Mining bee Andrena (Agandrena) agilissima (Hymenoptera: Andrenidae): A new record from India with morphological and molecular notes

The mining bee Andrena agilissima (Scopoli, 1770), is recorded for the first time in India from the western agro-climatic zone of its Punjab state. This is the first account of morphological and molecular characteristics of A. agilissima. This new record now increases the number of mining bees known in India to 21. Taxonomic commentsand metric values of 40 morphological characters have been presented. The mean values for body length, head width, compound eye length, median ocellus diameter, forewing length and hamuli number were 14.04±0.04 mm, 4.26±0.003 mm, 2.327±0.008 mm, 0.255±0.005 mm, 12.75±0.022 mm and 17.00±0.00, respectively. Using thestandard barcoding protocols, cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 marker (standard DNA barcode region) based 658 bp DNA barcode sequence of the species has been established, as a first step towards the DNA barcode library of solitary bees of Punjab. The barcode sequence generated for the species has been registered by Gen- Bank, National Centre for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) under accession ‘KT960836’ and Barcode of Life Data (BOLD) Systems under Barcode Index Number ‘BOLD:AAY6909’. The floral sources for A. agilissima in Punjab are also provided. The results can be used to further study the races/ecotypes in different parts of country, habitat management studies, plant-pollinator interactions and in conservation programmes for the species. Further, the precise identification of A. agilissima and the inventory of its foraging plants would provide new opportunities for its potential use as pollinator of crops

Comparative evaluation of Doolittle, Cupkit and Karl Jenter techniques for rearing Apis mellifera Linnaeus queen bees during breeding season

Comparative evaluation of Doolittle, Karl Jenter and Cupkit techniques of Apis mellifera Linnaeus queen bee rearing was done during spring (mid February- mid April 2013) breeding season. The highest acceptance of cell cups (66.00 %), queen cells raising (64.00 %), their sealing (60.67 %) and emergence of gynes (54.67 %) was recorded in Cupkit apparatus. Maximum weight of newly emerged gyne was recorded in Doolittle method in plastic cell cups (212.36 mg), while the mean weight was 184.96 mg in case of Cupkit apparatus. Overall, Cupkit proved to be the best option for queen bee rearing because of its better performance in terms of acceptance of larvae (66.00 %) and the number of successfully produced gynes i.e. 16 queens/colony/cycle of 12 days

Validation of hygienic Apis mellifera L. colonies against Varroa destructor Anderson and Trueman infestation

Varroa destructor is a major bee parasitic mite causing huge losses to Apis mellifera colonies worldwide. Apart from various chemical based strategies, hygienic behaviour is an important ecological Varroa management strategy. This trait plays an important role in imparting the colony resistance against the V. destructor. Here, we assessed the colony level hygienic behaviour of 100 colonies using pin-killed brood method and from these 100 colonies, ten colonies (7 hygienic and 3 non-hygienic) were validated against V. destructor infestation for two seasons, autumn and spring. The worker larval brood near capping stage was inoculated with Varroa mite. In total, 21 inoculations were made in every test colony and replicated thrice. The observations were recorded at every 2 h interval till complete removal of mite. During the autumn season, in the 7 hygienic colonies, the mean of Varroa mite inoculated brood cells emptied after 2, 4 and 6 h was 1.36±0.11, 3.17±0.10 and 5.66±0.68%, and while in the non-hygienic colonies, it was 0±0.00, 0.52±0.10 and 2.11±0.53%, respectively. After 24 h a mean of 93.43±2.43% of brood cells were emptied in the hygienic colonies, while in the non-hygienic colonies, it was only 61.90±4.59%. During the spring season, in the hygienic colonies, mean mite inoculated brood cells emptied after 2, 4 and 6 h were 3.62±1.24, 6.57±0.73 and 7.25±0.47%, respectively while in the non-hygienic colonies the mean was 0±0.00%, 1.57±0.00 and 2.11±0.53%. After 24 h, it was 96.83±1.86% and 77.25±0.53% in the hygienic and non-hygienic colonies, respectively. In the autumn season, the hygienic colonies on an average took 28 h, whereas non-hygienic colonies took 50.67 h to achieve 100% uncapping and cleaning of cells. On the contrary, the hygienic colonies on an average took 25.71 h, whereas non-hygienic colonies took 47.36 h to achieve the same in the spring season. Hence, the hygienic behaviour can contribute to the colony’s resistance towards V. destructor mite inoculation in capped brood cells and result in reduced use of chemicals into the honey bee colonies

Validation of hygienic Apis mellifera L. colonies against Varroa destructor Anderson and Trueman infestation

