The effects of social environment and the metapleural gland on disease resistance in acorn ants

Eusocial species differ in living conditions when compared to solitary species primarily due to the dense living conditions of genetically related individuals. Consequently, these crowded conditions can induce a high rate of pathogen transmission and pathogen susceptibility. To resist an epidemic, individuals rely on sets of behaviors, known as social immunity, to decrease pathogen transmission among nestmates. Alongside social immunity, ants have a pair of secretory metapleural glands (MG), thought to secrete antimicrobial compounds important for antisepsis, that are believed to be transferred among nestmates by social immune behaviors such as grooming. To investigate the effects of social immunity on pathogen resistance, we performed a series of experiments by inoculating acorn ants Temnothorax curvispinosus with a lethal spore concentration of the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium brunneum . After inoculation ant survival was monitored in two environments: solitary and in groups. Additionally, the MG role in pathogen resistance was evaluated for both solitary and grouped living ants, by sealing the MG prior to inoculations. Individuals within a group environment had a higher survival compared to those in a solitary environment, and individuals with sealed glands had significantly decreased survival than ants with non-sealed-MG in both solitary and social environments. We observed the lowest survival for solitary-sealed-MG individuals. Although sealing the MG reduced survival probability, sealing the MG did not remove the benefits of grouped living. We show here that social living plays a crucial role in pathogen resistance and that the MG has an important role in pathogen resistance of individual T. curvispinosus ants. Although important for an individual's pathogen resistance, our data show that the MG does not play a strong role in social immunity as previously believed. Overall, this study provides insights into mechanisms of social immunity and the role of MG in disease resistance.

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Bioinformatic-Based Approaches for Disease-Resistance Gene Discovery in Plants

Agronomy ◽

10.3390/agronomy11112259 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (11) ◽

pp. 2259

Author(s):

Andrea Fernandez-Gutierrez ◽

Juan J. Gutierrez-Gonzalez

Keyword(s):

Disease Resistance ◽

Resistance Genes ◽

Gene Annotation ◽

Pathogen Resistance ◽

Limiting Factors ◽

Disease Resistance Gene ◽

R Genes ◽

Nucleotide Binding Sites ◽

Bioinformatic Tools ◽

Computer Based

Pathogens are among the most limiting factors for crop success and expansion. Thus, finding the underlying genetic cause of pathogen resistance is the main goal for plant geneticists. The activation of a plant’s immune system is mediated by the presence of specific receptors known as disease-resistance genes (R genes). Typical R genes encode functional immune receptors with nucleotide-binding sites (NBS) and leucine-rich repeat (LRR) domains, making the NBS-LRRs the largest family of plant resistance genes. Establishing host resistance is crucial for plant growth and crop yield but also for reducing pesticide use. In this regard, pyramiding R genes is thought to be the most ecologically friendly way to enhance the durability of resistance. To accomplish this, researchers must first identify the related genes, or linked markers, within the genomes. However, the duplicated nature, with the presence of frequent paralogues, and clustered characteristic of NLRs make them difficult to predict with the classic automatic gene annotation pipelines. In the last several years, efforts have been made to develop new methods leading to a proliferation of reports on cloned genes. Herein, we review the bioinformatic tools to assist the discovery of R genes in plants, focusing on well-established pipelines with an important computer-based component.

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Ribonuclease activity as a new prospective disease resistance marker in potato

Vavilov Journal of Genetics and Breeding ◽

10.18699/vj18.441 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 22 (8) ◽

pp. 987-991 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

E. A. Trifonova ◽

S. M. Ibragimova ◽

O. A. Volkova ◽

V. K. Shumny ◽

A. V. Kochetov

Keyword(s):

