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Males can control female reproduction using genital plugs to impede access by rivals. In social bees, ants, and wasps, plugging may involve traumatic mating, with females being harmed. In stingless bees, chances are that plugs may promote ovarian activan, and are thought to ensure single mating?a general tendency among the social Hymenoptera. However, understanding on relationships between mating plugs, traumatic mating, and mating systems in stingless bees remains limited. To address this, we (1) compared mated queens of 7 Neotropical species to understand the patterns of copulatory marks in females and (2) compared pre- and post-mating genitalia of males and females in Melipona fasciculata to depict plug functional morphology. Data revealed an unprecedented consequence of mating in stingless bees: the characteristic marks left by mating plugs on female abdomens and the inferences that can be made from them. To our surprise, in 1 species M. fasciculata we found that queens retain the plug long after mating, and may carry it for the rest of their lives. All the other 6 species retained the plug for only a short period. Remated queens were only found in M. seminigra, whose multiple copulatory marks match previous findings of polyandry in this species. Our study shows that queens can remate, and suggests that male genital morphology may determine in part the time persistence of plugs. We conclude that traumatic mating plugs do not fully prevent remating in stingless bees and that mating systems are not uniform in this group. Nonetheless, exceptional cases of facultative polyandry in social insects?for example, when mating plugs fail?may confirm a general tendency for single mating in close link with efficient mating plugs. Made available in DSpace on 2022-03-12T02:25:33Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Menezes-Queens-remate-2021.pdf: 832682 bytes, checksum: 5f2af29141433e0774e54690deb690bb (MD5) Previous issue date: 2021

The Brazilian stingless bee Scaptotrigona depilis requires the brood cells-associated fungus Zygosaccharomyces sp. as steroid source for metamorphosis. Besides the presence of Zygosaccharomyces sp., other fungi inhabit S. depilis brood cells, but their biological functions are unknown. Here we show that Candida sp. and Monascus ruber, isolated from cerumen of S. depilis brood provisions, interact with Zygosaccharomyces sp. and modulate its growth. Candida sp. produces volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that stimulate Zygosacchromyces sp. development. Monascus ruber inhibits Zygosacchromyces sp. growth by producing lovastatin, which blocks steroid biosynthesis. We also observed that in co-cultures M. ruber inhibits Candida sp. through the production of monascin. The modulation of Zygosaccharomyces sp. growth by brood cell-associated fungi suggests their involvement in S. depilis larval development. This tripartite fungal community opens new perspectives in the research of microbial interactions with bees. Made available in DSpace on 2019-11-26T18:13:46Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 MenezesMicrobialCommunities2019.pdf: 1605731 bytes, checksum: eac5cfd1729fbd12538d1a0a22b5e1cf (MD5) Previous issue date: 2019

Here we describe the life histories of adult males of the the Amazonian stingless bee Melipona flavolineata Friese, commonly known as ?uruçu amarela?. Males reach sexual maturity inside nests, presenting seminal vesicles full of sperm cells and becoming able to fl y at a mean age of 10 and 15 days, respectively. They aggregate twice in their lives, once before leaving the nest, and another at external congregation sites, by using their capacity to reach congregation sites dependent on morphological attributes, such as large eyes and elongated thorax. Furthermore, we describe three atypical phenomena for Meliponini males: M. fl avolineata males have dimorphic color pattern; they lose their genital capsules, even when they fail to copulate; and penisless (sterile) males can stay alive for up to two days. The life history strategies of Meliponini males have only just started to be told and provide many interesting questions for future studies. Made available in DSpace on 2019-02-13T23:44:43Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Veigaetal2018.pdf: 743710 bytes, checksum: 9ce0ef38bcbab43cc44bce53cdd1e81a (MD5) Previous issue date: 2019-02-13

