Planktonic indices in the evaluation of the ecological status and the trophic state of the longest lake in Poland

Due to the intensive mixing polymictic lakes should be homogenous. However, morphometric diversity and high water dynamics contribute to the differentiation of many parameters in various areas of the lakes. This study analyzes both phytoplankton and zooplankton to assess differences in water quality along the north–south axis of the longest lake in Poland. New phytoplankton indicators were applied for determining the lake's ecological status: the Q index based on functional groups and the PMPL (Phytoplankton Metric for Polish Lakes) index based on phytoplankton biomass. TSI_ROT index (Rotifer Trophic State Index), which comprises the percentage of species indicating a high trophic state in the indicatory group and the percentage of bacteriovorus in the Rotifera population, was used for zooplankton analysis.TP content was different at different sites – we observed its gradual increase from the south to the north. Spatial variation of phosphorus did not considerably affect plankton diversity. The phytoplankton was dominated by Oscillatoriales, typical of shallow, well-mixed eutrophic lakes. The ecological status of the lake based on the EQR (Ecological Quality Ratio) was poor or moderate. The zooplankton was dominated by rotifers (at almost all sites), which indicates a eutrophic state of the lake. The values of phytoplankton indices at the studied sites did not differ considerably; the differences resulted more from local conditions such as the contaminant inflow and the macrophyte development than water dynamics.We have demonstrated that in the lake dominated by filamentous Cyanobacteria the ecological status should be determined according to the PMPL index or other indices dependent on the dominant Cyanobacteria species. Since the Q index does not include the functional group S1, the results can lead to the false conclusion that water quality improves with an increased amount of phytoplankton. The high abundance of Cyanobacteria in the lake may have contributed to the poor growth of rotifers.     

A versatile modelling approach to determine the hydrophobicity of peptides at the atomic level

This study describes a versatile computational method to determine the hydrophobicity of small peptides at the atomic level. Free energies of transfer for individual atoms in peptide structures were derived, utilising two specifically defined parameters: (i) the water-excluding distance to define the dynamic interface between a peptide solute and its surrounding solvent and (ii) the corresponding hydrophobicity index as a relative measure for water occlusion/repulsion. The method was tested on a range of small peptide models (Ac-X-NH₂, G-X-G, Ac-WL-X-LL and Ac-GG-X-GG-NH₂) and several derivatives of these structures, whereby X was any of the 20 most common amino acids that naturally occur in polypeptides or proteins. The advantage of this new method lies in its versatility, ease to implement and capability to provide information on the hydrophobicity characteristics at the atomic level. The approach also encapsulates the impact of factors that influence these properties, but which have hitherto been difficult to accurately quantify, e.g. steric hindrance or proximity effects due to nearby polarised atoms. The method is not conditional on the knowledge of hydrophobicity parameters from the literature and does not require a sophisticated computer software/hardware to enable the atomic solvent-accessible surface areas or other hydrophobicity parameters to be de novo obtained.     

Use of locally weighted scatterplot smoothing (LOWESS) regression to study selection signatures in Piedmontese and Italian Brown cattle breeds

Selection is the major force affecting local levels of genetic variation in species. The availability of dense marker maps offers new opportunities for a detailed understanding of genetic diversity distribution across the animal genome. Over the last 50 years, cattle breeds have been subjected to intense artificial selection. Consequently, regions controlling traits of economic importance are expected to exhibit selection signatures. The fixation index (F_st) is an estimate of population differentiation, based on genetic polymorphism data, and it is calculated using the relationship between inbreeding and heterozygosity. In the present study, locally weighted scatterplot smoothing (LOWESS) regression and a control chart approach were used to investigate selection signatures in two cattle breeds with different production aptitudes (dairy and beef). F_st was calculated for 42 514 SNP marker loci distributed across the genome in 749 Italian Brown and 364 Piedmontese bulls. The statistical significance of F_st values was assessed using a control chart. The LOWESS technique was efficient in removing noise from the raw data and was able to highlight selection signatures in chromosomes known to harbour genes affecting dairy and beef traits. Examples include the peaks detected for BTA2 in the region where the myostatin gene is located and for BTA6 in the region harbouring the ABCG2 locus. Moreover, several loci not previously reported in cattle studies were detected.     

Climate change in our backyards: the reshuffling of North America's winter bird communities

Much of the recent changes in North American climate have occurred during the winter months, and as result, overwintering birds represent important sentinels of anthropogenic climate change. While there is mounting evidence that bird populations are responding to a warming climate (e.g., poleward shifts) questions remain as to whether these species‐specific responses are resulting in community‐wide changes. Here, we test the hypothesis that a changing winter climate should favor the formation of winter bird communities dominated by warm‐adapted species. To do this, we quantified changes in community composition using a functional index – the Community Temperature Index (CTI) – which measures the balance between low‐ and high‐temperature dwelling species in a community. Using data from Project FeederWatch, an international citizen science program, we quantified spatiotemporal changes in winter bird communities (n = 38 bird species) across eastern North America and tested the influence of changes in winter minimum temperature over a 22‐year period. We implemented a jackknife analysis to identify those species most influential in driving changes at the community level and the population dynamics (e.g., extinction or colonization) responsible for these community changes. Since 1990, we found that the winter bird community structure has changed with communities increasingly composed of warm‐adapted species. This reshuffling of winter bird communities was strongest in southerly latitudes and driven primarily by local increases in abundance and regional patterns of colonization by southerly birds. CTI tracked patterns of changing winter temperature at different temporal scales ranging from 1 to 35 years. We conclude that a shifting winter climate has provided an opportunity for smaller, southerly distributed species to colonize new regions and promote the formation of unique winter bird assemblages throughout eastern North America.     