Disease Resistance ◽

Late Blight ◽

Systemic Acquired Resistance ◽

Higher Plants ◽

Wide Spectrum ◽

Acquired Resistance ◽

Pathogen Resistance ◽

Rnase Activity ◽

Measured Parameter ◽

Resistance To Viruses

Disease resistance is an important characteristic for each variety of potato, and the search for pathogen resistance markers is one of the primary tasks of plant breeding. Higher plants possess a wide spectrum of enzymes catalyzing the hydrolysis of nucleic acids; it is believed that protection against pathogens is the most probable function of the enzymes. RNases are actively involved in several immune systems of higher plants, for example, systemic acquired resistance (SAR) and genetic silencing, hence RNase activity in plant leaves, as a relatively easily measured parameter, can serve as a good marker for the selection of pathogen resistant varieties. We have analyzed sixteen varieties of potatoes permitted for use on the territory of the Russian Federation and tested the correlation of the level of varietyspecifc ribonuclease (RNase) activity with such economically valuable traits as maturity and resistance to viruses, late blight and common scab. In general, the level of RNase activity was varietyspecifc, which was confrmed by very small values of average squared error for the majority of tested varieties. We have detected a statistically signifcant positive correlation of RNase activity in potato leaves with increased resistance of varieties to phytopathogenic viruses, a negative correlation with resistance to scab and an absence of a signifcant connection with maturity and resistance to late blight, regardless of the organ affected by the oomycete. Thus, the level of RNase activity in potato leaves can be used as a selective marker for resistance to viruses, while varieties with increased RNase activity should be avoided when selecting resistance to scab.

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Grafting for Disease Resistance

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci.43.6.1673 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 43 (6) ◽

pp. 1673-1676 ◽

Cited By ~ 101

Author(s):

Stephen R. King ◽

Angela R. Davis ◽

Wenge Liu ◽

Amnon Levi

Keyword(s):

Disease Resistance ◽

Root Rot ◽

Pathogen Resistance ◽

Soilborne Pathogens ◽

Pathogen Population ◽

Soil Fumigant ◽

Soil Microbial ◽

The Future ◽

Microbial Environment ◽

Pathogen Populations

The primary purpose of grafting vegetables worldwide has been to provide resistance to soilborne diseases. The potential loss of methyl bromide as a soil fumigant combined with pathogen resistance to commonly used pesticides will make resistance to soilborne pathogens even more important in the future. The major disease problems addressed by grafting include fusarium wilt, bacterial wilt, verticillium wilt, monosporascus root rot, and nematodes. Grafting has also been shown in some instances to increase tolerance to foliar fungal diseases, viruses, and insects. If the area devoted to grafting increases in the future, there will likely be a shift in the soil microbial environment that could lead to the development of new diseases or changes in the pathogen population of current diseases. This shift in pathogen populations could lead to the development of new diseases or the re-emergence of previously controlled diseases. Although grafting has been demonstrated to control many common diseases, the ultimate success will likely depend on how well we monitor for changes in pathogen populations and other unexpected consequences.

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Exogenous Application of Harpin Protein Hpa1 onto Pinellia ternata Induces Systemic Resistance Against Tobacco Mosaic Virus

Phytopathology ◽

10.1094/phyto-12-19-0463-r ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 110 (6) ◽

pp. 1189-1198

Author(s):

Defu Wang ◽

Baoxia Wang ◽

Jiangran Wang ◽

Shuting Wang ◽

Weiyu Wang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Disease Resistance ◽

