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Sample records for bay northeast brazil

  1. Late Holocene evolution of the Northeast intertidal region of Sepetiba Bay, Rio de Janeiro (Brazil

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    Anita Fernandes Souza Pinto

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available This work is based on the study of the core T1 collected in the Guaratiba Mangrove, located on the northeastern margin of Sepetiba Bay. Few studies dealing with the application of benthic foraminifera to study sea level changes during the Holocene have been conducted in Sepetiba Bay, State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In order to fill this gap, the core T1 was studied using textural, geochemical (carbonate, total organic carbon, total sulfur and stable isotopes evaluated in Ammonia tepida and microfaunal (benthic foraminifera data, unveiling paleoecological relationships of these organisms and the evolutionary scenario of Guaratiba Mangrove. Radiocarbon results indicate an estimated age of about 2400 yrs cal BP for the core base. Textural, geochemical and benthic foraminifera data suggest that the study area changed significantly during the last 2400 yrs cal BP. It experienced coastal waves action and shoreface processes in the period between ≈2.400-1.400 yrs cal BP; then, this phase gave place to a shallow marine environment similar to that found currently in internal and protected areas of Sepetiba Bay, between ≈1.400-350 yrs cal BP. Thenceforth, the study area evolved to the present mangrove environment. Factors related to climatic oscillations and the formation, evolution and events of rupture of Marambaia sand ridge influenced the late Holocene evolution of the northeast intertidal area of Sepetiba Bay.

  2. Northeast Guanabara Bay and coastal plain Holocene sedimentary evolution (Brazil: A contribution

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    Rodrigo Coutinho Abuchacra

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Sedimentological and radiocarbon investigations are part of an ongoing research on the Bay-head delta of northeast Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro State. Sediment accumulation indicates that the Holocene infill of the bay-head delta started around 8.2 kyr BP and was not in pace with the eustatic sea-level rise. Sediment accumulation was faster during the transgressive phase (0.56 cm.yr-1. However, during the regressive phase, progradation driven by base-level fall was predominant over vertical sediment accumulation (0.02 cm.yr-1. Based on coring, three sedimentary units were defined: fluvial sands (U1, estuarine deposits (U2 and fluvial mud (U3.

  3. Late Holocene evolution of the Northeast intertidal region of Sepetiba Bay, Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)

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    Anita Fernandes Souza Pinto; Maria Virgínia Alves Martins; Maria Antonieta da Conceição Rodrigues; Leandro Nogueira; Lazaro Luiz Mattos Laut; Egberto Pereira

    2016-01-01

    This work is based on the study of the core T1 collected in the Guaratiba Mangrove, located on the northeastern margin of Sepetiba Bay. Few studies dealing with the application of benthic foraminifera to study sea level changes during the Holocene have been conducted in Sepetiba Bay, State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In order to fill this gap, the core T1 was studied using textural, geochemical (carbonate, total organic carbon, total sulfur and stable isotopes evaluated in Ammonia tepida) and ...

  4. A reevaluation of the late quaternary sedimentation in todos os Santos Bay (BA, Brazil

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    GUILHERME C. LESSA

    2000-12-01

    Full Text Available Todos os Santos Bay is a large ( 1000 km², structurally controlled tidal bay in northeast Brazil. Three main drainage basins debouch into the bay, providing a mean freshwater discharge of 200 m³/s (prior to 1985, or less than 1% of the spring tidal discharge through the bay mouth. Based on the result of several sedimentological studies performed in the 1970's, five surface sedimentary facies were identified inside the bay, namely i transgressive siliciclastic marine sand facies; ii transgressive bay sand-mud facies; iii a transgressive carbonate marine sand facies; iv regressive bay-mud facies, and v regressive fluvial sand facies. The spatial distribution of these facies would follow, somewhat closely, the hydrodynamic-energy distribution inside the bay. Seismic profiles along the bay bottom indicate the existence of several paleochannels, 5-10 m deep, blanketed at least by three different sedimentary units. The topmost sedimentary unit, 5-20 m thick, appears to be associated with the regressive bay-mud facies, and assuming that it was laid down within the last 5000 years, sedimentation rates for the central and northeastern part of the bay would average at 2,4 mm/y.

  5. New records of ribbon worms (Nemertea) from Ceará, Northeast Brazil.

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    Mendes, Cecili B; Matthews-Cascon, Helena; Norenburg, Jon L

    2016-01-05

    Of 45 species of nemerteans reported for the Brazilian coast, only two were recorded from Brazil's Northeast coast. Here we report seven new records for the state of Ceará, in Northeast Brazil: Tubulanus rhabdotus Côrrea, 1954, Carinomella cf. lactea Coe, 1905, Baseodiscus delineatus (Delle-Chiaje 1825), Cerebratulus cf. lineolatus Coe, 1905, Cerebratulus sp. 1, Cerebratulus sp. 2 and Lineidae sp. 1. Specimens were collected at the following beaches: Praia dos Dois Coqueiros, Praia do Pacheco, Pecém harbor, Praia da Pedra Rachada and Praia do Guajiru. T. rhabdotus is a new record for Northeast Brazil, Carinomella cf. lactea and Cerebratulus cf. lineolatus are new records for the South Atlantic Ocean and both genera are new records for Brazil.

  6. A Subnational Perspective for Comparative Research: Education and Development in Northeast Brazil and Northeast Thailand.

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    Fry, Gerald; Kempner, Ken

    1996-01-01

    Case studies of northeast Brazil and northeast Thailand highlight the importance of a subnational approach to comparative research. Compares geographic and economic conditions, regional culture, ethnicity and gender issues, migration patterns, religion, literacy, and educational underdevelopment. Points out that neglect of a region and its people…

  7. Granite-types in Northeast Brazil: current knowledge

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sial, A.N.

    1986-01-01

    Several granitoids in Northeast Brazil, located within the Cachoeirinha-Salgueiro foldbelt (CSF), Pernambuco and Paraiba States, Brzil, were analysed, studying the geochemistry of rare earths and the behavior of oxygen isotopes. (M.C.K.) [pt

  8. Spatial distribution of heavy metals in surficial sediments from Guanabara Bay: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

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    Neto, José Antônio Baptista; Gingele, Franz Xaver; Leipe, Thomas; Brehme, Isa

    2006-04-01

    Ninety-two surface sediment samples were collected in Guanabara Bay, one of the most prominent urban bays in SE Brazil, to investigate the spatial distribution of anthropogenic pollutants. The concentrations of heavy metals, organic carbon and particle size were examined in all samples. Large spatial variations of heavy metals and particle size were observed. The highest concentrations of heavy metals were found in the muddy sediments from the north western region of the bay near the main outlets of the most polluted rivers, municipal waste drainage systems and one of the major oil refineries. Another anomalous concentration of metals was found adjacent to Rio de Janeiro Harbour. The heavy metal concentrations decrease to the northeast, due to intact rivers and the mangrove systems in this area, and to the south where the sand fraction and open-marine processes dominate. The geochemical normalization of metal data to Li or Al has also demonstrated that the anthropogenic input of heavy metals have altered the natural sediment heavy metal distribution.

  9. Interannual Rainfall Variability in North-East Brazil: Observation and Model Simulation

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    Harzallah, A.; Rocha de Aragão, J. O.; Sadourny, R.

    1996-08-01

    The relationship between interannual variability of rainfall in north-east Brazil and tropical sea-surface temperature is studied using observations and model simulations. The simulated precipitation is the average of seven independent realizations performed using the Laboratoire de Météorologie Dynamique atmospheric general model forced by the 1970-1988 observed sea-surface temperature. The model reproduces very well the rainfall anomalies (correlation of 091 between observed and modelled anomalies). The study confirms that precipitation in north-east Brazil is highly correlated to the sea-surface temperature in the tropical Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Using the singular value decomposition method, we find that Nordeste rainfall is modulated by two independent oscillations, both governed by the Atlantic dipole, but one involving only the Pacific, the other one having a period of about 10 years. Correlations between precipitation in north-east Brazil during February-May and the sea-surface temperature 6 months earlier indicate that both modes are essential to estimate the quality of the rainy season.

  10. Nutrition surveys in Burma and northeast Brazil.

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    Bunce, George E

    2005-05-01

    Participation of the author in the Interdepartmental Committee on Nutrition for National Defense sponsored nutrition surveys of Burma and northeast Brazil is described. These surveys not only collected important data on nutritional status but also guided the subsequent research interests of the author. The Brazil survey results contributed to the creation of legislation that mandated the addition of water-dispersible vitamin A to skimmed-milk powder products. This additive has greatly diminished the likelihood of vitamin A deficiency syndrome occurring in children after famine relief efforts.

  11. Spatiotemporal appraisal of TBT contamination and imposex along a tropical bay (Todos os Santos Bay, Brazil).

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    Artifon, Vanda; Castro, Ítalo Braga; Fillmann, Gilberto

    2016-08-01

    A spatiotemporal evaluation of butyltin contamination was performed between 2010 and 2012 along Todos os Santos Bay (Northeast Brazil) using surface sediments, bivalve tissues (Anomalocardia brasiliana and Mytella guyanensis), and imposex occurrence (Stramonita rustica). The spatial study detected high tributyltin (TBT) levels (maximum values of 262 ng Sn g (-1) - 21,833 ng Sn g(-1) of total organic carbon - for surface sediments and 421 ng Sn g(-1) for bivalve tissues) in the innermost part of the bay. The TBT levels detected in M. guyanensis tissues might cause human health risk since local population consumes these organisms. These high concentrations observed in the bivalves might result in ingestions higher than the safe limits established by European Food Safety Authority (250 ng TBT kg(-1) day(-1)). Considering the temporal evaluation, no difference (p > 0.05) was observed between TBT concentrations in sediments obtained during the two sampling campaigns (2010/2011 and 2012). However, the increasing predominance of TBT metabolites (butyltin degradation index (BDI) >1) in more recent sediments indicates further degradation of old TBT inputs. In spite of that, recent inputs are still evident at this region. Nevertheless, a reduction of imposex parameters in S. rustica over the last decade suggests an overall decline in the TBT contamination, at least in the outermost and possible less impacted region of the bay. The TBT contamination is probably reducing due to the national and international legislative restrictions on the use of TBT as antifouling biocide. The contamination levels, however, are still relevant especially in the inner part of Todos os Santos Bay since they are above those that are likely to cause toxicity to the biota.

  12. Projected Changes in Evapotranspiration Rates over Northeast Brazil

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    Costa, Alexandre; Guimarães, Sullyandro; Vasconcelos, Francisco, Jr.; Sales, Domingo; da Silva, Emerson

    2015-04-01

    Climate simulations were performed using a regional model (Regional Atmospheric Modeling System, RAMS 6.0) driven by data from one of the CMIP5 models (Hadley Centre Global Environmental Model, version 2 - Earth System, HadGEM2-ES) over two CORDEX domains (South America and Central America) for the heavy-emission scenario (RCP8.5). Potential evapotranspiraion data from the RCM and from the CMIP5 global models were analyzed over Northeast Brazil, a semiarid region with a short rainy season (usually February to May in its northern portion due to the seasonal shift of the Intertropical Convergence Zone) and over which droughts are frequent. Significant changes in the potential evapotranspiration were found, with most models showing a increasing trend along the 21st century, which are expected to alter the surface water budget, increasing the current water deficit (precipitation is currently much smaller than potential evapotranspiration). Based on the projections from the majority of the models, we expect important impacts over local agriculture and water resources over Northeast Brazil.

  13. Cultural significance of primary teeth for caregivers in Northeast Brazil.

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    Nations, Marilyn K; Calvasina, Paola Gondim; Martin, Michele N; Dias, Hilma Fontenele

    2008-04-01

    This anthropological study critically evaluates Brazilian caregivers' symbolic production and significance of their malnourished offspring's primary teeth, as well as their own, and describes popular dental practices. From January to June 2004, ethnographic interviews of 27 poor, low-literacy mothers were conducted at a public Malnutrition Treatment Center in Fortaleza, Ceará State. Participant observation of clinical pathways and home environments supplemented the data. Content analysis was performed. Results confirm that primary teeth are imbued with cultural significance in Northeast Brazil. Mothers examine mouths, perceive signs of decay, associate primary with permanent tooth healthiness, identify ethnodental illnesses, seek assistance, and perform rituals with exfoliated teeth. The mother's motivation to care for primary teeth is sparked by her memories of past toothache and attempts to avoid stigma and discrimination. Social determinants, not mothers' beliefs or behaviors, are the most critical obstacles to effective dental care. Legitimizing lay knowledge and empowering caregivers and children can improve oral health in Northeast Brazil.

  14. Hydrography and circulation in the western Bay of Bengal during the northeast monsoon

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Shetye, S.R.; Gouveia, A.D.; Shankar, D.; Shenoi, S.S.C.; Vinayachandran, P.N.; Sundar, D.; Michael, G.S.; Nampoothiri, G.

    , the transport is 7.7 x 10 sup(6) m sup(3) s sup(-1) . Recent model studies lead us to conclude that the EICC during the northeast monsoon is driven by winds along the east coast of India and Ekman pumping in the interior bay. In the south, Ekman pumping over...

  15. Serologic detection of coccidioidomycosis antibodies in northeast Brazil.

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    Cordeiro, Rossana de Aguiar; Fechine, Maria Auxiliadora Bezerra; Brilhante, Raimunda Sâmia Nogueira; Rocha, Marcos Fábio Gadelha; da Costa, Ana Karoline Freire; Nagao, Maria Aparecida Tiemi Dias; de Camargo, Zoilo Pires; Sidrim, José Júlio Costa

    2009-04-01

    Coccidioidomycosis is a systemic infection caused by Coccidioides spp. The disease is endemic in Brazil but its incidence is underreported as it is not a notifiable disease. This article presents the results of a serologic survey carried out with 229 volunteers in northeast Brazil by the immunodiffusion (ID) test with commercial Coccidioides spp. antigens. The commercial ID test detected 15 individuals without clinical diagnosis of the disease and two individuals in treatment for coccidioidomycosis. Regarding the epidemiological data, most of the positive individuals were male, between 18 and 65 years of age and were engaged in armadillo hunting. Three women who had never participated in armadillo hunts also displayed positive results for coccidioidal antibodies. Besides armadillo hunts, exposure to environmental dust in endemic areas may account for the serologic response detected in the study. The data from this study suggest the importance of performing epidemiological surveys for coccidioidomycosis in order to understand the prevalence of this disease in Brazil.

  16. Northeast storms ranked by wind stress and wave-generated bottom stress observed in Massachusetts Bay, 1990-2006

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    Butman, B.; Sherwood, C.R.; Dalyander, P.S.

    2008-01-01

    Along the coast of the northeastern United States, strong winds blowing from the northeast are often associated with storms called northeasters, coastal storms that strongly influence weather. In addition to effects caused by wind stress, the sea floor is affected by bottom stress associated with these storms. Bottom stress caused by orbital velocities associated with surface waves integrated over the duration of a storm is a metric of storm strength at the sea floor. Near-bottom wave-orbital velocities calculated by using measurements of significant wave height and dominant wave period and the parametric spectral method described in Wiberg and Sherwood [Wiberg, P.L., Sherwood, C.R. Calculating wave-generated bottom orbital velocities from surface wave parameters. Computers in Geosciences, in press] compared well with observations in Massachusetts Bay. Integrated bottom-wave stress (called IWAVES), calculated at 30 m water depth, and a companion storm-strength metric, integrated surface wind stress at 10 m (called IWINDS), are used to provide an overview of the strength, frequency, and timing of large storms in Massachusetts Bay over a 17-year period from January 1990 through December 2006. These new metrics reflect both storm duration and intensity. Northeast storms were the major cause of large waves in Massachusetts Bay because of the long fetch to the east: of the strongest 10% of storms (n=38) ranked by IWAVES, 22 had vector-averaged wind stress from the northeast quadrant. The Blizzard of December 1992, the Perfect Storm of October 1991, and a December 2003 storm were the strongest three storms ranked by IWAVES and IWINDS, and all were northeasters. IWAVES integrated over the winter season (defined as October-May) ranged by about a factor of 11; the winters with the highest integrated IWAVES were 1992-1993 and 2004-2005 and the winter with the lowest integrated IWAVES was 2001-2002. May 2005 was the only month in the 17-year record that two of the nine

  17. Imported mineral coal: competitiveness for electric power generation in northeast of Brazil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Codeceira Neto, A.; Ribeiro Filho, A.P.R.; Silva, S.P.R. da

    1993-01-01

    With the hydroelectric potential exhaustion of northeast and with the increase of costs to the use of hydroelectric uses available in Brazil, the thermoelectric generation will be able to become a competitive solution to attend the market of electric power. This work has as purpose describe the options of imported coal use to Brazilian northeast its technological aspects, the environmental question, and the preliminary studies of localization and the costs associated on implantation of coal thermoelectric power plants. 7 refs, 3 figs, 6 tabs

  18. Thecamoebians: occurrence and distribution in Iguape Bay/BTS – Bahia, Brazil

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    Cláudia Ferreira da Cruz

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available The Iguape Bay (12º00’ – 13º00’S and 38º30’ – 39º30’ is an estuary located at the mouth of the Paraguaçu River, inside Todos os Santos Bay (BTS, in Bahia, Brazil. It is 30km downstream from the Pedra do Cavalo Dam, which is the second largest dam in Brazil. The water in Iguape Bay is influenced by ocean tides originating from the BTS and the discharge of the Paraguaçu River. The effects of the currents as well as the variation in the outflow from the Pedra do Cavalo Dam have intensified the natural stress of this paralic environment. The main goal of this study was to investigate the distribution of Thecamoeba species present in the bottom sediments of Iguape Bay, in order to produce data that can be used to interpret the processes operating in this ecologically complex environment. The density of the living and dead species of Thecamoeba was determined by the volume of sediment collected, and the diversity index, constancy, evenness and richness of Thecamoeba were calculated. Sedimentological analyses were also performed in order to classify sediment types in the selected profiles.

  19. Soil bacterial diversity in degraded and restored lands of Northeast Brazil.

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    Araújo, Ademir Sérgio Ferreira; Borges, Clovis Daniel; Tsai, Siu Mui; Cesarz, Simone; Eisenhauer, Nico

    2014-11-01

    Land degradation deteriorates biological productivity and affects environmental, social, and economic sustainability, particularly so in the semi-arid region of Northeast Brazil. Although some studies exist reporting gross measures of soil microbial parameters and processes, limited information is available on how land degradation and restoration strategies influence the diversity and composition of soil microbial communities. In this study we compare the structure and diversity of bacterial communities in degraded and restored lands in Northeast Brazil and determine the soil biological and chemical properties influencing bacterial communities. We found that land degradation decreased the diversity of soil bacteria as indicated by both reduced operational taxonomic unit (OTU) richness and Shannon index. Soils under native vegetation and restoration had significantly higher bacterial richness and diversity than degraded soils. Redundancy analysis revealed that low soil bacterial diversity correlated with a high respiratory quotient, indicating stressed microbial communities. By contrast, soil bacterial communities in restored land positively correlated with high soil P levels. Importantly, however, we found significant differences in the soil bacterial community composition under native vegetation and in restored land, which may indicate differences in their functioning despite equal levels of bacterial diversity.

  20. Perkinsus sp. infecting the oyster Crassostrea rhizophorae from estuaries of the septentrional Northeast, Brazil

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    M. P. Dantas-Neto

    Full Text Available Abstract The mangrove oyster Crassostrea rhizophorae is an estuarine resource exploited by riverside communities in Northeast Brazil. Despite its socioeconomic importance, studies on the health status of this bivalve are scanty in this region. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the presence of the protozoan Perkinsus sp. in C. rhizophorae collected in August and September 2011 in three estuaries of the septentrional Northeast, Brazil: Jaguaribe (Ceará, Camurupim (Piauí and Carnaubeiras (Maranhão (n= 150 specimens/site. The samples were submitted to Ray’s fluid thioglycollate medium (RFTM, PCR and histology assays. The RFTM assay revealed spherical, blue or bluish-black hypnospores of the genus Perkinsus in 50 specimens (Jaguaribe= 17.3%, Camurupim= 5.3%, Carnaubeiras= 10.6%. The intensity of the infection ranged from very light (1-10 cells per slide to severe (more than 40 cells in each of 10 fields of the slide for Jaguaribe; very light for Camurupim and very light to moderate (at least 40 cells observed in each of 10 fields of the slide for Carnaubeiras. When submitted to confirmatory PCR analysis, 6 cases were confirmed (Jaguaribe=3, Camurupim=1, Carnaubeiras=2. The histology confirmed 21 cases of infection in specimens from the three estuaries. Although local collectors have reported no mortality in oyster populations that might be attributed to infection by Perkinsus, health surveillance of oyster populations in the septentrional region of Northeast Brazil is advisable.

  1. Food flora in 17th century Northeast region of Brazil in Historia Naturalis Brasiliae.

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    Medeiros, Maria Franco Trindade; Albuquerque, Ulysses Paulino

    2014-06-25

    This article reports historical ethnobotany research conducted from a study of the work Historia Naturalis Brasiliae (Natural History of Brazil), authored by Piso and Marcgrave and published in 1648, with main focus on Caatinga of northeast region of Brazil. Focusing the content analysis on the section dedicated to plant species with multiple uses, Marcgrave's contribution to the aforementioned work, this research had the following objectives: the retrieval of 17th century knowledge about the food uses of the flora in the northeast region of Brazil, including the taxonomic classifications; the identification of plant parts, their modes of consumption and the ethnic group of consumers; and the verification of the use of these species over time. The use of 80 food species at the time of the publication of the work is indicated, some of which are endemic to the Caatinga, such as "umbu" (Spondias tuberosa Arruda), "mandacaru" (Cereus jamacaru DC.) and "carnauba" (Copernicia cerifera Mart.). It is noticeable that among the species listed by Marcgrave, some species still lack current studies indicating their real nutritional value. The present study is an unprecedented work because it introduces, in a systematic way, the food plants described in a study of 17th century Brazil. Finally, this study makes information about plants consumed in the past accessible, aiming to provide material for studies that could develop new food products today.

  2. Floristic and phytosociology of weeds in pastures in Maranhão State, Northeast Brazil

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    Jaílson Penha Costa

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT Knowledge of weed floristic composition and phytosociology are key factors for improving weed management in pastures. Information on weed species that occur in pastures in Northeast Brazil, particularly in Maranhão State is very limited. It is, therefore, important, to search for information to help farmers to control weeds in livestock farming. This paper describes the weed flora diversity and community structure parameters, including density, frequency, abundance and importance value for each weed species found in five pastures of same age and management in Maranhão State, Northeast Brazil. The weed survey was carried out using a wooden frame (80 cm x 30 cm placed randomly on the soil surface 30 times in each pasture (n = 150. Weeds were pulled out, separated by species and counted. The weed flora was represented by 996 individuals, from nine families, 15 genera and 19 species. Weed density within pastures was of 44.3 plants m-2. The weed flora was dominated by species of the Cyperaceae and Poaceae families. The most important weed species based on Importance Value were Eragrostis ciliaris (IV = 32.97, Cyperus rotundus (IV = 31,95, Cyperus luzulae (IV = 27,50, Cyperus sphacelatus (IV = 27,42, Pycreus lanceolatus (IV = 27,33 Cyperus haspan (IV = 25,72 and Eleusine indica (IV = 23,49. Weed diversity, based on Shannon Diversity Index was very high (H' = 4.37 nats ind-1. Our results could lead to improved weed management in pastures in Maranhão State, Northeast Brazil.

  3. [Access to medicines prescribed for acute health conditions in adults in South and Northeast Brazil].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paniz, Vera Maria Vieira; Cechin, Isabel Carolina Coelho Flores; Fassa, Anaclaudia Gastal; Piccini, Roberto Xavier; Tomasi, Elaine; Thumé, Elaine; Silveira, Denise Silva da; Facchini, Luiz Augusto

    2016-01-01

    This was a cross-sectional study within Brazil's Project for the Expansion and Consolidation of Family Health, 2005, with the objective of universal and free access to the medication prescribed in the last medical appointment for acute health problems and to estimate the degree to which access may have improved with inclusion of the medicines in prevailing policies and programs. The sample included 4,060 adults living in the area of primary health care units in 41 municipalities in South and Northeast Brazil. Access was greater in the South (83.2%) than in the Northeast (71%), and free access was similar (37%), with a greater share by the Family Health Program (FHP) when compared to the traditional model, especially in the Northeast. Some 60% of prescribed medicines and 50% of those on the National List of Essential Medicines (RENAME) were paid for. No variation was observed in the proportion of medicines present on the prevailing RENAME list and access. However, 40% of the medicines that were paid for can currently be obtained through the Popular Pharmacy Program. The latter program appears to emerge as a new way to guarantee access to medicines prescribed in the health system.

  4. Food flora in 17th century northeast region of Brazil in Historia Naturalis Brasiliae

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-01-01

    Background This article reports historical ethnobotany research conducted from a study of the work Historia Naturalis Brasiliae (Natural History of Brazil), authored by Piso and Marcgrave and published in 1648, with main focus on Caatinga of northeast region of Brazil. Methods Focusing the content analysis on the section dedicated to plant species with multiple uses, Marcgrave's contribution to the aforementioned work, this research had the following objectives: the retrieval of 17th century knowledge about the food uses of the flora in the northeast region of Brazil, including the taxonomic classifications; the identification of plant parts, their modes of consumption and the ethnic group of consumers; and the verification of the use of these species over time. Results The use of 80 food species at the time of the publication of the work is indicated, some of which are endemic to the Caatinga, such as “umbu” (Spondias tuberosa Arruda), “mandacaru” (Cereus jamacaru DC.) and “carnauba” (Copernicia cerifera Mart.). It is noticeable that among the species listed by Marcgrave, some species still lack current studies indicating their real nutritional value. The present study is an unprecedented work because it introduces, in a systematic way, the food plants described in a study of 17th century Brazil. Conclusions Finally, this study makes information about plants consumed in the past accessible, aiming to provide material for studies that could develop new food products today. PMID:24965737

  5. Distribution of some organochloride pesticides in the All Saints Bay, Bahia, Brazil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Beretta, M.; Costa, M.A.; Tavares, T.M.

    1999-01-01

    First restrictions to organochlorine insecticides (OC) in Brazil date of 1976 and by 1985 they were completely prohibited. However use of existing stocks and smuggled parcels as well as official use in malaria campaigns still takes place. During the SH summer of 1995 a cross-sectional survey was conducted for organochloride pesticides in 12 intertidal sites, both in sediments and in some selected edible species of the All Saints Bay, east of Brazil

  6. Hydrogeological Study of Mangrove Areas Around Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    OpenAIRE

    Gerson Cardoso da Silva Júnior;; Carlos Eduardo Braga; Ingrid de Carvalho Lage

    2003-01-01

    The study area covers part of the mangrove belt located around Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Representing a continental-marine transition, the mangrove ecosystem is very susceptible to environmental variations and impacts. The vegetation cover plays an important role in prevention of erosion and contamination processes in those areas. An ongoing extensive research effort in the Petrochemical Complex of Duque de Caxias, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil, focuses on the man-induced cha...

  7. Distribution, Source, and Ecological Risk Assessment of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Surface Sediment of Liaodong Bay, Northeast China

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Shuang; Tao, Ping; Li, Yuxia; Guo, Qi; Zhang, Yan; Wang, Man; Jia, Hongliang; Shao, Mihua

    2018-01-01

    Sixteen polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were determined in surface sediments from Liaodong Bay, northeast China. The concentration levels of total PAHs (Σ16PAHs) in sediment were 11.0˜249.6 ng·g-1 dry weight (dw), with a mean value of 89.9 ng·g-1 dry weight (dw). From the point of the spatial distribution, high PAHs levels were found in the western areas of Liaodong Bay. In the paper, sources of PAHs were investigated by diagnostic ratios, which indicated that pyrogenic sources were the main sources of PAHs in the sediment of Liaodong Bay. Therefore, selected PAH levels in sediments were compared with Sediments Quality Guidelines (ERM-ERL indexes) for evaluation probable toxic effects on marine organism.

  8. [Personal experiences with induced abortions in private clinics in Northeast Brazil].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silveira, Paloma; McCallum, Cecilia; Menezes, Greice

    2016-02-01

    Based on a qualitative study conducted in 2012, the article analyzes middle-class individuals' experiences with induced abortions performed in private clinics. Thirty-four stories of induced abortions were narrated by 19 women and five men living in two state capitals in Northeast Brazil. Thematic analysis revealed differences in types of clinics and care provided by the physicians. The article shows that abortion in private clinics fails to guarantee safe or humane care. The narratives furnish descriptions of diverse situations and practices, ranging from flaws such as lack of information on medicines to others involving severe abuses like procedures performed without anesthesia. The article concludes that criminalization of abortion in Brazil allows clinics to operate with no state regulation; it does not prevent women from having abortions, but exposes them to total vulnerability and violation of human rights.

  9. Storm-driven sediment transport in Massachusetts Bay

    Science.gov (United States)

    Warner, J.C.; Butman, B.; Dalyander, P.S.

    2008-01-01

    Massachusetts Bay is a semi-enclosed embayment in the western Gulf of Maine about 50 km wide and 100 km long. Bottom sediment resuspension is controlled predominately by storm-induced surface waves and transport by the tidal- and wind-driven circulation. Because the Bay is open to the northeast, winds from the northeast ('Northeasters') generate the largest surface waves and are thus the most effective in resuspending sediments. The three-dimensional oceanographic circulation model Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS) is used to explore the resuspension, transport, and deposition of sediment caused by Northeasters. The model transports multiple sediment classes and tracks the evolution of a multilevel sediment bed. The surficial sediment characteristics of the bed are coupled to one of several bottom-boundary layer modules that calculate enhanced bottom roughness due to wave-current interaction. The wave field is calculated from the model Simulating WAves Nearshore (SWAN). Two idealized simulations were carried out to explore the effects of Northeasters on the transport and fate of sediments. In one simulation, an initially spatially uniform bed of mixed sediments exposed to a series of Northeasters evolved to a pattern similar to the existing surficial sediment distribution. A second set of simulations explored sediment-transport pathways caused by storms with winds from the northeast quadrant by simulating release of sediment at selected locations. Storms with winds from the north cause transport southward along the western shore of Massachusetts Bay, while storms with winds from the east and southeast drive northerly nearshore flow. The simulations show that Northeasters can effectively transport sediments from Boston Harbor and the area offshore of the harbor to the southeast into Cape Cod Bay and offshore into Stellwagen Basin. This transport pattern is consistent with Boston Harbor as the source of silver found in the surficial sediments of Cape Cod Bay and

  10. Determination of thermotolerant coliforms present in coconut water produced and bottled in the Northeast of Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vandbergue Santos Pereira

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Coconut water is considered to be a natural isotonic drink and its marketing is gradually increasing. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the microbiological quality of the coconut water produced and bottled in the Northeast of Brazil. Products form ten industries from different states in the Northeast of Brazil were analyzed. The most probable number (MPN method was used to quantify the coliforms. Samples showing positive for coliforms were seeded on ChromAgar Orient plates and the bacteria identified from isolated colonies using the automated system Vitek 2 (BioMérieux, according to the manufacturer's instructions for the preparation of the inoculum, incubation, reading and interpretation. The samples showed thermotolerant coliform counts between 6.0×102 and 2.6×104 MPN/100 mL. The presence of Klebsiella pneumoniae, Morganella morganii and Providencia alcalifaciens was observed. The implementation of preventive methods and monitoring of the water quality by the industries is required.

  11. Assessing the potential role of concentrated solar power (CSP) for the northeast power system of Brazil using a detailed power system model

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fichter, Tobias; Soria, Rafael; Szklo, Alexandre; Schaeffer, Roberto; Lucena, Andre F.P.

    2017-01-01

    One of the technologies that stand out as an alternative to provide additional flexibility to power systems with large penetration of variable renewable energy (VRE), especially for regions with high direct normal irradiation (DNI), is concentrated solar power (CSP) plants coupled to thermal energy storage (TES) and back-up (BUS) systems. Brazil can develop this technology domestically, especially in its Northeast region, where most of VRE capacity is being deployed and where lies most of the CSP potential of the country. This work applies the Capacity Expansion Model REMix-CEM, which allows considering dispatch constraints of thermal power plants in long-term capacity expansion optimization. REMix-CEM calculates the optimal CSP plant configuration and its dispatch strategy from a central planning perspective. Results showed that the hybridization of CSP plants with jurema-preta biomass (CSP-BIO) becomes a least-cost option for Brazil by 2040. CSP-BIO contributes to the Northeast power system by regularizing the energy imbalance that results from the large-scale VRE expansion along with conventional inflexible power plants. CSP-BIO plants are able to increase frequency response and operational reserve services and can provide the required additional flexibility that the Northeast power system of Brazil will require into the future. - Highlights: • Concentrating solar power (CSP) plants provide flexibility to power systems. • CSP configuration is optimized endogenously during capacity expansion optimization. • CSP hybridized with biomass supports grid-integration of variable renewable energy. • CSP become the least-cost option for the Northeast power system of Brazil by 2040.

  12. Northeast project/CNEN

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Alves, R.N.; Ribeiro, G.F.; Lima, J.O.V.; Dornelles, G.H.; Laborne, J.J.; Sakamoto, L.H.; Lemos Junior, O.F.

    1987-10-01

    The subprojects from the Northeast/CNEN project, that aims to disseminate the benefits of nuclear energy are described. Those subprojects are the following: food conservation, energy, health, hydric resources, mineral and agriculture, all of them have as goal to improve the socio-economical conditions of the northeast population in Brazil. (E.G.) [pt

  13. Change of "Habitus": The Young People and the Free Public University in Northeast of Brazil

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bandeira de Melo, Patricia; Romani Campos, Luís Henrique; Zarias, Alexandre; Gonçalves Ferreira, Suzy Luna Nobre

    2016-01-01

    This paper explores the results of the research "A interiorização recente das Instituições públicas e gratuitas de ensino superior no Nordeste: efeitos e mudanças" [The recent implementation of new federal universities in the Northeast of Brazil: effects and changes], performed by the Joaquim Nabuco Foundation. One of its main mottos is…

  14. Phylogeographic implications for release of critically endangered manatee calves rescued in Northeast Brazil

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luna, Fábia O.; Bonde, Robert K.; Attademo, Fernanda L.N.; Saunders, Jonathan W.; Meigs-Friend, Gaia; Passavante, José Zanon O.; Hunter, Margaret E.

    2012-01-01

    1. The Antillean manatee (Trichechus manatus manatus), a subspecies of the West Indian manatee, is a large-bodied marine mammal found in fresh, brackish, and marine habitats throughout the Caribbean Islands and Central and South America. Antillean manatees in Brazil are classified as critically endangered, with a census size of approximately 500 individuals. The population in the Northeast region of Brazil is suspected to have approximately 300 manatees and is threatened by habitat alteration and incidental entanglement in fishing gear. 2. A high incidence of dependent calf strandings have been identified near areas of altered critical manatee habitat. The majority of the calves are neonates, discovered alive, with no potential mothers nearby. These calves typically require human intervention to survive.

  15. Phenotypic characterization and ecological features of Coccidioides spp. from Northeast Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cordeiro, R A; Brilhante, R S N; Rocha, M F G; Fechine, M A B; Camara, L M C; Camargo, Z P; Sidrim, J J C

    2006-11-01

    This study extends phenotypic and ecological knowledge of Coccidioides spp., by describing its recovery from soils of Ceará State (Northeast Brazil) and analyzing the in vitro features of the growth of its vegetative phase. Following a human coccidioidomycosis case, Coccidioides spp. strains were isolated from 3 of 14 soil samples collected in an armadillo's burrow. Mycological analysis showed colonies with glabrous, velvety or cottony texture and an increasing quantity of arthroconidia. The overall growth rates of the strains were slower in 8% NaCl medium, maximum growth rate was obtained at 30 degrees C, and their pH tolerance ranged from 4.0 to 11.0. Several carbohydrates and polyalcohol sources could be efficiently metabolized by Coccidioides spp. strains in the mycelial form. Total absence of growth was observed in media supplemented with either L-aspartic acid or L-histidine. Whereas intense growth was found when strains were incubated with any other aminoacid sources studied. Coccidioides spp. strains did not grow in the presence of Tween 60 and Tween 80, but exhibited intense growth in Tween 20. Nicotinic acid and the toxic compounds caffeic acid and phenol could not be metabolized by any strain. All of the strains were positive for urease production and displayed intense growth in media containing cycloheximide concentrations ranging from 0.01 and 0.05%, but did not grow at 0.1 and 0.2%. The present findings confirm the importance of armadillos burrows in the ecology of Coccidioides spp. in Northeast Brazil and indicate that the fungus is a very physiologically versatile organism.

  16. Calculation of economic viability of alternative energy sources considering its environmental costs for small communities of Northeast Brazil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stecher, Luiza Chourkalo

    2014-01-01

    There has been an increasing concern about current environmental issues caused by human activity, as the world searches for development. The production of electricity is an extremely relevant factor in this scenario since it is responsible for a large portion of the emissions that cause the greenhouse effect. Due to this fact, a sustainable development with alternative energy sources, which are attractive for such purpose, must be proposed, especially in places that are not supplied by the conventional electricity grid such as many communities in the Northeast Brazil. This work aims to calculate the environmental cost for the alternative sources of energy - solar, wind and biomass - during electricity generation, and to estimate the economic feasibility of those sources in small communities of Northeast Brazil, considering the avoided costs. The externalities must be properly identified and valued so the costs or benefits can be internalized and reflect accurately the economic feasibility or infeasibility of those sources. For this, the method of avoided costs was adopted for the calculation of externalities. This variable was included in the equation developed for all considered alternative energy sources. The calculations of economic feasibility were performed taking the new configurations in consideration, and the new equation was reprogrammed in the Programa de Calculo de Custos de Energias Alternativas, Solar, Eolica e Biomassa (PEASEB). The results demonstrated that the solar photovoltaic energy in isolated systems is the most feasible and broadly applicable source for small communities of Northeast Brazil. (author)

  17. In vitro activities of caspofungin, amphotericin B and azoles against Coccidioides posadasii strains from Northeast, Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cordeiro, R A; Brilhante, R S N; Rocha, M F G; Fechine, M A B; Costa, A K F; Camargo, Z P; Sidrim, J J C

    2006-01-01

    Coccidioidomycosis is a systemic infection caused by the soil-dwelling dimorphic fungi Coccidioides spp. The disease is endemic in semiarid Northeast Brazil, where it is caused by C. posadasii. The aim of this study was to perform antifungal susceptibility tests of clinical and environmental strains of C. posadasii from Northeast Brazil. The in vitro activities of caspofungin, amphotericin B and azoles against clinical and environment isolates of C. posadasii were determined in accordance with the NCLLS M-38P macrodilution method. The antifungal susceptibility analysis showed that all the strains of C. posadasii (n = 10) were sensitive to caspofungin (16 microg/ml < or = MIC < or = 32 microg/ml), amphotericin B (0.0625 mug/ml < or = MIC < or = 0.125 microg/ml), ketoconazole (0.039 microg/ml < or = MIC < or = 0.156 microg/ml), itraconazole (0.125 microg/ml < or = MIC < or = 0.5 microg/ml), fluconazole (3.125 microg/ml < or = MIC < or = 6.25 microg/ml), and voriconazole (0.125 microg/ml). This study is the first description of in vitro antifungal susceptibility pattern of Brazilian strains of C. posadasii.

  18. Lifecourse Adversity and Telomere Length in Older Women from Northeast Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oliveira, Bruna Silva; Zunzunegui, Maria Victoria; Quinlan, Jacklyn; Batistuzzo de Medeiros, Silvia Regina; Thomasini, Ronaldo Luis; Guerra, Ricardo Oliveira

    2017-06-19

    We examined associations between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and shorter telomere length (TL) in 83 older women, including 42 women with less than secondary education and 41 with secondary or more education in a city of Northeast Brazil, a region with substantial socioeconomic inequalities. The low education sample was selected from a representative survey at local neighborhood health centers, while the high education group consisted of a convenience sample recruited by advertising in community centers and centers affiliated with the local university. Relative leukocyte TL was measured by quantitative polymerase chain reaction from blood samples. ACEs were self-reported. Spline linear regression was fitted to assess the strength of the associations between ACEs and TL. Among women with low education, median TL was 1.02 compared with 0.64 in the high education group (p = 0.0001). Natural log-transformed T/S ratio as the dependent variable was used in analysis. Women with low education had been exposed to more ACEs, and among them those experiencing two or more ACEs had longer TL than women exposed to ≤1 ACEs (p = 0.03); among women with high education, this difference was not significant (p = 0.49). In analyses adjusted by age, education, and parental abuse of alcohol, the linear trend of higher TL with increasing ACEs was confirmed (p = 0.02), and the mean difference in TL between groups remained significant (p = 0.002). The unexpected positive relationship between low education and ACEs with TL suggests that older adults who have survived harsh conditions prevailing in Northeast Brazil have the longest TL of their birth cohort.

  19. Antioxidant Activity of a Geopropolis from Northeast Brazil: Chemical Characterization and Likely Botanical Origin

    OpenAIRE

    Ferreira, Joselena M.; Fernandes-Silva, Caroline C.; Salatino, Antonio; Message, Dejair; Negri, Giuseppina

    2017-01-01

    Geopropolis is a product containing wax, plant resin, and soil particles. It is elaborated by stingless bees of tribe Meliponini. Methanol extracts of sample of geopropolis produced by Scaptotrigona postica (“mandaguari”) in the state of Rio Grande do Norte (RN, northeast Brazil) were analyzed for the determination of standard parameters (total phenols, total flavonoids, and radical scavenging activity) and chemical characterization by HPLC-DAD-MS/MS analysis. The sample analyzed has high con...

  20. Health work: portrait of community workers in the Northeast region of Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simas, Paloma Ribeiro Pires; Pinto, Isabela Cardoso de Matos

    2017-06-01

    The aim of this study was to characterize the profile of community health workers in northeastern Brazil and aspects related to the management of their work. This is a cross-sectional study, which included 535 community agents who were distributed in 107 primary health units in northeastern Brazil. The data were extracted from eight blocks of questions related to the community agents' perceptions about social-demographic, economic and political factors; their contracts and remuneration; their evaluation as workers; their working conditions and their training. The results indicate that the majority of community agents in the northeast region were hired by direct administration. The main form of hiring community agents was by public exam, followed by public selection. Direct administration is the main form of hiring; however, new modalities, such as the public and private law foundations, social organizations, and inter-municipal consortiums are alternatives that have been adopted by managers which can produce a number of weaknesses due to flexible labor relations.

  1. A new species of Nassarius (Gastropoda, Nassariidae from Canopus Bank, off Northeast Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniel Abbate

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Nassarius levis sp. nov. is described from Canopus Bank, off Ceará, Northeast Brazil, based on shell morphology. It differs from other Brazilian species of the genus in having a more elongate shell, with a weakly developed parietal shield and a notably smooth surface. This last trait has not yet been described among the Western Atlantic Nassarius, but it is common to other congeners from the Eastern Atlantic, such as Nassarius elatus (Gould, 1845 and the Indo-Pacific, such as Nassarius excellens (Kuroda & Habe, 1961.

  2. Oil spill aftermath : temporal evaluation of hydrocarbon sources in Guanabara Bay, Brazil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Meniconi, M.F.G.; Massone, C.G.; Scofield, A.L.; Junior, V.J.F.

    2005-01-01

    The sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in environmental ecosystems are both natural and anthropogenic. PAHs interact with different types of environmental compartments and are subject to processes that lead to geochemical fates such as physical-chemical transformation, biodegradation and photo-oxidation. This study examined the sources of PAHs in the estuarine sediment of Guanabara Bay, Brazil following an accidental oil spill from an oil refinery in January 2000. The main portion of the oil was carried by tidal currents and wind. It spread over the water and reached islands and shorelines at the north part of the bay. The objective of this study was to determine the likely sources of hydrocarbons in the bay where untreated municipal sewage and industrial wastes are also dumped. Sediment samples were collected using cores and dredges from the intertidal and subtidal regions of the bay, reflecting both affected and unaffected areas. This paper summarized the results of 16 EPA priority PAH and their alkylated homologues from 21 sediment samples collected in the bay 10 days after the oil spill, immediately after the clean up effort, and then 3 years later. The hydrocarbon source was determined using PAH ratios for the samples studied. The highest PAH concentration was observed in 2000 as a result of the petrogenic and pyrolytic contribution to the sediments. 38 refs., 3 tabs., 9 figs

  3. Microbiological quality of drinking rainwater in the inland region of Pajeú, Pernambuco, Northeast Brazil

    OpenAIRE

    Xavier, Rogério Pereira; Siqueira, Leonardo Pereira; Vital, Fernando Antonio Chaves; Rocha, Francisca Janaina Soares; Irmão, João Inácio; Calazans, Glícia Maria Torres

    2011-01-01

    Despite all efforts to store and reduce its consumption, water is becoming less inexhaustible and its quality is falling faster. Considering that water is essential to animal life, it is necessary to adopt measures to ensure its sanitary conditions in order to be fit for consumption. The aim of this study was to analyze the microbiological quality of drinking rainwater used by rural communities of Tuparetama, a small town located in Northeast Brazil. The study covered seven rural communities,...

  4. Ethnotaxonomical considerations and usage of ichthyofauna in a fishing community in Cear? State, Northeast Brazil

    OpenAIRE

    Pinto, M?rcia Freire; Mour?o, Jos? da Silva; Alves, R?mulo Romeu N?brega

    2013-01-01

    Background Artisanal fishery is one of the most important economic activities for human populations living in coastal areas. The traditional knowledge that fishermen have of fishes is of utmost importance for the establishment of conservation strategies for many species. This study aimed to analyse the knowledge of and utilization of fishes by the artisanal fishermen in a fishing community on the coast of Cear? State (Northeast Brazil). Methods In 2011, a number of semi-structured interviews ...

  5. ["Prisms of Perception": multiple readings of mass media health messages in Northeast Brazil].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Diógenes, Kátia Castelo Branco Machado; Nations, Marilyn

    2011-12-01

    This anthropological study from February 2009 to November 2010 revealed the comprehension and cultural critique of three mass media health campaigns in Northeast Brazil. Twenty-four ethnographic interviews were conducted, exploring the iconographic and semantic content of the campaigns in the Dendê community in Fortaleza, Ceará State, Brazil. The authors used Content Analysis; Systems of Signs, Significance, and Actions; and Contextualized Semantic Interpretation. There is a gap between the elaboration and reception of messages. Multiple interpretations occur (proximal reading, kaleidoscope of comprehension, and distant reading), depending on the reader's cognitive proximity to (or detachment from) the message. This "perceptual plasticity" arises from the creativity of popular imagination. Health professionals who hear rather than dismiss the "recipient's" subjective voice, which re-signifies authoritative messages, can penetrate the perception of the recipient's "visual world". In the context of poverty, this re-framing is essential for people to comprehend and proactively defend their own health.

  6. Mycobacterium leprae in six-banded (Euphractus sexcinctus) and nine-banded armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus) in Northeast Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frota, Cristiane Cunha; Lima, Luana Nepomuceno Costa; Rocha, Adalgiza da Silva; Suffys, Philip Noel; Rolim, Benedito Neilson; Rodrigues, Laura Cunha; Barreto, Maurício Lima; Kendall, Carl; Kerr, Ligia Regina Sansigolo

    2012-12-01

    Human beings are the main reservoir of the causative agent of leprosy, Mycobacterium leprae. In the Americas, nine-banded armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus) also act as a reservoir for the bacillus. In the state of Ceará (CE), which is located in Northeast Brazil and is an endemic area of leprosy, there are several species of armadillos, including D. novemcinctus and Euphractus sexcinctus (six-banded armadillo). Contact between humans and armadillos occur mainly through hunting, cleaning, preparing, cooking and eating. This study identified M. leprae DNA in the two main species of armadillos found in Northeast Brazil. A total of 29 wild armadillos (27 D. novemcinctus and 2 E. sexcinctus) were captured in different environments of CE countryside. Samples from the ear, nose, liver and spleen from each of these animals were tested by a nested M. leprae-specific repetitive element polymerase chain reaction assay. The samples that tested positive were confirmed by DNA sequencing. M. leprae was detected in 21% (6/29) of the animals, including five D. novemcinctus and one E. sexcinctus. This is the first Brazilian study to identify the presence of a biomarker of M. leprae in wild armadillos (D. novemcinctus and E. sexcinctus) in a leprosy hyperendemic area where there is continuous contact between humans and armadillos.

  7. Mycobacterium leprae in six-banded (Euphractus sexcinctus and nine-banded armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus in Northeast Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cristiane Cunha Frota

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available Human beings are the main reservoir of the causative agent of leprosy, Mycobacterium leprae. In the Americas, nine-banded armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus also act as a reservoir for the bacillus. In the state of Ceará (CE, which is located in Northeast Brazil and is an endemic area of leprosy, there are several species of armadillos, including D. novemcinctus and Euphractus sexcinctus (six-banded armadillo. Contact between humans and armadillos occur mainly through hunting, cleaning, preparing, cooking and eating. This study identified M. leprae DNA in the two main species of armadillos found in Northeast Brazil. A total of 29 wild armadillos (27 D. novemcinctus and 2 E. sexcinctus were captured in different environments of CE countryside. Samples from the ear, nose, liver and spleen from each of these animals were tested by a nested M. leprae-specific repetitive element polymerase chain reaction assay. The samples that tested positive were confirmed by DNA sequencing. M. leprae was detected in 21% (6/29 of the animals, including five D. novemcinctus and one E. sexcinctus. This is the first Brazilian study to identify the presence of a biomarker of M. leprae in wild armadillos (D. novemcinctus and E. sexcinctus in a leprosy hyperendemic area where there is continuous contact between humans and armadillos.

  8. Identification and molecular characterization of Van A-type vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis in Northeast of Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marinalda Anselmo Vilela

    2006-11-01

    Full Text Available The isolation of vancomycin resistant enterococci (VRE in Brazil has rapidly increased, following the world wide tendency. We report in the present study the first isolation of vancomycin resistant Enterococcus faecalis (VRE in the Northeast of Brazil. The four VRE isolates were characterized for antimicrobial susceptibility, genotypic typing by macro restriction of chromosomal DNA followed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and for characterization of the Tn1546-like element and plasmid contents. The isolates showed resistance to multiple antibiotics and a single genotype profile, suggesting the dissemination of a single clone among the patients. Tn1546 associated to genetic elements as plasmids shows the importance of infection control measures to avoid the spreading of glycopetide resistance by conjugative transfer of VanA elements.

  9. Equine infectious anemia prevalence in feral donkeys from Northeast Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oliveira, Fernanda G; Cook, R Frank; Naves, João H F; Oliveira, Cairo H S; Diniz, Rejane S; Freitas, Francisco J C; Lima, Joseney M; Sakamoto, Sidnei M; Leite, Rômulo C; Issel, Charles J; Reis, Jenner K P

    2017-05-01

    Equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) is an important cause of morbidity and mortality throughout the world. Although the virus infects all members of the Equidae the vast majority of studies have been conducted in horses (Equus caballus) with comparatively little information available for other equid species. Brazil has one of the most abundant donkey (E. asinus) populations of any nation although the economic importance of these animals is declining as transportation becomes increasingly mechanized. As a result, considerable numbers of donkeys especially in the Northeast of the country have been released and allowed pursue an almost feral existence. Consequently, this large and growing population constitutes a significant risk as a reservoir for the maintenance and transmission of important equine infectious diseases such as glanders and equine arteritis virus in addition to EIAV. This study examines the prevalence of EIA in a semi-wild donkey population from Mossoró city, in Northeast Brazil, using AGID followed by cELISA, rgp90 ELISA and immunoblot (IB). Serum samples were collected from 367 donkeys without obvious EIA clinical signs. Subsequent testing revealed seropositive rates of 1.6% (6/367) in officially approved AGID tests, 3.3% (12/367) in cELISA and 14.4% (53/367) in the rgp90 ELISA. However, 88.7% (47/53) of the rgp90 ELISA positive samples were almost certainly false reactions because they failed to react with two or more antigens in IB. Consequently, the rpg90 ELISA has a similar sensitivity to AGID with donkey serum samples. Such high false positive rates have not been observed previously with serum samples from horses. Another highly significant finding is that 56.9% (33/58) of the donkey serum samples tested in IB had reactivity to EIAV p26 only. Although this could result from recent infection with the virus, it has been found that in some equids p26 only reactivity persists for extensive periods of time suggesting exposure to antigens

  10. Synopsis of the plants known as medicinal and poisonous in Northeast of Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria de Fátima Agra

    Full Text Available The objective of this work is a survey of the species of plants and their alleged therapeutic uses which are utilized in Northeast region of Brazil. The area of this study is well known for its rich diversity of species of plants and habitats, which range from rainforest, atlantic forest, coastal dunes systems and mangroves, to dry forests and savannas. A total of 483 species belonging to 79 families along with their ethnomedicinal information have been recorded. This study aims at emphasizing the greatest importance of investigating those species of plants which have not been the subject of any pharmacological study, although their popular uses have been reported.

  11. Water budget of a dam in the semi-arid northeast of Brazil based on oxygen-18 and chlorine contents

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stolf, R.; Salati, E.; Menezes Leal, J. de; Fritz, P.

    1979-01-01

    The water balance of an artificial reservoir in the northeast of Brazil is derived by using the variations of oxygen isotopes and chlorine contents. With these two methods, the water losses through subsurface outflow are estimated at 20-40%. A more accurate evaluation would require an investigation of the variability of the relative humidity of the atmosphere. (author)

  12. Twelve years of coccidioidomycosis in Ceará State, Northeast Brazil: epidemiologic and diagnostic aspects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cordeiro, Rossana de Aguiar; Brilhante, Raimunda Sâmia Nogueira; Rocha, Marcos Fábio Gadelha; Bandeira, Silviane Praciano; Fechine, Maria Auxiliadora Bezerra; de Camargo, Zoilo Pires; Sidrim, José Júlio Costa

    2010-01-01

    Coccidioidomycosis is an endemic infection in the Americas caused by the dimorphic fungi Coccidioides immitis and Coccidioides posadasii. Although the disease occurs in Brazil in sporadic form, little information about these cases is available. In this study, we summarize the most important clinical, epidemiologic, and diagnostic features of coccidioidomycosis in Ceará State (Northeast Brazil) during the past 12 years. In this period, 19 cases of coccidioidomycosis were diagnosed. All the patients were young males and came from semiarid areas of the state. The majority of cases were associated to armadillo hunting, and pulmonary disease was the most common clinical presentation. In our laboratory, coccidioidomycosis was confirmed by culture, serology, and polymerase chain reaction tests, which together were very suitable for the diagnosis of this disease. Based on our local experience, we believe many cases of this disease are misdiagnosed or not diagnosed in our region. Therefore, some strategies for improvement of diagnosis should be encouraged by local authorities.

  13. Large-scale circulation departures related to wet episodes in northeast Brazil

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sikdar, D. N.; Elsner, J. B.

    1985-01-01

    Large scale circulation features are presented as related to wet spells over northeast Brazil (Nordeste) during the rainy season (March and April) of 1979. The rainy season season is devided into dry and wet periods, the FGGE and geostationary satellite data was averaged and mean and departure fields of basic variables and cloudiness were studied. Analysis of seasonal mean circulation features show: lowest sea level easterlies beneath upper level westerlies; weak meridional winds; high relative humidity over the Amazon basin and relatively dry conditions over the South Atlantic Ocean. A fluctuation was found in the large scale circulation features on time scales of a few weeks or so over Nordeste and the South Atlantic sector. Even the subtropical High SLP's have large departures during wet episodes, implying a short period oscillation in the Southern Hemisphere Hadley circulation.

  14. Status of the globally threatened forest birds of northeast Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Glauco Alves Pereira

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The Atlantic Forest of northeast Brazil hosts a unique biota which is among the most threatened in the Neotropics. Near-total conversion of forest habitat to sugar cane monocultures has left the region's endemic forest-dependent avifauna marooned in a few highly-fragmented and degraded forest remnants. Here we summarise the current status of 16 globally threatened species based on surveys conducted over the last 11 years. We found a bleak situation for most of these species and consider that three endemics: Glaucidium mooreorum (Pernambuco Pygmy-owl, Cichlocolaptes mazarbarnetti (Cryptic Treehunter and Philydor novaesi (Alagoas Foliage-gleaner are most likely globally extinct. Some positive news can, however, be reported for both Leptodon forbesi (White-collared Kite and Synallaxis infuscata (Pinto's Spinetail which may warrant re-evaluation of their respective red list statuses. We outline a road map to prioritise conservation interventions in the region directed at preventing the extinction of this suite of threatened bird species and their companion biota.

  15. Primary health care lessons from the northeast of Brazil: the Agentes de Saúde Program.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cufino Svitone, E; Garfield, R; Vasconcelos, M I; Araujo Craveiro, V

    2000-05-01

    Market-led economic reforms are usually viewed as being in conflict with government-stimulated socioeconomic development for disadvantaged groups. Nevertheless, Ceará, a poor state in the Northeast of Brazil, has since 1987 pursued both of those strategies simultaneously. One part of that approach has been a program of nurse-directed auxiliary health workers serving about 5 million people--almost all the persons outside the capital city and half of those in the capital. The system requires that the auxiliaries, called agentes de saúde, live in the local communities that they serve. The health agents visit each home once a month to carry out a small number of priority health activities. While health agent positions are in high demand, the minimum-wage salary that the agents receive makes up only a small portion of the state budget. A key aspect of the system is timely and comprehensive information, which is based on agent visits and is managed by trained nurses. Since the health agents system was launched, there has been a rapid decline in infant mortality, a rapid rise in immunization, identification of bottlenecks limiting the utilization of other medical resources, and timely interventions in times of crisis. The health agents system has combined administrative decentralization with financial centralization during a period of electoral democratization. The system has strengthened Ceará's commitment to primary care even as market-oriented changes have reduced the overall role of government. The Ceará program is being copied throughout the Northeast and other regions of Brazil. The key role that nurses play in the Ceará program in organizing and leading a system of basic primary care in poor neighborhoods and rural areas may provide useful lessons for other countries. In addition, Ceará does not have many of the favorable characteristics of other countries that have successfully invested in primary health care. Ceará thus represents a more achievable model

  16. Characterization of biomasses from the north and northeast regions of Brazil for processes in biorefineries

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Magale Karine Diel RAMBO

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available AbstractIn search for renewable energy sources, the Brazilian residual biomasses stand out due to their favorable physical and chemical properties, low cost, and their being less pollutant. Therefore, they are likely to be used in biorefineries in the production of chemical inputs to substitute fossil fuels. This substitution is possible due to the high contents of carbohydrates (>40%, low contents of extractives (<20%, ashes (<8% and moisture (<8% found in these residual biomasses. High calorific values of all residues also offer them the chance to be used in combustion. A principal components analysis (PCA was performed for better understanding of the samples and their hysic-chemical properties. Thus, this study aimed to characterize biomasses from the north (babassu residues, such as mesocarp and endocarp; pequi and Brazil nut and northeast (agave and coconut regions of Brazil, in order to contribute to the preservation of the environment and strengthen the economy of the region.

  17. Parasites infecting the cultured oyster Crassostrea gasar (Adanson, 1757) in Northeast Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Queiroga, Fernando Ramos; Vianna, Rogério Tubino; Vieira, Cairé Barreto; Farias, Natanael Dantas; Da Silva, Patricia Mirella

    2015-05-01

    The oyster Crassostrea gasar is a species widely used as food and a source of income for the local population of the estuaries of Northeast Brazil. Perkinsus marinus and Perkinsus olseni are deleterious parasites for oyster farming and were recently detected in Brazil. In this study, a histopathologic survey of the oyster C. gasar cultured in the estuary of the River Mamanguape (Paraíba State) was performed. Adult oysters were collected in December 2011 and March, May, August and October 2012 and processed for histology and Perkinsus sp. identification by molecular analyses. Histopathological analysis revealed the presence of parasitic organisms including viral gametocytic hypertrophy, prokaryote-like colonies, protozoans (Perkinsus sp. and Nematopsis sp.) and metazoans (Tylocephalum sp. and cestodes). Other commensal organisms were also detected (the protozoan Ancistrocoma sp. and the turbellarian Urastoma sp.). The protozoan parasite Perkinsus sp. had the highest overall prevalence among the symbiotic organisms studied (48.9%), followed by Nematopsis sp. (36.3%). The other organisms were only sporadically observed. Only the protozoan Perkinsus sp. caused alterations in the oysters' infected organs. Molecular analyses confirmed the presence of P. marinus, P. olseni and Perkinsus beihaiensis infecting the oyster C. gasar. This is the first report of P. beihaiensis in this oyster species.

  18. Soil microbial biomass in an agroforestry system of Northeast Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rosane C. Rodrigues

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Agroforestry systems (AFS are considered alternative land use options to help prevent soil degradation and improve soil microbial biomass and organic C status. However, it is unclear how different densities of babassu palm [Attalea speciosa (syn. Orbignya phalerata], which is an important tree in Northeast Brazil, affect the soil microbial biomass. We investigated the soil microbial biomass C and activity under AFS with different densities of babassu palm associated with Brachiaria brizantha grass. Soil microbial biomass C (MBC, soil microbial biomass N (MBN, MBC:total organic C ratio, fluorescein diacetate hydrolysis and dehydrogenase activity showed highest values in plots with high density of babassu palm. On the other hand, the respiratory quotient (qCO2 was significantly greater in plots without babassu palm. Brachiaria brizantha in monoculture may promote C losses from the soil, but AFS with high density of babassu palm may increase the potential of soils to accumulate C.Keywords: Enzyme activity, tropical soil, babassu palm, silvopastoral system, soil quality.DOI: 10.17138/TGFT(341-48

  19. Large-scale circulation departures related to wet episodes in north-east Brazil

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sikdar, Dhirendra N.; Elsner, James B.

    1987-01-01

    Large scale circulation features are presented as related to wet spells over northeast Brazil (Nordeste) during the rainy season (March and April) of 1979. The rainy season is divided into dry and wet periods; the FGGE and geostationary satellite data was averaged; and mean and departure fields of basic variables and cloudiness were studied. Analysis of seasonal mean circulation features show: lowest sea level easterlies beneath upper level westerlies; weak meridional winds; high relative humidity over the Amazon basin and relatively dry conditions over the South Atlantic Ocean. A fluctuation was found in the large scale circulation features on time scales of a few weeks or so over Nordeste and the South Atlantic sector. Even the subtropical High SLPs have large departures during wet episodes, implying a short period oscillation in the Southern Hemisphere Hadley circulation.

  20. Agaricomycetes in low land and montane Atlantic Rain Forest in Northeast Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tatiana Gibertoni

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available The Atlantic Rain Forest represents a group of extra-amazonic forests, among which the coastal and montane (“brejos de altitude” are the most common in Northeast Brazil. Between 2011 and 2013, 110 field trips were performed in nine reserves in the domain of the Atlantic Rain Forest. Two thousand two hundred sixty three Agaricomycetes were collected and represented 271 species, among which several new species to science, new occurrences to the continent, country, region, biome and States were found. Besides recently collected material, 309 exsiccates of Agaricomycetes deposited in the Herbarium URM were revised and represented 38 species, among which several new occurrences to the region and States. The results indicate the importance of the constant inventories and also of revisions of material deposited in herbaria as tools to improve the knowledge about the Brazilian micota.

  1. A novel approach for characterization of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) pollution patterns in sediments from Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Christensen, Jan H.; Tomasi, Giorgio; Scofield, Arthur de Lemos; Meniconi, Maria de Fatima Guadalupe

    2010-01-01

    A novel multivariate method based on principal component analysis of pre-processed sections of chromatograms is used to characterize the complex PAH pollution patterns in sediments from Guanabara Bay, Brazil. Five distinct sources of 3- to 6-ring PAHs could be revealed. The harbour is the most contaminated site in the bay, its plume stretches in a South West to North East direction and the chemical profile indicates mainly pyrogenic sources mixed with a fraction of high-molecular-weight petrogenic PAHs. Rio Sao Joao de Meriti is the second largest source of PAHs, and introduces mainly a fraction of low-molecular-weight petrogenic PAHs from the western region of Rio de Janeiro. The sites close to the ruptured pipeline at the Duque de Caxias Refinery show a distinctive pollution pattern indicating a heavy petroleum fraction. The method also led to the identification of new potential indicator ratios also involving coeluting peaks (e.g., triphenylene and chrysene). - A novel multivariate method is used to characterize the complex PAH pollution patterns in sediments from Guanabara Bay, Brazil.

  2. Survey of medicinal plants used in the region Northeast of Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria de Fátima Agra

    Full Text Available This work has the objective a survey of the species of plants and their uses as medicinal, which are utilized for therapeutic purposes in Northeast region of Brazil. The area of study is recognized by a rich diversity of species of plants and habitats that ranges from Rainforest, Atlantic Forest, coastal dunes systems and mangroves, to dry forests and savannas. As results, a total of 650 species belonging to 407 genera and 111 families were recorded and also their ethnomedicinal information. The floristic diversity is dominated by higher plants and only five species belonging to the families Aspleniaceae, Cyatheaceae, Equisetaceae, Polypodiaceae and Selaginellaceae were reported belonging to the Ferns group, which correspond to less than 1 % of the total of the registered species. This study aims at emphasizing the greatest importance of investigation of those species that have not been subject of pharmacological study, although their popular uses have already been reported.

  3. Maternal near miss among women using the public health system in the Amazon and Northeast regions of Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cecatti, José G; Souza, Renato T; Pacagnella, Rodolfo C; Leal, Maria C; Moura, Erly C; Santos, Leonor M P

    2015-05-01

    To assess the prevalence of pregnancy complications identified as maternal near miss (MNM) and associated factors among women using the public health care system in the Amazon and Northeast regions of Brazil. A secondary analysis of a population-based survey conducted in 2010 was performed focusing on women self-reporting maternal complications. The main outcome was MNM, pragmatically defined as intensive care unit admission, eclampsia, hysterectomy, or blood transfusion. In addition, the risk of MNM was estimated for certain sociodemographics and characteristics of care received. Poisson regression was performed, generating adjusted prevalence ratios (PRadj) with 95% confidence intervals (95%CI). A total of 13 044 women (77%) who had given birth during the prior year using the public health system were interviewed. At least one complication was reported by 37.5%, with hemorrhage (28.4%) and infection (8.3%) being the most frequent. The overall MNM ratio was 31.5 per 1 000 live births, higher for the Amazon region than for the Northeast. Factors with a higher risk for developing MNM were: indigenous ethnicity (PRadj 2.77; 95% CI: 1.50-5.14), more than one hour to reach the hospital (PRadj 1.55; 95%CI: 1.06-2.25), being refused by a full hospital and having to find another one (PRadj 1.49; 95%CI: 1.03-2.16), cesarean section (PRadj 2.56; 95%CI: 1.90-3.44), and public prenatal care (PRadj 1.95; 95%CI: 1.06-3.61). Users of public health system in the Amazon and Northeast regions of Brazil have high MNM rates. Some characteristics of the women and of the care they received represent inequalities associated with higher risk for MNM. Specific actions are required to improve maternal health programs in these expansive areas of the country.

  4. Population biology and distribution of the portunid crab Callinectes ornatus (Decapoda: Brachyura) in an estuary-bay complex of southern Brazil

    OpenAIRE

    Timoteo T. Watanabe; Bruno S. Sant'Anna; Gustavo Y. Hattori; Fernando J. Zara

    2014-01-01

    Trawl fisheries are associated with catches of swimming crabs, which are an important economic resource for commercial as well for small-scale fisheries. This study evaluated the population biology and distribution of the swimming crab Callinectes ornatus (Ordway, 1863) in the Estuary-Bay of São Vicente, state of São Paulo, Brazil. Crabs were collected from a shrimp fishing boat equipped with a semi-balloon otter-trawl net, on eight transects (four in the estuary and four in the bay) from Mar...

  5. Evaluation of mercury, selenium and methylmercury in fish consumed by Santos Bay communities, Sao Paulo, Brazil

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Farias, Luciana A.; Favaro, Deborah I.T. [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil)]. E-mail: lufarias@usp.br; Azevedo, Juliana de S.; Braga, Elisabete S. [Sao Paulo Univ., SP (Brazil). Inst. Oceanografico. Lab. de Nutrientes, Micronutrientes e Tracos no Mar (LABNUT)]. E-mail: juliana@io.usp.br

    2005-07-01

    In the present study, mercury and selenium levels were evaluated in fish tissues and fish organs in the Santos Bay, Sao Paulo State, southeastern Brazil. Santos Bay waters are polluted by the large industrial complex of Cubatao. The estuary system filters part of this pollution before it reaches the Bay. Mercury and methylmercury determination were performed using Cold Vapor Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (CV-AAS) and selenium determination by Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA). Methodology validation for the determination of these elements was carried out by means of reference materials analyses. There was no significant correlation between mercury and selenium concentrations (n = 17, (r2 ) R2 = 0.3482, p = 0.1709) in Cathorops spixii (bagre amarelo)- Ariidae family and Centropomus sp. (robalo)- Centropomidae family livers. Mercury and methylmercury concentrations in muscle from carnivorous species: Ariidae Cathorops spixii (bagre amarelo), Scianidae Steliffer rastifer (cangoa) and Scianidae Paralonchurus brasiliensis (maria-luiza) were determined and discussed. Total mercury concentration in Ariidae Catharops spixii livers presented the highest Hg level (7.6 mg kg-1). Although the Santos Bay is less contaminated than the inner section of its estuary system (Cubatao), it presents signs of environmental impact. (author)

  6. Evaluation of mercury, selenium and methylmercury in fish consumed by Santos Bay communities, Sao Paulo, Brazil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Farias, Luciana A.; Favaro, Deborah I.T.; Azevedo, Juliana de S.; Braga, Elisabete S.

    2005-01-01

    In the present study, mercury and selenium levels were evaluated in fish tissues and fish organs in the Santos Bay, Sao Paulo State, southeastern Brazil. Santos Bay waters are polluted by the large industrial complex of Cubatao. The estuary system filters part of this pollution before it reaches the Bay. Mercury and methylmercury determination were performed using Cold Vapor Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (CV-AAS) and selenium determination by Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA). Methodology validation for the determination of these elements was carried out by means of reference materials analyses. There was no significant correlation between mercury and selenium concentrations (n = 17, (r2 ) R2 = 0.3482, p = 0.1709) in Cathorops spixii (bagre amarelo)- Ariidae family and Centropomus sp. (robalo)- Centropomidae family livers. Mercury and methylmercury concentrations in muscle from carnivorous species: Ariidae Cathorops spixii (bagre amarelo), Scianidae Steliffer rastifer (cangoa) and Scianidae Paralonchurus brasiliensis (maria-luiza) were determined and discussed. Total mercury concentration in Ariidae Catharops spixii livers presented the highest Hg level (7.6 mg kg-1). Although the Santos Bay is less contaminated than the inner section of its estuary system (Cubatao), it presents signs of environmental impact. (author)

  7. NUMERICAL MODELS AS TOOLS TO UNDERSTAND THE DYNAMICS IN BAYS: CASE OF STUDY CHETUMAL BAY, QUINTANA ROO

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    David Avalos-Cueva

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available In this study performed the simulation of currents generated by the wind on the Bay of Chetumal, Quintana Roo through the use of a stationary shallow-water model. A homogeneous climatic wind was used for the entire Bay, with a velocity of 3m·s-1 , and directions North, South, Northeast, Northwest, East, Southeast, Southwest and West. The results showed a rather complex dynamics in Chetumal Bay, in which important turns were observed in deep areas, with speeds reaching up to 13 cm·s-1 .

  8. Characterization of organic matter in sediment cores of the Todos os Santos Bay, Bahia, Brazil, by elemental analysis and 13C NMR

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Costa, A.B.; Novotny, E.H.; Bloise, A.C.; Azevedo, E.R. de; Bonagamba, T.J.; Zucchi, M.R.; Santos, V.L.C.S.; Azevedo, A.E.G.

    2011-01-01

    Highlights: → The impact of human activity on the sediments of Todos os Santos Bay in Brazil was evaluated by EA and 13 C NMR. → This article reports a study of six sediment cores collected at different depths and regions. → The elemental profiles of cores suggest an abrupt change in the sedimentation regime, corresponds to about 50 years ago, coinciding with the implantation of major onshore industrial projects. → The results presented illustrate several important aspects of environmental impact of human activity on this bay. - Abstract: The impact of human activity on the sediments of Todos os Santos Bay in Brazil was evaluated by elemental analysis and 13 C Nuclear Magnetic Resonance ( 13 C NMR). This article reports a study of six sediment cores collected at different depths and regions of Todos os Santos Bay. The elemental profiles of cores collected on the eastern side of Frades Island suggest an abrupt change in the sedimentation regime. Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) analysis corroborates this result. The range of depths of the cores corresponds to about 50 years ago, coinciding with the implantation of major onshore industrial projects in the region. Principal Component Analysis of the 13 C NMR spectra clearly differentiates sediment samples closer to the Subae estuary, which have high contents of terrestrial organic matter, from those closer to a local oil refinery. The results presented in this article illustrate several important aspects of environmental impact of human activity on this bay.

