Evolutionary history of Wolbachia infections in the fire ant Solenopsis invicta

BACKGROUND: Wolbachia are endosymbiotic bacteria that commonly infect numerous arthropods. Despite their broad taxonomic distribution, the transmission patterns of these bacteria within and among host species are not well understood. We sequenced a portion of the wsp gene from the Wolbachia genome infecting 138 individuals from eleven geographically distributed native populations of the fire ant Solenopsis invicta. We then compared these wsp sequence data to patterns of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variation of both infected and uninfected host individuals to infer the transmission patterns of Wolbachia in S. invicta. RESULTS: Three different Wolbachia (wsp) variants occur within S. invicta, all of which are identical to previously described strains in fire ants. A comparison of the distribution of Wolbachia variants within S. invicta to a phylogeny of mtDNA haplotypes suggests S. invicta has acquired Wolbachia infections on at least three independent occasions. One common Wolbachia variant in S. invicta (wSinvictaB) is associated with two divergent mtDNA haplotype clades. Further, within each of these clades, Wolbachia-infected and uninfected individuals possess virtually identical subsets of mtDNA haplotypes, including both putative derived and ancestral mtDNA haplotypes. The same pattern also holds for wSinvictaA, where at least one and as many as three invasions into S. invicta have occurred. These data suggest that the initial invasions of Wolbachia into host ant populations may be relatively ancient and have been followed by multiple secondary losses of Wolbachia in different infected lineages over time. Finally, our data also provide additional insights into the factors responsible for previously reported variation in Wolbachia prevalence among S. invicta populations. CONCLUSION: The history of Wolbachia infections in S. invicta is rather complex and involves multiple invasions or horizontal transmission events of Wolbachia into this species. Although these Wolbachia infections apparently have been present for relatively long time periods, these data clearly indicate that Wolbachia infections frequently have been secondarily lost within different lineages. Importantly, the uncoupled transmission of the Wolbachia and mtDNA genomes suggests that the presumed effects of Wolbachia on mtDNA evolution within S. invicta are less severe than originally predicted. Thus, the common concern that use of mtDNA markers for studying the evolutionary history of insects is confounded by maternally inherited endosymbionts such as Wolbachia may be somewhat unwarranted in the case of S. invicta

