Rapid up- and down-regulation of pheromone signalling due to trail crowding in the ant Lasius niger

Behaviour ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 151 (5) ◽  
pp. 669-682 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomer J. Czaczkes ◽  
Christoph Grüter ◽  
Francis L.W. Ratnieks
Keyword(s):  
Cuticular Hydrocarbons ◽  
Social Insects ◽  
Glass Beads ◽  
Lasius Niger ◽  
Base Line ◽  
Baseline Levels ◽  
Line Level ◽  
Pheromone Signalling ◽  
Repeat Visits ◽  
Pheromone Trail

Social insects often respond to signals and cues from nest-mates, and these responses may include changes in the information they, in turn, transmit. During foraging, Lasius niger deposits a pheromone trail to recruit nestmates, and ants that experience trail crowding deposit pheromone less often. Less studied, however, is the time taken for signalling to revert to baseline levels after conditions have returned to baseline levels. In this paper we study the behaviour of L. niger foragers on a trail in which crowding is simulated by using dummy ants — black glass beads coated in nestmate cuticular hydrocarbons. Ants were allowed to make four repeat visits to a feeder with dummy ants, and thus crowding, being present on the trail on all visits (CCCC), none (UUUU) or only the first two (CCUU). If dummy ants were always present (CCCC), pheromone deposition probability was low in the first two visits (54% of ants deposited pheromone) and remained low in visits 3 and 4 (51%). If dummy ants were never present (UUUU) pheromone deposition probability was high in the first two visits (93%) and remained high in visits 3 and 4 (83%). If dummy ants were present on the first two visits but removed on the second two visits (CCUU) pheromone deposition probability was low in the first two visits (61%) but rose in the second two visits (69%). This demonstrates that even after pheromone deposition has been down-regulated due to crowding in the first two visits, it is rapidly up-regulated when crowding is reduced, although it does not immediately return to the base line level.

scholarly journals The Scent of Ant Brood: Caste Differences in Surface Hydrocarbons of Formica exsecta Pupae

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Unni Pulliainen ◽  
Nick Bos ◽  
Patrizia d’Ettorre ◽  
Liselotte Sundström
Keyword(s):  
Surface Chemistry ◽  
Chemical Communication ◽  
Cuticular Hydrocarbons ◽  
Social Insects ◽  
Developmental Stages ◽  
Pupal Stage ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Chemical Stimuli ◽  
Caste Differences ◽  
Long Chain

AbstractChemical communication is common across all organisms. Insects in particular use predominantly chemical stimuli in assessing their environment and recognizing their social counterparts. One of the chemical stimuli used for recognition in social insects, such as ants, is the suite of long-chain, cuticular hydrocarbons. In addition to providing waterproofing, these surface hydrocarbons serve as a signature mixture, which ants can perceive, and use to distinguish between strangers and colony mates, and to determine caste, sex, and reproductive status of another individual. They can be both environmentally and endogenously acquired. The surface chemistry of adult workers has been studied extensively in ants, yet the pupal stage has rarely been considered. Here we characterized the surface chemistry of pupae of Formica exsecta, and examine differences among sexes, castes (reproductive vs. worker), and types of sample (developing individual vs. cocoon envelope). We found quantitative and qualitative differences among both castes and types of sample, but male and female reproductives did not differ in their surface chemistry. We also found that the pupal surface chemistry was more complex than that of adult workers in this species. These results improve our understanding of the information on which ants base recognition, and highlights the diversity of surface chemistry in social insects across developmental stages.

Effects of hypercapnia and hypoxia on abdominal expiratory nerve activity

1983 ◽  
Vol 55 (5) ◽  
pp. 1614-1622 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. F. Ledlie ◽  
A. I. Pack ◽  
A. P. Fishman
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Ventilation ◽  
Chest Wall ◽  
Neural Activity ◽  
Intravenous Infusion ◽  
Base Line ◽  
Medial Branch ◽  
Plateau Phase ◽  
Nerve Activity ◽  
Proprioceptive Inputs ◽  
Line Level

