Direct seeding and outplantings in drylands of Argentinean Patagonia: estimated costs,and prospects for large‐scale restoration and rehabilitation

In large areas of the world that are deeply scarred by desertification and hampered by low capacity for natural regeneration, the scaling up of ecological restoration and rehabilitation can be achieved only if it is low in cost with high return on investment, and shows promise of providing long‐lasting social‐economic as well as ecological benefits. In the Monte Austral region of Patagonia Argentina, concerted efforts are underway to facilitate scaling up of ecological restoration and rehabilitation practices. Here, we evaluate financial costs and preliminary results of direct seeding as compared to outplanting of nursery‐grown seedlings of three native species (Atriplex lampa, Senecio subulatus var. subulatus, and Hyalis argentea var. latisquama) considered to be high‐priority dryland framework species. Comparative success is expressed in terms of plant survival and in monetary terms. The three candidate species showed low survival rates, ranging from 4.3 to 22.3%, after the first summer following direct seeding. In contrast, survival rates for planted seedlings of the same three taxa varied between 84 and 91%, after the first summer following reintroduction. However, cost of direct seeding varied between 1,693 and 1,772 US$ less per hectare, that is, 64% less than the cost of outplanting nursery seedlings. Therefore, in the search for ways to scale up ecological restoration and rehabilitation in drylands, direct seeding should receive more attention. We discuss the social and ecological perspectives and the way forward for direct seeding techniques in Patagonia. We also consider how costs could be reduced and effectiveness improved in large‐scale efforts.     

Monitoring attributes for ecological restoration in Latin America and the Caribbean region

Ecological restoration is becoming mainstreamed worldwide but target ecosystems' responses to restorative interventions are not sufficiently monitored, in terms of the wide range of ecological, social, and economic attributes available. In order to highlight and better understand this problem, we conducted a literature review of the ecological, social, and economic attributes cited in the scientific literature used for monitoring the success of ecological restoration projects in Latin America and the Caribbean region, where no regional study of this kind has previously been conducted. In 84 of the 91 articles retained for the study, ecological indicators were evaluated, while only seven articles included measurements of socioeconomic indicators. Regarding the Society for Ecological Restoration Primer attributes of restored ecosystems, we only found indicators measuring attributes 1–6, with attribute 1 (species assemblages) predominating (73%), followed by physical conditions (54%) and ecological functions (51%). Brazil was the country in the region where most monitoring was being carried out (51% of the articles), and tropical rainforest (33%) and tropical dry forest (25%) were the ecosystem types where ecological restoration was most frequently monitored. Highly vulnerable ecosystems such as mangroves and paramos were underrepresented. Attributes related to ecosystem stability or to governance and education of communities were not monitored at all. More real long‐term monitoring, instead of chronosequences, is needed, especially where understanding socioeconomic implications of, and barriers to, effective ecological restoration is a top priority.     

The histone-like protein HupB influences biofilm formation and virulence in Xanthomonas citri ssp. citri through the regulation of flagellar biosynthesis

Citrus canker is an important disease of citrus, whose causal agent is the bacterium Xanthomonas citri ssp. citri (Xcc). In previous studies, we found a group of Xcc mutants, generated by the insertion of the Tn5 transposon, which showed impaired ability to attach to an abiotic substrate. One of these mutants carries the Tn5 insertion in hupB, a gene encoding a bacterial histone-like protein, homologue to the β-subunit of the Heat-Unstable (HU) nucleoid protein of Escherichia coli. These types of protein are necessary to maintain the bacterial nucleoid organization and the global regulation of gene expression. Here, we characterized the influence of the mutation in hupB regarding Xcc biofilm formation and virulence. The mutant strain hupB was incapable of swimming in soft agar, whereas its complemented strain partially recovered this phenotype. Electron microscope imaging revealed that impaired motility of hupB was a consequence of the absence of the flagellum. Comparison of the expression of flagellar genes between the wild-type strain and hupB showed that the mutant exhibited decreased expression of fliC (encoding flagellin). The hupB mutant also displayed reduced virulence compared with the wild-type strain when they were used to infect Citrus lemon plants using different infection methods. Our results therefore show that the histone-like protein HupB plays an essential role in the pathogenesis of Xcc through the regulation of biofilm formation and biosynthesis of the flagellum.     