Wood preservation hygiene and environment in the lime-light of actually

Summary Under the ?Bois plus? scheme, the CTBA is currently developing a third party certification, based on the Scrivener law, with the aim of defending the consumers' interests. At this early stage, wood preservatives and treated wood are checked for the efficacy of treatments in order to ensure the stability and security of works in buildings and civil engineering. According to the different classes of risks in service, ?Bois plus? provides the most adeguate level of protection. In the close future, the industry is planning to incorporate, with the help of the CTBA and experts, health criteria within the frame of the ?Bois plus? certification scheme. The means could beSafety indexes, which are objectives of quality for professionals.Safety indexes are concentrations of substances in wood which can be taken as safe for humans and the general environment, while still toxic for the wood pests. This attractive experience aims to make with the brandname ?Bois plus? a synonym of efficacy and safety. This approach meets the essential requirements 1, 3, 4 of the 89/106 EEC directive: mechanical resistance and stability/hygiene, health and environment/safety in use.     

Structural diversity indices based on airborne LiDAR as ecological indicators for managing highly dynamic landscapes

An objective, quantifiable index of structural biodiversity that could be rapidly obtained with reduced or no field effort is essential for the use of structure as universal ecological indicator for ecosystem management. Active remote sensing provides a rapid assessment tool to potentially guide land managers in highly dynamic and spatially complex landscapes. These landscapes are often dependent on frequent disturbance regimes and characterized by high endemism.We propose a modified Shannon–Wiener Index and modified Evenness Index as stand structural complexity indices for surrogates of ecosystem health. These structural indices are validated at Tall Timbers Research Station the site of one of the longest running fire ecology studies in southeastern U.S. This site is dominated by highly dynamic pine-grassland woodlands maintained with frequent fire. Once the dominant ecosystem in the Southeast, this woodland complex has been cleared for agriculture or converted to other cover types, and depends on a frequent (1- to 3-year fire return interval) low- to moderate-intensity fire regime to prevent succession to mixed hardwood forests and maintain understory species diversity. Structural evaluation of the impact of multiple disturbance regimes included height profiles and derived metrics for five different fire interval treatments; 1-year, 2-year, 3-year, mixed fire frequency (a combination of 2- and 4-year fire returns), and fire exclusion. The 3-dimensional spatial arrangement of structural elements was used to assess hardwood encroachment and changes in structural complexity. In agreement with other research, 3-year fire return interval was considered to be the best fire interval treatment for maintaining the pine-grassland woodlands, because canopy cover and vertical diversity indices were shown to be statistically higher in fire excluded and less frequently burned plots than in 1- and 2-year fire interval treatments. We developed a LiDAR-derived structural diversity index, LHDI, and propose that an ecosystem-specific threshold target for management intervention can be developed, based on significant shifts in structure and composition using this new index.Structural diversity indices can be valuable surrogates of ecosystem biodiversity, and ecosystem-specific target values can be developed as objective quantifiable goals for conservation and ecosystem integrity, particularly in remote areas.     

Le test urinaire PCA3 : quelles perspectives ?

Since its introduction 10 years ago, the urinary PCA3 test was evaluated in several studies that allowed demonstration of its diagnostic value when predicting prostate biopsy outcome. Its good specificity, notably when compared to seric PSA, offers to the urologist the opportunity to better evaluate whether prostate biopsies are warranted, especially in patients with at least one set of previous negative biopsies. Several points remain to be determined such as its true influence on prostate decision making in clinical practice and the resulting medico-economic benefit. The place of the urinary PCA3 test among other developing prostate cancer biomarkers, notably PHI index and urinary TMPRSS2:ERG fusions, has also to be defined.     

Ligand Independence of the T618I Mutation in the Colony-stimulating Factor 3 Receptor (CSF3R) Protein Results from Loss of O-Linked Glycosylation and Increased Receptor Dimerization

Mutations in the CSF3 granulocyte colony-stimulating factor receptor CSF3R have recently been found in a large percentage of patients with chronic neutrophilic leukemia and, more rarely, in other types of leukemia. These CSF3R mutations fall into two distinct categories: membrane-proximal mutations and truncation mutations. Although both classes of mutation have exhibited the capacity for cellular transformation, several aspects of this transformation, including the kinetics, the requirement for ligand, and the dysregulation of downstream signaling pathways, have all been shown to be discrepant between the mutation types, suggesting distinct mechanisms of activation. CSF3R truncation mutations induce overexpression and ligand hypersensitivity of the receptor, likely because of the removal of motifs necessary for endocytosis and degradation. In contrast, little is known about the mechanism of activation of membrane-proximal mutations, which are much more commonly observed in chronic neutrophilic leukemia. In contrast with CSF3R truncation mutations, membrane-proximal mutations do not exhibit overexpression and are capable of signaling in the absence of ligand. We show that the Thr-615 and Thr-618 sites of membrane-proximal mutations are part of an O-linked glycosylation cluster. Mutation at these sites prevents O-glycosylation of CSF3R and increases receptor dimerization. This increased dimerization explains the ligand-independent activation of CSF3R membrane-proximal mutations. Cytokine receptor activation through loss of O-glycosylation represents a novel avenue of aberrant signaling. Finally, the combination of the CSF3R membrane proximal and truncation mutations, as has been reported in some patients, leads to enhanced cellular transformation when compared with either mutation alone, underscoring their distinct mechanisms of action.