Região Serrana do Estado do Rio de Janeiro e a expansão dos riscos ambientais, ações preventivas e catástrofes: o caso de Petrópolis

O município de Petrópolis, palco de recorrente de problemas ambientais envolvendo movimentos de massa concentrados historicamente na sua área mais urbanizada, os distritos Sede e Cascatinha, vive nas últimas décadas um crescimento populacional que se orienta basicamente para antigas áreas rurais de Itaipava, Pedro do Rio e Posse. O objetivo geral da pesquisa é investigar como este crescimento vem ocorrendo, analisando as características geológico-geomorfológicas dos novos espaços ocupados, os fatores predisponentes às novas condições de risco envolvendo os movimentos de massa e as inundações. Assim, foi elaborado um panorama sócio-evolutivo do processo de ocupação do solo em Petrópolis, considerando especialmente a dinâmica demográfica registrada nos distritos através dos censos demográficos a partir da década de 1940. Utilizando o geoprocessamento como ferramenta e a classificação visual de segmentação de OrtofotosCarta IBGE na escala 1: 25.000, foram produzidos mapas de uso do solo para o município e distritos detalhando a área ocupada. Com o fim de atender ao diagnóstico das situações de risco foi realizado o levantamento da situação atual da ocorrência dos movimentos de massa e inundações no município, comparando levantamentos anteriores e verificando a distribuição das ocorrências e a população atingida. Por fim, a avaliação da execução da política de desenvolvimento e expansão urbana definida no Plano Diretor de Petrópolis e na Lei de Uso, Parcelamento e Ocupação do Solo, analisando o zoneamento e seus usos (rural, rururbano, urbano e zona de proteção especial) resultando no entendimento de como os aspectos normativos vem sendo tratados, naquilo que são respeitados e naquilo que não são cumpridos na dinâmica da ocupação do espaço, levantando as ações de prevenção, ou não, dos problemas ambientais. Contudo, a definição dos objetivos do trabalho teve dois momentos. O primeiro com a análise da expansão urbana construindo novas condições de risco e o segundo momento, lamentavelmente, aquele no qual as evidências ganharam contorno de realidade com o ocorrido em dezembro de 2010 e em janeiro de 2011, principalmente quando inundações bruscas associadas aos deslizamentos de terra nas encostas atingiram áreas de Petrópolis e de outros municípios da região Serrana do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, certamente, a maior tragédia ambiental ocorrida no Centro-Sul do país até então. Com mais de 900 mortos, centenas de desaparecidos e milhares de desabrigados e desalojados, os eventos suplantaram os objetivos do trabalho, colocando novas questões, ao mesmo tempo em que a realidade demonstrou a coerência e pertinência daqueles objetivos com os problemas apresentados. Assim, dentre os objetivos passou a constar também a verificação in loco das conseqüências de movimentos de massa e inundações nas áreas apontadas anteriormente, como foi o caso do vale do Rio Santo Antônio em Itaipava. O trabalho, assim, se pautou por indicar a necessidade ter-se maior atenção às novas áreas de ocupação no município, considerando a natureza do território, contribuindo como um subsídio na prevenção ao risco.

The content of organic matter in some waters in the Moscow region [Translation from: C.R. Acad. Soc. URSS, 61, 293-296, 1948]

There is at the moment no direct method of determining the organic matter content of natural waters. In 1940/41 8 different water bodies in central Russia were studied and their organic matter identified. The author concludes that there is currently no easy method to determine organic matter in water. A number methods need to be applied.

