Na abordagem inicial, a colocação do

OTSC englobando o or

Na abordagem inicial, a colocação do

OTSC englobando o orifício revelou-se impossível, por um lado devido ao acesso difícil à extremidade da ansa cega, por outro devido ao elevado grau de fibrose e rigidez dos tecidos do orifício, impossibilitando a mobilização dos mesmos, quer por sucção quer por tração. Optou-se então por proceder à aspiração circunferencial da mucosa sã da ansa jejunal alguns centímetros a montante do orifício fistuloso, com posterior aplicação do clip. No final, o OTSC aparentava estar bem posicionando, com oclusão completa do lúmen da ansa cega (fig. 2b e 2 c). O procedimento decorreu em check details escassos minutos sem complicações imediatas. Subsequentemente, o doente apresentou melhoria franca dos parâmetros clínicos e laboratoriais, com reversão pronta do quadro de sépsis e falência orgânica. Cinco dias após a colocação do OTSC a avaliação por TC demonstrava a resolução da fístula transdiafragmática e diminuição das coleções líquidas intra-abdominais. O exame contrastado não identificou sinais de extravasamento a nível do coto da ansa jejunal (fig. 1d). Foi possível retomar a alimentação per os ao 8.° dia, tendo o doente tido alta ao 29.° dia. A reavaliação imagiológica e endoscópica (fig. 3a) à 17.a semana demonstrou a resolução completa das coleções abdominais e a persistência do OTSC. Ao nono mês de seguimento,

o doente this website realizou metastasectomia após identificação

de 2 lesões nodulares (segmentos VI e VII) compatíveis com metástases hepáticas. Neste momento, o doente apresenta 24 meses de follow-up, encontrando-se a realizar protocolo de quimioterapia (trastuzumab, cisplatina e capecitabina) por evidência de metastização pulmonar. Vinte e quatro meses após a colocação do endoclip, realizou reavaliação endoscópica que evidenciou ausência do OTSC e encerramento completo do coto da ansa jejunal (fig. 3b). A cirurgia é a única modalidade terapêutica que oferece possibilidade de cura da neoplasia maligna gástrica avançada. A gastrectomia total é o procedimento de eleição em tumores do estômago proximal. Este tipo de cirurgia Thymidylate synthase apresenta elevada complexidade, com considerável taxa de mortalidade e de complicações. A deiscência pós-cirúrgica, habitualmente anastomótica, é uma das complicações mais temidas, podendo ocorrer em 0,7-9,3% dos doentes1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6. A deiscência do encerramento do coto da ansa jejunal na montagem em Y de Roux não tem sido individualizadamente descrita na literatura, facto que também torna invulgar o caso agora descrito. A mortalidade associada a deiscência de cirurgia abdominal pode atingir os 30%1. Está descrita a importância da experiência e especialização das equipas cirúrgicas, não só como fatores importantes na diminuição da mortalidade e morbilidade, como também no manuseamento das possíveis complicações25.

An ex vitro NMR proton relaxation study of unfertilized hen’s alb

An ex vitro NMR proton relaxation study of unfertilized hen’s albumen and yolk has demonstrated that changes in transverse relaxation

in the albumen correlated with increased protein concentrations and can be related to egg quality [17]. The usefulness of μMRI to follow quail embryonic development over time relies on embryonic development proceeding normally, but there have been concerns that the strong magnetic fields and magnetic field gradients associated with MRI could affect development. No adverse effects on chick embryo development have been observed at low magnetic fields of 1.5 T [18], [19] and [20] nor on survivability and hatching when in ovo chick embryos from Day learn more 12 onwards were exposed to moderate cooling and high static 7 T magnetic fields [15]. However, the effects of high magnetic fields on early avian development have not been assessed. Therefore we exposed in ovo quail embryos from Day 0 to Day 3 to high static 7 T magnetic fields, linear magnetic field gradients Selleck Sotrastaurin and 300 MHz rf pulses.

