Adequação bioclimática para os espaços urbanos abertos do centro de Fortaleza, CE

This research presents a study investigating the correlation between the environmental-physycal charcateristics of cities and the formation of its micro-climates. The study was conducted in the central area of Fortaleza characterized as a stable and consolidated area, where the city originated and currently faces serious problems in its urban dynamics. The points of measurements were determined by the elaboration and analysis of topography maps, height of buildings, land use, type of surface coating and vegetation, following the methodology of Katzschner (1997). A zoning map was then determined, according to common morphological characteristics of the 12 measurement points, which were based on a set of Romero s (2001) bioclimatic criteria. Air measurements, temperature, humidity, intensity and direction of winds were made in transect form in two different circuits in the study area, with six points of data collection in each area, in three different times: 6:00 am, 1:00pm and 7:00pm, during two periods of the year: August 2008 and March 2009. The results verified the influence of different environmental-physical types in the behavior of the climatic variables that were collected. A verticalização tão condenada em algumas situações se bem equilibrada e controlada pode reduzir as temperaturas do ar através do sombreamento dos espaços urbanos e possibilidade de maior permeabilidade a ventilação natural. The highest average air temperature and lower humidity were recorded at the point I at all times. This situation may have been in result of the high density, poor vegetation and extended paving of the ground. According to the results, it s clear the positive influence vegetation has on easing air temperature. Another indicator observed that areas with a greater variation in building heights tend to present decreased average air temperature. High rise structure, planned in accordance to urban air quality parameters, can reduce air temperatures by the shading of urban spaces and the possibility of greater penetration of natural ventilation

Towards modern municipal sports and recreation management in Costa Rica

Sports and recreation management is addressed here using a model that combines the policies and methodologies applied in the Costa Rican context as a result of a concern to identify the real needs in the sports, recreation, and health promotion fields through the different manifestations of human movement.  This approach has been developed during eight years of work in the Costa Rican Sports and Recreation Institute (Instituto Costarricense del Deporte y la Recreación-ICODER) together with different Costa Rican communities, both rural and urban, and local organizations, such as Comprehensive Development Community Associations, Sports and Recreation Community Boards (CCDR), Municipal Mayorships, and NGOs, among others.  This article particularly takes into consideration the experience of the CCDRs as entities that have been given the responsibility by the Costa Rican Government to promote and manage municipal sports and recreation services with a convenient offering that would meet the needs of users or customers.  In this way, this article is aimed at answering the question on how Boards should conduct an efficient management in a way that they also meet the needs of public users or customers in the municipalities of the country, by proposing a management model that serves as an additional instrument to improving the already existing services managed by the aforementioned entities.  This study presents a model of Costa Rican management structured with the theoretical elements that currently define the organization and planning of sports and recreation as a service.

Metodologia de utilização de dados de sensoriamento remoto em zonas costeiras sob influência da indústria petrolífera

Oil spills in marine environments represent immediate environmental impacts of large magnitude. For that reason the Environmental Sensitivity to Oil Maps constitute a major instrument for planning actions of containment and cleanup. For both the Environmental Sensitivity Maps always need to be updated, to have an appropriate scale and to represent accurately the coastal areas. In this context, this thesis presents a methodology for collecting and processing remote sensing data for the purpose of updating the territorial basis of thematic maps of Environmental Sensitivity to Oil. To ensure greater applicability of the methodology, sensors with complementary characteristics, which provide their data at a low financial cost, were selected and tested. To test the methodology, an area located on the northern coast of the Northeast of Brazil was chosen. The results showed that the products of ASTER data and image hybrid sensor PALSAR + CCD and HRC + CCD, have a great potential to be used as a source of cartographic information on projects that seek to update the Environmental Sensitivity Maps of Oil

Estimating social carrying capacity in protected Mediterranean mountain areas. Methodological orientation

The concept of social carrying capacity, though opens to debate and critique, is a valuable tool that enhances the management of recreational use in protected natural areas. In this study, conducted in Sierra de las Nieves natural park (Spain), we first categorised the hikers making use of the park and then, from the profiles obtained, analysed their perception of crowding on the trails. This assessment was subsequently used to assess levels of user satisfaction and thus to determine the psychosocial carrying capacity of the park. The results obtained can be extrapolated to most of the Spanish natural parks in Mediterranean mountain areas, due to their comparable levels of visitor numbers and to the prevalence of recreational hiking use. The results suggest that management efforts should be directed toward relocating trails outside the core areas, such that user preferences may be satisfied while less impact is made on the areas of highest environmental value.