We examined the effects of progressive hypercapnia and hypoxia on the efferent neural activity in a whole abdominal expiratory nerve (medial branch of the cranial iliohypogastric nerve (L1) in anesthetized, paralyzed dogs. To eliminate effects of phasic lung and chest-wall movements on expiratory activity, studies were performed in the absence of breathing movements. Progressive hyperoxic hypercapnia and isocapnic hypoxia were produced in the paralyzed animals by allowing 3-5 min of apnea to follow mechanical ventilation with 100% O2 or 35% O2 in N2, respectively; during hypoxia, isocapnia was maintained by intravenous infusion of tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane buffer at a predetermined rate. To quantify abdominal expiratory activity, mean abdominal nerve activity in a nerve burst was computed by integrating the abdominal neurogram and dividing by the duration of the nerve burst. Hypercapnia and hypoxia both increased mean abdominal nerve activity and decreased expiratory duration. In contrast to the ramplike phrenic neurogram, the abdominal neurogram consisted of three phases: an initial rising phase, a plateau phase in which abdominal nerve activity was approximately constant, and a terminal declining phase in which the activity returned to the base-line level. The height of this plateau phase and the rates of rise and decline of abdominal nerve activity all increased with increasing hypercapnia and hypoxia. We conclude that, with proprioceptive inputs constant, both hypercapnia and hypoxia are excitatory to abdominal expiratory neural activity.

Neurotransmitters and biphasic respiratory response to hypoxia

1984 ◽  
Vol 57 (1) ◽  
pp. 213-222 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. A. Long ◽  
E. E. Lawson
Keyword(s):  
Phrenic Nerve ◽  
Initial Increase ◽  
Base Line ◽  
Respiratory Response ◽  
Biphasic Response ◽  
Controlled System ◽  
Initial Exposure ◽  
End Tidal ◽  
Line Level ◽  
End Tidal Co2

Recent work from this laboratory (J. Appl. Physiol.: Respirat. Environ. Exercise Physiol. 55:483–488, 1983) has shown that the biphasic respiratory response to hypoxia in piglets is due to changing central neural respiratory output. To test the hypothesis that either adenosine or opiatelike neurotransmitters mediate the failure to sustain hyperpnea in response to hypoxia, 12 piglets were studied ata mean age of 2.9 +/- 0.4 days (range 2–6 days). Animals were anesthetized, paralyzed, and ventilatedusing a servo-controlled system that maintained end-tidal CO2 constant. Electrical activity of the phrenic nerve was recorded as the index of breathing. An initial experimental trial of 6 min ventilation with 15% O2 was performed in all 12 piglets. Thereafter all 12 piglets were treated with aminophylline (n = 6), naloxone (n = 3), or naltrexone (n = 3) and again subjected to 15% O2. During initial exposure to hypoxia there was an initial increase in phrenic activity that was not sustained. During recovery ventilation with 100% O2, phrenic activity transiently declined below the base-line level and then gradually returned. Subsequent intravenous administration of aminophylline, naloxone, or naltrexone caused base-line phrenic activity to increase. Thereafter repeat exposures to 15% O2 were carried out. During these posttreatment trials of hypoxia, phrenic activity further increased, but the hyperventilation was again not sustained. These findings suggest it is unlikely that either adenosine or mu-endorphin neurotransmitters are the primary mediators of the biphasic response to hypoxia in newborns.

Base-Line level of tumor markers (AFP and DCP) and their normalization by treatment contribute to the prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC)

2003 ◽  
Vol 124 (4) ◽  
pp. A771 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eiji Matsumoto ◽  
Msayuki Kobayashi ◽  
Kousaku Sakaguchi ◽  
Nobuyuki Toshikuni ◽  
Shin-Ichiro Nakamura ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tumor Markers ◽  
Base Line ◽  
Hepatocellular Carcinomas ◽  
Line Level

Role of atrial natriuretic peptide and urinary cGMP in the natriuretic and diuretic response to central hypervolemia in normal human subjects

1987 ◽  
Vol 65 (10) ◽  
pp. 2076-2080 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. M. Leung ◽  
A. G. Logan ◽  
P. J. Campbell ◽  
T. E. Debowski ◽  
S. B. Bull ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Atrial Natriuretic Peptide ◽  
Natriuretic Peptide ◽  
Water Immersion ◽  
Free Water ◽  
Base Line ◽  
Free Water Clearance ◽  
Diuretic Response ◽  
Line Level ◽  
Central Hypervolemia ◽  
Atrial Natriuretic