  9. Illuminance and global solar irradiation in Northeast Brazil; Iluminancia e irradiacao solar global na regiao Nordeste do Brasil

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Leal, Sergio da S.; Tiba, Chigueru [Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (DEN/UFPE), Recife, PE (Brazil). Dept. de Energia Nuclear], Emails: tiba@ufpe.br, chigueru.tiba@pesquisador.cnpq.br

    2006-07-01

    In Brazil and particularly in the Northeast of Brazil, illuminance measures are not part of routine meteorological station measures, and therefore they are still rare than solar irradiation measures. In this context, two stations were installed in Pernambuco: one in Recife (maritime tropical climate) in April 2003 and the other in Pesqueira (tropical and semi-arid) in September 2004 for carrying out simultaneous measurements of hourly solar irradiation and illuminance which permit the modeling and the statistic validation of the relationship between these two parameters and with this, makes possible the estimation of illuminance where there existed only information on solar irradiation. The Alados et al. model with local coefficients showed a superior statistical performance, producing a mean bias deviation in the order of 3% and 1% and root mean quadratic deviation of 10% and 3% respectively for Recife and Pesqueira (author)

  10. Oceanographic characteristics of an impacted coastal bay: Baía de Guanabara, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kjerfve, Björn; Ribeiro, Cesar H. A.; Dias, Gilberto T. M.; Filippo, Alessandro M.; Da Silva Quaresma, Valéria

    1997-11-01

    Baía de Guanabara is a 384 km 2 eutrophic coastal bay in Brazil, impacted by the polluted discharge from the Rio de Janeiro metropolitan area. The structurally controlled bay has a central channel with a depth of 30 m and a sandy bottom near the entrance, reflecting wave and tidal forcing. In contrast, the bay-averaged water depth is 5.7 m and the bottom sediments are mostly muds as a result of the Holocene transgression and rapid fluvial sedimentation, accelerated by channelization of rivers and deforestation. An extensive sand bank is located seaward of the bay entrance and a flood-oriented sand wave system indicates sand transport into the bay. The mean freshwater discharge measures 100±59 m 3 s -1 and is greatest in the rainy austral summer in December and January. Tides are mixed mainly semidiurnal with a range of 0.7 m, and peak spring tidal currents reach 0.5 m s -1 inside the bay and 1.6 m s -1 near the bay entrance. The passage of northward propagating polar fronts results in regular strong southwesterly winds and heavy wave forcing. The bay has mean salinities from 21.0 to 34.5‰ with an average of 29.5±4.8‰. The vertical salinity stratification, Δs/s, varies from 0.06 to 0.21 and is relatively weak and inversely proportional to rms tidal currents. The residual circulation is characterized by both gravitational circulation and transverse residual tidal circulation, measuring 800 and 400 m 3 s -1 respectively. The renewal time of 50% of the bay water volume is 11.4 days. Untreated sewage runoff enters the bay from the west, resulting in locally poor water quality, where the near-bottom mean dissolved oxygen measures only 3.1 mg 1 -1 and results in anoxic bottom muds. The worst water quality is indicated by average fecal coliform of 1140 counts ml -1 and excessive ammonia and phosphate loading. The average chlorophyll concentration in this region responds to the nutrient loading and exceeds 130 μg 1 -1 although 57 μg 1 -1 is the overall mean for

  11. The influence of oceanic basins on drought and ecosystem dynamics in Northeast Brazil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pereira, Marcos Paulo Santos; Justino, Flavio; Malhado, Ana Claudia Mendes; Barbosa, Humberto; Marengo, José

    2014-01-01

    The 2012 drought in Northeast Brazil was the harshest in decades, with potentially significant impacts on the vegetation of the unique semi-arid caatinga biome and on local livelihoods. Here, we use a coupled climate–vegetation model (CCM3-IBIS) to: (1) investigate the role of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans in the 2012 drought, and; (2) evaluate the response of the caatinga vegetation to the 2012 climate extreme. Our results indicate that anomalous sea surface temperatures (SSTs) in the Atlantic Ocean were the primary factor forcing the 2012 drought, with Pacific Ocean SST having a larger role in sustaining typical climatic conditions in the region. The drought strongly influenced net primary production in the caatinga, causing a reduction in annual net ecosystem exchange indicating a reduction in amount of CO 2 released to the atmosphere. (letter)

  12. Large-scale hydrological modelling in the semi-arid north-east of Brazil

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Guentner, A

    2002-09-01

    Semi-arid areas are characterized by small water resources. An increasing water demand due to population growth and economic development as well as a possible decreasing water availability in the course of climate change may aggravate water scarcity in future in these areas. The quantitative assessment of the water resources is a prerequisite for the development of sustainable measures of water management. For this task, hydrological models within a dynamic integrated framework are indispensable tools. The main objective of this study is to develop a hydrological model for the quantification of water availability over a large geographic domain of semi-arid environments. The study area is the Federal State of Ceara in the semi-arid north-east of Brazil. Surface water from reservoirs provides the largest part of water supply. The area has recurrently been affected by droughts which caused serious economic losses and social impacts like migration from the rural regions. (orig.)

  13. Risk of 222 Rn ingestion by water consumption in the phosphate rich of the Northeast of Brazil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Andrade Lima, Ricardo de

    1997-01-01

    Geological survey performed in the coastal region of the northeast of Brazil revealed the presence of uranium phosphate deposits in a land strip covering the Pernambuco-Bahia sedimentary basin. The water consumed by the local population crosses the phosphate area and presents higher tna normal concentration of uranium and its progeny. This work is aimed to determine the cancer risk, based on the rate ingestion of the 222 'Rn due to water consumption. The results of the analysis showed increments of 1.25% for cancer occurrences due to Rn-222 ingestion for the local population. (author). 11 refs., 1 fig., 1 tab

  14. Microcephaly epidemic related to the Zika virus and living conditions in Recife, Northeast Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Souza, Wayner Vieira de; Albuquerque, Maria de Fátima Pessoa Militão de; Vazquez, Enrique; Bezerra, Luciana Caroline Albuquerque; Mendes, Antonio da Cruz Gouveia; Lyra, Tereza Maciel; Araujo, Thalia Velho Barreto de; Oliveira, André Luiz Sá de; Braga, Maria Cynthia; Ximenes, Ricardo Arraes de Alencar; Miranda-Filho, Demócrito de Barros; Cabral Silva, Amanda Priscila de Santana; Rodrigues, Laura; Martelli, Celina Maria Turchi

    2018-01-12

    Starting in August 2015, there was an increase in the number of cases of neonatal microcephaly in Northeast Brazil. These findings were identified as being an epidemic of microcephaly related to Zika virus (ZIKV) infection. The present study aims to analyse the spatial distribution of microcephaly cases in Recife (2015-2016), which is in Northeast Brazil, and its association with the living conditions in this city. This was an ecological study that used data from reported cases of microcephaly from the State Health Department of Pernambuco (August 2015 to July 2016). The basic spatial unit of analysis was the 94 districts of Recife. The case definition of microcephaly was: neonates with a head circumference of less than the cut-off point of -2 standard deviations below the mean value from the established Fenton growth curve. As an indicator of the living conditions of the 94 districts, the percentage of heads of households with an income of less than twice the minimum wage was calculated. The districts were classified into four homogeneous strata using the K-means clustering algorithm. We plotted the locations of each microcephaly case over a layer of living conditions. During the study period, 347 microcephaly cases were reported, of which 142 (40.9%) fulfilled the definition of a microcephaly case. Stratification of the 94 districts resulted in the identification of four strata. The highest stratum in relation to the living conditions presented the lowest prevalence rate of microcephaly, and the overall difference between this rate and the rates of the other strata was statistically significant. The results of the Kruskal-Wallis test demonstrated that there was a strong association between a higher prevalence of microcephaly and poor living conditions. After the first 6 months of the study period, there were no microcephaly cases recorded within the population living in the richest socio-economic strata. This study showed that those residing in areas with

  15. Metals and pesticides in commercial bivalve mollusc production areas in the North and South Bays, Santa Catarina (Brazil).

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Souza, R V; Garbossa, L H P; Campos, C J A; Vianna, L F de N; Vanz, A; Rupp, G S

    2016-04-15

    Concentrations of heavy metals were quantified in mussels Perna perna and Pacific oysters Crassostrea gigas in 28 cultivation sites in the North and South Bays, SC (Brazil). Concentrations of pesticides were also quantified in these bivalve, water and sediment samples collected in 14 cultivation sites on four occasions in the period October 2012-October 2013. Pesticides were not detected in any of the mussel, oyster, water or sediment samples. The South Bay was found to be generally more contaminated with As while the North Bay showed higher concentrations of Ni. Concentrations of Pb and Cd were below the limit of detection of the method (0.5mg/kg) in all samples. Mussels accumulated more As and Ni than oysters, while the opposite was observed for Cu. Metal concentrations were below the maximum levels for foodstuffs specified in the Brazilian legislation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. A comparative study on the heavy metals distribution in sediment profiles from Ribeira and Sepetiba Bays, RJ - Brazil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Carvalho, Franciane; Tadeu Lopes, Ricardo

    2008-01-01

    A set of sediment cores was sampled at Sepetiba bay and Ribeira bay, in the Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil. Sedimentation rates were determined by geochronological evaluation of sediments by Pb-210. In Ribeira Bay, the sedimentation rate increases from the sampling point RB1 (0.15 cm y -1 ), in the inner part of the bay, towards the sampling point RB4, close to its entrance (0.34 cm y -1 ). For Sepetiba Bay, two well-defined sedimentation rates were observed, a lower value of 0.3 cm y -1 for the period before the 1960s, and a more recent rate of 0.75 cm y -1 . These measurements are consistent to the construction of the Santa Cecilia impoundment in 1955, which brings water from the Paraiba do Sul Basin into the Guandu River, increasing the river flow from 20 m 3 s -1 to 160 m 3 s -1 . The metal concentrations were determined by ICP-MS. It could be seen that the reliability of Ribeira bay as a reference database for metal concentrations in the neighboring Sepetiba Bay is valid for a specific set of elements, such as K, Ti, Mn, Zn, Ga, Rb and Sr, but not for V, Cr and Cd. Applying to the mean elemental concentration, of the upper contaminated 45 cm sediment layer, and to the elemental concentration of the deepest analysed sediment layer a normalization to iron, a double ratio was calculated and it was concluded that the Sepetiba Bay sediments are, particularly, contaminated with Cr, may be, from a leather tanning plant existing in this region and Cd and Zn from the former Inga Metais. The overall results can be used to confirm the reliability of the utilization of Ribeira bay as a reference database to the evaluation of metal pollution profile of Sepetiba bay, by an intercomparison methodology. (author)

  17. Coccidioidomycosis in Brazil. A case report

    OpenAIRE

    MARTINS, Marilena dos Anjos; ARAÚJO, Evangelina da Motta Pacheco Alves de; KUWAKINO, Marcelo Hisato; HEINS-VACCARI, Elisabeth Maria; DEL NEGRO, Gilda Maria Bárbaro; VOZZA JÚNIOR, João Antonio; LACAZ, Carlos da Silva

    1997-01-01

    Coccidioidomycosis is an endemic infection with a relatively limited geographic distribution: Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Colombia, Venezuela, Bolivia, Paraguai, Argentina and the southwest of the United States. In these countries, the endemic area is restricted to the semiarid desert like regions which are similar to the northeast of Brazil. Case report: The patient is a 32 year-old male, born in the state of Bahia (Northeast of Brazil) and has been living in São Paulo (Southeast) for 6 yea...

  18. Mangrove bird community of Paranaguá Bay - Paraná, Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luiz Augusto Macedo Mestre

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available This study describes the mangrove bird community of Paranaguá Bay in Paraná - South Brazil. Seasonal surveys were conducted during September 1997 to September 1998 at three sites in Paranaguá Bay. Frequencies and abundances of birds were registered in 200m transects and one hour point counts. A total of 81 bird species were observed in the three sampling sites. Most of the bird species in Paranaguá mangroves are fruits, seeds and arthropods consumers, and predators of flying insects. The most frequent and abundant species were Egretta caerulea, Ceryle torquata, Chloroceryle amazona, Pitangus sulphuratus, Turdus amaurochalinus and Parula pitiayumi. The bird community of these three sites is composed mainly by forest bird species. The mangroves of Paranaguá Bay shelter one of the richest avifauna of Brazilian mangroves. Differences between sampling sites could be related to the proximity of the Paranaguá city and human impacts in the areas. Only in the most disturbed site were observed Passer domesticus and large flocks of Coragyps atratus. This study contributed to the knowledge of mangrove communities, and could be an important basis to fluvial-marine conservation plans in Paraná- Brazil.Este estudo teve como objetivos caracterizar a comunidade de aves de manguezais na baía de Paranaguá e comparar descritivamente a comunidade das três áreas amostradas, diferentes em relação à proximidade de centros urbanos. Foram amostradas sazonalmente, entre setembro de 1997 a setembro 1998, três áreas de manguezais a diferentes distâncias da cidade e do porto de Paranaguá. A avifauna foi registrada em transectos de 200m no interior dos manguezais e em observações de 1 hora em pontos fixos. Foram determinadas freqüência, abundancia relativa e densidade de espécies em cada área. Foram observadas 81 espécies de aves nas três áreas de manguezais. As guildas mais significativas foram das espécies consumidoras de frutos, sementes e artr

  19. Diagnosis of Food Insecurity and Nutritional Statusof users of the popular restaurants in the Northeast and South of Brazil.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Suwellen de Resende MORAES

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available Food insecurity occurs when the unmet nutritional needs cause psychological and physiological problems. Thinking about this panorama, this cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate the relationship between food insecurity and overweight in the Northeast and South. We used a form to identify the socioeconomic and demographic variables, was also made the calculation of BMI, and applied the Brazilian Scale of Food and Nutritional Insecurity in two regions of Brazil where 807 people were interviewed and 503 in the Northeast region and 304 in the South region. The most prevalent share of family income in both regions was that between ½ to 1 minimum wage. The Northeast region had a higher prevalence of users in food insecurity over the southern region, also presented more socioeconomic differences as lower education and income per capita, a higher proportion of unemployed and users in Food Insecurity in relation to the South. This fact is explained by population have a higher proportion of unemployed and a lower per capita income, leading to reduced power of access to food. Regarding nutritional status, in both regions there was overweight. This data may be indicative of the accelerated process of nutritional transition that lives the Brazilian population.

  20. Mercury speciation in plankton from the Cabo Frio Bay, SE--Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silva-Filho, Emmanoel V; Kütter, Vinicius T; Figueiredo, Thiago S; Tessier, Emmanuel; Rezende, Carlos E; Teixeira, Daniel C; Silva, Carlos A; Donard, Olivier F X

    2014-12-01

    Mercury (Hg) is considered a global pollutant, and the scientific community has shown great concern about its toxicity as it may affect the biota of entire systems, through bioaccumulation and bioamplification processes of its organic form, methylmercury (MeHg), along food web. However, few research studies deal with bioaccumulation of Hg from marine primary producers and the first-order consumers. So, this study aims to determine Hg distribution and concentration levels in phytoplankton and zooplankton in the Cabo Frio Bay, Brazil, a site influenced by coastal upwelling. The results from Hg speciation analyses show that inorganic mercury Hg(II) was the predominant specie in plankton from this bay. The annual Hg species distribution in plankton shown mean concentration of 2.00 ± 1.28 ng Hg(II) g(-1) and 0.15 ± 0.08 ng MeHg g(-1) wet weight (phytoplankton) and 2.5 ± 2.03 ng Hg(II) g(-1) and 0.25 ± 0.09 ng MeHg g(-1) wet weight (zooplankton). Therefore, upwelling zones should be considered in the Hg biogeochemical cycle models as a process that enhances Hg(II) bioaccumulation in plankton, raising its bioavailability and shelf deposition.

  1. Privatization of electricity distribution in the Northeast of Brazil. The good, the bad, the ugly or the naive?

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Silvestre, Bruno; Hall, Jeremy; Matos, Stelvia [Faculty of Business Administration, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC (Canada); Figueira, Luiz Augusto [Centrais Eletricas Brasileiras - ELETROBRAS, Av. Presidente Vargas, 409, Centro, Rio de Janeiro, CEP: 20071-003 (Brazil)

    2010-11-15

    This paper analyzes the evolution of five electricity distribution companies in the Northeast of Brazil using technical and financial indicators. Three privatized and two public firms were analyzed between 1997 and 2008. The financial indicators are used as proxies for the capacity of the business to generate value for shareholders, while the technical indicators are used as proxies for service quality provided to consumers. We observed that the privatized firms had their financial indicators improved after privatization, increasing the value of the firm for the shareholders. However, there is no evidence that privatization affected the quality of service provided to consumers. (author)

  2. Privatization of electricity distribution in the Northeast of Brazil: The good, the bad, the ugly or the naive?

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Silvestre, Bruno, E-mail: bruno_silvestre@sfu.c [Faculty of Business Administration, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby-BC, V5A 1S6 (Canada); Centrais Eletricas Brasileiras-ELETROBRAS, Av. Presidente Vargas, 409, Centro, Rio de Janeiro, CEP: 20071-003 (Brazil); Hall, Jeremy, E-mail: jkh5@sfu.c [Faculty of Business Administration, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby-BC, V5A 1S6 (Canada); Matos, Stelvia, E-mail: smatos@sfu.c [Faculty of Business Administration, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby-BC, V5A 1S6 (Canada); Figueira, Luiz Augusto, E-mail: augusto@eletrobras.com.b [Centrais Eletricas Brasileiras-ELETROBRAS, Av. Presidente Vargas, 409, Centro, Rio de Janeiro, CEP: 20071-003 (Brazil)

    2010-11-15

    This paper analyzes the evolution of five electricity distribution companies in the Northeast of Brazil using technical and financial indicators. Three privatized and two public firms were analyzed between 1997 and 2008. The financial indicators are used as proxies for the capacity of the business to generate value for shareholders, while the technical indicators are used as proxies for service quality provided to consumers. We observed that the privatized firms had their financial indicators improved after privatization, increasing the value of the firm for the shareholders. However, there is no evidence that privatization affected the quality of service provided to consumers.

  3. Privatization of electricity distribution in the Northeast of Brazil: The good, the bad, the ugly or the naive?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Silvestre, Bruno; Hall, Jeremy; Matos, Stelvia; Figueira, Luiz Augusto

    2010-01-01

    This paper analyzes the evolution of five electricity distribution companies in the Northeast of Brazil using technical and financial indicators. Three privatized and two public firms were analyzed between 1997 and 2008. The financial indicators are used as proxies for the capacity of the business to generate value for shareholders, while the technical indicators are used as proxies for service quality provided to consumers. We observed that the privatized firms had their financial indicators improved after privatization, increasing the value of the firm for the shareholders. However, there is no evidence that privatization affected the quality of service provided to consumers.

  4. [Triatominae and Cactaceae: a risk for the transmission of the American trypanosomiasis in the peridomicilary space (Northeast Brazil)].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Emperaire, L; Romaña, C A

    2006-06-01

    Field observations carried in semi-arid Brazil Northeast point out the frequent association, in the peridomiciliary space, between a cactus, Cereus jamacaru, the occurrence of nests in its branches and the occurrence of two species of insects vectors of Trypanosoma cruzi, pathogenic agent of Chagas disease: Rhodnius neglectus and Triatoma pseudomaculata. The analysis of the architectural variables of this Cactaceae shows that the presence of nests, and thus of insects, depends on the traditional practices of management of this cactus. This study underlines the relevance of an integrated approach of the ecology of Triatominae for the identification of factors of risk.

  5. The role of game mammals as bushmeat In the Caatinga, northeast Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Raynner Rilke D. Barboza

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Although the use of wild mammals as a source of food has been better studied in tropical forest environments, their importance as a source of protein for human communities in semiarid environments is little known. In the latter, the availability of wild animal meat is limited in comparison to other environments. In the semiarid regions of northeastern Brazil, hunting wild mammals for their meat is traditional, playing a crucial role in the livelihoods and food security of various rural and urban communities, especially during the annual drought seasons. In this study, we investigated the role of wild mammals as bushmeat in 10 communities within the Caatinga biome in northeast Brazil. We used key-informant interviews, household surveys, and questionnaires to determine the species hunted and consumed. We found that about 30 species were used for bushmeat, with communities clustering into two main groups. We showed that in almost all municipalities visited, all mammals hunted were reported after interview days. A total of 46.9% of hunters consumed bushmeat at least once a week. However, preference for bushmeat over livestock was perceived to be more a matter of taste (61.50% of respondents than a real need for protein supplementation from the wild. The ease of entering environmental areas where wild mammals can be found has disadvantages for wildlife in terms of pressure and overexploitation, especially where it concerns endangered species. The key to understanding the socioeconomic, cultural, and ecological contexts in which there are traditional uses is to develop conservationist strategies suitable for the socioeconomic reality of human populations.

  6. Coastal upwelling by wind-driven forcing in Jervis Bay, New South Wales: A numerical study for 2011

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Youn-Jong; Jalón-Rojas, Isabel; Wang, Xiao Hua; Jiang, Donghui

    2018-06-01

    The Princeton Ocean Model (POM) was used to investigate an upwelling event in Jervis Bay, New South Wales (SE Australia), with varying wind directions and strengths. The POM was adopted with a downscaling approach for the regional ocean model one-way nested to a global ocean model. The upwelling event was detected from the observed wind data and satellite sea surface temperature images. The validated model reproduced the upwelling event showing the input of bottom cold water driven by wind to the bay, its subsequent deflection to the south, and its outcropping to the surface along the west and south coasts. Nevertheless, the behavior of the bottom water that intruded into the bay varied with different wind directions and strengths. Upwelling-favorable wind directions for flushing efficiency within the bay were ranked in the following order: N (0°; northerly) > NNE (30°; northeasterly) > NW (315°; northwesterly) > NE (45°; northeasterly) > ENE (60°; northeasterly). Increasing wind strengths also enhance cold water penetration and water exchange. It was determined that wind-driven downwelling within the bay, which occurred with NNE, NE and ENE winds, played a key role in blocking the intrusion of the cold water upwelled through the bay entrance. A northerly wind stress higher than 0.3 N m-2 was required for the cold water to reach the northern innermost bay.

  7. HEAVY METALS LEVELS IN LARUS DOMINICANUS. CASE STUDY: COROA GRANDE MANGROVE, SEPETIBA BAY, RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL

    OpenAIRE

    Aldo Pacheco Ferreira

    2011-01-01

    Samples of liver and kidney of Kelp gull (Larus dominicanus) collected on Sepetiba Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, were analysed for their copper, zinc, cadmium, lead, chromium and nickel content. All the analyses were made using the inductively coupled plasma optical spectrometry method (ICP-OES). The investigation focused on the variability of the elements content in kidney and liver from a number of sampling seabirds and over different seasons. The results were interpreted using the analysis ...

  8. Succession in rocky intertidal benthic communities in areas with different pollution levels at Guanabara Bay (RJ-Brazil)

    OpenAIRE

    Breves-Ramos, André; Lavrado, Helena Passeri; Junqueira, Andrea de Oliveira Ribeiro; Silva, Sérgio Henrique Gonçalves da

    2005-01-01

    The aim of this study was to describe and compare the succession of intertidal benthic communities in two areas at Guanabara Bay, RJ, Brazil: Urca, an area submitted to moderated organic pollution and Catalão, an extremely polluted area. Three transects in each area were scraped one month before the beginning of this study in order to evaluate the recruitment (recruitment-treatments). Three other transects were monitored without manipulation (monitoring treatments). Species composition and re...

  9. Bird surveys at McKinley Bay and Hutchison Bay, Northwest Territories, in 1991

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cornish, B J; Dickson, D L; Dickson, H L

    1992-03-01

    McKinley Bay is a shallow protected bay along the eastern Beaufort Sea coast which provides an important habitat for diving ducks. Since 1979, the bay has been the site of a winter harbor and support base for oil and gas exploraton in the Beaufort Sea. Aerial surveys for bird abundance and distribution were conducted in August 1991 as a continuation of long-term monitoring of birds in McKinley Bay and Hutchison Bay, a nearby area used as a control. The main objectives of the 1991 surveys were to expand the set of baseline data on natural annual fluctuations in diving duck numbers, and to determine if numbers of diving ducks had changed since the initial 1981-85 surveys. On the day with the best survey conditions, the population of diving ducks at McKinley bay was estimated at ca 32,000, significantly more than 1981-85. At Hutchison Bay, there were an estimated 11,000 ducks. As in previous years, large numbers of diving ducks were observed off Atkinson Point at the northwest corner of McKinley Bay, at the south end of the bay, and in the northeast corner near a long spit. Most divers in Hutchison Bay were at the west side. Diving ducks, primarily Oldsquaw and scoter, were the most abundant bird group in the study area. Observed distribution patterns of birds are discussed with reference to habitat preferences. 16 refs., 7 figs., 30 tabs.

  10. Establishment and cryptic transmission of Zika virus in Brazil and the Americas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Faria, N R; Quick, J; Claro, I M; Thézé, J; de Jesus, J G; Giovanetti, M; Kraemer, M U G; Hill, S C; Black, A; da Costa, A C; Franco, L C; Silva, S P; Wu, C-H; Raghwani, J; Cauchemez, S; du Plessis, L; Verotti, M P; de Oliveira, W K; Carmo, E H; Coelho, G E; Santelli, A C F S; Vinhal, L C; Henriques, C M; Simpson, J T; Loose, M; Andersen, K G; Grubaugh, N D; Somasekar, S; Chiu, C Y; Muñoz-Medina, J E; Gonzalez-Bonilla, C R; Arias, C F; Lewis-Ximenez, L L; Baylis, S A; Chieppe, A O; Aguiar, S F; Fernandes, C A; Lemos, P S; Nascimento, B L S; Monteiro, H A O; Siqueira, I C; de Queiroz, M G; de Souza, T R; Bezerra, J F; Lemos, M R; Pereira, G F; Loudal, D; Moura, L C; Dhalia, R; França, R F; Magalhães, T; Marques, E T; Jaenisch, T; Wallau, G L; de Lima, M C; Nascimento, V; de Cerqueira, E M; de Lima, M M; Mascarenhas, D L; Neto, J P Moura; Levin, A S; Tozetto-Mendoza, T R; Fonseca, S N; Mendes-Correa, M C; Milagres, F P; Segurado, A; Holmes, E C; Rambaut, A; Bedford, T; Nunes, M R T; Sabino, E C; Alcantara, L C J; Loman, N J; Pybus, O G

    2017-06-15

    Transmission of Zika virus (ZIKV) in the Americas was first confirmed in May 2015 in northeast Brazil. Brazil has had the highest number of reported ZIKV cases worldwide (more than 200,000 by 24 December 2016) and the most cases associated with microcephaly and other birth defects (2,366 confirmed by 31 December 2016). Since the initial detection of ZIKV in Brazil, more than 45 countries in the Americas have reported local ZIKV transmission, with 24 of these reporting severe ZIKV-associated disease. However, the origin and epidemic history of ZIKV in Brazil and the Americas remain poorly understood, despite the value of this information for interpreting observed trends in reported microcephaly. Here we address this issue by generating 54 complete or partial ZIKV genomes, mostly from Brazil, and reporting data generated by a mobile genomics laboratory that travelled across northeast Brazil in 2016. One sequence represents the earliest confirmed ZIKV infection in Brazil. Analyses of viral genomes with ecological and epidemiological data yield an estimate that ZIKV was present in northeast Brazil by February 2014 and is likely to have disseminated from there, nationally and internationally, before the first detection of ZIKV in the Americas. Estimated dates for the international spread of ZIKV from Brazil indicate the duration of pre-detection cryptic transmission in recipient regions. The role of northeast Brazil in the establishment of ZIKV in the Americas is further supported by geographic analysis of ZIKV transmission potential and by estimates of the basic reproduction number of the virus.

  11. Establishment and cryptic transmission of Zika virus in Brazil and the Americas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Faria, N. R.; Quick, J.; Claro, I. M.; Thézé, J.; de Jesus, J. G.; Giovanetti, M.; Kraemer, M. U. G.; Hill, S. C.; Black, A.; da Costa, A. C.; Franco, L. C.; Silva, S. P.; Wu, C.-H.; Raghwani, J.; Cauchemez, S.; Du Plessis, L.; Verotti, M. P.; de Oliveira, W. K.; Carmo, E. H.; Coelho, G. E.; Santelli, A. C. F. S.; Vinhal, L. C.; Henriques, C. M.; Simpson, J. T.; Loose, M.; Andersen, K. G.; Grubaugh, N. D.; Somasekar, S.; Chiu, C. Y.; Muñoz-Medina, J. E.; Gonzalez-Bonilla, C. R.; Arias, C. F.; Lewis-Ximenez, L. L.; Baylis, S. A.; Chieppe, A. O.; Aguiar, S. F.; Fernandes, C. A.; Lemos, P. S.; Nascimento, B. L. S.; Monteiro, H. A. O.; Siqueira, I. C.; de Queiroz, M. G.; de Souza, T. R.; Bezerra, J. F.; Lemos, M. R.; Pereira, G. F.; Loudal, D.; Moura, L. C.; Dhalia, R.; França, R. F.; Magalhães, T.; Marques, E. T.; Jaenisch, T.; Wallau, G. L.; de Lima, M. C.; Nascimento, V.; de Cerqueira, E. M.; de Lima, M. M.; Mascarenhas, D. L.; Neto, J. P. Moura; Levin, A. S.; Tozetto-Mendoza, T. R.; Fonseca, S. N.; Mendes-Correa, M. C.; Milagres, F. P.; Segurado, A.; Holmes, E. C.; Rambaut, A.; Bedford, T.; Nunes, M. R. T.; Sabino, E. C.; Alcantara, L. C. J.; Loman, N. J.; Pybus, O. G.

    2017-06-01

    Transmission of Zika virus (ZIKV) in the Americas was first confirmed in May 2015 in northeast Brazil. Brazil has had the highest number of reported ZIKV cases worldwide (more than 200,000 by 24 December 2016) and the most cases associated with microcephaly and other birth defects (2,366 confirmed by 31 December 2016). Since the initial detection of ZIKV in Brazil, more than 45 countries in the Americas have reported local ZIKV transmission, with 24 of these reporting severe ZIKV-associated disease. However, the origin and epidemic history of ZIKV in Brazil and the Americas remain poorly understood, despite the value of this information for interpreting observed trends in reported microcephaly. Here we address this issue by generating 54 complete or partial ZIKV genomes, mostly from Brazil, and reporting data generated by a mobile genomics laboratory that travelled across northeast Brazil in 2016. One sequence represents the earliest confirmed ZIKV infection in Brazil. Analyses of viral genomes with ecological and epidemiological data yield an estimate that ZIKV was present in northeast Brazil by February 2014 and is likely to have disseminated from there, nationally and internationally, before the first detection of ZIKV in the Americas. Estimated dates for the international spread of ZIKV from Brazil indicate the duration of pre-detection cryptic transmission in recipient regions. The role of northeast Brazil in the establishment of ZIKV in the Americas is further supported by geographic analysis of ZIKV transmission potential and by estimates of the basic reproduction number of the virus.

  12. Considerations about Santa Catalina Formation northeast of Uruguay

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Keidel, J.

    1984-01-01

    A serial of land deposits placed in Santa Catharina south Brazil, and northeast of Uruguay. Most of them have been composed with a number of marine sediments, marshy region and swamp from upper paleozoic and low mesozoic.

  13. Antimicrobial activity of Mimosa tenuiflora (Willd. Poir. from Northeast Brazil against clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Itácio Q. M. Padilha

    Full Text Available Mimosa tenuiflora is a native plant of Northeast Brazil where it is popularly known as ''jurema-preta'' and it is widely used in folk medicine. In this work the anti-Staphylococcus aureus activity of ethanol extract of M tenuiflora was evaluated by determination of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC of clinical isolates by the agar dilution method, and by time-kill assay using a reference strain. MIC values against 30 isolates were 0,18 mg/mL (16/30 or 0,36 mg/mL (14/30, and also the reference strain. In the reference strains, at concentrations up to 4x MIC, only bacteriostatic effect was observed, but at 8x MIC a fast bactericidal effect was observed.

  14. Hydrogeological Study of Mangrove Areas Around Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gerson Cardoso da Silva Júnior;

    2003-01-01

    Full Text Available The study area covers part of the mangrove belt located around Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Representing a continental-marine transition, the mangrove ecosystem is very susceptible to environmental variations and impacts. The vegetation cover plays an important role in prevention of erosion and contamination processes in those areas. An ongoing extensive research effort in the Petrochemical Complex of Duque de Caxias, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil, focuses on the man-induced changes in the physical environment (soils, groundwater flow system, type and volumes of contaminants, geochemical aspects and the consequences on the neighboring mangrove ecosystem. This article describes the importance of hydrogeological studies in mangrove areas as part of an appropriate environmental assessment, taking as an example an industrial dumping area located in that Petrochemical Complex. Field work included extensive drilling and sampling to obtain basic geological and hydrogeological parameters and data in the pilot area, such as hydraulic conductivity and piezometric heads; emphasizing the tracking of possible contamination by industrial effluents and the marine influence; validation of the conceptual model with mathematical models (numerical and analytical models was carried out. Results show the great importance of well conducted and detailed hydrogeological studies to properly address environmental problems caused by industrial plants in mangrove areas.

  15. First report of Angiostrongylus cantonensis (Nematoda: Metastrongylidae in Achatina fulica (Mollusca: Gastropoda from Southeast and South Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Arnaldo Maldonado Júnior

    2010-11-01

    Full Text Available The rat lungworm Angiostrongylus cantonensis is a worldwide-distributed zoonotic nematode that can cause human eosinophilic meningoencephalitis. Here, for the first time, we report the isolation of A. cantonensis from Achatina fulica from two Brazilian states: Rio de Janeiro (specifically the municipalities of Barra do Piraí, situated at the Paraiba River Valley region and São Gonçalo, situated at the edge of Guanabara Bay and Santa Catarina (in municipality of Joinville. The lungworms were identified by comparing morphological and morphometrical data obtained from adult worms to values obtained from experimental infections of A. cantonensis from Pernambuco, Brazil, and Akita, Japan. Only a few minor morphological differences that were determined to represent intra-specific variation were observed. This report of A. cantonensis in South and Southeast Brazil, together with the recent report of the zoonosis and parasite-infected molluscs in Northeast Brazil, provide evidence of the wide distribution of A. cantonensis in the country. The need for efforts to better understand the role of A. fulica in the transmission of meningoencephalitis in Brazil and the surveillance of molluscs and rodents, particularly in ports, is emphasized.

  16. First report of Angiostrongylus cantonensis (Nematoda: Metastrongylidae) in Achatina fulica (Mollusca: Gastropoda) from Southeast and South Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maldonado, Arnaldo; Simões, Raquel O; Oliveira, Ana Paula M; Motta, Esther M; Fernandez, Mônica A; Pereira, Zilene M; Monteiro, Simone S; Torres, Eduardo J Lopes; Thiengo, Silvana Carvalho

    2010-11-01

    The rat lungworm Angiostrongylus cantonensis is a worldwide-distributed zoonotic nematode that can cause human eosinophilic meningoencephalitis. Here, for the first time, we report the isolation of A. cantonensis from Achatina fulica from two Brazilian states: Rio de Janeiro (specifically the municipalities of Barra do Piraí, situated at the Paraiba River Valley region and São Gonçalo, situated at the edge of Guanabara Bay) and Santa Catarina (in municipality of Joinville). The lungworms were identified by comparing morphological and morphometrical data obtained from adult worms to values obtained from experimental infections of A. cantonensis from Pernambuco, Brazil, and Akita, Japan. Only a few minor morphological differences that were determined to represent intra-specific variation were observed. This report of A. cantonensis in South and Southeast Brazil, together with the recent report of the zoonosis and parasite-infected molluscs in Northeast Brazil, provide evidence of the wide distribution of A. cantonensis in the country. The need for efforts to better understand the role of A. fulica in the transmission of meningoencephalitis in Brazil and the surveillance of molluscs and rodents, particularly in ports, is emphasized.

  17. [Implementation of a residency program in anesthesiology in the Northeast of Brazil: impact on work processes and professional motivation].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fernandes, Cláudia Regina; Sousa, Rafael Queiroz de; Arcanjo, Francisco Sávio Alves; Neto, Gerardo Cristino de Menezes; Gomes, Josenília Maria Alves; Giaxa, Renata Rocha Barreto

    2015-01-01

    Understand, through the theory of social representations, the influence exerted by the establishment a residency program in anesthesiology on anesthetic care and professional motivation in a tertiary teaching hospital in the Northeast of Brazil. Qualitative methodology. The theoretical framework comprised the phenomenology and the Social Representation Theory. Five multidisciplinary focus groups were formed with 17 health professionals (five surgeons, five anesthesiologists, two nurses, and five nursing technicians), who work in operating rooms and post-anesthesia care units, all with prior and posterior experience to the establishment of residency. From the response content analysis, the following empirical categories emerged: motivation to upgrade, recycling of anesthesiologists and improving anesthetic practice, resident as an interdisciplinary link in perioperative care, improvements in the quality of perioperative care, recognition of weaknesses in the perioperative process. It was evident upper gastrointestinal bleeding secondary to prolonged intubation that the creation of a residency in anesthesiology brings advancements that are reflected in the motivation of anesthesiologists; the resident worked as an interdisciplinary link between the multidisciplinary team; there was recognition of weaknesses in the system, which were identified and actions to overcome it were proposed. The implementation of a residency program in anesthesiology at a tertiary education hospital in the Northeast of Brazil promoted scientific updates, improved the quality of care and processes of interdisciplinary care, recognized the weaknesses of the service, developed action plans and suggested that this type of initiative may be useful in remote areas of developing countries. Copyright © 2014 Sociedade Brasileira de Anestesiologia. Publicado por Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

  18. Implementation of a residency program in anesthesiology in the Northeast of Brazil: impact on work processes and professional motivation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cláudia Regina Fernandes

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: To understand, through the theory of social representations, the influence exerted by the establishment of a residency program in anesthesiology on anesthetic care and professional motivation in a tertiary teaching hospital in the Northeast of Brazil. METHOD: Qualitative methodology. The theoretical framework comprised the phenomenology and the social representation theory. Five multidisciplinary focus groups were formed with 17 health professionals (five surgeons, five anesthesiologists, two nurses, and five nursing technicians, who work in operating rooms and post-anesthesia care units, all with a prior and a posteriori experience to the establishment of residency. RESULTS: From the response content analysis, the following empirical categories emerged: motivation to upgrade, recycling of anesthesiologists and improving anesthetic practice, resident as an interdisciplinary link in perioperative care, improvements in the quality of perioperative care, and recognition of weaknesses in the perioperative process. It was evident from upper gastrointestinal bleeding secondary to prolonged intubation that the creation of a residency in anesthesiology brings advancements that are reflected in the motivation of anesthesiologists; the resident worked as an interdisciplinary link between the multidisciplinary team; there was recognition of weaknesses in the system, which were identified and actions to overcome it were proposed. CONCLUSION: The implementation of a residency program in anesthesiology at a tertiary education hospital in the Northeast of Brazil promoted scientific updates, improved the quality of care and processes of interdisciplinary care, recognized the weaknesses of the service, developed action plans and suggested that this type of initiative may be useful in remote areas of developing countries.

  19. Determination of heavy metals and other elements in sediments from Sepetiba Bay (RJ, Brazil) by neutron activation analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pellegatti, Fabio

    2000-01-01

    Sepetiba Bay, located about 60 km south of the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, is one of the most important fishery areas in the State of Rio de Janeiro. A large harbor brought up a lot of industrial investment in that area. Since the 1970's, the Sepetiba region has undergone fast industrial expansion, leading to high levels of pollution by metals. For the last two decades, an industrial park composed of about 400 industrial plants, basically metallurgical, was established in the Sepetiba Bay basin, releasing its industrial waste either straight into the bay or through local rivers. Metal contamination in the bay for some metals, such as Zn, has already exceeded acceptable levels. Many authors have studied the distribution and behavior of heavy metals and another elements in the bay, but only few elements have been focused (Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn). This is probably due to the fact that the analytical technique most employed has been atomic absorption spectrometry, which is not a multi-elemental technique. In this work, Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA) was applied to the determination of the elements As, Ba, Br, Ce, Co, Cr, Cs, Eu, Fe, Hf, La, Lu, Nd, Rb, Sc, Sm, Ta, Tb, Th, U, Yb and Zn in 28 bottom sediment samples and four sediment cores from Sepetiba Bay. The elements Co, Cr, Cs, Fe, Sc, Ta and Zn presented similar behavior in the bottom sediments, showing higher concentration along the Northern coast of the bay, where most of the fluvial water flows out to the bay. The contamination of Sepetiba Bay was also assessed by the analysis of four sediment cores. Two of them were sampled in the Eastern part of the bay, where the industrial park is located, whereas the other two were sampled in the Western part of the bay, a more preserved region. For each region, two cores were sampled within the mangrove trees and the others at the edge of the tidal flat. The results showed that, the sediments displayed higher metal concentration within the

  20. Assessing man-induced environmental changes in the Sepetiba Bay (Southeastern Brazil) with geochemical and satellite data

    Science.gov (United States)

    Araújo, Daniel Ferreira; Peres, Lucas G. M.; Yepez, Santiago; Mulholland, Daniel S.; Machado, Wilson; Tonhá, Myller; Garnier, Jérémie

    2017-10-01

    The Sepetiba Bay, Southeastern Brazil, has undergone intense environmental changes due to anthropogenic influence. This work aims to: (i) evaluate the changes in the drainage landscape use over the last decades, (ii) identify new and past punctual and diffuse anthropogenic sources and assess risks of man-induced disturbances of the coastal zones of Sepetiba. A multivariate statistics approach on the sediment's elemental geochemical dataset discriminated three groups: the electroplating waste-affected elements (As, Cd, Pb, Cu and Zn), terrigenous elements (Si, K, Ti, Al and Fe), and biogenic and carbonate-derived elements (Ca, Mg, Mn, P, Ni, and Cr). Sediment core profiles of trace elements evidence records of former environmental impacts from old metallurgical wastes. Analysis of two Landsat images from 30 years ago and 2015 reveals a decrease in the mangrove area of nearly 26%. The ongoing suppression of mangroves could enhance the release of trace elements into the Sepetiba Bay, increasing the risks to human and biota health.

  1. Hydrological mixing and geochemical processes characterization in an estuarine/mangrove system using environmental tracers in Babitonga Bay (Santa Catarina, Brazil)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barros Grace, Virgínia; Mas-Pla, Josep; Oliveira Novais, Therezinha; Sacchi, Elisa; Zuppi, Gian Maria

    2008-03-01

    The hydrologic complex of Babitonga Bay (Brazil) forms a vast environmental complex where agriculture, shellfish farming, and industries coexist with a unique natural area of Atlantic rain forest and mangrove systems. The origin of different continental hydrological components, the environmental transition between saline and freshwaters, and the influence of the seasonality on Babitonga Bay waters are evaluated using isotopes and chemistry. End-member mixing analysis is used to explore hydrological processes in the bay. We show that a mixing of waters from different origins takes place in the bay modifying its chemical characteristics. Furthermore, biogeochemical processes related to well-developed mangrove systems are responsible for an efficient bromide uptake, which limit its use as a tracer as commonly used in non-biologically active environments. Seasonal behaviours are also distinguished from our datasets. The rainy season (April) provides a homogenization of the hydrological processes that is not seen after the dry season (October), when larger spatial differences appear and when the effects of biological processes on the bay hydrochemistry are more dynamic, or can be better recognized. Moreover, Cl/Br and stable isotopes of water molecule allow a neat definition of the hydrological and biogeochemical processes that control chemical composition in coastal and transition areas.

  2. Vascular flora of an inselberg in the state of Paraíba, in Northeast Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elisabeth Emília Augusta Dantas Tölke

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available This study characterized the floristic composition of an inselberg in the Puxinanã municipality, of Paraíba, in Northeast Brazil. Ninety-seven species were recorded that belong to 35 families: Asteraceae (12 spp., Euphorbiaceae and Fabaceae (nine spp. each, Rubiaceae and Convolvulaceae (eight spp. each were the richest families, comprising 47.42% of the total species registered. The herbaceous habit was predominant, occurring in 39% of the species, followed by species of shrubs (22%, vines (20%, rupicolous plants (6%, subshrubs (5%, trees (4% and epiphytes (1%. Passiflora luetzelburgii Harms (Passifloraceae is a new record for the flora of the state. The data from this study provides information that could be used in the conservation and rational use of the study area, and contributes to what is known about the flora and vegetation of the Caatinga.

  3. Aragonite saturation state in a tropical coastal embayment dominated by phytoplankton blooms (Guanabara Bay - Brazil).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cotovicz, Luiz C; Knoppers, Bastiaan A; Brandini, Nilva; Poirier, Dominique; Costa Santos, Suzan J; Abril, Gwenaël

    2018-04-01

    The dynamics of the aragonite saturation state (Ω arag ) were investigated in the eutrophic coastal waters of Guanabara Bay (RJ-Brazil). Large phytoplankton blooms stimulated by a high nutrient enrichment promoted the production of organic matter with strong uptake of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) in surface waters, lowering the concentrations of dissolved carbon dioxide (CO 2aq ), and increasing the pH, Ω arag and carbonate ion (CO 3 2- ), especially during summer. The increase of Ω arag related to biological activity was also evident comparing the negative relationship between the Ω arag and the apparent utilization of oxygen (AOU), with a very close behavior between the slopes of the linear regression and the Redfield ratio. The lowest values of Ω arag were found at low-buffered waters in regions that receive direct discharges from domestic effluents and polluted rivers, with episodic evidences of corrosive waters (Ω arag <1). This study showed that the eutrophication controlled the variations of Ω arag in Guanabara Bay. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. HIV-1 transmitted drug resistance and genetic diversity among patients from Piauí State, Northeast Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moura, Maria Edileuza Soares; da Guarda Reis, Mônica Nogueira; Lima, Yanna Andressa Ramos; Eulálio, Kelsen Dantas; Cardoso, Ludimila Paula Vaz; Stefani, Mariane Martins Araújo

    2015-05-01

    HIV-1 transmitted-drug-resistance and genetic diversity are dynamic and may differ in distinct locations/risk groups. In Brazil, increased AIDS incidence and related mortality have been detected in the Northeast region, differently from the epicenter in the Southeast. This cross-sectional study describes transmitted-dru- resistance and HIV-1 subtypes in protease/PR and reverse transcriptase/RT regions among antiretroviral naïve patients from Piauí State, Northeast Brazil. Among 96 patients recruited 89 (92.7%) had HIV-1 PR/RT regions sequenced: 44 females and 45 males, 22 self-declared as men who have sex with men. Transmitted-drug-resistance was investigated by CPR tool (Stanford HIV-1 Drug Resistance/SDRM). HIV-1 subtypes were assigned by REGA and phylogenetic inference. Overall, transmitted-drug-resistance rate was 11.2% (10/89; CI 95%: 5.8-19.1%); 22.7% among men who have sex with men (5/22; CI 95%: 8.8-43.4%), 10% in heterosexual men (2/20; CI 95%: 1.7-29.3%) and 6.8% in women (3/44; CI 95%: 1.8-17.4%). Singleton mutations to protease-inhibitor/PI, nucleoside-reverse-transcriptase-inhibitor/NRTI or non-nucleoside-reverse-transcriptase-inhibitor/NNRTI predominated (8/10): PI mutations (M46L, V82F, L90M); NRTI mutations (M41L, D67N) and NNRTI mutations (K103N/S). Dual class resistance mutations to NRTI and NNRTI were observed: T215L (NRTI), Y188L (NNRTI) and T215N (NRTI), F227L (NNRTI). Subtype B prevailed (86.6%; 77/89), followed by subtype F1 (1.1%, 1/89) and subtype C (1.1%, 1/89). B/F1 and B/C intersubtype recombinants represented 11.2% (10/89). In Piauí State extensive testing of incidence and transmitted-drug-resistance in all populations with risk behaviors may help control AIDS epidemic locally. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  5. Determination of the optimum commercial size for the mangrove oyster (Crassostrea rhizophorae) in Todos os Santos Bay, Brazil

    OpenAIRE

    Nascimento, Iracema Andrade; Pereira, Solange Andrade; Souza, Raymundo Costa e

    1980-01-01

    Texto completo. Acesso restrito. p. 1 – 8 Pilot studies were conducted in 1977-1978 on the cultivation of mangrove oysters in the Jacuruna River estuary at Todos OS Santos Bay, Salvador, Brazil. Growth characteristics were studied by comparing the relationships between total live weight, volume of the shell cavity fluid and yield of meat, and dry body weight to size (height). The most economically feasible proposition was production of approximately 7 cm high oysters for the sh...

  6. Assessment of the mobility of metals and semi-metals in Sepetiba Bay (Rio de Janeiro - Brazil) by analyzing sediments sampled in different periods

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cortez, Vinicius D.; Ribeiro, Andreza P.; Figueiredo, Ana M.G.; Santos, Jose O.; Wassermann, Julio C.

    2005-01-01

    In the last three decades, Sepetiba bay, located about 60 km south of the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, has been subjected to increasing pollution impacts. The Sepetiba region has undergone fast industrial expansion leading to high levels of pollution by metals. For the last two decades, an industrial park composed of about 400 industrial plants, basically metallurgical, was established in the Sepetiba Bay basin, releasing its effluents either straight into the bay or through local rivers. Potential toxic elements such as As, Zn, Cr, Pb and Cd have been introduced into the bay through industrial and domestic wastes. In the present paper, instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) was applied to determine the elements As, Cr and Zn in sediments from Sepetiba bay, sampled in August 2003, in order to compare to previous results obtained in 1998, for these elements, by Pellegatti et al. (2001). By using a geostatistical model it was possible to evaluate the spatial mobility of As, Cr and Zn in the last six years. The results obtained showed that none of the studied elements showed a significant spatial mobility. This behavior is probably related to geochemical barriers present in Sepetiba bay. (author)

  7. Pedigree analysis on the population of Gir cattle in Northeast Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aracele Prates de Oliveira

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this study was to characterize the population genetic structure of the Gir breed in the Northeast of Brazil. The data used in this study were taken from pedigree information of 8,897 Gir animals between 1957 and 2007, obtained from the Brazilian Zebu Breeders Association (ABCZ. The program ENDOG was used to estimate the parameters based on the probability gene origin. From the amount of the studied animals, 67.22%, 18.41% and 3.15% had complete pedigree only on the first, second and third parentage, respectively. The number of ancestors that contributed for the reference population was 2,755, of which only 171 explain the 50% genetic variability of the population. The actual number of founder herds was 168 and the effective number of founder herds was 22.3. The number of sire supplier herds was 22.16, 8.66 and 5.36 for fathers, grandfathers and great-grandfathers, respectively. The average coefficient of relatedness was estimated at 0.22%; the highest individual coefficient was 1.49%. The little variability of the current population is a result of the small number of effective founders and ancestors indicating the population evolved from a narrow genetic base.

  8. Spatial distribution of epibenthic molluscs on a sandstone reef in the Northeast of Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    AS. Martinez

    Full Text Available The present study investigated the distribution and abundance of epibenthic molluscs and their feeding habits associated to substrate features (coverage and rugosity in a sandstone reef system in the Northeast of Brazil. Rugosity, low coral cover and high coverage of zoanthids and fleshy alga were the variables that influenced a low richness and high abundance of a few molluscan species in the reef habitat. The most abundant species were generalist carnivores, probably associated to a lesser offer and variability of resources in this type of reef system, when compared to the coral reefs. The results found in this study could reflect a normal characteristic of the molluscan community distribution in sandstone reefs, with low coral cover, or could indicate a degradation state of this habitat if it is compared to coral reefs, once that the significantly high coverage of fleshy alga has been recognized as a negative indicator of reef ecosystems health.

  9. Spatial distribution of epibenthic molluscs on a sandstone reef in the Northeast of Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martinez, A S; Mendes, L F; Leite, T S

    2012-05-01

    The present study investigated the distribution and abundance of epibenthic molluscs and their feeding habits associated to substrate features (coverage and rugosity) in a sandstone reef system in the Northeast of Brazil. Rugosity, low coral cover and high coverage of zoanthids and fleshy alga were the variables that influenced a low richness and high abundance of a few molluscan species in the reef habitat. The most abundant species were generalist carnivores, probably associated to a lesser offer and variability of resources in this type of reef system, when compared to the coral reefs. The results found in this study could reflect a normal characteristic of the molluscan community distribution in sandstone reefs, with low coral cover, or could indicate a degradation state of this habitat if it is compared to coral reefs, once that the significantly high coverage of fleshy alga has been recognized as a negative indicator of reef ecosystems health.

  10. In practice, the theory is different: a processual analysis of breastfeeding in northeast Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scavenius, Michael; van Hulsel, Lonneke; Meijer, Julia; Wendte, Hans; Gurgel, Ricardo

    2007-02-01

    'Na prática, a teoria è outra' (in practice, the theory is different) is an old Brazilian saying. This phrase summarizes well the general practice of breastfeeding in Brazil: 'Breast is best' is central in the pregnant women's future oriented 'theory' of how their infant should be fed. In the subsequent weeks after delivery, however, in the daily practicalities of feeding their infant, this theory is, to a large extent, abandoned. The present study is based on a sample of 300 mothers in the city of Aracaju in the Northeast of Brazil. Through interviews, the differences and similarities between knowledge and practice with respect to infant feeding were established. An explanation of these differences is developed on the basis of a processual analysis of the qualitative and quantitative results of the interview data. Nearly all mothers were knowledgeable of the need to breastfeed, and nearly all mothers had initiated breastfeeding. However, only a minority was exclusively breastfeeding at the time of the interview. A distinction is made between a breastfeeding process and a de-breastfeeding process. The data suggest that mothers, in general, start the de-breastfeeding process with the positive intention of ameliorating the infant's situation without realizing the negative processual consequences that most likely ends in a cessation of breastfeeding. The study supports the view that health policy should underline the processual character of both breastfeeding and de-breastfeeding when promoting the importance of exclusive breastfeeding.

  11. Spatial distribution and shell utilization in three sympatric hermit crabs at non-consolidated sublittoral of estuarine-bay complex in São Vicente, São Paulo, Brazil

    OpenAIRE

    Sant'Anna, Bruno S. [UNESP; Zangrande, Cilene M. [UNESP; Reigada, Álvaro L.D. [UNESP; Severino-Rodrigues, Evandro

    2006-01-01

    The objective of the present study was to characterize the spatial distribution and shell utilization of three hermit crab species in the estuarine-bay complex of São Vicente, São Paulo State, Brazil. Monthly samples were done throughout two years, in the non-consolidated sub-littoral at the estuarine-bay complex. The environmental factors, such as temperature, salinity and depth, were measured every month. The three hermit crab species, Clibanarius vittatus, Loxopagurus loxochelis and Isoche...

  12. Analysis of rainfall in the municipality of Castelo do Piauí, Northeast Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Francílio de Amorim dos Santos

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this research was to analyze rainfall in the municipality of Cas- telo do Piauí, located in the Northeast of Brazil, based on descriptive statistics and the Rainfall Anomaly Index (RAI. From an historical series of 39 years (1963 to 2001, a historical average of 1006.3 mm was identi ed for this municipality, whereas the years 1985 and 1983 were considered the most and least rainy, re- spectively. The rainy season is concentrated in the months of January to April, with March being the wettest and August being the least rainy. Rainfall variability values were higher than 40% for all months and asymmetric positive distribution. The RAI allowed to establish the following dry and rainy years: 1963, 1964 and 1989 (very rainy; 1974 and 1985 (extremely rainy; 1976, 1981, 1992, 1993, 1998 and 2001 (very dry; 1983 and 1990 (extremely dry. In summary, the present study found a predominance of dry to extremely dry years in the studied area, with 53.8%.

  13. ["Birth weakness": cultural meanings of maternal impressions for infant health in Northeast Brazil].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Calvasina, Paola Gondim; Nations, Marilyn K; Jorge, Maria Salete Bessa; Sampaio, Helena Alves de Carvalho

    2007-02-01

    Pregnancy encompasses socio-cultural, historical, and affective dimensions that process various meanings in women's bodies. Each society constructs popular concepts, practices, and explanatory models that differ from the biomedical model and aim to protect the mother and fetus and foster a healthy pregnancy. This qualitative study, based on interpretative anthropology, unveils the experiences of 27 poor women and their repercussions on the malnutrition of their infants, treated at a Childhood Malnutrition Treatment Center in Fortaleza, Northeast Brazil. From January to June 2004, ethnographic and narrative interviews were conducted on so-called "birth weakness", in addition to participant observation of outpatient, nursing, and home childcare. The mothers believed that their own physical and emotional suffering and precarious nutritional status were "imprinted" on the fetus, resulting in the child's malnutrition. While the ethno-etiology of "weakness" points to factors outside the body that involuntarily affect the pregnant mother, the medical view tended to incriminate the mother herself. It is necessary to understand the mothers' narratives, sympathize with their suffering, and spawn a closer approach between the popular and biomedical concepts.

  14. Assessment for water quality by artificial neural network in Daya Bay, South China Sea.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Mei-Lin; Wang, You-Shao; Gu, Ji-Dong

    2015-10-01

    In this study, artificial neural network such as a self-organizing map (SOM) was used to assess for the effects caused by climate change and human activities on the water quality in Daya Bay, South China Sea. SOM has identified the anthropogenic effects and seasonal characters of water quality. SOM grouped the four seasons as four groups (winter, spring, summer and autumn). The Southeast Asian monsoons, northeasterly from October to the next April and southwesterly from May to September have also an important influence on the water quality in Daya Bay. Spatial pattern is mainly related to anthropogenic activities and hydrodynamics conditions. In spatial characteristics, the water quality in Daya Bay was divided into two groups by chemometrics. The monitoring stations (S3, S8, S10 and S11) were in these area (Dapeng Ao, Aotou Harbor) and northeast parts of Daya Bay, which are areas of human activity. The thermal pollution has been observed near water body in Daya Bay Nuclear Power Plant (S5). The rest of the monitoring sites were in the south, central and eastern parts of Daya Bay, which are areas that experience water exchanges from South China Sea. The results of this study may provide information on the spatial and temporal patterns in Daya Bay. Further research will be carry out more research concerning functional changes in the bay ecology with respect to changes in climatic factor, human activities and bay morphology in Daya Bay.

  15. Detection of Rickettsia bellii and Rickettsia amblyommii in Amblyomma longirostre (Acari: Ixodidae) from Bahia state, Northeast Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McIntosh, Douglas; Bezerra, Rodrigo Alves; Luz, Hermes Ribeiro; Faccini, João Luiz Horacio; Gaiotto, Fernanda Amato; Giné, Gastón Andrés Fernandez; Albuquerque, George Rego

    2015-01-01

    Studies investigating rickettsial infections in ticks parasitizing wild animals in the Northeast region of Brazil have been confined to the detection of Rickettsia amblyommii in immature stages of Amblyomma longirostre collected from birds in the state of Bahia, and in immatures and females of Amblyomma auricularium collected from the striped hog-nosed skunk (Conepatus semistriatus) and armadillos (Euphractus sexcinctus) in the state of Pernambuco. The current study extends the distribution of R. amblyommii (strain Aranha), which was detected in A. longirostre collected from the thin-spined porcupine Chaetomys subspinosus and the hairy dwarf porcupine Coendou insidiosus. In addition, we report the first detection of Rickettsia bellii in adults of A. longirostre collected from C. insidiosus in the state of Bahia.

  16. Assessment of heavy metals in Egretta thula: case study: Coroa Grande mangrove, Sepetiba Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    OpenAIRE

    Ferreira,AP

    2011-01-01

    This study focuses on metals analysis in kidney and liver tissues of Egretta thula which were collected prostrate or newly dead in Coroa Grande mangrove, Sepetiba Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, between March 2005 and October 2008. Kidney and liver were collected and analysed to evaluate heavy metal pollution. High values and widest range were detected for all metals in liver and kidney tissues. Geometric mean differences from metals concentrations for Zn, Cd, Ni, Pb, Cu, and Cr, respectively, w...

  17. Circulation and geostrophic transport in the Bay of Bengal

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Rao, D.P.; Murty, V.S.N.

    Utilising the hydrographic data collected during the early northeast monsoon of 1983 and southwest monsoon of 1984, the circulation of waters of the Bay of Bengal and the associated volume transport have been studied in the upper 1000 m...

  18. Bay-scale population structure in coastal Atlantic cod in Labrador and Newfoundland, Canada

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ruzzante, D.E.; Wroblewski, J.S.; Taggart, C.T.

    2000-01-01

    Polymorphisms at five microsatellite DNA loci provide evidence that Atlantic cod Gadus morhua inhabiting Gilbert Bay, Labrador are genetically distinguishable from offshore cod on the north- east Newfoundland shelf and from inshore cod in Trinity Bay, Newfoundland. Antifreeze activity in the blood...... of population structure suggest that important barriers to gene flow exist among five components that include two inshore (Gilbert and Trinity Bay) and three offshore cod aggregations on the north-east Newfoundland Shelf and the Grand Bank. D-A and D-SW estimates of genetic distance that involve Gilbert Bay cod...

  19. Understanding the predictability of seasonal precipitation over northeast Brazil

    Science.gov (United States)

    Misra, Vasubandhu

    2006-05-01

    Using multiple long-term simulations of the Center for Ocean-Land-Atmosphere Studies (COLA) atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM) forced with observed sea surface temperature (SST), it is shown that the model has high skill in simulating the February-March-April (FMA) rainy season over northeast Brazil (Nordeste). Separate sensitivity experiments conducted with the same model that entails suppression of all variability except for the climatological annual cycle in SST over the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans reveal that this skill over Nordeste is sensitive to SST anomalies in the tropical Atlantic Ocean. However, the spatial pattern of SST anomalies in the tropical Atlantic Ocean that correlate with FMA Nordeste rainfall are in fact a manifestation of El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon in the Pacific Ocean. This study also analyzes the failure of the COLA AGCM in capturing the correct FMA precipitation anomalies over Nordeste in several years of the simulation. It is found that this failure occurs when the SST anomalies over the northern tropical Atlantic Ocean are large and not significantly correlated with contemporaneous SST anomalies over the eastern Pacific Ocean. In two of the relatively large ENSO years when the model failed to capture the correct signal of the interannual variability of precipitation over Nordeste, it was found that the meridional gradient of SST anomalies over the tropical Atlantic Ocean was inconsistent with the canonical development of ENSO. The analysis of the probabilistic skill of the model revealed that it has more skill in predicting flood years than drought. Furthermore, the model has no skill in predicting normal seasons. These model features are consistent with the model systematic errors.

  20. Extreme Effects of Season on the Foraging Activities and Colony Productivity of a Stingless Bee (Melipona asilvai Moure, 1971 in Northeast Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniela Lima do Nascimento

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available This study reports the influence of season on foraging activities and internal colonial parameters of Melipona asilvai in an Atlantic forest area of northeast Brazil. We used video cameras connected to a PC to monitor all departures and returns of foragers and the types of materials they carried. Foraging activities decreased almost 90% from dry to rainy seasons, but temperature and humidity were not the main factors influencing departures. Observed honey storage and an extreme cutback in activities during the rainy period suggest a seasonal diapause in this species.

  1. Genotyping and drug resistance patterns of Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains observed in a tuberculosis high-burden municipality in Northeast, Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roberta dos Santos Silva Luiz

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVES: This study has used a combination of clinical information, spoligotyping, and georeferencing system to elucidate the genetic diversity of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates circulating in a TB-prevalent municipality of Northeast Brazil. METHODS: A total of 115 M. tuberculosis strains were isolated from pulmonary tuberculosis patients from January 2007 to March 2008 in Fortaleza. Drug susceptibility and spoligotyping assays were performed and place of residence of the patients were georeferenced. RESULTS: Of the M. tuberculosis strains studied, 51 (44.3% isolates were resistant to at least one drug (R-TB and 64 (55.7% were sensitive to all the drugs tested (S-TB. A high frequency of resistance was found in previously treated cases (84% and among new cases (16%; p < 0.001. a total of 74 (64% isolates were grouped into 22 spoligotyped lineages, while 41 (36% isolates were identified as new. among the predominant genotypes, 33% were latim american mediterranean (lam, 12% haarlem (h, and 5% u. there was no association of geographic distribution of rt-tb patients as compared to the controls and also the geographic location to the spoligotype patterns. the geospatial analysis revealed that 24 (23% patients (hot spot zones either shared the same residence or lived in a close neighborhood of a case. among these concentration zones, the patients lived in the same residence and shared a common genotype pattern and resistance pattern. DISCUSSION: it was observed that the spoligopatterns family distribution was similar to that reported for south america, prevailing the lam and h lineages. a high rate-case among the resistant TB group occurs as a result of transmitted and acquired resistance. A more effective surveillance program is needed in order to succeed in reducing tuberculosis in Northeast Brazil.

  2. Genotyping and drug resistance patterns of Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains observed in a tuberculosis high-burden municipality in Northeast, Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roberta dos Santos Silva Luiz

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVES: This study has used a combination of clinical information, spoligotyping, and georeferencing system to elucidate the genetic diversity of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates circulating in a TB-prevalent municipality of Northeast Brazil. METHODS: A total of 115 M. tuberculosis strains were isolated from pulmonary tuberculosis patients from January 2007 to March 2008 in Fortaleza. Drug susceptibility and spoligotyping assays were performed and place of residence of the patients were georeferenced. RESULTS: Of the M. tuberculosis strains studied, 51 (44.3% isolates were resistant to at least one drug (R-TB and 64 (55.7% were sensitive to all the drugs tested (S-TB. A high frequency of resistance was found in previously treated cases (84% and among new cases (16%; p < 0.001. a total of 74 (64% isolates were grouped into 22 spoligotyped lineages, while 41 (36% isolates were identified as new. among the predominant genotypes, 33% were latim american mediterranean (lam, 12% haarlem (h, and 5% u. there was no association of geographic distribution of rt-tb patients as compared to the controls and also the geographic location to the spoligotype patterns. the geospatial analysis revealed that 24 (23% patients (hot spot zones either shared the same residence or lived in a close neighborhood of a case. among these concentration zones, the patients lived in the same residence and shared a common genotype pattern and resistance pattern. DISCUSSION: it was observed that the spoligopatterns family distribution was similar to that reported for south america, prevailing the lam and h lineages. a high rate-case among the resistant TB group occurs as a result of transmitted and acquired resistance. A more effective surveillance program is needed in order to succeed in reducing tuberculosis in Northeast Brazil.

  3. Zygomycetes from herbivore dung in the ecological reserve of Dois Irmãos, Northeast Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    André Luiz Cabral Monteiro de Azevedo Santiago

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available Thirty-eight taxa of Zygomycetes distributed in 15 genera were recorded from tapir (Tapirus terrestris, camel (Camelus bactrianus, horse (Equus caballus, deer (Cervus elaphus, agouti (Dasyprocta aguti, donkey (Equus asinus, llama (Llama glama and waterbuck (Kobus ellipsiprymnus dung collected at the Reserva Ecológica de Dois Irmãos located in Recife, State of Pernambuco, Northeast Brazil. The samples were collected on a monthly basis from June 2005 to May 2006, taken to the laboratory and incubated in moist chambers. Higher number of taxa was observed in the excrements of tapir, followed by deer and donkey. The highest number of species was detected for Mucor, followed by Pilobolus. Statistical analyses showed significant differences in richness of Zygomycetes taxa between the herbivore dung types. Differences of species composition, however, were weak. Seasonality influenced the Zygomycetes species composition but not its richness. Variations in taxa composition between ruminants and non-ruminants dung were non significant.

  4. Zygomycetes From Herbivore Dung in the Ecological Reserve of Dois IrmÃOs, Northeast Brazil

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Azevedo Santiago, André Luiz Cabral Monteiro; Botelho Trufem, Sandra Farto; Malosso, Elaine; dos Santos, Paulo Jorge Parreira; de Queiroz Cavalcanti, Maria Auxiliadora

    2011-01-01

    Thirty-eight taxa of Zygomycetes distributed in 15 genera were recorded from tapir (Tapirus terrestris), camel (Camelus bactrianus), horse (Equus caballus), deer (Cervus elaphus), agouti (Dasyprocta aguti), donkey (Equus asinus), llama (Llama glama) and waterbuck (Kobus ellipsiprymnus) dung collected at the Reserva Ecológica de Dois Irmãos located in Recife, State of Pernambuco, Northeast Brazil. The samples were collected on a monthly basis from June 2005 to May 2006, taken to the laboratory and incubated in moist chambers. Higher number of taxa was observed in the excrements of tapir, followed by deer and donkey. The highest number of species was detected for Mucor, followed by Pilobolus. Statistical analyses showed significant differences in richness of Zygomycetes taxa between the herbivore dung types. Differences of species composition, however, were weak. Seasonality influenced the Zygomycetes species composition but not its richness. Variations in taxa composition between ruminants and non-ruminants dung were non significant. PMID:24031609

  5. Microbiological quality of drinking rainwater in the inland region of Pajeú, Pernambuco, Northeast Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xavier, Rogério Pereira; Siqueira, Leonardo Pereira; Vital, Fernando Antonio Chaves; Rocha, Francisca Janaina Soares; Irmão, João Inácio; Calazans, Glícia Maria Torres

    2011-01-01

    Despite all efforts to store and reduce its consumption, water is becoming less inexhaustible and its quality is falling faster. Considering that water is essential to animal life, it is necessary to adopt measures to ensure its sanitary conditions in order to be fit for consumption. The aim of this study was to analyze the microbiological quality of drinking rainwater used by rural communities of Tuparetama, a small town located in Northeast Brazil. The study covered seven rural communities, totaling 66 households. In each household two samples were collected, one from a tank and the other from a clay pot located inside the home, resulting in 132 samples (tank plus clay pot). Approximately 90% of samples were below the standard recommended by the current legislation, being considered unfit for human consumption. Part of this high microbiological contamination of drinking rainwater could be related to the lack of sanitary education and of an adequate sewerage sanitation system.

  6. Modern sedimentation processes in a wave-dominated coastal embayment: Espírito Santo Bay, southeast Brazil

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bastos, Alex Cardoso; Costa Moscon, Daphnne Moraes; Carmo, Dannilo; Neto, José Antonio Baptista; da Silva Quaresma, Valéria

    2015-02-01

    Sediment dynamics in wave-dominated coastal embayments are generally controlled by seasonal meteorological conditions, storms having a particularly strong influence. In the present study, such hydrodynamic processes and associated deposits have been investigated in a coastal embayment located along the southeast coast of Brazil, i.e. Espírito Santo Bay, in the winter (June/July) of 2008. The bay has undergone a series of human interventions that have altered the local hydrodynamic processes and, consequently, the sediment transport patterns. Facies distribution and sediment dynamics were examined by acoustic seabed mapping, sediment and core sampling, hydrodynamic measurements and sand transport modelling. The results show that sediment distribution can be described in terms of nearshore and offshore zones. The offshore bay sector is predominantly composed of "palimpsest" lithoclastic medium-coarse sands deposited in the course of the early Holocene transgression that peaked about 5,000 years ago. In the inner bay or nearshore zone (up to depths of 4-8 m), these older transgressive deposits are today overlain by a thin (up to 30-cm-thick) and partly patchy blanket of younger regressive fine sand/muddy fine sands. Both coarse- and fine-grained facies are being reworked during high-energy events (Hs>1.5 m) when fine sediment is resuspended, weak tide-induced drift currents causing the sand patches to be displaced. The coarser sediment, by contrast, is mobilized as bedload to produce wave ripples with spacings of up to 1.2 m. These processes lead to a sharp spatial delimitation between a fine sand/mud facies and a rippled coarse sand facies. The fine sand patches have a relief of about 20-30 cm and reveal a typical internal tempestite depositional sequence. Fair-weather wave-induced sediment transport (Hs<1 m), supported by weak tidal currents, seems to only affect the fine sediment facies. Sediment dynamics in Espírito Santo Bay is thus essentially controlled by

  7. Spatial variation, speciation and sedimentary records of mercury in the Guanabara Bay (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Covelli, Stefano; Protopsalti, Ioanna; Acquavita, Alessandro; Sperle, Marcelo; Bonardi, Maurizio; Emili, Andrea

    2012-03-01

    As part of the "TAGUBAR" (TAngential GUanabara Bay Aeration Recovery) project, surface and long core sediments of the Guanabara Bay (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) were investigated for mercury (Hg). The main, but not the only, input of Hg into the Bay's waters is known to be a Chlor-Alkali Plant (CAP) located in the Acarì-São João de Merití River system, on the northwestern side of the Bay. Mercury distribution in surface sediments (<0.1-3.22 mg kg-1, average 0.87±0.80, n=40) seems to be controlled by the organic component, along with sulfur rather than grain-size, where Hg concentrations are less than 1 mg kg-1. Conversely, where the metal contents are higher than 1 mg kg-1, accumulation in surface sediments is mostly related to the presence of nearby contamination sources, such as industrial and urban settlements in the western sector of the Bay. Although total Hg contents in surface sediments exceed the values suggested by the effects-based standard quality guidelines as potentially toxic for the benthic community, results from a sequential extraction procedure showed that the contribution of the more soluble, easily exchangeable and eventually bioavailable Hg phases was found almost negligible (<0.1%). Most of the metal is strongly bound to the mineral lattice of the sedimentary matrix and should therefore be considered almost immobilized. The reduction in Hg accumulation in bottom sediments, expected as a consequence of the adoption of contamination control policies (i.e. Hg-free technologies in the CAP and sewage treating facilities), has not been clearly observed in the core profiles. Current estimates of Hg accumulation rates at the core top range from approximately 1 to 18 mg m-2 yr-1. Pre-industrial bottom core samples indicate that the central and northeastern sectors of the Bay are strongly affected by Hg enrichment: concentrations exceed the estimated baseline concentration by up to 20 factors. A cumulative Hg inventory suggests that the metal content

  8. Mortality by Heart Failure and Ischemic Heart Disease in Brazil from 1996 to 2011

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gaui, Eduardo Nagib; Oliveira, Gláucia Maria Moraes de; Klein, Carlos Henrique

    2014-01-01

    Circulatory system diseases are the first cause of death in Brazil. To analyze the evolution of mortality caused by heart failure, by ischemic heart diseases and by ill-defined causes, as well as their possible relations, in Brazil and in the geoeconomic regions of the country (North, Northeast, Center-West, South and Southeast), from 1996 to 2011. Data were obtained from DATASUS and death declaration records with codes I20 and I24 for acute ischemic diseases, I25 for chronic ischemic diseases, and I50 for heart failure, and codes in chapter XIII for ill-defined causes, according to geoeconomic regions of Brazil, from 1996 to 2011. Mortality rates due to heart failure declined in Brazil and its regions, except for the North and the Northeast. Mortality rates due to acute ischemic heart diseases increased in the North and Northeast regions, especially from 2005 on; they remained stable in the Center-West region; and decreased in the South and in the Southeast. Mortality due to chronic ischemic heart diseases decreased in Brazil and in the Center-West, South and Southeast regions, and had little variation in the North and in the Northeast. The highest mortality rates due to ill-defined causes occurred in the Northeast until 2005. Mortality due to heart failure is decreasing in Brazil and in all of its geoeconomic regions. The temporal evolution of mortality caused by ischemic heart diseases was similar to that of heart failure. The decreasing number of deaths due to ill-defined causes may represent the improvement in the quality of information about mortality in Brazil. The evolution of acute ischemic heart diseases ranged according to regions, being possibly confused with the differential evolution of ill-defined causes

  9. Mortality by Heart Failure and Ischemic Heart Disease in Brazil from 1996 to 2011

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eduardo Nagib Gaui

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Background: Circulatory system diseases are the first cause of death in Brazil. Objective: To analyze the evolution of mortality caused by heart failure, by ischemic heart diseases and by ill-defined causes, as well as their possible relations, in Brazil and in the geoeconomic regions of the country (North, Northeast, Center-West, South and Southeast, from 1996 to 2011. Methods: Data were obtained from DATASUS and death declaration records with codes I20 and I24 for acute ischemic diseases, I25 for chronic ischemic diseases, and I50 for heart failure, and codes in chapter XIII for ill-defined causes, according to geoeconomic regions of Brazil, from 1996 to 2011. Results: Mortality rates due to heart failure declined in Brazil and its regions, except for the North and the Northeast. Mortality rates due to acute ischemic heart diseases increased in the North and Northeast regions, especially from 2005 on; they remained stable in the Center-West region; and decreased in the South and in the Southeast. Mortality due to chronic ischemic heart diseases decreased in Brazil and in the Center-West, South and Southeast regions, and had little variation in the North and in the Northeast. The highest mortality rates due to ill-defined causes occurred in the Northeast until 2005. Conclusions: Mortality due to heart failure is decreasing in Brazil and in all of its geoeconomic regions. The temporal evolution of mortality caused by ischemic heart diseases was similar to that of heart failure. The decreasing number of deaths due to ill-defined causes may represent the improvement in the quality of information about mortality in Brazil. The evolution of acute ischemic heart diseases ranged according to regions, being possibly confused with the differential evolution of ill-defined causes.

