than honey bees, suggesting that their olfactory abilities have adapted to different social and/or ecological conditions. However, unfortunately, no precise comparison of olfactory coding has been performed so far between honey bees and bumble bees, and little is known about the rules underlying olfactory coding in the bumble bee brain. In this study, we used in vivo calcium imaging to study olfactory coding of a panel of floral odorants in the antennal lobe of the bumble bee Bombus terrestris. Our results show that odorants induce reproducible neuronal activity in the bumble bee antennal lobe. Each odorant evokes a different glomerular activity pattern revealing this molecule’s chemical structure, i.e. its carbon chain length and functional group. In addition, pairwise similarity among odor representations are conserved in bumble bees and honey bees. This study thus suggests that bumble bees, like honey bees, are equipped to respond to odorants according to their chemical features.

Download Full-text

Evaluation of endorphin content in the CSF of patients with trigeminal neuralgia before and after Gasserian ganglion thermocoagulation

Journal of Neurosurgery ◽

10.3171/jns.1981.55.6.0935 ◽

1981 ◽

Vol 55 (6) ◽

pp. 935-937 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Giuseppe Salar ◽

Salvatore Mingrino ◽

Marco Trabucchi ◽

Angelo Bosio ◽

Carlo Semenza

Keyword(s):

Cerebrospinal Fluid ◽

Trigeminal Neuralgia ◽

Control Group ◽

Gasserian Ganglion ◽

Content Type ◽

Group Of Seven ◽

Idiopathic Trigeminal Neuralgia ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Before And After ◽

Fine Print

✓ The β-endorphin content in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was evaluated in 10 patients with idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia during medical treatment (with or without carbamazepine) and after selective thermocoagulation of the Gasserian ganglion. These values were compared with those obtained in a control group of seven patients without pain problems. No statistically significant difference was found between patients suffering from trigeminal neuralgia and those without pain. Furthermore, neither pharmacological treatment nor surgery changed CSF endorphin values. It is concluded that there is no pathogenetic relationship between trigeminal neuralgia and endorphins.

Download Full-text

Experimental study of the inhibition effect of CXCL12/CXCR4 in malignant pleural mesothelioma

Journal of Investigative Medicine ◽

10.1136/jim-2018-000839 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 67 (2) ◽

pp. 338-345 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Jianshuang Li ◽

Tong Li ◽

Shuo Li ◽

Lipeng Xie ◽

Yi-Lin Yang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Treatment Group ◽

Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma ◽

Synergistic Effects ◽

Control Group ◽

Pleural Mesothelioma ◽

Gene Expressions ◽

Relationship Of ◽

The Relationship ◽

Cxcr4 Axis

Previous studies have demonstrated that CXCL12/CXCR4 axis is closely related to tumors such as malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). This research was conducted in order to detect whether CXCL12/CXCR4 inhibitors could restrain MPM and have a synergistic effect with chemotherapy, also to investigate the relationship of CXCL12/CXCR4 with other gene expressions in MPM. Forty mice were injected MPM cells and randomly divided into four groups: the PBS (control group), AMD3100 (CXCR4-CXCL12 antagonist), pemetrexed and AMD3100 plus pemetrexed. The mice were treated respectively for duration of 3 weeks. The size, bioluminescence and weight of tumors were measured. The differences between gene expressions in each group were analyzed. The tumor weights of each treatment group were lower than that of the control group (p<0.05). The bioluminescence of the tumor of the AMD3100 treatment group and the AMD3100 plus pemetrexed treatment group were lower than that of the control group (p<0.05), and AMD3100 was shown to have synergistic effects with pemetrexed (p<0.05). Among the 2.5 billion genes, several hundreds of genes expressed differently between groups. Results show that AMD3100 and pemetrexed can inhibit the growth of MPM in vivo, also that there is a better result if both are used together. Our findings suggest that CXCL12/CXCR4 axis affects a certain amount of gene expression in MPM.

Download Full-text

Amelioration of caffeine-induced seizures by modulators of sigma, N-methyl-d-Aspartate and ryanodine receptors in mice

International Journal of Epilepsy ◽

10.1016/j.ijep.2017.09.003 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 04 (02) ◽

pp. 144-149

Author(s):

Mojtaba Keshavarz ◽

Seyyed Hoseini ◽

Samad Akbarzadeh

Keyword(s):

