Clues to the presence of pathogenic fungi in certain environments

The presence of various pathogenic fungi in rather unsuspected hosts and environments has always attracted the attention of the scientific community. Reports on the putative role of animals in fungal infections of humans bear important consequences on public health as well as on the understanding of fungal ecology. Fungi are ubiquitous in nature and their great capacity for adaptation allows them to survive and indeed, to thrive, in plants, trees and other natural substrata. Nonetheless, we are just beginning to learn the significance that these diverse fungal habitats have on the increasing number of immunosuppressed individuals. The accidental or permanent presence of fungi in animals, plants, soils and watercourses should not be taken too lightly because they constitute the source where potential pathogens will be contracted. If those fungal habitats that carry the largest risks of exposure could be defined, if seasonal variations in the production of infectious propagules could be determined, and if their mode of transmission were to be assessed, it would be possible to develop protective measures in order to avoid human infection. Additionally, unsuspected avenues for the exploration of fungal survival strategies would be opened, thus enhancing our capacity to react properly to their advancing limits. This paper explores several ecological connections between human pathogenic fungi and certain animals, trees, waterways and degraded organic materials. The occurrence of such connections in highly endemic areas will hopefully furnish more precise clues to fungal habitats and allow the design of control programs aimed at avoiding human infection.

The role of organic matter on the adsorption of mercury in sediments from Amazon lakes, Brazil

Gold has been exploited intensively in the Brazilian Amazon during the past 20 years, and the elemental mercury (Hg) used in amalgamating the gold has caused abnormal Hg concentrations in waterways. Since 1986 particular attention has been given to the Madeira River because it is the largest tributary of the Amazon River and gold mining was officially allowed on a 350-km sector of the river. In this paper, samples of sediments from nine lakes located in the Madeira River basin, Rondonia State, Brazil, were analysed for mercury and organic matter. The average Hg content ranged between 33 and 157 ppb, which is about 8-40 times higher than the average value corresponding to 4.4 ppb for rocks occurring in the area (regional background). Significant correlation was found between the Hg content and organic matter in the sediments, indicating its importance on the retention of this heavy metal.

Análise de impactos ambientais e econômicos em transporte multimodal

Pós-graduação em Engenharia Civil - FEIS

A Amazônia revisitada: de Manaus a Belém e Macapá, com interlúdio no sudoeste do Pará

Entre abril e maio de 2008, o jornalista espanhol Bernardo Gutiérrez realizou, por barco, uma viagem de Manaus a Belém, com escalas em várias cidades do baixo Amazonas. O relato da viagem constitui Calle Amazonas: de Manaos a Belém por el Brasil olvidado, publicado na Espanha, em 2010. O presente trabalho mostra como Gutiérrez entrelaça em seu livro o relato de três viagens. A primeira é o deslocamento pelo emaranhado de cursos de água, descrevendo os lugares visitados. A esta viagem articula-se um recorrido pela narrativa de outros viajantes, uma biblioteca que constitui a memória cultural da região. A terceira seria a aventura da escrita. Valendo-se da experiência do percurso realizado e das leituras sobre o tema, o jornalista constrói, no limiar entre história e ficção, realidade e fantasia, elementos concernentes à Amazônia desde seu descobrimento, o relato que constitui seu livro.

Redes neurais artificiais artmap-fuzzy aplicadas ao estudo de agitação marítima e ondas de lagos

Pós-graduação em Engenharia Elétrica - FEIS

Impactos ambiental e socioeconômico do uso e ocupação dos solos da microbacia Jardim Novo Horizonte, em Ilha Solteira, SP

Pós-graduação em Agronomia - FEIS

Degradação ambiental e qualidade de vida na microbacia do Córrego do Gramado – Presidente Prudente/São Paulo

The late industrialization, together with other factors, ended up directing much of the rural population to cities, without adequate planning, resulting in high density and irregular settlements in risk areas to low-income population. The man settled in the urban site to break environmental laws that eventually causing an imbalance in the natural environment, causing or exacerbating the shortage in availability of water resources. This situation also happened in Presidente Prudente, especially in the east, the focus of this research. Therefore, this study aims to understand the causes of degradation of waterways in urban areas, focusing on society's relationship with nature and its consequences on environmental quality and quality of life of urban population located in the watershed of stream of Gramado, Presidente Prudente - São Paulo. In this catchment there is the irregular deposition of solid waste in the valley, remnants of old pollution release of domestic sewage and industrial (currently collected and intended for treatment), accelerated processes of erosion in some areas of intensive use of the relief and consequently, the bed siltation of streams that are part of the basin. The quality of urban life was seen through socioeconomic and environmental indicators, which were identified through questionnaires to residents, according to local residence in the landscape, divided into three segments: the tops 60 residents, 90 residents and 112 residents in the areas in valley bottoms. With these data we can relate them to the degradation of the basin and aggregate them to the quality of life of residents. Field studies were needed to visualize the changes that occurred in the watershed over the past three years, with the implementation of works aimed at improvements to the community as the conduit stream of Gramado and construction and operation of Sewage Pumping Stations... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)

Identificação e mapeamento da dinâmica fluvial com fins à avaliação da sensibilidade ao derrame de óleo

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Análise geomorfológica e de impactos ambientais da microbacia do Córrego Wenzel - Rio Claro/SP

This study aimed to survey and analyze the geomorphological aspects of watershed stream Wenzel in Rio Claro, as well as anthropogenic incidents about which he eventually causing serious environmental impacts. All these changes in the natural environment are generated from the constant development of the urban environment, which ends up leaving aside factors relevant to the natural order and that over time they become problems to humans. As various forms of environmental degradation occurring on some form of relief, geomorphology can make a major contribution in this field, since the analysis of the hydrographic network can lead to understanding and explanation of numerous geomorphological issues because the waterways are process morphogenetic the most active in the terrestrial landscape sculpture. The research with a systems approach and vision interrelated aspects in question may even serve as a basis for practical planning and urban management, in addition to detailed study of the area, which is of paramount importance to the local society

Detection of hormones in surface and drinking water in Brazil by LC-ESI-MS/MS and ecotoxicological assessment with Daphnia magna

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Vulnerabilidade ambiental ao óleo em ambiente fluvial: estudo de caso rio Tietê/Reservatório de Barra Bonita

Pós-graduação em Geociências e Meio Ambiente - IGCE

Pagamento por Serviços Ambientais nas propriedades rurais do alto curso da bacia do Ribeirão Vai e Vem, munícipio de Santo Anastácio (SP)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Considerações sobre planejamento de eclusagens na hidrovia Tietê-Paraná

Pós-graduação em Engenharia de Produção - FEB

Relação entre risco de erosão e distância de camalhões em estradas florestais

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)