  10. Mortality by Heart Failure and Ischemic Heart Disease in Brazil from 1996 to 2011

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gaui, Eduardo Nagib, E-mail: engaui@cardiol.br; Oliveira, Gláucia Maria Moraes de [Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil); Klein, Carlos Henrique [Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública Sérgio Arouca da Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)

    2014-06-15

    Circulatory system diseases are the first cause of death in Brazil. To analyze the evolution of mortality caused by heart failure, by ischemic heart diseases and by ill-defined causes, as well as their possible relations, in Brazil and in the geoeconomic regions of the country (North, Northeast, Center-West, South and Southeast), from 1996 to 2011. Data were obtained from DATASUS and death declaration records with codes I20 and I24 for acute ischemic diseases, I25 for chronic ischemic diseases, and I50 for heart failure, and codes in chapter XIII for ill-defined causes, according to geoeconomic regions of Brazil, from 1996 to 2011. Mortality rates due to heart failure declined in Brazil and its regions, except for the North and the Northeast. Mortality rates due to acute ischemic heart diseases increased in the North and Northeast regions, especially from 2005 on; they remained stable in the Center-West region; and decreased in the South and in the Southeast. Mortality due to chronic ischemic heart diseases decreased in Brazil and in the Center-West, South and Southeast regions, and had little variation in the North and in the Northeast. The highest mortality rates due to ill-defined causes occurred in the Northeast until 2005. Mortality due to heart failure is decreasing in Brazil and in all of its geoeconomic regions. The temporal evolution of mortality caused by ischemic heart diseases was similar to that of heart failure. The decreasing number of deaths due to ill-defined causes may represent the improvement in the quality of information about mortality in Brazil. The evolution of acute ischemic heart diseases ranged according to regions, being possibly confused with the differential evolution of ill-defined causes.

  11. Application of remote sensing data for oil spill monitoring in the Guanabara bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bentz, Cristina Maria; Miranda, Fernando Pellon de [PETROBRAS, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil). Centro de Pesquisas. Centro de Excelencia em Geoquimica

    2001-07-01

    This paper describes the application of remote sensing data for oil spill monitoring in the Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. During the emergency, Landsat-5/T M (Thematic Mapper) and Radar sat-1 data were acquired to monitor the location of the spill and its movement. Image classification procedures have been utilized to highlight oil-covered areas on the water surface. Ambiguities in the oil detection were resolved with the aid of ancillary information in a GIS (Geographic Information System) environment. The results obtained helped PETROBRAS to optimize the emergency response procedures and subsequent cleaning efforts. (author)

  12. Resettlement of communities The case study of Jaguaribara: A resilient community (Northeast of Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Isabelle Amorim

    2009-04-01

    Full Text Available This paper examines the displacement of the inhabitants of Jaguaribara (Northeast Brazil who were resettled due to the construction of the “Castanhao”. #e Government planned a new city to shelter the inhabitants from “Old Jaguaribara” that was $ooded due to the over$owing of the dam. #e case of Jaguaribara provides another perspective for analysing the consequences of the resettlement of the community, elucidating - besides the impoverishment risks - the protective factors that came up during the process of resistance against the construction of the dam, in the light of the concept of resilience. In order to capture the various dimensions of this process, qualitative primary data were used as the main source, together with documentation made by NGOs and professionals involved during the process of resistance against the construction of the dam, as well as semi-structured interviews. #e enhancement of resilience in Jaguaribara represented the possibility to transform isolated individuals into a powerful integrated group that could combine forces, catalyse collective gains as well as articulate and defend common interests.

  13. Zooplankton abundance in the River Kars, Northeast Turkey: Impact ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    PRECIOUS

    2009-11-02

    Nov 2, 2009 ... Turkey: Impact of environmental variables. H. Özbay1* and ... in the river. Key words: River Kars, zooplankton, running water, environmental factors. ..... tergestina (Branchiopoda: Onychopoda) in Guanabara Bay, Brazil. Braz.

  14. Imposex in endemic volutid from Northeast Brazil (Mollusca: Gastropoda

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ítalo Braga de Castro

    2008-10-01

    Full Text Available Imposex is characterized by the development of masculine sexual organs in neogastropod females. Almost 120 mollusk species are known to present imposex when exposed to organic tin compounds as tributyltin (TBT and triphenyltin (TPT. These compounds are used as biocide agents in antifouling paints to prevent the incrustations on boats. Five gastropod species are known to present imposex in Brazil: Stramonita haemastoma, Stramonita rustica, Leucozonia nassa, Cymathium parthenopeum and Olivancillaria vesica. This paper reports the first record of imposex observed in the endemic gastropod Voluta ebraea from Pacheco Beach, Northeast Brazil. Animals presenting imposex had regular female reproductive organs (capsule gland, oviduct and sperm-ingesting gland and an abnormal penis. As imposex occurs in mollusks exposed to organotin compounds typically found at harbors, marinas, shipyards and areas with high shipping activities, probably contamination of Pacheco Beach is a consequence of a shipyard activity located in the nearest areas.O imposex caracteriza-se pelo surgimento de estruturas sexuais masculinas, em fêmeas de gastrópodes. Cerca de 120 espécies de moluscos que exibem o fenômeno quando expostas a contaminação por compostos orgânicos de estanho tais como o Tributilestanho (TBT e o Trifenilestanho (TPT. Esses compostos são utilizados, sobretudo em embarcações, no intuito de evitar a bioincrustração que danifica as embarcações e eleva os custos das viagens marítimas. No Brasil se conhecem 5 espécies de moluscos gastrópodes que manifestam imposex, são elas: Stramonita haemastoma, Stramonita rustica, Leucozonia nassa, Cymathium parthenopeum e Olivancillaria vesica. No Nordeste, monitoramentos da contaminação por organoestânicos foram realizados utilizando o imposex em gastrópodes como biomarcador. O presente estudo tem por objetivo notificar a primeira ocorrência de imposex na espécie endêmica do Nordeste brasileiro, Voluta

  15. Multielement determination in river-water of Sepetiba Bay tributaries (Brazil) by total reflection X-ray fluorescence using synchrotron radiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Costa, A.C.M.; Castro, C.R.F.; Lopes, R.T.; Anjos, M.J.; Rio de Janeiro State Univ.

    2006-01-01

    Trace elements were determined in the surface waters of tributaries of the Sepetiba Bay, Brazil (Piraque, Ita, Sao Francisco, Guarda, Guandu Mirim, Vala do Sangue and Engenho Novo rivers) by total reflection X-ray fluorescence using synchrotron radiation (SRTXRF). Eighteen trace elements could be determined in the dissolved and the suspended particulate phases: Al, Si, P, S, Cl, K, Ca, Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Br, Rb, Sr and Pb. The elemental concentration values were compared to the values recommended by the Brazilian legislation. (author)

  16. Performance of the local health system and contingent influences in Northeast-Brazil: breaking vicious and virtuous circles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Regianne Leila Rolim Medeiros

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available Organizational theory has long emphasized the importance of contingent, environmental influences on organizational performance. Similarly, research has demonstrated the importance of local political culture and informal management on the performance of the local health system, establishing vicious and virtuous circles of influence that contribute to increasing inequalities in performance among decentralized local health systems. A longitudinal ethnography studied the relationship between these elements in the same rural municipality in Northeast Brazil after a four-year interval. The second study found the local health system performance much improved. Two main factors appear to have interacted to bring this about: leadership vision and power to implement of one individual; professionalization of the local health system by hiring a significant number of senior health staff. The origins of these influences combine initiatives at local, state and federal levels.

  17. Upwelling features near Sri Lanka in the Bay of Bengal

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    ShreeRam, P.; Rao, L.V.G.

    , the southwest monsoon in summer and the northeast monsoon in winter. The wind stress associated with these winds cause mass drift of oceanic waters leading to upwelling and downwelling. The upwelling features in the Bay of Bengal with a special mention about...

  18. Preliminary assessment of Miramar Petrochemical Harbor as PAH source to Guajará bay (Belém-PA-Brazil surface sediments

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Silvana do Socorro Veloso Sodré

    Full Text Available Abstract A preliminary study on a petrochemical harbor as a potential source of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH to surface sediments of Guajará bay, located in Belém City, Pará State, Brazil, over the last 10 years is presented here. The 16 priority USEPA PAH were identified and quantified. Surface sediment samples, collected at 5 sites in the bay, near Miramar Petrochemical Harbor (TEMIR, were extracted and analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography with a diode array detector. Total PAH concentration ranged from 533.0 to 3123.3 ng g-1 dry weight with a mean concentration of 1091.9 ng g-1. The most contaminated places were those where muddy sediments were found with highest concentrations of organic matter. The priority PAH with low molecular weight represented 54.4% of the total abundance and indicate that the main source of contamination of the sediments was petrogenic, indicative of the relevant contribution of the petrochemical harbor activity to the input of PAH to Guajará bay. However, pyrolytic PAH coming from fuel combustion, household waste combustion and untreated sewage discharge are also potential contamination sources to this environment.

  19. Impact of Telemedicine in the Screening for Congenital Heart Disease in a Center from Northeast Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Araújo, Juliana Sousa Soares; Regis, Cláudio Teixeira; Gomes, Renata Grigório Silva; Mourato, Felipe Alves; Mattos, Sandra da Silva

    2016-12-01

    To describe the incidence of congenital heart disease before and after the establishment of a telemedicine screening program, in a reference center from Northeast Brazil. This is a descriptive, retrospective and comparative study based on the institutional data from a reference center in perinatology for a period of 16 years. Institutional data were collected from a 16-year period (2001-15). Data were divided into two periods: prior to (2001-11) and after (2012-15) the establishment of a telemedicine screening program. After the implementation of the screening process, almost all kinds of heart disease showed a significant increase in their incidence (p  <  0.05). With this, the incidence of major heart diseases approached those specified in developed regions. The implementation of a screening process model for congenital heart diseases can change the context of patients with congenital heart diseases in poor regions. © The Author [2016]. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  20. Physical properties of honeys produced in the Northeast of Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Patricia Argemira Costa

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this work was to study the rheological, thermal and some other physical-chemical properties of selected honeys produced in the Northeast of Brazil. Two samples were produced by native “Jandaira” bees (Melipona subnitida and ten other samples by Africanized bees (Apis mellifera. The samples were analyzed for pH, water activity (aW, soluble solids and water content. Viscosity flow curves were obtained using a rheometer (25ºC, 0-100s-1. Thermal analyses were performed on a differential scanning calorimeter, with heating rate of 10ºC/min (-100 to 100ºC. The water content and the pH of the honey samples varied from 17.2 to 27.9% and from 3.2 to 4.2, respectively, and, the aW of the samples varied from 0.57 to 0.74. Two samples were out of specification with respect to water content, according to Brazilian laws. In relation to rheology, all honey samples showed Newtonian behaviour with no thixotropy or dilatancy. The viscosity varied as an exponential function of the water content. The highest viscosity was obtained for the sample with lower values of water content and aW. Thermograms showed a glass transition (Tg occurring between -52.4 and -42.6ºC, in the samples produced by Apis mellifera and -67.6 and -57.0ºC for the other samples. A linear relationship was obtained between Tg and water content. In conclusion, the honey viscosity depended on the water content of the product. The higher the water value and therefore the greater the aw, the lower viscosity and Tg of the samples.

  1. Coccidioides immitis isolated from armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus) in the state of Piauí, northeast Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eulálio, K D; de Macedo, R L; Cavalcanti, M A; Martins, L M; Lazéra, M S; Wanke, B

    2001-01-01

    Natural infection of armadillos with Coccidioides immitis was studied in the state of Piauí, northeast of Brazil, endemic for coccidioidomycosis. In 1998, 26 nine-banded armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus) were captured in 4 different counties. The animals were sacrificed under deep anesthesia with ether. At necropsy fragments of spleen, liver, lungs and heart were homogenized and seeded onto Sabouraud dextrose agar with and without cycloheximide (BBL, USA). Part of each organ was also processed for histological examination. Suspected colonies of filamentous fungi observed after the second week of incubation at room temperature, exhibiting barrel-shaped arthroconidia alternating with empty spaces, were inoculated intraperitoneally into mice. Three armadillos proved to be infected with C. immitis. Mice inoculated with suspected colonies obtained from homogenized spleen of three and liver of two armadillos developed disseminated coccidioidomycosis and immature and mature spherules of C. immitis were disclosed in several organs. For the first time armadillos (D. novemcinctus) were found naturally infected with C. immitis, adding new data on the ecology and on a possible role of these ancestral mammals in the evolutionary life cycle of this fungus.

  2. The Espinharas uranium occurrence, Brazil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fuchs, H.D.; Fonte, J. da; Suckau, V.; Thakur, V.

    1981-01-01

    Nuclam has been exploring for uranium in Brazil since 1976. During this period one uranium ore body has been found in the vicinity of Espinharas, a village in Paraiba State, northeast Brazil. According to present knowledge, the mineralized ore body is caused by metasomatic action. The history of discovery and the exploration work until the end of 1979 is given, showing the conceptual change with increasing knowledge of the mineralized zone. (author)

  3. 12. Meeting of the North and Northeast physicists. Abstracts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1994-01-01

    These proceedings present a general overview of different branches of physics developed in the North and Northeast of Brazil. The papers cover a rather broad list of topics ranging from teaching at high school to research carried out universities. The emphasis was on experimental and theoretical aspects of condensed matter and nuclear physics

  4. Antioxidant Activity of a Geopropolis from Northeast Brazil: Chemical Characterization and Likely Botanical Origin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferreira, Joselena M; Fernandes-Silva, Caroline C; Salatino, Antonio; Message, Dejair; Negri, Giuseppina

    2017-01-01

    Geopropolis is a product containing wax, plant resin, and soil particles. It is elaborated by stingless bees of tribe Meliponini. Methanol extracts of sample of geopropolis produced by Scaptotrigona postica ("mandaguari") in the state of Rio Grande do Norte (RN, northeast Brazil) were analyzed for the determination of standard parameters (total phenols, total flavonoids, and radical scavenging activity) and chemical characterization by HPLC-DAD-MS/MS analysis. The sample analyzed has high contents of total phenols and flavonoids, as well as high antioxidant activity. The constituents characterized were mainly flavonols, such as quercetin methyl ethers, and methoxychalcones. Such chemical profile is similar to the composition of a green propolis from the same area of RN, which is produced by Africanized Apis mellifera , using shoot apices of Mimosa tenuiflora , popularly known as "jurema-preta." This finding provides evidence that "mandaguari" geopropolis and honeybee propolis have the same botanical origin in RN. The sharing of a plant resin source by phylogenetically distant bees (Apinae and Meliponinae) suggests that bee genetic factors play little role in the choice of plants for resin collection and that the availability of potential botanical sources plays a decisive role.

  5. Spatio-temporal variation of ichthyoplankton in estuarine beaches at the Babitonga bay, Santa Catarina, Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Micheli Duarte de Paula Costa

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available In Brazil, estuarine beaches are poorly studied with regard to ichthyoplankton. In this context, from August 2005 to July 2006, monthly collections were conducted, using conical plankton net with 200μm mesh size and 40cm mouth diameter, at seven estuarine beaches in the polyhaline sector of Babitonga bay, Santa Catarina, Brazil. At each beach, data regarding temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, pH, chlorophyll-a, and zooplankton volume were obtained. A total of 54,384 fish eggs and 10,576 fish larvae were collected, with a general mean abundance of 3,114 eggs.100m-3 and 607 larvae.100m-3. Higher abundance of eggs occurred from October to March and higher abundance of larvae occurred from October to December and between February and April. Among the beaches, higher abundance of eggs was recorded at the intermediate ones and higher abundance of larvae was recorded at the outermost ones (those closest to the estuary mouth. There was a predominance of larvae from the families Haemulidae, Engraulidae, Gobiidae, Sciaenidae, Blenniidae, Carangidae, and Sparidae, most of them found in the warmest period of the year. Analysis on the water column variables, chlorophyll-a, zooplankton volume and ichthyoplankton showed low correlations in the shallow habitats under study.

  6. Assessment of heavy metals in Egretta thula: case study: Coroa Grande mangrove, Sepetiba Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferreira, A P

    2011-02-01

    This study focuses on metals analysis in kidney and liver tissues of Egretta thula which were collected prostrate or newly dead in Coroa Grande mangrove, Sepetiba Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, between March 2005 and October 2008. Kidney and liver were collected and analysed to evaluate heavy metal pollution. High values and widest range were detected for all metals in liver and kidney tissues. Geometric mean differences from metals concentrations for Zn, Cd, Ni, Pb, Cu, and Cr, respectively, were found in both organs. Results from linear regression analysis were non-significant in kidney (r = -0.79975, P = 0.10428), and in liver (r = -0.53193, P = 0.35618). With ANOVA analysis for metal accumulation differences (kidney*liver), at the 0.05 level, the results were significantly different (F = 33.17676, P = 0.00000; F = 12.47880, P = 0.00000). These results indicate that Sepetiba Bay shows worrying levels of metals in this study with E. thula, showing potential power of widespread biological and mutagenic adverse effects in trophic levels, and therefore, signalling risk to human health.

  7. Assessment of heavy metals in Egretta thula: case study: Coroa Grande mangrove, Sepetiba Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    AP Ferreira

    Full Text Available This study focuses on metals analysis in kidney and liver tissues of Egretta thula which were collected prostrate or newly dead in Coroa Grande mangrove, Sepetiba Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, between March 2005 and October 2008. Kidney and liver were collected and analysed to evaluate heavy metal pollution. High values and widest range were detected for all metals in liver and kidney tissues. Geometric mean differences from metals concentrations for Zn, Cd, Ni, Pb, Cu, and Cr, respectively, were found in both organs. Results from linear regression analysis were non-significant in kidney (r = -0.79975, P = 0.10428, and in liver (r = -0.53193, P = 0.35618. With ANOVA analysis for metal accumulation differences (kidney*liver, at the 0.05 level, the results were significantly different (F = 33.17676, P = 0.00000; F = 12.47880, P = 0.00000. These results indicate that Sepetiba Bay shows worrying levels of metals in this study with E. thula, showing potential power of widespread biological and mutagenic adverse effects in trophic levels, and therefore, signalling risk to human health.

  8. Magnetotelluric and aeromagnetic investigations for assessment of groundwater resources in Parnaiba basin in Piaui State of North-East Brazil

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chandrasekhar, E.; Fontes, Sergio L.; Flexor, Jean M.; Rajaram, Mita; Anand, S. P.

    2009-06-01

    In an attempt to locate the presence of possible groundwater resource regions in the semi-arid North-East Brazil, an integrated survey including aeromagnetic and magnetotelluric (MT) studies have been undertaken in the Guaribas region and only MT survey in the Caracol region. In the Guaribas region the aeromagnetic data, its analytic signal and Euler solutions reveal several subsurface small-scale faults and intrusives that are conducive to be potential groundwater resource regions. A total of about 22 broad-band magnetotelluric (MT) soundings in the period range of 0.006-300 s along two profiles on the marginal arcs of the intra-cratonic sedimentary Parnaíba basin in North-East Brazil have been made across the regional geological strike, the Senador Pompeu Lineament (SPL). SPL trends N40°E and marks a basement high reflecting an irregularity in the original basin geometry. While one of the MT profiles traverses across the SPL, the other lies only in the aeromagnetically surveyed sedimentary region. Two-dimensional inversion of MT data of both profiles shows that the sedimentary basin is conductive (100-150 Ω m) and shows as a thin graben with an average thickness of about 2-3 km beneath both profiles. The basin is located to be at shallow depths (from surface to about 500 m). Based on the facts that the study region falls on sedimentary region having low-to-very low permeability and also in accordance with the subsurface lithology around the study region, the mapped sedimentary basin largely manifests the zone of potential sedimentary aquifer having moderate resistivity of 50-250 Ω m and is located at relatively shallow depths. The identified aquifer zone is believed to have links with the Parnaiba River flowing at a distance of about 300 km NW from the study region. We discuss interpretation of our results of MT and aeromagnetic data sets in the light of hydrological features of the study region.

  9. Calculation of economic viability of alternative energy sources considering its environmental costs for small communities of Northeast Brazil; Calculo de viabilidade economica de fontes alternativas de energia considerando seus custos ambientais para pequenas comuidades da regiao nordeste brasileira

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Stecher, Luiza Chourkalo

    2014-09-01

    There has been an increasing concern about current environmental issues caused by human activity, as the world searches for development. The production of electricity is an extremely relevant factor in this scenario since it is responsible for a large portion of the emissions that cause the greenhouse effect. Due to this fact, a sustainable development with alternative energy sources, which are attractive for such purpose, must be proposed, especially in places that are not supplied by the conventional electricity grid such as many communities in the Northeast Brazil. This work aims to calculate the environmental cost for the alternative sources of energy - solar, wind and biomass - during electricity generation, and to estimate the economic feasibility of those sources in small communities of Northeast Brazil, considering the avoided costs. The externalities must be properly identified and valued so the costs or benefits can be internalized and reflect accurately the economic feasibility or infeasibility of those sources. For this, the method of avoided costs was adopted for the calculation of externalities. This variable was included in the equation developed for all considered alternative energy sources. The calculations of economic feasibility were performed taking the new configurations in consideration, and the new equation was reprogrammed in the Programa de Calculo de Custos de Energias Alternativas, Solar, Eolica e Biomassa (PEASEB). The results demonstrated that the solar photovoltaic energy in isolated systems is the most feasible and broadly applicable source for small communities of Northeast Brazil. (author)

  10. On the dynamics of droughts in northeast Brazil - Observations, theory and numerical experiments with a general circulation model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moura, A. D.; Shukla, J.

    1981-01-01

    The establishment of a thermally direct local circulation which has its ascending branch at about 10 deg N and its descending branch over northeast Brazil and the adjoining oceanic region is proposed as a possible mechanism for the occurrence of severe droughts over this Brazilian region. The driving for this anomalous circulation is provided by enhanced moist convection due to the effect of warmer sea surface anomalies over the northern tropical Atlantic and cooling associated with colder sea surface temperature anomalies in the southern tropical Atlantic. A simple primitive equation model is used to calculate the frictionally-controlled and thermally-driven circulation due to a prescribed heating function in a resting atmosphere, and a series of numerical experiments are carried out to test the sensitivity of the Goddard Laboratory's model to prescribed sea surface temperature anomalies over the tropical Atlantic.

  11. Combined SEM/AVS and attenuation of concentration models for the assessment of bioavailability and mobility of metals in sediments of Sepetiba Bay (SE Brazil).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ribeiro, Andreza Portella; Figueiredo, Ana Maria Graciano; dos Santos, José Osman; Dantas, Elizabeth; Cotrim, Marycel Elena Barboza; Figueira, Rubens Cesar Lopes; Silva Filho, Emmanoel V; Wasserman, Julio Cesar

    2013-03-15

    This study proposes a new methodology to study contamination, bioavailability and mobility of metals (Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn) using chemical and geostatistics approaches in marine sediments of Sepetiba Bay (SE Brazil). The chemical model of SEM (simultaneously extracted metals)/AVS (acid volatile sulfides) ratio uses a technique of cold acid extraction of metals to evaluate their bioavailability, and the geostatistical model of attenuation of concentrations estimates the mobility of metals. By coupling the two it was observed that Sepetiba Port, the urban area of Sepetiba and the riverine discharges may constitute potential sources of metals to Sepetiba Bay. The metals are concentrated in the NE area of the bay, where they tend to have their lowest mobility, as shown by the attenuation model, and are not bioavailable, as they tend to associate with sulfide and organic matter originated in the mangrove forests of nearby Guaratiba area. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Sepetiba Bay: an integrated study of an harbour location

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bandeira, J.V.; Aun, P.E.; Castro, J.O.N.M. de; Moreira, R.M.

    1984-01-01

    Several aspects of the construction of an iron-ore and coal terminal in Sepetiba bay (RJ, Brazil) in the region of south of Madeira Island, are presented. The studies include a general view of the geomorphology of the region, analyses of current measurements, water circulation and sedimentology of the bay by conventional methods and by radioactive tracers. (M.A.C.) [pt

  13. A strong CO2 sink enhanced by eutrophication in a tropical coastal embayment (Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cotovicz, L. C., Jr.; Knoppers, B. A.; Brandini, N.; Costa Santos, S. J.; Abril, G.

    2015-10-01

    In contrast to its small surface area, the coastal zone plays a disproportionate role in the global carbon cycle. Carbon production, transformation, emission and burial rates at the land-ocean interface are significant at the global scale but still poorly known, especially in tropical regions. Surface water pCO2 and ancillary parameters were monitored during nine field campaigns between April 2013 and April 2014 in Guanabara Bay, a tropical eutrophic to hypertrophic semi-enclosed estuarine embayment surrounded by the city of Rio de Janeiro, southeast Brazil. Water pCO2 varied between 22 and 3715 ppmv in the bay, showing spatial, diurnal and seasonal trends that mirrored those of dissolved oxygen (DO) and chlorophyll a (Chl a). Marked pCO2 undersaturation was prevalent in the shallow, confined and thermally stratified waters of the upper bay, whereas pCO2 oversaturation was restricted to sites close to the small river mouths and small sewage channels, which covered only 10 % of the bay's area. Substantial daily variations in pCO2 (up to 395 ppmv between dawn and dusk) were also registered and could be integrated temporally and spatially for the establishment of net diurnal, seasonal and annual CO2 fluxes. In contrast to other estuaries worldwide, Guanabara Bay behaved as a net sink of atmospheric CO2, a property enhanced by the concomitant effects of strong radiation intensity, thermal stratification, and high availability of nutrients, which promotes phytoplankton development and net autotrophy. The calculated CO2 fluxes for Guanabara Bay ranged between -9.6 and -18.3 mol C m-2 yr-1, of the same order of magnitude as the organic carbon burial and organic carbon inputs from the watershed. The positive and high net community production (52.1 mol C m-2 yr-1) confirms the high carbon production in the bay. This autotrophic metabolism is apparently enhanced by eutrophication. Our results show that global CO2 budgetary assertions still lack information on tropical

  14. A large CO2 sink enhanced by eutrophication in a tropical coastal embayment (Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cotovicz, L. C., Jr.; Knoppers, B. A.; Brandini, N.; Costa Santos, S. J.; Abril, G.

    2015-03-01

    In contrast to its small surface area, the coastal zone plays a disproportionate role in the global carbon cycle. Carbon production, transformation, emission and burial rates at the land-ocean interface are still poorly known, especially in tropical regions. Surface water pCO2 and ancillary parameters were monitored during nine field campaigns between April 2013 and April 2014 in Guanabara Bay, a tropical eutrophic to hypertrophic semi-enclosed estuarine embayment surrounded by the city of Rio de Janeiro, SE-Brazil. Water pCO2 varied between 22 and 3715 ppmv in the Bay showing spatial, diurnal and seasonal trends that mirrored those of dissolved oxygen (DO) and Chlorophyll a (Chl a). Marked pCO2 undersaturation was prevalent in the shallow, confined and thermally stratified waters of the upper bay, whereas pCO2 oversaturation was restricted to sites close to the small river mouths and small sewage channels, which covered only 10% of the bay's area. Substantial daily variations in pCO2 (up to 395 ppmv between dawn and dusk) were also registered and could be integrated temporally and spatially for the establishment of net diurnal, seasonal and annual CO2 fluxes. In contrast to other estuaries worldwide, Guanabara Bay behaved as a net sink of atmospheric CO2, a property enhanced by the concomitant effects of strong radiation intensity, thermal stratification, and high availability of nutrients, which promotes phytoplankton development and net autotrophy. In the inner part of the bay, the calculated annual CO2 sink (-19.6 mol C m2 yr-1) matched the organic carbon burial in the sediments reported in the literature. The carbon sink and autotrophy of Guanabara Bay was driven by planktonic primary production promoted by eutrophication, and by its typology of marine embayment lacking the classical extended estuarine mixing zone, in contrast to river-dominated estuarine systems, which are generally net heterotrophic and CO2 emitters. Our results show that global CO2

  15. Analysis of whistles produced by the Tucuxi Dolphin Sotalia fluviatilis from Sepetiba Bay, Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Erber Claudia

    2004-01-01

    Full Text Available From July 2001 to June 2002, we recorded a total of 2h55min of Tucuxi Dolphin Sotalia fluviatilis vocalizations from Sepetiba Bay, Brazil (22º35'S-44º03'W. A total of 3350 whistles were analyzed quantitative and qualitatively and were divided into 124 types, by visual inspection of sonograms. The following parameters were measured: Initial Frequency, Final Frequency, Minimum Frequency, Maximum Frequency, Duration, Number of Inflections, Frequency at the Inflection Points, Frequency at 1/2, 1/4, and 3/4 of whistle duration, Presence of Frequency Modulation and Harmonics. Ascending type whistles (N=2719 were most common, representing 82% of the total. Dolphin behavior and average group size observed during recording influenced the whistle's quantitative and qualitative parameters. The results demonstrate the great diversity of whistles emitted and indicate a functional role of these vocalizations during the observed behaviors.

  16. Heavy Rainfall Episodes in the Eastern Northeast Brazil Linked to Large-Scale Ocean-Atmosphere Conditions in the Tropical Atlantic

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yves K. Kouadio

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Relationships between simultaneous occurrences of distinctive atmospheric easterly wave (EW signatures that cross the south-equatorial Atlantic, intense mesoscale convective systems (lifespan > 2 hour that propagate westward over the western south-equatorial Atlantic, and subsequent strong rainfall episodes (anomaly > 10 mm·day−1 that occur in eastern Northeast Brazil (ENEB are investigated. Using a simple diagnostic analysis, twelve cases with EW lifespan ranging between 3 and 8 days and a mean velocity of 8 m·s−1 were selected and documented during each rainy season of 2004, 2005, and 2006. These cases, which represent 50% of the total number of strong rainfall episodes and 60% of the rainfall amount over the ENEB, were concomitant with an acceleration of the trade winds over the south-equatorial Atlantic, an excess of moisture transported westward from Africa to America, and a strengthening of the convective activity in the oceanic region close to Brazil. Most of these episodes occurred during positive sea surface temperature anomaly patterns over the entire south-equatorial Atlantic and low-frequency warm conditions within the oceanic mixing layer. A real-time monitoring and the simulation of this ocean-atmosphere relationship could help in forecasting such dramatic rainfall events.

  17. Polychaete assemblage of an impacted estuary, Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Leonardo Santi

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available Thirty-eight stations were sampled in Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to assess the spatio-temporal diversity and biomass of sublittoral polychaetes. Samples were collected during the dry (September 2000 and rainy season (May 2001 in shallow sublittoral sediments. The polychaete spatial composition showed a heterogeneous distribution throughout the bay. A negative gradient of diversity and biomass was observed towards the inner parts of the bay and sheltered areas. A wide azoic area was found inside the bay. Some high-biomass and low-diversity spots were found near a sewage-discharge point. In these areas, the polychaete biomass increased after the rainy season. A diversified polychaete community was identified around the bay mouth, with no dramatic changes of this pattern between the two sampling periods. Deposit-feeders were dominant in the entire study area. The relative importance of carnivores and omnivores increased towards the outer sector, at stations with coarse sediment fractions. Guanabara Bay can be divided into three main zones with respect to environmental conditions and polychaete diversity and biomass patterns: A High polychaete diversity, hydrodynamically exposed areas composed of sandy, oxidized or moderately reduced sediments with normoxic conditions in the water column. B Low diversity and high biomass of deposit and suspension-feeding polychaete species in the middle part of the bay near continental inflows, comprising stations sharing similar proportions of silt, clay and fine sands. C Azoic area or an impoverished polychaete community in hydrodynamically low-energy areas of silt and clay with extremely reduced sediments, high total organic matter content and hypoxic conditions in the water column, located essentially from the mid-bay towards the north sector. High total organic matter content and hypoxic conditions combined with slow water renewal in the inner bay seemed to play a key role in the polychaete

  18. A case-control study on the association of hepatitis B virus infection and hepatocellular carcinoma in Northeast Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cotrim Helma

    1992-01-01

    Full Text Available Hepatitis B virus (HBV serological markers were investigated in 40 incident cases of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC and in two age and sex matched control groups, comprising 40 patients with other cancers and 80 healthy individuals, resident in Bahia, Brazil. Serologic tests were done by radioimmunoassay. The study observed high proportion of seropositivity to HBsAg (42.5% and of those presenting HBsAg or antiHBc (65.0% among HCC cases, higher in men than women and in those aged 17 to 30 years old. HBsAg seropositivity among HCC patients was greater than in the control group with other cancers (7.5% and in healthy controls (2.5%, corresponding to odds ratio estimates of 15.0 (95% CI 3.29, 68.30 and 33.0 (95% CI 9.13, 119.28, both statistically significant. HBeAg was not observed and antiHBe was present in 41.2% of cases, suggesting the absence of viral replication, possibly with viral DNA intergration into the hepatocyte genome. The presence of cirrhosis was associated with HBsAg seropositivity among HCC cases. A history of chronic alcoholism is shown to be more frequently related to those cases with cirrhosis. This study highlights the relevant association between HCC and HBV in Northeast Brazil, particularly for young individuals, and the high risk of development of HCC for HBsAg carriers.

  19. Pentastomid, Raillietiella mottae Almeida, Freire and Lopes, 2008, infecting lizards in an area of caatinga, northeast, Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    WO. Almeida

    Full Text Available Pentastomids can infect the respiratory tract of lizards, causing their death and as a result influencing the population size of hosts. Despite this, studies on rates of pulmonary infection of Brazilian lizards, including those living in Caatinga ecosystems of northeastern Brazil are scarce. Active collections of lizards were performed from October to December 2004 in an area of Caatinga of the Estação Experimental de São João do Cariri - EESJC (07º 25' S and 36º 30' W, located in the state of Paraíba, Northeast of Brazil. Forty-five lizards inhabiting granite outcrops in an area of Caatinga were captured, belonging to the following species: Tropidurus hispidus (Spix, 1825 (18 individuals, T. semitaeniatus (Spix, 1825 (15 individuals, Phyllopezus periosus Rodrigues, 1986 (6 individuals, and P. pollicaris (Spix, 1825 (6 individuals. Laboratory examination revealed that all species had some degree of pulmonary infection caused by Raillietiella mottae. The highest rates of prevalence (66.7% and mean intensity of infection (5.25 ± 2.01, range of 2-11 were observed in P. periosus. The results obtained in this study show that lizards of the Brazilian semi-arid region are infected by a generalist species of pentastomid. The most likely cause for such pattern is the similarity in lizards' diets (ants and termites. It is particularly noteworthy that T. semitaeniatus, P. periosus, and P. pollicaris represent new host records for R. mottae.

  20. Hemoglobinopathies in newborns from Salvador, Bahia, Northeast Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adorno Elisângela Vitória

    2005-01-01

    Full Text Available Hemoglobinopathies are hereditary disorders of the hemoglobin molecule with a high prevalence worldwide. Brazil has a prevalence of 0.1 to 0.3% of newborns with sickle cell anemia and 20.0 to 25.0% of heterozygous alpha2 thalassemia among African Brazilians. In the present study, we investigated the presence of variant hemoglobins and alpha2(3.7 Kb and alpha2(4.2 Kb thalassemia in newborns from Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. Samples of umbilical cord blood from a total of 590 newborns were analyzed, of which 57 (9.8% were FAS; 36 (6.5% FAC; one (0.2% SF; and five (0.9% FSC. One hundred fourteen (22.2% newborns had alpha2(3.7 Kb thalassemia, of whom 101 (19.7% were heterozygous and 13 (2.5% homozygous, showing statistical significance for hematological data between newborns with normal alpha genes and alpha2(3.7 Kb thalassemia carriers. The alpha2(4.2 Kb thalassemia was not found. Frequencies found in the present study confirm that hemoglobinopathies are a public health problem in Brazil, emphasizing the need for neonatal screening and genetic counseling programs.

  1. [An assessment of the Family Health Program in municipalities of Northeast Brazil: old and new challenges].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rocha, Paulo de Medeiros; Uchoa, Alice da Costa; Rocha, Nadja de Sá Pinto Dantas; Souza, Elizabethe Cristina Fagundes de; Rocha, Marconi de Lima; Pinheiro, Themis Xavier de Albuquerque

    2008-01-01

    This article presents part of the results from the Baseline Studies, an evaluative research conducted in 21 municipalities with more than 100,000 inhabitants each, in three States of Northeast Brazil. The overall objective was to assess experiences in the implementation of the Family Health Program (FHP), with a focus on inductions in the PROESF. An implementation analysis was performed, using the case study method. The analysis focused on these dimensions: political-institutional, health organization, and comprehensive care. Outstanding advances included: prioritize the FHP in high-risk areas; institutional learning, with qualification of managers and teams; definition of institutional levels for regulating the FHP; and health team-user bonds and positive perceptions concerning the program. Challenges included: strengthening of local policy and decision-making capacity; allocation of primary care resources; greater employment security for human resources; effective implementation of the health care network; strengthening of social participation; upgrading of monitoring and evaluation for decision-making; receptivity; waiting lines for tests, appointments, and hospital admissions; implementation of teamwork; health promotion and inter-sector activities.

  2. An assessment of dispersing pollutants from the pre-harvest burning of sugarcane in rural areas in the northeast of Brazil

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rangel, Maria Gabriela L.; Henríquez, Jorge R.; Costa, José A. P.; de Lira Junior, José C.

    2018-04-01

    In recent years, the Brazilian government has been applying several restrictions with regard to preventing environmental pollution. Although Brazilian legislation is becoming stricter as to the pre-harvest burning of sugarcane, this practice is frequently used in order to assist manual harvesting. In the northeast region of Brazil, sugarcane is an important crop, which accounts for about 15% of the national production in a total area of 1,060,660 ha, the average production being 51,119 kg per hectare. The pre-harvest burning of sugarcane generates smoke, which has a high concentration of atmospheric pollutants such as carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), particulate matter (P.M. 2.5 and 10), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), volatile organic compounds (VOC) and nitrogen oxides (NOX). This article estimates the volume of CO, P.M. 2.5 and NOX generated and how they are dispersed in the atmosphere when this arises from the burning of sugarcane biomass in rural areas of Northeast Brazil, and does so by using AERMOD VIEW® simulation software. Using the characteristics of the emissions and environmental (meteorological and topographical) data, quality air profiles based on pollutant dispersion were obtained. Three studies were taken into account in order to determine the relationship between pollutant dispersion and some parameters of the burning process, such as those for the spatial distribution of resources, the duration of pre-harvest burning and the influence of undertaking burning in different months. As to spatial distribution, to divide an area into small lots contributes to decreasing the maximum concentration of pollutants by 53% compared to burning a single area of equivalent size. The study of the burning duration indicated that doing so gradually (using a lengthier procedure) could decrease the maximum concentration of the pollutants by an inverse relation. The harvesting period in this region is between November and April. The pollutants

  3. Heavy metals in benthic organisms from Todos os Santos Bay, Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    GM. Amado-Filho

    Full Text Available The marine ecosystems of Todos os Santos Bay (TSB, The State of Bahia, Brazil have been impacted by the presence on its coast of a large metropolitan area as well as of chemical and petrochemical activities. Despite its ecological importance, there is a lack of scientific information concerning metal contamination in TSB marine biota. Thus, we analyzed concentrations of metals in four species of marine benthic organisms (two seaweeds, Padina gymnospora and Sargassum sp. one seagrass, Halodule wrightii and one oyster, Crassostrea rhizophorae in three sites from the TSB region that have been most affected by industrial activities. The concentrations of Al, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn were determined by Atomic Absorption Spectrophometry. The obtained data indicates that cadmium and copper in seaweeds, oysters and seagrass, as well as Ni concentrations in oysters, were in range of contaminated coastal areas. Cadmium and copper are available to organisms through suspended particles, dissolved fraction of water column and bottom sediment interstitial water. As oysters and other mollusks are used as food sources by the local population, the metal levels found in oysters in TSB may constitute a health risk for this population. Our results suggest implanting a heavy metals biomonitoring program in the TSB marine ecosystems.

  4. Environmental and Sanitary Conditions of Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro

    OpenAIRE

    Fistarol, Giovana O.; Coutinho, Felipe H.; Moreira, Ana Paula B.; Venas, Tain?; C?novas, Alba; de Paula, S?rgio E. M.; Coutinho, Ricardo; de Moura, Rodrigo L.; Valentin, Jean Louis; Tenenbaum, Denise R.; Paranhos, Rodolfo; do Valle, Rog?rio de A. B.; Vicente, Ana Carolina P.; Amado Filho, Gilberto M.; Pereira, Renato Crespo

    2015-01-01

    Guanabara Bay is the second largest bay in the coast of Brazil, with an area of 384 km2. In its surroundings live circa 16 million inhabitants, out of which 6 million live in Rio de Janeiro city, one of the largest cities of the country, and the host of the 2016 Olympic Games. Anthropogenic interference in Guanabara Bay area started early in the XVI century, but environmental impacts escalated from 1930, when this region underwent an industrialization process. Herein we present an overview of...

  5. Environmental and sanitary conditions of Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro

    OpenAIRE

    Giovana De Oliveira Fistarol; Felipe H. Coutinho; Ana Paula Barbosa Moreira; Tainá eVenas; Alba eCanovas; Sergio E M de Paula Jr; Ricardo eCoutinho; Rodrigo L de Moura; Jean L Valentin; Denise R Tenenbaum; Rodolfo eParanhos; Rogerio eValle; Rogerio eValle; Cristiane eTHOMPSON; Paulo eSalomon

    2015-01-01

    Guanabara Bay is the second largest bay in the coast of Brazil, with an area of 384 km2. In its surroundings live circa 16 million inhabitants, out of which 6 million live in Rio de Janeiro city, one of the largest cities of the country, and the host of the 2016 Olympic Games. Anthropogenic interference in Guanabara Bay area started early in the XVI century, but environmental impacts escalated from 1930, when this region underwent an industrialization process. Herein we present an overview of...

  6. "Stuck in the muck": an eco-idiom of distress from childhood respiratory diseases in an urban mangrove in Northeast Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nations, Marilyn; Gondim, Ana Paula Soares

    2013-02-01

    Situated in neo-democratic globalizing Northeast Brazil, this anthropological study probes the role of ecological context in framing, experiencing, and expressing human distress. Ethnographic interviews, narratives, and "contextualized semantic analysis" reveal the lived experience of childhood respiratory diseases among 22 urban mangrove dwellers. Informants speak an "eco-idiom of respiratory distress" based on a popular "eco-logic", reflecting the harsh reality of "living in dampness". "Higher-up" residents legitimize their feelings of superiority by stigmatizing "lowlanders" as taboo, diseased (with porcine cysticercosis, swine flu) "filthy pigs, stuck in the muck" (atolados na lama). Animalizing inhabitants' identities demotes them to nonpersons. Besides infections, children suffer social stigma, ostracism, and barriers for accessing care. Promoting a "favorable environment" requires reducing ecological risk, challenging class-based prejudice, and restoring human dignity.

  7. Spatial distribution of fiddler crabs (Genus Uca in a tropical mangrove of northeast Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luis Ernesto Arruda Bezerra

    2006-12-01

    Full Text Available The influence of abiotic factors on the spatial distribution of the fiddler crabs Uca leptodactyla, U. maracoani, U. rapax and U. thayeri was studied in a tropical mangrove of northeast Brazil. Eight transects were delimited in a mangrove area of the Pacoti River. On each transect, three 0.25 m2 squares were sampled during spring low tide periods from September 2003 to August 2004. The sediment of the squares at each transect was analysed for grain size, organic matter and humidity. Morphology of the second maxilliped was studied considering the number of spoon-tipped setae to help explain the ecological distribution of the species. U. leptodactyla and U. rapax were found living in medium sand, U. thayeri was collected in fine and very fine sand, while U. maracoani was found living in very fine sand. U. leptodactyla showed a negative correlation with organic matter and humidity while U. thayeri showed a positive correlations for both factors. U. maracoani and U. rapax were not correlated with organic matter or humidity. The analysis of the second maxilliped revealed that U. leptodactyla and U. rapax show a high quantity of spoon-tipped setae while U. maracoani and U. thayeri show a greater quantity of plumose setae.

  8. The mangrove as a temporary habitat for fish: the Eucinostomus Species at Guaratuba Bay, Brazil (25º 52'S;48º 39'W)

    OpenAIRE

    Chaves,Paulo de Tarso C.; Otto,Gislaine

    1999-01-01

    Several coastal fish use the estuarine habitat during a part of their life cycle. These sites are considered good for the reproductive activity, as well as for the growth of larvae and juveniles. Concerning the Gerreidae, however, many studies reveal that most species leave the estuaries to reproduce at sea. At Guaratuba Bay, southern Brazil, this family is represented by three genera and five species, which make an important fraction of the local assemblage. The present study investigated th...

  9. 14. Meeting of the North and Northeast physicists. Program and abstracts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1996-01-01

    These proceedings contain abstracts of oral and panel presentations carried out during the 14 Meeting of physicists of North and Northeast held in Aracaju, State of Sergipe, Brazil. While covering different areas of physics, they emphasized the condensed matter, statistical physics and nuclear physics in their theoretical and experimental aspects

  10. The effect of iron-ore particles on the metal content of the brown alga Padina gymnospora (Espirito Santo Bay, Brazil)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nassar, C.A.G.; Salgado, L.T.; Yoneshigue-Valentin, Y.; Amado Filho, G.M.

    2003-01-01

    Iron ore deposits mat be the source of metals found in the brown alga Padina gymnospora. - The iron-ore particles discharged by a pellet processing plant (Espirito Santo Bay, Brazil) cover the seabed of Camburi Beach and consequently, the epibenthic community. In order to determine the importance of the contribution of the iron-ore deposits to the metal concentration in macroalgae of Espirito Santo Bay, four methods of cleaning particulate material adhered to the surface of thalli were tested prior to metal tissue analysis (Al, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn) of Padina gymnospora. In addition, heavy metal concentrations were determined in individuals of P. gymnospora from a site (Frade Island) not affected by the iron-ore particles. The most efficient cleaning treatment, a combination of scraping and washing with an ethanol-seawater solution (NA+SC+ET) removed a number of particles on the surface of thalli 10 times higher than that observed in the control (C). Using this treatment, the total-metal concentrations were reduced by 78% for Fe and 50% for Al respect to the control. However, Fe, Al and Cu concentrations after treatment NA+SC+ET were significantly higher than those found at Frade Island. It is suggested that the iron-ore deposit might be a source for metal availability to macroalgae exposed to the dumped material at Espirito Santo Bay

  11. Discharge between San Antonio Bay and Aransas Bay, southern Gulf Coast, Texas, May-September 1999

    Science.gov (United States)

    East, Jeffery W.

    2001-01-01

    Along the Gulf Coast of Texas, many estuaries and bays are important habitat and nurseries for aquatic life. San Antonio Bay and Aransas Bay, located about 50 and 30 miles northeast, respectively, of Corpus Christi, are two important estuarine nurseries on the southern Gulf Coast of Texas (fig. 1). According to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, “Almost 80 percent of the seagrasses [along the Texas Gulf Coast] are located in the Laguna Madre, an estuary that begins just south of Corpus Christi Bay and runs southward 140 miles to South Padre Island. Most of the remaining seagrasses, about 45,000 acres, are located in the heavily traveled San Antonio, Aransas and Corpus Christi Bay areas” (Shook, 2000).Population growth has led to greater demands on water supplies in Texas. The Texas Water Development Board, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, and the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission have the cooperative task of determining inflows required to maintain the ecological health of the State’s streams, rivers, bays, and estuaries. To determine these inflow requirements, the three agencies collect data and conduct studies on the need for instream flows and freshwater/ saline water inflows to Texas estuaries.To assist in the determination of freshwater inflow requirements, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the Texas Water Development Board, conducted a hydrographic survey of discharge (flow) between San Antonio Bay and Aransas Bay during the period May–September 1999. Automated instrumentation and acoustic technology were used to maximize the amount and quality of data that were collected, while minimizing personnel requirements. This report documents the discharge measured at two sites between the bays during May–September 1999 and describes the influences of meteorologic (wind and tidal) and hydrologic (freshwater inflow) conditions on discharge between the two bays. The movement of water between the bays is

  12. Seasonal variation of macromedusae (Cnidaria at North Bay, Florianópolis, southern Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Miodeli Nogueira Júnior

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available Seasonal variation of large medusae abundance and biomass was studied in the North Bay, Santa Catarina, southern Brazil (27°30'S, 48° 32'W, from February to December 2005. Collecting was conducted seasonally with the help of fishing bottom trawl in 30-minute sections (12 in summer, 18 in each of the remaining seasons in six stations, totaling 66 samples. Eight species were found: the hydrozoans Aequorea sp., Olindias sambaquiensis Müller, 1861, and Rhacostoma atlantica L. Agassiz, 1850; the cubozoans Chiropsalmus quadrumanus (Müller, 1859 and Tamoya haplonema Müller, 1859, and the scyphozoans Aurelia sp., Chrysaora lactea Eschscholtz, 1829 and Lychnorhiza lucerna Haeckel, 1880. Capture rates were low, up to 38 indiv. ha-1, and only ~47% of the samples were positive for jellyfish, comprising 206 individuals. Medusae abundance and species richness clearly changed from one season to another, but did not vary between the sites. Higher species richness (7 out of 8 and greater abundances were recorded during the fall (~60% and 72% of all medusae individuals and biomass respectively. Specific frequency of capture varied from 1.5 to 29% and C. lactea was the only species found in more than 25% of the samples. The three most common species dominated in different periods of the year: C. lactea during fall (78% of individuals and 60% of biomass, R. atlantica during winter (90% of individuals and 17% of biomass, and O. sambaquiensis in spring (78% of individuals and 40% of biomass. Only two individuals were caught during summer, one C. lactea and one R. atlantica. The results offer a general picture of the distribution of the macromedusae in the North Bay, but a continuous monitoring is desirable for a more detailed knowledge on the jellyfish dynamics in the Brazilian coastal waters.

  13. Surveillance of occupational accidents by sentinel workers' health centers in the municipality of Fortaleza, Northeast of Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferreira, Marcelo José Monteiro; Lima, Romênia Kelly Soares de; Silva, Ageo Mário Cândido da; Bezerra, José Gomes; Cavalcanti, Luciano Pamplona de Góes

    2017-10-01

    This article examines the factors associated with the notification of occupational accidents by sentinel workers' health centers in the municipality of Fortaleza in the northeast of Brazil. An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted of five sentinel workers' health centers for serious and fatal occupational accidents. A total of 354 interviews were conducted with professionals responsible for notifying occupational accidents. Bivariate analysis was conducted using Pearson's chi-square test and/or Fisher's exact test using prevalence ratios and 95% confidence intervals, followed by stratified analysis and multivariate Poisson regression adopting the stepwise forward method. Variables that obtained a p-value of less than or equal to the chosen significance level (0.05) were maintained in the final model. Professionals who had a greater number of years of work experience, had undertaken three training courses, had knowledge of policy directives concerning occupational accidents, were familiar with the SINAN notification form, were aware that occupational accidents are reportable, and discussed the theme of occupational accidents in the workplace were statistically more likely to notify occupational accidents. Education and training helps raise awareness among health professionals.

  14. Forecasting Temporal Dynamics of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Northeast Brazil

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lewnard, Joseph A.; Jirmanus, Lara; Júnior, Nivison Nery; Machado, Paulo R.; Glesby, Marshall J.; Ko, Albert I.; Carvalho, Edgar M.; Schriefer, Albert; Weinberger, Daniel M.

    2014-01-01

    Introduction Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a vector-borne disease of increasing importance in northeastern Brazil. It is known that sandflies, which spread the causative parasites, have weather-dependent population dynamics. Routinely-gathered weather data may be useful for anticipating disease risk and planning interventions. Methodology/Principal Findings We fit time series models using meteorological covariates to predict CL cases in a rural region of Bahía, Brazil from 1994 to 2004. We used the models to forecast CL cases for the period 2005 to 2008. Models accounting for meteorological predictors reduced mean squared error in one, two, and three month-ahead forecasts by up to 16% relative to forecasts from a null model accounting only for temporal autocorrelation. Significance These outcomes suggest CL risk in northeastern Brazil might be partially dependent on weather. Responses to forecasted CL epidemics may include bolstering clinical capacity and disease surveillance in at-risk areas. Ecological mechanisms by which weather influences CL risk merit future research attention as public health intervention targets. PMID:25356734

  15. Shallow-water brittle stars (Echinodermata: Ophiuroidea) from Araçá Bay (Southeastern Brazil), with spatial distribution considerations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alitto, Renata A S; Bueno, Maristela L; Guilherme, Pablo D B; Di Domenico, Maikon; Christensen, Ana Beardsley; Borges, Michela

    2018-04-05

    The detailed study of arm ossicles, particularly the lateral arm plates, is providing valuable information in the elucidation of ophiuroid taxonomy. The present study describes in detail 16 species of brittle stars from Araçá Bay, Brazil. This information is used to construct the first interactive electronic key, providing a valuable resource for a broad range of researchers. Brittle stars families were divided into three groups based on their spatial distribution: i) infaunal species of intertidal and shallow subtidal belonging to Amphiuridae and Ophiactidae, ii) epizoic species belonging to Amphiuridae, Ophiactidae, and Ophiotrichidae and, iii) epifaunal species of the subtidal belonging to Ophiodermatidae and Hemieuryalidae. In the global context of recent revisions of ophiuroid taxonomy, the present work provides additional characters for use in future phylogenetic studies.

  16. The Importance of Wild Canids in the Epidemiology of Rabies in Northeast Brazil: A Retrospective Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cordeiro, R de A; Duarte, N F H; Rolim, B N; Soares Júnior, F A; Franco, I C F; Ferrer, L L; Almeida, C P; Duarte, B H; de Araújo, D B; Rocha, M F G; Brilhante, R S N; Favoretto, S R; Sidrim, J J C

    2016-09-01

    Rabies is an endemic disease in Brazil, where it is considered a serious public health problem. Although the number of human and dog-transmitted cases has declined in recent decades, rabies in wildlife has emerged considerably. Among the sylvatic animals, wild canids have been considered important hosts of the rabies virus. We performed a retrospective study of reported cases of rabies in wild canids and human victims in Ceará state (Northeast Brazil) during 2003 to 2013. Information was provided by governmental laboratories involved in rabies detection and by the Ministry of Health. From January 2003 to December 2013, a total of 11 931 animal samples were examined for rabies. Positivity were detected in 438 samples (3.67%), of which 229 (52.28%) were domestic animals, 105 (23.97%) wild canids and 104 (23.74%) other wild animals (bats, marmosets and raccoons). Approximately 33% of wild canids surveyed (n = 317) were positive for rabies. During the studied period, a total of 1923 attacks on humans by wild canids were registered. Males (n = 1405) were more affected than females (n = 520; 72.98% versus 27.01%), and the median age of all cases was 36.5 years. Injuries to individuals up to 19 years old corresponded to approximately 30% (n = 565) of all cases. Most of the victims lived in rural areas (72.46%; n = 1395), and the majority showed bites (81.13%; n = 1677) or scratches (12.23%; n = 253). Injuries were considered profound (52.1%; n = 1003), superficial (40.91; n = 788) or multiple with severe laceration (6.98%; n = 134). Only 1300 (67.53%) victims were enrolled for the complete rabies post-exposure prophylaxis scheme. Data from the present study confirm that wild canids are important hosts of rabies virus in northeastern Brazil and jeopardize rabies control in this area. Local authorities should focus their efforts in education of health professionals. In addition, strategies should be formulated to preserve wildlife. © 2016 Blackwell

  17. Radioanalytical assessment of sedimentation rates in Guajara Bay (Amazon Estuary, N Brazil). A study with unsupported 210Pb and 137Cs modeling

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Patricia Andrade Neves; Paulo Alves de Lima Ferreira; Marcia Caruso Bicego; Rubens Cesar Lopes Figueira

    2014-01-01

    Guajara Bay is an integral part of the Amazon Estuary system, and functions as the main receiver of urban and industrial wastes from the city of Belem, capital city of PA State (N Brazil). There is a lack of knowledge regarding quantitative measures of sedimentation, such as sedimentation rates, in the literature for this area of the Amazon Estuary. This study aimed the evaluation of recent (time range of 100 years) sedimentation rates in three sediment profiles collected in the coastal system of Guajara Bay with a radioanalytical approach of unsupported 210 Pb and 137 Cs modeling. The mean sedimentation rates for the cores obtained were 0.85 ± 0.12 cm year -1 for Anadim core, 1.02 ± 0.17 cm year -1 for Outeiro core and 0.53 ± 0.04 cm year -1 for Tucunduba core. With the use of three models of sedimentation rate models, it was observed that Anadim and Outeiro core presented constant sedimentation rates for the evaluated time range, but Tucunduba did not. This difference in sedimentation rates was probably due to their different sampling locations that present diverse hydrodynamic regime, with deposition of fine sediments in the upper area of the bay and stronger fluvial currents in the southernmost region. (author)

  18. Some atmospheric dispersion, wind and temperature statistics from Jervis Bay, Australian Capital Territory 1972 to 1974

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Clark, G.H.

    1985-07-01

    A meteorological study of winds, temperatures and Pasquill stability categories was conducted in the coastal conditions at Jervis Bay. Three Pasquill stability categorisation schemes were compared. These indicated a predominance of neutral to slightly unstable conditions. During the daytime, north bay breezes and north-east sea breezes were most common together with on-shore south-east winds. Off-shore south-west winds prevailed during winter and were observed most frequently at night

  19. The impact of industrial anthropization on mosquito (Diptera, Culicidae) communities in mangrove areas of Guanabara Bay (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil).

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Souza, A S; Couri, M S; Florindo, L

    2012-02-01

    The effects of industrial anthropization on species composition and community diversity of Culicidae (Diptera) were studied in a mangrove area impacted by industrial activities as compared to a preserved area, both around Guanabara Bay in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Diversity, equitability, and species richness in Culicidae community differed between the studied areas. Indicator species analysis and correspondence analysis were carried out and indicated that the Sabethini, especially Wyeomyia (Phoniomyia) theobaldi Lane, Wyeomyia (Phoniomyia) fuscipes (Edwards), and a non-identified species of Wyeomyia sp. were associated to the preserved area, whereas Aedes taeniorhynchus Wiedemann and Aedes scapularis (Rondani) to the impacted area.

  20. Water-contact patterns and schistosoma mansoni infection in a rural community in northeast Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eduardo Mota

    1987-02-01

    Full Text Available We evaluated the influence of water-related human activities, contaminative behaviour, house location, education and socio-economic status on endemic Schistosoma mansoni infection. The study was conducted in a hilry non-irrigated area of rural northeast Brazil amongst a defined population of subsistence farmers, of whom 93% were infected by age 20. The area was mapped, water bodies were surveyed, and a detailed questionnaire was performed on each household. Infection was assessed by duplicate stool examinations using the sensitive Bell technique to quantify egg excretion. For each household, and index of intensity of infection was computed by grouping individual log-transformed egg counts as an age-sex adjusted Z score. Few households had a sanitary installation or a domestic water supply. However, neither water-contact nor contaminative behavior were indiscriminate. The people made considerable effort to defaecate far from a water source, to obtain household drinking water from the cleanest source, and to bathe only at certain sites where privacy is assured. Land ownership and literacy correlated poorly with the household index of intensity of infection. The key influence on infection status was the relative location of the house and snail-free or snail colonized water sources. In this area, a safe domestic water supply is the critical input needed to achieve definitive control of endemic Schistosomiasis.

  1. Heavy metals in seafood of Sepetiba Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pfeiffer, W.C.; Fiszman, M.; Lima, N.R.W.; Lacerda, L.D. de

    Metals Cu, Cr, Cd, Zn, Mn and Pb, were measured in seafood items from Sepetiba Bay, Rio de Janeiro, The results showed that the highest concentrations are presented by filter-feeding molluscs, probably due to their relationship with the bay's suspended particulate matter. (M.A.C.) [pt

  2. Population biology and distribution of the portunid crab Callinectes ornatus (Decapoda: Brachyura in an estuary-bay complex of southern Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Timoteo T. Watanabe

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available Trawl fisheries are associated with catches of swimming crabs, which are an important economic resource for commercial as well for small-scale fisheries. This study evaluated the population biology and distribution of the swimming crab Callinectes ornatus (Ordway, 1863 in the Estuary-Bay of São Vicente, state of São Paulo, Brazil. Crabs were collected from a shrimp fishing boat equipped with a semi-balloon otter-trawl net, on eight transects (four in the estuary and four in the bay from March 2007 through February 2008. Specimens caught were identified, sexed and measured. Samples of bottom water were collected and the temperature and salinity measured. A total of 618 crabs were captured (332 males, 267 females and 19 ovigerous females, with a sex ratio close to 1:1. A large number of juveniles were captured (77.67%. Crab spatial distributions were positively correlated with salinity (Rs = 0.73, p = 0.0395 and temperature (Rs = 0.71, p = 0.0092. Two peaks of recruitment occurred, in summer and autumn, and ovigerous females were mostly captured during summer, showing a seasonal reproductive pattern. The results showed that C. ornatus uses the bay as a nursery area for juvenile development. Callinectes ornatus is not yet a legally protected species, and the minimum allowed size of crabs caught in the area, although already restricted, should be carefully evaluated since the removal of large numbers of juveniles could negatively impact the local population.

  3. The impact of the Bolsa Família Program on food consumption: a comparative study of the southeast and northeast regions of Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sperandio, Naiara; Rodrigues, Cristiana Tristão; Franceschini, Sylvia do Carmo Castro; Priore, Silvia Eloiza

    2017-06-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of the Bolsa Família Program (PBF) on food consumption in the northeast and southeast regions of Brazil. The database was obtained from the individual food consumption module of the Household Budget Survey conducted in 2008-09. Consumption was assessed through two food records. The food was categorized into four groups: fresh or minimally processed food; culinary ingredients; processed food; and ultra-processed food. To analyze the impact, the propensity score matching method was used, which compares the individual recipients and non-recipients of the PBF in relation to a group of socioeconomic characteristics. After the propensity score was calculated, the impact of the PBF was estimated through the nearest-neighbor matching algorithm. In both regions, more than 60% of the daily total calories consumed by PBF recipients came from foods that had not undergone industrial processing. The recipients of PBF had a low level of consumption of processed and ultra-processed food in both regions, and an increased level of consumption of fresh or minimally processed food in the northeast. The results indicate the importance of adopting intersectoral policies in parallel to the PBF in order to strengthen healthy eating practices.

  4. Economic viability of alternative sources of energy for a typical community of the region north and northeast of Brazil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vanni, Silvia Regina; Sabundjian, Gaiane

    2008-01-01

    A study of viability of alternative energy sources for typical communities of the North or Northeast of Brazil, which do not have access to the electric energy is performed. Brazil presents a great economic and social disparity among its several regions. There are several poor communities, mainly in regions far from big cities, without electrical energy. The Brazilian government has a program known as 'Luz para Todos' (Light for All). The big challenge of this program is to bring electrical energy for everyone using new alternatives energy sources. In this work initially a literature review was made concerning the following alternative energy source: wind, solar and biomass. These energy sources can be used to supply the demand to bring electrical energy for poor communities. For this work it is intended to choose a community that has population between 1,000 and 10,000 and does not have access to electrical energy. For this community an economic viability study will be made to evaluate alternative energy sources. The best energy source resulted from the point of view of the economic viability study will be implemented in that community. A new study will be performed to evaluate cost and environmental impact. In this new study the future social development of the community caused by the installation of electrical energy will be considered. Also, this best energy source will be compared with the new generation of nuclear reactors, for instance , the IRIS reactor. (author)

  5. Economic viability of alternative sources of energy for a typical community of the Region North and Northeast of Brazil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vanni, Silvia Regina; Sabundjian, Gaiane

    2007-01-01

    The objective of this work is to perform a study of viability of alternative energy sources for typical communities of the North or Northeast of Brazil, which do not have access to the electric energy. Brazil presents a great economic and social disparity among its several regions. There are several poor communities, mainly in regions far from big cities, without electrical energy. The Brazilian government has a program known as 'Luz para Todos' (Light for All). The big challenge for this program is to bring electrical energy for everyone using new alternatives energy sources. In this work initially a literature review was made concerning the following alternative energy sources: wind, solar and biomass. These energy sources can be used to supply the demand to bring electrical energy for poor communities. For this work it is intended to choose a community that has population between 1,000 the 10,000 and does not have access to electrical energy. For this community an economic viability study will be made to evaluate alternative energy sources. The best energy source resulted from the point of view of the economic viability study will be implemented in that community. A new study will be performed to evaluate cost and environmental impact. In this new study the future social development of the community caused by the installation of electrical energy will be considered. Also, this best energy source will be compared with the new generation of nuclear reactors, for instance, the IRIS reactor. (author)

  6. Wind-Driven Waves in Tampa Bay, Florida

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gilbert, S. A.; Meyers, S. D.; Luther, M. E.

    2002-12-01

    Turbidity and nutrient flux due to sediment resuspension by waves and currents are important factors controlling water quality in Tampa Bay. During December 2001 and January 2002, four Sea Bird Electronics SeaGauge wave and tide recorders were deployed in Tampa Bay in each major bay segment. Since May 2002, a SeaGauge has been continuously deployed at a site in middle Tampa Bay as a component of the Bay Regional Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment (BRACE). Initial results for the summer 2002 data indicate that significant wave height is linearly dependent on wind speed and direction over a range of 1 to 12 m/s. The data were divided into four groups according to wind direction. Wave height dependence on wind speed was examined for each group. Both northeasterly and southwesterly winds force significant wave heights that are about 30% larger than those for northwesterly and southeasterly winds. This difference is explained by variations in fetch due to basin shape. Comparisons are made between these observations and the results of a SWAN-based model of Tampa Bay. The SWAN wave model is coupled to a three-dimensional circulation model and computes wave spectra at each model grid cell under observed wind conditions and modeled water velocity. When SWAN is run without dissipation, the model results are generally similar in wave period but about 25%-50% higher in significant wave height than the observations. The impact of various dissipation mechanisms such as bottom drag and whitecapping on the wave state is being investigated. Preliminary analyses on winter data give similar results.

  7. HEAVY METALS LEVELS IN LARUS DOMINICANUS. CASE STUDY: COROA GRANDE MANGROVE, SEPETIBA BAY, RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aldo Pacheco Ferreira

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Samples of liver and kidney of Kelp gull (Larus dominicanus collected on Sepetiba Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, were analysed for their copper, zinc, cadmium, lead, chromium and nickel content. All the analyses were made using the inductively coupled plasma optical spectrometry method (ICP-OES. The investigation focused on the variability of the elements content in kidney and liver from a number of sampling seabirds and over different seasons. The results were interpreted using the analysis of variance test (ANOVA. This has revealed differences in concentration for the majority of elements with regard to organs, and how different sampling metals and organs are related to each other. Results indicate relatively high trace etalcontamination in L. dominicanus, showing potential power of idespread biological and mutagenic adverse effects in trophic levels, and herefore, signalling risk to human health.

  8. Nursery areas and recruitment variation of Northeast Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scombrus)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jansen, Teunis; Kristensen, Kasper; Van der Kooij, Jeroen

    2015-01-01

    There are currently no dedicated recruitment survey data available in support of the assessment of the abundance and distribution of Northeast Atlantic (NEA) mackerel (Scomber scombrus), one of the most widespread and commercially important fish stocks in the North Atlantic. This is despite the f......, showing that the most important nursery areas are around Ireland, north and west of Scotland, in the northern North Sea north of 598Nand, to some extent, also in the Bay of Biscay....

  9. Cesium-137 inventories in undisturbed areas in different regions of Brazil

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Andrello, Avacir C.; Appoloni, Carlos R., E-mail: acandrello@uel.b [Universidade Estadual de Londrina, PR (Brazil). Dept. de Fisica; Araujo, Ednaldo S. [EMBRAPA Agrobiologia, Seropedica, RJ (Brazil); Thomaz, Edivaldo L. [Universidade Estadual do Centro-Oeste - UNICENTRO, Guarapuava, PR (Brazil). Dept. de Geografia; Medeiros, Pedro Henrique Augusto [Universidade Federal do Ceara (UFC), Fortaleza, CE (Brazil). Dept. de Engenharia Agricola; Macedo, Iris L. [Universidade de Brasilia (UnB), DF (Brazil). Faculdade de Tecnologia. Dept. de Engenharia Civil e Ambiental

    2009-07-01

    Cesium-137 is an anthropogenic radionuclide introduced in the environment in the early of 1960s to the end of 1970s. The Cesium-137 has very used to assess soil redistribution in the landscape because this is very tight in the fine soil particles and its movement in the landscape is due to soil redistribution. To use Cesium-137 to assess soil redistribution is need to known the Cesium-137 inventory in an area that not has experimented soil erosion neither soil deposition. So, this work present Cesium-137 inventories in undisturbed areas in different regions of Brazil, from South to Northeast of Brazil. The inventories in these areas represent the variational deposition of Cesium-137 in the whole national territory of Brazil. The inventories of Cesium-137 varied from 200 +- 15 Bq.m{sup -2} for South region to 15 +- 2 Bq.m{sup -2} for Northeast region. Moreover, was verified that the Cesium- 137 inventories depend on latitude and altitude of the area. (author)

  10. Cesium-137 inventories in undisturbed areas in different regions of Brazil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Andrello, Avacir C.; Appoloni, Carlos R.; Thomaz, Edivaldo L.; Medeiros, Pedro Henrique Augusto; Macedo, Iris L.

    2009-01-01

    Cesium-137 is an anthropogenic radionuclide introduced in the environment in the early of 1960s to the end of 1970s. The Cesium-137 has very used to assess soil redistribution in the landscape because this is very tight in the fine soil particles and its movement in the landscape is due to soil redistribution. To use Cesium-137 to assess soil redistribution is need to known the Cesium-137 inventory in an area that not has experimented soil erosion neither soil deposition. So, this work present Cesium-137 inventories in undisturbed areas in different regions of Brazil, from South to Northeast of Brazil. The inventories in these areas represent the variational deposition of Cesium-137 in the whole national territory of Brazil. The inventories of Cesium-137 varied from 200 ± 15 Bq.m -2 for South region to 15 ± 2 Bq.m -2 for Northeast region. Moreover, was verified that the Cesium- 137 inventories depend on latitude and altitude of the area. (author)

  11. Avian Influenza Virus (H11N9) in Migratory Shorebirds Wintering in the Amazon Region, Brazil

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Araujo, Jansen; de Azevedo Júnior, Severino M.; Gaidet, Nicolas; Hurtado, Renata F.; Walker, David; Thomazelli, Luciano M.; Ometto, Tatiana; Seixas, Marina M. M.; Rodrigues, Roberta; Galindo, Daniele B.; da Silva, Adriana C. S.; Rodrigues, Arlinéa M. M.; Bomfim, Leonardo L.; Mota, Marcelo A.; Larrazábal, Maria E.; Branco, Joaquim O.; Serafini, Patricia; Neto, Isaac S.; Franks, John; Webby, Richard J.; Webster, Robert G.; Durigon, Edison L.

    2014-01-01

    Aquatic birds are the natural reservoir for avian influenza viruses (AIV). Habitats in Brazil provide stopover and wintering sites for water birds that migrate between North and South America. The current study was conducted to elucidate the possibility of the transport of influenza A viruses by birds that migrate annually between the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. In total, 556 orotracheal/cloacal swab samples were collected for influenza A virus screening using real-time RT-PCR (rRT-PCR). The influenza A virus-positive samples were subjected to viral isolation. Four samples were positive for the influenza A matrix gene by rRT-PCR. From these samples, three viruses were isolated, sequenced and characterized. All positive samples originated from a single bird species, the ruddy turnstone (Arenaria interpres), that was caught in the Amazon region at Caeté Bay, Northeast Pará, at Ilha de Canelas. To our knowledge, this is the first isolation of H11N9 in the ruddy turnstone in South America. PMID:25329399

  12. [Food insecurity in rural communities in Northeast Brazil: does belonging to a slave-descendent community make a difference?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silva, Etna Kaliane Pereira da; Medeiros, Danielle Souto de; Martins, Poliana Cardoso; Sousa, Líllian de Almeida; Lima, Gislane Pereira; Rêgo, Maria Amanda Sousa; Silva, Tainan Oliveira da; Freire, Alessandra Silva; Silva, Fernanda Moitinho

    2017-06-01

    This study aimed to measure the prevalence of food insecurity in a rural area of Northeast Brazil and investigate this outcome according to residence in quilombola communities (descendants of African slaves) versus non-quilombola communities. This was a cross-sectional study in 21 rural communities, 9 of which quilombolas, in 2014, using the Brazilian Food Insecurity Scale (EBIA). Prevalence rates and prevalence ratios were estimated for food insecurity, and Poisson multiple regression analysis with robust variance was performed. Food insecurity was found in 52.1% of the families: 64.9% in quilombola communities and 42% in the others. Food insecurity was associated with belonging to a quilombola community (PR = 1.25), lower economic status (PR = 1.89; 2.98, and 3.22 for status C2, D, and E, respectively), beneficiaries of Bolsa Família program (PR = 1.52), and four or more household members (PR = 1.20). Food insecurity prevalence was high in the entire population, but it was even higher in quilombola communities, even though they belonged to the same coverage area. The results emphasize this population's vulnerability.

  13. Integrated analysis of two biomarkers in Sciades herzbergii (Ariidae, Siluriformes, to assess the environmental impact at São Marcos' Bay, Maranhão, Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Débora Batista Pinheiro-Sousa

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available Guribu catfish (Sciades herzbergii is a resident species in estuaries of Maranhão, Brazil. The aim of this work was to determine the feasibility of integrated analysis of the branchial lesions and gonadosomatic index of Sciades herzbergii in order to evaluate the effects of pollutants in São Marcos' Bay. The first site (S1 is located near the Ilha dos Caranguejos and was used as a reference area for being an environmental protection area. The second site (S2 is located near the ALUMAR/ALCOA port, and was used as a potentially polluted area. Fish were collected at each site, forty-eight in S1 and forty in S2. Gills were fixed in 10% formalin, and usual histological techniques were used in the first right gill arch, with inclusion in paraffin and sections of 5 µm thickness. There were no histopathological changes in animals captured at the reference site. However, in those catfish collected in the potentially contaminated area it was observed several branchial lesions, such as lifting of the lamellar epithelium, fusion of some secondary lamellae, hypertrophy of epithelial cells and lamellar aneurysm. The analysis using the gonadosomatic index (GSI showed significant differences, being higher in fish analyzed from the reference area (P < 0.05. The branchial lesions and GSI were sensitive for monitoring environmental impacts of different locations at São Marcos' Bay, Maranhão, Brazil.

