Inference on diversity from forest inventories: a review

A number of international agreements and commitments emphasize the importance of appropriate monitoring protocols and assessments as prerequisites for sound conservation and management of the world’s forest ecosystems. Mandated periodic surveys, like forest inventories, provide a unique opportunity to identify and properly satisfy natural resource management information needs. Distinctively, there is an increasing need for detecting diversity by means of unambiguous diversity measures. Because all diversity measures are functions of tree species abundances, estimation of tree diversity indices and profiles is inevitably performed by estimating tree species abundances and then estimating indices and profiles as functions of the abundance estimates. This strategy can be readily implemented in the framework of current forest inventory approaches, where tree species abundances are routinely estimated by means of plots placed onto the surveyed area in accordance with probabilistic schemes. The purpose of this paper is to assess the effectiveness of this strategy by reviewing theoretical results from published case studies. Under uniform random sampling (URS), that is when plots are uniformly and independently located on the study region, consistency and asymptotic normality of diversity index estimators follow from standard limit theorems as the sampling effort increases. In addition, variance estimation and bias reduction are achieved using the jackknife method. Despite its theoretical simplicity, URS may lead to uneven coverage of the study region. In order to avoid unbalanced sampling, the use of tessellation stratified sampling (TSS) is suggested. TSS involves covering the study region by a polygonal grid and randomly selecting a plot in each polygon. Under TSS, the diversity index estimators are consistent, asymptotically normal and more precise than those achieved using URS. Variance estimation is possible and there is no need to reduce bias.     

Callus cultures and bark from Norway spruce clones show similar cellular features and relative resistance to fungal pathogens

In field experiments, clones of Norway spruce [Picea abies (L.) Karst.] showed different degrees of resistance against pathogenic fungi inoculated into the bark that correlate with differences in polyphenolic parenchyma (PP) cells of the bark. Cells of spruce callus cultures, particularly towards the callus surface, resemble PP cells and this study looks at changes in callus cells during infection and the relative resistance of cultures from clones of low (weak) or high (strong) resistance to fungal infection. Callus cultures, initiated from trees with different resistance, were co-inoculated with Ceratocystis polonica (Siem.) C. Moreau and Heterobasidion annosum (Fr.) Bref. Callus cells from strong clones resemble PP cells of bark tissue from strong clones, having more polyphenolic bodies, while callus cells from weak clones are more similar to PP cells from those clones, which have less extensive phenolic bodies. Callus cultures from trees with weak resistance were more quickly overgrown by both species of pathogenic fungi than cultures from trees with strong resistance. Callus cells of infected cultures showed changes similar to activated PP cells of bark, including enhanced accumulation of polyphenolics. Phenolic bodies were more numerous and more extensive (larger and denser) in callus cells of strong versus weak clones under all conditions. Thus, callus cells may perform similar functions in defense as PP cells in the bark. Callus from trees of varying resistance seem to reflect the relative resistance of the trees from which they are derived, and this study indicates that some mechanisms of resistance can be studied using callus from trees of different resistance.     

