Evidence of non‐stationary relationships between climate and forest responses: Increased sensitivity to climate change in Iberian forests

Climate and forest structure are considered major drivers of forest demography and productivity. However, recent evidence suggests that the relationships between climate and tree growth are generally non‐stationary (i.e. non‐time stable), and it remains uncertain whether the relationships between climate, forest structure, demography and productivity are stationary or are being altered by recent climatic and structural changes. Here we analysed three surveys from the Spanish Forest Inventory covering c. 30 years of information and we applied mixed and structural equation models to assess temporal trends in forest structure (stand density, basal area, tree size and tree size inequality), forest demography (ingrowth, growth and mortality) and above‐ground forest productivity. We also quantified whether the interactive effects of climate and forest structure on forest demography and above‐ground forest productivity were stationary over two consecutive time periods. Since the 1980s, density, basal area and tree size increased in Iberian forests, and tree size inequality decreased. In addition, we observed reductions in ingrowth and growth, and increases in mortality. Initial forest structure and water availability mainly modulated the temporal trends in forest structure and demography. The magnitude and direction of the interactive effects of climate and forest structure on forest demography changed over the two time periods analysed indicating non‐stationary relationships between climate, forest structure and demography. Above‐ground forest productivity increased due to a positive balance between ingrowth, growth and mortality. Despite increasing productivity over time, we observed an aggravation of the negative effects of climate change and increased competition on forest demography, reducing ingrowth and growth, and increasing mortality. Interestingly, our results suggest that the negative effects of climate change on forest demography could be ameliorated through forest management, which has profound implications for forest adaptation to climate change.     

Açaí palm management disturbs seed rain and soil seed bank of an Amazonian estuarine forest

The exploitation of non-timber forest products has been proposed as a sustainable way to exploit tropical forests, but such an opportunity remains to be proved. Here, we examine the impact of intensive açaí palm (Euterpe oleracea) management on the seed rain and soil seed bank in an estuarine forest landscape with a long history of forest management by locals in the Amazon region. Seed rain (100 80 cm² collectors) and soil seed bank (100 30 cm² samples) were monitored through a year across 20 forest stands, covering a gradient of açaí stem density (50–3575 açaí stems per ha). Seed rain and bank were dominated by açaí seeds (85.5%–85.8%) and by excluding them, seed rain and bank were low density and species poor, capturing a tiny subset from the local (17.91%–19.40%) and landscape woody flora (11.82%–14.55%). Moreover, autochthonous and vertebrated-dispersed predominated as well as those from tree species considered useful by locals. Overall, açaí stem density positively affected açaí seed abundance in the seed rain and negatively affected seed pools in the bank in relation to abundance of seeds and vertebrated dispersed, while adult tree species richness and density and accessibility to forest stands were associated with more diversified seed pools. Thereby, forest stands are exposed to different levels of açaí management (high vs. low intensity) supported taxonomically distinct seed pools. Our results suggest that açaí intensification disturbs seed rain and soil seed bank with potential impacts on forest regeneration and the forest integrity standards required to consider açaí fruit production as sustainable according to current legislation.     

Focal adhesion kinase: predictor of tumour response and risk factor for recurrence after neoadjuvant chemoradiation in rectal cancer

Rectal cancer represents about 30% of colorectal cancers, being around 50% locally advanced at presentation. Chemoradiation (CRT) followed by total mesorectal excision is the standard of care for these locally advanced stages. However, it is not free of adverse effects and toxicity and the complete pathologic response rate is between 10% and 30%. This makes it extremely important to define factors that can predict response to this therapy. Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) expression has been correlated with worse prognosis in several tumours and its possible involvement in cancer radio‐ and chemosensitivity has been suggested; however, its role in rectal cancer has not been analysed yet. To analyse the association of FAK expression with tumour response to CRT in locally advanced rectal cancer. This study includes 73 patients with locally advanced rectal cancer receiving standard neoadjuvant CRT followed by total mesorectal excision. Focal adhesion kinase protein levels were immunohistochemically analysed in the pre‐treatment biopsies of these patients and correlated with tumour response to CRT and patients survival. Low FAK expression was significantly correlated with local and distant recurrence (P = 0.013). Low FAK expression was found to be a predictive marker of tumour response to neoadjuvant therapy (P = 0.007) and patients whose tumours did not express FAK showed a strong association with lower disease‐free survival (P = 0.01). Focal adhesion kinase expression predicts neoadjuvant CRT response in rectal cancer patients and it is a clinically relevant risk factor for local and distant recurrence.     

Hemolysis determinant common to Escherichia coli hemolytic plasmids of different incompatibility groups

By using cloned deoxyribonucleic acid fragments from the hemolysis determinant of the hemolytic plasmid pHly152 as hybridization probes, a deoxyribonucleic acid segment of about 3.8 megadaltons was identified as a common sequence in several hemolytic (Hly) plasmids of Escherichia coli belonging in four different incompatibility groups. This segment contained the genetic information for the synthesis and secretion of the extracellular toxin alpha-hemolysin of E. coli. With the exception of pSU5, representing a composite plasmid, one part of which seems to be very similar to pHly152, the overall sequence homology of these Hly plasmids with pHly152 seems to be rather restricted. However, the Hly plasmid pSU316 showed sequence homology with pHly152 that did not extend beyond the hemolysis determinant. The two other plasmids, pSU233 and pSU105, also shared homology with pHly152 in the hemolysis determinant as well as in various other parts of this plasmid which did not seem to be directly linked to the hemolysis determinant. This suggests that the hemolysis determinant has spread to presumably unrelated plasmids of E. coli.     

Discovery of an ebolavirus-like filovirus in europe

Filoviruses, amongst the most lethal of primate pathogens, have only been reported as natural infections in sub-Saharan Africa and the Philippines. Infections of bats with the ebolaviruses and marburgviruses do not appear to be associated with disease. Here we report identification in dead insectivorous bats of a genetically distinct filovirus, provisionally named Lloviu virus, after the site of detection, Cueva del Lloviu, in Spain.     

Inflammatory cytokines in vitro production are associated with Ala16Val superoxide dismutase gene polymorphism of peripheral blood mononuclear cells

Obesity is considered a chronic low-grade inflammatory state associated with a chronic oxidative stress caused by superoxide production (O(2)(-)). The superoxide dismutase manganese dependent (SOD2) catalyzes O(2)(-) in H(2)O(2) into mitochondria and is encoded by a single gene that presents a common polymorphism that results in the replacement of alanine (A) with a valine (V) in the 16 codon. This polymorphism has been implicated in a decreased efficiency of SOD2 transport into targeted mitochondria in V allele carriers. Previous studies described an association between VV genotype and metabolic diseases, including obesity and diabetes. However, the causal mechanisms to explain this association need to be more elucidated. We postulated that the polymorphism could influence the inflammatory response. To test our hypothesis, we evaluated the in vitro cytokines production by human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) carrier's different Ala16Val-SOD2 genotypes (IL-1, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α, IFN-γ). Additionally, we evaluated if the culture medium glucose, enriched insulin, could influence the cytokine production. Higher levels of proinflammatory cytokines were observed in VV-PBMCs when compared to AA-PBMCs. However, the culture medium glucose and enriched insulin did not affect cytokine production. The results suggest that Ala16Val-SOD2 gene polymorphism could trigger the PBMCs proinflammatory cytokines level. However, discerning if a similar mechanism occurs in fat cells is an open question.