Search

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is no such thing as an accidental sacrifice. Sacrifice is always pre-meditated, and if not entirely goal-oriented, at the very least inherently meaningful as a process in itself. This paper is about how we might begin to understand sacrifices that do not conform to these rules. It concerns the question: does sacrifice exist outside of its (often) dramatic, self-conscious elaboration? Within the Brazilian Catholic tradition everyday life – ideally characterised by monotonous, undramatic, acts of self-giving – is ‘true sacrifice’. For ordinary Catholics, the challenge is nothow toself-sacrifice, but how to make one's mundane life of self-sacrificevisiblewhilst keeping one's gift of suffering ‘free’. In this paper I describe, ethnographically, the work entailed as one of ‘revelation’ and use the problems thrown up to reflect upon both the limits and advantages of Western philosophical versus anthropological understandings of Christian sacrificial practices to date. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AIMS: This paper seeks to analyse the content, people and process of transformational change to introduce new ways of working for specialized obstetric nurses in northeast Brazil, and identify the lessons learned. BACKGROUND: Countries across the globe are beginning to focus on improving the nursing workforce through new ways of working. High numbers of caesarean sections coupled with high indices of maternal mortality in northeast Brazil prompted the introduction of a British Council Higher Education Links scheme to work collaboratively to transform the role of the specialist obstetric nurse and introduce the principles of Safe Motherhood. The concept of a normal birth had not been widely accepted, with the birth process viewed as a medical condition requiring pharmaco-therapeutic interventions rather than as a natural process. METHOD: Between 2000 and 2003, a more woman-centred approach to childbirth was introduced through the local delivery of two in-house education programmes and the qualification of 38 nurse-midwives. DISCUSSION: In spite of its slow progress, the success of the Higher Education collaboration has been recognized nationally, a new philosophy is guiding practice and new ways of working have been established. CONCLUSION: Lessons learned include the need to set achievable goals (content), respond to the emotional needs of those involved in the change (people) and make best use of reciprocal visits to rally the teams and sustain the focus for change (process). Although the Higher Education link is complete, funds are being sought for formal evaluation and dissemination. Overall, the process and outcomes of this collaboration suggest that to embrace such an opportunity to learn from each other can lead to real improvements in service and the lives of women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clustering of economic performance across jurisdictions has generated considerable research on the spillovers and linkages among geographical neighbors. Much of this work, however, has been aspatial, implying that the influence of location attributes on growth has been largely ignored. In this paper, we examine the contribution of location to regional economic growth using municipio-level data for the Brazilian Northeast—a historically lagging region of the country. We test if productivity among northeastern municipios is converging to a steady state and whether spatial externalities are linked to productivity growth in individual municipios. We find that, conditional on structural characteristics, productivity among municipios is converging at about 3 percent per year. Further, productivity in individual municipios is positively associated with own-structural characteristics but negatively associated with productivity growth in neighboring municipios. This means that there are negative spatial externalities coming from productivity improvements in neighboring regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to evaluate the compatibility between the Holocene relative sea-level (RSL) curves proposed for the Brazilian littoral and mangrove dynamics along a fluvial valley in the state of southern Bahia. This was done integrating geomorphological, sedimentological, palynological, and stable isotopic data from two cores collected at the mouth of the Jucuruçu River and at a site 23 km inland, near the city of Prado, northeastern Brazil. Core PR07, sampled from a fluvial plain at about 4.5±1 m above the RSL, reveals mangrove pollen (5–20%) and estuarine/terrestrial organic matter (δ13C=~–25‰, C/N=7.3–67) between 4.5 m (~7400 cal yr BP) and 1.75 m depth (~5350 cal yr BP). Core PR11, sampled from a mangrove tidal flat, also revealed mangrove pollen taxa (5-28%) since 660 cal yr BP. Core PR07 indicated absence of mangrove pollen and increase of sedimentary organic matter sourced from terrestrial C3 plants (δ13C=~–27‰, C/N=22–159) during the last 5350 cal yr BP. Probably, the changes in vegetation and sedimentary organic matter identified in core PR07 were caused by the combined effects of the RSL fluctuations, with a highstand at about 5350 cal yr BP of 2.7±1.35 m, and changes in fluvial discharge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT This paper is the result and synthesis of several water resources studies carried out by a group of specialists within the 'ARIDAS Project-A Strategy for the Sustainable Developmentof North East Brazil'. The paper comprises basically: diagnosis of the water resources situation in the North East; analysis of water sustainability, vulnerability to droughts, current water policies, and implications for the future; and guidelines for