Regional scale analysis of landform configuration with base-level (isobase) maps

Base-level maps (or ""isobase maps"", as originally defined by Filosofov, 1960), express a relationship between valley order and topography. The base-level map can be seen as a ""simplified"" version of the original topographic surface, from which the ""noise"" of the low-order stream erosion was removed. This method is able to identify areas with possible tectonic influence even within lithologically uniform domains. Base-level maps have been recently applied in semi-detail scale (e.g., 1:50 000 or larger) morphotectonic analysis. In this paper, we present an evaluation of the method's applicability in regional-scale analysis (e.g., 1:250 000 or smaller). A test area was selected in northern Brazil, at the lower course of the Araguaia and Tocantins rivers. The drainage network extracted from SRTM30_PLUS DEMs with spatial resolution of approximately 900 m was visually compared with available topographic maps and considered to be compatible with a 1:1,000 000 scale. Regarding the interpretation of regional-scale morphostructures, the map constructed with 2nd and 3rd-order valleys was considered to present the best results. Some of the interpreted base-level anomalies correspond to important shear zones and geological contacts present in the 1:5 000 000 Geological Map of South America. Others have no correspondence with mapped Precambrian structures and are considered to represent younger, probably neotectonic, features. A strong E-W orientation of the base-level lines over the inflexion of the Araguaia and Tocantins rivers, suggest a major drainage capture. A N-S topographic swath profile over the Tocantins and Araguaia rivers reveals a topographic pattern which, allied with seismic data showing a roughly N-S direction of extension in the area, lead us to interpret this lineament as an E-W, southward-dipping normal fault. There is also a good visual correspondence between the base-level lineaments and geophysical anomalies. A NW-SE lineament in the southeast of the study area partially corresponds to the northern border of the Mosquito lava field, of Jurassic age, and a NW-SE lineament traced in the northeastern sector of the study area can be interpreted as the Picos-Santa Ines lineament, identifiable in geophysical maps but with little expression in hypsometric or topographic maps.

Definition of priority areas for forest conservation through the ordered weighted averaging method

The general objective of this study was to evaluate the ordered weighted averaging (OWA) method, integrated to a geographic information systems (GIS), in the definition of priority areas for forest conservation in a Brazilian river basin, aiming at to increase the regional biodiversity. We demonstrated how one could obtain a range of alternatives by applying OWA, including the one obtained by the weighted linear combination method and, also the use of the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) to structure the decision problem and to assign the importance to each criterion. The criteria considered important to this study were: proximity to forest patches; proximity among forest patches with larger core area; proximity to surface water; distance from roads: distance from urban areas; and vulnerability to erosion. OWA requires two sets of criteria weights: the weights of relative criterion importance and the order weights. Thus, Participatory Technique was used to define the criteria set and the criterion importance (based in AHP). In order to obtain the second set of weights we considered the influence of each criterion, as well as the importance of each one, on this decision-making process. The sensitivity analysis indicated coherence among the criterion importance weights, the order weights, and the solution. According to this analysis, only the proximity to surface water criterion is not important to identify priority areas for forest conservation. Finally, we can highlight that the OWA method is flexible, easy to be implemented and, mainly, it facilitates a better understanding of the alternative land-use suitability patterns. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Regional-scale investigation of the spatial distribution and origin of soluble salts in central north Queensland

A method for regional assessment of the distribution of saline outbreaks is demonstrated for a large area (68 000 km(2)) in north Queensland, Australia. Soil samples were used in conjunction with a digital elevation model and a map of potentially saline discharge zones to examine the landscape distribution of soluble salts in the region. The hypothesis of atmospheric accession of salt was tested for the topographically defined catchment regions feeding into each potentially saline discharge area. Most catchments showed a salt distribution consistent with this hypothesis, i.e. %TSS was large near the discharge areas and decreased rapidly with distance uphill from the discharge areas. In some catchments, however, local saline outbreaks were apparent at significant distances uphill from discharge areas. The possibility of geological sources of this salt was examined by comparing random point distributions with the location of saline points with distance downhill from geological units (excluding points near discharge zones). The distribution of some saline outbreaks was consistent with the occurrence of Cambro-Ordovician metasediments, Devonian limestone, Upper Devonian-Lower Carboniferous volcanics, and Triassic sediments. Copyright (C) 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Dissolved organic carbon in rainwater from areas heavily impacted by sugar cane burning

