Genetic differentiation across the social transition in a socially polymorphic sweat bee, Halictus rubicundus

Eusociality is widely considered a major evolutionary transition. The socially polymorphic sweat bee Halictus rubicundus, solitary in cooler regions of its holarctic range and eusocial in warmer parts, is an excellent model organism to address this transition, and specifically the question of whether sociality is associated with a strong barrier to gene flow between phenotypically divergent populations. Mitochondrial DNA (COI) from specimens collected across the British Isles, where both solitary and social phenotypes are represented, displayed limited variation, but placed all specimens in the same European lineage; haplotype network analysis failed to differentiate solitary and social lineages. Microsatellite genetic variability was high and enabled us to quantify genetic differentiation among populations and social phenotypes across Great Britain and Ireland. Results from conceptually different analyses consistently showed greater genetic differentiation between geographically distant populations, independently of their social phenotype, suggesting that the two social forms are not reproductively isolated. A landscape genetic approach revealed significant isolation by distance (Mantel test r = 0.622, p

Isolation and characterization of eight polymorphic microsatellite loci for Natterer's bat, Myotis nattereri (Vespertilionidae, Chiroptera)

Eight new microsatellite loci were isolated and characterized for the Natterer's bat Myotis nattereri from a microsatellite-enriched genomic library. The usefulness of these markers was assessed by screening a sample comprising 100 specimens collected from throughout the species range in Europe. Both moderately and highly polymorphic loci were identified with 3-17 alleles segregating per locus (mean 8.1 SE +/- A 0.048). No evidence for departure from HWE or linkage disequilibrium among loci was observed. These markers will provide a valuable addition to the molecular toolbox currently available for studies of population genetic structure, parentage and social organisation of M. nattereri and related species.

An exploration of integrated data on the social dynamics of suicide among women

The gender based nature of suicide related behaviour is largely accepted.However, studies which report exclusively on female fatal suicides are rare.Here we demonstrate how female fatal suicide has effectively been ‘othered’ and appears ‘incidental’ in studies which compare female behaviour with that of their male counterparts. We highlight how recent studies of suicide have tended to be dominated by male only approaches,which increasingly link issues of masculinity with male death by suicide.Drawing on data collected from the GP and Coroner’s office, we then apply the Sociological Autopsy approach to a cohort of 78 deaths recorded as suicides in the UK between 2007 and 2009. By focusing on females in isolation from males, we demonstrate that as in male suicide only studies,it is similarly possible to draw out issues associated with the feminine identity which can be linked to death by suicide. We identify that bereavement, sexual violence and motherhood could all be linked to the lives and help-seeking of the females who died. In closing, we suggest are orientation towards sociological analytic approaches of female suicide may help to produce further reductions in the rate of female death by suicide.

Re-embedding economic and social constitutionalism:Normative perspectives for the EU

Introduction Tensions between the economic and the social dimensions of European integration are being perceived as increasing, and so is the potential for conflict between national and European levels of policy-making. Both are well illustrated by a highly controversial line of Court of Justice of the European Union (ECJ) cases on industrial relations: Viking and Laval have become symbols for the continuing dominance of the economic over the social dimension of European integration and for an increasing tendency of the EU to diminish national autonomy. As one consequence, demands to protect Member States’ social policy choices from EU law pressures arise. For such demands to be tenable, isolation of national and EU policy-making and of economic and social dimensions of European integration would have to be possible. This is arguably not the case. Economic and social dimensions of integration will thus have to be reconciled across EU and national levels, if the EU and its Member States are to maintain the ability of enhancing social justice against the pulls of economic globalisation.