Tobacco Mosaic Virus ◽

Mosaic Virus ◽

Large Scale ◽

Pathogen Resistance ◽

Field Application ◽

Systemic Resistance ◽

Pinellia Ternata ◽

Related Substances ◽

Harpin Protein

The harpin protein Hpa1 has various beneficial effects in plants, such as promoting plant growth and inducing pathogen resistance. Our previous study found that Hpa1 could significantly alleviate the mosaic symptoms of tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) in Pinellia ternata, indicating that Hpa1 can effectively stimulate resistance. Here, the potential mechanism of disease resistance and field applicability of Hpa1 against TMV in P. ternata were further investigated. The results showed that 15 µg ml−1 Hpa1 had stronger antiviral activity than the control, and its protective effect was better than its curative effect. Furthermore, Hpa1 could significantly induce an increase in defense-related enzyme activity, including polyphenol oxidase, peroxidase, catalase, and superoxide dismutase, as well as increase the expression of disease resistance-related genes (PR1, PR3, PR5, and PDF1.2). Concurrently, Hpa1 significantly increased the content of some disease resistance-related substances, including hydrogen peroxide, phenolics, and callose, whereas the content of malondialdehyde was reduced. In addition, field application analysis demonstrated that Hpa1 could effectively elicit a defense response against TMV in P. ternata. Our findings propose a mechanism by which Hpa1 can prevent TMV infection in Pinellia by inducing systemic resistance, thereby providing an environmentally friendly approach for the use of Hpa1 in large-scale applications to improve TMV resistance in Pinellia.

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Malaria Prevalence Investigation among Pregnant Women in Relation to Their Social Well Being: A Case Study of Lugbe and Gosa, Abuja, Nigeria

International Journal of Pathogen Research ◽

10.9734/ijpr/2020/v4i230107 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 7-15

Author(s):

Onyemaechi Ngozi Edith ◽

Malann Yoila David

Keyword(s):

Pregnant Women ◽

Well Being ◽

Malaria Prevalence ◽

Living Conditions ◽

High Rate ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Smear Preparation ◽

Study Results ◽

The Impact

Aim: This research aim was to investigate the impact of living conditions (Socio demographic characteristics) of pregnant women on their malarial status. Study Design: In order to achieve the objectives of the study, Cross sectional survey was used. This is because only a subsect of the population was used. Descriptive designs was utilised in the Questionnaire aspect of the study. Place and Duration of Study: The Presidential Malarial initiative PMI/USAID - funded Insectary Laboratory at Nasarawa State University, Keffi/six (6) Months. Methodology: Blood samples were collected from the participating pregnant women by pricking their thumb and the blood droplet was examined using a direct thin and thick blood smear preparation stained with giemsa for the presence of the ring form stages of the parasites in the blood of the individuals in the laboratory. Qualitative data were sourced through Questionnaire administration to 589 pregnant women in Antenatal care clinics (ANC) in the area and their malaria status was also determined. Results: Study results showed a high prevalence rate of malaria in pregnancy (70.5%), the greater number of occurrences being in Lugbe (42.3%) than in Gosa (28.2%). Those living in houses built with wood recorded more positive cases of malaria and are at greater risk of infection (odds = 1.866%). Conclusion: This study has shown an increased rate of malaria infection amongst pregnant women living in wood and mud houses. The result also shows high rate of malaria occurrences due to low living conditions amongst pregnant women domiciled in this area of study. Hence, pregnant women should as a routine be placed on malaria prophylaxis and periodically checked as they can be asymptomatic, only exhibiting symptoms when its already late.

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Reducing Unemployment, Poverty and Promoting Empowerment through Skills Acquisition (TVET): A Case Study of Returnee Migrants

Asian Journal of Humanity Art and Literature ◽

10.18034/ajhal.v8i1.548 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

pp. 33-42

Author(s):

Onyekachi Ohagwu ◽

Zamri bin Hj Hassan ◽

Dolly Paul Carlo

Keyword(s):

Skill Acquisition ◽

Living Condition ◽

Living Conditions ◽

High Rate ◽

Skills Acquisition ◽

Irregular Migration ◽

Western Countries ◽

Research Participants ◽

Edo State

This paper explains recent statistics and phenomena related to returnee migrants in Edo state, Nigeria. The significance of this paper is that it creates awareness on causes and motives behind irregular migration leading to repatriation (returned migrants). Based on data gathered from most research participants (returnee migrant) – the quest to improve one’s socioeconomic living conditions are the motives behind most Nigerians’ migration journey (regular or irregular) to western countries (i.e., Europe, Canada, USA, etc.). The socioeconomic imbalance in Nigeria is mainly caused by the high rate of unemployment and poverty; thus, the majority of Nigerians are of the opinion that migrating to western countries, is a potential pathway to an improved socioeconomic living condition. This paper further suggests – skill acquisition (TVET) as an approach to reduce unemployment and poverty; thus, economically improving the socioeconomic living conditions of the majority of Nigerians.

