| detection of galangin-induced cytoplasmic membrane damage in staphylococcus aureus by measuring potassium loss. | galangin is one of the active antimicrobial principles of propolis or 'bee glue' and helichrysum aureonitens, a perennial herb used by south african indigenes to treat infection. the effect of this compound and antibacterial agents with known mechanisms of action upon the cytoplasmic membrane integrity of staphylococcus aureus was investigated by comparing potassium loss profiles from bacterial cell suspensions. using an agar dilution assay, the minimum inhibitory concentrations (mics) of the fl ... | 2005 | 15985350 |
| occurrence of mycotoxin producing fungi in bee pollen. | the natural mycobiota occurring in bee pollen is studied in the present report with special attention to analyze the incidence of fungal species that are potential producers of mycotoxins. a total of 90 ready-to-eat bee pollen samples were analyzed. eighty-seven samples were collected in stores placed in different spanish areas and three were from buenos aires (argentina). the statistical results (anova) showed that yeasts and penicillium spp. were the predominant fungi. with regard to the poten ... | 2005 | 16009441 |
| oleic acid-induced lung injury in rats and effects of caffeic acid phenethyl ester. | caffeic acid phenethyl ester (cape) is a phenolic antioxidant and is an active anti-inflammatory component of honeybee propolis. the authors evaluated the effects of cape on oxidative stress and lung damage in an oleic acid (oa)-induced lung-injury model. rats were divided into 5 groups as sham, oa, cape, pre-oa-cape, and post-oa-cape. acute lung injury was induced by intravenous administration of 100 mg/kg of oa. pre-oa-cape group received cape (10 micromol/kg. intravenously) 15 minutes before ... | 2005 | 16019983 |
| myo-inositol-derived glycolipids with anti-inflammatory activity from solanum lanceolatum. | lanceolitols a1-a7 (1-7) and b1-b7 (9-15), two series of new myo-inositol-derived glycolipid analogues, in which a sugar moiety is replaced by a fatty acid esterified myo-inositol moiety, were isolated from the leaves of solanum lanceolatum. their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic analysis (1h nmr, 13c nmr, 1h-1h cosy, hmqc, hmbc, and hrfabms), as well as chemical analysis. all the compounds showed in vivo anti-inflammatory activity against ear edema in mice produced by 12 ... | 2005 | 16038543 |
| [poisoning by bee sting]. | among the human pathologies produced by venomous animals, bee stings constitute the largest number of accidents in several countries, exceeding the mortality rate caused by other venomous animals such as snakes, spiders or scorpions. the clinical picture after the bee sting may include anaphylaxis or poisoning. the latter is produced by massive attacks and is a serious problem that may put the patient's life at risk. people that are poisoned display hemolysis, rhabdomiolysis and acute renal fail ... | 2005 | 16025987 |
| the coevolution of insect muscle tpnt and tpni gene isoforms. | in bilaterians, the main regulator of muscle contraction is the troponin (tpn) complex, comprising three closely interacting subunits (c, t, and i). to understand how evolutionary forces drive molecular change in protein complexes, we have compared the gene structures and expression patterns of tpn genes in insects. in this class, while tpnc is encoded by multiple genes, tpnt and tpni are encoded by single genes. their isoform expression pattern is highly conserved within the drosophilidae, and ... | 2005 | 16049195 |
| [reaction of separate physiologic barriers in different races of honeybee apis mellifera in bacterial infection]. | | 2005 | 16033212 |
| intricate transmission routes and interactions between picorna-like viruses (kashmir bee virus and sacbrood virus) with the honeybee host and the parasitic varroa mite. | viral diseases of honeybees are a major problem in apiculture, causing serious economic losses worldwide, especially in combination with varroa mites. to increase understanding of the relationship among viruses, mites and colony decline, the tripartite relationships among bees, viruses [kashmir bee virus (kbv) and sacbrood virus (sbv)] and varroa mites have been investigated systematically. to develop an antibody-based test for kbv, two structural recombinant proteins were purified for polyclona ... | 2005 | 16033976 |
| effects of turkish pollen and propolis extracts on respiratory burst for k-562 cell lines. | bee-collected pollen and propolis are apicultural products which are composed of nutritionally valuable substances and contain considerable amounts of polyphenol substances which may act as potent antioxidants. we wanted to show if respiratory burst within a cancer cell lines could be influenced when incubated with pollen and propolis extracts or not. pollen and propolis extracts at concentrations of 50, 25, 12.5 and 0 mg/ml were prepared by dimethyl sulfoxide (dmso). k-562 cell cultures and mon ... | 2005 | 16039555 |
| water-soluble derivative of propolis and its polyphenolic compounds enhance tumoricidal activity of macrophages. | many plants and the plant-derived honeybee propolis have shown biological activities like immunomodulation and antitumor effect. the effect of two water-soluble propolis derivatives (wsdp) from croatia and brazil, caffeic acid, quercetin, chrysin and naringenin which are present in wsdp was assessed on the development of ehrlich ascites tumor (eat). the compounds (50 mgkg(-1)) were given by gastric intubations (po) 2 h prior to the intraperitoneal injection of eat (2x10(6)) cells. it was observe ... | 2005 | 16054317 |
| postembryonic development of the mushroom bodies in the ant, camponotus japonicus. | mushroom bodies (mb) are insect brain centers involved in learning and other complex behaviors and they are particularly large in ants. we describe the larval and pupal development of the mb in the carpenter ant, camponotus japonicus. based on morphological cues, we characterized the stages of preimaginal development of worker ants. we then describe morphological changes and neurogenesis underlying the mb development. kenyon cells are produced in a proliferation cluster formed by symmetrical div ... | 2005 | 16082163 |
| the effect of bee propolis on oral pathogens and human gingival fibroblasts. | propolis is one of the few natural remedies that have maintained its popularity over a long period of time. the aim of this study is to investigate the antimicrobial properties of six propolis solutions and evaluate their cytotoxicity on gingival fibroblasts at different dilutions. two different solutions of powder propolis (sigma) and turkish propolis were prepared and propylene glycol (pg) and alcohol were used as solvents for each propolis sample. in addition to the four propolis solutions, t ... | 2005 | 16084044 |
| the role of varroa mites in infections of kashmir bee virus (kbv) and deformed wing virus (dwv) in honey bees. | to determine the roles of varroa mites in activating or vectoring viral infections, we performed quantitative comparison of viral infections between bees with and without mites by dot blot analysis and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (elisa). under natural and artificial mite infestations, bee pupae contained significantly higher levels of kashmir bee virus (kbv) and deformed wing virus (dwv) rnas and kbv structural proteins than mite-free pupae. moreover, in mite-infested bee pupae, dwv had a ... | 2005 | 16109435 |