the setting up of a new water resources policy taking into account the sustainable developmentof the region. Deficient or critical areas were identified in terms of quantity, quality and vulnerability. Patterns of sustainability and vulnerability indexes were suggested, as well as a few general lines of action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Coastal Research is the property of KnowledgeWorks Global, Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In this paper, fossil rodents (Hystricognathi: Caviomorpha) from the late Quaternary of the southwestern State of Piauí, northeastern Brazil, are described. The material comes from archaeological/palaeontological sites located in the region of the Serra da Capivara. The late Quaternary taxa of this region includeGaleaMeyen, 1832,Kerodon rupestrisWied-Neuwied, 1820, Hydrochoeridae indet.,DasyproctaIlliger, 1811, cf.MyocastorKerr, 1792,ThrichomysTrouessart, 1880,PhyllomysLund, 1839,Coendou magnusLund, 1839 and a new taxon with chinchilloid affinities. TheCoendou magnusand cf.Myocastormaterial represents the northernmost records of these taxa. The unexpected presence of a new extinct taxon contributes to the understanding of the ancient rodent faunas from South America. Today, the studied area is located within the Caatinga Biome but some of the fossil taxa, such as Hydrochoeridae and cf.Myocastor, indicate wetter environments and permanent water bodies during the late Pleistocene–early Holocene. http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:92711BC3-8997-4474-A8AF-83DF4F91BB48 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Adolescent childbirth and elevated parity are relatively common in middle and low-income countries and they may be related to the higher prevalence and earlier onset of physical decline documented in these settings, especially in women. The aim of this paper is to investigate whether reproductive history is associated with physical function in middle-aged women from Northeast Brazil. Methods: The relationship between poor physical performance (grip strength, gait speed and chair stand), early maternal age at first birth (<18 years old), and multiparity (≥3 children) was evaluated in a community sample of 473 women living in Parnamirim (Northeast Brazil). Linear regression models were used to examine the relationship of interest; in addition, mediation analyses were employed to assess indirect effects of obesity and family income. Results: Women who gave birth at less than 18 years of age took approximately 0.50 s longer to complete the chair stand test compared to women who gave birth at 18 years or older. Moreover, women who gave birth to < 3 children completed the chair stand test 0.42 s faster compared to those who had ≥ 3 children. The relation between reproductive history and physical performance was mediated by BMI. Reproductive history was not associated with performance in gait speed. Conclusions: This study provides evidence that adolescent childbirth and multiparity are related to worse physical performance in middle-aged women from a low income setting. Reproductive history may partially account for earlier physical decline and greater disability in women from lower income settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the evolution of drought-related public policies in Northeast Brazil (NEB). Using a historical approach, we show that the evolution of public policy has not been characterized by abrupt shifts, but has instead been shaped through debates between renowned intellectuals. The resulting public policies formed a hydrological infrastructure that delivers clean water needed for robust economic activity. However, outcomes of the 2012-2013 drought show that populations that depend on rain fed agriculture are as vulnerable to drought as they were at the start of the 20th century. Although government, social, and emergency programs have aided drought victims, drought analysts agree that rain fed agriculture has remained vulnerable since drought policies were first formulated. Drought policies formulate integrated water resources management (IWRM) strategies that are geared toward supplying safe drinking water, and debates surrounding the IWRM paradigm have been affected by outcomes of major international events such as the World Water Forum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Pasos: Revista de Turismo y Patrimonio Cultural is the property of Universidad de La Laguna, Instituto Universitario de Ciencias Politicas y Sociales and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Brazilian Journal of Agricultural Sciences / Revista Brasileira de Ciências Agrárias is the property of Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In the last two decades the subtropical red tomato spider mite, Tetranychus evansi, has expanded its geographical distribution and emerged as a major invasive agricultural pest. The mite is considered to be native to South America. Since its first report from north-eastern Brazil in 1952, it has been reported from different continents. This paper reviews literature on several aspects of the biology of T. evansi related to its status as an invasive species. It addresses taxonomical issues, occurrences, life history traits, host-plant interactions, genetic diversity of geographical isolates and worldwide colonisation pathways. It also presents updated data which allowed the assessment of the actual worldwide distribution of this species, from its discovery to the latest reports. As T. evansi is considered an emerging agricultural pest, we also present data based on modelling of the potential of T. evansi to colonize new geographical areas. In addition, this review presents past and current research