184 resultados para Brazil, Sao Paulo, Eleuterio
Resumo:
Little is known about the ability of methanogens to grow and produce methane in estuarine environments. In this study, traditional methods for cultivating strictly anaerobic microorganisms were combined with Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) technique to enrich and identify methanogenic Archaea cultures occurring in highly polluted sediments of tropical Santos-So Vicente Estuary (So Paulo, Brazil). Sediment samples were enriched at 30A degrees C under strict anaerobic and halophilic conditions, using a basal medium containing 2% of sodium chloride and amended with glucose, methanol, and sodium salts of acetate, formate and lactate. High methanogenic activity was detected, as evidenced by the biogas containing 11.5 mmol of methane at 20 days of incubation time and methane yield of 0.138-mmol CH(4)/g organic matter/g volatile suspense solids. Cells of methanogenic Archaea were selected by serial dilution in medium amended separately with sodium acetate, sodium formate, or methanol. FISH analysis revealed the presence of Methanobacteriaceae and Methanosarcina sp. cells.
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So Paulo is the largest city in Brazil and South America with about 20 million inhabitants in the metropolitan area, more than nine million motor vehicles and intense industrial activity, which are responsible for increasing pollution in the region. Nevertheless, little is known concerning metal and semi-metal content in the soils of this metropolitan region. This type of information could be extremely useful as a fingerprint of environmental pollution. The present study determined the elements As, Ba, Co, Cr, Sb, and Zn concentrations in soils adjacent to avenues of highly dense traffic in So Paulo city to assess their levels and possible sources. The analytical technique employed was Instrumental neutron activation analysis. The results showed, except for Co, concentration levels higher than the reference values for soils of So Paulo, according to the Environmental Protection Agency of the State of So Paulo guidelines. When compared to similar studies in other cities around the world, So Paulo soils presented higher levels, probably due to its high density traffic and industrial activity. The concentrations obtained for As and Cr indicate anthropogenic origin. The high levels of the traffic-related elements Ba, Sb, and Zn in soils nearby high density traffic avenues indicate they may originate from vehicular exhausts.
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The University of So Paulo Gracilariaceae Germplasm Bank has 50 strains collected mostly in Brazil, but also elsewhere in the world. This bank has been used as a source of material for research developed locally and abroad. With over 200 species, some of which have high economic value, the family Gracilariaceae has been extensively studied. Nonetheless, taxonomic problems still persist by the existence of cryptic species, phenotypic plasticity, and broad geographic distribution. In the case of algae kept in culture for long periods of time, the identification is even more problematic as a consequence of considerable morphological modification. Thus, the use of molecular markers has been shown to be an efficient tool to elucidate taxonomic issues in the group. In this work, we sequenced the 5'-end of the cox1 gene for 41 strains and the universal plastid amplicon (UPA) plastid region for 45 strains, covering all 50 strains in the bank. In addition, the rbcL for representatives of the cox1/UPA clusters was sequenced for 14 strains. The original species identification based on morphology was compared with the molecular data obtained in this work, resulting in the identification of 13 different species. Our analyses indicate that cox1 and UPA are suitable markers for the delineation of species of Gracilariales in the germplasm bank. The addition of DNA barcode tags to the samples in the Gracilariaceae germplasm bank and the molecular identification of the species will make this bank even more useful for future research as the species can be easily traced and confirmed.
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The objective of this study was to determine the size and composition of atmospheric aerosols in the downtown area of the city of So Paulo, Brazil, for a polluted and an unpolluted period. Aerosols were sampled with a portable air sampler (PAS), Micro-Orifice Uniform Deposit Impactor (MOUDI), and Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer. At the study site, air quality is poor, especially during the winter, high concentrations of pollutants being emitted primarily by the light- and heavy-duty vehicle fleet. We analyzed mass, black carbon (BC), Al, Si, P, S, Cl, K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Br, Rb, Sn, Zr, and Pb. During the polluted period, diurnal PM(10) was higher than nocturnal PM(10), whereas the inverse was true during the unpolluted period. The FPM was rich in BC, S, and Pb, whereas CPM was rich in Al, Si, Ca, Ti, and Fe. Mass balance was performed by category: ammonium sulfate, sodium chloride, crustal material, BC, and other. The PAS-determined FPM was mainly BC. The MOUDI-determined FPM crustal material explained more mass than did ammonium sulfate and BC during the polluted period, whereas ammonium sulfate had the largest mass during the unpolluted period. Crustal material was the major CPM component, followed by ammonium sulfate and BC. During the unpolluted period, FPM concentrations were lower, whereas those of ammonium sulfate were relatively higher, especially at night, and particle number was inversely proportional to particle size. Aerosol growth was more intense during the polluted period.
