Susceptibility and Vulnerability to Landslides—Case Study: Basin of River Bengalas—City of Nova Friburgo—Brazil

Landslides have frequently occurred in last years, due to the disorderly grownth of the cities and the occupation of risk areas by the poor population, causing social, environmental and economic impacts. Urban areas in expansion move to geologically unstable areas and topographically inclined, such as the Basin of River Bengalas, located in the city of Nova Friburgo, mountainous region of the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This article aims to present the model developed and used to evaluate the susceptibility and vulnerability of the Basin of River Bengalas to landslides, which in January 2011, with the occurrence of heavy rains, caused landslides that impacted in the death of 429 people in city of Nova Friburgo. For the case study, several investigations have been made related to the areas of the basin, such as slope, soil conditions, lithology, land use and cover, vertical curvature, horizontal curvature, and precipitation data. With this study it was possible to understand how the natural and anthropics elements of the basin are related to the local dynamics of the disasters regarding to their interferences in the induction of landslides; evaluate the effectiveness of the guidelines of the Plano Diretor Participativo do Município de Nova Friburgo regarding the landslides; identify the susceptible and vulnerable basin areas to landslides and calculate the rates of susceptibility and vulnerability to landslides from new calculation model proposed

Use of plastic scrap in asphalt mixtures added by dry method as a partial substitute for bitumen

In recent decades, the generation of plastic waste has increased substantially worldwide, with the result that more of such waste is introduced into the environment. Currently, most polymers (polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, and others) are recycled. However, some are rejected for recycling in the primary separation processes due to their physical condition, contamination, or size. These materials are called plastic scrap. In this research, the use of plastic scrap added by dry method was evaluated as a replacement for bitumen in asphalt mixtures. Two sizes of plastic scrap, coarse and fine, were considered. An AC16S semi-dense mixture was designed for this purpose, with a 10% reduction in binder, and 10% and 20% of plastic scrap binder was added in coarse and fine sizes. The results obtained in the Marshall stability and flow test showed reduced moisture damage, greater indirect tensile strength, higher air void content, and a 2% decrease in the conserved tensile strength ratio while the same usage field as the conventional mixture was maintained. Meanwhile, significant decreases in plastic deformations, as compared to traditional values, were obtained from resilient modulus and rutting tests

Bioassay-Guided Isolation of Fungistatic Compounds from Mimosa caesalpiniifolia Leaves

A bioassay-guided phytochemical study of a Mimosa caesalpiniifolia leaf extract with antifungal activity permitted the identification of 28 compounds, including the new 6-(β-boivinopyranosyl)apigenin (1), 8-(β-oliopyranosyl)-apigenin (2), (E)-6-(2-carboxyethenyl)apigenin (3), (E)-8-(2-carboxyethenyl)apigenin (4), and 7,5″-anhydro-6-(α-2,6-dideoxy-5-hydroxyarabinohexopyranosyl)apigenin (5). The structures of the new compounds were determined by comprehensive spectroscopic analysis, including 1D and 2D NMR techniques, and by mass spectrometry. Compound 3 showed promising activity and selectivity against Candida krusei (IC50 44 nM), which exhibits resistance to azoles. The association of the major components 3-β-D-glucopyranosyloxysitosterol (8) and ethyl gallate (10) was synergistic against C. krusei, especially the IC values of compound 10, which were reduced by more than 100-fold

Suscetibilidade da Bacia do Rio Bengalas a deslizamentos de terra

Landslides have frequently occurred in last years, due to the disorderly grownth of the cities and the occupation of risk areas by the poor population, causing social, environmental and economic impacts. Urban areas in expansion move to geologically unstable areas and topographically inclined, such as the Basin of River Bengalas, located in the city of Nova Friburgo, mountainous region of the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This article aims to present the model survey to assess the susceptibility of the Basin of River Bengalas to landslides, which in january 2011, with the occurrence of heavy rains, caused landslides that impacted in the death of 429 people in city of Nova Friburgo. For the case study, several investigations have been made related to the areas of the basin, such as slope, soil conditions, lithology, land use and cover, vertical and horizontal curvatures. With this study it was possible to understand how the natural and anthropics elements of the basin are related to the local dynamics of the disasters regarding to their interferences in the induction of landslides, thus enabling improved public management of the Municipality regarding the use and division of land, from the identification of areas Basin of River Bengalas susceptible to landslides

