Expressão imuno-hitoquímica das proteínas RANK, RANKL e OPG em cistos radiculares e cistos dentígeros

Receptor ativador nuclear κappa B (RANK), ligante do receptor ativador nuclear κappa B (RANKL) e osteoprotegerina (OPG) são membros da família do fator de necrose tumoral relacionados com o metabolismo ósseo. A formação, diferenciação e atividade dos osteoclastos são reguladas por estas três proteínas. RANK é um receptor transmembrana presente em diversos tipos celulares, principalmente em células de linhagem macrofágica, linfócitos, células dendríticas e fibroblastos e quando ativado pelo seu ligante, RANKL, promove a diferenciação e ativação de células osteoclásticas responsáveis pelo processo de reabsorção óssea. A OPG impede a ligação RANK/RANKL atuando como um receptor inibitório para a atividade osteolítica. O objetivo deste estudo foi comparar a expressão imuno-histoquímica destes biomarcadores em cistos radiculares (n=20) e cistos dentígeros (n=20). A expressão imuno-histoquímica destes marcadores foi avaliada no epitélio e na cápsula dos cistos por escores e percentuais médios de imunomarcação. Para o epitélio, a análise semi-quantitativa revelou um padrão similar dos escores de imunomarcação de RANK, RANKL e OPG nas lesões, não havendo diferença estatística significante (p=0.589, p=0.688, p=0.709, respectivamente). Para a cápsula cística a análise quantitativa, mostrou diferença estatística significante entre os percentuais médios de imunomarcação do RANK e RANKL (p=0,001 e p=0,005, respectivamente) nos cistos. A correlação dos escores de imunomarcação de RANKL e OPG no epitélio do CR e do CD revelou diferença estatística significante (p=0,029, p=0,003, respectivamente). No epitélio dos CRs e dos CDs observou-se uma maior imunoexpressão da OPG comparada a do RANKL. Os resultados apontam a presença de RANK, RANKL e OPG nos cistos radiculares e cistos dentígeros, sugerindo a atuação destas proteínas no desenvolvimento e expansão das lesões no osso adjacente

Expressão imuno-histoquimica da cicloxigenase-2 e p53 em cancinoma epidermóide oral

Squamous cell carcinoma is the most common malignant neoplasm in the oral cavity, accounting for more than 90% of all malignancies in this location. Cyclooxygenases (COX s) are key enzymes on arachidonic acid metabolism and prostaglandin synthesis, being expressed basically in two forms: the constitutive (COX-1) and the inducible (COX-2). Increased levels on the expression of COX-2 have been implicated in the pathogenesis tumor progression of various forms of human cancer, including oral squamous cell carcinoma, some of what suggesting a possible interaction between COX-2 and the protein expressed by the tumor suppressor gene p53, mutated in more than 50% of all human cancers. The mean of the present research consisted in analyze the correlation between the expression of COX-2 and p53, at the protein level, as well as evaluate the difference on the expression of these two proteins with the histological grading of malignancy. 34 cases of oral squamous cell carcinoma were selected and graded according to the histological grading system proposed by Bryne (1998) and the labeling indexes (LI s) for COX-2 and p53 evaluated using immunohistochemistry method. The results revealed that COX-2 was expressed in increased levels in most of the specimens, although there was no statistic significant correlation between LI s from COX-2 and p53 (p>0.05), and there were no statistical differences on the expression of these proteins between tumors of high and low grade of malignancy (p>0.05). Interestingly, the expression of COX-2 and p53 was detected in fragments of dysplastic oral epithelium adjacent to tumor areas, on basal and suprabasal layers. The absence of statistical correlation between the expression of COX-2 and p53 proteins do not rule ot the existence of a relation between them, were it may reflect the diversity of regulatory pathways between both, different direct and indirect inhibitory effects of COX-2 over p53, as well as the wide range of activation macheenisms for COX-2 and mutational status of the p53 gene Another conclusion point that the increased expression of COX-2 observed in oral squamous cell carcinomas suggest a role for this protein in the processes of pathogenesis and tumoral evolution of this malignant neoplasm

Estimação de parâmetros genéticos para resistência à infecção por IMNV em camarões Litopenaeus vannamei por meio de análise de sobrevivência