on natural enemies of T. evansi potentially useful for its biological control. While summarizing the knowledge on T. evansi, the review emphasizes research possibilities that are worth pursuing, mainly concerning the ability of T. evansi to establish new populations and to detect new promising natural enemies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • In the Brazilian Northeast, production is mostly based on subsistence farming. • We analyzed the impacts of climate change on maize, which is the main staple food. • As an adaptation measurement, we assessed the impacts for longer crop cycle maize. • The impacts of irrigation on productivity was also considered in the scenarios. Abstract This paper assessed the potential impacts of climate change on maize productivity in the Brazilian Northeast. To achieve this objective, bias-corrected regional downscaled scenarios from three global models for the representative emission pathways, RCP4.5 and RCP8.5, for the periods 1980–2005, 2007–2040, 2041–2070, and 2071–2099 were used as input data for a crop productivity model. Because increased temperatures are likely to shorten the crop cycle length, thus reducing productivity, we investigated the lengthening of the growing cycle as an adaptation strategy. To cope with the reduction of rainfall projected by future climate scenarios, we analyzed the potential impact of irrigation on productivity. The results showed that climate change effects would be mostly negative for maize rainfed agriculture, particularly for the worst-case scenario (RCP8.5, 2071–2099), in which losses were expected to reach more than 60%. However, productivity losses were limited to a maximum of 30% for all RCP4.5 scenarios and before 2070 for the RCP8.5 scenario. The use of maize cultivars with a longer crop cycle for rainfed agriculture was likely to increase the average productivity in all scenarios, although it came at the expense of increasing the risk of crop failure. Regarding the use of irrigation, there was an improvement in productivity for both the short- and long-cycle cultivars, although longer crop cycle cultivars had a decisive advantage, with a drop in yield of less than 20% for all RCP4.5 scenarios and for the RCP8.5 scenario until 2070 compared to the present climate. We estimated the total production and the increase in water demand based on the existing and projected irrigated areas in the region and concluded that it is possible to avoid significant losses in total maize production in the region for all scenarios, with the exception of the 2071–2099 RCP8.5 scenario. However, sustaining such levels of production requires a significant increase in water consumption (up to 140%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article makes a case for using regional planning to improve the social and economic regional impact of land reform policy in developing countries. We focus on rural settlements in the Brazilian north-east, where land reallocation has been approached in a variety of ways over many decades. The study identifies problems deriving from the lack of a plan-led strategy, leading to failures in identifying sustainable areas and designing appropriate policy interventions on a regional scale. Based on the planning literature and our empirical results, it is proposed that different views on land reform should be combined into a broader regional strategy. This involves strategic targeting of specific areas to define a portfolio of investment and spending priorities, combined with intergovernmental and intersectoral co-ordination, running from the early stages of a project's formulation until the final stages of its implementation. Additionally, this paper shows that combining top-down and bottom-up approaches to land reform, and supplementing policy-making at the national level with programme/project design and implementation at the subnational level, allows an effective government response to rural poverty and landlessness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Intersecoes: Revista de Estudios Interdisciplinares is the property of Editora da Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (EdUERJ) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Anuario do Instituto de Geociencias is the property of Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Geociencias and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of RAE: Revista de Administração de Empresas is the property of Fundacao Getulio Vargas and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Brazilian Journal of Applied Economics / Economía Aplicada is the property of FEA-RP, Universidade de Sao Paulo and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The present paper reexamines the relative role of the tropical Pacific and tropical South Atlantic (TSA) on the rainfall over Northeast Brazil (NEB). For several variables, El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and TSA-related anomalous patterns are obtained. These patterns are then compared to the combined ENSO and TSA-related patterns to infer the relative importance of the two oceanic basins on the rainfall over NEB. Analyses are done for austral summer and autumn seasons. Considering the composite technique, six cases are examined: El Niño and neutral conditions in the TSA, La Niña and neutral conditions in the TSA, ENSO neutral conditions and warm TSA, ENSO neutral conditions and cold TSA, El Niño and warm TSA, and La Niña and cold TSA. The most important result comes from the cases with competing influences of the tropical Pacific and the TSA. In some of these cases, the SST variability in the TSA is the determining factor of the NEB climate. The result of this study might be useful mainly for