Drosophila as a genetically tractable model for social insect behavior

The relatively simple communication, breeding, and egg-making systems that govern reproduction in female Drosophila retain homology to eusocial species in which these same systems are modified to the social condition. Despite having no parental care, division of labor, or subfertile caste, Drosophila may nonetheless offer a living test of certain sociobiological hypotheses framed around gene function. In this review, we make this case, and do so around the recent discovery that the non-social fly, Drosophila melanogaster, can respond to the ovary-suppressing queen pheromone of the honey bee Apis mellifera. Here, we first explain the sociobiological imperative to reconcile kin theory with molecular biology, and qualify a potential role for Drosophila. Then, we offer three applications for the fly-pheromone assay. First, the availability and accessibility of massive mutant libraries makes immediately feasible any number of open or targeted gene screens against the ovary-inhibiting response. The sheer tractability of Drosophila may therefore help to accelerate the search for genes in pheromone-responsive pathways that regulate female reproduction, including potentially any that are preserved with modification to regulate worker sterility in response to queen pheromones in eusocial taxa. Secondly, Drosophila's powerful Gal4/UAS expression system can complement the pheromone assay by driving target gene expression into living tissue, which could be well-applied to the functional testing of genes presumed to drive ovary activation or de-activation in the honey bee or other eusocial taxa. Finally, coupling Gal4 with UAS-RNAi lines can facilitate loss-of-function experiments against perception and response to the ovary inhibiting pheromone, and do so for large numbers of candidates in systematic fashion. Drosophila's utility as an adjunct to the field of insect sociobiology is not ideal, but retains surprising potential

Changes in and the mediating role of physical activity in relation to active school transport, fitness and adiposity among Spanish youth: the UP&DOWN longitudinal study

Background Longitudinal changes in child and adolescent active school transport (AST), and the mediating role of different intensities of daily physical activity (PA) levels in relation to AST and physical fitness and adiposity indicators is unclear. This study aimed to: 1) describe longitudinal changes in AST, light PA (LPA), moderate- to vigorous-intensity PA (MVPA), physical fitness and adiposity indicators over three time-points; and 2) investigate the mediating role of LPA and MVPA levels on associations between AST and physical fitness and adiposity indicators over three time-points among children and adolescents. Methods This longitudinal study comprised 1646 Spanish children and adolescents (48.8% girls, mean age 12.5 years +/- 2.5) at baseline, recruited from schools in Cadiz and Madrid. Mode of commuting to school was self-reported at baseline (T0, 2011-12), 1-year (T1) and 2-year follow-up (T2). PA was assessed using accelerometers. Handgrip strength, standing long jump and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) assessed physical fitness. Height, weight, body mass index, waist circumference, and triceps and subscapular skinfold thickness were measured. Multilevel linear regression analyses assessed changes in AST, PA levels, physical fitness and adiposity indicators over three time-points (T0-T1-T2). Additionally, longitudinal path analysis (n = 453; mean age [years] 12.6 +/- 2.4) was used to test the mediating effects of LPA and MVPA levels on the association between AST and physical fitness and adiposity indicators. Results Multilevel analyses observed decreases in LPA between T0-T1 (beta = - 11.27; p < 0.001) and T0-T2 (beta = - 16.27; p < 0.001) and decreases in MVPA between T0-T2 (beta = - 4.51; p = 0.011). Moreover, changes over time showed increases in handgrip between T0-T1 (beta = 0.78; p = 0.028) and T0-T2 (beta = 0.81; p = 0.046). Path analyses showed that AST was directly positively associated with MVPA at T1 (all, beta approximate to 0.33; p < 0.001). MVPA at T1 mediated associations between AST and CRF at T2 (beta = 0.20; p = 0.040), but not the other outcomes. LPA did not mediate any associations. Conclusions Results from longitudinal path analysis suggest that participation in more AST may help attenuate declines in MVPA that typically occur with age and improve CRF. Therefore, we encourage health authorities to promote AST, as a way to increase MVPA levels and CRF among youth

A novel screen for genes associated with pheromone-induced sterility

For honey bee and other social insect colonies the 'queen substance' regulates colony reproduction rendering workers functionally sterile. The evolution of worker reproductive altruism is explained by inclusive fitness theory, but little is known of the genes involved or how they regulate the phenotypic expression of altruism. We previously showed that application of honeybee queen pheromone to virgin fruit flies suppresses fecundity. Here we exploit this finding to identify genes associated with the perception of an ovary-inhibiting social pheromone. Mutational and RNAi approaches in Drosophila reveal that the olfactory co-factor Orco together with receptors Or49b, Or56a and Or98a are potentially involved in the perception of queen pheromone and the suppression of fecundity. One of these, Or98a, is known to mediate female fly mating behaviour, and its predicted ligand is structurally similar to a methyl component of the queen pheromone. Our novel approach to finding genes associated with pheromone-induced sterility implies conserved reproductive regulation between social and pre-social orders, and further helps to identify candidate orthologues from the pheromone-responsive pathway that may regulate honeybee worker sterility

Can social pheromones regulate reproduction in non-social insects?

