Ana Clara Mourão Moura

Epidemiology of visceral leishmaniasis through spatial analysis, in Belo Horizonte municipality, state of Minas Gerais, Brazil

The geographic information system approach has permitted integration between demographic, socio-economic and environmental data, providing correlation between information from several data banks. In the current work, occurrence of human and canine visceral leishmaniases and insect vectors (Lutzomyia longipalpis) as well as biogeographic information related to 9 areas that comprise the city of Belo Horizonte, Brazil, between April 2001 and March 2002 were correlated and georeferenced. By using this technique it was possible to define concentration loci of canine leishmaniasis in the following regions: East; Northeast; Northwest; West; and Venda Nova. However, as for human leishmaniasis, it was not possible to perform the same analysis. Data analysis has also shown that 84.2% of the human leishmaniasis cases were related with canine leishmaniasis cases. Concerning biogeographic (altitude, area of vegetation influence, hydrographic, and areas of poverty) analysis, only altitude showed to influence emergence of leishmaniasis cases. A number of 4673 canine leishmaniasis cases and 64 human leishmaniasis cases were georeferenced, of which 67.5 and 71.9%, respectively, were living between 780 and 880 m above the sea level. At these same altitudes, a large number of phlebotomine sand flies were collected. Therefore, we suggest control measures for leishmaniasis in the city of Belo Horizonte, giving priority to canine leishmaniasis foci and regions at altitudes between 780 and 880 m.

Schistosomiasis risk estimation in Minas Gerais State, Brazil, using environmental data and GIS techniques

The influence of climate and environmental variables to the distribution of schistosomiasis has been assessed in several previous studies. Also Geographical Information System (GIS), is a tool that has been recently tested for better understanding the spatial disease distribution. The objective of this paper is to further develop the GIS technology for modeling and control of schistosomiasis using meteorological and social variables and introducing new potential environmental-related variables, particularly those produced by recently launched orbital sensors like the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM). Three different scenarios have been analyzed, and despite of not quite large determination factor, the standard deviation of risk estimates was considered adequate for public health needs. The main variables selected as important for modeling purposes was topographic elevation, summer minimum temperature, the NDVI vegetation index, and the social index HDI91.

Spatial distribution of Biomphalaria mollusks at São Francisco River Basin, Minas Gerais, Brazil, using geostatistical procedures.

Geostatistics is used in this work to make inferences about the presence of the species of Biomphalaria (B. glabrata, B. tenagophila and/or B. straminea), intermediate hosts of Schistosoma mansoni, at the São Francisco River Basin, in Minas Gerais, Brazil. One of these geostatistical procedures, known as indicator kriging, allows the classification of categorical data, in areas where the data are not available, using a punctual sample set. The result is a map of species and risk area definition. More than a single map of the categorical attribute, the procedure also permits the association of uncertainties of the stochastic model, which can be used to qualify the inferences. In order to validate the estimated data of the risk map, a fieldwork in five municipalities was carried out. The obtained results showed that indicator kriging is a rather robust tool since it presented a very good agreement with the field findings. The obtained risk map can be thought as an auxiliary tool to formulate proper public health strategies, and to guide other fieldwork, considering the places with higher occurrence probability of the most important snail species. Also, the risk map will enable better resource distribution and adequate policies for the mollusk control. This methodology will be applied to other river basins to generate a predictive map for Biomphalaria species distribution for the entire state of Minas Gerais.

Analysis and estimative of schistosomiasis prevalence for the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, using multiple regression with social and environmental spatial data

The aim of this work is to establish a relationship between schistosomiasis prevalence and social-environmental variables, in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, through multiple linear regression. The final regression model was established, after a variables selection phase, with a set of spatial variables which contains the summer minimum temperature, human development index, and vegetation type variables. Based on this model, a schistosomiasis risk map was built for Minas Gerais.

Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems for the Study of Schistosomiasis in the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil

This article uses remote sensing and geographical information system to establish a statistical model for estimating schistosomiasis prevalence in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Remote sensing data were derived from MODIS and SRTM. The final regression model includes the Digital Elevation Model and winter Normalized Difference Vegetation Index variables. A risk map for the entire state of Minas Gerais is built, based on these variables.

