Avaliação do geossítio da Praia do Atalaia (Pará, Brasil): proposta de sítio paleontológico na Amazônia Oriental

Atalaia Beach, located in the municipality of Salinópolis, northeast of the state of Pará, is a place where abundant paleontological records occur. However, despite of having been studied for decades, this records is not formally recognized by the heritage protection institutions, which hinders conservation measures aimed at the fossils that outcrop on the beach. In this context, the present study aimed to quantitatively evaluate the geoheritage values of Atalaia Beach. For this, we used the GEOSSIT online platform, which is the Registration and Quantification System of Geosites and Geodiversity Sites in Brazil. It was obtained the values of 305 for the risk of degradation, 170 for scientific value, 300 for educational value and 275 for the tourist value. The paleontological site was classified as a Geodiversity Site, having high educational and tourist potential. The quantification of Atalaia Beach’s paleontological records is one of the first steps towards its recognition, thus ensuring that various geoconservation measures can be applied, preserving the geological heritage of the Eastern Amazon.A Praia do Atalaia, localizada no município de Salinópolis, nordeste do estado do Pará, é um local onde ocorrem abundantes registros paleontológicos. Contudo, apesar de estudados há décadas, tais registros não são reconhecidos formalmente pelas instituições de proteção do patrimônio, tornando difícil as medidas de conservação voltadas aos afloramentos fossilíferos na praia. Nesse contexto, o presente estudo objetivou avaliar quantitativamente os valores do geopatrimônio da Praia do Atalaia. Para isso, utilizou-se a plataforma online GEOSSIT, que é o Sistema de Cadastro e Quantificação de Geossítios e Sítios da Geodiversidade do Brasil. Obteve-se os valores de 305 para o risco de degradação, 170 para o valor científico, 300 para o valor educativo e 275 para o valor turístico. O sítio paleontológico foi classificado como Sítio de Geodiversidade, possuindo elevado potencial educativo e turístico. A quantificação dos registros paleontológicos da Praia do Atalaia constitui um dos primeiros passos para o reconhecimento do geopatrimônio, garantindo assim que medidas diversas de geoconservação possam ser aplicadas, preservando o patrimônio de importância geológica da Amazônia Oriental

Clinical and serological tests for arboviruses in free-living domestic pigeons (Columba livia)

To Fapespa, for granting a Master’s scholarship, to PNMG, for capture of the birds, to the Microbiology and Immunology Laboratory of the UFRA, for collection of the samples, and to the SAARB/IEC, for their support in the development of serological tests.Universidade Federal do Pará. Instituto de Ciências Biológicas. Belém, PA, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Belém, PA, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Belém, PA, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Belém, PA, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Belém, PA, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Belém, PA, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Belém, PA, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Belém, PA, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Belém, PA, Brasil.Parque Naturalístico Mangal das Garças. Setor Veterinário. Belém, PA, Brasil.Universidade Federal do Pará. Instituto de Ciências Biológicas. Belém, PA, Brasil.Universidade Federal Rural da Amazônia. Instituto da Saúde e Produção Animal. Laboratório de Biologia Molecular. Belém, PA, Brasil.Universidade Federal Rural da Amazônia. Instituto da Saúde e Produção Animal. Laboratório de Biologia Molecular. Belém, PA, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Belém, PA, Brasil.Universidade Federal Rural da Amazônia. Instituto da Saúde e Produção Animal. Laboratório de Biologia Molecular. Belém, PA, Brasil.BACKGROUND: In this study, we evaluated the role of free-living domestic pigeons (Columba livia) as a reservoir of arboviruses in the city of Belém, state of Pará, Brazil. We investigated the presence of antibodies against the most prevalent arboviruses. OBJECTIVES: This study was aimed at evaluating some clinical and physical parameters of domestic pigeons, including the presence of antibodies to Amazon-endemic arboviruses. METHODS: Eighty-five healthy pigeons were captured in Mangal das Garças Park, in Belém, and were bled. Upon capture, the birds were subjected to a clinical examination in search of alterations that could indicate the presence of arboviruses. Blood samples were converted to serum and tested using the haemagglutination inhibition (HI) technique with a panel of 19 antigens of arboviruses circulating in the Amazon. The confirmation assay for the positive reactions to the viral species tested by HI was a neutralisation test in new-born Swiss albino mice (Mus musculus) [mouse neutralisation test (MNT)]. FINDINGS: A total of 10 (11.8%) serum samples tested positive for antiflavivirus antibodies by HI. All the samples positive for the HI test were subjected to MNT for detection of viruses and yielded negative results (logarithmic neutralisation index < 1.7). MAIN CONCLUSION: The results represent the first serological detection of antiarbovirus antibodies in domestic pigeons as potential hosts of arboviruses in Brazil. The detection of haemagglutination-inhibiting antibodies against genus Flavivirus indicated that there was recent contact between the analysed domestic pigeons and these arboviruses. Further studies are needed to evaluate the role of free-living pigeons in the maintenance cycle and spread of arboviruses in the Amazon

Clinical and serological tests for arboviruses in free-living domestic pigeons (Columba livia)

BACKGROUND In this study, we evaluated the role of free-living domestic pigeons (Columba livia) as a reservoir of arboviruses in the city of Belém, state of Pará, Brazil. We investigated the presence of antibodies against the most prevalent arboviruses. OBJECTIVES This study was aimed at evaluating some clinical and physical parameters of domestic pigeons, including the presence of antibodies to Amazon-endemic arboviruses. METHODS Eighty-five healthy pigeons were captured in Mangal das Garças Park, in Belém, and were bled. Upon capture, the birds were subjected to a clinical examination in search of alterations that could indicate the presence of arboviruses. Blood samples were converted to serum and tested using the haemagglutination inhibition (HI) technique with a panel of 19 antigens of arboviruses circulating in the Amazon. The confirmation assay for the positive reactions to the viral species tested by HI was a neutralisation test in new-born Swiss albino mice (Mus musculus) [mouse neutralisation test (MNT)]. FINDINGS A total of 10 (11.8%) serum samples tested positive for antiflavivirus antibodies by HI. All the samples positive for the HI test were subjected to MNT for detection of viruses and yielded negative results (logarithmic neutralisation index < 1.7). MAIN CONCLUSION The results represent the first serological detection of antiarbovirus antibodies in domestic pigeons as potential hosts of arboviruses in Brazil. The detection of haemagglutination-inhibiting antibodies against genus Flavivirus indicated that there was recent contact between the analysed domestic pigeons and these arboviruses. Further studies are needed to evaluate the role of free-living pigeons in the maintenance cycle and spread of arboviruses in the Amazon