Colony Initiation Research Articles

On the Origins of Invalidation of British Colonial Legislation by Colonial Courts – the Van Diemen’s Land Dog Act Controversy of the 1840s – Part Two

ABSTRACT The first part of this paper examined the background to and conduct of a case called Symons v Morgan before the Supreme Court of Van Diemen’s Land. Symons appears to be the first case in which a colonial court asserted jurisdiction to invalidate a colonial ‘statute’ on the basis that the legislation concerned contravened the colony’s constitution. The Supreme Court claimed the jurisdiction as a matter of inference. There was no imperial or colonial legislation expressly granting such a power, nor any judicial authority – whether colonial or imperial in origin – supporting the Supreme Court’s conclusion. The second part of this paper analyses the responses of the colonial government to the Symons judgment, and consequently the responses of the imperial government and Parliament to those colonial initiatives. The actions of the imperial government and Parliament show acceptance of the principle that colonial courts could review the validity of colonial legislation.

Size-dependent responses of colony-founding bumblebee (Bombus impatiens) queens to exposure to pesticide residues in soil during hibernation

Bumblebees and other key pollinators are experiencing global declines, a phenomenon driven by multiple environmental stressors, including pesticide exposure. While bumblebee queens spend most of their life hibernating underground, no study to date has examined how exposure to pesticide-contaminated soils might affect bumblebee queens during this solitary phase of their lifecycle. We exposed Bombus impatiens queens (n = 303) to soil treated with field-realistic concentrations of two diamide insecticides (chlorantraniliprole and cyantraniliprole) and two fungicides (boscalid and difenoconazole), alone or combined, during a 30-week hibernation period. We found that exposure to boscalid residues in soil doubled the likelihood of queens surviving through the colony initiation period (after successful hibernation) and laying eggs. Our data also revealed complex interactions between pesticide exposure and queen body mass on aspects of colony founding. Among others, exposure to cyantraniliprole led to lethal and sublethal post-hibernation effects that were dependent on queen size, with larger queens showing higher mortality rates, delayed emergence of their first brood, and producing smaller workers. Our results show that effects of pesticide exposure depend on intrinsic traits of bumblebee queen physiology and challenge our understanding of how bees respond to pesticides under environmentally realistic exposure scenarios.

Uncovering the role of juvenile hormone in ovary development and egg laying in bumble bees

Juvenile hormone (JH) regulates developmental and physiological processes in insects. In bumble bees, the hormone acts as a gonadotropin that mediates ovary development, but the exact physiological pathways involved in ovary activation and subsequent egg laying are poorly understood. In this study, we examine how queen hibernation state, caste, and species impact the gonadotropic effect of JH in bumble bee queens through methoprene (JH analogue) application. We extend previous research by assessing queen egg laying and colony initiation, alongside ovary development. Furthermore, we compared sensitivity of workers of both species to the juvenile hormone's gonadotropic effect. In both bumble bee species, the ovaries of hibernated queens were developed five to six days after breaking diapause, regardless of methoprene treatment. By contrast, methoprene did have a stimulatory effect on ovary development in non-hibernated queens. The dose needed to obtain this effect was higher in B. impatiens. Methoprene did not have gonadotropic effects in callow workers of both species. These results indicate that the physiological effect of exogenous methoprene application varies according to species, caste and hibernation status. Interestingly, despite gonadotropic effects in non-hibernated queens, oviposition was not accelerated by JH. This suggests that JH alone is insufficient to induce egg laying and that an additional stimulus, which is naturally present in hibernated queens, is required. Consequently, our findings indicate that other physiological processes, beyond a rise in JH alone, are required for oviposition and colony initiation.

Variation in North American bumble bee nest success and colony sizes under captive rearing conditions.

