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The 8-7 crystalline-electric-field (CEF) transition of CeB6 has been identified near 530 K (46 meV, 372 cm-1) with use of inelastic neutron and polarized Raman scattering. From the anomalous temperature behavior of the transition energy observed in Raman scattering we deduce a 8 ground state split by 20 cm-1 (30 K). The novel CEF level scheme yields a consistent and unified interpretation of so far seemingly unrelated thermal, elastic, and magnetic data. © 1984 The American Physical Society.

An inelastic electronic excitation has been observed in CeB6 near 47 meV (545 K) by means of neutron and Raman spectroscopy. This excitation has been identified as the Γ8→Γ7 crystalline-electric-field (CEF) transition. From the anomalous energy shift of this excitation at low temperatures, detectable due to the high resolution of Raman spectroscopy (±5 K), we deduce a Γ8 ground-state split by about 30 K. With this new CEF level scheme the first consistent interpretation of so far seemingly unrelated thermal, elastic, and magnetic data is achieved. In spite of the large body of thermal, magnetic, and elastic data of CeB6 accumulated over the past years, various diverging proposals for the CEF level scheme have been reported. In all schemes a Γ7 ground state was assumed, but the CEF splittings ranged from 10 K6 to more than 400 K. The absence of CEF excitations in direct spectroscopic measurements up to 400 K has been puzzling, and pointed to the necessity of high-energy neutron experiments. We have performed inelastic magnetic neutron scattering experiments using high-energy incident neutrons up to 185 meV from the Intense Pulsed Neutron Source at Argonne National Laboratory. An inelastic peak at 46 meV (530 K) is clearly identified as magnetic scattering by its Q dependence. The absolute intensity corresponds to the value of a Γ8→Γ7 transition. In addition, we have carried out Raman measurements on (100) faces of CeB6. At room temperature we found an inelastic excitation at 372 cm−1 (530 K). It is absent in the reference compound LaB6. From the polarization analysis we found that the transition has Γ3+ and Γ5+ symmetry. Both facts characterize this excitation as the Γ8→Γ7 CEF transition, which is the first CEF excitation seen in a metal by means of Raman spectroscopy. The high resolution of Raman spectroscopy enabled us to detect a 10-cm−1 shift of the Γ8→Γ7 transition energy to 382 cm−1 for temperatures below 20 K. This can only be explained by assuming a Γ8 ground state, which is split by 30 K. From the spectroscopic data we can establish a completely new CEF level scheme for CeB6 with a Γ8 ground state, split by about 30 K and a Γ7 state 545 K above. This allows a straightforward interpretation of various other experimental data, such as magnetic entropy, static magnetic susceptibility, high-field magnetization, magnetic form factor,8 temperature, and magnetic-field-dependent elastic constants and the antiferroquadrupolar ordering below TQ =3.3 K. A recent theoretical investigation of magnetic ordering of a periodic Anderson Hamiltonian with orbital degeneracy has been applied to CeB6. On the basis of entropy and magnetization data it was assumed that the quartet Γ8 is the ground state. Hence it was predicted that the low-temperature phase II (2.1 K

Background: Mesenchymal stromal cell derived extracellular vesicles (MSC-EVs) are a promising therapeutic for neuroinflammation. MSC-EVs can interact with microglia, the resident immune cells of the brain, to exert their immunomodulatory effects. In response to inflammatory cues, such as cytokines, microglia undergo phenotypic changes indicative of their function e.g. morphology and secretion. However, these changes in response to MSC-EVs are not well understood. Additionally, no disease-relevant screening tools to assess MSC-EV bioactivity exist, which has further impeded clinical translation. Here, we developed a quantitative, high throughput morphological profiling approach to assess the response of microglia to neuroinflammation- relevant signals and whether this morphological response can be used to indicate the bioactivity of MSC-EVs., Results: Using an immortalized human microglia cell-line, we observed increased size (perimeter, major axis length) and complexity (form factor) upon stimulation with interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α). Upon treatment with MSC-EVs, the overall morphological score (determined using principal component analysis) shifted towards the unstimulated morphology, indicating that MSC-EVs are bioactive and modulate microglia. The morphological effects of MSC-EVs in TNF-α /IFN-γ stimulated cells were concomitant with reduced secretion of 14 chemokines/cytokines (e.g. CXCL6, CXCL9) and increased secretion of 12 chemokines/cytokines (e.g. CXCL8, CXCL10). Proteomic analysis of cell lysates revealed significant increases in 192 proteins (e.g. HIBADH, MEAK7, LAMC1) and decreases in 257 proteins (e.g. PTEN, TOM1, MFF) with MSC-EV treatment. Of note, many of these proteins are involved in regulation of cell morphology and migration. Gene Set Variation Analysis revealed upregulation of pathways associated with immune response, such as regulation of cytokine production, immune cell infiltration (e.g. T cells, NK cells) and morphological changes (e.g. Semaphorin, RHO/Rac signaling). Additionally, changes in microglia mitochondrial morphology were measured suggesting that MSC-EV modulate mitochondrial metabolism., Conclusion: This study comprehensively demonstrates the effects of MSC-EVs on human microglial morphology, cytokine secretion, cellular proteome, and mitochondrial content. Our high-throughput, rapid, low-cost morphometric approach enables screening of MSC-EV batches and manufacturing conditions to enhance EV function and mitigate EV functional heterogeneity in a disease relevant manner. This approach is highly generalizable and can be further adapted and refined based on selection of the disease-relevant signal, target cell, and therapeutic product., (© 2024. This is a U.S. Government work and not under copyright protection in the US; foreign copyright protection may apply.)

γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is an abundant neurotransmitter that plays multiple roles in the vertebrate central nervous system (CNS). In the early developing CNS, GABAergic signaling acts to depolarize cells. It mediates several aspects of neural development, including cell proliferation, neuronal migration, neurite growth, and synapse formation, as well as the development of critical periods. Later in CNS development, GABAergic signaling acts in an inhibitory manner when it becomes the predominant inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain. This behavior switch occurs due to changes in chloride/cation transporter expression. Abnormalities of GABAergic signaling appear to underlie several human neurological conditions, including seizure disorders. However, the impact of reduced GABAergic signaling on brain development has been challenging to study in mammals. Here we take advantage of zebrafish and light sheet imaging to assess the impact of reduced GABAergic signaling on the functional circuitry in the larval zebrafish optic tectum. Zebrafish have three gad genes: two gad1 paralogs known as gad1a and gad1b , and gad2. The gad1b and gad2 genes are expressed in the developing optic tectum. Null mutations in gad1b significantly reduce GABA levels in the brain and increase electrophysiological activity in the optic tectum. Fast light sheet imaging of genetically encoded calcium indicator (GCaMP)-expressing gab1b null larval zebrafish revealed patterns of neural activity that were different than either gad1b-normal larvae or gad1b -normal larvae acutely exposed to pentylenetetrazole (PTZ). These results demonstrate that reduced GABAergic signaling during development increases functional connectivity and concomitantly hyper-synchronization of neuronal networks.

Gulf War Illness (GWI) affects nearly 30% of veterans from the 1990-1991 Gulf War (GW) and is a multi-symptom illness with many neurological effects attributed to in-theater wartime chemical overexposures. Brain-focused studies have revealed persistent structural and functional alterations in veterans with GWI, including reduced volumes, connectivity, and signaling that correlate with poor cognitive and motor performance. GWI symptomology components have been recapitulated in rodent models as behavioral, neurochemical, and neuroinflammatory aberrations. However, preclinical structural imaging studies remain limited. This study aimed to characterize the progression of brain structural alterations over the course of 12 months in two established preclinical models of GWI. In the PB/PM model, male C57BL/6 J mice (8-9 weeks) received daily exposure to the nerve agent prophylactic pyridostigmine bromide (PB) and the pyrethroid insecticide permethrin (PM) for 10 days. In the PB/DEET/CORT/DFP model, mice received daily exposure to PB and the insect repellent DEET (days 1-14) and corticosterone (CORT; days 7-14). On day 15, mice received a single injection of the sarin surrogate diisopropylfluorophosphate (DFP). Using a Varian 7 T Bore MRI System, structural (sagittal T2-weighted) scans were performed at 6-, 9-, and 12-months post GWI exposures. Regions of interest, including total brain, ventricles, cortex, hippocampus, cerebellum, and brainstem were delineated in the open source Aedes Toolbox in MATLAB, followed by brain volumetric and cortical thickness analyses in ImageJ. Limited behavioral testing 1 month after the last MRI was also performed. The results of this study compare similarities and distinctions between these exposure paradigms and aid in the understanding of GWI pathogenesis. Major similarities among the models include relative ventricular enlargement and reductions in hippocampal volumes with age. Key differences in the PB/DEET/CORT/DFP model included reduced brainstem volumes and an early and persistent loss of total brain volume, while the PB/PM model produced reductions in cortical thickness with age. Behaviorally, at 13 months, motor function was largely preserved in both models. However, the GWI mice in the PB/DEET/CORT/DFP model exhibited an elevation in anxiety-like behavior., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Carpenter, Hughes and Filipov.)