  14. Water renewal in Montevideo's bay: a two compartments model for tritium kinetics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Suarez-Antola, Roberto

    2013-01-01

    During field work about dynamics and renewal of water in Montevideo's Bay, 100 Ci of tritiated water were evenly distributed in the north-east region of the bay, by a continuous injection of a solution, during 5 hours, from a 200 litres tank, using a peristaltic pump. The whole bay was divided in 20 concentration cells, taking into account available bathymetric charts and corrections from field data obtained in situ. Tritium concentrations (activities per unit volume) and other relevant parameters (temperature, electrical conductivity, etc.) were measured in vertical profiles during three weeks, in the mid-point of each cell, first twice a day and the on a daily basis. Remnant total tritium activity was estimated from cells volumes and midpoint cells activity concentrations. Consistency checks were done. A one compartment model was used to estimate a global renewal time of circa 29 hours. However, the details of the measured tritium kinetics, a careful consideration of bathymetric data, water movements in a tidal environment (measured with drogues, fluorescent tracers and current meters), as well as the results of computer fluid dynamics modelling (in depth averaged) suggests that the bay can be meaningfully divided in two main compartments: a North-East and a South-West compartment. The purpose of this paper is threefold: (1) to describe the construction of a two compartments model for water renewal in Montevideo's Bay, (2) to apply experimental data of tritium kinetics to estimate the parameters of the model, and (3) to discuss the validity of the model and its practical applicability. The meaning of the renewal time of each compartment and its relation with the measured tritium kinetics in each cell is discussed. The perturbations in water circulation and renewal produced by civil works already done or the perturbations that could be expected due to civil works to be done, in relation with Montevideo's harbour, is discussed. The tracer model, jointly with other

  15. Proteolytic and lipolytic microbiota of refrigerated raw milk from northeast and southern regions of Brazil

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    Jose Carlos Ribeiro Junior

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available The shelf life of milk and milk derivatives is directly related to the microbiological quality of refrigerated raw milk. Spoilage microorganisms with proteolytic and/or lipolytic properties are primarily responsible for the decrease in the quality of milk, which is reflected in the shelf life of pasteurized milk and all derivatives. The aim of this study was to determine the spoilage microbial load of refrigerated raw milk from the northeast and southern regions of Brazil, which have different climatic and technological conditions of production. We evaluated 46 samples of milk from the state of Paraná in the southern region, and 10 samples of milk from the state of Maranhão in the northeast region, totaling 56 samples collected from November 2013 to November 2014. The producers of Paraná were divided into large (20 or small (26 according to the average daily production. All producers of Maranhão were considered small (<500L/day. The proteolytic and lipolytic microorganism counts were conducted in milk agar and tributyrin agar, respectively. Milk from the large producers of Paraná had average counts of 1.4 × 104 CFU/mL for proteolytic microorganisms and 1.2 × 103 CFU/mL for lipolytics microorganisms, significantly (p <0.05 lower than the small producers in the same state, and the producers of Maranhão. Producers of Maranhao had counts of 1.1 × 105 CFU/mL for proteolytic microorganisms and 2 × 105 CFU/mL for lipolytic microorganisms, with the proteolytic count significantly lower than that of small Paraná producers. The amount of proteolytic and lipolytic spoilage microorganisms in milk is influenced by the adaptation of the microorganisms to cold, promoted by the cooling of milk, which is practiced less frequently in the country’s northeastern region. The amount of spoilage microorganisms is also affected by the implementation of milking hygiene practices, which reduce contamination. Such practices are more frequently and efficiently

  16. Antibiotic Resistance of Salmonella spp. Isolated from Shrimp Farming Freshwater Environment in Northeast Region of Brazil

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    Fátima C. T. Carvalho

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available This study investigated the presence and antibiotic resistance of Salmonella spp. in a shrimp farming environment in Northeast Region of Brazil. Samples of water and sediments from two farms rearing freshwater-acclimated Litopenaeus vannamei were examined for the presence of Salmonella. Afterwards, Salmonella isolates were serotyped, the antimicrobial resistance was determined by a disk diffusion method, and the plasmid curing was performed for resistant isolates. A total of 30 (16.12% of the 186 isolates were confirmed to be Salmonella spp., belonging to five serovars: S. serovar Saintpaul, S. serovar Infantis, S. serovar Panama, S. serovar Madelia, and S. serovar Braenderup, along with 2 subspecies: S. enterica serovar houtenae and S. enterica serovar enterica. About twenty-three percent of the isolates were resistant to at least one antibiotic, and twenty percent were resistant to at least two antibiotics. Three strains isolated from water samples (pond and inlet canal exhibited multiresistance to ampicillin, tetracycline, oxytetracycline, and nitrofurantoin. One of them had a plasmid with genes conferring resistance to nitrofurantoin and ampicillin. The incidence of bacteria pathogenic to humans in a shrimp farming environment, as well as their drug-resistance pattern revealed in this study, emphasizes the need for a more rigorous attention to this area.

  17. Distribution and conservation of three important bird groups of the Atlantic Forest in north-east Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pereira, G A; Araújo, H F P; Azevedo-Júnior, S M

    2016-01-01

    The Pernambuco Endemism Center in north-east Brazil has the most fragmented forest cover and the largest number of threatened birds of the whole Atlantic Forest. We analyzed the distribution of three groups of bird species: forest-dependent, endemic and/or threatened using the interpolation method of Inverse Distance Weighting. We also checked the concentration of these birds in protected and unprotected areas, suggesting new sites that need to be protected. The richness concentration of forest-dependent, endemic and/or threatened birds in 123 sites were analysed. There was a greater concentration of the three groups in north Alagoas, south and north Pernambuco, and north and west Paraíba. The distribution of the three groups was almost regular in different vegetation types, although a lower concentration was found in the pioneer formation. There was a greater concentration of birds from all three groups between Pernambuco and Alagoas, and this must be due to the presence of more forest fragments with better structure and vegetation heterogeneity. The protected and unprotected areas hosted important records of endemic and/or threatened birds. We suggested some important places for implementation of new protected areas due to the larger concentrations of the target birds and because they are located within the boundaries of the Important Bird Areas.

  18. Pythiosis in dogs in the semiarid region of Northeast Brazil

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    Maria T.S. Frade

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT: We describe the epidemiological, clinical and pathological features of five cases of pythiosis in dogs in northeast semiarid. The disease occurred in dogs with age between one and three years, females and males of different breeds. The dogs were created in urban areas, but were occasionally taken to the countryside and then had contact with wetlands. The main clinical signs were weight loss, vomiting, diarrhea and tenesmus. Macroscopically there were intestinal wall thickening with irregular firm masses with yellowish granular areas interspersed with a whitish tissue, involving the duodenum, colon and rectum, extending to the lymph nodes and pancreas, and the vagina and liver. In the skin there were areas of alopecia and irregular ulcerations, some containing small cavitations with serosanguineous secretion. Microscopically there were pyogranulomatous inflammation and in one case also there were eosinophilic necrosis associated with negative images tubuliformes by hematoxylin and eosin, strongly stained by GMS and weakly by PAS. Hyphae were strongly marked by immunohistochemistry with polyclonal anti-Pythium insidiosum. The disease occurs sporadically in dogs in the semiarid Northeast, however should be included in the differential diagnosis of chronic diseases and proliferative aspect of the gastrointestinal system, and front skin lesions of difficult treatment.

  19. Mortality in the first 24h of very low birth weight preterm infants in the Northeast of Brazil

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    Eveline Campos Monteiro de Castro

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Objective: To evaluate factors associated with neonatal death within 24 hours after birth in very low birth weight preterm newborns. Methods: Prospective cohort of live births with gestational age of 230/7–316/7 weeks, birth weight of 500–1499g without malformations, in 19 public maternity hospitals in nine capitals in northeastern Brazil from July to December 2007. The 19 hospitals were assessed in relation to physical resources, equipment, human resources and aiming at quality in care initiatives. Hospital, maternal and neonatal characteristics, neonatal morbidity, neonatal procedures and interventions were compared between preterm newborns that died or survived up to 24 hours of life. The variables associated with death within 24 hours after birth were determined by logistic regression. Results: Of the 627 newborns enrolled in the study, 179 (29% died within 168 hours after birth, of which 59 (33% up to 24 hours and 97 (54% up to 48 hours after birth. The variables associated with death <24h were: weight <1000g (2.94; 1.32–6.53, 5th minute Apgar <7 (7.17; 3.46–14.88, male gender (2.99; 1.39–6.47. A better hospital structure was a protective factor for early neonatal death (odds ratio: 0.34; 95% confidence interval: 0.17–0.71. Conclusions: The high neonatal mortality on the first day of life in capital cities of Northeast Brazil is associated with biological variables such as weight and gender of the newborn, as well as low vitality at birth and a worse infrastructure of the hospital where the birth occurred.

  20. Contrasting mercury and manganese deposition in a mangrove-dominated estuary (Guaratuba Bay, Brazil)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sanders, C. J.; Santos, I. R.; Silva-Filho, E. V.; Patchineelam, S. R.

    2008-08-01

    Sediment cores were taken at seven sites along the mangrove-bound Guaratuba Bay estuary (southern Brazil), with the purpose of assessing conditions controlling Hg deposition along a horizontal estuarine sediment gradient. The data suggest contrasting depositional patterns for Hg and Mn in this relatively pristine setting. Total Hg contents of bulk sediments ranged from 12 to 36 ng/g along the estuary, the highest values being found in muddier organic-rich sediments of the upper estuary (the corresponding mud gradient is 12 to 42 wt.%, and the organic matter gradient 4 to 10 wt.%). Thus, the deposition of fine sediments relatively enriched in mercury occurs primarily in closer proximity to the freshwater source. The data also indicate a reverse gradient in reactive Mn contents, ranging from 29 to 81 μg/g, and increasing seaward. This implies that reactive Mn is mobilized from fine-grained reducing mangrove forest sediments in the upper estuary, and deposited downstream in sandier, oxygen-rich nearshore sediments. These results suggest that mangrove-surrounded estuaries may act as barriers to mercury transport to coastal waters, but as a source of manganese. The present findings also imply that reactive Mn may be used as an indication of Hg depositional patterns in other similar coastal sedimentary settings.

  1. Parasites of the mangrove mussel Mytella guyanensis (Bivalvia: Mytilidae) in Camamu Bay, Bahia, Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ceuta, L O; Boehs, G

    2012-08-01

    This contribution reports the parasites found in the mangrove mussel Mytella guyanensis in Camamu Bay, Bahia, Brazil. Samples were collected monthly from September 2006 through October 2007. A total of 460 individuals were collected, fixed in Davidson's solution, and processed by standard histological techniques, and the sections were stained with Harris hematoxylin and eosin (H&E). The water temperature ranged from 23.5 to 31.6 ºC, and the salinity from 25 to 37‰. Microscopic analysis showed Rickettsia-like organisms (RLOs), Nematopsis sp. (Apicomplexa), and Platyhelminthes, including a turbellarian, sporocysts of Bucephalus sp., metacercariae, and metacestodes of Tylocephalum sp. Parasites were observed mainly in the gills, mantle, and digestive gland. The prevalence of Nematopsis sp. was 100%, and in heavily infected mussels the tissues of the labial palps were damaged. RLOs occurred in high prevalence and intensity of infection in some periods. The digenean sporocysts showed moderate prevalence but high intensity of infection, and caused parasitic castration. In general, there was no significant spatial or temporal variation (p > 0.05) of the parasites, which is probably attributable to the small variations of temperature and salinity in the region.

  2. Parasites of the mangrove mussel Mytella guyanensis (Bivalvia: Mytilidae in Camamu Bay, Bahia, Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    LO. Ceuta

    Full Text Available This contribution reports the parasites found in the mangrove mussel Mytella guyanensis in Camamu Bay, Bahia, Brazil. Samples were collected monthly from September 2006 through October 2007. A total of 460 individuals were collected, fixed in Davidson's solution, and processed by standard histological techniques, and the sections were stained with Harris hematoxylin and eosin (H&E. The water temperature ranged from 23.5 to 31.6 ºC, and the salinity from 25 to 37‰. Microscopic analysis showed Rickettsia-like organisms (RLOs, Nematopsis sp. (Apicomplexa, and Platyhelminthes, including a turbellarian, sporocysts of Bucephalus sp., metacercariae, and metacestodes of Tylocephalum sp. Parasites were observed mainly in the gills, mantle, and digestive gland. The prevalence of Nematopsis sp. was 100%, and in heavily infected mussels the tissues of the labial palps were damaged. RLOs occurred in high prevalence and intensity of infection in some periods. The digenean sporocysts showed moderate prevalence but high intensity of infection, and caused parasitic castration. In general, there was no significant spatial or temporal variation (p > 0.05 of the parasites, which is probably attributable to the small variations of temperature and salinity in the region.

  3. Mass balance in the monitoring of pollutants in tidal rivers of the Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    da Silveira, Raquel Pinhão; Rodrigues, Ana Paula de Castro; Santelli, Ricardo Erthal; Cordeiro, Renato Campello; Bidone, Edison Dausacker

    2011-10-01

    This study addressed the identification and monitoring of pollution sources of terrestrial origin in rivers (domestic sewage and industrial effluents) and critical fluvial segments in highly polluted environments under tidal influence (mixing marine and continental sources) from Guanabara Bay Basin, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The mass balance of contaminants was determined in conditions of continuous flow (low tide) during dry season (lower dilution capability). The results allowed the evaluation of the potential of contaminant mass generation by the different river segments and the estimation of their natural and anthropogenic components. The water quality of Iguaçú and Sarapuí Rivers were evaluated for metals and biochemical oxygen demand. The method gave an excellent response, including the possibility of sources identification and contaminated river segments ranking. The approach also offers fast execution and data interpretation, being highly efficient.

  4. Potential climate change impacts on a tropical estuary: Hilo Bay, Hawaii

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adolf, J.; LaPinta, J.; Marusek, J.; Pascoe, K.; Pugh, A.

    2016-02-01

    Hilo Bay is a tropical estuarine ecosystem on the northeast (windward) coast of Hawai`i Island that is potentially vulnerable to climate change effects mediated through elevated water temperatures and/or changing rainfall patterns that impact river and groundwater fluxes. Here, we document trends in water temperature, river flow and phytoplankton dynamics in Hilo Bay. Hilo Bay is fed by two major rivers, Wailuku and Honoli`i, both of which have shown long term declines in output over their 85 and 38 year monitoring periods (USGS), respectively. Time series of groundwater inputs to Hilo Bay do not exist, but the average estimated rate rivals that of average river inputs. Daily average Hilo Bay water temperatures have increased at a rate of 0.35 degrees C per year (p Hilo Bay water quality buoy began in 2010, with the warmest temperatures on record recorded Sept 2015. Salinity did not show a trend over this same time period. Phytoplankton showed a pronounced seasonal cycle in Hilo Bay with a long term average of 3.7 mg m-3 and dominance by diatoms that exploit the co-availability of silica and nitrate in this environment. On shorter time scales of days to Hilo Bay salinity, temperature and phytoplankton biomass. Coincidental atmospheric warming, SST warming in the adjacent North Pacific ocean, and declining river flows will likely work together to result in elevated SST in Hilo Bay if observed trends continue. The El Nino event that started this year is expected to exacerbate this warming through reduce river flow and warmer regional SST.

  5. Carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus stoichiometry of plankton and the nutrient regime in Cabo Frio Bay, SE Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kütter, Vinicius T; Wallner-Kersanach, Monica; Sella, Silvia M; Albuquerque, Ana Luiza S; Knoppers, Bastiaan A; Silva-Filho, Emmanoel V

    2014-01-01

    This long-term study, performed during the years 2003-2005 and 2008-2009, investigated the carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) contents of the phyto- and zooplankton communities and the nutrient regime of Cabo Frio Bay, SE Brazil. The information intends to serve as baseline of the plankton C, N, and P stoichiometry for the calibration of biogeochemical and ecological models in support to future findings related to the local and regional phenomena of climatic change. Cabo Frio Bay is a small semienclosed system set adjacent to a region subject to sporadic coastal upwelling. Zooplankton exhibited average annual C, N, and P contents of 11.6 ± 6.9 %, 2.8 ± 1.8 %, and 0.18 ± 0.08 %, and phytoplankton (>20 μm) 6.8 ± 6.0 %, 1.6 ± 1.5 %, and 0.09 ± 0.08 %, respectively. The C/N/P ratios correspond to the lowest already found to date for a marine environment. The low C contents must have been brought about by a predominance of gelatinous zooplankton, like Doliolids/ Salps and also Pteropods. Average annual nutrient concentrations in the water were 0.21 ± 0.1 μM for phosphate, 0.08 ± 0.1 μM for nitrite, 0.74 ± 1.6 μM for nitrate, and 1.27 ± 1.1 μM for ammonium. N/P ratios were around 8:1 during the first study period and 12:1 during the second. The plankton C/N/P and N/P nutrient ratios and elemental concentrations suggest that the system was oligotrophic and nitrogen limited. The sporadic intrusions of upwelling waters during the first study period had no marked effect upon the systems metabolism, likely due to dilution effects and the short residence times of water of the bay.

  6. Factors influencing growth and intestinal parasitic infections in preschoolers attending philanthropic daycare centers in Salvador, Northeast Region of Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lander, Rebecca L; Lander, Alastair G; Houghton, Lisa; Williams, Sheila M; Costa-Ribeiro, Hugo; Barreto, Daniel L; Mattos, Angela P; Gibson, Rosalind S

    2012-11-01

    Poor growth and intestinal parasitic infections are widespread in disadvantaged urban children. This cross-sectional study assessed factors influencing poor growth and intestinal parasites in 376 children aged three to six years in daycare centers in Salvador, in the Northeast Region of Brazil. Data was obtained from seven daycare centers on child weight, height, socio-economic status, health and intestinal parasites in stool samples. Prevalence of moderate underweight ( -2SD), wasting and stunting was 12%, 16% and 6% respectively. Socioeconomic status, birth order, and maternal weight were predictors of poor anthropometric status. Almost 30% of children were infected with more than one intestinal parasite. Helminths (17.8%), notably Trichuris trichiura (12%) and Ascaris lumbricoides (10.5%), and protozoan Giardia duodenalis (13%) were the most common types of parasites detected. One percent of children had hookworm and Cryptosporidium sp. and 25% had non-pathogenic protozoan cysts. Boys from families with very low socio-economic status had lower linear growth and presented a greater risk of helminth infection. Deworming is considered an alternative for reducing the prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections in this age group.

  7. Ethanol demand in Brazil: Regional approach

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Freitas, Luciano Charlita de; Kaneko, Shinji

    2011-01-01

    Successive studies attempting to clarify national aspects of ethanol demand have assisted policy makers and producers in defining strategies, but little information is available on the dynamic of regional ethanol markets. This study aims to analyze the characteristics of ethanol demand at the regional level taking into account the peculiarities of the developed center-south and the developing north-northeast regions. Regional ethanol demand is evaluated based on a set of market variables that include ethanol price, consumer's income, vehicle stock and prices of substitute fuels; i.e., gasoline and natural gas. A panel cointegration analysis with monthly observations from January 2003 to April 2010 is employed to estimate the long-run demand elasticity. The results reveal that the demand for ethanol in Brazil differs between regions. While in the center-south region the price elasticity for both ethanol and alternative fuels is high, consumption in the north-northeast is more sensitive to changes in the stock of the ethanol-powered fleet and income. These, among other evidences, suggest that the pattern of ethanol demand in the center-south region most closely resembles that in developed nations, while the pattern of demand in the north-northeast most closely resembles that in developing nations. - Research highlights: → Article consists of a first insight on regional demand for ethanol in Brazil. → It proposes a model with multiple fuels, i.e., hydrous ethanol, gasohol and natural gas. → Results evidence that figures for regional demand for ethanol differ amongst regions and with values reported for national demand. → Elasticities for the center-south keep similarities to patterns for fuel demand in developed nations while coefficients for the north-northeast are aligned to patterns on developing countries.

  8. Ethanol demand in Brazil: Regional approach

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Freitas, Luciano Charlita de, E-mail: lucianofreitas@hiroshima-u.ac.j [Graduate School for International Development and Cooperation, Development Policy, Hiroshima University 1-5-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima 739-8529 (Japan); Kaneko, Shinji [Graduate School for International Development and Cooperation, Development Policy, Hiroshima University 1-5-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima 739-8529 (Japan)

    2011-05-15

    Successive studies attempting to clarify national aspects of ethanol demand have assisted policy makers and producers in defining strategies, but little information is available on the dynamic of regional ethanol markets. This study aims to analyze the characteristics of ethanol demand at the regional level taking into account the peculiarities of the developed center-south and the developing north-northeast regions. Regional ethanol demand is evaluated based on a set of market variables that include ethanol price, consumer's income, vehicle stock and prices of substitute fuels; i.e., gasoline and natural gas. A panel cointegration analysis with monthly observations from January 2003 to April 2010 is employed to estimate the long-run demand elasticity. The results reveal that the demand for ethanol in Brazil differs between regions. While in the center-south region the price elasticity for both ethanol and alternative fuels is high, consumption in the north-northeast is more sensitive to changes in the stock of the ethanol-powered fleet and income. These, among other evidences, suggest that the pattern of ethanol demand in the center-south region most closely resembles that in developed nations, while the pattern of demand in the north-northeast most closely resembles that in developing nations. - Research highlights: {yields} Article consists of a first insight on regional demand for ethanol in Brazil. {yields} It proposes a model with multiple fuels, i.e., hydrous ethanol, gasohol and natural gas. {yields} Results evidence that figures for regional demand for ethanol differ amongst regions and with values reported for national demand. {yields} Elasticities for the center-south keep similarities to patterns for fuel demand in developed nations while coefficients for the north-northeast are aligned to patterns on developing countries.

  9. Inorganic As speciation and bioavailability in estuarine sediments of Todos os Santos Bay, BA, Brazil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hatje, V.; Macedo, S.M.; Jesus, R.M. de; Cotrim, G.; Garcia, K.S.; Queiroz, A.F. de; Ferreira, S.L.C.

    2010-01-01

    Research highlights: → Total concentration of As at several stations along Todos os Santos Bay, was above TEL value. → At Subae and Paraguacu systems, As (V) was the dominant species, which is less toxic and less mobile than As (III). → Arsenic concentrations at Jaguaripe estuary were higher than in other estuaries and As (III) was the dominant species. → Relationship between As, Fe, Mn and sand indicated that As enrichment at Jaguaripe River is natural. → As concentrations in sediments and biota suggest that As is bioavailable and it is accumulating in marine organisms, which may impose human risks. → Slurry sampling showed to be a easy, accurate procedure to be used for As determination in estuarine samples. - Abstract: The spatial distribution of As (total As, As (III) and As (V)) in estuarine sediments from the main tributaries of Todos os Santos Bay, BA, Brazil, was evaluated under high and low flow conditions. The concentrations of As were determined using a slurry sampling procedure with hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry (HG-AAS). The highest concentrations were observed at estuary mouths, and exceeded conservative lower threshold value (Threshold Effects Level; TEL). Due to the oxic conditions and abundance of Mn and Fe (oxyhydr)oxides in the sediments, most inorganic arsenic in the Subae and Paraguacu estuaries was present as As (V). Nevertheless, the concentration of As (III) at several locations along the Jaguaripe River were also above the TEL value, suggesting that As may be toxic to biota. In the Subae estuary, antropogenic activities are the main source of As. At the Jaguaripe and at Paraguacu estuaries, nevertheless, natural sources of As need to be considered to explain the distribution patterns.

  10. Distribution and relative abundance of anchovies (Clupeiformes-engraulididae in the Sepetiba Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

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    Márcio de Araújo Silva

    2000-01-01

    Full Text Available Distribution and relative abundance of juvenile fish of the family Engraulididae in the Sepetiba Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil was assessed to detect patterns of use of the shallows during their early life cycle. Two yearly cycle (March-1996 to February-1997 and March-1997 to February-1998 were studied by a total of 120 beach net samples at five sites, two of them located in the inner Bay and three in the outer Bay near to the sea limit. Six Engraulididae species were identified in two genera: Anchoa januaria, Anchoa marinii, Anchoa tricolor, Anchoa lyolepis, Anchoviella lepidentostole and Anchoviella brevirostris, mainly juveniles in their early life cycle. A. januaria, A. brevirostris, A. lepidentostole and A. tricolor, in decreasing order, were the top numerical abundant species, while A. tricolor and A. januaria showed the highest weight contribution, amounting approximately to 90% of the total number of fish. Spatially, A. tricolor, A. lyolepis and A. marinii distributed mainly in the outer Bay. A. januaria show higher abundance in the inner Bay, while the species of genera Anchoviella show an ample distribution, without a particular zone of higher occurrence. Seasonally, only A. januaria, A. lepidentostole and A. brevirostris presented a clear pattern of occurrence, peaking in the Autumn.A abundância relativa e distribuição espacial de juvenis de peixes da familia Engraulididae ocorrentes na Baía de Sepetiba, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil, foram estudadas visando determinar os padrões de uso da margem continental durante a fase inicial de vida. Dois ciclos anuais (Março-1996 a Fevereiro-1997 e Março-1997 a Fevereiro-1998 foram investigados através de um total de 120 amostragens de arrastos de praia, distribuídas em 5 locais de coleta na margem continental da Baía, duas delas situadas na zona mais interna e três na zona mais externa e próxima do limite com o mar. Foram identificados 6 espécies de Engraulididae, compreendendo dois g

  11. EPIDEMIOLOGY OF HUMAN RODENTICIDES POISONING IN BRAZIL

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    Maíra Costa Ferreira

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available This work aims to analyze the epidemiological profile of human poisoning by rodenticides in Brazil and Regions, in the period 2000 to 2008. This is a descriptive epidemiological study based on secondary data from the National System of Toxic- harmacological Information. Calculations were performed in the incidence rate and fatality rate. The North and Northeast regions had the highest mortality rates for the period. Children from 1 to 4 years had high incidence in all regions except in Northeast, where teenagers were most affected. The rodenticide poisoning was more incident in urban areas and among females, and had attempt suicide as predominant circumstance. Although most cases have evolved for healing, there was almost 40% unconfirmed healing in the South region and 57% of ignored evolution in Southeast. Deaths caused by ingestion of rodenticides were below 5%. The rodenticide poisoning has remained in Brazil with a major public health problem and, despite the differences in the country, the poisoning profile did not change significantly between different regions.

  12. Natural radioactive anomalies: social impacts in a small city in the northeast of Brazil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Casado, Lais C.; Silva, Arykerne N.C. da

    2017-01-01

    In 1972 the National Commission of Nuclear Energy in conjunction with the Committee on Mineral Resources Research, through geological studies, found a reserve of U_3O_8, initially estimated at 10,000 tons, in the region of Sao Jose de Espinharas, in the state of Paraiba, Northeast of Brazil. Other studies, in nearby regions, after the discovery of uranium, found soils rich in heavy rare earth elements, making the region the focus of research of several public and private companies. Currently, it is not occurring mineral exploration in the region, but the rumors about the presence of rocks and stones that cause cancer are always present in the everyday life of the population. Periodically, researchers are visiting Sao Jose de Espinharas to obtain samples of water, soil, and rock, and then new comments arise on the likely transference of the population due to uranium occurrence in urban and rural areas. Urban and the rural area inhabitants hamper or obstruct the work of collection due to ignorance about the phenomenon of natural radioactivity. The main objective of this work is to promote the necessary to highlight the need to develop knowledge about local environmental radioactivity and the benefits and problems due to the existence of uranium ore. There are still no results about public awareness on the subject in the region, but it is expected that in a few months can be assessed the implemented actions as multipliers of knowledge of the region to disseminate basic knowledge about natural radioactivity. (author)

  13. Natural radioactive anomalies: social impacts in a small city in the northeast of Brazil

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Casado, Lais C.; Silva, Arykerne N.C. da, E-mail: laiscamposcasado@gmail.com, E-mail: ary_casado@yahoo.com.br [Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE), Recife, PE (Brazil)

    2017-11-01

    In 1972 the National Commission of Nuclear Energy in conjunction with the Committee on Mineral Resources Research, through geological studies, found a reserve of U{sub 3}O{sub 8}, initially estimated at 10,000 tons, in the region of Sao Jose de Espinharas, in the state of Paraiba, Northeast of Brazil. Other studies, in nearby regions, after the discovery of uranium, found soils rich in heavy rare earth elements, making the region the focus of research of several public and private companies. Currently, it is not occurring mineral exploration in the region, but the rumors about the presence of rocks and stones that cause cancer are always present in the everyday life of the population. Periodically, researchers are visiting Sao Jose de Espinharas to obtain samples of water, soil, and rock, and then new comments arise on the likely transference of the population due to uranium occurrence in urban and rural areas. Urban and the rural area inhabitants hamper or obstruct the work of collection due to ignorance about the phenomenon of natural radioactivity. The main objective of this work is to promote the necessary to highlight the need to develop knowledge about local environmental radioactivity and the benefits and problems due to the existence of uranium ore. There are still no results about public awareness on the subject in the region, but it is expected that in a few months can be assessed the implemented actions as multipliers of knowledge of the region to disseminate basic knowledge about natural radioactivity. (author)

  14. Geochronological study of the Guanabara Bay (Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil) using 2'10 Pb dating technique and the constant rate of supply model

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Silva Braganca, Maura Julia Camara da; Oliveira Godoy, Jose Marcos de

    1995-01-01

    A geochronological study of the Guanabara Bay (RJ, Brazil) based on 210 Pb dating technique using the Constant Rate of Supply Model CRS is presented. A low energy gamma spectrometry ( 210 Pb for samples collected from Estrela and Sao Joao de Meriti rivers. Radiochemical method was applied to determine the amount of 210 Pb in samples from Guapimirim, Guaxindiba and Imbuacu rivers. Atomic absorption spectrometry with air-acetylene flame technique was used to determine the amount of copper in all the samples. The CRS model showed adequate in this estuarine system. (author). 19 refs., 5 figs., 6 tabs

  15. Thais (Stramonita rustica (Lamarck, 1822 (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Thaididae, a potential bioindicator of contamination by organotin northeast Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ítalo Braga de Castro

    2004-06-01

    Full Text Available The use of antifouling paints containing the biocide compound tributyltin (TBT has been shown as an inductor of imposex in neogastropods mollusks. Imposex is characterized by the development of male features in females, mainly the appearance of a no functional vas deferens and penis. Samples of Thais rustica were collected in eight sites in the metropolitan area of Natal city, Rio Grande do Norte state, northeast Brazil, and examined for occurrence of imposex, which was found in many females. The higher imposex levels were presented by samples from sites near city harbor.A utilização de tintas antiincrustrantes contendo o composto biocida tributilestanho (TBT tem induzido moluscos neogastrópodes ao imposex. O imposex é caracterizado pelo surgimento de caracteres sexuais masculinos, sobretudo, pênis e vaso deferente não funcionais em fêmeas desses moluscos. Foram coletadas amostras de Thais rústica em oito estações ao longo da costa da cidade de Natal no Rio Grande do Norte. Esses animais foram analisados quanto a presença e o grau de imposex que apresentavam. Os níveis mais elevados de imposex foram observados na estação mais próxima ao porto.

  16. Satisfaction of users of the Family Health Strategy in a capital city of Northeast Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luana Kelle Batista Moura

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To analyze the satisfaction of users of the Family Health Strategy in relation to the Reliability and Safety aspects. Method: This is a quantitative research carried out with 353 participants enrolled in an Integrated Health Center of the eastern region of a capital in the Northeast Brazil, through the SERVQUAL instrument. The data collection took place from January to May 2015, the research was approved by the Ethics and Research Committee of the UNINOVAFAPI University Center. Results: The results indicated that in the Reliability dimension, participants agreed that the healthcare professionals record the attendance, perform on the promised date and have an interest in solving the problems. In the Security dimension, the majority of the participants were indifferent as to the behavior of the professionals generating confidence. They demonstrated security in requesting the services because they were politely attended by the professionals. Moreover, in the two dimensions analyzed, it was noticed that there is a tendency to increase satisfaction as the participants' income decreases with significant statistical relations, with satisfaction on Reliability and Security inversely proportional to income. Conclusion: It is considered that users of the Family Health Strategy have demonstrated satisfaction with the services received, however, there is a need for more studies with different methodological approaches to better elucidate the intersubjective issues that shape the process of interaction between users, healthcare professionals and services. Keywords: Family health; patient satisfaction; security.

  17. Distribution and conservation of three important bird groups of the Atlantic Forest in north-east Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    G. A. Pereira

    Full Text Available Abstract The Pernambuco Endemism Center in north-east Brazil has the most fragmented forest cover and the largest number of threatened birds of the whole Atlantic Forest. We analyzed the distribution of three groups of bird species: forest-dependent, endemic and/or threatened using the interpolation method of Inverse Distance Weighting. We also checked the concentration of these birds in protected and unprotected areas, suggesting new sites that need to be protected. The richness concentration of forest-dependent, endemic and/or threatened birds in 123 sites were analysed. There was a greater concentration of the three groups in north Alagoas, south and north Pernambuco, and north and west Paraíba. The distribution of the three groups was almost regular in different vegetation types, although a lower concentration was found in the pioneer formation. There was a greater concentration of birds from all three groups between Pernambuco and Alagoas, and this must be due to the presence of more forest fragments with better structure and vegetation heterogeneity. The protected and unprotected areas hosted important records of endemic and/or threatened birds. We suggested some important places for implementation of new protected areas due to the larger concentrations of the target birds and because they are located within the boundaries of the Important Bird Areas.

  18. Nitrogen (15 N) fertilizer use in subsistence culture in the semi-arid soil of Northeast-Brazil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sampaio, Everardo V.S.B.; Antonino, Antonio C.D.; Salcedo, Ignacio H.; Tiessen, Holm

    1997-01-01

    Productivity in the semi-arid area of Northeast Brazil is limited by nitrogen deficiency but fertilizers are not used due to the risk of this investment, usually calculated considering the year of application. Part of the fertilizer accumulates in the soil and can be used in subsequent crops. To provide information on accumulation, an experiment was established at Coxixola, city Pernambuco state consisting of combinations of single and intercropped corn and beans, with and without nitrogen fertilization (16 Kg.ha-1). Planting was done in holes, 1,1 x 1,0 m apart and 15N ammonium nitrate was applied in the there central holes of the plots. At harvest, plants in these hole were analysed separately and the soil was sampled at threre depths and five distances from the point of application of the fertilizer. Productivities were low, without differences between fertilized and non fertilized treatments for grain but with differences for straw. Single corn absorbed more (34%) and retained more of the N fertilizer in the soil (50%) than single beans (16 e 28%) and intercrop (corn 15% beans 11% soil 48%). Part of the unrecovered fertilizer may have migrated out of the sampled volume. This migration and the losses in beans indicate that only a small effect is expected for the accumulated N in the soil. (author). 31 refs., 1 fig., 4 tabs

  19. Environmental water quality assessment in Guaratuba bay, state of Paraná, southern Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Byanka Damian Mizerkowski

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available An environmental assessment of the estuarine waters of Guaratuba bay, Paraná State, Brazil, is provided through the analysis of physical-chemical, biological and hydrographic dynamics. Twelve stations with a bi-monthly frequency (from October/2002 until August/2003 were sampled during spring and neap tides for the determination of pH, Secchi depth, CO2 saturation, dissolved oxygen, chlorophyll, suspended particulate matter and dissolved inorganic nutrients (nitrate, nitrite, ammonium, phosphate and silicate. Based on the evaluation of six parameters (chlorophyll, Secchi depth, CO2 saturation, dissolved inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus and dissolved oxygen, Guaratuba Bay shows a low to medium trophic status, i.e. from meso- to oligotrophic, and a predominant heterotrophic metabolism, meaning that respiration overcomes primary production. Horizontal stratification was observed during the rainy season, while during the dry season the system showed more homogeneous conditions. Inorganic and/or organic matter in Guaratuba Bay seem to be controlled mainly by the seasonality of precipitation and/ also by ebb and flood tidal phase variations.A dinâmica das variáveis físico-químicas, biológicas e hidrográficas, em escalas temporal e espacial, sua variabilidade e tendências, permite avaliar a qualidade ambiental de estuários. Esse trabalho descreve as flutuações da qualidade de água da Baía de Guaratuba, sul do Estado do Paraná. Foram amostrados doze pontos em campanhas bimensais (outubro/2002 a agosto/2003, em situação de sizígia e de quadratura, para a análise das variáveis pH, transparência, saturação de CO2, oxigênio dissolvido, clorofila-a, material particulado em suspensão e nutrientes inorgânicos dissolvidos (nitrato, nitrito, amônio, fosfato e silicato. Considerando as seis variáveis descritoras da qualidade de água (clorofila-a, profundidade de Secchi, saturação de CO2, fósforo e nitrogênio inorg

  20. Dynamics of Sheep Production in Brazil

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    Samuel Rezende Paiva

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available Sheep production is present on all continents and has been practiced in Brazil since the colonization. In this study, the multitemporal dynamics of sheep production in Brazil is examined using official government data (Brazilian Institute for Geography and Statistics-IBGE from 1976 to 2010. Maps of flock growth rates and growth acceleration maps by municipality were elaborated. The Southern states are seen to show a reduction in production mainly due to the wool crisis in the 1970s and 80s. The Northeast is seen to be important for meat production. More recently, centerwest and northern states have shown an increase in growth rates but this is still incipient. The maps of growth, acceleration and midpoint for sheep production showed a noticeable return to an increase in production in the South in recent years. The midpoint of production flow was in the northeast direction, which has stagnated. There was great dynamics in sheep production over the whole Brazilian territory, which affected supply chains due to the expansion of domestic and foreign markets. Areas with higher fluctuations in production are more vulnerable in terms of investment policies.

  1. Total petroleum hydrocarbons and trace metals in tropical estuary of Todos os Santos Bay, Brazil

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Celino, Joil Jose; Oliveira, Olivia Maria Cordeiro de; Queiroz, Antonio Fernando de Souza [Universidade Federal da Bahia (UFBA), Salvador, BA (Brazil); Trigueis, Jorge Alberto [Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense (UENF), Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ (Brazil); Garcia, Karina Santos [Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF), Niteroi, RJ (Brazil)

    2008-07-01

    As part of the environmental assessment within Todos os Santos Bay, State of Bahia - Brazil, in summer of 2005, superficial water and sediments samples of the mangrove were collected at five locations to determine the spatial distribution of anthropogenic pollutants in the Dom Joao estuary at the Sao Francisco do Conde Region. Sandy sediments with low organic matter content dominate the studied area. Trace metal levels indicated that sediments were moderately polluted with Cu (overall mean: 21.48 +/- 4.76 {mu}g.g-1 dry sediment), but not with Pb (15 +/- 8), Zn (38 +/- 10), Cr (15 +/- 7), Ni (13 +/- 6) and Cd (0.4 +/- 0.2). Depending on location, total petroleum hydrocarbons ranged from 1.6 to 10.6 {mu}g.g-1. To discriminate pattern differences and similarities among samples, principal component analysis (PCA) was performed using a correlation matrix. PCA revealed the latent relationships among all the stations investigated and confirmed our analytical results. Principal components analysis confirmed two regions according to their environmental quality. The results pointed out that almost all the area presented some substances that can cause adverse biological effects, especially in the outermost region where some metals are above TEL level. (author)

  2. Vertical Motion Changes Related to North-East Brazil Rainfall Variability: a GCM Simulation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roucou, Pascal; Oribe Rocha de Aragão, José; Harzallah, Ali; Fontaine, Bernard; Janicot, Serge

    1996-08-01

    The atmospheric structure over north-east Brazil during anomalous rainfall years is studied in the 11 levels of the outputs of the Laboratoire de Météorologie Dynamique atmospheric general circulation model (LMD AGCM). Seven 19-year simulations were performed using observed sea-surface temperature (SST) corresponding to the period 1970- 1988. The ensemble mean is calculated for each month of the period, leading to an ensemble-averaged simulation. The simulated March-April rainfall is in good agreement with observations. Correlations of simulated rainfall and three SST indices relative to the equatorial Pacific and northern and southern parts of the Atlantic Ocean exhibit stronger relationships in the simulation than in the observations. This is particularly true with the SST gradient in the Atlantic (Atlantic dipole). Analyses on 200 ;hPa velocity potential, vertical velocity, and vertical integral of the zonal component of mass flux are performed for years of abnormal rainfall and positive/negative SST anomalies in the Pacific and Atlantic oceans in March-April during the rainy season over the Nordeste region. The results at 200 hPa show a convergence anomaly over Nordeste and a divergence anomaly over the Pacific concomitant with dry seasons associated with warm SST anomalies in the Pacific and warm (cold) waters in the North (South) Atlantic. During drought years convection inside the ITCZ indicated by the vertical velocity exhibits a displacement of the convection zone corresponding to a northward migration of the ITCZ. The east-west circulation depicted by the zonal divergent mass flux shows subsiding motion over Nordeste and ascending motion over the Pacific in drought years, accompanied by warm waters in the eastern Pacific and warm/cold waters in northern/southern Atlantic. Rainfall variability of the Nordeste rainfall is linked mainly to vertical motion and SST variability through the migration of the ITCZ and the east-west circulation.

  3. Predominant Nearshore Sediment Dispersal Patterns in Manila Bay

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    Fernando Siringan

    1997-12-01

    Full Text Available Net nearshore sediment drift patterns in Manila Bay were determined by combining the coastal geomorphology depicted in 1 : 50,000scale topographic maps and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR images, with changes in shoreline position and predominant longshore current directions derived from the interaction of locally generated waves and bay morphology.Manila Bay is fringed by a variety of coastal subenvironments that reflect changing balances of fluvial, wave, and tidal processes. Along the northern coast, a broad tidal-river delta plain stretching from Bataan to Bulacan indicates the importance of tides, where the lateral extent of tidal influences is amplified by the very gentle coastal gradients. In contrast, along the Cavite coast sandy strandplains, spits, and wave-dominated deltas attest to the geomorphic importance of waves that enter the bay from the South China Sea.The estimates of net sediment drift derived from geomorphological, shoreline-change, and meteorological information are generally in good agreement. Sediment drift directions are predominantly to the northeast along Cavite, to the northwest along Manila and Bulacan, and to the north along Bataan. Wave refraction and eddy formation at the tip of the Cavite Spit cause southwestward sediment drift along the coast from Zapote to Kawit. Geomorphology indicates that onshore-offshore sediment transport is probably more important than alongshore transport along the coast fronting the tidal delta plain of northern Manila Bay. Disagreements between the geomorphic-derived and predicted net sediment drift directions may be due to interactions of wave-generated longshore currents with wind- and tide-generated currents.

  4. The geology of the Collins Bay uranium deposit, Saskatchewan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jones, B.E.

    1980-01-01

    The Collins Bay deposit lies within the Churchill Province on the western edge of the Wollaston lithostructural domain where it underlies the eastern edge of the Helikian Athabasca Formation. It is 6 miles north-northeast of the Rabbit Lake mine. Two principal zones of uranium mineralization are described. The A zone, a partly eroded, high-grade pod of metal oxide and arsenides sheathed by clay-like minerals, which trends north-northeast and lies under 25 to 40 feet of water; and the B zone, which lies 6 000 ft south of the A, subcrops under till cover and is a partly eroded zone composed of metal oxide and arsenides which occur within variably altered Athabasca Formation. The deposit is typical of the unconformity-type uranium-nickel deposits of the Athabasca Basin. Observed features fit well with the diagenetic-hydrothermal model for such deposts. (auth)

  5. Investigation of Spatial and Temporal Trends in Water Quality in Daya Bay, South China Sea

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Mei-Lin; Wang, You-Shao; Dong, Jun-De; Sun, Cui-Ci; Wang, Yu-Tu; Sun, Fu-Lin; Cheng, Hao

    2011-01-01

    The objective is to identify the spatial and temporal variability of the hydrochemical quality of the water column in a subtropical coastal system, Daya Bay, China. Water samples were collected in four seasons at 12 monitoring sites. The Southeast Asian monsoons, northeasterly from October to the next April and southwesterly from May to September have also an important influence on water quality in Daya Bay. In the spatial pattern, two groups have been identified, with the help of multidimensional scaling analysis and cluster analysis. Cluster I consisted of the sites S3, S8, S10 and S11 in the west and north coastal parts of Daya Bay. Cluster I is mainly related to anthropogenic activities such as fish-farming. Cluster II consisted of the rest of the stations in the center, east and south parts of Daya Bay. Cluster II is mainly related to seawater exchange from South China Sea. PMID:21776234

  6. Reproductive cycle of Mytella guyanensis (Lamarck, 1819 in a Marine Reserve (RESEX Bay of Iguape, Bahia, Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V. M. A. Camilo

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Mytella guyanensis, consumed and commercialized in coastal regions of Brazil, is one of several bivalve species of socioeconomic interest for coastal communities. Besides serving as a source of income and subsistence for these communities, it also contributes to their food security as it is a source of proteins and micronutrients. Thus, the reproductive cycle of this species was studied aiming to contribute to food security and its preservation. Samples were collected monthly, between March 2014 and March 2015, in a natural stock (12°38'50”S; 38°51'43”W in a Marine Reserve (RESEX Bay of Iguape (community Engenho da Ponte, Bahia, Brazil. Mytella guyanensis is collected by women on site, where the artisanal fishing of this resource is performed without following any specific handling procedure. Also, empirical evidence indicates overexploitation. The specimens collected were measured along the anterior-posterior axis (length, and after macroscopic analysis they were fixed in Davidson solution, processed by routine histology techniques and stained with Harris haematoxylin and eosin (H&E. The macroscopic analysis showed sexual dimorphism, with the male and female gonads presenting a milky-white and orange colour, respectively. A 1:1 sex ratio (M: F was observed and reproduction of the species was continuous all year round. March, April, July and August were the months with highest values of gamete elimination. We suggest that a M. guyanensis management plan should restrict capture during these months, in order to sustainably regulate exploitation of this food resource in this reserve.

  7. Danish wind power in Brazil. Part 1. The future of wind power in Brazil - market analysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Husted Rich, N

    1996-04-01

    More than 95% of total energy produced in Brazil comes from highly efficient hydroelectric power plants but, faced with a serious shortage of energy after the year 2000, the country is now considering wind energy as one of the basic alternatives for energy supply. It is suggested that biomass, wind energy and biogas may be included in a future supply policy for the north-east region of the land. The structure of, the privatisation, legislation and the tariff system within the Brazilian power sector are described in addition to the present situation regarding wind energy in the country, including current and coming projects in this field, the excellent wind conditions in Northeastern Brazil and investment possibilities. The political activities in this field of the Danish Folkecenter for Renewable Energy are noted and future developments in Brazil are discussed. It is concluded that there are good prospects for Danish windmill technology on the Brazilian market. Wind measurement programs are presently being carried out in various areas of the country, though a number of impediments to the development of wind energy in Brazil remain. (AB)

  8. Geochemical signature of columbite-tantalite and environmental impact of radioactive pegmatite mining in the Parelhas region, Rio Grande do Norte, Northeast Brazil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moura, Jorge Costa de; Cruz, Paulo R.; Pereira, Valmir; Ludka, Isabel P.; Mendes, Julio C.

    2013-01-01

    This article comprises geochemical, structural and radiometric investigations on radioactive pegmatites of the Borborema Pegmatitic Province in Northeast Brazil. The studied area is located in the surroundings of the city of Parelhas, in the geotectonic Province of Borborema. It is well known for its thousands of pegmatitic bodies exploited in primitive mines called garimpos. The main goal was to find an efficient, cheap and routine inspection procedure to identify the origin of commercialized radioactive columbite-tantalite (coltan) ore. The Brazilian Nuclear Energy Agency (CNEN) controls uranium commerce and nuclear activity in Brazil. Without an effective method to characterize coltan ores from different localities it is impossible to control the trade. The here presented new method was developed by correlating structural features of these pegmatites with the geochemical behavior of their coltan samples. It was found that the variation of U/Th vs. Nb 2 O 5 /Ta 2 O 5 provides geochemical signatures (analytical fingerprints) for the source location of such ore. The new method was tested with coltan samples of commercial batches from the Brazilian states of Amapa and Rondonia and also generated distinct geochemical signatures. A radiometric survey (CPS) to study the environmental impact of gamma radiation was also carried out in several mines and pegmatites. It included in situ measurements of pegmatite walls, enclosing rocks, soil, and accumulated water and revealed that gamma emitters are hardly solubilized and therefore environmental gamma radiation generally is not enhanced to a dangerous level. (author)

  9. Trace Metals and Lead Isotopes in modern Sediments Near Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boyle, E. A.; Lazzari, L.; Wagener, A. L.; Carreira, R.; Godoy, J. M.; Noble, A.; Carrasco, G. G.; Moos, S. B.

    2014-12-01

    This work focuses on the export of trace metals and combustion residues from land to ocean and on the Southeast continental margin of Brazil and its historical variability using stable lead isotopes. Two sediment cores were collected, one in highly impacted Guanabara Bay and the other on the Southeast continental shelf. Continental shelf samples were analyzed for trace element concentrations [Mn (117±50 ppm), Ni (6.5±2.3 ppm), Zn (5.0±1.5), (233±46 ppm), ], Pb (5.4±2.4 ppm), as well as Cu, Ag, Cd, Sr, Ba, Tl, U and Pb isotope ratios & Pb-210. Most of the elements show higher concentrations on the upper part of the core compared to the bottom. Downcore changes of the concentrations of these elements were similar. The sediments of adjacent rivers and bays around the upper section of the southeast continental shelf of Brazil are considered highly enriched with Pb, Zn, Cu and Cr such as Guanabara Bay, Sepetiba Bay and Paraíba do Sul River compared with the natural concentrations and other regions in the world. A [Pb] maximum is seen between samples from 24 to 43 cm (~8 ppm). Utilization of tetraethyl lead (TEL) gasoline in Brazil was phased out beginning in 1983 and was largely completed by 1988. Continental shelf Pb-206/Pb-207 varies between 1.174 near the core top to 1.190 at 100 cm, with a sharp difference between samples at 6 and 8 cm. Higher core top Pb, Zn, and Ni corroborate the recent anthropogenic influence on the southeast continental shelf of Brazil. For Guanabara Bay sediment samples [Pb] varies between 90 ppm near the top to 1 ppm at the bottom. Pb-206/Pb-207 varies between 1.161 near the core top to 1.165 near the bottom. Using triple isotope plots we can discern different sources of lead to the region and how these vary with time.

  10. Measures and modelling of PAR (photosynthetically-active radiation) for the Northeast of Brazil; Medidas e modelagem da radiacao PAR (photosynthetically-active radiation) para o nordeste do Brasil

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tiba, Chigueru; Leal, Sergio da S.A. [Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE), Recife, PE (Brazil). Dept. de Energia Nuclear], e-mail: tiba@rce.neoline.com.br

    2004-07-01

    Photosynthetically active solar radiation, known by its acronym in the English language as PAR, is the principal driving force of innumerable biological and physical processes related to biomass production, such as, the evolution of vegetal covering, agricultural productivity, and countless environment aspects, among others. Unfortunately in Brazil and particularly in the Northeast of Brazil, the PAR radiation measures are not a routine part of meteorological station measures, and therefore are still rarer than solar irradiation measures. In this context, a station was installed in Recife, Pernambuco in 2003, to carry out simultaneous measures of daily solar irradiation and PAR irradiation, which permits the modelling and valuation of the relationship between these two parameters and thus makes the estimation of PAR radiation possible, where there used to be only information on solar irradiation. Three others stations are being installed, one on Fernando de Noronha-PE, another in Pesqueira-PE, and the other in Xingo-SE, which complete a group of 4 between Latitudes 8 deg and 10 deg South and Longitudes 34 deg to 38 deg West, each having differentiated Equatorial Climates: island maritime, continental maritime, sylvan (Agreste) and semi-arid. (author)

  11. Sexually transmitted infections, bacterial vaginosis, and candidiasis in women of reproductive age in rural Northeast Brazil: a population-based study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fabíola Araújo Oliveira

    2007-09-01

    Full Text Available Population-based data on sexually transmitted infections (STI, bacterial vaginosis (BV, and candidiasis reflect the epidemiological situation more accurately than studies performed in specific populations, but such data are scarce. To determine the prevalence of STI, BV, and candidiasis among women of reproductive age from a resource-poor community in Northeast Brazil, a population-based cross sectional study was undertaken. All women from seven hamlets and the centre of Pacoti municipality in the state of Ceará, aged 12 to 49 years, were invited to participate. The women were asked about socio-demographic characteristics and genital symptoms, and thereafter examined gynaecologically. Laboratory testing included polymerase chain reaction (PCR for human papillomavirus (HPV, ligase chain reaction (LCR for Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae, ELISA for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV, venereal disease research laboratory (VDRL and fluorescent treponema antibody absorption test (FTA-ABS for syphilis, and analysis of wet mounts, gram stains and Pap smears for trichomoniasis, candidiasis, and BV. Only women who had initiated sexual life were included in the analysis (n = 592. The prevalences of STI were: HPV 11.7% (95% confidence interval: 9.3-14.7, chlamydia 4.5% (3.0-6.6, trichomoniasis 4.1% (2.7-6.1, gonorrhoea 1.2% (0.5-2.6, syphilis 0.2% (0.0-1.1, and HIV 0%. The prevalence of BV and candidiasis was 20% (16.9-23.6 and 12.5% (10.0-15.5, respectively. The most common gynaecological complaint was lower abdominal pain. STI are common in women in rural Brazil and represent an important health threat in view of the HIV pandemic.

  12. Radium equivalent in clays extracted in Northeast cities of Brazil and used in civil construction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Araujo, Eduardo E.N.; Junior, Jose Araujo S.; Amaral, Romilton S.; Santos, Josineide M.N.; Rojas, Lino A.V.; Fernandez, Zahily H.

    2017-01-01

    The Earth's crust may have different levels of natural radioactivity as a consequence of the different types of minerals that form its composition. Exploration activities of natural sources may have a high radiometric impact for the radionuclides of the natural series and contributes to radionuclides transitions to others areas. The distribution of natural radioactive elements 226 Ra, 232 Th, and 40 K in rock and soil is not uniform and as a consequence all building materials contain amounts of natural radioactive substances. This study aimed to establish the calculation of the Equivalent Radium Activity (Ra Eq ) in brickwork's clays in the adjacent area to the uranium deposits in Northeast Brazil cities in the states of Paraiba and Rio Grande do Norte. The analyses were performed using the non-destructive method HPGe-Be gamma spectrometry. Twenty-eight samples were collected from ten brickworks in the cities of Sao Jose do Sabugi and Santa Luzia, in Paraiba State and Santana do Serido and Parelhas, in Rio Grande do Norte State. The activities of RaEq ranged from 84.5 to 747.8 Bq/kg with an average of 334.0 Bq/kg. Approximately 29% of the analyzed samples had activities of RaEq above the limit defined by UNSCEAR (the limit is 370 Bq/kg), where the clays must have its sources of extraction monitored, respecting the radioecological protection rules. From the qualification of the samples, it has been certified that the radionuclides present in this study are exclusively of natural origin. (author)

  13. Radium equivalent in clays extracted in Northeast cities of Brazil and used in civil construction

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Araujo, Eduardo E.N.; Junior, Jose Araujo S.; Amaral, Romilton S.; Santos, Josineide M.N.; Rojas, Lino A.V.; Fernandez, Zahily H., E-mail: eduardo.eudes@ufpe.br, E-mail: jaraujo@ufpe.br, E-mail: romilton@ufpe.br, E-mail: josineide.santos@ufpe.br, E-mail: lino.valcarcel@ufpe.br, E-mail: zahily1985@gmail.com [Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (DEN/UFPE), Recife, PE (Brazil). Departamento de Energia Nuclear

    2017-11-01

    The Earth's crust may have different levels of natural radioactivity as a consequence of the different types of minerals that form its composition. Exploration activities of natural sources may have a high radiometric impact for the radionuclides of the natural series and contributes to radionuclides transitions to others areas. The distribution of natural radioactive elements {sup 226}Ra, {sup 232}Th, and {sup 40}K in rock and soil is not uniform and as a consequence all building materials contain amounts of natural radioactive substances. This study aimed to establish the calculation of the Equivalent Radium Activity (Ra{sub Eq}) in brickwork's clays in the adjacent area to the uranium deposits in Northeast Brazil cities in the states of Paraiba and Rio Grande do Norte. The analyses were performed using the non-destructive method HPGe-Be gamma spectrometry. Twenty-eight samples were collected from ten brickworks in the cities of Sao Jose do Sabugi and Santa Luzia, in Paraiba State and Santana do Serido and Parelhas, in Rio Grande do Norte State. The activities of RaEq ranged from 84.5 to 747.8 Bq/kg with an average of 334.0 Bq/kg. Approximately 29% of the analyzed samples had activities of RaEq above the limit defined by UNSCEAR (the limit is 370 Bq/kg), where the clays must have its sources of extraction monitored, respecting the radioecological protection rules. From the qualification of the samples, it has been certified that the radionuclides present in this study are exclusively of natural origin. (author)

  14. Solar radiation in the Brazilian northeast

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tiba, Chigueru [Federal University of Pernambuco, Pernambuco (Brazil)

    2000-07-01

    The significant increase in recent years of the number of rural electrification systems (some thousands of them do exist) using photovoltaic technology installed in the Northeast of Brazil (1,500,000 km{sup 2}, approximately 42 million people) used for illumination or water pumping, calls for an improvement on the design procedures in order to reduce the burden of capital costs per unit of generated power. Such objective can be accomplished as long as a better knowledge about the solar resource is achieved, considering how much these applications depend on it. The sources of information on solar radiation in Brazil are quite varied at both institutional and publication level. At institutional Meteorology (INMET), State Departments of Agriculture, research institute, universities and electric power generation and distribution utilities. Progress reports or scientific and technical journals are the main publishing vehicles where this information can be found. This way, data quality varies considerably, showing, spatial and temporal discontinuities, in addition to the fact that measurement instruments and physical units of registered data are not standardized. The Solarimetric Atlas of Brazil was recently published and it contains that information, which is grouped, evaluated, qualified, and presented in a standardized way. It is one of the best currently existing sources of information, and in certainly consists of almost the entirety of the existing information on the solar resource (data on solar radiation and sunshine hours) in Brazil. By using this database, simultaneous records of solar radiation (measured with pyranoghaps or pyranometers) and sunshine hours with heliographs were obtained in 35 different places in the Northeast region. Coefficients a and b were calculated for those different places using Angstrom's correlation. Using the geostatistical interpolation method known as kriging, the values of a and b were placed on contour maps, the coverage of

  15. Rb-Sr dating in orthogneisses and the age of Serido group, Brazil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Macedo, M.H.F.; Sa, E.F.J. de; Sa, J.M.

    1984-01-01

    The conclusions of the geochronologic study, by Rb-Sr method, of orthogneisses from Serido Group, Northeast of Brazil, are presented. Metamorphic and granitic rocks were analysed by X-ray fluorescence, to determine the Rb and Sr quantity. (M.C.K.) [pt

  16. Trace metal contamination in mangrove sediments, Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    OpenAIRE

    Farias,Cassia O.; Hamacher,Claudia; Wagener,Angela de Luca R.; Campos,Reinaldo C. de; Godoy,José M.

    2007-01-01

    The Guanabara Bay in Rio de Janeiro has undergone profound alterations of its natural environmental conditions. Metal concentration increase in sediments has been reported to be among these alterations. Trace-metal contamination and availability were studied in sediments of 3 mangrove areas of the bay. Cd, Zn, Pb, Ni, Cu and Al concentrations were determined in segments of sediment cores, after treatment with 1 mol L-1 HCl and with concentrated HNO3. Fe and Mn were determined in the leach wit...

  17. Geology and structure of the North Boqueron Bay-Punta Montalva Fault System

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roig Silva, Coral Marie

    The North Boqueron Bay-Punta Montalva Fault Zone is an active fault system that cuts across the Lajas Valley in southwestern Puerto Rico. The fault zone has been recognized and mapped based upon detailed analysis of geophysical data, satellite images and field mapping. The fault zone consists of a series of Cretaceous bedrock faults that reactivated and deformed Miocene limestone and Quaternary alluvial fan sediments. The fault zone is seismically active (ML < 5.0) with numerous locally felt earthquakes. Focal mechanism solutions and structural field data suggest strain partitioning with predominantly east-west left-lateral displacements with small normal faults oriented mostly toward the northeast. Evidence for recent displacement consists of fractures and small normal faults oriented mostly northeast found in intermittent streams that cut through the Quaternary alluvial fan deposits along the southern margin of the Lajas Valley, Areas of preferred erosion, within the alluvial fan, trend toward the west-northwest parallel to the on-land projection of the North Boqueron Bay Fault. Beyond the faulted alluvial fan and southeast of the Lajas Valley, the Northern Boqueron Bay Fault joins with the Punta Montalva Fault. The Punta Montalva Fault is defined by a strong topographic WNW lineament along which stream channels are displaced left laterally 200 meters and Miocene strata are steeply tilted to the south. Along the western end of the fault zone in northern Boqueron Bay, the older strata are only tilted 3° south and are covered by flat lying Holocene sediments. Focal mechanisms solutions along the western end suggest NW-SE shortening, which is inconsistent with left lateral strain partitioning along the fault zone. The limited deformation of older strata and inconsistent strain partitioning may be explained by a westerly propagation of the fault system from the southwest end. The limited geomorphic structural expression along the North Boqueron Bay Fault segment

  18. Time trends for prostate cancer mortality in Brazil and its geographic regions: An age-period-cohort analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Braga, Sonia Faria Mendes; de Souza, Mirian Carvalho; Cherchiglia, Mariangela Leal

    2017-10-01

    In the 1980s, an increase in mortality rates for prostate cancer was observed in North America and developed European countries. In the 1990s, however, mortality rates decreased for these countries, an outcome related to early detection of the disease. Conversely, an upward trend in mortality rates was observed in Brazil. This study describe the trends in mortality for prostate cancer in Brazil and geographic regions (North, Northeast, South, Southeast, and Central-West) between 1980 until 2014 and analyze the influence of age, period, and cohort effects on mortality rates. This time-series study used data from the Mortality Information System (SIM) and population data from Brazilian Institute for Geography and Statistics (IBGE). The effects on mortality rates were examined using age-period-cohort (APC) models. Crude and standardized mortality rates showed an upward trend for Brazil and its regions more than 2-fold the last 30 years. Age effects showed an increased risk of death in all regions. Period effects showed a higher risk of death in the finals periods for the North and Northeast. Cohort effects showed risk of death was higher for younger than older generations in Brazil and regions, mainly Northeast (RR Adjusted =3.12, 95% CI 1.29-1.41; RR Adjusted =0.28, 95% CI 0.26-0.30, respectively). The increase in prostate cancer mortality rates in Brazil and its regions was mainly due to population aging. The differences in mortality rates and APC effects between regions are related to demographic differences and access of health services across the country. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Nest spacing and architecture, and swarming of males of Dinoponera quadriceps (Hymenoptera, Formicidae in a remnant of the Atlantic Forest in Northeast Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. Vasconcellos

    Full Text Available Dinoponera quadriceps is a queenless neotropical ponerinae ant. Nest spacing and abundance were investigated in a remnant of the Atlantic forest in Northeast Brazil. Males were captured with a light trap between August 1994 and July 1996. Nest density varied from 15 to 40 ha-1. An overdispersion of nests suggests that the intraspecific competition may be an important factor regulating their spatial arrangement. Territory size was correlated with worker population size of the colonies. The nests had up to 16 chambers, with variations in their architecture closely related to habitat diversification. Populations varied from 12 to 97 adult workers per nest, with a mean density of 1,618 workers ha-1 and a live biomass of 461 g ha-1 (n = 13 nests. Males swarm continually throughout almost all months of the year, suggesting that production and swarming are more influenced by mechanisms that regulate the sexual activity of workers than by climatic factors.

  20. Ruralidade e mulheres responsáveis por domicílios no Norte e no Nordeste Ruralness and Women Responsible for Households in the North and Northeast of Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Russell Parry Scott

    2007-08-01

    Full Text Available A comparação de mulheres como responsáveis de domicílios no Norte e no Nordeste revela efeitos de diferenciação de gênero e de histórias divergentes de migração. Como em todo o Brasil, essas mulheres têm mais instrução e menos renda que os homens responsáveis por domicílios. Fazem uso extensivo de ingressos da seguridade social, especialmente nas áreas rurais. Elas assumem mais a chefia ou quando são adolescentes, ou, muito mais, quando passam da idade de 45 anos. Recorrem mais intensivamente que homens às suas redes de relações ampliadas para inclusão de outros nas suas casas. No Norte, comparado com o Brasil e o Nordeste, com maior presença de imigração masculina, há menos mulheres chefes, em geral, e especialmente no campo. Relativamente, têm instrução superior à dos homens responsáveis. Nas suas casas há mais pessoas que nas de mulheres responsáveis em outras regiões. Só ocasionalmente moram sozinhas. No Nordeste, com uma história de emigração, as mulheres responsáveis são muito mais numerosas, em geral, com particular força no campo. A sua instrução não é tão superior à dos homens quanto à das mulheres no Norte. Elas residem sozinhas com mais freqüência e há pouca diferença no número de pessoas entre casas nas áreas urbanas e rurais.A comparison of women household heads in North and Northeast Brazil reveals effects of gender differentiation and divergent histories of migration. As in Brazil in general, women heads have more education and less income than male heads. They make extensive use of social security income, especially as a source of maintenance in rural areas. They take on headship either when adolescents, or, much more often, when over the age of 45. They include persons from their wider social networks much more than male heads do. Compared to Brazil in general and to the Northeast, the North, with a history of male immigration, has fewer women household heads in general, and

  1. Factors associated with Specific Hypertensive Gestation Syndrome (SHGS in postpartum adolescent and young adult mothers in the Northeast of Brazil: a multiple analysis of hierarchical models

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eloisa Barreto Bacelar

    Full Text Available Abstract Objectives: to analyze possible associations between Specific Hypertensive Gestation Syndrome (SHGS and sociodemographic, prenatal, and delivery characteristics of young adult and teenage mothers. Methods: a hospital-based cross-sectional study and regional level, gathered from 54 municipalities in the Northeast region of Brazil from 2011-2012, using records from the National Survey, "Born in Brazil". A theoretical conceptual model with three-level hierarchy was established, with SHGS being the outcome variable. A multivariate analysis was performed from the bivariate analysis and p-value, with a significance of < 0.2 by the Wald test. Results: of the 2,960 adolescents and young adults included in the study, 135 (4.6% developed HSP. The mothers without a partner had 50% (OR=1.53 greater chance of presenting this pathology; while those without adequate schooling for age presented 90% higher chance (OR = 1.86 and those with a prior clinical risk factor, the chance of presenting the outcome was 21 times the chance of those without this antecedent (OR = 21.72. Conclusions: significant associations were identified between SHGS and postpartum adolescents and young adults without a partner, with low schooling and prior clinical risk, signaling the importance of investments in the quality of prenatal care and labor of the most vulnerable groups.

  2. Dry season distribution of hydroids in a small tropical estuary, Pernambuco, Brazil

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Calder, D.R.; Maÿal, E.M.

    1998-01-01

    Hydroid distribution patterns along a horizontal ecocline in the Rio Formoso/Rio Ariquindá/Rio Porto Alegre system, a small and seasonally poikilohaline estuary on the tropical northeast coast of Brazil, were investigated. Collecting was undertaken during the dry season, in November 1993, by diving

  3. Geochemical signature of columbite-tantalite and environmental impact of radioactive pegmatite mining in the Parelhas region, Rio Grande do Norte, Northeast Brazil

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Moura, Jorge Costa de; Cruz, Paulo R.; Pereira, Valmir, E-mail: jcmoura@cnen.gov.br, E-mail: pcruz@cnen.gov.br, E-mail: vpereira@cnen.gov.br [Comissao Nacional de Energia Nuclear (CNEN-RJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil); Ludka, Isabel P.; Mendes, Julio C., E-mail: ludka@geologia.ufrj.br, E-mail: julio@geologia.ufrj.br [Universidade Federal de Rio do Janeiro (CCMN/UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil). Centro de Ciencias Matematicas e da Natureza. Dept. de Geologia

    2013-07-01

    This article comprises geochemical, structural and radiometric investigations on radioactive pegmatites of the Borborema Pegmatitic Province in Northeast Brazil. The studied area is located in the surroundings of the city of Parelhas, in the geotectonic Province of Borborema. It is well known for its thousands of pegmatitic bodies exploited in primitive mines called garimpos. The main goal was to find an efficient, cheap and routine inspection procedure to identify the origin of commercialized radioactive columbite-tantalite (coltan) ore. The Brazilian Nuclear Energy Agency (CNEN) controls uranium commerce and nuclear activity in Brazil. Without an effective method to characterize coltan ores from different localities it is impossible to control the trade. The here presented new method was developed by correlating structural features of these pegmatites with the geochemical behavior of their coltan samples. It was found that the variation of U/Th vs. Nb{sub 2}O{sub 5}/Ta{sub 2}O{sub 5} provides geochemical signatures (analytical fingerprints) for the source location of such ore. The new method was tested with coltan samples of commercial batches from the Brazilian states of Amapa and Rondonia and also generated distinct geochemical signatures. A radiometric survey (CPS) to study the environmental impact of gamma radiation was also carried out in several mines and pegmatites. It included in situ measurements of pegmatite walls, enclosing rocks, soil, and accumulated water and revealed that gamma emitters are hardly solubilized and therefore environmental gamma radiation generally is not enhanced to a dangerous level. (author)

  4. Irregular water supply, household usage and dengue: a bio-social study in the Brazilian Northeast

    OpenAIRE

    Caprara,Andrea; Lima,José Wellington de Oliveira; Marinho,Alice Correia Pequeno; Calvasina,Paola Gondim; Landim,Lucyla Paes; Sommerfeld,Johannes

    2009-01-01

    Despite increased vector control efforts, dengue fever remains endemic in Fortaleza, Northeast Brazil, where sporadic epidemic outbreaks have occurred since 1986. Multiple factors affect vector ecology such as social policy, migration, urbanization, city water supply, garbage disposal and housing conditions, as well as community level understanding of the disease and related practices. This descriptive study used a multi-disciplinary approach that bridged anthropology and entomology. A multip...

  5. New record of the mangrove rivulid Kryptolebias hermaphroditus Costa, 2011 (Cyprinodontiformes: Cynolebiidae) in the Pará state, northern Brazil

    OpenAIRE

    Guimarães-Costa, Auryceia; Schneider, Horacio; Sampaio, Iracilda

    2017-01-01

    The mangrove killifish Kryptolebias herma­phro­ditus is reported to the southeast and northeast regions of Brazil. Recently, a specimen of K. hermaphroditus was collected in a shallow running seawater stream at Ajuruteua beach, Pará state, northern Brazil. This new record is ca. 1,350 km from the nearest previously known occurrence in Rio Grande do Norte state, Brazil. Morphological, molecular, and ecological aspects of this species are described.

  6. Microcephaly in north-east Brazil: a retrospective study on neonates born between 2012 and 2015.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soares de Araújo, Juliana Sousa; Regis, Cláudio Teixeira; Gomes, Renata Grigório Silva; Tavares, Thiago Ribeiro; Rocha Dos Santos, Cícera; Assunção, Patrícia Melo; Nóbrega, Renata Valéria; Pinto, Diana de Fátima Alves; Bezerra, Bruno Vinícius Dantas; Mattos, Sandra da Silva

    2016-11-01

    To assess the number of children born with microcephaly in the State of Paraíba, north-east Brazil. We contacted 21 maternity centres belonging to a paediatric cardiology network, with access to information regarding more than 100 000 neonates born between 1 January 2012 and 31 December 2015. For 10% of these neonates, nurses were requested to retrieve head circumference measurements data from delivery-room books. We used three separate criteria to classify whether a neonate had microcephaly: (i) the Brazilian Ministry of Health proposed criterion: term neonates (gestational age ≥ 37 weeks) with a head circumference of less than 32 cm; (ii) Fenton curves: neonates with a head circumference of less than -3 standard deviation for age and gender; or (iii) the proportionality criterion: neonates with a head circumference of less than ((height/2))+10) ± 2. Between 1 and 31 December 2015, nurses obtained data for 16 208 neonates. Depending on which criterion we used, the number of neonates with microcephaly varied from 678 to 1272 (4.2-8.2%). Two per cent (316) of the neonates fulfilled all three criteria. We observed temporal fluctuations of microcephaly prevalence from late 2012. The numbers of microcephaly reported here are much higher than the 6.4 per 10 000 live births reported by the Brazilian live birth information system. The results raise questions about the notification system, the appropriateness of the diagnostic criteria and future implications for the affected children and their families. More studies are needed to understand the epidemiology and the implications for the Brazilian health system.

  7. Evaluation of the impact of a nutritional program for undernourished children in Brazil

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Santos, Iná S; Gigante, Denise P; Coitinho, Denise C; Haisma, Hinke; Valle, Neiva C J; Valente, Gicele

    2005-01-01

    To assess the effectiveness on child growth and body composition of a supplementary feeding program (Milk Supplement Program), a prospective, controlled study was conducted in Northeast Brazil. When entering the Program, children from 10 municipalities with the highest coverage rates in the Program

  8. Occurrence of chlorinated pesticides in mussels of Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xavier de Brito, A.P.; De Andrade Bruening, I.M.R.; Moreira, I.; Loureiro, I.

    1999-01-01

    Present work investigates the contamination of some chlorinated pesticides in common mussels (Perna perna) from the Guanabara Bay. These mussels can be found in several points near the entrance of the Bay, where they either grow naturally or are cultivated by fishermen which make their living of this activity. Five collecting areas were studied and the concentrations of eight pesticides, namely HCB, γ-HCH, total DDT, DDD and DDE, Aldrin, Dieldrin and Endrin were determined

  9. Paleomagnetism of volcanic rocks from the Northeast of Brazil and the time of the opening of the South Atlantic

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guerreiro, S.D.C.

