Preliminary Analyses of Expression of Learning and Memory Related Genes in Honey Bees (<i>Apis mellifera</i>) in Free-Choice Learning Paradigms

Honey bees are an established animal model for studying learning and memory related behaviors. In recent years, honey bees have become more common as a model for investigations of molecular biology, including gene expression. Honey bees have been used to extrapolate genetic functions found in other invertebrates, such as Drosophila melanogaster. The honey bee model has also provided a means for isolating novel genes, including non-coding microRNA fragments. Integrating the study of learning and memory with molecular genetics, the present work examines the effect of learning acquisition and memory consolidation in free-choice paradigms on the expression of a suite of genes of interest. Results suggest that short-term learning acquisition causes differential expression of microRNA fragments, while memory consolidation differentially affects the expression of the serine/threonine protein kinase gene in honey bees. These results corroborate previous findings suggesting the importance of protein kinases in the formation of long term memory, and suggest that microRNA may play a large role in regulation of cytoskeletal scaffolding proteins.

Characteristic of Species Composition of Fungi Involved in the Formation of Mycobiota of Honey Bees in Azerbaijan

The purpose of the presented work was dedicated to identifying the species composition of the mycobiota of honey bees in Azerbaijan condition. From the samples taken from bees, materials became clear that in the formation of mycobiota those materials (from bees, from where they live and their products) in generally participate 52 species of fungi. Among the recorded fungi, species take part such as Alternaria alternata (Fr.) Keissl., Aspergillus flavus Link, Candida albicans (C.P. Robin) Berkhout, Cladosporium herbarum (Pers.) Link, Penicillium cuclopium Westling, P. granulatum Bainier and etc. which carry features conditionally pathogenicity, toxicity, allergens and danger to biological productivity of bees and as well as to pollution of their products. It is known for a long time to scientists that these species are dangerous for human health. For this reason, preparation of normative documents that reflect the principles of microbiological safety of bee products is a necessary task.

Asian Honey Bees Use Trace Amount Chemical to Avoid Danger

While foraging,animals can form inter-and intra-specific social signaling(i.e.one organism using signals to alert another about danger)networks to avoid similar predators.Honey bee sting alarm pheromones are multi-component blends,for instance isopentyl acetate(IPA),octyl acetate(OA),benzyl acetate(BA),etc.However,the

Hepatic and renal effects of oral stingless bee honey in a streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat model

BACKGROUND Diabetes is known damage the liver and kidney,leading to hepatic dysfunction and kidney failure.Honey is believed to help in lowering the blood glucose levels of diabetic patients and reducing diabetic complications.However,the effect of stingless bee honey(SBH)administration in relieving liver and kidney damage in diabetes has not been well-studied.AIM To investigate the effect of SBH administration on the kidney and liver of streptozotocin-induced(STZ;55 mg/kg)diabetic Sprague Dawley rats.METHODS The rats were grouped as follows(n=6 per group):non-diabetic(ND),untreated diabetic(UNT),metformin-treated(MET),and SBH+metformin-treated(SBME)groups.After successful diabetic induction,ND and UNT rats were given normal saline,whereas the treatment groups received SBH(2.0 g/kg and/or metformin(250 mg/kg)for 12 d.Serum biochemical parameters and histological changes using hematoxylin and eosin(H&E)and periodic acid–Schiff(PAS)staining were evaluated.RESULTS On H&E and PAS staining,the ND group showed normal architecture and cellularity of Bowman’s capsule and tubules,whereas the UNT and MET groups had an increased glomerular cellularity and thickened basement membrane.The SBH-treated group showed a decrease in hydropic changes and mild cellularity of the glomerulus vs the ND group based on H&E staining,but the two were similar on PAS staining.Likewise,the SBME-treated group had an increase in cellularity of the glomerulus on H&E staining,but it was comparable to the SBH and ND groups on PAS staining.UNT diabetic rats had tubular hydropic tubules,which were smaller than other groups.Reduced fatty vacuole formation and dilated blood sinusoids in liver tissue were seen in the SBH group.Conversely,the UNT group had high glucose levels,which subsequently increased MDA levels,ultimately leading to liver damage.SBH treatment reduced this damage,as evidenced by having the lowest fasting glucose,serum alanine transaminase,aspartate transaminase,and alkaline phosphatase levels compared to other groups,although the levels of liver enzymes were not statistically significant.CONCLUSION The cellularity of the Bowman’s capsule,as well as histological alteration of kidney tubules,glomerular membranes,and liver tissues in diabetic rats after oral SBH resembled those of ND rats.Therefore,SBH exhibited a protective hepatorenal effect in a diabetic rat model.

