Sucessão estratigráfica e tratos de sistemas do Membro Romualdo, porção leste da Bacia do Araripe, nordeste do Brasil

Located in northeastern Brazil, the evolution of Araripe Basin has been associated with the fragmentation of Gondwana and opening of the South Atlantic. The Santana Formation belongs to the post-rift sequence of the basin and is characterized by the presence of laminated limestones in the lower portion (Mb. Crato), evaporite (Ipubi) and siliciclastics (Mb. Romualdo). For better understanding of the Romualdo's stratigraphy, depositional environments and tract of systems, a stratigraphic analysis was made with representative columnar sections of the unit. Sedimentary facies have been described in detail, as well as paleocurrents measured at different stratigraphic levels. It was found that the contact of Mb. Romualdo with the carbonate-evaporite section (Mbs. Crato and Ipubi) is a unconformity, evidenced by residual lags and thin layers of conglomerates above the contact. Above the conglomeratic levels predominate fine sandstones / medium interlayered with calciferous green shales. The percentage of shales increases towards the top, featuring retrogradational stacking culminating in layers of coquinas, excellent stratigraphic mark in the basin. Thin layers of coquins of gastropods comprising equinoids, located on the shale section, present in three sections marine deposits are associated with surfaces ravine. The upper section is characterized by recurrent facies of green shales, sandstones intercalated with sandstones progressively become more frequent towards the top of the unit, featuring the regressive part of the cycle. The sandstones present cross-stratification, often with mud clasts and clay layers in the foresets, and beddings of flaser type and wavy in heterolitic facies, suggesting the action of tidal currents. Paleocurrents measured in the sandstones show gaps with opposite flow directions outlining bipolar standards, which reinforce the interpretation of shallow marine environment influenced by tides during the sedimentation...

Processo de produção de composto orgânico derivado de resíduos industriais com aplicação no cultivo de alface

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

The chemical composition and pharmacological activities of geopropolis produced by Melipona fasciculata Smith in northeast Brazil

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Diagnose foliar da cultura da soja em função da aplicação superficial de lodos de esgoto e resíduos industriais sob diferentes doses em sistema plantio direto

The application of industrial and municipal waste in the soil may be recommended by your corrective and fertilizer value, giving the great potential for agricultural reuse, improves physical, chemical and biological soil properties and helps to reduce the consumption of fertilizers and correctives, without contamination by heavy metals. This study aimed to evaluate the absorption of nutrients and potentially toxic elements, and their effect on the development of soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) grown under No-Tillage system (NT). The work was developed in the field, at the Experimental Farm Lageado - FCA / UNESP, Botucatu (SP) in an Oxisol under tropical climate of altitude. The experimental design was randomized blocks, factorial 4x4+1, with four replications. The treatments consisted of four residues: two sewage sludge, one centrifuged and treated with quicklime (LC) and a biodigester (LB) and two industrial wastes: steel slag (E) and lime mud (Lcal) , applied in dosages of 0, 2, 4 and 8 Mg ha-1. The surface application of LC, LB, Lcal and E residues in soil under NT favored the development of soybean, with no heavy metal contamination, given the current legislation.

O conteúdo orgânico do sedimento influencia na distribuição intraespecífica de caranguejos-chama-maré

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Temporal variation in egg-capsule deposition by Nassarius vibex (Gastropoda: Nassariidae)