Nectar and pollen are the basic food resources of stingless bees. The current advance of meliponiculture led to the search for supplementary feeding. Despite little is known about native bee supplementation, several alternative foods have been tested as protein substitutes, with soy being one of the most commonly used. In this study, we compared the effect of a semiartificial soy-based diet versus a natural diet on the longevity of adult worker of Melipona flavolineata Friese and Scaptotrigona aff. postica (Latreille). A total of 200 workers of each species (40 from each colony) were used, of which 100 comprised the control group (consumed honey and pollen) and 100 the experimental group (honey and a semiartificial food based on soybean extract). The workers were divided into groups of 20 individuals confined in MDF boxes not completely enclosed, without a queen, and kept in BOD incubators. Dead bees were counted and removed daily. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were plotted for each species. We found greater longevity in workers who consumed only natural pollen (71 days for M. flavolineata , 78 days for S. aff. postica, in average) compared to those consuming the soy-based diet (62 days for M. flavolineata , 61 days for S. aff. postica, in average). Workers of M. flavolineata that consumed pollen lived nine days more (21.8%) than those fed on the soy-based diet, while S. aff. postica workers lived seven days more (12.7%). As longevity was only slightly reduced, we can recommend a soy-based diet for stingless bees during dearth periods or for supplemental feeding of newly formed colonies.

International audience; AbstractThe foraging success of a bee species is related to a combination of climatic factors and resource availability. Here, we analyzed how food storage by the stingless bee Scaptotrigona aff. depilis relates to the seasonal variation in floral resources availability in a tropical environment with two well-defined seasons. We found a positive relationship between the amount of food stored and resource availability, suggesting that colonies intensify food collection in the season with higher food availability (rainy season). This ensures the perennial state of stingless bee colonies during the dry season (food scarcity and lower ambient temperatures). Bees collected pollen from at least 60 plant species, but food pots were dominated by just nine plants. Additionally, S. aff depilis attempted to unevenly use the plant species for food storage in the rainy season, which indicates that the colonies maximize their food intake as soon as resources are available.

International audience; AbstractIn this study, we investigate the behavioural response of the highly eusocial stingless bee Scaptotrigona depilis to high temperatures. We found that nest temperature in the brood area can be up to 2.5 °C lower relative to a control empty box during hot periods. We showed that high temperatures increase both water collection and wing fanning behaviour at the colony level, suggesting that these behaviours are adaptations to cooling the nest in this species. Additionally, we measured survival and development time of pupae incubated at five different constant temperatures (22, 26, 30, 34 and 38 °C). We found that the development time of S. depilis brood significantly varied between treatments and had a strong negative correlation with temperature. Brood survived over a large range of incubation temperatures; however, extreme temperatures (22 and 38 °C) were almost 100 % lethal, highlighting the importance of thermoregulation, at least in extreme conditions.