Effects of Imidacloprid and Varroa destructor on survival and health of European honey bees, Apis mellifera

There has been growing concern over declines in populations of honey bees and other pollinators which are a vital part to our food security. It is imperative to identify factors responsible for accelerated declines in bee populations and develop solutions for reversing bee losses. While exact causes of colony losses remain elusive, risk factors thought to play key roles are ectoparasitic mites Varroa destructor and neonicotinoid pesticides. The present study aims to investigate effects of a neonicotinoid pesticide Imidacloprid and Varroa mites individually on survivorship, growth, physiology, virus dynamics and immunity of honey bee workers. Our study provides clear evidence that the exposure to sublethal doses of Imidacloprid could exert a significantly negative effect on health and survival of honey bees. We observed a significant reduction in the titer ofvitellogenin （Vg）, an egg yolk precursor that regulates the honey bees development and behavior and often are linked to energy homeostasis, in bees exposed to lmidacloprid. This result indicates that sublethal exposure to neonicotinoid could lead to increased energy usage in honey bees as detoxification is a energy-consuming metabolic process and suggests that Vg could be a useful biomarker for measuring levels of energy stress and sublethal effects of pesticides on honey bees. Measurement of the quantitative effects of different levels of Varroa mite infestation on the replication dynamic of Deformed wing virus （DWV）, an RNA virus associated with Varroa infestation, and expression level of immune genes yields unique insights into how honey bees respond to stressors under laboratory conditions.

Effects of Nectar Property on Compensated Dipping Behavior of Honey Bees with Damaged Tongues

In nature,bees with damaged tongues are adapted to have a feat in collecting nectariferous sources in a large spectrum of concentrations(19%-69%)or viscosities(10^(-3)Pa·s to 10^(-1)Pa·s);however,eff ects of nectar property on compensated dipping behavior remain elusive.Combining the bee tongue anatomy,high-speed videography,and mathematical models,we investigate responses of honey bees with damaged tongues to fluidic sources in various properties.We find that,bees with 80%damaged tongues are deprived of feeding capability and remarkably,the dipping frequency increases from 4.24 Hz to 5.08 Hz while ingesting 25%sugar water when the tongue loses 0-30%in length,while declines from 5.08 to 3.86 Hz in case of 30%damaged tongue when sucrose concentration increases from 25%to 45%.We employ the energetic compensation rate and energetic utilization rate to evaluate eff ectiveness of the compensation from the perspective of energetic regulation.The mathematical model indicates that the energetic compensation rate turns higher in bees with less damaged tongues for ingesting dilute sugar water,demonstrating its capability of functional compensation for combined factors.Also,the tongue-damaged bees achieve the highest energetic utilization rate when ingesting~30%sugar water.Beyond biology,the findings may shed lights on biomimetic materials and technologies that aim to compensate for geometrical degradations without regeneration.

Changing climate patterns risk the spread of Varroa destructor infestation of African honey bees in Tanzania

