Control Colonies Research Articles

The efficacy and tolerability of Api-Bioxal® as a winter varroacide in a cool temperate climate

This two-year study aimed to assess the efficacy and tolerability of the oxalic acid product Api-Bioxal® as a winter treatment administered using the trickling and vaporizer methods at the dosage rate recommended by the manufacturers (Trial 1) and at the lower dosage recommended by The European Group for Integrated Varroa Control for cool temperate climates such as Ireland (Trial 2). Trial 1: In August 2011, 45 colonies were standardized based on brood area and blocked into 2 treatment groups (n = 15) and a control group using natural mite-fall pre-treatment. Three weeks post-treatment a control treatment (CheckMite+) was administered to the test colonies and the percent efficacy of Api-Bioxal® was calculated. Invasion pressure was monitored by treating the control colonies continuously with CheckMite+. Tolerability was assessed by monitoring adult bee mortality post-treatment and spring build-up was assessed on brood area. The mean (± s.e.) percent efficacy for the trickling method (81.5 ± 3.5%) was significantly lower than for the vaporizer (95.2 ± 1.6%) and control (97.7 ± 1.0%) groups. Bee mortality post-treatment was significantly higher in the trickling group but Api-Bioxal® treatment had no negative impact on spring build-up irrespective of the application method. This high bee mortality and relatively low efficacy led to Trial 2. Trial 2: In August 2012, 72 colonies were standardized using brood area and divided into 5 treatment groups (n = 12) plus a control group. The application methods and dosage rates recommended by the manufacturers (6.0% trickling method in a 1:1 sugar/water syrup and 2.3-g vaporizer method) were again assessed in addition to a lower dosage of 4.5% in 1:1 sugar/water using the trickling method and 1.3 g for vaporizer method. The control colonies were untreated. The mean percent efficacy calculated for the five treatment groups exceeded 90% and were all significantly higher than the 8.57% efficacy estimated for the control group. Bee mortality was again significantly higher in the colonies treated using the trickling method at the 6.0% concentration and significantly decreased when the dosage concentration was reduced to 4.5%. Api-Bioxal® applied using the vaporizer method, irrespective of the quantity administered, was well tolerated by the colonies and bee mortality was similar to the natural mortality observed in the control group. We conclude that in a cool temperate climate, Api-Bioxal® is an effective varroacide when administered as a single winter treatment under broodless conditions using both the trickling and vaporizer methods. Colonies tolerated the product better at the reduced dosage rate of 4.5% using trickling method or 1.3 g using the vaporizer method without compromising the efficacy of the treatment.

Influence of different proteinaceous diets on consumption, brood rearing,and honey bee quality parameters under isolation conditions

This study was carried out to evaluate the efficacy of 5 proteinaceous diets on honey bees under isolation conditions. The diets were soybean meal, mesquite pod powder, date paste, Feedbee®, and corn gluten, along with control colonies (bees fed naturally on pollens). These 5 diets were supplied to honey bee colonies under isolation conditions, except for the control group. Food consumption amount, brood rearing activity, and some physiological parameters of the honey bees were measured. The best consumption amount was for date paste, followed by Feedbee, mesquite, and corn gluten, respectively. Concerning brood rearing activity, the highest mean of sealed brood cells was 174.7 cells/colony in colonies fed on Feedbee, while no brood was reared in colonies fed on soybean meal. The fresh weight, dry matter, and protein content of fully grown larvae and newly emerged workers were higher in colonies fed on bee bread than the colonies fed on the artificial diets. Total soluble solids %, total hemolymph count, and hemolymph protein % were varied among tested diets. Feedbee was able to enhance brood rearing, but Feedbee is expensive and not available in the local markets of Saudi Arabia. Hence, beekeepers are advised to use mesquite pod flour as a pollen substitute in dearth periods.