A mobile environmental monitoring station for sustainable cities

The aim of this paper is to present a mobile environmental monitoring station to evaluate the urban environment. The different phases of the mobile unit development are presented from its construction and operation mode for handling and sharing the data obtained. This mobile unit measures the following urban environmental parameters: environmental noise (Leq, L10 and L90), air quality (PM10, PM2.5 and Total Suspended Particles) and meteorological parameters (air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and wind direction). This mobile unit is part of a project developed for the Portuguese city of Vila Real, called SMMART (in English "Municipal System for Monitoring Air, Noise and Traffic"). The municipality accepted the challenge of developing a platform whereby the population could be informed about the quality of the urban environment (air and noise) of the city where they live.(undefined

Prevalence Of Obesity And The Body Fat Topography In Children And Teenagers With Down Syndrome

Objective: to evaluate the prevalence of obesity and the body fat topography in children and adolescents from both sexes aged 6 to 19 years old with Down syndrome, residents in the city of Campinas, São Paulo. Methods: there were nine anthropometric measurements taken, including weight, height, and tricipital, bicipital, subscapular, suprailiac, abdominal, thigh, and calf skin folds. The fat percentage was determined by employing the prediction equations from Slaughter et al. Statistical analysis was performed using the computer package R Commander 1.6-3, with the descriptive statistics (median and 25th and 75th percentiles), the Mann-Whitney test, and the t-test for comparison between age groups, at the 5% (p > 0.05) level. Results: most subjects had excess body fat, with the higher values being found among the females. The obesity was not a prominent characteristic among the boys, unlike the other age groups who had manifestations of elevated obesity. Regarding the body fat topography, most showed higher concentration of fat in the thigh, and smaller deposits in the biceps region. In the transition from childhood to adolescence, it was verifiable that boys and young men differ in the amounts of adipose tissue. However, no significant differences were observed among the girls, and the young women. Conclusion: the assessment of the prevalence of obesity and subcutaneous fat topography are important resources to support researchers, and practitioners who work directly on improving the quality of life of children and adolescents with Down syndrome.2316570Speiser, P.W., Rudolf, M.C.J., Anhalt, H., Camacho-Hubner, C., Chiarelli, F., Eliakim, A., Consensus statement: childhood obesity (2005) J Clin Endocrinol Metab., 90 (3), pp. 1871-1887Reilly, J.J., Methven, E., Mcdowell, Z.C., Hacking, B., Alexander, D., Stewart, D., Health consequences of obesity (2003) Arch Dis Child., 88 (9), pp. 748-752Grundy, S.M., Benjamin, I.J., Burke, G.L., Chait, A., Eckel, R.H., Howard, B.V., Diabetes and cardiovascular disease: a statement for healthcare professionals from the American Heart Association (1999) Circulation., 100 (10), pp. 1134-1146Obesity: preventing and managing the global epidemic (2000) Geneva: Report on a WHO Consultation on Obesity, , World Health OrganizationGonzález-Agüero, A., Ara, I., Moreno, L.A., Vicente-Rodríguez, G., Casajús, J.A., Fat and lean masses in youths with Down syndrome: Gender differences (2011) Res Dev Disabil., 32 (5), pp. 1685-1693González-Agüero, A., Vicente-Rodriguez, G., Moreno, L.A., Casajús, J.A., Dimorfismo