Of the 265 known bumble bee (Bombus) species, knowledge of colony lifecycle is derived from relatively few species. As interest in Bombus commercialization and conservation grows, it is becoming increasingly important to understand colony growth dynamics across a variety of species since variation exists in nest success, colony growth, and reproductive output. In this study, we reported successful nest initiation and establishment rates of colonies and generated a timeline of colony development for 15 western North American Bombus species, which were captively reared from wild-caught gynes from 2009 to 2019. Additionally, we assessed variation in colony size among 5 western North American Bombus species from 2015 to 2018. Nest initiation and establishment rates varied greatly among species, ranging from 5-76.1% and 0-54.6%, respectively. Bombus griseocollis had the highest rates of nest success across the 11-yr period, followed by B. occidentalis, B. vosnesenskii, and B. huntii. Furthermore, days to nest initiation and days to nest establishment varied among species, ranging from 8.4 to 27.7 days and 32.7 to 47 days. Colony size also differed significantly among species with B. huntii and B. vosnesenskii producing more worker/drone cells than B. griseocollis, B. occidentalis, and B. vancouverensis. Additionally, gyne production differed significantly among species with B. huntii colonies producing more gynes than B. vosnesenskii. Results from this study increase knowledge of systematic nesting biology for numerous western North American Bombus species under captive rearing conditions, which can further improve rearing techniques available to conservationists and researchers.

Call rate as an index of nest count in wading bird colonies

Traditional monitoring methods for colonial waterbirds, such as nest counts, can be expensive, time‐intensive, disruptive to nesting birds and limited by colony accessibility. Our study tested the use of acoustic sampling as a colony monitoring technique for three species of colonially nesting herons (Ardeidae) by quantifying the relationship between chick call rate and nest count in colonies. Because acoustic detection can be influenced by soundscape variables, we measured day since colony initiation, body condition index of small heron chicks, nest height, vegetation density and wind speed and evaluated their effects on call rate detection. Generalized linear mixed‐effects models showed that call rate detection increased with daily nest count for all species. Snowy Egret Egretta thula and Tricoloured Heron Egretta tricolour detected call rate was also dependent on environmental, temporal and physiological variables, whereas Great Egret Ardea alba call detection was affected by vegetation density around nests and wind speed. Our study showed that wading bird nest counts can be estimated using acoustic sampling, reducing the need for manual colony surveys, and facilitating long‐term monitoring of wading bird nesting trends, which are important measures of wetland restoration worldwide.

Captive Rearing Success and Critical Thermal Maxima of Bombus griseocollis (Hymenoptera: Apidae): A Candidate for Commercialization?

Commercialized bumble bees (Bombus) are primary pollinators of several crops within open field and greenhouse settings. However, the common eastern bumble bee (Bombus impatiens Cresson, 1863) is the only species widely available for purchase in North America. As an eastern species, concerns have been expressed over their transportation outside of their native range. Therefore, there is a need to identify regionally appropriate candidates for commercial crop pollination services, especially in the western U.S.A. In this study, we evaluated the commercialization potential of brown-belted bumble bees (Bombus griseocollis De Geer, 1773), a broadly distributed species throughout the U.S.A., by assessing nest initiation and establishment rates of colonies produced from wild-caught gynes, creating a timeline of colony development, and identifying lab-reared workers' critical thermal maxima (CTMax) and lethal temperature (ecological death). From 2019 to 2021, 70.6% of the wild-caught B. griseocollis gynes produced brood in a laboratory setting. Of these successfully initiated nests, 74.8% successfully established a nest (produced a worker), providing guidance for future rearing efforts. Additionally, lab-reared workers produced from wild-caught B. griseocollis gynes had an average CTMax of 43.5°C and an average lethal temperature of 46.4°C, suggesting B. griseocollis can withstand temperatures well above those commonly found in open field and greenhouse settings. Overall, B. griseocollis should continue to be evaluated for commercial purposes throughout the U.S.A.

Colonialism and Disease in Anna Maria Falconbridge’s Two Voyages to Sierra Leone

ABSTRACT Anna Maria Falconbridge’s 1794 travel journal Two Voyages to Sierra Leone documents Britain’s resettlement of formerly enslaved people to Sierra Leone and the endemic disease and high rates of mortality that beset the colony. This essay argues that Falconbridge employs the authority of medical discourse to criticize British colonialism in West Africa. Advocating for disease prevention, she adopts medical practices to regulate illness and ensure the settlement’s success. However, she opposes the colonial initiative after an epidemic kills nearly half the settlers and endangers her own life. Locating the source of disease in colonial mismanagement and racism, she confronts abolitionists in England and questions the legitimacy of their project. By focusing on Falconbridge’s account of disease in Sierra Leone, this essay shifts attention away from formal networks of colonial knowledge to the more informal practice of recording done by women. Her work is significant for revealing women’s role in debates on abolition and resettlement and providing an alternative perspective on colonialism in the early Atlantic world.