The main specie of marine shrimp raised at Brazil and in the world is Litopenaeus vannamei, which had arrived in Brazil in the `80s. However, the entry of infectious myonecrosis virus (IMNV), causing the infectious myonecrosis disease in marine shrimps, brought economic losses to the national shrimp farming, with up to 70% of mortality in the shrimp production. In this way, the objective was to evaluate the survival of shrimps Litopenaeus vannamei infected with IMNV using the non parametric estimator of Kaplan-Meier and a model of frailty for grouped data. It were conducted three tests of viral challenges lasting 20 days each, at different periods of the year, keeping the parameters of pH, temperature, oxygen and ammonia monitored daily. It was evaluated 60 full-sib families of L. vannamei infected by IMNV in each viral challenge. The confirmation of the infection by IMNV was performed using the technique of PCR in real time through Sybr Green dye. Using the Kaplan-Meier estimator it was possible to detect significant differences (p <0.0001) between the survival curves of families and tanks and also in the joint analysis between viral challenges. It were estimated in each challenge, genetic parameters such as genetic value of family, it`s respective rate risk (frailty), and heritability in the logarithmic scale through the frailty model for grouped data. The heritability estimates were respectively 0.59; 0.36; and 0.59 in the viral challenges 1; 2; and 3, and it was also possible to identify families that have lower and higher rates of risk for the disease. These results can be used for selecting families more resistant to the IMNV infection and to include characteristic of disease resistance in L. vannamei into the genetic improvement programs

Valor nutritivo de fenos de moringa (moringa oleifera lam) com diferentes idades de corte

This study was conducted to evaluate the consumption and digestibility of dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), ether extract (EE), total carbohydrates (TC), non-fiber carbohydrates (NFC) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) in sheep fed hay moringa (Moringa oleifera Lam) obtained with four cutting ages (28, 35, 42 and 49 days). We used 20 females Morada Nova breed, with 20kg of live weight, distributed in a completely randomized design and maintained in metabolism cages. There was a negative linear effect of age of cutting on DM intake, with an estimated maximum consumption of 0.67 kg / day for the hay produced at 28 days of cutting. It was also observed linear behavior, with an estimated maximum consumption 172g/dia, 0.36 kg / day; 18g/dia, at 35, 42 and 49 days old, for CP, OM and EE, respectively. For NDF, quadratic effect was found with advancing maturity of the plant. The apparent digestibility of DM, CP, OM and TC linearly decreased with advancing age of cutting hay Moringa oleifera. It was concluded that the hay Moringa oleifera showed better nutritional value after 28 days of cutting

Influência da salinidade e temperatura da água nas respotas comportamental e fisiológica de camarões marinhos Litopenaeus vannamei(BOONE 1931)

The shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei has been grown in highly variable environments, especially in relation to salinity and water temperature. The adjustment to such conditions mainly involves changes in behavior, physiology, particularly in the immune response. This may consequently reduce the welfare of these animals. Despite the widespread farming of the species, little is known about their behavioral and physiological responses under stressful conditions. Thus, the objective of this study was to assess the influence of different salinities and temperatures in the behavior of the marine shrimp L. vannamei, and its relation to the total hemocytes count. In the laboratory, juvenile shrimp were kept in glass aquaria with a closed water recirculation system, continuous aeration and filtration, and under a 12:12 h light/dark cycle. Behavioral observations occurred 1, 4, 7 and 10 h after the start of each phase (light or dark). To assess the influence of salinity, shrimp were first acclimated and then observed at 2, 30 or 50 ppm salinity water, while temperatures tested were 18, 28 and 33 ° C. At the end of each experiment (30 days), shrimp hemolymph was collected for subsequent total hemocytes count (THC), a parameter used to assess stress. In general, feeding behavior was modified under lower salinity and temperature, with reduced values in feeding, exploration and digestive tract filling. Inactivity and burrowing were prevalent under extreme conditions water salinity and temperature, respectively: 2 and 50 ppm and 18 and 33 ° C; crawling was also less frequent under these conditions. In regards to light/dark cycle, shrimp were more active during the dark phase (crawling and swimming), while burrowing was higher during the light phase, regardless of salinity or temperature of the water. Inactivity behavior did not vary according to the light/dark cycle. Moreover, the total hemocytes count (THC) was reduced under 2 and 50 ppm salinity and 18 ° C temperature. Farming of L. vannamei under extremely low or high salinities and low temperatures is harmful. This suggests the species must be cultivated in salinities closer to those of the sea as well as at high temperatures, which seems to be ideal for a management focused on animal welfare, therefore, producing healthier shrimp