The morphology and the deposition periods of egg capsules by the bruised nassa Nassarius vibex were investigated on two beaches located on the southeast coast of Brazil. The nassariids were associated with the charru mussel Mytella charruana, which forms beds on soft mud-bottoms. A total of 1558 capsules were collected, only from the fronds of the green alga Ulva lactuca, 859 for Camaroeiro Beach and 699 for Cidade Beach. The mean sizes of the egg capsules and numbers of eggs or larvae per capsule were similar on the two beaches, as were the periods of capsule deposition. At Camaroeiro Beach, capsules first appeared in May 2006, reached a peak in August 2006, and disappeared in December 2006. At Cidade Beach, the first capsules were recorded in July 2006, with a peak in August 2006. A second peak was also observed at this beach between January 2007 and April 2007. The two periods of deposition recorded at the latter beach may indicate two periods of recruitment in the same year for N. vibex. Regarding the influence of intertidal level on capsule deposition, there was a significant difference in the number of capsules between the levels at Camaroeiro Beach (F= 7.445, p<0.05), and for the second capsule-deposition peak at Cidade Beach (F= 6.382, p<0.05). This study revealed a selective pattern of capsule deposition, with individuals of N. vibex using only fronds of U. lactuca. This process was influenced by the morphodynamics of the two beaches, with the nassariids maximizing the survival of embryos by depositing more capsules and more eggs per capsule in better-protected parts of the mytilid beds.

The larval morphology and nest habits of Trypoxylon (Trypargilum) rogenhoferi Kohl 1884 (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Crabronidae)

The present study describes different preimaginal stages of Trypoxylon rogenhoferi examined by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and compares the results with observations on closely related species. Some notes on the nesting habits of this species, including their spider prey, nest parasites, and development time are provided. In short, T. rogenhoferi proved quite similar to the previous report on T. albitarse although SEM images are rarely presented in such descriptions. In fact the present study emphasized the importance of SEM images to describe fine morphological details that can be useful characters for taxonomic and phylogenetic studies. Images of some earlier development stages (first and second larval instar and egg) are presented for the first time, and compared with the few available data from other hymenopterans.

Morphological aspects of the ovaries of turtle Kinosternon scorpioides raised in captivity

Chaves E.P., Oliveira S.C.R., Araujo L.P.F., Oliveira A.S., Miglino M.A., Abreu-Silva A.L., Melo F.A. & Sousa A.L. 2012. Morphological aspects of the ovaries of turtle Kinosternon scorpioides raised in captivity. Pesquisa Veterinaria Brasileira 32(7):667-671. Departamento das Clinicas, Curso de Medicina Veterinaria, Universidade Estadual do Maranhao, Cidade Universitaria Paulo VI, Tirirical, Sao Luis, MA 65050-150, Brazil. E-mail: alana@elo.com.br The swear turtle "jurara" (Kinosternon scorpioides) is a mud turtle of the Amazon region exposed to disordering capture in the rural areas of Maranhao, Brazil. Despite its popularity in these areas, little meaningful information regarding the reproductive morphology is currently available, fact that impedes the adoption of policies for preservation of the species. To obtain more information, we studied the ovarian morphology adult jurara females kept in captivity by morphological and morphometric analysis in the dry and rainy season. The results revealed that all females were sexually mature and were in a vitellogenic period. The ovaries are two irregular structures composed by follicles in different stages of development (primary, secondary and tertiary) scattered in a stroma of loose connective highly vascularized tissue. The ovary weight was 6.25+/-4.23g and 2.27+/-1.42g, for the right and left one respectively. The gonadosomatic indexes were 2.06% for the dry season and 1.79% for the rainy season. The average of the follicles was 29.83 units per ovary. Microscopically, the mature ovaries revealed a basal layer composed by four cellular layers: the inner and outer theca, stratum granulosum with perivitelline membrane and zona radiata with vitelline membrane. No significant differences were observed in the ovaries either in the dry or wet period.

SEASONAL INCREMENT IN TRUNK DIAMETER OF Eucalyptus grandis TREES APPLYING DENDROMETER BANDS

The present work aimed to evaluate the seasonal increment in diameter of Eucalyptus grandis trees for 24 months and its relationship with the climatic variables and fertilization with nitrogen and with sewer mud. The trees were planted in the spacing of 3 x 2 m and fertilized with nitrogen (planting, 6, 12, 18 months) and sewer mud (planting and 8 months). 20 trees were selected by treatment according witch the distribution of basal area and installed dendrometer bands at a 1.3 meter. The results showed a clear effect of the climatic variables on the seasonal increment in diameter of trees, being observed a delay period (lag) of 28 days for the answer of the trees in relation to the climatic variables. Regading to the fertilization effect, it was observed that the increment of trunk diameter was higher in the eucalypt trees with organic in relation to mineral fertilization with nitrogen.

