Observations on gynes and drones around nuptial flights in the stingless bees Tetragonisca angustula and Melipona beecheii (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Meliponinae)

The nuptial flight of gynes of Tetragonisca angustula and Melipona beecheii was studied. The moment of nuptial flight was found to be related to the ambient temperature, and the duration of the nuptial flight for M. beecheii was longer in November (rainy season) than in March (dry season). A repeated mating flight was recorded for two gynes of T. angustula. Three of five T. angustula queens and all six M. beecheii queens were mated successfully. Behavioural data of drones and gynes shortly before and after the nuptial flight are presented. Drones of T. angustula participated in a congregation for up to three days. The importance of pheromones for the attraction of drones and gynes is discussed. An hypothesis explaining the observed seasonal occurrence of male congregations near nests of T. angustula is presented

Knotted optical vortices in exact solutions to Maxwell's equations

Article / Letter to editorLeids Instituut Onderzoek NatuurkundeMathematisch Instituu

Knotted optical vortices in exact solutions to Maxwell's equations

Article / Letter to editorLeids Instituut Onderzoek NatuurkundeMathematisch Instituu

Subjective pain and reward in a social judgment paradigm

Affective problems such as social anxiety and depression theoretically involve negative cognitive biases that trigger and maintain symptoms during everyday experiences. This study employed a social judgment paradigm to investigate possible biases in expectation of social acceptance, and subjective feelings of pain and reward. Healthy adult participants (N = 120) were told their image had been judged by others. In 120 trials, they were shown photos of the judges and asked to anticipate whether they were liked by them or not, before being shown the judgment. Participants rated their level of pain and reward in each trial. Results indicated that social acceptance was expected less often by participants with higher levels of social anxiety. Self-reported pain was greatest after unexpected rejection. A greater likelihood of the presence of pain and higher self-reported pain were associated with higher levels of social anxiety and depression respectively. Self-reported reward was greatest after expected acceptance, and was not associated with social anxiety or depression. This study provides subjective experience information that has been missing from existing social judgment research. Moreover, these findings suggest that in social situations, those with social anxiety and depression more often expect rejection and experience rejection as more painful, respectively. These biases are potential maintaining factors and may be targets for further research and future intervention development.</p

Subjective pain and reward in a social judgment paradigm

Affective problems such as social anxiety and depression theoretically involve negative cognitive biases that trigger and maintain symptoms during everyday experiences. This study employed a social judgment paradigm to investigate possible biases in expectation of social acceptance, and subjective feelings of pain and reward. Healthy adult participants (N = 120) were told their image had been judged by others. In 120 trials, they were shown photos of the judges and asked to anticipate whether they were liked by them or not, before being shown the judgment. Participants rated their level of pain and reward in each trial. Results indicated that social acceptance was expected less often by participants with higher levels of social anxiety. Self-reported pain was greatest after unexpected rejection. A greater likelihood of the presence of pain and higher self-reported pain were associated with higher levels of social anxiety and depression respectively. Self-reported reward was greatest after expected acceptance, and was not associated with social anxiety or depression. This study provides subjective experience information that has been missing from existing social judgment research. Moreover, these findings suggest that in social situations, those with social anxiety and depression more often expect rejection and experience rejection as more painful, respectively. These biases are potential maintaining factors and may be targets for further research and future intervention development.</p

Archeologisch bureau- en karterend veldonderzoek, door middel van boringen John Lijssenstraat 55 te Hoogstraten (BE)

Dit rapport werd ingediend bij het agentschap samen met een aantal afzonderlijke digitale bijlagen. Een aantal van deze bijlagen zijn niet inbegrepen in dit pdf document en zijn niet online beschikbaar. Sommige bijlagen (grondplannen, fotos, spoorbeschrijvingen, enz.) kunnen van belang zijn voor een betere lezing en interpretatie van dit rapport. Indien u deze bijlagen wenst te raadplegen kan u daarvoor contact opnemen met: [email protected]

Characterisation of the Aspergillus niger dapB gene, which encodes a novel fungal type IV dipeptidyl aminopeptidase

We have cloned the Aspergillus niger dapB gene. Analysis of its nucleotide sequence and the corresponding protein sequence indicates that the gene encodes a type IV dipeptidyl aminopeptidase (DPP IV). Based upon its deduced sequence we predict the presence of a transmembrane domain in the protein. Furthermore, dapB-overexpressing transformants display an increase in intracellular DPP IV activity. This is the first reported characterisation of a dipeptidyl aminopeptidase with a transmembrane domain from a filamentous fungus. Using the dapB sequence as a query, we were able to identify 14 DPP IV-encoding genes, and 12 additional DPPIV proteases in public genomic databases. Phylogenetic analysis reveals that in yeasts there are two clades of genes that encode DPP IV proteases with a transmembrane domain. In this study we demonstrate that, as in yeasts, two classes of DPP IV-encoding genes exist in filamentous fungi. However, only one of these codes for DPP IV proteases with a transmembrane domain. The second type present in filamentous fungi encodes extracellular DPP IV proteases. The dapB gene belongs to the first cluster. We propose that DapB plays a role in the proteolytic maturation of enzymes produced by A. nige

Important differences between quality of life and health status in elderly patients suffering from critical limb ischemia

Introduction Critical limb ischemia (CLI) patients are often of advanced age with reduced health status (HS) and quality of life (QoL) at baseline. Physical health is considered as the most affected domain due to reduced mobility and ischemic pain. QoL and HS are often used interchangeably in the current literature. HS refers to objectively perceived physical, psychological, and social functioning and in assessing QoL, change is measured subjectively and can only be determined by the individual since it concerns patients' evaluation of their functioning. It is important to distinguish between QoL and HS, especially in the concept of shared decision-making when the opinion of the patient is key. Goal of this study was to examine and compare QoL and HS in elderly CLI patients in relation to the used therapy, with a special interest in conservatively treated patients. Methods Patients suffering from CLI and ≥70 years old were included in a prospective study with a follow-up period of 1 year. Patients were divided into three groups; endovascular revascularization, surgical revascularization, and conservative therapy. The WHOQoL-Bref was used to determine QoL, and the 12-Item Short Form Health Survey was used to evaluate HS at baseline, 5-7 days, 6 weeks, 6 months, and 1 year. Results Physical QoL of endovascularly and surgically treated patients showed immediate significant improvement during follow-up in contrast to delayed increased physical HS at 6 weeks and 6 months (P<0.001). Conservatively treated patients showed significantly improved physical QoL at 6 and 12 months (P=0.02) in contrast to no significant improvement in physical HS. Conclusion This study demonstrates that QoL and HS are indeed not identical concepts and that differentiating between these two concepts could influence the choice of treatment in elderly CLI patients. Discriminating between QoL and HS is, therefore, of major importance for clinical practice, especially to achieve shared decision-making