José Antonio Beltrão Sabadia

Short-time analysis of shoreline based on RapidEye satellite images in the terminal area of Pecém Port, Ceará, Brazil

ABSTRACT Coastal environments are highly dynamic and sensitive to interference and variations caused by the numerous natural and anthropogenic agents. The northern coast of Northeastern Brazil has undergone intense erosion in recent years. However, the construction of the Pecém Port modified the beach and shoreline features differently from the adjacent areas. This article describes using remote-sensing images integrated with a Geographic Information System to evaluate the sedimentary balance and morphological changes observed in the sandy beach area that was affected by the construction of Pecém Port. Two methods were applied to the RapidEye images to quantify the short-time changes that occurred on the coast. The Digital Shoreline Analysis System method showed that the beach width increased west to the port, which was calculated by the Change Polygon Approach determined by intersecting and uniting polygons to estimate the difference between the areas over time. The short-time analysis results showed changing coastal morphology, demonstrating that the anthropic interventions in the region are transforming significantly the natural elements that make up the region landscape. Between 2011 and 2014, the investigated beach stretch of approximately 3 km suffered an accretion process of more than 102,000 m2 over 3 years. The high spatial resolution of satellite images, digital processing imaging techniques and geostatistical methods were effective in this study, allowing understanding the recent changes in the area.

Presence of Mycobacterium leprae genotype 4 in environmental waters in Northeast Brazil

INTRODUCTION: This study quantified Mycobacterium leprae bacilli in environmental water samples from five municipalities in the State of Ceará by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and compared the identified genotypes with those obtained from leprosy patient biopsies. METHODS: We collected five replicas from each of the 30 selected reservoirs and skin lesion biopsies from 25 new leprosy cases treated at a reference center in Fortaleza, Ceará from 2010 to 2013. The 16S rRNA gene region of M. leprae was amplified by qPCR and a standard curve was created with the pIDTBlue 16SrRNAMlep plasmid. The Juazeiro do Norte water samples and the biopsies were genotyped (single nucleotide polymorphism [SNP] 1 to 4) and the SNP 4 genotypes were subtyped. RESULTS: Of the 149 water samples analyzed, 54.4% were positive for the M. leprae DNA. The M. leprae bacilli copy number ranged from 1.42 × 10 -1 to 1.44 × 10 + 2 . Most biopsies showed SNP type 4 (64%), while all samples from Juazeiro do Norte were SNP type 4, with subtype 4-N appearing at the highest frequency. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest that environmental waters containing M. leprae bacilli play an important role in disease transmission, justifying PGL-1 seropositivity in individuals living in areas where there is no reported case, and in leprosy cases individuals who report no previous contact with other case. Therefore, further investigation is needed to clarify disease transmission in this region and to explore the role of the environment. We also suggest that in this area surveillance for leprosy cases should be intensified.

AVALIAÇÃO DA ACURÁCIA DO CÁLCULO DE VOLUME DE PILHAS DE REJEITO UTILIZANDO VANT, GNSS E LiDAR

Dentre as diversas tecnologias utilizadas para calculo do volume de materiais na mineracao, o Veiculo Aereo Nao Tripulado (VANT) e o Light Detecting And Ranging (LiDAR), surgem como alternativas rapidas e precisas, em comparacao com as tecnicas de topografia tradicionais como estacao total e Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS). Diante destas novas tecnologias, este estudo avaliou a acuracia do calculo de volume, realizado por meio de Modelos Digitais de Terreno (MDTs), gerados a partir das tecnologias VANT, LiDAR e GNSS, em uma pilha de rejeito da extracao de calcario laminado, explorado para fabricacao de lajotas in natura, comercializado com o nome de “Pedra Cariri”, no municipio de Santana do Cariri, no Estado do Ceara. A avaliacao da acuracia foi realizada com base no metodo de testes de hipoteses, a partir da analise de tendencia e precisao, sendo os resultados classificados de acordo com o Padrao de Exatidao Cartografica dos Produtos Cartograficos Digitais (PEC-PCD). Como resultado, o modelo gerado a partir do VANT apresentou a melhor acuracia no calculo de volume da pilha de rejeito, objeto deste estudo, seguido pela modelagem obtida pelos levantamentos GNSS e LiDAR.

Natural environmental water sources in endemic regions of northeastern Brazil are potential reservoirs of viable Mycobacterium leprae

BACKGROUND The detection of live Mycobacterium leprae in soil and animals other than humans suggests that the environment plays a role in the transmission of leprosy. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to investigate the presence of viable M. leprae in natural water sources used by the local population in five municipalities in the state of Ceará, northeastern Brazil. METHODS Samples were collected from 30 different sources. Viable bacilli were identified by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of the M. leprae gyrA gene and sequencing of the PCR products. Physicochemical properties of each water source were also assessed. FINDINGS M. leprae gyrA mRNA was found in 23 (76.7%) of the water sources. No association was found between depth of the water and sample positivity, nor was there any association between the type of water used by the population and sample positivity. An association between viable M. leprae and temperature and pH was found. Georeferencing showed a relation between the residences of leprosy cases and water source containing the bacterium. MAIN CONCLUSIONS The finding of viable M. leprae in natural water sources associated with human contact suggests that the environment plays an important role in maintaining endemic leprosy in the study region.

ANÁLISE SOCIOAMBIENTAL DO ENTORNO DO ESTUÁRIO DO RIO COCÓ – FORTALEZA / CEARÁ

The urban densification, which sued in the surroundings of the estuary of the Rio Coco, favored by the huge population growth occurred in Fortaleza/CE/Brazil, in recent decades, involved in various negative impacts on site. In order to understand the environmental dynamics around the Poop River estuary, from the urban increment were conducted physical and human data collection in the area of interest through literature review, visit the field and analysis of satellite images. These data have been subjected to an integrated analysis that allowed understanding the socio-environmental framework in the area. The data collection in the field enabled the identification of various negative impacts promoted by urbanization in the study area, such as: filling of mangrove and wetland, deforestation, disposal and rubble in the riverbed, discharge of domestic sewage, silting, among others. The results point to the need for a systematic monitoring of urban expansion in the area; for identification and control of pollutant loads from residential and commercial; for the promotion of environmental education in the area; for the extension of effective police monitoring Coco ecological park and its suitability to the national system of conservation Units as (SNUC) – Federal Law No. 9985 July 2000.