This work reports on rainwater dissolved organic carbon (DOC) from Ribeirao Preto (RP) and Araraquara over a period of 3 years. The economies of these two cities, located in Sao Paulo state (Brazil), are based on agriculture and related industries, and the region is strongly impacted by the burning of sugar cane foliage before harvesting. Highest DOC concentrations were obtained when air masses traversed sugar cane fields burned on the same day as the rain event. Significant increases in the DOC volume weighted means (VWM) during the harvest period, for both sites, and a good linear correlation (r=0.83) between DOC and K (a biomass burning marker) suggest that regional scale organic carbon emissions prevail over long-range transport. The DOC VWMs and standard deviations were 272 +/- 22 mu mol L-1 (n=193) and 338 +/- 40 mu mol L-1 (n=80) for RP and Araraquara, respectively, values which are at least two times higher than those reported for other regions influenced by biomass burning, such as the Amazon. These high DOC levels are discussed in terms of agricultural activities, particularly the large usage of biogenic fuels in Brazil, as well as the analytical method used in this work, which includes volatile organic carbon when reporting DOC values. Taking into account rainfall volume, estimated annual rainwater DOC fluxes for RP (4.8 g C m(-2) yr(-1)) and Araraquara (5.4 g C m(-2) yr(-1)) were close to that previously found for the Amazon region (4.8 g C m(-2) yr(-1)). This work also discusses whether previous calculations of the global rainwater carbon flux may have been underestimated, since they did not consider large inputs from biomass combustion sources, and suffered from a possible analytical bias. (c) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Equity in regional service provision

Most transportation agencies stipulate that an important planning goal is to provide equitable and just public transport services. However, who is to be served and the type of service that should be provided has been ambiguous. This paper develops a methodology for examining equity in the provision of public transportation services. An approach for identifying areas in need of public transport is developed based upon the use of socio-demographic and economic information. Public transport need is then related to levels of access to service. This approach makes it possible to establish the degree to which public transport services may be considered equitable in relation to need and suitable access. A detailed analysis of the southeast Queensland region of Australia illustrates how this approach may be used to inform public transport decision making.

Planning for institutional capacity building in war-torn areas: the case of Jaffna, Sri Lanka

This paper examines an attempt to build capacity and empower local institutions in war-torn Jaffna,, on the northern tip of Sri Lanka. A participatory approach that is aimed at social empowerment is seen to be possible even under the most restrictive of political environments. However, whether or not the development intervention provides a foundation for longer-term improvement depends on the extent to which institutional capacity is built. Through an examination of the Jaffna Reconstruction Project, it is argued that if any of the ingredients of this institutional capacity are missing, not only will the 'islands of participation and empowerment' that are built by the development initiative be short-lived, but there may also be a negligible contribution to building a foundation for longer-term improvement in quality of life. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dispersal patterns in a regional koala population in south-east Queensland

Koala dispersal was investigated as part of a detailed ecological study of a nationally significant koala population located 20 km south-east of Brisbane, Queensland. From 1996 to 2000, 195 koalas from three sites were captured and fitted with radio-collars. A total of 40 koalas ( 23 males and 17 females) dispersed from these sites. Most (93%) dispersing individuals were 20 - 36 months of age. Three adult females ( more than 36 months old) dispersed and no adult males dispersed during the study. A significantly higher proportion of young males dispersed than females. Dispersal occurred between June and December, with most dispersal of males commencing in July and August and that of females commencing between September and November prior to, and early in, the annual breeding season. The mean straight-line distance between the natal and breeding home ranges for males and females was similar and was measured at 3.5 km ( range 1.1 - 9.7 km) and 3.4 km ( range 0.3 - 10.6 km) respectively. Dispersing males and females tended to successfully disperse south and west of their natal home ranges and were generally unable to successfully disperse to urban areas within the study area, as a high proportion of the mortality of dispersing koalas was associated with attacks by domestic dogs and with collisions with vehicles on roads. Information from other studies indicates that most young koalas disperse from their natal areas. It is likely that the social behaviour and mating systems of koala populations provide mechanisms for young koalas to disperse. The potential role of dispersal in the dynamics of regional koala populations is discussed.