Embryos were fixed at Day 7 and compared with embryos from control eggs that had been removed from the incubator for the same period of time but not subjected to magnetic fields, as well as with embryos from eggs left in the incubator until Day 7. Fertilized Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) eggs were obtained from Rosedean Quail (Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, UK). The day the eggs arrived was designated as Day 0. The Unoprostone eggs were imaged vertically, with air sac uppermost, in a plastic egg holder inside

the rf resonator. After imaging, the eggs were placed in the same vertical orientation in humidified VWR incubators (VWR International, Ltd., Lutterworth, Leicestershire, UK) at 38°C. Each day, the eggs were removed from the incubator, cooled for 3 min in running tap water and dried before imaging. Cooling the eggs prior to imaging has been shown to reduce embryonic movements that degrade image quality [15]. After imaging, the eggs were immediately returned to the incubator. Micro-MRI data were acquired on a Bruker Avance FT NMR spectrometer with a wide bore 7.1 T superconducting magnet resonating at 300.15 MHz for 1H. A birdcage rf resonator with an internal diameter of 30 mm was used. The rf resonator was tuned and the magnet shimmed for each sample. All acquisitions were made at 19°C. The field of view was 32 mm and in-plane spatial resolution was 0.25 mm/pixel. Two acquisition sequences were collected and averaged to improve the signal-to-noise ratio and reduce artifacts [21]. A 128×128×128 rapid acquisition relaxation enhanced (RARE) pulse sequence was used with RARE factor of 8. Recycle time (TR) of 500 ms and an effective echo time (TE) of either 20 or 30 ms were used. The MRI data took less than 35 min to acquire. Relaxation measurements were determined from two-dimensional 128×128 data sets from a sagittal plane through the eggs with field of view of 30 mm and slice thickness of 1 mm.

A Szczawińska-Popłonyk – study design, data collection and inter

A. Szczawińska-Popłonyk – study design, data collection and interpretation, literature search, A. Bręborowicz – acceptance of final manuscript version, L. Ossowska – data collection and interpretation. None declared. “
“Hyperuricemia plays an important role in the pathogenesis of acute and chronic diseases including gout, tumor lysis syndrome (TLS), arterial hypertension, renal failure, coronary heart disease, left ventricular hypertrophy and metabolic syndrome [1]. In acute kidney injury (AKI), when the urine flow is low and pH is acidic, uric acid as the substance poorly soluble in water precipitates into Ipilimumab in vivo crystals in renal tubules. This

results in increased risk of tubular obstruction. Additionally hyperuricemia is the cause of enhanced synthesis of reactive oxygen species, renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system activation,

increased endothelin-1 production and nitric oxide system inhibition, which contributes to the pathogenesis of AKI [2]. Rasburicase (recombinant urate oxidase) is an efficient protease in urate depletion, which plays a valuable role in the treatment of malignancy – associated TLS [3]. Its action includes uric acid (UA) conversion http://www.selleckchem.com/screening/ion-channel-ligand-library.html to more soluble allantoine. This drug does not cause the accumulation of intermediate products of purine metabolism pathway such as xanthine. Intraluminal obstruction of renal tubules by precipitating uric acid has been avoided [4]. Urate oxidase was produced from cultures of Aspergillus flavus. It was introduced to the treatment of TLS in Europe in 1974. Now it is used as the recombinant form – rasburicase – Fasturtec (Sanofi-Aventis, Interleukin-3 receptor Paris, France). The usage of

rasburicase has eliminated serious immunological complications caused by non-recombinant compound [5]. There is not much data in literature on rasburicase usage in AKI in children [4]. In this manuscript authors describe the application of rasburicase in the treatment of AKI in a child with acute non-malignancy associated hyperuricemia and combined congenital abnormalities. A 5-year-old boy was admitted to pediatric department with a 4-day history of vomiting, dehydratation and oliguria in the course of gastro-intestinal infection. Past history was remarkable. He had multiply congenital malformations [face dysmorphy and limb deformation with muscular contractures, hypostature, organic heart disease – significant mitral insufficiency (+ + +) with ventricular septal defect, corneal and scleral staphylomas, amaurotic right bulb, congenital cataract of left eye]. He suffered from AKI 10 months prior to current hospitalization. He developed multiorgan dysfunction syndrome after the reimplantation of artificial mitral valve. He required dialysis for 11 days (2 days on peritoneal dialysis, 9 days on continuous hemodiafiltration).