Tetraopes longhorn beetles are known for their resistance to milkweed plant toxins and their coevolutionary dynamics with milkweed plants (Asclepias). This association is considered a textbook example of coevolution, in which each species of Tetraopes is specialized to feed on one or a few species of Asclepias. A major challenge to investigating coevolutionary hypotheses and conducting molecular ecology studies lies in the limited understanding of the evolutionary history and biogeographical patterns of Tetraopes. By integrating genomic, morphological, paleontological, and geographical data, we present a robust phylogeny of Tetraopes and their relatives, using three inference methods with varying subsets of data, encompassing 2-12 thousand UCE loci. We elucidate the diversification patterns of Tetraopes species across major biogeographical regions and their colonization of the American continent. Our findings suggest that the genus originated in Central America approximately 21 million years ago during the Miocene and diversified from the Mid-Miocene to the Pleistocene. These events coincided with intense geological activity in Central America. Additionally, independent colonization events in North America occurred from the Late Miocene to the early Pleistocene, potentially contributing to the early diversification of the group. Our data suggest that a common ancestor of Tetraopini migrated into North America, likely facilitated by North Atlantic land bridges, while closely related tribes diverged in Asia and Europe during the Paleocene. Establishing a robust and densely sampled phylogeny of Tetraopes beetles provides a foundation for investigating micro- and macroevolutionary phenomena, including clinal variation, coevolution, and detoxification mechanisms in this ecologically important group., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Although MALDI-ToF platforms for microbial identifications have found great success in clinical microbiology, the sole use of protein fingerprints for the discrimination of closely related species, strain-level identifications, and detection of antimicrobial resistance remains a challenge for the technology. Several alternative mass spectrometry-based methods have been proposed to address the shortcomings of the protein-centric approach, including MALDI-ToF methods for fatty acid/lipid profiling and LC-MS profiling of metabolites. However, the molecular diversity of microbial pathogens suggests that no single "ome" will be sufficient for the accurate and sensitive identification of strain- and susceptibility-level profiling of bacteria. Here, we describe the development of an alternative approach to microorganism profiling that relies upon both metabolites and lipids rather than a single class of biomolecule. Single-phase extractions based on butanol, acetonitrile, and water (the BAW method) were evaluated for the recovery of lipids and metabolites from Gram-positive and -negative microorganisms. We found that BAW extraction solutions containing 45% butanol provided optimal recovery of both molecular classes in a single extraction. The single-phase extraction method was coupled to hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) and ion mobility-mass spectrometry (IM-MS) to resolve similar-mass metabolites and lipids in three dimensions and provide multiple points of evidence for feature annotation in the absence of tandem mass spectrometry. We demonstrate that the combined use of metabolites and lipids can be used to differentiate microorganisms to the species- and strain-level for four of the ESKAPE pathogens ( Enterococcus faecium , Staphylococcus aureus , Acinetobacter baumannii , and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ) using data from a single ionization mode. These results present promising, early stage evidence for the use of multiomic signatures for the identification of microorganisms by liquid chromatography, ion mobility, and mass spectrometry that, upon further development, may improve upon the level of identification provided by current methods., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (© 2023 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.)

Fescue toxicosis is caused by grazing ergot alkaloid-producing endophyte ( Epichloë coenophiala )-infected tall fescue (E+). Summer grazing of E+ leads to decreased productivity, associated impaired thermoregulation, and altered behavior. The goal of this study was to determine the role of E+ grazing-climate interaction on animal behavior and thermoregulation during late fall. Eighteen Angus steers were placed on nontoxic (NT), toxic (E+) and endophyte-free (E-) fescue pastures for 28 days. Physiological parameters, such as rectal temperature (RT), respiration rate (RR), ear and ankle surface temperature (ET, AT), and body weights, were measured. Skin surface temperature (SST) and animal activity were recorded continuously with temperature and behavioral activity sensors, respectively. Environmental conditions were collected using paddocks-placed data loggers. Across the trial, steers on E+ gained about 60% less weight than the other two groups. E+ steers also had higher RT than E- and NT, and lower SST than NT post-pasture placement. Importantly, animals grazing E+ spent more time lying, less time standing, and took more steps. These data suggest that late fall E+ grazing impairs core and surface temperature regulation and increases non-productive lying time, which may be partly responsible for the observed decreased weight gains.