| corneal honeybee sting. | we report the complications and management of a retained bee sting injury to the cornea. the case highlights the acute and chronic management of an uncommon injury and its pathogenesis. | 2005 | 16116512 |
| expression and regulation of phospholipase a2 in venom gland of the chinese honeybee, apis cerana cerana. | phospholipase a(2) (pla(2)) is one of the components of bee venom with a wide range of pharmacological functions. it operates as a major allergen working with other venom components to defend the colony from intruder. in the present study, the cdna sequence of the ac-pla(2) gene from cdna library of the venom gland of apis cerana was compared with the amplified corresponding region of genomic dna. the result showed that the ac-pla(2) gene consisted of four exons and three introns. southern blot ... | 2005 | 16116618 |
| making artificial honey using yeast cells from salivary glands of honey bees. | the salivary glands of a honey bee, apis cerana and the yeast cells isolated from these glands were studied for their effects on sucrose solution. this solution exhibited lowered ph and increased levels of fructose and total amino acids as the time of incubation proceeded. the solution thus made was similar to the natural honey. | 2005 | 16053276 |
| study of spanish grape mycobiota and ochratoxin a production by isolates of aspergillus tubingensis and other members of aspergillus section nigri. | the native mycobiota of five grape varieties grown in spain has been studied. four (bobal, tempranillo, garnacha, and monastrell) were red varieties and one (moscatel) was white. the main fungal genera isolated were alternaria, cladosporium, and aspergillus. the isolation frequency of aspergillus spp. section nigri in contaminated samples was 82%. ochratoxin a (ota) production was assessed using yeast extract-sucrose broth supplemented with 5% bee pollen. cultures of 205 isolates from this secti ... | 2005 | 16085865 |
| foraging on some nonfloral resources by stingless bees (hymenoptera, meliponini) in a caatinga region. | in a caatinga region the flowers and nonfloral resources visited by highly eusocial bees, stingless beess and apis mellifera (africanized honey bee) were studied. during one year, monthly sampling took place in two sites at serra da capivara national park (piauf state, brazil), one of them, including the local village, outside the park, and the other inside, using already existing park trails. with the help of entomological nets, all bees were caught while visiting floral and nonfloral resources ... | 2005 | 16097732 |
| effect of honeybee broods (queen-bee different lineage) moving on disease development at various beehive types and allergy reaction cause in humans. | the change of the location of the beehives on the diverse honeyfull pastures is the usual apiarists activity in the republic of croatia. the main reasons are the climatic and vegetation diversity, and richness of the floral composition, with numerous bee forage plants. our study aimed to detect consequences of honeybee broods (queen-bee of different lineage) moving, from one habitat to another at various type of beehives. the alberti-znidersic (az), langstroth-root (lr) and dadant-blatt (db) bee ... | 2005 | 16117345 |
| [bee sting of the cornea--a case report]. | published reports on bee stings of the cornea are rare, especially when it occurs in the winter season. have the potential for causing serious ophthalmologic problems. the venom in the sting can produce toxic and immunologic reactions. the result is acute ocular inflammation, which is usually confined to the anterior segment of the eye. the aim of our work is to present a 84-year-old man who was stung by a bee on the left cornea, while taking care of a swarm of bees. the main symptoms were pain, ... | 2005 | 16118964 |
| comparative analysis of the protective effects of melatonin and caffeic acid phenethyl ester (cape) on mobile phone-induced renal impairment in rat. | melatonin and caffeic acid phenethyl ester (cape), a component of honeybee propolis, were recently found to be potent free radical scavengers and antioxidants. there are a number of reports on the effects induced by electromagnetic radiation (emr) in various cellular systems. mechanisms of adverse effects of emr indicate that reactive oxygen species may play a role in the biological effects of this radiation. the present study was carried out to compare the protective effects of melatonin and ca ... | 2005 | 16132682 |
| a novel antioxidant agent caffeic acid phenethyl ester prevents long-term mobile phone exposure-induced renal impairment in rat. prognostic value of malondialdehyde, n-acetyl-beta-d-glucosaminidase and nitric oxide determination. | caffeic acid phenethyl ester (cape), a flavonoid like compound, is one of the major components of honeybee propolis. it has been used in folk medicine for many years in middle east countries. it was found to be a potent free radical scavenger and antioxidant recently. the aim of this study was to examine long-term applied 900 mhz emitting mobile phone-induced oxidative stress that promotes production of reactive oxygen species (ros) and, was to investigate the role of cape on kidney tissue again ... | 2005 | 16132717 |
| lithium-induced renal toxicity in rats: protection by a novel antioxidant caffeic acid phenethyl ester. | lithium carbonate used in the long-term treatment of manic-depressive illness has been reported to lead to progressive renal impairment in rats and humans. caffeic acid phenethyl ester (cape), a component of honeybee propolis, protects tissues from reactive oxygene species mediated oxidative stress in ischemia-reperfusion and toxic injuries. the beneficial effect cape on lithium-induced nephrotoxicity has not been reported yet. the purpose of this study was to examine a possible renoprotective e ... | 2005 | 16132721 |
| higher pollinator effectiveness by specialist than generalist flower-visitors of unspecialized knautia arvensis (dipsacaceae). | a critical issue in pollination ecology is the evolution of generalist pollination systems, and under which conditions floral specializations evolve from these. the gynodioecious herb knautia arvensis (dipsacaceae) exhibits a generalized pollination system, but is visited by both generalist and specialist flower-visitors. the present study tested pollinator effectiveness and pollinator importance of the pollen specialist solitary bee andrena hattorfiana (andrenidae) vs. the generalist flower-vis ... | 2005 | 16133196 |
| antifungal activities of propolis collected by different races of honeybees against yeasts isolated from patients with superficial mycoses. | yeasts isolated from patients with superficial mycoses were tested against propolis samples collected from different regions and honeybee races. the minimum inhibitory concentration (mic) values obtained using the agar dilution methods were compared to the diameters of growth inhibition zones by using the disk diffusion method. the results showed that candida albicans, c. glabrata, trichosporon spp., and rhodotorula sp. were susceptible to low concentrations of propolis, the latter showing a hig ... | 2005 | 16141640 |
| roles of hierarchical and metabolic regulation in the allometric scaling of metabolism in panamanian orchid bees. | assessment of the relative importance of variation in enzyme concentration [e] and metabolic regulation in accounting for interspecific variation in metabolic rates is an unrealized area of research. towards this end, we used metabolic flux rates during hovering and enzymatic flux capacities (v(max) values, equal to [e]xk(cat), where k(cat) is catalytic efficiency) in flight muscles measured in vitro from 14 orchid bee species ranging in body mass from 47 to 1065 mg. previous studies revealed th ... | 2005 | 16155231 |
