Disentangling plasticity of serotiny, a key adaptive trait in a Mediterranean conifer.

PREMISE OF THE STUDY: Serotiny, the maintenance of ripe seeds in closed fruits or cones until fire causes dehiscence, is a key adaptive trait of plants in fire-prone ecosystems, but knowledge of phenotypic plasticity for cone retention in woody plants is extremely scarce. On the basis of published literature and our field observations, we hypothesized that increased aridity might decrease the aerial seed bank as a plastic response, not necessarily adaptive. METHODS: We used a Pinus halepensis common garden replicated in three contrasted sites (mild, cold, and dry) to separate population differentiation from phenotypic plasticity of cone serotiny and canopy cone bank (CCB). Differences in growth among trees of the same provenance allowed us to include size effect as a proxy of ontogenetic age for the same chronological age of the trees. KEY RESULTS: Tree size had a strong negative effect on serotiny, but serotiny degree differed among trial sites even after accounting for size effects. As hypothesized, serotiny was lower at the harsh (dry and cold) sites compared with the mild site. Genetic variation for size-dependent cone serotiny and significant population × site interaction were confirmed, the latter implying different plasticity of serotiny among populations. Population differentiation for CCB showed an ecotypic trend, with positive correlation with temperature oscillation (continentality) and negative correlation with summer rainfall. CONCLUSIONS: Growth-limiting environments exacerbated the precocious release of seeds, contrary to the ecotypic trend found for the aerial cone bank, suggesting a counter-gradient plasticity. This plastic response is potentially maladaptive under a scenario of frequent wildfires.

How Does Water Availability Affect the Allocation to Bark in a Mediterranean Conifer?

Bark thickness is a key structural feature in woody plants in the protection against fire. We used 19 provenances of Pinus halepensis, an obligate-seeder species, in a replicated common garden at two environments contrasting in water availability to assess the interacting effects of site environment and population in the relative allocation to bark, expecting lower allocation at the drier site. Secondly, given the average fire frequency, we analyzed whether trees reached the critical absolute thickness soon enough for population persistence via aerial seed bank. Our analyses indicated that trees at the moister site allocated a rather fixed quantity of resources independent of tree size, and almost all populations reached critical absolute bark thickness to eventually survive fire. In contrast, at the drier site allocation to bark reduced with tree size, and most populations did not reach the critical bark thickness. Populations from areas with higher fire frequency had thicker basal bark, while those from areas with severe droughts and short vegetative periods, had thinner bark. In conclusion, drought-stressed trees have a higher risk to die from fires before achieving reproduction and building a sufficient aerial seed bank.

Fungal endophytic communities on twigs of fast and slow growing Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) in northern Spain.

Most plant species harbour a diverse community of endophytic, but their role is still unknown in most cases, including ecologically and economically important tree species. This study describes the culturable fungal endophytic community of Pinus sylvestris L. twigs in northern Spain and its relationship with diametric growth of the host. In all, 360 twig samples were collected from 30 Scots pines in fifteen stands. Isolates were obtained from all twig samples and 43 fungal taxa were identified by morphogrouping and subsequent ITS rDNA sequencing. All isolates were Ascomycetes, being Dothideomycetes and Sordariomycetes the most abundant classes. Half of the species were host generalists while the others were conifer or pine specialists. We found three new endophytic species for the Pinaceae: Biscogniauxia mediterranea, Phaeomoniella effusa and Plectania milleri, and additional six new species for P. sylvestris: Daldinia fissa, Hypocrea viridescens, Nigrospora oryzae, Ophiostoma nigrocarpum, Penicillium melinii and Penicillium polonicum. The endophytic community of fast and slow growing trees showed differences in species composition, abundance and evenness, but not in diversity. Phoma herbarum was associated to fast growing trees and Hypocrea lixii to those growing slow. Our results support the hypothesis that some endophytic species may affect growth of P. sylvestris.

[COMPARISON OF THE RISKS IN EATING DISORDERS AND BODY IMAGE AMONG MAPUCHES AND NOT MAPUCHES STUDENTS]. / COMPARACIÓN DE LOS RIESGOS EN EL TRASTORNO DE LA CONDUCTA ALIMENTARIA Y EN LA IMAGEN CORPORAL ENTRE ESTUDIANTES MAPUCHES Y NO MAPUCHES.

INTRODUCTION: there is little evidence about the risks of eating behavior (EBD) and body image disorders (BID) in teen and young ethnic Mapuches population. OBJECTIVE: the purpose of the study was to establish whether there are differences in the risk of EBD and BID in Mapuches and not Mapuches students and associate these variables with the nutritional status. MATERIAL AND METHODS: the sample was composed of 130 adolescents between 14 and 21 years; 95 Mapuches and 35 not Mapuches. In both groups was measured; body mass index (BMI), risks of disorder in the feeding behavior and body image. RESULTS: there were no differences in risks of EBD and ICT to compare by Mapuches ethnic group and not Mapuches (p>0.05). In the comparison by gender women showed higher values (p>0.05) at risk of eating disorders and BID. Students with malnutrition by excess obtained higher scores in the conduct of risk of BID (p=0.000). The risk of BID presented positive association with risk behaviors of EBD (p=0.000 and r=0.536). CONCLUSION: the non-presence of significant differences in the risk of EBD and BID, according to ethnicity, is explained in function of the processes of social and cultural change, where modernization has led to a normalization of cultural patterns associated with eating behavior and body aesthetics between urban, rural and indigenous populations.