Parvalbumin-, calbindin-, and calretinin-immunoreactive neurons in the prefrontal cortex of the owl monkey (Aotus trivirgatus): A standardized quantitative comparison with sensory and motor areas

Recent studies have revealed regional variation in the density and distribution of inhibitory neurons in different cortical areas, which are thought to reflect area-specific specializations in cortical circuitry. However, there are as yet few standardized quantitative data regarding how the inhibitory circuitry in prefrontal cortex (PFC), which is thought to be involved in executive functions such as cognition, emotion and decision making, compares to that in other cortical areas. Here we used immunohistochemical techniques to determine the density and distribution of parvalbumin (PV)-, calbindin (CB)-, and calretinin (CR)-immunoreactive (ir) neurons and axon terminals in the dorsolateral and orbital PFC of the owl monkey (Aotus trivirgatus), and compared them directly with data obtained using the same techniques in 11 different visual, somatosensory and motor areas. We found marked differences in the density of PV-ir, CB-ir, and CR-ir interneurons in several cortical areas. One hundred and twenty eight of all 234 possible between-area pairwise comparisons were significantly different. The density of specific subpopulations of these cells also varied among cortical areas, as did the density of axon terminals. Comparison of PFC with other cortical areas revealed that 40 of all 66 possible statistical comparisons of the density of PV-ir, CB-ir, and CR-ir cells were significantly different. We also found evidence for heterogeneity in the pattern of labeling of PV-ir, CB-ir, and CR-ir cells and axon terminals between the dorsolateral and orbital subdivisions of PFC. These data are likely to reflect basic differences in interneuron circuitry, which are likely to influence inhibitory function in the cortex. Copyright (C) 2003 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Campo térmico e higrométrico da Regional Praia do Canto no município de Vitória (ES)

Nesta pesquisa foi analisado o comportamento térmico e higrométrico em diferentes locais da Regional Praia do Canto no município de Vitória (ES) tanto no período chuvoso quanto no seco por meio da técnica de transecto móvel. A análise confirmou que as mudanças de uso e cobertura da terra associado com as características do relevo influenciam diretamente as variáveis meteorológicas, neste caso a temperatura do ar e umidade relativa do ar. A análise das condições médias de temperatura do ar e umidade relativa do ar permitiu observar dois núcleos aquecidos um ao norte e outro ao sul na área em estudo. Às 15h, tanto no verão como no inverno, a temperatura do ar atingiu o valor máximo e as taxas de umidade relativa, o seu valor mínimo. No verão e inverno, as áreas mais aquecidas ficaram bem definidas, áreas correspondentes aos núcleos aquecidos. As maiores influências do tecido urbano nas variáveis meteorológicas foram verificadas sob atuação da Alta Subtropical do Atlântico Sul. A maritimidade têm um peso importante no comportamento topoclimático urbano, sobre tudo na parte da manhã e da tarde. Na porção centro-leste da área em estudo observou-se até 3ºC a menos nos períodos vespertinos em relação aos pontos localizados na porção norte e sul. Os pontos à centroleste sofrem influência direta dos efeitos da maritimidade e dos arranjos dos prédios que formam sombreamento (Cânions Urbanos), fato que dificulta a formação de núcleos aquecidos durante o dia sobre esta porção. Foram observadas nos dois períodos, tanto no período chuvoso (verão) como também, no período seco (inverno), elevado gradiente térmico, estes localizadas onde há intenso fluxo de veículos, e também nas áreas de construção mais verticalizadas. A intensidade do gradiente térmico é maior sobre a atuação da Alta Subtropical do Atlântico Sul. Às 09 horas, são registrados os maiores gradientes térmicos para os dois períodos analisados. A umidade relativa do ar mantevese elevada durante os dois campos, tanto no verão quanto inverno. Os menores valores de umidade foram registrados em pontos que compõem o núcleo aquecido verificado na parte norte da área em estudo. Em virtude do comportamento das variáveis observadas foram identificadas três unidades Topoclimáticas Urbanas na Regional Praia do Canto.