Dissertação de Mestrado Integrado em Arquitectura, apresentada ao Departamento de Arquitectura da Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia da Universidade de Coimbra.A Poesia diz, a Arquitetura faz. Uma Cidade que não é cidade. Não há ideias tipológicas, não há referências nem imagens de um passado clássico ou tradicional, não há planos nem alegorias maquinistas. Não há épicas nem grandes retóricas. Não há ruas, não há lotes. No entanto percebe-­‐se um inigualável ar de modernidade. Um laboratório híbrido, surrealista e existencialista onde arquitectos, escultores, poetas e pintores trabalham juntos com a pura ideia de que vida, estudo e trabalho se fundem numa coisa só.Poetry says, architecture does. A city that is not a city. There are no typological ideas, there are no references or images of a classical or traditional past, there are no plans or mechanical allegories. There are not great or epic rhetorics. There are no streets, no allotments. However you perceive an unparalleled air of modernity. A hybrid, surrealist and existentialist lab where architects, sculptors, poets and painters work together with the pure idea that life, study and work merge together

Первичная сексуально−эротическая дезадаптация как причина внебрачных связей супругов

Показаны закономерности развития, проявления и течения сексуально−эротической формы первичной дезадаптации супругов, имеющиеся у них варианты и разновидности сексуальной дезадаптации. Описаны причины, частота и характер обусловленных этой формой дезадаптации внебрачных связей, моральные качества и личностные особенности супругов, способствующие совершению ими супружеских измен. Дается рекомендация учитывать полученные в исследовании данные при психотерапевтической коррекции сексуально−эротической дезадаптации и разработке системы психопрофилактики сопровождающего ее внебрачного секса.The regularities of development, manifestations and course of sexual−erotic form of primary spouse dysadaptation as well as the variants and varieties of dysadaptation are shown. The causes, frequency and character of extramarital relations due to this form of dysadaptation, moral qualities and personality peculiarities of the spouses providing marital unfaithfulness are described. It is recommended to consider the received information in psychopreventive correction of sexual−erotic dysadaptation and working out the system of psychoprevention of the extramarital sex

Modernidade e Tradição em Anthony Giddens: um Olhar sobre os Estilos de Vida nas Paneleiras de Goiabeiras

O artigo analisa a existência de um discurso institucional recorrente entre as Paneleiras de Goiabeiras (ES). Tal discurso, responsável pela orientação para o mercado da atividade de fazer panelas de barro, possui a tradição como pano de fundo e o objetivo central deste artigo é a análise de sua sobrevivência na lógica mercadológica moderna considerando um dos aspectos da modernidade determinados por Giddens: os estilos de vida. Avaliamos o discurso: “ser paneleira é um orgulho e fazer panelas de barro é contribuir para a cultura capixaba”. O método de pesquisa utilizado no trabalho foi o qualitativo e a coleta de dados foi feita por meio da observação não-participante aliada à realização de entrevistas em profundidade com atores pertencentes à Associação Paneleiras de Goiabeiras, entidade responsável pela institucionalização e certificação da atividade e pela noção da importância da arte de fazer panelas de barro para as próprias paneleiras, pela valorização cultural deste  saber-fazer e pelas contribuições desta manifestação para a cultura capixaba. Todos estes aspectos presentes no discurso das paneleiras. Os resultados do trabalho sugerem que a sobrevivência desse discurso está pautada na reinvenção de uma tradição que vigora na modernidade, uma vez que foi construído com o objetivo de resgate de uma memória cultural e é reproduzido com a finalidade de estabelecer um elo forte de ligação entre as paneleiras, o saber-fazer, o produto e o mercado. Assim, o discurso recorrente é construído pautado em uma lógica mercadológica edificada na modernidade,  a qual, simplificadamente, se resume a  maximizar     lucros e minimizar custos.

Estrategias de manejo de Aspergillus flavus y Penicillium spp para la reducción de los niveles de micotoxinas en maíz