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Ecosystems may reflect environmental changes in many respects, from the debilitation of individuals to alterations in community composition. Equally, population parameters may provide reliable indications of environmental changes. Members of the sciaenid fish genus Stellifer are usually very abundant where they occur, often with two or more species living in sympatry. Here, the population dynamics of three Stellifer species from southeastern Brazil were assessed. Sampling was carried out in shallow marine areas of Caraguatatuba Bay, from August 2003 to October 2004. The species evaluated were Stellifer rastrifer (n=3183), S. brasiliensis (n=357) and S. stellifer (n=116). The area under greater continental influence tended to support more, but smaller individuals. Size variations over time were similar among species and negatively correlated with Krel, which showed smooth fluctuations. The general length-frequency distribution was concentrated between 6.0 and 9.0 cm, and the great majority of females did not present mature gonads during the sampling period. The findings support the existence of a stratification by size for these species, indicating that the area is essential for the development of younger fish. Failure to consider these characteristics for the management of similar areas may have serious implications for these environments.
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The Laje de Santos Marine State Park (LSMSP), located in southeastern Brazil, is the only marine park in Sao Paulo State. This conservation unit has been established as a protected area of high biological diversity. Despite its importance for the conservation of the marine biota, little is known about the park's seaweed flora. The objectives of this study were as follows: to furnish increased knowledge of the composition of the macroalgae in the Park area; to relate the area's macroalgal composition to the presence of an important water mass in the region, the South Atlantic Central Water (SACW); and to investigate the possible influence of the Port of Santos on the composition of the macroalgae of the LSMSP. This study registered 31 new records for the LSMSP, 11 for Sao Paulo State, four for Brazil, one for the western Atlantic and one for the South Atlantic Ocean, in addition to the possible occurrence of one new species of Osmundea (Rhodomelaceae) and one new genus belonging to Ceramiaceae. The taxonomic composition of the macroalgae had a direct correlation with the arrival of the SACW in the summer-fall season. The SACW generated a strong thermocline and increased the supply of nutrients in the water column. Hydrodynamic and dispersion modeling analyses suggested that the Port of Santos influenced the composition of the LSMSP phycoflora.
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Objectives: To assess the relationship between the CHS frailty criteria (Fried et al., 2001) and cognitive performance. Design: Cross sectional and population-based. Setting: Ermelino Matarazzo, a poor sub district of the city of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Participants: 384 community dwelling older adults, 65 and older. Measurements: Assessment of the CHS frailty criteria, the Brief Cognitive Screening Battery (memorization of 10 black and white pictures, verbal fluency animal category, and the Clock Drawing Test) and the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Results: Frail older adults performed significantly lower than non-frail and pre frail elderly in most cognitive variables. Grip strength and age were associated to MMSE performance, age was associated to delayed memory recall, gait speed was associated to verbal fluency and CDT performance, and education was associated to CDT performance. Conclusion: Being frail may be associated with cognitive decline, thus, gerontological assessments and interventions should consider that these forms of vulnerability may occur simultaneously.
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Different components of the mixed function oxidase (MFO) system and the levels of fluorescent aromatic compounds in bile (FACs) were measured in Cathorops spixii in order to assess the impact of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Fish were sampled in an estuary (Santos/Sao Vicente) with a history of contamination by PAHs, mainly due to the presence of the industrial complex of Cubatao city and of another of low anthropogenic influence (Cananeia) on the Brazilian coast. FACs were higher in fish from the polluted site, and the PAH 5 and 6-ring metabolites were the most frequent - with 14% and 15%, respectively. Levels of the different components of the MFO system showed the same variation profile as the FACs for both estuaries. Therefore, the values found for somatic indexes and biomarkers with data of bile PAH metabolites indicate the presence of organic contaminants, especially in the area subject to the influence of the industrial complex on the Santos/Sao Vicente estuary.