Chemical overexposures and war-related stress during the 1990-1991 Gulf War (GW) are implicated in the persisting pathological symptoms that many GW veterans continue to endure. These symptoms culminate into a disease known as Gulf War Illness (GWI) and affect about a third of the GW veteran population. Currently, comprehensive effective GWI treatment options are unavailable. Here, an established GWI mouse model was utilized to explore the (1) long-term behavioral and neuroinflammatory effects of deployment-related GWI chemicals exposure and (2) ability of the immunotherapeutic lacto-N-fucopentaose III (LNFPIII) to improve deficits when given months after the end of exposure. Male C57BL6/J mice (8-9 weeks old) were administered pyridostigmine bromide (PB) and DEET for 14 days along with corticosterone (CORT; latter 7 days) to emulate wartime stress. On day 15, a single injection of the nerve agent surrogate diisopropylfluorophosphate (DFP) was given. LNFPIII treatment began 7 months post GWI chemicals exposure and continued until study completion. A battery of behavioral tests for assessment of cognition/memory, mood, and motor function in rodents was performed beginning 8 months after exposure termination and was then followed by immunohistochemcal evaluation of neuroinflammation and neurogenesis. Within tests of motor function, prior GWI chemical exposure led to hyperactivity, impaired sensorimotor function, and altered gait. LNFPIII attenuated these motor-related deficits and improved overall grip strength. GWI mice also exhibited more anxiety-like behavior that was reduced by LNFPIII; this was test-specific. Short-term, but not long-term memory, was impaired by prior GWI exposure; LNFPIII improved this measure. In the brains of GWI mice, but not in mice treated with LNFPIII, glial activation was increased. Overall, it appears that months after exposure to GWI chemicals, behavioral deficits and neuroinflammation are present. Many of these deficits were attenuated by LNFPIII when treatment began long after GWI chemical exposure termination, highlighting its therapeutic potential for veterans with GWI., (© 2022 The Authors.)

The subfamily Eumeninae plays a significant role in the biological control of agricultural pests. However, the characteristics of eumenine mitogenomes that are important molecular markers for phylogenetics are not clearly revealed. Here, 52 eumenine mitogenomes are newly sequenced and annotated, and the phylogenetic relationships of the subfamily are comprehensively analyzed based on 87 vespid mitogenomes. Through the comparative analysis of the 54 eumenine mitogenomes, the gene compositions of about one half of the 54 species match with ancestral insect mitogenome, and remaining others contain two trnM which are highly similar, with 51.86% ( Eumenes tripunctatus ) to 90.65% ( Pseumenes nigripectus ) sequence identities, which is unique among the reported mitogenomes of the family Vespidae. Moreover, the translocation trnL1 upstream of nad1 is a common rearrangement event in all eumenine mitogenomes. The results of phylogenetic analyses support the paraphyly of the subfamily Eumeninae and the tribe Odynerini, respectively, and the monophyly of the tribe Eumenini, and verify that the tribe Zethini is a valid subfamily Zethinae. In this study, the relationships between some genera such as Allorhynchium and Pararrhynchium or the taxonomic status of the subgenera such as Eremodynerus and Dirhynchium are found to be confusing and there should be further inquiry with more samples.

Bovine fescue toxicosis (FT) is caused by grazing ergot alkaloid-producing endophyte (Epichloë coenophiala)-infected tall fescue. Endophyte's effects on the animal's microbiota and metabolism were investigated recently, but its effects in planta or on the plant-animal interactions have not been considered. We examined multi-compartment microbiota-metabolome perturbations using multi-'omics (16S and ITS2 sequencing, plus untargeted metabolomics) in Angus steers grazing non-toxic (Max-Q) or toxic (E+) tall fescue for 28 days and in E+ plants. E+ altered the plant/animal microbiota, decreasing most ruminal fungi, with mixed effects on rumen bacteria and fecal microbiota. Metabolic perturbations occurred in all matrices, with some plant-animal overlap (e.g., Vitamin B6 metabolism). Integrative interactomics revealed unique E+ network constituents. Only E+ had ruminal solids OTUs within the network and fecal fungal OTUs in E+ had unique taxa (e.g., Anaeromyces). Three E+-unique urinary metabolites that could be potential biomarkers of FT and targeted therapeutically were identified., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: Physiological homeostasis decline, immunosenescence, and increased risk for multiple diseases, including neurodegeneration, are all hallmarks of ageing. Importantly, it is known that the ageing process is sex-biased. For example, there are sex differences in predisposition for multiple age-related diseases, including neurodegenerative and autoimmune diseases. However, sex differences in age-associated immune phenotypes are not clearly understood., Results: Here, we examined the effects of age on immune cell phenotypes in both sexes of C57BL/6J mice with a particular focus on NK cells. We found female-specific spleen weight increases with age and concordant reduction in the number of splenocytes per gram of spleen weight compared to young females. To evaluate sex- and age-associated changes in splenic immune cell composition, we performed flow cytometry analysis. In male mice, we observed an age-associated reduction in the frequencies of monocytes and NK cells; female mice displayed a reduction in B cells, NK cells, and CD8 + T cells and increased frequency of monocytes and neutrophils with age. We then performed a whole blood stimulation assay and multiplex analyses of plasma cytokines and observed age- and sex-specific differences in immune cell reactivity and basal circulating cytokine concentrations. As we have previously illustrated a potential role of NK cells in Parkinson's disease, an age-related neurodegenerative disease, we further analyzed age-associated changes in NK cell phenotypes and function. There were distinct differences between the sexes in age-associated changes in the expression of NK cell receptors, IFN-γ production, and impairment of α-synuclein endocytosis., Conclusions: This study demonstrates sex- and age-specific alterations in splenic lymphocyte composition, circulating cytokine/chemokine profiles, and NK cell phenotype and effector functions. Our data provide evidence that age-related physiological perturbations differ between the sexes which may help elucidate sex differences in age-related diseases, including neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Parkinson's disease, where immune dysfunction is implicated in their etiology.