| regional distribution of paenibacillus larvae subspecies larvae, the causative organism of american foulbrood, in honey bee colonies of the western united states. | we examined honey bee, apis mellifera l., colonies pollinating almonds in california during february 2003 for paenibacillus larvae subsp. larvae, the causative organism of the virulent brood disease american foulbrood. colonies originating from the rocky mountain area and california had significantly higher numbers (p < 0.05) of bacterial colony-forming units (cfus) (408 and 324 per 30 adult bees, respectively) than colonies from the upper midwest (1.28). colonies from the northwestern, central, ... | 2005 | 16156557 |
| sulphated oligosaccharides as inhibitors of hyaluronidases from bovine testis, bee venom and streptococcus agalactiae. | potent and specific inhibitors of hyaluronidases, a group of enzymes preferentially catalysing the hydrolysis of hyaluronic acid, are not known so far. such compounds could be useful as pharmacological tools for studying the physiological and pathophysiological role of both hyaluronan and hyaluronidases. the effects of sulphated and non-sulphated structurally different oligosaccharides on bovine testicular hyaluronidase, hyaluronidase from bee venom and hyaluronate lyase from streptococcus agala ... | 2005 | 16142636 |
| development and reproduction of adalia bipunctata (coleoptera: coccinellidae) on eggs of ephestia kuehniella (lepidoptera: phycitidae) and pollen. | due to growing criticism over the use of non-indigenous coccinellids, the two-spot ladybird, adalia bipunctata (l.), has enjoyed increasing attention for aphid biocontrol in europe. in the current study, eggs of the mediterranean flour moth, ephestia kuehniella zeller, whether or not supplemented with bee pollen, were evaluated as a factitious food for larvae and adults of a. bipunctata. the predator showed slower larval development and lower survival when reared on live pea aphids, acyrthosipho ... | 2005 | 16144016 |
| [human mortality due to invertebrate and vertebrate envenomation in monagas state, venezuela]. | human mortality due to envenomation by animals in monagas state, venezuela was evaluated. in this state 47 deaths due to envenomations produced by vertebrates and invertebrates (scorpions = 21, snakes = 20, bees = 6) during the period 1980-2000 were registered. the mountainous area, at the north of the state (turimiquire sub-region) and its piedmonts reported most of the mortality by scorpionism (57.2%) and ophidism (70.0%). the age group of the patients was related with the sort of envenomation ... | 2005 | 16152780 |
| insect venom hypersensitivity: experience in a clinical immunology/allergy service in singapore. | to study the profile of patients with allergy to the venom of insect stings. | 2005 | 16172773 |
| the complications of hypertension in pregnancy. | the hypertensive disorders of pregnancy remain a leading cause of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality in europe and north america. pre-eclampsia, which is proteinuric gestational hypertension, accounts for the majority of the excess risks and is defined by the maternal syndrome. the maternal syndrome of pre-eclampsia is characterised by a systemic inflammatory response and its sequelae. systematic multisystem evaluation of pre-eclampsia, evidence-based antihypertensive therapy, and th ... | 2005 | 16179895 |
| effect of caffeic acid phenethyl ester on gastric acid secretion in vitro. | caffeic acid phenethyl ester (cape), one of the major components of propolis (honeybee resin), has demonstrated a wide spectrum of activities including suppression of eicosanoids by inhibition of cyclooxygenase-1 and cyclooxygenase-2 enzyme activities. the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of cape on basal and secretagogues-stimulated gastric acid secretion in vitro. in the isolated, lumen-perfused, stomach preparation of mouse, cape (10-100 microm) did not affect the basal gastric ... | 2005 | 16183057 |
| isolation and chemical characterization of pwtx-ii: a novel alkaloid toxin from the venom of the spider parawixia bistriata (araneidae, araneae). | brazil has many species of spiders belonging to araneidae family however, very little is known about the composition, chemical structure and mechanisms of action of the main venom components of these spiders. the main objective of this work was to isolate and to perform the chemical characterization of a novel beta-carboline toxin from the venom of the spider parawixia bistriata, a typical species of the brazilian 'cerrado'. the toxin was purified by rp-hplc and structurally elucidated by using ... | 2005 | 16183095 |
| three-dimensional display and arbitrary region interactive segmentation of high-resolution virus capsids from cryo-electron microscopy single particle reconstruction. | recent advances in cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-em) instrumentation and single particle reconstruction have created opportunities for high-throughput and high-resolution three-dimensional (3-d) structure determination of virus. in order to visualize and effectively understand the 3-d structure, we present a display method based on surface rendering, which has the function of 3-d arbitrary region interactive segmentation and quantitative analysis, and integrate them into a software package call ... | 2005 | 16186180 |
| broom and honeybees in australia: an alien liaison. | facilitative interactions between non-indigenous species are gaining recognition as a major driver of invasion success. cytisus scoparius (l.) link (fabaceae), or scotch broom, is a cosmopolitan invasive shrub that lacks the capacity for vegetative reproduction and is a good model to study facilitative interactions. its success in pioneer environments is determined by constraints on its reproduction. we determined whether pollinators were required for seed set in c. scoparius at barrington tops, ... | 2005 | 16163620 |
| atomic force microscopy study of the effect of antimicrobial peptides on the cell envelope of escherichia coli. | the influences of the antibacterial magainin 2 and pgla from the african clawed frog (xenopus laevis) and the hemolytic bee venom melittin on escherichia coli as the target cell were studied by atomic force microscopy (afm). nanometer-scale images of the effects of the peptides on this gram-negative bacterium's cell envelope were obtained in situ without the use of fixing agents. these high-resolution afm images of the surviving and intact target cells before and after peptide treatment showed d ... | 2005 | 16189084 |
| organization and potential function of the mrjp3 locus in four honeybee species. | royal jelly is a nutritious secretion produced by nurse honeybees to provision queens and growing larvae. major proteins of royal jelly are mutually similar, and they all belong to the mrjp/yellow protein family (pfam03022). the mrjp3 loci in four traditional honeybee species (apis mellifera, apis cerana,apis dorsata, and apis florea) were sequenced and found to share high sequence and structural similarities. pcr analyses confirmed the presence of an extensive repetitive region, which showed si ... | 2005 | 16190673 |