Receptor Antagonist ◽

Synergistic Effects ◽

Ryanodine Receptors ◽

Treated Group ◽

Nmda Receptor Antagonist ◽

Clonic Seizure ◽

Positive Control ◽

Control Group ◽

Gamma Aminobutyric Acid ◽

Clonic Seizures

AbstractObjectives The aim of this study was to evaluate the antiepileptic effects of opipramol, a sigma receptor agonist, diazepam, ketamine, an N-methyl-d-Aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist, and dantrolene, a ryanodine receptor antagonist, against caffeine-induced seizures in mice.Methods We used caffeine (1000 mg/kg) intraperitoneally for inducing clonic and tonic-clonic seizures in male albino Swiss strain of mice. We used opipramol in three different doses (10, 20 and 50 mg/kg), ketamine (50 mg/kg), dantrolene (40 mg/kg), opipramol (20 mg/kg) plus ketamine (50 mg/kg), opipramol (20 mg/kg) plus dantrolene (40 mg/kg), diazepam (5 mg/kg as a positive control) and the vehicle 30 min before injecting caffeine. We recorded the onset of clonic, tonic-clonic seizures and the time of death of animals after using caffeine.Results Animals treated with opipramol at a dose of 50 mg/kg or diazepam had a higher onset of clonic seizure compared with the vehicle-treated group. Dantrolene alone or with opipramol (20 mg/kg) increased the latency of clonic seizure compared with the control group. Opipramol (20 and 50 mg/kg), diazepam, ketamine alone or with opipramol, and dantrolene plus opipramol increased the latency of tonic-clonic seizures in mice. All the treatments except opipramol (10 mg/kg) and dantrolene alone increased the latency of death of animals.Conclusion Opipramol attenuated seizures produced by high doses of caffeine. Moreover, the activation of sigma receptors and inhibition of ryanodine receptors may produce synergistic effects against caffeine-induced seizures. Our study may imply that different mechanisms such as inhibition of gamma-aminobutyric acid-A receptors, activation of NMDA and ryanodine receptors may contribute to the caffeine-induced seizures.

Download Full-text

Effect of Resistance Training Along with Curcumin Supplementation on Expression of Some Regulator Genes Associated with Cardiac Muscle Structure in Obese Rats

Thrita ◽

10.5812/thrita.106322 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Atefeh Rauofi ◽

Sirous Farsi ◽

Seyed Ali Hosseini

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Resistance Training ◽

Cardiac Muscle ◽

Muscle Atrophy ◽

Synergistic Effects ◽

Training Group ◽

Control Group ◽

Gene Expressions ◽

Obese Rats ◽

Reduced Physical Activity

Background: Reduced physical activity can cause obesity and metabolic syndrome, leading to fibrosis in cardiac muscles and premature cardiac aging. Physical activity, along with herbal supplements, can have a synergistic effect on preventing cardiac muscle proteolysis. Objectives: In this study, the effects of curcumin and resistance training were assessed on cardiac muscle atrophy in obese rats. Methods: Twenty-four male Sprague rats were categorized into four groups, including the placebo, resistance training, curcumin, and resistance training + curcumin. Resistance training was performed three times a week with three sets in each session, repeated five times for eight weeks. During this time, 150 mg/kg curcumin was administered through gavage. Twenty-four hours after finishing resistance training, surgery was performed on the cardiac muscle, and gene expressions of PGC1-α, FOXO1, Murf-1, Atrogin, Collagen1, and Collagen 3 were assessed with real-time PCR. Results: The expression of PGC1-α and FOXO1 genes in both resistance training and resistance training+curcumin groups significantly increased and decreased, respectively, compared to the control group (P = 0.001). The MuRF1 expression in the curcumin+resistance training group decreased significantly (P = 0.013) compared to the placebo and curcumin groups. The expression of collagen type 1 and type 2 in all the three treatment groups had significant decreases compared to the placebo group (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Considering the results of this study, resistance training and curcumin supplement each alone can prevent cardiac muscle atrophy. However, the simultaneous use of curcumin supplement and resistance training can lead to synergistic effects.

Download Full-text

Health monitoring modular panel: Interface design and evaluation

Thermal Science ◽

10.2298/tsci170531130v ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 22 (Suppl. 4) ◽

pp. 1259-1270

Author(s):

Milica Vujovic ◽

Milan Ristanovic ◽

Marko Milos ◽

Francisco Perales-López

Keyword(s):

Interface Design ◽

The Elderly ◽

Control Group ◽

Processing Unit ◽

Residential Unit ◽

Lack Of Information ◽

User Groups ◽

Future Work ◽

Functional Areas ◽

Elderly Users

In this paper we present a conceptual solution of modular panel for measuring health parameters of the elderly. The conceptual solution was followed by a study that analyzed the design and evaluated interface of the system. Modular panel contains sensors, processing unit, and interface enabling data acquisition and communication between the user and the medical staff. Positioning of the panel within the residential unit was determined by the categories of actions which it should provide and functional areas of typical housing unit. Interface design is based on a specific type of users and is on the basis of the type of data that should be collected and displayed. Evaluation of interface is conducted by using two user groups, where the first is made up of people older than 60 years and represents the interest group of the study, while the second group consisted of people younger than 60 years as the control group. The collected data were analyzed and the results indicate that the simplicity of the interface suits good to the users. Elderly users need more time to conduct certain commands, but most of them understood interface completely. The limitations of the system, such as lack of information provided for the users, will be considered in the future work.

