Competing Physiological Demands During Incipient Colony Foundation in a Social Insect: Consequences of Pathogenic Stress

The social nature of termites has allowed them to become an ecologically dominant taxon. However, their nesting and foraging habits (decayed wood and/or soil), combined with frequent social interactions, enhances the risk of pathogen transmission. New dispersing kings and queens are especially vulnerable to pathogens due to the metabolic demands of nest construction, courtship, mating, oogenesis, and parental care, all while mounting an immune response to novel pathogens encountered upon leaving the natal nest. To quantify differential allocation of resources during colony establishment in response to disease exposure, Zootermopsis angusticollis kings and queens were paired after one or both individuals received an injection of saline, heat-killed Serratia marcescens (ecologically relevant, Gram-negative, soil bacterium), a sub-lethal dose of live S. marcescens, or were left untreated. We then quantified several indices of fitness, including the survival of the reproductive pair, onset and likelihood of oviposition, number of eggs produced, and egg quality as a function of parental immunological treatment. Our results uncovered complex and dynamic interactions between these fitness measures and pathogenic stress. Overall, pathogenic stress reduced the survival of kings and queens, the likelihood of oviposition and egg total, but not the onset of oviposition or egg quality, indicating that, in the face of disease, queens “opt” to maintain offspring quality over quantity. These impacts appear to be context-dependent—modulated by colony of origin, sex, mass, and the presence of a mate—rather than absolute. The acquisition of resources prior to colony foundation, combined with the effects of pathogenic exposure, can dramatically limit the success of termites. Based on these empirical data, we have developed a conceptual model of the first 30 days of colony life, involving two successive fitness checkpoints, survival and oviposition, followed by an initial growth phase in which the first egg cohort is produced. In summary, we identified not only the intrinsic and extrinsic factors that influence successful termite colony foundation, but also the maternal and paternal pathogen-induced effects. Such effects alter resource allocation decisions of parents toward their offspring, with cascading consequences on colony fitness

MODELAREA ŞI ADAPTAREA PROCESELOR METABOLICE PRIN INTERMEDIUL SUBSTANŢELOR BIOLOGIC ACTIVE

Prin calităţile terapeutice pe care le deţine, apipreparatul Diaproptin (tinctură de propolis) poate fi considerat în prezent de o valoare colosală în cercetările ştiinţifice. Datorită structurii chimice complexe de origine naturistă (diferiţi flavonoizi, aminoacizi, uleiuri eterice, substanţe tanante, vitamine, micro- şi macroelemente), acest preparat nu produce reacţii toxice, fiind deosebit de eficient în cadrul proceselor metabolice ale organismelor vii. În lucrarea de faţă este evidenţiat efectul bioreglator al apipreparatului Diaproptin asupra simptomelor clinice în perioada de debut al diabetului indus de alloxan. THE MODELLING AND THE ADJUSTMENT OF METABOLIC PROCESSES BY MEANS OF THE BIOLOGICAL ACTIVE SUBSTANCESThanks to therapeutic qualities which the Diaproptin apipreparate (propolis tincture) holds, currently it can be consi­dered of a colossal value in scientific investigations. Due to the complex chemical structure of natural origin (different flavonoids, amino acids, etheric oils, tanning substances, vitamines, micro- and macroelements) this preparate does not create toxic reactions being especially efficient in the metabolic processes of living organisms. This article emphasizes the bioregulator effect of Diaproptin apipreparate on clinical simptoms in the debut period of alloxan induced diabetes. </p

Data_Sheet_1_Competing Physiological Demands During Incipient Colony Foundation in a Social Insect: Consequences of Pathogenic Stress.docx

<p>The social nature of termites has allowed them to become an ecologically dominant taxon. However, their nesting and foraging habits (decayed wood and/or soil), combined with frequent social interactions, enhances the risk of pathogen transmission. New dispersing kings and queens are especially vulnerable to pathogens due to the metabolic demands of nest construction, courtship, mating, oogenesis, and parental care, all while mounting an immune response to novel pathogens encountered upon leaving the natal nest. To quantify differential allocation of resources during colony establishment in response to disease exposure, Zootermopsis angusticollis kings and queens were paired after one or both individuals received an injection of saline, heat-killed Serratia marcescens (ecologically relevant, Gram-negative, soil bacterium), a sub-lethal dose of live S. marcescens, or were left untreated. We then quantified several indices of fitness, including the survival of the reproductive pair, onset and likelihood of oviposition, number of eggs produced, and egg quality as a function of parental immunological treatment. Our results uncovered complex and dynamic interactions between these fitness measures and pathogenic stress. Overall, pathogenic stress reduced the survival of kings and queens, the likelihood of oviposition and egg total, but not the onset of oviposition or egg quality, indicating that, in the face of disease, queens “opt” to maintain offspring quality over quantity. These impacts appear to be context-dependent—modulated by colony of origin, sex, mass, and the presence of a mate—rather than absolute. The acquisition of resources prior to colony foundation, combined with the effects of pathogenic exposure, can dramatically limit the success of termites. Based on these empirical data, we have developed a conceptual model of the first 30 days of colony life, involving two successive fitness checkpoints, survival and oviposition, followed by an initial growth phase in which the first egg cohort is produced. In summary, we identified not only the intrinsic and extrinsic factors that influence successful termite colony foundation, but also the maternal and paternal pathogen-induced effects. Such effects alter resource allocation decisions of parents toward their offspring, with cascading consequences on colony fitness.</p