Ulminium diluviale Unger : historique de la découverte et nouvelle étude

A fossil tree was discovered during the 16th century at Jáchymov (Bohemia). The wood was first named by Unger, in 1842, Ulminium diluviale. But it belongs to the Lauraceae family and Felix, in 1883, named it Laurinoxylon diluviale. The authors give the history and the geological setting of the area and describe the anatomy of the wood. The diagnosis of the genus Laurinoxylon Felix, 1883. is emended as follows: heteroxylous fossil wood with average sized solitary vessels or in radial groups; perforation plates simple and sometimes scalariform; intervascular pits alternate and moderately large; thyloses present. Paratracheal parenchyma. Uni to five seriate rays, slightly heterocellular and less than 1 mm high; ray-vessel pits large often stretched. Libriform or with radial pits fibres. Oil cells or mucilage (idioblasts) present. The diagnosis of the species Laurinoxylon diluviale (Unger) Felix, 1883. is also emended. Heteroxylous fossil wood with distinct growth rings; late wood poorly developed with vessels of diameter distinctly smaller as compared to the early wood and with smaller diameter fibres. Diffuse to semiporous vessels, solitary or in radial groups of two to seven , nine to 16 pores/mm²; tangential diameter 100 to 154 μm in early wood and 44 to 72 μm in late wood; vessel length 300 to 550 μm; perforation plates simple and scalariforme (6–12 bars); intervascular pits alternate, rounded (diameter 7–10 μm) or elliptic (long axes × short axes: 10–15 μm × 7–10 μm); thylosis present. Paratracheal parenchyma in more or less complete rows (1–2 cells wide) around the vessels. Heterocellular rays (1–(3) rows of upright cells), of one to five, more frequently three to four cells wide (80%); two to 36 cells high (60 to 820 μm); six to seven rays per tangential millimetre; vessels-rays pits sometimes large, stretched horizontally to vertically. Fibres of 15 to 25 μm in diameter; cell walls of 2–3 μm thick; pits not seen. Oil cells (idioblasts) at the ray margins; 27–60 μm in tangential diameter; 50–80 μm in radial diameter; 72–140 μm high; density of zero to 18 per transversal square millimetres depending on the observed area.     

Metabolic gene polymorphisms and p53 mutations in healthy centenarians and younger controls

To obtain insights into the genetic mechanisms of ageing, we studied the frequency of the simultaneous presence of polymorphisms in phase I and phase II genes and of several p53 germline mutations in a group of 66 nonagenarians and centenarians in good health, selected from a larger sample of a multicentre Italian study in Northern Italy, and in a sample of 150 young healthy volunteers of the same ethnic group. We found a statistically significant difference in the frequency of the GSTT1 deletion and the p53 genotypes: the absence of any p53 polymorphisms and of GSTT1 deletion, and the simultaneous presence of the three p53 polymorphisms and of GSTT1 deletion, were much more frequent in young subjects than in centenarians (41.5% versus 26.9% and 8.8% versus 3.8%, respectively). One hypothesis to explain this difference is that subjects with both GSTT1 deletion and p53 polymorphisms may accumulate carcinogens and may have reduced DNA repair ability, and thus are more at risk for cancer. Another possible explanation is that both metabolic genes and p53 act on pathways related to cell ageing and death, and therefore certain composite genetic patterns could represent a generic mechanism of protection against ageing, not just against the development of chronic diseases. It is likely that longevity is related to a complex genetic trait as well as to certain environmental exposures.     

Molecular Insights into the Interaction between α-Synuclein and Docosahexaenoic Acid

α-Synuclein (α-syn) is a 140-residue protein of unknown function, involved in several neurodegenerative disorders, such as Parkinson's disease. Recently, the possible interaction between α-syn and polyunsaturated fatty acids has attracted a strong interest. Indeed, lipids are able to trigger the multimerization of the protein in vitro and in cultured cells. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is one of the main fatty acids (FAs) in cerebral gray matter and is dynamically released following phospholipid hydrolysis. Moreover, it has been found in high levels in brain areas containing α-syn inclusions in patients affected by Parkinson's disease. Debated and unsolved questions regard the nature of the molecular interaction between α-syn and DHA and the effect exerted by the protein on the aggregated state of the FA. Here, we show that α-syn is able to strongly interact with DHA and that a mutual effect on the structure of the protein and on the physical state of the lipid derives from this interaction. α-Syn acquires an α-helical conformation in a simple two-state transition. The binding of the protein to the FA leads to a reduction of the size of the spontaneously formed aggregated species of DHA as well as of the critical aggregate concentration of the lipid. Specifically, biophysical methods and electron microscopy observations indicated that the FA forms oil droplets in the presence of α-syn. Limited proteolysis experiments showed that, when the protein is bound to the FA oil droplets, it is initially cleaved in the 89-102 region, suggesting that this chain segment is sufficiently flexible or unfolded to be protease-sensitive. Subsequent proteolytic events produce fragments corresponding to the first 70-80 residues that remain structured and show high affinity for the lipid. The fact that a region of the polypeptide chain remains accessible to proteases, when interacting with the lipid, suggests that this region could be involved in other interactions, justifying the ambivalent propensity of α-syn towards folding or aggregation in the presence of FAs.     

