Multi-scale Visualization of Remote Sensing and Topographic Data of the Amazon Rain Forest

PETROBRAS (the Brazilian national oil company) built a pipeline to transport crude oil from the Urucu River region to a terminal in the vicinities of Coari, a city located in the right margin of the Solimoes River. The oil is then shipped by tankers to another terminal in Manaus, capital city of the Amazonas state. At the city of Coari, changes in water level between dry and wet seasons reach up to 14 meters. This strong seasonal character of the Amazonian climate gives rise to four distinct scenarios in the annual hydrological cycle: low water, high water, receding water, and rising water. These scenarios constitute the main reference for the definition of oil spill response planning in the region, since flooded forests and flooded vegetation are the most sensitive fluvial environments to oil spills. This study focuses on improving information about oil spill environmental sensitivity in Western Amazon by using 3D visualization techniques to help the analysis and interpretation of remote sensing and digital topographic data, as follows: (a) 1995 low flood and 1996 high flood JERS-1 SAR mosaics, band LHH, 100m pixel; (b) 2000 low flood and 2001 high flood RADARSAT-1 W1 images, band CHH, 30m pixel; (c) 2002 high flood airborne SAR images from the SIVAM project (System for Surveillance of the Amazon), band LHH, 3m pixel and band XHH, 6m pixel; (d) GTOPO30 digital elevation model, 30\u27 resolution; (e) Digital elevation model derived from topographic information acquired during seismic surveys, 25m resolution; (f) panoramic views obtained from low altitude helicopter flights. The methodology applied includes image processing, cartographic conversion and generation of value-added product using 3D visualization. A semivariogram textural classification was applied to the SAR images in order to identify areas of flooded forest and flooded vegetation. The digital elevation models were color shaded to highlight subtle topographic features. Both datasets were then converted to the same cartographic projection and inserted into the Fledermaus 3D visualization environment. 3D visualization proved to be an important aid in understanding the spatial distribution pattern of the environmentally sensitive vegetation cover. The dynamics of the hydrological cycle was depicted in a basin-wide scale, revealing new geomorphic information relevant to assess the environmental risk of oil spills. Results demonstrate that pipelines constitute an environmentally saver option for oil transportation in the region when compared to fluvial tanker routes

Pseudogestação ou hidrometra em cabras leiteiras.

Os sistemas de produção de caprinos de leite especializados são acometidos por vários problemas de natureza infecciosa ou não infecciosa que concorrem para a redução da fertilidade do rebanho. A hidrometra ou falsa gestação é um destes problemas, talvez um dos principais. De curso lento e natureza silenciosa, a patologia na maioria das vezes é diagnosticada clinicamente apenas depois de estabelecida e, por vezes, após longo período de espera pelo parto que acaba por não ocorrer. Neste documento tentou-se sumarizar os pontos principais envolvidos na hidrometra, abrangendo graus de acometimento dos rebanhos, resultados de estudos e orientações técnicas e de manejo visando diminuir seus impactos negativos sobre a eficiência dos sistemas de produção.bitstream/item/53926/1/DOC-102.pd

Sincronização de estro e superovulação em ovinos e caprinos.

O objetivo desta revisão foi apresentar os princípios das técnicas de sincronização de estro e superovulação e como podem ser implantadas em sistemas de produção de pequenos ruminantes ou para a multiplicação acelerada de animais com características desejáveis

A genetic network that suppresses genome rearrangements in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and contains defects in cancers.

Gross chromosomal rearrangements (GCRs) play an important role in human diseases, including cancer. The identity of all Genome Instability Suppressing (GIS) genes is not currently known. Here multiple Saccharomyces cerevisiae GCR assays and query mutations were crossed into arrays of mutants to identify progeny with increased GCR rates. One hundred eighty two GIS genes were identified that suppressed GCR formation. Another 438 cooperatively acting GIS genes were identified that were not GIS genes, but suppressed the increased genome instability caused by individual query mutations. Analysis of TCGA data using the human genes predicted to act in GIS pathways revealed that a minimum of 93% of ovarian and 66% of colorectal cancer cases had defects affecting one or more predicted GIS gene. These defects included loss-of-function mutations, copy-number changes associated with reduced expression, and silencing. In contrast, acute myeloid leukaemia cases did not appear to have defects affecting the predicted GIS genes

Inseminação artificial em caprinos leiteiros com sêmen resfriado por 24 ou 48 horas.