The microbiota's influence on host (patho) physiology has gained interest in the context of Gulf War Illness (GWI), a chronic disorder featuring dysregulation of the gut-brain-immune axis. This study examined short- and long-term effects of GWI-related chemicals on gut health and fecal microbiota and the potential benefits of Lacto-N-fucopentaose-III (LNFPIII) treatment in a GWI model. Male C57BL/6J mice were administered pyridostigmine bromide (PB; 0.7 mg/kg) and permethrin (PM; 200 mg/kg) for 10 days with concurrent LNFPIII treatment (35 μg/mouse) in a short-term study (12 days total) and delayed LNFPIII treatment (2×/week) beginning 4 months after 10 days of PB/PM exposure in a long-term study (9 months total). Fecal 16S rRNA sequencing was performed on all samples post-LNFPIII treatment to assess microbiota effects of GWI chemicals and acute/delayed LNFPIII administration. Although PB/PM did not affect species composition on a global scale, it affected specific taxa in both short- and long-term settings. PB/PM elicited more prominent long-term effects, notably, on the abundances of bacteria belonging to Lachnospiraceae and Ruminococcaceae families and the genus Allobaculum . LNFPIII improved a marker of gut health (i.e., decreased lipocalin-2) independent of GWI and, importantly, increased butyrate producers (e.g., Butyricoccus , Ruminococcous ) in PB/PM-treated mice, indicating a positive selection pressure for these bacteria. Multiple operational taxonomic units correlated with aberrant behavior and lipocalin-2 in PB/PM samples; LNFPIII was modulatory. Overall, significant and lasting GWI effects occurred on specific microbiota and LNFPIII treatment was beneficial.

Three new species, namely Stenodyneriellusangustus sp. n. from Thailand, S.profundus sp. n. from Philippines, and S.longitergus sp. n. from Indonesia, are described and illustrated in detail. Stenodyneriellusmaculatus Gusenleitner, 2013 is newly recorded from Vietnam. Two keys to some related species are also provided.

The hypothesis that eusociality originated once in Vespidae has shaped interpretation of social evolution for decades and has driven the supposition that preimaginal morphophysiological differences between castes were absent at the outset of eusociality. Many researchers also consider casteless nest-sharing an antecedent to eusociality. Together, these ideas endorse a stepwise progression of social evolution in wasps (solitary → casteless nest-sharing → eusociality with rudimentary behavioral castes → eusociality with preimaginal caste-biasing (PCB) → morphologically differentiated castes). Here, we infer the phylogeny of Vespidae using sequence data generated via anchored hybrid enrichment from 378 loci across 136 vespid species and perform ancestral state reconstructions to test whether rudimentary and monomorphic castes characterized the initial stages of eusocial evolution. Our results reject the single origin of eusociality hypothesis, contest the supposition that eusociality emerged from a casteless nest-sharing ancestor, and suggest that eusociality in Polistinae + Vespinae began with castes having morphological differences. An abrupt appearance of castes with ontogenetically established morphophysiological differences conflicts with the current conception of stepwise social evolution and suggests that the climb up the ladder of sociality does not occur through sequential mutation. Phenotypic plasticity and standing genetic variation could explain how cooperative brood care evolved in concert with nest-sharing and how morphologically dissimilar castes arose without a rudimentary intermediate. Furthermore, PCB at the outset of eusociality implicates a subsocial route to eusociality in Polistinae + Vespinae, emphasizing the role of mother-daughter interactions and subfertility (i.e. the cost component of kin selection) in the origin of workers., (© The Author(s) 2018. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution.)

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.740.22654.].

