Responsiveness to inhibitory signals changes as a function of colony size in honeybees (
            Apis mellifera
            )

Biological collectives, like honeybee colonies, can make intelligent decisions and robustly adapt to changing conditions via intricate systems of excitatory and inhibitory signals. In this study, we explore the role of behavioural plasticity and its relationship to network size by manipulating honeybee colony exposure to an artificial inhibitory signal. As predicted, inhibition was strongest in large colonies and weakest in small colonies. This is ecologically relevant for honeybees, for which reduced inhibitory effects may increase robustness in small colonies that must maintain a minimum level of foraging and food stores. We discuss evidence for size-dependent plasticity in other types of biological networks.

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The role of rough surface in the size-dependent behavior upon nano-indentation

Mechanics of Materials ◽

10.1016/j.mechmat.2021.103836 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 103836

Author(s):

Ding Tang ◽

Leilei Zhao ◽

Huamiao Wang ◽

Dayong Li ◽

Yinghong Peng ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Rough Surface ◽

Nano Indentation ◽

Size Dependent ◽

Dependent Behavior

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Intra-Colonial Viral Infections in Western Honey Bees (Apis mellifera)

Microorganisms ◽

10.3390/microorganisms9051087 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (5) ◽

pp. 1087

Author(s):

Loreley Castelli ◽

María Laura Genchi García ◽

Anne Dalmon ◽

Daniela Arredondo ◽

Karina Antúnez ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Apis Mellifera ◽

Honey Bee ◽

Viral Infections ◽

Sampling Period ◽

Virus Genome ◽

The Individual ◽

Bee Virus ◽

Insight Into ◽

Bee Viruses

RNA viruses play a significant role in the current high losses of pollinators. Although many studies have focused on the epidemiology of western honey bee (Apis mellifera) viruses at the colony level, the dynamics of virus infection within colonies remains poorly explored. In this study, the two main variants of the ubiquitous honey bee virus DWV as well as three major honey bee viruses (SBV, ABPV and BQCV) were analyzed from Varroa-destructor-parasitized pupae. More precisely, RT-qPCR was used to quantify and compare virus genome copies across honey bee pupae at the individual and subfamily levels (i.e., patrilines, sharing the same mother queen but with different drones as fathers). Additionally, virus genome copies were compared in cells parasitized by reproducing and non-reproducing mite foundresses to assess the role of this vector. Only DWV was detected in the samples, and the two variants of this virus significantly differed when comparing the sampling period, colonies and patrilines. Moreover, DWV-A and DWV-B exhibited different infection patterns, reflecting contrasting dynamics. Altogether, these results provide new insight into honey bee diseases and stress the need for more studies about the mechanisms of intra-colonial disease variation in social insects.

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An MDM2 inhibitor achieves synergistic cytotoxic effects with adenoviruses lacking E1B55kDa gene on mesothelioma with the wild-type p53 through augmenting NFI expression

Cell Death and Disease ◽

10.1038/s41419-021-03934-y ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (7) ◽

Author(s):

Thao Thi Thanh Nguyen ◽

Masato Shingyoji ◽

Michiko Hanazono ◽

Boya Zhong ◽

Takao Morinaga ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Wild Type ◽

Inhibitory Effects ◽

Cytotoxic Effects ◽

P53 Expression ◽

Nuclear Factor I ◽

Infected Cells ◽

Wild Type P53 ◽

Mdm2 Inhibitor ◽

P16 Expression

AbstractA majority of mesothelioma specimens were defective of p14 and p16 expression due to deletion of the INK4A/ARF region, and the p53 pathway was consequently inactivated by elevated MDM2 functions which facilitated p53 degradaton. We investigated a role of p53 elevation by MDM2 inhibitors, nutlin-3a and RG7112, in cytotoxicity of replication-competent adenoviruses (Ad) lacking the p53-binding E1B55kDa gene (Ad-delE1B). We found that a growth inhibition by p53-activating Ad-delE1B was irrelevant to p53 expression in the infected cells, but combination of Ad-delE1B and the MDM2 inhibitor produced synergistic inhibitory effects on mesothelioma with the wild-type but not mutated p53 genotype. The combination augmented p53 phosphorylation, activated apoptotic but not autophagic pathway, and enhanced DNA damage signals through ATM-Chk2 phosphorylation. The MDM2 inhibitors facilitated production of the Ad progenies through augmented expression of nuclear factor I (NFI), one of the transcriptional factors involved in Ad replications. Knocking down of p53 with siRNA did not increase the progeny production or the NFI expression. We also demonstrated anti-tumor effects by the combination of Ad-delE1B and the MDM2 inhibitors in an orthotopic animal model. These data collectively indicated that upregulation of wild-type p53 expression contributed to cytotoxicity by E1B55kDa-defective replicative Ad through NFI induction and suggested that replication-competent Ad together with augmented p53 levels was a therapeutic strategy for p53 wild-type mesothelioma.