Distribuição diária das atividades comportamentais dos camarões marinhos Farfantepenaeus subtilis (Pérez Farfante, 1967) e Litopenaeus schmitti (Burkenroad, 1938) em condições laboratoriais

Marine aquaculture has developed in the last decades all over the world, especially related to shrimp management. In Brazil, the introduction of the species Litopenaeus vannamei has contributed to the success of the activity, even if there are problems associated with the management of a exotic species, such as new diseases and ecological pressure on native species. It has been emphasized the need of research for developing new methodology that will allow native species management, being the most important Farfantepenaeus subtilis and Litopenaeus schmitti. Most knowledge obtained from research with those species has generally used a technical approach and mainly focused feeding process. There are no specific behavioral data on their activity pattern which should be of great importance for the use of native species on commercial culture farms. So, it was our objective to study and compare the daily distribution of behavioral activities of the marine shrimp species Litopenaeus schmitti and Farfantepenaeus subtilis. Forty animals of each species, 5 individuals per aquarium, were maintained in aquaria containing 200L of sea water under continuous aeration and filtration. They were marked individually and were observed by the instantaneous focal time sampling, along 10 continuous days, in 6 daily 15 min observation windows, every two hour. In each window, behaviors and location position of the animals in the aquarium were registered at 1 min intervals. Food was offered 3 times a day, representing 10% of each aquarium biomass. Aquaria were maintained in artificial photoperiod, 12hour light/l2 hour dark, 4 aquaria in light cycle equivalent to the environmental one (light from 06:00 to 17:59 h and dark from 18:00 to 05:59 h) and the other 4 in the reverse light cycle (light from 18:00 to 05:59 h and dark from 06:00 to 17:59 h) to allow sequential behavioral observation in both phases of the 24 hour cycle. There was a clear distinction between the distribution of behavioral activities of F. subtilis and L. schmitti in the two phases. The activity pattern of Farfantepenaeus subtilis demonstrates that species has prominently night habits and a burying pattern during the light cycle. Exploration, inactivity and swimming were the most common activities. The behavioral pattern of Litopenaeus schmitti indicates that species is active along both phases of the light cycle, and the most evident behaviors were exploration, inactivity and swimming

Efeitos do substrato e da densidade populacional sobre as atividades comportamentais e níveis de homócitos em relação à densidade em Litopenaeus vannamei (BOONE, 1931)

Carciniculture in Brazil occupies world-wide prominence due to shrimp culture, and the state of Rio Grande do Norte has presented the best results in the culture of the Litopenaeus vannamei in the last decade. This species has been shown to adapt easily to different environments and is between the five most cultivated penaeids of the world. The ponds are usually constructed in areas close to water courses and estuaries. Stock density and substrate ponds can pollute environment, causing losses in the growth and survival of the shrimps, being considered stress factors. Shrimps in inadequate densities and substrates can result reduced productivity of the farm; and favor diseases. So, it is important to verify how these variables influence the development of the animals in the culture farms. Our objective was to study the influence of the type of substrate and the stock density on the behavior and haemocyte count of the L. vannamei. Individually marked juvenile shrimps were kept in aquaria with 30 L of seawater and continuous aeration, in 12L-12D photoperiod. They were observed through Ad libitum and focal sampling instantaneous methods during thirty days, five times per week, six times per day (8:00 to 18:00) in windows of 15 minutes every two hours. The marking of carapace permitted quantifying molting and the feeding was supplied three times a day. Two experiments were carried out: the first one tested animals in the three different substrates (fine sand, smaller rocks-SPP and biggest rocks-SGR) with 33 shrimp/m2. In the second one, the animals were tested in three stock densities (26, 52 and 66 shrimp/m2) in fine sand substrate. At the end of experiment, biometry (first and second ones) and haemocyte count (second one) were made. The behavior of the L. vannamei seems to have been influenced by substrate and stocking density. In low granulometry of the substrate; the exploratory behavior became more frequent and inactivity of the shrimps was reduced. Burrowing was registered in sand substrate, specially in the initial period of the day. Cleaning was gradually higher along the day, presenting the biggest levels as the dark phase approached. The ingestion of feeding was more frequent in low density, and the animals were bigger and heavier at the end of the experiment. In the fine sand condition, the animals presented better growth, probably associated with the burrowing. The molting was equivalent in all types of substrate, but it was more frequent in high densities. Mortality of the shrimps was more frequent in high densities, and cannibalism and diseases were also registered in that condition. The clinical signals were similar to the ones of infectious mionecrosis (IMNV), generally associated with environment and physical stress. The haemocyte count was low for the hematologic standards of the penaeid, which we attributed for greater dilution of haemolymph in the postmolting phase. Smaller shrimps presented lower levels of haemocytes in relation to the bigger animals, count was also low in 26 shrimp/m2 density. The study demonstrates that stocking density and the granulometry of the substrate can affect the welfare, the health and the behavior of the L. vannamei. The sand substrate and low stocking density can be important tools in the management systems of shrimp production