Fire ant viruses: host-parasite dynamics and transcriptomics of the infection

Trabalho final de mestrado integrado em Medicina (Oftalmologia), apresentado à Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de CoimbraObjectives To characterize the progression of eye fundus changes by multimodal imaging and to identify morphological and/or functional predictors of conversion in wet AMD in the fellow eyes of patients with exudative AMD. Sample Description and Methods Single-center, prospective, observational, longitudinal 2-year study. Sixty-two patients were enrolled in the study, with diagnosis of neovascular age-related macular degeneration in one eye and age-related maculopathy in the fellow eye. Each patient underwent a detailed ocular and medical history, a complete ophthalmologic examination with color fundus photography, fluorescein angiography, indocyanine green angiography and fundus autofluorescence imaging at baseline and repeated at six-month intervals. CFP images were graded resorting to the RetmarkerAMD (Critical Health SA) software, a computer assisted grading system based on the International Classification Grading System guidelines (Bird, Bressler et al., 1995). Results Fifty-three patients completed the two-year follow-up period, eighteen of which converted to the exudative form in the fellow eye during the study period. No measurable evolution was found in consecutive fundus autofluorescence and indocyanine green angiography images. Total drusen area in CFP images presented no significant increase between each visit and the subsequent (p=0.100), but significant increase was found between the first and the last (p=0.048). IGC images: 23% of patients presented a normal exam; observations have shown that the hot spots or areas and the hypofluorescent spots or areas where either attributable to drusens or drusenoid pigmentary epitelium dettachments or did not correspond to any lesion visible in the CFP images; the sensitivity of the overall exam result was 88% and the specificity of presence of early hot spots or areas was 97%. FAF Abstract Multimodal Image: Assessment of Risk Factors for the Development of Choroidal Neovascularisation in the Fellow Eye images: the distribution of patterns for the cases that converted and those that did not is significantly different. CFP images: drusen area was significantly higher in the group of patients which did not convert when considering total area (p=0.012), sub-field 4 (p=0.020) and sub-field 5 (p=0.039); two main groups were identified by hierarchical cluster analysis, with Ward's linkage, when considering total area of drusens of the last visit available; principal component analysis identified total area as the most characterizing feature; no significant differences were found between the groups in what concerns the areas of drusen with specific sizes (C1: p=0.28; C2: p=0.11; C3: p=0.31); no correlation was found between age or total drusen area and conversion, and these two variables are not correlated. Conclusion The percentage of patients which converted during the study (34%) exceeds the expected rate for this time period. In what concerns evolution, further study including a longer follow-up period is suggested as it was only apparent for total drusen area calculated in CFP images between the first and last visits available. FAF images: FAF may be an interesting exam for predicting AMD progression but further studies are necessary to pinpoint the characterizing patterns. ICG images: the most characterizing features for conversion were the overall exam result and the presence of early hot spots or areas. CFP images: in this sample conversion does not occur for patients with the higher extension of lesions; no relation was found between conversion and patient’s age or drusen of specific sizes.Estudar a progressão das alterações do fundo ocular através de imagem multimodal e identificar os fatores de risco para conversão em degenerescência macular relacionada com a idade (DMRI) neovascular no olho contra-lateral de doentes com DMRI exsudativa. Descrição da Amostra e Métodos Estudo de centro único, prospetivo, observacional, longitudinal com a duração de dois anos. Foram incluídos no estudo 62 doentes com o diagnóstico de DMRI neovascular num dos olhos e maculopatia relacionada com a idade no outro. Cada doente foi submetido a uma história médica e ocular detalhada, um exame oftalmológico completo com retinografia a cores (CFP), angiografia fluoresceínica (FA), angiografia com verde de indocianina (ICG) e imagem de autofluorescência do fundo na linha de base e repetidos com intervalos de seis meses. As CFP foram classificadas com recurso ao software RetmarkerAMD (Critical Software SA), um sistema de classificação assistida por computador baseado nas linhas guias do sistema de classificação internacional (Bird, Bressler et al., 1995). Resultados Cinquenta e três doentes completaram o período de seguimento de dois anos, dezoito dos quais converteram para a forma exsudativa no olho em estudo durante a duração do estudo. Não foi encontrada evolução mensurável em imagens consecutivas de angiografia com verde de indocianina e imagem de autofluorescência do fundo. A área total de drusens nas CFP não revelou aumento significativo entre visitas subsequentes (p=0,100), mas verificou-se a existência de aumento significativo de área entre a primeira e a última (p=0,048). Imagens de ICG: 23% dos casos apresentavam um exame normal; as zonas de hiperfluorescência e hipofluorescência foram atribuídas a drusens ou descolamentos drusenoides do epitélio pigmentar da retina ou não correspondiam a nenhuma lesão identificável nas imagens de CFP; a sensibilidade do resultado global do exame é de 88% e a Resumo Multimodal Image: Assessment of Risk Factors for the Development of Choroidal Neovascularisation in the Fellow Eye especificidade da presença de hiperfluorescências é de 97%. Imagens de FAF: foram encontradas diferenças significativas entre a distribuição de padrões de cada grupo (doentes que converteram e doentes que não converteram). Imagens de CFP: a área de drusens é significativamente maior no grupo de doentes que não converteu quando se considera a área total (p=0,012), sub-área 4 (p=0,020) e sub-área 5 (p=0,039); foram identificados dois grandes grupos através da análise hierárquica de agrupamentos, com ligação de Ward, quando se considera a área total de drusens da última visita disponível; a análise de componentes principais identificou a área total como a variável mais caracterizadora; não foram encontradas diferenças significativas entre os grupos no que diz respeito à área de drusens com tamanhos específicos (C1: p=0,28; C2: p=0,11; C3: p=0,31); não se encontrou correlação entre a idade ou a área total de drusens e a conversão e estas duas variáveis não estão correlacionadas entre si. Conclusão A percentagem de doentes que converteu durante o estudo (33%) é superior à esperada para este período de tempo. No que diz respeito à evolução, parece pertinente realizar estudos com período de seguimento mais alargado uma vez que esta só foi manifesta para a área total de drusens calculada através das imagens de CFP entre a primeira e a última visitas disponíveis. Imagens de FAF: a imagem de FAF pode ser interessante para prever a progressão da DMRI mas são necessários mais estudos para determinar os padrões caracterizadores. Imagens de ICG: os achados mais caracterizadores para a conversão são o resultado global do exame e a presença de hiperfluorescências precoces. Imagens de CFP: nesta amostra a conversão não ocorre nos doentes com extensão de lesões superior; não se encontrou relação entre a conversão e a idade ou drusens de tamanhos específico

Star Spangled Saints: Ritual Practices that Legitimate War and Violence in the American Church

The objective of this research is to analyze the ways in which the conservative,American church has been ideologically and ritualistically shaped by an imperial culture enamored with war, the military, and violence; and how those positions and practices, in effect, legitimate war and the military. While many authors have surveyed historical Christian positions regarding war and the current nationalistic tendencies of conservative Christians, little research has been conducted to assess the effects of violence, nationalism, patriotism, and military enchantment on Christian rituals, practices, and ethos. Within this research, I argue that contemporary, conservative Christians have surpassed previously held nuanced positions of pacifism, just-war, and Christian Realism into a confluence of conservative Christian theology and American nationalism because of the American culture in which it is embedded. I refer to this typology as “church militant.” In addition, ritual practices which indirectly legitimate war and violence, influenced by an adopted position of church militant, are investigated. In order to accomplish this task, I have provided a brief survey of historical Christian typologies as they pertain to attitudes toward war and violence, while paying particular attention to the social context for each of these positions. Second, a typology of Christian hyper-religious patriotism, referred to as “church militant,” will be introduced by locating my argument within personal fieldnotes recorded during multiple visits to three Christian megachurches and current literature pertaining to Christian attitudes and participation in military and war efforts. After establishing the Christian typology toward war and violence, the subsequent sections of the paper detail specific practices of the contemporary, conservative church which serve to justify American military endeavors. Although much more could be stated regarding the militaristic cultural influence on ritual practices of conservative, American Christians, I focus on ritual songs and symbols of protection, a liturgy for religious warriors, and a practice of elevating soldiers as the Christian ideal which all legitimate United States war efforts. My objective is not to defend or attack the religious institutions which were studied; but, rather to augment the growing literature regarding conservative, American Christians vis-à-vis nationalism, patriotism, and militarism by identifying and interpreting the various ways that these ideas have shaped the conservative Christian culture

