Are drought occurrence and severity aggravating ? A study on SPI drought class transitions using log-linear models and ANOVA-like inference

Abstract. Long time series (95 to 135 yr) of the 12-month time scale Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) relative to 10 locations across Portugal were studied with the aim of investigating if drought frequency and severity are changing through time. Considering four drought severity classes, time series of drought class transitions were computed and later divided into several sub-periods according to the length of SPI time series. Drought class transitions were calculated to form a 2-dimensional contingency table for each sub-period, which refer to the number of transitions among drought severity classes. Two-dimensional log-linear models were fitted to these contingency tables and an ANOVA-like inference was then performed in order to investigate differences relative to drought class transitions among those subperiods, which were considered as treatments of only one factor. The application of ANOVA-like inference to these data allowed to compare the sub-periods in terms of probabilities of transition between drought classes, which were used to detect a possible trend in droughts frequency and severity. Results for a number of locations show some similarity between alternate sub-periods and differences between consecutive ones regarding the persistency of severe/extreme and sometimes moderate droughts. In global terms, results do not support the assumption of a trend for progressive aggravation of drought occurrence during the last century, but rather suggest the existence of long duration cycles

Electrostatic theory for imaging experiments on local charges in quantum Hall systems

We use a simple electrostatic treatment to model recent experiments on quantum Hall systems, in which charging of localised states by addition of integer or fractionally-charged quasiparticles is observed. Treating the localised state as a compressible quantum dot or antidot embedded in an incompressible background, we calculate the electrostatic potential in its vicinity as a function of its charge, and the chemical potential values at which its charge changes. The results offer a quantitative framework for analysis of the observations.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

Immunogenic Human Papillomavirus Pseudovirus-Mediated Suicide-Gene Therapy for Bladder Cancer.

Bladder cancer is the second most common urological malignancy in the world. In 70% of cases it is initially diagnosed as non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) and it is amenable to local treatments, with intravesical (IVES) Bacillus-Calmette-Guerin (BCG) immunotherapy being routinely used after transurethral resection of the lesion. However, this treatment is associated with significant side-effects and treatment failures, highlighting the necessity of novel strategies. One potent approach is the suicide-gene mediated therapy/prodrug combination, provided tumor-specificity can be ensured and anti-tumor immune responses induced. Using the mouse syngeneic orthotopic MB49-bladder tumor model, here we show that IVES human papillomavirus non-replicative pseudovirions (PsV) can pseudoinfect tumors with a ten-fold higher efficacy than normal bladders. In addition, PsV carrying the suicide-gene herpes-simplex virus thymidine kinase (PsV-TK) combined to Ganciclovir (GCV) led to immunogenic cell-death of tumor cells in vitro and to MB49-specific CD8 T-cells in vivo. This was associated with reduction in bladder-tumor growth and increased mice survival. Altogether, our data show that IVES PsV-TK/GCV may be a promising alternative or combinatory treatment for NMIBC

Water toxicity and cyto-genotoxicity biomarkers in the fish Oreochromis niloticus (Cichlidae)

Micronucleus (MN) and nuclear abnormalities (NA) tests were used as biomarkers in the fish Oreochromis niloticus from a polluted pond in winter, spring and summer. Samples of water column were taken aiming to evaluate physical-chemical parameters and acute toxicity to the microcrustacean Daphnia similis. The pond waters were toxic to D. similis in spring and winter, but this toxicity was not detected in summer. The pond waters presented low levels of dissolved oxygen in spring and summer; higher ammonia concentrations in winter, and high hardness and conductivity. Fish collected at the polluted pond exhibited higher rates of DNA damage, as indicated by increased rates of MN and NA in erythrocytes when compared to the negative control, which were associated to water toxicity and physical-chemical variable. Thus, this study shows that results of water toxicity tests and genotoxic biomarkers in fish may be associated and theses approaches may be used together for the water quality assessment.Keywords: fish, cyto-genotoxicity, pollution, ecotoxicology, water quality

