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Abstract For over a decade, beekeepers have experienced high losses of honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) colonies due to a variety of stressors including pesticide exposure. Some of these chemical stressors may residually remain in the colony comb and food resources (pollen and nectar) of failed colonies and be later re-used by beekeepers when splitting and building back new colonies. The practice of re-using comb from previously perished colonies (termed “deadout”) is common in beekeeping practice, but its role in affecting colony health is not well understood. Here, we evaluate the impact of reused, pesticide-contaminated “deadout” combs on colony function during the process of replacing a queen bee. Queenless microcolonies were established to monitor queen rearing capacity in two treatment groups: (1) colonies given frames containing food resources from deadout colonies in control “clean” apiaries and, (2) colonies given frames containing “contaminated” resources from deadout colonies originating from apiaries experiencing chronic pesticide exposure from widespread systemic pesticide pollution (including neonicotinoid insecticides: clothianidin and thiamethoxam). Results indicate that colonies given pesticide-contaminated resources produced fewer queen cells per colony and had a lower proportion of colonies successfully raising a functional, diploid egg-laying queen. This research highlights the deleterious effects of re-using deadout combs from colonies previously lost due to pesticide contamination.

IntroductionLa pandémie de COVID-19 a eu des effets importants sur la santé mentale des adolescents. Toutefois, on en sait peu sur la recherche de soutien, les besoins non comblés et les préférences des adolescents en matière de soins de santé mentale. MéthodologieL’instrument YDI (Youth Development Instrument, ou Instrument de mesure du développement des jeunes) est une enquête menée auprès d’adolescents (N = 1 928; âge moyen = 17,1; écart-type [ET] = 0,3) dans des écoles de la Colombie-Britannique (Canada). Nous avons évalué, dans la cohorte de l’enquête, les caractéristiques des ressources de soutien en santé mentale consultées, la prévalence des besoins non comblés et la préférence pour les services offerts en personne ou les services offerts sur Internet. RésultatsDans l’ensemble, 40 % des adolescents ont déclaré avoir consulté une ressource de soutien en santé mentale et 41 % ont vu leurs besoins non comblés. Les ressources de soutien le plus souvent consultées ont été les médecins de famille ou les pédiatres (23,1 %) et les adultes à l’école (20,6 %). Le mode de prestation de soins de santé mentale préféré par les adolescents était le counseling en personne (72,4 %), suivi par les services offerts par clavardage (15,0 %), par téléphone (8,1 %) et par appel vidéo (4,4 %). La prévalence ajustée de l’accès à du soutien était élevée chez les adolescents souffrant d’anxiété (ratio de prévalence ajusté [RPa] = 1,29; intervalle de confiance [IC] à 95 % : 1,10 à 1,51), les adolescents consommant de l’alcool (RPa = 1,14; IC à 95 % : 1,01 à 1,29), les minorités de genre (RPa = 1,28; IC à 95 % : 1,03 à 1,58) et les minorités sexuelles (RPa = 1,28; IC à 95 % : 1,03 à 1,45). La prévalence ajustée des besoins non comblés était élevée chez les adolescents souffrant de dépression (1,90; IC à 95 % : 1,67 à 2,18), les adolescents souffrant d’anxiété (RPa = 1,78; 1,56 à 2,03), les adolescentes (RPa = 1,43; IC à 95 % : 1,31 à 1,58), les minorités de genre (1,45; IC à 95 % : 1,23 à 1,70) et les minorités sexuelles (RPa = 1,15; IC à 95 % : 1,07 à 1,23). ConclusionLes adolescents faisant partie d’une minorité de genre ou d’une minorité sexuelle et les adolescents souffrant d’anxiété ont été plus susceptibles que les autres d’avoir parlé de leurs préoccupations en lien avec leur santé mentale et également d’avoir fait état de besoins non comblés. Les sources de soutien les plus courantes ont été les fournisseurs de soins de santé primaires et les adultes à l’école, tandis que le mode de soutien préféré a été les services en personne et le moins aimé, les services par appel vidéo.

