Table 1. Tree growth index and reconstructed precipitation series from 515 BC to AD 1993 based on the archaeological and living tree ring datasets from Dulan and Shenge, China

Annual precipitation for the last 2,500 years was reconstructed for northeastern Qinghai from living and archaeological juniper trees. A dominant feature of the precipitation of this area is a high degree of variability in mean rainfall at annual, decadal, and centennial scales, with many wet and dry periods that are corroborated by other paleoclimatic indicators. Reconstructed values of annual precipitation vary mostly from 100 to 300 mm and thus are no different from the modern instrumental record in Dulan. However, relatively dry years with below-average precipitation occurred more frequently in the past than in the present. Periods of relatively dry years occurred during 74-25 BC, AD 51-375, 426-500, 526-575, 626-700, 1100-1225, 1251-1325, 1451-1525, 1651-1750 and 1801-1825. Periods with a relatively wet climate occurred during AD 376-425, 576-625, 951-1050, 1351-1375, 1551-1600 and the present. This variability is probably related to latitudinal positions of winter frontal storms. Another key feature of precipitation in this area is an apparently direct relationship between interannual variability in rainfall with temperature, whereby increased warming in the future might lead to increased flooding and droughts. Such increased climatic variability might then impact human societies of the area, much as the climate has done for the past 2,500 years.

Dry matter production of Tanzania grass as a function of agrometeorological variables

The objective of this work was to develop and validate linear regression models to estimate the production of dry matter by Tanzania grass (Megathyrsus maximus, cultivar Tanzania) as a function of agrometeorological variables. For this purpose, data on the growth of this forage grass from 2000 to 2005, under dry‑field conditions in São Carlos, SP, Brazil, were correlated to the following climatic parameters: minimum and mean temperatures, degree‑days, and potential and actual evapotranspiration. Simple linear regressions were performed between agrometeorological variables (independent) and the dry matter accumulation rate (dependent). The estimates were validated with independent data obtained in São Carlos and Piracicaba, SP, Brazil. The best statistical results in the development and validation of the models were obtained with the agrometeorological parameters that consider thermal and water availability effects together, such as actual evapotranspiration, accumulation of degree‑days corrected by water availability, and the climatic growth index, based on average temperature, solar radiation, and water availability. These variables can be used in simulations and models to predict the production of Tanzania grass.

Dry matter production of Tanzania grass as a function of agrometeorological variables

The objective of this work was to develop and validate linear regression models to estimate the production of dry matter by Tanzania grass (Megathyrsus maximus, cultivar Tanzania) as a function of agrometeorological variables. For this purpose, data on the growth of this forage grass from 2000 to 2005, under dry-field conditions in Sao Carlos, SP, Brazil, were correlated to the following climatic parameters: minimum and mean temperatures, degree-days, and potential and actual evapotranspiration. Simple linear regressions were performed between agrometeorological variables (independent) and the dry matter accumulation rate (dependent). The estimates were validated with independent data obtained in Sao Carlos and Piracicaba, SP, Brazil. The best statistical results in the development and validation of the models were obtained with the agrometeorological parameters that consider thermal and water availability effects together, such as actual evapotranspiration, accumulation of degree-days corrected by water availability, and the climatic growth index, based on average temperature, solar radiation, and water availability. These variables can be used in simulations and models to predict the production of Tanzania grass.

Socio-climatic hotspots in Brazil

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Population structure, growth and production of the surf clam Donax hanleyanus (Bivalvia: Donacidae) from northern Argentinean beaches

The surf clams Mesodesma mactroides Reeve, 1854 and Donax hanleyanus Philippi, 1847 are the two dominating species in macrobenthic communities of sandy beaches off northern Argentina, with the latter now surpassing M. mactroides populations in abundance and biomass. Before stock decimation caused by exploitation (during the 1940s and 1950s) and mass mortality events (1995, 1999 and 2007) M. mactroides was the prominent primary consumer in the intertidal ecosystem and an important economic resource in Argentina. Since D. hanleyanus was not commercially fished and not affected by mass mortality events, it took over as the dominant species, but did never reach the former abundance of M. mactroides. Currently abundance and biomass of both surf clams are a multiple smaller than those of forty years ago, indicating the conservation status of D. hanleyanus and M. mactroides as endangered. Therefore the aim of this study is to analyse the population dynamics (population structure, growth and reproductive biology) of D. hanleyanus and M. mactroides, and to compare the results with historical data in order to detect possible differences within surf clam populations forty years ago and at present.