Maternidade na adolescência: significados e repercussões

From evidence of an existing divergence of opinion among professionals and adolescents using the prenatal and delivery services at a Public Health Unit, aimed to study meanings and consequences of adolescent motherhood among 26 adolescent mothers living in Felipe Camarão, low income district of Natal, capital do Estado do Rio Grande do Norte. Living in a peripheral neighbourhood with a high rate of adolescent mothers in relation to the total new-born, those girls, with offspring among 8 and 12 months age, during interview and focus groups, expressed a different appreciation of their experience than the hegemonic idea among professionals that considers pregnancy and motherhood as unwanted or undesired. With age among 15 and 20 years old, having 53,8% initiated sexual activity before being 15 years old, revealed that the pregnancy was desired in 73,1% of cases, but showing at the same time a social context marked by strong gender oppression and lack of opportunities as consequence of social class deprivation. Life projects, almost always limited to the constitution of a traditional nuclear family, with a purveyor father and care giver mother, appears with very limited possibilities: 46,2% already lived with her partner before becoming pregnant and for 50% of the participants, the birth of the child did not provoke changes in plans and projects. Lack of economical recourses and precarious public services available, together with an idealized maternity role seems to produce extra apprehension among those girls, resulting in frustration and disillusion. As a fact, 92,3% of those adolescents would recommend other adolescent to postpone the maternity project

Atenção precoce do câncer de mama :um olhar sobre o cotidiano institucional de uma unidade de saúde de Natal

Breast cancer has been considered a grave global public health problem due to its increase in incidence, in women s mortality and in the amount of financial resources spent on the therapeutic interventions used in the treatment of this neoplasia. However, this scenario presents some variations. In developing countries, the incidence of breast cancer is increasing but, on the other hand, the mortality is declining among patients because of public health actions toward early diagnostic that also result in cure of patients and decreasing levels of physical and psychosocial stress. In Brazil, we face of both the increasing number of breast cancer incidence and number of mortalities. Almost always the reason for that is a delayed detection that will provide a late diagnostic. The early detection of breast cancer has been studied in several researches. Some of them are concerned with women s experiences. Despite that, there is a lack of researches on dynamic comprehension of early attention to breast cancer from the health professionals points of view. The present research was carried out at the Unidade Mista de Felipe Camarão (UMFC) and it was conducted with 11 professionals who work in the Family Health Program (PSF). The aim was to understand how early diagnostic and attention to breast cancer is being planned, discussed and accomplished by health professionals in their day-to-day actions. Semi-structure interviews were held individually with each professional, in a way that they could feel free to express their ideas about several issues. All the information from these interviews was analyzed and discussed using an Institutional Ethnographic approach. It was observed that the actions of health professionals working with early detection of breast cancer does not take place in a vacuum; they occur within institutional, relational and social ways. This interdependence influences their actions and points of view on the theme

Sofrimento solitário, mal-estar compartilhado :um estudo sobre a doença dos nervos