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The distribution of heavy metals in recent sediments deposited along the Tiete River, a highly polluted river in southeast region of Brazil was studied. Around the metropolitan area of Silo Paulo city (25 million people), the pollution is related to municipal wastes and industrial effluents with reinforced downstream by agricultural activities. The observed increase of heavy metal concentrations is particularly important for Zn in the upper basin and Cu, Co and Cr at mouth. Geo-accumulation index calculation, related to the regional background, showed that the sediments along the basin are seriously polluted by heavy metals of anthropogenic origin, mainly Cu, Co, Cr and Zn. Calculated index suggests medium to very strongly pollution.
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The increased pollution in the aquatic ecosystem has led to the investigation of toxic elements in sea water by using marine organisms to assess marine pollution from human activities. Among these organisms, the mollusks bivalves have been used as biomonitors since they can accumulate trace elements and other substances, without the occurrence of their death. In this study, Perna perna mussels were transplanted from a mussel farm (reference region) to four sites located in coastal regions of So Paulo State, Brazil, close to anthropic discharge areas. Vanadium was determined in mussel tissues by instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA). Quality control of V analysis was checked by analyzing biological reference materials and the results obtained were precise and in good agreement with the certified values. Comparisons between the V concentrations obtained in transplanted mussels indicated that those from So Sebastio region, close to an oil terminal presented the highest concentration of this element, during spring.
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The occurrence of two alien alpheid shrimps of the genus Athanas Leach, 1814 [in Leach 1813-1814], the Indo-West Pacific A. dimorphus Ortmann, 1894 and the Eastern Atlantic A. nitescens (Leach, 1813 [in Leach 1813-1814]), on the coast of the state of So Paulo, Brazil, is reported. The presence of A. dimorphus extends the range of this species in the western Atlantic farther to the south in Brazil, whereas A. nitescens is reported for the first time in the western Atlantic, representing the second alien alpheid species on this side of the Atlantic and the twenty-first decapod crustacean introduced in Brazil. We provide morphological accounts of the material examined and illustrate the most important diagnostic characters of both species. An overview of the possible mechanisms of their introduction on the coast of So Paulo is also provided.
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Glacigenic diamictite successions of the Macaubas Group are widespread in the western domain of the Aracuai orogen, east of the Sao Francisco craton (Brazil). Diamictites also occur on this craton and in the African counterpart of the Aracuai orogen, the West Congo belt. Detrital zircon grains from the matrix of diamictites and sandstones from the Macaubas Group were dated by the U-Pb SHRIMP technique. The geochronological study sets the maximum depositional age of the glacial diamictites at 900 Ma, and indicates multiple sources for the Macaubas basin with ages ranging from 900 to 2800 Ma. Sm-Nd T-DM model ages, determined on whole rock samples, range from 1.8 Ga to 2.5 Ga and get older up-section. Comparison of our data with those from the cratonic area suggest that these glacial deposits can be correlated to the Jequitai and Carrancas diamictites in the Sao Francisco craton, and to the Lower Mixtite Formation of the West Congolian Group, exposed in Africa. The 900-1000 Ma source is most probably represented by the Zadinian-Mayumbian volcanic rocks and related granites from the West Congo belt. However, one of the most voluminous sources, with ages in the 1.1-1.3 Ga interval, has not been detected in the Sao Francisco-Congo craton. Possible sources for these grains could occur elsewhere in Africa, or possibly from within the Brasilia Belt in western central Brazil. (C) 2011 International Association for Gondwana Research. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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Abstract Background The success of HPV vaccination programs will require awareness regarding HPV associated diseases and the benefits of HPV vaccination for the general population. The aim of this study was to assess the level of awareness and knowledge of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, cervical cancer prevention, vaccines, and factors associated with HPV awareness among young women after birth of the first child. Methods This analysis is part of a cross-sectional study carried out at Hospital Maternidade Leonor Mendes de Barros, a large public maternity hospital in Sao Paulo. Primiparous women (15-24 years) who gave birth in that maternity hospital were included. A questionnaire that included questions concerning knowledge of HPV, cervical cancer, and vaccines was applied. To estimate the association of HPV awareness with selected factors, prevalence ratios (PR) were estimated using a generalized linear model (GLM). Results Three hundred and one primiparous women were included; 37% of them reported that they "had ever heard about HPV", but only 19% and 7%, respectively, knew that HPV is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) and that it can cause cervical cancer. Seventy-four percent of interviewees mentioned the preventive character of vaccines and all participants affirmed that they would accept HPV vaccination after delivery. In the multivariate analysis, only increasing age (P for trend = 0.021) and previous STI (P < 0.001) were factors independently associated with HPV awareness ("had ever heard about HPV"). Conclusions This survey indicated that knowledge about the association between HPV and cervical cancer among primiparous young women is low. Therefore, these young low-income primiparous women could benefit greatly from educational interventions to encourage primary and secondary cervical cancer prevention programs.