Pre-clinical test of dental leucite glass-ceramics from local high grade silica sand: an in vitro study (cytotoxicity and genotoxicity)

The need for biocompatible of dental materials for use in restorative dentistry has generated a requirement for cytotoxicity and mutagenicity assays to screen compounds and characterize the potentially harmful effects of a material to oral tissues prior to clinical use. The objective of the study was to determine the degree of biocompatibility of leusite glass-ceramics that have been produced from local high grade silica sand in terms of cytotoxicity and mutagenicity assays. In the present study, the cyctotoxicity and mutagenicity were studied using the MTT and Ames Reverse Mutation. In the MTT assay, a dose response cytotoxicity of leucite sample was evaluated in L929 cells. The cells were treated with the concentrations of 6.25, 12.5, 25.0, 50.00, 100.00 and 200.00 mg/ml of the leucite sample for 24 hours. The cytotoxicity was determined by assessing the cell viability through the reduction of tetrazolium salts (MTT). The mutagenenicity of leucite sample was evaluated in S. typhirium TA98. TA100, TA1535, TA1537 and E. coli WP2 in the Ames Reverse Mutation assay. Mutagenic effects were evaluated by comparing the mean number of revertant colonies of each extract concentraction with mean number of revertant colonies of the negative control. In results of MTT assay evaluated that the leucite did not show a cytotoxic effect at all concentrations under the condition of the study. Ames Reverse Mutation assay result proven that the leucite sample did not demonstrate a mutagenic effect under the condition of this study with Salmonella typhimurium and Escherichia coli.

Effects of Additive Feeding with Pollen and Water on Some Characteristics of Honeybee Colonies and Pine Honey Production

This study was carried out to determine the effects of additive feeding with pollen and water on honey yield, colony population, winter loses and wintering ability of colonies in pine honey production season in Muğla province of Turkey. Total twenty honeybee colonies had similar physiological pattern (queen age, genotype, amount of adult worker bees (number of frames covered with adult worker bees), sealed brood areas (cm2) and food stocks) were used and randomly divided into four groups. Three of them were fed extra with pollen+water, pollen and water. The control colonies were not given additive foods. Honey yield in pollen+water, pollen, water and control groups were found to be 24.2±1.1, 17.3±0.8, 16.3±1.0 and 12.0±0.6 kg/colony respectively. Group means were statistically significant. From September 25 to February 15 (wintering), losses of the adult worker bees in pollen+water, pollen, water and control groups were 50%, 69%, 68% and 82%, decrease of sealed brood areas in the groups were 48%, 66%, 68% and 85%, respectively. Wintering ability of pollen+water, pollen, water and control groups were found to be 92.1±3.2, 70.4±17.8, 67.1±16.7 and 51.0±21.2% respectively. The results showed that additive feeding in pine honey production season, especially feeding with both pollen+water provided nearly 100% more honey production and 80% better wintering ability than the control group. In addition, feeding with only pollen or water had similar positive effect (approximately 40%) better than control group

Genome Editing Recreates Hereditary Persistence of Fetal Hemoglobin in Primary Human Erythroblasts

