Although decline of cork (Quercus suber) and holm oak trees (Quercus rotundifolia) has been described in Portugal in the late years of the 19th century, its development has become a motive of high concern during the last two decades. The presence of Phytophthora cinnamomi in cork and holm oak stands was surveyed in four different regions of the country (Trás-os-Montes, Alentejo, Ribatejo and Algarve) during 1995-98. Tree decline severity, sudden death and site characteristics were assessed in 56 sites representing varied conditions. The pathogen was isolated from oak roots and rhizosphere samples in 27 of those places. Other plant species from natural vegetation were sampled in three active disease centres. This survey showed that 56% of the surveyed species of shrub flora were infected with P. cinnamomi, which was detected mainly on species belonging to the families Ericaceae, Cistaceae and Leguminosae. Recovery of P. cinnamomi was more frequent in shallow soils (Leptosols and complex Leptosols and Luvisols). These soils are more common in the south (Algarve), where decline has a high impact. Soils with low fertility and low mineral nutrient levels, particularly phosphorus, seemed to favour infection. Site aspect and topographic tree situation were also evaluated. Sites facing south showed higher occurrence of P. cinnamomi, which was also more frequent in slopes and valleys than on hilltops. In Algarve, a relationship could be established between the crown status and the presence of P. cinnamomi in roots and rhizosphere. Different morphotypes of P. cinnamomi could be distinguished in vitro, and their occurrence in the field was correlated with particular site characteristics. Further research needs and management strategies to limit the extension of the disease are discussed.

Decameric vanadate species (V10) inhibit the rate and the extent of G-actin polymerization with an IC50 of 68 ± 22 lM and 17 ± 2 lM, respectively, whilst they induce F-actin depolymerization at a lower extent. On contrary, no effect on actin polymerization and depolymerization was detected for 2 mM concentration of ''metavanadate'' solution that contains ortho and metavanadate species, as observed by combining kinetic with 51 V NMR spectroscopy studies. Although at 25°C, decameric vanadate (10 lM) is unstable in the assay medium, and decomposes following a first-order kinetic, in the presence of G-actin (up to 8 lM), the half-life increases 5-fold (from 5 to 27 h). However, the addition of ATP (0.2 mM) in the medium not only prevents the inhibition of G-actin polymerization by V10 but it also decreases the half-life of decomposition of decameric vanadate species from 27 to 10 h. Decameric vanadate is also stabilized by the sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles, which raise the half-life time from 5 to 18 h whereas no effects were observed in the presence of phosphatidylcholine liposomes, myosin or G-actin alone. It is proposed that the ''decavanadate'' interaction with G-actin, favored by the G-actin polymerization, stabilizes decameric vanadate species and induces inhibition of G-actin polymerization. Decameric vanadate stabilization by cytoskeletal and transmembrane proteins can account, at least in part, for decavanadate toxicity reported in the evaluation of vanadium (V) effects in biological systems.

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Diffusion-controlled bimolecular reactions in two-dimensional or quasi two-dimensional space are important in both surface and membrane reaction kinetics. A model reaction that has been extensively used to study the dynamics and structure of phospholipid membranes is the formation of the excimer of pyrene. We present experimental evidence that in multilamellar liposomes of 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine, in the fluid phase at temperatures above phase transition, T L , and for a probe/phospholipid ratio of 1:75, or lower, the fluorescence decay of 1-palmitoyl-2-(1-pyrenodecanoyl)-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine and the timeresolved emission of the excimer follow a kinetic law specific for two-dimensional diffusion-controlled reactions. The parameters obtained from the application of this law to the experimental results, either from steady-state or from time-dependent fluorescence, give diffusion coefficients, e.g., D(25°C) ) 3.1 × 10 -8 cm 2 s -1 and an activation energy for diffusion, E a ) 35 kJ mol -1 , that are in accordance with the results of other independent techniques.

From the study of the kinetics of the fluorescence self-quenching of pyrene in multilamellar vesicles of 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DMPC) in the fluid phase we obtain the molecular diffusion parameters, diffusion coefficients, and activation energies for lateral diffusion for three probes: 1-palmitoyl-2-(1-pyrenedecanoyl)-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (py(10)-PC), pyrene, and 1-pyrenebutanoic acid (py-but). The experiments are done in a range of temperatures for which the reversibility of excimer formation is negligible and the probe/phospholipid ratios used are low, avoiding non-ideal mixing of the probe. The time-resolved fluorescence decays are, in all cases, accurately and consistently described by the two-dimensional (2D) formalism for bimolecular diffusion-controlled reactions. From the parameters obtained in this way we conclude that the primary step of the diffusion of the pyrene-labeled phospholipid involves the simultaneous jump of phospholipid and fluorophore moieties, and also that although in the case of py(10)-PC the pyrene from molecules pertaining to different layers may interact during the lifetime of the exited state, this is not the case for free pyrene.