Spread and impact of introduced conifers in South America: Lessons from other southern hemisphere regions

The history of conifers introduced earlier elsewhere in the southern hemisphere suggests that recent invasions in Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Uruguay are likely to increase in number and size. In South Africa, New Zealand and Australia, early ornamental introductions and small forestry plantations did not lead to large‐scale invasions, while subsequent large plantations were followed with a lag of about 20–30 years by troublesome invasions. Large‐scale conifer plantation forestry in South America began about 50–80 years later than in South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, while reports of invasions in South America lagged behind those in the latter nations by a century. Impacts of invading non‐native conifers outside South America are varied and include replacement of grassland and shrubland by conifer forest, alteration of fire and hydrological regimes, modification of soil nutrients, and changes in aboveground and belowground biotic communities. Several of these effects have already been detected in various parts of South America undergoing conifer invasion. The sheer amount of area planted in conifers is already very large in Chile and growing rapidly in Argentina and Brazil. This mass of reproductive trees, in turn, produces an enormous propagule pressure that may accelerate ongoing invasions and spark new ones at an increasing rate. Regulations to control conifer invasions, including measures to mitigate spread, were belatedly implemented in New Zealand and South Africa, as well as in certain Australian states, inspired by observations on invasions in those nations. Regulations in South America are weaker and piecemeal, but the existing research base on conifer invasions elsewhere could be useful in fashioning effective regulations in South America. Pressure from foreign customers in South Africa has led most companies there to seek certification through the Forestry Stewardship Council; a similar programme operates in Australia. Such an approach may be promising in South America.     

Calcium‐ and potassium‐permeable plasma membrane transporters are activated by copper in Arabidopsis root tips: linking copper transport with cytosolic hydroxyl radical production

Transition metals such as copper can interact with ascorbate or hydrogen peroxide to form highly reactive hydroxyl radicals (OH^?), with numerous implications to membrane transport activity and cell metabolism. So far, such interaction was described for extracellular (apoplastic) space but not cytosol. Here, a range of advanced electrophysiological and imaging techniques were applied to Arabidopsis thaliana plants differing in their copper‐transport activity: Col‐0, high‐affinity copper transporter COPT1‐overexpressing (C1^OE) seedlings, and T‐DNA COPT1 insertion mutant (copt1). Low Cu concentrations (10 µm ) stimulated a dose‐dependent Gd³⁺ and verapamil sensitive net Ca²⁺ influx in the root apex but not in mature zone. C1^OE also showed a fivefold higher Cu‐induced K⁺ efflux at the root tip level compared with Col‐0, and a reduction in basal peroxide accumulation at the root tip after copper exposure. Copper caused membrane disruptions of the root apex in C1^OE seedlings but not in copt1 plants; this damage was prevented by pretreatment with Gd³⁺. Our results suggest that copper transport into cytosol in root apex results in hydroxyl radical generation at the cytosolic side, with a consequent regulation of plasma membrane OH^?‐sensitive Ca²⁺ and K⁺ transport systems.     

An improved method using densitometry for evaluating severity of laser photocoagulation induced CNV

Laser photocoagulation induced choroidal neovascularization currently is the most effective model available for the study of this disease in terms of efficacy of new drugs and therapies. Previously, evaluating the extent of choroidal neovascularization using this model was time- consuming and required the use of experienced personnel. We describe a new method for simple and rapid evaluation of laser induced choroidal neovascularization using densitometry. Fluorescein angiograms of a laser photocoagulated rat eye were scanned into a computer. Densitometry software subsequently was used to calculate the severity of the laser lesions. The densitometry method proved effective for calculating the extent of laser induced choroidal neovascularization. In addition, this method was more rapid than visual evaluations and less likely to produce errors.     

Effect of almond skin polyphenolics and quercetin on human LDL and apolipoprotein B-100 oxidation and conformation

Almond skin polyphenolics (ASP) and vitamin C (VC) or E (VE) inhibit the Cu²⁺-induced generation of conjugated dienes in human low-density lipoprotein (LDL) in a synergistic manner. However, the mechanism(s) by which this synergy occurs is unknown. As modification of apolipoprotein (apo) B-100 is an early, critical step in LDL oxidation, we examined the effects of combining ASP or quercetin and antioxidant vitamins on the oxidation of this moiety as well as on the alteration of LDL conformation and electronegativity (LDL−). In a dose-dependent manner, ASP (0.12–2.0 μmol/L gallic acid equivalents) decreased tryptophan (Trp) oxidation by 6.7–75.7%, increased the generalized polarity (Gp) of LDL by 21.0–81.5% at 90 min and reduced the ratio of LDL− to total LDL (tLDL) by 38.2–83.8% at 5 h. The actions of ASP on these parameters were generally additive to those of VC and VE. However, a 10–25% synergy of ASP plus VC in protecting apo B-100 Trp against oxidation may result from their synergistic interaction in prolonging the lag time to oxidation. ASP and VE acted in synergy to reduce LDL−/tLDL by 24–43%. Quercetin's actions were similar to ASP, though more effective at inhibiting Trp oxidation. Thus, ASP and quercetin reduce the oxidative modification of apo B-100 and stabilize LDL conformation in a dose-dependent manner, acting in an additive or synergistic fashion with VC and VE.     