OBJETIVO: Avaliar a eficácia do uso tópico de colírio de mitomicina C 0,02% (MMC 0,02%) no tratamento de pacientes com granuloma piogênico em cavidade anoftálmica. MÉTODOS: Seis pacientes portadores de granuloma piogênico em cavidade anoftálmica foram submetidos ao tratamento com mitomicina C 0,02% instilada quatro vezes ao dia durante ciclos quinzenais e intervalo de 15 dias entre os ciclos. Os pacientes foram acompanhados semanalmente. RESULTADOS: Foram acompanhados seis pacientes dos quais um apresentou resolução do granuloma piogênico ao final do primeiro ciclo de uso da MMC 0,02%. Em dois pacientes a MMC 0,02% foi eficaz na resolução da lesão após a segunda semana de tratamento (primeiro ciclo). Dois pacientes apresentaram resolução completa do granuloma piogênico na quinta semana de uso da MMC 0,02% (início do segundo ciclo). Este fármaco foi ineficaz em apenas um paciente que persistiu com a lesão após dois ciclos de tratamento. Não foram observadas complicações decorrentes do uso de MMC 0,02% em nenhum dos pacientes. CONCLUSÃO: A MMC 0,02% tópica mostrou-se eficaz no tratamento de granuloma piogênico em cavidade anoftálmica, entretanto, diante de casuística pequena, torna-se necessário estudo mais amplo, comparando a eficácia da MMC 0,02% com drogas já utilizadas no tratamento desta lesão, tais como os esteróides e antimetabólicos.PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of mitomycin C eye drops 0.02% concentration (0.02% MMC) in pyogenic granuloma in anophthalmic socket. METHODS: Six patients who presented pyogenic granuloma were treated with 0.02% MMC four times a day in fifteen-day cycles with intervals of fifteen days between each cycle. The patients were observed every week. RESULTS: Among the six studied patients, one presented a complete resolution of the pyogenic granuloma after a ten-day treatment with 0.02% MMC that is, before the end of the first cycle. In two patients, the treatment was successful after two weeks using 0.02% MMC (one complete cycle). In other two patients, the resolution of the lesion occurred after five weeks that is, at the beginning of the second cycle. 0.02% MMC was not successful in only one patient whose lesion persisted after two cycles of the treatment. None of the patients presented complications after the use of 0.02% MMC. CONCLUSION: The topical use of 0.02% MMC proved efficacy in the treatment of anophthalmic socket pyogenic granuloma. A small number of patients took part in this study, therefore another randomized and comparative research is necessary in order to compare the efficacy of 0.02% MMC with other drugs such as corticosteroids and antimetabolites.

OBJETIVO: Avaliar as principais indicações de tarsorrafia em Serviço de Córnea, bem como as taxas de sucesso e possíveis complicações do procedimento. MÉTODOS: Foram avaliados, retrospectivamente, todos os pacientes submetidos a tarsorrafia no período de 1 de janeiro de 2002 a 30 de dezembro de 2002 no Hospital São Geraldo, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais. Avaliou-se idade e sexo do paciente, indicação da tarsorrafia, duração dos sinais e sintomas antes da tarsorrafia, tempo para reepitelização corneana, tipo de tarsorrafia, complicações da tarsorrafia, número de tarsorrafias e duração do acompanhamento. RESULTADOS: Foram encontrados 18 pacientes submetidos a tarsorrafia. As indicações para tarsorrafia foram úlcera de exposição (27,8%), defeito epitelial persistente associado a transplante de córnea (38,8%), úlcera neurotrófica (11,1%), síndrome do olho seco (5,6%), síndrome de Stevens-Johnson (11,1%) e queimadura química (5,6%). Dos 18 pacientes que apresentavam defeito epitelial, 15 pacientes (83,3%) apresentaram epitelização completa com a tarsorrafia. A duração média de sinais e sintomas antes da tarsorrafia foi de 98,7 ± 48,6 dias, e o tempo para epitelização após a cirurgia foi de 53,2 ± 22,8 dias. Do total de 18 tarsorrafias, duas (11,1%) foram temporárias e 16 (88,9%) permanentes. As complicações relacionadas ao procedimento cirúrgico foram abertura precoce da tarsorrafia, triquíase e granuloma piogênico. CONCLUSÃO: A tarsorrafia se mostrou procedimento de fácil realização, sendo bastante segura e eficaz no tratamento de defeitos epiteliais, com taxa de sucesso de 83,3% e com poucas complicações.PURPOSE: To evaluate the main indications for tarsorrhaphy in a Corneal Service, as well as success rate and possible complications. METHODS: All patients who underwent tarsorrhaphy from January 1st, 2002 to December 30th, 2002, in São Geraldo Eye Hospital - Federal University of Minas Gerais were evaluated retrospectively. Reviewed data included patient's sex and age, indication for tarsorrhaphy, duration of signs and symptoms before tarsorrhaphy, time for epithelial healing after tarsorrhaphy, type of tarsorrhaphy, complications, follow-up time. RESULTS: Eighteen patients underwent tarsorrhaphy. The indications for a tarsorrhaphy were exposure keratopathy (27.8%), persistent epithelial defect associated with penetrating keratoplasty (38.8%), neurotrophic ulcer (11.1%), dry eye syndrome (5.6%), Stevens-Johnson syndrome (11.1%), and chemical burn (5.6%). The epithelial defect resolved completely in 15 patients (83.3%). Mean duration of signs and symptoms before tarsorrhaphy was 98.7±48.6 days, and time to heal after tarsorrhaphy was 53.2±22.8 days. Of the 18 procedures, two (11.1%) were temporary and 16 (88.9%) permanent. Complications after tarsorrhaphy were premature opening of the tarsorrhaphy, trichiasis and pyogenic granuloma. CONCLUSION: Tarsorrhaphy is a simple procedure, being also very safe and effective in the management of nonhealing epithelial defects, with a success rate of 83.3% and with minor complications.