Resumo - Objetivou-se, avaliar a viabilidade da utilização do sêmen caprino diluído em meio tris-gema 2,5% resfriado a 5°C e armazenado por diferentes períodos (24 ou 48 horas). Foram inseminadas por via transcervical 133 cabras sem raça definida e nativas da República de Cabo Verde, divididas aleatoriamente em dois tratamentos T24 e T48. O estro foi sincronizado com a utilização de esponjas intra-vaginais contendo 60 mg de acetato de medroxiprogesterona por seis dias; 37,5 ?g de D-cloprostenol e 200 UI de eCG 24 horas antes da retirada da esponja. Foram utilizados três reprodutores da Raça Canárias. Para resfriar e manter o sêmen a 5o C foi utilizado o Botutainer® (Biotech Botucatu, Reprodução Animal, Botucatu - SP) adaptado. Não houve diferença (P > 0,05) entre os padrões seminais para os diferentes períodos de resfriamento (T24 - 58,8% ± 11,1 de motilidade e 2,9 ± 0,5 de vigor; T48 - 51,3% ± 2,5 de motilidade e 2,8 ± 0,3 de vigor), o que permitiu obter taxas de parição similares em ambos os tratamentos (T24 - 26,5% e T48 - 21,5%). A eficiência dos protocolos testados permitiu a disseminação de genética caprina na República de Cabo Verde. Conclui-se que o sêmen caprino, resfriado por 48 horas a 5ºC, tem o mesmo potencial de fertilização do sêmen resfriado por 24 horas a 5ºC. Artificial insemination in dairy goats with cooled semen stored for 24 or 48 hours. Abstract - The fertilizing capacity of goat semen diluted in tris-egg yolk 2.5% chilled at 5oC for 24 or 48 hours was evaluated. Transcervical artificial insemination was performed in 133 goats that were divided, randomly, into two treatments T24 and T48. The estrus was synchronized by the mean of intra-vaginal sponges containing 60 mg of medroxyprogesterone acetate for six days; 37.5 mg of D-cloprostenol and 200 IU of eCG, 24 hours before removing the sponge. Three Canarian?s Buck were used. For cooling and keeping the semen at 5oC a Botutainer® (Biotech Botucatu, Animal Reproduction, Botucatu - SP) was adapted and used. There was no difference (P > 0.05) between the seminal patterns for the different periods of cooling (T24 - 58.8%±11.1 for motility and 2.9±0.5 for strength; T48 - 51.3%±2.5 for motility and 2.8±0.3 for strength), which allowed to obtain similar pregnancy rates in both treatments (T24 ? 26.5% and T48 - 21,5%). The efficiency of the tested protocols allowed the dissemination of goat?s genetic material in the Republic of Cape Verde. It was concluded that goat semen, cooled for 48 hours at 5ºC, has the same fertility that semen cooled for 24 hours at 5ºC.Anais do 15o. Simpósio Paranaense de Ovinocultura, 3o. Simpósio Paranaense de Caprinocultura, 3o. Simpósio Sul Brasileiro de Ovinos e Caprinos, Pato Branco, PR, out., 2011

Estro e ovulação em cabras Saanen em anestro estacional submetidas a protocolos curtos de indução de estro.

Edição dos anais da 21o. Reunião Anual da Sociedade Brasileira de Tecnologia de Embriões - SBTE, Salvador, 2007

Cellulolytic ability of Penicillium strains isolated from soil of the Brazilian Atlantic forest

Penicillium spp. are capable of degrading plant wastes by producing large amounts of enzymes such as cellulases. These form a complex capable of acting on cellulosic materials and producing sugars with industrial interest (e.g., ethanol production). Cellulases are also used for (a) pulp and paper industry (b) in the textile industry. The aim of this study was to evaluate the cellulolytic capability of 17 strains of Penicillium isolated from soil of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest and conserved under mineral oil at the URM Culture Collection. All strains were re-grown from mineral oil and re-identifiied. Each strain was grown in synthetic medium with carboxymethylcellulose as the carbon source and incubated for 5 days at 28°C. Strains were subjected to heat shock for 16h at 50°C. Thereafter, onto each colony was added 5 ml of Congo red stain solution in Tris-HCl. After 30 min this solution was removed and the cultures were washed and submerged under 0.1 M NaCl aqueous solution for 5 min. Finally, an enzymatic index was calculated from the ratio of the diameter of the halo around each colony to the diameter of the colony. All of the 17 strains tested showed a halo of cellulose degradation, indicating enzyme production. The enzymatic ratios varied between 0.2 (Penicillium brevicompactum URM5994) and 3.3 (Penicillium glabrum URM6009). Thus, Penicillium glabrum URM6009 is evaluated as a high producer of cellulase. It was selected for quantitative production of this enzyme and additional studies are taking place in order to verify potential industrial application for clarification of fruit juices