In French Guiana, the arboreal nests of the swarm-founding social wasp Protopolybia emortualis (Polistinae) are generally found near those of the arboreal dolichoderine ant Dolichoderus bidens. These wasp nests are typically protected by an envelope, which in turn is covered by an additional carton 'shelter' with structure resembling the D. bidens nests. A few wasps constantly guard their nest to keep D. bidens workers from approaching. When alarmed by a strong disturbance, the ants invade the host tree foliage whereas the wasps retreat into their nest. Notably, there is no chemical convergence in the cuticular profiles of the wasps and ants sharing a tree. The aggressiveness of D. bidens likely protects the wasps from army ant raids, but the ants do not benefit from the presence of the wasps; therefore, this relationship corresponds to a kind of commensalism., (Copyright © 2018 Académie des sciences. All rights reserved.)

Background: Several psychiatric conditions are affected by neuroinflammation and neuroimmune activation. The transcription factor nuclear factor kappa light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NFkB) plays a major role in inflammation and innate immunity. The neurokinin-1 receptor (NK1R) is the primary endogenous target of the neuroactive peptide substance P, and some data suggests that NK1R stimulation may influence NFkB activity. Both NK1R and NFkB have been shown to play a functional role in complex behaviors including stress responsivity, depression, and addiction. In this study, we test whether NFkB activity in the brain (stimulated by lipopolysaccharide administration) is dependent upon the NK1R., Methods: Adult male Wistar rats were treated systemically with the NK1R antagonist L822429 followed by administration of systemic lipopolysaccharide (LPS, a strong activator of NFkB). Hippocampal extracts were used to assess expression of proinflammatory cytokines and NFkB-DNA-binding potential. For behavioral studies, rats were trained to consume 1% (w/v) sucrose solution in a continuous access two-bottle choice model. After establishment of baseline, animals were treated with L822429 and LPS and sucrose preference was measured 12 h post-treatment., Results: Systemic LPS treatment causes a significant increase in proinflammatory cytokine expression and NFkB-DNA-binding activity within the hippocampus. These increases are attenuated by systemic pretreatment with the NK1R antagonist L822429. Systemic LPS treatment also led to the development of anhedonic-like behavior, evidenced by decreased sucrose intake in the sucrose preference test. This behavior was significantly attenuated by systemic pretreatment with the NK1R antagonist L822429., Conclusions: Systemic LPS treatment induced significant increases in NFkB activity, evidenced by increased NFkB-DNA binding and by increased proinflammatory cytokine expression in the hippocampus. LPS also induced anhedonic-like behavior. Both the molecular and behavioral effects of LPS treatment were significantly attenuated by systemic NK1R antagonism, suggesting that NK1R stimulation lies upstream of NFkB activation following systemic LPS administration and is at least in part responsible for NFkB activation.

A new species of potter wasp from South America, Ancistrocerus sur sp. n. , is described. A species key and checklist for all described Ancistrocerus that occur south of the Rio Grande are provided. New synonymy includes Odynerus bolivianus Brèthes = Ancistrocerus pilosus (de Saussure), while the subspecies bustamente discopictus Bequaert, lineativentris kamloopsensis Bequaert, lineativentris sinopis Bohart, tuberculocephalussutterianus (de Saussure), and pilosus ecuadorianus Bertoni, are all sunk under their respective nominotypical taxa.

Theories of the formation and early evolution of planetary systems postulate that planets are born in circumstellar disks, and undergo radial migration during and after dissipation of the dust and gas disk from which they formed. The precise ages of meteorites indicate that planetesimals—the building blocks of planets—are produced within the first million years of a star’s life. Fully formed planets are frequently detected on short orbital periods around mature stars. Some theories suggest that the in situ formation of planets close to their host stars is unlikely and that the existence of such planets is therefore evidence of large-scale migration. Other theories posit that planet assembly at small orbital separations may be common. Here we report a newly born, transiting planet orbiting its star with a period of 5.4 days. The planet is 50 per cent larger than Neptune, and its mass is less than 3.6 times that of Jupiter (at 99.7 per cent confidence), with a true mass likely to be similar to that of Neptune. The star is 5–10 million years old and has a tenuous dust disk extending outward from about twice the Earth–Sun separation, in addition to the fully formed planet located at less than one-twentieth of the Earth–Sun separation.

