Cambios florísticos inducidos por los incendios en repoblaciones de Pinus sylvestris en el noroeste de España

The effects of wildfire on vegetation regeneration in the understory of stands dominated by Pinus sylvestris L. in north-west Spain were analysed. In order to study changes in the composition of this community, three study areas dominated by Pinus sylvestris L. and burned by a summer wildfire were selected. In each area three permanent plots of 25 × 1 m2 was established. The cover percentage of plant species present, and the cover of life forms and richness were analysed yearly from the first to the fourth year after fire. Total cover values generally increased throughout the study period. The species that appeared during the first years were those that would dominate in the mature stage, such as Erica australis L. and Pterospartum tridentatum (L.) Willk, both species being typical resprouters. Other species that appeared from the first year are typical seeders like Pinus sylvestris L. and Halimium alyssoides (Lam.) K. Koch. Floristic richness values showed higher values during the first year after fire than in the original situation, due to the fast recovery of the herbaceous species in the open spaces created by fire. After the first year changes in richness values were not significantLos efectos del fuego sobre la regeneración de las comunidades vegetales en plantaciones de Pinus sylvestris L. en el noroeste de España han sido analizados. Para analizar los cambios en la composición y estructura de este tipo de comunidades, se seleccionaron tres zonas de estudio en plantaciones de Pinus sylvestris L. y en ellas se seleccionaron áreas quemadas por un incendio de verano. En cada una de estas áreas se instalaron tres parcelas permanentes de 25 × 1 m2 donde se midió el porcentaje de cobertura por especies cada año desde un año hasta cuatro después del incendio. Los valores de cobertura total se incrementaron de forma gradual durante el periodo estudiado. Las especies que aparecen durante los primeros años son las que dominan en las etapas maduras, como Erica australis L. Pterospartum tridentatum (L.) Wilk. Otras especies que aparecen desde el primer año se regeneran obligatoriamente de semillas como Pinus sylvestris L. y Halimium alyssoides (Lam.) K. Koch. Los valores de riqueza florística encontrados en el primer año tras el incendio son mayores que los de la situación original debido a la rápida recuperación de las herbáceas en los espacios abiertos creados por el fuego. A partir del primer año los cambios en riqueza no fueron significativo

Anode supported microtubular solid oxide fuel cells running on methane

Trabajo presentado al "III Iberian Symposium on Hydrogen, Fuel Cells and Advanced Batteries" celebrado en Zaragoza (España) del 27 al 30 de Junio de 2011.We would like to thank grants MAT2009-14324-C0.2-01 and CIT-120000-2007-50 financed by the Spanish Government and Feder program of the European Community for funding project. M. A. Laguna-Bercero would also like to thank the JAEprogram (CSIC) for financial support.Peer Reviewe

Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Enhances Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX2) Transcriptional Activity in Gastric Cancer Cells

BACKGROUND: Increased expression of the cyclooxygenase-2 enzyme (COX2) is one of the main characteristics of gastric cancer (GC), which is a leading cause of death in the world, particularly in Asia and South America. Although the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway has been involved in the transcriptional activation of the COX2 gene, the precise mechanism modulating this response is still unknown. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Here we studied the transcriptional regulation of the COX2 gene in GC cell lines and assessed whether this phenomenon is modulated by Wnt/β-catenin signaling. We first examined the expression of COX2 mRNA in GC cells and found that there is a differential expression pattern consistent with high levels of nuclear-localized β-catenin. Pharmacological treatment with either lithium or valproic acid and molecular induction with purified canonical Wnt3a significantly enhanced COX2 mRNA expression in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Serial deletion of a 1.6 Kbp COX2 promoter fragment and gain- or loss-of-function experiments allowed us to identify a minimal Wnt/β-catenin responsive region consisting of 0.8 Kbp of the COX2 promoter (pCOX2-0.8), which showed maximal response in gene-reporter assays. The activity of this pCOX2-0.8 promoter region was further confirmed by site-directed mutagenesis and DNA-protein binding assays. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: We conclude that the pCOX2-0.8 minimal promoter contains a novel functional T-cell factor/lymphoid enhancer factor (TCF/LEF)-response element (TBE Site II; -689/-684) that responds directly to enhanced Wnt/β-catenin signaling and which may be important for the onset/progression of GC