    1983-01-01

    In the first part of this paper palaeomagnetic and rock magnetism investigations were developed in volcanic samples from the Northeast of Brazil. The age of the samples spans the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. To accomplish this task four areas were studied and a total of 495 samples from 58 sites were analysed. A portable drilling machine with 2.5 em core diameter was used to collect the samples. The orientation of the samples were obtained by means of a magnetic compass, and a clinometer. The analysis of the magnetic minerals of these samples was done by thermomagnetic curves and by X-ray diffraction. In most cases the magnetic phase in the rocks is mainly titanomagnetite with poor titanium content. Maghemite and sometimes hematite, usually a product of weathering, did not obscure the initial thermoremanent magnetization of these rocks. The second part of this paper deals with the determination of the time of the opening of the South Atlantic ocean by means of palaeomagnetic data. In this paper, however, instead of using the polar wandering paths of the continents (the usual method) statistical tests were applied that give the probability that a certain configuration for the two continents be consistent or not with the palaeomagnetic data for a chosen period. (author)

  10. Sensitisation to aeroallergens among asthmatic and non-asthmatic adolescents living in a poor region in the Northeast of Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sarinho, E C S; Mariano, J; Sarinho, S W; Medeiros, D; Rizzo, J A; Almerinda R, S; Solé, D

    2009-01-01

    To assess the kind and frequency of sensitisation to aeroallergens (skin prick test - SPT) of asthmatic and non-asthmatic adolescents (13-14 years old) living in the city of Caruaru, Northeast of Brazil, and to analyse their exposure to some environmental factors. A case-control study was conducted with asthmatic (50) and non-asthmatic (150) adolescents diagnosed by the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) written questionnaire. All were submitted to SPT with aeroallergens (house dust mites, cat and dog epithelium, cockroaches, moulds and grass) and completed a questionnaire to evaluate their environmental exposure. There were no significant differences between groups regarding gender, age, number of siblings and environmental exposure. Asthmatic subjects exhibited a higher frequency of positive SPTs than non-asthmatic subjects (54.0% vs 33.3%, p=0.009) mainly due to Periplaneta americana (34.0% vs 12.7%, p=0.0007 respectively) and Canis familiaris (20.0% vs 8.7%, p=0.029). Although sensitisation to aeroallergens was high among non-asthmatic adolescents, asthma was associated with parental history of atopic disease and sensitisation to P. americana and Canis familiaris but not to D. pteronyssinus showing that local studies are mandatory for the tailoring of appropriate management of allergic diseases.

  11. Scale Insects (Hemiptera: Coccoidea) on Myrciaria dubia (Myrtaceae) in Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wolff, V R S; Kondo, T; Peronti, A L B G; Noronha, A C S

    2016-06-01

    Commercial cultivation of the fruit tree Myrciaria dubia (Myrtaceae) is being developed in Brazil but phytophagous insects, including scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccoidea), can become pests in plantations. The coccids Ceroplastes jamaicensis White, Coccus viridis (Green), Parasaissetia nigra (Nietner), Pseudokermes vitreus (Cockerell) (Coccidae), and the diaspidid Pseudaonidia trilobitiformis (Green) were collected on M. dubia in the municipality of Belém and Tomé-Açu, state of Pará (PA), metropolitan and Northeast Pará mesoregions, Brazil. A key to species of Coccoidea recorded on M. dubia, based on adult females, is provided. Photographs for all scale insects reported on M. dubia are provided. Ceroplastes jamaicensis is recorded for the first time for Brazil and is herein reported for the first time associated with this host.

  12. Ethnotaxonomical considerations and usage of ichthyofauna in a fishing community in Ceará State, Northeast Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pinto, Márcia Freire; Mourão, José da Silva; Alves, Rômulo Romeu Nóbrega

    2013-03-08

    Artisanal fishery is one of the most important economic activities for human populations living in coastal areas. The traditional knowledge that fishermen have of fishes is of utmost importance for the establishment of conservation strategies for many species. This study aimed to analyse the knowledge of and utilization of fishes by the artisanal fishermen in a fishing community on the coast of Ceará State (Northeast Brazil). In 2011, a number of semi-structured interviews were performed with fishermen with more than 20 years of fishery experience. The interviews were about fisheries (collecting spots, artefacts, etc.) and fish use. The fishes cited by the fishermen were identified scientifically and ethnotaxonomically. Considered masters of fishery, they cited 162 vernacular names of fishes, which corresponded to 290 different species, also including other animals such as dolphins, porpoises, whales and manatees. The criteria for the classification of the fishes were well known and utilised by the fishermen, and they were based on morphology, behaviour, habitat and the importance of commercial and fishing activities. Four hierarchical categories were identified in their classification system: kingdom, life-form, generic and specific. The fish nomenclature created by the fishermen was mostly composed of generic and monotypic names. The main uses of fish were for food and commercial purposes. The results stress the richness and complexity of the knowledge of the artisanal fishermen of Redonda Beach, and they provide support for the possibility of future studies and for the development of management plans and the management of wildlife resources.

  13. Spatial, temporal and diel variations of fish assemblages at two sandy beaches in the Sepetiba Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pessanha, André Luiz Machado; Araújo, Francisco Gerson

    2003-08-01

    Fish assemblages from two beaches, one in the inner and the other in the outer Sepetiba Bay (latitude: 22°54'-23°04'S; longitude: 43°34'-44°10'W), Southeast Brazil, were sampled by beach seine net, simultaneously, on both seasonal and diel scales, between August 1998 and June 1999. Sites were selected to encompass different environmental conditions which reflect the two bay zones, thus providing a comprehensive assessment of the factors influencing surf zone fish assemblages, and their spatial, seasonal and diel variations. A total of 55 fish species was recorded, mostly young-of-the-year. Anchoa tricolor, Micropogonias furnieri, Gerres aprion, Diapterus rhombeus, Harengula clupeola, Atherinella brasiliensis and Mugil liza were numerically dominant and contributed to 95.2% of the total fish catches. Strong differences in fish assemblages were observed between the two areas, with higher number of species in the outer bay. Increases in fish numbers occurred in winter, while the highest biomass occurred in winter and summer. Transparency, followed by salinity, was responsible for most of the spatial variability and played an important role in structuring fish assemblages. Overall, diel patterns did not reveal any significant trends; however, if we consider each season separately, an increase in fish numbers during the day with peak at sunset was observed in winter, and a higher biomass occurred at night in winter and summer. Species preferences for various combinations of environmental variables are responsible for shifts in the structure and overall abundance of assemblages and dictated some patterns. The sciaenid M. furnieri, the second most abundant species, occurred only in the inner zone, being more abundant in winter. The species of Engraulidae were more abundant in the outer zone in winter/spring during the day. The gerreids G. aprion and D. rhombeus occurred mainly in summer. Overall, temporal fluctuations act more at a specific level than at a structural

  14. Stillbirth prevalence in Brazil: an exploration of regional differences.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carvalho, Taiana Silva; Pellanda, Lucia Campos; Doyle, Pat

    Brazil is a large, heterogeneous, and diverse country, marked by social, economic, and regional inequalities. Stillbirth is a global concern, especially in low- and middle-income countries. This study investigated the prevalence and possible determinants of stillbirth in different regions of Brazil. This is a cross-sectional study including all women of reproductive age who had had a pregnancy in the last five years, enrolled in the most recent Brazilian Demographic and Health Survey (DHS/PNDS-2006/07). Logistic regression was used to assess the association between region and other maternal characteristics and stillbirth risk. The prevalence of stillbirth in Brazil was 14.82 per 1000 births, with great variation by region of the country, and a higher prevalence among the most deprived. The North and Northeast regions had the highest odds of stillbirth compared to the Center-West, which persisted after adjustment for multiple confounders - including deprivation level and ethnicity. Low maternal age and maternal obesity were also related to higher odds of stillbirth. In Brazil, the region influences stillbirth risk, with much higher risk in the North and Northeast. Variation in socioeconomic level does not explain this finding. Further research on the subject should explore other possible explanations, such as antenatal care and type of delivery, as well as the role of the private and public health systems in determining stillbirth. Preventive strategies should be directed to these historically disadvantaged regions, such as guaranteeing access and quality of care during pregnancy and around the time of birth. Copyright © 2017 Sociedade Brasileira de Pediatria. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

  15. First record of Charadrius melodus Ord (Aves Charadriiformes in Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Azevedo Júnior Severino Mendes de

    2003-01-01

    Full Text Available Charadrius melodus Ord, 1824 were captured at Diamante Branco saline, at Galinhos municipal district in Rio Grande do Norte, at the Northeast coast of Brazil. Four individuals were captured in October and two in December. All of them were in adult phase, showing the intermediary plumage with moults of the outline feathers. One individual captured in October showed moult for the first primary pinion and other captured also in October showed moult in the second pair of rectrices. The captures of C. melodus in Rio Grande do Norte consist in the first record of the species for Brazil.

  16. Neglected tropical diseases in Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lindoso, José Angelo L; Lindoso, Ana Angélica B P

    2009-01-01

    Poverty is intrinsically related to the incidence of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs). The main countries that have the lowest human development indices (HDI) and the highest burdens of NTDs are located in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Among these countries is Brazil, which is ranked 70th in HDI. Nine out of the ten NTDs established by the World Health Organization (WHO) are present in Brazil. Leishmaniasis, tuberculosis, dengue fever and leprosy are present over almost the entire Brazilian territory. More than 90% of malaria cases occur in the Northern region of the country, and lymphatic filariasis and onchocerciasis occur in outbreaks in a particular region. The North and Northeast regions of Brazil have the lowest HDIs and the highest rates of NTDs. These diseases are considered neglected because there is not important investment in projects for the development of new drugs and vaccines and existing programs to control these diseases are not sufficient. Another problem related to NTDs is co-infection with HIV, which favors the occurrence of severe clinical manifestations and therapeutic failure. In this article, we describe the status of the main NTDs currently occurring in Brazil and relate them to the HDI and poverty.

  17. Coccidioidomycosis in Brazil. A case report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martins, M dos A; de Araújo, E da M; Kuwakino, M H; Heins-Vaccari, E M; Del Negro, G M; Vozza Júnior, J A; Lacaz, C da S

    1997-01-01

    Coccidioidomycosis is an endemic infection with a relatively limited geographic distribution: Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Colombia, Venezuela, Bolivia, Paraguay, Argentina and the southwest of the United States. In these countries, the endemic area is restricted to the semiarid desert like regions which are similar to the northeast of Brazil. The patient is a 32 year-old male, born in the state of Bahia (Northeast of Brazil) and has been living in São Paulo (Southeast) for 6 years. He was admitted at Hospital das Clínicas, at the Department of Pneumology in October 1996, with a 6 month history of progressive and productive cough, fever, malaise, chills, loss of weight, weakness and arthralgia in the small joints. Chest x-rays and computerized tomography disclosed an interstitial reticulonodular infiltrate with a cavity in the right upper lobe. The standard potassium hydroxide preparation of sputum and broncoalveolar lavage demonstrated the characteristic thickened wall spherules in various stages of development. Sabouraud dextrose agar, at 25 degrees C and 30 degrees C showed growth of white and cottony aerial miceleium. The microscopic morphology disclosed branched hyphae characterized by thick walled, barrel shaped arthroconidia alternated with empty cells. The sorological studies with positive double immunodiffusion test, and also positive complement fixation test in 1/128 dilution confirmed the diagnosis. The patient has been treated with ketoconazole and presents a favorable clinical and radiological evolution.

  18. Aspectos biológicos de Diapterus rhombeus (Cuvier) (Teleostei, Gerreidae) na Baía de Guaratuba, Paraná, Brasil Biological aspects of Diapterus rhombeus (Cuvier) (Teleostei, Gerreidae) at Guaratuba Bay, Paraná, Brazil

    OpenAIRE

    Paulo de Tarso da Cunha Chaves; Gislaine Otto

    1998-01-01

    Diapterus rhombeus (Cuvier, 1829) is one of the most common Gerreidae species in the estuarine region at the Guaratuba Bay, Southern Brazil. Based on studies developed between July, 1993 and January, 1997, it was observed that its presence in the mangrove area is not regular: the smallest individuais are more abundam during late summer and in autumn, and the largest ones during spring and early summer. Its diet comprises plant material and invertebrates, specially polychaets. The morphologica...

  19. Sediment transport and development of banner banks and sandwaves in an extreme tidal system: Upper Bay of Fundy, Canada

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Michael Z.; Shaw, John; Todd, Brian J.; Kostylev, Vladimir E.; Wu, Yongsheng

    2014-07-01

    Multibeam sonar mapping and geophysical and geological groundtruth surveys were coupled with tidal current and sediment transport model calculations to investigate the sediment transport and formation processes of the complex seabed features off the Cape Split headland in the upper Bay of Fundy. The Cape Split banner bank, composed of coarse to very coarse sand, is a southwest-northeast oriented, large tear-drop shaped sand body with superimposed sand waves that show wavelengths from 15 to 525 m and heights from 0.5 to 19 m. Isolated and chains of barchan dunes occur on top of a shadow bank to the southeast of the banner bank. The barchan dunes are composed of well-sorted medium sand and are oriented northwest-southeast. Their mean height and width are 1.5 and 55 m, respectively. A gravel bank, with an elongated elliptical shape and west-east orientation, lies in the Minas Passage erosional trough east of the headland to form the counterpart to the sandy Cape Split banner bank. The southern face is featureless but the northern face is covered by gravel megaripples. Tidal model predictions and sediment transport calculations show that the formation of the banner bank and the gravel bank are due to the development of the transient counter-clockwise and clockwise tidal eddies respectively to the west and east of the headland. The formation of barchan dunes is controlled by the nearly unidirectional flow regime in outer Scots Bay. Sand waves on the flanks of the Cape Split banner bank show opposite asymmetry and the barchan dunes are asymmetric to the northeast. The tidal current and sediment transport predictions corroborate bedform asymmetry to show that sand wave migration and net sediment transport is to southwest on the northern flank of the banner bank but to northeast on the southern bank. Long-term migration of the Scots Bay barchan dunes is to the northeast. Spring-condition tidal currents can cause frequent mobilization and high-stage transport over the

  20. Multilevel analysis of hepatitis A infection in children and adolescents: a household survey in the Northeast and Central-west regions of Brazil

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Alencar Ximenes, Ricardo Arraes; Martelli, Celina Maria Turchi; Merchán-Hamann, Edgar; Montarroyos, Ulisses Ramos; Braga, Maria Cynthia; de Lima, Maria Luíza Carvalho; Cardoso, Maria Regina Alves; Turchi, Marília Dalva; Costa, Marcelo Abrahão; de Alencar, Luiz Cláudio Arraes; Moreira, Regina Célia; Figueiredo, Gerusa Maria; Pereira, Leila Maria Moreira Beltrão

    2008-01-01

    Background The objectives were to estimate the prevalence of hepatitis A among children and adolescents from the Northeast and Midwest regions and the Federal District of Brazil and to identify individual-, household- and area-levels factors associated with hepatitis A infection. Methods This population-based survey was conducted in 2004–2005 and covered individuals aged between 5 and 19 years. A stratified multistage cluster sampling technique with probability proportional to size was used to select 1937 individuals aged between 5 and 19 years living in the Federal capital and in the State capitals of 12 states in the study regions. The sample was stratified according to age (5–9 and 10- to 19-years-old) and capital within each region. Individual- and household-level data were collected by interview at the home of the individual. Variables related to the area were retrieved from census tract data. The outcome was total antibodies to hepatitis A virus detected using commercial EIA. The age distribution of the susceptible population was estimated using a simple catalytic model. The associations between HAV infection and independent variables were assessed using the odds ratio and corrected for the random design effect and sampling weight. Multilevel analysis was performed by GLLAMM using Stata 9.2. Results The prevalence of hepatitis A infection in the 5–9 and 10–19 age-group was 41.5 and 57.4%, respectively for the Northeast, 32.3 and 56.0%, respectively for the Midwest and 33.8 and 65.1% for the Federal District. A trend for the prevalence of HAV infection to increase according to age was detected in all sites. By the age of 5, 31.5% of the children had already been infected with HAV in the Northeast region compared with 20.0% in the other sites. By the age of 19 years, seropositivity was ∼70% in all areas. The curves of susceptible populations differed from one area to another. Multilevel modeling showed that variables relating to different levels of

  1. Aspectos biológicos de Diapterus rhombeus (Cuvier (Teleostei, Gerreidae na Baía de Guaratuba, Paraná, Brasil Biological aspects of Diapterus rhombeus (Cuvier (Teleostei, Gerreidae at Guaratuba Bay, Paraná, Brazil

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    Paulo de Tarso da Cunha Chaves

    1998-01-01

    Full Text Available Diapterus rhombeus (Cuvier, 1829 is one of the most common Gerreidae species in the estuarine region at the Guaratuba Bay, Southern Brazil. Based on studies developed between July, 1993 and January, 1997, it was observed that its presence in the mangrove area is not regular: the smallest individuais are more abundam during late summer and in autumn, and the largest ones during spring and early summer. Its diet comprises plant material and invertebrates, specially polychaets. The morphological aspects of the gonads, the monthly changes on the Condition Factor, and lhe monthly distribution of the individual size groups, suggest that this population spawns during the spring, out the estuarine region. The smaller individuais use the mangrove area of Guaratuba Bay to a growth phase, and the adulls to make somatic reserves to the spawning period.

  2. Determination of heavy metals and other elements in sediments from Sepetiba Bay (RJ, Brazil) by neutron activation analysis; Determinacao de metais pesados e outros elementos em sedimentos da Baia de Sepetiba (RJ) por ativacao neutronica

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pellegatti, Fabio

    2000-07-01

    Sepetiba Bay, located about 60 km south of the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, is one of the most important fishery areas in the State of Rio de Janeiro. A large harbor brought up a lot of industrial investment in that area. Since the 1970's, the Sepetiba region has undergone fast industrial expansion, leading to high levels of pollution by metals. For the last two decades, an industrial park composed of about 400 industrial plants, basically metallurgical, was established in the Sepetiba Bay basin, releasing its industrial waste either straight into the bay or through local rivers. Metal contamination in the bay for some metals, such as Zn, has already exceeded acceptable levels. Many authors have studied the distribution and behavior of heavy metals and another elements in the bay, but only few elements have been focused (Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn). This is probably due to the fact that the analytical technique most employed has been atomic absorption spectrometry, which is not a multi-elemental technique. In this work, Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA) was applied to the determination of the elements As, Ba, Br, Ce, Co, Cr, Cs, Eu, Fe, Hf, La, Lu, Nd, Rb, Sc, Sm, Ta, Tb, Th, U, Yb and Zn in 28 bottom sediment samples and four sediment cores from Sepetiba Bay. The elements Co, Cr, Cs, Fe, Sc, Ta and Zn presented similar behavior in the bottom sediments, showing higher concentration along the Northern coast of the bay, where most of the fluvial water flows out to the bay. The contamination of Sepetiba Bay was also assessed by the analysis of four sediment cores. Two of them were sampled in the Eastern part of the bay, where the industrial park is located, whereas the other two were sampled in the Western part of the bay, a more preserved region. For each region, two cores were sampled within the mangrove trees and the others at the edge of the tidal flat. The results showed that, the sediments displayed higher metal concentration within

  3. Injuries caused by venomous animals and folk medicine in farmers from Cuité, State of Paraiba, Northeast of Brazil

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    Hellyson Fidel Araújo de Oliveira

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available Injuries caused by venomous animals reported by the agricultural workers from the municipality of Cuité, Curimataú region of Paraiba State, Northeast of Brazil, and the practices of folk medicine which they use to treat these cases were studied in this work from June to August 2010. The farmers studied aged from 11 to 90 years. The number of people who reported cases of injury by these animals in their families was high (89.3%. Scorpions, wasps, bees and snakes were the most cited and the extremities of the body (hands, feet, legs and head were the most affected. The practice of folk medicine to treat these injuries includes various procedures ranging from ritualistic treatments, use of animals or parts of them, and some herbal preparations. The folk treatment was reported as effective by most of the workers injured (63.9%. Body parts of dead snakes are used in various zootherapic treatments. In the imaginary of the agricultural workers the venomous animals are considered hazardous (48.7% or disgusting (11.3%, and several parts of such animals as the rattle, bee sting or snake leather are used as amulet. Several legends have also been reported about snakes, scorpions and bees. The need for educational activities that aim to clarify these workers about the dangers of such practices is urgent.

  4. Mental health and public policies implemented in the Northeast of Brazil: A systematic review with meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Januário, Sonilde Saraiva; das Neves Peixoto, Florido Sampaio; Lima, Nádia Nara Rolim; do Nascimento, Vânia Barbosa; de Sousa, Danilo Ferreira; Pereira Luz, Dayse Christina Rodrigues; da Silva, Claúdio Gleidiston Lima; Rolim Neto, Modesto Leite

    2017-02-01

    Studies about mental disorders are very rare in the Northeast of Brazil, especially when psychopathologies in children and adolescents are considered. The consequence is a small availability of data and an absence of a real epidemiological profile. This is a systematic review with meta-analysis, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) protocol, in the period from 2003 to 2015, using the databases LILACS, SciELO and BVS. The analysis comprised the keywords 'models of primary and secondary healthcare in mental health', 'psychiatric reform' and 'policies and services in mental health', using the Boolean operator '# AND'. Original texts based on secondary data from the Hospital Information System of the Brazilian Unified Health System were also included via the Citizen Electronic Record System, Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística, and Ministry of Health. Grey literature was used by means of hand searching. A combined analysis of the strategies mentioned in the analyzed articles shows a combined odds ratio of 1.291 (confidence interval (CI) = 1.054-1.582), thus it demonstrates the efficacy of using such strategies in the elaboration of institutional apparatus in mental health. The p-value of the chi-square distribution resulted in .9753, which does not reject the hypothesis of association between strategies in mental health and possible development of institutional apparatus in mental health. A combined analysis of all strategies mentioned in the analyzed studies shows efficacy of using strategies to elaborate institutional apparatus in mental health.

  5. Antibiotic resistance and molecular analysis of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from cow's milk and dairy products in northeast Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silveira-Filho, Vladimir M; Luz, Isabelle S; Campos, Ana Paula F; Silva, Wellington M; Barros, Maria Paloma S; Medeiros, Elizabeth S; Freitas, Manuela F L; Mota, Rinaldo A; Sena, Maria J; Leal-Balbino, Tereza C

    2014-04-01

    This work aimed to assess the clonal distribution among 94 strains of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from cow's milk, raw cheese, and a milking machine in 12 dairy farms in northeast Brazil, by analyzing different typing methods and detecting resistance and toxigenic profiles. For the first time, isolates of this region were assessed simultaneously by the polymorphism of the 3'-end coa gene and 16S-23S rDNA, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, antibiotic resistance phenotyping, and toxigenic arsenal. Although pulsed-field gel electrophoresis patterns showed a wider variation (discriminatory index 0.83) than the PCR-based methods, the internal transcribed spacer-PCR proved to be a useful and inexpensive procedure for conducting epidemiological surveys of S. aureus on a regional scale. Each dairy farm had its own resistance profile, and in two herds, 63% of the strains were multiresistant, probably due to the indiscriminate use of antibiotics in bovine mastitis treatment. No methicillin-resistant S. aureus strains were detected in this study; however, 93.6% of S. aureus strains harbored variable profiles of staphylococcal enterotoxin genes seg, seh, sei, and sej. Transcriptional analysis revealed that 53.3% of staphylococcal enterotoxin genes actually transcribed, pointing out the food poisoning risk of these dairy products to consumers in the region. Based on the detection of the most prevalent clones in a herd or region, appropriate antibiotic therapy and specific immunization can be used for the treatment and control of staphylococcal mastitis.

  6. Resistance to antimicrobials and biofilm formation in Staphylococcus spp. isolated from bovine mastitis in the Northeast of Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    da Costa Krewer, Carina; Santos Amanso, Evandro; Veneroni Gouveia, Gisele; de Lima Souza, Renata; da Costa, Mateus Matiuzzi; Aparecido Mota, Rinaldo

    2015-03-01

    Mastitis is the principal disease affecting dairy herds worldwide. The aim of the present study was to characterize phenotypic and genotypic features associated with resistance to antimicrobials in Staphylococcus spp. isolated from 2064 milk samples of 525 lactating cows in the Northeast of Brazil. Of the 218 isolates analyzed, 57.8% were characterized as Staphylococcus aureus, 28% as coagulase-positive staphylococci other than S. aureus (oCPS), and 14.2% as coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS). The test for susceptibility to antimicrobials showed amoxicillin (32.6%) to be the less effective drug in vitro, and the multi-drug resistance (MDR) rate for beta-lactams varied from 0 to 0.75. The genotypic characterization showed that 93.1% of the samples were tested positive for the blaZ gene, while none amplified mecA. The antibiotic efflux mechanism was observed in 0.9% of isolates. The biofilm formation was found in 3.7 and 96.3% of samples, respectively, on Congo red agar and on the microplate adhesion test, while the icaD gene was present in 92.2% of Staphylococcus spp. The high frequency of blaZ gene observed in this study was associated with the resistance of most Staphylococcus spp. to one or more of the beta-lactams tested, which are routinely used in Brazilian herds for mastitis treatment. The biofilm formation was also detected in the isolates analyzed being an important characteristic for pathogenicity and antimicrobial resistance of bacteria.

  7. Biomarkers of Environmental Enteropathy, Inflammation, Stunting, and Impaired Growth in Children in Northeast Brazil.

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    Richard L Guerrant

    Full Text Available Critical to the design and assessment of interventions for enteropathy and its developmental consequences in children living in impoverished conditions are non-invasive biomarkers that can detect intestinal damage and predict its effects on growth and development. We therefore assessed fecal, urinary and systemic biomarkers of enteropathy and growth predictors in 375 6-26 month-old children with varying degrees of malnutrition (stunting or wasting in Northeast Brazil. 301 of these children returned for followup anthropometry after 2-6m. Biomarkers that correlated with stunting included plasma IgA anti-LPS and anti-FliC, zonulin (if >12m old, and intestinal FABP (I-FABP, suggesting prior barrier disruption; and with citrulline, tryptophan and with lower serum amyloid A (SAA (suggesting impaired defenses. In contrast, subsequent growth was predicted in those with higher fecal MPO or A1AT and also by higher L/M, plasma LPS, I-FABP and SAA (showing intestinal barrier disruption and inflammation. Better growth was predicted in girls with higher plasma citrulline and in boys with higher plasma tryptophan. Interactions were also seen with fecal MPO and neopterin in predicting subsequent growth impairment. Biomarkers clustered into markers of 1 functional intestinal barrier disruption and translocation, 2 structural intestinal barrier disruption and inflammation and 3 systemic inflammation. Principle components pathway analyses also showed that L/M with %L, I-FABP and MPO associate with impaired growth, while also (like MPO associating with a systemic inflammation cluster of kynurenine, LBP, sCD14, SAA and K/T. Systemic evidence of LPS translocation associated with stunting, while markers of barrier disruption or repair (A1AT and Reg1 with low zonulin associated with fecal MPO and neopterin. We conclude that key noninvasive biomarkers of intestinal barrier disruption, LPS translocation and of intestinal and systemic inflammation can help elucidate how

  8. Factors associated with exclusive breastfeeding in the Legal Amazon and Northeast regions, Brazil, 2010

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    Alice Cristina Medeiros das Neves

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to identify the factors associated with exclusive breastfeeding in children aged less than six months from the Brazilian Legal Amazon and Northeast regions. METHODS: The study used data from a survey that assessed prenatal and infant (<1 year care in 2010. Sociodemographic, prenatal, delivery, and puerperium care factors with p<0.05 in multivariate analysis were associated with exclusive breastfeeding. RESULTS: For both regions, the prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding decreased with age, which was the main variable associated with early weaning. In the Legal Amazon, exclusive breastfeeding prevailed among: mothers aged 35 years or more; mothers living in state capitals; and mothers who breastfed on the first hour of life. In the Northeast, the probability of exclusive breastfeeding was greater for mothers aged 35 years or more. CONCLUSION: The factors associated with exclusive breastfeeding were child's and mother's age in both regions; and residence location and breastfeeding in the first hour of life in the Legal Amazon, suggesting the need of differentiated strategies for the promotion of exclusive breastfeeding.

  9. Distribution and size of the mojarra Diapterus rhombeus (Cuvier) (Actinopterygii, Gerreidae) in a Southeastern Brazilian bay

    OpenAIRE

    Costa,Marcus Rodrigues da; Albieri,Rafael Jardim; Neves,Leonardo Mitrano; Santos,Alex Braz Lacone; Araujo,Francisco Gerson

    2012-01-01

    Diapterus rhombeus is one of the most abundant fish species in the Sepetiba bay, which is a 520 km² semi-closed coastal area in Southeastern Brazil. The size and distribution of this species have been described in order to assess the use of the area as a rearing ground in both spatial and temporal (seasonal) dimensions. A fish sampling program was conducted monthly by using an otter trawl between October 1998 and September 1999, in three bay zones (outer, middle and inner), defined according ...

  10. Environmental and Sanitary Conditions of Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fistarol, Giovana O.; Coutinho, Felipe H.; Moreira, Ana Paula B.; Venas, Tainá; Cánovas, Alba; de Paula, Sérgio E. M.; Coutinho, Ricardo; de Moura, Rodrigo L.; Valentin, Jean Louis; Tenenbaum, Denise R.; Paranhos, Rodolfo; do Valle, Rogério de A. B.; Vicente, Ana Carolina P.; Amado Filho, Gilberto M.; Pereira, Renato Crespo; Kruger, Ricardo; Rezende, Carlos E.; Thompson, Cristiane C.; Salomon, Paulo S.; Thompson, Fabiano L.

    2015-01-01

    Guanabara Bay is the second largest bay in the coast of Brazil, with an area of 384 km2. In its surroundings live circa 16 million inhabitants, out of which 6 million live in Rio de Janeiro city, one of the largest cities of the country, and the host of the 2016 Olympic Games. Anthropogenic interference in Guanabara Bay area started early in the XVI century, but environmental impacts escalated from 1930, when this region underwent an industrialization process. Herein we present an overview of the current environmental and sanitary conditions of Guanabara Bay, a consequence of all these decades of impacts. We will focus on microbial communities, how they may affect higher trophic levels of the aquatic community and also human health. The anthropogenic impacts in the bay are flagged by heavy eutrophication and by the emergence of pathogenic microorganisms that are either carried by domestic and/or hospital waste (e.g., virus, KPC-producing bacteria, and fecal coliforms), or that proliferate in such conditions (e.g., vibrios). Antibiotic resistance genes are commonly found in metagenomes of Guanabara Bay planktonic microorganisms. Furthermore, eutrophication results in recurrent algal blooms, with signs of a shift toward flagellated, mixotrophic groups, including several potentially harmful species. A recent large-scale fish kill episode, and a long trend decrease in fish stocks also reflects the bay’s degraded water quality. Although pollution of Guanabara Bay is not a recent problem, the hosting of the 2016 Olympic Games propelled the government to launch a series of plans to restore the bay’s water quality. If all plans are fully implemented, the restoration of Guanabara Bay and its shores may be one of the best legacies of the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. PMID:26635734

  11. Sandflies (Diptera: Psychodidae) in an urban area of Northeastern Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Agra, Maria Claudia Ribeiro; Costa, Pietra Lemos; Duque, Anderson Enio Silva; Soares, Efraim Naftali Lopes; Alves, Leucio Câmara; Ramos, Rafael Antonio Nascimento; Carvalho, Gílcia Aparecida de

    2016-01-01

    The sandfly fauna is well studied globally. In Brazil, sandfly fauna is very diverse in the Northeast region, especially in states such as Maranhão, Ceará, and Bahia. However, in the State of Pernambuco, the distribution of these insects is still not well known. Therefore, the objective of this study was to identify the different species that constitute the sandfly fauna in an urban area in the Northeast region of Brazil, where an outbreak of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) was recently reported. The sandflies were collected from an urban area endemic for VL, at five collection points. The collection of samples was carried out from November 2014 to December 2015, using CDC light traps installed in intradomiciliary and peridomiciliary fashion. The collected sandflies (n = 297) belonged to eight species: Lutzomyia lenti, Lutzomyia longipalpis, Lutzomyia sallesi, Lutzomyia migonei, Lutzomyia walkeri, Lutzomyia capixaba, Lutzomyia carmelinoi, and Lutzomyia whitmani. Most of the specimens collected were peridomiciliary (247/297, 83%). L. lenti (154/297, 52%) was the most frequently sampled species, followed by L. longipalpis (88/297, 29.6%), and L. sallesi (42/297, 14.1%), which together accounted for over 90% of the collected sandfly specimens. The continued presence of L. longipalpis in urban areas, including that in intradomiciliary areas, with a predominance of females, is crucial because of the high possibility of them causing VL outbreaks, since this species is the main vector of Leishmania infantum in Brazil.

  12. The Relationships between Tropical Pacific and Atlantic SST and Northeast Brazil Monthly Precipitation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bertacchi Uvo, Cintia; Repelli, Carlos A.; Zebiak, Stephen E.; Kushnir, Yochanan

    1998-04-01

    The monthly patterns of northeast Brazil (NEB) precipitation are analyzed in relation to sea surface temperature (SST) in the tropical Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, using singular value decomposition. It is found that the relationships between precipitation and SST in both basins vary considerably throughout the rainy season (February-May). In January, equatorial Pacific SST is weakly correlated with precipitation in small areas of southern NEB, but Atlantic SST shows no significant correlation with regional precipitation. In February, Pacific SST is not well related to precipitation, but south equatorial Atlantic SST is positively correlated with precipitation over the northern Nordeste, the latter most likely reflecting an anomalously early (or late) southward migration of the ITCZ precipitation zone. During March, equatorial Pacific SST is negatively correlated with Nordeste precipitation, but no consistent relationship between precipitation and Atlantic SST is found. Atlantic SST-precipitation correlations for April and May are the strongest found among all months or either ocean. Precipitation in the Nordeste is positively correlated with SST in the south tropical Atlantic and negatively correlated with SST in the north tropical Atlantic. These relationships are strong enough to determine the structure of the seasonal mean SST-precipitation correlations, even though the corresponding patterns for the earlier months of the season are quite different. Pacific SST-precipitation correlations for April and May are similar to those for March. Extreme wet (dry) years for the Nordeste occur when both Pacific and Atlantic SST patterns for April and May occur simultaneously. A separate analysis reinforces previous findings in showing that SST in the tropical Pacific and the northern tropical Atlantic are positively correlated and that tropical Pacific-south Atlantic correlations are negligible.Time-lagged analyses show the potential for forecasting either seasonal mean

  13. An approach to the coastal water circulation in the Piratuba Lake Biological Reservation, Northeast of Amapa State, Brazil

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takiyama, L. R.; Silveira, O. M.

    2007-05-01

    This study shows the pioneer results of the water quality characterization of a lake region, including the Piratuba lake (within the limits of the Piratuba Lake Biological Reservation) and the Sucuriju river, localized at the northeast portion of the Amapa State, Brazil, and left margin of the Amazon River mouth. Due to the influence of the Amazon river and another important river, the Araguari river, the northeast coast of Amapa State receive little impact of salty water from the Atlantic ocean. The highest salinity values detected on this coastal area is 20 psu. The Piratuba Lake region which can be described as an unique wetland system formed by recent geological processes (Quaternary), it constitutes a very fragile environment and possesses a number of shallow water lakes distributed into a mixed mangrove and "varzea" type of vegetation and it is considered very important looking at the biological point of view. The borderline between this lake system with the coastal waters is a narrow portion of mangrove containing species of Rizhophora and Avicennia parallel to the coast line. A preliminary water circulation could be accessed through the detection of variation in water quality parameters throughout three field studies conducted on March, 2004, June 2005 and November 2005. Surface water sampling points spatially distributed on the study area with distances less than 2 km were set, covering almost 800 square kilometers. Among the parameters studied (pH, electrical conductivity, turbidity, concentration of suspended solids, depth, temperature, chloride, dissolved oxygen, nitrate, nitrite and phosphate) the turbidity, electrical conductivity and pH were the most important for identifying the entering of coastal waters into the lake region. Mainly, three points of direct contact were identified; one of them is a manmade illegal entrance to the Biological Reservation. The seasonal variation was also very important factor and as expected, during the dry season

  14. Spatial and temporal distribution of fish in Palmas bay, Ubatuba, Brazil

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    Maria Luiza Chisté Flaquer da Rocha

    2010-03-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study was to analyze the distribution and abundance of the fish fauna of Palmas bay on Anchieta Island in southeastern Brazil. Specimens were caught in the summer and winter of 1992, using an otter trawl at three locations in the bay. The specimens were caught in both the nighttime and daytime. Data on the water temperature and salinity were recorded for the characterization of the predominant water mass in the region, and sediment samples were taken for granulometric analysis. A total of 7 656 specimens (79 species, with a total weight of approximately 300 kg, were recorded. The most abundant species were Eucinostomus argenteus, Ctenosciaena gracilicirrhus, Haemulon steindachneri, Eucinostomus gula and Diapterus rhombeus, which together accounted for more than 73% of the sample. In general, the ecological indices showed no differences in the composition of species for the abiotic variables analyzed. The multivariate analysis showed that the variations in the distribution of the fish fauna were mainly associated with intra-annual differences in temperature and salinity, resulting from the presence of South Atlantic Central Water (SACW in the area during the summer. The analysis also showed an association with the type of bottom and a lesser association with respect to the night/day periods.Este estudo teve como objetivo analisar a composição e a abundância da fauna de peixes provenientes da enseada Palmas em Ubatuba, costa sudeste do Brasil. Os espécimes foram obtidos no verão e no inverno de 1992, utilizando-se uma rede de arrasto de fundo em três locais da enseada. Os arrastos foram realizados no período noturno e no período diurno. Foram obtidos dados de temperatura e salinidade da água para caracterização da massa de água predominante na região e amostras do sedimento para análise granulométrica. Foram capturadas 79 espécies de Actinopterygii, representadas por 7 656 indivíduos com peso total aproximado de

  15. Reproductive biology of Cetengraulis edentulus (Cuvier, 1829, the major fishery resource in Guanabara Bay, Brazil

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    Ana Clara Sampaio Franco

    Full Text Available Cetengraulis edentulus is a broadely distributed engraulid in Southwest Atlantic, currently accounting for the main fish species commercially exploited at Guanabara Bay, Brazil. This study aimed to extend the knowledge on reproduction of C. edentulus at Guanabara Bay and to test whether some descriptors of reproductive activity, especially the gonadosomatic index (GSI, and the index of reproductive activity (IRA changed among seasons. A total of 978 C. edentulus specimens were retrieved from purse seine commercial landings at Conservas Rubi S.A. company, in São Gonçalo city, RJ. Subsamples of 90-120 individuals were collected from bimonthly yields between July 2010 (winter and June 2011 (autumn. Most fish were adults (120-170 mm TL, in response to the high selectivity of commercial fisheries. All descriptors indicated a broad spawning period (late winter to spring, peaking in November, suggesting this is the critical period to protect C. edentulus stocks from overfishing at Guanabara Bay. Fecundity averaged 12,720 oocytes and was positively related to fish size, GSI and fullness index, indicating that preserving larger individuals (TL > 160 mm could contribute significantly to the reproductive success of C. edentulus, since they produce more oocytes. Cetengraulis edentulus é um engraulídeo amplamente distribuído no Atlântico Sudoeste, sendo um importante recurso comercialmente explorado na baía de Guanabara, Brasil. O presente estudo teve como objetivo ampliar o conhecimento sobre a reprodução de C. edentulus na baía de Guanabara e testar quais descritores da atividade reprodutiva, especialmente o índice gonadossomático (IGS e o índice de atividade reprodutiva (IAR se modificaram ao longo das estações do ano. Um total de 978 indivíduos de C. edentulus foram capturados pelo método de rede de cerco da frota comercial no cais da empresa Conservas Rubi S.A., na cidade de São Gonçalo, RJ. Subamostras de 90-120 indivíduos de C

  16. Coccidioidomycosis in Brazil. A case report

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    MARTINS Marilena dos Anjos

    1997-01-01

    Full Text Available Coccidioidomycosis is an endemic infection with a relatively limited geographic distribution: Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Colombia, Venezuela, Bolivia, Paraguai, Argentina and the southwest of the United States. In these countries, the endemic area is restricted to the semiarid desert like regions which are similar to the northeast of Brazil. Case report: The patient is a 32 year-old male, born in the state of Bahia (Northeast of Brazil and has been living in São Paulo (Southeast for 6 years. He was admitted at Hospital das Clínicas, at the Department of Pneumology in October 1996, with a 6 month history of progressive and productive cough, fever, malaise, chills, loss of weight, weakness and arthralgia in the small joints. Chest x-rays and computerized tomography disclosed an interstitial reticulonodular infiltrate with a cavity in the right upper lobe. The standard potassium hydroxide preparation of sputum and broncoalveolar lavage demonstrated the characteristic thickened wall spherules in various stages of development. Sabouraud dextrose agar, at 25° C and 30° C showed growth of white and cottony aerial micelium. The microscopic morphology disclosed branched hyphae characterized by thick walled, barrel shaped arthroconidia alternated with empty cells. The sorological studies with positive double immunodiffusion test, and also positive complement fixation test in 1/128 dilution confirmed the diagnosis. The patient has been treated with ketoconazole and presents a favorable clinical and radiological evolution

  17. Survival of Betta splendens fish (Regan, 1910) in domestic water containers and its effectiveness in controlling Aedes aegypti larvae (Linnaeus, 1762) in Northeast Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Oliveira Lima, José Wellington; de Góes Cavalcanti, Luciano Pamplona; Pontes, Ricardo José Soares; Heukelbach, Jörg

    2010-12-01

    In Northeast Brazil, large domestic containers used to store water are important breeding sites of Aedes aegypti, the main vector of dengue fever. The objective of this study was to estimate the survival of Betta splendens (Perciformes: Osphronemidae) fish in domestic containers in Fortaleza (Ceará State), as well as its effectiveness in the control of premature A. aegypti stages. The use of B. splendens was compared to Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti) in domestic containers. In a first home visit, B. splendens or Bti were applied to water containers. Two follow-up visits were conducted after 3-4 and 5-6 months to assess the presence of viable fish in the containers and infestation by larvae. Betta splendens fish were still present in 97.6% of containers 45-60 days after application. When the fish was present, the infestation rate was significantly higher (P containers, but that appropriate measures should be taken to assure prolonged survival and the presence of fish in the containers. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  18. Advances in commercial application of gamma radiation in tropical fruits at Brazil

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sabato, S. F.; Silva, J. M.; Cruz, J. N.; Broisler, P. O.; Rela, P. R.; Salmieri, S.; Lacroix, M.

    2009-07-01

    All regions of Brazil are potential areas for growing tropical fruits. As this country is already a great producer and exporter of tropical fruits, ionizing radiation has been the subject of studies in many commodities. An important project has been carried out to increase the commercial use of gamma radiation in our country. Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN)-CNEN/SP together with field producers in northeast region and partners like International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), CIC, Empresa Brasileira Pesquisa na Agricultura (EMBRAPA) joined to demonstrate this technology, its application and commercial feasibility. The objective of this study is to show advances in feasibility demonstrate the quality of the irradiated fruits in an international consignment from Brazil to Canada. In this work, Tommy Atkins mangoes harvested in northeast region of Brazil were sent to Canada. The fruits were treated in a gamma irradiation facility at doses 0.4 and 1.0 kGy. The control group was submitted to hydrothermal treatment (46 °C for 110 min). The fruits were stored at 11 °C for 10 days until the international transportation and kept at an environmental condition (22 °C) for 12 days, where their physical-chemical and sensorial properties were evaluated. The financial part of the feasibility study covers the scope of the investment, including the net working capital and production costs.

  19. Advances in commercial application of gamma radiation in tropical fruits at Brazil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sabato, S.F.; Silva, J.M.; Cruz, J.N.; Broisler, P.O.; Rela, P.R.; Salmieri, S.; Lacroix, M.

    2009-01-01

    All regions of Brazil are potential areas for growing tropical fruits. As this country is already a great producer and exporter of tropical fruits, ionizing radiation has been the subject of studies in many commodities. An important project has been carried out to increase the commercial use of gamma radiation in our country. Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN)-CNEN/SP together with field producers in northeast region and partners like International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), CIC, Empresa Brasileira Pesquisa na Agricultura (EMBRAPA) joined to demonstrate this technology, its application and commercial feasibility. The objective of this study is to show advances in feasibility demonstrate the quality of the irradiated fruits in an international consignment from Brazil to Canada. In this work, Tommy Atkins mangoes harvested in northeast region of Brazil were sent to Canada. The fruits were treated in a gamma irradiation facility at doses 0.4 and 1.0 kGy. The control group was submitted to hydrothermal treatment (46 o C for 110 min). The fruits were stored at 11 o C for 10 days until the international transportation and kept at an environmental condition (22 o C) for 12 days, where their physical-chemical and sensorial properties were evaluated. The financial part of the feasibility study covers the scope of the investment, including the net working capital and production costs.

  20. Deformations in structure of the scapolites from northeast, Brazil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gouveia, A.H.C.; Villarroel, H.S.

    1979-01-01

    Scapolites are relatively common constituents of calcium-rich metamorphic rocks. They can be considered as members of the solid solution series marialite and meionite. Relationship between the optical properties, chemical composition and X-ray diffraction data shows that scapolites from northern Brazil are mizzonites and meionites. The structures of these minerals are compatible only with a primitive lattice. The d hkl peaks of natural scapolites are outside the range shown by the two pure end-members of the series, and the unit-cell dimensions increase with percentage of (K+SO 4 ). X-ray diffraction powder data for natural tetragonal and orthorhombic calcium-rich scapolites are detailed in five tables. (author) [pt

  1. Habitat’s of innovation in the knowledge economy: a comparative analysis of technology parks located in the Northeast region of Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ana Maria Magalhães Correia

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available Technological advance has been the main driving force behind the developing regions, accounting for much of the increase in productivity, income, job creation and international competitiveness. In that sense, the Habitat's innovation, but specifically, the technological parks, undertakings promoters of the culture innovation, competitiveness, increase and business qualification, substantiated in the transference of knowledge and technology, with the objective of increase the output of wealth of a region. Thus, the objective this paper is to identify the potential to economic development and innovative place technology parks that are in operation in northeast Brazil. The results are derived from a qualitative research study, based on descriptive and exploratory research, which through a five case studies it was possible to obtain information about the topic. The finding indicates that the technology parks presents potentials that identify them, as inductors of the economic development and local inovativon. Also, it presents limits that in spite of it they do not lessen the potential the localities of excellence for the transfer of technology based in technological base companies. It presents itself as difficulties that should be minimized or depending on the situation, solved through actions of the actors involved in behalf of the economic development and local inovativon.

  2. Regional differences in the prevalence of diabetic retinopathy: a multi center study in Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Drummond, Karla Rezende Guerra; Malerbi, Fernando Korn; Morales, Paulo Henrique; Mattos, Tessa Cerqueira Lemos; Pinheiro, André Araújo; Mallmann, Felipe; Perez, Ricardo Vessoni; Leal, Franz Schubert Lopes; de Melo, Laura Gomes Nunes; Gomes, Marília Brito

    2018-01-01

    Diabetic retinopathy has a significant impact in every healthcare system. Despite that fact, there are few accurate estimates in the prevalence of DR in Brazil's different geographic regions, particularly proliferative DR and diabetic macular edema. This study aims to determine the prevalence of diabetic retinopathy in Brazil's five continental regions and its determinant factors. This multi center, cross-sectional, observational study, conducted between August 2011 and December 2014, included patients with type 1 diabetes from the 5 Brazilian geographic regions (South, Southeast, North, Northeast and Midwest). During a clinical visit, a structured questionnaire was applied, blood sampling was collected and each patient underwent mydriatic binocular indirect ophthalmoscopy evaluation. Data was obtained from 1644 patients, aged 30.2 ± 12 years (56.1% female, 54.4% Caucasian), with a diabetes duration of 15.5 ± 9.3 years. The prevalence of diabetic retinopathy was 242 (36.1%) in the Southeast, 102 (42.9%) in the South, 183 (29.9%) in the North and Northeast and 54 (41.7%) in the Midwest. Multinomial regression showed no difference in the prevalence of non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy in each geographic region, although, prevalence of proliferative diabetic retinopathy (p = 0.022), and diabetic macular edema (p = 0.003) was higher in the Midwest. Stepwise analyses reviled duration of diabetes, level of HbA1c and hypertension as independent variables. The prevalence of non proliferative diabetic retinopathy in patients with type 1 diabetes was no different between each geographic region of Brazil. The Midwest presented higher prevalence of proliferative diabetic retinopathy and diabetic macular edema. Duration of DM and glycemic control is of central importance to all. Hypertension is another fundamental factor to every region, at special in the South and Southeast. Glycemic control and patients in social and economic vulnerability deserves

  3. Hydrodynamic Aspects at Vitória Bay Mouth, ES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    FLÁVIA A.A. GARONCE

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Understading the hydrodynamic behavior and suspended particulated matter (SPM transport are of great importance in port regions such as Vitória Harbor, which is located at Vitória Bay, Vitória – ES, Brazil. Vitória Bay is an estuary that has not been systematically assessed through a temporal analysis in order to identify its hydrodynamics characteristics and SPM exchange. This study aims to investigate salt and suspended particulate matter flux at the estuarine mouth of Vitória Bay by understanding the temporal variation of salinity, temperature and tidal currents within the water column and at the channel crosssection. Results showed that the estuarine mouth tended to present partial stratification periods during neap tides and little stratification in spring tides. The circulation pattern was mainly influenced by the tide, with little influence from river discharge. With regard to the SPM, the mouth of the estuary tended to show low concentrations, with the highest values occurring during the dry season. A close relationship between momentary discharge, SPM and salt fluxes was observed. Despite all the data was collected at the mouth of the estuary, the system showed an importation trend of salt in all cycles and SPM importation for three of the four studied tidal cycles. Thus, Vitoria Bay is not exporting SPM to the adjacent inner shelf.

  4. Contamination of port zone sediments by metals from Large Marine Ecosystems of Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buruaem, Lucas M; Hortellani, Marcos A; Sarkis, Jorge E; Costa-Lotufo, Leticia V; Abessa, Denis M S

    2012-03-01

    Sediment contamination by metals poses risks to coastal ecosystems and is considered to be problematic to dredging operations. In Brazil, there are differences in sedimentology along the Large Marine Ecosystems in relation to the metal distributions. We aimed to assess the extent of Al, Fe, Hg, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn contamination in sediments from port zones in northeast (Mucuripe and Pecém) and southeast (Santos) Brazil through geochemical analyses and sediment quality ratings. The metal concentrations found in these port zones were higher than those observed in the continental shelf or the background values in both regions. In the northeast, metals were associated with carbonate, while in Santos, they were associated with mud. Geochemical analyses showed enrichments in Hg, Cd, Cu, Ni and Zn, and a simple application of international sediment quality guidelines failed to predict their impacts, whereas the use of site-specific values that were derived by geochemical and ecotoxicological approaches seemed to be more appropriate in the management of the dredged sediments. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Geochemical geochronology and genesis of granite from Coronel Murta, Northeast of Minas Gerais, Brazil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Soares, A.C.P.; Siga Junior, O.

    1987-01-01

    Geological, petrographic, geochemical (including rare-earth elements) and geochronological data of the Coronel Murta (Northeast Minas Gerais State) post-tectonic intrusive alkalic granites were summarized in order to discuss their genesis. This paper shows that Coronel Murta granites were generated by anatexis of dominantly metasedimentary rocks, in an ensialic environment, as the late results of an intraplate A-type subduction during the Brazilian Cycle. (author) [pt

  6. Radiation protection in medical diagnostic radiology in the city of Sobral, Brazil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Menezes, F.L.; Paschoal, C.M.M.; Ferreira, F.C.L.; Alcantara, M.C.

    2015-01-01

    The objective of this study was to evaluate the suitability to radiation protection of four diagnostic radiology medical services in the city of Sobral-CE, Northeast of Brazil, and to analyze results of the literature for the cities of Rio Branco-AC, North of Brazil, and Rio de Janeiro-RJ, South-east of Brazil. In Sobral-CE, it was performed interviews and direct observations with reference to Brazilian law, the National Ordinance No.453/1998 of the Ministry of Health that regulates the operation of medical and odontological diagnostic radiology services. The results show the occurrence of many items in disagreement with the standard. The technical and operational infractions have basically due to unfamiliarity with the legislation, the lack of investment in training and/or professional development courses. (authors)

  7. Cultural significance of primary teeth for caregivers in Northeast Brazil O significado cultural dos dentes decíduos para cuidadoras no Nordeste do Brasil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marilyn K Nations

    2008-04-01

    Full Text Available This anthropological study critically evaluates Brazilian caregivers' symbolic production and significance of their malnourished offspring's primary teeth, as well as their own, and describes popular dental practices. From January to June 2004, ethnographic interviews of 27 poor, low-literacy mothers were conducted at a public Malnutrition Treatment Center in Fortaleza, Ceará State. Participant observation of clinical pathways and home environments supplemented the data. Content analysis was performed. Results confirm that primary teeth are imbued with cultural significance in Northeast Brazil. Mothers examine mouths, perceive signs of decay, associate primary with permanent tooth healthiness, identify ethnodental illnesses, seek assistance, and perform rituals with exfoliated teeth. The mother's motivation to care for primary teeth is sparked by her memories of past toothache and attempts to avoid stigma and discrimination. Social determinants, not mothers' beliefs or behaviors, are the most critical obstacles to effective dental care. Legitimizing lay knowledge and empowering caregivers and children can improve oral health in Northeast Brazil.Este estudo antropológico analisa a produção simbólica de cuidadoras brasileiras sobre a sua dentição e a de seus filhos desnutridos, descrevendo práticas populares de cuidados em saúde bucal. De janeiro a junho de 2004, foram conduzidas entrevistas etnográficas com 27 cuidadoras, numa instituição pública, no tratamento de desnutrição em Fortaleza, Ceará. A observação participante da dinâmica de atendimento e do ambiente domiciliar suplementaram os dados. Foi utilizada a análise temática. Os resultados confirmam que os dentes decíduos são imbuídos de significados culturais no nordeste brasileiro. As mães examinam as bocas dos filhos, percebem sinais de cárie, associam dentes decíduos saudáveis com permanentes hígidos, identificam enfermidades etnodentárias, procuram assist

  8. Morphometric sexual maturity and allometric growth of the crab Sesarma rectum Randall, 1840 (Crustacea: Sesarmidae in an impacted tropical mangrove in northeast Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Felipe Bezerra Ribeiro

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available The size at sexual maturity and the allometric growth of the semi-terrestrial crab Sesarma rectum were studied in an impacted tropical mangrove in northeast Brazil. Crabs were monthly collected during spring low-tide periods, from October 2009 through September 2010. A catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE technique was used to sample the crab population, with two-hour sampling periods, by two people. A total of 492 crabs were obtained, being 262 males and 230 females. The specimens were measured at carapace width (CW, the left and right propodus length and height (RPL, RPH, LPL and LPH, and the gonopod length of males (GL, and abdomen width (AW of females. In males, the inflection point was at 27.14 mm CW in the relationship between CW and the length of right propodus (LRP, considering the morphological size at the onset of maturity. Based on the relationship between CW and AW, the size at sexual maturity in females was 22.97 mm. In spite of living in an impacted area, this population attained the maturity onset at a bigger size than other localities.

  9. Biosurfactant-and-bioemulsifier produced by a promising Cunninghamella echinulata isolated from Caatinga soil in the northeast of Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andrade Silva, Nadielly R; Luna, Marcos A C; Santiago, André L C M A; Franco, Luciana O; Silva, Grayce K B; de Souza, Patrícia M; Okada, Kaoru; Albuquerque, Clarissa D C; da Silva, Carlos A Alves; Campos-Takaki, Galba M

    2014-09-01

    A Mucoralean fungus was isolated from Caatinga soil of Pernambuco, Northeast of Brazil, and was identified as Cunninghamella echinulata by morphological, physiological, and biochemical tests. This strain was evaluated for biosurfactant/bioemulsifier production using soybean oil waste (SOW) and corn steep liquor (CSL) as substrates, added to basic saline solution, by measuring surface tension and emulsifier index and activity. The best results showed the surface water tension was reduced from 72 to 36 mN/m, and an emulsification index (E₂₄) of 80% was obtained using engine oil and burnt engine oil, respectively. A new molecule of biosurfactant showed an anionic charge and a polymeric chemical composition consisting of lipids (40.0% w/w), carbohydrates (35.2% w/w) and protein (20.3% w/w). In addition, the biosurfactant solution (1%) demonstrated its ability for an oil displacement area (ODA) of 37.36 cm², which is quite similar to that for Triton X-100 (38.46 cm²). The stability of the reduction in the surface water tension as well as of the emulsifier index proved to be stable over a wide range of temperatures, in pH, and in salt concentration (4%-6% w/v). The biosurfactant showed an ability to reduce and increase the viscosity of hydrophobic substrates and their molecules, suggesting that it is a suitable candidate for mediated enhanced oil recovery. At the same time, these studies indicate that renewable, relatively inexpensive and easily available resources can be used for important biotechnological processes.

  10. Diffuse and enteroaggregative patterns of adherence of Escherichia coli isolated from stools of children in northeastern Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Scaletsky Isabel Cristina Affonso

    2001-01-01

    Full Text Available Childhood diarrheal diseases remain highly endemic in northeastern Brazil. The attributable fraction of all diarrheal diseases among children less than 2 years of age due to Escherichia coli was examined in a 2-year prospective study in two large urban centers of Brazil. Between May 1997 and June 1999, fecal E. coli isolates from 237 children with diarrhea (217 acute and 20 persistent cases and 231 children without diarrhea (controls attending two hospitals in Northeast Brazil were tested for their pattern of adherence to HEp-2 cells and for colony hybridization with DNA probes specific for the six pathotypes of diarrheagenic E. coli. Enteroinvasive E. coli, enterotoxigenic E. coli and enterohemorrhagic E. coli were not isolated from any children. Diffusely adherent E. coli (DAEC and enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC were the most frequent isolates with similar frequencies from children with or without diarrhea. Atypical EPEC (EAF-negative strains were isolated with similiar frequency from both cases (5.5% and controls (5.6%. Enteropathogenic E. coli (typical EPEC strains, characterized by localized adherence pattern of adherence, hybridization with the EAF probe, and belonging to the classical O serogroups, were significantly associated with diarrhea (P = 0.03. These E. coli strains associated with diarrhea accounted for 9% of all children with diarrhea. Collectively, in Northeast Brazil, E. coli strains comprise a small proportion of severe diarrhea prevalence in children.

  11. EXHUMING INDIGENOUS CORPSES: THE ANACÉ EMERGENCE AND THE NEW ETHNIC AND DEVELOPMENTAL DRAMAS IN NORTHEASTERN BRAZIL

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Potyguara Alencar dos Santos

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available Although with few records among studies in political ethnology of indigenous groups in Northeast Brazil, the awakening of the ethnonym anacé, on the west coast of Ceará State, has been especially important to considerations on the new frontiers of development programs and the current mobilization of regimens of memory and political agency around the certification of territorial rights for indigenous peoples in the region. The article analyzes the re-elaboration of the anacé ethnicity from two events that mix a narrative of the indigenous emergence with the national drama that stated Northeast Brazil as a problematic region in what regards development. How is the indigenous presence in a scenario of large-scale projects implementation combined with a region characterized as economically problematic? And how this compound affects the current anacé political mobilization? In order to analyze these issues, this paper proposes reflections shared by authors in political ethnology, development anthropology and anthropology of globalization.

  12. Energy for development in semi-arid areas of northeastern Brazil

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pereira, A F [Getulio Vargas Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Warkov, S

    1979-09-01

    Work on the prospects for alternative energy systems, especially solar and biomass, and the interrelationship of energy and rural development in the semi-arid areas of North-East Brazil is reported. The approach is interdisciplinary and raises questions about some economic and social costs and benefits that may be associated with energy-policy choices in this one sub-region of Brazil. Following an appraisal of fuel wood, solar cookers, irrigation and fertilizers in the context of energy and rural development, the social, demographic and cultural characteristics of the region are described. The drought-stricken area of the rural Northeast (Sertao) is the poorest in the country, with small land units, scarce surface water, subsistance agriculture, low capital formation, transportation deficiencies, resistance to change, high rates of out-migration and the like. The description of some regional development projects leads to a comparison of various technologies that might efficiently improve the supply of water. Work performed in the State of Paraiba on simple water distillation technology is reviewed and a social and economic cost/benefit study proposed. Factors affecting rural electrification are considered. A social impact analysis of viable alternatives to conventional electrical energy systems is put forward and the status of wind and solar generation of electricity is reviewed. A final section describes the current status of work in Brazil on biomass alternatives and compares the prospects for sugar cane and manioc plant alcohol. A proposal is made for a multi-disciplinary assessment of the socio-economic impacts of alternate energy sources. 42 references.

  13. Fisheries and conflicts in Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    OpenAIRE

    Jablonski, Silvio; Azevedo, Alexandre de Freitas; Moreira, Luiz Henrique Arantes

    2006-01-01

    Despite the magnitude of domestic and industrial pollution, fishery yield registered in several landing points at Guanabara Bay, between April 2001 and March 2002 was slightly over 19,000 tons, corresponding to a value of US$ 4.8 million. When considered only the fish directed to the food market, the total catch amounted to about 6,300 tons and a value of US$ 3.7 million. Only a few fish species reached expressive densities compatible with commercial fisheries. Among small pelagic fish, Atlan...

  14. MOLECULAR IDENTIFICATION OF Liriomyza sp. IN THE NORTHEAST AND SOUTHEAST REGIONS OF BRAZIL

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    ELAINE CRISTINA BATISTA FERREIRA

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available In Brazil, species of the genus Liriomyza are widely distributed and have economic importance as they cause damage to at least 14 plant families, especially Solanaceae, Cucurbitaceae, Asteraceae, and Fabaceae. Studies suggest existence of a species complex within this genus, based on the presence of morphological similarities among the species Liriomyza trifolii (Burgess, L. sativae Blanchard and L. huidobrensis (Blanchard. The present study aimed to use DNA barcoding to establish new distribution records of L. sativae in distinct regions in Brazil, determine intra- and inter-population genetic diversity, and reconstruct the phylogeny of Liriomyza species using the DNA barcode sequences. Identity values were between 97% and 99%, confirming that all the examined Brazilian populations belonged to the species L. sativae. Phylogenetic analyses indicated the presence of a single clade of L. sativae, composed of seven populations. Intra-population analysis on individuals of these populations indicated low levels of nucleotide and haplotype diversity. The haplotype network indicated presence of only 14 haplotypes distributed among the Brazilian populations. The genetic similarities shared by the Brazilian populations of L. sativae suggest that these populations are closely related. Genetic patterns observed among populations of L. sativae might be associated with bottleneck events or founder effect during establishment of this leafminer in Brazil.

  15. Mortality and Case Fatality Due to Visceral Leishmaniasis in Brazil: A Nationwide Analysis of Epidemiology, Trends and Spatial Patterns

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martins-Melo, Francisco Rogerlândio; Lima, Mauricélia da Silveira; Ramos, Alberto Novaes; Alencar, Carlos Henrique; Heukelbach, Jorg

    2014-01-01

    Background Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a significant public health problem in Brazil and several regions of the world. This study investigated the magnitude, temporal trends and spatial distribution of mortality related to VL in Brazil. Methods We performed a study based on secondary data obtained from the Brazilian Mortality Information System. We included all deaths in Brazil from 2000 to 2011, in which VL was recorded as cause of death. We present epidemiological characteristics, trend analysis of mortality and case fatality rates by joinpoint regression models, and spatial analysis using municipalities as geographical units of analysis. Results In the study period, 12,491,280 deaths were recorded in Brazil. VL was mentioned in 3,322 (0.03%) deaths. Average annual age-adjusted mortality rate was 0.15 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants and case fatality rate 8.1%. Highest mortality rates were observed in males (0.19 deaths/100,000 inhabitants), Brazil over the period, with different patterns between regions: increasing mortality rates in the North (Annual Percent Change – APC: 9.4%; 95% confidence interval – CI: 5.3 to 13.6), and Southeast (APC: 8.1%; 95% CI: 2.6 to 13.9); and increasing case fatality rates in the Northeast (APC: 4.0%; 95% CI: 0.8 to 7.4). Spatial analysis identified a major cluster of high mortality encompassing a wide geographic range in North and Northeast Brazil. Conclusions Despite ongoing control strategies, mortality related to VL in Brazil is increasing. Mortality and case fatality vary considerably between regions, and surveillance and control measures should be prioritized in high-risk clusters. Early diagnosis and treatment are fundamental strategies for reducing case fatality of VL in Brazil. PMID:24699517

  16. Maternal predictors related to quality of life in pregnant women in the Northeast of Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Calou, Cinthia Gondim Pereira; de Oliveira, Mirna Fontenele; Carvalho, Francisco Herlânio Costa; Soares, Paula Renata Amorim Lessa; Bezerra, Raylla Araújo; de Lima, Sâmua Kelen Mendes; Antezana, Franz Janco; de Souza Aquino, Priscila; Castro, Régia Christina Moura Barbosa; Pinheiro, Ana Karina Bezerra

    2018-05-31

    Gestation is a period that can positively or negatively influence the life of a woman in the pregnancy-puerperal cycle. Thus, evaluating the quality of life of this population can redirect the implementation of innovative practices, with the goal of making them more effective and practical or the promotion of humanized care. The present study aimed to evaluate the predictors that influence the health-related quality of life of low-risk pregnant women, as well as to describe the main areas affected in the quality of life of pregnant women. A correlational, quantitative and cross-sectional study was carried out in two public units that provide prenatal care services and a private unit in the city of Fortaleza, a municipality in the Northeast of Brazil. The sample consisted of 261 pregnant women who were interviewed from September to November 2014. The collection instruments were a questionnaire covering sociodemographic, obstetric and quality of life variables, in addition to the Brazilian version of the Mother-Generated Index (MGI). The data were compiled and analyzed through the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software, version 20.0. A descriptive analysis was performed through the application of Pearson's chi-square test, Fisher's exact test and one-way ANOVA. Maternal predictors for the quality of life of pregnant woman were identified through a multivariate analysis/multiple regression. The response rate was 100%, corresponding to 261 respondents. Occupation, parity, partner support, marital status and persons with whom the women live were the predictors that positively interfered in the quality of life of pregnant women. In contrast, gestational age, type of housing, occupation, use of illicit drugs, non-receipt of partner support and maternal age were the predictors that negatively influenced quality of life. Our results indicate that happiness to become a mother and body image were areas with the greatest positive and negative influence on

  17. Use of Stable Carbon and Nitrogen Isotopes for Trophic Levels Evaluation and Food Webs Reconstruction: The Bay of Biscay Case Study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chouvelon, Tiphaine; Spitz, J.; Caurant, F.; Mendez Fernandez, P.; Bustamante, P.

    2011-01-01

    The Bay of Biscay is a very large bay opened on the North-East Atlantic Ocean. The continental shelf covers over 220 000 km 2 . The hydrological structure is influenced by 2 main rivers plumes (Loire and Gironde) and a continental slope indented by numerous canyons. The Bay of Biscay supports both numerous important fisheries and a rich fauna including many protected species (e.g., marine mammals). The management of this ecosystem subjected to numerous anthropogenic impacts notably depends on the good understanding of its food webs' structure. Within each major group of taxa, spatial groups displayed significantly different δ 13 C and δ 15 N values (KW tests, all p 13 C and δ 15 N values decreased from near-shore organisms to deep-sea or oceanic organisms. These results highlighted the existence of several food webs with distinct baseline signatures in the Bay of Biscay. Differences in δ 15 N values in particular are linked to processes occurring at the Dissolved Inorganic Nitrogen (DIN) level, and to nutrients and particulate organic matter available for primary production in general. Therefore, the contrasted hydrological landscapes from the Bay of Biscay probably impact signatures of the primary producers in the different areas of the Bay.

  18. Calculation of economic viability and environmental costs of photovoltaic solar energy for the Brazilian Northeast region

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stecher, Luiza C.; Sabundjian, Gaiane; Menzel, Francine

    2013-01-01

    The availability of energy resources is a central point to economic development. The energy matrix of most countries is based on the consumption of fossil fuels, which adds annually over 5 billion tons of carbon into the atmosphere. The energy consumption in developing countries has quadrupled since the 60s further aggravating global environmental conditions. The need to implement alternative energy sources to the energy matrix was proved. In addition, Brazil has a large number of people without access to electricity, which affects the quality of life of these populations. In this context, it is necessary to think in economic development way, and then the sustainable and alternative sources appear as an option for its features and its availability in Brazil. The solar energy captured by photovoltaic cells can be highlighted in the Brazilian scenario because of its wide availability, especially in the Northeast. The aim of this paper is to estimate the economic feasibility of insertion of solar systems in small communities in the Brazilian Northeast, considering environmental costs involved in electricity generation. The methodology is based on economic concepts and economic valuation of environmental resources. The results shows that solar power is becoming increasingly competitive due to reduced costs of components and due to the environmental costs reduced when compared with fossil fuels. (author)

  19. Calculation of economic viability and environmental costs of photovoltaic solar energy for the Brazilian Northeast region

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Stecher, Luiza C.; Sabundjian, Gaianes; Menzel, Francine, E-mail: luizastecher@usp.br [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil)

    2013-07-01

    The availability of energy resources is a central point to economic development. The energy matrix of most countries is based on the consumption of fossil fuels, which adds annually over 5 billion tons of carbon into the atmosphere. The energy consumption in developing countries has quadrupled since the 60s further aggravating global environmental conditions. The need to implement alternative energy sources to the energy matrix was proved. In addition, Brazil has a large number of people without access to electricity, which affects the quality of life of these populations. In this context, it is necessary to think in economic development way, and then the sustainable and alternative sources appear as an option for its features and its availability in Brazil. The solar energy captured by photovoltaic cells can be highlighted in the Brazilian scenario because of its wide availability, especially in the Northeast. The aim of this paper is to estimate the economic feasibility of insertion of solar systems in small communities in the Brazilian Northeast, considering environmental costs involved in electricity generation. The methodology is based on economic concepts and economic valuation of environmental resources. The results shows that solar power is becoming increasingly competitive due to reduced costs of components and due to the environmental costs reduced when compared with fossil fuels. (author)

  20. Bioindication of air pollution effects near a copper smelter in Brazil using mango trees and soil microbiological properties

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Klumpp, Andreas; Hintemann, Therese; Santana Lima, Josanidia; Kandeler, Ellen

    2003-01-01

    A field study near the copper smelter of a large industrial complex examined air pollution effects on vegetation and soil parameters in Camacari (northeast Brazil). Close to the smelter, soil pH-value was lower and total acidity as well as organic carbon contents were higher compared with a site far from the source and two reference sites. The acidification of top soil particularly and the drastically enhanced plant-available copper concentrations were caused by atmospheric deposition. High sulphur and copper deposition significantly reduced microbial biomass and altered functional diversity of soil microorganisms (arylsulphatase and xylanase). Large accumulations of sulphur, arsenic and copper were detected in mango leaves (Mangifera indica) growing downwind from the smelter suggesting potential food chain-mediated risk. - Atmospheric emissions in northeast Brazil have transformed soil pH, accumulated in soil and plants as sulphur and heavy metals, and affected the functional diversity of soil microorganisms

  1. Bioindication of air pollution effects near a copper smelter in Brazil using mango trees and soil microbiological properties

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Klumpp, Andreas; Hintemann, Therese; Santana Lima, Josanidia; Kandeler, Ellen

    2003-12-01

    A field study near the copper smelter of a large industrial complex examined air pollution effects on vegetation and soil parameters in Camacari (northeast Brazil). Close to the smelter, soil pH-value was lower and total acidity as well as organic carbon contents were higher compared with a site far from the source and two reference sites. The acidification of top soil particularly and the drastically enhanced plant-available copper concentrations were caused by atmospheric deposition. High sulphur and copper deposition significantly reduced microbial biomass and altered functional diversity of soil microorganisms (arylsulphatase and xylanase). Large accumulations of sulphur, arsenic and copper were detected in mango leaves (Mangifera indica) growing downwind from the smelter suggesting potential food chain-mediated risk. - Atmospheric emissions in northeast Brazil have transformed soil pH, accumulated in soil and plants as sulphur and heavy metals, and affected the functional diversity of soil microorganisms.

  2. Acute kidney injury in visceral leishmaniasis: a cohort of 10 patients admitted to a specialized intensive care unit in northeast of Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elizabeth F. Daher

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To describe co-infections, clinical manifestations, comorbidities and outcome of patients with visceral leishmaniasis and AKI. Methods: This is a case study with ten patients with confirmed diagnosis of VL admitted to the reference ICU of Northeast of Brazil during 6 years, with renal injury. Clinical and laboratory parameters were evaluated in admission, period of hospitalization and outcome. Results: This study found 10 patients with VL in a group of 253 patients admitted to the ICU with AKI. The main signs and symptoms presented at admission were weight loss, fever, splenomegaly, jaundice, anorexia, asthenia, bleeding and vomits. The main co-infections were: AIDS, tuberculosis and leprosy. Patients were classified in RIFLE criteria. RIFLE-F patients were younger and had a longer time between onset of symptoms and hospital admission. Death was observed in 60% of cases. The causes of death were septic shock, respiratory insufficiency and multiple organ dysfunction. Conclusions: AKI is an important complication in VL. The progression of the disease and their complications can achieve high level of severity, even in the absence of comorbidities or co-infections. The high mortality in this group alerts to the importance of adequate management of these patients.

  3. Mycoplasma agalactiae in semen and milk of goat from Pernambuco state, Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bruno H.L.S. Alves

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available In goat and sheep flocks, mycoplasmosis is a disease that may cause severe economical losses associated with polyarthritis, mastitis, agalactia, conjunctivitis, pneumonia and reproductive failure. The latter may involve repeat breeding, granular vulvovaginitis, infertility and abortions. The aim of the present study was to assess the occurrence of Mycoplasma agalactiae (Ma in semen and milk samples from naturally infected goat in the semiarid region from Pernambuco State, Northeast from Brazil. Thirty-nine semen samples and 81 milk samples were submitted to DNA extraction using a commercially available kit and following the manufacturer's instructions. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR was then performed in accordance with protocols described in the literature. The results of the present study revealed the presence of Ma in the DNA of 17.9% (7/39 of the semen samples and 3.7% (3/81 of the milk samples. The results obtained in the present study confirm the elimination of the DNA of Ma in the semen and milk samples. The presence of this agent in goat flocks is considered very risky in terms of reproductive disorders and contagious agalactia outbreaks in the Northeast region of Brazil.

