We report here on the achievements and program costs for on-reserve forest fuel management under the Federal Mountain Pine Beetle Program and Mountain Pine Beetle Initiative. From 2002–2010 these two programs helped 88 First Nations bands and organizations plan and carry out forest fuel management on reserves across the BC interior. In all cases, the first step in treating hazardous fuels under these programs was the development of professionally prepared fuel management plans and prescriptions. After plans were in place, approximately 2700 hectares were treated through various combinations of thinning, pruning, fuel reduction and fuel removal. Over 8000 hazard trees were removed and approximately 15 km of fuel breaks were established. Costs to implement fuel treatments varied widely based on a number of factors including size of the area treated, initial stand conditions and density, terrain, treatment details, and site-specific values requiring protection.

Increasing interest in making use of forest sector processing residuals for renewable energy production has led to the need for careful analyses of fibre supply, and the ways in which existing forest sector firms could be affected by new sources of fibre demand. In this paper we present a forest sector transportation model of the three Canadian Prairie Provinces, and use the model to estimate residual fibre production, utilization and surpluses, as well as some potential forest sector impacts from bioenergy capacity additions. Under our base-case assumptions and using 2010 product prices, we estimate that 6.9 million cubic meters (round-wood equivalent) of processing residuals would be traded over the course of a year, with sawmills being the most significant source and pulp and paper mills being the most significant user. Approximately 33% of residuals would be used to produce bioenergy-related products (wood pellets, electricity sold to the grid, or internal electricity and power at pulp mills). Results show that some surpluses of processing residuals may be present in the existing supply chain, though the availability of these residuals is sensitive to lumber prices. At the same time, new bioenergy capacity itself may trigger higher sawmill output, making additional fibre available for both new and existing users. Roadside harvesting residuals are not an economically viable source of fibre under our base-case assumptions; however, their viability is sensitive to roadside processing costs and electricity prices.

Canada is host to a number of native and introduced forest insects that negatively affect the goods and services provided by forests. Some insects affect forests on a fairly predictable, ongoing basis, while others have impacts that are intermittent, difficult to predict, and sometimes catastrophic. Economic analysis has provided important insights that have informed our understanding of the impact of forest pests and pest management. At the same time, interactions between forests, forest insects, forest management, and economic welfare are complex, and credible assessments may be time consuming and may not always provide results with the certainty sought by policy-makers. This paper reviews the contribution of economics to forest pest management in Canada and suggests future directions for this important field of research.

Epsin possesses a conserved epsin N-terminal homology (ENTH) domain that acts as a phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate-lipid-targeting and membrane-curvature-generating element. Upon binding phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate, the N-terminal helix (H(0)) of the ENTH domain becomes structured and aids in the aggregation of ENTH domains, which results in extensive membrane remodeling. In this article, atomistic and coarse-grained (CG) molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are used to investigate the structure and the stability of ENTH domain aggregates on lipid bilayers. EPR experiments are also reported for systems composed of different ENTH-bound membrane morphologies, including membrane vesicles as well as preformed membrane tubules. The EPR data are used to help develop a molecular model of ENTH domain aggregates on preformed lipid tubules that are then studied by CG MD simulation. The combined computational and experimental approach suggests that ENTH domains exist predominantly as monomers on vesiculated structures, while ENTH domains self-associate into dimeric structures and even higher-order oligomers on the membrane tubes. The results emphasize that the arrangement of ENTH domain aggregates depends strongly on whether the local membrane curvature is isotropic or anisotropic. The molecular mechanism of ENTH-domain-induced membrane vesiculation and tubulation and the implications of the epsin's role in clathrin-mediated endocytosis resulting from the interplay between ENTH domain membrane binding and ENTH domain self-association are also discussed.

Abstract For the characterization of genomic copy number changes that occur in the development and progression of cancer, oligonucleotide array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) offers high-resolution and precise determination of chromosomal copy number and genome-wide aberrations. We recently reported a new method for making simultaneous measurements of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and copy number alterations in the same microarray assay. The combined assay can detect copy-number neutral events, such as acquired loss of heterozygosity (LOH), as well as allelic imbalance in and around amplified regions. Previously reported algorithms for analyzing Agilent CGH+SNP data were able to genotype primarily diploid samples and to detect regions of constitutional LOH. However, tumor heterogeneity, aneuploidy and variable sample quality create significant challenges for both solid and liquid tumors. Our earlier methods were often unable to cope with the high levels of aneuploidy sometimes found in solid tumors, or with admixtures of normal cells and aberrant cells. We now describe new computational methods which can determine total copy number, aneuploid fraction, and allele-specific copy number in many aneuploid tumor samples, even when mixed with up to 80% normal tissue. We report results from genomic DNA isolated from a cancer cell line, a blood sample, and a solid tumor. Each of these sample types presents novel challenges. The cell line we studied, though largely monoclonal, is highly aneuploid. The blood DNA is of high quality, but the fraction of tumor cells in the sample is low. The solid tumor DNA is of relatively low quality, and composed of multiple aberrant clones. We were able to determine the aneuploid fraction of the tumors, and to measure copy number variation in samples with as little as 20% tumor cell content. In addition to detecting copy-neutral LOH regions, we also measured allele-specific copy number, both of the aberrant clone and of admixed normal cells. The new analysis methods allow the extension of the extra allelic information available from the CGH+SNP assay to cancer samples. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 45. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-45