Relatar um possível caso de ceratocone unilateral em paciente com hábito de coçar o olho, secundário a obstrução da via lacrimal ipsilateral em jovem de 17 anos com queixa de baixa acuidade visual progressiva no olho esquerdo. Apresentava na história constante epífora no olho esquerdo desde o nascimento resultante da obstrução da via lacrimal ipsilateral, refere necessidade de enxugar este olho freqüentemente. Baseado no exame ocular, a paciente foi diagnosticada como tendo ceratocone unilateral no olho esquerdo. Como apresentado por outros trabalhos, o ceratocone parece estar associado ao hábito de coçar os olhos. Esta paciente representa um caso de ceratocone unilateral, no qual existe uma história confirmada de enxugar e coçar o olho por obstrução da via lacrimal no olho ipsilateral, sugerindo possível relação entre o ceratocone e o ato de coçar o olho.To describe a possible case of unilateral keratoconus in a patient with continual eye rubbing due to an ipsilateral nasolacrimal obstruction in a 17-year-old woman complaint of progressing low visual acuity in the left eye. Presented with constant epiphora in the left eye throughout her life as a result of ipsilateral nasolacrimal obstruction, which required frequent wiping of this eye. Based on ocular examination, the patient was diagnosed as having unilateral keratoconus in the left eye. As in other studies, keratoconus is thought to be associated with persistent eye rubbing. This patient represents a case of unilateral keratoconus, where there is a confirmed history of habitual eye rubbing due to ipsilateral nasolacrimal obstruction, thereby suggesting a possible causal relationship between eye rubbing and keratoconus.

OBJETIVOS: Avaliar a eficácia do Dextran 40 a 10% em promover transparência corneana em olhos de porco, bem como indicar o melhor método [soro fisiológico a 0,9% (SF a 0,9%), Dextran 40 a 10% ou mistura de ambos em partes iguais] de conservação para manutenção desta transparência. MÉTODOS: Vinte olhos de porco, preparados com injeção de Dextran na câmara anterior e embebidos na mesma solução por 20 minutos. Quatro grupos de olhos, cada um com 5 olhos, conservados nas seguintes soluções: Grupo 1 (SF a 0,9%), Grupo 2 (SF a 0,9% + Dextran 40 a 10%), Grupo 3 (Dextran 40 a 10%), Grupo 4 (câmara úmida - grupo controle). Os olhos foram observados após 12, 24, 36, 48, 56 e 72 horas e classificados quanto à transparência da córnea. RESULTADOS: O tratamento da córnea com Dextran 40 a 10% preservou a transparência corneana em 100% dos olhos. A solução de SF a 0,9% e Dextran em partes iguais obteve maior tempo na manutenção da transparência, com 60% dos olhos viáveis às 72 horas. CONCLUSÃO: Dextran 40 a 10% é eficaz para promover a transparência corneana em olhos de porco post mortem. A mistura de SF a 0,9% e Dextran em partes iguais pode ser utilizada para manter viáveis os olhos de porco preparados por um período de até 72 horas.PURPOSES: To evaluate Dextran 40 10% efficacy to maintain pig eye corneal transparency in order to indicate the best method (0.9% physiological saline, Dextran 40 10% and the mixture of both at equal parts) of conservation to maintain the transparency. METHODS: Twenty pig eyes, all of them prepared with Dextran injection in the anterior chamber and soaked in this solution for 20 minutes. Four groups, each group with five eyes and kept at 6ºC in the following solutions: Group 1 (0.9% physiological saline), Group 2 (Dextran 40 10% + 0.9% physiological saline at equal parts), Group 3 (Dextran 40 10%), Group 4 (humid chamber - control group). The eyes were observed after 12, 24, 48, 56, 72 hours and then classified according to their transparency. RESULTS: Corneal transparency occurred in 100% of the eyes with Dextran solution. 0.9% physiological saline and Dextran at equal parts achieved a longer period of transparency. CONCLUSIONS: Dextran 40 10% is an efficient solution to promote corneal transparency in post mortem pig eyes. The mixture of equal parts 0.9% physiological saline and Dextran can be used to keep feasible the prepared eyes for a period as long as 72 hours.