| amino acid residues that are important for hyal2 function as a receptor for jaagsiekte sheep retrovirus. | infection by jaagsiekte sheep retrovirus (jsrv) and by enzootic nasal tumor virus (entv) depends on cell-surface expression of the virus entry receptor, hyaluronidase 2 (hyal2). human hyal2 binds the envelope (env) proteins of these viruses and is functional as a receptor, but hyal2 from mice does not bind env nor does it mediate entry of either virus. here we have explored the amino acid determinants that account for the difference in receptor function. | 2005 | 16191204 |
| conservation of novel mahya genes shows the existence of neural functions common between hymenoptera and deuterostome. | honeybees have been shown to exhibit cognitive performances that were thought to be specific to some vertebrates. however, the molecular and cellular mechanisms of such cognitive abilities of the bees have not been understood. we have identified a novel gene, mahya, expressed in the brain of the honeybee, apis mellifera, and other hymenoptera. mahya orthologues are present in deuterostomes but are absent or highly diverged in nematodes and, intriguingly, in two dipteran insects (fruit fly and mo ... | 2005 | 16193321 |
| differential selectivity of hyaluronidase inhibitors toward acidic and basic hyaluronidases. | hyaluronidase (haase), a class of enzymes which degrade hyaluronic acid (ha), are involved in the spread of infections/toxins, ovum fertilization, and cancer progression. thus, haase inhibitors may have use in disease treatments. we evaluated 21 haase inhibitors against hyal-1, testicular, honeybee, and streptomyces haases. among these inhibitors, polymers of poly (styrene-4-sulfonate) (pss) (i.e., molecular weight 1400-990,000 or pss 1400-pss 990,000) and o-sulfated ha (sha) derivatives (sha2.0 ... | 2006 | 16166602 |
| detection of chronic bee paralysis virus and acute bee paralysis virus in uruguayan honeybees. | chronic bee paralysis virus (cbpv) causes a disease characterized by trembling, flightless, and crawling bees, while acute bee paralysis virus (abpv) is commonly detected in apparently healthy colonies, usually associated to varroa destructor. both viruses had been detected in most regions of the world, except in south america. in this work, we detected cbpv and abpv in samples of uruguayan honeybees by rt-pcr. the detection of both viruses in different provinces and the fact that most of the an ... | 2005 | 16169006 |
| diagnosis of hymenoptera venom allergy. | the purpose of diagnostic procedure is to classify a sting reaction by history, identify the underlying pathogenetic mechanism, and identify the offending insect. diagnosis of hymenoptera venom allergy thus forms the basis for the treatment. in the central and northern europe vespid (mainly vespula spp.) and honeybee stings are the most prevalent, whereas in the mediterranean area stings from polistes and vespula are more frequent than honeybee stings; bumblebee stings are rare throughout europe ... | 2005 | 16197464 |
| the orange-brown patina of salisbury cathedral (west porch) surfaces: evidence of its man-made origin. | in this paper, we attempt to elucidate the composition and origin of the orange patina on the surfaces of the west-porch of salisbury cathedral by comparison to other known patinas: (i) the orange-brown patina on the marble surfaces of the acropolis in athens and the arch of titus in rome whose analyses have shown very high amounts of phosphates, and generally amino acids from animal-skin glue or other protein binders; (ii) the phosphated patinas which also contain oxalates, found in 1996 on cat ... | 2005 | 16206722 |
| detection of multiple viruses in queens of the honey bee apis mellifera l. | individual honey bee apis mellifera l. queens were examined for the presence of six honey bee viruses including acute bee paralysis virus, chronic bee paralysis virus, black queen cell virus, deformed wing virus, kashmir bee virus, and sacbrood virus. all viruses, except abpv, were detected in the samples. among queens examined for virus infections, 93% had multiple virus infections. the detection of viruses in queens raises the possibility of a vertical transmission pathway wherein infected que ... | 2005 | 16214161 |
| inhibitory effects of caffeic acid phenethyl ester on cancer cell metastasis mediated by the down-regulation of matrix metalloproteinase expression in human ht1080 fibrosarcoma cells. | caffeic acid phenethyl ester (cape) derived from honeybee propolis has been used as a folk medicine. recent study also revealed that cape has several biological activities including antioxidation, anti-inflammation and inhibition of tumor growth. the present study investigated the effect of cape on tumor invasion and metastasis by determining the regulation of matrix metalloproteinases (mmps). matrix metalloproteinases, which are zinc-dependent proteolytic enzymes, play a pivotal role in tumor m ... | 2006 | 16214327 |
| high sensitivity of basophils predicts side-effects in venom immunotherapy. | systemic side-effects of venom immunotherapy (vit) represent a considerable problem in the treatment of patients allergic to hymenoptera venom. we examined the hypothesis whether basophil responsiveness might be connected with the adverse reactions to vit. | 2005 | 16197472 |
| caffeic acid phenethyl ester modulates helicobacter pylori-induced nuclear factor-kappa b and activator protein-1 expression in gastric epithelial cells. | caffeic acid phenethyl ester (cape), an active component of propolis from honeybee hives (honeybee resin), has anti-inflammatory, anti-carcinogenic and anti-bacterial properties. this study was designed to investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of cape on helicobacter pylori-induced nf-kappab and ap-1 in the gastric epithelial cell line ags. electrophoretic mobility shift assay was used to measure nf-kappab- and ap-1-dna binding activity. western blotting was used to detect ikappab-alpha and ... | 2005 | 16247412 |
| temporal genetic structure of a drone congregation area of the giant asian honeybee (apis dorsata). | the giant asian honeybee (apis dorsata), like all other members of the genus apis, has a complex mating system in which the queens and males (drones) mate at spatially defined drone congregation areas (dcas). here, we studied the temporal genetic structure of a dca of a. dorsata over an 8-day time window by the genotyping of sampled drones with microsatellite markers. analysis of the genotypic data revealed a significant genetic differentiation between 3 sampling days and indicated that the dca ... | 2005 | 16187127 |
| prevention of allergy by a recombinant multi-allergen vaccine with reduced ige binding and preserved t cell epitopes. | novel approaches for the prevention of allergy are required, because of the inevitably increasing prevalence of allergic diseases during the last 30 years. here, a recombinant chimeric protein, which comprises the whole amino acid sequences of three bee venom major allergens has been engineered and used in prevention of bee venom sensitization in mice. phospholipase a2 (api m 1), hyaluronidase (api m 2) and melittin (api m 3) fragments with overlapping amino acids were assembled in a different o ... | 2005 | 16206231 |