sexual en grasa corporal en adolescentes com síndrome de Down (2010) Rev Esp Obes., 8 (1), pp. 28-33Slaughter, M.H., Lohman, T.G., Boileau, R.A., Horswill, C.A., Stillman, R.J., Van Loan, M.D., Skinfold equations for estimation of body fatness in children and youth (1988) Hum Biol., 60 (5), pp. 709-723Guedes, D.P., Guedes, J.E.R.P., Crescimento, composição corporal e desempenho motor em crianças e adolescentes (1997) São Paulo: CLR BalieiroGonzález-Agüero, A., Vicente-Rodríguez, G., Ara, I., Moreno, L.A., Casajús, J.A., Accuracy of prediction equations to assess percentage of body fat in children and adolescents with Down syndrome compared to air displacement plethysmography (2011) Res Dev Disabil., 32 (5), pp. 1764-1769Queiroga, M.B., Utilização de medidas antropométricas para a determinação da distribuição de gordura corporal (1998) Atividade física & saúde., 3 (1), pp. 37-47Guedes, D.P., Guedes, J.E.R.P., Manual prático para avaliação em educação física (2006) Barueri: ManoleMalina, R.M., Bouchard, C., Bar-Or, O., Growth, Maturation, and Physical Activity (2004) Champaign, IL: Human KineticsGuedes, D.P., Guedes, J.E.R.P., Controle do peso corporal: composição corporal, atividade física e nutrição (2003) Rio de Janeiro: ShapeDwyer, T., Blizzard, C.L., Defining obesity in children by biological endpoint rather than population distribution (1996) Int J Obes Relat Metab Disordv., 20 (5), pp. 472-480Cooke, P.S., Heine, P.A., Taylor, J.A., Lubahn, D.B., The role of estrogen and receptor-alpha in male adipose tissue (2001) Mol Cell Endocrinol., 178 (1-2), pp. 147-154Ferrara, M., Capozzi, L., Russo, R., Impact of er gene polymorphisms on overweight and obesity in Down syndrome (2008) Cent Eur J Med., 3 (3), pp. 271-278Marreiro, D.N., De Sousa, A.F., Nogueira, N.N., Oliveira, F.E., Effect of zinc supplementation on thyroid hormone metabolism of adolescents with Down syndrome (2009) Biol Trace Elem Res., 129 (1-3), pp. 20-27Ordóñez-Munoz, F.J., Rosety, M., Rodriguez, M.R., Influence of 12-week exercise training on fat mass percentage in adolescents with Down syndrome (2006) Med Sci Monit., 12 (10), pp. 416-419Guedes, D.P., Guedes, J.E.R.P., Prevalência de sobrepeso e obesidade em crianças e adolescentes do município de Londrina (PR), Brasil (1998) Motriz., 4 (1), pp. 18-25Costa, L.T., Alternativa metodológica para mensurar a maturação somática em crianças e adolescentes com síndrome de Down. (Dissertação) (2011) Campinas: Faculdade de Educação Física da Universidade Estadual de CampinasVelásquez-Meléndez, G., Silveira, E.A., Allencastro-Souza, P., Kac, G., Relationship between sittingheight-to-stature ratio and adiposity in Brazilian women (2005) Am J Hum Biol., 17 (5), pp. 646-653Tannirandorn, Y., Manotaya, S., Uerpairojkit, B., Tanawattanacharoen, S., Wacharaprechanont, T., Charoenvidhya, D., Evaluation of fetal femur length to detect Down syndrome in a Thai population (2001) Int J Gynaecol Obstet., 73 (2), pp. 117-123Despres, J.P., Moorjani, S., Lupien, P.J., Tremblay, A., Nadeau, A., Bouchard, C., Regional fat distribuition of body fat, plasma lipoproteins, and cardiovascular disease (1990) Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol., 10, pp. 497-511Dietz, W.H., Critical periods in childhood obesity (1994) Am J Clin Nutr., 59 (5), pp. 955-959Rogers, P.T., Coleman, M., Buckley, S., Medical care in Down syndrome -A Preventive medicine approach (1992) Pediatric Habilation: Marcel Dekke

Identificação de Danos Empregando um Modelo de Dano Contínuo e o Método de Monte Carlo com Cadeias de Markov