Introducción: existe escasa evidencia sobre los riesgos de trastornos de la conducta alimentaria (TCA) y de la imagen corporal (TIC) en población adolecente y joven de etnia mapuche. Objetivo: el propósito del estudio fue establecer si existen diferencias en el riesgo de padecer TCA y TIC en estudiantes mapuches y no mapuches y asociar estas variables con el estado nutricional. Material y métodos: la muestra está constituida por 130 adolescentes entre 14 y 21 años; 95 de etnia mapuche y 35 no mapuche. En ambos grupos se midió; índice de masa corporal (IMC), riesgos de trastorno en la conducta alimentaria y en la imagen corporal. Resultados: no existieron diferencias en riesgos de TCA y TIC al comparar por etnia mapuche y no mapuche (p>0,05). En la comparación por género las mujeres presentaron valores superiores (p.

Representaciones sociales del cuidar mediante la prescripción enfermera en la red de atención primaria de salud / Social representations of nursing through nurse prescription in the primary healthcare network / Representações sociais do cuidado mediante a prescrição enfermeira na rede de atendimento primário em saúde

Introducción: Frente a una moción parlamentaria que pretende modificar el código sanitario para permitir a los enfermeros tener la facultad legal de prescribir fármacos y dispositivos sanitarios surge la inquietud de analizar la representación social que los enfermeros de atención primaria de salud otorgan a la temática. Objetivo: Describir los componentes figurativos (campo de representación), simbólico (información) y afectivo (actitudinal) del cuidar mediante la prescripción enfermera, que tienen los profesionales de enfermería de la red de atención primaria de salud. Materiales y Métodos: Investigación descriptiva con enfoque cualitativo y diseño de teoría fundamentada, realizada en ocho enfermeras de la red de atención primaria de salud a través de entrevista semiestructurada. Resultados: En la representación social de la prescripción enfermera surgen cinco categorías: gestionar el cuidado, beneficios sociales de la prescripción, restricción en la prescripción, formación profesional del enfermero en prescripción y valor atribuido a la prescripción. Discusión: Las enfermeras de atención primaria, entienden el fenómeno de la prescripción como una indicación de enfermería que se encuentra influenciada por factores asociados a la formación farmacológica de pregrado y la experiencia laboral, similar a lo reportado en algunos estudios en Iberoamérica. Conclusiones: Las enfermeras consideran que la prescripción es un elemento positivo para la entrega de cuidados y que contribuye a la resolutividad en la atención de salud, sin embargo, para llevarla a cabo se requiere de una formación adecuada y de un respaldo legal claro.

Introduction: Considering that a parliamentary motion seeks to modify the health code to allow nurses to have the legal power to prescribe drugs and health devices, it is necessary to analyze the social representation that primary healthcare nurses give to prescription. Objective: To describe the figurative (representation field), symbolic (information) and affective (attitudinal) nursing components by means of nurse prescription used by primary health care nursing professionals. Materials and Methods: A descriptive qualitative research with a grounded theory research design was conducted with eight nurses from the primary healthcare network through a semi-structured interview. Results: Five categories were created based on the social representation of nurse prescription: care management, social benefits of prescription, prescription restriction, professional nurse training in prescription, and value attributed to the prescription. Discussion: Primary care nurses perceive the prescription phenomenon as a nursing indication that is influenced by factors associated with undergraduate pharmacology training and work experience, similar to that reported in some studies in Ibero-America. Conclusions: Nurses consider that nurse prescription is a positive element for care delivery, contributing to the resolutive capacity of healthcare. However, adequate training and clear legal support are required to do so.

Introdução: Frente a uma moção parlamentar que objetiva emendar o código sanitário para permitir que os enfermeiros tenham a faculdade legal de prescrever fármacos e dispositivos sanitários surge a inquietude de analisar a opinião dos enfermeiros de atendimento primário em saúde sobre a sua representação social a respeito dessa questão. Objetivo: Descrever os componentes figurativo (campo de representação), simbólico (informação) e afetivo (atitudinal) do cuidar mediante a prescrição de enfermagem que os profissionais da rede de enfermagem detêm na rede de atendimento primário em saúde. Materiais e Métodos: Pesquisa descritiva com abordagem qualitativa e desenho de teoria fundamentada, realizada com oito enfermeiras da rede de atendimento primário em saúde através de uma entrevista semiestruturada. Resultados: Na representação social da prescrição de enfermagem surgem cinco categorias: administrar o cuidado, os benefícios sociais da prescrição, restrições na prescrição, formação profissional em prescrição do enfermeiro e valor atribuído à prescrição. Discussão: As enfermeiras de atendimento primário compreendem o fenómeno da prescrição como uma indicação de enfermagem influencia por fatores associados à formação farmacológica de pré-graduação e a experiência de trabalho, semelhante àquela relatada em vários estudos na Ibero-América. Conclusões: As enfermeiras consideram que a prescrição é um elemento positivo para a entrega de cuidados e que contribui com a resolutividade no atendimento em saúde, no entanto, para cumprir essa tarefa é preciso contar com uma formação adequada e um fundamento legal claro.