Two novel proteins expressed by the venom glands of Apis mellifera and Nasonia vitripennis share an ancient C1q-like domain.

An in-depth proteomic study of previously unidentified two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis spots of honey bee (Apis mellifera, Hymenoptera) venom revealed a new protein with a C1q conserved domain (C1q-VP). BlastP searching revealed a strong identity with only two proteins from other insect species: the jewel wasp, Nasonia vitripennis (Hymenoptera), and the green pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum (Hemiptera). In higher organisms, C1q is the first subcomponent of the classical complement pathway and constitutes a major link between innate and acquired immunity. Expression of C1q-VP in a variety of tissues of honey bee workers and drones was demonstrated. In addition, a wide spatial and temporal pattern of expression was observed in N. vitripennis. We suggest that C1q-VP represents a new member of the emerging group of venom trace elements. Using degenerate primers the corresponding gene was found to be highly conserved in eight hymenopteran species, including species of the Aculeata and the Parasitica groups (suborder Apocrita) and even the suborder Symphyta. A preliminary test using recombinant proteins failed to demonstrate Am_C1q-VP-specific immunoglobulin E recognition by serum from patients with a documented severe bee venom allergy.

Insights into the venom composition of the ectoparasitoid wasp Nasonia vitripennis from bioinformatic and proteomic studies.

With the Nasonia vitripennis genome sequences available, we attempted to determine the proteins present in venom by two different approaches. First, we searched for the transcripts of venom proteins by a bioinformatic approach using amino acid sequences of known hymenopteran venom proteins. Second, we performed proteomic analyses of crude N. vitripennis venom removed from the venom reservoir, implementing both an off-line two-dimensional liquid chromatography matrix-assisted laser desorption/ ionization time-of-flight (2D-LC-MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry (MS) and a two-dimensional liquid chromatography electrospray ionization Founer transform ion cyclotron resonance (2D-LC-ESI-FT-ICR) MS setup. This combination of bioinformatic and proteomic studies resulted in an extraordinary richness of identified venom constituents. Moreover, half of the 79 identified proteins were not yet associated with insect venoms: 16 proteins showed similarity only to known proteins from other tissues or secretions, and an additional 23 did not show similarity to any known protein. Serine proteases and their inhibitors were the most represented. Fifteen nonsecretory proteins were also identified by proteomic means and probably represent so-called 'venom trace elements'. The present study contributes greatly to the understanding of the biological diversity of the venom of parasitoid wasps at the molecular level.

Genomic and transcriptional analysis of protein heterogeneity of the honeybee venom allergen Api m 6.

Several components of honeybee venom are known to cause allergenic responses in humans and other vertebrates. One such component, the minor allergen Api m 6, has been known to show amino acid variation but the genetic mechanism for this variation is unknown. Here we show that Api m 6 is derived from a single locus, and that substantial protein-level variation has a simple genome-level cause, without the need to invoke multiple loci or alternatively spliced exons. Api m 6 sits near a misassembled section of the honeybee genome sequence, and we propose that a substantial number of indels at and near Api m 6 might be the root cause of this misassembly. We suggest that genes such as Api m 6 with coding-region or untranslated region indels might have had a strong effect on the assembly of this draft of the honeybee genome.

On the concept of attractor for community-dynamical processes I: the case of unstructured populations.

We introduce a notion of attractor adapted to dynamical processes as they are studied in community-ecological models and their computer simulations. This attractor concept is modeled after that of Ruelle as presented in [11] and [12]. It incorporates the fact that in an immigration-free community populations can go extinct at low values of their densities.

On the concept of attractor for community-dynamical processes II: the case of structured populations.

In Part I of this paper Jacobs and Metz (2003) extended the concept of the Conley-Ruelle, or chain, attractor in a way relevant to unstructured community ecological models. Their modified theory incorporated the facts that certain parts of the boundary of the state space correspond to the situation of at least one species being extinct and that an extinct species can not be rescued by noise. In this part we extend the theory to communities of physiologically structured populations. One difference between the structured and unstructured cases is that a structured population may be doomed to extinction and not rescuable by any biologically relevant noise before actual extinction has taken place. Another difference is that in the structured case we have to use different topologies to define continuity of orbits and to measure noise. Biologically meaningful noise is furthermore related to the linear structure of the community state space. The construction of extinction preserving chain attractors developed in this paper takes all these points into account.

Invasion dynamics and attractor inheritance.

We study the dynamics of a population of residents that is being invaded by an initially rare mutant. We show that under relatively mild conditions the sum of the mutant and resident population sizes stays arbitrarily close to the initial attractor of the monomorphic resident population whenever the mutant has a strategy sufficiently similar to that of the resident. For stochastic systems we show that the probability density of the sum of the mutant and resident population sizes stays arbitrarily close to the stationary probability density of the monomorphic resident population. Attractor switching, evolutionary suicide as well as most cases of "the resident strikes back" in systems with multiple attractors are possible only near a bifurcation point in the strategy space where the resident attractor undergoes a discontinuous change. Away from such points, when the mutant takes over the population from the resident and hence becomes the new resident itself, the population stays on the same attractor. In other words, the new resident "inherits" the attractor from its predecessor, the former resident.