Sedimentological and provenance response to Cambrian closure of the Clymene ocean: The upper Alto Paraguai Group, Paraguay belt, Brazil

Final Gondwana amalgamation was marked by the closure of the Neoproterozoic Clymene ocean between the Amazonia craton and central Gondwana. The events which occurred in the last stage of this closure were recorded in the upper Alto Paraguai Group in the foreland of the Paraguay orogen. Outcrop-based fades analysis of the siliciclastic rocks of upper Alto Paraguai Group, composed of the Sepotuba and Diamantino Formations, was carried out in the Diamantino region, within the eastern part of the Barra dos Bugres basin, Mato Grosso state, central-western Brazil. The Sepotuba Formation is composed of sandy shales with planar to wave lamination interbedded with fine-grained sandstone with climbing ripple cross-lamination, planar lamination, swaley cross-stratification and tangential to sigmoidal cross-bedding with mud drapes, related to marine offshore deposits. The lower Diamantino Formation is composed of a monotonous, laterally continuous for hundreds of metres, interbedded siltstone and fine-grained sandstone succession with regular parallel lamination, climbing ripple cross-lamination and ripple-bedding interpreted as distal turbidites. The upper part of this formation consists of fine to medium-grained sandstones with sigmoidal cross-bedding, planar lamination, climbing ripple cross-lamination, symmetrical to asymmetrical and linguoid ripple marks arranged in lobate sand bodies. These fades are interbedded with thick siltstone in coarsening upward large-scale cycles related to a delta system. The Sepotuba Formation characterises the last transgressive deposits of the Paraguay basin representing the final stage of a marine incursion of the Clymene ocean. The progression of orogenesis in the hinterland resulted in the confinement of the Sepotuba sea as a foredeep sub-basin against the edge of the Amazon craton. Turbidites were generated during the deepening of the basin. The successive filling of the basin was associated with progradation of deltaic lobes from the southeast, in a wide lake or a restricted sea that formed after 541 +/- 7 Ma. Southeastern to east dominant Neoproterozoic source regions were confirmed by zircon grains that yielded ages around 600 to 540 Ma, that are interpreted to be from granites in the Paraguay orogen. This overall regressive succession recorded in the Alto Paraguai Group represents the filling up of a foredeep basin after the final amalgamation of westem Gondwana in the earliest Phanerozoic. (C) 2011 International Association for Gondwana Research. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of topical clay application on the synthesis of collagen in skin: an experimental study

Background. Clay is often used in cosmetic treatments, although little is known about its action. Aim. To evaluate the effect of topical clay application on the histoarchitecture of collagen fibres in rat skin. Methods. Animals received a daily application of clay and retinoic acid (RA) 0.025% to the dorsal skin over 7 and 14 days, under vaporization at 37 degrees C for 40 min. Control skin was not vaporized. Samples from each region were excised, and stained with picrosirius red for collagen evaluation. Results. Seven days after clay treatment, an increase in the number of collagen fibres was observed in treated skin compared with control skin (51.74 +/- 1.28 vs. 43.39 +/- 1.79%, respectively, P < 0.01), whereas RA did not alter the collagen level (45.66 +/- 1.10%). Clay application over 14 days did not induce a further increase in skin collagen, whereas treatment with RA did (58.07 +/- 1.59%; P = 0.001 vs. control). Conclusion. Clay application promotes an increase in the number of collagen fibres, which may account for its beneficial effects.