OBJETIVOS: Estudar in vitro a eficácia de um par de instrumentos na divisão de núcleos extraídos por meio da técnica extracapsular. MÉTODOS: A amostra foi constituída de 47 núcleos obtidos de facectomias extracapsulares. Foram classificados em maduros (4+) e imaturos (1 a 3 +), de pacientes com acuidade visual variando de 20/60 à percepção luminosa. Um par de instrumentos, desenvolvido por um dos autores, foi utilizado para fragmentação. Para tal, foi idealizado suporte constituído de gel e metilcelulose sobrejacente. RESULTADOS: A média de idade foi de 67,38 anos sendo que a maior parte dos pacientes (66%) possuía acuidade visual inferior a 20/400. Um percentual de 42,6% das cataratas eram maduras. A fixação e segmentação foram fáceis em 95,7% e 91,5% dos núcleos, respectivamente. CONCLUSÃO: O par de instrumentos idealizados é eficaz em executar a fixação e segmentação dos núcleos.PURPOSE: To study in vitro the efficacy of a pair of instruments designed to capture and split human nuclei obtained from extracapsular surgeries. METHODS: The sample is a compound of 47 cataract nuclei. They were classified as mature (4+) and immature (1 to 3+), and the visual acuity ranged from 20/60 to light perception. The instruments were used to split the nuclei. A methylcellulose over a gel base was made for this purpose. RESULTS: The average age was 67,38 years. Most patients (66%), had a visual acuity less than 20/400. 42,6% of the cataracts were mature. The capturing and splitting was easily done in over 90% of the nuclei. CONCLUSIONS: The designed instruments are effective to capture and split cataract nuclei.

International audience; Worker body size is a key feature for stingless bee biology, being related with the foraging range of colonies. We correlated the intertegular span, corbicular area, head width, and interocular distance, as well as the fresh weight, from workers of Melipona flavolineata, a species from the Amazonian Region, with the stored reserves of honey and pollen. The food reserves decreased with the increase of rainfall, and there was a significant correlation between intertegular span, corbicular area, and food stores. The corbiculae was inversely correlated with food reserves, while the width of thorax was positively related. We consider the allometric variation of thorax width and corbicular area as a mechanism to adjust colonial food collection, since larger corbiculae would maximize the pollen-gathering during the rainy, dearth periods, and when the resource supply increases, the workers increase in the width of thorax, being able to explore larger areas and replenish the colonial food stores.

