Modulation of Rab GTPase function by a protein phosphocholine transferase.

The intracellular pathogen Legionella pneumophila modulates the activity of host GTPases to direct the transport and assembly of the membrane-bound compartment in which it resides. In vitro studies have indicated that the Legionella protein DrrA post-translationally modifies the GTPase Rab1 by a process called AMPylation. Here we used mass spectrometry to investigate post-translational modifications to Rab1 that occur during infection of host cells by Legionella. Consistent with in vitro studies, DrrA-mediated AMPylation of a conserved tyrosine residue in the switch II region of Rab1 was detected during infection. In addition, a modification to an adjacent serine residue in Rab1 was discovered, which was independent of DrrA. The Legionella effector protein AnkX was required for this modification. Biochemical studies determined that AnkX directly mediates the covalent attachment of a phosphocholine moiety to Rab1. This phosphocholine transferase activity used CDP-choline as a substrate and required a conserved histidine residue located in the FIC domain of the AnkX protein. During infection, AnkX modified both Rab1 and Rab35, which explains how this protein modulates membrane transport through both the endocytic and exocytic pathways of the host cell. Thus, phosphocholination of Rab GTPases represents a mechanism by which bacterial FIC-domain-containing proteins can alter host-cell functions

Impact of Climate Change on the Santos Harbor, Sao Paulo State (Brazil)

Santos Harbor Area (SHA) in Sao Paulo Coastline (Brazil) is the most important marine cargo transfer terminal in the Southern Hemisphere. A long term relative tidal level variability assessment shows a consistent response to relative sea level rise. A wave data base Wave Watch III was compared with a long term wave data‐base generated by the ERA40‐ECMWF (2003), both local validated. The current bed level of SHA Outer Channel is ‐15.00 m (Chart Datum or, in abbreviation, CD), maintained by dredging. According to the cargo throughput forecast, in 2025, the Access Channel will have to be deepened to level of ‐17.00 m. The feasibility of that choice is discussed from a technical, economical and conceptual navigation point of view in that context. A data set found from a scale model of the whole area of Santos Bay, Estuary and nearby beaches, showed the impact of maritime climate changes upon the coastal area. In the previous researches developed by the authors, it was demonstrated that the wave climate, the tides and tidal currents affect harbor and coastal structures maintenance, beaches stability, tidal inlet, sediment transport, saline intrusion and wetlands. Considering the increasing of the sea hazards and the high values of the infrastructures in that coastline, it is necessary to mitigate the risks. Hence, based on the results obtained by the authors, are highlighted guidelines strategies suggested for Access Channels dimensions, wharves free‐board, jetties dimensions, dredging rates, rigid and flexible littoral defenses and land protection against flooding (including wetlands

Impact of Climate Change on the Santos Harbor, Sao Paulo State (Brazil)

Santos Harbor Area (SHA) in Sao Paulo Coastline (Brazil) is the most important marine cargo transfer terminal in the Southern Hemisphere. A long term relative tidal level variability assessment shows a consistent response to relative sea level rise. A wave data base Wave Watch III was compared with a long term wave data‐base generated by the ERA40‐ECMWF (2003), both local validated. The current bed level of SHA Outer Channel is ‐15.00 m (Chart Datum or, in abbreviation, CD), maintained by dredging. According to the cargo throughput forecast, in 2025, the Access Channel will have to be deepened to level of ‐17.00 m. The feasibility of that choice is discussed from a technical, economical and conceptual navigation point of view in that context. A data set found from a scale model of the whole area of Santos Bay, Estuary and nearby beaches, showed the impact of maritime climate changes upon the coastal area. In the previous researches developed by the authors, it was demonstrated that the wave climate, the tides and tidal currents affect harbor and coastal structures maintenance, beaches stability, tidal inlet, sediment transport, saline intrusion and wetlands. Considering the increasing of the sea hazards and the high values of the infrastructures in that coastline, it is necessary to mitigate the risks. Hence, based on the results obtained by the authors, are highlighted guidelines strategies suggested for Access Channels dimensions, wharves free‐board, jetties dimensions, dredging rates, rigid and flexible littoral defenses and land protection against flooding (including wetlands)

Impacts of climate change on management policy of the harbors, land areas and wetlands in the Sao Paolo State Coastline (Brazil).