Influence of Surface Chemistry on the Hygienic Status of Industrial Stainless Steel

Coupons of fourteen different stainless steels were investigated in terms of surface chemistry and ease of cleaning. Steel surfaces were exposed to Bacillus cereus spores in static saline solution for 2?h. Surfaces were rinsed and then covered with whole milk and allowed to dry. Surfaces were then cleaned in an experimental flow system that mimics an industrial application. After cleaning, remaining spores were released by sonication, spores cultured and colony forming units determined. Surfaces with higher levels of Fe in the outer surface of the passive film cleaned more easily. There was a relation between the polar component and ease of cleaning. The higher the polar component the more easily the surface cleaned. The cleaning mechanism involves dissolution of Fe enriched hydroxide films on the surface.     

An improved method using densitometry for evaluating severity of laser photocoagulation induced CNV

Laser photocoagulation induced choroidal neovascularization currently is the most effective model available for the study of this disease in terms of efficacy of new drugs and therapies. Previously, evaluating the extent of choroidal neovascularization using this model was time- consuming and required the use of experienced personnel. We describe a new method for simple and rapid evaluation of laser induced choroidal neovascularization using densitometry. Fluorescein angiograms of a laser photocoagulated rat eye were scanned into a computer. Densitometry software subsequently was used to calculate the severity of the laser lesions. The densitometry method proved effective for calculating the extent of laser induced choroidal neovascularization. In addition, this method was more rapid than visual evaluations and less likely to produce errors.     

Remote estimation of carbon dioxide uptake by a Mediterranean forest

The estimation of the carbon balance in ecosystems, regions, and the biosphere is currently one of the main concerns in the study of the ecology of global change. Current remote sensing methodologies for estimating gross primary productivity are not satisfactory because they rely too heavily on (i) the availability of climatic data, (ii) the definition of land‐use cover, and (iii) the assumptions of the effects of these two factors on the radiation‐use efficiency of vegetation (RUE). A new methodology is urgently needed that will actually assess RUE and overcome the problems associated with the capture of fluctuations in carbon absorption in space and over time. Remote sensing techniques such as the widely used reflectance vegetation indices (e.g. NDVI, EVI) allow green plant biomass and therefore plant photosynthetic capacity to be assessed. However, there are vegetation types, such as the Mediterranean forests, with a very low seasonality of these vegetation indices and a high seasonality of carbon uptake. In these cases it is important to detect how much of this capacity is actually realized, which is a much more challenging goal. The photochemical reflectance index (PRI) derived from freely available satellite information (MODIS sensor) presented for a 5‐year analysis for a Mediterranean forest a positive relationship with the RUE. Thus, we show that it is possible to estimate RUE and GPP in real time and therefore actual carbon uptake of Mediterranean forests at ecosystem level using the PRI. This conceptual and technological advancement would avoid the need to rely on the sometimes unreliable maximum RUE.     

Niche modelling of the Chilean recluse spider Loxosceles laeta and araneophagic spitting spider Scytodes globula and risk for loxoscelism in Chile

In Chile, all necrotic arachnidism is attributed to the Chilean recluse spider Loxosceles laeta (Nicolet) (Araneae: Sicariidae). It is predated by the spitting spider Scytodes globula (Nicolet) (Araneae: Scytodidae). The biology of each of these species is not well known and it is important to clarify their distributions. The aims of this study are to elucidate the variables involved in the niches of both species based on environmental and human footprint variables, and to construct geographic maps that will be useful in estimating potential distributions and in defining a map of estimated risk for loxoscelism in Chile. Loxosceles laeta was found to be associated with high temperatures and low rates of precipitation, whereas although S. globula was also associated with high temperatures, its distribution was associated with a higher level of precipitation. The main variable associated with the distribution of L. laeta was the human footprint (48.6%), which suggests that this is a highly invasive species. Similarly to other species, the distribution of L. laeta reaches its southern limit at the Los Lagos region in Chile, which coincides with high levels of precipitation and low temperatures. The potential distribution of L. laeta in Chile corresponds to the distribution of cases of loxoscelism.     

Distribution of streptothricin acetyltransferase encodi determinants among environmental bacteria

In this paper we report about a screening for streptothricin- (St)-resistant phenotypes and genotypes among environmental bacteria from a St virgin area. St-resistant bacteria were isolated from river water, sewage, manure and soil by selective plating. The resistance quotient was typical of an area without selective pressure. The occurrence of streptothricin acetyltransferase-encoding determinants and their localization on a Tn7-like transposon was tested by the application of a set of gene probes. Sat genes could be detected in 22.5% of the tested St-resistant bacteria but in 100% of the checked Enterobacteriaceae. However, we could not detect sat genes in St-resistant bacteria from soil samples. Surprisingly the sat genes were found to be located on conjugative or mobilizable plasmids for a rather high number of strains. The determined plasmid species and their restriction patterns showed a high degree of similarities to those observed from an area of strong selective pressure.