Examining the individual and additive effects of cold storage and CO2 narcosis on queen survival and reproduction in bumble bees

Diapause is a pre-programmed arrest of development allowing insects to survive in unfavorable environments. In adult insects, diapause termination is often followed by a reallocation of macronutrients and a transition to reproduction, and in some insects, this transition can be achieved using narcosis with CO2. However, whether CO2narcosis and diapause act in concert to affect reproduction remains unknown. Here, we investigated the separated and combined effects of diapause and CO2on female reproduction in queens of the common eastern bumble bee Bombus impatiens. Queens were treated with CO2 following a cold storage period (zero days, two weeks, two and four months) and were compared with untreated queens at the same timepoints for survival, colony initiation, egg-laying latency, and offspring production. We found that both CO2 and a period of at least two months in cold storage induced a transition to egg laying in gynes, and as expected, survival decreased with cold storage length. When CO2 and cold storage were combined, CO2narcosis positively affected egg laying in the earlier timepoints but its impact diminished following a longer cold storage. These data suggest that the impacts of CO2narcosis and cold storage are partially additive, and application of CO2 is effective only after a short cold storage. It further demonstrates that CO2 has complex effects on insect reproduction that are independent from diapause.

Optimizing Laboratory Rearing of a Key Pollinator, Bombus impatiens.

Simple SummaryRearing insects in captivity is critical for both research and commercial purposes. One group of insects that stands out for their ecological and scientific importance are bumble bees. However, most research studies with bumble bees rely on commercial colonies due to the challenges associated with initiating colonies in the laboratory. This limits the ability to study the early stages of the colony life cycle and the ability to control for variables such as colony age and relatedness. To overcome these challenges, we tested several aspects related to the solitary phase of the North American bumble bee species, Bombus impatiens. In this species, queens emerge by the end of the season, mate, and enter a winter diapause. They then initiate a colony the next spring. We examined the optimal age for mating and how the timing of CO2 narcosis (a technique used to bypass diapause) and social cues post-mating affect queen egg laying. We demonstrate an optimum age for mating in males and females and the importance of worker and pupa presence to egg laying in queens. Overall, our findings indicate that the laboratory rearing of bumble bees can be improved by reducing challenges associated with rearing queens during the solitary phase.Bumble bees are key pollinators for wild and managed plants and serve as a model system in various research fields, largely due to their commercial availability. Despite their extensive use, laboratory rearing of bumble bees is often challenging, particularly during the solitary phase queens undergo before founding a colony. Using a literature survey, we demonstrate that most studies rely on commercially available species that are provided during the colony’s social phase, limiting study on early phases of the life cycle and the ability to control for colony age and relatedness. Laboratory rearing is challenging since the queen solitary phase is less understood compared to the social phase. To overcome this barrier, we examined several aspects related to the queen solitary phase: the effect of age on likelihood of mating, how the timing of CO2 narcosis post-mating (a technique to bypass diapause) affects egg-laying, and whether different social cues affect the success of colony initiation. Our data show an optimum age for mating in both sexuals and decreased egg-laying latency in the presence of workers and pupae. The timing of CO2 narcosis did not significantly affect egg laying in queens. These findings can be incorporated to improve bumble bee rearing for research purposes.

Pre-Clinical Modeling of Concomitant Therapy with Azacytidine and Eltrombopag in MDS/AML