| oxygen consumption and body temperature of active and resting honeybees. | we measured the energy turnover (oxygen consumption) of honeybees (apis mellifera carnica), which were free to move within warburg vessels. oxygen consumption of active bees varied widely depending on ambient temperature and level of activity, but did not differ between foragers (>18 d) and middle-aged hive bees (7-10 d). in highly active bees, which were in an endothermic state ready for flight, it decreased almost linearly, from a maximum of 131.4 microl o(2) min(-1) at 15 degrees c ambient te ... | 2003 | 16256690 |
| imaging diagnosis: acute lung injury following massive bee envenomation in a dog. | a 5-year-old neutered male mixed breed dog presented for increased respiratory effort after being stung by over 100 bees and developing anaphylactic shock. given the history, clinical signs and thoracic radiographic findings of a mild bilateral interstitial pattern, acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome (ali/ards) was suspected. further testing was performed to support this diagnosis. on computed tomographic images, there was a diffuse bilateral opacification of the lungs, with p ... | 2005 | 16229428 |
| microsatellite analysis of royal jelly producing traits of italian honeybee (apis mellifera liguatica). | genetic variations at 10 microsatellite loci were surveyed to determine the evolutionary relationships and molecular characteristics of three different honeybee (apis mellifera l.) populations from italy and china, i. e., native italian (ee), chinese-italian (eb) and selected high royal jelly producing bees (ea). a total of 96 alleles,an average of 9.6 alleles per locus,were scored in ee,eb and ea bees at 10 loci. out of which 48 (5%) were different. this indicated a high degree of polymorphism ... | 2005 | 16252698 |
| distribution of melissococcus plutonius in honeybee colonies with and without symptoms of european foulbrood. | a sensitive hemi-nested polymerase chain reaction (pcr) was used for detection of melissococcus plutonius, the causative agent of european foulbrood (efb). sampling was made in switzerland, where efb is a widespread disease and incidences have increased in recent years. larvae from brood samples with and without clinical signs of disease (n=92) and honey (n=92) from the same colonies were investigated. individual larvae (n=60) and pupae (n=30) from diseased brood in single colonies were also inv ... | 2005 | 16254762 |
| a hypopharyngeal gland protein of the worker honeybee apis mellifera l. enhances proliferation of primary-cultured rat hepatocytes and suppresses apoptosis in the absence of serum. | the worker honeybees of apis mellifera l. age-dependently change from nurse bees which take care of their brood to forager bees which collect for nectar and convert it into honey during their lifespan of 30-40 days. a 56-kda protein (p56kp-4) was shown to be present only in the nurse-bee hypopharyngeal gland. here, we investigated the physiological effects of p56kp-4 on primary-cultured rat hepatocytes in the absence of serum. the p56kp-4 recombinant protein expressed in escherichia coli signifi ... | 2006 | 16290177 |
| rt-pcr analysis of deformed wing virus in honeybees (apis mellifera) and mites (varroa destructor). | deformed wing virus (dwv) is a honeybee viral pathogen either persisting as an inapparent infection or resulting in wing deformity. the occurrence of deformity is associated with the transmission of dwv through varroa destructor during pupal stages. such infections with dwv add to the pathology of v. destructor and play a major role in colony collapse in the course of varroosis. using a recently developed rt-pcr protocol for the detection of dwv, individual bees and mites originating from hives ... | 2005 | 16298989 |
| comparison of pollen transfer dynamics by multiple floral visitors: experiments with pollen and fluorescent dye. | most plant species are visited by a diversity of floral visitors. pollen transfer of the four most common pollinating bee species and one nectar-robbing bee of the distylous plant gelsemium sempervirens were compared. | 2006 | 16299005 |
| detection of deformed wing virus, a honey bee viral pathogen, in bumble bees (bombus terrestris and bombus pascuorum) with wing deformities. | honey bees (apis mellifera) productively infected with deformed wing virus (dwv) through varroa destructor (v. destructor) during pupal stages develop into adults showing wing and other morphological deformities. here, we report for the first time the occurrence of bumble bees (bombus terrestris, bombus pascuorum) exhibiting wing deformities resembling those seen in clinically dwv-infected honey bees. using specific rt-pcr protocols for the detection of dwv followed by sequencing of the pcr prod ... | 2006 | 16300785 |
| heat denaturation, a simple method to improve the immunotherapeutic potential of allergens. | allergen-specific immunotherapy (sit) leads to a long-term amelioration of ige- and th2-mediated allergic diseases. however, sit efficiency is low, with years of treatment along with frequent allergic side effects. the goal of this study was to reduce the side effects by destroying ige-binding epitopes, i.e. by heat-denaturation, while preserving the therapeutic effect. mice were immunised with bee venom, birch pollen, grass pollen or cat hair allergens, or with ovalbumin. heat-denatured allerge ... | 2005 | 16285011 |
| over-expression of a mammalian small conductance calcium-activated k+ channel in pichia pastoris: effects of trafficking signals and subunit fusions. | mammalian sk proteins are ca2+-activated k+ channels, which show a sub-20 ps conductance. we have expressed the sk2 variant gene in pichia pastoris and found protein to be produced at considerably higher levels than in brain tissue. the channel was correctly folded as evidenced by its high affinity interaction with apamin, a specific ligand from bee venom. however, the protein was largely unable to reach the plasma membrane, its normal destination, instead remaining in the endoplasmic reticulum. ... | 2006 | 16290007 |
| a new family of insect tyramine receptors. | the drosophila genome project database contains a gene, cg7431, annotated to be an "unclassifiable biogenic amine receptor." we have cloned this gene and expressed it in chinese hamster ovary cells. after testing various ligands for g protein-coupled receptors, we found that the receptor was specifically activated by tyramine (ec(50), 5x10(-7)m) and that it showed no cross-reactivity with beta-phenylethylamine, octopamine, dopa, dopamine, adrenaline, noradrenaline, tryptamine, serotonin, histami ... | 2005 | 16274665 |
| caste, sex and strain of honey bees (apis mellifera) affect infestation with tracheal mites (acarapis woodi). | worker honey bees from genetic strains selected for being resistant (r) or susceptible (s) to tracheal mites typically show large differences in infestation in field colonies and in bioassays that involve controlled exposure to infested bees. we used bioassays exposing newly emerged individuals to infested workers to compare the propensity for tracheal mites to infest queens, drones and workers from r and s colonies. in tests with queens, newly emerged r and s queens were either simultaneously c ... | 2005 | 16323047 |
| evaluation of genotoxic effects of apitol (cymiazole hydrochloride) in vitro by measurement of sister chromatid exchange. | apitol, with cymiazole hydrochloride as the active ingredient, is used in bee-keeping against the ectoparasitic mite varroa destructor. the preparation was evaluated for genotoxicity in cultured human peripheral blood lymphocytes. sister chromatid exchange, the mitotic index and the cell proliferation index were determined for three experimental concentrations of apitol (0.001, 0.01 and 0.1 mg/ml). all concentrations significantly (p < 0.001) increased the mitotic index (mi = 7.35+/-0.18%, 8.31+ ... | 2005 | 16309949 |