Tesis (Doctor en Ciencias Agropecuarias) -- UNC- Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias, 2018El maíz (Zea mays L.) es uno de los cultivos más importantes de Argentina, sembrado en nueve regiones (I a IX) con diferentes condiciones ambientales.En la última década, las regiones I y IV han desarrollado un marcado incremento en el área sembrada. Los géneros Aspergillus y Penicillium incluyen patógenos prevalentes causantes de la “podredumbre de la espiga”. Si bien el rendimiento es afectado, también se produce una pérdida de calidad de grano debido a la presencia de micotoxinas. En algunas campáñas agrícolas, la industria húmeda del maíz ha rechazado más del 30% de los granos provenientes directamente de campos de las regiones I y IV por posible contaminación con aflatoxinas (AF). Aspergillus flavus es considerado el principal agente causal de esta contaminación, pero también produce ácido ciclopiazónico (CPA), de alta toxicidad para humanos y animales. En otros países, existen productos comerciales para el biocontrol de aflatoxinas a campo, formulados con aislados atoxigénicos de A. flavus. Los aceites esenciales (AEs) sintetizados por plantas aromáticas poseen demostrada actividad antifúngica y se consideran seguros para el ambiente. El objetivo de este trabajo de tesis fue identificar potenciales agentes de biocontrol nativos y AEs efectivos para el manejo de A. flavus y Penicillium spp. Para alcanzar este objetivo se realizó: (a) Identificación de los géneros fúngicos presentes en espigas cultivadas en las regiones I y IV en dos campañas agrícolas; (b) caracterización de la población nativa de A. flavus e identificación de aislados atoxigénicos con habilidad competitiva; (c) determinación de los principales componentes de los AEs de orégano, menta, suico, laurel, romero y aguaribay cultivados en Argentina; (d) evaluación de la actividad antifúngica de los AEs contra cepas nativas de A. flavus y Penicillium spp.; estudio del efecto oxidativo en lípidos como modo de acción; (e) estudio de interacciones entre los AEs y con fungicida sintético para el control de A. flavus y P. minioluteum. Fusarium fue el género con mayor incidencia y severidad, seguido por Penicillium y Aspergillus. A. flavus estuvo presente en ambas regiones estudiadas, la mayoría de sus aislados (n=83) no formaron esclerocios, 30% produjo AFs, 84% CPA y sólo 16% fueron atoxigénicos. Entre los no productores de AF, se registraron dos grupos de compatibilidad vegetativa mayoritarios. Los aislados AS03145 y AS04322 redujeron más del 70% el contenido de micotoxinas en granos de maíz, clasificándose como potenciales agentes de biocontrol. Los compuestos bioactivos en los AEs fueron: timol en orégano, mentol en menta, eucaliptol en laurel y romero, limoneno en suico y aguaribay. El AE de orégano presentó la mejor actividad antifúngica. Los AEs de menta, laurel y suico también fueron eficaces para el control de los hongos estudiados. La oxidación de lípidos fue marcada en suico, moderada en laurel y menta mientras que no se detectó en orégano. Las interacciones sinérgicas más marcadas se observaron en combinaciones de orégano con suico, laurel y mentas, posiblemente debido a su diferente modo de acción. Todos los AEs tuvieron efecto aditivo con el fungicida sintético. A. flavus se encuentra presente en granos de maíz desde el cultivo con alta capacidad para producir toxinas. Aislados atoxigénicos nativos mostraron características aptas para agentes de biocontrol. Los AEs se presentan como una herramienta para el control de A. flavus y pueden ser utilizados en aplicaciones a campo o en poscosecha. Esta práctica también contribuiría al control de Penicillium spp.Maize (Zea mays L.) is one of the main crops in Argentina, widely grown in nine regions (I – IX) under different agro-ecological conditions. In regions I and IV, the area planted with maize has greatly increased. The fungal genus Aspergillus and Penicillium are prevalent in spoilage of maize. In addition to the yield loss, this fungal species cause crop quality loss by the presence of mycotoxins. In Argentina, maize industry rejected more than 30% of kernels for possible contamination with aflatoxins (AF). Aspergillus flavus is considered as the major prominent species associated with this contamination but also can produce cyclopiazonic acid (CPA) which is highly toxic for both human and animal health. There are commercial products for biocontrol of aflatoxins, formulated with atoxigenic isolates of A. flavus. Essential oils (AEs) are natural compounds with demonstrated antifungal activity. The goal of this thesis was to identify potential native biocontrol agents and to control Aspergillus flavus and Penicillium spp. using AEs. The experiments were: (a) identification of the main fungal genus present in maize ears grown in regions I and IV; (b) characterization of the native A. flavus population and identification of potential biocontrol agents; (c) determination of major components in essential oil of oregano, mint, suico, bay, rosemary and aguaribay; (d) assessment of antifungal activity of AEs against Aspergillus y Penicillium spp; study of lipid oxidation as mechanism of action; (e) study of interactions between AEs and chemical fungicide. Fusarium was the fungal genera with the highest incidence and severity, followed by Penicillium and Aspergillus. Aspergillus flavus was isolated from ears grown in both regions and most of the isolates did not produce sclerotia. A 30% of the strains produced AF and 84% of them produced CPA. Only 16% of the isolates were determined as atoxigenic. Two major vegetative compatibility groups VCGs were identified within the non-aflatoxigenic population. The strains AS03145 and AS04322 reduce the content of mycotoxins more than 70% and are presented as potential biocontrol agents. The bioactive compounds in AEs were: thymol in oregano, menthol in mint, eucalyptol in bay and rosemary, limonene in suico and aguaribay. Oregano presented the best antifungal activity. Suico, mint and bay were also efficient to control the studied fungi. Suico showed a remarkable lipid oxidation, while mint and bay had a moderate effect. This effect was not observed in oregano. Synergistic interactions were observed in combinations of oregano with suico, mint and bay due to their different mechanisms of action. All the AEs had additive effect with the pesticide. A. flavus, among other fungi, is present in maize ears with a high capacity to produce mycotoxins. Native atoxigenic strains can be used as biocontrol agents. AEs are presented as natural strategy to control A. flavus in field or during the postharvest period. This tool would also control Penicillium spp