Because many published studies do not clearly define or identify

Because many published studies do not clearly define or identify malnutrition and focus on cancer populations, they represent trials of nutrition vs malnutrition as much or more than they Tofacitinib cell line serve as trials of IN vs standard supplements. Perhaps the most widely

cited meta-analysis is that of Drover and colleagues in 2011.2 This study demonstrated reduced infectious complications with preoperative IN, but included trials with both isonitrogenous and standard diet controls without a subanalysis of these groups. The same year, Cerantola and colleagues published their own meta-analysis with similar results, including a reduction in infectious and noninfectious complications and LOS, also without any subanalysis of studies with different types of controls.38 Recently, 4 small trials of preoperative IN have not shown any benefit.15, 16, 21 and 22 Including some but not

all of the new trials, Osland and colleagues recently published their own meta-analysis.3 Like the others, their meta-analysis combined all trials examining preoperative supplementation regardless of the type of MAPK inhibitor control used. This meta-analysis did, however, predate the larger Giger-Pabst and colleagues16 and Hübner and colleagues15 trials that were performed with isocaloric, isonitrogenous controls. Our meta-analysis attempts to reduce the heterogeneity of the preoperative IN literature by clearly identifying which studies use ONS controls vs those that use regular nonsupplemented diets. As with other meta-analyses in the nutrition literature, there are some inherent limitations. Even when standard ONS controls were used, the exact ingredients of these control formulas do vary from study to study. Trials with nonsupplemented regular oral diets were subject to the same variability. Many studies failed to record patient compliance with supplements

or total protein intake (both from supplements and regular diets). Most of the included studies used standard protocols with a typical length of supplementation of 5 days, but there was slight variation from study to study. Patients receiving preoperative supplementation in some trials might have received more monitoring in a nutrition support program resulting in improved outcomes.39 Although IN is typically Progesterone defined as nutrition with supplemental arginine, fish oil, and antioxidants, most standard ONS contain these ingredients in some lower concentration. The ideal dose of these immunonutrients has not been defined and some standard ONS might contain therapeutic concentrations of these ingredients. Each study we included in our analysis was drawn from different patient populations undergoing various operations. Populations were randomized and controlled within each study, but were not consistent across all of the studies analyzed. We have used the random effects model approach to meta-analysis to address the presence of this heterogeneity.

(2012) We expect the additional freshwater to immediately affect

(2012). We expect the additional freshwater to immediately affect local sea-surface height and through barotropic effects to propagate information throughout the world ocean (Stammer et al., 2011 and Lorbacher

et al.). The freshwater might also affect ocean currents. In the forced run the North Atlantic sub-polar gyre remains weakly affected for a considerable time. It is not until 2075 that the mean sea-level rise is comparable to the local rise in the gyre (not shown). The reason for this is that most of added the freshwater is taken away by boundary currents in the Northern Hemisphere. The same can be seen in other experiments of comparable resolution with Greenland freshwater release E7080 like (Stammer et al., 2011, Kopp et al., 2010, Weijer et al. and Swingedouw et al., 2013). A climate model is a chaotic system and shows sensitivity to small variations in initial conditions. selleck products An ensemble of runs can bring out the so called internal variability. We have used such an ensemble of control runs to determine the variance in the SSH. In Fig. 7 the areas where the rise does not exceed 2σσ are

mapped onto the eustatic sea-level, where the whitepoint is centred. The model allows for a free-surface adjustment which shows an increase of SSH with the addition of more freshwater as can be seen in the lower panel. The response to the freshwater forcing is largely advective with the mean subpolar gyre circulation transporting the melt water southward. This can be seen by the comma-shaped feature present in both panels and lying more to the east in the lower one. To the west and south of the sub-polar gyre the sea-surface anomaly is larger than within the gyre, or to the north. The west-to-east gradient in the North Atlantic with a strong anomaly along the northeast coast of North America, as noted in Kopp et al. (2010), can also be seen in the top panel of Fig. 7. The lower panel, which depicts the situation for the last five years of the century, shows an opposite pattern. Here, a positive anomaly on the eastern side of the Atlantic basin can be seen. The formation/inversion of this pattern is also

present in the atmosphere-coupled run discussed in Stammer et al. (2011). A strong signal develops along the American coast and a signal similar to the one in the lower panel of Fig. 7 can be seen after four decades (see also Swingedouw et al., 2013 for a comparison Obeticholic Acid mw between several models showing a similar pattern). The additional freshwater does not impact the Atlantic meridional overturning. In Fig. 8 the annual mean of its maximum value is shown for the RCP8.5 only run (green) and with the freshwater added (blue). The difference (red) indicates little difference between the two. The maximum mixed layer depth (not shown) shows some decrease in the Labrador region and an increase north of Iceland, but this effect is highly variable. We surmise that most of the freshwater does not reach the convection regions and has little impact on dense-water formation.