Social parasites exploit the brood-care behaviour and social structure of one or more host species. Within the social Hymenoptera there are different types of social parasitism. In its extreme form, species of obligate social parasites, or inquilines, do not have the worker caste and depend entirely on the workers of a host species to raise their reproductive offspring. The strict form of Emery's rule states that social parasites share immediate common ancestry with their hosts. Moreover, this rule has been linked with a sympatric origin of inquilines from their hosts. Here, we conduct phylogenetic analyses of yellowjackets and hornets based on 12 gene fragments and evaluate competing evolutionary scenarios to test Emery's rule. We find that inquilines, as well as facultative social parasites, are not the closest relatives of their hosts. Therefore, Emery's rule in its strict sense is rejected, suggesting that social parasites have not evolved sympatrically from their hosts in yellowjackets and hornets. However, the relaxed version of the rule is supported, as inquilines and their hosts belong to the same Dolichovespula clade. Furthermore, inquilinism has evolved only once in Dolichovespula.

Coloration of stinging insects is often based on contrasted patterns of light and black pigmentations as a warning signal to predators. However, in many social wasp species, geographic variation drastically modifies this signal through melanic polymorphism potentially driven by different selective pressures. To date, surprisingly little is known about the geographic variation of coloration of social wasps in relation to aposematism and melanism and to genetic and developmental constraints. The main objectives of this study are to improve the description of the colour variation within a social wasp species and to determine which factors are driving this variation. Therefore, we explored the evolutionary history of a polymorphic hornet, Vespa velutina Lepeletier, 1836, using mitochondrial and microsatellite markers, and we analysed its melanic variation using a colour space based on a description of body parts coloration. We found two main lineages within the species and confirmed the previous synonymy of V. auraria Smith, 1852, under V. velutina, differing only by the coloration. We also found that the melanic variation of most body parts was positively correlated, with some segments forming potential colour modules. Finally, we showed that the variation of coloration between populations was not related to their molecular, geographic or climatic differences. Our observations suggest that the coloration patterns of hornets and their geographic variations are determined by genes with an influence of developmental constraints. Our results also highlight that Vespa velutina populations have experienced several convergent evolutions of the coloration, more likely influenced by constraints on aposematism and Müllerian mimicry than by abiotic pressures on melanism.

Although neutron diffraction was first observed using radioactive decay sources shortly after the discovery of the neutron, it was only with the availability of higher intensity neutron beams from the first nuclear reactors, constructed as part of the Manhattan Project, that systematic investigation of Bragg scattering became possible. Remarkably, at a time when the war effort was singularly focused on the development of the atomic bomb, groups working at Oak Ridge and Chicago carried out key measurements and recognized the future utility of neutron diffraction quite independent of its contributions to the measurement of nuclear cross sections. Ernest O. Wollan, Lyle B. Borst and Walter H. Zinn were all able to observe neutron diffraction in 1944 using the X-10 graphite reactor and the CP-3 heavy water reactor. Subsequent work by Wollan and Clifford G. Shull, who joined Wollan's group at Oak Ridge in 1946, laid the foundations for widespread application of neutron diffraction as an important research tool.

Active galactic nuclei, which are powered by long-term accretion onto central supermassive black holes, produce relativistic jets with lifetimes of at least one million years, and the observation of the birth of such a jet is therefore unlikely. Transient accretion onto a supermassive black hole, for example through the tidal disruption of a stray star, thus offers a rare opportunity to study the birth of a relativistic jet. On 25 March 2011, an unusual transient source (Swift J164449.3+573451) was found, potentially representing such an accretion event. Here we report observations spanning centimetre to millimetre wavelengths and covering the first month of evolution of a luminous radio transient associated with Swift J164449.3+573451. The radio transient coincides with the nucleus of an inactive galaxy. We conclude that we are seeing a newly formed relativistic outflow, launched by transient accretion onto a million-solar-mass black hole. A relativistic outflow is not predicted in this situation, but we show that the tidal disruption of a star naturally explains the observed high-energy properties and radio luminosity and the inferred rate of such events. The weaker beaming in the radio-frequency spectrum relative to γ-rays or X-rays suggests that radio searches may uncover similar events out to redshifts of z ≈ 6.

Establishing a direct link between climate change and fluctuations in animal populations through long-term monitoring is difficult given the paucity of baseline data. We hypothesized that social wasps are sensitive to climatic variations, and thus studied the impact of ENSO events on social wasp populations in French Guiana. We noted that during the 2000 La Niña year there was a 77.1% decrease in their nest abundance along ca. 5 km of forest edges, and that 70.5% of the species were no longer present. Two simultaneous 13-year surveys (1997-2009) confirmed the decrease in social wasps during La Niña years (2000 and 2006), while an increase occurred during the 2009 El Niño year. A 30-year weather survey showed that these phenomena corresponded to particularly high levels of rainfall, and that temperature, humidity and global solar radiation were correlated with rainfall. Using the Self-Organizing Map algorithm, we show that heavy rainfall during an entire rainy season has a negative impact on social wasps. Strong contrasts in rainfall between the dry season and the short rainy season exacerbate this effect. Social wasp populations never recovered to their pre-2000 levels. This is probably because these conditions occurred over four years; heavy rainfall during the major rainy seasons during four other years also had a detrimental effect. On the contrary, low levels of rainfall during the major rainy season in 2009 spurred an increase in social wasp populations. We conclude that recent climatic changes have likely resulted in fewer social wasp colonies because they have lowered the wasps' resistance to parasitoids and pathogens. These results imply that Neotropical social wasps can be regarded as bio-indicators because they highlight the impact of climatic changes not yet perceptible in plants and other animals.

