Site index and height growth curves for Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) (Mirb.) Franco in the Patagonian Andean Region of Rio Negro and Chubut, Argentina

El objetivo de este trabajo fue establecer curvas de indice de sitio y crecimiento en altura para Pino Oregón, de aplicación en la región andino patagónica. Mediante el análisis fustal de 69 árboles dominantes, seleccionados de 28 rodales, distribuidos en el área comprendida por Bariloche como límite norte (41° S, provincia de Río Negro) y El Corcovado al sur (43°30´ S, provincia de Chubut) y las isohietas de 500 a 1500 mm de precipitación media anual, como límites este-oeste, se formó una base de 1481 observaciones altura - edad al pecho. Para la construcción de la familia de curvas de crecimiento en altura se procedió según la metodología de Curva Guía y su posterior armonización, aplicando técnicas de regresión no lineal al modelo de Schumacher. Las curvas de indice de sitio, basadas en altura y edad se dedujeron de la función armonizada de crecimiento en altura, tomándose como edad de referencia 20 años a la altura del pecho. Para la función de indice de sitio se realizó una validación contra sus propios datos y se contrastó la función de crecimiento en altura con curvas de aplicación en el área de origen de la especie. El modelo de indice de sitio presentó, en la distribución de los errores de predicción, patrones similares a los citados en la literatura, con errores inferiores a 0,10 m a la edad de 20 años y en el contraste de las curvas de crecimiento en altura se observaron patrones similares a las curvas desarrolladas por Bruce para su área de origen dentro del rango de edades de la muestra (<40 años), siendo la diferencia inferior al 2 % a la edad de 65 años.The aim of this paper was to establish Site Index and heitgh curves for Douglas-fir for the aplication in the Patagonian Andean region. There is no antecedence in the region. From stem analysis to 69 dominat trees, selected form 28 plots, into de area between Bariloche in the north (41°30' S, Río Negro Province) and El Corcovado in the South (43° 30"S, Chubut Province), and between 500 to 1500 mm mean annual precipitation isohyet, as east and west limits, we prepared a data base with 1481 heigth-age register. For the construction of the growth heigth curve family we proceeded according with the methodology of the guide curve method and its later armonization, applying no linnear method to the Schumacher Model. The site index curve were deduced from the heigth growth curve, the reference age is 20 years at breast heigth. The autovalidation was made and the function was constrasted with Bruce’s heigth growth curve applied in the origen region. The distribution of the error prediction was very similar to those found in literature, and when we make the Bruce heigth growth curves constrats we find the same pattern in the range of age of the sample (<40 years), and 2% difference at the age of 65 years (out of the sample age).Universidad Nacional de La Plata (UNLP) - Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales (FCAF

Tendencias en el desarrollo temporal del mal del ciprés en parcelas permanentes de una reserva forestal nacional de Austrocedrus chilensis (Patagonia, Argentina)

Longevity is a characteristic of forest trees that influences their responses to challenges by biotic and abiotic stresses and the temporal development of symptoms. Monitoring programs have been extensively used to detect the impact of climatic change, air pollution and outbreaks of pathogens on forest health, growth and dynamics. In Argentina, forests of Patagonian cypress are affected since mid twenty century by a mortality process called «mal del ciprés» (cypress mortality), but information about their temporal progression is scarce. In the present work we used a database from a program of dasometric permanent plots to analyse the temporal development of cypress mortality on plot and tree level, and determine qualitatively the spatial distribution of affected trees. Particular pulses of appearance of affected trees shared by all plots, rapid or slow progress of mortality at tree level and a homogeneous distribution of affected trees without a clear pattern of expansion from a central point were determined. The results indicate that the episodic appearance of affected trees can be related with warm and dry climatic periods and suggest that the individuals affected by cypress mortality share some special characteristics such as genetic background, developmental conditions or physiological mechanisms for drought responses.La longevidad de las especies arbóreas afecta la respuesta a estreses bióticos o abióticos y, en gran medida, determina el desarrollo temporal de los síntomas. Por tal motivo, los programas de monitoreo se han empleado para detectar el impacto del cambio climático, la polución ambiental o estallidos de patógenos en la sanidad y dinámica de los bosques. En Argentina, los bosques de Austrocedrus chilensis sufren desde 1945 una mortalidad masiva conocida como «mal del ciprés»; sin embargo, hay escasa información sobre su progresión temporal. En el presente trabajo una base de datos de un programa de parcelas permanentes se empleó para analizar el desarrollo temporal de la mortalidad a nivel de parcela e individuo y la distribución espacial de los árboles afectados. Se determinó que la aparición de síntomas sigue un patrón de pulsos compartido por todas las parcelas, con mortalidad rápida o lenta a nivel de individuo y una distribución homogénea de la mortalidad sin un patrón de expansión desde un punto central. Los resultados indican que los episodios de afectación pueden ser relacionados con períodos climáticos cálidos y secos, sugiriendo que los individuos afectados comparten características tales como background genético, condiciones de sitio o respuesta a la sequía.Facultad de Ciencias ExactasInstituto de Biotecnologia y Biologia Molecula