Manipulating the developmental switch from γ- to β-globin expression that occurs after birth has been intensively investigated as therapeutic strategy for sickle cell anemia and β-thalassemia. Rare individuals with a benign condition termed hereditary persistence of fetal hemoglobin (HPFH) exhibit an attenuated or absent γ-to-β switch, resulting in high levels of fetal hemoglobin (α2γ2) in all red blood cells (RBCs) throughout life. Moreover, individuals with HPFH and homozygosity for sickle cell disease (SCD) mutations exhibit few or no clinical manifestations of the latter. We used genome editing to induce a naturally occurring 13-nucleotide (-102 to -114) deletional HPFH mutation in the γ-globin (HBG1) gene promoter. Heterozygosity for this mutation is associated with HbF levels > 30% in adults. We used the clustered, regularly interspaced, short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated nuclease 9 (Cas9) system to create small deletions around -102 to -114 in the γ-globin genes in peripheral blood CD34+ cells from healthy donors. We delivered guide RNA (gRNA) and Cas9 using lentiviruses, sorted transduced hematopoietic progenitors by FACS, and cultured them using a 3-phase erythroid differentiation protocol. Real time PCR showed that γ-globin mRNA increased more than 10-fold in Cas9/gRNA transduced cells compared to controls. HbF flow cytometry and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) demonstrated that induced γ-globin chains were effectively incorporated into hemoglobin tetramers. HPLC revealed 1-3% HbF in negative controls and an increase to 15% in cells transduced with gRNA and Cas9. Expression of erythroid differentiation markers CD235 and CD71 were unaffected, suggesting that the γ-globin increase is not due to impaired erythroid maturation. Next generation sequencing demonstrated that a single gRNA created one predominant mutation that co-segregated with high HbF expression and represented over 50% of the sequencing coverage. Interestingly, this mutation is identical to the 13-nucleotide HPFH deletion. We also tested the gRNA mutation efficiency after transient expression of gRNA and Cas9 in human CD34+ cells by electroporation followed by analysis of single burst-forming unit-erythroid (BFU-E) colonies formed in methylcellulose. Genomic DNA analysis revealed that one gRNA targeted 50% of HBG1 alleles, and cells that received two overlapping gRNAs demonstrated 80% mutation frequency. Real-time PCR of mRNA from edited BFU-Es showed that mutations stimulated γ-globin mRNA expression to 19-55% total globin synthesis, whereas control colonies contained 1-5% γ-globin. Together, our data demonstrate that the CRISPR-Cas9 system can generate precisely the -102 to -114 HPFH mutation at high efficiency in primary human progenitor cells and thereby induce the expression of HbF to potentially therapeutic levels. This work provides proof of concept for targeted genome editing for γ-globin activation as a therapy for patients with β hemoglobinopathies. DisclosuresWeiss:Biogen: Research Funding; GlaxoSmithKline: Consultancy; Rubius: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees.

Tolerance of eCry3.1Ab in Reciprocal Cross Offspring of eCry3.1Ab-Selected and Control Colonies of Diabrotica virgifera virgifera (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae).

Two new insect colonies were created by separating virgin western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte, males and females from both a selected laboratory colony that was being reared on eCry3.1Ab-expressing corn (Zea mays L.) and a control colony reared on its near-isoline corn. Females from the selected colony were paired with males of the control colony and vice versa to create both a selected female by control male colony (Sel♀) and control female by selected male colony (Con♀). Both colonies along with their parental colonies (eCry3.1Ab-selected and control) were evaluated on eCry3.1Ab-expressing corn and its near-isoline in seedling assays. Larvae from each colony were also used in diet toxicity experiments in order to determine the LC50 and EC50 values for the eCry3.1Ab toxin for each. Statistical analysis of seedling assay experiments did not indicate any significant colony×corn interaction but did show a significant main effect of corn type for both larval recovery and larval head capsule widths. Results from the diet toxicity assays showed the control colony to have a significantly lower LC50 value than the selected and cross colonies and a significantly lower EC50 than the selected and Con♀ colonies. Calculations of dominance values (h) of eCry3.1Ab resistance traits from seedling assays indicated that the two reciprocal cross colonies have a dominance value (h) of ∼1, suggesting dominance of the eCry3.1Ab resistance trait.

Pesticides in wild plants

Environment Are honey bees harmed by agricultural neonicotinoid pesticide use? Field studies attempting to address this question have often found neonicotinoid contamination in control colonies. Botias et al. now show, from a field study conducted in Sussex, UK, that neonicotinoid concentrations in the pollen and nectar of wildflowers growing at the margins of treated oilseed rape fields were higher overall than in pollen from the treated plants. Most neonicotinoids brought back to hives came from these contaminated wildflowers. Such wild plant contamination may be one reason for the contaminated controls in previous studies. Other invertebrates will also be affected by chronic exposure to neonicotinoids from wild plants and soils near treated fields. Environ. Sci. Technol. 10.1021/acs.est.5b03459 (2015).