regional climate monitoring purposes. Copyright © 2006 Royal Meteorological Society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mapping and monitoring of Direct Normal Irradiance ( DNI ) is most relevant for the proper installation of solar power plants that use concentrating solar systems. This paper presents a satellite-based method for estimating DNI and daily direct normal irradiation ( Q n ) that uses a minimal set of regional meteorological information and avoids empirical adjustment with ground-based radiometric data. The focus of the validation and application were on the Northeast Brazil region (NEB), which exhibits high solar radiation levels throughout the year. Two basic parameters for satellite-derived DNI estimates are: (i) DNI under clear-sky conditions DNI clear (computed from the REST model) and (ii) cloud cover C (estimated from GOES visible imagery). The first validations were performed by comparison with measurements from three radiometric stations of the SONDA network in the NEB (Petrolina, Natal and São Luís) during 2007–2008. Overall, the results confirmed the good performance of the proposed model. DNI daily cycles in conditions of clear and partially cloudy skies were represented satisfactorily, with daily average errors within ±25 W m −2 . Good linearity was found between the measured and satellite-estimated Q n , with coefficients of determination (R 2 ) ranging from 0.84 to 0.89. The average values of MBE (Mean Bias Error) and RMSE (Root Mean Square Error) over all sites were −1.7% and 18.7%, respectively. In addition, seasonal and annual average maps of direct normal irradiation were generated over NEB for 2008. It was found that the spatial–temporal variability of Q n is strongly modulated by meteorological systems acting in the region, such as the ITCZ (Intertropical Convergence Zone). The mapped results reveal that the highest value was approximately 22 MJ m −2 on an annual average basis, and higher values occurred in areas of semi-arid climate. The proposed satellite-based model may be applied for providing information of DNI (with a spatial resolution of 4 km), particularly over regions without in situ measurements, and suggests good accuracy for climatic and solar resource studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of RAP: Revista Brasileira de Administração Pública is the property of RAP: Revista Brasileira de Administracao Publica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Extraterrestrial radiation is attenuated by the atmosphere in different proportions depending mainly on the solar zenith angle and the altitude of the measurement point. In this work, very high and extreme total solar irradiance measurements are presented that, on some days, surpassed the Solar Constant corrected by the actual Sun-Earth distance (CSC). This paper reports a detailed analysis of ground-based measurements of cloud-enhanced solar global irradiation in NE Brazil in the cities of Água Branca, Santana do Ipanema, Palmeira dos Índios, Laje, Pão de Açúcar, Arapiraca, Coruripe, and Maceió from January to December 2008. Measurements were made at 1-min intervals using Eppley and B & W pyranometers with an estimated uncertainty of 5%. It was found that a) the phenomenon is not uncommon and that it occurs on at least one-third of the days in a given month; b) the cumulative duration (number of 1-min consecutive events) can reach 34 min; d) there is a clear seasonal effect, and the probability of occurrence on a monthly basis shows two peaks, one in April and another in October; e) the most extreme solar radiation was 1650 W/m 2 in Água Branca, which is approximately 350 W/m 2 above the extraterrestrial solar irradiation; and f) a strong asymmetry was detected in the occurrence profile between the morning and afternoon. Finally, the observation of extreme values should be taken into account in the study of solar radiation effects related to the UV index and biological effects, among others. Extreme radiation above the extraterrestrial irradiance lasting up to 30 min can mean very high and potentially dangerous UV (UVI) indexes, even in situations with seemingly adequate cloudiness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents information on cesarean section rates for the last baby born to 1.746 women in Northeast Brazil between January 1978 and the date of a 1980 household survey. For hospital deliveries, the c-section rate is 19 per cent. Rates were highest in the major urban areas and lowest in rural areas. Within residence categories, the section rate was related directly to education. early prenatal care, and delivery in private hospitals. (Am J Public Health 1985; 75:560-562.) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing concern about climate change and related greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) has been shared by many companies who are now involved in emission reduction efforts. In order to do this, it is necessary to first develop GHG emission inventories. The construction of inventories is not common practice in developing countries and among Brazilian water and wastewater companies, only four companies, among the top 25, have developed their GHG inventories, and none in the Northeast of the country. This paper aims to identify and estimate GHG emissions from the activities of a water utility, Empresa Baiana de Águas e Saneamento S.A (Embasa) in the State of Bahia during 2012. The method used for the inventory was the GHG Protocol proposed by World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and World Resources Institute (WRI), the most widely adopted method worldwide. In addition, the guidelines of IPPC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) were used