POLUAREA SONORĂ ŞI SĂNĂTATEA UMANĂ

În civilizaţia contemporană omul trăieşte într-un spaţiu cu sunet, însoţit în mod continuu de un „cortegiu” de zgomot şi vibraţii cu intensităţi cele mai variate şi cu efecte care au mai mult sau mai puţin acţiune agresivă asupra confortului şi chiar asupra sănătăţii lui. Din cauza prezenţei sale dăunătoare în toate compartimentele vieţii, po­luarea fonică este o problemă majoră în toate ţările, deoarece nivelul de zgomot se dovedeşte a fi un fenomen perturba­tor în creştere.NOISE AND HUMAN HEALTHIn terms of contemporary civilization, man lives in a spacious sound, continually accompanied by a "cortege" noise and vibration of the most varied intensities and effects having more or less aggressive on the comfort and even on his health. Due to its harmful and its presence in all departments of life, noise pollution is a major problem in all countries where we are witnessing a phenomenon of increased noise levels.</p

Early recognition and response to increases in surgical site infections using optimised statistical process control charts—The early 2RIS trial: A multicentre stepped wedge cluster randomised controlled trial

BackgroundTraditional approaches for surgical site infection (SSI) surveillance have deficiencies that delay detection of SSI outbreaks and other clinically important increases in SSI rates. We investigated whether use of optimised statistical process control (SPC) methods and feedback for SSI surveillance would decrease rates of SSI in a network of US community hospitals.MethodsWe conducted a stepped wedge cluster randomised trial of patients who underwent any of 13 types of common surgical procedures across 29 community hospitals in the Southeastern United States. We divided the 13 procedures into six clusters; a cluster of procedures at a single hospital was the unit of randomisation and analysis. In total, 105 clusters were randomised to 12 groups of 8-10 clusters. All participating clusters began the trial in a 12-month baseline period of control or "traditional" SSI surveillance, including prospective analysis of SSI rates and consultative support for SSI outbreaks and investigations. Thereafter, a group of clusters transitioned from control to intervention surveillance every three months until all clusters received the intervention. Electronic randomisation by the study statistician determined the sequence by which clusters crossed over from control to intervention surveillance. The intervention was the addition of weekly application of optimised SPC methods and feedback to existing traditional SSI surveillance methods. Epidemiologists were blinded to hospital identity and randomisation status while adjudicating SPC signals of increased SSI rates, but blinding was not possible during SSI investigations. The primary outcome was the overall SSI prevalence rate (PR=SSIs/100 procedures), evaluated via generalised estimating equations with a Poisson regression model. Secondary outcomes compared traditional and optimised SPC signals that identified SSI rate increases, including the number of formal SSI investigations generated and deficiencies identified in best practices for SSI prevention. This trial was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03075813.FindingsBetween Mar 1, 2016, and Feb 29, 2020, 204,233 unique patients underwent 237,704 surgical procedures. 148,365 procedures received traditional SSI surveillance and feedback alone, and 89,339 procedures additionally received the intervention of optimised SPC surveillance. The primary outcome of SSI was assessed for all procedures performed within participating clusters. SSIs occurred after 1171 procedures assigned control surveillance (prevalence rate [PR] 0.79 per 100 procedures), compared to 781 procedures that received the intervention (PR 0·87 per 100 procedures; model-based PR ratio 1.10, 95% CI 0.94-1.30, p=0.25). Traditional surveillance generated 24 formal SSI investigations that identified 120 SSIs with deficiencies in two or more perioperative best practices for SSI prevention. In comparison, optimised SPC surveillance generated 74 formal investigations that identified 458 SSIs with multiple best practice deficiencies.InterpretationThe addition of optimised SPC methods and feedback to traditional methods for SSI surveillance led to greater detection of important SSI rate increases and best practice deficiencies but did not decrease SSI rates. Additional research is needed to determine how to best utilise SPC methods and feedback to improve adherence to SSI quality measures and prevent SSIs.FundingAgency for Healthcare Research and Quality