Background:Climate change creates opportune conditions that favour the spread of pests and diseases outside their known active range.Modelling climate change scenarios is oftentimes useful tool to assess the climate analogues to unveil the potential risk of spreading suitability conditions for pests and diseases and hence allows development of appropriate responses to address the impending challenge.In the current study,we modelled the impact of climate change on the distribution of Varroa destructor,a parasitic mite that attacks all life forms of honey bees and remains a significant threat to their survival and productivity of bee products in Tanzania and elsewhere.Methods:The data about the presence of V.destructor were collected in eight regions of Tanzania selected in consideration of several factors including potentials for beekeeping activities,elevation(highlands vs.lowlands)and differences in climatic conditions.A total of 19 bioclimatic datasets covering the entire country were used for developing climate scenarios of mid-century 2055 and late-century 2085 for both rcp4.5 and rcp8.5.We thereafter modelled the current and future risk distribution of V.destructor using MaxEnt.Results:The results indicated a model performance of AUC=0.85,with mean diurnal range in temperature(Bio2,43.9%),mean temperature(Bio1,20.6%)and mean annual rainfall(Bio12,11.7%)as the important variables.Future risk projections indicated mixed responses of the potential risk of spreads of V.destructor,exhibiting both decrease and increases in the mid-century 2055 and late-century 2085 on different sites.Overall,there is a general decline of highly suitable areas of V.destructor in mid-and late-century across all scenarios(rcp4.5 and rcp8.5).The moderately suitable areas indicated a mixed response in mid-century with decline(under rcp4.5)and increase(under rcp8.5)and consistent increase in late century.The marginally suitable areas show a decline in mid-century and increase in late-century.Our results suggest that the climate change will continue to significantly affect the distribution and risks spread of V.destructor in Tanzania.The suitability range of V.destructor will shift where highly suitable areas will be diminishing to the advantage of the honey bees’populations,but increase of moderately suitable sites indicates an expansion to new areas.The late century projections show the increased risks due to surge in the moderate and marginal suitability which means expansion in the areas where V.destructor will operate Conclusion:The current and predicted areas of habitat suitability for V.destructor’s host provides information useful for beekeeping stakeholders in Tanzania to consider the impending risks and allow adequate interventions to address challenges facing honey bees and the beekeeping industry.We recommend further studies on understanding the severity of V.destructor in health and stability of the honey bees in Tanzania.This will provide a better picture on how the country will need to monitor and reduce the risks associated with the increase of V.destructor activities as triggered by climate change.The loss of honey bees’colonies and its subsequent impact in bees’products production and pollination effect have both ecological and economic implications that need to have prioritization by the stakeholders in the country to address the challenge of spreading V.destructor.

Impact of Beekeeping on the Wild Bee Diversity in Northern Ivory Coast(West Africa)

In Ivory Coast,beekeeping takes an important place among the major economic activities.It contributes to improv-ing the population’s livelihoods thanks to its derived products which are honey,propolis,wax and royal jelly.How-ever,the installation of honey bee hives could put pressure on wild bee species,which often live solitary.However,these wild bees are excellent pollinators of cultivated and wild plants.The study aimed to assess the effect of honey bee hives on the diversity of wild bees.The methodology approach consisted of capturing bees in three different plots inside the forest fragment of the botanical garden located at the University Peleforo Gon Coulibaly.The first plot was chosen approximately from 10 m to an apiary containing ten hives.The two other plots were chosen to be 200 m and 400 m from the apiary,respectively.Bees were captured once a month for three months using pan traps(UV—blue,yellow and white).A total of 17 bee species belonging to three families(Apidae,Megachilidae and Halictidae)were identified.The furthest plot from the apiary was the most diverse(H’=2.49)and that near the apiary was the least diverse(H’=0.11).Only,two wild bee species,Hypotrigona sp.and Thrinchostoma petersi,persisted inside the plot nearby the apiary where honey bees were most abundant.The furthest plots from the apiary seem to have the highest diversity of wild bees.These findings are very relevant because they can be used for the policies of conservation of wild bees and the management of beekeeping activities.

Random Fuzzy Chance-constrained Programming Based on Adaptive Chaos Quantum Honey Bee Algorithm and Robustness Analysis

This paper proposes an adaptive chaos quantum honey bee algorithm （CQHBA） for solving chance-constrained program- ming in random fuzzy environment based on random fuzzy simulations. Random fuzzy simulation is designed to estimate the chance of a random fuzzy event and the optimistic value to a random fuzzy variable. In CQHBA, each bee carries a group of quantum bits representing a solution. Chaos optimization searches space around the selected best-so-far food source. In the marriage process, random interferential discrete quantum crossover is done between selected drones and the queen. Gaussian quantum mutation is used to keep the diversity of whole population. New methods of computing quantum rotation angles are designed based on grads. A proof of con- vergence for CQHBA is developed and a theoretical analysis of the computational overhead for the algorithm is presented. Numerical examples are presented to demonstrate its superiority in robustness and stability, efficiency of computational complexity, success rate, and accuracy of solution quality. CQHBA is manifested to be highly robust under various conditions and capable of handling most random fuzzy programmings with any parameter settings, variable initializations, system tolerance and confidence level, perturbations, and noises.

