Additions to the Vascular Flora of Ontario, Canada, from the Sutton Ridges, Hudson Bay Lowland Ecoregion

Field studies in the Hudson Bay Lowland ecoregion of northern Ontario during 2010 resulted in the discovery of four native vascular plant species not previously confirmed from the province: Arctic Bellflower (Campanula uniflora; Campanulaceae), Lapland Diapensia (Diapensia lapponica; Diapensiaceae), Alpine Azalea (Kalmia procumbens; Ericaceae), and Alpine Brook Saxifrage (Saxifraga rivularis; Saxifragaceae). These four species are widespread arctic plants occurring in both North America and Eurasia and were found on the Sutton Ridges, a Precambrian bedrock inlier surrounded by the extensive wetlands of the Hudson Bay Lowland

Recent Expansion of Spiranthes cernua (Orchidaceae) into Northern Ontario due to Climate Change?

The expansion northward since 1980 of the native orchid Nodding Ladies'-tresses (Spiranthes cernua) in Ontario is described and assessed with respect to the possibility of the expansion being a recent response to climate change. Based on evidence of the extent of the orchid's distribution from prior botanical surveys, it is considered to be a recent arrival in a previously unoccupied area of northern Ontario. Second-order polynomial regression revealed a significant increase in mean yearly temperature of 1 Celsius degree in parts of northern Ontario since 1980. Based on close association with limits of yearly temperature, this is considered sufficient to explain the expansion, and the individual extensions of range fit well into the anticipated newly available territory. Based on a consideration of the location of extensions with respect to plant hardiness zones, the landscape that has become available since 1980 is 160 000 km2, in a band approximately 200 km wide across the southern part of northern Ontario. Assuming further temperature increases, this band is expected to expand to a width of approximately 300 km by 2040, providing 360 000 km2 of newly available landscape over six decades. Spiranthes cernua produces thousands of seeds per flower by adventitious embryony, allowing single individuals to establish populations through long-distance wind dispersal with no reliance on pollination. Spiranthes cernua is therefore well adapted to quickly colonize new territory that becomes available through climate warming

Performance comparison of high speed microchannel plate photomultiplier tubes

The transit time spread characteristics of high speed microchannel photomultipliers has improved since the upgrade of the NASA CDSLR network to MCP-PMT's in the mid-1980's. The improvement comes from the incorporation of 6 micron (pore size) microchannels and offers significant improvement to the satellite ranging precision. To examine the impact on ranging precision, two microchannel plate photomultiplier tubes (MCP-PMT) were evaluated for output pulse characteristics and temporal jitter. These were a Hamamatsu R 2566 U-7 MCP-PMT (6 micron) and an ITT 4129f MCP-PMT (12 micron)

Bur Buttercup, Ranunculus testiculatus, New to Eastern Canada

Bur Buttercup (Ranunculus testiculatus) is newly reported for eastern Canada based on two collections from campgrounds in southern Ontario. This vernal, annual, Eurasian weed is widespread in western North America and is expanding its range in the east; it should be expected elsewhere in eastern Canada. Bur Buttercup is known to be toxic to livestock

Fetid Dogweed (Dyssodia papposa; Asteraceae) and Slender Russian Thistle (Salsola collina; Amaranthaceae), New to Alberta, Canada

Two non-native vascular plants, Fetid Dogweed (Dyssodia papposa; Asteraceae) and Slender Russian Thistle (Salsola collina; Amaranthaceae), are added to the flora of Alberta, Canada, based on collections and sight records made in 2011. Fetid Dogweed was found along roadsides at eight sites in southern Alberta, and Slender Russian Thistle was found along a hiking trail in Dinosaur Provincial Park near Drumheller. Both species are weedy and are probably expanding their range in North America

Preliminary results from the portable standard satellite laser ranging intercomparison with MOBLAS-7

Conventional Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) instrumentation has been configured and successfully used to provide high-accuracy laboratory measurements on the LAGEOS-2 and TOPEX cube-corner arrays. The instrumentation, referred to as the Portable Standard, has also been used for field measurements of satellite ranges in tandem with MOBLAS-7. Preliminary results of the SLR measurements suggest that improved range accuracy can be achieved using this system. Results are discussed

Hairy St. John’s-wort (Hypericum hirsutum L.) in the Toronto Area, New to North America

Hairy St. John’s-wort (Hypericum hirsutum L.) is newly reported for Canada and North America based on two collections from the Toronto, Ontario, area. This perennial Eurasian herb has a large natural range from western Europe to western China. It grows in moist successional, edge, and meadow habitats. It should be looked for in such habitats elsewhere in eastern North America

Insights from the x-ray crystal structure of coral 8R-lipoxygenase: Calcium activation via a C2-like domain and a structural basis of product chirality

Lipoxygenases (LOXs) catalyze the regio- and stereospecific dioxygenation of polyunsaturated membrane-embedded fatty acids. We report here the 3.2 Å resolution structure of 8R-LOX from the Caribbean sea whip coral Plexaura homomalla, a LOX isozyme with calcium dependence and the uncommon R chiral stereospecificity. Structural and spectroscopic analyses demonstrated calcium binding in a C2-like membrane-binding domain, illuminating the function of similar amino acids in calcium-activated mammalian 5-LOX, the key enzyme in the pathway to the pro-inflammatory leukotrienes. Mutation of Ca2+- ligating amino acids in 8R-LOX resulted not only in a diminished capacity to bind membranes, as monitored by fluorescence resonance energy transfer, but also in an associated loss of Ca2+-regulated enzyme activity. Moreover, a structural basis for R chiral specificity is also revealed; creation of a small oxygen pocket next to Gly428 (Ala in all S-LOX isozymes) promoted C-8 oxygenation with R chirality on the activated fatty acid substrate. © 2005 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc

Methods for detection and identification of beer-spoilage microbes

It is critical that breweries of all sizes routinely monitor the microbiome of their process to limit financial losses due to microbial contamination. Contamination by beer-spoiling microbes (BSMs) at any point during the brewing process may lead to significant losses for breweries if gone undetected and allowed to spread. Testing and detection of BSMs must be routine and rapid, and because even small breweries need the capability of BSM detection and identification, the method also needs to be affordable. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are responsible for most spoilage incidents, many of which have been shown to enter the viable but nonculturable (VBNC) state under conditions present in beer such as cold or oxidative stress. These bacteria are invisible to traditional methods of detection using selective media. This article describes several methods of BSM detection and identification that may be useful in the majority of craft breweries. While there are several genomic methods that meet some or many qualifications of being useful in craft breweries, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) currently best meets the desired method characteristics and holds the most utility in this industry, specifically SYBR Green qPCR. qPCR is a targeted method of detection and identification of microbes that is affordable, rapid, specific, sensitive, quantitative, and reliable, and when paired with valid DNA extraction techniques can be used to detect BSMs, including those in the VBNC state

Terrestrial molluscs from the Ontario Far North

From 2009–2014, incidental collections of terrestrial molluscs were made from the Far North of Ontario, Canada. Thirty-four species of terrestrial molluscs were identified from these collections, including one exotic species, Deroceras reticulatum, and three newly reported species from the Far North, Vallonia pulchella, Vertigo cf. genesii, and Gastrocopta similis. Vertigo cf. genesii is newly reported from Ontario. Some species have not been collected in Ontario for many years and some of these only once before. Subnational conservation ranks are discussed for higher-ranked species