Traumatismos maxilofaciais como marcadores de violência urbana uma análise comparativa entre gêneros

Urban violence is a widely discussed topic in various sectors of society, either due to its impact on public health indicators and its influence on the everyday life of individuals or the constant presence of casualties in the health services. This study compares differences in victimization between the genders based on maxillofacial injuries as markers of urban violence. This is a cross-sectional study with data collected in three hospitals of reference for multiple traumatic injuries in Belo Horizonte in the state of Minas Gerais, between January 2008 and December 2010. The analysis included descriptive and multivariate statistics using logistic regression. There were records of 7,063 victims, 55.1% of which involved interpersonal violence. The majority of victims were males (71.2%). Among the male victims, firearm and knife-inflicted aggression and motorcycle accidents were more frequent than aggression without the use of a weapon. Multiple fractures were the type of injury that best characterized the profile of victimization among males compared to soft tissue injuries. Gender is an important factor in victimization resulting in maxillofacial injuries and urban violence, in which males are the main victims.Urban violence is a widely discussed topic in various sectors of society, either due to its impact on public health indicators and its influence on the everyday life of individuals or the constant presence of casualties in the health services. This study compares differences in victimization between the genders based on maxillofacial injuries as markers of urban violence. This is a cross-sectional study with data collected in three hospitals of reference for multiple traumatic injuries in Belo Horizonte in the state of Minas Gerais, between January 2008 and December 2010. The analysis included descriptive and multivariate statistics using logistic regression. There were records of 7,063 victims, 55.1% of which involved interpersonal violence. The majority of victims were males (71.2%). Among the male victims, firearm and knife-inflicted aggression and motorcycle accidents were more frequent than aggression without the use of a weapon. Multiple fractures were the type of injury that best characterized the profile of victimization among males compared to soft tissue injuries. Gender is an important factor in victimization resulting in maxillofacial injuries and urban violence, in which males are the main victims. Language: pt

Maxillofacial Injuries as Markers of Interpersonal Violence in Belo Horizonte-Brazil: Analysis of the Socio-Spatial Vulnerability of the Location of Victim's Residences.

The aim of the present study was to analyze the spatial pattern of cases of maxillofacial injuries caused by interpersonal violence, based on the location of the victim’s residence, and to investigate the existence of conditions of socio-spatial vulnerability in these areas. This is a cross-sectional study, using the data of victims attended in three emergency hospitals in Belo Horizonte-Brazil between January 2008 and December 2010. Based on the process of spatial signature, the socio-spatial condition of the victims was identified according to data from census tracts. The spatial distribution trends of the addresses of victims were analyzed using Kernel maps and Ripley’s K function. Multicriteria analysis was used to analyze the territorial insertion of victims, using a combination of variables to obtain the degree of socio-spatial vulnerability. The residences of the victims were distributed in an aggregated manner in urban areas, with a confidence level of 99%. The highest densities were found in areas of unfavorable socioeconomic conditions and, to a lesser extent, areas with worse residential and neighborhood infrastructure. Spatial clusters of households formed in slums with a significant level of socio-spatial vulnerability. Explanations of the living conditions in segregated urban areas and analysis of the concentration of more vulnerable populations should be a priority in the development of public health and safety policies.

Geodesign in Parametric Modeling of urban landscape

Parametric Modeling simulates the results of urban parameters (variables and their values) in the volumetric landscape of a city. Dynamic cartographic representation permits exploration of the impacts of current conditions defined by law and also of potential changes in these parameters. This study adopted the framework of Geodesign, as a land-use planning strategy, applying descriptive and performance models, through steps of characterization, analysis, evaluation, simulation and decision-making. This paper presents a case study of an important modernist area in Brazil, planned by Oscar Niemeyer. The main tools used were CityEngine and ArcGIS software. The result visualizes the future of urban landscape in Pampulha, considering current urban parameters, and predictive studies about the possible transformations in the area.

Tirolcraft: The Quest of Children to Playing the Role of Planners at a Heritage Protected Town

The main goal of the article is to explore the potential of Minecraft as a platform to engage children into participatory planning. The game enables the players to easily design using blocks to build structures like houses, playgrounds, lakes, vegetation, agriculture, etc. The area of study is a town called Tirol, a heritage protected settlement built by austrian immigrants in the municipality of Santa Leopoldina, State of Espirito Santo, Brazil. This article advances on the state of the art by articulating the potential of Minecraft as a game-based learning into urban participatory planning with children as protagonists actors of rethinking the city. Also, the game enables children to design appropriating themselves on the concept of “child-friendly city” and discussing their design ideas with each other collaboratively. The results indicate that children can learn and work on a playful way to collaborate on urban planning processes, and widens open new researches possibilities.

Geological Heritage and Conservation: A Case Study of the Visual Axis Through Digital Terrain Modeling

The use of GIS tools for monitoring environmental and cultural heritage through digital terrain models and visual axis in order to ensure a local preservation and demonstrate the relevance to conservation. This conservation is to maintain the local as a tourist, cultural and historical place. Since the survey can be done in a digital platform, there is a new possibility to work for the preservation of the cultural and environmental heritage.