Ants incommunicado: collective decision-making over new nest sites by ants with reduced communication

We study the plasticity of collective decision-making in ants by blocking key aspects of pheromone communication across entire colonies. To achieve this, droplets of paint were applied over the gaster tips of entire worker populations within colonies of the rock ant, Temnothorax albipennis. This treatment should prevent pheromone release potentially from each ant’s Dufour’s, poison, and pygidial glands in addition to the hindgut. We then examined the collective decision-making abilities of treatment and control colonies over alternative new nest sites in binary choice experiments. The performance of treatment colonies was compared with that of control colonies that had also been marked with paint but in such a way as not to disrupt their pheromone excretions from the gaster tip. Our results reveal the importance of “gaster-tip” pheromones during colony emigrations. Treatment-colony emigrations were significantly less successful than those of the controls, as the quality of their nest site assessments was reduced. However, treatment ants presented an extraordinary example of behavioral plasticity as they reduced their quorum thresholds in order to maintain normal emigration completion times. Hence, the ants whose communication systems have been compromised can still emigrate swiftly and maintain low levels of colony exposure.

Evaluation of fipronil baits against Microtermes mycophagus (Blattodea: Termitidae)

AbstractWe evaluated the efficacy of fipronil baits in suppressing or eliminating field colonies of Microtermes mycophagus (Desneux) (Blattodea: Termitidae) an important subterranean termite pest in Pakistan. We tested two doses (10 and 30 ppm) of fipronil in toilet paper baits, chosen from laboratory repellency tests. We monitored four colonies for foraging activity for one month before baiting, and mapped foraging territories with termites marked with Nile Blue A and agonistic tests. Before the fipronil baits were installed there were averages of 782–1938 workers and soldiers per bait station in the four colonies. After baiting, the colonies were eliminated as there were no workers per bait station, whereas the control colony had an average of 1142 workers per bait station. The three possibly eliminated colonies consumed around 47 mg of fipronil formulation (4.7 mg active ingredient) in 45–90 days. Our results suggest that baits containing fipronil could provide an economical and feasible alternative for the management of M. mycophagus in structures and buildings in Pakistan.

Long term effects of a food supplement HiveAlive™ on honey bee colony strength and Nosema ceranae spore counts

The long term effect of HiveAlive™, a commercial food supplement, was evaluated with respect to colony population size and Nosema ceranae spore loads. The supplement was administered in sugar syrup at a dose of 2.5 ml per liter of syrup to up to 20 colonies per group for a period of 2 years. Its use before and after winter increased a colony’s worker population size by 89% and reduced Nosema ceranae spores by 57% compared to control colonies. These results represent the first-known hive manipulation to have a lasting effect on nosema spore levels. The positive effect of HiveAlive™ may have been a result of its continued use over a two-year period.

Modulation of Hsp60 in response to coral brown band disease.

Brown band disease (BrB), a virulent coral disease characterized by a dense concentration of ciliates ingesting coral tissue, is responsible for ongoing coral losses on Indo-Pacific reefs. Although several efforts have been made to identify the microbial communities associated with BrB and study the disease ecology, less attention has been given to the effect of ciliate presence on coral physiology. Levels of the mitochondrial heat shock protein 60-kDa (Hsp60, a biomarker indicative of cellular stress) were analyzed in apparently healthy coral polyps located at different distances along the advancing front of infection in Acropora muricata colonies affected by BrB in a Maldivian reef. Different Hsp60 levels were found in different parts of the same colony. Starting from a basal protein level in the healthy control colonies, a down-regulation of Hsp60 expression was detected near the ciliate band, indicating that the Hsp60 defense activity was probably already compromised due to the rapid progression rate of the BrB ciliate on the diseased branches and/or to the etiology of the disease. Moving away from the band, the Hsp60 levels gradually returned to a state comparable to that found in the control, showing that cellular damage was confined to areas near the infection. In conclusion, we propose the analysis of Hsp60 modulation as a useful tool for examining physiological variations that are not detected at the morphological level in corals subjected to epizootic diseases, while providing new insights into the immune response of corals.