656-660Varroa destructor is a major bee parasitic mite causing huge losses to Apis mellifera colonies worldwide. Apart from various chemical based strategies, hygienic behaviour is an important ecological Varroa management strategy. This trait plays an important role in imparting the colony resistance against the V. destructor. Here, we assessed the colony level hygienic behaviour of 100 colonies using pin-killed brood method and from these 100 colonies, ten colonies (7 hygienic and 3 non-hygienic) were validated against V. destructor infestation for two seasons, autumn and spring. The worker larval brood near capping stage was inoculated with Varroa mite. In total, 21 inoculations were made in every test colony and replicated thrice. The observations were recorded at every 2 h interval till complete removal of mite. During the autumn season, in the 7 hygienic colonies, the mean of Varroa mite inoculated brood cells emptied after 2, 4 and 6 h was 1.36±0.11, 3.17±0.10 and 5.66±0.68%, and while in the non-hygienic colonies, it was 0±0.00, 0.52±0.10 and 2.11±0.53%, respectively. After 24 h a mean of 93.43±2.43% of brood cells were emptied in the hygienic colonies, while in the non-hygienic colonies, it was only 61.90±4.59%. During the spring season, in the hygienic colonies, mean mite inoculated brood cells emptied after 2, 4 and 6 h were 3.62±1.24, 6.57±0.73 and 7.25±0.47%, respectively while in the non-hygienic colonies the mean was 0±0.00%, 1.57±0.00 and 2.11±0.53%. After 24 h, it was 96.83±1.86% and 77.25±0.53% in the hygienic and non-hygienic colonies, respectively. In the autumn season, the hygienic colonies on an average took 28 h, whereas non-hygienic colonies took 50.67 h to achieve 100% uncapping and cleaning of cells. On the contrary, the hygienic colonies on an average took 25.71 h, whereas non-hygienic colonies took 47.36 h to achieve the same in the spring season. Hence, the hygienic behaviour can contribute to the colony’s resistance towards V. destructor mite inoculation in capped brood cells and result in reduced use of chemicals into the honey bee colonies

Systematic review on applicability of magnetic iron-oxides integrated photocatalysts for degradation of organic pollutants in water

Owing to biocompatibility, abundance, and low cost, magnetic iron oxides are well suited for the design of efficient and magnetically separable photocatalysts for water treatment. This review presents a detailed survey of magnetic iron oxide–integrated photocatalysts (MIOIPs), in which we have discussed essential conditions needed for designing of efficient MIOIPs for water purification. The synthesis methods and detailed experimental setups for fabrication of MIOIPs were discussed, and the integration manners of iron oxides (Fe2O3, Fe3O4, FeO, and ferrites) with binary, ternary, and quaternary non-magnetic photocatalysts have been categorized. The mechanistic view of enhanced photocatalytic activity caused by different MIOIPs under various light sources was also elaborately argued. The role of various reactive species in photocatalytic oxidative degrading of organic pollutants was investigated. Altogether, this review article has compressively considered and discussed various signs of advancements made toward the synthesis of MIOIPs and their stability, recyclability, and catalytic efficacy for wastewater treatment

Expression of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase, p-hydroxybenzoate-m-geranyltransferase and genes of phenylpropanoid pathway exhibits positive correlation with shikonins content in arnebia [Arnebia euchroma (Royle) Johnston]

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Geranyl pyrophosphate (GPP) and <it>p</it>-hydroxybenzoate (PHB) are the basic precursors involved in shikonins biosynthesis. GPP is derived from mevalonate (MVA) and/or 2-<it>C</it>-methyl-D-erythritol 4-phosphate (MEP) pathway(s), depending upon the metabolite and the plant system under consideration. PHB, however, is synthesized by only phenylpropanoid (PP) pathway. GPP and PHB are central moieties to yield shikonins through the synthesis of <it>m</it>-geranyl-<it>p</it>-hydroxybenzoate (GHB). Enzyme <it>p</it>-hydroxybenzoate-<it>m</it>-geranyltransferase (PGT) catalyses the coupling of GPP and PHB to yield GHB.</p> <p>The present research was carried out in shikonins yielding plant arnebia [<it>Arnebia euchroma </it>(Royle) Johnston], wherein no molecular work has been reported so far. The objective of the work was to identify the preferred GPP synthesizing pathway for shikonins biosynthesis, and to determine the regulatory genes involved in the biosynthesis of GPP, PHB and GHB.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A cell suspension culture-based, low and high shikonins production systems were developed to facilitate pathway identification and finding the regulatory gene. Studies with mevinolin and fosmidomycin, inhibitors of MVA and MEP pathway, respectively suggested MVA as a preferred route of GPP supply for shikonins biosynthesis in arnebia. Accordingly, genes of MVA pathway (eight genes), PP pathway (three genes), and GHB biosynthesis were cloned. Expression studies showed down-regulation of all the genes in response to mevinolin treatment, whereas gene expression was not influenced by fosmidomycin. Expression of all the twelve genes vis-à-vis shikonins content in low and high shikonins production system, over a period of twelve days at frequent intervals, identified critical genes of shikonins biosynthesis in arnebia.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>A positive correlation between shikonins content and expression of <it>3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase </it>(<it>AeHMGR</it>) and <it>AePGT </it>suggested critical role played by these genes in shikonins biosynthesis. Higher expression of genes of PP pathway was a general feature for higher shikonins biosynthesis.</p