Sedimentary processes on the NW Iberian Continental Shelf since the Little Ice Age

The OMEX core CD110 W90, retrieved from the Douro Mud Patch (DMP) off the River Douro in the north of Portugal, records the period since the beginning of Little Ice Age (LIA). The core chronology is based upon the data attributes for Pb-210, Cs-137 and a C-14 dating from a level near the core base. Geochemical, granulometric, microfaunal (benthic foraminifera) and compositional data suggest the occurrence of precipitation changes which may have been, at least partially, influenced by the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), that contributes to the regulation of the ocean-atmosphere dynamics in the North Atlantic. Southwesterly Atlantic storm track is associated with the negative phases of the NAO, when the Azores High is anomalously weak, higher oceanographic hydrodynamism, downwelling events and increased rainfall generally occurs. Prevalence of these characteristics during the LIA left a record that corresponds to phases of major floods. During these phases the DMP received a higher contribution of relatively coarse-grained terrigenous sediments, enriched in quartz particles, which diluted the contribution of other minerals, as indicated by reduced concentrations of several lithogenic chemical elements such as: Al, As, Ba, Ce, Co, Cu, Fe, K, La, Li, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, P, Rb, Sc, Sn, Th, V and Y. The presence of biogenic carbonate particles also underwent dilution, as revealed by the smaller abundance of foraminifera and correlative lower concentrations of Ca and Sr. During this period, the DMP also received an increased contribution of organic matter, indicated by higher values of lignin remains and a benthic foraminifera high productivity index, or BFHP, which gave rise to early diagenetic changes with pyrite formation. Since the beginning of the 20th century this contribution diminished, probably due to several drier periods and the impact of human activities in the river basins, e.g. construction of dams, or, on the littoral areas, construction of hard-engineering structures and sand extraction activities. During the first half of the 20th century mainly positive phases of the NAO prevailed, caused by the above normal strengthening of the subtropical high pressure centre of the Azores and the deepening of the low pressure centre in Iceland. These phases may have contributed to the reduction in the supply of both terrigenous sediments and organic matter from shallow water to the DMP. During the positive phases of the NAO, sedimentation became finer. The development of mining and industrial activities during the 20th century is marked, in this core, by higher concentrations of Pb. Furthermore, the erosion of heaps resulting from wolfram exploitation leaves its signature as a peak of W concentrations recorded in the sediments of the DMP deposited between the 1960s and the 1990s. Wolfram exploitation was an important activity in the middle part of the 20th century, particularly during the period of the Second World War. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The last mangroves of Marajo Island - Eastern Amazon: Impact of climate and/or relative sea-level changes

The dynamics, over the last 7500 years, of a mangrove at Marajo Island in northern Brazil were studied by pollen and sedimentary facies analyses using sediment cores. This island, located at the mouth of the Amazon River. is influenced by riverine inflow combined with tidal fluctuations of the equatorial Atlantic Ocean. Herbaceous vegetation intermingled with rainforest dominates the central area of the island, while varzea is the main vegetation type along the littoral. In particular, the modem northeastern coastal zone is covered by a mosaic of dense rainforest, herbaceous vegetation, mangroves, varzea, and restinga. The integration of pollen data and fades descriptions indicates a tidal mud flat colonized by mangroves in the interior of Marajo Island between similar to 7500 cal yr BP and similar to 3200 cal yr BP. During the late Holocene, mangroves retracted to a small area (100-700 m in width) along the northeastern coastal plain. Mangrove expansion during the early and mid Holocene was likely caused by the post-glacial sea-level rise which, combined with tectonic subsidence, led to a rise in tidal water salinity. Salinity must have further increased due to low river discharge resulting from increased aridity during the early and mid Holocene. The shrinking of the area covered by mangrove vegetation during the late Holocene was likely caused by the increase in river discharge during the late Holocene, which has maintained relatively low tidal water salinity in Marajo Island. Tidal water salinity is relatively higher in the northeastern part of the island than in others, due to the southeast-northwest trending current along the littoral. The mixing of marine and riverine freshwater inflows has provided a refuge for mangroves in this area. The increase in flow energy during the last century is related to landward sand migration, which explains the current retraction of mangroves. These changes may indicate an increased exposure to tidal influence driven by the relative sea-level rise, either associated with global fluctuations or tectonic subsidence, and/or by an increase in river water discharge. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Structural and mechanical analysis for the optimization of PVD oxide coatings for protection against metal dusting

