The activity of acid glycosidases in royal jelly collected from queen bee’s cells at different stages of larvae development

Przedstawione badania dotyczą aktywności kwaśnych glikozydaz w mleczku pszczelim oraz w larwach matek na różnych etapach rozwoju. Aktywność kwaśnych glikozydaz oznaczano w mleczku pobieranym w trzecim (M I) i piątym (M II) dniu rozwoju larw oraz w odpowiadającym mu czasowo larwach (L I i L II). Największą aktywność w mleczku pszczelim wykazywały: β-glukozydaza, α-mannozydaza i β-N-acetylo-D-heksozaminidaza. W larwach matek pszczelich stwierdzono stosunkowo duże wartości aktywności α-mannozydazy, α-glukozydazy i β-N-acetylo-D-heksozaminidazy. Wartości aktywnośi enzymów w gruczołach podgardzielowych pszczół Apis mellifera wzięto z wyników badań Costy i Cruz-Landima opublikowanych w 2005 roku. W gruczołach podgardzielowych występował wysoki poziom aktywności β-glukozydazy, natomiast pozostałe z badanych enzymów występowały w ilościach śladowych. Na podstawie wyników badań własnych oraz badań Costy i Cruz-Landima opublikowanych w 2005 roku w pracy przedstawiono sugestię, że kwaśne glikozydazy w mleczku pszczelim mogą częściowo pochodzić z wydzielin larw. Rozważono również pozytywny wpływ wydzielin larw na składniki glikanowe mleczka pszczelego.Royal jelly (RJ) is a secretion of hypopharyngeal glands of young worker bees ‘nurses’. It is used to feed all the larvae in the bee colony during the first 3 days of their life, and the mother bee for the whole stage of larvae. Within the royal jelly there is a number of enzymes from the group of acid glycosidases. Their main purpose is digestion of carbohydrates and carbohydrate components of glycoconjugates. The aim of the study was an attempt to determine the origin of the activity of acid glycosidases in royal jelly. Royal jelly was collected in May and June in the breeding apiary “Wojtek” in the village of Breń Osuchowski, community Czermin close to Mielec. Royal jelly was harvested, placed in a thermos with ice, and transported to the laboratory. Than samples of approximately 1 cm³ were prepared and frozen at –78°C. After thawing, the samples were weighed, diluted with 3-fold volume of saline (0.9% NaCl) containing 0.1% Triton X-100 and homogenized. Larvae of mother bees were extracted from nurseries. Than test portion from 5 larvae were homogenized with 3-fold volume of saline containing 0.1% Triton X-100. Enzyme activity was determined in royal jelly that was collected in the third (M I) and fifth (M II) day of larval development and from larvae at the corresponding time (L I and L II). The optimal pH for the investigated acid glycosidases in royal jelly and in larvae homogenates was determined. Activity of acid glycosidases was determined using spectrometric method by Barrett and Heath from 1977. It was assumed that the unit of enzyme activity (U) is the activity of enzyme which converts 1 μmol of substrate during 1 min at 30°C. The enzyme activity was given in mU for 1 mg of royal jelly or 1 mg weight of larvae. The statistical calculations were conducted using Statistica 8.0 (Stat. Soft., Inc., Tulsa, OK., USA). The highest activity of enzymes in royal jelly was observed for β-glucosidase, α-mannosidase and β-N-acetyl-D-hexosaminidase. However, in the larvae from queen bee’s cells activity α-mannosidase, β-N-acetyl-D-hexosaminidase and α-glucosidase were relatively high. Activity of these enzymes in the hypopharyngeal glands of the honey bee Apis mellifera was given by the authors Costa and Cruz-Landim in publication from 2005. In the hypopharyngeal glands there is a high level of β-glucosidase activity, while the other of the enzymes were detected in trace amounts only. Based on our results and on the results presented by Costa and Cruz-Landim in 2005, it is suggested, that acid glucosidase in royal jelly may partly come from the secretions of the larvae. Also the positive influence of larvae secretion on glycan ingredients of royal jelly was considered