Santos harbor and São Sebastião Oil Maritime Terminal are the most important oil and gas facility in the São Paulo State Coastline. Santosharbor had, in the last decade, increased rapidly the container handling rate, being the first in Latin America. Santos Metropolitan Region is one of the most important of Brazilian Coastline, also considering the tourism. For that great economic growth scenario it is very important to have wave climate and tidal levels well known considering the sea hazards influence in ship operations. Since the hind-cast just represents the deep water wave climate, to make time-series of the wave’s parameters in coastal waters, for evaluation of sea hazards and ship operations, it is necessary to take into account the variations of those parameters in shallow waters with coastal instrumental data. Analysis of long term wave data-base (1957- 2002) generated by a comparison between wave’s data modeled by a “deep water model” (ERA40-ECMWF) and measured wave’s data in the years 1982-1984 by a coastal buoy in Santos littoral (São Paulo State, Brazil) was made. Validation checking procedures with instrumental measurements of storm surges made in other years than 1982-1984 shows high level of confidence. These data, obtained from the climatological analysis compared with a data set found from a scale model of the whole area of Santos Bay, Estuary and nearby beaches (Brazil), showed the impact of maritime climate changes, wave climate and tides upon harbor and coastal structures maintenance, beaches stability, tidal inlet saline intrusion and wetlands flooding. In the same time, the complex environmental system, that characterized the area included between Santos and Caraguatatuba, generates different natural hazard event affecting the maritime activity. A comparative study about the coastal flooding (Santos area) and the fluvial flooding (Juqueriquerê river) was conducted. An analysis about the sea level rise, the wave climate and the flooding risk as well as the sediment transport was developed. Considering the increasing of the sea hazards, the high values of the facilities and infrastructures in São Paulo State Coastline, it is necessary to mitigate the risks from the point of view of the harbor and coastal structures maintenance and projects purposes increasing defenses procedures. Hence, based on the results obtained by the Authors in previous researches, are highlighted guidelines strategies suggested for Access Channels dimensions, wharves free-board, jetties and breakwaters dimensions, dredging rates, rigid and flexible littoral defenses, saline intrusion and land protection against flooding (including wetlands)

Detection of Diatomic Molecules in the Dust Forming Nova V2676 Oph

Novae are generally considered to be hot astronomical objects and show effective temperatures up to 10,000 K or higher at their visual maximum. But, it is theoretically predicted that the outer envelope of the nova outflow can become cool enough to form molecules that would be dissociated at high temperatures. We detected strong absorption bands of C2 and CN radicals in the optical spectrum of Nova V2676 Oph, a very slow nova with dust formation. This is the first report of the detection of C2 and the second one of CN in novae during outburst. Although such simple molecules are predicted to form in the envelope of the outflow based on previous studies, there are few reports of their detection. In the case of V2676 Oph, the presence of the molecular envelope is considered to be very transient, lasting several days only

Extreme Events Assessment Methodology Coupling Debris Flow, Flooding and Tidal Levels in the Coastal Floodplain of the San Paulo North Coast (Brazil)

The North Coastal Region of the State of São Paulo, which comprises the Municipalities of Caraguatatuba, São Sebas-tião, Ilhabela and Ubatuba, is one of the most prone to flooding and debris flow deposition Brazilian areas, owing to hydrological extreme rainfall events usually coupled with extreme tidal levels. This risk is also high due to human lives and material assets, with increasing population rates and the establishment of large Companies such as the Oil industry, with reduced defense/prevention measures and works. The catastrophic scenario of the city of Caraguatatuba, in March 1967, resulting from one of the most serious natural disasters in Brazil, fosters discussions about probabilities of heavy rainfall-caused events and rise in the sea level in coastal areas. Hence, this research is a consequence of this reality. The research is founded on an innovative methodology based on the analysis of past data of rainfall and tidal stations, complemented with debris flow registers in the region of the North coastal zone of the State of São Paulo (Brazil). The analysis developed involved the meteorological, hydraulic, geotechnical and statistical knowledge areas. Practical results are intended to be used for urban planning, designs of macro-drainage, fluvial, maritime projects and debris flow retention structures. These practical applications will then associate the probability of occurrence of certain types of heavy rainfall-caused events such as flooding or debris flow coupled with a corresponding increase in tidal level

Extreme events assessment methodology as a tool for engineering adaptation measures – case study of North Coast of Sao Paulo State (SP)

The North Coastal Region of the State of São Paulo, which comprises the Municipalities of Caraguatatuba, São Sebastião, Ilhabela and Ubatuba, is one of the Brazilian areas most prone to flooding and debris flow deposition, owing to hydrological extreme rainfall events, usually coupled with extreme tidal levels. The catastrophic scene of the city of Caraguatatuba March 18, 1967, resulting from one of the most serious natural disasters in Brazil, fosters discussions about probabilities of heavy rainfall-caused events and subsequent rise in the sea level in coastal areas. The research is founded on an innovative methodology based on the analysis of past rainfall and tidal station data, complemented with debris flow measurements and coupled with FLO-2D hydrodinamical model. The analysis involved meteorological, hydraulic, geotechnical and statistical knowledge areas applied to the region of the North coastal zone of the State of São Paulo (Brazil). The obtained results are a good predictor of the probability of occurrence of certain types of heavy rainfall-caused events such as flooding or debris flow, coupled with a corresponding increase in tidal levels. These practical results are intended to be used for urban planning, designs of macrodrainage, fluvial, maritime projects and debris flow retention structures

Zoosporic marine fungi from the Pacific Northwest (U.S.A.)

An investigation of the zoosporic fungi in the vicinity of the Friday Harbor Laboratory, San Juan Is., Washington, revealed the presence of great numbers of fungi. With one exception ( Olpidium sp. ) these were all biflagellate organisms. Predominating were species (11) of Thraustochytriaceae which abounded in water, in association with seaweeds, intertidal sands, and particularly on the surface of bottom samples down to depths of 298 m. A twelfth species of this group has several peculiarities and needs further investigation. Of the algal parasites, one on Polysiphonia and Pterosiphonia is considered new and termed Eurychasma joycei n. sp.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/46146/1/203_2004_Article_BF00410220.pd