The role of clathrin in post-golgi trafficking in toxoplasma gondii

Apicomplexan parasites are single eukaryotic cells with a highly polarised secretory system that contains unique secretory organelles (micronemes and rhoptries) that are required for host cell invasion. In contrast, the role of the endosomal system is poorly understood in these parasites. With many typical endocytic factors missing, we speculated that endocytosis depends exclusively on a clathrin-mediated mechanism. Intriguingly, in Toxoplasma gondii we were only able to observe the endogenous clathrin heavy chain 1 (CHC1) at the Golgi, but not at the parasite surface. For the functional characterisation of Toxoplasma gondii CHC1 we generated parasite mutants conditionally expressing the dominant negative clathrin Hub fragment and demonstrate that CHC1 is essential for vesicle formation at the trans-Golgi network. Consequently, the functional ablation of CHC1 results in Golgi aberrations, a block in the biogenesis of the unique secretory microneme and rhoptry organelles, and of the pellicle. However, we found no morphological evidence for clathrin mediating endocytosis in these parasites and speculate that they remodelled their vesicular trafficking system to adapt to an intracellular lifestyle

The value of postmortem computed tomography as an alternative for autopsy in trauma victims: a systematic review

The aim of this study was to assess the role of postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) as an alternative for autopsy in determining the cause of death and the identification of specific injuries in trauma victims. A systematic review was performed by searching the EMBASE and MEDLINE databases. Articles were eligible if they reported both PMCT as well as autopsy findings and included more than one trauma victim. Two reviewers independently assessed the eligibility and quality of the articles. The outcomes were described in terms of the percentage agreement on causes of death and amount of injuries detected. The data extraction and analysis were performed together. Fifteen studies were included describing 244 victims. The median sample size was 13 (range 5–52). The percentage agreement on the cause of death between PMCT and autopsy varied between 46 and 100%. The overall amount of injuries detected on CT ranged from 53 to 100% compared with autopsy. Several studies suggested that PMCT was capable of identifying injuries not detected during normal autopsy. This systematic review provides inconsistent evidence as to whether PMCT is a reliable alternative for autopsy in trauma victims. PMCT has promising features in postmortem examination suggesting PMCT is a good alternative for a refused autopsy or a good adjunct to autopsy because it detects extra injuries overseen during autopsies. To examine the value of PMCT in trauma victims there is a need for well-designed and larger prospective studies

Alveolar proteins stabilize cortical microtubules in Toxoplasma gondii

Single-celled protists use elaborate cytoskeletal structures, including arrays of microtubules at the cell periphery, to maintain polarity and rigidity. The obligate intracellular parasite Toxoplasma gondii has unusually stable cortical microtubules beneath the alveoli, a network of flattened membrane vesicles that subtends the plasmalemma. However, anchoring of microtubules along alveolar membranes is not understood. Here, we show that GAPM1a, an integral membrane protein of the alveoli, plays a role in maintaining microtubule stability. Degradation of GAPM1a causes cortical microtubule disorganisation and subsequent depo-lymerisation. These changes in the cytoskeleton lead to parasites becoming shorter and rounder, which is accompanied by a decrease in cellular volume. Extended GAPM1a depletion leads to severe defects in division, reminiscent of the effect of disrupting other alveolar proteins. We suggest that GAPM proteins link the cortical microtubules to the alveoli and are required to maintain the shape and rigidity of apicomplexan zoites