Potencialidades de cultivo de macroalgas no litoral do Rio Grande do Norte (NE, Brasil): uma perspectiva de integração de dados ambientais em sistemas de informação geográfica (SIG)

Since centuries ago, the Asians use seaweed as an important source of feeding and are their greatest world-wide consumers. The migration of these peoples for other countries, made the demand for seaweed to increase. This increasing demand prompted an industry with annual values of around US$ 6 billion. The algal biomass used for the industry is collected in natural reservoirs or cultivated. The market necessity for products of the seaweed base promotes an unsustainable exploration of the natural banks, compromising its associated biological balance. In this context, seaweed culture appears as a viable alternative to prevent the depletion of these natural supplies. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) provide space and produce information that can facilitate the evaluation of important physical and socio-economic characteristics for the planning of seaweed culture. This objective of this study is to identify potential coastal areas for seaweed culture in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, from the integration of social-environmental data in the SIG. In order to achieve this objective, a geo-referred database composed of geographical maps, nautical maps and orbital digital images was assembled; and a bank of attributes including physical and oceanographical variables (winds, chains, bathymetry, operational distance from the culture) and social and environmental factors (main income, experience with seaweed harvesting, demographic density, proximity of the sheltered coast and distance of the banks) was produced. In the modeling of the data, the integration of the space database with the bank of attributes for the attainment of the map of potentiality of seaweed culture was carried out. Of a total of 2,011 ha analyzed by the GIS for the culture of seaweed, around 34% or 682 ha were indicated as high potential, 55% or 1,101 ha as medium potential, and 11% or 228 ha as low potential. The good indices of potentiality obtained in the localities studied demonstrate that there are adequate conditions for the installation of seaweed culture in the state of Rio Grande do Norte

Atlas versus range maps: robustness of chorological relationships to distribution data types in European mammals

Aim Chorological relationships describe the patterns of distributional overlap among species. In addition to revealing biogeographical structure, the resulting clusters of species with similar geographical distributions can serve as natural units in conservation planning. Here, we assess the extent to which temporal, methodological and taxonomical differences in the source of species’ distribution data can affect the relationships that are found.

Modelling the distribution of Bonelli's eagle in Spain: Implications for conservation planning

Bonelli’s eagle, Hieraaetus fasciatus , has recently suffered a severe population decline and is currently endangered. Spain supports about 70% of the European population. We used stepwise logistic regression on a set of environmental, spatial and human variables to model Bonelli’s eagle distribution in the 5167 UTM 10 × 10 km quadrats of peninsular Spain. We obtained a model based on 16 variables, which allowed us to identify favourable and unfavourable areas for this species in Spain, as well as intermediate favourability areas. We assessed the stepwise progression of the model by comparing the model’s predictions in each step with those of the final model, and selected a parsimonious explanatory model based on three variables — slope, July temperature and precipitation — comprising 76% of the predictive capacity of the

Otter (Lutra lutra) distribution modeling at two resolution scales suited to conservation planning in the Iberian Peninsula

We used the results of the Spanish Otter Survey of 1994–1996, a Geographic Information System and stepwise multiple logistic regression to model otter presence/absence data in the continental Spanish UTM 10 10-km squares. Geographic situation, indicators of human activity such as highways and major urban centers, and environmental variables related with productivity, water availability, altitude, and environmental energy were included in a logistic model that correctly classified about 73% of otter presences and absences. We extrapolated the model to the adjacent territory of Portugal, and increased the model’s spatial resolution by extrapolating it to 1 1-km squares in the whole Iberian Peninsula. The model turned out to be rather flexible, predicting, for instance, the species to be very restricted to the courses of rivers in some areas, and more widespread in others. This allowed us to determine areas where otter populations may be more vulnerable to habitat changes or harmful human interventions. # 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