RESUMO O presente trabalho apresenta um estudo referente à aplicação da abordagem Bayesiana como técnica de solução do problema de identificação de danos estruturais, onde a integridade da estrutura é continuamente descrita por um parâmetro denominado parâmetro de coesão. A estrutura escolhida para análise é uma viga simplesmente apoiada do tipo Euler-Bernoulli. A identificação de danos é baseada em alterações na resposta impulsiva da estrutura, provocadas pela presença dos mesmos. O problema direto é resolvido através do Método de Elementos Finitos (MEF), que, por sua vez, é parametrizado pelo parâmetro de coesão da estrutura. O problema de identificação de danos é formulado como um problema inverso, cuja solução, do ponto de vista Bayesiano, é uma distribuição de probabilidade a posteriori do parâmetro de coesão, obtida utilizando-se a metodologia de amostragem de Monte Carlo com Cadeias de Markov. As incertezas inerentes aos dados medidos serão contempladas na função de verossimilhança. São apresentadas três estratégias de solução e um conjunto de resultados numéricos, onde considera-se diferentes níveis de ruído para as três estratégias de solução adotadas

A trajectory controller for kite power systems with wind gust handling capabilities

In this paper, we address the generation of electrical power using Airborne Wind Energy Systems, comprising a kite connected through a tether to a generator on the ground. We design a controller to steer the kite to follow a pre-defined periodic path, which includes a production mode, a tether retrieval mode, and a safe mode capable of handling wind gusts. Copyrigh

Simulated Moving-bed Adsorption For Separation Of Racemic Mixtures

The two enantiomers that constitute a racemate have different activities when employed as pharmaceuticals. Due to this fact, fully recognized today, the pharmaceutical industry has been forced to market pure enantiomers instead of the racemic mixture whenever a chiral compound is involved. The simulated moving bed (SMB) is a chromatographic process that, unlike traditional HPLC systems, operates continuously without losing the enantiomeric purity of the outlet streams. The present work describes the enantioseparation of the anesthetic ketamine in a semipreparative-scale SMB unit. The chiral stationary phase employed was the microcrystalline cellulose triacetate. The outlet streams were analyzed by an on-line system, composed by an UV/VIS meter and a polarimeter, and also by HPLC. The analysis indicated purity values up to 100% for the stream of interest and up to 97.7% for the other stream.211127136Blaschke, G., Chromatographic resolution of chiral drugs on polyamides and cellulose triacetate (1986) Journal of Liquid Chromatography, 9 (2), pp. 341-368Cass, Q.B., Degani, A.L.G., Tiritan, E., Matlin, S.E., Curran, D.P., Balog, A., Enantiomeric resolution by HPLC of axial chiral amides using amylose tris((S)-1-phenylethylcarbamate) (1997) Chirality, 9, pp. 109-112Francotte, E.R., Wolf, R.M., Lohmann, D., Muller, R., Chromatographic resolution of racemates on chiral stationary phases. I. Influence of the supramolecular structure of cellulose triacetate (1985) Journal of Chromatography, 345, pp. 25-37Juza, M., Mazzotti, M., Morbidelli, M., Simulated moving bed and its application to chiraltechnology (2000) Trends in Biotechnology, 18, pp. 108-118Lodevico, R.G., Bobbit, D.R., Edkins, T.J., Determination of enantiomeric excess using a chiral selective separation mode and polarimetric detection (1997) Talanta, 44, pp. 1353-1363Mazzotti, M., Storti, G., Morbidelli, M., Optimal operation of simulated moving beds for nonlinear chromatographic separations (1997) Journal of Chromatography A, 769, pp. 3-24McCoy, M., SMB emerges as a chiral technique (2000) Chemical and Engineering News, 78 (25), pp. 1-3Nicoud, R.M., A packing procedure for high flow rate and high stability columns using cellulose triacetate (1993) LC - GC Int., 6, pp. 636-637Nicoud, R.M., The separation of optical isomers by simulated moving bed chromatography (Part II) (1999) Pharmaceutical Technology Europe, 11, pp. 28-34Pedeferri, M.P., Zenoni, G., Mazzotti, M., Morbidelli, M., Experimental analysis of a chiral separation through simulated moving bed chromatography (1999) Chemical Engineering Science, 54, pp. 3735-374