Nerves has been perceived as generalized suffering with multiple complaints, such as pain and other physical sensations, usually followed by symptoms of anxiety and/or depression. Even after medications have been prescribed, mainly psychotropic drugs to reduce these symptoms, exams aiming to discover the causes of the disorders, and a significant referral to health services, the problem tends to get progressively worse. The objective of this study is to characterize the diseases of clients who complain of nerves at the Unidade Mista de Felipe Camarão, Natal/RN, through in depth interviews, allowing for the clarification of ideas, beliefs and the meanings attributed to nerves by that person; to identify the symptoms and to know how they interfere in daily activities; to investigate the causes attributed to the problem and their relation to the biographical and psychosocial context of the patient. Thirteen women, health service clients, aged 30 to 59 years old, participated in the research. It was observed that they perceive, feel and act in unique ways with relation to symptoms, as well as to the attributed explanations and treatments given, showing the influence of life conditions, family context and their own subjectivity. Daily concerns and overwhelming responsibilities in the domestic environment, which usually stem from their precarious survival conditions, as well as marital conflicts motivated by the inequity of gender relations, contribute to trigger this type of suffering. The methodology of the research itself proved to be crucial to the comprehension and understanding of the meanings attributed to the complaints as well as to the argumenting process and the redefinition of the illness experience. Therefore, the importance of interdisciplinary intervention must be emphasize and specially the role of listening as relevant intervention resource

A humanização no parto e no nascimento: os saberes e as práticas no contexto de uma maternidade pública brasileira

The practice of medicine related to the gestational processes tend to be organized according to the context and the place of work, being thus dependent of the conditions both social and economical, and of the physical structure and the functionality of the services. The high mortality rate in this process has diminished, since 1986, the study made by the World Health Organization (WHO) as to the technical aspects and the social inequalities that influence this situation in different geographical contexts. This culminated recommendations that proposed the reorientation of the dynamical practice of medicine, with a focus on the safety of maternities. Brazil adopted, in the year 2000, the suggestions of the OMS, emphasizing the humanization as the main reason for these actions. However, this discussion tends to not consider the problems caused by the social inequalities and the epidemiological and social conditionings that define the actions of the Unified Health System (Sistema Único de Saúde SUS). In this area, this research seeks to analyze the practices, cares taken, and the universal symbol that promotes and rewards the assistance to the birth of children by the SUS. Besides the analysis of the public documents that deal with this subject, an ethnographic study was developed in a maternity in Natal/RN, considered a model of humanization after receiving the Galba de Araújo prize in 2002. In this stage, the methodological strategies were observed, and the focus of the individual interviews with workers and users of this service. In the analysis of the data, it became evident that the different professional workers and women who gave birth, tend to show concern of the standards the delimit production and reproduction of the practice of medicine, as they favor the absence of a critical posture of the actions destined to the population. Besides this, if became evident that the institutional difficulties associated to the economical, cultural, and political problems also difficult the involvement and the reflection of the workers in favor of assisting changes of the process. There is also a utilization of a perspective prescriptive of humanization in the everyday life of the social workers, without reflection of its meaning. Some workers present, in their statements, a preoccupation with the social and economical aspects that affect the practice of medicine, and with the limitations of the humanization discourse that disarticulates the necessities of those involved in the process of formation, and soon tend to return to the discussion of humanization while a kind practice characterized by the minimization of the interventionist actions. Now the users of the system show themselves before the dynamic of the services, submitting themselves to what is offered while assistance, without questioning and/or reflecting about their usual shortages. Therefore, to think of changes in the know and do of the practice of medicine destined to the birth of children implies reflection on the quotidian production of these practices and of the social contexts that influence the process of assistance in the practice of medicine. Herein it would be possible to predict the appropriation, by different workers concerning their exasperations and necessities, making them active in the pursuit of their rights as citizens