Controlling honeybee pathogen by using neem and Barbaka plant extracts

The honeybees (Apis mellifera) population is declining. The involved causes may be pathogens (mites, viruses and bacteria) and parasites, due to honeybee's compromised immune system, leading to various bee-associated infections. Therefore, the present study assessed the comparative efficacy of plant extracts, including neem (Azadirachta indica) and Barbaka (Vitex trifolia) against gut bacteria and ectoparasitic mite Varroa destructor of honeybee A. mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae). The in vitro activities of the plant extracts were determined by using standard methods against five bee gut bacterial isolates, including the well-known bee pathogenic bacteria Paenibacillus larvae. Miticides were also assessed in field against honeybee mites. The obtained results from the phytochemical screening of Barbaka and neem extracts efficiency showed inhibitory zones with diameters of 23 mm with 60 mg/mL against P. larvae and 14 mm with 60 mg/mL against Escherichia coli, respectively. None of the extracts proved to be effective against Salmonella enterica and the neem extract showed intermediate activity against Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus hominis. Likewise, Barbaka plant extracts were not effective against B. subtilis. Similarly, the relative treatment efficacies of neem and Barbaka extracts, together with conventional miticides against honeybee Varroa mites, varied significantly. However, the effect of Barbaka and neem extracts on the mite-infested colonies was lower than the effect of other treatments, but it was also higher than in the control colonies. This study concluded that Barbaka and neem extracts have antibacterial and miticidal activity and are reasonably safe. However, more trials have to be conducted, in order to validate these results.

Colonies of Bumble Bees (Bombus impatiens) Produce Fewer Workers, Less Bee Biomass, and Have Smaller Mother Queens Following Fungicide Exposure.

Bees provide vital pollination services to the majority of flowering plants in both natural and agricultural systems. Unfortunately, both native and managed bee populations are experiencing declines, threatening the persistence of these plants and crops. Agricultural chemicals are one possible culprit contributing to bee declines. Even fungicides, generally considered safe for bees, have been shown to disrupt honey bee development and impair bumble bee behavior. Little is known, however, how fungicides may affect bumble bee colony growth. We conducted a controlled cage study to determine the effects of fungicide exposure on colonies of a native bumble bee species (Bombus impatiens). Colonies of B. impatiens were exposed to flowers treated with field-relevant levels of the fungicide chlorothalonil over the course of one month. Colony success was assessed by the number and biomass of larvae, pupae, and adult bumble bees. Bumble bee colonies exposed to fungicide produced fewer workers, lower total bee biomass, and had lighter mother queens than control colonies. Our results suggest that fungicides negatively affect the colony success of a native bumble bee species and that the use of fungicides during bloom has the potential to severely impact the success of native bumble bee populations foraging in agroecosystems.

Pathological effects of cyanobacteria on sea fans in southeast Florida

In early August 2008, observations by divers indicated that sea fans, particularly Gorgonia ventalina, Gorgonia flabellum, and Iciligorgia schrammi, were being covered by benthic filamentous cyanobacteria. From August 2008 through January 2009 and again in April 2009, tissue samples from a targeted G. ventalina colony affected by cyanobacteria and from a nearby, apparently healthy (without cyanobacteria) control colony, were collected monthly for histopathological examination. The primary cellular response of the sea fan to overgrowth by cyanobacteria was an increase in the number of acidophilic amoebocytes (with their granular contents dispersed) that were scattered throughout the coenenchyme tissue. Necrosis of scleroblasts and zooxanthellae and infiltration of degranulated amoebocytes were observed in the sea fan surface tissues at sites overgrown with cyanobacteria. Fungal hyphae in the axial skeleton were qualitatively more prominent in cyanobacteria-affected sea fans than in controls.