Hemorrhage-related morbidity and mortality frequently arises in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). A major therapeutic goal in patients with MDS is the alleviation commonly occurring thrombocytopenia. Low platelet counts increase bleeding risk, limit tolerated doses and efficacy of standard therapies, and are associated with an increased risk of leukemic transformation. Preclinical and phase I/II studies on eltrombopag (EPAG), a megakaryopoiesis-stimulating thrombopoietin receptor (TPO-R) agonist, demonstrated safety and efficacy of the small molecule as monotherapy in MDS. However, a phase III study testing the ability of EPAG to increase platelet numbers in patients with intermediate or higher-risk MDS under azacytidine (AZA) therapy (NCT02158936) was prematurely terminated due to inferior performance of EPAG-treated vs. placebo-receiving patients. While the study did not find a difference in overall survival rates between the two groups, concerns pertaining to disease progression under concomitant treatment with EPAG and azacytidine have been raised.We assessed whether EPAG exerts antagonistic physiological activities in the context of anti-leukemia treatment with AZA exploiting a set of complementary pre-clinical ex vivo assays measuring aberrant cell proliferation, differentiation and self-renewal. MDS and AML patient-derived cell lines (n=4) and primary cell specimen (n=6) were treated with non-cytotoxic, clinically-relevant doses of EPAG and AZA in short-term liquid cultures, myeloid colony-forming assays, and long-term serial-replating assays. To elucidate functional effects of the combination treatment, we determined cell growth, apoptosis, differentiation and long-term colony initiation as a surrogate for self-renewal upon treatment. We also quantified cell surface presence of TPO-R, and assessed pathway activation downstream of the receptor using phosphoflow.Consistent with previous observations, continuous single agent treatment with either >0.3μM AZA, or 3-20mg/ml EPAG were found to be cytotoxic for leukemic cells. Simultaneous treatment with a non-cytotoxic functionally-relevant dosage of AZA (0.3μM) and EPAG at concentrations above 3mg/ml resulted in a striking decrease of cell viability compared to AZA single agent treatment in short-term cell line cultures. Lower-dose EPAG treatment (0.3 and 0.5mg/ml) along with AZA (0.3μM) did not lead to any significant changes in cell viability and growth in short term cultures (vs. single agent treated controls) of cell lines or primary cells. Apoptosis, cell surface differentiation marker analysis, and morphological assessment revealed no discernable differences upon combination treatment compared to AZA single agent treatment in cell lines. Characterization of aberrant self-renewal using serial replating colony assays revealed a significant decrease in the number of colony-initiating cells upon continuous single agent treatment with AZA, which was not diminished by combination treatment with EPAG. An AZA-resistant cell line also did not show altered long-term colony-forming cell numbers in the presence of both drugs. We found no evidence of increased leukemic self-renewal upon simultaneous treatment using primary cells in 5/6 specimen tested. One sample showed a transient increase in colony formation and average cell numbers per colony in the presence of both drugs, compared to AZA-treated controls, albeit the number of serial replatings was unchanged compared to AZA controls. We tested whether TPO-R/CD110-expressing aberrant cells would expand under EPAG single agent, or combination treatment with AZA, and found no significant changes in the frequency of CD110-positive cells compared to AZA single agent controls. TPO-R downstream signaling in primary mononuclear cells comprised a marked, yet transient impairment in STAT5 and AKT phosphorylation upon combination treatment, compared to single EPAG treatment.Togehter, our data show that simultaneous treatment of leukemic cells with non-cytotoxic, but clinically-relevant dosages of EPAG and AZA does not lead to a stimulation of leukemic cell growth, even in the presence of TPO-R, in several pre-clinical models. These results do not support a generalized mechanistic antagonism between the two drugs in leukemic cells. Further investigations are underway to understand the impact on non-leukemic hematopoiesis. DisclosuresSteidl:Bayer Healthcare: Consultancy; Novartis: Research Funding; Celgene: Consultancy; GlaxoSmithKline: Research Funding; Aileron Therapeutics: Consultancy, Research Funding. Marques Ramos:Novartis Pharmaceuticals: Employment. Pallaud:Novartis Pharmaceuticals: Employment. Will:Novartis Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy, Research Funding.

Age-related division of labor occurs in ants at the earliest stages of colony initiation