Moisture recycling in the Iberian Peninsula from a regional climate simulation: spatiotemporal analysis and impact on the precipitation regime

The contribution of the evapotranspiration from a certain region to the precipitation over the same area is referred to as water recycling. In this paper, we explore the spatiotemporal links between the recycling mechanism and the Iberian rainfall regime. We use a 9 km resolution Weather Research and Forecasting simulation of 18 years (1990-2007) to compute local and regional recycling ratios over Iberia, at the monthly scale, through both an analytical and a numerical recycling model. In contrast to coastal areas, the interior of Iberia experiences a relative maximum of precipitation in spring, suggesting a prominent role of land-atmosphere interactions on the inland precipitation regime during this period of the year. Local recycling ratios are the highest in spring and early summer, coinciding with those areas where this spring peak of rainfall represents the absolute maximum in the annual cycle. This confirms that recycling processes are crucial to explain the Iberian spring precipitation, particularly over the eastern and northeastern sectors. Average monthly recycling values range from 0.04 in December to 0.14 in June according to the numerical model and from 0.03 in December to 0.07 in May according to the analytical procedure. Our analysis shows that the highest values of recycling are limited by the coexistence of two necessary mechanisms: (1) the availability of sufficient soil moisture and (2) the occurrence of appropriate synoptic configurations favoring the development of convective regimes. The analyzed surplus of rainfall in spring has a critical impact on agriculture over large semiarid regions of the interior of Iberia.

Regional variation in toxoplasmosis seronegativity in the São Paulo metropolitan region

Toxoplasmosis is a highly prevalent zoonotic human infection caused by the Apicomplexa protozoon Toxoplasma gondii. The acute disease is usually mild or asymptomatic, except for foetal infection transmitted by acutely infected pregnant women, which courses as a devastating disease. In order to determine possible regional variations in risk factors, we studied the frequency of seronegativity in areas of the São Paulo Metropolitan Region, comparing liters and age groups. The prevalence of seronegativity was determined retrospectively in 1286 pregnant women receiving prenatal care at public health services in four selected areas of the São Paulo Metropolitan Region of similar socioeconomic background. The São Paulo City area had the higher frequency of seronegativity (41.1%), followed by the Northwest (31.5%) and Southwest (29.9%) areas, with similar intermediate levels, and by the Northeast (22.5%) area with the lowest frequency (p<0.001). A rough estimate disclosed about 280 infected infants/year in the São Paulo Metropolitan Region. Serological titers analyzed by age group suggested a decline in antibody levels with age, as shown by a lower frequency of higher titers in older groups. Our study emphasizes the importance of determining the regional prevalence of toxoplasmosis for proper planning of public health prenatal care.

Seropositivity for anti-Trypanosoma cruzi antibodies among blood donors of the "Hospital Universitário Regional do Norte do Paraná", Londrina, Brazil