Division of labor among workers is common in insect societies and is thought to be important in their ecological success. In most species, division of labor is based on age (temporal castes), but workers in some ants and termites show morphological specialization for particular tasks (physical castes). Large-headed soldier ants and termites are well-known examples of this specialization. However, until now there has been no equivalent example of physical worker subcastes in social bees or wasps. Here we provide evidence for a physical soldier subcaste in a bee. In the neotropical stingless bee Tetragonisca angustula , nest defense is performed by two groups of guards, one hovering near the nest entrance and the other standing on the wax entrance tube. We show that both types of guards are 30% heavier than foragers and of different shape; foragers have relatively larger heads, whereas guards have larger legs. Low variation within each subcaste results in negligible size overlap between guards and foragers, further indicating that they are distinct physical castes. In addition, workers that remove garbage from the nest are of intermediate size, suggesting that they might represent another unrecognized caste. Guards or soldiers are reared in low but sufficient numbers (1–2% of emerging workers), considering that Lestrimelitta limao , an important natural enemy, larger workers were able to fight for longer before being defeated by the much larger robber. This discovery opens up opportunities for the comparative study of physical castes in social insects, including the question of why soldiers appear to be so much rarer in bees than in ants or termites.

Recent research has shown that entrance guards of the stingless bee Tetragonisca angustula make less errors in distinguishing nestmates from non-nestmates than all other bee species studied to date, but how they achieve this is unknown. We performed four experiments to investigate nestmate recognition by entrance guards in T. angustula. We first investigated the effect of colony odours on acceptance. Nestmates that acquired odour from non-nestmate workers were 63% more likely to be rejected while the acceptance rate of non-nestmates treated with nestmate odour increased by only 7%. We further hypothesised that guards standing on the wax entrance tube might use the tube as an odour referent. However, our findings showed that there was no difference in the acceptance of non-nestmates by guards standing on their own colony's entrance tube versus the non-nestmate's entrance tube. Moreover, treatment of bees with nestmate and non-nestmate resin or wax had a negative effect on acceptance rates of up to 65%, regardless of the origin of the wax or resin. The role of resin as a source of recognition cues was further investigated by unidirectionally transferring resin stores between colonies. Acceptance rates of nestmates declined by 37% for hives that donated resin, contrasting with resin donor hives where acceptance of non-nestmates increased by 21%. Overall, our results confirm the accuracy of nestmate recognition in T. angustula and reject the hypothesis that this high level of accuracy is due to the use of the wax entrance tubes as a referent for colony odour. Our findings also suggest that odours directly acquired from resin serve no primary function as nestmate recognition cues. The lack of consistency among colonies plus the complex results of the third and fourth experiments highlight the need for further research on the role of nest materials and cuticular profiles in understanding nestmate recognition in T. angustula. ispartof: Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology vol:66 issue:1 pages:1-12 status: published

We report the infestation of stingless bee nests by the mite Pyemotes tritici, which killed four colonies of Tetragonisca angustula and one colony of Frieseomelitta varia in Brazil. The first infected colony, a colony of T. angustula, came from an area between Uberlândia and Araguari, Minas Gerais. The transfer of the mites to the other colonies occurred through the transfer of infected combs and subsequent manipulations. Other colonies in the same meliponary, which had not been manipulated, were not infected. The infestation was terminated by isolating the dead colonies from the meliponary. ©FUNPEC-RP.

Objective The therapeutic decision in cases of adult spinal deformity takes numerous factors into account with a consequent variability in treatment options. The objective is to compare the impact of the MISDEF (minimally invasive spine deformity) algorithm on therapeutic decisions in cases of adult spinal deformity. Methods Prospective radiographic analysis of 40 cases of adult deformity. The cases were sent, in two steps, to 20 Latin American surgeons who had to choose among six treatment options with and without the use of the MISDEF. Results For the conducts of decompression, decompression and short fusion, decompression and fusion with interbody device, and osteotomy with extension of fusion to the thoracic spine, no significant differences were found when comparing decisions made with and without MISDEF. For osteotomy, we observed a tendency for the number of surgeons choosing this conduct to increase when the decision is made with MISDEF. We observed that the number of surgeons who decided on conservative treatment decreased with the use of MISDEF (p