Mature colonies of many social insect species exhibit division of labor (DOL) where individual workers specialize in doing only a subset of the multiple tasks needed to maintain homeostasis. In newly initiated ant colonies, however, the first workers (called nanitics) are few in number and much smaller in size than those in mature colonies. This limited workforce must perform most of the tasks of mature colonies, but it is unknown if they also exhibit DOL. In this study, we tracked several inside-nest and outside-nest behaviors of nanitics in incipient Pogonomyrmex rugosus colonies. DOL arises in these colonies, whereby the relatively oldest workers (even if only by a few hours) are biased towards foraging, while younger nanitics concentrate on brood care. The addition of new nanitics shifts behavior in the oldest individual away from brood care but does not immediately increases its foraging. Conversely, nanitics left alone due to mortality of nest-mates forage more, but do not reduce brood care. The results suggest P. rugosus nanitics follow an age-related task specialization pattern that is broadly similar to mature colonies. The nanitic life stage may be, however, unique for ants in how fine-grained the DOL is in terms of absolute age differences and flexibility for task switching. The ecological success of ants is thought to be facilitated by workers dividing their labor across tasks. Commonplace in mature colonies is that individuals will perform safer, within-nest tasks such as brood care when young, and shift as they age towards riskier, outside-nest tasks such as foraging. Because many do the same task, the death of any single worker has minimal effect. We show, for the first time, a similar age-related, task specialization pattern also occurs in newly founded colonies. In this earliest life, history stage workers are small and few in number, precluding the massive task redundancy that characterizes mature colonies. Nevertheless, a division of labor correlating with relative age differences arises even when workers differ in age by only a few hours. This supports the hypothesis that a similar developmental pathway for task allocation in worker behavior occurs at all stages in colony life history.

Tradução, Evangelização e Negociação Linguística: uma Exploração Interdisciplinar

A tradução da doutrina cristã para as línguas nativas americanas durante a época colonial espanhola apresenta importantes questionamentos para a tradutologia, os quais incitam a análise multi e interdisciplinar. No presente artigo, examinamos o estado da questão da linguística missionária, e do tratamento que foi dado ao encontro cultural que aconteceu entre indígenas nahuas e missionários na Nova Espanha durante o século XVI, desde a filosofia, para realizar uma análise de dois exemplos de tradução com fins de evangelização retirados dos Coloquios de 1524 do frei Bernardino de Sahagún (1986). Relacionamos alguns paralelismos entre o caso colonial e certas iniciativas atuais, e sublinhamos a pertinência de alguns conceitos da linguística, da tradutologia e da filosofia para analisar o problema da comunicação intercultural, assim como o fundamento político e cultural subjacente no caso da Nova Espanha. O tema leva-nos à seguinte pergunta: em que medida essas traduções, realizadas em conjunto por indígenas e missionários, foram um fator relevante de resistência cultural diante dos embates colonialistas de imposição religiosa?

Nature, colonial science and nation-building in twentieth-century Philippines

This article examines colonial nature-making in twentieth century Philippines. It particularly looks into natural history investigations of the American-instituted Bureau of Science and the ways in which it created a discursive authority for understanding the Philippine natural environment. These biological investigations, the article argues, did not only structure the imperial construction of the colony's nature, but also provided a blueprint for imagining notions of national integration and identity. The article interrogates the link between colonial scientific projects and nation-building initiatives, emphasising the scripting of the archipelago's nature and the creation of a national science through biological spaces.

Successful induction and recognition of conidiation, conidial germination and chlamydospore formation in pure culture of Morchella

Morels, fungi from the genus Morchella, are popular edible mushrooms. However, little knowledge of their asexual reproduction and inaccessible pure mitospores hamper illumination of their life cycle. Herein, we successfully induced conidiation, conidial germination and chlamydospore formation in pure culture of Morchella sextelata. Conidiation proceeded via four morphologically distinct stages: development of the conidiophore stalk, stalk branching, phialide differentiation, and conidium production. Terminal and intercalary chlamydospores were formed on conidial hyphae. The development of conidiophores occurred earlier, with more conidia produced, in cross-mating cultures than in single-spore cultures. Mature conidia were spherical and 2.5–8 μm in diameter, with a vast majority (nearly 99%) 2.5–5 μm in diameter. Each conidium contained one to three nuclei (80.2% conidia contained one nucleus, 19.1% contained two nuclei, and 0.7% contained three nuclei). The conidial nucleus diameter was 1–2 μm. The nuclear mitosis in detached conidia that was observed may benefit their colony initiation. Additionally, morel conidia formed conidial anastomosis tubes. Conidia (mitospores) likely not only function as spermatia, but also as reproductive propagules in Morchella. Further research is imperative to elucidate the relationship between the conidia and chlamydospores, and their unique function in the morel life cycle.