To develop an immunofluorescence assay for identification of the 2009 H1N1 influenza A virus, we generated a number of monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) by using inactivated H1N1 2009 virus (A/California/07/2009) as the immunogen. Two MAbs that target two different epitopes of the 2009 H1N1 hemagglutinin (HA) were selected to make the D(3) Ultra 2009 H1N1 Influenza A ID kit (2009 H1N1 ID kit; Diagnostic Hybrids, Inc., Athens, OH), which is intended for the identification of the 2009 H1N1 virus by indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA). The kit does not detect any of 14 seasonal H1N1 or H3N2 prototype influenza virus strains and is also not reactive with seven other major respiratory viruses. Clinical respiratory specimens were evaluated using both the 2009 H1N1 ID kit and the CDC human influenza virus real-time reverse transcription-PCR swine flu panel (CDC rRT-PCR) and showed 100% agreement between the two assays. Four of these clinical specimens, however, were positive by the 2009 H1N1 ID kit but were identified as presumptively positive by the CDC rRT-PCR by virtue of showing threshold cycle (C(T)) values only with universal InfA and swInfA primers, not with swH1 primers. Sequence analysis of the HA genes of these four specimens revealed point mutations in both the primer and probe regions. In addition, unlike the CDC rRT-PCR, the 2009 H1N1 ID kit can differentiate the 2009 H1N1 virus from a swine-derived H1 influenza A virus (A/New Jersey/8/76). The 2009 H1N1 ID kit offers clinical laboratories an alternative to RT-PCR for the identification of the 2009 H1N1 influenza A virus.

After noting the forecast of a La Niña episode, associated with heavy rainfall in French Guiana, we monitored the fate of wasp nests before and during the 2006 short rainy season. The population of the most abundant epiponine wasp species, Polybia bistriata, decreased dramatically during the short rainy season (60.6% of the nests disappeared) then remained low for at least 18 months. Colonies that survived moved from the shelter of large, low leaves (a situation well adapted to the previous dry season) of the most frequent substrate tree, Clusia grandiflora (Clusiaceae), to upper leaves, better ventilated and whose orientation provides good protection from the rain. Therefore, the possibility of moving the nest higher during the first rains following the dry season seems very adaptive as colonies that do not do so are eliminated during the La Niña years, whose frequency will increase with global climate change., (Copyright 2009 Académie des sciences. Published by Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.)

We examined 424 nests belonging to 61 wasp species along 5 km of rainforest edges in French Guiana (ca. 15,235 plants monitored), and estimate that we recorded up to 73% of the local social wasp fauna. This baseline study was complemented by a long-term survey of the same area and the examination of isolated trees (permitting us to record two additional species, resulting in a total of 63 wasp species). Our results form a continuum from species avoiding nesting on any plant (6.5% of the wasp species) to species nesting on plants but avoiding those sheltering ant nests (82%), to, finally, wasps nesting in association with arboreal ants known to divert army ant raids (11.5%). Consequently, this study documents that most wasp species select plants possibly repulsive to arboreal ants, while associations with arboreal ants, although confirmed here, have been overrepresented in the literature.

Background: Social wasps in the subfamily Polistinae (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) have been important in studies of the evolution of sociality, kin selection, and within colony conflicts of interest. These studies have generally been conducted within species, because a resolved phylogeny among species is lacking. We used nuclear DNA microsatellite flanking sequences, mitochondrial COI sequence, and morphological characters to generate a phylogeny for the Polistinae (Hymenoptera) using 69 species., Results: Our phylogeny is largely concordant with previous phylogenies at higher levels, and is more resolved at the species level. Our results support the monophyly of the New World subgenera of Polistini, while the Old World subgenera are a paraphyletic group. All genera for which we had more than one exemplar were supported as monophyletic except Polybia which is not resolved, and may be paraphyletic., Conclusion: The combination of DNA sequences from flanks of microsatellite repeats with mtCOI sequences and morphological characters proved to be useful characters establishing relationships among the different subgenera and species of the Polistini. This is the first detailed hypothesis for the species of this important group.