The potential for mountain pine beetle, Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae), to expand its historical range in North America from west of the continental divide into the eastern boreal forest was assessed on the basis of analyses of the effects of climate and weather on brood development and survival, and key aspects of the interaction of mountain pine beetle with its hosts and associated organisms. Variation in climate suitability and high host susceptibility in the boreal forest create a finite risk of establishment and local persistence of low-level mountain pine beetle populations outside their historical range. Eventually, these populations could become widespread and cause epidemic infestations, creating an ecological pathway eastward through the boreal forest. Such infestations would reduce the commercial value of forests and impose an additional disturbance on native ecological systems.

Small G-proteins belonging to the Arf (ADP-ribosylation factor) family serve as regulatory proteins for numerous cellular processes through GTP-dependent recruitment of effector molecules. In the present study we demonstrate that proteins in this family regulate, and are regulated by, membrane curvature. Arf1 and Arf6 were shown to load GTP in a membrane-curvature-dependent manner and stabilize, or further facilitate, changes in membrane curvature through the insertion of an amphipathic helix.

Introduction While the United States has long been the most important destination for western Canada's forest products, markets in Asia have also played an important role in the development of western Canada's forest industry. Japan has been an especially significant market, although demand for western Canada's exports in Japan has fallen in recent years. Western Canada's reliance on U.S. demand has increased as a result, and a strong economy and a widespread construction boom in the United States have provided a further pull toward this market. However, U.S. demand has recently weakened, creating risks to the sustainability of an industry that plays a critical role in western Canada's economy. At the same time, the economic landscape in Asia is shifting, creating both opportunities and threats for western Canada's forest sector. This article will discuss several topics related to the role of East Asia's markets in western Canada's forest industry. First, the history of western Canada's forest industry and export trends will be reviewed. The current state of forest product markets in Asia will then be examined. Some specific trends that may affect future demand for forest products in Asia will be identified, and overall economic trends in some key markets will be summarized. Examples of initiatives to improve Canada's forest product trade with Asia will be outlined. Finally, advantages that western Canada's forest product exporters have and some of the challenges they face in the region will be discussed. The Early Development of Western Canada's Forest Industry The first recorded export of forest products from western Canada took place in 1788, when a ship set sail from Vancouver Island's Nootka Sound carrying planks and spars to be sold in China (Mackay 1982). While the value of western Canada's forests was recognized by early explorers and settlers, shipments such as this were incidental through the late 18th and early 19th centuries, and most timber was harvested for local use. Indeed, western Canada's Aboriginal people have harvested timber and other forest products for local use for thousands of years. Aboriginal communities historically used timber for constructing houses, canoes, totem poles, and boxes, and made items such as baskets, hats, mats, rope, and clothing from yellow and red cedar. They also used timber and other vegetation for fuel, food, medicines, and a variety of other domestic uses (Turner and Cocksedge 2001). However, by the early 1860s, some of the newly arriving settlers on Canada's west coast had established sawmills on southern Vancouver Island and the mainland (around what is now the City of Vancouver), and shipments to a variety of destinations in the Pacific Rim began to occur. Lumber and spars were shipped to markets in the United States, Mexico, Hawaii, China, Australia, Peru, and Chile (Lawrence 1957). Beams made of prime British Columbia timber were shipped to China for use in the Imperial Palace in Beijing (Mackay 1982). The early industry struggled: many sawmills operated for only a year or two before going out of business or changing hands. The arrival of the Canadian Pacific Railroad in 1886 "swept the industry out of its pioneer stage and into growth and change" (Mackay 1982, 16). The timber needs of the railroad itself were a source of demand, and once in operation, the railroad provided a ready means for transporting products outside the region. The railroad also helped financial and human capital flow into western Canada, facilitating the region's economic growth (Lawrence 1957). However, the arrival of the railroad also shifted the focus of western Canada's forest industry toward supplying markets in the east, especially in the rapidly growing prairie region, rather than overseas. By the end of the First World War, markets in the east had declined, and lumber manufacturers on Canada's west coast once again looked across the Pacific for opportunities. …

Economic theory has played only a minor role in developing British Columbia’s forest strategy for managing the mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopk. [Coleoptera: Scolytidae]). Forest economics literature addresses the forest management problem caused by the beetle in lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta Dougl. ex Loud. var. latifolia Engelm.) from a number of perspectives. The standard methods are concerned with maximizing the value of harvesting a single forest site under the risk of bark beetle. The second viewpoint extends this value-maximizing approach to incorporate multiple uses of, and benefits from, a larger forest system. In this second approach, management policy suggests systems that reduce risk and reduce impact, rather than increase physical product. This chapter discusses literature from these two viewpoints and identifies issues, opportunities and concerns of applying forest economic theory to the mountain pine beetle problem in British Columbia.