IntroductionThe COVID-19 pandemic has had widespread effects on adolescent mental health. However, little is known about support-seeking, unmet need and preferences for mental health care among adolescents. MethodsThe Youth Development Instrument (YDI) is a school-administered survey of adolescents (N = 1928, mean age = 17.1, SD = 0.3) across British Columbia, Canada. In this cohort, we assessed the characteristics of accessed mental health supports, prevalence of unmet need and preferences for in-person versus internet-based services. ResultsOverall, 40% of adolescents obtained support for mental health, while 41% experienced unmet need. The most commonly accessed supports were family doctors or pediatricians (23.1%) and adults at school (20.6%). The most preferred mode of mental health care was in-person counselling (72.4%), followed by chat-based services (15.0%), phone call (8.1%) and video call (4.4%). The adjusted prevalence of accessing support was elevated among adolescents with anxiety (adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR] = 1.29, 95% CI: 1.10–1.51), those who used alcohol (1.14, 1.01–1.29), gender minorities (1.28, 1.03–1.58) and sexual minorities (1.28, 1.03–1.45). The adjusted prevalence of unmet need was elevated among adolescents with depression (1.90, 1.67–2.18), those with anxiety (1.78, 1.56–2.03), females (1.43, 1.31–1.58), gender minorities (1.45, 1.23–1.70) and sexual minorities (1.15, 1.07–1.23). ConclusionAdolescents of gender or sexual minority status and those with anxiety were more likely than others to have discussed mental health concerns and also to have reported unmet need. The most common sources of support were primary health care providers and adults at school, while the most and least preferred modes of support were in-person and video call services, respectively.

Mitochondrial dysfunction caused by aberrant Complex I assembly and reduced activity of the electron transport chain is pathogenic in many genetic and age-related diseases. Mice missing the Complex I subunit NADH dehydrogenase [ubiquinone] iron-sulfur protein 4 (NDUFS4) are a leading mammalian model of severe mitochondrial disease that exhibit many characteristic symptoms of Leigh Syndrome including oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, brain lesions, and premature death. NDUFS4 knockout mice have decreased expression of nearly every Complex I subunit. As Complex I normally contains at least 8 iron-sulfur clusters and more than 25 iron atoms, we asked whether a deficiency of Complex I may lead to iron perturbations, thereby accelerating disease progression. Consistent with this, iron supplementation accelerates symptoms of brain degeneration in these mice, while iron restriction delays the onset of these symptoms, reduces neuroinflammation, and increases survival. NDUFS4 knockout mice display signs of iron overload in the liver including increased expression of hepcidin and show changes in iron-responsive element-regulated proteins consistent with increased cellular iron that were prevented by iron restriction. These results suggest that perturbed iron homeostasis may contribute to pathology in Leigh Syndrome and possibly other mitochondrial disorders.

This work examines the pinning enhancement in BaZrO _3 (BZO) +Y _2 O _3 doubly-doped (DD) YBa _2 Cu _3 O _7 (YBCO) nanocomposite multilayer (DD-ML) films. The film consists of two 10 nm thin Ca _0.3 Y _0.7 Ba _2 Cu _3 O _7-x (CaY-123) spacers stacking alternatively with three BZO + Y _2 O _3 /YBCO layers of 50 nm each in thickness that contain 3 vol% of Y _2 O _3 and BZO doping in the range of 2–6 vol%. Enhanced magnetic vortex pinning and improved pinning isotropy with respect to the orientation of magnetic field (B) have been achieved in the DD-ML samples at lower BZO doping as compared to that in the single-layer counterparts (DD-SL) without the CaY-123 spacers. For example, the pinning force density ( F _p ) of ∼58 GNm ^−3 in 2 vol.% of DD-ML film is ∼110% higher than in 2 vol% of DD-SL at 65 K and B // c -axis, which is attributed to the improved pinning efficiency by c -axis aligned BZO nanorods through diffusion of Calcium (Ca) along the tensile-strained channels at BZO nanorods/YBCO interface for improvement of the interface microstructure and hence pinning efficiency of BZO nanorods. An additional benefit is in the considerably improved J _c ( θ ) and reduced J _c anisotropy in the former over the entire range of the B orientations. However, at higher BZO doping, the BZO nanorods become segmented and misoriented, which may change the Ca diffusion pathways and reduce the benefit of Ca in improving the pinning efficiency of BZO nanorods.

Abstract Honey has been used as a nutrient, an ointment, and a medicine worldwide for many centuries. Modern research has demonstrated that honey has many medicinal properties, reflected in its anti‐microbial, anti‐oxidant, and anti‐inflammatory bioactivities. Honey is composed of sugars, water and a myriad of minor components, including minerals, vitamins, proteins and polyphenols. Here, we report a new bioactive component‒vesicle‐like nanoparticles‒in honey (H‐VLNs). These H‐VLNs are membrane‐bound nano‐scale particles that contain lipids, proteins and small‐sized RNAs. The presence of plant‐originated plasma transmembrane proteins and plasma membrane‐associated proteins suggests the potential vesicle‐like nature of these particles. H‐VLNs impede the formation and activation of the nucleotide‐binding domain and leucine‐rich repeat related (NLR) family, pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome, which is a crucial inflammatory signalling platform in the innate immune system. Intraperitoneal administration of H‐VLNs in mice alleviates inflammation and liver damage in the experimentally induced acute liver injury. miR‐4057 in H‐VLNs was identified in inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome activation. Together, our studies have identified anti‐inflammatory VLNs as a new bioactive agent in honey.