CARACTERIZACIÓN GEOMORFOLÓGICA, AMENAZAS NATURALES Y RESTRICCIONES DE USO DE LA TIERRA EN ESPARZA, COSTA RICA: UN ENFOQUE DE ORDENAMIENTO TERRITORIAL PARA EL PLAN REGULADOR DEL CANTÓN

Resumen: Este artículo constituye parte del diagnóstico físico-ambiental que se redactó como uno de  los componentes del Plan Regulador de Esparza.   Mediante el acopio de informes  técnicos, mapas  temáticos,  fotos  aéreas  y  trabajo de  campo,  se  caracteriza,geológica  y  geomorfológicamente  el  sector.    En  este  último  apartado  se  identifican veintiséis geoformas   que   son objeto de un cuidadoso análisis para identificar no solo los  tipos de amenazas naturales que hacen vulnerable cada uno de esos territorios, sino que se formulan restricciones de uso y propuestas de uso apropiado.  Abstract: This article  is a part of a physic environmental diagnosis that was composed as  a  section  of  Esparza  Urban  Planning.  In  order  to  characterize  geological  and geomorphological aspects,  it  was  necessary  to  use  technical  reports, thematic  maps, aerial photographs and  fieldwork. As a part of a geomorphologic  research we  identify twenty six landforms. Each one of them has not only a technical name but also a kind of natural  hazard.  At  the  same  time  we  analyze  their  vulnerability  and  propose  use restrictions and made recommendations  about their suitability. 

Neural states in parietal areas during arm reaching

Since the first subdivisions of the brain into macro regions, it has always been thought a priori that, given the heterogeneity of neurons, different areas host specific functions and process unique information in order to generate a behaviour. Moreover, the various sensory inputs coming from different sources (eye, skin, proprioception) flow from one macro area to another, being constantly computed and updated. Therefore, especially for non-contiguous cortical areas, it is not expected to find the same information. From this point of view, it would be inconceivable that the motor and the parietal cortices, diversified by the information encoded and by the anatomical position in the brain, could show very similar neural dynamics. With the present thesis, by analyzing the population activity of parietal areas V6A and PEc with machine learning methods, we argue that a simplified view of the brain organization do not reflect the actual neural processes. We reliably detected a number of neural states that were tightly linked to distinct periods of the task sequence, i.e. the planning and execution of movement and the holding of target as already observed in motor cortices. The states before and after the movement could be further segmented into two states related to different stages of movement planning and arm posture processing. Rather unexpectedly, we found that activity during the movement could be parsed into two states of equal duration temporally linked to the acceleration and deceleration phases of the arm. Our findings suggest that, at least during arm reaching in 3D space, the posterior parietal cortex (PPC) shows low-level population neural dynamics remarkably similar to those found in the motor cortices. In addition, the present findings suggest that computational processes in PPC could be better understood if studied using a dynamical system approach rather than studying a mosaic of single units.

Characterization Of Microsatellite Markers Developed From Prosopis Rubriflora And Prosopis Ruscifolia (leguminosae - Mimosoideae), Legume Species That Are Used As Models For Genetic Diversity Studies In Chaquenian Areas Under Anthropization In South America.

Prosopis rubriflora and Prosopis ruscifolia are important species in the Chaquenian regions of Brazil. Because of the restriction and frequency of their physiognomy, they are excellent models for conservation genetics studies. The use of microsatellite markers (Simple Sequence Repeats, SSRs) has become increasingly important in recent years and has proven to be a powerful tool for both ecological and molecular studies. In this study, we present the development and characterization of 10 new markers for P. rubriflora and 13 new markers for P. ruscifolia. The genotyping was performed using 40 P. rubriflora samples and 48 P. ruscifolia samples from the Chaquenian remnants in Brazil. The polymorphism information content (PIC) of the P. rubriflora markers ranged from 0.073 to 0.791, and no null alleles or deviation from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HW) were detected. The PIC values for the P. ruscifolia markers ranged from 0.289 to 0.883, but a departure from HW and null alleles were detected for certain loci; however, this departure may have resulted from anthropic activities, such as the presence of livestock, which is very common in the remnant areas. In this study, we describe novel SSR polymorphic markers that may be helpful in future genetic studies of P. rubriflora and P. ruscifolia.