Factors affecting growth and survival of snowy egret nestlings

It is widely believed that wading birds in the Everglades have declined as a result of historic water management practices. I determined growth rates for Snowy Egret (Egretta thula) chicks by assessed the nestling body condition through measurement of body weight and skeletal traits. A growth index was calculated as a residual of body weight regressed on age. A body condition index was calculated as the residual of body weight regressed on a skeletal trait (tarsus). Growth was significantly related to water level and hatch date. Survival rates were calculated to day 14, 21, and 50. Survival to 50 days of age was significantly related to hatch date and order. Survival to 21 days of age was significantly related to water level and hatching order. Survival to 14 days of age was marginally related to hatching order. Growth and survival is greatly influenced by water level and hatch date.

DEVELOPMENT OF A NUCLEIC ACID-BASED SPECIFIC GROWTH MODEL FOR JUVENILE BLUE CRAB, CALLINECTES SAPIDUS

The evaluation and identification of habitats that function as nurseries for marine species has the potential to improve conservation and management. A key assessment of nursery habitat is estimating individual growth. However, the discrete growth of crustaceans presents a challenge for many traditional in situ techniques to accurately estimate growth over a short temporal scale. To evaluate the use of nucleic acid ratios (R:D) for juvenile blue crab (Callinectes sapidus), I developed and validated an R:D-based index of growth in the laboratory. R:D based growth estimates of crabs collected in the Patuxent River, MD indicated growth ranged from 0.8-25.9 (mg·g-1·d-1). Overall, there was no effect of size on growth, whereas there was a weak, but significant effect of date. These data provide insight into patterns of habitat-specific growth. These results highlight the complexity of the biological and physical factors which regulate growth of juvenile blue crabs in the field.

Dynamics and constraints of the massive graviton dark matter flat cosmologies

We discuss the dynamics of the Universe within the framework of the massive graviton cold dark matter scenario (MGCDM) in which gravitons are geometrically treated as massive particles. In this modified gravity theory, the main effect of the gravitons is to alter the density evolution of the cold dark matter component in such a way that the Universe evolves to an accelerating expanding regime, as presently observed. Tight constraints on the main cosmological parameters of the MGCDM model are derived by performing a joint likelihood analysis involving the recent supernovae type Ia data, the cosmic microwave background shift parameter, and the baryonic acoustic oscillations as traced by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey red luminous galaxies. The linear evolution of small density fluctuations is also analyzed in detail. It is found that the growth factor of the MGCDM model is slightly different (similar to 1-4%) from the one provided by the conventional flat Lambda CDM cosmology. The growth rate of clustering predicted by MGCDM and Lambda CDM models are confronted to the observations and the corresponding best fit values of the growth index (gamma) are also determined. By using the expectations of realistic future x-ray and Sunyaev-Zeldovich cluster surveys we derive the dark matter halo mass function and the corresponding redshift distribution of cluster-size halos for the MGCDM model. Finally, we also show that the Hubble flow differences between the MGCDM and the Lambda CDM models provide a halo redshift distribution departing significantly from the those predicted by other dark energy models. These results suggest that the MGCDM model can observationally be distinguished from Lambda CDM and also from a large number of dark energy models recently proposed in the literature.

Persistent and remodeling hepatic preneoplastic lesions present differences in cell proliferation and apoptosis, as well as in p53, BcI-2 and NF-kappa B pathways

During rat hepatocarcinogenesis preneoplastic lesions (PNL) emerge which may persist (pPNL) and be sites of progress to cancer or suffer remodeling (rPNL) tending to disappear. Cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in both phenotypes are not sufficiently elucidated. pPNL and rPNL cellular proliferation and apoptosis were evaluated in rats submitted to the resistant hepatocyte (RH) model, and an adjusted growth index (AGI) was established. p53, Bcl-2, and NF-kappa B p65 subunit expression was evaluated by immunohistochemistry in pPNL and rPNL. p65 expression and NF-kappa B activation was evaluated by Western blot assays in whole livers. A lower number of BrdU-stained hepatocyte nuclei/mm(2) and higher number of apoptotic bodies (AB) per mm(2) were observed in remodeling compared to pPNL. Cytoplasmic p53 accumulation is related to increased hepatocarcinoma malignancy. We observed that 71.3% pPNL and 25.4% rPNL (P < 0.05) presented p53 staining in the cytoplasm. Similarly, 67.7% pPNL and 23.1 % rPNL (P < 0.05) presented increased Bcl-2 staining. Thirty-two percent pPNL and 15.6% rPNL (P < 0.05) presented p65 staining. Compared to normal rats, increase (P < 0.05) of hepatic p65 expression and NF-kappa B activation in rats submitted to the RH model was observed. in agreement to previous studies hepatic pPNL and rPNL differ regarding cell proliferation and apoptosis. Moreover, persistence and remodeling involve differences in p53, Bcl-2, and NF-kappa B pathways. These data point to molecular pathways that may direct preneoplastic lesions to spontaneously regress or to progress to cancer.

