Effects of external nutrient sources and extreme weather events on the nutrient budget of a Southern European coastal lagoon

The seasonal and annual nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and carbon (C) budgets of the mesotidal Ria Formosa lagoon, southern Portugal, were estimated to reveal the main inputs and outputs, the seasonal patterns, and how they may influence the ecological functioning of the system. The effects of extreme weather events such as long-lasting strong winds causing upwelling and strong rainfall were assessed. External nutrient inputs were quantified; ocean exchange was assessed in 24-h sampling campaigns, and final calculations were made using a hydrodynamic model of the lagoon. Rain and stream inputs were the main freshwater sources to the lagoon. However, wastewater treatment plant and groundwater discharges dominated nutrient input, together accounting for 98, 96, and 88 % of total C, N, and P input, respectively. Organic matter and nutrients were continuously exported to the ocean. This pattern was reversed following extreme events, such as strong winds in early summer that caused upwelling and after a period of heavy rainfall in late autumn. A principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that ammonium and organic N and C exchange were positively associated with temperature as opposed to pH and nitrate. These variables reflected mostly the benthic lagoon metabolism, whereas particulate P exchange was correlated to Chl a, indicating that this was more related to phytoplankton dynamics. The increase of stochastic events, as expected in climate change scenarios, may have strong effects on the ecological functioning of coastal lagoons, altering the C and nutrient budgets.Portuguese Science and Technology Foundation (FCT) [POCI/MAR/58427/2004, PPCDT/MAR/58427/2004]; Portuguese Science and Technology Foundation (FCT

Peroxiredoxin 6 in human brain: molecular forms, cellular distribution and association with Alzheimer’s disease pathology

Peroxiredoxin 6 is an antioxidant enzyme and is the 1-cys member of the peroxiredoxin family. Using two-dimensional electrophoresis and Western blotting, we have shown for the first time that, in human control and brain tissue of patient’s with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), this enzyme exists as three major and five minor forms with pIs from 5.3 to 6.1. Using specific cellular markers, we have shown that peroxiredoxin 6 is present in astrocytes with very low levels in neurons, but not detectable in microglia or oligodendrocytes. In control brains, there was a very low level of peroxiredoxin 6 staining in astrocytes that was confined to a “halo” around the nucleus. In AD, there were marked increases in the number and staining intensity of peroxiredoxin 6 positive astrocytes in both gray and white matter in the midfrontal cortex, cingulate, hippocampus and amygdala. Confocal microscopy using antibodies to Aβ peptide, tau and peroxiredoxin 6 showed that peroxiredoxin 6 positive astrocytes are closely involved with diffuse plaques and to a lesser extent with neuritic plaques, suggesting that plaques are producing reactive oxygen species. There appeared to be little astrocytic response to tau containing neurons. Although peroxiredoxin 6 positive astrocytes were seen to make multiple contacts with tau positive neurons, there was no intraneuronal colocalization. In brain tissue of patients with AD, many blood vessels exhibited peroxiredoxin 6 staining that appeared to be due to the astrocytic foot processes. These results suggest that oxidative stress conditions exist in AD and that peroxiredoxin 6 is an important antioxidant enzyme in human brain defenses

Market reaction to and valuation of IFRS reconciliation adjustments: first evidence from the UK

We investigate the market reaction to, and the value-relevance of, information contained in the mandatory transitional documents required by International Financial Reporting Standards 1 (2005). We find significant negative abnormal returns for firms reporting negative earnings reconciliation. Although the informational content of the positive earnings adjustments is value-relevant before disclosure, for negative earnings adjustments it is value-relevant only after disclosure. This finding is consistent with managers delaying the communication of bad news until IFRS compliance. A finer model shows that adjustments attributed to impairment of goodwill, share-based payments, and deferred taxes are incrementally value-relevant but that only the impairment of goodwill and deferred taxes reveal new information. Our results indicate that mandatory IFRS adoption alters investors’ beliefs about stock prices

Prostate cancer disparities in Hispanics by country of origin: a nationwide population-based analysis

BACKGROUND: We sought to evaluate prostate cancer (PCa) characteristics and outcomes of Hispanics living in the United States by country of origin in the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) program. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of 72,134 adult Hispanics with PCa between 1995-2014. Origin was Mexican (N=16,995; 24%), South/Central American (N=6,949; 10%), Puerto Rican (N=3,582; 5%), Cuban (N=2,587; 4%), Dominican (N=725; 1%), Hispanic not specified (NOS, N=41,296; 57%), as coded by SEER. Patient and PCa characteristics were analyzed with chi-square and Kruskal-Wallis tests. Overall and PCa survival were analyzed with Kaplan-Meier and Cox models adjusting for baseline variables. RESULTS: At diagnosis, Mexicans had more advanced stage, higher prostate-specific antigen and higher Gleason score while Cubans and Dominicans had more favorable PCa at diagnosis (all P<0.05). After a median follow up of 69 months, 20,317 men died, including 6,223 PCa deaths. Compared to Mexicans, Cubans (HR=1.22, 95%CI=[1.14-1.30]) and Puerto Ricans (HR=1.15 [1.08-1.22]) had worse overall survival while Dominicans (HR=0.76 [0.64-0.91]), South/Central Americans (HR=0.68, [0.65-0.72]) and NOS (HR=0.81 [0.78-0.84]) had better overall survival. Compared to Mexicans, Cubans (HR=1.08, [0.96-1.22]) and Puerto Ricans (HR=1.03, [0.92-1.15]) had similar PCa survival while Dominicans (HR=0.72, [0.53-0.98]), South/Central Americans (HR=0.67 [0.60-0.74]) and NOS (HR=0.68 [0.64-0.73]) had significantly better PCa survival. CONCLUSIONS: Among Hispanics in the United States, disparities in PCa characteristics and survival by country of origin exist, with Dominicans, South/Central Americans and Hispanic NOS having better PCa survival compared to Mexicans, Cubans and Puerto Ricans