  4. Investigation of the presence of toxic components of petroleum hydrocarbons in Guanabara Bay, Brazil following the 2000 PETROBRAS fuel oil spill

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Romao, Catia Maria [Instituto Brasileiro do Meio Ambiente e dos Recursos Naturais Renovaveis (IBAMA), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil). Escritorio de Licenciamento de Petroleo e Nuclear; Vleet, Edward S. Van

    2003-07-01

    On January 18, 2000, approximately 340,000 gallons of marine fuel 380 oil were released into Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, as a consequence of a pipeline transfer accident at the Duque de Caxias Refinery (PETROBRAS). Two years after the spill, the present investigation (sponsored by Center for Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance - College of Public Health - University of South Florida) was conducted to assess the levels of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) on samples of water, sediments and edible tissue of the fishes (Mullet - Mugilliza and Croaker - Micropogonias furnieri) collected using two types of device (nets and fish traps) from the spill area in July and August 2002. The fishes samples collected in both months were considered to range from being not contaminated to being moderately contaminated by PAHs. Among all the sediments, only one (Point 10, July 2002) showed a total PAH concentration representing highly contaminated conditions. Except for Point 10, all other sediments could be considered minimally to moderately contaminated. Dissolved PAH concentrations found in the water samples were considered to range from minimally to moderately contaminated. (author)

  5. Demand for fisheries products in Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniel Yokoyama Sonoda

    2012-10-01

    Full Text Available Fish consumption per capita in Brazil is relatively modest when compared to other animal proteins. This study analyses the influence of protein prices, other food prices and population income on the fish demand in Brazil. First, the problem of fish supply in Brazil is characterized. It is followed by reviews of the relevant economic theory and methods of Almost Ideal Demand System - AIDS and their elasticity calculations. A descriptive analysis of fish demand in Brazil using the microdata called "Pesquisa de Orçamento Familiar" (Familiar Budget Research - POF 2002-2003 is presented. Finally, demand functions and their elasticities are calculated for two different cases: one considering five groups of animal proteins (Chicken; Milk and Eggs; Fish; Processed Proteins and Red Meat and other with seven groups of food categories (Cereals; Vegetables and Fruits; Milky and Eggs; Oils and Condiments; Fish; Other processed foods; and Meats. The main results are: per capita consumption of fish (4.6 kg per inhabitant per year is low in Brazil because few households consume fish. When only households with fish consumption are considered, the per capita consumption would be higher: 27.2 kg per inhabitant per year. The fish consumption in the North-East Region is concentrated in the low-income class. In the Center-South Region, the fish consumption is lower and concentrated in the intermediate income classes. The main substitutes for fish are the processed proteins and not the traditional types of meat, such as chicken and red meat.

  6. PETROBRAS Northeast gas security of supply study

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Faertes, Denise; Heil, Luciana; Saker, Leonardo; Vieira, Flavia; Risi, Francisco [PETROBRAS, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil); Domingues, Joaquim; Alvarenga, Tobias; Mussel, Patricia [DNV, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)

    2009-07-01

    The purpose of this paper is to present the study developed jointly by PETROBRAS Gas and Power Department and Det Norske Veritas (Brazil and United Kingdom office). The study was carried out with the objective of evaluating the security of supply 2009 PETROBRAS Northeast gas network. This network provides gas to thermo plants, to vehicles and to industrial and residential consumers. The occurrence of contract shortfalls implies on heavy fines for the suppliers. To provide best in class analysis, state of the art software was used in order to count on powerful tools to model the gas supply system and to quantify the availability and the efficiency of the overall network and of its individual components. It also provides the prioritization of investment, based on cost benefit analysis, and as a by-product, contingency plans that were developed, considering the identified failure scenarios. (author)

  7. Molecular identification of Coccidioides spp. in soil samples from Brazil

    OpenAIRE

    de Macêdo, Regina CL; Rosado, Alexandre S; da Mota, Fabio F; Cavalcante, Maria AS; Eulálio, Kelsen D; Filho, Antônio D; Martins, Liline MS; Lazéra, Márcia S; Wanke, Bodo

    2011-01-01

    Abstract Background Since 1991 several outbreaks of acute coccidioidomycosis (CM) were diagnosed in the semi-arid Northeast of Brazil, mainly related to disturbance of armadillo burrows caused by hunters while digging them for the capture of these animals. This activity causes dust contaminated with arthroconidia of Coccidioides posadasii, which, once inhaled, cause the mycosis. We report on the identification of C. posadasii in soil samples related to outbreaks of CM. Results Twenty four soi...

  8. Influence of strong monsoon winds on the water quality around a marine cage-culture zone in a shallow and semi-enclosed bay in Taiwan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Yuan-Chao Angelo; Huang, Shou-Chung; Meng, Pei-Jie; Hsieh, Hernyi Justin; Chen, Chaolun Allen

    2012-04-01

    Influences of marine cage culture and monsoonal disturbances, northeasterly (NE) and southwesterly (SW) monsoons on the proximal marine environment were investigated across a gradient of sites in a semi-enclosed bay, Magong Bay (Penghu Islands, Taiwan). Elevated levels of ammonia produced by the cages were the main pollutant and distinguished the cage-culture and intermediary zones (1000 m away from the cages) from the reference zone in the NE monsoon, indicating currents produced by the strong monsoon may have extended the spread of nutrient-enriched waters without necessarily flushing such effluents outside Magong Bay. Moreover, the levels of chlorophyll-a, dissolved oxygen, and turbidity were distinguishable between two seasons, suggesting that resuspension caused by the NE monsoon winds may also influence the water quality across this bay. It indicated that the impacts of marine cage culture vary as a function of distance, and also in response to seasonal movements of water driven by local climatic occurrences. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Land-ocean fluxes in the Paranaguá Bay estuarine system, southern Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eduardo Marone

    2005-12-01

    Full Text Available A worldwide modeling effort has been proposed by the LOICZ (Land-Ocean Interactions in the Coastal Zone Program to foster the acquisition of intercomparable data on land-ocean fluxes in estuaries and continental shelf ecosystems from all continental margins. As part of the South American component of this initiative, we present flux estimates of water, salt, dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP, dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN and plankton for the estuarine system of Paranaguá Bay, southern Brazil, based on the LOICZ modeling approach and local data obtained during the 1990's. This system is strongly influenced by a seasonal meteorological cycle, represented by the rainy/summer and dry/winter periods. Semi-diurnal tides of up to the 2.7-m range are responsible for the short time-scale dynamics. The model indicated a potential water export to the adjacent coast of up to 7 x 10(6 m³ d-1 in the dry season, and 28 x 10(6 m³ d-1 during the rainy season. The system exhibits seasonal and spatial variations in DIP and DIN fluxes. "DIP amounted to +2.3 x 10(6 mol P yr-1 and "DIN to -2.7 x 10(6 mol N yr-1, suggesting that net production of phosphate and consumption of inorganic nitrogen predominate throughout in the system. Fluxes and therefore export of DIN and eespecially of DIP are higher in the rainy season. Stoichiometric estimates based on the C:N:P ratios of the reacting particulate organic matter (mangrove and plankton detritus suggest that net denitrification predominates all over the bay, with values between -24.3 and -10.6 x 10(6 mol N year-1. Estimated seaward outflows had little effect upon the fate of the phyto- and zooplankton biomass in different sectors of the bay. This is exemplified by the low net export of algal production from the upper to the middle sectors of the estuary.Um esforço global de modelagem foi proposto pelo Programa LOICZ (Land-Ocean Interactions in the Coastal Zone para promover a aquisição de dados compar

  10. Population structure and fruit availability of the babassu palm ( Attalea speciosa Mart. ex Spreng in human-dominated landscapes of the Northeast Region of Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Juliana Loureiro Almeida Campos

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT We studied the population structure and fruit availability of the babassu palm, Attalea speciosa, in three human-dominated landscapes located near a rural community in the region of Araripe, in the Northeast Region of Brazil, that were under intense fruit harvest. Fifty 10 x 10 m plots were randomly established in each of the three landscapes, and all individuals of A. speciosa within the plots were classified as seedlings, juveniles or adults, with the height of all adult individuals being measured. An additional 20 individuals were marked in each landscape, and the number of total bunches, fruits per bunch and bunches per palm tree were recorded. The populations of A. speciosa in the three landscapes exhibited an inverted J-shape plot, but pasture and shifting cultivation possessed a significantly higher number of individuals, seedlings and adults than the seasonal semideciduous forest, plus they possessed a greater seedling/adult ratio. Shifting cultivation was found to be favorable for fructification. The present study found that shifting cultivation and pastures are landscape practices that can contribute to the rapid expansion and establishment of A. speciosa, which can become a dominant species in the region of Araripe.

  11. Determinants of infant mortality in the Jequitinhonha Valley and in the North and Northeast regions of Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria do Carmo Leal

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE This study aims to identify the social and demographic determinants, in addition to the determinants of reproductive health and use of health services, associated with infant mortality in small and medium-sized cities of the North, Northeast and Southeast regions of Brazil. METHODS This is a case-control study with 803 cases of death of children under one year and 1,969 live births (controls, whose mothers lived in the selected cities in 2008. The lists of the names of cases and controls were extracted from the Sistema de Informação sobre Mortalidade (SIM – Mortality Information System and the Sistema de Informação sobre Nascidos Vivos (SINASC – Live Birth Information System and supplemented by data obtained by the research of “active search of death and birth”. Data was collected in the household using a semi-structured questionnaire, and the analysis was carried out using multiple logistic regression. RESULTS The final model indicates that the following items are positively and significantly associated with infant mortality: family working in agriculture, mother having a history of fetal and infant losses, no prenatal or inadequate prenatal, and not being associated to the maternity hospital during the prenatal period. We have observed significant interactions to explain the occurrence of infant mortality between race and socioeconomic score and between high-risk pregnancy and pilgrimage for childbirth. CONCLUSIONS The excessive number of home deliveries and pilgrimage for childbirth indicates flaws in the line of maternity care and a lack of collaboration between the levels of outpatient and hospital care. The study reinforces the need for an integrated management of the health care networks, leveraging the capabilities of cities in meeting the needs of pregnancy, delivery and birth with quality.

  12. Assessment and recommendations for the oil spill cleanup of Guanabara Bay, Brazil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Michel, Jacqueline

    2000-01-01

    The potential impact of an oil spill consisting of a blend of diesel and a heavy residual fuel oil on water column resources, benthic resources, intertidal habitats and communities, birds, and socio-economic resources was assessed and recommendations for clean-up given. The oil spill occurred in the bay on January 18, 2000

  13. Northeast Atlantic blue whiting

    OpenAIRE

    Heino, Mikko

    2010-01-01

    Heino, M. 2010. Northeast Atlantic blue whiting. In Life cycle spatial patterns of small pelagic fish in the Northeast Atlantic, pp. 59-64. Ed by P. Petitgas. ICES Cooperative Research Report 306. ICES, Copenhagen.

  14. Population genetic analyses are consistent with the introduction of Ceramium secundatum (Ceramiaceae, Rhodophyta) to Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island, USA.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bruce, Meghann R; Saunders, Gary W

    2015-11-01

    During ongoing DNA barcode (COI-5P) surveys of the macroalgal flora along the northwest Atlantic coast, we discovered a population of Ceramium secundatum in Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island, USA. This species is regarded as common and widespread in the northeast Atlantic, ranging from Norway to Morocco, but until now has not been reported from the western Atlantic. Several lines of evidence suggest that C. secundatum may be introduced to Narragansett Bay: (1) despite extensive collecting, specimens have only been obtained from a limited geographic range in the northwest Atlantic; (2) three other nonindigenous seaweed species are reportedly introduced in this region, which is thought to be a consequence of shipping; and (3) this species is introduced to South Africa and New Zealand. To investigate this suspected introduction, we applied population genetic analyses (using the cox2-3 spacer) to compare the Narragansett Bay C. secundatum population to native populations in the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom. Collectively, analyses of biogeographical and molecular data indicate that C. secundatum is likely introduced to Narragansett Bay. The implications of this discovery are discussed.

  15. Lifestyle, Dwelling Conditions and Daily Routine as Qualitative Indicators of Infant Development: A Study of 0-3 Years Old Children from Rural Brazilian Northeast.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rabinovich, Elaine Pedreira

    The developing child and his/her eco-social-cultural context is the focus of study of 28 children ages 0-3 years in the rural area of Cocal, Piaui in Northeast Brazil. Ethnographic methods, naturalistic observations and semi-structured interviews were used to ascertain the physical context (the house and its surroundings), as well as maternal…

  16. Birth Defects in Newborns: Spina Bifida Index at Rio Grande Do Norte State in Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Arnaldo CM Junior

    2014-08-01

    Conclusion: Northeast region is the one that has the major incidence of SB in Brazil country, but RN state has a number lower than others states from its region. It was made an update about therapeutic options to minimize the morbidity and mortality in newborn with SB congenital defects. [J Interdiscipl Histopathol 2014; 2(4.000: 217-223

  17. 33 CFR 100.124 - Maggie Fischer Memorial Great South Bay Cross Bay Swim, Great South Bay, New York.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Maggie Fischer Memorial Great South Bay Cross Bay Swim, Great South Bay, New York. 100.124 Section 100.124 Navigation and Navigable... NAVIGABLE WATERS § 100.124 Maggie Fischer Memorial Great South Bay Cross Bay Swim, Great South Bay, New York...

  18. Suicide in Brazil, 2004-2010: the importance of small counties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marín-León, Letícia; Oliveira, Helenice Bosco de; Botega, Neury José

    2012-11-01

    To describe suicide rates by county size in the five geopolitical areas of Brazil. This was an ecological, descriptive study of suicide deaths in Brazil that occurred among the population 10 years of age and older in 2004-2010. Data were obtained from the National Mortality Information System of Brazil. Counties were defined by size as: very large (200,000+), large (interval were used to compare suicide risk between groups and the reference. The national, average suicide mortality rate was 5.7 deaths/100,000 inhabitants. Except in the North and North-East, suicide mortality rates increased from the very large (> 200,000) to the micro counties ( 30 deaths per 100,000). At highest risk were micro counties in the South (13.6 deaths per 100,000), with elderly males (60+ years, 31.4) and males 40-59 years (31.3) being the sex/age group with the highest rates. To reduce suicide mortality in Brazil, public health authorities must support mental health training in small cities and multi-professional interventions among the indigenous peoples. In addition, the causes behind underreporting of suicide deaths must be resolved in several areas.

  19. Hybrid concentrated solar power (CSP)–biomass plants in a semiarid region: A strategy for CSP deployment in Brazil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Soria, Rafael; Portugal-Pereira, Joana; Szklo, Alexandre; Milani, Rodrigo; Schaeffer, Roberto

    2015-01-01

    The production of electricity using concentrated solar power (CSP) technology is not yet possible in Brazil due to the technology’s high capital costs and the lack of a local industry. However, this study introduces a low-cost approach to CSP in Brazil by describing and simulating the operation of hybrid CSP plants that use sustainably managed biomass in Brazil’s semiarid northeast. Biomass hybridisation of a CSP plant with a solar multiple (SM) of 1.2 and a biomass fill fraction (BFF) of 30% can generate electricity at 110 USD/MWh. The high direct normal irradiation (DNI) and the availability of local low-cost biomass in Brazil’s semiarid northeast suggest the possibility of developing a CSP industry capable of supplying low-cost components under a national program framework, with the co-benefits of local job and income generation. For example, the deployment of 10 CSP plants of 30 MWe each would generate 760 direct and indirect jobs during the 24 months of plant construction and approximately 2100 annual jobs associated with the operation and maintenance (O&M) of the generating units. These 10 new units would generate additional local income on the order of USD 57 million. - Highlights: • CSP plant with supplementary biomass hybridisation is a strategic option for Brazil. • DNI and biomass availability in Brazil's semiarid can foster local CSP industry. • LCOE of CSP would cost 11 cent USD/kWh becoming competitive at solar auctions. • Co-benefits of local job and income generation due to CSP in Brazil are high.

  20. Alimentação de Bairdiella ronchus (Cuvier (Perciformes, Sciaenidae na Baía de Guaratuba, Paraná, Brasil Feeding of Bairdiella ronchus (Cuvier (Perciformes, Sciaenidae at the Guaratuba Bay, Paraná, Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ana Lúcia Vendel

    1998-01-01

    Full Text Available Seasonal variation of food items of Bairdiella ronchus (Cuvier, 1830 classified by size was analysed based on monthly samples between september/1993 and september/1996 at the Guaratuba Bay, Southern Brazil. The stomach contents of a hundred eighty-two fishes were analysed by the Occunence Frequency Method and Point Count for a Lot Method. The individuais were divided in two groups, smaller and longer than 140mm, and a comparative study of digestive tract and branchial are was performed for these groups. For fishes smaller than 140mm the following sequence of items was obtained matching both methods by using the Preponderance índices: decapods (subdivided in Brachyura, Caridea and Penaeidea, polychaets, isopods, fishes, unidentified material, copepods, amphipods, molluscs and plant material. For fishes longer than or equal to 140mm the sequence was decapods, polychaets, fishes, copepods, amphipods, isopods, molluscs and plant material, in this order. These results suggest that Bairdiella ronchus at the Guaratuba Bay is a carnivorous species using mainly decapod crustaceans as food throughout the year.

  1. Northeast Church Rock Mine

    Science.gov (United States)

    Northeast Church Rock Mine, a former uranium mine 17 miles northeast of Gallup, NM in the Pinedale Chapter of the Navajo Nation. EPA is working with NNEPA to oversee cleanup work by United Nuclear Corporation, a company owned by General Electric (GE).

  2. The USA and proliferation in Northeast Asia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Weeks, S.B.

    1995-01-01

    United States policy on proliferation in Northeast Asia poses a test of balance between general US global non-proliferation goals and specific US regional security goals for Northeast Asia. US policy on proliferation in Northeast Asia further poses a test of priorities for US bilateral relations with the key Northeast Asian states, as non-proliferation and regional security goals must be weighed against other (e.g., economic, human rights) declared US policy goals. The result is a US policy equation for Northeast Asia proliferation that is considerably more complex in execution than might be expected from the simple statement of the US goal to avoid nuclear proliferation in Northeast Asia. The question of security assurances - both negative and positive - may be closely related to US policies to avoid proliferation in Northeast Asia

  3. AIDS-associated diarrhea and wasting in northeast Brazil is associated with subtherapeutic plasma levels of antiretroviral medications and with both bovine and human subtypes of Cryptosporidium parvum

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Richard K. Brantley

    Full Text Available Advanced HIV infection is frequently complicated by diarrhea, disruption of bowel structure and function, and malnutrition. Resulting malabsorption of or pharmacokinetic changes in antiretroviral agents might lead to subtherapeutic drug dosing and treatment failure in individual patients, and could require dose adjustment and/or dietary supplements during periods of diarrheal illness. We determined the plasma levels of antiretroviral medications in patients that had already been started on medication by their physicians in an urban infectious diseases hospital in northeast Brazil. We also obtained blood samples from patients hospitalized for diarrhea or AIDS-associated wasting, and we found reduced stavudine and didanosine levels in comparison with outpatients without diarrhea or wasting who had been treated at the same hospital clinic. There was a predominance of the protozoal pathogens Cryptosporidium and Isospora belli, typical opportunistic pathogens of AIDS-infected humans, in the stool samples of inpatients with diarrhea. We conclude that severe diarrhea and wasting in this population is associated with both protozoal pathogens and subtherapeutic levels of antiretroviral medications.

  4. Lifecycle assessment of fuel ethanol from sugarcane in Brazil

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ometto, A. R.; Hauschild, Michael Zwicky; Roma, W. N. L.

    2009-01-01

    This paper presents the lifecycle assessment (LCA) of fuel ethanol, as 100% of the vehicle fuel, from sugarcane in Brazil. The functional unit is 10,000 km run in an urban area by a car with a 1,600-cm(3) engine running on fuel hydrated ethanol, and the resulting reference flow is 1,000 kg......, and study cases at sugarcane farms and fuel ethanol industries in the northeast of SA o pound Paulo State, Brazil. The methodological structure for this LCA study is in agreement with the International Standardization Organization, and the method used is the Environmental Design of Industrial Products...... fuel. The recommendations for the ethanol lifecycle are: harvesting the sugarcane without burning; more environmentally benign agricultural practices; renewable fuel rather than diesel; not washing sugarcane and implementing water recycling systems during the industrial processing; and improving...

  5. Developing a Crustal and Upper Mantle Velocity Model for the Brazilian Northeast

    Science.gov (United States)

    Julia, J.; Nascimento, R.

    2013-05-01

    Development of 3D models for the earth's crust and upper mantle is important for accurately predicting travel times for regional phases and to improve seismic event location. The Brazilian Northeast is a tectonically active area within stable South America and displays one of the highest levels of seismicity in Brazil, with earthquake swarms containing events up to mb 5.2. Since 2011, seismic activity is routinely monitored through the Rede Sismográfica do Nordeste (RSisNE), a permanent network supported by the national oil company PETROBRAS and consisting of 15 broadband stations with an average spacing of ~200 km. Accurate event locations are required to correctly characterize and identify seismogenic areas in the region and assess seismic hazard. Yet, no 3D model of crustal thickness and crustal and upper mantle velocity variation exists. The first step in developing such models is to refine crustal thickness and depths to major seismic velocity boundaries in the crust and improve on seismic velocity estimates for the upper mantle and crustal layers. We present recent results in crustal and uppermost mantle structure in NE Brazil that will contribute to the development of a 3D model of velocity variation. Our approach has consisted of: (i) computing receiver functions to obtain point estimates of crustal thickness and Vp/Vs ratio and (ii) jointly inverting receiver functions and surface-wave dispersion velocities from an independent tomography study to obtain S-velocity profiles at each station. This approach has been used at all the broadband stations of the monitoring network plus 15 temporary, short-period stations that reduced the inter-station spacing to ~100 km. We expect our contributions will provide the basis to produce full 3D velocity models for the Brazilian Northeast and help determine accurate locations for seismic events in the region.

  6. Sustainable development in the Hudson Bay/James Bay bioregion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anon.

    1991-01-01

    An overview is presented of projects planned for the James Bay/Hudson Bay region, and the expected environmental impacts of these projects. The watershed of James Bay and Hudson Bay covers well over one third of Canada, from southern Alberta to central Ontario to Baffin Island, as well as parts of north Dakota and Minnesota in the U.S.A. Hydroelectric power developments that change the timing and rate of flow of fresh water may cause changes in the nature and duration of ice cover, habitats of marine mammals, fish and migratory birds, currents into and out of Hudson Bay/James Bay, seasonal and annual loads of sediments and nutrients to marine ecosystems, and anadromous fish populations. Hydroelectric projects are proposed for the region by Quebec, Ontario and Manitoba. In January 1992, the Canadian Arctic Resources Committee (CARC), the Environmental Committee of Sanikuluaq, and the Rawson Academy of Arctic Science will launch the Hudson Bay/James Bay Bioregion Program, an independent initiative to apply an ecosystem approach to the region. Two main objectives are to provide a comprehensive assessment of the cumulative impacts of human activities on the marine and freshwater ecosystems of the Hudson Bay/James Bay bioregion, and to foster sustainable development by examining and proposing cooperative processes for decision making among governments, developers, aboriginal peoples and other stakeholders. 1 fig

  7. The arboreal component of a dry forest in Northeastern Brazil

    OpenAIRE

    Rodal,M. J. N.; Nascimento,L. M.

    2006-01-01

    The dry forests of northeastern Brazil are found near the coastal zone and on low, isolated mountains inland amid semi-arid vegetation. The floristic composition of these dry montane forests, as well as their relationship to humid forests (Atlantic forest sensu stricto) and to the deciduous thorn woodlands (Caatinga sensu stricto) of the Brazilian northeast are not yet well known. This paper sought to determine if the arboreal plants in a dry forest growing on a low mountain in the semi-arid ...

  8. Removal efficiency of 75Se, 51Cr and 60Co from tidal water by mangrove sediments from Sepetiba Bay (SE Brazil)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Suzuki, K.N.; Lopes, R.T.; Machado, E.C.; Machado, W.; Osso, J.A.Jr.

    2014-01-01

    Mangrove sediment cores sampled from Sepetiba Bay (SE Brazil) were covered with tidal water spiked with 75 Se, 51 Cr and 60 Co to evaluate the removal efficiency of these radiotracers by underlying sediments. Variable time-evolution trends were observed along 115 h experiments, with significant differences between removal efficiencies of all radiotracers observed only after 70 h ( 51 Cr > 60 Co > 75 Se). After an event of 60 Co release back to overlying water, there was a general trend of lower 60 Co removal than observed for other radiotracers during the period from 20 to 54 h. After this event, alternated periods of higher 60 Co and higher 75 Se removal trends were observed, attributed to behavioural differences expected for such anionic and cationic radiotracers. While 75 Se and 51 Cr showed uniform time-evolution curves, as typically found in the literature for most radiotracers, 60 Co removal rates presented oscillations, probably due to sensitivity to changes in redox conditions within underlying sediments. Results evidenced the role of mangrove sediments as trace element sinks, which have implications for coastal water quality and for possible uses of such sediments in wastewater treatment systems. (author)

  9. Chemical composition and bioactive compounds of grape pomace (Vitis vinifera L., Benitaka variety, grown in the semiarid region of Northeast Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eldina Castro Sousa

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available Grape pomace (Vitis vinifera L., Benitaka variety, grown in the semiarid region of Northeast Brazil was evaluated in relation to chemical composition, and content of minerals and functional properties. Its microbiological quality and toxic potential, using Artemia salina sp, were also investigated. The results showed that the flour obtained from these residues had below neutral pH (3.82, moisture (3.33g/100g, acidity of (0.64g of citric acid/100g, and ash (4.65 g/100g. The amount of total dietary fiber (46.17g/100g stood out quantitatively compared to the content of carbohydrate (29.2g/100 g, protein (8.49g/100g, and lipids (8.16g/100g. The total energy was 224Kcal/100g. With regard to the compounds with functional properties, higher values of insoluble fiber 79% (36.4 g/100 g; vitamin C (26.25 mg of acid ascorbic/100g, and anthocyanins (131mg/100g were found. The minerals iron, potassium, zinc, manganese, and calcium were present in higher concentrations. There were no significant copper values. The results showed that the grape residues are an important source of nutrients and compounds with functional properties suggesting that they can be incorporated as an ingredient in the diet and/or used as a dietary supplement aiming at health benefits. The residues did not show microbiological contamination and were considered nontoxic.

  10. Plant species as a therapeutic resource in areas of the savanna in the state of Pernambuco, Northeast Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saraiva, Manuele Eufrasio; Ulisses, Ana Vartan Ribeiro de Alencar; Ribeiro, Daiany Alves; de Oliveira, Liana Geraldo Souza; de Macêdo, Delmácia Gonçalves; de Sousa, Francisca de Fátima Silva; de Menezes, Irwin Rose Alencar; Sampaio, Everardo Valadares de Sá Barretto; Souza, Marta Maria de Almeida

    2015-08-02

    Ethnobotanical studies have contributed significantly in research of plants with therapeutic potential. The aim of the present study was to learn about the use of native medicinal plants cited by the traditional population in "cerradão" (savanna woodland) areas in Northeast Brazil, providing data on therapeutic indications of the species used and their versatility. Semi-structured interviews were conducted on the basis of a standardized questionnaire designed for key informants selected using the "snowball" technique. The selection of plants species with therapeutic potential was performed on the basis of the relative importance (RI) and informant consensus fator (ICF). A total of 78 species were indicated for 87 therapeutic purposes. Of these, 11 species presented great versatility of use (RI>1), as e.g.including Copaifera langsdorffii Desf., Hybanthus calceolaria (Mart.) Plumel., Heliotropium cf. indicum L., Croton zehntneri, Croton heliotropiifolius, Myracrodruon urundeuva, Stryphnodendro rotundifolium. Medicinal uses could be generalized Pax & K. Hoffm and Hymenaea courbaril L. The therapeutic indications were grouped into 14 use 15 categories with 594 species-category combinations. The largest number of medicinal species was indicated for illnesses or undefined pain, followed by diseases associated with respiratory, digestive and genitourinaryof body systems. The factor informant consensus highlighted the agreement in the use of plants and showed that the, of which Diseases of the Nervous System and, Diseases of the Circulatory System had the greatest agreement 1.0 and 0.87 repectively, Disorders of the Visual Sensory System - Eyes and Respiratory System Disorder showed the highest agreement of use. Most of the species cited by the key informants are well known scientifically, but it is interesting that some have been studied little or not all with regard to confirming their purported medicinal properties and can contribute substantially to pharmacological

  11. Distribution and behavior of major and trace elements in Tokyo Bay, Mutsu Bay and Funka Bay marine sediments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Honda, Teruyuki; Kimura, Ken-ichiro

    2003-01-01

    Fourteen major and trace elements in marine sediment core samples collected from the coasts along eastern Japan, i.e. Tokyo Bay (II) (the recess), Tokyo Bay (IV) (the mouth), Mutsu Bay and Funka Bay and the Northwest Pacific basin as a comparative subject were determined by the instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA). The sedimentation rates and sedimentary ages were calculated for the coastal sediment cores by the 210 Pb method. The results obtained in this study are summarized as follows: (1) Lanthanoid abundance patterns suggested that the major origin of the sediments was terrigenous material. La*/Lu* and Ce*/La* ratios revealed that the sediments from Tokyo Bay (II) and Mutsu Bay more directly reflected the contribution from river than those of other regions. In addition, the Th/Sc ratio indicated that the coastal sediments mainly originated in the materials from the volcanic island-arcs, Japanese islands, whereas those from the Northwest Pacific mainly from the continent. (2) The correlation between the Ce/U and Th/U ratios with high correlation coefficients of 0.920 to 0.991 indicated that all the sediments from Tokyo Bay (II) and Funka Bay were in reducing conditions while at least the upper sediments from Tokyo Bay (IV) and Mutsu Bay were in oxidizing conditions. (3) It became quite obvious that the sedimentation mechanism and the sedimentation environment at Tokyo Bay (II) was different from those at Tokyo Bay (IV), since the sedimentation rate at Tokyo Bay (II) was approximately twice as large as that at Tokyo Bay (IV). The sedimentary age of the 5th layer (8∼10 cm in depth) from Funka Bay was calculated at approximately 1940∼50, which agreed with the time, 1943∼45 when Showa-shinzan was formed by the eruption of the Usu volcano. (author)

  12. Relative growth in the fiddler crab Uca uruguayensis Nobili, 1901 (Brachyura, Ocypodidae from Garças River mangrove, Guaratuba Bay, southern Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Salise Brandt Martins

    Full Text Available A study on the relative growth was carried out in a population of the fiddler crab Uca uruguayensis from the mangrove of Garças River, Guaratuba Bay, Paraná State, southern Brazil. The dimensions analyzed were the length of the major chela (LMC of males and width of the abdomen (AW of females, because they are related to reproductive activities of waving (males and egg incubation (females. The cheliped handedness in males was also analyzed. The LMC was measured in 480 males, the AW in 566 females, and all crabs had the carapace width (CW measured that was considered as the reference dimension for both sexes. The inflection point in the graphs between each the dimensions and CW was calculated with the aid of the software REGRANS. The CW ranged from 2.33 to 8.33 mm in males and from 1.65 to 7.79 mm in females. The relationship between CW and LMC showed an inflection point at 4.14 mm CW among males, and between CW and AW at 3.52 mm CW among females. The allometric growth was positive for both dimensions throughout the entire ontogeny of both sexes, before and after the puberty. The equations describing the relationship between CW and LMC in males were: logLMC = - 0.695960 + 1.72.logCW for juveniles and logLMC = - 1.212513 + 2.5.logCW for adults. In females, the equations were logAW = - 0.519071 + 1.02.logCW and logAW = - 0.902874 + 1.73.logCW, respectively for juveniles and adults. The population of U. uruguayensis from Guaratuba Bay is composed of the smallest crabs, and it also attains morphological sexual maturity at smallest CW. The frequency of occurrence of right and left handed males was statistically the same (1:1 as in most population of fiddler crabs.

  13. Human Dignity, Misthanasia, Public Health and Bioethics in Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anna Silvia Penteado Setti da Rocha

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available This paper aims to reflect on human dignity and misthanasia in the public health system in Brazil. For this, concepts, document reviews and public data about the condition of the Brazilian population’s access to public health were all used. The indicators show the health inequalities in the country, with the north and northeast at a disadvantage both in terms of access to health and the number of available professionals. Thus, the most underserved population tends to continue to be excluded from society and impaired with respect to their human dignity.

  14. Changes and variations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon concentrations in fish, barnacles and crabs following an oil spill in a mangrove of Guanabara Bay, Southeast Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soares-Gomes, Abílio; Neves, Roberta L; Aucélio, Ricardo; Van Der Ven, Paulo H; Pitombo, Fábio B; Mendes, Carla L T; Ziolli, Roberta L

    2010-08-01

    On April 26th, 2005, an accident caused a leak of 60,000L of Diesel Oil Type "B", freighted by train wagons upstream on a mangrove area within Guanabara Bay, Southeast Brazil. After the accident, samples from animals with different biological requirements were collected in order to monitor polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons concentrations for the following 12months. Sessile, mobile, carnivorous, omnivorous, organic detritus feeders, planktivorous and suspension feeders were some of the attributes compared. Concentrations of PAHs did not vary in relation to different dietary habits and the best response was from the sessile suspensivorous barnacles. A background level of <50microgkg(-1) was suggested based on the reference site and on values observed in the following months after the accident. The highest values of PAH concentrations were observed in barnacles in the first month immediately after the spill, decreasing to background levels after few months. Barnacles are suggested as a sentinel species. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Using kernel density estimates to investigate lymphatic filariasis in northeast Brazil

    Science.gov (United States)

    Medeiros, Zulma; Bonfim, Cristine; Brandão, Eduardo; Netto, Maria José Evangelista; Vasconcellos, Lucia; Ribeiro, Liany; Portugal, José Luiz

    2012-01-01

    After more than 10 years of the Global Program to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis (GPELF) in Brazil, advances have been seen, but the endemic disease persists as a public health problem. The aim of this study was to describe the spatial distribution of lymphatic filariasis in the municipality of Jaboatão dos Guararapes, Pernambuco, Brazil. An epidemiological survey was conducted in the municipality, and positive filariasis cases identified in this survey were georeferenced in point form, using the GPS. A kernel intensity estimator was applied to identify clusters with greater intensity of cases. We examined 23 673 individuals and 323 individuals with microfilaremia were identified, representing a mean prevalence rate of 1.4%. Around 88% of the districts surveyed presented cases of filarial infection, with prevalences of 0–5.6%. The male population was more affected by the infection, with 63.8% of the cases (P<0.005). Positive cases were found in all age groups examined. The kernel intensity estimator identified the areas of greatest intensity and least intensity of filarial infection cases. The case distribution was heterogeneous across the municipality. The kernel estimator identified spatial clusters of cases, thus indicating locations with greater intensity of transmission. The main advantage of this type of analysis lies in its ability to rapidly and easily show areas with the highest concentration of cases, thereby contributing towards planning, monitoring, and surveillance of filariasis elimination actions. Incorporation of geoprocessing and spatial analysis techniques constitutes an important tool for use within the GPELF. PMID:22943547

  16. The technical potential for proliferation in Northeast Asian states

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Joeck, N.; Kramer, R.

    1995-01-01

    This is a review of the technical capabilities of the states in Northeast Asia - principally Japan, South Korea, and North Korea - to develop nuclear weapons. At the outset, however, it should be emphasised that nuclear proliferation is primarily a political and security problem, rather than a technical challenge. The technical challenge is substantial, but if one looks at states with the technical capacity to develop nuclear weapons, it might be surprising to find that most of them have chosen not to do so. Even with access to fissile material and the technical and scientific infrastructure necessary to produce nuclear weapons, such states as Canada, Switzerland, Norway, Germany, Argentina, Brazil, Japan and many others, have not done so. All three non-nuclear weapon states in Northeast Asia have the technical capability to develop nuclear weapons. Japan and South Korea have intrusive safeguards and inspection arrangements on their nuclear programs, which allow their neighbours and the rest of the world to verify that they have not changed that status, and that they are living up to their NPT commitments. Despite its original commitment to the NPT, North Korea has yet to establish similar arrangements. It is ironic that the country with the smallest and technically least sophisticated nuclear program is the one creating the greatest concern about nuclear proliferation in the region. This irony illustrates the point made in the introduction, however. Nuclear proliferation is more a function of political decision-making than of technical capability

  17. Bacteriological study of the superficial sediments of Guanabara bay, RJ, Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Frederico Sobrinho da Silva

    2008-03-01

    Full Text Available Thirty sediment samples were collected in Guanabara Bay in August, November and December 2005. The material was analyzed for organic matter, total and faecal coliforms, heterotrophic bacteria, bacterial respiratory activity, esterase activity and electron transport system activity. The organic matter in the superficial sediments (2 cm ranged from 4 to 6%. The highest level of total coliforms and faecal coliforms were 1.7 x 10(5 MPN/g and 1.1 x 10³ MPN/g, respectively. Heterotrophic bacteria presented the highest values at station 7 (4.1 x 10(6 CFU/g and the lowest values at station 3 (7 x 10(4 CFU/g (northwestern part of Guanabara Bay. Esterase enzyme activity showed activity in the sediment of all 30 stations. Electron transport system activity ranged between 0.047 muL O2/h/g and 0.366 muL O2/h/g at six stations. The benthic microbial foodweb is anaerobic. Anaerobic processes such as fermentation, denitrification and sulphate-reduction are responsible for the biogeochemical cycles in the sediment of Guanabara Bay. The input of untreated sewage in the Mangue Channel outflow in Guanabara Bay has favored the increase of the organic load, and the maintenance of the total coliforms and faecal coliforms in the sediment. Faecal coliforms have been reported to be a good indicator of aquatic pollution and organic contamination in the water column, but total coliforms may be an ideal candidate group for sediment quality tests as well.Trinta amostras de sedimento foram coletadas na Baía de Guanabara em agosto, novembro e dezembro de 2005. Foram analisados matéria orgânica, coliformes totais e fecais, bactéria heterotrófica, atividade respiratória bacteriana, atividade de esterase e do sistema transportador de elétrons. A matéria orgânica no sedimento superficial variou entre 4 e 6%. O maior nível de coliformes totais e fecais foi 1.7 x 10(5 MPN/g e 1.1 x 10³ MPN/g, respectivamente. Bactérias heterótrofas mostraram o maior valor na esta

  18. The vulnerability of wind power to climate change in Brazil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pereira de Lucena, Andre Frossard; Szklo, Alexandre Salem; Schaeffer, Roberto; Dutra, Ricardo Marques

    2010-01-01

    The availability and reliability of wind power depend a great deal on current and future climate conditions, which may vary in light of possible global climate change (GCC). Long-term energy planning, however, does not normally take possible future GCC into consideration, which may turn out to be a risky exercise. In the case of Brazil, the untapped wind power potential is known to be impressive, provided that climate conditions remain the same over time. The focus of this study is to analyze some possible impacts of GCC on the wind power potential of Brazil, by simulating wind conditions associated with the IPCC A2 and B2 Scenarios. Results based on the HadCM3 general circulation model and the analysis of the country's wind database indicate that the wind power potential in Brazil would not be jeopardized in the future due to possible new climate conditions. On the contrary, improved wind conditions are expected, particularly in the Northeast coast of the country. Therefore, investments in wind power generation can be an interesting way to expand renewable energy production in Brazil. However, given the large uncertainties associated with GCC models and scenarios, the findings of this paper should be viewed as a possibility rather than as a projection. (author)

  19. Circulation and teleconnection mechanisms of Northeast Brazil droughts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hastenrath, Stefan

    2006-08-01

    The Northern Nordeste of Brazil has its short rainy season narrowly concentrated around March-April, when the interhemispheric southward gradient of sea surface temperature (SST) is weakest and the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), which is the main rainbearing system for the Nordeste, reaches its southernmost position in the course of the year. The recurrent Secas (droughts) have a severe socio-economic impact in this semi-arid region. In drought years, the pre-season (October-January) rainfall is scarce, the interhemispheric SST gradient weakened and the basin-wide southerly (northerly) wind component enhanced (reduced), all manifestations of an anomalously far northward ITCZ position. Apart from this ensemble of Atlantic indicators, the Secas also tend to be preceded by anomalously warm equatorial Pacific waters in January. During El Niño years, an upper-tropospheric wave train extends from the equatorial eastern Pacific to the northern tropical Atlantic, affecting the patterns of upper-tropospheric topography and divergence, and hence of vertical motion over the Atlantic. The altered vertical motion leads to a weaker meridional pressure gradient on the equatorward flank of the North Atlantic subtropical high, and thus weaker North Atlantic tradewinds. The concomitant reduction of evaporation and wind stirring allows for warmer surface waters in the tropical North Atlantic and thus steeper interhemispheric meridional thermal gradient. Consequently, the ITCZ stays anomalously far North and the Nordeste rainy season becomes deficient.

  20. Humic Substances from Manila Bay and Bolinao Bay Sediments

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elma Llaguno

    1997-12-01

    Full Text Available The C,H,N composition of sedimentary humic acids (HA extracted from three sites in Manila Bay and six sites in Bolinao Bay yielded H/C atomic ratios of 1.1-1.4 and N/C atomic ratios of 0.09 - 0.16. The Manila Bay HA's had lower H/C and N/C ratios compared to those from Bolinao Bay. The IR spectra showed prominent aliphatic C-H and amide I and II bands. Manila Bay HA's also had less diverse molecular composition based on the GC-MS analysis of the CuO and alkaline permanganate oxidation products of the humic acids.

  1. Northeast Asian economy cooperation: study on energy resource cooperation in Northeast Asian region

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chung, Woo Jin [Korea Energy Economics Institute, Euiwang (Korea)

    1999-12-01

    In Northeast Asian region, there are East Russia with abundant resources, Japan a large energy consumption country, Korea and China with rapidly increasing energy consumption due to their economic development, but the utilization rate of East Russian resources are very low and the resource trading and investment among Korea, China and Japan are also low. Korea and Japan use most of energy imported from Middle East. It is expected that import of petroleum and gas except coal will be increasing in China and most of imported energy will be imported mainly from the Middle East. For Korea, with not much energy resources and foreign-oriented economic system, if investment on resource development among Northeast Asian countries is active and energy transportation among these countries is liberalized, the enhancement of energy cooperation in Northeast Asia has a high possibility to provide North and South Korean energy cooperation as well as to secure energy security and to develop energy industry. Therefore, Korean government needs to promote Northeast Asian energy cooperation by taking its lead. (author). 28 refs., 8 figs., 44 tabs.

  2. Fisheries and conflicts in Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Silvio Jablonski

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available Despite the magnitude of domestic and industrial pollution, fishery yield registered in several landing points at Guanabara Bay, between April 2001 and March 2002 was slightly over 19,000 tons, corresponding to a value of US$ 4.8 million. When considered only the fish directed to the food market, the total catch amounted to about 6,300 tons and a value of US$ 3.7 million. Only a few fish species reached expressive densities compatible with commercial fisheries. Among small pelagic fish, Atlantic anchoveta and Brazilian sardinella were the dominant species, while in terms of demersal fish, croakers, mullets and catfishes comprised the main part of the catch. The absence of landing data previous to the spilling of 1.3 million liters of oil in January 2000 led to claims by fishermen representative organizations of values corresponding to about 50 years of fish harvest in the bay. Possibly, a data collection network could be established in a participative way with the main fishermen local associations. The relatively stabilized fisheries in the bay suggested that reasonable inferences could be made, without, necessarily having a complete coverage of all landing points.A despeito da magnitude da poluição de origem doméstica e industrial, a produção de pescado registrado em diferentes pontos de desembarque na Baía de Guanabara, entre abril de 2001 e março de 2002, foi ligeiramente superior a 19.000 t, correspondendo em valor a US$ 4.8 milhões. Quando se considera apenas o pescado direcionado para o mercado fresco, a captura total alcançou cerca de 6.300 t e um valor de US$ 3,7 milhões. Somente algumas poucas espécies alcançam densidades expressivas compatíveis com as pescarias comerciais. Entre os pequenos pelágicos, a sardinha boca-torta e a sardinha verdadeira são as espécies dominantes, enquanto para as demersais, a corvina, a tainha e os bagres perfazem a maior parte das capturas. As pescarias para o caranguejo, nos manguezais, e a

  3. An overview of dental radiology in cities of Brazil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Menezes, F.L.; Paschoal, C.M.M.; Ferreira, F.C.L.; Belinato, W.

    2015-01-01

    In Brazil, the National Ordinance No. 453/1998 of the Ministry of Health regulates the operation of medical and odontological diagnostic radiology services. However, the inspection of periapical dental X-ray equipment is not carried out by some Sanitary Surveillances. This study intended to determine the suitability to the ordinance of the dental offices of Sobral-CE, Northeast of Brazil, and to compare the results with literature data for other cities of Brazil, giving a view of dental radiology of this country. It was performed tests of radiation field and image quality, and it was applied questionnaires to the professionals of Sobral-CE. For the image quality test, it was used a dental phantom and the processing of the films was performed in the clinics and at the laboratory (standard). The questionnaire assessed physical parameters that interfere on the radiation protection and on the quality of images. The results show that the ordinance is not being properly followed and that it is necessary to inspect the periapical X-ray equipments. Moreover, in general, it is observed that dental professionals should have better training on ionizing radiation and on radiation protection. (authors)

  4. Density, recruitment and growth performance of Asian green mussel (Perna viridis in Marudu Bay, Northeast Malaysian Borneo, three years after a massive mortality event

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Afizah Mohd Taib

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Density, recruitment and growth performance of Asian green mussel (Perna viridis in a particular coastal marine environment can be affected by many factors, including environmental change, pollution, disease outbreak and massive mortality event. The present study was conducted to determine the density, recruitment and growth performance of farmed Asian green mussel in Marudu Bay, three years after a mass mortality event. The study was carried out for 12 months between April 2013 and March 2014. The length frequency data of 1,308 individuals of green mussel were analyzed using the latest version of the FAO-ICLARM Fish Stock Assessment Tools (FiSAT II. The result showed that the green mussel recruitment in Marudu Bay occurs throughout the year with two major peaks i.e. February and July which coincided with the monsoon seasons. The asymptotic length (L∞, growth coefficient (K and growth performance index (φ’ of the farmed Asian green mussel in Marudu Bay are relatively high at 113.4 mm, 1.7 year-1 and 4.34, respectively. However, despite good culture location, the settlement density of green mussel in the bay was low. We suspected that the low settlement density could be influenced by the ecological effects due to the long term suspension of the culture substrates and the physiochemical properties of the water in Marudu Bay. Nevertheless, chlorophyll-á measurement alone was not able to justify if food scarcity has resulted in high mortality of the farmed Asian green mussel in Marudu Bay.

  5. Recovery of uranium as a by product of phosphorites from Brazilian northeast area

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gonzaga, M.; Abrao, A.

    1976-01-01

    The extraction and recobery of uranium contained in marine phosphates of northeast Brazil were investigated by treating ores with hydrochloric acid. The average content of uranium in the ore was found to be about 0,03 percent which corresponds to the highest worldly known content of uranium in phoshorite. The solutions obtained in laboratory, by leaching the phosphorite with hydrochloric acid, contained 40-70mg U/1. A method to control the uranium solubilization was outlined. A liquid-liquid extrction of uranium from these liquors was performed using a mixture of 3 percent di (2-ethyl hexyl)-phosphoric acid and 2.2 percent TBP in Kerosene. An overall uranium recovery of about 85 percent was reached

  6. Foraminiferal record of Holocene paleo-earthquakes on the subsiding south-western Poverty Bay coastline, New Zealand

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hayward, B.W.; Sabaa, A.T.; Grenfell, H.R.; Cochran, U.A.; Clark, K.J.; Litchfield, N.J.; Wallace, L.M.; Marden, M.; Palmer, A.S.

    2015-01-01

    Foraminiferal faunas in 29 short cores (maximum depth 7 m) of estuarine and coastal wetland sediment were used to reconstruct the middle-late Holocene (last 7 ka) elevational history on the southern shores of Poverty Bay, North Island, New Zealand. This coast is on the southwest side of a rapidly subsiding area beneath western Poverty Bay. Modern Analogue Technique paleo-elevation estimates based on fossil foraminiferal faunas indicate that the four study areas have gradual late Holocene (<3.5 ka) subsidence rates that increase from the southwest (mean c. 0.5 m ka - - 1 ) to northeast (mean c. 1.0 m ka -1 ). Only two rapid, possibly co-seismic, vertical displacement events are recognised: (1) c. 1.2 m of subsidence at 5.7 ± 0.4 ka (cal yr BP), which may have been generated by a subduction interface earthquake centred offshore and recorded in other published studies in northern Hawkes Bay, c. 35 km to the south; and (2) c. 1 m of uplift (relative sea-level fall) at c. 4.5 ± 0.3 ka, which might have been generated by rupture on an offshore upper plate fault that also uplifted coastal terraces at Pakarae and Mahia, 40 km to the north and south of the study area, or by rupture on the subduction interface penetrating beneath Poverty Bay. No sudden displacement events are recognised during the last 4 ka although subsidence, possibly aseismic, has continued. (author).

  7. Picoplankton Bloom in Global South? A High Fraction of Aerobic Anoxygenic Phototrophic Bacteria in Metagenomes from a Coastal Bay (Arraial do Cabo--Brazil).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cuadrat, Rafael R C; Ferrera, Isabel; Grossart, Hans-Peter; Dávila, Alberto M R

    2016-02-01

    Marine habitats harbor a great diversity of microorganism from the three domains of life, only a small fraction of which can be cultivated. Metagenomic approaches are increasingly popular for addressing microbial diversity without culture, serving as sensitive and relatively unbiased methods for identifying and cataloging the diversity of nucleic acid sequences derived from organisms in environmental samples. Aerobic anoxygenic phototrophic bacteria (AAP) play important roles in carbon and energy cycling in aquatic systems. In oceans, those bacteria are widely distributed; however, their abundance and importance are still poorly understood. The aim of this study was to estimate abundance and diversity of AAPs in metagenomes from an upwelling affected coastal bay in Arraial do Cabo, Brazil, using in silico screening for the anoxygenic photosynthesis core genes. Metagenomes from the Global Ocean Sample Expedition (GOS) were screened for comparative purposes. AAPs were highly abundant in the free-living bacterial fraction from Arraial do Cabo: 23.88% of total bacterial cells, compared with 15% in the GOS dataset. Of the ten most AAP abundant samples from GOS, eight were collected close to the Equator where solar irradiation is high year-round. We were able to assign most retrieved sequences to phylo-groups, with a particularly high abundance of Roseobacter in Arraial do Cabo samples. The high abundance of AAP in this tropical bay may be related to the upwelling phenomenon and subsequent picoplankton bloom. These results suggest a link between upwelling and light abundance and demonstrate AAP even in oligotrophic tropical and subtropical environments. Longitudinal studies in the Arraial do Cabo region are warranted to understand the dynamics of AAP at different locations and seasons, and the ecological role of these unique bacteria for biogeochemical and energy cycling in the ocean.

  8. Introduced and cryptogenic species and their management in Paranaguá Bay, Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carolina Somaio Neves

    2008-06-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this work was to identify the introduced and cryptogenic species in encrusting and associated communities of hard substrates in Paranaguá Bay, Brazil, and to attempt to determine which of these species could negatively affect the local community to suggest management strategies for these species. At least four introduced species were found - a large number in comparison with other port surveys. These were the hydrozoan Garveia franciscana Torrey, 1902, the polychaete Polydora cornuta Bosc, 1902, the barnacles Amphibalanus reticulatus (Utinoni, 1967 and Striatobalanus amaryllis Darwin, 1854, all with potentially harmful impacts. Of the 33 cryptogenic species, four were also listed in the literature as causing negative effects. We propose the following management practices: periodic cleaning of all underwater structures, population monitoring of invasive species and potential substrates, an information database of potential sources of introduction.Espécies marinhas exóticas (= não-nativas podem afetar drasticamente as comunidades das regiões em que são introduzidas. Prever quais espécies possuem maiores chances de causar impactos negativos é extremamente importante. Neste estudo, identificamos espécies introduzidas e criptogênicas entre as espécies incrustantes e associadas das comunidades que ocorrem nos substratos consolidados da marina do Iate Clube de Paranaguá. Com base em literatura, verificamos quais destas espécies são capazes de afetar negativamente a comunidade local e sugerimos recomendações para seu manejo adequado. Quatro espécies introduzidas foram identificadas, o que é uma cifra elevada quando comparada a outros levantamentos de biotas portuárias: o hidrozoário Garveia franciscana Torrey, 1902, o poliqueta Polydora cornuta Bosc, 1902, e as cracas Amphibalanus reticulatus (Utinoni, 1967 e Striatobalanus amaryllis Darwin, 1854, todas com efeitos negativos já registrados em outros locais. Entre as 33

  9. Plastic ingestion by sea turtles in Paraíba State, Northeast Brazil

    OpenAIRE

    Camila Poli; Daniel Oliveira Mesquita; Cinthia Saska; Rita Mascarenhas

    2015-01-01

    ABSTRACT Currently, plastics are recognized as a major pollutant of the marine environment, representing a serious threat to ocean wildlife. Here, we examined the occurrence and effects of plastic ingestion by sea turtles found stranded along the coast of Paraíba State, Brazil from August 2009 to July 2010. Ninety-eight digestive tracts were examined, with plastic found in 20 (20.4%). Sixty five percent (n = 13) of turtles with plastic in the digestive tract were green turtles (Chelonia mydas...

  10. Spatial distribution of pollen grains and spores in surface sediments of Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barreto, Cintia F; Vilela, Claudia G; Baptista-Neto, José A; Barth, Ortrud M

    2012-09-01

    Aiming to investigate the deposition of pollen grains and spores in Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro State, 61 surface sediment samples were analyzed. The results showed that the current deposition of palynomorphs in surface sediments of Guanabara Bay represents the regional vegetation of this hydrographic basin. The differential distribution of palynomorphs followed a pattern influenced by bathymetry, tidal currents speed, discharge of numerous rivers, and by human activity. The dominance of representatives of Field Vegetation reflects the changes of the original flora caused by intense human activities in the region. The continued presence and richness of pollen types of rain forest in the samples indicates that their source area might be the vegetation from riparian border of rivers in the western sector of the Bay, where the mangrove vegetation is being preserved. The large amount of damaged palynomorphs may be related to abrasion that occurs during river transport, indicating removal or reworking from their areas of origin.

  11. Bay of Fundy

    Science.gov (United States)

    2006-01-01

    The highest tides on Earth occur in the Minas Basin, the eastern extremity of the Bay of Fundy, Nova Scotia, Canada, where the tide range can reach 16 meters when the various factors affecting the tides are in phase. The primary cause of the immense tides of Fundy is a resonance of the Bay of Fundy-Gulf of Maine system. The system is effectively bounded at this outer end by the edge of the continental shelf with its approximately 40:1 increase in depth. The system has a natural period of approximately 13 hours, which is close to the 12h25m period of the dominant lunar tide of the Atlantic Ocean. Like a father pushing his daughter on a swing, the gentle Atlantic tidal pulse pushes the waters of the Bay of Fundy-Gulf of Maine basin at nearly the optimum frequency to cause a large to-and-fro oscillation. The greatest slosh occurs at the head (northeast end) of the system. The high tide image (top) was acquired April 20, 2001, and the low tide image (bottom) was acquired September 30, 2002. The images cover an area of 16.5 by 21 km, and are centered near 64 degrees west longitude and 45.5 degrees north latitude. With its 14 spectral bands from the visible to the thermal infrared wavelength region, and its high spatial resolution of 15 to 90 meters (about 50 to 300 feet), ASTER images Earth to map and monitor the changing surface of our planet. ASTER is one of five Earth-observing instruments launched December 18, 1999, on NASA's Terra satellite. The instrument was built by Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. A joint U.S./Japan science team is responsible for validation and calibration of the instrument and the data products. The broad spectral coverage and high spectral resolution of ASTER provides scientists in numerous disciplines with critical information for surface mapping, and monitoring of dynamic conditions and temporal change. Example applications are: monitoring glacial advances and retreats; monitoring potentially active volcanoes; identifying

  12. Population and reproductive biology of the fiddler crab Uca thayeri Rathbun, 1900 (Crustacea: Ocypodidae) in a tropical mangrove from Northeast Brazil

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arruda Bezerra, Luis Ernesto; Matthews-Cascon, Helena

    2007-05-01

    Population and reproductive biology of Uca thayeri Rathbun, 1900 were studied for the first time in a tropical mangrove. Absolute density, sex ratio, population structure, handedness, breeding season and fecundity were investigated. Seven transects were delimited in a mangrove area of the Pacoti River, Northeast of Brazil (3° 43' 02″ S/38° 32' 35″ W). On each transect, ten 0.25 m 2 squares were sampled on a monthly basis during low tide periods from September 2003 to August 2004. A total of 483 crabs were obtained, of which 250 were males, 219 non-ovigerous females, and 14 ovigerous females. The U. thayeri population presented bi-modal size frequency distribution, with males and non-ovigerous females not differing significantly size-wise. Ovigerous females were larger than males and non-ovigerous females. The overall sex ratio (1:1.07) did not differ significantly from the expected 1:1 proportion. The major cheliped was the right one in 50% of the males. The observed density was of 8.5 individuals/m 2, with the specimens being found mostly in shaded areas. Ovigerous females were found in 5 months of the year, coinciding with the rainy season, suggesting that the population of U. thayeri presents seasonal reproductive events. Juvenile crabs were more abundant during the dry period, while larger crabs were found mainly during the rainy period. The fecundity of the studied population was much smaller than that of subtropical populations of this species. The regression analysis shows that the number of eggs increases linearly with the increase of carapace width.

  13. An integrated geological and geophysical study of the Parnaíba cratonic basin, North-East Brazil

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tozer, B.; Watts, A. B.; Daly, M.

    2015-12-01

    Cratonic basins are characterized by their sub-circular shape, long-lived (>100 Myr) subsidence, shallow marine/terrestrial sediments that young towards the center of the basin and exhibit little internal deformation, and thick seismic lithosphere. Despite the recognition of >30 world-wide, the paucity of geological and geophysical data over these basins means their origin remains enigmatic. In order to address this problem, we have used a recently acquired 1400 km long seismic reflection profile recorded to 20 s TWTT, field observations and well logs, gravity and magnetic data acquired at 1 km intervals, and five wide-angle refection/refraction receiver gathers recorded at offsets up to 100 km, to constrain the origin of the Parnaíba basin, North-East Brazil. We find a depth to pre-Paleozoic basement and Moho of ~ 3.5 and ~ 40 - 42 km respectively beneath the basin center. A prominent mid-crustal reflection (MCR) can be tracked laterally for ~ 300 km at depths between 17 - 25 km and a low-fold wide-angle receiver gather stack shows that the crust below the MCR is characterized by a ~ 4 s TWTT package of anastomosing reflections. Gravity modelling suggests that the MCR represents the upper surface of a high density (+0.14 kg m-3) lower crustal body, which is probably of magmatic origin. Backstripping of biostratigraphic data from wells in the center of the basin show an exponentially decreasing subsidence. We show that although cooling of a thick (180 km) lithosphere following prolonged rifting (~ 65 Myr) can provide a good fit to the tectonic subsidence curves, process-oriented gravity and flexure modelling suggest that other processes must be important, as rifting does not account for the observed gravity anomaly and predicts too thin a crust (~ 34 km). The thicker than expected crust suggests warping due, for example, to far-field stresses or basal tractions. Another possibility, which is compatible with existing geophysical data, is a dense magmatic intrusion

  14. Factors associated with syphilis seroreactivity among polydrug users in Northeast Brazil: A cross-sectional study using Respondent Driven Sampling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baptista, Cremildo João; Dourado, Ines; Brignol, Sandra; Andrade, Tarcísio de Matos; Bastos, Francisco Inácio

    2017-01-01

    The burden of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), such as syphilis, is higher in low-income countries, with serious consequences and profound impact on sexual and reproductive health and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) spread. Syphilis prevalence tend to be higher among people who misuse drugs than in the general population. To assess syphilis and associated factors among polydrug users (PDU) in the city of Salvador, Northeast Brazil. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 10 Brazilian cities between September and November 2009 using Respondent Driven Sampling (RDS). Participants answered an Audio Computer-Assisted Self Interview (ACASI) and were rapid tested for HIV and syphilis. We performed multivariable regression models for correlates of syphilis on Stata 10.0. Estimates were weighted by the inverse size of the individual social network size and homophily. Mean age was 29.3 years (range: 18-62), 74.0% were males, and 89.8% were non-white. Syphilis prevalence was 16.6%. Females (adjwOR:2.14; 95%CI:1.09-4.20), individuals over 29 years old (adjwOR:4.44; 95%CI:2.41-8.19), those who exchanged sex for money or drugs (adjwOR:3.51; 95%CI:1.84-6.71), "No/low" self-perceived risk of HIV infection (adjwOR:5.13; 95%CI:1.36-19.37), and having nine or less years of education (adjwOR:2.92; 95%CI:1.08-7.88) were associated with syphilis. One of the most pressing needs for syphilis prevention/control is the availability of rapid point-of-care diagnostic tests and treatment. Interventions should be tailored to PDU needs and their multiple burdens as shown in the present study, that may contribute to future studies aiming to better understand the relationships between drug use and syphilis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Feeding habits of whitemouth croaker Micropogonias furnieri (Perciformes: Sciaenidae in Caraguatatuba Bay, southeastern Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Márcia Regina Denadai

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract This study examined the feeding habits of Micropogonias furnieri in Caraguatatuba Bay. Samples were collected monthly between May 2003 and October 2004 by trawling in two areas (southern and northern parts of the bay. The fish were measured and their stomach contents identified. The abundance was compared between areas and among months. M. furnieri was more abundant in the southern area and in the spring of 2003. The population was dominated by small immature individuals. This species had a varied diet, feeding on crustaceans, bivalve siphons, and polychaetes. The ingestion of bivalve siphons may be an opportunistic behavior, due to the presence of a large bank of the bivalve Tivela mactroides in the study area. The high proportion of unidentified organic matter in the stomach corroborates published reports that this species eats continuously and has rapid digestion. These results demonstrate that M. furnieri can be considered a carnivore, with a preference for benthic organisms.

  16. Trends of teenage pregnancy in Brazil, 2000-2011.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vaz, Raquel Ferreira; Monteiro, Denise Leite Maia; Rodrigues, Nádia Cristina Pinheiro

    2016-07-01

    To evaluate the frequency of teenage pregnancy in Brazil, from 2000 to 2011, in all five Brazilian macroregions and age groups (10-14 and 15-19 years), correlating it with the human development index (HDI). Descriptive epidemiological study, with cross-sectional design, performed by searching the database of the National Health System (Datasus), using information from the Information System (Sinasc). There was a decrease in the percentage of live births (LB) from teenage mothers (10-19 years) in Brazil (23.5 % in 2000 to 19.2 % in 2011). This reduction was observed in all Brazilian macroregions in the group of mothers aged 15 to 19 years. The number of LB increased by 5.0% among mothers aged 10-14 years (increase in the North and Northeast and decline in the other macroregions). The proportion of LB shows an inversely proportional trend to HDI score, with the Southeast having the highest HDI and the lowest proportion of LB to teenage mothers in the country. Brazil shows a decline in the percentage of LB to adolescent mothers, tending to be inversely related to HDI score. It is important to empower strategies to address the problem, so that teenage pregnancy is seen as a personal decision rather than the result of a lack of policies targeting adolescent health.

  17. Evaluation of telluric current effects on the Maritimes and Northeast Pipeline

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Boteler, D.H. [Natural Resources Canada, Geological Survey of Canada, Geomagnetic Laboratory, Ottawa, ON (Canada); Gummow, R.A.; Rix, B.C. [CORRENG Consulting Services, Inc., Downsview, ON (Canada)

    1999-07-01

    The Maritimes and Northeast Pipeline, currently under construction, runs through an area where large geomagnetic disturbances, and electric fields amplified by the coast effect, can be reasonably expected. Because of this, and because of the high tide in the Bay of Fundy, significant telluric currents (a current flowing through the ground, such as the earth's geomagnetic field) are anticipated. Under these circumstances, it was essential to consider the likely effects of telluric currents as one of the factors in designing the cathodic protection system for the new pipeline. Likely effects of the geomagnetic disturbances and their extent were evaluated and pipeline response to these electric fields examined by means of a computer model. Pipe-to-soil potentials were calculated with different coating resistances and placement of insulating flanges and ground beds. Telluric current potentials were found to vary with increased electric field, with electric fields more parallel to the pipeline, and higher resistance coatings. The potential difference between the pipe and the soil was found to be greatest at the Goldboro end of the pipeline due to potential gradients produced in the land near the coast during geomagnetic disturbances. Tidal water movements in the Bay of Fundy generate electrical fields in the water which cause potential gradients in the lands, however, because of the nature of the potential gradients in this instance, the dynamo effect on pipe-to soil potentials is expected to be very small. 19 refs., 1 tab., 12 figs.

  18. Data on prevalence and risk factors associated with Toxocara spp infection, atopy and asthma development in Northeast Brazilian school children

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Márcia B. Silva

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available In the present article, we provide shortly, data on risk factors for acquiring Toxocara spp. infection and investigate possible associations between this infection with atopy and asthma in school children of a small town and its semi-rural areas of Northeast Brazil. The data set are composed by demographic, social and home environment variables. The detection of anti-Toxocara spp. IgG and specific IgE to aeroallergens was determined by ELISA and ImmunocAP/Phadiatrope systems, respectively. The data presented in this article are related to the article entitled “Risk factors for Toxocara spp. seroprevalence and its association with atopy and asthma phenotypes in school-age children in a small town and semi-rural areas of Northeast Brazil” (M.B. Silva, A.L. Amor, L.N. Santos, A.A. Galvão, A.V. Oviedo Vera, E.S. Silva et al., 2016 [1].

  19. Geomicrobiology of cores from Suruí Mangrove--Guanabara Bay--Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fontana, Luiz Francisco; Mendonça Filho, João Graciano; Netto, Annibal Duarte Pereira; Sabadini-Santos, Elisamara; de Figueiredo, Alberto Garcia; Crapez, Mirian Araújo Carlos

    2010-10-01

    The aim of this work was to quantify the biopolymers associated to esterase enzymes and identify bacterial respiratory activity in four cores collected in Suruí Mangrove, Guanabara Bay - RJ. Biopolymer concentration was 1000 times lower than previously reported in the literature, indicating the need for creating and establishing eutrophication indicative rates and records compatible with tropical coastal systems. The biochemical representative relationships in the cores were equivalent to those from studies on coastal marine environments made in the Northern Hemisphere. The esterase enzymes in the sediment proved efficient in the mineralization of biopolymers, even with preferentially anaerobic metabolic physiology. Despite the lack of incipient geomicrobiological studies, the results highlighted the possible application of microbiology to a better understanding of geological processes. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Lignin phenols used to infer organic matter sources to Sepetiba Bay - RJ, Brasil

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rezende, C. E.; Pfeiffer, W. C.; Martinelli, L. A.; Tsamakis, E.; Hedges, J. I.; Keil, R. G.

    2010-04-01

    Lignin phenols were measured in the sediments of Sepitiba Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and in bedload sediments and suspended sediments of the four major fluvial inputs to the bay; São Francisco and Guandu Channels and the Guarda and Cação Rivers. Fluvial suspended lignin yields (Σ8 3.5-14.6 mgC 10 g dw -1) vary little between the wet and dry seasons and are poorly correlated with fluvial chlorophyll concentrations (0.8-50.2 μgC L -1). Despite current land use practices that favor grassland agriculture or industrial uses, fluvial lignin compositions are dominated by a degraded leaf-sourced material. The exception is the Guarda River, which has a slight influence from grasses. The Lignin Phenol Vegetation Index, coupled with acid/aldehyde and 3.5 Db/V ratios, indicate that degraded leaf-derived phenols are also the primary preserved lignin component in the bay. The presence of fringe Typha sp. and Spartina sp. grass beds surrounding portions of the Bay are not reflected in the lignin signature. Instead, lignin entering the bay appears to reflect the erosion of soils containing a degraded signature from the former Atlantic rain forest that once dominated the watershed, instead of containing a significant signature derived from current agricultural uses. A three-component mixing model using the LPVI, atomic N:C ratios, and stable carbon isotopes (which range between -26.8 and -21.8‰) supports the hypothesis that fluvial inputs to the bay are dominated by planktonic matter (78% of the input), with lignin dominated by leaf (14% of the input) over grass (6%). Sediments are composed of a roughly 50-50 mixture of autochthonous material and terrigenous material, with lignin being primarily sourced from leaf.

  1. Hydroids (Cnidaria, Hydrozoa of the intertidal zone of Governador and Paquetá islands, Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Hidróides (Cnidaria, Hydrozoa da zona entremarés das ilhas do Governador e Paquetá, Baía de Guanabara, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Priscila A. Grohmann

    2009-09-01

    Full Text Available During six consecutive months, sampling were made at three points located on Governador Island and three on Paquetá Island in Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Material was collected from dock pilings and rocks in the intertidal zone. In these samples, five species belonging to three families, Corynidae, Kirchenpaueriidae and Campanulariidae, were identified. The campanulariid species Obelia dichotoma Linnaeus, 1758, dominated at nearly all points sampled. The small number of species obtained in this survey is attributed to the intense pollution in the bay, which borders the second-largest industrial complex and the second-largest demographic center of Brazil.Durante seis meses consecutivos foram feitas coletas em três pontos localizados na ilha do Governador e três em Paquetá, sendo colhido material em pilares de cais e rochas na zona entremarés. Foram identificadas cinco espécies pertencentes a três famílias: Corynidae, Kirchenpaueriidae e Campanulariidae. A espécie Obelia dichotoma Linnaeus, 1758 dominou em praticamente todos os pontos. O pequeno número de espécies encontradas neste levantamento deve-se, provavelmente, ao alto grau de poluição atualmente existente na baía, uma vez que ela abriga o segundo maior polo industrial e o segundo maior centro demográfico do Brasil.

  2. In practice, the theory is different: a processual analysis of breastfeeding in northeast Brazil

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Scavenius, Michael; van Hulsel, Lonneke; Meijer, Julia; Wendte, Hans; Gurgel, Ricardo

    2007-01-01

    'Na prática, a teoria è outra' (in practice, the theory is different) is an old Brazilian saying. This phrase summarizes well the general practice of breastfeeding in Brazil: 'Breast is best' is central in the pregnant women's future oriented 'theory' of how their infant should be fed. In the

  3. Geology, geochemistry, and geochronology of the East Bay gold trend, Red Lake, Ontario, Canada

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gallagher, Shaun; Camacho, Alfredo; Fayek, Mostafa; Epp, Mark; Spell, Terry L.; Armstrong, Richard

    2018-01-01

    The Red Lake greenstone belt is situated in northwestern Ontario within the Uchi Subprovince, Superior Province. Most gold deposits therein are associated with major deformation corridors; the east-west oriented "Mine trend" hosts most of the large deposits and the northeast-southwest "East Bay trend" hosts several small deposits and showings. Gold along the East Bay trend typically occurs in quartz replacement veins that were emplaced into pre-existing quartz-carbonate veins. Gold can occur as free gold or along vein margins associated with pyrite and pyrrhotite. Most primary fluid inclusions, preserved in relatively undeformed portions of veins, are carbonaceous with lesser quantities of aqueous inclusions. The average homogenization temperature of aqueous fluids is 250 °C; however, the abundance of three-phase inclusions, variation in liquid-vapor ratios, and a wide range in homogenization temperatures indicate that immiscibility, effervescence, and fluid mixing are mechanisms associated with gold deposition. The age ( 2550 Ma) of alteration minerals in the Abino area is considerably younger (by 100 Myr) than alteration minerals in other deposits in the Red Lake district, indicating that the mineralizing fluid history was more protracted than previously thought. Along the East Bay trend, barren veins generally have lower δ18OVSMOW values (0.0 to 8.5‰) relative to auriferous veins (9.6 and 13.1‰). Consequently, the oxygen isotopic composition of quartz could be used as a vector for gold mineralization. The genetic model for the East Bay trend involves several stages of vein formation. Auriferous veins formed near the upper boundary of the mesozonal regime (depth of 5-6 km).

  4. A new order in northeast Asia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Segal, G.

    1991-01-01

    The fate of northeast Asia is central to the global balance of power. But just as the Cold War took a different course in northeast Asia than it did in its central battleground in Europe, so the post-Cold War world in northeast Asia is taking on a different shape. In Europe, formal arms control was a feature of the political landscape both before and after sweeping changes began altering the face of the continent in 1989. In contrast, northeast Asia saw only informal arms control measures before 1989. But in the post-Cold War world, the opportunity for more formal accords seems to be growing as the changing political environment makes them possible. In the rapidly developing virtuous circle of detente in northeast Asia, the prospects for arms control progress are better than ever, although considerable obstacles remain in the way. One of the unique features of northeast Asia is the convergence of interests of four of the world's most powerful nations - the US, the Soviet Union, Japan, and China. But unlike Europe, where the interests of the Soviet Union and the US have intermingled with those of the diverse members of the European Community (EC) and resulted in far-reaching arms reduction and confidence-building accords, northeast Asia has known only limited regional efforts at reducing tension and enhancing regional security. Nevertheless, unilateral moves and bilateral discussions among the four powers have produced a Sino-Soviet detente, reductions in US and Soviet forces in the Pacific region, the beginning of a Soviet-Japanese dialogue aimed at normalizing relations, and an overall trend toward closer diplomatic and economic relations throughout the region

  5. Chlorophyll-a Concentrations Affected by Discharge and Climate Conditions in Galveston Bay, Texas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shen, X.; Gao, H.; Zhang, S.

    2017-12-01

    As the transition zones between river and ocean, estuaries face increasing pressure on their ecosystem health due to changes of freshwater quantity and quality—especially under the impacts of population growth, land use/land cover change, and climate change. Located at the northeast of Houston, Galveston Bay is of particular social economic importance for the State of Texas. Its freshwater inflow primarily arises from two rivers, the San Jacinto and the Trinity. While it is well recognized that Chlorophyll a (chla) concentration—an indicator of ecosystem health—is closely linked to river inflows and other environmental factors, no quantitative relationships have been established. The objectives of this study are to identify the spatial-temporal variations of chla, and to investigate the impacts of freshwater inflow and climatic factors on chla variability—so that prediction models can be developed for chla forecasting to provide scientific support for ecological management (in Galveston Bay). A 10-year validated remote sensing dataset is used in this analysis. The results show that chla has higher concentrations near the shoreline, as compared to the center of the bay. Temporally, chla tends to be higher in wet years than in dry years. Similarly, the seasonal fluctuations of chla are more significant during the wet months (from February to May) than the dry months (especially from August to December). Chla in the bay is primarily determined by discharge from the Trinity River in AMJ (April, May, June) and JAS (July, August, September). However, the driving factor is mainly water temperature in OND (October, November, December). In JFM (January, February, March), almost all of the factors (except discharge from the San Jacinto River) show significant correlation with chla. Based on these analyses, a chla prediction model is developed and tested. This result can provide scientific support for coastal environmental management in Galveston Bay, maintaining the

  6. The Northeast Greenland Shelf as a Potential Habitat for the Northeast Arctic Cod

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kjersti O. Strand

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Observations (1978–1991 of distributions of pelagic juvenile Northeast Arctic cod (Gadus morhua L. show that up to 1/3 of the year class are dispersed off the continental shelf and into the deep Norwegian Sea while on the way from the spring-spawning areas along the Norwegian coast to the autumn-settlement areas in the Barents Sea. The fate of this variable fraction of pelagic juveniles off-shelf has been an open question ever since Johan Hjort's (1914 seminal work. We have examined both the mechanisms causing offspring off-shelf transport, and their subsequent destiny using an individual-based biophysical model applied to quantify growth and dispersal. Our results show, consistently with the observations, that total off-shelf transport is highly variable between years and may be up to 27.4%. Offspring from spawning grounds around Lofoten have a higher chance of being displaced off the shelf. The off-shelf transport is dominated by episodic events where frequencies and dates vary between years. Northeasterly wind conditions over a 3–7-day period prior to the off-shelf events are a good proxy for dispersal of offspring off the shelf. Offspring transported into the open ocean are on average carried along three following routes: back onto the adjacent eastern shelves and into the Barents Sea (36.9%, recirculating within the Lofoten Basin (60.7%, or drifting northwest to the northeast Greenland shelf (2.4%. For the latter fraction the transport may exceed 12% depending on year. Recent investigations have discovered distributions of young cod on the northeast Greenland shelf indicating that conditions may support survival for Northeast Arctic cod offspring.