Sputtering of insulators in the electronic stopping region

Using track detectors we have measured sputtering yields induced by MeV light ions incident on a uranium containing glass, UO₂ and UF₄. No deviation from the behavior predicted by the Sigmund theory was detected in the glass or the UO₂. The same was true for UF₄ bombarded with ⁴He at 1 MeV and with ¹⁶O and ²⁰Ne at 100 keV. In contrast to this, 4.75 MeV ¹⁹F(+2) sputters uranium from UF₄ with a yield of 5.6 ± 1.0, which is about 3 orders of magnitude larger than expected from the Sigmund theory. The energy dependence of the yield indicates that it is generated by electronic rather than nuclear stopping processes. The yield depends on the charge state of the incident fluorine but not on the target temperature. We have also measured the energy spectrum of the uranium sputtered from the UF₄. Ion explosions, thermal spikes, chemical rearrangement and induced desorption are considered as possible explanations for the anomalous yields.

Segmentação e classificação de imagens destinadas ao mapeamento digital do Parque Nacional da Serra dos Órgãos (PARNASO)

Na perspectiva ambiental, o Parque Nacional da Serra dos Órgãos (PARNASO) é o Parque Nacional mais pesquisado no Brasil e configura-se como uma importante Unidade de Conservação inserida no estado do Rio de Janeiro, devido à sua importância ambiental para o estado. Localizado em quatro municípios da região serrana: Teresópolis, Petrópolis, Magé e Guapimirim foi constatado que essa área tem passado por alguns problemas, relativamente recentes, de ocupação desordenada devido à expansão urbana em sua vizinhança caracterizada por pressão antrópica. Através do processamento de imagens digitais, mais especificamente as etapas de segmentação e classificação, foi possível ilustrar o processo de ocupação humana por meio de documentos cartográficos. Além de estes processos possibilitarem a geração de mapas de uso da Terra e cobertura vegetal, com o intuito de auxiliar e dar fomento à execução de atividades, o mapeamento digital configura-se numa importante ferramenta para a análise ambiental, contribuindo para o posterior zoneamento da área de estudo. Adotaram-se classes temáticas de uso e ocupação da Terra com o propósito de permitir a classificação das imagens digitais trabalhadas. São elas: afloramento rochoso, área urbana, agricultura e vegetação. Estudos foram feitos no sentido de indicar e explorar as funcionalidades das ferramentas SPRING e DEFINIENS e resultados foram comparados a partir do uso de imagens LANDSAT, CBERS, SPOT e IKONOS chegando-se a resultados de que no sistema SPRING, os melhores parâmetros a serem escolhidos foram similaridade 10 e área 400. Já para o sistema DEFINIENS, constatou-se que o processo de segmentação multinível permitiu o alcance de resultados mais rápidos, do ponto de vista computacional, do que o processo de segmentação único utilizado normalmente entre os sistemas de processamento de imagens digitais como o SPRING. Já sob a ótica do processo de classificação de imagens, a pesquisa constituiu em avaliar este mecanismo por meio de dois indicadores: o de exatidão/acurácia e o índice Kappa. Neste sentido, observaram-se tendências de melhores resultados no sistema SPRING.

Studies of bacteriophage T4 tail fibers and tail fiber genes

The distal half of the bacteriophage T4 tail fiber interacts with the surface of the bacterium during adsorption. The largest polypeptide in this half fiber is the product of gene 37 (P37). During assembly of the tail fiber, P37 interacts with the product of gene 38 (P38). These two gene products are incompatible with the corresponding gene products from the related phage T2. T2 P37 does not interact with T4 P38 and T2 P38 does not interact with T4 P37. Crosses between T2 and T4 phages mutant in genes 37 and 38 have shown that the carboxyl end of P37 interacts with P38 and with the bacterial surface. In the corresponding region of gene 37 and in gene 38 there is no recombination between T2 and T4. In the rest of gene 37 there are two small regions with relatively high recombination and a region of low recombination.