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Seed Gamma Irradiation of Arabidopsis thaliana ABA-Mutant Lines Alters Germination and Does Not Inhibit the Photosynthetic Efficiency of Juvenile Plants

Dose-Response ◽

10.1177/1559325820979249 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 18 (4) ◽

pp. 155932582097924

Author(s):

Darya Babina ◽

Marina Podobed ◽

Ekaterina Bondarenko ◽

Elizaveta Kazakova ◽

Sofia Bitarishvili ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Arabidopsis Thaliana ◽

Growth Response ◽

Dose Range ◽

Fine Tuning ◽

Plant Tolerance ◽

Inhibitory Effects ◽

Γ Irradiation ◽

Photosynthetic Responses ◽

Mutant Lines

Plant growth response to γ-irradiation includes stimulating or inhibitory effects depending on plant species, dose applied, stage of ontogeny and other factors. Previous studies showed that responses to irradiation could depend on ABA accumulation and signaling. To elucidate the role of ABA in growth and photosynthetic responses to irradiation, lines Col-8, abi3-8 and aba3 -1 of Arabidopsis thaliana were used. Seeds were γ-irradiated using 60Co in the dose range 50-150 Gy. It was revealed that the dose of 150 Gy affected germination parameters of aba3 -1 and Col-8 lines, while abi3-8 line was the most resistant to the studied doses and even showed faster germination at early hours after γ-irradiation at 50 Gy. These results suggest that susceptibility to ABA is probably more important for growth response to γ-irradiation than ABA synthesis. The photosynthetic functioning of 16-day-old plants mainly was not disturbed by γ-irradiation of seeds, and no indication of photosystem II photoinhibition was noticed, revealing the robustness of the photosynthetic system of A. thaliana. Glutathione peroxidase activity and ABA concentrations in plant tissues were not affected in the studied dose range. These results contribute to the understanding of germination and photosynthesis fine-tuning and of mechanisms of plant tolerance to ionizing radiation.

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Amphetamine-Decreased Progesterone and Estradiol Release in Rat Granulosa Cells: The Regulatory Role of cAMP- and Ca2+-Mediated Signaling Pathways

Biomedicines ◽

10.3390/biomedicines9050493 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (5) ◽

pp. 493

Author(s):

Chung-Yu Chen ◽

Chien-Rung Chen ◽

Chiao-Nan Chen ◽

Paulus S. Wang ◽

Toby Mündel ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Granulosa Cells ◽

Prostaglandin F2α ◽

Inhibitory Effect ◽

Inhibitory Effects ◽

Steroidogenic Enzyme ◽

Estradiol Secretion ◽

Basal Release ◽

Ca2 Channels

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the amphetamine effects on progesterone and estradiol production in rat granulosa cells and the underlying cellular regulatory mechanisms. Freshly dispersed rat granulosa cells were cultured with various test drugs in the presence of amphetamine, and the estradiol/progesterone production and the cytosolic cAMP level were measured. Additionally, the cytosolic-free Ca2+ concentrations ([Ca2+]i) were measured to examine the role of Ca2+ influx in the presence of amphetamine. Amphetamine in vitro inhibited both basal and porcine follicle-stimulating hormone-stimulated estradiol/progesterone release, and amphetamine significantly decreased steroidogenic enzyme activities. Adding 8-Bromo-cAMP did not recover the inhibitory effects of amphetamine on progesterone and estradiol release. H89 significantly decreased progesterone and estradiol basal release but failed to enhance a further amphetamine inhibitory effect. Amphetamine was capable of further suppressing the release of estradiol release under the presence of nifedipine. Pretreatment with the amphetamine for 2 h decreased the basal [Ca2+]i and prostaglandin F2α-stimulated increase of [Ca2+]i. Amphetamine inhibits progesterone and estradiol secretion in rat granulosa cells through a mechanism involving decreased PKA-downstream steroidogenic enzyme activity and L-type Ca2+ channels. Our current findings show that it is necessary to study the possibility of amphetamine perturbing reproduction in females.

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Temperament, Plasticity, and Emotions in Defensive Behaviour of Paca (Mammalia, Hystricognatha)

Animals ◽

10.3390/ani11020293 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (2) ◽

pp. 293

Author(s):

Selene S. C. Nogueira ◽

Sérgio L. G. Nogueira-Filho ◽

José M. B. Duarte ◽

Michael Mendl

Keyword(s):

Conservation Status ◽

Behavioural Plasticity ◽

Affective States ◽

Defensive Behaviour ◽

Rapid Adaptation ◽

Behavioural Responses ◽

Judgement Bias ◽

Temperament Dimension ◽

Ambiguous Cue

Within a species, some individuals are better able to cope with threatening environments than others. Paca (Cuniculus paca) appear resilient to over-hunting by humans, which may be related to the behavioural plasticity shown by this species. To investigate this, we submitted captive pacas to temperament tests designed to assess individual responses to short challenges and judgement bias tests (JBT) to evaluate individuals’ affective states. Results indicated across-time and context stability in closely correlated “agitated”, “fearful” and “tense” responses; this temperament dimension was labelled “restless”. Individual “restless” scores predicted responses to novelty, although not to simulated chasing and capture by humans in a separate modified defence test battery (MDTB). Restless animals were more likely to show a greater proportion of positive responses to an ambiguous cue during JBT after the MDTB. Plasticity in defensive behaviour was inferred from changes in behavioural responses and apparently rapid adaptation to challenge in the different phases of the MDTB. The results indicate that both temperament and behavioural plasticity may play a role in influencing paca responses to risky situations. Therefore, our study highlights the importance of understanding the role of individual temperament traits and behavioural plasticity in order to better interpret the animals’ conservation status and vulnerabilities.

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