  7. Alterations in the organic carbon pool recorded in sediments of Guanabara Bay, Brazil, a fertilized tropical estuary

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Carreira, R.S.; Kalas, F.A.; Santos, E.S.; Lima, A.L.; Godoy, J.M.; Wagener, A.L.R.

    1999-01-01

    We designed a core project in Guanabara Bay aimed at studying the possible anthropogenic impact on early diagenesis of sedimentary organic matter deposited in this system over the last century. The basic approach has been to look for the molecular, elemental (C, N and P) and isotopic compositions of organic matter in order to obtain the necessary information. The present work presents data on C, P and isotopic composition of organic matter, as well as the results of polyaromatic hydrocarbons, sedimentation rates and humic acids so far obtained for cores collected at several stations in the bay

  8. Nuclear policies in Northeast Asia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mack, A.

    1995-01-01

    In Northeast Asia, states have tried to enhance their security through unilateral means rather than cooperative ones. In this area, there is no regional multilateral security dialogue of significance. In the nuclear age, security is not something to be built for oneself irrespective of others. Security is something to be built together with one's opponents. The arms build-up in Northeast Asia is very substantial. Defence budgets are growing almost as fast as are the national economies. Still, there is no arms race, i.e. no interacting patterns of arms acquisitions and force deployments. There is a real risk, however, that the arms build-up might spill over into an arms race. Hence the case for cooperative policies - for confidence-building measures and arms control in particular - to prevent this from happening. The end of the Cold War has brought about profound changes in the international political and economic environment. There is a noticeable tendency towards political reconciliation and cooperation among states and an increasing interdependence and globalization. On the other hand, one cannot miss some worrisome phenomena, including the resurgence of nationalism, the multiplication of ethnic conflicts and the dangers associated with the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. This is particularly true of the Northeast Asian region. Although some changes in the regional security outlook are favourable, there are also sources of insecurity and uncertainty in Northeast Asia, not least being the disturbing trend towards a regional arms build-up. In today's Northeast Asia weapons proliferation is a source of growing concern. The major purpose of this volume is to provide a comprehensive analysis of the dimensions of the various nuclear problems and their interrelationships in Northeast Asia. A second purpose is to explore practical approaches to regional non-proliferation, to see how they may be strengthened and made mutually supportive of the global non

  9. Escherichia coli in the surface waters and in oysters of two cultivations of Guaratuba Bay - Paraná - Brazil

    OpenAIRE

    Forcelini,Helenita Catharina Dalla-Lana; Kolm,Hedda Elisabeth; Absher,Theresinha Monteiro

    2013-01-01

    The present work aimed to evaluate the contamination of Escherichia coli in the surface waters and oysters from two cultivations of Guaratuba Bay and to analyze the correlation patterns among the concentrations of E. coli in the waters and in the oysters with the local physical-chemical parameters. Samples were collected in the spring of 2007 and summer, autumn and winter of 2008 from two points of the bay (internal point and external point). From each cultivation and sampling period, 18 oyst...

  10. Implantation of tomography qualities in Centro Regional de Ciencias Nucleares do Nordeste, Brazil; Implantacao das qualidades de tomografia no Centro Regional de Ciencias Nucleares do Nordeste, CNEN-PE, Brazil

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Diniz, Osana F.; Silveira, Renata R.; Melo, Roberto T.; Oliveira, Marcia L., E-mail: osana.diniz@hotmail.com [Centro Regional de Ciencias Nucleares do Nordeste (CRCN-NE/CNEN-PE), Recife, PB (Brazil)

    2016-07-01

    The quality guarantee of the service offered by a ionizing radiation metrology laboratory is deeply connected to the conformity to the radiation beams implanted to the determination and definition present in the international standards and adopted by the Brazilian National Commission of Nuclear Energy – CNEN. The objective of this work was the implementation of computerized tomography qualities, RQT 8, 9 e 10, in accordance with the IEC-61267 standard in the Metrology Laboratory of the Northeast Regional Center of Nuclear Sciences (CRCN-NE), PE, Brazil. (author)

  11. Mesozooplankton of an impacted bay in North Eastern Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andréa Pinto Silva

    2004-07-01

    Full Text Available Mesozooplankton abundance and distribution at Suape Bay, Pernambuco, was studied to assess the impacts caused by the construction of an internal port to increase the capacity of the Suape Port Complex. Zooplankton sampling was done at 3 stations during the dry (November-December/1997 and rainy (April-May/1998 seasons. A plankton net with 300 µm mesh size was used. Wet weight plankton biomass ranged from 44 mg.m-3 to 3,638 mg.m-3. Forty-five macrozooplankton taxa were registered. The most abundant was Copepoda. Among copepods, Acartia lilljeborgi, Parvocalanus crassirostris, Oithona hebes, Corycaeus (C. speciosus and Temora turbinata were most frequent. Minimum abundance was 9 ind.m-3 and maximum was 2,532 ind.m-3. Average species diversity was 2.55 bits.ind-1. As a whole, Suape Bay has been under severe environmental stress and it seemed reasonable to assume that the recent modifications of the basin have resulted in changes in species composition and trophic structure, with an increase in marine influence.A abundância e a distribuição do mesozooplâncton na baía de Suape, Pernambuco, foram estudadas objetivando-se levantar os impactos causados pela construção de um porto interno para aumentar a capacidade do Complexo Portuário de Suape. Amostragens do zooplâncton foram feitas em três estações fixas, nos períodos seco (novembro-dezembro/1997 e chuvoso (abril-maio/1998. Uma rede de plâncton com 300 µm de abertura de malha foi usada. A biomassa do plâncton em termos de peso úmido variou de 44 mg.m-3 a 3.638 mg.m-3. Foram registrados 45 taxa zooplanctônicos, sendo Copepoda o mais abundante. Dentre os copépodes destacaram-se em termos de freqüência Acartia lilljeborgi, Parvocalanus crassirostris, Oithona hebes, Corycaeus (C. speciosus e Temora turbinata. A abundância mínima foi de 9 ind.m-3 e a máxima 2.532 ind.m-3. A média da diversidade de espécies foi 2,55 bits.ind-1. De forma geral, a baía de Suape mostrou-se sob

  12. 33 CFR 100.919 - International Bay City River Roar, Bay City, MI.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false International Bay City River Roar, Bay City, MI. 100.919 Section 100.919 Navigation and Navigable Waters COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF... Bay City River Roar, Bay City, MI. (a) Regulated Area. A regulated area is established to include all...

  13. Taxonomic and functional distinctness of the fish assemblages in three coastal environments (bays, coastal lagoons and oceanic beaches) in Southeastern Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Azevedo, Márcia Cristina Costa; Gomes-Gonçalves, Rafaela de Sousa; Mattos, Tailan Moretti; Uehara, Wagner; Guedes, Gustavo Henrique Soares; Araújo, Francisco Gerson

    2017-08-01

    Several species of marine fish use different coastal systems especially during their early development. However, these habitats are jeopardized by anthropogenic influences threatening the success of fish populations, and urgent measures are needed to priorize areas to protect their sustainability. We applied taxonomic (Δ+) and functional (X+) distinctiveness indices that represent taxonomic composition and functional roles to assess biodiversity of three different costal systems: bays, coastal lagoons and oceanic beaches. We hypothesized that difference in habitat characteristics, especially in the more dynamism and habitat homogeneity of oceanic beaches compared with more habitat diversity and sheltered conditions of bays and coastal lagoons results in differences in fish richness and taxonomic and functional diversity. The main premise is that communities phylogenetically and functionally more distinct have more interest in conservation policies. Significant differences (P PERMANOVA. Fish richness was higher in bays compared with the coastal lagoons and oceanic beaches. Higher Δ+ was found for the coastal lagoons compared with the bays and oceanic beaches, with the bays having some values below the confidence limit. Similar patterns were found for X+, although all values were within the confidence limits for the bays, suggesting that the absence of some taxa does not interfere in functional diversity. The hypothesis that taxonomic and functional structure of fish assemblages differ among the three systems was accepted and we suggest that coastal lagoons should be priorized in conservation programs because they support more taxonomic and functional distinctiveness. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. 3rd Singularity Theory Meeting of Northeast region & the Brazil-Mexico 2nd Meeting on Singularities

    CERN Document Server

    Neto, Aurélio; Mond, David; Saia, Marcelo; Snoussi, Jawad; BMMS 2/NBMS 3; ENSINO; Singularities and foliations geometry, topology and applications

    2018-01-01

    This proceedings book brings selected works from two conferences, the 2nd Brazil-Mexico Meeting on Singularity and the 3rd Northeastern Brazilian Meeting on Singularities, that were hold in Salvador, in July 2015. All contributions were carefully peer-reviewed and revised, and cover topics like Equisingularity, Topology and Geometry of Singularities, Topological Classification of Singularities of Mappings, and more. They were written by mathematicians from several countries, including Brazil, Spain, Mexico, Japan and the USA, on relevant topics on Theory of Singularity, such as studies on deformations, Milnor fibration, foliations, Catastrophe theory, and myriad applications. Open problems are also introduced, making this volume a must-read both for graduate students and active researchers in this field.

  15. A note on the occurrence of praniza larvae of Gnathiidae (Crustacea, Isopoda on fishes from Northeast of Pará, Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniel G. Diniz

    2008-12-01

    Full Text Available The infection of the estuarine teleost fishes Mugil gaimardianus Desmarest, 1831 (Mugilidae, Arius phrygiatus Valenciennes, 1839 (Ariidae, Conodon nobilis Linnaeus, 1759 (Haemulidae, Cetengraulis edentulus Cuvier, 1829 (Engraulidae, and Anableps anableps Linnaeus, 1758 (Anablepidae by praniza larvae of Gnathiidae (Crustacea, Isopoda was studied in specimens fished off the Atlantic Ocean in Northeast of Pará State, near Bragança, Brazil. The highest infection prevalence value was found in Anableps anableps (42.3% and the lowest in Conodon nobilis (9.1%. The mean intensity varied from 1 parasitein Conodon nobilis to 19.5 in Arius phrygiatus. A description of the larvae is provided. The morphology of the mouthparts is related to the blood sucking activity, and is compared with the characteristics of other gnathiidae species.Foi estudada a parasitose dos peixes estuarinos Mugil gaimardianus Desmarest, 1831 (Mugilidae, Arius phrygiatus Valenciennes, 1839 (Ariidae, Conodon nobilis Linnaeus, 1759 (Haemulidae, Cetengraulis edentulus Cuvier, 1829 (Engraulidae, e Anableps anableps Linnaeus, 1758 (Anablepidae por larvas praniza de Gnathiidae (Crustacea, Isopoda em exemplares pescados no Oceano Atlântico, no Nordeste do Pará, próximo a Bragança, Brasil. O valor mais elevado da prevalência da infecção foi observado em A. anableps (42,3% e o menor em C. nobilis (9,1%. A intensidade média da parasitose variou entre 1 parasita em C. nobilis até 19,5 em A. phrygiatus. Efetua-se a descrição da larva, verificando-se que a morfologia da armadura bucal está relacionada com a atividade sugadora de sangue, e faz-se a comparação com as características de outras espécies.

  16. [Food prices in Brazil: prefer cooking to ultra-processed foods].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Claro, Rafael Moreira; Maia, Emanuella Gomes; Costa, Bruna Vieira de Lima; Diniz, Danielle Pereira

    2016-08-29

    This study aims to describe the prices of food groups consumed in Brazil considering the nature, extent, and purpose of their processing. Data were obtained from the Brazilian Household Budget Survey for 2008-2009. The mean prices of the groups (natural, cooking ingredients, processed, and ultra-processed) and their respective food subgroups were estimated for Brazil according to income, region, and area. Natural products and cooking ingredients showed lower prices per calorie when compared to the other groups, suggesting an economic advantage to preparing meals at home when compared to replacing them with ultra-processed foods. Families with the highest income paid the highest prices for their food, while families in the Northeast and North regions and rural areas paid the lowest. While fresh foods (meat, milk, fruit, and vegetables) tend to cost more than ultra-processed foods, dry grains (like rice and beans) are a more economical alternative for adopting healthy eating practices.

  17. New records of amphoroid diatoms (Bacillariophyceae from Cachoeira River, Northeast Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    KP Cavalcante

    Full Text Available Amphoroid taxa have been revised in recent decades. Many species formerly assigned to Amphora have been transferred to other recently proposed genera, as Seminavis (Naviculaceae and Halamphora (Catenulaceae. In Brazil, there are few studies focused on amphoroid taxonomy. This study presents a taxonomic investigation of five uncommon amphoroid taxa from Brazilian diatom flora: Seminavis pusilla, S. strigosa, Amphora ectorii, Halamphora ghanensis and Halamphora sp. Seminavis strigosa is identical in valve morphology and morphometrical data to Amphora twenteana, and its synonymy is proposed. Seminavis pusilla, poorly found in Brazilian waters, has expanded its distribution. Halamphora ghanensis is a new record to American continent while Amphora ectorii are new to Brazilian aquatic systems. Halamphora sp. has distinct ultrastructural features in relation to similar species and is probably new for science.

  18. Spectral Wave Characteristics in the Nearshore Waters of Northwestern Bay of Bengal

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anjali Nair, M.; Sanil Kumar, V.; Amrutha, M. M.

    2018-03-01

    The spectral wave characteristics in the nearshore waters of northwestern Bay of Bengal are presented based on the buoy-measured data from February 2013 to December 2015 off Gopalpur at 15-m water depth. The mean seasonal significant wave height and mean wave period indicate that the occurrence of higher wave heights and wave periods is during the southwest monsoon period (June-September). 74% of the sea surface height variance in a year is a result of waves from 138 to 228° and 16% are from 48 to 138°. Strong inter-annual variability is observed in the monthly average wave parameters due to the occurrence of tropical cyclones. Due to the influence of the tropical cyclone Phailin, maximum significant wave height of 6.7 m is observed on 12 October 2013 and that due to tropical cyclone Hudhud whose track is 250 southwest of the study location is 5.84 m on 12 October 2014. Analysis revealed that a single tropical cyclone influenced the annual maximum significant wave height and not the annual average value which is almost same ( 1 m) in 2014 and 2015. The waves in the northwestern Bay of Bengal are influenced by the southwest and northeast monsoons, southern ocean swells and cyclones.

  19. First forensic records of termite activity on non-fossilized human bones in Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    R. A. Queiroz

    Full Text Available Abstract The aim of this study was to describe the first records of termite activity on non-fossilized human bones in Brazil. The cases reported in this study resulted from forensic analysis of six human skeletons found in northeastern Brazil between 2012 and 2014. Traces of tunnels and nests commonly produced by termites were found on several human bone surfaces as well as the specimens and characteristic signs of osteophagic activity. In four cases, the species were identified: Amitermes amifer Silvestri, 1901, Nasutitermes corniger (Motschulsky, 1855 (on two skeletons, and Microcerotermes indistinctus Mathews, 1977. In two other cases, the activity of termites on bone surfaces was evidenced by remains of nests and tunnels produced by these insects. At least in the samples of human remains available for this report, the number of termites collected was greater on bones found during autumn, the rainy season in the Northeast of Brazil. The human bones examined showed termites like insects with lots of strength at bone degradation, capable of continuing the process of decomposition of human remains even in completely skeletonized bodies.

  20. 33 CFR 117.829 - Northeast Cape Fear River.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Northeast Cape Fear River. 117... BRIDGES DRAWBRIDGE OPERATION REGULATIONS Specific Requirements North Carolina § 117.829 Northeast Cape... the Seaboard System Railroad Bridge across the Northeast Cape Fear River, mile 27.0, at Castle Hayne...

  1. Aurelia labiata jellyfish in Roscoe Bay on the West Coast of Canada: Seasonal changes in adult bell diameter and mingling of juvenile and adult populations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Albert, David J.; Walsh, Michael L.

    2014-01-01

    The bell diameter of adult Aurelia labiata in Roscoe Bay increased from spring (April) to early summer (May/June) and decreased over the rest of the year (2009/2010). The increase in bell diameter in the spring would have been supported by the increase in zooplankton that occurs in the northeast Pacific at this time. Over the summer, bell diameter may have decreased because the food available/medusa would have been decreased by the arrival of a large number of juveniles and may have decreased further over the fall and winter when zooplankton levels are known to be low. Adults and juveniles were intermingled during 2010, 2011, and 2012. Correlations between the number of adults and number of juveniles obtained in individual net lifts across the entire bay and in different parts of the bay were all positive and most were statistically significant. In 2012, salinity in the entire water column of the west side of the bay dropped below 20 ppt in July and most medusae migrated to higher salinity in the east side of the bay, a distance of about 0.5 km. The mingling of adults and juveniles supports other evidence that adult Aurelia sp. medusae do not prey upon juveniles. The ability to withstand months with insufficient food and to inhibit preying on juveniles would contribute greatly to the survival of Aurelia sp. jellyfish.

  2. Migratory flows and foraging habitat selection by shorebirds along the northeastern coast of Brazil: The case of Baía de Todos os Santos

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lunardi, Vitor O.; Macedo, Regina H.; Granadeiro, José P.; Palmeirim, Jorge M.

    2012-01-01

    Large numbers of Nearctic shorebirds migrate and winter along the coast of northeastern Brazil, but there is little information on their migratory flows, foraging ecology, and on the structure of the species assemblages that they form with resident shorebirds. We studied these issues on intertidal flats of Baía de Todos os Santos (Bahia), the second largest bay in Brazil. During a full year cycle we carried out weekly bird counts in an intertidal area of 280 ha divided in sectors, where we also measured environmental parameters. The analyses of weekly counts resulted in a detailed phenology of use of the area by shorebirds. Five species were resident and ten were Nearctic migrants. Several of the latter had clear peaks in numbers in March and October, revealing the use of the bay as a stopover during both the north-bound and south-bound migration flows. A canonical correspondence analysis of the relationship between environmental parameters and bird numbers indicated that the foraging bird assemblage could be divided into five main groups, occupying distinct ecological gradients in the study area. The most important factors driving this structure were invertebrate prey abundance, percentage of fine sediments, area of mangrove cover and distance to channels. Our findings imply that maintenance of the diversity of intertidal habitats in this bay is crucial to satisfy the particular habitat requirements of resident and migrant shorebirds using the northeastern coastal regions of Brazil.

  3. Recent evoluation of the private property of the Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ralfo Edmundo da Silva Matos

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available The issue of private property and its correlation with the expansion of modernity, with the affirmation of industrial capitalism, and with the consecration of laws and fundamental clauses is age-old and permeates the philosophical approaches from Plato and Aristotle to Morus, Hobbes, and Locke, reaching even authors from the Age of Enlightenment such as Rousseau and Voltaire, among others. The debate over private property is, therefore, a recurring subject that still captures the attention of many research scholars. In Brazil, given the historical record of the dispossessed, the late abolition of slavery (1888, and the sheer size of the country, it is a given fact that owning a household has always been the dream of millions of families. Even today, millions of precarious households shape the physiognomy of Brazilian cities. Nevertheless, recent census data have lead to the conclusion that changes in this scenario have occurred. In urban Brazil, the growth rate of “owned” and “unowned” households has been greater than demographic growth, especially in the North, Midwest, and Northeast regions of the country. The “unowned” / “owned” proportion has risen in all Sates of the Federal Union, and in many cases, this increase has been remarkable, in excess of 40%. The three regions where the growth rate of “owned” households proved to be higher (North, Northeast, and Midwest also stand out among those that show the most noticeable increase in the ratio between “owned” and “unowned” households. The results also indicate a strong expansion of “unowned” and rented households in the country. The annual growth reached 3.79% from 2000 to 2010, significantly higher than the growth of the resident population in Brazil, and all states showed positive growth rates. The proportion of “owned” households by city, as compared to the average of “owned” households in Brazil, clearly shows that, in the vast majority of Brazilian

  4. 77 FR 2972 - Thunder Bay Power Company, Thunder Bay Power, LLC, et al.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-01-20

    ... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Thunder Bay Power Company, Thunder Bay Power, LLC, et al.; Notice of Application for Transfer of Licenses, and Soliciting Comments and Motions To Intervene Thunder Bay Power Company Project No. 2404-095 Thunder Bay Power, LLC Midwest Hydro, Inc...

  5. Determination of circulation and short period fluctuation in Ilha Grande Bay (RJ, Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yoshimine Ikeda

    1980-06-01

    Full Text Available A mesosoale study was made of the Ilha Grande area. The local circulation described through -progressive vector diagrams showed a clochwise bottom circulation determined in June 1976, while in the upper 10 m the direction of the flow entering the Ilha Grande Bay was towards the center in the west and towards the Marambaia sandbank in the east side of the Bay. Short periods and amplitude fluctuations were evaluted using power spectral analysis, Fourier and Maximum Entropy Method, which showed that in the upper 10 m predominant periods decrease from 1.1h (A = 6.3cm sec-1 (position = 3C to 1.0h (A = 7.4 cm sec-1 (position = 2D and increase to 5.8h (A = 6.8 cm., sec-1 (position = ID, while at the bottom layer the predominant period increases from 0.4 h (A = 5.0 cm sec-1 (position = 3G to 6.4h (A = 7.0 cm sec-1 (position = 2G and to 4.4h (A = 7.9 cm sec-1 (position = 1G . From the original data it has been possible to determine an "intense pulsation" between 30-70 cm sec-1 in the upper 10 m with about 1.0h period and 10-20 min duration in all the stations.

  6. The Zika Virus Epidemic in Brazil: From Discovery to Future Implications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lowe, Rachel; Barcellos, Christovam; Brasil, Patrícia; Cruz, Oswaldo G; Honório, Nildimar Alves; Kuper, Hannah; Carvalho, Marilia Sá

    2018-01-09

    The first confirmed case of Zika virus infection in the Americas was reported in Northeast Brazil in May 2015, although phylogenetic studies indicate virus introduction as early as 2013. Zika rapidly spread across Brazil and to more than 50 other countries and territories on the American continent. The Aedes aegypti mosquito is thought to be the principal vector responsible for the widespread transmission of the virus. However, sexual transmission has also been reported. The explosively emerging epidemic has had diverse impacts on population health, coinciding with cases of Guillain-Barré Syndrome and an unexpected epidemic of newborns with microcephaly and other neurological impairments. This led to Brazil declaring a national public health emergency in November 2015, followed by a similar decision by the World Health Organization three months later. While dengue virus serotypes took several decades to spread across Brazil, the Zika virus epidemic diffused within months, extending beyond the area of permanent dengue transmission, which is bound by a climatic barrier in the south and low population density areas in the north. This rapid spread was probably due to a combination of factors, including a massive susceptible population, climatic conditions conducive for the mosquito vector, alternative non-vector transmission, and a highly mobile population. The epidemic has since subsided, but many unanswered questions remain. In this article, we provide an overview of the discovery of Zika virus in Brazil, including its emergence and spread, epidemiological surveillance, vector and non-vector transmission routes, clinical complications, and socio-economic impacts. We discuss gaps in the knowledge and the challenges ahead to anticipate, prevent, and control emerging and re-emerging epidemics of arboviruses in Brazil and worldwide.

  7. The Zika Virus Epidemic in Brazil: From Discovery to Future Implications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rachel Lowe

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available The first confirmed case of Zika virus infection in the Americas was reported in Northeast Brazil in May 2015, although phylogenetic studies indicate virus introduction as early as 2013. Zika rapidly spread across Brazil and to more than 50 other countries and territories on the American continent. The Aedes aegypti mosquito is thought to be the principal vector responsible for the widespread transmission of the virus. However, sexual transmission has also been reported. The explosively emerging epidemic has had diverse impacts on population health, coinciding with cases of Guillain–Barré Syndrome and an unexpected epidemic of newborns with microcephaly and other neurological impairments. This led to Brazil declaring a national public health emergency in November 2015, followed by a similar decision by the World Health Organization three months later. While dengue virus serotypes took several decades to spread across Brazil, the Zika virus epidemic diffused within months, extending beyond the area of permanent dengue transmission, which is bound by a climatic barrier in the south and low population density areas in the north. This rapid spread was probably due to a combination of factors, including a massive susceptible population, climatic conditions conducive for the mosquito vector, alternative non-vector transmission, and a highly mobile population. The epidemic has since subsided, but many unanswered questions remain. In this article, we provide an overview of the discovery of Zika virus in Brazil, including its emergence and spread, epidemiological surveillance, vector and non-vector transmission routes, clinical complications, and socio-economic impacts. We discuss gaps in the knowledge and the challenges ahead to anticipate, prevent, and control emerging and re-emerging epidemics of arboviruses in Brazil and worldwide.

  8. Implantation of tomography qualities in Centro Regional de Ciencias Nucleares do Nordeste, Brazil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Diniz, Osana F.; Silveira, Renata R.; Melo, Roberto T.; Oliveira, Marcia L.

    2016-01-01

    The quality guarantee of the service offered by a ionizing radiation metrology laboratory is deeply connected to the conformity to the radiation beams implanted to the determination and definition present in the international standards and adopted by the Brazilian National Commission of Nuclear Energy – CNEN. The objective of this work was the implementation of computerized tomography qualities, RQT 8, 9 e 10, in accordance with the IEC-61267 standard in the Metrology Laboratory of the Northeast Regional Center of Nuclear Sciences (CRCN-NE), PE, Brazil. (author)

  9. Upregulation of biotransformation genes in gills of oyster Crassostrea brasiliana exposed in situ to urban effluents, Florianópolis Bay, Southern Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pessatti, Tomás B; Lüchmann, Karim H; Flores-Nunes, Fabrício; Mattos, Jacó J; Sasaki, Sílvio T; Taniguchi, Satie; Bícego, Márcia C; Dias Bainy, Afonso Celso

    2016-09-01

    The release of untreated sanitary sewage, combined with unplanned urban growth, are major factors contributing to degradation of coastal ecosystems in developing countries, including Brazil. Sanitary sewage is a complex mixture of chemicals that can negatively affect aquatic organisms. The use of molecular biomarkers can help to understand and to monitor the biological effects elicited by contaminants. The aim of this study was to evaluate changes in transcript levels of genes related to xenobiotic biotransformation in the gills of oysters Crassostrea brasiliana transplanted and kept for 24h at three areas potentially contaminated by sanitary sewage (Bücheller river, BUC; Biguaçu river, BIG; and Ratones island, RAT), one farming area (Sambaqui beach, SAM) and at one reference site (Forte beach, FOR) in the North Bay of Santa Catarina Island (Florianópolis, Brazil). Transcript levels of four cytochrome P450 isoforms (CYP2AU1, CYP3A-like, CYP356A1-like and CYP20A1-like), three glutathione S-transferase (GST alpha-like, GST pi-like and GST microsomal 3-like) and one sulfotransferase gene (SULT-like) were evaluated by means of quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR). Chemical analysis of the sediment from each site were performed and revealed the presence of aliphatic and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, linear alkylbenzenes and fecal sterols in the contaminated areas (BUC and BIG). Water quality analysis showed that these sites had the highest levels of fecal coliforms and other parameters evidencing the presence of urban sewage discharges. Among the results for gene transcription, CYP2AU1 and SULT-like levels were upregulated by 20 and 50-fold, respectively, in the oysters kept for 24h at the most contaminated site (BUC), suggesting a role of these genes in the detoxification of organic pollutants. These data reinforce that gills possibly have an important role in xenobiotic metabolism and highlight the use of C. brasiliana as a sentinel for monitoring

  10. Characterization and genesis of waterfalls of the Presidente Figueiredo region, Northeast State of Amazonas, Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    AFONSO C. R. NOGUEIRA

    2001-06-01

    Full Text Available The waterfalls of the Presidente Figueiredo municipality represent a fascinating natural scenery of northeast state of Amazonas, northern Brazil. The falls, generally less than 10m high, are developed on siliciclastic rocks of the Nhamundá (Lower Silurian, and Manacapuru (Upper Silurian - Lower Devonian formations. Morphological and structural analyses of these features indicate that most of them originated through Quaternary neotectonics and are installed in NE-trending normal fault escarpments. Waterfalls also developed within pseudokarstic features, but are less frequent. The origin of the Presidente Figueiredo waterfalls probably goes back to the Neogene, when the region was submitted to laterization processes associated with a humid climate and a dense rainforest. These conditions favored the development of caves in quartzarenites of the Nhamundá Formation. During the Quaternary, the region was subjected to NE-trending normal faulting which displaced laterite layers, rivers and streams giving rise to waterfalls. These climatic and tectonic phenomena promoted intense relief dissection, as indicated by fault escarpment retreat and cave dismantlement, responsible for the present-day morphologic configuration.As cachoeiras da região de Presidente Figueiredo constituem um dos mais fascinantes cenários naturais do nordeste do Estado do Amazonas, norte do Brasil. As quedas, geralmente com menos de 10m de altura, são desenvolvidas em rochas siliciclásticas das formações Nhamundá (Siluriano inferior e Manacapuru (Siluriano superior-Devoniano inferior. Os estudos morfológico e estrutural dessas feições indicam que a maioria dessas quedas de água originaram-se por neotectônica quaternária e encontram-se instaladas em escarpas de falhas normais NE-SW. Ocorrem, ainda, com menor freqüência, cachoeiras evoluídas a partir de feições pseudocársticas. A origem das cachoeiras de Presidente Figueiredo provavelmente remonta ao Ne

  11. Replacement of Neisseria meningitidis C cc11/ET-15 variant by a cc103 hypervirulent clone, Brazil 2005-2011.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sardinha, Guilherme; Cordeiro, Soraia; Gomes, Erica; Romanelli, Cinthia; Andrade, Claudia; Reis, Joice; de Filippis, Ivano

    2013-08-01

    Outbreaks caused by serogroup C meningococci in the northeast region of Brazil from 2005 to 2011 were associated to the emergence of variant ET-15 of cc11, which has been replaced by cc103 from 2006 to date. The increase of cc103 should be closely monitored to prevent the spread of this clone to neighbouring regions. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Prevalência de sobrepeso e obesidade nas regiões Nordeste e Sudeste do Brasil Overweight and obesity prevalence in Northeast and Southeast Regions of Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marcelo Militão Abrantes

    2003-06-01

    Full Text Available OBJETIVO: Avaliar a prevalência de sobrepeso e obesidade em crianças, adolescentes, adultos e idosos brasileiros das regiões Nordeste e Sudeste; MÉTODOS: Avaliação antropométrica de 17.184 pessoas, estudadas na Pesquisa sobre Padrões de Vida (PPV realizada pelo IBGE em 1996/97, através do índice de massa corporal sendo usados como limite para sobrepeso e obesidade os valores propostos por Cole et al. por permitirem uma continuidade de critério de sobrepeso e obesidade na infância, adolescência e idade adulta. RESULTADOS: Predomínio do sexo feminino, 53,1%, na população estudada. A média de idade foi de 29 anos e 5 meses (desvio padrão de ± 20 anos, a mediana foi de 25 anos e 6 meses. A prevalência de sobrepeso foi de 10,8% entre crianças, 9,9% nos adolescentes e 28,3% entre adultos e a de obesidade foi 7,3%, 1,8% e 9,7%, respectivamente. Observado um aumento gradativo da prevalência de sobrepeso e obesidade desde a infância até a idade adulta, com declínio entre os idosos. CONCLUSÕES: Prevalência conjunta de sobrepeso e obesidade na população brasileira é maior no sexo feminino sendo que mais da metade das mulheres das regiões Nordeste e Sudeste do Brasil, com idade entre 50 e 69 anos, têm sobrepeso e/ou obesidade. A comparação de estudos de prevalência de sobrepeso e obesidade na infância e adolescência é dificultada pela escassez de estudos populacionais nacionais e diversidade de critérios utilizados na avaliação nutricional.OBJECTIVE: to evaluate the prevalence of overweight and obesity in children, adolescents, adults and elderlies from Northeast and Southeast regions of Brazil. METHODS: anthropometric evaluation of 17.184 people, studied in Life Pattern Research conducted by Brazilian Institute of Geographic and Statistics in 1996/97, by body mass index. Overweight and obesity definitions according to body mass index values proposed by Cole et al. which are related to adult definition. RESULTS: It

  13. Potencial eólico na direção predominante do vento no Nordeste brasileiro Wind energy potential for the prevailing direction in Northeast Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bernardo B. da Silva

    2002-12-01

    Full Text Available Neste trabalho, foram utilizados dados horários de velocidade e direção do vento, provenientes de registros de anemógrafo Universal Fuess, a 10 m de altura, de 77 estações climatológicas pertencentes ao Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia (INMET, no período de janeiro de 1977 a dezembro de 1981. O objetivo da pesquisa foi a determinação da potência eólica média horária da direção predominante do vento em todas as estações selecionadas. Para tanto, identificou-se a direção predominante do vento de cada localidade e se estimaram os parâmetros da distribuição de Weibull, através dos quais se calculou a potência eólica média horária. Em função dos resultados apresentados neste trabalho, constatou-se que a direção predominante do vento no Nordeste do Brasil é de Leste, com flutuações para Sudeste e Nordeste. O ajuste do Método dos Momentos evidenciou-se melhor que o dos Mínimos Quadrados. Os Estados do Maranhão e Rio Grande do Norte apresentaram, respectivamente, o menor e maior potencial eólico. As estações de Alto Parnaíba, MA, e Acaraú, CE, apresentaram, mensalmente, a menor (0,022 W m-2 e a maior (138,302 W m-2 potência eólica, respectivamente.Hourly mean data of wind speed and direction, measured with a Fuess anemograph at 10 m height, were used in this study. These data were collected from January 1977 to December 1981 at 77 weather stations located in the Northeast of Brazil. The main objective of the study was to determine the wind energy potential for the predominant wind direction of selected stations; therefore, the identification of the relative frequency related to the hourly mean wind speed of the predominant direction was carried out. Then, the parameters, of a Weibull distribution related to the hourly mean wind speed of the predominant direction at each station were estimated by Moments and Graphical methods. The results show that the predominant wind direction in Northeast as a whole is

  14. Refinement of the daily precipitation simulated by the CMIP5 models over the north of the Northeast of Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gyrlene Aparecida Mendes da Silva

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available The ability of the Artificial Neural Network (ANN and the Multiple Linear Regression (MLR in reproducing the area-average observed daily precipitation during the rainy season (Feb-Mar-Apr over the north of the Northeast of Brazil (NEB is examined. For the present climate of Dec-Jan-Feb from 1963 to 2003 period these statistical models are developed and validated using the observed daily precipitation and simulated from the historical outputs of 4 models of the fifth phase of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5. The simulations from all the models during DJF and FMA seasons show an anomalous intensification of the ITCZ and southward displacement in comparison with the climatology. Correlations of 0.54, 0.66 and 0.66 are found between the simulated daily precipitation of the CCSM4, GFDL_ESM2M and MIROC_ESM models during DJF season and the observed values during FMA season. Only the CCSM4 model displays a slightly reasonable agreement with the observations. A comparison between the statistical downscaling using the nonlinear (ANN and linear model (MLR to identify the one most suitable for the analysis of daily precipitation was made. The ANN technique provides more ability to predict the present climate when compared to MLR technique. Based on this result, we examined the accuracy of the ANN model in project the changes for the future climate period from 2055 to 2095 over the same study region. For instance, a comparison between the daily precipitation changes projected indirectly from the ANN during Feb-Mar-Apr with those projected directly from the CMIP5 models forced by RCP 8.5 scenario is made. The results suggest that ANN model weights the CMIP5 projections according to the each model ability in simulating the present climate (and its variability. In others, the ANN model is a potentially promising approach to use as a complementary tool to improvement of the seasonal numerical simulations.

  15. Plutonium as a tracer for soil erosion assessment in northeast China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Yihong; Qiao, Jixin; Pan, Shaoming; Hou, Xiaolin; Roos, Per; Cao, Liguo

    2015-04-01

    Soil erosion is one of the most serious environmental and agricultural problems faced by human society. Assessing intensity is an important issue for controlling soil erosion and improving eco-environmental quality. The suitability of the application of plutonium (Pu) as a tracer for soil erosion assessment in northeast China was investigated by comparing with that of 137Cs. Here we build on preliminary work, in which we investigated the potential of Pu as a soil erosion tracer by sampling additional reference sites and potential erosive sites, along the Liaodong Bay region in northeast China, for Pu isotopes and 137Cs. 240Pu/239Pu atomic ratios in all samples were approximately 0.18, which indicated that the dominant source of Pu was the global fallout. Pu showed very similar distribution patterns to those of 137Cs at both uncultivated and cultivated sites. 239+240Pu concentrations in all uncultivated soil cores followed an exponential decline with soil depth, whereas at cultivated sites, Pu was homogenously distributed in plow horizons. Factors such as planted crop types, as well as methods and frequencies of irrigation and tillage were suggested to influence the distribution of radionuclides in cultivated land. The baseline inventories of 239+240Pu and 137Cs were 88.4 and 1688 Bq m(-2) respectively. Soil erosion rates estimated by 239+240Pu tracing method were consistent with those obtained by the 137Cs method, confirming that Pu is an effective tracer with a similar tracing behavior to that of 137Cs for soil erosion assessment. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Avaliação de macro e microminerais em frutas tropicais cultivadas no nordeste brasileiro Evaluation of macro and micro-mineral content in tropical fruits cultivated in the northeast of Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria Mozarina Beserra Almeida

    2009-09-01

    Full Text Available O Brasil tem grande importância no mercado de frutas; porém há escassez de dados acerca da composição das frutas tropicais brasileiras, principalmente daquelas produzidas no nordeste. No presente estudo, determinaram-se macro e microminerais de 11 frutas tropicais cultivadas no nordeste brasileiro: abacaxi, ata, graviola, jaca, mamão, mangaba, murici, sapoti, seriguela, tamarindo e umbu. As amostras foram desidratadas e mineralizadas em HNO3/HClO4 (3:1. Os minerais Ca, Mg, Mn, Zn, Fe, Co, Se e Ni foram analisados por espectrofotometria de absorção atômica, Na e K por fotometria de chama e P por método colorimétrico. Os resultados indicaram que o tamarindo pode ser considerado excelente fonte de Mg, Cu e K; além de boa fonte em Ca, P, Fe e Se. Dentre os minerais avaliados nas frutas estudadas, K apresentou o maior conteúdo, seguido pelo Ca e Mg. Ata, graviola, sapoti e murici são boas fontes de dois ou mais minerais. Correlações elevadas foram obtidas entre K e os minerais P, Co e Fe; e entre Co e Fe. Portanto, sugere-se o consumo dos frutos tropicais estudados, como auxiliares na reposição de nutrientes minerais.Brazil has great importance in the fruits market; however, data on the composition of Brazilian tropical fruits, mainly of those produced in the Northeast region, is scarce. In the present study, it was determined the macro- and micro-minerals of 11 tropical fruits cultivated in the Northeast of Brazil: pineapple, sweetsop, soursop, jackfruit, papaya, mangaba, murici, sapodilla, ciruela, tamarind, and umbu. The samples were dehydrated and mineralized in HNO3/HClO4 (3:1 solution. The minerals Ca, Mg, Mn, Zn, Fe, Co, Se and Ni were analyzed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry; Na and K by flame photometry; and P by the colorimetric method. The results indicated that tamarind is a rich source of all minerals available, especially of Mg, Cu and K, in addition to being a good source of Ca, P, Fe, and Se. Among the

  17. 33 CFR 162.125 - Sturgeon Bay and the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal, Wisc.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Sturgeon Bay and the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal, Wisc. 162.125 Section 162.125 Navigation and Navigable Waters COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) PORTS AND WATERWAYS SAFETY INLAND WATERWAYS NAVIGATION REGULATIONS § 162.125 Sturgeon Bay and the Sturgeon Bay Ship...

  18. Stormwater impact in Guanabara Bay (Rio de Janeiro): Evidences of seasonal variability in the dynamic of the sediment heavy metals

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fonseca, E. M.; Baptista Neto, J. A.; Silva, C. G.; McAlister, J. J.; Smith, B. J.; Fernandez, M. A.

    2013-09-01

    Guanabara Bay is one of the most prominent coastal bays in Brazil. This environment is an estuary of 91 rivers and channels, surrounded by the metropolis of Rio de Janeiro. The bay receives considerable amounts of contaminants introduced from sewage effluents, industrial discharge, urban and agricultural runoff, atmospheric fallout, and the combined inputs from the rivers, making Guanabara Bay one of the most polluted coastal environments on the Brazilian coastline. The aim of this work is to study the concentration and fractionation of the heavy metals within the sediments of the bay. In order to understand the possible seasonal influence on the heavy metal fractionation, two campaigns were carried out in two different seasons of the year (rainy and dry). Twelve stations, in four different areas, with different oceanographic characteristics, where chosen. To assess the bioavailability of the metals a selective extraction procedure was used to study the geochemical fractionation and bioavailability of Zn, Cu, Cr, Ni and Pb. The rainy season was very important with respect to variation in the total concentrations of Cr, Ni and Pb and their fractionation within different "operational" phases present in Guanabara Bay sediments. The water-soluble phase showed little importance, with respect to metal adsorption and this would suggest very low mobility of metals in the water column. Nevertheless, the potentially available metals within these sediments showed a high probability for their release and therefore cause contamination of the water column, since different parts of the bay are constantly subjected to dredging projects promoted by the harbor authorities.

  19. 76 FR 34139 - Northeast Corridor Safety Committee; Meeting Postponement

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-06-10

    .... 2] Northeast Corridor Safety Committee; Meeting Postponement AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration... announced the first meeting of the Northeast Corridor Safety Committee, a Federal Advisory Committee... future date. DATES: The meeting of the Northeast Corridor Safety Committee scheduled to commence on...

  20. Pb’s high sedimentation inside the bay mouth of Jiaozhou Bay

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Dongfang; Miao, Zhenqing; Huang, Xinmin; Wei, Linzhen; Feng, Ming

    2017-12-01

    Sedimentation is one of the key environmental behaviors of pollutants in the ocean. This paper analyzed the seasonal and temporal variations of Pb’s sedimentation process in Jiaozhou Bay in 1987. Results showed that Pb contents in bottom waters in Jiaozhou Bay in May, July and November 1987 were 1.87-2.60 μg L-1, 15.11-19.68 μg L-1 and 11.08-15.18 μg L-1, and the pollution levels of Pb in May, July and November 1987 were slight, heavy and heavy, respectively. In May 1987, there was low sedimentation process in waters in the outside of the bay mouth, yet were high sedimentation process in waters in the middle and inside of the bay mouth. In July and November 1987, there was low sedimentation process in waters in the outside of the bay mouth, yet were high sedimentation process in waters in the inside of the bay mouth. The seasonal-temporal variation of sedimentation processes of Pb were determined by the variations of sources input and the vertical water’s effect.

  1. Oceanographic studies in Harrison Bay and the Colville River Delta, Alaska, to support the development of oil spill response strategies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Owens, E.H.; Taylor, E.; Hale, B.

    2003-01-01

    The risk of an oil spill resulting from the development of the Alpine oil field is considered to be low. The field is located on the North Slope of Alaska adjacent to the Alaskan Beaufort Sea and reaches coastal waters from the distributary channels of the Colville River Delta. The physical environmental (hydrodynamic) conditions that would affect the transport and fate of spilled oil was investigated to further reduce the risk. During the open-water season of 2001 in Harrison Bay, near shore current meters were deployed and data on weather and surface currents was analyzed. Ocean current and wind measurements were examined to evaluate the relationship between meteorology and water levels during the open-water season. The objective was to gain a better understanding of the near shore hydrodynamic processes at play in Harrison Bay, in order to plan the most appropriate spill response strategies. The results obtained indicate that surface currents within the bay adjacent to the Colville Delta are variable. They respond to wind forces as well as other possible mechanisms like estuarine circulation. The surface currents reach maximum speeds of 0.26 metre per second. For the late July-September deployment, the calculated net surface drift was a 0.02 metre per second current to the east southeast. In both Harrison Bay and Colville Delta, prevailing southwest and northeast winds, respectively, induced water level changes of more than 0.5 metre above and below the average. 7 refs., 3 tabs., 7 figs

  2. Dengue virus 2 American-Asian genotype identified during the 2006/2007 outbreak in Piauí, Brazil reveals a Caribbean route of introduction and dissemination of dengue virus in Brazil.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Leandra Barcelos Figueiredo

    Full Text Available Dengue virus (DENV is the most widespread arthropod-borne virus, and the number and severity of outbreaks has increased worldwide in recent decades. Dengue is caused by DENV-1, DENV- 2, DENV-3 and DENV-4 which are genetically distant. The species has been subdivided into genotypes based on phylogenetic studies. DENV-2, which was isolated from dengue fever patients during an outbreak in Piaui, Brazil in 2006/2007 was analyzed by sequencing the envelope (E gene. The results indicated a high similarity among the isolated viruses, as well as to other DENV-2 from Brazil, Central America and South America. A phylogenetic and phylogeographic analysis based on DENV-2E gene sequences revealed that these viruses are grouped together with viruses of the American-Asian genotype in two distinct lineages. Our results demonstrate the co-circulation of two American-Asian genotype lineages in northeast Brazil. Moreover, we reveal that DENV-2 lineage 2 was detected in Piauí before it disseminated to other Brazilian states and South American countries, indicating the existence of a new dissemination route that has not been previously described.

  3. Geochemistry and mineralogy of recent sediments of Guanabara Bay (NE sector) and its major rivers - Rio de Janeiro State - Brazil

    OpenAIRE

    FARIA, MARCIA DE MELO; SANCHEZ, BRAZ A.

    2001-01-01

    Geochemical and clay mineralogical studies of bottom sediments collected along the Macacu and Caceribu rivers and Guanabara Bay were carried out in order to investigate the relationship between major source areas and recent sediments of the bay. Clay mineralogy includes different groups with selective distribution conditioned by geomorphic features and depositional settings. Micaceous clay minerals are abundant near parent rock in the upper course, whereas kaolinite derived from varied source...

  4. Babassu nut residues: potential for bioenergy use in the North and Northeast of Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Paula Protásio, Thiago; Fernando Trugilho, Paulo; da Silva César, Antônia Amanda; Napoli, Alfredo; Alves de Melo, Isabel Cristina Nogueira; Gomes da Silva, Marcela

    2014-01-01

    Babassu is considered the largest native oil resource worldwide and occurs naturally in Brazil. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the potential of babassu nut residues (epicarp, mesocarp and endocarp) for bioenergy use, especially for direct combustion and charcoal production. The material was collected in the rural area of the municipality of Sítio Novo do Tocantins, in the state of Tocantins, Brazil. Analyses were performed considering jointly the three layers that make up the babassu nut shell. The following chemical characterizations were performed: molecular (lignin, total extractives and holocellulose), elemental (C, H, N, S and O), immediate (fixed carbon, volatiles and ash), energy (higher heating value and lower heating value), physical (basic density and energy density) and thermal (thermogravimetry and differential thermal analysis), besides the morphological characterization by scanning electron microscopy. Babassu nut residues showed a high bioenergy potential, mainly due to their high energy density. The use of this biomass as a bioenergy source can be highly feasible, given their chemical and thermal characteristics, combined with a low ash content. Babassu nut shell showed a high basic density and a suitable lignin content for the sustainable production of bioenergy and charcoal, capable of replacing coke in Brazilian steel plants.

  5. MARS and its applications at Northeast Utilities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khalil, Y.F.; Raines, J.C.

    1992-01-01

    The MAAP Accident Response System (MARS) for Northeast Utilities Millstone Unit 1 (MP-1) has been jointly developed by Northeast Utilities (NU) and Fauske ampersand Associates, Inc. (FAI). Millstone Unit 1 is a 2011-MW(thermal) boiling water reactor (BWR)/3 with a Mark-I containment. MARS/MP1 is user-friendly computer software that is structured to provide Northeast Utilities management and engineering staff with key insights during actual or simulated accidents. Times to core uncovery, vessel failure, and containment failure are among the figures of merit that can be obtained from this system. MARS/MP1 can predict future conditions of the MP-1 plant based on current plant data and their trends (time-dependent plant data). The objective of this paper is to present the research and development effort of the MARS/MP1 software at Northeast Utilities

  6. Journal of Earth System Science | Indian Academy of Sciences

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    The Indian northeast monsoon is inherently chaotic in nature as the rainfall realised in the peninsular India depends substantially on the formation and movement of low-pressure systems in central and southwest Bay of Bengal and on the convective activity which is mainly due to the moist north-easterlies from Bay of ...

  7. Trace metal concentrations in tropical mangrove sediments, NE Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miola, Brígida; Morais, Jáder Onofre de; Pinheiro, Lidriana de Souza

    2016-01-15

    Sediment cores were taken from the mangroves of the Coreaú River estuary off the northeast coast of Brazil. They were analyzed for grain size, CaCO3, organic matter, and trace metal (Cd, Pb, Zn, Cu, Al, and Fe) contents. Mud texture was the predominant texture. Levels of trace metals in surface sediments indicated strong influence of anthropogenic processes, and diagenetic processes controlled the trace metal enrichment of core sediments of this estuary. The positive relationships between trace metals and Al and Fe indicate that Cu, Zn, Pb, and Cd concentrations are associated mainly with Al and Fe oxy-hydroxides and have natural sources. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Gastrointestinal and ectoparasites from urban stray dogs in Fortaleza (Brazil): high infection risk for humans?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Klimpel, Sven; Heukelbach, Jörg; Pothmann, David; Rückert, Sonja

    2010-08-01

    Dogs are important definite or reservoir hosts for zoonotic parasites. However, only few studies on the prevalence of intestinal parasites in urban areas in Brazil are available. We performed a comprehensive study on parasites of stray dogs in a Brazilian metropolitan area. We included 46 stray dogs caught in the urban areas of Fortaleza (northeast Brazil). After euthanization, dogs were autopsied. Ectoparasites were collected, and the intestinal content of dogs were examined for the presence of parasites. Faecal samples were collected and analysed using merthiolate iodine formaldehyde concentration method. A total of nine different parasite species were found, including five endoparasite (one protozoan, one cestode and three nematode species) and four ectoparasite species (two flea, one louse and one tick species). In the intestinal content, 3,162 specimens of four helminth species were found: Ancylostoma caninum (prevalence, 95.7%), Dipylidium caninum (45.7%), Toxocara canis (8.7%) and Trichuris vulpis (4.3%). A total of 394 ectoparasite specimens were identified, including Rhipicephalus sanguineus (prevalence, 100.0%), Heterodoxus spiniger (67.4%), Ctenocephalides canis (39.1%) and Ctenocephalides felis (17.4%). In the faeces, intestinal parasites were detected in 38 stray dogs (82.6%), including oocysts of Giardia sp. (2.2%) and eggs of the nematode A. caninum (82.6%). Neither eggs nor larval stages of D. caninum, T. canis or T. vulpis were detected in dog faeces. Sensitivity of faecal examination for A. caninum was 86.4% (95% confidence interval, 72.0-94.3) but zero percentage for the other intestinal helminth species. Our data show that stray dogs in northeast Brazil carry a multitude of zoonotic ecto- and endoparasites, posing a considerable risk for humans. With the exception of A. caninum, sensitivity of faecal examination was negligible.

  9. Pisada como pano de chão: experiência de violência hospitalar no Nordeste Brasileiro "Stepped-on like a floor-mat": human experience of hospital violence in the Northeast of Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Annatália Meneses de Amorim Gomes

    2008-03-01

    located in Fortaleza, capital city of the state of Ceará, in the Northeast of Brazil. A qualitative method, "The Patient's Pathway," was created and utilized. It blends ethnographic interviews, patient's narrative collected prospectively during the entire hospitalization - from admittance to discharge - and participant observation. The pathway of 13 key-informant patients was followed. Results reveal that our patients narrated 225 distinct hospitalization experiences. The majority (83.6% was interpreted by patients as "degrading" and "humiliating" their sense of personhood; only 16.4% were seen as "caring" for the patient, contributing to the recovery of their health. A progressive demoralization of the "suspect patient" is revealed, beginning with his/her reception by uniformed guards and confiscation of personal belongings. Hospitalization is characterized as abandonment, loneliness and imprisonment, due to the imposition of norms, rules and procedures which ignore patients' autonomy, subjectivity and personal conditions. Despite the oppressive hospital structure, patients manage to resist, drawing upon multiple strategies: personal traits, creative imagination, social solidarity and religious faith. Humanizing public hospitalization in the Northeast of Brazil requires including the patient's voice and experience while removing harmful stigmas.

  10. The onset of deglaciation of Cumberland Bay and Stromness Bay, South Georgia

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Van Der Putten, N.; Verbruggen, C.

    Carbon dating of basal peat deposits in Cumberland Bay and Stromness Bay and sediments from a lake in Stromness Bay, South Georgia indicates deglaciation at the very beginning of the Holocene before c. 9500 14C yr BP. This post-dates the deglaciation of one local lake which has been ice-free since

  11. Case study of mesospheric front dissipation observed over the northeast of Brazil

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fragoso Medeiros, Amauri; Paulino, Igo; Wrasse, Cristiano Max; Fechine, Joaquim; Takahashi, Hisao; Valentin Bageston, José; Paulino, Ana Roberta; Arlen Buriti, Ricardo

    2018-03-01

    On 3 October 2005 a mesospheric front was observed over São João do Cariri (7.4° S, 36.5° W). This front propagated to the northeast and appeared in the airglow images on the west side of the observatory. By about 1.5 h later, it dissipated completely when the front crossed the local zenith. Ahead of the front, several ripple structures appeared during the dissipative process of the front. Using coincident temperature profile from the TIMED/SABER satellite and wind profiles from a meteor radar at São João do Cariri, the background of the atmosphere was investigated in detail. On the one hand, it was noted that a strong vertical wind shear in the propagation direction of the front produced by a semidiunal thermal tide was mainly responsible for the formation of duct (Doppler duct), in which the front propagated up to the zenith of the images. On the other hand, the evolution of the Richardson number as well as the appearance of ripples ahead of the main front suggested that a presence of instability in the airglow layer that did not allow the propagation of the front to the other side of the local zenith.

  12. Study for uranium advantage as byproduct of the phosphorite from Brazilian Northeast

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Almeida, M.G. de.

    1974-01-01

    The distribution and recovery of uranium contained in marine phosphates from Northeast Brazil were investigated by treating these ores with hydrochloric acid. The average content of uranium in the phosphorite was found to be about 0.03%. The leaching of phosphate from the ore and the amount of solubilized uranium supplied the basic information for the uranium recovery. The solutions, obtained in laboratory, leaching the phosphorite with hydrochloric acid contained 40.70 mg:U/l. An analytical method to control the uranium solubilization was outlined. A liquid-liquid extraction of uranium from these leaching solutions was performed using mixture of 3.3% di-(2-ethyl-hexyl)-phosphoric acid and 2.2% TBP in kerosene. After extraction the phosphoric acid free from uranium is sent to the calcium hydrogeno-phosphate production. The uranium is stripped from the organic phase by alkaline treatment and then precipitated as diuranate. (Author) [pt

  13. Population Genetic Analysis Reveals a High Genetic Diversity in the Brazilian Cryptococcus gattii VGII Population and Shifts the Global Origin from the Amazon Rainforest to the Semi-arid Desert in the Northeast of Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Souto, Ana C P; Bonfietti, Lucas X; Ferreira-Paim, Kennio; Trilles, Luciana; Martins, Marilena; Ribeiro-Alves, Marcelo; Pham, Cau D; Martins, Liline; Dos Santos, Wallace; Chang, Marilene; Brito-Santos, Fabio; Santos, Dayane C S; Fortes, Silvana; Lockhart, Shawn R; Wanke, Bodo; Melhem, Márcia S C; Lazéra, Márcia S; Meyer, Wieland

    2016-08-01

    Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii are responsible globally for almost one million cryptococcosis cases yearly, mostly in immunocompromised patients, such as those living with HIV. Infections due to C. gattii have mainly been described in tropical and subtropical regions, but its adaptation to temperate regions was crucial in the species evolution and highlighted the importance of this pathogenic yeast in the context of disease. Cryptococcus gattii molecular type VGII has come to the forefront in connection with an on-going emergence in the Pacific North West of North America. Taking into account that previous work pointed towards South America as an origin of this species, the present work aimed to assess the genetic diversity within the Brazilian C. gattii VGII population in order to gain new insights into its origin and global dispersal from the South American continent using the ISHAM consensus MLST typing scheme. Our results corroborate the finding that the Brazilian C. gattii VGII population is highly diverse. The diversity is likely due to recombination generated from sexual reproduction, as evidenced by the presence of both mating types in clinical and environmental samples. The data presented herein strongly supports the emergence of highly virulent strains from ancestors in the Northern regions of Brazil, Amazonia and the Northeast. Numerous genotypes represent a link between Brazil and other parts of the world reinforcing South America as the most likely origin of the C. gattii VGII subtypes and their subsequent global spread, including their dispersal into North America, where they caused a major emergence.

  14. Waist-to-height ratio is the best anthropometric predictor of hypertension: A population-based study with women from a state of northeast of Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Caminha, Tainá C S; Ferreira, Haroldo S; Costa, Narithania S; Nakano, Ricardo P; Carvalho, Renata Elyonara S; Xavier, Antônio F S; Assunção, Monica L

    2017-01-01

    The WHO recommends the use of some anthropometric parameters as a screening resource for individuals under cardiometabolic risk. However, in the validation of these indicators, Brazilian women were not included. These women have different anthropometric profile compared to women who integrated the samples of the validation studies. We aimed to verify the accuracy of anthropometric indicators as a resource for the screening of women with hypertension. A cross-sectional study, with a probability sample of 3143 women (20-49 years) from the state of Alagoas (northeast of Brazil), was carried out. Hypertension was identified by systolic blood pressure (SBP) ≥140 mm Hg and/or diastolic BP ≥90 mm Hg and/or regular use of antihypertensive drugs. The anthropometric indicators analyzed were BMI, waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), body fat percentage, and conicity index. The accuracy definition of the indicators and the identification of best cut-off points were carried out on the basis of ROC curve analysis and Youden index, respectively. The prevalence of hypertension was 21.8%. All indicators used in hypertension identification had area under the ROC curve (AUC) >0.5. The WHtR with cut-off point of 0.54 was the best performance indicator (AUC = 0.72; P hypertension. In the absence of specific studies and considering the largest ethnic proximity and environmental/epidemiological similarity, the findings now obtained can be extended to women of other Brazilian states, especially those in the Northeastern region.

  15. Owenia caissara sp. n. (Annelida, Oweniidae from Southern Brazil: addressing an identity crisis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luiz Silva

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT We re-assess the taxonomic status of Owenia Delle Chiaje, 1841 from Southern Brazil based on estuarine specimens from Paranaguá Bay (Paraná and Babitonga Bay (Santa Catarina, and literature records. Owenia caissara sp. n. is diagnosed by a branchial crown with five pairs of tentacles, branched close to the base of the crown, rectilinear collar with a pronounced lateral slit, two ventrolateral ocelli partially covered by the collar, up to 23 hooks on a single row in the first abdominal segment, regularly curved nuchal shape, regularly moderate teeth curvature, and long and thin scales with oval transition. The description of Owenia caissara sp. n. reinforces the idea that Owenia fusiformis sensu lato is a complex of closely related species that can be distinguished on the basis of both macro- and micro- morphological traits.

  16. 7 CFR 1001.2 - Northeast marketing area.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 9 2010-01-01 2009-01-01 true Northeast marketing area. 1001.2 Section 1001.2 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Marketing Agreements and Orders; Milk), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE MILK IN THE NORTHEAST MARKETING AREA Order Regulating...

  17. Effects of small-scale hydrogeologic heterogeneity on submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) dynamics in river dominated estuaries: example of Mobile Bay, Alabama

    Science.gov (United States)

    Montiel, D.; Dimova, N.

    2017-12-01

    Submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) is known to be an important pathway for nutrients and dissolved constituents in estuarine environments worldwide. Despite its limited contribution to the total fresh water flux to the ocean (5 - 10 %), SGD-derived material loadings can rival riverine inputs. Therefore, a good understanding of the coastal hydrogeology and subsequent SGD dynamics is crucial to further investigate constituent fluxes and its implications on small and large scale coastal ecosystems. We evaluated SGD in Mobile Bay (Alabama), the fourth largest estuary in the US, using a combination of radiotracer techniques (223Ra, 226Ra, and 222Rn), stable isotopes (δ 18O and δ 2H), geophysical surveys (continuous resistivity profiling (CRP) and electrical resistivity tomography (ERT)), and seepage meters during three consecutive years. A detailed examination of the entire shoreline of Mobile Bay using CRP, ERT imaging, and multiple sediment cores collection unveiled a heterogeneous (horizontal and vertical) distribution of the surficial coastal aquifer. This was reflected and confirmed by groundwater tracer measurements and direct measurements of SGD in the coastal zone. We found that SGD occurs mainly in the northeast section of Mobile Bay with a total flux that ranged between 0.9 and 13 × 105 m3 d-1 during dry and wet periods, which represents 0.4 - 2 % of the total fresh water inputs into the Bay. While total SGD is insignificant when accounting the whole water budget of Mobile Bay, we found that small-scale geology variations produce groundwater flow preferential pathways in particular areas where SGD inputs play an important role in the water and nutrient budgets.

  18. Zika virus displacement by a chikungunya outbreak in Recife, Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Magalhaes, Tereza; Braga, Cynthia; Cordeiro, Marli T; Oliveira, Andre L S; Castanha, Priscila M S; Maciel, Ana Paula R; Amancio, Nathalia M L; Gouveia, Pollyanne N; Peixoto-da-Silva, Valter J; Peixoto, Thaciana F L; Britto, Helena; Lima, Priscilla V; Lima, Andreza R S; Rosenberger, Kerstin D; Jaenisch, Thomas; Marques, Ernesto T A

    2017-11-01

    Several arboviruses, including dengue virus (DENV), Zika virus (ZIKV) and chikungunya virus (CHIKV), transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes, circulate in northeast Brazil. Diseases caused by these viruses are of great public health relevance, however, their epidemiological features in areas where the three viruses co-circulate are scarce. Here, we present analyses of molecular and serological diagnostics in a prospective study of acute febrile patients recruited from May 2015 to May 2016 in Recife, Brazil. Two hundred sixty-three acute febrile patients with symptoms suggestive of an arboviral disease who attended an urgent heath care clinic in the Recife Metropolitan Region in northeast Brazil were enrolled. Acute and convalescent blood samples were collected and tested using molecular and serological assays for infection with DENV, ZIKV and CHIKV. Quantitative real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reactions (qRTPCR) performed on acute phase sera detected no patients positive for DENV, but 26 (9.9%) positive for ZIKV and 132 (50.2%) positive for CHIKV. There were a few suspected and only one confirmed dengue case. Specific serological assays for ZIKV and CHIKV confirmed the qRTPCR data. Analyses of DENV IgM and IgG ELISAs in the context of qRTPCR results suggested high levels of cross reactive antibodies in ZIKV-positive samples. Results from neutralization assays highly corroborated those from qRTPCR and ZIKV ELISA, indicating very few positive DENV cases. ZIKV infections were temporally clustered in the first months of the study and started to decrease concomitantly with an increase in CHIKV infections in August 2015. The proportion of CHIKV infections increased significantly in September 2015 and remained high until the end of the study period, with an average of 84.7% of recruited patients being diagnosed from August 2015 to May 2016. ZIKV infections exhibited a female bias and the cases were spread over the study site, while CHIKV cases had a male bias and

  19. Lead and Stable Isotopes in Sediments of Babitonga Bay: An Oil Spill Case

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Barrosa, V. G.; Oliveiraa, T. M.N.; Vaza, C. [University of UNIVILLE, Department of Environmental Engineering, Joinville, Santa Catarina (Brazil); Zuppi, G. M. [Dipartimento di Scienze Molecolari e Nanosistemi Universita Ca' Foscari, Venezia and Institute of Environmental Geology and Geoengineering, National Research Council, Monterotondo (Italy)

    2013-07-15

    The hydrologic complex of Babitonga Bay (Brazil) forms a vast environmental complex, hosting the last great mangrove bulk of the southern hemisphere. Mangroves are among the most productive ecosystems on earth. The effects of an oil spill were studied in Babitonga Bay using lead and carbon isotopes. Samples of the spilled oil were obtained nine months after the accident, as well as sediment and water samples. Thus, the isotopic composition of the oil allowed the tracing of the environmental pollution. Notwithstanding the delay in time, isotopes of lead and carbon allowed the identification of areas where the presence of the oil can be still detected, permitting assessment of the extent of pollution. Contaminated sediments exhibited an isotopic composition ({sup 206}Pb/{sup 207}Pb and {sup 208}Pb/{sup 206}Pb) close to that of the oil spilled. Moreover {delta}{sup 13}C also permitted the ratification of these results. Others isotopes were used but with no contributions. Conclusions are derived in terms of the source of the pollution in the specific area. (author)

  20. Evolution of Brasiliano-age granitoid types in a shear-zone environment, Umarizal-Caraubas region, Rio Grande do Norte, northeast Brazil

    Science.gov (United States)

    Galindo, A. C.; Dall'Agnol, R.; McReath, I.; Lafon, J. M.; Teixeira, N.

    1995-01-01

    A sequence of Brasiliano-age granitoid types is exposed in a small area near the cities of Umarizal and Caraúbas in Rio Grande do Norte State, Northeast Brazil. Porphyritic K-alkali-calcic monzogranite is an important facies of the oldest Caraúbas intrusion (RbSr whole rock isochron age of ca. 630 Ma), which suffered solid-state deformation due to movements on a major NE-trending shear zone. The intrusion of the Prado and part of the Quixaba bodies was probably controlled by the shear zone. These two bodies include mafic/intermediate rocks, some of which contain two pyroxenes, and have hybrid, partly alkaline and partly shoshonitic geochemical characteristics. Rock types and ages are similar to those of some Pan-African occurrences in southwestern Nigeria. The Tourão body, intruded at ca. 590 Ma, presents preferred mineral orientations which are probably largely magmatic, since little evidence is found for widespread solid-state deformation. On the other hand, its intrusion may have been facilitated by the presence of the shear-zone faults. The rocks form a monomodal felsic K-alkali-calcic suite. With the exception of the Quixaba body, all these earlier granitoids are magmatic epidote- and magnetite-bearing porphyritic monzogranites with trace element geochemical characteristics of modern syn-collisional granites. The latest intrusion at ca. 545 Ma is mainly represented by potassic quartz syenites and related rocks, some of which contain fayalite or ferrohypersthene. These rocks possess neither well developed mineral orientations of magmatic origin nor signs of solid-state deformation. They are mineralogically similar to, but younger than some of the "bauchites" of central Nigeria. Geochemical signatures are comparable with those of modern within-plate granites. All granitoids present high ( 87Sr/ 86Sr)i ratios which range from 0.708 to 0.712, and increase with decreasing age. Such ratios are compatible with important or dominant crustal contributions. On the

  1. 77 FR 3326 - Northeast Corridor Safety Committee; Notice of Meeting

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-01-23

    .... 3] Northeast Corridor Safety Committee; Notice of Meeting AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Department of Transportation (DOT). ACTION: Announcement of Northeast Corridor Safety Committee Meeting. SUMMARY: FRA announced the first meeting of the Northeast Corridor Safety Committee, a Federal...

  2. 76 FR 32391 - Northeast Corridor Safety Committee; Notice of Meeting

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-06-06

    .... 1] Northeast Corridor Safety Committee; Notice of Meeting AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Department of Transportation (DOT). ACTION: Announcement of the Northeast Corridor Safety Committee Meeting. SUMMARY: FRA announces the first meeting of the Northeast Corridor Safety Committee, a...

  3. 77 FR 20690 - Northeast Corridor Safety Committee; Notice of Meeting

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-04-05

    .... 4] Northeast Corridor Safety Committee; Notice of Meeting AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Department of Transportation (DOT). ACTION: Announcement of the Northeast Corridor Safety... NECSC is made up of stakeholders operating on the Northeast Corridor (NEC), and the purpose of the...

  4. Fishes from the Itapecuru River basin, State of Maranhão, northeast Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    MC Barros

    Full Text Available The Itapecuru is a relatively large river in the northeastern Brazilian state of Maranhão. During several expeditions to this basin, we collected 69 fish species belonging to 65 genera, 29 families and 10 orders. Characiformes and Siluriformes were the orders with the largest number of species and Characidae, Loricariidae, Cichlidae, Auchenipteridae and Pimelodidae were the richest families. About 30% of the fish fauna of the Itapecuru basin is endemic or restricted to northeastern Brazil. Just over a fifth (22% of the species is also known to occur in the Amazon basin and only a few are more widely distributed in South American.

  5. Contribuição à biologia de serpentes da Bahia, Brasil: I. vivíparas Contribution to reproductive biology of snakes in Bahia, Brazil: I. viviparous

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rejane Maria Lira-da-Silva

    1994-01-01

    Full Text Available Great part of lhe avaiable data about snakes reprodution refers to species coming from subtropical and temperate regions. In Brazil, the data is rather rare and can be found in various works where information is restricted. Results from studies developed with five viviparous snakes - Crotalus durissus cascavella (Wagler, 1824. Bothrops erythromelas(Amaral, 1923, B. leucurus (Wagler, 1824, Helicops leopardinus (Schlegel, 1873 and Thamnodynastes strigilis (Thiinberg, 1787 - which come from the Northeast of Brazil (Bahia are described. Data about pregnancy and birth, number, sex ratio, length and weight of neonates is given and discussed.

  6. 75 FR 8297 - Tongass National Forest, Thorne Bay Ranger District, Thorne Bay, AK

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-02-24

    ..., Thorne Bay, AK AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA. ACTION: Cancellation of Notice of intent to prepare an... Roberts, Zone Planner, Thorne Bay Ranger District, Tongass National Forest, P.O. Box 19001, Thorne Bay, AK 99919, telephone: 907-828-3250. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 47,007-acre Kosciusko Project Area is...

  7. 77 FR 44140 - Drawbridge Operation Regulation; Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal, Sturgeon Bay, WI

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-07-27

    ... Maple-Oregon Bridges so vehicular traffic congestion would not develop on downtown Sturgeon Bay streets... movement of vehicular traffic in Sturgeon Bay. The Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal is approximately 8.6 miles long... significant increase in vehicular and vessel traffic during the peak tourist and navigation season between...

  8. Prevalence of antibody to hepatitis B virus in an urban population of northeast Brazil

    OpenAIRE

    Lyra,L. G.; Damasceno,A. P.; Cotrim,P.; Mota,E.; Silva,L.

    1986-01-01

    A sample of 1,288 inhabitants of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, were submitted to the determination of anti-HBs using radioimmunoassay procedure, and analysed according to age, sex and income. Overall prevalence of anti-HBs was 11,8%. ranging from 6,7% among children aged less than three years old to 26,1% among those aged 30 years and older. Males presented prevalence of anti-HBs similar to female individuals, and those with a higher income showed frequencies of anti-HBs greater than those with a ...

  9. Knowledge of common pediatric cancers among medical students in northeast Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cynthia de Araújo Barros

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: In recent decades, early diagnosis of childhood cancer has taken an important place on the international agenda. The authors of this study evaluated a group of medical students in Recife, Brazil, regarding knowledge and practices related to early diagnosis of common childhood cancers. METHODS: Cross-sectional study with a sample of 82 medical students, from a total of 86 eligible subjects. Data were collected using self-completed questionnaires. Subgroups were defined according to knowledge of the theme and students' perceptions of their own skills and interest in learning. RESULTS: 74.4% of the sample demonstrated a minimum level of knowledge. The group without minimum knowledge or self-perceived competence to identify suspected cases (23.3% was in the worst position to perform early diagnosis. All subjects expressed interest in learning more about this topic. CONCLUSIONS: Despite acceptable levels of knowledge among these medical students, the definition of central aspects of the teaching and learning processes would be useful for training physicians with the skills for diagnosing and treating pediatric cancers

  10. Physical processes in a coupled bay-estuary coastal system: Whitsand Bay and Plymouth Sound

    Science.gov (United States)

    Uncles, R. J.; Stephens, J. A.; Harris, C.

    2015-09-01

    Whitsand Bay and Plymouth Sound are located in the southwest of England. The Bay and Sound are separated by the ∼2-3 km-wide Rame Peninsula and connected by ∼10-20 m-deep English Channel waters. Results are presented from measurements of waves and currents, drogue tracking, surveys of salinity, temperature and turbidity during stratified and unstratified conditions, and bed sediment surveys. 2D and 3D hydrodynamic models are used to explore the generation of tidally- and wind-driven residual currents, flow separation and the formation of the Rame eddy, and the coupling between the Bay and the Sound. Tidal currents flow around the Rame Peninsula from the Sound to the Bay between approximately 3 h before to 2 h after low water and form a transport path between them that conveys lower salinity, higher turbidity waters from the Sound to the Bay. These waters are then transported into the Bay as part of the Bay-mouth limb of the Rame eddy and subsequently conveyed to the near-shore, east-going limb and re-circulated back towards Rame Head. The Simpson-Hunter stratification parameter indicates that much of the Sound and Bay are likely to stratify thermally during summer months. Temperature stratification in both is pronounced during summer and is largely determined by coastal, deeper-water stratification offshore. Small tidal stresses in the Bay are unable to move bed sediment of the observed sizes. However, the Bay and Sound are subjected to large waves that are capable of driving a substantial bed-load sediment transport. Measurements show relatively low levels of turbidity, but these respond rapidly to, and have a strong correlation with, wave height.

  11. "Shark is the man!": ethnoknowledge of Brazil's South Bahia fishermen regarding shark behaviors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barbosa-Filho, Márcio Luiz Vargas; Schiavetti, Alexandre; Alarcon, Daniela Trigueirinho; Costa-Neto, Eraldo Medeiros

    2014-07-03

    Fishermen's knowledge is a source of indispensable information in decision-making processes related to efforts to stimulate the management and conservation of fishing resources, especially in developing countries. This study analyzed the knowledge of fishermen from three municipal areas of Bahia in northeast Brazil regarding the behavior repertoire of sharks and the possible influence that these perceptions may have on the inclination to preserve these animals. This is a pioneering study on the ethnobiological aspects of elasmobranchs in Brazil. Open, semi-structured interviews with shark fishing specialists were conducted between September 2011 and October 2012. The interviews addressed the fishermen's profile, fishing techniques and knowledge about sharks, focusing on the behaviours exhibited by sharks. The data were analysed with quantitative approach and conducted with the use of descriptive statistical techniques. Sixty-five fishermen were interviewed. They descend from the rafting subculture of Brazil's northeast, which has historically been disregarded by public policies addressing the management and conservation of fishing resources. The fishing fleet involved in shark fishing includes rafts, fishing boats and lobster boats equipped with fishing lines, gillnets, longlines and "esperas". The informers classified sharks' behaviour repertoire into 19 ethological categories, related especially to feeding, reproduction, and social and migratory behaviours. Because they identify sharks as predators, the detailed recognition of the behaviours exhibited is crucial both for an efficient catch and to avoid accidents. Therefore, this knowledge is doubly adaptive as it contributes to safer, more lucrative fishing. A feeling of respect for sharks predominates, since informers recognize the ecological role of these animals in marine ecosystems, attributing them the status of leader (or "the man") in the sea. This work demonstrates the complexity and robustness of

  12. Northeast Regional Biomass Program

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    O' Connell, R.A.