Práticas educativas e integralidade na saúde da família: um estudo etnográfico

Primary Health Care, especially in the family health strategy, it is expected that the joint assistance and actions of health promotion. The Ministry of health (BRAZIL, 2007) defines health education as an eyeshadow strategy of prevention and health promotion, based on reflective practices, which allow the user to their condition of historical, social and political subject, under the vision of an expanded clinic on the part of health professionals. In this sense, there are guidelines for it professionals to develop educational activities and that they can interfere in the health/disease process of the population, with a view to the development of autonomy of the subject. This research had as objective to understand in the light of the integrality of the care, as is the production of health education practices, within the framework of the family health strategy from ethnographic study in a family health unit (USF). The location of the research was the unit of USF Felipe Camarão II in West Health District, in the city of Natal, RN, Brazil, selected from preliminary mapping of educational practices deployed in units of health of the family of this municipality, based on criteria such as time-to-deployment of USF and sustainability of existing actions. Immersion in the field consisted of participant observation with journaling, held during the period of August 2012 to January 2013, in which she accompanied team work processes in clinical-welfare actions on the USF, in households and in educational activities of group character. The results presented in ethnographic description were analyzed based on the axes proposed by Ayres (2009) for identification of integrality in health practices:the axis of the needs; the axis of the purposes; the joint axis; and the axis of the interactionsThe evidence described from observation point the presence of each axle up health education practices developed by the teams, even incipient form, namely: articulation and appreciation of knowledge and practices of popular culture with local initiatives (Pastoril do Peixe Boi Encantado, Auto de Natal e Grupo Terapia e Arte); Clinical integration with health promotion actions and coordination of multidisciplinary knowledge, with professional-user link (course for pregnant women). However, a few challenges were identified to be faced in order to move forward in these practices in integral care: the need to break with the fragmentation of actions; strengthening teamwork; need for greater sustainability policy of collective actions; intersectoral work aimed at a better role of the State in the face of the health-disease process, adding to the action of individuals.The analysis produced from observation of the processes experienced indicates the need for a better recognition of local managers that actions similar to those that occur in the USF Felipe Camarão II enable advances in completeness as allows inclusion of actors involved in the processes of health work, and stimulate participation and shared responsibility in the fight for health-disease situations

Sustentabilidade ambiental do cultivo intensivo de Tilápias (Oreochromis niloticus) em tanques-rede e a capacidade de suporte de quatro reservatórios em uma região semi-árida tropical

Intensive production of tilápias, in cages or net tanks, has been proposed as an alternative to increase fish production, that would generate income and offer animal protein in different tropical and subtropical countries. However, this system of production enriches the aquatic environment with nutrients, principally nitrogen and phosphor derived from the dejections of the metabolism of food and eventual food surpluses consumed by the fishes; the alimentation of the fishes in this production modality is dependent on fish food. The emission of these nutritions in levels above the limit that the system is capable metabolize can provoke a phenomenon called eutrofization, putting in risk the quality of water for public and for fish production activities. In this context the work had as a goal to evaluate the trófico state of the four reservoirs for intensive production of tilapias in net-tanks, in other words, he maximum fish production that the reservoirs are able to hold, keeping the desired quantity of nutrient concentrations in water for public use. The results of the four ecosystems in the Boqueirão de Parelhas reservoir showed that it s possible to have an intensive production of tilapias in net tanks, in this environment the annual average concentration of phosphor, was below the considered critical limits to deflagrate the process of eutrofization in semi-arid regions. The carrying capacity of the Boqueirão de Parelhas reservoir depends on the conversion of the feeding facts and phosphor content in the food but it should vary between 100 and 300 tons per year over a variation in the conversion feeding factor of 1,7 to 2,0:1 and a variation in the P in the food of 0,7 to 0,9%

Evolução da paisagem do baixo curso do rio de Piranhas-Assu (1988-2024): uso de autômatos celulares em modelo dinâmico espacial para simulação de cenários futuros