The response of plasma atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and urinary cGMP excretion to central hypervolemia induced by water immersion was assessed twice in five healthy male subjects, once while immersed in water to the neck for 3 h and again on a control day. Plasma ANP and urinary cGMP were measured by radioimmunoassay. Compared with the control day, overall change in plasma ANP on the immersion day was significant (p < 0.05). In response to water immersion, plasma ANP increased from a base-line level of 13.2 ± 3.1 (mean ± SEM) to 24.2 ± 5.5 pg/mL by 0.5 h of immersion and was sustained at that level throughout the immersion period. Plasma ANP returned to the base-line level at 1 h postimmersion. Urinary cGMP excretion increased significantly by 1 h of immersion and was sustained at that level throughout water immersion and 1 h postimmersion (p < 0.05). During water immersion urine flow, urinary sodium and potassium excretion, free water clearance, and osmolar clearance increased while plasma renin activity, serum aldosterone, and blood pressure fell; all changes were significant (p < 0.05). Creatinine clearance and hematocrit did not show any significant changes. These data suggest that an increase in plasma ANP may contribute to the natriuretic and diuretic response to central hypervolemia, and that the measurement of urinary cGMP may be a valuable marker of ANP biological responsiveness.

scholarly journals Differences in Long-Chained Cuticular Hydrocarbons between Males and Gynes in Cataglyphis Desert Ants

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shani Inbar ◽  
Eyal Privman
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Selection ◽  
Mate Choice ◽  
Sex Ratio ◽  
Mating Behavior ◽  
Cuticular Hydrocarbons ◽  
Social Insects ◽  
Sex Pheromones ◽  
Polar Fraction ◽  
Virgin Queens ◽  
First Time

AbstractCuticualar hydrocarbons play an important role in chemical communication in social insects, serving, among other things, as nestmate, gender, dominance and fertility recognition cues. In ants, however, very little is known about the precopulatory signals cuticular hydrocarbons carry. These signals may serve as affecting sex pheromones and aphrodisiacs or as reliable signals for idiosyncratic traits, which indirectly affect sexual selection. In this study, we examined, for the first time, in the Cataglyphis genus, sex-specific variability in cuticular hydrocarbons. We focused on a species that exhibits split sex-ratio and found significant quantitative differences between virgin queens and their potential mates. In an analyses of both absolute amounts and relative amounts, we found different compounds to be significantly displayed on gynes and drones, suggesting absolute and relative amounts may carry different signals influencing mating behavior and mate choice. We discuss the possible signals advertised by the non-polar fraction of these hydrocarbon profiles.

scholarly journals Intensity of free radical processes in the leaves of arboreal plants under act of industrial dust borne extracts

2010 ◽  
pp. 83-87
Author(s):  
Olga Piskova ◽  
Vitalii Gryshko
Keyword(s):  
Heavy Metals ◽  
Lipid Peroxidation ◽  
Contamination Level ◽  
Base Line ◽  
Picea Pungens ◽  
Industrial Dust ◽  
Species Specific ◽  
Line Level ◽  
Radical Processes

The influence of industrial pollutants on the intensity of lipid peroxidation in the assimilatory organs of arboreal plant was investigated. The differential changes of the probed indexes are set depending on the species. Information is got can testify to participation of lipid peroxidation products in forming of reactions-answers of arboreal plants on influence of industrial dust borne extract with content of heavy metals. Determination of level and rates of accumulation of Zn, Ni, Pb and Cd, in the leaves of arboreal plants in the conditions of different contamination level allowed to take species to two groups. To the first (phytoextraction potential exceeds a base-line level in 10 times) belong Populus bolleana Lauche, P. italica (Du Roi) Moench, Picea pungens Engelm and Sorbus aucuparia L. To the second (exceeds a base-line level from 5 to 10 times) belong Acer negundo L., Aesculus hippocastanum L., Betula pendula Roth and Tilia cordata Mill. The most substantial increase of peroxidation secondary product content (more than in 2.5 times) is peculiar for B. pendula, A. hippocastanum and P. pungens Engelm., that well conforms to the rates of heavy metals translocation, it has however species-specific character.

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