| analysis of peptides in the brain and corpora cardiaca-corpora allata of the honey bee, apis mellifera using maldi-tof mass spectrometry. | the neuropeptide profiles and diversity of the brain and retrocerebral organs (corpora cardiaca-corpora allata; cc-ca) of adult workers of the honey bee apis mellifera carnica (dark european strain) were investigated using a combination of hplc and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (maldi-tof ms) with post-source decay (psd) and collision-induced dissociation (cid) fragmentation. using evidence from genomic sources, including blast searches of the honey ... | 2006 | 16309791 |
| protective effects of melatonin and caffeic acid phenethyl ester against retinal oxidative stress in long-term use of mobile phone: a comparative study. | there are numerous reports on the effects of electromagnetic radiation (emr) in various cellular systems. melatonin and caffeic acid phenethyl ester (cape), a component of honeybee propolis, were recently found to be potent free radical scavengers and antioxidants. mechanisms of adverse effects of emr indicate that reactive oxygen species may play a role in the biological effects of this radiation. the present study was carried out to compare the efficacy of the protective effects of melatonin a ... | 2006 | 16317515 |
| [splenic abscess secondary to massive bee bite in immunocompetent host. a case report]. | spleen abscesses are considered as an infrequent infectious disease. an increase in its presentation has been seen due to certain pathologies or clinical conditions associated with immune suppression, endocarditis being one of the most frequent causes. gram-positive aerobes are the main causal agents with non-specific clinical manifestations. ct scan and ultrasound are the elective choices for diagnosis and imaging support for punction and drainage. | 2005 | 16336804 |
| trace and mineral elements in royal jelly and homeostatic effects. | royal jelly from apis mellifera is a highly active natural biological substance and is probably one of the most interesting raw substances in natural product chemistry. trace elements play a key role in the biomedical activities associated with royal jelly, as these elements have a multitude of known and unknown biological functions. for this reason concentrations of 28 trace (al, ba, sr, bi, cd, hg, pb, sn, te, tl, w, sb, cr, ni, ti, v, co, mo) and mineral (p, s, ca, mg, k, na, zn, fe, cu, mn) ... | 2005 | 16325534 |
| honeybee (apis mellifera) vision can discriminate between and recognise images of human faces. | recognising individuals using facial cues is an important ability. there is evidence that the mammalian brain may have specialised neural circuitry for face recognition tasks, although some recent work questions these findings. thus, to understand if recognising human faces does require species-specific neural processing, it is important to know if non-human animals might be able to solve this difficult spatial task. honeybees (apis mellifera) were tested to evaluate whether an animal with no ev ... | 2005 | 16326952 |
| medium promoting sporulation of bacillus larvae and metabolism of medium components. | a new medium, designated tmygp broth, was developed that allowed the honeybee pathogen bacillus larvae nrrl b-3650 to produce up to 5 x 10 spores per ml of culture (microscopic count). this species normally sporulates poorly, if at all, in artificial broth media. an aeration rate lower than that normally used to cultivate other bacillus species was required for sporulation. during the exponential growth phase, acids were produced by catabolism of yeast extract components, causing a decrease in p ... | 1983 | 16346399 |
| ultrastructure of sporulating bacillus larvae in a broth medium. | an electron microscopic study of sporulation of bacillus larvae, a honeybee pathogen, in tmygp broth (d. w. dingman and d. p. stahly, appl. environ. microbiol. 46:860-869, 1983) was conducted. no parasporal structures were evident in the sporangial cytoplasm. the stages of sporulation were similar to those observed in other sporeformers. a rather unusual inner coat layer consisting of seven lamellae was apparent. | 1985 | 16346887 |
| microbiology of ripening honey. | two main groups of bacteria, classified as gluconobacter and lactobacillus, are present in ripening honey. a third bacterial group, classified as zymomonas, and several types of yeast are occasionally isolated. both in natural honey and in synthetic syrup the bacterial population decreases in the course of the ripening process. lactobacillus and gluconobacter disappear after minimum moisture (about 18%) is reached, but the former does so sooner than the latter. the presence of these bacteria in ... | 1975 | 16350044 |
| [effect of bee pollen on development of immune organ of animal]. | to study on the effect of been pollen on development of immune organ of animal. | 2005 | 16335827 |
| allozyme variability and phylogenetic relationships in honey bee (hymenoptera: apidae: apis mellifera) populations from greece and cyprus. | ten gene enzymic systems (alpha-gpdh, ao, mdh, adh, lap, sod, alp, acph, me, and est), corresponding to 12 genetic loci, were assayed from five greek populations representing three subspecies of apis mellifera, a. m. cecropia (pthiotida, kythira), a. m. macedonica (macedonia), and the "aegean race" of a. mellifera, which is supposed to be very similar to a. m. adami (ikaria, kasos), as well as a population from cypus (a. m. cypria). adh( *)-1, adh( *)-2, and lap( *) electrophoretic patterns disc ... | 2005 | 16341763 |
| identification of paenibacillus larvae to the subspecies level: an obstacle for afb diagnosis. | this study was initially aimed at developing a pcr-test to differentiate between the pathogenic agent of american foulbrood (paenibacillus larvae subsp. larvae) and powdery-scale disease (p. larvae subsp. pulvifaciens) of the honeybee. the test was based on the "insert of clone 9" (ic9), referring to a cloned 1.9 kb haeiii fragment that occurs only in the p. larvae subsp. larvae reference strains and possibly correlates with american foulbrood virulence. it was shown that an ic9-based pcr-test d ... | 2006 | 16375916 |
| mobile phone-induced myocardial oxidative stress: protection by a novel antioxidant agent caffeic acid phenethyl ester. | electromagnetic radiation (emr) or radiofrequency fields of cellular mobile phones may affect biological systems by increasing free radicals, which appear mainly to enhance lipid peroxidation, and by changing the antioxidant defense systems of human tissues, thus leading to oxidative stress. mobile phones are used in close proximity to the heart, therefore 900 mhz emr emitting mobile phones may be absorbed by the heart. caffeic acid phenethyl ester (cape), one of the major components of honeybee ... | 2005 | 16342473 |
| worker piping triggers hissing for coordinated colony defence in the dwarf honeybee apis florea. | defending a large social insect colony containing several thousands of workers requires the simultaneous action of many individuals. ideally this action involves communication between the workers, enabling coordinated action and a fast response. the asian dwarf honeybee, apis florea, is a small honeybee with an open nesting habit and a comparatively small colony size, features that leave them particularly exposed to predators. we describe here a novel defence response of these bees in which the ... | 2002 | 16351870 |