Kinesiographic Study Of Masticatory Movements In Denture Wearers With Normal And Resorbed Denture-bearing Areas.

An unfavorable denture-bearing area could compromise denture retention and stability, limit mastication, and possibly alter masticatory motion. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the masticatory movements of denture wearers with normal and resorbed denture-bearing areas. Completely edentulous participants who received new complete dentures were selected and divided into 2 groups (n=15) according to the condition of their denture-bearing areas as classified by the Kapur method: a normal group (control) (mean age, 65.9 ± 7.8 years) and a resorbed group (mean age, 70.2 ± 7.6 years). Masticatory motion was recorded and analyzed with a kinesiographic device. The patients masticated peanuts and Optocal. The masticatory movements evaluated were the durations of opening, closing, and occlusion; duration of the masticatory cycle; maximum velocities and angles of opening and closing; total masticatory area; and amplitudes of the masticatory cycle. The data were analyzed by 2-way ANOVA and the Tukey honestly significant difference post hoc test (α=.05). The group with a resorbed denture-bearing area had a smaller total masticatory area in the frontal plane and shorter horizontal masticatory amplitude than the group with normal denture-bearing area (P<.05). Denture wearers with resorbed denture-bearing areas showed reduced jaw motion during mastication.

[lay Agency And Healthcare: Producing Healthcare Maps].

This study aimed to characterize which regulatory logics (other than government regulation) result in healthcare output, using a two-stage qualitative study in two municipalities in the ABCD Paulista region in São Paulo State, Brazil. The first stage included interviews with strategic actors (managers and policymakers) and key health professionals. The second phase collected life histories from 18 individuals with high health-services utilization rates. An analysis of the researchers' involvement in the field allowed a better understanding of the narratives. Four regulatory systems were characterized (governmental, professional, clientelistic, and lay), indicating that regulation is a field in constant dispute, a social production. Users' action produces healthcare maps that reveal the existence of other possible health system arrangements, calling on us to test shared management of healthcare between health teams and users as a promising path to the urgent need to reinvent health.

[strategies For Integration Of Health Care Practices And Sanitary Surveillance In The Context Of The Implementation Of Rede Cegonha - A Brazilian Mother And Infant Health Care Network].

Mother and infant mortality has been the scope of analysis throughout the history of public health in Brazil and various strategies to tackle the issue have been proposed to date. The Ministry of Health has been working on this and the Rede Cegonha strategy is the most recent policy in this context. Given the principle of comprehensive health care and the structure of the Unified Health System in care networks, it is necessary to ensure the integration of health care practices, among which are the sanitary surveillance actions (SSA). Considering that the integration of health care practices and SSA can contribute to reduce mother and infant mortality rates, this article is a result of qualitative research that analyzed the integration of these actions in four cities in the State of São Paulo/Brazil: Campinas, Indaiatuba, Jaguariúna and Santa Bárbara D'Oeste. The research was conducted through interviews with SSA and maternal health managers, and the data were evaluated using thematic analysis. The results converge with other studies, identifying the isolation of health care practices and SSA. The insertion of SSA in collectively-managed areas appears to be a potential strategy for health planning and implementation of actions in the context under scrutiny.

Variables Associated With The Performance Of Centers For Dental Specialties In Brazil.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of the Centers for Dental Specialties (CDS) in the country and associations with sociodemographic indicators of the municipalities, structural variables of services and primary health care organization in the years 2004-2009. The study used secondary data from procedures performed in the CDS to the specialties of periodontics, endodontics, surgery and primary care. Bivariate analysis by χ2 test was used to test the association between the dependent variable (performance of the CDS) with the independents. Then, Poisson regression analysis was performed. With regard to the overall achievement of targets, it was observed that the majority of CDS (69.25%) performance was considered poor/regular. The independent factors associated with poor/regular performance of CDS were: municipalities belonging to the Northeast, South and Southeast regions, with lower Human Development Index (HDI), lower population density, and reduced time to deployment. HDI and population density are important for the performance of the CDS in Brazil. Similarly, the peculiarities related to less populated areas as well as regional location and time of service implementation CDS should be taken into account in the planning of these services.