‘One of the Most Urgent Problems to Solve’: Malnutrition, Trans-Imperial Nutrition Science, and Nestlé's Medical Pursuits in Late Colonial Africa

ABSTRACT Infant nutrition was key field of imperial health policies in Africa from the inter-war period to the end of colonisation. Although this phenomenon has been documented on the scale of some African countries, this article argues that infant nutrition stood as a particularly crucial field of trans-imperial exchanges on the scale of the African continent. It further demonstrates that trans-imperial rivalries and collaborations in Africa created a propitious political, institutional, and scientific context for business participation in infant nutrition. The article illustrates these phenomena by examining colonial, trans-imperial, international, and public-private nutrition initiatives in Africa, focusing especially on the Commission for Technical Cooperation in Africa (CTCA) and the food company Nestlé.

Abstract 2449: A novel function of FTO in ovarian cancer stem cells through m6A RNA demethylation

Abstract Introduction: N6-Methyladenosine (m6A) is the most abundant internal modification in mammalian messenger RNAs (mRNAs). Although previous studies have showed that RNA methylation is reversible and plays important roles in various cellular processes, such as metabolism, stem cell development, and self-renewal, its functions in cancer remain elusive. The fat mass- and obesity-associated protein (FTO) is an m6A demethylase and was described as an oncogenic factor in leukemia and brain tumors. We hypothesized that RNA demethylation could be involved in the process of ovarian cancer initiation or progression.Methods: Here we measured FTO expression in ovarian tumors compared to fallopian tube epithelium (FTE) and in ovarian cancer stem cells (CSCs) compared to non-CSCs. To investigate its functions we used overexpression and siRNA-mediated knockdown. Colony, sphere formation and tumor initiation assays were carried out. RNA-Seq and MeRIP-Seq were used to investigate the mechanism by which FTO-mediated m6A modifications altered stemness in OC cells. Results: FTO was expressed at lower levels in ovarian tumors compared to FTE and in ovarian CSCs compared to non-CSCs (P<0.01). Overexpression of FTO inhibited the tumorigenic CSC population, its ability to form colonies and spheres, and to initiate tumors in vivo. This phenotype was not recapitulated by overexpression of mutant FTO, lacking enzymatic activity. Integrated RNA-sequencing and genome wide m6A mapping revealed significant transcriptomic changes associated with FTO overexpression and loss of m6A, involving pathways related to cell stem signaling, RNA transcription, DNA repair, and mRNA splicing. FTO augmented second messenger 3', 5'-cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) signaling and suppressed stemness features of ovarian cancer cells by reducing mRNA stability of two phosphodiesterase genes (PDE1C and PDE4B). Conclusions: Our results point to a new function of FTO in high grade serous ovarian cancer as a regulator of cAMP hydrolysis through post-transcriptional gene modifications. Citation Format: Hao Huang, Yinu Wang, Manoj Kandpal, Guangyuan Zhao, Horacio Cardenas, Yanrong Ji, Edward Tanner, Jianjun Chen, Ramana Davuluri, Daniela Matei. A novel function of FTO in ovarian cancer stem cells through m6A RNA demethylation [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research 2020; 2020 Apr 27-28 and Jun 22-24. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(16 Suppl):Abstract nr 2449.

Characteristics of the Two Asian Bumblebee Species Bombus friseanus and Bombus breviceps (Hymenoptera: Apidae).

This study compared the food plants, life cycle, colony development, and mating behaviour of the two Asian bumblebee species Bombus friseanus and B. breviceps, which are very important pollinators for many wild flowers and crops in local ecosystems. Both species were shown to be highly polylectic. Differences were observed in their life cycles and colony development patterns. The colony foundation rate of the field-collected queens was high in both species, 95.5% in B. friseanus and 86.5% in B. breviceps. The intervals from colony initiation to colony sizes of 30, 60, and 80 workers and to the first male and gyne emergence were significantly shorter in B. friseanus than in B. breviceps (p < 0.01). The development period of the first batch of workers showed no significant difference between the two species (p > 0.05). Compared with B. friseanus, B. breviceps produced remarkably higher numbers of workers (135 ± 30 workers/colony in B. friseanus and 318 ± 123 workers/colony in B. breviceps) and males (199 ± 46 males/colony in B. friseanus and 355 ± 166 males/colony in B. breviceps) (p < 0.01), with notable variation was found among the colonies in both species. With no significant difference in the mating rate between these two species, the copulation duration of B. breviceps (1.54 ± 0.63 min) was strikingly shorter than that of B. friseanus (27.44 ± 11.16 min) (p < 0.001). This study highlights the characteristics of the two Asian bumblebee species and will aid further studies on their conservation and agricultural pollination use.