Managed honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) and wild bees provide critical ecological services that shape and sustain natural, agricultural, and urban landscapes. In recent years, declines in bee populations have highlighted the importance of the pollination services they provide and the need for more research into the reasons for global bee losses. Several stressors cause declining populations of managed and wild bee species such as habitat degradation, pesticide exposure, and pathogens. Viruses, which have been implicated as a key stressor, are able to infect a wide range of species and can be transmitted both intra- and inter-specifically from infected bee species to uninfected bee species via vertical (from parent to offspring) and/or horizontal (between individuals via direct or indirect contact) transmission. To explore how viruses spread both intra- and inter-specifically within a community, we examined the impact of management, landscape type, and bee species on the transmission of four common viruses in Nebraska: Deformed wing virus (DWV), Israeli acute paralysis virus (IAPV), Black queen cell virus (BQCV), and Sacbrood virus (SBV). Results indicated the prevalence of viruses is significantly affected (P < 0.005) by bee species, virus type, and season, but not by landscape or year (P = 0.290 and 0.065 respectively). The higher prevalence of DWV detected across bee species (10.4% on Apis mellifera, 5.3% on Bombus impatiens, 6.1% on Bombus griseocollis, and 22.44% on Halictus ligatus) and seasons (10.8% in early-mid summer and 11.4% in late summer) may indicate a higher risk of interspecific transmission of DWV. However, IAPV was predominately detected in Halictus ligatus (20.7%) and in late season collections (28.1%), which may suggest species-specific susceptibility and seasonal trends in infection rates associated with different virus types. However, there were limited detections of SBV and BQCV in bees collected during both sampling periods, indicating SBV and BQCV may be less prevalent among bee communities in this area.

Nanoscale c-axis-aligned one dimensional artificial pinning centers (1D-APC) in superconducting YBa2Cu3O7-x (YBCO) films have been shown to provide strong correlated pining to magnetic vortices at magnetic field H//c-axis. A question arises on how the pinning effectiveness is sustained as the H-orientation (θ) deviates from the c-axis and how such an angular range is correlated to the pinning efficiency of an individual 1D-APC. To shed lights on this question, this work investigates the angular range of pinning effectiveness of the BaZrO3 (BZO) 1D-APCs in BZO/YBa2Cu3O7-x nanocomposites as the strain field overlap is systematically varied by increasing the BZO doping level in the range of 2-6 vol.% and by the introduction of the secondary Y2O3 nanoparticles (3D APCs). By evaluating the maximum pinning force density (Fp, max), its location Hmax, and the α values of the nanocomposites normalized to that of the reference YBa2Cu3O7-x film as functions of θ at temperatures of 65–77 K, a quantitative correlation between the pinning efficiency of the BZO 1D-APCs and their effective angular range was obtained. In most samples, the 1D-APCs can provide enhanced Hmax in the range of θ ∼0°-60°. However, the Fp, max values only in nanocomposites with high pinning efficiency 1D-APCs exceed that of the YBa2Cu3O7-x over a smaller range up to θ ∼ 37°. Finally, the introduction of 3D APCs results in reduction of the α values over nearly the entire angular range. This study reveals the importance in improving individual 1D-APC’s pinning efficiency and hence extending its angular range of effective pinning.

The 2020 American Bee Research Conference (ABRC) was held on 9–10 January 2020 in conjunction with the annual convention of the American Beekeeping Federation Conference and Trade Show in Schaumburg, IL. Over the two-day conference, a total of 65 oral and poster presentations were given, representing work done from over 30 different research groups from throughout the United States and Canada. These proceedings contain the submitted abstracts for presentations given at the 2020 American Bee Research Conference.

The 2019 American Bee Research Conference (ABRC) was held January 10−12, 2019 in conjunction with the annual convention of the American Honey Producers Association in Tempe, AZ. Over the three-day conference, a total of 45 oral presentations and 13 poster presentations were given, representing work done from over 27 institutions and 34 different research groups from throughout the United States and Canada. This proceedings contains and overview of the conference and the submitted abstracts for presentations given at the 2018 American Bee Research Conference.