When T2/T4 heteroduplex DNA molecules are examined in the electron microscope four nonhomologous loops appear in the region of genes 37 and 38. Heteroduplexes between hybrid phages which have part of gene 37 from T4 and part from T2 have roughly located gene 37 mutations in the heteroduplex pattern. For a more precise location of the , mutations a physical map of gene 37 was constructed by determining the molecular weights of amber polypeptide fragments on polyacrylamide gels in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate. When the physical and heteroduplex maps are aligned, the regions of low recombination correspond to regions of nonhomology between T2 and T4. Regions with relatively high recombination are homologous.

The molecular weight of T2 P37 is about 13,000 greater than that of T4 P37. Analysis of hybrid phage has shown that this molecular weight difference is all at the carboxyl end of P37.

An antiserum has been prepared which is specific for the distal half fiber of T4. Tests of the ability of gene 37 hybrids to block this antiserum show that there are at least 4 subclasses of antigen specified by different parts of P37.

Observations in the electron microscope of the tailfiber - anti- body complexes formed by the gene 37 hybrids and the specific anti- serum have shown that P37 is oriented linearly in the distal half fiber with its N-terminus near the joint between the two half fibers and its C-terminus near the tip of the fiber. These observations lead to a simple model for the structure of the distal half fiber.

The high recombination in T4 gene 34 was also investigated. A comparison of genetic and physical maps of gene 34 showed that there is a gradient of increasing recombination near one end of the gene.

1. Ultrasonic studies of binary liquid structure in the critical region. Theory and experiment for the 2,6-lutidine/water system. 2. Hartree-Fock calculations of electric polarizabilities of some simple atoms and molecules, and their practicality. 3. Calculation of vibrational transition probabilities in collinear atom-diatom and diatom-diatom collisions with Lennard-Jones interaction

Part 1. Many interesting visual and mechanical phenomena occur in the critical region of fluids, both for the gas-liquid and liquid-liquid transitions. The precise thermodynamic and transport behavior here has some broad consequences for the molecular theory of liquids. Previous studies in this laboratory on a liquid-liquid critical mixture via ultrasonics supported a basically classical analysis of fluid behavior by M. Fixman (e. g., the free energy is assumed analytic in intensive variables in the thermodynamics)--at least when the fluid is not too close to critical. A breakdown in classical concepts is evidenced close to critical, in some well-defined ways. We have studied herein a liquid-liquid critical system of complementary nature (possessing a lower critical mixing or consolute temperature) to all previous mixtures, to look for new qualitative critical behavior. We did not find such new behavior in the ultrasonic absorption ascribable to the critical fluctuations, but we did find extra absorption due to chemical processes (yet these are related to the mixing behavior generating the lower consolute point). We rederived, corrected, and extended Fixman's analysis to interpret our experimental results in these more complex circumstances. The entire account of theory and experiment is prefaced by an extensive introduction recounting the general status of liquid state theory. The introduction provides a context for our present work, and also points out problems deserving attention. Interest in these problems was stimulated by this work but also by work in Part 3.

Part 2. Among variational theories of electronic structure, the Hartree-Fock theory has proved particularly valuable for a practical understanding of such properties as chemical binding, electric multipole moments, and X-ray scattering intensity. It also provides the most tractable method of calculating first-order properties under external or internal one-electron perturbations, either developed explicitly in orders of perturbation theory or in the fully self-consistent method. The accuracy and consistency of first-order properties are poorer than those of zero-order properties, but this is most often due to the use of explicit approximations in solving the perturbed equations, or to inadequacy of the variational basis in size or composition. We have calculated the electric polarizabilities of H₂, He, Li, Be, LiH, and N₂ by Hartree-Fock theory, using exact perturbation theory or the fully self-consistent method, as dictated by convenience. By careful studies on total basis set composition, we obtained good approximations to limiting Hartree-Fock values of polarizabilities with bases of reasonable size. The values for all species, and for each direction in the molecular cases, are within 8% of experiment, or of best theoretical values in the absence of the former. Our results support the use of unadorned Hartree-Pock theory for static polarizabilities needed in interpreting electron-molecule scattering data, collision-induced light scattering experiments, and other phenomena involving experimentally inaccessible polarizabilities.