| regulation of human t helper cell differentiation by antigen-presenting cells: the bee venom phospholipase a2 model. | whereas some individuals develop immunity to bee sting and mount protective igg4- mediated antibody responses to bee venom phospholipase a2 (pla), others produce large amounts of pla-specific ige antibodies and become allergic to this, otherwise, innocuous antigen. pla-specific ige responses are the result of imbalanced t helper (th)2-cell differentiation. there are multiple mechanisms driving the differentiation of naive cd4+ t cells into th1- or th2-cell phenotypes. most of them are linked to ... | 2006 | 16354956 |
| specific and sensitive detection of nosema bombi (microsporidia: nosematidae) in bumble bees (bombus spp.; hymenoptera: apidae) by pcr of partial rrna gene sequences. | a polymerase chain reaction (pcr) based method was developed for the specific and sensitive diagnosis of the microsporidian parasite nosema bombi in bumble bees (bombus spp.). four primer pairs, amplifying ribosomal rna (rrna) gene fragments, were tested on n. bombi and the related microsporidia nosema apis and nosema ceranae, both of which infect honey bees. only primer pair nbombi-ssu-jf1/jr1 could distinguish n. bombi (323bp amplicon) from these other bee parasites. primer pairs nbombi-ssu-jf ... | 2006 | 16376373 |
| molecular identification of the first sifamide receptor. | sifamide is the short name and also the c terminus of the drosophila neuropeptide ayrkppfngsifamide. sifamide has been isolated or predicted from various insects and crustaceans, and appears to be extremely well conserved among these arthropods. however, the function of this neuropeptide is still enigmatic. here, we have identified the drosophila gene (cg10823) coding for the sifamide receptor. when expressed in chinese hamster ovary cells, the receptor is only activated by drosophila sifamide ( ... | 2006 | 16378592 |
| novel drugs and vaccines based on the structure and function of hiv pathogenic proteins including nef. | evidence is presented to suggest that hiv-1 accessory protein nef could be involved in aids pathogenesis. when present in extracellular medium, nef causes the death of a wide variety of cells in vitro and may therefore be responsible for the depletion of bystander cells in lymphoid tissues during hiv infection. when present inside the cell, nef could prevent the death of infected cells and thereby contribute to increased viral load. intracellular nef does this by preventing apoptosis of infected ... | 2005 | 16387695 |
| a scientific note on the detection of honeybee viruses using real-time pcr (taqman) in varroa mites collected from a thai honeybee (apis mellifera) apiary. | bee parasitic mite syndrome is a disease complex of colonies simultaneously infested with varroa destructor mites and infected with viruses and accompanied by high mortality. by using real-time pcr (taqman), five out of seven bee viruses were detected in mite samples (v. destructor) collected from thailand. moreover, the results of this study provide an evidence for the co-existence of several bee viruses in a single mite. this is also the first report of bee viruses in mites from thailand. | 2006 | 16376930 |
| toll-like receptor ligands as adjuvants in allergen-specific immunotherapy. | allergen-specific immunotherapy (sit) leads to long-term amelioration of t-helper type 2 (th2)-mediated allergic symptoms and is therefore recommended as a first line therapy for allergies. the major disadvantage of sit is its low efficiency, requiring treatment over years. | 2005 | 16393325 |
| effect of polypeptides in bee venom on growth inhibition and apoptosis induction of the human hepatoma cell line smmc-7721 in-vitro and balb/c nude mice in-vivo. | polypeptides in bee venom (pbv) produced a significant growth inhibition against smmc-7721 human hepatoma cell line. analysis of the mechanisms of cell death indicated that pbv induced an apoptotic cell death. smmc-7721 cells exposed to pbv (10.0 microg ml(-1)) produced an insignificant morphological change. analysis of the cytotoxicity with the mtt (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium) assay confirmed that the cytotoxic effects of pbv were dose- and timedependent. the result of ... | 2006 | 16393467 |
| the immunostimulatory effect of the recombinant apalbumin 1-major honeybee royal jelly protein-on tnfalpha release. | apalbumin1 (apa1) is the major royal jelly (rj) and honey glycoprotein having various biological properties. we have previously demonstrated that apa1 is a regular component of honey and honeybee pollen and stimulates macrophages to release tumor necrosis factor alpha (tnfalpha). the recombinant apa1 (rapa1) and its four recombinant protein fragments derived on the basis of partial tryptic products of apa1 were prepared by heterologous expression in escherichia coli bl21-codonplus(de3)-ril. l-ar ... | 2006 | 16399632 |
| role of vagal activity on bradicardic and hypotensive effects of caffeic acid phenethyl ester (cape). | caffeic acid phenethyl ester (cape) is a phenolic active component of propolis of honeybee hives and reduces heart rate and blood pressure in rats. the objective of this study was to investigate the role of vagal activity and atropine blockage on the bradycardic and hypotensive effects of cape in rats. the rats were divided into five groups (n = 8). saline and vehicle (10% ethanol) of cape were given to the first and second groups, respectively. group 3 was treated with 5 mg/kg cape. group 4 biv ... | 2005 | 16382176 |
| prevalence and transmission of honeybee viruses. | transmission mechanisms of six honeybee viruses, including acute bee paralysis virus (abpv), black queen cell virus (bqcv), chronic bee paralysis virus (cbpv), deformed wing virus (dwv), kashmir bee virus (kbv), and sacbrood bee virus (sbv), in honey bee colonies were investigated by reverse transcription-pcr (rt-pcr) methods. the virus status of individual queens was evaluated by examining the presence of viruses in the queens' feces and tissues, including hemolymph, gut, ovaries, spermatheca, ... | 2006 | 16391097 |
| methyl parathion modifies foraging behaviour in honeybees (apis mellifera). | we examined the effects of sublethal doses of an organophosphorus insecticide, methyl parathion (mep), on the foraging behaviour of honeybees (apis mellifera ligustica) in a flight cage. the results revealed that mep modified the frequency of visits to a feeding station to which the bees had previously been trained. a dose of 50 ng per animal elicited an increase in the frequency of visits to the feeder, compared to control animals. a dose of 10 ng, on the other hand, led initially to a decrease ... | 2005 | 16385737 |
| melittin inhibits vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation through induction of apoptosis via suppression of nuclear factor-kappab and akt activation and enhancement of apoptotic protein expression. | in the present study, we have investigated the bee venom (bv) and melittin (a major component of bv)-mediated antiproliferative effect and defined its mechanisms of action in cultured rat aortic vascular smooth muscle cell(s) (vsmc). bv and melittin ( approximately 0.4-0.8 microg/ml) effectively inhibited 5% fetal bovine serum-induced and 50 ng/ml platelet-derived growth factor bb (pdgf-bb)-induced vsmc proliferation. the regulation of apoptosis has attracted much attention as a possible means o ... | 2006 | 16401728 |