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Effectiveness of anti-epidemic measures in tuberculosis clusters in Chisinau municipality

Public Health, Economy and Management in Medicine ◽

10.52556/2587-3873.2021.2(89).07 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 39-44

Author(s):

Alina Malic ◽

◽

Dumitru Batir ◽

Evelina Lesnic ◽

Tatiana Osipov ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Pregnant Women ◽

Positive Culture ◽

Living Conditions ◽

High Rate ◽

Sputum Smear ◽

Tuberculous Infection ◽

Clinical Hospital ◽

Group A ◽

Epidemiological Situation

The highest risk of the disease is observed among the contacts of the patients with tuberculosis in the clusters with a long-term contact. The aim of the research was to study the particularities of tuberculosis clusters (TC) depending on the degree of epidemiological danger and to assess the eff ectiveness of anti-epidemic measures in these TC. 384 tuberculosis clusters were analyzed in patients with sensitive evolutive tuberculosis admitted for the treatment in the Municipal Clinical Hospital of Phthisiopneumology. According to the criteria for the TB clusters classifi cation, they were divided into 3 groups: 1st group – 279 (72,7%) clusters, 2nd group – 104 (27,1%) and 3rd group – a single (0,2%) cluster. In the 1st group TC children 163 (58.4%) were established; pregnant women were identifi ed in 11 (3.9%) TC and were TB/HIV co-infected cases in 18 (6.5%) TC. Tuberculosis was confi rmed microbiologically by sputum smear in 263 (94.3%) patients. Contacts examination detected 15 children and 7 adults with tuberculosis. In the 2nd group TC the optimal living conditions predominated as a clasifi cation criteria. Positive culture for tuberculosis mycobacteria was identifi ed in 53 (51.0%) patients, and 4 contact from TC were diagnosed with tuberculosis. Conclusion: the high rate of the 1st groups TC showes an unfavorable epidemiological situation, despite the steady decreasing trend of the epidemiological indicators. Optimizing anti-epidemic measures in clusters through the enlargement of the actively investigated groups will contribute to the precocious detection and reducing the transmission of the tuberculous infection.

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Critical Properties of the Assembly Call of the Common American Crow

Behaviour ◽

10.1163/156853978x00026 ◽

1978 ◽

Vol 64 (3-4) ◽

pp. 184-203 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Nicholas S. Thompson ◽

David B. Richards

Keyword(s):