The lower course of Piranhas-Assu river, located in the north coast of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, arouses a keen interest as a study field, once it concentrates, besides petroleum and gas exploration, activities related to shrimp culture, salt and horticulture, factors that also deserve special attention. Thus, the awareness of the study field environmental stage demands studies from researchers and discernment from society, as a way of understanding the inter-relation between environment and men. Therefore, this work attempts at understanding and studying the dynamics of land use in the lower course of Piranhas-Assu river, through a multitemporal analysis of present and past, accomplishing future projections through simulation models. The work is divided in stages that include the research, analysis, interpretation of results, and the generation of simulation models, to analyze the landscape tendencies, making possible to identify indicators which cause such changes in the lower course of the river. From Geographical Database, the necessary exploratory analyses were accomplished to the following items: land use evolution, natural and environmental vulnerability, multiple geodiversity indexes, and preparation of the data to be used in the simulation model. Later, the construction of the landscape simulation model was conducted. Sequentially, simulations of future sceneries were accomplished through the execution of the model in a specific software environment. Last, the analyses of landscape tendencies in the study field were carried out. The lower course of Piranhas-Assu River didn't show any intense dynamics in landscape changing, once in the period taken into account (from 1988 to 2004) class stability proved to be superior to its transformations. Activities related to agriculture and livestock are the ones that influence, mostly, the landscape dynamics. The production of sea shrimp and petroleum also infers in the landscape, although in smaller proportion. INCRA s public policies excessively determined the dynamics of the landscape in the lower course of Piranhas-Assu River, RN. In respect to its natural vulnerability, the lower course of Piranhas-Assu River, RN, features more vulnerable than stable areas. The landscape simulation, in the first taken period (2004-2009), indicated considerable increases and decreases of antropic activities, if compared to its sequent periods (2009-2014, 2014-2019 and 2019-2024). The simulation, in a wider analysis, showed that the determining factors for the space mobility of antropic activities, in the focused area, are related to the pre-existence of communities with agricultural capability and to the existence of access routes and drainage. Considering the area that features fixed and mobile dunes, located in Porto do Mangue district, we recommend its conversion into a conservation area

Evolução morfodinâmica da região de influência estuarina do Rio Curimataú/RN, com ênfase nas alternativas do ambiente deposicional de manguezal e a integração de geodados em Sig

The estuaries are important investigation zones of the actual morphodynamic and of depositional facies of recent geological history. They are constituted in important receptor means of the coastal area sediments, where the evolutionary processes occur quickly. They are also attractive means for the development of anthropic activities, which in a disordered way interfere in the active processes in the sedimentary balance of the coastal areas. Among the human interventions, the alterations of the depositional environment of mangroves in areas of tropical estuary is deserving relevance, whose implications for the environment estuarine and the coastal adjacent, they are still far to be known. Due to the interest of the sedimentologic component in the comprehension of the processes linked to the evolution of the environments estuarine and coastal adjacent, this work, aimed at the understanding of the morphodynamic coastal phenomena that comprise the region of estuarine influence of the River Curimataú / RN. It was also evaluated in the morphodynamic context the implications due to alterations of the depositional environment of mangrove by anthropic activity. The Curimataú Estuary, located in the south portion of the oriental coast of Rio Grande do Norte, in the last decades has been objective of the overwhelming occupation of the shrimp farm in areas of mangroves, which were implanted with perspectives of development in a short to medium period. On the other hand, the estuary and its region of coastal influence lacks enough information to subsidize the planning and reorganization more effective of the surrounding activities. Thus, it was intended with this work to give a contribution target tothe maintainable use of the coastal resources of this region. A series of studies using data of orbital and acoustic remote sensing, as of sediments sampling, were executed in the gutter of the estuary. The obtained results starting from the interpretation of bathymetric maps, echo sounder graphics and of distribution of sediments made possible the location of the estuary based in morpho-sedimentar criteria. The estuarine tidal flat was dissected in environments of intertidal mangroves, supratidal mangroves and apicuns with base in the integration of data of sensor optic and of radar following by the field control. The adjacent coast that is influenced by the Curimataú estuary, was segmented according to their geomorphologic characteristics, where each segment had a point of observation of the beach morphodynamic, during the period from january/2001 to february/2002. Once every month, beaches profiles, collections of sediments in the beach zones, as measurement of hydrodynamic parameters were executed. The results of the observations of the tidal environment showed that the area of estuarine influence of the Curimataú begins to suffer negative sedimentary taxes, where in some beaches, the erosive processes are already observed. The granulometric characteristics of the beach sediments start to tend for the increase of thin sand in the erosive periods. The destruction of the depositional environments of mangroves of the Curimataú estuary, to the construction of shrimp farms, can be providing the diminution of the tidal prism of the estuary, enlarging the effects of the local increasing of the sea level, through the smaller supplying of sediments to the adjacent coast. Besides this, it was verified the possibility of the sanding of the tidal channel in the margins of the destroyed areas of mangroves, where very high taxes of sedimentation of thin materials were estimated in case of these areas were preserve