Part 3. Numerical integration of the close-coupled scattering equations has been carried out to obtain vibrational transition probabilities for some models of the electronically adiabatic H₂-H₂ collision. All the models use a Lennard-Jones interaction potential between nearest atoms in the collision partners. We have analyzed the results for some insight into the vibrational excitation process in its dependence on the energy of collision, the nature of the vibrational binding potential, and other factors. We conclude also that replacement of earlier, simpler models of the interaction potential by the Lennard-Jones form adds very little realism for all the complication it introduces. A brief introduction precedes the presentation of our work and places it in the context of attempts to understand the collisional activation process in chemical reactions as well as some other chemical dynamics.

Studies on T-even bacteriophage DNA

Part I. The regions of sequence homology and non-homology between the DNA molecules of T2, T4, and T6 have been mapped by the electron microscopic heteroduplex method. The heteroduplex maps have been oriented with respect to the T4 genetic map. They show characteristic, reproducible patterns of substitution and deletion loops. All heteroduplex molecules show more than 85% homology. Some of the loop patterns in T2/T4 heteroduplexes are similar to those in T4/T6.

We find that the rII, the lysozyme and ac genes, the D region, and gene 52 are homologous in T2, T4, and T6. Genes 43 and 47 are probably homologous between T2 and T4. The region of greatest homology is that bearing the late genes. The host range region, which comprises a part of gene 37 and all of gene 38, is heterologous in T2, T4, and T6. The remainder of gene 37 is partially homologous in the T2/T4 heteroduplex (Beckendorf, Kim and Lielausis, 1972) but it is heterologous in T4/T6 and in T2/T6. Some of the tRNA genes are homologous and some are not. The internal protein genes in general seem to be non-homologous.

The molecular lengths of the T-even DNAs are the same within the limit of experimental error; their calculated molecular weights are correspondingly different due to unequal glucosylation. The size of the T2 genome is smaller than that of T4 or T6, but the terminally repetitious region in T2 is larger. There is a length distribution of the terminal repetition for any one phage DNA, indicating a variability in length of the DNA molecules packaged within the phage.

Part II. E. coli cells infected with phage strains carrying extensive deletions encompassing the gene for the phage ser-tRNA are missing the phage tRNAs normally present in wild type infected cells. By DNA-RNA hybridization we have demonstrated that the DNA complementary to the missing tRNAs is also absent in such deletion mutants. Thus the genes for these tRNAs must be clustered in the same region of the genome as the ser-tRNA gene. Physical mapping of several deletions of the ser-tRNA and lysozyme genes, by examination of heteroduplex DNA in the electron microscope, has enabled us to locate the cluster, to define its maximum size, and to order a few of the tRNA genes within it. That such deletions can be isolated indicates that the phage-specific tRNAs from this cluster are dispensable.

Part III. Genes 37 and 38 between closely related phages T2 and T4 have been compared by genetic, biochemical, and hetero-duplex studies. Homologous, partially homologous and non-homologous regions of the gene 37 have been mapped. The host range determinant which interacts with the gene 38 product is identified.

Part IV. A population of double-stranded ØX-RF DNA molecules carrying a deletion of about 9% of the wild-type DNA has been discovered in a sample cultivated under conditions where the phage lysozyme gene is nonessential. The structures of deleted monomers, dimers, and trimers have been studied by the electron microscope heteroduplex method. The dimers and trimers are shown to be head-to-tail repeats of the deleted monomers. Some interesting examples of the dynamical phenomenon of branch migration in vitro have been observed in heteroduplexes of deleted dimer and trimer strands with undeleted wild-type monomer viral strands.