Experimental studies of stable confined electron clouds using Gabor lenses

Based on the idea of D. Gabor [1] space charge lenses are under investigation to be a powerful focussing device for intense ion beams. A stable confined electron column is used to provide strong radially symmetric electrostatic focussing, e.g. for positively charged ion beams. The advantages of Gabor lenses are a mass independent focussing strength, space charge compensation of the ion beam and reduced magnetic or electric fields compared to conventional focussing devices. Collective phenomena of the electron cloud result in aberrations and emittance growth of the ion beam. The knowledge of the behaviour of the electron cloud prevents a decrease of the beam brilliance. Numerical models developed to describe the electron confinement and dynamics within a Gabor lens help to understand the interaction of the ion beam with the electron column and show the causes of non-neutral plasma instabilities. The diagnosis of the electron cloud properties helps to evaluate the numerical models and to investigate the influence of the ion beam on the confined non-neutral plasma.Based on the idea of D. Gabor [1] space charge lenses are under investigation to be a powerful focussing device for intense ion beams. A stable confined electron column is used to provide strong radially symmetric electrostatic focussing, e.g. for positively charged ion beams. The advantages of Gabor lenses are a mass independent focussing strength, space charge compensation of the ion beam and reduced magnetic or electric fields compared to conventional focussing devices. Collective phenomena of the electron cloud result in aberrations and emittance growth of the ion beam. The knowledge of the behaviour of the electron cloud prevents a decrease of the beam brilliance. Numerical models developed to describe the electron confinement and dynamics within a Gabor lens help to understand the interaction of the ion beam with the electron column and show the causes of non-neutral plasma instabilities. The diagnosis of the electron cloud properties helps to evaluate the numerical models and to investigate the influence of the ion beam on the confined non-neutral plasma

Experiments with stable confined electron columns

Gabor Lenses were invented for focusing ion beams by the electric field of a confined electron column. In synchrotrons spontaneously occurring electron clouds have an influence on the beam dynamics. Instabilities of single or multi bunches, emittance growth, excessive energy deposition, particle losses, interferences with diagnostic and gas desorption from chamber walls can appear. As a consequence of these interactions between ions and electrons, the beam is deflected or, in worst case, lost. If an ion beam bunch passes a confined electron column in a Gabor Lens these impacts can be studied as well. Collisions of the ions with the electron ensemble will lead to oscillation eects on the cloud and have an influence on the bunch train. These interaction effects will be increased by the number of bunches and their frequency and can be modified by the plasma parameters, temperature and density, of the electron column. If it is possible to damp the excitation of the confined electron column space charge compensation could be provided. To study these impacts and interactions Gabor Lenses are built. In 2018 a new lens called Gabor Lens 2000 is constructed. This 2 m long lens can hold an electron column with an aspect ratio smaller than 0.1. Single pass experiments with ion beams will be performed under dierent temperature and density of the plasma and also dierent frequencies of the train

Treatment of depression in cancer patients is associated with better life adaptation: a pilot study.

Major depression occurs in a significant number of cancer patients, and there is evidence that cancer patients with depression do not receive adequate antidepressant treatment. In an uncontrolled pilot study, the authors assess the degree of depression and the quality of life after the initiation of antidepressant medication treatment in 12 depressed cancer patients who received adequate antidepressant drugs and in 10 depressed cancer patients who received inadequate antidepressant treatment. These preliminary findings suggest that cancer patients with major depression benefit from antidepressant medication treatment and may experience an improved psychosocial adjustment to cancer. Controlled clinical trials will be necessary to verify these preliminary findings

The Detection of Depression by Patient Self-Report in Women with Gynecologic Cancer

We examined the utility of patient self-report forms in identifying those gynecologic oncology patients who would be diagnosed by an experienced consultation-liaison psychiatrist as suffering from major depression. Sixty-five women with gynecologic tumors were evaluated by a consultation-liaison psychiatrist, using standardized (DSM-III) criteria. Each patient also completed a Carroll Rating Scale for Depression (CRS). The CRS demonstrated sensitivity and specificity of 87 percent and 58 percent, respectively. Used as a screening instrument to rule out depression, the CRS yielded a negative predictive value of 94 percent. We identified a priori forty items from the CRS which should not be influenced by the non-psychiatric biologic effects of gynecologic tumors, and compared the performance of this non-cancer related symptoms subscale (NCSG) to that of the CRS. The NCSG did not significantly outperform the CRS; its sensitivity and specificity were 87 percent and 62 percent, respectively. Because our study population was relatively homogeneous (i.e., non-ovarian gynecologic oncology patients without severe debilitation who were not receiving chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or other invasive procedures), the findings should not be generalized to other oncologic populations at this time. Our results suggest that patient self-report forms can be effective screening devices for identifying those non-ovarian, gynecologic oncology patients who should then be carefully evaluated for coexisting clinical depression