Retention of the stemness of mouse adipose-derived stem cells by their expansion on human bone marrow stromal cell-derived extracellular matrix.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) usually lose their stemness during in vitro expansion as they are deprived of their niche environment. Cell-extracellular matrix (ECM) interaction is known to play important roles in preserving the stemness of the cells in their stem cell niche environment. Previously, coating with bone marrow MSC (BMSC)-derived ECM was found able to maintain the differentiation potential of in vitro cultured MSCs. This study aimed to determine if this ECM coating could also maintain the stemness of cultured murine adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) using a regular culture flask as a control. Cells were expanded in ECM-coated and ECM-noncoated flasks for two and four passages and then harvested for various analyses. The results showed that ASCs exhibited fibroblast-like spindle morphology in ECM-coated flasks, whereas ASCs gradually spread and enlarged in the ECM-noncoated flasks. After three and five passages, both groups of cells exhibited similar cytokinetics in the MSC culture medium (MesenPRO RS™ Medium). However, when cultured in Dulbecco's modified Eagles medium (DMEM) plus 10% fetal bovine serum, coating group cells exhibited more potent proliferation than control group cells with a significant difference in both passages 3 and 5 (p<0.01). When seeded at low density (500 cells/10-cm dish), coating group cells formed significantly more and larger sized cell colonies than control group cells with significant difference in cell colony numbers between two groups (p<0.05). In addition, coated colony cells were much smaller and more compactly arranged compared to control colony cells. Furthermore, ASCs expanded in coated flasks exhibited greater potentials for adipogenic, osteogenic, and chondrogenic differentiations than the cells expanded in regular flasks. Quantitatively, the Oil Red O staining area, Alizarin staining area, and Toluidine Blue staining area were all significantly larger than the respective staining areas of control cells (p<0.05). Real-time polymerase chain reaction also revealed significantly higher gene expression levels of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ), adipocyte protein 2 (aP2), CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein (C/EBP), Runx2, osteocalcin, Sox9, collagen II, and aggrecan in ECM-coated group cells than in control group cells (p<0.05). Collectively, these results suggest that human BMSC decellular ECM coating helps to preserve the stemness of cultured murine ASCs.

&lt;i&gt;In Vitro&lt;/i&gt; Cytotoxicity and Mutagenicity Evaluation of Dental Leucite Glass-Ceramics from Local High Grade Silica Sand

The objective of the study was to determine the degree of biocompatibility of leucite glass-ceramics that have been produced from local high grade silica sand in terms of cytotoxicity and mutagenicity assays. In the present study, the cyctotoxicity and mutagenicity were studied using the 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5 diphenyl tetrazolium bromide assay (MTT) and Ames Reverse Mutation. In the MTT assay, a dose response cytotoxicity of leucite sample was evaluated in L929 cells. The cells were treated with the concentrations of 6.25, 12.5, 25.0, 50.00, 100.00 and 200.00 mg/ml of the leucite sample for 24 hours. The cytotoxicity was determined by assessing the cell viability through the reduction of tetrazolium salts (MTT). The mutagenenicity of leucite sample was evaluated in S. typhirium TA98. TA100, TA1535, TA1537 and E. coli WP2 in the Ames Reverse Mutation assay. Mutagenic effects were evaluated by comparing the mean number of revertant colonies of each extract concentraction with mean number of revertant colonies of the negative control. In results of MTT assay evaluated that the leucite did not show a cytotoxic effect at all concentrations under the condition of the study. Ames Reverse Mutation assay result proven that the leucite sample did not demonstrate a mutagenic effect under the condition of this study with Salmonella typhimurium and Escherichia coli.

Versatile, simple-to-use microfluidic cell-culturing chip for long-term, high-resolution, time-lapse imaging.