Estudos de metais pesados e isótopos de Pb nos sedimentos da Baía de Sepetiba baseados em geoquímica e na distribuição pelas possíveis áreas fontes

A Baia de Sepetiba é uma laguna costeira separada do oceano por uma ilha barreira. Localiza-se a 60 km da cidade do Rio de Janeiro, em uma importante região geoeconômica do Brasil. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a distribuição espacial da contaminação dos metais Cu, Pb, V, Cr, Cd, Co, Ni e Zn nos sedimentos da Baia. O mapa das concentrações elaborado pelo método de lixiviação permitiu caracterizar anomalias ao entorno da foz do Rio Guandu, na área da Coroa Grande, do Porto de Itaguaí, da Ilha do Martins, e anomalias ao longo de faixa com direção NW-SE. Os resultados das concentrações totais indicam contaminação por Zn, Cd, próximo a Ilha da Madeira com Pb e Cr associados e Cu e Zn na Restinga de Marambaia, com Ni, Pb e Cr associados. Os resultados dos isótopos de Pb para as razões de 206Pb/207Pb entre 1,23 e 1,27 representam os resíduos industriais e ocorrem em duas áreas: na parte leste da Restinga e entre as Ilhas de Jaguanum e Itacuruçá. A leste/sudeste destas ilhas foi reportada uma razão ainda mais alta (1.30), ainda não identificável na literatura. As correntes marinhas desempenham a redistribuição dos sedimentos e metais associados na Baia, com transporte de oeste para leste da pluma sedimentar descarregada pelos rios. Os principais causadores da poluição da Baia de Sepetiba são uma pilha de rejeito de Zn abandonada, resíduos industriais e domésticos não tratados de forma eficaz, poluentes atmosféricos de siderúrgicas e veículos, e por ventura resíduos de atividades navais e militares.

SYSTEMATICS OF GROUNDWATER OLIGOCHAETES (ANNELIDA, CLITELLATA) IN KARSTIC AREAS OF THE CANTABRIAN REGION/ ERREGIO KANTAURIARREKO EREMU KARSTIKOETAN DAUDEN LURPEKO OLIGOKETO (ANNELIDA, CLITELLATA) URT

This thesis deals with the oligochaete taxa (Annelida, Clitellata) from several karst units in the Cantabrian region, northern Iberian Peninsula. Groundwater oligochaetes are still poorly known fauna and the area seems to be a promising hotspot for groundwater taxa. Metodology is based on both morphological and molecular analyses. More than 7,000 specimens were collected from five karst units and >60 taxa were identified. Stygobiont oligochaete fauna in the northern Iberian Peninsula is diverse and mostly endemic (range areas <300 km). Three new stygogiont oligochaete species are described: Gianius navarroi Rodriguez & Achurra, 2010, Isochaetides gianii Rodriguez & Achurra, 2010 and Troglodrilus jugeti Achurra et al., 2012; and another four new taxa will be described in the near future. Taxonomic remarks on Lophochaeta ignota Stolc, 1886 and Troglodrilus galarzai (Giani & Rodriguez, 1988) are provided. The controversial separation of L. ignota and Heterochaeta costata Claparède, 1863 from Tubifex Lamarck, 1816 is corroborated by mitochondrial molecular data. Following the DNA barcoding method, individuals of the stygoxene species Stylodrilus heringianus Claparède, 1862 from different geographic areas are shown to represent a single metapopulation. The first phylogenetic analysis of the subfamily Tubificinae based on molecular data is attemped, which although incompletely resolved, evidences for the first time a close relationship between a stygobiont oligochaete (Troglodrilus Juget et al. 2006) and an estuarine especies (Heterochaeta costata Claparéde, 1863). A marine ancestor is hypothesised for Troglodrilus. Finally, Ereñozar karst unit (Biscay) is suggested to be a hotspot for groundwater oligochaetes (11 stygobiont taxa, of which 4 are endemic to the karst unit) and several biodiversity indices (Species richness, Rarity, Vulnerability and Complementarity) are shown to be useful tools for conservation management of groundwater habitats in that karst area.