We performed silencing and overexpression studies of flavin containing monooxygenase (FMO) 3 in hyperlipidemic mouse models to examine its effects on trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) levels and atherosclerosis. Knockdown of hepatic FMO3 in LDL receptor knockout mice using an antisense oligonucleotide resulted in decreased circulating TMAO levels and atherosclerosis. Surprisingly, we also observed significant decreases in hepatic lipids and in levels of plasma lipids, ketone bodies, glucose, and insulin. FMO3 overexpression in transgenic mice, on the other hand, increased hepatic and plasma lipids. Global gene expression analyses suggested that these effects of FMO3 on lipogenesis and gluconeogenesis may be mediated through the PPARα and Kruppel-like factor 15 pathways. In vivo and in vitro results were consistent with the concept that the effects were mediated directly by FMO3 rather than trimethylamine/TMAO; in particular, overexpression of FMO3 in the human hepatoma cell line, Hep3B, resulted in significantly increased glucose secretion and lipogenesis. Our results indicate a major role for FMO3 in modulating glucose and lipid homeostasis in vivo, and they suggest that pharmacologic inhibition of FMO3 to reduce TMAO levels would be confounded by metabolic interactions.

Hepcidin, the iron-regulatory hormone and acute phase reactant, is proposed to contribute to the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis by promoting iron accumulation in plaque macrophages, leading to increased oxidative stress and inflammation in the plaque (the “iron hypothesis”). Hepcidin and iron may thus represent modifiable risk factors in atherosclerosis. We measured hepcidin expression in Apoe−/− mice with varying diets and ages. To assess the role of macrophage iron in atherosclerosis, we generated Apoe−/− mice with macrophage-specific iron accumulation by introducing the ferroportin ffe mutation. Macrophage iron loading was also enhanced by intravenous iron injection. Contrary to the iron hypothesis, we found that hepatic hepcidin expression was not increased at any stage of the atherosclerosis progression in Apoe−/− or Apoe/ffe mice and that the atherosclerotic plaque size was not increased in mice with elevated macrophage iron. Our results strongly argue against any significant role of macrophage iron in atherosclerosis progression in mice.

An in situ thermal annealing process (iTAP) has been introduced before the common ex situ cadmium chloride (CdCl2) annealing to improve crystal quality and morphology of the CdTe thin films after pulsed laser deposition of CdS/CdTe heterostructures. A strong correlation between the two annealing processes was observed, leading to a profound effect on the performance of CdS/CdTe thin film solar cells. Atomic force microscopy and Raman spectroscopy show that the iTAP in the optimal processing window produces considerable CdTe grain growth and improves the CdTe crystallinity, which results in significantly improved optoelectronic properties and quantum efficiency of the CdS/CdTe solar cells. A power conversion efficiency of up to 7.0% has been obtained on thin film CdS/CdTe solar cells of absorber thickness as small as 0.75 μm processed with the optimal iTAP at 450°C for 10–20 min. This result illustrates the importance of controlling microstructures of CdTe thin films and iTAP provides a viable approach to achieve such a control.

A combinatorial pulsed laser deposition system was developed by integrating a computer controlled scanning sample stage in order to rapidly screen processing conditions relevant to CdTe/CdS thin-film solar cells. Using this system, the thickness of the CdTe absorber layer is varied across a single sample from 1.5 μm to 0.75 μm. The effects of thickness on CdTe grain morphology, crystal orientation, and cell efficiency were investigated with respect to different postprocessing conditions. It is shown that the thinner CdTe layer of 0.75 μm obtained the best power conversion efficiency up to 5.3%. The results of this work shows the importance that CdTe grain size/morphology relative to CdTe thickness has on device performance and quantitatively exhibits what those values should be to obtain efficient thin-film CdTe/CdS solar cells fabricated with pulsed laser deposition. Further development of this combinatorial approach could enable high-throughput exploration and optimization of CdTe/CdS solar cells.