to calculate emissions from wastewater treatment plants. It was found that the emissions resulting from sewage treatment (mostly carried out by anaerobic processes) constitute the largest source of GHG at the sanitation company studied, when considering the activities defined in this work. The assessment of GHG sources and emissions identified in this research can support proposals for reduction targets and benchmarking. The results form the basis for the incorporation of GHG reduction measures in the company's strategic planning as well as for integrating its sustainability report. The findings of this work can also help other companies to undertake GHG reduction measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ancestors of the Xukuru of Ororubá, Fulni-ô and Wassú, and other indigenous peoples in the northeastern region of Brazil participated in the War against Paraguay. What do documents and registers inform us on the subject? What did these populations report on the War? What is the meaning of indigenous memories on the conflict? Recent studies on the "great war" bring about a novel interpretation by going beyond the traditional points of the war, by describing the battles and the biography of war heroes. Current approach tries to understand the different phases of the conflict and the different social groups involved. Current paper discusses the indigenous history and memories on the War against Paraguay within current debates on the conflict, for a better comprehension of indigenous history in contemporary Northeast of Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to identify the circulation associated with Easterly Wave Disturbances (EWDs) that propagate toward the Eastern Northeast Brazil (ENEB) and their impact on the rainfall over ENEB during 2006 and 2007 rainy seasons (April–July). The EWDs identification and trajectory are analyzed using an automatic tracking technique (TracKH). The EWDs circulation patterns and their main features were obtained using the composite technique. To evaluate the TracKH efficiency, a validation was done by comparing the EWDs number tracked against observed cases obtained from an observational analysis. The mean characteristics of EWDs are 5.5-day period, propagation speed of ~9.5 m·s−1, and a 4500 km wavelength. A synoptic analysis shows that between days −2 d and 0 d, the low level winds presented cyclonic relative vorticity and convergence anomalies both in 2006 and 2007. The EWDs signals are strongest at low levels. The EWDs propagation is associated with relative humidity and precipitation positive anomalies and OLR and omega negative anomalies. The EWDs tracks are seen over all ENEB and their lysis occurs between the ENEB and marginally inside the continent. The tracking captured 71% of EWDs in all periods, indicating that an objective analysis is a promising method for EWDs detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current paper deals with the life of the singer and composer Ari Lobo and his professional trajectory is investigated as a popular and regional stance that developed within the Brazilian musical scenario of the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. Ari Lobo's life reveals the adjustment forms to the musical market established and experimented by singers who, in similar conditions, became successful as stars of the Brazilian regional songs. Ari Lobo and other singers and composers of the Brazilian northern and northeastern regions triggered a 'popular' version of the song which became characteristic of Brazilian music. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current context of climate change discussions, predictions of future scenarios of weather and climate are crucial for the generation of information of interest to the global community. Due to the atmosphere being a chaotic system, errors in predictions of future scenarios are systematically observed. Therefore, numerous techniques have been tested in order to generate more reliable predictions, and two techniques have excelled in science: dynamic downscaling, through regional models, and ensemble prediction, combining different outputs of climate models through the arithmetic average, in other words, a postprocessing of the output data species. Thus, this paper proposes a method of postprocessing outputs of regional climate models. This method consists in using the statistical tool multiple linear regression by principal components for combining different simulations obtained by dynamic downscaling with the regional climate model (RegCM4). Tests for the Amazon and Northeast region of Brazil (South America) showed that the method provided a more realistic prediction in terms of average daily rainfall for the analyzed period prescribed, after comparing with the prediction made by set through the arithmetic averages of the simulations. This method photographed the extreme events (outlier) that the prediction by averaging failed. Data from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) were used to evaluate the method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