2) system (Meyer et al , 2003) Annotation and data mining were d

2) system (Meyer et al., 2003). Annotation and data mining were done with the tool JCoast, version 1.7 (Richter et al., 2008) seeking for each coding region observations from similarity searches against several sequence databases (NCBI-nr, Swiss-Prot, Kegg-Genes, genomesDB) (Richter et al., 2008) and to the protein BTK inhibitors high throughput screening family database InterPro (Mulder et al., 2005). Predicted protein coding sequences were automatically annotated by the software tool MicHanThi (Quast, 2006). Briefly, the MicHanThi software interferes gene functions based on similarity searches against the NCBI-nr (including Swiss-Prot) and InterPro databases using fuzzy logic. Particular

interesting genes, like sulfatases, were manually evaluated. The gene-content comparison revealed a large number of shared orthologous genes in the genus. The core genome of the R. baltica strains SH1T, SH28, SWK14 and WH47 included 4232 genes. Between individual genomes the number of common genes ranged from 4549 (SH1/WH47) to 4921 genes (SH28/SWK14). Each genome provides over 6000 predicted proteins, thus about 25 to 30% of the genes are strain-specific. In general, 70–75% of all genes appeared to be conserved in at least one of the other R. baltica genomes. The exceptionally high number of sulfatase genes found in the ZD1839 concentration three planctomycetal genomes is an outstanding feature of

these organisms ( Table 1) ( Wegner et al., 2013). These Whole Genome Shotgun projects have been deposited in INSDC (DDBJ/EBI-ENA/GenBank) under the accession numbers AFAR00000000 (WH47), AMCW00000000 (SH28) and AMWG00000000 (SWK14). The sequence associated contextual (meta)data are MIGS (Yilmaz et al., 2011) compliant. This study was supported by the German Federal Ministry

of Education and Research (BMBF) as part of the Microbial Interactions in Marine Systems (MIMAS) project (Grant No. 03F0480A). “
“Rhodopirellula is a genus of marine bacteria belonging to the ubiquitous phylum Planctomycetes. Members of the Planctomycetes are abundant in particulate fractions of marine ecosystems and considered as important participants in the global carbon and nitrogen cycles. Cobimetinib datasheet They convert substantial amounts of organic material, such as “marine snow” (aggregates of zooplankton, phytoplankton and protists), into carbon dioxide. Their importance in marine systems was recently discovered and documented in several publications ( Glöckner et al., 2003, Winkelmann and Harder, 2009 and Winkelmann et al., 2010). A collection of 70 Rhodopirellula strains obtained from different European seas revealed 13 distinct operational taxonomic units (OTUs). These were defined by taxonomic studies with a combination of 16S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) sequence comparisons, DNA–DNA–hybridization (DDH) and a novel multi-locus sequence analysis (MLSA) approach that employed primers in putatively conserved regions of nine housekeeping genes ( Winkelmann et al., 2010).

Genetic deletions, mutations and single-nucleotide polymorphisms

Genetic deletions, mutations and single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in genes that participate in autophagy have been identified as a primary

defect in a growing number of conditions. Besides the modifications in core autophagy www.selleckchem.com/products/ganetespib-sta-9090.html genes described above, abnormalities in genes involved in the biogenesis of autophagy-related organelles can also lead to a primary defect in autophagy. For instance, mutations in presenilin-1 (PS1), that targets the proton pump to lysosomes, disrupts autophagic flux in AD [34•], and mutations the ESCRT protein CHMP2 (charged multivesicular body protein) that modulates multivesicular body formation, explains the altered autophagy activity in ALS affected neurons [47] (Figure 2). Autophagy failure can also be secondary to disease-associated cellular changes. For example, the recently identified inhibitory effect of high-lipid content diets on macroautophagy and CMA [38 and 48] explains how metabolic disorders that lead to increased intracellular lipids, such as obesity or fatty liver disease, may disrupt these two pathways. Despite the reactive activation of autophagy in the early stages of the metabolic condition as a defense against lipotoxicity, persistence of the lipid accumulation induces changes in the membrane lipids of autophagic Roxadustat price compartments that NADPH-cytochrome-c2 reductase reduce autophagic function.