The most frequent form of acquisition of Chagas' disease in endemic areas was the transmission through the feces of contaminated triatominae. However, special attention should be paid in urban areas to transmission by blood transfusion, justifying the compulsory screening of blood donors. Early investigations at blood banks in the town of Londrina, Brazil, demonstrated that the seroprevalence of anti-Trypanosoma cruzi antibodies among blood donors was approximately 7.0% in the fifties9,34. Further studies demonstrated pratically the same seroprevalence until the eighties4,32,41. In an attempt to obtain data about the real dimension of the seropositivity for anti-Trypasonoma cruzi antibodies in the region, the authors carried out a large-scale study on 45,774 serum samples from blood donors of the Hemocentro of Hospital Universitário Regional do Norte do Paraná (HURNP), Universidade Estadual de Londrina. The immunological tests were done at the Division of Clinical Immunology of HURNP from May 1990 to December 1994. The serum samples were studied by the indirect hemagglutination assay (IHA, using kits commercially obtained from EBRAM) and by indirect immunofluorescence (IFI, using kits from LIO SERUM) with anti-human IgG conjugate (LABORCLIN). The results demonstrated that 643 serum samples were positive in both assay corresponding to a seroprevalence of 1.4%, i.e., a significant decrease in anti-Trypanosoma cruzi antibodies in the region in comparison with the previously mentioned rates. Data correlating sex and age of seropositive blood donors are presented, as well as the possible factors that may have contributed to the results observed.

Upper Arm Anthropometry Is Not a Valid Predictor of Regional Body Composition in Preterm Infants

Background: Upper arm anthropometry has been used in the nutritional assessment of small infants, but it has not yet been validated as a predictor of regional body composition in this population. Objective: Validation of measured and derived upper arm anthropometry as a predictor of arm fat and fat-free compartments in preterm infants. Methods: Upper arm anthropometry, including the upper arm cross-sectional areas, was compared individually or in combination with other anthropometric measurements, with the cross-sectional arm areas measured by magnetic resonance imaging, in a cohort of consecutive preterm appropriate-for-gestationalage neonates, just before discharge. Results: Thirty infants born with (mean 8 SD) a gestational age of 30.7 8 1.9 weeks and birth weight of 1,380 8 325 g, were assessed at 35.4 8 1.1 weeks of corrected gestational age, weighing 1,785 8 93 g. None of the anthropometric measurements are reliable predictors (r 2 ! 0.56) of the measurements obtained by magnetic resonance imaging, individually or in combination with other anthropometric measurements. Conclusion: Both measured anthropometry and derived upper arm anthropometry are inaccurate predictors of regional body composition in preterm appropriate-for-gestational-age infants.

Seroprevalence for hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection among volunteer blood donors of the Regional Blood Bank of Londrina, State of Paraná , Brazil

A cross-sectional study was carried out among 996 volunteer blood donors enrolled from May 1999 to December 1999 to determine the seroprevalence of hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection among volunteer blood donors of the Regional Blood Bank of Londrina, State of Paraná, Brazil, and to evaluate whether the rate of seroprevalence of IgG anti-HEV antibodies is associated with sociodemographic variables and with seropositivity for hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection. All participants answered the questionnaire regarding the sociodemographic characterisitcs. Serum samples were tested for IgG antibodies to HEV (anti-HEV) by an enzyme linked immunoassay (ELISA). All serum samples positive for anti-HEV IgG and 237 serum samples negative for anti-HEV were also assayed for IgG anti-HAV antibodies by ELISA. Anti-HEV IgG was confirmed in 23/996 samples, resulting in a seroprevalence of 2.3% for HEV infection, similar to previous results obtained in developed countries. No significant association was found between the presence of anti-HEV IgG antibodies and the sociodemographic variables including gender, age, educational level, rural or urban areas, source of water, and sewer system (p > 0.05). Also, no association with seropositivity for anti-HAV IgG antibodies was observed (p > 0.05). Although this study revealed a low seroprevalence of HEV infection in the population evaluated, the results showed that this virus is circulating among the population from Londrina, South Brazil, and point out the need of further studies to define the clinical and epidemiological importance of HEV infection and to identify additional risk factors involved in the epidemiology and pathogenesis of this infection in this population.

Regional change in the Algarve: A Geographic Information System approach

Thesis submitted to the Instituto Superior de Estatística e Gestão de Informação da Universidade Nova de Lisboa in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Information Management – Geographic Information Systems