Optimal Intelligence Planning of Wind Power Plants and Power System Storage Devices in Power Station Unit Commitment Based

Renewable energy sources(RES)such as wind turbines(WT)and solar cells have attracted the attention of power system operators and users alike,thanks to their lack of environmental pollution,independence of fossil fuels,and meager marginal costs.With the introduction of RES,challenges have faced the unit commitment(UC)problem as a traditional power system optimization problem aiming to minimize total costs by optimally determining units’inputs and outputs,and specifying the optimal generation of each unit.The output power of RES such as WT and solar cells depends on natural factors such as wind speed and solar irradiation that are riddled with uncertainty.As a result,the UC problem in the presence of RES faces uncertainties.The grid consumed load is not always equal to and is randomly different from the predicted values,which also contributes to uncertainty in solving the aforementioned problem.The current study proposes a novel two-stage optimization model with load and wind farm power generation uncertainties for the security-constrained UC to overcome this problem.The new model is adopted to solve the wind-generated power uncertainty,and energy storage systems(ESSs)are included in the problem for further management.The problem is written as an uncertain optimization model which are the stochastic nature with security-constrains which included undispatchable power resources and storage units.To solve the UC programming model,a hybrid honey bee mating and bacterial foraging algorithm is employed to reduce problem complexity and achieve optimal results.

Potential Insecticidal Effect of a Wasp (Polistes dominulus) and a Bee (Apis mellifera) Venoms in Controlling Spodoptera littoralis

Cotton leaf worm, Spodoptera littoralis, is considered one of the most common arthropod pests that contribute to crop devastation of cotton. Previously, agricultural pests were controlled through the application of chemical insecticides. However, insecticide-resistant insect populations emergence, as well as increasing concerns about the environmental and human health risks. Venomous animals introduce valuable sources of bioactive compounds which are employed for defence. Some of these toxins have high phyletic specificity, making them appropriate for use in IPM programs. This study aims to test the insecticidal effects of Polistes dominulus and Apis mellifera venoms. Crude venoms were examined for their insecticidal effect against cotton leaf worms by four different application methods including: leaf dipping, integument dropping, spraying, and injection. The data demonstrated a strong response to purified (Polistes dominulus) venom at an initial time than that of honey bee (Apis mellifera) which increases response with increasing the dose and the time interval. A dosage of 0.015 - 0.16 ml of both venoms had notably varied in LD50 values on Spodoptera littoralis that showed higher wasp venom toxicity. Cotton leaf worms showed more susceptibility and mortality to the Polistes sp. venom than that of honey bees.

An Origami-Like Sheath of a Honeybee Tongue for Fluid Viscosity Sensing

Mechanoreceptors play a vital role for animals to sense and monitor environmental parameters,like flow speed,tactile resistance,and pressure.The hairy-structured trichoid sensillum,a common type of mechanoreceptor in insects,is generally non-motile,embedded in a socket connected with cuticular substrate.However,we discover that the trichoid sensilla on the tongue of western bees(Apis mellifera L.)is rotatable and can be actively maneuvered by bees.The trichoid sensilla together with the socket base are mounted on the origami-like sheath of the tongue,and can rotate outwards along with the deformation of the tongue sheath.We illustrate that the rotation of the tongue sensilla hairs can locally generate shear force in the liquid to sense the viscosity,which may facilitate bees to adjust their feeding strategies.The viscosity sensitivity of the rotatable trichoid sensilla based on the origami-like mechanism,according to our mechanical model,is 13 times greater than that of the fixed sensilla.In addition,our finite element analysis shows that strain would concentrate on the trichoid sensilla base when rotating in the liquid,which may structurally enhance its perception sensitivity.This study reports a new mechanism of active mechanoreceptors and may have implications for origami mechanisms with correlative functional components,especially for micro-robotic systems used in underwater viscosity sensing.

Bees and Honey

The first bee landed on Dalin Wang at around one in the afternoon.Surrounded by3,000 onlookers,he wore a pair of trousers,black boots and two small cloth bags,each containing a queen bee.Wang watched the bees cover his chest,legs and arms,until

Genomic features underlying the evolutionary transitions of Apibacter to honey bee gut symbionts

The gut bacteria of honey bee recognized as a mutualistic partner with the insect host might have originated from a free-living or parasitic lifestyle. However, little is known about the genomic features underlying this lifestyle transition. Here we compared the genomes of bee gut bacteria Apibacter with their close relatives living in different lifestyles. We found that despite general reduction in the Apibacter genome, genes involved in amino acid synthesis and monosaccharide detoxification were retained, which is putatively beneficial to the host. Interestingly, the microaerobic Apibacter species specifically acquired genes encoding for the nitrate respiration (NAR). These together with nitrate transporter and enzymatic cofactor synthesis genes were found clustered in the genomes. The NAR system is also conserved in the cohabitating bee gut microbe Snodgrassella, although with a different structure. This convergence suggests a key role of respiratory nitrate reduction for microaerophilic microbiomes to colonize bee gut epithelium. Genes involved in lipid, histidine degradation were found partially or completely lost in Apibacter. Particularly, genes encoding for the conversion to the toxic intermediates in phenylacetate degradation, as well as other potential virulence factors, are specifically lost in Apibacter group. Antibiotic resistance genes are only sporadically distributed among Apibacter species, but are prevalent in their relatives, which may be related to the remotely living feature and less exposure to antibiotics of their bee hosts. Collectively, this study advanced our knowledge of genomic features specialized to bee gut symbionts.