Species Delimitation: A Case Study in a Problematic Ant Taxon

Species delimitation has been invigorated as a discipline in systematics by an influx of new character sets, analytical methods, and conceptual advances. We use genetic data from 68 markers, combined with distributional, bioclimatic, and coloration information, to hypothesize boundaries of evolutionarily independent lineages (species) within the widespread and highly variable nominal fire ant species Solenopsis saevissima, a member of a species group containing invasive pests as well as species that are models for ecological and evolutionary research. Our integrated approach uses diverse methods of analysis to sequentially test whether populations meet specific operational criteria (contingent properties) for candidacy as morphologically cryptic species, including genetic clustering, monophyly, reproductive isolation, and occupation of distinctive niche space. We hypothesize that nominal S. saevissima comprises at least 4-6 previously unrecognized species, including several pairs whose parapatric distributions implicate the development of intrinsic premating or postmating barriers to gene flow. Our genetic data further suggest that regional genetic differentiation in S. saevissima has been influenced by hybridization with other nominal species occurring in sympatry or parapatry, including the quite distantly related Solenopsis geminata. The results of this study illustrate the importance of employing different classes of genetic data (coding and noncoding regions and nuclear and mitochondrial DNA [mtDNA] markers), different methods of genetic data analysis (tree-based and non-tree based methods), and different sources of data (genetic, morphological, and ecological data) to explicitly test various operational criteria for species boundaries in clades of recently diverged lineages, while warning against over reliance on any single data type (e.g., mtDNA sequence variation) when drawing inference

Social Isolation and Group Size are Associated with Divergent Gene Expression in the Brain of Ant Queens

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The authors would like to thank members of the Shoemaker’s Lab at the USDA-ARS in Gainesville for support during field experiments and sample collections: special thanks to Eileen Carroll who coordinated all activities associated with field experiments and arranged the shipment of samples to the UK. The authors would also like to thank all members of the Leadbeater Lab at Royal Holloway for providing feedback on an early draft of this manuscript, and the two anonymous reviewers who provided constructive criticism that helped improving the manuscript. This work was supported by a Marie Curie International Incoming Fellowship (FP7-PEOPLE-2013-IIF-625487) to F.M. and M.J.F.B. which also supported F.M. salary for two years. The Natural Environment Research Council supported the salaries of C.M.R. (NE/L002485/1) and Y.W. (NE/L00626X/1). The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest. Open access via Wiley agreementPeer reviewedPublisher PD

Global Population Structure and Invasion History of Solenopsis geminata

Relatório de estágio do mestrado em Ensino da Educação Física nos Ensinos Básico e Secundário, apresentado à Faculdade de Ciências do Desporto e Educação Física da Universidade de CoimbraO Estágio Pedagógico levado a cabo na Escola Secundária Infanta Dona Maria representou a oportunidade de consolidar e desenvolver novos conhecimentos e competências ao nível da prática do ensino da Educação Física, alguns deles transversais a outros domínios de intervenção. A produção orientada de documentos de planeamento, realização e avaliação do ensino, devidamente enquadrados com as particularidades do contexto, assumiram, a par da autorreflexão e reflexão partilhada, especial importância ao longo deste percurso, traduzindo-se na melhoria dos processos de ensino e aprendizagem. Ser-se professor exige uma postura ativa e contínua de reflexão acerca das próprias práticas pedagógicas e dos resultados do ensino, sendo os objetivos a perseguir centrados no progresso/sucesso dos alunos. Assumindo que a melhoria da qualidade do ensino promove o sucesso educativo, a investigação conduzida no âmbito do feedback prestado pelo professor durante as aulas, tendente a apontar caminhos de melhoria da sua intervenção, encontra aí a sua justificação. The pedagogical internship at the Secondary School of Infanta Dona Maria (Coimbra, Portugal) represented an opportunity to consolidate and develop new skills related with the practice of Physical Education, some of which cross with other fields of intervention. The oriented production of planning documents, accomplishment and evaluation of various exercises, carefully framed within the particularities of the teaching context, in addition with self and hetero-reflection, assumed special importance throughout this internship, resulting in an increase of the quality of the teaching and learning methods. Being a teacher requires an active role and a continuous reflection on the own pedagogical practices and teaching results. The main objective is focus on the continuous progress and success of the students. Assuming that an increase of the teaching quality promotes educational success, the investigation lead by the “feedback” observed by the teacher (instructor) along the various lessons, tends to point improvements, finding there its own justification (purpose)