Association between the ACCN1 gene and multiple sclerosis in Central East Sardinia

Multiple genome screens have been performed to identify regions in linkage or association with Multiple Sclerosis (MS, OMIM 126200), but little overlap has been found among them. This may be, in part, due to a low statistical power to detect small genetic effects and to genetic heterogeneity within and among the studied populations. Motivated by these considerations, we studied a very special population, namely that of Nuoro, Sardinia, Italy. This is an isolated, old, and genetically homogeneous population with high prevalence of MS. Our study sample includes both nuclear families and unrelated cases and controls. A multi-stage study design was adopted. In the first stage, microsatellites were typed in the 17q11.2 region, previously independently found to be in linkage with MS. One significant association was found at microsatellite D17S798. Next, a bioinformatic screening of the region surrounding this marker highlighted an interesting candidate MS susceptibility gene: the Amiloride-sensitive Cation Channel Neuronal 1 (ACCN1) gene. In the second stage of the study, we resequenced the exons and the 3' untranslated (UTR) region of ACCN1, and investigated the MS association of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) identified in that region. For this purpose, we developed a method of analysis where complete, phase-solved, posterior-weighted haplotype assignments are imputed for each study individual from incomplete, multi-locus, genotyping data. The imputed assignments provide an input to a number of proposed procedures for testing association at a microsatellite level or of a sequence of SNPs. These include a Mantel-Haenszel type test based on expected frequencies of pseudocase/pseudocontrol haplotypes, as well as permutation based tests, including a combination of permutation and weighted logistic regression analysis. Application of these methods allowed us to find a significant association between MS and the SNP rs28936 located in the 3' UTR segment of ACCN1 with p = 0.0004 (p = 0.002, after adjusting for multiple testing). This result is in tune with several recent experimental findings which suggest that ACCN1 may play an important role in the pathogenesis of MS.     

Functional yeast starter cultures for cocoa fermentation

The quest to develop a performant starter culture mixture to be applied in cocoa fermentation processes started in the 20th century, aiming at achieving high-quality, reproducible chocolates with improved organoleptic properties. Since then, different yeasts have been proposed as candidate starter cultures, as this microbial group plays a key role during fermentation of the cocoa pulp-bean mass. Yeast starter culture-initiated fermentation trials have been performed worldwide through the equatorial zone and the effects of yeast inoculation have been analysed as a function of the cocoa variety (Forastero, Trinitario and hybrids) and fermentation method (farm-, small- and micro-scale) through the application of physicochemical, microbiological and chemical techniques. A thorough screening of candidate yeast starter culture strains is sometimes done to obtain the best performing strains to steer the cocoa fermentation process and/or to enhance specific features, such as pectinolysis, ethanol production, citrate assimilation and flavour production. Besides their effects during cocoa fermentation, a significant influence of the starter culture mixture applied is often found on the cocoa liquors and/or chocolates produced thereof. Thus, starter culture-initiated cocoa fermentation processes constitute a suitable strategy to elaborate improved flavourful chocolate products.     