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Abstract Background Air pollution in São Paulo is constantly being measured by the State of Sao Paulo Environmental Agency, however there is no information on the variation between places with different traffic densities. This study was intended to identify a gradient of exposure to traffic-related air pollution within different areas in São Paulo to provide information for future epidemiological studies. Methods We measured NO2 using Palmes' diffusion tubes in 36 sites on streets chosen to be representative of different road types and traffic densities in São Paulo in two one-week periods (July and August 2000). In each study period, two tubes were installed in each site, and two additional tubes were installed in 10 control sites. Results Average NO2 concentrations were related to traffic density, observed on the spot, to number of vehicles counted, and to traffic density strata defined by the city Traffic Engineering Company (CET). Average NO2concentrations were 63μg/m3 and 49μg/m3 in the first and second periods, respectively. Dividing the sites by the observed traffic density, we found: heavy traffic (n = 17): 64μg/m3 (95% CI: 59μg/m3 – 68μg/m3); local traffic (n = 16): 48μg/m3 (95% CI: 44μg/m3 – 52μg/m3) (p < 0.001). Conclusion The differences in NO2 levels between heavy and local traffic sites are large enough to suggest the use of a more refined classification of exposure in epidemiological studies in the city. Number of vehicles counted, traffic density observed on the spot and traffic density strata defined by the CET might be used as a proxy for traffic exposure in São Paulo when more accurate measurements are not available.
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Background: Aortic aneurysm and dissection are important causes of death in older people. Ruptured aneurysms show catastrophic fatality rates reaching near 80%. Few population-based mortality studies have been published in the world and none in Brazil. The objective of the present study was to use multiple-cause-of-death methodology in the analysis of mortality trends related to aortic aneurysm and dissection in the state of Sao Paulo, between 1985 and 2009. Methods: We analyzed mortality data from the Sao Paulo State Data Analysis System, selecting all death certificates on which aortic aneurysm and dissection were listed as a cause-of-death. The variables sex, age, season of the year, and underlying, associated or total mentions of causes of death were studied using standardized mortality rates, proportions and historical trends. Statistical analyses were performed by chi-square goodness-of-fit and H Kruskal-Wallis tests, and variance analysis. The joinpoint regression model was used to evaluate changes in age-standardized rates trends. A p value less than 0.05 was regarded as significant. Results: Over a 25-year period, there were 42,615 deaths related to aortic aneurysm and dissection, of which 36,088 (84.7%) were identified as underlying cause and 6,527 (15.3%) as an associated cause-of-death. Dissection and ruptured aneurysms were considered as an underlying cause of death in 93% of the deaths. For the entire period, a significant increased trend of age-standardized death rates was observed in men and women, while certain non-significant decreases occurred from 1996/2004 until 2009. Abdominal aortic aneurysms and aortic dissections prevailed among men and aortic dissections and aortic aneurysms of unspecified site among women. In 1985 and 2009 death rates ratios of men to women were respectively 2.86 and 2.19, corresponding to a difference decrease between rates of 23.4%. For aortic dissection, ruptured and non-ruptured aneurysms, the overall mean ages at death were, respectively, 63.2, 68.4 and 71.6 years; while, as the underlying cause, the main associated causes of death were as follows: hemorrhages (in 43.8%/40.5%/13.9%); hypertensive diseases (in 49.2%/22.43%/24.5%) and atherosclerosis (in 14.8%/25.5%/15.3%); and, as associated causes, their principal overall underlying causes of death were diseases of the circulatory (55.7%), and respiratory (13.8%) systems and neoplasms (7.8%). A significant seasonal variation, with highest frequency in winter, occurred in deaths identified as underlying cause for aortic dissection, ruptured and non-ruptured aneurysms. Conclusions: This study introduces the methodology of multiple-causes-of-death to enhance epidemiologic knowledge of aortic aneurysm and dissection in São Paulo, Brazil. The results presented confer light to the importance of mortality statistics and the need for epidemiologic studies to understand unique trends in our own population.