Common forms of atherosclerosis involve multiple genetic and environmental factors. While human genome-wide association studies have identified numerous loci contributing to coronary artery disease and its risk factors, these studies are unable to control environmental factors or examine detailed molecular traits in relevant tissues. We now report a study of natural variations contributing to atherosclerosis and related traits in over 100 inbred strains of mice from the Hybrid Mouse Diversity Panel (HMDP). The mice were made hyperlipidemic by transgenic expression of human apolipoprotein E-Leiden (APOE-Leiden) and human cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP). The mice were examined for lesion size and morphology as well as plasma lipid, insulin and glucose levels, and blood cell profiles. A subset of mice was studied for plasma levels of metabolites and cytokines. We also measured global transcript levels in aorta and liver. Finally, the uptake of acetylated LDL by macrophages from HMDP mice was quantitatively examined. Loci contributing to the traits were mapped using association analysis, and relationships among traits were examined using correlation and statistical modeling. A number of conclusions emerged. First, relationships among atherosclerosis and the risk factors in mice resemble those found in humans. Second, a number of trait-loci were identified, including some overlapping with previous human and mouse studies. Third, gene expression data enabled enrichment analysis of pathways contributing to atherosclerosis and prioritization of candidate genes at associated loci in both mice and humans. Fourth, the data provided a number of mechanistic inferences; for example, we detected no association between macrophage uptake of acetylated LDL and atherosclerosis. Fifth, broad sense heritability for atherosclerosis was much larger than narrow sense heritability, indicating an important role for gene-by-gene interactions. Sixth, stepwise linear regression showed that the combined variations in plasma metabolites, including LDL/VLDL-cholesterol, trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), arginine, glucose and insulin, account for approximately 30 to 40% of the variation in atherosclerotic lesion area. Overall, our data provide a rich resource for studies of complex interactions underlying atherosclerosis.

Germ-line mutations of the breast cancer susceptibility gene-1 (BRCA1) increase the susceptibility to tumorigenesis. The function of BRCA1 is to regulate critical cellular processes, including cell cycle progression, genomic integrity, and apoptosis. Studies on the regulation of BRCA1 have focused intensely on transcription and phosphorylation mechanisms. Proteolytic regulation of BRCA1 in response to stress signaling remains largely unknown. The manuscript identified a novel mechanism by which BRCA1 is regulated by the ubiquitin-dependent degradation in response to ionization.Here, we report that severe ionization triggers rapid degradation of BRCA1, which in turn results in the activation of apoptosis. Ionization-induced BRCA1 turnover is mediated via an ubiquitin-proteasomal pathway. The stabilization of BRCA1 significantly delays the onset of ionization-induced apoptosis. We have mapped the essential region on BRCA1, which mediates its proteolysis in response to ionization. Moreover, we have demonstrated that BRCA1 protein is most sensitive to degradation when ionization occurs during G2/M and S phase.Our results suggest that ubiquitin-proteasome plays an important role in regulating BRCA1 during genotoxic stress. Proteolytic regulation of BRCA1 involves in ionization-induced apoptosis.

HgBa2CaCu2O6+δ (Hg -1212) thin films were fabricated by exchanging the T1 cations in TlBa2CaCu2O7-δ (Tl-1212) thin films with Hg cations, causing a 30-K increase in Tc. To determine how this exchange effects such a Tc increase, the irreversibility lines, temperature dependence of critical current density, and temperature dependence of Hall angle ofHg-1212 and TI-1212 thin films were measured and then compared. The results strongly suggest that the Tc shift is caused by a doubling of charge carrier density.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has had widespread effects on adolescent mental health. However, little is known about support-seeking, unmet need and preferences for mental health care among adolescents. Methods: The Youth Development Instrument (YDI) is a school-administered survey of adolescents (N = 1928, mean age = 17.1, SD = 0.3) across British Columbia, Canada. In this cohort, we assessed the characteristics of accessed mental health supports, prevalence of unmet need and preferences for in-person versus internet-based services. Results: Overall, 40% of adolescents obtained support for mental health, while 41% experienced unmet need. The most commonly accessed supports were family doctors or pediatricians (23.1%) and adults at school (20.6%). The most preferred mode of mental health care was in-person counselling (72.4%), followed by chat-based services (15.0%), phone call (8.1%) and video call (4.4%). The adjusted prevalence of accessing support was elevated among adolescents with anxiety (adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR] = 1.29, 95% CI: 1.10–1.51), those who used alcohol (1.14, 1.01–1.29), gender minorities (1.28, 1.03–1.58) and sexual minorities (1.28, 1.03–1.45). The adjusted prevalence of unmet need was elevated among adolescents with depression (1.90, 1.67–2.18), those with anxiety (1.78, 1.56–2.03), females (1.43, 1.31–1.58), gender minorities (1.45, 1.23–1.70) and sexual minorities (1.15, 1.07–1.23). Conclusion: Adolescents of gender or sexual minority status and those with anxiety were more likely than others to have discussed mental health concerns and also to have reported unmet need. The most common sources of support were primary health care providers and adults at school, while the most and least preferred modes of support were in-person and video call services, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]