Highly heterogeneous residual malaria risk in western Thailand

Over the past decades, the malaria burden in Thailand has substantially declined. Most infections now originate from the national border regions. In these areas, the prevalence of asymptomatic infections is still substantial and poses a challenge for the national malaria elimination program. To determine epidemiological parameters as well as risk factors for malaria infection in western Thailand, we carried out a cohort study in Kanchanaburi and Ratchaburi provinces on the Thailand-Myanmar border. Blood samples from 999 local participants were examined for malaria infection every 4 weeks between May 2013 and Jun 2014. Prevalence of Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax was determined by quantitative PCR (qPCR) and showed a seasonal variation with values fluctuating from 1.7% to 4.2% for P. vivax and 0% to 1.3% for P. falciparum. Ninety percent of infections were asymptomatic. The annual molecular force of blood-stage infection (_molFOB) was estimated by microsatellite genotyping to be 0.24 new infections per person-year for P. vivax and 0.02 new infections per person-year for P. falciparum. The distribution of infections was heterogenous, that is, the vast majority of infections (>80%) were found in a small number of individuals (<8% of the study population) who tested positive at multiple timepoints. Significant risk factors were detected for P. vivax infections, including previous clinical malaria, occupation in agriculture and travel to Myanmar. In contrast, indoor residual spraying was associated with a protection from infection. These findings provide a recent landscape of malaria epidemiology and emphasize the importance of novel strategies to target asymptomatic and imported infections.     

Salix kaptarae sp. nov. (Salicaceae) from Crete

A new species of willow from Crete, named Salix kaptarae Cambria, C. Brullo & Brullo, is described and illustrated. Morphologically, it shows close relationships with species belonging to the S. apennina group, mainly with respect to the leaf shape, and the hairy ovary, capsule and base of stamina filaments. Considerations on its ecology, leaf micro‐morphology and conservation status are also provided.     

Early‐Life Exposure to Pulsed LTE Radiofrequency Fields Causes Persistent Changes in Activity and Behavior in C57BL/6 J Mice

Despite much research, gaps remain in knowledge about the potential health effects of exposure to radiofrequency (RF) fields. This study investigated the effects of early‐life exposure to pulsed long term evolution (LTE) 1,846 MHz downlink signals on innate mouse behavior. Animals were exposed for 30 min/day, 5 days/week at a whole‐body average specific energy absorption rate (SAR) of 0.5 or 1 W/kg from late pregnancy (gestation day 13.5) to weaning (postnatal day 21). A behavioral tracking system measured locomotor, drinking, and feeding behavior in the home cage from 12 to 28 weeks of age. The exposure caused significant effects on both appetitive behaviors and activity of offspring that depended on the SAR. Compared with sham‐exposed controls, exposure at 0.5 W/kg significantly decreased drinking frequency (P ≤ 0.000) and significantly decreased distance moved (P ≤ 0.001). In contrast, exposure at 1 W/kg significantly increased drinking frequency (P ≤ 0.001) and significantly increased moving duration (P ≤ 0.005). In the absence of other plausible explanations, it is concluded that repeated exposure to low‐level RF fields in early life may have a persistent and long‐term effect on adult behavior. Bioelectromagnetics. 2019;40:498–511. © 2019 The Authors. Bioelectromagnetics Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Phenolic and anthocyanin fractions from wild blueberries (V. angustifolium) differentially modulate endothelial cell migration partially through RHOA and RAC1

The present study investigates the effect of anthocyanin (ACN), phenolic acid (PA) fractions, and their combination (ACNs:PAs) from wild blueberry powder (Vaccinum angustifolium) on the speed of endothelial cell migration, gene expression, and protein levels of RAC1 and RHOA associated with acute exposure to different concentrations of ACNs and PAs. Time-lapse videos were analyzed and endothelial cell speed was calculated. Treatment with ACNs at 60 μg/mL inhibited endothelial cell migration rate ( P ≤ 0.05) while treatment with PAs at 0.002 μg/mL ( P ≤ 0.0001), 60 μg/mL ( P ≤ 0.0001), and 120 μg/mL ( P ≤ 0.01) significantly increased endothelial cell migration rate compared with control. Moreover, exposure of HUVECs to ACNs:PAs at 8:8 μg/mL ( P ≤ 0.05) and 60:60 μg/mL increased ( P ≤ 0.001) endothelial cell migration. Gene expression of RAC1 and RHOA significantly increased 2 hours after exposure with all treatments. No effect of the above fractions was observed on the protein levels of RAC1 and RHOA. Findings suggest that endothelial cell migration is differentially modulated based on the type of blueberry extract (ACN or PA fraction) and is concentration-dependent. Future studies should determine the mechanism of the differential action of the above fractions on endothelial cell migration.