Optical long-term observation of individual cells, combined with modern data analysis tools, allows for a detailed study of cell-to-cell variability, heredity, and differentiation. We developed a microfluidic device featuring facile cell loading, simple and robust operation, and which is amenable to high-resolution life-cell imaging. Different cell strains can be grown in parallel in the device under constant or changing media perfusion without cross-talk between the cell ensembles. The culturing chamber has been optimized for use with nonadherent cells, such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and enables controlled colony growth over multiple generations under aerobic or anaerobic conditions. Small changes in the layout will make the device also useable with bacteria or mammalian cells. The platform can be readily set up in every laboratory with minimal additional requirements and can be operated without technology training.

Towards integrated control of varroa: 2)comparing application methods and doses of oxalic acid on the mortality of phoretic Varroa destructor mites and their honey bee hosts

In the past two decades, the parasitic mite Varroa destructor has become harder to control with synthetic acaricide chemicals due to genetic resistance. We determined the efficacy of the natural chemical oxalic acid (OA) in killing phoretic mites on adult worker bees under field conditions in southern England. We compared three OA application methods (trickling, spraying, and sublimation) at three or four (sublimation) doses, using 110 broodless colonies in early January 2013. Treatment efficacy was assessed by extracting mites from samples of c. 270 worker bees collected immediately before and 10 days after treatment. All three methods could give high varroa mortality, c. 93–95%, using 2.25 g OA per colony. However, sublimation was superior as it gave higher mortality at lower doses (.56 or 1.125 g per colony: trickling 20, 57% mortality; spraying 25, 86%; sublimation 81, 97%.). Sublimation using 2.25 g of OA also resulted in 3 and 12 times less worker bee mortality in the 10 days after application than either trickling or spraying, respectively, and lower colony mortality four months later in mid spring. Colonies treated via sublimation also had greater brood area four months later than colonies treated via trickling, spraying, or control colonies. A second trial in December 2013 treated 89 broodless colonies with 2.25 g OA via sublimation to confirm the previous results. Varroa mortality was 97.6% and 87 (98%) of the colonies survived until spring. This confirms that applying OA via sublimation in broodless honey bee colonies in winter is a highly effective way of controlling V. destructor and causes no harm to the colonies.

Portugues

The flow of ions from the plasma membrane of fungi and bacteria have bioelectric a delicate balance. The magnetic energy is able to influence that flow through the Hall effect, creating changes in the conformation of the protein molecules and enzymes. Can alter the rate of enzymatic processes (HENEINE, 2000), the speed of the sodium-potassium pump, the calcium pumps GRISSON, 1995) which carry out control over the osmotic ions inside and outside the membrane, including control inlet and outlet water (PAPAGAPOULOS, ET AL, 2000). The stimulation or inhibition of cellular processes performed by magnetic fields are of great interest for cell biology, microbiology and biotechnology industry for its significant potential applications. This paper aims to ascertain whether the magnetic north pole and south power pole causing stimulation or inhibition in the growth of some bacteria and fungi. This study was developed by culturing some bacteria and some fungi developed in appropriate culture media and incubation with control colonies and colonies tests. In tests, the magnets of 740 gauss and 4000 gauss north pole to south pole and set the dish containing the sowing of standardized microbial suspension were used. Control samples not magnetos were added.

Decadal environmental ‘memory’ in a reef coral?

West sides of the coral Coelastrea aspera, which had achieved thermo-tolerance after previous experience of high solar irradiance in the field, were rotated through 180o on a reef flat in Phuket, Thailand (7o50´N, 98o25.5´E), in 2000 in a manipulation experiment and secured in this position. In 2010, elevated sea temperatures caused extreme bleaching in these corals, with former west sides of colonies (now facing east) retaining four times higher symbiont densities than the east sides of control colonies, which had not been rotated and which had been subject to a lower irradiance environment than west sides throughout their lifetime. The reduced bleaching susceptibility of the former west sides in 2010, compared to handling controls, suggests that the rotated corals had retained a ‘memory’ of their previous high irradiance history despite living under lower irradiance for 10 years. Such long-term retention of an environmental ‘memory’ raises important questions about the acclimatisation potential of reef corals in a changing climate and the mechanisms by which it is achieved.