Two aggressive neighbours living peacefully: the nesting association between a stingless bee and the bullet ant

Stingless bees often associate with termites, while association with ants is uncommon due to the high costs related to the aggressiveness of ants. Few combative genera of stingless bees can associate with a larger number of hosts, including ants. Here, we describe for the first time the association between a stingless bee (Partamona testacea) and the aggressive predator bullet ant (Paraponera clavata). In the study area, the colonies of P. testacea we spotted were all associated with P. clavata or Atta sp. ants. COI mitochondrial gene sequences of bees associated with bullet ants and leafcutter ants did not show any divergence, thus revealing no evidence that the two nesting strategies represent a case of cryptic speciation and specialisation on specific hosts. Bees are not unarmed respect to the bullet ants; when ants attempted to penetrate in the colony entrance, they were dragged inside the nest and covered by a resin-like substance. Behavioural experiments focused on ants in arenas and focused on bees at their nest entrance proved that the ants are significantly less aggressive toward associated bees and that guard bees are less alarmed when associated ants are presented. We verified by Gas Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry that P. testacea maintains its species-specific cuticular signature in the association with different ant species and that ants and bees possess typical colony signatures. The differential behavioural responses expressed toward associated colony members by both species are likely based on learning these heterospecific cuticular signatures as it occurs in ant parabiotic associations

Cohort profile: the ESC EURObservational Research Programme Non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infraction (NSTEMI) Registry

Aims The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) EURObservational Research Programme (EORP) Non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) Registry aims to identify international patterns in NSTEMI management in clinical practice and outcomes against the 2015 ESC Guidelines for the management of acute coronary syndromes in patients presenting without ST-segment-elevation. Methods and results Consecutively hospitalised adult NSTEMI patients (n = 3620) were enrolled between 11 March 2019 and 6 March 2021, and individual patient data prospectively collected at 287 centres in 59 participating countries during a two-week enrolment period per centre. The registry collected data relating to baseline characteristics, major outcomes (inhospital death, acute heart failure, cardiogenic shock, bleeding, stroke/transient ischaemic attack, and 30-day mortality) and guideline-recommended NSTEMI care interventions: electrocardiogram pre- or in-hospital, prehospitalization receipt of aspirin, echocardiography, coronary angiography, referral to cardiac rehabilitation, smoking cessation advice, dietary advice, and prescription on discharge of aspirin, P2Y12 inhibition, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEi)/angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB), beta-blocker, and statin. Conclusion The EORP NSTEMI Registry is an international, prospective registry of care and outcomes of patients treated for NSTEMI, which will provide unique insights into the contemporary management of hospitalised NSTEMI patients, compliance with ESC 2015 NSTEMI Guidelines, and identify potential barriers to optimal management of this common clinical presentation associated with significant morbidity and mortality