EFICÁCIA DE DOIS SISTEMAS DE TRATAMENTO ANTI-HELMÍNTICO EM FILHOTES DE CÃES COM INFECÇÃO NATURAL

O objetivo do presente trabalho foi testar dois esquemas de tratamento para o combate da parasitose gastrintestinal em filhotes de cães recém-desmamados. Foram estabelecidos dois grupos de tratamento, ambos tratados com uma suspensão pamoato de pirantel e oxantel: grupo 1 - quatro desverminações com intervalos de 15 dias e grupo 2 -três desverminações, nos dias 0, 5 e 25 pós desmame. O primeiro tratamento apresentou redução de 98,2 % no número de ovos por grama de fezes (opg) de Toxocara canis, após a primeira desverminação. Cem por cento de redução de opg foi obtido após o segundo tratamento. No tratamento 2, foi obtido um resultado semelhante após três tratamentos. Para ovos de Ancylostoma sp. a formulação mostrou eficácia após a primeira dose para ambos os tratamentos preconizados. Estes resultados indicam que os esquemas de tratamento propostos poderiam ser adotados para combate das infecções por estes parasitas em animais recém-desmamados. Comparison of the efficacy of two systems of antihelminthic treatment in puppies with natural infection Abstract This work was developed to test two treatment outlines for gastrointestinal parasitosis control in weaned puppies. Two treatment groups were established, both treated with oxantel and pyrantel pamoate suspension: group 1 (four doses with 15-days intervals) and group 2 (three doses, at zero, 5th and 25th days). The first treatment presented reduction of 98.2 % on the number of eggs of Toxocara canis per gram of feces (epg) after the first dose. Complete epg reduction was observed after the second treatment, 15 days later. Similar result was obtained after the third dose for the treatment 2. Both treatment protocols showed effectiveness for eggs of Ancylostoma sp. after the first dose. These results indicate that both treatment outlines could be applied for the roundworm and the hookworm control in recently-weaned puppies

Schefflera serpentinicola

Schefflera serpentinicola is only known from Wuluh river, Kinabalu Park. The estimated area of occupancy (AOO) and extent of occurrence (EOO) are both 4 km2. The most plausible threat that could affect this species is climate change, in the form of temperature extremes and droughts. If this was to occur it could rapidly drive the species towards Critically Endangered or Extinct within a short space of time. Hence it is assessed as Vulnerable. Schefflera serpentinicola is endemic to Sabah, Malaysia. It is only known from Wuluh river, Kinabalu Park

Polyalthia montis-silam

Polyalthia montis-silam is restricted to Mount Silam area and Madai Hill in Lahad Datu district. The estimated area of occupancy (AOO) and extent of occurrence are 16 km2 and 47 km2, respectively. Due to land-use changes there has been an estimated decline of 20% in AOO. Fire is a potential threat that could drive this species to Critically Endangered or Extinct in the near future. Hence, it is assessed as Vulnerable. Polyalthia-montis-silam is endemic to Sabah, Malaysia. It was recorded from Lahad Datu district

Timonius kinabaluensis

Timonius kinabaluensis is only known from Ranau district, Sabah. The estimated area of occupancy (AOO) and extent of occurrence (EOO) are both 8 km2. The species is threatened by forest fire (Bukit hampuan forest reserve) with recurring fires occurring especially in the dry season. If these were to occur it could drive the species towards Critically Endangered or Extinct in the near future. Hence, it is assessed as Vulnerable. Timonius kinabaluensis is endemic to Sabah, Malaysia. It is restricted to the western and southern part of Kinabalu Park

Timonius tambuyukonensis

Timonius kinabaluensis is only known from Ranau district, Sabah. The estimated area of occupancy (AOO) and extent of occurrence (EOO) are both 8 km2. The species is threatened by forest fire (Bukit hampuan forest reserve) with recurring fires occurring especially in the dry season. If these were to occur it could drive the species towards Critically Endangered or Extinct in the near future. Hence, it is assessed as Vulnerable. Timonius kinabaluensis is endemic to Sabah, Malaysia. It is restricted to the western and southern part of Kinabalu Park

Polyalthia lasioclada

Polyalthia lasioclada is restricted to the montane area in Kinabalu Park and Mensalong Forest Reserve, Sabah. The estimated area of occupancy (AOO) and extent of occurrence (EOO) are 16 km2 and 29 km2, respectively. Due to land use change, estimated past loss of the species' AOO and EOO has been about 20% and 22%, respectively. Decline has now ceased as the species is protected in situ in at least two Totally Protected Areas. However, the species is at risk from potential threats such as climate change and forest fire which if they occur could drastically change its conservation status to Critically Endangered or Extinct. Hence, it is assessed as Vulnerable. Polyalthia lasioclada is endemic to Sabah, Malaysia. It is only known from Mount Kinabalu and vicinity. It is estimated that at least 20% of the species' area of occupancy (AOO) and 22% of its extent of occurrence (EOO) has been lost (based on GeoCAT reduction analysis). However as the remaining individuals are in protected areas decline is not continuing. The species has a small remaining AOO and EOO of 16 km2 and 29 km2, respectively