Intimate Violence in Colonial Bengal: A Death, a Trial and a Law, 1889–1891

Much excellent work has been done on the colonial Act X of 1891. Yet, three important contexts have largely gone missing. One is the framework of colonial Personal Laws where the practice of infantile marital cohabitation was embedded till it migrated to criminal laws. Unless we comprehend how the framework constrained judicial decisions and legal interventions, no single law can possibly make full sense. There were highly acrimonious public debates, too, especially in Bengal and Bombay Presidencies, that significantly shaped the Act. Legal reform in the field of gender, I argue, grew more out such debates than from colonial initiatives.

Dynamic Changes of Gut Microbial Communities of Bumble Bee Queens through Important Life Stages.

Bumble bees are important pollinators in natural and agricultural ecosystems. Their social colonies are founded by individual queens, which, as the predominant reproductive females of colonies, contribute to colony function through worker production and fitness through male and new queen production. Therefore, queen health is paramount, but even though there has been an increasing emphasis on the role of gut microbiota for animal health, there is limited information on the gut microbial dynamics of bumble bee queens. Employing 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing and quantitative PCR, we investigate how the adult life stage and physiological state influence a queen's gut bacterial community diversity and composition in unmated, mated, and ovipositing queens of Bombus lantschouensis We found significant shifts in total gut microbe abundance and microbiota composition across queen states. There are specific compositional signatures associated with different stages, with unmated and ovipositing queens showing the greatest similarity in composition and mated queens being distinct. The bacterial genera Gilliamella, Snodgrassella, and Lactobacillus were relatively dominant in unmated and ovipositing queens, with Bifidobacterium dominant in ovipositing queens only. Bacillus, Lactococcus, and Pseudomonas increased following queen mating. Intriguingly, however, further analysis of unmated queens matching the mated queens in age showed that changes are independent of the act of mating. Our study is the first to explore the gut microbiome of bumble bee queens across key life stages from adult eclosion to egg laying and provides useful information for future studies of the function of gut bacteria in queen development and colony performance.IMPORTANCE Bumble bee queens undergo a number of biological changes as they transition through adult emergence, mating, overwintering, foraging, and colony initiation including egg laying. Therefore, they represent an important system to understand the link between physiological, behavioral, and environmental changes and host-associated microbiota. It is plausible that the bumble bee queen gut bacteria play a role in shaping the ability of the queen to survive environmental extremes and reproduce, due to long-established coevolutionary relationships between the host and microbiome members.

Differential gene expression during substrate probing in larvae of the Caribbean coral Porites astreoides.

The transition from larva to adult is a critical step in the life history strategy of most marine animals. However, the genetic basis of this life history change remains poorly understood in many taxa, including most coral species. Recent evidence suggests that coral planula larvae undergo significant changes at the physiological and molecular levels throughout the development. To investigate this, we characterized differential gene expression (DGE) during the transition from planula to adult polyp in the abundant Caribbean reef‐building coral Porites astreoides, that is from nonprobing to actively substrate‐probing larva, a stage required for colony initiation. This period is crucial for the coral, because it demonstrates preparedness to locate appropriate substrata for settlement based on vital environmental cues. Through RNA‐Seq, we identified 860 differentially expressed holobiont genes between probing and nonprobing larvae (p ≤ .01), the majority of which were upregulated in probing larvae. Surprisingly, differentially expressed genes of endosymbiotic dinoflagellate origin greatly outnumbered coral genes, compared with a nearly 1:1 ratio of coral‐to‐dinoflagellate gene representation in the holobiont transcriptome. This unanticipated result suggests that dinoflagellate endosymbionts may play a significant role in the transition from nonprobing to probing behaviour in dinoflagellate‐rich larvae. Putative holobiont genes were largely involved in protein and nucleotide binding, metabolism and transport. Genes were also linked to environmental sensing and response and integral signalling pathways. Our results thus provide detailed insight into molecular changes prior to larval settlement and highlight the complex physiological and biochemical changes that occur in early transition stages from pelagic to benthic stages in corals, and perhaps more importantly, in their endosymbionts.