Application of Wavelet Packet Transform to detect genetic polymorphisms by the analysis of inter-Alu PCR patterns

Background  

The analysis of Inter-Alu PCR patterns obtained from human genomic DNA samples is a promising technique for a simultaneous analysis of many genomic loci flanked by Alu repetitive sequences in order to detect the presence of genetic polymorphisms. Inter-Alu PCR products may be separated and analyzed by capillary electrophoresis using an automatic sequencer that generates a complex pattern of peaks. We propose an algorithmic method based on the Haar-Walsh Wavelet Packet Transformation (WPT) for an efficient detection of fingerprint-type patterns generated by PCR-based methodologies. We have tested our algorithmic approach on inter-Alu patterns obtained from the genomic DNA of three couples of monozygotic twins, expecting that the inter-Alu patterns of each twins couple will show differences due to unavoidable experimental variability. On the contrary the differences among samples of different twins are supposed to originate from genetic variability. Our goal is to automatically detect regions in the inter-Alu pattern likely associated to the presence of genetic polymorphisms.     

Virally and physically transgenized equine adipose-derived stromal cells as a cargo for paracrine secreted factors

Background  

Adipose-Derived Stromal Cells have been shown to have multiple lineage differentiation properties and to be suitable for tissues regeneration in many degenerative processes. Their use has been proposed for the therapy of joint diseases and tendon injuries in the horse. In the present report the genetic manipulation of Equine Adipose-Derived Stromal Cells has been investigated.     

Somatic point mutations in mtDNA control region are influenced by genetic background and associated with healthy aging: a GEHA study

Tissue specific somatic mutations occurring in the mtDNA control region have been proposed to provide a survival advantage. Data on twins and on relatives of long-lived subjects suggested that the occurrence/accumulation of these mutations may be genetically influenced. To further investigate control region somatic heteroplasmy in the elderly, we analyzed the segment surrounding the nt 150 position (previously reported as specific of Leukocytes) in various types of leukocytes obtained from 195 ultra-nonagenarians sib-pairs of Italian or Finnish origin collected in the frame of the GEHA Project. We found a significant correlation of the mtDNA control region heteroplasmy between sibs, confirming a genetic influence on this phenomenon. Furthermore, many subjects showed heteroplasmy due to mutations different from the C150T transition. In these cases heteroplasmy was correlated within sibpairs in Finnish and northern Italian samples, but not in southern Italians. This suggested that the genetic contribution to control region mutations may be population specific. Finally, we observed a possible correlation between heteroplasmy and Hand Grip strength, one of the best markers of physical performance and of mortality risk in the elderly. Our study provides new evidence on the relevance of mtDNA somatic mutations in aging and longevity and confirms that the occurrence of specific point mutations in the mtDNA control region may represent a strategy for the age-related remodelling of organismal functions.     

Immunoproteasome expression is induced in mesial temporal lobe epilepsy

Immunoproteasome has been associated to neurodegenerative and autoimmune diseases as a marker and regulator of inflammatory mechanisms. Its expression in the brain may occur upon neuroinflammation in different cell types and affect a variety of homeostatic and inflammatory pathways including the oxidized protein clearance and the self-antigen presentation. In the present study we investigated the immunoproteasome expression in hippocampi and cortex of patients affected by different histopathological forms of pharmaco-resistent mesial temporal lobe epilepsy. We identified a pathology-specific pattern of immunoproteasome expression, which could provide insight into the complex neuroinflammatory pathogenic components of this disease.