Historical flash floods retromodelling in the Ondara River in Tàrrega (NE Iberian Peninsula)

Flash floods in the Ondara River have caused many fatalities and damages in the town of Tàrrega in the last 400 yr. Unfortunately, no flow records are available. <br><br> However, floods can sometimes be reconstructed thanks to available historical information: limnimarks, written accounts and archaeological surveys. Indeed, from these data and using the retromodelling method on three different scenarios to take into account morphology changes, the peak flows of the seven greatest floods occurred in Tàrrega since the 17th century were estimated. <br><br> The results showed that the heaviest flood's specific peak flow (10.7 m<sup>3</sup> s<sup>−1</sup> km<sup>−2</sup>) ranks among the highest ever modelled or measured in similar-sized catchments in the Western Mediterranean region. The results pointed out, as well, that the changes in channel's morphology (mainly, the disappearance of a mediaeval bridge under sediment) caused by one of the floods increased the hydraulic capacity of a crucial cross-section. All this resulted in modest floods invading the town less often, but with much faster and, thus, more destructive flows. <br><br> A preliminary estimation of the results' uncertainty was 4% for great floods and 18% for modest floods. <br><br> The reconstructed peak flows will be introduced in a database for a future use in climatic and hydrological studies

In vitro and in vivo expression of foreign genes by transmissible gastroenteritis coronavirus-derived minigenomes

A helper-dependent expression system based on transmissible gastroenteritis coronavirus (TGEV) has been developed using a minigenome of 3·9 kb (M39). Expression of the reporter gene {beta}-glucuronidase (GUS) (2–8 µg per 106 cells) and the porcine respiratory and reproductive syndrome virus (PRRSV) ORF5 (1–2 µg per 106 cells) has been shown using a TGEV-derived minigenome. GUS expression levels increased about eightfold with the m.o.i. and were maintained for more than eight passages in cell culture. Nevertheless, instability of the GUS and ORF5 subgenomic mRNAs was observed from passages five and four, respectively. About a quarter of the cells in culture expressing the helper virus also produced the reporter gene as determined by studying GUS mRNA production by in situ hybridization or immunodetection to visualize the protein synthesized. Expression of GUS was detected in the lungs, but not in the gut, of swine immunized with the virus vector. Around a quarter of lung cells showing replication of the helper virus were also positive for the reporter gene. Interestingly, strong humoral immune responses to both GUS and PRRSV ORF5 were induced in swine with this virus vector. The large cloning capacity and the tissue specificity of the TGEV-derived minigenomes suggest that these virus vectors are very promising for vaccine development