South America, especially the Amazon region, is considered a hotspot of biosphere–atmosphere interactions and presents a unique challenge for regional climate modeling. Here, we evaluate the performance of a regional model in simulating the climate–vegetation system in South America and use the model to investigate the potential role of large‐scale warming in the recently observed trend of hydroclimate and vegetation. Compared with prescribing vegetation based on observational data, adding the predictive vegetation capacity to the regional climate model enabled the model to simulate the vegetation response to climate while sustaining the model performance in reproducing the mean, variability and extremes of the regional climate. The coupled vegetation–climate model captures the recent trends in hydroclimate and vegetation productivity and their spatial contrasts, including a trend toward warmer, drier, and less productive conditions in the Amazon and Nordeste regions and a trend toward cooler, wetter, and more productive condition in the La Plata region. Results from sensitivity experiment driven by detrended boundary forcing for the regional climate suggest that much of the trends in the Amazon and Nordeste regions can be attributed to the effects of large‐scale warming, but contribution from decadal variability also plays a role especially for the most recent decade. However, the trend in the La Plata region cannot be attenuated by the removal of the boundary forcing trend, indicating the role of large‐scale circulation pattern changes. The recent trends in vegetation productivity may be early manifestation of future changes in the Amazon and surrounding regions. Key Points: A regional model performs well in simulating the vegetation–climate system in South AmericaBoth the vegetation productivity and water availability show a decreasing trend over the Amazonia and NordesteWarming is a major cause for the recent trend, but multidecadal variability also plays a role [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The Alcântara Formation (Early Cenomanian, São Luís Basin) that crops out on the northern shoreline of Maranhão State, northeastern Brazil, presents a unique record of northern South American vertebrates that is similar to North African Albian–Cenomanian records. In this paper, nine theropod teeth are described. Some of these show a long, distally curved profile, laterally compressed, with a textured distal surface and a basal cross section from elliptical to subcircular. The mesial carina is deflected lingually, the distal one is deflected labially and both are gently serrated. This set of dental features is peculiar to and typical of the Malagasy genus Masiakasaurus from the Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian). The Alcântara Formation material is here referred to a noasaurid related to Masiakasaurus knopfleri in spite of the spatial and temporal distance between them. This referral is based on the similarity of the Brazilian material with the easily distinguishable dental features of the Malagasy species. This new record should be taken into account in interpretations of the historical biogeography of noasaurids in Gondwana. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Copyright of Revista Mediacoes is the property of Universidade Estadual de Londrina and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Abstract: This paper presents a solution for improvement of energy efficiency in buildings by using thermal insulation materials. The application was tested in areas of northeast Brazil where the average temperature reaches 34°C. The research considered building materials from the region such as: (a) gypsum, that is abundant in nature and found in several deposits in Brazil and it is absorbent of water; (b) vermiculite, a mineral composed of hydrated silicates of aluminum and magnesium; (c) EVA, an ethylene-vinyl acetate produced in large quantities as residue from expanded sheet cuttings in the shoe industry. The thermal conductivity of each material was measured but the comparison of the thermal behavior of the two walls is based on calculation only. The application of these materials in plates coated with a layer of air showed, compared to conventional walls, 38% reduction in heat load per square meter when using vermiculite-composed plaster and 41% reduction when using gypsum or EVA composition. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Copyright of Estudios Sociológicos is the property of El Colegio de Mexico AC and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper presents the results for thermo-tolerant coliform (TTC) decay rates (Kb) in a full scale WSP system located in Natal-RN, northeast Brazil. The series comprises a primary facultative pond (2 m deep), followed by two maturation ponds (1.5 m deep) giving a total area of 11 ha. The influent sewage and the pond effluents were monitored weekly during a seven month period. The results showed that the Kb values predicted by the Marais equation assuming a hydraulic regime of complete mixing overestimated TTC die-off rates. The Kb value adopted in the project design was 6.20 d-1 but the mean value found for the WSP system during the monitoring programme was only 0.85 d-1. This value is low compared to the values cited in the literature for shallow ponds (<1.25 m deep) but similar to values for deeper ponds. The sub optimal TTC removal rate in this WSP system may be caused by the adoption of too high a Kb value at the design stage and the negative influence of high wind conditions on the mixing regime in the water columns of the ponds. Thus values for Kb adopted at the design stage of WSP systems should be coherent with the hydraulic flow model, the type of pond, pond depth, and with the surface organic loading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper investigates the performance of seven stochastic models used to define optimal reservoir operating policies. The models are based on implicit (ISO) and explicit stochastic optimization (ESO) as well as on the parameterization–simulation–optimization (PSO) approach. The ISO models include multiple regression, two-dimensional surface modeling and a neuro-fuzzy strategy. The ESO model is the well-known and widely used stochastic dynamic programming (SDP) technique. The PSO models comprise a variant of the standard operating policy (SOP), reservoir zoning, and a two-dimensional hedging rule. The models are applied to the operation of a single reservoir damming an intermittent river in northeastern Brazil. The standard operating policy is also included in the comparison and operational results provided by deterministic optimization based on perfect forecasts are used as a benchmark. In general, the ISO and PSO models performed better than SDP and the SOP. In addition, the proposed ISO-based surface modeling procedure and the PSO-based two-dimensional hedging rule showed superior overall performance as compared with the neuro-fuzzy approach. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The members of the family Diodontidae are popularly known as porcupinefishes. They possess a long temporal range, extending from Eocene to Holocene. The occurrences of the family in the Brazilian strata are very scarce, being recorded the presence of the genus Diodon in the Miocene of the Pirabas Basin. Until now, only three families of Tetraodontiformes were reported from the Upper Cretaceous (i.e., Cretatriacanthidae, Plectocretacicidae, and Protriacanthidae). In this paper, we point out the oldest Brazilian record of Diodontidae, attributed possibly to the Gramame Formation, Upper Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) of the Paraíba Basin, northeastern Brazil. This lithostratigraphical unit includes diversified and abundant fossiliferous assemblages, including palynomorphs, microfossils, invertebrates (e.g., corals, annelids, crustaceans, mollusks, bryozoans, echinoids) and vertebrates (e.g., fishes, turtles, plesiosaurs, mosasaurs, crocodilians, pterosaurs), as well as ichnofossils. The taxon is represented by a complete upper dental plate, measuring 14.5mm in length and 18.5mm in width. It is associated to part of the premaxilla, which bears numerous small and individual teeth fused to its margin. The material was assigned to Diodontidae by the comparison with its extant members. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper explores the relationship between disaster risk reduction and long-term adaptive capacity building in two climate vulnerable areas—the Cayman Islands in the Caribbean and Ceará, in NE Brazil. Drawing on past applications of the disaster risk reduction framework, we identify four critical factors that have led to reductions in risk: flexible, learning-based, responsive governance; committed, reform-minded and politically active actors; disaster risk reduction integrated into other social and economic policy processes; and a long-term commitment to managing risk. We find that while the presence of these factors has reduced overall risk in both regions, in Ceará, disaster response as it is currently practiced, has fallen short of addressing the fundamental causes of vulnerability that leave those prone to hazards able to cope in the short term, yet enmeshed in poverty and at risk from the longer-term changes associated with climate change. Although calls for integration of disaster risk management with poverty eradication are not new, there has been insufficient attention paid in the literature on how to foster such integration. Based on the two case studies, we argue that the adoption of good governance mechanisms (such as stakeholder participation, access to knowledge, accountability and transparency) in disaster risk reduction policy may create the policy environment that is conducive to the kind of structural reform needed to build long-term adaptive capacity to climate-driven impacts. We conclude that without a synergistic two-tiered approach that includes both disaster risk reduction and structural reform, disaster risk reduction, in the face of climate changes, will prove to be an expensive and ineffective palliative treatment of changing risks. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Copyright of Geologia USP: Série Científica is the property of Geologia USP and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The governance of several cross-cutting challenges, such as food security, climate change, and sustainable development, calls for integrative policy approaches. However, efforts to better theorize the drivers of integration beyond listing explanatory factors remain weak. Viewing integration as a process of policy change for dealing with complex problems, this study argues that policy integration analysis can benefit from an advocacy coalition approach (ACF) to address this theoretical gap. It illustrates the analytical framework by empirically investigating the drivers of policy (dis)integration in Brazil's subnational water policy introduced in the 2010s. The level of conflict between coalitions, adjustment of policy beliefs, coordination within and across coalitions, and existence of venues for interaction and policy-oriented learning were presented as factors that can foster or hinder the integration of public policies. Moreover, the study discusses the potential to acknowledge in ACF the mechanisms for coordinating policy actors and instruments, which would facilitate the analysis of the policy processes of cooperation. It also demonstrates that recent droughts in Northeast Brazil have been increasingly related to the local impacts of climate change, contributing to reframing water management as a cross-sectoral climate and water governance issue. The analysis was based on a literature review, semi-structured interviews, and social network analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background This study investigates the marine macroinvertebrate fauna of rhodolith beds (nongeniculated red corallinaceaous algae) in northeast Brazilian. A total of 57 species were identified, belonging to