    1991-11-01

    The management structure and program objectives for the Northeast Regional Biomass Program (NRBP) remain unchanged from previous years. Additional funding was provided by the Bonneville Power Administration Regional Biomass Program to continue the publication of articles in the Biologue. The Western Area Power Administration and the Council of Great Lakes Governors funded the project Characterization of Emissions from Burning Woodwaste''. A grant for the ninth year was received from DOE. The Northeast Regional Biomass Steering Committee selected the following four projects for funding for the next fiscal year. (1) Wood Waste Utilization Conference, (2) Performance Evaluation of Wood Systems in Commercial Facilities, (3) Wood Energy Market Utilization Training, (4) Update of the Facility Directory.

  13. Northeast Regional Biomass Program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    O'Connell, R.A.

    1991-11-01

    The management structure and program objectives for the Northeast Regional Biomass Program (NRBP) remain unchanged from previous years. Additional funding was provided by the Bonneville Power Administration Regional Biomass Program to continue the publication of articles in the Biologue. The Western Area Power Administration and the Council of Great Lakes Governors funded the project ''Characterization of Emissions from Burning Woodwaste''. A grant for the ninth year was received from DOE. The Northeast Regional Biomass Steering Committee selected the following four projects for funding for the next fiscal year. (1) Wood Waste Utilization Conference, (2) Performance Evaluation of Wood Systems in Commercial Facilities, (3) Wood Energy Market Utilization Training, (4) Update of the Facility Directory

  14. Broadening soybean genetic basis in the northeast of China

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    WangJinling

    1994-01-01

    The bottle neek of advancement of soybean breeding inthe Northeast of China is the lack of genetic diversity of the parents used in cross breeding.In order to overcome this constrained condition,under the sponsorship of China National Committe of Natural Science Fundation,a network project with the topic"Broadening and Improving of the Genetic Basis of the Northeast Soybeans" was established in 1990,and the Northeast agricultural University was apointed to take charge of the project.The project included the following four items:I.Breeding high yield and improved quality Northeast Soybeans,directed by Hcilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciencee .II.Development of new soybean gerplasms highly resistant to diseases epidemic in Northeast China directed by Northeast Agricultural University.Ⅲ.Exploitation of the potential of wild and semicultivated soybeans for broadening and improving the genetic basis of Northeast soybeans,directed by Jilin Academy of Agricultural Science.Ⅳ.Improving methods and technique for development of new soybean genetic resources.directed by Nanjing Agricultural University .Each item contained several research subjects conducted by research workers of different institutes of agricultural sicences.During the period 1991-1992.considerable promising new germplasms had been discovered or developed.The new germplasms not only possessed specific improved characters but also behaved with appropriate ecological types adapted to different conditions of Northeast.Among the numerous new germplasms developed.Gong Jio 8757-3 had a protein content of 49.41%,100 seed weight 16-17g,and acceptable agronomic characters,which was considered a very valuable new high protein content germplasm.Such developed new germplasma with enforced and imprved genetic basis will be used primarily as parents in soybean cross breeding.

  15. Ischaemic heart disease deaths in Brazil: current trends, regional disparities and future projections.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baena, Cristina P; Chowdhury, Rajiv; Schio, Nicolle Amboni; Sabbag, Ary Elias; Guarita-Souza, Luiz Cesar; Olandoski, Marcia; Franco, Oscar H; Faria-Neto, José Rocha

    2013-09-01

    To quantify the trend of ischaemic heart disease (IHD) deaths in Brazil during the last decade (2000-2010) for various population characteristics and to forecast the upcoming mortality trends across regions in Brazil until the year 2015. Nationwide comparative observational study. The population studied encompassed all adult residents (≥ 20 years) living in five Brazilian regions between 2000 and 2010. Demographic, economic and mortality data were obtained from Brazilian National Mortality Data System and National Applied Economics Research Institute. Subnotified deaths were redistributed proportionally to IHD deaths. Age-standardised mortality rates (ASMRs) per 100 000 inhabitants, by sex and region, were calculated employing a standard Brazilian population and constructing multivariate regression models to quantify and to project temporal trends. Absolute numbers of death due to IHD and region-specific death rates in Brazil by age and sex. During the study period, 627 786 men and 452 690 women died due to IHD in Brazil. ASMR trends across all regions for men and women converged, driven by a declining trend in the South and Southeast and an opposite incline in the North and Northeast (p < 0.05). Future projections demonstrated potential widening of the observed North-South gap in coming years. The IHD death trend in Brazil has changed from a decline to a stagnant state. However, a significant discrepancy in mortality trends exists between the northern and southern regions, which is likely to widen further. Reappraisal of the public health policies tailored to populations with diverse socioeconomic structures is urgently required.

  16. Integrated assessment of mangrove sediments in the Camamu Bay (Bahia, Brazil).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paixão, Joana F; de Oliveira, Olívia M C; Dominguez, José M L; Almeida, Edna dos Santos; Carvalho, Gilson Correia; Magalhães, Wagner F

    2011-03-01

    Camamu Bay, an Environmentally Protected Area, may be affected by the pressures of tourism and oil exploration in the adjacent continental platform. The current quality of the mangrove sediments was evaluated by porewater bioassays using embryos of Crassostrea rhizophorae and by an analysis of benthic macrofauna and its relationships with organic compounds, trace metals and bioavailability. Porewater toxicity varied from low to moderate in the majority of the samples, and polychaetes dominated the benthos. The Grande Island sampling station (Station 1) presented more sandy sediments, differentiated macrobenthic assemblages and the highest metal concentrations in relation to other stations and guideline values, and it was the only station that indicated a possible bioavailability of metals. The origin of the metals (mainly barium) is most likely associated with the barite ore deposits located in the Grande and Pequena islands. These results may be useful for future assessment of the impact of oil exploration in the coastal region. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Harmful algae and toxis in paranaguá bay , Brazil: bases for monitoring

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luiz Laureno Mafra Junior

    2006-09-01

    Full Text Available The estuarine complex of Paranaguá - ECP (South Brazil, 25º30'S, 48º30'W is a large subtropical system, where pristine mangrove forests are still present, and fishery and aquaculture are important economic activities. This work investigated the occurrence of harmful algae in Paranaguá Bay, as well as the presence of toxins in the filter feeding mussel Mytella guyanensis, a local fishery resource. Samples along the Paranaguá sub-system were collected almost monthly from August 2002 to October 2003. Besides physical and chemical variables, cell densities of harmful species and presence of toxins in the mussel by mouse bioassay (DSP, PSP and HPLC (ASP were performed. HAB species included Pseudo-nitzschia spp., Dinophysis acuminata,Prorocentrum minimum,Gymnodinium catenatum,Phaeocystis spp., Chattonella spp. and Heterosigma akashiwo.Trichodesmium erythraeum and Coscinodiscus wailesii were also included in this study due to their potential for harmful bloom formation. Toxin results showed the occurrence of DSP (December 2002 in shellfish related to the presence of D. acuminata (max. 4,566 cells.l-1. Additionally, cultivated strains produced paralytic and amnesic toxins in laboratory. Spring (October to December, Southern Hemisphere and late summer (February to April were the periods of higher abundance of harmful algae, mainly in euhaline and inner polyhaline sectors of the ECP.O complexo estuarino de Paranaguá (CEP; 25º30'S, 48º30'W, localizado no litoral sul do Brasil, abriga extensas áreas preservadas de manguezais e tem a pesca e aqüicultura como importantes atividades econômicas. Este trabalho investigou a ocorrência de microalgas nocivas no CEP e a presença de ficotoxinas no molusco bivalve Mytella guyanensis. Para tanto, foram coletadas amostras com periodicidade aproximadamente mensal, entre agosto de 2002 e outubro de 2003. Foram avaliadas variáveis físico-químicas, densidade de espécies nocivas e a presença de toxinas nos

  18. Capture fishery in northern Todos os Santos Bay, tropical southwestern Atlantic, Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lucy Satiko Hashimoto Soares

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available Information on marine and estuarine capture fishery activity in northern Todos os Santos Bay, northeastern Brazil, based on daily data collected between September 2003 and June 2005 is presented. Small-scale artisanal fishery in this area includes the use of traditional vessels both nonmotorized and motorized for locomotion, being carried out mainly by canoe or on foot, and involves many different kinds of gear, including gillnet, hook and line, seine nets, and traps. A total of 113 taxa were grouped into 77 resources, including 88 fish, 10 crustaceans, and 15 mollusks. Data on nominal catches of fish, crustaceans and mollusks are presented by month and location. A total of 345.2 tonnes of fishery resources were produced (285.4 tonnes of fish, 39.2 tonnes of fresh invertebrates, and 20.6 tonnes of processed invertebrates. Temporal variation in the fish catch was associated with the life cycle of the species or with the hydrographic conditions. The first-sale value of this catch amounted to around US$ 615,000.00, fishes representing 71.3% of it. A table of the average price of each fishery resource is presented. The results produced in this study may be considered a reference for future monitoring programs of fishery resources in the area.Informações sobre a atividade pesqueira extrativa da região norte da Baía de Todos os Santos, Bahia, nordeste do Brasil são apresentadas, baseadas em coleta diária de dados, realizada entre setembro de 2003 e junho de 2005. Trata-se de uma atividade extrativa artesanal, na qual são utilizadas embarcações tradicionais para o deslocamento ao local da extração. Em cada pescaria foram utilizadas várias artes, tais como rede de espera, linha e anzol, rede de cerco, armadilhas. Foram identificadas 113 categorias taxonômicas de peixes (88, crustáceos (10 e moluscos (15, arranjadas em 77 tipos de pescados comercializados. A produção total no período foi de 345,2 t (285.4 t de peixes, 39,2 t de

  19. Iodine Nutritional Status in Schoolchildren from Public Schools in Brazil: A Cross-Sectional Study Exposes Association with Socioeconomic Factors and Food Insecurity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Campos, Renata de Oliveira; Reboucas, Sara Cristina Lima; Beck, Rebeca; de Jesus, Lorena Rejane Maia; Ramos, Yanne Rocha; Barreto, Iasmin Dos Santos; Marques, Tamires Xavier; Cerqueira, Taise Lima Oliveira; Santos, William Alves; Oliveira, Clotilde Assis; Teixeira, Leonardo Sena Gomes; Souza, Vanessa Cristina de Oliveira; Barbosa, Fernando; Ramos, Helton Estrela

    2016-07-01

    National programs of salt iodization were implemented in Brazil to combat iodine deficiency (ID) in children of school age. Currently, there are limited data in Brazil on those still vulnerable to this deficiency and the state of nutritional iodine status in the northeast region of Brazil, where children are vulnerable to malnutrition. The aim of this study was to analyze the iodine nutritional status, household food insecurity, socioeconomic and demographic characteristics among schoolchildren from the public school system living in state the state of Bahia, Brazil. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 1419 schoolchildren in Bahia between the ages of 6 and 14 years old. Anthropometric parameters, urinary iodine concentrations (UIC), and thyrotropin (TSH) measurements were evaluated from blood spots on filter paper. The mean UIC was 206.4 ± 80.5 μg/L, with a median of 221.6 μg/L, indicating sufficient iodine intake in the region. Low urinary iodide concentration (300 μg/L, indicating the coexistence of excessive iodine intake (EII). The mean TSH was 1.0 ± 0.6 mIU/L. The body mass index category "overweight/obesity" was a protective factor against EII (odds ratio [OR] = 0.64 [confidence interval (CI) 0.4-1.0]; p = 0.07). Urban areas (73%) had a mean UIC of 213.1 ± 80 μg/L compared with 176.8 ± 76.1 μg/L in rural areas. The risk for EII increased in children living in a house with more than six people (OR = 1.62 [CI 0.9-2.6]; p  0.05). A significant proportion of schoolchildren still have ID or EII in the northeast region of Brazil, emphasizing the importance of committed public policies to address this problem. Socioeconomic factors and the lack of education about nutritional importance of iodine were important influencing factors in the presence of ID in schoolchildren.

  20. Diptera, Drosophilidae: historical occurrence in Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Valente, V. L. S.

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available This study presents a literature review of Drosophilidae (Diptera species occurrence in Brazil. The number of speciesrecorded is 304, with Drosophila being the genus with the greatest number of species, followed by Zygothrica,Hirtodrosophila and Diathoneura, which belong to the Drosophilinae subfamily. Drosophila was shown to be the mostinvestigated taxon in the family, with the best resolved species distribution. The low number of records of species fromother genera indicates the paucity of studies specifically designed to investigate these species. Records of species forsome regions of the country like the north and northeast, as well as for some biomes like Caatinga, Pantanal and thePampas, are likewise rare. Apart from the banana bait, different collection methods may be necessary, like thecollection at other oviposition resources, the use of baits other than fermenting fruit, and the adoption of samplingapproaches that do not use baits.

  1. 78 FR 46813 - Safety Zone; Evening on the Bay Fireworks; Sturgeon Bay, WI

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-08-02

    ...-AA00 Safety Zone; Evening on the Bay Fireworks; Sturgeon Bay, WI AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS. ACTION.... This temporary safety zone will restrict vessels from a portion of Sturgeon Bay due to a fireworks... hazards associated with the fireworks display. DATES: This rule is effective from 8 p.m. until 10 p.m. on...

  2. 77 FR 38488 - Safety Zone; Alexandria Bay Chamber of Commerce, St. Lawrence River, Alexandria Bay, NY

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-06-28

    ... 1625-AA00 Safety Zone; Alexandria Bay Chamber of Commerce, St. Lawrence River, Alexandria Bay, NY... restrict vessels from a portion of the St. Lawrence River during the Alexandria Bay Chamber of Commerce... of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) entitled Safety Zone; Alexandria Bay Chamber of Commerce, St. Lawrence...

  3. Influence of granitic aggregates from Northeast Brazil on the alkali-aggregate reaction

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gomes Neto, David de Paiva; Santana, Rodrigo Soares de; Barreto, Ledjane Silva, E-mail: pvgomes@uol.com.br [Universidade Federal de Sergipe (UFS), Sao Cristovao, SE (Brazil). Dept. de Ciencias dos Materiais e Engenharia; Conceicao, Herbert; Lisboa, Vinicios Anselmo Carvalho [Universidade Federal de Sergipe (UFS), Sao Cristovao, SE (Brazil). Dept. de Geologia

    2014-08-15

    The alkali-aggregate reaction (AAR) in concrete structures is a problem that has concerned engineers and researchers for decades. This reaction occurs when silicates in the aggregates react with the alkalis, forming an expanded gel that can cause cracks in the concrete and reduce its lifespan. The aim of this study was to characterize three coarse granitic aggregates employed in concrete production in northeastern Brazil, correlating petrographic analysis with the kinetics of silica dissolution and the evolution of expansions in mortar bars, assisted by SEM/EDS, XRD, and EDX. The presence of grains showing recrystallization into individual microcrystalline quartz subgrains was associated with faster dissolution of silica and greater expansion in mortar bars. Aggregates showing substantial deformation, such as stretched grains of quartz with strong undulatory extinction, experienced slower dissolution, with reaction and expansion occurring over longer periods that could not be detected using accelerated tests with mortar bars. (author)

  4. PRELIMINARY FLORA OF ORCHIDACEAE IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF ABAETETUBA, PARÁ, BRAZIL

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Edgar Augusto Lobato Afonso

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Orchidaceae is one of the largest plant families in the world with approximately 20,000 species, of which 2,462 Occur in Brazil and 421 in the Pará State. Despite this large number of species, many municipalities in the State have never been sampled floristically, among them is the municipality of Abaetetuba, located in the middle region northeast Pará. Thus, this work aimed to conduct the floristic and taxonomic preliminary study of the Orchidaceae species in the Abaetetuba, Pará, Brazil. Were conducted 41 field collections between January 2012 and May 2014. For collection and specimens herborization were followed usual techniques for vascular plants, and species identification were consulted specific bibliography and experts. For all species recorded are provided descriptions, taxonomic and ecological comments, information on geographical distribution in Brazil. In addition, it presents an identification key for the species Orchidaceae of Abaetetuba. In the municipality Orchidaceae is represented by 23 species belonging to 17 genera, being Epidendrum L. the more rich with three species. The most frequent species were Catasetum macrocarpum Rich. ex Kunth and Polystachya concreta (Jacq. Garay & H.R.Sweet. Except to Vanilla mexicana Mill. and V. palmarum (Salzm. ex Lindl. Lindl. classified as hemiepiphytes, all the other species were classified as holoepiphytes. Keywords: Eastern Amazon; Epiphytes, Orchids; Nort region.

  5. Natural radioactivity in rocks from Paraiba Sertao, Brazil

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Damascena, Kennedy F.R.; Santos Junior, Jose A. dos; Amaral, Romilton dos S.; Bezerra, Jairo D.; Rojas, Lino V.; Medeiros, Nilson V. da S.; Silva, Alberto A. da; Santos, Josineide M. do N.; Santos Junior, Otavio P. dos, E-mail: kennedy.eng.ambiental@gmail.com, E-mail: jaraujo@ufpe.br, E-mail: romilton@ufpe.br, E-mail: alberto.silva@barreiros.ifpe.edu.br, E-mail: linomarvic@gmail.com, E-mail: otavio.santos@vitoria.ifpe.edu.br [Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE), Recife, PE (Brazil); Instituto Federal de Educacao, Ciencia e Tecnologia de Pernambuco (IFPE), Barreiros, PE (Brazil); Centro de Aplicaciones Tecnologicas y Dessarrollo Nuclear (CEADEN), La Habana (Cuba)

    2017-11-01

    Northeastern Brazil is a region with a large number of natural radioactive occurrences. Monitoring studies carried out over the last 30 years have identified a hundred anomalous points, especially in the State of Paraiba, more specifically the region of Serido Ocidental Paraibano, geologically characterized by the presence of rocky outcrops with radioactive materials associated with granites and pegmatites. Regions with differentiated levels of natural radioactivity and, consequently, greater radioecological relevance, have been the constant object of radiometric and dosimetric studies. Considering their relevance, the present study aimed to evaluate the levels of natural radioactivity in rocks located in the Riacho da Serra and Serra dos Porcos, previously unmonitored, located in the municipalities of Sao Jose do Sabugi and Santa Luzia, in Paraiba, Northeast of Brazil. The radiometric evaluation was performed by measuring the specific activities of U-238, Th-232 and K-40 in rock samples using a high resolution gamma spectrometry system. The mean specific activities of U-238, Th-232 and K-40 were: 2562.30 ± 672.22; 180.68 ± 672.22 and 1374.13 ± 36.90 Bq/kg, respectively. The monitored radionuclides presented high values of specific activity, being 1.6; 4.1 and 71.2 times higher than the mean values for the earth's crust. (author)

  6. Natural radioactivity in rocks from Paraiba Sertao, Brazil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Damascena, Kennedy F.R.; Santos Junior, Jose A. dos; Amaral, Romilton dos S.; Bezerra, Jairo D.; Rojas, Lino V.; Medeiros, Nilson V. da S.; Silva, Alberto A. da; Santos, Josineide M. do N.; Santos Junior, Otavio P. dos

    2017-01-01

    Northeastern Brazil is a region with a large number of natural radioactive occurrences. Monitoring studies carried out over the last 30 years have identified a hundred anomalous points, especially in the State of Paraiba, more specifically the region of Serido Ocidental Paraibano, geologically characterized by the presence of rocky outcrops with radioactive materials associated with granites and pegmatites. Regions with differentiated levels of natural radioactivity and, consequently, greater radioecological relevance, have been the constant object of radiometric and dosimetric studies. Considering their relevance, the present study aimed to evaluate the levels of natural radioactivity in rocks located in the Riacho da Serra and Serra dos Porcos, previously unmonitored, located in the municipalities of Sao Jose do Sabugi and Santa Luzia, in Paraiba, Northeast of Brazil. The radiometric evaluation was performed by measuring the specific activities of U-238, Th-232 and K-40 in rock samples using a high resolution gamma spectrometry system. The mean specific activities of U-238, Th-232 and K-40 were: 2562.30 ± 672.22; 180.68 ± 672.22 and 1374.13 ± 36.90 Bq/kg, respectively. The monitored radionuclides presented high values of specific activity, being 1.6; 4.1 and 71.2 times higher than the mean values for the earth's crust. (author)

  7. Northeast Solar Energy Market Coalition (NESEMC)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rabago, Karl R. [Pace Energy and Climate Center Pace University School of Law

    2018-03-31

    The Northeast Solar Energy Market Coalition (NESEMC) brought together solar energy business associations and other stakeholders in the Northeast to harmonize regional solar energy policy and advance the solar energy market. The Coalition was managed by the Pace Energy and Climate Center, a project of the Pace University Elisabeth Haub School of Law. The NESEMC was funded by the U.S. Department of Energy SunShot Initiative as a cooperative agreement through 2017 as part of Solar Market Pathways.

  8. Plantation forestry in Brazil: the potential impacts of climatic change

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fearnside, P.M.

    1999-01-01

    Most climatic changes predicted to occur in Brazil would replace yields of silvicultural plantations, mainly through increased frequency and severity of droughts brought on by global warming and by reduction of water vapor sources in Amazonia caused by deforestation. Some additional negative effects could result from changes in temperature, and positive effects could result from CO 2 enrichment. The net effects would be negative, forcing the country to expand plantations onto less-productive land, requiring increased plantation area (and consequent economic losses) out of proportion to the climatic change itself. These impacts would affect carbon sequestration and storage consequences of any plans for subsidizing silviculture as a global warming mitigation option. Climate change can be expected to increase the area of plantations needed to supply projected internal demand for and exports of end products from Brazil. June-July-August (dry season) precipitation reductions indicated by simulations reported by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) correspond to rainfall declines in this critical season of approximately 34% in Amazonia, 39% in Southern Brazil and 61% in the Northeast. As an example, if rainfall in Brazilian plantation areas (most of which are now in Southern Brazil) were to decline by 50%, the area needed in 2050 would expand by an estimated 38% over the constant climate case, bringing the total area to 4.5 times the 1991 area. These large areas of additional plantations imply substantial social and environmental impacts. Further addition of plantation area as a global warming response option would augment these impacts, indicating the need for caution in evaluating carbon sequestration proposals. (author)

  9. Suspended matter and nutrient gradients of a small-scale river plume in Sepetiba Bay, SE-Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Raphael Paiva Rodrigues

    2009-04-01

    Full Text Available Coastal river plumes represent one of the final stages of material transport across the land-sea interface. Most studies, however have focused on the behavior of medium to large sized river plumes of coastal-shelf waters, whereas small sized river plumes acting within estuaries have been neglected. This study addressed the behavior of suspended particulate matter (SPM, dissolved inorganic nutrients (DIN, DIP and DSi and Chlorophyll a (Chl. a of a small sized river plume derived from the closely lain São Francisco and Guandú river channels, set in the Sepetiba Bay estuary, SE-Brazil. Two surface water sampling campaigns were conducted, one in January 2003 (humid summer conditions and the other in June 2003 (dry winter conditions. On both occasions, the plumes dispersed in a SE direction towards the inner portion of the bay. The "wet" event plume was more turbid, nutrient rich and dispersed beyond nearshore waters, whereas the "dry" event plume proliferated as a narrow, less turbid and more nutrient poor film alongshore. Both exhibited a marked degree of patchiness, induced by the differential input of materials from the river sources and resuspension processes from the shallow nearshore bottom. The São Francisco river channel was the main source of freshwater, SPM and nutrients, except for ammonia (NH4+-N derived from domestic effluents of the Guandú river. The mesohaline portion of the estuarine mixing zone of the plumes behaved as a slight source for SPM, DSi and DIP, due to bottom resuspension processes. N:P molar ratios ranged between 80:1 and 20:1 along the estuarine gradient, being higher in the summer than in the winter event, indicating that DIP was the potential nutrient limiting primary production. Chl. a concentrations increased at the outer premises of the plume, suggesting that the short residence times and turbidity of the plume waters, hampered primary production nearshore, particularly during the summer occasion. The small

  10. [Dental caries incidence in adolescents in a city Northeast Brazil, 2006].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Noro, Luiz Roberto Augusto; Roncalli, Angelo Giuseppe; Mendes Júnior, Francisco Ivan Rodrigues; Lima, Kenio Costa

    2009-04-01

    The main objective of this study was to evaluate the incidence of tooth decay in adolescents, associated with socioeconomic status, access to services, and self-perceived oral health. This was a longitudinal study using an epidemiological survey of dental caries and a structured questionnaire with a sample of 688 adolescents residing in Sobral, Ceará State, Brazil. Incidence increased progressively with age, from 1.60 at 12 years of age to 2.28 at 15, with a mean incidence of 1.86 decayed teeth per adolescent. Among the study variables, tooth pain in the previous six months [RR = 1.46 (1.22-1.76)], school lunch [RR = 1.45 (1.21-1.74)], frequency of dental appointments [RR = 1.48 (1.33-1.79)], and access to the Health Service [RR = 1.21 (1.01-1.45)], adjusted by perceived need for treatment, were associated with high caries incidence. It is essential for health professionals and health system managers to formulate public policies that are not limited merely to clinical and preventive aspects, encouraging the population to struggle for better living conditions and allowing equitable access to services and developing collective management of health actions.

  11. Northeast Asian Energy Corridor Initiative for Regional Collaboration

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paik Hoon

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available For historical and political reasons, South Korea (hereafter Korea, Japan and China have not achieved much progress in regional energy cooperation for decades. However, the rising importance of Northeast Asia (NEA in the world energy sphere, especially in the global oil market, is providing an opportunity to create an integrated oil market in the region. This study suggests the Northeast Asian Energy Corridor (NEAEC Initiative as an effective conduit for raising the possibility of the Northeast Asian oil hub project. The NEAEC Initiative combines the model of Europe's Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp (ARA with Singapore's AsiaClear as a form of financial collaboration. The study suggests that an elFor historical and political reasons, South Korea (hereafter Korea, Japan and China have not achieved much progress in regional energy cooperation for decades. However, the rising importance of Northeast Asia (NEA in the world energy sphere, especially in the global oil market, is providing an opportunity to create an integrated oil market in the region. This study suggests the Northeast Asian Energy Corridor (NEAEC Initiative as an effective conduit for raising the possibility of the Northeast Asian oil hub project. The NEAEC Initiative combines the model of Europe's Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp (ARA with Singapore’s AsiaClear as a form of financial collaboration. The study suggests that an electronically integrated Over-the-Counter (OTC market clearing mechanism accompanied by other key financial instruments among Korea, Japan and China can be an effective means for promoting financial collaboration in the region.

  12. Chemical and microbiological characterization of mangrove sediments after a large oil-spill in Guanabara Bay - RJ - Brazil

    OpenAIRE

    Maciel-Souza,Maria do Carmo; Macrae,Andrew; Volpon,Antonia Garcia Torres; Ferreira,Patrícia Silva; Mendonça-Hagler,Leda Cristina

    2006-01-01

    Seventeen months after a 1,3 million L oil spill into Guanabara Bay, analyses of mangrove sediments showed that the three sites closest to the spill remain highly polluted (>10 µg-g-1 polyaromatic hydrocarbons). A fourth site was less polluted, from which most hydrocarbon degrading bacteria were isolated.

  13. Identification of alimentary components of Antillean manatee diet in the Northeast of Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daiane Garcia Anzolin

    2008-06-01

    Full Text Available The manatees are considered to be opportunist herbivors, consuming a great amount of alimentary items. The aim of the present study was to identify the alimentary components of the diet of Antillean manatees in free life in the northeastern region of Brazil. Samples of stomach contents from six Antillean manatee carcasses were col¬lected, in addition to fecal samples from 11 native manatees and five that had been released. The material was identified at the genus and/or species level, based on its morpho-anatomic aspects, and 21 species of seaweeds, phanerogams and cnidarians were presented. Through these analyses it was possible to observe that Antillean manatees fed on a great variety of aquatic plants, with the predominance of red seaweeds.

  14. Gradient Analysis and Classification of Carolina Bay Vegetation: A Framework for Bay Wetlands Conservation and Restoration

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Diane De Steven,Ph.D.; Maureen Tone,PhD.

    1997-10-01

    This report address four project objectives: (1) Gradient model of Carolina bay vegetation on the SRS--The authors use ordination analyses to identify environmental and landscape factors that are correlated with vegetation composition. Significant factors can provide a framework for site-based conservation of existing diversity, and they may also be useful site predictors for potential vegetation in bay restorations. (2) Regional analysis of Carolina bay vegetation diversity--They expand the ordination analyses to assess the degree to which SRS bays encompass the range of vegetation diversity found in the regional landscape of South Carolina's western Upper Coastal Plain. Such comparisons can indicate floristic status relative to regional potentials and identify missing species or community elements that might be re-introduced or restored. (3) Classification of vegetation communities in Upper Coastal Plain bays--They use cluster analysis to identify plant community-types at the regional scale, and explore how this classification may be functional with respect to significant environmental and landscape factors. An environmentally-based classification at the whole-bay level can provide a system of templates for managing bays as individual units and for restoring bays to desired plant communities. (4) Qualitative model for bay vegetation dynamics--They analyze present-day vegetation in relation to historic land uses and disturbances. The distinctive history of SRS bays provides the possibility of assessing pathways of post-disturbance succession. They attempt to develop a coarse-scale model of vegetation shifts in response to changing site factors; such qualitative models can provide a basis for suggesting management interventions that may be needed to maintain desired vegetation in protected or restored bays.

  15. [Ill-defined causes of death and unattended deaths, Brazil, 2003].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Santo, Augusto Hasiak

    2008-01-01

    We studied the distribution of deaths from ill-defined causes that occurred in Brazil during 2003, from which was identified the proportion of unattended deaths. Data were obtained from the Mortality Information System, coordinated by the Ministry of Health. Causes of death included in "Chapter XVIII - Symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not classified elsewhere" of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, tenth revision, were considered ill-defined, among which the category R98 identified "unattended deaths". In Brazil during 2003 the underlying causes of 13.3% of deaths were included in the Chapter of ill-defined causes, and the highest proportions of these deaths occurred in the Northeast and North Regions. Considering the total deaths from ill-defined causes, 53 % correspond to unattended deaths. This proportion increased to over 70% in the states of Maranhão, Piauí, Rio Grande do Norte, Pernambuco, Bahia, Paraíba and Alagoas. Due to the decentralized structure of data collection in the country, we believe that the municipalities bear the major responsibility, followed by the states, for upgrading the quality of mortality statistics.

  16. Stable isotopes of bulk organic matter to trace carbon and nitrogen dynamics in an estuarine ecosystem in Babitonga Bay (Santa Catarina, Brazil)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Barros, Grace Virginia; Martinelli, Luiz Antonio; Oliveira Novais, Therezinha M.; Ometto, Jean Pierre H.B.; Zuppi, Gian Maria

    2010-01-01

    The biogeochemical processes affecting the transport and cycling of terrestrial organic carbon in coastal and transition areas are still not fully understood. One means of distinguishing between the sources of organic materials contributing to particulate organic matter (POM) in Babitonga Bay waters and sediments is by the direct measurement of δ 13 C of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and δ 13 C and δ 15 N in the organic constituents. An isotopic survey was taken from samples collected in the Bay in late spring of 2004. The results indicate that the δ 13 C and δ 15 N compositions of OM varied from - 21.7 per mille to - 26.2 per mille and from + 9.2 per mille to - 0.1 per mille , respectively. δ 13 C from DIC ranges from + 0.04 per mille to - 12.7 per mille . The difference in the isotope compositions enables the determination of three distinct end-members: terrestrial, marine and urban. Moreover, the evaluation of source contribution to the particulate organic matter (POM) in the Bay, enables assessment of the anthropogenic impact. Comparing the depleted values of δ 13 C DIC and δ 13 C POC it is possible to further understand the carbon dynamic within Babitonga Bay.

  17. Nanismo nutricional em escolares no Brasil Stunted schoolchildren in Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Glória Elizabeth Carneiro Laurentino

    2003-12-01

    Full Text Available Revisão da literatura sobre o nanismo nutricional no Brasil. Os principais tópicos abordados foram: definição do problema, a utilização da medida da altura em escolares como método de excelência para avaliar o estado de saúde e nutrição das populações, as principais causas e conseqüências apontadas na literatura e sua magnitude no país. De acordo com a literatura a prevalência do nanismo nutricional varia entre as diversas regiões brasileiras, com nítida desvantagem para as regiões Norte e Nordeste. Sua origem tem sido atribuída especialmente a condições ambientais desfavoráveis. Há indicações de que o atraso da capacidade intelectual e menor capacidade física para o trabalho estão associados ao problema.Literature review on stunting in Brazil. The following topics have been analyzed: problem's definition, the use of schoolchildren's height as the best method to evaluate population health and nutritional status, the main causes and consequences demonstrated in the literature and, at last, the scope of this problem in Brazil. According to lierature the prevalence of stunting varies in different regions of Brazil. The poorest results are found in the North and Northeast. The main determinants of linear growth retardation are poor environmental conditions and among the consequences, results indicate lower physical and mental capacity.

  18. 40 CFR 81.62 - Northeast Mississippi Intrastate Air Quality Control Region.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 17 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Northeast Mississippi Intrastate Air... Air Quality Control Regions § 81.62 Northeast Mississippi Intrastate Air Quality Control Region. The Alabama-Mississippi-Tennessee Interstate Air Quality Control Region has been renamed the Northeast...

  19. 40 CFR 81.216 - Northeast Indiana Intrastate Air Quality Control Region.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 17 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Northeast Indiana Intrastate Air... Air Quality Control Regions § 81.216 Northeast Indiana Intrastate Air Quality Control Region. The Northeast Indiana Intrastate Air Quality Control Region (Indiana) consists of the territorial area...

  20. 40 CFR 81.162 - Northeast Plateau Intrastate Air Quality Control Region.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 17 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Northeast Plateau Intrastate Air... Air Quality Control Regions § 81.162 Northeast Plateau Intrastate Air Quality Control Region. The Northeast Plateau Intrastate Air Quality Control Region (California) consists of the territorial area...

  1. Discharge, water-quality characteristics, and nutrient loads from McKay Bay, Delaney Creek, and East Bay, Tampa, Florida, 1991-1993

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stoker, Y.E.; Levesque, V.A.; Fritz, E.M.

    1996-01-01

    Nutrient enrichment in Tampa Bay has caused a decline in water quality in the estuary. Efforts to reduce the nutrient loading to Tampa Bay have resulted in improvement in water quality from 1981 to 1991. However, Tampa Bay still is onsidered enriched with nutrients. Water quality in East Bay (located at the northeastern part of Hillsborough Bay, which is an embayment in Tampa Bay) is not improving at the same rate as the rest of the bay. East Bay is the center of shipping activity in Tampa Bay and the seventh largest port in the United States. One of the primary cargoes is phosphate ore and related products such as fertilizer. The potential for nutrient loading to East Bay from shipping activities is high and has not previously been measured. Nitrogen and phosphorus loads from East Bay to Hillsborough Bay were measured during selected time periods during June 1992 through May 1993; these data were used to estimate seasonal and annual loads. These loads were evaluated to determine whether the loss of fertilizer products from shipping activities resulted in increased nutrient loading to Hillsborough Bay. Discharge was measured, and water-quality samples were collected at the head of East Bay (exiting McKay Bay), and at the mouth of East Bay. Discharge and nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations for the period June 1992 through May 1993 were used to compute loads. Discharges from McKay Bay, Delaney Creek, and East Bay are highly variable because of the effect of tide. Flow patterns during discharge measurements generally were unidirectional in McKay Bay and Delaney Creek, but more complex, bidirectional patterns were observed at the mouth of East Bay. Tidally affected discharge data were digitally filtered with the Godin filter to remove the effects of tide so that residual, or net, discharge could be determined. Daily mean discharge from McKay Bay ranged from -1,900 to 2,420 cubic feet per second; from Delaney Creek, -3.8 to 162 cubic feet per second; and from East

  2. 46 CFR 7.20 - Nantucket Sound, Vineyard Sound, Buzzards Bay, Narragansett Bay, MA, Block Island Sound and...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 46 Shipping 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Nantucket Sound, Vineyard Sound, Buzzards Bay, Narragansett Bay, MA, Block Island Sound and easterly entrance to Long Island Sound, NY. 7.20 Section 7.20... Atlantic Coast § 7.20 Nantucket Sound, Vineyard Sound, Buzzards Bay, Narragansett Bay, MA, Block Island...

  3. Consumption of fruits and vegetables associated with other risk behaviors among adolescents in Northeast Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silva, Fabiana Medeiros de Almeida; Smith-Menezes, Aldemir; Duarte, Maria de Fátima da Silva

    2016-09-01

    To determine the prevalence of consumption of fruits and vegetables and identify the association with low level of physical activity, exposure to sedentary behavior, consumption of soft drinks and overweight/obesity in adolescents. This is a cross-sectional school-based study with a representative sample of 3992 students aged 14-19 years from the state of Sergipe, Brazil. The outcome was low consumption of fruits and vegetables (de Pediatria de São Paulo. Publicado por Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

  4. 33 CFR 165.1182 - Safety/Security Zone: San Francisco Bay, San Pablo Bay, Carquinez Strait, and Suisun Bay, CA.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Safety/Security Zone: San... Navigable Waters COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) PORTS AND WATERWAYS SAFETY... Areas Eleventh Coast Guard District § 165.1182 Safety/Security Zone: San Francisco Bay, San Pablo Bay...

  5. 78 FR 62293 - Safety Zone, Oyster Festival 30th Anniversary Fireworks Display, Oyster Bay; Oyster Bay, NY

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-10-15

    ... Safety Zone, Oyster Festival 30th Anniversary Fireworks Display, Oyster Bay; Oyster Bay, NY AGENCY: Coast... zone on the navigable waters of Oyster Bay near Oyster Bay, NY for the Oyster Festival 30th Anniversary... Oyster Festival 30th Anniversary Fireworks Display is scheduled for October 19, 2013 and is one of...

  6. 40 CFR 81.256 - Northeast Iowa Intrastate Air Quality Control Region.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 17 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Northeast Iowa Intrastate Air Quality Control Region. 81.256 Section 81.256 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED... Quality Control Regions § 81.256 Northeast Iowa Intrastate Air Quality Control Region. The Northeast Iowa...

  7. 40 CFR 81.237 - Northeast Georgia Intrastate Air Quality Control Region.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 17 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Northeast Georgia Intrastate Air... Air Quality Control Regions § 81.237 Northeast Georgia Intrastate Air Quality Control Region. The Northeast Georgia Intrastate Air Quality Control Region consists of the territorial area encompassed by the...

  8. 40 CFR 81.139 - Northeast Arkansas Intrastate Air Quality Control Region.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 17 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Northeast Arkansas Intrastate Air... Air Quality Control Regions § 81.139 Northeast Arkansas Intrastate Air Quality Control Region. The Northeast Arkansas Intrastate Air Quality Control Region consists of the territorial area encompassed by the...

  9. 40 CFR 81.251 - Northeast Kansas Intrastate Air Quality Control Region.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 17 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Northeast Kansas Intrastate Air... Air Quality Control Regions § 81.251 Northeast Kansas Intrastate Air Quality Control Region. The Northeast Kansas Intrastate Air Quality Control Region consists of the territorial area encompassed by the...

  10. Dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls concentrations in Larus dominicanus. Case study: Marambaia island, Sepetiba bay, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil - doi: 10.4025/actascibiolsci.v35i3.18344

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aldo Pacheco Ferreira

    2013-08-01

    Full Text Available Seabirds play a significant role as bioindicators: they are conspicuous, relatively easy to observe, well-established studied group of organisms, and in the focus of public interest due to pollution in aquatic ecosystem. Systematically, a significant number of man-made chemicals have been introduced in the marine environment and represent the major problem arising in the development worldwide. Many of these chemical contaminants are persistent, known to bioaccumulate and biomagnify through the aquatic food web, affecting species associated with aquatic systems. Dioxins [polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDD, dibenzofurans (PCDF] and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB concentrations were measured in Kelp gull Larus dominicanus collected from 2006 to 2011 on Marambaia Island, Sepetiba Bay, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil. Detectable liver concentrations of PCDD Fs-1 and PCBs were found in all samples analyzed. These represent some of the first measurements of PCDD Fs-1 and PCBs in seabirds from this area. Although levels of these contaminants in the tested species currently appear to fall below critical values, a continuous and systematic monitoring on these compounds becomes essential and desirable to not express toxic values in the future.   

  11. Submarine glacial landforms on the Bay of Fundy–northern Gulf of Maine continental shelf

    Science.gov (United States)

    Todd, B.J.; Shaw, J.; Valentine, Page C.

    2016-01-01

    The Bay of Fundy–northern Gulf of Maine region surrounds the southern part of Nova Scotia, encompassing, from west to east, the Bay of Fundy, Grand Manan Basin, German Bank, Browns Bank, Northeast Channel and northeastern Georges Bank (Fig. 1a, b). During the last glacial maximum (c. 24–20 14C ka BP), the SE margin of the Laurentide Ice Sheet (LIS) occupied the study area, the rest of the Gulf of Maine and the continental Scotian Shelf off Atlantic Canada (see Dyke et al. 2002, fig. 1; Shaw et al. 2006, fig. 8; Hundert & Piper 2008, fig. 16). Early mapping of the glaciated region on the Scotian Shelf using side-scan sonar imagery and seismic-reflection profiles revealed topographic features interpreted to be recessional moraines indicative of retreat of the LIS (King et al. 1972; King 1996). Subsequently, multibeam sonar seafloor mapping of local-scale glacial landforms on the inner Scotian Shelf off Halifax, Nova Scotia (Fig. 1b) provided further information on the dynamics of the advance and retreat of the ice sheet (Loncarevic et al.1994). Interpretation of seismic-reflection profiles across Georges Bank revealed that the surficial sediment is a veneer of glacial debris transported to Georges Bank by the LIS during the late Pleistocene from continental areas to the north (Shepard et al. 1934; Knott & Hoskins 1968; Schlee 1973; Twichell et al. 1987; Fader et al. 1988). Recent high-resolution multibeam sonar surveys of German Bank and the Bay of Fundy mapped a complex of ice-advance and ice-retreat features attributed to the activity of the LIS (Todd et al. 2007; Todd & Shaw 2012).

  12. Diversity of leaf endophytic fungi in mangrove plants of northeast Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wanderley Costa, Isabella P M; Maia, Leonor Costa; Cavalcanti, Maria Auxiliadora

    2012-07-01

    With the aim of increasing the knowledge about endophytic fungi, a group of microorganisms with high biotechnological potential and a valuable source of useful metabolites, a survey in leaves of mangrove plants (Avicennia schaueriana, Laguncularia racemosa, and Rhizophora mangle) was performed at the Itamaracá Island, PE, Brazil. Leaves were collected, during two seasons, dry and rainy, superficially sterilized and fragments maintained in Petri dishes with Potato dextrose agar (PDA) at 28(o) ± 2(o) C until isolation of the fungi. Fourty taxa were isolated: 25 species representing 19 genera and 15 morphotypes determined as Mycelia sterilia. Leaves of L. racemosa hosted the highest number of colony forming units (CFU) and taxa. Guignardia sp. and Colletotrichum gloeosporioides were the most frequently isolated, while Glomerella cingulata was the only species found in association with the three host plants. The proportional importance of each fungus differed among hosts. The similarity of fungi species between the two seasons reached only 4.2%, and that between the hosts was also low, with the maximum (A. schaueriana x L. racemosa) reaching 24.2%. Sphaerosporium, as well as Chloridium virescens var. virescens, Microsphaeropsis arundinis, Penicillium pinophilum, Periconia cambrensis, Phoma herbarum, P. diachenii, P. obscurans, Sordaria prolifica and Torula elisii are reported for the first time as endophytic in tropical regions.

  13. Zika virus displacement by a chikungunya outbreak in Recife, Brazil.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tereza Magalhaes

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Several arboviruses, including dengue virus (DENV, Zika virus (ZIKV and chikungunya virus (CHIKV, transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes, circulate in northeast Brazil. Diseases caused by these viruses are of great public health relevance, however, their epidemiological features in areas where the three viruses co-circulate are scarce. Here, we present analyses of molecular and serological diagnostics in a prospective study of acute febrile patients recruited from May 2015 to May 2016 in Recife, Brazil.Two hundred sixty-three acute febrile patients with symptoms suggestive of an arboviral disease who attended an urgent heath care clinic in the Recife Metropolitan Region in northeast Brazil were enrolled. Acute and convalescent blood samples were collected and tested using molecular and serological assays for infection with DENV, ZIKV and CHIKV.Quantitative real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reactions (qRTPCR performed on acute phase sera detected no patients positive for DENV, but 26 (9.9% positive for ZIKV and 132 (50.2% positive for CHIKV. There were a few suspected and only one confirmed dengue case. Specific serological assays for ZIKV and CHIKV confirmed the qRTPCR data. Analyses of DENV IgM and IgG ELISAs in the context of qRTPCR results suggested high levels of cross reactive antibodies in ZIKV-positive samples. Results from neutralization assays highly corroborated those from qRTPCR and ZIKV ELISA, indicating very few positive DENV cases. ZIKV infections were temporally clustered in the first months of the study and started to decrease concomitantly with an increase in CHIKV infections in August 2015. The proportion of CHIKV infections increased significantly in September 2015 and remained high until the end of the study period, with an average of 84.7% of recruited patients being diagnosed from August 2015 to May 2016. ZIKV infections exhibited a female bias and the cases were spread over the study site, while CHIKV cases had a

  14. eBay.com

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Engholm, Ida

    2014-01-01

    Celebrated as one of the leading and most valuable brands in the world, eBay has acquired iconic status on par with century-old brands such as Coca-Cola and Disney. The eBay logo is now synonymous with the world’s leading online auction website, and its design is associated with the company...

  15. Specific profiles of perfluorinated compounds in surface and drinking waters and accumulation in mussels, fish, and dolphins from southeastern Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Quinete, Natalia; Wu, Qian; Zhang, Tao; Yun, Se Hun; Moreira, Isabel; Kannan, Kurunthachalam

    2009-10-01

    Despite the concern over widespread distribution of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) even in sparsely populated regions of the world, few studies have reported their occurrence in South America. In this study, PFCs were measured in Rio de Janeiro State in southeast Brazil: in drinking water from various districts in the State, in river water and tucuxi dolphins from the Paraiba do Sul River, several species of fish from the State, and mussels from Guanabara Bay. Liver, kidney, and muscle from fishes were analyzed to enable an understanding of the tissue distribution of PFCs. PFOS, PFOA, and PFHxS were detected in all drinking water samples in concentration ranges of 0.58-6.70, 0.35-2.82, and 0.15-1.00 ng L(-1), respectively. The profiles of PFCs in drinking water from Brazil (with PFOS concentrations comparable to or higher than those of PFOA) were different from the profiles that have been reported for other countries. In fish, concentrations of PFOS were, in general, higher in liver than in muscle. Concentrations of PFOA in livers of fish were similar to or lower than fish muscle tissue concentrations. PFOS and PFOA were found in brown mussels from Guanabara Bay. Bioconcentration factors (BCFs) of PFOA calculated for mussels were higher than the BCFs calculated for fishes. Elevated concentrations of PFUnDA (mean: 109+/-17.4 ng g(-1) wet weight) were found in mussels from certain locations within Guanabara Bay. Although PFCs were detected in all types of samples analyzed, the concentrations were generally lower than the concentrations reported for Japan and the USA.

  16. Friendship and Internal Migration in Brazil: Vulnerability and Coping

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Agnaldo Garcia

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Friendship has been investigated in the context of international migration, but little is known about the subject in relation to internal migration, a phenomenon of great social importance in Brazil. The purpose of this article is to present and discuss data obtained in an investigation on the relations between internal migration and friendship as perceived by citizens from the state of Espírito Santo who were living in other states of Brazil, in the North, Northeast, Midwest, South and Southeast regions. Twenty adults born in the state and who had migrated to another Brazilian state participated in the investigation. The participants have been interviewed about how they perceived the relationship between friendship and migration and the data were subjected to thematic content analysis. Among the results difficulties to maintain friendships with people of the place of origin as well as difficulties in forming new friendships were observed. Friends were considered relevant for adaptation to the new state, affecting the perception of the same. The article also discusses the origin of friends, the perception of cultural differences and difficulties to make friends in another state. It is concluded that friends play a relevant role in the lives of Brazilian internal migrants and further investigations are necessary.

  17. Classification using Hierarchical Naive Bayes models

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Langseth, Helge; Dyhre Nielsen, Thomas

    2006-01-01

    Classification problems have a long history in the machine learning literature. One of the simplest, and yet most consistently well-performing set of classifiers is the Naïve Bayes models. However, an inherent problem with these classifiers is the assumption that all attributes used to describe......, termed Hierarchical Naïve Bayes models. Hierarchical Naïve Bayes models extend the modeling flexibility of Naïve Bayes models by introducing latent variables to relax some of the independence statements in these models. We propose a simple algorithm for learning Hierarchical Naïve Bayes models...

  18. 75 FR 11837 - Chesapeake Bay Watershed Initiative

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-03-12

    ... DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Commodity Credit Corporation Chesapeake Bay Watershed Initiative AGENCY...: Notice of availability of program funds for the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Initiative. SUMMARY: The... through the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Initiative for agricultural producers in the Chesapeake Bay watershed...

  19. Urban Greening Bay Area

    Science.gov (United States)

    Information about the San Francisco Bay Water Quality Project (SFBWQP) Urban Greening Bay Area, a large-scale effort to re-envision urban landscapes to include green infrastructure (GI) making communities more livable and reducing stormwater runoff.

  20. USGS Tampa Bay Pilot Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yates, K.K.; Cronin, T. M.; Crane, M.; Hansen, M.; Nayeghandi, A.; Swarzenski, P.; Edgar, T.; Brooks, G.R.; Suthard, B.; Hine, A.; Locker, S.; Willard, D.A.; Hastings, D.; Flower, B.; Hollander, D.; Larson, R.A.; Smith, K.

    2007-01-01

    Many of the nation's estuaries have been environmentally stressed since the turn of the 20th century and will continue to be impacted in the future. Tampa Bay, one the Gulf of Mexico's largest estuaries, exemplifies the threats that our estuaries face (EPA Report 2001, Tampa Bay Estuary Program-Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (TBEP-CCMP)). More than 2 million people live in the Tampa Bay watershed, and the population constitutes to grow. Demand for freshwater resources, conversion of undeveloped areas to resident and industrial uses, increases in storm-water runoff, and increased air pollution from urban and industrial sources are some of the known human activities that impact Tampa Bay. Beginning on 2001, additional anthropogenic modifications began in Tampa Bat including construction of an underwater gas pipeline and a desalinization plant, expansion of existing ports, and increased freshwater withdrawal from three major tributaries to the bay. In January of 2001, the Tampa Bay Estuary Program (TBEP) and its partners identifies a critical need for participation from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in providing multidisciplinary expertise and a regional-scale, integrated science approach to address complex scientific research issue and critical scientific information gaps that are necessary for continued restoration and preservation of Tampa Bay. Tampa Bay stakeholders identified several critical science gaps for which USGS expertise was needed (Yates et al. 2001). These critical science gaps fall under four topical categories (or system components): 1) water and sediment quality, 2) hydrodynamics, 3) geology and geomorphology, and 4) ecosystem structure and function. Scientists and resource managers participating in Tampa Bay studies recognize that it is no longer sufficient to simply examine each of these estuarine system components individually, Rather, the interrelation among system components must be understood to develop conceptual and

  1. Oceanic and atmospheric conditions associated with the pentad rainfall over the southeastern peninsular India during the North-East Indian Monsoon season

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shanmugasundaram, Jothiganesh; Lee, Eungul

    2018-03-01

    The association of North-East Indian Monsoon rainfall (NEIMR) over the southeastern peninsular India with the oceanic and atmospheric conditions over the adjacent ocean regions at pentad time step (five days period) was investigated during the months of October to December for the period 1985-2014. The non-parametric correlation and composite analyses were carried out for the simultaneous and lagged time steps (up to four lags) of oceanic and atmospheric variables with pentad NEIMR. The results indicated that NEIMR was significantly correlated: 1) positively with both sea surface temperature (SST) led by 1-4 pentads (lag 1-4 time steps) and latent heat flux (LHF) during the simultaneous, lag 1 and 2 time steps over the equatorial western Indian Ocean, 2) positively with SST but negatively with LHF (less heat flux from ocean to atmosphere) during the same and all the lagged time steps over the Bay of Bengal. Consistently, during the wet NEIMR pentads over the southeastern peninsular India, SST significantly increased over the Bay of Bengal during all the time steps and the equatorial western Indian Ocean during the lag 2-4 time steps, while the LHF decreased over the Bay of Bengal (all time steps) and increased over the Indian Ocean (same, lag 1 and 2). The investigation on ocean-atmospheric interaction revealed that the enhanced LHF over the equatorial western Indian Ocean was related to increased atmospheric moisture demand and increased wind speed, whereas the reduced LHF over the Bay of Bengal was associated with decreased atmospheric moisture demand and decreased wind speed. The vertically integrated moisture flux and moisture transport vectors from 1000 to 850 hPa exhibited that the moisture was carried away from the equatorial western Indian Ocean to the strong moisture convergence regions of the Bay of Bengal during the same and lag 1 time steps of wet NEIMR pentads. Further, the moisture over the Bay of Bengal was transported to the southeastern peninsular

  2. Concentration of PSP (Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning) Toxin On Shellfish From Inner Ambon Bay and Kao Bay North Halmahera

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pello, F. S.; Haumahu, S.; Huliselan, N. V.; Tuapattinaja, M. A.

    2017-10-01

    The Inner Ambon Bay and Kao Bay have potential on fisheries resources which one of them is molluscs. Molluscs especially for class bivalve have economical values and are consumed by coastal community. The research had been done to analyze saxitoxin (STX) concentration on bivalves from Kao Bay and Inner Ambon Bay. The Saxitoxin Elisa Test Kit Protocol was used to determine saxitoxin concentration. The measurement showed that the highest concentration of saxitoxin (392.42 µg STXeq/100g shellfish meat) was Gafrarium tumidum from Ambon Bay, whereas concentration of saxitoxin (321.83 µg STXeq/100g shellfish meat) was Mactra mera from Kao Bay

  3. Estimativa de radiação solar via modelagem atmosférica de mesoescala aplicada à região nordeste do Brasil Estimation of solar radiation by mesoscale atmospheric modeling applied to the northeast Brazil region

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Otacilio Leandro De Menezes Neto

    2009-09-01

    Full Text Available A utilização de fontes alternativas de energias, como a solar, a eólica e a biomassa, vem crescendo significativamente nos últimos anos, sendo a energia solar, em particular, uma fonte abundante na região Nordeste do Brasil. O conhecimento preciso da radiação solar incidente é, assim, de grande importância para o planejamento energético brasileiro, servindo de base para o desenvolvimento de futuros projetos de plantas fotovoltaicas e de aproveitamento da energia solar. Este trabalho apresenta uma metodologia para o mapeamento da energia solar incidente ao nível do solo para a região Nordeste do Brasil, utilizando um modelo atmosférico de mesoescala (Regional Atmospheric Modeling System - RAMS, validado e ajustado por meio dos dados medidos pela rede de plataformas de coleta de dados (PCDs da Fundação Cearense de Meteorologia e Recursos Hídricos (FUNCEME. Os resultados mostraram que o modelo apresenta erros sistemáticos, sobreestimando a radiação na superfície, porém após as devidas correções estatísticas, utilizando-se uma relação entre a fração de cobertura de nuvens prevista pelo modelo e a radiação observada na superfície e estimada no topo da atmosfera, encontram-se correlações de 0,92 com intervalos de confiança de 13,5 W/m² para dados com base mensal. Usando essa metodologia, a estimativa do valor médio anual (após ajustes da radiação solar incidente no estado do Ceará é de 215 W/m² (máximo em outubro: 260 W/m².The use of renewable energy sources, like solar, wind and biomass is rapidly increasing in recent years, with solar radiation being a particularly abundant energy source over Northeast Brazil. Thus, the proper quantitative knowledge of the incoming solar radiation is of great importance for energy generation planning in Brazil, serving as basis for developing future projects of photovoltaic power plants and solar energy exploration. This work presents a methodology for mapping the

  4. Marine littoral diatoms from the Gordon’s bay region of False Bay, Cape Province, South Africa

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Giffen, MH

    1971-01-01

    Full Text Available and Comic/i for Scientific and Industrial Research, Pretoria (Received: 5.2. 1970) The Gordon?s Bay region occupies the north western corner of False Bay, a large rectangular bay, bounded on the west by the Cape Peninsula ending at Cape Point...

  5. What field school teachers say about the teaching of mathematics: A study in the Northeast of Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carlos Monteiro

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available The majority of research in mathematics education in Brazil focuses on aspects related to urban schools. Although there has been a discussion for decades about the need for a curriculum in schools located in rural areas that considers the importance of the local culture and the concept of context-based knowledge, there is still precarious teaching of mathematics in these schools. This paper discusses research data that addresses the teaching of mathematics in rural schools located in Pernambuco, Brazil. The method used is a qualitative research method based on interviews and discourse analysis. We focus on the discourse of teachers who participated in the empirical study by analyzing their views on rural education, the conceptualization of resources, and on their performance in mathematics teaching. Although most teachers positively evaluate their performance when they teach mathematics, they do not identify differences between teaching in the city and in rural areas. Generally, the teachers were unaware of the field schools' specificities. The results lead us to reflect on the possibilities of teaching mathematics to empower rural communities.

  6. Pyrite-coated granite cobbles at Lee Bay, Stewart Island

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brathwaite, R.L.; Skinner, D.N.B.; Faure, K.; Edwards, E.

    2014-01-01

    On the west side of Lee Bay on the northeast coast of Stewart Island, ventifact cobbles of pyrite-coated granite occur on the beach near the high tide mark and appear to be derived from a sand-cemented gravel deposit that forms a low bank at the back of the beach. The pyrite coat (up to 1 mm thick) completely covers the granitic cobbles and is zoned, with an inner zone of fine-grained colloform pyrite and an outer framboidal zone. Framboidal pyrite is typically formed in anoxic sedimentary environments. Subrounded grains of hematite, ilmenite with hematite blebs, magnetite, feldspar, biotite, quartz and zircon are present in the outer framboidal zone, with some ilmenite and hematite grains being partially replaced by pyrite. The assemblage of ilmenite-hematite-magnetite-biotite-zircon is similar both in mineralogy and size range to that found in heavy mineral beach sands. Sulphur isotope values of the pyrite coat are consistent with formation of the pyrite by microbial sulphate reduction of seawater sulphate. The framboidal texture together with the presence of grains of beach sand in the pyrite coating indicate that it was deposited in a low-temperature sedimentary environment. (author)

  7. Evidence of Teleconnections between the Peruvian central Andes and Northeast Brazil during extreme rainfall events

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sulca, J. C.; Vuille, M. F.; Silva, F. Y.; Takahashi, K.

    2013-12-01

    Knowledge about changes in regional circulation and physical processes associated with extreme rainfall events in South America is limited. Here we investigate such events over the Mantaro basin (MB) located at (10°S-13°S; 73°W-76°W) in the central Peruvian Andes and Northeastern Brazil (NEB), located at (9°S-15°S; 39°W-46°W). Occasional dry and wet spells can be observed in both areas during the austral summer season. The main goal of this study is to investigate potential teleconnections between extreme rainfall events in MB and NEB during austral summer. We define wet (dry) spells as periods that last for at least 3 (5) consecutive days with rainfall above (below) the 70 (30) percentile. To identify the dates of ocurrence of these events, we used daily accumulated rainfall data from 14 climate stations located in the Mantaro basin for the period 1965 to 2002. In NEB we defined a rainfall index which is based on average daily gridded rainfall data within the region for the same period. Dry (wet spells) in the MB are associated with positive (negative) OLR anomalies which extend over much of the tropical Andes, indicating the large-scale nature of these events. At 200 hPa anomalous easterly (westerly) zonal winds aloft accompany wet (dry) spells. Composite anomalies of dry spells in MB reveal significant contemporaneous precipitation anomalies of the opposite sign over NEB, which suggest that intraseasonal precipitation variability over the two regions may be dynamically linked. Indeed upper-tropospheric circulation anomalies over the central Andes extend across South America and appear to be tied to an adjustment in the Bolivian High-Nordeste Low system. Dry (wet) spells in NEB are equally associated with a large-scale pattern of positive (negative) OLR anomalies; however, there are no related significant OLR anomalies over the MB during these events. Dry (wet) spells are associated with robust patterns of anomalous wind fields at both low and upper

  8. Increasing deforestation at the Arc of Deforestation in Brazil

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silva, Maria Elisa; Pereira, Gabriel; Rocha, Rosmeri

    2013-04-01

    levels are similar to those related to observed-CRU data for all month. More specifically, the mean air temperature is usually underestimated throughout the major part of the spatial domain. These negative mean biases range between -4 and -1oC. The underestimation of mean air temperature results from a combination between over and underestimation of minimum and maximum temperature, respectively, being the underestimation higher than the overestimation. Although being underestimated by RegCM3, spatial patterns of precipitation over South America are similar to those shown by CRU data. The precipitation increases over the north region and over the northwest-southeast band through South America, which are related to the local convection increasing. The South Atlantic Convergence Zone presence during the rainy season is well simulated by the model. In general, the underestimation of monthly precipitation ranges between 30 and 120 mm, reaching values between 120 and 180 mm over the rainiest regions. The replacement of rain tropical forest by grass over a band that follows the Arc of Deforestation on Amazonian region provided many impacts on climate. The major impacts at low levels occurred throughout the north and west portions of Brazil, east of Bolivia, northeast of Argentine and over Paraguay, including changes in air temperature, surface pressure, vertical movement, moisture at the upper and root zone soil layers. The observed changes are related to maximum air convergence just over the Arc of Deforestation as extra deforestation is taken in account. This convergence is directly linked to the temperature elevation at the degraded area. For the last months in each rainy season, as February, for example, almost all Brazilian territory is reached by anomalies of lower surface pressure. In all simulated month, air advection anomalies at the low levels from north-northeast of South America are directed to southern regions. This may be possibly related to the combination

  9. 78 FR 23815 - Northeast Corridor Safety Committee; Notice of Meeting

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-04-22

    .... 6] Northeast Corridor Safety Committee; Notice of Meeting AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Department of Transportation (DOT). ACTION: Announcement of the Northeast Corridor Safety Committee (NECSC) Meeting. [[Page 23816

  10. Occurrence of Mycoplasma synoviae on commercial poultry farms of Pernambuco, Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mércia R. Barros

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available The state of Pernambuco is the largest producer of eggs in the North and Northeast of Brazil and second one in the broiler production. Mycoplasmas are important avian pathogens, which cause respiratory and joint diseases that result in large economic losses. The aim of the present study was to investigate the occurrence of Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG and Mycoplasma synoviae (MS in broilers and commercial laying hens in the state of Pernambuco, Brazil. Tracheal fragments were analyzed from 55 healthy broilers, 35 broilers with respiratory signs and 30 commercial laying hens with respiratory signs, from 24 commercial poultry farms, each sample was composed of a pool of five birds. The bacteriological exam, PCR and nested PCR were used for the detection of Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG and Mycoplasma synoviae (MS. All samples were negative in bacteriological isolation. In the PCR analyses, seven samples from birds with respiratory signs were positive for MS and one was positive for MG, the latter of which was confirmed as the MG-F vaccine strain. The occurrence of MS in chickens with respiratory signs may indicate inadequate sanitary management on poultry farms, favoring the propagation of mycoplasmosis.

  11. Pentastomids infecting an invader lizard, Hemidactylus mabouia (Gekkonidae in northeastern Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    LA. Anjos

    Full Text Available From January to April 2006, 37 specimens of Hemidactylus mabouia were collected in houses, in the municipality of Barbalha (7° 20' S and 39° 18' W, Ceará State, Northeast Brazil. Among the individuals captured, 17 were infected with pentastomids, totalling a prevalence of 45.9%, which did not differ between sexes. Host size did not influence the infection intensity. Two species of pentastomids were found: Raillietiella frenatus and R. mottae. The prevalence of R. frenatus (43.2% was higher than R. mottae (2.7%, whereas the infection intensity of R. frenatus was comparatively lower (1.8 ± 1.4 than R. mottae (36 parasites in a single host. Overall mean intensity of infection was 3.8 ± 8.4 pentastomids. We found no pentastomid infecting juvenile geckos. The parameters of infection in this host population are in accordance to the findings of other studies, in which the high parasitism rate was associated to the feeding habits of geckos living in houses and buildings. Hemidactylus mabouia is a new host to R. mottae and the infection by R. frenatus is the first record of the occurrence this pentastomid species in Brazil.

  12. Frequency of serovars and antimicrobial resistance in Shigella spp. from Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gisele Peirano

    2006-05-01

    Full Text Available A total of 296 Shigella spp. were received from State Public Health Laboratories, during the period from 1999 to 2004, by National Reference Laboratory for Cholera and Enteric Diseases (NRLCED - IOC/Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The frequency of Shigella spp. was: S. flexneri (52.7%, S. sonnei (44.2%, S. boydii (2.3%, and S. dysenteriae (0.6%. The most frequent S. flexneri serovars were 2a and 1b. The highest incidence rates of Shigella isolation were observed in the Southeast (39% and Northeast (34% regions and the lowest rate in the South (3% of Brazil. Strains were further analyzed for antimicrobial susceptibility by disk diffusion method as part of a surveillance program on antimicrobial resistance. The highest rates of antimicrobial resistance were to trimethoprim-sulfamethozaxole (90%, tetracycline (88%, ampicillin (56%, and chloramphenicol (35%. The patterns of antimicrobial resistance among Shigella isolates pose a major difficulty in the determination of an appropriate drug for shigellosis treatment. Continuous monitoring of antimicrobial susceptibilities of Shigella spp. through a surveillance system is thus essential for effective therapy and control measures against shigellosis.

  13. Description of gravity cores from San Pablo Bay and Carquinez Strait, San Francisco Bay, California

    Science.gov (United States)

    Woodrow, Donald L.; John L. Chin,; Wong, Florence L.; Fregoso, Theresa A.; Jaffe, Bruce E.

    2017-06-27

    Seventy-two gravity cores were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey in 1990, 1991, and 2000 from San Pablo Bay and Carquinez Strait, California. The gravity cores collected within San Pablo Bay contain bioturbated laminated silts and sandy clays, whole and broken bivalve shells (mostly mussels), fossil tube structures, and fine-grained plant or wood fragments. Gravity cores from the channel wall of Carquinez Strait east of San Pablo Bay consist of sand and clay layers, whole and broken bivalve shells (less than in San Pablo Bay), trace fossil tubes, and minute fragments of plant material.

  14. Future oil supply to the Northeast United States

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bronheim, H.

    1976-06-01

    The Northeast consumed some 4.6 million bbls/day of petroleum products in 1972. Nearly 63 percent of that supply was of foreign origin, making the Northeast the single largest oil-importing region in the nation. The remainder of its supply originated mainly in states on the Gulf of Mexico. The phasing out of coal as a major utility boiler fuel and curtailment of natural gas sales to the Northeast have led to the rapid increase in the use of petroleum products. Nationwide oil production reached a peak of 11.3 million bbls/day in 1970 and has been declining yearly ever since. The Northeast in particular has led the movement to foreign imports because of its coastal location, its distance from domestic sources, the competitive pricing of foreign oils, and because of environmental considerations. Under various assumptions of total U.S. reserves of oil (discovered and undiscovered) coupled to alternate schedules of national resource development, projections of crude oil production were made for the years 1985 and 2000. The projections indicate that even under optimistic conditions crude oil production will be declining in the post-1985 period, if not earlier. The scenarios consistently indicate that the Northeast's regional share will be heavily constrained by 1985, and rapidly declining thereafter. On the other hand, production of oil worldwide will concentrate further in the hands of the Arab OPEC nations who are likely to exercise growing control over pricing and the international supply of crude oil.

  15. 78 FR 41772 - Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Northeast...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-07-11

    ... States; Northeast Multispecies Fishery; Proposed Rule To Allow Northeast Multispecies Sector Vessels.... ADDRESSES: A copy of the accompanying environmental assessment is available from the NMFS Northeast Regional.... SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background Amendment 16 to the Northeast Multispecies Fisheries Management Plan...

  16. Plutonium as a tracer for soil erosion assessment in northeast China

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Xu, Yihong [School of Geographic and Oceanographic Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023 (China); Qiao, Jixin [Center for Nuclear Technologies, Technical University of Denmark, Risø Campus, DK-4000 Roskilde (Denmark); Pan, Shaoming, E-mail: span@nju.edu.cn [School of Geographic and Oceanographic Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023 (China); Hou, Xiaolin, E-mail: xiho@dtu.dk [Center for Nuclear Technologies, Technical University of Denmark, Risø Campus, DK-4000 Roskilde (Denmark); Xi' an AMS Center, SKLLQG, Institute of Earth Environment, CAS, Xi' an 710075 (China); Roos, Per [Center for Nuclear Technologies, Technical University of Denmark, Risø Campus, DK-4000 Roskilde (Denmark); Cao, Liguo [School of Geographic and Oceanographic Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023 (China)

    2015-04-01

    Soil erosion is one of the most serious environmental and agricultural problems faced by human society. Assessing intensity is an important issue for controlling soil erosion and improving eco-environmental quality. The suitability of the application of plutonium (Pu) as a tracer for soil erosion assessment in northeast China was investigated by comparing with that of {sup 137}Cs. Here we build on preliminary work, in which we investigated the potential of Pu as a soil erosion tracer by sampling additional reference sites and potential erosive sites, along the Liaodong Bay region in northeast China, for Pu isotopes and {sup 137}Cs. {sup 240}Pu/{sup 239}Pu atomic ratios in all samples were approximately 0.18, which indicated that the dominant source of Pu was the global fallout. Pu showed very similar distribution patterns to those of {sup 137}Cs at both uncultivated and cultivated sites. {sup 239+240}Pu concentrations in all uncultivated soil cores followed an exponential decline with soil depth, whereas at cultivated sites, Pu was homogenously distributed in plow horizons. Factors such as planted crop types, as well as methods and frequencies of irrigation and tillage were suggested to influence the distribution of radionuclides in cultivated land. The baseline inventories of {sup 239+240}Pu and {sup 137}Cs were 88.4 and 1688 Bq m{sup −2} respectively. Soil erosion rates estimated by {sup 239+240}Pu tracing method were consistent with those obtained by the {sup 137}Cs method, confirming that Pu is an effective tracer with a similar tracing behavior to that of {sup 137}Cs for soil erosion assessment. - Highlights: • The potential for the use of Pu as a soil erosion tracer was investigated. • Pu would be a good tracer given its long half-life. • Depth profiles of Pu in soils were systematically studied and compared to {sup 137}Cs. • Pu is an effective soil erosion tracer with behavior similar to that of {sup 137}Cs. • Thus, Pu provides a means of

  17. 78 FR 76077 - Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Northeast...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-12-16

    ... Northeastern United States; Northeast Multispecies Fishery; Final Rule To Allow Northeast Multispecies Sector... allows fishing access for Northeast multispecies sectors to two portions of the Southern New England... of the accompanying environmental assessment is available from the NMFS Northeast Regional Office...

  18. Branchial histopathological study of Brachyplatystoma rousseauxii (Castelnau, 1855 in the Guajará bay, Belém, Pará State, Brazil - DOI: 10.4025/actascibiolsci.v32i1.4800

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rossineide Martins Rocha

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available This work analyzes the morphological alterations in Brachyplatystoma rousseauxii gills and evaluates whether this species can be considered an environmental monitoring biomarker of Guajará Bay. Sampling was carried out in four areas around Belém, Brazil, in four annual periods: dry/wet season, wet season, wet/dry season and dry season. Water pH, temperature and suspended material were evaluated. A total of 36 specimens were collected. The second right gill arch of each animal was removed and immediately fixed and processed for histopathology analysis with light microscopy. The physicochemical analysis of the water during the study period showed slight acidity, temperature and material in suspension within normal levels. Histopathological analysis of the gills from 14 individuals from area I presented no alterations, and only 2 individuals from this area presented some significant type of alteration. In contrast, all individuals captured in areas II, III, and IV presented at least one of the following alterations: aneurism-like alterations, epithelial elevation, infiltration, cell proliferation and cell hypertrophy. Based on the gill histopathological analysis, this organ is considered a good biomarker and the native species B. rousseauxii could be used as a bioindicator for environmental monitoring.

  19. 75 FR 15343 - Regulated Navigation Area: Narragansett Bay, RI and Mount Hope Bay, RI and MA, Including the...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-03-29

    ...: Narragansett Bay, RI and Mount Hope Bay, RI and MA, Including the Providence River and Taunton River AGENCY... River and Mount Hope Bay in the vicinity of the two Brightman Street bridges have not been adopted and... Island and Mt. Hope Bay, MA.'' The notice was prompted primarily by two events: (1) The U.S. Army Corps...

  20. Overview of the state of the art of constructed wetlands for decentralized wastewater management in Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Machado, A I; Beretta, M; Fragoso, R; Duarte, E

    2017-02-01

    Conventional wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) commonly require large capital investments as well as operation and maintenance costs. Constructed wetlands (CWs) appear as a cost-effective treatment, since they can remove a broad range of contaminants by a combination of physical, chemical and biological processes with a low cost. Therefore, CWs can be successfully applied for decentralized wastewater treatment in regions with low population density and/or with large land availability as Brazil. The present work provides a review of thirty nine studies developed on CWs implemented in Brazil to remove wastewater contaminants. Brazil current sanitation data is also considered to evaluate the potential role of CWs as decentralized wastewater treatment. Performance of CWs was evaluated according to (i) type of wetland system, (ii) different support matrix (iii) vegetation species and (iv) removal efficiency of chemical oxygen demand (COD), biological oxygen demand (BOD 5 ), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P). The reviewed CWs in overall presented good efficiencies, whereas H-CWs achieved the highest removals for P, while the higher results for N were attained on VF-CW and for COD and BOD 5 on HF-CW. Therefore, was concluded that CWs are an interesting solution for decentralized wastewater treatment in Brazil since it has warm temperatures, extensive radiation hours and available land. Additionally, the low percentage of population with access to the sewage network in the North and Northeast regions makes these systems especially suitable. Hence, the further implementation of CW is encouraged by the authors in regions with similar characteristics as Brazil. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.