The role of BPH, lower urinary tract symptoms, and PSA levels on erectile function of Brazilian men who undergo prostate cancer screening

Introduction. Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and erectile dysfunction (ED) are common problems in middle-aged and older men. Recently, epidemiologic studies have shown significant associations between severity of LUTS and male sexual dysfunction. Aim. We analyzed the role of prostate enlargement, LUTS, and prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels in the erectile function of Brazilian men who underwent prostate cancer (PCa) screening. Method. We analyzed data from 1,008 consecutive patients enrolled in a PCa screening program. Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) was defined as a prostate weight greater than 30 g as defined by digital rectal examination. For statistical analysis, we used the chi-squared and analysis of variance tests. The odds ratios (OR) for correlation of ED with prostate volume LUTS and PSA were estimated using logistic regression models. Main Outcome Measure. The American Urological Association (AUA) symptom score for LUTS and the International Index of Erectile Function. Results. Mean patient age was 61.2 years (45-87) and median PSA value was 1.9 ng/mL. BPH was identified in 48.5% of patients. Mild, moderate, and severe LUTS were found in 52.3%, 30.9%, and 16.8% of cases, respectively. ED was classified as absent, mild, mild to moderate, moderate, and severe in 18.6%, 23.1%, 18.6%, 15.2%, and 24.5%, respectively. While only 5.4% of the patients with no ED presented severe LUTS, this finding was observed in 27.1% of patients with severe ED (P<0.001). Univariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that age, prostate volume, AUA symptom score, and PSA levels were significant predictors of ED. However, when controlled for patient age, only LUTS remained as an independent predictor of ED. Conclusions. Controlling for patient age, LUTS are independent risk factors for the development of ED among Brazilian men who undergo PCa screening.

Ecofisiologia, fenologia e adaptação de espécies florestais arbóreas nas condições edafoclimáticas de Viana-ES

A intensa atividade humana devasta grandes extensões de florestas nativas, seja para expansão da agricultura seja para suprir a crescente demanda do mercado por madeira, de uma forma ou de outra os pequenos fragmentos florestais remanescentes sofrem constantes pressões antrópicas, contudo, o uso de espécies arbóreas adaptadas pode contribuir para a proteção desses recursos naturais. Buscou-se neste estudo avaliar os padrões fenológicos de 109 espécies florestais arbóreas pertencentes a 37 famílias e 82 gêneros, dentre nativas e exóticas, com nove anos de idade, para diferenciar as mais adaptadas e com potencial de serem utilizadas em programas de reflorestamento. O estudo foi realizado na Fazenda Experimental do Incaper, em Jucuruaba, município de Viana-ES, (UTM E-345524, N- 7741039). Foram realizadas análises químicas do solo na área plantada e os dados climatológicos obtidos na estação meteorológica de Viana. O estudo baseou-se na observação do número de plantas sobreviventes de cada espécie e da avaliação do seu crescimento. Foram realizadas observações das fenofases de brotação, senescência de folhas, floração e frutificação. As avaliações fenológicas foram realizadas em intervalos mensais, no período de novembro de 2012 a outubro de 2013. Realizou-se a medição da altura das árvores, diâmetro à altura do peito (DAP), índice de enfolhamento, taxa de sobrevivência e cálculo do ICC (Índice Combinado de Crescimento), bem como a determinação das espécies mais adaptadas. Das 109 espécies estudadas, 64,22% apresentaram adaptação funcional e estrutural às condições de solo e clima da região experimental, 42,22 % floresceram e frutificaram e 90% apresentaram senescência e brotação acompanhando a sazonalidade climática. Vinte e nove espécies apresentaram ICC maior do que o ICC médio. A maioria das espécies destacou-se como alternativa para recuperação da cobertura vegetal local, com destaque para Inga uruguensis e Schizolobium amazonicum. As análises de fluorescência da clorofila revelaram que o aparato fotossintético da Schizolobium amazonicum foi capaz de protegê-la da fotoinibição e promover boa conversão da energia luminosa em fotoquímica.