Disinfection of wooden structures contaminated with Paenibacillus larvae subsp. larvae spores.

AIMS: The aim of the study is to examine the disinfection of wood contaminated with Paenibacillus larvae subsp. larvae spores, in order to find a practical decontamination method for hive materials. METHODS AND RESULTS: The number of viable spores recovered after the treatment, on the surface by swabbing, and in the deeper parts of the wood by scraping, was used to test the efficiency of the disinfection. Our results indicate that chemical disinfection is only complete when high concentrations (> 50%) of the disinfectant are used. Heat treatment in general was found to be very effective. The scorching of wood was not satisfactory as it only killed spores at the surface. CONCLUSION: Complete disinfection is only possible with some heat treatments or by using high concentrations of chemical disinfectants. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: This study puts forward some methods that can provide complete decontamination, which is necessary for an effective control of American foulbrood disease.

Calcifying epithelial odontogenic tumor with intracranial extension: report of a case and review of the literature.

The calcifying epithelial odontogenic tumor (CEOT) is a rare benign neoplasm, possibly of stratum intermedium origin and occurring predominantly in the mandible of adults. The treatment varies, depending on its size, location, and histology. A case of an advanced CEOT arising in the maxilla with intracranial extension is reported. The report is supplemented by a review of the literature.

Maxillofacial hydatid cysts.

We report 2 cases of hydatid cysts occurring in the submandibular gland and buccal submucosa, respectively. Our first case occurred in the submandibular salivary gland of a 20-year-old woman and the second involved the buccal submucosa of a 6-year-old boy. Both diagnoses were made after the excision of the lesions. Both patients were evaluated after surgery, and both were followed up, but no other organs were involved.

Prevalence of markers for human immunodeficiency, hepatitis B and hepatitis C viruses in maxillofacial and oral surgery patients at Medunsa.

Information on the incidence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis B (HBV) and C (HCV) virus infections is needed for the planning of preventative measures against the spreading of these blood borne pathogens through treatment in the clinic. A survey was conducted to determine the incidence for 180 patients attending the maxillofacial and oral surgery clinic at the Medunsa Dental Hospital. Antibodies to HIV were found in 1.1 per cent. Hepatitis B surface antigen in 2.8 per cent and Hepatitis B core antibodies as the sole marker in three patients who tested positive for HBV-DNA. The prevalence of anti-HCV was 1.1 per cent. The presence of these infections indicates that there is a need for dental health care workers to comply with all recommended precautionary measures, including immunization against hepatitis B.

Intravelar veloplasty: surgical modification according to anatomical defect.

The patient is often left with an oro-nasal fistula after the intravelar veloplasty procedure for the primary closure of the hard and soft palate cleft. The junction between the hard and soft palate is submitted to maximal tension during this procedure and is where the fistula most often occurs. The primary intravelar veloplasty procedure is discussed and 7 surgical modifications are introduced. The aim of these modifications is the prevention of an oro-nasal fistula and each is specifically adapted according to the existing anatomical form and defect of the cleft palate. The surgical modifications are divided into 2 main groups: those based on localised swivel flaps and those based on distant flaps.

[Primary intravelar vestibuloplasty--adaptation of surgical modification of the anatomical defect]. / Primêre intravelare veloplastiek--chirurgiese modifikasies aangepas by die anatomiese defek.

Oro-nasal fistulae often occur after the primary closure of the hard and soft palate cleft and in particular at the junction between the hard and soft palate. This is the area where maximal tension is exerted during the intravelar veloplasty closure procedure. Six surgical modifications of the primary intravelar veloplasty technique are described and each is specifically adapted according to the existing anatomical form and defect of the cleft soft palate, so that the occurrence of an oro-nasal fistula may be prevented. The surgical procedures may be divided into two main groups, namely those which are based on a localized swivel flap and those where remote flaps are used.

Ornithine-vasopressin gangrene and reconstruction of the upper lip. Case report.

A bilateral cleft lip and palate case received ornithine-vasopressin intra-operatively in preparation for a vasoconstricted field of the various lip segments prior to the repair of the cleft lip. A cyanotic tinge appeared immediately. This eventually led to total necrosis of the upper lip. Various relevant blood tests were done and a mild thrombocytosis was found. Surgical reconstruction of the upper lip was performed by means of a forked cross-lip flap--the main blood supply coming from the columella--as well as by means of an inferiorly pedicled cheek flap from the para-nasal area.