First observations of the X-ray transient EXO 2030+375 with IBIS/ISGRI

We present a first INTEGRAL observation of the 42s transient X-ray pulsar EXO 2030+375 with IBIS/ISGRI. The source was detected during Cyg X-1 observations in December 2002. We analyzed observations during the outburst period from 9 to 21 December 2002 with a total exposure time of ~770 kiloseconds. EXO 2030+375 was almost always detected during single ~30 minute exposures in the 18-45 energy bands. The source light curve shows the characteristic outburst shape observed in this source.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures (1 in CMYK color), accepted by Astronomy and Astrophysics, INTEGRAL special issue, 200

Regional anthropogenic disturbance and species-specific niche traits influence the invasiveness of European beetle species

Coleoptera are key elements of terrestrial trophic interactions and generate significant economic and ecological benefits, but their representatives also represent severe pest species. Understanding how invasive species operate is indispensable to identify and anticipate potential invasion areas. However, few studies have explored niche dynamics and drivers of invasions in this group. Here we examined niche dynamics across 54 invasive beetle species native to Europe and assessed whether factors such as human influence index, feeding habits, body size, and niche breadth are associated with the degree of invasion. The realized niches had low similarity in invasive and native ranges (i.e., invaded areas are climatically dissimilar to native ranges). This included a high degree of niche expansion in invaded areas but also environments occupied in the native ranges but unoccupied in the invasive range (unfilling), suggesting that altered species–climate relationships during invasion processes are common. Niche expansions showed positive association with small native niche breadth sizes and movements from highly disturbed native areas to less disturbed invaded ranges; unfilling was associated with invaded niche breadth size and frequency of species occurrence. Both were related to dissimilar realized climatic niches in invaded ranges. Colonization of invaded areas might be triggered by low quality resources in native areas. Unfilling levels might be related to the year of introduction and loss of biotic constraints present in their native distribution, leading to the use of different climatic spaces in the invasive areas. This idea is reinforced by larger invasive climatic niche breadth. Our results provide insight into patterns of invasive species, and initial holistic exploration towards the understanding of invasive species dynamics.journal articl

Towards new insights in the phylogeny of the Spermacoce clade: an integrative taxonomic approach using morphology, anatomy, ecology and phylogenetics reveáis the new genus Leonoria

Phylogenetic inference analyses o f two nuclear and four plastid DNA markers from 82 accessions representing 19 genera o f the Spermacoce clade (Spermacoceae-Rubiaceae) confirm that the Brazilian genus Denscantia is biphyletic. By the analyses o f reproductive morphological characters, foliar morpho-anatomy and histochemical, geographical distribution ranges, and ecological niche derived from climatic space, Denscantia caldcóla is shown as a distinct lineage from the other Denscantia species, indicating its taxonomic segregation into a new monospecific genus Leonoria. Significant morphological diíferences o f Leonoria with Denscantia were found in inflorescence organization, stigma shape, fruit dehiscence, and pollen morphology. Morphoanatomical variation among leaf traits were found in epidemial cells, occurrence o f trichomes, mesophyll histochemical, and vascular organization. Analysis o f occurrence records o f 205 specimens demonstrates a clear ecological distinction between o f Denscantia s.s. and Leonoria, which is ecologically confined to limestone outcrops associated with seasonally dry forests. The current study demonstrates the importance of an integrative taxonomic approach - in which múltiple disciplines are combined - to the unravel complex taxonomic pattems within Rubiaceae. The genus Leonoria, to be newly described, is dedicated to Professor Elsa Leonor Cabral

Mode of antiviral action of silver nanoparticles against HIV-1

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Silver nanoparticles have proven to exert antiviral activity against HIV-1 at non-cytotoxic concentrations, but the mechanism underlying their HIV-inhibitory activity has not been not fully elucidated. In this study, silver nanoparticles are evaluated to elucidate their mode of antiviral action against HIV-1 using a panel of different <it>in vitro </it>assays.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Our data suggest that silver nanoparticles exert anti-HIV activity at an early stage of viral replication, most likely as a virucidal agent or as an inhibitor of viral entry. Silver nanoparticles bind to gp120 in a manner that prevents CD4-dependent virion binding, fusion, and infectivity, acting as an effective virucidal agent against cell-free virus (laboratory strains, clinical isolates, T and M tropic strains, and resistant strains) and cell-associated virus. Besides, silver nanoparticles inhibit post-entry stages of the HIV-1 life cycle.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>These properties make them a broad-spectrum agent not prone to inducing resistance that could be used preventively against a wide variety of circulating HIV-1 strains.</p