six phyla (Platyhelminthes, Annelida, Sipuncula, Mollusca, Arthropoda and Echinodermata), of which 50 are considered here as new records for the Paraíba State. Annelids (Class Polychaeta) were the most representative taxa in Miramar and Seixas Beaches, while molluscs were dominant in Maceió Beach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since August 2019, crude oil stains have appeared on the beaches of the Brazilian Northeast. Five months on, this could be considered the most severe environmental disaster of this type. However, the economic impacts are still unknown. We show that the coastal areas of Piauí, Rio Grande do Norte and Ceará were the worst affected in terms of gross domestic product and employment, assuming tourism and fishing to be directly affected activities. Our results can help plan better measures to mitigate the negative impacts of this kind of disaster and identify the most vulnerable areas for government and private assistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of EntomoBrasilis is the property of EntomoBrasilis and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In Brazil, 124 species of ectoparasites of bats are known from the families Streblidae, Nycteribiidae, and Spinturnicidae. This study aimed to characterize the ectoparasites associated with bats in a restinga habitat in Sergipe, northeastern Brazil. Sampling occurred between October 2016 and September 2017 in the Reserva Particular do Patrimônio Natural do Caju through the capture of bats, using 10 mist nets. The ectoparasites collected were stored in 70% alcohol and subsequently identified. For the hosts, the parasitological indexes were calculated and, for the most abundant ones, the influences of the sex of the host and of seasonality on these indexes were evaluated. We collected 430 parasites, of which 77.90% belonged to the Streblidae family. The influence of host sex was observed only in terms of the prevalence between Periglischrus iheringi and Artibeus lituratus, with the highest values observed for females. This may be associated with the highest susceptibility of females to parasitism by the greater permanency in the shelter. In terms of the influence of seasonality, only the interaction between Carollia perspicillata and Trichobius joblingi was affected by temperature, with an increase in prevalence rates and mean intensity during the season with lower temperatures. This relationship may be associated with biological differences among parasites species. The present study identified six new species of ectoparasites and the occurrence of ticks on bats for Sergipe, in addition to registering 11 new bat-ectoparasite associations for the state and two for Brazil, contributing to an increase in our knowledge about bat-ectoparasite interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Northeast Brazil (NEB), severe droughts have high socioeconomic impacts. In this study, the spatial–temporal characteristics of drought were evaluated based on a new drought index at 4‐km spatial resolution, derived from regional empirical relationships between a remote sensing‐based index and rain‐gauge‐based standardized precipitation index (SPI), a well‐known drought meteorological index. This index was used to compare the spatial pattern of severe drought events (1982–1983, 1992–1993, 1997–1998, and 2012–2013) of the last 30 years. Strong El Niño related droughts were found to be generally spatially limited, affecting around 30% of NEB and concentrated in the northern part of the region, while 2012 drought, which was not El Niño related, was widespread, reaching 46% of NEB. These results stressed the importance of analyzing droughts at the subregion scale using data with higher spatial resolution. Statistically significant trends (p < 0.05) toward drier conditions detected in the SPI time‐series were linked to the tropical Atlantic Ocean warming trend, which result in an increased drought risk and social vulnerability in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Fingerprint analysis plays a key role in quality control of herbal medicines due to its technical capacity to represent the chemical diversity of these complex matrices. Several traditional Brazilian species showed very little data in their chemical profiles. Objective: Thus, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the chemical profiles of Brazilian herbal species by thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Materials and Methods: The herbal materials of 7 species (Anacardium occidentale, Annona muricata, Guazuma ulmifolia, Phyllanthus niruri, Psidium guajava, Punica granatum, and Spondias mombin) were collected from three different locations in Northeast Brazil, botanically authenticated and their chemical profile analyzed by TLC (cinnamics, flavonoids, and tannins) and by HPLC (polyphenols). Results: The chromatographic data showed the similarities between chemical profiles of the sample fingerprints, confirming the presence of several classes of secondary metabolites as well as the identification of different chemical standards (catechin, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, ellagic acid, gallic acid, quercetin, or rutin). Conclusion: The chromatographic profiling of the herbal drugs by TLC and HPLC were successfully characterized and allowed for the identification of promising chemical markers, improving the state of art in the quality control of the herbal species investigated in this study. Abbreviations used: HPLC: High-performance liquid chromatography; PVDF: Polyvinylidene fluoride; RP-LC: Reverse-phase liquid chromatography; TLC: Thin-layer chromatography; UV-spectrum: Ultraviolet spectrum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]