| vertical transmission of american foulbrood (paenibacillus larvae) in honey bees (apis mellifera). | the mode of transmission between hosts (horizontal versus vertical) of disease agents is important for determination of the evolution of virulence in pathogens. for disease management, it is imperative that the epidemiology of the disease is understood and pathogen transmission rates between hosts is a key factor for this understanding. surprisingly little is known about transmission rates in honey bee pathology. we have studied the rate of vertical transmission of paenibacillus larvae, the caus ... | 2006 | 16420974 |
| effects of bee venom peptidergic components on rat pain-related behaviors and inflammation. | to identify the active components of honeybee venom in production of inflammation and pain-related behaviors, five major peptidergic subfractions were separated, purified and identified from the whole honeybee venom. among them, four active peptidergic components were characterized as apamin, mast-cell degranulating peptide (mcdp), phospholipase a(2) (pla(2))-related peptide and melittin, respectively. all five subfractions were effective in production of local inflammatory responses (paw edema) ... | 2006 | 16446039 |
| antinociceptive effect and the mechanism of bee venom acupuncture (apipuncture) on inflammatory pain in the rat model of collagen-induced arthritis: mediation by alpha2-adrenoceptors. | the antinociceptive effect and the mechanism of bee venom acupuncture (bva) on inflammatory pain, especially in the rat model of collagen-induced arthritis (cia), have not yet been fully studied. this study was designed to investigate the antinociceptive effect and its mu-opioid and alpha2-adrenergic mechanism of bva in the cia rat model. to induce cia, male sprague-dawley rats were immunized with bovine type ii collagen emulsified in freund's incomplete adjuvant followed by a booster injection ... | 2006 | 16457792 |
| inhibition of the growth of paenibacillus larvae, the causal agent of american foulbrood of honeybees, by selected strains of aerobic spore-forming bacteria isolated from apiarian sources. | the bacterium paenibacillus larvae, the causative agent of american foulbrood disease of honeybee larvae, occurs throughout the world and is found in many beekeeping areas of argentina. the potential as biocontrol agents of antagonic aerobic spore-forming bacteria isolated from honey samples and other apiarian sources were evaluated. each isolate was screened against one strain of paenibacillus larvae (atcc 9545) by using a perpendicular streak technique. ten randomly selected bacterial strains ... | 2006 | 16458322 |
| tracking the evolution of alternatively spliced exons within the dscam family. | the dscam gene in the fruit fly, drosophila melanogaster, contains twenty-four exons, four of which are composed of tandem arrays that each undergo mutually exclusive alternative splicing (4, 6, 9 and 17), potentially generating 38,016 protein isoforms. this degree of transcript diversity has not been found in mammalian homologs of dscam. we examined the molecular evolution of exons within this gene family to locate the point of divergence for this alternative splicing pattern. | 2006 | 16483367 |
| colony-level impacts of immune responsiveness in honey bees, apis mellifera. | social insects have evolved both communal and individual traits that reduce the impacts of their numerous parasites and pathogens. among the individual traits, innate-immune responses have the potential to reduce both individual mortality and the spread of pathogens among colony members. an understanding of the costs and benefits of such responses can provide a more complete understanding of a primary risk of social life, horizontal disease transmission among colony members. here we assess the i ... | 2005 | 16405170 |
| side-effects of allergen-specific immunotherapy: a prospective multi-centre study. | the safety of allergen-specific immunotherapy (sit) is a parameter of great interest in the overall assessment of the treatment. a clinical database was developed in order to obtain early warnings of changes in the frequency and severity of side-effects and sufficient data for the evaluation of possible risk factors. | 2006 | 16499635 |
| diversity and phylotype consistency of bacteria in the guts of three bee species (apoidea) at an oilseed rape field. | the gut of insects may harbour one of the largest reservoirs of a yet unexplored microbial diversity. to understand how specific insects select for their own bacterial communities, the structural diversity and variability of bacteria found in the gut of different bee species was analysed. for three successive years, adults and larvae of apis mellifera ssp. carnica (honey bee), and bombus terrestris (bumble bee), as well as larvae of osmia bicornis (red mason bee) were collected at a flowering oi ... | 2006 | 16423014 |
| bee venom, immunostimulant or immunosuppressor? insight into the effect on matrix metalloproteinases and interferons. | the current evidence has defined conflicting properties for bee venom. the goal of this study was to determine whether bee venom (bv) is an immunosuppressor or immunostimulant. the wehi-164, ht-1080, and k562 cell lines were used for assaying toxicity, proliferative response, matrix metalloproteinase-2 and -9 (mmp-2 and mmp-9) activity, and interferon production. the australian and iranian bv (abv and ibv) were used at concentrations of 0.025-1 microg/ml in triplicate and 2-fold dilutions. mmp-2 ... | 2005 | 16435584 |
| antitumor action and immune activation through cooperation of bee venom secretory phospholipase a2 and phosphatidylinositol-(3,4)-bisphosphate. | we evaluated tumor cell growth modulation by bee venom secretory phospholipase a2 (bv-spla2) and phosphatidylinositol-(3,4)-bisphosphate as well as potential cooperative effects. in addition, the immunomodulatory impact of tumor cell treatment was examined by monitoring changes in phenotype and function of monocyte-derived dendritic cells (modcs) cocultured with pretreated tumor cells. bv-spla2 or phosphatidylinositol-(3,4)-bisphosphate alone displayed moderate effects on the proliferation of a4 ... | 2006 | 16485125 |
| structural and thermodynamic aspects of the interaction between heparan sulfate and analogues of melittin. | melittin is an amphipathic cationic peptide derived from honeybee venom with well-known cytolytic and antimicrobial properties. when coupled to cationic polymers or lipid molecules, it forms conjugates with high transfection efficiency and low toxicity with promising applications in gene therapy. a first step in the internalization of melittin and its conjugates is their binding to the cell surface, a reaction likely to involve heparan sulfate proteoglycans (hspg). in the present work, we charac ... | 2006 | 16503664 |
| effect of caffeic acid phenethyl ester on survival of axial pattern flaps in rats with ischaemia-reperfusion injuries. | oxygen-derived free radicals have been implicated in the pathogenesis of tissue injury after ischaemia-reperfusion. caffeic acid phenethyl ester (cape), an active ingredient of honeybee propolis, has been identified as having potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. we evaluated the ability of cape applied intraperitoneally in reducing tissue injury after ischaemia-reperfusion. to investigate whether treatment with cape modifies the concentrations of the endogenous indices of oxidant ... | 2006 | 16537252 |