Similar membrane lipid changes are observed with age, implying that dietary changes could accelerate the age-related decline of macroautophagy and CMA. In a growing number of conditions,

autophagic toxicity is secondary to changes in substrates normally degraded by this pathway. For example, while proteins such as α-synuclein, LRRK2 and tau undergo degradation through CMA, pathogenic modifications of these proteins in PD or tauopathies lead to CMA toxicity due to their abnormal interaction with components of this autophagic pathway (Figure 2). CMA becomes a ‘victim’ of its own substrates and in fact, preventing the targeting of these proteins to the lysosomal compartment is sufficient to decrease lysosomal toxicity and restore CMA activity. Our current understanding of the contribution of autophagy to disease has benefitted in recent years from the thorough molecular characterization of autophagic pathways, their regulation and new physiological roles. Although some of the changes in the context of disease are still anecdotal, they are already helping to catalogue the different types of autophagy-related pathologies. We predict that current sequencing efforts will lead to the identification of additional diseases with mutations in autophagy genes and will provide a better understanding of the relevance of SNPS and genetic variations identified in these genes.

25 and 29 In these investigations, fluorescence microscopy and mo

25 and 29 In these investigations, fluorescence microscopy and molecular diagnosis methods have commonly showed higher taxes of bacterial adhesion on different substrates and surface treatments. By contrast, fungal adhesion has been superficially described. Only few studies have demonstrated the fungal adhesion on implant abutment materials. Bürgers et al. 30 showed in an in vitro experimental model, moderate to higher fungal cells adhering to titanium and Zc substrates. Similarly to our study, surface roughness was not Veliparib solubility dmso correlated to fungal

adhesion. According to the authors, surface free energy seems to have a more relevant impact in Candida spp. adhesion on Zc substrate. Conversely to our data, sandblasted specimens presented the lowest cell counts and Zc did not show any reduced potential to adhere C.

albicans. A rationale for the inverse result between our studies may be related to the differences in experimental model. In contrast to this investigation, we have analysed the fungal adhesion after oral exposure of specimens. Human saliva comprises a large spectrum of pathogenic and non-pathogenic micro-organisms including bacterial and fungal species. These species co-exist in equilibrium inside the oral cavity. Idelalisib In addition, nutrients and immune factors present in human saliva can interfere with the final result of detection. Another explanation could be related to the differences in chemical properties of tested materials. Our results are in accordance with Scarano et al. 31 and Hisbergues et al. 32 The authors

have shown a low potential of Zc to adhere to micro-organisms. BCKDHA Candida spp. colonising acrylic denture have been extensively studied and associated with denture stomatitis. 16 and 17 However, there are few studies concerning Candida spp. adhesion on implant abutment components in the applied literature. It seems to be of clinical relevance to investigate this issue as these opportunistic species have been described to be present in the initial biofilm formation 30 and are strongly associated with denture stomatitis. 33 The long-term success of implant-supported prostheses treatment is strikingly related to the quality and quantity of recipient bone, implant material characteristics and, not less important, the healthy condition of recipient site. 34 and 35 A deficient oral hygiene associated with inherent gaps between implant components may favor microbial adhesion resulting inflammatory reactions. 36Candida spp. have been found harbouring peri-implantar sites in healthy and diseased subjects. 13 and 18 DNA-probe analyses have been extensively used to identify and quantify bacterial species in healthy and diseased patients.18, 37, 38 and 39 These methods are faster and more reliable than conventional culture.20 DNA checkerboard was initially described by Socransky et al.20 and has recently reported higher contamination indices in implant dentistry.

To analyze relative expression of different stage mRNAs, the amou

To analyze relative expression of different stage mRNAs, the amount of cDNA was normalized based on the signals from ubiquitously expressed β-actin mRNA (beta-actin5, 5′-GACCTGACAGACTACCTGAT-3′, and beta-actin3, 5′-AGACAGCACTGTGTTGGCAT-3′). To click here provide negative controls and exclude

contamination by genomic DNA, the reverse transcriptase was omitted in the cDNA synthesis step, and the samples were subjected to the PCR reaction in the same manner with the same primer sets as indicated above for RT-PCR (−). PCR products were separated by electrophoresis in agarose or polyacrylamide gels, and the bands were visualized with ethidium bromide on an Alphaimager (Alpha Innotech). The identity of all the PCR products was confirmed by