Sound Source ◽

Traditional View ◽

High Rate ◽

American Crow ◽

Corvus Brachyrhynchos ◽

Temporal Properties ◽

Series Of Experiments ◽

The Common ◽

Functional Context ◽

Better Than

AbstractAccording to tradition, the communication system of the American crow, Corvus brachyrhynchos, consists of an assortment of distinct sounds each of which is used in a particular context and has a unique meaning. Despite this traditional view, we have made field observations which suggested that the sounds employed in various different functional contexts overlap considerably. These observations further suggested that each sound does not have a single unique meaning, but that its meaning varies depending upon how it and similar sounds are temporally organized into calling sequences. In order to investigate this idea, a series of experiments were performed in which the temporal properties of natural sounds recorded from crows in the field were changed. These experiments were concerned primarily with the vocalization known as the assembly call. The assembly call consists of series of sounds which are low, harsh, and variable in pitch and timing. Broadcast to crows in the field, recorded assembly calls provoke an aggregation of crows to the sound source about twenty-five percent of the time. The recordings broadcasted were of two sorts: sequences made up by modifying the temporal properties of a natural assembly call and sequences of sounds derived from calls given in other functional contexts which were then rearranged to approximate the temporal properties of an assembly call. These calls were tested on wild crows in the field. A presentation of a call was counted successful if at least one crow approached the sound source on a direct line. Different calls were compared with respect to the proportion of successful presentations. The results show that not all types of crow sounds can be manufactured into effective assembly calls. A high pitched call, even when arranged to approximate the temporal properties of the assembly call does not assemble crows at rates approaching the rate of assembly to natural assembly calls. On the other hand, the results also show that a sound need not be derived from an assembly call in order to be arranged into an effective assembly call. A call recorded in another functional context, but which has a harsh, grainy quality will assemble crows as well as or better than an assembly call if it is presented in the proper temporal arrangement. In fact, the highest rates of success were provoked by a sequence of such sounds having a high rate of emission and organized into short cycles of increasing rate. Such a call is two to four times more effective than a natural assembly call. These results are inconsistent with the traditional view that each particular caw in the repertoire of a crow has a discrete stable meaning. An alternate hypothesis is suggested in which the meaning of a sequence of crow sounds is thought to depend not only on the properties of the caws but upon the temporal properties of the sequence as well.

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Chromosome evolution in malaria mosquitoes inferred from physically mapped genome assemblies

Journal of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology ◽

10.1142/s0219720016300033 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 14 (02) ◽

pp. 1630003 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Igor V. Sharakhov ◽

Gleb N. Artemov ◽

Maria V. Sharakhova

Keyword(s):

X Chromosome ◽

Chromosome Evolution ◽

Mosquito Species ◽

Genome Rearrangements ◽

Pathogen Transmission ◽

High Rate ◽

Malaria Vectors ◽

Physiological Adaptations ◽

Genome Assemblies ◽

Malaria Mosquitoes

Polymorphic inversions in mosquitoes are distributed nonrandomly among chromosomes and are associated with ecological, behavioral, and physiological adaptations related to pathogen transmission. Despite their significance, the patterns and mechanism of genome rearrangements are not well understood. Recent sequencing and physical mapping of the genomes for 16 Anopheles mosquito species provided an opportunity to study chromosome evolution at the highest resolution. New studies revealed that fixed rearrangement accumulated [Formula: see text]3 times faster on the X chromosome than on autosomes. The highest densities of transposable elements (TEs) and satellites of different sizes have also been found on the X chromosome, suggesting a mechanism for the inversion generation. The high rate of X chromosome rearrangements is in sharp contrast with the paucity of polymorphic inversions on the X in the majority of anopheline species. This paper highlights the advances in understanding chromosome evolution in malaria vectors and discusses possible future directions in studying mechanisms and biological roles of genome rearrangements.

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Social-Psychological Satiety: Empirical Study of a New Phenomenon

Behavioral Sciences ◽

10.3390/bs9120138 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (12) ◽

pp. 138 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Tatiana Drobysheva ◽

Ivan Larionov

Keyword(s):

Urban Environment ◽

Social Life ◽

Living Conditions ◽

High Rate ◽

Protective Mechanism ◽

Emotional Experiences ◽

Social Psychological ◽

Behavioral Reactions ◽

Complex State ◽

The City

This article is devoted to the development of a new phenomenon in the field of social psychology of the city—satiety with living conditions in a metropolis. The study involved 87 people aged 18–30 years. The aim of the study was to identify and analyze the expression of the satiety of young Moscovites with living conditions in the metropolis, and its dependence on the sources of experience of this state. It was shown that satiety as a state of the human psyche performs the function of a protective mechanism from an overabundance of various stimuli from the surrounding world. The satiety with living conditions in the metropolis is a complex state that is caused by a variety of phenomena of social life in the urban environment: Excessive communication, an abundance of information, overpopulation, forced informatization of the urban environment, high rate of life, etc. It was found that satiety with living conditions in a metropolis has different forms of expression, such as emotional experiences and behavioral reactions. The article outlines perspectives for further research on the phenomenon of satiety in living conditions in a megacity in the direction of types, factors, and mechanisms of satiety.

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