Download Full-text

Synergistic Effects of Scalp Acupuncture and Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation on Cerebral Infarction: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial

Brain Sciences ◽

10.3390/brainsci10020087 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (2) ◽

pp. 87

Author(s):

Jae-Hong Kim ◽

Jae-Young Han ◽

Min-Keun Song ◽

Gwang-Cheon Park ◽

Jeong-Soon Lee

Keyword(s):

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation ◽

Cerebral Infarction ◽

Upper Extremity ◽

Magnetic Stimulation ◽

Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation ◽

Synergistic Effects ◽

Scalp Acupuncture ◽

Control Group ◽

Therapeutic Effects ◽

Randomized Controlled

This study investigated the synergistic effects of scalp acupuncture (SA) and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), known to be effective for cerebral infarction. This outcome-assessor-blinded, randomized controlled clinical trial included a per-protocol analysis to compare the efficacy of SA and electromagnetic convergence stimulation (SAEM-CS) and single or no stimulation. The trial was conducted with 42 cerebral infarction patients (control group, 12; SA group, 11; rTMS group, 8; SAEM-CS group, 11). All patient groups underwent two sessions of CSRT per day. SA, rTMS, and SAEM-CS were conducted once per day, 5 days per week, for 3 weeks. The primary outcome was evaluated using the Fugl–Mayer assessment (FMA). FMA Upper Extremity, FMA total, MBI, and FIM scores significantly increased in the rTMS group compared with the control group. Additionally, FMA Upper Extremity, FMA total, MBI and FIM scores significantly increased in the rTMS group compared with the SAEM-CS group. However, there were no significant changes in the SA or SAEM-CS groups. In conclusion, low-frequency rTMS in the contralesional hemisphere may have long-term therapeutic effects on upper extremity motor function recovery and improvements in activities of daily living. SAEM-CS did not show positive synergistic effects of SA and rTMS.

Download Full-text

First Complete Genome of Lake Sinai Virus Lineage 3 and Genetic Diversity of Lake Sinai Virus Strains From Honey Bees and Bumble Bees

Journal of Economic Entomology ◽

10.1093/jee/toaa049 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 113 (3) ◽

pp. 1055-1061 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Laura Šimenc ◽

Urška Kuhar ◽

Urška Jamnikar-Ciglenečki ◽

Ivan Toplak

Keyword(s):

Honey Bee ◽

Honey Bees ◽

Complete Genome ◽

Bumble Bees ◽

Bumble Bee ◽

Rt Pcr ◽

Genome Region ◽

Pcr Method ◽

Next Generation Sequencing Ngs ◽

First Time

Abstract The complete genome of Lake Sinai virus 3 (LSV3) was sequenced by the Ion Torrent next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology from an archive sample of honey bees collected in 2010. This strain M92/2010 is the first complete genome sequence of LSV lineage 3. From October 2016 to December 2017, 56 honey bee samples from 32 different locations and 41 bumble bee samples from five different locations were collected. These samples were tested using a specific reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method; 75.92% of honey bee samples and 17.07% of bumble bee samples were LSV-positive with the RT-PCR method. Phylogenetic comparison of 557-base pair-long RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) genome region of selected 23 positive samples of honey bees and three positive bumble bee samples identified three different LSV lineages: LSV1, LSV2, and LSV3. The LSV3 lineage was confirmed for the first time in Slovenia in 2010, and the same strain was later detected in several locations within the country. The LSV strains detected in bumble bees are from 98.6 to 99.4% identical to LSV strains detected among honey bees in the same territory.

Download Full-text

Why Are Queens Broodless? Failed Nest Initiation Not Linked to Parasites, Mating Status, or Ovary Development in Two Bumble Bee Species of Pyrobombus (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Bombus)

Journal of Economic Entomology ◽

10.1093/jee/toz330 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 113 (2) ◽

pp. 575-581 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Jessica L Mullins ◽

James P Strange ◽

Amber D Tripodi

Keyword(s):

North America ◽

Commercial Production ◽

Bumble Bees ◽

Ovary Development ◽

Bumble Bee ◽

Agricultural Crops ◽

Western North America ◽

Mating Status ◽

Pollination Services ◽

Causal Factors

Abstract Bumble bees (Bombus [Hymenoptera: Apidae]) are important pollinators for agricultural crops, which has led to their commercial domestication. Despite their importance, little is known about the reproductive biology of bumble bees native to North America. The Hunt bumble bee (Bombus huntii Greene [Hymenoptera: Apidae]) and the Vosnesensky bumble bee (Bombus vosnesenskii Radoszkowski [Hymenoptera: Apidae] are native candidates for commercial production in western North America due to their efficacy in providing commercial pollination services. Availability of pollinators native to the region in which services would be provided would minimize the likelihood of introducing exotic species and spreading novel disease. Some parasites are known to affect bumble bee reproduction, but little is known about their prevalence in North America or how they affect queen success. Only 38% of wild-caught B. huntii and 51% wild-caught B. vosnesenskii queens collected between 2015 and 2017 initiated nests in the laboratory. Our objective was to identify causal factors leading to a queen’s inability to oviposit. To address this, we dissected each broodless queen and diagnosed diseases, assessed mating status, and characterized ovary development. Nematodes, arthropods, and microorganisms were detected in both species. Overall, 20% of queens were infected by parasites, with higher rates in B. vosnesenskii. Over 95% of both species were mated, and over 88% had developed ovaries. This suggests that parasitism and mating status were not primary causes of broodlessness. Although some failure to nest can be attributed to assessed factors, additional research is needed to fully understand the challenges presented by captive rearing.

Download Full-text