The evolution of the structure and properties of Cr/Cr oxide thin films deposited on HK40 steel substrates by reactive magnetron sputtering (RMS) was investigated and linked to their potential protective behavior against metal dusting. Deposition time, mode of oxygen feeding, and application of bias voltage were varied to assess their effect on the density, adhesion, and integrity of the films. All the films showed a very fine columnar microstructure and the presence of amorphous Cr oxide. Both, an increasing time and a constant oxygen flow during deposition led to the development of relatively low density films and mud-like cracking patterns. A graded oxygen flow resulted in films with fewer cracks, but a careful control of the oxygen flow is required to obtain films with a truly graded structure. The effect of the bias voltage was much more significant and beneficial. An increasing negative bias voltage resulted in the development of denser films with a transition to an almost crack-free structure and better adhesion. The amorphous oxide resulted in low values of hardness and Young's modulus. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

High-resolution stratigraphy of Central and Southern Adriatic Quaternary deposits of sub-Milankovian climate change on Mediterranean circulation

This volume is a collection of the work done in a three years-lasting PhD, focused in the analysis of Central and Southern Adriatic marine sediments, deriving from the collection of a borehole and many cores, achieved thanks to the good seismic-stratigraphic knowledge of the study area. The work was made out within European projects EC-EURODELTA (coordinated by Fabio Trincardi, ISMAR-CNR), EC-EUROSTRATAFORM (coordinated by Phil P. E. Weaver, NOC, UK), and PROMESS1 (coordinated by Serge Bernè, IFREMER, France). The analysed sedimentary successions presented highly expanded stratigraphic intervals, particularly for the last 400 kyr, 60 kyr and 6 kyr BP. These three different time-intervals resulted in a tri-partition of the PhD thesis. The study consisted of the analysis of planktic and benthic foraminifers’ assemblages (more than 560 samples analysed), as well as in preparing the material for oxygen and carbon stable isotope analyses, and interpreting and discussing the obtained dataset. The chronologic framework of the last 400 kyr was achieved for borehole PRAD1-2 (within the work-package WP6 of PROMESS1 project), collected in 186.5 m water depth. The proposed chronology derives from a multi-disciplinary approach, consisting of the integration of numerous and independent proxies, some of which analysed by other specialists within the project. The final framework based on: micropaleontology (calcareous nannofossils and foraminifers’ bioevents), climatic cyclicity (foraminifers’ assemblages), geochemistry (oxygen stable isotope, made out on planktic and benthic records), paleomagnetism, radiometric ages (14C AMS), teprhochronology, identification of sapropel-equivalent levels (Se). It’s worth to note the good consistency between the oxygen stable isotope curve obtained for borehole PRAD1-2 and other deeper Mediterranean records. The studied proxies allowed the recognition of all the isotopic intervals from MIS10 to MIS1 in PRAD1-2 record, and the base of the borehole has been ascribed to the early MIS11. Glacial and interglacial intervals identified in the Central Adriatic record have been analysed in detail for the paleo-environmental reconstruction, as well. For instance, glacial stages MIS6, MIS8 and MIS10 present peculiar foraminifers’ assemblages, composed by benthic species typical of polar regions and no longer living in the Central Adriatic nowadays. Moreover, a deepening trend in the paleo-bathymetry during glacial intervals was observed, from MIS10 (inner-shelf environment) to MIS4 (mid-shelf environment).Ten sapropel-equivalent levels have been recognised in PRAD1-2 Central Adriatic record. They showed different planktic foraminifers’ assemblages, which allowed the first distinction of events occurred during warm-climate (Se5, Se7), cold-climate (Se4, Se6 and Se8) and temperate-intermediate-climate (Se1, Se3, Se9, Se’, Se10) conditions, consistently with literature. Cold-climate sapropel equivalents are characterised by the absence of an oligotrophic phase, whereas warm-temeprate-climate sapropel equivalents present both the oligotrophic and the eutrophic phases (except for Se1). Sea floor conditions vary, according to benthic foraminifers’ assemblages, from relatively well oxygenated (Se1, Se3), to dysoxic (Se9, Se’, Se10), to highly dysoxic (Se4, Se6, Se8) to events during which benthic foraminifers are absent (Se5, Se7). These two latter levels are also characterised by the lamination of the sediment, feature never observed in literature in such shallow records. The enhanced stratification of the water column during the events Se8, Se7, Se6, Se5, Se4, and the concurring strong dilution of shallow water, pointed out by the isotope record, lead to the hypothesis of a period of intense precipitation in the Central Adriatic region, possibly due to a northward shift of the African Monsoon. Finally, the expression of Central Adriatic PRAD1-2 Se5 equivalent was compared with the same event, as registered in other Eastern Mediterranean areas. The sequence of substantially the same planktic foraminifers’ bioevents has been consistently recognised, indicating a similar evolution of the water column all over the Eastern Mediterranean; yet, the synchronism of these events cannot be demonstrated. A high resolution analysis of late Holocene (last 6000 years BP) climate change was carried out for the Adriatic area, through the recognition of planktic and benthic foraminifers’ bioevents. In particular, peaks of planktic Globigerinoides sacculifer (four during the last 5500 years BP in the most expanded core) have been interpreted, based on the ecological requirements of this species, as warm-climate, arid intervals, correspondent to periods of relative climatic optimum, such as, for instance, the Medieval Warm Period, the Roman Age, the Late Bronze Age and the Copper Age. Consequently, the minima in the abundance of this biomarker could correspond to relatively cooler and more rainy periods. These conclusions are in good agreement with the isotopic and the pollen data. The Last Occurrence (LO) of G. sacculifer has been dated in this work at an average age of 550 years BP, and it is the best bioevent approximating the base of the Little Ice Age in the Adriatic. Recent literature reports the same bioevent in the Levantine Basin, showing a rather consistent age. Therefore, the LO of G. sacculifer has the potential to be extended to all the Eastern Mediterranean. Within the Little Ice Age, benthic foraminifer V. complanata shows two distinct peaks in the shallower Adriatic cores analysed, collected hundred kilometres apart, inside the mud belt environment. Based on the ecological requirements of this species, these two peaks have been interpreted as the more intense (cold and rainy) oscillations inside the LIA. The chronologic framework of the analysed cores is robust, being based on several range-finding 14C AMS ages, on estimates of the secular variation of the magnetic field, on geochemical estimates of the activity depth of 210Pb short-lived radionuclide (for the core-top ages), and is in good agreement with tephrochronologic, pollen and foraminiferal data. The intra-holocenic climate oscillations find out in the Adriatic have been compared with those pointed out in literature from other records of the Northern Hemisphere, and the chronologic constraint seems quite good. Finally, the sedimentary successions analysed allowed the review and the update of the foraminifers’ ecobiostratigraphy available from literature for the Adriatic region, thanks to the achievement of 16 ecobiozones for the last 60 kyr BP. Some bioevents are restricted to the Central Adriatic (for instance the LO of benthic Hyalinea balthica , approximating the MIS3/MIS2 boundary), others occur all over the Adriatic basin (for instance the LO of planktic Globorotalia inflata during MIS3, individuating Dansgaard-Oeschger cycle 8 (Denekamp)).