Extreme Events Assessment Methodology Coupling Debris Flow, Flooding and Tidal Levels in the Coastal Floodplain of the San Paulo North Coast (Brazil)

The North Coastal Region of the State of São Paulo, which comprises the Municipalities of Caraguatatuba, São Sebas-tião, Ilhabela and Ubatuba, is one of the most prone to flooding and debris flow deposition Brazilian areas, owing to hydrological extreme rainfall events usually coupled with extreme tidal levels. This risk is also high due to human lives and material assets, with increasing population rates and the establishment of large Companies such as the Oil industry, with reduced defense/prevention measures and works. The catastrophic scenario of the city of Caraguatatuba, in March 1967, resulting from one of the most serious natural disasters in Brazil, fosters discussions about probabilities of heavy rainfall-caused events and rise in the sea level in coastal areas. Hence, this research is a consequence of this reality. The research is founded on an innovative methodology based on the analysis of past data of rainfall and tidal stations, complemented with debris flow registers in the region of the North coastal zone of the State of São Paulo (Brazil). The analysis developed involved the meteorological, hydraulic, geotechnical and statistical knowledge areas. Practical results are intended to be used for urban planning, designs of macro-drainage, fluvial, maritime projects and debris flow retention structures. These practical applications will then associate the probability of occurrence of certain types of heavy rainfall-caused events such as flooding or debris flow coupled with a corresponding increase in tidal level

Avaliação da qualidade de matérias-primas de ruibarbo utilizadas em formulações farmacêuticas

As plantas denominadas de ruibarbo sintetizam antraquinonas e taninos, que são responsáveis pelos efeitos laxante e adstringente, respectivamente. Análises da qualidade de cinco matérias-primas de ruibarbo foram realizadas a fim de detectar adulterações. As reações para antraquinonas e taninos foram positivas. Os constituintes rapônticos foram observados na amostra de Rheum palmatum (2). As medidas de cinzas totais para Rheum palmatum (2) e Ferraria cathartica estão acima do esperado. Conforme resultados, as amostras de Rheum palmatum (2) e Ferraria cathartica devem estar adulteradas

Battery-like behavior of Ni-ceria based systems: synthesis, surface defects and electrochemical assessment

NiO, CeO2 and respective composites are extensively used in energy storage devices due to mostly their high electrochemical activity. However, the assessment of battery-like behavior of Ni-ceria based systems comprising (Ni or Gd)-doped ceria combined with NiO seems to be neglected in the literature. In this work, NiO and ceria-based solid solutions composite powders were obtained by a co-precipitation synthesis method. The structure and particle size of the calcined powders were investigated by X-ray diffractometry (XRD) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), respectively. Oxidative states of composites were inspected by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The electrochemical performance of powders was evaluated by cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge-discharge and impedance spectroscopy. Refinement of the XRD patterns showed that powders have nanosized crystallites and mean size of particles within 20 – 70 nm were revealed by FESEM. The improved specific capacity of the NiO-CeO2 electrode material (about 2.5 times higher than that of NiO-CGO at 5 mV s−1) is due to an increase in Faradic reactions taken place on its surface with a higher fraction of defects (namely Ni3+, Ce3+ and oxygen vacancies), as determined by XPS. The superior electrochemical performance of the NiO-CeO2 electrode is also confirmed by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy.publishe

Água E Saúde No Município De Igarapé-açu, Pará

This article aims to analyze and understand the relationship between water and health in rural communities located in the watershed of Cumaru stream, in the municipality Igarapé-Açu, North-east of Pará state. The harvesting and treatment of the water conducted by the rural population for human consumption were assessed, considering their practices of sanitary sewer, since these aspects have direct impact on their health. This study is based on field research with a quantitative approach. Closed questionnaire was used to raise the sources of water harvesting, rural sanitation, and use of agricultural inputs. We used participant observation, when focusing on the functioning of the agricultural establishment, to observe from various angles the relationship between water and health. We noted that the vulnerability of the water resources accessed by the population is a factor that contributes to the contamination of the sources, therefore a threat to the health of the rural population. However, the perception of the population is notable regarding deeper water sources, such as tube wells, which are priorities for water harvesting. © 2016, UNIV SAOPAULO. All rights reserved.2541095110