sequencing. All obtained sequences were analyzed with the Genetyx software version 7.0 (GENETYX CORPORATION).The sequence was submitted to GenBank (Accession number; AB698464, Cyclopamine cell line AB698465, AB698466). In situ hybridization of zebrafish was performed as described previously ( Makino et al., 2005). Briefly, samples were fixed overnight at 4 °C in 4% paraformaldehyde in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), washed briefly in two changes of PBS-0.1% Tween 20 (PBT), and transferred to 100% methanol for storage at − 20 °C. The samples were rehydrated stepwise through methanol in PBT and then washed Hydroxychloroquine datasheet in four changes of PBT. Subsequently,

samples were incubated with 10 μg/ml proteinase K in PBT for 15–60 min and rinsed twice in PBT before a 20-min refixation. After washes in five changes of PBT, samples were prehybridized at 65 °C for 1 h in buffer consisting of 100% formamide, 20x SSC, 0.1% Tween 20, 10 mg/ml heparin, 9 mM citric acid, and 50 mg/ml yeast RNA and then hybridized overnight in hybridization buffer containing 0.5 mg/ml digoxigenin-labeled RNA probes with the sense or anti-sense sequence. Labeling of the RNA probe was performed with a labeling kit (Roche) using the pGEM-T-Easy vector cloned zMai1 sequence, which is common to all splice variants of zMsi1, and the probe was confirmed by sequencing. Samples were then washed at 65 °C for 10 min each in 75% hybridization buffer/25% 20x SSC, 50% hybridization buffer/50% 20 × SSC, and 25% hybridization buffer/75% 20 × SSC, followed by two washes for 30 min each in 0.2 × SSC at 65 °C. Further washes for 5 min each were conducted at room temperature in 75% 0.2 × SSC/25% PBT, 50% 0.2 × SSC/50% PBT, and 25% 0.2 × SSC/75% PBT. After a 1-h incubation period in PBT containing 2 mg/ml bovine serum albumin, samples were incubated for 2 h in the same solution with a 1:2000 dilution of sample-preabsorbed anti-digoxigenin antibody.

I hope I am wrong, but I do not think so And, so you see, in one

I hope I am wrong, but I do not think so. And, so you see, in one (conservation) sense, size is important but in another, it is not. For, although the English may appear to espouse the cause of the little man (another phantom legacy left over from the Second World War), when it comes to conservation in one’s own backyard, or curtilage, the little chap can get lost (to put it politely). “
“Associations between ants and plants have a long evolutionary history, possibly dating back to the Cretaceous, and exemplify a complex continuum from mutualism to antagonism (Rico-Gray

and Oliveira, 2007). They can affect the structure and functioning of terrestrial ecosystems and play a significant role in ecologically different habitats from tropical forests to temperate and alpine environments see more (Beattie, 1985 and Rico-Gray and Oliveira, 2007). Ant–plant mutualistic interactions are more common than antagonistic ones, with seed dispersal and plant protection from herbivores being by far the best studied ant–plant mutualisms (Culver and Beattie, 1978, Heil and McKey, 2003, Ness et al., 2004 and Bronstein

et al., learn more 2006). Interactions between ants and flowers have traditionally been interpreted as antagonistic, but the outcome of that association can shift from negative to positive depending on the species involved and community context (Rico-Gray and Oliveira, 2007). Ant visits to flowers have been generally suggested to be detrimental to plant fitness because ants consume floral nectar, may deter other flower visitors, and damage floral parts (Galen, 1983, Ramsey, 1995 and Junker et al., 2007). In accordance with this interpretation, a variety of physico-chemical flower characteristics have been proposed as mechanisms for deterring ant visits (Guerrant and Fiedler, 1981, Junker Oxalosuccinic acid and Blüthgen, 2008, Willmer et al., 2009 and Junker et al., 2011a). The controversial question of whether ants have a beneficial or harmful effect on flowers also

has to do with pollination. Ant workers have long been regarded as poor agents of cross-pollination because of their small size, lack of wings, and frequent grooming (but see Peakall and Beattie, 1991 and Gómez and Zamora, 1992). Further, the ‘antibiotic hypothesis’ provides an additional explanation as to why ants can be considered ineffective pollinators (Beattie et al., 1984 and Peakall et al., 1991): the cuticular surface and metapleural glands of some ants produce compounds with antibiotic properties against bacterial and fungal attack, and these secretions may reduce pollen viability (Beattie et al., 1984, Beattie et al., 1985, Hull and Beattie, 1988 and Dutton and Frederickson, 2012; but see Peakall and Beattie, 1989, Peakall, 1994 and Gómez and Zamora, 1992).