British Columbia is in the midst of the largest outbreak of the mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopk. [Coleoptera: Scolytidae]) ever recorded in western Canada. Mature lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta Dougl. ex Loud. var. latifolia) trees form the bulk of the trees under attack. The mountain pine beetle carries several specific blue stain fungi that decrease wood moisture content and weaken tree defense mechanisms, eventually leading to tree death. Blue stain develops quickly in the sapwood of dying trees. It appears in products made from stained logs, affecting what products can be made and profitably sold. Infested trees also dry and develop splits and checks as the drying stresses are relieved. The physical condition of the wood affects how it can be processed. This chapter discusses current knowledge of the properties of post-mountain pine beetle wood, its use and marketing. It draws upon information from the literature and current research in Canada that pertains to properties of blue stained and dead wood. Implications for use of post-mountain pine beetle wood for various products are discussed, significant data gaps are identified, and recommendations are made for research to bridge these gaps.

Sorting nexins are a large family of phox-homology-domain-containing proteins that have been implicated in the control of endosomal sorting. Sorting nexin-1 is a component of the mammalian retromer complex that regulates retrieval of the cation-independent mannose 6-phosphate receptor from endosomes to the trans-Golgi network. In yeast, retromer is composed of Vps5p (the orthologue of sorting nexin-1), Vps17p (a related sorting nexin) and a cargo selective subcomplex composed of Vps26p, Vps29p and Vps35p. With the exception of Vps17p, mammalian orthologues of all yeast retromer components have been identified. For Vps17p, one potential mammalian orthologue is sorting nexin-2. Here we show that, like sorting nexin-1, sorting nexin-2 binds phosphatidylinositol 3-monophosphate and phosphatidylinositol 3,5-bisphosphate, and possesses a Bin/Amphiphysin/Rvs domain that can sense membrane curvature. However, in contrast to sorting nexin-1, sorting nexin-2 could not induce membrane tubulation in vitro or in vivo. Functionally, we show that endogenous sorting nexin-1 and sorting nexin-2 co-localise on high curvature tubular elements of the 3-phosphoinositide-enriched early endosome, and that suppression of sorting nexin-2 does not perturb the degradative sorting of receptors for epidermal growth factor or transferrin, nor the steady-state distribution of the cation-independent mannose 6-phosphate receptor. However, suppression of sorting nexin-2 results in a subtle alteration in the kinetics of cation-independent mannose 6-phosphate receptor retrieval. These data suggest that although sorting nexin-2 may be a component of the retromer complex, its presence is not essential for the regulation of endosome-to-trans Golgi network retrieval of the cation-independent mannose 6-phosphate receptor.

Incorporating fire disturbance into sustainable forest management plans is necessary to provide estimates of variation around indicators for harvest levels, growing stock, profitability, and landscape structure. A fire disturbance model linked to a harvest simulator was used to estimate the probability of harvest shortages under a range of harvest levels and fire suppression scenarios. Results were then used to estimate "sustainable" harvest levels based on a risk tolerance to harvest shortages and the effects of fire suppression. On a 288 000 ha forest in northeastern British Columbia, the cost of historical fire disturbance was estimated at $4 million per year in terms of foregone harvest profits. Suppressing 98.3% of disturbance events to 30% of their historical size had a value of $1.8 million per year. Higher levels of risk tolerance were associated with increased harvest levels and short-term profits, but as timber inventories were drawn down, average long-term profits became volatile. The modelling framework developed here can help to determine resilient forest management strategies and estimate the future flow and variability of harvest volumes, profits, and landscape conditions.

This article is a perspective on the separation of the complementary strands of DNA during replication. Given the challenges of DNA strand separation and its vital importance, it is not surprising that cells have developed many strategies for promoting unlinking. We summarize seven different factors that contribute to strand separation and chromosome segregation. These are: (1) supercoiling promotes unlinking by condensation of DNA; (2) unlinking takes place throughout a replicating domain by the complementary action of topoisomerases on precatenanes and supercoils; (3) topological domains isolate the events near the replication fork and permit the supercoiling-dependent condensation of partially replicated DNA; (4) type-II topoisomerases use ATP to actively unlink DNA past the equilibrium position; (5) the effective DNA concentration in vivo is less than the global DNA concentration; (6) mechanical forces help unlink chromosomes; and (7) site-specific recombination promotes unlinking at the termination of replication by resolving circular dimeric chromosomes.