On the optical properties of Ag^{+15} ion-beam irradiated TiO_{2} and SnO_{2} thin films

The effects of 200-MeV Ag^{+15} ion irradiation on the optical properties of TiO_{2} and SnO_{2} thin films prepared by using the RF magnetron sputtering technique were investigated. These films were characterized by using UV-vis spectroscopy, and with increasing irradiation fluence, the transmittance for the TiO_{2} films was observed to increase systematically while that for SnO_{2} was observed to decrease. Absorption spectra of the irradiated samples showed minor changes in the indirect bandgap from 3.44 to 3.59 eV with increasing irradiation fluence for TiO_{2} while significant changes in the direct bandgap from 3.92 to 3.6 eV were observed for SnO_{2}. The observed modifications in the optical properties of both the TiO_{2} and the SnO_{2} systems with irradiation can be attributed to controlled structural disorder/defects in the system.Comment: 6 pages, ICAMD-201

Synthesis of Eu3+−doped ZnO/Bi2O3 heterojunction photocatalyst on graphene oxide sheets for visible light-assisted degradation of 2,4-dimethyl phenol and bacteria killing

We reported the immobilization of binary heterojunction Eu3+-ZnO/Bi2O3 over the surface of graphene oxide (GO) sheets by precipitation method to compose a visible light drive photocatalyst. The ternary nanocomposites were characterized by different spectral technique like FESEM, FTIR, XRD, XPS, EDX, HRTEM, UV–visible, PL, HPLC and LCMS analysis. The high specific surface area of 106.0 m2g-1 of Eu3+-ZnO/Bi2O3/GO nanocomposites was ascertained by BET adsorption-desorption isotherm. The nano-composite exhibit excellent photo-efficiency for the photodegradation of 2, 4-dimethyl phenol (DMP) under visible region and was almost completely mineralized in 100 min as compared to the bare and binary system. The mineralized products of DMP were analyzed by HPLC and LCMS analysis. The kinetic model suggests the degradation pathway obeys pseudo-first order kinetic. Their antibacterial property were assessed against E. coli bacteria and nearly 90% of gram negative bacteria were killed by using ternary photocatalyst as determined by CFU method. Also, Eu3+-ZnO/Bi2O3/GO nanocomposites possessed significant recycle efficiency up to six consecutive cycles which is beneficial to minimize the tariff. The improved photo-efficiency is due to the extension towards visible region, increase surface area, and high charge separation in ternary heterojunction

Effects of Veliparib on Microglial Activation and Functional Outcomes after Traumatic Brain Injury in the Rat and Pig.

The inflammation response induced by brain trauma can impair recovery. This response requires several hours to develop fully and thus provides a clinically relevant therapeutic window of opportunity. Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors suppress inflammatory responses, including brain microglial activation. We evaluated delayed treatment with veliparib, a poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitor, currently in clinical trials as a cancer therapeutic, in rats and pigs subjected to controlled cortical impact (CCI). In rats, CCI induced a robust inflammatory response at the lesion margins, scattered cell death in the dentate gyrus, and a delayed, progressive loss of corpus callosum axons. Pre-determined measures of cognitive and motor function showed evidence of attentional deficits that resolved after three weeks and motor deficits that recovered only partially over eight weeks. Veliparib was administered beginning 2 or 24 h after CCI and continued for up to 12 days. Veliparib suppressed CCI-induced microglial activation at doses of 3 mg/kg or higher and reduced reactive astrocytosis and cell death in the dentate gyrus, but had no significant effect on delayed axonal loss or functional recovery. In pigs, CCI similarly induced a perilesional microglial activation that was attenuated by veliparib. CCI in the pig did not, however, induce detectable persisting cognitive or motor impairment. Our results showed veliparib suppression of CCI-induced microglial activation with a delay-to-treatment interval of at least 24 h in both rats and pigs, but with no associated functional improvement. The lack of improvement in long-term recovery underscores the complexities in translating anti-inflammatory effects to clinically relevant outcomes