Mblk-1 regulates sugar responsiveness in honey bee(Apis mellifera)foragers

Brain transcriptional regulatory network for behavior demonstrates that brain gene expression in the honey bee can be accurately predicted from the expression transcription factors(TFs),but roles for specific TFs are less understood.Mushroom bodies(MBs)are important for learning,memory and sensory integration in the honey bee brain.A TFs,Mblk-1,expressed preferentially in the large-type Kenyon cells of the honeybee MBs is predicted to be involved in brain function by regulating transcription of its target genes in honey bee.However,its function and the mechanism of regulation in behavior of honey bee is still obscure.Here we show that Mblk-1 had significantly higher expression in the brains of forager bees relative to nurse bees.Mblk-1 was significantly inhibited in bees fed small interfering RNA.In addition,inhibition of Mblk-1 decreased sucrose responsiveness in foragers.Finally,we determined that Mblk-1 regulated the messenger RNA of AmGRl.These findings suggest that Mblk-1 may target AmGRl to regulate the sucrose responsiveness of foragers.

APPLYING PARTICLE SWARM OPTIMIZATION AND HONEY BEE MATING OPTIMIZATION IN DEVELOPING AN INTELLIGENT MARKET SEGMENTATION SYSTEM

Data mining has been successfully applied in many fields to find useful information stored in vast databases. Market segmentation, which segments data into homogenous clusters by using cluster analysis, is among the most important of the applications in data mining. In this study, we propose a clustering system which integrates particle swarm optimization and honey bee mating optimization methods （PSHBMO）. Simulations for a benchmark test function show that our proposed method is better equipped to find the global optimum than other well-known clustering algorithms. Finally, the proposed clustering system is applied to a real-world consumer electronic company to perform market segmentation via the RFM model.

Bee honey and exercise for improving physical performance,reducing fatigue,and promoting an active lifestyle during COVID-19

An active lifestyle has enormous health benefits.However,physical activity has globally decreased since the beginning of the current coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)outbreak because of social distancing measures.Older adults and people with age-related diseases(e.g.,diabetes,obesity,cancer,cardiovascular disorders,etc.)are widely affected by COVID-19 and its grave adverse effects because of their baseline poor immune function.Although they are in intense need for the therapeutic benefits of exercise,they may express a low capacity for exercising due to skeletal muscle dysfunction and low motivation.Honey is a natural energy-rich,low glycemic index food with a variety of biological activities.It is reported to correct muscle pathology in diseased conditions.Because skeletal muscle is the key structure involved in the exercise,we explored the literature for the exercise-promoting potential of natural honey.Bee honey improves physical performance at moderate levels of activity,and it reduces the production of inflammatory cytokines and biomarkers of fatigue following strenuous exercise among athletes.Supplementing ischemic heart disease patients with honey combined with floral pollen improved patients’tolerance for physical loads and corrected metabolic dysfunctions.Therefore,the therapeutic use of honey may have implications for increasing the capacity for exercise in aged and diseased individuals.Soundly designed studies are needed to evaluate such possibilities.

Survey of insect visitation of ornamental flowers in Southover Grange garden, Lewes, UK

Ornamental flowers commonly grown in ttrban gardens and parks can be of value to flower-visiting insects. However, there is huge variation in the number of insects attracted among plant varieties. In this study, we quantified the insect attractiveness of 79 varieties in full bloom being grown in a public urban garden that is popular due to its beautiful flowers and other attractions. The results showed very clearly that most varieties （77%, n = 61） were either poorly attractive or completely unattractive to insect flower visitors. Several varieties （19%, n = 15） were moderately attractive, but very few （4%, n = 3） were highly attractive. Closer examination of Dahlia varieties showed that ＂open＂ flowered forms were approximately 20 times more attractive than ＂closed＂ flowered forms. These results strongly suggest that there is a great potential for making urban parks and gardens considerably more bee- and insect-friendly by selecting appropriate varieties.